THIRTY MONTH ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME - New Straits Times Press

30-month adventure of a lifetime

By Chok Suat Ling, NST

(From left) Alison Murugesu-Ghani, Adrian Ishak Ghani and Capt Ghani Ishak. The family plans to circle the globe in a four-wheel-drive vehicle.

KUALA LUMPUR: Travelling around the world is only something people talk about or dream of. But a Malaysian family is set to make it a reality within 2 1/2 years in a four-wheel-drive vehicle.

Maritime consultant and seasoned sailor Capt Ghani Ishak, his wife Alison Murugesu-Ghani and their 3-year-old son, Adrian Ishak Ghani, will start the five-leg journey on May 1.

They will begin from London and travel across Europe, Africa, North and South America, Australia and Asia. They expect to finish the journey in October 2010.

Their expedition has the support of Tourism Malaysia, which will provide them with brochures, banners and posters of Malaysia for distribution.

The family, which called itself Malaysians in Motion, had bought and fitted a Nissan Patrol 4x4 with the necessary equipment as they intended to cook on their own and sleep outdoors.
"We have named our vehicle 'Tuah', after the legendary Malay warrior, and of course, it also means luck.

"It is now being fitted with equipment in Britain," said Ghani, 61.

He had served 26 years with the Malaysia International Shipping Corporation (MISC), and was considered as one of its founding members.

In 1999, he left the MISC to study law in Britain and subsequently relocated with Alison, 37, to London.

Ghani said his family and friends did not realise how serious they were about their plans until they bought the vehicle and quit their jobs.

"Alison and I have been planning this for some time.

"We are both bikers, have travelled a fair bit and thought of going around the world.

"But then, Adrian came along. We did not want to leave him out, so we modified our plans. Instead of bikes, we looked for a more suitable vehicle."

Alison said Adrian had travelled before and the boy was used to it.

"This will also be a good learning experience for him as it is something he will not get in school."

She said preparations for the trip started in November last year.

"We have no experience and were totally reliant on others for advice.

"We did a lot of research using the Internet on our routes, equipment and choice of expedition vehicle. We spoke to as many overlanders and off-roaders as we could."

Alison said the family had set up a travelogue on their website at www.malaysiansinmotion.com to give updates on their travels.

"A lot of the focus will be on Adrian. We will capture how he sees things and what he does."

They were concerned about safety, especially in certain countries, but believed that if they minded their own business and stayed in populated areas, there would be no problems.

"We will not only promote Malaysia on our travels but hope to raise money for a charity that we have identified - Malaysian Animal-Assisted Therapy for the Disabled and Elderly Association - as well as provide the necessities to underprivileged people along the way.

The Rainforest Challenge has stepped in as a sponsor, but the expedition is largely self-funded.

Ghani hoped to prove that a Malaysian family could succeed on such an overland expedition.

Note: This article appeared in NST on Friday, March 28, 2008 - PET+BLOGSPOT

SATURDAY SPOTLIGHT: Open Letter From Blind To Lim Guan Eng, CM of Penang In Malaysiakini

SATURDAY SPOTLIGHT: Handicapped people in Penang truly suffer in the pearl island with little or no access to public buildings and transport.

We share with you this letter printed in Malaysiakini that spells out some of their woes, particularly the blind community.

PETPOSITIVE calls on the Chief Minister YB Lim Guan Eng to set up a meeting as soon as possible with the dynamic disabled community in Penang to hear first-hand of their woes and do everything in his power in the next five years to make a qualitative difference in their lives.

Would you believe that years ago on one occasion, the Chief Minister offered to send me home when I had no transport at a meeting in which he was present.

I taught him how to take off all the pieces of my wheelchair in order to put it in the boot of his car. He was a YB at that time.

I have every reason to believe that the CM will respond positively to the disabled in Penang.

aNt
PET+BLOGSPOT

Here is the Malaysiakini letter:

An open letter to YB Lim Guan Eng, Chief Minister of Penang.

Dear YB Lim,

On behalf of the blind in Penang, allow me to express our heartiest congratulations to you on your installation as our new chief minister. Dare we, the blind and other handicapped people of Penang look forward to a better life under the new state government of Penang where are true needs would be better attended to?

Please understand that caring for the blind is more than just making annual donations to the St. Nicholas Home for the Blind because the bulk of the blind (99.999 percent.) live outside of St. Nicholas and receive no help at all.

Apart from the meagre welfare allowance from the federal government which is not even sufficient to meet a quarter of their daily needs, they receive no help, no ang pow. No donations, no nothing. Allow us to present the following reasonable requests for the kind consideration of our new state government:

1. An additional welfare allowance of RM300 to all blind citizens born or residing in Penang who live on their own and who are unemployed. This allowance together with the federal allowance of RM300 will help all blind people and make it easier for them to make ends meet.

As you probably are unaware, 50 years after independence, the plight of the blind has not improved one iota both in terms of employment opportunities and in terms of their welfare. The bulk of the blind today have no steady income and the majority subsist on their meagre federal allowance. There are some who do not even have this.

