24/06/2026

WEDNESDAY | JUNE 24, 2026

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W ITH political supporters and opponents of President Donald Trump continuing to excoriate him for signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) enabling a 60-day pause to the conflict in Iran and the Middle East, what is standing out in the coverage and analysis in the West is a media-fuelled campaign focusing on what its critics describe as America’s surrender and the need to continue “pounding Iran” and “collapsing its government” until their version of an American and Western victory is accomplished. This calamitous war was begun by the US and Israel. Its temporary cessation and potential for a durable peace and security agreement should be welcomed by all global stakeholders and regional actors, including the media. Instead, we are seeing the resurgence of warmongers – previously quiet or concealed in their support of America’s military superiority to reinforce hegemony – now combining forces with the domestic enemies and critics of Trump’s presidency. Both are less intent on exposing his and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration’s folly in unleashing an unprovoked and unjustifiable conflict. Both are not interested in encouraging the US and Iran to negotiate a peaceful settlement. Both see gain in running Trump down and denigrating the credibility of the MoU. In fact, the two often opposed groupings – even among their more moderate wings – share a common objective in seeking the destruction and demise of the current Iranian “regime” and civilisation, according to Trump’s initial battle rhetoric which had earlier enthralled them. Disappointment, anguish and anger over the failure to accomplish the “obliteration of the Iranian government”, an outcome now abandoned by Trump, appears the stimulus for pro-Zionist opponents of the MoU, especially to derail the peace process by all means possible. This political alignment finds its loudest echo chamber in the press. The antagonistic framing of the June 2026 US-Iran framework agreement across major Western media outlets – including the establishment or “progressive” organisations like The New York Times , Washington Post and British Broadcasting Corporation – should surprise no one. It offers a textbook study in media ideological bias, structural cynicism and worse. A N O T B Y L I M THE Dementia Alliance of Malaysia (Damai) is deeply concerned by the latest findings of the Health Ministry’s National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) on the prevalence of dementia among older Malaysians. The survey reveals that 10% of Malaysians aged 60 and above are now living with dementia, marking a significant increase from the 8.5% prevalence of probable dementia recorded in 2018. This upward trend highlights a growing public health challenge that demands urgent attention from policymakers, healthcare providers and society as a whole. This increase comes despite improvements in other healthy ageing indicators between 2018 and 2025, including lower rates of depression and greater independence in daily living among older Malaysians. These gains show that focused interventions can deliver results. The rise in dementia prevalence, however, is a stark warning that Malaysia must treat brain health as a national priority. The rise may partly be attributed to longer life expectancy, with those aged 80 and above making up an increasing proportion of the population. It may also reflect the growing burden of diabetes, hypertension, obesity and high cholesterol, all of which are established risk factors for cognitive decline and dementia. This underscores the need for stronger LETTERS letters@thesundaily.com

No respite in Western media war against Iran

Progressive media and the “Establishment Playbook” Outlets like The New York Times or The Washington Post often pride themselves on progressive domestic values or editorial nuance. However, when it comes to the core tenets of the “Washington consensus” on foreign policy, that independence – and journalistic integrity – evaporates. The mechanism of this institutional bias relies on distinct structural tactics. 0 The weaponisation of cynicism: Progressive outlets routinely adopt a posture of “tough minded realism” that favours warmongers and “patriotic security” hawks. Headlines focus on how the deal “leaves the US and Israel vulnerable” or “fails to fully dismantle” Iran’s nuclear ambitions. This creates a psychological framing where an imperfect peace is treated as more dangerous than an active war. 0 The illusion of balance: By allocating disproportionate space to hawkish think-tank analysts, disgruntled defence officials and regional critics (Netanyahu and other Zionist cheer leaders who oppose the deal), these papers normalise the idea that diplomatic compromise in the pursuit of peace is a form of weakness and surrender. De-contextualising and downplaying the human and economic costs A striking aspect of the current media critique is the erasure of the severe global and regional toll the 2026 conflict has already exacted. The war caused devastating disruptions to global energy corridors, trade routes and humanitarian supply lines, alongside thousands of military and primarily Iranian civilian casualties. By dismissing the ceasefire as a flawed political manoeuvre rather than applauding it as a life-saving breakthrough, mainstream reporting demonstrates a profound and continuing hypocrisy. The underlying implication is that

