1st time wake up so early to watch movie...

Morning Sunday with lovely Sunflower done by Sally Tan
After Sunday Service...we had lunch together with Cheryne
Here's the picture that I took the foods & drinks
GUESS how much?? (RM 20 - RM 30)
- 2 Chicken Char Siew Bucket Rice (Order 1 Free 1)
- 1 Tom Yam Fried Rice with Chicken
- 1 Mocha Latte
- Coffee
hahaha...after eating...is clear!!!
here's the member who joining the lunch
anyway my family n I first time coming in Leo's Cafe
so far the food okey (depends what u choose...)
service okey as well...
when during wanna make payment....haha very long
some more Alex ask the waiter ''Eh! we called many times already...we no need to pay izit???''

hahaha...

Snatch Theft In Tmn Perling, Johor Bharu
This can happen anywhere, pls alert your loved ones... Be careful.. Holding tight also useless. Need to wear helmet when walking on the road. Problem. Dear All, This is what happened on Friday afternoon, when this girl was crossing the road to work as a part time salesgirl after school. While crossing the road a motorbike came from behind and the pillion use a helmet and hit on the head while the motorbike was moving. The girl died on the spot. She just only 18 years old. Always be alert and for the ladies ...... your handbag... and your head!!! Take care!!!

Now day everyone sick, working people take MC...eventhough babies is worse when got sick daddy & mommy have to really take of them.

Yesterday we sent baby Janson to see paediatrician and he said he has running nose, slight cough, vusy & 70% of nose block...and have to be very very careful.

Rigth now daddy & mommy pray for baby Janson "Father, we pray for speedy recovery for Janson right now in Jesus's name, Amen."

KUALA LUMPUR: The Democratic Action Party (DAP) has unveiled its proposed Budget for 2009, which focuses on competency, accountability and transparency (CAT).

The opposition party's national publicity secretary Tony Pua said the Budget is based on the party’s proposed policies last year, adding that they “were still relevant.”

There are 14 key policies in the Budget, which aims to benefit all Malaysians regardless of ethnicity or background, he claimed.

The policies focus on protecting oil revenues, investing in education, creating an efficient transportation system, renegotiating contracts, implementing a fair wage policy, having open, competitive and transparent tenders and auctions, and revitalising small and medium industries.

The proposals also include restructuring personal income taxes, introducing “green taxes” and reviving the information and communications technology sector.

Pua said he expected the Government to announce an increase in expenditure and maintaining deficits on “Budget day” on Friday, which he believes are not necessary for the country’s economy.

He said this was because while Government revenue would increase by about 3%, mainly driven by oil and gas revenues, there would be a decline in corporate taxes.

He added that Malaysia’s high dependency on oil and gas would be one of the challenges that the nation needs to overcome.

“For 2008, oil and gas receipts are expected to contribute in excess of 40% of the Government’s revenue, exceeding the 37% last year.

“This is a worrying trend in the light of oil reserves which will last for only another two decades and Malaysia becoming a net oil importer by 2011,” he said.

Another challenge for the country is the global economic slowdown, he added.

PUTRAJAYA: Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim may have won the Permatang Pauh seat and claimed his stake in Parliament, but he would not be able to get 30 MPs to switch to the Opposition to form the government, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said.

The former prime minister said the Parti Keadilan Rakyat adviser might think he could "buy" MPs to jump to his camp but it would be impossible for him to "outbid the other bidders who have more money."

"The Permatang Pauh by-election results is a clear message for Barisan Nasional, Umno and its leaders. Within five months after the March 8 polls, Barisan lost the seat again, with a bigger majority than the last time.

"This is not only because the by-election was held in Permatang Pauh and one of the candidates was Anwar Ibrahim. I believe this will be the trend at other places as well and those who came out to vote on Tuesday had voted for the Opposition," he said when met at his office on Wednesday.

Anwar won the Permatang Pauh seat with a thumping majority of 15,671. His victory marks a return to Parliament for the PKR adviser after an enforced absence of 10 years.

With the victory, Anwar will take over as the parliamentary Opposition leader. The PKR de facto leader last won the Permatang Pauh seat in 1995 with a majority of 23,515 votes.

Dr Mahathir predicted that with Anwar back in Parliament, he would be making "life very difficult" for Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

"I don't think Abdullah is a match for Anwar. This man (Anwar) can convince even the devil to follow him. He is going to raise all kinds of issues and questions and will demand and pressure the Prime Minister for answers. It is going to be a tough time for Barisan," he said.

Dr Mahathir said Abdullah, his deputy Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and other leaders should not close their "ears and eyes" to the people's message and neither should they blame the Permatang Pauh defeat on sabotage or other elements.

"The people sent a message at the March 8 polls and again in the Permatang Pauh by-election. Leaders should sit up and take stock of this. They want changes and they want it quick. Not in June 2010.

"If changes are made two years from now, then Umno will face an uphill task to gain strength and the people's confidence. If they fail to do so, then Barisan can expect defeat in the 13th general election," he said, adding he was willing to come back to the party's fold and work towards reviving it if Abdullah step down before the 2010 deadline.

He said Umno should be concerned that it was losing in popularity and appeal, claiming that even DAP had become more appealing to Malays, referring to former Transparency International Malaysia chairman Tunku Aziz Tunku Ibrahim becoming the DAP's latest recruit.

Where do parents’ rights end and children’s rights begin?

WE LIVE in a world filled with different ways of expressing life. Every parent has his or her own way of raising children.

There are parents who believe that children should be told what to do and set right by strict disciplinary rules.

Other parents prefer to raise their children by offering them guidance in making their own choices.

We would like to think that every child is safe under the protection and guidance of his or her parents. But sadly, with the rising number of child abuse and neglect cases in our society, we must view with seriousness how parents deal with their children.

There have been too many incidents where the rights of children were violated. We cannot condone any form of violence against children.

The United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child states that “children have the right to special protection, and facilities to enable them to develop in a healthy and normal manner, in freedom and dignity” and “love and understanding and an atmosphere of affection and security, in the care and under the responsibility of their parents whenever possible.”

One parent I talked to was of the opinion that children will become spoilt brats if the cane is not used to discipline them.

She said she was a responsible adult whose parents used physical punishment on her. Her young boys know how to behave because they fear the cane.

Another parent said she chose to raise her children without the cane because she did not want them to fear her, the way she feared her own father.

She wanted a different kind of relationship with her children, one that stems from respect and not fear.

Her father used to hit her to manage her misbehaviour. As an adult, she still finds it hard to communicate her feelings and opinions to him.

Parents are caretakers of their children’s rights. Joan E. Durrant, a child-clinical psychologist who authored a parents’ manual on positive discipline (Save the Children, Sweden, 2007), stated that parents need help with parenting.

She wrote that many parents still rely on instincts or their childhood experiences. They have not given much thought to their reactions to their young children. Sometimes parents may have childhood experiences that are negative and violent.

Parents who have little knowledge of what discipline is all about, end up thinking that scolding and hitting are the only ways to manage their children.

No parent does all the right things and none of the wrong things. We all want to do what is best for our children and ourselves.

To do the job right, parents need information on child development and know-how to set the right goals for their children.

Parents have the right to make choices for their children. It is up to them to ensure their children have a reasonable opportunity to develop in a healthy and normal manner.

These include the right to adequate nutrition, housing, recreation and medical services, as well as love, security, education and protection against abuse and discrimination.

Research studies find that children are sensitive to the way parents deal with their challenging behaviour.

They imitate parental behaviour in using force and anger to solve problems. Many behavioural problems in children are the result of how their parents disciplined them.

Parents can explain things to children and provide them with the resources and knowledge to make informed decisions. They should then respect their children’s choices. As they guide their children based on their own values and beliefs, they should also respect their children’s choices in developing their own values and beliefs.

Do parents have the right to decide the values and traditions by which their children are to be raised, or do children have a right to choose these for themselves?

I believe parents who have positive self-awareness and are confident that they are doing right by their children, can strike a balance between the rights of children and those of parents.

Parents are not only teachers; they are also learners. As we embark on this parenting journey, we will learn many lessons about ourselves and our children.