2. Provide more employment opportunities both in the state government and in the various town councils. Erect more stalls so that the blind, with the help of their families, can earn a decent living. If I'm not mistaken, under the previous state government, only a few blind people were employed in the Penang Municipal Council and none at all in the state government.

3. To lighten their burden, the blind and the handicapped should be exempted from assessment rates. After all, if the previous council could spend millions of dollars on flowers and overseas trips, is it to much to ask for this small concession?

4. Free public transport for the handicap. In 1964, when the late CY Choy was the elected mayor of Penang, he wasted no time in granting free public transport for the blind on city council buses but alas, this privilege was ruthlessly taken away by none other than Koh Tsu Koon, your predecessor.

Free public transport for the blind is an international norm and Malaysia has the dubious distinction of being the only country where the blind have to pay. It wouldn't matter so much if the employment opportunities are good here. In Thailand and Singapore and virtually the world at large, even private companies give free bus transport for the blind - and ungrudgingly mind you. Does this not speak volumes for Malaysia being a unncaring society?

5. Get the various town councils to allocate funds to assist the blind and other handicapped people in the purchase of equipment which are specific to their needs such as braillers for the blind and wheel chairs for the the disabled. This is the practice in the developed West and Penang should follow suit.

Let Penang show the way so that the other states may emulate your good example and make the blind and handicapped feel that they, too, have a place under the malaysian sun. We have been hoping and praying for this day for a long time and may this new era bring hope to the mostmarginalised of the marginalised.

Show that you really care unlike the previous state government which only seemed to care for the wealthy and had little time for the downtrodden. We wish you well in your new endeavours.

BBC ONLINE: DIET FOR ARTHRITIS

Vegan diet 'help' for arthritis

Meat was off the menu for half of those in the study group

Rheumatoid arthritis patients may be able to reduce their high risk of heart attacks and strokes with a gluten-free, vegan diet, a study suggests.

Heart attacks and strokes are among the leading causes of death for sufferers, as the inflammation caused by the disease impacts upon the arteries.

But an Arthritis Research and Therapy study found those who pursued a vegan regime had less "bad" cholesterol.

By clogging arteries, this is seen as a key risk factor for heart problems.

Rheumatoid Arthritis affects around 350,000 people in the UK.

Millet and sesame

But researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm say this risk could be reduced through a diet which excludes animal products and gluten - found in wheat, oats, rye and barley.

A vegan diet may be helpful in reducing cholesterol, but it is difficult to get enough of some important nutrients on a vegan diet Arthritis Research Campaign

They placed 38 volunteers on the diet, in which protein accounted for 10% of daily energy intake, carbohydrate 60% and fat for 30%.

It included nuts, sunflower seeds, fruit and vegetables, millet and corn. Sesame milk provided a daily source of calcium.

A further 28 volunteers followed a healthy diet with approximately the same proportions of protein, carbohydrate and fat.

Saturated fats were not to make up more than 10% of daily energy intake, and wholegrain products were to be chosen as often as possible.

Those on the vegan diet showed a decrease in the total level of cholesterol and specifically a reduction in the amount of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), also known as "bad cholesterol".

In contrast, those on the non-vegan diet showed no significant variations in these levels.

The researchers pointed to a "large body of evidence" suggesting that these changes were beneficial when it comes to preventing blockage of the arteries and cardiovascular disease.

The vegan volunteers also had a lower Body Mass Index (BMI) at the end of the 12 month period, while the control group remained the same.

The Arthritis Research Campaign, which is currently looking into how statins may reduce cardiovascular risks for sufferers, said the study was of interest but said the role of diet could be exaggerated.

"However we do know that, for example, eating oily fish can reduce inflammation, and risk factors for developing the condition include high consumption of red meat and low consumption of fruit and vegetables, so diet does play a role - however limited," a spokeswoman said.

But the charity also sounded a note of warning: "A vegan diet may be helpful in reducing cholesterol, but it is difficult to get enough of some important nutrients on a vegan diet."

Please note that this article appeared on March 18, 2008 - PET+BLOGSPOT

THANK YOU! PET+BLOGSPOT VISITOR CHART OVER THE LAST WEEK

PETS ARE LIKE BABIES: THEY REQUIRE TOTAL RESPONSIBILITY

ONE OF PETPOSITIVE'S major projects is to partner people with disabilities with pets for animal-assisted therapy (AAT).

We do this because we wish to help our human clients to achieve a higher quality of life through positive thinking and living.

It is the special animals that we partner who do this incredible job.

However, we have to admit that it is not always that we are successful in what we aim to do.

Recently there was a case where we had no choice but to accept the fact that for one particular client, AAT was clearly NOT the answer.

A young woman from KL contacted PETPOSITIVE for a dog. She was interested to have a pet because she was going blind and hoped that the canine - in addition to being a companion friend might also be able to help be her guide.

On our part, we made it clear to her first that there were no guide dogs in Malaysia - at least, none that we know of anyway.

We also explained to her that if there were, such animals would have to be trained with the highest quality and need many support systems before it could finally graduate as a guide dog for the blind.

Although we gave her our special Petpositive form to fill up, we are sad to say that the lady suddenly informed us that she was no longer interested to adopt a pet through us.

