People who recover from Covid-19 might suffer from ‘Long Covid’
Long Covid can happen to any Covid-19 patient, even those who were not hospitalised or had a mild form of the illness. As Covid-19 is a new disease and Long Covid is even newer, only some preliminary findings are being reported from the West. In Malaysia, there is only one study being conducted among 1, 004 Covid-19 patients in stages four and five in a hospital setting. We hope all post-Covid patients, with or without any Long Covid symptoms, will actively participate in the survey. The best way to prevent Long Covid is to prevent Covid-19 in the first.
Source:The Star
July 03, 2021 01:52 UTC
Be generous when you can afford it
For instance, my newspaper delivery man charged RM2 a month. I thought this was far too little for a daily delivery service, rain or shine, except for the rare “no newspapers” days. He seemed a little surprised but accepted the money, nevertheless. I give him RM5 each month, he delivers my papers early and always with a broad smile. So let’s be generous when we can.
Source:The Star
July 03, 2021 01:41 UTC
EPF withdrawals helped to save my family
I lost my job as head of security at a shopping mall when the Covid-19 pandemic hit our shores last year. Our family car is a 2016 Perodua Myvi, which we purchased secondhand and for which we pay monthly instalments of about RM500. Thank God for the i-Citra initiative and EPF withdrawals that, once again, helped us get back on our feet. If you ask me, there is no reason not to withdraw our EPF money when we really need it. If not for the i-Citra and earlier i-Sinar EPF withdrawals, I don’t know how my family could have coped.
Source:The Star
July 03, 2021 01:41 UTC
Stop sharing suicide news, it hurts society!
Most people might not be aware that forwarding the latest sad suicide story or image can have very harmful consequences for society. The “Werther Effect” is a real, researched “copycat” phenomenon whereby sharing stories and news about suicide can actually lead to an increase in suicidal behaviour in the community. In other words, when a person shares suicide news with friends, he or she is “suggesting” the idea of suicide to his or her friends. Based on my many years of observation, I believe that in the past 15 years the Werther Effect has indeed occurred in Malaysian society. So I strongly urge everyone to stop reposting and sharing news, images and videos about suicide!
Source:The Star
July 03, 2021 01:30 UTC
Covid-19: Children play important role in getting parents vaccinated
ALOR SETAR (Bernama): Children have to provide a positive environment and as much information as possible on the effectiveness of Covid-19 vaccines to help convince their parents to register for it. He said children could have a talk with their parents on the importance of the vaccination without making the latter feel they are being forced into getting the jabs. "Tell them about other parents who had received the vaccination, how healthy they are, as testimonials for them to also get it (vaccine). Abdul Razak said stories on moments experienced by other parents before, during and after the Covid-19 vaccination could help to change their parents’ mind. He said people from outside the family, such as family doctors, could also help to talk parents into accepting the vaccination.
Source:The Star
July 03, 2021 00:11 UTC
Authentic Malaysian food delivered to your doorstep
TO encourage the public to stay safe at home during the Covid-19 pandemic, The Top@Komtar in Penang is ready to deliver authentic Malaysian cuisine right to their doorsteps. The Top@Komtar operations director Kevin Lai said they specialised in authentic local dishes from nasi lemak to specially curated lunch boxes with almost everything made from scratch. “We pride ourselves in using only the best ingredients for our customers. The set lunch that comes with vegetables and the appetiser of the day is priced between RM9.90 and RM11.90. “We use only the freshest and carefully selected quality ingredients,” she said.
Source:The Star
July 03, 2021 00:00 UTC
Traditional way pays off for friends
AN avid traveller’s passion for good food has led him to open a shop selling wood-fired pizzas with his two best friends in Ipoh, Perak. “We also want to try the traditional way of cooking by using firewood instead of charcoal or an electric oven. Muhammad Naser putting toppings on the pizzas (below pic) before they are baked by firewood in the brick oven by Muhammad Solehan. He said the pizza shop was only accepting takeaways at the moment due to Phase One of the National Recovery Plan. “When this MCO ends, we have plans to expand our pizza business further,” he said.
Source:The Star
July 02, 2021 23:59 UTC
Covid-19 mass screening to kick off at stadium
ABOUT 1,000 people from six constituencies in Penang will be the first batch to undergo the Penang government’s mass Covid-19 screening programme at City Stadium this Monday. Under the programme known as Penang Covid-19 Screening (PSC-19), priority is given to those living in hotspots, heads of households, those involved in food and parcel deliveries, hawkers and traders of essential goods and high-risk individuals such as senior citizens. On another matter, Jagdeep said about one million Penangites had registered for the Covid-19 vaccination, with about 300,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine being dispensed so far. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow urged for sufficient supply of Covid-19 vaccines to ensure smooth running of immunisation programmes in Penang. “New approvals for Covid-19 vaccine under the Public-Private Partnership Industrial Covid-19 Immunisation Programme (Pikas) should be followed by sufficient supply of vaccines in ensuring smooth running of vaccination initiatives.
