RM14000 on each Malaysian head.

Auditor-General Ambrin Buang's report that last year's debts stood at an all-time high of RM362.39 billion, simply meant that each Malaysian had a domestic debt of RM14,000.

"The A-G revealed that Malaysia had the highest debt of RM362.39 billion in five years.

"This debt – RM362.39 billion – means that all 26 million Malaysians carry the burden of owing RM14,000 each... and it's all because of the government's corrupt practices," Idris said.

He said the domestic debt last year was RM348.60 billion.

Idris said the chief secretary to the government had reportedly blamed the nation's losses, which stood at RM10 billion each year, on corruption.

"Is this the work of an effective government?" he asked, adding that Umno-BN was always proclaiming itself as the “best and wisest administrator”.

"But the A-G's report reflects otherwise... it's not surpising that Pakatan Rakyat states have to carry the burden of the national debts.

"The Pakatan governments have inherited these debts from the previous BN administration and have to settle them. Why? Because we took over a state and not a party," Idris said.

Citing Kelantan and Kedah, he said during the 12 years of BN rule in Kelantan it had accumulated RM740 million in debts. Since taking over the state, Kelantan has been clearing this debt.

"It's worse in Kedah. BN ruled Kedah for 51 years. When Pakatan took over in 2008, we inherited RM2.3 billion worth of debts," he said, adding that majority of voters didn't know the truth about the (financial health) of BN-ruled states.

Idris also said federal officers dealing with the Pakatan states are awed by how Kelantan, Kedah, Selangor and Penang have managed their finances and settled their debts to the federal government.

S'pore least corrupt nation

SINGAPORE, Denmark and New Zealand were seen as the nations least blighted by corruption, according to a survey published on Tuesday by watchdog Transparency International (TI).

The three tied for top spot, scoring 9.3 points. They were followed by Finland, Sweden, Canada and the Netherlands.

Afghanistan and Myanmar shared second last place with a score of 1.4, with Somalia coming in last with a score of 1.1.

Nearly three-quarters of the 178 countries in TI's annual survey scored worse than average on the scale, which ranges from zero (perceived to be highly corrupt) to 10 (perceived to have low levels of corruption).

'The results indicate a serious corruption problem,' the Berlin-based anti-sleaze body said. 'Allowing corruption to continue is unacceptable; too many poor and vulnerable people continue to suffer its consequences around the world,' said TI's president Huguette Labelle.

The United States was 22nd on the list, while Greece and Italy came in at 78th and 67th respectively. China was level with Greece. TI said corruption was hampering efforts to combat 'the world's most pressing problems' such as the financial crisis and climate change.

Penang food entrepreneur

VEN Chin has turned his dream of bringing Penang food to Singapore a reality. The entrepreneur, an MBA student of Manchester Business School, has opened a Penang food restaurant by the name of Gurney Drive across the causeway, and he now has bigger goals in sight.

Ask Chin about his Gurney Drive venture and he begins to talk enthusias-tically about how the MBA programme he is pursuing has positioned him well to launch his business.

"Manchester Global MBA gave me the competitive advantage in the F&B industry. From industry analysis, brand concept, positioning, key success factors, business proposal, funding, pre-opening preparations, business launch till business fine-tuning, we applied lots of practical concepts learnt from the MBA course," he says, adding that the programme has sharpened his business acumen and practical skills.

Yes, he is forced to juggle full-time work with the demands of a business venture, family and a rigorous MBA programme but he is taking it all in his stride. "Time management is crucial. I remember the moment when my wife was about to give birth to my daughter and yet I was still in the MBA workshop while my mind was on the restaurant business!"

Chin, who’s into his second last semester with MBS, says flexibility was an important factor for him when deciding on the MBA course to take. The fact that Manchester Business School offers a part-time Global MBA programme suits his busy work schedule, he says. "As I have a family to support and could not afford to study full time, MBS offers the flexibility, and it has a good reputation and ranking."

Chin’s entrepreneurial spirit began at a tender age. He recalls dreaming about starting his own business, having been strongly influenced by his parents who own a small retail shop in a small town in Kedah.

"The book Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki further inspired me to set a target. I wanted to have my own business and be financially free one day."

In 2008, while still holding a full-time job, Chin started pursuing his Master’s in Business Administration. It was only last April that he set up Gurney Drive with his business partners.

"It took us about half a year of planning and another half year to find a retail location. Our first outlet is located at Jubilee Entertainment Complex in Ang Mo Kio, Singapore."

Gurney Drive, named after Sir Henry Gurney, is a famous food paradise by a seaside promenade in George Town. Chin’s Gurney Drive restaurant serves authentic and delectable Penang dishes prepared by renowned chefs. He describes the concept as "unpretentious hearty meals, cosy ambience and impeccable service in order to present customers a memorable dining experience to bring home".

And how has the response to his restaurant been so far? "During our first week of opening, the response of the crowd was overwhelming," he says, adding that "expansion plans are definitely in progress".

"We aim to open three company-owned outlets in two years’ time before starting to franchise the business locally and overseas. Our next outlet is targeted to open at the end of the year at Suntec City."

Chin says his decision to take up Manchester Global MBA was important for him as he felt he needed to learn practical skills that could be applied in the F&B business.