She was actually cross that she had to go through a number of important processes before we helped her to get a dog. She obviously thought that we would land her a puppy in a week or two after she made her request.

It turned out that she simply didn't possess the patience required in adopting a pet and joining in our programme.

Looking back, we are glad that the effort was aborted in the end instead of us having got a puppy for the woman and perhaps land the animal in hot soup.

Taking in a puppy is exactly like having a new baby in the house. It requires your full concentration and responsibility.

It is a major and heavy decision and never one to be taken lightly.

If YOU are interested in having a pet in your life, then get in touch with us at 012 220 3146. Please note that you have to be disabled or elderly to participate in Petpositive's programmes.

PET+BLOGSPOT

The New Force To Tackle In Selangor

The 10 Selangor executive council members who were sworn in at Istana Alam Shah in Klang this morning. The picture chart is taken from Malaysiakini.

QUICK COMMENT: This is the list that we in Petpositive have been waiting for.

Now our job is to help raise the awareness of all our new council members about what Petpositive is all about - representing the disabled, elderly and animal-assisted therapy.

To our knowledge, we know that at least one of the elected representatives - DAP's Teresa Kok - has some awareness or at least have been speaking out on disability issues in Parliament as early as last December when the so-called Disability Act was passed.

I myself know Teresa personally and have always respected her as a person who firmly believes in her conviction and calling.

DAP's Ronnie Liu was present when Petpositive was involved in a protest with other animal rights and welfare groups against the highly controversial dog -shooting contest put up by the Selayang Muncipal Council last year.

So Liu is no stranger too. So, wish us luck everybody and keep it right here to know of our progress in these areas.

aNt
PET+BLOGSPOT

BBC ONLINE: Helping Others Is Therapeutic

Charity 'makes you feel better'

Best not to keep it all

It is not having lots of money that makes us happy - it is spending it on others, Canadian researchers suggest.

A team from the University of British Columbia said spending as little as $5 (£2.52) on others helped.

Staff who got bonuses and spent some of the extra money on others were happier than those who spent their bonuses on themselves, the research found.

A UK psychologist said such charitable giving improved how people saw themselves - and how others saw them.

Route to happiness?

The research was published in the 21 March edition of the publication Science.

Spending money on others might represent a more effective route to happiness than spending money on oneself Professor Elizabeth Dunn, University of Columbia

The researchers first carried out a survey of 630 people which asked them to rate their general happiness, report their annual income; and provide a breakdown of their monthly spending including bills, gifts for themselves, gifts for others and donations to charity.

Professor Elizabeth Dunn, who led the research, said: "We wanted to test our theory that how people spend their money is at least as important as how much money they earn."

"Regardless of how much income each person made, those who spent money on others reported greater happiness, while those who spent more on themselves did not."

The team then assessed the happiness of 16 employees at a firm in Boston, both before and after they received their profit-sharing bonus, which ranged between $3,000 (£1,514) and $8,000 (£4,039).

if I give to you, you are less likely to attack me and more likely to be nice to me Dr George Fieldman, Buckinghamshire New University

It appeared it was not the size of the bonus that mattered, but what the employees spent it on.

Those who gave more of their bonus as gifts to others, or to charity, consistently reported greater benefits than employees who simply spent money on their own needs.

In another experiment, the researchers gave 46 people $5 or $20, asking them to spend the money by five that afternoon.

Half the participants were instructed to spend the money on themselves, and half were assigned to spend the money on others.

'Seen as altruist'

Those who spent the cash on others reported feeling happier at the end of the day than those who spent the money on themselves, no matter how much they had been given.

Dr Dunn said: "This study provides initial evidence that how people spend their money may be as important for their happiness as how much money they earn.

"And spending money on others might represent a more effective route to happiness than spending money on oneself."

Dr George Fieldman, a psychologist at Buckinghamshire New University, said: "Giving to charity partly makes you feel better because you're in a group. You are also perceived as being an altruist.

"On an individual level, if I give to you, you are less likely to attack me and more likely to be nice to me."

(Note: This story appeared on Saturday, March 22, 2008)

SATURDAY SPOTLIGHT: WASTED OPPORTUNITY

1297 VISITORS YESTERDAY.

Malaysiakini: Dr Wong Sai Hou Criticises BN (He was our VIP last year)

896 visitors yesterday

QUICK COMMENT: Dr Wong Sai Hou was Petpositive's VIP who launched our inaugural charity and fund-raising dinner last July. He is a very jovial and down-to-earth individual and also very humble.

Instead of getting cross, as some VIP might have, he commended us when some of our volunteers refused to allow him to park at the event's venue where car parks were reserved for the disabled.

Also when the time came for us all in the VIP room to grace the event, Dr Wong insisted that he push my wheelchair and allowing me to lead the procession instead of it being him as the one to do it.

During dinner, he constantly joked with us about many things which made the occasion even more pleasant.

aNt

PET+BLOGSPOT

Here's the Malaysiakini story:

In a bold and ironic departure from his Chinese-base party lines, MCA PJ Utara division chairperson Dr Wong Sai Hou called it "amusing to see the leaders of Umno, MCA, Gerakan and MIC continue to swim in the quagmire of racial politics".

