Jim Paull

GEORGE TOWN: The opposition will scrap GST and toll collections on the North-South Expressway (PLUS) and the first Penang bridge if it takes over Putrajaya, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said yesterday.

He said Pakatan Harapan, if given the chance to control the federal government, would undertake both measures to ease the people’s financial burden.

Guan Eng said the 6% GST had contributed to higher living cost for the people, instead of “saving Malaysia” as Prime Minister Najib Razak had claimed.

He also said people should not have to keep paying toll on PLUS, which had cost RM5.9 billion to build, since the concessionaire had already collected toll worth RM37.4 billion over the past three decades.

“If we want to bring prices down, Barisan Nasional has to go down,” he said.

Speaking to a crowd of some 1,200 people at the Balik Pulau DAP division dinner to mark the party’s 50th anniversary last night, Guan Eng again blamed the nation’s economic woes and the decline in the value of the ringgit, on the 1MDB scandal.

Calling for those responsible for the controversy to be arrested and investigated, he said corruption was one of the reasons why the government was short of funds.

“The economy is challenging, and it is so bad that the federal government is short of money.

“Funds for education and hospitals had been slashed. The government has not even given Chinese schools the RM50 million it promised in the 2016 Budget.

“You know how small RM50 million is to the federal government? It is just 0.02% of the budget. The Penang government can even loan them the amount,” said Guan Eng, who is also Penang chief minister.

Fight against corruption

He told the people that corruption must be tackled, adding that it was why DAP was working with other opposition parties, including the new Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM) led by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin.

“People ask me how I can work with Tun M (Mahathir) when he had jailed my father twice under the Internal Security Act. He jailed me, too.

“But Mahathir said although he had done things in the past that people disagreed with, he did not have RM2.6 billion in his bank account,” Guan Eng said, taking a swipe at Najib.

It was allegedly a donation from a member of the Saudi royal family, with most of the amount reportedly returned when unused. Najib has since been cleared of any wrongdoing by the attorney-general, but the opposition remains unconvinced.

Change still possible

Meanwhile, DAP parliamentary opposition leader Lim Kit Siang said even though some analysts and economists think BN would retain Putrajaya in the next general election (GE14), which is expected to be called later this year, it was still possible to change the government.

“Changing the government is not easy, but it is not ‘mission impossible’,” Kit Siang said, urging the people to unite for change.

DAP vice-chairman and Penang party chief Chow Kon Yeow also said there was hope if DAP worked with other parties to strengthen the opposition.

“We have worked with others since the 80s, up until we formed Pakatan Harapan with PKR and Amanah today. Now we also work with PPBM,” he said.

Chow said the opposition was eyeing the three parliamentary seats in Penang that were still held by BN in Balik Pulau, Tasek Gelugor and Kepala Batas.

“To take Putrajaya, every seat is important. We know Umno and BN are still strong and they will do anything to defend their power.

“We must retain all the seats we won and take those we did not win in the last polls,” he said, pledging DAP’s support to its allies that would contest against BN in the next general election.

Chow also said Penang was a good example of how the Pakatan government could perform better than its predecessor, despite having limited resources.

In the last general election (GE13), Pakatan took 10 out of 13 parliamentary constituencies in Penang. Out of 40 state seats, Pakatan won 30 to keep its hold on the state government, leaving Umno with 10 seats.

LONDON: The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and its friends have just received some uncomfortable reading. The latest forecasts from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) suggest that their agreements to boost prices and hasten the rebalancing of oil supply and demand by cutting output may bring the US shale industry out of hibernation faster than they might like.

PETALING JAYA: Malaysians should find ways to boost their current income to counter the rising cost of living.

Here are seven of the best photos that readers added to the Consumerist Flickr Pool in the last two weeks, picked for usability in a Consumerist post or for just plain neatness.

Want to see your pictures on our site? Our Flickr pool is the place where Consumerist readers upload photos for possible use in future Consumerist posts. Just be a registered Flickr user, go here, and click “Join Group?” up on the top right. Choose your best photos, then click “send to group” on the individual images you want to add to the pool.

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka on Friday tightened the rules governing the around one million tuk-tuks — rickety three-wheel taxis — on its streets after road traffic accidents claimed a record 3,000 lives last year.

The transport ministry said all tuk-tuks must now have head and tail lights, and made it an offence for drivers to smoke while carrying passengers.

All three-wheelers will also have to be fitted with fare meters and issue receipts to passengers, it said in a notice in the country’s official gazette.

The transport ministry also made it mandatory for the ubiquitous tuk-tuks to have electrically operated windscreen wipers and cabin lights.

Police estimate that 3,000 people died on Sri Lanka’s roads last year and about 15 percent of those were tuk-tuk passengers.

Another 100,000 people are seriously wounded in traffic accidents each year in Sri Lanka.

Last month, the government announced raising the minimum traffic fines from about 500 rupees ($3.3) to 25,000 rupees ($166) in a bid to make Sri Lankan roads safer.

The vast majority of three wheelers in Sri Lanka have been imported from neighbouring India and most of them are in poor condition.

Boleh tahan sejuk tak?

Bagaimana dengan kesejukan -50 darjah celcius? Mampukah anda bayangkan kesejukan itu?

Sebenarnya ini melangkaui imaginasi saya! Kalau 18 darjah celcius pun sudah cukup untuk membuat saya menggeletar dan menggigil, apatah lagi negatif….