Excessive self-touching should be viewed seriously.

MY three-and-a-half-year-old son is quite active and adorable. Of late, I caught him playing with his penis. It surprised me and I tried hard to be discreet in handling the situation.

I asked him what he was doing and he replied that he was just playing. He then asked me to turn away or watch TV or carry on with what I was doing and leave him alone to play.

The third time, I caught him off-guard. I asked him why he was playing with his penis, and whether it was itchy. I also enquired whether anyone had touched him there.

He quickly changed topic and ignored me. When I probed further, he said his dad taught him. I asked my hubby and he said he never taught him that.

I then told my son that he lied to me and that it was not right to lie. Then he named his cousin brother. He kept on changing his answers each time I asked him.

Just yesterday, he locked himself in the bedroom. I couldn’t get in and he finally opened the door after one or two minutes.

I asked him what he was doing and if he was playing with his penis again. He said no.

I pulled down his pants and his penis was erect. I then asked him if he enjoyed doing it. He said it was itchy down there.

Is this something unusual or part of growing up? I’m worried that he will continue to do this elsewhere, or when he is on his own.

Both my husband and I never behave badly and we hardly get intimate with him around. I wonder what caused him to react in this manner.

A babysitter is looking after my son. She is also looking after two girls, aged two and four. – Worried Mother

First, start by taking your child to see a medical professional to rule out a medical issue, such as infection or even possible exposure to sexual abuse.

When a preschooler shows excessive self-touching, you have to look into the matter seriously. Barring all medical issues, it is normal for a preschooler to touch himself as he explores and develops body awareness.

Often, young boys will touch, scratch or tug in that area. In the course of doing this, many toddlers and preschoolers discover that they get a pleasant sensation from touching themselves.

Dr Gwen Smith, retired paediatrician, mother of five and grandmother of seven, says that children at this age are discovering their own bodies.

Your son has probably found that this is an interesting part of him. It is not necessary to attribute his behaviour to someone else having taught him to do so.

He has no knowledge of sexual function. His behaviour is not immoral although socially unacceptable to people who are not used to dealing with small children.

Dr Smith added that it is better not to reinforce his interest by paying a lot of attention to his behaviour. Distraction is the best approach. Don’t make him feel guilty. This is often a self-comforting behaviour.

You may also want to consider whether there is any reason for him to need to use a comfort habit at this time. Is there a new sibling or a new teacher in school? Are you moving house?

Find out if your child is upset over certain changes in his daily routines. Don’t call attention to this by discussing it with other adults while he is there and listening. Any sort of attention will reinforce the behaviour.

Avoid confronting your son with questions that may worry or frighten him. You may want to take some time to explain about his body and his private parts. You can also talk about privacy like when he goes to the bathroom.

If you feel uncomfortable with his self-touching, keep him occupied with “hands-on” activities such as playdough, building blocks, craft play and simple cooking activities.

It is also advisable to do spot-checks at his babysitter’s house. Make observations of your son at play with other children as well as his interactions with other adults.

It is important to know what is going on at different times of his life. This will help you deal with the developmental changes in your son.

• There is a parent and child learning together session at Children’s World Kindergarten in Subang Jaya this Saturday, 10am to 12pm. For more information, call Anne (012-653 4975/ 03-8025 9910). This is a community programme.

Lutein’s role in protecting the eyes from age-related macular degeneration begins at birth.

WHEN the macula, the central area of vision found on the retina of the eye, loses its light-sensing cells, this can result in an inability to read, drive, see fine details or recognise faces. This is known as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and affects those aged 60 and above.

The principle cause of AMD is exposure to blue light which is present in all kinds of lights – from fluorescent light to candle light – and predominantly found in sunlight.

Fruits such as mangoes are rich in lutein.

Unlike ultraviolet (UV) light, blue light is visible. Blue light waves are what make an object appear blue and even in yellow light, you can still find blue light. You don’t need to look directly into a source of light to be affected by its glare because blue light waves are very short and scatter easily.

In the eyes, UV light and infrared light are generally absorbed by the corneas and lens. But blue light or high-energy wavelengths of light which fall in the range of 400-500 nanometers (nm) on the visible light spectrum can pass through the cornea and lens and reach the retina directly.

Melanin, which gives eyes their colour, helps to trap high-energy light rays so that they don’t reach the macula and cause damage. This is why people with fair skin or light-coloured eyes are more susceptible to macular degeneration caused by blue light, as they have less melanin in their irises to protect the macula.

One way to cut down on the exposure to blue light is to wear sunglasses.

Dr Choong Yee Fong, Head of Cataract Service and Paediatric Ophthalmology Service in Selayang Hospital, Kuala Lumpur, says: “Everybody should wear sunglasses, even babies.”

But not all types of sunglasses protect the eyes from blue light. Golfers wear yellow-tinted sunglasses as the colour blue has been shown to block yellow. They are known as blue blockers and come in a variety of tints, including light yellow, dark yellow, amber and plum.

As we age, the lenses in our eyes naturally turn yellow, helping to filter out blue light and protect the retina from damage. But children don’t have the same protection as their lenses are clear and allow blue light to reach the retina.

As the eyes do not stop forming until the age of 18 to 20, any damage to the eyes can affect the quality of vision.

“Children’s eyes are particularly vulnerable to exposure and subsequent damage from blue light as they are born with relatively clear lenses. The amount of blue light reaching the retina at the back of the eye is greater in infants and young children than in adults,” says Dr Choong.

Studies have show that 60% to 70% of blue light reaches the back of the eye in children between the ages of two and 10, compared to only 20% in adults between the ages of 60 and 90. Hence, there is a need to protect children from the damaging effects of blue light as it affects their eyes the most during their early years of childhood.

Looking into lutein

Lutein, (pronounced “loo-teen”) from the Latin lutea meaning “yellow,” is one of 600 naturally-occurring carotenoids (a natural colorant or pigment) found in dark green, leafy vegetables and fruits that are yellow, red or orange in colour.

“It protects the retina and reduces the chances of macular degeneration, therefore providing the eyes with a window of protection,” says Dr Choong.

The benefits of lutein are different from that of vitamin A (beta-carotene) as the former protects the macula by absorbing and filtering blue light, while the latter is responsible for a person’s ability to see.

Lutein is concentrated in the outer plexiform layer of the retina, the layer before the light hits the photoreceptors.

The best source of lutein is mother’s breast milk.

Prof Dr Eric Louis Lien, of the Department of Food Sciences and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois, Urbana, says: “I would advise mothers to feed their babies exclusively with breast milk for the first six months. That will give them the protection they need. Of course, the mother also needs to eat more fruits and vegetables, which is another source of lutein, to increase the level of lutein in her breast milk.”

Lutein cannot be manufactured by the body and must be obtained from foods that are rich in lutein such as kale, spinach, bok choy, mangoes, tomatoes and carrots. As most children are averse to eating their greens, parents have to find creative ways to disguise vegetables in their children’s meals.

Although lutein has an accumulative effect in the retina, the eye’s built-in defence mechanism can weaken with age, neglect, injury and disease. A fresh supply of lutein daily will help top up your lutein “bank account” and ensure your retina is constantly shielded from the damaging effects of blue light.

Study shows angst-ridden teens have different brain structures.

IT TURNS out your mother was right: angst-ridden teens really do have something wrong with their heads.

A study found that teens who regularly get into fights with their parents have significantly different brain structures than their more laid-back peers.

Australian researchers mapped the brains of some 137 early teens and then videotaped them during “problem-solving” conversations with their parents about disagreements over issues like homework, bedtimes, or Internet and cell phone use.

“What we found was there was actually a relationship between the size and the structure of the various parts of the brain and the way the kids behave in these interactions,” said lead researcher Nicholas Allen of the University of Melbourne.

The parts of the brain which are involved in emotional responses were much more developed in the teens who got into fights with their parents, Allen said.

“Their emotions are developing much faster than are the parts of the brain that help them to manage those emotions,” he said.

“That’s the kind of thing that hopefully catches up later on, but in between you’ve got this mismatch between the two.”

