Of Comfort Zone and Change

More than 6 years down the line, comfort had obviously crept in.  Same thing, same place, and same capacity.  And thus comes the questions, "What's next?".

I have 2 options:
(1) To remain in my comfort zone; or
(2) To abandon my present comfort and shake myself up to do something more challenging.

The blessing in disguise
I was initially doubtful if I could find anything out there, if I were to believe what was remarked to by someone who was kind of insinuating that I was getting too comfortable and going nowhere.

However, looking back, but for the hint, I wouldn't have thought of looking around for something supposedly a level above than the present.

For good or otherwise?
Since I have not come to the actual stage itself yet, the time now will be too early for me to tell if the pasture outside is indeed greener or otherwise.  But those in-the-know, including a few peers who secretly know it, have been very supportive of the idea.

So, with a heavy heart, I challenge myself to get out of my personal comfort:
(1) Despite the move from permanent employment to contractual employment, although the latter may possibly turn permanent...
(2) Despite leaving behind a beautiful place that's akin to my second home and good colleagues...
(3) Despite moving from where I'm familiar with, to somewhere I am highly unfamiliar with and will surely lose my way if not for the road signs... the only advantage is that the latter place is slightly nearer to my home...
(4) Despite leaving behind the same thing that I've done again and again, then less and less after > 6 years...
(5) The new role and responsibilities will be heavier than the present one...
(6) Last but not least, it will be an uphill task, at least in the beginning, to turn what I do on a once yearly basis into part of my core duty.

Credit: Classic FM

Right now, I am still figuring out how to finish up as many existing tasks as possible, then do the necessary.  Is it possible to leave without leaving behind a pile of trash?

A Telemarketer's Call So Well-Made

I normally don't pick up calls from strange numbers... but how strange is "strange"?

For instance, numbers that look very pretty for e.g. 03-****8080, numbers from locations that I certainly have no dealings with, and private numbers i.e. numbers that are invisible on the screen of my phone.

Air yang tenang jangan disangka tiada buaya... termasuk yang bukan sungai

Those not-so-innocent forms
The reason why I fill in my number on the mobile number column of certain forms, e.g. opening of savings account, magazine subscription, etc, was because I thought I was doing them a favor by easing their work in case they need to contact me.  So skema of me.  But alas, doing so sometimes leads to nuisance.

There was one day I received a very polite call from someone to claimed to represent C*** Bank, Damansara Utama branch.  Ok, I was sort of initially tricked that he's probably from the bank's HQ, because indeed, I have a savings account with C*** bank from that particular branch since many years back.

Oops, so how come I have an account so far from home?  I opened that account when I was in my first job, where I also used to live quite near that place for a while.  I had no idea where I'd be going next, so in the meantime, I randomly went to that bank.

The Friday call
But for me expecting some other calls at that material time, I wouldn't have picked up that call.  The thing is, that number looked very ordinary and it was not those beautiful-looking number that I used to avoid answering.

The caller identified himself, lets call him L here, and spoke to me in Bahasa Melayu.  He politely asked me if I could spare only a very brief time on the phone.  Since I was bored and free on that day, I had stupidly agreed, sigh!

Here's roughly what he said to me, which I shall translate to English as follows:

L:  ........ in conjunction of your **th anniversary being a loyal customer of C*** Bank, Damansara Utama branch, we are happy to inform that you have been specially selected to be part of our 15-years loyalty bonus programme........

...... first, with the programme, you will receive a loyalty bonus (bonus kesetiaan) of RM1,200 for every 3 years, which totals up to RM6,000 after 15 years.  

Me: (thinking in an Ah-hui-Ah-lian manner, where got people so kind give me so much money for doing nothing?  Or is it some investment plan from C*** Bank which I do not know?)

L: Secondly, apart from loyalty bonus, you will also be rewarded with birthday rewards (ganjaran hari lahir) of RM800 on the 5th year, another RM800 on the 10th year, and double the amount, which means RM1,600 on the 15th year.  

..... thirdly, once the 15 years have matured, you will receive a premium refund of RM4,500.  In total, you will get RM13,700 over 15 years.

So now, may I verify that your address is as per the time when you opened your C*** savings account at Damansara Utama branch?

Me: No, I have moved, have filled in a form to tell the bank of my address change 2 years ago, but no action is taken until today.  But why do you ask about address?

L:  That's because when you are due to receive your rewards, we will send them by cheque, via post.

 #1:  Whatever programme L was trying to offer is NOT related to C*** Bank, but a third party.  Or else, why don't they just credit the rewards into my humble savings account instead of sending a cheque?  The programme is genuine and not fraudulent though, based on findings later on.  

L: Now, I am also glad to inform that apart from cash rewards, the programme also provides protection benefits.

Among the things that L stated: Compensation of up to RM50,000 for serious illnesses, and compensation of RM100,000 for personal accident that leads to permanent disablility or death.  The compensation is tripled for accident involving public transport. A compensation of RM30,000 is available should there be death due to dengue.  Then L read out a list of exclusion clauses.

L: Very simply, all you need to say yes to our programme is merely to commit RM3.40 daily from your C*** savings account.  In a month, it's only RM100. 
Your path towards rewards that I have mentioned will be active as soon as you begin your first RM100 payment.

#2: RM13,700 for me over 15 years.
But I pay RM100 x 12 months x 15 years = RM18,000.
RM13,700 - RM18,000 =  (RM4,300).

