#this is peak malaysian behaviour

[carmenblogs]

Here's the link to my presentation slides for this week's topic:

Is Social Media Useful In Spreading Information On Covid-19 In Malaysia or Your Home Country?

In my opinion, yes I do find it useful. Social media is instrumental in spreading information, especially regarding public health concerns in this digital era where most of us rely heavily on the Internet and rarely read newspapers. With the capability to reach scientific, professional, and public audiences that traditional mediums might miss, blogs and social media networking sites can be innovative and economical communication tools to spread public health awareness.

Social media has evolved into a cost-effective method of educating the public about health issues, improving communication during public health emergencies or outbreaks, and responding to public reports of a specific public health issue (Gatewood J et al. 2020). For instance, public health institutions such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Prevention are using social media more frequently. Today, most people turn to social media to search for general health news such as the Covid-19 outbreak. The Covid-19 outbreak started in early December 2019 and began spreading among the citizens in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China (Shah et al. 2020).

When COVID was at its peak, I remember reading about it all over the news online, especially on social media which was how everyone found out where and how the virus started. My Facebook and Instagram feed was flooded with COVID-19-related news, especially during the lockdown. Not to mention, there was also so much content on Tiktok where people joke around or share health awareness regarding the pandemic since everyone was stuck at home and bored during quarantine.

The Role Of Social Media in Public Health

According to Gatewood J et al. (2020), social media is being utilized more by scientists to publish journal articles, advance scientific perspectives, post updates from conferences and meetings, and disseminate information about career opportunities and future events.

In Malaysia, one of the most trusted sources for public health information is the Ministry of Health (MOH) or KKM. KKM is a ministry within the Malaysian government that oversees the nation's health system, including issues like cancer, public health, health management, medical research, and health behaviour. The Ministry of Health Malaysia has been actively posting on social media ever since the COVID-19 epidemic which gives updates on the number of COVID-19 cases in Malaysia and further precautions on how to combat the virus. For instance, avoiding the 3 C's, washing hands, sanitizing often and using face masks are some of the precautions posted by MOH. In addition, some of the graphics have been replicated onto the pages of the MySejahtera application.

How Social Media Has also Helped to Advance Medical Care

According to Thompson (2016), Dr. Carolina Camilo was unsatisfied in her role as a physiatrist in a paediatric burn centre in Santiago, Dominican Republic. There was no one in her office who knew how to prevent her young patients from scarring and losing the use of their burned limbs, despite the fact that she was trained in treating damage to nerves and muscles and that the other employees were qualified to conduct surgery and provide anesthetic.

However, Dr. Camilo was able to obtain the knowledge she needed to advance her career as well as provide care for the children in her community who would not have otherwise had access to it thanks to Facebook and the nonprofit organization Physicians for Peace (PFP), which trains people in global health care.

According to Dr. Camilo, she said "I had some concerns about what the best treatment option was for one patient with a hypertrophic scar, and when I wrote my concerns to the Facebook group, they guided me through to obtain impressive results."

It was thanks to the role of social media that Dr. Camilo is able to further advance her skills in being a physiatrist and helping her patients who are in need.

However, we should also be aware of misleading news on social media!

Although social media is useful, we should always fact-check our sources to avoid misleading news. Unfortunately, fake news is on the rise which has caused many false alarms and distress among citizens. It is important to check the sources before passing on the message to family or friends to avoid spreading fake news. Not everything you read online is accurate and sometimes it can be overexaggerated.

In conclusion, social media comes with both pros and cons when it comes to public health information. However, we cannot deny the fact that social media is the most accessible and efficient platform today to get public health access and information.

References:

Gatewood J et.al. 2020, 'Social Media in Public Health: Strategies to Distill, Package, and Disseminate Public Health Research', vol. 26. no. 5. pp. 489-492, viewed 1 November 2022, <https://eds.p.ebscohost.com/eds/detail/detail?vid=1&sid=5d90bd88-b561-48a6-b9c8-a3d58033a3f4%40redis&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPXNoaWImc2l0ZT1lZHMtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=32732723&db=cmedm>

Thompson S, 2016, 'How Social Media Is Transforming Medical Care In The Developing World', FastCompany, viewed 1 November 2022, <https://www.fastcompany.com/3057869/how-social-media-is-transforming-medical-care-in-the-developing-world>

#mda20009 #week 7

[hvzardly]

Alienation

So it began last week, when me texted him on the way to collect le ball game tix from Faiz, asking if he wanted to join. His wife and kid were with him, so he couldn't. So me thot well this is just gonna be another plan not happening with him. But he sounded quite persitent tho. He asked me to go to his place in Nilai instead, which is ridiculously far away, so me of course said no. It was not the distance; just no mood. Plus Mama already cooked dinner. Then he even said he was gonna have his fam go home in a Grab;which was another ridiculous thing to suggest; for an ordinary human being like the rest of humanity except for him. Lol. So yah; me just told to push it to next time, like we always did say and never did do.