The findings should offer some comfort to parents trying to understand why their once-cheerful children are suddenly transformed into sulky, over-sensitive strangers, especially since this mismatch is usually resolved by the time the brain finishes developing in the mid-20s.

“Many parents do find it a comforting thought to be told that it’s not necessarily abnormal or a reflection of the child’s character that they’re being grumpy and surly because they are going through a biological change which is a fairly significant one,” he said.

“(But) there are all sorts of things that can influence grumpiness.

“It might be that the family has developed a poor pattern of interaction, it might be that the kid is lazy, or the kid needs to be taught more responsibility or to respect others more.”

It’s also possible that these biological changes are in response to the home environment, Allen said of the study published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Other studies have found that extreme neglect and sexual and physical abuse can impact brain development. A stressful home environment has also been linked to the early onset of puberty in girls, he said.

“What we don’t know anything about is, is there an affect about the more normal variations in the family environment on the way the brain develops,” he said.

“We’re not sure if the environment is affecting the biology or the biology is affecting the environment. Probably the most likely truth is they both affect each other.”

Allen hopes to find some answers to these questions as his team delves deeper into a long-term study of these youth and their families.

They will be closely analysing the family interactions to see if there is a link between parenting skills or styles, and the emotional and biological development of the teens. – AFP

Getting your toddler to eat need not be a war of wills.

PETER made a face when he detected something green in his fried rice. No, it was not a worm, just a harmless shred of spinach. Peter is becoming extremely fussy with food. Welcome to the world of toddlers!

As a baby grows into a toddler, you will see dramatic changes in his eating habits. Easy spoon-feeding becomes history as your toddler starts self-feeding.

He begins to express his preference for a certain food to the extent of wanting it everyday while waging war against others, usually vegetables.

Sometimes he licks his plate clean but generally you find him eating less now. He kicks up a fuss when he sees his chicken “touching” the carrot on his plate.

Or a tantrum erupts when gravy is drizzled over his rice. And he drives you to boiling point by playing with food that you have painstakingly prepared. Is your little one becoming a monster? No, he is just maturing.

For a smoother ride through this picky eating phase, let’s look at it from Mum’s angle and from junior’s perspective.

Mum has junior’s nutritional interests at heart. She believes that junior needs good nutrition for optimum growth and development. So when junior refuses food, Mum resorts to coaxing, cajoling, bribing, threatening and lastly forcing him to eat.

This sets off mealtime battles. Moreover, up till now, junior has depended fully on Mum for food and everything else. So Mum feels unprepared and challenged by junior’s sudden urge for independence. She finds it hard to relinquish her control over him.

On the other hand, junior is suddenly aware of the many things around him that are begging to be explored. Sure, he feels hungry at times but discovery, fun and new experiences are top priorities now.

Through them, he makes remarkable progress mentally, physically, emotionally and socially. So food takes a back seat. In fact, his declining appetite is normal and in tandem with his slower growth rate at this stage.

To be precise, junior experiences growth spurts, during which he grows very rapidly over several weeks, and that accounts for his good appetite then, before lapsing into slow growth mode again.

But for sure, junior will never starve himself. If only Mum knows this, she will have more peace of mind and nag less.

Once you understand that junior’s changing attitude towards food is a part of his development, you will be able to manage his quirky eating habits better.

Mealtimes should be happy times. You should impart positive attitudes towards food and create pleasant eating experiences for your child so that he grows up healthy and with high self-esteem.

For example, a child who is not force-fed but instead is allowed to use his own discretion on how much to eat, will feel more confident and in control.

By heeding his natural fullness and hunger signals, he will less likely become obese. In contrast, a child who has to fight constantly at the dining table would tend to become stubborn or defiant because if we look deeper, mealtime battles are not only about food but are actually wars of wills between mother and child.

So how do we fill a fussy toddler’s tummy and make his mealtime happy?

Here are some tips to help you.

· Accept your changing role, from spoon-feeding a baby to supervising a self-feeding toddler. This will reduce force-feeding and fights.

· Keep mealtimes regular and have variety to stimulate appetite.

· Introduce new foods alongside familiar ones and make foods easy to eat.

· A tired toddler has no interest in food. Let him rest well before serving him food.

· Food refusal may be a gimmick to get attention. If so, hug or play more with the little one to solve the problem.

· If junior boycotts vegetables, grate, chop or mash them. Then sneak the vegetables into soups, porridge, sandwiches or pies.

· Shapes and colours appeal to kids. Employ them in your choice of foods and crockery.

· Use interesting, child-friendly crockery. A melamine plate with different compartments will prevent foods from “touching” each other. Junior will also get to appreciate the unique taste of each food.

· Serve child-sized portions of food. Do not worry that your child is not eating enough. By nature, babies and young children eat when hungry, stop when full.

Lastly, set a good example yourself. Little junior is watching closely. – Article courtesy of Nestle Nutrition

How to ensure a complete and balanced nutrition plan for children.

PARENTING these days is no longer as straightforward as it seems. Our lifestyles have changed so much with the arrival of fast food restaurants, satellite TV and computer games that it is often quite a challenge for parents to practise or even remember the golden rules of nutrition for their children.

As a reminder of how we can help our children receive the daily vitality they need for a good head-start in life, it is important that we keep up with our parental lessons in nutrition. This article, as the last in the series on nutrition, reprises some of the points that have been discussed so far.

The balancing act

The Food Guide Pyramid is still the best reference for planning balanced meals. It depicts four basic food groups along with how much to eat from each group.

Always top up on fruits and vegetables to ensure proper intake of dietary fibre and essential vitamins and minerals, and cut back on empty sugars and starches and hydrogenated fats (from deep fried foods).

Remember to fortify your healthy food intake by incorporating healthy eating habits through practising balance, moderation and variety for ample nutrient availability, a healthy weight maintenance and proper digestion. And follow that up with regular exercise as it is the all-important other component to optimal health.

Power up with breakfast

There is good reason why breakfast is called “break fast”. It is because your child has been “fasting” for the last eight hours or more the night before. Eating food in the morning breaks that fast, pumping in the fuel his body needs to power him on for tackling the day’s activities, whether they be school work or exams or sports and other play activities.

Well-nourished children go into class alert and better focused and they seldom fall sick due to immune system problems triggered by lifestyle stressors and of course, poor nutrition.

However, what is preached must also be practised. Children are influenced by role models. When they see their own parents eating breakfast, they are more likely to eat breakfast themselves and carry on the habit for life.

Happiness equals health

Mental stressors do cause immunodeficiency. Unhappy homes filled with fighting and quarrelling, an autocratic parent, constant criticisms and loneliness can bring on headaches, indigestion, diarrhoea, depression and eating problems, killing off or upping appetites that can start a vicious cycle of repetitive illness and malnutrition.

Children who manage stress well have good physical and mental health. They usually have a healthy self-esteem and a sense of humour, and have a consistent and cohesive family structure with open communication lines in the family.

Sense and sensibility

At the end of the day, ensuring a complete and balanced nutrition for our children comes with applying common sense.

Forbidding certain foods is almost guaranteed to send your children bingeing on these foods. Rather than taking the extreme measure of forbidding foods, allow for limited consumption and offer alternatives in the form of tasty but healthy snacks and desserts.

Eating together as a family provides quality family time for all as feelings of unity and belonging are fostered across the dinner table. It is also a chance for parents to lead by example, showing good attitudes towards food, and displaying appropriate table manners and social skills.

Furthermore, meals prepared and eaten at home are more nutritious as parents have control, ensuring the use of healthful ingredients without the need for deep frying and the over-use of salt. More fruits and vegetables can be served alongside complex carbohydrates and quality protein and food hygiene observed.

Finally, having a good night’s sleep is the round-up needed for total well being. No amount of nutrition will be of any good if the body is ravaged and worn out. Sleep gives the body the chance to repair, recoup and rebuild, affecting not just the physical but the emotional and spiritual levels as well. For this reason, sleep has been hailed as the silent healer.

Handling picky eating

Picky eating is usually an issue with parents of young children. Persistent picky eating may lead to limited or imbalanced nutrient intake.

