Digest on Malaysian News

Dr Chua Soi Lek, MCA deputy president suggested that the Health Ministry should accept tests done by Singapore laboratories for melamine content on locally manufactured biscuits as the results are faster.

Stating that the five laboratories in the country could not cope with the needs of the industry and it took weeks to obtain the test results but only two days in Singapore.

Read also Melamine Testings Too Slow

Local biscuit manufacturers here have to wait for the results before getting clearance to export their biscuits. Before the melamine scare in China, the industry exported RM600mil worth of biscuits per year while the domestic market was about one to two times more.

Due to the melamine scare, the export market dropped by 50% while domestic consumption is also down by 30% to 40%.

A tiny island of Singapore can produced the test results in two days so why it takes at least two weeks in Malaysia ? This proved again that Malaysia have first world facilities but third world workers. Read: too many laboratories staff shaking their legs or too many of them doesn't know how to operate the melamine testing equipments.

From TheStar
Soi Lek: Accept Singapore melamine tests

By NG SI HOOI

KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry should accept tests done by Singapore laboratories for melamine content on locally manufactured biscuits as the results are faster, said MCA deputy president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek.

Stating that the five laboratories in the country could not cope with the needs of the industry, he added that it took two weeks to obtain the test results but only two days in Singapore.

“The manufacturers here have to wait for the results before getting clearance to export their biscuits,” he told reporters at Wisma MCA here yesterday.

Dr Chua, the party government policy monitoring bureau chief, said the industry players met him last week to discuss their problems.

Before the melamine scare in China, he said the industry exported RM600mil worth of biscuits per year while the domestic market was about one to two times more.

“The export market dropped by 50% while domestic consumption is also down by 30% to 40%,” he said, adding that if this continued manufacturers wouldn’t be able to service their bank loans.

Dr Chua added that he discussed the issue with Health Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai last Tuesday.

He said if tested biscuits had high content of melamine, they should be recalled and the ministry should announce the manufacturers’ names to protect the safety of consumers.

Liow said the ministry would accept melamine-content tests conducted by Singapore laboratories provided it was through the liquid chromatography double mass (LCMSMS) method that measures content by parts per million.

The laboratories should also be recognised by the Singapore government, he said, adding that the ministry would also consider laboratories using the GCMS (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) method.

“Most of the laboratories in the country have the equipment for the GCMS method,” he said, adding that the ministry had sought the Higher Education Ministry’s help to speed up tests by using laboratories at universities.

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This post is about Malaysia medical quandary whereby the government hospitals and clinics may be equipped with the latest medical equipments and stocked with the latest medicines and drug but manned with unmotivated staffs. Yup, another case of "First class infrastructure, third world mentality".

Private hospitals and medical institutions meanwhile have the same equipments and medicines standard with the government hospitals and clinics. On top of that, private hospitals are manned by professional medical practitioners and surgeons. However, those private hospitals charges cost an arm and a leg for most patients. One piece of band-aid cost RM1.50. Satu ketul panadol harga RM2.00. You get the picture.

So, if you are a lower-class to medium-class Malaysian, you would want to go to government hospital for cheaper treatment but the doctors there may take their sweet time to diagnose your sickness. By the time they found the actual sickness, you would probably be 6 feet under. On the other hand, you would want to go to the private hospital for first-class treatment. The doctors there could pin-point your actual sickness on the spot and you probably be fixed to normal in no time, but the charges could also cost you your limbs and make you broke. Maybe those doctors pakat with AhLong and make patients hutang from AhLong.

Of course, all the while private hospitals charges the amount that make them good profit because they still have the demand from upper-class Malaysian (including rich politicians) and those with medical-insurance. In fact, some government officials from certain departments also enjoyed the privileges of getting treatment from private specialist and hospitals. After all, regardless of the cost, the medical bills are paid by the government.

As for the poor Malaysia, you could only queue silently at the government hospitals to get your treatment. That is if the doctors there give you the right treatment.

Related post:
* Is there any doctor in the house




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Extracted from: thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/4/16/nation/20965190&sec=nation (Apr 16, 2008)

Health Ministry to check on private hospital charges deemed excessive

By ELIZABETH LOOI

PETALING JAYA: The Health Ministry will review private hospitals' charges for room, equipment and medicine, which many have said are excessive.

Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said he would instruct the director-general to set up a committee to conduct a thorough study on the issue of private hospitals' fees.

He said the ministry had a mechanism to control the charges under the Private Hospital Act and that currently only doctors’ fees were regulated.

He also said he would meet the Malaysian Medical Association, Association of Private Hospitals of Malaysia and consumers associations to get their feedback.

“When I say that the ministry will review the fees, it does not mean that we want to limit the hospital fees,” Liow said.

“Don’t get me wrong, but there are some hospitals that are reasonable with their charges because of their five-star-quality services, but some are exorbitant.”