"Manchester Business School has enabled me to look at the F&B industry with a different perspective. During the course, the modules that I find extremely useful in starting up a business are Strategic Management, Supply Chain Management, and Management Accounting. These practical modules are essential to any business and although they are mostly designed for managing large corporations, with a little twist, the concepts can be adapted to new startups like mine."

The journey of an entrepreneur is never an easy one. Chin reflects on the continuous challenges he faces: "It has never been easy to study part time, work full time and start a business at the same time. An entrepreneur has to be a generalist rather than a specialist. Unlike an MNC where you can easily get help from your colleagues to settle issues relating to their department, for entrepreneurs every problem is their problem."

Article 8

Article 8 by clause (1) provides that all persons are equal before the law and entitled to its equal protection.

Clause 2 states: “Except as expressly authorised by this Constitution, there shall be no discrimination against citizens on the ground only of religion, race, descent, gender or place of birth in any law or in the appointment to any office or employment under a public authority or in the administration of any law relating to the acquisition, holding or disposition of property or the establishing or carrying on of any trade, business, profession, vocation or employment.”

The exception in clause 2 is used to justify the reservations and special provisions for the Malays and the Bumiputras of Sabah and Sarawak under Article 153.

Article 153.

Article 153 grants the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, or King of Malaysia, responsibility for safeguarding the special position of the Malay and other indigenous peoples of Malaysia, collectively referred to as Bumiputra and the legitimate interests of all the other communities. The article specifies how the King may protect the interest of these groups by establishing quotas for entry into the civil service, public scholarships and public education.

Originally there was no reference made to other indigenous peoples of Malaysia (then Malaya) such as the Orang Asli, but with the union of Malaya with Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak in 1963, the Constitution was amended so as to provide similar privileges for the indigenous peoples of East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak), grouping them with the Malays as Bumiputra.

The scope of Article 153 is limited by Article 136, which requires that civil servants be treated impartially regardless of race. Clause 5 of article 153 specifically reaffirms article 136 of the constitution which states: All persons of whatever race in the same grade in the service of the Federation shall, subject to the terms and conditions of their employment, be treated impartially.

Clause 9 of article 153 states Nothing in this Article shall empower Parliament to restrict business or trade solely for the purpose of reservations for Malays.

The Reid Commission suggested that these provisions would be temporary in nature and be revisited in 15 years, and that a report should be presented to the appropriate legislature (currently the Parliament of Malaysia) and that the "legislature should then determine either to retain or to reduce any quota or to discontinue it entirely."

Under Article 153, and due to the 13th May 1969 riots, the New Economic Policy was introduced. The NEP aimed to eradicate poverty irrespective of race by expanding the economic pie so that the Chinese share of the economy would not be reduced in absolute terms but only relatively. The aim was for the Malays to have a 30% equity share of the economy, as opposed to the 4% they held in 1970. Foreigners and Chinese held much of the rest.^[7]

The NEP appeared to be derived from Article 153 and could be viewed as being in line with its wording. Although Article 153 would have been up for review in 1972, fifteen years after Malaysia's independence in 1957, due to the May 13 Incident it remained unreviewed. A new expiration date of 1991 for the NEP was set, twenty years after its implementation.^[8]

However, the NEP was said to have failed to have met its targets and was continued under a new policy called the National Development Policy.

A permanently warmer Arctic

THE signs of climate change were all over the Arctic this year - warmer air, less sea ice, melting glaciers - which probably means this weather-making region will not return to its former, colder state, scientists reported on Thursday.

In an international assessment of the Arctic, scientists from the United States, Canada, Russia, Denmark and other countries said, 'Return to previous Arctic conditions is unlikely.' Conditions in the Arctic are important because of their powerful impact on weather in the heavily populated middle latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere.

The heavy snows in the United States, northern Europe and western Asia last winter are linked to higher air temperatures over the Arctic, the scientists found.

'Winter 2009-2010 showed a new connectivity between mid-latitude extreme cold and snowy weather events and changes in the wind patterns of the Arctic, the so-called Warm Arctic-Cold Continents pattern,' said the report, issued by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The scientists found evidence of widespread Arctic warming, with surface air temperatures rising above global averages twice as quickly as the rate for lower latitudes, Jackie Richter-Menge of the US Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory.

Part of the reason for this is a process called polar amplification. Warming air melts the sun-reflecting white snow and ice of the Arctic, revealing darker, heat-absorbing water or land, spurring the effects of warming. This is further amplified by the action of the round-the-clock sunlight of Arctic summers, Richter-Menge said in a telephone briefing.

Plants clean air pollution better

PLANTS, especially some trees under stress, are even better than expected at scrubbing certain chemical pollutants out of the air, researchers reported on Thursday.

'Plants clean our air to a greater extent than we had realized,' Thomas Karl of the US National Center for Atmospheric Research, a federally funded research center based in Boulder, Colorado, said in a statement.

'They actively consume certain types of air pollution.' Scientists have long known that plants take in carbon dioxide, a naturally occurring gas that can build up in the atmosphere and trap heat beneath it. But they did not know that some plants excel at sucking up a class of chemicals known as oxygenated volatile organic compounds, or oVOCs.

These compounds, which can have long-term health and environmental impacts, form in the atmosphere from hydrocarbons and other chemicals from natural and human-made sources, including plants, vehicles and construction materials.

Because oVOCs can combine with nitrogen oxides to form ozone, they can contribute to lung inflammation and swelling and asthma attacks, according to the American Lung Association.

