Cryptocurrency hedge fund, Three Arrows Capital (3AC) just filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy! Here is what you need to know…
Crypto Hedge Fund 3AC Filed For Chapter 15 Bankruptcy!
The 2022 Crypto Winter continues to blow hard and cold…
On Friday, July 1, 2022, Singapore-based cryptocurrency hedge fund, Three Arrows Capital (3AC) filed for Chapter 15 bankruptcy in the Southern District of New York.
Representatives from the law firm Latham & Watkins filed the Chapter 15 bankruptcy filing to legally protect its US assets from creditors in the United States.
In the legal filing, they stated that “the Debtor’s business has collapsed in the wake of extreme fluctuations in cryptocurrency markets” and “the Debit commenced a liquidation processing before the BVI Court” on June 27, 2022.
This move came after a British Virgin Islands court ordered the liquidation of 3AC on Monday, June 27, 2022.
Voyager Digital revealed that 3AC failed to make payments on loans made up of US$350 million in USDC and 15,250 BTC (worth US$306 million), and issued them a notice of default on the same Monday, June 27.
3AC Founders Remain Silent On Bankruptcy, Location Unknown
Founded in 2012 by Zhu Su and Kyle Davis, 3AC managed about $10 billion in assets as recently as March 2022, but that sank to just $3 billion a month later.
3AC was dogged by persistent insolvency rumours in the last few weeks, with rumours of more than US$400 million in losses when the cryptocurrency markets collapsed between May and June 2022.
Zhu and Davis admitted in a WSJ interview that 3ACa lost their $200 million investment following the collapse of Luna and its sister coin, TerraUSD.
8 Blocks Capital chief executive Danny Yuan also alleged that 3AC had misappropriated US$1 million of its funds to pay off their margin calls.
Both co-founders have remained silent over the implosion of 3AC, and its bankruptcy. Zhu’s last Twitter post was on June 15, in which he sought to allay rumours of insolvency, while Davies has not said a word.
According to the lawyers from Latham & Watkins, their current locations are unknown, and they are “rumoured” to have left Singapore.
The foreign representatives understand and believe that while the debtor has had certain operations in Singapore, Mr. Davies and Mr. Zhu’s current location remains unknown. They are rumored to have left Singapore.
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Here are the LATEST COVID-19 requirements and SOP for those plan to travel by air to Malaysia!
Updated @ 2022-07-03 : Malaysian citizens are no longer required to register for Traveller’s Pass.
Updated @ 2022-06-13 : Added the current COVID-19 vaccination requirements Originally posted @ 2022-04-28
Malaysia Air Travel : Current COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements
Currently, travellers to Malaysia must provide documentation that they have completed a full regimen of a COVID-19 vaccine recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO), or by a stringent regulatory authority in the country of origin.
There are additional requirements on COVID-19 vaccination for travellers :
Those aged 60 years and above are required to receive a booster dose.
Those received two doses of Sinopharm or Sinovac vaccine, regardless of age, must receive a third dose (of any vaccine) to qualify as fully-vaccinated.
The definition of a full regimen of a COVID-19 vaccine includes the number of doses required to provide the full vaccine protection, as well as the time needed to achieve protection against COVID-19.
Currently, that means 14 days after the second dose of a two (2) dose vaccine, or 14 days after a one (1) dose vaccine. In the case of Sinopharm / Sinovac vaccine recipients, that would mean 14 days after the third dose.
You are also considered fully-vaccinated immediately after receiving your booster dose.
Please make sure you submit your vaccination information through the Travellers option in MySejahtera, before your flight to Malaysia.
After submitting your COVID-19 vaccination details, you will receive a Travellers digital card, which allows you entry into Malaysia on arrival.
Malaysia Air Travel Test + Quarantine Rules From 1 May 2022!
On 27 April 2022, the Malaysia Minister of Health Khairy Jamaluddin announced new test and quarantine rules for travellers flying to Malaysia.
These COVID-19 test and quarantine rules take effect from Sunday, 1 May 2022 onwards!
A. Children 12 Years Or Younger : No Test, No Quarantine!
Irrespective of their vaccination status, children who are 12 years old or younger do NOT need to :
undergo pre-departure test
undergo on-arrival test, or
undergo HSO quarantine
B. Fully-Vaccinated 13 Years Or Older : No Test, No Quarantine!
Fully-vaccinated adolescents and adults who are 13 years or older do NOT need to :
undergo pre-departure test
undergo on-arrival test, or
undergo HSO quarantine
C. Partially-Vaccinated / Unvaccinated 13-17 Years Old : No Quarantine!
Adolescents who are 13-17 years old, and are partially vaccinated or unvaccinated do NOT need to undergo HSO quarantine on arrival in Malaysia.
However, they will need to undergo :
a PCR test within 48 hours before departure to Malaysia, and
a supervised RTK-Ag test within 24 hours of arrival in Malaysia.
D. Vaccinated Adults : No Test, No Quarantine!
Fully-vaccinated adults (18 years and older), with or without a booster dose, do NOT need to :
undergo pre-departure test
undergo on-arrival test, or
undergo HSO quarantine
E. Unvaccinated with Medical Exemption : No Quarantine!
Unvaccinated individuals with a medical exemption will be allowed, on a case-by-case basis, to travel to Malaysia without a mandatory quarantine.
However, they must undergo :
a PCR test within 48 hours before departure to Malaysia, and
a professional RTK-Ag test within 24 hours of arrival in Malaysia.
F. Unvaccinated Adults : 5 Day Quarantine
Adult travellers (18 years and older) who are partially-vaccinated, or completely unvaccinated, must :
undergo a 5-day mandatory quarantine on arrival in Malaysia, and
undergo a PCR test on Day 4, or a professional RTK-Ag test on Day 5.
Travellers who are exempt from vaccination for health reasons must upload the evidence of medical exemption into the MySejahtera app.
G. Unvaccinated + Post COVID-19 : 5 Day Quarantine
Unvaccinated individuals who recovered from COVID-19 (infected in the last 6-60 days) must:
undergo a 5-day mandatory quarantine on arrival in Malaysia, and
undergo a PCR test on Day 4, or a professional RTK-Ag test on Day 5.
If they were not hospitalised, they must undergo :
a professional RTK-Ag test within 48 hours before departure to Malaysia, and
a professional RTK-Ag test within 24 hours of arrival in Malaysia.
If they were hospitalised, they can use a Fit To Travel letter from the hospital.
Latest Malaysia Air Travel Procedure From 4 July 2022!
On 27 April 2022, the Malaysia Ministry of Health issued the official procedure for travellers who arrive by air, that will take effect from 1 May 2022 onwards.
Download the MySejahtera app, and register for your MySejahtera account. *
Click on the Traveller icon in MySejahtera, and complete the pre-departure form
a) fully-vaccinated travellers will receive a Digital Traveller’s Card *
b) partially vaccinated / unvaccinated travellers will receive a Digital Home Surveillance Order (HSO).
All unvaccinated or partially vaccinated travellers 13 years and above must undergo a PCR test 2 days before departure.
Those who had a previous COVID-19 infection (within 6-60 days before departure) must undergo a professional RTK-Ag test 2 days before departure, or alternatively, have a Free-To-Travel letter if they were hospitalised for COVID-19 during that time.
You do NOT need to purchase travel and COVID-19 insurance.
All partially vaccinated or unvaccinated travellers 13 years and above must undergo a supervised RTK-Ag test within 24 hours of arrival in Malaysia.
a) this supervised RTK-Ag test can be performed at any health facility of your choice, or virtually
b) COVID-19 breathalyser / professional RTK-Ag tests are available at the airport
c) Cost of on-arrival RTK-Ag test must be borne by the travellers.
Children below the age of 13, and travellers from Singapore are exempted from the on-arrival test.
Partially-vaccinated / unvaccinated travellers must undergo a mandatory 5-day quarantine.
IMPORTANT : Travellers transiting through Malaysian international airports to Sabah or Sarawak must undergo professional RTK-Ag at the airport, before departing.
Testing Positive On Arrival
If you test positive on arrival, you must undergo a mandatory HSO quarantine of 7 days.
You can opt for the new Day 4 test and release procedure, by undertaking a supervised RTK-Ag test on Day 4 of your quarantine.
If you test negative, you are allowed to immediately terminate your quarantine.
If you test positive, you must complete your 7-day quarantine
If you are a partially vaccinated / unvaccinated traveller, you will need to undergo a 5-day quarantine, and get tested on Day 4 (PCR) or Day 5 (RTK-Ag).
If you test positive on Day 4 or Day 5, your quarantine will get extended for 5 more days.
Malaysia Air Travel Test + Quarantine SOP : Summary
To make it easier to compare the myriad air travel requirements to Malaysia, I created this table to summarise the key requirements.
Vaccination Status
Pre-Departure
On Arrival
Additional Test or Quarantine
Child (< 13 Years) *
No Test Required
No Test
No Quarantine
Fully Vaccinated (≥ 13 Years)
Partially-Vaccinated or
Unvaccinated (13-17 Years)
PCR test
within 2 days
Supervised
RTK-Ag
within 24 hours
of arrival
On-Arrival
Professional
RTK-Ag
for travellers
transiting to
Sabah or
Sarawak
Not Vaccinated with
Medical Exemption
Partially Vaccinated or
Unvaccinated (≥18 Years)
5-Day Quarantine
with
Day 4 PCR or
Day 5 RTK
Partially Vaccinated
or Unvaccinated + Post-COVID-19
(6-60 Days)
Professional
RTK-Ag
within 2 days
or FTT letter **
if hospitalised
* By year of birth
** Also professional RTK-Ag if recovered from COVID-19 infection 6-60 days before departure
*** FTT = Fit To Travel
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Are the Western media covering up massive riots with looting and vandalism on the US West Coast?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Western Media Are Covering Up Riots In US West Coast!
People are sharing a video of a recent riot in America, claiming that Western media is actively concealing the news.
Allegedly, only the Chinese media and netizens are exposing the riots on the US West Coast by releasing such videos to show the world how decadent and lawless the United States really is.
The viral video is often shared with comments like these :
Protests, vandalism and looting rage across the west coast of US on 31/5 and 1/6/22 but not reported by CNN & BBC . Also not by Singapore’s CNA
Lawlessness in the country supposed to be icon of justice
Truth : Western Media Are Not Covering Up Riots In US West Coast!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created and propagated by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), and pro-CCP netizens.
After investigating the viral video, here are the facts that I was able to ascertain…
Fact #1 : Video Was Recorded In Cleveland, Ohio
The viral video does not show riots in the US West Coast. I geolocated the precise location of this riot to East 4th Street (E 4th St.) in Cleveland, Ohio.
If you look closely at the video, you can spot these landmarks and their signboards :
Butcher and the Brewer (Old-World Cuts and Hand-Built Brews)
Windsor Apartments
Mabel’s BBQ
Society Lounge
Zocalo Tequileria
Flannery’s Pub
Buckeye Apartments
Those landmarks allowed me to precisely geolocate the entire video to that one street – East 4th Street in Cleveland, Ohio.
Fact #2 : Ohio Is A Midwestern State, Near The East Coast
Ohio is an American Midwestern state. But despite that classification, it is actually located next to the Eastern seaboard.
It is most definitely not on the US West Coast, which comprises of the states of California, Oregon and Washington.
I have no idea why the wumao would lie about the riot happening on the US West Coast. Perhaps, it is the American region most familiar to Chinese netizens, since it is located next to the Pacific Ocean.
Fact #3 : Cleveland Riot Happened In 2020
The video does not depict a riot that happened on May 31 and June 1, 2022. It actually showed people rioting over the death of George Floyd on June 2, 2020 – two years ago.
Chinese netizens may not be aware, but people in the United States are allowed to participate in peaceful protests, like the 2020 protests against police brutality and racism, epitomised by George Floyd’s death.
But violent riots are against the law, and so 99 people were arrested in the 2020 Cleveland riots.
Fact #4 : There Are No Riots Happening On The US West Coast
Just in case Chinese netizens are “confused”, there are no riots happening on the US West Coast, at the end of May or early June 2022.
There are no acts of vandalism or looting raging across the US West Coast, which is precisely why there is ZERO COVERAGE of these riots.
No one is covering these riots because they did not happen. This is just Chinese disinformation using a legitimate video from two years ago.
Fact #5 : Western Media Covered The Cleveland Riots
Unlike in China, where the media is muzzled and “inappropriate news” are censored, Western media are under no such restrictions.
If there are riots in the United States right now, you can be sure they would be covering it. Bad news sells best, after all!
The truth is – the Western media covered the Cleveland riots extensively… when it happened in 2020! In fact, you can see a man who looks like a press photographer taking photos in the viral video.
Fact #6 : Video Is Part Of Wumao Disinformation
This isn’t the first real video being used in a wumao disinformation campaign, to drive the narrative that the United States is in a perpetual state of anarchy.
I have personally fact checked many videos and stories that were deliberately spread by the wumao as part of their disinformation campaign :
So why are the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), and pro-CCP netizens promoting such videos and stories?
More importantly – why is the Chinese government spending money on such disinformation campaigns?
While you ponder on those questions, watch out and be wary of similar videos and stories being spread in Chinese and pro-CCP groups.
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Dell just introduced a slew of new S Series monitors, as well as its first 14-inch Portable Monitor!
Dell Introduces 14-inch Portable Monitor + S Series Displays!
Thanks to the pandemic, the workplace has changed globally, with many companies now adopting a hybrid workplace policy.
Dell just introduced a slew of new S Series monitors, as well as its first 14-inch Portable Monitor, to address the need for employees to work between home and the office.
Dell 14 Portable Monitor (C1422H)
Built to be the ultimate laptop companion, the C1422H is Dell’s first ever 14-inch portable monitor, designed to deliver dual-screen productivity to work, present and collaborate anywhere.
Professionals working in the office, at home or on the go will appreciate the Dell Portable Monitor’s lightweight design. It weighs just over half a kilogram, and is less than a quarter-inch thick at its slimmest, making it extremely easy to travel with.
With an IPS panel that offers a Full HD display resolution, with an 16:9 aspect ratio, the Dell C1422H Portable Monitor offers easy plug and play with USB-C connectivity. Simply press the quick access buttons to adjust brightness (up to 300 nits) and the ComfortView feature that reduces harmful blue light emissions.
This sleek yet practical portable monitor complements all workstyles and productivity demands with a small continuous tilt stand that bends from 10 to 90 degrees. It also features Energy Star and EPEAT GOLD certification.
Dell 24 and 27 Video Conferencing Monitor (S2422HZ and S2722DZ)
Hanging out virtually with friends, family and co-workers will be easier with the new 27-inch QHD / 23.8-inch FHD monitors that are specifically designed for video calls.
For an easy out-of-box experience, these monitors come with a built-in 5 MP privacy pop-up camera, noise-cancelling microphones and dual 5 watt speakers. The pop-up camera stays hidden until you’re ready for video chatting, for privacy.
These video conferencing monitors feature Dell’s TÜV-certified ComfortView Plus – an always-on low blue light reduction technology that optimises eye comfort while retaining colour accuracy. Other features include USB-C connectivity, AMD FreeSync technology and a 75 Hz refresh rate for smoother graphics.
