Panel 2

PANEL 2

Evaluating policies to overcome direct approach problem in Gurney hawker center

1. Selected existing policy: Consumer Protection Act 1999

This policy is selected because it provides protection to consumers at Gurney hawker center. Direct sellers, beggars, and pirated CD vendors are prohibited from approaching consumers when they are having their meal. If this act is breached, these people can be subjected to penalties. This protection act enables the consumers at the Gurney hawker center to fully enjoy their meal and not interfered by people begging or selling items.

 

2. Suggested policies:

(a) Policy to declare Gurney Hawker Center as tourism spot

Before Gurney hawker center can be declared as tourism spot, we must ensure the cleanliness and cosiness of the surrounding environment. There must also be a police patrol booth at the compound of the Gurney hawker center to ensure that the direct approaching activites are stopped. These police patrols should also patrol the surroundings of the hawker center other than standing guard at their respective booths. Signboards that prohibit direct approaches activities should also be set up at eye-catching corners to ward off these people. This policy’s strength lies on the fact that the cleanliness of the hawker center is assured of but the negative impact will be that the high cost needed to maintain the hawker center.

 

 

2. Policy to forbid direct selling business

When there is demand, there is supply. So, in order to solve the direct approach problem from the root itself, we have to tackle the consumers in the hawker stall. We must set a penalty rule that states that whoever that is involve in the direct selling business whether it’s buying of the goods or selling, he or she will be penalized. Therefore, we stop the consumers from supporting the direct approaching business. The policy should discourage people from giving money to the beggars as this will encourage more begging activities.  Beggars should be relocated into the public funded centers. This policy’s strength is that the number of beggars will decrease but the cost of these public fund centers will increase dramatically.

 

3.      Intensive prevention policy

This policy emphasizes the intensive way of preventing direct approaches be it direct sellers, beggars, or pirated CD sellers. We suggested a method which is to give out posters and stickers to the hawker operators around Gurney hawker center, so that they can stick at strategic places to inform the public. Telephone numbers of police stations, or law enforcing bodies should be stated in the poster. Therefore, we can encourage the public to be aware of this problem and call up when they observe direct selling activities in the hawker center. The good side about this policy is that we can encourage everybody from the hawker operators to the public to take part in solving this problem. The bad side is that it needs cost and time to carry out this policy as a lot of manpower is needed to campaign awareness among the public.

Panel 1

Panel 1

To explain the problem

-It is common to beggar asking currency, food or other items in Penang mostly around the tourist place which the beggar can begging from visitor.

-Typically, beggars often beg for spare change equipped with coffee cups, mugs, small boxes, hats, or other items into which currency can be placed and sometimes display signs with messages such as "Help me. I’m homeless." Another popular form of begging is to imply, that by giving money you help an entire cause, or humanity.

-What we have to say is beggars really annoy our life. Like example, when you are eating at the food court, there is a beggar come and request you to give them money to buy food. What do you think? Isn’t disturbing and disgusting? Do you will give your own money for the beggars? I’m sure very less people will do that but some people will do that because they don’t want to see the beggars disturbing them and the others will feel sympathetic of the beggars.

- However, referring to pirated disc selling, Moreover, t is concerning about gangster group that are involved.  Therefore, these problems need to be solved in order to protect the safety of the hawkers caring out their business there. Meanwhile, our country image needs to be defense too, pirated discs are seen as stealing what others had invented violating the cyber law.  

- ‘Pyramid schemes’ are fraudulent and dangerous consumer traps. Unfortunately, their existence can harm the reputation of companies such as Amway. Unlike legitimate Direct Selling, illegal pyramid schemes lure people into investing in seemingly lucrative schemes with the promise of easily earned riches, but the schemes generally do not deliver on the promises and ultimately rob the participants of their earnings and investment.

 

-How serious of this problem in our community?

-If our Malaysia people didn’t take any action to overcome this problem, it will become a big problem in our country because our country image will spoil. Therefore tourism industry will be infected and visitor will think that beggars are normal for our Malaysian. Maybe they will think that our country still not modern compare the other country.

 

-Have this problem extend happened in state or country?

The problem can be seen not only in our state but also happening in all around the country. Referral cases had been attached along with this report.

 

-Why does this problem have to settle by government?

As there are no act in Malaysia to handle the beggars’ problem yet, this is most suitable for our government to start off with a new act which is suitable to solve this problem to our Malaysian culture and identity.  Since this also involved gangster at the same time, it is suggested that citizens’ safety need to be taken into account, whereby only those enforcement personnel should be involved in handling this case.

 

Margarine or butter?

Info for health.  Have a healthy new year.

---

Margarine or butter?

If you answered "butter," I’ve got some information that will make you glad you did.

