Critical to improve health literacy

People must learn to modify diets to prevent lifestyle diseases such as diabetes

Image Credit: Created with the assistance of DALL·E 3

 

PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s reminder to the people to take health knowledge seriously is timely.

At the launch of the 2024 National Wellness Month celebration last weekend, he reminded people to understand the dangers of excessive sugar consumption, saying that campaigns on health literacy or sugar reduction, as well as health literacy policies, would only be effective if people began changing their eating habits now.

For a start, let’s recall what we ate and drank in the past 24 hours, just to have a perspective of our sugar consumption.

From roti canai to teh tarik and the myriad of kuih, these foods all contain sugar.

When people say that they have cut sugar from their diets, I wonder if they realise that their bodies convert the carbohydrates they consume into sugar.

Staples like rice, bread, noodles and fruits are also high in carbohydrates, so maybe we need to take a good look at our food portions too.

Not long ago, the Health Ministry introduced the Malaysian Healthy Plate campaign with the hashtag #sukusukuseparuh

My friends were talking about it and I thought it was a clever way of introducing the concept of meal portions to the public.

The campaign encourages the public to limit their carbohydrate intake to fit a quarter segment of the plate. Another quarter of the plate should be filled with protein and the remaining half, with fruits and vegetables.

Now the key is making this meal formula part of our lifestyle.

Growing up, I watched my paternal grandmother suffering from diabetes.

She had her first stroke a day before I turned one. She must have been about 53 years old then.

However, I remember my paternal grandmother having a healthy diet. She took me along for her evening walks, took her medications on time and never skipped doctor’s appointments.

Over time, she became bedridden, before she passed away at the age of 70 in 1994.

She was an attractive woman in her youth but everything went downhill when she became sick.

After the stroke, her mobility was limited, preventing her from maintaining her active lifestyle.

My maternal grandmother also suffered from diabetes and her mobility, too, was limited after a stroke.

She had never cared about her diet and was a teh tarik addict. There was always an unlimited supply of condensed milk from my grandfather’s grocery store.

I dare say her enjoyment of this popular drink and her eventual poor physical mobility contributed to her eventual death.

As a child, I watched my grandmothers become weak, lose their speech and become bedridden before their deaths.

They were both diabetics and would have had poor health literacy in their younger days.

Thankfully, both my parents are healthy and my dad just turned 80. I believe this can be attributed to their balanced diets.

I’m also conscious of my own family’s consumption and manage this through my cooking.

Besides food, physical exercise is also necessary. It is no longer an option to say that we have no time to exercise.

A walk in the park may be possible depending on the weather.

However, I believe it is time that more public gyms are created. These gyms could be open from morning to midnight and made accessible to the public for a minimal fee.

The Bangsar Sports Complex at in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, has a public gym and it is managed by Kuala Lumpur City Hall. The entrance fee is just RM2.

I hope local councils, especially the ones with city status, will create public gyms with cardio and weight-training equipment.

Cardio activities such as Zumba could also be held at public spaces and should be promoted to the community.

More community-based sports for children, such as football and netball, should also be spearheaded by elected representatives.

Prevention of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol will reduce taxpayers’ funding of the nation’s healthcare services.

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Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood glucose.

Diabetes and insulin

Summary

Read the full fact sheet

• People with type 1 diabetes must inject insulin every day, often up to 4 or 5 times per day.
• There are different ways to inject insulin ranging from a syringe and needle, to an insulin delivery pen, to an insulin pump.
• Your doctor or diabetes nurse educator will teach you about how, where and when to inject insulin, and how to store it safely.
• Even with the help of your doctor and diabetes nurse educator, it may take a while to find the right insulin dose to reduce your blood glucose to your target levels.
• What is Type 2 Diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes is a common metabolic condition that develops when the body fails to produce enough insulin or when insulin fails to work properly, which is referred to as insulin resistance. Insulin is the hormone that stimulates cells to uptake glucose from the blood to use for energy.

