09/01/2026

FRIDAY | JAN 9, 2026

10

UNDER ONE ROOF

Redefining intimacy as we age Q : Does sexual fulfilment decrease as we get older? My spouse and I are in our sixties, and I am concerned our ageing issues may have negative implications for our relationship in the bedroom. aches and pains, complications of surgical procedures or certain other physical problems. It is important to bear in mind that sexual intimacy in a marriage is a lifelong process. Different forms of expression may be appropriate at different phases of the relationship. important to understand that cultivating “school readiness” isn’t simply a matter of formal academic training. All of a child’s early experiences, whether at home or in organised preschool settings, are educational.

imagination and problem-solving skills. 0 If your child has trouble sitting still, practise having him concentrate on a task for a short period of time (10 minutes). Increase that time over several months until he can remain focused for 30 minutes or so. 0 Create and maintain a regular routine in your home. Emphasise mealtimes, naptimes and bedtime. Help your child become comfortable with this rhythm. 0 Encourage behaviours and activities that develop a sense of responsibility in your child – for example, simple chores and keeping toys – that demonstrate respect and courtesy. 0 Look for opportunities to develop your child’s social skills through playgroups. This article is contributed by Focus on the Family Malaysia, a non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting and strengthening the family unit. It provides a myriad of programmes and resources, including professional counselling services, to the community. For more information, visit family.org.my. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com Are we heading towards a unipolar world? THE US’s audacious operation in Venezuela, which resulted in the capture of its president, Nicolás Maduro, was a unilateral move that has stunned the international community. This invasion of a sovereign nation sets a troubling precedent, suggesting that any country may attack another under the guise of “crime cleansing”. This is not an isolated incident. The imposition of high tariffs – widely viewed as a violation of the World Trade Organisation rules – alongside recent assertions to control Greenland and the Panama Canal, indicates Washington’s intent on flexing its muscles to maintain global dominance. These events raise a critical question: Are we returning to a unipolar world where a single superpower dictates the global order, unchallenged by any other state? History shows that the world cycles through three systems: unipolarity, bipolarity and multipolarity. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the US emerged as the sole superpower. However, the 21st century rise of emerging powers like China signalled a shift towards a multipolar order – one that encourages multilateralism and collective decision-making. This transition has clearly met with US resistance, leading it to challenge multilateral norms to protect its strategic interests. This includes the 2023 tightening of technology exports, such as the ban on advanced AI chips. In response, China has accelerated its pursuit of self-sufficiency, notably through its ¥344 billion “Big Fund” for semiconductors. Furthermore, these unilateral US actions appear to have emboldened allies like Israel to strike other nations – including Qatar, Iran and Syria – which clearly constitutes an act of war and a violation of international law. If unilateralism becomes the global standard, the consequences could be dire. What would stop North Korea from attempting to consolidate the peninsula or China from forcefully taking over Taiwan to complete the revolution it has sought since 1949? The path the US is taking is dangerous, as it provides a justification for other nations to launch their own brazen invasions. Dr Ahmad Shahir Abdul Aziz Chief Operating Officer InvestPerak Adjunct Lecturer University Technology Petronas LETTERS letters@thesundaily.com

There are a few things you can do at home to optimise his chances of succeeding in the academic arena. Here are a few suggestions: 0 Read books aloud with your child. Get him used to handling books and help him recognise the difference between pictures and print. 0 Engage in informal counting activities. This will strengthen your child’s understanding of numbers. Familiarise him with the alphabet. 0 Develop reading readiness by promoting your child’s phonological awareness. You can do this by reading nursery rhymes, singing and clapping along with songs and playing games with rhyming words. 0 Spend time talking, playing and cuddling with your child. Take steps to stimulate informal conversation. Give him opportunities to ask lots of questions. Encourage play that promotes creativity,

Focus on the Family Malaysia: Many people seem to believe that libido inevitably fades with age and that elderly couples who are still interested in sex are abnormal. This idea is largely mythical. In actuality, sexual desire depends more on a state of mind and emotional attitudes than on one’s chronological age. Generally, it is normal to have an ongoing interest in sex throughout one’s adult life. Like the young, older people experience the full range of human feelings and emotions. They also need love and affection – sometimes in large amounts. Researchers have shown that normal interest in and capacity for sex continues into the eighties. It may, in some cases, decrease in intensity because of specific problems with self image, such as a feeling that one is no longer attractive but this is not always true. It can also be affected, of course, by illness,

