Mushrooming of medical schools due to lack of foresight, says PSM chief
PSM chief says the government must take the blame for what he called a “messy situation” that resulted from its decision 20 years ago to start licensing too many medical schools.
Niaga AWANI: Wakeup Call | Brain drain is only a symptom
We speak to President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) EMIR Research, Dr Rais Hussin on brain drain phenomenon.
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Brain Drain - Malaysia
Cause for concern: Dr Noor Hisham said the migration of health professionals was fuelled by many reasons, including economic factors. — LOW BOON TAT/The Star
Migration of health professionals was fuelled by many reasons, including economic factors.
PHOTO: THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
PETALING JAYA - Malaysia’s healthcare sector is not the only one facing a brain drain as other skilled sectors are facing the same problem, top officials say, as they responded to comments by a leading academic that the country’s top university loses at least 30 of its best medical graduates to Singapore every year.
New Health Minister Zaliha Mustafa said the brain drain is definitely a loss, but insisted that the right skills be inculcated to ensure that Malaysians continue to receive the highest quality services.
She said she was aware of the recommendations of the Human Resources for Health Strategy of her predecessors, including on the recruitment of doctors, improving the quality of training with clearer career pathways and improving their working conditions.
Health director-general Noor Hisham Abdullah said on Friday: “The issue of brain drain cuts across the workforce. It’s across all specialities, not only in the medical field.”
On complaints by medical students of poor working conditions, bullying, low wages, as well as inadequate training and career opportunities, he said there was no guarantee that migration would stop even if these issues ceased.
He said the migration of health professionals was fuelled by many reasons, including economic factors.
“Singapore’s currency is three times better than ours. Many Johoreans cross over to work in Singapore, so can the same argument be used?
“Even Singapore’s healthcare system has a similar issue with its citizens migrating elsewhere like to Australia,” he added.
The issue of brain loss was raised on Thursday by Professor Adeeba Kamarulzaman, who said the top college, Universiti Malaya, loses at least 30 of its best and brightest medical graduates to Singapore every year.
The professor of medicine and infectious diseases at Universiti Malaya’s medical faculty said in a tweet on Thursday that the brain drain will continue if nothing is done to address issues such as a lack of clear training and career pathways for doctors, nurses and allied health professionals
A male nurse working in Singapore told The Star that working in the Republic provided him the opportunity to gain wider experience.
“Singapore practises international standards and if I want to find jobs in Australia, New Zealand or even the United Kingdom, it will be easy for me,” he said, adding that nurses in Singapore undergo procedure competency courses frequently.
Malaysian Medical Association president Muruga Raj Rajathurai said the government needed to take steps to provide better career prospects in terms of career advancement and remuneration.
“Better pay is among the main reasons the junior doctors are leaving to work abroad. It doesn’t help that the cost of living has gone up in the country.
“Issues such as the contract system, permanent positions and even burnout need to be resolved or doctors will lose hope in the system and leave for greener pastures,” he said on Friday.
National Association of Human Resources Malaysia president Zarina Ismail, who runs a recruitment agency, said her firm found employment for qualified Malaysians such as nurses, doctors, lecturers and oil and gas professionals to work overseas.
“Many of the nurses say they don’t make enough here to have any savings at the end of the month.
“That is why they choose to look for jobs in countries like Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries, where they can earn RM12,000 (S$3,700) monthly,” she said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
Holiday fitness hacks
The festive season usually means diets and workouts are out the window, but to assuage your guilt, try these tips to moderate the eating and get a little exercise in.
Chewingum g can actually help reduce food cravings and appetite, so pop some in after you’ve eaten enough at the party.
— AFP
ONCE again, Christmas is here.
Your diet and workout may go out the window today, but never mind; it’s a day to find some merriment to light up your heart.
Even if you’re not celebrating Christmas, everyone can savour the holiday and hope that present troubles will pass.
As Malaysians, no doubt the first thing we want to do is get together and feast today – and this activity will probably continue until 2023 rings in.
Excessive eating is one of the main reasons for the additional weight gain, but it is also due to lack of physical activity and exercise.
After bingeing on good food and drinks, we feel guilty and sign up for gym memberships – a new year, a new start.