Another good news is that, NO extra charge, deposit or GST needs to be paid to join this programme.

#3: Protection coverage, monthly payment.  This is another insurance offer as opposed to investment or kind rewards from C*** Bank for its loyal customer.  

In any event, I am not saying that insurance or takaful is bad.  In fact, it is good to have one .  What's most important is a plan that is affordable, and provides enough coverage for you/ your beneficiary in case of rainy days, touch wood.  Just that having too many insurance plans can be costly and may be redundant.

L then gave me the customer service hotline (some 1300 88 something-something number) for this "investment" programme, told me that in order to join, I must have a minimum of RM20 left in my C*** savings account after the RM100 monthly deduction.  L then read to me a long wordy sentence, inter alia that blah-blah-blah is governed by Bank Negara Malaysia, and asked me to say yes or no.  

Let's no elaborate into the later conversation after that.  But the call ended amicably without any scolding or argument.

This is no criticism, but let's keep ourselves alert
The objective of sharing the above ordeal here is not to personally criticise anyone, including L who is performing his job as a telemarketer, although he will gain a commission each time he secures a successful sale.

I can never imagine myself in L's shoes because my face can never be thick enough to face potential scolding from strangers, because in reality, getting calls from telemarketers can be annoying.

Never be sharp, never be flat, always be natural.  Credit: Classic FM

But instead, here's to raise awareness as to how telemarketers have changed their sales tactics, by first trying to convince people that they're educating customers about the rewards for being loyal customers of a certain bank, with all the impressive-sounding returns, and then boom!!!  By orally seeking customer to decide whether to commit themselves on the spot.

Many telemarketers are smart and well-trained, they will first paint a beautiful picture by telling all the good things.  Once confident that you're listening, only towards the end they tell you about your commitment.

Then, they will also politely pressure you to decide on the spot as opposed to allowing time for you to think over.

Does Data Protection provision even exist?
It is inappropriate for banks to share their customers' data with third parties.  

Secondly, it's also very improper that banks allow "standing orders" be made orally over the phone... by right a bank must ensure that its customer genuinely signs a document that authorizes money to be drawn from his account to a third party.  

What if the person who picks up the supposedly-customer's phone is not that account holder himself, but a third person who knows a lot about the customer, and subsequently says "yes", "yes" and all "yes" without the customer's knowledge and consent?

Conclusion
I was thinking of closing my savings account with C***, if it isn't due to the inconvenient distance from where I am now, because an account only be closed at its home branch. 

Wah, bahayalah if suddenly there's a windfall one day, will I receive even more telemarketers' calls?  Anyway like said earlier, no money will drop down from the sky for doing nothing productive like me, so any reference to wealth and me is purely hypothetical.


Back to the topic, I shall never pick up any strange-looking number after this even though the number looks plain.  Instead, I should Google up the number first, then decide whether to pick up or not if the same number calls back.   Or if I pick up, I should not hesitate to hang up immediately if I find the call a nuisance.

Private or Government hospital, which one is better for childbirth?

"Bersalin hospital gomen (kerajaan) ke private nanti?", or "Where do you plan do deliver your baby, Government or private hospital?" was one of the most frequently-asked questions by my colleagues during the old days when I was pregnant for the first time.

Here, I would like to share something based on my personal experience, esp with my first child Alvin who is an ex-prem baby, as well as hearsay.  Which is better - private or Government?  Important tip: To keep an open mind to both options.

 Hospital Ampang

Introduction
I was born in a private hospital in Ipoh by my mom who was in the civil service, a.k.a. Government servant.  My mom had briefly worked in the Labour Room in a Government hospital. Being there means my mom was entitled to seek a GL which enables her to deliver her babies in any Government hospital free-of-charge, but then my mom chose not to.

The reason - I do not know.  But after all that I've gone through, I would say that I was a bit misguided prior to giving birth to Alvin.

Though not looking forward to anymore pregnancy after the arrival of Alvin's brother, nevertheless I shall be much delighted if the following note can be of help to those who happen to come across this humble blog, who are currently considering whether to go private or Government for delivery.

Myth vs Facts
On one side...

Folks from my side of family encouraged me to go private for antenatal check-ups and delivery.  Whether myth or fact, among the given reasons:

- freedom to choose an ob gyn for antenatal care and delivery;
- more attention due to a smaller nurse to patient ratio in a private hospital;
- "less likelihood" of getting scolded by nurses because private hospitals are business entities,  competition is stiff, and hence they have to treat their patients a.k.a. customers nicely;
- freedom to choose the type of ward, e.g. single room, twin-sharing, suite, etc... just like choosing hotel room hehe...;
- those around me who advocated for delivery in private hospitals would tell me "You think private hospitals want to risk tarnishing their good name?  They'll do their absolute best to make sure that both the mother and baby are safe". 

On the other side...
As for the other side of my family, having personally gone through pleasant delivery experiences at Government hospitals themselves, they encouraged me to choose Hospital Serdang for delivery.  I was also advised to go to the nearest KKIA for antenatal check-ups, which I did and was generally happy with the service at KKIA despite the long waiting time. 

Those who had gone through child delivery would tell "sakit bersalin tu sama sahaja tak kira di mana pun" (labour pain is the same regardless of where you deliver).

