Geran Tanah Lesap Dalam 30 Minit

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PADA zaman moden ini terlalu banyak penipuan yang berlaku. Saya pernah mengutarakan beberapa artikel mengenainya yang dipetik daripada majalah Personel Money iaitu Avoiding The Scam Trap dan Identity Theft pada 15 Mei 2011, (juga terjemahan kedua-duanya bertajuk Jangan Ditipu dan Tertipu serta Kecurian Identiti).

Penipu bukan sahaja menggunakan teknologi IT masa kini, malah turut mengaplikasi teknologi Harut Marut zaman Nabi Musa a.s berupa Pukau (14 Oktober 2011).

Sudahlah duit, barang kemas dan barang berharga mudah alih kena kebas, tanah pun turut disapu. Hanya berbekalkan Mykad palsu, ahli sindiket boleh menipu pejabat tanah dan mendapatkan geran asal tanah yang dikehendaki hanya dalam 30 minit.

Ini semua berlaku kerana pejabat tanah tidak mempunyai kaedah tertentu bagi memastikan geran tanah diberikan kepada pemilik berhak. Adakalanya pengimbas cap jari offline dan sistemnya tidak dipautkan ke agensi-agensi kerajaan lain, termasuk Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara. Pejabat daerah pula langsung tidak mempunyai pengimbas cap jari.

Sindiket ini memang pakar dalam proses urusan tanah. Yang menjadi sasaran ialah tanah pegangan bebas, tanah tanpa sebarang gadaijanji, tanah yang telah dijelaskan bayarannya oleh pemilik atau tanah yang bernilai jutaan ringgit. Tanah dijual pada harga lebih rendah daripada harga pasaran bagi memudahkan mereka melupuskannya.

Faktor penyumbang penipuan tanah ialah tanah yang terbiar tanpa sebarang kegiatan, tanah yang tidak dibayar cukai untuk tempoh yang lama, keselamatan tanah tidak dijaga, proses pendaftaran tanah yang lemah, pemilik tidak jelas mengenai proses pindahmilik tanah, butiran peribadi pemilik tidak dikemaskini, dan pemilik sering berada di luar kawasan atau di luar negara.

Masalah ini paling ketara di kawasan pesat membangun dengan ruang tanah terhad seperti di Kuala Lumpur, Selangor dan beberapa bahagian negeri Johor serta Pulau Pinang.

Dikatakan juga bahawa peguam tidak dikehendaki memeriksa kesahihan sesuatu Mykad dengan Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara. Peguam memerlukan geran, MyKad Penjual, resit cukai tanah dan pembeli tanah tersebut. Selepas itu peguam akan membuat carian di pejabat tanah bagi memastikan tanah tersebut adalah milik sebenar penjual sebelum menyediakan perjanjian jual-beli.

Namun saya percaya ada di antara peguam yang bersekongkol dengan sindiket penipuan ini. Sebagai contoh, pada 2005 Suruhanjaya Sekuriti Malaysia telah mengenakan denda RM500,000 ke atas seorang peguam kerana bertindak sebagai wakil penjual tanpa lesen sah.

Dikatakan pihak kerajaan kini sedang dalam proses memperkenalkan sistem biometrik yang melibatkan seluruh negara dan bakal membanteras kegiatan penipuan tanah. Namun ia memerlukan masa agak lama untuk dilaksanakan sepenuhnya kerana membabitkan seluruh negara dan undang-undang bagi mensepadu berbagai agensi, terutama Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara.

Pada masa ini Pejabat Tanah dan Galian Selangor telah membangunkan pangkalan data wakil-wakil peguam di negeri tersebut. Jika seseorang itu tiada dalam senarai tersebut, firma guaman akan dihubungi bagi mendapatkan butiran lanjut sebelum pihak berkuasa bertindak ke atas individu tersebut.

Apapun, saya percaya pemilik tanah patut bertanggungjawab ke atas tanah masing-masing. Bukankah itu tanah persendirian? Mana boleh tanggungjawab itu dilepaskan kepada pihak berkuasa kerajaan negeri pula. Mereka harus menyemak status tanah masing-masing dengan pejabat tanah atau pejabat daerah dari semasa ke semasa.

Bagi memastikan keselamatan, pemilik hendaklah melakukan beberapa kegiatan di tanah berkenaan, contohnya memagar atau menempatkan pengawal bagi menjaga kawasan tersebut.

Pembeli juga harus berhati-hati ketika membeli tanah yang harganya di bawah nilai pasaran. Kemungkinan besar tanah itu tanah sindiket penipuan. Bila sesuatu yang buruk berlaku, jangan menuding jari kepada pihak lain.   

Modus operandi  sindiket penipuan

Penipuan tandatangan

Tandatangan pemilik tanah sah ditiru ke atas borang pemilikan.

Memalsukan kad pengenalan, salinan CTC (salinan sebenar yang sah) dan surat perjanjian.

Mendapatkan satu salinan CTC yang diimbas ke atas kertas keselamatan yang dicuri, atau  menggunakan Kad Pengenalan pemilik yang telah dipinda. 