Tetapi percayalah, wujud sebuah perkampungan bernama Oymyakon di Russia dengan populasi 500 orang penduduk dengan cuacanya mencapai -50 darjah celcius.

Ya, -50 darjah celcius dan ia adalah satu-satunya penempatan paling sejuk di dunia.

Menurut laman portal yang berkongsi informasi ini, Oymyakon suatu masa dahulu hanyalah tempat untuk pengembala rusa kutub berhenti berehat dan mendapatkan bekalan air di kolam air panas di kampung tersebut.

Namun ia menjadi perkampungan berpenduduk pada tahun 1930-an selepas kerajaan Kesatuan Soviet mahu menempatkan golongan nomad dan memilih Oymyakon.

Malah “Oymyakon” itu sendiri bermakna air panas dalam bahasa Siberia.

Perkampungan yang dikenali sebagai “Pole of Cold” ini juga dikatakan pernah merekod cuaca -71.2 darjah celcius dan secara rasmi menjadi tempat berpenduduk yang paling sejuk di dunia.

Apa cabarannya tinggal di Oymyakon?

– Tidak boleh menggunakan telefon bimbit
“Habis tu kenapa masih nak tinggal di tempat ni?”

– Dakwat pen juga boleh membeku
“Mungkin mereka tidak perlu menulis atau berurusan menggunakan pen dan kertas.”

– Enjin kenderaan terpaksa dibiarkan hidup sepanjang masa kerana takut tidak dapat diguna jika dimatikan
“Ini mesti kenderaan yang istimewa!”

– Tanah yang beralun, membeku dan merekah. Menggali kubur pun ambil masa selama 3 hari! Selang dua tiga musim mungkin jasad timbul kembali ke atas tanah.
“Ni kalau nak mati kena beritahu awal-awal!”

– Tiada tumbuh-tumbuhan yang boleh tumbuh di sini, jadi penduduknya hanya bergantung kepada pemakanan daging, khususnya rusa kutub
“Alamak, tak jadi lah nak melawat Ohmygod, eh apa namanya sekali lagi? Oymyakon…

British Airways made an announcement back in September (read more here) that all complimentary catering including drinks would be removed from short-haul flights (some more than 4 hours) effective January 11, 2017.

British Airways made a deal with Marks & Spenser to supply the airline with products to sell including anything from sandwiches to chips (or crisps as they are called in the UK).

You can access British Airways Buy-On-Board menu here.

Note that cabin crew has been instructed to give potable water in cups for those that request it only after the paid service has been completed.

You can use Avios to pay for the purchase at unfavorable ratio. If you only have few or way too many, this can be sensible way to burn them.

Here are the items that you can purchase:

Conclusion

The roll out yesterday seems to have been chaotic based on press reports and Twitter rants. You can only use either credit cards or Avios to pay (no cash!) but many of the bulky credit card terminals didn’t work and they require either PIN or signature. Apparently British Airways haven’t heard about the touch and pay that Visa, Amex and Amex offer (would speed up the process!).

The crews had been given training about this initiative few months back and nothing ever since causing issues.

Many of the BA flights from London to Western Europe or especially those within UK are very short. Crews were not able to complete the service before they had to close the shop for arrival.

On other flights, the trolleys run out of the items after first few rows. You would think that the airline would have overstocked first before finding out the correct ratio for each of the routes?

Some of the planes are not able to fit both the duty free and Buy-On-Board carts. Passengers on those flights cannot purchase duty free items.

Overall, I would say based on the reports that I have seen the roll out could have been smoother by introducing it on certain routes first to find out potential issues and fixing them before launching it to all short-haul.

I guess that many of the passengers on shorter routes have used to pay for F&B. How this affect connecting traffic that feeds long-haul routes remains to be seen. Why would someone choose to fly on BA when they get nothing on the feeder sector when they could take full service airline such as Emirates, Etihad and Qatar with superior product especially if flying east.

PETALING JAYA: The halal certification is not intended to rake in profits, contrary to popular belief.

The Halal Industry Development Corporation (HDC) said in reality, the annual fees collected was much less than the actual cost of applying for the halal certification.

“Many have this perception that issuing halal certificates will generate profits.

“In Malaysia, we do it for the industry players as part of a government service.

“In other countries, including Thailand, Australia and Singapore, it is overseen by NGOs,” HDC CEO Jamil Bidin said.

He said in Indonesia, it cost RM1,338 for a halal cert.

In Malaysia, the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) oversees the issuance of halal certificates and the charges are based on the various categories.

A news report had stated that small industries here pay RM200 for the halal certificate every two years.

Jamil said the halal certification process needs to be improved so the industry can move forward.

“We must understand the needs and demands of the industry. The requirements must be stringent to protect consumers.”

According to HDC, the halal industry made up 7.5% of the nation’s gross domestic product in 2015 and is predicted to increase to 8.7% by 2020.

PETALING JAYA: Do your own research instead of relying solely on the words of a religious leader, said former de facto law minister Zaid Ibrahim.

He was speaking in support of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s comments that any 1MDB-sponsored haj was not “mabrur” (not accepted).

“We don’t need to be a mufti to know what is halal and what is haram. We have been taught of this since we were little,” said Zaid in an interview with FMT.

“If we do illegal things (for money), if we take money that comes from haram (forbidden) sources, then it doesn’t matter if we go to Mecca or Medina, it would not be accepted if the money is haram.

“And that was what Mahathir raised. If we use 1MDB’s money to perform haj, then it would not be mabrur .”