In a statement released this afternoon, the MCA division chief said that the leaders were still in the dark over what hit them on March 8.

"If they continue to run their parties along the same old racial lines, playing all the emotional sensitivities it carries, five years from now BN could very well be relegated to an opposition party," he warned.

"For the first time in 51 years, we see Chinese voters casting their votes for PAS candidates and the Malay ones voting for DAP candidates.

"It is very clear that our people have achieved a high level of political maturity."

This election is a continuance of the 2004 elections where the Malays have responded to the call for reformation, having woken up to the fact that the NEP has been the root source of cronyism and corruption, he said.

Umno's domination

e said that although, the mandate given to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in 2004 was overwhelming, his promises to clean up the country, however, were not fulfilled.

"The 2008 election results showed that people already have very little confidence in their respective racial party leaders.

"More so, because MCA, Gerakan and MIC were relegated to be of no consequence as Umno was almost having a dictatorial domination on BN," he added.

To stay relevant, BN must address all the issues raised during the elections, said the former Kg Tunku assemblyman.

Wong was a two-term Kg Tunku state representative. He did not defend his seat this year and was replaced by one of MCA's many new faces, Sheah Kok Fah.

Sheah lost the seat to DAP's Lau Weng San by 7,977 votes during the last elections.

WE HAD 1016 VISITORS ALONE YESTERDAY!

MOO! THANK YOU!

WE HAD ONE THOUSAND AND SIXTEEN (1016) VISITORS YESTERDAY!

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR MANY ARTICLES WHICH WE HOPE YOU WILL FIND INTERESTING.

PET+BLOGSPOT

Malaysiakini: Toyo Resigns - What About Promise To Help Vulnerable Groups?

QUICK COMMENT: My only question is what happens to the elderly and other minority groups that Dr Toyo said he wants to register in order to see if the Opposition will deliver free medical treatment (among others) for them? Let's hope that there will be a proper follow up and that this won't be another case of vulnerable groups being used again for politicians' purposes.

aNt

PET+BLOGSPOT

Malaysiakini Story:



Former Selangor Menteri Besar Mohd Khir Toyo has relinquished his posts as the state’s Umno and Barisan Nasional chief.
This is the second resignation by a senior Umno leader in just a day. The first to call it quits was Umno Secretary-General Radzi Sheikh Ahmad who made his announcement this morning. Radzi also resigned as Barisan Nasional secretary-general.
"I assume responsibility for the heavy (electoral) loss suffered by Umno and BN in Selangor and therefore resign from my posts with immediate effect," Khir told a packed press conference held at the Umno office in Shah Alam.
When asked if he thought that his decision was hasty, a sombre Khir said that if he was to delay his resignation, trouble would brew in Umno ranks.
"This will lead to divisions in the party. I notice that there is already a blame game (for the Umno’s electoral losses) among party members. To prevent this, I assume full responsibility over the loss.
"My resignation is in accordance to my belief that a leader must take full responsibility. This is the best thing to do for Selangor," he said.
Khir is the first Umno leader to quit and claim responsibility for the heavy defeat suffered by Umno and BN in the March 8 polls.

Muhammad returns

Selangor had for the first time in Malaysian politics fallen into opposition hands following the 12^th general election results that saw the opposition grabbing 36 out of the state’s 50 seats.
Khir, however, had managed to survive the opposition onslaught and retained his Sungai Panjang state seat with a 5,828 majority - 368 more votes than what he had garnered at the 2004 polls.
"I apologise to Selangor Umno members. I promise that I will do my best to cooperate with the new leadership and wrest the state back from the opposition (current government)," he said.
Khir denied being pressured to resign saying that his quit decision was "... based on my own conscience".
Khir said that he had met Umno president Abdullah Ahmad Badawi as well as deputy president Najib Razak two days ago to tender his resignation letter.
He said both leaders had accepted his decision with his replacement being former Selangor menteri besar Muhammad Muhammad Taib who has also been appointed to Abdullah’s new cabinet as rural and regional development minister.
"I will support and I also urge all Selangor Umno members to show undivided loyalty to the new leadership and be focused on winning back the state in the coming polls," Khir said.
"This is no time for quarrels and I call on every on every party member to be united," he added.
Muhammad Muhammad Taib, who was at the press conference, declined to comment when approached by reporters.

Malaysiakini: WAN AZIZAH, NEXT PARLIAMENTARY LEADER. WILL SHE SPEAK FOR THE DISABLED?

QUICK COMMENT: I met the PKR President only once when a group of disabled people and I were demonstrating outside Parliament a few years ago. She approached us and appeared very sympathetic to our cause.

But how will she react and respond towards the idea of assistance and therapy dogs, I wonder? I have no reason to believe that she would be negative about it once she understands the indispensable role that animals play in the lives of the disabled and elderly in helping enhance our quality if life.

However, my worry, more importantly is on the great need to raise the awareness and lobbying for disability change in our society. I am not convinced that the opposition parties currently have what it takes to understand our issues given the fact that unlike the Barisan, they have little experience working with us.

