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RESIDENTS of Jalan Wan Empok Satu in Bandar Baru Seri Petaling, Kuala Lumpur, are appealing to Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to clean up a house in their neighbourhood which they say is a health hazard.They say the double-storey link house is a potential breeding ground for mosquitoes and other pests.“I am afraid there will be a dengue outbreak,” said 70-year-old Toh Ching Kang.“I have not contracted dengue, but I have been bitten by mosquitoes in so many places and some of the bites have become infected,’’ Toh said, pointing to his bandaged wounds.He has been in and out of the hospital for the past six months as his wounds have to be cleaned every two days.

His neighbour, V. Rasamany, 72, said she was also worried about contracting dengue.“My husband is 81 years old. I am always worried that he may get dengue or become ill because of the messy house next door.”Another resident living along the same row who only wanted to be known as Ah Foo said he had tried asking the owner to clean up his house to no avail.“I was told the houseowner’s brother died of dengue several years ago and that’s why we are very worried,’’ added Toh.When StarMetro visited the house recently, it was in a deplorable state.The grass and shrubs have not been cut in a long time. A tree inside the compound was overgrown and the fallen leaves have clogged up the drains.There were pails of stagnant water inside the compound and balcony area. Rubbish was everywhere and the back part of the house was overgrown with shrubs and lalang.

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What’s the most important information to look for – always, always, always – on a food label? Most people say calories. Others say fat. Sugar is important too, especially added sugar.But what’s the most important information? Serving Size. Everything else is based on that particular amount of food. Let’s say, for instance, I want to compare different brands of ice cream.The US Food and Drug Administration (the folks who recently updated the Nutrition Facts label) has changed some of the standard serving sizes on food labels “to reflect what people actually eat and drink. For example, the serving size for ice cream was previously ½ cup and is now 2/3 cup.”Right. So, back to my example. When comparing ice creams, I need to know that the calories and other nutrients listed on the label are accurate only if I eat two-thirds of a cup.

If twice that much gets accidentally scooped into my bowl, I will chalk up double the calories, fat, sugar, etc – you get the picture.Of course, Calories are important too. So important that the newest Nutrition Facts label now shows calories in big, bold letters. “Calories from fat” is one item that was removed from the newest food label.That’s because research now shows that the amount of fat we consume is less important than the type of fat. And that explains why we still see “Saturated Fat” and “Trans Fat” on this new label; they are the types of fat most associated with inflammatory conditions such as heart disease.

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I AM one of the many unhappy buyers of PR1MA’s Residensi Brickfields affordable homes. Last weekend at the Home Ownership Campaign 2019, I learnt that PR1MA Corporation would be offering discounts to new buyers of Residensi Brickfields.Buyers of the Type B and C properties would be given a 10% discount (RM299,000 discounted to RM269,100, and RM380,000 reduced to RM342,000) and Type A 15% (RM270,000 brought down to RM229,500).As an early buyer, I have lost 10% of my property value even before vacant possession because of PR1MA’s decision to offer the discounts. This is not a small amount as I had to save up for many years just to afford the 10% down payment of RM30,000.Giving these discounts is immensely disappointing and unfair to the early buyers who have paid the full price and are currently servicing their loans.

 PR1MA is a housing development programme in Malaysia by the government for the rakyat, thus it should be fair to all the buyers. Discounts must be offered to one and all.PR1MA is not a private developer that can just simply drop prices for their properties and leave early buyers in the lurch. I demand an explanation and compensation for early buyers like myself who have already signed their sale and purchase and loan agreements, and are currently servicing their loan interests for the full amount.

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SEBERANG PERAI - Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia (JBPM) menerima laporan peningkatan kes kebakaran terbuka dalam jumlah berganda pada bulan Februari berbanding Januari lalu berikutan keadaan cuaca panas yang sedang melanda di seluruh Semenanjung.Ketua Pengarah JBPM, Datuk Mohammad Hamdan Wahid berkata, pihaknya mencatatkan sebanyak 1,936 kes kebakaran terbuka pada Januari 2019 berban­ding 3,054 kes pada Februari lalu.“Jika dibandingkan dengan tahun lalu, tahun ini menunjukkan bahawa bahang disebabkan kepanasan ini adalah lebih dahsyat apabila perangkaan pada Februari meningkat mendadak dan situasi itu dijangka akan berterusan sehingga April.

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KOTA BHARU - Masih ramai peniaga atas talian di Kelantan tidak membayar cukai jualan masing-masing walaupun telah menjana sejumlah pendapatan yang boleh dikenakan cukai.Pengarah Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri (LHDN) Kelantan, Shaufee Salleh berkata, keadaan itu dipengaruhi pelbagai faktor termasuk peniaga tidak mempunyai maklumat atau pendedahan yang betul atau mengambil mudah berhubung pembayaran cukai."Cukai pendapatan ke atas perniagaan dalam talian bukan suatu perkara baharu, ia merupakan jenis cukai pendapatan yang sama dikenakan ke atas para peniaga konvensional," katanya kepada Bernama.Beliau berkata demikian selepas sidang media mengenai Program Khas Pengakuan Sukarela dan Isu Percukaian Perniagaan Atas Talian yang akan diadakan pada 11 Mac depan.Turut hadir Presiden Dewan Perniagaan China Kelantan, Yap Heng Or.

