Malaysia vows to act on bullying at top military academy abuse claims
The Malaysian government has unveiled plans to tighten safety protocols of the country’s military university amid backlash over a series of bullying and “inhumane” abuse cases.
The National Defence University of Malaysia (UPNM), which comes under the purview of the Ministry of Defence and the Malaysian Armed Forces, has faced increasing scrutiny after multiple disturbing cases of misconduct.
The most recent case involved a 19-year-old cadet who was stomped on by a senior officer, resulting in fractures to his ribs and spine, reported news agency Bernama on 22 November. Another incident, reported in October, involved a senior cadet accused of pressing a hot iron to the chest of his junior, leaving burn marks. The accused has been charged in court.
The new measures at UPNM would include more frequent roll calls and additional closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras at the university’s training academy, announced country’s defence minister Khaled Nordin on 8 December.
“If fights occur, roll calls may be conducted at 10pm or 2am, depending on the situation, to ensure better monitoring and response,” Mr Khaled told reporters.
The defence minister was responding to questions about potential new regulations or platforms for victims to file complaints at UPNM. He confirmed that bullying incidents often involve cadets, particularly as students from various years interact in the academy. “The academy is where all students from the first- to fourth-year interact. The three to four years (age gap), senior-junior dynamics can lead to such cases,” Mr Khaled added.
The increase in safety measures follows remarks from the Malaysian King, Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar, who had called for an end to the “inhumane” culture of bullying at the university. Also the chancellor of the university, the Sultan on 3 December stated, “If the bullying and abuse continues, don’t associate my name with the university anymore.”
Expressing regret over the continuing bullying cases at UPNM, he noted that they had resulted in serious injuries and even death in the past. “This is an inhumane act. I want the defence ministry to take this seriously because bullying cases have occurred several times in ALK UPNM,” he said in a post on his official Facebook page.
The King’s remarks came in the wake of reports of a 22-year-old cadet causing injuries to a junior by stomping on him with spiked boots. In a separate incident, another cadet officer was accused of using a steam iron to burn his junior.
In his comments on 8 December, Mr Khaled emphasised that the defence ministry would not tolerate any form of bullying. “What’s crucial is to send a clear message that we will not compromise on such behaviour. We will take firm action and ensure the punishments are widely publicised,” he said.
This is the second time in recent weeks that the defence minister has spoken out about measures to curb bullying at the university. Earlier in November, Mr Khaled had announced that five cadet officers involved in bullying incidents had been expelled from UPNM and the Malaysian Armed Forces. The expelled officers were also ordered to pay compensation for the costs incurred during their studies.
The most serious case involved navy cadet Zulfarhan Osman Zulkarnain, who died in 2017 after being tortured by his peers. Earlier this year, six former UPNM students were sentenced to death for their involvement in Zulfarhan’s death, after an appeals court overturned their initial prison sentences.
Prime minister Anwar Ibrahim has also weighed in on the issue, stressing that the culture of bullying within Malaysian educational institutions is systemic and must be addressed urgently.
“It’s a small group that does not represent all students, but the culture allows it… a culture of thuggery, bullying, and gangsterism within the education system,” Mr Anwar said during an event at UPNM on 1 November. He further warned the education minister to take a firm stance on bullying, advising that authorities must not tolerate such behaviour.
US woman jailed in Australia for illegally bringing gold-plated pistol
An Australian court sentenced an American woman to 12 months in jail for sneaking in a gold-plated gun in her luggage last year.
Liliana Goodson, 30, pleaded guilty to charges of illegally importing an unauthorised firearm and ammunition into Australia.
Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court sentenced her to a year in jail, of which four months will be served in full-time custody.
The woman arrived at Sydney airport in April 2023 from Florida to attend clown school and was arrested at the airport after customs recovered the 24-carat gold-plated pistol in her bag.
Goodson told the court that she brought the pistol worth $3,000 (£2353) for her protection.
She was charged with violating customs laws that prevent weapons from being brought into the country.
