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Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 10, 2023

Anwar: The Untold Story' biopic premiere

 


Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail appeared touched after watching the premier of 'Anwar: The Untold Story' - Bernama pic

PM pays loving tribute to wife

Anwar was sentenced to jail in 1999 after being charged with abuse of power. Four years after his release, he was accused of sodomising an aide in 2008.

He was imprisoned for sodomy in 2015 and released on May 16, 2018, upon receiving a royal pardon.

The film documents Anwar’s journey to battle corruption. It charts the period from when he was first appointed as Finance Minister in 1991 until his sacking from the Cabinet in 1998 and the “Reformasi” campaign, which led to his imprisonment later that year.

“It is difficult for me to comment much as I have tried very hard to forget certain episodes which were too hurtful for me to bear,” he told reporters.

He also said that although the film’s overall dialogue was not wholly accurate, the issues it raised were based on true events.

Despite going through so much, he made it clear during the media conference that he would not let the hardship stop him from campaigning for what’s right.

“The battle against corruption continues. As Prime Minister, I want to save this country, fight against corruption and fight it hard,” he said.

 

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail appeared touched after watching the premiere of 'Anwar: The Untold Story' last night.

He said although some of the dialog and storyline may not be truly accurate, he acknowledged that it was not easy to put together years of incidents into the 90-minute long biopic.

"We were touched, it was surreal, the performances were great and extraordinary.

"The children asked how can I agree to the making of the movie which I have not watched. 

"Agree or not is not important, this is not a movie by Anwar for Anwar.

"Also, whether this movie will have a political impact or not is secondary, because this is a story that needs to be told," he said, after the show at Dadi Cinema, Pavilion here.


The film was directed by Viva Westi of Indonesia, with Farid Kamil as Anwar, Tanda Putera actor Hasnul Rahmat as former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Indonesian actress Acha Septriasa as Wan Azizah.

The film attempted to chart the period from Anwar's appointment as finance minister in 1991 until his firing from the cabinet in 1998, as well as his Reformasi campaign which culminated in his jailing that year.

Anwar said while watching the movie, he identified some scenes that might not bode well with his siblings.

However, he said he has no plan to intervene and ask for it to be edited out and would leave the matter to the censorship board to decide.

"If they (siblings) are offended, then I will just have to make it up to them." he added.

Anwar said initially, he was hoping to listen to 'Menjaga Cintamu', the movie's theme song by pop queen Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza Taruddin but it was not included during the premier.

He hoped that the song, composed by Andi Rianto and written by Sekar Ayu Asmara, will be included in the final version of the movie which will be screened to public from May 18.

Also present during the premiere were director Viva Westi, executive producer Zulkiflee SM Anwar Ulhaque or better known as Zunar, and DMY chairman Datuk Mohamed Yusoff, the movie distributor. 

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Saturday, April 1, 2023

Chinese people are the happiest in the world, Ipsos survey shows

 


A photo taken on November 6, 2022 shows a wall displaying photos of smiling people at an exhibition themed "Forging Ahead in the New Era," which showcases China's achievements and development over the last decade, at the Beijing Exhibition Center. Photo: VCG


Chinese Path to happiness

"Are you happy?" This simple question is not only a daily greeting in Putonghua but also a yardstick on which global authorities attach importance when formulating policies to better serve their people. Recent international surveys showed that the happiness of people in the Chinese mainland has largely increased in recent years, with one of the survey reports suggesting that Chinese people are among the happiest in the world.

The Global Happiness 2023 Report, released by multinational market research and consulting firm Ipsos ahead of the International Day of Happiness on March 20, showed that Chinese people are the happiest among the 32 countries and regions sampled, with 91 percent of Chinese respondents saying they are generally happy, 12 percent increase from a decade ago.

The 2023 World Happiness Report, an annual publication by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network in which Nordic countries typically rank higher than China, ranked the Chinese mainland 64th out of 137 countries and regions this year, 30 places higher compared with 2020.

The surveys, with different questionnaires and ranking methods, all imply that people in the Chinese mainland are generally happier, and even rank as the happiest in certain aspects, observers found.

Why are Chinese people happier than before? The Global Times reached Ipsos, as well as China-based and international sociologists and culture scholars, along with ordinary citizens, to find out the possible reasons behind the overall increase in happiness among Chinese people.

Graphic: GT Graphic: GT

Family, friends matter most

"Thanks to family and friends, Chinese people are the happiest people in the world," declared a South China Morning Post article on March 21 according to conclusions made by the Ipsos survey report, saying that "relationships are a main source of happiness in China."

The importance of family and social ties to the happiness of Chinese people is clearly indicated in the Ipsos survey, which showed that Chinese respondents are more satisfied with "children," "relationship with a partner or spouse" and "friends" compared to other aspects. While some Western respondents are more satisfied with elements related to their personal circumstances and feelings, such as "access to or being in touch with nature" and "level of education."

Traditional Chinese societal values are manifested in the results, as Chinese people have a strong drive toward family harmony, as the old Chinese saying goes, "harmony at home brings prosperity," said Zhang Yiwu, a literature professor at Peking University.

