Poor mental health, disrupted education main post-MCO challenges, says Unicef
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October 30, 2020 12:13 PM
PETALING JAYA: A report from Unicef has found that the Covid-19 pandemic has created new challenges for those living in low-income housing, including the worsening of mental health and increased difficulty in maintaining their children’s education.
The UN agency’s latest “Families on the Edge” paper involved surveying residents of 500 low-cost housing flats in the Klang Valley, which accounted for nearly 3,000 individuals.
Mental health and stability issues widely affected heads of households (HoHs) in the survey, with women more likely to report they were suffering from mental and emotional strain.
Up to 22% of HoHs reported feeling depressed or experiencing extremely unstable emotions, a figure that stood at 29% for female HoHs.
Meanwhile, 42% of male HoHs and 51% of female HoHs reported feeling worried about their future, with fears surrounding their ability to provide food for their families and their diminishing retirement savings their chief concerns.
Nearly a third of female HoHs also reported observing negative behavioural changes among the people they lived with, including increased relationship tension, symptoms of depression and increased substance abuse.
Read more: Poor mental health, disrupted education main post-MCO challenges, says Unicef
Shoppers laud RM1 plastic bag fee
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Tuesday, 27 Oct 2020
GEORGE TOWN: Even though plastic bags will cost RM1 each from Jan 1, many Penangites welcome the move and feel it will be great for the environment.
From Mondays to Wednesdays next year, retailers will no longer give plastic bags while from Thursdays to Sundays, you will have to pay RM1 to get one compared with 20 sen now.
And all the shoppers interviewed seem to love the idea.
Chef Norshelyaida Hasan, 25, said plastic bags were not only bad for the environment but inconvenient too.
“I always have a few reusable bags with me at all times. Even if I forget to bring them while buying something, I just buy another reusable bag.
“Plastic bags cannot be used many times and if the contents are heavy, they tend to tear.
“With the charge going up from 20 sen to RM1, I hope it encourages more people to use reusable bags, ” she said when met at Sunshine Square in Bayan Baru yesterday.
When the tide goes out: Challenges of the water industry
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26 October 2020
WATER is the essence of life.
Though Malaysia is blessed with abundant water resources, the country is experiencing an alarming increase in demand for water supply in recent years. Many seem to take this natural resource for granted, while often having the misconception that supplying clean water would be cheap and easy.
Malaysia’s water operators are facing many challenges in ensuring consumers have continuous access to clean water and in ensuring a sustainable water future. Understanding these challenges is key to recognising the shared responsibilities of safeguarding this precious natural resource.
Quality of raw water
According to research by the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) on Malaysian freshwater, about 97% of the country’s raw water supply comes from rivers.
Most water treatment plants in the country process raw water from the rivers, but many of these water bodies are polluted because of human activities.
Whenever raw water sources are polluted, treatment plants may need to be shut down when the pollution exceeds the safe parameter threshold allowed in a treatment process or in other words, exceeds the treatment process capability.
Read more: When the tide goes out: Challenges of the water industry
Masih boleh mohon tangguh bayaran pinjaman - BNM
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23 Oktober 2020
Kuala Lumpur: Peminjam terutamanya yang terjejas susulan sekatan pergerakan yang dikuatkuasakan akibat lonjakan kes Covid-19 di Malaysia masih boleh mendapatkan bantuan pembayaran balik pinjaman daripada bank masing-masing.
"Peminjam tidak perlu bimbang. Bantuan pembayaran balik masih dilaksanakan dan akan dilanjutkan sehingga 2021. Kami faham keadaan dan ketidakpastian boleh berubah pada masa depan dan orang ramai boleh mendapatkan bantuan pada bila-bila masa," kata Timbalan Gabenor Bank Negara Malaysia Jessica Chew kepada Bernama di Kuala Lumpur, hari ini.
