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news without borders
More warded but meningitis under control
by Giam Say Khoon
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
KUALA LUMPUR: Although the
number of people admitted in the
isolation ward in Malacca Hospital
had increased to 29 as of yesterday
morning, the meningitis outbreak
is under control as it did not spread
beyond the Road Transport Depart-
ment’s (RTD) Tiang Dua academy
in Malacca.
Health Minister Datuk Seri
Liow Tiong Lai said yesterday the
29 patients, who had symptoms of
meningitis like cough and fever, had
been warded in the isolation ward
for monitoring.
The strain of meningitis had been
identified as the diplococci bacteria,
which allowed the patients to be
treated with a one-week medical
course, but it might need one more
day for the medical laboratory in
Sungai Buloh to identify the sub-
type of the bacteria as it took a
longer time to incubate the bacteria,
he told reporters after presenting MS
ISO 9001:2000 certification to Tung
Shin Hospital here.
On the origin of the disease,
Liow said samples had been taken
for examination from Pedas in Negri
Sembilan, Muar in Johor and Bukit
Katil in Malacca. The outcome will
be announced once the origin is
confirmed.
On the A(H1N1) outbreak, he
said Malaysia is free from the dis-
ease as no confirmed case had been
QS.com
ASIAN UNIVERSITY
RANKINGS
RANK INSTITUTION
1 University of Hong Kong
2 The Chinese University of Hong Kong
3 University of Tokyo, Japan
4 Hong Kong University of Science and
Technology
5 Kyoto University, Japan
6 Osaka University, Japan
7 KAIST – Korea Advanced Institute of
Science & Technology, South Korea
8 Seoul National University, South Korea
9 Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan
10 National University of Singapore (NUS),
Singapore
- Peking University, China
39 Universiti Malaya
51 University Kebangsaan Malaysia
69 Universiti Sains Malaysia
82 Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
90 Universiti Putra Malaysia
Three-year-old kidnap victim found dead
IPOH: The body of a three-
year-old boy, who was believed
to have been kidnapped on
Sunday night, was found at the
estuary of Kuala Bagan Tiang
River, Bagan Serai, 120km
from here yesterday.
Kerian police chief Supt
Mat Fauzi Nayan said Lee Li
Xuan’s body was found float-
ing among tree branches at
about 10am by villagers who
then alerted the police.
Mat Fauzi said the victim’s
father, Lee Boon Chung, 25,
had lodged a police report that
his son was kidnapped by a
man while watching a stage
theSun | TUESDAY MAY 12 2009
reported so far and that the ministry
has taken necessary steps to screen
had been accredited under the Ma-
laysian Society for Quality in Health
the MSQH accreditation status, he
noticed an encouraging trend of
patients coming to the country for
treatment and raked in RM300 mil-
the people coming back from foreign (MSQH) programme and 66 had promoting medical tourism among lion in revenue last year.
countries. obtained the ISO certification. the private hospitals. “It is a big market, we will work
Earlier, in his speech, Liow said He said although there are only Malaysia has seen an average closely with the Tourism Ministry
65 out of 130 government hospitals 18 private hospitals accorded with annual growth of 30% in foreign and the private hospital association
to promote medical tourism,” he
said.
Asked if the promotion of
medical tourism would cause the
shortage of government doctors to
be worsen, Liow said the govern-
ment wanted to promote medical
tourism as it can boost the country’s
economy.
“When private hospitals are
doing well, they have to contribute
back as part of their corporate social
responsibility to provide more care
for the poor patients,” he said.
He also said he is now chairing
a committee to address the issue of
shortage of doctors in government
hospitals and he welcomed private
doctors, especially specialists, to go
back and help the government as a
form of national service.
In Kota Baru, Bernama reports
that the outbreak of meningitis
which had claimed the life of an
RTD trainee in Tiang Dua did not
originate from Kelantan.
State Health Department director
Dr Lila Mohamed Meeran said Mohd
Hafiz Zainudin, 24, who was from
Liow and Tung Shin Hospital president
Kota Baru, came down with fever
Tan Sri Dr Teo Soo Cheng (left) visit a
and brain membrane infection one
traditional medicine preparation room
day before he returned home for a
after witnessing the presentation of
holiday on May 1.
ISO certification to the hospital.
He died on May 4.