However, the problem is transient as picky eating is a phase that occurs in about 25% of children aged from three to seven years of age. The habit rarely extends to adolescence or adulthood. Some ways to overcome picky eating are as follows:

How to help your child overcome her fear of washing hair.

MY daughter will be four years old in two months’ time. She is terrified of washing her hair. This has been a problem for her from very young.

I have tried many ways to get her to relax when taking a shower. For example, she role-plays washing hair for her Barbie doll, plays with her toys in the bathtub and sing songs.

When I asked her why she was so scared of washing her hair, she told me she was afraid that water would get into her eyes. She asked me to get her a pair of goggles. – Worried Mother

Your daughter may have gotten soap suds into her eyes, nose or mouth when washing her hair. Listen carefully to what she has to tell you about her problems with hair washing.

Don’t be too quick to brush aside her feelings. She may be sensitive to the way you approach her problem. The more time you spend listening attentively to your child, the better she will feel.

Many children around this age have problems with water and soap getting into their eyes. They worry even at the anticipation of having their hair washed. Sometimes no amount of coaxing can convince them.

Your child needs to feel she is in control when it comes to washing her hair. You can make suggestions but the final decision lies with her. When one way does not work, try another. Let her find the most suitable way to wash her hair so that she will be reassured that she will not get water into her eyes.

Try out her suggestion of using goggles. Focus on the best way for her to have her hair washed. A suggestion coming from your daughter is always worth trying because she feels she has the power to make a change.

Offer to let her wash your hair to show you how she wants her hair washed. Organise a family hair wash session where everyone gets a hair wash. Explore different ways of washing hair, for example, using a towel to cover the face or having hair washed with the head tilted to the back. This is a fun way for everyone in the family to help your daughter work out her problem.

You may want to give her a mirror to look at how her hair is being washed while you are doing it. Children feel less fear when they can see what is going on.

Use a cooperative approach instead of providing her with the answers that you think may work. Be patient with her. It may take some time before she feels reassured. Children in their early childhood years build their confidence gradually but surely.

To settle her fears, you need to help her work on possible solutions. Avoid telling her what is best for her; rather, let her try to work it out using different approaches. While it may take time for her to let go of her fears, your support and trust can make a big difference.

Games can teach children the spirit of cooperation.

YOUNG children play games mainly for fun. Many children’s games help them learn to problem-solve, and develop motor and language skills. However, competition is often the focus of most games our children play.

Childhood games such as musical chairs or cat-and-mouse emphasise on winning. At the end of the game, those who lose will be sidelined and often feel like failures.

Children need games that focus on getting along and playing as a team. Instead of pushing or trying to outdo each other, children can also enjoy games that require them to help one another achieve success. Children as young as two years of age can care and feel for others.

The game of musical chairs, often played at children’s parties, can be upsetting to those who get eliminated because they did not sit on a chair when the music stopped.

This game focuses on who ends up as the winner and does not centre on children’s involvement. Children would shove and push one another to get a seat so that they can win.

Parents should consider games that are not only fun but encourage children to be part of a community. While we are eager to get our children to develop competitive skills, we do not want them to trample on others along the way.

Children can learn from an early age that they garner more from helping others to succeed than concentrating on self-gain only.

Here are some suggestions on how to make games less competitive and teach children to be more cooperative:

Musical chairs

Tell children that this game will require them to work together to find a place for everyone. They can be creative in the way they all sit together.

Set up two lines of chairs for as many children there are in the game. As the music plays, the children will walk around the chairs.

Remove one chair before the music stops. Everyone will find a place for one another to sit down. They can share their seats. By the end of the game, when there is only one chair left, children can decide what they want to do so everyone can still be together.

Mother, may I?

The whole family can play this game. For starters, a parent can take the lead by giving out the instructions. All the other players will stand a distance from the parent. One by one, each player will ask: “Mother, may I?”

The parent will say, “Yes, you may. Take a baby (small) step/mama (medium) step/papa (large) step.”

As each player approaches the parent, she/he gives him a peck on the cheek. The last player gets a big hug to end the game. Everyone applauds when the last player reaches the parent. This game is great fun for very young children and pre-schoolers.

Eeney Teeny Miney Moe

A game of tag on the reverse. The “key” player, who has his eyes closed, will choose from the circle of players by chanting, “Eeney Teeny Miney Moe!”

If his or her finger is on a player, he will touch the other person’s hand. If the key player can tell who the person is, the other person will take over his place. Everyone gets a turn to be the key player.

I ‘8’ it

This is a game of cooperation for a group of nine children. One player becomes the storyteller and tells a story, such as “I went to the market and bought home a big fish. I placed the fish on my dining table, and then I went to take a shower. When I got back, all I found was a fish bone on the table. I wonder who did it?”

Each player sitting in a row will use a number in his reply, “I ‘one’ it” until the last player says, “I ‘eight’ (sounds like ate) it.” Children in their late pre-school years and early primary school years enjoy playing this story-telling game immensely. Each child can tell his or her own story.

Mirror, mirror

This is a game for partners to imitate each other’s movements as quickly as possible. A more challenging version for older children is to eliminate the leader. Players are to move and simultaneously mimic each other.

The gift box

Make a gift box with a mirror inside it. Have the children sit in a circle. As each of them open the lid and look inside the box, they will marvel at the wonderful present that awaits them.

Each player has to say something nice about what is inside without revealing what they see. Of course, each player gets to see his or her own image.

A great game for primary school-age children who often make negative remarks about themselves.

Picky eaters can develop problems in growth and development, including social and academic performance.

MOST mothers will agree that it is nerve-wracking when their child refuses to eat or is extremely fussy about food. Besides normal weight gain, meeting the nutritional needs of the child is the other main concern.

“Probably the most universal complaint of parents is that their child is not eating the food, or amount of food, offered,” said Prof Dr Mauro Fisberg, paediatric nutritionist and head of the paediatrics department at Federal University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.

There are many ways to get a picky eater to finish his meal.

Dr Fisberg was invited by PaediaSure Complete (Abbott Nutrition) to come to Kuala Lumpur recently to share his expertise on the latest developments on picky eating and other feeding problems.

An author of six books on children’s eating disorders, Dr Fisberg said that in general, paediatric clinics record about 10% to 25% of children as being picky eaters.

“Picky eating is becoming a major concern because it can contribute to under-nutrition, (thus) impairing children’s growth and development which includes social and academic performance as well,” he said.

Studies have shown that picky eating can lead to growth complications, increased chronic illness and increased risk of developing eating disorders later in life.

In some cases, picky eating may also cause short-term nutritional deficiencies and produce life-long implications such as social and emotional problems, including aversion to touch, lethargy or lack of interest in playing or learning.

There is no standard definition of picky eating but researchers typically examine a variety of factors, including nutrient intake composition, weight of child, food volume and duration of refusal.

These children also tend to eat small amounts, prefer only selected foods such as carbohydrates or dairy products, avoid trying new foods and take a long time to eat their meals.

There is usually a combination of reasons for picky eating, including physiological factors such as appetite, genetics and growth. Psychological issues such as the struggle for autonomy, changing emotions and moods, and level of affection or adverse interaction between mother and child could also lead to the problem.

Children also go through picky eating phases.

“We do not know why a child who has been eating the same food for a few months simply refuses to eat it the next day,” said Dr Fisberg.

However, he said a majority of picky eaters take after examples set by their parents at home, as many studies indicate that food rejection is a learnt behaviour in almost all cases.

“However, contrary to what many people think, we cannot solve problems of poor appetite in a day or even a week,” he said,

“It all starts with recognising that the child has a right to preferences and aversions. Forcing a child to eat what he does not like is not going to make things better. Make a list of his or her preferences and every week, add two new types of food,” he advised.

Dr Fisberg said sometimes the use of oral supplements was important to maintain balanced nutrition in children.

Dr Pedro Alarcon, paediatric gastroenterologist and international medical director with Abbott Nutrition, said a 2003 study conducted in Taiwan and the Philippines showed that nutritional supplementation increased not only the weight but also the height of children.

The study was done on 92 children aged three to five who were classified as picky eaters. The children were separated into two groups and monitored for three months. One group only received nutritional counselling while the other, nutritional counselling combined with nutritional supplement.

