Mood swings: Choose the right beverage

 

 As I have read through Bloomberg's news portal today, I found out this article which clearly stated that " Sweetened Drinks Link to Depression in US". Personally, it happens to every single country in the world, Malaysia is no exception.

According to the study by the National Institute of Health, drinking more than four sweetened beverages a day especially diet soda, doesn't appear to be good for one's mood. In a study of more than 200,000 older adults, those who drank more than 4 cans of soda a day had a 30% greater risk of depression than those who consumed none. The same amount of fruit punch was tied to a 38% higher risk. The risk was even greater for people who consumed diet drinks, whether soda, punch or iced tea.

It is also linked to various illness such as obesity and diabetes. One beverage, though, had an opposite effect. Coffee is found to lessen a person's chance of developing the mood disorder. People who drank four cups of coffee each day had about 10% lower risk of depression than those who didn't consume coffee.

So kick start your day with more healthier choice like none sweetened beverages. You have various kinds of choices. Beware of your mood swings, it might lead to depression or worse, health risk. Drink more plain water and I'm sure you are fine there.

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Musa: Sabah BN don’t use poll as reason to serve people

9th January, 2013

TUARAN: Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) does not use the election as a reason to serve the people, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Haji Aman.

Musa who is also Sabah BN chairman said the ruling coalition should not just wait for the general election date to be announced because efforts to ensure the people’s well-being must continue.

“We have to regularly go to the ground to be close to the people. Our cooperation with district officers, State representatives and community leaders should be ongoing in order for us to be aware of the problems and needs of the people,” he told reporters after launching the State Sepak Takraw competition for the President’s Trophy here yesterday.

And, he also expressed appreciation for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s regard for the people in the State by providing a sizeable budget allocation which he said would allow the State government to carry out more development projects for the people.

Also present yesterday were Sabah Sepaktakraw Association (Astaka) president Datuk Awang Sham Amit and Tuaran district officer Madiyem Layapan.

Meanwhile, Musa also announced an allocation of RM16 million for construction of a bridge spanning the Damit river to connect Tuaran town to Tamparuli.

Announcing the allocation, he said the project was necessary in view of traffic congestion at the existing suspension bridge.

“This bridge project is for the benefit of the people in this district,” he said.

http://www.newsabahtimes.com.my/nstweb/fullstory/65072

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‘Red tide’ expected to last until June: Yahya

KOTA KINABALU: Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Food Industry, Datuk Seri Yahya Hussin said the Red Sea Water phenomena that occur in the state since November last year and expected to last until June this year.
Hence, he said, people are told not to consume all types of shelled marine life at the moment.
“However, all types of fish, shrimp and crabs are safe to eat,” he said when contacted here, yesterday.
Yahya said the red sea phenomenon otherwise known as’ red tide ‘is happening on the west coast of Sabah due to the presence of a single-celled organism called a dinoflagellate phytoplankton’ in the sea water.
The phenomenon which hit the country two months ago sparked an uproar when two young victims aged 14 and nine years died from eating shellfish near the waters off Sepanggar.
Therefore, the public is not only asked to avoid eating shellfish but are forbidden to sell it to the public.
“All kinds of seashell, snails and clams are not safe to be eaten and the situation is expected to last and the toxic level content is expected to rise,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said his ministry will continue to monitor the development of this phenomenon and will inform the public on an ongoing basis.
He said that among the methods used at this time to inform the public which includes posters and Short Messaging Service (SMS).
In the meantime, the state Fisheries Department director, Rainer Galid said the areas affected by this phenomenon is the waters off Kota Kinabalu till Papar.
“We will continue to be vigilant in this area and will inform the public from time to tim,” he said.

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Tuaran to get RM12 million Sports Complex

 

TUARAN: Tuaran will be getting a RM12 million sports complex stretching 48ha in Kampung Laya-Laya, near here to be known as Tamparuli Sports Complex, said Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman Tuesday.

The government was also prepared to foot the bill in the expansion of the complex, for the development of sports in the district, he told reporters after launching the Sepak Takraw President’s Trophy organised by the state Sepak Takraw Association.

Musa also said RM16 million had been allocated to build a bridge across Sungai Damit to connect Tuaran town to the Tamparuli sub-district.

He said the bridge would serve as an alternative to the suspension bridge which was usually congested due to the increased number of vehicles using the facility.