That’s what we’d like to believe anyway! But, instead of going downhill speedily, why not put your brakes on and glide steadily down the slope for a softer landing?
Try these useful tips to stay fit this holiday season.
Eat before heading out
There will be plenty of parties, dinners, lunches and gatherings, even if they are small ones.
So, eat something before leaving home so that you won’t be tempted to overeat there.
Some people prefer to skip their meals for the day to enjoy the festive spreads later, but that only means you will be enticed to eat more and thwart your digestion.
Foregoing meals actually leads to faster weight gain.
If you have a lot of invitations, eat smaller meals and chew food well.
Remember, the slower you eat, the faster you’ll feel full.
Fill up on salads and veggies
Chances are, if you are at a big party, there will be a variety of dishes to choose from.
Fill up at least half your plate with salads (minimise the dressing) and veggies (potatoes don’t count) as these choices contain very few calories and sugar.
Also, sit further away from the food, especially desserts, so that you have to get up and walk to get second or third helpings. Every little walking step counts!
It also helps prevent you from continuing to pick at a certain food just because it is in front of you.
Load up on water
Drink a lot of water to satiate your appetite and keep hydrated.
It will also prevent a possible hangover if you go overboard with the alcohol.
A dry mouth and a nagging headache are classic symptoms of dehydration.
As a rule of thumb, experts recommend drinking one full glass of water for every alcoholic beverage that you consume.
Bear in mind to drink moderately, and if you’re driving, definitely stick to non-alcoholic beverages.
If you do have one too many alcoholic beverages, have a glass of warm water with lemon or a green tea the next morning.
This will help to activate your system and begin any detoxification process needed.
Also, just prior to going out, have something like some yoghurt and a banana – the protein contained in them slows down stomach digestion, and the potassium will assist in balancing out any salty foods that might exacerbate dehydration.
Many Christmas treats and snacks are full of salt or sugar, which tends to throw your metabolism completely out of balance (including when it come to alcohol), so nibble instead of gobble.
Chew gum after meals
If you chew gum after tucking into your meal, that minty fresh taste and the action of chewing will help you avoid going back for more helpings, even if you’re still hungry.
A few small studies have shown that chewing gum can help reduce cravings and appetite, as well as shave calories.
Research conducted by the University of Rhode Island, United States, found that people who chewed gum every day consumed 68 fewer calories and did not bingeeat later.
Plus, gum chewers actually burned about 5% more calories than non-gum chewers.
Go ahead, chew gum when you have the urge to snack and right after your meals to prevent mindless munching.
However, note that chewing gum can also lead to swallowing air, which can cause bloating, so if you are prone to getting “wind” in your tummy, ignore this tip.
Get out of the house
Fret not if you don’t receive any invitations this year as many are struggling to make ends meet.
Allocate time for family and perhaps plan some outdoor activities that do not involve costs.
Maybe a hike in the forest, a picnic in the park, a frolic in the playground or a walk about town – if the weather permits.
All these will help burn calories while keeping the children entertained.
Squeeze in some strength training
Staying active and maintaining a semblance of an exercise routine may seem like an impossible task with a calendar full of holiday parties and family obligations. But it can be done.
Plan to exercise in the morning before starting your day, when there are minimal distractions.
To maintain the muscle mass that you’ve worked so hard to build, perform your strength-training exercises as you can burn just as many calories as a cardiovascular workout in a shorter span of time.
No weights?
No problem, just use your own bodyweight – 20 minutes daily or every other day is enough during this period.
Here are some examples of exercises you can do:
> One-minute jumping jacks and/or marching on the spot with knees high (to warm up).
> Twenty parallel squats.
> Twenty walking lunges.
> A one-minute plank.
> Ten push-ups.
> Twenty bicycle crunches.
> Twenty tricep dips.
> Twenty duck squats (with legs separated and feet turned out).
Opting for meat dishes at the parties and buffets might even mean you will gain some extra muscle – definitely much better than gaining some extra fat!
So, stay healthy, indulge a little bit, keep your face masks on in crowded areas, and as Ella Fitzgerald would sing, Have yourself a merry little Christmas.
See you next year!
RevMathi urugappan is a certified fitness trainer who tries to battle gravity and continues to dance to express herself artistically and nourish her soul. For more information, email starhealth@thestar.com. my. The information contained in this column is for general educational purposes only. 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.