Chinese people are more inclined to feel happiness in kinship and social relationships, Zhang said. "Even if one is not wealthy, he or she can gain a lot of happiness from having a happy and warm family, as well as many friends as a source of support," he told the Global Times.

Psychologist Zhang Jiehai agreed. "Chinese society is a society of interpersonal relationships, and good interpersonal relationships have a great impact on the happiness of Chinese people," said Zhang Jiehai.

Ipsos surveyed 32 countries and regions that represent over 80 percent of the world's GDP, said Nicolas Boyon, Senior Vice President of Ipsos Public Affairs in the US, in an email response to the Global Times.

Boyon said that the list of life aspects mentioned in the survey questionnaire was carefully designed, so each of them is relevant to all people in every country and region, and can be understood similarly. "Our main goal is consistency both across cultures and over time," he wrote.

Satisfied with China's economic, social, political situation

The economic, social, and political situations in a country or region also largely affect the happiness of the people there.

Compared to most non-Chinese respondents who expressed low satisfaction with their "country's economic situation" and "country's social and political situation," which led to overall average satisfaction rates in both aspects at a mere 40 percent, Chinese respondents expressed greater satisfaction in China's economic, social, and political situations.

Some 78 percent and 83 percent of Chinese respondents said they are satisfied with the "country's economic situation" and "country's social and political situation" respectively, ranking third and first among all countries and regions, the survey showed.

Zhang Jiehai said that Chinese society is stable, and its senses of fairness and justice keep increasing.

He mentioned the enhancement of the quality of life for Chinese citizens as a result of the increased happiness in the stable Chinese society.

"Foreign studies have shown the close relationship between 'not pocketing the money one has picked up' and citizens' happiness," he said. "In an experiment carried out on streets of different countries, Denmark had the highest percentage of people who return money found, and they are usually ranked as one of the happiest citizenries in the UN's happiness indices."

Similarly, China has probably the lowest percentage of express deliveries being stolen, which is also highly related to the strong sense of happiness of the people there, Zhang Jiehai exampled. "Unsupervised express packages and food deliveries placed at entryways and hospital inpatient departments are a common sight in China," he added. "Incidents of deliveries being stolen are rare as the quality of life of Chinese citizens has improved."

Recalling his days at Peking University in 2022 as a Korean scholar, Kwon Ki-sik, head of the Korea-China City Friendship Association, believes that four main factors contribute to the high level of happiness of Chinese people.

First, Chinese people highly trust the country's political system. Kwon said that Chinese people's unwavering support for the Communist Party of China (CPC) and its leaders are a source of stability in China, in sharp contrast to certain Western countries where political instability has led to general discontent.

The second is safety. Big Chinese cities including Beijing and Shanghai are among the few in the world in which one can walk freely at night thanks to good public security, whereas some security problems seen in several big US cities keep many people from venturing outside after dark, said Kwon.

Third, Chinese people are incredibly proud of the country's development and prosperity, as China has achieved remarkable economic growth over the decades of reform and opening-up. Kwon believes this sense of pride is greatly linked to the happiness of Chinese people.

Fourth, Chinese people are satisfied with the government's efforts in building a moderately prosperous society and in achieving common prosperity. "The mutual trust between the CPC and its people is the root of happiness for Chinese people," Kwon noted.

The three recent Ipsos happiness surveys conducted in August 2020, December 2021, and January 2023, revealed that 93 percent, 83 percent, and 91 percent of Chinese respondents were happy, respectively, ranking first, third, and first among all polled countries and regions.

The pandemic was a source of worry for the world. Nonetheless, compared to some Western countries' approach of "lying flat," which caused a lot of deaths, "China's COVID prevention measures protected the lives of the overwhelming majority of people," Zhang Yiwu told the Global Times. "On the whole, we got through the pandemic smoothly."

Common expectations

In the 2023 World Happiness Report released by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, Finland was ranked as the happiest country in the world. The Chinese mainland was ranked at the 64th, higher than 2022 when it was ranked 72nd, and in 2021 at 84th.

Referring to the different ranking results between the report and the Ipsos survey, Boyon said that the two differ in several ways and are also complimentary. The UN Happiness Index, as reported in the World Happiness Report 2023, is based on data from a survey in which respondents were asked to rate how they feel about their life ranging in responses from "the best possible life" to "the worst possible life." It is described as a "subjective well-being score," Boyon said.

"Ipsos' survey asks a different question: 'All things considered, would you say that you are very happy, rather happy, not very happy, or not happy at all?' The self-reported level of 'happiness' from our survey can be seen as a reflection of people's mood," he added.

Also, Boyon said that Ipsos' survey is collected during the same two-week period in every country, which makes its data more current, and more sensitive to seasonality and current events.

Moreover, as the Ipsos survey is conducted online, its samples can be considered representative of their general adult population under the age of 75, Boyon explained. "But in most 'middle-income countries' or 'emerging markets,' including China, online samples tend to be more urban, more educated, more affluent than the general population," he told the Global Times.

The World Happiness Report team said on its website that it uses observed data on six variables including GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and corruption.