Last week an HSI member sent me an e-mail that had been forwarded multiple times, but appears to have originated from L. Eugene Arnold, M.Ed., M.D.; a Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at Ohio State University. Here’s what Dr. Arnold writes:

"Do you know the difference between margarine and butter?

• Both have the same amount of calories.
• Butter is slightly higher in saturated fats at 8 grams compared to 5 grams.
• Eating margarine can increase heart diseasein women by 53% over eating the same amount of butter, according to a recent Harvard Medical Study.
• Eating butter increases the absorption of many other nutrients in other foods.
• Butter has many nutritional benefits where margarine has a few only because they are added!
• For most people, butter tastes better than margarine and it can enhance the flavors of other foods. (The best flavor claim margarine can make in ads is that it tastes the same as butter.)
• Butter has been around for centuries where margarine has been around for less than 100 years.

"And now, for Margarine…

• Very high in trans fatty acids.
• Triple risk of coronary heart disease.
• Increases total cholesterol and LDL (this is the bad cholesterol)
• Lowers HDL cholesterol, (the good cholesterol).
• Increases the risk of cancers by up to five fold.
• Lowers quality of breast milk.
• Decreases immune response.
• Decreases insulin response.

"And here is the part that is very interesting! Margarine is but ONE MOLECULE away from being PLASTIC. This fact alone was enough to have me avoiding margarine for life and anything else that is hydrogenated (this means hydrogen is added, changing the molecular structure of the substance).

"You can try this yourself: purchase a tub of margarine and leave it in your garage or shaded area. Within a couple of days you will note a couple of things: no flies, not even those pesky fruit flies will go near it (that should tell you something) It does not rot or smell differently. Nothing will grow on it – not even those teeny weeny microorganisms will not find a home to grow. Why? Because it is nearly plastic. Would you melt your Tupperware and spread that on your toast?

"Share This With Your Friends – (Butter them up.)

"Additional info: Children who eat butter or drink whole milk with butterfat have better resistance to infection.

"P.S. This was not sponsored by the dairy industry."

I’ve heard some of these facts before, but some of them were new to me, so I asked HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D., for his take on the list, and he didn’t hesitate: "Absolutely true. The guy’s read my book. In it, I call margarine ‘plastic butter.’ It’s very, very bad stuff. I cheat and have to drink city water sometimes. But I try never to do that with margarine."
The book that Dr. Spreen refers to is his "Nutritionally Incorrect: Why the American Diet is Dangerous and How to Defend Yourself" (Woodland Publishing).

Plastic butter! Will you ever go within ten feet of margarine again?

To your good health,

Jenny Thompson
Health Sciences Institute

–
Have a pleasant day
Chee Har

 

Poem

Malaysia, a peaceful multiracial country,

Where we celebrate all wonderful festivals together,

After the merry spirit of our summer Christmas,

Here comes again an enjoyable season of celebration,

It’s the coming of the Chinese New Year.

 

Red decoration will be seen everywhere,

Mothers will get busy for New Year’s shopping,

Delicious food is served throughout the celebration,

Gaining weight will be the tradition after New Year.

 

Though, voice of discussion is all around, 

There comes the breaking news,

that brings to our attention.

It’s the purchase limitation for cooking oil.   

 

Every purchase can only be five kilograms,

That’s what we hear from the news,

causing a controversy among all the people.

What happens that brings to this scenario?

 

A group of people had stock up the oil supply,

That’s how the crisis comes,

So, what’s the people’s reaction?

Of course, everyone is worry.

There comes the discussion.

 

We Malaysian always celebrates festivals with food,

Such as the reunion dinner, and other New Year dishes,

Cooking without oil? It’s impossible, said the mothers.

This brings to another problem,

Demand of supply increases drastically.

 

Why don’t we try a healthy New Year dishes?

Steam fish sounds delicious,

A balanced diet, fruit salad can be appetizing,

Or colourful jelly can be served too.

 

Don’t be worry about lack of oil,

Don’t be jealous of those who got the oil,

This crisis will be solve very soon,

Trust our government.

 

They’ll bring you peace,

So, don’t be worry.

Be patience and wait,

The climax will pass.

 

Don’t give in to worry or anger,

It only leads to trouble,

Those who trust in our government will get through the crisis,

Soon the problem will disappear.

 

Those who trust will enjoy prosperity and peace.

Happy Chinese New Year.

Thank you

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TARC

 

Diploma in Accounting

College : Tunku Abdul Rahman College

Shool : School of Business Studies

Course : Diploma in Accounting

Group : Y1M3

Merry Christmas

Wishing everyone Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

 

IT’s a working day again…

 

Need to work even harder on Christmas day.