These two USB-C monitors offer the convenience of a single cable solution with USB Type Connectivity, to deliver video, audio, and data; while charging your laptop with up to 65 watts of power.
These monitors are great for those who want a clutter-free workspace, with a single-cable monitor to complement their laptops.
Dell 14-inch Portable Monitor + S Series Displays : Price + Availability!
These monitors are available with immediate effect from Dell online and authorised stores, at these starting price points :
Dell 27 Video Conferencing Monitor (S2722DZ) : A$915
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
The WHO has convened an emergency meeting on the monkeypox outbreak that has spread to 56 countries!
Here is what you need to know…
WHO Convenes Emergency Meeting On Monkeypox Outbreak!
On 23 June 2022, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus convened an emergency committee meeting under Article 48 of the International Health Regulations to discuss the current monkeypox outbreak.
Chaired by Dr. Jean-Marie Okwo-Bele and Dr. Nicola Low, this emergency WHO meeting on monkeypox is only open to members and advisors of the Emergency Committee.
The findings of this emergency meeting would be conveyed to the Director-General of WHO, on whether the outbreak should be classified as a public health emergency of international concern, and also on potential recommendations on how to address it.
This meeting comes as an NGO called World Health Network (unrelated to WHO) issued a press release describing the current monkeypox outbreak as a “pandemic”, urging “immediate and effective action” from country and global health authorities.
This led to a bit of confusion, as their names and acronyms were similar (WHO vs WHN). To be clear, WHO has not declared a monkeypox pandemic.
Over 4,000 Monkeypox Cases Confirmed In 56 Countries!
Discovered in 1958, the first human infection was only reported in 1970, and there were only like 400 cases from 1970 to 1986.
Monkeypox became more common over time, with 2000 cases per year reported between 2011 and 2014, and several outbreaks in the US (2003 and 2021), UK (2018 and 2021), and Singapore (2019)..
However, nothing has come close to the 2022 monkeypox outbreak which has now affected at least 56 countries outside of endemic African countries, with over 4,000 cases!
Country
Confirmed
Cases
Suspected
Cases
Total
Spain
918
100
1,018
United Kingdom
793
–
793
Germany
676
–
676
France
330
–
330
Portugal
328
–
328
Canada
223
45
268
United States
173
–
173
Netherlands
167
–
167
Italy
85
–
85
Belgium
77
1
78
Switzerland
52
–
52
Ireland
28
–
28
Ghana
18
–
18
Brazil
11
6
17
Israel
16
–
16
Australia
13
–
13
Denmark
13
–
13
Sweden
13
–
13
UAE
13
–
13
Austria
12
–
12
Poland
12
–
12
Mexico
9
–
9
Slovenia
9
–
9
Hungary
7
–
7
Czech Republic
6
–
6
Uganda
–
6
6
Romania
5
–
5
Argentina
4
–
4
Finland
4
–
4
Malta
4
–
4
Norway
4
–
4
Somalia
–
4
4
Chile
3
–
3
Colombia
3
–
3
Greece
3
–
3
Iceland
3
–
3
Bulgaria
2
–
2
Latvia
2
–
2
Morocco
1
1
2
Bahamas
–
1
1
Cayman Islands
–
1
1
Fiji
–
1
1
Georgia
1
–
1
Gibraltar
1
–
1
Haiti
–
1
1
Libya
–
1
1
Lebanon
1
–
1
Luxembourg
1
–
1
Serbia
1
–
1
Singapore
1
–
1
South Africa
1
–
1
South Korea
1
–
1
Uruguay
–
1
1
Venezuela
1
–
1
Zambia
–
1
1
TOTAL
4,049
170
4,219
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Are there foods that you should never eat with durian, because they will make you sick… or even worse, kill you?!
Take a look at these viral claims, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : These Are Foods You Should Never Eat With Durian!
Durian has long been popular in South East Asia, and yet, there are so many myths and misinformation about this King of Fruits.
Many of these myths and misinformation have been circulating on social media, and spread on websites.
Even TikTok influencers, like a certain Malaysian Dato, are trying to ride on the durian gravy train to Internet stardom.
Here is a list of foods these “Internet gurus / experts” claim you should never eat with durian, because they will make you sick… or worse, kill you!
Coca-Cola
Coffee
Milk
White wine / alcohol
Crabs / seafood
Beef / mutton
Brinjal / Eggplant / Aubergine
Mangosteen / Lychee
I will add more, as and when I find new foods that people believe are dangerous to eat with durian.
Truth : You Can Eat These Foods With Durian!
The truth is – these claims are made up by self-professed Internet gurus / experts who have absolutely NO IDEA what the heck they are talking about, and here are the reasons why…
Note : Some of these claims are based on Chinese traditional medicine “beliefs”. I can only tell you what has been scientifically proven or known.
Fact #1 : You Can Drink Coca-Cola While Eating Durian
There is no scientific basis for the claim that Coca-Cola or other soft drinks are dangerous to drink while eating durian.
Coca-Cola and other soft drinks are nothing more than flavoured carbonated water with a lot of sugar in them. They do not interact with durian to produce anything toxic.
However, it is not advisable to imbibe in durian and soft drinks often, as they are both very high in calories.
Fact #2 : You Can Drink Coffee While Eating Durian
There is no scientific basis for the claim that drinking coffee while eating durian can increase your blood pressure and cause a heart attack!
In fact, there are many companies selling durian coffee – basically coffee with durian extracts. Such drinks would have caused many deaths if this claim was true.
It is possible that this false claim originated from a 2018 case in Penang, Malaysia; where two Nepali men were hospitalised after drinking durian coffee that had been tampered with an unknown drug.
The coffee mixture also contains a foreign green substance which is not available in the original packaging. There is a marked difference in weightage, contents and packaging.
The instant durian coffee mixture is laced with a kind of drug, which has yet to be identified, based on the symptoms shown by the two men.
Besides, heart attacks are caused by blockage of your heart’s arteries, by blood clots and arteriosclerosis that develop over years. The mixing of durian and coffee cannot produce instant arteriosclerosis or blood clots.
The claim that drinking milk after eating durian is lethal, because it will increase your blood pressure and cause a heart attack, is nonsense.
It is also not logical. Heart attacks are caused by blockage of your heart’s arteries, by blood clots and arteriosclerosis that develop over years. The mixing of milk and durian cannot produce instant arteriosclerosis or blood clots.
Fact #4 : You Can Drink Some Alcohol While Eating Durian
It is claimed that drinking alcohol while eating durian can cause severe indigestion, heartburn and even death. Allegedly, the high sulphur content in durian helps to break down the alcohol in your body… killing you?
As you can tell, even the premise behind this claim is ridiculous – how does the higher metabolism of alcohol injure or kill you? If the high sulphur content in durian increases metabolism of alcohol, it would allow you to better sustain higher levels of drinking!
It is really the other way around – durian have disulphide (disulfide) compounds that may have a disulfiram effect.
Popularly known as Antabuse, disulfiram is a drug that prevents our body from properly metabolising alcohol, causing unpleasant side effects like headache, nausea, vomiting, sweating, chest pain, hyperventilation, vertigo, etc. – what you would experience with an alcohol hangover.
A single 2009 laboratory study showed that the raw durian fruit has disulphide compounds that inhibit up to 70% of the acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) enzyme, potentially producing the disulfiram effect. However, this has not yet been confirmed in actual human or animal studies.
There is, therefore, no actual scientific basis for the claim that drinking alcohol while eating durian is dangerous. Even if the disulphide compounds in durian do produce a disulfiram effect, it will only cause hangover-like effects that are unpleasant but won’t kill you.
However, out of an abundance of caution, it would be a good idea to limit your alcohol intake while eating durian, while monitoring for the disulfiram effect. If you do experience it while eating durian, you should stop consuming alcohol.
Fact #5 : You Can Eat Crabs / Seafood While Eating Durian
This myth is based on TCM belief that crabs / seafood are “cooling” while durian is “warming” or “heaty”.
Apparently, they believe that it is not good for “cooling” and “warming” foods to mix in your stomach, because it “confuses” the digestive system and causes the stomach to be “upset”.
This belief is not backed by any scientific evidence. It isn’t even consistent – TCM practitioners also advise against mixing alcohol and durian because they are both “warming” foods.
There is no reason or evidence that eating crabs or any kind of seafood with durian, or after eating durian, is bad or dangerous in any way.
Fact #6 : You Can Eat Beef / Mutton While Eating Durian
This myth is based on TCM belief that beef and mutton are “warming” or “heaty” foods. Apparently, they believe that eating two “warming” foods together increases the “heatiness” of your body, and cause inflammation.
There is simply no scientific evidence that any of that mumbo-jumbo is true, never mind any actual evidence eating beef or mutton with durian causes any harm.
These false claims are not even consistent. In Fact #5, I shared how TCM believes the opposite is also true – that mixing “cooling” and “warming” foods is bad.
Fact #7 : You Can Eat Brinjal / Eggplant With Durian
This myth is based on TCM belief that brinjal / eggplant and durian are both “warming” foods, and that eating them together will make you sick by increasing the “heatiness” and inflammation of your body.
Again, this is utter nonsense that has no scientific evidence or basis whatsoever.
Fact #8 : You Can Eat Mangosteen / Lychee With Durian
Now, this is a real test in logic. TCM practitioners say that mangosteen and lychee should not be consumed with durian because… get this – they are “cooling” and “warming” foods respectively!
Mangosteen + durian is apparently bad because mixing “cooling” and “warming” foods confuses the digestive system, leading to an upset stomach.
Lychee + durian is apparently bad because mixing two “warming” foods increases your body’s “heatiness” and causes inflammation.
Twisted yourself into a pretzel trying to figure this nonsense out? Don’t bother.
There is simply no scientific evidence or basis whatsoever that it is dangerous or bad to eat mangosteen or lychee with durian.
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!
Warning : Please avoid creating TikTok videos after eating durian, because it apparently makes you Tok Kok (talk cock)!
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Take a look at the scene that got the Disney-Pixar movie, Lightyear, banned in 14 countries, and likely China too!
Lightyear Movie Banned In 14 Countries + Maybe China Too!
Lightyear – the long-awaited Toy Story prequel from Disney-Pixar – has been banned in 14 Asian and Middle Eastern countries, and quite likely China too!
The ban started in the UAE, whose Media Regulatory Office of the Ministry of Youth and Culture announced on 13 June 2022 that Lightyear was banned from screening in all cinemas for “its violation of the country’s media content standards“.
A Variety report claimed that the UAE initially approved Lightyear for release, but revoked the licence after social media posts accused the movie of insulting Muslims and Islam.
That ban was then followed by other countries. The current list includes, but is not limited to :
United Arab Emirates
Saudi Arabia
Egypt
Indonesia
Malaysia
Singapore
Lebanon
Oman
Qatar
Kuwait
Bahrain
Although not confirmed yet, it is very likely that Lightyear will also not be allowed to screen in China.
Lightyear producer, Galyn Susman, said that Chinese authorities “asked for cuts”, which Disney declined to make. So she assumed that the movie would not be allowed to screen there either.
I’m assuming it will not make it to China. I know we’ve gotten requests for things to cut, Disney isn’t going to modify the material.
We’re not going to cut out anything, especially something as important as the loving and inspirational relationship that shows Buzz what he’s missing by the choices that he’s making, so that’s not getting cut
The Brief Kiss That Got Lightyear Banned In 14+ Countries!
The reasons why Lightyear has been banned in at least 14 countries, and possibly China too, is over a brief kissing scene.
In the first 30 minutes of Lightyear, Alisha Hawthorne (voiced by Uzo Aduba) – a female space ranger and a close friend of Buzz Lightyear – shares a brief kiss with her same-sex partner.
That kiss was part of a scene showing milestones in the couple’s relationship. It also shows the couple’s son, although it is not known if he was adopted or conceived through assisted reproduction.
But it was the brief kiss between two fictional characters that broke the camel’s back for censors in those countries. They demanded that the scene be cut from the film.
Normally, Disney would quietly cut such a controversial scene from the movie to comply with “local sensibilities”, since it doesn’t affect the plot.
However, Pixar employees had earlier penned a letter complaining that Disney corporate executives were censoring “nearly every moment of overtly gay affection” in their projects.
We at Pixar have personally witnessed beautiful stories, full of diverse characters, come back from Disney corporate reviews shaved down to crumbs of what they once were.
Nearly every moment of overtly gay affection is cut at Disney’s behest, regardless of when there is protest from both the creative teams and executive leadership at Pixar.
Disney caved to the pressure, and decided not to censor the kiss from Lightyear. And so, all those countries refused to grant a licence to screen the movie in theatres.
Chris Evans, who voiced Buzz Lightyear in this prequel, labelled such objections as “frustrating”.
It’s great that we are a part of something that’s making steps forward in the social inclusion capacity.
But it’s frustrating that there are still places that aren’t where they should be.
He also told Variety magazine that he was frustrated that news coverage of the movie would be focused on such an issue :
It’s tough to not be a little frustrated that it even has to be a topic of discussion. That it is this kind of ‘news.’
The goal is that we can get to a point where it is the norm, and that this doesn’t have to be some uncharted waters, that eventually this is just the way it is.
Taika Waititi, who voices the character of Mo Morrison in the film, added :
We’re hoping for a time when we don’t even have to have this conversation. We can watch a movie and we don’t even have to bat an eyelid.
We don’t have to think ‘Oh wow, weird’. It’s not weird, it’s normal and it should be normalised.
Whenever you have these small steps that studios are making – sometimes they may feel small but also, they are steps – and it’s steps towards normalising humanity and love. I really feel sorry for countries who don’t want this film because of a tiny, weird little thing like that
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
The Disney-Pixar movie, Lightyear, has been banned in 14 countries, and quite possibly China too!
Here is what we know so far…
Lightyear Movie Banned In 14 Countries + Maybe China Too!
Lightyear – the long-awaited animated feature film from Disney-Pixar – has reportedly been banned in 14 Asian and Middle Eastern countries.
The ban started in the UAE, whose Media Regulatory Office of the Ministry of Youth and Culture announced on 13 June 2022 that :
The Media Regulatory Office announced that the animated film Lightyear, which is scheduled for release on 16th June, is not licensed for public screening in all cinemas in the UAE, due to its violation of the country’s media content standards.
A Variety report claimed that the UAE initially approved Lightyear for release, but revoked the licence after social media posts accused the movie of insulting Muslims and Islam.
That ban was then followed by other countries. The current list includes, but is not limited to :
United Arab Emirates
Saudi Arabia
Egypt
Indonesia
Malaysia
Singapore
Lebanon
Oman
Qatar
Kuwait
Bahrain
Although not confirmed yet, it is very likely that Lightyear will also not be allowed to screen in China.
Lightyear producer, Galyn Susman, said that Chinese authorities “asked for cuts”, which Disney declined to make. So she assumed that the movie would not be allowed to screen there either.
I’m assuming it will not make it to China. I know we’ve gotten requests for things to cut, Disney isn’t going to modify the material.
