28/12/2025

NATIONAL 3 theSun on Sunday DEC 28, 2025

Initiative to protect children from online risks

Assistance for B40 Mara students KUALA LUMPUR: Majlis Amanah Rakyat (Mara) chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki has advised students receiving offers from Mara Junior Science colleges not to decline them solely due to financial hardship. He said that Mara and such colleges have specific initiatives to help students from underprivileged families continue their education, including via the Budi Mara scheme. “Please do not reject the offer solely due to poverty. I have instructed Mara and the management of such colleges to assist those in need. Budi Mara assistance is also available,” he said in a Facebook post yesterday. Asyraf also shared the case of a low income family in Pasir Mas, Kelantan, who were worried about covering the initial schooling costs for their child. The student’s father could no longer work following an accident, while the mother is a homemaker with four children to support. He explained that the student had just received an offer to study at the Mara Junior Science College in Jeli, but the family was considering turning it down due to concerns over the initial and ongoing expenses. Asyraf, who is also Umno secretary general, said upon learning of the situation, he immediately contacted the Pasir Mas Umno division chief Datuk Noor Hariri Mohamed Noor to cover the initial expenses. He also pledged that he would personally support the remaining costs, in cooperation with Mara. The Budi Mara programme is an initiative designed to aid eligible students, particularly those from the B40 group, who are furthering their studies at Mara Junior Science colleges. It provides various facilities, aligning with the admissions policy of the colleges, which stipulates that at least 60% of students must be from the B40 demographic. – Bernama KOTA BHARU: The one-off RM100 Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) aid, redeemable until Dec 31, is providing relief for low-income households, even as critics question its modest scale. For those with limited means, the payment is far from trivial. The RM100 amount, combined with the ongoing monthly Sara aid, forms a crucial financial buffer, helping to alleviate the acute pressures of rising living costs and seasonal year-end expenses. Single mother Nor Rizan Muhamad, 48, from Kampung Padang Bongor, said the RM100 has had a tangible impact on her family’s finances. “Although the sum isn’t large, it is a real help. I used to budget about RM200 for necessities. But with this aid, half the amount is taken care of,” she said. She added that the savings allow her to redirect funds to other more pressing needs, thereby easing the constant financial strain she faces. Another recipient, 52-year-old Sukamal Rajib, described the Sara aid as an unexpected windfall, although it is a one-off payment, and expressed hope that similar initiatives would continue in the future. – Bernama Sara RM100 aid providing relief

assurance approach, as it was easier to implement and enforce while ensuring user privacy was protected. “I received a letter from the Facebook regional director. He stated very openly and officially that Facebook is prepared to help with user verification using government-issued documents. “So, the idea didn’t come from me. It actually came from Facebook. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr Raphael Frankel for giving me this idea. We will likely take that path,” he said. Fahmi also said the sandbox implementation provided both the government and the platform with time and space to evaluate the effectiveness of the mechanism and address any weaknesses before it is rolled out to the public. “If one approach is not feasible, we will look at other options. The important thing is that when implemented, any issues that arise can be better managed.” Fahmi stressed that while Malaysia is learning from the experiences of other countries, including Australia and Denmark, its policy and implementation would be tailored to suit the local context.

Govt to launch ‘sandbox’ to test regulatory mechanisms ahead of full implementation

PUTRAJAYA: The application of artificial intelligence (AI) technology must be strategically complemented by efforts to strengthen digital and social media literacy, to ensure the country’s information ecosystem remains safe, ethical and responsible, said Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil. He said the rapid advancement of AI should not be viewed in isolation but must go hand in hand with society’s capacity to assess, understand and filter information, particularly amid the growing complexity of the digital landscape. According to him, AI serves as a support system that could help provide early warnings, offer context and detect potential misinformation, but users must also be equipped with a strong level of digital literacy. “As recipients of information, readers and viewers, what kind of attitudes do we need to adopt, to ensure we are able to distinguish between true and false information? At the very least, there must be guidance. For example, when we drive a car, we still follow the lanes. “AI also plays a role in sounding the alarm when we are too close to colliding with the vehicle in front. That is why I see the combination of AI, digital and media literacy as something that can be further strengthened. It is a very powerful combination.” Fahmi said the integration of the three elements could help foster a society that is more resilient to information manipulation, slander and digital fraud, thereby reducing the risk of social harm and public confusion. He added that the government recognises the need to leverage AI as one of the key mechanisms to curb the misuse of the technology, particularly in addressing the spread of false information and fraudulent content across PUTRAJAYA: The government will roll out a regulatory “sandbox” programme from Jan 1 to assess child protection mechanisms and ensure consumer safety in the digital space ahead of full-scale enforcement. Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil said the initiative would involve the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) and a number of social media platforms. He added that the move would allow both the government and platform operators to assess existing technical capabilities and test regulatory mechanisms in a controlled environment. A sandbox is a regulatory testing framework commonly used in the technology and digital sectors, enabling stakeholders to trial new approaches, mechanisms or technologies. This process allows regulators to assess a policy’s effectiveness, risks and impact

while giving the industry room to adjust technical and operational capabilities to comply with legal requirements. “Our approach isn’t about simply giving orders. We invite all platforms into a space known in the technology world as a ‘sandbox’, so government objectives align with the platforms’ capabilities and tools,” he said in an interview with Bernama. According to Fahmi, the trial programme would run for several months to ensure that the measures put in place were effective and could not be easily manipulated, to safeguard children from online risks. On Australia’s decision to ban social media use for children under 16, Fahmi said Malaysia had no plans to adopt the same approach and opted instead for a method better suited to the local context. He said Malaysia preferred the platform-proposed age verification mechanism over Australia’s age

Digital literacy needed to complement AI use: Fahmi

Fahmi said in the dissemination of information to the public, AI has significant potential to be harnessed positively, particularly in fact-checking and assessing the validity of claims. – ADAM AMIR HAMZAH/THESUN

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digital platforms. He also said the “fighting AI with AI” approach has long been applied in the field of cybersecurity, including in detecting and countering malicious code (malware) and AI-based malicious software. “We have to fight AI with AI. In cybersecurity, AI is already being used to combat AI-based malware.” Fahmi added that in the context of journalism and the dissemination of information to the public, AI has significant potential to be harnessed positively,

assessing the validity of claims. He said the concept of agent-based artificial intelligence, or agentic AI, could assist in verifying or refuting the accuracy of information that spreads rapidly on social media platforms. As an example, Fahmi said the X platform uses an AI app known as Grok, that allows users to obtain additional context or early verification of viral claims. “Although it is not perfect, I find it to be a very interesting use of AI for the purpose of news verification.” – Bernama