Mr Karl, lead author of the study published in the journal Science, worked with other scientists to determine that deciduous plants - those that seasonally shed their leaves - appear to take in these compounds as much as four times more quickly than was previously thought.

Beijing's population surges near 20 million

Beijing municipal people's congress revealed this week that the Chinese capital now has 19.72 million inhabitants, growing by over 3% in the past 2 years.

Previous estimates had predicted that the city's population would swell to that level a decade later than it has. According to the guidelines regarding Beijing's development between 2004 and 2020 set by the State Council, the number of permanent residents living in capital should have been capped below 18 million until the end of 2020.

However, a recently released report from the population investigation and research team within the people's congress shows that by the end of 2009, approximately 12.46 million people in the capital held a Beijing "hukou" (permanent residence). An additional 7.26 million inhabitants were migrant workers who had been living in the city for more than half a year and who are therefore also classified as permanent residents.

After analyzing the change in population between 2006 and 2009, the team found that Beijing's population had undergone rapid growth during the first four years of the 11th Five-Year Development Plan, mainly as a result of an explosion in the floating population.

Natural birth contributed 482,000 extra people during the past four years while the jump in the floating population accounted for 1.52 million additional inhabitants.

The report points out that now the total size of the floating population in the capital could have exceeded 10 million people, if members of the army deployed in Beijing, unregistered migrant workers and people on short visits are also added to the mix.

The massive growth in Beijing's population, which is mainly comprised of young adults, plays an important role in the booming development of the city. Unfortunately, say critics, it unavoidably brings more pressure on the city's natural resources.

Wang Jian, a water specialist with Green SOS, an NGO based in Beijing, told METRO that the current water reserves in Beijing can only support about half of its residents, and not the nearly 20 million people who now live in the city.

The population explosion not only burdens the environment but also the whole infrastructure, public service system and the management of society, say experts.

Wu Shoulun, a retired professor from Beihang University who is also a member of the congress's research team, said in a media report that every aspect of people's daily life can be influenced by the huge population, as it leads to high-priced-apartments, chaos on public transportation and challenges for the education system. Maya Reid, a 25-year-old woman from Canada, has noticed the sharp rise in the capital's population since she arrived in Beijing four years ago.

"My home country has a population of 30 million. It's not like we can find a seat in subway every time but it has never been so packed and you can always find a place to breathe," said Reid who, commutes to work each day on Beijing's subway.

Figures show that around 32.3 percent of commercial apartments were sold to people who did not have Beijing permanent residency papers between 2005 and 2009. In 2008, 40 percent of students in compulsory education in Beijing were from the floating population. Both facts suggest the floating population is growing massively.

"It is time for the government to take into consideration proper population control," Wu told the Beijing Daily on Wednesday.

His team suggested that the government changes the current industry structure in Beijing, opening more hi-tech companies and attracting more high-end people to Beijing instead of laborers.

However, Mu Guangzong, a professor from the Institute of Population Research with Peking University, had a different point of view.

"I believe the market can help with the adjustment of population. High-end people will also need someone to help them with housekeeping and other stuff," Mu told METRO on Thursday.

"People who are useful for society will stay and those who are not may leave gradually."

Mu said the reason why Beijing attracts more people than any other cities is because the capital is a better place to live than many other cities.

"The root lies in the huge different living standards between big cities and small villages. And the difference is still increasing," he said.

World population will exceed 9 billion in 2050

The world's population is expected to exceed 9 billion in 2050. The countries with over 100 million people will be increased to 17. India will replace China to become the world's largest country with a population of 1.6 billion, according to the report titled "State of World Population 2010," which was issued by World Population Fund on Oct. 20.

The world's population is expected to reach to 9.15 billion in 2050, 2.241 billion higher than at present, according to the report. Africa's population will nearly double from 1 billion to almost 2 billion. The population in Asia, which will also have more substantial growth, will grow from 4.2 billion to 5.2 billion. The population in Europe will fall to 691 million from the current 733 million, it will be the only the continent with population decline.

The report also shows that the populations of 11 countries in the world have exceeded 100 million recently. Of these, China has the most, with a population of 1.4 billion, and the next is India with 1.2 billion. Other countries that have a population of more than 100 million are the United States, Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Russia, Japan and Mexico.

Drinking coffee or tea may lower brain cancer risk?

Daily consumption of coffee or tea may reduce chances of developing brain cancer, said a new study published in the November issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The conclusion is based on analysis of data concerning the dietary habits of more than 410,000 men and women between the ages of 25 and 70, according to the study conducted by an international team of researchers.

The study involved participants from France, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Britain, Greece, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Germany.

Participants were recruited between 1991 and 2000, and were tracked over the course of about 8.5 years. During that time, food surveys were completed to gauge, among other things, the amount of tea and coffee each participant consumed.

During the study, 343 new cases of glioma were diagnosed, as were 245 new cases of meningioma, another cancer that affects tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

The findings show that coffee and tea may protect against brain cancer, specifically in the form of glioma, a cancer of the central nervous system that originates in the brain and/or spinal cord.

By stacking drinking patterns against brain cancer incidence, the research team found that drinking 100 mL (or 0.4 cups) per day and above lowered the risk of gliomas by 34 percent.

The protective effect appears to be slightly stronger among men, the team observed, and seems to apply solely to gliomas.

