A participant trying her hand at composting with a pipe during the
chemical-free urban farming workshop by CAP.
THE movement control order (MCO) saw people stocking up on essentials like canned food, rice, noodles and seasoning, but they overlooked the need for greens in their diet.
Perhaps, marketing and buying vegetables would not have been a matter of top priority during such trying times but many failed to realise that one can grow these greens in the tiniest space available.
To teach the public on the perks of having their own greens to cook as well as ways to make these plants thrive under any living condition, Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) has come to the rescue by holding its monthly chemical-free urban farming workshop.
CAP education officer N.V. Subbarow shared how many do not realise about the chemicals that are used to keep vegetables fresh for days.
Subbarow (in green) showing participants how to make compost using
organic waste at the workshop at the CAP premises in Jalan Masjid
Negeri, Penang. — Photos: CHAN BOON KAI/The Star
“If you can plant and grow your own vegetables it would be great.
“Now with this pandemic, many are not consuming vegetables as it is considered easier to just eat canned or take-away food.
“There are many preservatives in those meals and in the long run it can cause health issues.
“If one can plant and grow greens in their house, it would not only be good for their health but the environment as well.
“Here we are teaching people the correct way to plant vegetables and how to produce compost to ensure a great yield as well, ” he said at one of the workshops at the CAP premises in Jalan Masjid Negeri, Penang, recently.
Subbarow said the workshop aimed to teach people how to plant vegetables like chilli, okra and other greens.
“We have tested shop-bought vegetables and many times they contain chemicals to keep them fresh.
“Here you know what goes into growing your vegetables at home.
“We have ways in which people can plant their vegetables even if they are living in an apartment.
“These are vegetables that are consumed daily.
“You only need the right soil.
“They can be planted in pre-used pots or containers, ” he said.
Subbarow said the participants were taught to not only plant vegetables, but also on how to keep pests away from plants organically by using other plants to ward them off as well as homemade growth enhancers for plants using fish and brown sugar.
“It can be a whole family hobby, planting and harvesting their vegetables.
“I encourage families to plant now as they can start harvesting in weeks or a few months depending on what they plant.
“This is one way to save money as well, because by cooking two vegetable dishes from your garden, you have covered one meal for the day, ” he said.
Subbarow then taught the participants how to make compost, one being collecting organic waste and making compost in a container.
“Then there is the seven pot system where organic waste is placed in a pot a day with pots marked for each day of the week.
“This helps keep track of your compost and then you can plant something in each pot.
“The third way is where a pipe is placed in the pot with 5cm of the pipe buried in the soil.
“Organic waste is placed in the pipe and the pipe is closed to avoid water mixing with the compost.
“The roots of the plant in the pot will absorb the nutrients from the compost, ” he said.
CAP education officer Saraswathi Devi Odian also taught participants to layer soil in a pot.
“People do not realise you have to mix the soil.
“You need half the pot to be filled with garden soil, the other half has to be equal parts of sand, red soil and compost, ” she said.
Friends Rachel Jasmine Richard and M. Deenadayalani, both 27, were happy to attend the workshop to learn about planting vegetables.
Friends
Rachel Jasmine Richard (right) and M. Deenadayalani (left), both 27,
feeling the texture of the soil during the free chemical urban farming
training organised by Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) at its
premises in Jalan Masjid Negeri, Penang./PicbY:CHAN BOON KAI/The Star/25
July 2020.
Rachel said she had planted curry leaves and pandan, but now realised that she did not use the right soil.
“I only used garden soil which is not good enough.
“I now want to plant chillies and will do it the right way.
“I always wondered if I could use the peels from vegetables and fruits, now I know I can compost it, ” said the customer service representative.
Deenadayalani, whose mother loves to plant vegetables, said they have quite a number of greens in their garden.
THERE’S finally light at the end of the tunnel from a dark period in modern history. The race to complete the final stage of testing the Covid-19 vaccine is almost at the finish line.
In Britain, the vaccination exercise has kicked off with people above 80 years old, since they’re the most vulnerable to the dreadful virus.
But let’s not get carried away. Only the British government has expedited the approval because it’s bracing for a huge spike with the coming winter.
The United States government only officially approved the use of Pfizer Inc’s Covid-19 vaccine on Friday, with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granting an emergency use authorisation for healthcare workers and elderly people in long-term care facilities in its first round of 2.9 million doses.
