In hard times, extravagant signs in Ipoh - Malaysian Insider

By Clara Chooi

One of the large ‘Hollywood-like’ sign of Ipoh erected along the North-South Expressway that can be seen from the northbound lane, just 1km after the Gopeng exit. — Picture by Clara Chooi

IPOH, Dec 18 — Despite running a deficit budget, the Ipoh City Council this year built two giant signs spelling the city's name at entry points on the PLUS expressway for RM800,000.

Pakatan Rakyat (PR) politicians blamed the Perak palace for the signage, modelled on the famous Hollywood sign in the United States, saying they managed to reduce it to two from the initial four when it was built early this year.

The Ipoh City Council confirmed with The Malaysian Insider the whopping cost, which amounts to RM100,000 for each letter that spells out the words "Ipoh".

It is understood that the signs were erected in January this year for two reasons — to mark the Sultan of Perak Sultan Azlan Shah's silver jubilee celebration and to turn the city of Ipoh into a significant landmark to entice more tourist stopovers.

The RM800,000 spent on the two signs does not include maintenance work and the cost of electricity used to power up the spotlights at night.

A source from the ousted PR state government revealed to The Malaysian Insider yesterday that the proposal to erect the signs had come from the palace last year and the initial suggestion was actually to put up four such signs along the main arteries entering the city.

"The PR government rejected the idea when it was mooted because it was clearly a terrible waste of public funds," said the source, who declined to be named.

The source added that the signage also bore little aesthetic value and would not have helped to boost the city's economy in any way.

"In the first place, there are enough road signboards on the highway to inform people where Ipoh is.

"Not only that, before they allowed the continuous travel between Kuala Lumpur and Penang on the highway, motorists had to pay their toll in Ipoh before they proceeded on their journey.

"Everyone knows where Ipoh is," said the source.

The PR government was toppled when three of its lawmakers resigned to be independent, prompting the Perak royalty to name Barisan Nasional Pangkor assemblyman Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir as mentri besar.

When contacted yesterday, Ipoh Mayor Datuk Roshidi Hashim admitted to The Malaysian Insider the cost of the two signs.

He said that the reason why the signs were so expensive was because each letter had to be lifted up to be erected on its lofty perch up on two separate hills.

"They had to bring in a skylift crane from Kuala Lumpur to erect the letters and this cost us quite a bit," he said.

He said however that the PR government had not completely rejected the idea but had merely voiced some disapproval.

"I also discussed it with (former Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad) Nizar (Jamaluddin) and he did suggest putting it up along the Ipoh-Lumut highway," said Roshidi.

Meanwhile, the signs, which spell out the name "Ipoh" using white letters, already seems to be stained with dark blotches.

Roshidi said he was aware of this and had already assigned a city engineer to be in charge of maintaining the signs.

The maintenance work, he added, would include cleaning the letters as well as ensuring that the spotlights to light up each letter at night were working well.

"We also have to clean the undergrowth of the hills behind the signage and keep the place neat," he said.

Roshidi also agreed that the city was currently still running on a deficit budget of between RM7 million and RM10 million.

"But still, our arrears collection has improved tremendously by up to 36 per cent this year alone.

"We also have a huge reserve so we can run without collections for at least six months," he said.

Before the giant Ipoh signs, motorists on the old federal road would know they were near the capital of the tin-rich state from the giant Mercedes Benz three-pointed star logo at the city's southern approach, signifying the wealth of its residents who favoured the German marque.

The only other city with a giant signage is Kuala Terengganu which has the word “Allah” on the hill after Pulau Duyong.

On the fast track to Ipoh - Star

Dec 15 09 - By SARBAN SINGH

SEREMBAN: Rail commuters will be able to travel from here to Ipoh in less than three hours when Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) introduces its inter-city express train service (ETS) from April 1.

The premium service, which will among others have wi-fi services, will only stop at major stations along the way.

A source said KTMB had already received a new set of the trains from South Korea and trial runs were expected to begin in the coming weeks.

“Since the train has a maximum speed of 120kph and is built based on the latest technology, commuters will be able to get from one point to another quicker,” he said.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat is scheduled to launch the service in Kuala Lumpur today.

The source said KTMB would get four more train sets by February.

“Each train will have six coaches which can accommodate some 300 sitting passengers,” he said.

KTMB introduced the normal Kuala Lumpur-Ipoh shuttle service beginning December last year. The journey between Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh takes about three hours.

However, the new train set has a diesel-run locomotive with inter-city coaches.

It is understood that the ETS will, among others, stop at the Nilai/KLIA, Bandar Tasek Selatan, KL Sentral, Tg Malim, Tapah, Kampar and Batu Gajah stations.

With the ETS, the travelling time from Seremban to Kuala Lumpur will be 45 minutes while the KL-Ipoh route will take about two hours and 10 minutes.

The source said the new train set will look like an upgraded version of the present KTM Komuter trains.

“It will have comfortable seats and brightly lit coaches.

“The seats will also be spacious,” he said.

The source said since it was a premium service, commuters must be prepared to pay more to travel on the train.

“This is a departure from the old mode of rail travel.

“We want commuters to feel even more comfortable and to be able to do work while in the train,” he said, adding that the proposed fare had yet to be approved by the Transport Ministry.

It is understood that the service will begin at 5am with the last being at 10pm at two-hour intervals.

Why you should have sex everyday - Star

Nov 28 2009 By timesofindia.indiatimes.com


Heard that song called Sexual Healing?

It's not just a metaphor. Sex can actually heal. It can heal your body and mind and also prevent lots of diseases.

Some say it's the first medicine ever known to man and it should be administered daily. Sounds too good to be true? Let's discover the five reasons to have sex each day.

Great form of exercise

Making love is a form of physical activity. During intercourse, the physiological changes in your body are consistent with a workout. You must have noticed that the respiratory rate rises, which means you get tired. Hence, you burn calories.

If you have sex three times a week for 15 minutes you'll burn about 7.500 calories in a year.

That's the equivalent of jogging 120km! Heavy breathing raises the amount of oxygen in your cells, and the testosterone produced during sex keeps your bones and muscles strong.

Pain relief

The "Honey, not today, I have a headache" cannot be an excuse any more.

During sex, both male and female bodies produce endorphins, hormones that act as weak painkillers.

A study conducted by reknowned sex theraphist Gina Ogden showed that during sexual stimulation and especially during orgasm, we don't feel pain.

If she finds another excuse, remind her that sex is good for her entire reproductive system, because it trains the PC muscle, which keeps the reproductive organs in shape.

In women, sex can also increase fertility, postpone the menopause and relieve PMS symptoms.

Prostate protection

Most of the fluid you ejaculate is secreted by the prostate gland. If you stop ejaculating, the fluid stays in the gland, which tends to swell, causing lots of problems.

Regular ejaculation will wash those fluids out and ensure the well being of your prostate until old age. Problems may also occur when you suddenly change the frequency of ejaculations.

Prevents ED

Fifty per cent of men older than 40 suffer from erectile dysfunctions and all young men fear the moment when they won't be able to get it up any more. The best medicine against impotence is...sex.

An erection keeps the blood flowing through your penile arteries, so the tissue stays healthy. Plus, doctors compare an erection to an athletic reflex: the more you train the more capable you are to perform.

Stress relief

It's a scientific fact: sex can be a very effective way of reducing stress levels.

During sex your body produces dopamine, a substance that fights stress hormones, endorphins, aka "happiness hormones" and oxytocin, a desire-enhancing hormone secreted by the pituitary gland.

Perak to increase NGO involvement in local councils - Malaysian Insider

By Clara Chooi

IPOH, Nov 25 — The Perak government plans to increase the participation of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the running of local councils by invoking provisions under Local Agenda 21.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said that the current system, which the Barisan Nasional administration had adopted from the previous Pakatan Rakyat government, did not optimise the use of NGO talent because of the 30 per cent quota.

Under the PR system, 30 per cent of local councillor posts are given to professionals and non-political appointees, mainly representatives of NGOs.

“However, we are aware that there are many more NGO representatives out there who are willing to participate in local government administrations but because of the quota system, they may not make the cut.

“If we use Local Agenda 21, however, we can capitalise on this,” he told a press conference after chairing the weekly state executive councillor meeting here today.

Zambry said that under Local Agenda 21, the state government could form a “second layer” to the councillors, comprising only of NGO representatives.