Walaupun moratorium penangguhan pinjaman secara automatik, bantuan pembayaran balik dan moratorium bersasar yang selanjutnya tidak pernah berlaku sebelum ini, bank telah menggerakkan kesemua sumber mereka untuk menguruskan situasi ini.
"Bank-bank dalam kedudukan yang baik untuk memberi maklum balas mengenai keperluan peminjam. Semua bank mempunyai sumber khusus dan merekayasa semula proses untuk mengkaji kembali permohonan peminjam," kata Chew.
Peminjam boleh menghubungi bank secara dalam talian atau panggilan telefon walaupun berada di kawasan yang dikuatkuasakan Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan Diperketatkan (PKPD) dan Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan Bersyarat (PKPB).
PKPB: KPDNHEP jamin bekalan keperluan asas mencukupi, harga stabil
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Oktober 22, 2020 05:00 MYT
KUALA LUMPUR: Kementerian Perdagangan Dalam Negeri dan Hal Ehwal Pengguna (KPDNHEP) berpuas hati dengan jumlah barangan keperluan asas terutama stok makanan yang ada dalam pasaran negara.
Timbalan Menterinya Datuk Rosol Wahid berkata selain memastikan bekalan mencukupi, kementerian juga akan mengambil langkah agresif bagi menjamin kestabilan harga ketika negara mendepani gelombang ketiga pandemik COVID-19.
"KPDNHEP memantau rantaian pembekalan barangan di peringkat pengilang, peladang, pemborong dan peruncit bagi memastikan bekalan barangan itu mencukupi selain mengelak isu manipulasi harga oleh peniaga," katanya dalam kenyataan selepas mengadakan lawatan dan pemeriksaan di sebuah pasar raya di sini malam ini.
Rosol turut menasihati pengguna tidak membuat pembelian panik, khususnya melibatkan barangan keperluan asas ketika menjalani Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan Bersyarat (PKPB).
Mengenai tindakan penguatkuasaan yang dijalankan KPDNHEP, beliau berkata sebanyak 81 kes membabitkan pelbagai kesalahan berkaitan harga dan bekalan barangan direkodkan sejak pelaksanaan PKPB di Sabah, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur serta Putrajaya.
Read more: PKPB: KPDNHEP jamin bekalan keperluan asas mencukupi, harga stabil
Survey: Seven in 10 Malaysians polled think protecting environment more important than creating jobs
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Wednesday, 21 Oct 2020 09:01 AM MYT
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 21 — Around seven in 10 Malaysians in an international poll place more priority on environmental protection, even if it comes at the expense of economic growth and the creation of more job opportunities.
In the recent International Science Survey 2019-2020 by United States-based pollster Pew Research Centre, Malaysians were asked which statement came closer to their view, even if neither was exactly right.
The two options given were “Protecting the environment should be given priority, even if it causes slower economic growth and some loss of jobs”, and “Creating jobs should be given the top priority, even if the environment suffers to some extent”.
Based on the survey results as released in a report last month, the overwhelming majority or 73 per cent of the 1,650 respondents in Malaysia chose environmental protection, while 27 per cent chose job creation, with the remaining one per cent either declining to answer or giving other answers.
This matches with the median percentage of 71 per cent respondents for the 20 countries surveyed — including Malaysia — that chose environmental protection as the top priority, and the median of 25 per cent which would prioritise job creation.
Flight cancellations: refund means returning customers’ money – Sothi Rachagan
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21 Oct 2020 9:00AM
The law doesn’t exempt airlines from issuing reimbursements, only compensation
SINCE the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a huge number of flight cancellations.
The latest Waypoint Report of the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) informs that airlines are adjusting their seat capacities weekly due to uncertainties in travel demand and restrictions.
Even as early as June, 29.6 million seats had been cancelled, representing 35.4% of Malaysian carriers’ total seat capacity.
Foreign carriers operating to and from Malaysia had also cancelled 9.2 million seats (33.6% of total seat capacity).
