‘Fear of facing students’: South Korea teachers grapple with high rates of abuse and suicide - CNA

PROBLEMS EXPECTED TO PERSIST

Last April, a survey by the teachers’ union found that 26.5 per cent of teachers had received counselling or treatment for job-related psychological issues, while a whopping 87 per cent have considered quitting.

Experts suggested that the depth of the issue is partly caused by certain societal values in South Korea.

"There is a unique aspect of Korean society, which could be described as intense family-centric, or family self-interest attitudes,” explained social welfare professor Jung Jae-hoon from Seoul Women’s University.

“Parents invest heavily in their children and cannot tolerate the feeling that their child has been wronged. This distorted sense of parental privilege, combined with the high value placed on their child's education, leads to teachers' rights violations."

Observers are doubtful the issue would be resolved anytime soon, pointing to South Korea’s fertility rate – the world’s lowest – which means parents are likely to remain overprotective of their children.

“Nowadays, people have fewer children and so each child is incredibly precious to them. As a result, parents contact the schools more frequently, even for small issues,” said Song Ji-ae, a mother of two children.

Still, teachers CNA spoke to acknowledged that public awareness has grown about the harsh conditions that teachers face.

Mental health professionals have called for more support for South Korean educators, including efforts to reduce stigma and encourage help seeking.

“It’s difficult when a teacher is worried about what happens if they come forward,” said Yvette Lau, a mental health counsellor and former teacher based in Hong Kong.

“School leaders can (help) by encouraging communication, understanding the issues and challenges that teachers struggle with, and creating a culture of communication and support.”

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2024-07-12 09:06:33Z
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‘Too many additional tasks’: Japan sees record high numbers of teachers quitting, taking mental health leave - CNA

OFFICIALS CONSIDER REFORMS

Officials in Japan have acknowledged the need to tackle the issue urgently, by promoting reforms such as outsourcing and digitalising some tasks as well as increasing support staff.

Some schools, like Ms Kurayama’s, are taking the initiative to cut working hours too.

Shimoda Elementary School principal Kazuhiro Nakamura said they have stopped holding classes on Wednesday afternoons, while all classes now end after lunch.

“Teachers can focus on (other) duties in the afternoon. We encourage them to take a break and go home. That way, they can feel motivated to face the remaining days of the week,” he added.

Despite the school’s efforts, Ms Kurayama has found herself bogged down by meetings and unable to leave work earlier. 

This has prompted Mr Nakamura to mull other changes, including playing to the teachers’ strengths, so that those who are good at counselling students, for instance, support those who are not.

He noted: “Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. If teachers can help one another, then each teacher can take on the role that suits them best, and the working environment will probably be better.”

SUPPORTING ONE ANOTHER

But such adjustments remain rare in Japan, primarily because public schools must first seek and receive approval from their local ward's education committee.

With changes slow to happen, some teachers are taking matters into their own hands to find a way to soldier on.

Mr Takashi Koshimizu, an educator of 18 years, started an education forum where schoolteachers gather to share their concerns and learn from one another.

Teachers from various schools take turns to host it on their day off, with some joining online.

They take turns giving lectures in an unconventional manner, such as by playing rock, paper and scissors. Many find its creative approach and sharing sessions more useful than the usual teacher training courses.

Ms Kurayama said: “Here, everyone breaks out of their shells. We become the children and we learn a lot.

“The way I speak to the children, the way I have a conversation, I learnt everything here.”

The teachers share similar issues among themselves, especially the burden of having to deal with a laundry list of tasks.

Mr Koshimizu called the current situation “abnormal”, stressing the importance of dividing roles among teachers and preventing people from hitting their limit.

"We are producers, we do the sales, planning, customer service, handle complaints, process them. These are handled by one person,” he added.

ROTATION TAKES A TOLL

Mr Koshimizu was transferred to another school last year, as Tokyo public school teachers are rotated to different schools every six years. 

