Meriahnya Raya Tanpa Hutang

Apabila puasa menjelang, ramai masyarakat sudah menghitung hari lebaran Aidilfitri. Bahkan, ramai keluarga sudah menghitung bajet perbelanjaan pada hari raya yang bakal tiba. Bermula dengan pakaian serba baru, juadah di hari raya hingga ke kelengkapan rumah yang baru. Memikirkan kos perbelanjaan hari raya yang melonjak tinggi ditambah pula dengan kos sara hidup masa kini boleh menyebabkan seseorang itu untuk bertindak di luar batasan. Sesetengah individu sanggup untuk bekerja lebih masa sepanjang Ramadhan manakala sesetengah pihak pula sanggup mengambil jalan pintas iaitu dengan meminjam duit daripada peminjam yang tidak bertauliah atau Ah Long.

Modus operandi peminjam yang tidak bertauliah ini semakin menjadi-jadi. Mereka bukan sahaja lagi mengedarkan dan menampal risalah-risalah mereka di kaki lima bangunan bahkan kini mereka berani untuk menawarkan pinjaman  secara terbuka melalui media sosial seperti Facebook dan melalui kiriman pesanan ringkas (SMS).

Bagi individu yang terdesak, sudah pasti pinjaman yang ditawarkan oleh Ah Long umpama penyelamat keadaan. Tawaran mereka mungkin kelihatan menarik pada awalnya namun sebagai pengguna yang bijak, harus berfikir dengan lebih panjang dan memikirkan akibat yang akan timbul di kemudian hari. Pengguna yang bijak adalah pengguna yang berhemah dalam perbelanjaannya dan belanja mengikut kemampuan diri. Bak kata pepatah, “Ukur baju di badan sendiri”. Perbelanjaan di luar kemampuan hanya akan merugikan diri sendiri dan orang sekeliling.

Oleh itu, dinasihatkan para pengguna untuk berbelanja secara berhemah dan mengikut kemampuan bukan mengikut hawa nafsu. Disarankan juga agar pihak berwajib untuk meninjau dan memantau sebarang aktiviti pinjaman secara haram di media sosial bagi mengelakkan para pengguna daripada terpengaruh dengan tawaran pinjaman daripada peminjam tidak bertauliah.

Forest is Our Lung. 

Earth Day is an annual event, celebrated on 22^nd of April. It is held to increase the awareness of people about the importance of environment safety as well as to demonstrate the environmental protection measures that need to be undertaken by all parties. It was first celebrated in 1970, and is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network, and celebrated in more than 193 countries each year.  Earth Day is entered its 46th anniversary last 22nd of April 2016. According to Earth Day Network the theme for this year is Trees for the Earth. It estimated that by the 50^th anniversary of Earth Day, there should be about 7.8 billion of trees that have been planted worldwide.

Forests cover one third of the Earth's land mass. Furthermore, according to the journal Nature, the world is home to more than 3 trillion trees. However, people cut down 15 billion trees each year which is equivalent to 56 acres of forest every minute. The global tree count has fallen by 46% since the beginning of human civilization, about 12, 000 years ago. Forests are cut down for many reasons but the major reason is for agriculture. Farmers cut forests to provide more room for planting crops or grazing livestock. Countless trees are cut down every year for wood and paper products. Trees are very prominent and crucial for ecology. They store huge amounts of carbon, which is essential for the cycling of nutrients, for water and air quality, and for countless human services. The significant loss of trees results in a critical impact to climate change, biodiversity and human health.

Deforestation accounts for 12 to 20 percent of the global greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. Fewer forests means larger amounts of greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere. As greenhouse gases build up in the atmosphere, the heat will be trapped. This increased heat leads to changes in climate patterns causing global warming. Trees play a critical role in absorbing the greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and convert it into clean oxygen and carbon. Trees will release the oxygen gas and store the carbon. However, the deforestation of trees not only lessens the amount of carbon stored, it also releases carbon dioxide into the air. This is because when trees die, they release the stored carbon. Apart from global warming, deforestation has also major impact on water availability in the forest.

Another impact of wide-scale deforestation is the loss of habitat for million of species. Seventy percent of terrestrial species of animals, insects and plants live in forests, and many of them are unable to survive due to deforestation. When forest cover is removed, wildlife is deprived of habitat and becomes more vulnerable to hunting. Each species of animal and plants plays a vital role in the food chain that could make a significant difference in animals and humans survival in the future. Deforestation has brought some of the animals, insect and plants to the brink of extinction as they need to adapt themselves with the new environment. Some animals and plants can only survive at a certain climate thus migrating to new habitats with different climate can have a negative impact on their survival.

Deforestation also has negative consequences for medicinal research that rely on the plants in the forests for medicine. Forests are rich with rare and bizarre species of herbs which can be used for treatment. Herbal medicine is used to treat many conditions, such as allergies, asthma, eczema, premenstrual syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, migraine, menopausal symptoms, chronic fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome, and cancer. Herbal medicine is an alternative to treat certain illness. Apart from that, a less-recognized fact is that deforestation can also give an adverse impact to human health. Maintaining forests can prevent the emergence of infectious diseases. A number of infectious diseases associated with deforestation are yellow fever, dengue and Lyme disease. Many of the diseases linked to forest loss are transmitted by insect vectors such as mosquitoes but others are spread by direct contact.