A little of both, but fingers-crossed
Being ambivalent as to where to go at first,  I went for my antenatal check-ups at both places - private and Government.

At the same time, the "campaign" from both sides of differing views continued to haunt me.  At that point of time, I was indecisive as to where to go for delivery should I make it to that stage.

Beyond my wildest dream
Thinking of it now, I am glad to realise that certain things happened for a certain reason, although I am disappointed with my body for failing to carry Alvin until he is truly ready for birth.  But for the stint at NICU and ward 4A at Hospital Ampang, I wouldn't have learnt things that I need to know in child care.  I might have ended up becoming highly-dependent on others e.g. my mom-in-law, to take care of even the smallest things because I had never taken care of babies before (never even held one earlier, because I was scared to carry others' babies for fear of upsetting their babies with my novice hands).

Now at least my eyes were opened wider and I know what is true and what's not.

The complacency in me when pregnant for the first time lies in being ill-prepared as far as handling a premature delivery is concerned, just because prematurity is rare.  Other than threatened miscarriage in the early days, my first pregnancy was otherwise uneventful and hence it didn't come across my mind to prepare for premature labour.

Beneath the initial reluctance
This is hearsay:  There was once I read at a local online forum of someone who went into labour at just 5 months (20 weeks?) into her pregnancy.  As contemplated, the baby did not make it.  Accordingly, one of the nurses at the Government hospital where she delivered her baby had scolded her and asked if she had been "very actively together" with her husband during pregnancy and thus led to labour at 5 months.  Huh? If the allegation of such what the nurse did to her is true, this is indeed very bad.

Having heard of such a nightmare story, I was initially afraid of facing the same ordeal of being humiliated or falsely-accused of doing what I did not do.  The above might or might not be a joke, but surely such a "joke" is too much.  This is also another reason why I thought that going private is good (ngeee... I was so innocent).  I was afraid of getting scolded by nurses for being an innocent first-timer.

Another Myth vs Fact...
Q: Is it true that private hospitals refer serious or high risk delivery cases to Government hospitals?

A: Yes, they do.  My case (with Alvin) is an example . 

It's not necessarily because the private hospital does not want to handle such case, but my doctor had advocated for it mainly due to cost factor.  In any event, other than a few very big private hospitals, not many have fully-equipped NICU.

Only if I knew...
... then I would have gone to a Government hospital straightaway upon the bloody show... saved some money on what I could have gotten for almost free... and most importantly, saved myself from looking silly with that initially reluctant face when Dr Teresa told that she wanted to refer me to HKL.  OMG, I generally knew that the cost of treatment in NICU in private hospital is high, but not as high as that.  After listening to a thorough explanation, I agreed.  At last, I was referred to Hospital Ampang, so call it fate that my kid was to be born there. 

The general rule
A nurse once told that in one private hospital in KL, it costs about RM1,000 per day for NICU.  Let's say a 29-weeker preemie is to live in the NICU for 50 days, that will be RM1,000x50 = RM50,000.  This surely does not include additional costs which may total up to more than the price of a VW Polo Sedan.

My brother's friend who works at Pantai Hospital KL (the one near Kerinchi) told of one extreme preterm baby who had lived in the NICU for 4 months.  The baby's medical bill came up to more than RM100,000.   But in that case, cost isn't a problem as the baby's father is a high-paying expat executive in KL.

Generally, the rule is as follows:

Ordinary working person with moderate amount of $$ + Low/Medium Risk Pregnancy = Any Government or private hospital of your preference will  do.  The FPP (full paying patient) scheme available at Hospital Putrajaya & Selayang for instance, is another good alternative.

Plenty of $$ + low/medium risk pregnancy =  Any hospital you like...

Plenty of $$ + High risk pregnancy = Can go private without problem.  Preferably private hospitals with tertiary-level care, e.g. Gleneagles, Pantai KL, or SJMC. 

Ordinary working person with moderate amount of $$ + High risk pregnancy = Major Government hospitals or university hospitals like PPUM and PPUKM.  Basically any GH will do because they are well-equipped and have enough expertise in the NICU, or even if they don't have the facilities available, they have the network to get you to the required facilities.

Let me share here, that Alvin's overall NICU fees at Hospital Ampang for 53 days is RM452.  The Government subsidy is more than 90%.  The service was very good, the doctors and nurses were helpful and nice, and totally different from the negative stories I used to hear about Government hospitals.

The saying goes "tepuk dada, tanya selera".  In normal cases, there is no hard and fast rule as to which is better - private or Government.  It boils down to personal preferences.

Another difference between private and Government hospitals are:

Private Hospital	Government Hospital
Newborns are taken care by nurses in the nursery.  If you wish to breastfeed, then you’ll need to inform the nurses so that your baby is brought to you for nursing.  Otherwise, you can rest after a long tiring day of labour and delivery.	Except for NICU cases, mothers are to take care of their newborns in terms of feeding and diaper-changing. Strictly breastfeeding, except for special cases. Almost everything is on DIY basis.

 
In high risk cases, major Government hospitals (e.g. HKL) /university-based hospitals are the best option.  Contrary to what many people believe, Government hospitals are good in many ways.  But the visiting hours at extremely strict at Government hospitals.

Conclusion
In conclusion, there is nothing wrong with choosing to deliver your baby in a private hospital as long as you are comfortable with the doctor and hospital of your choice.  If budget comfortably permits it, why not?