These variables are more susceptible to income inequality, said Zhang Jiehai. "Countries and regions with more developed economies, smaller income gaps, and a relatively high sense of fairness usually score higher," he explained. "That's why Nordic countries have been at the top of the UN's happiness rankings for long."

Happiness surveys with distinct indicators have different results, but generally, people from all over the world share some common expectations, like narrowing the income gap, improving fairness and justice, and elimination of corruption, Zhang jiehai noted.

To further enhance Chinese people's sense of happiness, experts suggest authorities work harder in improving social welfare systems, especially in those in the fields of healthcare and rural elderly care services.

"China has made rapid progress in social welfare improvement. Nonetheless, as a developing country with a large population, it's difficult to compare China's per capita social welfare standard with that of Nordic countries," said Zhang Yiwu. "It varies from country to country in terms of their strengths and challenges."

UK's falling ranking

"China is the happiest place on earth as the UK falls in rankings," said an article published on the Northamptonshire Telegraph website on March 24. The Ipsos survey found that 70 percent of British people considered themselves happy, a 13 percent drop from 2022.

Fleur, a retired teacher living in London, told the Global Times reporter that she does feel less happy than about a decade ago mainly because of the economic pressure she experiences. Fleur said her pension is falling in value under high inflation in the UK, and she and people around her feel uneasy about several persisting problems in British society, including the widening wealth gap, the rising crime rate, and the falling employment rates.

In the US, just 12 percent of respondents described themselves as "very happy," "the lowest share on record since NORC began asking the question…in 1972," according to a US domestic survey released by The Wall Street Journal and the social research organization NORC at the University of Chicago on March 24. Some 30 percent said they are "not too happy."

Financial circumstances are main happiness contributors for some Westerners, analyzed Zhang Jiehai. In a few European countries, for instance, people are faced with slow income growth and fast-rising living costs. "Their living standards are seeing a downward trend when compared with their predecessors. A blue-collar couple can hardly maintain their standard of living after retiring if their children are also blue collars," Zhang Jiehai said. 

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Saturday, July 2, 2022

A matter of Cost: Stretching their ringgit further

 

Janet Chia, 48, watering the lettuce plants at her house compound in Seri Kembangan, Selangor. Chia and her husband have planted several vegetables in their garden for their own consumption. 



Rise in prices pushes Ipoh folk to think of alternative ways to live within means

The hike in prices of essential items such as chicken, eggs, flour and vegetables has compelled ordinary folk in Perak to plant their own greens and herbs. Some are trimming their grocery bill or dining out less frequently by cooking simpler meals at home to better manage their household expenses. LIKE the rest of the nation, consumers in Ipoh, Perak, are feeling the pinch from the rise in the prices of goods, especially essential items.

The increase in prices is taking a toll on the people, leaving those in the low and middle-income groups struggling to cope.

Retiree Joginder Kaur Jessy, 67, said she had started to grow some vegetables in her house compound to help cut cost of buying greens.

She said eating out had always been expensive but cooking at home was no longer cheap either.

Expressing dismay at the rise in the prices of oil, vegetables, fish, chicken and eggs, she felt it necessary to cut back on some items as she was a pensioner.

“I have to be more prudent now and use less ingredients when cooking.

“I will probably have to look for a cheaper type of fish, eat less chicken, try to cook smaller portions, avoid wastage and make leftover food stretch over a few days,” she said.

Among the vegetables and fruits that Joginder has planted are chillies, okra, brinjal, lemon, mint, banana and papaya.

“Most of the prices of vegetables, fish and other seafood have tripled.

“Some fishmongers and vegetable and fruit sellers have taken this opportunity to raise the prices even further,” she added.

Holly Lai, 60, a marketing manager, said that at times cooking at home was more expensive than eating out.

Lai, who is single, said she used to cook at home, but after the increase in prices, she discovered it was not worth the effort.

Preferring fish and eggs in her diet, she noted that the prices of these items were not affordable.

“For me to cook a meal consisting of fish, rice and a vegetable, it will easily cost about RM15, not including the spices and other ingredients.

“In comparison, I can get a meal consisting of three dishes and rice for between RM5 and RM7 from a stall.

“During these trying times, I must choose wisely and cannot simply eat at expensive restaurants,” she added.

Teacher Ambiga Pillay, 60, said the government should step in to counter the increase in prices. 

 

Ambiga says she cuts down on daily costs by cooking more often at home.

Many including herself, she said, were saving on daily living costs by cooking more often as well as cutting back on luxury expenditures and travel.

“I always cook at home although it is a challenge as I work full-time.

“People think that grocery prices are lower in Ipoh compared to Kuala Lumpur, but it is not true.

“Prices here are higher because there is less variety compared to other places,” she said, adding that some also looked for cheaper alternatives to save money.

“I plan my finances based on priority as well,” said Ambiga.

Family Wellness Club president P. Mangaleswary also noted that people had been complaining about the rising prices of essential items.

She said some members of the non-governmental organisation (NGO) complained about how prices of vegetables had gone up in wet markets.

Members were saying that 1kg of tomatoes now cost RM9 when it used to be about RM5 before, she told StarMetro.

