Timbalan Ketua Pengarah Keselamatan Negara (Pengurusan Keselamatan) MKN Rodzi Md Saad berkata MKN masih dalam proses menganalisis semua corak tindakan yang sudah dilakukan.
KUALA LUMPUR: Majlis Keselamatan Negara (MKN) sedang merangka pelan tindakan menyeluruh bagi menjamin wabak Covid-19 terus terkawal walaupun pandemik itu berterusan untuk jangka masa panjang.
Timbalan Ketua Pengarah Keselamatan Negara (Pengurusan Keselamatan) MKN Rodzi Md Saad berkata, pelan itu akan berdasarkan penilaian fakta dan pengalaman tindakan yang sudah dilakukan kerajaan dalam mengawal Covid-19 sejak Januari tahun ini.
“MKN masih dalam proses menganalisis semua corak tindakan yang telah dilakukan. Tindakan yang dipilih daripada sampel yang mempunyai kesan baik akan digabungkan supaya ia dapat menjadi 1 pelan hadapan yang boleh menjadi panduan untuk semua,” katanya.
Beliau berkata demikian ketika ditemu bual dalam program Ruang Bicara terbitan Bernama TV malam tadi, bertajuk “Pengurusan Covid-19: Pelaksanaan, Cabaran dan Masa Depan”.
Dalam pada itu, Rodzi berkata keadaan geografi negara seperti kawasan pedalaman yang luas, perairan terbuka bersempadan dengan negara jiran di pantai timur Sabah menjadi cabaran besar dalam memerangi pandemik Covid-19.
Sehubungan itu, katanya penguatkuasaan di kawasan sempadan perairan dan daratan bagi menyekat kemasukan pendatang tanpa izin yang mungkin pembawa Covid-19 menjadi perkara penting ketika ini selain usaha menyekat penularan tempatan.
“Penularan Covid-19 yang tinggi di negara jiran dengan kemasukan pendatang tanpa izin yang ramai, menyebabkan ia menjadi fenomena sekali gus menambahkan kadar kes di negara kita,” katanya.
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Karex was founded in Klang in 1988, and has since gone on to become one of the world's biggest producers of contraceptives, manufacturing over five billion condoms annually. ― Picture by Yusof Mat Isa
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 31 — The start of the movement control order (MCO) in March to combat the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in seven-fold sales for one of the country's major condom manufacturer companies.
Channel News Asia reported condom manufacturer Karex's chief executive officer Goh Miah Kiat as saying the demand for condoms at brick-and-mortar shops experienced a drop when the MCO was implemented since it restricted people's movements, but it has since recovered and is gradually increasing.
“A lot more people are engaging in bedroom activity because there is nothing else to do and you do not get out. And I guess it is also a time when I do not think you would want to have a baby, especially if you are a young couple, because it is so unpredictable at the moment,” he said in an interview.
The company was founded in Klang in 1988, and has since gone on to become one of the world's biggest producers of contraceptives, manufacturing over five billion condoms annually.
“We have seen over 600 per cent increase online on our e-commerce channels. We are starting to see a trend that is moving from offline to online,” Goh said.
Prior to the MCO, Karex's online sales for its house brand products was much smaller in comparison to physical sales, acting more as a presence for the brand. Due to the increase in online demand, the company has also boosted its online marketing team.
On average Karex's flagship stores on Shopee and Lazada could see sales of RM7,000 monthly, which rose to RM50,000 since the MCO began. However he said the sale of condoms via traditional retail channels is still higher compared to its online counterpart.
Nonetheless the closure of borders due to Covid-19 has also affected Karex's production and supply. Goh said when the MCO began on March 18, three of their factories in Port Klang and Johor were forced to shut down for 10 days, which reportedly led to a shortfall of 100 million condoms.
It also faced difficulties in bringing in raw materials including liquid latex from southern Thailand, until its suppliers' special permits were approved. Similarly printers for the condom packaging were also forced to close as they were not deemed to be essential services.
As a result Karex's factories ran at half-capacity in April, before production resumed as normal. With the subsequently easing of movement restrictions, disruptions have been ironed out, Goh said.
“The easing of movement restrictions has ironed out disruptions, but it also means having to deal with a backlog of orders that everyone is chasing,” he said.
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Packed lunches being arranged outside Queen Elizabeth Hospital 1 in Kota Kinabalu, for distribution to the healthcare workers.
KOTA KINABALU: Rebecca Chin could not have imagined how a personal food drive for the overworked healthcare workers in Sabah would later turn into a full-fledged daily mission.
Chin had felt helpless looking at Sabah’s tired healthcare workers, who have been battered by record-high numbers of Covid-19 cases, and had wanted to give something back to the frontliners.
She spoke to her friends Kathie and Shone Majimbun, a husband-and-wife team who run Shoney’s, an eatery in town, and they immediately jumped at the chance to help out.
“They quickly agreed to help and with that the catering service to frontliners started on Oct 20. We had enough food to deliver free hot lunches for three days. However, Kathie then told me that several of her friends wanted to chip in as well,” said Chin.
Rebecca Chin (front) with her volunteers and the hot meals to be distributed at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital 1.
“A lot of people heard about it (food initiative) and they started calling me too and sending messages they wanted to help. A restaurant also got in touch asking if they could provide food for a full day,” Chin said.
What had begun as a personal objective for three days will now continue for another 14 days.
Chin said the donations did not just come from Sabah alone but also from as far as Brunei.
“All of this is actually people just being kind and generous. They feel so helpless not knowing how they can help so when there are opportunities like these, they say ‘this is my way to help’. I’m only acting as a channel.
Shone (left) and Kathie Majimbun were quick to lend a helping hand to Chin’s hot meals initiative.
“We know we can’t do much but this is just to say we are ever grateful to them (frontliners). We want to make them feel special and that we are behind them,” she said.
Chin said a total of 400 packed lunches are prepared at Shoney’s and delivered to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital 1 (QEH1) every day.
“It’s not easy to prepare 400 meal packs a day but we want to do this. By the time we’re done (after the 17th day), we would have served 6,400 lunches,” she said.
“There are about 600 people on duty at any given time in QEH1, so we leave it to the hospital how they distribute the lunches. There are people donating to other hospitals as well,” she said.
Chin and her friends make sure the healthcare workers are able to enjoy different kinds of meals, such as pasta and fried rice, every day.
The lunches cost RM2,000 to prepare. “So far we are doing this for 17 days but we will continue to do it for as long as we can.”
Chin said friends and family have also helped to supply 20 litres and 300 bottles of sanitisers to the Prisons Department.
