24/02/2026

TUESDAY | FEB 24, 2026 5 Quake off Sabah coast strongest in 11 years KUALA LUMPUR: A 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck off the coast of Sabah yesterday was the strongest to hit Malaysia in 11 years, triggering brief panic among residents across parts of Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia, although no tsunami threat was reported. The Meteorological Department said the quake occurred at 12.57am, with its epicentre about 49km west of Kudat and at a depth of 678km beneath the Earth’s surface. Due to the deep epicentre, only mild tremors were felt by the public and no aftershocks have been recorded as of yesterday. The last comparable seismic event occurred on June 5, 2015 in Ranau, Sabah, when a 6.0-magnitude earthquake killed 18 individuals, one of the most significant earthquakes in the country’s history, said department director-general Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip. He said Sabah’s proximity to the Pacific Ring of Fire, a highly active seismic belt formed by tectonic plate movements, makes the state vulnerable to such tremors, adding that the department would continue to monitor the situation closely. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the Fire and Rescue Department Operations Control Centre would conduct continuous field monitoring as a precautionary measure. Patrols were being carried out in coastal areas near the Sabah International Convention Centre, with inspections in several districts, including Putatan and Kudat, to ensure the situation remained safe and under control. Ahmad Zahid, who is also National Disaster Management Committee chairman, advised residents to remain alert to official instructions, stay calm and avoid panic. “Obtain verified information from the Disaster Portal or official social media channels of the Meteorological Department, the National Disaster Management Agency and other relevant agencies,” he said, adding prayers for the safety of Sabahans. Despite assurances of no tsunami risk, the midnight quake rattled residents, particularly those in high-rise buildings in Kota Kinabalu and Putatan, who described a brief but intense period of fear. E-hailing driver Jalius Majin, 45, said he was resting in his fifth-floor apartment at the Taman Sri Serigai People’s Housing Project when the tremor struck, causing his sofa to shake violently and the walls and roof to creak. “The quake lasted around 10 seconds but felt much longer. The ceiling fan swung violently and picture frames shook. “It was stronger than any earthquake we have experienced before,” he said, adding that he woke his wife and three children before evacuating down the emergency stairs to the car park. Clinic assistant Clarice Eve Mojigoh, 28, who lives on the sixth floor of an apartment block, said she was about to rest after work when she noticed her wardrobe door swinging open as the building swayed. “The windows were shaking and I felt dizzy from the swaying. I grabbed a flashlight and my phone, took my mother and went downstairs.” Cleaning company worker Md Zamri Yusof, 32, said he was in a commercial block at Aeropod, Tanjung Aru when he felt the corridor floor moving. “At first, I thought it was dizziness from working the night shift, but then I saw the roller shutters rattling and screeching. I avoided the lift and ran down the stairs.” The tremor was widely felt in Kota Kinabalu and surrounding areas, with residents in high-rise buildings reporting the strongest shaking. Authorities urged the public to remain calm and rely on official updates, noting that no structural damage or casualties have been reported as of yesterday. – Bernama

‘Violence and mental illness not synonymous’

o Cause of criminal behaviour can be determined by probing past records, triggers linked to events: Educator

psychological services across public and professional sectors, including workplaces, highlighting that listening and supporting people through intense experiences is challenging but essential. She said psychological professionals make significant, often invisible contributions to building a resilient, empowered community. “Mental health is a complex field requiring trained professionals to understand and evaluate human behaviour and thoughts.” Pahang Social Welfare, Women, Family and Community Development Committee chairman Datuk Sabariah Saidan was reported as saying the murder of a family of five at Taman Cerating Damai on Feb 17 could be linked to mental health issues. According to state police, the suspect is believed to have killed his wife, two children and mother using a knife before taking his own life beside the bodies of his wife and children in a bedroom. The suspect, previously employed as a lorry driver in Klang, Selangor, had returned to Kuantan and started working as a security guard earlier this month. Siti Khadijah urged the public to avoid self-diagnosis and uninformed judgement, stressing the need to respect those affected by tragedies. “I would like to call for a more respectful and self-aware community that is cognisant of the boundaries in making judgement or sharing opinions for complex cases with little or no professional knowledge. “Pause and think whether we have the expertise to make judgement before throwing an opinion so that we do not intentionally harm others while expressing our view.”