Liow also said the Government only regulated certain charges and that it would not be easy to regulate all the charges as some patients preferred to stay in luxurious rooms.

He urged the public to complain to the ministry if they were not satisfied with their hospital bills.

“I will set up an avenue for the public to lodge complaints and I will make sure that there is a proper mechanism to address the problem,” he said.

MCA Public Services and Complaints Department chief Datuk Michael Chong said he often received requests from patients for his help to appeal to hospitals to reduce charges.

He said some of the cases involved RM20,000 to RM50,000, especially surgery cases.

“I advise patients to demand itemised billing from hospitals, so they can dispute the charges if they feel that they are unreasonable,” he said.

However, he said patients who requested for extra services such as deluxe rooms should not complain about the extra charges.

National Consumer Complaints Centre director Darshan Singh said the review was a timely move as medical bills have been escalating.

“The prices are inflating and this is also probably because of involvement of insurance companies,” he said.

Muslim Consumers Association project director Noor Nirwandy Mat Noordin lauded the ministry’s plan and said private hospitals should have some social obligations.

“Some of their profit must go back to society through discounts,” he said.

Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), the gateway icon of Malaysia has been winning multiple awards for various category, The next award that they are going to win is the inferior security award.

Azmi Murad, the GM of Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd dismissed police statement saying that the CCTVs that monitor the driveway at the departure hall where the recent armed robbery occurred was switch off. Azmi claimed that those CCTVs was never switch off but he revealed that the CCTVs does not have recording functions.

For an international class airport like KLIA, a major entry point for foreigners, the icon of Barisan Nasional and winning various international awards, KLIA security must be level with international standard. Security equipment must be first class. The security staffs mentality must also be of first class.

I am beginning to speculate that there could be a scandal involving the tender to supply and install those CCTVs. The original tender could call for all CCTVs to have recording functions but when it come to actual delivery, "some" of the CCTVs is just for normal surveillance without record capability. Mmmm ... possible covered corruption.

Related post:
* Incompetency of Malaysia Airport Bhd security team

Extracted from: nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Saturday/National/2211405/Article/index_html (Apr 11, 2008)

Not all cameras at KLIA have recording mode

KUALA LUMPUR: Only 30 per cent of closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV) at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) have recording functions.
The rest are only for surveillance purposes, said Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd (MAHB) senior general manager Datuk Azmi Murad.

He said CCTVs with recording functions were only installed at high security areas within the terminal.

Public areas or low-risk areas, such as the driveway outside the departure hall where the shoot-out took place, were only equipped with surveillance cameras without recording functions.

Azmi stressed that all cameras are switched on for 24 hours.
"Since the shoot-out occurred outside the terminal, the surveillance CCTVs at the area did not have any recordings," he said.

He said all these details were also explained to police.

Azmi said all the CCTVs were in working order and none were switched off on the day of the incident.

He was responding to Federal Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Mohd Bakri Zinin's claim that the CCTVs were switched off and were only turned on after the incident.

Asked whether MAHB plans to upgrade its surveillance cameras in view of the incident, Azmi declined comment.

Meanwhile, Transport Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat said he would meet Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan to discuss security at the airport.

Initially I thought this is just another case of serious crime occured at a public place. Never mind, the location of the crime (i.e at glamorous Kuala Lumpur International Airport) since crimes can strike anywhere and anytime.

The sore issue that I want to highlight here is the fact that the multi-million Ringgit CCTVs system installed at the airport serve no purpose at all. It was reported that where the crime occurred was monitored by CCTVs but it were not switched on during the incident. Some how, those CCTVs were only switch on after the robber fled the scene with their loots.

The police could only suspect that those monitoring the CCTVs could be involved (pakat) with the robbers or on the other hand those monitoring the CCTVs are really dumb incompetent.

As such, this incident only add on to the list of Malaysian incompetency. The entire security team that monitor those CCTVs should be sack including their chief security officer. KLIA is a public place and also a major point of entry for foreigners coming to Malaysia and with the lack of security, how would Malaysian and visitors feel safe.

Malaysia Airport Holding Bhd, the company that operates KLIA mentioned that it was not a security breach. Tahi lembu. It is a security breach if the CCTVs was there but not switch on. Yes, another case of "First class infrastructure, third world mentality".

Related post:
* Slack security in KLIA

Extracted from: nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Friday/Frontpage/2210531/Article/index_html (Apr 11, 2008)

KLIA Heist: CCTVs not switched on during shoot-out


KUALA LUMPUR: The closed-circuit television cameras outside the Kuala Lumpur International Airport departure hall were not switched on during the shoot-out.
And it was also revealed that the off-duty policeman, who was initially thought to have been caught in the crossfire, was involved in the shoot-out with the gunmen.

The policeman, however, was hit twice and his police-issued semi-automatic pistol was taken by the gunmen.