CLICK HERE FOR OUR LIVE UPDATE OF THE COVID-19 SITUATION IN MALAYSIA
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Christiano Ronaldo tests positive for Covid-19 on Oct 13 while playing with Portugal. (AP pic)
MILAN: Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo has tested negative for coronavirus after nearly three weeks but Serie A clubs Atalanta, Sassuolo, Crotone and Parma on Friday revealed new cases.
Ronaldo first tested positive for Covid-19 on Oct 13 while playing with Portugal.
“Ronaldo carried out a check with a diagnostic test (swab) for Covid-19. The exam provided a negative result,” the Italian champions said in a statement.
“The player has, therefore, recovered after 19 days and is no longer subjected to home isolation.”
Juventus next play at promoted Spezia on Sunday, with all matches now behind closed doors.
Serie A leaders AC Milan also announced that defender Matteo Gabbia, goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and striker Jens Petter Hauge have all tested negative.
Donnarumma and Hauge “are authorised to return to training” before unbeaten Milan travel to Udinese on Sunday, with Gabbia “undergoing medical screening” on Saturday.
A record number of over 31,000 people on Friday tested positive for Covid-19 in a 24-hour period in Italy.
The 35-year-old Ronaldo had missed four games including Wednesday’s 2-0 Champions League defeat to Lionel Messi’s Barcelona, and Juventus’s 2-0 win at Dynamo Kiev in their Group G opener.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s return will be a boost for Andrea Pirlo’s faltering side who are fifth in Serie A, four points behind leaders AC Milan.
Ronaldo scored three goals in Juventus’s first two league games – a 3-0 win over Sampdoria and both goals in a 2-2 draw at AS Roma.
But the nine-time reigning champions have been held to three consecutive league draws, Roma (2-2), Crotone (1-1) and Verona (1-1).
They were awarded a 3-0 victory after Napoli refused to travel to Turin on October 4 because of coronavirus cases.
Ronaldo was furious at missing out on this week’s reunion with Messi, after reportedly testing positive for an 18th time.
They have not faced off since the five-time Ballon d’Or winner left Real Madrid for Juventus in 2018.
Lazio tests
Ronaldo had caused controversy even before testing positive by travelling to Portugal while Juventus were in isolation after two virus cases.
On his return to Italy on Oct 14, the day after testing positive, Sports Minister Vincenzo Spadafora accused the star of “violating” Italian coronavirus measures.
Other Juventus players including Blaise Matuidi and Paulo Dybala, tested positive during the first wave of the pandemic earlier this year, the Argentine only testing negative after 45 days.
But as Ronaldo recovered, other cases were announced in the Italian league.
In Bergamo, Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini’s pre-match press conference Friday before this weekend’s game at Crotone was cancelled after a positive case among the coaching staff.
Crotone also confirmed that their midfielder Salvatore Molina had ‘slight symptoms’ and was isolating at home.
Sassuolo, who travel to Napoli, have three new cases, one a player, while Parma who play at Inter Milan, revealed two players had become infected for a second time.
Lazio are awaiting tests results after players including star striker Ciro Immobile and Luis Alberto missed their Champions League draw at Club Brugge as a precautionary measure.
Coach Simone Inzaghi’s press conference before Sunday’s game against Torino has been cancelled with half the squad reported to be self-isolating.
The Rome club are scheduled to travel to Torino on Sunday before hosting Juventus the following weekend.
Serie A are applying UEFA rules whereby a match can take place as long as a side have 13 healthy players, including a goalkeeper.
The only possible exemption would be a club which has an active outbreak of Covid-19 with more than 10 new positive cases in a week.
In that case the club can request a postponement, but only once in the season, which was the case of Genoa’s game against Torino earlier this month.
That match has been rescheduled for next Wednesday.
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Pakar ekonomi berkata syarikat asing akan meninggalkan negara berikutan sekatan pengambilan pekerja asing. (Gambar Bernama)
PETALING JAYA: Ketidakstabilan politik dan masalah pekerja asing antara faktor yang menghambat usaha Malaysia menarik syarikat melabur di negara ini, kata ahli ekonomi.
Lembaga Pembangunan Pelaburan Malaysia (Mida) mencatatkan RM19.5 bilion daripada pelaburan asing dalam 6 bulan pertama 2020, dengan pengerusinya menyatakan beliau mengharapkan Malaysia terus menjadi hab pelaburan serantau walaupun berdepan wabak Covid-19.
Bagaimanapun, profesor ekonomi Universiti Sunway Yeah Kim Leng berkata, walaupun pendekatan inovatif Mida untuk menarik pelaburan amat tepat, ia tidak mencukupi kerana pelabur jangka panjang sangat mementingkan kestabilan politik.
“Kerajaan yang stabil amat penting bagi pelaburan asing untuk mencapai kadar pertumbuhan 1 digit tinggi yang diinginkan,” kata Yeah.
Goh Lim Thye, pensyarah kanan ekonomi di Universiti Malaya (UM), menyatakan laporan Bank Dunia 2013 menekankan pengurangan pelaburan yang ketara di Timur Tengah dan Afrika Utara dari 2003 hingga 2012 kerana kejutan politik yang buruk.
Goh berkata, kestabilan Singapura membuatkannya menonjol daripada persaingan.
Carmelo Ferlito, Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Pusat Pendidikan Pasaran Malaysia, Institut Demokrasi dan Hal Ehwal Ekonomi (IDEAS) berkata, Malaysia berjaya dalam dekad yang lalu untuk menarik pelaburan asing walaupun merupakan pasaran kecil.
Namun, katanya, ketidakstabilan politik ketika ini bermaksud pelabur mengambil pendekatan “tunggu dan lihat”.
Ketiga-tiga mereka mengulas kenyataan pengerusi Mida, Abdul Majid Ahmad Khan baru-baru ini, Malaysia akan tetap menjadi sasaran pelaburan yang menarik walaupun pandemik Covid-19 dan ekonomi global tidak menentu.
Katanya, kelebihan Malaysia termasuk rangkaian rantaian bekalan tempatan yang kukuh dan boleh dipercayai, serta prospek pertumbuhan jangka panjang yang mampan.
Ferlito berkata, dasar kerajaan baru-baru ini mengenai pekerja asing dan ekspatriat meletakkan Malaysia “dalam kedudukan sangat buruk” dan mendesak supaya dasar buruh dibincangkan dengan dewan perdagangan antarabangsa.
“Tidak ada syarikat asing yang sanggup datang ke sini dan tidak memiliki kebebasan sekurang-kurangnya memilih pengurus atasan mereka. Saya menjangkakan lebih banyak MNC akan meninggalkan Malaysia kerana ini,” katanya.
