Malaysia and a number of countries want to ban social media use for under-16s in 2026: Here’s what we know so far

Malaysia and a number of countries want to ban social media use for under-16s in 2026: Here’s what we know so far

From December 10, social media platforms will have to deactivate all accounts of Australian users under 16 and prevent them from having an account until after they turn 16. — Unsplash picture

Thursday, 27 Nov 2025 7:00 AM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 27 — Malaysia is moving to implement a blanket ban on the use of social media for those under the age of 16, starting 2026.

The tighter regulations were mooted amid the recent spate of crime cases involving Malaysian schools, including the fatal stabbing of a 14-year-old girl in Petaling Jaya and several incidents of sexual violence in schools across the country.

Malaysia is expected to closely follow the Australian model, which became the world’s first country to bar those under the age of 16 from having social media accounts last year.

Australia is expected to fully enforce the ban on December 10.


The Malaysian government has not specified the details of the proposed ban.

Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil has floated the possibility of requiring social media platforms to implement electronic Know Your Customer (eKYC) verification using government-issued documents like MyKad, passports and the MyDigital ID to authenticate users’ ages.

As Malaysia’s proposed ban takes shape, several countries across the world are mulling similar plans, including France, Denmark and Norway.


Australia

The Australian parliament passed historic legislation last year to ban children under the age of 16 from accessing social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube, Reddit and streaming platforms Kick and Twitch.

From December 10, these platforms will have to deactivate all accounts of Australian users under 16 and prevent them from having an account until after they turn 16.

However, these children will still be allowed to use YouTube Kids, Google Classroom and WhatsApp and view most content on YouTube that does not require an account.

The law will not punish children or their parents for violations but would instead subject the social media platform involved to fines of up to US$33 million (RM136 million) for serious or recurring breaches.

Those under 16 with a social media account currently can opt to either download all their photos and messages, and put their accounts on hold until they turn 16, or simply delete their accounts.

Social media companies are introducing various age-verification measures.

Meta — which owns and operates Facebook, Instagram and Threads — will start removing accounts of those under 16 from December 4. Nevertheless, it will allow those wrongly flagged as under-16 to authenticate their age using a government ID or through a video selfie.

Meanwhile, Snapchat will allow users to verify their age using bank accounts or government-issued documents such as passports or driver’s licences, or by a selfie that will be used for facial age estimation.

France

French President Emmanuel Macron is spearheading efforts to introduce a region-wide social media ban for users under 15 in the European Union (EU).

Earlier in June, Macron stressed that France will go ahead with the proposed ban if the measure is not endorsed at the EU-level “within a few months”.

France adopted a law in 2023 requiring parental consent for individuals under 15 to access social media, but a fatal stabbing incident of a school staff member by a 14-year-old student in eastern France sparked calls for tougher measures.

A French parliamentary commission even called for an “overnight digital curfew” from 10pm to 8am for those aged between 15 and 18 in addition to completely banning those under-15 from social media.

The recommendation came after a six-month inquiry concluded that TikTok allegedly exposes children to “toxic, dangerous and addictive content” — which TikTok categorically denies.

Five European countries — France, Denmark, Greece, Italy and Spain — have also started a joint testing of an age-verification software, slated for rollout across the EU in 2026.

Denmark

In November, the Danish government announced plans to ban social media access for children under 15.

However, it said some parents will be allowed to grant social media access for their children from the age of 13 after a specific assessment.

The nature of the assessment or how and when the ban will be enforced remains unclear for now.

Norway

Norway is also expected to raise the minimum age threshold for social media use from 13 to 15 by amending the country’s Personal Data Act.

There are also plans to introduce age-verification for social media users, with the possibility of using bank verification ID to authenticate a user’s age.

However, the discussions are still in the preliminary stage.

Limits of a ban

While an age-specific ban on social media use is a drastic move, critics warn that it could also lead to infringement of privacy and free speech.

Some detractors also say that this could fuel rebellious behaviour and drive the problem underground, especially to create fake accounts and log in through VPNs to bypass the ban.

China’s grip on rare earths explained: The leverage behind a global trade war

China’s grip on rare earths explained: The leverage behind a global trade war



China’s decades-long dominance of the rare earths industry — from mining to refining and technology — has become a powerful lever in its trade standoff with the United States, even as Washington races to build alternative supply chains. — Reuters pic

Thursday, 27 Nov 2025 7:00 AM MYT


BEIJING, Nov 27 — China’s stranglehold on the rare earths industry — from natural reserves and mining through processing and innovation — is the result of a decades-long drive, now giving Beijing crucial leverage in its trade war with the United States.

The 17 key elements will play a vital role in the global economy in coming years, as analysts warn that plans to secure alternative supply chains by Western governments could take years to bear fruit.


Rare earths are crucial for the defence sector — used in fighter jets, missile guidance systems and radar technology — while also having a range of uses in everyday products including smartphones, medical equipment and automobiles.

Visited this month by AFP, the southeastern mining region of Ganzhou — which specialises in “heavy” rare earths including yttrium and terbium — was a hive of activity.


Media access to the secretive industry is rarely granted in China, but despite near-constant surveillance by unidentified minders, AFP journalists saw dozens of trucks driving in and out of one rare earths mine, in addition to several bustling processing facilities.