Shaufee bagaimanapun tidak mendedahkan jumlah peniaga atas talian yang tidak menjelaskan cukai atau dikenakan penalti.Menurut Seksyen 4 Akta Cukai Pendapatan 1967, pendapatan suatu perniagaan layak dikenakan cukai pendapatan setelah mengambil kira semua perbelanjaan yang layak dibenarkan dalam perniagaan dan pelepasan cukai yang layak dituntut oleh peniaga tersebut.Bagi perniagaan dalam talian yang dijalankan oleh individu, cukai pendapatan mereka akan mengikut kadar cukai pendapatan individu bermula dari kosong peratus sehingga 28 peratus (mulai Tahun Taksiran 2016).Dalam pada itu, Heng Or berkata, program tersebut diadakan pada Isnin bermula pukul 2.30 petang bagi memberi pendedahan kepada semua peniaga terutama peniaga atas talian berhubung percukaian secara atas talian.

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BANGI: The government is considering introducing a “Cost of Living Index” to act as a reference for employers when reviewing the salary of employees.Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng said salary reviews were currently being based of the consumer price index (CPI), which he said might not accurately represent the rising cost of living in the country.He explained that this is because CPI is more holistic, taking into account items such as cost of doing business and production costs, and does not focus solely of the cost of living.“We can’t use CPI as our reference point for salary reviews. Because say for instance our inflation rate is 1%, we can’t just increase salaries by a mere 1%. And what if it reduces, do we also reduce salaries?“If we can have this cost of living index, at least we can recommend employers to compare it to the CPI.

“It’s much fairer and we’ll also be able to gauge more accurately the salary needed for an individual to have a reasonable standard of living,” he said after launching BelanjawaKu: Expenditure Guide for Malaysians, here, today.He added that the proposal is currently in the pipeline, with discussions already being held with Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM).Lim also called on the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) to conduct a similar study (for a cost of living index).EPF chief executive officer Tunku Alizakri Alias, when met by reporters later, commended the suggestion by Lim, saying it would help contribute further to the social security of Malaysians.

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KUALA LUMPUR: QSR Brands (M) Holdings Bhd, the operator of KFC and Pizza Hut restaurants, has signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with fuel conversion company FatHopes Energy Sdn Bhd to deploy sustainable practices and eco-friendliness in its operations by processing cooking oil waste into biofuel.The initiative is an effort in driving change towards social and environmental well-being while generating a consistent sustainable stream of biofuels originating from Malaysia.The MoA was formalised with a document exchange between QSR Brands restaurants division chief executive officer Merrill Christopher Pereyra and FatHopes Energy founder and CEO Vinesh Sinha.The exchange was witnessed by QSR Brands managing director Datuk Seri Mohamed Azahari Mohamed Kamil. Also present during the ceremony was FatHopes Energy chief operating officer Datuk Eddy Leong.

“QSR Brands is now committed to making corporate decisions that are in the best interests of the environment, while being mindful towards the operational efficiency and stakeholder value,” he said.He said the company is committed to minimising its carbon footprint whenever possible and it needed to ensure that it would achieve this in a resilient, low carbon, resource-efficient and socially inclusive manner.“This is part of our corporate social responsibility, to ensure that our used cooking oil are not consumed by Malaysians, because we do not want these oils to be sold in the black markets to the unsuspecting public,” he added.Mohamed Azahari also alluded to its Ayamas-owned wastewater treatment and recycling plant at its factory in Port Klang, which reduced its factory dependency on city water supply by almost 25% and promotes sustainable conservation of water and contributes towards the preservation of the ecosystem.

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ONE of the most hated tax is the “inheritance tax” which hardly anyone pays in many countries. An inheritance tax, sometimes referred to as an estate tax, may apply to that accumulated amount so that the government can still get a piece of the action even after the family has held a wonderful service for the one who passed away.Until recently, this paradox appeared to make raising more money from inheritance tax a no-go region. Yet some are now talking about it as a way to deal with growing inequalities and redistribution between generations while helping raise revenue for the government.It is fairly right to say that baby boomers have exceptionally stashed wealth tied up in their properties. Still their children and grandchildren are paying sky-high rents from squeezed incomes, and struggle to raise a deposit for a flat. Families also face rising social care cost that could wipe out an inheritance if a parent or grandparent cannot look after themselves.