Ferlito berkata, larangan pekerja asing akan merugikan syarikat perkilangan dengan pengeluaran berskala besar, gudang dan sistem logistik, jenis operasi yang memerlukan sebilangan besar pekerja asing.
Goh bersetuju larangan pekerja asing akan merugikan ekonomi.
Katanya, anggaran tidak rasmi menyatakan Malaysia menempatkan hingga 6 juta pekerja asing, atau 18.6% daripada 32.6 juta penduduk negara ini – jauh daripada 2.1 juta yang didokumentasikan oleh Kementerian Sumber Manusia.
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WASHINGTON: US officials said late Friday that the Iranian hackers behind a wave of threatening emails sent to thousands of Americans earlier this month successfully accessed voter data.
The statement, issued jointly by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (Cisa), partially confirms the authenticity of a video distributed as part of a disinformation campaign that briefly drew attention when it became public last week.
The campaign – which consisted of thousands of threatening emails sent to random US voters in the name of a pro-Trump far-right group – featured a video in which a hacker purported to demonstrate how they could cause havoc by breaking into a voter registration records.
Experts who examined the footage said it amounted to little more than an attempt to scare voters about the integrity of the Nov 3 contest, but the question of whether the hackers actually did break in anywhere had gone unanswered until now.
Cisa and the FBI confirmed Friday that “the actor successfully obtained voter registration data in at least one state.”
The state was not identified, although purported personal details of Alaska voters were briefly flashed on the video. The FBI, Cisa, and the Alaska Division of Elections did not immediately return messages seeking comment. Cisa and the FBI said the Iranian hackers also scanned a number of other states’ election sites for vulnerabilities.
Cyberscoop, which first reported https://ift.tt/380TfbR on Cisa and the FBI’s findings, said 10 states were scanned altogether.
US officials have been on high alert over the threat of potential cyber interference in the upcoming election, which pits Republican President Donald Trump against Democratic challenger Joe Biden.
Earlier on Friday, Reuters reported that Russian hackers had this year targeted the California and Indiana branches of the Democratic Party.
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WASHINGTON: Washington will eliminate some tariff benefits for Thailand, saying the country has failed to allow imports of pork from US producers, the US Trade Representative (USTR) announced on Friday.
The move suspends duty-free access for US$817 million in goods starting Dec 30 due to the “lack of sufficient progress providing the US with equitable and reasonable market access for pork products,” despite 12 years of discussions, USTR said in a statement.
US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said the decision “demonstrates the Trump Administration’s commitment to robust monitoring and enforcement of our trade preference programs”.
That amount represents about one-sixth of Thailand’s benefits under a program called the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), the statement said.
Products affected including mango, pineapple, manicure kits, steel pipes and precious stones.
The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) filed a petition in 2018 asking US officials to take action against Thailand.
The GSP allow duty-free entry into the US market for 3,500 products from 119 countries, which in exchange must take steps to protect worker rights, protect intellectual property rights, and assuring “equitable and reasonable access to its markets”.
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Trying to influence your cravings since 2005, Kar Yeong was Guest Judge on Versus 1001 Rasa Baba’s 2018, R.AGE Food Fight Judge 2015 and NTV7 Foodie Blogger 2014. To read more about Kar Yeong’s food journeys, visit his blog at KYspeaks.com.
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Foreign companies will leave because of restrictions on the hiring of foreign workers and expatriate staff too, says an economist. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA: Political instability and foreign labour uncertainties are among the issues hampering Malaysia’s efforts to attract companies to invest in the country, say economists.
The Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida) recorded RM19.5 billion from foreign investment in the first six months of 2020, with its chairman stating he expects Malaysia to continue being a regional investment hub despite the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, Sunway University economics professor Yeah Kim Leng says although Mida’s innovative approach to attract investment hits the right notes, it is insufficient as long term investors are very particular about political stability.
“A stable government is crucial for foreign investment to hit the desired high single-digit growth rate,” said Yeah.
Goh Lim Thye, a senior economics lecturer at Universiti Malaya (UM), noted that a 2013 report by the World Bank had highlighted the significantly reduced investment in the Middle East and North Africa from 2003 to 2012 because of adverse political shocks.
Goh said that Singapore’s stability had made it stand out from the competition despite the global economic outlook.
Carmelo Ferlito, the head of the Centre for Market Education, part of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), said that Malaysia has done well in the past decade to attract foreign investment despite being a small market.
However, he said, the current political instability has meant investors have taken a “wait and see” approach.
The trio were commenting on a recent statement by Mida chairman Abdul Majid Ahmad Khan that Malaysia will remain an attractive investment target despite the Covid-19 pandemic and uncertain global economy.
He said Malaysia’s advantages included a sturdy and reliable local supply chain network, and long-term sustainable growth prospects.
Ferlito said recent government policies on foreign workers and expatriates had placed Malaysia “in a very bad position” and urged that labour policies be discussed with international chambers of commerce.
“No foreign company will be willing to come here and not have the freedom to at least choose their top managers. I expect more MNCs to leave Malaysia precisely because of this,” he said.
Ferlito said a ban on foreign workers would hurt manufacturing companies with large-scale assemblies, warehouses and logistics systems, the type of operations which require a large number of foreign workers.
He said he had seen multinational corporations pack up because of the impossibility of hiring manufacturing workers.
Goh agreed that a ban on foreign workers would severely hurt the economy.
He said unofficial estimates say that Malaysia hosts up to six million foreign workers, or 18.6% of the country’s 32.6 million population – a far fry from the 2.1 million documented by the human resources ministry.
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Rescue operations take place on a site after an earthquake struck the Aegean Sea, in the coastal province of Izmir, Turkey, October 31, 2020. ― Reuters pic
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 31 ― The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is monitoring developments in the aftermath of the 7.0 Richter scale magnitude earthquake in the Aegean Sea on October 30, 2020 (yesterday).
In a statement the ministry said the earthquake had badly affected the city of Izmir, Turkey and the Island of Samos, Greece.
“The ministry extends Malaysia’s sympathies and condolences to the governments and peoples of the Republic of Turkey and Hellenic Republic over the loss of lives and injuries due to the disaster. Malaysia stands in solidarity with them during this difficult time.
“According to initial reports, a number of Malaysians currently in Izmir are safe, and no other Malaysians have been directly affected by the earthquake,” it said.