Sprawling new headquarters are being built in Ganzhou for China Rare Earth Group, one of the country’s two largest state-owned companies in the industry following years of consolidation directed by Beijing.

Challenges this year have “paved the way for more countries to look into expanding rare earth metal production and processing”, Heron Lim, economics lecturer at ESSEC Business School, told AFP.

“This investment could pay longer-term dividends,” he said.

Trade war

Sweeping export restrictions China imposed on the sector in early October sent shockwaves across global manufacturing sectors.

The curbs raised alarm bells in Washington, which has been engaged in a renewed trade war with Beijing since President Donald Trump began his second term.

At a high-stakes meeting in South Korea late last month, Trump and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping agreed to a one-year truce in a blistering tariff war between the world’s top two economies.

The deal — which guarantees supply of rare earths and other critical minerals, at least temporarily — effectively neutralised the most punishing US measures and was widely seen as a victory for Beijing.

“Rare earths are likely to remain at the centre of future Sino-US economic negotiations despite the tentative agreements thus far,” Heron Lim told AFP.

“China has demonstrated its willingness to use more trade levers to keep the United States at the negotiating table,” he said.

“The turbulence has created a challenging environment for producers that rely on various rare earth metals, as near-term supply is uncertain.”

Washington and its allies are now racing to develop alternative mining and processing chains, but experts warn that process will take years.


Supremacy ceded

During the Cold War, the United States led the way in developing abilities to extract and process rare earths, with the Mountain Pass mine in California providing the bulk of global supplies.

But as tensions with Moscow eased and the substantial environmental toll wrought by the rare earth industry gained prominence, the United States gradually offshored capacity in the 1980s and 1990s.

Now, China controls most of global rare earths mining — around two thirds, by most estimates.

It is already home to the world’s largest natural reserves of the elements of any country, according to geological surveys.

And it has a near total monopoly on separation and refining, with analysis this year showing a share of around nine tenths of all global processing.

Furthermore, a commanding lead in patents and strict export controls on processing technology solidify efforts by Beijing to prevent know-how from leaving the country.

“The United States and the European Union are heavily reliant on imports of rare earth elements, underscoring significant risks to critical industries,” said Amelia Haines, commodities analyst at BMI, at a seminar this month.

“This sustained risk is likely to catalyse a faster, broader pivot towards rare earth security,” she said.


Chasing alternatives

US defence authorities have in recent years directed large sums towards shoring up domestic production — part of efforts to achieve a “mine-to-magnet” supply chain by 2027.

Washington has also been working with allies to develop extraction and processing alternatives to China.

Trump signed a rare earths deal last month promising US$8.5 billion in critical minerals projects with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia — its vast territory home to extensive rare earth resources.

The US president also signed cooperation deals covering the critical minerals sector last month with Japan, Malaysia and Thailand.

Despite the flurry of activity and headlines this year, Washington has been aware of its rare earths problem for years.

In 2010, a maritime territorial dispute with Tokyo prompted Beijing to suspend shipments of the minerals to Japan — the first major incident highlighting geopolitical ramifications of China’s control over the sector.

The episode sparked calls by the administration of then-president Barack Obama to shore up US domestic resilience in the strategic field.

But 15 years later, China remains the chief rare earths power. — AFP

SEA Games athletics selection, Malaysia-style: merit optional

FMT:

SEA Games athletics selection, Malaysia-style: merit optional

Malaysia’s fastest are being ignored, and nobody at the top wants to explain why

When 400m hurdler Muhammad Fakhrul Afizul Nasir was dropped from Malaysia’s SEA Games squad to Thailand, outrage was inevitable.

This is a national record holder. A two-time record breaker. A 21-year-old who qualified on merit, with his participation costs fully borne by the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM).


Yet this story is not just about Fakhrul.

It exposes a selection system that reeks of inconsistency, opacity and detachment from a basic, global truth in elite sport: current form must come first.

In the United States, long regarded as the gold standard in track and field, even Olympic champions lose their place if they fail to finish in the top three at the national trials.

Past glory carries no weight. There is no room for sympathy. Only results matter.

Malaysia operates by a different logic. For one it doesn’t have national trials, and for events like Sukma, selections are often finalised months in advance.

In that time, athletes can lose form, fall behind or simply stagnate, and yet remain protected in the squad.

Meanwhile, athletes who peak later in the season or show consistent improvement get locked out because the list is already “final”.

No uniformity. No transparency. No clearly applied benchmark.

Selection — or selective?

Fakhrul’s case may be the most visible, but it is not the only one raising eyebrows.


Two names continue to draw concern: Khairul Hafiz Jantan and Muhammad Aiman Najmi.

Both recorded their strongest performances at the Super Series in May 2025. After that, injuries and a loss of form reportedly set in.

Yet Khairul was selected, justified by head coach Manshahar Abdul Jalil on the basis of an earlier 10.55s run and his “experience”.

Since then, Khairul failed to qualify for the semi-finals in a subsequent outing and has shown no clear resurgence in form.

Aiman posted a promising run at the Super Series, but did not compete at the Malaysia Open and later clocked 49.90s at the Innotex–BJSS meet in the 400m — hardly a sign of peak readiness for a major regional competition.

