Sabtu, 14 September 2013

The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

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The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

Debunking myths about terrorism
Indonesia holds rival pageant exclusively for Muslim women
Philippine troops clear rebels

Debunking myths about terrorism

Posted:

New research is showing that not all radicals and extremists join a terrorist outfit solely for ideological reasons.

IN Minnesota, a disturbing 40-minute propaganda video recording urges young Somalian Americans residing in the state to join rebels fighting in Somalia.

Dahir Gure, an American Somalian now a rebel fighter in Somalia, said in the video with a toothy grin: "This is the real Disneyland. You need to join us." The recording by terrorist group Al-Shabaab was briefly shown on YouTube before it was removed for its violent content.

Subsequently, Al-Shabaab sent out a tweet saying it would document the journey of its Minnesota "martyrs".

In the past, terrorist groups used websites and chatrooms to reach their target groups. With the growth of space on social media, including Twitter, blogs and YouTube, such groups are now using these avenues to reach, radicalise and recruit new members.

Terrorist groups combine the online space with their existing offline recruitment methods to lure fighters to their violent causes.

At The Hague in the Netherlands, Moroccan and Turkish recruiters distribute on the streets an A4-sized paper with details on how to slip through Customs and immigration loopholes in Europe and join the rebels fighting Syrian President Bashar al- Assad. Among those who bought the idea were members of a Dutch football team who traded their soccer boots for war gear in Syria.

To better understand these evolving threats, research on terrorism needs to move away from stereotypical analysis of terrorists, said overseas and local security experts who spoke to The Straits Times recently at a security conference.

Research efforts also need to be evidence-based, have academic rigour and involve experts from other disciplines such as psychology, they said.

Researchers need to ask what makes people gravitate towards terrorism. New research is showing that not all radicals and extremists join a terrorist outfit solely for ideological reasons. Not all who become radicalised end up as terrorists or suicide bombers.

Meanwhile, a complex set of reasons are responsible for turning someone into a lone wolf or a suicide bomber, said the experts.

Their interviews with terrorists show that not all who become terrorists remain committed to the cause and, at some point, their extremist fervour may wane - an insight that allows for security agencies to potentially "turn them around".

Demos, a think-tank in Britain, found in its study in 2010, "The Edge Of Violence", that those who participated in terrorist activities were attracted more to the glamour and excitement of an attack, and that it was typically group dynamics that instigated a spiral towards violence rather than the ideology of violence.

New approaches are needed as new challenges come up, said Professor Edwin Bakker, a Dutch terrorism expert. A new security headache, he said, was the spike in the number of European-born Muslims who are fighting in the Middle East battlefields.

The growth of these numbers has caught security agencies by surprise, he said, adding that the latest figures show that of the 5,000-odd foreign fighters in Syria, 600 are from Europe.

In June this year, a gruesome video of a beheading in Syria surfaced on the Internet and those in Belgium and the Netherlands reeled in shock as they heard the attackers speaking with Dutch, Flemish and French accents.

In Indonesia, terrorists are stealing money through the Internet for their cause, said Indonesian terrorism analyst Solahudin. One jihadist, Rizki Gunawan, persuaded Mawan Kurniawan, a computer hacker, to hack into online investment company Speedline Inc to steal US$700,000 (RM2.3mil); part of the money was used to finance military training and operations in Poso, Sulawesi island, in 2011 and last year.

The Internet has also become an important means of military training for people who have difficulty getting access to real training camps, added Solahudin.

To understand these trends, researchers are doing transnational studies, said Professor John Horgan, who teaches security studies at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell.

One example is a study on the little-understood trend of Muslim converts' role in terror attacks.

The wide scope of the project includes Britain, the United States, Canada and Australia.

The study examines how people connect with extremist online material and how they are influenced by what is found in both online and offline material.

In another project, researchers in a Rand study are examining the real impact the Internet has on influencing someone to become radicalised.

According to analysts, it is simplistic to believe that a person becomes self-radicalised after watching extremist videos on the Internet or reading terrorist magazines, like Inspire.

"An overwhelming majority of people who hold radical beliefs do not engage in violence. And, there is growing evidence that people who engage in terrorism don't necessarily hold radical beliefs," said Prof Horgan.

Using a more scientific approach to gather leads in terrorism research can also help predict future terror attacks, he said.

He and another academic, Dr John F. Morrison from the University of East London, have been monitoring the growth of the Irish Republican dissidents who are pushing for Britain's withdrawal from Northern Ireland, through force.

The two have been gathering data on the dissidents' steady rise by logging thousands of events and documents in the process.

Their leads suggest that the dissidents are expected to strike in spectacular style in 2016, the year that marks the 100th anniversary of the Easter Uprising, an event that led to the birth of the modern Irish Republic.

In the post-9/11 world, the threat of a terror attack any time, anywhere and from any group continues to be real.

It is difficult to answer with certainty whether the war on terror will be won by states fighting it.

New research being done on terrorism will plug loopholes in the understanding of terrorism and play an important part in strengthening policies aimed at weakening terrorist organisations. The work is never done. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Indonesia holds rival pageant exclusively for Muslim women

Posted:

JAKARTA: The Miss World beauty contest, which has attracted fierce opposition by hardline Islamic groups in host country Indonesia, is now facing another challenge – a rival pageant exclusively for Muslims.

The Muslimah World contest to be held on Wednesday in Jakarta is "Islam's answer to Miss World", the pageant's founder Eka Shanti said Saturday.

"Muslimah World is a beauty pageant, but the requirements are very different from Miss World – you have to be pious, be a positive role model and show how you balance a life of spirituality in today's modernised world," Eka said.

The pageant is the latest backlash against Miss World, which has already dropped the bikini from its beach fashion round and has attracted more than a month of protests by Muslim hardliners demanding the show be scrapped.

The 20 Muslimah World finalists were chosen from more than 500, who took part in online rounds, reciting Quranic verses and telling stories of how they came to wear the Islamic headscarf, a requirement for the pageant.

In this handout photograph from Miss World released on September 13, 2013, from Miss Colombia, Daniella Ocoro (L) and Miss Mexico, Marylin Chagoya Triana (R) pose together during a visit of the Miss World contestants in Bali Safari Park in Indonesia's resort island of Bali on September 12, 2013. AFP PHOTO / MISS WORLD------EDITORS NOTE-------RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT

Miss Colombia, Daniella Ocoro (left) and Miss Mexico, Marylin Chagoya Triana posing together during a visit of the Miss World contestants to Bali Safari Park. — AFP

The finalists, from Iran, Malaysia, Brunei, Bangladesh, Nigeria and Indonesia, will parade Islamic fashions in what Eka said is an opportunity to show young Muslim women they do not need to show their "immodest" parts – including their hair and bare shoulders – to be beautiful.