Menyamar sebagai pemilik tanah, mendapatkan khidmat peguam tidak beretika sebagai saksi, atau peguam bertindak bagi pihak pemilik.

Penyamar mempunyai nama yang sama dengan nama pemilik sebenar dan mengisytihar dirinya sebagai pemilik sah; mendapatkan khidmat peguam disenaraihitam untuk menjadi saksi dalam urusan menurunkan tandatangan ke atas perjanjian jual-beli (S&P) atau apa-apa urusan lain; mengambil khidmat peguam tidak berdaftar dengan mana-mana pihak untuk bertindak bagi pihak pemilik.

Manipulasi perjanjian jual-beli (S&P)

Perjanjian didraf secara kurang jelas atau perjanjian itu tidak lengkap.

Sindiket menggodam sistem komputer pendaftaran tanah untuk meminda butiran pemilikan. 

Fundamental Right of A Patient

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MY ex-colleague sounded flustered on the phone. Anguished, even. “Albert, I really don’t know what to do. My husband’s doctor called me. He would like my husband to undergo more CT and MRI scans. You know, my husband has an advanced incurable cancer of a rare kind. He is in a semi-comatose state. He has not long to live. Perhaps weeks, perhaps days.

“His doctor said that he needed the scans to monitor his progress. The doctor also wanted to use the scans for teaching trainee doctors and medical students.”

Professors, scientists and doctors have always resorted to humans, their blood and tissues, their x-rays and scans, to teach and instruct their students. We also use cadavers.

There was once a disreputable practice called body-snatching. In the nineteenth century and before, it was not legal to dissect a corpse, apart from those condemned to death by the courts. Unsavoury characters used to procure the bodies of those who recently died (usually by digging graves) and supply them to the medical profession.

Doctors dissected these cadavers and learned about the human body. The Anatomy Act of 1832 made it easier. Patients who died in hospitals could be used. However, doctors who wished to dissect a human body had to obtain a license from the Home Secretary.

Without patients, there can be no progress in medicine. Patients are recruited into clinical trials. This is the yardstick we use in ascertaining if a new drug truly works.

The hundreds of thousands of patients who have participated in clinical trials are the true heroes of medicine. Without them, we will not be able to confidently prescribe drugs the way we do, whether it is for cancer, heart disease, stroke, arthritis or diabetes, or for any disease for that matter.

She continued, “I don’t want the doctor to think I am uncooperative or ungrateful. After all, the doctors have treated my husband well the past year. But, Albert, he is so ill and there is no point subjecting him to more procedures. It will only stress him further.

“Truth be told, I feel guilty. I feel bad if I deny the doctor his request. At the same time, I want my husband to die peacefully and with dignity.”

“Was the doctor insistent? Did he hint that your husband’s on-going palliative care will be compromised if you do not agree to his request?” I asked.

“Oh, no. He was nothing like that. But I must say he played on my sentiments. He spoke about how much the scans would contribute to the teaching of medical students. And, by the way, the doctor also let on that he was preparing a paper about my husband’s case for publication.”

For doctors, who are advancing their careers, it is ‘publish or perish’. Promotions are much dependent on research activities and publications. For those with many publications of repute, rewards go beyond a promotion. Speaking engagements and trips to conferences in exotic locales are in the offing. There is also peer recognition and peer respect to bask in.

There was no doubt in my mind about the advice I would give her. “To me, your husband’s welfare and your wishes count. This is the first principle of medicine. It should be the last. Please tell the doctor politely you do not wish your husband to undergo more scans. You do not have to justify your decision.

“In any case, your doctor has to obtain your written informed consent if your husband’s blood, tissues or x-rays are to be used for any teaching or research purpose.”

I want to be very clear on this issue. This is all about fundamental human rights. No patient or person should be coerced to be physically examined or to be treated without her consent. The same goes with blood and tissue samples.

No organ (eye, kidney, lung, heart) should be harvested from those who have died without a living will or an advanced medical directive. No data of any patient shall be used for research or teaching without the patient’s (live or dead) consent.

The question of guilt, conscience or charity does not arise. In any case, charity is not charity if forced or guilt-ridden.

My ex-colleague politely turned the doctor down. I hope the doctor accepted her decision with grace and understanding.

It was right for her to say no. It was her right to say no.

(Written by Dr Albert Lim Kok Hooi)

Alim-alim Kucing

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(Diadaptasi dari tulisan oleh Dr. Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin, bekas mufti Perlis)  

RAMAI orang selalu menyimpulkan pendapat masing-masing berdasarkan penampilan atau faktor luaran yang mereka lihat semata-mata. Penilaian yang seimbang atau kesimpulan yang adil berbeza dengan sangkaan baik. 

Contohnya, apabila kita melihat orang yang rajin solat atau puasa, kita wajar bersangka baik terhadapnya. Namun pada masa yang sama kita tidak boleh membuat kesimpulan bahawa dia pasti ahli syurga, orang yang kuat berpegang dengan agama, atau seorang yang soleh. 

