Prego just announced a recall of its Carbonara Mushroom Pasta sauce in Malaysia and Singapore! Here is what you need to know!
Prego Carbonara Sauce Recall In Malaysia + Singapore!
On Friday, December 23, 2022, Prego announced a recall of its Prego Carbonara Mushroom Pasta sauce 665g jars sold in Singapore and Malaysia.
Please note that only selected Prego Carbonara Mushroom Pasta 665g jars sold in Malaysia and Singapore are affected by this recall:
Expiry Date : 17 August 2023
Time Code : 22.18 – 23.20
Batch Number : 2022081716
Prego is recalling this batch of Carbonara Mushroom Pasta Sauce because it may have “an unpleasant smell, unusual colour, watery appearance and separated layers of liquid“.
Prego warned that this batch of Carbonara Mushroom sauce should not be consumed, and is asking consumers who purchased them to return them for a full refund.
The Malaysia Ministry of Health (KKM) also issued a notice, confirming the recall of the Prego Carbonara Pasta Sauce that was produced by Campbell Cheong Chan (M) Sdn. Bhd.
Prego Carbonara Sauce Recall Notice
Here is the official recall notice by Prego Malaysia, but note that the recall applies to both Malaysia and Singapore:
We’re very sorry! Unfortunately, our Prego Carbonara Mushroom Pasta 665g, with an expiry date of 17 August 2023 and, a time code between 22.18 – 23.20 has a manufacturing error. The affected batch may have an unpleasant smell, unusual colour, watery appearance and separated layers of liquid so should not be consumed
As a precaution, we’re asking you to return any jars you may have with this exact expiry date and time code. These products are only available in Malaysia and Singapore. You can return it from where you bought for a full refund. No receipt or proof of purchase is required.
We apologize for any inconvenience caused. Rest assured that all our other Prego products meet high-quality standards and are safe to enjoy!
For more information please call us on 03 7787 6288 or email arn_my_consumers@arnotts.com
Please SHARE this recall notice out!
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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.
South Korean authorities just confirmed that Terraform CEO Do Kwon has been hiding out in Serbia!
Here is what you need to know!
Terraform CEO Do Kwon Found Hiding In Serbia!
South Korean authorities just confirmed that Do Kwon is hiding out in Serbia, and will be working with Serbian authorities to detain him.
The 31 year-old Terraform CEO was charged with fraud and breaches of the South Korean capital markets law after his company’s TerraUSD stablecoin and Luna cryptocurrency crashed in May 2022.
He fled Singapore in September to an unknown country, and has been on the run since, even though he denied trying to run away.
I am not ‘on the run’ or anything similar – for any government agency that has shown interest to communicate, we are in full cooperation and we don’t have anything to hide.
According to a 11 December report by Chosun Media, South Korean authorities received a tip-off about Do Kwon’s location in Serbia, and were able to confirm it.
Recently, we obtained intelligence that CEO Kwon was in Serbia, and it was found to be true.
South Korea and Serbia do not have an extradition treaty with each other, but both countries have agreed to requests under the European Convention on Extradition.
Terraform CEO Do Kwon : A Quick Refresher!
Do Kwon (born Kwon Do-Hyung on 6 September 1991) is the South Korean co-founder and CEO of Singapore-based Terraform Labs, which created the stable coin TerraUSD and the Luna cryptocurrency.
Both TerraUSD and Luna collapsed in May 2022, wiping out almost $45 billion of its market capitalisation in just one week, while causing hundreds of billions of dollars to be wiped out in the crypto market.
With approximately 200,000 South Korean investors affected by the crash of TerraUSD and Luna, the South Korean government announced that it would pursue criminal charges against Do Kwon. However, Do Kwon moved to Singapore in April – just before the crash.
On September 14, the Seoul Southern District Prosecutor’s Office issued an arrest warrant against Do Kwon for allegedly committing fraud and violating South Korea’s capital market laws.
Unfortunately, Do Kwon left Singapore around that time, flying to Dubai on the way to an unknown country.
Interpol then issued a Red Notice for Do Kwon on September 26, and the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs ordered him to surrender his passport on 6 October 2022, to which he responded:
Oh, I’m not using it anyway, so it doesn’t, I can’t see how that makes a difference to me.
In addition to Do Kwon, South Korean authorities also issued arrest warrants for five other people, who have not been named, over links to the TerraUSD stablecoin and the Luna cryptocurrency token.
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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.
Samsung is offering three different Galaxy Watch5 + Watch5 Pro models, so which should YOU buy?
Galaxy Watch5 vs. Watch5 Pro : How Different Are They?
Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Watch5 series on August 10, and they have already made waves as their most durable and feature-packed watches yet!
In this article, I will go through their key features, so you can find out which Galaxy Watch5 model is best for you!
Three Sizes, Two Case Types, One Strap Size
Samsung offers three different Galaxy Watch5 models, each with a different case sizes, but fortunately – the same 20 mm strap size.
The size difference between the three models does not “look” significant, but they feel different and have different capabilities.
