TAK KISAH...............

1. Bila kita ke EPF untuk menyemak caruman, dengan sekelip mata saja penyata dapat dikeluarkan melalui slip komputer, tetapi bila kita nak mengeluarkan simpanan, kena tunggu 5 hingga 6 bulan..

2. Bila kerjaan menetapkan hadlaju lebuhraya setakat 110km sejam sahaja, tetapi masih membenarkan penjualan kenderaan yang mampu melepasi hadlaju tersebut sehingga dua kali ganda.

3. Bilamana kakitangan kerajaan yang dibayar gaji dari hasil dan pendapatan rakyat berlagak sombong bilamasa berurusan dengan orang ramai.

4. Bila mengenangkan harga kereta Proton lebih murah diluar negara daripada di negara sendiri.

5. Walaupun berpuluh-puluh filem bollywood ditayangkan dengan hanya tajuk berbeza, tapi dengan plot yang sama, rentak tarian yang seiras dan pelakon-pelakon yang serupa, maseh ramai jugak yang berpusu-pusu untuk menontonnya.

6. Bilamana perempuan ditinggalkan oleh lelaki, lelaki dituduh tidak setia, tetapi bilamana perempuan meninggalkan lelaki, lelaki pulak dikatakan tidak memenuhi citarasa.

7. Bilamasa kita menanyakan status berkenaan sesuatu permohonan kepada Jabatan-Jabatan Kerajaan, jawapannya semua serupa....DALAM PROSES!

8. Bilamasa mengenangkan adat sopan santun kita untuk tidak menghabiskan juadah makanan yang dihidangkan oleh tuan rumah bila kita mengunjung walhal dari segi agama mengatakan jangan membazir!

9. Bilamasa kita terlambat untuk membayar pinjaman bank, kita akan dikenakan faedah keatas bayran tersebut, tetapi bila bank terlebih potong, kita kena tunggu sampai 4-5 bulan walaupun untuk mendapat 5 sen balik...tanpa faedah!.

10. Bilamasa kita terlambat untuk sampai ke lapangan terbang untuk check-in, kita akan didenda 25% dari tambang kapalterbang, tetapi bila penerbangan dibatalkan atau terlambat, satu benda pun kita tak dapat melainkan penat menunggu!

11. Kenapa pemilik teksi Bandaraya mengenakan tambang 50% selepas tengah malam sedangkan dibandaraya selalunya bercahaya terang (macam siang) dan kurang traffic jam pulak tu....mungkin takut kena rompak....tapi nak buat apa caj lebih pun kalau lepas tu kena rompak?

12. Bilamasa kita makan di restoran-restoran makanan segera kita dikenakan caj 10% cukai kerajaan dan 5% cukai perkhidmatan sedangkan cukai kerajaan itu adalah diatas untung syarikat dan cukai perkhidmatan tak pernah ada sebab semuanya layan sendiri?

PERMATANG PAUH BY ELECTION

Wednesday August 6, 2008 MYT 2:59:48 PM

Permatang Pauh by-election on Aug 26 (updated)

By MAZWIN NIK ANIS

PUTRAJAYA: The Election Commission has set Aug 16 for nomination and Aug 26 for polls for the Permatang Pauh by-election.

The seat fell vacant on July 31 after PKR president Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail resigned as Permatang Pauh MP to make way for her husband Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to contest in the by-election.

In a statement issued after the Election Commission sat for a two-hour meeting Wednesday, its chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman said the commission was informed of the vacancy in the Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat by the Dewan Rakyat Speaker on Aug 1.

He said the commission was fully prepared for the by-election, to be held five months after the March 8 general election, and named the Seberang Prai Tengah district officer Roslan Yahaya as returning officer.

“The nomination day will be held on Aug 16 and polling will take place on Aug 26 if there is to be any contest.

“I would like to emphasise that throughout the by-election period, it is extremely important for all parties to adhere to orders and advice of security personnel responsible in maintaining peace and order.

“Members of political parties, candidates, party workers and other individuals involved must ensure that they respect and adhere to the election laws and campaign ethics.

“All parties are also reminded that there are several petition cases from the previous election which are still ongoing. Hence, candidates are reminded not to touch issues involving these cases during their campaigns,” Rashid said.

An Election Commission (EC) officer holding up the statement on the nomination and casting date for the Permatang Pauh Parliament seat by-election in Putrajaya.

As of July 31, a total of 58,459 voters are eligible to cast their votes in the Permatang Pauh by-election. From the total, 57,969 are regular voters and 490 are postal voters.

Scores of media personnel were left disappointed when the usually media-friendly Rashid refused to hold a press conference Wednesday.

After about two-hours of waiting, the EC public relations officer Sabri Said came down to the lobby where pressmen were waiting to distribute the statement.