In conclusion, deforestation is necessary for country’s development. However, wide-scale deforestation only leads to the destruction of the environment and ecology of the forest.  Deforestation and logging activities should be reduced and the authorities should always monitor them. The quickest solution to deforestation would be to simply stop cutting down trees, but financial realities make this unlikely to occur. Hence, a better solution is by re-planting the trees. Every person in this world should plant at least one tree so that by the 50^th anniversary of Earth Day the number of trees planted is 7.8 million. Save the forest, save the Earth.

Waste Food Waste Money, Bye Environment

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimate, that about 795 million people out of 7.3 billion people in the world were suffering from chronic undernourishment in 2014-2016. Yet, about a third of the food worldwide goes to waste. Food waste or food loss is food that is discarded or lost or uneaten. The causes of food waste or loss are numerous, and occur at the stages of production, processing, retailing and consumption. In developing countries, most loss occurs during production, while in developed countries much food is wasted at the consumption stage. Most Malaysians waste food at the consumption stage especially during festive season or any occasions. Most of people would prepare or purchase in excess to ensure food does not run out during the event. Then, the leftover food would be end up in the bins. According to Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI), Malaysians waste about 15,000 metric tonnes of food daily and out of this, 3,000 metric tonnes are untouched and edible leftover food. It is equivalent to three decent meals a day for 5.3 million people.  Meanwhile, according to National Solid Waste Management Department, about 31% - 45% of an average of 36, 000 tonnes of garbage generated annually. It is estimated that the volume of food waste in Peninsular Malaysia by 2020 is enough to fill up 16 times Petronas Twin Towers. Surprisingly, the largest contributor of solid waste comes from households.

Wasting food is not only an ethical and economic issue but food waste also giving an adverse impact to the environment. Specifically food waste deteriorates the quality of the environment, has negative impact on food security and depletes the limited natural resources. Food wasting not only wastes money but it also causes water wastage. Agriculture sector uses a vast amount of freshwater to supply adequate water to the crops. According to the World Water Assessment Program the sector accounts for 70 percent of all water use around the world. Also, food preparation needs a plentiful amount of water to wash the ingredients and the dishes.

Furthermore, farm equipment that is used to feed and maintain livestock, plant and harvest crops use diesel fuel and other fuel sources which come from fossil fuels. When people waste meat and vegetables, these fuels as well as fertilizers, are also wasted. So food wasting causes energy wasting. In fact, food processing also use a lot of diesel fuel. The food and beverages industry is the highest energy consumption industry compared to other industries. They operate day and night everyday. In addition, food waste needs to be transported to waste treatment plants or incinerators hence more fuel is needed for transportation. So the more food is wasted the more fuel is wasted for transportation and for food processing. According to Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) the embedded energy costs of producing, packaging and transporting the food is equivalent at least 15 million tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.

Moreover, the disposal of food waste at landfill sites is actually the largest source of harmful greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the country thus it makes a significant contribution to global warming. Rotting food release methane gas, which is one of the most harmful greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. Methane is 23 times more potent than CO₂ as a greenhouse gas. Surprisingly, according to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), less than 3% of food waste was recovered and recycled in 2010. Thus the other 97% of food waste will remain at dump site, releasing more methane gas. Reducing food waste has clear benefits for climate change mitigation. According to WRAP 2015, an astonishing 7% of all global greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), or 3.3 billion tonnes per year, are due to food waste. WRAP estimates that by 2030 GHGs could be lowered by at least 0.2 and possibly as much as 1 billion tonnes per year through food waste reductions.

Reducing food waste is good for the economy, good for food security and good for the climate. Reducing food waste is one of the steps to reduce ‘carbon footprint’ as we cut down the methane gas released by food waste. Food waste reduction must be undertaken by all.  In fact, it should be started at home since the majority of food waste occurs at home. There are number of tips that can be taken by the consumers in order to prevent from food wasting. For example, make a list of meals weekly in mind before shopping and cook in the exact quantity. Furthermore, government and business entities need to plan the best strategy to address the problem of food wastage. Educational programs and awareness campaigns should be implemented more actively so that consumers will be alert on the impact of food wastage to the domestic economy. 

Hantaran or Mas Kahwin: Which One Is Important? [ENG]

Each partner in the world wants a happy marriage, and lasting until the end of life. Every race and religion thinks that marriage is a celebration of the sacred and beautiful. Even from a young age we all have been exposed to fairy tales such as Cinderella, Snow White and Rapunzel ended with a happy marriage. Each nation has its customs and culture of its own marriage. Each house would have inherited the tradition of their fathers wedding. The same goes for the Malays. Clear difference between the Malays and the other races are in terms of dowry and dowry.

Dowry dowry is determined by the state Islamic departments and the numbers called during the ceremony. It is mandatory from the groom to the bride. The man is free to put the amount of the dowry. However, after the ceremony that the money belongs to the absolute wife and the wife are free to use the money according to his will.

Deliveries also is a gift of money from the man to the woman. It is duty of the man to pay for it separately. The actual amount of dowry at the discretion of both the groom and the bride during the men sent a delegation inquire or proposed. The aim of dowry is given to the woman is to ease the burden of the bride to spend weddings.