Image Credit: Created with the assistance of DALL·E 3

When this is the case, cells are not instructed by insulin to take up glucose from the blood, meaning the blood sugar level rises (hyperglycemia).

Prevalence and Risk Factors

People usually develop type 2 diabetes after the age of 40 years. However, people of South Asian origin are at an increased risk of the condition and may develop diabetes from age 25 onwards. The condition is also becoming increasingly common among children and adolescents across all populations. Type 2 diabetes often develops due to overweight, obesity, and lack of physical activity, and diabetes prevalence is on the rise worldwide as these problems become more widespread.

Heterogeneity and Genetic Factors

Type 2 diabetes is a heterogeneous disorder characterized by varying degrees of beta cell dysfunction in concert with insulin resistance. The strong association between obesity and type 2 diabetes involves pathways regulated by the central nervous system governing food intake and energy expenditure, integrating inputs from peripheral organs and the environment. Genetic susceptibility and environmental factors, including the availability of nutritious food and other social determinants of health, play significant roles in the development of diabetes and its complications.

Global Impact In 2021, the global prevalence of diabetes mellitus was estimated to be 6.1%, representing 529 million people, with prevalence estimates in certain regions as high as 12.3%. Type 2 diabetes accounts for 96% of cases, and greater than 50% of type 2 diabetes is attributable to obesity. The trajectory of the diabetes pandemic is concerning, with an estimated 1.31 billion individuals projected to have diabetes by 2050.

Types of Diabetes

Also known as juvenile diabetes, type 1 diabetes usually occurs in childhood or adolescence. In type 1 diabetes, the body fails to produce insulin, so patients have to be given the hormone. This is why the condition is also known as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM).

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is also called non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) since it can be treated with lifestyle changes and types of medication other than insulin therapy. Type 2 diabetes is significantly more common than type 1 diabetes.

Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes

The increased blood glucose level seen in diabetes can eventually damage a person’s blood vessels, nerves, and organs. The body attempts to remove the excess glucose through urination, and the most common symptoms of type 2 diabetes include the following:

• Polydipsia (increased thirst)
• Polyphagia (increased hunger)
• Polyuria (increased frequency of urination), especially during the night
• Extreme fatigue, weight loss, and sudden loss of muscle bulk.

Some of these symptoms are also seen in type 1 diabetes, but type 2 diabetes symptoms tend to develop more gradually and can take months or years to manifest. This can make it more difficult for people to tell they have an underlying health condition, and often, people have had type 2 diabetes for a long time before it is finally diagnosed.

Risk Factors

Several factors can increase a person’s risk of developing diabetes. Examples include:

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• Overweight or obesity
• Unhealthy diet
• A waist measurement of 31.5 inches or more among women
• A waist measurement of more than 37 inches among men
• Low levels of physical activity
• Raised cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• South Asian ethnicity
• Smoking

A family history of diabetes also increases a person’s risk of developing the condition. Studies have shown that the offspring of families where one parent has diabetes have a 15% increased risk of developing the condition and that offspring born to two parents with diabetes have a 75% increased risk.

Complications of Type 2 Diabetes

The high blood glucose seen in diabetes can damage blood vessels, nerves, and organs, leading to a number of potential complications. Some examples of the complications caused by diabetes include the following:

Cardiovascular Disease

Persistently high blood glucose levels can lead to atherosclerosis, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. This includes narrowing and clogging of blood vessels with fatty plaques, which can disrupt blood flow to the heart and brain.

Nervous System Damage

Excess glucose in the blood can damage small blood vessels in the nerves, causing a tingling sensation or pain in the fingers, toes, and limbs. Nerves outside of the central nervous system may also be damaged, a condition known as peripheral neuropathy. If nerves of the gastrointestinal tract are affected, vomiting, constipation, and diarrhea may occur.

Diabetic Retinopathy

Damage to the retina may occur if tiny vessels in this tissue layer become blocked or leak. The light then fails to pass through the retina properly, which can cause vision loss.

