Category: Life & Others

Have you ever wondered about the health status of your vehicle? Sure, we put a lot of thought and emphasis when it comes to our health but what about our four wheels that strive to keep us safe on the road? Just like us, our vehicles also need to undergo regular health checks to ensure it is operating at optimum safety levels at all times.

With the upcoming school holidays and patriotic holidays in August and September – Merdeka Day and Malaysia Day, vehicle health checks are even more crucial before driving off on a road trip with the family or for ‘balik kampung’ journeys. This could potentially save you from being stranded on the highway due to a breakdown or accident, especially when the roads are going to be jam packed with thousands of holiday-goers.

To avoid such inconveniences, here are five basic vehicle health checks that should be done on a regular basis;

1. Always remember your tyres!

Checking the condition of your tyres should be made a habit, no matter a long or short drive, as a tyre in dire condition is a hazard to everyone on the road. Without healthy tyres, drivers may find themselves skidding on a slippery road or even find that the brakes do not grip as well. Aside from ensuring there’s a spare tyre in the boot and checking the tyre’s air pressure, drivers should also check the tyre alignment, thickness of the brake pads as well as the tyre tread.

2. Swish, swish goes the wiper blades

Most drivers would not even think twice about the condition of their wipers, as long as it is still swishing and wiping rain water away. However, the health of wiper blades deteriorates too, especially when parked daily under the humid and hot sun. Look out for these signs and know when to get them changed; the rubber blades are cracked or peeling off, the blades leave streaks on the windshield, there is squeaking and the wiper frame is bent or looks damaged.

3. Signal left or right, are your lights alright?

Every single light on the exterior of the car is equally important and it should be in good working condition at all times. However, it can get a bit tedious when it comes to maintaining the lights because chances are drivers would not even know if one is faulty. Whenever possible, perform a simple check at home to ensure all lights are in good condition. Aside from the headlights, rear lights, and fog lights, other more important lights to note are the indicator lights for switching lanes and brake lights to alert other drivers to slow down.

4. Battery problems?

One of the first signs that the car battery is about to die is when you have trouble getting the car to start. The moment when the car starts chugging or huffing as you turn the ignition on, drive to your mechanic to get those batteries checked and changed if necessary. It is also good to note the lifespan of your battery and make a note of it somewhere in the car or on your phones so that you can remember.

5. Ensure a cooler vehicle for a cooler drive

While checking engine oils, also check the coolant levels in the vehicle as it might trigger a fire when heat cannot escape from the engine bay due to overheating. In simpler words, the engine radiator and cooling systems are what prevents a vehicle from overheating. The most common causes are faulty radiator fan, cooling system leak and low coolant levels. Never remove a radiator cap when the engine is hot as hot liquid could squirt out and injure you. If unsure, it is best to seek professional help at the mechanic.

In addition to performing these routine checks to ensure your vehicle is operating at tip top shape, one other important measure to consider is getting a motor insurance. Similar to how health insurance may potentially save your life and looming medical costs, motor insurance can do the same. It is like a safety net to ensure your motor vehicle, along with the driver and passengers are well covered and insured.

At Liberty Insurance, Private Car EZY Plus – Comprehensive insurance is a holistic coverage plan to get as it doesn’t provide coverage only against own damage and third-party losses but also covers medical expenses, permanent disability or death in the event of an accident on the road and also covers child seat replacement if the seat is damaged due to accident, theft or flood.

In addition to this, you can also buy one of our Bundle add-ons that include coverage on PA for Passengers, Flood Allowance, 24-hours unlimited mileage towing, side mirror damage and others.

Liberty Insurance also offers an efficient claim process with its Liberty Own Damage (OD) Express Claim that is only applicable with its Private Car EZY Plus – Comprehensive plan. Claims can be made via any smart phone and the accident must be reported within 48 hours for express claims disbursement.

To find out more about Liberty Insurance’s Motor Insurance and its claims process, visit www.libertyinsurance.com.my.

During the pandemic, two words that we always heard or read are “lives and livelihoods”. These two words were often mentioned in press conferences by the government and how they are trying hard to balance between the two.

How does this relate to us an individual, lifestyle vs living your life?

