Category: Opinion

THE recent tragic incident involving a 13-year-old girl who fell from a third-floor building has deeply shaken our community. This heartbreaking situation compels us to examine the complex dynamics of bullying – understanding its impact on victims, the factors that create bullying behaviour and our collective responsibility in prevention. Understanding root causes Children rarely become… Continue reading Complex web of victim, perpetrator and community responsibility

TWO days ago, superstar Rajinikanth walked back into our cinemas, not just to entertain, but to remind us why we have loved him for decades. In Coolie, he teams up with director Lokesh Kanagaraj to deliver the kind of swagger only he can – the sunglasses flip, the slow-motion walk and that unmissable en vazhi,… Continue reading Devas who keep Malaysia going

IT started like many clinic visits. A middle-aged man, visibly drained, walked in with his wife. They were polite, even affectionate, but beneath the surface, something was cracking. “I forced him to come,” the wife confessed. She looked tired, not just from lack of sleep, but from holding it together. “His snoring is deafening. He… Continue reading Sleep divorce: The bedtime breakup you didn’t see coming

Q: I studied art in college and married before graduating. Four years later, my time is spent preparing meals, wiping toddlers’s noses and mopping the kitchen floor while my still-single university friends have thriving careers in graphic design and other artistic disciplines. I love my children but I can’t help feeling jealous. Should I just… Continue reading Motherhood: The most beautiful art of all

HAVE you ever sat staring at a task, knowing exactly what needs to be done, yet feeling your body almost glued to the chair? Your mind keeps circling around it – replaying the worry, possible mistakes and fear of doing it wrong. At the same time, there is the dull guilt of not having started.… Continue reading Breaking the hold of procrastination

AMID intensifying great power rivalry and regional flashpoints, such as the recent Thailand-Cambodia border skirmish, Malaysia is asserting itself as a credible and proactive middle power. Its chairmanship of Asean this year has reaffirmed its long-standing foreign policy strategy of selective alignment, a pragmatic approach that allows Malaysia to build bridges between rival powers while… Continue reading Bridging powers, managing tensions

IN today’s rapidly evolving educational landscape, conversations often revolve around technology, digital transformation and modern infrastructure. However, at the core of academic success lies one constant and critical factor – the quality of teaching. Drawing from over 14 years of experience as an educator in higher education, complemented by 20 years of professional involvement in… Continue reading Invisible power of educators

AS the government considers raising tobacco taxes in Budget 2026, the Consumer Choice Centre (CCC) urges policymakers to adopt a more effective and science-based approach. Risk-based taxation, where nicotine products are taxed according to their level of health risk, offers a practical solution that supports public health while avoiding unintended consequences, such as the growth… Continue reading Science-driven tobacco taxes can reduce harm

BULLYING is no longer confined to schools; it has infiltrated chat rooms, social media feeds and gaming platforms, creating an environment where harassment is constant, public and hard to escape. In Malaysia, rising numbers of bullying cases offline and online are now colliding with another disturbing trend: increasing adolescent suicide risk. Rising tide of bullying… Continue reading Hidden triggers of teenage suicide

PRESIDENT Donald Trump has single-handedly pushed countries closer towards a new world order that will be different from the present American and Western-dominated one. As Trump brags to the American public about the latest “gains” from his transactional foreign policy using tariffs as his bazooka, impacted countries have begun to look closely at the concessions… Continue reading Real winners, losers of Trump’s tariffs

IT happened just after dawn. On May 11, as the mist hung low over the East–West Highway in Gerik, a five-year-old elephant calf stepped out from the forest beside his mother. To him, the road was not a threat; it was simply another clearing between trees, a quiet path between safety and river, between yesterday… Continue reading Remembering our gentle giants

WE are deeply concerned by the recent report of a student who had his course options removed by UPU upon disclosure of his autism status. This undermines the basic principles of fairness and inclusion. Every young person deserves a pathway to further education that respects their abilities, not a barrier defined by their disability status.… Continue reading Every student matters regardless of disability

AS the month of August dawns upon us, it brings with it a powerful reminder of our nation’s historic journey to independence. Merdeka month is not merely a time of festivity; it is a meaningful period to reflect on our shared history, appreciate the sacrifices of those who came before us and renew our commitment… Continue reading Call to enhance nationalism and patriotism

