12/01/2026

MONDAY | JAN 12, 2026

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Recognising the many faces of need T HE festive glow often illuminates a beautiful, collective impulse: the desire to give. Across Malaysia, as asks us to act in ways that honour the specific dignity of that need. This could mean patronising a struggling local enterprise

between medication and electricity. Their poverty is invisible, woven into the array of ordinary life, mistaken for simple frugality or even pride. Or it could be a helpless man taking shelter in a five-foot way and gets woken up rudely with water hosed on him. My encounter with the young man running a struggling car wash in my condominium epitomises that destitution often comes in disguise. His need isn’t for a holiday hamper; it is for consistent patronage, a thread of economic stability to help him meet his monthly expenses. Supporting him is not about charity in the classic sense; it is a conscious, micro-philanthropic choice to bolster dignity and enterprise where it already exists, yet falters. He represents a vast cohort – the gig worker without a safety net, the small merchant battling inflation and the single parent whose resilience masks profound exhaustion. They wear no uniforms of need and their struggles are often mistaken for personal failing, a cruel and simplistic judgement that ignores the intricate web of circumstance, systemic barriers and plain bad luck.

refugee camps, and rightly so. But what of the family that did not flee, now trapped in a shattered suburb, their need as desperate but their access to help blocked by rubble and danger? What of the professional – the teacher or the engineer – whose world has collapsed, whose poverty is not a lifelong condition but a sudden, violent erasure of all they built? In war zones, the “invisible” need may be the trauma facing a specialist treating children, themselves on the verge of breakdown, or the local journalist documenting atrocities while running out of food. The aid maps are drawn along supply lines but suffering seeps into every crack, seen and unseen. This brings us to a humbling, yet empowering, realisation that poverty eradication on a macro scale may be an ideal beyond our individual reach. The architectures of conflict, inequality and economic disparity are colossal. Yet, to use that as an excuse for apathy is to surrender our fundamental humanity. The philosophy that “the thought counts” is not a platitude; it is the foundational ethic of a compassionate society. It means that our individual power lies not in solving everything but in seeing more clearly and choosing to act within our sphere. True philanthropy, therefore,

Call to action: No more excuses More importantly, if the school fails to act or if the bullying is complex, there is now a tribunal for anti bullying. Under Clause 29, this tribunal has the jurisdiction to hear complaints even if the bullying incident occurs outside the supervision of the school, provided the victim is a student. This means the viral post, regardless of where or when it was uploaded, falls under the law’s reach. However, a powerful law comes with the responsibility of proper usage. The Anti-Bullying Act 2026 is a shield for the vulnerable, not a weapon for petty grievances or false accusations. It must not be misused. The legislation anticipates this by establishing strict checks and balances. Kudos to the government for catalysing this. We are moving in the right direction but a law is only as good as its execution. This Act gives us the legal boundaries we desperately need but it is up to us to enforce them. Parents, teachers and classmates must come forward. We must use these new channels, the committees and tribunal to stand up for the “Aiman” in our midst. Bullying is a serious matter, and now we have the serious legislation to match it. Let us make sure it doesn’t stay as just a great idea but becomes the shield that keeps our children safe. DrNaveen Nair Gangadaran is a paediatrician, a committee member of the Malaysian Paediatric Association and Perinatal Society Malaysia. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com consistently, offering pro bono skills to a non-profit organisation, contributing to grassroots NGOs adept at finding “invisible” families or supporting humanitarian agencies known for reaching behind the frontlines. The outcome of our giving, whether it truly alters a life’s route is often beyond our control. We give, not with the arrogance of solution-bearers, but with the humility of fellow humans offering a handhold in a steep climb. The festive season is not over yet for us Malaysians, with two major celebrations coming up. Let our generosity evolve from a seasonal destination of check-marked bucket list items into a year-round journey of nuanced engagement. For need is not a simple address; it is a condition that whispers as often as it cries. By learning to hear those whispers, we do more than give. We affirm a powerful, healing truth that you are seen, your struggle is real and you are not alone. That, in the end, is where hope truly begins. DrBhavani Krishna Iyer holds a doctorate in English literature. Her professional background encompasses teaching, journalism and public relations. She is currently pursuing a second master’s degree in counselling. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