The FDA is responsible for protecting public health by ensuring safety, efficacy and security of human and veterinary drugs in the US. The FDA has always been used as a benchmark by most countries in providing approvals.
Last week, MyEG Services Bhd announced that it will work with Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biopharmaceutical Co Ltd (Zhifei) to obtain the Malaysian halal certification for the Chinese biopharma company’s Covid-19 vaccine, and to exclusively distribute it in Malaysia for a three-year period.
It said the two companies had signed a memorandum of understanding to cooperate in conducting Phase 3 clinical trials of Zhifei’s vaccine in Malaysia and to meet the halal status requirements of the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim).
In September, loss-making Ho Wah Genting, which had been searching for a core-income generating business for a while, declared it was officially in the race to produce vaccines.
It announced that it had been appointed by a China-based diagnostic reagents manufacturer as its designated overseas sales agent for Covid-19 diagnostic products in Asean countries.
More recently, a Covid-19 research centre not linked to any medical institution, also sprouted and began issuing press releases to the media.
Firstly, let’s be clear that there’s nothing to stop the private sector from playing a role in the search for a vaccine source. In fact, I think it’s commendable that these companies are ready to play a complementary role.
If the intention is to help their bottom line, and in the process, propel their share prices, it’ll be up to shareholders to be mindful, and perhaps the Securities Commission to keep its eyes open.
Individuals hoping to set up a non-governmental organisation, including for Covid-19, have the right to do so, but their authority and credibility are for the public and media to decide.
The private sector, in fact, should be encouraged to take a stronger role in the fight against the pandemic, as the number of cases continue to climb in Malaysia.
The truth is, while we’ve relaxed the rules, with a crippling economy in mind, our situation has gotten worse. Let’s be honest – statistics don’t lie.
Only those with a warped mind, like conspiracy theorists, think the numbers in Malaysia have been manipulated and jacked up for political reasons. It’s an insult to dedicated professionals like Health Ministry director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah and his team of frontliners, who haven’t taken a day off since the Movement Control Order (MCO) began in March.
The number of positive cases in Malaysia could likely be higher because only targeted areas and cases are tested, including travellers, medical treatment seekers and foreign workers.
The average daily cases (originally three digits in March and rendering us house bound) has passed the 2,000 mark now.
Most of us feel the end is near and that even with the staggering new numbers, we are certain that the cure is just round the corner, what with all the media hype over 90% efficacy by these drug companies.
Unfortunately, none of the vaccines have been approved by the National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency of Malaysia yet. Companies bringing in Covid-19 vaccines must also be registered with the NPRA – it doesn’t matter if these vaccines are from the UK, US, China or Russia.
I’ve been reliably informed that until today, no private companies have applied despite their announcements. So, nothing has been approved.
Like the US, Malaysia has also decided to wait until all the vaccines have completed the final stages of trials and are properly approved.
With the situation exceptionally dire there though, the FDA is reported to be ready to approve emergency use of Covid-19 vaccines in the US as more than 285,000 people have died from the virus.
But as with all testing, there will be cases of side effects, including fatalities. Tests are often called off and then resumed, which is normal, but if we are to read the Western media, only US and UK-made vaccines are good enough.
They have put the Chinese and Russian products in bad light by insinuating they are inferior products.
This isn’t just a question involving billions of dollars, but a race for political and diplomatic achievements.
It won’t be surprising if the US FDA refuses to approve the Chinese and Russian products. And if that happens, then those nations would need to turn to the World Health Organisation.
So many of us have been brain-washed into believing that everything from the West is good and most things from China are inferior or not of international standards.
The New York Times reported that researchers are currently testing 57 vaccines in clinical trials on humans, and at least 86 pre-clinical vaccines are under active investigation on animals.
I am told that China has provided its initial consignment of vaccines from state-owned Sinopharm to Malaysia, and that we would be carrying out trials with the Medical Research and Ethics Committee to finalise the stringent criteria.
Shipments of Beijing-based Sinovac’s vaccine, CoronaVac, have arrived in Indonesia in preparation for a mass vaccination campaign, with another 1.8 million doses due by next month.
Sinovac’s edge is that it can be stored in a standard refrigerator at 2-8 degrees Celsius, like Oxford’s AstraZeneca, while Moderna’s vaccine needs to be stored at -20 C and Pfizer’s at -70 C.