However, society is often confused with customs duties. This caused confusion in the case of divorce is increasing. Parents in this era moiden mostly prefer dowry against dowry. Even the dowry is now placed on a par with the bride's academic status. The higher the level of education they are getting more expensive dowry by the bride so placed that amount beyond the capabilities of the groom. Due to the constraints and obstacles of the female side of the family, the groom is willing to make loans.

Basically marriage is a very sacred and easy. But now the marriage becomes a burden to the prospective bride especially the groom. If there is no money in the hands of RM10 000 minimum it is difficult for young couples wishing to implement their intent to marry. Many divorce cases occur in Malaysia because they stuck with the debts around the waist. Because of this, too much debt that they become depressed and decided easily.

Marriage is only occurs once in a lifetime, but it must be remembered in our own and meet the satisfaction of all parties, we should act wisely and think in the long run. So renunng-ponder whether to get married life after a happy and harmonious or want to live in debts.

Hantaran atau Mas Kahwin Lagi Penting? [MAL]

Setiap pasangan di dunia menginginkan sebuah perkahwinan yang bahagia dan berkekalan sampai ke akhir hayat. Setiap bangsa dan agama beranggapan bahawa perkahwinan adalah sebuah majlis keraian yang suci dan indah. Bahkan sejak dari kecil lagi kita semua telah didedahkan dengan kisah-kisah dongeng seperti Cinderella, Snow White dan Rapunzel yang berakhir dengan sebuah perkahwinan yang bahagia. Setiap bangsa mempunyai adat resam dan budaya perkahwinannya yang tersendiri. Setiap kaum pasti akan mewarisi tradisi perkahwinan nenek moyangnya. Begitu juga dengan kaum Melayu. Perbezaan jelas antara kaum Melayu dengan kaum lain adalah dari segi mas kahwin dan hantaran.

Mas kahwin ialah wang hantaran yang ditetapkan mengikut jabatan Islam negeri dan jumlahnya disebut ketika akad nikah. Ia merupakan bayaran wajib daripada pengantin lelaki kepada pengantin perempuan. Pihak lelaki bebas meletakkan amaun mas kahwin tersebut. Walau bagaimanapun, setelah akad nikah wang tersebut menjadi milik mutlak si isteri dan si isteri bebas menggunakan wang tersebut mengikut kehendaknya.

Hantaran pula ialah merupakan wang hadiah daripada pihak lelaki kepada pihak perempuan. Ia tidak menjadi kewajipan kepada pihak lelaki utnuk membayarnya. Jumlah wang hantaran tersebut sebenarnya bergantung kepada budi bicara kedua-dua belah pihak pengantin lelaki dan pengantin perempuan semasa pihak lelaki menghantar rombongan merisik atau meminang. Tujuan wang hantaran ini diberikan kepada pihak perempuan adalah untuk meringankan beban pihak perempuan untuk mengeluarkan belanja kenduri kahwin.

Namun, masyarakat kini sering keliru antara kewajipan dengan adat. Disebabkan kekeliruan ini maka kes perceraian di Malaysia semakin meningkat. Ibu bapa di era moiden ini kebanyakannya lebih mengutamakan wang hantaran berbanding dengan mas kahwin. Bahkan wang hantaran kini diletakkan setaraf dengan status pengajian si pengantin perempuan. Semakin tinggi tahap pengajian mereka semakin mahal wang hantaran diletakkan oleh pihak perempuan sehinggakan jumlah tersebut di luar kemampuan pengantin lelaki. Disebabkan kekangan dan halangan daripada keluarga belah perempuan maka, si pengantin lelaki sanggup membuat pinjaman bank.

Pada dasarnya perkahwinan adalah suatu yang sangat suci dan mudah. Namun kini perkahwinan menjadi satu bebanan kepada bakal-bakal pengantin terutamanya pengantin lelaki. Jika tiada wang RM10 000 minimum dalam tangan maka sukar bagi pasangan-pasangan muda ini ingin melaksanakan hajat mereka untuk berkahwin. Kes perceraian banyak berlaku di Malaysia kerana mereka tersepit dengan hutang-piutang sekeliling pinggang. Disebabkan hutang yang banyak ini jugalah mereka menjadi tertekan dan mengambil keputusan mudah.

Perkahwinan memang hanya berlaku sekali seumur hidup namun harus diingat dalam kita memenuhi kepuasan hati sendiri dan semua pihak, kita seharusnya bertindak bijak dan berfikir dalam jangka masa yang panjang. Jadi renunng-renungkan sama ada ingin mendapat kehidupan selepas kahwin yang bahagia dan harmoni atau ingin hidup dalam hutang-piutang.

Online fraud: Seller or Buyer [ENG]

Online business has become a lucrative source of income for some middle-income earners. In fact, online business also has widened the opportunities for the university students to earn extra income to finance their studies. Furthermore, shopping has become easier with online business. Click on the items to be purchased and soon it will arrive at your destination. Everything is just at the fingertips. Purchasing items through social sites like Facebook and Instagram seem simple and easier to certain people who have a tight schedule everyday.