So, there is a need to seek extra revenue in the coming years with the aim to help the younger generation who have been nailed over in the jobs market as well as the housing market besides helping with their education. Also, there is a need to provide the healthcare and social care for those people falling into the aging group. Hence, it appears that promoting the role wealth taxes and inheritance tax has emerged as a part of that mix.The inheritance tax is expected to reduce the levels of income inequality. The haves are getting more than the have nots at the moment. And so, this tax will help to equalise the playing field. The money collected could be used to fund for security, infrastructure, social programmes and other needs that benefit everyone.

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SEAWAL pukul 6 pagi, Norazureen Abdullah, 30, sudah bangun dan bersiap sedia untuk membawa anak kembarnya yang berusia lapan bulan untuk mendapatkan suntikan imunisasi di Klinik Kesihatan Ibu dan Anak Sentul, Kuala Lumpur.Walaupun tiba awal di klinik tersebut, segala urusan suntikan dan pemeriksaan kesihatan bersama jururawat hanya selesai sekitar 1.30 tengah hari.Namun, menurut anak jati Kuala Lumpur itu, dia tidak sedikit pun berasa lelah menunggu dan sentiasa bersabar dengan perkhidmatan yang diberikan.“Semuanya kerana anak-anak, untuk mengelakkan mereka terkena sebarang penyakit, saya tidak kisah menunggu lama bagi mendapatkan suntikan imunisasi.

“Kalau masa zaman P. Ramlee dahulu tidak perlukan suntikan tetapi sekarang dengan keadaan pencemaran berleluasa serta radikal persekitaran dipenuhi penyakit aneh, vaksin adalah satu kewajipan,” katanya ketika dihubungi K2 di Kuala Lumpur baru-baru ini.Menurut Pertubuhan Kesihatan Sedunia (WHO), penyakit demam campak telah menyaksikan kenaikan sebanyak 30 peratus kes di seluruh dunia, tetapi sebab-sebab peningkatan itu adalah rumit dan tidak semua kes berkenaan disebabkan oleh kebimbangan vaksin.Sesetengah negara yang hampir menghilangkan penyakit itu juga telah mengalami kebangkitan semula termasuk Amerika Syarikat (AS).Data Pusat Kawalan dan Pencegahan Penyakit Amerika Syarikat mencatatkan peratusan kanak-kanak berusia antara 19 hingga 35 bulan yang belum divaksin di negara itu telah meningkat sejak beberapa tahun lalu.

Ancaman

Pada tahun 2000, kes demam campak di AS pernah berada pada bilangan sifar, namun sejak 2018, trend kes itu kembali meningkat disebabkan kewujudan golongan antivaksin.Ancaman terhadap perubatan vaksin semakin serius sehingga ia tercatat sebagai 10 ancaman kesihatan paling bahaya di dunia. Selain vaksin, ancaman kesihatan lain adalah seperti kanser, penyakit jantung, kencing manis, Ebola, HIV, denggi dan lain-lain.Tambah ibu kepada Adam Julian Mohd. Syafik dan Anas Julius Mohd. Syafik, apa yang membuatkannya tidak pernah terlepas daripada mengikuti jadual imunisasi bayinya adalah kerana kedua-dua kembarnya merupakan bayi pramatang.

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CYBERJAYA, 3 March 2019 --Internet dan media sosial pada masa ini kian menjadi wadah pilihan pengguna untuk berkomunikasi dan menyuarakan pandangan mengenai pelbagai isu semasa. Namun demikian, Suruhanjaya Komunikasi dan Multimedia Malaysia (MCMC) menyedari bahawa terdapat segelintir yang bertindak untuk menyebar agenda-agenda yang boleh memecahbelahkan perpaduan di antara kaum serta mengganggu-gugat ketenteraman awam lantas menjurus kepada polemik perkauman dan keagamaan.Dalam hal ini, MCMC, khususnya melalui kerjasama erat dengan Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM), tidak akan berkompromi dan sentiasa komited untuk mengambil tindakan tegas terhadap mana-mana pihak yang menggugat keselamatan, kestabilan dan keharmonian dalam negara.

Antara tahun 2018 sehingga Februari 2019, sejumlah 47 kertas siasatan telah dibuka oleh pihak MCMC dengan 5 daripadanya telah dijatuhkan hukuman. Dalam tempoh yang sama, sejumlah 2,358 proses bantuan teknikal dan pengenalpastian maklumat bagi membantu proses siasatan agensi penguatkuasaan, telah dilaksanakan oleh pihak MCMC.Selain itu, sebanyak 3,407 akaun media sosial palsu termasuk yang disalahgunakan untuk penyebaran mesej-mesej bersifat ekstrimis, kebencian dan fitnah, serta 1163 kandungan berunsur sama, telah disusuli dengan tindakan pemadaman dengan kerjasama pihak pengendali platform media sosial antarabangsa. Dalam tempoh yang sama juga, pihak MCMC turut membantu di dalam mewarkan-warkan maklumat bagi menangani 979 berita palsu yang tular di media sosial dan internet; melalui inisiatif portal sebenarnya.my yang dikendalikan pihak MCMC.

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