The statement also mentioned Malaysians currently in Turkey who may require consular assistance can contact the Malaysian Embassy in Ankara (Telephone: +90 312 4463547/ 48, Fax: +90 312 4464130, E-mail: mwankara@kln.gov.my) and/or Consulate General in Istanbul (Telephone: +90 212 3261956/ +90 536 2896788/ +90 552 7970509, E-mail: mwistanbul@kln.gov.my).
While those in Greece may contact the Malaysian Embassy in Bucharest (concurrently accredited to Greece) (Telephone: +40 21 211 3801/3802, Fax: +40 21 210 0270, E-mail: mwbucharest@kln.gov.my). ― Bernama
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Duta Besar AS ke Israel David Friedman menyerahkan pasport itu kepada remaja berusia 18 tahun, Menachem Zivotofsky. (Gambar AP)
PETALING JAYA: Amerika Syarikat (AS) mengeluarkan pasport pertama kepada seorang rakyatnya yang lahir di Jerusalem, menyatakan Israel sebagai tempat kelahirannya, dasar yang mengundang kecaman Palestin tetapi akan mendapat sambutan baik dalam kalangan golongan pro Israel, lapor Al Jazeera.
Duta Besar AS ke Israel David Friedman menyerahkan pasport itu kepada remaja yang berusia 18 berkenaan, Menachem Zivotofsky.
“Israel adalah tempat kelahiran kamu,” kata Friedman kepada remaja itu yang berterima kasih kepada Presiden AS Donald Trump atas dasar berkenaan.
Trump mengambil pendirian pro-Israel sejak memegang jawatan, mengiktiraf Jerusalem sebagai ibu negara Israel pada 2017 dan memindahkan kedutaan AS ke bandar itu setahun kemudian walaupun menerima bantahan penduduk Palestin dan kumpulan hak asasi manusia.
Nabil Abu Rudeinah, jurucakap kepada Presiden Pihak Berkuasa Palestin Mahmoud Abbas, menyelar dasar itu dan menyatakan ia bercanggah dengan undang-undang antarabangsa serta resolusi antarabangsa.
Status Jerusalem sebagai tempat suci umat Islam, Yahudi dan Kristian antara isu paling kontroversi dalam konflik antara Israel dan Palestin.
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Presenting oneself well is key to making a good impression during a video conference. (Rawpixel pic)
With working from home the new normal now, many women spend a lot of time each week on video conferencing – for work; romantic date-chats; seminars and Q&A in streamed presentations.
Here is how to make a fantastic visual impression from the very first click.
1. Create the perfect setting
There are three important things to remember when creating the perfect setting for a video chat: appropriate lighting, a suitable background and a sense of orderliness.
Set up multiple sources of light and make sure the light is never pointed directly at you.
The best position for a light source is behind the desktop or laptop screen. Make sure the lighting has warmer tones instead of the bright, luminous, commercial lighting most commonly used.
Skin imperfections are more visible in bright light or can create the impression of greasy skin.
A bright light cast under the eyes will make the individual appear to have fatigued, baggy eyes, or worse, will make them appear wrinkly and old.
With a bit of planning, it is quick and easy to create a suitable background.
Strive for simplicity and elegance. The people you are chatting with should not be distracted.
A plain, dark-coloured background is a better choice than a multi-coloured one with a range of dark and light colours combined with patterns that may cast shadows onto your face.
Make sure the background – and that means anything that fellow chatters can see behind and around you – is clean and tidy. A disorderly background is distracting.
2. Polish your appearance
Two important aspects of your appearance while video chatting are your style of clothing and careful application of makeup.
Dress in a contrasting colour to the background and make sure your outfit is not too light in colour.
Avoid wearing patterns (especially bright ones) unless they work well with the background. Do not wear glossy fabrics to prevent dark shadows being cast onto your skin.
Wear as little jewellery as possible so your video chat partner is not distracted.
Brighten up your face with some cosmetics. Emphasise your beautiful appearance with foundation, contouring pencils and concealer.
Ensure your makeup is not too thick or dark. A bright shade of lipstick will make your face look bright and lively and draw attention right to where it is wanted.
Make sure the lighting highlights all of one’s best features. (Rawpixel pic)
3. Position yourself correctly
Set the camera to capture the most flattering angle of your face. Maintain eye contact, sit up straight and ensure your upper body stays within the screen’s frame.
Do not point the camera upwards from below your face. This will make it seem broader than it actually is. And you certainly do not want to show off your nostrils or make it look like you have a double chin.
Set up the camera to point level with your forehead or projecting downwards from a higher platform. Then your face will appear normal, or it may even look much slimmer than it actually is.
Always maintain direct eye contact with fellow chatters. Look into the camera. Suppress the temptation to watch the preview box at the bottom of the screen.
It is best to turn it off so the preview box does not appear at all. If you do not look directly at the viewer, it will seem as if you are not interested in the conversation. It might even offend the others involved.
Position the camera so your upper body is included within the frame of the screen. Sit up straight so both your face and upper body can be seen.
Do a practice test with a close friend. They can honestly review how you appear in the video chat.
They can also critique the quality of the video and sound, as well as draw attention to any random issues that might annoy or distract a video chat partner.
The New Savvy is Asia’s leading financial, investments and career platform for women. Our bold vision is to empower 100 million women to achieve financial happiness. We deliver high-quality content through conferences, e-learning platforms, personal finance apps and e-commerce stores.
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Public health nurses look on during coronavirus testing outside in Salt Lake City last week. (AP pic)
WASHINGTON: The US passed nine million reported coronavirus cases on Friday, according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University, as infections spike days before the nation chooses its next president.
With the virus spreading most rampantly in the Midwest and the South, hospitals are also filling up again, stretching the health care system just as the nation heads in to flu season.
“We are not ready for this wave,” Ashish Jha, dean of the Brown University school of public health, warned on ABC’s Good Morning America on Thursday.
Authorities in El Paso, Texas, imposed a curfew this week to protect “overwhelmed” health care workers and began setting up field hospitals.
But a judge’s attempt to shut down non-essential businesses in the city has been challenged by the mayor and the state’s attorney general, the Washington Post reported.
Midwestern state Wisconsin has also set up a field hospital in recent weeks, and hospital workers in Missouri were sounding warning bells as cases there rise.
Hospitals in the western state of Utah were preparing to ration care by as early as next week as patients flood their ICUs, according to local media.
Utterly disqualifying
The US, which has seen a resurgence of its Covid-19 outbreak since mid-October, has now notched up 9,007,298 cases, according to a real-time count by the Baltimore-based school.
On Thursday the country set a record for new daily infections of more than 91,000 in 24 hours.
The pattern of the pandemic so far shows that hospitalizations usually begin to rise several weeks after infections, and deaths a few weeks after that.