However, online business is very risky to online fraud. Online business has become a site for some unscrupulous people to commit various tactics of fraud. Previously, most of the cases reported were only involved the buyers been deceived by the online sellers. The most common scams are the confusing advertisement, offer the lowest price to the customers and the item received is different from what have been ordered. But now, the situation is slightly different where the sellers also could be the victim of the online fraud. There are few cases reported regarding online sellers deceived by the irresponsible buyers. Normally fraudsters will trick the online sellers during the money transaction using automated teller machine (ATM). The fraudsters will snap the picture of the fake transaction receipt.

Most of the fraudsters are sweet talkers and would always give numerous excuses and promises. Apart from that, they also would always make up sad stories to get sympathy from the victims. Sometimes, they will act as a serious buyer/seller; they willingly give out details about themselves but unfortunately the information given is false. Dealing through online is trickier than dealing directly since it will give some time to the fraudsters to come out with another trick such as making another sad story or maybe they will blame the postage service. 

In fact, it will be difficult to trace them as they could hide their true identity by giving the false information and fake profile picture. Most of the victims of online fraud will only realize once the money has been transferred to the scammers or after they received the goods. Then most of the fraudsters will block the victims on social media and mobile applications such as Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger and Wechat. Thus, making it more difficult for the victims to trace them and collect evidence for police report. 

Therefore, in order to control the online fraud, the government in collaboration with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM), has required all dealers who do business on Facebook, Mudah.my, website, blogspot, Instagram and mobile applications to register their businesses with SSM. Failure to register can be prosecuted and fined. Online sellers must also register with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to prove that the dealer is honest in his business as well as to give confidence their clients. If the seller commits online fraud, the buyer should lodge a complaint at Tribunal for Consumer Claims Malaysia. Meanwhile for sellers, they could submit their complaints to the authorities.

These online fraudsters will always adapt their way of scamming and they will never reveal their true identity to the public. Therefore, the dealers and buyers should always bear in mind to be more careful when doing online business. It is recommended for the authorities to monitor the fraudsters regularly. In conclusion, the user should be a smart user when shopping. 

Penipuan Atas Talian: Penjual atau Pembeli [MAL]

Perniagaan atas talian atau online business telah menjadi satu sumber pendapatan yang agak lumayan kepada sesetengah golongan berpendapatan sederhana. Malahan perniagaan atas talian juga membuka peluang kepada golongan pelajar universiti, terutamanya yang ingin mencari pendapatan sampingan bagi membiayai pengajian mereka. Dengan wujudnya perniagaan atas talian ini, segala urusan membeli-belah juga menjadi mudah, iaitu hanya di hujung jari sahaja. Klik pada barangan yang ingin dibeli dan ia akan tiba di depan pintu rumah. Kaedah pembelian secara atas talian di laman sosial, seperti Facebook dan Instagram kelihatan mudah kepada sebilangan golongan yang mempunyai jadual harian yang padat.

Walau bagaimanapun, perniagaan atas talian ini mempunyai risiko yang tinggi dari segi penipuan. Perniagaan atas talian ini juga telah membuka peluang kepada golongan yang tidak bertanggungjawab untuk melakukan pelbagai helah dan taktik penipuan. Jika sebelum ini, kebanyakan kes yang dilaporkan adalah kes peniaga atas talian menipu pembeli. Antara penipuan yang biasa terjadi ialah penjual meletakkan iklan yang mengelirukan, menjanjikan harga tawaran yang terendah dan tidak memperoleh produk seperti mana yang diiklankan. 

Namun kini, keadaan yang sebaliknya berlaku. Terdapat segelintir pembeli yang tidak jujur dalam urusan jual beli atas talian ini. Kebiasaannya penipuan daripada pembeli berlaku semasa proses transaksi duit. Apabila segala urusan berkaitan jual beli barang dijalankan secara atas talian, maka agak sukar bagi kedua-dua pihak untuk mengenal pasti identiti individu terbabit. Kebanyakan mangsa penipuan atas talian ini hanya akan sedar apabila segala urusan jual beli telah selesai. Perkara ini juga menyukarkan pihak berkuasa untuk mengesan individu yang tidak bertanggungjawab tersebut.

Oleh sebab itu, bagi mengawal masalah penipuan atas talian ini, kerajaan dengan kerjasama Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia (SSM), telah mewajibkan semua peniaga yang menjalankan perniagaan di Facebook, Mudah.my, laman sesawang, blogspot, Instagram dan aplikasi mudah alih untuk mendaftarkan perniagaan mereka di SSM. Kegagalan untuk mendaftar boleh didakwa dan dikenakan denda. Peniaga atas talian juga perlu berdaftar dengan Suruhanjaya Komunikasi dan Multimedia (SKMM) bagi membuktikan peniaga tersebut jujur dalam perniagaannya selain dapat meyakinkan pelanggan mereka. Jika berlaku penipuan atas talian, pembeli boleh membuat aduan di Tribunal Tuntutan Pengguna Malaysia, manakala bagi peniaga pula, mereka boleh mengemukakan aduan kepada pihak berkuasa.

Pihak yang tidak bertanggungjawab ini akan sentiasa menukar-nukar modus operandi bagi mengelakkan mereka dikesan oleh pihak berkuasa. Oleh sebab itu, diingatkan para peniaga dan pembeli perlu berhati-hati sekiranya menjalankan urusan secara atas talian. Disarankan agar pihak berkuasa untuk sentiasa memantau pihak-pihak yang tidak bertanggungjawab ini. Kesimpulannya, pengguna perlu menjadi pengguna yang bijak dalam apa juga bentuk pembelian. 