After 60 days, the second group of children recorded significant weight gain compared to the first. Both groups also recorded increases in height.

“That was surprising for us too because we were only expecting weight gain,” he said.

In a year, said Dr Alarcon, a child roughly gains 3cm in height but the children in the study gained more than half of that within three months.

Overall, 28% of children in the second group developed upper respiratory infections compared to 51% in the group which only received nutritional counselling.

“Nutrition in the future will not only target, weight, height and less illness in children, but also more body immunity, brain development or even stronger gastrointestinal defence,” said Dr Alarcon.

In another study headed by Dr Fisberg in 2002 on children aged three to five, adding synbiotics (prebiotics and probiotics) to oral supplements showed that there were more sick days recorded in groups which did not take synbiotics. The period of the study was four months.

“Paediatric oral supplementation should be considered as part of a comprehensive strategy when dealing with picky eating to prevent children from becoming undernourished,” said Dr Alarcon.

Dr Fisberg said probably the most prescribed solution by doctors for picky eating is appetite stimulants, mainly to avoid mothers forcing their children to eat.

“I would not recommend that because the stimulants probably work for one or two weeks only, after which the body will adapt to it,” he said, adding that vitamin supplements should only be recommended if the child has a specific vitamin deficiency.

Dr Alarcon added that picky eating in children below one year old is rare and thus should be checked to ensure there were no other health problems.

After one year, a child may also develop some picky eating because that was when they achieve autonomy and have new habits and ability, hence become less interested in food, said Dr Fisberg, adding that weight gain may slow down at that time too.

Generally, when should parents be concerned that their child is having a picky eating problem?

“Usually one month is enough to rule out other possibilities such as medical problems and to see if the picky eating problem is serious,” said Dr Fisberg, who also anchors a television programme called Body Sciences on University TV in Sao Paulo.

Positive reinforcement

Tips to cultivate healthy eating habits:

1. Avoid distractions during mealtime.

2. Adopt a neutral attitude – do not pressure a child to eat.

3. Encourage appetite by limiting snacks and balancing food portions.

4. Limit duration of meal time.

5. Provide age-appropriate foods.

6. Introduce new foods to a child gradually and regularly.

7. Encourage children to eat independently – do not spoonfeed a child who is old enough to use utensils.

8. Allow children to make a mess when they eat.

When your child starts to call the maid ‘mama’, it’s time to pay more attention to him.

I HAVE three kids aged two-and-a-half, six and eight. My maid has been with us since my son was one month old. She has been telling my son that if he does not behave or listen to her, she will leave him and return home.

My son feels sad whenever I do not bring my maid along when we go out as a family. He would not hug me or run to me when I pick him up from nursery school. When he reaches home, he would ask my maid to hug him. I am worried about this close bond he has for the maid.

When I told my son that my maid would have to go home one day, he threw a fit. He said he would never accept anyone else except her. He has even started to call her “mama”. I suspect my maid has influenced him into doing so.

Lately, I discovered that my maid has been stealing from us. We had trusted her but sadly, she has been dishonest. We have decided to dismiss her because we can no longer tolerate her ways.

We are now worried about our son’s emotional state. I depend on my maid as my son’s caregiver when I am out and about. I am still breastfeeding my son at night. This is the only time I am able to care for him. Please advise me on how to handle this situation when my maid leaves. I hope my son would not get too upset with her dismissal. How should I explain this to him? – Worried Mother

AS a child enters his third year, he can have several satisfying relationships with the people in his life – his father, mother, sisters, caregivers and grandparents. He also understands the hierarchy of these relationships. They all have a special meaning to him. Some relationships are more central to him at this point of his life and he will protest at the possibility of separation.

His caregiver, your maid, plays an important role in his life because she takes care of him while you are away. She is also his playmate. But you are still his mother. As he becomes more aware of his feelings, he is also able to recognise the feelings of others. When he is upset, he does not feel love. He also worries that when other people are upset with him, they may not love him either. With his lack of experience and limited ability, he finds it difficult to grasp that others may feel differently. As a result, he feels anxious whenever he fears any loss. He will get very upset when you or your maid mentions that he will lose someone close to him.

The problem you have with your maid can lead to more anxiety for your child. To help ease the transition for your young son, pay attention to his needs and feelings. If you can start to fill his emotional tank with positive actions and words, your son will be more cooperative and relaxed. For example, while you are in-between errands, take some time to read to him or do a quiet time activity with him. You need not wait for him to hug you or say:

“I love you!” You can give these loving gestures spontaneously. Instead of telling your son to prepare to say goodbye to your maid, you may want to build a strong friendship with him. Make time to play games that help him master separation issues, such as hide-and-seek or role-playing with dolls and animals.

Create a happy and harmonious home environment for your son. While your maid is still around, be nice to her, as this will prove to your son that all is well, no matter what changes lie ahead.

An overgrowth of yeast in the vagina.

A VAGINAL yeast infection is one of the most irritating yet common conditions that affect women.

In fact, it is so common that about 75% of women will have a yeast infection at some point in their lives. Of these, almost half will have recurrent infections, meaning two or more infections later on in life.

This week, I will share some basic facts about this condition, and also answer some burning questions about the link between yeast infections and sex.

What is a yeast infection?

Yeast infection is also called candidiasis, and is due to the fungus Candida albicans that infects the vagina.

You must be wondering why yeast would grow in the vagina. In fact, it is natural to find small amounts of yeast living in the vagina under normal conditions. However, the natural acidity of the vagina can be unbalanced, causing the yeast to overgrow and cause an infection.

The infection will then cause irritation of the vagina and the vulva (the area around the vagina). This may cause you to suffer extreme itchiness in and around the vagina. This may be accompanied by a thick, white, odourless vaginal discharge that has the texture of cottage cheese.

You may also notice other symptoms like burning, redness and swelling of the vagina and vulva, pain upon urinating, and pain or discomfort during sex.

What causes it?

Vaginal yeast infections are usually caused by a weakened immune system that can lead to changes in the acidity of the vagina. The various conditions that can lower a woman’s immune defences are stress, lack of sleep, sickness, poor diet, extreme intake of sugary foods, pregnancy, menstruation and disease such as poorly-controlled diabetes and HIV infection.

You may also find that taking certain medications can increase your risk of getting a yeast infection, such as birth control pills, antibiotics and steroid medicines.

What about sex? Some women believe that they can get yeast infections through sexual intercourse with their partners. However, this is actually very rare.

A woman could be at higher risk if she has unprotected intercourse with a partner who has a yeast infection, but this condition is rare in men. There is a slightly higher risk following oral sex given by men who carry yeast organisms in their mouth.

Nonetheless, yeast infections are not likely to be transmitted from partner to partner. Having said that, however, other infections can be contracted sexually, and women should always practise safe sex with their partners.

Don’t be shy – see a doctor

It can be embarrassing to admit that you have symptoms of a vaginal infection. However, it is important that you overcome your shyness and see your GP or gynaecologist.

Sometimes, the signs of a yeast infection are similar to that of sexually transmitted diseases, such as chlamydia and gonorrhoea. Getting a medical check-up could help you determine whether you have a yeast infection or something more serious.

A yeast infection is easily diagnosed. Your doctor will examine you to look for swelling and discharge. He or she may also take a sample from your vagina and examine that under the microscope to look for yeast organisms.

Treatment is often in the form of antifungal creams, tablets, ointments or suppositories (inserted into the vagina).

Do not attempt to treat the infection yourself – always get your doctor’s advice, even if you want to use over-the-counter medicines. Taking antifungal medications when you don’t have a yeast infection could make your condition worse and increase your risk of getting a resistant strain of infection in the future.

Avoiding repeat infections

It is very common for women to develop recurrent yeast infections, even several in one year. Here are some tips to prevent another yeast infection from occurring:

·Don’t use douches.

·Avoid scented hygiene products like bubble bath, sprays, pads and tampons.

·Change tampons and pads frequently when you are menstruating.

·Don’t wear clothing or underwear that are tight in the crotch.

·Wear cotton underwear or pantyhose with a cotton crotch.

·Change out of wet swimsuits and exercise clothes as soon as possible.

