Tag Archives: School

Are autism rates in Australia surging due to COVID-19 vaccines?!

Are autism rates in Australia surging due to COVID-19 vaccines?! Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Autism Rates In Australia Are Surging Due To COVID-19 Vaccines!

People are sharing an article (archive) by The People’s Voice (formerly NewsPunch), which claimed or suggested that autism rates in Australia are surging due to COVID-19 vaccines!

Here is an excerpt of the long and (intentionally?) confusing article. Feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

Autism Rates Surging in Fully Vaccinated Australia, 25% of Children Now Officially ‘Disabled’

Autism and disability rates have exploded in Australia in recent years, with an astonishing 25% of young children now officially registered as “disabled,” according to government statistics.

The number of primary school age students with disabilities has skyrocketed in recent years, jumping almost 40% since 2017. Social disabilities including autism have grown at almost 10% a year.

Doctors are baffled because Australia has one of the highest living standards in the world. Meanwhile, the mainstream media continues to insist the skyrocketing rates of autism, death and disability in Australia have nothing to do with the country having one of the highest vaccination rates in the world.

More than 97.4% of Australians aged over 16 have received at least two doses of Covid-19 vaccines. Furthermore, children receive a punishing schedule of vaccinations from birth and continuing throughout childhood.

According to the Department of Health, 94.6% of children meet the Australian government’s requirements to be considered “fully immunized.”

In Australian classrooms today, an estimated 4% of 7 to 14-year-olds now have a primary diagnosis of autism, while between 6% and 10% of children have ADHD.

Huge numbers of children with physical and psychological disabilities are also enrolled in the education system, the astonishing numbers dwarfing previous generations and providing serious challenges for teachers unprepared for the carnage.

Such is the level of carnage in fully vaccinated Australia, teachers are expected to perform numerous roles, catering to children with myriad different disabilities.

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Truth : Autism Rates In Australia Are Not Surging Due To COVID-19 Vaccines!

This is yet another example of fake news created / promoted by The People’s Voice, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Guardian Article Did Not Claim Vaccines Cause Rise In Autism!

Let me start by quickly pointing out that the Guardian article called “How the risk of autism and ADHD fractured Australia’s schools” did not claim that COVID-19 vaccines, or any vaccine for the fact, caused the rise in autism in Australia.

In fact, the article pointed out that the national disability insurance scheme was a key driver of the growth [of students with disabilities], as well as changes to how schools assess disability for reporting purposes.

Nowhere in the article was it ever suggested that doctors are baffled about the growth of students with autism and disabilities in Australia. Neither did it even suggest that vaccines might be the cause!

Perhaps that’s why The People’s Voice article did not provide a link to the article? After all, anyone who reads the article will realise vaccines were never mentioned in the entire article, much less blamed for the rise in disabilities or autism in Australia!

Fact #2 : Australia Autism Rates Have Been Rising Before COVID-19 Vaccines

More importantly, the rate of autism in Australia has been steadily increasing year-on-year since 2004 – more than 16 years before the first COVID-19 vaccine was approved!

Obviously, the introduction of COVID-19 vaccines in 2021 could not have possibly caused the yearly increase in autism diagnoses in Australia… unless they have a time machine???

The truth is – the increase in autism diagnoses in Australia has nothing to do with COVID-19 vaccines.

Fact #3 : Only 4% Of Young Students Have Autism

Just in case you misread the clickbait title and thought that 25% of children in Australia have autism, that’s not true.

The Guardian article pointed out about 4% of young students (7 to 14 year olds) have a primary diagnosis of autism, while 6%-10% of children have ADHD.

Even if you combine both disabilities together, they only make up less than 15%. Nowhere close to 25% for sure!

Fact #4 : Autism Rates Have Been Going Up For Decades

The rise in autism diagnoses isn’t exclusive to Australia either. Thanks to greater awareness and screening, a change in diagnostic criteria, as well as greater access to healthcare services, more children with autism are being diagnosed all across the world.

This increase in autism diagnoses is also not related to COVID-19 vaccines, as they have been increasing since 2000, as this chart shows. It is simply not possible for COVID-19 vaccines, which were only approved at the end of 2020 or early 2021, to go back in time and cause autism…

Fact #5 : The People’s Voice Is Known For Fake News

The People’s Voice is the current name for NewsPunch, which possibly changed its name because its brand has been so thoroughly discredited after posting numerous shocking but fake stories.

Founded as Your News Wire in 2014, it was rebranded as NewsPunch in November 2018, before becoming The People’s Voice. A 2017 BuzzFeed report identified NewsPunch as the second-largest source of popular fake news on Facebook that year.

Its articles have been regularly debunked as fake news, so you should never share anything from NewsPunch / The People’s Voice. Here are some of its fake stories that I fact checked earlier:

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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Judge Merchan blocked Donald Trump from Barron’s graduation?!

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Did Judge Juan Merchan block Donald Trump from attending his son, Barron Trump’s graduation?! Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Judge Merchan Blocked Donald Trump From Barron’s Graduation!

People are suddenly claiming or suggesting that WEF founder Klaus Schwab was hospitalised late last night, and may be dead.

Eric Trump : Judge Merchan is truly heartless in not letting a father attend his son’s graduation

Sebastian Gorka DrG : Judge tells Trump he cannot attend Barron’s graduation, and that he will be arrested if he misses a day in court.

Collin Rugg : NEW: Donald Trump confirms that New York Judge Juan Merchan said he won’t be able to attend his son Barron Trump’s graduation.

Trump also said the judge won’t let him attend a hearing before the Supreme Court.

“It’s a political witch hunt… we are not going to be given a fair trial.”

“It is perfect for the radical left Democrats. That’s exactly what they want. This is about election interference. That’s all it’s about.”

Earlier in the day, Forbes reported that Merchan stated that his decision on whether or not Trump can go to Barron’s graduation “depends on if we are on time and where we are in the trial.”

Terrence K. Williams : 😡I never thought I would disrespect a Judge but F**** Justice Juan M. Merchan

This man is the Devil! He said Trump is not allowed to go to his sons graduation

Barron Trump needs his father at his graduation! They are hurting Barron by doing this. Crossing the Line.

The Judges daughter worked for Kamala Campaign. ELECTION INTERFERENCE

RT or Tag any Republican from the @HouseGOP & @SenateGOP and tell them it’s time to play Dirty!

NO MORE PLAYING BY THE RULES
Don’t wait for evidence, just go after every Democrat and ruin their names and reputation!

That’s what they are doing to TRUMP and all of us for absolutely no reason #TrumpTrial

Laura Loomer : 🚨President Trump just released a new statement following Day 1 of his Trial in NYC. Today Judge Merchan said President Trump can’t go to his son Barron’s high school graduation and that he will have President Trump arrested if he doesn’t show up for court.

Judge Merchan is an evil man.

DC_Draino : Leftist NYC Judge won’t allow President Trump to attend Barron’s high school graduation This is going to backfire huge The American people are sick of this Marxist tyranny

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Truth : Judge Merchan Has Not Blocked Donald Trump From Barron’s Graduation… Yet

This appears to be yet another example of fake news circulating online, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Juan Merchan Said Trump Could Possibly Attend Graduation

Let me start by simply pointing out that New York Judge Juan Merchan has not ruled on whether Donald Trump can skip the trial to attend Barron Trump’s graduation ceremony.

On Monday, April 15, Judge Merchan said that he received requests from Donald Trump’s attorneys for the former president to miss the trial on May 17, to attend his son’s graduation from the Oxbridge Academy. They also asked for the trial to be adjourned on June 3, as one of Trump’s attorneys wanted to attend their son’s graduation.

Judge Merchan explained that he could not rule at this time, because it would depend on whether the trial was running on schedule. In fact, Judge Merchan said that it’s possible that he might adjourn the case, and allow Donald Trump and his lawyer to attend their sons’ graduation!

If everything is going according to schedule then I’m sure we’ll be able to adjourn for one or both of those days.

But if we’re running behind schedule we will not be able to. It really depends on if we are on time and where we are in the trial.

To be clear – Judge Juan Merchan did not say that Donald Trump is not allowed to attend Barron Trump’s graduation. He has not made that determination yet, and he left open the possibility that he might allow Donald Trump to attend his son’s graduation.

Fact #2 : Donald Trump Did Not Say He Cannot Attend Barron’s Graduation

Even more damning – Donald Trump himself did not say that he won’t be able to attend Barron Trump’s graduation. This was what he posted in his Truth Social post, with the relevant part in bold:

Who will explain for me, to my wonderful son, Barron, who is a GREAT Student at a fantastic School, that his Dad will likely not be allowed to attend his Graduation Ceremony

As you can see – Donald Trump himself only said that he will “likely not be allowed” to attend Barron’s graduation ceremony. He never actually said that Judge Juan Merchan told him he could not attend his son’s graduation.

Later in his Truth Social post, he said that the judged was “preventing me from proudly attending” his son’s graduation. But that was only because Judge Juan Merchan would not rule on the matter yet.

Fact #3 : Donald Trump Not Required To Attend Supreme Court Hearing

Judge Juan Merchan only refused to allow Donald Trump to go to the Supreme Court on April 25 for oral arguments related to his claim of presidential immunity.

That’s because Donald Trump is not required to be present for the oral arguments at the Supreme Court, whereas he is required to attend the New York court for his criminal case, as Judge Merchan pointed out to Trump attorney Todd Blanche:

Your client is a criminal defendant in New York County Supreme Court. He’s required to be here. He is not required to be in the Supreme Court.

As Donald Trump was not required to attend the oral arguments at the Supreme Court, there was no reason for Judge Merchan to grant him another delay.

Fact #4 : Melania Was Allegedly Pregnant During Trump’s Affair

Ironically, this Barron Trump graduation controversy comes at the start of the case that revolved around not one, but two affairs, Donald Trump allegedly had during Melania’s pregnancy, and after she gave birth to Barron Trump, as Ron Filipkowski pointed out:

Trump is crying about supposedly having to miss Barron’s graduation when the state is introducing evidence that he was having an affair with a Playboy model the entire time Melania was pregnant. And that was before Stormy.

While Judge Merchan agreed to allow prosecutors to introduce evidence of that alleged affair with Playboy model Karen McDougal, he blocked “bringing up that the defendant’s wife was pregnant and this went on and even after she gave birth“.