Five Malaysian varsities
in Asian top 100 list briefs
KUALA LUMPUR: Universiti He said Malaysian universi-
Malaya leads four other Malay- ties had performed well, with Former cop to hang for drug trafficking
sian universities into the Top high numbers of foreign students
KUANTAN: A former police lance corporal was sentenced to the
100 Asian Universities list, the and faculties, which made the
gallows by the High Court here yesterday after he was found guilty of
first regional ranking issued by country an attractive option for
trafficking in 811.91gm of cannabis almost four years ago.
The Times Higher Education and international students.
Justice Datuk Abd Halim Aman handed down the sentence after
Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). It Three Hongkong universities
finding that the prosecution had proven beyond reasonable doubt the
occupies the 39th spot. clinched the top five spots with
case against Mohd Isa Zainal Abidin, 52.
The four other universities on University of Hongkong taking
“A defence which is based on denial of ownership of the drug is
the list are Universiti Kebang- up the number one spot, fol-
not sufficient. In fact, the accused had himself directed police to the
saan Malaysia (51), Universiti lowed by Chinese University of
drug in the house. This showed that he knew where the drug was.”
Sains Malaysia (69), Universiti Hong Kong (2) and Hong Kong
Mohd Isa was charged with trafficking in 390.45gm cannabis at
Teknologi Malaysia (8d) and University of Science and Tech-
5.15pm in front of a shop in Pekan on Oct 14, 2005.
Universiti Putra Malaysia (90). nology (4).
He was also charged with trafficking in 421.46gm of cannabis at
In a statement here yesterday, Japan’s University of Tokyo
5.30pm at the Pekan district police headquarters on the same date.
QS managing director Nunzio and Kyoto University were
Quacquarelli said the result of the ranked third and fifth, respec-
QS.com Asian University Rank- tively. Star rating meant to improve services
ings was based on regionally QS is the world’s leading KUALA LUMPUR: The star rating system for the local authorities
relevant measures of excellence. information specialist in higher is meant to improve their management and delivery service as
“The top performing universi- education sector and operates well as to encourage them to improve themselves in a holistic
ties were distinguished not only globally from offices in London, manner, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Kong
by quality, but also by high pro- Paris, Singapore, Tokyo, Shang- Cho Ha said yesterday.
ductivity of research, compared hai, Sydney, Johannesburg, Bos- He said 10 local authorities had managed to attain a four-star
to their regional peers.” ton and Washington. –Bernama ranking in the five-star system.
“The first assessment, which was done in 2008, has been
completed with 98 local governments in peninsular Malaysia as-
sessed, out of which 10 received a four-star ranking, 24 received
three stars, 46 received 2 stars and 18 a one-star ranking.
“The system which was approved by the cabinet and the
committee chaired by the Chief Secretary to the government
show at a garden near his on the incident can contact plans to monitor and help the local government authorities who
grandfather’s house in Bagan Bagan Serai police district did not achieve high scores in the assessment,” he said.
Tiang at 10pm on Sunday. headquarters at 05-7215222
Li Xuan was said to have or Supt Mat Fauzi Nayan at British Reporter hurt in Indian road accident
walked alone to his grandfa- 019-6666496. premier NEW DELHI: A Malaysian journalist and her sister who returning
ther’s house from his home Meanwhile, a villager stum- from the holy city of Varanasi were injured on Sunday night after
in Taman Damai, some 200 bled upon the body of a baby says the airport taxi ferrying them to their hotel here collided with an
metres away, to watch the boy stuffed in a box at the door sorry for oncoming vehicle.
show. of a surau in Simpang Lima, politicians’ Kalbana Perimbanayagam, 26, fractured her right leg and suffered
Mat Fauzi said Li Xuan, Bagan Serai when he turned injuries in her left eye. The New Straits Times crime reporter was
clad in a blue tee-shirt and red up for a subuh (dawn) prayer perks admitted to the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.
short pants, was said to have today. pg 9 Her sister, Thashanaa, 33, had a fractured right leg and facial
been borught into a Proton Mat Fauzi said a note re- injuries and was admitted to the City Hospital. The accident happened
Aeroback which was seen questing the baby to be buried at about 7pm.
heading for Parit Buntar. and RM150 were also found in The couple from the other car, which collided with the taxi, also
No arrest has been made the box. suffered injuries and had been admitted to a nearby military hospital.
so far. Police are tracing the vic- Kalbana and her other four family members arrived in Delhi on
Those with information tim’s parents. – Bernama Thursday and headed to Varanasi the following day to conduct prayers
for her late father before returning to Delhi on Sunday. – Bernama