ALOR SETAR, Jan 19 — Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said Parti Warisan Sabah’s defeat in the Kimanis by-election yesterday could be because the voters in that parliamentary constituency had yet to embrace the Pakatan Harapan (PH) administration.

However, he said that he was confident that people in Sabah, overall, in time will understand and appreciate that the government now was better than the previous one (Barisan Nasional).

Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan), which helms the state government in Sabah, is allied to PH. Umno-led BN was defeated by PH in the 14th general election (GE14) in May 2018 after being in power in the country since independence.

“Everything that we do takes time, like the new policy for agriculture, we cannot do it today and expect results overnight, it takes time,” Dr Mahathir said.

He was speaking to reporters after attending the “Majlis Makan Malam Santai 2020 Parlimen Kuala Kedah” event near here last night.

PH, he said, would do a post-mortem to identify the factors that contributed to the defeat and what the people of Sabah thought about the government.

“Yes, we will find out why we lost. The defeat was worse than previously (in the 14th general election). So we want to know why, what caused the people in Sabah to be disappointed with our administration,” he said.

He said the parties (in PH and its allies) must continue to get closer to the people to find out their problems and try and help resolve them.

BN candidate Datuk Mohamad Alamin, 48, won the Kimanis by-election by a majority of 2,029 votes. He polled 12,706 votes while Datuk Karim Bujang, 67, from Warisan, secured 10,677 votes.

The by-election was necessitated by the Election Court’s nullification on August 16, 2019, of former MP Datuk Seri Anifah Aman’s win in Kimanis in the 14th general election in May 2018. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 — After last year’s sightings of wild otters in Taman Tasik Metropolitan Kepong and the vicinity of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), two more were spotted at Taman Tasik Perdana or Perdana Botanical Garden last week.

Shariff Mohamad was jogging at the Perdana Botanical Garden when he spotted two smooth-coated otters (Lutrogale perspicillata).

“I occasionally go to the Lake Gardens for a jog, but have never seen them prior to last week.

“I’m normally quite observant so I think I would have noticed them before if they were present.

“I’m guessing that they only recently moved there,” he said, using the old name for Perdana Botanical Garden.

Shariff, who is a nature and wildlife enthusiast, went back the next day to take photographs of the otters.

He then emailed Malay Mail to alert us of his discovery as we had reported the previous sightings.

Shariff added that having otters in the city is a great way to expose the public and children in particular to wildlife in an urban environment.

“The otters in Singapore, for example, are very well-known and are actually a tourist attraction over there,” he said.

Woo Chee Yoong, a Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) research assistant focusing on otters, said the fact that more people are coming forward with their “discoveries” of wild otters is a good sign.

“It shows that after previous news reports published about the otters, people are more aware about them (otters). 

“Awareness is still fairly low in Malaysia; some still think that otters are beavers. They are two totally different mammals,” he told Malay Mail.

However, what is most important right now for Woo is how the public can play a part in preserving the existence of the otters.

But first, they have to understand the nature of wild otters.

“They are adorable mammals, but it does not mean that you should go and pat them.

“These are wild otters, so just like any other wild animals, they are not the same as a pet that has been domesticated,” he reminded.

He also described otters as very cautious mammals that are very observant and if they sense that something isn’t right, they will flee to safety.

“So if you see one, do not try to engage with it. As with all wild animals, if they feel threatened, they will either run and hide or be forced to look for a new habitat,” he said.

Referring to the otters spotted at the Perdana Botanical Garden, he said their presence could indicate a productive and healthy environment.

According to Woo, otters are very smart mammals and they will only choose to stay in an area if they know that there is sufficient food supply.

“That is why they are there (Botanical Garden), because there is plenty of fish,” he said.

In a previous report, Woo said the disappearance of an otter population from an area it once populated is a sign that a water body is no longer “healthy”, signalling a disrupted ecosystem.

He also said these mammals can only live in a clean water environment.

For example, the Greater Ulu Muda Forest Complex supplies water to Perlis, Kedah and Penang. There, otters are found.

Currently, Malaysia is home to four protected otter species: the smooth-coated otter that is listed as “threatened”, the Asian small-clawed otter, the hairy-nose otter and the Eurasian otter.

When asked whether the otters sighted at the respective parks were displaced, Woo said due to lack of data he was unable to make any deductions at the moment.

“We will not be able to find out absolutely why these otters reside in urban parks, because there are so many factors.

“One of it is that otters that were formerly pets could have been released into the wild.

“They may have also roamed from nearby areas. We will not be able to identify which is a release or which was displaced from their natural habitat,” he said.

But rather than obsessing about where these otters are from, Woo said the focus should be on educating the public about the importance of otters and how to prevent the loss of their natural habitat.

It is also important that the mammals do not fall victim to the exotic pet trade.

“The otter trade is still very popular among those who want to keep them as pets.

“But with all these sightings, it will definitely help the future of otters in Malaysia,” he said.

It is important to note that otters which are kept at pets mostly have their canine teeth removed so that they do not bite humans, added Woo.

When the otters no longer have their canine teeth, they cannot chew on raw fish. Their diets are usually substituted with dog or cat kibbles and research shows that this causes liver and kidney problems.