Perhaps it might not be a good idea for Donald Trump to attend his son’s graduation after all, as it could embarrass his son in front of his classmates…

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Is Justin Trudeau Facing Child Rape Charges?!

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Is Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau facing child rape charges?! Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Justin Trudeau Is Facing Child Rape Charges!

People are sharing an article (archive) by The People’s Voice (formerly NewsPunch), which claims that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau could be imprisoned for life on child rape charges!

Here is an excerpt of the long and (intentionally?) confusing article. Feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

Justin Trudeau Facing Life Behind Bars on Child Rape Charges

Canada’s beleaguered Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is fighting for more than just his political life in the lead up to the national election, he’s fighting to avoid spending the rest of his life behind bars on child sex charges.

Trudeau has already lost his marriage due to his sordid history as a sex offender, but he is about to lose a whole lot more according to investigators who revealed the globalist leader is about to be thrown under the bus and prosecuted on child rape charges if he loses the next election.

According to investigators, Trudeau isn’t the only world leader or senior politician facing charges. A whole host of household names, including members of the US House and Senate, are sweating as the walls close in on them.

Trudeau’s crimes against children are open in secret in Canadian politics at this point. Everyone in the Canadian parliament knows the score. Trudeau is a dead man walking. So why hasn’t the entire world heard about Trudeau’s disgrace?

Because Justin has been following in the authoritarian footsteps of his biological father, Fidel Castro, by muzzling the Canadian media and eliminating freedom of speech in the once proud democratic nation to our north.

With the people rising up against him, investigators compiling evidence, and prosecutors circling, Trudeau has never been so desperate. And frankly, it shows.

Earlier this week Trudeau tried to blame everything on “conspiracy theorists” while pining for the days when Canada only had one or two TV stations that could be completely controlled by the government.

Take the case of his former student at the prestigious West Point Grey Academy, for example. Canadian media is prevented from reporting on this story, and most of the US media is controlled by three-letter agencies and the globalist elite, so Trudeau’s victim’s father spoke to the Buffalo Chronicle to reveal that she was much younger at the time of their relationship than was first thought.

Some in the public discourse pegged the young girl at 17-years-old. According to her father, this is inaccurate “She was much, much younger than that,” the Canadian businessman told The Chronicle. He was not a party to the $2.25 million non-disclosure non-disparagement agreement that his daughter signed, in exchange for her continued silence, on October 9, 2008.

The terms of that agreement prevent both the accuser and Trudeau from acknowledging “any aspect” of the relationship, without triggering a six-to-seven-figure liquidated damages clause. That penalty starts at $500,000 and scales up, depending on the magnitude of the breach.

Trudeau and the underage girl engaged in a long affair on- and off-campus while Trudeau taught drama and French at the elite school, until Trudeau was discovered by the girl’s father at their family home, prompting demands to school administrators that he be removed from his position immediately.

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Truth : Justin Trudeau Is Not Facing Child Rape Charges!

This is yet another example of fake news created / promoted by The People’s Voice, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Justin Trudeau Is Not Facing Child Rape Charges!

Let me start by pointing out that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is not facing child rape charges!

Such a shocking development would have been reported by the media worldwide. Yet no legitimate media reported on Justin Trudeau facing any criminal charges, never mind child rape charges.

Unsurprisingly, The People’s Voice did not provide any actual evidence that Justin Trudeau is facing child rape charges.

Fact #2 : No Evidence Of Justin Trudeau Sex Scandal

Rumours of a sex scandal surrounding Justin Trudeau’s teaching job at the West Point Grey Academy started sometime in October 2019. Even though Canadian reporters looked into the viral claims, no one could substantiate those rumours.

Globe and Mail reporter, Marieka Walsh, even asked Justin Trudeau to address those rumours at an October 4, 2019 press conference, and explain why he left the private school. Trudeau responded, “I moved on, and I have great memories of an excellent time teaching in Vancouver in public and private schools.”

She then pointedly asked Justin Trudeau if he signed any non-disclosure agreement on his departure from the school. Trudeau answered with an unequivocal “No“. When Walsh asked again why he left the school, Trudeau answered, “Because I was moving on in my career“.

Fact #3 : Justin Trudeau Was Not Dismissed From School

Justin Trudeau was not dismissed from the West Point Grey Academy for any reason. Clive Austin – the headmaster of the school at that time, issued this statement, pointing out that Justin Trudeau left the school “on good terms”:

Mr. Trudeau taught at WPGA during the school years of 1998-2001. As Headmaster of the school at that time, I can tell you with complete certainty that there is no truth to any speculation that he was dismissed. I recall the day that Justin visited me in my office near the end of the 2000-2001 school year and told me he had enjoyed his first few years of teaching, yet was considering a return to Montreal in a year or so to continue his university studies (I think in engineering?). I wished Justin well, and with a smile, said I thought he’d one day find himself in politics at some level. As far as I was concerned we parted company on good terms.

During his time at WPGA, Mr. Trudeau experienced the tragic loss of both his younger brother and his father, yet maintained his focus on the importance of youth and education; for the year to follow, I recall that he did some on-call teaching in a local public school and I believe he stayed active in his work with the Canadian Avalanche Association.

Fact #4 : Justin Trudeau Screenshot Is Fake

The cover image used by The People’s Voice article and video has a screenshot which purportedly shows the Justin Trudeau posting on Facebook Messenger that:

I’m a dead man walking.

When I raped those kids

Podesta shares my passion.

Even though we are not privy to Justin Trudeau’s messages on Facebook Messenger, this is obviously a fake screenshot, as it uses a different photo from his official Facebook account, and lacks the verified blue tick.

In addition, most of the message is curiously mosaic-pixellated! Why would anyone do that if it’s a genuine message by Justin Trudeau?!

Yet again, and unsurprisingly, The People’s Voice article provided no evidence that such a message ever existed!

Fact #5 : The People’s Voice Is Known For Fake News

The People’s Voice is the current name for NewsPunch, which possibly changed its name because its brand has been so thoroughly discredited after posting numerous shocking but fake stories.

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

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Ryan’s Autism Journey – How To Be The Miracle!

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In support of Autism Awareness Month, I want to share with all of you – Ryan’s Autism Journey, and how your child can be the miracle too!

Updated @ 2024-04-02 : Updated for World Autism Awareness Day 2024
Originally posted @ 2021-04-30

Ryan’s Autism Journey : Be The Miracle!

It’s been a dozen since my son, Ryan, was diagnosed with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder), just 3 months shy of his second birthday.

Today, he’s like any other kid his age. He goes to a normal school, keeps up with his studies, and can interact with people pretty normally.

Take a look at how Ryan went from being completely non-verbal, with poor motor skills and no eye contact, to the boy he is today.

Look at how far he has come along in the last 10 years. Your child too can become your miracle!

Ryan’s Autism Journey : How He Became Our Miracle!

I’m sorry, but your child exhibits behaviours consistent with the Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

That is something no parent ever wants to hear. That is something no parent deserves to hear. But it is what it is. It would explain his inability to speak or stay still, his lack of eye contact, repetitive behaviours, screaming fits at night (night terrors), and more.

But no one ever accepts it when they hear it for the first time, the second time, or even the third time. We always hold out hope that it must be something else. Maybe he’s just slower than the other kids. Maybe he’s just cranky. No one wants to hear the dreaded A word.

Acceptance

IMHO, acceptance was KEY to our success. It was the first step we took into the dark tunnel, and out the other end.

Over the years, many people have confided in me how their friends or relatives refused to acknowledge the diagnosis, thus preventing them from moving to the next stage – helping the child.

If it helps, ignore the label. The diagnosis really does not matter. All you need to know is that your child is missing key milestones, and he/she needs help. That is all that matters.

How can we not fight for Ryan???

Every Day Counts

Everyone goes through the stages of grief when you get the diagnosis. But time is of essence. Every day counts. So I decided right away to speed right through to acceptance, and get right down to work.

That meant reading up on the latest studies and treatments, and getting urgent referrals to the best doctors and therapists in the area.

It may be somewhat easier for me, because I already underwent a similar baptism of fire when my wife had two strokes just 1.5 years earlier. So I would understand if you may have trouble moving past this stage.

If I may offer a personal suggestion, try focusing on the fact that your child urgently needs your help, and every day counts.

Neuroplasticity

It soon became clear that the key was THERAPY, and the earlier he started, the better; because young brains are especially “plastic”.

Neuroplasticity – the ability of our brains to “rewire” itself – is how stroke patients regain function through therapy, and it’s the same reason why therapy works well in children with ASD.

The key is to start therapy as early as possible, to take advantage of the developing brain of young children, which is highly plastic.

You don’t even have to wait for a diagnosis. As our developmental paediatrician, Dr. Rajini Sarvananthan, once told me – as long as a child has developmental issues, therapy should begin.

The writer with Dr. Rajini Sarvananthan

Therapy, Therapy, Therapy

We put Ryan on occupational therapy with Madam Teo Lee Fun to work on his sensory and behavioural issues, as well as his fine and gross motor skills.

We also put Ryan on speech therapy with Dr. Cindy Lian, to help him learn to speak, and later, to improve his pronunciation.

Finally, we managed to get a slot in an Early Intervention Programme – Bridges EIP – for two-hour sessions, twice a week.

EIP is an incredibly useful programme, where special needs kids are taught cognitive skills at the table for about 30 minutes, followed by 15-20 minutes of gross motor activities. Then they learn to eat by themselves, and interact with other children during snack time. After that, they usually have some kind of art and craft activity, and end with singing.

Many thanks to great teachers like Jeremy Yong, Rachel and Lois Fu!

Save Money By Learning + Repeating At Home

Therapy sessions are not cheap, and we had a tough time coping financially with the costs. I’m sure many parents felt the same way too.

So a great way to save money and improve your child’s chances is to actually attend every therapy session yourself, and learn how to perform those therapies yourself. That way, you can cut down on the number of therapy sessions, without jeopardising your child’s therapy. Simply repeat the therapies at home, as often as you can.

Some parents have told me how some therapists refuse to let them join therapy sessions. If that is the case, then you should choose a different therapist. The therapists we worked with all insist that we join the sessions so we can learn and repeat at home.