Meanwhile, Fakhrul remains third in the Southeast Asia rankings for the 400m hurdles. Still, he was left out.

The question now writes itself: Are we selecting athletes on current, consistent performance — or on isolated runs, reputation, and sentiment?

The inconvenient truth behind Fakhrul’s time

Fakhrul’s most recent 53.12s at the Varsity Track & Field Championships (VTF) has been used to justify his omission.

On paper, it looks ordinary.

In reality, he ran that time on a wet track, under rainy conditions, and fresh off recovery from a grade-three hamstring injury.

This is the same athlete who broke the national record in 2023 with 51.26s, then shattered it again at Sukma 2024 with 51.11s. He qualifies under Category A standards.

This is not a narrative of decline. It is a story of resilience, recovery and proven ceiling.

This is now the second time Fakhrul has been denied a SEA Games opportunity — first in Cambodia, now Thailand.

How much more must an athlete produce before merit is finally acknowledged?

Then there is Aidil Azhar, who featured in Malaysia’s 4x400m relay team that achieved Category A qualification at the Malaysian Open Championships.

He followed that with a 48.17s in the 400m at the VTF Grand Final, a genuine, competitive performance by any standard.

Despite his consistency and contribution, he too was dropped.

If an athlete who helps qualify a relay team and runs sub-49 seconds is still not considered good enough, then what, exactly, qualifies as “good enough” in Malaysia?

Who disappears when the curtain closes?

Perhaps the most disturbing element lies behind the scenes.

Several junior athletes, initially listed after showing steady improvement, saw their names quietly removed at the final stage. Established names replaced them.

This is the exact moment young athletes need faith, exposure and opportunity.

Instead, they received a blunt message: progress is not enough. Reputation outweighs results.

What does that tell the next generation of Malaysian runners?

The questions Malaysia Athletics must now answer

Malaysia Athletics owes athletes and the public clear, direct answers:

• What is the primary selection benchmark for the SEA Games — SEA ranking, World Athletics ranking, or domestic performances?
• How much weight was given to single runs like the Super Series versus season-long consistency?
• Why were recognised domestic meets such as VTF and Innotex–BJSS seemingly sidelined?
• What formal protocol exists for selecting athletes returning from injury?
• Is there a fixed cut-off date after which current form is ignored?
• Why were improving junior athletes removed at the final stage?

These are not hostile questions. They are the minimum expected of any credible governing body.

Yet, Malaysia Athletics secretary-general Nurhayati Karim has offered no response.

This is bigger than the SEA Games

This is not an attack on individual athletes or coaches. It is a demand for clarity, structure and fairness in a system that shapes careers and crushes dreams.

When even a national record holder, a Category A qualifier, and consistently performing athletes can be excluded without a transparent rationale, the message to Malaysia’s youth is devastating:

Your effort may not matter. Your progress may not matter. Your records may not matter.

In the end, the question is no longer who gets to wear Malaysia’s colours in Thailand.

It is far more serious than that: Does Malaysian sport still believe in merit — or only in memory?

Claim on Riduan’s identity ‘deeply troubling’, says Indira’s lawyer

FMT:

Claim on Riduan’s identity ‘deeply troubling’, says Indira’s lawyer

IGP Khalid Ismail said today ‘someone else’ might have used fugitive Riduan Abdullah’s identity to receive government aid

M Indira Gandhi’s lawyer said the Ipoh High Court’s recent order for the police to broaden their search for Riduan Abdullah underscored the inadequacy of the investigation. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA: M Indira Gandhi’s lawyer has criticised the police over what he described as speculative and ineffective investigations into the whereabouts of her ex-husband, Riduan Abdullah, who abducted their youngest child 16 years ago.

Rajesh Nagarajan said Inspector-General of Police Khalid Ismail’s comments today were “deeply troubling”.

This came after Khalid suggested that “someone else” might have used Riduan’s identity to receive government aid such as Budi 95 and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA).


“Instead of presenting evidence, the IGP is now speculating that someone else may have used Riduan’s identity, without showing that any proper investigation had been carried out,” he said in a statement.

“Basic steps such as verifying CCTV footage and transaction records should have been completed weeks ago.”



Earlier today, Khalid said efforts to track down Riduan were ongoing.

He also said the authorities were investigating claims that an individual might have used Riduan’s identity to receive government aid such as Budi 95 and SARA.

Rajesh also questioned claims of a “special travel restriction” against the fugitive, noting that immigration records showed no such alert.

“Malaysians deserve facts, not fiction,” he said.


He said the Ipoh High Court’s recent order for the police to broaden their search for Riduan underscored the inadequacy of the investigation.

Despite the police boasting of “18 case managements”, the Ipoh High Court had to instruct them to widen their investigation beyond a single state, Kelantan, he said.

“It confirmed what we have long said – the investigation has been narrow, ineffective and directionless.”

Rajesh said that after 16 years’ of promises, the police must be held accountable for their lack of progress.


He said the police cannot continue asking the public “not to speculate” on the case when they have provided scant details on Riduan’s whereabouts.


Riduan failed to return Prasana, their youngest child, after losing a legal battle over custody and the religious conversion of their children.

He had converted their three children to Islam in 2009 without Indira’s consent and sought custody through the shariah court.