·Keep your vaginal area clean.

·After a shower or bath, dry the vaginal area completely before getting dressed.

·After using the toilet, always wipe from front to back.

·Avoid sharing towels with others.

·Don’t take antibiotics unless prescribed by your doctor.

·Eat a diet high in vegetables, protein and grains, and avoid processed foods, sugars and alcohol.

·Abstain from sex while undergoing treatment for a yeast infection.

·If you are experiencing chronic yeast infections and are using birth control pills, consider changing your birth control method.

Finally, see your doctor for more advice about avoiding repeat yeast infections. Ignoring it won’t make it go away.

Datuk Dr Nor Ashikin Mokhtar is a consultant obstetrician & gynaecologist (FRCOG, UK). For further information, e-mail www.primanora.com. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Information published in this article is not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a health professional regarding the reader’s own medical care. The Star does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to the content appearing in this column. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.

IT is no secret that breastfeeding is the gold standard of infant feeding. Nevertheless, when medical officer Dr Seri Suniza Sufian was pregnant with her first baby, she wondered what kind of milk would she give to her child.

“I actually had the cheek to think of what milk I was going to give this baby inside my womb,” said Dr Seri, who is now a mother of four fully breastfed children and a consultant in obstetrics and gynaecology.

Speaking on breastfeeding and women’s reproductive health at the Working Women and Breastfeeding forum recently, she recounted her meeting with Breastfeeding Information Bureau President Norjinah Moin, who asked her point blank: “Why do you want to give your child powdered milk or formula?”

Since then Dr Seri never looked back because she knew the answer: that it was only natural and beneficial to both mother and child if she were to breastfeed.

Research has shown babies who are breastfed to be less likely to be infected by a wide range of infectious diseases, including bacterial meningitis (infection of membranes in the brain), diarrhoea, respiratory tract infection and urinary tract infection.

Some studies even suggest breastfeeding may enhance your child’s learning abilities and reduces the rates of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in the first year of life and type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus later in life.

“Another benefit of breastfeeding that is not often highlighted is it promotes the normal pattern of swallowing and breathing,” said orthodontist Prof Dr Zamri Radzi. By “exercising” the mouth and facial muscles, sucking on the mother’s breast promotes the child’s orofacial (mouth and face) development.

While a lot of emphasis is placed on the benefits infants can get out of breast milk, mothers benefit too from the act of nursing. A mother who breastfeeds may decrease her chances of experiencing postpartum (after-delivery) bleeding and developing hormone-dependent cancers, like ovarian or breast cancer, if she does not have any other risk factors.

Other benefits include weight loss, uterus contraction to its original size and natural contraception during the first six months of exclusive breastfeeding (baby is fed with breast milk alone).

Besides providing health benefits, breastfeeding is also cost-efficient!

Imagine your baby having to consume a tin of infant formula per week that costs about RM50 to RM60 for one or even two years (in a move to promote breastfeeding, infant formula is not a controlled item in Malaysia). You can save at least RM2,600 per year, not to mention the extra healthcare costs saved with reduced trips to the local doctor – your child tends to fall sick less often due to the antibodies passed down from your milk.

On a larger scale, the potential economic benefits are great. In his review and analysis of the economic benefits of breastfeeding, US Department of Agriculture researcher Jon Weiner reported that a minimum US$3.6bil (RM11bil) of healthcare cost would be saved every year if breastfeeding were increased from current levels in the US (64% in-hospital, 29% at six months) to those recommended by the US Surgeon General (75% and 50%).

Although it is intuitive that similar findings would be found in Malaysia, studies like these have yet to be done locally.

Looking at the common misconceptions that surround breastfeeding.

HEARING the first cry of her first child, a new mother heaves a sigh of relief. She waits in anticipation to welcome her bundle of joy into her arms.

In the periphery of her vision, she sees the midwife walking towards her with her baby wrapped snugly in a white cotton towel.

Being previously immersed in prenatal preparation, she frantically searches her memory for some inkling of what to do next. Of course, breastfeed!

Suddenly, bucketloads of advice – from well-meaning relatives, friends, the mother-in-law and the last parenting book she read – enters her blissful state of mind as she tries to decide on the best way to feed her baby.

Studies have found that breastfeeding actually promotes better bone remineralisation in the mother. -APphoto

To clear some of the confusion, the following are the common misconceptions about breastfeeding.

Myth: I can’t breastfeed because I am too thin/malnourished.

Fact: Malnourished women typically do not have trouble breastfeeding. Breast milk production remains largely unaffected by malnourishment, and is produced in a non-exhaustive supply, making it readily available at all times for newborns. Only in severely malnourished women can breastfeeding be a problem.

Myth: I don’t have enough milk.

Fact: When a baby starts suckling on your breast, the stimulation will induce the release of oxytocin in your body, which stimulates the let-down reflex (milk ejection reflex) when your are relaxed. During the first few days of breastfeeding, your milk may be a watery, clear and yellowish fluid. This is actually colostrum (also known as beestings or first milk), which is high in carbohydrates, protein and antibodies and low in fat.

Although your baby may become hungry often, it may be because babies have small digestive systems and need frequent feeding with small amounts of milk at any one time. Or, your baby may not have latched on properly onto your breast.

Myth: I can’t breastfeed because I am sick.

Fact: With very few exceptions, the baby will be protected by continued breastfeeding. By the time the mother has fever (or cough, vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, etc) she has already given the baby the infection, since she has been infectious for several days before she even knew she was sick. The baby’s best protection against getting the infection is for the mother to continue breastfeeding.

If the baby does get sick, he will be less sick if the mother continues breastfeeding. In Malaysia, mothers who have been tested HIV-positive are not recommended to breastfeed their child; but in some countries where the babies are more likely to die from infections from the unsafe preparation of replacement foods (e.g. lack of clean water supply to prepare infant formula), mothers can still breastfeed.3

However, nursing mothers should always check with their physicians if they are ill or if they have started on any medications or treatments.

Myth: Breastfeeding ties the mother down.

Fact: It depends on how you look at it. A baby can be nursed anywhere, any time, and thus breastfeeding is liberating for the mother. No need to drag around bottles or formula. No need to worry about where to warm up the milk. No need to worry about sterility. No need to worry about how your baby is, because he is with you.3

Myth: As I have a breast implant, it may be dangerous for me to breastfeed.

Fact: Most do very well. There is no evidence that breastfeeding with silicone implants is harmful to the baby. Occasionally this operation is done through the areola. These women do have problems with milk supply, as does any woman who has an incision around the areolar line.3

Myth: My baby is born premature. My milk is not ready for a baby to feed on.

Fact: In pregnancy, there is an increased level of the prolactin hormone in your body. Therefore, the mammary (breast) glands are ready to produce milk as the pregnancy progresses. If you delivered prematurely, the breast milk is well designed and more suitable for the baby at that gestation. You may be encouraged to express breast milk even though the baby is not suckling well.

Breast milk production starts very early and it is suited to the baby’s needs at any stage of gestation.

Myth: If my baby is drinking my milk, I might get brittle bones and develop osteoperosis when I am old.

Fact: Studies have found that breastfeeding actually promotes better bone remineralisation. That means, a lot more bone formation takes place when a woman is breastfeeding.

On another note, supplements are usually not needed every day if you are eating a normal diet unless its use is indicated by your health professional. If not practised prudently, excessive supplementation may result in weight gain.

Usually, nursing mothers need more iron to prevent anaemia, but they only need about 200 more calories (about two slices of bread) daily compared to women who are not breastfeeding.

References:

1. Dr Seri Suniza Sufian, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist

2. Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk, American Academy of Pediatrics Policy statement (Organisational Principles to Guide and Define the Child Health Care System and/or Improve the Health of All Children).

3. Breastfeeding Myths, Jack Newman M.D., http://www.breastfeeding.com/all_about/all_about_myths1.html#M1_1, (13 Aug 2008)

4. Maternal Health and Well-Being: A Cornerstone of the Millennium Development Goals, United National Association of USA; http://www.unausa.org/site/pp.asp?c=fvKRI8MPJpF&b=1733129

For more information about breastfeeding, you can visit the Malaysian Breastfeeding Information Bureau website at bibmalaysia.org. You can also contact the Breastfeeding Information Bureau at 03-4107 3678 or breasted@bibmalaysia.org for further assistance.