I highly recommend that you visit a Samsung Experience Store to try out the fit first, because how it feels and looks on your wrist is important.
Specifications
Watch5
40mm
Watch5
44mm
Watch5
Pro
Model
SM-R900
SM-R910
SM-R920
Body Size
40 mm
44 mm
45 mm
Body Material
Armor Aluminum
Titanium
Strap Band Width
20 mm
Dimensions
40.4 x 39.3 mm
9.8 mm thick
44.4 x 43.3 mm
9.8 mm thick
45.4 x 45.4 mm
10.5 mm thick
Weight
28.7 grams
33.5 grams
45.6 grams
All Models : Full Load Of Sensors
First, let me point out that regardless of which Galaxy Watch5 model you choose, you can rest assured that you will have access to the full load of sensors, including:
an improved BioActive sensor, with an increased surface area and more direct contact with your wrist.
accelerometer, barometer, gyro sensor, light sensor, and geomagnetic sensor
The BioActive Sensor incidentally is a unique Samsung chip that combines 3 sensors – Optical Heart Rate, Electrical Heart (ECG) and Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis, to monitor and track heart rate, blood oxygen level, and even your stress level.
All Models : Same Performance + Connectivity
You will also be glad to know that Samsung did not skimp on the performance in any Galaxy Watch5 model.
All three Galaxy Watch5 models come with Samsung Exynos W920 system-on-chip, built on the 5 nm process technology. It features:
two Arm Cortex-A55 processor cores running at 1.18 GHz
an Arm Mali-G68 graphics processor
1.5 GB RAM
16 GB internal storage, with 7.5 GB of available storage
All three models also support the same connectivity capabilities – dual-band WiFi-N with Bluetooth 5.2, and NFC with support for Samsung Pay.
They also support all of the main location systems – GPS, Glonass, Beidou and Galileo
All Models : Same Durability
Samsung also did not cheap out on durability. All three Galaxy Watch5 models are similarly tough, boasting a rugged military-grade case that is certified to withstand up to 5 bars of water pressure.
All three models are MIL-STD-810H certified, with dust and water resistance of IP68 and 5ATM. That means you can take them diving at up to 50 metres of depth!
On top of that, the Super AMOLED display of all three Galaxy Watch5 models are protected by Sapphire crystal, which is 1.6 times harder than Gorilla Glass with DX+.
44mm Watch5 | Watch5 Pro : Larger Display
The 44 mm Watch5 model, and the Watch5 Pro come with a larger 1.4-inch display, with a resolution of 450 x 450 pixels.
The 40 mm Watch5 model, on the other hand, comes with a smaller 1.2-inch display, with a resolution of 396 x 396 pixels.
I prefer the larger display, but this is really a personal preference. To really appreciate the difference, I recommend you check out the three models at a Samsung Experience Store.
Galaxy Watch5 Pro : Higher Corrosion Resistance
The Samsung Galaxy Watch5 has an Armor Aluminum case, while the Watch5 Pro has a titanium case. They are both tough and have excellent corrosion resistance.
However, titanium is more corrosion-resistant than aluminium, and is best suited for those who intend to put their watch through the toughest environments.
Galaxy Watch5 Pro : Route Workout + Track Back
As part of its health monitoring capabilities, the Samsung Galaxy Watch5 series can track your sleep, and check your body composition.
But fitness enthusiasts will love the additional Route Workout and Track Back features in the Galaxy Watch5 Pro:
The all-new Route workout feature lets you import GPX format workout routes from your smartphone to your watch, syncing your route list.
Go the distance, then use Track Back to return right back where you started. Staying on track is easy thanks to voice or vibration-guided turn-by-turn navigation for cyclists and hikers.
All Models : Different Battery Lives, Same Fast Charging
More significant is the difference in battery life between the three Galaxy Watch5 models. They all have different battery sizes, with different battery lives:
Specifications
Watch5
40mm
Watch5
44mm
Watch5
Pro
Battery Size
284 mAh
410 mAh
590 mAh
Battery Life
Up to 40 hours
Up to 80 hours
Charging
10 watt Qi wireless charging
I’m not sure how the Watch5 Small is able to match the battery life of the Watch5 Large, since it has a 30.7% smaller battery. But the smaller display would help, and it is possible that Samsung may have down-clocked its processor.
But there is no doubt that if you want the longest possible battery life in your watch, the Watch5 Pro is what you are looking for, with its rated battery life of up to 80 hours – just over 3 days!
All three models support Qi fast wireless charging, which will allow you to quickly recharge them. The Watch5 only needs 30 minutes to recharge from 0% to 45%.
All Models : Different Colour Options
What is also important to note is that all three models come in different colour options, which I summarised in this table:
Colour Options
Watch5 (40mm)
Graphite, Silver, Pink Gold
Watch5 (44mm)
Graphite, Silver, Sapphire
Watch5 Pro
Grey Titanium, Black Titanium
The Galaxy Watch5 Small and Large models offer a conservative Graphite option, with two “fun” colour options.