Therapy Is Brain Exercise

Learning therapies and repeating at home isn’t just about cost. Therapy is literally brain exercise. The more you exercise, the better you get. So please understand this – weekly therapy sessions alone are NOT ENOUGH.

We not only made sure Ryan did not skip any therapy sessions, we also made sure we attended every session ourselves, to learn the therapies, and repeating them at home. The key is to repeat, repeat, repeat at home.

Even if you are rich enough to afford daily sessions, that still amounts to just a few hours a week. It cannot beat parents teaching their kids at home too.

No matter how often you send your child for therapy, please repeat, repeat, repeat the therapies at home as often as you can!

Don’t Give Up

Looking back at my records, Ryan did not improve much for quite some time – at least 1.5 years. That is really a long time to stick with something with little to show for.

But I knew that therapies are literally the only proven treatment for ASD. So I never once considered stopping his therapies, even as I watched other parents give up to try alternative therapies.

As expensive in money and time as they were – my wife and I attended all of them, and we repeated the therapies at home. We slogged on, even when Ryan did not seem to be making progress at all.

Then suddenly, Ryan started to show improvements, and by golly, when that happened, it just kept snowballing! In just 1.5 years, he went from speaking only a few words and barely able to hold a ball, to being able to converse normally and he even learned the waveboard by himself in just two weeks!

He improved so much, we ended up sending him to a Chinese school – to keep pushing the envelope. Ryan is now in a public school, where he even won an award for being the most improved student in his class!

Three years after I first wrote this story, Ryan is now a prefect in his secondary school, and loves playing badminton. He doesn’t yet know what he wants to be when he grows up, but he wants to go to a university when he figures that out!

Don’t Chase After Miracles!

If there is any advice we can give to parents with children on the spectrum, it is this – please don’t fall for what’s easy and what’s miraculous.

Biomedical treatments that promise quick solutions, or supplements that promise a fast cure – they are all enticing, I’m sure. But don’t listen to what they have to sell.

Find out what WORKS, and seek advice from those who have actually SUCCEEDED. Don’t chase after miracles. BE THE MIRACLE!

No Special Treatment

This is not part of therapy, it’s just common sense. Don’t pamper or coddle your child, or treat him/her differently from the other siblings.

We made the conscious choice of making sure Ryan is treated no differently from his siblings. Not only is he FULLY VACCINATED, he has NO SPECIAL DIET / SUPPLEMENTS, and certainly NO PASSES for bad behaviour.

We are not going to be here forever. If we want him to be fully independent as an adult, he has to learn to eat, drink and behave like everyone else.

Ryan’s Autism Journey : Why It’s Important To Speak Up

We may be out of the dark tunnel, but we are not out of the woods yet. Even today, we are still working with Ryan on his social skills. But it is truly amazing how far we have come in the last 12 years.

I spent hours creating the video and writing this article, because it is important for those who have succeeded to lend a hand, and help those who are struggling with the enormity of the task at hand.

I hope Ryan’s journey will inspire all of you to persevere and trust in the evidence, and trust in the science.

Ryan did it, and so can your child.

All we ask is that when you succeed, you too will lend a helping hand to other parents, and be a voice for other children on the spectrum.

Thank you!

Please Support My Work!

Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp

Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

Recommended Reading

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Please support us by visiting our sponsors, participating in the Tech ARP Forums, or donating to our fund. Thank you!

Did Henry Cavill Help Nephew Prove Superman Is His Uncle?!

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Did Henry Cavill go to his nephew’s school to prove that Superman is really his uncle?! Take a look at the viral story + video, and find out what the FACTS really are!

Updated @ 2024-03-29 : Updated with the latest details, and new video.
Originally posted @ 2021-01-27

Did Henry Cavill Help Nephew Prove Superman Is His Uncle?

This cute story of Henry Cavill going to school to help his nephew, Thomas, prove that Superman is his uncle, keeps going viral.

Whether they are posted on Facebook, or in “viral websites”, the story generally goes along these lines, with a picture of Henry Cavill walking his nephew to school :

The day Uncle Cavill had to prove his nephew was not a liar.

Little Thomas, aged only 7, went to school dressed as Superman and the teacher asked why he was dressed like this.

“Because Superman is my uncle,” he replied.

The teacher then explained that Superman didn’t exist, but Thomas insisted, repeating numerous times that he existed, and that he was his uncle. And the kid ended up at the office…

An officer was asked to see him, to warn the child not to live in a fantasy world.

As the doubt remained, she called her brother-in-law, asking him to go to school to “save” her nephew, who was radiant for all his little friends to see that he was really Superman’s nephew!

The news was confirmed in the last few hours by Cavill himself, reiterating that he had saved his nephew from a bad punishment, given his reputation for “telling lies”.

Henry Cavill Did Not Help Nephew Prove Superman Is His Uncle!

As endearing as this story is, it was really fabricated from an old but true story from 2011. Many websites and videos keep resurrecting this story to “go viral” and make money. Here are the facts…

Fact #1 : Superman Uncle Incident Happened In 2011

This incident involving his nephew, Thomas, actually happened in 2011 when Henry first learned that he would be playing Superman in Zack Snyder’s film. This was what Henry Cavill said in his 2013 interview with Jay Leno:

My nephew Thomas was so super excited… he ran to school. Now keep in mind Thomas has got a great reputation for telling stories and just making up stuff to the teacher.

He says, “Well, because my uncle is Superman,” and she’s like, “Oh okay, and she pulls him aside. He got in trouble. [She was like] “this is sad.”

Fact #2 : Henry Cavill Told The Story In 2013 + 2018

Henry Cavill not only recounted this incident in June 2013 in an interview with Jay Leno on The Tonight Show, he also repeated the story to Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest on their show in July 2018.

So all those viral and celebrity websites that claimed that Henry Cavill confirmed this “in the last few hours” lied to you. This is a really old story.

Fact #3 : Henry Cavill Did NOT Go To His Nephew’s School

Thomas’ mother – Henry’s sister-in-law – then explained to the teacher that the boy’s uncle “actually kind of is” Superman.

She did not ask Henry to “rescue” Thomas, so he did not actually go to his nephew’s school to prove that Superman is really his uncle.

Fact #4 : They Were Not Walking To His Nephew’s School

The (fake news) creators misappropriated a photo to make it look as if Henry Cavill was walking his nephew to school to prove that his uncle really is Superman.

The truth is this was one of the photos taken of Henry, who was walking in London with his brother Niki and his family on 7 September 2013. They were NOT going to school to rescue Thomas, that’s for sure!

Fact #5 : Thomas Was Not 7 Years Old When It Happened

Henry Cavill did not mention how old Thomas was when this “Superman is my uncle” incident happened. But in a May 2021 interview with Viva Magazine, he said,

I have two nephews, aged 6 and 4. The older is known for telling wild tales in school and telling lies invented all the time. During one of the classes, the teacher asked pupils to talk about their family members, and what they do professionally. Then, the boy said: “My uncle is Superman.”

So we know that Thomas was 6 years old in 2013, and not 7 years old in 2021, 2022, 2023, or 2024, as many viral websites and social media posts are claiming.

We also know that the incident happened sometime between 2011 and 2013. so Thomas was likely between 4 and 6 years old at that time.

Little Thomas would be a strapping 17 year-old teenager in 2024. Even if Uncle Cavill offered to go to his school dressed as Superman, you can be sure he would definitely refuse the offer!

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Was King Charles Just Exposed For Raping Children?!

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Were King Charles and his close friends just exposed for raping hundreds of children in an explosive new testimony?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : King Charles + Close Friends Raped Hundreds Of Children!

People are sharing an article (archive) by The People’s Voice (formerly NewsPunch), which claims King Charles and his close friends was just exposed by an explosive new testimony of raping “hundreds of children”!

Here is an excerpt from the long, and (intentionally?) rambling article. Feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!

King Charles and Close Friends Raped ‘Hundreds of Children’ – Explosive New Testimony

King Charles has been implicated in a massive decades-old pedophile ring at an “elite” British boarding school, according to revelations by a former student and whistleblower who has blown the lid off the horrific scale of the elite’s chosen vice.

According to an award-winning journalist who attended the school as a boy, children at the elite school are routinely beaten, harassed, raped, and driven to suicide.

Inevitably with pedophilia, all roads lead to Rome. In this case Rome’s latest incarnation: the British ‘royal’ family, who, in the words of Stevens, regularly visit Aldenham School to “feed” on children.

According to Stevens, who know goes by the name Phoenix Kaspian, the British royal family led by Charles are “unable to resist raping anything that smells like a child.”

Prince Charles was best friends with Britain’s most notorious pedovore Jimmy Savile, regularly hosting him at royal estates and using him as a sounding board for advice. Charles even asked Savile, who raped hundreds of children over the course of decades in the public eye, to write an etiquette guide to be followed the Queen.

King Charles’s great-uncle and mentor Lord Mountbatten was also accused of raping an 11-year-old boy at a notorious children’s home in the 1970s, adding weight to allegations that the British royal family practice child sacrifice and ritualistic pedophilia as one of their ancient rites and customs.

What are the chances of Charles and Andrew both being best friends with the most notorious international pedophiles of their generation? And what are the chances of King Charles’ mentor also being accused of raping young boys?

Show less

Truth : King Charles Was Not Exposed For Raping Children!

This is yet another example of fake news created / promoted by The People’s Voice, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : King Charles Was Not Exposed For Raping Children

Let me start by simply pointing out that King Charles was not exposed in any testimony of raping hundreds of children with his close friends.

The People’s Voice referred to an article by Voice of Liberated Children, but even that article does not offer any actual evidence of King Charles raping any children, much less “hundreds of children” with his close friends.

In short – there simply is no evidence, or testimony, by any victim or witness to the raping of any child or children by King Charles and his close friends.

Fact #2 : One Aldenham Teacher Was Convicted Of Rape

There has been no evidence of child abuse at the Aldenham School, as far as I can tell. There was only one known case of rape involving an Aldenham school teacher called Alun Pickford.

Alun Pickford was convicted on 21 July 2023 of raping an 18 year-old girl in the early 1990s, while he was a junior teacher at the Aldenham School. While the girl was a student at that time, she does not appear to be studying at Aldenham.

