Debt forces Maldives to pivot back to India from China – Asia Times

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The Maldives, known for breathtaking resorts and serene beaches, is battling an escalating debt crisis and attempting a delicate balancing act between its two largest creditors: India and China. As the island nation braced for an impending debt default, President Mohamed Muizzu’s leadership will be tested by how he steers his country through this turbulent economic and geopolitical landscape.

As of August 2024, the Maldives’ foreign currency reserves totaled $437 million, which could cover only about a month and a half of import bills. The country is projected to arrange $600-$700 million of debt service expenses in 2025 and more than $1 billion in 2026. The island nation owes China about $1.3 billion and India about $130 million.

Against this backdrop, the Maldives president met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on October 7, in a bid to secure much-needed financial assistance, amid fears that the island nation may default on a crucial $25 million bond payment. Reuters reported that India approved a $400 million currency swap agreement, a much needed lifeline for the debt strapped country of half a million people in terms of accessing short-term liquidity.

Maldives debt troubles are related to Sukuk bonds. Sukok is a special type of financial instrument that is often referred to as an Islamic bond, which operates quite differently from conventional bonds in order to comply with Islamic principles, particularly the prohibition of interest.

Unlike traditional bonds, which are debt instruments setting out that investors have lent money in exchange for interest payments, Sukuk represents ownership in a tangible asset or a pool of assets. Investors receive returns not from interest but from the revenue generated by the asset. If Maldives default on its Sukuk debt, that will be the first such event of sovereign default for Sukuk.

Absent much needed financial rescue from the likes of India, the ramifications of Maldives missing its Sukuk payment would be devastating: it could block access to international capital markets, shake investor confidence, and tip the Maldives into deeper economic turmoil.

While the Maldives with the latest assurances of help from India may have avoided an immediate default on its Sukuk debt, the country’s broader economic troubles remain unresolved, with significant debt payments looming in the coming years.

Geopolitical rivalries, structural weaknesses

The Maldives’ economic distress is deeply intertwined with the geopolitical rivalry between two major players in the region, India and China. Over the past decade, the country has borrowed extensively from both nations, but the two offer assistance with different goals in mind.

China’s loans have largely funded infrastructure projects tied to its Belt and Road Initiative, helping Beijing expand its strategic footprint in the Indian Ocean. India, on the other hand, sees the Maldives as a critical part of its regional security and has provided financial aid to counter China’s growing influence.

President Muizzu in his ‘India Out’ T-shirt. Photo: X

Muizzu’s rise to power in 2023 was underpinned by an “India Out” campaign, aimed at reducing the Maldives’ reliance on New Delhi and drawing the country closer to Beijing.

On his way to electoral victory, Muizzu promised that, once elected, he would expel Indian soldiers who were deployed in the Maldives on humanitarian assistance engagements.

Bowing down to such political pressure, India replaced dozens of its soldiers – exchanging them with civilian experts. However, as Maldives continued its plunge towards a debt crisis, shortly after coming to power, President Muizzu’s government caved in to pragmatism and softened its stance toward India, recognizing that Maldives’ immediate survival hinges on securing financial support from both China and India.

Maldives’ real challenges lie in its unsustainable debt burden and the structural vulnerabilities that underpin its economy. The country is overwhelmingly dependent on tourism, an industry highly susceptible to global economic shocks, as evidenced by the downturn following the Covid-19 pandemic. Furthermore, Maldives imports most of its essential goods – and rising global commodity prices have compounded its financial woes, draining foreign reserves and making it even harder to service debt.

This situation places the Maldives in a precarious position between the two competing powers. India and China both have significant economic and strategic interests in the Maldives, and their financial aid comes with expectations.

For China, the Maldives is an important link in its maritime strategy, while for India, the Maldives represents a key part of its efforts to counterbalance Chinese influence in the region. As President Muizzu navigates these tricky diplomatic waters, he must find a way to secure financial support without compromising the country’s sovereignty.

As for India, there are strong incentives to take President Muizzu into its fold, given that India sustained a series of diplomatic setbacks as several pro-India governments lost power in South Asia recently.

In Sri Lanka, a marxist politician, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, became president. In Bangladesh, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, arguably the most Pro-Indian Prime Minister in Bangladesh’s history, fled to India after being forced to resign by student-led protests. In Nepal, K.P. Sharma Oli, a pro-China politician, was elected as prime minister.

Reversing any of the recent diplomatic failures in India’s backyard will be viewed as a political victory for Indian Prime Minister Modi.

The goal: long-term solutions that leave sovereignty intact

The Maldives’ economic problems are structural, and addressing them will require more than temporary currency swaps and loans. The country needs a comprehensive strategy to diversify its economy away from tourism and reduce its dependency on imports, but such changes will take time – and political will.