The Star Malaysia 25 Dec 2022REVATHI MURUGAPPAN starhealth@thestar.com.my
Making a reasonable argument is not a term in Washington's dictionary in the China-US power game.
Ned Price, US state department spokesperson, said on Monday that the US hopes China can address the current COVID-19 outbreak as "the toll of the virus is of concern to the rest of the world given the size of China's GDP, given the size of China's economy."
His remarks aren't surprising at all. Washington has been putting and will go on to put all of China's policies and measures under the prism of China-US competition. That means the wordings of the US side will be all about shaping an international atmosphere that benefits only the US.
When China's role in the global economy is mentioned, some very recent examples can be cited. In the just-concluded World Cup, products made in Yiwu, China's small commodity hub, have accounted for nearly 70 percent of the market share of World Cup merchandise, ranging from national flags, soccer balls to jerseys, according to the Yiwu Sports Goods Association. Made-in-China products, including but not limited to projectors and leggings, injected vigor into Black Friday, a traditional shopping bonanza in the West that kicked off on November 25, reports show. Last but not the least, the US announced in late November that it will extend its tariff exclusions for some Chinese medical products for an additional three months in order to continue to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
Responding to Price's remarks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Tuesday that in the past three years, China's COVID policy has provided maximum protection to people's lives and health, minimized COVID's impact on socioeconomic development, and bought precious time for understanding the virus on the basis of science, for research and development of vaccines and therapeutics, and for vaccinating more people across the country. We have achieved the most effective results at minimum cost.
Washington does not have a say in China's influence on the world economy. Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the IMF, said earlier this month that recalibrating COVID policies "can be very good for the Chinese people and economy, and also good for Asia and the world economy." Morgan Stanley raised its forecast for China's GDP in 2023 to 5.4 percent from its previous outlook of 5 percent, predicting that a rebound in activity will come earlier and be sharper than expected.
China is the only country that has earnestly fought the battle against COVID with strict measures for three years, unlike the US, which had given up fighting the virus long long ago. Just because China has taken the lead in reining in COVID, it is able to resume businesses and production in an efficient manner. In 2020, China was the only major world economy to grow in that pandemic-ravaged year. In 2021, China's GDP was $17.7 trillion, accounting for 18.5 percent of the global total.
In an interview with the Global Times, Sean Doherty, head of International Trade and Investment and member of the Executive Committee of the World Economic Forum, said that China shows tactical resilience in maintaining flexible supply chains amid the pandemic, while describing China as a role model in facilitating trade domestically and a leading power in the WTO's investment facilitation discussions.
However, it's another story in the US. Washington wasted no time politicizing the virus, launched an ideological warfare and divided the world when unity was badly needed the most amid the global public health crisis.
When the US needs to boost its economy, it tends to turn to unlimited quantitative easing, referred to as printing money wildly, which is aimed at attracting inflows of financial capital. But when its measures led to high inflation, which has been especially severe during the pandemic, the US starts to raise its interest rates, time and again. The aim is to make the US dollar stronger, attract investment capital from investors abroad seeking higher returns on American bonds and interest-rate products. But for other countries, the endless interest rate hikes are making it more and more expensive to service their dollar-denominated debts, causing currency depreciation and worsening inflation on their own soil. With the kits, like quantitative easing and raising interest rates, in its tool box, the US has been reaping benefits and wealth from the world.
This is the truth: When China makes contributions to the world economy during the pandemic, Washington is busy making deliberate transfer of wealth from the world to the US.
Despite Price's rhetoric, the world will see which side has been the problem. If Price does cares about the world economy, he should have advised the White House to restrain itself when disrupting global supply chains and provoking conflicts and even wars.
Whether it’s treating phobias, rehabilitating patients or raising safety standards, virtual reality has become a terrific tool for overcoming the obstacles posed by the real world.
Vr makes it practical to enact scenarios that would be impossible or too expensive to do in real life, reducing hassle for users while also cutting costs and saving time. The pods blast air and physically move in multiple directions to make the Vr experience more immersive. — 123rf.com
— Photos: angelin yeoh/the Star
IMAGINE you are flying on a plane when the sky grows dark, the weather becomes increasingly turbulent, the plane starts to shake, and your seat rattles violently.
