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Pan Masala addiction among school students

January 31st, 2010
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Parents,NGOs, and teachers need to be aware of this new problem. Carcinogen are chemicals that can cause cancer!

KUALA LUMPUR: A snack packed in attractive sachets is becoming a hot favourite among schoolchildren and youths.

Some of them were also said to be addicted to the titbit.

But little do they know that the “sweet biscuits” are a sweetened mixture of tobacco, betel and catechu.

Recently, Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai had warned schoolchildren and youth against buying the paan parag pan masala, also known locally as “guthka”.

He said he had been informed that guthka was very addictive and contained carcinogens.

“I had received a lot of complaints from parents since late last year that their children were becoming addicted to this product.
“It is sold openly outside school compounds and in retail shops,” he told the New Straits Times.

He said pan masala was a mixture of nuts, seeds, herbs and spices which was usually served after meals in India.

“Various versions of pan masala are also found as mouth fresheners in the Middle East and parts of Southeast Asia.

“One version of pan masala, that is the guthka, has tobacco as one of its ingredients,” he added.

Consumption of this product is said to have reached dangerous levels in India.

“I must warn that chewing tobacco has been linked with various cancers, especially mouth cancers,” he added.

Although the product was used by many as a mouth freshener, Liow said it was not meant for schoolchildren and college students.

Health enforcement officers in all states had been ordered to go on the ground and nab those selling them.

While those who bought the product could be slapped with a RM1,000 fine, those who were caught selling it would be charged under the Control of Tobacco Product Regulations 2004, where they are liable to a fine of RM10,000 or two years’ jail.

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PTPTN needs RM5 billion in 2013

January 31st, 2010
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Sounds like bad news if PTPTN needs more money. How are parents expected to fund education for children when places in IPTA is limited, while private colleges/universities cost are much higher? Income does not increase in tandem with the expenses and cost of living. Studying for a degree costs any where between RM10,000 to RM40,000 per year depending on the course. That’s a minimum of RM800 per month (exluding living expenses). Imagine if you have two kids going for tertiary education. How much monthly income is needed for family to support those two kids? Remember that our average income is RM3200++ to RM3900++. Is this sufficient? I think the number of well-to-do parents aren’t that many. PTPTN may end up catering for nearly half the student population if costs keep escalating.

PUTRAJAYA: The National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) requires RM5 billion a year to ensure those qualified to pursue higher education are not deprived of the opportunity, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said.

He said the amount was required following an increase in the number of students pursuing higher education.

“At the moment, the allocation is RM3 billion but the ministry foresees that the amount will no longer be enough by 2013,” he told reporters after opening the “Real Undergraduate Conference” here on Saturday.

He said the amount was also needed as the loan repayment by students was made in instalments and not in lump sum.

“Now the ministry is studying how to make the PTPTN sustainable and that to ensure loans are given only those who really need them,” he said.

He added that well-to-do parents should take the responsibility to finance their children’s education and not rely on the government alone.

“The Government has provided the infrastructure and other facilities. Those who are rich should be able to finance their children’s education,” he said. – BERNAMA

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Good news for Batu Estate residents

January 31st, 2010
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We are reading more cases being settled now, but the actual situation will be known when the projects are completed. We have seen many failures when the residents (labelled squatters) are promised houses, but end up living in rented premises or longhouses for up to two decades. Residents have a right to be scared or skeptical over the promises made by authorities, politicians and developers as the success stories are few. Hopefully the ex-Batu Estate residents will be a happy lot after this.

From the Star:

RESIDENTS of Batu Estate, Segambut will be given a fair deal at the end of two years of negotiations with the developer of the land, Mayland Development Sdn Bhd.

Deputy Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk M.Saravanan met with the residents on Thursday to announce the settlement fee agreed upon.

“The developer has agreed to pay RM2mil to all the residents, out of which RM200,000 will be given to the lawyer who took up the resident’s case,” Saravanan said.

Some 41 former estate workers will be given RM30,000 each while the 54 squatters who moved in later will receive RM10,000 per home.

Trust us: Han (left) and Saravanan (second from left) speaking to the residents during a briefing.