According to state executive councillor for local government matters Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon, the “second layer” would be involved in council matters and would play a pivotal role in aiding the local governments in sustainable development of the state’s 15 districts.

“They will also sit in during local council meetings,” he said.

Agenda 21 is an action plan towards global sustainable development that was amongst the five papers presented during the 1992 Earth Summit or United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro.

Zambry said the Housing and Local Government Ministry had already commissioned the setting up of Local Agenda 21 in Malaysia several years back.

“We might as well make full use of this and come up with a modus operandi on how to improve the effectiveness of our local councils by expanding the involvement of these NGOs,” he said.

Meanwhile, Zambry said that the state government had already identified several problematic councillors currently serving the local councils but has yet to finalise the list of names.

“We will not hesitate to discontinue their services during the new round of appointments. There will be no compromise on this,” he said, adding that the new team of local councillors would be appointed by early next year.

Zambry also issued a stern warning to all present and aspiring councillors to make sure they performed well or face the boot.

“Enough is enough. We do not care which political party they represent — if they fail to perform, we will discontinue them.

“We do not want these people to think that the appointments are merely privileges bestowed upon them by their leaders or given to them because of their unfaltering support to a certain leader. They must consider themselves as the people’s representatives too,” he said.

He added that the each councillor was subjected to key performance indicator (KPI) evaluations, which would value their services based on their achievements, attendance and effectiveness.

“If they fail, they will go,” warned Zambry.

On a separate matter, Zambry said the Health Ministry had given its thumbs-up to the state government’s request for allocations under the 10th Malaysia Plan to build new hospitals.

Among the state’s requests was an expansion for the present Tuanku Bainun Hospital here which will add a maternity and cardiology wing costing some RM200mil, as well as a brand new hospital in Parit Buntar, also costing some RM200mil.

Celebs help club to clean up river - Star

Nov 17, 2009

SOME 60 Leo Club members spent a recent Sunday morning cleaning up the banks of the Kinta River in Ipoh under their ‘Keep Our Sungai Kinta Clean’ project.

Organised in conjunction with Eco Week 2009 by the Leo Club of SMJK Sam Tet, the clean-up was attended by fellow Leos from five other schools in Ipoh.

They also managed to rope in celebrities from Malaysia Celebrities Go Green (MCG2), namely actor-TV host Baki Zainal, singer Azizi Zakaria, radio DJ Faradina Mohd Nadzir who is better known as Dina and Miss Malaysia World 2008/2009 Soo Wincci.

Baki said the MCG2 artistes were committed to caring for the environment.

Soo (right) joining Leo member in removing an old peice of wood on the Sungai Kinta banks.

“We travelled from Kuala Lumpur to show our support,” said Baki.

Azizi said he was using his popularity to get his fans to go green.

Dina hoped more young people would realise the importance of keeping the environment clean.

The clean-up covered a 1km stretch of the river bank between Jalan Sultan Idris Shah and Jalan Sultan Iskandar Shah.

Alan Thoo, the chairman for Leos in District 308B2 (Selangor to Perlis), said the Leos picked up not only plastic but also broken bottles, old tyres, old jeans and pieces of wood that had been dumped on the river banks.

Wall outside State Secretariat collapses - Star

Nov 14, 2009

IPOH: Part of a retaining wall at the State Secretariat building here collapsed following days of heavy rainfall. The 21m-long wall in front of Jalan Istana crumbled at about 9pm on Thursday.

It is believed that water from a drain in the compound had washed away the earth underneath the wall causing it to give way.

Removing debris: An excavator cleaning up fallen portions of the retaining wall at the Perak State Secretariat building in Ipoh yesterday. — ZABIDI TUSIN / The Star

Datuk Bandar Datuk Roshidi Hashim, who visited the site, said damage was estimated at between RM8,000 and RM10,000. Repairs are now under way.

Hours earlier, part of a road kerb along Laluan Lapangan 3 in Taman Sri Perkasa also gave way, creating a 2.5m-deep crater.

Hawker Lim Ah Lek, 66, said it had been raining heavily shortly beforethe incident.

“The rain fell for about half an hour but it was so heavy that the water level in front of my house rose to about 15cm,” he said.

Lim said he saw the gaping hole as he was leaving his house at about 7pm.

“There is heavy traffic on this road as it is a main road. Many schoolbuses use the road.

“We are afraid that the road will collapse,” he said.

Resident Lee Geok Hoon, 45, said she feared for her life. “I use this road four times a day,” she said.

Ipoh City Councillor Kok Pak Foo gave his assurance that the council would repair the road kerb immediately. He visited the site with Gopeng MCA division chief Albert Chang and his deputy Alex Chan.

Perak launches new information channel

IPOH, Nov 14

The state government has launched Perak TV Digital Media Network, a new channel to disseminate information on activities by government agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGO).

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said to this end, 300 television sets would be installed at strategic places like government offices and restaurants.

He said the project by K-Perak Inc Corp and Simfoni Maya Sdn Bhd was not poltically motivated but aimed at improving the delivery system of all government agencies.

“We are providing the people with a new alternative to receive information on economic and social activities. The television sets will also be installed in rural areas.

“As such, the people will have a choice to receive information not fully covered by the mainstream media,” he said at the launch here today.

Zambry said the new information channel would also offer advertising space for local products at much lower cost compared to other service providers. — Bernama

RM60mil approved to upgrade Sultan Azlan Shah airport - Star

Nov 7, 2008

IPOH: Work on extending the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport runway and upgrading the terminal building will start next year.

Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah said the Cabinet had approved RM60mil for the two projects.

He said the runway could now be extended by 200m from the present 1.8km apart from the airport terminal being upgraded.

This would allow the airport to attract more budget airlines within Asean to fly there, he said.

Currently, only Firefly offers flights from here to Singapore daily.

"Our surveys showed that Perak hold immerse potential as a tourist destination.

"With the extension, we hope other budget airlines will be attracted to use the airport," said Ahmad Husni Saturday.

Speaking to reporters after a ground-breaking ceremony for a market at the Tanah Hitam New Village in Chemor near here, Ahmad Husni, who is also Tambun MP, said work on extending and upgrading the airport would start next year.

On another matter, Ahmad Husni said elected representatives had also been roped in to ensure projects under Budget 2010 were carried out.

"The Yang Berhormats can also write to the Prime Minister or the Deputy Prime Minister if projects in their area are facing problems," he said.

Najib was reported to have asked his ministers to closely monitor projects under Budget 2010.

The Prime Minister wants the 160 projects listed to start according to schedule as this was the commitment given by the Government to the rakyat.

Reaching out to the disabled - Star

Nov 5, 2009

REGISTRATION for the disabled to learn vocational skills is now open at Persatuan Daybreak, Ipoh.

A social concern arm of the Canning Garden Methodist Church, Ipoh, Daybreak has since its inception in 1992 trained over 500 people who were physically or intellectually challenged.

Its chairman Siaw Tack Chuan said the centre provides hands-on-training to enable people to learn skills in any workplace, including socks manufacturing and packaging, plant nursery, general clea-ning, contract assembly and packaging and handicraft.

He said those who register would be given two years’ training, adding that the centre would also find a job for them.

Sandra showing (from right) Siaw, Thong and Kojima a pillow made by a trainee.

The centre, he said, would monitor the trainees’ progress for ano-ther two years while they were employed.

Siaw said those employed would receive RM300 allowance from the Welfare Department if their salary was below RM1,200 a month.

Daybreak, which is largely dependent on public donations, recently received RM40,000 for its nursery project from the Japanese Chamber of Trade and Industry, Malaysia (JACTIM).

The JACTIM Foundation was established in 1994 for the purpose of contributing to Malaysian cultural, social and educational developments, and also strengthening the bilateral relationship between Malaysia and Japan.

A symbolic cheque presentation ceremony was held at the centre on Tuesday.

International Culture Exchange Committee director and chairman Kenji Kojima handed over the mock cheque to Ipoh Timur MCA division chief Datuk Thong Fah Chong who represented deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Lee Chee Leong.

Also present were Daybreak executive chairman Datuk Sandra Lee and state Social Welfare director Chong Phaik Kee. Those who wish to register with Daybreak can contact 05 -3235908/3235909.

Budget 2010 - 1Malaysia, Together We Prosper - Malaysiakini

Oct 23, 2009


Budget 2010's three-pronged strategy - driving the nation towards a high-income economy, ensuring holistic and sustainable development and focusing on the well-being of the people.