The Pro version, on the other hand, is limited to a conservative Black Titanium option, and a cool Grey Titanium colour option.
Again, you need to physically examine these colour options, and try them out on your wrist at a Samsung Experience Store, to decide which looks best on your wrist.
Galaxy Watch5 vs. Watch5 Pro : Which To Buy?
The Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Pro is geared towards adventurers and fitness enthusiasts, who will love its Route Workout and Track Back features.
Its titanium case will easily handle years of acid rain to salt water immersion, while its long battery life will be helpful for long outdoor excursions and field trips.
So if you are an outdoorsman, or someone who dives or goes on long treks, there is no doubt – get the Galaxy Watch5 Pro.
Both the Small (40mm) and Large (44mm) versions of the Galaxy Watch5 are targeted at “the rest of us” – people who want a digital exercise or healthcare companion.
It will help us monitor our health vitals, and track our exercises; while looking stylish enough to go clubbing with, or to attend black tie dinner parties.
If you don’t do triathlons like IRONMAN, or go into the wilderness, try on both the Small and Large versions of the Galaxy Watch5, and buy the one that feels and looks best on your wrist!
Galaxy Watch5 + Watch5 Pro : Where To Buy?
Here are online purchase options where you can buy the Galaxy Watch5 series (prices accurate as of Oct 14):
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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.
Was a new XBB variant of the COVID-19 coronavirus just discovered in Singapore, after it caused a new wave of hospitalisations and deaths?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : New XBB Variant Was Just Discovered In Singapore!
Many people have been sharing a link to a CoronaHeadsUp page that claims that the first XBB variant wave just began in Singapore.
Keep wearing your mask. New wave started.
A new variant XBB found in Singapore. Stay safe
The world’s first wave of the recombinant SARS-CoV-2 variant XBB has apparently begun in Singapore.
Twitter is alight with posts claiming that the recombinant SARS-CoV-2 variant XBB is creating a new wave of infections in Singapore
Truth : New XBB Variant Was NOT Discovered In Singapore!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on WhatsApp, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : CoronaHeadsUp Is A Content Aggregator Website
The CoronaHeadsUp website that people keep sharing is basically a content aggregator website, which copies and pastes content from other websites and social media.
They don’t seem to do any actual analysis of the data. They probably have very little knowledge of the subject matter, which is why they focus on “copying and pasting” from other websites and social media.
While that does not make them a fake news website, it doesn’t mean that what they are posting is necessarily true or accurate. It pretty much depends on what they copy and paste.
Many of these content aggregator websites will also embellish their posts to draw readers, or worse – share them on WhatsApp and social media like Facebook and Twitter with catchy but misleading descriptions (like above) to encourage people to share.
Fact #2 : Singapore Called Rumours Of High XBB Mortality False
On October 11, the Singapore Ministry of Health said that the rumours of a significant increase in severe COVID-19 cases and deaths from the XBB strain are untrue.
There have been rumours circulating via WhatsApp that Singapore is having a rapid and large increase in cases with severe illness and deaths due to the circulating XBB strain.
This is not true. We are initiating POFMA (Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act) action against such falsehoods.
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong getting his COVID-19 vaccination
Fact #3 : XBB Not Causing High Mortality / Morbidity In Singapore
On October 11, the Singapore Ministry of Health confirmed that the number of severe cases from XBB remained low:
This is very likely due to the resilience built up through vaccination and previous waves of infection. We are monitoring the trajectory closely.
More importantly, there is also no evidence of XBB causing more severe illness. So far, the large majority of patients continue to report mild symptoms such as sore throat or slight fever, especially if they have been vaccinated.
Even though there were over 11,000 cases in Singapore that day, only 11 cases needed to be treated in the ICU, and only 50 patients need oxygen supplementation.
This was much lower than the 171 ICU cases and 308 cases requiring oxygen supplementation at the peak of the Delta wave, and 54 ICU cases and 232 cases requiring oxygen supplementation at the peak of the Omicron wave.
Fact #4 : XBB Is An Omicron Subvariant
While many people refer to XBB as a new COVID-19 variant, it is actually an Omicron subvariant.
As per WHO definition, XBB is a recombinant subvariant of BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75 sublineages. In other words – XBB is a mix of the BA.2.10.1 and BA.2.75 subvariants.
Fact #5 : XBB Was First Detected In August 2022
XBB is a relatively new subvariant that was first discovered on 15 August 2022, with cases detected in Australia, Bangladesh, Denmark, India, Japan, Singapore and the United States
While Dr Gilman Siu Kit-hang of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University claimed that it was first discovered in Singapore, Dr. Sebastian Maurer-Stroh of the A*STAR’s Bioinformatics Institute disagrees.
Dr. Maurer-Stroh pointed out that the first occurrences of XBB were documented on GISAID (a viral genomic database) from other countries “a few weeks before the first cases in Singapore”.
Regardless of where new variants / subvariants develop, they are often detected earlier in countries that have good genomic surveillance programs.
Fact #6 : XBB “Could” Be More Immune-Evasive
The XBB strain “could” hypothetically be more immune-evasive due to its combination of mutations.