More than 229,000 people have died of the virus in the US since the pandemic began, the Hopkins tally showed as of Friday afternoon, with the daily number of deaths creeping steadily upwards in recent weeks also – though at present it remains below peak levels.
For months public health officials have been warning of a surge in cases as cooler fall weather settles over the US, driving more people indoors.
As the weather changes, New York and other parts of the northeast, which were the epicenter of the US outbreak in the spring but largely controlled the virus over the summer, were reporting a worrying rise.
Some epidemiologists believe that Covid-19 spreads more easily in drier, cool air.
Rural areas, which in the spring appeared to be getting off lightly compared to crowded cities, were also facing spikes with states like North Dakota charting one of the steepest rises in recent weeks.
The state is so overwhelmed that earlier this month it told residents they have to do their own contact tracing, local media reported.
With four days to go until the election, Donald Trump was battling to hold on to the White House against challenger Joe Biden, who has slammed the president’s virus response.
“It is as severe an indictment of a president’s record as one can possibly imagine, and it is utterly disqualifying,” Biden said Friday as the toll passed nine million.
Trump downplays the virus even as the toll has been accelerating once more, holding a slew of rallies with little social distancing or mask use.
He has repeatedly told supporters that the country is “rounding the curve” on Covid infections.
But Americans, wary of crowded polling booths on Election Day as the virus spreads, are voting early in record numbers.
Click here for our live update of the Covid-19 situation in Malaysia.
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Aktivis Borneo Comrade di Kampung Air Hujung, Semporna.
PETALING JAYA: Dengan penularan wabak Covid-19 bertambah buruk di Sabah, banyak pihak khuatir hospital di negeri itu beroperasi dengan kapasiti maksimum dan barisan hadapan bergelut untuk menjangkau penduduk terpencil.
NGO dan individu melancarkan kempen kutipan dana melalui Twitter sebagai tambahan usaha jabatan kesihatan negeri dan barisan hadapan yang bertungkus lumus menjalankan tugas.
Pengarah Pembangunan Program Strategik Mercy Malaysia Hafiz Amirrol memberitahu FMT, ramai penduduk terutama yang berada di kawasan tetpencil terdesak memerlukan bantuan.
“Jurang dari segi sumber sentiasa ada,” katanya, “tetapi setiap orang daripada masyarakat dan agensi kerajaan bekerja keras mengurangkan jurang itu. Terdapat juga individu menyumbangkan usaha mereka.”
Beliau berkata, Mercy Malaysia mendapat sokongan kuat daripada penderma, terutama pada fasa penularan awal Covid-19.
Sebilangan individu melalui Twitter mengutip dana bagi mendirikan fasiliti sementara untuk menempatkan pesakit kerana beberapa hospital berdepan kesesakan dan kekurangan peralatan.
Salah satunya, Shahrizal Denci di Ranau, menyatakan di Twitter dana yang dikumpulkan bertujuan mendirikan sebuah bilik pengasingan di daerah Beluran.
Beliau berkata, wad pengasingan sementara itu digunakan untuk menempatkan pesakit sebelum mereka dibawa ke hospital khas bagi merawat pesakit Covid-19 yang terdekat, dalam kes itu Hospital Sandakan yang memakan masa 2 jam perjalanan menggunakan kereta.
Beberapa hospital kecil tidak dilengkapi bilik pengasingan, yang juga dikenali sebagai bilik tekanan negatif, yang amat penting dalam usaha membendung penularan virus ke bahagian lain melalui udara.
“Hospital di Beluran adalah kecil,” kata Shahrizal. “Kami cuba mengumpul RM15,000 dan kami hampir mencapai matlamat itu. Setakat ini, kami sudah mengutip RM12,701.
“Mereka ditempatkan di wad pengasingan sebelum dihantar ke Hospital Sandakan tetapi ia memakan masa kerana mereka dihantar dengan ambulans, bukan ramai boleh muat sekali gus. Apabila mereka tiba di Sandakan, tiada jaminan mereka dapat masuk.”
Isu berkait infrastruktur, geografi dan pengangkutan sering berlaku dalam pengendalian Covid-19 di Sabah.
Persatuan Perubatan Malaysia (MMA) dalam kenyataannya baru-baru ini berkata masalah itu akan menjadi sangat mencabar jika terdapat pesakit dalam keadaan kritikal.
Kementerian Kesihatan berkata, terdapat 4,686 katil di 25 hospital di Sabah setakat Selasa. Katanya, 9 daripada hospital itu dijadikan hospital Covid-19 dan terdapat 1,264 katil, dengan 59% daripadanya digunakan.
Kementerian juga memaklumakan, terdapat 7,242 katil di pusat rawatan dan kuarantin Covid-19 berisiko rendah, dengan 43% daripadanya digunakan.
Tetapi sumber daripada peringkat bawahan berkata, terdapat kekurangan katil unit rawatan rapi (ICU) di hospital yang terletak di zon merah.
MMA berkata, usaha menghantar pesakit Covid-19 Peringkat 4 dan 5 ke hospital ditetapkan adalah mencabar dengan mengambil kira faktor geografi di Sabah.
Seorang aktivis yang bekerja di kepulauan di luar Semporna berkata, seseorang memerlukan bot untuk mencapai komuniti luar bandar yang kecil di situ.
Mukmin Nantang yang mengetuai NGO Borneo Comrade berkata, jumlah penduduk di perkampungan itu tidak selaras dengan statistik rasmi. Katanya, banyak rumah dibahagikan kepada unit perumahan lebih kecil, dengan beberapa keluarga tinggal di situ.
Beliau berkata, terdapat banyak salah faham terhadap virus dalam kalangan penduduk perkampungan itu kerana mereka tiada peranti atau penyambungan untuk menerima atau mencari maklumat tepat.
Salah faham itu menimbulkan ketakutan, terutama dalam kalangan mereka yang tiada dokumen dan kebanyakannya melarikan diri daripada pegawai kesihatan untuk mengelak disaring apabila perkampungan mereka dikenakan perintah kawalan pergerakan diperketatkan (PKPD).
Mukmin bimbang, mereka menyebarkan virus ke perkampungan lain dan kepulauan berdekatan.
Beliau berkata, penduduk di situ diberitahu keputusan positif akan menyebabkan mereka dikurung manakala mereka yang tiada dokumen takut akan ditahan.
“Tiada kenyataan jelas daripada pihak berkuasa untuk memaklumkan yang mereka boleh disaring tanpa dihukum kerana status imigresen,” katanya.