Memang solat dan puasa amalan yang baik dalam Islam, tetapi Islam bukan sahaja berkaitan soal solat dan puasa, sebaliknya Islam merangkumi pelbagai sudut kehidupan. Jika dia rajin solat dan puasa, tetapi dalam masa yang sama suka mencerca orang, atau menderhakai ibubapa, atau tidak amanah, atau menzalimi orang lain, maka dia bukannya orang yang soleh dalam ertikata sebenar dalam Islam. 

Sabda Rasulullah saw:

Tahukah kamu siapakah orang yang muflis? Jawab mereka: "Orang yang muflis dalam kalangan kami ialah sesiapa yang tiada dirham dan tiada harta". Sabda baginda: "Orang yang muflis dalam umatku ialah sesiapa yang datang pada Hari Kiamat nanti bersama solat, puasa, zakat, juga dia pernah memaki seseorang, menuduh seseorang, memakan harta seseorang, menumpah darah seseorang dan memukul seseorang. Lalu diberikan kepada orang ini dan itu pahalanya. Jika pahala-pahalanya habis sebelum sempat dilangsaikan kesalahannya, maka diambil dosa-dosa mereka dicampakkan ke atasnya lantas dicampakkan dia ke dalam neraka (Riwayat Muslim).

Selain itu dalam hadis lain Rasulullah saw juga menceritakan tentang akhir zaman di mana terdapat orang yang memperdaya kerana hendakkan keuntungan. Di negara kita sendiri pun ada orang yang memakai 'pakaian agama', mengutip wang daripada orang ramai, kononnya hendak membuat penghantaran pahala kepada si mati. Mereka membuat untung yang besar saban tahun atas nama al-Quran. Orang yang kurang arif menganggap mereka melakukan kebaikan sedangkan Nabi saw menyindir perbuatan ini dengan sabdanya:

Bacalah al-Quran dan mintalah daripada Allah (pahala), kerana selepas kamu akan ada kaum yang membaca al-Quran dan meminta (upah) daripada manusia (Riwayat Ahmad dan al-Tirmizi, dinilai hasan oleh al-Albani).

Dalam sejarah ramai yang menampilkan watak 'agama' tetapi sebenarnya penjenayah agama. Antara yang terkenal ialah Abu 'Ismah Nuh bin Abi Maryam yang mencipta hadis dusta. Dia mengadakan hadis-hadis fadilat itu dan ini khususnya tentang surah-surah al-Quran. Dia menghimpunkan ilmu daripada berbagai tokoh besar. Sebenarnya dia pendusta yang bertopengkan tokoh agama Al-Hafiz Ibn Hibban menyebut: "dia menghimpunkan segalanya, kecuali cakap benar". (lihat: al-Sayuti, Tadrib al-Rawi, 185, Beirut: Dar al-Fikr). 

Ramai orang sepertinya dalam sejarah pengumpulan hadis. Dr. Hammam Sa'id, seorang pengkaji hadis berkata: "Telah zahir golongan ahli ibadat, zuhud dan nussak (penumpu penuh ibadah). Kejahilan dan kebodohan telah membuatkan mereka mencipta hadis palsu dalam fadhilat amal, fadhilat surah al-Quran dan solat sunat, untuk menggalakkan orang ramai beramal. 

Mereka juga mencipta hadis palsu untuk menakutkan orang ramai terhadap maksiat, kononnya demi membela Islam. Golongan jahil ini tidak sedar bahawa pendustaan ke atas Rasulullah saw boleh menurunkan mereka ke dalam tahap paling bawah dalam neraka jahanam" (Hammam 'Abd al-Rahim Sa'id, Al-Tamhid fi 'Ulum al-Hadith, m.s. 140, Jordan: Dar al-Furqan). 

Ini kerana mereka menipu atas nama Rasulullah saw dan merubah wajah asal agama. Jika dilihat atau dinilai pada zahir ibadah dan pakaian, tentu kita menyangka mereka golongan yang soleh, tetapi di sisi agama mereka adalah para pendusta yang termasuk dalam sabda Nabi saw: 

Sesungguhnya berdusta ke atasku (menggunakan namaku) bukanlah seperti berdusta ke atas orang lain (menggunakan nama orang lain). Sesiapa yang berdusta ke atasku dengan sengaja, maka siaplah tempat duduknya dalam neraka. (Riwayat al-Bukhari dan Muslim).

Dalam sejarah pertelingkahan umat Islam kelompok yang paling awal dan kuat  mengguna isu agama untuk mengkafirkan orang Islam lain ialah puak Khawarij.  Rasulullah saw menyifatkan mereka seperti berikut: 

...Seseorang kamu akan merasa lekeh solatnya dibandingkan solat mereka, merasa lekeh puasanya dibandingkan puasa mereka. Mereka membaca al-Quran, namun al-Quran itu tidak melebih halkum mereka. Mereka tersasar keluar dari agama seperti anak panah tersasar dari sasarannya... (Riwayat al-Bukhari dan Muslim). 