There is also nothing wrong with choosing to deliver your baby in a Government hospital regardless of what others say.  My personal observation is that, it's best to learn some basic baby care beforehand when you choose to deliver in a Government hospital in view of the summary highlighted in the table above. 

While I do not wish anyone around me to go through a very premature delivery like me, I would like to share that if that happens (touch wood no please!) the best thing to do is to go to a Government hospital straight unless one is financially able to fork out RM100K in cash without compromise for medical bill (this applies only to very preterm cases, and not late preterms who probably need only 1 week in the NICU).

It's also a good idea to have a "buku merah" or antenatal booklet from the KKIA for just in case it's necessary to go to a Government hospital.  Not as if Government hospitals don't entertain those without the buku merah, but doctors and nurses at Government hospitals tend to be a bit more receptive if we have the booklet.

But if I were to share my own personal preference, I would choose PPUKM (I went there for my second pregnancy; cerclage, bed rest, and delivery last year)... it's the nearest university hospital from my place although not the nearest hospital, it has the expertise and facilities for high risk pregnancy and delivery cases, and cost-wise, is reasonable.  Hospital Ampang is good too, but I was more closely-attended to in PPUKM.

Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) in Malaysia: An Overview

Introduction
Limited Liability Partnership ('LLP') is a new business entity that combines the characteristics of a company as well as a conventional partnership.  It confers limited liability upon the partners of the LLP and has perpetual succession, yet flexible when it comes to internal management.

The LLP Act 2012 (“the Act”) received its Royal Assent on 2 February 2012 and published in the Gazette on 9 February 2012.  As of 30 October 2015, there are 6,363 registered LLPs in Malaysia.

Here’s sharing an overview of LLP, and the differences between LLP and company + conventional partnership (or a business registered under the Registration of Businesses Act 1956).   In order not to bring up unnecessary technicalities to this note, let's not quote sections from the Act. 

The distinction and advantages of LLP vs Company
Among the main distinctions between an LLP and a company are:
1.   LLP does not require issuance of shares;
2.   LLP is not formally required to hold Annual General Meetings (AGM); 
3.   Its accounts need not be audited;
4.   No requirement to lodge financial statements with SSM.  Only key financial information is required, and such info is non-public;
5.   LLP may generally carry on business with less than 2 partners for not more than six months, or longer, subject to permission from the Registrar i.e. SSM; and
6.   Setting up LLP is cheap, costing approximately RM500.

Basically anyone person can become a partner in an LLP, including foreigners.

A Compliance Officer for an LLP (somewhat like a company secretary for a corporation) must either be a Malaysian citizen or Permanent Resident (PR), the latter with a local address.  He/she can either be a qualified person, or if not then must be any one of the partners of that LLP itself.  “Qualified person” can either be a company secretary, accountant or lawyer , just like in the case of a company.

Technically, a bankrupt person may become a partner in LLP, provided he/she must not be involved in its management, inter alia acting as Compliance Officer.

However, if a bankrupt partner wants to take part in managing the LLP, he/she must obtain leave from the Director General of Insolvency or the Court.  For a partner who is adjudicated bankrupt outside Malaysia, he/she must seek leave from the Court in order to take part in the management of the LLP.

The Disadvantages of LLP (vs Company)
1.  No registration of charges: 
This makes LLP less attractive among some entrepreneurs, because it may be more difficult to obtain a bank loan.  Imagine the bank’s dismay because it cannot become a secured creditor of the LLP!

2.  The procedure to dissolve an LLP is long and costly:  From having to make an online application to preparing various documents –to obtain tax clearance from the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) including when the LLP is dormant, service of notice to all partners, the publication of 2 advertisements in nationwide newspapers, one in BM and one in English, to the making of statutory declaration, all these are tedious and cost approximately RM2,000.

If the current condition remains, it may potentially lead to the mushrooming of dormant LLPs in the future.

On the issue involving dissolution of LLP and the online application that has to be made, since the 4 documents (namely copy of LHDN notice, notice to partners, advertisements, and SD) are attached into the application using softcopy, this may raise a risk of lodgment of false documents… because the scanned documents are received and processed at face value.

The Advantages of LLP (vs Conventional Partnership)

1.   LLP is a legal entity that is separate from its partner, while a conventional partnership is not;

2.   The liability of a partner in LLP is limited to the extent to his/her capital contribution, while the liability of a partner in conventional partnership is unlimited;

3.   LLP has perpetual succession, a conventional partnership does not; and

4.   Property belongs to the LLP and not the partners.

November: Prematurity Awareness Month

Contrary to what appears to be so innocent, the effects of prematurity may be far more terrifying than what most of us imagine.  It is the #1 cause of death among children below 5 years. Among those who are fortunate enough to survive, a number of them esp those who're born very preterm, are at risk for various long-term effects either in relation to development or physical health.

Swiss-Garden Hotel & Residences Malacca

Thanks to a work-related training in Melaka recently, I had the opportunity to try out one of the newest hotels in town - the Swiss Garden Hotel & Residences.

Melaka and I

The first time I went to Melaka, was some 15 years ago for a cousin's wedding.  I immediately fell in love with the cozy historical town. And in between, I made a few more trips, largely work-related. The best part is of course having family members living in Melaka, and thus the home-like feeling when I made my visit to their home.

