21/08/2026

FRIDAY | AUG 21, 2026

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‘Gentleman trait begins in childhood’

KUALA LUMPUR: The qualities of a gentleman should be nurtured from an early age, particularly during childhood and adolescence, to develop men who are responsible and able to play a positive role in their families and society. National Population and Family Development Board Counselling and o Character development depends on parenting during formative years: Expert Major KL roads to be resurfaced in stages KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 59km of roads in the capital, covering about 1.3 million square metres, will be resurfaced in stages under the Eight-Road Resurfacing Programme. The two-phase initiative aims to extend the lifespan of road surfaces by up to 50% while ensuring the roads remain pothole-free. The first phase, involving five routes, began this month and is being implemented in stages, at a total cost of RM61.64 million, with an implementation period up to 24 weeks. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh said the main focus of the Kuala Lumpur City Hall 2026 Budget was to return to basic services to ensure the welfare and safety of city dwellers. “For the expenditure, the lifespan (of the roads) is expected to increase by up to 50% compared with standard patching, thereby reducing maintenance costs by up to 40%. This time the expenditure is substantial, but we want to ensure it is worthwhile,” she said at a press conference after inspecting the road resurfacing works on Wednesday. Also present was Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Seri Fadlun Mak Ujud. Hannah added that the investment was being closely monitored to ensure the quality of the resurfacing works remained at an optimum level. “The works are only carried out at night, between 10pm and 5am, so as not to disrupt peak traffic hours. Therefore, road users are asked to be patient as the main roads cannot be fully closed. This is the best balance we can achieve.” Meanwhile, Fadlun said City Hall had allocated a budget of over RM100 million for the comprehensive resurfacing project, with the second phase involving routes spanning 15km at a cost of RM43 million. He added that the resurfacing works, using the mill and pave method, were chosen as they offered greater durability compared with conventional patching methods.

Nancy said previous advocacy programmes such as Aku Wanita@KRT had reached more than 3,600 participants, with 230 survivors benefiting from free group psychological intervention sessions. She also urged the public to share information and seek early assistance through the Talian Kasih 15999 hotline, Social Welfare Department offices and One-Stop Crisis Centres at government hospitals. The programme is part of the ongoing Road to EVAW campaign, leading up to the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on Nov 25, followed by the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign. – Bernama Boost fraud awareness in rural areas: Minister PETALING JAYA: Awareness campaigns on online fraud or scams need to be strengthened and expanded to remote areas to protect rural communities from cyber threats that are increasing due to widespread internet access. Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil said efforts to raise awareness should be taken to the grassroots level through the involvement of parent-teacher associations, residents’ associations and Rukun Tetangga. “Not everyone can come to the hotel to join the forum or awareness campaign, so we have to take the programme to the town halls and meet with the villages. “When we provide internet to remote villages, it means that even scammers could go to remote villages without leaving their workplaces. This is our challenge,” he said when speaking at the launch of the National Anti Scam Awareness Programme 2026 yesterday. He added that since Jan 1, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission had requested the removal of 476,516 online contents involving various categories of offences. He also said of the total, 302,139 were content related to online gambling, while another 128,312 were content containing fraudulent elements. Fahmi said Facebook recorded the highest number of fraudulent content take-down requests, which were 67,115 contents or 52%, followed by TikTok with 50,642 contents. He added that social media platforms have a role to ensure that their services are not misused for criminal activities. He warned that through the country’s online security legal framework, any platform that fails to ensure the safety of its users could face fines of up to RM10 million in court. Meanwhile, Fahmi reminded victims of fraud to immediately contact the National Scam Response Centre via 997, which now functions equivalent to a police report. – Bernama “Efforts to develop gentlemen are also closely linked to strengthening family institutions, as responsible men who support their partners could contribute to the creation of more harmonious families.” On current challenges, he said the influence of digital platforms and social media had become a dominant factor in shaping public perceptions and expectations of what defines a gentleman. He added that men and women were exposed to various information through social media, which could influence their respective views on the characteristics of an ideal gentleman.

responsibilities without seeking praise or attention. He also said providing support in household matters, including caring for children and managing family needs, could be a meaningful way for husbands to support their partners. Md Noh said the Lelaki Idaman Programme by the board was not merely to recognise men who already possessed positive qualities, but also to serve as a platform for those seeking to make a paradigm shift and improve themselves. “A mature man should be able to accept constructive criticism and view it as an opportunity to improve, without focusing too much on who delivers the feedback.”