Dr. John S. Yu, director of the Brain Tumor Center of Excellence at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, said the finding was "striking."

"If we had a drug for any disease that could demonstrate a risk reduction of 34 percent, that would be considered a great drug. That degree of risk reduction is very strong," he said.

But he said "it has not yet been established whether or not this is directly causative -- (in other words, whether) drinking caffeine directly reduces disease risk -- or whether this is actually about an association between other factors concerning the type of people who drink a certain amount of coffee and risk reduction. More research is needed to figure that out." -

Global study finds China and Middle East leading digital age

China and the Middle East are racing ahead of the West in embracing the Internet according to "the largest ever" global study of online habits.

The Digital Life study by global research firm TNS also found Malaysians are the most sociable online with an average of 233 friends on social media websites, while the Japanese are the least friendly with just 29.

TNS said the study was the "largest ever global research project into people's online activities and behaviour", surveying almost 90 per cent of the world’s online population through 50,000 interviews in 46 countries.

"This study covers more than twice as many markets as any other research," said TNS Chief Development Officer Matthew Froggatt. "It is the first truly global research into online activities."

Online consumers in rapid growth markets have overtaken mature markets in terms of engaging with digital activities, despite the benefit of more advanced Internet infrastructure, the study found.

Egypt and China have much higher levels of digital engagement than mature markets such as Japan, Denmark or Finland, while blogging and social networking are gaining momentum at huge speed in rapid growth markets.

James Fergusson, TNS's global director for rapid growth and emerging markets, said in Asia the Internet was "far more transformational when compared to developed Western markets which are far more functional."

"This is because the Internet reduces cultural, social and political barriers to self expression," he told AFP on Monday.

The research shows four out of five online users in China (88 percent) and over half of those in Brazil (51 percent) have written their own blog or forum entry, compared to only 32 percent in the United States.

And online consumers are spending more time on social networking sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn than on email.

In rapid growth markets such as Latin America, the Middle East and China, the average time spent per week on social networking sites is 5.2 hours compared to four hours on email.

Malaysia tops the list of countries with the most friends at an average of 233 friends in their social network, closely followed by Brazilians with 231.

"Malaysians are very open to establishing friendships online," Fergusson said. "Whereas in Japan people tend to be more selective in choosing their online friends."

The study also reveals a marked global shift away from traditional media, with 61 percent of online users using the Internet daily against 54 percent for television, 36 percent for radio and 32 percent for newspapers.

Men with prostate cancer at higher colon cancer risk

Men who have prostate cancer have a higher risk of developing colon cancer than men who do not have prostate cancer, US researchers said on Tuesday.

Researchers at the University at Buffalo (UB) in New York state found in a study of more than 2,000 men that patients diagnosed with prostate cancer had significantly more abnormal colon polyps, known as adenomas, and advanced adenomas than men without prostate cancer.

Most colon cancers begin as adenomas, the researchers said as they presented the findings of their study at the annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology in San Antonio, Texas.

"Our study is the first to show that men with prostate cancer are at increased risk of developing colon cancer," said report author Ognian Pomakov, an assistant professor at UB's department of medicine.

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men, only behind lung cancer. Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in men and women in the United States.

The researchers reviewed the patient records, colonoscopy reports and pathology reports, as well as data on the prevalence of adenomas, advanced adenomas, cancerous adenomas and their location within the colon, in 2,011 men who had colonoscopies at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Buffalo.

When the researchers compared the colonoscopy results from 188 men diagnosed with prostate cancer with the rest of the patients, they found that the prostate cancer patients had significantly higher prevalence of abnormal polyps and advanced adenomas compared to the rest of the study sample.

Forty-eight per cent of prostate cancer patients had adenomas, compared to 30.8 per cent of the men without prostate cancer. More than 15 per cent of
prostate cancer patients had advanced adenomas compared to 10 per cent of the men without prostate cancer.

Pomakov stressed the importance of men who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer having routine screening for colon cancer and called for larger studies to be done to determine if screening for colorectal cancer should begin earlier for prostate cancer patients than the currently recommended age of 50.

Danger food for diabetics

NO matter what type of diabetes you have, a proper balanced meal plan is vital.

Poor food choices will work against your efforts to stay healthy. Although having diabetes does not mean you should be deprived of any food item, some are best left out of your meal plan. These include foods high in saturated and trans-fat. Foods high in added sugar are just an empty source of calories, as confirmed by a website.

1. Restaurant french fries

French fries are loaded with saturated fat, sodium and calories. Although many fast-food restaurants offer trans-fat-free fries, that doesn’t make them healthy.

2. Hamburgers and chicken and fish sandwiches

Big, cheesy hamburgers, fried chicken and fish sandwiches are high in saturated fat, the leading factor in high cholesterol levels. However, there is no need to cut out saturated fat completely. The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat to seven per cent of your total daily calories.

3. Fried Chicken

This is another restaurant staple that shouldn’t be part of your diabetic meal plan. Frying chicken adds significant carbs, calories and fat, turning a good protein choice into a meal deal-breaker. Extra crispy fried chicken has more calories than grilled chicken.

4. Doughnuts and baked items
Commercially-made muffins, pastries and doughnuts are on the list of foods to avoid because of their high saturated fat content. If you must have some, be sure to check food labels and look for fat-free, sugar-free and reduced-sugar varieties. However, the best way to control what you eat is to make these yourself.

