TB can be a demographic disaster for Sabah with low local population

TB can be a demographic disaster for Sabah with low local population

There was a recent headline in front page of a local paper (BP) as ”TB vaccination for all” (March 1, 2019) and then a Ministry Of Health declared that only children would be vaccinated (5 March, 2019).

The question begging an answer is that why only in 2019 such drastic action be initiated when it was known back in 2000 as items such as “Serious Rise in Sabah TB (DE 1 April, 2000) and “Sabah has the highest TB cases” (DE 4 July, 2000) were simply ignored by the Government then?

Are we now in a pandemic scenario? I hope the Government should take immediate measure to curb the health menace. Vaccination for adult may not fully address this sort of health crisis or rather the Government set up facilities to detect such cases for curing possibility made easy.

Tuberculosis is caused by bacteria that spread from person to person through microscopic droplets released into the air. This can happen when someone with the untreated, active form of tuberculosis coughs, speaks, sneezes, spits, laughs or sings. Although tuberculosis is contagious, it's not easy to catch.

In some countries, BCG injections are given to children to vaccinate them against tuberculosis. It is not recommended for general use in the U.S. because it is not effective in adults, and it can adversely influence the results of skin testing diagnoses.

The most important thing to do is to finish entire courses of medication when they are prescribed. MDR-TB bacteria are far deadlier than regular TB bacteria. Some cases of MDR-TB require extensive courses of chemotherapy, which can be expensive and cause severe adverse drug reactions in patients.

People with compromised immune systems are most at risk of developing active tuberculosis. For instance, HIV suppresses the immune system, making it harder for the body to control TB bacteria. People who are infected with both HIV and TB are around 20-30 percent more likely to develop active TB than those who do not have HIV.

Tobacco use has also been found to increase the risk of developing active TB. About 8 percent of TB cases worldwide are related to smoking.

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease that usually affects the lungs. Compared with other diseases caused by a single infectious agent, tuberculosis is the second biggest killer, globally.

I would like to share what I personally about two cases – one in my childhood days when an uncle was so cleanliness conscious that he would clean even banana and other fruits skin with soap but it was later reported he died of TB at a young age.

For myself, I think I had BCG as a school boy in Labuan born after the 2^nd World War and that could have saved me the attack of TB in the late 1970s when I was in London.  I came back to Kota Kinabalu in 1980 and a few years later I went back to London looking up for a close colleague who was dead from an advance stage of TB. I was told to have mandatory full check up in the local hospital as I used to share his home in various visits then.

Strangely when I came to the said hospital the nurse came to me with big eyes. Then I had the X-ray and to come back a few days for the result and unfortunately the X-ray film was black also a shock for the nurse. So I had to have a repeat of X-ray within days. The second X-ray came out fine and no treatment was prescribed for me. So I was cleared of TB.  Who can explain how I escaped the death call of TB sort of  miracle?

Would we all now address the “curse” and scourge of TB brought about by the massive presence of PTI in Sabah without fail for the consequence of belated action is unthinkable when TB is the second highest killer globally?

Joshua Y C Kong 6/3/2019

Set up RCI to review Zakat system

Set up RCI to review Zakat system

RM1m tithe contribution to UMS (DE 24 Feb 2019 page 4). Lets see what this zakat (tithe) is really is when tithe (one tenth) is loosely associated to Islamic zakat.

What is said in the Bible – a holy book for all – about tithe is not the same as spelt out in the Koran.  Tithe is one tenth of income given back to society. But in the news item the said zakat would be distributed to four  categories, namely hardcore poor, asnaf, poor, mullaf (convert to Islam) and students.

So what is zakat really and hopefully this letter can help many who may be confused with the reality of that.

According to Wikipedia ---Zakat literally means "that which purifies".^[1] Zakat is considered a way to purify one's income and wealth from sometimes worldly, impure ways of acquisition.   According to Sachiko Murata and William Chittick, "Just as ablutions purify the body and salat purifies the soul (in Islam), so zakat purifies possessions and makes them pleasing to God."

Islamic scholars have traditionally interpreted this verse as identifying the following eight categories of Muslim causes to be the proper recipients of zakat.