Intervention Unit chief assistant director Md Noh Saiman said the development of such character depended greatly on parenting styles and examples set by parents throughout a child’s growing years, Bernama reported. “The most important aspect is the upbringing process because what children see and observe from their parents will be processed in their minds,” he said during Bernama Radio’s Suara Alfa programme titled “Lelaki Budiman: Suami Idaman” yesterday. He added that the concept of a gentleman extended beyond having a polite or romantic demeanour, as it encompassed sincerity, honesty and the willingness to shoulder

Yeoh with Fadlun (right) as they check on the progress of the resurfacing works. – PIC COURTESY OF DEWAN BANDARAYA KUALA LUMPUR OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE

in September, involves three routes over an implementation period of 24 weeks, namely the Batu Caves Roundabout to Jalan Sultan Sulaiman Junction (Jalan Kuching and Jalan Kinabalu) route; Kampung Pandan Roundabout to PJD Tower (Jalan Tun Razak) route and the arch to the Kuala Lumpur Selangor border (Kuala Lumpur-Seremban Highway Phase 3) route. The use of stone mastic asphalt and light-reflective thermoplastic paint is also being implemented to improve visibility and heavy-load durability, thereby enhancing road user safety. – Bernama

The first phase involves five main routes, namely the Sultan Iskandar Highway to Jalan Damansara to Jalan Istana route; Syed Putra Roundabout to Mid Valley Megamall (inbound and outbound) route; Jalan Sultan Ismail (Jalan Kuching slip road to Jalan Imbi) route; Jalan Ampang (Intermark slip road to Jalan Raja Chulan) route and the highway entrance slip road facing the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (Kuala Lumpur-Seremban Highway Phase 1) up to the SPE Highway entrance slip road and the SPE Highway entrance slip road to the arch (Kuala Lumpur-Seremban Highway Phase 2). Meanwhile, Phase Two, scheduled to begin

Programme to aid 1,400 domestic violence survivors KUALA LUMPUR: The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry has launched the Santun Kasih Pemandiri@Keganasan Rumah Tangga programme to assist 1,400 domestic violence survivors nationwide in rebuilding their lives. “The government stands ready to guide them towards self-reliance and a safer new life,” she said at the launch of the programme yesterday. drug abuse with 444 cases and financial stress with 378 cases. She added that financial abuse also warranted attention, including situations in which a husband had the means but refused to provide for the family’s needs, leaving his wife to shoulder household expenses alone.

She added that police statistics showed cases of domestic violence increased to 4,014 between January and June this year, compared with 3,678 cases during the same period last year. She also said Johor recorded the highest number of cases during the first six months of the year with 721, followed by Selangor with 614 and Perak with 405. Nancy said misunderstandings and communication problems remained the leading causes, accounting for 1,967 cases, followed by

Its minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the programme targets at least 100 participants in each state, with a focus on strengthening psychosocial support and legal assistance, as well as empowering women affected by domestic violence economically. “We are not merely raising awareness. We also want to restore the victims’ confidence, showing them that every crisis they face has a solution through the proper channels of action.

“Remaining silent sends the wrong signal to one’s partner, as failure to provide financial support constitutes a form of financial abuse. The responsibility of supporting the family and children is a shared commitment that must be upheld by both parties.” She said the ministry also provided a special allowance to enable survivors to attend court proceedings involving child maintenance claims.