Federal Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk Mohd Bakri Zinin said checks showed the CCTVs were switched on again after the five-minute shoot-out.

"It has hampered police investigations. We were hoping that the footages from the CCTVs could have provided us with information about the gunmen," Bakri said.
"What's the point of having CCTVs if they are not switched on? It is not for decorative purposes."

Bakri declined to elaborate on the matter but said police were working on several leads, including photofits of the suspects, based on eye-witness accounts.

"We believe that at least two of the gunmen were injured in the shoot-out. We are on the lookout for those seeking treatment for gunshot wounds."

Police are pulling out files on Indian gangs who were linked to similar robberies in the past as the gunmen who shot the moneychangers on Wednesday were said to be of dark complexion and had shouted instructions in Tamil.

The gunmen were believed to have escaped in two four-wheel drives, believed to be a BMW and a Toyota Hilux. Until press time, no arrests have been made, nor have the vehicles been spotted.

Bakri did not discount the possibility that the robbery was an inside job as very few people knew of the moneychangers' movements on Wednesday.

Malaysia Airports Berhad senior general manager (operations) Da-tuk Azmi Murad refused to comment on the CCTVs.

"This is a police case. Let the police comment on this," he said, adding that it was helping police in the investigations.

When pressed further, he said the CCTVs were operated by it.

Two CCTVs are visible at the driveway outside the departure hall.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Extracted from: nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Friday/Letters/2209764/Article/index_html (Apr 11, 2008

Airport shoot-out: Tighten security at KLIA

By : WILLIAM DENNIS, Subang Jaya

THE attack on moneychangers at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Wednesday ("Shoot-out at KLIA" -- NST, April 10) is a reminder to the police and government agencies that security at the airport needs to be stepped up.
For a start, the no-waiting and no-parking rules outside the arrival and departure halls at the airport must be enforced.

This is one way to prevent undesirable elements, including touts, from hanging about in the area.

The use of the drop-off point for travellers arriving in taxis should be restricted to that class of public transport.

At present, it is used by all kinds of transport vehicles. Private vehicles dropping off people should do so only at (other) designated areas.
Private vehicles should not be allowed to use the pick-up point for taxis.

Motorists park where they please at the KLIA and at the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal. This has been a major problem since the opening of KLIA and LCCT.

As a frequent traveller, I have noticed that the problem is getting worse by the day.

The police and Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) security should also consider restrictions on those entering the check-in terminal. Perhaps only air travellers should be allowed in.

Security personnel should check the passenger's ticket against his passport at the entrance to the departure hall: no air ticket, no entry.

This may sound drastic but many airports, including those in the Philippines and China, have implemented this.

Implementing this at KLIA is likely to see the need for an increased workforce, hence an increase in security costs, but prevention is better than cure.

Put the additional cost on the traveller as a security charge but ensure that security is stepped up and that the airport is safe for travellers and workers.

On Tuesday, a passenger bound for Dhaka passed through security at KLIA with a fruit knife and boarded his flight. This is a breach of security. The following day, the robbery took place.

For two serious incidents to take place at the airport on consecutive days prompts me to ask: what next?

The robbery on Wednesday has not only tarnished the image of the airport but also that of the country. Let's hope the security cameras at the airport were functioning at the time of the robbery for the police and MAHB security division to view.

Kuala Lumpur International Airport despite winning so many awards previously has been reported to have a lapsed in security (read: not security breach) when a Bangladeshi passenger was found to have smuggled a knife, a dangerous weapon and banned item.

The Transport Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat is right when he blamed it on Malaysia Airport Bhd incompetency. Not so much on the system or procedure but the people (from security to management) who are suppose to watch and control over security matters at the airport.

This is yet another typical case of Malaysian syndrome of "First class infrastructure, third world mentality".

Related news:
* 6 hurt in KLIA shootout, robbers get away with RM3.5m

Extracted from: thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/4/10/nation/20080410163142&sec=nation (Apr 10, 2008)

MAB suspends three workers in fruit knife incident

By ROYCE CHEAH and AMANDA CHRISTI

KUALA LUMPUR: Three Malaysia Airport Bhd (MAB) workers have been suspended in connection with the incident of a Bangladeshi passenger who managed to sneak a fruit knife onto a GMG Airlines flight.

The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, caused panic among passengers and the Bangladeshi plane that was travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Dhaka was forced to make an emergency landing in Bangkok, Thailand.

The passenger was apprehended by Thai airport authorities and was subsequently released to board a flight to Dhaka.

Transport Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat said Malaysia Airport Bhd (MAB) was responsible for the breach of security for allowing the Bangladeshi to board the plane with a fruit knife.

"(MAB is) now working with its counterparts in Thailand to investigate the incident further.

"Kuala Lumpur International Airport should maintain its standards in the matter of security, especially in light of winning so many awards previously," he said.

He added that it was not the system that should be blamed. The staff should be more sensitive, aware and serious about security issues.