5. Cakes and pies

Cake mixes can also have trans-fat. If there’s one cake to avoid completely, it’s pound cake. Garnering its name for a reason (it’s named such as it’s traditionally made with 1lb or 453g butter, eggs, sugar, and flour), the US Food and Drug Administration lists one slice of pound cake as having 3.5g of saturated fat and 4.5g of trans-fat. There is no recommendation for any percentage of trans-fat as part of your daily calories. Avoiding all trans-fats can help lower cholesterol.

6. Frozen meals
Convenient but the high sodium and fat content of frozen meals make them unhealthy choices. One of the biggest culprits is the ultimate comfort food — potpie. Whether you pick up a frozen variety or order one at a restaurant, the potpie is a mega violator.

7. Flavoured water
Flavoured water is so convenient but the sugar hidden within isn’t worth the price. Often high in sugar and carbs, flavoured water is surprisingly bad for you.

8. Purchased smoothies
Filled with fruit and sold at colourful, fresh-looking hot spots, smoothies seem like great snacks or lunch choices. Unfortunately, there is a lot of hidden sugar. You can easily make smoothies at home that are just as refreshing but lower in carbs and calories.

9. Milkshakes
Rich, thick milkshakes from sit-down restaurants or fast-food joints are hiding places for bad-for-your-heart trans-fat. They also are loaded with calories and sugar. For example, a small chocolate milkshake has about 700 calories, one gramme of trans-fat (with 29g total fat), and 60g of sugar. Topping it with whipped cream adds more calories and sugar.

10. Frozen pizza
Pizza is delicious, convenient and it’s a must-have at football games, birthday parties and movie nights. The downside is that many commercially-made pizzas are full of calories that can blow a meal plan with just one slice as they are high in calories, sodium, carbs and fat.

11. Bought cookies
Sugar, butter, high-fructose corn syrup, shortening, margarine and partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated oils are the biggest saturated fat and trans-fat contributors that can also pile on calories and carbohydrates. So instead of buying, bake your own cookies.

Budget 2011 highlights

Following are the highlights of 2011 Budget tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who is also Finance Minister, at the Dewan Rakyat today:

* A mixed development project including affordable houses to be developed at a cost of RM10 billion in Sungai Buloh and is expected to be completed by 2025.

* Another landmark project "Warisan Merdeka" which includes a 100-storey tower, the tallest in Malaysia, at a cost of RM5 billion to be completed by 2015.

* Development of large-scale integrated Aquaculture Zones in Pitas, Sungai Telaga and Sungai Padas in Sabah as well as Batang Ai and Tanjung Manis in Sarawak with an allocation of RM252 million.

* Allocation of RM135 million for basic infrastructure to encourage farmers participation in high value agriculture activities including swiftlet nests.

* Extension of income tax deduction incentive for investors and income tax exemption for companies undertaking food production activities until 2015.

* RM85 million to provide infrastructure facilities to facilitate construction of hotels and resorts in remote areas with the potential to attract tourists.

* RM50 million to construct several shaded walkways in the KLCC-Bukit Bintang vicinity.

* Development of world's first integrated eco-nature resort at a cost of RM3 billion by Nexus Karambunai in Sabah to commence next year.

* Abolishing of import duty on 300 goods preferred by tourists and locals, at 5 to 30 per cent, to promote Malaysia as a shopping heaven in Asia.

* RM119 million for the development of local content creation, hosting local content and unlocking new channels for content.

* Exemption of sales tax on all types of mobile phones.

* RM850 million for infrastructure support to accelerate corridor and regional development.

* RM411 million for research, development and commercialisation activity to be the platform for enhancing value-added activities across economic sectors.

* Establishment of a Special Innovation Unit (UNIK) under the Prime Minister's Department with an allocation of RM71 million for next year to commercialise R&D findings by universities and research institutions.

* RM200 million for the purchase of creative products such as high quality, locally-produced films, dramas and documentaries.

* Rate of service tax to be increased from five to six per cent.

* Service tax to be imposed on paid television broadcasting services.

* Strengthening the revenue collection system by increasing enforcement and audit as well as coverage on all parties that should be paying taxes.

* Restructuring and strengthening of education and training with the sum of RM29.3 billion allocated for Education Ministry, RM10.2 billion (Higher Education Ministry) and RM627 million (Human Resource Ministry).

* Establishment of Talent Corporation under the Prime Minister''s Office in early 2011 to develop an expert workforce database as well as collaborate closely with talent networks globally.

* For the Ministry of Education, a sum of RM6.4 billion is allocated for Development Expenditure to build and upgrade schools, hostels, facilities and equipment as well as uphold the status of the teaching profession.

* RM213 million is allocated to reward high performance schools as well as for the remuneration of Principals, Head Teachers and Excellent Teachers.

* The Government will increase pre-school enrolment rate to a targeted 72 per cent by end 2011 through additional 1,700 classes, strengthen the curriculum as well as appoint 800 pre-school graduate teachers.

* The Government also allocates RM111 million for PERMATA programme including the construction of the second phase of Sekolah PERMATA Pintar school complex, 32 PERMATA Children Centres (PAPN) and financing operations of 52 completed PAPNs.

* RM250 million allocated for Development Expenditure for religious schools, Chinese-type schools, Tamil national schools, missionary schools and Government-assisted schools nationwide.