While it would be distressing for anyone, it could be too much to handle for someone with a fear of flying.
However, putting them in such a situation under the supervision of a specialist may help them overcome their phobias.
Tanjina Ashraf Khan, CEO and founder of Mentcouch, a psychology centre in Kuala Lumpur, calls it exposure therapy and recommends it for those who want to overcome their extreme sense of fear over an object or situation.
She says that as they work with a therapist to learn how to deal with their anxiety, they will be gradually exposed to their phobias.
“What we want to see during the sessions is the person developing less anxiety toward their fears. We start with a scale of one to 10.
“At the beginning, they may rate their anxiety level as nine. When it gets to a six, that is progress,” she shares.
However, she says exposure therapies are difficult to conduct physically. For example, if a client has a fear of snakes or cockroaches, it’s not realistic to bring those elements into the room.
Enacting certain scenarios, such as getting on a plane, could also be costly.
“It could also be unsafe for the client if they suffer from severe panic attacks on the plane. We may have to request an emergency landing,” Mentcouch managing director Justin Kung adds.
This was the impetus for using virtual reality – just by putting on a VR headset, a person can be “transported” to a different place or situation safely.
“Most importantly, we can assure them that they are in control,” Tanjina says.
She explains that clients typically spend up to 30 minutes in VR while being monitored on a computer by a trained therapist.
Kung says: “We can communicate with them by giving visual commands. This way, they can stay immersed in the environment without too much outside interference.”
Mentcouch counsellor Syahirah Husna says: “We will typically take a break for 10 minutes and assess their anxiety level and talk about relaxation techniques such as deep breathing.
“When they are ready to continue, they can practise the techniques they’ve learned in their chosen environment.”
Apart from overcoming phobias, Mentcouch is using VR as part of its therapy for stress relief, in which an individual would be guided through techniques like muscle relaxation in a soothing virtual environment like a beach or forest.
“Some people have trouble concentrating during therapy, as they will be stressed thinking about work or what the traffic will be like when it’s time to go home,” she says, adding that such sessions will help them become more mindful and calm.
Kung agrees, saying, “They feel that with VR, less effort is required to help them relax.”
Raising the bar
Over at Taman Desa in KL, chartered physiotherapist Lian Yunperng is using VR as part of physiotherapy treatments, describing the virtual world as a “form of distraction from pain”.
“We recommend this specifically for people recovering from a stroke or those who may be living with chronic pain.
“They may find it difficult to lift an object due to their condition, so we help them achieve upper-limb movement by practising using VR,” says Lian, who owns and operates Ace Physiotherapy.
Lian starts a session by securing the headset for the patient and adjusting the focus so they can see clearly. Patients are not required to walk and will largely be sitting down.
“I will be guiding them throughout the process as I can view what they are seeing on my smartphone.
“The sensors will track their hands and they will be able to perform movements such as picking up an object like a stone or throwing a ball in the virtual environment,” he says.
They may also be tasked with completing a block puzzle. It starts off with three blocks, with the number of blocks and complexity increasing as the patient progresses.
Each VR session typically lasts about 10 to 15 minutes and after undergoing training for three months, Lian will measure patients’ progress by checking their muscle power.
“For severely debilitated patients, we hope to see improvements, including being able to perform movements such as making a fist, moving their fingers or lifting their wrist,” he says.
Lian first integrated VR as part of his physiotherapy services back in 2019 – while exploring ways to improve his services, he stumbled upon a crowdfunding campaign for a VR headset.
“The product was geared for gaming, but I was inspired by the possibilities and started to look into how I could use VR for rehab,” he says.
He eventually decided to go with Oculus after testing several products and finding apps that he felt would be suitable for his physiotherapy plan.
“The headset is light and portable. I don’t need cables (it uses a rechargeable battery) or to carry extra equipment such as monitors.
“I can get it ready in 10 minutes by using my phone and not waste my patient’s time,” he says.
Lian is careful not to introduce VR to patients without first assessing their suitability.
“They must not have conditions like epilepsy or severe balance issues. If they feel dizzy while using VR, then the treatment will cease,” he says.
