Latest news with #Yeoh

The Star
9 hours ago
- Health
- The Star
Peer pressure and stress fuel drug use among youth, says Yeoh
CURIOSITY, stress and peer influence are among the main reasons why young Malaysian end up with substance abuse issues, says Hannah Yeoh ( pic ). The Youth and Sports Minister was citing the findings of a behavioural study conducted in selected high risk areas by the Malaysian Institute for Youth Research (Iyres) between September 2024 and February this year. 'The findings revealed that among the factors leading respondents to use drugs and illegal substances were curiosity (30.1%), stress (20.9%) and peer influence (18.9%),' she said in a written reply to Datuk Seri Ismail Abd Muttalib (PN-Maran). While there may have been a slight decrease in the overall number of drug addicts, she noted the number of youths involved with drugs had increased. 'Based on statistics from the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK), the number of drug and substance abuse cases among youths, aged between 15 and 30 years, had increased over the past two years. 'In 2023, a total of 46,401 youths were identified as being involved. This number rose 19.3% to 55,369 individuals in 2024,' she said. Malay youth represented the largest group, accounting for 76% of the total in both years. 'The number increased from 35,280 individuals (2023) to 42,076 individuals (2024), marking a 19.3% increase,' she added. Indian youth recorded an increase of 1,014 individuals (34.5%), up from 2,937 in 2023 to 3,951 in 2024. 'Chinese youth showed an increase of 446 individuals (19.3%), from 2,312 in 2023 to 2,758 in 2024,' added Yeoh. Indigenous youth from Sabah and Sarawak recorded increases of 8.7% and 8.9%, respectively. Yeoh said that several measures have been implemented to curb the rise in substance abuse, including the launch of the Drug Free Youth Campaign on April 21 together with relevant stakeholders, police, AADK and Universiti Malaya Medical Centre. She also said the Central Agency for Application for Filming and Performance by Foreign Artistes had been urged to adopt improved guidelines to better protect youths against the dangers of substance abuse.


The Star
a day ago
- Business
- The Star
Malaysia's diversity to shine in VM2026
All love: (From left) DJ Jeff, Lee, Woo, Wang, Yeoh, Chan, DJ Cassey, Ng and DJ Danny posing for a picture at the 988 radio station in Menara Star. — SAMUEL ONG/The Star PETALING JAYA: Malaysia's rich and diverse mix of ethnicities makes it an ideal destination for foreign tourists seeking a unique and multifaceted travel experience, says Tourism Malaysia deputy chairman Datuk Yeoh Soon Hin. He said the ability of Malaysians to speak several major languages and the country's reputation as one of the safest countries in South-East Asia are among the key factors that will attract visitors during Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026). 'Malaysia is ideal for tourists as it is not just affordable but also a safe country. 'Moreover, we are multilingual and have a warm and amiable culture, which is another plus point.' He said currently, all preparations and steps to ensure VM2026 is a booming success are underway. 'We are heavily promoting the campaign through various platforms, and the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) is expected to launch the campaign in September,' Yeoh said during a courtesy visit to Menara Star yesterday. Yeoh said the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry, with support from other agencies, would also monitor and take action against illegal tourism service providers seeking to profit from the expected influx of visitors next year. 'We hope licensed tourism company operators and the public in general will provide us with information on such illegal companies they may come across.' Also present were Yeoh's private secretary Fu Yu Keong, Star Media Group group chief executive officer Chan Seng Fatt, chief operating officer Lydia Wang, chief content officer Datin Paduka Esther Ng and senior general manager Sharon Lee Li Wei as well as Star RFM senior general manager Woo Bee Ay.


The Sun
7 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Malaysia keeps youth age cap at 30 despite Sarawak exemption
PETALING JAYA: The federal government has reaffirmed its decision to lower the youth age limit to 30 years, effective January 1, 2026. This follows amendments passed by Parliament in 2019, as stated by Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh. However, exemptions apply to organisations like Sarawak's Pertubuhan Belia Kebangsaan Bersatu Sarawak (SABERKAS), which operates under the Registrar of Societies (RoS) rather than the Registrar of Youth Organisations (ROY). 'The government has already made a decision—Parliament passed the law in 2019. It has been postponed twice, and we are now in the third grace period,' Yeoh said. She clarified that SABERKAS, registered under RoS, is not bound by the federal ruling. 'RoS has no age limit,' she added during a press conference after launching the 2025 Asia Pickleball Summit. Yeoh emphasised that aligning the youth age limit with global trends reflects a stronger focus on younger generations. Meanwhile, Sarawak maintains its own definition, with Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah stating the state will keep its youth age range at 15 to 40 years. - Bernama