Food Safety Led to Antibiotic Resistance [ENG]

Food safety is a scientific discipline describing handling, preparation, and storage of food in ways that prevent foodborne illness or better known as food poisoning. The majority of foodborne illnesses are caused by harmful bacteria and viruses. Some parasites and chemicals also cause foodborne illnesses. Food is the most common medium for the growth of bacteria and parasites. Thus consumption of can transmit the disease from a person to another. 

More than 250 different foodborne diseases have been identified. Food can be contaminated at any time either during growth, harvesting or slaughter, processing, storage, and shipping. Raw foods such as raw meats, unpasteurized milk and raw vegetables are most associated with foodborne diseases. This is because they have been contaminated with the pesticides and chemical fertilizers in order to keep the freshness of the foods. In fact, some of the farmers and retailers would inject the food with antibiotics to prevent and control common disease events, and to enhance animal growth. 

Apart from that, the antibiotic is used to improve the quality of the product, with a lower percentage of fat and higher protein content in the meat. However, the over usage of antibiotics in agriculture has led to the emerging public health crisis of antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance is a looming public health crisis.

Antibiotic resistance occurs when an antibiotic has lost its ability to effectively control or kill bacterial growth. In other words, the bacteria are becoming more "resistant" to the antibiotic designed to cure or prevent infection. The resistant-bacteria can have a greater chance of survival as they will find ways to survive in the human body and continue to multiply, causing more harm. Antibiotic resistance poses health risk to human health in two ways either directly or indirectly. Direct effects, are through the consumption of the food which is infected with the antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Indirect effects are those that result from contact with resistant organisms that have been spread to various components of the ecosystem such as water and soil. 

Bacteria can travel in any medium so people could transmit the antibiotic-resistant bacteria to others by coughing or contact with unwashed hands. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria can spread to family members, schoolmates, and co-workers. Overall it may even threaten the community. Antibiotic resistance has become one of the world most pressing public health problems as it may cause illnesses that were once easily treatable with antibiotics to become dangerous infections, prolonging suffering for children and adults. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are often more difficult to kill and need an expensive treatment. In some cases, the antibiotic-resistant infections can lead to serious disability or even death.

There are few important ways that can be taken to protect from antibiotic resistance through the consumption of food infected by antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

• ·         Identify the restaurants that serve poultry injected with antibiotic;
• ·   Avoid consume fast food regularly as most of the fast food restaurants serve poultry, fish and vegetables injected with antibiotic routinely;
• ·     Inform the authorities if there any retailers who inject drugs or antibiotic on vegetables, fruits and meat to make them last long.

Antibiotic resistance is present in all parts of the world thus making it a serious threat to global public health that requires action across all government sectors and society. Foodborne disease and antibiotic resistance are mostly transmitted via food thus keeping food clean and safe should be a priority to all food manufactures, government and consumers. 

Keselamatan Makanan Membawa kepada Antibiotik Rintangan [MAL]

Keselamatan makanan merupakan satu disiplin saintifik yang menerangkan pengendalian, penyediaan dan penyimpanan makanan dengan cara yang mencegah penyakit bawaan makanan atau lebih dikenali sebagai keracunan makanan. Majoriti penyakit bawaan makanan disebabkan oleh bakteria dan virus berbahaya. Sesetengah parasit dan bahan kimia juga menyebabkan penyakit bawaan makanan. Makanan adalah medium yang paling biasa untuk pertumbuhan bakteria dan parasit. Oleh itu penggunaan boleh menghantar penyakit ini daripada seseorang yang lain. 

Lebih daripada 250 penyakit bawaan makanan yang berbeza telah dikenal pasti. Makanan boleh tercemar pada bila-bila sama ada semasa pertumbuhan, penuaian atau penyembelihan, pemprosesan, penyimpanan, dan perkapalan. Makanan mentah seperti daging mentah, susu unpasteurized dan sayur-sayuran mentah yang paling dikaitkan dengan penyakit bawaan makanan. Ini adalah kerana mereka telah dicemari dengan racun perosak dan baja kimia untuk memastikan kesegaran makanan. Malah, beberapa petani dan peruncit akan menyuntik makanan dengan antibiotik untuk mencegah dan mengawal kejadian penyakit biasa, dan untuk meningkatkan pertumbuhan haiwan. 

Selain itu, antibiotik yang digunakan untuk meningkatkan kualiti produk, dengan peratusan yang lebih rendah kandungan protein lemak dan tinggi dalam daging. Walau bagaimanapun, penggunaan atas antibiotik dalam pertanian telah membawa kepada krisis kesihatan awam yang baru muncul rintangan antibiotik. rintangan antibiotik adalah krisis kesihatan awam menjulang.

rintangan antibiotik berlaku apabila antibiotik telah kehilangan keupayaan untuk mengawal atau membunuh pertumbuhan bakteria dengan berkesan. Dalam erti kata lain, bakteria menjadi lebih "tahan" kepada antibiotik yang direka untuk menyembuhkan atau mencegah jangkitan. Tahan-bakteria boleh mempunyai peluang yang lebih untuk hidup kerana mereka akan mencari jalan untuk terus hidup dalam badan manusia dan terus membiak, menyebabkan lebih banyak mudarat. rintangan antibiotik menimbulkan risiko kesihatan kepada kesihatan manusia dalam dua cara sama ada secara langsung atau tidak langsung. kesan langsung, adalah melalui pengambilan makanan yang dijangkiti bakteria antibiotik tahan. kesan tidak langsung adalah mereka yang disebabkan oleh hubungan dengan organisma tahan yang telah merebak ke pelbagai komponen ekosistem seperti air dan tanah. 