“Just last weekend at a get-together, some said they were feeling the burden of rising food prices as other expenses such as transport and house rental were also going up.

“The government’s cash aid for the B40 group is hardly enough for them to cover the rising costs.

“The government needs to look into some concrete measures to increase the supply of food such as vegetables and chicken,” said Mangaleswary. 

 

Mangaleswary suggests that the government give food suppliers some form of subsidy.

She said it was important to have control on prices of essential food items such as rice, sugar, flour, vegetables, fruits and chicken. To keep the supply chain going, she suggested that the government give suppliers some form of subsidy to help them overcome difficulties such as rise in price of chicken feed and transport cost.

“Of course, people must be reminded to be prudent and not to waste food,” she stressed.

Dr Richard Ng, president of NGO Ipoh City Watch, said although the country was transitioning into the Covid-19 endemic phase, the B40 folk in particular had little to cheer about. 

 

Ng says government assistance must reach the target group on a more consistent basis.

He said those who had been jobless might have heaved a huge sigh of relief as they would be able to earn a basic living.

He highlighted that a chain reaction had been triggered with the implementation of the minimum wage, the war between Russia and Ukraine taking a toll on the world’s economy, and the government’s announcement on the removal of subsidy on cooking oil and other essential items.

“These events have caused the prices of petrol, gas, cooking oil and essential food items to go up by at least 30%.

“This diminishing purchasing power not only impacts the B40 group, but also those in the M40.

“Each time such a crisis happens, the government can ask the people to tighten their belt, take less sugar, grow their own vegetables, provide one-off monetary assistance and groceries.

“But in reality, these efforts cannot really address the hard times faced by the people,” said Ng.

Instead, he said political leaders should set an example by going down to the ground and checking if the efforts made by them were effective.

He said government assistance must reach the target group on a more consistent basis, instead of just providing one-off aid.

“One way to solve this is to ensure some sort of prepaid card is given for the poor to buy groceries and other essential items from authorised outlets selling goods at lower prices.

“Of course, the mechanism must be monitored strictly to ensure there is no abuse and products sold must be of a certain minimum standard,” Ng added.

  • StarMetro By MANJIT KAUR manjit@thestar.com.my

Stretching their ringgit further 

 Like the rest of the nation, consumers in Ipoh, Perak, are feeling the pinch from the rise in the prices of goods, especially essential items.

The increase in prices is taking a toll on the people, leaving those in the low and middle-income groups struggling to cope. 

Joginder showing the brinjal growing in her garden.

Joginder showing the brinjal growing in her garden.Joginder showing the brinjal growing in her garden.

Retiree Joginder Kaur Jessy, 67, said she had started to grow some vegetables in her house compound to help cut cost of buying greens.

She said eating out had always been expensive but cooking at home was no longer cheap either.

Expressing dismay at the rise in the prices of oil, vegetables, fish, chicken and eggs, she felt it necessary to cut back on some items as she was a pensioner.

“I have to be more prudent now and use less ingredients when cooking.

“I will probably have to look for a cheaper type of fish, eat less chicken, try to cook smaller portions, avoid wastage and make leftover food stretch over a few days,” she said.

Among the vegetables and fruits that Joginder has planted are chillies, okra, brinjal, lemon, mint, banana and papaya.

“Most of the prices of vegetables, fish and other seafood have tripled.

“Some fishmongers and vegetable and fruit sellers have taken this opportunity to raise the prices even further,” she added.

Holly Lai, 60, a marketing manager, said that at times cooking at home was more expensive than eating out.

Lai, who is single, said she used to cook at home, but after the increase in prices, she discovered it was not worth the effort.

Preferring fish and eggs in her diet, she noted that the prices of these items were not affordable.

“For me to cook a meal consisting of fish, rice and a vegetable, it will easily cost about RM15, not including the spices and other ingredients.

“In comparison, I can get a meal consisting of three dishes and rice for between RM5 and RM7 from a stall.

“During these trying times, I must choose wisely and cannot simply eat at expensive restaurants,” she added.

Teacher Ambiga Pillay, 60, said the government should step in to counter the increase in prices.

Many including herself, she said, were saving on daily living costs by cooking more often as well as cutting back on luxury expenditures and travel.

“I always cook at home although it is a challenge as I work full-time.

“People think that grocery prices are lower in Ipoh compared to Kuala Lumpur, but it is not true.

“Prices here are higher because there is less variety compared to other places,” she said, adding that some also looked for cheaper alternatives to save money.

“I plan my finances based on priority as well,” said Ambiga. 


Ambiga says she cuts down on daily costs by cooking more often at home.

 

Family Wellness Club president P. Mangaleswary also noted that people had been complaining about the rising prices of essential items. 

 

Mangaleswary suggests that the government give food suppliers some form of subsidy.

She said some members of the non-governmental organisation (NGO) complained about how prices of vegetables had gone up in wet markets.

Members were saying that 1kg of tomatoes now cost RM9 when it used to be about RM5 before, she told StarMetro.

“Just last weekend at a get-together, some said they were feeling the burden of rising food prices as other expenses such as transport and house rental were also going up.