But Eka said she did not support hardliners' calls to cancel the Miss World contest, acknowledging that Indonesia was a diverse country with many faiths.

"We don't just want to shout 'no' to Miss World. We'd rather show our children they have choices. Do you want to be like the women in Miss World? Or like those in Muslimah World?" Eka said.

After repeated protests, government officials announced last week that the Miss World final would be moved from the outskirts of the capital Jakarta to the resort island of Bali, where the contest began last week with no opposition from the Hindu majority there.

The organisers, however, were not party to the decision and have said it would be "impossible" to make the last-minute change.

Despite the decision, protesters from the Islamic group Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia demonstrated in the central Java city of Yogyakarta yesterday, its spokeswoman saying "Miss World is not welcome in Indonesia at all".

The decision to move the final round was the latest victory for Islamic fringe groups, who are wielding increasing power and have succeeded in getting several events they deem un-Islamic changed or cancelled in recent years. — AFP

Philippine troops clear rebels

Posted:

ZAMBOANGA: Philippine troops seeking to end a six-day standoff that has killed more than 50 people in the south were clearing the remaining Muslim rebels as a ceasefire plan collapsed.

Police estimated the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) gunmen were now holding as few as seven civilian hostages in the southern port city of Zamboanga, compared to more than 100 a day earlier, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas said.

His comments boosted hopes that the crisis, which had left entire neighbourhoods razed to the ground by the gunmen and forced tens of thousands of residents to flee, would soon be resolved.

"By today, it's quite clear that not only is this incursion being contained," Roxas said. "From contained it has evolved into constriction, which is to reduce the operating space of the MNLF. Now it is into clearing."

Relentless day and night operations by at least 3,000 elite government troops have killed 43 rebels while 19 others had been detained, said military spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Ramon Zagala.

"Right now we are optimistic that our operations are effective and that we are delivering a significant blow to our enemies," he said.

"We hope that we can finish this calibrated response at the soonest possible time," he said, while refusing to give a timetable.

He cautioned that the remaining gunmen were still dangerous, with the military limited to using light weaponry to avoid civilian casualties.

He said the military and police forces had suffered six dead while four civilians were also killed.

The optimistic assessment of the operation came as a ceasefire plan brokered by Vice-President Jejomar Binay between the government and MNLF leader Nur Misuari was abandoned.

"The vice-president is sad that his efforts to secure the release of the hostages in Zamboanga City did not prosper," his spokesman Joey Salgado said in a statement.

"Both the MNLF and the Philippine government wanted peace, but there were terms set that were not acceptable," he said without elaborating.

Binay, the country's number-two elected official, followed President Benigno Aquino to Zamboanga yesterday to discuss the ceasefire plan with the Filipino leader.

The standoff began on Monday, when heavily armed MNLF forces entered Zamboanga's coastal districts and took hostages in a bid to scupper peace talks between another militant group and the government.

At one time, the gunmen used nearly 200 civilians as human shields, officials said.

The rebels also forced groups of the hostages to stand between them and attacking military units.

The fighting forced 69,000 people to flee their homes, the civil defence office said.

Nearly 500 houses were torched by the rebels, who shot at fire trucks sent to attend to the blazes, city fire marshal Dominador Zabala said.

The MNLF waged a 25-year guerilla war for independence before signing a peace treaty in 1996 that granted limited self-rule to the south's Muslim minority.

Misuari, who has accused the government of violating the terms of a 1996 treaty by negotiating a separate deal with a rival faction, had disappeared from public view shortly before the fighting began. — AFP

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

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The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

Movies coming soon

Posted:

Malavita – Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer play husband and wife who enter the witness protection programme with their two children. De Niro's character was part of a notorious mafia clan; but he and his family have a small problem letting go of their old way of life. Directed by Luc Besson, the film co-stars Dianna Agron and Tommy Lee Jones.

2 Guns – Two undercover officers from different departments try to infiltrate a drug cartel. Things go bad and they find themselves having no choice but to team up. Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg head the cast.

Prisoners – Fathers Keller Dover and Franklin Birch decide to go down a path they cannot return from after their daughters go missing and the detective-in-charge is unable to find them. Starring Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, Maria Bello, Paul Dano and Melissa Leo.

My Lucky Star – Wang Leehom and Zhang Ziyi lead the cast list in this romantic comedy. Directed by Dennie Gordon (apparently the first American woman to direct a feature for the China market), the film revolves around an adventure that takes place in Beijing, Singapore, Hong Kong and Macau. Of course, there's romance too.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: World Updates

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The Star Online: World Updates

Hurricane Ingrid soaking Mexico's Gulf Coast
Japan to switch off nuclear power, may be some time before it's on again
In a sign of reforms to come, newcomers snap at heels of Japan's utilities

Hurricane Ingrid soaking Mexico's Gulf Coast

Posted:

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Hurricane Ingrid strengthened on Saturday night as it spun off Mexico's Gulf Coast, dumping heavy rain across central and eastern Mexico.

Rain from the Category 1 hurricane has caused river levels to rise and emergency services to prepare for evacuations, but state oil monopoly Pemex said its installations in the Gulf of Mexico were operating normally.

Ingrid, with sustained winds of 80 miles per hour (130 kph), could grow even stronger over the next two days as it nears Mexico's coast, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. A Category 1 storm is the lowest intensity on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale.

Pemex was operating under security protocols, but none of its installations had been affected, a spokesman said earlier on Saturday.

Two of Mexico's three major oil-exporting ports were closed, but most of the country's Gulf Coast ports including Veracruz remained open on Saturday as the storm approached.

Emergency services in Veracruz state were preparing shelters in the event of flooding, but at midday the shelters were empty, a spokesman said.

A hurricane watch was in effect for a stretch of Veracruz's northern coastline, the NHC said.

Ingrid, the second hurricane of the Atlantic season and the ninth storm of the season, was 180 miles (290 km) east of the port of Tuxpan in Veracruz state at 0100 GMT and moving north at about 7 mph (11 kph), the NHC said.

"A turn toward the northwest and then toward the west is anticipated on Sunday," said the NHC. That would send Ingrid directly toward Mexico, on track to make landfall near Tampico, Veracruz, on Monday.

The storm was expected to dump between 10 inches (25 cm) and 25 inches (63 cm) of rain over a large part of eastern Mexico, which could cause rivers to swell, provoking flash floods and mudslides, according to the Miami-based NHC.