According to the Hertfordshire Constabulary, Alun Pickford invited the teenage girl to stay overnight at his one-bedroom flat on the Aldenham school estate, offering to sleep on the sofa while she slept in his bed. However, he entered the bedroom that night and got into bed with her.

The teenage girl confided in a friend about the incident, but did not take the matter further until she reported the rape to police in 2020.

There is no evidence of other rapes at the Aldenham School, or that other teachers were involved. There is also no evidence of any child sex ring at Aldenham School, with hundreds of children getting raped.

Fact #3 : King Charles Was Not Involved With Aldenham

King Charles never went to the Aldenham School, and was never involved in the governance of the school.

In fact, he appears to have only met once with student ambassadors (Head Boy Subhan Iqbal and Head Girl Sarah Dean) from the Aldenham School in March 2016.

Therefore, it is odd that anyone should accuse him of raping children studying at Aldenham when he has zero involvement with that boarding school.

Fact #4 : Prince Andrew Screenshot Is Fake

The People’s Voice article and video used a cover photo which appears to feature a screenshot of a social media post by Prince Andrew. That is most certainly fake, because Prince Andrew no longer has any social media accounts.

He never had any official Facebook page, and deleted his official Twitter and YouTube accounts, and took his Instagram account private in January 2022, after Queen Elizabeth II stripped him of his military titles.

Needless to say, The People’s Voice provided no evidence Prince Andrew called King Charles’ recent cancer diagnosis “fake”, and said that ‘kids were killed”.

And it is odd that the screenshot was censored with only two statements visible. Why censor it if it’s genuine?

Fact #5 : The People’s Voice Is Known For Publishing Fake News

The People’s Voice is the current name for NewsPunch, which possibly changed its name because its brand has been so thoroughly discredited after posting numerous shocking but fake stories.

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Students Can Wear Sports Attire For 2024/2025 School Term!

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The Malaysia Minister of Education just announced that students can wear sports attire for the 2024-2025 school term!

Students Can Wear Sports Attire For 2024/2025 School Term!

On Friday, 19 January 2024, the Malaysia Minster of Education announced that students will be allowed to wear sports attire for most of the week for the 2024-2025 school term.

From March 2024 onwards, students will longer be required to wear their school uniform for two days per week. They can then wear sportswear for two days, and co-curriculum attire for one day.

School uniform : two days per week
Sportswear : two days per week
Co-curriculum attire : one day per week

This decision was made after consulting stakeholders, including parents, teachers, and the community. The Education Ministry had earlier announced that students and teachers could wear sports attire due to the hot weather.

The school attire from the 2024/2025 academic year will be … two days of school uniform, two days of sportswear, and one day of co-curriculum attire.

She also said that further details will be provided later, in the announcement letter that will be sent to schools.

For reference, the 2024-2025 school term in Malaysia begins in March 2024 and ends in January 2025:

Group A

Group A states are Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu.

Group A : 2024 – 2025 school year will last from 10 March 2024 until 15 February 2025

Group A	School Starts	School Ends	Days
Term 1	10 March 2024	23 May 2024	48
Term 1 Holiday	24 May 2024	2 June 2024	10
Term 2	3 June 2024	12 September 2024	71
Term 2 Holiday	13 September 2024	21 September 2024	9
Term 3 Part 1	22 September 2024	19 December 2024	63
Term 3 Holiday	20 December 2024	28 December 2024	9
Term 3 Part 2	29 December 2024	16 January 2025	15
Year End Holiday	17 January 2025	15 February 2025	30

Group B

Group B states are Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Penang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya.

Group B : 2023 / 2024 academic year will last from 11 March 2024 until 16 February 2025

Group B	School Starts	School Ends	Days
Term 1	11 March 2024	24 May 2024	48
Term 1 Holiday	25 May 2024	2 June 2024	9
Term 2	3 June 2024	13 September 2024	72
Term 2 Holiday	14 September 2024	22 September 2024	9
Term 3 Part 1	23 September 2024	20 December 2024	62
Term 3 Holiday	21 December 2024	29 December 2024	9
Term 3 Part 2	30 December 2024	17 January 2025	14
Year End Holiday	18 January 2025	16 February 2025	30

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Did This Muslim Man Just Marry An 8 Year-Old Girl?!

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Did this elderly Muslim man just marry an 8 year-old girl?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : This Muslim Man Just Married An 8 Year-Old Girl!

People are sharing this photo, claiming or suggesting that it shows a Muslim man who just married a very young girl.

David Vance : Husband and wife, Islam approved. Thoughts? (screenshot)

David Atherton : Yes, that is his wife (screenshot)

Mrutyunjay Joshi : 40 year of man with skull cap marries 8 year old girl who was her grand daughter. A little girls dies at Suhagraat.

Truth : That Muslim Man Did Not Marry An 8 Year-Old Girl!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on X (formerly Twitter), and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : The Photo Was From 2016

The viral photo isn’t new, even though people are posting it in 2023. It has been circulating since 2016, and keeps going viral over the years.

Fact #2 : The Photo Was Taken In Turkey

Even though some have posted the photo together with screenshots of news articles suggesting that this occurred in Yemen, the viral photo was actually taken in Elâzığ, a city in Turkey.

Fact #3 : It Was A Kindergarten Ceremony

Regardless of what’s been claimed on social media, the viral photo does not show an old man and his very young wife. Neither does it show a wedding of the man and the very young girl.

The photo is one of many taken at a private kindergarten in Elâzığ, Turkey, showing the celebration ceremony held for children – boys and girls, who successfully completed their Quran education.

Notably, the girls came to the kindergarten ceremony dressed in costumes, including wedding dresses. However, it does not mean that they were there to be married off to old men!

The man in the viral photo is apparently the kindergarten’s principal, who shared those photos on the kindergarten’s social media account.

Needless to say – the parents of those children were also present! The photos also show the children receiving presents.

Fact #4 : Bride Who Died On Wedding Night Was A Different Girl

The shocking case of an 8 year-old Yemeni girl called Rawan, who allegedly died on her wedding night, has been tied to this viral photo.

Allegedly, the girl died from internal bleeding and a uterine rupture, after having intercourse with her 40 year-old husband on their wedding night in the northwestern Yemeni town of Meedi.

The story was reported by a Yemeni social activist, and confirmed to Reuters by two residents in Meedi. However, a security official in the provincial town of Haradh denied that any such incident occurred. To date, no additional details have been reported, and it is not known if this incident actually happened.

Even if the story is true, that incident was reported in September 2013 – more than 10 years ago. That case has nothing to do with the viral photo above, which was taken three years later – in 2016.

Fact #5 : Dead Bride + Husband Photos Are False

To be clear – no known photo exists of the 40 year-old man, or his 8 year-old bride who allegedly died on their wedding night. The two viral photos that often accompany that story were misappropriated.

The man in the screenshot below is actually Ebrahim Yusuf Kazi, a 67 year-old imam who was jailed in 2011 for two years for sexually assaulting three young girls in the United Kingdom.

The girl, who appears to be dressed as a bride, was apparently taken from a Russia-1 video uploaded in 2012, about child brides in the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) of the former Soviet Union.

I should also point out that the girl’s name is not Ilham Mahdi al Assi. That is a 13 year-old Yemeni girl who died after bleeding from her first sexual intercourse with her 23 year-old husband, Abed al-Hikmi. That happened in April 2010, and her husband was detained by the police.

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2024 Public + School Holidays For Malaysia!

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To help you plan your holidays in the new year, here is a summary of the public and school holidays in Malaysia for 2024!

2024 Public Holidays For Malaysia

Here are the public holidays for Malaysia in the year 2024. Some of these days may be subject to change.

Date	Day	Holiday	States
1 Jan	Mon	New Year’s Day	All states except Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis and Terengganu
14 Jan 15 Jan	Sun Mon	YDPB Negeri Sembilan’s Birthday	Negeri Sembilan
25 Jan	Thu	Thaipusam	Johor, Kuala Lumpur, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Perak, Putrajaya and Selangor
1 Feb	Thu	Federal Territory Day	Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, Putrajaya
8 Feb	Thu	Israk and Mikraj	Kedah, Negeri Sembilan, Perlis and Terengganu
10 Feb 11 Feb	Sat Sun	Chinese New Year	All states
12 Feb	Mon	Chinese New Year	All states except Johor and Kedah
20 Feb	Tue	Independence Declaration Day	Melaka
4 Mar	Mon	Accession Anniversary of Terengganu Sultan	Terengganu
12 Mar	Tue	Awal Ramadan	Johor, Kedah and Melaka
23 Mar	Sat	Sultan of Johor’s Birthday	Johor
28 Mar	Thu	Nuzul al-Quran	All states except Johor, Kedah, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Sabah and Sarawak
29 Mar	Fri	Good Friday	Sabah and Sarawak
10 Apr 11 Apr	Wed Thu	Hari Raya Aidilfitri	All states
26 Apr	Fri	Sultan of Terengganu’s Birthday	Terengganu
1 May	Wed	Labour Day	All states
17 May	Fri	Raja of Perlis’ Birthday	Perlis
22 May	Mon	Wesak Day	All states
22 May 23 May	Mon Tue	Hari Hol Pahang	Pahang
30 May 31 May	Thu Fri	Harvest Festival	Labuan and Sabah
1 Jun 2 Jun 4 Jun	Sat Sun Tue	Hari Gawai	Sarawak
3 Jun	Mon	YDP Agong’s Birthday	All states
16 Jun	Sun	Arafat Day	Kelantan and Terengganu
17 Jun	Mon	Hari Raya Haji	All states
18 Jun	Tue	Hari Raya Haji	Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis, Terengganu
30 Jun	Sun	Sultan of Kedah’s Birthday	Kedah
7 Jul	Sun	Awal Muharram	All states
8 Jul	Mon	Awal Muharram	All states, except Johor, Kedah, Kelantan & Terengganu
7 Jul 9 Jul	Sun Tue	Georgetown World Heritage City Day	Penang
13 Jul	Sat	Penang Governor’s Birthday	Penang
22 Jul	Mon	Sarawak Day	Sarawak
30 Jul	Tue	Sultan of Pahang’s Birthday	Pahang
11 Aug	Sun	Hari Hol Almarhum Sultan Iskandar	Johor
24 Aug	Sat	Melaka Governor’s Birthday	Melaka
31 Aug	Sat	Merdeka Day	All states
1 Sep	Sun	Merdeka Day	Kelantan & Terengganu
16 Sep	Mon	Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday	All states
16 Sep 17 Sep	Mon Tue	Malaysia Day	All states
29 Sep 30 Sep	Sun Mon	Sultan of Kelantan’s Birthday	Kelantan
5 Oct	Sat	Sabah Governor’s Birthday	Sabah
12 Oct	Sat	Sarawak Governor’s Birthday	Sarawak
31 Oct	Thu	Deepavali	All states except Sarawak
1 Nov	Fri	Sultan of Perak’s Birthday	Perak
11 Dec	Wed	Sultan of Selangor’s Birthday	Selangor
24 Dec	Tue	Christmas Eve	Sabah
25 Dec	Wed	Christmas Day	All states

2024 School Holidays For Malaysia

The COVID-19 pandemic has thoroughly screwed up the school term and holidays. Instead of starting in January and ending in December, the new term now starts in March and every year will have two “academic years”.

