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Malaysian students in Wuhan counting down the days to reunite with families
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 3 — “I can’t wait to go back home and see my family. Finally, my wish is coming true,” said a Malaysian student in Wuhan, China
Dr Lai Hsiaw Jie of the Huazhong University of Science and Technology said she was thrilled to receive the news that 132 people, would return home on a special flight from Wuhan, China today following the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak.
She said the Malaysian embassy in Beijing had also informed them (Malaysians in Wuhan) to be ready and send their respective residential location through the Wechat application to reach out to them.
“I am really excited about the news. I have already packed all my things earlier just in case there is an announcement for us to go back (to Malaysia).
“Of course, my family is also happy with the news, let alone my parents daily asking me about my situation here and if I have enough money and food,” said the youngest of four siblings when contacted by Bernama here today.
However, Dr Lai from Lunas, Kedah, said she will adhere to the authorities’ instructions to be quarantined for 14 days upon arrival from the republic.
“Before I can meet my family and friends, I know I will be quarantined (for 14 days) as a precautionary measure. I am willing,” said Dr Lai, who is pursuing her Masters in obstetrics and gynaecology.
In the latest development, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said 132 people would be brought back to Malaysia by a special flight from Wuhan, China, today.
They comprise 108 Malaysians and 24 non-citizens who are their spouses and children.
She added subject to the approval by the Chinese government, only those who have been certified healthy after undergoing a health screening by the local authorities at the Wuhan Tianhe International Airport would be brought back.
Sharing the same joy, Ivan Yeo Zhi Yu, 19, a student at the Chinese University of Geoscience in Wuhan, thanked the Malaysian government and especially the Malaysian Embassy in China for working round the clock to bring them back home.
“I’m grateful for this news. Finally I can go back to my homeland. I have packed everything I need… and hope to meet the family soon.
“To the Malaysian government, thank you for trying to bring back the Malaysians abroad (in Wuhan) and to the Chinese government, thank you for taking care of us in this situation, I hope the situation will return to normal soon,” said Yeo, who is from Bintulu , Sarawak.
At the moment, Yeo said the embassy officials had advised each of them to take care of their safety, and to wait for further instructions.
Wuhan has been in a state of lockdown with people told to stay indoors since Jan 22 to contain the outbreak. — Bernama
Industry players expect soft trade data
MALAYSIA’S trade performance for 2019, scheduled to be announced on Tuesday by International Trade and Industry Minister Darell Leiking, is expected to be softer compared to the previous year.
Anticipation is running high on how Malaysia’s international trade fared last year, with many being cautiously optimistic.
UN marks 75th anniversary year in world of distrust, shifting power
AS the United Nations enters its 75th year, the world is still rife with mistrust: the United States remains the dominant superpower but is on the wane, while Asian power is growing in the face of an increasingly fractured Europe, with an explosive Middle East sandwiched in between.
In the New York headquarters of the United Nations, the Cold War never really ended, as demonstrated by a scene recently observed in its hallowed hallways: a US diplomat spotted hiding behind a wall to listen in on what the Chinese ambassador was telling a group of journalists.
Perancis pembela anak ayam jantan, larang dilupus secara kisar
Dalam keadaan banyak haiwan yang menjadi santapan sesetengah masyarakat di luar negara, masih ada yang menjaga kebajikan dan keprihatinan anak ayam jantan.
Di Perancis, kebajikan anak ayam jantan sangat dipelihara dan tidak benar dilupuskan seperti yang dibuat hari ini.
Dalam industri ayam sedunia, sebanyak 7 bilion anak ayam dilupuskan sebaik sahaja tahu tentang “kejantanan” nya.
Cara melupusnya adalah anak ayam itu akan digilis dalam mesin pengisar (proses yang dipanggil maceration) atau disembur gas dalam ruang tertutup.
Semua itu dilakukan sejak sekian lama kerana ayam jantan tidak diperlukan dalam jumlah yang banyak kerana disifatkan sebagai kurang memberi hasil daging dan tidak bertelur.
Namun bagi Perancis, penekanan untuk membela kehidupan anak ayam jantan ini dibuat sebagai langkah reformasi kebajikan haiwan.
Menurut Menteri Pertanian Perancis Didier Guillaume, satu cara perlu diwujudkan agar jantina anak ayam dapat ditentukan sebelum telur menetas.
Ini dapat mengelak proses pengasingan jantan-betina selepas penetasan yang memakan masa dan merugikan penternak.
Anak ayam jantan dilupuskan kerana pertumbuhan agak lambat dan tidak bertelur.
Proses pelupusan yang disebut “maceration” disifatkan pencinta haiwan sebagai tidak bertamadun dan sepatutnya tidak lagi digunakan.
Dengan pengharaman ini, Perancis mengikuti langkah Sweden yang sudah memberhentikan “maceration” pada 2019.
Jerman pula telah meluluskan undang-undang menghentikan teknik perlupusan yang sama dengan syarat cara alternatif dapat diwujudkan sebagai pengganti.
Apabila ditekan mengapa pengharaman itu tidak berjalan serta-merta, Guillaume menjawab; “Kalau begitu satu Perancis tidak akan bertelur!”
Pelupusan anak ayam jantan (selagi menetas dalam jangka masa 72 jam) secara “maceration” ini menepati undang-undang yang diluluskan Kesatuan Eropah pada 2009.