An October 4 preprint study found that XBB had the greatest ability to evade antibody protections, amongst new emerging variants.
This greater immune escape capability could mean that the XBB strain is more capable of infecting people who already have antibody protection from vaccination, or a prior COVID-19 infection.
However, while it may be easier to get infected (and reinfected) by the XBB sub-variant, the evidence still shows vaccination still helps to prevent severe disease and death.
Fact #7 : XBB So Far Produces Mild Disease
The new XBB subvariant is causing a surge in cases in Singapore and Bangladesh, with an increase in hospitalisations but severe disease and deaths remain low.
Both Singapore and Bangladesh have high vaccination rates, with 92% and 78% of their populations receiving at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose.
This suggests that while the XBB strain may “break through” immunity offered by COVID-19 vaccines or prior COVID-19 infections, patients develop a milder disease.
On Monday, October 10, Hong Kong recorded its first case of XBB.1 – a subvariant of XBB, which was found in a traveller from the United States. That person showed no symptoms.
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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.
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 : Fake Story Circulating Again With New Photo
In September 2022, the same fake warning went viral again on WhatsApp, this time with a new photo of two Malaysian officers who appeared to have served some kind of official paper to a homeowner.
While I cannot yet trace the provenance of this photo, or the context behind it, these officers are definitely not attempting to gain entry to the person’s home by falsely identifying themselves as Home Affairs officers.
Again, the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) has repeatedly announced that this story of robbers posing as Home Affairs officers is fake news.
Fact #5 : 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 #6 : 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 #7 : 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.
Dell Technologies just conducted a new 40+ country survey to find out things have changed after two years of accelerated digital transformation!
Take a look at their results, and find out why most businesses consider employees as their greatest asset!
Dell 40-Nation Survey : Employees Are Greatest Asset!
After two years of accelerated digital transformation during the COVID-19 pandemic, 64% of IT leaders in Malaysia (APJ: 45%; Global: 50%) say their organisations know what it takes to digitally transform a workforce.
But after such rapid change, many employees now face the challenge of maintaining the pace. What’s more, more than two-thirds of the 10,500 respondents believe that their organisations are not able to engage with their employees properly when planning transformation programs.
The results suggest that after 2 years rapid transformation, businesses and their workforce are in need of time to recharge, reflect and refine before embarking on new or iterating projects.
The research also highlights how there is still the danger os digital transformation stalling, as 68% of Malaysian respondents (APJ: 72%; Global: 64%) believe that their employees’ resistance to change can lead to failure.
Over half or 57% of Malaysian respondents (APJ: 62%; Global: 53%) fear that they will be shut-out of the rapidly-evolving digital world due to a lack of people with the right authority or vision to capitalise on opportunities offered by new technologies, like as-a-Service models.
Most organisations around the world – including Malaysia – realise the need to digitally transform, but they find digital transformation hard, and their people don’t always embrace change.
This human-technology friction is only compounded by the pandemic and what we end up with is businesses that are more digitally resilient, but many of their people are exhausted.
Today, businesses aspiring for sustainable success need to be asking themselves how they can thoughtfully and purposefully help their people navigate further change.
– Mak Chin Wah, country manager, Malaysia and general manager, Telecom Systems Business, South Asia, Dell Technologies.
Dell 40-Nation Survey : Readiness For Digital Change
Dell and independent behavioural experts also studied survey respondents’ appetite for digital change, and they found that only 8% of the Malaysian workforce – from senior business leaders to IT decision-makers and staff – are pursuing modernisation projects (APJ: 7%; Global: 10%).
Furthermore, 40% of Malaysian respondents are slow or reluctant to embrace change (APJ: 46%; Global: 42%).
Breakthrough Benchmark
Malaysia
APJ
Global
Sprint: Will chase innovation and
trailblaze technological change.
8%
7%
10%
Steady: Poised to adopt technological
change, selected by others.
50%
41%
43%
Slow: Inclined to hold back and
observe / deliberate.
40%
46%
42%
Still: Tend to anticipate problems and
resist proposed technology innovations
based on perceived risk.
4%
6%
5%
Dell 40-Nation Survey : The Way Forward
The Dell study also charts a way forward for businesses to focus on keeping pace with digital transformation:
1. Connectivity
Businesses performed tremendous feats to connect, collaborate, and conduct business online during the pandemic, but the job is not done.
Around 76% of Malaysian respondents say they need their organisations to provide the necessary tools and infrastructure to work anywhere (along with the autonomy to choose their preferred working pattern) (APJ: 78%; Global: 72%).
In fact, they worry their employees might be left behind because they do not have the right technology to shift to a highly distributed model (where work and compute are not tied to a central place, but occur everywhere).