Cancellations occur as a result of either the airlines or the passenger deciding to not fly.
An airline’s decision to do so may be due to a temporary loss of landing rights because of a lockdown or it is economically not viable for the airline to proceed with the flight.
A passenger’s decision may be due to quarantine restrictions, cancellation of an event for which the flight was booked, or simply fear of travel due to the pandemic.
Read more: Flight cancellations: refund means returning customers’ money – Sothi Rachagan
Rice and grain prices found to be most stable over last decade
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October 21, 2020 7:45 AM
PETALING JAYA: Stable food prices are an important aspect in ensuring national food security, as fluctuations due to supply chain disruptions and spikes in demand, intensified during times of crisis, can cause prices to rise beyond the reach of vulnerable communities.
Research has shown how volatile the prices of certain household staples can be, with changes reflective of market instabilities.
Using data from KPMG that drew on food prices between 2010 and 2017, rice and flour were found to be the most stable commodities, with the price of seafood, cooking oil and vegetables varying wildly over the same time period.
The annual price volatility of rice was around 1%, with flour and other cereal prices fluctuating a little over 5%.
On the other hand, fish prices varied by as much as 48% over the same period, while vegetables and cooking oil saw fluctuations of over 30%.
Research also showed that prices of beef and poultry products fluctuated by up to 50% and 8%, respectively.
Read more: Rice and grain prices found to be most stable over last decade
Gangguan air kerap gugat keyakinan pengguna, pelabur
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Oktober 20, 2020 @ 4:18pm
SHAH ALAM: Kekerapan masalah gangguan bekalan air di negeri ini dikhuatiri boleh menggugat keyakinan pengguna dan pelabur terhadap sistem pengurusan air negeri.
Pengerusi Persekutuan Pengilang-Pengilang Malaysia (FMM), Jacob Lee, berkata gangguan bekalan air dilihat bukan sahaja membebankan pengguna individu, bahkan operasi syarikat, sekali gus berupaya memberi kesan kepada ekonomi.
Sehubungan itu, Lee mendesak kerajaan Selangor untuk mengambil tindakan segera bagi melindungi sumber air bagi memastikan bekalan air berterusan.
"Menuju ke tempoh akan datang ini, pembekal air harus menggunakan teknologi lebih canggih untuk menguruskan rangkaian bekalan dan sumber air.
"Keseluruhan rantaian bekalan air harus ditingkatkan dengan penggunaan teknologi tinggi bagi mengelakkan sebarang pencemaran atau gangguan pada masa depan.
Read more: Gangguan air kerap gugat keyakinan pengguna, pelabur
Malaysia ranked third in Asia on retirement income index
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Tuesday, 20 Oct 2020 11:50 AM MYT
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 — Malaysia’s retirement income system has been ranked third in Asia and 19th overall by the 12th annual Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index, a study of 39 retirement income systems across the globe which cover almost two-thirds of the world’s population.
However, Malaysia’s overall index value fell slightly from 60.6 in 2019 to 60.1 in 2020 due to several small movements in the sustainability sub-index, Mercer, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marsh & McLennan Companies, said in a statement today.
“Of the study’s three sub-indexes, Malaysia scored highest for integrity (78), followed by sustainability (58.6) and adequacy (50.1). The global average sits at 71.3 for integrity, 50 for sustainability, and 60.8 for adequacy,” it said.
The 2020 Global Pension Index, which measures each retirement system through three sub-indices, namely sustainability, adequacy and integrity, includes two new systems — Belgium and Israel.
The report stated that Malaysia is ranked 13th for sustainability which measures the likelihood a system will be able to provide benefits into the future; 18th for integrity which considers factors such as regulation, governance, communication and operating costs; and 31st for adequacy which looks at benefits, system design, levels of savings, and home ownership among others to determine its ability to provide adequate retirement income.
Read more: Malaysia ranked third in Asia on retirement income index
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