GDP for 2009 is expected to be -3%, better than the earlier estimation of -4% to -5%.

The total expenditure allocated is RM191.5 billion, which is 11.2 percent less that what was allocated last year (RM215.7 billion).

Of this, the proposed operating expenditure is RM138.3 billion and development expenditure is RM53.2 billion.

The government's income meanwhile has shrunk 8.4 percent to RM148.4 billion (RM162.1 billion in 2009).

The budget deficit is proposed to be reduced to 5.6 percent from 7.4 percent last year.

Salient points of Najib's speech:

* Malaysia economy to grow 2-3 percent in 2010

* Mining to grow 1.1 percent, manufacturing sector 1.7 percent, agriculture 2.5 percent, construction 3.2 percent and service 3.6 percent.

* Private consumption expand 2.9 percent while private investment 3.4 percent.

* Per capita income to increase by 2.5 percent to RM24,661.

* TNB to spend RM5 billion to implement electricity generation, transmission and distribution projects in 2010.

* Public-private collaborations to include an integrated immigration, customs and quarantine complex in Bukit Kayu Hitam, construction of six UiTM campuses and the development of Matrade centre.

* 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) will establish a corporate social responsibility fund totalling RM100 million as a start to finance community activities.

* Government to allocate RM899 million to intensify tourism industry.

* Government to enhance tax incentives for healthcare service providers who offer services to foreign health tourists with income tax exemptions of 100 percent on the value of increased exports from 50 percent previously.

* Individual taxpayers to be given tax relief on broadband subscription fee up to RM500 a year from 2010 to 2012.

* Civil servants are eligible to apply for computer loans once in every three years and up to a maximum of RM5,000 from the government once in every five years.

* Formulate Halal Act in collaboration with State Islamic Religious Councils.

* To corporatise the Halal Industry Development Corporation as an agency under Ministry of International Trade and Industry.

* Intensify halal certification by the Islamic Development Department of Malaysia (Jakim) by collaborating with international institutions to obtain standards certification such as HACCP and GMP.

* To provide RM24 million to develop halal products anti-smuggling system at three entry points and three main ports.

* Allocate RM137 million to upgrade and improve drainage and irrigation infrastructures in paddy fields involving 180,000 farmers.

* To provide RM70 million to build the Paya Peda Dam Project in Terengganu to increase water supply capacity to paddy irrigation scheme in Besut.

* Allocate RM82 million to modernise aquaculture industry and conduct entrepreneurship training scheme for aquaculture breeders with focus on production of fish fry and ornamental fish.

* RM149 million allocation to develop food farming industry such as fruits, vegetables, organic farming, herbs, seaweeds and swiftlet nests.

* RM58 million to develop basic infrastructures for livestock farms and establish supply chains for beef and mutton production.

* A consortium comprising Felda, Felcra and Risda will be established by the end of 2009, with a paid-up capital of RM300 million and with each agency contributing RM100 million.

* Government to provide subsidies, incentives and assistance amounting to some RM2 billion to farmers and fishermen to safeguard their interests.

* Government to allocate RM9 billion to finance infrastructure projects, with RM4.7 billion for road and bridge projects, RM2.6 billion for water supply and sewerage services, RM899 million for rail facilities, RM820 million for ports and sea services and RM276 milliion for airport projects.

* To consolidate 79 SME funds to 33 to simplify access to SME financing to be coordinated by SME Corp.

* To allocate RM350 million to SME Corp, with RM200 million set aside for SME soft loans, RM100 million for capacity enhancement and the balance for branding and promotion.

* Financial institutions to approve micro-financing in six days and disbursement in four days.

* To allocate RM538 million for implementation of various SME programmes, with RM281 million to state economic development corporations, RM200 million to Tekun and RM57 million for purchase of business premises and infrastructures.

* Government to sanction RM20 million to intensify green awareness activities and practise environment-friendly lifestyle.

* Develop Putrajaya and Cyberjaya as pioneer townships in GreenTechnology as a showcase for the development of other townships.

* Establish a RM1.5 billion fund to promote green technology, with a maximum RM50 million financing for suppliers and RM10 million for consumer companies.

* Applications for financing through the National Green Technology Centre to commence on Jan 1, 2010 and 140 companies are to benefit.

* Building owners obtaining GBI Certificates from tomorrow until Dec 31, 2014 are to be given income tax exemption equivalent to additional capital expenditure.

* Stamp duty exemption to buyers of buildings with GBI Certificates from tomorrow till Dec 31, 2014.

* Simplify permanent residency (PR) applications for those who possess high talents, expatriates will be issued visas within 14 days while male expatriates who marry locals will be automatically conferred PR status.

* Government will ensure that the five regional corridors - launched during former premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's tenure - will be developed according to schedule.

* To ensure fuel subsidies only benefit targeted groups, the government will implement a fuel subsidiy management system in early 2010. This is a more people-friendly system utilising MyKad and the existing infrastructure.

* There will be no more free credit cards which are currently being used extensively. The number increased from more than two million in 1997 to 11 million as of August 2009, excluding 285,000 charge cards. To promote prudent spending a service tax of RM50 a year will be imposed on each principal credit card and charge card, including those issued free of charge.

* There will also be service tax of RM25 a year imposed on each supplementary card.

* RM3.7 billion set aside to beef up the security forces, including providing modern and sophisticated equipment for the relevant agencies.

* Target set to reduce crime index by five percent, including street crimes such as snatch theft and robberies by 20 percent by the end of 2010. Among the measures that will be taken is to increase police presence by providing stations in 50 crime hotspots.

* Open Approved Permit (AP) holders to be charged RM10,000 for each AP given. The new ruling will come into effect on Jan 1 next year.

* Government committee to achieve target of zero hardcore poverty in 2010. Five thousand poor households registered with eKasih and 4,000 Orang Asli households to receive aid. Skills training programmes and income generating programmes will be provided. Federal welfare assistance to be distributed on the 1st of each month.

* RM141 million to be allocated for 'Program Lonjakan Mega' scheme to alleviate 5,600 families from hardcore poverty.

* Double deduction on expenditure incurred in promoting Malaysia as an international financial centre.

* Deduction on expenditure incurred to set up islamic stockbroking companies.

* Deduction on expenditure incurred on the issuance of Islamic securities.

* Government to encourage all syariah-compliant financial and banking institutions such as Bank Muamalat and Bank Islam to offer Ar-Rahnu scheme.

* Government to ensure regional corridors be developed according to schedule.

Todate 126 of 195 planned projects are at various stages of implementation. Planned investments totalling RM221 billion have exceeded the 9MP target of RM145 billion.

* Government to allocate RM3.5 billion for infrastructure and basic amenities and training programmes and socio-economic projects to support implementation of private sector projects.

* Government is in the final stage of completing a study on imposing Goods and Services Tax (GST). The rate will be lower than the current sales and service tax.

* Income tax for 2010 based on income derived from 2009 will be allowed to be paid in instalments in five years.

* A five per cent tax to be imposed on gains from disposal of real property from Jan 1, 2010.

* A RM50 service tax to be imposed on each principal credit card and charge card and RM25 a year on each supplementary card from Jan 1, 2010.

* RM100,000 to be imposed for each AP to open AP holders effective Jan 1, 2010.

A portion of the collection will be channelled to the Bumiputera development fund in the automotive sector.

* To introduce a basic insurance and takaful scheme for motor insurance protection by mid-2010.

* To expand micro insurance and takaful coverage for small-scale businessmen to benefit from coverage ranging from RM10,000 to RM20,000 with a premium as low as RM20 per month.

* Stock market to be further liberalised to enhance efficiency.

* Liberalise commission-sharing arrangements between stockbrokers and remisiers by allowing flexible brokerage sharing at a minimum rate of 40 per cent for remisiers and to have commission-sharing fully liberalised effective January 1, 2011.

* Allowing 100 per cent foreign equity participation in corporate finance and financial planning companies.

* All public-listed companies to offer e-Dividend and stockbroking companies to provide e-Payment options.

* Current tax incentives to develop financial services, particularly Islamic finance, extended to 2015.

* Twenty per cent stamp duty exemption on Islamic financing instruments.

* Tax exemption on banking profits derived from overseas operations.