Ingrid could also bring a storm surge that would raise waters by 2 to 4 feet (0.6 to 1.2 metres) above normal tide levels near where the storm makes landfall, the NHC said.

Separately, tropical storm warnings are in effect on the Pacific Coast of Mexico from Acapulco to Manzanillo, where Tropical Storm Manuel is churning about 75 miles (120 km) offshore.

Manuel was lashing parts of Oaxaca and Guerrero states in western Mexico with heavy rain, and the NHC warned the storm could also cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.

(Reporting by Adriana Barrera and Elinor Comlay; Editing by Gunna Dickson and Peter Cooney)

Japan to switch off nuclear power, may be some time before it's on again

Posted:

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan is set to be nuclear power-free, for just the third time in more than four decades, and with no firm date for re-starting an energy source that has provided about 30 percent of electricity to the world's third-largest economy.

Kansai Electric Power Co's 1,180 MW Ohi No.4 reactor is scheduled to be disconnected from the power grid late on Sunday and then shut for planned maintenance. It is the only one of Japan's 50 reactors in operation after the nuclear industry came to a virtual halt following the March 2011 Fukushima disaster.

Japan last went without nuclear power in May-June 2012 - the first shutdown since 1970 - a year after a massive earthquake and tsunami triggered reactor meltdowns and radiation leaks at the Fukushima facility. The country's nuclear reactors provided close to a third of the electricity to keep the $5 trillion economy going before the Fukushima disaster, and utilities have had to spend billions of dollars importing oil, gas and coal to make up for the shortfall.

In 2011, Japan suffered its first trade deficit in more than three decades, and in July of this year it logged its third-biggest trade deficit on record, at 1.02 trillion yen ($10.5 billion), as a weak yen and rising oil prices made energy imports more expensive.

Several nuclear operators applied in July to re-start reactors under new rules drawn up following the Fukushima disaster, but approvals are likely to be tough to get as the industry regulator strives to show a sceptical public it is serious about safety.

Industry projections for a re-start vary from as early as December to mid-2014. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the utilities are keen to get reactors up and running again, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe singling out reducing soaring fuel costs as a key plank of his economic reform plans.

But opinion polls show a majority of Japanese want to end reliance on atomic power, and oppose re-starts.

"The argument that no nuclear power dents the economy would be myopic, considering that if by mistake we had another tragedy like Fukushima, Japan would suffer from further collateral damage and lose global trust," said Tetsunari Iida, head of the Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies, and a renewable energy expert.

"In the new economy, the less you use energy, the more value-added you become. The big chorus for nuclear power is hampering the efforts to move to a new, more open economy."

IMPORT BILL

Japan consumes about a third of the world's liquefied natural gas (LNG) production, and will likely boost LNG demand to record levels over the next couple of years. LNG imports rose 4.4 percent in volume to a record 86.87 million tonnes, and 14.9 percent in value to a record 6.21 trillion yen ($62.1 billion) in the year through March.

Imports are likely to rise to around 88 million tonnes this year and around 90 million tonnes in the year to March 2015, according to projections by the Institute of Energy Economics Japan based on a mid-scenario that 16 reactors will be back on-line by March 2015.

Thirty months on from the Fukushima disaster, such is the level of public concern about nuclear safety that the government is struggling to come up with a long-term energy policy - a delay that is having a profound impact on the economy and underlining just how costly a nuclear-power-free future may be.

People in the industry reckon Shikoku Electric Power's Ikata plant, Kyushu Electric's Sendai plant and Hokkaido Electric's Tomari plant are among those likely to be the first to re-start.

"There's talk the Abe administration is putting heavy pressure on the regulator (to re-start reactors)," said Osamu Fujisawa, a Japan-based independent oil economist.

"It's obviously the economy the administration is after (rather than safety). Otherwise, the business community will look away, dealing an end to the Abe administration."

($1 = 99.9850 Japanese yen)

(Editing by Ian Geoghegan)

In a sign of reforms to come, newcomers snap at heels of Japan's utilities

Posted:

TOKYO (Reuters) - The Fukushima nuclear disaster is driving one of Japan's biggest industry overhauls since World War Two, as new, nimble suppliers take business from the big regional power monopolies, and manufacturers, from steelmakers to drinks firms, generate their own power and sell what they don't need.

The 10 powerful regional utilities, which still supply around 90 percent of Japan's electricity - even with the country's nuclear industry virtually idled since the 2011 disaster - are expected to be broken up into separate power generation and distribution companies anyway by 2020.

But the world's worst atomic crisis in a quarter of a century has accelerated the pace of market reforms, as a growing number of firms armed with new technologies, flexible payment options and, often, cheaper power invade traditional markets.

Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco), the operator of the Fukushima facility, and the other major utilities have lost thousands of accounts in the 30 months since the plant was crippled by a massive earthquake and tsunami, as businesses switch to cheaper alternatives, a Reuters survey shows.

"Until recently, everyone just assumed that if you put a plug in a socket electricity would come out. Most people had no idea of the structures behind that," said Hiroaki Ikebe, president of Ennet Corp, Japan's biggest independent electricity supplier. But the Fukushima disaster, he said, prompted people to ask how the power supply system works, how fees are calculated, what services are available, and how this compares with other countries.

While the big utilities still dominate the market, Fukushima exposed shortcomings in power distribution, and the increasing competition is likely to push prices lower and shrink their market share.

With energy companies' public image shredded in the wake of the Fukushima crisis, the government is to press on with opening up the market and reducing some of the highest electricity costs in the world. But change won't be easy as the utilities are politically well-connected and have resisted liberalisation attempts since the 1990s.

The reforms, set to go to parliament when it resumes next month, aim to create a national grid company in 2015, and break up the monopolies into generation and transmission firms by 2020, and abolish price controls.

GAINING POWER

Ennet has doubled its customer base to 15,000 in two years by offering cheaper prices and more flexible contracts, overtaking Japan's smallest monopoly, Okinawa Electric Power Co, in terms of electricity supplied, Ikebe said.

The independents not only undercut the monopolies by accepting lower profit margins, they also provide power management systems and flexible buying plans to reduce prices and save energy. Many also trade electricity and use plant and infrastructure paid for by other firms, so they don't have to recoup those costs.

Tepco, Kansai Electric Power Co, Chubu Electric Power Co and the other regional monopolies have lost close to 18,000 customers since around the time of the Fukushima disaster, figures provided by the companies to Reuters show.