We’re not going to cut out anything, especially something as important as the loving and inspirational relationship that shows Buzz what he’s missing by the choices that he’s making, so that’s not getting cut
Why Lightyear Was Banned In Those Countries…
In Lightyear, the character of Alisha Hawthorne (voiced by Uzo Aduba) shares a brief kiss with her same-sex partner.
That’s it – a little kiss between two fictional characters. Unfortunately, it was a kiss too far for those countries.
Normally, Disney would quietly cut such a “controversial” scene from the movie to comply with “local sensibilities”, since it doesn’t affect the plot.
However, Pixar employees had earlier penned a letter complaining that Disney corporate executives were censoring “nearly every moment of overtly gay affection” in their projects.
We at Pixar have personally witnessed beautiful stories, full of diverse characters, come back from Disney corporate reviews shaved down to crumbs of what they once were.
Nearly every moment of overtly gay affection is cut at Disney’s behest, regardless of when there is protest from both the creative teams and executive leadership at Pixar.
Disney caved to the pressure, and decided not to censor the kiss from Lightyear. And so, all those countries refused to grant a licence to screen the movie in theatres.
Chris Evans, who voiced Buzz Lightyear in this prequel, labelled such objections as “frustrating”.
It’s great that we are a part of something that’s making steps forward in the social inclusion capacity.
But it’s frustrating that there are still places that aren’t where they should be.
He also told Variety magazine that he was frustrated that news coverage of the movie would be focused on such an issue :
It’s tough to not be a little frustrated that it even has to be a topic of discussion. That it is this kind of ‘news.’
The goal is that we can get to a point where it is the norm, and that this doesn’t have to be some uncharted waters, that eventually this is just the way it is.
Taika Waititi, who voices the character of Mo Morrison in the film, added :
We’re hoping for a time when we don’t even have to have this conversation. We can watch a movie and we don’t even have to bat an eyelid.
We don’t have to think ‘Oh wow, weird’. It’s not weird, it’s normal and it should be normalised.
Whenever you have these small steps that studios are making – sometimes they may feel small but also, they are steps – and it’s steps towards normalising humanity and love. I really feel sorry for countries who don’t want this film because of a tiny, weird little thing like that
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Is there a gang of robbers pretending to be Home Affairs officers from the government?!
Find out what’s going on, and what the FACTS really are!
Claim : Robbers Are Pretending To Be Home Affairs Officers!
People are sharing messages warning of a gang of robbers pretending to be Home Affairs officers, together with a picture purportedly of one of these robbers.
Here are two versions of the viral warnings being shared on WhatsApp and Facebook :
High Security Alert:
Beware, one group is going from house to house pretending to be a Home Affairs Officer. They have the documents and the letterhead of the department of the home ministry and claim they have to confirm that everyone has a valid identity card for the upcoming census.
They are looting houses. Note that there is no such initiative from the government. Send this to your neighborhood group chat. They are everywhere, and they look presentable. Please alert your family and friends.
A person comes to your home and says I want to take your photo / thumbprint under some schemes. They have a laptop, a biometric machine and a list of all the names. They are showing a list and asking for all this information. It has been pointed out that all this is bogus. Don’t give them any information.
Everyone should be alert and BE AWARE‼️
Security Alert from Police: Be warned, there is a group going to homes and pretending to be officials from home affairs.
They have documents with the letterhead Department of Home Affairs and claim to be confirming that everyone has a valid ID for the upcoming elections.
They are robbing homes. Take note there is no initiative like that from the government.
Send this on your neighbourhood group chat. They are everywhere and they look presentable.
Makluman Keselamatan dari pihak Polis:
Berhati-hatilah, ada sekumpulan penyangak pergi ke rumah dan berpura-pura menjadi pegawai dari urusan rumah.
Mereka mempunyai dokumen dengan surat dari kementerian dalam negeri dan mengaku mengesahkan bahawa setiap orang mempunyai kad pengenalan yang sah untuk pilihan raya akan datang.
Mereka sebenarnya ingin merompak rumah. Perhatikan bahawa tidak ada inisiatif seperti itu dari pemerintah.
Hantar ini pada group whatsapp kejiranan anda. Mereka berada di mana-mana dan kelihatan kemas rapi seperti seorang pegawai.
安全警告：警察局警告說，有一群人逐家逐戶拍門，假裝是 「Department of Home Affairs] [內政部]官員。他們持有[內政部】 信箋的文件，並聲稱 要確認每個人都有一個有效的身份證件，為即將舉行的選舉預備。他們其實是入屋打劫。注意，政府沒有没有這個行動。請轉發到您的鄰居，朋友群聊。這班人無處不在，看起來好大方得體。請小心。
Home Affairs wishes to warn members of the community of a group of individuals visiting homes and pretending to be officials from the Department.
They carry with them documents with letterheads purportedly from Home Affairs and claim to be confirming the validity of IDs for the upcoming elections. These individuals are criminals who rob households once they gain entry. There is no such initiative from the Department.
Home affairs officials are clearly identifiable by name tags. We will announce household visits through official
government channels
This warning was only issued in South Africa. No government agency from other countries issued similar warnings.
Fact #2 : Warning Transformed Into Fake News
The genuine warning by the South African Department of Home Affairs spread globally, and became fake news in other countries.
Many countries do not have a Department of Home Affairs. Neither do they have government officials going around verifying citizens’ identification cards ahead of any elections.
Even worse – some people took the initiative to modify the warning, and even added pictures of genuine government officials to make the warning look genuine.
Government agencies in many countries – United States, United Kingdom, India, Singapore, Malaysia – have labelled this warning as fake news.
Fact #3 : Malaysian Immigration Officer Was Victimised
In July 2021, a Malaysian immigration officer bore the brunt of netizen outrage when he was falsely identified as a fake Home Affairs officer – his picture was shared on social media and WhatsApp together with the warning.
The Malaysia Immigration Department and the Royal Malaysia Police announced on 13 July 2021, that the man in the photo was a genuine Immigration officer.
According to Ampang District Police Chief, ACP Mohamad Farouk Ishak, the Immigration officer was conducting an official investigation into an individual staying at a house in Pandan Indah, Ampang.
The Immigration officer introduced himself and inform the residents of the purpose of his visit. The 60 year-old Malaysian homeowner who hosted the Immigration officer during his inspection also lodged a police report over the matter.
From the picture, you can clearly see that the officer was wearing a t-shirt with the Immigration Department HQ logo, and carried an Immigration Malaysia badge as well.
Fact #4 : No Actual Robbery Cases Were Reported
Even though the South African Department of Home Affairs issued the warning twice, it is unknown if there are really robbers pretending to be their officers to gain entry into homes.
Ironically, acting Director-General Thulani Mavuso claimed that the South African Department of Home Affairs never actually received any complaint about such crimes :
Home Affairs has not received any complaint of this nature from members of the public. People who are aware of such an activity, depending on it veracity, are advised to report it to the police.
We reiterate our message that Home Affairs officials do not and will not come to your homes to validate IDs.
It sounds like the South African Department of Home Affairs were proactively warning people about the possibility, not reporting on actual cases.
Fact #5 : Safer For Robbers To Rob Empty Houses
Robbers generally prefer NOT to rob homes while their occupants are still inside. Not only could the occupants fight back, they would become witnesses to the crime and help the police identify them!
It would be much safer to gain entry into a house after its occupants have left.
Fact #6 : There Are Other Ways To Gain Entry
Robbers who prefer to gain entry through this method do not need to pretend to be Home Affairs officers.
They can pretend to be other government officials, like a police officer or an immigration officer. They can also pretend to be utility workers, the mailman or a deliveryman.
There is no particular advantage in pretending to be a Home Affairs officer.
Please help us fight fake news – SHARE this article, and SUPPORT our work!
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
zFind out what Monkeypox is all about, and whether it is a new viral infection we have to worry about!
Monkeypox : What You Need To Know
People are now worried about the rapid spread of monkeypox globally, with cases in at least 20 countries outside of Africa.
Here are some facts about monkeypox that you should know…
Monkeypox Is Different From COVID-19
First, let me just clearly state this – the monkeypox virus is completely different from the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19.
The monkeypox virus is a double-stranded DNA virus from the Orthopoxvirus genus in the Poxviridae family. It is closely related to the smallpox virus (variola)
The SARS-CoV-2 virus is a single-stranded RNA virus from the Betacoronavirus genus in the Coronaviridae family. It is closely related to the SARS virus (SARS-CoV-1).
Monkeypox Is A Zoonotic Disease
Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease that is primarily carried and spread by animals, especially primates.
It was first discovered in monkeys in 1958, giving rise to the name – monkeypox. The first human case was only reported in 1970.
Monkeypox Is Getting More Common
The monkeypox virus used to be a relatively rare zoonotic virus, with about 400 human infections reported from 1970 to 1986 that were mostly limited to Central and West Africa.
It is becoming more common though, with 2000 cases per year reported between 2011 and 2014. Several small outbreaks in the US (2003 and 2021), UK (2018 and 2021), and Singapore (2019) were also reported.
In the current 2022 outbreak, over 200 confirmed cases of monkeypox have been reported in 21 countries.
The monkeypox virus are generally transmitted through these methods :
animal-to-human : close contact, scratches or bites, or direct contact with bodily fluids
human-to-human : respiratory droplets or contact with bodily fluids or fomites (contaminated surfaces)
The virus enters the body through broken skin and the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and mouth.
Risk factors for human transmission include sharing the same bed or room with an infected person, as well as having sexual intercourse or sharing utensils.
Monkeypox is not as easily transmitted as COVID-19, but has a significantly higher mortality rate depending on the strain :
West African strain : 1% to 3%
Central African strain : 10%
Fortunately, the infections in the 2022 monkeypox outbreak are of the less virulent West African strain.
How A Monkeypox Infection Progresses
After infection, the incubation period is usually 7-14 days, but can vary from 5-21 days.
The patient will start experiencing general symptoms like fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion.
Within 1-3 days though, the patient will develop lesions in the mouth, before they appear on the face and then spread to other parts of the body.
The first lesions appear on the tongue and in the mouth
A macular rash (flat, discoloured) then appears on the face, before spreading to the arms and legs and then hands and feet.
The macular rash will typically spread to the entire body within 24 hours, but is most concentrated on the face, arms and legs.
By the third day of the rash, the lesions will develop into elevated and palpable papules.
By the fourth to fifth day of the rash, the lesions will become fluid-filled vesicles.
By the sixth to seventh day, the vesicles will become pustular (filled with pus).
The pustules will be round and firm, with a depression in the centre, for the next 5-7 days.
By the end of the second week, the pustules will scab over for about a week before falling off.
Only after ALL of the scabs have fallen off is a person considered no longer contagious.
After the scabs have fallen off, the affected skin may appear pale before becoming dark marks, sometimes becoming pitted scars.
Monkeypox : Testing, Treatment + Prevention
Monkeypox Testing
Confirmation of a monkeypox infection is based on the detection of its viral DNA through real-time or conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
The doctor will swab the lesions and/or exudate and/or crusts, which is different from how samples are collected for COVID-19 tests.
Monkeypox Treatment
There is currently no proven treatment for monkeypox infections, which will generally resolve over 2-4 weeks.
Patient care is usually supportive in nature (antipyretic medicine, fluid balance and oxygenation), but in severe cases, several antiviral treatments can be attempted :
Cidofovir and Brincidofovir (CMX001), which have proven activity against poxviruses in laboratory and animal studies.
Tecovirimat (ST-246), which was shown in animal studies to be effective in treating orthopoxvirus-induced disease.
Vaccinia Immune Globulin (VIG)
I should point out that none of these antiviral treatments have been proven to work against monkeypox.
Smallpox Vaccine Can Protect Against Monkeypox
The monkeypox virus is so closely related to the (eradicated) smallpox virus, that the smallpox vaccine can protect against monkeypox.
The smallpox vaccine called JYNNEOS (Imvamune / Imvanex) was earlier proven to be at least 85% effective in preventing monkeypox, and was thus licensed for use against monkeypox. Another smallpox vaccine called ACAM2000 may also be used.
The smallpox vaccine can also be given to those who were just exposed to the virus, to reduce its symptoms.
But please do NOT call up your local clinic to ask for the smallpox vaccine. It has not been available in many countries for decades because smallpox was effectively eradicated in 1980.
Other Preventive Measures
In the absence of the smallpox vaccine, the same measures used to avoid COVID-19 can be adopted to also avoid monkeypox :
Avoid contact with animals that can harbour the virus, particular animals that are sick or have been found dead
Avoid contact with infected monkeypox patients and their close contacts
Avoid contact with objects or surfaces that have been in contact with a sick person / animal
Use personal protective equipment (PPE) while caring for patients – N95 face mask, face shield, etc.
Practice good hand hygiene, washing with soap and water, or an alcohol-based hand sanitiser
Monkeypox Isolation
Monkeypox patients must be isolated either in a hospital or at home, until all lesions are clear with a fresh layer of skin.
Close contact with other people should be avoided until all scabs have dropped off, which usually takes 2-4 weeks.
I hope you found this article useful. Please share it with your family and friends, and support our work! Thank you!
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
Credit Card / Paypal : https://paypal.me/techarp
Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Is Hunter Biden trapped in the bunkers under the Azovstal steel plant, together with several NATO generals?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Hunter Biden Is Trapped In Azovstal With NATO Generals!
People are sharing an article by a Singaporean blogger Chua Chin Leng, who calls himself redbean and claims that Hunter Biden is trapped in the Azovstal bunkers together with several NATO generals.
His article is long and rambling, so feel free to skip to the next section for the facts!
Mariupol is a top secret American facility in Ukraine, housing bioweapon labs and all the top brass of Nato, planning and command HQ for Nato troops to attack Russia. It once housed something like 6,000 secretive soldiers in it.
Trump actually knew about this and was trying to expose it to bring down Biden and his son, who is the key member and owner of this project and facility. Trump could not say it out himself but needed the investigators to expose it against Biden.
There are many top military, scientific and political personalities inside this top secret fortress underground, now turning into a mouse trap with all the mice in it and in the hands of Putin. This is the biggest and most valuable catch of the Russians and a trump card that Putin can use to skin the Americans slowly.
The Americans are so desperate to want the top brass in the mouse trap out and are bringing everyone of importance to talk to Putin. The UN Sec Gen Gutteres has gone to see Putin for their release. Austin, Blinken and even Pelosi, have been to Kiev to get Zelensky to put in more effort and tag this as top priority item.
Zelensky now has offered to exchange all Russian POWs for the top brass in the Steel Plant. Rumours are speculating that the big fish could be Biden’s son, Canada’s top army general, top bioweapons scientists, top Nato generals etc etc that are so important that they risked several helicopters to bring them out but all got shot down. Not to forget, the top brass of the neo Nazi anti Jew Azov regiment.
The revelation of the identities of the big fish inside the Mariupol mouse trap would be so embarrassing to the Americans and AngloSaxon and Nato countries that all the people inside are as good as persona non grata. They have disowned them and did not want to have anything to do with them as this would confirm their crimes and ill intent against Russia, an act of war. Sneaky Canada quickly announced that the general had retired on 5 Apr, no longer the top Canadian general in service.
