Latest news with #theSun
The Sun
3 days ago
- The Sun
‘Treat AI-generated child abuse material as real crime'
PETALING JAYA: The use of artificial intelligence (AI) to create child sexual abuse material (CSAM) must be treated with the same severity as physical abuse, said MCA information chief Chan Quin Er. She said there is no such thing as 'fake' child abuse when AI-generated images depict minors in sexually explicit situations. Such content still constitutes a criminal offence under existing Malaysian laws. 'Whether the image is real, digitally altered or entirely computer-generated, once it portrays a child in a sexual context, it amounts to a clear act of violation,' she said in a statement. Chan cited several legal frameworks that address such offences, including the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which criminalises the creation, possession or distribution of CSAM regardless of whether it is AI-generated. She also referred to Section 292 of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act, both of which cover the circulation of obscene content. In addition, she highlighted the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act 2022, which encompasses a broader definition of sexual harassment, including digital forms. Chan warned that normalising AI-generated CSAM through entertainment or social media risks eroding public understanding of what constitutes a criminal offence. 'There's a perception that if it's not real, then it's not a big deal. However, if it involves a child and is sexual in nature, it is a crime. The creation or distribution of deepfake child pornography must be met with the full force of the law.' Following Chan's statement, theSun spoke with two cybersecurity experts, both of whom highlighted the growing dangers of AI in public spaces. Global Centre for Cyber Safety director Assoc Prof Datuk Dr Husin Jazri described AI-generated CSAM as a 'real and formidable' threat, driven by the increasing accessibility of generative AI tools. While Malaysia has multiple cybersecurity agencies, he said there is a need for a more cohesive and proactive approach. 'Such cases often go unnoticed because we lack a centralised body focused specifically on digital safety for individuals. A dedicated centre based at a university could lead research, education and policy development, provided it receives the necessary support.' He added that cyber safety has yet to be systematically integrated into school curricula, leaving many parents without adequate guidance. 'A structured public awareness campaign would go a long way in helping families take preventative measures.' Universiti Malaya cybersecurity specialist Dr Nor Badrul Anuar Jumaat said the rise of generative AI has significantly altered the landscape of online exploitation. 'With advanced tools such as OpenAI's Sora, Google's Veo and image generators such as Midjourney and Stable Diffusion, criminals can now produce realistic fake images or videos using nothing more than simple text prompts.' He added that photographs of children shared on social media can be misused and manipulated with AI voice cloning tools, such as and Dr Badrul said one of the most immediate solutions lies in educating parents. 'Parents must understand that even ordinary photos, such as a child in school uniform or at home, can reveal too much. Once online, this content can be copied, altered and repurposed.' He advised parents to exercise caution by adjusting privacy settings, avoiding posts with location or identifying details, and involving their children in decisions about what content is shared. He also recommended educational resources such as the MCMC's Klik Dengan Bijak campaign and UMCybersafe as valuable tools to raise awareness on the issue.
The Sun
3 days ago
- The Sun
MCA: AI child abuse images are criminal offences
PETALING JAYA: The use of artificial intelligence (AI) to create child sexual abuse material (CSAM) must be treated with the same severity as physical abuse, said MCA information chief Chan Quin Er. She said there is no such thing as 'fake' child abuse when AI-generated images depict minors in sexually explicit situations. Such content still constitutes a criminal offence under existing Malaysian laws. 'Whether the image is real, digitally altered or entirely computer-generated, once it portrays a child in a sexual context, it amounts to a clear act of violation,' she said in a statement. Chan cited several legal frameworks that address such offences, including the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, which criminalises the creation, possession or distribution of CSAM regardless of whether it is AI-generated. She also referred to Section 292 of the Penal Code and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act, both of which cover the circulation of obscene content. In addition, she highlighted the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act 2022, which encompasses a broader definition of sexual harassment, including digital forms. Chan warned that normalising AI-generated CSAM through entertainment or social media risks eroding public understanding of what constitutes a criminal offence. 