Kidney Disease

Blockage and leakage of vessels in the kidneys can affect kidney function. This usually happens due to high blood pressure, and blood pressure management is an integral part of managing type 2 diabetes.

Foot Ulceration

Nerve damage in the feet can mean minor cuts are not felt or treated, leading to a foot ulcer developing. This happens to around 10% of people with diabetes.

Prevention, Treatment, and Care

Blood sugar should be regularly monitored to detect and treat any problems early. Treatment involves lifestyle changes such as eating a healthy and balanced diet and regular physical exercise. If lifestyle changes alone are not enough to regulate the blood glucose level, anti-diabetic medication in the form of tablets or injections may be prescribed. In some cases, people who have had type 2 diabetes for many years are eventually prescribed insulin injections.

Maintaining a healthy blood glucose level, blood pressure, and cholesterol is essential to preventing the complications of type 2 diabetes. Overweight or obese individuals with diabetes often significantly reduce the extent of their symptoms by making adjustments to their lifestyle.

Recent Therapeutic Advances

Maintaining a healthy blood glucose level, blood pressure, and cholesterol is essential to preventing the complications of type 2 diabetes. Recent advances in therapy include the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists, which have shown positive effects beyond glycemic control, such as weight loss and reduced cardiovascular mortality. These therapies represent a new era in diabetes treatment, impacting both metabolic control and cardiorenal complications.

Gut Microbiota and Type 2 Diabetes

The gut microbiota (GM), comprising trillions of microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract, plays a crucial role in the development of obesity and related metabolic disorders, such as type 2 diabetes. Studies show that GM dysbiosis is linked to increased energy extraction, altered metabolic pathways, and inflammation, contributing to obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes. The GM influences nutrient absorption, immune regulation, and energy metabolism.

Impact of Diet and Lifestyle

Dietary habits significantly influence GM composition and microbial metabolites that regulate host metabolism. A Western diet, rich in fat and sugar but low in fiber, is associated with GM dysbiosis. Conversely, adherence to a Mediterranean diet increases short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels, promoting metabolic health.

Microbial Diversity and Health

The human GM consists of approximately 100 trillion cells, with the highest diversity found in the colon. A diverse GM is rich in number and variety, playing a key role in maintaining metabolic health. Disruptions to GM diversity due to diet or medication can lead to metabolic diseases.

Emerging Therapies Targeting GM

Potential therapies targeting GM include dietary modification, prebiotics, probiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). These interventions aim to restore a healthy GM composition, improving metabolic health and reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Sources

1. NHS. “What Is Type 2 Diabetes?” NHS, NHS, 18 Aug. 2020, www.nhs.uk/conditions/type-2-diabetes/.
2. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. (2022, June 29). Overview | Type 2 diabetes in adults: management | Guidance | NICE. Nice.org.uk; NICE. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng28
3. http://www.diabetes.ca/files/Prediabetes-Fact-Sheet_CPG08.pdf (no longer active)
4. Diabetes UK. “Type 2 Diabetes.” Diabetes UK, Diabetes UK, 18 May 2023, www.diabetes.org.uk/diabetes-the-basics/types-of-diabetes/type-2.
5. “Type 2 Diabetes - Symptoms and Causes.” Mayo Clinic, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/type-2-diabetes/home/ovc-20169860.
6. Sasidharan Pillai, S., Gagnon, C. A., Foster, C., & Ashraf, A. P. Exploring the Gut Microbiota: Key Insights into Its Role in Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome, and Type 2 Diabetes. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. DOI:10.1210/clinem/dgae499, academic.oup.com/.../7718329?login=false
7. Diabetes mellitus—Progress and opportunities in the evolving epidemic Abel, E. Dale et al. Cell, Volume 187, Issue 15, 3789 - 3820, https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(24)00703-7

Further Reading

• All Type 2 Diabetes Content
• Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 Pathophysiology
• Type 2 Diabetes Symptoms
• Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis
• Type 2 Diabetes Screening and Prevention

More...