It will now take until 2026 for the government to shift the school term back to January-December. This is quite confusing for many of us parents, so here is a quick summary of the school holidays for the year 2024.

Group A Schools

Here are the school holidays for Group A states of Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu.

Holiday	Start	End	Days
Term 1 Holiday	24 May 2024	2 June 2024	10
Term 2 Holiday	13 Sep 2024	21 Sep 2024	9
Term 3 Holiday	20 Dec 2024	28 Dec 2024	9
Year End Holiday	17 Jan 2025	15 Feb 2025	30

In addition, the government also announced these extra holidays for Group A schools:

Festival Holidays	Group A	Notes
Chinese New Year	Saturday + Sunday, 10 and 11 February 2024	Part of 2023-2024 Year-End Holiday
Hari Raya Aidilfitri	7 to 9 April 2024 10 to 11 April 2024	3 extra days Public Holiday
Hari Deepavali	30 October 2024 31 October 2024	1 extra day Public Holiday
Christmas	25 December 2024	Public Holiday
Chinese New Year	Wednesday + Thursday, 29 and 30 January 2025	Part of 2024-2025 Year-End Holiday

Group B Schools

Here are the school holidays for Group A states of Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Penang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya.

Holiday	Start	End	Days
Term 1 Holiday	25 May 2024	2 June 2024	9
Term 2 Holiday	14 Sep 2024	22 Sep 2024	9
Term 3 Holiday	21 Dec 2024	29 Dec 2024	9
Year End Holiday	18 Jan 2025	16 Feb 2025	30

In addition, the government also announced these extra holidays for Group B schools:

Festival Holidays	Group B	Notes
Chinese New Year	Saturday and Sunday, 10 and 11 February 2024	Within 2023 Year-End Holiday
Hari Raya Aidilfitri	8 to 9 April 2024 10 to 11 April 2024 12 April 2024	2 extra days Public Holiday 1 extra day
Pesta Kaamatan	Only for Sabah + Labuan Thursday and Friday, 31 and 31 May 2024	Part of Term 1 Holidays
Hari Gawai Dayak	Only for Sarawak Saturday, 1 June 2024 Sunday, 2 June 2024	Part of Term 1 Holidays
Hari Deepavali	Except Sarawak 30 October 2024 31 October 2024 1 November 2024	1 extra day Public Holiday 1 extra day
Hari Deepavali	Only for Sarawak 30 October 2024 31 October 2024	1 extra day Public Holiday
Christmas	25 December 2024	Part of Term 3 Holidays
Chinese New Year	Wednesday + Thursday, 29 and 30 January 2025	Part of 2024-2025 Year-End Holiday

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2024 – 2025 Malaysia School Term + Holiday Calendar!

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The Malaysia Ministry of Education just announced the 2024 – 2025 school term + holiday calendar! Here is what you need to know!

2024 – 2025 Malaysia School Term To Begin In March!

Back in August 2022, the former Malaysia Minister of Education, Dr. Radzi Jidin, announced that the 2023 school term would begin in March. The final 2023 – 2024 school calendar for Malaysia was only confirmed on 10 December 2022, with an additional delay of one week.

On 8 November 2023, the Malaysia Ministry of Education quietly released the 2024 – 2025 school term + holiday calendar (PDF download), which would begin in March 2024, and end in January 2024.

This shortened school year is in line with efforts to bring the school year back to the pre-pandemic schedule, as announced in May 2023.

The 2024/2025 academic calendar is being brought forward to start in February 2025.
The 2026 academic calendar will then begin in January 2026.

2024 – 2025 Malaysia School Term + Holiday Calendar!

Here is the 2024 – 2025 Malaysia school term calendar that the Malaysia Ministry of Education (KPM) released in November 2023.

Group A states (Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu) will begin the 2024 school term on 10 March 2024, and end on 15 February 2025.

Group B states (Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Penang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya) should begin the 2023 school term on 11 March 2024, and end on 16 February 2025.

The opening of the 2024 – 2025 school year in Malaysia has been brought forward by about 9 days, and the school year shortened by 2 weeks, compared to last year.

The number of school holidays have been reduced by 17 days, down from 75 days last year to just 58 days in the 2024 – 2025 school year.

Group A

Group A states are Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu.

Group A : 2024 – 2025 school year will last from 10 March 2024 until 15 February 2025

Group A	School Starts	School Ends	Days
Term 1	10 March 2024	23 May 2024	48
Term 1 Holiday	24 May 2024	2 June 2024	10
Term 2	3 June 2024	12 September 2024	71
Term 2 Holiday	13 September 2024	21 September 2024	9
Term 3 Part 1	22 September 2024	19 December 2024	63
Term 3 Holiday	20 December 2024	28 December 2024	9
Term 3 Part 2	29 December 2024	16 January 2025	15
Year End Holiday	17 January 2025	15 February 2025	30

Group B

Group B states are Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Penang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya.

Group B : 2023 / 2024 academic year will last from 11 March 2024 until 16 February 2025

Group B	School Starts	School Ends	Days
Term 1	11 March 2024	24 May 2024	48
Term 1 Holiday	25 May 2024	2 June 2024	9
Term 2	3 June 2024	13 September 2024	72
Term 2 Holiday	14 September 2024	22 September 2024	9
Term 3 Part 1	23 September 2024	20 December 2024	62
Term 3 Holiday	21 December 2024	29 December 2024	9
Term 3 Part 2	30 December 2024	17 January 2025	14
Year End Holiday	18 January 2025	16 February 2025	30

Extra Holidays For 2024 – 2025 Malaysia School Term!

Here is the list of additional holidays for schools in Malaysia for the academic year of 2024 – 2025 :

Group A

Group A states are Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu.

Festival Holidays	Group A	Notes
Chinese New Year	Saturday + Sunday, 10 and 11 February 2024	Part of 2023-2024 Year-End Holiday
Hari Raya Aidilfitri	7 to 9 April 2024 10 to 11 April 2024	3 extra days Public Holiday
Hari Deepavali	30 October 2024 31 October 2024	1 extra day Public Holiday
Christmas	25 December 2024	Public Holiday
Chinese New Year	Wednesday + Thursday, 29 and 30 January 2025	Part of 2024-2025 Year-End Holiday

Group B

Group B states are Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Penang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya.

Festival Holidays	Group B	Notes
Chinese New Year	Saturday and Sunday, 10 and 11 February 2024	Within 2023 Year-End Holiday
Hari Raya Aidilfitri	8 to 9 April 2024 10 to 11 April 2024 12 April 2024	2 extra days Public Holiday 1 extra day
Pesta Kaamatan	Only for Sabah + Labuan Thursday and Friday, 31 and 31 May 2024	Part of Term 1 Holidays
Hari Gawai Dayak	Only for Sarawak Saturday, 1 June 2024 Sunday, 2 June 2024	Part of Term 1 Holidays
Hari Deepavali	Except Sarawak 30 October 2024 31 October 2024 1 November 2024	1 extra day Public Holiday 1 extra day
Hari Deepavali	Only for Sarawak 30 October 2024 31 October 2024	1 extra day Public Holiday
Christmas	25 December 2024	Part of Term 3 Holidays
Chinese New Year	Wednesday + Thursday, 29 and 30 January 2025	Part of 2024-2025 Year-End Holiday

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Duangphet Phromthep : Why He Died Suddenly In UK!

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Duangphet Phromthep, the former captain of the football team that was rescued from a flooded Thai cave, died suddenly in the United Kingdom.

Take a look at the viral claims about his sudden death, and find out what the facts really are!

Updated @ 2023-11-04 : Added the official cause of death for Duangphet Phromthep
Originally posted @ 2023-02-16

Claim : Duangphet Phromthep Died Suddenly From Vaccine SADS!

Right after news broke that Duangphet Phromthep died suddenly, people immediately claimed that the 17 year-old former captain of the Wild Boars football team that was rescued from a flooded Thai cave died from vaccine SADS!

Another Sudden cardiac arrest with unknown cause especially in the young— after Covid infection/Covid vaccine era — spooky

The Vaccine has killed another person in there sleep this time it was the Thai Captain who was 17

Now offical that taking the shitty mRNA jab is more dangerous than being trapped a mile underground in a flooded cave. #DuangpetchPromthep

Steve Kirsch : Captain of Thai Soccer Team Rescued From Cave Dies at 17. No known cause. Lot of kids dying. Never seen anything like this. Worldwide effect.

Truth : Duangphet Phromthep Died From Suicide!

It’s now tradition for anti-vaccination activists to immediately blame all athlete deaths or illnesses on the COVID-19 vaccine.

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by anti-vaccination activists, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Duangphet Phromthep Was Found Unconscious In His Dorm

Duangphet Phromthep was the 13 year-old captain of the Wild Boards (Moo Pa) football team that was rescued two weeks after a flash flood trapped them in a Thai cave on 23 June 2018.

Also known as Dom and Nong Dom, Duangphet Phromthep went to Chiang Mai to study sports, and received a scholarship to study at the Brooke House College Football Academy in Leicester, England, last year.

A teacher found Dom unconscious in his dorm on Sunday, 12 February 2023, and called the police. A Leicestershire police spokesperson confirmed this, stating:

Shortly before 1pm on Sunday, police were called to a boarding school in Leicester Road, Market Harborough by the East Midlands Ambulance Service.