As the American and AngloSaxon tribes are panicking, Putin is sitting comfortably in Moscow enjoying the show. Putin is in no hurry to release the mice in his mouse trap. The presence of American and AngloSaxon top brass in a deadly war machine on the border of Russia with an evil intent to attack Russia is unacceptable and unforgiveable. The evilness of the AngloSaxon tribe would be exposed to the whole world, of their savage instinct and intent to break up Russia and terminate the Russians.
Putin now would have more reasons to want to nuke the Americans and Europe. The rest of the world that have not been sucked into this evil AngloSaxon scheme should enjoy watching and stay neutral. What is inside the Mariupol mouse trap could set off WW3. Trump is waiting eagerly for this to be exposed to bring down Biden and his son. Compare to Biden and his son, Trump is like an angel.
Truth : Hunter Biden Is NOT Trapped In Azovstal With NATO Generals!
This is yet another example of pro-Russia FAKE NEWS, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Mariupol Is A City
Chua Chin Leng (aka redbean) is apparently unaware that Mariupol is a city, not an American facility.
If he was referring to Azovstal, that is a steel manufacturing complex built in Mariupol by the Soviet Union in the 1930s.
Fact #2 : Azovstal Bunkers Were Built By Soviet Union
The bunkers and tunnels under the Azovstal plant complex were built during the Cold War by the Soviet Union, to “safeguard the steel plant’s 40,000 workers in the event of a nuclear attack”.
These bunkers are not special. There are plenty of similar bunkers across Ukraine, and other ex-Soviet countries, and of course, Russia.
Fact #3 : Trump Did Not know About Azovstal
If there was truly a top secret American facility housing 6,000 NATO troops under Azovstal, Trump would have known about it while he was President.
But there is ZERO EVIDENCE he even heard of Azovstal or Mariupol, and absolutely NO EVIDENCE that there is such a facility housing NATO troops, or serving as its headquarters.
There is nothing for Trump to “expose” either. If there was any evidence, he would have exposed it all while he was US President, just to prevent Biden from winning the election.
Fact #4 : Mariupol Is Very Close To Russian Territory
Chua Chin Leng (aka redbean) laughably claimed that the top secret American facility housed 6,000 soldiers, and is the planning and command HQ for NATO troops planning to attack Russia.
It would be idiotic for NATO to establish their headquarters so close to Russian territory and occupied Crimea, well within range of artillery and airstrikes.
In fact, Mariupol was one of the first cities to be attacked in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and completely surrounded after less than 3 weeks.
Fact #5 : Ukraine Is Not Part Of NATO
Chua Chin Leng (aka redbean) is apparently unaware that Ukraine is not a NATO member. That is precisely why why NATO cannot send its troops to help defend Ukraine.
While NATO has helped Ukraine train its soldiers as a partner nation, it does not have bases or facilities in Ukraine.
Fact #6 : There Are No NATO Troops In Ukraine
NATO has confirmed on several occasions there there are no NATO soldiers or leaders in Ukraine. Even those who were sent to advise or train Ukrainian troops were evacuated when Russia invaded Ukraine.
LANDCOM Deputy Public Affairs Officer, Major Brian Andries, recently confirmed this again :
While NATO nations are sending financial and military aid to Ukraine, no NATO soldiers or leaders are deployed to the country.
Fact #7 : There Are No NATO Personnel Trapped In Azovstal
Chua Chin Leng (aka redbean) laughably claimed that there are “many top military, scientific and political personalities” trapped inside this “top secret fortress“.
He even called it the “biggest and most valuable catch” for the Russians and “a trump card that Putin can use to skin the Americans slowly“.
That’s nothing more than a fantasy that has been circulating amongst the pro-Russia and pro-CCP blogs and groups, with ZERO EVIDENCE.
As of 6 May 2022, there are perhaps 2,000 Ukrainian soldiers and a few hundred civilians trapped in the tunnels and bunkers under the Azovstal steelworks.
Fact #8 : There Was Plenty Of Time To Evacuate NATO Personnel
Even if there were NATO personnel in Azovstal (there were not), they would have had 2-3 weeks to escape Mariupol before the Russians surrounded the city.
It would be illogical for Western military, scientific and politicians to stay in Mariupol, never mind hunker down in the Azovstal bunkers. Whatever for?
There were also several occasions in which civilians were allowed to evacuate the city and the Azovstal steelworks. No NATO personnel were spotted amongst them.
Fact #9 : No Helicopters Were Shot Down During Rescue Attempts
Chua Chin Leng (aka redbean) falsely claimed (intentionally?) that NATO lost several helicopters trying to rescue Hunter Biden and top NATO generals who were trapped under Azovstal.
The truth is – NATO sent no helicopters to rescue anyone from the Azovstal steel plant. They certainly did not lose any helicopters during the non-existent rescue operation.
Fact #10 : Ukrainian Soldiers Refused To Surrender
Chua Chin Leng (aka redbean) falsely claimed (intentionally?) that NATO tried to rescue “the top brass of the neo Nazi anti Jew Azov regiment”.
The truth is the Ukrainian soldiers holed up in the Azovstal steel plant has repeatedly refused to surrender, or leave Mariupol even when it was possible to do so.
The commander and deputy commander of the Azov regiment publicly refused on many occasions to leave Mariupol, stating that as long as they are still there, “Mariupol remains under control of Ukraine”.
Fact #11 : Hunter Biden Is Not In Ukraine
Chua Chin Leng (aka redbean) laughably and falsely claimed (intentionally?) that Hunter Biden could be one of those trapped in the Azovstal bunkers.
Hunter Biden was publicly seen at the White House Easter Egg Roll on 18 April 2022 – more than 2 weeks before Chuan Chin Leng posted his article.
That would mean Chua Chin Leng is either incredibly ignorant, or he is intentionally trying to mislead you.
Let me be clear – Hunter Biden is not trapped in a bunker under the Azovstal steel plant. He is still in the United States.
There isn’t even a logical reason for Hunter Biden to go to Ukraine, much less Mariupol or the Azovstal steel plant.
Hunter Biden, the son of US President Joe Biden, is seen during the annual White House Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC on April 18, 2022. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Fact #12 : Canadian General Cadieu Is Not In Azovstal Either
Chua Chin Leng (aka redbean) also claimed, without evidence, that Canada’s top army general is also trapped in the Azovstal bunkers.
That is quite impossible because former Lieutenant-General Trevor Cadieu only left for Ukraine after he resigned from the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF).
By the time he was able to leave for Ukraine, the city of Mariupol had already been surrounded by Russian forces for about 3 weeks.
Not only would it be impossible for Cadieu to get into Mariupol, it would be pointless. What use would a general be in the tunnels under Azovstal?
Chua Chin Leng (aka redbean) also falsely claimed (intentionally?) that NATO intended to attack Russia from Mariupol.
NATO did not plan to invade Russia. Not even Russia dare to claim that as a reason for invading Ukraine.
Russia invaded Ukraine, ostensibly to “denazify the country”, not because NATO was preparing to invade Russia.
Fact #14 : You Can’t Invade Russia With 6,000 Soldiers
Laughably, Chua Chin Leng (aka redbean) claimed that NATO inserted 6,000 soldiers into their Mariupol base to invade Russia.
Think about how ridiculous that is. What could those 6,000 troops do against Russia, which has over a million active duty military personnel?
We should note that Russia deployed no less than 130,000 troops to invade Ukraine, and even they were forced to retreat from Kyiv!
Chua Chin Leng should spend his time drinking red bean soup, and leave geopolitics and the military to people who actually know something about either.
Unfortunately, many pro-Russian and pro-CCP groups are sharing his stupid article on WhatsApp, Telegram, Twitter and Facebook.
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out!
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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Is Malaysia preparing to break Western sanctions, and supply Russia with electronics and semiconductors?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Malaysia Preparing To Supply Russia With Semiconductors!
People are sharing a GizChina article that claims that Malaysia is preparing to supply Russia with electronics and semiconductors against Western sanctions!
Here is what the article says… It’s long so please feel free to skip to the next section for the facts…
It looks like Malaysia is prepping to supply electronics and semiconductors to Russia amid the country’s invasion of Ukraine. This piece of information has been confirmed by the Malaysian Ambassador to the Russian Federation, Bala Chandran Tharman.
He announced that the Southeast Asian country will consider any requests from Russia for providing electronics, as well as semiconductors. Notably, this comes at a time when Western countries are sparing no effort to single out Russia after its gratuitous attack on Ukraine.
Aside from this, Multiple Asian tech giants have been imposing sanctions in a bid to isolate Russia. Following in the footsteps of Huawei, Chinese company BOE recently clarified it does not have a production line in Russia. However, there are still some countries that aren’t willing to wreak havoc on their relationship with Russia.
Now, Malaysia said it will not shy away from supplying electronics and semiconductors to Russia if it needs them. To recall, Bala Chandran even confirmed that Malaysian financial institutions will join the Russian financial messaging system, provided they meet specific criteria.
Tharman told Sputnik (via The Edge Market) that all partner countries that are doing business with Russia are now looking into opportunities to take the business forward. Now, Bala Chandran said Malaysia will investigate Russia’s request for semiconductors and electronics.
Aside from this, he pointed out that the Malaysian economy is market-driven. So, the country will unhesitatingly take any request for products from Russia into consideration. However, Bala Chandran clarified that he isn’t aware of any ongoing conversations at the government level.
Last month, Taiwan said that Malaysia can play a vital role in ending the global shortage of auto semiconductors, and specifically ease the challenge related to auto semiconductors packaging. Notably, the ambassador said he is glad people consider Malaysia as a potential high-tech equipment supplier to Russia.
Furthermore, he even hinted at a potential business-to-business association with the Russian Federation. Malaysia is a major exporter of semiconductors, offering a volume of $8.7 billion every year.
Moreover, Malaysia’s electronics sector incorporates more than 6 percent of the country’s GDP. Since Malaysia is a trade state, the ambassador claims that the country’s business sector will acknowledge products’ demand and supply in the global market.
The country will actively respond to the requirement of electronic gadgets, respond, and semiconductors in the global market. To recall, both Malaysia and Vietnam do not support sanctions on Russia. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, Western countries imposed harsh sanctions on Moscow.
Truth : Malaysia NOT Preparing To Supply Russia With Semiconductors!
The truth is – GizChina made up this story, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Mahathir Is No Longer Prime Minister Of Malaysia
GizChina does not seem to be aware that Dr. Mahathir Mohamad has not been the Prime Minister of Malaysia since he stepped down on 24 February 2020.
They hilariously used the photo of Dr. Mahathir with Russian President Vladimir Putin that was taken at the 33rd ASEAN Summit in Singapore, in 2018.
Mahathir wasn’t even mentioned in their article. They could have used a photo of the Malaysian Ambassador to Russia, Bala Chandran Tharman…
Please don’t tell them they thought that this was a picture of the Malaysian Ambassador to Russia with Putin…
Fact #2 : GizChina Offered No Evidence
GizChina offered ZERO evidence that Malaysia is preparing to go against Western sanctions, and supply Russia with semiconductors.
The writer, Vinay Patel, claimed that “this piece of information has been confirmed by the Malaysian ambassador to the Russian Federation, Bala Chandran Tharman“.
However, he offered no evidence to back up that claim. There was no link to any statement, or a quote of Bala Chandran confirming that Malaysia would be supplying Russia with semiconductors.
Fact #3 : Bala Chandran Did Not Say Malaysia Will Supply Russia With Semiconductors
Despite other sources claiming that Bala Chandran made that claim to RIA Novosti and Sputnik News, I could find no reference in their official websites.
The only legitimate news source I could find was a Bernama report on 23 April 2022, which stated :
In another development, Bala Chandran believes Malaysia would consider an opportunity to sell semiconductors and electronics to Russia.
“The Malaysian industry is market-oriented and I am absolutely sure that any request from the Russian party concerning such products will be considered,” the ambassador said.
He stressed that he was not aware of any current talks on the issues between the two countries.
Bala Chandran, as far as I can tell, never said that Malaysia would go against Western sanctions, and actually supply Russia with semiconductors.
He only said that “Malaysia would consider” the “opportunity to sell semiconductors and electronics to Russia“.
This is no different from a lady telling you that “she would consider” going out on a date with you. That could possibly happen, but it does NOT mean she actually agreed to go out on a date with you.
Fact #4 : Malaysia Is A Democracy With A Market Economy
Bala Chandran also pointed out that the Malaysian market is “market-oriented“. Malaysia has a market economy, and is not controlled by the government.
Malaysia is also a democratic country, not an autocratic / authoritarian state like China, where the government has massive power to control private / public enterprises.
In short, the Malaysian government cannot and does not dictate who Malaysian companies should sell to. Even if Malaysia wanted to sell semiconductors to Russia, it cannot simply order companies to do so.
Bala Chandran also clarified, he isn’t aware of any ongoing conversations at the government level. In other words, the Malaysian government itself has made no effort to sell or market semiconductors to Russia.
Fact #5 : Malaysia Does Not Own Semiconductor Companies
Malaysia has a number of homegrown semiconductor companies that provide critical support to multinational corporations like Intel, AMD, Agilent, Renata, Osram, Infineon and Broadcom.
However, they are private and public-listed companies and not owned by the Malaysian government, or beholden to it. Practically all of them have ties to Western companies that have to comply with Western sanctions against Russia.
Therefore, the Malaysian government cannot dictate who these companies should supply their products and services to. It can only say that “any request from the Russian party concerning such products will be considered“, and nothing more.
Fact #6 : Even Chinese Companies Are Avoiding Russia
Despite China coming out against economic sanctions imposed on Russia, Chinese companies are studiously avoiding breaking Western sanctions.
Even Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, explicitly said that “China is not a party to the crisis, nor does it want the sanctions to affect China.”
Companies placed under US sanctions, for example, will have all of their US assets and banned from trading with US companies.
If China does not dare to break Western sanctions against Russia, do you really expect Malaysia to break them? Do you expect private and public-listed companies to break Western sanctions?
As a warning shot, Singapore electronics wholesaler Alexsong Pte Ltd. was placed under US sanctions for facilitating “transactions that helped Russia evade sanctions“.
The truth is, for most companies, the Russian market is much too small to risk losing access to Western markets, capital and technologies.
Variants of this FAKE NEWS are now being shared in pro-Russia and pro-China websites.
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
The Chinese medicine Lianhua Qingwen is finally tumbling over concerns about its efficacy against COVID-19.
Find out why it has apparently fallen out of favour with the Chinese government!
Lianhua Qingwen Maker Plunged 10% Over Efficacy Questions
Traditional Chinese medicine company Shijiazhuang Yiling Pharmaceutical saw its shares skyrocket by over 260% since the COVID-19 pandemic started.
Driving its meteoric rise was its Lianhua Qingwen capsules, sales of which eventually accounted for 42% of their revenue.
That came to a halt on Monday, 18 April 2022, when its shares fell by the maximum daily limit of 10%, over questions of Lianhua Qingwen’s efficacy against COVID-19.