There is also the great plausibility of disability issues getting sidelined by other activists of other causes who no doubt will be pushing for their agendas.

aNt

PET+BlOGSPOT

Malaysiakini story:

PKR president Wan Azizah Wan Ismail will be the next parliamentary opposition leader until her husband, Anwar Ibrahim, wins a parliament seat.

In a joint statement, PKR de facto leader Anwar, DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang and PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said they had agreed to this arrangement at a meeting last night.

“We agree to propose Wan Azizah of PKR, which is the biggest opposition party in the 12th Parliament, as the parliamentary opposition leader until Anwar qualifies to stand for elections,” the statement read.

Lim, the previous parliamentary opposition leader, said in a separate statement yesterday: “Wan Azizah is the ideal candidate as the new parliamentary opposition leader with PKR having the most parliamentary seats of the three opposition parties in Parliament.

“I support Azizah (right) as the opposition leader for the 12th Parliament and Anwar as the parliamentary opposition leader when he is re-elected to Parliament after the expiry of his civil disenfranchisement barring him from standing for elective office in mid-April.”

The ban on Anwar’s involvement in active politics ends on April 15, but he has been vague to date as to which seat will be vacated for him to contest in a by-election.

Wan Azizah has already offered her Permatang Pauh parliamentary seat, which she retained with a convincing majority of 13,388 votes.

Stronger opposition cooperation

Anwar had held the seat previously on a Barisan Nasional ticket, but was expelled from Umno and his government posts in 1998, and then jailed for six years after a conviction in 1999 for corrupt practice.

Anwar, Lim and Hadi Awang, in their statement, further said the wishes of the people as manifested during the elections must be respected and implemented by them and their parties.

“We agree that a stronger form of cooperation must be seriously considered, taking cognisance of the desires of the people for the formation of a new government for the federation and the states that can bring major changes for the rakyat,” they said.

On March 8, the opposition won an unprecedented 82 of 222 Parliament seats, denying Barisan Nasional a two-thirds majority, and also gained control in Perak, Penang, Selangor and Kedah. PAS retained Kelantan.

PKR won 31 parliamentary seats to DAP’s 28 and PAS’ 23 seats.

RECORD 415 - THANK YOU MALAYSIAKINI

: THAT'S THE WHOPPING NUMBER of visits we at PET+BLOGSPOT had yesterday alone for a single day!

And we have no one else other than Malaysiakini to thank for this phenomenon.

The Internet newspaper had listed Our Blog under its "Malaysiakini in blogs" section, opening the gateway for a stream of curious visitors to our cyberspace site.

Most of them visited us for the politics stories we've been featuring since what has become a historic general elections event for human rights campaigners and NGOs.

As a result, 415 people had themselves exposed to the main topics that we cover on Our Blog which is animal-assisted therapy, the disabled and the elderly. [See pie-chart].

One email penned by Malayamuda was quite critical of Prime Minister Datuk Seri AbdullahBadawi's decision to make Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil at yesterday's Cabinet lineup announcement as a special adviser on women and community issues.

What is [the purpose of Dato' Dr] Ng Yen Yen's position then [now that] Shahrizat is special adviser? He asked.

Frankly, I'm rather confused myself.

To be honest, the former Minister for Family and Community Development was not exactly a big hit with the disabled community -- although she was the official who was supposed to look into our concerns.

The good part about Shahrizat is that she never was haughty in front of disabled people.

Rather she was always humble -- and often approachable -- compared to some of her past predecessors who seem to care more for protocol than for the people they are meant to serve.

However, many disabled activists are disappointed with her over a form of disability act bill she helped pass in Parliament recently.

Many say that the bill is really a toothless tiger meant to only look good in paper but totally useless when action needed to be taken to protect the rights of disabled Malaysians.

Shahrizat was Petpositive's first choice as our VVIP for our charity and fund-raising dinner last July. The Minister eventually couldn't make it - leaving MP for Petaling Jaya Selatan [and Deputy Minister for Tourism] Dato' Donald Lim Siang Chai to save the day as our Event Patron.

As it turned out at the last minute, Donald himself could not make it for our dinner. However, he graciously sent Dato' Wong Sai Hou to launch Our Society on his behalf.

As for Datuk Dr Ng Yen Yen, our latest Minister for Family, Women and Community Development, I have yet to meet her.

It will certainly be something I will be doing as President of PETPOSITIVE over the next few months.

Together with members of our new opposition government in Selangor.

aNt
PET+BLOGSPOT

MALAYSIAKINI: SHAHRIZAT IS NOW SPECIAL ADVISER TO PM ON WOMEN AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AFFAIRS

Umno women's wing deputy chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil has been appointed a special adviser to the prime minister with the status of minister on women and social development affairs.

According to Bernama, the Prime Minister’s Department said the appointment will be effective starting tomorrow.

The department said in executing her duties and responsibilities, Shahrizat will work closely with the women, family and community development ministry.

At present, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has two special advisers with the status of minister - for Islamic affairs and foreign affairs.