STRONG PUSH FACTOR FOR PROPERTY MARKET

 

Country’s higher economic growth a feel-good element that is spilling over to the sector

“Inflation levels are benign at about 2% and with the ringgit appreciating against currencies such as the Singapore and Australian dollar, it indicates increased confidence.” Datuk Ho Hon Sang

KUALA LUMPUR: The property market appears to have several strong push factors going for it in the bigger picture, although developers are by and large still cautious despite any broader positivity.

The Real Estate and Housing Developers’ Association of Malaysia’s (Rehda) Property Industry Survey reveals the market is stabilising, amid continued concerns on rising costs on key core cost components such as building materials.

Survey respondents said there was more than a 10% annual increase in the average price for sand, which is used mainly in infrastructure projects, glass and concrete; while costs for steel appear to have declined or tapered off as at June 30.

Unsold units are featured as among the key highlights in the results of this survey whereby half of its respondents reported having unsold completed residential units.

A third of these unsold completed residential units were more than three years old, while about half of them were less than a year old.

A majority or 46% of the survey’s respondents reported that their unsold completed units were priced at RM500,000 and below.

According to survey respondents, the main reasons for this situation were end-financing loan rejection, low demand or interest and bumiputra lots.

The survey, which was done for the first half of 2024 also includes forecasts based on the survey on the market outlook for the second half of this year and the first half of 2025.

It collated responses from 162 out of over 1,500 Rehda members.

According to Rehda president Datuk Ho Hon Sang, the survey only includes a small number of respondents among its larger count of members and does not reflect all launched projects or sales made within the period under review although it can indicate the sentiment on the ground.

“The higher than estimate economic growth thus far gives the country a feel-good factor which spills over to the property market as well.

“Inflation levels are benign at about 2% and with the ringgit appreciating against currencies such as the Singapore and Australian dollar, it indicates increased confidence.

“There are also huge infrastructure projects that are being announced such as the West Coast Expressway which will open up more economic areas,” Ho said at a media briefing yesterday.

“An example is data centres. From 2021 to 2023, there were more than RM76bil of investments into this area, which attracts the established multinational companies.

“This has a very feel-good factor for the property market – as data centres are not just a one-time capital expenditure but provides opportunities during the operations and maintenance period.

“For example, Microsoft has committed to training up to 200,000 talents to maintain DCs,” he added.

Apart from that, there is the stable government and the coming Urban Redevelopment Act that will be focused on the Kuala Lumpur area which will further spur economic activities.

“All these have a part to play in transforming and influencing the sentiment of the people,” said Ho.

Increased demand may also come from increased foreign participation in the property market, although Ho indicated the price threshold is different in the various states and may be too high in some to spur any meaningful foreign buying.

Commenting on the unsold residential units, Ho noted a third of unsold completed bumiputra lots have aged more than three years, which is an issue that the industry needs to address eventually.

“Developers are still treading carefully when it comes to their business operations, despite the improving industry conditions in terms of launches and sales,” he said.

Ho added that this is expected, given the increase in prices for some building materials, which have hit smaller developers harder than larger property development companies.

Rehda also notes that more environmental, social and governance-friendly construction practices such as pre-cast and industrial building systems will increase costs for smaller developers, although it would help to reduce costs for bigger developments.

“For pre-cast panels, the production is centralised and for developments such as high-rises which feature a standard design, it can help to reduce costs on higher volumes with a standard mould.

“For terrace houses with standardised designs, it would be okay but for customised designs it would be difficult for the pre-cast suppliers to do.

“So most developers would still prefer the conventional building style (traditional construction methods) for landed properties.

“But the bigger developers are proceeding with using pre-cast panels even for their landed developments,” Rehda’s deputy-president Datuk Zaini Yusoff told StarBiz.

Zaini said bigger developers usually have their own in house pre-cast manufacturing capabilities.

Commenting on this new construction technology, Ho said it can increase costs for some developers by up to 10% to 15% based on feedback from Rehda’s members.

