FAST FOOD

 

Swinging through the drive-thru or hopping into your favourite fast-food restaurant tends to happen more often than some would like to admit. While an occasional night of fast food would not hurt, a habit of eating out could be doing a number on your health.

Effect on the Digestive and Cardiovascular Systems.

Most fast food, including drinks and sides, are loaded with carbohydrates with little to no fibre. When your digestive system breaks down these foods, the carbohydrates are released as glucose (sugar) into your bloodstream. As a result, your blood sugar increases. Your pancreas responds to the surge in glucose by releasing insulin. Insulin transports sugar throughout your body to cells that need it for energy. As your body uses or stores the sugar, your blood sugar returns to normal. This blood sugar process is highly regulated by your body, and as long as you are healthy, your organs can properly handle these sugar spikes. But frequently eating high amounts of carbohydrates can lead to repeated spikes in your blood sugar. Over time, these insulin spikes may cause your body’s normal insulin response to falter. This increases your risk for insulin resistance, type-2 diabetes and weight gain.

Sugar and Fat.

Many fast-food meals have added sugar. Not only does that mean extra calories, but also little nutrition. The American Heart Association (AHA) suggests only eating 100 to 150 calories of added sugar per day. That is about six to nine teaspoons. Many fast-food drinks alone hold well over 300ml. A can of soda contains 8 teaspoons of sugar. No amount of trans fat is good or healthy. Eating foods that contain it can increase your LDL (bad cholesterol), lower your HDL (good cholesterol), and increase your risk for type-2 diabetes and heart disease. Restaurants may also compound the calorie-counting issue. In one study, people eating at restaurants they associated as “healthy” still underestimated the number of calories in their meal by 20 percent.

Sodium.

The combination of fat, sugar, and lots of sodium (salt) can make fast food tastier to some people. But diets high in sodium can lead to water retention, which is why you may feel puffy, bloated, or swollen after eating fast food. A diet high in sodium is also dangerous for people with blood pressure  condition. Sodium can elevate blood pressure and put stress on your heart and cardiovascular system. According to one study, about 90 percent of adults underestimate how much sodium is in their fast-food meals. The study surveyed 993 adults and found that their guesses were six times lower than the actual number (1,292 milligrams). This means sodium estimates were off by more than 1,000 mg. Keep in mind that the AHA recommends adults eat no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day. One fast-food meal alone could have half your days’ worth.

Effect on the Respiratory System.

Excess calories from fast-food meals can cause weight gain. This may lead toward obesity. Obesity increases your risk for respiratory problems, including asthma and shortness of breath. The extra pounds can put pressure on your heart and lung and symptoms may show up even with little exertion. You may notice difficulty in breathing when you are walking, climbing stairs, or exercising. For a child, the risk of respiratory problems is especially clear. One study found that children who eat fast food at least three times a week are more likely to develop asthma.

Effect on the Central Nervous System.

Fast food may satisfy hunger in the short term, but long-term results are less positive. People who eat fast food and processed pastries are 51 percent more likely to develop depression than people who do not eat those foods or eat very few of them.

Effect on the Reproductive System.

The ingredients in junk food and fast food may have an impact on your fertility. One study found that processed food contains phthalates. Phthalates are chemicals that can interrupt how hormones act in your body. Exposure to high levels of these chemicals could lead to reproductive issues, including birth defects.

Effect on the Skin, Hair and Nail.

The foods you eat may impact your skin’s appearance, but it might not be the foods you suspect. In the past, chocolate and greasy foods like pizza have taken the blame for acne breakouts, but according to the Mayo Clinic, it is carbohydrates. Carbohydrate-rich foods lead to blood sugar spikes, and these sudden jumps in blood sugar levels may trigger acne. Children and adolescents who eat fast food at least three times a week are also more likely to develop eczema, according to one study. Eczema is a skin condition that causes irritated patches of inflamed, itchy skin.

Effect on the Bones.

Carbohydrates and sugar in fast food and processed food can increase acids in your mouth. These acids can break down tooth enamel. As tooth enamel disappears, bacteria can take hold, and cavities may develop. Obesity can also lead to complications with both density and muscle mass. People who are obese have a greater risk for falling and breaking bones. It is important to keep exercising to build muscles, which support your bones, and maintain a healthy diet to minimize bone mass loss.

Effects of Fast Food on Society.

Today, more and more people are considered overweight or obese. A high percentage of children ages between 6 to 19 years are also considered overweight or obese. The growth of fast food globally seems to coincide with the growth of obesity worldwide. Despite efforts to raise awareness and make smarter consumers, one study found that the amounts of calories, fat and sodium in fast-food meals remain largely unchanged. As people get busier and eat out more frequently, it could have adverse effects for the individual and the healthcare system.

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Court contempt aplenty after ex-IGP exhausted appeal in Hannah Yeoh’s “Christian Nation” case

 

SUCH was the undesirable reality as Madani haters or DAP bashers fumed at the Federal Court’s decision yesterday (July 14) to disallow former top cop Tan Sri Musa Hassan from appealing the appellant court’s decision in the defamation case filed by Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh against him over evangelism claims.