The feedback for incorporating VR as part of the physiotherapy treatment has been encouraging, saysLian, adding that most patients were open to it.
“They get to try something new and there’s a fun element to it,” he says.
Training tech
Fun is the last thing on the minds of workers at the Genting Tunnel East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) construction site in Bentong, Pahang, as they have to be on their toes to stay safe and minimise risks.
“Safety is a priority for everyone. It is compulsory to attend safety training due to the exposure to various types of hazards,” says Datuk Osman Haron, the health, safety and environment director for China Communications Construction ECRL, the main contractor for the ECRL project owned by Malaysia Rail Link (MRL).
To improve and enhance safety awareness levels at the site, the company said it set up a VR Safety Experience Hall to allow its workers to learn about safety in a more immersive environment.
It has two VR safety experiences, the first being a VR pod that simulates the experience of a fast-moving vehicle.
In a demo, the pod simulated a bumpy cart ride with tight turns and steep slopes in a snowy mountain that was made more real by its ability to blast air and physically move in multiple directions.
“There are trainings to simulate car crashes and falling from great heights. The experiences are meant to serve as reminders to workers to always perform safety checks when on site and to equip themselves with the required gear,” Osman adds.
The other VR service gives the worker freedom of movement within a designated area, allowing him or her to pick up tools and operate them in a virtual world. Depending on the chosen scenario – it’s claimed to offer up to 100 options, including one that was inspired by real construction tragedies in China – the dangers they face will be different.
Workers may find themselves operating a crane, only for the hosting cable to snap and injure others, or drilling in a tunnel while standing on an unsteady platform that would break.
After each experience, a pop-up will show the actions that led to the mishap.
For example, in the first scenario, the cable could have snapped because no prior inspection was conducted to ensure all equipment was in order, and in the second, it could be due to workers not wearing safety harnesses and the scaffolding not being built according to safety standards. “
Typically, workers would have to sit through hour-long briefings on safety and they may not retain all the information due to the static setting.
“By experiencing what could happen if they are not aware of precautionary measures with VR, it will be a more beneficial learning experience,” Osman says.
Untapped uses
Osman admits, however, that VR can’t replace all aspects of safety training, as practical experience is still an important aspect.
For example, workers have to learn how to operate machinery in real life so that they can feel the “weight” and how objects move in certain weather conditions.
“For some aspects of safety training, we try to find ways to combine it with VR, as it has the advantage of helping workers fully visualise situations,” he says.
He adds that VR also helps to remove constraints such as the need to be in various locations and facilities for training.
“We’ve had issues where training could not be conducted because the trainer was not there.
“But with VR, there is no such issue. We can also upgrade the software with new experiences to keep our workers updated with new safety guidelines when they move to a new site,” he says.
Meanwhile, Tanjina says that with VR “moving fast”, she sees the potential of it being used for online sessions with both the therapist and patient appearing as 3D avatars.
What’s crucial now, she says, is to create more awareness about the benefits of VR and other forms of technology in mental health treatment.
“People were not open to technology being used as part of mental health treatment until the pandemic opened opportunities for people to try online therapy.
“The biggest hurdle is helping more people become aware of the benefits of technology in certain aspects,” she says.
Lian agrees, saying that people have to be more open to trying new forms of tech for physiotherapy treatment.
He claims that robotics, such as an exoskeleton, can be incorporated into rehabilitation therapies, and that an Ai-powered device is being developed to assist stroke patients in performing movements.
“I encourage people to think outside the box and not be limited to what they have learned in university.
“Go to expos and conferences to learn about tech advancements in health. I would also advise them to look into the science and research behind it,” he says.
Osman adds that, in addition to VR, the company is relying on technology such as drones to monitor remote areas that are difficult to access by humans.
“We are closely following the development of technology in various fields to see how it can be implemented.
“Technology is very much an important aspect of what we do,” he says.
If the US really acts wildly on China over the Ukraine issue, Chinese people will just face it
China-US ties in uncertainty for next 10 years, hit by Russia-Ukraine conflict: observers
As the Russia-Ukraine conflict aggravated bloc confrontation and has impacted China-US relations, bilateral ties will likely remain in "a turbulent state of uncertainty" for the next five to 10 years until the power comparison of the two countries becomes more balanced, Chinese foreign policy scholars said at the 2023 Global Times Annual Conference.