Back to today's topic, here's my humble review of the Swiss Garden in Melaka:

The Swiss Garden, Melaka: An Introduction

The hotel, which comprises two, is built above a shopping mall called The Shore.   The Hotel Tower has 31 floors while the Residences Tower has 41 floors.  To-date, it is the tallest hotel in Melaka. 

The twin towers are connected via Level 3A, but all check-ins (and out) are done on the Ground Floor. The Swiss Garden is located within walking distance to various local sites of attraction, among them: Sungai Melaka where the river cruise passes, Jonker Walk, and Kampung Morten.

Parking is free for the moment, regardless of whether you're a hotel guest or not.  The Shore is still new and coming up, therefore, expect completing your shopping round within a very short time.

A view from Level 27 of the Swiss Garden residences tower.... the floor where I stayed for 2 nights: 

The Deluxe Room is pretty big for a deluxe.  It can fit in 4-5 people.  

There is a King-sized bed, together with a day-bed near the sliding door.  By the way, the sliding door which opens up to the balcony can be easily unlocked from within the room, which may appear creepy if you are uncomfortable with height.  But it provides a nice view of the town.  The air conditioner automatically turns off when the door is opened.

The Sleep Area

  

The Restroom and Shower

The restroom and shower are segregated from the main area of the room by a glass panel.  It is frosted enough to ensure privacy, but at the same time enables whoever outside your room to know you're in there.

The restroom and shower of Swiss Garden earns my 5 stars rating because the overall set-up is user-friendly.  Just be extra careful if you have very young children due to the glass walls.

A note for guests with special physical needs, the restroom is spacious, the shower cubicle is accessible via a commode chair, and there isn't any steep path into or out of the restroom.  A plus point is that, there is no bath tub to cause congestion. 

There are two shower outlets in the shower room, one is high-up while the other is placed at a sitting-level position and can be held by hand.

Typical toiletries are provided: Shampoo, body wash, moisturizer, soap (one in the shower, one beside the wash basin), 2 large towels, 2 medium-sized towels, shower cap, sewing kit, and sanitary bag.  

Inside the wardrobe: Hairdryer, iron with board, 2 pairs of house-slippers, and laundry bag.

The Facilities

Coffee-making facility:
Sachets of coffee (Nescafe), tea, green tea, sugar, creamer, and bottled water are provided.  There are 2 mugs, 2 drinking glasses, and a kettle.  

Kitchenware:
There is an induction cooker on the mini kitchen top, and a mini refrigerator inside the mini kitchen cabinet.  Among the family-friendly features.... :)

The mini refrigerator (provided in all the hotel and residences rooms) comes in handy for ladies who want to keep their expressed breast milk (EBM) chilled.  As it is a small capacity fridge, you will therefore need to turn the fridge button into "max" to ensure sufficient chilling.  I put a glass of water in the fridge to test its coolness, it took about 4 hours after turning on "max" to be satisfactorily-cold.

Those who would like to keep their EBM frozen instead may inquire from the coffee house.  I have no personal experience seeking assistance in freezing milk, but have asked for ice from the coffee house for my Coleman box before I left, which they had kindly obliged and even helped keep the box until I finished my lunch.

Electronics:
The deluxe room is equipped with one TV with selected channels - a mixture of local ones, a few from ASTRO, and channels from Singapore.   The black ring behind the TV contains the wall light (I turned it off because I prefer a dimmer room).  There is also a DVD player, a safekeeping box, and air-conditioner.

I like the fact that the room uses individual air-conditioning units as opposed to the stone-cold centralized system - despite the latter being normally adjustable.  Throughout the 2 nights and 3 days stay, I did not feel uncomfortably cold after coming out from the shower, unlike past experiences in a few other places.

Internet access:
The hotel provides wifi service to all its guests without additional charges. The username is your room number, while the password is provided together with your access card during check in. The connection speed is good, but a little slow around midnight.

View from the room - evening

View from the room - at night 

Pool, Sauna and Food

Room aside, among the main attractions of Swiss Garden Melaka are the swimming pools, located at Level 9.  There is an infinity pool for adults, which was under maintenance at the time of visit.  The children's pool is superb, complete with slides and fountains.  The water may be a bit cold, but generally tolerable in view of our hot tropical weather, though not on a rainy day.

The 'glass cube' above the pool houses the gym.  

As for the sauna, I did not join my fellow lady colleagues due to the "big P" (speculate no further, I'm not referring to pregnancy...). Quite a waste to miss it, because it's free for hotel guests.  According to what that's told later, the sauna started off at 35 deg C, but 30 minutes later, the temperature went up to 81 deg C. Wow, that's way beyond normal human temperature.  Apparently, such heat "helps" in weight loss, as in the case of one person in the group who weighed herself before and after the sauna session and witnessed a reduction by 1 kg.  

In terms of food, specifically at the Terrace Coffee House where we ate, I had a pleasant experience with the service as well as variety of food.  How not to gain weight even by 500g?   I seriously have to start taking effective measures already, because more than 1 year down the line, my flabbiness is ever present as if I just delivered, or even looking as if in early pregnancy.  I could easily shed my flab with my #1, but not with #2. 

Miscellaneous and Conclusion

Before going to the Swiss Garden in Melaka, I used to hear about cases of late check-ins, notably during the holiday seasons.  However, as I was there on ordinary working days, check-in took place as early as 2 pm, and the room was properly cleaned-up.  The service was good and smooth on the whole.