Katanya, pihak berkuasa harus menjalankan kempen kesedaran dengan menyasarkan komuniti terbabit dan memaklumkan maklumat mengenai proses saringan penyakit itu.
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The Trump administration contends TikTok poses national security concerns on personal data collection.(AP pic)
WASHINGTON: A US judge in Pennsylvania on Friday blocked a US Commerce Department order set to take effect on Nov 12 that would have effectively barred Chinese-owned short video-sharing app TikTok from operating in the US.
US District Court Judge Wendy Beetlestone enjoined the Commerce Department from barring data hosting within the US for TikTok, content delivery services and other technical transactions.
In her ruling, Beetlestone said the order would “have the effect of shutting down, within the US, a platform for expressive activity used by approximately 700 million individuals globally. Over 100 million of these TikTok users are within the US, and at least 50 million of these US users use the app on a daily basis”.
The Commerce Department, which did not immediately comment on Friday, has acknowledged the restrictions would “significantly reduce the functionality and usability of the app in the US” and “may ultimately make the application less effective.”
On Sept 27, US District Judge Carl Nichols in Washington issued a preliminary injunction in a suit brought by TikTok owner ByteDance that stopped the US Commerce Department from ordering Apple Inc and Alphabet Inc’s Google app stores to remove TikTok for download by new users. That order had been set to take effect later that day.
Nichols is set to hold a Nov 4 hearing on the other aspects of the Commerce Department order that Beetlestone blocked on Friday.
The order by Beetlestone, in a suit brought by three TikTok content creators, also blocks the app store download ban.
TikTok said in a statement it was “deeply moved by the outpouring of support” from its users “who have worked to protect their rights to expression”.
Talks have been ongoing to finalize a preliminary deal for Walmart Inc and Oracle Corp to take stakes in a new company, TikTok Global, that would oversee US operations. US President Donald Trump said last month the deal had his “blessing”.
The Trump administration contends TikTok poses national security concerns as personal data collected on 100 million Americans who use the app could be obtained by China’s government. TikTok denies the allegations.
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As inflation sets in, it becomes harder for people to make ends meet. (Rawpixel pic)
In every corner of the world, staying healthy amid the Covid-19 pandemic has become the primary focus of governments, regulatory authorities and the average citizen.
Malaysians are also conscious of the risks and they are taking every precaution in order to stay healthy.
But there is more than one kind of epidemic, there is also the risk of an inflation epidemic.
In the past few years, a lot of the subsidies and tariffs people have become used to have been reduced or abolished (in the case of subsidies) and increased (in the case of tariffs).
Petrol and electricity are key examples. The result of the rationalisation of subsidies and increasing tariffs is known as inflation.
What is inflation?
Inflation happens when the prices of goods and services increases steadily over time, measured annually.
The net effect is that the same amount of money does not buy the amount of goods and services that it used to. In other words, purchasing power is lower.
Someone may have the same amount of money they used to live on quite comfortably but find that it is now not enough to survive.
For the average wage earner, it means that the cost of living and the prices of essentials has gone up and continues to go up.
As a result, household debt in Malaysia has soared to terrifying levels.
In addition to the usual housing, car loans and credit card debt, people are taking personal loans to make ends meet.
The high cost of debt servicing, coupled with reduced purchasing power, is leaving many households in Malaysia in a desperate situation.
There is not enough cash on hand to see families through the many days left to payday.
Saving and growing one’s money is a good hedge against inflation. (Pixabay pic)
How to gain financial health
Reduce high-interest debt
Those with credit card debt and personal loans should settle them in full as soon as possible because of the higher interest rates and compounding effect that can cause people to fall into serious debt over a short span of time.
Save money in any way you can
This means cutting down on or eliminating all non-essential expenses. The usual categories are dining out, seeking entertainment outside the home, travelling and purchasing non-essential items and gadgets.
Cut these out completely and there will be a drop in monthly expenditure.
Cook and eat at home, entertain friends and family at home as it is much cheaper than going out and train the children amuse themselves at home rather than going to the shopping mall to buy stuff, watch movies and eat snacks.
Spending more time at home as part of a cost-cutting plan allows people to organise their lives better and improve their living conditions, such as taking on more housework and chores to stop employing a part-time or full-time maid.
All these steps will translate into a reduction in expenditure. The money saved can be set aside for emergencies and/or investment.
Grow your money
This is trickier to achieve. Obviously, it is easier to save than to grow money, especially for those who are not financially savvy.
If money is already tight, people might fear losing what little they have by putting it in unfamiliar investment products. But there is growth potential in all markets for those who know what they are doing.
As a general rule, seek advice before deciding to invest in something. Make sure you understands the product, how it operates in an inflationary market and what the potential downside is.
Do your research and talk to friends and family members as well.
To beat the inflation epidemic, follow this simple formula: Save money + grow money = a better financial position.
A trackless autonomous rapid transit system is undergoing trials in China.
PETALING JAYA: Experts have called for the 2021 Budget to be skewed towards boosting public transport with financial measures to help bus operators trying to stay afloat after a sharp drop in revenue caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) said the budget should focus on moving people and saving the public transport sector which he said was on the verge of collapsing.
He said this was especially so among local, regional and intercity bus operators.
Farhan said pushing for private vehicle use was not sustainable or economical, for it would only worsen the finances of those affected by the pandemic.
He said investing more on public transport would balance the need for people to use private vehicles, especially motorcycles by the lower-income groups.
“Motorcycle accidents continue to make up the highest share of crashes, casualties and fatalities in the country. Boosting public transport use would reduce dependence on motorcycles,” he said.
Farhan said more funds should be given to road safety, and the presence of police and road transport enforcement must be felt on all roads. He said the long-awaited demerit system ought to be put in place.
He said deteriorating road conditions in the inner cities and rural areas must be fixed.
Changes to federal highway
Social activist and economist Lim Mah Hui said Putrajaya should adopt cheaper public transport modes for cities, such as the track-less autonomous rapid transit, which costs a fraction of a conventional light rail transit, besides being easier to build.
He said more incentives should be given for high occupancy vehicles and resources to create dedicated bus lanes with priority at traffic junctions.
“Imagine, if you converted one lane on the Federal Highway for such vehicles and buses, this would encourage people to carpool or take the bus,” he said.
Transport expert Roger Teoh said resources should be made to promote walking and cycling, as the pandemic had led to fewer vehicles on public roads.
He said London authorities had widened pavements for pedestrians and created new cycling lanes as the pandemic had discouraged commuters from taking public transport.
“If planned correctly, such programmes can permanently improve the liveability of a city.