1MDB has denied as “baseless and unsubstantiated” the allegation by Mahathir that the state-owned firm had been sponsoring haj pilgrimages for imams and village leaders through its foundation using “stolen” money.

1MDB said it had generated its own funds from its previous energy production facilities, and more recently, in real estate development.

“Funds generated from these business operations are contributed to Yayasan 1MDB, which then uses such funds to sponsor the Program Khas Haji,” it added in a statement issued earlier.

Some federal ministers and muftis had also came to 1MDB’s defence.

Pahang mufti Abdul Rahman Osman had said whether someone’s haj was accepted by God or not had nothing to do with the source of funding, but the deeds of those performing the haj.

Zaid said: “Of course 1MDB would say the money was not stolen, and that it was generated from businesses. But I hope the Malays and the Muslims will not get confused. What Mahathir said was right.

“And if some muftis want to defend 1MDB, that too, we can understand. But we have to check when these religious leaders speak, we have to ask, who pays their salary?

“Because there are many people who are trading religion. Just like some politicians who use Islam (to gain influence).”

He added that while there were good and honest religious leaders, there were also those who lived paycheck by paycheck and, hence, had no choice but to say good things about the government.

“There are plenty of Islamic books and Al-Quran translations out there. So do your own research and think for yourself instead of relying solely on the words of religious leaders.”

KUALA LUMPUR: The Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) has revoked the licence of a taxi operator and his vehicle permit for charging two French tourists RM800 for a short ride last month.

SPAD in a statement yesterday, said this followed investigations into a complaint by the tourists who were charged the fare for a ride from the KLCC to the National Mosque here on Dec 17.

“SPAD will take legal action against the operator. If found guilty, the operator could face a fine and/or jail term and the vehicle, forfeited.

“The individual involved will also be blacklisted to prevent him from getting a taxi operator’s licence in future,” it said.

SPAD said the revocation was carried out as the operator had contravened requirements under Section 22 of the Land Public Transport Act 2010 .

“The Section provides for only one valid driver registered with SPAD to offer the taxi service and who is required to use the meter to determine the fare of the budget taxi, as well as producing a receipt for the journey,” it added.

Making tea isn’t exactly hard, but when you’re busy working it’s often hard to remember to pull out the teabag. So, DIYer Andrey Chilikin rigged up a Raspberry Pi to an old CD tray that pulls the tea bag out of our mug after a set amount of time.

Read more...

MALAYSIA:  Reeling from almost daily revelations of rampant graft in the civil service, today the rakyat took comfort knowing that despite suffering from an epidemic of corrupt Datuks, MARA, Sports and Rural Development officials, the theft of public monies by those entrusted to serve the people only goes ‘so high’, and all our senior cabinet […]

The post Nation relieved despite rampant civil servant corruption, leaders remain squeaky clean appeared first on FMN.

PETALING JAYA: Malaysian tourists heading to Myanmar must obtain a visa before travelling out of the country as the policy of visas-on-arrival has been discontinued.

Speaking to FMT, a visa officer attached to the Myanmar embassy in Malaysia said Myanmar suspended the policy of visas-on-arrival for all tourists from all countries “a few months ago” and that the move had nothing to do with Malaysia’s stand on the Rohingya issue.

Malaysia has criticised the violence carried out reportedly by Myanmar’s security forces against the minority Rohingya that has resulted in the deaths of hundreds and the displacement of thousands.

The officer was responding to FMT’s queries on the matter of visas, following complaints from Malaysians who were denied a visa-on-arrival at Myanmar’s Yangon International Airport.

“A visa-on-arrival will only be issued to those travelling to Myanmar for business purposes,” said the officer.

“Even then, their application for a visa-on-arrival must be accompanied by supporting documents and a guarantor.”

The officer said the supporting documents included an invitation letter from the company in Myanmar registered with the Myanmar Foreign Investment Commission and a recommendation letter from the company the business traveller was employed with.

“Malaysian tourists planning to travel to Myanmar are encouraged to apply for a visa online at evisa.moip.gov.mm or visit the Myanmar embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

PUTRAJAYA: Prime Minister Najib Razak has reminded civil servants about leakages and not to take for themselves what the people were entitled to.

“Do not take what the people are entitled to as it belongs to them. We provide allocations, programmes and budgets, everything, for the people.

“If there are leakages, the people will become frustrated and lose confidence,” he said when addressing the 2017 maiden monthly assembly of the Prime Minister’s Department here today.

Najib, who is also Finance Minister, called on the civil service to focus on 2017 as the year of delivery in terms of the prosperity and welfare of the people.

This meant, he said, that civil servants must implement projects, programmes, services and measures that had been worked out for the people and country, he said.

“We must make this our priority. Our focus this year – delivery, delivery and delivery.

“If we remember this, then each of us will play our role. Those of us who are in charge of projects, the 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M), security, floods, will play our role.”

Najib said the civil service should consider not only physical development in terms of delivery, but also delivery in terms of value for the people.

“Services for the people must adhere to schedules and problems of delay, constraints, obstacles and lack of coordination must be resolved immediately,” he said.

“We must not operate in silos, saying that is our right and others should not interfere. If we have such an attitude, we will face extreme bureaucracy.

“Make 2017 the year of delivery, focusing on delivering efforts, training, value-added services and anything at all for the welfare of the people,” he said.

Najib said that if civil servants focused on delivery, it would make 2017 a successful year.