'There's a perception that if it's not real, then it's not a big deal. However, if it involves a child and is sexual in nature, it is a crime. The creation or distribution of deepfake child pornography must be met with the full force of the law.' Following Chan's statement, theSun spoke with two cybersecurity experts, both of whom highlighted the growing dangers of AI in public spaces. Global Centre for Cyber Safety director Assoc Prof Datuk Dr Husin Jazri described AI-generated CSAM as a 'real and formidable' threat, driven by the increasing accessibility of generative AI tools. While Malaysia has multiple cybersecurity agencies, he said there is a need for a more cohesive and proactive approach. 'Such cases often go unnoticed because we lack a centralised body focused specifically on digital safety for individuals. A dedicated centre based at a university could lead research, education and policy development, provided it receives the necessary support.' He added that cyber safety has yet to be systematically integrated into school curricula, leaving many parents without adequate guidance. 'A structured public awareness campaign would go a long way in helping families take preventative measures.' Universiti Malaya cybersecurity specialist Dr Nor Badrul Anuar Jumaat said the rise of generative AI has significantly altered the landscape of online exploitation. 'With advanced tools such as OpenAI's Sora, Google's Veo and image generators such as Midjourney and Stable Diffusion, criminals can now produce realistic fake images or videos using nothing more than simple text prompts.' He added that photographs of children shared on social media can be misused and manipulated with AI voice cloning tools, such as and Dr Badrul said one of the most immediate solutions lies in educating parents. 'Parents must understand that even ordinary photos, such as a child in school uniform or at home, can reveal too much. Once online, this content can be copied, altered and repurposed.' He advised parents to exercise caution by adjusting privacy settings, avoiding posts with location or identifying details, and involving their children in decisions about what content is shared. He also recommended educational resources such as the MCMC's Klik Dengan Bijak campaign and UMCybersafe as valuable tools to raise awareness on the issue.
The Sun
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Bleating to Cannes
BY the time the spotlight finds its way to a Malaysian film, it often carries the weight of years of underfunded dreams and of finding the razor-thin balance between authenticity and accessibility. Malaysia's cinematic landscape has seen a quiet renaissance in recent years with local filmmakers steadily gaining ground in international circuits. Bleat!, a short film by Ananth Subramaniam, is the first Malaysian short to be selected at Cannes Film Festival, premiering at the prestigious La Semaine de la Critique (Cannes Critics' Week). Amid the celebration of this milestone, theSun spoke to Ananth about the inner workings of his creative process and the intimate yet unsettling chaos that drives Bleat!, a film that pushes against expectations while rooted firmly in the emotional soil of Malaysian-Tamil identity. Crafting identity through genre Born of Tamil descent, Ananth has been steadily building a reputation for his layered, genre-bending storytelling that is at once personal and mythical. His previous work, including The House of Brick and Stone, which premiered at Fantasia and Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (Bifan), and Liar Land, a Locarno Special Mention recipient, shows a consistent thematic interest. Ananth said: 'My films explore the complex inner landscapes of ancestral identity and family. I try to weave personal and cultural memory through genre, but not in a traditional sense. I am interested in stories where the 'different' forces people to confront what they are afraid to see in themselves.' That tension between tradition and transformation is at the core of Bleat!, a black-and-white short film that begins with a surreal image of a goat about to give birth. Genesis of Bleat! 'None of it was mapped out from the start. It began with a bizarre visual that would not leave me alone. The image was jarring and beautiful. It captured something wild and sacred at once,' explained Ananth. That single vision snowballed into a film that is striking in its simplicity and potent in its symbolism. Mixed with references to Tamil rituals and mythology, Bleat! is as much about the physical as it is the spiritual and an intentional echo of the filmmaker's own upbringing. 'Tamil culture has a long, rich tradition of powerful symbolism. Growing up, I was always struck by how birth, death, animals and nature held sacred weight. In Bleat!, I tried to capture that same sense,' he said. Finding clarity in chaos Short films are often seen as a testing ground for feature ambitions, but Ananth challenges that notion. 'A lot of people think a short film is just a smaller version of a feature, but it is not. It is its own form. If you write for that form, you do not need to sacrifice anything.' This clarity allowed him to refine the film early, especially during the script stage. 