General

Being diagnosed with asthma, but brushing off its significance, is a common narrative you hear among people with the condition. But with a prevalence of up to 15% among adults, asthma is one of the non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that presents a heavy burden to the healthcare system and to society. In this episode of NCD Chronicles, Sharizal Shaarani shares his experience of living with asthma, and how he only learned to manage it years after the initial diagnosis. We also speak to consultant respiratory physician Dr Helmy Haja Mydin to explore the gaps in patients’ perception of asthma and what should go into improving management of the disease at the primary care level. 

NCD Chronicles is a series about people living with NCDs, going beyond the diagnosis to explore their personal experiences, their challenges, as well as the impact of their health condition on their loved ones. These stories reveal the importance of understanding the unique struggles and needs of the individuals behind the disease, in our response to the NCD epidemic.

Image credit: Shutterstock

For this month's roundup of environmental news with Macaranga, co-founders Wong Siew Lyn and Law Yao Hua first discuss the Perak state government's decision to go ahead with the lanthanide mining pilot project in Gerik, Hulu Perak, and how the state government hopes to address environmental concerns over the project, before turning our attention to some new research by Coralku, which monitored coral tree nurseries for 414 days, and among other things, found that the most common species used for coral restoration in Malaysia was the worse candidate. Looking forward to September, we discuss the significance of International Day of Clean Air for blue skies on the 7th of September, whose theme this year is “The Air We Share” which focuses on the transboundary nature of air pollution, stressing the need for collective accountability and action.

YBhg Tan Sri Dato’ Dr. Salleh bin Haji Mohd Nor has spent the better part of his life protecting Malaysia's natural capital. With a long illustrious career to his name – including as the first director-general of the Forest Institute of Malaysia (FRIM), and the president of the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) for 30 years – he is an outspoken and highly respected conservationist, unafraid to challenge projects detrimental to the environment. He was instrumental in achieving the gazettement of Endau Rompin and Belum as National and State parks respectively, and also in getting the Kota Damansara Forest protected from development. Ahead of Merdeka, we speak to this national treasure about his ongoing work in protecting what's left of our natural environment, and how we can strike a balance between economic and environmental sustainability.

Image credit: Wikipedia

YB Kasthuri Patto is a member of the DAP and has been serving the Batu Kawan constituency as an MP since 2013. She's also the only Indian woman in Parliament. She joins us on the show to share why she chose to become a politician, what it feels like to be the only Indian woman elected as an MP, and more. 

Image credit: Flickr / Stortinget

官商勾结后再违规营建，印度首都卫星城市——诺伊达（Noida）的『超科技双子塔大楼（Supertech twin towers）』，经过一番司法程序，最终仍以爆破拆除被夷为平地。透过这起非法建案，马来西亚蓬勃发展的房地产建筑工程领域，又能作何反思？近年来，借一带一路之势，中方沿着东南亚区域，在各个方面与周边国家互通有无。

在这其中，不乏房地产开发投资，且所及之处都是超大规模建案，动辄数十载才能完工。然而，与邻国新加坡一桥之隔、遥岸相望的柔佛州，已经接连传出中资建案交付房产后「货不对板」的恶劣问题。尽管这是资本市场的纠纷；不过，当局能否也开始思考：采取一定程度的干预监督，以把控品质与安全？

As we move into the modern age of marketing, do traditional methods such as billboards and print ads still have a place in selling a product or service? Digital marketing has started to gain traction as people discover the power of connectivity and granular data that it offers. We speak to Anna Loi, co-founder of Good & Honest Co to understand the importance of digital marketing and how it can help businesses reach out to their target audiences.

Image Credit: Shutterstock | PopTika

Maybe you’ve just graduated, or maybe you’ve been working for decades, or maybe you’re entirely self employed - but all of us know of the nerves and jitters that come with starting a new job, especially if it’s your very first one. How do you enter a new situation like this with confidence? I’m joined today by Matthew Raj Adam, content creator & special projects partner at Leaderonomics, to discuss that.

Image Credit: Shutterstock | woocat

In conjunction with Merdeka week, we’ll be speaking to local family businesses that thrived for generations. Chai Huat Hin was established back in 1972 selling dried seafood and traditional oriental groceries. In 2016, with the help of the founder’s granddaughter Lana Ng, they have leveled up by opening the doors to digitalisation. She shares the challenges at the initial stages of digitalisation and the success of being able to reach a younger audience, with a mission to keep the family tradition alive. 

Image Credit: Chai Huat Hin Trading Facebook Page

Last week the Federal Court dismissed the appeal of former Prime Minister Dato' Sri Najib Razak, upholding his conviction and sentence in the SRC International trial. We speak to SCMP correspondent Hadi Azmi about his observations during the trial as well as the ramifications of the court decision for Najib Razak and UMNO.

Image credit: EPA-EFE

The Selangor Aviation Show 2022 will take place from Sept 8 to 10, 2022 at the Subang RAC Skypark, Selangor. This is the second edition of the annual event that brings together global aviation players at one venue. Major companies participating include Brazil's Embraer and France's Dassault Aviation. Invest Selangor CEO Dato' Hasan Azhari Idris talks about what to expect this time around. For more info, visit www.selangoraviationshow.com