General

Pinterest has become the first major platform to ban all weight loss ads that idealise or shame body types, after a research by the National Eating Disorders Association showed that unhealthy eating habits are linked to social media. Shawn Tanis tells us more.

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Health Minister Dr Adham Baba revealed that 33% among B40 recipients of the Skim Peduli Kesihatan scheme have been diagnosed with chronic diseases. We look into why these illnesses are prevalent in the community, and how healthcare can be made more accessible.

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Working long hours at home with poor posture has led to pain being a dominant complaint during this pandemic. With consultant orthopaedic surgeon Dr Rajesh Singh, we explore the structural and biological basis of posture-related aches and pains, for a deeper understanding of what we can do at home, as well as with a physiotherapist.

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Following the end of World War 2 up until the 60s, three dozen new states in Asia and Africa achieved autonomy and independence from their European colonial rulers. Many consider this as the end of European Colonialism. But is that really true? Or are we still colonised today… only in different ways?

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 In the first five months of the year, 468 suicide cases were reported across the country, compared to 631 cases reported in the whole of 2020. As people continue to grapple with the prolonged social isolation and financial uncertainties amidst the COVID-19 situation, what toll is this taking on people’s mental health, and is this contributing to a rise in suicidal ideation? We speak to Justin Victor, Chairman of Befrienders KL as well as Anita Abu Bakar, President of the Mental Illness Awareness & Support Association or MIASA, to discuss the impact of the pandemic on rising suicide cases and the role of helplines in lending an ear to those who need it most.  

If you would like to speak to someone, you can contact:

- Befrienders: 03-76272929 (or email them at [email protected]), 24/7 hotline

- Mercy Malaysia's Psychological First Aid (PFA) Hotline: 03-29359935

    - 8.00AM - 5.00PM from Mondays to Fridays

    - 8.00AM - 1.00PM on Saturdays

- Mental Health Psychosocial Support Service (MHPSS): 03-29359935 or 014-3223392

- Talian Kasih: 15999, or WhatsApp 019-2615999

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A web-based application to crowdsource and centralise white flag reports nationwide has been created by a team of computer science students.

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Businesses welcome the targeted aid announced under the fourth Prihatin Special Grant (GKP 4.0), with many looking forward to the National Recovery Plan entering Phase Two in Penang.

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Under the National Recovery Plan, the Nail Industry (Pedicure & Manicure) is listed as one of the three high-risk industries together with spas and pubs. The Malaysian Association of Nail Industry (MANI) insists the high-risk classification is inaccurate, adding that most nail salons and suppliers may not survive the wait for Phase 4 to reopen.

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While some employers argue that employees shouldn’t be too surprised if they are “let go” during this pandemic, others recognise the need to be more empathetic than ever when dealing with retrenchments and layoffs during this time. We discuss the best practices when designing and executing job cuts, as well as what organisations can do to support exiting employees, as well as the ones who survive the cut.

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It’s written on their website that companies can now “Work smart with HAUZ and monitor your entire remote workforce from anywhere at anytime!” HAUZ is an online platform that helps organisations streamline their workforce management process and as well as monitor their employees. Shah Fariq Aizal Sha Ghazni and Diyan Ho, the co-founders, discuss the potential Hauz has in workplace management.

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