That means the Chinese and UK vaccines are more practical for developing countries like Malaysia. Otherwise, we’d have issues storing large amounts of vaccine at extremely low temperatures because special storage facilities will be needed, which seems almost out of the question for rural areas.
Then, there’s the halal issue. The concerns among Muslims about the shots containing substances forbidden by Islam is understandable as the same issue was also brought up by Muslims in Indonesia.
But here are some simple medical rules – the Malaysian government does not register a medicine based on halal or non-halal status. No medicine carries a Jakim sticker that says halal certified.
Malaysia has inked a deal with Pfizer to supply 12.8 million doses of its Covid-19 vaccine for 20% of the population. It has also reportedly entered a pact with Covax Facility, the global Covid-19 vaccine development platform, to cover another 10% of the population.
This is a life and death situation. No one needs to be an Islamic theology expert to know what Islam says about emergency cases relating to starvation or medical treatment. Perlis Mufti Datuk Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin has reportedly said that “even if there is an ingredient which is not permissible, the chemical transformation process will make it clean and halal.”
The Special Muzakarah Committee of the National Council for Malaysian Islamic Affairs met on Dec 3 to discuss whether the vaccine can be administered to Muslims.
Religious Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Zulkifli Mohamed Al-Bakri said the decision would be announced by the King.
Given the grounds to this concern, this is certainly the right course of action, especially in curtailing it from becoming both religious and political issues, or from companies exploiting the matter for commercial reasons by making all sorts of claims.
As someone privileged to have met Zulkifli, who tested positive himself, I can vouch that he is one of the most rational and practical Islamic scholars.
The United Arab Emirates, a Muslim country, has accepted the China-made Sinopharm and Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim country, is ready to take the vaccine from China, too. And Saudi Arabia has embraced Pfizer’s vaccine.
The end of Covid-19 is in sight for sure. The fact that Malaysia is already talking of vaccination and testing approaches, means we’re already making practical preparations.
Last week, I spoke to Datuk Zulkarnain Md Eusope, the chief executive officer of Pharmaniaga Bhd, the company tasked with bottling and transporting the Covid-19 vaccine for Malaysia.
The company is already preparing for the distribution of these vaccines and is just waiting for the government’s approval for the big day.
Zulkarnain is an excited man and rattled off details of what and how Pharmaniaga has readied itself to be part of history and saving lives.
For most Malaysians, 2020 has been a horrible year of Covid-19 and squabbling politicians.
What a toxic combination. For sure, we can’t wait to welcome 2021.
From page 15 BEIJING: Research and development of coronavirus vaccines in China are at the final stages, with preparations in place for their mass production, said the head of the country’s Covid19 vaccine development task force.
There are five domestically developed vaccines under a phase-3 clinical trial, the final stage before attaining approval from the authorities, making China a leading country in Covid-19 vaccine development, said Zheng Zhongwei, who is also director of the National Health Commission’s development centre for medical science and technology.
Despite taking a leading role in Covid-19 vaccine research and development, China does not rush to compete in the field, Zheng told Xinhua on Wednesday.
Vaccines should be evaluated by criteria such as safety, effectiveness, accessibility and affordability before they are approved for market availability, he said, adding that China is being prepared for the mass production of vaccines.
Researchers in China have been racing to develop Covid-19 vaccines. A total of 15 vaccines using five different technologies are under clinical trials in China.
Of them, five are undergoing phase-3 clinical trials in countries including the United Arab Emirates, Brazil and Pakistan, as domestic trials involving many volunteers are not practical due to the effective control and prevention of the epidemic on the Chinese mainland.- ANN/THE STAR
A forum on vaccine industry marketing was held on
Saturday in Zhengzhou, Central China's Henan Province. Organized by the
China Association for Vaccines, the forum attracted hundreds of
enterprises, analysts, lawyers and scholars, who shared the latest
information on the vaccine industry
The research and development process for a new vaccine
usually takes at least a decade. But the deadly pandemic pushed the
world to shorten the process to less than one year, which apparently
increases the public's worries over the products' safety and efficacy.
Can people accept such a hastily developed vaccine? Continue reading and
let the evidence speak for itself.
China's leading vaccine maker Sinovac is working around
the clock to prepare for mass production, with the first production line
to secure 300 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine annually, the Global
Times learned after an exclusive visit to the company's plant in
Beijing.