“This includes transportation costs from the pre-cast plant to the construction site as these costs (diesel) have gone up now and the deployment of skilled labour, since one cannot use normal manual labour to put these together.

“These causes the cost increase,” Ho said.

The survey also indicated that for the next 12 months, respondents look forward to higher optimism for the first half of 2025 compared with the second half of this year.

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Property market and affordability

Property sales hit fresh record RM196.8 bil in 2023, Growth momentum set to continue

Growth momentum set to continue

Bright future ahead for Malaysian properties

Is real estate still a viable investment asset?RRe

Gen Z highly recommends culture connotation behind ‘Black Myth: Wukong’ to overseas (Z世代向海外大力推薦《黑神話：悟空》背後的文化內涵孫悟空西遊記大戰妖怪)

西游记Journey To the West

A woman takes a photo of a screen showing Black Myth: Wukong at an electronics market in Shanghai on August 20, 2024. Photo: VCG

One day before China's 3A game Black Myth: Wukong was released, Chinese content creator "Gray" wrote a post on Reddit, introducing the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, the game's main source of inspiration. With a compelling description in well-written English, the post garnered 70,000 views within 15 hours, even though the official release had not yet taken place at that time.

"My English proficiency is decent, and I hope to contribute my modest efforts to break down some cultural barriers, allowing more international players to experience our Chinese culture through this game," Gray told the Global Times.

Days after Black Myth: Wukong was released and gained global popularity, game enthusiast Ye Yi excitedly commented on various YouTube videos after completing the game. She briefly introduces Journey to the West in her not-so-fluent language, and enthusiastically shares the gorgeous Chinese elements behind this trending game.

"My English is very bad, but I really want to recommend the game and related Chinese culture to more people overseas," Ye said to the Global Times. "I just feel so proud."

Gray and Ye are among an increasing number of young Chinese voluntarily promoting Black Myth: Wukong on international social media platforms, while also introducing and explaining the profound traditional Chinese culture behind the game.

With the growing popularity of the game among global players, many young people, especially those in the West, are for the first time getting closer to and marveling at ancient Chinese mythological classics, historical sites, and folk music through the game. Seeing a growing number of overseas posts requesting more in-depth explanations of these elements, many Chinese game and traditional culture lovers actively share and spread these Chinese treasures to the world with pride.

Enthusiasts spontaneously promoting games like Black Myth: Wukong overseas, are a manifestation of growing confidence in Chinese culture, said senior game producer Mei Bo, who is also the founder of a company that offers venture capital and strategic consulting services for gaming startups.

"With the continued emergence of successful cases including Black Myth: Wukong, more investment and resources will focus on the Chinese gaming industry," Mei told the Global Times. "That not only drives the development of China's gaming sector, but also allows traditional Chinese culture to reach the world through this new, modern medium."、

Gray explains the post he wrote to introduce Journey to the West. (Photo: Courtesy of Gray)

'It helps a lot'

So far, Gray's post introducing Journey to the West has had more than 700,000 views on Reddit. In the 700-word post, he briefly explained the book's background, main plot, major characters, and the connection between the book and the game.

Gray decided to write the post after he saw some comments on overseas platforms complaining that Black Myth: Wukong is not very friendly to non-Chinese players. He used the example of a review from a large gaming website, which critiqued that the story in the game assumes its players have knowledge of Journey to the West, and it is tough to follow without it. 

"There were also many players who said they were quite interested in the game, but were afraid they would be unable to fully experience the wonder of the content, because of their lack of understanding of Chinese culture," Gray recalled. "The game's localization is actually not bad, but the cultural barriers do exist, making it difficult for international players to understand the deeper cultural connotations behind its story and characters."

Gray, a 27-year-old doctor of pharmacy, has been working as a content creator in video games in English for years, sharing English expressions of game terms and related background information with Chinese netizens. With rich experience in cross-cultural communication in the gaming industry, he knows how to introduce Journey to the West to overseas audiences in a more easily acceptable way.