PETALING JAYA: Tragedies involving violence are often followed by society pointing fingers at mental illness, but experts say this is a perilous mistake that fuels stigma, misjudges victims and overlooks the real triggers behind such acts. University of Nottingham Malaysia Applied Psychology and Wellbeing associate professor Dr Siti Khadijah Zainal Badri said violent crime must be assessed through a comprehensive evaluation of multiple risk factors, which may or may not involve mental health issues. “Given the complexity of violent crime and human behaviour, an accurate cause can only be determined by professionals through a detailed investigation of past records and the triggers linked to the events.” She explained that violent behaviour can arise from a mix of factors, including past exposure to violence, childhood abuse, substance misuse, financial stress, certain personality disorders, weak social support or situational triggers. Siti Khadijah emphasised that mental health conditions, which affect mood and behaviour and may lead to withdrawal or sadness, are not synonymous with violence. She said most individuals living with such conditions are rarely harmful to others and primarily need support and understanding. Ű BY QIRANA NABILLA MOHD RASHIDI newsdesk@thesundaily.com

“Most people with mental health conditions struggle to manage negative emotions and thoughts, often leading to withdrawal, low self-esteem, sadness or disrupted daily life, but they are rarely harmful and mainly need support, understanding and empathy to cope and thrive. “Violence is when one uses physical force or power or any act intended to harm others. The key difference here is the intention to harm others, which is not common for those with mental health conditions.” She also said individuals with depression or anxiety are more likely to harm themselves through self-harm or suicidal thoughts as they often feel overwhelmed, worthless and consumed by negative thinking. She said in Malaysia, many individuals struggle emotionally without seeking professional help, particularly those with low incomes and limited access to mental healthcare services. “This is one of the pain points that I believe is the focus of the Madani government in broadening service and financial resources (insurance), and public access to psychological professionals to improve our social support system. “A more accessible psychological support network and service is urgently needed, given the predictions of more intense economic and social challenges society will face in the future.” Siti Khadijah called for the expansion of

HOLIDAY VIGILANCE ... Terengganu Road Transport Department director Mohd Zamri Samion (second, right) inspecting buses during the

Chinese New Year Ops at a Kuala

Terengganu bus station yesterday. – BERNAMAPIC

Fast-track process urged in criminal cases to preserve CCTV footage KUALA LUMPUR: Legal experts are urging a fast-track court process to preserve CCTV footage in serious criminal cases, with applications heard within 48 hours amid concerns that crucial evidence is being lost to automatic deletion. “By the time a case moves from the Magistrate’s Court to the High Court, more than a year may have passed and the footage could already be gone, even though it may be crucial to the defence.” already have been overwritten. He urged the creation of a mechanism enabling lawyers to act swiftly, with court oversight to protect privacy.

He added that any reform must include safeguards under the Personal Data Protection Act 2010 to protect the privacy of third parties captured on CCTV. He suggested introducing time-limited preservation notices to prevent automatic deletion, while ensuring access and disclosure remain strictly supervised by the court. “This would safeguard the accused’s legal rights without compromising the privacy of unrelated individuals.” – Bernama

He added that lawyers have no power to compel private premises to release recordings as only police or the courts hold that authority. He proposed letting lawyers apply directly to a magistrate for preservation orders in urgent cases, with hearings within 48 hours to prevent crucial evidence from being lost. Lawyer Muniandy Vestanathan stressed that by the time a court issues a subpoena after charges are filed, CCTV footage may

Criminal lawyer Sivahnathan Ragava said most CCTV systems overwrite recordings after two to three months, leaving a narrow window to preserve evidence critical to a trial. “In serious drug cases in which the punishment can include the death penalty, failing to secure CCTV footage promptly could jeopardise an accused person’s right to a fair trial.