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Hypermall sends 125 workers for TB testing BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Sabah - New 2 Borneo

Hypermall sends 125 workers for TB testing

Posted: 09 Dec 2013 11:32 AM PST

KOTA KINABALU: The management of a 1Borneo hypermall is closely monitoring the alleged spread of tuberculosis (TB) cases.

Its executive director, Dato' Dr Tan Tiang Lai, told Luyang assemblyman Dr Hiew King Cheu who visited the hypermall, that seven workers had tested positive for TB and had been sent to Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

They are believed to have contracted the virus at the housing colonies outside the mall.

Tan said the management had taken precautionary measures and sent 125 of its workers for TB testing.

"The management is also working very closely with the Health Department and is monitoring the situation seriously," he said, stressing that no other further TB cases had been reported.

Hiew pointed out to Tan as TB is an air-borne disease, the air-condition and ventilation systems in the mall must be maintained at tip-top working order, and their ducts and filters must be checked and cleaned regularly.

"It is vital that the management should increase the ventilation rate to bring in more fresh air," he said.

Tan said that they would take up Hiew's advice and ensure that the air-condition and ventilation systems are serviced regulary.

Hiew made the visit after several people had received a message 'advising' them to avoid the mall due to the alleged spread of TB.

The 'copy-and-paste' text message claimed that there had been several staff and students working or studying within the premises contracting the disease, said to have orginated from the settlements near the mall.

State Health Director Dr Christina Rundi has confirmed that several workers at the 1Borneo have been infected by TB.

She said medical teams had been dispatched to screen all of the contacts of the patients in order to control the spread of the disease.

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Mechanic missing after going out fishing

Posted: 09 Dec 2013 11:32 AM PST

KOTA KINABALU: A mechanic went missing during a fishing trip on Sunday.

Kamal Matsaidsai, 19, went fishing alone in a boat in the waters near Sutera Harbour Resort around 1pm.

A neighbor found the boat used by Kamal to go fishing around 5pm on Sunday, but he was nowhere to be seen.

It was reported that the victim's mother, Jimhati Marali, 56, had warned Kamal not to go fishing due to the unpredictable weather condition.

When she learnt that her son's boat was found without him on it, she and a few villagers rushed to the scene. Some villagers and the authorities then searched for Kamal but did not find him.

City police chief ACP Jauteh Dikun said the search and rescue operation that was launched on Sunday resumed around 7am yesterday.

Jauteh said the marine police, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, Fire and Rescue Services Department and Civil Defence Department were involved in the search and rescue operation.

He added the operation ended at 6pm yesterday but would resume this morning.

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Four-wheel drive vehicle catches fire

Posted: 09 Dec 2013 11:32 AM PST

KOTA KINABALU: A four-wheel drive vehicle burst into flames when parked at a house at Taman Prestij at Mile 2, Jalan Tuaran here yesterday.

It was learnt that the vehicle belonged to a company and its employee had driven it home for lunch around noon yesterday.

At first, the man thought that his house was on fire, but he soon realized that it was actually the vehicle that was ablaze.

He immediately moved his Perodua Kancil parked next to the four-wheel drive and attempted to put out the fire but decided against it when he heard an explosion within the vehicle.

The employee then called the Fire and Rescue Services Department to report the fire.

Nobody was hurt in the incident and the Fire Department was still investigating the cause of the fire.

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Family loses home, car in fire

Posted: 09 Dec 2013 11:31 AM PST

Posted on December 10, 2013, Tuesday

LAHAD DATU: A family was made homeless after their wooden house at Kampung Panji, Jalan Pantai here was destroyed in a fire yesterday.

District Fire and Rescue Department acting chief Abu Bakar Taraji said his department received a distress call at 2.09pm and rushed a fire engine with five firefighters to the scene.

"We took about half an hour to control the blaze from spreading to other premises and put the fire out about an hour later.

"No casualties were reported but the family lost their house and a Proton Iswara car," he said, adding that the house was occupied by 18 family members.

Abu Bakar added that the loss and cause of the fire were still under investigation.

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APS Keningau to take legal action against non-member

Posted: 09 Dec 2013 11:31 AM PST

KENINGAU: Angkatan Perubahan Sabah (APS) here is taking legal action on an individual who allegedly made false statements about the organization.

Keningau APS coordinator Paul Kadau said the NGO had investigated and confirmed that the individual concerned, Julian F Lian @ Mohd Hafiz Abdullah, who previously claimed that he was the former secretary of Keningau Pakatan Rakyat Leadership Council, had never been a member of APS before.

"As coordinator of APS Keningau, I agree with the statement made by our secretary, Dr Frederick Gunir that Julian is not a member of APS.

"This has also been confirmed by the secretary of Central APS, James Stephen, that Julian is not a member of APS. The certificate shown by Julian to the media is a certificate of attendance given to participants of a one-day course organized by Pakatan Rakyat.

"The certificate does not prove that he (Julian) is a member of APS. APS is an NGO and only its logo was used in the certificate," he told the media here yesterday.

In a statement earlier, Julian had shocked many people when he claimed that as many as 187 members of PKR with APS and PPPS in Keningau had announced their departure from the opposition to join Umno.

Julian said his action was to focus on his duties as secretary-general of the Association of Interior Tour Operators (PPPS).

APS had earlier countered his statement, stating that Julian was not a member of APS and did not serve as secretary of Keningau Pakatan Rakyat Leadership Council.

Kadau stressed that Keningau APS would also be sticking to its earlier ultimatum that if Julian did not apologize and retract his statement within the seven days given for him to do so, then APS will file a police report and legal action against him.

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246 Labuan students have abnormal blood test reading

Posted: 09 Dec 2013 11:30 AM PST

LABUAN: The Health Ministry is working to improve the health and consciousness of the people on thalassaemia with several approaches, including through campaigns.

There are five objectives for the thalassaemia awareness campaign, namely, thalassaemia diagnosis among the students, students' health screening, early intervention, thalassaemia prevention for future children and health awareness among the students.

Labuan Health Department director Dr Hj Zaini Hussin said this during the launching of the campaign on Thalassaemia Awareness and Teenagers Healthy Mind at Labuan Matriculation College.

To attain these objectives, the Labuan Health Department has begun conducting Thalassaemia roadshows starting from June this year at nine secondary schools here.

"A total of 881 students have been tested at the secondary schools here and some 635 of them have normal blood test reading, while the other 246 students have abnormal blood test reading.

"Through the tests, we can identify those involved directly with the Thalassaemia and give them counselling," he said.

Around three to five percent of Malaysia's population has been identified as thalassaemia carriers, inherited from their parents.

Dr Zaini disclosed that the illness could be inherited irrespective of the people's background or gender.

He said the carrier who is partnered with another similar carrier is in risk to have a child with thalassaemia major illness where the child would experience the lack of ability to produce normal red blood cells.

"The child would need monthly blood transfusion and possibly even for a life time in order to live. However, having the blood transfusion will induce production of excessive iron in the child's body and can cause heart and liver damage as well as diabetes," he added.

He explained further that the child would need to be given injection to remove the excessive iron from his or her body.

"Major thalassaemia illness can only can be treated with bone marrow transplant," he said.

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