"The novel is a mix of myth, folklore, and religious elements, and it has had a profound impact on Chinese culture and literature," wrote Gray in his post. He added that the story follows the journey of a monk Master Xuanzang from the Tang Dynasty (618-907), who is tasked with traveling to present-day India to retrieve sacred Buddhist scriptures.

In the post, he explained the names of the book's main characters in three ways: Chinese characters, pinyin, and literal or current mainstream translations of the names. 

"Thank you for explaining everything, it helps a lot! I really look forward to playing Black Myth: Wukong," one user wrote. "Danke ('Thank you' in German), what an opportunity, our thoughts are traveling east, to bring this cornucopia to the west," wrote another. "Indeed, (it's) 'the journey to the East' for us westerners."

Within weeks, Black Myth: Wukong has become one of the most popular games around the world this summer. It took the top spot on the Steam Deck Top Played chart between August 5 and September 3, according to data from Game Rant. The game has been a common topic among numerous YouTube and TikTok vloggers in recent days, particularly gaming content creators.

Young participants join the "Traveling in Shanxi with Black Myth: Wukong"cultural tour, which was launched in Taiyuan, the capital of Shanxi, on August 22 Photo: IC

'Precious thing is ours'
In the second chapter of the game, a headless Buddha named "Lingji" performing Shanbei storytelling, a form of folk song art from Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, has gone viral online with a unique vocal style and rhythmic music. Many gaming vloggers have praised it, using it as their ringtone, and even attempting to cover the song.

But soon after, some overseas content creators started to mention the British Museum when discussing this folk song. They believed that "Bodhisattva Lingji" is headless because many Buddha relics in China were looted by foreign invaders more a century ago, and are now housed in the British Museum. 

A few Chinese players first linked the fictional narrative in the game to real-world issues, and spread that on overseas social media. Later, more and more international players joined in, calling for the British Museum to return the "looted" global cultural relics, including those from China.

It's worth noting that "Bodhisattva Lingji" is actually a fictional character in Journey to the West; no reliable historical documents or archaeological findings prove that he existed in reality, reported the Xinhua News Agency. And the game's producer, Chinese company Game Science, has not responded to questions about the metaphor. However, this incident resonated with many Chinese players, who started to feel that games could help international players to know more about China's historical and cultural treasures, including their highlights and probable tragic stories.

The shortage of understanding about Chinese culture has also led to many misunderstandings. Gray mentioned that many overseas vloggers wrongly said the character Sun Wukong in the game is based on "Son Goku" from Japanese manga Dragon Ball. They didn't know that Dragon Ball was actually inspired by China's Journey to the West.

"I saw some Indians say Wukong is from their country, and I was very angry about that," she told the Global Times. Under that post, Ye, along with other Chinese users, replied that Sun Wukong is originally from the 2,000-year-old The Classic of Mountains and Seas, a foundation of the traditional Chinese mythology system.

Ye represents numerous ordinary Gen Z Chinese players who have a deep love for the traditional culture of their motherland, and are now bursting forth with unprecedented cultural confidence and enthusiasm with the global popularity of Black Myth: Wukong. They can't wait to tell the world that "this precious thing is ours."

"I feel so proud," said Ye. "French history, Norse mythology, the Wars of the Roses... It is not an exaggeration to say, I knew these foreign histories and cultures all through video games. Now, it's our turn to export our Chinese culture in such a new form."

"The trend of Chinese games going global has become increasingly prominent. With the continuous maturation and development of the domestic gaming industry, more and more high-quality games are making their way to the global market," Mei said.

"Meanwhile, the enhancement of cultural confidence enables Chinese game developers to actively add more traditional cultural elements into their works," he added. "They start to find that, these elements not only attract Chinese players, but also spark strong interest overseas."

Buddha statues inside the Xiao Xi Tian Temple, a historical site from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), in Xixian county, North China's Shanxi Province Photo: Li Hao/GT

Complement each other

Black Myth: Wukong is not the first Chinese game to make an impact overseas. Before it, games such as Genshin Impact by miHoYo, Naraka: Bladepoint by NetEase, Whiteout Survival by Century Games, and PUBG Mobile by Tencent, also attracted overseas players.