When asked why the chairman did not want to meet the press, Sabri said: “What Tan Sri (Rashid) wants to say is all in the statement.”

When contacted by The Star later, EC secretary Datuk Kamaruzaman Mohd Noor said transparent ballot boxes would be used in the by-election but no decision had been made on the use of the indelible ink, despite calls by PKR for its use.

“If they want the ink to be used in the Permatang Pauh by-election, then they should write officially to the commission,” Kamaruzaman said.

On whether voters would find it difficult to cast their votes as polling fell on a working day, the EC secretary said this should not be the case as previous experiences proved that voters had turned up to exercise their rights even on a working day.

“We will also ensure minimal disruption and the 25 schools to be used as polling stations will only be closed for a day.

“We will secure the premises a day before polling when school session is over and will re-open the very next day after the by-election,” he said.

articles source: http://thestar.com.my

Thursday July 31, 2008

Touch therapy

By WONG LI ZA

Infant massage can help in baby’s growth and well-being.

A MASSAGE is usually what a mother needs after a long day of looking after her children.

Datuk Dr Zulkifli Ismail, consultant paediatrician and former president of the Malaysian Paediatric Association, demonstrating the Touch Infant Massage technique for a baby’s leg, which includes bringing the knees up to the body.

However, studies from as far back as 1997 show that massaging babies not only relaxes the child but also has physical and psychosocial benefits.

There are many medical practitioners who think more in-depth research needs to be done to substantiate this.

However, Datuk Dr Zulkifli Ismail, consultant paediatrician and former president of the Malaysian Paediatric Association, said a gentle massage revitalises any individual and it works the same for babies.

“Massages can help a baby increase his body weight, strengthen his resistance and help build self-confidence,” said Dr Zulkifli, who adopts massage techniques advocated by the Touch Research Institute (TRI).

Among the techniques in the Touch Infant Massage set of techniques are (from top pic) the chest, back, hand, and leg massage.

The TRI was established in 1992 by Dr Tiffany Field, a pioneer of modern massage research, at the University of Miami’s School of Medicine via a start-up grant from Johnson & Johnson.

Dr Zulkifli added that studies have also shown that massage reduces the intensity and duration of colic in babies.

“In children with sleep problems, massages help them fall asleep faster and they have fewer night wakings,” said Dr Zulkifli, who specialises in paediatric cardiology.

Johnson’s Baby recently launched its Touch Infant Massage Workshop Series in Petaling Jaya, which saw the first workshop conducted involving about 200 mothers and nurses.

These workshops, to be held in seven states from July to October, will involve demonstrations of proper infant and baby massage techniques by qualified trainers.

A 2007 AC Nielsen survey on 300 Malaysian mothers with babies aged up to 36 months showed that the incidence of infant massage increased from 48% in 2003 to 56% in 2007.

However, Stanford Guo, marketing director of Johnson & Johnson Sdn Bhd, said there is still a large number of mothers who do not practise it.

“Physiological and psychiatric studies have shown that infant massage or touch therapy can trigger notable changes that help infants attain growth and development in several positive ways,” said Guo at the launch.

Another study conducted in Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia between 2000 and 2001 on 72 babies showed that moderate touch on skin leads to better food absorption and also relieves stress, thus improving immune function.

These findings are consistent with clinical studies presented in 1997 at the American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) annual meeting. The studies found that touch therapy also helps premature newborns gain weight faster, asthmatic children improve their breathing function and diabetic children comply with treatment.

In 1997, researchers at TRI also found improved motor development in premature newborns and cocaine-exposed infants, specifically in terms of habituation (decrease in responsiveness upon repeated exposure to a stimulus), orientation and motor and sensory development.

The top three benefits of massaging babies, Dr Zulkifli said, are weight gain, bonding between parent and child, and better psychosocial development of the child.

“Infant massage is about empowering parents with the knowledge to care for the child,” said Dr Zulkifli, who also encourages fathers to perform the massage.

The complete Touch Infant Massage advocated by Johnson’s Baby consists of a set of techniques performed on the baby’s head and face, chest, stomach, back, hands and legs. Throughout the massage, it is important to maintain eye contact, and sing or talk to the baby.

“The use of baby oil is optional,” said Dr Zulkifli. “For older babies, you can use slightly more pressure on the stomach to reduce wind.

“Remember to keep the room warm and also rub your hands to warm them up. Be relaxed when you do the massage and don’t do it when you are in a rush as your baby can sense how you feel through your touch and expression,” he said.

The Touch Infant Massage workshops will be held in Ipoh on Aug 2, Penang on Aug 3, Seremban on Aug 9, Johor Baru on Aug 10, Petaling Jaya on Aug 17 and Temerloh on Oct 11. For enquiries or registration, call 1-300-88-0566 on weekdays from 9am to 5pm.


ARTICLES SOURCE: http://thestar.com.my