When asked by the customs officers at the airport if she was carrying any prohibited items with her, she said she was not and when asked about the gun she claimed she forgot about it, the court was told during a previous hearing.
“Oh yeah, I forgot about that,” Goodson responded when officers asked: “What about the gun in your bag?”
However, her phone’s search history revealed she had researched on the internet about “can I have a gun in my suitcase?” and even set a calendar prompt in her phone to remind her to “put gun in suitcase”.
She told the court that she brought the gun into the country for her protection but claimed that she was “scared” to use it and would have just “pistol whip” in case of emergency.
“If that didn’t do it I would probably just pistol whip,” Goodson told the court.
She said that she planned to keep it under her vehicle’s passenger seat and that its permit was back in Alabama.
The court was told that she had used banned substances in recent years, such as psychedelic drugs, synthetic cannabis, and crystal meth.
After the hearing, Goodson was taken into custody and was asked to remove all her jewellery before she was handcuffed.
She was also fined $1,000 and ordered to get drug counselling following her release from prison.
Magistrate Susan Horan on Monday highlighted Australia’s strong control laws and said there was a need to deter similar offences in the future.
“Australia has a strong stance against firearms,” she said.
Australia has some of the world’s toughest gun laws that were introduced after a shooting in the Tasmanian town of Port Arthur in April 1996 killed 35 people and wounded another 23.
The new laws banned the sale and importation of all automatic and semi-automatic rifles and shotguns, forced most buyers to present a legitimate reason for ownership, and wait 28 days to complete the purchase.
It also resulted in a mandatory gun buyback with the Australian government confiscating and destroying nearly 700,000 weapons. That move alone cut the number of gun-owning households in the country by half.
Champion cyclist pleads guilty over Olympian wife’s death in Australia
Former world champion cyclist Rohan Dennis has pleaded guilty to a charge related to the death of his wife, fellow Olympian Melissa Hoskins, who was killed in a car incident outside their home in Adelaide on 30 December last year.
Hoskins was struck by a vehicle driven by Dennis, and although he was initially charged with dangerous driving causing death, he admitted to the lesser charge of creating the likelihood of harm.
Jane Abbey KC, representing Dennis, informed the court on Tuesday that both the defense and prosecution had agreed to drop the original charges, with an aggravated charge of creating the likelihood of harm being brought instead.
“What is agreed that will happen today is that there will be a plea to count three … the original charges will be dropped,” Ms Abbey said in the court to magistrate Justin Wickens.
The charge acknowledges that Dennis’s actions were reckless, though it does not hold him responsible for his wife’s death. “So there was no intention of Mr Dennis to harm his wife and this charge does not charge him with any responsibility for her death,” she said.
Dennis, 34, who retired from cycling in 2023, will be sentenced at a later date.
Mr Wickens told the court that Dennis was driving while his wife was near or on the vehicle, either knowing it was likely to cause harm or being recklessly indifferent to the potential for harm. The offense was considered aggravated because the couple was in a relationship.
Hoskins, 32, sustained serious injuries in the incident and was taken by paramedics to Royal Adelaide Hospital for treatment, where she later passed away.
The charge carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison and a five-year driving ban.
Dennis, who pleaded guilty, was released on bail and is set to be sentenced in the district court on 24 January.
Hoskins was laid to rest in her hometown of Perth in January this year, and a public memorial service was held in Adelaide in February, where Dennis attended with their two children.
Hoskins, a world champion and two-time Olympian, received tributes worldwide following her death. Hoskins and Dennis married in 2018.
Hoskins competed in the 2012 and 2016 Olympics in the team pursuit and was part of the squad that won the 2015 world title in the same event. Dennis, a two-time world champion in the road time trial, also won silver in the team pursuit at the 2012 Olympics and bronze in the road time trial at Tokyo 2020.
Dennis made history in 2015 by becoming the seventh Australian to wear the Tour de France yellow jersey and also won the 2015 Tour Down Under.