"We assume customers with smaller demand are likely to switch to the new electric power companies," said Naoko Iguchi, a spokeswoman at Kyushu Electric, which lost 340 accounts in April-June - more than double the number in the previous 12 months - as it raised tariffs to cover higher fuel costs while its nuclear reactors are shut down.

Tepco has been hardest hit, losing 11,550 customers as it raised its prices by 10-17 percent. That's more than half the number of accounts it has lost since 2000, when Japan last tried to open up the market to competition. With its only remaining viable nuclear plant - the Kashiwazaki Kariwa facility in Niigata prefecture - still shut, Tepco has said it may have to increase prices again to bolster its finances. The utility has racked up net losses of $27.4 billion since the Fukushima crisis 30 months ago.

A spokesman said Tepco offers energy savings plans to try to stop defections from its almost 29 million customers.

Chubu Electric last month broke an unwritten rule among utilities not to stray onto each others' turf by buying control of Diamond Power Corp, a Tokyo-based independent electricity supplier. Chubu Electric, Mitsubishi Corp, the seller of the Diamond Power stake, and Nippon Paper Industries Co will also build a coal-fired power station near Tokyo to supply Diamond Power.

PAPER POWER

Nippon Paper, Japan's No. 2 paper producer by sales, is also branching out on its own. It registered last year to be an independent electricity supplier to sell excess in-house generated power, spokesman Koji Yoshino said, and plans to build power generation facilities in its factories around Japan, including a 110 MW coal-fired plant in Miyagi prefecture, north of Tokyo. The company has used biomass and solar power in three other locations, Yoshino said.

Others have followed suit, with more than 100 companies registering with the government as of Friday to become power producers and suppliers. Manufacturers and others are also setting up in-house generators to produce electricity and cut costs as the big regional utilities hike prices - further eating into the monopolies' market share.

"We realise competition is going to get fierce," said a spokesman at Kansai Electric, which this year raised its prices by almost 10 percent, and lost 1,050 customers in May-July.

The number of locations licensed to generate 1 MW or more of in-house power rose 4.6 percent to 3,346 in the year to end-March 31, industry ministry figures show, with manufacturers from steelmakers to drinks firms getting in on the act.

Asahi Group Holdings Ltd, Japan's second-biggest beverage maker by sales, spent about 1 billion yen ($10 million)to add a 7.8 MW gas co-generation unit at its Ibaraki brewery - inside Tepco's service area - that started in July. That, and other energy saving measures, will allow it to cut peak-time energy use across its eight breweries by about 40 percent compared to last summer, Asahi said.

Kobe Steel Ltd, which generates power at its factories using blast furnace gas as fuel, has bigger plans. Japan's No. 3 steelmaker aims to build Japan's biggest inland thermal power plant north of Tokyo, a 1,400 MW gas-fired station. The facility will be supplied by gas from an expanded network planned by Tokyo Gas Co, Japan's biggest city gas supplier and one of three shareholders of Ennet. The others are Osaka Gas Co and a unit of NTT Facilities Inc.

($1 = 100.4250 Japanese yen)

(Additional reporting by James Topham, Osamu Tsukimori, Leng Cheng and Guo Cheng; Editing by Ian Geoghegan)

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Nation

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The Star Online: Nation

Give more ads to Utusan, says Najib
Changing face of Malaysia - in Lee Kuan Yew's eyes
MCA: Keep channelling funds to new villages

Give more ads to Utusan, says Najib

Posted:

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak hopes that government agencies, government-linked companies and private bumiputra-owned companies would give more advertisement opportunities to Utusan Melayu.

"Utusan cannot depend on its circulation alone to generate revenue," Najib said when opening the Utusan Melayu (Malaysia) Bhd's new headquarters made up of three seven-storey office blocks along Jalan Enam, Chan Sow Lin here.

Najib said the occasion was meaningful not only to the Malay-language newspaper group but to the Malay cause as a whole.

"I have long wanted for Utusan Melayu to have not just a headquarters but one with a building that can be considered a symbol of the success of the Malays and the country," he said.

He said the paper, in which Umno holds a majority stake, would have to adapt while keeping to the principles it was founded with.

Utusan Melayu executive chairman Tan Sri Hashim Makaruddin said the amount of advertising spending by GLCs for Malay dailies was still relatively small compared to that of non-Malay papers.

He said Utusan Melayu was under attack by certain parties, including a small group of Malays who he said did not value the paper's struggle.

Hashim added that the new building would make the area synonymous with Utusan Melayu, and suggested that Jalan Enam be renamed as Jalan Utusan.

Najib agreed with the suggestion, to loud cheers from those gathered.

Utusan turned 75 on Jun 18 this year. It opened in 1938 on Queen Street in Singapore with its first paper sold at 10 sen a piece.

Earlier at the launch of the Walk4Malaysia programme in Putrajaya, Najib advised Malaysians to make walking a daily routine to improve their fitness.

As such, he hoped the programme, which covers a distance of 600km from Kuala Besut in Terengganu to Putrajaya, would spark interest among the people to embrace walking as an activity.

Najib's speech was read out by Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

The programme involves 40 participants who will depart from Dataran Kuala Besut on Sept 22.

They will walk from 8am to 5pm daily and stop at 13 pre-determined locations. They are expected to reach Putrajaya on Oct 4.

Changing face of Malaysia - in Lee Kuan Yew's eyes

Posted:

The political demographic landscape has dramatically changed and will continue to move even more drastically in the coming years.

I HAVE just finished reading Lee Kuan Yew's book – One Man's View of the World, a collection of his analyses on various subjects across the world.

There is no denying that the former Singapore Prime Minister is a man of intellect. He is still sharp and insightful. He uses simple languages to offer his thoughts on subjects that would have turned out dull if presented by academics and diplomats.

Naturally, like many Malaysians, I started reading the chapter on Malaysia first, of which a part was conducted in a question-and-answer format.

There was one paragraph that stood out, which was his recollections on attending the meetings of the Council of Rulers in his capacity as Prime Minister of Singapore when it was still a part of Malaysia.

What he wrote is relevant to this day, and is something for all of us, especially those from the younger generation, to ponder upon even as we debate about the nation's future following the outcome of the recent general election.

Between 1963 and 1965, as the PM of Singapore, he wrote that he had to attend the meetings of the Council of Rulers in Malaysia.

"The rulers who attended would all be Malays, dressed in uniforms and accompanied by their sword bearers. All the chief ministers had their traditional Malay dresses on and I was the sole exception.

"This was not mere symbolism. It was to drive home a point: This is a Malay country. Never should you forget that."

But LKY's memory has failed him somewhat. He was not the only non-Malay present. The Chief Ministers of Penang, Sarawak and Sabah were also non-Malays.