Based on the Oxwhite Shopper Survey 2021 published on TheEdge on 28 June 21, about 58% of the participants shop for only things they need when they need them, 24% usually keep a wish list. While the remaining 12.5% buy on impulse and 5.5% always on the lookout for the latest product.

Let’s explore few ideas before you decide to place your next order.

Luxury VS Necessities

When we talk about luxury product, there are generally perception associated with a certain product. Be it a luxury watch or car, it is either a symbol of success, quality or excellent.

Does that mean you have to avoid buying luxury product altogether? No.

The more important question to ask yourself are as follows:

• What is your current financial situation?
• Have your cover your necessities?
• Have you been putting aside your monthly savings for protection or medium to long term financial needs?

For instance, if you spend more than 1/3 of your expenditure to pay for your luxury items, then you may need to reconsider whether buying that item is necessary now or should you defer or consider another product.

Only when your financial situation allows, then you can re-evaluate whether to buy it in the future.

Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) VS Pay In Full

Another new payment method that offers interest free payment is “Buy Now Pay Later” (BNPL). It is actually be good for consumers who are prudence in managing their spending, as they do not have to come up with a large sum of money at one go to purchase something and is also not subjected to any interest payment. But if you do not not pay the amount every month as per the due date, you tend to build up more debts and end up spending over your means.

It is the same with anything, for example a knife. If you use it appropriately in the kitchen, it is a great cooking tool. However, if it falls to the wrong hands with bad intentions, it can take away someone’s life.

Current VS Future

By having ads being shown to us many times when we are searching for something online, it builds our liking towards that product unknowingly. Not many of us are able to refrain from the temptation of getting the latest gadget and or any new product that is being launched in the market.

Some products are marketed via influencers or artists as their ambassadors, therefore this encourages their fans to buy the product because of their idols are associated with that particular product or brand. Our brain tends to focus more on the present rather than the delayed gratification that enable us to build more sustainable savings at a later age.

Choose The Lifestyle That You Can Afford

There is always a choice in how we live our life. Do we really buy certain items because we can afford it and want to give the best to our loved ones? Or do we only need certain product to perform certain task?

There is no right or wrong on how one lives their life. Therefore, we cannot have one rule for all circumstances. These are just some of the factors for you to consider before making your next purchase.

A great habit to inculcate is to manage your money and spend it prudently. It is about finding the right balance between lifestyle and living your life.

“Lifestyle is not an amount, it’s a practice.”

– Jim Rohn

About the Author

Goh Chee Yong is a Licensed Financial Planner under Capital Markets Services Representative License (CMSRL) and Bank Negara approved Financial Advisor Representative (FAR). Prior to becoming a financial advisor, he spent eight years working in Big 4 audit firms and multinational corporations. He can be contacted at cygoh@imaxfinancial.com.my

Approximately 95 per cent people suffer from type 2 diabetes, which is primarily obesity and lifestyle-related diabetes that can be prevented by diet modification and exercise. We normally diagnose diabetes when fasting blood sugar is more than 125 mg/dl, which is primarily affected by hours of fasting and quantity and quality of carbohydrate meal consumed during dinner the night before.

A postprandial blood sugar level of more than 200 mg/dl is diagnosed as diabetes. The majority of obese people, who are in between the 100-125 mg/dl fasting sugar ranges and/or 140-200 mg/dl post-lunch ranges are at risk of developing diabetes and termed as pre-diabetic. Diabetes can be reversed at pre-diabetic stage with lifestyle modification (diet and exercise).

Home remedies can help you tremendously in controlling blood sugars at pre-diabetic stage and preventing its progression to diabetes.

Now, we have a more reliable test called HbA1c (Glycated Haemoglobin), which shows an average of blood sugars over last 3 months which is not affected by hours of fasting and quality of food consumed. A normal person has a HbA1c value of 5.7% or less. A pre-diabetic person’s HbA1c value ranges between 5.7-6.4%; 6.5% and above is diagnosed as diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease. When diabetes develops, approximately 60% of pancreatic beta cells are dead and eventually, over time, beta cells keep on diminishing and finally a stage arrives when exogenous insulin is necessary to control blood sugar.

