Asean News Headlines at 10pm on Thursday (Aug 21, 2025)
* Anti-bullying laws not enough if top management fails to uphold values, says Dzulkefly
* Teacher charged with public mischief over statement in connection with Zara's death
* Student activists demand action on bullying, give Education Minister 24 hours to respond
* Two university students fall to death 14 hours apart at same condominium
* Health Ministry busts centre offering unlicensed dental, aesthetic treatments, two arrested
* No crowdfunding campaign by Zara's family, say lawyers
* Ling's family frustrated at lack of meaningful updates on probe into disappearance
* Muhyiddin should apologise first for false claims against Madani govt, says Anwar
* Court rulings and reform efforts need to align, says PM
* PM mulls dedicated Law Ministry to strengthen legal ecosystem
* Espionage remains persistent threat to Malaysia, says Home Minister
* MACC to looking to introduce anti-corruption education for preschoolers
* S'ban taxi driver gets three months' jail, RM10,000 for strangling adopted daughter with belt
* Two Covid-19 deaths recorded this year, both without booster vaccination
* Driverless shuttle bus hits tow tractor in second Hong Kong airport collision
* Sarawak could replace Kedah as country's 'rice bowl' by 2030, Dewan Rakyat told
* No longer 'if' but 'when' vaping will be banned, Dewan Rakyat told
* It's 'Datuk Fan Bingbing' from this Sunday
* JPJ seizes 38 luxury cars during crackdown on expired road tax and insurance in Butterworth
* Archery mishap due to faulty equipment, says Penang State Sports Council
* Denying foreigners minimum wage will only hurt local workforce, says Sim
* Opposition mulls action against Dewan Rakyat Speaker over alleged 'stalking' and 'sexism'
* Constitutional amendment on citizenship likely to be enforced next year, Saifuddin tells Dewan Rakyat
* Dewan Rakyat passes 13MP, RM611bil approved for next five years
* Malaysian homeowners not protected in current form of Urban Renewal Act, says Fomca
* RMAF confirms incident involving F/A-18D Hornet at Kuantan Airport
Singapore
* Three taken to hospital after Singapore flat in Bukit Merah
* Three Singapore primary school pupils suspended for bullying classmate, with one caned
* 12th world record for Singaporean powerlifter Farhanna Farid at World Games
* Singapore's Changi Travel Services cuts 30 staff amid market shifts
* Teacher in Singapore charged over allegedly making student undress in video call, sending her his nude photo
* Singaporean actor Desmond Tan buys landed home as he turns 39: 'Never in my wildest dreams'
* S$160k fine for Fullerton Healthcare Corp co-founder who approved falsified claims of over S$213k
Indonesia
* RV demand fuels deforestation
* Plans underway to repatriate Indonesian crew on board stranded tanker Gas Falcon
* Indonesia deputy minister arrested as part of anti-graft probe
Thailand
* Tak Bai bomb attack: Kelantan folk advised to postpone travel to Thailand
* Bangkok's Jay Fai restaurant fined over hidden pricing for 'VVIP crab omelette'
* Thailand proposes free domestic flights to draw 200,000 foreign tourists by end-2025
* Thailand's Shinawatra dynasty faces triple court test that could upend politics
* 5.4-magnitude quake in Myanmar felt in Bangkok: Thai authorities
* Royal Thai Army says Cambodia must halt provocations instead of claiming victimhood
Philippines
* Marcos: 'Happy birthday to my first and only lady, Liza'
Vietnam
* Visa, foreign labour reforms expected to boost Vietnam's competitiveness
* Con Dao island limits turtle tours to protect nature's gems
Myanmar
* 'A warm welcome to Demoso'
* UN investigation seeking justice for Rohingya who fled Myanmar hit by cost-cutting
Cambodia
* Migrants bordered by uncertainty
* Over 400 suspects and victims arrested and rescued in Cambodia for human trafficking and sex trade crimes
* Cambodian FM urges UNDP to continue support for kingdom's key areas
Laos
* Bokeo declares former French military camp a national heritage site
Brunei
* Speed monitoring devices to be placed at key locations in Brunei
Aseanplus
* Abandoned dog on train stokes outrage amid stray crackdown
* Robots deployed for Fukushima radioactive debris removal
* Push to ban online money games
* Military to unveil advanced weapons at World War II parade
* Time to 'Go' as pro board game player retires at 98
* Indigenous tattooing tradition at risk of fading away
* Japan's factory activity extends declines in August, PMI shows
* 'I almost became a widow': Actress Ada Choi says husband Max Zhang had a heart attack in Singapore
* FBM KLCI rises on positive earnings expectations
* Ringgit opens higher across major, regional currencies
* The world's worst weapon - 80 years since the atomic bombing of Japan
* F1 not returning to Malaysia for now, Dewan Rakyat told
* Dollar drifts, Asian stocks mixed as markets brace for Jackson Hole
* Whale season brings humpbacks within sight of beaches in Australia's Sydney
* S. Korea's Lee intends to retain 'comfort women' pact with Japan: Report
* US Navy ship on fire for 12 hours off Japan
* China's record-breaking 'Black Myth: Wukong' game gets a sequel
* MPs to join Gaza rally, voice support for aid mission
* Boxing-Taiwan's Lin not considering world champs pullout despite mandatory sex testing
* China's Xi pushes development, ethnic unity in rare visit to Tibet
* Thailand requires banks to cap most online transfers at US$1,500 daily to thwart scammers
* Oil extends gains amid signs of strong demand
* Australian scientists grow world's first fully functioning human skin in lab with blood supply
* Legalisation of non-medical tattooing clears first hurdle in S. Korean Parliament
* Gold little changed as investors await Powell's remarks at Jackson Hole
* India passes bill to ban money-based online games, app shutdowns loom