On social media, users were angry at the lesser charge. One wrote: “Furious, he struck a plea deal to a lesser charge, does that mean it was a lesser death? Or the death of a lesser human, or a lesser Mum, or a lesser wife, or a lesser champion cyclist?”
China’s plans for big new embassy in London shot down by local council
China’s plans to build a new embassy near the Tower of London faced a fresh roadblock this week after local authorities voted to reject the proposal citing potential security risks and traffic snarls.
The Chinese government six years ago purchased Royal Mint Court, a historic site near the Tower of London, but has since faced mounting opposition in its bid to open the biggest diplomatic compound in Britain and Beijing’s largest embassy in Europe.
So far China has failed to gain planning permission to build a new embassy over 20,000sqm of land. The proposed embassy would be about 18 per cent bigger than the US embassy in London, which opened in 2018 with 48,000sqm of space.
Politicians in Tower Hamlets district on Monday unanimously voted against the plans in yet another setback for China’s lofty ambitions in London. The Tower Hamlets council earlier said the proposed embassy compound could train local police resources, increase road congestion and negatively impact the area surrounding the Tower of London.
“The proposed embassy would result in adverse impacts on local tourism, due to concerns over the effect of potential protests, acts of terrorism, and related security mitigation measures on the sensitive backdrop of nationally significant tourist attractions,” the council had claimed.
The central government in October announced that it would make the final decision about whether to approve the contested application, but the views of local residents and council will be considered at a planning inquiry early next year.
Housing secretary Angela Rayner would hold a local inquiry into the matter “to consider all the relevant aspects of the proposed development”.
Chinese officials have reportedly expressed frustration with the British government over its failure to help secure planning permission at official-level meetings. A Chinese embassy spokesperson in August said host countries “have the international obligation to support and facilitate the building of the premises of diplomatic missions”.
China and the UK “should provide facilitation to each other” in this respect, the spokesperson added.
A planning inquiry to decide whether to approve the embassy is due to take place over eight days next year with a decision made at the latest by May.
British prime minister Keir Starmer said last month that he had asked ministers to examine the plans submitted by China after president Xi Jinping raised the matter with him.
Two deaths linked to Thai massage parlours spark warnings from doctors
The deaths of a Thai singer and a Singaporean tourist following visits to massage parlours in Thailand have caused shock and prompted warnings from doctors.
Chayada Prao-hom, 20, died in a hospital in northeastern Udon Thani city on Sunday. Her health had reportedly deteriorated following three massage sessions since October.
She had taken the massages to relieve shoulder pain, the Nation TV reported.
A few days after receiving the first massage, the singer reported on Facebook that she had been left bedridden, with numbness spreading through her body. Her condition deteriorated with consecutive sessions instead of improving.
In that 6 November post, Chayada said she had gone to a parlour for two sessions of “a neck twist” and another massage with a “heavy hand”, the South China Morning Post reported.
She found herself in a paralytic state a fortnight later, unable to lift her right arm.
“I want my story to be a lesson for those who like being massaged a lot. I must recover. I want to work already,” Chayada wrote.
The singer died from a blood infection and brain swelling, the hospital said.
An investigation had been launched to determine whether her death was linked to the treatments or any underlying causes, provisional authorities told reporters on Monday. They confirmed that the parlour and all the masseuses were working with proper licences.
In a similar incident, a Singaporean tourist died after taking a massage at a parlour in Phuket, police said. Lee Mun Tuk, 52, died soon after receiving a 45-minute oil massage at a parlour on Patong beach, the Bangkok Post reported.
Patong police chief Chalermchai Hernsawad said Lee had fallen asleep during the procedure and started showing symptoms of distress after some time.
The man’s wife, who was travelling with him, did not allow an autopsy to confirm the exact cause of his death. She was taking his body home for funeral, the police chief said.
She told police her husband was drunk when he went for the session and that she did not suspect foul play as he had a sedentary lifestyle, Mr Hernsawad said.