* Effective Jan 1 2010, government agrees to allow agencies to retain 50 per cent of rentals received while the remaining 50 per cent will be remitted to the government as revenue.

* The Government will implement fuel subsidy management system in early 2010.

* The Government proposes the maximum income tax rate to be further reduced to 26 per cent from 27 per cent effective from the 2010 year of assessment.

* Maximum tax rate for cooperatives will be reduced to 26 per cent while the fixed tax rate for non-resident individuals will be cut to 26 per cent.

* Personal tax relief will be increased to RM9,000 from RM8,000 effective from the 2010 year of assessment.

* The Government also proposes income tax on employment income of Malaysians and foreign knowledge workers residing and working in Iskandar Malaysia be imposed at 15 per cent compared with the maximum 26 per cent for the rest of the country.

* Government to launch a scheme in January 2010 that enables EPFcontributors to utilise current and future savings in Account 2 to promote house ownership.

* RM14.8 billion is allocated to manage, build and upgrade hospitals and clinics.

* The Government will issue 1Malaysia Sukuk totalling RM3 billion.

* The Government will establish the 1Malaysia Retirement Scheme to be administrated by EPF.

Wildlife authorities in war against tiger poachers - Star

Oct 10, 2009 By IVAN LOH

ivanloh@thestar.com.my

IPOH: The Perak Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) has uncovered and destroyed 47 snares meant for tigers near the Royal Belum rainforest this year alone.

State Perhilitan director Shabrina Shariff said the traps were found during its anti-poaching initiative Ops Jerat conducted since early this year.

“The latest was the trap that snared a tiger near the Royal Belum forest reserve on Saturday,” said Shabrina.

A five-year-old 120kg tiger was caught in a snare near the Royal Belum rainforest, seriously injuring a right limb. It is currently being treated at the Malacca Zoo.

“There could also be more traps that we have yet to find in the forest,” Shabrina said.

Shabrina said anti-poaching operations are carried out three times a month and 24 in total have been conducted along the East-West highway near the Royal Belum rainforest.

“Up to October, we have arrested five people for possessing snares,” said Shabrina, adding that two men from Kelantan were also arrested early this year for buying tiger parts in Grik.

“We recovered tiger skulls, bones, fangs and claws from them and are still discussing with the state public prosecutor office for action to be taken against them,” she said, adding that there are currently only between 30 and 40 tigers left in Royal Belum rainforest.

Shabrina said Perhilitan would continue to search and destroy snares.

“We will also put up cameras at tiger hotspots, while our officers will go undercover to obtain more information on poachers,” she said.

WWF species conservation manager Reuben Clements said tiger poaching activities were rampant based upon the number of traps found and tiger parts recovered.

“The Federal Government needs to set up anti-poaching task force to secure key tiger-populated area in the long run,” he said, adding that the Royal Belum rainforest was among three priority areas identified in the National Tiger Action Plan.

Wildlife trade monitoring network Traffic South-East Asia regional acting director Chris R. Shepherd said Malaysia still has a healthy number of tigers.

“That just means that poachers are going to turn their sights on Malaysia,” Shepherd said.

“The population of all tiger species in South-East Asia has dropped, which is already a blow to conservation efforts,” he said, adding that South-East Asian countries should work together to save the tiger from extinction.

He said heavier fines should be imposed to prevent poaching and the illegal trading of tiger parts, and urged the public to play their part by reporting poaching activities.

Noose tightens around tiger poachers - Star

Oct 10, 2009

IPOH: This year alone, the Perak Wildlife and National Parks Depart-ment (Perhilitan) uncovered and destroyed 47 tiger traps near the Royal Belum Rainforest Reserve.

State Perhilitan director Shabrina Shariff said the traps were found during the anti-poaching Ops Jerat that began early this year.

“The latest trap was the one that snared a tiger near the reserve on Saturday,” said Shabrina.

A five-year-old 120kg tiger had one of its limbs seriously injured by the wire trap and is being treated at the Malacca Zoo.

“There could be more traps that we have yet to find in the forest,” she said.

Shabrina said 24 Ops Jerat checks had been conducted along the East-West Highway near the rainforest.

“As of October, we arrested five people for possessing snares,” she said.

She said two men from Kelantan were also arrested early this year for buying tiger parts in Grik.

Shabrina said Perhilitan would continue to search and destroy the snares.

“We will also put up cameras at tiger hotspots and have officers going undercover to obtain more information on poachers,” she said.

There are currently between 30 to 40 tigers left in the Belum rainforest reserve.

Meanwhile, WWF species conservation manager Reuben Clements said the Federal Government needed to set up an anti-poaching task force to secure key tiger-populated areas in the long run.

Perak government appoints Professor Sukor Kasim as adviser - NST

Oct 7, 2009

IPOH: Universiti Sains Malaysia's (USM) microcredit expert Professor Sukor Kasim will be appointed adviser and consultant to the Perak government in its bid to narrow income disparities in the state.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said the appointment was important to enable the government to come up with the best approach to address this problem and poverty, especially hardcore poverty.

"We want them (experts) to come and be part of us, to advise us on the best mechanism and best policy to implement because many programmes had been announced before but nothing much had been done.

"Some of the announcements were mere announcements or populist moves to draw public support," he told reporters after chairing the State Executive Council meeting, here, Wednesday.


Asked on the duration of the appointment, Zambry said the state government would discuss it with Sukor and disclosed that the former Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) managing director had in principle agreed to be adviser and consultant to the Perak government.

Zambry said the state government would set aside a special allocation in the 2010 state budget to be tabled at the next state assembly sitting to address the stark income disparity problem.

He said the 2010 state budget would also include measures to make Perak a business-friendly and high-income state.

"Besides that, there will also be programmes for capacity building which, among others, are aimed at eradicating poverty, as well as programmes for the youths."

The state assembly sitting should be held by November the latest since the last one in May. - BERNAMA

Health warning on traditional medicine capsule - Star

Oct 6, 2009 By DHARMENDER SINGH

PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry has advised the public against buying and using Senna Plus Capsule 400mg after the Drug Control Authority (DCA) cancelled the registration of the traditional product.

The DCA said the capsule (labelled MAL06100616TC) contains a scheduled poison.

The ministry’s Pharmacy Services senior director Eisah Abdul Rahman said the DCA had cancelled the registration of the product following the detection of the scheduled poison Sibutramine, which is not allowed for use in traditional products.

The product registration holder for the Senna Plus Capsule 400mg is Winson Health Product Marketing and the manufacturer is TST Packaging Sdn Bhd, she said.

She said there were certain products containing Sibutramine that were registered with the DCA but these had been evaluated for their safety, efficacy and quality.

Furthermore, those products can only be supplied by doctors or obtained from pharmacies with a prescription.

“The public should not use traditional products containing the scheduled poison without consulting a doctor because its use without proper diagnosis and monitoring could cause serious adverse events such as high-blood pressure and other cardio-vascular effects.

“The products can have detrimental effects on consumers in the high-risk category,” she said in a statement issued Tuesday.

Eisah said the ministry was also calling on anyone possessing the product to immediately cease its sale, distribution or use.

She said possession for sale of the product was an offence under the Controlled Drugs and Cosmetics Regulations 1984, which carries a fine of up to RM25,000, three years’ jail or both for the first offence, and a fine of up to RM50,000, five years’ jail or both for subsequent offences.

Companies face a fine of up to RM50,000 for the first offence and a maximum fine of RM100,000 for subsequent offences, she said.

Safety team formed to inspect pre-war buildings - Star

Oct 6, 2009 BY CHAN LI LEEN

IPOH: The Ipoh City Council is setting up a surveillance team to inspect pre-war and colonial buildings, in the wake of the recent collapse of the buildings at Fair Park here.

State executive councillor Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon said the team would conduct checks upon receiving complaints from the public or requests from owners to have their premises looked at.

Ground zero: Motorists driving past the site where a row of pre-war buildings collapsed along Jalan Kamaruddin Isa in Fair Park on Friday.

The team will comprise experts from the council and the Public Works Department (PWD), he added.

According to Dr Mah, the local government authority had the jurisdiction to issue notices to owners under Section 83 of the Drainage and Buildings Act 1974 to check their buildings.

“Action can be taken against those who refuse to comply. We will do it for the safety of the public,” he told reporters yesterday after attending a preliminary meeting into the collapse of the buildings at the demolition site.