This can take a toll on morale and welfare, as in the case of his mentee, Ms Kumi Sugaya. 

The 26-year-old was left floundering without anyone to guide her. Her mental health took a nosedive, but she could not take time off because she was the only homeroom teacher.

She ended up resigning in March after four years of being a public school teacher.

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2024-07-12 06:19:00Z
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Sacked Bersatu MP sues party for revoking membership; Parliament Speaker defends decision not to vacate seats - CNA

SINGAPORE: One of the six Members of Parliament (MP) expelled from Malaysia’s opposition party Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) for supporting Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is suing the party for revoking his membership. 

This comes as the Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat - Malaysia’s House of Representatives - defended his decision for the MPs to keep their seats, claiming he is not a “postman” delivering Bersatu messages. 

In a lawsuit filed with the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Monday (Jul 8) and obtained by local media on Thursday, Labuan MP Suhaili Abdul Rahman accused Bersatu of violating his constitutional rights to personal liberty, free speech, and association, and for obstructing him in his duty to serve his constituents, according to the Malay Mail. 

He also accused Bersatu of acting criminally in the matter, alleging its decision harmed the country’s parliamentary democracy, which was an offence under Section 124B of the Penal Code, covering activity detrimental to parliamentary democracy, according to local media. 

Mr Suhaili is one of seven elected representatives stripped of their membership for backing the Malaysian premier. Six are federal MPs and the other is a Selangor state assemblyman. 

The six federal MPs are: Mr Suhaili, Dr Zulkafperi Hanapi (Tanjong Karang), Mr Zahari Kechik (Jeli), Mr Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Kuala Kangsar), Mr Syed Abu Hussin Hafiz Syed Abdul Fasal (Bukit Gantang), and Mr Mohd Azizi Abu Naim (Gua Musang). 

They were sacked from the party last month, after failing to retract their support for Mr Anwar and not responding to a written instruction from the party’s supreme leadership council to pledge allegiance to the party.

Selat Klang assemblyman and former Selangor Bersatu chairman Abdul Rashid Asari also declared support for the leadership of Selangor chief minister Amirudin Shari. Mr Amirudin is a member of Mr Anwar’s Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR).

On Thursday, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Johari Abdul defended his decision not to declare the seats of the rogue former six MPs vacant, adding that he was not a messenger delivering Bersatu’s message to the Election Commission. 

His ruling had been relayed to the Bersatu leadership on Wednesday.

Mr Johari said that he had explained his decision in a letter sent to Bersatu Chief Whip Ronald Kiandee. Mr Kiandee - who is also Beluran MP - had raised a standing order during a recent debate to discuss the matter.

“I want to make it clear that I am not a postman,” Mr Johari said, as quoted in local media. “When I receive something (a notice) like the one mentioned by the Beluran MP, I will make sure I study all the aspects involved.

“And I made the decision, and my decision remains … there are no vacancies.”

Mr Johari’s ruling was met with backlash from MPs within and outside Bersatu, including deputy president of Islamist Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) Ibrahim Tuan Man, who claimed that the decision went against Article 49A of the Federal Constitution's anti-hopping law.

PAS and Bersatu are component parties in the opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN) alongside Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia (Gerakan). 

Mr Ibrahim claims that the law states that an MP who leaves his party should vacate his seat after joining another political party.

"The question now is, what is the point of having an anti-party hopping law if it is not enforced?," said Mr Ibrahim in a Facebook posting on Wednesday.

However, others have defended the decision, including Mr Anwar, who said that Mr Johari’s ruling was in accordance with the law. 

Mr Anwar also noted that during his opposition days, Bersatu had opposed automatic seat forfeiture for expelled members, which resulted in exceptions being included in the constitution.

According to a political expert CNA previously spoke to, while Malaysia’s anti-party hopping law applies to MPs who quit their party, it did not cover those who have been dismissed. 

The expert added that the expelled MPs would be declared as independents.