Technology alone is not enough. Businesses also need to make work equitable for employees with different needs, interests, and responsibilities, including the 82% Malaysian employees (APJ: 78; Global: 76%) that would like their organisation to do any of the following:
Clearly define their ongoing commitment to flexible work arrangements and the practicalities of making it work – Malaysia: 54% (APJ: 46%; Global: 40%)
Equip leaders to effectively and equitably manage remote teams – Malaysia: 41% (APJ: 42%; Global: 42%)
Empower employees to choose their preferred working pattern and provide the necessary tools / infrastructure – Malaysia: 49% (APJ: 47%; Global: 44%)
Every employee’s time is limited and there are now too few qualified candidates for open roles. To address these limitations, businesses can delegate repetitive tasks to automated processes and free-up employees to focus on higher-value work.
At present, 19% of Malaysian respondents say that their work is stimulating and not repetitive (APJ: 32%; Global: 37%). With the opportunity to automate more repetitive tasks, 81% of Malaysian respondents would look forward to learning new, sought-after skills and technologies, like leadership skills, courses in machine learning, or focusing on more strategic opportunities to elevate their role (APJ: 74%; Global; 69%).
However, businesses with limited budgets are concerned they will not be able to advance their workforce and compete.
3. Empathy
At their heart, businesses must builda culture, modelled by empathetic leaders, that treats people as their greatest source of creativity and value.
The research shows there is still work to do and empathy has to inform decision making – from simplifying technology for approximately half (Malaysia: 51%; APJ: 52%; Global: 49%) who often feel overwhelmed by complex technologies, to tailoring change programs to individuals’ skills (Malaysia: 54%; APJ: 50%; Global: 41%;) of employees believe their leaders do this).
To find out how things have changed after two years of accelerated digital transformation, Dell Technologies conducted a survey across 40+ countries from all regions of the world, from August to October 2021.
Fieldwork was conducted by Vanson Bourne, and involved 10,500 senior business decision-makers, IT decision-makers and knowledge workers (employees involved in digital transformation).
In Asia Pacific & Japan (APJ), 2,900 respondents across 11 locations were surveyed. The APJ locations include Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam. In Malaysia, 200 number of respondents were surveyed.
On 22 September 2022, Dell Technologies presented their key findings at the Dell Technologies Forum 2022, held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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Sea Limited – the parent company of Shopee – appears to be in dire straits, pulling out of markets, slashing costs and salaries!
Parent Company Of Shopee Slashes Costs + Salaries!
Singapore-based Sea Limited – Shopee’s parent company – appears to be in dire straits, pulling out of markets, slashing costs and salaries!
In March 2022, Shopee shut down its France operations less than 6 months after kicking off its “European conquest” in October 2021.
Then in early September 2022, Shopee exited Argentina, and shut down its local operations in Chile, Colombia and Mexico. Sea Limited’s Garena gaming unit also laid off hundreds of employees in Shanghai.
Today (September 15, 2022), Bloomberg reported that Sea Limited’s top management staff will forgo their salaries, and the company will tighten its expenses.
In a 1,000-word internal memo to Sea Limited staff, CEO Forrest Li said that the leadership team will not take any cash compensation “until the company reaches self-sufficiency”, as well as these additional measures :
business travel is restricted to economy class flights,
travel meal expenses are limited to US$30 a day,
hotel stays for business trips are limited to US$150 a night
reimbursements for meals and entertainment bills will be removed
Sea Limited + Shopee Have Been Struggling In 2022
Li noted that Sea Limited has been struggling against rising interest rates, accelerating inflation, and a volatile market – conditions that he foresees will likely persist into the medium term.
He stressed that the company’s primary objective for the next 12-18 months will be to achieve positive cashflow as soon as possible.
With investors fleeing for ‘safe haven’ investments, we do not anticipate being able to raise funds in the market.
The only way for us to free ourselves from relying on external capital is to become self-sufficient, generating enough cash for all our own needs and projects.
Li’s comments mirrors the “tough times” concerns recently expressed by HUAWEI CEO Ren Zhengfe.
Sea Limited saw its market value soar to more than US$200 billion in October 2021, but its share prices tumbled 85%, reducing its market value to just US$27 billion.
Last month, Sea announced that its net loss in the second quarter of 2022 widened to US$931.20 million from US$433.7 million last year. Its total adjusted loss before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation for that quarter also jumped to US$506.3 minion from US$24.1 million.
This was despite a 29% increase in total revenue to US$2.9 billion, from US$2.3 billion in the second quarter of last year.
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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.
National Geographic just made a hilarious faux pas, wrongly putting Gardens by the Bay in Malaysia!
Take a look at the photo that just went viral, and the hilarious responses!
Nat Geo : Here Is Gardens by the Bay in Singapore, Malaysia!
On 27 August 2022, National Geographic UK went viral after posting a photo of the beautiful Gardens by the Bay, with this description :
From the Archive: A family from India walks through the Gardens by the Bay in Singapore, Malaysia.
Gardens by the Bay Is In Singapore, Not Malaysia!
The photo by Lucas Foglia quickly went viral, not because it was beautiful – it was, but because National Geographic UK wrongly claimed that Gardens by the Bay is in Singapore, Malaysia!