As the overseas pandemic situation remains grave, China
faces increasing pressure to prevent imported cases. Particularly,
recent reports of frozen pork, lamb, beef, shrimp and fish products
testing positive for COVID-19 in over a dozen regions across China have
raised widespread concerns over the risks of infection through cold
chain trade due to its long supply chain and virus-friendly environment.
With the continuous spread of good news about COVID-19
vaccines, how to ensure its transportation has become a hot topic for
the global cargo industry. Analysts believe that vaccine transportation
will stimulate the aviation recovery, but questions remain about how to
make the transportation safe.
The US is getting bogged down in a humanitarian disaster caused by the COVID-19 epidemic. However, US federal government officials maintain an indifferent attitude, refusing to mobilize the entire country to adopt forceful emergency measures. This is heinous malfeasance. They are undoubtedly committing a monstrous crime that cannot be forgiven.
The US reported 1 million new COVID-19 cases in the first five days of December and more than 2,000 daily deaths. On Thursday alone, the country recorded 2,879 deaths caused by COVID-19. Hospitals are running out of beds. Crematoriums and cemeteries in some parts of the US have insufficient capacity to cope with the crisis.
The US, which is supposed to be the most developed country in the world today, has become the most terrifying place on the planet where the novel coronavirus is claiming lives.
What is a living hell? The US is a vivid portrayal of that right now. Quite a few countries have become crippled due to US "human rights" accusations. Others have been kidnapped by alliances with the US.
But it is time for the international community to stand up bravely and point at the current ruling administration of the US. The super power must be bluntly told: You are killing your own people. You are crossing the bottom line of humanitarianism. You are a shameful deserter and traitor of humanity as the rest of us fiercely fight the virus.
All people are born equal. Everyone has the right to avoid infection and death from disease. Even if they refuse to comply with epidemic prevention measures due to personal reasons the government is supposed to create conditions to protect them, not leaving them alone with the excuse of "God's" mercy.
Americans are also humans. They are not supposed to be treated as expendables of the Trump administration's defenseless epidemic strategy. So far, more than 281,000 Americans have died because of the novel coronavirus. It is predicted that daily death counts could surpass 4,000 in the coming months. This is a massacre, and a shame for humanity in the 21st century.
A Brookings Institution survey found that 10 percent of American mothers reported that their children under the age of five went hungry to some degree in October and November. Nearly 12 percent of adults said they live in a household where there was not enough to eat "sometimes" or "often" last month, according to the US Department of Commerce. Long lines are spotted in the US with people queuing up for free food. Is that what the world's richest country should look like?
There are many defects and loopholes in the US federal government's abilities to effectively handle the public health crisis under the current administration. The US has been dragged into a long-term political struggle by its political elites. People can clearly see that the current US government has no interest in fighting the virus. They're only focused on election-related political interests. US society has been divided because of polarized politics. It cannot reach a consensus on pandemic controls. It appears to be a collapsing sand castle.
If the COVID-19 pandemic were something that couldn't be curbed, the US failure could be forgiven. But many Asian countries and economies, including China, have put the virus' spread under control. This fully indicates it can be contained. As such, the US has neither reason nor morality to give up its anti-pandemic efforts.
The current US government attaches great importance to economy. But is the US economy getting better? What else economic results can the US government boast about except the abnormal prosperity caused by rushes of hot money into the stock market from quantitative easing?
The pandemic lays bare the arrogance and stupidity of this US government. It has no moral compass and has shirked its own responsibilities by passing the buck to others. So many lives have been lost. It's a tragedy caused by capitalist tyranny under the disguise of "democracy and freedom."
What punishments will the politicians who committed these crimes against humanity receive? Everyone in the world is watching the US now, expecting the incoming administration to have the moral courage to punish evil and stand steadfast for righteous justice and rule of law.
Mar 17, 2016 ...http://t.cn/RG38MOa. Chinese documentary reveals US hypocrisy on humanrights. A TV documentary highlighting the US's double standards ...
Mar 17, 2016 ... The United States' confrontational attitude toward China on human rights serves
only its national interests, and it also harms global governance ...
Friends
Rachel Jasmine Richard (right) and M. Deenadayalani (left), both 27,
feeling the texture of the soil during the free chemical urban farming
training organised by Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) at its
premises in Jalan Masjid Negeri, Penang./PicbY:CHAN BOON KAI/The Star/25
July 2020.
