PETALING JAYA : Better incentives, including flexible working hours, are vital to retain nurses in the face of a critical shortage, particularly in Malaysia’s public healthcare sector. Malayan Nurses Union president Saaidah Athman said the average starting salary for nurses is around RM1,800, with new recruits placed under the Employees Provident Fund scheme instead of the civil service pension scheme. Meanwhile, the starting salary of a U29 grade nurse with a nursing diploma begins at RM1,797 in the public sector. A RM100 allowance is paid to specialist nurses with advanced qualifications in the form of post-basic incentive allowance. “All these will not attract the younger generation to nursing. They would definitely choose to go to the private sector or overseas, where the salaries are better and there is some flexibility in working hours. “The workload is also rising with the increasing number of patients. Some have to do double duty with tasks not limited to nursing care, but also administrative work, moving patients across units, pushing medicine trolleys to the pharmacy and so on. “So, one can imagine how exhausted nurses here are compared to overseas, where nurses only focus on their respective nursing care duties,” she said. She added that the transition to the 45-hour work week is not helping at all. Aside from resignations and low intakes, she said fewer colleges are offering nursing courses, which has impacted the number of prospective nurses joining the workforce. “The Health Ministry must fix the nursing system by offering attractive incentives and flexible working hours,” she said, adding that the post-basic incentive allowance must also be reviewed as RM100 is too low. “Nurses are paid RM3,000 and above for post-basic allowance overseas, and in private practice in Asia, it is about RM500,” Saaidah noted. Independent health advocate Dr Sean Thum agreed, saying that Malaysian nurses are drawn abroad due to the very real possibility of a more balanced life there. Therefore, he said, raising remuneration is key in ensuring adequate manpower in public healthcare. “We don’t pay well enough. Indeed, we are lacking in staff, so the existing staff will have to shoulder more work,” he said. In a statement, Senator Dr RA Lingeshwaran said if the government, particularly the Public Service Department (JPA), continues with the 45-hour work week within the “already crippled” healthcare system, it would lead more healthcare workers quitting. “JPA has to bear responsibility if this fails,” he said, adding that the move to increase the work week to 45 hours is insensitive and highly risky. “I have engaged with many nursing associations and unions within the Health Ministry, and the majority have expressed that they will not be able to endure it if the workload continues to increase without any form of compensation or resolution to their welfare,” said the former director of Hospital Sungai Bakap in Penang. The morale of healthcare workers is currently at its lowest point, he added. “What is needed is not an added burden but support, incentives and recognition for their sacrifices in safeguarding […]
7 d ago
SINGAPORE – The number of students caught plagiarising and passing off content generated by artificial intelligence as their own work remains low, the public universities here said following a recent case at NTU. But professors are watching closely for signs of misuse, warning that over-reliance on AI could undermine learning. Some are calling for more creative forms of assessment. Their comments follow NTU’s decision to award these students zero marks for an assignment after discovering they had used generative AI tools in their work. The move drew attention after one of the students posted about it on online forum Reddit, sparking debate about the growing role of AI in education and its impact on academic integrity. All six universities here generally allow students to use gen AI to varying degrees, depending on the module or coursework. To uphold academic integrity, students are required to declare when and how they use such tools. In the past three years, Singapore Management University (SMU) recorded “less than a handful” of cases of AI-related academic misconduct, it said, without giving specific numbers. Similarly, Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) encountered a “handful of academic integrity cases, primarily involving plagiarism”, during the same time period. At Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), confirmed cases of academic dishonesty involving gen AI remain low, but the university has seen a “slight uptick” in such reports, partly due to heightened faculty vigilance and use of detection tools. The other universities – NUS, Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and NTU – did not respond to queries about whether more students have been caught for flouting the rules using AI. Recognising that AI technologies are here to stay, universities said they are exploring better ways to integrate such tools meaningfully and critically into learning. Gen AI refers to technologies that can produce human-like text, images or other content based on prompts. Educational institutions worldwide have been grappling with balancing its challenges and opportunities, while maintaining academic integrity. Faculty members here have flexibility to decide how AI can be used in their courses, as long as their decisions align with university-wide policies. NUS allows AI use for take-home assignments if properly attributed, although instructors have to design complex tasks to prevent over-reliance. For modules focused on core skills, assessments may be done in person or designed to go beyond AI’s capabilities. At SMU, instructors inform students which AI tools are allowed, and guide them on their use, typically for idea generation or research-heavy projects outside exams. SIT has reviewed assessments and trained staff to manage AI use, encouraging it in advanced courses like coding but restricting it in foundational ones, while SUTD has integrated gen AI into its design thinking curriculum to foster higher-order thinking. The idea is to teach students when AI should be a tool, partner or avoided. Universities said that students must ensure originality and credibility in their work. The allure of gen AI Students interviewed by The Straits Times, who requested to remain anonymous, said AI usage is […]