The Maldives’ government has proposed several measures to address the crisis, including tax reforms, budget cuts and the restructuring of state-owned enterprises. These proposals aim to improve fiscal discipline and reduce the reliance on external borrowing. Yet, implementing these reforms will be a daunting task. Austerity measures such as tax increases and public service cuts have historically triggered protests in the Maldives, and Muizzu’s government may face significant resistance to these changes.

The question of whether the Maldives will turn to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout also looms large. Although the government has thus far resisted this option, citing the temporary nature of its financial difficulties, many experts believe that an IMF intervention may be inevitable if the debt crisis worsens. However, an IMF bailout would come with stringent conditions including further austerity measures that could exacerbate social unrest and hurt the economy in the short term.

Unlikely to have a long term solution ready at hand, the Maldives will continue to depend heavily on India and China for financial support. But this dependence will come at a cost as both these regional powers are likely to use their financial leverage to push for greater political influence in the country.

India may seek to use its financial assistance as a way to reassert its strategic interests in the region, while China could leverage its economic investments to secure long-term control over key infrastructure projects.

The danger of this approach is that it could undermine the Maldives’ sovereignty. While financial support from India and China may help the Maldives avoid an immediate default, it risks entangling the country in the broader geopolitical rivalry between the two powers – thus endangering its own security. The delicate balancing act necessary to handle this geopolitical quicksand will require President Muizzu to be both a shrewd diplomat and a careful economic planner, as the stakes could not be higher.

A template for other small nations to follow?

The Maldives’ debt crisis is a cautionary tale for small nations that rely heavily on foreign loans and single industries such as tourism. Without a long-term plan for economic diversification and debt restructuring, the country will remain vulnerable to financial instability and external shocks.

President Muizzu’s recent mending of ties with India in exchange for accessing capital reliefs offers only a temporary solution, as it is not a substitute for the broader reforms that are needed to stabilize the economy.

The political cost of these reforms could be significant, but the alternative – continued dependence on foreign loans and increasing debt – is far more dangerous. To prevent a deeper crisis, the Maldives will need to enact tough but necessary reforms, build its foreign reserves and explore new sectors for economic growth.

President Muizzu must know that bold actions are needed at this critical juncture of his country’s national history. It is his time to take decisive actions to secure its financial future or risk being drawn deeper into the geopolitical currents that threaten to pull it under.

In a region marked by rising competition between India and China, the Maldives’ next moves could set a precedent for how small, debt-ridden nations handle the delicate balance between economic necessity and political independence.

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Gujarat: Indian diamond industry struggles to stave off war and slowdown impact

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Rupesh Sonavane Parents of diamond polishing worker Nikunj Tank say he took his life as the downturn in the industry left him joblessRupesh Sonavane

Since losing his job in May, Nikunj Tank, a contractor in Surat, northern India’s capital of stone cleaning, had been in desperate need.

He and dozens of others were left without jobs after the system he had been working for seven years shut down.

Tank was the family’s single breadwinner- he was supporting his relatives, wife and daughter and had no benefits.

‘ ‘ He was n’t find a job and unable to bear the loss, he took the extraordinary step,” said his retired parents Jayanti Tank.

Tank died by suicide in August.

The last few decades have been strong for India’s recession-hit gemstone industry. Surat, in Gujarat position, processes 90 % of the world’s diamonds in over 5, 000 models and employs more than 800, 000 polishers. With a turnover of more than$ 100 million ( £75 million ), the city has 15 large polishing companies.

India’s exports of cut and polished stones fell from$ 23bn in 2022 to$ 16bn in 2023 and are expected to drop further to$ 12bn in 2024.

The price of polished diamonds dipped by 5 %, s to 27 % in 2023, due to lower demand and oversupply, say analysts. According to Mahesh Virani of Star Gems, oversupply occurred because polishing models continued to produce despite a lack of desire to keep operations running, eventually leading to an increase in losses.

The country’s Diamond Workers ‘ Union, a party representing polishers, told BBC Gujarati that more than 30, 000 have lost their jobs in the past six months only due to the downturn.

The union says that as per their data collected from victims’ families, police records and news reports, 65 workers have died by suicide in the state over one-and-a-half years due to this slowdown. The BBC could not independently verify this figure.

Authorities say the Covid-19 shutdown, the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Gaza war, and falling need in essential markets have severely impacted India’s gemstone industry.

” The enterprise of polished diamonds has gone down by more than 25-30 % due to global crisis,” said Vallabh Lakhani, president of Kiran Gems, a leading company.

India imports 30 % of its rough diamond from Russian mining, which are currently facing Western sanctions as a result of the war, cuts and polishes them, and sells them primarily in European markets.

In March, the European Union and G7 countries imposed a fresh ban on the import of Russian unpolished diamonds, including those processed in India and sold in the West via third countries.

Getty Images This photograph taken on February 7, 2024 shows diamond traders gathered at the main market in SuratGetty Images

After the fresh ban, India publicly raised concerns, with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stating in April that such measures hurt those lower in the supply chain more than Russia, as producers usually find alternative routes.