The Penang Chief Minister was Wong Pow Nee of MCA, who was the state's first Chief Minister when Malaya was founded in 1957 and served until 1969 when the state fell to the then opposition party, Gerakan.

The first Sarawak Chief Minister was Stephen Kalong Ningkan, who was in office from 1963 to 1964. Sabah's first CM was Donald Stephens, also from 1963 to 1964, who was then succeeded by Peter Lo Sui Yin. Stephens formed the United Sabah National Organisation while Lo was from the Sabah Chinese Association. So, in the period that Lee was referring to, he was certainly not the only non-Malay present.

Fast forward to 2013. Today, the only non-Malay and non-Muslim attending the Rulers Conference is Lim Guan Eng, the CM of Penang.

Chinese representation in the Federal Government, with the exception of those appointed from the ranks of non-politicians, has been reduced to zilch.

At the 13th general election, Umno performed slightly better to win 88 seats while the other component parties representing the Chinese – MCA, Gerakan and SUPP – suffered a bruising defeat.

The reality is that the majority of Chinese refused to vote for the Barisan Nasional, with the final analysis showing only 16% of the Chinese electorate went Barisan's way. The Chinese vote is never permanent, and they have been known to swing their support at different elections.

But the strong swing against the Barisan was premised on the belief that they could help to form a new federal government if they threw in their lot with Pakatan Rakyat.

Many even returned from abroad and hoped to be part of history. They wanted to punish Umno but in the end, it was the Chinese-based parties they ended up punishing.

Not many were prepared to accept the reality that there were only 45 Chinese-majority seats in the 222-seat Parliament and even if every single Chinese had voted for the Opposition, there was no way the Barisan could be removed – unless the Malays decide to vote out the ruling coalition.

All that debate over the kind of electoral system, the gerrymandering process, whether it was Chinese or urban tsunami, and the rural advantage is academic when compared to the harsh political reality.

Last month, The Malaysian Insider news portal quoted Ibrahim Suffian of the Merdeka Centre as saying that its survey showed that the majority of first-time Malay and young Malay voters gave their support to the Barisan, suggesting that the Opposition has not done enough to convince young Malays that their future was secure with PAS, PKR and DAP.

Given the changing population profile, Malays will form an even larger chunk of new voters in future polls than the nearly two-thirds, or 64.17% of new voters, registered this year. In analysing the voting patterns of young and first-time voters, the Merdeka Centre, as part of its study of the recent general election, found that based on the electoral rolls used on Election Day, there were some 2.7 million more voters, and the influx of new voters was more pronounced in mixed and urban seats.

It grouped these voters into five voting channels with each representing an age group. Of the five channels or groups, the youngest group of under 30s was 64.17% Malay. The voter turnout overall for all races in this group of first-time and young voters was a hefty 83.22%. Of those, just over half, or 52.96%, voted for Pakatan.

Suffian's advice to Pakatan was that the coalition would have to continue refining its position on Malay rights and cobble together a plan with an emphasis on job and wealth creation. The Pakatan, especially the PKR, will have to stand up to fight for Malay rights and positions if it wants to win the Malay votes. It has to compete with Umno, in other words.

The PAS ulamas, in the run-up to the party polls, have already served notice to their delegates to reject the so-called Anwarinas, PAS leaders said to be aligned to Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, which the hardcore have blamed for the party's loss of Kedah and many other seats.

For an astute analyst like LKY, he would not have been surprised at the outcome of the general election.

There is much resentment in Putrajaya, until today, over how the Chinese voters had turned away from Barisan.

The Chinese, mostly in urban areas, on the other hand, see their decision as an outpouring of frustration over the many injustices with regard to opportunities from scholarships and university entrance to government contracts.

The Chinese also feel Malaysia has become more Islamised and is in danger of losing its moderate Malay identity. Money politics and corruption, which appear to have become entrenched, have also led to a sense of resentment.

The right-wing Malays, on the other hand, see the many compromises that have been made from the beginning of the nation, even over the name change from Tanah Melayu to Malaysia, the provision of citizenship and the guaranteed use of Chinese as a medium of instruction in schools, making us the one country beside China and Taiwan to do so.

As much as many of us want to see the future of Malaysia from a more Malaysian prism, the reality is that ethnicity will continue to be a factor with the Malay population growing bigger while the Chinese population continues to plunge.

In 2011, the national census revealed that Malaysia's population doubled in size from 13.7 million in 1980 to 28.3 million in 2010.

Bumiputras numbered 17.5 million, or 67.4% of the population, while Chinese made up 24.6% of the population at 6.4 million, Indians 7.3% of the population at 1.9 million while "others" made up 0.7% of the population at 200,000.

Foreigners made up 8.2% of the population at 2.3 million – much more than the Indians.

Going by current trends, the projection is that the non-Malays will continue to drop further with some saying that by 2050, there could be 80% bumiputras in Malaysia and just 15% Chinese and about 5% Indians.

In fact, LKY, in his own words, predicted "eventually, the Chinese and Indians will exert little influence at the polling booths. When that day comes, with no votes to bargain with, the Chinese and Indians cannot hope to bring about a fair and equal society for themselves".

Naturally, there will be those who disagree with this assessment as they strongly feel that race should not be the sole criterion in an election as Malaysia matures democratically.

They will point to the urban Malays who voted for the Opposition, citing the victory of PKR leaders in urban constituencies of Penang and Kuala Lumpur.

Race-based political parties, they believe, would fade away to make room for multi-racial parties.

But still, it is difficult for politicians aspiring for power to run away from the interests of the predominant race in this country. It's the same in other countries as well.

In the book, LKY was asked if Malaysia becomes more homogenous, would there be a likelihood of the Malay privileges being let off, to which he replied: "You believe the majority will support leaders who want them to give up their privileges?"

And what about the Pakatan? LKY said "when it comes to the crunch, however, PR will not be able to do away with Malay supremacy" and "the moment the bluff is called and it is handed the full power to push ahead, it will either be torn apart from within or be paralysed by indecision".

"Any party that takes the place of Umno and becomes the main party representing Malay interests will not act very differently from Umno."

LKY cannot be faulted for his pragmatism, even if one does not agree with his politics.

The political demographic landscape has dramatically changed and will continue to move even more drastically in the coming years.

For the Chinese community, it will have to learn to be more strategic and also to be more realistic in its assessment of the community's role in the country, as LKY had quite candidly observed.

MCA: Keep channelling funds to new villages

Posted:

PETALING JAYA: MCA urged the Urban, Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Ministry to continue to channel funds to new villages in the peninsula to keep development going in these areas.