Source:The Star
July 02, 2021 23:48 UTC
Incentives for ratepayers
FIVE cash prizes totalling RM19,888 will be given away to lucky ratepayers who pay their assessment tax this year and settle arrears via online payment platforms, kiosks and appointed collection agencies. Seberang Prai City Council (MBSP) mayor Datuk Rozali Mohamud said that to qualify for the lucky draw of the ‘Let’s Pay Taxes Online’ promotion, ratepayers are required to pay their assessment tax for this year from July 1 to Aug 31. “Those who make their payment at MBSP counters are not eligible for the draw.”Rozali added that Penang Smart Parking would be offering extra incentives. Several methods will be used by the council to deliver the assessment tax bills to a total of 163,513 registered accounts. “Permitted premises for employees include existing business and industrial buildings in Seberang Prai,” he said.
Source:The Star
July 02, 2021 23:48 UTC
Mum who survived Covid-19 happy to work from home while managing kids
Caring for young children while working from home during the pandemic is no easy feat for parents. For Nur Azura Patoni, who contracted Covid-19 in February, it was even more difficult. Nur Azura works as a mediation officer at state government agency, Darul Ta’zim Family Development Foundation. Nur Azura was ordered to self-quarantine at home, but ended up infecting her sons. Although she feels tired from juggling her workload and caring for her sons, Nur Azura is glad that she can spend more quality time with them.
Source:The Star
July 02, 2021 23:37 UTC
Injection of assets into YTL REIT
Apart from that, Yeoh also says YTL is planning to inject more hotels it currently owns into YTL REIT. “In the YTL Corp Bhd group, we have positive earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation even during Covid-19. YTL Corp is the single largest shareholder and has an effective 58.63% stake in YTL REIT while the Yeoh family, through various companies, effectively owns 64.50% of the REIT.The larger YTL group also has, in its stable, several other hotels that are not part of YTL REIT, and Yeoh says there are plans for some of these hotels to be injected into YTL REIT. “We would like to see as many hotels as possible going into YTL REIT. He notes that the YTL Corp group is fundamentally strong with positive cashflow.
Source:The Star
July 02, 2021 23:37 UTC
From tour operator to selling frozen food items
GEORGE TOWN: It was almost a swift rebound for tour operator Eddie Leong, who found a new revenue path by turning his former tour company into a space to sell and distribute frozen food items. But in November, Leong unlocked a new business path and began selling and distributing frozen food items at his existing company. “In November, we thought why not start selling and delivering frozen food items. “We engage local businesses that produce ready-made frozen food items and help them gather and sell the items. Leong said they decided to sell frozen food items as they thought about continuing and sustaining the business even after the Covid-19 pandemic was over.
Source:The Star
July 02, 2021 23:26 UTC
Playing the waiting game
Shifting trend: A file picture showing a person looking at stock prices displayed at a trading gallery in Kuala Lumpur. MIDF head of research Imran Yassin Md Yusof does not discount the possibility of retailers using the excess cash to invest in the stock market. Bank Islam chief economist Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid (pic below) concurs that the two measures could channel liquidity into the stock market. “Those who are financially savvy or those who may have higher risk tolerance would want to venture into stock markets in search for better returns. There is liquidity in the system but people are not moving back to the stock markets because everyone is having a wait-and-see approach, ” he says.
Source:The Star
July 02, 2021 23:15 UTC
The glocalisation of humanity
What succeeded was not globalisation, but glocalisation, the internalisation of universal ideas and beliefs by the many, and not just the few. By the time of the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1911, Chinese thinkers struggled with what would replace the old order. The Chinese elite understood that the rebuilding of China from the collapse of the old order was a monumental task. Even though they felt the burden of history, they also understood that there was no parallel in history on the scale of Chinese transformation. Glocalisation, the simultaneous contradiction between global and local, is to be welcomed, rather than feared.
Source:The Star
July 02, 2021 22:07 UTC
Soccer-Italy edge Belgium in thriller to reach Euro 2020 semis
Barella fired the opener after 31 minutes before Insigne’s wonderful curling strike doubled Italy's advantage on the brink of halftime. To beat a team like Belgium, you need a great performance from everybody and that's exactly what happened today," Mancini said. The road is still long, there are two games to go, we will see what happens," Mancini said. They scored a fantastic goal, but the first one may have been a mistake on our part," said Belgium midfielder Kevin de Bruyne. Italy looked set to end the half on a high when Insigne’s outstanding curler from the edge of the area doubled their lead.
Source:The Star
July 02, 2021 21:06 UTC