Rightways

Friday, August 7, 2026

When ‘be careful’ is not enough

PETALING JAYA: “Be careful.” These are caring words often told to older persons to watch their step.

But fall prevention requires more than simply telling the senior citizen to “be careful”, said Prof Dr Tan Maw Pin, a professor in geriatric medicine at Universiti Malaya Medical Centre.

But fall prevention requires more than simply telling the senior citizen to “be

Malaysia, she said, has yet to implement a coordinated national falls prevention strategy despite the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2025 report stating that about 15% of Malaysians aged 60 and above fall at least once a year.

“Getting the statistics is important but it must lead to policy, investment, implementation and evaluation,” she said.

According to the World Health Organization, falls are the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths worldwide, with adults older than 60 suffering the highest number of fatal falls.

ASLO READ: Easing big fears of small falls with home modifications

Dr Tan said a fall should never be dismissed as a normal part of ageing.

ASLO READ: Easing big fears of small falls with home modifications

Dr Tan said a fall should never be dismissed as a normal part of ageing.

“The likelihood of falling – and of sustaining a serious injury – rises with age, frailty, muscle weakness, osteoporosis and chronic illness.

“A fall may cause a hip fracture, head injury, bleeding or other fractures,” she added.

Dr Tan cautioned that its consequences frequently extend beyond the immediate injury.

“An older person may become afraid of falling again, reduce their activity, lose muscle strength and become increasingly dependent.

“Some never regain their previous mobility or independence,” she explained.

A first fall should be regarded as a warning sign warranting assessment, particularly if it is unexplained or results in injury, Dr Tan noted.

“Anyone who develops loss of consciousness, confusion, severe headache, vomiting, weakness of an arm or leg, inability to stand, severe pain or a suspected fracture after a fall should receive urgent medical attention.

“People taking blood-thinning medication should also be assessed promptly following a head injury, even if they initially appear well,” she added.

Dr Tan also said medication such as sedatives, some antidepressants and certain blood-pressure medicines might cause drowsiness or a sudden drop in blood pressure.

“Eyesight, hearing, foot problems and footwear should also be assessed.”

Dehydration and medication side effects might also precipitate a fall, she said.

“Some falls result from heart rhythm abnormalities or fainting and should not automatically be blamed on ageing or clumsiness,” Dr Tan added.

ASLO READ: Never too late for stronger muscles and safer steps

“Mental and neurological factors are equally relevant. Dementia may affect judgement, attention and awareness of hazards.”

She said older folk should exercise regularly to improve muscle strength and balance, adding that this could include supervised strength training, balance exercises or tai chi.

“At home, carers can improve lighting, remove loose rugs and clutter, secure electrical cables, install grab rails in bathrooms, provide non-slip flooring and ensure frequently needed items are within easy reach,” Dr Tan advised.

“Walking aids must be correctly fitted and used consistently. Older people should not feel embarrassed about using a walking stick or frame.”

While Malaysia has made progress in public spaces, Dr Tan said it is not yet consistently age-friendly.

“Newer facilities may provide ramps, lifts and accessible toilets, but the routes leading to them may still contain broken or uneven pavements, poorly placed drains, slippery surfaces, inadequate lighting or missing handrails,” she said.

Association for Residential Aged Care Operators of Malaysia president Delren Terrence Douglas said many towns and cities are still not designed with the needs of senior citizens in mind, making everyday activities such as walking, shopping or visiting public parks unnecessarily difficult.

He said in some malls and parks, elderly people often have to keep walking despite feeling tired because there are few places to sit and rest.

“A shortage of benches, handrails and accessible ramps leaves many seniors struggling to complete even short journeys,” he added.

Saturday, August 1, 2026

AI ecosystem to get new legal framework, a proposed solution for global AI governance

Governance Bill will not apply to personal use

PETALING JAYA: Artificial intelligence (AI) systems, the AI lifecycle, as well as AI developers and deployers, are set to be regulated under the proposed Artificial Intelligence Governance Bill.

However, the Bill will not apply to the personal use of AI or on matters of national security.

Intended to serve as a national legal framework for the safe, responsible and innovation-enabling use of AI, the law will apply to systems placed on the Malaysian market or put into service in Malaysia.

ALSO READ: Evolving AI could outpace regulation, warn experts

It will also apply to AI systems designed, developed or used here, as well as those used by deployers set up in Malaysia, regardless of where the systems are physically hosted.

The proposed AI Governance Act is guided by five key principles: protecting human dignity and rights, transparency and explainability, accountability, safety and security, and responsible data governance.

Together, these principles provide the foundation for the responsible development, deployment and use of AI systems, while promoting trustworthy AI, innovation and public confidence.

According to the public consultation document released by the National AI Office (NAIO), the Bill will adopt a principle-based approach by setting out national AI Governance Principles to guide the responsible development, deployment and use of AI, with implementation supported through standards, guidelines and other instruments.

It also adopts a risk-based approach, with regulatory obligations proportionate to an AI system's level of risk, categorised into three levels: unacceptable, high and low.

This means that higher-risk systems will face stricter governance requirements while lower-risk applications will be subject to lighter obligations.

The risk framework is anchored on “harm”, which includes death, bodily injury, unlawful deprivation of fundamental liberty anchored to the Federal Constitution, and the contravention of any written law.

The Bill also categorise AI incidents to include failures, weaknesses, misuse, unexpected effects and near misses.

It will also require incidents to be reported, including the nature of the incident, its foreseeable harm, the containment measures taken, the root cause (where applicable), and the remediation actions implemented.

The Bill also proposes a central AI authority as the principal national body for AI governance, whose role will be to oversee and operate the national “baseline” principles and standards to strengthen the overall AI ecosystem by addressing gaps in capacity across sectors.