It started soon after three Federal Court judges led by Datuk Rhodzariah Bujang dismissed the 74-year-old ex- inspector-general of police’s (IGP) leave application after finding the basis of the application failed to meet the threshold required.

The presiding judges who also included Datuk Che Ruzima Ghazali and Datuk Azmi Ariffin also unanimously held that the case is fact-sensitive and of no public importance. They also ordered Musa to pay Yeoh RM50,000 in costs.

All in all, Musa must now pay the DAP deputy secretary-general RM250,000 in court-ordered damages.

Recall that Yeoh filed the defamation suit against Musa on July 3, 2020 following the latter’s speech at a forum entitled “Current Discourse on the Hat Yai Peace Accords: Did the Communist Party of Malaya surrender?” organised by the Universiti Teknologi MARA’s (UiTM) Institute of Malay Rulers.

Disrespecting the judiciary

This follows his comments that the now Federal Territories Minister had written her book Becoming Hannah: A Personal Journey to turn Malaysia into a “negara Kristian” (Christian nation), had links with evangelists and Jews to damage Islam and Malaysia and put her personal interests above the nation’s.

Yeoh, in her claims, alleged that Musa’s speech contained defamatory statements that were wholly untrue, disparaging, vexatious, spurious, fallacious and without basis.

A browse at the comment section of the Malaysiakini BM’s Facebook post of the above report found profound disgruntlement among the opposition-slant faction over the Federal Court’s decision.

One commenter lamented at how “not an ordinary former cop but an ex-IGP could even lose out to DAP” in a court battle. “DAP should be buried alive in the next GE (general election)” was his call for action.

Another contended that although the court’s decision was in Yeoh’s favour, “outside the court, the society at large viewed DAP very negatively”.

This was when elements of contempt of court started to creep in as one commenter claimed that the so-called SB (Special Branch) “had already begun to investigate this creature when Musa was still in the police force”.

“SB’s reports are rarely wrong but just that she holds a position of power in the government,” he rued despite being told by fellow netizens that “the court arrived at a decision based on the facts as opposed to listening to the voices of the majority who supported the plaintiff or dependent”.

Another dispelled the notion that there was “a factual error on the part of the ex-IGP given reliability of the feedback from his professional intelligence but the case was lost on technicality”.

Sadly, many ordinary folks have the impression that “the former IGP has done a lot of service to the country as compared to the minister who suddenly showed up to create chaos in the country”.

“Wait for the GE to send her to the wormhole,” he mocked.

Another wanted “BN (Barisan Nasional) to win so we can ‘wash’ the existing judges” – an insinuation that the judiciary is not independent and impartial.

Some openly accused judges as “Madani lap*ogs” for lopsided verdicts such as drunk drivers who caused crashes found innocent by the court of law (thankfully, some netizens tried to correct the commenter).

One claimed that “there’re many unfair judges around” whom he likened to football referees who are not honest and biased in their judgment. “Often there are disputes between players, etc. Apparently, he was bribed,” he jibed.

Worse still, one commenter pointed to the likelihood of judges having been hand-poicked by DAP.

Well, that is seemingly the price one has to pay for allowing one’s political affiliation to cloud one ‘s mind from determining the right from the wrong.

The bottom-line is as one Malaysiakini subscriber put it with a tinge of sarcasm, “he (Musa) would have been very happy enjoying his retirement and his new-found love instead of having to cough out 250K!”. –  Focus Malaysia

Kedudukan kerusi Adun DAP Melaka berubah ke blok pembangkang

 Empat Adun itu ditempatkan bersama wakil rakyat Perikatan Nasional dan bebas selepas mereka umum tarik sokongan terhadap kerajaan negeri semalam.

Speaker DUN Melaka Ibrahim Durum berharap semua Adun dapat mengambil bahagian dalam persidangan dengan penuh disiplin walaupun kedudukan sebahagian daripada ahli diubah. (Gambar Bernama)

MELAKA:

Kedudukan kerusi empat Adun DAP Melaka berubah ke blok pembangkang pada hari terakhir sidang DUN, hari ini.

Semua Adun itu kini ditempatkan bersama wakil rakyat Perikatan Nasional dan bebas selepas mereka mengumumkan menarik sokongan terhadap kerajaan negeri pimpinan Barisan Nasional (BN) semalam.

Mereka ialah Allex Seah Shoo Chin (PH-Kesidang), Low Chee Leong (PH-Kota Laksamana), Leng Chau Yen (PH-Banda Hilir) dan Kerk Chee Yee (PH-Ayer Keroh).

Bagaimanapun, kedudukan wakil tunggal Amanah yang juga Pengerusi Pakatan Harapan (PH) Melaka Adly Zahari (PH-Bukit Katil) pula kekal bersama blok kerajaan, dan dijarakkan daripada empat Adun berkenaan.