Traders in Looking sound that.

India is located at the bottom of the stone industry’s price chain. Exporter Kirti Shah remarked that the nation is very dependant on the worldwide market for both fresh materials and final products.

Also, an economic decline in G7 countries and the UAE and Belgium- India’s key trade destinations– has impacted company.

The decline is also attributed to a rise in demand for lab-grown pearls, a cheaper option to normal pearls, and to the conflict in Gaza, as the gems form a huge part of India’s deal with Israel.

” The diamond market in Surat is passing through a bad step,” said Kumar Kanani, a senator from the country’s governing Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP). He claimed that the police were looking into the murder cases attributed to work loss.

” The state is ready to offer all possible support to polishers, merchants and traders, “he said.

But the households of at least nine employees, who just took their lives, said they had received little support from the state.

The majority of cuts have taken place in small and medium-sized businesses, which usually employ employees to polish and shape rough diamonds and perform quality checks on them.

But bigger players are impacted too. Last month, Kiran Gems asked its 50,000 employees to go on a 10-day vacation, citing the slowdown as a reason.

In July, the Diamond Workers’ Union started a helpline which received over 1,600 distress calls from polishers seeking jobs or financial help.

Getty Images Women employees work on diamond polishing machines at a factory in Surat. Getty Images

But there have been others who could n’t get help in time.

Vaishali Patel, 38, lost her husband Nitin two years ago. Due to a lack of business, the cleaning company he worked for had dismissed the majority of its workers.

Agents and traders are also in the spotlight.

We have been lying empty for weeks. There is hardly any sales or order,” said Dilip Sojitra, one of the 5, 000 agents in Surat who sell diamonds to consumers, investors and various brokers.

Lab-grown diamonds, once in high demand, have also seen prices drop from$ 300 to$ 78 per carat due to overproduction, impacting the market. Nandlal Nakrani, president of the Surat Diamond Brokers Association, predicts that the condition will improve once harsh and polished diamond prices are lower.

Despite the decline, some hope the market will restore, as it did after the 2008 Great Recession, which shut lots of polishing products and left thousands homeless.

Mr Sojitra says he believes the upcoming festival season, including Diwali, Christmas, and New Year, will help boost business momentum.

” This too shall pass, “he says.

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‘Tolerated and even expected’: What drives workplace bullying in Malaysia’s healthcare sector?

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WORKPLACE BULLYING MORE SEVERE IN HEALTHCARE?

According to researchers, bullying at work is a common issue that goes beyond just care.

The experts believe that bullying may be more prominent or extreme in healthcare because of a high-pressure atmosphere where patients ‘ lives are in danger despite previous studies showing no higher rates of bullying than other areas. &nbsp,

They contend that prevalent bullying is caused by factors like high workloads, labor shortages, and a lack of support systems.

According to standard statistics released by The Star earlier this year, the number of building at the Ministry of Health decreased by about third between 2019 and 2023, from 6, 134 to 3, 271.

The lack of cardiac surgeons, which are 14 in Malaysia’s seven public hospitals, was also highlighted in July when four graduates of a “parallel road” training program with the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh applied for a combined judicial evaluation to challenge the Malaysian Medical Council’s decision to reject their applications for the National Specialist Register, a database of specialist health practitioners in the nation. &nbsp,

In earlier media reports, experts voiced concern about the need to address the medical lack and the potential negative effects on patient care.

About two years prior, a janitor at the Penang General Hospital officially committed suicide after being bullied at work. Dr. Tay died. &nbsp, &nbsp, &nbsp,

The government established a Healthcare Work Culture Improvement Task Force ( HWCITF ) in that year to look into the death of the 25-year-old and allegations of a bullying culture in its health departments.

It listed harassment, isolation, condemnation, misgendering, inflammatory speech, harassment, cruel compensation, harsh working hours and cruel workload as types of bullying. &nbsp, &nbsp,

The committee found no compelling evidence of workplace harassment in relation to the houseman’s death in its report released in August 2022. However, it noted that at different levels, but not at all, there was stress, abuse, and a toxic work environment within the Health Ministry.

The document also surveyed more than 110, 000 staff in the Ministry of Health. About 30 % of people admitted to having burnout, and 7 % believed they had experienced bullying at work.

More than 20 000 managers or supervisors who responded to surveys of more than 20 000 admitted to bullying at work.

Of those who admitted to bullying, about 20 per cent said they engaged in” severe” bullying while the others said they were involved in “low”-level bullying. &nbsp,

The document, which stated that the Ministry of Health had about 250, 000 workers, even emphasised a significant lack of doctors, nurses and other medical staff, especially in rural locations, who face increased workloads leading to stress and burnout.

The Malaysian Medical Association ( MMA ) found that 30 to 40 % of doctors in the country have some form of bullying in a separate survey conducted last year of 728 doctors.