Bakteria boleh melakukan perjalanan dalam mana-mana medium sehingga orang boleh menghantar bakteria antibiotik tahan kepada orang lain melalui batuk atau hubungan dengan tangan yang tidak dibasuh. Antibiotik tahan bakteria boleh merebak kepada ahli keluarga, rakan sekolah, dan rakan sekerja. Secara keseluruhan ia juga boleh mengancam masyarakat. rintangan antibiotik telah menjadi salah satu masalah kesihatan awam yang paling mendesak dunia kerana ia boleh menyebabkan penyakit-penyakit yang pernah mudah dirawat dengan antibiotik untuk menjadi jangkitan berbahaya, memanjangkan penderitaan untuk kanak-kanak dan orang dewasa. bakteria antibiotik tahan sering lebih sukar untuk membunuh dan memerlukan rawatan mahal. Dalam sesetengah kes, jangkitan tahan antibiotik boleh menyebabkan ketidakupayaan yang serius atau kematian.

Terdapat beberapa cara yang penting yang boleh diambil untuk melindungi dari rintangan antibiotik melalui pengambilan makanan dijangkiti oleh bakteria antibiotik tahan.

• ·         Mengenal pasti restoran yang menyajikan ayam disuntik dengan antibiotik;
• ·    Elakkan daripada mengambil makanan segera dengan kerap kerana kebanyakan restoran makanan segera menghidangkan ayam, ikan dan sayur-sayuran disuntik dengan antibiotik secara rutin;
• ·     Maklumkan kepada pihak berkuasa jika terdapat mana-mana peruncit yang menyuntik dadah atau antibiotik pada sayur-sayuran, buah-buahan dan daging untuk membuat mereka bertahan lama.

Rintangan antibiotik hadir dalam semua bahagian dunia oleh itu ia satu ancaman yang serius kepada kesihatan awam global yang memerlukan tindakan semua sektor dan masyarakat kerajaan membuat. penyakit bawaan makanan dan rintangan antibiotik kebanyakannya dihantar melalui makanan sekali gus mengekalkan makanan yang bersih dan selamat perlu menjadi keutamaan untuk semua makanan mengilang, kerajaan dan pengguna.

Littering on the Road is Irresponsible Action [ENG]

The awareness level of littering among Malaysians is still low. Littering reflects the civilization of that society. Obviously people who throw garbage in public areas do not belong to a first class society. Currently, the common places for people to dispose their waste are in the river and on the streets. Many are more likely to litter on the roads while driving because they are more concerned with the cleanliness of their vehicle rather than to maintain the cleanliness of the public areas.

Littering on the road has become a phenomenon in Malaysia. Often, people arbitrarily throw the trash out of their vehicles regardless of the security of other road users especially motorcyclists. Disposal of waste such as plastic food wrappers and tissues while driving can endanger the lives of other road users as plastic and paper are lightweight and easily blown by the wind. It is feared that the garbage could block the front visuals of motorcyclists and, block hit the front screen of other vehicles where they could lose focus in driving. 

In addition, the disposal of garbage on the road also can worsen the cleanliness as well as pollute the air with the stench. Streets are the main route used by everyone including tourists from abroad. The street condition that is filled with trash deteriorates the dignity of the country. In fact we might even be labeled as polluter. Cleanliness is a major force in attracting foreign tourists. Littering on the road can also affect the health of residents nearby. Piles of rubbish at the roadside can become breeding grounds for mosquitoes such as Aedes. The stench coming out of the garbage can attract rodents and flies. Mosquitoes, rats and flies are vector carrying infectious diseases.

Maintaining public cleanliness is the responsibility of all parties. Motorists should obey the “No Littering” signboard so that trash is not being thrown on the road because roads are public facility. The authorities also need to constantly monitor road users and impose appropriate measures to the road users who fail to obey the law. Furthermore, it is also proposed that trash cans be placed along the road, to facilitate disposal of trash. Place more bins in a residential areas, Rest & Recreation (R&R), and petrol stations. Bins need to be emptied regularly.  

Pembuangan Sampah di Jalan Raya adalah Perbuatan Tidak Bertanggungjawab [MAL]

Tahap kesedaran membuang sampah di dalam tong sampah yang disediakan dalam kalangan rakyat Malaysia masih rendah. Masih terdapat rakyat Malaysia yang membuang sampah di merata-rata tempat. Pembuangan sampah di merata tempat mencerminkan ketamadunan masyarakat tersebut. Jelas sekali masyarakat yang membuang sampah di merata tempat tidak menggambarkan dirinya tergolong dalam masyarakat minda kelas pertama. Tempat yang menjadi kebiasaan bagi mereka membuang sampah adalah di sungai dan tepi jalan raya. Kebanyakan mereka lebih cenderung untuk membuang sampah di jalan raya ketika memandu kerana mereka lebih mementingkan untuk menjaga kebersihan kenderaan sendiri berbanding dengan menjaga kebersihan awam.