1.     Those living without means of livelihood (Al-Fuqarā'), the poor

2.     Those who cannot meet their basic needs (Al-Masākīn), the needy

3.     To zakat collectors (Al-Āmilīyn 'Alihā)

4.     To persuade those sympathetic to or expected to convert to Islam (Al-Mu'allafatu Qulūbuhum), recent converts to Islam, and potential allies in the cause of Islam

5.     To free from slavery or servitude (Fir-Riqāb), slaves of Muslims who have or intend to free from their master by means of a kitabah contract

6.     Those who have incurred overwhelming debts while attempting to satisfy their basic needs (Al-Ghārimīn), debtors who in pursuit of a worthy goal incurred a debt^.

7.     Those fighting for a religious cause or a cause of God (Fī Sabīlillāh), or for Jihad in the way of Allah by means of pen, word, or sword, or for Islamic warriors who fight against the unbelievers but are not salaried soldiers.

8.     Wayfarers, stranded travellers (Ibnu Al-Sabīl), travellers who are traveling with a worthy goal but cannot reach their destination without financial assistance.

Zakat should not be given to one's own parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, spouses or the descendants of the Prophet Muhammad.

In Malaysia like many other countries, Zakat is not really a tenth but of lesser amount for individual as varied annually.  It is mandatory for Muslms in Malaysia.

It may sound very good for the generosity of many people but is it a departure when such payments go through the income tax system ? If such payments go through the income tax system, isn’t it that it is converted to a public obligation?

So when zakat contributions are diverted to various public institutions like UMS and other similar recipients for administrating distribution as an off budget item, we need proper control over that.  Such annual amounts are substantial.

Zakat has been disclosed as follows: RM320,348,661.01 (2001) RM373,924,167 (2002) RM408,430,403.56 (2003)  RM473,269 ,093 (2004) RM 573,088,305 .74 (2005)  RM671,095,888.89 (2006) (Source : PPZ-MAIWP Annual Report 2006).  Zakat was established since 1991 and RM2.2 b was collected in 2013.  So how much is it in 2014 -2017?  Many companies not individuals also claim substantial zakat in their tax returns. 

UMS and other similar institutions also receive substantial amounts from many companies.

So would there be any good governance over the distribution of an off budget annual expenditure of such substantial sums of sort of public fund after gone through the income tax system likely deemed to be tax leakages without proper public accountability.  It is a general perception that students would be financial capable to sustain their tenure of study and where would hard core poor people or students arise to be eligible for receiving such funds annually?  So I hope it is not an excuse and an abuse to “reward” new Muslims amongst the students. Would such institutions now prepare annual reports for the distribution of zakat for good governance? 

Given the present financial scenario of national debts of over RM1 trillions and still counting, isn’t it more pressing that this item be reduced by whatever sources available rather than leave it to the next generation as a burden too much to bear.  Failing to resolve the exceeding high debts quickly can cause serious consequences and a calamity can befall on the nation.  We have no choice but focus on debts reduction to a fair level.

There are also reports that zakat system has been abused especially in the proper distribution of its purposes of a public fund.  What is the purpose of public fund when only a certain community becomes the beneficiaries? 

Maybe it is also timely in new Malaysia that a Royal Commission of Inquiry be established over the zakat system when there is a review board over income tax in Malaysia.

Joshua Y C Kong  26/2/2019

Who say cannot stop PPBM to come to Sabah ?

Who say cannot stop PPBM to come to Sabah ?

If Sabah and Sarawak CMs could ban political and NGO leaders from Peninsula Malaysia to enter the states and so the State Government can ban undesirable parties from Malaya who champion race and religion to enter the States as the disunity motive is so much undesirable in the context of Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) with terms meant for a united Malaysia.

MA63 does include race and religion and that do affect good and harmonious relationship in Sabah and Sarawak with a demographic variance in Borneo states.  Sabah did not have an official religion until Tun M changes it in 1973 when it was the dark age.  Even the original Oath Stone in Keningau guaranteeing no official religion was somehow removed and only replaced accordingly in 2018.  What does UMNO really champion? UMNO champions race and religion when and where Malay= Muslim=Malay according to Mahathir. UMNO always screaming Malay & Islam...and so when UMNO came to Sabah, that voice was so loud and also insulting to others especially in Sabah.  Also UMNO sent all the vehicles on race and religion since 1963 without respect to MA63. All those vehicles on race and religion incur a lot of tax payer money with or without UMNO presence in Sabah.   All those violations to make Malaysia and Sabah islamic are illegal hence UMNO was illegal in the national context. Now PPBM or Bersatu also in the same vein of UMNO as Mahathir always say so... and so steer clear of Sabah in honour of MA63.