Gardens by the Bay is located in Singapore, and not Malaysia. More importantly – Singapore and Malaysia are two separate countries.
Just in case Nat Geo UK editors are confused, Singapore used to be part of Malaysia, until it separated on 9 August 1965. Here is a bit of historical evidence of that sad day…
Many Singaporean and Malaysian netizens quickly ribbed Nat Geo UK for fun. Here is a selection of both serious and funny responses to National Geographic UK’s faux pas.
Tourism Malaysia : Dear Sir/Madam, that is Singapore. This is Malaysia
GSC : Also from the Archive: An IMAX theatre built with Vibranium in Wakanda, Johor Bahru.
Justin Jozy Oh : From the Archive: A beautiful view of the Big Ben in New York, UK.
Baxter Oh : From archive : A beautiful view at Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia, People’s Republic of China
Zhen Feng Yap : From the Archive: A beautiful view of the Cat statue overlooking the city in Wakanda, State of Sarawak, Malaysia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa.
Chernyet Wong : From the Archive: A traveller from National Geographic UK was exploring in Sahara Desert in Mars, Malaysia
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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.
Sony just gave everyone a “nice” August surprise, by hiking PlayStation 5 prices globally by up to 24%!
Here is what you need to know…
Sony Hikes PlayStation 5 Prices Globally, Except US!
Sony has had a hard time producing enough PlayStation 5 consoles, with available units getting snapped up within minutes, often by scalpers.
It doesn’t seem to be a situation that will likely be resolved until 2024, but that does not mean Sony is willing to lose out on profits just because there’s still a shortage of chips worldwide.
On 25 August 2022, they sprung a “nice” surprise by announcing an immediate hike to PlayStation 5 prices globally… except in the United States.
Japan gets a short reprieve until September 14, so consumers there can still enjoy the lower price, but with virtually no stock at hand, that probably won’t make much of a difference.
Europe
PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive – €549.99
PS5 Digital Edition – €449.99
UK
PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive – £479.99
PS5 Digital Edition – £389.99
Japan (effective Sept. 15, 2022)
PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive – ¥60,478 yen (including tax)
PS5 Digital Edition – ¥49,478 yen (including tax)
China
PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive – ¥4,299 yuan
PS5 Digital Edition – ¥3,499 yuan
Australia
PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive – AUD $799.95
PS5 Digital Edition – AUD $649.95
Mexico
PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive – MXN $14,999
PS5 Digital Edition – MXN $12,499
Canada
PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive – CAD $649.99
PS5 Digital Edition – CAD $519.99
Singapore
PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive – SG$799
PS5 Digital Edition – SG$669
Malaysia
PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive – RM2,499
PS5 Digital Edition – RM2,069
Indonesia
PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive – IDR 9,699,000
PS5 Digital Edition – IDR 8,199,000
Thailand
PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive – THB 18,690
PS5 Digital Edition – THB 15,690
Philippines
PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive – PHP 30,790
Vietnam
PS5 with Ultra HD Blu-ray disc drive – VND 15,990,000
In the United Kingdom, prices are going up by £30 for both the Blu-ray and Digital Edition versions – a 6% to 8% hike.
In Europe, the €50 hike raises the console’s price by 10% to 12.5% for the Blu-ray and Digital Edition versions respectively.
In Australia, the A$50 hike raises the console’s price by 6.7% to 8.3% for the Blu-ray and Digital Edition versions respectively.
Here in Malaysia, the RM200 hike raises the console’s price by 8.7% to 10.7% for the Blu-ray and Digital Edition versions respectively.
The highest increase though will be in Japan. The ¥10,498 increase is a massive 21% hike over the original price of ¥49,980 for the Blu-ray edition. The Digital Edition was originally priced at ¥39,980, but it will cost 24% more after its price is raised by ¥9,498.
Why Is Sony Hiking PlayStation 5 Prices Globally, Except US?!
It is certainly odd and rare for companies to raise prices on a product in the middle of its lifespan. I should point out that the PlayStation 5 is almost 2 years old, having been launched on November 12, 2020.
Sony Interactive Entertainment President and CEO Jim Ryan blamed the decision on “challenging economic conditions” which caused “high global inflation rates, as well as adverse currency trends“.
The global economic environment is a challenge that many of you around the world are no doubt experiencing. We’re seeing high global inflation rates, as well as adverse currency trends, impacting consumers and creating pressure on many industries.
Based on these challenging economic conditions, SIE has made the difficult decision to increase the recommended retail price (RRP) of PlayStation 5 in select markets across Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), Asia-Pacific (APAC), Latin America (LATAM), as well as Canada. There will be no price increase in the United States.
Why not the United States? Probably because Sony is not doing quite so well in that market, getting edged out by Xbox Series X/S. So it looks like Sony does not want to upset the apple cart there just yet…
PlayStation 5 is doing great in other countries, so Sony apparently felt confident enough to raise prices without the risk of potential customers jumping to the Xbox bandwagon in protest.