Facing the Straits of Malacca from Level 30...

If given a chance, I surely want to come back, not alone, but with my loved ones. Preferably not during a busy holiday because long queue often wears my patience out, so an ordinary day will be great.... after all, a vacation is supposed to help relax the mind, not cause tension.

Hazy Sky and the Sterimar Spray Review

The first haze I could recall clearly was in the 90s, when I was in school.  Thereafter, it seems to have turned into an annual affair.  The haze comprises unhealthy particles (pollutants) in the air, and is caused by open-burning of estates from a neighbouring country.

It's only 10 in the morning.  Today's air index is worse than yesterday's, and this is not the worst in the whole country.

As someone "sensitive", the coming of the haze naturally poses a red flag when it comes to the risk of getting unwell.  

Here are among the common measures to be taken, vs what's in reality:

1) Avoiding outdoor activities

Unfortunately, this means cutting down on outdoor moments for many of us here who are presently already outdoor-deprived.  The effect is more significant for children compared to adults.  Perhaps staying indoor on a short-term basis shouldn't be that bad...   Thus, indoor playgrounds are expected to have more visitors during this hazy season. 

2) Using a face mask when out

The N95 mask is better than ordinary surgical mask.

However, having said that, I have not resorted to any mask yet, unless the air is really, really bad.  Firstly, I feel strange going public with a mask, and secondly it's very uncomfortable to breathe in humid air from within the mask.

3) Drinking more water

4) The saline nasal spray

I would like to share that this is among the best methods to eradicate / soothe an allergic nose that's sensitive to the haze.

For years, I used to complain about allergic rhinitis, and sometimes, sinusitis.  Antihistamines used to come into picture a few times in a year.  However, none seems to work as effectively as the saline nasal spray.

Introduction

The Sterimar Baby nasal hygiene spray contains sterilised sea water that has been diluted to make it isotonic. And being sea water means the spray contains trace amount of minerals that may be mildly antiseptic or anti-inflammatory.

The word "Baby" means the spray is made for infants, but it worksfor adults too (it works for me).  There's also a Sterimar spray without the "baby" label, with same content, only the nozzle size differs a little and there seems to be more ml.  Sterimar is manufactured in France.

How did the Sterimar spray come into picture?

Alvin had a chest infection (pneumonia) between April to May last year and was admitted to Columbia Asia Cheras.   

 In ward,besides IV antibiotic, neb and oral medications, paediatrician Dr Hew had also prescribed the Sterimar baby nasal spray.  It can used whenever necessary to help clear nasal congestion.   

Out of curiosity, I took the leftover spray from last year and tried - huhuhu, I am compromising on hygiene by reusing something belonging to someone else from so long ago (but the one shown in the pictures above is newly-bought).

How to use the Sterimar nasal spray, and how does it feel? 
I find it best to use it when lying down.  Lie to the left, insert the nozzle into the left nostril and spray once, wait for excessive flow out, and wipe.  Then change side, and repeat.  Wash the nozzle after use and let it dry.

Nasal spraying can be unpleasant and causes a bit of shock (as in frightening), so expect a toddler to scream/cry when using it.  Even I feel like screaming too when I use it on myself.

By now, I have been using the Sterimar spray for a week.  And I am glad to share that for one week, I was able to sleep better and not awakened by violent sneezing or post-nasal drip in the middle of the night, and need not take any antihistamine. 

How it works
Upon using the Sterimar spray, I thought it would have been great if Sterimar or any other normal saline spray is prescribed too, on top of the routine antihistamines.  The benefit of Sterimar seems to go beyond nasal cleaning.  By helping to clear the nose and at the same time flush out whatever allergen that's inhaled earlier, sneezing/runny nose is significantly reduced, therefore helps prevent post-nasal drip.  It also significantly reduces my dependency on antihistamine.  However, its effectiveness may differ between individuals.

How often to use?
It depends on each person.  For me, I use once in the morning when I reach my workplace from walking 10 minutes through the haze, once in the evening when I arrive at home, and once before bed.  

Where to buy and how much
The Sterimar baby nasal hygiene spray is available at pharmacies.  At Guardian, it's sold for RM27.15.  One bottle has a net volume of 50ml, for 150 doses.

NB: This is only a personal review and NOT a paid write-up.  ;)

A Day in Parliament

It was quite a remarkable experience to witness a live Parliamentary session recently.  The second meeting of the third session (13th Parliament, 2015) - Dewan Negara, is currently on. 

Getting to the Parliament
The public car park is now re-opened after a few months of renovation.

Apart from driving on your own, there is a RapidKL shuttle bus (bus no. S100) service that commutes from KL Sentral to the Parliament at only RM1.00.  As RapidKL buses these days use fully-mechanised ticketing system, it will thus be prudent to ensure you have RM1 note when taking the bus.  Alternatively, you may use the Touch n Go card.  From observation of a few times, there were very few passengers.

 As someone who usually does not drive to KL city, more so after the sale of my first car (currently having an old one inherited as 'harta pusaka'), this RapidKL service was a saviour indeed.  It was a 10 minutes ride.

The drop-off and pick-up point is around the vicinity of the police's guardhouse.

I notice a difference here though - if you were to drive on your own or being driven in a ministry/agency-owned car, you will be subject to a few questions on your purposse of going in, and will be required to obtain either a visitor's pass or a 'pas pegawai petugas'.