'I did most of the editing during writing. By the time we got to the actual cut, the heart of the story was already there.' Yet, the creative process was not solitary. Working alongside producers from the Philippines and France expanded the scope of the project. 'They pushed me beyond my cultural shorthand. They asked the hard questions such as 'Why does this image matter?' 'Why hold this tension longer?' It sharpened my vision rather than diluted it,' he explained. Visual language of stillness Shot entirely in black and white, Bleat! is stripped to its bones – minimalist, yet deeply expressive. Ananth described the visual style as elemental. This contrast forms the basis of the film's emotional tone, which was, by Ananth's own admission, the most challenging aspect to get right. 'I did not want it to tip too far into surrealism or be too comedic. It needed to live in that in-between space where humour and unease sit side by side. That is where the magic happens.' With long-time collaborators including producer Choo Mun Bel and cinematographer Adrian Wong, as well as editors Gogularaajan Rajendran and BK Lee, Ananth built a creative environment that allowed the film to find its rhythm. Cannes milestone, what comes next When asked why he thinks Bleat! stood out to the Cannes Critics' Week committee, Ananth is characteristically modest. 'If I had to guess, maybe it is because it challenges how stories from minority communities are usually told. I did not want to fit into a neat narrative box. I played with tone and genre – and I think they saw something new in that. This moment feels like a gateway and I plan to keep walking through it,' Ananth explained. He is currently working on his debut feature Pray to the Thunder, supported by international platforms including Berlinale Talents Tokyo and Singapore International Film Festival's Asian Producers Network. The project has already earned awards from Bifan and Brussels Art Film Festival. Advice for next generation For young filmmakers impressed with his achievement, Ananth's advice is simple, but weighted with conviction. 'A sense of belonging is important, but it comes at a cost and that cost is worth paying for.'
The Sun
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Malaysian director on inspiration for milestone short film
BY the time the spotlight finds its way to a Malaysian film, it often carries the weight of years of underfunded dreams and of finding the razor-thin balance between authenticity and accessibility. Malaysia's cinematic landscape has seen a quiet renaissance in recent years with local filmmakers steadily gaining ground in international circuits. Bleat!, a short film by Ananth Subramaniam, is the first Malaysian short to be selected at Cannes Film Festival, premiering at the prestigious La Semaine de la Critique (Cannes Critics' Week). Amid the celebration of this milestone, theSun spoke to Ananth about the inner workings of his creative process and the intimate yet unsettling chaos that drives Bleat!, a film that pushes against expectations while rooted firmly in the emotional soil of Malaysian-Tamil identity. Crafting identity through genre Born of Tamil descent, Ananth has been steadily building a reputation for his layered, genre-bending storytelling that is at once personal and mythical. His previous work, including The House of Brick and Stone, which premiered at Fantasia and Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (Bifan), and Liar Land, a Locarno Special Mention recipient, shows a consistent thematic interest. Ananth said: 'My films explore the complex inner landscapes of ancestral identity and family. I try to weave personal and cultural memory through genre, but not in a traditional sense. I am interested in stories where the 'different' forces people to confront what they are afraid to see in themselves.' That tension between tradition and transformation is at the core of Bleat!, a black-and-white short film that begins with a surreal image of a goat about to give birth. Genesis of Bleat! 'None of it was mapped out from the start. It began with a bizarre visual that would not leave me alone. The image was jarring and beautiful. It captured something wild and sacred at once,' explained Ananth. That single vision snowballed into a film that is striking in its simplicity and potent in its symbolism. Mixed with references to Tamil rituals and mythology, Bleat! is as much about the physical as it is the spiritual and an intentional echo of the filmmaker's own upbringing. 'Tamil culture has a long, rich tradition of powerful symbolism. Growing up, I was always struck by how birth, death, animals and nature held sacred weight. In Bleat!, I tried to capture that same sense,' he said. Finding clarity in chaos Short films are often seen as a testing ground for feature ambitions, but Ananth challenges that notion. 'A lot of people think a short film is just a smaller version of a feature, but it is not. It is its own form. If you write for that form, you do not need to sacrifice anything.' This clarity allowed him to refine the film early, especially during the script stage. 'I did most of the editing during writing. By the time we got to the actual cut, the heart of the story was already there.' Yet, the creative process was not solitary. Working alongside producers from the Philippines and France expanded the scope of the project. 