1 w ago
PETALING JAYA : The expanded Sales and Service tax (SST) may have a limited short-term effect on inflation, and to prevent dishonest traders from profiteering, economists say Malaysians play a crucial role in curbing unnecessary price hikes. They advise consumers to be vigilant when shopping and avoid buying products from dishonest traders. Economist Geoffrey Williams said consumers must be tough on companies that exploit the implementation of the expanded SST and raise prices unnecessarily. He said they can report such companies for profiteering to the authorities or even name the company on social media. “Naming and shaming profiteers online is very effective, as well as boycotting the worst offenders. “But, this requires group action where NGOs and consumer groups can play a role,” said Williams. He also said companies could play a role by being transparent with prices and having comparisons with their competitors. “Those that treat customers well will keep and gain customers and those with bad attitudes will lose business,” said Williams. He added that consumers should be aware of which products are affected under the expanded SST when they go shopping. “If they see prices rising on products that had the same tax rate, they can report it to the authorities for profiteering. “The effect on inflation will be limited and temporary because this is a one-off effect on only a small sample of goods and services. Most of the consumer price index constituents are unaffected,” added Williams. He was commenting on the SST expansion which began on July 1 which saw zero rate taxes remaining for essential goods, while a rate of 5% to 10% was imposed on non-essential items. An 8% service tax will be imposed on rental or leasing services, with no tax imposed on residential housing, reading material, monetary leasing and tangible assets outside Malaysia. A 6% service tax will be levied on construction work services related to infrastructure, commercial and industrial buildings. Socio-Economic Research Centre executive director Lee Heng Guie said consumer activism played a crucial role in addressing unnecessary price hikes and Malaysians themselves should be vigilant and report any unjustified price hikes to the authorities. “To manage price pressures, the government can improve price monitoring, providing clear communication to the public, and strict enforcement of tax compliance to prevent price gouging,” said Lee. He also said the government could implement awareness campaigns and maintain clear guidelines as well as strict enforcement of tax compliance to prevent excessive profiteering. The inflationary effects from the implementation of the expanded SST, he said, was not expected to have a lasting impact on the country. “While price adjustments are anticipated, particularly on non-essential items and services estimated between 0.5 and 1 percentage points in the short-term, this will likely taper off over time,” added Lee. He said low- and middle-income earners were likely to be affected by the expanded SST implementation despite exemptions on essential items and cash handouts such as Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah by the government. “The increase in SST on a broader […]
1 w ago
GEORGE TOWN :They can be found everywhere – airport lounge sofas, bus seats, and even hotel and hostel beds. But who would realise that bed bugs can play a role in forensic investigations. Scientists discovered that the blood they consume has the DNA of people whom they fed on. A Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) team began studying the role of these blood suckers after collecting specimens at airport lounge sofas in 2014. Their study was published in Scientific Reports. USM researchers reported that Cimex hemipterus – a common tropical bed bug species – can retain human DNA in their guts for up to 45 days after feeding. In a subsequent research paper published in Forensic Science International last August, the USM team outlined a practical field protocol for collecting and analysing tropical bed bugs as forensic evidence. The work was led by entomologist Assoc Prof Dr Abdul Hafiz Ab Majid and his postdoctoral researcher Dr Lim Li from the School of Biological Sciences. Together, they extracted DNA from bed bugs, which had been fed human blood under controlled conditions. “Right after feeding, we could recover full genetic profiles using STR (short tandem repeat) and SNP (single nucleotide polymorphisms) methods. “And even 45 days later, we were still able to retrieve partial profiles – enough, in some cases, to point to hair, skin and eye colour,” Assoc Prof Hafiz said. The STR technique is the same one used in standard DNA profiling used in forensic labs. The research paper, Human profiling from STR and SNP analysis of tropical bed bug, Cimex hemipterus, for forensic science, marks the first documented forensic application involving this species. Previous