Genshin Impact, for instance, aroused the curiosity and interest of Western players with its rich Chinese elements. Gray recalled that there was a female character performing Peking Opera in this game, "and many of my international friends asked, 'what is she doing?' - they did not know about such a traditional Chinese opera style," he said. "This performance was quite fresh to many people overseas, and they were naturally attracted and wanted to learn more about it."

Chinese games and their players complement each other, said Mei. Good games attract domestic players to voluntarily share information in gaming communities, and their spontaneous recommendations improve the games' reputation and help promote its overseas spread. "Like Genshin Impact, its success in Western markets is largely due to its active player communities and the word-of-mouth effect," he said.

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Rise of the monkey king: Black Myth: Wukong

  

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 Some Western media politicize every Chinese achievement, even 'Black Myth: Wukong'

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Big demand for childcare

 

Sim Daycare, Jalan Sungai Dua, 11700 Penang

SIM Sungai Dua

 

Contact Person: Ms. Lim. Phone Number: 04-659 2998 / 017-216 2998. Address: 746, Jalan Sungai Dua, 11700 Gelugor, Penang.

Exercising caution: Enrolling children in registered childcare centres reduces the risk of negligence or abuse. — CHAN BOON KAI/The Star

BUKIT MERTAJAM: Kindergartens and nursery centres have continued to thrive in Penang – despite the hassle of getting the necessary licence to operate.

An operator of a kindergarten near Alma here, who wanted to be known only as Joo, went through the whole rigmarole to set up an adjacent childcare centre, which is expected to be up and running in a couple of months, almost a year after the process began.

After spending RM200,000 to convert a house into the intended childcare centre, there was red tape to contend with, she said.

“The whole process included engaging an architect to draw up the plan as well as submissions for various permits from the Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP), Fire and Rescue Department, Education Department and Social Welfare Department, which all have their own sets of rules.“The application to MBSP itself took about 100 days to complete,” she added.

Then, all her staff were required to undergo a mandatory three-month Permata Childcare Course. It cost her about RM1,000 for each staff member.

“In total, I spent between RM400,000 and RM500,000 to set up this centre. It would have cost me less if not for the delay in getting the licence,” she said in an interview yesterday.

Joo’s kindergarten has been running for the past 15 years, providing preschool education to some 60 children.

“Operating the childcare centre legally is for the long term and I don’t want to worry about it being shut down by the authorities.

“Parents, too, will be more confident about entrusting us with their children,” she said.

Joo said everything at the centre would be above board and adhere to regulations.

Another operator, who preferred not to be named, said it took her almost 10 years to get a licence to operate a kindergarten here.“When I took over the kindergarten from the previous owner in 2006, I did not know it did not have a permit to operate.

“I then halted operations and filed an application to the relevant authorities. I only managed to get the permit in 2016,” she said.Under the Penang Care Centre Registration Guidelines enforced since 2021, the council allows for a maximum of seven kindergartens, nurseries or childcare centres within a 400m radius on the island while nine of them (three each) are allowed within a 250m radius on the mainland.

It was reported that 63 nurseries, 34 childcare centres (taska) and 100 kindergartens were still operating illegally in Penang.State social development, welfare and non-Islamic religious affairs committee chairman Lim Siew Khim said although Penang had made various efforts to legalise them since 2017, including fee waivers and discount rates to encourage operators to submit their applications, many persisted in operating without a licence.

She said the Social Welfare Department had since issued a notice to limit enrolment of children until the centre could get mandatory certifications from the relevant agencies.

However, out of concern for the wellbeing of the children and their parents, the state still hoped that these unlicensed operators would be spared from being fined or closed down, Lim added.

Last Sunday, the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry advised parents and guardians to ensure their children were enrolled in taska registered with the Social Welfare Department to prevent incidents of negligence, abandonment or abuse.It said these childcare centres were regularly monitored and inspected by the department.