“In addition, an increase in subsidies should also be considered to public transport operators in order to run close to normal levels of services, despite the reduced public transport demand, to facilitate social distancing and traffic congestion,” he said.
Airport expansion
Touching on the issue of airport expansion, Teoh said the pandemic was naturally a right time for expansion works, but given the country’s current financial situation it would not be ideal.
He said Singapore’s Changi airport had taken the opportunity of the aviation lull to close Terminal 2 for 18 months to carry out upgrading work.
Teoh said given the forecast that air traffic demand was expected to return to pre-pandemic levels by 2023, funding should be made available so that expansion work could start in two or three years’ time.
“Airport expansions are probably not politically and financially feasible for Malaysia at the moment, as there are other sectors of the economy that are struggling and in dire need of stimulus.
“Given that air traffic demand is only expected to return to pre-pandemic levels by 2023, it would not be too late to start expansion projects in one or two years’ time,” he said.
Sharifah Rohayah Sheikh Dawood, also of USM, said the government should reward a transition to the use of low-carbon fuels.
The development of alternative fuels for aviation and haulier trucks ought to be promoted by the government, she said.
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Tidur yang sempurna pada waktu malam akan memberikan kesihatan yang lebih baik kepada kita.
Tubuh manusia memerlukan rehat dan tidur waktu malam yang mencukupi. Namun, ada individu yang tidak dapat tidur dengan sempurna dan sering terjaga. Apakah yang menyebabkan perkara ini berlaku dan bagaimana untuk mengelakkannya daripada berulang?
Tahukah anda, waktu tidur yang diperolehi akan mempengaruhi kesihatan tubuh bermula dari berat badan, metabolisma sehingga fungsi dan mood diri anda.
Berapa jam sehari perlu tidur?
Sebenarnya, saranan pakar untuk manusia tidur 8 jam sehari hanyalah sekadar panduan semata-mata dan tidak semestinya ia perlu begitu tepat. Waktu tidur yang diperlukan oleh kita semua adalah berbeza serta bergantung kepada individu dan ia seringkali berpandukan kepada usia.
Kekurangan tidur waktu malam adalah perkara yang biasa bagi sesetengah orang terutama ketika sedang menghadapi tekanan pekerjaan atau kehidupan. Tidur yang terlalu sedikit dan tidak mencukupi boleh mempengaruhi banyak sistem dan fungsi pemulihan di dalam tubuh.
Antara punca-punca tidur terganggu:
Insomnia
Apnea tidur
Penyakit kronik
Kesan tidak mendapat tidur yang cukup termasuklah:
Tidur dan kesihatan mental adalah sangat berkait rapat kerana gangguan waktu tidur boleh menyumbang kepada masalah kemurungan dan kegelisahan.
Dalam erti kata yang lebih mudah, tidur adalah salah satu faktor yang sangat penting dalam kesihatan tubuh kita secara keseluruhan.
Tidur waktu malam tanpa sebarang gangguan
Mereka yang sering terjaga pada waktu malam mungkin disebabkan 3 perkara iaitu insomnia, apnea tidur atau penyakit kronik. Fenomena terjaga pada waktu malam ini adalah suatu yang biasa berlaku di kalangan kita semua.
Namun, jika ia berlarutan, anda berkemungkinan akan menyebabkan stres, migrain serta tubuh tidak mampu berfungsi dengan baik. Jadi bagaimana untuk menguruskan masalah ini? Ada beberapa tip yang boleh cuba diamalkan:
Elakkan tidur pada waktu pagi, tengah hari atau petang agar lebih mudah berasa mengantuk pada waktu malam kelak.
Hadkan pengambilan alkohol, kafein, dan nikotin pada waktu petang kerana bahan-bahan ini berpotensi untuk menjejaskan tidur atau menyukarkan tidur.
Matikan alatan elektronik sekurang-kurangnya 30 minit sebelum tidur kerana cahaya daripada alatan ini dapat merangsang otak anda untuk menjadi lebih segar.
Jauhkan jam daripada pandangan mata anda kerana ia boleh mengakibatkan stres lantas membuat anda lebih sukar untuk tidur kembali selepas terjaga.
Biasakan rutin yang santai sebelum tidur seperti mandi air hangat atau mendengar muzik yang menenangkan.
Matikan lampu sejurus sebelum tidur untuk membantu otak anda memahami bahawa sudah waktunya untuk tidur.
Dalam beberapa kes, fenomena ini mungkin didasari oleh kondisi kesihatan lain dan perlu dirawat terlebih dahulu sebelum mampu untuk tidur waktu malam.
Oleh itu, berjumpalah dengan doktor dan berbincang dengan mereka tentang keadaan diri anda untuk mendapatkan penyelesaiannya.
Ia penting, jangan abaikan
Konklusinya, tidur waktu malam itu adalah sesuatu yang sangat penting dan jangan sesekali abaikannya walaupun anda begitu sibuk dalam kehidupan seharian.
Tanpa tidur yang sempurna, tubuh tidak akan mendapat rehat yang secukupnya lantas membuat anda bangun dengan badan yang lemah dan lesu.
A demonstrator is detained by police officers during clashes in downtown Barcelona yesterday. (AP pic)
BARCELONA: Protesters who deny the existence of Covid-19 and object to restrictions to curb the pandemic’s spread clashed with police in Barcelona on Friday.
About 50 demonstrators threw bricks and fireworks at police and set fire to rubbish containers in the centre of Spain’s second-largest city, police said.
Police repelled the protesters with their batons but did not charge, a spokesman for the Mossos d’Escuadra, the Catalan regional police, said.
One person was injured after being hit on the head by a brick. Two people were arrested.
Earlier, about 700 people staged a peaceful demonstration through one of the city’s main streets.
It follows similar disturbances sparked by those who deny the existence of the pandemic in Bilbao, in Spain, on Thursday and in cities across Italy on Monday.
Spain, one of the hardest-hit countries by Covid-19, imposed a state of emergency this week to try halt the rise of coronavirus infections.
Like other European countries, Spain has resorted to increasingly drastic measures to curb infections, although less stringent than in Germany or France.
The state of emergency grants regional authorities the power to limit freedom of movement through lockdowns and curfews.
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Prepare your own Arabian Chicken Mandi right from your home kitchen. (Jom Masak pic)
PETALING JAYA: While the Covid-19 pandemic has forced everyone to retreat into the safety of their homes and kitchens, no amount of food delivery in plastic containers or brown paper bags can emulate the same feeling or taste of dining at a fancy restaurant.
Such was the predicament of Lua Bo Feng and his wife Irene Wong, who found themselves craving for their usual restaurant-type dishes during the lockdown.