In the 9.30pm incident on Friday, two passengers in a car were killed while another was injured when a row of pre-war buildings on Jalan Kamaruddin Isa collapsed onto the vehicle.

The buildings were being demolished to make way for eight units of three-storey shoplots.

While the opinion of experts was needed to decide whether a particular building was structurally sound, there were telltale signs as to how safe a building was, said Dr Mah.

“Cracks, tears and leaning of walls are all telltale signs. I urge the public to report to us or least to keep us informed when they come across buildings in such a state,’’ he said, adding that the public could call the council’s hotline at 05-2551515.

He added that the first job for the team was to inspect the two rows of buildings along Jalan Gopeng in Sungai Raia.

On the meeting, Dr Mah said building forensics officers from the PWD and the Department of Safety and Health would hold further meetings before coming up with a detailed report on the collapse.

Stop-work order issued after shophouses collapse - Star

Oct 4, 2009

IPOH: A temporary stop-work order has been issued against the owner of the two-storey pre-war shophouses which collapsed on Friday during demolition work, killing two men.

Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha said the Ipoh City Council had also been instructed to prepare a preliminary report on the matter to be submitted to the ministry by tomorrow.

“We want to find out whether precautionary measures were taken during the demolition work,” he told reporters here yesterday after visiting the site.

He added that the Public Works Department, police, Fire and Rescue Department and the Occupational Safety and Health Department (DOSH) would also be asked to prepare reports.

The statements of eyewitnesses and workers at the site would also be taken to assist in investigations.

“Action will be taken if the consultant was found to be negligent in using the wrong method to demolish the buildings,” he said.

The building in Jalan Kamaruddin Isa in Fair Park here was being demolished to make way for a row of three-storey shophouses. In the 9.30pm incident, two passengers in a Perodua Viva were killed when the building collapsed on the vehicle.

The deceased were identified as Zairi Mohd Sabri, 25, and Firdaus Mohd Norzila, 23.

The driver, Abdil Kudus Ismail, 21, was discharged after receiving outpatient treatment at the Hospital Raja Permaisuri Bainun here.

Fatal disaster strikes during dinner outing - Star

Oct 4, 2009

IPOH: He slowed down his car because the traffic light in front of him was turning red.

Moments later, computer technician Abdil Kudus Ismail, 21, felt a sharp pain on his face and back.

“When I turned to my friends, I could not see them as they were already buried under the rubble of a building which collapsed on my car.

“I could only feel Zairi (Mohd Sabri), who was seated in the front passenger seat, holding on tightly to my hand,” he said at Zairi’s house at Taman Harmoni in Rapat Setia here yesterday.

Sympathy offering: Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir and Perak executive councillor Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon (left) visiting Abdil Kudus at the Ipoh Hospital intensive care unit Saturday.

Abdil Kudus, who was trying to hold back his tears, added that he quickly used his right elbow to break the car window before crawling out to seek help.

“But when I returned to check on my friends, I could only see their lifeless hands,” he said, adding that the image would haunt him forever.

Abdil Kudus was recounting the harrowing experience when pre-war shophouses collapsed on his car on Friday.

His friends Zairi, 25, and Firdaus Mohd Norzila, 23, died on the spot.

Abdil Kudus said they were on their way to Dataran DBI for dinner when it happened.

Zairi’s mother Zaitun Ahmad, 43, said the last she spoke to her eldest son was 15 minutes before the incident.

“I refused to believe it when a policeman called to inform me of the incident, as I had just spoken to him on the phone,” said the mother of 11.

She added that Zairi had gone out with his friends to help her buy tickets for a trip to Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Meanwhile, Firdaus’ father Mohd Norzila Abd Rahman said he was contemplating taking legal action over his son’s death.

“There were not enough safety measures at the site where the buildings were being demolished,” said the lorry driver.

The two victims were buried at the Tanah Perkuburan Islam Rapat Setia here.

Crackdown on leasees - Star

Oct 4, 2009 By IVAN LOH

THE Ipoh City Council will terminate the rental agreement of those found to be renting out their low-cost flat units, said Datuk Bandar Datuk Roshidi Hashim.

“The council will start issuing vacate notices from this month. The retracted units will then be leased out immediately to those who need them.

“We have received numerous complaints of leasees renting out their units to others,” he said after chairing the council’s full board meeting on Thursday.

Roshidi also lambasted the selfish leasees who failed to return their keys to the council after they vacated their units.

“The flats are meant for the poor and for those who cannot afford their own home,” he said.

The city council currently owns the Buntong Harmoni, Kinta Heights and Waller Court flats charging rental of between RM80 and RM140 monthly.

On a unrelated matter, Roshidi denied talks that the city council had increased the quit rent of several new housing estates.

”The city council has not increased the quit rent in Ipoh for the past 15 years,” he said, adding that the city council did not have the power to raise the quit rent.

He was responding to newspaper reports that residents in several housing areas in Ipoh were shocked with the hike in quit rent.

Roshidi explained that quit rent in new housing estates was adjusted accordingly in line with the value of property.

”All these while, the residents have been paying quit rent at empty land rates.

“Those who are not happy with the quit rent imposed on them should present their argument to the council within a month.” he said.

He also noted that as of October, the city council had identified about 10,300 people who had not been paying their quit rent.

Consortium To Improve Bus Service In Ipoh

IPOH, Oct 2 (Bernama) -- A consortium involving the three existing bus companies will be set up by year end to standardise the bus services in the city and overcome the problem of old buses.

State Public Service and Consumerism Committee chairman Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon said Friday the new schedules involving 300 buses were expected to start on Nov 1.

He said the Ipoh City Council had also been directed to conduct a study on the old and dilapidated bus stops with a view to building new ones for the comfort of commuters.

The state government was also considering implementing special bus lanes in the city to overcome traffic jams when the consortium took over, he said.

-- BERNAMA

Keeping the hills alive - Star

Sept 26, 2009

By FOONG THIM LENG
Photos courtesy of CHEANG KUM SENG

Photographer Cheang Kum Seng’s love affair with the limestone hills of the Kinta Valley has yielded thousands of photos spanning two decades.

RENOWNED photographer Cheang Kum Seng hopes to instil awareness on the importance of conserving the hills of the Kinta Valley through the images he has captured in the past two decades.

His fascinating photographs of the valley’s hills, caves and landscape were published recently in a book called Limestone Hills & Caves of the Kinta Valley. The author of the book is Ipoh-born freelance writer S. L. Wong, who specialises in environmental and travel writing.

Serene pursuit: Boating in the lake near Pencil Rock in Tambun.

Cheang, 65, is a retired bank employee who has found a second career as an industrial and commercial photographer. His images have appeared in numerous magazines, newspapers and books, and have been used regularly on the cover of the Malaysian Nature Society’s (MNS) Malaysian Naturalist between 1995 and 2000.

Cheang has snapped thousands of photographs of the hills in the Kinta Valley and some of his favourites are featured in the book. Many of the photographs were taken between 1990 and 1991 when he was commissioned as a photographer for the Kinta Valley Limestone Hill Survey Project by the MNS and as the photographer for the Gua Tempurung project by Heritage Acres Sdn Bhd.

“The photographs in the book depict not only existing hills and caves but also landscapes that no longer exist due to development and changes in the use of land. I hope the book will serve as an encouragement for all of us to stand up and protect Malaysia’s natural heritage,” Cheang said in an interview.

His photographs are a testament to his passion for nature and the patience needed to bring out the very best in his subjects. Most of Cheang’s photographs were taken before digital photography became popular. He used two 35mm and a 120mm camera for taking slides and negatives during his outings.

Cheang’s crew were usually made up of his three sons and MNS members who shared his interest in caving activities.

The second chamber in Perak Tong, a cave temple near Tasek.

“We would visit the hills in the morning to start exploring the caves to look for interesting sites with unique features. It was a time-consuming job as we were only using torches. You need lots of patience to be able to study the formations before you are able to capture the images.

“Once we had identified our target, we would set up the cameras and positioned the helpers to light up the cave using multiple flashes. At times, we had to wait for rays of sunlight to seep through the cave ceiling to impart a surreal impact on the photographs.

“We could only take about two shots in each outing and had to leave the cave in the evening,” he recalled.

Cheang, an associate of the Royal Photography Society of Great Britain, has been a member of the MNS since 1992 and a member of the Malaysian Karst Society since 2002.
Photographer Cheang Kum Seng has immortalised the landscapes of the Kinta Valley.