Shocking defeat

Shahrizat - who was the former women, family and community development minister - lost in the March 8 polls to PKR’s Nurul Izzah Anwar for the Lembah Pantai parliamentary constituency.

Nurul Izzah, 27, is the daughter of former deputy premier and PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Shahrizat’s defeat in the constituency, which she held for three terms since 1995, was unexpected.

Shahrizat became the first minister for women and family development when the ministry was created by former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 2001.

Later, Abdullah revamped the ministry and renamed it women, family and community development ministry.

Shahrizat was also acting federal territories minister in 2005 when Isa Abdul Samad had to step down from the post.

Full List Of 2008 Cabinet Ministers Announced By PM Today From Malaysiakini

The following is the list of cabinet ministers and their deputies as announced by the prime minister at 12 noon today.

Prime Minister
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (Umno)

Deputy Prime Minister
Najib Razak (Umno)

Finance Minister
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (Umno)

Second Finance Minister
Nor Mohamed Yakcop (Umno)

Deputies: Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah (Umno), Kong Cho Ha (MCA)

Defence Minister
Najib Razak (Umno)

Deputy: Abu Seman Yusop (Umno)

Housing and Local Government Minister
Ong Ka Chuan (MCA)

Deputy: Robert Lau Hoi Chew (Supp), Hamzah Zainuddin (Umno)
Works Minister
Mohd Zin Mohamed (Umno)

Deputy: Yong Khoon Seng (Supp)

Energy, Water and Communications Minister
Shaziman Abu Mansor

Deputy: Joseph Salang Gandum

Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister
Mustapa Mohamad (Umno)

Deputy: Rohani Abdul Karim (Umno)

International Trade and Industry Minister
Muhyiddin Yassin (Umno)

Deputy: Leow Wei Keong (LDP), Yaakob Dungau Sagan

Foreign Minister
Rais Yatim

Deputy: Sultan Azlan Abu Bakar (Umno)

Education Minister
Hishammuddin Hussein (Umno)

Deputies: Dr Wee Ka Siong (MCA), Razali Ismail (Umno)

Transport Minister
Ong Tee Keat (MCA)

Deputy: Anifah Aman

Health Minister
Liow Tiong Lai (MCA)

Deputy: Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad (Umno)

Human Resources Minister
S Subramaniam (MIC)

Deputy: Noraini Ahmad (Umno)

Home Affairs and Internal Security Minister
Syed Hamid Albar (Umno)

Deputies: Chor Chee Heung (MCA), Wan Ahmad Farid (Umno)

Women, Family and Community Development Minister

Dr Ng Yen Yen (MCA)

Deputy: Norliah Kasmon (Umno)

Culture, Arts, Heritage and National Unity Minister
Shafie Apdal (Umno)

Deputy: Teng Boon Soon (MCA)

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister
Dr Maximum Ongkili

Deputy: Fadillah Yusof

Entrepreneurial and Cooperative Development Minister
Noh Omar (Umno)

Deputy: Saifudin Abdullah

Higher Education Minister
Khaled Nordin (Umno)

Deputies: Idris Haron (Umno), Dr Hou Kok Chung (MCA)

Information Minister
Ahmad Shabery Cheek (Umno)

Deputy: Tan Lian Hoe (Gerakan)

Natural Resources and Environment Minister
Douglas Uggah Embas (PPB)

Deputy: Abdul Ghapur Salleh (Umno)

Rural and Regional Development Minister
Senator Muhammad Muhammad Taib (Umno)

Deputy: Joseph Entulu

Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister
Abdul Shahrir Samad (Umno)

Deputy: Jelaing Mersat

Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister
Peter Chin Fah Kui (Supp)

Deputy: Kohilan Pillay (Gerakan)

Youth and Sports Minister
Ismail Sabri Yaakob (Umno)

Deputy: Wee Jack Seng (MCA)

Tourism Minister
Azalina Othman Said (Umno)

Deputy: Sulaiman Abu Taib (PBB)

Federal Territories Minister
Zulhasnan Rafique (Umno)

Deputy: M Saravanan (MIC)

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department

Zaid Ibrahim (Umno, to be appointed senator) - legal affairs
Zahid Hamidi (Umno)
Bernard Dompok (Upko)
Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz (Umno)

BBC ONLINE: FROG SKIN DIABETES HOPE

Frog skin diabetes treatment hope

The paradoxical frog is native to South America

Skin secretions from a South American "shrinking" frog could be used to treat type 2 diabetes, researchers say.

A compound isolated from the frog, which grows to 27cm as a tadpole before shrinking to 4cm in adulthood, stimulates insulin release.

A synthetic version of the compound - pseudin-2 - could be used to produce new drugs, delegates at the Diabetes UK annual conference heard.

Around two million people in the UK have type 2 diabetes.

The condition, which is often associated with being overweight, develops because the body does not produce enough insulin, or when the insulin that is produced does not work properly.

It means people cannot regulate their blood glucose levels properly.

Scientists from the University of Ulster and United Arab Emirates University have tested a synthetic version of pseudin-2, a compound which protects the paradoxical frog from infection.