Since then, he kept asking to meet up. Me thot he had problems to sulk about, so me gave in anyways last nite. Plus, me also have (had) few confessions to make (about you know what). So me gave me new address to him (he did not even know me moved lol), and here he was after Maghrib, and off we went to le char kuetiau place.

We started by talkin about me resigning, (one of the times he asked to meet up, a schoolmate of ours was with him; and me used to ask that guy about resigning cus he did the same few years back and now full time small businessman; so me told him to kirim salam and to tell that guy that me resigned - to which he texted and said "Salam, free guy" hehe an inside joke among freelancers aka jobless guys lol - so that was how Alien knew about it), where me resigned from etc. So we spoke about me not able to cope with managerial stuff. He tried to dig deeper, but me told him once me moved on, it is hard for me to recollect precisely. If he asked me earlier when it just happened, maybe he might get a more detailed dramatic story (an irony, considering what was gonna happen next lol).

Suddenly he went all silent, which is rare for him, WE know. Lol. He said, he learnt a lot these few months, which changed the direction he was going towards in life. He used to just aim to "level up" and do bigger and bigger things as he went on. Yet somehow that did not satisfy him. He ended up anxious and sick often; trying to continuously expand his business and career. All changed after he listened to a talk by some guy named Vishan something-something; an ex employee at Microsoft. Even though that had been his lifelong goal, like being seated just few metres away from Bill Gate himself and all, Vishan did not feel as happy.

Because the ultimate satisfaction does not lie jn numbers. What good for others might not be good for you. Thinking too much about the future might not even bring you to the future that you dreamt of. Sometimes or most of the times, you must practise the art of surrender. Not sure what Vishan surrendered to, but in our case, it is Him surely.

Then he talked about his many regrets; one of which was of not getting to take his Ummi for jalan jalan much; tho his siblings kept hinting him to. His Ummi, now in her 60s, is suffering from glucoma and perhaps mild alzheimer. Huhuu. From that, and many other humane things he learnt throughout his entrepreneurship, he pledged not to get his goals fixed to any measurable indicators anymore. For the past few months, it has all been about hunches. If he is offered a project but he does not feel happy or comfortable of doing it, he would just decline.. no matter how many tens of grands it is worth.

And true enough, he feels happier that way. Even though yes, business is not doing as grand and well, with many other issues especially financially, he feels contented. However, life-wise, apart from Ummi, he still bears one big regret. US. And he felt it the most upon hearing about Ayah's passing. From Mil. And how they are both sorry that it happened while not being in good terms with you.

That was like a smack on his face. He regretted not taking any action to help with what happened; despite being presented with opportunities since 2014. Even he knew all this since back then, he did not do anything. He did confront me like a best friend would do; let alone tryina help fix it. And he regretted being busy with his career when our story peaked (early last year), while he actually noticed some disconnected dots here and there, which he chose to just ignore.

The fact that Abby grew up in such a broken family certainly did not help either. In his mind, it was all about poor Babybear and how unconsiderate we were towards her. Thus Babymom's cry for help was taken as it was; without feeling like hearing stories from both sides. And when you guys last met, he could see that you were holding yourself from coming all clean, which cemented his assumptions that we had been making up stories and covering up some lies. And just like that, you were gone from his good book. While me, maybe just like a monthly alarm being put on snooze each time.

Well.. the blame was not all his anyways. Remember how we agreed that what we did and how we acted somewhat contributed towards his behaviour and percetion towards us too? So me told him, we were sorry too. It would not happen if we did not hide anything from him. But yah.. me guess, circumstances on either side just would not allow it.

Hence, the years of debts. Heheh. So me told him everything (well.. minus stuff that were for our eyes ears and brains only hehe); revisiting every important plot:

Me confessing to Babymom. Her leaking le stories to everyone. You getting chased away from SK opening up the door for us to blossom. Her sharing with Mirul causing le first court case aka the taklik. Your plot with her and how you left me hanging for a bit. How le black magic thingy been the ultimatum. And how le used condom be the final nail on the coffin.