Russia-Ukraine conflict is not only the biggest international political event this year, but the biggest since the end of the Cold War. It has crippled the very foundation of the American system, Jin Canrong, associate dean of the School of International Studies at the Renmin University of China, said when addressing the 2023 Global Times Annual Conference.
Answering the question at the conference as to what impact the Russia-Ukraine conflict has had on China-US relations, Jin said "it will certainly have an impact on China-US relations, but to what extent it will have an impact is hard to judge as the conflict remains ongoing and will probably last two or three more years."
The Russia-Ukraine conflict has shocked the very foundation of the American system, a system that we have to admit we have lived under since the end of the Cold War. But the US is not what it used to be, Jin told the audience.
"The US is not in its prime of life, no longer the protagonist of movies like 007 who are handsome, elegant, quick in its action and reaction. Today's US is like a mafia boss in his later years, can barely walk but still holds particularly large power. Today, US' position is largely determined by its system," Jin said.
Jin noted that the US system creates a world market system, full of opportunities, which lures people in and then controls them by all means. On the surface, financial hegemony, high-tech monopoly, pricing power, international rules, procedures, media appear to be under US control, but in fact, violence is its basic method used in controlling the world.
PLA Navy rear admiral Yang Yi said at the annual conference that as time goes by, maybe 10 years later when the China-US power comparison becomes more balanced, bilateral relations may shift toward a relatively stable status.
Yang said the dirty tricks used by the US to contain China are useless. "They cannot stop China's development, nor can they stop the narrowing of gap between China's comprehensive national strength and that of the US."
Some other experts shared their opinions on the China-US relations. They agreed that the China-US relation is still a bilateral question but it must be seen as part of a larger global confrontation, under the influence of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
He Weiwen, a former senior trade official and an executive council member of the China Society for World Trade Organization Studies, said that under the strong push of the US, the world has been divided into two camps: Western and non-Western groups.
"Since the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out, the US has maliciously tied China and Russia up. Washington used sandbox maneuvers and planned to impose crippling sanctions on China, as it has on Russia. The reason why it has not been implemented is that the US has no grip on China," He noted.
The Russia-Ukraine crisis has brought back and highlighted bloc politics confrontation with the US and NATO on the same line and those disapproving them in the other side, said Fang Ning, a research fellow at the Institute of Political Science from Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
Geopolitical factors have been placed in an unprecedented important position in bilateral relations which may lead to major confrontation. "Despite that the bottom line for the two sides is to avoid moving toward major confrontation, I have doubts over how much risk will be mitigated," said Huang Renwei, executive vice dean of Fudan Institute of Belt and Road & Global Governance.
The Ukraine crisis has become a trap for both the US and China on the Taiwan question. The US is worried about the recurrence of what happened in Ukraine and has accelerated military aid to the island while China is alert to a series of US' provocations on the Taiwan question, Huang said.
Fang pointed out the biggest effect of the crisis on China is that it added uncertainty to the national reunification. "Countries and regions around the Taiwan Straits including Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and Vietnam are assessing the question, choosing sides and even taking action as we can see Japan has made the quickest reaction."
Yang Xiyu, a senior research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times annual conference that the saying "today's Ukraine is tomorrow's Taiwan" has become very popular in the West but the fact is that Ukraine and Taiwan are two completely separate and fundamentally different issues.
Yang said the National Defense Authorization Act that passed on December 15 by US Senate proposes to learn from the model of Ukraine, improve the so-called resilience of the Taiwan military by means of military aid, military training and intelligence support, and strengthen the island's so-called self-defense capability against the People's Liberation Army.
Yang also believes the Russia-Ukraine crisis will have a profound influence on China-US relations in the future. He explained that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine comes at a time when the original European security order has failed, and the new order has not yet emerged. Different outcomes of the conflict will lead to different security orders and security rules in Europe, which will inevitably spill over into the international community.
Shen Dingli, a professor from Fudan University's Institute of International Studies, said although China hopes that the bilateral relationship will move toward common cooperation, the fact is that relations between China and the US are highly strained and heading toward unprecedented, multi-dimensional and large-scale competition.