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2024-07-12 04:55:00Z
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Biden mixes up Harris, Trump names as calls to end his campaign grow - CNA

That came a few hours after Biden mistakenly referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as "President Putin".

"Ladies and gentlemen, President Putin," Biden said at the NATO summit in Washington, drawing gasps from those in the room before correcting himself.

NATO members are wrapping up a summit in Washington where they extended support to Ukraine to combat the invasion that Russian President Vladimir Putin launched in February 2022.

Biden's campaign has been on the ropes for two weeks, since his poor debate performance against Donald Trump, his 78-year-old Republican rival.

So far, 13 of the 213 Democrats in the House and one of the Senate's 51 Democrats have appealed publicly to the president to withdraw from the race. More could make their concerns public if he fares poorly.

Biden coughed frequently and occasionally garbled his responses at the outset of the news conference, but his responses grew steadier as he fielded questions from reporters. Biden overcame a childhood stutter and has frequently mangled names and misspoke throughout his political career.

"PACE MYSELF"

Biden said he needed to "pace myself" a little more and complained that his aides sometimes overscheduled him.

"I'm catching hell from my wife," he said.

The news conference gave Biden an opportunity to tout his successes on the world stage and criticise Trump. Biden argued Trump would weaken NATO and drive up prices for US consumers by imposing steep tariffs on imported goods.

He took credit for bringing Sweden and Finland into the NATO alliance and said he brought together 50 nations to support Ukraine.

"I think I'm the best-qualified person to do the job. To make sure that Ukraine does not fall," he said.

United Auto Workers union officials met on Thursday to discuss their concerns with his candidacy, three sources familiar with the matter said, after endorsing Biden in January.

The 400,000-member union has a big presence in industrial states like Michigan that Biden will need to carry to win re-election.

His campaign argued that the debate has not dramatically shifted the race, even as it laid out a narrow path to re-election that acknowledged that it faced an uphill climb in many states he won in 2020.

That did not stop four more Democrats in the House of Representatives from calling on Biden to end his campaign: Brad Schneider of Illinois, Greg Stanton of Arizona, Ed Case of Hawaii, and Hillary Scholten of Michigan.

"For our country's sake, it is time for the President to pass the torch to a new generation of leaders," Stanton said in a prepared statement.

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2024-07-12 00:18:00Z
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Support from minority voters no longer a sure bet for Anwar after low turnout in Penang by-election - The Straits Times

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Support from minority voters no longer a sure bet for Anwar after low turnout in Penang by-election

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's administration has struggled to stem ebbing support from the Malay-Muslim majority. PHOTO: REUTERS

KUALA LUMPUR - More than half of non-Malay voters eligible to cast their ballots in the Sungai Bakap by-election on July 6 failed to turn up that day, ringing alarm bells for Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and his 19-month-old government as these minorities form the core of their support base.

Making matters worse, his Pakatan Harapan (PH)-led administration has struggled to stem ebbing support from the Malay-Muslim majority, as evidenced by the loss to its Islamist rival by a wider margin, compared with the state election in 2023.

• Malaysia
• Malaysian politics
• By-elections
• Anwar Ibrahim
• Pakatan Harapan

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2024-07-11 12:45:00Z
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Second suspect in alleged cyberbullying death of Malaysian influencer Esha arrested - CNA

SINGAPORE: A second suspect in the alleged cyberbullying case involving the death of a social media influencer in Malaysia has been arrested and detained, according to local media. 

The New Straits Times reported that a man in his forties was apprehended in Setapak - near the northeastern part of Kuala Lumpur - at about 6.30pm on Jul 10. He was then taken into custody by Sentul police. 

"Yes, he has been detained and will be produced in court in the morning for a remand application,” said Sentul police chief Assistant Commissioner Ahmad Sukarno Mohd Zahari, as quoted by the New Straits Times. 

Earlier that day, police had issued a two-day remand extension for a 35-year-old woman who was the first suspect linked to the death of Ms Rajeswary Appahu, 30, who allegedly took her own life following bullying online.

