Is your office building up to code?
When driving by a construction site on the way to work, it is common to see builders perched precariously on steel beams – naturally raising concerns about their safety.
But what about the office where Malaysians typically spend eight or more hours a day?
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The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
DPM Ahmad Zahid, Fadillah extend congratulations to King on official birthday
KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi expressed his wishes and congratulations to His Majesty, Sultan Ibrahim, the King of Malaysia, on his official birthday on Monday (June 2). Ahmad Zahid, through a Facebook post, said he and his family are grateful and pray that Allah SWT will always bless His Majesty's reign. He also prayed that Sultan Ibrahim would be granted a long life, be blessed with good health, and continue to reign on the throne with full sovereignty and wisdom. Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof also expressed his wishes and congratulations to Sultan Ibrahim on his official birthday. "May His Majesty continue to reign with majesty, sovereignty and prosperity, and rule (the country) with justice and fairness. "May His Majesty be under the protection and grace of Allah SWT, live with great happiness, be granted blessings, guidance and long life as well as good health," he said. According to Fadillah, he and all Malaysians pray that His Majesty will always be blessed.
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Unmasking the vape industry: Malaysia's youths at risk
EVERY year on May 31, the world observes 'World No Tobacco Day', an initiative by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to raise awareness about the dangers of tobacco and nicotine use. This year's theme, 'Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing Industry Tactics on Tobacco and Nicotine Products' is especially relevant as it reveals how the tobacco and nicotine industries target young people through manipulative marketing tactics to fuel addiction. Rapid rise in e-cigarette use In Malaysia, e-cigarette use has soared. In 2011, only about 0.8% of the population vaped, roughly 262,000 people. By 2023, this number had surged to 5.8%, an estimated 1.4 million users. Among teenage girls, the rise is particularly alarming. In 2017, 2.8% of girls, around 34,000, aged 13-17 vaped. By 2022, the percentage had more than doubled to 6.2%, which translated to over 64,000 girls. That is nearly four times higher than those who smoked traditional cigarettes, which stood at 1.7%. This surge reflects a deeply concerning shift in how nicotine is reaching young Malaysians. What was once an adult-targeted cessation tool has now become a trendy, youth-driven product. This rise is no accident. It is the result of aggressive, deliberate marketing campaigns that frame vaping as fashionable, harmless and safe. Flavours, tech and social media Vaping today is sleek, flavoured and digitally glamorised. E-cigarettes in Malaysia are available in youth-friendly flavours such as bubble gum, candy and mango, and are promoted through tech-inspired devices and influencer-driven content on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, presenting vaping as a lifestyle accessory rather than a health risk. These are not just marketing ploys; they are psychological tactics. Influencers flaunt their devices, perform vape tricks, review flavours and reinforce the myth that vaping is harmless fun. This is how addiction begins, with curiosity, peer validation and the illusion of control. WHO warns that these tactics are not just misleading but predatory, designed to exploit teenage curiosity and peer pressure to hook a new generation on nicotine. 'I can quit anytime': A costly misconception Many young people believe that they can quit vaping at any time but research says otherwise. Nicotine is highly addictive, especially to developing brains. It alters brain chemistry, affects memory and attention, and increases the risk of anxiety, depression and future substance abuse. Malaysia is already witnessing consequences such as cases of seizures, breathing difficulties and even death among youths linked to nicotine overdose or contamination in vape liquids. A Missed Opportunity In 2023, Malaysia made progress by passing the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024, a significant step forward in regulating traditional tobacco and electronic cigarettes. However, a key element was removed, the Generational End Game (GEG) clause, which would have banned the sale of nicotine products to anyone born after 2007. GEG could have protected future generations from addiction. Its removal was a missed opportunity. Without firm enforcement, especially of online sales, age verification and advertising bans, the law risks becoming ineffective. WHO's message: Ban flavours, expose tactics, protect youths WHO urges governments to ban youth-targeted flavours and to expose how the industry manipulates public perception for profit. Malaysia must take this seriously as we cannot let addiction define the health of our future generations. Malaysia must enforce the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024, ensuring that retailers, especially online sellers, strictly adhere to age verification, remove promotional content and are held accountable for violations. The GEG policy must be reinstated to protect future generations from nicotine addiction. Flavoured vape products, which are unnecessary for adult cessation and dangerously attractive to youth, must be banned. Action is also needed to curb the spread of vape-related content on social media by collaborating with tech companies to limit exposure to minors and launch counter-campaigns to debunk myths and share real health risks. Education is key. Teachers and parents should be taught to identify signs of vaping, communicate effectively with youths and support quitting efforts. Schools should implement structured anti-vape programmes such as Kesihatan Oral Tanpa Amalan Merokok to assist students in quitting smoking and vaping. Finally, youth-centric cessation support must be prioritised, offering counselling and treatment without judgement. World No Tobacco Day is more than symbolic, it is a wake-up call. Let us not be the generation that stayed silent while our youths were targeted. If we do not act now, we risk turning a generation's health over to an industry that profits from addiction. This year, let us honour our youths, not just with awareness, but with action. Dr Wee Lei Hum is a professor at the School of Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Taylor's University. Comments: letters@