Kelompok Khawarij kelihatan hebat dalam ibadah. Pidato agama mereka menggunakan nas-nas al-Quran. Mereka mengkafirkan orang Islam yang melakukan maksiat, dan juga orang Islam yang tidak mengikut kumpulan mereka. Slogan mereka ialah: "Tidak ada hukum melainkan hukum Allah". Slogannya kelihatan berteraskan al-Quran, tetapi bertujuan buruk. Seperti kata Saidina Ali bin Abi Talib: "Satu slogan yang benar, tetapi dengan tujuan yang batil". (Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, Tarikh Baghdad, 304/10, Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-'Ilmiyyah).

Dengan slogan al-Quran: Sesiapa yang tidak berhukum dengan hukum Allah maka mereka itu orang-orang yang kafir (Surah al-Maidah, ayat 44), mereka melancarkan kempen mengkafi, memurtad dan memerangi orang Islam di atas andaian yang tipis. Akibatnya, berlaku pertumpahan darah yang dahsyat pada zaman pemerintahan Saidiyyida Ali bin Abi Talib. Selepas zaman Ali pun, pemikiran Khawarij meresap ke dalam berbagai kumpulan dan organisasi lain. 

Hasilnya, kita mendengar isu kafir mengkafir muncul di berbagai zaman dan tempat di seluruh dunia Islam. Pada zahirnya puak ini berwajah agama, namun pada hakikatnya Nabi saw menyebut:

Mereka itu berucap dengan ucapan sebaik-baik makhluk. Mereka tersasar keluar dari Islam seperti anak panah tersasar dari sasarannya. Iman mereka tidak melebihi halkum mereka. Di mana sahaja kamu temui mereka maka bunuhlah mereka kerana sesungguhnya membunuh mereka itu ada pahala pada Hari Kiamat. (Riwayat al-Bukhari). 

Sungguhpun dengan ungkapan dan nas agama di mulut mereka, namun Nabi saw memerintahkan agar pemerintah Islam membunuh mereka kerana mereka mengkafirkan bahkan sesetengah kelompok mereka seperti al-Azraqiyah membunuh orang Islam, anak kecil dan wanita yang tidak mengikut kumpulan atau jemaah mereka.

Oleh yang demikian, di samping kita bersangka baik, sayang dan menghormati golongan yang menzahirkan ciri-ciri agama, kita juga mesti berhati-hati dengan tindakan setiap individu dan kumpulan. Jangan biarkan penampilan zahir menyebabkan kita buta mata dan hati dalam membuat penilaian yang matang dan seimbang. Yang baik katakan baik, yang salah tetap salah tanpa mengira dari siapa kesalahan itu datang.

Bagaimanapun jika golongan tertentu menzahirkan ciri-ciri agama dan memegang prinsip agama dalam seluruh perjalanan hidup, merekalah golongan yang kita cinta dan kita bela sepenuhnya.

MAKNA yang Bermakna

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PADA 1992, seorang remaja berusia 17 tahun mengidap demam panas yang tinggi. Berbagai ubat telah diberi namun demamnya tidak kebah.

Bapanya yang ketika itu merupakan Timbalan Menteri Kesihatan, telah meminta ujian darah lengkap dijalankan untuk mengenal pasti apa yang tidak kena.

Keputusan yang diperolehi mengejutkan seluruh keluarga. Dia disahkan menderita Leukaemia, sejenis barah darah. Pun begitu, kedudukan bapanya dalam kerajaan memudahkan pihak keluarga memperolehi maklumat terkini mengenai penyakit tersebut dan rawatan yang terdapat di luar negara.

Berbekalkan maklumat itu, remaja tersebut dihantar ke England untuk dirawat. Pihak keluarga membelanjakan jumlah  yang besar, dan dengan sedikit bantuan daripada kerajaan, remaja itu menjalani rawatan rapi dan terkawal, termasuk pemindahan tulang sumsum pesakit sendiri. Ketika itu rawatan sedemikian belum terdapat di Malaysia.

Selepas bergelut menentang penyakit selama beberapa tahun, remaja tersebut disahkan sembuh dan bebas daripada leukaemia. Sejak itu, hayat yang tersisa menjadi semakin berharga. Dia berjaya menamatkan pengajian dalam dua bidang iaitu perniagaan dan muzik. Dia juga berkahwin dengan gadis pilihan dan memperoleh seorang anak lelaki.

Remaja tersebut ialah Farul Rafiq dan bapanya Dato’ Mohd Farid Ariffin, mantan timbalan menteri kesihatan dalam kabinet Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamed.   

Ketika Farul sedang menjalani rawatan di hospital London, keluarganya telah bernazar, sekembali ke Malaysia, mereka akan menubuhkan sebuah organisasi yang disasarkan untuk membantu pesakit kanser dari golongan keluarga miskin mendapatkan rawatan. Dato’ Farid sedar kos rawatannya sangat besar dan tidak mungkin dapat ditanggung oleh keluarga miskin, meskipun dirawat di hospital tempatan. Dia berazam hendak membawa teknologi di luar negara itu ke Malaysia, agar kosnya lebih murah.  