On 13 April 2022, Wang Sicong – a Chinese internet influencer, and son of Dalian Wanda Group chairman, Wang Jianlin, posted a video on Weibo questioning the efficacy of Lianhua Qingwen against COVID-19.
He pointed out that the World Health Organisation (WHO) never recommended using Lianhua Qingwen to treat COVID-19. That slashed the market value of Shijiazhuang Yiling Pharmaceutical by $1.05 billion on Friday, 15 April 2022.
Then on Sunday, 17 April 2022, the Chinese health platform Dingxiang Yisheng published an article advising the public not to take it to prevent COVID-19.
That triggered a sell-off that saw its market value plunge by the maximum daily limit of 10% in Shenzhen the next day.
Lianhua Qingwen NOT Proven To Work Against COVID-19
Lianhua Qingwen has been heavily promoted by the Chinese government and the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛), leading to massive sales in the global Chinese diaspora.
It then gained oversized importance when both Hong Kong and Shanghai distributed boxes of these capsules to help stave off the surge of COVID-19 in both cities.
Yet, the mass distribution of Lianhua Qingwen has done nothing to stop the spread of COVID-19 in both cities.
That’s because there never was any evidence that Lianhua Qingwen can treat or prevent COVID-19.
Its main “call to fame” was a small Chinese study conducted early during the pandemic, which showed that it had only a modest effect on symptom recovery :
time to recover from fever : 2 days, instead of 3 days
time to recover from fatigue : 3 days, instead of 6 days
time to recover from coughing : 7 days, instead of 10 days
There was NO DIFFERENCE in the viral load, or the risk of developing severe COVID-19.
In other words – Lianhua Qingwen only helped to reduce symptoms, and was no different from taking over-the-counter drugs like paracetamol.
However, it was far more expensive, and had potential side effects from long-term use and counterfeit products capitalising on the hype.
The medicine could cause side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and rash.
Fang Bangjiang, doctor from Long Hua Hospital of the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, said that Lianhua Qingwen has complex ingredients and is mainly suitable for COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms of fever and pneumonia but unsuitable for prevention.
Its ingredients will affect the renal system.
Lianhua Qingwen, incidentally, is nothing more than a mix of common herbs :
None of its ingredients have been proven to cure COVID-19, although poor quality studies have demonstrated that it is effective in reducing fever. Again, you would get the same effect from the much cheaper and easier-to-obtain paracetamol…
And yes, Forsythia was the fake herbal cure promoted by Jude Law’s character – Alan Krumwiede in the medical thriller – Contagion.
Despite longstanding warnings by health authorities like Singapore’s HSA that Lianhua Qingwen cannot treat or prevent COVID-19, it continues to rack up sales amongst the Chinese diaspora globally.
Credit definitely goes towards active Chinese government promotion, and misinformation created and shared by the Chinese wumao and pro-China activists.
There is no scientific evidence from randomised clinical trials to show that any herbal product, including Lianhua Qingwen products, can be used to prevent or treat COVID-19.
Interestingly, official Chinese outlets like Global Times have now published articles about Shijiazhuang Yiling Pharmaceutical’s downfall.
In addition, the Chinese government did not censor Wang Sicong’s Weibo video or the Dingxiang Yisheng article.
That suggests that the Chinese government is looking for someone to blame for their failure to contain the massive outbreak of COVID-19 in Shanghai, and Lianhua Qingwen appears to be the perfect scapegoat for their failing Zero COVID policy.
It is sad, but enlightening, to see that the myth of Lianhua Qingwen is finally being broken only because the Chinese government decided to throw it under the bus.
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Here are the LATEST air travel procedures and SOP for those who are flying to Malaysia!
Updated @ 2022-04-12 : Added RTK-Ag option for Singaporean travellers, RTK-Ag testing requirement for transit to Sabah / Sarawak, and other updates Updated @ 2022-03-31 : Added new updates to the air travel procedures Updated @ 2022-03-25 : Added the air travel procedures Originally posted @ 2022-01-24
Malaysia Air Travel Test + Quarantine SOP From 1 April 2022!
On 9 March 2022, the Malaysia Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, announced that new quarantine rules for travellers to Malaysia.
These COVID-19 test and quarantine rules take effect from Friday, 1 April 2022 onwards.
But there have been a few updates, so check the latest requirements below!
A. Travellers Undergoing Quarantine : Immediate Release!
For travellers who started undergoing quarantine prior to 1 April 2022, their quarantine orders will be rescinded on 1 April 2022.
They will no longer be under quarantine on 1 April 2022, irrespective of when they started their quarantine.
B. Children + Teenagers : No Quarantine!
Children and teenagers who are 17 years old or younger do NOT need to undergo quarantine, irrespective of their vaccination status.
Only children and teenagers 7-17 years old need to undergo :
a PCR test within 48 hours before departure to Malaysia, and
a professional RTK-Ag test within 24 hours of arrival in Malaysia.
Children who are less than 7 years old do not need to undergo any PCR test before departure, or after arrival in Malaysia.
C. Travellers From Singapore : No Quarantine!
Travellers from Singapore do NOT need to undergo quarantine, irrespective of their vaccination status. However, travellers 7 years and older age need to undergo :
a PCR or professional RTK-Ag test within 48 hours before departure to Malaysia
Children who are less than 7 years old do not need to undergo any PCR or RTK-Ag test before departure.
And all travellers from Singapore are exempt from testing after arrival in Malaysia.
D. Vaccinated Adults : No Quarantine!
Fully-vaccinated adults (18 years and older), with or without a booster dose, do NOT need to undergo quarantine on arrival in Malaysia. However, they must undergo :
a PCR test within 48 hours before departure to Malaysia, and
a professional RTK-Ag test within 24 hours of arrival in Malaysia.
E. Vaccinated + Post COVID-19 : No Quarantine!
Fully-vaccinated individuals who recovered from COVID-19 (infected in the last 6-60 days) do NOT need to undergo quarantine on arrival in Malaysia.
However, if they were not hospitalised, they must undergo :
a professional RTK-Ag test within 48 hours before departure to Malaysia, and
a professional RTK-Ag test within 24 hours of arrival in Malaysia.
If they were hospitalised, they can use a Fit To Travel letter from the hospital.
F. Unvaccinated with Medical Exemption : No Quarantine!
Unvaccinated individuals with a medical exemption will be allowed, on a case-by-case basis, to travel to Malaysia without a mandatory quarantine.
However, they must undergo :
a PCR test within 48 hours before departure to Malaysia, and
a professional RTK-Ag test within 24 hours of arrival in Malaysia.
G. Unvaccinated Adults : 5 Day Quarantine
Adult travellers (18 years and older) who are not fully-vaccinated, or completely unvaccinated, must :
undergo a 5-day mandatory quarantine on arrival in Malaysia, and
undergo a PCR test on Day 4, or a professional RTK-Ag test on Day 5.
After completing their quarantine, these travellers must comply with existing restrictions on individuals who lack the Fully Vaccinated status in Malaysia. For example, they will not be able to dine-in at restaurants.
Travellers who are exempt from vaccination for health reasons must upload the evidence of medical exemption into the MySejahtera app.
H. Unvaccinated + Post COVID-19 : 5 Day Quarantine
Unvaccinated individuals who recovered from COVID-19 (infected in the last 6-60 days) must:
undergo a 5-day mandatory quarantine on arrival in Malaysia, and
undergo a PCR test on Day 4, or a professional RTK-Ag test on Day 5.
If they were not hospitalised, they must undergo :
a professional RTK-Ag test within 48 hours before departure to Malaysia, and
a professional RTK-Ag test within 24 hours of arrival in Malaysia.
If they were hospitalised, they can use a Fit To Travel letter from the hospital.
Latest Malaysia Air Travel Procedure From 1 April 2022!
On 24 March 2022, the Malaysia Ministry of Health issued the official procedure for travellers who arrive by air, that will take effect from 1 April 2022 onwards.
Before Departure
Download the MySejahtera app, and register for your MySejahtera account.
Click on the Traveller icon in MySejahtera, and complete the pre-departure form
a) fully-vaccinated travellers will receive a Digital Traveller’s Card
b) partially vaccinated / unvaccinated travellers will receive a Digital Home Surveillance Order (HSO).
All travellers 7 years and above must undergo a PCR test 2 days before departure.
Travellers from Singapore can opt for either a PCR test or a professional RTK-Ag test 2 days before departure.
Those who had a previous COVID-19 infection (within 6-60 days before departure) must undergo a professional RTK-Ag test 2 days before departure, or alternatively, have a Free-To-Travel letter if they were hospitalised for COVID-19 during that time.
Non-Malaysian citizens (except Singaporean citizens) must purchase travel and COVID-19 insurance worth at least US$20,000.
Partially-vaccinated or unvaccinated Singaporean citizens must purchase travel and COVID-19 insurance worth at least US$20,000.
On Arrival
All travellers 7 years and above must undergo a professional RTK-Ag test within 24 hours of arrival in Malaysia.
a) this professional RTK-Ag test can be performed at any health facility of your choice
b) COVID-19 breathalyser / professional RTK-Ag tests are available at the airport
c) Cost of on-arrival RTK-Ag test must be borne by the travellers.
Children below the age of 7, and travellers from Singapore are exempted from the on-arrival test.
Partially-vaccinated / unvaccinated travellers must undergo a mandatory 5-day quarantine.
IMPORTANT : Travellers transiting through Malaysian international airports to Sabah or Sarawak must undergo professional RTK-Ag at the airport, before departing.
Testing Positive On Arrival
If you test positive on arrival, you must undergo a mandatory quarantine of :
Fully vaccinated : 7 days
Partially vaccinated / unvaccinated : 10 days
Testing Positive During Quarantine
If you are a partially vaccinated / unvaccinated traveller, you will need to undergo a 5-day quarantine, and get tested on Day 4 (PCR) or Day 5 (RTK-Ag).
If you test positive on Day 4 or Day 5, your quarantine will get extended for 5 more days.
Malaysia Air Travel Test + Quarantine SOP : Summary
To make it easier to compare the myriad air travel requirements to Malaysia, I created this table to summarise the key requirements.
Vaccination Status
Pre-Departure
On Arrival
Additional Test or Quarantine
Child (< 7 Years) *
No Test Required
No Test
No Quarantine
Travellers From
Singapore
PCR test or
professional
RTK-Ag **
within 2 days
No Test Required
Boosted (≥18 Years)
PCR test
within 2 days
Professional
RTK-Ag
within 24 hours
of arrival On-Arrival
Professional
RTK-Ag
for travellers
transiting to
Sabah or
Sarawak
Fully Vaccinated
Fully Vaccinated
+ Post-COVID-19
(6-60 Days)
Professional
RTK-Ag
within 2 days
or FTT letter **
if hospitalised
Children / Teenagers
(7-17 Years)
PCR test
within 2 days
Not Vaccinated with
Medical Exemption
Partially Vaccinated
or Unvaccinated
Day 4 PCR or
Day 5 RTK 5-Day Quarantine
Partially Vaccinated
or Unvaccinated + Post-COVID-19
(6-60 Days)
Professional
RTK-Ag
within 2 days
or FTT letter **
if hospitalised
* By year of birth
** Also professional RTK-Ag if recovered from COVID-19 infection 6-60 days before departure
*** FTT = Fit To Travel
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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Foreign travellers will need to purchase travel insurance of at least US$20K in value before travelling to Malaysia!
Here is what you need to know…
Foreign Travellers Can Visit Malaysia Without Quarantine!
On 8 March 2022, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Ismail Sabri Yaacob, announced that Malaysia will reopen all international borders on 1 April 2022.
All Malaysian citizens can travel freely internationally, as long as they have valid travel documents.
All foreigners with valid travel documents can freely travel in and out of Malaysia, without apply for MyTravelPass, which will be abolished.
All travellers have to activate MySejahtera, and fill in the Pre-Departure Form using the Traveller option in MySejahtera.
All travellers who are fully-vaccinated with two doses of COVID-19 vaccine do not need to undergo any quarantine.
However, travellers must show a negative RT-PCR test taken within 2 days before departure.
In addition, travellers must undergo a professionally-administered RTK-Ag test within 24 hours of arrival in Malaysia, and report the results in MySejahtera.
Foreign Travellers To Malaysia Must Have US$20K Insurance!
On 30 March 2022, the Ministry of Health dropped a little bombshell just days before Malaysia reopened its international borders.
Starting 1 April 2022, all foreign travellers to Malaysia must purchase COVID-19 and travel insurance with coverage of at least US$20,000 before travelling to Malaysia.
This rule applies to all foreign travellers entering Malaysia on a short-term social pass, irrespective of vaccination status.
Foreign travellers must declare their COVID-19 and travel insurance policy in the MySejahtera app, before travelling to Malaysia.
The COVID-19 and travel insurance policy will be used to pay for any quarantine, treatment or hospitalisation costs, in case they get infected with COVID-19 while in Malaysia.
Only these groups are exempted from the requirement to purchase COVID-19 and travel insurance :
Fully-vaccinated citizens of Singapore or Malaysia
Fully-vaccinated permanent residents of Singapore or Malaysia
Fully-vaccinated Long-term Pass Holders of Singapore or Malaysia
In other words, if you are a Singapore citizen / permanent resident / long-term pass holder who is NOT fully-vaccinated, you must purchase COVID-19 and travel insurance with coverage of at least US$20,000 before travelling to Malaysia.
These insurance exemptions apply to all those who enter Malaysia through Singapore by air, land or sea.
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
1 Week Toll-Free Travel Between Singapore + Malaysia!
To kickstart the reopening of the land border, Malaysia will offer toll-free travel to and from Singapore for one week!
From 1 April until 7 April 2022, the toll fee will be waived on all vehicles travelling via the Johor Causeway (Sultan Iskandar) and the Second Link (Tanjung Kupang).
This toll fee waiver are for Malaysian citizens, who are Touch ‘n Go and SmartTag users, travelling in both directions.
This toll fee waiver is in addition to the Road Charge waiver for Singapore-registered vehicles entering Malaysia at both the Johor Causeway and the Second Link.
PLUS Highway estimates that at least 42,000 vehicles will enter Malaysia through the both locations every day. This toll fee waiver is estimated to benefit over 300,000 cross-border journeys between Malaysia and Singapore.
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Malaysia + Singapore Land Border Travel : Only For Fully-Vaccinated!
Please note that this only applies to FULLY-VACCINATED travellers, who received a full regimen of a COVID-19 vaccine in the WHO Emergency Use Listing.
However, there is good news for those who received a COVID-19 vaccine that is NOT in the WHO Emergency Use Listing. Malaysia will accept these “unapproved” COVID-19 vaccines :
Zifivax : China, Indonesia, Pakistan
Minhai : China, Indonesia
CoviVac : Cambodia, Russia
Median : Taiwan
ZyCoV-D : India
Turkovac : Turkey
Covifenz : Canada
Just make sure you bring the relevant digital or physical COVID-19 vaccination certificate to prove that you are fully-vaccinated!
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
The government of Malaysia just announced the reopening of international borders on 1 April 2022!