Pembuangan sampah sarap di jalan raya sudah menjadi satu fenomena di Malaysia. Mereka sewenang-wenangya membuang sampah melalui tingkap tanpa mempedulikan keselamatan pengguna jalan raya yang lain terutamanya penunggang motosikal. Pembuangan sampah seperti plastik pembalut makanan dan tisu ketika memandu boleh membahayakan nyawa pengguna jalan raya yang lain kerana plastik dan tisu merupakan barang yang ringan dan mudah ditiup angin. Dikhuatiri ia akan menutupi pandangan penunggang motosikal dan mengenai cermin kereta di bahagian depan sehingga boleh mengganggu pemanduan pengguna lain.

Selain itu, pembuangan sampah di jalan raya juga boleh memburukkan pemandangan dan mencemarkan udara dengan bau busuk. Jalan raya merupakan laluan utama yang digunakan oleh semua golongan termasuk pelancong dari luar negara. Keadaan jalan raya yang dipenuhi dengan sampah sarap memburukkan imej negara pada pandangan orang luar. Bahkan kita mungkin akan dilabel sebagai rakyat yang pengotor. Kebersihan adalah merupakan daya utama dalam menarik kedatangan pelancong luar negara. 

Pembuangan sampah sarap di jalan raya juga boleh menjejaskan kesihatan penghuni di kawasan sekitar. Timbunan sampah sarap di tepi jalan raya boleh menjadi tempat pembiakan nyamuk Aedes. Bau busuk yang keluar daripada sampah tersebut boleh menarik tikus dan lalat untuk menghurungi kawasan tersebut. Nyamuk, tikus dan lalat adalah merupakan vektor virus yang mana ia membawa penyakit berjangkit.

Menjaga kebersihan awam seperti jalan raya adalah merupakan tanggungjawab semua pihak. Para pengguna jalan raya seharusnya mematuhi papan tanda untuk tidak membuang sampah di jalan raya kerana jalan raya adalah kemudahan hak bersama. Pihak penguatkuasa juga perlu sentiasa mengawasi pengguna jalan raya dan mengenakan tindakan sewajarnya kepada pengguna jalan raya yang tidak mematuhi arahan. Selain itu, disarankan juga untuk meletakkan tong sampah berdekatan dengan jalan raya bagi memudahkan pengguna jalan raya membuang sampah mereka. Tong sampah juga perlu disediakan lebih banyak di kawasan perumahan, kawasan Rehat & Rawat (R&R), dan stesen-stesen minyak serta mengosongkan tong sampah bagi mengelakkan mereka membuang sampah di atas jalan raya. 

Roads damage harms the road users [ENG]

Road accidents are the major cause of deaths in Malaysia. The causes of road accidents are not only due to the negligence of individuals while driving or failure to maintain the mechanical performance of the vehicles but also the physical condition of the roadway. If the road is improperly maintained, it may be difficult to maintain traction and to stop in time from an accident. Road potholes, cracks, silt, uneven roads, manhole covers embedded or above street level, are all factors that cause accidents to happen, especially to motorcyclists. Road damage can also cause shock absorbers and tires to be easily damaged.

Digging up the road for the installation of utilities such as water pipes and underground cables has caused up to 70% damage of roads. The low quality of road paving as well as unprofessional maintenance can also cause damage to the roads occurs repeatedly in the same area. Road damage that occurrs in Malaysia also stems from the attitude of contractors who do not comply with the Standard Operational Procedure (SOP) established by the Malaysian Works Department (JKR).

Most contractors do not meet the conditions laid down JKR because they want to reduce operating costs. According to the SOP issued by the JKR, the contractor should be in charge of the temporary cover or compress the original excavation pit immediately. Furthermore, the excavation should be covered with sand up to the level of the road surface. However, some contractors just bury without compressing the excavation. If during the period of mending there is damage to the road and thus pose a danger to road users, the contractors are responsible for any accidents on road users. Most road accidents are caused by roads damage which is not restored by the authorities.

According to SOP the work of open cutting across the street should be revamped again as existing within 24 hours after dredging. Excavated material must be removed from the work area immediately after excavation. Pile of excavated material at the roadside can pose a danger to road users especially motorcyclists.

In conclusion, if the authorities take all the precautions that have been fixed by JKR then the quality of the roads should improveand the number of casualties can be reduced. Most importantly, the contractors must change their “tidak mengapa” attitude and be considerate on the safety of other road users. Furthermore, to ensure that the contractor complies with all conditions specified in SOP then the JKR should always monitor on the work carried out by the entrusted contractors by doing site visits regularly. Malaysia is a developing country and moving forward to achieve a developed country status. Hence the road maintenance issue should be handledurgently and seriously by the contractors and the government. 

Kerosakan Jalan Membahayakan Pengguna Jalan [MAL]

Kemalangan jalan raya yang berlaku di Malaysia bukan sahaja berpunca daripada kecuaian individu semasa memandu dan kondisi kenderaan yang tidak diservis. Bahkan keadaan jalan raya dan persekitarannya juga menjadi salah satu faktor kemalangan jalan raya. Jalan raya yang berlubang, retak, mendap, beralun, penutup lurang yang terbenam atau di atas paras jalan, tampalan tidak sempurna dan berpasir boleh mengakibatkan kemalangan terutamanya kepada penunggang motosikal. Kerosakan jalan raya juga boleh mengakibatkan banyak peralatan sokongan kenderaan seperti penyerap hentak dan tayar mudah rosak dan bocor.