Pada 31 Mac 1994, sebuah organisasi kanser, MAKNA, singkatan untuk Majlis Kanser Nasional telah didaftarkan dan dilancarkan setahun kemudian. Hari ini MAKNA telah membantu lebih 20,000 pesakit kanser dari 83 hospital kerajaan di seluruh negara pada kos kira-kira RM40 juta. Dengan kerjasama Pusat Perubatan Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, MAKNA menubuhkan pusat rawatan kanser pada 1999 termasuk unit pemindahan tulang sumsum.

Sementara itu, pada Julai 2011, Farul dimasukkan ke hospital kerana jangkitan virus di paru-paru. Selepas sebulan, dia gagal melawan penyakit tersebut. Pada 4 Ogos 2011 bersamaan 4 Ramadhan dia menghembuskan nafas terakhir dengan dikelilingi oleh keluarga tersayang.

Takdir telah menentukan sumbangan tidak langsung Farul dalam membantu pesakit kanser pada masa sekarang dan masa akan datang. Jika tidak kerana kansernya, MAKNA mungkin tidak wujud pada hari ini.

Semoga rohnya sentiasa dicucuri rahmat dan ditempatkan bersama mereka yang beriman. Al Fatihah.

(Sumber: Neoplasia keluaran Majlis Kanser Nasional)     

Menjaga Perabot, Bilik Air dan Permukaan Kerja

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MENJAGA PERABOT

• Cuci dengan kain lembap seminggu sekali bagi menghilangkan debu pada rangka perabot. Bagi rangka perabot kayu jati, boleh dilap dengan minyak kayu murni beberapa bulan sekali untuk mengembalikan serinya.
• Perabot kayu boleh juga dibersihkan dengan 10 titik lemon yang dicampur satu suku minyak mineral dan lap dengan kain lembut.
• Membalut permukaan uphosteri dengan plastik menyebabkan kesan habuk lebih ketara. Guna kain jenis scotch guard yang mempunyai lapisan pelindung untuk fabrik uphosteri terutama pada tempat duduk sofa. Anda hanya perlu kibas permukaan fabrik ini untuk menghilang habuk. Biarpun kalis air, cecair yang tumpah di atas fabrik jenis ini perlu segera dilap kerana jika dibiarkan lama menyebabkan air menyerap ke dalam kain dan ini boleh menjejaskan seri serta mutunya.
• Andainya anda ingin meninggalkan rumah selama berminggu-minggu atau berbulan-bulan, selubungkan semua jenis perabot dengan kain untuk mengelak debu tebal.
• Bagi perabot yang diguna, tindakan menyelimut perabot boleh dibuat setiap malam sebelum tidur. Ini adalah cara terbaik untuk menjaga permukaan perabot supaya tidak berhabuk, sekali gus mengekalkan serinya untuk tempoh yang lama.

MEMBERSIH BILIK AIR DAN JUBIN

• Bagi memastikan biik air sentiasa bersih, cuci setiap hari selama kira-kira 4 minit. Sembur cecair pencuci nyah jangkitan, gosok dengan span dan lap dengan tuala kertas, bermula dari bahagian paling bersih pada dinding atas membawa ke dinding bawah yang kotor, diikuti sink tab dan mangkuk tandas.
• Cuci kesan kotoran pada permukaan jubin dengan air yang dicampur satu bahagian cuka dan empat bahagian air. Kemudian sapu menggunakan air bersih dan keringkan dengan kain lembut.
• Jubin tandas yang berlumut perlu disiram dengan air yang dicampur bahan peluntur. Kemudian biarkan beberapa jam atau semalam sebelum diberus. Dengan cara ini, kesan kotoran mudah hilang. Jika bahan peluntur berkuasa kuat, jangan sesekali dituang terus daripada botolnya tanpa dicampurkan air kerana dikhuatiri boleh menjejaskan permukaan jubin.
• Garis sambungan antara kepingan jubin yang kotor dan kehitam-hitaman selalunya sukar dibersihkan kerana keadaannya yang berlekuk. Gosok lebih kuat di bahagian ini sehingga kesan daki dan kotoran hilang, kemudian bilas dengan air bersih.
• Bahagian sudut lantai jubin iaitu pertemuan di antara lantai dan dinding sukar dibersihkan dengan berus besar, oleh itu guna berus gigi kerana ukurannya yang kecil mudah sampai ke celah sudut.

PERMUKAAN KERJA KEKAL BERSERI

• Alas permukaan kerja kabinet sewaktu melakukan kerja-kerja memasak dan membancuh minuman bagi melindunginya daripada kesan tumpahan. Anda boleh guna dulang, lapisan kain atau kertas tisu dapur sebagai pengalas.
• Kesan tumpahan teh, jus buah-buahan dan kopi pada kaunter kabinet boleh digosok dengan kain lembap yang disapu bikarbonat soda. Bagi kesan degil, lap dengan kain basah yang dicelup sedikit bahan peluntur klorida.
• Permukaan sink porselin yang kotor boleh dibersihkan dengan merendam dalam air suam bercampur sedikit bahan peluntur kira-kira sejam, sebelum digosok pada permukaan yang kotor. Bagi kesan degil, tabur kertas tisu yang dibasahkan dengan bahan peluntur klorida selama lapan hingga 10 jam sebelum disental dengan dengan tuala basah. 
• Elak guna peluntur klorin pada permukaan sink dan mangkuk porselin yang lama dan retak. Cecair klorin boleh menyerap masuk sampai ke lapisan asas yang menggunakan bahan besi dan menyebabkan timbul kesan karat di permukaan sink.
• Sink keluli tahan karat juga tidak boleh dicuci dengan bahan peluntur kuat kerana boleh menjejaskan kilauannya, cukup sekadar dicuci dengan air suam dan sabun biasa. Untuk mengilatkannya, bilas dengan bahan pencuci yang dicampur serbuk soda penaik.