MNS president Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Mohd Nor said in the book’s foreword that the Kinta Valley Hills have immeasurable conservation value and would be a perfect candidate for a World Heritage Site. It is significant in terms of its features and richness in biological diversity, but more significantly, it has a fascinating prehistoric past, he said.

Dr Salleh said that the Kinta Valley Hills, reputed to be between 240 and 570 million years old, are breathtaking limestone formations that have inspired many a traveller and researcher. With Limestone Hills & Caves of the Kinta Valley, the unique features of the limestone hills and caves can be recorded for posterity, for future generations to appreciate, he said.

Prof Dr Bernard Pierson, Shell Chair in Petroleum Geosciences, Universiti Teknologi Petronas, said the beautiful and long overdue book was a tribute to the geological treasures of the Kinta Valley.

Those interested in the book can contact the MNS at (03) 2287 9422.

Kinta Nature Park to be gazetted as wildlife sanctuary - Star

Sept 25, 2009 By FOONG THIM LENG (newsdesk@thestar.com.my)

IPOH: The Perak government will gazette the Kinta Nature Park as a wildlife sanctuary to prevent it from being destroyed by encroachment and illegal activities.

State Tourism Committee chairman Datuk Hamidah Osman said gazetting the park would not take much time as the groundwork for it had been prepared when Datuk Seri Tajol Rosli Ghazali was Perak mentri besar, and there was a file on the proposal in the state Land and Mines office.

Close inspection: Lee informing Hamidah about the encroachment at the Kinta Nature Park in Batu Gajah yesterday while Tan looks on. The island in the background is the heronry in the park.

“We will have to decide on which agency would manage the park and look into upgrading its facilities before promoting the park for tourism,” she told reporters during an inspection of the park in Batu Gajah after receiving complaints from the Perak branch of the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS).

Accompanying her were MNS Perak branch vice-chairman Lee Ping Kong, council member Tan Chin Tong and ornithologist Lim Kim Chye, who is the MNS Perak Branch Bird Group Coordinator.

“It will be a waste if such a potential tourist attraction like the park is neglected. It is said to be the best place for bird-watching in Malaysia. It is the home to more than 130 species of birds and has the largest heronry in the country on one of its islands,” she said.

It was reported in The Star on Tuesday that the park would will lose the heronry if illegal activities continued there.

Almost 60% of the birds in the park are listed as totally protected or protected under the Protection of Wild Life Act 1976.

A recent check by the MNS revealed that someone had fenced up the whole lake where the heronry, with five breeding species of 2,000 waterbirds, is located, with the intention of starting commercial fish farming.

The MNS had complained that pristine mining pools at the southern end of the park have been taken over by duck farms and that incursions by sand extraction activities have increased.

The lack of a management body had resulted in damage and disrepair to the infrastructure.

The only watchman in the park said he was only there to guard the amenities and was powerless to prevent any form of encroachment.

Hamidah said the park was managed by the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan). She expressed disappointment at the amenities in the park having been vandalised and the grass not having been cut for months.

“We will like to park to be managed by the Kampar district office with Perhilitan playing a monitoring role,” she said.

Hamidah also agreed to look into a suggestion by the MNS to let the park be placed under the jurisdiction of the Perak State Parks Corporation.

She said the duck farms operating without permit would have to stop.

Hamidah added that she would talk with the Kampar District Office to stop renewing the permits for sand mining in the park.

On whether the park should be named the Royal Perak Wetlands, as proposed after the it was set up in 2001, Hamidah said the name would need consent from the Perak royal family.

One In Three Malaysians At Risk Of Developing Osteoporosis

Picture courtesy of empowereddoctor.com

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 23 (Bernama) -- One in three Malaysian adults is at risk of developing osteoporosis, according to a recent bone-scanning programme.

The programme, conducted by bone nutrition expert Anlene in Malaysia, also found that incidence of osteoporotic hip fracture was highest among Chinese Malaysians, followed by Malays and Indians.

It found that 71 per cent of post-menopausal Malay women were not getting their daily Vitamin D requirement, the company said in a statement here today.

The programme, part of Anlene's Asia-wide bone-scanning programme conducted on 1.8 million people since 2005, is in line with the key findings of a major report released by the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) at the World Wide Conference of Osteoporosis Patient Societies in Beijing.

The results of the programme are also in line with a recent study conducted by Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and the University of Otago, New Zealand, which revealed that less than 50 per cent of Malaysian women are getting their required calcium needs.

Meanwhile, John Mckay, general manager of Fonterra Malaysia (Fonterra is Anlene's parent), said the studies were crucial to building a better understanding of looming bone health problems in Malaysia and other countries in Asia.

"Our bone scanning has indicated that an increasing number of people are at risk of developing osteoporosis and IOF's findings show that the incidence of hip fracture has already doubled or tripled in most Asian countries over the past 30 years.

"This is an alarming figure. There is an urgent need for Asian countries to understand more about this preventable disease and take action to fight it and call for more public education and awareness about the disease," he said.

Step by step method and recipe to make garbage enzymes

Sept 23, 2009

This article will provide you with a simple method and recipe to make garbage enzymes. Don’t worry if you are new to this as you will be guided through step by step on how to make garbage enzymes.



First and foremost, what is garbage enzymes and why are people making them? Garbage enzyme is a multipurpose liquid that can be used as a cleansing agent, purifier, fertiliser, blockage solution, etc. It is actually a smart way of using your kitchen wastes instead of throwing them out. When you make garbage enzymes using kitchen wastes like vegetables and fruits, it goes through a process of fermentation. This fermentation process will release ozone gas that will help to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Thus, making homemade enzymes is also an excellent way to do our part in safeguarding the environment.



The method and recipe to make garbage enzymes provided in this post are courtesy of Inner Journey. The author of Inner Journey has taken proper workshops in understanding how different types of enzymes are made and is an active enzyme producer in her own rights.

Before you begin, you should know that the process of producing enzyme is not an overnight thing. To make garbage enzymes the correct way, you need to leave it to ferment for 3 months before it is ready to be used.

Basic Ingredients To Make Garbage Enzymes:

* 1 part sugar
* 3 parts vegetable and/or fruit dregs
* 10 parts water
* A plastic container (recommended: use a substantially large plastic mineral water bottle which is air tight)

Tip: If you want nice smelling garbage enzymes, try using citrus fruits like oranges and pineapples!

Method To Make Garbage Enzymes:

* In the plastic container, dilute the sugar in water.
* Then, add in the fruit/vegetable dregs
* Be sure to leave about one third of empty space in the plastic container for the fermentation process
* Close the container tightly
* During the first month, open the container’s cap twice a day to release the gas that has built up
* Once in a while where necessary, you may push the floating garbage downward
* Place the container in a cool and ventilated area

After the first month, the ingredients in the container should be stable and you won’t need to release the gas anymore. At this stage, you just need to leave it alone to ferment for another 2 months before using it. It’s that easy!

Have a go at making your own garbage enzymes. You can be as creative as you can get, using whatever kitchen wastes you may have. And have fun!

Source: http://www.usefultipsforlife.com/step-by-step-method-recipe-to-make-garbage-enzymes

Wearing Of Masks Not The Only Measure To Prevent H1N1 Spread

By Zulkiple Ibrahim

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 14 (Bernama) -- As the awareness on H1N1 influenza increases, more members of the public can be seen wearing masks in their efforts to check the spread of the H1N1 virus in the country.

They can be seen wearing the masks at public spots like hospitals, hypermarkets and shopping complexes.

"The culture of wearing face masks to prevent the spread of influenza and other respiratory diseases is good but the public should not make the practice as the only measure to curb the spread of H1N1 influenza," an officer of the Infection Control Division of a public health institution told this writer at a seminar on H1N1 here.

The officer is among the participants of the National A (H1N1) Influenza Pandemic Conference 2009 held last Sept 12. The day-long event was organised by the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA), Ministry of Health and Federation of Private Medical Practitioners Association of Malaysia (FPMPAM)

"Only those who are sick are required to wear the masks and people with H1N1 should not be outside of their homes, instead they went everywhere.

"They should be quarantined at home and this is to prevent them from spreading the H1N1 virus to others if they go to public places. At home they should wear masks as there are others such as their family members," she said.

The misconception is that people think that by wearing masks, even those who are sick can go to any place they like, said the officer.