On Jan 29, 2018, the Federal Court ruled that the conversions were null and void, and ordered the IGP to arrest Riduan for defying the High Court’s directive to return Prasana.

The Ipoh High Court on Nov 21 ordered the police to widen the search for Riduan, with Justice Norsharidah Awang saying that it should be extended across the entire country.

The Setpol Scandal That Comes With 300 Pages of Evidence. Plus A Message For The Guy Who Is Shorter Than My Piano.

 

OutSyed The Box

Wednesday, November 26, 2025

The Setpol Scandal That Comes With 300 Pages of Evidence. Plus A Message For The Guy Who Is Shorter Than My Piano.

I received this today. I am told it is going viral. Dont know who is the author. I have adapted it some. No names. My comments in blue.

 

 

Ignored Rafizi’s Warnings – The Setpol Scandal That Comes With 300 Pages of Evidence

The explosive allegations from Albert against the Setpol aren't just a personal embarrassment—they're a damning indictment of the entire hollow commitment to Reformasi and the "lawan rasuah" (fight against corruption) mantra

(OSTB: And all you dunggus got fooled, serves you right). 

For years, crowds were fooled with promises of transparency, accountability, and an end to cronyism. Now, with the right-hand man accused of pocketing RM629,000 in cash, luxury renovations, tailored suits, premium cigars, and even a massage chair—all while allegedly promising returns from "channeled funds to Sabah politicians"—where's the reformist fire?

(OSTB: And all you dunggus got fooled, serves you right). 

The 300-page dossier, packed with WhatsApp screenshots, receipts, body measurements for custom suits, and before-and-after photos of upgraded homes in B---sar and P----jaya, paints a picture of brazen greed.

We're talking leather furniture, home theaters, washing machines, and USD$6,000 in cash handovers across dates like November 8, 2023 (RM20,000 in Kota Kinabalu) to October 3, 2024 (in KL).

If true, this isn't just petty corruption—it's a political aide treating public influence like a personal ATM. The Setpol was supposed to embody the promised clean governance Reformasi.

As Rafizi Ramli revealed on his podcast, he warned multiple times about issues with the Setpol, the problem was acknowledged —yet did nothing. This isn't leadership; it's complicity.

The self-proclaimed champion of "lawan tetap lawan" against corruption, has let a potential scandal fester right under his nose.

If the evidence holds up—cash transfers, renovation bills, even cigar receipts—why no M-CC probe? 

It's a betrayal of the anti-corruption ethos that got them to P----jaya.

This scandal fits a pattern of them prioritizing political survival over principles. 

(OSTB: I think you got this part completely wrong. They do not give a shit about political survival anymore. They know theirs is just a one term gig. After this they will be out in the cold. So what does that mean? It means harvest time. Pukul habis. Grab as much as you can. That is what is happening.)

We've seen it in unaddressed Sabah mining bribes, where the video evidence was dismissed as "inconclusive" despite his reformist past demanding swift investigations.

Now, with the Setpol it's the same playbook: downplay, delay, deflect.

Malaysians didn't vote to see corruption rebranded— they wanted real change. If he  can't clean house starting with his own, how can he claim to fight rasuah nationwide?

(OSTB: And all you dunggus got fooled, serves you right).

In the end, this isn't just about RM629,000 or a fancy massage chair—it's about the death of ideals. The alleged reformer is crumbling, one ignored warning at a time. Reformasi was all b.s.

 

MY COMMENTS:

To the guy who is shorter than my piano - please take note. It looks like serious wrong has been committed. You are talking about serious Bamboo River Resort time here.  You are riding a tiger, short man. Riding a tiger means you cannot let go - like the guy in the picture here.

The moment you let go of the tiger he will turn around and eat you alive. They say we will all go to the polls end next year - say in about 12 months from now. When you are kicked out of power (yes you will be kicked out) then they will come for you.

That DNAA fellow's case will be reopened. New cases will be brought to justice. And listening to what that Chinaman is saying (300 pages of evidence including screenshots of those WhatsApp messages - "I need British Pounds, I need US Dollars") it looks like the colour of your wardrobe might change as well.

There is no statute of limitations on crime. Once you do the crime then you must do the time. You cannot change what has already been done. One day they will come to the door - Knock Knock. 

IGP: Police still tracing Indira Gandhi’s ex-husband, daughter; travel ban remains in force

IGP: Police still tracing Indira Gandhi’s ex-husband, daughter; travel ban remains in force

Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail today said the police remains committed to complying with the High Court in Ipoh’s previous decision. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

Wednesday, 26 Nov 2025 4:46 PM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 26 — Malaysian police said today it is still tracing M. Indira Gandhi’s ex‑husband, Pathmanathan Krishnan, now known as Muhammad Riduan Abdullah after converting to Islam, and confirmed he remains barred from travelling abroad.

Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail today said the police remains committed to complying with the High Court in Ipoh’s previous decision.

He said the police will continue to enhance efforts to track down the location of Indira’s former husband and Indira’s daughter Prasana Diksa, in line with the principle of rule of law and respect towards the judiciary.

Indira has been separated from Prasana Diksa for more than 16 years, when her former husband left the house in 2009 with the child who was then 11 months old.