(Sumber: Anjung Seri)

An Eye On Health

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VISION is critical in our daily lives and maintaining good vision is key to maintaining a good quality of life.  Of the more than 600 plant pigments called carotenoids found in nature, only two carotenoids, zeaxanthin and lutein, selectively accumulate in the retina, macular and lens.  

Zeaxanthin is the dominant component in the centre of the macula, while lutein dominates at the outer edges. The eye is selective and preferentially places dietary zeaxanthin in the very centre of the macula, the most critical area for central vision with the greatest need for protection.  

Observational studies have noted that higher dietary intakes of zeaxanthin and lutein is related to reduced risk of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration, two eye conditions for which there is minimal options when it comes to effective prevention.  

Researchers speculate that these carotenoids may promote eye health through their ability to protect the eyes from light-induced oxidative damage and ageing through both their antioxidant actions as well as their ability to filter out UV light.  

The eye’s natural sunglasses 

Plants synthesise zeaxanthin and lutein to harvest light energy and protect against excessive light. It now appears that humans also utilise these pigments to protect the eyes from excessive interaction with the damaging effects of light.  

This function of zeaxanthin and lutein is similar to a set of “natural sunglasses” for the tissues of the eye.  Both zeaxanthin and lutein absorb the very high-energy and most damaging portions of the light spectrum (ultraviolet blue). The absorption of the high-energy light spectrum is critical for the protection of the lens, retina and macular portions of the eye. High-energy blue light also generates “free radicals” that cause damage to the tissues of the eye. Zeaxanthin and lutein are also antioxidants that stop free radicals. 

Acting as a filter to shield against harmful blue light and as antioxidants, both zeaxanthin and lutein help to reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataract, the leading causes of blindness in the world. 

Zeaxanthin and macular degeneration 

To understand how zeaxanthin helps to delay the onset of macular degeneration or slows its progression, one needs to know the different ways the retina and macular process light.  

When light hits the retina, it passes directly to the photoreceptor cells where it is processed. In the macular, the light has to first pass through zeaxanthin and lutein on its way to the photoreceptor cells. Although zeaxanthin and lutein belong to the same carotenoid family, they are slightly different in their chemical structure, which makes zeaxanthin able to function more effectively than lutein in the macular. This may account for the macular’s preference for zeaxanthin over lutein. 

In the retina, the concentration of lutein is twice that of zeaxanthin. In the macular, the concentration of zeaxanthin is twice that of lutein.  

Many scientists now believe that the reason why zeaxanthin is highly concentrated in the macular is because of its antioxidant properties and also because it is a more efficient “filter” of light. 

Since the body cannot synthesise lutein and zeaxanthin, we need to obtain it from our food. As we grow older, the concentration of lutein and zeaxanthin decline, leaving the eyes susceptible to age-related disorders – cataracts and AMD (age-related macular degeneration).  

Taking at least 6mg to 10mg of lutein and 5mg of zeaxanthin daily help to increase the concentration of lutein and zeaxanthin in the lens, retina and macular. Most eye supplements in the market contain lutein together with tiny amounts of zeaxanthin – in the range of micrograms. These concentrations are too little to be of benefit to eye health. You may have to purchase both lutein and zeaxanthin separately to obtain the maximum benefits of both in terms of potency. 

One can choose to take either lutein or zeaxanthin alone for the prevention of age-related eye disorders. However, if one already has some form of age-related eye disorder (cataract, AMD, retinopathy), it is advisable to take both lutein and zeaxanthin. 

Unleash The Supple Dragon

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By Dr Amir Farid Isahak

APART from being beneficial for health and being able to positively affect many disease, Qigong is also effective method for slimming. They not only influence the flow of qi, but also lymphatic flow, and they can help improve joint flexibility and overall suppleness. They are good for the spine, joints, muscles, lungs, stomach and intestines, and can help the immune system, hormone production, and blood circulation. For women, they also improve womb health.

The exercises mimic the movements of the mythical dragon which features prominently in Chinese folklore and traditional Chinese exercises like Qigong. Hence this set is called Slimming Dragon Qigong exercises.

Dragon slithering up the column

Imagine your spinal column is the column the dragon has to slither up, and your arms are the dragons’s limbs. Stand in the basic qigong stance (see superqigong.com for description). Then move the feet even wider apart, and bend the knees even more, as if you are riding a horse. Keep your spine straight and your feet firmly anchored on the ground (keep your knees bent all the time).