The call concerned the welfare of a pupil. The pupil – a 17-year-old boy – was taken to hospital. He has since died.

Duangphet Phromthep was then sent to the Kettering General Hospital. However, he was unresponsive and died on Tuesday, 14 February, 2023. Ian Smith, the principal at Brooke House college released this statement:

This event has left our college community deeply saddened and shaken. We unite in grief with all of Dom’s family, friends, former teammates and those involved in all parts of his life, as well as everyone affected in any way by this loss in Thailand and throughout the college’s global family.

The college is liaising with statutory authorities and the Royal Thai embassy in London, and dedicating all resources to assist our student body, as they as young people process Dom’s passing. Beyond that, we are unable to comment further at this time and would ask for privacy and compassion as we continue to support the students in our care at this time, drawing on the kindness and assistance of the Market Harborough community.

Fact #2 : Duangphet Phromthep Allegedly Had A Head Injury

Claims that Duangphet Phromthep died from a cardiac arrest, or in his sleep from SADS, appear to be completely unfounded.

According to Supatpong Methigo – a Buddhist monk who taught him earlier, Duangphet’s grandmother told him he had died, after hitting his head in an accident.

Phra Khu Prayut Jetiyanukarn, abbot of Wat Phra That Doi Wao in Chiang Rai, said Duangphet’sthat mother phoned him around 6 AM and told him that her son had died. The abbot said according to initial reports, there was an accident, a fall, and Duangphet was injured. He was admitted to the hospital, and put on a ventilator, but later died.

Other relatives told Thai reporters that they were informed that Duangphet had been injured in an accident that led to his death, and that details would be given by his football club in England.

Fact #3 : Duangphet Phromthep’s Death Was Not Suspicious

The cause of death for Duangphet Phromthep was initially not officially confirmed, but the Leicestershire police said that his death was not suspicious, and a file would be prepared for the coroner.

The boy’s death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner.

Fact #4 : Duangphet Phromthep Died From Suicide

On 4 October 2023, an inquest into Duangphet’s death was held at the Leicester Coroner’s Court. Professor Catherine Mason, the senior coroner for Leicester city and South Leicestershire, recorded a conclusion of suicide.

She said that Duangphet “was not known to mental health services, and it is not known why he took the actions that he did“, so “it could not have been foreseen or prevented“. She also stated that the “police investigation has found no evidence of third-party involvement or suspicious circumstances“.

The boy’s death is not being treated as suspicious and a file will be prepared for the coroner.

It may seem obvious now, but I have to point out that Duangphet Phromthep most definitely did not die from any COVID-19 vaccine side effect, as claimed or suggested by many anti-vaccine proponents.

Fact #5 : UK Never Had A Vaccine Mandate For Travellers

The United Kingdom never instituted a vaccine mandate for travellers. Travellers were required to test before flying to the UK, and quarantine on arrival.

The testing requirement was only lifted on 11 February 2022 for fully-vaccinated travellers. Even so, travellers who were not fully-vaccinated could still continue to travel to the UK. They just had to undergo a pre-departure COVID-19 test, and a PCR test on the day of arrival, or the next day.

Fact #6 : Unknown If Duangphet Phromthep Was Vaccinated Against COVID-19

It is unknown if Duangphet Phromthep was ever vaccinated against COVID-19, so it would be wrong for anyone to claim that he died from COVID-19 vaccine side effects.

For all we know – he may not even be vaccinated! The COVID-19 vaccine is not mandatory in Thailand, or the United Kingdom.

Unless his family reveals his vaccination status, anyone who tells you that Duangphet Phromthep was fully-vaccinated is likely lying to you. For certain – he did not die from the COVID-19 vaccine.

Fact #7 : Claims Of Athletes Injured By COVID-19 Vaccine Proven False

So far, claims of athlete deaths / injuries due to the COVID-19 vaccine are often proven false. Here are some other examples:

Will these anti-vaccination activists apologise for lying to you? Nope! They will just move on to the next athlete tragedy…

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Don’t forget to protect yourself, and your family, by vaccinating against COVID-19!

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Did Olympic Swimmer Helen Smart Die From Vaccine SADS?!

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Did former Olympic swimmer Helen Smart die suddenly in her sleep from COVID-19 vaccine SADS?!

Take a look at the viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Helen Smart Died Suddenly From Vaccine SADS!

Right after news broke that Helen Smart died suddenly in her sleep, some people immediately claimed or suggested that the former Olympic swimmer died from COVID-19 vaccine Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS)!

The People’s Voice : Healthy Olympic Swimmer ‘Dies Suddenly’ Following Booster Shot

Died Suddenly : Olympic swimmer Helen Smart Dies Suddenly at age 43: ‘Can’t comprehend’

Her grieving husband, Craig Smart, took to the school’s Facebook page to pay tribute to his beloved wife.

William Makis MD : BREAKING NEWS: Olympic swimmer Helen Smart, age 43 (working as teacher in Wigan, UK) died suddenly in her sleep on Aug.12, 2023!

Was found dead by her 4 yo daughter: “Daddy, I can’t wake mummy up” She had gone paddle boarding hours before death #DiedSuddenly #cdnpoli #ableg

Expose Them : Former Olympic swimmer Helen Smart (formerly Don-Duncan) died suddenly at the age of 42. She was the head teacher at Worsley Mesnes Primary School. In 2022 the school promoted covid vaccination for children 5 and up.

No Evidence Helen Smart Died Suddenly From Vaccine SADS!

It’s now tradition for anti-vaccination activists to blame all sudden deaths or illnesses on the COVID-19 vaccine.

Here are the reasons why this is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by anti-vaccination activists…

Fact #1 : Helen Smart Died Suddenly In Her Sleep

Helen Smart (born Helen Don-Duncan on 9 June 1981) was an English competitive backstroke swimmer, who represented England in the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, and Great Britain in the 2000 Olympics Games in Sydney.

She retired from competitive swimming after the 2000 Sydney Olympics – 23 years ago, and began a career in teaching. She eventually became the headteacher of Worsley Mesnes Community Primary School in Wigan.

On Friday, 11 August 2023, the former Olympian and her brother, Robert, drove both their families and their parents to Cumbria, to celebrate Robert’s 40th birthday.

Their extended family stayed at a large cottage at the banks of Lake Coniston, where Helen went paddle boarding that evening. Hours later, she went to bed at midnight, saying that she was tired.

At around 4 AM in the morning, Helen’s 4 year-old daughter, Heidi woke up and tried to get in bed with her. That was when Helen was found unresponsive. Her mother, Linda, detailed what happened to Mailonline:

We are just in so much shock. You jump from believing it to not believing it. She had been paddle boarding a few hours before and had never even been ill apart from her knees swelling from swimming.

We’re distraught. They don’t know what it is but they think it must have happened shortly after she went to bed. She just died in her sleep.

At midnight, she went to bed telling me: ‘I’ll go to bed now mum as I know I’ll be woken at 6am by Heidi. I just want to get some sleep in as I’ve had a long day.

Heidi had woken up in the night and tried to get into bed with her. She said to her daddy: ”Mummy won’t wake up’. He said: ”Oh she must be very tired Heidi – you go back to bed.”

He put the torch on and he said later that when he looked he could tell. Robert woke us up at 4am and said: ‘Mum, dad you need to keep up – we think Helen’s died. We just ran up and followed up and there she was in bed

I touched her foot and she was cold. I walked round and to the side of her and she looked asleep but you could tell she was gone. I just said: ”Why couldn’t it have been me.” I would have happily swapped places with her. That’s not the way round it should have been. I just thought, no no.

Fact #2 : Helen Smart’s Cause Of Death Is Still Unknown

It is still unknown HOW or WHY Helen Smart died in her sleep. Her family has not publicly mentioned her cause of death. Even when her husband, Craig Smart, released a statement, he did not mention that her cause of death:

She loved the school, staff, children and parents so much. She was so proud to reach her goal of being headteacher.

She used to say to me all the time she could never see herself at another school. She was Worsley Mesnes through and through!

I remember only last week she said her goal was to get the school to outstanding and that she had the right staff to achieve this.

I hope you all keep learning like champions. Please learn from this and live your best life, no regrets.

Take lots of photos, make memories and keep smiling just like Helen always did! Love to you all!

It is unknown if an autopsy has been conducted, but until and unless her family or the coroner reveals her official cause of death, anyone who claims that Helen Smart / Helen Don-Duncan died from this or that cause is likely lying to you.

Fact #3 : Helen Smart Was Well Before Her Death

Anti-vaccination activists are suggesting that Helen Smart “died suddenly” from vaccine SADS or some vaccine injury, because she was perfectly healthy and well before her sudden death.

As I pointed out earlier – Helen Smart was paddle boarding just hours before her death. That suggests that she was healthy, and not suffering from myocarditis / pericarditis that is often blamed on mRNA vaccines, or any “vaccine injury” for the matter.

Just because she was not ill earlier, does not mean she died from a COVID-19 vaccine side effect. There are many causes of sudden death during sleep – stroke, sudden cardiac arrest, respiratory arrest, heart disease, etc.

Until and unless an autopsy is conducted, and her official cause of death is known, we simply do not know why Helen Smart died suddenly in her sleep, much less blame her death on COVID-19 vaccines.

Fact #4 : No Evidence COVID-19 Vaccines Cause SADS

After billions of doses were administered worldwide over the last 2.5 years, there is still no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines cause Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome (SADS).

In fact, this is a rather ludicrous claim as SADS was first documented in 1977 – long before COVID-19 vaccines were invented!

SADS also occurs at a rate of 0.12 to 0.21 per 100,000 people every single year. In other words, approximately 9,000 to 16,000 people die from SADS every single year, before the COVID-19 vaccines were invented.

Despite what anti-vaccination activists may tell you – SADS is not a new vaccine-related syndrome.

SADS is usually caused by an abnormal heart rhythm that leads to a cardiac arrest. That’s why it can be prevented by implanting a cardioverter-defribillator.

Fact #5 : Unknown If Helen Smart Was Vaccinated

Despite claims that Helen Smart was fully-vaccinated, there isn’t any actual evidence that she ever received the COVID-19 vaccine. Her COVID-19 vaccination status has never been made public.

Even though The People’s Voice (formerly known as NewsPunch) declared in its title that Helen Smart died suddenly “following booster shot”, there is no evidence she received a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose recently, or even at all.