research had only focused on Cimex lectularius, the common bed bug more prevalent in temperate climates. The discovery suggests that if bed bugs are found at a crime scene – a hotel room, a flat or a hideout – they may carry the genetic fingerprints of whoever was recently there. “Bed bugs feed and then retreat into nearby crevices. “Because they don’t fly or travel far, there’s a good chance that whoever they fed on had been at that exact location,” said Assoc Prof Hafiz. This makes them useful in crime scenes when conventional biological evidence – bloodstains or fingerprints – has been removed or cleaned up. He said even on day five, more than 70% of the targeted STR readings were still intact, and 39 out of 41 SNP markers were readable, more than enough for partial profiling. He said though not yet admissible in court, this kind of DNA phenotyping could give investigators valuable leads when there are no other clues. The findings, while promising, still have limitations. The research used single-target polymerase chain reaction tests – a slower, one-at-a-time method – rather than the commercial multiplex kits used in accredited crime labs. Assoc Prof Hafiz said for bed bug DNA to be accepted in court, the protocols would need to be adapted and validated across different systems. There is also the issue of […]
1 w ago
BANGKOK : Online scam centres driven by human trafficking have become a global threat in the digital age. The International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) has revealed a recent crime trend, stating that “human trafficking-fueled scam centres” have rapidly expanded their networks from Southeast Asia to new areas in West Africa, the Middle East, Central America, and worldwide in recent years. In its March 2025 report, Interpol stated that victims from at least 66 countries have fallen prey to human trafficking and forced labour in online scam centres. Seventy-four per cent of victims were taken to the traditional “hub” areas in Southeast Asia, while scam centres in other countries are emerging, with West Africa potentially becoming the new hotspot for this type of crime. Many human trafficking victims are lured through fake job advertisements, then detained in compounds and forced to engage in online fraud, including investment scams, money transfers, romance fraud, and online gambling. Those who resist are often threatened, and some face brutal abuse or even torture. While not all workers in scam centres are human trafficking victims, those coerced into committing crimes are often intimidated with debt, forced to work endlessly, and some endure severe psychological distress. Another form of victimisation involves those deceived online in other parts of the world, who lose large sums of money and, in some cases, their financial stability. Interpol describes these online scam centres as a “double-edged threat,” impacting both those forced to commit fraud and victims deceived through screens from other countries. The trend has intensified since 2023, prompting the issuance of an urgent Orange Notice to warn of the serious and escalating threat. International operations coordinated by Interpol with police forces from various countries have uncovered multiple cases of human trafficking for forced criminal activities. For example, in 2024, authorities raided a large scam centre in the Philippines, and in Namibia, a centre was dismantled where 88 young people were forced to engage in fraud. Police seized 163 computers and 350 mobile phones for investigation. In addition to forced labour and systematic deception, Interpol has also warned that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a new tool for criminals. AI is being used to craft highly convincing fake job advertisements and create deceptive profiles and images through Deepfake technology to lure victims into various scams, such as romance scams or sextortion. These criminal networks also use the same trafficking routes to smuggle drugs, weapons, and protected wildlife, such as tigers and pangolins. This means that “scam centres” are no longer just hubs for cybercrime, but are increasingly becoming epicentres for a variety of transnational crimes. Interpol’s data also highlights the profile of “human trafficking facilitators,” key drivers behind this crime. Over 80% are male, and 61% are aged between 20 and 39 years. Meanwhile, 90% are of Asian descent, with 11% from Africa or South America, reflecting the complexity of global criminal networks. Cyril Gout, acting Director of Police Services at Interpol, emphasised that addressing this threat requires […]
1 w ago
BEIJING – The Dalai Lama said only his organisation can recognise his reincarnation, a statement that Beijing has swiftly rejected amid a renewed tussle over who has the right to appoint the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, as it insists that any successor must be approved by the Chinese government. In a recorded video statement on July 2, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, whom Beijing regards as a separatist, reiterated that only the Gaden Phodrang Trust he founded “has the sole authority to recognise the future reincarnation”. “No one else has any such authority to interfere in this matter,” said the Dalai Lama, whose statement comes four days ahead of his 90th birthday on July 7, in a clear rebuke to China, which annexed Tibet in 1951. He also affirmed that he will have a successor upon his death, ending years of speculation that began when he previously indicated that he might be the last person to hold the role. Many observers widely expect China to name its rival successor to the Dalai Lama post, as a