Here is what you need to know!
Malaysia Reopens International Borders On 1 April 2022!
On 3 March 2022, the Minister of Defence announced that the 13th Quartet Meeting has agreed in principle to reopen all national borders, based on three basic objectives:
to ensure smooth journeys for travellers,
based on science and the latest facts on COVID-19, and
comparing border reopening requirements with other countries.
This decision was made after the Ministry of Health had a meeting with other ministries and agencies on reopening the borders on Saturday, 26 February 2022.
On 8 March 2022, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Ismail Sabri Yaacob, announced that Malaysia will reopen all international borders on 1 April 2022.
Based on that decision in principle, the Ministry of Health and all relevant ministries and agencies will finalise the protocols for pre-departure and arrival in Malaysia.
But here is what the Prime Minister announced so far :
All Malaysian citizens can travel freely internationally, as long as they have valid travel documents.
All foreigners with valid travel documents can freely travel in and out of Malaysia, without apply for MyTravelPass, which will be abolished.
All travellers have to activate MySejahtera, and fill in the Pre-Departure Form using the Traveller option in MySejahtera.
All travellers who are fully-vaccinated with two doses of COVID-19 vaccine do not need to undergo any quarantine.
However, travellers must show a negative RT-PCR test taken within 2 days before departure.
In addition, travellers must undergo a professionally-administered RTK-Ag test within 24 hours of arrival in Malaysia, and report the results in MySejahtera.
More Malaysia VTL Options In Addition To Reopening Borders
In addition, the Prime Minister announced that they are looking at expanding the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) scheme that allows for quarantine-free travel.
Currently, the VTL scheme is limited to Singapore, but the Prime Minister has announced that two more VTL schemes will soon be implemented :
Malaysia-Thailand VTL,
Malaysia-Brunei VTL, and
Malaysia-Indonesia.
The government is also looking at other countries to add to the VTL scheme.
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
The Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) between Singapore and Malaysia allows for quarantine-free air travel!
Here is our latest guide on the Singapore to Malaysia Vaccinated Travel Lane!
Singapore-Malaysia Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) Announced!
After almost 2 years of border closures, Singapore and Malaysia have agreed to launch a Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) on 8 November 2021.
From 29 November 2021 onwards, fully-vaccinated individuals will be allowed to travel between Changi Airport and KLIA (Kuala Lumpur International Airport).
From 16 March 2021 onwards, fully-vaccinated individuals will be allowed to travel between Changi Airport and PIA (Penang International Airport).
Travellers using this Vaccinated Travel Lane will NOT be required to serve any quarantine or Stay-Home-Notice. They will only be required to take COVID-19 tests!
However, I should point out that this VTL scheme will NOT be cheap, as you will need to undergo several COVID-19 tests.
On 19 November 2021, the Immigration Department of Malaysia released details of the Vaccinated Travel Lane rules for people travelling from Singapore to Malaysia.
On 2 March 2022, the Malaysia Ministry of Health announced that VTL travellers are no longer required to undergo daily COVID-19 tests.
On 4 March 2022, the governments of Singapore and Malaysia announced that the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) programme would expand to include Penang.
Pre-Departure
Travellers must remain in Singapore and/or Malaysia in the last 14 consecutive days.
Travellers must be fully-vaccinated with the full regimen of COVID-19 vaccine recognised by the Ministry of Health Malaysia (KKM), at least two weeks before arrival in Malaysia.
Travellers must book a designated Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) flight into Malaysia.
Travellers must take a separate COVID-19 RT-PCR test within 2 days before departure.
Travellers must download and register the MySejahtera app.
MyTravelPass is not required.
Short-term visitors, including business and official travellers, must : a) apply for visa (if required), b) purchase a return ticket, and c) purchase COVID-19 travel insurance (minimum RM 100,000 coverage)
Check-In
Travellers will need to present these documents at check-in : a) Travel document (passport / electronic visit pass) b) Valid vaccination certificate (physical or electronic) c) Negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test certificate d) MySejahtera app with registered profile
Short-term visitors, including business and official travellers, only will also require to present these at check in : a) visa (if required) b) return ticket c) proof of purchase of COVID-19 travel insurance (physical or electronic)
On Arrival
Take the on-arrival COVID-19 RT-PCR test, and wait 1-3 hours at the designated area in the airport for the test results.
After obtaining a negative RT-PCR test result, proceed to the arrival immigration and present the following : a) Travel document (passport / electronic visit pass) b) Boarding Pass c) Visa (if required) d) Return / onward ticket and proof of accommodation (applicable to all, except Permanent Residents of Malaysia and holders of Long-Term Passes).
Stay In Malaysia
Travellers must adhere to the current public health measures
Travellers must activate MySejahtera app at all times.
VTL Air Travel Guide : Malaysia To Singapore
The Singapore Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) released details of the Vaccinated Travel Lane rules for travel to and from Malaysia :
The joint VTL between Singapore and Malaysia is limited to travel between Changi Airport and Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) starting on 29 November 2021, and Penang International Airport (PIA) starting 16 March 2022.
Vaccinated Travel Pass (VTP) applications for Short-Term Visitors and Singapore Permanent Residents will commence on 22 November 2021 – returning Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents who are fully-vaccinated will not need to apply.
The Singapore Minister of Transportation also announced that :
Applications for VTL will open on 22 November 2021.
Travellers to Singapore will be required to present a negative PCR test, or a professionally-administer ART (Antigen Rapid Test) taken 48 hours prior to departure.
Travellers to Singapore will be subjected to a PCR test on arrival.
Pre-Departure
Travellers must be fully-vaccinated with a WHO Emergency Use Listing (EUL) vaccine, at least two weeks before arrival in Singapore.
Unvaccinated travellers who are 12 years and below in the calendar year can travel to Singapore via the VTL if accompanied by a fully-vaccinated VTL traveller.
Travellers must be able to provide the Digital Certificate for COVID-19 Vaccination, either downloaded or shown on the MySejahtera app.
Travellers must have only travelled to, or transited through any VTL countries (like Malaysia) or Category I countries (like Hong Kong, Macao, Mainland China, Taiwan) in the last 14 consecutive days before departure to Singapore.
Travellers must travel to Singapore on a designated VTL flight from Malaysia.
Foreign short-term visitors must purchase a suitable travel insurance with a minimum coverage of S$30,000 against COVID-19 related medical charges from a Singapore or overseas-based insurer.
Foreign short-term visitors that require a visa to enter Singapore, must apply fro a visa.
Travellers, except those aged 2 and below in the calendar year, must undergo a COVID-19 PCR test / Antigen Rapid Test within 2 days before departure to Singapore.
Travellers under the VTL do not need a return flight ticket to enter Singapore.
Applying To Travel Under VTL
Singapore citizens and permanent residents do not need to apply for a Vaccinated Travel Pass, but must comply with the VTL requirements.
Unvaccinated children of Singapore citizens and permanent residents, aged 12 and below, do not need to apply for a Vaccinated Travel Pass either.
Foreign visitors, including Short-Term Visitors and Long-Term Pass Holders, must apply for a Vaccinated Travel Pass from 22 November 2021 (10 AM SGT) onwards.
Children aged 12 and below accompanying foreign visitors do not need to apply.
All applications must be submitted between 7 and 60 days before the intended date of entry into Singapore.
Every Vaccinated Travel Pass (VTP) is valid for 6 calendar days from the traveller’s chose date of entry.
Essential Documents
Travellers must carry along an electronic / physical copy of these documents to present to the airline staff and immigration officers.
Documents
Singapore Citizens &
Permanent Residents
Long-Term
Pass Holders
Short-Term
Visitors
Accepted Proof of Vaccination
✓
✓
✓
Negative Pre-Departure
COVID-19 Test
✓
✓
✓
Valid Vaccinated Travel Pass
(VTP)
X
✓
✓
COVID-19 Insurance Policy
X
X
✓
Valid Visa (If Required)
X
X
✓
On-Arrival ART Test
Travellers, except children aged 2 and below in the calendar year and travellers who are certified positive for COVID-19 between 7-90 days before departure, are required to undergo a supervised self-administered ART test at a Quick Test Centre (QTC) or Combined Test Centre (CTC) within 24 hours of arrival in Singapore.
Except for attending the supervised ART, travellers are required to self-isolate in their declared accommodation until they are notified that they have tested negative. Travellers may only take private transportation, taxi, or private hire car between the QTC/CTC and their accommodation. Public transportation is not allowed.
Travellers should not wait for their test results at the test centre due to space constraints. They may leave the test centre once they have completed their self-administered ART and await notification of their test results via SMS or email.
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He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
The Singapore – Penang Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) programme kicks off on 16 March 2022!
Here is what you need to know…
Singapore – Penang VTL Travel Starts On 16 March 2022!
On 4 March 2022, the governments of Singapore and Malaysia announced that the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) programme would expand to include Penang.
From Wednesday, 16 March 2022 onwards, fully-vaccinated travellers in both countries will be able to fly between Penang and Singapore on approved airlines, without undergoing any mandatory quarantine.
Initially, there will be four flights per day, shared equally amongst the participating airlines.
The Singapore-Penang route will be the second VTL programme to be approved in Malaysia. The Singapore-KL route, which was approved in November 2021, brought in 82,906 passengers from Singapore as of 28 February 2022.
The government of Malaysia also announced that VTL flights to and from Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand, as well as Phnom Penh in Cambodia will begin “very soon”.
VTL Travel Requirements : Singapore to Penang
Here are the current Singapore to Penang VTL travel requirements, which are similar to that of the Singapore-KL route.
Pre-Departure
Travellers must remain in Singapore and/or Malaysia in the last 14 consecutive days.
Travellers must be fully-vaccinated with the full regimen of COVID-19 vaccine recognised by the Ministry of Health Malaysia (KKM), at least two weeks before arrival in Malaysia.
Travellers must book a designated Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) flight into Malaysia.
Travellers must take a separate COVID-19 RT-PCR test within 2 days before departure.
Travellers must download and register the MySejahtera app.
MyTravelPass is not required.
Short-term visitors, including business and official travellers, must : a) apply for visa (if required), b) purchase a return ticket, and c) purchase COVID-19 travel insurance (minimum RM 100,000 coverage)
Check-In
Travellers will need to present these documents at check-in : a) Travel document (passport / electronic visit pass) b) Valid vaccination certificate (physical or electronic) c) Negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test certificate d) MySejahtera app with registered profile
Short-term visitors, including business and official travellers, only will also require to present these at check in : a) visa (if required) b) return ticket c) proof of purchase of COVID-19 travel insurance (physical or electronic)
On Arrival
Take the on-arrival COVID-19 RT-PCR test, and wait 1-3 hours at the designated area in the airport for the test results.
After obtaining a negative RT-PCR test result, proceed to the arrival immigration and present the following : a) Travel document (passport / electronic visit pass) b) Boarding Pass c) Visa (if required) d) Return / onward ticket and proof of accommodation (applicable to all, except Permanent Residents of Malaysia and holders of Long-Term Passes).
Stay In Malaysia
Travellers must adhere to the current public health measures
Travellers must activate MySejahtera app at all times.
VTL Travel Requirements : Penang to Singapore
Here are the current Penang to Singapore VTL travel requirements, which are similar to that of the KL-Singapore route.
Pre-Departure
Travellers must be fully-vaccinated with a WHO Emergency Use Listing (EUL) vaccine, at least two weeks before arrival in Singapore.
Unvaccinated travellers who are 12 years and below in the calendar year can travel to Singapore via the VTL if accompanied by a fully-vaccinated VTL traveller.
Travellers must be able to provide the Digital Certificate for COVID-19 Vaccination, either downloaded or shown on the MySejahtera app.
Travellers must have only travelled to, or transited through any VTL countries (like Malaysia) or Category I countries (like Hong Kong, Macao, Mainland China, Taiwan) in the last 14 consecutive days before departure to Singapore.
Travellers must travel to Singapore on a designated VTL flight from Malaysia.
Foreign short-term visitors must purchase a suitable travel insurance with a minimum coverage of S$30,000 against COVID-19 related medical charges from a Singapore or overseas-based insurer.
Foreign short-term visitors that require a visa to enter Singapore, must apply fro a visa.
Travellers, except those aged 2 and below in the calendar year, must undergo a COVID-19 PCR test / Antigen Rapid Test within 2 days before departure to Singapore.
Travellers under the VTL do not need a return flight ticket to enter Singapore.
Applying To Travel Under VTL
Singapore citizens and permanent residents do not need to apply for a Vaccinated Travel Pass, but must comply with the VTL requirements.
Unvaccinated children of Singapore citizens and permanent residents, aged 12 and below, do not need to apply for a Vaccinated Travel Pass either.
Foreign visitors, including Short-Term Visitors and Long-Term Pass Holders, must apply for a Vaccinated Travel Pass from 22 November 2021 (10 AM SGT) onwards.
Children aged 12 and below accompanying foreign visitors do not need to apply.
All applications must be submitted between 7 and 60 days before the intended date of entry into Singapore.
Every Vaccinated Travel Pass (VTP) is valid for 6 calendar days from the traveller’s chose date of entry.
Essential Documents
Travellers must carry along an electronic / physical copy of these documents to present to the airline staff and immigration officers.
Documents
Singapore Citizens &
Permanent Residents
Long-Term
Pass Holders
Short-Term
Visitors
Accepted Proof of Vaccination
✓
✓
✓
Negative Pre-Departure
COVID-19 Test
✓
✓
✓
Valid Vaccinated Travel Pass
(VTP)
X
✓
✓
COVID-19 Insurance Policy
X
X
✓
Valid Visa (If Required)
X
X
✓
On-Arrival ART Test
Travellers, except children aged 2 and below in the calendar year and travellers who are certified positive for COVID-19 between 7-90 days before departure, are required to undergo a supervised self-administered ART test at a Quick Test Centre (QTC) or Combined Test Centre (CTC) within 24 hours of arrival in Singapore.
Except for attending the supervised ART, travellers are required to self-isolate in their declared accommodation until they are notified that they have tested negative. Travellers may only take private transportation, taxi, or private hire car between the QTC/CTC and their accommodation. Public transportation is not allowed.
Travellers should not wait for their test results at the test centre due to space constraints. They may leave the test centre once they have completed their self-administered ART and await notification of their test results via SMS or email.
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Elbow pit slapping has been recommended for treating and preventing heart attack for many years now, but does it really work?
Elbow Pit Slapping For Heart Attack : What Is It?
The elbow pit slapping method is based on traditional Chinese medicine belief that there are three acupressure (meridian) points around the left arm, that affects the heart and lungs.
The idea is that slapping the left elbow pit, until it turns red, will restore qi (energy) and blood circulation to the heart and lungs.
It also claims that slapping the left elbow pit on a daily basis can prevent heart disease, and reduce the risk of a heart attack.
Elbow Pit Slapping For Heart Attack : The Evidence?
People are sharing this message together with a video showing a man who apparently had a heart attack while watching a movie in a cinema.
It’s a long message, so feel free to skip to the next section for the facts.
A sudden heart attack in a Singapore theater. The Singapore doctor & helpers slapped their hands on the patient’s arms and he recovered after about 2 minutes.