The IGP said efforts to trace the ex-husband are still being carried out, including “further investigations against the allegation of the existence of an individual who is suspected of using his identity to receive various forms of government aid such as BUDI95 and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA)”.

“At the same time, checks have also been carried out with the cooperation of the Immigration Department of Malaysia to verify the status of the special travel restriction (Sekatan Perjalanan Khas), which remains in force against the individual involved,” Mohd Khalid said.

Previously, Indira’s lawyer Rajesh Nagarajan had suggested that Riduan could still be in Malaysia, based on the use of his Malaysian identity card or MyKad to utilise the SARA cash aid and to buy subsidised petrol under the BUDI 95 programme. Both schemes require verification via MyKad.


The IGP today said the police is handling this case professionally, transparently and with integrity to ensure justice is upheld according to the law.

He advised the public not to speculate or spread unverified information that could affect the investigation process.

The IGP today also urged anyone with information on Riduan’s location to step forward to assist in investigations, by providing such information at the nearest police station.

The High Court in Ipoh had on May 30, 2014 issued an arrest warrant on Riduan over his contempt of court, after he had failed to return Prasana Diksa to her mother as ordered by the court.

Following lengthy court battles that went all the way up to the Federal Court, the court directed the police to enforce the arrest warrant on Riduan.

While Indira had won custody of Prasana Diksa in the civil courts years ago, Riduan’s and Prasana Diksa’s location are currently still unknown.



Indira Gandhi and her supporters march during the Indira Gandhi Justice March from Sogo Kuala Lumpur to Bukit Aman to deliver her daughter’s teddy bear, in Kuala Lumpur on November 22, 2025. — Picture by Firdaus Latif



Last week, Indira’s years-long struggle to seek to be reunited with her youngest daughter hit national headlines again.

The High Court in Ipoh has been monitoring the police’s efforts to find Indira’s ex-husband, with the police giving at least 18 updates to the court since 2021 on the status of efforts to execute the arrest warrant.

On November 21, the High Court in Ipoh ordered the police to widen the search for Riduan to the entire Malaysia instead of looking for him only in Kelantan, and also instructed the police to liaise with the Immigration Department to block Riduan’s exit from the country.

The IGP today said there has been 18 case management for this case at the High Court in Ipoh, and that the next case management is scheduled on February 27 next year.

Last Saturday (November 22), Indira, her two older children and their supporters carried out a “March for Justice” from outside the Sogo shopping centre to the police’s headquarters at Bukit Aman, as part of her 16-year fight to find her missing daughter.

While Indira was only able to meet with representatives from the IGP’s office on that day, Indira Gandhi Action Team (Ingat) chairman Arun Dorasamy said Ipoh Barat MP M. Kulasegaran had assured him that arrangements will be made with the police for Indira to meet the IGP within the next three weeks.







Recommended reading:

‘Be more proactive’: Judge raps police over recycled effort, demands intensified search for Indira Gandhi’s daughter

‘Mr IGP, return my child’: Indira Gandhi leads Bukit Aman march in 16‑year fight for missing daughter
Indira Gandhi protest at Bukit Aman ends with assurance of IGP meeting in coming weeks

Appeals Court upholds 45-year sentence, 24 lashes in ‘heinous’ Terengganu incest case

Appeals Court upholds 45-year sentence, 24 lashes in ‘heinous’ Terengganu incest case



A three-judge Court of Appeal said the sentence was proportionate to the severity of the crime. — Pexels pic

Wednesday, 26 Nov 2025 5:44 PM MYT


PUTRAJAYA, Nov 26 — The Court of Appeal today upheld a 45-year jail sentence and 24 strokes of the cane imposed on a delivery man for committing incest with his stepdaughter four years ago.

A three-member panel comprising Datuk Mohamed Zaini Mazlan, Datuk Hayatul Akmal Abdul Aziz and Datuk Mohd Radzi Abdul Hamid reached the decision after dismissing the 34-year-old man’s appeal against his conviction and sentence handed down by the Kuala Terengganu High Court on April 14 this year.

Delivering the unanimous judgment, Mohamed Zaini said the court did not accept the defence counsel’s argument that the charges were defective.

“We opine that there is no need for the charges to contain specific dates and times because they are not essential elements of the offence in the charges in this case. It is sufficient for the dates and times to be stated in general terms,” he said.


Mohamed Zaini said that at the time of the incident, the victim was 11 years old, a child who still needed protection from her mother and the appellant, even though the appellant is the victim’s stepfather.

“When a crime is committed against a victim by someone who is her refuge, it is difficult for the victim to disclose it to anyone. We are satisfied with the explanation given by the victim regarding her delay in disclosing the crime committed against her by her stepfather.

“We have examined the appeal record and considered the submissions of both parties. We find that the conviction of the appellant is safe, and there is no reason to disturb the findings of the Sessions Court and High Court judges.


“We also believe that the sentence imposed on the appellant is proportionate,” said Mohamed Zaini.

Meanwhile, Mohamed Zaini, describing the offence committed by the appellant as heinous, said the court should serve a warning not only to the appellant, but also to the community that sexual crimes against children are a crime that is taken seriously by the court and warrants a severe sentence.