From AHMAD SOFFIAN MOHD SHARIFF, Executive Secretary, Shah Alam Welfare Association

A lot of people are reflexively appalled by the idea of a bidet, which makes no sense, because they’re amazing. Today on Amazon, you can score a Luxe Bidet Neo 120 that will work with just about any toilet for just $32. That’s nothing for a product you’ll use just about every day, and it’s particularly good for a…

Read more...

You want to work out, but when the gym is so packed that every machine and bench are taken you need all the self-control to not say, “Screw it!” and kick something on your way out. Don’t worry: You might not get the workout you planned for, but with a little ingenuity, you can still get a good one.

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Every Sunday I make a batch of hard-boiled eggs and stash them in the fridge to turn into quick breakfasts, lunches, and snacks throughout the week. Cooking the eggs is no problem, but peeling them can be a tedious chore. Over the years, I found that three factors make an egg easier to peel: the age of the eggs, the cooking method, and the cooling method.

Here are my steps for easier-to-peel hard-boiled eggs.

READ MORE »

Submitted by senior field correspondent EJ; 1. A foreign worker will slash another foreign worker because of a love triangle involving a third foreign worker.All three foreign workers will be from different countries. 2. A random snake will be wound up around a toilet bowl in a suburban town and scare the lady who saw […]

The post 20 Typically Malaysian News Stories You Will Read In 2017 appeared first on FMN.

LAS VEGAS: The top executive of number three smartphone maker Huawei on Wednesday laid out an ambitious agenda for the US and global markets, brushing aside political issues that have hampered the Chinese group.

Richard Yu, chief executive of Huawei’s consumer business group, made a string of appearances at this week’s Consumer Electronics Show, where he maintained the company’s goal of becoming the world’s biggest smartphone maker within five years.

“We want to be number two in the next two years,” Yu told a small group of reporters after a keynote speech at the Las Vegas show. “In five years we want to be number one.”

Yu said Huawei, which introduced two handsets at the tech gathering, has performed better on many technical tests and consumer surveys than its top two smartphone rivals, Samsung and Apple.

But he said it will be important for Huawei to make better inroads in the US market, especially in the premium smartphone segment. And to do that it needs to develop relations with carriers, through which most devices are sold, not only in direct sales of unlocked phones.

“In the next two to five years we should do more with carriers,” he said.

He argued US consumers are looking for something new in smartphones, describing most of the others on the market as “boring.”

“In the US market consumers need a better product,” he said.

At CES, Huawei announced the US release of its flagship Mate 9 handset, which was launched in other markets last year, and the global launch of its mid-range Honor 6x.

Yu brushed off criticism regarding Huawei’s ties to the Beijing government, which was heightened after a US congressional report.

He said such concerns are based on “misunderstanding” and possibly fueled by “our competitors” who “are using this to fight us.”

“We have no relations with any government,” Yu said, adding that Huawei is “a private company owned by its employees.”

He said he Huawei would not collaborate with governments to spy on consumers because “if we do that with one government we would have problems with other countries.”

Asked about the impact Trump’s administration would have on Huawei’s business, Yu said, “My feeling is that Trump is a businessman.”

Despite Trump’s harsh rhetoric on China and trade, Yu said he hoped Trump would understand that bilateral trade is beneficial to both countries.

“You can’t do everything yourself,” he said. “The economy is globalized. The US also benefits a lot from China, from Chinese companies.”

MANILA: Philippine security forces killed Thursday the leader of a Muslim militant group that has carried out deadly attacks on civilians to win support from Islamic State fighters in Iraq and Syria, authorities said.

Mohammad Jaafar Maguid, founder and leader of Ansarul Khilafa Philippines, was tracked down and shot at a beach resort on the southern island of Mindanao shortly after midnight, while three “cohorts” were arrested, a police report said.

Ansarul Khilafa is one of several violent Islamic militant groups on Mindanao, homeland of a large Filipino Muslim minority where a decades-old separatist rebellion has claimed more than 120,000 lives.

“He’s wanted for bombing incidents. They use improvised explosive devices, killing people at town festivals,” Chief Superintendent Cedric Train, the regional police chief, told AFP.

“They fly the ISIS flag in their camps. They want to be recognised by the ISIS,” Train added, referring to the Islamic State group by one of its acronyms.

The military killed eight Ansarul Khilafa members in a clash in November 2015 at Maguid’s Mindanao hometown of Palimbang, 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) south of Manila.

Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno warned of potential violent repercussions from the death of Maguid, more widely known by his nickname of Commander Tokboy.

“They might retaliate so we have to double our preparations,” Sueno said, citing large Catholic religious festivals in the Philippines this month.

Ansarul Khilafa was behind an attack that left two civilians dead on Mindanao in 2008 as well as a series of robberies and other crimes, according to Sidney Jones, director of the Indonesia-based Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict.

Maguid was arrested in 2009 but escaped eight months later, Jones said in a research paper published in October last year.

Train said the authorities had also been looking into Ansarul Khilafa’s role in a bombing in Davao, Mindanao’s largest city in September last year that killed 15 people and injured dozens of others.

Maguid, who Train said was aged 32, appeared in a video circulated on social media networks last year with the leaders of other local militant groups pledging allegiance to IS.

PUTRAJAYA: Ketua setiausaha (KSU) kementerian bersama 2 anak lelakinya yang ditahan Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) semalam, direman selama seminggu selepas memperoleh perintah mahkamah, hari ini.

Penahanan reman itu bagi membolehkan SPRM menjalankan siasatan berhubung kes rasuah, salah guna kuasa dan penggubahan wang haram.