Its new village affairs bureau chairman Datuk Hoh Khai Mun said existing projects might be delayed if the villages no longer received the funding.

A Chinese daily on Thursday reported that the ministry was expected to cease direct funding to the villages for infrastructure development. It is believed that the ministry wants to hand over the responsibility to local councils.

On the projects expected to be handed over to Class F (bumiputra) contractors, Hoh felt they were not familiar with the projects and might not be able to complete them successfully.

"In the past, the ministry directly channelled funds to the new villages for the construction and maintenance of projects like roads, bridges, multipurpose halls, markets and drainage system.

"The ministry had given an average of RM50mil to the new villages annually for the last 10 years," he said in a statement.

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Jailed for paying teen girl for sex

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Two men were jailed 11 weeks each for commercial sex with an underage Chinese national who was forced into the flesh trade.

Drivers Wu Delong, 35, and Yang Dong, 36, both Chinese nationals, admitted to paying S$60 (RM155) each to the 17-year-old for her sexual services at Min Wah Hotel in Geylang in May.

The minor was brought to Singapore by her pimp, Tang Huisheng, 36, who has claimed trial to various vice-related charges, on May 16. They had flown here from Zhuhai, China.

While in Zhuhai, the minor was drugged by her pimp, who had sex with her while she was in a stupor.

He repeatedly asked her for sex and if she refused, he would beat her or threaten to do so. She complied out of fear.

When she found out that he was going to bring her to Singapore to be a prostitute, she refused and was locked up in a room for more than a week.

She injured her waist while trying to escape by jumping from the fifth floor unit. Both Tang and his sister caught hold of her and beat her up.

The court heard that Wu and Yang had asked the minor for her age and she replied she was 19. But they did not take any other steps to verify her age.

So far, 11 others have been jailed between 11 and 12 weeks for similar offences while sentencing on two others, who have been convicted, has been postponed.

The maximum penalty for commercial sex with a person under 18 is seven years and a fine. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Wee’s e-mails on church improper, claims auditor

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An auditor testifying in the City Harvest Church trial said that certain practices described in e-mails written by accused Serina Wee were "improper", and mischaracterised advice he gave to the church. These include downplaying the close relationship the church had with related companies, for example by leaving out information in minutes of church meetings.

The prosecution had shown Foong Daw Ching, who has advised church members, several e-mails that Wee had written to the other five accused listing suggestions Foong purportedly gave to her about the accounting and disclosures of transactions between the church and related firms.

One e-mail in 2008 saw her describe "Bro Foong" as saying the church should not minute down everything that was explained about Xtron Productions to members at a extraordinary general meeting "so as not to show too close a relationship or control over (Xtron)".

But Foong denied he had given such advice. "Why would I, in my position, tell someone to do something that looks improper? It definitely did not come from me."

The prosecution believes the six accused had illegally funnelled church money to Xtron to fund Ho Yeow Sun's secular music career. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

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Cancer inspires a healthy diet
I have blood in my urine!
New drug for gut cancer

Cancer inspires a healthy diet

Posted:

Eating a well-thought out diet is playing a more central role in the overall care of cancer.

CHEMOTHERAPY took its toll on Steven Satterfield. The co-owner and executive chef of Miller Union in Atlanta, US, lost his hair, his spunk, and his skin turned grayish-green.

But Satterfield, a local and nationally acclaimed chef, battled back by turning to what he loves and understands well – the health benefits of eating nutrient-dense, fresh, and locally grown fruits and vegetables.

Diagnosed in February 2012 with stage III testicular cancer, Satterfield underwent surgery and three rounds of chemotherapy – one week on, and two weeks off. By day six and seven during the on-weeks, Satterfield, known for boundless energy, was virtually bedridden.

During chemotherapy, Satterfield gave in to weird cravings – like sudden urges for spicy Thai food. But he also satisfied his continuous yearning for carbs by filling up on vegetable-laden pasta dishes and a Gumbo z'Herbes, a green gumbo, traditionally served with greens – collards, kale, turnip greens and spinach.

The way he nourished his body during his cancer journey helped him get through a tough time and paid off in health.

Just one week after completing chemotherapy in June of last year, Satterfield returned to work at the restaurant full-time. During a recent afternoon, clad in jeans and plaid shirt, and sipping sparkling water, the chef said he believes his vegetable-and-fruit diet helped him bounce back fast.

Satterfield is part of a growing number of cancer patients paying closer attention to nutrition every step of their journey. It's no longer considered "alternative" care, according to doctors. Instead, eating a well-thought out diet is playing a more central role in overall care.

Shayna Komar, a registered dietitian who works at the Cancer Wellness centre at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta, said healthy foods keep the body strong during treatment.

Studies show people who are well nourished have shorter hospital stays after surgery compared to those who arrive at the hospital malnourished, she said. Healthy eating also helps wounds heal faster.

On the flip side, patients with poor diets, including those who lose too much weight during chemotherapy sessions, may need to put their treatments on hold.

Dr Omer Kucuk, professor of haematology-oncology and urology at the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, said patients today take more control over their health, researching information online and doing their homework.

"They ask me what should I eat?" said Dr Kucuk. "And generally, the first thing I say is 'eat a healthy diet.' Eat eight to nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day, or at least five."

But knowing the importance of healthy eating is just the first step. Dr Kucuk believes doctors need to help patients turn that knowledge into changes in diet. He said he makes good nutrition a priority, giving the subject just as much attention as discussing chemotherapy, radiation and treatment side effects.

Dr Kucuk believes the vast majority of doctors still fall short in giving nutrition enough consideration when discussing care with patients.

He said the anti-cancer properties of a diet full of fruits and vegetables can help prevent disease, as well as offer therapeutic benefits while a patient undergoes cancer treatments. He's seen first-hand how soy and tomatoes help minimise side effects from treatment.

So, when a prostate cancer patient complains of losing muscle or feeling depressed, he doesn't immediately think of a pill to make them feel better. He encourages the patient to drink more soy milk – a protein and vitamin-rich drink.

Of course, it's not always easy to eat a well-balanced diet during cancer treatments. It's common for cancer patients to experience side effects such as nausea or food might taste "off". Sometimes, food tastes too salty, and Komar suggests drizzling the food with agave nectar to help offset that. She encourages a colourful plate with lots of colour – reds and greens and yellows, like a rainbow.

She also recommends lean protein such as chicken, fish, nuts, seeds and eggs. And she encourages five to six mini-meals throughout the day, which can be easier on the stomach.