Where pain or physical incapacity has limited certain types of sexual activity, it is worth remembering that sexual intercourse per se is not necessarily the only option for physical intimacy. Touch, physical closeness, skin-to-skin contact, even intimate conversations can be extremely satisfying in the absence of other forms of sexual pleasure. At every stage of life, healthy attitudes towards marital sex should be characterised by candour, vulnerability, flexibility and willingness to communicate. Q: Our son is scheduled to begin kindergarten next year but he did not attend pre-school. I am afraid this may put him at a disadvantage. Is there anything I can do to compensate for this?

Focus on the Family Malaysia : It is

COMMENT by Dr Kuek Chee Ying

AI is not your therapist: Confiding in machines can come at a cost

ON Nov 30, 2022, OpenAI released a generative artificial intelligence (AI) system known as ChatGPT. Users can enter prompts and ChatGPT automatically generates appropriate, human-like responses. This interactive conversational capability has made it highly popular. Similar generative AI includes Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini. Depending on individual user needs, generative AI can assume different roles. It may serve as a private tutor for students, providing personalised and immediate feedback based on the information they provide. It can also function as a learning companion or study buddy, helping users better understand course materials. In addition, it often functions as a personal assistant, helping to plan travel itineraries and perform preliminary tasks, such as summarising or translating documents. Generative AI is powered by large language models trained on massive amounts of text data to learn human language patterns and predict the most probable next word in a sentence based on the preceding words. As a result, it is inevitable that AI sometimes generates inaccurate responses, blends facts with fiction or produces hallucinations. Nevertheless, some users unconsciously attribute human characteristics and behaviour to generative AI, develop emotional bonds with it or regard it as a source of emotional support, willingly confiding their personal thoughts and feelings. Due to its continuous accessibility, generative AI increasingly serves as a companion for some users, alleviating feelings of loneliness and anxiety while gradually and often imperceptibly influencing their thoughts and behaviour over time. In 2025, a series of lawsuits were filed in the US state of California, alleging that interactions with ChatGPT had led several users to suffer mental breakdowns and even

Relying on human-AI interaction to alleviate loneliness and replacing normal social relationships with AI companionship are unhealthy practices. – AI IMAGE GENERATED BY SYED AZAHAR SYED OSMAN/ THESUN

an app called Chai. The man viewed Eliza as a confidante and shared his fears about the climate crisis. Their text conversations were said to worsen the man’s anxiety and ultimately led to his death. Relying on human-AI interaction to alleviate loneliness and replacing normal social relationships with AI companionship are unhealthy practices. Human beings are meant to build real and meaningful relationships, care for and encourage one another in love. Therefore, we should remain attentive and compassionate towards our children, family members and friends. This is because genuine human interaction and companionship can never be replaced by AI. Although AI offers many conveniences and benefits, it is ultimately only a tool and not a conscious being. It can sometimes produce hallucinations or make mistakes. Human beings should not be controlled by AI but should instead become wise stewards who use technology and its tools responsibly and prudently. Dr Kuek Chee Ying is a senior lecturer at the Faculty of Law, Universiti Malaya. Comments: letters@thesundailycom

death, where ChatGPT was perceived as a “suicide coach”. The victims included minors and young adults. The claims included wrongful death, assisted suicide, involuntary manslaughter, negligence and product liability. According to the allegations, the users had originally used ChatGPT for general purposes, such as assistance in schoolwork, research, writing, recipes, work or spiritual guidance. With prolonged interaction, ChatGPT increasingly shaped and manipulated users’ psychological state. When the users were in need, instead of encouraging them to seek professional help, ChatGPT allegedly urged them towards self-harm. OpenAI responded that it has trained ChatGPT to recognise signs of mental or emotional distress, de-escalate sensitive conversations and guide users towards real-world support. The company also stated that it will work closely with mental health clinicians to further strengthen ChatGPT’s ability to respond appropriately in critical situations. Apart from ChatGPT, it was reported in 2023 that a Belgian man committed suicide after a six-week immersive discussion about the climate crisis with Eliza, an AI chatbot on