Majistret Mahkamah Putrajaya Nik Isfahanie Tasnim Wan Ab Rahman membenarkan suspek bergelar “Datuk” yang berusia 59 tahun itu ditahan reman selama seminggu bermula hari ini sehingga 11 Januari.

Kedua-dua anak lelaki suspek berusia 34 dan 29 tahun.

Semua suspek ditahan mengikut Seksyen 117 Kanun Keseksaan bagi membantu siasatan mengikut Seksyen 17(a) Akta SPRM 2009.

Mereka tiba di Mahkamah Putrajaya kira-kira jam 9.40 pagi dengan berpakaian baju lokap berwarna jingga diiringi pegawai SPRM.

Semalam, negara dikejutkan dengan penahanan KSU terbabit di kediamannya di USJ, Subang Jaya kerana disyaki terlibat dalam rasuah dan salah guna kuasa.

Menurut Timbalan Ketua Pesuruhjaya SPRM, Datuk Azam Baki, “Datuk” berkenaan ditahan bersama anak lelaki berusia 29 tahun pada jam 8 pagi dan dibawa ke Putrajaya untuk disiasat.

“Lelaki berusia 29 tahun dipercayai berperanan menerima serta menyimpan wang hasil rasuah daripada kontraktor, pembekal dan vendor yang mempunyai kepentingan dengan KSU terbabit,” katanya.

Kata Azam, SPRM turut merampas jongkong emas dan wang tunai yang dianggarkan bernilai kita-kira RM3 juta.

SPRM tahan KSU, rampas RM3 juta jongkong emas, wang tunai

TOKYO: Japan’s self-styled “Tuna King” has done it again — paying more than $600,000 for a single fish.

Sushi entrepreneur Kiyoshi Kimura paid top price at the first auction of the new year at Tokyo’s Tsukiji fish market on Thursday, bagging a prized bluefin tuna for an eye-watering 74.2 million yen ($636,000).

The head of the Sushizanmai chain is now the proud — if temporary — owner of a 212-kilogramme (467-pound) fish.

At that price a single piece of fatty tuna sushi would cost roughly $85, or 25 times the $3.4 that Kimura charges for the product at his 51 stores across Japan.

“I feel it was a bit expensive, but I am happy that I was able to successfully win at auction a tuna of good shape and size,” Kimura said.

Kimura has built his successful chain into a national brand by paying big money at Tsukiji’s first auction every year — he has now won for six straight years — essentially using the event for publicity.

He paid a record $1.8 million for a bluefin — a threatened species — at the New Year auction in 2013, outbidding a rival bidder from Hong Kong.

Last year, he faced no formidable rival and paid a bargain $117,000 for a 200-kilogramme tuna.

The prices may seem enormous, but Kimura makes sure to get the most out of his money.

Every year, the boisterous auction, which takes place in the small hours, makes national headlines.

On Thursday, Kimura made the rounds of Japan’s major networks, telling viewers the tuna will be cut and distributed among his restaurants.

The 2017 auction could be the last at Tsukiji, the world’s largest fish market.

It was originally supposed to move to a new location in November, but the plan was put on hold until at least late this year over concerns about toxic contamination at the new site.

Tokyo governor Yuriko Koike said in November that the move could even be delayed until the “spring of 2018” depending on results of health and environmental tests.

But she also held out the possibility of scrapping the relocation altogether.

I was about to board a flight earlier this week when I overheard a Caucasian mother advise her grumpy young son.

“You have to be on your best behaviour, Sam. You see all those people over there? We’ll be sharing the airplane with them – so you have to be good and respectful to them, you hear me? Can I count on you, Sam?”

The boy frowned. “Do I have to?”

“Yes, you do. You are a good boy and that’s what good boys do – they behave themselves,” she assured him.

I observed Sam from my aisle seat for most of the two-hour twenty-minute flight – and am happy to report he was pretty much an angel.

Sam got me thinking however of all the misbehaving Malaysian children who have crossed my path over the years.

• Kids who run freely in restaurants, peering into the dishes on your table before scooting off.

• Kids who run screaming in shopping malls and hotels – like it was their personal playground.

• Kids who kick-up a fuss on board buses and trains and worse yet, at private functions.

• Kids who chatter away during movies and live theatre shows.

• Kids who kick the back of your seat repetitively as you sit to watch a movie in the cinema.

• Kids who throw tantrums and roll on the floor in the middle of shopping malls because their parents refused to buy them a toy.

From my observations, I find most Malaysian parents practise either one of two extremes when it comes to parenting – they are either reluctant to discipline their kids or are strictly authoritarian.

Too many parents leave their kids to entertain themselves with electronic gadgets or run helter-skelter without supervision.

Of course, there will certainly be those who claim that parenting styles differ from one family to another depending on culture, tradition, upbringing and knowledge. However, I’d like to believe there are only two types of parenting styles – the right way and the wrong way. And most Malaysian parents do it the wrong way.

Children, although young, are still individuals in their own right. They cannot be expected to do something simply because their parents tell them to. They should be treated like intelligent human beings and therefore deserve an explanation just like the rest of us.

Instead of demanding children follow rules simply because you as a parent said so, they need to know that they function as part of a larger community and every decision or action they make has consequences not just for themselves but the people around them.

If Sam’s mother was a typical Malaysian, she would have either warned him not to make a fuss on the flight, then threatened him that the air steward would catch him; she’d have pinched him every time he misbehaved; or perhaps she’d have ignored him totally while engrossed in the flight movie.

Watching Sam and his mother, I realised how important it is to teach children from young how to be responsible members of their community.

