KUALA LUMPUR: There has been an increasing trend of HIV cases among tertiary students aged from 18 to 25 years old in public and private higher education institutions across the country, the Dewan Rakyat was told. The Higher Education Ministry, citing figures from the Health Ministry, said there were 214 HIV cases involving tertiary students in 2020, followed by a slight reduction of 186 cases in 2021.   But, the number went up to 221 cases in 2022 and 244 cases last year, said the Higher Education Ministry. “The percentage of public and private higher education learning institutions is between 6.7% to 7.6% from the total amount of new HIV cases identified in the years mentioned,” added the Higher Education Ministry.   The Higher Education Ministry said through public universities, it has planned and implemented various programmes involving advocacy, awareness and prevention in relation to HIV infections. “We are always aware and concerned about the wellbeing of students, including issues involving health and disease infections,” it added. The Higher Education Ministry also said that from 2022 till June this year, it held 77 advocacy, awareness and prevention programmes on HIV, involving 22,905 public university students.   https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2024/07/03/rise-in-number-of-hiv-cases-involving-tertiary-students-since-2021-dewan-rakyat-told

TEMERLOH: A man was sentenced to 30 years in prison and 13 strokes of the cane by the Sessions Court here today for raping and molesting his then 10-year-old daughter three years ago. The 54-year-old was ordered to serve 20 years in prison and to be given 10 strokes of the cane for rape and another 10 years and three strokes for physical sexual abuse. However, judge Jamaludin Mat ordered the prison sentences be served concurrently from the date the accused was arrested on Sept 12, 2022. For the first offence, the accused was charged under Section 376(3) of the Penal Code for raping his daughter, who was then aged 10 years and 3 months, at a residence in Kampung Lubuk Paku, Maran, in mid-March 2022. The section carries a manimum prison sentence of 30 years and up to 10 strokes of the cane. For the second offence, he was charged with committing physical sexual abuse against his child in the same place about 8pm on Aug 8, 2022. The charge, under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, carries a maximum jail sentence of 20 years and whipping. Prior to sentencing, deputy public prosecutor Khairunnisa Zaffar urged the court to mete out the maximum sentence, citing the severity of the crime. The accused was represented by Khairul Anuar Abu Hasan Ashari and Ahmad Zahid Abu Hashim.