This video gives you advice on emergency situations to pay attention to heart patients and how to deal with a heart attack that usually happens suddenly.
Many become so helpless and die on the way to the hospital.
Please remember:
1. By slapping the inner elbow of the left hand as shown in the video, it stimulates the three acupressure points around the left side which are related to the heart and lungs.
2. Slapping will speed up blood circulation, which makes the person feel warm and stops sweating.
3. You need to know that a heart attack is due to a blockage of blood circulation. By tapping and slapping the inner elbow of the hand, you can increase body temperature, avoid aggregation, and facilitate blood circulation. Then immediately take the person to the hospital.
4. It is good to pat this part the inside of the left elbow every day as it can prevent any heart disease and reduce the incidence of heart attack.
Must be shared with all contacts. Small efforts can save lives. God bless you.
A Chinese sinseh (traditional doctor) can be seen in the video reviving the man by slapping his elbow pit for 2 minutes.
The video is being shared as evidence that the elbow pit slapping method really works in reviving patients suffering from a heart attack.
Elbow Pit Slapping For Heart Attack : The Truth
Fact #1 : Slapping The Elbow Pit Does Not Help Treat / Prevent Heart Attack
The truth is slapping the elbow pit will not revive someone with a heart attack. Neither can slapping your elbow pit on a daily basis help prevent heart disease, or a heart attack.
There is simply no scientific basis, never mind actual fact, behind such claims. It is DANGEROUS to teach people to do this.
People who use this method, instead of calling for medical assistance, will likely cause more harm, even death.
Do NOT play TCM doctor! If you encounter someone suffering from a heart attack, you should quickly call for an ambulance, and perform CPR!
Fact #2 : It Has Been Debunked By Taiwanese Doctors
As our fact check video shows, the Taiwanese Ministry of Health and Welfare asked doctors to publicly debunk this elbow pit slapping method.
They pointed out that believing such fake stories could result in poor outcomes for the victims, because proper treatment would likely be delayed.
Fact #3 : It Does Not Appear To Have Happened In Singapore
The incident in the viral video very likely did not happen in Singapore.
A careful listening of the voices will reveal that they are speaking Mandarin with a Chinese accent. So the video was most likely recorded in China.
Fact #4 : It Appears To Be A TCM Seminar
A careful examination of the video will show that while they appear to be in a mini theatre, they don’t appear to be watching a movie.
A purple podium with Chinese characters can be seen on the left side of the screen, and the staff appears to be wearing purple uniforms – one is even wearing an orange sash.
It is likely that this may be some kind of TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) seminar being held in a cinema.
Fact #5 : The Man Doesn’t Look Like He Had A Heart Attack
The man did not appear to be suffering from a heart attack. Instead of clutching his chest in pain and breaking out in cold sweat, he was just unconscious.
And when they revived him, he appeared disorientated, shook his head and got up several times. He also appeared to be breathing normally.
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Malaysia will try to change people’s mindset by delaying the daily COVID-19 report!
Here is what you need to know…
Malaysia To Change Mindset By Delaying COVID-19 Report!
On 17 February 2022, Malaysia Health Minister, Khairy Jamaluddin announced a delay in the daily report of new COVID-19 cases.
Instead of being released in the afternoon / evening every day, the daily report of new COVID-19 cases will be released at 10 AM the next day, together with other data like :
hospitalisation and ICU usage
category breakdowns
deaths
immunisation rates
This change will start on Friday, 18 February 2022, with the report being released on Saturday, 19 February 2022.
He said that this decision was made to change people’s mindset, and shift them away from the fear factor of 20K, 30K new cases, and consider the situation in its entirety.
He also pointed out that this move was being adopted by other countries like Singapore, which releases its data at midnight.
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Moderna just announced that they are expanding to four countries in Asia Pacific – Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong!
Moderna Expands To Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan + HK!
On 15 February 2022, Moderna announced that it is expanding its commercial network across Asia by creating new subsidiaries in Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
These new subsidiaries are meant to support the delivery of mRNA vaccines and therapeutics, and may not involve research and development, or manufacturing.
Moderna CEO, Stephane Bancel recently mentioned though that he hopes to “establish one or two new vaccine plants in Asia“.
In May 2021, Moderna announced a collaboration with the South Korean government to explore research and manufacturing in South Korea.
At the end of December 2021, Moderna announced that it would build an mRNA vaccine manufacturing facility in Victoria, Australia.
“2021 was a year of impact for Moderna, and I am proud to see continued growth in 2022 as we expand our presence in Asia. After a decade of pioneering the development of our mRNA platform, we were ready to play a critical role in combating the COVID-19 pandemic globally,” said Stéphane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer of Moderna.
“With the addition of four subsidiaries in Asia, we look forward to new opportunities to leverage our mRNA platform to help solve health challenges, including those with a high burden of disease in the Asia-Pacific region.”
Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel was recently the subject of speculation and misinformation, after closing his Twitter account. You can read all about it here.
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Did 10 countries just cancel all COVID-19 tests, quarantine procedures and vaccinations?
Take a look at the viral message, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : 10 Countries Cancelled All COVID-19 Tests + Vaccinations!
This is the first part of a viral message, that appears to be combined from two different viral messages. Read part two.
It claims that 10 countries just cancelled all COVID-19 tests, quarantine procedures and vaccinations, because they now consider COVID-19 to be “just a seasonal flu”.
The following countries announced the cancellation of all quarantine procedures, Corona tests, and compulsory vaccination, and considering Corona just a seasonal flu:
1) Turkey 🇹🇷 2) Brazil 🇧🇷 3) Britain 🇬🇧 4) Sweden 🇸🇪 5) Spain 🇪🇸 6) Czech Republic 🇨🇿 7) Mexico 🇲🇽 8) El Salvador 🇸🇻 9) Japan 🇯🇵 10) Singapore 🇸🇬
Truth : Those Countries Did NOT Cancel COVID-19 Tests / Vaccinations!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on Facebook and WhatsApp, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : None Of Those Countries Cancelled COVID-19 Tests
None of the ten countries mentioned in the viral message cancelled any requirement to test for COVID-19.
Turkey : Travellers must submit negative PCR test taken 72 hours before arrival. Proof of vaccination or negative PCR test within last 48 hours is required to enter certain venues in Turkey. Symptomatic people in Turkey are tested for COVID-19.
Brazil : Travellers must test negative for COVID-19 within 24 hours (RTK) or 72 hours (PCR) before boarding.
Britain : Travellers who are not fully vaccinated must take a COVID-19 test within 2 days before departure, or on arrival in England. Negative COVID-19 tests are still required to enter certain venues in Wales and Scotland.
Sweden : Travellers must be fully-vaccinated or show a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours before arrival in Sweden.
Spain : Travellers must be fully-vaccinated or show a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours (PCR) or 48 hours (RAT) before arrival.
Czech Republic : Travellers must present a negative COVID-19 test, irrespective of vaccination status.
Mexico : Travellers were never required to undergo a COVID-19 test.
El Salvador : Travellers were no longer required to present a negative COVID-19 test since 17 November 2021,
Japan : Travellers (including citizens) must submit a negative test result within 72 hours prior to departure.
Singapore : Travellers must submit a negative test result within 48 hours prior to departure.
Fact #2 : None Of Those Countries Cancelled COVID-19 Quarantine
Turkey : Unvaccinated travellers must undergo mandatory quarantine for up to 10 days. COVID-19 positive individuals and unvaccinated close contacts must quarantine for 7 days.
Brazil : Unvaccinated travellers must undergo mandatory quarantine for 14 days. COVID-19 positive individuals must quarantine for at least 7 days.
Britain : Travellers who are not fully-vaccinated must quarantine for 10 days, until 11 February 2022. After that, only those who test positive on arrival in England must quarantine. COVID-19 positive individuals must quarantine for 10 days, including close contacts who are not fully-vaccinated.
Sweden : COVID-19 positive individuals must quarantine at home for at least five days.
Spain : COVID-19 positive individuals must quarantine at home for at least seven days.
Czech Republic : Close contacts must quarantine for 5 days. COVID-19 positive individuals must quarantine for at least 5 days.
Mexico : Travellers were never required to undergo a mandatory quarantine. COVID-19 positive individuals are required to quarantine for 5-10 days.
El Salvador : El Salvador can place municipalities under special quarantine with little to no prior notice.
Japan : Even with a negative test, all travellers from countries where Omicron variant is dominant must self-quarantine for 7 days. Close contacts must quarantine for 7 days,
Singapore : Travellers must quarantine until they receive a negative result for their On-Arrival COVID-19 PCR test. COVID-19 positive individuals must quarantine for 10 days.
Fact #3 : None Of Those Countries Cancelled COVID-19 Vaccination
COVID-19 vaccinations are still continuing in all ten countries mentioned in the fake message.
In fact, most of those countries have pretty high vaccination rates :
Turkey : 62.1% fully vaccinated
Brazil : 70.4% fully vaccinated
United Kingdom : 71.9% fully vaccinated
Sweden ; 72.9% fully vaccinated
Spain : 80.8% fully vaccinated
Czech Republic : 63.3% fully vaccinated
Mexico : 59.7% fully vaccinated
El Salvador : 64.8% fully vaccinated
Japan : 79.2% fully vaccinated
Singapore : 83.6% fully vaccinated
Fact #4 : None Of Those Countries Considers COVID-19 A Seasonal Flu
While many health experts predict COVID-19 could be “endemic”, that is still not certain.
If COVID-19 becomes endemic, that means SARS-CoV-2 is is impossible to completely eradicate, and is here to stay… forever.
However, it does not mean they consider COVID-19 to be nothing more than “just a seasonal flu”.
For one thing, COVID-19 is far more deadly than the seasonal flu, even though the flu is caused by multiple viruses.
The WHO also considers COVID-19 to be a pandemic, warning that it is too early to treat it as an endemic disease.
“We still have a huge amount of uncertainty and a virus that is evolving quite quickly, imposing new challenges. We are certainly not at the point where we are able to call it endemic.”
No matter how you slice or dice it, COVID-19 is currently not close to being “just a seasonal flu”.
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
The Pfizer vaccine doses were flown from Puurs, Belgium, transited at the Leipzig Halle Airport in Germany and Singapore, before finally arriving in Malaysia at 7:15 AM this morning.
Today, 72 of those vaccine Softboxes were despatched to 52 ULTF (Ultra Low Temperature Freezer) storage facilities in 12 states :
Pahang,
Melaka,
Johor,
Negeri Sembilan,
Sabah,
Sarawak
Kuala Lumpur,
Putrajaya,
Selangor,
Kelantan, and
Terengganu.
The rest of the vaccines will be flown to the Penang International Airport to supply the northern states of Kedah, Perlis and Perak.
Malaysia’s Vaccine Programme For Kids : A Quick Primer!
The COVID-19 vaccination programme for kids 5-11 years in age will kick off on 3 February 2022 in the Klang Valley at:
Hospitals for those with medical conditions,
COVID-19 vaccination centres (PPV) for those without medical conditions
Parents in the Klang Valley will be able to book their child’s vaccination appointments through MySejahtera, with the option to select the most convenient place and time. This feature will be expanded to other states shortly.
This is a special paediatric dose that is smaller at only 0.2 ml, and contains only 10 micrograms (mcg) of the vaccine – 1/3 of the dose used in adults.
To avoid confusion, the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for kids comes with an orange cap, and boxes and labels with orange borders.
This paediatric Pfizer vaccine was shown to be 90.7% efficacious in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 infection, with fewer side effects.
More than 8.7 million doses of the paediatric vaccine have been administered in the United States, with the number of AEFI incidents far lower than that of teenagers 12-17 years old who were vaccinated with the full adult dose.
So please take this opportunity to protect your children against COVID-19!
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Can a SIM swap attack clear out your bank accounts without warning?
Take a look at the viral warning, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : SIM Swap Attack Can Empty Bank Accounts Without Warning!
This message has gone viral on social media and WhatsApp, warning about a new high tech fraud called SIM Swap Fraud that can empty bank accounts without warning.
The message includes a link to a Straits Times report about a young couple who lost $120,000 in a fake text message scam targeting OCBC Bank customers.
Your BANK Account could be Emptied without an Alert!
Dear All, Please let’s be very careful.. There is a new HIGH TECH FRAUD in town called the SIM SWAP FRAUD, and hundreds of persons are already VICTIMS.
How does it work?
1 A new fraud called SIM SWAP has started. Your phone network will momentarily go blind / zero (No Signal / Zero Bars) and after a while a call will come through.
2 The Person on the other end of the call will tell you that he is calling from (your cell phone company) depending on your network and that there is a problem in your mobile network.
3 He will instruct you to Please press 1 on your phone to get the network back.
– Please at this stage don’t Press anything, Just cut or END the call.
If you press 1, the network will appear suddenly and almost immediately go blind again (Zero Bars) and by that action, your phone is #HACKED.
Within a second they will empty your bank account, and you won’t receive any alert.
What you will experience.
It will appear as though your line is without Network, meanwhile your SIM has been SWAPPED.
The danger here is that, you will not get any alert of any transactions, so please those of us doing USSD Banking and Mobile Banking BEWARE. Let’s be very careful.
Please, forward to your contacts, loved ones and friends. The fraud is increasing day by day.
Received from a #CybersecurityGroup
Don’t forget to share this post…… I repeat don’t forget to share this post. Many people’s Account as been emptied!
Please encourage more people to learn from this episode
Truth : SIM Swap Attack Are Real, But Don’t Work Like That
The truth is – SIM swap attacks are real and very dangerous, but they do not work like the viral message claims.
Here is what you need to know about the viral message, and SIM swap attacks.
Fact #1 : SIM Swap Attacks Are Not New
SIM swap attacks are really not that new. They have been around at least since 2015.
Fact #2 : Viral Message Is Partly Fake
The viral message is correct about the risk of SIM swap attacks, but pretty much wrong about everything else.
In fact, the method by which the SIM swap attack works is completely made up. So the viral message is really FAKE NEWS.
Fact #3 : Straits Times Article Was Not About SIM Swap
The fake news creator added a link to a Straits Time article, to mislead you.
That’s because the article isn’t about a SIM swap attack, but a phishing attack, where the victim received an SMS with a link that took him to a fake website that “looked exactly like the OCBC login page“.
The victim then keyed in his bank login details, thus handing over control of his bank account to the scammers. He also ignored automated messages warning him that his “account was being setup on another phone“.
It had nothing to do with a SIM swap attack. It was an SMS-based phishing attack.
Fact #4 : SIM Swap Attack Generally Does Not Require Any Action
In most SIM swap attacks, scammers use your personal information, either purchased from other criminals or obtained through earlier phishing attacks or social engineering, to request for a SIM card replacement.
All that does not require any action on your part. In most cases, you only realise you’ve been hit when you lose access to your mobile number.
Fact #5 : SIM Swap Attack May Require Action In Some Cases
The Press 1 claim in the viral message is partially correct, but it only happens in a particular circumstance.
In India, scammers have tricked people by offering a free network upgrade, or to help improve signal quality on their phones :
The scammer will call the victim, claiming to be from their mobile service provider.