The authority will oversee AI safety by maintaining a risk framework, supervising assessments, supporting testing, developing incident reporting mechanisms and engaging in international technical cooperation.

It will also be responsible for investigations and enforcement, including technical fact-finding when AI incidents occur, determining what happened, identifying the systems and actors involved, as well as producing findings to support corrective actions.

In addition, it will carry out capacity-building functions for the public sector by developing guidance, templates, training and practical support for public authorities, regulators, AI sandbox operators or overseers, and regulated organisations to help them comply with the framework.

The authority may also appoint "Sectoral Leads", who will be delegated specific powers under the Bill to support the implementation of the framework, where they have the legal authority, technical expertise and governance capacity.

The proposed amendments in the document are not final and remain subject to further review and amendment.

Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo said in June that the government will adopt a two-pronged approach by using existing laws to prosecute those who misuse content, while also drafting the AI Governance Bill to further strengthen prevention and accountability throughout the technology’s lifecycle.

He said the move is aimed at ensuring that risks posed by high-capability technologies such as deepfakes, synthetic content and identity manipulation can be addressed at an early stage.

Ultimately, according to the public consultation document, the Bill aims to set up a central oversight framework that works alongside existing sectoral regulators to enable coordinated governance while addressing industry-specific risks and operational needs.

“This will allow public bodies, including existing regulators, to collaborate within a common governance framework, while retaining the flexibility to address sector-specific risks and operational needs,” it said.

The NAIO will be launched tomorrow.

Thursday, July 23, 2026

Eight actions to take for a healthy heart

This visual is human-created, AI-aided

I recently heard about this term “Life’s Essential Eight”. What is it and how does it matter in our lives?

Life’s Essential Eight was coined by the American Heart Association (AHA).

They comprise eight key measures to improve and maintain your heart and general cardiovascular health.

This means these eight practices will help lower your risk for heart disease, stroke and other major health issues.

Really? Then what are these eight factors? I would like to see if it is possible for me to do all of them.

Spoken like most of us!

You don’t need to eat “special” foods like what so many companies and labels are trying to sell you.

The first essential factor is eating better.

The key to eating is the balance of ordinary foods you consume.

You don’t need to eat “special” foods like what so many companies and labels are trying to sell you.

Vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes and whole grains should be at the top of your list to eat every day.

You should also eat plenty of lean animal proteins like chicken (without the skin), fish and seafood, and plant-based proteins like beans, lentils and tofu.

You should drink plenty of water throughout the day, and not only when you are thirsty.

If you like coffee or tea, try to drink it without sugar.

For cardiovascular health, you should avoid anything processed, fatty foods and salty food.

Fat because it can lead to atherosclerosis, i.e. plaques in your blood vessels that can grow large enough to block the blood vessel.

Salt because it can worsen your high blood pressure.

The AHA also suggests that we cook more at home rather than eating out, so that we can control what we eat.

We should also watch our portion size so that we don’t overeat.

I knew my eating was going to be a major factor. Sigh. OK, let me guess, exercise is the second?

Yes.

The AHA recommends either 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week.

Moderate activity includes brisk walking, dancing, breast stroke in swimming and Zumba.

Vigorous activity includes running, hiking, swimming styles other than breast stroke, and vigorous dancing.

Strength training is not aerobic activity and should be done twice a week for at least 1.5 hours separately.

The idea is movement more than exercise.

Modern people spend too much time sitting still at the work desk or at home watching TV.

If we aim to get up and move every 20 minutes, even if it is a walk to the kitchen to drink water, it is far better than being still for hours straight.

Note that you don’t feel very energised if you don’t move anyway.

I get that diet and exercise are going to be part of any heart health advice. What are the other six?

You definitely have to quit smoking or any other form of tobacco.

Another big lifestyle factor is to get adequate sleep.

Sleep is an essential component of cardiovascular health because sleep gives you better brain function (alertness, focus, decision-making, memory, problem-solving), and improved mood and energy.

Sleep also boosts your immune system and allows your body to heal and repair its damaged cells and tissues.

You, as an adult, need about seven to nine hours of sleep a night.

If you don’t get enough sleep, after a while, you will be more at risk for all kinds of diseases like heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol.

To get good sleep, it is important to go to bed at the same time every night so that you can wake up the same time every morning.

This regulates your body’s circadian rhythm.

In this modern age, avoid all sorts of stimulating activity (like video games) and blue light from your phone and computer before you sleep.

Use a filter if you have to.

What are the last four essential things?

So far, we have talked about lifestyle factors, meaning things completely – more or less – within your control.

Another lifestyle factor is not getting obese.

This is also mostly within your control, especially if you control what you eat and exercise regularly.

You can calculate your body mass index (BMI) with this formula: BMI = Your weight (in kilogrammes)/Your height x your height (in metres)

Your BMI should not be over 25 or less than 18.5.

So the eight essential factors are all within my control?

Not all.

The sixth, seventh and eighth factors are controlling your blood cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure.

High blood cholesterol is only partially within your control as genetic factors play a lot into whether or not you develop this condition.

So are diabetes and high blood pressure.

You can eat smart and exercise right all your life and still develop these diseases simply because of the combination of your genes and body type.

However, if you do essential items number one to five, you would be able to lower the risk of number six to eight to some degree at least.

For the rest of it, you will have to see a doctor and be prescribed pills to manage them.

by Dr YLM graduated as a medical doctor, and has been writing for many years on various subjects such as medicine, health, computers and entertainment. For further information, email starhealth@thestar.com.my. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only, and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Neither The Star nor the author gives any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to such information. The Star and the author disclaim all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.