With their events business in limbo due to the pandemic and nothing but time to kill at home, they attempted to replicate their favourite restaurant meals.
The Jom Masak duo, Lua Bo Feng and Irene. (Jom Masak pic)
Irene had been toying with the idea of setting up a meal kit delivery service for a while now and discussed it with Lua.
After putting their heads together, they cooked up Jom Masak, a meal kit delivery service offering Malaysians a chance to whip up restaurant-quality meals at home.
They began marketing Jom Masak to the world in May and shipped off their first-ever meal kit a month later.
“Replicating the taste and exotic flavours of the dishes and making them scalable were the difficult parts. This is why even after five months, we only have five dishes,” explained Lua.
As of now, Jom Masak has five different meal kits on sale. (Jom Masak pic)
What differentiates Jom Masak’s meal kits from others currently in the market is that they offer a variety of international cuisines.
Jom Masak’s menu at the moment includes Korean Kimchi-jjigae, Italian risotto, Spanish paella, Hyderabadi biryani and Arabian Chicken Mandi.
This way, you’ll find yourself ‘travelling’ the world without having to leave your kitchen at all!
“These dishes are ingredient-specific and require a certain level of expertise, but we are offering the convenience of sourcing the most difficult ingredients for you,” said Lua.
The meal kit gives customers the convenience of not having to shop for ingredients themselves. (Jom Masak pic)
Lua also said that ordering meal kits will help reduce food wastage by removing the risk of overbuying ingredients.
“When we have cravings for a specific dish, we go out and purchase the ingredients which often come in huge quantities when you’re just going to use a few spoonfuls. This is where Jom Masak comes in. Plus, you can feel like a hero in the kitchen!”
It wasn’t easy researching and developing the recipes, confessed Lua. To replicate the smoky flavours of Arabian Chicken Mandi, this home chef literally tasted and analysed each spice to understand what goes into making this dish so mouthwatering.
And the biryani? That took Lua an entire month to perfect what Indian mothers would agree is the perfect biryani.
Jom Masak’s Arabian chicken mandi, which took a whole month to perfect. (Jom Masak pic)
Customers can expect nothing but great flavours as Lua constantly puts the kits through a taste test to ensure consistency and repeatability.
As far as personal favourites go, Lua says its got to be the paella. This is a preference he shares with his customers, as he says that “99% of them have purchased one box of the paella at the very least.”
Those who are kitchen-shy but still dare to get their aprons dirty can start with Jom Masak’s Kimchi-jjigae, which is a rather easy dish to whip up.
Once that’s been mastered, gradually turn up the difficulty with the risotto, paella and biryani before attempting the Arabian Chicken Mandi, which is the most challenging to put together.
The all-time crowd favourite, the paella. (Jom Masak pic)
“Business was good from June to August. It took a slight dip after, but since the Conditional Movement Control Order was enforced, our kits have been flying off the shelves.
“We deliver about 30 to 40 boxes each time now,” said Lua, who recently found himself packing the kits daily to the point where they ran out of boxes.
At the moment, the dynamic duo is cooking up another dish to add to Jom Masak’s colourful repertoire – Kelantanese Nasi Dagang.
Lua even went to the extent of travelling to Kelantan himself when the lockdown was lifted in pursuit of authentic ingredients to recreate the beloved dish with.
“I’ve attempted to replicate the dish at least seven times. So far, none of my attempts tasted anything like what I had in Kelantan, but I’ll keep trying!” he laughs.
An Italian dinner of creamy risotto would be perfect for a date night at home. (Jom Masak pic)
Jom Masak delivers throughout Malaysia, including Sabah and Sarawak. In fact, Jom Masak has quite an established fanbase in Sarawak already, with one customer snapping up nine kits at one go.
This delivery range is made possible because the perishables are vacuum-packed so they can last in cold environments for a week and a half.
So, Sabahans and Sarawakians waiting to unleash their inner culinary skills at home with Jom Masak can do so now.
Postage fees are waived if three or more kits are purchased.
If you’d like more information, check out Jom Masak’s Facebook page here or contact Lua or Irene at 012-6326606 / 016-8895696.
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Security forces carrying out ‘Ops Cegah Pati (OCP) Daratan’ patrol in Kalabakan. ― Borneo Post pic
KALABAKAN, Oct 31 ― The Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESScom) continues to intensify patrols to curb the entry of illegal immigrants (PTI) by land through “Op Cegah Pati (OCP) Daratan”.
ESScom Commander, DCP Datuk Ahmad Fuad, said the OCP Daratan patrol team, which was activated in April in the Kalabakan area, had expanded its patrol responsibility area to the coastal area of Wakuba hotspot in Tawau.
He said the OCP Daratan operation is beginning to show the results of its success in controlling the entry of illegal immigrants and smuggling of contraband items into the area.
“The success of ESScom’s OCP Daratan can be seen through the lack of illegal hawkers (PTI) in the PTI hotspot area.
“Apart from that, the success of the operation can also be seen through the lack of supply and sale of contraband cigarettes which ultimately affects the sharp rise in prices on the goods,” he said in a statement here yesterday.
According to Ahmad, ESScom in collaboration with all enforcement agencies in the OCP Daratan consisting of the General Operations Force (GOF) and the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) would continue to tighten controls at the coastal border to curb the entry of illegal immigrants, especially in the Sebatik island area which is about 8-10-minutes distant to enter Tawau district.
In terms of strengthening the patrol team, he said in the Kalabakan area, ESScom has military posts under the “Op Gasak” and six ATM points that help the ESScom team control and monitor the “rat trails” for more than 200km from Tawau to the Kalabakan border.
“ESScom also takes into account other threats from militant groups such as threats from kidnapping for ransom group (KFRG) including threats from Abu Sayyaf groups who are always looking for space and opportunities to commit crimes in our country’s waters, especially on the east coast of Sabah.
“The ESScom’s Intelligence Team will continue to monitor and scrutinise the movement information and activities of this group and we will always work with security forces from neighbouring countries to exchange intelligence information in our efforts to control and curb the entry of these groups,” he said.
“Our focus is indeed to curb the spread of Covid-19 epidemic, but at the same time taking into account other threats.”
Ahmad expressed confidence that the security of Sabah’s east coast waters is still under control and ESScom with the cooperation of all existing security agencies always takes appropriate and planned measures to ensure the level of security in Eastern Sabah Security Zone waters is always at a controlled level.
“There is nothing to worry about, all operating areas are under control and we will always be prepared to face any eventuality,” he said. ― Borneo Post
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