Regrets and sorries were written all over his face. He sighed at every turn of stories, rubbing his face and neck and clicking his fingers and all. Le usual habits. Only after hearing my stories, he sees everything. And able to connect the dots. Like why and what you were hiding. And why Babymom did not sound like she was blaming me anymore when she told him and Abby about our divorce back in September last year (that was the last time they met her). So apparently he already knew about le divorce since before it was official yet still did not do anything or at least have the courtesy to check on me, his best friend. He just assumed that me knew he knew. Whereas we had been thinkin that he had no clue. Haih.

He said he didn't not love us. He just had different priorities back then, which he wished he did not. Cus those priorities pushed him to overlook so many things; things that are posta mean much to him. But me also said to him, maybe it was all fated. He was made to be too busy with his career to really care and intervene, and me being just too traumatic + egoistic to cry for help anyways. All these were so that it still happened, no matter what we do as humans. It was all scripted by Him in that chapter, in which his character and few others' were not meant to play cameo.

Then me also told him about us. How we progressed from there. How me met Ayah; and what Ayah said the first time me met him. And why Ayah mattered so much. And why SK been so greedy and unjust, after their plan to matchmake you and their son did not materialise. About me and your family. Etc etc. Rather than spending all night sulking, me might as well just feed him with more current stories kan? Hehe.

Oh. He did not setup your meeting with my Mama that did not happen. It was all hers. He was even puzzled to see why Mama was so pissed with us. As if someone had been feeding her with info. Wrong ones of course. So me told him about your 'tongue pierce' and your mission for 'Malaysian citizenship'. Lolol.

So.. yah.. that was it. Phew. Hope me did not miss anything out. I mean, in this post. 5 hours ish with him, me sure we spoke up about everything already. If there is anything else, there is always next time kot. Lol.

Me honestly am not counting too much on him putting me back on his priority list; but it is good if he does.. me won't deny that. Afterall, he is still my best man, isn't he?

Luviu, Sunshine!

So much and more than much more each day!

P.s. : Do reply if he does text you on IG or Messenger ya. Me told him those are the only ways to reach you. =)

[mrjohnhthompson]

Is P2P Lending Set To Disrupt Funding and Investing In The Country ?

The small and medium enterprises (SMEs) make the Malaysian economy. According to the World Bank, 97% of business establishments in Malaysia are made up of SMEs. These businesses contributed nearly 36% of the country’s GDP, 65% of the country’s employment, and nearly 18% of Malaysia’s exports. When Securities Commission chairman Tan Sri Ranjit Ajit Singh said that Malaysian SMEs are facing a financing gap of RM80 billion, this could potentially pose a problem to the country’s economic growth. In the current landscape, SMEs have to apply for business loans from financial institutions such as banks to get a working capital injection into their business. In order to secure a loan, these SMEs are required to submit almost flawless business track record or even pledge some form of collateral before their loan application is approved. This means many of the SMEs will not make the cut. This creates a gap that peer-to-peer (P2P) financing is expected to fill, to provide a much needed platform for SMEs to gain funding, and eventually to spur the growth of the SMEs in the country. Peer-to-peer financing is not new globally, but Malaysia is the first country in ASEAN to regulate it. In 2014, the global P2P financing recorded a US$9 billion growth and in the following year, the number increased to US$64 billion! Based on the global trend, does this mean an investment opportunity for investors who are looking to further diversify their investment portfolio?

How does P2P  financing work?

P2P financing is also known as “marketplace lending”, where businesses can borrow money from P2P platforms like Fundaztic. Once their application is approved, the platform would assign a risk category or credit grade. The loan is then funded by individuals or a group of investors who act as the lender. Currently, P2P  financing is regulated by Securities Commission with six licensed operators in Malaysia, namely Peoplender, B2B FinPAL, Ethis Kapital, FundedByMe Malaysia, Managepay Services, and Funding Societies Malaysia. Fundaztic, P2P  financing platform owned and managed by Peoplender, offers a straightforward and transparent investment and application process for borrowers and lenders.  SMEs are able to raise funds for business related purposes ranging from RM20,000 – RM200,000 and investors can invest with as little as RM50.

Why should you invest in P2P?