Ultimately, this boils down to profit. If Sony cannot get enough units out the door, the only way to increase profits is to raise prices. And if raising prices will keep the shareholders happy and protect their own bonuses, it’s no surprise that Sony executives would sign off on this.
Even more shockingly – Sony is raising prices most in its own turf. Japanese gamers will have to put up with a massive price hike of 21% to 24%.
It really does not pay to be a fan of Sony products…
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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.
Is the Chinese herbal medicine Lianhua Qingwen more effective than the Pfizer Paxlovid antiviral combination?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Lianhua Qingwen Is More Effective Than Paxlovid!
People are sharing a link to a Bloomberg called “Pfizer’s Covid Pill Doesn’t Work For Healthier Patients, Will Focus On Those With higher Risk”, together with this message :
Pfizer scams the world with US$22 billion in sales of Paxlovid to treat Covid. Now finds that Paxlovid does not work and may cause rebound of disease. Malaysia has ordered 200,000 doses at a cost of RM500 million – RM2,500 per dose compared to a few bucks for China’s effective Lian Hwa pills.
Truth : Paxlovid Is More Effective Than Lianhua Qingwen!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS created by the Chinese 50 Cent Army (wumao, 五毛) as part of their campaign to support Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : Paxlovid Is Combination Of Two Antiviral Drugs
Pfizer PAXLOVID is an antiviral treatment that consists of two protease inhibitors :
two 150 mg tablets of Nirmatrelvir (the new protease inhibitor developed by Pfizer)
one 100 mg tablet of Ritonavir (an old antiviral approved in 1996)
Protease inhibitors work by binding to proteolytic enzymes used by the SARS-CoV-2 virus to replicate. This prevents the virus from replicating in the infected cells, stopping the infection and preventing transmission.
Drug combinations like this offer a synergistic effect, above and beyond their individual abilities. In this combination, ritonavir helps to slow down the breakdown of nirmatrelvir, allowing it to remain in the body for a longer period at higher concentrations.
Fact #2 : Paxlovid Was Proven To Work Against COVID-19
Unlike Lianhua Qingwen, Paxlovid underwent and passed an actual randomised double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.
In the EPIC-HR clinical trial, Paxlovid was shown to reduce hospitalisation or death from COVID-19 by 88%, compared to placebo.
The EUA allows Paxlovid to be used for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults and children 12 years and older, who are at high risk of developing severe COVID-19.
I should point out that the EPIC-HR trial involved adults who have a high risk of developing severe COVID-19 :
18 years and older with a risk factor for developing severe COVID-19, or
60 years and older, regardless of chronic medical conditions
All these patients also were not vaccinated against COVID-19, which puts them at higher risk of developing severe COVID-19.
Fact #4 : Paxlovid Not Effective In Normal Risk Patients
After successfully proving that Paxlovid worked for patients who are at high risk of developing severe COVID-19, Pfizer tested it on “standard risk patients”.
Their study showed a 51% relative risk reduction of developing severe COVID-19, which was not statistically significant.
That was why Pfizer halted further enrolment in its Paxlovid trial for “standard risk patients”, which are people who do not have co-morbidities – health conditions that put them at risk of developing severe COVID-19.
This “failure” actually shows the value of running clinical tests, before approving any drug. Unlike Paxlovid though, Lianhua Qingwen did not undergo any clinical trial to prove that it can treat or prevent COVID-19.
Fact #5 : Lianhua Qingwen Not Proven To Work Against COVID-19
Lianhua Qingwen (连花清瘟) 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, unlike Paxlovid, 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.
Fact #6 : Lianhua Qingwen Should Not Be Taken To Prevent COVID-19
Official Chinese media outlets like CGTN and China Daily have falsely claimed that that Lianhua Qingwen was “proven effective for the treatment of COVID-19” and that it was “approved to treat [COVID-19] virus”.
However, Lianhua Qingwen cannot prevent COVID-19, and should not be taken on a long-term basis to prevent it, due to potential side effects.
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.
Fact #7 : Chinese Official Admits Lianhua Qingwen Cannot Kill Coronavirus
When Chinese Deputy Consul General in Vancouver, Kong Weiwei, was confronted about these claims, he said that people should be “mature enough” to do their own research and understand that Lianhua Qingwen cannot kill the COVID-19 virus :
They’re not babies. We don’t want to be like a nanny telling every one of them that these [Lianhua Qingwen capsules] cannot kill the virus.
Fact #8 : Singapore HSA Warns Against Lianhua Qingwen Claims
The Singapore Health Sciences Authority (HSA) continues to warn the public not to believe the many misleading claims made about Lianhua Qingwen’s ability to treat or prevent COVID-19.
To date, 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.
All herbal products formulated for common cold and flu, including CPM, should only be used to manage symptoms such as headache, runny or blocked nose, sore throat and cough.
We strongly advise members of the public not to fall prey to unsubstantiated claims or spread unfounded rumours that herbal products can be used to prevent or treat COVID-19.
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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 the IMF warn Malaysia about having the second most national debt in Asia, after Sri Lanka?!
Take a look at the viral claim, and find out what the facts really are!