"My advice to those who are sick is to stay home, impose self-quarantine as this helps to prevent H1N1 from getting to others," she added.

ONE METRE DISTANCE

"Stay at least 1.0 metre away from any individual with influenza-like symptoms. The use of masks could reduce the transmission. However if used incorrectly, may actually increase the risk," said Dr T.C. Lim, another participant at the seminar.

He said if masks are to be used, this measure should be combined with other general measures to help prevent the human-to-human transmission of H1N1 influenza.

Dr Lim said according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), among the other general measures are:

Refrain from touching mouth and nose;

perform hand hygiene frequently, by washing with soap and water or using a handrub especially if touching the mouth and nose and surfaces that are potentially contaminated;

reduce as much as possible the time spent in close contact with people who might be ill;

reduce as much as possible the time spent in crowded settings;

improve airflow in your living space by opening windows as much as possible.

stay at home if you feel unwell

WHEN TO WEAR MASKS?

According to Dr Lim, people are recommended to wear surgical masks when they have symptoms of respiratory infection or fever.

"Also, if you are looking after someone with respiratory infection symptoms and had came into contact with a person having respiratory infection symptoms.

"You have to wear masks when visiting friends or family members at hospitals, or visiting crowded and poorly-ventilated places," he said.

DO NOT RE-USE MASKS

Dr Lim advised the public to replace the masks with new, clean and dry masks as soon as they become damp or humid.

"Do not re-use the masks. Discard the used masks and dispose them immediately upon removing. Hands should be washed immediately after removal of the mask.

Wearing surgical mask is just one of the ways to prevent the spread of droplet and respiratory tract infections. The practice of good personal hygiene is important, he said.

"Even if you do wear a surgical mask, you should continue to maintain a high standard of personal hygiene because no mask can offer total protection," said Dr Lim.

MORE HARM THAN GOOD

Another seminar participant, who wished to be identified as Dr Wong said he noticed that people wear masks even with no one around.

He said the H1N1 virus is not airborne.

"To be considered an airborne virus, the microorganism would have to survive or remain in the air for long periods of time. The H1N1 virus does not stay airborne," said Dr Wong who is from a private medical centre here.

"I noticed many people wear masks in crowded places. However, places like airports, shopping malls and schools are full of germs. If only a small number of germs get into the holes in the mask, you will provide a breeding ground for them.

"This may lead to an infection. The moisture you produce in your mask is perfect for bacteria and viruses to grow," he said.

PREVENT EXPOSURE TO H1N1 VIRUS

The way to prevent exposure to H1N1 virus is to avoid physical contact with people who may be sick or infected. Also avoid commonly touched surfaces like escalator railings, poles and public toilet doorknobs.

The H1N1 virus usually spreads when someone touches surfaces with the virus and then touches his own nose, eyes or mouth.

Washing your hands frequently is the best defense against exposure.

"Wearing a mask is only good at helping you not to spread your illness to others if you are infected," Dr Wong added.

Bercham folk can breathe easier now - Star

Sept 14, 2009

BERCHAM folk can heave a sigh of relief now that test results from Taman Tasek Aman and Taman Tasek Jaya have shown that the radiation level there is way below the permissible standard.

Universiti Tenaga Nasional College of Engineering Assoc Prof Norashidah Md Din said the total radiation exposure level in Taman Tasek Aman was at 1.85 microwatt per centimetre square or 0.32% according to the International Commission on Non-Ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) guidelines.

“The radiation exposure level for Taman Tasek Jaya was at 0.17 microwatt per centimetre square or 0.025%,” she told a press conference at the Ipoh City Council here recently.

‘‘It is safe to say that the radiation from the base stations comply to the safety guidelines,” she added.

Assoc Prof Norashidah explained that radiation levels beyond 400 microwatt per centimetre square were harmful to humans.

To a question on similar tests conducted by residents, which yielded different results, Assoc Prof Norashidah said the results could not be applied as they were using different measurement systems.

Ipoh Datuk Bandar Roshidi Hashim said the test results from Bercham would be used as a benchmark to gauge other telecommunication towers in Ipoh.

He added that several telecommunication companies had been told to relocate their base stations built near housing estates in Bercham by year end.

When contacted, Bercham Rukun Tetangga chairman Tan Swee Kong said the report was incomplete as it only announced the radiation frequency level.

Tan said the report should also include results on electro-magnetic radiation.

”They conducted the test for only 30mins, how is that enough to make a full report?” he asked.

Tan added that he would arrange for a meeting with Roshidi soon to seek clarification.

Obesity linked to H1N1 deaths - Malaysian Insider

Aug 30, 2009

Researchers have discovered a possible link between obesity and an increased risk of dying from H1N1. — Reuters pic

PARIS, Aug 30 — Obesity has emerged as a possible contributing factor in fatal swine flu cases, according to ground-breaking research looking at deaths caused by the pandemic in countries around the world.

The claim is made by a team from the French Institute for Public Health Surveillance, which has studied the characteristics of 574 deaths associated with the pandemic H1N1 influenza up until the middle of July. According to the team’s findings, published in medical journal Eurosurveillance, underlying disease was found in at least half of all fatal cases.

Mortality patterns were in many cases similar to those associated with normal, seasonal flu. But the team observed: “Nevertheless two risk factors are noticeable: pregnancy and obesity.”

Pregnancy is already a well-documented risk factor in seasonal influenza and in previous pandemics. The study found that 16 women — representing 10 per cent of all female deaths that were studied — were pregnant or had recently delivered at the time of their death. Half of these also had other health issues. But the conclusion that obesity may be a factor in some swine flu deaths opens up a new line of investigation for epidemiologists. Where an underlying disease was found to be present after someone had died of swine flu, in more than one in four cases the deceased had a metabolic condition — diabetes and/or obesity.

The team, which concluded further research needed to be done to establish the link between obesity, severe influenza and mortality, also found significant demographic variations among those affected by the pandemic.

“Compared to younger age groups, the elderly seem to be protected from infection to some extent, perhaps due to previous exposure to strains akin to the H1N1 virus,” the team claim.

There has been a view that fatal cases involving the pandemic have tended to occur among the young, according to the team. And they found the average age of those who have died was 37. More than half of all deaths occurred among the 20- to 49-year-old age group. Overall, 12 per cent of deaths occurred in cases aged 60 years or more.

According to the latest update from the Health Protection Agency (HPA): “In the last seven days, cases reported globally have increased by 8 per cent and the number of deaths by 21 per cent.” However, the HPA suggested flu rates in England were now coming down.

Concerns remain, however, that infection rates will start to increase again come the autumn.

The French team warns: “The pandemic… is far from over, and deaths will unfortunately continue to occur. As in previous pandemics, available data show that age groups are not equally affected.” — The Observer

Direct trip now from KL to Penang - Star

By CHAN LI LEEN (lileen@thestar.com.my)

IPOH: Motorists travelling between Kuala Lumpur and Penang on the North-South Expressway need no longer stop at the Ipoh Selatan and Jelapang toll plazas to pay toll or collect tickets.

They can now travel straight to the Juru toll plaza or the various toll plazas in Kuala Lumpur.


Works Minister Datuk Shaziman Abu Mansor, who opened the 14.7km Ipoh Selatan-Jelapang through-traffic stretch yesterday, said that with the shifting of the Ipoh Selatan and Jelapang toll plazas, there would be less congestion.

The two toll plazas have now been moved to separate lanes parallel to the expressway following a RM283mil upgrading exercise.

The Jelapang toll, now sited 800m south of its original location, has been renamed Ipoh Utara toll.

The direct route was part of the three-lane widening project.

”Previously, many accidents occurred when users, especially heavy vehicles, slowed down and stopped to pay at the Jelapang toll plaza,” he told reporters.

Shaziman added that safety would also improve as locals, who previously shared the road to get around different parts of the city, would be using the separate non-toll road parallel to the expressway.

“According to PLUS Expressways Bhd, of the 40,000 motorists using the stretch daily, 26,000 were locals who used it to get to different parts of the city,” he said.

Just one number to do business with government

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 27 – Pemudah, the country’s special task force dedicated to facilitate all aspects of doing business in Malaysia, has initiated a single number reference called MyCoID.

Initially, as of July 1, the single number reference is applied to five agencies, namely Inland Revenue Board (IRB), Human Resource Development Fund (HRDF), Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF), Royal Malaysian Customs (RMC) and Social Security Organisation (Socso).