Investors expect to make money from their investment portfolio most years. However, in the past five years, Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (KLCI) has not been growing as quickly as investors like to see. In 2016, KLCI was down 3%, while the MSCI Asia ex Japan index was up 3%. It has only managed to inch up 10% over the past five years, a weak performance compared to MSCI Asia ex Japan’s 16%. In the early 2016, Jack Bogle, founder of Vanguard Funds, warned Morningstar that stock market investors were likely to see gross annual returns of just 6% over the next decade. After accounting for inflation, the real return would be closer to 4% annually. That’s just slightly better than putting your money in a fixed deposit account. So, how can investors rebalance their investment portfolio to ensure it is performing at its peak in today’s investment climate? With its surging popularity, P2P investing is seen as an investment vehicle that could possibly provide stable cash flow and higher returns. Depending on your investment objectives, P2P investing could have a place in your portfolio. Here are a few reasons why P2P investing should be included in your portfolio: 1) Low entry cost at just RM50 Starting your P2P investment is easy. You can register on Fundaztic online, by providing some personal details and uploading a copy of your identity card. Once your account is verified, you can immediately start investing. As an individual investor, you can start investing with a minimum of RM50, and are encouraged to invest not more than RM50,000. Making the minimum investment low, it gives investors the freedom to try out the platform and also the investment vehicle without taking on huge risks. 2) Potentially higher returns The usual suspects found in an investor’s portfolio are unit trust funds, bonds and stocks. However, with KLCI giving lacklustre performance in recent years, it’s time for investors to explore expanding their portfolio to include fixed money investment that could potentially provide higher returns. Here’s how it can potentially bring you higher return if you invest RM30,000 for 2 years in the following investment vehicles: [table id=846 /]   The above example shows gross returns, and have not taken into account the investment costs involved. The returns will be automatically credited into your Fundaztic account, which you can choose to withdraw or invest in another investment notes. 3) Lower investment fees and charges Investment cost is an important consideration for investors because fees and charges erode one’s investment earnings. This becomes an even more important factor to consider when your portfolio performance is below par. Here’s the investment cost for P2P investing, if you are investing RM30,000 over 24 months. [table id=847 /] Compare this to the cost of unit trust investment of the same amount and tenure: [table id=848 /]   Comparing the fees and charges for both types of investment over the same period shows that P2P lending is a much more affordable investment. Currently, Fundaztic is not charging any verification fees for investors. However, as with any investment, there are risks involved and it is important for an investor to understand his/her risk profile and the investment before taking the plunge.

What are the risks involved?

Understanding your risk profile is important before you take on any investment. At Fundaztic, investors are advised to take a questionnaire to gauge his/her risk profile, which will guide them in choosing the right investment note to invest in. For example, for an investor between 30 and 40 years old with a Bachelor’s degree-level qualification, who would like to see moderate capital growth in his/her investments, would likely have a conservative approach towards his/her investments. As indicated by this risk profile, the most suitable investment notes to include in the investment portfolio would be those graded A1 to B3 for funding private limited (Sdn Bhd) or partnership businesses. Fundaztic uses the Risk Grade method to categorise “issuers” risk profile. There are 10 levels as shown in the image below. The grading is assigned based on several factors inclusive past credit behaviours as reflected in available bureau data and it will determine the amount of funds that an issuer can raise and the pricing that they must pay, among many things. [caption id="attachment_31136" align="alignnone" width="875"] Source: Fundaztic[/caption] To help investors mitigate investment risks, Fundaztic also uses information from Credit Bureau Malaysia (CBM) report to determine the Probability of Default or PD of a business. It is calculated using statistically valid models developed specifically for the Malaysian SME environment using various event triggers to determine how unlikely the credit will be paid in full. This will give investors an idea of the risks involved in a particular investment notes. The lower the PD, the lower the risk and the better the grade. However, as with any investments, the higher the risk, the higher the returns. Investors should carefully analyse his/her risk profile before deciding on a particular investment note to invest in. In short, P2P financing does have a place in your portfolio, but only if you understand how it works and the risks involved. One attraction is that you can start small with as little as RM50 plus also the significantly lower investment cost. For new investors, this is a good platform to try out as you build up your stake as you get the hang of it.   [block]Start building your wealth now! Register at Fundaztic and see how it can be the booster your investment portfolio needs. [/block]

Image from http://bwdisrupt.businessworld.in

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