theSun | FRIDAY JUNE 26 2009 3

news without borders

by Karen Arukesamy
news desk@thesundaily.com

PUTRAJAYA: The Health Ministry

has frozen the leave of 100,000 staff
nationwide until further notice to
contain the Influenza A(H1N1) out-
Health Ministry freezes briefs
Special unit to be
set up in all schools

leave of 100,000 staff

break.
As of 8am yesterday, Malaysia has
91 confirmed cases – 77 imported
and 14 locally-transmitted.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow
Tiong Lai said yesterday the no-
leave order applies to all officers in
government hospitals, public health
departments and laboratories.
“No holidays for them during this
pandemic,” he told reporters after
attending the Excellence in Service
award presentation ceremony to 535
staff in the ministry.
Liow said the freeze will increase
the number of staff on duty during
the A(H1N1) outbreak, especially
with the rising number of cases in
the Klang Valley.
He said all medical staff should
be in full force to curb the pandemic,
whether in disseminating informa-
tion on preventive measures or treat-
ing infected patients.
“All MOH officers are well-trained
to face the pandemic. They all have
been trained a few years back to be
prepared to face such pandemics,”
he said.
Varsities not
KUALA LUMPUR: All schools have
been asked to set up a special unit to
check the spread
of Influenza
A(H1N1).
D e p u t y
He advised the medical fraternity especially the parents of affected is doing and there A(H1N1) statistics Health Minis-
to be “always ahead of the issue” schoolchildren, to “stop blaming is no need to (as of 8am, June 25) ter Datuk Wee
and be able to provide detailed or pointing fingers at others” as it close all schools Ka Siong said
information. would not solve the problem. in the same area New cases: 11 yesterday the
“There is a great need to create “Teamwork is important. We all just because of Imported cases: 8 (Malaysians 5, Ire- unit would
more awareness among the public, have to work together to curb the one school with land 1, Australia 1, the Philippines 1) monitor the
not only on the virus but also the spread of the infection,” he said. A(H1N1) cases. Local transmissions: 3 (Malaysians 2, situation in
measures that need to be taken,” he Warning those who send or “We will only Yemen 1) the school,
said. forward SMS rumours on the pan- close all schools Total local transmissions: 14 b e s i d e s
Urging those who may have had demic, Liow said the police have in a particular Total no. of cases: 91 (35 discharged, organising
contact with the confirmed cases to been asked to take action against area if there is sus- 56 under treatment) campaigns
come forward, Liow said the gov- those responsible. tained community like talks
ernment cannot possibly trace all “I urge the public not to believe transmission in that on personal
the contacts without the coopera- in any rumour spread through area,” he said. hygiene, distributing leaflets and
tion of the public. SMS. Those who receive the In the 24 hours up to 8am yes- putting up posters.
“Don’t hide as it would endan- SMSes could contact the ministry terday, 11 new cases were recorded. “The ministry will also set up an
ger yourself and others around to verify the facts,” he said, stress- Eight were imported, involving five operations room in the Day School Man-
you. You have to come forward to ing that the ministry is the only Malaysians and one each from Ire- agement Division to help overcome the
obtain treatment. It is for your own accurate source of information on land, Australia and the Philippines, spread of the disease,” he told reporters
good and the good of the nation,” the pandemic. and three were local transmissions, at the Parliament lobby.
he said. On the closure of schools, Liow involving two Malaysians and one Wee said all programmes involving
He also urged the people, said the government knows what it case from Yemen. the participation of other countries
or held outside Malaysia, such as the
Liow: Give unrecorded leave for quarantine Asean Schools Championship in Thai-
land, would be cancelled or postponed.
PUTRAJAYA: Employers have been
urged to allow their workers who
Service award presentation cer-
emony in his ministry.
eration was reported to
have said that paid leave
– Bernama

taking chances A(H1N1) H

ZA
are under home quarantine to take Liow said those who show would only be given to
unrecorded leave during the quar- symptoms of the A(H1N1) infection those quarantined if Deputy CM’s
with new intakes

INFLUEN

OTL
antine period. can immediately notify the ministry they returned from family in
This is in the interest of the na- to obtain a certified document to work-related trips self-quarantine

INE
KUALA LUMPUR: The universities are not tak- tion, Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow confirm that they are under home from the affected
ing any chances with the Influenza A(H1N1) Tiong Lai said yesterday. quarantine for seven days. countries. KOTA KINABALU: Sabah
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk

00
pandemic with new students scheduled to “The matter will be proposed and “They can submit the document It said those who
3-

