08/08/2026

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Malaysian Paper

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Death of teacher prompts call for workload review

Flexible Teksi Madani move for cabbies PUTRAJAYA: Taxi drivers are allowed to license or replace their vehicles with models other than the Proton S70 under the National Madani Taxi Renewal Programme (Teksi Madani). The Land Public Transport Agency said the flexibility was provided to assist applicants who already have existing vehicles or were unsuccessful in obtaining hire-purchase financing. The concession applies although the Transport Ministry’s policy announced on April 23 stipulated that new applications or taxi replacements under the programme would be voluntary and limited to the purchase of the Proton S70 taxi package offered under the programme. “Taxi drivers are encouraged to switch to Teksi Madani to enjoy the various incentives offered. “However, to assist applicants who already have existing vehicles or were unsuccessful in obtaining approval for hire purchase financing under the Teksi Madani programme, applicants are still allowed to license or replace their vehicles with models other than the Proton S70,” it said in a statement yesterday. The agency said existing taxis that are not replaced under the programme are still allowed to operate until the specified vehicle age limit expires. Teksi Madani, launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on July 3, enables taxi drivers to become the legal owners of new vehicles, thus ending the traditional leasing practice in the industry. Under this transformation programme, the Proton S70 sedan was selected as the latest official taxi model, featuring a more modern image, without rooftop identification signs and using a special vehicle registration series beginning with the letters “GET”. Anwar also announced an additional allocation of RM10 million for the Old Vehicle Replacement Matching Grant Programme, specifically for the benefit of taxi drivers, following the positive response to the RM10 million allocation provided by the government under Budget 2026 for the implementation of Teksi Madani. – Bernama

o Social media users urge authorities to improve existing system and not burden educators with excessive tasks beyond classroom duties

KUALA LUMPUR: The death of a female teacher at a school in Hulu Selangor last Thursday has triggered widespread concern, particularly on social media, over the welfare of educators, with many urging the Education Ministry to reassess the workload of teachers. Social media users have expressed hope that the incident would spur greater efforts to safeguard the welfare of teachers, including reducing non-teaching tasks, which are said to have become increasingly demanding, allowing educators to concentrate on the teaching process. Social media user Muhammad Rafee said the ministry should introduce improvements to the existing system by focusing on essential duties of teachers. “Their primary focus should be on teaching and nurturing the next generation. The structure at the District Education Office level Over 4,100 birds culled to curb over population GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Island City Council has stepped up its efforts to keep bird populations manageable on the island. The council culled 4,135 birds comprising 2,762 crows and 1,373 pigeons in July, while another 225 crow nests were destroyed to curb breeding and reduce the risk of further increases in the pest bird population. The operations were carried out at locations identified as having high bird populations based on public complaints, routine monitoring and council technical assessments. “The operations are important in reducing the risk of contamination from bird droppings, property damage, nuisance to the public, as well as the potential spread of diseases that could affect public health,” the council said in a statement on Wednesday. Ű BY T.C. KHOR newsdesk@thesundaily.com

her superiors. Former teacher Mohd Fadli Salleh said a thorough investigation should be carried out into any factors that may have contributed to the Hulu Selangor incident, while expressing hope that the ministry would continue to listen to the concerns of teachers and strengthen efforts to protect their welfare. However, some netizens urged the public to refrain from making any speculation regarding the cause of the teacher’s death pending the completion of investigations by the authorities. Hulu Selangor district police chief Supt Manimaran Munjandi had earlier confirmed that a female teacher was found unconscious in the staff room of a school in the district before being taken to the Kuala Kubu Bharu Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. He said the investigation into the incident was ongoing.

to fully focus on the teaching process. Meanwhile, some netizens expressed hope that complaint channels concerning the welfare of teachers could be further strengthened, with mental health issues and support for educators continuing to receive due attention, Bernama reported. In a social media comment, a teacher named Ng claimed that medical experts had confirmed she was suffering from chronic depression and anxiety, which she said was linked to alleged abuse of power and continuous bullying by

should also be reviewed to ensure teachers are not burdened with KPIs (key performance indicators) and external programmes that may affect their focus on teaching,” he said. Fadzil Hilmi also voiced similar concerns, saying programmes or activities deemed less impactful should be reduced, while teachers should not be burdened with excessive tasks beyond their classroom duties. Another social media user, Az Run, suggested that some administrative tasks be handled by dedicated officers to enable teachers

The council said culling operations are aimed at reducing the risk of contamination from bird droppings, preventing property damage as well as curbing the potential spread of diseases. – AMIRUL SYAFIQ/THESUN

It added that it remains committed to carrying out pest bird control operations responsibly in accordance with standard operating procedures and relevant laws, while balancing environmental conservation with public health interests. It also urged the public not to feed pigeons in public areas and to report

council non-lethal measures, including improved waste management, habitat modification and reproductive control to manage bird populations. Last month, councillor Darren S.W. Lee told Buletin Mutiara that the council had culled 166,211 crows since its bird control programme began in 1998. to adopt

locations affected by pest bird populations through its official complaint channels. On June 11, Lawyers for Animal Rights urged the council to suspend its planned bird-culling operations, citing concerns over animal welfare, public safety and the use of lethal methods in urban areas. The group also called on the

Accord serious attention to bilik sarang burung issue, says minister PUTRAJAYA: Enforcement actions against premises converted into overcrowded rental accommodation, commonly known as bilik sarang burung , must be conducted regularly to ensure compliance with stipulated laws, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh. monitoring of enforcement officers to prevent the occurrence of abuse of power when carrying out their duties. “Under my watch, I believe the president of Putrajaya (Corporation), the mayor of Kuala Lumpur and the CEO of Labuan Corporation must all pay close attention to their enforcement units. Quality Management of Stratified Development Schemes for the Federal Territory of Putrajaya on Thursday. Bilik sarang burung refers to premises that have been illegally converted into cramped rental units, often with high occupancy and posing a significant fire safety risk. sarang burung concept from 2023 until early this year. Fire and Rescue Department Director-General Datuk Seri Nor Hisham Mohammad was reported to have said the practice has been found to be prevalent in major areas in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Penang and Johor, due to the high demand for affordable accommodation among workers, students and the middle income group. and lucky draw for property owners who paid their assessment tax early was an important initiative to encourage a culture of timely and disciplined payment while contributing to the development of Putrajaya.

She said the payment of assessment tax is the responsibility of every houseowner, adding that efforts to reward those who make payments on time could encourage others to fulfil their obligations without delay. – Bernama

Recently, the media reported that 502 premises nationwide have been identified as having undergone extreme makeovers and converted into rental units based on the bilik

She said responsibility must be given serious attention by all local authorities. “At the same time, the focus must be accompanied by thorough

“If not properly monitored, it will be vulnerable to abuse of power,” she told reporters after attending the 2025 Star Rating Awards for

On the event, Yeoh said the organisation of the awards ceremony