Rather than centring the discourse on the prevention of regional catastrophe, the de-escalation of a devastating war or the economic relief brought by reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the dominant narrative has veered into skepticism, hawkish framing and tactical hand-wringing to instigate another round of conflict. This critical lens, masking underlying warmongering impulses, highlights a persistent double standard in how Western media covers global diplomacy versus Western military intervention. The asymmetry of validation: Diplomacy vs force A foundational bias in mainstream Western reporting is the treating of military actions as default, “necessary” measures while peace agreements are treated as high-risk, inherently flawed gambles. 0 The military standard: When the war broke out in late February, with major US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, media coverage largely trumpeted on tactical efficiency, deterrence and geopolitical necessity, propagating the escalation as an inevitability and downplaying the impact in human and material damage. 0 The diplomatic double standard: The moment a breakthrough was achieved – such as the June 14 agreement mediated by Pakistan and regional partners – the narrative shifted to what the West was “giving up”. Media analysis immediately hyper-focused on conditional sanctions relief, the unfreezing of Iranian assets or the lack of explicit guarantees on peripheral issues, like Iran’s ballistic missile programmes. By framing peace primarily as a “concession to an adversary”, the media implicitly positioned a return to hostility or a continuation of the naval blockade and more bombing attacks as the safer, more correct stance. R T A K E G H E E prevention efforts throughout the life course. The Health Ministry’s Dementia Action Plan identifies several modifiable risk factors, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, hearing loss, physical inactivity and depression. Malaysia already has a comprehensive roadmap in the Dementia Action Plan 2023 to 2030, which sets out priorities ranging from public awareness and healthcare support to research, innovation and improved monitoring. However, implementation of the plan has yet to be backed by dedicated and visible funding in the national budget. We urge the government to allocate dedicated funding for the implementation of the Dementia Action Plan, with priority given to: 0 public awareness and stigma-reduction campaigns to improve understanding of dementia and encourage early help-seeking; 0 earlier detection and diagnosis through routine cognitive screening and strengthened primary care pathways; 0 risk-reduction programmes targeting diabetes, hypertension, obesity, smoking, hearing loss, physical inactivity and social isolation; 0 greater support for families and caregivers, including training, respite care and community based services; 0 expansion of dementia-friendly communities, day-care centres and support services nationwide; 0 enhanced training for healthcare and social care professionals in dementia care; and

maintaining a hardline, confrontational stance is preferable to a negotiated settlement, even if that confrontation risks leading towards full scale, catastrophic regional warfare. 0 The structural reality: In Western foreign policy reporting, the burden of proof is always placed on peace. War is reported as a series of tactical officially verified “facts” while diplomacy is reported as a series of existential liabilities. Verifying compliance in an arms of peace agreement is a vital journalistic task. But Western media has clearly gone beyond objective reporting into ideological hostility since the beginning of the Iran war. This persistent framing reveals a media apparatus that is fundamentally house- trained to defend global hegemony, status-quo friction and conflict over genuine international reconciliation. Conclusion While ethical and peace journalism prioritises the immediate reduction of human suffering and the avoidance of kinetic escalation, Western foreign policy reporting tends to view ceasefires as transactional pauses. They measure success not by the signing of an MoU but by the structural verifiability of the final bargain, which must ensure victory by Western standards. While skeptical and independent journalism is necessary, international media that purports to foster peace and security should abandon opportunistic and transactional reporting in favour of one that encourages dialogue and reconciliation. By doing so, they will live up to their responsibility to strengthen peace and international understanding and counter war propaganda. Lim Teck Ghee’s Another Take is aimed at demystifying social orthodoxy. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

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The dementia warning Malaysia cannot ignore

The rise in dementia

prevalence is a stark warning that Malaysia must treat brain health as a national priority. – AMIRUL SYAFIQ MOHD DIN/THE SUN

Our organisations stand ready to work with the Health Ministry, policymakers and other stakeholders to ensure that every Malaysian affected by dementia receives the care, respect and support they deserve. Prof Tan Maw Pin President Damai Alzheimer’s Disease Foundation Malaysia Johor Bahru Alzheimer’s Disease Support Association Dementia Society Perak Penang Dementia Association

0 improved national data collection and greater investment in research to monitor trends, outcomes and the effectiveness of interventions. As Malaysia moves towards becoming an aged nation, dementia will place an increasing burden on families, healthcare services, workplaces and the economy. It is not merely a medical condition but also a social, caregiving and development challenge. The rise in dementia prevalence must serve as a call to action. With timely intervention, the onset of many cases can be delayed and people living with dementia can maintain their dignity and quality of life while families can receive the support they need.