More research is needed, but there is a growing body of work around natural anti-diabetic drug discovery that, as you can see, is already yielding fascinating results Dr Yasser Abdel-Wahab

They found it stimulated the secretion of insulin in pancreatic cells in the laboratory.

And importantly, there were no toxic effects on the cells.

The synthetic version was better at stimulating insulin than the natural compound, opening the way for it potential development as a drug for treating diabetes.

Amphibians

Study leader Dr Yasser Abdel-Wahab, senior lecturer in biomedical sciences at the University of Ulster, said there had been a lot of research into bioactive molecules from amphibian skin secretions.

One recently developed diabetes drug - exenatide - was developed from a hormone in the saliva of the Gila monster - a lizard found in south-western United States and northern Mexico.

"We found that it stimulated the secretion of insulin and that the synthetic version is more potent that pseudin-2 itself.

"More research is needed, but there is a growing body of work around natural anti-diabetic drug discovery that, as you can see, is already yielding fascinating results."

Douglas Smallwood, chief executive of Diabetes UK, said although type 2 diabetes could be managed with diet and physical activity, the condition was progressive and may require medication to control it effectively.

"Good diabetes control reduces the risk of complications including blindness, heart disease, kidney problems and amputation so new treatments are vital."

PET+BLOGSPOT AND POLITICS

THOSE OF YOU who have been following this Blog will have noticed some changes lately.

Instead of only highlighting issues of the animal-assisted therapy (AAT), the disabled and the elderly, I have also been including some current stuff.

The recent 12th General Elections has been taking central focus recently. When you think about it, how can it not?

Everything we do involves politics. Whether we like -- or want to admit it or not -- politicians affect our lives.

That's why it's important for us all to go out and vote. Often the fate of the handicapped and seniors are in the hands of the politicians.

So how anyone can draw a line between them is beyond me.

Another reason for the change is because talking about everyday stuff is also an excellent way, I've discovered, to attract more people to this Blog. In this way, Our Society is able to reach out to more people with our unique message of empowerment of vulnerable groups through the power of AAT.

The visitors we get to PET+BLOGSPOT is testimonial to this fact. About 80% of our guests are locals whilst the rest are from overseas. [See pie-chart]

Back to the Elections, now that it is over, there is much work for PETPOSITIVE to do.

It is crucial that we -- and other disabled groups -- actively start lobbying for our rights, especially with the new elected representatives in the Government and Parliament.

This is something Our Society is dead-set on doing so watch this space for more!

aNt
PET+BLOGSPOT

SATURDAY SPOTLIGHT: Time For Action

Malaysiakini: FORM SPECIAL COUNCILS ON VULNERABLE GROUPS SAY PETPOSITIVE

The opposition-controlled state governments must form special councils to look into the needs of the disabled and elderly.

Petpositive president Anthony Thanasayan said the winds of change which swept across the 12^th general election must also include vulnerable groups.

Speaking to Malaysiakini today, he said the new elected representatives from the opposition must not forget the disabled.

"While I am happy to see the formation of new state governments, I am also concerned that we (vulnerable groups) would be reduced to mere tokens again," added the 47-year-old wheelchair-bound activist.

He said the new leaders lacked the experience in working with vulnerable groups and therefore feedback on the many issues affecting them is vital.

Thanasayan said the council must include leaders from vulnerable groups in order for it to be effective.

"These new leaders must meet with us to familiarise themselves with our problems. We should be the first group that they meet," he added.

Significant changes needed

Thanasayan also said that the disabled and elderly also want to see significant changes in these states.

Citing Petaling Jaya as an example, he stressed that the city must be made more accessible.

"Over the next five years, we would like to see significant changes. A total transformation, including access to local councils and the elected representatives," he added.

Thanasayan also suggested that a hotline be created to allow vulnerable groups to have direct contact with the elected representatives.

"These representatives must also visit us on a regular basis to collect our feedback on the issues affecting us," he said.

One of their problems, Thanasayan pointed out, was healthcare.

"While treatment is free, more often than not, government hospitals do not have the medication we need and we are forced to buy them outside.

"These medication are expensive and something must be done about this like allowing us to make claims," he said.

Apart from this, Thanasayan also called for all disabled parking lots to be made free of charge.

He also wants to seek an appointment with the new Selangor menteri besar to explain to him the crucial role that animals play in assisting vulnerable groups.

"For example, MBPJ (Petaling Jaya City Council) does not give free dog licences. We also want to see the negative perception surrounding dogs change, especially in local councils and awareness on this must be inculcated," he said.

Former MB slammed

Meanwhile, Thanasayan also took former Selangor menteri besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo to task over his comments today.

Mohd Khir had said the first Barisan Nasional (BN) offensive against the opposition - which now controls the state -will be to register all 62-year-olds in government hospitals as the opposition had promised that those above the said age in the state would receive free healthcare.

"This is an unbecoming and shameful statement to be made by a former MB. Politicians should stop using the elderly and disabled for their objectives," said Thanasayan.

Stating that he was "sick and tired" of this, the disabled activist said politicians had a habit of using vulnerable groups in victory and defeat.