observed in recent weeks, this has manifested in a surge of generosity towards orphanages, old folks’ homes and established charities, so much so that many organisations find their calendars filled with goodwill months in advance. This is a profound credit to our national character – a demonstration of compassion that should be celebrated. Yet, this seasonal ritual also invites a deeper reflection on the very nature of need and philanthropy. Is our generosity reaching its fullest potential or are we, in our well intentioned haste, seeing only the most visible forms of suffering? The act of donating to a recognised institution is charity – a vital, immediate response to organised need – but philanthropy is a broader undertaking. It is the sustained love of humankind that seeks to understand and address needs in all its complex, often hidden, dimensions. The crucial insight, one that dawned on me this season, is that poverty and desperation are heterogeneous. They do not only reside in designated buildings. For every child in an orphanage, there may be a family next door, intact but fractured by debt, quietly skipping meals. For every elderly resident in a care home, there may be a pensioner in a modest apartment, choosing LET us talk about “Aiman”. He is a bright student, consistently topping his class in Science and Mathematics. But the bell for Pendidikan Jasmani and Kesihatan signals the start of his weekly nightmare. Aiman is overweight and struggles to run like the other boys. During sessions, he is the last to finish, panting heavily even after that. It doesn’t stop at the field. Exhausted from the physical exertion, Aiman dozes off in his next class. A “friend” snaps a picture of him sleeping, mouth slightly open and posts it on Facebook and TikTok. The caption is cruel, the comments worse. It goes viral overnight. Now, the smart boy who loves learning refuses to put on his uniform. He hates school. He would rather stay home than face the whispers. Aiman isn’t physically beaten but he is broken. This story is a fictional one but there are many people like Aiman whose voices are not heard. When I saw the Facebook post of our king, granting the royal assent to the Anti-Bullying Act 2026, I was overjoyed. It is a monumental step for students like Aiman. For too long, cases like his were dismissed as “just teasing” or “online drama”. This Act changes the narrative completely by recognising that the scars we cannot see are just as damaging as the ones we can. Understanding modern bullying What would make this Act truly

“True philanthropy, therefore, begins with perception. It asks us to look closer at our neighbour, at the small business owner or at the complex narratives behind headlines from warring states. It then asks us to act in ways that honour the specific dignity of that need.

If we broaden our gaze from our local communities to the global stage, this lesson becomes starker and more urgent. Consider the haunting landscapes of war in Gaza, Sudan or Ukraine. Here, need is catastrophic and visceral, yet even amidst such glaring tragedy, it wears many masks. International aid convoys target For the silent victims: Giving voice through the Anti-Bullying Act begins with perception. It asks us to look closer at our neighbour, at the small business owner or at the complex narratives behind the headlines from warring states. It then

COMMENT by Dr Naveen Nair Gangadaran

A powerful law comes with the responsibility of proper usage. The Anti-Bully Act 2026 is a shield for the vulnerable, not a weapon for petty grievances or false accusations. It must not be misused. – AI IMAGE GENERATED BY AZURA ABAS

damaged Aiman’s reputation and created a hostile environment that pushed him out of school. Previously, schools may have claimed they couldn’t act on a Facebook post made after hours. The new Act closes this gap. It mandates that educational institutions establish a specific committee to prevent and manage such cases.

damage was done via a smartphone. Clause 3(2)(e) explicitly includes acts committed through ”electronic or digital communication” as a form of bullying. Furthermore, Clause 3(2)(c) covers acts intended to “socially isolate a victim, damage the reputation of a victim or to create a hostile environment”. The viral photo did exactly this, it

powerful is its specific definitions. Under Clause 3(1), bullying is now legally defined as any wilful act that causes “physical, psychological or social harm” to a victim. This directly protects Aiman, whose suffering is psychological and social rather than physical. The Act is also incredibly forward thinking regarding the method of bullying. In Aiman’s story, the