The Sun
7 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Hannah Yeoh supports FAM's withdrawal from CAFA Cup 2025
PETALING JAYA: Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has expressed her support for the Football Association of Malaysia's (FAM) decision to withdraw from the 2025 Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) Nations Cup. The tournament, originally scheduled for August 29 to September 8, falls outside the FIFA international window, complicating player availability. Yeoh stated that the withdrawal was a well-considered move by the national team's coaches and management. 'When it comes to Malaysia's participation in any tournament, what matters most is whether the athletes and coaches are prepared. I have read the coach's (Peter Cklamovski) statement and I believe he knows best about the team's preparations,' she said after officiating the 2025 Asia Pickleball Summit. FAM had earlier explained that the revised tournament dates posed logistical challenges, as clubs are not required to release players outside the FIFA window. Harimau Malaya head coach Cklamovski affirmed the decision, stating that the team will now focus on training for upcoming matches against Laos and Nepal in October and November. However, CAFA countered that Malaysia's participation had been confirmed earlier with full knowledge of the unchanged schedule. Malaysia was set to compete in Group B alongside Tajikistan, Iran, and Afghanistan. In a separate matter, Yeoh addressed concerns over national shuttler Lee Zii Jia's recent social media activity. She clarified that while Zii Jia's team reached out to the National Sports Council (MSN) to dismiss worries about his well-being, he has not sought additional support from her ministry or the National Sports Institute (ISN). 'I want to give him space, and if he needs any assistance, he knows he has my number,' she said. Zii Jia withdrew from the Japan Open and China Open without an official statement, sparking speculation about his condition. - Bernama


New Straits Times
17-07-2025
- New Straits Times
Court finds Selangor land office negligent, orders RM1.1mil award for land fraud victim
SHAH ALAM: A senior citizen was awarded more than RM1.1 million in damages by the High Court here after falling victim to a land scam involving an impostor who fraudulently sold him a property using a fake identity card. Judicial Commissioner Indra Nehru Savandiah ruled in favour of Ng Kin Song @ Ng Thian Song, finding that negligence and statutory breaches by the Selangor Land and Mines Department and the Klang Land Office had enabled the fraudulent transaction. According to court documents, Ng unknowingly purchased a parcel of land in the Klang district in 2016 from an individual impersonating the rightful owner, Yeoh Ah Guan. The actual Yeoh only discovered the fraud when he visited the Klang Land Office on Aug 30, 2018, to pay quit rent and found that the land had been transferred to Ng's name. He lodged a private caveat on Sept 5 of the same year. On Sept 14, 2018, Ng was informed by the police that he had unknowingly purchased the land from an impostor, and that the real Yeoh was never involved in the transaction. Ng later filed a lawsuit naming, among others, the Selangor Land and Mines Department, the Klang Land Office, and the state government as defendants, claiming they had breached their statutory duties under the National Land Code 1965 and acted negligently by issuing the computerised title document (DHKK title) on May 8, 2017. The defendants denied the plaintiff's allegations, arguing that their role was purely administrative and that there was no evidence to show they had acted in bad faith. They further contended that it would be unfair to hold them liable for negligence over the fraudulent transaction involving the 13th defendant's land, as they were not directly involved in any fraudulent conduct. The court, however, disagreed with the defendants on the grounds that the state authorities failed in their legal and procedural duties, resulting in two concurrent titles being issued for the same piece of land. "It is an undisputed fact that the land office failed to follow its standard operating procedure by issuing a computerised DHKK title without retrieving the manual title from the Yeoh. "Yeoh was never informed to surrender his original manual title to the land office. Schedules 14 and 16 of the National Land Code 1965 have been compromised by the land office. "The land office did not explain why they failed to notify Yeoh to surrender his manual title in exchange for the computerised DHKK title," Indra said in her judgment dated April 30 this year. The court said Ng's purchase of the land in 2016 was made in good faith, based on standard legal procedures, including a land search, but was later found to be based on false documentation submitted by the impersonator. The court further took issue with the land office's refusal to disclose the identities of staff members who had processed the fraudulent transaction. "It is important to note that the Klang Land Office's refusal to disclose their personnel's names to the plaintiff constitutes bad faith conduct." Indra said the defendants could not rely on statutory immunity to escape liability for their mismanagement and failure to act on red flags. "They cannot rely on Section 22 of the National Land Code 1965 to avoid the consequences of the mess they have caused, which ultimately resulted in an innocent man losing ownership of his land and another elderly man losing his money over a fraudulent transaction involving the same land. "The simple failure to follow the statutory requirements under the National Land Code 1965 to keep accurate records constitutes a breach of the common law duty of care," she added. The court awarded Ng RM1,188,631 in special damages, with general, aggravated, and exemplary damages to be assessed. The defendants were also ordered to pay RM30,000 in costs and five per cent annual interest until full settlement. Yeoh's counterclaim to be declared the rightful owner of the land was also allowed. The defendants have since filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal against the High Court's decision.