“The government’s cash aid for the B40 group is hardly enough for them to cover the rising costs.

“The government needs to look into some concrete measures to increase the supply of food such as vegetables and chicken,” said Mangaleswary.

She said it was important to have control on prices of essential food items such as rice, sugar, flour, vegetables, fruits and chicken. To keep the supply chain going, she suggested that the government give suppliers some form of subsidy to help them overcome difficulties such as rise in price of chicken feed and transport cost.

“Of course, people must be reminded to be prudent and not to waste food,” she stressed.

Dr Richard Ng, president of NGO Ipoh City Watch, said although the country was transitioning into the Covid-19 endemic phase, the B40 folk in particular had little to cheer about. 

 

He said those who had been jobless might have heaved a huge sigh of relief as they would be able to earn a basic living.

He highlighted that a chain reaction had been triggered with the implementation of the minimum wage, the war between Russia and Ukraine taking a toll on the world’s economy, and the government’s announcement on the removal of subsidy on cooking oil and other essential items.

“These events have caused the prices of petrol, gas, cooking oil and essential food items to go up by at least 30%.

“This diminishing purchasing power not only impacts the B40 group, but also those in the M40.

“Each time such a crisis happens, the government can ask the people to tighten their belt, take less sugar, grow their own vegetables, provide one-off monetary assistance and groceries.

“But in reality, these efforts cannot really address the hard times faced by the people,” said Ng.

Instead, he said political leaders should set an example by going down to the ground and checking if the efforts made by them were effective.

He said government assistance must reach the target group on a more consistent basis, instead of just providing one-off aid.

“One way to solve this is to ensure some sort of prepaid card is given for the poor to buy groceries and other essential items from authorised outlets selling goods at lower prices.

“Of course, the mechanism must be monitored strictly to ensure there is no abuse and products sold must be of a certain minimum standard,” Ng added. 

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Wednesday, September 15, 2021

A great Malaysian tragedy

Funeral of children who died

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THIS is one article that I didn’t want to write. I put off writing it for two years. Writing 900 words about this subject was more painful than taking three years to write a 100,000-word thesis. I would do three more theses if I could avoid writing these next 900 words.

This article is about a tragedy that concerns us as a people and a nation. The tragedy should have sparked a national debate, but it was ignored despite being repeated four times.

What is this great tragedy, you might ask? Is it the May 13 race riots in 1969? Is it the Bukit Kepong incident in 1950? Is it the first riot in 1964 in Singapore before it left the federation? Is it the fall of a government? Or is it the dismal state of our institutions of education, justice and administration?

To me, all of these things combined fail to measure up to the tragedy I am about to describe.

Two years ago I happened to read a news article about an Indian-Malaysian family whose father killed all of his children. The report related how the mother died of cancer a few days before and the father, who was jobless and also in poor health, had become distraught. He ended up killing his 15-year-old son and three other children by strangling them all. After that horrifying deed, he hanged himself.

I could not sleep well for several days after reading about that, wondering why a father would kill his children. What drove him to do that? The police and other authorities dismissed it as the act of a crazy man. I did not think so.

Two weeks later, there was a report of another destitute Indian-Malaysian family whose parent, also suffering from an illness, killed the children. Again, the authorities dismissed it as “orang gila punya kerja” (a mad person’s act).

Several months later, I read of Chinese-Malaysian parents who poisoned their four little children and then themselves. At the last minute, an ambulance was called, but all the children died; the parents survived.

And just last week, a penniless father, whose race was not stated, smothered his three children after his wife died.

After each of these cases, our nation went on with business as usual. No professors from our 200 universities raised the issue. No religious clerics from any religion made it into a social and political issue. No NGO stood up and demonstrated or wrote press statements about the tragedies.

Was I the only one who cringed at the news of parents killing their children? Was I the only one to ask questions?

Firstly, why did these parents not seek help from other family members? All of us have wider family circles and if we begged several of them to care for one child each, surely they would respond? I have no issue whatsoever if adults decide to take their own lives, but I am aghast and crushed when children are killed just because one cannot figure out how to feed and care for them.

All children in this country – and the world – should be cared for and given a minimum chance to survive until they can make their own way. Is that not a social, political and spiritual right? What happened to the larger family system if parents think that it would burden other family members?

Then I asked the question: why did the parents not seek help from the leaders of their own race or religion? We have political leaders of all races and houses of worship worth millions. What is the purpose of religion and these splendid displays of architectural feats if parents had no faith that they could get help from going to a church, a mosque, a temple or a gurdwara to ask congregants to help their children?

If I were the parent, I would have taken them to the mosque and begged for help and asked to stay at the mosque. I would help sweep the floor of the mosque or scrub its toilets and then ask restaurants for leftovers so I could feed my children and myself. There is no shame in that. But, of course, I would ask for help from my own family and wife’s family first before going that far.

Finally, I asked: what should our government do for such families? Why did the four families not go to a zakat office or the Welfare Department for help? Why did they have no confidence in our institutions, orphanages and other forms of welfare? What are these zakat or welfare officers doing? Why are they not proactively walking the streets and looking under bridges for the homeless or talking to people in low-cost flats to see if there are families facing destitution?