“Therefore, the appellant’s appeal against the conviction and sentence is dismissed. We order that a warrant of committal or imprisonment be issued against the appellant, and the appellant is ordered to serve the prison sentence starting today,” said the judge.

The man was charged at the Kuala Terengganu Sessions Court with four counts of raping the victim, who was then aged 11 years.

The charges were framed under Section 376 (3) of the Penal Code, which provides imprisonment of between eight years and 30 years and not less than 10 strokes of the cane upon conviction.

He was also charged under Section 377CA of the Penal Code for sexual connection with an object by inserting a finger into the victim’s private part.

All the offences were committed at a house in Kuala Terengganu, between early June and November 2021.

On Feb 29 last year, the Kuala Terengganu Sessions Court sentenced the man to 45 years in prison and 24 strokes of the cane after finding him guilty of all five charges and the conviction and sentence were upheld by the Kuala Terengganu High Court on April 14 this year.

The prosecution was conducted by Deputy Public Prosecutor P. Sarulatha, while the appellant was represented by lawyer Muhammad Wafi Anwar Roslan. — Bernama

IGP: Police still tracing Indira Gandhi’s ex-husband, daughter; travel ban remains in force

IGP: Police still tracing Indira Gandhi’s ex-husband, daughter; travel ban remains in force



Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail today said the police remains committed to complying with the High Court in Ipoh’s previous decision. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

Wednesday, 26 Nov 2025 4:46 PM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 26 — Malaysian police said today it is still tracing M. Indira Gandhi’s ex‑husband, Pathmanathan Krishnan, now known as Muhammad Riduan Abdullah after converting to Islam, and confirmed he remains barred from travelling abroad.

Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail today said the police remains committed to complying with the High Court in Ipoh’s previous decision.

He said the police will continue to enhance efforts to track down the location of Indira’s former husband and Indira’s daughter Prasana Diksa, in line with the principle of rule of law and respect towards the judiciary.

Indira has been separated from Prasana Diksa for more than 16 years, when her former husband left the house in 2009 with the child who was then 11 months old.


The IGP said efforts to trace the ex-husband are still being carried out, including “further investigations against the allegation of the existence of an individual who is suspected of using his identity to receive various forms of government aid such as BUDI95 and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA)”.

“At the same time, checks have also been carried out with the cooperation of the Immigration Department of Malaysia to verify the status of the special travel restriction (Sekatan Perjalanan Khas), which remains in force against the individual involved,” Mohd Khalid said.





Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail today said the police remains committed to complying with the High Court in Ipoh’s previous decision. — Picture by Firdaus Latif

Wednesday, 26 Nov 2025 4:46 PM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 26 — Malaysian police said today it is still tracing M. Indira Gandhi’s ex‑husband, Pathmanathan Krishnan, now known as Muhammad Riduan Abdullah after converting to Islam, and confirmed he remains barred from travelling abroad.

Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail today said the police remains committed to complying with the High Court in Ipoh’s previous decision.

He said the police will continue to enhance efforts to track down the location of Indira’s former husband and Indira’s daughter Prasana Diksa, in line with the principle of rule of law and respect towards the judiciary.

Indira has been separated from Prasana Diksa for more than 16 years, when her former husband left the house in 2009 with the child who was then 11 months old.


The IGP said efforts to trace the ex-husband are still being carried out, including “further investigations against the allegation of the existence of an individual who is suspected of using his identity to receive various forms of government aid such as BUDI95 and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA)”.

“At the same time, checks have also been carried out with the cooperation of the Immigration Department of Malaysia to verify the status of the special travel restriction (Sekatan Perjalanan Khas), which remains in force against the individual involved,” Mohd Khalid said.





MORE TO COME

Beasts of Babylon on rampage in West Bank

Middle East Monitor ·


Germany and Jordan expressed alarm Tuesday over escalating violence by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank, calling on Israeli authorities to hold perpetrators accountable as attacks against Palestinian farmers reach unprecedented levels, Anadolu reports.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul told a joint news conference with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi that extremist settler violence has intensified dramatically in recent weeks, particularly during the olive harvest season.

"The violent acts of extremist settlers have reached a shocking scale there in recent weeks. They prevent olive farmers from harvesting, they devastate entire plantations, they set cars and houses on fire," Wadephul said.

"These settlers are openly pursuing the goal of driving Palestinians out of their communities. The fact that the Israeli government has clearly condemned these acts several times is the right signal. We welcome that and expect those responsible to be held accountable," he added.

Wadephul reiterated Germany's support for a negotiated two-state solution to the Middle East conflict and emphasized that Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem belong together and would form the basis for a future Palestinian state.

Echoing Wadephul's concerns, Jordanian Foreign Minister Safadi said violence by Israeli settlers has escalated in recent weeks, with olive groves, properties, and homes of Palestinians attacked and destroyed daily in the West Bank. He criticized Israeli authorities for failing to take concrete action to stop the violence, despite publicly condemning it.

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20251125-germany.../

Does ‘special unit’ linked to enforced disappearances exist, MP asks govt

FMT:

Does ‘special unit’ linked to enforced disappearances exist, MP asks govt

3 hours ago
Anne Muhammad

Teresa Kok urges the home ministry to reveal whether an official or unofficial unit, team or squad exists under its enforcement agencies

Pastor Raymond Koh was abducted in 2017 while activist Amri Che Mat disappeared in 2016.