NOW comes the million-ringgit question splitting uncles at mamaks and aunties on Facebook like a nasi lemak sambal war: Should Malaysians get their EPF as a monthly allowance – like school pocket money – or in one glorious lump sum, jackpot-style? But here is the latest plot twist: Deputy Finance Minister Lim Hui Ying says… Continue reading Your EPF, Makcik’s spicy take

EVERY so often, something happens in Malaysia that makes you stop and think: “Do we actually understand what inclusion means or are we just paying lip service?” Here is one example. In a well-known commercial complex, bays located right next to a centre for children and youths with cerebral palsy are being reclassified as “preferred… Continue reading Stop putting price tag on inclusion

THE feeling is one mixed with exuberance and exhilaration. A sudden sense of achievement washed over me like the fresh rays of the morning sun, unadulterated and real. Entering the seventh decade of my existence, I welcomed it with profound joy. This is not just another birthday; it is the year I can scream with… Continue reading Thriving at 60: Living fully and beyond

THE recent detention of an enforcement officer at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal 1 has renewed public scrutiny over a clandestine practice known as “counter-setting”. This tactic, where individuals are allowed to bypass formal immigration procedures, raises serious concerns not only regarding border security and official corruption but also about structural vulnerabilities in Malaysia’s… Continue reading Counter-setting and migrant abuse

Q: As a successful career executive, I am honoured to be approached by headhunters offering better positions across the country. I want to provide the best for my wife and children. What family principles should I consider when weighing my options? Focus on the Family Malaysia: A career change can be a tremendous opportunity but… Continue reading Choose wisely when making career move

LIFE is noisy. And I don’t mean the traffic jams or construction drills outside your office window. It is the constant ping of notifications. The flood of messages, emails, deadlines and expectations. Everyone – and everything – seems to want a piece of your attention. We rarely realise it but attention is a precious currency… Continue reading Sound of silence: When doing nothing is everything

EVERY year, during the UPU system’s kemaskini period, those of us in civil society and NGOs serving OKUs brace ourselves for the flood of panicked pleas from disabled students desperate to pursue higher education yet denied their rightful course choices because of arbitrary and discriminatory restrictions imposed on them. Despite repeated assurances from the Ministry… Continue reading Open Letter from the OKU and Advocacy Community: Discriminatory UPU Admission Filtering Must Be Urgently Addressed

THE announcement by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of a RM40 billion allocation for healthcare under the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK13), including the construction of Hospital Tuanku Ja’afar 2 in Seremban, has been met with optimism and public gratitude. The plan, which also includes Hospital Sultanah Aminah 2 in Johor Bahru, the Northern Region… Continue reading New hospitals a welcome step but who will staff them?

THIS apparent conversation was recorded in a Republican leader’s handphone with an erased TikTok account. The phone is alleged to have Chinese component chips and parts, including from Taiwan, capable of being activated by hackers. Both the phone and recording are currently being scrutinised by the FBI. Participants in the hacked conversation include Republican senior… Continue reading Satire of China’s TikTok Trojan Horse

WHEN the government announced the expansion of the Sales and Service Tax (SST) starting July 1, many Malaysians focused on the rising cost of goods. However, less attention has been given to how this policy – and the earlier increase in sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) excise duties – can shape the health of our next generation.… Continue reading Redirect taxes for a healthier future

MALAYSIA’S push towards a digital future is picking up steam, with over a quarter of GDP projected to be accounted for by the end of 2025. While government policies and partnerships are laying the groundwork, the real shift is happening behind closed doors. It could be on factory floors, in back offices and across shop… Continue reading Closing digital gap with vibe coding

AS the United States continues to impose tariffs on a broad spectrum of imported goods, Milton Friedman’s timeless lesson about the lead pencil is more relevant than ever. In his influential television series Free to Choose, Friedman – recipient of the 1976 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences – used the seemingly mundane pencil to demonstrate… Continue reading Friedman’s pencil and lessons in international trade

ALRIGHT, listen up, my dearies – Makcik is about to serve you a hot pot of truth, simmered with sass, marinated in empathy and seasoned with just enough cili padi to make your soul itch. We are talking about bullying – in schools, offices, family WhatsApp groups, even in the JPN queue where someone cuts… Continue reading Kindness is the new superpower

IN today’s digital economy, subscribing to a service takes only seconds but cancelling it can take hours, repeated calls, or in some cases, a change of credit card just to stop the charges. The National Consumer Complaints Centre (NCCC) has received a growing number of complaints from Malaysian consumers who feel trapped in unwanted subscriptions,… Continue reading Digital subscriptions: Easy to join, hard to cancel