However, those coming via the shuttle bus are not subject to any questioning although the police will take a thorough look at all the passengers.  So to be safe, visitors (with official reason) or officers on Parliamentary duty for the day should obtain their passes at the guardhouse first, in order to avoid the hassle of going in and then to walk all the way back to the guardhouse to get the relevant passes, bearing in mind the wide area and long walking distance from one spot to another which may turn out to be unpleasant if the weather is very hot.  

Dewan Negara (the Senate) in session
The sitting time is officially from 10 am to 1pm, then 2.30 pm to 5.30 pm.  However, in reality, the Dewan usually ends past 5.30 pm, which may extend until late evening or sometimes even at night.  During the fasting month, it ends at around 6.30 pm.

The 2 Cafe
There main cafeteria located near the temporary block is closed throughout Ramadhan, while the canteen (that's what they call it) located next to the Dewan remains open.  The canteen somewhat reminds me of a school canteen, being an open area without walls.  The price of food there was reasonable, not expensive.

Oral Q&A and Debate
The morning session comprised mostly Q&A, while the late morning until evening sessions were solely debates on the 11th Malaysia Plan (RMK11).

Answers for the Q&A were prepared beforehand, so the ones who made the replies (Deputy Ministers) merely had to read it in Parliament.  However, it does not end there because the replies made were subject to additional questions (soalan tambahan) from the Hon.Senators.  There's where the task of 'petugas Parlimen' comes in - to take down the soalan tambahan and replies, if any, that are related to their respective ministries.

Among the areas brought up in yesterday's Q&A (this is not a complete list, as I was outside for a while) were:
- The move to allow UEC students to apply for public universities (reply: no, because at present, the UEC still does not fulfil the Malaysian requirement);
- Why has Malaysia become a destination for migrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar;
- The recovery plan for MAS;
- Efforts to make Malaysia an education hub in the region;
- The dealing of issues on intellectual property, competition policy, trade and distribution at  international level;
- Initiatives to monitor financial assistance to the target group (those who qualify to register with the Welfare Department) in order to ease the burden of those eligible for the assistance; and
- Issues and steps taken on red I/C holders (PR) with regard to enterring local public universities.

As for the RMK11 debates, one of the topics that had attracted my interest /likeness was when a YB Senator (a lady) highlighted the need of putting a greater focus on special education for children with special learning needs.  Accordingly, in the Scandivanian countries for instance, their special education syllabus is tailored to suit the different needs of special children of various conditions.  It was alleged that locally, many special needs pupils are made to spend most of their times drawing and colouring for the sake of keeping them in school.

I think it is good that the YB Sen. had brought up the suggestion to place more attention to special education in the effort to help and to maximise the potential of special learning needs children right from young, in order for more among them to grow up as independent as possible in adulthood.  The move for a greater accessibility to special education nationwide will be much-welcomed... or else the cost of providing for a child with special needs will be very high and become a financial stress for parents who are not well-to-do.

My humble 2 cents...
From what I briefly know so far, our country currently has a system in place, called the 'Program Pendidikan Khas Integrasi' (PPKI) and 'Program Pendidikan Inklusif' (PPI).  I shall try my best to make sure that what I have gathered so far is as accurate as possible, but in case if it isn't, please feel free to correct me. 

When a child is identified as one requiring special needs (e.g. sight, hearing, physical, learning), he/she will first have to be referred to a Govt hospital for evaluation and medical report, followed by registration at the Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat (JKM) in the district where the child lives, and then registration to study in a school with PPKI that suits the child.

PPKI classes are located within selected normal schools, with specially-trained teachers and facilities for special needs pupils, as well as trained personnels (teachers' assistants) to help in handling these pupils and classes.

Under the PPI, some special needs pupils may join other typical pupils for certain subjects, or may be included into the mainstream altogether, subject to being deemed fit to do so.

On the issue of special education system, I personally think that the issue is primarily in relation to access, while the issue of existence should be secondary.  While more and more schools, albeit still not many, are beginning to open up PPKI classes, the issues now are:

1) How many people know how to get help for their special needs children? 

2) Where to seek help?

3) For a child who finds it difficult to cope with learning in school, but otherwise appearing fine (no social or behavorial problem, can talk like any other children), are their parents/teachers aware that this child may have a learning problem that falls under the special needs category? 

Do we take an extra look into the matter, or do we just dismiss it and simply call the innocent child "stubborn", "hopeless" and so on?

End of session
The Dewan Negara was adjourned at about 6.30 pm, which was considered early because the breaking of fast was to start at around 7.30 pm.  If not, the Dewan would sometimes sit until night time. 

"The Premature Baby Book"

This is the first time I'm sharing about a book on this blog..  As I am not a serious reviewer of books, so please do expect a mishmash of other things alongside my so-called review.   ;)

Introduction
My first child Alvin is 3 now, but if we were to go by corrected age, he should be 2 years and 10 months.  Alvin is born at 29 weeks with a birth weight of 1.16 kg at Hospital Ampang, and was discharged from the NICU and subsequently Ward 4A on his 53 DOL, when he's almost 1.8 kg.  The cause of Alvin's premature arrival was finally known after my second pregnancy - it's due to cervical incompetence.  Thanks to an emergency cerclage done at HUKM during my second pregnancy, Alvin's brother, Aaron was born past the 36th week after the removal of cerclage. 

