Society

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (Borneo Bulletin/ANN): The Law Society of Brunei Darussalam will conduct a free Legal Advice Clinic relating to civil and criminal matters at the Law and Subordinate Courts Building in Batu Satu from 11am to 1pm on July 31. The clinic aims to offer free legal advice to those who are unable to obtain such assistance. Advice will be provided on a first-come-first-served basis. Entitled members of the public must not be represented by any law firm, present a copy of recent Brunei-issued identity card, and provide proof of current residential address and income or allowance of less than BND1,500 per month. - Borneo Bulletin/Asia News Network ... » Learn More about Brunei Law Society offers free legal advice on July 31

KOTA KINABALU: The Emergency Ordinances (EO) have technically not been revoked as there has been a failure to observe two key aspects; the functions of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the functions of Parliament, says the Sabah Law Society (SLS). SLS president Roger Chin said it is of supreme importance that the EO be tabled and debated before Parliament to ensure that they do not remain in force until Feb 1 next year. “The SLS is entirely in agreement with the statement by the King, namely that the provisions of Article 150(2B) read together with Article 150(3) of the Federal Constitution, provided that the power to promulgate and revoke Emergency Ordinances vest in His Majesty. “The statement issued by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on July 29, also stated that there had been an agreement to lay the Emergency Ordinances before Parliament to debate and decide whether or not to annul the same. "This was entirely in line with Article 150(3) of the Federal Constitution. However, this ... » Learn More about Emergency Ordinances technically still in force, says Sabah Law Society

SINGAPORE - Parents, schools and society are ill equipped to deal with young people who are struggling with mental health issues, said President Halimah Yacob in a Facebook post on Friday (July 23), as she called for more to be done to support and understand the youth. She noted that the impact of mental illness when the onset is at a very young age is usually a lot more severe than when someone gets it much later in life. Her post comes after the alleged murder of a 13-year-old boy by a 16-year-old boy at River Valley High School on Monday. It was revealed in court that the 16-year-old had been referred to the Institute of Mental Health two years ago because of a suicide attempt. Said Madam Halimah: "Attempted suicides are a real cry for help. We don't know the full details, particularly whether he had continued to receive psychiatric help or medication in order to deal with his mental health after that episode. "We also don't know whether it was due to school or there ... » Learn More about Parents, schools, society ill equipped to deal with youth facing mental health issues: Halimah

SINGAPORE - Actor Tay Ping Hui on Monday (July 26) clarified his position on the concept of Chinese privilege, saying that he did grow up experiencing it in the years before he entered junior college. "I suffered from a condition known as 'Chinese privilege'," he said. "When I say Chinese privilege, I do not mean that I thought I should have any sort of special privilege, nor that the Chinese race was superior in any way. "It was more of a feeling that there wasn't a need for me to understand the perspectives of the other races, their beliefs and culture." This came after a Straits Times article over the weekend, on comments he had made at a dialogue on race organised by government feedback unit Reach and Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao. ST had reported, based on an English interpretation of Mr Tay's remarks in Mandarin, that he had grown up with a majority blind spot instead of Chinese privilege. This drew some attention on social media platforms, with Twitter users arguing ... » Learn More about Actor Tay Ping Hui clarifies that he did say he had Chinese privilege at dialogue

On a Sunday morning, former NTV7 and 8TV editor-in-chief Mohsin Abdullah suddenly sent me the video of the song " We're getting old, brothers " sung by Chinese singer Chen Min. I clicked and listened. Other than the singer's clean and almost ethereal voice, what stirred my emotions was the lyric that smoothly flowed into my ears. Time passes by quietly, Only the memories remain, Looking back, my brothers, It's already half a century! Our youth is slowly fading away, All that's left is remembrance, Thinking of my brothers in my dream, Life has not been easy. We're getting old, brothers, Take good care of your health in the remaining years, Let go of all the unhappiness, Don't keep it inside you, Brotherhood lasts the whole life, And we may not see one another again the next life, Let's find time to meet regularly, Have some wine and pour out our feelings, Understand more and show less temper. Time passes by quietly, Only the memories remain, ... » Learn More about Enough is enough!