"Over the next five to 10 years, the relationship between China and the US will remain in a turbulent state of uncertainty," Shen said.
China's US Treasury holdings fell to a 12-year low in October, marking the second straight month of cuts and
leaving its holdings below $1 trillion for the sixth straight month, latest data showed.
All for equal justice: Tuanku Muhriz (right) holding a copy of the ‘Upholding The Federal Constitution: The Judicial Thoughts of Datuk Seri Hishamudin Yunus’ with the author Hishamudin at the book launch. — AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star
KUALA LUMPUR: A more diverse and independent mechanism can be introduced when it comes to the selection of the five eminent members of the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC), says the Yang di-Pertuan Besar Negri Sembilan.
Tuanku Muhriz Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir said the persons selected must not only be independent from any form of political influence, but also be inclusive, reflecting the diversity of our multi-racial society and the composition of the Federation, namely the Peninsular Malaysia states, Sabah, and Sarawak.
“The inclusion of members from diverse and independent backgrounds will allow more stakeholders to be represented, thus broadening the expertise in the judicial appointment process whilst maintaining the commission’s independence,” he said in his royal address at the official launch of Upholding The Federal Constitution: The Judicial Thoughts Of Datuk Seri Hishamudin Yunus here yesterday.
Also present at the event was Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat
The Negri Sembilan Ruler also reminded the audience of his recent address as the Chairman of the 260th Ruler’s Conference, where he emphasised the need to reform the existing judicial appointment process.
Tuanku Muhriz said while the main intention of the commission is to uphold the independence of the judiciary, it appears that its governing provisions may not be in accordance with such intent.
“As it stands, the prime minister appoints five of the nine members of the JAC.
“Under the Constitution, he also has the final say in the appointment of judges to the superior courts.
“We need to be guided by the principle of separation of powers of the Executive, the legislature and the judiciary.“To achieve this, some reforms need to be considered to strengthen the independence of the commission, and ultimately, the judiciary.
“We could introduce diverse and independent mechanisms when it comes to the selection of the five eminent persons on the commission,” he said, adding that he had also been advised that it is equally important for the Judicial Appointments Commission Act 2009 to be made part of the Constitution, and not remain as an Act of Parliament.
“I urge civil society and other stakeholders to take the lead for meaningful discussions to be taken to achieve this aspiration of judicial independence as a means to uphold the Constitution, the supreme law of the land.
“Lest we forget, the rakyat go to court to seek and obtain justice.
“Be it a criminal appeal, an appeal against the decision of the government or one of its agencies, or a private matter, the public sees the courts as their avenue to seek justice,” said His Royal Highness.
“It is no surprise that the recent political developments in Malaysia have led to many discourses on the Constitution.
“Matters pertaining to governance of the nation require us to consult and be guided by the Constitution,” he said.
“Our courts have observed that the Constitution is not a mere collection of pious platitudes.
“It is the supreme law of the land embodying three basic concepts, one of them is that the individual has certain fundamental rights upon which not even the power of the state may encroach.
“In this regard, the judiciary has a constitutional role to perform as they are the guardians of the Constitution,” he said.
On the book launch, he applauded Hishamudin, a former Court of Appeal judge, whom he described as someone who has “given his life to many provisions in the Constitution, especially those 10 relating to fundamental rights”.
“His years on the Bench are remembered for his integrity and independence, which paved his unwavering commitment to uphold the supremacy and sanctity of the Constitution,” said Tuanku Muhriz.
He added that Hishamudin’s decisions, including his many significant dissenting judgments are based on his appreciation of the law, where he had elegantly embraced the ever-evolving common law principles and applied them judiciously with the sole aim of delivering justice without fear or favour.
Currently an arbitrator at the KL Regional Centre for Arbitration, Hishamudin, 73, is a law graduate from the University of London who previously served as the Malaysian Court of Appeal Judge, Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Senior Federal Counsel, and the President of the Sessions Court.
With 45 years of legal experience, he has written more than 750 judgments in his illustrious career.
Chinese smartphone maker Oppo unveiled its second self-developed microchip on Wednesday, a fresh effort as more
Chinese hardware companies speed up investment in the semiconductor sector amid a relentless US crackdown on the Chinese technology industry.
Photo: Global Times 