5 Surprising Facts about Type 2 Diabetes

• The highest relative rates of type 2 occur in the small island republic of Nauru in the South Pacific. More than 30 percent of the 10,000 residents are afflicted. The main reason here is obesity – more than 90% of all adults are obese.
• Type 2 diabetes is more common in African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders, as well as the aged population.
• Both types of diabetes share the same name, but the treatment is very different: whereas type 1 patients are dependent on insulin injections, type 2 patients can lower their insulin resistance with exercise and healthier eating habit, plus medication.
• The symptoms of type 2 diabetes can sometimes be so mild you don’t notice them. In fact, according to WebMD, about 8 million people who have it don’t know it.
• While daily high-quality sleep is important, too much sleep might be just as risky, with Canadian researchers revealing the risk of type 2 diabetes doubles among people who sleep more than eight hours a night. The magic sleep number, research has suggested, is between 7-8 hours a night.

Natural home remedies are fruits and vegetables, which help lower blood sugar levels by reducing carbohydrate absorption from the gut, delaying gastric emptying or preserving and promoting beta cell function.

Also, in the case of already developed diabetes, these home remedies, along with medication, can help keep blood sugar under control. In diagnosed diabetes patients, it is not an alternative to medication but adjunct to medication.

Commonly-used natural home remedies for type 2 diabetes include fenugreek (methi), bitter gourd (karela), cinnamon (dalacini), Indian gooseberry (amla) and black plum (jamun). Other natural home remedies include guava, green tea, okra, aloe vera, cloves and peas.

All these home remedies are effective only if they are consumed daily for at least 2-3 months. In known diabetes patients who are already on insulin or certain medication, occasional or sudden use may induce hypoglycaemia. In such a case, it is advisable that you consult your diabetologist before starting such home remedies.

About the author

Dr Nikhil Prabu is a Mumbai-based Consulting Diabetologist. He did his post-graduate studies in Diebetology from College of Physicians & Surgeons of Mumbai at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital & Research Centre Mumbai and completed his MBBS from R.C.S.M. Govt. Medical College, Kolhapur in 2008 (MUHS).

Most of us wish to retire early before we hit 60, which is the retirement age in Malaysia. But not the living legend, the Father of Modern Malaysia. 

Born on 20 of December 1925, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad holds the record of being the oldest prime minister in the world when he was in office. This was when he became the prime minister of Malaysia once again on 10 of May 2018 when he was 92 years and 141 days old.

Smart Investor recently had the honour and opportunity to speak with Dr Mahathir in person. He spoke to us about his philosophy around work and retirement, what he has invested in and how he keeps his mind sharp at his age. 

Trust in Our Malaysian Doctors

A well-known story about Dr Mahathir during his first premier was that he put his faith in local Malaysian doctors for his heart surgery. The surgery was led by a local doctor, Dr Yahya Awang with his team in 1989. 

He was then 64 and 82 years old when he went for his first and second major surgery, respectively. 

“Basically, I’m quite healthy in the sense that I don’t have any debilitating diseases. What I had was a blockage in one of the heart arteries. The doctors are very good and I recovered. Once I recovered, I was free from the disease and I naturally came back to normal,” Dr Mahathir shared. 

Today, at 96 years old, he is still standing strong and working tirelessly for the betterment of our country. 

You need to live a moderate life. Don’t eat too much because that could affect your health. You should also have enough sleep and don’t get too excited over things.

Tun Dr Mahathir

Dr Mahathir added that one has to try and stay as calm as possible. 

“Mainly, I don’t smoke, I don’t drink and I think this also contributes to my good health,” Dr Mahathir emphasized. 

He said that he eats almost anything but keeps his portions small. He also shared that he practiced his mother’s advice when it comes to diets:

“When the food taste nice, stop eating.”

Until today, Dr Mahathir’s memory is still intact. What is his secret?

“If people ask me questions on matters that I am interested in, it is easy for me to remember what information I have. But if you ask me something that I know nothing about, of course, I cannot answer. The main thing is to always do a lot of reading, discuss frequently with others and debate with people,” he responded.

These are the tips he shared on keeping your mind active. 

The mind is like the body. If you don’t use it, it begins to retrogress. 

Tun Dr Mahathir

Stress and Heart Attacks

Recent findings by the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) found that ischemic heart disease remained the principal cause of death in Malaysia, contributing to 17% of 109,155 medically certified deaths in 2020. People tend to think that heart attacks will only occur to those in the retirement age, but surprisingly we can see that men and women are now having heart attacks as early as in their 20s. 