Beijing-backed leader would help legitimise its rule in Tibet, which has long resisted full assimilation into Chinese culture. At the regular media briefing on July 2, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said the Dalai Lama’s succession must comply with religious rituals and historical conventions as well as Chinese laws and regulations. “The reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, the Panchen Lama and other grand living Buddhas must go through the golden urn lottery procedure and be subject to the approval of the central government,” she said. The lot-drawing system, where names are drawn from a golden urn, was introduced during the Qing Dynasty in 1793. The current 14th Dalai Lama was himself identified in “strict accordance with religious rituals and historical conventions” after the passing of the 13th Dalai Lama, and was informed after being granted exemption from the lottery by the then central government, said Ms Mao. Critics, however, say that the reincarnation process is guided by spiritual signs and not a state-administered lottery. Some argue that the lottery system is being wielded as a political tool to assert Beijing’s control over Tibetan Buddhism and is part of its broader Sinicisation campaign to assimilate all religions into Chinese culture. The present Panchen Lama – the second-highest-ranking leader in Tibetan Buddhism – was appointed by Beijing after the previous figure died in 1989. Earlier in June, he met Chinese President Xi Jinping, pledging support to the leadership of the Communist Party of China and saying he would work to align Tibetan Buddhism more closely with Chinese values. The Dalai Lama had identified a successor to the Panchen Lama post when the previous figure died, but the successor, a child, was allegedly taken away by the Chinese authorities. At the media briefing, Ms Mao said China’s policy of Sinicisation of religions is not to restrict religion from growing and prospering. “It has to adapt itself to the traditional and development stage of the country. Tibetan Buddhism was born in China and itself is an example of religion adapting to […]
1 w ago
PETALING JAYA : Consumers should brace themselves for a gradual increase in prices of goods following the implementation of the new electricity tariffs effective July 1, say business groups. This is because manufacturers and those in the affected sectors may not be able to absorb higher costs and would likely pass on to consumers. SME Association of Malaysia president Chin Chee Seong said it is too early to gauge the overall increase in electricity bills for businesses. “It is difficult to say how much their electricity bills will increase at the moment. “Talk among some SMEs is that there is likely to be at least a 20% increase in electricity bills,” he said when contacted yesterday. Chin said the association will gather feedback from its members to determine how much more they have to pay for their electricity. Asked whether the SMEs will absorb the higher electricity costs, Chin said it is unlikely. “Most of them would not absorb the cost and pass it down to either their supply chain or consumers. “We should expect to see an increase in prices, especially among the SMEs, food and beverage, and the retail sectors,” he said. Federation of Malaysian Business Association vice-chairman Nivas Ragavan said some businesses may try to absorb the electricity cost increase, but not entirely. “Manufacturers have always tried to absorb cost increases where possible through efficiency measures and cost optimisation. “However, with rising cumulative costs such as raw materials, logistics, labour and now energy, many, particularly the SMEs and export-driven businesses with thin margins, will not be able to absorb the full cost,” he said when contacted yesterday. He said the manufacturing sector is expected to see its electricity bills increase between 5% and 7%. “For energy-intensive industries, the impact could be more significant, especially if they are not eligible for the Imbalance Cost Pass-Through rebate,” he added. As a result of this, Nivas said that it is likely that some portion of the increased energy cost will be passed down the supply chain. “This could take the form of adjusted pricing to downstream partners and eventually may have an impact on consumer prices, depending on the sector and product,” he said. He noted that some manufacturers will try to minimise the increase in cost where possible to remain competitive, especially in global markets. Federation of Malaysian Manufacturing (FMM) president Tan Sri Soh Thian Lai said the new electricity tariffs will not have a uniform impact on the manufacturing sector and will vary according to electricity usage. “FMM understands that 70% of medium voltage customers, many of whom are industrial users, will have a reduction in electricity bill ranging from 4% up to 18% depending on the load factor. “The higher their load factor, the higher the reduction in their bills,” he said when contacted yesterday. However, Soh said the remaining 30% with a low load factor may see an increase of between 3% and 10% in the electricity bills. “Some customers in this category have installed solar […]
1 w ago