SHAH ALAM: Selangor state civil servants will get special financial assistance of half-month’s salary or a minimum of RM1,000 for Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, who announced this at the monthly gathering of Selangor’s civil servants here yesterday, said the special payment – costing the state RM22.675mil – will be made on May 19. In his speech, he said the state government’s financial status up to April 15 was stable, with administrative expenses touching 26.6% (RM324.48mil) while development expenses were at 22.4% (RM247.04mil). Up to April 15, the state has managed to collect RM853.31mil in revenue – 38.79% of the estimated RM2.2bil revenue for 2021. This is a 19.39% drop compared to the same period last year. On another matter, Amirudin said the state would do whatever it takes to soothe the vagaries caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. “The state government will try its best to cover all segments of society that have been affected so that no ... » Learn More about Raya cheer for civil servants

The Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center in Batac City is joining the call of the Ilocos Norte Medical Society in calling for a “timeout” as health workers plead for stringent curbs to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the province. (Photo screen grabbed from Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center’s official Facebook page) LAOAG CITY — Health workers in Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (MMMH&MC) and the Ilocos Norte Medical Society (INMS) have appealed for a “timeout” as the province’s health-care system is being feared to collapse amid the surge of COVID-19 cases. Dr. Luis Jake Rubio, former president and ex-officio member of INMS, told the Inquirer in an interview on Wednesday (July 21) that the doctors’ group is now crying for stricter quarantine curbs as many health workers are already “exhausted.” The call came at a time when Ilocos Norte on Tuesday recorded at least 283 new COVID-19 cases, its highest single-day tally ... » Learn More about Ilocos Norte hospital, doctors’ group seek ‘timeout’ amid virus surge

PETALING JAYA: On the eve of being charged for misappropriating RM1.2mil, Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (pic) has claimed that it was another ploy to force him to support Perikatan Nasional. Syed Saddiq said that he had been receiving threats for a year and it has been recently renewed as Parliament is set to reconvene on July 26 for a five-day special sitting. "Every time there is an important vote in Parliament, threats will come. In July, December, January and recently a week before Parliament reconvenes," he said on Twitter on Wednesday (July 21). Syed Saddiq is expected to be charged at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Thursday (July 22), after which he said he will make a revelation via a live conference on Facebook and Instagram at 8pm. "It is in moments like this I am reminded why I joined politics. Truth will always prevail. I would rather go to court than join Perikatan," he added. Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) secretary-general Amir Abd Hadi ... » Learn More about Syed Saddiq claims RM1.2mil CBT case against him politically motivated

Palestinian militants fired rocket barrages into Israel from Gaza for a second day on Tuesday, May 11, and Israeli warplanes struck the enclave in a deepening conflict in which at least 26 people in Gaza and two in Israel have been killed. The most serious outbreak of fighting between armed factions in Hamas Islamist-run Gaza and Israel since 2019 was triggered by clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police at Al Asqa Mosque in Jerusalem on Monday. The holy city has been tense during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, with sporadic unrest and possible evictions of Palestinians from homes claimed by Jewish settlers in a court case adding to the friction. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would step up its strikes on Gaza in the face of the surge in rocket attacks. "At the conclusion of a situational assessment, it was decided that both the strength of the attacks and the frequency of the attacks will be increased," he said in video ... » Learn More about Hamas, Israel exchange fire as Jerusalem unrest ignites Gaza

Palestinian protesters threw rocks and Israeli police fired stun grenades and rubber bullets in clashes outside the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem on Monday, May 10, as Israel marked the anniversary of its capture of parts of the city in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said more than 180 Palestinians were injured in the violence, of whom more than 80, including one person in critical condition, were transferred to hospitals. Al-Aqsa, Islam's third-holiest site, has been a focal point of violence in Jerusalem throughout the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The clashes have raised international concern. Tensions were particularly high as Israel was marked "Jerusalem Day", its annual celebration of the capture of East Jerusalem and the walled Old City that is home to Muslim, Jewish and Christian holy places. In an effort to ease the situation, Israeli police said they had banned Jewish groups from paying Jerusalem Day visits to the ... » Learn More about Violence erupts at al-Aqsa mosque as Israel marks Jerusalem Day