It is possible that Helen Smart was unvaccinated against COVID-19. After all, the COVID-19 vaccine is not mandatory in the United Kingdom.

In fact, many people who were injured or died suddenly were actually unvaccinated, like Kris Jordan, Aaron Carter, Kirstie Alley, Stephan Bonnar, Shane Macaulay, David Wayne Burleson, and Kaden Clymer.

Until and unless her family reveals her COVID-19 vaccination status, anyone who tells you that Helen Smart was vaccinated or otherwise, is likely lying to you. None of us have any evidence of that.

Fact #6 : Vaccine Side Effects Appear Within Hours / Days

Even if Helen Smart was fully-vaccinated against COVID-19, she would have received her doses more than a year ago! She cannot possibly have suffered from a vaccine side effect, because they appear within hours or days, not months later.

Mild side effects like injection site pain, fever, muscle ache, headache, lethargy develop within minutes to hours of the vaccination.

Anaphylaxis develops within minutes, while other severe adverse reactions like myocarditis and VITT develop within days or weeks.

The spike proteins produced by the COVID-19 vaccines also do not stick around for months. If these spike proteins are permanent (as antivaxxers claim), we would have lifelong immunity.

Your own immune system will identify the spike proteins as foreign, and destroy them within a matter of days, although some may last for up to a few weeks. This is part of how vaccines teach your immune system to identify the enemy and destroy it.

Fact #7 : Claims Of COVID-19 Vaccine Injuries Often Proven False

Most claims of sudden deaths / injuries due to the COVID-19 vaccine have been proven false. Here is the latest dozen of other false sudden death claims!

Will these anti-vaccination activists apologise for lying to you? Nope! They will just move on to the next death or tragedy…

Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!

Don’t forget to protect yourself, and your family, by vaccinating against COVID-19!

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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How Do You Magically Sort Balls By Their Colours?!

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How do people magically sort balls according to their colours?!

Take a look at the viral videos, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Galton Boards Can Magically Sort Balls By Colour!

People are sharing videos showing coloured balls being magically sorted into their individual colours using Galton boards!

In these videos, a mix of coloured balls are allowed to drop into a simple Galton board, and they somehow fall into separate colours according to their colours!

How is that possible? Are these special sorting boards with magnets that control where the balls fall? Or do these balls have different weights so they would fall in a special pattern?

Truth : Galton Boards Can Magically Sort Balls By Colour!

This is yet another example of FAKE VIDEOS circulating on WhatsApp, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Those Are Galton Boards

Let me just start by pointing out that the devices or boards you see in those videos are known as Galton boards.

Named after its inventor – English scientist Sir Francis Galton (1822-1911), the Galton board is also known as the quincunx, or the bean machine.

The original Galton board consists of a vertical board with interleaved rows of pegs. Beads or small balls are dropped from the top, falling left or right as they hit each peg.

When each ball reaches a peg, it has a 50% chance of choosing a right or left path. Each ball repeats the process at each peg. Eventually, all those balls fall into different bins at the bottom.

Fact #2 : Galton Boards Do Not Sort Balls

Galton boards are not designed to sort balls, whether by weight, size or colour. In fact, real Galton boards use beads or balls of the same colour, size and weight. So there really is no sorting of any sort.

The Galton board is used to demonstrate the central limit theorem – that the binomial distribution approximates a normal distribution with a bell curve, when the sample size is large enough. At the end of a traditional Galton board demonstration, the height of the balls in each bin approximate a bell curve (see photo below).

However, the Galton board can be modified to demonstrate other distributions by changing the shape of the pins, or using a bimodal design. For example, you can create a Galton board to show a log-normal distribution by using isosceles triangles of different widths to “multiply” the distance the ball travels.

Fact #3 : The Videos Were Computer-Generated

The reason why the balls in those viral videos were able to be sorted so accurately into the same colours is because all those videos were computer-generated using 3D graphics software like Blender or Maya.

One of the viral videos was created by Konstantin Otrembsky – a Russian visual effects artist who works for Channel One Russia. Konstantin posted his video on his Vimeo channel, stating clearly that “it’s a joke video which was made to provoke people to suggest all kinds of theories“, and was created “just for fun“.

Unfortunately, many of these videos are being shared and reposted to mislead people… or simply to generate views or increase the popularity of their social media accounts.

Fact #4 : The Balls Were Coloured After Baking Simulation

You may be wondering how do these content creators actually ensure that the coloured balls fall correctly into the bins according to their individual colour.

For starters, they use 3D graphics software like Blender or Maya to build a virtual Galton board model. They can then run simulations using real physics to see how the balls fall.

If necessary, they can modify the Galton board design, or even the weight of different balls to change the distribution. However, even they cannot simulate the proper sorting of the balls according to their colours.

While it is possible to run enough simulations to create such a video, it would require A LOT of simulation runs and adjustments. Too much work for what’s supposed to be a fun video.

What they do instead is bake the simulation, and then colour the balls after they have fallen. Because the simulation has been baked, the balls will fall exactly the same way again and again. Then all they have to do is render the baked simulation with the coloured balls into a video.

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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Elton John Boycotts US Over Gay Rights?!

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Did Elton John just boycott the US over gay rights, while forgetting about his own past?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Elton John Boycotts US Over Gay Rights!

People are sharing an OutKick article, claiming that Elton John has just boycotted the US over gay rights, while forgetting about his past! Here is an excerpt from that OutKick article:

Elton John Boycotts U.S. Over Gay Rights, Forgets Own Past

John’s road retirement may not last, but he’s certain he won’t play as much as a residency in the States moving forward. Why? He cites the new, “disgraceful” hate aimed at the LGBTQ+ community coursing through America’s veins.

He’s clearly conflating laws meant to protect children from life-altering surgery with the broader gay rights movement. In doing so, he’s following the media’s fuzzy narratives on the issues, meant to distract from the laws in question.

The same holds true for the false “don’t say gay” narrative describing Florida legislating protecting small children from sexually suggestive materials in the classroom. Gay activists pounced and seized on that false narrative with cover from mainstream journalists.

There’s another problem with John’s heartfelt stance.

His past.

The “Piano Man” is no stranger to playing in countries with terrible laws aimed at gay citizens. And he didn’t make a fuss about it at the time or refuse to hit a single key until said laws were stricken from the books.

John performed at a benefit concert in Dubai in 2017, no. 8 on Forbes’ list of most dangerous places for gay citizens to travel.

He nearly performed in Egypt in 2010 before powerful forces objected to both his lifestyle and for comments suggesting Jesus was gay.

The music legend also brought his greatest his catalog to Morocco, number 18 on the aforementioned Forbes list.

His new protestations against the U.S., though, hardly measure up to his greatest social achievements.

Show less

Truth : Elton John Did Not Boycott US Over Gay Rights!

This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created about the LGBTQIA community, and here are the reasons why…

Fact #1 : Elton John Does Not Want Another US Residency

Let me just start by pointing out that Elton John never said that he will no longer perform in the United States, after his farewell tour ends.

In his interview with Radio Times, what Elton John said was that he still plans to continue performing after his three-year Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour ends. He was interested in a residency – playing at a single venue, but not in the United States of America.

I said when I announced the farewell tour that maybe I would do a residency like Kate Bush did at Hammersmith [in 2014]. But not in America. I will not do it in America.

But that’s in the long term. I don’t want to think about the stage – I’ve been on it since I was 17.

In other words, Elton John does not intend to go back for a third Las Vegas residency. As his husband and manager, David Furnish explained:

Will Elton return as a live performer? I hope so! It’s in his blood…

I know for a fact he will not be touring in any capacity. What you’re going to see is the possibility of a special one-off or a small residency in one venue for a limited period of time.

I don’t think it will be Las Vegas. Elton feels he’s done the best he can in Las Vegas. He mounted two hugely successful residencies there.

When you’re an artist and something’s in your blood, you don’t want to shut the door completely.

Fact #2 : Elton John Dislikes Violence + Discrimination In America

Elton John has been outspoken about what he dislikes about America – violence and discriminatory laws. However, he did not say he was boycotting the US.

It is peculiar that the OutKick article should suggest that Elton John was “clearly conflating laws meant to protect children from life-altering surgery“, when Elton himself was explicit about what he disliked about that particular discriminatory Florida law.

It’s all going pear-shaped in America. There’s violence, [discriminatory] laws enacted in Florida, which are disgraceful. There’s a law now that, if you visit a doctor in Florida, they can refuse to treat you if you’re gay, which I find just unbelievable.

We seem to be going backwards. And that spreads. It’s like a virus that the LGBTQ+ movement is suffering.

It seems clear to me that Elton was very clear about what he disliked about that particular Florida law!

Fact #3 : HB 1557 Is Don’t Say Gay Bill

The OutKick article then refers to House Bill 1557 (HB 1557 : Parental Rights in Education), which regulates public schools in Florida.

This is the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which prohibits public schools from discussing or teaching students about sexual orientation or gender identity, from kindergarten up to grade three.

Presumably, Florida lawmakers believe that teaching children about gender identity and sexual orientation is how children are groomed into accepting sexual abuse. As Christina Pushaw – the press secretary of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, explained:

The bill that liberals inaccurately call “Don’t Say Gay” would be more accurately described as an Anti-Grooming Bill.

If you’re against the Anti-Grooming Bill, you are probably a groomer or at least you don’t denounce the grooming of 4-8 year old children.

Fact #4 : Elton John Referred To SB 1580, Not HB 1557

Elton John never mentioned any Florida law concerning children, education, or public schools in his interview with Radio Times.

He only referred to a completely different Florida law – SB 1580 : Protections of Medical Conscience Bill, which allows healthcare providers and insurers to deny patient care based on religious, moral or ethical beliefs.

This SB 1580 law has absolutely nothing to do with children or their education, which is covered by the completely different HB 1557 law (see above).

So why did OutKick bring up HB 1557 (the so-called Don’t Say Gay Bill), which Elton John never mentioned in his interview? Misunderstanding? Misdirection? Misinterpretation? Misinformation?

Fact #5 : Elton John Rarely Performs In Anti-LGBT Countries

While Elton John has been outspoken about gay rights, he has not stopped performing in countries with laws that can be used to harass or persecute gay people. But they have been extremely rare in number – United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, and Russia.