Every child may be special, but it is essential that parents teach them that they are not the centre of their universe (neither are the parents). Instead of spoiling children by allowing them to do as they please, or threatening them so they do as their parents please, every child should be taught that they are part of a family and part of a larger community – and therefore have the responsibility to be kind, honest and respectful of the feelings of others.

“Good parents produce good children. Bad parents produce pests.” – Fa Abdul.

Fa Abdul is an FMT columnist.

With a firm belief in freedom of expression and without prejudice, FMT tries its best to share reliable content from third parties. Such articles are strictly the writer’s (or organisation’s) personal opinion. FMT does not necessarily endorse the views or opinions given by any third party content provider.

People have been mounting TVs on the wall for nearly two decades, but LG has thrown down the gauntlet to the competition with a super-thin flexible panel TV that the company says sits nearly flush with the wall.

The new LG Oled W or “Wallpaper” TV — unveiled this morning at CES 2017 in Las Vegas — is only about 1/10″ thick, according to LG, and attaches to the wall via magnetic brackets.

Of course, in order to get that “one with the wall” look, the speakers have to be moved to an exterior unit that is connected via cable to the TV. That’s the bulky soundbar thing seen under the TV in the image above.

Additionally, because there is no room between the set and the wall, you’d have to run the cables through the wall.

Then again, if you’re splashing out money for a next-gen 4K HDR TV, you can probably afford to have someone do a proper installation job and run the cables for you.

In addition to the thin TV, LG is pushing its new “Nano Cell” technology for its TVs. The company claims that this proprietary tech — which involves an array of nanometer dots on the screen — absorbs excess backlight, giving the viewer more accurate colors and deeper blacks. LG says Nano Cell also prevents the typical color loss for viewers who aren’t looking at a TV screen head-on.

Looking for a snack that fills you up and fuels you well? The humble hard-boiled egg is a small powerhouse of nutrition, but easily overlooked. We're upgrading the boiled egg in 10 sexy, spicy, flavor-jammed ways for better snacking.

The addition of a few slices of deli ham is all it takes to elevate a plain hard-boiled egg into an ultra-satisfying snack. So if you're craving something salty and hearty to power you through the afternoon, this duo is for you.

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Web/Android/iOS: Human trafficking is a massive, global problem—one that an app alone won’t solve, but one that this app may be able to help with, just a little bit. TraffickCam asks you to snap pictures of your hotel room, creating a database that can be matched to rooms in photos with trafficking victims.

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Creamy, smooth, sweet, and satisfying, chocolate pudding is a treat that always invites a smile. One version of chocolate pudding has been rising in popularity for the past few years, and it's with very good reason. As the interest in plant-based food increases, the seismic shift from boxed mixes or stovetop versions found their hero in naturally creamy avocado.

This chocolate avocado pudding is as chocolatey and luscious as any other pudding, and it's even richer-tasting, more unctuous, and even more chocolatey. Best of all it's vegan and gluten-free. Unlike the other versions, which can taste milky or ultra-sweet, this chocolate avocado pudding is all about the chocolate.

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Water is essential for human health; over 70% of the body consists of water, and the effects of dehydration can be life threatening. Although there is considerable disagreement among scientists as to the exact amount of water individuals should consume each day, the former “8-by-8” rule of 64 ounces per day is no longer a hard and fast rule. Replacing high-calorie sodas or alcoholic drinks with plain water can help control appetite and weight,^[1] improve sleep and energy levels, reduce the likelihood of dental cavities or tooth decay,^[2] and help manage chronic conditions such as diabetes mellitus.^[3] If you would like to increase your water intake for athletic, dietary, or health purposes, there are many safe and effective ways to do so.

EditSteps

EditMaking Drinking Water More Convenient

1. Understand how much water you should plan on drinking every day. The Institute of Medicine recommends an average of 3.7 liters (125 ounces) per day for healthy adult men and 2.7 liters (91 ounces) per day for healthy adult women, allowing adjustments for activity and health levels, climate and elevation, and the amount of water consumed from food and other drinks.
   
   • Keeping in mind that 20 percent of daily water intake typically comes from food and 80 percent of water intake typically comes from a combination of plain water and other beverages, the amount of plain water you need to drink every day for optimal hydration will vary.
   • Perhaps the most important factor to successfully increasing your daily water intake is making it easier for you to drink water. Try some of these suggestions to make it a cinch to up your daily consumption of water.
2. Carry water with you. Having your own water supply on hand makes drinking water a no-brainer.
   
   • Slip a reusable water bottle into your purse, gym bag, desk drawer, or car, and be sure to refill it regularly.
   • Having accessible water makes you more likely to sip on water instead of soda or other drinks and can provide a visual cue to drink more water.
3. Develop reminders. Try setting alarms or computer reminders that tell you to drink water once per hour, or decide on a few personal “triggers” for drinking water.
   
   • Triggers to sip water can be routine activities such as receiving a phone call, passing a drinking fountain, stretching during work or workouts, hearing someone say your name, or watching commercial breaks during television programs.
   • Other ideas include substituting or adding water for a coffee or tea break, or replacing your lunch beverage with water. This includes water into your routine without making a special break for it.
4. Lobby for a watercooler in your office. If you have a watercooler or purified drinking system available to you and in close proximity throughout the work day, you may be more likely to grab a glass of water than to head to the kitchen to refill your coffee cup.
   