KUALA LUMPUR: More visitors are expected to turn up at Parliament following the return of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the PKR de facto leader who has just won the Permatang Pauh by-election.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Abd Aziz said he anticipated more people would go to Parliament, regardless of whether they are Anwar’s supporters or not.

However, Nazri also said that the Parliament sitting would still be the same.

"I prefer him (Anwar) to be inside (voted in as MP) rather than outside.

"In Parliament, people can ask him questions and he has to be responsible, accountable and answerable.

"I know the man,'' said Nazri, adding that he feared no one in Parliament.

Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Pandikar Amin Mulia said he did not expect anything lesser than a Deputy Prime Minister as Anwar was one.

"He was in that capacity before and the decorum must be there.

"I expect quarrel to take place in the Dewan but maybe he would be able to control those from the opposition,'' said Pandikar.

He also said security would not be tightened in Parliament and it would be business as usual.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar also told reporters at the Parliament Lobby that there would be no extra policemen nor roadblocks on Thursday.

PUTRAJAYA: Some restaurants are still charging service tax to its customers although the number of outlets permitted to do so has dropped sharply from 4,800 to only 435 premises since the Government raised the sales threshold to RM3mil.

Customs director-general Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Abdul Rahman said his department was aware of complaints by consumers. Customs officers have been making checks to ensure restaurant owners whose outlets did not meet the requirement would not charge their customers 5% service tax.

However, he said, not many people have come forward to make an official complaint on errant restaurant operators but they merely had gone to the press to air their displeasure.

“It is difficult for us to take appropriate action if we do not know the identity of the culprits. Therefore, we urge the public to come forward and provide us with information so we can act on it. My department is proactive and we do act on complaints but we need details,” he told reporters Wednesday after the launch of a seminar on Customs International Business Partnership by Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Kong Cho Ha.

Even the director-general himself was not spared from being charged service tax by a restaurant operator and Rahman said his men were in the midst of investigating the case.

He said the public could go into the department’s website to check the names of restaurants which still have the licence to charge service tax and lodge their complaints by e-mailing the department.

Effective July 1, only 435 restaurants nationwide have the licence to collect service tax. A total of 4,800 outlets had to surrender their licence as they were no longer eligible to make the collection following the Government’s decision to increase the sales threshold level from RM500,000 to RM3mil a year.

On another matter, Rahman said Customs estimates the collection of import duty from motor vehicles to be RM8.5bil this year, while duties for cigarettes and alcohol would also be more this year at RM2.9bil and RM1.35bil respectively.

He also said between January and August, the department had registered 3,133 cases of smuggling involving goods worth RM95mil and taxes valued at RM162mil.

“With the high-tech gadgets, equipment and increased surveillance work, we have managed to cripple many smuggling attempts and will continue to do so,” he said.

Eskil Rønningsbakken travels the world performing mind-blowing stunts in the name of art.

DRESSED in a smart shirt and slacks, Eskil Rønningsbakken looked just like an ordinary office worker, save for the fact that he was upside-down, and doing a handstand six floors above ground on the edge of a ledge at Menara Star, Petaling Jaya.
Norwegian balance artiste Eskil Rønningsbakken nonchalantly reading The Star while perched on the sixth-storey ledge of Menara Star. He did a handstand there, too.

In an exclusive photo shoot and interview, the 28-year-old Norwegian professional performer of balancing acts did five handstands on the edge of The Star’s headquarters, which remarkable as it sounds, was a breeze compared to what he has done before.

For more than 10 years, Rønningsbakken has travelled the world, performing jaw-dropping stunts such as balancing on a tight-rope between two hot air balloons, walking a tight-rope between two mountain-tops, and standing on his hands at the edge of the sheer cliff known as Prekestolen, along the Lysefjord fjord in Norway.
Last March, he balanced on an ice cube mea­suring 60cm by 35cm, held on each end by two ropes and suspended almost 300m above a glacial fissure in Dovrefjell National Park, Norway.
Last June, in Norway, he balanced upside down on one chair leg at Kjeragbolten and did a handstand on a trapeze bar rigged underneath a hot air balloon in Voss.

Rønningsbakken balancing on a four-rung metal ladder on the edge of Norway’s famed Prekestolen cliff, 604m over the Lysefjord.

Unlike extreme sportsmen or adrenaline junkies, Rønningsbakken isn’t in the business for cheap thrills. “I do this not to get an adrenaline rush – I do it more for art, and to create something that people have not seen before,” he said, adding that everything starts with a picture he has inside his head.

“When I’m on the street, looking at a high building, I try imagining a picture of me on top of that building, or between the two towers on the wire. My greatest satisfaction is (physically) seeing that picture.”

How he got started
The youngest of three siblings, Rønnings­bakken grew up in the countryside where he was allowed to climb trees and play on the roof-tops.

“My mother would be screaming at me to come down all the time, but my dad would be saying, ‘Wait a minute, let me take a picture first!’ ” he recalled with a laugh. “I know it sounds crazy, but you learn a lot from that kind of play – you learn to respect the height and danger.”
Rønningsbakken first learned how to do a handstand when he was five years old. By eight, he was honing his skills under the tutelage of a professional circus trainer, performing with a troupe until he was 17 when he signed his first professional contract.

Rønningsbakken performing a handstand while perched on one chair leg over a gorge in Kjeragbolten, Norway.

When he was 18, he went to Germany where he juggled school and work for three years, and trained under a Russian trainer named Peter Jakob, who was based with the Russian State Circus.

“Peter taught me how to balance objects on my body, and how to balance myself on objects at the same time. It was very hard training under him. He always ran after me with a stick if I did something wrong!” he said.
Recognising the young Norwegian’s talent, the Russian maestro then encouraged Rønningsbakken to reach for greater heights in his profession. “Peter said, ‘You can take this higher as long as you believe you can do it’. He told me to go for the ‘real things’, to work hard when I was young and not make things too easy for myself too early,” he said.
When he was 19, Rønningsbakken decided to strike out on his own because he realised he would only end up repeating himself endlessly if he were contracted to someone.
For the last 11 years, he has been working on his own projects all around the world, most of which deal with great heights or extreme speeds.

Training and focus

Despite what he did on the sixth floor ledge of Menara Star, Rønningsbakken doesn’t just wake up in the morning and go balance on some roof-top just for kicks. Many of his more dangerous stunts take weeks and even months of preparation. Every little detail, from his physical condition to the tiniest screw in the props, has to be perfect.
Rønningsbakken goes to great lengths to improve his skills and knowledge, even living for a year on a small, windy island called Karmoy, off the west coast of Norway, to learn and get used to different wind patterns.
“It’s a very small and flat island with terrible windy weather all the time! Every day that I was there, I trained my balancing with bikes, chairs and so on, exploring and learning about different winds, and how the body reacts to them,” he explained, adding that as a result of this kind of training, he is never afraid of being blown off by winds while performing a balancing act.

Rønningsbakken balancing on an ice cube 275m over a glacial fissure in Norway’s Dovrefjell National Park.

He also has his own brand of meticulous and (in his own words) “sadistic” training. For instance, if he happens to be preparing for a tightrope stunt, he will set up a tightrope that is exactly the same distance as the one at the actual location, but at a very low height, and then practise walking on it almost obsessively.

“I first start off with the rope four or five meters from the ground. Then I set a goal for the day – say, 40 times a day – and I walk the full length of the rope 40 times without any failure. If I fail on number 29, I start from the beginning again.
“It sounds sadistic but it is very necessary because everything must be perfect, and I have to eliminate every possible mistake,” he said. “I usually practise around five times a week, and focus on quality training, not just the quantity. Sometimes just one hour of practising would be enough; at other times I would push myself to do five or six hours. I hardly do any other exercise because I have to economise my energy. The most important thing in my life is resting!”