Meanwhile, state Youth and Sports assistant minister Datuk Jahid Jahim, who is also Tamparuli state assemblyman, said the first phase of the sports complex, which is scheduled to be completed in two years, comprised the stadium and lighting facilities, while the second phase comprised a hall and a sports hostel.– BERNAMA

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‘AirAsia 1Malaysia’ free flights good news for integration

KOTA KINABALU: Programmes like the AirAsia 1Malaysia Integration Programme are the key to national integration among the multi-racial communities of this country, said United Sabah Bajau Organisation president Datuk Seri Salleh Said Keruak.

He welcomed the programme launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak yesterday, which included an offer of one month free flights between Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak, at a yet to be specified date.

“This is good news for bringing the Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia communities closer,” he told Bernama when contacted here yesterday.

Meanwhile, the Kadazandusun Murut Welfare and Education Association patron  Datuk Latif Kandok said he was confident the programme would have a positive impact on the Kadazandusun Murut community in Sabah, particularly those in the rural areas who have never visited the Peninsular.

“The programme is proposed for this year, the sooner it’s implemented the better as I see the Prime Minister’s approach is in line with the 1Malaysia concept he inspired,” he added.

Latif also hoped those who participate in the programme would be provided with free guided tours in order to achieve its aim of getting to know the tourist attractions in Peninsular Malaysia. — Bernama

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Smartphone rebate: Special panel to check profiteering

KUALA LUMPUR: A special panel has been set up to ensure that smartphone dealers do not engage in profiteering from the RM200 rebate for smartphone purchases by eligible youths.

Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said the panel, made up of telecommunication companies (telcos) and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), will act against dealers found to be profiteering.

"The Information, Communications and Culture Ministry will complement the panel by monitoring price movements of smartphones," he told reporters here on Sunday.

On Wednesday, the Cabinet agreed not to set a price limit on 3G smartphones purchased by youths between 21 and 30 earning less than RM3,000 with the RM200 government rebate.

The rebate is being implemented under the Youth Communication Package following Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's announcement in Budget 2013 in September last year.

"So far more than 10,000 youths have registered for the rebate and my ministry hopes there will be an exponential rise (in the registration), based on their (youths) ability (to buy) and needs," Rais said.

He said if the youths (eligible for the rebate) wanted to voice their views or make enquiries, they could contact MCMC at its hotline at 1800-88-4040 or by accessing the commission's website.

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Hinava? Let's try it out!

  I love fish and this is one of my favourites of all my entire life. I am sure, lots of people have came across the raw fish salad or called " Hinava " in Kadazan language. This is one of the special dishes served by Kadazan people during wedding, celebrations, harvest season and so forth. Tell you, it's worth to try it out!

How to do it?

Easy thing. The method is the same as doing sushi but of course without make it a roll. First thing first, you need to buy fish, particularly Tenggiri (the old folks say that this type of fish is the best fish ever to make Hinava), limes, ginger, onion, salt and etc. You don't need to cook it. Additional ingredients such as shrimp or squid can be blended together, to have that super yummy smell. Yum-0!

So what are you waiting for? Let's make it together!

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Bosses should be able to cope, says Harris

Published on: Friday, January 04, 2013

Kota Kinabalu: Former Chief Minister Tan Sri Harris Mohd Salleh said the minimum wage of RM800 as proposed by the Government for workers in Sabah must be implemented without any hesitation.

He said all parties involved, including the employers and employees, should give full cooperation to ensure that the policy is implemented accordingly.

He said the proposed minimum wage actually has been long overdue as far as Malaysia is concerned.

"The minimum wage will not bring so much impact on any business or plantation operations and the wage can be equated with productivity," he said in a statement.

Presently, he said, the employers prefer to employ more workers than necessary. Citing coffee shops, he said, an average of between six and eight workers are employed whereas in London or New York, with the same size of coffee shops, only two or three workers are employed to run the business daily.

"That means each worker will cover more tasks but with more pay.

"This approach does not only increase the efficiency and productivity of the workers but also gives some savings to the employer because there would be less being employed," he said.

Harris said it is high time that Malaysia with its 3.1 million foreign workers, both legal and illegal, reduce the number from two to one.