Additionally, according to the survey, victims are more likely than not to file a complaint out of fear or unsure how to proceed. &nbsp,

In comparison, a 2019 study found almost 40 per cent of Malaysian employees had experienced workplace bullying. &nbsp,

More than 5, 200 people from 47 organizations in Malaysia were surveyed during the study, which was titled” Workplace bullying and psychological distress of employees across socioeconomic strata: a cross-sectional study.” It was also published in the BMC Public Health journal.

According to the first report, a sizable sample of Malaysian employees recruited from various organizations were exposed to the prevalence of workplace bullying and its association with socioeconomic factors and psychological distress. &nbsp,

The study did not identify the organizations or sectors to which they belonged, but instead found that being female, earning more money, and experiencing greater psychological distress were all key factors.

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Paedophile gripped 8-year-old girl’s hand during obscene act in public, gets jail and caning

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SINGAPORE: A crime spotted two daughters aged eight and five playing in their level on Oct 17, 2022, and peeped in.

The older girl followed him outdoors and witnessed him indulge in an outrageous work because the 22-year-old sexual offender believed he was a mailman.

The eight-year-old girl then grabbed her hand and continued performing his vulgar act, fleeing only when the girl broke free when her sister was calling for her.

When the authorities searched Lim Kai Heng’s house, they discovered photos of young children wearing swimwear and adult pornography on his belongings.

Of the 306 films and 313 pictures, 11 movies and 125 images showed children in physical or offensive representations.

For outraging the girl’s humility and possessing child maltreatment materials, Lim was given a 30-month prison sentence and four cane-strength sentences.

In August of this year, he admitted guilt to the impulsive act of striking a passerby on the throat by dumping a plastic bowl filled with water from the second floor to the ground floor.

Principal District Judge Jill Tan argued in a judgment on Thursday ( Sep 26 ) that a key issue in this case was whether caning should be administered to an offender who ridiculed a child’s modesty despite not touching her privates.

Another important question was whether punishment was appropriate because some of the fabric contained” cruelty and physical abuse.”

” On the facts of this case, I answered these questions in the affirmative”, said Judge Tan.

Lim, who is now 24, had no previous convictions. He was assessed by the Institute of Mental Health to possess paedophilia, which was “ego-dystonic” for him. He therefore expressed concern about his sexual desire.

In her victim impact speech, the eight-year-old woman said she had trouble sleeping since the affair and generally cried herself to sleep.

She did awaken crying after having flashbacks about how Lim was acting on her. She has since experienced a fear of strange people and no longer trusts anyone other than her parents and her family.

The girl’s mom confirmed her flashbacks and trouble sleeping. She claimed that her child needed to go to counseling and that she has gotten quieter than she was.

SENTENCING Claims

The prosecutors requested six cane strikes and 33 to 36 months in prison, while Raphael Louis, the defense attorney, requested 10 months and three weeks in prison.

Mr. Louis argued that no punishment should be administered because his client “did not enter into the victim’s secret parts.”

He claimed that his client was “extremely guilty and remorseful” after seeking treatment for paedophilia after the crime, cooperated with studies, and was “extremely guilty and remorseful” about the crime.

The case’s outcome would have” a negative impact on his future career prospects,” the attorney claimed.

In her research, Judge Tan said that the emotional damage in terms of the victim’s lasting injury may be understated.

The accused’s attorney claimed there was no scientific evidence to support the accused’s claim.

” However, based on her victim effect speech and that of her mother’s, this event evidently scarred her,” said the judge.

She also inquired to her mother as to why God had chosen her to commit such a crime, a question a child should never be asked.

The victim’s family had the foresight to shape the event in a favorable light and explain it to the baby in terms of her position in catching the criminal, which perspective it can only hope the victim will eventually come to understand.

Judge Tan alleged that Lim’s insulting behavior had escalated, demonstrating that he did present a risk to the safety of any young people he might encounter.

” In the situation, my watch was that this situation was an ideal one to implement caning in addition to the prison term, as a deterrent”, she added.

” However, since he was a first offender in this regard, my view was that two strokes ( for the outrage of modesty charge ), instead of the three sought by the prosecution, would be sufficient”.

She also agreed that punishment should be used in the child abuse videos because two of the videos featured” cruelty and real misuse.”

Some of the children’s faces can be seen in the video and photographs, and the youngest child who was depicted in the child abuse substance was four.

Although the sentence would undoubtedly have an impact on the accused’s future prospects, the judge argued that this was a necessary outcome of his punishment for his actions and could n’t be said to be depressing.

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Gynaecologist suspended after patient suffers miscarriage from uterine rupture following surgery

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A doctor who specializes in obstetrics and gynecology has been given a 12-month suspension for care related to a 2013 patient who afterwards miscarried after her uterus ruptured.

According to the grounds of a decision by the Singapore Medical Council ( SMC) Disciplinary Tribunal published on Tuesday ( Sep 24 ), Dr. Chen Yun Hian Christopher had performed a procedure on a patient known only as Ms C. He saw him increase her chances of fecundity.