Do abdominal breathing. In the usual way, the tummy should expand when inhaling, but when exhaling, squeeze your abdominal muscles. This is not done during relaxed abdominal breathing, but is crucial in this exercise for you to regain your slim waist.

Focus your mind on the Mingmen, which is at the back, about the level of the second lumbar vertebra: this is a point directly behind your Dan tien, your main energy centre that is about three fingers below your navel.

When you are ready, very slowly rotate your upper body and arms as you exhale (starting with a rotation to the left), gently bringing up the right hand, with palm facing down, to rest on the left shoulder near the cheek and the left hand (palm facing the body) simultaneously going behind to touch the back just below the right shoulder blade. Your eyes should follow the movements of the right hand. Stay in this position and inhale.

Exhale again as you reverse the movements to end with the left hand on the right shoulder and the right hand touching below the left shoulder blade. This time your eyes should follow the left hand.

Repeat this, and all the following exercises, in sets of six to eight repetitions. Men should start with the instructions reversed – and everyone should smile while doing these exercises!

The dragon dance

Stand with feet together and knees just slightly bent. Bring your hands together in front of your chest in the prayer position. As you inhale, make a half-circle towards the right (left for men) and move the hands upwards (palms always together) until they are well above your head. Then complete the circle downwards as you exhale.

The knees must remain bent throughout and swing in the opposite direction as the hands execute the circle. Make sure your spine moves in a supple manner, just like the dragon’s long body.

Next, from the same starting (prayer posture) position, make the circle downward, bending at the waist and knees, to almost touch the ground. The rules for breathing and directions are the same as above. Remember that the knees must be turned opposite to the hands.

There are variations to this in other styles of Qigong. In Superqigong, the upper circle is done the same way, but the lower circle is substituted by the figure “8”, that is, two smaller circles are made, with the lower circle actually touching the ground. This exercise is also called the Snake Dance, or Thai Dance, depending on how sensually you perform the exercise!

Next, from the starting posture, bend forwards at the waist. Make a large horizontal circle, following the same breathing and direction rules as previously (women start to the right, and men to the left).

Next, from the starting posture, bring down the hands (palms together) so that the wrists rest on your waist. Turn the hands so that the right hand is on top. Inhale as you gently slide your arms over your waist to the left (right for men) and allow the arms to leave your waist as you continue to make a half-circle. Exhale as your hands slowly return to the center. Now change the hands so that the left (right for men) is on top and repeat the exercise in the opposite direction. Done slowly, with rhythm, and especially if done in a group, this is a beautiful exercise even to watch.

Next, from the starting (prayer posture) position, inhale and extend the arms fully above the head, keeping the hands together always. Exhale and make a large vertical circle forwards by bending down at the waist and knees, hands going down to the ground, and coming back up close to the body to the starting position as you straighten up.

Finally, for the closing, the hands are brought down to the waist again, and are then placed over the Dan tien (females’ left hand over right hand, males, vice versa). Do deep abdominal breathing as you visualise qi energy being stored.

If you regularly practice these exercise, you can become healthier and lost fat from the correct places. You could also develop a stronger and suppler spine.

Getting The Right Shoes For Sports

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By Dr George Lebeau

HAVING the right equipment for sports can be — especially for a young athlete — very important.
One afternoon at a youth football game, a mother asked if I would look at her son’s feet.
Apparently, he kept spraining his ankles and his feet hurt all the time. When I checked, I noticed that both his feet and ankles were swollen and very painful when touched.

It was odd for both feet to be like this so I asked her to show me his running shoes. She brought me a pair of football cleats that were about as useless as running with plastic bottles on your feet. The so-called “cleats” were less than five mm high and rounded, so they provided no running traction at all.

In addition, the shoes were already worn out with no lateral support and they were at least two sizes too large. When she bought the shoes, the salesman had assured her that these were the “latest and greatest” shoes in the market. Nonsense, they were terrible!

Why were the shoes so big for his feet? She told me that her husband wanted to buy them large enough that his feet would “grow into” them over the next year or so. I told her she should fit the shoes to his feet for each season. Some boys in the 12- to 16-year-old range grow so fast they may need two pair of shoes in the same season.

Don’t skimp on proper footwear
One word of caution about inadequate cleat size. These can give a young athlete a false sense of security while running and making quick lateral movements. If the cleats don’t dig into the ground properly, that can cause serious injury to the ankles and feet.

At each shoe outlet, I asked the sales representative to bring me several pairs of the most popular brands. I didn’t sort through many boxes of shoes trying to find problem shoes. As a matter of fact I spent two days searching for one good pair of shoes I could show as “normal” but after looking at well over 40 pair of shoes I was not successful!

Cleats for kids
When you go to the shoe store, the first thing to do is ask the sales person to bring you three pairs of the same shoe. Find a nice flat counter space and line each pair of shoes side by side. Stand back away from the shoes and look at them.

There’s a chance the right shoe is slightly higher than the left. This may be a little difficult to see at first but when you see this up close at the store it will jump out at you. Also notice how the left shoe tilts outward slightly.