Saravanan said that as part of the deal, the residents were also given Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) low cost flats but the only ones available were at the Kampung Muhibbah flats in Puchong.

“We will not force the residents to move there but if they wish to wait, we can see if any of the reserve units in the flats around the Batu constituency are available,” he added.

He also asked the residents to celebrate Thaipusam and take the weekend to think over the offer before accepting or making any decisions.

Saravanan applauded the developer’s efforts in ensuring the people affected were compensated.

“They have not only taken in the assets but also the liabilities that came with the assets. It was not part of the original deal when they purchased the land but they have seen to it that all parties were happy,” he said.

Mayland Development Sdn Bhd legal counsel Han Seng Kwang said they saw the move as compassionate commercialism.

“We have to be patient with the people. If there are squatters next to our property, we cannot sell well so we believe we can enhance the value by doing this,” he said.

Han added that the company does not believe in reaping a fortune at other people’s expense. The buyers of the third and fourth phase of condominiums will feel good knowing that half of the purchase was used to help others.

“After the meeting I spoke to some of the residents and they do not earn much so a home nearby for them is necessary,” he said.

He also said the residents do not have to fear as they would pay the settlement as promised. Han said many were sceptical and afraid to sign the agreement for fear they would be cheated.

On the Kampung Railway issue in Sentul, Saravanan said he saw no reason why the developer would not build the low cost flats as it was part of the conditions set by the DBKL.

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Selangor MB ratings drop

January 28th, 2010
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Indeed a bitter pill to swallow for the MB. His ratings dropped 8 points in last 6 months, while the state government itself dropped 4 points. Blaming it on mainstream media may be considered as trivial. The state have nearly two years now, and people can’t be easily swayed by media. If the work is done properly, then support will be there. Selangor being one of the most advanced state surely has lots of people with access to Internet and alternative media. The state government may be running out of excuses soon.

According to a Merdeka Centre poll, the MB’s approval rating has dropped eight points in recent months – from a high of 62 percent in June 2009 to 54 percent in January this year.

The survey comes hot in the heels of recent claims of rampant dissatisfaction in the state with Khalid’s rule.

However, interestingly the approval rating for the state government has remained quite strong – it stands at 60 percent, only losing ground slightly from 64 percent in June 2009.

The survey was revealed today in a close-door discussion on the public perception towards the Pakatan Rakyat state government at a Pakatan Rakyat retreat in Subang Jaya.

Sources said Khalid strutted his usual corporate savvy by stressing the need to serve Selangor’s five million residents, or “customers” as he calls it, with the outmost efficiently.

He also appealed to the elected representatives to win over the state public service institution in order for state policies to be implemented smoothly.

Speaking to reporters during a break later, the main organisation of the retreat Yaakob Sapari said the surveys commissioned by the state had helped identify weaknesses in the Pakatan government.

An area of concern was the state government’s problems in communicating with the public.

“Currently, the public mostly subscribe to the mainstream media, as such information from the government does not get through. Only a few actually use the alternative media,” he said.

“This is something that we must address to make sure that our message gets through to the public”.

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PR stage to be removed at Batu Caves

January 28th, 2010
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Kesian! But I don’t think PM Najib was supposed to visit on Sunday afternoon, more than 24 hours after Thaipusam since there’s nothing much but rubbish to see after Thaipusam is over.

Police have ordered the Pakatan Rakyat state government to remove a stage set up at Batu Caves for celebrations on the eve of Thaipusam tomorrow despite prior approval from the authorities.

Selangor executive councillor Dr Xavier Jayakumar told The Malaysian Insider he had been informed that this was because Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was scheduled to visit Batu Caves at 9pm tomorrow.

“This is totally unfair, I had met the Gombak Police chief earlier this week at the Selayang Municipal Council and there was no problem.”

Xavier said tomorrow’s celebrations, which starts at 10.30pm, is part of the Selangor Tourism programme which is being hosted by the state government and sponsored by Digi.

“Nobody told us Najib was coming tomorrow and he was only initially supposed to visit on Saturday afternoon.”

The Malaysian Insider is still attempting to contact the Selangor police chief Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar for an official comment.

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