5. Prepare flavored water in advance. Having a large pitcher of pre-flavored or purified water in your home refrigerator makes it easy to refill your water bottle every morning or to grab a glass of water at each home meal.
   

EditDrinking Unsweetened Water-Based Beverages

1. Sip on unsweetened tea. Herbal or fruit teas are essentially water with natural, non-caloric flavors.
   
   • Try drinking unsweetened tea hot in the morning as a replacement for hot, caffeinated beverages.
   • For a flavorful drink to get you through the rest of the day, try hot or iced teas in a variety of flavors, such as mint, strawberry, peach, ginseng, or lemon.
2. Add lime, lemon, or other natural flavorings to your water. Slipping a slice of citrus fruit into your water can add a subtle flavor to perk up plain water, making it easier to drink more water throughout the day. Try mint leaves, cucumber slices, or berries for other flavor options to add to your water.
   
3. Try carbonated water.
   
   • If you normally drink soda, sparkling water can give you a calorie-free, sweetener-free, fizz-fix with all of the benefits of regular water.
   • If you prefer flavored carbonated water, opt for one with no added sweeteners and only natural flavors. Otherwise, buy plain carbonated water and flavor it yourself.

EditSubstituting Water For Sweetened Beverages and Alcohol

1. Understand that sweetened beverages or alcohol cannot be substituted for water. If you are a habitual soda or juice drinker, or if you routinely drink beer or wine with evening meals, consider swapping water for your typical drink of choice to increase your plain water intake. Although each of these beverages are very high in water content, you can increase your total water intake and remove the side effects of sweetened, caffeinated, and alcoholic beverages by drinking just water.
   
2. Replace at least one drink per day with water.
   
   • Consider a glass of water instead of a second cup of your morning vanilla lattes.
   • Plan to drink a full glass of water with your lunch before opening a can of soda or other beverage.
   • Alternate between alcoholic drinks and water at parties, bars, or meals.
3. Make water your drink of choice. Replacing soda or sports drinks with water altogether may seem like overkill, but it is the easiest way to increase the amount of regular water you drink every day.
   
   • Instead of keeping a case of soda cans at your desk, consider lugging in a pack of bottled water, or use your new water habit as an excuse to stretch your legs a few times each day on your way to the water fountain.
4. Quench your thirst with water. Studies show that when you are thirsty, water will satisfy your thirst just as well as other beverages, such as sports drinks, soft drinks, or juice.^[4]
   

EditDrinking Water Before, During, and After Meals

1. Make it a habit to down a quick glass around mealtimes. Drinking a glass of water — or at least a few sips — before, during, and after eating any meal is a great way to up your daily water intake.
   
2. Sip water with each meal. Replace your typical drink during meals with water, or at least have water to drink on the side. Not only can this save you money when you eat out, but it can also cut the calories you consume by drinking and make you less likely to consume additional calories from food.^[5]
   
3. Follow up each meal with a small glass of water. Drinking water during and after each meal can help you feel full longer after eating and aid in the digestion of your food.^[6]
   

EditMotivating Yourself by Playing Water Drinking Games

1. Play Water Pong. Water drinking games can help you drink more water. Just remember not to drink excessive amounts water, since that can be fatal. (This is rare,and takes an excessive amount of water but it can happen.)^[7] Water pong is similar to Beer Pong, just with water. If you commit to playing it once a week, you'll manage to increase your water intake considerably by month's end. If you want an added incentive to win at this game, decide on a prize before you start playing. You'll need a large stable table with a durable flat (and waterproof) surface, 20 cups, and 2 ping pong balls. Here's how to play:
   
   • Clear everything off your table.
   • Fill each cup with 4 oz. of water. Make sure all the cups are equally filled.
   • Arrange 10 cups at each end of your table. You'll want to position the two groups of cups as far away from each other as possible, so if your table is rectangular, set them up at the long ends of the table.
     • Align 4 cups in a row at the edge of the short end of the table.
     • Line up 3 more cups in a row in front of the line of 4.
     • Place 2 more cups in a row right in front of the row of 3 cups.
     • Place a final cup in front of the row of 2 cups. You'll notice that you just formed a flat pyramid out of the 10 cups.
     • Arrange the remaining 10 cups at the opposite end of the table in the same pattern. Both peaks of the pyramids should be facing in, pointing in toward the center of the table.
   • Take turns trying to throw your ball into one of your cups at the opposite end of the table. When you get a ball into a cup, you get to drink the water in that cup. The person who finishes all their cups of water first, wins!
2. Play Water Bank. This is a great game for a family to enjoy together, but you can also play it with your roommates if you live with other people. Not only do you motivate yourself to drink more water while playing this game, but the winner also gets a cash prize at the end! You'll need a piggy bank, a jar or a decorative bowl to hold the money you collect, and a notepad or a mobile phone to log your water intake each day. Here's how to play:
   
   • Determine how long you will be playing the game. An easy time-frame to remember is the first to the last day of the month.
   • Decide how much each glass of water is worth. Since you'll be contributing that amount of money to the piggy bank (or collection jar or bowl), make sure it's an amount that everyone playing can afford.
   • Every time you drink a full 8 oz. glass of water, make a note of it. You can keep a simple tally in a notebook you carry around with you, keep track on your mobile phone, or create a log on your computer. Make sure that you play this game with people who you trust won't cheat!
   • At the end of each day or week, deposit the value of water you drank into your communal bank.
   • When the game ends, count who contributed the most money to the bank. That person not only earned all the money, but they also drank the most water that month! If there's a tie, split the bounty.
3. Get a Water Card. A water card is just like a coffee card–you get a stamp each time you drink a full 8 oz. glass of water. Once you fill up your card with stamps, you get a prize. You'll need to make yourself a card and either have a pen on hand to cross off your boxes, stickers, or a stamp. Here's how to play:
   