KUALA LUMPUR: A backbencher today asked the home ministry to confirm whether its enforcement agencies have an official or unofficial special actions unit that carried out the enforced disappearances of Pastor Raymond Koh and activist Amri Che Mat.

Teresa Kok (PH-Seputeh) said the High Court had cited the findings of Suhakam and a government-formed special task force that the police, specifically the Special Branch, were involved in Koh and Amri’s disappearance.

“Is there a special unit, team, squad or agent within enforcement agencies that conducted the operations that led to the enforced disappearances?


“Otherwise, what steps are the government taking to identify the group or individual involved, in line with the nation’s obligation to prevent and investigate enforced disappearances?” the DAP MP said during the committee-level debate for the Supply Bill (Budget) 2026 for the home ministry.

Earlier this month, the High Court ordered the government and police to pay Koh’s family RM37 million over the state’s involvement in his abduction.


Justice Su Tiang Joo held that one or more of the defendants, from former to current police officers, had been involved in Koh’s abduction and had acted under orders eight years ago.

Su also ordered the government and police to pay a sum of more than RM3 million to Amri’s family for their failure to conduct proper investigations into his disappearance.

Koh was abducted on Feb 13, 2017 while driving along Jalan SS4B/10 in Petaling Jaya. During the trial, the court heard that five masked men in black military outfits had pulled Koh out of his car.

Amri, the founder of the NGO Perlis Hope, left his home at about 11.30pm on Nov 24, 2016. His car was found at a construction site at the Bukit Cabang Sports School in Perlis early the next morning.

WSJ Buried Expose About Zelensky’s Right-Hand Man – Tucker Carlson

 

WSJ Buried Expose About Zelensky’s Right-Hand Man – Tucker Carlson

 

The Wall Street Journal is refusing to publish information allegedly proving that Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky’s top aide embezzled US funds, journalist Tucker Carlson has claimed.

In a post on X on Monday, Carlson said the WSJ has for months held a story detailing the “personal corruption” of Andrey Yermak, Zelensky’s chief of staff.

“Yermak has skimmed hundreds of millions in American tax dollars meant for Ukraine aid. The Journal’s editors can prove that. But they’re not. Instead they’re protecting Yermak,” Carlson wrote.

He argued that the information was being suppressed because Yermak, as Kiev’s top negotiator, was “leading efforts to scuttle” the US-drafted plan to end the conflict between Ukraine and Russia. The Murdoch family, which owns the WSJ, wants “to continue the war with Russia,” he claimed. — RT

Our Take: So, the entire Ukrainian government is being exposed for being a bunch of bloodsucking parasites?

And now the American media is being exposed for being complicit in those crimes?

Accelerate. — GhostofBasedPatrickHenry

Hat Yai Horror

Murray Hunter


Hat Yai Horror


Nov 26, 2025





The view from my neighbor’s home yesterday



Since my article on the Hat Yai floods yesterday, there was a significant increase in the water levels putting many lives in danger. Many one story homes in Hat Yai are now completely submerged, while families in two story homes are now sitting on top floor balconies waiting for food and rescue. Many people in condominiums have exhausted stored foods and haven’t eaten for days. Shops and restaurants have been completely overwhelmed by the flood waters.

A view of Hat Yai city from the station hotel (Richard Barrow).

Chinese Temple Associations are now beginning to send out aid to those who they can reach. This is happening all over the city, working from the high ground around Prince of Songkla University, where the exhibition centre has become a flood refuge shelter.

Ton Kasama FB.

There was a major tragedy at Hat Yai Hospital. The generators on the ground floor were flooded cutting out off electricity. There are unconfirmed reports of people on ICU passing away. Patients are being moved by helicopter to other hospitals. The hospital flooded on the ground floor is basically out of commission.

The sense of danger cannot be underestimated. Most of the pictures are eerie in the sense that there are no people. Where are they? These people are not all in refuge centres. There were scenes of some people climbing on electricity poles waiting to be rescued. Helicopters have been flying around the city with ropes for people to climb up on. There is no where to go for refuge and safety, as most of the region around Hat Yai is completely under water.

Chutima Katai FB

Today in Hat Yai many people are in real fear for their own lives. Commercial air flights are now suspended where Hat Yai International Airport is an aid hub with supplies coming in through Royal Thai Air Force C130s.

Malaysians are still trapped in Hat Yai with evacuation teams waiting at Dannok, However, the road to the border are still blocked as of the morning of November 26.

Hroynut Media FB.

Landmark ruling: Court declares three generations in Perak family Malaysians, affirms stateless persons’ right to marry

 

Landmark ruling: Court declares three generations in Perak family Malaysians, affirms stateless persons’ right to marry



(From left) Kamaladevi’s two children T (in grey), M (in black), lawyer New Sin Yew, lawyer Shugan Raman, Kamaladevi Kanniappan as seen at the Taiping, Perak court complex May 20, 2024. — Picture courtesy of lawyers

Wednesday, 26 Nov 2025 12:36 PM MYT

• Today, the Court of Appeal declared six stateless persons — from three generations in a Perak family — as Malaysians, as they meet the Federal Constitution’s citizenship requirements.
• The Court of Appeal’s three-judge panel unanimously ruled that stateless persons in Malaysia can legally marry and register their marriages.
• The court’s decision was hailed as a “landmark” ruling, as it will prevent statelessness being passed down through the generations in Malaysia.