"Let's engage locals (to work) at petrol kiosks, restaurants and coffee shops, among others. With this minimum wage, it may attract more locals to replace the foreign workers," he said.

According to him, the minimum wage of RM800 is not prohibitive by any account. He said it is far less than what a family can live reasonably well on.

Explaining, he said, from the RM800, about RM500 will be spent in the canteens and kampung shops and the balance on other expenses.

Hence, no inflation would occur, he said.

The workers too, with the exception of a small number, would not purchase vehicles or houses with a value of more than RM300,000.

Therefore, Harris said, the minimum wage is in line with the world's progress and complies with the human right statute.

He said in Malaysia it is more than just to increase the basic needs of the people-workers or otherwise but more to achieve the development standards.

"Therefore, Malaysia must have a 100 per cent of its population, citizens or not, to have a fair living," he said.

With many companies in the country including plantations, earning from RM10 million to RM2 billion annually, he said, there is no reason why these companies could not part some of the profits and share them with their workers.

"After all, payments for the workers and others are tax deductible," he said.

A 15,000 acre plantation with 700 workers and earning about RM30 million annually, he said, could easily pay a few hundred ringgit more to all its workers.

He said it is either the company pays more tax or makes the workers happier.

Harris said those who oppose the Government's decision to set the minimum wage should know that the Federal Cabinet had taken all facts and figures and other considerations including inflation become arriving at the decision.

Source: Daily Express

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Sabah Chinese schools need 80 more English, BM teachers

KOTA KINABALU: About 80 more English and Bahasa Malaysia teachers are needed for Chinese vernacular primary schools in Sabah.

According to Tham Yun Fook, Assistant Education Director for Chinese Schools in Sabah, said the state still lacks teachers for the two languages in Chinese vernacular primary schools.

However, Sabah is not facing a shortage of Chinese subject teachers, he said.

Tham said the Chinese vernacular schools want English and BM teachers who are able to understand Mandarin as well.

He said he has given the assurance that the Federal Education Department will hire interim teachers to fill in the void this year.

He said the Federal Education Department had employed interim teachers last year but their employment has to be renewed on a yearly basis.

Tham said the principal’s evaluation of the interim teachers’ suitability to teach in a particular school was also taken into account.

“If the principal feels that the current interim teacher is not suitable, then we will not appoint the existing interim teacher to that school,” he said, in an interview during his visit to SJK(C) Chung Hwa Kota Kinabalu yesterday, when the school reopened.

He believes that the Federal Education Department is in the process of getting ready the interim teachers required by these schools.

Also present were Deputy Chief Minister, Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai, SJK(C) Chung Hwa Kota Kinabalu board of governors chairman, Datuk William Chu and headmaster Datuk Eng Thiam Leong.

Meanwhile, Tham said, teachers were required to prepare their daily lesson plan to ensure they have proper planning for the next day and whole week. He said this requirement has been in place since 50 to 60 years ago.

Tham said the lesson plans would be submitted and signed by the principal or vice principal weekly. Failure to do will result in an advisory being given to the teacher, followed by a warning and ultimately sterner action being taken.

However, Tham said, none of the teachers in Chinese schools have had action been taken for failing to submit their lesson plans to date.

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2013, what is your resolution?

Hoop hoop hooray! Hello everyone, is nice to breach ourselves in the brand new year. I bet some of you guys may have been facing lots of troubles, triumphant, sorrows, and sort of other things in 2012. Well, let it go folks. We are officially in 2013 now!

As far as I concerned, the issue of general election in Malaysia is still in my, your, his, her, they, our heads. I mean for real. Come on folks, is this the only thing that we put so much effort on? I think the most important thing for now is to really, taking care of yourself and start rolling hot for months to come. But first of all, I would to wish everyone, to have a blast in this new year. 

Last but not least, when we come to the so called new year, we will be headed to putting some of our best resolutions of the year. What say you? What you would like to see in 2013? Kate Middleton's baby? Another version of super sexy doomsday? Or just want to see, what Sabah is going to offer us?

Your thoughts are precious.

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Musa hopes peace, harmony will prevail in Sabah

KOTA KINABALU: Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman yesterday said that it is his wish to see the continued growth of Sabah and for all Malaysians in the state to lead more comfortable lives in the coming New Year.

In his 2013 New Year message yesterday, Musa said it was his hope that peace and harmony would prevail in Sabah and in Malaysia so that we can collectively enjoy our progress.