Dr. Chen made an “excessively broad” incision along the patient’s uterus wall, cutting off” an excessive amount” of healthy tissue, and failing to layer-close the deeper fault by applying” right a needles” and applying” straight a needles” to the deeper fault.

The 84-year-old senior physician admitted guilt to one count of skilled wrongdoing that amount to serious negligence.

He acknowledged that he had not followed the standard of care that was expected of him when he performed a technique on the patient. Another fact that needs to be considered was that he allegedly did not give the patient enough information to assent to the operation.

WHAT HAPPENED

Dr. Chen has been a licensed health practitioner since 1965 and a professional since 1998.

He was working at the Christopher Chen Center for Reproductive Medicine, then known as the Advanced Centre for Reproductive Medicine- Fertility Clinic at the time of the crime.

Ms C and her father consulted Dr. Chen for guidance in January 2013 to increase her chances of getting pregnant.

Dr. Chen identified polycystic ovaries and disease, which can lead to physiological inequities and irregular periods.

He suggested that the person have a treatment to increase her chances of getting pregnant, and it did. The procedure took place in March 2013.

In order to treat a condition in which tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus, it involved an examination of the uterine chamber, the removal of abnormalities, and” cauterization of endometriosis,” where muscle is removed by burning.

Following the surgery, Ms. C saw Dr. Chen for follow-up consultations to maintain her long menstruation and to have ultrasonic scans to determine ovulation dates more accurately to improve her pregnancy chances.

Around August 2014, Ms C realised she had conceived normally. She stayed with Dr. Chen until October 2014.

Around Oct 20, 2014, she suffered a uterus rupture and miscarried. She was in her first next week.

The SMC just received a problem from Ms C in May 2016. She claimed that Dr. Chen had not been informed of the risks and consequences of the procedure, including whether she would need to have her child undergo a cesarean section.

THE Investigation

A “responsible and capable doctor” carrying out the operation would have prevented the removal of healthy tissue from any incisions along the vaginal wall to the underlying module, according to the arguments in the case.

This was done to keep the good layers intact and prevent stress from closing the uterus wall defect.

Additionally, the vaginal walls fault could have been fixed by applying “absorbable stitches” layer by layer. &nbsp,

Dr. Chen acknowledged that he had deviated from this common and that his actions had put his person at greater risk of ovarian rupture and pregnancy.

In consequence, the patient has both the above problems and a higher chance of developing uterine rupture in upcoming uterus issues. This was honestly” a near effect” of Dr Chen’s misconduct, the view stated.

Dr. Chen was a very experienced and top doctor with close to 50 years of experience as a medical professional and 15 years of experience as a professional at the time of the operation, according to the SMC, who requested a suspension of between 24 and 30 times.

SMC claimed that Dr. Chen, who requested extension of his explanation, should receive a 50 % discount for” some delay in prosecution.”

SMC claimed that the event involved “niche health concerns” and that time was needed to find professionals who were willing to serve as authorities for SMC in explaining the wait of about six years and seven months since the notice of problem in November 2016.

Many of the medical professionals contacted by SMC declined to participate on the grounds of a conflict of interest, which was “apparently due to the rank and majesty” of Dr. Chen. Ultimately, SMC engaged an specialist based abroad.

Dr Chen’s doctors from Allen &amp, Gledhill asked for not more than 10 times ‘ expulsion, saying Dr Chen had believed that he was acting in the victim’s best interest.

He later came to terms with the fact that he” may have excised less myometrial cells” and that he had” should have been more conventional” by layering the vaginal wall defect.

Dr. Chen argued that using the purse-string thread would gain Ms. C. by reducing the amount of medical blood loss, scarring, and facilitating faster recovery after removing an appropriate amount of tissue.

According to Dr. Chen’s attorneys, he had no harmful intentions toward the sufferer and was not motivated by an desire to profit financially or for any other reason.

They added that Dr. Chen, who is now 84, has been having trouble with his health ever since being diagnosed with an irregular heart rhythm in 2015. His lawyers claim that he has a device to control his hypertension, and that his hypotension has reached high observations as a result of the stress of the disciplinary proceedings.

They claimed that Dr. Chen, who had a stroke in 2015, has been in agony and grief as a result of the protracted lapse of time.

He was unable to maintain an active clinical process after receiving the problem see in 2016 because he was so stressed and anxious. In order to get over his patients, different doctors were hired to take over the doctor until the center no longer bore his name.

According to the attorneys, Dr. Chen did not attempt to return to medical practice after being assessed as fit to perform medical duties following his stroke, which would have reduced the likelihood of reoffending.

THE TRIBUNAL’S Selection

The administrative panel found that Dr. Chen had performed the procedure in a way that was “lacking in many ways”. The method he closed the vaginal wall defect was “entirely improper” and caused irreversible harm to the patient.