* Recognising the importance of Islamic education, the Government will provide assistance per capita for primary and secondary rakyat religious schools with an allocation of RM95 million.

* To provide competent and quality teachers and instructors to better guide and educate students, the Government allocates RM576 million in the form of scholarships for those wishing to further their studies.

* RM213 million is allocated to enhance proficiency in Bahasa Malaysia, strengthen the English language as well as streamline the standard curriculum for primary schools.

* The Government will recruit 375 native-speaking teachers including from the United Kingdom and Australia to further enhance teaching of English.

* The number of PhD qualified academic staff will be increased to 75 per cent in research universities and to 60 per cent in other public institutions of higher learning with an allocation of RM20 million.

* Excise duty exemption be increased from 50 per cent to 100 per cent on national vehicles purchased by the disable.

* Existing tax relief of up to a maximum of RM5,000 be extended to cover other expenses such as day care centre, cost incurred to employ caretakers for parents and other daily needs such as diapers.

* Stamp duty exemption of 50 per cent be given on loan agreement instruments to finance first-time purchase of houses.

* Full import duty and 50 per cent excise duty exemption was granted to franchise holders of hybrid cars.

* Implementation of 1Malaysia Training Programme by Community Colleges, National Youth Training Institutes, Giat Mara and Industrial Training Institutes to commence in January 2011 with an allocation of RM500 million.

* The establishment of National Wage Consultation Council as the main platform for wage determination.

* The establishment of 1Malaysia Youth Fund with an allocation of RM20 million.

* Monthly allowance for KAFA teachers will be increased to RM800 compared with RM500 currently.

* Increase in monthly allowance for the Chairman of JKKK and JKKP, Tok Batin, Chairman of JKKK Orang Asli and Chairman of Kampung Baru to RM800 compared with RM450 currently.

* Increase in meeting attending allowance to all comittee members from RM30 to RM50.

* Special Financial Assistance amounting to RM500 to be provided to all civil servants from Grade 54 and below, including contract officers and retirees.

* The abolishment of the Competency Level Assessment or PTK to be replaced with a more suitable evaluation system by June 2011.

* Extension of services of Pegawai Khidmat Singkat for an additional period of one year from December 2010.

* Raising the amount of loan from RM10,000 to RM20,000 for additional works on low-cost houses for Support Group Two.

* Raising the maximum loan eligibility to RM450,000 compared with RM360,000 currently, effective January 1, 2011.

* Increasing the rate for Funeral Arrangement Assistance to RM3,000.

* Allowing flexibility to self-determine fully-paid maternity leave not exceeding 90 days from the current 60 days subject to a total of 300 days of maternity leave throughout the tenure of service.

* Introduction of "Skim Rumah Pertamaku" which will provide a guarantee on down payment of 10 per cent for houses below RM220,000 for first-time house buyers.

* To assist estate workers to own low-cost houses through a scheme managed by BSN.

* Construction and repair of 12,000 houses nationwide particularly in Sabah and Sarawak with an allocation of RM300 million.


* Establishment of a "1Malaysia Smart Consumer" portal.

* Introduction of the Distribution of Essential Goods programme to standardise prices across areas.

* Introduction of the Retail Shop Transformation Programme, Automotive Workshop and Community Market projects.

* The launch of a Private Pension Fund in 2011.

* The launch of Bumiputera Property Trust Foundation with the size of RM1 billion and syariah-compliant.

* To assist children particularly those from the low-income group to excel academically, the 1MDB will provide multi-vitamins for primary school students.

* Rebate of electricity bill payment for monthly consumption of below RM20 will be continued.

* The toll rates in four highways owned by PLUS Expressway Berhad will not be raised for the next five years effective immediately.

* A review of the current minimum bankruptcy limit of RM30,000.

* The application for Permanent Resident status may be submitted after five years of residence.

* Providing four buses for Mobile Clinic.

* Formulating a new development model for Orang Asli.

* JHEOA will be restructured and strengthened as Jabatan Kemajuan Orang Asli.

NUS Business School top 300 business schools worldwide

National University of Singapore's Business School has been named one of the top 300 business schools worldwide.

The Princeton Review's latest edition of "The Best 300 Business Schools" also named NUS Business School among the top three outside North America.

Princeton Review's senior vice president of Publishing Robert Franek said the schools were not ranked hierarchically or academically, but judged according to the academic programmes they offered, as well as an internal review of the schools' institutional data.

NUS Business School was the only business school in Singapore to make the list.

Mr Franek said surveys based on opinions and experiences of some 19,000 students attending these schools were carried out.

NUS Business School dean Bernard Yeung said he was happy students surveyed spoke well of the "very strong faculty" and the graduate business programme that offers a global perspective with an Asian outlook.

Tycoon's US$1b house

IT WILL be a house-warming party like no other when India's richest man Mukesh Ambani finally throws the doors open to his new house: a 27-storey building priced at a staggering US$1 billion (S$1.3 billion).

At the party on Oct 28, guests of Mr Ambani, 53, will get a close-up look of the steel, glass and tile asymmetrical structure, which towers over other buildings in the uber-cool Altamount Road in Mumbai.

Three helipads with its own air traffic control area, a four-storey carpark for 160 cars, a 50-seater cinema, a ballroom and a yoga studio are just some of the standout features of the Lego block-like building, which has become a Mumbai landmark.