He also mentioned that the introduction of timely and appropriate government-led initiatives was starting to bear fruit.

“Sabah is actively participating in the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) and the Government Transformation Programme (GTP) which has entered its second phase,” he said.

He added that with the focus on key sectors such as oil and gas, palm oil and tourism, Sabah was on track towards achieving meaningful growth for our people and that the government truly understood the need to create balanced development without sacrificing ecosystems, biodiversity and cultures, and for this reason, the government has carried out open days for the public to provide feedback to the ETP and GTP.

“Additionally, as a government that cares, we constantly listen to issues that are raised, and we always strive our best to accommodate the needs of all stakeholders,” he said.

“We are working hard to bridge development gaps and the rural-urban divide, and we remain steadfast in our quest to reduce poverty. We also continue to strengthen infrastructure so that the people can enjoy better quality of life, and this includes the critical aspects of education, healthcare and basic necessities such as clean water and electricity.”

He also said that the government has been actively implementing programmes under the Sabah Development Corridor (SDC) blueprint, which outlined in detailed steps that Sabah was taking until 2025 to become a leading growth centre in the region.

“There is steady growth in tourism, one of the key drivers of the SDC, along with agriculture and manufacturing,” he said.

He attributed the achievement of the State to the committed people entrusted with the task of carrying out important projects and support of the private sector and other stakeholders.

In tandem with this, he is also putting forth his request that civil servants understand their roles and continuously work towards meeting the expectations of the public.

“Social media is today used to air grouses, and I do not wish to hear of public servants not delivering what they are tasked with. The public demands that funding is spent prudently, and that programmes reach the intended target groups.”

Musa then touched on the 2013 budget and said that in providing only the best for Malaysians in Sabah, the State Government had also unveiled a budget of RM4.088 billion for 2013.

“The budget takes into consideration the needs and well-being of the people, and will bring development in Sabah to the next level. This budget is reflective of how well we are managing the State and our continued emphasis on programmes that benefit the people. Our budget is designed with the needs of the people in mind, and I am confident that we will soon start to see the positive spin-offs from what we have allocated to the various ministries and initiatives.” Musa, in his New Year greeting also stressed on the need for all to remain united and to work together in creating progress.

He said the Barisan Nasional government was one that truly has the best interests of the people in mind, and that it would continue to always put people first, as pledged through 1Malaysia.

“Attacks by the opposition are centred on wrong information and are aimed to confuse the public with lies. The opposition is fond of spinning stories that create distrust among the people against the government of the day and is good at making empty promises in order to garner support,” he said.

He then reminded elected representatives from the Barisan Nasional to actively meet with the people and provide them with correct information, and to go the extra mile in solving issues that their constituents were facing.

“It is pertinent that we maintain political stability, an important factor in drawing investments to our shores,” he said.

At the end of his message, Musa added that on behalf of his family and his colleagues in the Sabah State Government, he was taking the opportunity to wish all Malaysians a prosperous and Happy New Year 2013.

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Sabah government intensifies monitoring to prevent spread of h5n1 virus

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government has taken precautionary measures by enhancing the monitoring of the breeding of chicken and ducks in border areas, especially in Tawau and Sandakan to prevent the spread of a new bird flu (H5N1) virus in the state.

Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Yahya Hussin said all related agencies including the Malaysian Royal Customs, the police and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency had been asked to tighten the entry of livestock or livestock products in border checkpoints, airports or sea ports.

“So far, the ministry has not received any report of bird flu cases, but precautionary measures remain a priority to prevent the virus from spreading to the state,” he told a press conference, here yesterday.

Yahya, who is also Sabah Agriculture and Food Industry Minister, said the Department of Veterinary Services and Animal Husbandry would continue to run sampling of carcasses of wild birds including in the forest, for identification and surveillance.

According to a Bernama report earlier, thousands of ducks in Yongyakarta, Central Java and East Java died due to a new strain of avian flu virus during the last four months.

This has been confirmed through laboratory testing and research conducted by the Veterinary Centre (BBVet) in Yogyakarta.

BBVet epidemiologist Putut Djoko Purnomo was quoted as saying that there were suspicions that the new avian flu strain was also attacking other species of birds including thousands of chickens in Yogyakarta. — Bernama

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