"The Premature Baby Book" is one of the books published under the Sears Parenting Library series, authored by the Sears family.  Dr William Sears is an American pediatrician who had appeared on numerous TV talkshows (known as Dr Bill), and had written many parenting books.  Dr Robert and Dr James, both pediatricians as well, are Dr Sears' sons.  Mrs Martha Sears is a registered nurse and lactation consultant.   Authored by a team of experts, you can be assured of accurate information and advices from this book.

Where did I buy the book?
As I seldom walk-in to bookstores in town, I am not sure which bookstore in Malaysia sells this book or whether it is available locally.  I bought the book online from Amazon, and was happy that the delivery was quick.  It took less than a week for the book to arrive via courier from the US.  

Timing factor
By the time I bought the book, Alvin was already close to a year old.  It was a late purchase, if only I knew about this book earlier.  Although there are plenty of information about premature babies available over the Internet, they are mostly very general.

The Premature Baby Book ("The Book") and some real experience
The book provides an overview of the NICU, the health issues and risks with regard to prem babies, how to introduce breastfeeding to a prem baby, tips on various latching and feeding techniques, exclusive pumping (very useful for moms with non-latching babies e.g. prem babies who receive EBM via tube-feeding in NICU),  preparations to bring a prem home, diet and when to introduce solid food to a prem, and so on.

Based on my personal experience, introducing a baby who's already used to tube-feeding requires extra work in the beginning, compared to a newborn who starts drinking milk either directly from the breast or bottle from day 1.  Starting off with syringe-feeding at first, followed by a bit of non-nutritive sucking, and then only serious direct latching.  Even then, many tiny babies (below 2 kg) are prone to get tired more easily when they only latch directly, resulting in slow weight gain, and even weight loss. 

At the time of writing out the review, I do not have the book in front of me.  Anyway, let me share what I can recall, have tried based on tips provided by the book (I have failed during the first time, but I tried applying some of them during the second time and it works). 

Quite a large part of the book touches on breastfeeding, an area which turns out to be a challenge for many mothers of prems.  What is a prem's mom to do in the absence of direct latching cum stimulation from a baby to ensure continuous lactation?  Preferably to look for a hospital grade pump, to express milk at short intervals, but short duration - once in every 2-3 hours, max 15 minutes for each side, bearing in mind that pumping for too long may cause soreness. 

The main aim of expressing milk here is not primarily to empty the breast, but to ensure that they are sufficiently stimulated, which is important to make sure that lactation does not cease. 

The book puts a heavy emphasis on a diet (when it comes to the solid food stage) rich in DHA e.g. oily fish, flaxseed oil, for prems.  As extreme/very prem babies tend to be born with immature brains, DHA helps in promoting brain development.

Based on ultrasound scan on the 4DOL, Alvin has no IVH.  But immature brain was noted and a repeat scan was scheduled to monitor its growth.  Imagine an immature brain as looking like a rugby ball, and a matured brain looking like cauliflower... The last result before discharge noted "grossly normal".  I am grateful that Alvin is physically like most of his full-term counterparts.  However, in relation to immature brain, it seems to have some effect upon him.  

E.g. hypersensitivity towards noises, as a baby he used to suddenly wake up screaming for no reason and his outbursts were very difficult to sooth, certain behavorial issues, and language delay (at the age of 3, his pre-verbal skills are still at a low level).  Those who are familiar with such problem may be able to guess what's probably plaguing us here without me sharing the further details.

Do I feed him with oily fish?  Yes I did put some salmon into his diet in the past, and he eats sushi sometimes (he loves salmon). Diet, to couple with suitable stimulatory activities.  The latter is easier said than done, given the limitation of time at home esp on weekdays.  Here, therapies come in crucial, and for the benefit of whoever in the same shoes, perhaps I should share about these one day.

The book provides a precise, comprehensive and useful information/reference for every parent of prem babies from newborn to 1 year of age.   It is written in plain English, yet explains the terms commonly used in the NICU, thus making it easy to read, understand, and to relate to what the doctors and nurses tell.

For the second pregnancy, the book again came into picture on my first day at HUKM.  My first ward-mate, had PPROM.  Her baby girl was 26 weeks when delivered, < 1 kg, and was admitted to the NICU.  She works in KL, while her husband, a British, was some 300 km away for work-related matter at the time of delivery, and the latter arrived a few hours later (that place, which I shall not reveal here, to KL is far, about 300 km away).   

Thought of giving the book to her, I thus called my husband to bring it to the ward on the next day.  But when the book finally came in, I suddenly had to be transferred to the HDU due to threatened preterm labour...   ouch, I did not manage in time to pass her the book.  From then on until my discharge 2 months later, the book had remained my companion in bed, where I went through it all over again.  I felt sorry, I wish I have given her the book, and deep inside I wish her family and her baby all the best.

Conclusion
If you were to ask me whether I would recommend anyone to read this book, I would say yes.  It is a good book to have, the earlier the better.  Besides parents of prem babies, this book will also be a good read for anyone who takes care of such baby.  From what I know so far, this book is available only in English.  Nurses in the public health sector, like my mom last time, may find this book of interest (perhaps...  but I never had the chance to show my mom this book). Lastly, if you're interested in the book, please feel free to ask and I shall be glad to share it. :)