The house is said to be inspired by the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, with an open four-storey garden in its belly, and has been christened Antilia after a mythical island in the Atlantic known for its wealth.

The 173m-tall monolith has a floor space of 400,000 sq ft for just six people: the industrialist, his wife Nita, three children - daughter Isha and sons Akash and Anant - and mother Kokilaben.

Around 600 servants will take care of the family, whose living quarters on the top five floors will have an uninterrupted view of the Arabian Sea, but also a glimpse of the slums that dot Mumbai.

Ho Ching slips to No. 30

TEMASEK Holdings CEO Ho Ching has dropped 25 places from No. 5 in last year's Forbes Magazine's World's Most Powerful Women list to 30th place this year.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who topped the list last year, also fell to 4th spot this year, while US first lady Michelle Obama, who ranked No. 40, is now the Most Powerful Woman.

This is likely due to Forbes changing the way it ranks women, basing this year's list less on wealth and power and more on creative input and entrepreneurship. It also grouped women into various categories, such as politics, business, and lifestyle.

In Forbes' 2010 ranking of the world's 100 most influential women, Ms Ho, wife of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, came in 10th in the Business category.

Forbes said on its website that 'speculation remained as to whether Ho would remain CEO', after Temasek Holdings 'hired and promoted several high-level executives to support her.'

It also implied that the departure of Charles Goodyear, who had initially been brought in to succeed Ms Ho in 2009, had an effect on this year's ranking.

Kraft Foods Chief Executive Irene Rosenfeld, who led a hostile US$18 billion takeover of Britain's Cadbury, came in second, followed by talk show host and media mogul Oprah Winfrey, who is ending 'The Oprah Winfrey Show' next year after 25 years to launch her cable network OWN.

S'poreans 2nd richest in Asia

SINGAPORE ranks fourth globally and second in Asia Pacific in terms of average personal wealth, according to the inaugural global wealth report by Credit Suisse Research.

Average wealth per adult in Singapore has grown strongly in the last decade, rising from US$105,000 (S$137,100) per adult to over US$250,000 in 2010, supported by a period of strong domestic economic growth and asset price increases.

Singapore's two-fold increase in average wealth per adult has also been accompanied by a 7 per cent slide in average debt.

From a macro perspective, the report finds that the global wealth currently held by 4.4 billion adults has increased 72 per cent since 2000 to reach US$195 trillion.

100 People: A World Portrait

If the World were 100 PEOPLE:

50 would be female
50 would be male

20 would be children
There would be 80 adults,
14 of whom would be 65 and older

There would be:
61 Asians
12 Europeans
13 Africans
14 people from the Western Hemisphere

There would be:
31 Christians
21 Muslims
14 Hindus
6 Buddhists
12 people who practice other religions
16 people who would not be aligned with a religion

17 would speak a Chinese dialect
8 would speak Hindustani
8 would speak English
7 would speak Spanish
4 would speak Arabic
4 would speak Russian
52 would speak other languages

82 would be able to read and write; 18 would not

1 would have a college education
1 would own a computer

75 people would have some supply of food and a place to
shelter them from the wind and the rain, but 25 would not

1 would be dying of starvation
17 would be undernourished
15 would be overweight

83 would have access to safe drinking water
17 people would have no clean, safe water to drink

440,000 evacuated in Hainan

MORE than 440,000 people had been evacuated by Sunday as floods wreaked havoc in China's southernmost island province of Hainan, authorities said on Monday.

The floods have disrupted the lives of 2.7 million people in 16 cities and counties on the island, and the affected area accounted for 90 per cent of Hainan's total territory, Luo Baoming, governor of the province, said during a video conference on flood relief mobilisation.

The floods have also destroyed more than 3,000 houses, and damaged more than 1,400 roads and 43 reservoirs in the province. Also, over 166,700 hectares of crops have been damaged, and among these, 74,000 hectares have been destroyed, according to the provincial civil affairs department.

Nearly 100 schools were toppled, and five cities and counties were forced to suspend school for two or three days, Mr Luo said.

According to the local meteorological bureau, another round of rains is forecast to pound the island on Wednesday, which will pose more difficulties for relief work, Mr Luo added.

Megacities fast growing

HEALTH issues facing so-called 'megacities' like Tokyo, Mumbai or New York are poised to become a huge challenge for global policy as the cities grow, experts at the World Health Summit said.

Megacities, roughly defined as cities with a population of more than 10 million, are springing up around the world as people increasingly migrate from the fields to massive, sprawling urban centres.

There will be 27 of these megacities by 2020, up from 19 in 2007, said Victor Rodwin, director of the World Cities Project at New York University, with most located in Asia, South America or Africa.

Moreover, the cities themselves are growing at a ferocious rate. 'For every minute that I speak, a new person is going to be moving into Lagos, Kinshasa or Dhaka,' said Ricky Burdett from the London School of Economics.

One in every 25 people on the planet will be living in a megacity by 2025, predicted Francisco Armada Perez, an official from the World Health Organisation.

Health issues found elsewhere are exacerbated in megacities. Diseases such as AIDS, SARS or H5N1 bird flu can spread like wildfire, especially through slums, where one-third of urban dwellers live. Overcrowding and poor sanitation foster tuberculosis, another major challenge facing health officials in megacities.