Pemotongan jalan yang dilakukan untuk pemasangan  utiliti seperti paip air dan kabel bawah tanah telah menyebabkan 70% kerosakan jalan raya. Kualiti penurapan jalan yang rendah dan penyelenggaraan yang tidak dijalankan secara profesional juga penyebab kepada kerosakan jalan yang berlaku berulang kali di kawasan yang sama. Kerosakan jalan yang berlaku di Malaysia juga berpunca daripada sikap kontraktor yang tidak mematuhi Standard Operational Procedure (SOP) yang telah ditetapkan oleh pihak Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR).

Kebanyakan kontraktor tidak menepati syarat-syarat yang telah ditetapkan JKR kerana ingin mengurangkan kos operasi. Menurut SOP yang dikeluarkan oleh JKR, pihak kontraktor bertanggungjawab dalam menampung sementara atau memampatkan semula lubang korekan dengan serta merta. Tambahan pula, korekan tersebut perlu ditimbus dengan pasir sehingga ke paras permukaan jalan. Namun, sesetengah kontraktor hanya menimbuskan korekan tanpa memadatkan korekan tersebut.

Selain itu, sekiranya sepanjang tempoh membaikpulih terdapat kerosakan pada jalan atau menimbulkan bahaya kepada pengguna jalan maka pihak kontraktor bertanggungjawab untuk membaikpulihnya dengan segera. Kebanyakan kemalangan jalan raya adalah berpunca daripada kerosakan jalan raya yang tidak dibaikpulih semula oleh pihak berwajib.

Di samping itu, menurut SOP kerja-kerja pemotongan terbuka yang melintasi jalan hendaklah dibaiki semula seperti sediaada dalam tempoh 24 jam selepas pengorekan. Bahan-bahan korekan juga perlu dibuang dari kawasan kerja dengan serta-merta selepas pengorekan. Walau bagaimanapun, terdapat sesetengah kontraktor yang menggunakan semula bahan korekan yang tidak boleh digunakan untuk menimbus lubang korekan. Tambahan pula, longgokan bahan-bahan korekan di tepi-tepi jalan juga boleh mengundang bahaya kepada pengguna jalan raya terutamanya pengguna motosikal.

Kesimpulannya, sekiranya pihak berwajib mengikuti semua syarat kelulusan yang telah ditetapkan JKR maka kualiti jalan semestinya akan bertambah baik dan kemalangan jiwa juga dapat dikurangkan. Paling penting, para kontraktor perlu mengubah sikap “ tidak mengapa” mereka dan bersikap bertimbang rasa mengenai keselamatan pengguna jalan raya. Tambahan pula, bagi memastikan pihak kontraktor mematuhi kesemua syarat yang telah ditetapkan dlm SOP maka pihak JKR perlu sentiasa mengawasi kerja-kerja yang dijalankan oleh kontraktor yang dipertanggungjawabkan dengan mengadakan lawatan ke tapak kerja. Malaysia adalah merupakan negara yang membangun. Oleh sebab itu, isu mengenai penyelenggaraan jalan perlu diatasi dengan segera dan serius oleh pihak berwajib dan kerajaan. 

Roti Canai Malaysia's Favourite Food [ENG]

Malaysia is a country with a majority of three races, namely Malay, Chinese and Indian. Believe it or not, the harmony between people of different races can be achieved with food? The staple food of communities is rice. Regardless of race, rice is a staple food for every layer of society.

Nasi lemak is the most popular food in Malaysia. In fact it is also popular among foreign tourists. Certainly, the first food that they will try once set foot in Malaysia is nasi lemak. Apart from nasi lemak, roti canai is also preferred by Malaysians regardless of race and religion.

Roti canai or round “flat bread” is  good to be eat during breakfast, lunch and even dinner. Usually it is served with gravy or curry dal or parpu with sambal ikan bilis. Roti canai in Malay terms means the behavior of the bakers to flatten, aerate and spread the bread dough.  The origin of the words are said to be a type of dal used with this bread, which is "Channal. In another version, the word comes from the name Chennai, India due to the large grinding bread is mainly coming from there at a time when the influx of Indians in Malaysia.

Did you know that, roti canai belongs to 10 fattening foods? A piece of roti canai contains 300 calories and most Malaysians would eat two slices of bread a day and this rolled together 600 calories. According to Kevin Zahri a famous nutritionist said to burn 600 calories we need to jog or run on the treadmill for 90 minutes.

Ingredients to make roti canai:

3 cups flour

1 egg

½ cup milk

3 tablespoons oil

3 tablespoons margarine

How to make roti canai:

Mix the flour, eggs, milk and margarine until soft and mix with water a little bit. Divide in small pieces and marinate with cooking oil. Let overnight. Flatten thinly. Heat a frying pan and fry. When cooked, remove and pat.

While roti canai is fattening foods but it is still a favorite Malaysian society. The delicious bread is eaten hot-rolled is unspeakable and dash with dal or curry sauce again raised public appetite in the morning.