It also said the registration of childcare centres includes a requirement that each caregiver holds a Certificate in Permata Care Course, as well as proactive measures to protect children from potential harm in these facilities.

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The Government aims to have a workforce comprising at least 59% of women by 2020. To do that, we must have more registered childcare centres to cater to these women’s children, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim said. On Aug 14, Sunday Star reported that Malaysia is far from its target of having 13,200 registered childcare centres by 2020. Currently, there are not enough centres to cater to 3.2 million children under the age of four whose parents are in need of these services.

Some US politicians push new wave of anti-China McCarthyism with lies

Ex-CIA director Pompeo: 'We lied, we cheated, we stole'

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo: "I was the CIA director. We lied, we cheated, we stole. We had entire training courses. It reminds you of the glory of the American experiment." - Pompeo said this at an event at Texas A&M University on April 15, 2019. Here is the official State Department transcript: https://www.state.gov/secretary/remar..

Illustration: Chen Xia/GT

When the heads of CIA and MI6 appeared together publicly for the first time in their 77-year intelligence-sharing partnership over the weekend, they warned of an "unprecedented array of threats." Surprise, surprise, China is included. Immediately following that, reports indicate that the US House may vote this week on more than two dozen China-related bills aimed at addressing the alleged national and economic security threats posed by Beijing. The "masters of deception" are once again orchestrating and fueling a new wave of anti-China McCarthyism. 

On Saturday local time, CIA Director Bill Burns and MI6 Chief Richard Moore made an unprecedented joint public appearance at the Financial Times Weekend Festival in London. They stressed that the global order is under threat, and after discussing some regional conflicts, they expressed a continued need to focus their attention on China. On the same day, they also published a jointly authored commentary article, articulating that for both the CIA and MI6, "the rise of China is the principal intelligence and geopolitical challenge of the 21st century."

The CIA and MI6, known for being among the world's largest sources of misinformation and disinformation, clearly will not stop fabricating lies to stir up tensions. The reason is simple: If the world were peaceful and stable, they would be among the first to face job losses. They would lose their grip on a fractured international landscape and miss out on the profits they make from ongoing chaos.

"I was the CIA director. We lied, we cheated, we stole ... We had entire training courses. It reminds you of the glory of the American experiment." This is a line from a speech by former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo in 2019. The intelligence agencies of the US and its allies have long been the hidden hands behind American hegemony, orchestrating wars, coups, and fabricating lies to further their objectives. Now, with China's rise, these agencies have turned their attention to hyping up the "China threat."

How has China's rise become a threat? Even the US cannot provide a credible example to support this claim. The truth is that China is focusing on addressing pressing global challenges, from pursuing green transformation to mediating the ongoing conflicts between Russia and Ukraine and that in the Middle East, which are being prolonged and exacerbated by Western interventions.

China has consistently stressed that both China and the US can achieve mutual prosperity and peaceful coexistence. However, this idea seems almost inconceivable within the toxic political environment in the US. 

Some American politicians are gearing up to pursue "decoupling" to the fullest extent. Take the US House, for example. It is set to kick start "China week" with fast-track approval of a slew of China-related bills, beginning on Monday, "to be aggressive in confronting the threat that China poses." 

The bills include The End Chinese Dominance of Electric Vehicles Act; a ban to stop China from purchasing US farmland; DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act. The series of bills are largely rooted in unfounded accusations and baseless fears. In US politics, truth has become irrelevant, and lies have become the norm. Much of US political focus on China is based on falsehoods. 

What US lawmakers should be focusing on are domestic issues and approaches for advancing economic development. Hyping disinformation, such as the "China threat," won't fix US' own issues or reinforce American hegemony. Promoting a rational and pragmatic China policy is the option that best serves US long-term interests. A mutually beneficial outcome can only be realized through dialogue and cooperation, rather than confrontation and hostility.

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'We lied, we cheated, we stole', ‘the Glory of American experiment’ by US Secretary of State/Ex-CIA director Mike Pompeo