Malaysia faces hung parliament in tight election race

25 Sept 05:28 Key points summarised by AI

Malaysia's general election resulted in a hung parliament, a historic first, as no major coalition secured a simple majority.
Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's Pakatan Harapan coalition won the most seats (82), closely followed by former premier Muhyiddin Yassin's Perikatan Nasional (73), leading to intense negotiations for government formation.
The outcome creates significant political uncertainty, requiring alliances to form a government and potentially involving the constitutional monarch to appoint a Prime Minister.
The election saw a record voter turnout, reflecting public desire for stability after a period of political turbulence and three prime ministers in as many years.

Examining Thailand’s four-part education revolution

Today 14:22 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's Education Ministry is implementing a four-pronged strategy to address its students' below-average performance in PISA 2025 and tackle significant educational inequality.
The plan prioritizes closing performance gaps by increasing funding for small and low-income schools, overhauling the curriculum to foster critical thinking, and adopting a data-driven management system to reduce teacher workload.
Key initiatives include enhancing school safety, combating cyberbullying, and expanding mental health support through peer-to-peer networks, recognizing the severe impact of distress on academic performance.
An education expert advises verifying if PISA improvements stem from structural changes, advocating for a revived STEM curriculum with practical 'learn by doing' methods, and urging bureaucratic reform to link teacher evaluations to student development.