All other agencies will be using the reference number in stages, according to a statement released by the Pemudah secretariat.

MyCoID is a standard identification number of a business entity for use in its interaction with government agencies.

It is the Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM) business registration number for companies, sole proprietors and partnerships.

“New businesses registering with CCM from July 1, 2009, can use the MyCoID when registering with the five agencies – IRB, HRDF, EPF, RMC and Socso,” the secretariat said.

“Existing companies (those registered before July 1, 2009) will be able to use their registration numbers as their MyCoID when dealing with IRB, EPF, and HRDF from Sept 1, 2009.

However, for RMC and Socso, these companies can only use their CCM registration numbers as their MyCoID from Jan 1, 2010,” it said.

Full implementation of MyCoID by all five agencies is expected from Jan 1 next year.

MyCoID will replace all other identification numbers required for businesses when dealing with the different government agencies, the secretariat said.

In the initial phase, with the exception of payment, MyCoID can be used by new businesses for all other services from the five agencies, it said. These services, however, are confined to over-the-counter and telephone services. – Bernama

Firefly To Have 7 Flights Weekly For Ipoh-Singapore Route

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 (Bernama) -- Firefly Airlines will further expand its Ipoh-Singapore service by offering daily flights between the two cities from beginning next month.

Currently operating four times weekly, the move will increase the flight frequency between the two cities to seven flights weekly.

"We are confident that these new flights will serve to stimulate more travel and growth prospects between Ipoh and Singapore," Angelina Fernandez, head of marketing and communications for Firefly, said in a statement on Friday.

Firefly is offering an all inclusive one-way ticket for RM88 for the route and the travelling time is about one hour and 20 minutes.

-- BERNAMA

New Low Cost Carrier, Silverfly To Fly Ipoh-Medan Route

IPOH, Aug 21 (Bernama) -- Another new low cost carrier, Silverfly Sdn Bhd with the cooperation of Riau Airlines is expected to make its maiden flight serving the Ipoh-Medan-Ipoh route beginning this September 9.

Datuk Bandar of Ipoh, Datuk Roshidi Hashim in announcing this, said that the air service was a proactive move taken by the state government to bring about benefits and facilities to the people in the state.

"The Silverfly air services will certainly bring a lot of benefits for the people as it involves three flights weekly, namely Monday, Friday and Sunday," he told reporters after officiating the MATTA Perak Travel Fair 2009 here Friday.

He earlier witnessed the signing of a joint flight service agreement between Silverfly and Riau Airlines.

Roshidi said the the flights will also activate the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport here and promote tourism activities between the two countries.

Meanwhile the Regional Manager of Silverfly Sdn Bhd, Eddy Azuan Sidik, said that the flights will cost RM369 for a two-way trip and RM259 for one way travel.

The airline will be using the Fokker-50 which has a 48-passenger capacity, while the flight from Ipoh to Medan has been scheduled at 12.30 pm.

--BERNAMA

In the jitters over radioactive dump - Star

Aug 21, 2009 By CLARA CHOOI

ABOUT 200 families in Buntong, Perak, are crying foul over plans to relocate them to a site near a radioactive waste dump in Lahat.

The squatter families, invol-ving almost 1,000 people, are reluctant to move to the site without an assurance from the state government on their safety, said state assemblyman A. Sivasubramaniam on Wednesday.

The families, he said, were frightened their health could be threatened by dangerous emissions of radioactive gas, and the possible repeat of the 20-year-old controversy involving the Asian Rare Earth factory and the Bukit Merah New Village residents.

During the general election last year, all 200 families, initially from Kampung Chikadee were asked to move, said Sivasubramaniam.

“They received offer letters from the district land office informing them that their new homes would be sited in Pusing.

“We discovered that the site is just about 2km away from the permanent dump to store radioactive materials and thorium hydroxide, a kind of radioactive waste from Asian Rare Earth,” he said in a press conference at Wisma DAP.

In 1979, Asian Rare Earth came under close scrutiny after it was discovered that its operation was releasing radioactive emissions in the area. It was extracting yttrium, which is used in making colour TV tubes, from monazite, and the process created the radioactive thorium hydroxide waste.

The company was decommissioned in the early 1990s after a long-drawn legal battle and countless public protests.

Sivasubramaniam said that during the Pakatan Rakyat government’s tenure, former Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin had planned to move the squatters to a 15ha Ipoh City Council land reserve in Buntong itself.

“Since the takeover of the government, there has been no word on the matter from the Barisan Nasional or from Mentri Besar Dr Zambry Abd Kadir,” he said.

He added that a check at the land office last month showed that developers were being identified to build the homes in Pu-sing.

In response, Dr Zambry said the residents had approached him and he had already instructed the land office and the council to solve the matter.

Patriotic spirit flying high in Ipoh - Star

Aug 21, 2009

The Ipoh City Council is leading the way for the coming Merdeka celebrations by directing its staff to fly the Jalur Gemilang on their vehicles. City mayor Datuk Roshidi Hashim said that the council had also affixed the flags on all 1,000 council-owned vehicles

IPOH: The Ipoh City Council is leading the way for the coming Merdeka celebrations by directing its staff to fly the Jalur Gemilang on their vehicles.

City mayor Datuk Roshidi Hashim said that the council had also affixed the flags on all 1,000 council-owned vehicles.

“We have at least 70 lorries and about 150 other vehicles. The rest are our officials’ cars.

“From today, they will all be bearing the Jalur Gemilang on their windscreens,” he said after launching the council’s “Fly the Jalur Gemilang” campaign at its premises here yesterday.

Roshidi added that he had also signed a directive addressed to all 220,000 business premises under the council’s purview to fly the Jalur Gemilang at their premises.

“It is a symbolic act to show that Malaysians still love, respect and remember the efforts of our forefathers,” he added.

He said that flying the flags would help boost the people’s morale and love for the country, thus inspiring them to work harder and contribute more to the nation.

On a separate matter, Roshidi said that he had selected 10 different mosques and surau in the city to hold his usual turun padang (go to the ground) programmes.

“I am doing this for two things – the spirit of Ramadan and also Merdeka,” he said.

The mayor said he would also pay random visits to Ramadan bazaars to ensure hygiene was maintained.

Influenza A (H1N1) hits record high with 569 cases - Star

Aug 20, 2009 By LESTER KONG

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia recorded its highest number of influenza A (H1N1) cases in a day with 569 infections.

There was also one death bringing the total amount to 68.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said it was indicative that the number of detected cases was still on the rise.

“That’s why our surveillance teams are working hard to detect areas that are persistent in local transmission so we can take measures to cut down on it,” he told reporters on Thursday after attending a campaign on prevention and treating influenza A (H1N1).

He added there were 1,533 patients with influenza-like illness (ILI) who were admitted to 104 hospitals included four private establishments.

From this, 195 tested positive for the virus while 35 patients are in the intensive care unit.

A total of 188 people have been discharged from hospital.

Liow also said that private hospitals could not refuse treatment to patients with ILI.

He added the ministry would probe fatalities caused by late treatment of the patients at private hospitals.

According to a press statement from Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican, the death involved a 33-year old woman who was in the 34th week of her pregnancy.

The patient was treated and admitted into a private hospital in Johor Baru on Aug 8 after developing fever and cough for a day.

She was subsequently, referred and admitted to the intensive care unit of the Sultanah Aminah Hospital in Johor Baru for breathing difficulties five days later.

Tamiflu was administered.

“However, she died the following day because of severe pneumonia and respiratory failure,” he said.

She confirmed positive for the virus on Aug 14.

Earlier, Liow said government clinics in urban areas would now be opened on weekends to treat flu patients.

He said this was to reduce congestions and long queues at public hospitals.

The move takes effect immediately and the hours would differ from state to state, he added.

“In terms of hours, it will be the same as weekdays from 8am to 8pm for selangor,” he told reporters on Thursday after the launch of a seminar of stem cell research and therapy at Ampang Hospital.

“It is up to the state directors to decide on the exact number of hours to open in their respective areas depending on the number of patients.”

He added the doctors from public hospitals will be deployed to the clinics whenever necessary to assist the staff there.

Liow added insurance companies should include cause of death due to complications as a result of contracting influenza A (H1N1) in policies for their clients, regardless of whether they were new or old policy holders.

“I am confident that the demand for insurance will go up because of this health sit due to H1N1,” he added.