'They pushed me beyond my cultural shorthand. They asked the hard questions such as 'Why does this image matter?' 'Why hold this tension longer?' It sharpened my vision rather than diluted it,' he explained. Visual language of stillness Shot entirely in black and white, Bleat! is stripped to its bones – minimalist, yet deeply expressive. Ananth described the visual style as elemental. This contrast forms the basis of the film's emotional tone, which was, by Ananth's own admission, the most challenging aspect to get right. 'I did not want it to tip too far into surrealism or be too comedic. It needed to live in that in-between space where humour and unease sit side by side. That is where the magic happens.' With long-time collaborators including producer Choo Mun Bel and cinematographer Adrian Wong, as well as editors Gogularaajan Rajendran and BK Lee, Ananth built a creative environment that allowed the film to find its rhythm. Ananth. Cannes milestone, what comes next When asked why he thinks Bleat! stood out to the Cannes Critics' Week committee, Ananth is characteristically modest. 'If I had to guess, maybe it is because it challenges how stories from minority communities are usually told. I did not want to fit into a neat narrative box. I played with tone and genre – and I think they saw something new in that. This moment feels like a gateway and I plan to keep walking through it,' Ananth explained. He is currently working on his debut feature Pray to the Thunder, supported by international platforms including Berlinale Talents Tokyo and Singapore International Film Festival's Asian Producers Network. The project has already earned awards from Bifan and Brussels Art Film Festival. Advice for next generation For young filmmakers impressed with his achievement, Ananth's advice is simple, but weighted with conviction. 'A sense of belonging is important, but it comes at a cost and that cost is worth paying for.'
The Sun
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Pre-teen marvel eyes career as e-sports athlete
PETALING JAYA: For 10-year-old Dante Mikail, balancing school and gaming is part of daily life. The rising semi-professional e-sports athlete is already making a name for himself in the competitive gaming scene. Touted as a generational talent by his coach, Dante, fondly known as Mika, dreams of becoming the greatest e-sports player of all time, despite also having a flair for drumming. 'I want to pursue a career as an e-sports athlete. This is my passion, and I'm willing to work hard to achieve my dream. Playing the drums is just something I do to pass the time,' he told theSun. Mika plays for Mypro, a semi-professional e-sports team in Petaling Jaya. A fan of fighting games, he is currently competing for a spot on the national team for an under-18 tournament. 'I want to be part of the Malaysian Street Fighter team for an international tournament in Bahrain. To get there, I need to win a qualifier. That's my goal this year.' On his role models, Mika put his coach, Muhammad Zarif Aiman Aris, 27, known in the gaming world as Zaba, at the top of the list. 'My (other) idol is South Korean pro Knee (Jaemin Bae). He is one of the world's best Tekken players. Coach Zaba is 'crazy' when he plays, he makes incredible comebacks. Watching him win when he's on the verge of losing is unforgettable.' Despite being much younger than his peers, Mika said he feels accepted, adding that the older players do not hold back when they compete. 'I get trounced all the time. Even coach Zaba never takes it easy on me. But outside of matches, they treat me like one of their own. That makes me feel comfortable and helps me make friends,' he said. Zaba, who has represented Malaysia at international tournaments, said Mika's talent stands out in an industry with mostly older players. 'Mika showed great promise at nine. Tekken is a complex game, it's like playing chess at high speed. Most kids his age stick to mobile games like PUBG or Mobile Legends,' Zaba said, adding that Mika could go far with the right focus. 'I've been in the industry for a decade, and he's one of the best young talents I've seen. If he stays dedicated, he could become like Thailand's star player Nopparut 'Book' Hempamorn.' Mika's parents, who requested anonymity, said they prioritise his education. His father, who only wished to be known as Syam, said it was his son's passion for gaming that convinced the family to support his pursuit of a professional career. 'His enthusiasm is what drives us to encourage him. If he weren't passionate, I wouldn't even send him to compete in tournaments.' On concerns about his son's future, Syam said every child has their own strengths that deserve nurturing. 'Life needs balance. If we stop our children from doing what they love, they might pursue it behind our backs. As long as it's healthy, we should guide and support them. Every child is different, we can't ask an elephant to climb a tree. It just wouldn't be fair.' Syam also said they keep a close eye on Mika's studies. 'He does well in Maths and Science, although Bahasa is a bit of a challenge. He's catching up after the setbacks during the Covid-19 lockdown.'