I wish the four families had reached out to the media or someone for help instead of killing their children. What does it say about our nation when parents kill their children instead of trusting our institutions of race, institutions of religion and institutions of governance?

When I was in the United Kingdom, I was given a financial allowance for my four children. When I was in the United States, I was given food stamps when my daughter was born. I also remember watching a report on YouTube about 400,000 unemployed British youngsters given £250 (about RM1,400 at current rates) a month as a benefit back then.

I spent nine years overseas and I never read about parents killing their children because of poverty. What does it say about our country, our people and our faiths when four tragedies like these can happen – and that they raised not one iota of concern? We are, truly and sadly, a nation that is failing its most vulnerable people.


Prof Dr Mohd Tajuddin Mohd RasdiProf Dr Mohd Tajuddin Mohd Rasdi is Professor of Architecture at UCSI University. The views expressed here are entirely the writer’s own.

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Tuesday, July 13, 2021

Second chance at life after stroke

Stroke survivor Betty Ng (centre) being her usual active self at the Walk for Health event before the pandemic. Photo: Nasam
 
https://youtu.be/-Gv278vvA-A 

 Retiree Betty Ng, who turned 70 in June, has been a stroke survivor for seven years. On her birthday, she started a campaign to raise funds for the National Stroke Association of Malaysia (Nasam).

“It was at Nasam that I recovered from my stroke as I went through physiotherapy and rehabilitation. It was also here that I got my second chance in life and met new friends which made me happy just to be alive,” says Ng

But, for the past one year, the pandemic has somewhat impacted activities at the centre. Although Nasam is still open for one-on-one therapy, there are no in-person group therapy activities and social events which are a major part of a stroke survivor's recovery process, she says.

“Stroke rehabilitation can take a heavy toll physically and emotional on a stroke survivor and their family members. But Nasam has always been a safe space where they can go to for recovery, meet other survivors and be motivated to embrace life after stroke,” she says.

This is why Ng wants to help raise funds for Nasam, an NGO that relies largely on donations from the public to stay afloat during the difficult pandemic time.
Betty Ng excitedly checking up on her SimplyGiving fundraising site. Photo: NASAM
Betty Ng excitedly checking up on her SimplyGiving fundraising site. Photo: NASAM
 
“As an NGO, Nasam relies largely on public donations from members of the public – both corporations and individuals - in order to survive. So I hope that my initiative will help Nasam stay afloat during this time so that they can continue to serve the stroke community, ” says Ng.

The determined Ng, who suffered from a stroke in 2014 during surgery to remove a benign brain tumour, adds that she wants to be a motivator for all who have been stricken with stroke, because as a survivor herself, she understands what they’re going through.

After she had her stroke seven years ago, she could not stand, nor use her left hand or leg.

“I had problems eating, suffered from a slight speech impairment, couldn’t recall words and had difficulty completing sentences. I had to be bathed, dressed, and fed, and even to wear diapers,” she recounts.

“I felt really miserable because I couldn’t help myself. I wasn’t used to being dependent on anyone,” she says.

Ng was in hospital for six weeks and after she was discharged, she could walk with the aid of a quadripod walking stick, and was cared for by her daughter.

Determined to get back to normalcy quickly, Ng started exercising to strengthen her left arm and leg, and improve her speech.

“I pushed myself to the maximum as I was impatient to get back to as normal a life as possible,” she says.

Ng’s daughter would prepare her food and then go to work, but be back to help with Ng’s exercises in the evening.

“I was on my own the whole day, and would spend the time exercising, doing puzzles such as crosswords, and colouring to stimulate my brain.

“In the evenings, I would do my exercises – under the supervision of my daughter - which included walking up and down the stairs and to-and-fro without the walking stick,” says Ng.

Ng started rehabilitation daily at Nasam in Dec 2014, in addition to her rehabilitation at the hospital.


Fourteen months after her stroke (in Aug 2015), she was certified fit to drive.

“I was thrilled because it gave me so much more independence. The following year, my daughter bought me a car and nothing stops me now ... except the MCO,” she says.

But, since the pandemic, Ng’s group rehabilitation sessions at the centre have come to a halt.

“The MCO has made things difficult because I’m not able to move around freely and frequently," she says.



Before the first MCO last year, Ng used to spend a lot of time at Nasam and says it was “like a second home” for her and other stroke survivors.
Betty Ng (in orange) at The Stroke Games before the pandemic. Photo: NASAM
Betty Ng (in orange) at The Stroke Games before the pandemic. Photo: NASAM
 
“I would bring my 90-year-old mother and also sisters along for the social gatherings and outings organised by Nasam. It gave us the opportunity to bond and have fun together as a family,” she says.

Ng says that Nasam has helped her grow her confidence and self-esteem.

“I’ve been given the opportunity to reach out to other stroke survivors and their families and I’m grateful for the chance to help others,” says Ng who now is a Nasam ambassador and also on its mentor-mentee programme.