He thought that people nowadays are very emotional and get easily upset over things. This will affect the part of the body where the heart beats more than normal which can put a strain on the heart.

“No smoking. That’s very important. Beyond that, don’t go through too much stress. Try not to get excited and angry much,” he advised.

Severe road congestion, the rise in living costs and many other factors seem to make everyone so stressed these days. What are the ways we can overcome stress?

“We have to accept that things cannot always be right. Today, we are facing a pandemic that prevents people from working and they cannot earn money to buy food. Of course, this worries them and it’s very difficult not to worry,” he said.

Health is Wealth

When the word retirement planning comes into mind, everyone is focused on building their wealth but not their health.

Health is very important. It’s no good having billions of Ringgits if you can’t even move or talk or behave normally. So, it’s better to have less money, but stay healthy. You enjoy life better.

Tun Dr Mahathir

Younger generations tend to get involved in the gig economy, freelancing and running their own business. In 2020, the DOSM shared that almost four million people are working in the gig economy in Malaysia. This includes ride-hailing, food deliveries and managing holiday rentals via an online platform or an application accessible through smartphones.

Unfortunately, most of those who are involved in this line of work did not contribute to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF). How can they start planning for their retirement? 

“When you’re healthy and able to work, you can do whatever you like. But when you grow old, you need a pension and some income. If you have done well in your business and you have contributed to EPF or you have saved money, then when you’re old, you don’t have to worry too much about finance. But if you work where there is no pension and you don’t save and don’t contribute to EPF, when you grow old you’re going to have problems,” Dr Mahathir shared.

On the Rise of Inflation

Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) projected the headline inflation of the country to be between 2.2% – 3.2% in 2022. This is not only happening to Malaysia but countries around the world which are affected due to the pandemic and Ukraine-Russia war. 

How can Malaysians weather the storm?

“Interest rates are a cost to doing business. The higher it is, the more costly the business. This will result in production services being more costly and when it is more costly, of course it is not sellable,” he shared.

Dr Mahathir further explains that low interest rates will encourage people to invest and some of them would fail. But for the government, the lack of investments will reduce the creation of wealth. 

“We need people to invest money in order to create wealth. Because when they make a profit, they are actually creating wealth, then they will pay taxes to the government,” he added. 

Investment is one of the tools to hedge against inflation. However, the number of scams is now running into billions of Ringgits, despite there being a lot of legitimate investments. Why are people still falling for scams? 

Dr Mahathir opined that people want to get rich quickly and they easily believe the pitch when people tell them that there are easier and faster ways to earn money.

“There is no such thing as easy money. Money comes through hard work and intelligent work. If you believe that putting up a few dollars somehow will multiply to a big amount of money you earn, then you’re going to be cheated,” he explained.  

We then asked him what his investment portfolio was like.     

I don’t own any shares except for 200 shares of Malayan Tobacco which I bought long ago before I became a minister. That’s all my investment.

Tun Dr Mahathir

Dr Mahathir further added that he also had to invest in PNB and took up some shares worth RM1,000 or RM2,000 because he had to show that investment matters and is good for the people during that time. 

He clarified that he only depends on his salary which is quite a lot for him and more than what he needs. 

“I used to be a private practitioner, earning maybe RM2,000 a month. But when I was a prime minister, I earned RM20,000 a month. I can’t spend the money. Besides, the government pays for my house, electricity, water supply, cars and even aeroplanes. I keep my money,” he shared.

As a smart investor, you can have all the money in the world. But all that money will mean nothing if you do not have good health to go along with it.

Going for regular medical check-ups goes a long way in maintaining your health. A medical condition or onset of disease can actually be slowed down or even averted if discovered on time, particularly if there are no symptoms.

Smart Investor talks to Dr Hilwani Kaharuddin of Ara Damansara Medical Centre on why timely intervention can make all the difference.

SI: What is the purpose of Health Screening?

Dr Hilwani Kaharuddin (Dr HK): Many diseases are “silent” meaning they have no symptoms or the symptoms are very vague. For example, you may have hypertension (high blood pressure) and not know it unless you specifically

check your blood pressure. Many people associate hypertension with headaches. However, hypertension only causes headaches when the blood pressure is severely high. You may have had hypertension for years without knowing and all the while the constant high pressure is damaging your kidneys, heart, eyes and so on.