What OutKick may not realise is that those countries do not matter financially to Elton John, who performs in many more concerts in LGBT-friendly countries, and can easily forego those countries. It seems more likely that Elton John only performed in those countries because he was allowed to.

Think on that – those anti-LGBT countries allowed Elton John – an openly gay performer – to sing and perform for his fans. That is not evidence of his hypocrisy. That shows the power of his music.

Fact #6 : Concerts Are Different From Residencies

Finally, I should point out that performing at one-off concerts in countries with restrictive, anti-LGBT laws is quite different from actually staying in those countries.

It’s one thing to try and change minds by performing in those countries for a show or two, it’s quite another thing to live in such countries.

So it isn’t hypocrisy if Elton John has no qualms performing in countries with restrictive, anti-LGBT laws, but chooses not to live for months or years in the US because he dislikes its violence and laws.

It’s no different from how staunchly conservative anti-LGBT activists have no problem holidaying in countries with progressive pro-LGBT laws.

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2023 Public + School Holidays For Malaysia!

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To help you plan your holidays in the new year, here is a summary of the public and school holidays in Malaysia for 2023!

Updated @ 2023-06-27 : Added extra public holiday for Hari Raya Haji 2023.
Updated @ 2023-04-20 : Added extra public holiday for Hari Raya 2023.
Updated @ 2023-04-11 : Added extra school holiday for Hari Raya 2023.
Updated @ 2023-04-07 : Added extra school holidays for 2023 / 2024 school term.
Originally posted @ 2023-01-02

2023 Public Holidays For Malaysia

Here are the public holidays for Malaysia in the year 2023. Some of these days may be subject to change.

Date	Day	Holiday	States
1 Jan	Sun	New Year’s Day	All states except Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis and Terengganu
2 Jan	Mon	New Year’s Day	All states except Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu
14 Jan	Sat	YDPB Negeri Sembilan’s Birthday	Negeri Sembilan
22 Jan 23 Jan	Sun Mon	Chinese New Year	All states
24 Jan	Tue	Chinese New Year	All states except Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu
1 Feb	Wed	Federal Territory Day	Kuala Lumpur, Labuan, Putrajaya
5 Feb	Sun	Thaipusam	Johor, Kuala Lumpur, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Perak, Putrajaya and Selangor
6 Feb	Mon	Thaipusam	Kuala Lumpur, Negeri Sembilan, Penang, Putrajaya and Selangor
18 Feb	Sat	Israk and Mikraj	Kedah, Negeri Sembilan, Perlis and Terengganu
19 Feb	Sun	Israk and Mikraj	Terengganu
4 Mar 5 Mar	Sat Sun	Accession Anniversary of Terengganu Sultan	Terengganu
23 Mar	Thu	Awal Ramadan	Johor, Kedah and Melaka
23 Mar	Thu	Johor Sultan’s Birthday	Johor
7 Apr	Fri	Good Friday	Sabah and Sarawak
8 Apr	Sat	Nuzul al-Quran	All states except Johor, Kedah, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Sabah and Sarawak
9 Apr	Sun	Nuzul al-Quran	Kelantan and Terengganu
15 Apr	Sat	Declaration of Melaka as a Historical City	Melaka
21 Apr 22 Apr 23 Apr	Fri Sat Sun	Hari Raya Aidilfitri	All states
24 Apr	Mon	Hari Raya Aidilfitri	All states except Johor + Kedah
26 Apr	Wed	Sultan of Terengganu’s Birthday	Terengganu
1 May	Mon	Labour Day	All states
4 May	Thu	Wesak Day	All states
17 May	Wed	Raja of Perlis’ Birthday	Perlis
22 May	Mon	Hari Hol Pahang	Pahang
30 May 31 May	Tue Wed	Harvest Festival	Labuan and Sabah
1 Jun 2 Jun	Thu Fri	Hari Gawai	Sarawak
5 Jun	Mon	YDP Agong’s Birthday	All states
18 Jun	Sun	Sultan of Kedah’s Birthday	Kedah
28 Jun	Wed	Arafat Day	Kedah and Terengganu
29 Jun	Thu	Hari Raya Haji	All states
30 Jun	Fri	Hari Raya Haji	Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis, Terengganu + Selangor
7 Jul	Fri	Georgetown World Heritage City Day	Penang
8 Jul	Sat	Penang Governor’s Birthday	Penang
19 Jul	Wed	Awal Muharram	All states
22 Jul	Sat	Sarawak Day	Sarawak
30 Jul 31 Jul	Sun Mon	Sultan of Pahang’s Birthday	Pahang
23 Aug	Wed	Hari Hol Almarhum Sultan Iskandar	Johor
24 Aug	Thu	Melaka Governor’s Birthday	Melaka
31 Aug	Thu	Merdeka Day	All states
16 Sep	Sat	Malaysia Day	All states
17 Sep	Sun	Malaysia Day	Kelantan and Terengganu
28 Sep	Thu	Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday	All states
7 Oct	Sat	Sabah Governor’s Birthday	Sabah
14 Oct	Sat	Sarawak Governor’s Birthday	Sarawak
3 Nov	Fri	Sultan of Perak’s Birthday	Perak
11 Nov	Sat	Sultan of Kelantan’s Birthday	Kelantan
12 Nov 13 Nov	Sun Mon	Sultan of Kelantan’s Birthday	Kelantan
12 Nov	Sun	Deepavali	All states except Sarawak
13 Nov	Mon	Deepavali	All states except Johor, Kedah, Kelantan, Sarawak and Terengganu
11 Dec	Mon	Sultan of Selangor’s Birthday	Selangor
24 Dec	Sun	Christmas Eve	Sabah
25 Dec	Mon	Christmas Day	All states
26 Dec	Tue	Christmas Holiday	Sabah

2023 School Holidays For Malaysia

This is quite confusing for many of us parents, so here is a quick summary of the school holidays for the year 2023.

Group A Schools

Here are the school holidays for Group A states of Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu.

Holiday	Start	End	Days
2022 Year End Holiday	17 Feb	18 Mar	30
2023 Mid-Term 1 Holiday	21 Apr	29 Apr	9
2023 End-Term 1 Holiday	26 May	3 Jun	9
2023 Term 2 Holiday	25 Aug	2 Sep	9
2023 Term 3 Holiday	15 Dec	1 Jan	18

In addition, the government also announced these extra holidays for Group A schools:

Festival Holidays	Group A	Notes
Chinese New Year	Sunday to Tuesday, 22 to 24 January 2023	1 extra day
Hari Raya Aidilfitri	Wednesday, 19 April 2023 Thursday, 20 April 2023	2 extra days
Hari Raya Qurban	Wednesday, 28 June 2023	1 extra day
Hari Deepavali	Sunday, 12 November 2023 Monday, 13 November 2023	Public Holiday 1 extra day

Group B Schools

Holiday	Start	End	Days
2022 Year End Holiday	18 Feb	19 Mar	30
2023 Mid-Term 1 Holiday	22 Apr	30 Apr	9
2023 End-Term 1 Holiday	27 May	4 Jun	9
2023 Term 2 Holiday	26 Aug	3 Sep	9
2023 Term 3 Holiday	16 Dec	1 Jan	17

In addition, the government also announced these extra holidays for Group B schools:

Festival Holidays	Group B	Notes
Chinese New Year	Friday to Tuesday, 20 to 24 January 2023	1 extra day
Hari Raya Aidilfitri	Wednesday, 19 April 2023 Thursday, 20 April 2023 Friday, 21 April 2023	3 extra days
Pesta Kaamatan	Only for Sabah + Labuan Tuesday, 30 May 2023 Wednesday, 31 May 2023	2 extra days
Hari Gawai Dayak	Only for Sarawak Thursday, 1 June 2023 Friday, 2 June 2023	2 extra days
Hari Raya Qurban	Wednesday, 28 June 2023 Thursday, 29 June 2023	2 extra days
Hari Deepavali	Except Sarawak Monday, 13 November 2023 Tuesday, 14 November 2023	Replacement 1 extra day
Hari Deepavali	Only for Sarawak Monday, 13 November 2023	1 extra day
Chinese New Year	Friday, 9 February 2024 Saturday, 10 February 2024 Sunday, 11 February 2024 Monday, 12 February 2024	1 extra day Public holiday Public holiday Replacement

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Selangor Civil Servants Get Extra Hari Raya Haji Holiday!

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The Selangor state government just announced an extra Hari Raya Haji holiday for civil servants!

Selangor Civil Servants Get Extra Hari Raya Haji Holiday!

On Tuesday, 27 June 2023, the Selangor State Secretary Datuk Hari Karim announced an additional Hari Raya Haji holiday on Friday, June 30, in addition to the existing holiday on Thursday, June 29.

However, this additional Hari Raya Haji holiday will only apply to civil servants in the Selangor state’s departments, agencies, and local authorities.

Government subsidiaries (GLCs) and private companies are not subject to this directive. It will be up to each respective employer to decide whether to grant their employees an additional Hari Raya Haji holiday.

Statutory bodies, government subsidiaries and private parties, however, are not subject to this directive and are left to the discretion of their respective employers under the Employment Act 1955 (Act 265).

The additional day would grant those lucky enough to receive it a long 4-day weekend, in line with the 2023 school holidays.

This would likely result in heavy traffic on the highways as people take this opportunity to return to their hometowns to celebrate Hari Raya Haji with their families.

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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!

Name : Adrian Wong
Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.

He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.

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Did Elton John Ban US Over Anti-Grooming Laws?!

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Did Elton John stop performing in the United States due to its anti-grooming laws?!

Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!

Claim : Elton John Bans US Over Anti-Grooming Laws!

People are sharing an Epoch Times article, as evidence that Elton John singled out anti-grooming laws as the reason why he will no longer perform in the United States.

Dr. Anastasia Maria Loupis : Elton John Singles Out Anti-Grooming Laws as Why He’s Done Performing in the US. Lol. Bye.

Laurence Fox : Elton John Singles Out Anti-Grooming Laws as Why He’s Done Performing in the US.

If he walks like a groomer, talks like a groomer, adopts two boys and parades them around with husband and lover-s in tow, he is a… #TinyGroomer

Truth : Elton John Did Not Ban US Over Anti-Grooming Laws!