Act now to protect the health of our school kids
The problem of unhealthy food being sold in school canteens is not new. For some years now this problem has been brought to the attention of the relevant authorities, but CAP's efforts in calling for a healthier young generation has fallen on deaf ears. The Guidelines states that food containing excess sugar, salt and fats, instant noodles, ice confectionaries, artificially-coloured drinks, flavoured drinks, tea and coffee, and fizzy drinks are not encouraged.
Call on government to address over-prescribing at source – and not just the fallout
CAP views with apprehension the Ministry’s strategy to tackle the fallout created by over-prescription, rather than the underlying cause, by calling on the public to return unused or expired medications at selected government medical centres and hospitals. The rationale for the move initiated last year is to protect the environment against indiscriminate disposal of expired medications, and save government cost from the reuse of unopened, good condition medications.
Plain packaging laws for cigarettes – Malaysia should emulate Australian move immediately!
Australia became the first country in the world to introduce plain packaging laws for cigarettes in July 2011. A month before it could even get that Tobacco Plain Packaging Act 2011 legislated, the Asian arm of Philip Morris demanded compensation from Australia.
Why the celebration of A’s is bad
The yearly examination results announcement season is here again and as usual the nation celebrates the achievements of top scorers not realizing that Malaysians' preoccupation with "scoring" in school examinations does no one any favours.
For the high-achieving students themselves, it instills the perception that straight A’s are the be-all and end-all of school life. Co-curricular activities and simply socialising with friends -- so important in developing a child's social skills -- may thereby be neglected. Moreover, the pressure to keep on getting top marks could prove overbearing, and if the student should fare less well in a subsequent exam, there might be adverse effects on his or her emotional health sometimes resulting in depression or even suicides.
Are Hydrogen Cyanide levels in Bukit Koman really safe?
Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) queries the Department of Environment (DOE) whether the concentration and level of hydrogen cyanide (HCN) in the air in Bukit Koman, near Raub, Pahang declared safe by the Department, are actually safe and will not cause any adverse health effects to those who are exposed to the pollutant.