As an ambassador, she helps create awareness through speaking at public forums about stroke and the challenges to recovery. For the mentor-mentee programme, she counsels and motivates stroke survivors who are going through difficulties.

Betty is now a Nasam ambassador and also on its mentor-mentee programme. Photo: NASAM
Betty is now a Nasam ambassador and also on its mentor-mentee programme. Photo: NASAM
 
“I do this alongside Nasam’s founder and chairman Janet Yeo, who created and manages the platform,” she adds.

“Nasam has shown us that there is life after stroke by challenging stroke survivors to achieve a greater recovery by giving us so many wonderful experiences and opportunities like The Stroke Games, as well as social integration and empowerment to return to the community or back to work,” says Ng.



“I started the fundraising campaign, which will run until Jul 17, because Nasam is like family to me. I want to help stroke survivors and see them able to lead a better life,” she concludes.

For more info, visit: SimplyGiving: There is life after stroke

 Support for stroke survivors during the pandemic


 Nasam organises activities for stroke survivors such as The Stroke Games, before the pandemic. Photo: Nasam


Throughout the pandemic, the National Stroke Association of Malaysia (Nasam) remains open to serve stroke survivors and their families, who may need help with rehabilitation and support.

“Although we can’t conduct group therapy sessions nor have social activities – which are a very effective means of rehabilitation and psycho-social support for stroke survivors – during this time, one-on-one therapy sessions are still ongoing, ” says Nasam communications coordinator Vanaja Dhanan.

“Our group therapy sessions are now available on Zoom, ” she adds.

Creating public awareness
To motivate stroke survivors, Nasam also organises an annual Walk For Health event. Photo: Nasam
To motivate stroke survivors, Nasam also organises an annual Walk For Health event. Photo: Nasam
 
Nasam’s public awareness activities such as forums on stroke prevention and awareness, educational talks, and other such events, have also been shifted online during the pandemic.

“But even though we can do this through Zoom and other online platforms, there are certain segments of the community who have no access to online facilities, ” says Vanaja.

She adds that there has also been a decrease in participation in group therapy sessions as many stroke survivors can’t access the Internet because they don’t have device nor the support to do so.

“They may not have family members who are able to support them to get online at home. Some are also unable to follow these online sessions as they’re unable to process the information after their stroke, ” she explains.

And, although Nasam is open for face-to-face support during the various MCOs, following strict Health Ministry guidelines, there is still a lot of fear among the people to come out and seek support, she says.

“This too has impacted the recovery of stroke survivors, especially those with visual, spatial and cognitive issues, ” says Vanaja.

The rehabilitation of the stroke victims also centres around social outings and gatherings at Nasam, and these are also affected by the pandemic.

Nasam’s annual events such as The Stroke Games, Walk For Health and Food & Fun Fair, have all come to a halt during the pandemic.

Embracing the new normal

Nasam founder and chairperson Janet Yeo started Nasam in 1996 while she was recovering from a stroke. Photo: NasamNasam founder and chairperson Janet Yeo started Nasam in 1996 while she was recovering from a stroke. PhotoNasam>>:

During the various MCOs and lockdown, Nasam offers Telerehab via Zoom and WhatsApp both for group and one-on-one sessions, to support stroke patients going through rehabilitation. They also offer fun, recreational activities online such as cooking, crafting, karaoke and others.

There is also a Stroke Mentoring Facebook group, which is managed by Nasam founder and chairperson Janet Yeo who formed the association in 1996, when she herself was recovering from a stroke.

The mentoring group is supported by both Yeo and other stroke survivors who are able to counsel and help survivors going through difficulties because they themselves have gone through it before and understand what it involves.

Prevention is better than cure

Yeo highlights that that it’s very important for individuals in the high-risk group – smokers and those with conditions such as high blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes – to lead a healthy lifestyle.

“There needs to be a balance between work and leisure. For those who are working from home, be sure to set clear boundaries – a time when you’re available for work and a time when it’s your free time,” she says.

“It’s also important to stay physically active and exercise regularly. Take your medications and go for your medical check-up as scheduled,” she adds.

“Stay physically and mentally active. And, most of all - seek help if you need it. Don’t go through it alone,” says Yeo.


Caregiving for a stroke survivor is no easy task and caregivers may often feel discouraged and alone. To help them, Nasam also has a Caregiver Support Group.

“Carers who are going through difficulties can be connected to a fellow caregiver or even a stroke survivor who is recovering well and able to help the family move ahead,” she says.

As an essential service, Nasam centres continue to operate throughout the pandemic, offering rehabilitation and therapy from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Stroke survivors or their family members can also call the Nasam Helpline at 018-222 1878 for support or help.

For more info, visit:nasam.org/ 

NASAM

 
 
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Sunday, February 14, 2021

Be sexually safe this Valentine’s


Don’t let your partner kiss you if they are recovering from a cold sore or ulcer caused by HSV-1 as they can still pass the virus on to you. — AFP

G. vaginalis is the most common bacteria in the vagina and a common cause of bacterial vaginosis. — Filepic


https://youtu.be/2iWShIc3SiI 

 Absolutely amazing video clip... I really appreciate it..... Its an eye opener for our new generation who forget their roots and traditions. That's what have made us retrogress somehow to lead to immoral aspects.... Thumbs up to sender, Sister Swa

 

Being in a monogamous relationship, or abstaining from sex, doesn't necessarily guarantee from sexually-transmitted infection.