Given the extent of the deviation from the accepted methods, the court “very much weight” the claim that Dr. Chen had sincere belief that his use of purse-string sutures would benefit the individual.

However, the court determined that this event “did not require a misuse of trust and confidence for personal private gain.” &nbsp,

It found there was an excessive delay in the prosecution, claiming that it was “exceptionally long” yet if SMC had trouble getting professional opinion without” logical reasons to explain the delay.”

Dr. Chen will also be subject to criticism and be required to promise in writing to the SMC that he will not participate in the wrongdoing or any other related conduct in the future in addition to the 12-month suspension.

He will also have to pay the costs and charges of the proceedings, including the costs of SMC’s lawyer.

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Excessive social media use linked to mental health symptoms among youths: IMH study

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KEY Studies

According to the findings of the study, worry was the most prevalent mental health issue among young people in Singapore, with about 27 % of young people reporting having severe or really intense symptoms in the week leading up to the study. &nbsp,

Most of the symptoms of anxiety include feeling anxious, tense, and anxious. &nbsp,

About 1 in 7 students described experiencing serious or really intense depressive symptoms, including feeling depressed, feeling bare, and lacking in motivation to participate in activities most of the time.

12.9 % of Singaporean students reported experiencing serious to very significant levels of stress. This results in being unable to unwind, feel unhappy, or get angry frequently. &nbsp,

About 27 per cent of students were also found to employ social media unnecessarily.

Those who did but were 1.5, 1.3 and 1.6 times more likely to have had serious or really intense symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress, both, said IMH and NHG. &nbsp,

Younger people with moderate to intense body image issues were 4.9, 4.3, and 4.5 times more likely to have experienced severe or really intense symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress, both. &nbsp,

Victims of bullying were roughly twice as likely to exhibit these mental health issues. &nbsp,

Being in such state for a prolonged period of time may be harmful to their well-being, according to Associate Professor Swapna Verma, president of the medical board at IMH. &nbsp,

She said that today’s younger people are dealing with unique challenges that were left unresolved by the previous generation.

” Social internet exposes them to regular similarities, intensifying concerns about body image. The anonymity of the online world has even given rise to bullying, which adds a new dimension of abuse that can be continuous and far-reaching” .&nbsp,

Associate Professor Mythily Subramaniam, assistant chairman of the medical board ( research ) at IMH, said the three associated factors could be linked to each other. &nbsp,

” The amount of time young folks spend on social media may also be related to abuse, and the two may lead to body shape issues either separately or up,” he said. &nbsp,

Our review, like many others, demonstrates that excessive social media use has a significant impact on youth mental health and is a public health issue. &nbsp,

” It is important that young individuals, families, educators pay attention to these issues, accept signs of distress first and build healthy boundaries. ” &nbsp,

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Online sexual abuse now at severe levels in Thailand

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Described: 16 Sep 2024 at 19: 08

Activists carry messages denouncing sexual harassment and rape as they move from Bangkok's Suntiphap Park to Victory Monument in 2022. (File photo)
As they leave Bangkok’s Suntiphap Park to Victory Monument in 2022, protesters carry signs denying sexual abuse and murder. ( File photo )

According to Thailand’s National Economic and Social Development Council ( NESDC ), the growing threat of sexual harassment on social media is having a serious impact on young people.

In its cultural view report released on Aug 26, the NESDC said patients of such abuse are at risk of developing social, emotional, and mental health problems, including anxiety and depression.

In some cases, they actually commit criminal acts as a result of the hardships they have experienced. ECPAT International, a Unicef-affiliated company, identified Thailand as one of the 25 countries with disturbing rates of online sexual abuse against children and youth. This knowledge corresponds with data from the Royal Thai Police, which shows a sharp increase in child sexual abuse situations, from 48 in 2017 to 540 next year.

According to the NESDC, website sexual abuse against kids is broken into three categories. The perpetrators of low-level harassment are frequently accused of not taking their steps seriously as damaging. At this point, offenders abuse victims by making offensive remarks about school-aged children, such as those who are romantically inclined to like young girls.

The average level concentrates on repeated deeds intended to cause victims emotional distress. It usually involves prolonged harassment, attempts to embarrass and embarrass victims, and the progressive invasion of individual privacy.

Rampant abuse

The severe/high stage involves violent and aggressive steps, causing emotional and psychological damage. This amount of harassment is in direct violation of the laws governing sexual abuse. Examples include conniving minors into intimate relationships and making them commit intimate functions, recording these functions without their consent, and exploiting the victims by charging them to watch the recordings.

Some young people who have experienced online sexual abuse or who have friends who have it do not know how to get support, according to a report released by Unicef in 2022. According to the NESDC, some people do not recognize themselves as patients, while others are too timid to review it, which leads to underreporting these crimes.

Actions may be implemented to address the problem, the NESDC said. These include addressing the confidence with which physical abuse is tolerated, starting with community members carefully monitoring their son’s use of social advertising. Additionally, the government and local societies may take steps to punish those who commit crimes.