Satterfield has teamed up with Komar to teach a healthy cooking class revolving around fresh produce. The summer-time cooking demonstration included a zucchini dish with mint and garlic-chili oil, and a mix of purple and golden heirloom new potatoes with a lemon vinaigrette.

Attendance for Satterfield's class quickly filled up, and healthy cooking classes at Piedmont's Cancer Wellness centre has doubled or even tripled in recent years, Komar said.

Now 43, Satterfield has been cancer-free for one year. He is working on a cookbook he calls a "field guide to Southern produce", that will include a guide to shopping at farmer's markets and making the most of community-supported agriculture programmes, where buyers pre-pay to get boxes of whatever is fresh off local farms.

Satterfield's obsession with the freshest seasonal produce continues to be the centrepiece at his restaurant, which has been featured in US magazines such Food & Wine.

The menu includes a cucumber, tomato and blackberry salad along with a griddled pastured chicken with grilled squash, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, mint and almonds.

These days, he's on the go. He tries to either run before work or bike to work when the weather is nice.

He continues to work on his book, and he's at his restaurant at least 10 hours a day. The chef often begins his day with a fruit smoothie made with banana, frozen organic berries and almond milk.

From there, he fills up on generous helpings of in-season fruits and vegetables, and small amounts of protein, ie organic, humanely-raised chicken and fish.

He snacks on peaches and almonds. But he still gives into cravings from time to time – whether it's fried food or ice cream.

"I think it's all about balance," he said. "I try to make the most of my day by appreciating the amazing ingredients we get to work with... It's nice to be able to truly enjoy life and be thankful for what you have." – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution/McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

I have blood in my urine!

Posted:

The presence of blood or red blood cells in the urine needs to be investigated promptly.

THIS can be quite alarming if it occurs to you. The medical term for blood in the urine is haematuria. If you actually see blood in your urine, this is known as macroscopic haematuria.

On the other hand, if it is detected by your doctor using laboratory tests, it is known as microscopic haematuria. This is usually carried out during a medical check-up, and the blood in the urine is incidentally picked up.

Macroscopic or gross haematuria is more worrying as about one in five adults are subsequently found to have bladder cancer, as opposed to microscopic haematuria, where about one in 12 had bladder cancer.

In fact, roughly 50% of those with visible blood in the urine will have an underlying cause identified. In microscopic haematuria, only about 10% will have an identifiable cause.

However, not all red-coloured urine is caused by blood. There are certain medications, such as rifampicin for tuberculosis, as well as food like beetroot, which can cause reddish urine.

Porphyria, a rare disease, can also make the urine appear dark red in colour.

What are the causes?

There are various causes of haematuria. It could be due to infection, stones, cancer, trauma, inflammation, or surgery affecting the urinary organs, which include the kidney, ureter (tube-like structure connecting the kidney and bladder), bladder and urethra (passage from the bladder to the external environment).

Besides that, certain diseases like leukaemia, as well as medications like warfarin, can cause spontaneous bleeding.

In men, enlargement of the prostate (benign prostate hyperplasia) is a common cause of blood in the urine. Glomerulonephritis, a disorder affecting the kidneys, may also lead to blood appearing in the urine.

Surprisingly, strenuous exercise like long-distance running, rowing, swimming, cycling, football and boxing, have also been documented to give rise to haematuria, but this usually resolves spontaneously with rest.

In other cases, despite extensive investigation, no cause can be found. This is termed idiopathic.

What needs to be done?

The doctor will first assess to ensure that not too much blood has been lost. If there is significant blood loss, a blood transfusion may be needed and further procedures to stop the bleed may be required.

Otherwise, the doctor will take a full history, and this includes asking about smoking habits, exposure to industrial chemicals and any current medications.

If there is burning pain around the penis or vagina when passing urine, it could be infection. Pain elsewhere in the abdomen or back could be due to stones.

Painless gross haematuria is usually a sinister sign as it could be due to a tumour.

Next would be a physical examination, which includes examination of the abdomen, the vagina for women, and rectum to assess the prostate in men. Following that, further investigations will be ordered, and this includes:

1. Urine – urine will be analysed under the microscope to confirm red blood cells, as well as to look for infection and cancer cells (urine cytology).

For microscopic haematuria to be significant, there must be persistent detection of three or more red blood cells per high-power field in two out of three urine specimens examined under the microscope. Further tests will be needed only if there is persistent significant haematuria.

2. Blood – a blood test (haemoglobin) will be done to ensure that not too much blood has been lost, as well as to confirm that there are no problems with the clotting of blood (coagulation profile and platelets level).

3. Imaging – an ultrasound, and if necessary, a computerised tomography (CT) scan or intravenous urogram (IVU) will be done to obtain images of the urinary tract/organs to look for stones, tumours or other abnormalities.

4. Flexible cystoscope – this is a soft, tube-like instrument, which has a camera at one end. It is inserted through the urethra into the bladder to enable the doctor to have a look at the bladder. It is done under local anaesthesia, where gels containing medication (lignocaine) are inserted into the urethra to numb the area.

It is a quick procedure, usually taking less than 10 minutes.

If all these tests are normal and microscopic haematuria still persists, a renal biopsy may be needed if there is also protein detected in the urine and the function of the kidney is impaired.

In this procedure, a small piece of kidney tissue is removed via a needle, guided by ultrasound or CT scan, to be examined under the microscope. This is to detect diseases of the kidney.

How is it treated?

This would depend on the cause. If there is gross blood in the urine, a catheter may be inserted into the bladder to irrigate the bladder and wash out the blood and clots.

Approximately 80% of haematuria resolves by itself. If the bleeding persists, a cystoscopy may be done under anaesthesia to remove blood clots and "burn" (diathermise) the areas in the bladder that are bleeding.

If it is due to the prostate, a resection of the prostate may need to be done. Likewise, if it is tumour in the bladder, resection of the tumour needs to be done.

If it is due to infection, a course of antibiotics will usually solve the problem. Medications that may affect blood-clotting need to be stopped, and if there is a medical disorder affecting the clotting of blood, this will need to be treated with blood products (like platelets and fresh frozen plasma).

If it is due to a tumour or injury to the kidney, removal of the kidney (nephrectomy) or angioembolisation (occluding the blood vessel, which is bleeding, with substances such as coils) may be required.

Any blood in the urine which is visible to the naked eye needs to be investigated. Persistent, significant microscopic haematuria (as defined earlier on) should be investigated as well.

The main worry is an underlying cancer. A urologist is the specialist who will be the best person to consult with regarding this matter.