 Valentine's day usually invokes the notions of love and romance.

Just imagine, you are on a nice dinner date with your other half and spend the night together in an almost fairytale-like evening.

But this lovely memory soon gets shattered when you or your partner discover unusual symptoms in the genital region.

Suddenly, worry – and even suspicion of each other – fills the atmosphere between the two of you.

And it doesn’t help that it is a topic many people might find difficult to bring up with their partners.

Truth be told, most men and women who are in faithful relationships or who have not had sex before do not expect any unusual symptoms in their genital region.

To suddenly discover a wart, a painful ulcer, or even a smelly and fishy discharge from the vagina, can be distressing.

Whether it’s kissing, skin to skin contact, or vaginal, oral or anal sex, each of these interactions can pose a risk of disease transmission.

But before you jump the gun and start thinking that your partner has cheated on you or lied about their sexual history, hold your horses – he or she could still be innocent!

Here are the top three sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) that one may develop even if you are in a faithful relationship OR have not had sex before.

> Herpes simplex virus (HSV) 1

HSV-1 results in an incurable viral disease commonly known as herpes, which usually causes cold sores and oral ulcers in and around the lips and gums.

These cold sores and ulcers usually cause quite a bit of discomfort, especially when eating.

However, during the recovery stage of the cold sore or ulcer, you will usually not feel anything and may not even remember that you have it.

But it is still infectious at this stage and you may inadvertently spread the virus to your partner while kissing them.

The tricky part comes if you’ve engaged in oral sex with your partner.

Your partner may then develop ulcers around their genital region.

It is a misconception that genital ulcers are exclusively caused by HSV-2 as HSV-1 can also cause such ulcers.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 70% of the world’s population are carriers of HSV-1. The good news is that oral and genital herpes are often asymptomatic (do not have symptoms).

They also do not spread to your partner when there are no active ulcers.

They only flare up when your immune system is weakened and become contagious through contact when an ulcer is present.

Flare-ups can occur once every few months to once every few years, to even once every few decades.

You may experience tiredness, chills, fever and body aches before the painful ulcers emerge, often in the same place either at the genitals or mouth.

It is not all doom and gloom however, as you can get an accurate diagnosis with either a swab test of the active ulcer or a blood test two to three months after an active infection.

Getting a confirmed diagnosis can equip you with knowledge on how to prevent this infection with lysine supplements or by treating any active ulcers with antiviral medicines such as valacyclovir.

If left untreated, these ulcers often get painful, but will eventually recover by themselves after two to three weeks.

> Human papillomavirus (HPV) warts

I know it’s a lot to take in after hearing about HSV, but hang in there as we discuss our next disease: HPV warts.

These are cauliflower-like warts caused by HPV.

There are over 100 strains of HPV.

Apart from the 14 cancer-causing high-risk strains, there are also numerous low-risk strains that cause warts.

HPV warts do not turn into cancer, but are often unsightly and manifest themselves in and around the genital region.

HPV is a very common virus that can be found in a large majority of sexually-active persons.

However, it is often well-controlled by our immune system and does not cause any major symptoms.

HPV can be exchanged between you and your partner during sexual contact.

And when your body encounters a new HPV strain, it can cause the warts to develop.

The good news is that although it is unsightly, these warts are often harmless and can be treated with a variety of options, including creams, freezing with liquid nitrogen, and ablation with heat or electrocautery.

While these warts are easily treatable, a cause of greater concern are the high-risk strains like HPV 16,18 and 45.

These strains affect women more because of their ability to cause cervical cancer.

However, both women and men can protect themselves and their partners by getting vaccinated against these strains.

So fret not if you notice an unusual cauliflower-like lump or wart in the genital region; just speak to your doctor to get it assessed and treated.

> Bacterial vaginosis

Last but not least, one of the biggest causes of a fishy and foul-smelling vaginal discharge is the condition known as bacterial vaginosis.

It occurs when there is an imbalance between the good and bad bacteria in your vagina, and is often caused by the bacteria called Gardnerella vaginalis, the most common bacteria in the vagina. 

In the event of a big build-up of bacteria, it can also cause one to develop symptoms of vaginitis, i.e. inflammation of the vagina, resulting in swelling, pain, and even painful sexual intercourse.

Until now, doctors and scientists do not know the exact mechanism of how this occurs, but sex – with or without condoms – often exacerbates this condition.

This condition can be easily diagnosed with a vaginal swab and treated with a vaginal pessary or oral antibiotics.

If you have read up to here, fret not, today can still be an amazing day for you and your partner – just make sure you practise safe sex and get yourselves tested for STIs as a precaution if you haven’t already.

By Dr Julian Hong who is a general practitioner (GP) in Singapore. For more information, email starhealth@thestar.com.my. The information provided is for educational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice. The Star does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to the content appearing in this column. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.

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