While there is great concern for the welfare of the otters spotted in several parts of the Klang Valley since last September, Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng — in a previous report — said he has spoken to Mayor Datuk Nor Hisham Ahmad Dahlan who agreed to form a special team to look into this threatened species.

Ramai yang tahu tentang isu Wang Tidak Dituntut yang diserahkan kepada Jabatan Akauntan Negara Malaysia (JANM), namun tidak tahu bagaimana cara menuntutnya.

Perkara ini telahpun diumumkan kerajaan pada hujung 2019 untuk meminta masyarakat menuntut wang tersebut.

Menurut JANM, Wang Tidak Dituntut ini merupakan wang yang perlu dibayar kepada tuan punya badan tetapi tidak dibayar dalam tempoh tidak kurang satu tahun seperti gaji, bonus, komisen, serta tuntutan insurans yang telah diluluskan.

Kini keadaannya lebih mudah di mana anda tidak perlu hadir ke pejabat akauntan negeri untuk membuat semakan, sebaliknya ia boleh dilakukan dalam atas talian sahaja.

Sebuah laman sesawang khas untuk WTD kini disediakan pihak kerajaan bagi memudahkan urusan anda.

Caranya :

Langkah 1: Layari https://egumis.anm.gov.my/

Langkah 2: Mendaftar sebagai pengguna di portal eGumis. Kemudian masukkan info yang dikehendaki seperti dalam gambar ke dua dan buka email untuk sahkan link yang diberi.

Langkah 3: Log Masuk masukkan maklumat yang dikehendaki seperti dalam gambar.

Langkah 4: Masukkan nombor kad pengenalan individu yang ingin disemak.

Bagi anda yang ingin mencuba, hanya dua semakan sahaja dibenarkan dalam masa sehari.

Jika semakan mendapati anda mempunyai WTD, anda perlulah memuat turun borang tuntutan atau boleh terus ke pejabat Jabatan Akauntan Negara Malaysia bagi langkah seterusnya.

Anda ada berita menarik untuk dikongsi? Sila email ke fmtohsem@freemalaysiatoday.com

Swimming is generally considered to be a healthy sports activity for both children and adults. If you are an avid swimmer, you will notice that indoor swimming causes more than just wrinkled fingers.

For both recreational and competitive swimmers, chlorinated indoor pools may cause skin irritation.

The indoor swimming pool is treated with chlorine to prevent illnesses caused by germs and bacteria in the water.

Your tap water is also treated with chlorine. Chlorine protects you from the harmful bacteria that can grow in swimming pools, but the chemical strips your hair and skin of its natural oils.

This causes your skin to be dry, itchy, flaky and sensitive, while your hair and nails become dry and brittle.

In addition to its direct risks, chlorine reacts with organic and inorganic matter brought in by swimmers such as sweat, urine, hair, skin and personal care products to form chemicals known as disinfection by-products.

Chlorine by-products may irritate the eyes, nose, skin and airways of swimmers, causing chronic inflammation.

Competitive swimmers can have airway inflammation similar to that seen in the airways of asthma patients.

In fact, child swimmers have an increased risk of developing asthma and infection of the respiratory tract and ear.

Given that most swimming pools employ chlorine as a disinfection method, here are some protective measures to reduce adverse health risks when you swim:

Before you swim

You are probably used to the sign that tells you to shower first before getting into the pool. Turns out, there is an actual benefit to doing that.

Wet your hair completely before diving in. This will help to slow down the absorption of chlorine as your skin and hair take on less water when it’s wet.

Do not forget to apply water-resistant sunscreen 15 minutes before you swim to give your skin plenty of time to absorb it and form a strong barrier.

Besides ultraviolet ray protection, sunscreen forms a protective barrier on top of your skin, keeping chlorine from drying it out. It will also prevent sun damage and premature ageing if you are a regular swimmer.

You can apply a thin layer of natural oil to create a light barrier that further prevents the amount of chlorinated water your skin and hair absorbs.

Smooth the oil on while your skin is still damp to prevent excess grease. As for your lips, use a natural balm as a protective layer.

A fitting swim cap and a pair of goggles will further prevent chlorinated water from reaching your hair and eye area.

After you swim

Once you’re out of the water, take the time to rinse your entire body with fresh water. Lather up with a mild cleanser and clean your hair with a gentle shampoo. Apply a deep, moisturizing conditioner to replenish your hair’s moisture.

Because even tap water is chlorinated to some degree, it’s very important to moisturize immediately after showering.

Moisturize every inch of your skin, taking extra care to massage the cuticles around your nails, as well as where the skin is thinnest and therefore most susceptible to chlorine damage.

This includes elbows, chest, shoulder and the back of your hands. Gently pat some moisturizer under your eyes as well.

Having a regular pre and post swim routine can give your skin much-needed protection from chlorine. Make sure you shower, moisturize and put on sunscreen before going into the pool.

Once you are out of the water, shower right away and moisturize again. With regular skin care, you shouldn’t be affected by the chlorine effect anymore.

This article first appeared in Hello Doktor. The Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.