The NESDC even emphasized the need for educational institutions and communities to inform people about their rights, the dangers of online sexual abuse, and the changing nature of online threats. According to the NESDC, families may instruct their children to defend their personal information, while education providers should educate them about how to handle physical cleaning as part of their curricula.

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Online sexual abuse now at severe levels

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In: South-East Asia

Discussed: 16 Sep 2024 at 19: 08

Activists carry messages denouncing sexual harassment and rape as they move from Suntiphap Park to Victory Monument in 2022. (File photo)
As they move from Suntiphap Park to Victory Monument in 2022, protesters carry signs decribing sexual abuse and murder. ( File photo )

According to the National Economic and Social Development Council ( NESDC ), the growing threat of sexual harassment on social media is having a serious impact on young people.

In its cultural view report released on Aug 26, the NESDC said patients of such abuse are at risk of developing social, emotional, and mental health problems, including anxiety and depression.

In some cases, they also commit criminal acts as a result of the hardships they have experienced. ECPAT International, a Unicef-affiliated company, identified Thailand as one of the 25 countries with disturbing rates of online sexual abuse against children and youth. This information corresponds with information from the Royal Thai Police, which shows a sharp increase in child sexual abuse situations, from 48 in 2017 to 540 next year.

According to the NESDC, website sexual abuse against kids is broken into three levels. The perpetrators of low-level harassment are frequently accused of not taking their steps seriously as damaging. At this point, perpetrators abuse victims by making inappropriate remarks about school-aged children, such as those who are sexually attracted to young ladies, and who make remarks about school-aged children.

The average level concentrates on repeated deeds intended to cause victims mental distress. It usually involves continual harassment, attempts to embarrass and embarrass victims, and the progressive invasion of individual privacy.

The severe/high stage involves violent and aggressive steps, causing emotional and psychological damage. This amount of abuse is in direct violation of the laws governing sexual abuse. Examples include conniving minors into loving relationships and making them commit sexual functions, recording these functions without their consent, and exploiting the victims by charging them to watch the recordings.

Some young people do not know how to get support if they or their friends have been sexually abused online, according to a report released by Unicef in 2022. According to the NESDC, some people do not recognize themselves as patients, while others are too timid to review it, which leads to underreporting these crimes.

Actions must be implemented to address the problem, the NESDC said. These include addressing the confidence with which physical abuse is tolerated, starting with community members carefully monitoring their son’s use of social advertising. Additionally, culprits may be punished by the government and local communities.

The NESDC even emphasized the need for educational institutions and communities to inform people about their rights, the dangers of online sexual abuse, and the changing nature of online threats. According to the NESDC, educators should teach their students how to protect private information, and education providers should teach them how to handle sexual grooming.

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Singapore’s education ministry terminates contract with Mobile Guardian after cybersecurity breaches

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ISSUE TO Get RAISED IN PARLIAMENT

The event in August came after a significant data leak in April, which exposed the personal information of 127 institutions. &nbsp,

When parliament meets starting on Monday ( Sep 9 ), the Mobile Guardian breach will be one of the topics brought up. Eight Members filed numerous questions requesting improvements on investigations. &nbsp,

For instance, MP Patrick Tay ( PAP-Pioneer ) asked MOE for details on what it is doing to help students who have had their study notes wiped out.

MP Lim Wee Kiak ( PAP-Sembawang ) &nbsp, asked if “targeted support” is being offered to affected students experiencing distress, particularly those with existing mental health conditions. &nbsp,

Mr Sheena Kasturi, whose son in Secondary 1 used Mobile Guardian regularly as part of his class syllabus, said: &nbsp,” When the matter came on, the iPad was absolutely not useful in class so he could n’t logs in. He could n’t get anything done on his iPad”, she said.

With help from the university’s This office, the teenager&nbsp, managed to save the information he had written onto a finger travel.

While the college briefly did away with learning via a system, it later provided&nbsp, Ms Sheena’s child with&nbsp, an ipads that did not have the app installed, she said.

There were no problems in the education, she noted. &nbsp,

” The school did follow up with the parents… reminding us that this incident has happened, ( and that ) the Mobile Guardian will be removed’ so please monitor your child’s screen time, the activities, the websites that they are visiting ‘”, she said. &nbsp,

Individuals USE OTHER APPS

Under the condition of anonymity, a teacher from the damaged class reported to CNA that some students found their products wiped. &nbsp,

The professor claimed that the institution is not looking to find a Mobile Guardian alternative. CNA is aware that some kids are regularly backing up their information using third-party applications like Goodnotes. &nbsp,

According to experts, government authorities probably conducted the necessary due diligence before choosing to work with Mobile Guardian. &nbsp,

Ms Sheena said she believes that&nbsp, MOE may get a more secure and reliable choice for students. But, she added that families have a part to play in monitoring their son’s system use.