The problem here is that over the course of an entire season, as these shoes become worn out, the young athlete wearing this pair will develop foot, ankle, knee and back pain because the shoes are throwing the entire lower half of the body out of alignment, (one side is higher than the other and one shoe turns outward).

If the right shoe is significantly higher than the left, over a period of time they will cause the wearer to lean to the left because the high right shoe will push the spine to the left.

Athletic running or sport shoes
If the left shoe is quite (or significantly) a bit taller than the right shoe and this same shoe also tilts inward significantly, this height difference and inward tilt will cause ankle pain and potentially a bad sprain. Another thing I want you to take notice of is how much higher off the table the left heel is compared with the right. This shoe is a disaster waiting to happen. The person who wears these shoes is going to have some serious foot and ankle pain.

If the shoes are just the opposite — right is quite a bit taller than the left and the left one tilts outward, running or doing any fast action sports with this pair of shoes will cause severe left lateral pressure to the body and result in ankle sprain.

Since almost everyone has one foot slightly longer than the other, what would happen if you wear the short shoe on the long foot? This person will have pain in the toes and ball of the foot because the shoe is pushing the toes backward. If you have the short foot in the long shoe there will be too much room for the toes causing slipping of the foot that may result in plantar fasciitis and heel pain.

It’s all in the shoes
We depend on our shoes to provide comfort, support and stability during our everyday activities. What happens when the very things we depend on become the problem? It is time to be proactive and correct this problem before you purchase the shoes.

How to do this? I have been checking shoes for over 30 years and I am sorry to say that the problem is not getting any better. Well over 50 per cent of the shoes I check are defective in some way. In most cases, the only “quality control” I have been able to find is a person at the end of an assembly line who makes sure there is one right and one left shoe in each box.

Remember when I said to ask the sales person for three pairs of the same shoe? This is what I want you to do next time you buy athletic shoes. Say for an example during your buy, you notice the right shoe is badly tilted and higher than the left — the left shoe looks pretty good with no tilt so the next step is to take another right shoe from one of the other boxes and try to match the “good” left shoe.

Ready for more bad news?
Orthotics will NOT help. If anything, trying to have orthotics made to correct this problem only makes it worse. You cannot start with a crooked foundation and make it better by adding a more complicated structure. For orthotics to work, you have to start with a stable foundation.

Whenever I have an athlete come to me for treatment I automatically ask them to bring all their running shoes with them on their next treatment visit. When they do, I examine each pair of shoes for defects and teach the person how to shop for shoes that will not harm their feet.

The process I want you to follow
1.  Bring a small ruler or long pencil with you to the shoe store.

2. Once you have the shoes side-by-side, place the pencil across the top of the shoes and see if there is a downward tilt on one side. If it does, that means one shoe is lower than the other and not a good pair.

3.  Place the pencil at a right angle to the counter along the back of the shoe. With the pencil straight, look to see if the shoe is tilted to one side or the other. If there is a tilt the shoe is crooked and not good.

4.  Look at the shoes from the top and see if they are the same length.
5.  If one is longer than the other, these are two different shoes!

Two more things before I finish:
First, the price of the shoes has nothing to do with the quality of the construction. I was at a high end shoe store and saw running shoes that were badly tilted and crooked. The price was RM1,500. I have also found very well made running shoes at the discount outlet stores for RM50.

Women will always ask me if there are problems with dress shoes or high-heels.

 I am happy to tell you that in well over 90 per cent of cases there are no problems at all with this type of shoe because there is actually more quality control associated with dress shoes.

(Dr Lebeau is an associate professor, chiropractor at International Medical University)

Patuh dan Berbaik Sangka Dengan Allah

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HIDUP manusia di dunia ini sebenarnya tidak sesukar mana. Tugas yang Allah pikulkan ke bahu kita cuma tiga iaitu:

• Turuti perintah-Nya
• Tinggalkan larangan-Nya
• Redha dengan ketentuan-Nya

Ramai manusia mungkin kurang sedar bahawa sebenarnya Allah sangat sayangkan setiap makhluk ciptaan-Nya. Semua perkara yang Dia tentukan, memang yang terbaik untuk makhluk itu.  

Komunikasi adalah perkara penting dalam hubungan baik.  Jika sentiasa berkomunikasi dengan-Nya, kita mampu merasai kasih sayang itu. Tanpa komunikasi, hubungan menjadi hambar.

Hubungan cinta sesama manusia, sama ada suami isteri atau pasangan kekasih akan hambar, malah terputus tanpa komunikasi. Yang tinggal hanya kehancuran dan kekecewaan.

Begitu juga hubungan manusia dengan Allah. Jika komunikasi tidak dijaga, semakin jauhlah kita daripada-Nya, walaupun hakikatnya Dia amat dekat dengan kita. 

Kita dekat dengan Allah ketika bersolat dan membaca al-Quran. Itupun jika kita benar-benar khusyuk bersolat dan menghayati isi al-Quran yang dibaca.

Sentiasa berbaik sangka dengan-Nya.  InsyaAllah, Dia juga akan membalas kita dengan segala Kebaikan dari sisi-Nya.