10/04/2026

FRIDAY | APR 10, 2026

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Q : How can I get my teenage daughter to stop lying? I have caught her telling “tall tales” and now she is complaining that other children at school don’t believe anything she says. What should I do? Focus on the Family Malaysia: Try uncovering the underlying motive for her lying. Chances are it is a play for attention. She may not feel confident or secure in who she is and may be trying desperately to gain her peers’ respect. If this seems plausible, the root of the problem may lie within the circle of your immediate family. Life’s demands can easily siphon off the attention our children need and your daughter may simply be seeking reassurance of your love. Look for opportunities to spend some one on-one time with her. Gently ask if there is anything she would like to talk about. If her tendency to lie has a domestic basis, you may be able to address the issue without looking beyond the home. However, if this approach doesn’t work – if the lies seem designed purely to get a response from her peers – then it is important to help her clearly understand the negative impact this behaviour can have on her relationships. If her friends feel they can’t trust her, they may not want to spend time with her. Ironically, this is the opposite of what she is trying to achieve. Helping her see this connection may Next week, the Sikh community will celebrate Vaisakhi . In many other countries, such diversity would be remarkable but in Malaysia, it is simply part of everyday life. Walk through any neighbourhood in Malaysia, especially in urban centres, and this reality is clear. Different traditions, beliefs and cultures exist side by side, often overlapping in ways we barely notice anymore. This has long been one of our greatest strengths. Yet, why do we feel more divided than ever? Take the recent tragic drink-driving accident that claimed a life. It is an incident that should never have happened and those responsible must face the full force of the law. At its core, this is a matter of enforcement and personal accountability. Yet, it has been rapidly politicised, reframed through racial and religious lenses, and in the process, risks chipping away at the very foundations on which our plural society is built. A similar pattern can be seen in the controversy over Hindu shrines, a complex issue with historical, legal and social dimensions. However, our tendency to interpret it primarily through the lens of identity has turned it into an unnecessarily combustible flashpoint. We see this tendency beyond social issues as well. In the corporate sphere, Sunway’s recent attempt to acquire IJM – a RM11 billion proposal – ultimately fell through after failing to secure the required majority shareholder acceptance, despite extensive public debate over valuation and long-term strategy. Yet, even in a case grounded in financial considerations, market dynamics and shareholder choice, discussions at times risked being framed through broader narratives rather than the underlying fundamentals. Social media is one part of the problem,

Understanding and helping your daughter to stop lying

Scheduling time together may not sound romantic but it can be an important and practical way to rebuild connection. As you work towards returning to the same sleeping arrangement, consider easing into it. You can start by sharing the same bed on some nights. Even short periods of quiet, uninterrupted time together can nurture both emotional and physical intimacy, which are key ingredients for a strong and vibrant marriage. 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

becoming increasingly common. Some surveys suggest that between 30% and 40% of couples now opt for separate sleeping arrangements. While a good night’s sleep is important for both physical and marital health, the benefits of a husband and wife sharing a bed make it worth exhausting every effort to find a workable solution. If you haven’t already, consider making an appointment with your physician. The causes of snoring are sometimes minor and easily treated. Your doctor can assess your situation and, if necessary, refer you to a sleep specialist. If your snoring is due to obstructive sleep apnea, treatment options may include a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine or an oral appliance that repositions the jaw or tongue. In the meantime, take intentional steps to reconnect physically. Do what is necessary to revive your sex life so that you can enjoy regular intimacy.

lead to meaningful progress. At the same time, firm consequences for lying, such as the loss of privileges, may be necessary. Avoid getting drawn into debates about whether she is telling the truth. Instead, address the behaviour calmly and decisively – act, don’t argue. If needed, you may also consider arranging a parent-and-child counselling session for additional support. Q: My wife and I have been married for three years. About a year into our marriage, she started sleeping in a separate bedroom because my snoring was keeping her awake. We still get along well but our physical intimacy has declined significantly and our relationship now feels more like that of housemates. What can we do to reconnect? Focus on the Family Malaysia : Surprisingly, the arrangement you have described is

Enhance safety at Metro rail stations

LETTERS letters@thesundaily.com

Malaysia is not divided until we make it so LAST week, we observed Qing Ming , Good Friday and Easter, while many Malaysians are still in the midst of the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations.