Ms Rajeswary, who was known as social media persona Esha on TikTok for spreading positivity and beauty content, was found dead in her home on Jul 5. 

The day before, Ms Rajeswary - who is also a Hindu rights activist - had filed a police report at Dang Wangi police station on death and sexual assault threats she had received online. 

According to local media, Ms Rajeswary received not just violent abuse on TikTok, but was also harassed in a “live session”, which allows real-time interaction between viewers and creators on the social media platform.

Local media reported that Mr Sukarno said he had also received a report in the afternoon of Jul 6 by a 39-year-old man regarding threats received by Ms Rajeswary on TikTok.

“(The man) saw two posts through TikTok from the ‘Dulal Brothers’ account and the TikTok account of ‘Alphaquinnsha’ regarding slander and threats against (Ms) Rajeswary,” said Mr Sukarno, as quoted in local media. 

“Dulal Brothers” is the name of the account linked to the second suspect, according to the New Straits Times. 

In the days following Ms Rajeswary’s death, a Malaysian woman, who is also a social media influencer, was detained and remanded for three days to assist the probe.

When asked about the second suspect Ms Rajeswary allegedly mentioned in her police report, Mr Sukarno mentioned then that the search was ongoing.

"We are still tracking down the second suspect, whom we believe has gone into hiding," he said at the time, as quoted in the New Straits Times. 

According to local media, police recorded statements from at least nine people, including Ms Rajeswary's family members, on the case.

Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil also said that two journalists had claimed that they were threatened by the same cyber bullies who had harassed Ms Rajeswary.

Quoted by the New Straits Times, Mr Fahmi said the journalists told him that the cyber bullies had attempted to intimidate them by taking pictures of their homes and family members.

Ms Rajeswary’s case sparked outrage across the country and response from its ministers, and put the wider issue of cyberbullying in Malaysia in the spotlight.

Mr Fahmi warned that such negative “culture” should not take root in the country, and said that the issue of cyberbullying on social media platforms will be presented to the Cabinet on Jul 12.

Speaking to reporters after visiting Ms Rajeswary’s funeral on Sunday, Mr Fadzil also said that he had spoken to the woman’s family about the online pressures they said had driven her to take her own life. 

The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) recorded 3,199 complaints related to cyberbullying in 2023.

Currently, there are no specific acts or regulations on cyberbullying in Malaysia.

According to the Ministry of Communications website, the government announced it would be drafting laws specifically on cyberbullying to combat the growing problem in August last year.

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2024-07-11 04:49:00Z
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New ASEAN Express cargo rail service spanning 4 countries expected to lower costs, open markets - CNA

From Laos, the ASEAN Express travels to Kunming in China’s southern Yunnan province, before arriving in Chongqing.

The rail service is 30 per cent cheaper than road haulage on average, said KTMB, and is also a greener and more sustainable alternative.

“A GOOD START”

Railway experts have hailed the inaugural freight service from Malaysia to China as historic.

"This is a good start. Even though it is small, it can grow,” said Mr Rosli Azad Khan, consultant and managing director of MS Traffic Planners.

He also said this would allow Malaysia to grow its transportation sector, so it can be a dominant player in the countries served by the ASEAN Express.

“I think Malaysia should take the lead in this - it is a good opportunity,” he said.

Professor Khalid Hasnan, head of Malaysia’s Industry Centre of Excellence for Railway, noted: “If you can convince the industry that you can deliver fast, efficient, cheap, and yet the integrity of your goods is assured, they will go for it.”

The experts also said that apart from improving regional rail connectivity, they expect logistics costs to go down.

Mr Rosli pointed out that passenger and freight demand in all four countries is “very high” and railway services would better serve their needs than roads.

“In the future, we cannot rely on highways to serve us, both for passengers and for freight. We have to go back to the railway,” he added.

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2024-07-11 04:22:00Z
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