Another heinous crime committed by UMNO under the leadership of Mahathir was the denied Project IC in Sabah since 1980s and then accelerated in 1990s so much so there were 1 million and more project IC holders of illegal people in Sabah then. Now it is very likely to be 2 millions of such project IC holders in Sabah as a majority displacing local people and that can be termed “GENOCIDE” with  the criminal ingredients of ethnic cleansing and apartheid which have  been the scorn of the world.

In the news article “Previous govt stole rights of sabah” (DE Feb 15, 2019), Senator Datuk Douglas Lind has expressed support for Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad’s suggestion to clean up the electoral rolls to improve Malaysia’s system.  Senator Datuk Douglas Lind went on to say something “dreadful” about the thorn in the flesh about matters stated in the Royal Commission of Inquiry on Illegal Immigrants Sabah (RCI IIS).   Unfortunately, Douglas did not mention MA63 which was not implemented for rights of Sabah.

This project IC earlier started by USNO times had been expanded by UMNO in 1990s so much so that the socalled “Race and Religion” in the demographic percentage had surged from an original low figure to nearly 70% in 2000 State Census  so much so that the Government of the day considered Sabah as an “Islamic” state resulting in oppressive measures against others.

It was indeed sad and regretable that no consideration was made to prohibit UMNO to enter Sabah in 1990 under MA63 as the leaders both Federal and State leaders had never considered MA63 in the building of a harmonious society devoid of the race and religion as far as it concerns Sabah in Malaysia.

So against a background of MA63 with so many violations –financial, economic, basic human rights, religious rights, racial rights, education, languages, universal rights, PPBM should rectify all these shortcomings before it can even consider coming to Sabah and Sarawak. PPBM and UMNO are both championing similar narrow bias attitudes/sentiment/intention and continue to do harmful ways for Malaysia.

It was indeed a very grave mistake to have allowed UMNO into Sabah in 1990s and now the same grievous mistake cannot be repeated for PPBM to enter Sabah and Sarawak in the belated context of MA63 in both spirit and letter thereof.  Keep the “poison” of race and religion in Peninsular Malaysia in the personal agenda of the leaders. When that “poison” comes here, it can cause disarray in the nation.

Joshua Y C Kong 20/2/2019

Wildlife supports our existence on earth

Wildlife supports our existence on earth

That is damn serious and no longer any more an imagination.

Journal Science on half the planet should be set aside for wildlife – to save ourselves as published on 13 September 2018.

 So say leading biologists in an editorial in the journal Science  as “ If we want to avoid mass extinctions and preserve the ecosystems all plants and animals depend on, governments should protect a third of the oceans and land by 2030 and half by 2050, with a focus on areas of high biodiversity.”    It’s not just about saving wildlife, says Jonathan Baillie of the National Geographic Society, one of the authors. It’s also about saving ourselves.

So I would like to add my own observations as a caretaker of friendly and homely dogs a long time ago especially since 1990 in Kota Kinabalu. I am not the owner of dogs but God is the owner of all animals especially in personal context the sort of “best” friend dogs.  I feel that it is not right to connect dogs as best friends rather it is Jesus Christ as our best friends forever.

I can fondly recall all the time that in 1966 on my return to Labuan for the first ever after first year’s study in Sabah College, a furry dog came to greet me even before I could leave my car when my father fetch me home from the airport. Then that dog just disappeared soon after as I did not see it again. That very impressive image still stay with me now.

Since that memorable day of encounter I had not done much for dogs until in 1990 when my landlady brought me a local mixed breed German shepherd puppy and since then it has been “dogging” for me as a hobby like some people do golfing etc.