Another example is diabetes. People with diabetes will usually feel thirsty all the time and pass urine more frequently than normal. However, these symptoms may come on so gradually that the person does not notice the change.

Many patients have told me, “I drink a lot of water, so of course I go to the toilet often”. It sounds logical, but these are actually symptoms of diabetes. So, unless you test for diabetes, you will not know.

The idea of health screening is to detect problems or diseases early, when treatment is usually easier with a higher success rate as complications of the disease have not yet arisen.

SI: What Tests does one need to Do and When?

Dr HK: It is never too early for a health screening. I have diagnosed diabetes, hypertension and cancer in young people. Talk to your health care provider. Based on your lifestyle, family history and symptoms (if any), he/she will advise the necessary screening tests. Of course there is basic general screening, but it is best to get one that is tailored to you.

For example, someone who has a family history of Thalassemia may need to be tested for that. A young 30-year-old female with no health concerns but is sexually active may be advised to have a PAP smear.

SI: In Malaysia, what is the prevalent disease? Is it Diabetes? Or High Blood Pressure? Or something else?

Dr HK: We are seeing an increasing number of non- communicable diseases in Malaysia. This is largely due to our stressful and unhealthy lifestyle. It is difficult to estimate prevalence of a disease because many are not reported. It is estimated that one in three Malaysians above 30 years has hypertension.

For diabetes, the figure is estimated to be one in 6.5. More importantly, according to the Global Burden of Disease Study, the top five diseases leading to disability or death are:

Top 5 Deadly Diseases

1. Coronary artery disease
2. Road traffic accident (which is not a disease but included here due to its significant impact)
3. Cerebrovascular disease (stroke)
4. Lower respiratory tract infection
5. Diabetes mellitus

We need to be cognizant of the fact that both coronary artery and cerebrovascular diseases share the same risk factors, that is hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia (high cholesterol), cigarette smoking and so on. These risk factors are easily picked up and addressed with health screening.

SI: Can you give an example where early detection has saved someone’s life?

Dr HK: I don’t know about saving lives, but we do frequently pick up things that need further evaluation. I was attending to a young man once who came in with a heart attack. He was unusually tall and had some physical features which suggest a certain genetic disorder.

He had never noticed he was any different from others because he has always looked like this since young. Then his brothers came in and I noticed they ALL had the same features. Therefore, we arranged for screening and all turned out to have this genetic disorder, which although there is no cure, there are things we can do to reduce their risk of complications. 

There are also young people with abdominal pain who eventually turn out to have colon cancer, or an overweight young man who we diagnose with diabetes and so on.

SI: What is Pre-employment Health Screening and why is it important?

Dr HK: Pre-employment health screening is used to evaluate a person’s fitness to perform the duties he/she will be employed to do and that he/she will not put other colleagues at any health risk. 

SI: What will happen if the employee fails the test? Does it mean he cannot be employed?

Dr HK: If a test is abnormal in the first instance, the potential employee may be advised for further tests or treatment. He/she may be asked to repeat the test at another time or after the completion of treatment. If he/she fails the test a second time, the duty of the doctor is to advice on the potential employee’s fitness to practise. It is up to the employer if they want to proceed to employ the candidate or consider a more suitable position.

SI: Are there risks involved in these tests? What are they?

Dr HK: Screening tests are generally low risk tests. They usually involve an interview with your healthcare practitioner, a physical examination, certain blood tests and may or may not include urine test, imaging such as chest X-ray or ultrasound and ECG.

SI: How long will the tests take generally?

Dr HK: A basic screening test usually does not last longer than half a day in centres where they have their own lab and imaging facilities such as ours in Ara Damansara.

SI: Are there certain things that one should not do/consume before a test?

Dr HK: For most health screenings, you are advised to fast for at least eight hours for your blood test and if you will be undergoing an abdominal ultrasound. However, you are advised to continue your usual prescription medications except diabetic medications despite fasting.

Dr Hilwani Kaharuddin is an Emergency Physician and the Head of Emergency Department at Ara Damansara Medical Centre, Ramsay Sime Darby Health Care.