The world's richest women

THE three richest self-made women on the planet are Chinese, led by paper-recycling queen Zhang Yin, who has a personal fortune of US$5.6 billion (S$7.3 billion), according to the Shanghai-based Hurun Report, which compiles data on wealthy individuals.

Of the 20 richest self-made female billionaires on the list, 11 are Chinese, with wealth averaging US$2.6 billion - compared with ninth-placed Winfrey's US$2.3 billion, the report said.

JK Rowling, author of the wildly popular Harry Potter books, wasn at the bottom of the list, with US$1 billion.

'There is no other country that comes even close to touching the number of self-made women in China,' said Mr Rupert Hoogewerf, founder and compiler of the Hurun rich list.

The list includes three billionaires from the United States, three from Britain and one each from Italy, Russia and Spain. The richest non-Chinese person on the list was Rosalia Mera of Spanish clothing store Zara with US$3.5 billion.

Mr Hoogewerf partly attributed the Chinese women's business success to the government's one-child policy and free childcare provided by many grandparents, which has enabled them to spend time building their empires.

Hidden danger of mobile phone usage

Mobile phone companies should display 'health warnings' to allow users to be aware of the health risks from radiation, urged pressure groups and scientists.

Important information that advise users not to place their handsets directly against the body have been available in the manuals.

However, these advice were often buried inside the handset manuals in small prints.

RIM's latest BlackBerry Torch (9800) encouraged users to utilize hands-free operation or put it 25mm away from the body to avoid prolong body contact.

Apple's iPhone and Nokia C6 also warned its users to keep the devices at least 15mm away from the body and to avoid contact while making or answering calls.

According to a spokesperson of Powerwatch, an independent group that investigates the safety of mobile phones: "The safety advice should be included on the boxes and far more prominently in the ‘getting started’ section of user guides and not just in the detail at the back that hardly anyone reads."

Research from the University of Washington has shown that exposure to two-hours long of mobile phone radition can splinter the DNA of brain cells in rats.

That is equivalent to cells found in malignant tumours.

Other studies also revealed that regular use of mobile phone among children affect memories and learning capacities while men face the risks of affecting their sperm count when handsets were kept in trousers pockets.

10 most common H. pylori symptoms;

1. Heartburn or Acid Reflux (GERD)
Whether these symptoms occur on a regular, or even infrequent basis, you may well be infected with H. pylori.

2. Diarrhea, Constipation, Flatulence, Bloating.
Because H. pylori interferes with acid in your stomach, you can't digest food properly.

3. Fatigue and Low Energy Levels.
H pylori creates a non-stop stress on your body, making you feel tired. Added to the possibility that you are not digesting your food properly, your body is not getting the correct nourishment to maintain it's proper energy levels.

4. Nausea & Vomiting.
Many people feel nauseous when with H. pylori infections. Sometimes this can mistaken for pregnancy morning sickness. In some cases, vomiting does occur.

5. Unplanned Weight and Muscle Loss.
Because H pylori affects acid levels - which affects the digestive process of fats and proteins especially - you may notice that you are losing weight. The problem is that this weight loss is due to muscle loss, which is a dangerous way to lose weight.

6. Difficulty Losing Weight
This is a surprising symptom opposite to the above. The reason for this is that a hormone called cortisol is produced when your body is stressed. Cortisol is known to cause either weight loss or weight gain, depending on the person. Cortisol can promote weight gain around the stomach area, and at the same time can also cause muscle loss.

7. Hormonal Symptoms including Mood Swings & PMS
These are usually caused by an over production of Cortisol caused by the stresses of the body trying to deal with infections.

8. Depression and Anxiety
A very important mood chemical (called serotonin) is largely made in a healthy digestive system. Any damage to your stomach by an H. pylori infection will lead to a shortage of this important chemical.

9. Gum Disease, Bad Breath and other Oral infections
Although the H pylori bacteria lives mostly in the stomach and small intestines, it has also been found in the mouth, and even in dental cavities.

10. Blocked nose, painful sinuses, colds and infections
Most people are unaware that the sinuses are joined to the digestive system, and that any irritation to the digestive system can cause sinus problems.

H. pylori infections - you are not alone...

Research shows that H. pylori is present in 75% of the worlds population - that means 3 out of every 4 people are infected. When you consider this you can see there is a good chance you may be infected, especially if you have the symptoms of a stomach ulcer.

Also when you consider that nearly 90% of people with stomach ulcer symptoms are infected with this bacterium, as are 50% of new patients with stomach cancer, then we recommend you get a proper diagnosis to be on the safe side.

The facts we list below will give you an idea of the severity of H. pylori infections - and you will see how many infected people WILL get stomach ulcers as a result of this infection.

Of course the other major risk of H. pylori infections is gastric cancer, which is strongly linked to the presence of H. pylori bacteria in the GI tract as well.

When you consider how widespread H. pylori infections are, and how easy cross-infection is, you will realize that if you are infected, then those family members or partners that are close to you may also become infected if they are not already infected.

The treatment of H. pylori in mainstream medicine presents it's own set of problems. Statistics show that the most commonly prescribed drug therapies have failure rates of up to 70%. Take a little time to get the real truth, so that you don't become just another statistic....

Once you have checked these facts, or if you have been infected for a while, you may think that Helicobacter Pylori is invincible....but the good news is that a recent breakthrough can stop this nasty little bacteria in it's tracks naturally and permanently!