The scammer will try to get the victim to reveal his/her 20-digit SIM card number.
The scammer will use the 20-digit SIM number to initiate a SIM swap with the mobile service provider.
The mobile service provider will automatically send an SMS to confirm the swap.
Once the victim confirms the swap, his/her SIM card will stop working.
The scammer now has access to the victim’s mobile number.
Fact #6 : SIM Swap Attack Does Not Hack Your Phone
The SIM swap attack does not involve any hacking of your phone.
You only lose access to your mobile number. Your phone is not hacked.
Fact #7 : SIM Swap Attack Does Not Empty Bank Accounts
Once the scammers successfully gain control of your mobile number, they can use it to intercept one-time passwords (OTP) like TAC numbers.
This allows them to change passwords to your bank accounts, social media accounts, etc. which is why SIM swap attacks are so dangerous and damaging.
However, it does not mean your bank accounts are immediately emptied. For one thing – the scammers need to know your bank login.
That’s why SIM swap victims often have had their bank logins and passwords stolen earlier though phishing attacks. The scammers only need their mobile numbers to receive OTP / TAC numbers to authenticate the transfers.
Fact #8 : SIM Swap Attack Can Be Used To Cheat Friends Too!
Stealing money from your bank account requires extra work, so scammers who do not have your bank login details will resort to cheating your friends.
With access to your phone number, they can easily gain access to your social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) as well as instant messaging apps (WhatsApp, Telegram).
Once they have control, they can send messages to your friends, pretending to be you. Naturally, they will concoct some story to ask your friends for money.
The idea is to use your (now) stolen accounts to convince your friends that you genuinely need their help. The money that they transfer goes directly to the scammers, or their mules (people who rent their bank accounts to scammers).
Now that you know the facts behind the SIM swap attack or scam, please SHARE this article with your family and friends!
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UOB just announced that they will take over Citibank consumer business in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam!
Here is what you need to know…
UOB Buys Citibank Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand + Vietnam!
On 14 January 2022, UOB announced that they won the bid to take over Citibank consumer business in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.
The acquisition of Citibank in Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam will cost UOB about S$5 billion (about RM15.5 billion or USD 3.72 billion).
When completed around early 2024, the acquisition of Citibank Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam will expand UOB’s retail customer base to approximately 10 billion in the region (including Singapore).
The sale comes more than 8 months after Citi announced in April 2021 that it would be exiting the consumer banking market in 13 markets. Citi, however, will continue to retain its Singapore assets.
The acquisition will affect some 5,000 Citi employees in those four countries, about 36% of whom have worked at Citi for more than a decade.
Official Statement By Citibank Malaysia On UOB Purchase
On 14 January 2022, Citibank Malaysia issued this advisory on the acquisition of Citi’s Consumer Banking business in Malaysia :
Dear Valued Customer,
I am writing to let you know that Citi in Malaysia has reached an agreement with UOB Group for the acquisition of Citi’s Consumer Banking business in Malaysia.
This is a positive outcome for Citi, our people, and our customers.
UOB Group will acquire Citi’s consumer business which includes credit cards, personal loans, retail banking, mortgages and wealth management solutions for high net-worth individuals.
We are delighted to find a strong partner in UOB Group, a leading Pan-Asian institution committed to providing great products, services and customer experiences. They have established a strong presence in Southeast Asia backed by a global network of 500 offices and have a reputation for building lasting relationships with customers.
Rest assured, there will be no immediate impact to your credit card accounts, loan accounts, deposits, investments, or any other product you may hold with us. This announcement is the start of a process that we expect will take time, with closing of the transaction subject to regulatory approvals.
Until such time, all our Consumer Banking business operations, Citibank service teams including our Relationship Managers, branches, call centers, Citibank Online and mobile banking services, will continue to serve you as usual.
Citi remains committed to serving you with excellence. Together with UOB Group, we will be sharing further updates with you in the future.
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
MySejahtera has a new feature called MySJ Trace, which logs your close contacts for more accurate contact tracing.
Here is what you need to know about the new MySejahtera feature!
MySJ Trace : New Tracking Feature In MySejahtera
Currently, MySejahtera relies on manual logging in at various entry points, which results in many false positives and false negatives.
false positive : you wrongly get identified as a close or casual contact
false negative : you are not flagged as a close contact, even when you come into close proximity with a COVID-19 positive person
To eliminate those errors, MySejahtera is introducing a new and more accurate contact tracing feature called MySJ Trace.
Similar to Singapore’s TraceTogether app, MySJ Trace uses Bluetooth technology to more accurately determine your proximity to other people, so MySejahtera can better determine if you are a close contact, or not.
It also removes the need to manually check out from the locations you checked in earlier.
MySJ Trace is (currently) NOT mandatory and is an opt-in feature, so you actually have to manually enable it, if you want to participate.
Step 1 : Update to the MySejahtera version that has MySJ Trace.
Step 2 : Open MySejahtera, and you will see a black MySJ Trace section in the default Check-in screen.
Step 3 : Tap on Setup MySJ Trace to begin the setup process.
Step 4 : Tap on the Start button in the initial explainer screen.
Step 5 : Tap the I agree button to consent to give your “interaction information” for the past 14 days to the Malaysia Ministry of Health for “contact tracing purposes”.
Step 6 : In the App Permissions screen, tap on the Allow button.
Step 7 : First, you will be asked to allow MySejahtera to access your smartphone’s location. Tap on While using the app.
Step 8 : Next, you will be asked to allow MySejahtera to detect your location all the time. Tap on Allow all the time.
Step 9 : Now, you will be asked to enable Bluetooth, if it is not already enabled.
Step 10 : Once all necessary permissions have been enabled, just tap on the Close button.
That’s it! You have now activated MySJ Trace in MySejahtera.
If at any time you do not wish to participate, you can simply disable the permissions, and/or reinstall MySejahtera.
MySJ Trace : Frequently Asked Questions
Here are the official answers to the MySJ frequently-asked questions (FAQ):
1. What is MySJ Trace?
MySJ Trace is a contact tracing application developed by the Government of Malaysia.
It adopts a community-driven approach where participating devices exchange proximity information whenever an app detects another device with MySJ Trace app installed.
This application allows the identification of people who were in close proximity to COVID-19 infected individual
2. What is the difference between MySJ Trace and MySejahtera?
MySejahtera & MySJ Trace are used by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to help manage the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia.
MySejahtera allows users to perform quick health-self assessment and for the Ministry of Health (MOH) to monitor users’ health condition and take immediate actions in providing treatments.
Meanwhile, MySJ Trace further complements MySejahtera by detecting and tracing the individuals who are in close contact with the COVID-19 positive patients.
MySJ Trace was developed through a strategic cooperation between government agencies of Malaysia :
Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI)
Ministry of Health (KKM)
Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU)
Malaysian Institute of Microelectronic Systems (MIMOS)
4. Who are the users of MySJ Trace?
All Malaysian citizens and residents of Malaysia.
5. Where can I download MySJ Trace?
Users only need to update the MySejahtera application to the latest version.
6. How does MySJ Trace function?
MySJ Trace enables participating devices to exchange proximity information whenever the app detects another device with the same app installed. Data collected will be stored and processed only by the MOH officers.
When a user is identified to be COVID-19 positive, the user will initiate a process to upload the data from the user’s smartphone to a secured database managed by the MOH.
7. What is contact tracing?
Contact tracing is an identification process of individuals who may have come into close contact with an infected COVID-19 patient.
It enables the MOH to further trace and contact the individuals and organize a follow-up action.
8. If I have been identified as a close contact, how will I be contacted?
The user will receive an SMS, and a notification in the MySejahtera app.
9. What data are collected by MySJ Trace?
Only these data are collected :
Unique User ID (UUID) that is created by the MySejahtera app.
Operating system version (Android or iOS)
Time of contact
Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI)
10. Are my personal information that is stored in the app safe?
MySejahtera and MySJ Trace are owned and operated entirely by the Malaysian government. The government guarantees that all information collected and used in the app comply with the information security standards of the government of Malaysia.
11. Does MySJ Trace require Internet connectivity after activation?
Yes, Internet connectivity is required when you first update the MySejahtera app, and during the data uploading process.
12. What devices support MySJ Trace?
MySJ Trace is supported by smartphones that use the Android or iOS operating systems :
Android : Version 8.0 and above – Non-sleep mode must be set, so MySJ Trace will remain active in both foreground and background modes.
iOS : Version 10 and above
– The phone must be active at all times while the app needs to be in the foreground mode.
13. Must Bluetooth be activated at all times?
Yes, Bluetooth must be activated at all times for MySJ Trace to work properly.
14. Will Bluetooth usage cause high battery usage?
Unlike using Bluetooth to stream music or to a wireless headphone continuously, MySJ Trace uses Bluetooth to only transmit its presence periodically. As such, it uses significantly less power.
15. Will the app use significant battery power if MySJ Trace is left running all the time?
MySJ Trace uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to minimise battery usage. Therefore, the app does not use significant amounts of battery power to collect persistent contact tracing information.
16. Will MySJ Trace Bluetooth usage affect my other Bluetooth accessories?
MySJ Trace does not affect the use or performance of other Bluetooth accessories like wireless speakers, wireless earphones or headphones, or smartwatches.
17. Why must I allow location permission for the Android version?
Android requires location permission to be granted for any app to access Bluetooth features. However, geolocation data will not be collected.
For iOS, only the Bluetooth function needs to be enabled.
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
Malaysia has temporarily suspended the VTL (Vaccinated Travel Lane) with Singapore, due to the Omicron variant!
Here is what you need to know…
Singapore – Malaysia VTL : What Is It?
Announced in November 2021, the Singapore – Malaysia VTL (Vaccinated Travel Lane) allows fully-vaccinated citizens of both countries to travel, without being subjected to a mandatory quarantine.
There are currently two VTL (Vaccinated Travel Lane) options between Singapore and Malaysia :
By Air : Between Changi Airport in Singapore, and KLIA in Malaysia
Singapore – Malaysia VTL Suspended Due To Omicron Variant!
On 22 December 2021, the Malaysia Minister of Health, Khairy Jamaluddin announced a temporary suspension of the Singapore – Malaysia VTL, due to the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
In his statement, he pointed out that the Singapore Ministry of Health announced a local cluster of three COVID-19 cases, of which two were likely of the Omicron variant, while the other case is still pending. All three cases did not have history of overseas travel.
In light of that development, the Malaysia Ministry of Health (KKM) decided to temporarily suspend the VTL with Singapore from Thursday, 23 December, 2021 until Thursday, 20 January 2022.
Travellers who have already purchased tickets for Land or Air VTL, and still comply with the VTL requirements can continue with their travel plans.
Bus and plane ticket sales for both Air and Land VTL initiatives will reopen on 21 January 2022, after a risk assessment is conducted in both countries. However, the ticket quota will be lower than the current limit.
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Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
With the Omicron variant rapidly spreading across the globe, Malaysia has initiated new measures to block it from reaching our shores.
Here is what you need to know…
New Measures To Block Omicron Variant From Malaysia!
On 1 December 2021, the Malaysia Minister of Health Khairy Jamaluddin announced a series of new measures to block the Omicron variant from reaching our shores.
This decision came after 20 countries reported over 200 cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 :
Country
Omicron
Cases
Country
Omicron
Cases
South Africa
128
Austria
4
Botswana
19
Brazil
2
Portugal
13
Canada
2
The Netherlands
12
Japan
2
United Kingdom
9
Denmark
2
Australia
6
Spain
1
Hong Kong
5
Reunion Island (France)
1
Germany
5
Belgium
1
Italy
4
Czech Republic
1
Israel
4
Sweden
1
How Malaysia Intends To To Block Omicron Variant!
Temporary Travel Ban
Malaysia will no longer allow flights from or transiting through countries with Omicron variant transmission, or high risk countries, will be blocked.
These are the eight (8) countries that the Malaysia Ministry of Health (KKM) has listed under the travel ban :
South Africa
Botswana
Eswatini
Lesotho
Mozambique
Namibia
Zimbabwe
Malawi
There is also a temporary travel ban for non-Malaysian citizens from those countries, including travellers who have been in those countries during the last 14 days prior to arrival.
Malaysian citizens and holders of long-term passes (PR status, spouse visa, MM2H and resident pass) are still ALLOWED to return to Malaysia, subject to these restrictions :
Irrespective of their vaccination status, they must undergo a 14-day mandatory quarantine at a quarantine station.
They must undergo three RT-PCR COVID-19 tests :
– within 72 hours before departure,
– on arrival in Malaysia, and
– on the 10th day of the mandatory quarantine
A risk assessment will be conducted on the 14th day of quarantine, which may be extended if the traveller is symptomatic.
Malaysian citizens who are planning to visit the listed countries are NOT ALLOWED to continue with their travel plans.
Vaccinated Travel Lane
Arrangements to create a Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) with countries with Omicron variant transmission, or high risk countries, have been postponed.
In addition, the Malaysia-Singapore VTL programme for both air and land travel has been amended to require travellers to undergo additional COVID-19 self-tests on the 3rd and 7th day after arrival.
They must then report their test results in MySejahtera.
Monitoring Of Countries With Omicron Variant Cases
The Ministry of Health (KKM) will monitor and provide the other government ministries with a DAILY LIST of countries with Omicron variant cases, or at high risk.
Strengthening Of International Gateways
The Immigration Department of Malaysia has immediately STOPPED the use of the Autogate system.
Flights carrying passengers from the listed countries with Omicron variant transmission, or high risk countries, are only allowed to enter Malaysia through KLIA.
Airlines are responsible for identifying passengers travelling from countries with Omicron variant transmission, or high-risk countries. This information must be submitted to the KLIA Health Office for easier handling of the arrivals.
MAHB is required to create a special “gate” and path for travellers from countries with Omicron variant transmission, or high-risk countries, to undergo a health screening before undergoing their special quarantine.
International Students + Foreign Workers
International students and foreign workers from countries with Omicron variant cases, or high-risk countries, will be temporarily BANNED from entering Malaysia.
Langkawi International Tourism Bubble
Tourists from countries with Omicron variant transmission, or high-risk countries; or those with history of travel to those countries in the past 14 days, are NOT ALLOWED to participate in the Langkawi International Tourism Bubble.
Malaysian citizens (Langkawi residents) returning from countries with Omicron variant transmission, or high-risk countries, are ALLOWED to return to Malaysia, but only through KLIA and must undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine in a special quarantine station.
Foreign tourists who are confirmed to be positive with the Omicron variant of COVID-19 will be isolated and treated in a private hospital, at their own cost.
Please Support My Work!
Support my work through a bank transfer / PayPal / credit card!
Name : Adrian Wong Bank Transfer : CIMB 7064555917 (Swift Code : CIBBMYKL)
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Dr. Adrian Wong has been writing about tech and science since 1997, even publishing a book with Prentice Hall called Breaking Through The BIOS Barrier (ISBN 978-0131455368) while in medical school.
He continues to devote countless hours every day writing about tech, medicine and science, in his pursuit of facts in a post-truth world.