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
New ‘currency' for ageing Malaysia
LAST week, my 75-year-old neighbour waited two hours for someone to help her carry the groceries. According to DOSM (Department of Statistics Malaysia), Malaysia marked the fewest births ever recorded in our history, with only 93,500 babies born, which implies an 11.5% drop from the same period last year. This fertility downturn, combined with the rapidly ageing society, poses a profound threat to Malaysia's economic and social sustainability. Fewer young Malaysians are being born and each subsequent generation is shrinking in size. DOSM has warned that this phenomenon poses major challenges to demographic structures, economic growth and social balance. In plain terms, fewer working-age people will be supporting more retirees, which can strain our pension funds, healthcare system and economic vitality. At the same time, Malaysians are living longer and having fewer children. By 2040, over 17% of Malaysians will be seniors (aged 60 and above), which qualifies us as an 'aged' nation. By 2057, more than 20% of our citizens are projected to be over 60, a level the UN defines it as 'super-aged'. This implies fewer taxpayers and caregivers for every elderly person. In 1970, nearly half our population was under 14, and only 5.5% were over 60; however, today, only about 22% are children while seniors consist of more than doubled to 11.6%. If this trend continues, who will be there to support and care for our ageing communities and one day, even us? The ageing wave is already here. In the face of economic and social crisis, we must think beyond baby bonuses and begin innovating how we support an ageing society. Social currency for future care Imagine a system where doing good today can earn you security tomorrow. By implementing the social currency model, young Malaysians can earn credits by volunteering their time and skills to help others by assisting the disabled to cross the roads, bringing the elderly to the hospital or simply providing basic tech support for neighbours. For every hour spent contributing, volunteers can bank 'time credits' in a dedicated account. In their older age, they (or even their family members) can redeem these credits for services or care from the communities or partnering organisations. Essentially, this social currency can turn volunteer hours into a form of savings for future care, which can be interpreted as 'paying it forward'. This is not a utopia. Some countries, such as Japan, which has one of the oldest populations, initiated a 'Fureai Kippu' time-credit system as early as the 1970s, in which volunteers earned 'love currency' by caring for the elders, which they or their families could soon use for their own care needs. Thailand also set up a government-backed 'JitArsa Bank', a time bank for volunteers that is fully funded by their Older Persons Ministry. Malaysia can also learn from these models and leapfrog with a programme tailored to our local communities, with the right support. From community bonds to sustainable ageing At its heart, this scheme encourages Malaysians to engage within their communities. Young people, instead of being isolated by screens every day, can find purpose in tangible acts of service. According to KRI Institute (2022), participants in similar time-bank programmes abroad have reported greater life satisfaction and new friends made across age groups. In short, stronger community bonds today mean a more cohesive nation tomorrow. By crowdsourcing eldercare and other social support to willing volunteers, Malaysia can reduce the pressure on our formal welfare and healthcare systems. Community caregiving can improve access to services and cut costs through local support networks, delaying or even preventing the need for expensive institutional care. More importantly, social currency bonds the generations together in a fair exchange. In effect, we create a self-sustaining loop of support, in which each generation 'pays' into the system with time and 'withdraws' support later. Moreover, by formalising it as a 'currency', the support network becomes reliably exchangeable and not just a matter of charity. A volunteer can trust that their kindness is recorded and will be reciprocated. Such a system provides a path for creating a world where no one needs to fear being left behind simply because they outlived their relatives or savings. This is a bold idea but Malaysia has the heart and we need to make it real. It is time to reimagine how we will care for the people we already know we will have. It will benefit the government and citizens. The government does not need to spend more. It needs to invest smarter by mobilising the energy of today's youths for the needs of tomorrow's elderly. Let us build a Malaysia where helping others is not just a kind act but, more importantly, becomes part of our economy. Yap Wen Min is a policy analyst at HEYA Inc, a non-profit think-tank and people's academy, where she focuses on topics such as eldercare, volunteerism and community resilience.