   • Create a table in a word processing program. Draw a 9 x 8 grid, label the top row 1 to 8 and the first column with the days of the week.
   • Copy the table 3 times on the page so that when you print it out, you'll have three cards on each sheet.
   • Cut the cards out and put one in your wallet for the upcoming week.
   • Each time you finish drinking an 8 oz. glass of water, mark it off on your card.
   • Each day or week that you manage to fill your card with marks, give yourself a reward. Rewards can be anything from a chocolate at the end of the day, your favorite scone with your next cup of coffee, or even a new book or movie rental at week's end.
4. Have a Charity Water Drive. Drink water to help a local charity. Pool together with your co-workers to see how much water you can drink in a month. The number of glasses you drink represents the amount of money you donate to your favorite charity. You'll need a white board or a flip chart to log your office's water consumption, and a jar or large envelope in which to store donations. Here's how to play:
   
   • Send out an email inviting people to participate in the Charity Water Drive. Ask them to respond with their top three favorite charities, and the amount they would be willing to contribute per glass of water. The amount can range from a few cents to a few dollars.
   • Determine the length of time that the drive will last and when it will start. Your charity water drive can last a week, or even as long as a month. It all depends on how determined you are as a team to raise money for your chosen charity.
   • Create a grid on your whiteboard or flip chart to track your progress. List the names of everyone participating, and leave a place next to everyone's name where they can tick off their water consumption each day.
   • Mark off your progress at the end of each day to help you determine when you've reached your goal. You can color in the inside of a drawing of a thermometer and celebrate once you've filled it all in.
   • Make your donation at the end of your charity drive.

EditVideo

EditTips

• Adequate hydration allows your body to remove waste, circulate blood and nutrients, support cellular health and biochemical processes, promote proper organ function, and maintain energy levels, among other essential bodily activities.
• You may need to increase your daily water intake during hot weather, time spent at high altitudes, or during periods of physical exertion.
• Try drinking a glass of water at every meal. And one in between, then you can be sure you are getting enough hydration.
• Drink a little water every morning before you brush your teeth for a refreshing start to your day.
• Drinking water flushes out your kidneys, helping decrease the risk of developing infections or other diseases.
• Be aware that you can die from water intoxication which is caused by drinking too much water.
• Buy a flask or a keep a jug with the amount of water you want to drink, and make sure that you drank it all at the end of the day.
• Most people consume enough water in response to their thirst and through their daily routines. If your urine is clear or light yellow you are likely consuming enough water.
• Before you go to bed each night, put in the refrigerator the number of water bottles you would like to drink the next day. They'll be cold and waiting for you when you wake up.
• Remember that food sources and water-based drinks can provide significant amounts of your necessary daily water intake. Foods such as watermelon, oranges, and tomatoes are up to 90% water, and soups, coffee, and juice count toward your daily water needs as well.
• Try to keep track on how much you have drunk throughout the day.
• One way to calculate how much water you should drink per day is to take your weight in pounds, divide that by two, and drink that much water in fluid ounces.
• Remember that water benefits lots of things. It helps moisturize lips, keeps from infections, etc.
• While drinking water, to increase the amount drastically, take mouthful of sips and make sure you drink a glass of water in at least 6 or more sips.
• You should drink water every hour and day. You could also drink some other healthy stuff like milk or juice that doesn't contain sugar.
• Make sure you don't leave drinking water in the car unless it is in a container made of glass or BPA-free plastic. Liquids stored in plastic containers containing BPA have been claimed in numerous studies to be carcinogenic. Many countries, including the U.S., have banned the presence of BPA in baby bottles, but not for general use by older children and adults.

EditWarnings

• In some countries, tap water is dangerous and can cause illness. When in doubt, opt for purified or bottled water sources.
• Increasing your water or fluid intake in the late evening may cause you to have to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. To avoid this, you may want to limit your beverage intake after dinner.
• Do not attempt to regularly replace food with water as a weight-loss technique. Water is not intended to replace food in your diet, as you need the nutrients from solid foods to survive.
• Drink only when you're thirsty. Your body is its own doctor and will tell you how much water you need. In fact, you're much healthier drinking when you're only thirsty then drinking 8 glasses of water per day! Forcing yourself to drink 8 glasses of water per day gives you nothing but a big fat risk of over-hydrating, which is more dangerous than dehydration.
• Drinking too much water is rare but can cause hyponatremia, an electrolyte imbalance, which can have serious negative health consequences, including death.^[8] By letting your thirst be your guide, consuming water from a variety of food and beverage sources, and following the recommendations of a health professional for health conditions or intense physical activity, you can avoid drinking too much water.

EditRelated wikiHows

• Melt Glass Bottles
• Love the Taste of Water
• Eat Slowly to Avoid Overeating
• Lose Weight by Eating Slowly
• Eat Slowly
• Drink More Milk Every Day
• Get Your Eight Glasses of Water a Day
• Reuse Drink Bottles
• Collect Fast Food Drinking Glasses

EditSources and Citations

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A nerd’s guide to bullet journaling Unsplash It’s everything you need You may have heard of bullet journaling, probably from your sister or your coworker or some other enviably competent person you have the pleasure of knowing. It’s a productivity pocketknife—customizable, indispensable,...