TOKYO : Strong demand from inbound tourism has significantly driven up land prices in tourist destinations nationwide, a trend extending to areas around the 2025 Osaka-Kansai Expo. According to an announcement by the National Tax Agency on Tuesday, land prices rose year-on-year in 35 prefectures, and the national average increased for the fourth consecutive year. Popular ‘Little Kyotos’ A 55-year-old Belgian tourist was seen smiling as she looked at a “sarubobo” (monkey baby) — a local folk artwork — in Takayama, Gifu Prefecture, on June 25. She said that a guidebook sparked her interest in the culture and nature in the area and that she found the traditional wooden buildings to be amazing. Takayama is popular for its old townscape, which comprises historic sake breweries and traditional houses. Last year, the city, dubbed “Hida’s Little Kyoto,” saw its foreign overnight visitors surge to about 769,700, an increase of 70% compared to the previous year. That number is a record high, significantly surpassing the pre-pandemic figure of about 612,000 in 2019. Reflecting this popularity, land prices in the area along Kami-Sannomachi Shimo-Sannomachi-dori street, located in the central part of the city, rose by 28.3% this year compared to the previous year, the fourth highest increase in the nation. According to the city’s historic townscape preservation association, the surge in demand driven by inbound tourism means that buyers are quickly found even for shops on the main street of Kami-Sannomachi that closed due to the aging of their owners. The trend has left the street with almost no vacant properties. At the Sumiyoshi Ryokan inn with a more than 100-year-old building located along the Miyagawa river, a stream famous for its morning market, more than 90% of guests are inbound tourists. “We’re almost fully booked until September,” said Tsunetada Minami, 50, who manages the inn. “International travelers are essential for the survival of our business.” Spreading on social media Even in Tokyo, where land prices saw the highest increase among all prefectures at 8.1%, it was mainly inbound tourism that was responsible for the rise. Land prices on Kaminarimon-dori street in Asakusa, Tokyo, recorded a 29% increase, the third highest nationwide and the highest in Tokyo. Nakamise-dori shopping street in the district is bustling with foreign tourists posing for photos in kimonos and buying souvenirs. “Events like Sanja Festival have spread on social media, increasing their popularity among foreigners,” said Shigemi Fuji, 76, chairperson of the Asakusa Tourism Federation. Meanwhile, it has also been pointed out that the number of Japanese visitors to Asakusa has been decreasing. “Some rickshaw drivers have days when all their passengers are foreign tourists,” said Takashi Sudo, 45, manager of Isshin, which operates a rickshaw service. Appeal of Expo Although the Osaka-Kansai Expo, which opened in April and is being held on the artificial island of Yumeshima in Konohana Ward, Osaka, had yet to open at the time of the land price assessment, speculation over associated redevelopment projects has still boosted land prices in the ward. The […]
2 w ago
PETALING JAYA: Many consumers are taking steps to manage their electricity bills with the implementation of the new tariff structure by the government. For example, many homeowners are considering having solar photovoltaic (PV) systems installed on their roofs, while others are looking at the “Time of Use” scheme, which offers lower rates during off-peak hours, now defined as starting from 10pm to 2pm on weekdays, and the entire day on weekends. Under the new tariff announced by the Energy Commission, domestic consumers using less than 1,000kWh (kilowatt-hours) per month will also continue to enjoy subsidies, effective yesterday. In Johor Baru, sales operations executive Ereena Karen Lim Abdullah, 47, and her husband are thinking about rooftop PV. “My husband and I are thinking of installing solar panels, but we are unsure whether it is possible to do so at our apartment,” she said, adding that she would raise the matter with the building management soon. “I used to pay around RM100 for electricity monthly but it had crept up to RM150 even though it is just me and my husband living in our apartment without much changes to our routine.” Events planning manager Evelyn Lee, 34, said she was hoping to apply for the newly expanded Time of Use (ToU) tariff as soon as possible since it matches her lifestyle. “My husband and I are seldom at home during the day, so it’s perfect for us since we are typically home only by 10pm. “We also like to spend our weekends at home together, just relaxing with our dogs with the air conditioning on, so it makes sense,” said Lee, who lives in Puchong. In Seremban, Tong Sim Old Folks Home secretary Jessie Chan said they had already been cutting back usage before the new tariffs. “The 18 elderly and special needs folks at the centre have been told to cut down (on their use), resulting in our monthly bill going down slightly from the over RM400 previously,” she said. Ramesh Patel, who runs the Vivekananda Home in Rembau, has also told the children under his care to start conserving. “We went from switching on four lights throughout the night previously, to only one now to further reduce the monthly bill which totals about RM800.” Retiree N. Manimaran from Perak said he would start consolidating his chores. “We now do the laundry only once every two days, while clothes are ironed once per week. I’m also cutting down the hours the air conditioner is on from six to four,” said the 67-year-old. Father-of-four Wan Fahmi Ahmad said getting his household to change their habits would be difficult as they do not know how the new tariff structure would affect their bill. “We are used to using around 1,500kWh to 2,000kWh, and paying over RM1,000 every month, so convincing them will be hard, especially if our bill increases only by a small amount,” the 51-year old pilot said. Wan Fahmi, who lives in Putrajaya, added that he would consider the ToU scheme […]
2 w ago
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