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Parliament to discuss Mobile Guardian breach, extremist preacher and mpox

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At the following meeting on Monday ( Sep 9 ), members of Parliament will discuss the Mobile Guardian cybersecurity breach as well as issues involving the extremist preacher from Bangladesh who delivered a sermon in Singapore. &nbsp,

Questions were also raised about the updated Gifted Education Programme ( GEP ) and the current mpox situation. &nbsp,

MPs inquired if kids who were affected by the Mobile Guardian game tragedy were receiving the necessary assistance in the order report released on Friday. &nbsp,

A student’s individual mastering device management app called Mobile Guardian is installed on them. Parents can restrict the use of devices or websites by limiting screen time and app use. &nbsp,

After a global cybersecurity breach that affected about 13, 000 students from 26 secondary schools in Singapore, the Ministry of Education ( MOE ) announced in August that Mobile Guardian would be removed from all students ‘ personal learning devices.

The offender had the kids ‘ products remotely wiped, and many were concerned about losing access to their notes as exams loomed.

MP Patrick Tay ( PAP-Pioneer ) contacted MOE for information on what it is doing to assist students who have had their study notes erased. &nbsp,

MP Lim Wee Kiak ( PAP-Sembawang ) &nbsp, asked if “targeted support” is being offered to affected students experiencing distress, particularly those with existing mental health conditions. &nbsp,

Some even questioned whether the affair had been updated, including whether any steps were being taken to prevent future incidents and whether the use of technology by students would be reexamined. &nbsp,

How many students were unable to retrieve their data, according to MP Gerald Giam ( WP-Aljunied ), and if the ministry has a backup of the data. &nbsp,

In addition, inquiries were made about the Bangladeshi pastor who gave an unlawful and extremist speech to migrant workers in a Tuas dormitory. &nbsp,

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs ( MHA ), Amir Hamza was able to enter Singapore by using a passport with a name that was different from what was on the country’s security databases. &nbsp,

MHA claimed that although it was conscious of Amir Hamza’s qualifications, it “did not have his fingerprint at the time of his access.”

MP Yip Hon Weng ( PAP-Yio Chu Kang ) questioned whether there are any other safeguards available besides biometrics to identify dangerous individuals. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority ( ICA ) responded by explaining how the immigration and checkpoints authority ( ICA ) reduces the risk of people entering Singapore using false documents. &nbsp,

NMP Neil Parekh Nimil Rajnikant wanted to know about the penalties in place for dormitory owners when such incidents occur, while MP Zhulkarnain Abdul Rahim ( PAP-Chua Chu Kang ) wanted to know about the regulations governing the use of foreign workers dormitories for events involving speakers or religious preachers. &nbsp,

MPOX, GEP

For example, some mpox users requested updates on the disease, the local situation, as well as borders and cultural management measures. &nbsp,

Concerning screening and monitoring protocols for visitors from areas with known mpox outbreaks, MP Wan Rizal ( PAP-Jalan Besar ). Additionally, he was interested in finding out about ways to raise public awareness of the symptoms and distribution networks. &nbsp,

MP Melvin Yong ( PAP-Radin Mas ) inquired if mpox posed a serious health risk to vulnerable people, including seniors and children, and if a national rollout of mpox vaccines was required for this group. &nbsp,

MP Hany Soh ( PAP-Marsiling-Yew Yee ) wanted to know about the applicable precautions and lessons that have been learned from Singapore’s effort against the COVID-19 pandemic. &nbsp,

Singapore announced earlier this year that it would provide the mpox vaccination to care workers who are most susceptible to exposure to the illness as well as close connections with confirmed cases.

The World Health Organization declared mpox a global public health crisis for the second time in two decades as a result of the growing concern about the genus 1 pressure.

To time, Singapore has never detected any genus 1 disease. This season, there have been 14 mpox instances in the nation of the less serious genus 2 type.

On the revamped Gifted Education Programme, MPs asked for more details on how it will get implemented.

The brilliant program, a curriculum designed for students with intellectual disabilities, may be overhauled and replaced with a new strategy for high-ability students in all major schools.

During his first National Day Rally, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong made this announcement. &nbsp,

Members were interested in learning from lessons learned and how MOE could address any potential gaps in the GE P’s student resource allocation and learning opportunities. &nbsp,

Foods HYGIENE, SKILLSFUTURE, Charges

In light of recent mass food poisoning circumstances, one of the questions raised by MPs is whether the regulators will examine the sufficiency of fines for food hygiene violations.

MPs also inquired about the SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support program’s more details, and whether the government would consider enacting any new laws to reduce the use of personal mobility aids ( PMAs ) by able-bodied people. &nbsp,

Six Bills are set to be introduced, including the Elections ( Integrity of Online Advertising ) ( Amendment ) Bill. &nbsp,

The four bills scheduled for second reading include the Casino Control ( Amendment ) Bill and the Platform Workers Bill. &nbsp,

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