In my dogging experience, I have gained much insight into the life of dogs in the homely habitat and not in dogs shelters which are for strayed or problematic dogs.  I strongly recommend that all kids should grow up with some puppies. For enhancing dogging experience, I would say it is not enough just to have a few dogs but a family of dogs from puppies to adult ones to gain valuable experience and enjoyment money cannot buy. .

There are so much to gain for our enhancement of daily living.  It may put us to shame that there are people out there that claim that we cannot physically communicate with God.  It is really our human problem that we not in sync with God our Creator. God is always speaking unceasingly and it is us as frail human beings with great pride of self-righteousness not hearing them.  God would hear us and do according to His Will as we claim to pray to God. He may and may not choose to return our prayers in physical voice of God.  God may just do it even without our knowing it.

In a particular case for me over a sick dog and I asked God if I should treat it by calling the veterinary doctor to incur some costs. Almost instantly, the small stern and strong voice told me “the money you have is also for the dogs.” With that I called up the veterinary doctor and that dog was treated and healed.  I have also prayed over dogs with high temperature and the temperature just went back to normal instantly.

With such ’unexplained’ experiences, it would impress on me that God would care for His creations and creatures and possibly care more for unexplained scenarios that He cares more for His animals especially dogs than human beings.  Animals can be sinless while human beings choose to be sinful at times.

So the key word as started in this letter is “extinction” for animals and human beings too.  We are so often told of the extinction of wild life (flora and fauna) and yet we are too helpless to stop that with acute deforestation the world over.

Now in Malaysia and especially Sabah with the dog’s head in its land outline, dogs are heading to extinction especially in our own home environment.  It is a sadly an episode with the largely disappearance of once pristine forests in Sabah and replaced with mono crop of alien oil palm and in the back ground of worsening climatic temperature, it is a domino phenomenon that the flora and fauna would soon be depleted as exacerbated by human greed. With the accelerated depletion of flora and fauna, what chance have human beings to continue to exist?  With rising temperature uncontrollable, would the “rapture” so often being mentioned in the Bible be a thing to come?

Really not many people are concerned to mitigate the climate change and rather our activities unimpeded are sure to engulf us in total destruction like it or not. Very few people are interested in my proposed program #EcoGeneration to save the degraded earth to save ourselves.

I hope that this letter can reverse the still on the way to extinction of companion dogs as “engineered” by ourselves with whatever regulations of the relevant authorities failing to see the real picture over the recent decades.  What separate city and kampong/village living is the gap in flora and fauna.  Isn’t it a great blessing in natural terms that we wake up with the crows or calls of the cocks in the morning?  So similarly it is great blessing in the still or dead of night to hear some barkings or sounds from dogs for all the purposes thereof.  All these divine sounds should be music for our souls on earth. Like it or not, these have been calls from the wilderness of sort and soon maybe no wilderness calls for ourselves.

It is just unimaginable, that there is such “hatred” for dogs and when dogs are created by God, and so those dogs haters are anti God.

I think there are plenty cases of cruelty against the dogs and such serious issues are not properly addressed by the Animal Welfare Act 2015 where penalties of fines and jail sentences are stipulated.  The most recent one was a heinous one against a dog in a steel factory committed by a worker and the company concerned had promptly apologised for the crime and nothing proceed to the trial under Animal Welfare Act 2015.  Why such a disappointing precedent?

With the passing of the much “hated” in the Chinese calendar now come possibly another “hated” animal the pig.  However both these animals have largely brought a lot of benefits to the society at large, with the dogs we know it is an utility animal to solve emergency and also crimes; with the pig apart for energised food and in the medical field it is known as guinea pig.

So God in His creation of the earth, animals came first and human kind is ordered by God to take care of the animals.  So if we hate dogs and pigs, we are anti God.

If dogs and many animals go extinct, we would miss their specific sounds sort of from the wilderness.  If there are no dogs, you would not hear them howling at demonic intrusion.  My dogs do daily howling day and night and to me that is “music” to my soul.  It is written in an ancient book that dolls of dogs are buried in the ground of front door to ward off evil.

Be reminded that in the Noah time, animals were so important that they were kept alive in the great flood.  Today, we are sort of reduced to less than animals when we fail to do a duty to God.  Dogs in the housing areas have dwindled so much that extinction is a reality.

Joshua Y C Kong 15/2/2019