Pertubuhan pelindung haiwan PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) memuji tindakan itu tetapi menyifatkannya sebagai belum mencukupi.
Industri ternakan ayam berhadapan dengan isu ‘battery farming’ di mana ayam daging dibesarkan dalam ruang yang sempit dan keadaan yang dianggap tidak ubah seperti suatu penyeksaan.
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US confirms 8th coronavirus case, Pentagon to provide quarantine housing
CORONAVIRUS | The latest US patient in Massachusetts recently returned from Hubei province, the epicentre of the outbreak.
TI-M wants independent investigations into bribery allegations implicating AirAsia
It calls for Securities Commission and boards of AirAsia and AirAsia X to conduct probes.
Philippine carriers cancel flights to China over coronavirus
MANILA: Three Philippine airlines on Saturday cancelled flights to China, joining many others around the world that have done the same, after health officials confirmed the Philippines’ first case of coronavirus.
A 38-year-old Chinese woman who arrived from Wuhan, China, tested positive for the virus on Thursday.
President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday banned the entry of Chinese arriving from Wuhan, at the centre of the epidemic, and provinces with reported cases of the disease.
Carriers Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and the local unit of AirAsia Group Bhd said they were cancelling flights starting this month.
“In light of developments related to the novel coronavirus, Cebu Pacific will be cancelling all flights between the Philippines and mainland China from Feb 2 to March 29, 2020,” the airline said.
The country’s largest budget carrier, which flies to Beijing, Shanghai, Xiamen, Guangzhou, Shenzen, said it also reduced trips to Hong Kong and Macau.
Philippine Airlines said it would cut the number of flights between Manila and Greater China by over 50%. It would continue to serve Filipinos and Chinese nationals returning from the Lunar New Year holidays.
But further reductions are expected in the coming weeks based on daily assessments and guidelines from government authorities, the flag carrier said.
Philippines AirAsia, another low-cost carrier, said flights to and from China, including Hong Kong and Macau, were suspended until March 1 “because of the current health situation”.
Thousands of Filipinos live and work in Hong Kong, mainly as house helpers, and in Macau gaming hub as employees of integrated casino resorts.
China faced mounting isolation from international travel curbs and flight suspensions on Saturday as the death toll from coronavirus surges past 300.
Johor Health Dept denies two coronavirus cases detected in Forest City
JOHOR BARU, Feb 2 — The Johor Health Department (JKNJ) yesterday refuted claims that two 2019 novel coronavirus cases were detected in Forest City, Gelang Patah near here, that went viral on Facebook.
JKNJ, in a statement on its official Facebook page, said the news was not true and a police report has been lodged.
“Do not spread unverified news because it can cause panic among the public,” according to the statement.
Meanwhile Johor police chief Datuk Mohd Kamarudin Md Din in a statement confirmed a report on the matter was lodged yesterday and police were in the midst of tracking down the Facebook account holder named ‘Haziq Fahmi’ to facilitate investigations.
The case will be investigated under Section 505(b) Penal Code and Section 233 Communication and Multimedia Act 1998. — Bernama
Supplier of thermal scanners to Malaysia’s Health Ministry assures device keeps coronavirus at bay
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 2 — The supplier of thermal scanners in Malaysia has assured that the devices used by health officials here are reliable and operating effectively to detect possible carriers of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) when entering the country.
Thermal imaging expert Richard Lee said thermal scanning or thermal imaging has been deployed at international entryways globally as a preventive method by health officials to contain the recent coronavirus outbreak, but many still do not fully understand how the device works.
Lee is the managing director of Inframatrix Sdn Bhd that supplies thermal scanners to the Health Ministry (MoH) and even trains health officials to operate the devices properly.
In the midst of a public panic due to misinformation and fake news about 2019-nCoV, Lee said that the thermals scanners used by health officials can detect individuals in large crowds with an elevated body temperature, which may be a sign of a fever.
To date, 2019-nCoV, also called the Wuhan virus, is known to cause pneumonia and symptoms such as fever, cough and breathing difficulties.
While originally used for industrial applications, there are different variations of the scanners that are designed for medical purposes.
“There has been a lot of talk on social media that the thermal scanners do not work or are ineffective, but many do not understand their purpose and function.
“The scanners are originally thermal-imaging cameras designed to be used in industrial applications but have been tweaked for mass fever screening.
“The scanners are designed to detect individuals in large crowds with a higher than normal body temperature which indicates that said person could have a fever,” he told Malay Mail during a recent interview.
Lee, who is an electrical engineer by profession, said Inframatrix has supplied the MoH with thermal scanners since the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003.
He said a common misconception is that the scanners can also detect other forms of heat radiation emanating from the human body which is not true.
“It’s thermography or digital imaging. It is unable to detect viruses or bacteria in human bodies, but many people think that is how they work,” he said.
Lee assured that such methods combined with other preventive measures employed by the MoH are why Malaysia’s borders are kept relatively safe from such outbreaks.
“Of course, thermal imaging alone is not enough… but when coupled with other preventive measures taken by the ministry, it greatly increases the chance of detection.
“Then they can conduct the appropriate standard operating procedure to either refer the person to the hospital or quarantine them accordingly,” he said.
Lee also lauded public health officials in their proactive stance in tackling the recent Wuhan virus outbreak.
“With Malaysia’s past experience, expertise and technical know-how, I am confident we are able to stay on top of things with the recent outbreak,” he said.