Drug Resistant TB Alert!

Tuberculosis (TB) is back with a vengeance in Europe, now!

For those of you who travel frequently to Europe or Central Asia, just be cautious of your surrounding. Having said that, it does not mean you can relax just because you are in Malaysia. Our government has been trying hard for yearssss to bring down the statistics. For example in Penang alone, there were about 200 to 300 TB cases in 2004 but it has risen to over 1,000 cases in 2010. And that is in Penang alone.

TB is spread airborne, unlike H1N1 which is spread via respiratory droplets. The mycobacterium tuberculosis (the germ that causes TB) could stay afloat in the air for at least four hours.

Millions of TB germs are spewed into the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, talks, laughs, or even if he sings.

H1N1 may kill you within days but TB is a "torturing device" that tortures you for years before killing you! In fact HIV and TB are like brothers and sisters.

Please read the article at The Star here - Dangerous TB spreading at alarming rate in Europe - WHO.

TB is curable but it has returned with a vengeance. They came back in the form of drug resistant TB, which are either Multi Drug Resistant TB (MDR-TB) or Extensive Drug Resistant TB (XDR TB). These two types of TB are not easy to be cured. So, please do not take this lightly.

Thanks to people who do not know how to observe proper hygiene and those who do not practice simple cough/sneeze etiquette, that is why TB is spreading at an alarming rate.

Just remember the simple rule, if you are coughing for more than two weeks, see the doctor asap to query about TB.

And please, please, please, do NOT see the sinseh (traditional Chinese doctor). There is NO herbal treatment for TB.

You have to see a doctor in a hospital for a proper treatment. And yes, our government hospitals in Malaysia provide treatment at a very affordable cost. And I do really mean it, affordable, like just a few ringgit. Do not delay your treatment because TB is like a tumour. It grows very fast once you are infected and it eats up your lungs. And the damage is irreversible.

Lecturing is no simple job

Many may still think that lecturing is an easy job. No, it is not.

Just look at the weightage of KPIs at University of Malaya.

30% teaching and learning
20% supervision of postgraduate students
10% research fundings
10% consultancy and expertise contributions
5% membership in committees and attendance to department meetings
25% publications

The above KPIs tell you the job scope of an academic in our public university.

To get your article published in a scholarly journal is no easy task as well. Those who have done so will know that the rejection rates are high.

Only those who are really passionate to be an academic will survive in the academia.

Mist at Genting Highlands

What do I like about Genting Highlands?

I like the weather and the mist.

I like the theme park rides too. My favourite ride is the Motion Master virtual ride. Unfortunately, the Motion Master ride has changed so much. It is more like a 3D kiddie movie now. So, don't waste your time lining up for it.

But, the mist is still my favourite. Here are some pictures with mist. I love the mist.

The mist is just spectacular.

Not forgetting Theme Park Hotel, this hotel is just fabulous. Nice and cheap.


After trying all the rides, I would say my favourite ride of all time is the Flying Jumbo. Yes, I can't help but to ride it over and over and over again.