Claim : Malaysia Has 2nd Most Debt In Asia, After Sri Lanka!
This post about IMF warning Malaysia about having the second most national debt in Asia, after Sri Lanka, has gone viral.
People are sharing it as a warning of how Malaysia could very soon descent into the economic chaos and misery affecting Sri Lanka.
International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that Malaysia is in a huge economic dilemma.
The second largest debt country in Asia after Sri Lanka is Malaysia.
Good Luck to Malaysian… [sic]
马民有福了😱😭
Truth : Malaysia Does Not Have 2nd Most Debt In Asia, After Sri Lanka!
This is yet another example of FAKE NEWS circulating on social media, and here are the reasons why…
Fact #1 : IMF Did Not Say Malaysia Is In Economic Trouble
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) did not warn that Malaysia is in huge economic trouble.
In April 2022, it warned that Asian nations, like the rest of the world, are at risk of stagflation from being battered by the war in Ukraine and the slowdown in China from COVID-19.
The region faces a stagflationary outlook, with growth being lower than previously expected, and inflation being higher.
Inflation is now expected to rise 3.2% this year, a full point higher than expected in January.
Despite the downgrade, Asia remains the world’s most dynamic region, and an important source of global growth. – Anne-Marie Gulde-Wolf, acting director of IMF Asia and Pacific
Fact #2 : Malaysia Does Not Have Second Most Debt In Asia
The claim that Malaysia has the second highest national debt in Asia is also false.
On both the GDP percentage and per capita basis, Singapore has the second highest national debt in Asia, behind Japan. Even Sri Lanka has less debt, per capita or as a percentage of its GDP, than Singapore or Japan.
Malaysia has far less national debt than Sri Lanka as a percentage of its GDP, but twice the debt on a per capita basis.
Here is a comparison I created of countries with the highest national debt in Asia :
Country
Year
National Debt
Debt
(% of GDP)
Debt Per Capita
Japan
2020
$13,054 billion
259%
$103,386
Singapore
2021
$536 billion
132.8%
$98,410
Sri Lanka
2020
$81.7 billion
101.2%
$3,726
Mongolia
2021
$14.3 billion
94.7%
$4,294
India
2020
$2,402 billion
90.1%
$1,741
China
2020
$10,115 billion
68.1%
$7,164
Malaysia
2021
$239 billion
63.4%
$8,644
Philippines
2021
$226 billion
57.5%
$2,055
Fact #3 : IMF Optimistic Malaysia Will Expand By 5.75% In 2022
In May 2022, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) actually announced that it is optimistic that Malaysia’s economy will expand by 5.75% in 2022, driven by pent-up domestic demand and continued strong external demand.
It also said that Malaysia’s high vaccination rates, and limited movement restrictions are supporting economic expansion.
Fact #4 : High Debt Is Not Necessarily Bad
While a high national debt is not ideal, it is not necessarily a bad thing either. It really depends on how much interest needs to be paid on the debt, and what the government is using it for.
Unlike individuals who will die eventually, the government of a country can last for hundreds of years. So governments do not have to pay back all of their debts within a certain amount of time.
As long as the government can keep paying interest on its debt, it can continue to borrow money to service deficits in its budget, or to invest in projects that grow the economy.
Fact #5 : How Governments Use Money Matters More
Just like how you can use borrowed money to invest in assets or splurge on liabilities, how the government uses the borrowed money matters more than how much it borrows.
If the government uses borrowed money to invest, that will spur growth that allows it to easily repay its debts while driving down the interest it pays.
But if the borrowed money is lost through corruption or wasteful projects, the government will find it harder to pay interest on the debt and may even default on payments.
Fact #6 : High Government Spending During Pandemic Is Expected
Practically every government in the world was forced to spend significantly more during the pandemic. Most run into large deficits during the pandemic because :
governments need to spend more on healthcare to combat COVID-19
governments cut taxes to support citizens and businesses
governments provide monetary support for citizens and businesses
This isn’t unique to Malaysia, but applies across the world. That’s why Malaysia’s national debt jumped significantly after January 2020.
Fact #7 : Malaysia Has Sufficient Foreign Reserves
Malaysia’s national debt increased from $228.7 billion in 2020, to $239 billion (RM 979.8 billion) in 2021 – an increase of about 4.5% year-on-year.
While this increase pushes Malaysia close to a national debt of 65% of its GDP, it is still much lower than many other countries.
More importantly, Bank Negara Malaysia reported international reserves of $116.9 billion as of 31 December 2021, which is enough to finance 7.7 months of retained imports, and is 20% higher than the total short-term external debt.
In other words, Malaysia is not anywhere close to collapsing economically, like what happened in Sri Lanka.
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out, and please SUPPORT our work!
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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.
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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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.
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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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.
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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
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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
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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 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)!
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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.
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
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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.
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.
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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.
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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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 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.
Please help us FIGHT FAKE NEWS by sharing this fact check article out!
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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 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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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.
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.
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.
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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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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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 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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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 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.
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.
