Following the murders of three Malaysians in Taiwan in less than three years, authorities there have been urged to strengthen protective measures for overseas students in that country.

Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing (pic), the Prime Minister's Special Envoy to the People's Republic of China, said in a statement on Monday (Oct 17) that Taiwan must not take a lackadaisical approach to these brutal killings.

"Strong, proactive measures must be taken by the Taiwanese authorities in the light of the loss of guaranteed safety for the defenceless, (and) deliver justice to ... the victims' families," he said.

Tiong added that it is incumbent upon the Taiwanese authorities to explain the most recent tragedy.

On Thursday (Oct 13), Taiwanese media reported that a Malaysian student, whose surname was given as Cai, was found dead in her apartment in Taipei.

"This is the third time such a tragedy has occurred in two years. Children studying abroad, dying at the hands of cold-blooded killers. How can any parent feel at ease now sending their children for further studies in Taiwan?" he asked.

Tiong, who is also incumbent Bintulu MP, said that at this point, it would be prudent for the Malaysian government to review the matter of Malaysians going for further studies in Taiwan.

"A life lost cannot be restored. If Taiwan and its laws cannot handle this well, it is high time the Malaysian government takes action to ensure the safety of our students (travelling abroad)," he said.

"I want to also call on Taiwan to consider more ways to ensure the mental health of young people, including proper emotional management.

"There should also be more channels of assistance for them for better mental health, instead of succumbing to extreme emotional responses.

"It might be possible then to stop extreme pathological reactions that could bring harm to society or lead to more homicides," he added.

In October 2020, 24-year-old Irene Chung was raped and murdered, and her body was disposed of on Alian Mountain in Kaohsiung. Her killer was caught, tried and sentenced to death.

In January that year, a 25-year-old woman named Deng Yong En (phonetically spelled), who was studying and working in Taiwan, was murdered and dismembered by a local man whose advances she had apparently spurned.

Teng's killer, surnamed Lin, was reported to have committed suicide a few days later.

Source:
courtesy of THE STAR

by ANDY CHUA

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