0
register for the 2009/2010 academic session. discussed in the cabinet next week to their employers for confirmation returned from holidays 88 /3 Peter Pang En Yin and his
They have put in place several measures to to make it mandatory for employers and obtain paid or unrecorded leave would have to use their 810200 family have imposed self-quar-
prevent local transmission of the A(H1N1) virus to do so,” he told a press conference for the seven days,” he said. annual leave or have their antine after his son returned from
among the students and the academic staff. after attending the Excellence in The Malaysian Employers Fed- pay deducted. Melbourne.
Universiti Malaya (UM) vice-chancellor Prof His political secretary, Jason Tan,
Datuk Dr Ghauth Jasmon said the university said: “Datuk Pang’s son just got
was monitoring its 27,000 students, including back from Melbourne last week
3,000 international students, and especially and he is in stable condition. Being
those from the high-risk countries such as a responsible leader, Datuk Pang
the United States, Canada, the Philippines, wanted to have self-quarantine as
Australia, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore a precaution.”
and Thailand. Pang was supposed to represent
In a statement, he said the university would Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman
make it compulsory for all new students to at the state-level Students Forum
complete a health declaration form. It had Contest here yesterday.
also set up an H1N1 task force to prepare an The chief minister’s speech was
action plan. read out by state Tourism, Culture
Ghauth also said the student health clinic and Environment Minister Datuk
and University Malaya Medical Centre were Masidi Manjun instead. – Bernama
on standby to receive H1N1 cases. Students
who had to be quarantined would be sent to Rais suggests media
the UM International House, UM staff quarters revert to ‘swine flu’
and the 11th residential college.
He said the staff and students had been KUALA LUMPUR: Information Com-
advised not to travel abroad unless it was munication and Culture Minister Datuk
necessary to do so. The university would Seri Dr Rais Yatim yesterday suggested
curtail any outdoor activities and gatherings that all media return to using the termi-
to prevent local transmission of the disease. nology “swine flu” instead of Influenza
Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) has an- A(H1N1).
nounced that it would require all new students He said this was to ensure that
for the 2009/2010 session to undergo screen- the people realised the danger of the
ing for A(H1N1) before registration at their disease and to get the message across
respective residential colleges. to them more accurately.
Its head of corporate communications, It is also easier for (radio and televi-
Abdullah Arshad, said in a statement the sion) announcers to state “selsema babi”
screening would be conducted tomorrow and (swine flu) than H1N1 in Bahasa Melayu,
on Sunday at the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul he told reporters after an official visit to
Aziz Shah Cultural and Arts Centre in the No fever... Pahang Chinese Assembly Hall president Tan Sri Pheng Yin Huah checks Pos Malaysia, here. – Bernama
university. the temperature of a pupil during a visit to SRK(C) Kwang Hwa in Kuantan yesterday.
US soldier quarantined
in Kuantan
Unemployed man gets death for brutal murder of girlfriend KUANTAN: A United States soldier
taking part in the Cooperation Afloat
KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court In his judgment, Azman said that and under the influence of drugs, During the trial, the prosecution Readiness and Training 2009 military
here yesterday sent an unemployed based on the witnesses’ testimony, but looking at the expert evidence had called 12 witnesses, and Cheong exercise here has been put under
man to the gallows for murdering Cheong was aware of his action (from the post mortem), there were was the only one who testified when quarantine at a military camp nearby
his girlfriend. and knew that his assault on Liew too many injuries on the victim, his defence was called. for suspected Influenza A(H1N1)
The court was told that the victim Pai Sea, 27, a guest relations officer, who was also found tied with elec- Before the sentence was passed, infection since yesterday.
was found naked and tied up with could cause her death. tric wire.” Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Pahang local government, environ-
electric wire, and her head was so He said the injuries were severe, Cheong was charged with Fuad Othman said Cheong had ment and health committee chairman
badly injured that blood even seeped especially on her face and head, and murdering Liew in a room at Hotel previously been convicted for a Datuk Hoh Khai Mun said the soldier
through the hotel room door. even her neck was broken. Fugisan on Jalan Imbi between firearms offence in which he was showed symptoms of H1N1.
Judicial Commissioner Azman “Based on the evidence, the 11pm on Feb 22 and 7am on Feb sentenced to three months jail and “Anybody who shows symptoms
Abdullah passed the death sentence accused had intended to kill the 23, 2005. given six strokes of the rotan in will be quarantined while his blood
on Cheong Kam Kuen, 44, after he victim. He knew that his action was He appeared sad and turned 1990. sample tested. This is normal proce-
said Cheong failed to raise any rea- dangerous,” Azman said. to look at the public gallery a few Ahmad Fuad hoped the death dure. So far, Pahang is still free from
sonable doubt on the prosecution’s “The court had heard the ac- times when the death sentence was sentence would serve as a lesson H1N1,” he said. – Bernama
case when his defence was called. cused’s testimony that he was angry passed on him. for society. – Bernama