It was not clear if massages were the reason for the deaths. In any case, the deaths caused shock in the country, a tourist hotspot, and sparked warnings from experts against some techniques used by masseuses.
Prof Dr Thiravat Hemachudha, advisor to the College of Oriental Medicine at Rangsit University warned that twisting the neck or massaging the cervical spine could lead to paralysis.
If done the wrong way, he said, they could “increase the risk of harm to the blood vessel walls that supply the brain, especially the back, tearing and causing brain tissue death, hemiplegia, paralysis”.
People with obesity or high blood pressure faced an increased risk of stroke-related paralysis. “The danger will increase in tandem with the force of the twisting, flicking or circling one’s head. Repeating these activities for a long time will not only create problems for the nerves but also the blood vessels at the neck,” Dr Thiravat said.
Travel ban on South Korea’s Yoon amid investigation into martial law
South Korea’s justice ministry has imposed a travel ban on president Yoon Suk Yeol while an investigation into his brief declaration of martial law is ongoing.
Mr Yoon, who was still the commander-in-chief of the country’s military, faces an investigation for suspected treason over last week’s martial law declaration.
South Korea’s police, prosecutors and anti-corruption agency have requested the ban as they expand their probes into possible rebellion charges.
Mr Yoon had said he entrusted his fate to the ruling party after a botched attempt to impose martial law prompted calls for resignation and impeachment.
Prosecutors also detained Kim Yong Hyun, who reportedly advised the president to declare martial law and resigned as defence minister soon after.
The control of the armed forces “currently lies with the commander-in-chief”, the Yonhap news agency quoted the defence ministry spokesperson Jeon Ha-kyou as saying.
Meanwhile, Mr Yoon has been banned from foreign travel, a justice ministry official told a parliament committee hearing on Monday.
Mr Yoon declared martial law late on Tuesday evening, only to see lawmakers overturn it through a parliamentary vote. Some of the lawmakers climbed over walls and pushed past soldiers deployed at the National Assembly to cast their votes.
The martial law decree was lifted by the cabinet early on Wednesday but political turmoil in the country continued as lawmakers pressed for the president to be ousted.
Mr Yoon also survived an impeachment vote on Saturday after his party’s lawmakers boycotted it. But the leader of the ruling People Power Party, Han Dong-hoon, declared during a joint public address with prime minister Han Duck-soo that the president would be “excluded from his duties”.
The opposition said it would bring a new impeachment bill against Mr Yoon on 11 December, and put it to a vote three days later.
Mr Han said on Sunday that the president would step away from state affairs and diplomacy until he left office. He also claimed that stepping aside from state affairs would include his control over the military.
Mr Yoon issued an apology over his martial law decree, and claimed that he would not shirk legal or political responsibility for the decision. He said he would leave it to his party to chart a course through the country’s political turmoil, “including matters related to my term in office”.
The Democratic Party called Mr Yoon’s martial law declaration “unconstitutional, illegal rebellion or a coup”, and filed complaints with police against at least nine people, including the president and his former defence minister, over the alleged rebellion.
The defence minister was the first person to be held over the declaration.
Since taking office in 2022 for a single five-year term, Mr Yoon has struggled to push his agenda through an opposition-controlled parliament and grappled with low approval ratings amid scandals involving himself and his wife.
If he leaves office before his single term ends in May 2027, the constitution requires a presidential election to be held within 60 days.
Martial law has been declared more than a dozen times since South Korea was established as a republic in 1948, the last time in 1980.
Bangladesh and India hold talks to repair strained relations
The foreign secretaries of Bangladesh and India met in Dhaka on Monday to discuss relations between the neighbours, including growing tensions since the fall of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled into exile in India in August.
The tensions have grown over the recent arrest in Bangladesh of a Hindu priest under the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. Alleged attacks on minority Hindus in Bangladesh and on a Bangladesh diplomatic mission in India were expected to feature prominently in the talks. India stopped issuing visas for Bangladeshis except emergency medical visas after Ms Hasina’s ouster.
Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misra was holding the daylong talks with his Bangladeshi counterpart Mohammad Jashim Uddin in the first high-level visit by an Indian official since massive protests ended Ms Hasina’s 15-year rule.
Ms Hasina is thought to be a trusted friend of Hindu-majority India, which has raised concerns over allegations of attacks on religious minorities, especially Hindus, in Muslim-majority Bangladesh, since her ouster.
Most Bangladeshi Hindus are thought to be supporters of Ms Hasina’s secular Awami League party.
A Hindu mob recently attacked a Bangladeshi diplomatic office in Agartala, the capital of the northeastern Indian state of Tripura, in reaction to the arrest of Hindu priest Chinmoy Das Prabhu, who had led large rallies in recent months demanding better security for Hindus in Bangladesh. Late last month, Hindu protesters also burned Bangladeshi flags in Kolkata, the capital of India’s eastern state of West Bengal, triggering protests by the Yunus government.
Other political parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party headed by Khaleda Zia, Ms Hasina’s main political foe, and Islamist groups have protested against the attacks in Tripura.
Hindus also protested in parts of India against alleged attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh and the jailing of Mr Prabhu.
Mr Misra is to pay courtesy calls on Mr Yunus and foreign adviser Touhid Hossain before leaving for New Delhi later on Monday.
Raygun-inspired musical canceled after Olympian’s legal threat
A musical inspired by the viral Olympic breakdancer Rachael Gunn — known in competition as Raygun — has been canceled after producers received a legal warning.
Raygun: The Musical creator Steph Broadbridge confirmed on social media that the show, which was set to debut at Kinselas in Darlinghurst, Sydney, on Saturday (December 7), had been axed after she received a notice from lawyers.
“They were worried I was damaging her brand, which I would never do,” the comedian, who was also set to star in the show, said in a video shared on Instagram.
She said the show would be “back soon with a whole new story arc” and that ticket holders would receive a $10 refund.
In a statement to The Guardian, Gunn’s legal and management team said it was committed to protecting her intellectual property.
“While we have immense respect for the credible work and effort that has gone into the development of the show, we must take necessary steps to safeguard Rachael’s creative rights and the integrity of her work,” they said.
“This action is not intended to diminish the contributions of others, but rather to ensure her brand is properly represented and protected in all future endeavours.”
They added that the trademark application for “Raygun” was currently under examination and anticipated that it would soon be officially registered.
“The use of the ‘Raygun’ name by a comedian without approval has caused confusion among the public, potentially leading them to believe that ‘Raygun The Musical’ had Rachael’s endorsement or approval,” they said.
“This misuse of intellectual property is not only misleading but also jeopardises Rachael’s other commercial ventures, which rely on the integrity of her brand.”
Gunn, also known as “B-girl Raygun,” shot to internet notoriety almost overnight in August after she performed unusual moves at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, including a kangaroo hop and a wriggle on the floor.
The 37-year-old university lecturer failed to score a single point in the competition, losing all three of her round-robin battles by a combined score of 54-0.
In the five months since her Olympic debut, Gunn and her dance moves have made it to the NFL, been imitated by Rachel Dratch on The Tonight Show, been declared “the best thing that happened in the Olympics” by Adele, and become the inspiration for thousands of Halloween costumes.
There was a dark side to the fame too, however. Gunn announced her retirement from the sport last month due to the abuse she received about her performance. “I just didn’t have any control over how people saw me or who I was. I was going to keep competing, for sure, but that seems really difficult for me to do now,” Gunn told local radio station 2DayFM.
“I think the level of scrutiny that’s going to be there, and people will be filming it, and it will go online.”
In her Instagram video, Broadbridge said the dancer’s lawyers were “very concerned that people would think that Rachael Gunn was affiliated with the musical.”
“I want to assure everyone that she will not be part of the show. She’s very welcome to come; I would love for her to see it.”