This article is contributed by The Star Health & Ageing Panel, which comprises a group of panellists who are not just opinion leaders in their respective fields of medical expertise, but have wide experience in medical health education for the public. The members of the panel include: Datuk Prof Dr Tan Hui Meng, consultant urologist; Dr Yap Piang Kian, consultant endocrinologist; Datuk Dr Azhari Rosman, consultant cardiologist; A/Prof Dr Philip Poi, consultant geriatrician; Dr Hew Fen Lee, consultant endocrinologist; Prof Dr Low Wah Yun, psychologist; Datuk Dr Nor Ashikin Mokhtar, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist; Dr Lee Moon Keen, consultant neurologist; Dr Ting Hoon Chin, consultant dermatologist; Prof Khoo Ee Ming, primary care physician; Dr Ng Soo Chin, consultant haematologist. For more information, e-mail starhealth@thestar.com.my. The Star Health & Ageing Advisory Panel provides this information for educational and communication purposes only and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Information published in this article is not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a health professional regarding the reader's own medical care. The Star Health & Ageing Advisory Panel disclaims any and all liability for injury or other damages that could result from use of the information obtained from this article.

New drug for gut cancer

Posted:

An oral targeted therapy proven to extend overall survival in patients with advanced colorectal cancer is now available in Malaysia.

IT has been estimated that one in 33 Malaysians is at risk of developing colorectal cancer, making it the second most common form of cancer affecting Malaysians today.

Colorectal cancer is the world's third-most common cancer, with an estimated 1.23 million people diagnosed in 2008. The global incidence is found to be higher in men by 1.4 times compared to women.

Colorectal cancer occurs when small growths known as polyps turn cancerous. These small growths come from the cells lining the colon and rectum.

Polyps begin as benign (non-cancerous) growths, and may gradually enlarge and develop into cancer over a prolonged period of time.

It is difficult to identify which polyps would eventually become cancerous; hence it is recommended that polyps should be removed immediately when they are detected.

For most individuals, colorectal cancer begins in the inner lining of the colon or rectum and progresses into a tumour over several years. Colorectal cancer often has no symptoms in the early stages; the severity of the cancer is measured by the stage of the disease and the spread of the cancer to other parts of the body.

About 50-60% of colorectal cancer patients will develop metastases, the process of cancerous cells spreading to distant tissues. Once colorectal cancer spreads to other parts of the body, the patient's survival rate dramatically declines.

When colorectal cancer is at the metastatic stage, the prognosis is very poor, with an estimated survival rate of less than 10%.

Treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer varies, from surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and other alternative targeted therapies.

The particular choice of treatment chosen for metastatic colorectal cancer differs from patient to patient, depending on factors such as the size, location, and number of metastatic tumours; the patient's age, etc.

"The majority of colon cancer patients discover the disease only in its later stages, when the five-year survival rate is less than 10%," said consultant clinical oncologist Datuk Dr Mohamed Ibrahim Wahid.

"Treatment options for advanced colorectal cancer patients with metastatic disease are limited, especially after standard approaches have been exhausted.

"A treatment option such as regorafenib (Stivarga) will surely be welcome, as it can give patients more precious time to spend with their loved ones, with the added advantage of it being oral, unlike the intravenous administration of other available therapies."

Stivarga or regorafenib is an oral multikinase inhibitor, which acts on multiple pathways involved in cancer progression, and is the first single agent of its kind to demonstrate significant survival benefit in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

As an oral monotherapy agent, regorafenib offers improved convenience for patients by eliminating the need for, and cost associated with, IV infusion therapies.

The drug inhibits a number of protein kinases (enzymes which act to transfer chemical signals) involved in cancer progression.

With a different mode of action and multiple targets of inhibition, the drug may provide an important treatment advancement for those patients with metastatic colorectal cancer who have no further approved options.

The approval of the drug in Malaysia brings new hope to advanced colorectal cancer patients who have previously been treated with standard therapies.

Regorafenib is the first oral targeted therapy that has been proven to extend survival, provide tumour control and keep the cancer from progressing.

The approval of the drug is based on positive results from a global landmark Phase III CORRECT (COloRectal cancer treated with Regorafenib or plaCebo after failure of standard Therapy) trial, which involved 760 patients, 15% of whom were from Asia.

The CORRECT study demonstrated that treatment with regorafenib, plus best supportive care, significantly improved both overall survival and progression-free survival, compared to placebo in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer whose disease had progressed after approved standard therapies.

"The CORRECT study has demonstrated regorafenib's ability to improve tumour control and the survival of a large number of patients who previously had no treatment options.

"This is an important advance in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer," said Australian medical oncologist Dr Peter Gibbs.

According to Thomas Steffen, managing director for Bayer Co (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, "The approval of Stivarga recognises the potential benefits it brings to colorectal cancer patients who need more treatment options and time with their loved ones."

He added, "Today's announcement is an important milestone for Bayer in our ongoing effort to develop novel therapies for unmet medical needs, particularly in the area of oncology."

The drug was approved for use by the Malaysian Health Ministry in June, for the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer with metastatic disease.

It has also been approved for this indication in several other countries, including the US, Canada, Japan and Singapore.

References:

1. Grothey A, Van Custem E, Sobrero A, et al. Regorafenib monotherapy for previously treated metastatic colorectal cancer (CORRECT): an international, multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial. Lancet 2013:381:303-312.

2. Ministry of Health Malaysia. National Cancer Registry Report: Malaysia Cancer Statistics-Data and Figure 2007.

3. Ministry of Health. Health Facts 2012

4. WHO GLOBOCON 2008. Colorectal cancer on the rise. New Straits Times, 30/09/12. Avalable at

http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/colorectal-cancer-on-the-rise-1.150298. Accessed 25/08/13

5. GLOBOCAN 2008 Fast Stats. Malaysia. Available at http://globocan.iarc.fr/factsheet.asp. Accessed 23/09/13

6. Wilkes, G.M. Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: Management Challenges and Opportunities. Oncology Nurse Edition, 2011. 25(7). Available at www.cancernetwork.com/colorectal-cancer/content/article/10165/1902212?pageNumber=1. Retrieved 29/07/13

7. http://www.medicinenet.com/colon_cancer/article.htm

8. American Cancer Society. Colorectal Cancer. 2010

Available at: http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/cid/documents/webcontent/003096-pdf.pdf Accessed Jan 2013

9. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/colon/HealthProfessional/page9#Section_369. Retrieved 14 August 2013

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Jailed for paying teen girl for sex
Wee’s e-mails on church improper, claims auditor
Language abilities affected by culture