31/03/2026

TUESDAY | MAR 31, 2026

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King briefed on Online Safety Act 2025 KUALA LUMPUR: His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, was briefed on the Online Safety Act (Onsa) 2025 yesterday, which aims to make the internet safer for families and children in the country. involving fake accounts targeting the Malay Rulers and members of the royal family. Effective from Jan 1, Onsa provides a legal framework to enhance online safety and strengthen protections for users, particularly children and families.

According to a post on Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar’s Facebook page, the briefing was delivered by Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil during an audience with His Majesty at Istana Bukit Tunku here. “The implementation of Onsa is intended to make the internet safer for families and children by establishing clear responsibilities for online platforms. “It also enforces age verification mechanisms to prevent children aged under 16 from opening social media accounts,” it said. Fahmi, in the same post, said the Act also seeks to tackle issues

The Act outlines responsibilities and obligations for licensed service providers to address online harm, including implementing risk-based security measures, providing specific protections for children and establishing user reporting and assistance mechanisms. Onsa also applies to service providers holding Application Service Provider or Content Application Service Provider licences, as well as Network Service Providers under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. – Bernama

Fahmi explaining Onsa to His Majesty. – PIC COURTESY OF SULTAN IBRAHIM SULTAN ISKANDAR FACEOOK PAGE

Need for urgent action to achieve zero waste target

the Agriculture Department, so that they could make the necessary preparations,” he said. MetMalaysia had said the hot weather phenomenon affecting the country is expected to persist until the onset of the southwest monsoon in June due to drier atmospheric conditions and lower rainfall. – Bernama Unity ministry drafts 3R guidelines for MPs KUALA LUMPUR: The National Unity Ministry is drafting guidelines to prevent MPs from touching on sensitive issues of race, religion and the monarchy (3R) during debates in the Dewan Rakyat. Deputy Minister R. Yuneswaran said the report will be submitted to Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Dr Johari Abdul soon. “Although MPs have immunity in the Dewan Rakyat, every elected representative must act responsibly to ensure that statements made do not provoke anger or tension among the public. “Even if action may not be taken within the Dewan Rakyat, it does not mean we can freely make statements that touch on the sensitivities of race, religion and the royal institution,” he said at the launch of the Malaysian Racism Report 2025 by Pusat Komas here yesterday. He said all parties, including politicians, should focus on the national development agenda and the wellbeing of the people. Yuneswaran also said he supports a proposal by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia to introduce a National Harmony Act. He added that the matter is still at an early stage of discussion and requires support from the Prime Minister’s Office as a proactive step to strengthen national unity. “The ministry is also in discussions to establish a Harmony Commission. We also want to have a Harmony Act, but it is still in the early stages of discussion,” he said. – Bernama

o This requires strong political will, integrating climate measures into national policies and carrying out sustainable management: Minister

2,500 tonnes of waste daily, demonstrating how technology can enhance efficiency in dense urban settings. Enforcement efforts have also ramped up, with thousands of illegal dumping sites closed nationwide last year and over a thousand tonnes of solid waste removed. Malaysia continues to consolidate these initiatives through the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management Corporation, focusing on waste segregation at source, expanding recycling, and promoting nationwide awareness campaigns. “Cities are on the frontline of the global waste crisis. Without decisive action, waste generation is projected to surge by 2050, straining landfills, ecosystems and urban liveability. “Reducing waste is not just about cleaning up cities. “It is a vital practice for conserving energy, securing long-term energy resilience, and ensuring a sustainable future for all,” he said.

Also present were State Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Sandrea Ng Shy Ching and Taiping Municipal Council president Mohamed Akmal Dahalan. Wong stressed that the implementation of home-based learning would be carried out effectively and efficiently. Schools authorities have also that the measures taken are timely and effective,” he said after attending the Forest Conservation Certificate as Malaysia’s Trusted Platform for Conservation Finance programme here yesterday. Arthur said the Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) would continue to play a key role in providing accurate weather three-pronged strategy: shift from the linear “take-make-dispose” model to a circular economy, accelerate smart technologies in waste systems and strengthen collaboration between governments, businesses and communities. He said Malaysia is already leading by example. Through the Housing and Local Government Ministry, the country has launched nationwide recycling drives, its “Trash to Cash” programme and a long-term Circular Economy Blueprint for 2025–2035, which includes extended producer responsibility and digital waste tracking. Ageing landfill sites are being transformed into green community spaces known as Lestari Parks, while waste-to-energy facilities in Negeri Sembilan and Malacca are being fast tracked to reduce landfill dependence. In Kuala Lumpur, an AI-powered transfer station now processes up to

Ű BY HARITH KAMAL newsdesk@thesundaily.com

as during unforeseen situations such as natural disasters, proving its effectiveness in ensuring the continuity of education. ‘It is important that the health and welfare of our children is given priority,” he said at the Taiping Municipal Council oath-taking ceremony press conference here yesterday. carried out based on prevailing needs, guided by data and technical reports from relevant agencies to ensure the impact of the weather phenomenon is effectively managed, particularly in sectors such as agriculture. “If necessary, we will carry out interventions such as cloud seeding based on available data to ensure “The 2030 climate goal demands urgent measures to cut greenhouse gas emissions nearly in half and limit global warming to 1.5°C. “Achieving this requires strong political will, integrating climate measures into national policies, enhancing resilience, and mobilising climate finance and sustainable waste management. All are central to this mission,” said Nga in a statement. Framing waste management as more than an environmental issue, Nga described it as a cornerstone of climate resilience, resource efficiency and public health – particularly in rapidly urbanising regions such as Southeast Asia. To tackle the crisis, Nga outlined a

PETALING JAYA: Cities worldwide are hurtling towards a tipping point, where overflowing landfills, environmental strain and declining liveability could become the norm unless urgent action is taken to slash waste and overhaul management, Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming warned. Nga, who also serves as president of the UN-Habitat Assembly, said the move towards zero waste is no longer optional – it is central to meeting climate targets under the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. TAIPING: The implementation of Home-Based Teaching and Learning amid the hot weather will not affect students’ learning, but will remain as effective as physical learning. Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh said the approach is not new as it has been implemented since the Covid-19 pandemic as well SHAH ALAM: The Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Ministry is prepared to implement intervention measures, including cloud seeding, to mitigate the impact of the prolonged hot weather currently affecting several states nationwide. Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup said the measures would be

‘Home-based initiative will not affect student learning’

been informed that they could either carry out home-based or face-to face teaching and learning in classrooms, according to needs of the schools.

Wong said so far the Education Ministry has not received any reports of heat stroke cases involving children in schools. – Bernama Cloud seeding among efforts mulled to mitigate impact of hot spell

information to support follow-up actions, while helping relevant agencies and the public make necessary preparations. “Given the increasingly unpredictable climate conditions, we have an important role in providing early warnings, particularly to agencies such as the National Disaster Management Agency and