"It is shameful that the former MB did not register the elderly when he was in power and is thinking of doing this only now. Such statements will guarantee that he does not win (in the elections) again. He must also realise that he will grow old one day," he said.

"We (vulnerable groups) are the scapegoats for politicians. The politicians must have genuine interest in wanting to help us," he added.

Thanasayan stressed that healthcare was important to the elderly who suffer from many medical complications and it was not an issue to be politicised.

Disability Ethics - Is It Wrong To Select A Deaf Embryo?

Is it wrong to select a deaf embryo?

By Clare Murphy Health reporter, BBC News

New fertility legislation will make it illegal to use embryos with a known genetic abnormality in IVF treatment when ones without the same defect are available.

Some deaf activists contend they do not have a disability

For a long time, the debate about the genetic testing of embryos has focused on whether we should stop people creating the "perfect" person: blonde, blue-eyed, with athletic prowess and a high IQ.

The Nazi spectre of eugenics has frequently been invoked.

Now a deaf couple have turned this on its head: far from wanting a flawless child they actively want a baby which suffers the same hearing difficulties as they themselves.

The couple have become icons in a deaf movement which sees this impairment not as a disability but as the key to a rich culture which has its own language, history and traditions: a world deaf parents would naturally want to share with any offspring.

Moreover, they argue that to prefer a hearing embryo over a deaf one is tantamount to discrimination.

But to others - both those who can hear and those who cannot - deliberately bringing a child with a disability into the world when one without could be born verges on the morally repugnant.

Slippery slope?

Tomato Lichy and his partner already have one deaf child, for which they are profoundly grateful.

Despite the fact that over time we have seen more and more rights for disabled people they are now seeking to establish a legal principle that deaf people are inferior Tomato Lichy

But they may eventually like another - and IVF, given the mother's age, may be the only option.

Yet if the Human Embryology and Fertilisation Bill goes through as it stands, their chances of having a deaf child would be small.

If they produced only deaf embryos, they would be allowed to implant one of these. However it would be highly unlikely that there would not be one without one of the deaf genes.

If they chose to have their embryos screened, they would be obliged to to pick the embryo without the abnormality over the others. The screening would not however be obligatory, and they could take their chances in the hope that a deaf one is chosen.

But the fact that they cannot give the deaf child preference over the hearing, Mr Lichy contends, suggests that his life as a deaf person is not one worth living.

HAVE YOUR SAY

How would the child react when they found out that their parents actively sought to deprive them of a sense?

Martin, London

Send us your comments

"The core issue is that the government is saying deaf people are not equal to hearing people," he told the BBC via an interpreter.

"Despite the fact that over time we have seen more and more rights for disabled people they are now seeking to establish a legal principle that deaf people are inferior - and there may be more laws once this gap opens."

What message does it send to their deaf daughter, he asks, whom later they will have to tell: "We had a deaf embryo but the government said we were not allowed to have it".

Rich world

One of the beliefs he holds most dear is that deafness is any event not a disability.

It is certainly not a slight to the deaf to say it is better to bring a child who will face the least difficulty into the world, when there is a choice to be made Jackie Ballard RNID

From his perspective, the inability to hear is an integral part of his identity, and it is those who are able to hear who are at a disadvantage in a world of deaf plays, deaf poetry, and deaf jokes.

But his argument that he is not disabled is not one accepted by some of those who campaign on behalf of those who cannot hear.

The Royal National Institute for Deaf People does not support the choice of deaf embryos over those who would not be born with hearing problems.

"No-one should be forced into having genetic testing if they don't want it. But if they do, we would want the embryos without the gene to be implanted," says its chief executive Jackie Ballard.

"Deafness is a disability and we have spent a long time campaigning to improve the lives of people who live with it. But it is certainly not a slight to the deaf to say it is better to bring a child who will face the least difficulty into the world, when there is a choice to be made."

Storm in a teacup?

Only a tiny minority of deaf or hard-of-hearing people in the UK see themselves as part of a community with a distinct identity in the way that Mr Lichy sees himself.

Where someone has an inherited genetic condition but did not wish their embryos to be tested for it, they would not be obliged to do so Department of Health

Moreover, the current, increasingly febrile debate is about an action which has never taken place in the UK and is based on a couple who have yet even to seek IVF treatment.

Research carried out at Leeds University found the vast majority of deaf people polled expressed no preference - and would be happy with either a deaf or a hearing child.

In addition, IVF births - which are those at issue - make up just 1% of all deliveries in this country.

Combined with the tiny proportion of these parents who would be both deaf and strongly desire a child who could not hear, we may not even be looking at a case a decade, experts say.

"Given that we are looking at such at a very small number of people, I think we can afford to be quite liberal about this," says Julian Savulescu, director of the Oxford Centre for Applied Ethics.

"Deafness is a disability, but it is not one that stops people having a life that's worth living - and if there are a handful of people out there who want a deaf child, they can find a doctor who will help them, and they are prepared to pay for it, then so be it."

But regardless of how rare it would be, the government is thought unlikely to change its mind on this particular clause.

If they do opt for IVF, Mr Lichy and his partner may end up with what they see as a "disabled" child: one that can hear.