* A feast before the fight for Pearly and Co
* South Korean President Lee praises 'KPop Demon Hunters' success, backs stronger Korean content industry
* Champions Buriram Utd of Thailand salvage a draw with Malaysia's Selangor as Asean Club Championship kick off in style
* Ahmedabad: Class 10 student's murder sparks violent protests; chats of accused go viral
* Australia backs Malaysia's Asean leadership, will recognise Palestine at UNGA, says Anwar
* Thirty-four foreigners detained for working illegally at Johor Baru medical centre
* Ringgit ends higher versus US dollar, regional peers
* US sentences Chinese national to eight years for smuggling arms to North Korea
* 'Beautiful' China police officer goes viral, hits 10 bullseyes in shooting practice
* Hong Kong mogul Jimmy Lai's 'punditry' not criminal: lawyer
* Multilingual rapper-songwriter Balan Kash unveils powerful new music video 'Cekap' in the spirit of Merdeka month
* Local actress Anna Jobling nominated for 'Outstanding Asian Star' award in South Korea
* Hijab-wearing rapper Bunga makes a comeback after overcoming challenges
* Brutal monsoon season kills at least 1,860 in India and Pakistan
* HKU virologist says next pandemic inevitable and world may not be ready
* Boeing in talks to sell as many as 500 planes to China
* Azerbaijan sounds the alarm over shallowing of Caspian Sea
* South Korea imposes curbs on foreigners buying homes in Seoul
* India makes a caveated pledge to continue buying Russian oil
* Hong Kong arrests 10 for running 'upskirt' voyeurism channels
* Taiwanese boxer Lin agrees to gender test for world championships
* Malaysia must build internal capabilities, says Anwar
* Taiwan ex-lawmaker's son jailed for North Korea fuel shipments in collusion with Singaporean man
* Sabah's very own hip-hop star Jaclyn Chia joins up with fellow East Malaysian singer Yunk G for new single 'Redam'
* What parents control and kids should control when it comes to eating
* Ex-TVB star Felix Wong quits acting after wife's death, says he's unemployed now
* Nigeria deports 50 Chinese nationals in cybercrime crackdown
*
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I WAS delighted to be able to join the retreat of the IDEAS Autism Centre team in Melaka recently. Sometimes, these company getaways can seem superficial—a big checkbox for directors, managers and executives alike to show that they care about team building, welfare and spending the allocated budget—but this one was truly purposeful and heartfelt. In recognising staff who have been serving for a decade or more, it served as a reminder of the growth of the entire project, borne out of a piece of research about providing therapy and education to some of the most disadvantaged people in our society—children on the autism spectrum from B40 families. With hundreds of children's lives transformed for the better, the people of IDEAS Autism Centre continue to work hard to work with families, corporates and government to uplift this amazing community. With three branches now—in Rawang, Nilai, and Port Dickson—the gathering enabled us to better strategise not just team cooperation, but joint events for the children as well. At one of my more corporate outfits there has been a leadership transition, and at such times the importance of having strong bonds among colleagues becomes unmistakably clear. There is often a critical period where there are rumours about resignations, replacements, disagreements amongst directors or shareholders and so on, speaking concern that may prompt others to leave as well. Thankfully, when there is a high level of trust between board and management, such turbulence can be successfully ridden out, and the company can achieve a renewed sense of purpose when the new chief executive signs the employment contract. At a session with one of the chambers of commerce of a European country, I was asked about the level of cohesiveness within Malaysian political parties. Thankfully I knew something about that country's history and politics, and could point out that individual self-interest, whether within the same or across opposing political parties, often emerges as the prime motivator for politicians anywhere in the world and at any point in history. And so, individuals switching allegiance to a different party within the same coalition, personalities condemning their party colleagues for exaggerating certain issues (being selective about race while doing so), or leaders failing to punish problematic individuals just because they are politically useful—all these are phenomena which the Malaysian public need to tolerate, while hoping that beneficial policies actually get designed and executed as the politicians clamber over one another while ascending the greasy pole. Even among that dirty profession there are bright spots though. Increasingly, I see backbench Members of Parliament from different sides working productively and intelligently towards common policy and legislative goals regarding children, refugees, or even political financing. However, when there is a particularly significant incident that catches national attention, such as the tragic death of teenage student Zara Qairina Mahathir at a religious boarding school in Sabah and the circumstances leading up to it—full of speculation but certainly involving weaknesses in processes and a pathetic response by the Ministry of Education—politicians cannot resist sliding back into hyperbole, with accusations against leaders bandied about on social media and lawsuits ensuing. I hope that in the matter of addressing bullying in our schools, political parties actively reach out to civil society organisations who have worked in education and with children, with expertise in mental health and programmes that have been proven to foster cohesion. 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