WE wish to express our growing concern about the absence of protective guardrails or platform screen doors at several older metro rail stations. This critical safety gap leaves commuters vulnerable to potential harm, including the risk of being pushed onto active tracks by ill-intentioned individuals or those experiencing severe mental distress. While such incidents may be perceived as rare or unlikely in our local context, global trends suggest otherwise. Increasing urban pressures, coupled with the rise in substance abuse and untreated mental health conditions, contribute to a more unpredictable public environment. It would be both imprudent and irresponsible to assume that Malaysia is immune to such risks. We thus welcome the call by transport safety expert Law Teik Hua to install automatic platform gates, also known as platform screen doors, at older metro stations to prevent incidences of passengers falling onto the tracks. An incident on April 3, in which a woman fell onto the tracks at Abdullah Hukum Station, underscores the urgency of this issue. While such incidents are rare, when they do occur, the consequences can be severe, including serious injuries, service disruptions and even death. Public transport systems

are meant to be safe and reliable for all citizens. The current absence of physical barriers between platforms and tracks creates an avoidable hazard – one that could have devastating consequences if left unaddressed. Preventive infrastructure, such as guard rails or platform screen doors, has already proven effective in reducing accidents and intentional harm in many countries. We urge the relevant authorities and decision makers to adopt a proactive approach by prioritising commuter safety over assumptions of improbability. Waiting for a tragic incident to occur before taking action would represent a failure of foresight and duty of care. We strongly recommend: 0 immediate safety audits across all metro rail stations; 0 implementation of physical protective barriers at high-risk locations; 0 increased surveillance and on-site personnel during peak hours; and 0 greater investment in public awareness and mental health support initiatives The safety of the public must never be compromised. Preventive measures taken today can save lives tomorrow. K. R. Punithan Secretary Klang Consumer Association

Different traditions, beliefs and cultures exist side by side, often overlapping in ways we barely notice anymore. This has long been one of our greatest

strengths. – SUNPIC

rarely framed in the sweeping, divisive terms we often see on social media. Most people are focused on practical concerns like livelihoods, safety and their living environment. That contrast should give us pause. Malaysia’s diversity has never been the problem. The real risk lies in how easily it can be exploited when we stop thinking critically and start reacting emotionally. A society that is constantly on edge is one that can be easily manipulated. Unity cannot be left to habit or nostalgia; it requires vigilance, discipline, restraint and a willingness to judge issues on their merits, not on the identities we attach to them. While we cannot entirely prevent political opportunists from sowing discord, we can remain alert to such attempts and ensure they do not take root. Malaysia’s diversity remains one of our greatest strengths. The question is whether we are prepared to protect it, not just in principle, but in how we respond when it is tested. Ben Fong Kok Seng Chairperson Bukit Bintang Parliamentary Zone Residents’ Representative Council

especially when it becomes a space for speculation, generalisation and, at times, attempts to link individual wrongdoing to entire communities. In today’s environment, outrage travels faster than facts. A single incident can be amplified and reshaped within hours. By the time clearer information emerges, the narrative has already taken hold. There are also those who seek to inflame such tensions for their own ends, often to win votes during elections. When public attention is redirected towards identity, it becomes easier to divide and provoke. Complex issues are reduced to simple narratives. As someone who works closely with residents and community groups in Kuala Lumpur, especially Bukit Bintang, I see a very different reality on the ground. Bukit Bintang is a diverse area with many residents of different backgrounds, business owners, workers and visitors sharing the same space every day. Differences exist but they are managed through daily interaction, mutual respect and a shared understanding that everyone has a stake in keeping the area functioning. People do not behave the way they do online. Disagreements happen but they are