Speaker DUN Melaka, Ibrahim Durum, dalam ucapannya berharap semua Adun dapat mengambil bahagian dalam persidangan hari ini dengan penuh disiplin, berhemah, bersopan dan mematuhi peraturan-peraturan dewan.

“…walaupun kedudukan sebahagian daripada ahli-ahli Dewan Undangan telah pun diubah,” katanya.

Semalam, Perdana Menteri Anwar Ibrahim memohon DAP Melaka menangguhkan keputusan parti itu untuk keluar daripada pentadbiran kerajaan negeri bagi menumpukan pembangunan dan kebajikan rakyat.

Ia susulan tindakan DAP Melaka yang mengumumkan keluar daripada kerajaan negeri serta-merta selepas DUN meluluskan pindaan perlembagaan negeri bagi membolehkan pelantikan Adun secara lantikan.

Pengerusi DAP Melaka Khoo Poay Tiong berkata keputusan itu selaras pendirian parti yang menolak rang undang-undang berkenaan kerana didakwa bercanggah prinsip demokrasi dan pilihan raya.  - FMT

IGP warns against unauthorised use of police force’s identity

 Khalid Ismail says the force's official identity is an institutional asset that must be protected from exploitation for profit or use in a way that creates a misleading impression.

IGP Khalid Ismail advised the public not to assume that a product or service has received official approval or endorsement merely because police personnel are involved in an event. (Bernama pic)

PETALING JAYA:

Police have warned individuals, companies and organisations against using the force’s name, emblem, images of officers, or other official identifiers without permission for promotional, marketing, advertising or commercial purposes.

Inspector-General of Police Khalid Ismail said the force’s official identity was an institutional asset that must be protected from exploitation for profit or use in a way that creates a misleading impression.

“The presence of a police officer at a programme must not be interpreted as an endorsement, expression of support or recognition of a product, service, investment or commercial activity,” he said in a statement today.

Although he did not specify any particular incident, he advised the public not to assume that a product or service had received official approval or endorsement merely because police personnel were involved in an event.

He said parties that unlawfully or misleadingly used the police force’s identity could be investigated, including under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, which criminalises the misuse of network facilities or services. - FMT

High Court shields auction buyers from strata arrears

 Judicial commissioner Moh Kok Wai says the law does not allow innocent purchasers to inherit the financial failures of strangers.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court held that imposing undisclosed historical liabilities on auction buyers would undermine confidence in court-supervised sales.

KUALA LUMPUR:

Malaysians who buy properties with strata titles through court-ordered auctions cannot automatically be made to pay maintenance charges and sinking fund arrears left behind by previous owners, the High Court here has ruled.

In a recent judgment with potentially far-reaching implications for court-ordered auctions, judicial commissioner Moh Kok Wai said the law does not allow innocent purchasers to inherit the financial failures of strangers.

He said imposing undisclosed historical liabilities on auction buyers would undermine confidence in court-supervised sales, which are meant to provide certainty and finality to purchasers.

The dispute involved the management corporation (MC) of Megan Avenue 1 here and Rajinder Singh, who bought an office unit through a High Court e-auction after the previous owner defaulted on the bank loan.

The unit belonged to Forward Wind Sdn Bhd, which accumulated more than RM126,000 in unpaid maintenance charges, sinking fund contributions and other fees. The company was wound up after becoming insolvent, leaving the MC unable to recover the outstanding sums.

Rajinder purchased the property for RM1.62 million at the court auction in January 2024 and became its registered owner several months later. The MC subsequently demanded that he pay more than RM182,000 in arrears incurred by the previous owner.

The MC sought a declaration that Rajinder, as the purchaser and alleged successor-in-title under the Strata Management Act 2013, was liable for the outstanding maintenance charges and sinking fund contributions accumulated by the previous owner.

Rajinder argued that because he acquired the property through a judicial sale ordered by the High Court, he should only be responsible for maintenance charges incurred after he became the registered owner.

The MC, however, contended that the outstanding charges followed the property and were recoverable from the new owner as a “successor-in-title”.

Not within definition of ‘successor-in-title’

The judge held that Rajinder did not fall within the definition of “successor-in-title” under the Act because he acquired ownership through a court-ordered foreclosure sale rather than a voluntary transfer from the previous owner.

Moh said interpreting the law otherwise would unfairly burden innocent purchasers with debts they neither created nor had any realistic opportunity to avoid, even though they had no contractual relationship with the previous owner and no actual knowledge of the arrears.

Although the court acknowledged that the MC and the other parcel owners would ultimately bear the financial consequences of the previous owner’s insolvency, Moh said those losses could not simply be transferred to an unrelated third party.

“The law, in my judgment, does not permit such a crossing,” he said, adding that the Act “was enacted to bring order to communal living, not to ensnare innocent third parties in the financial wreckage of strangers”.

The court dismissed the MC’s originating summons with RM10,000 in costs to Rajinder.

N Vanaja and Tan Jee Sern appeared for the MC while Harjinder Singh, M Tanusha and Premjit Singh represented Rajinder. - FMT