Day: February 6, 2018

It’s our duty to stop bullying, says Wong

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Source: The Star

Fighting against bullies: Wong with top prefects of his former school, St Xavier’s Institution in Penang. Image via The Star

GEORGE TOWN: Whenever Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai talks about his secondary school days at St Xavier’s Institution (SXI), his eyes light up with pride – until he gets to the topic of bullying.

“I could’ve been stronger or louder in helping the students who needed it,” said the award-winning newsman, now chief executive officer and group managing director of Star Media Group.

“On hindsight, staying quiet was not the best way to solve bullying, so we need to speak up now.”

Wong was back at SXI yesterday as guest of honour, 37 years after graduation, to lend his voice to R.AGE and SP Setia’s #StandTogether campaign, which was initiated following last year’s spate of deadly bullying cases.

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Malaysia to work with international airlines to curb human trafficking

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Source: The Malaysian Insight

THE Council for Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (Mapo) will expand its cooperation with international airlines in the fight against human trafficking in the country.

Deputy Home Minister Nur Jazlan Mohamed said this was because human trafficking syndicates found it more convenient to do their work by air than by land and sea.

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Why is Malaysia still practising female genital mutilation? — Sivananthi Thanenthiran & Rozana Isa

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Source: The Malaysian Insight

BY SIVANATHI THANENTHIRAN & ROZANA ISA

FEMALE genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C) threatens about three million girls annually and at least 200 million girls and women have been cut in 30 countries, according to Unicef.

However, activists believe it is practised in at least 45 countries. While FGM/C is often associated with Africa, it is more widespread in Asian countries, including Malaysia.

In 2012, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) unanimously passed a resolution calling it a human rights violation and urged nations to ban the practice and the ban was reaffirmed in 2014. The resolution was adopted by all UN member states, including Malaysia.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines FGM as comprising all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

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Survey shows LGBTQ+ rights believed to be a key issue in GE14

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Source: Malay Mail Online

PETALING JAYA, Feb 6 — Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) rights will be among the significant issues in the 14th general elections (GE14), said 72 per cent of respondents in a survey conducted by an LGBT rights group.

Those aged 20 and below were the most common age group (84.5 per cent) to believe LGBTQ+ rights would be an important issue in the coming elections, followed by those aged 21 to 30 (72.7 per cent), people aged 41 to 50 (72.4 per cent), the 31-40 age group (67 per cent), and less than half of those aged 51 and above at 46.2 per cent.

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