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 26 — The Court of Appeal today unanimously decided that three generations of stateless persons in a Perak family are automatically Malaysians under the Federal Constitution, and also affirmed that stateless persons can legally marry under Malaysian laws even though without Malaysian identity cards.

This Perak family had seen three generations becoming stateless — simply because the stateless women were unable to register their marriages to their Malaysian husbands.

This had resulted in their children being treated as illegitimate under Malaysian laws, and having to inherit their mother’s stateless status instead of being able to inherit their father’s Malaysian citizenship.

Today, Court of Appeal judge Datuk Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali noted that statelessness had “continued to plague the family in successive generations”, as the children in each generation were unable to inherit their Malaysian father’s citizenship since their stateless mother’s marriage could not be registered.


But the judge pointed out that Section 27 of the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976 clearly states that the marriage of every person living in Malaysia shall be registered under this law.

“As such, every person has the right to have their marriage solemnised and registered under the Act. There is nothing in the Act which imposes any requirement that an identity card is a prerequisite to marriage or which prohibits marriage of stateless persons,” he said when reading out excerpts from the Court of Appeal judgment.

In other words, the judge was saying that this Malaysian law does not prevent stateless persons from marrying, and that having an identity card is also not a condition to be married.


The judge also noted that the Perak family’s lawyers had highlighted the government’s own internal circular (“Arahan Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara Bil. 6/2021”), with the circular stating that personal identification documents are not a condition for marriages to be registered.

The judge also said that the government had not challenged the Perak family’s lawyers’ arguments on this circular.

The judge said the documentary issues for one woman in the Perak family, Letchimee — who is actually a Malaysian, but did not collect a Malaysian identity card before she died — had caused the next generations of women in the family to also be stateless, and their non-registration of marriages to Malaysian men had also led to “intergenerational statelessness”.

“This state of affairs is unfortunate and citizenship by operation of law ought to be automatically acquired at birth,” the judge said when noting that everyone in the Perak family should have automatically been Malaysians when they were born.

After carefully going through all the facts and evidence shown by the Perak family, Mohd Nazlan also noted that all the mothers in each generation in this family are actually Malaysians, and ultimately ruled that the family had proven that they fulfil constitutional requirements to automatically be Malaysians upon birth.

“In our view, on the specific and peculiar circumstances of this case, given the totality of the evidence, the respondents had on balance of probabilities proven that they fulfil the requirements of Section 1(a) of Part II of the Second Schedule of the Federal Constitution, that one of the parents is a Malaysian citizen.

“Accordingly, the respondents are citizens by operation of law under Article 14(1)(b) read together with Section 1(a) of Part II of the Second Schedule of the Federal Constitution,” he said, referring to the Perak family as the “respondents”.



Court of Appeal judge Datuk Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, who is seen in this file photo, said there were no errors in the High Court decision which had ruled in the Perak family’s favour, January 17, 2023. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa


Ultimately, Mohd Nazlan said the Court of Appeal panel finds “no appealable errors” in the High Court’s May 20, 2024 decision, and affirmed the High Court’s ruling which was in the Perak family’s favour.

The Court of Appeal dismissed the government’s appeal against the Perak family’s previous successful bid at the High Court for Malaysian citizenship, and gave no order for costs.

The three-judge panel was chaired by Datuk Azizah Nawawi, and Datuk Azhahari Kamal Ramli also sat on the panel.

With this ruling today, Kamaladevi Kanniappan, her two children known as T and M, and her three grandchildren (T’s children) can now be recognised as Malaysians.

The family were all born in Malaysia and can trace their roots five generations back to a Malaysian couple.

New Sin Yew, one of the lawyers representing the Perak family, said the Court of Appeal’s decision today confirms that stateless persons have the right to marry under the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976, and not having an IC would not prevent them from marrying.

“The absence of a National Identity Card, which stateless persons obviously would not have, is not a bar to marriage.

“This is a landmark decision. The recognition that stateless persons have the right to marry under our laws is extremely important because marriage, as in the present case, prevents intergenerational statelessness.

“Without such right, the child of a Malaysian father and a stateless mother, would not be able to inherit the father’s citizenship and remain stateless. That problem would persist in the female lineage of the family. I’m glad that we have finally found a cure to this administrative anomaly,” he told Malay Mail when contacted immediately after the decision was delivered.

Currently in Malaysia, those born outside of a registered marriage would have to inherit their mother’s citizenship status as the child is considered illegitimate; while a child who is born to a legally married Malaysian father and stateless mother will not be considered illegitimate and can inherit the father’s citizenship status.

Lawyer Shugan Raman also represented the Perak family, while senior federal counsel Norazlinawati Mohd Arshad represented the government in this case.






Recommended reading:

High Court: Stateless persons can legally marry in Malaysia, NRD shouldn’t refuse just because ‘no IC’

Court declares three generations in stateless Perak family as Malaysians; says can legally marry

A Perak family’s suffering: Three generations, all stateless, go to court to be Malaysians