Staying accident-free

Doing such dangerous tricks and stunts, it is almost a miracle that Rønningsbakken has stayed accident-free so far in his career. In fact, the closest shave he has ever had was 10 years ago when he was doing a trapeze act and lost the grip from one of his legs.
“That was a close call because I was dangling there with only one leg ... but that was when I was still inexperienced. Nowadays I have not even come close to an accident,” he said.
One of the reasons that Rønningsbakken has stayed relatively accident-free is that he never lets his “job” become routine.
“I never think that ‘it’s just a job’. There is a danger of falling into a routine and becoming complacent,” he explained. “To me, every situation is different, and I never take it for granted. I also don’t take unnecessary risks – even if I am having a good day, I don’t overdo the acts just because I’m feeling good. That’s the reason I’ve survived so far without accidents.”
He builds whatever props is needed and talks with everyone who is involved with a particular project so he can learn more about what they do and how they contribute to his performance.
“I get knowledge from everyone, and from people who have more experience than I do. So far, I’ve talked to engineers, pilots, musicians, dancers ? all sorts of people who do different things, because all their experience can help me as well.”
Having already established his act in Europe, South America and the Middle East, Rønningsbakken is now looking to expand his reach to other parts of Asia, and with some of the tallest buildings in the world being located in this region, he is already dreaming up some very intriguing projects.
“I would love to put up a tightrope between the Petronas twin towers and walk across it, or just balance on top of one of them. I’m really looking forward to doing something like that, but it all depends on whether anyone would have the guts to let me do it!”
For details on Eskil Rønningsbakken and his astounding feats, go to www.globalbalancing.com.

If the 1998 political crisis had not happened, Anwar Ibrahim would have been the fifth prime minister of Malaysia.
MCPXIf not for Dr Mahathir Mohamad's forced removal, Anwar would not have founded Parti Keadilan Rakyat to oppose Umno. If not for the restriction of the law placed on him, Anwar would have become a member of parliament after the 2008 general election instead of fighting today’s by-election to reclaim his old seat of Permatang Pauh. It is the 'ifs' that has characterised the political fate of Anwar, a man who has made headlines in his colourful political career. The story of Anwar is not just another tale, but a tale of rebellion against the establishment.Born on Aug 10, 1948 in Bukit Mertajam, Penang, Anwar was brought into a family whose steps trod the field of politics. His parents, though not star-studded political figures, were nevertheless active Umno members.Anwar's father, once member of parliament for Seberang Jaya Tengah (later renamed Permatang Pauh), was Health Ministry's parliamentary secretary, while his mother was a division chief in Wanita Umno, and his brother, Rani, the chairman of Malaysian Youth Council and an active party member.

His first foray into politics began when he entered Universiti Malaya in 1967 as a Malay Literature undergraduate. In the following year, he became the chairman of the university's Malay Literature Society and the Malaysian Muslim Student Association, effectively becoming a renowned student leader. After the May 13 racial clashes, Anwar began to ponder on the need of social restructuring through religion. At this time, Anwar and Mahathir shared the same view - that the first prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman failed to elevate the economic and educational status of the Malays. Thus, Anwar looked up to Mahathir as his mentor, a symbol of strength for the coming change.

When Mahathir was sacked from Umno after May 13, 1969, Anwar stood beside him and championed his call of reforms. And when Mahathir's influential ‘The Malay Dilemma’ was banned by Tunku's administration, Anwar braved the dictates of the day and pushed forward Mahathir's seminal work, brandishing it akin to Lin Biao's support of Mao Zedong during the Chinese Cultural Revolution beginning from 1966. Anwar's rebelliousness can be gleaned from the following tale: In 1971, when Anwar's father presented him to Tun Razak during the latter's birthday, Anwar was suggested to further his education overseas as a legal student after graduating from Universiti Malaya, in order to contribute to the nation in the coming years. Anwar declined the offer, as well as the opportunity to join Umno at that time so as to remain free from political control as a champion of Islam.However, Anwar did not decline the invitation to participate in the United Nations Youth Conference, and became the chairman of Malaysian Youth Council and a member of the United Nations Youth Conference advisory panel in the following year. From then on, Tun Razak began to notice Anwar's rise, in no small part due to his founding of Abim (Malaysian Muslim Youth Movement). Though Abim was only registered in 1974 as a formal society, it was already an active entity when it was founded in 1971, fighting for the rights of lower-class Malays in their educational needs. The aim was to expand Abim's influence in pushing for Islamic reforms by recruiting more young people under the banner of education. With this exercise, Anwar had cemented himself as a charismatic leader amongst the Malay youth. With his newfound influence, Anwar participated with students from Universiti Malaya in the hunger strike at Baling in 1974, forcing the government to arrest him under the Internal Security Act (ISA). Only two years later - in September 1976 - was Anwar released unconditionally by the administration of Tun Hussein Onn. Prior to his release, Anwar was offered a conditional release by the Tun Razak's administration, of which he flatly rejected.

After his release, Anwar did not seek leadership appointment from his mentor Mahathir, whose returned to Umno in 1971 paved way for his then appointment, first as the education minister after the 1974 general election, and later as the deputy prime minister in 1976. Instead, his experience in jail gave him the experience to lead Abim again, to the point that the organisation was at odds with the government in opposing corruption, abuse of power and the abolishment of ISA. In 1980, in the midst of pressing for reforms, Anwar married his beloved Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, of which their devotion was publicly displayed later when she took up the mantle of leadership and preserved his spirit of reforms during Anwar's trying times in the late 90s.

The Islamic reforms
The year 1981 was a turning point for Anwar Ibrahim, representing his second stage in his political career and maturity. It was during this year that he joined Umno at the behest of his mentor Mahathir, the then prime minister. His entry was met with caution from Umno veterans, and with scepticism from PAS (due to the Islamic party’s failure in inviting Anwar to its leadership). But he had the support of his wife and the blessings of his family, as well as Abim’s full backing. And thus, began his meteoric rise in Umno. The reason Anwar was lavished with much attention was due in no small part to the support he received from his 50,000-odd Abim members. He also gave Mahathir the necessary well of strength to push through his political agenda. To prove Anwar's leadership and charisma, the new Umno member was deliberately picked by Mahathir to contest in the Permatang Pauh constituency in the 1982 general election. This move was more of a test: to prove Anwar's capabilities, as well as to silence the critics of Umno veterans in letting an inexperienced young man to rise to the leadership echelon.And indeed Anwar passed the test, thus began the alliance between Mahathir and himself, paving the way for Mahathir to initiate his Islamic reforms in the administration of the nation.Mahathir believed that the Islamisation of the administration will initiate the necessary reforms, and with this, Anwar found the chance at last to carry out his ideals of Islamic reforms in the government. Together, Islamisation was successfully introduced and penetrated every facade of the administration. The Islamisation during Mahathir's administration, and the ideals of Anwar, was founded on similar grounds, that values were flexible, not rigid, enabling Malaysia to develop its own model similar to Middle Eastern modernisation, instead of being restricted by the example of Turkey. Incidentally, the administrations under Tunku, Razak and Hussein Onn were based on the Turkish model. Coincidentally too, Tun Hussein Onn and his father Onn Jaafar were both of Turkish descent.

The root of such an ideal was based on the 1979 Iranian Revolution, which saw the demise of the Shah and the collapse of the Pahlavi dynasty by the country's Islamic revolutionists. The overthrew of the Shah was not only the pride of the Shiites; it inspired the Sunnis to pursue reforms and change, with Malaysia a prime example of such an inspiration. Thus history witnessed the alliance between Mahathir and Anwar during the 1980s, pushing Islamic agenda into the mainstream, while regaining good relations with Middle Eastern states and strengthening ties with Western nations. It was a time where East meets West, where Malaysia strived to absorb the industrial and technological prowess of our Western counterpart, while levelling Eastern values as the soul of the nation, displacing conventional Western mindset which had dominated the country since its colonisation.The criticisms levelled at the West during the latter half of Mahathir's administration and the promotion of Eastern values by Anwar was seen as the culmination of this amalgamation, a measure to show the Muslim world what it takes to be a successful Islamic nation.However, this period was not sparred from internal frictions, due to mismanagement and the difficulty in accepting Islamic values as universal values by local non-Muslims.