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PETALING JAYA: Sabah is heading to the ballot box once again, as voters prepare to elect their state assemblymen in the upcoming 17th state election. A total of 73 state seats will be up for contest, with the Election Commission (EC) setting Nov 29 as polling day. Nomination day has been fixed for Nov 15, while early voting will take place on Nov 25. The previous state election took place on Sept 26, 2020, recording a voter turnout of 66.28%. In light of the coming state polls, here are some key insights into Sabah’s constituencies — from the largest and smallest seats to other interesting demographic and socio-economic characteristics that define the state’s political landscape. According to Statistics Department data, Sabah has an estimated population of 3.74 million, with about 70.8% aged 18 and above, making them eligible to vote. Bumiputera groups make up 89.2% of the state’s total population, followed by the Chinese community at 8.9%...

By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s livestock have been found to carry bacteria that are increasingly resistant to multiple antibiotics, including those considered critical for human health, according to the Department of Veterinary Services (DVS). Surveillance data in 2024 show that Salmonella and E. coli bacteria found in poultry, pigs, and dairy cattle remain highly resistant to several commonly used antibiotics, including ampicillin, chloramphenicol, and tetracycline. The department expressed concern over the growing resistance to third-generation cephalosporins, including cefotaxime and ceftiofur, which the World Health Organization (WHO) lists as critically important antimicrobials (CIAs) for human use. “From 2022 to 2024, we observed an increase in resistance to cefotaxime and ceftiofur, which are the third generation of cephalosporins, in Salmonella spp. isolated from broilers, pigs and dairy cattle. “These trends are worrying beca...

  By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI PETALING JAYA: The current flu season has put the spotlight on school students, with over 6,000 down with influenza. However, attention is also needed for another vulnerable group - the elderly. Authorities have not released figures on how many seniors have been infected. However, health experts say more needs to be done to encourage them to get flu shots. This is because studies have shown that the vaccination rate in Malaysia is very low among individuals aged 60 and above. For instance, a 2023 study by researchers at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Medical Molecular Biology Institute found that only 5.5% of 13,110 elderly participants in the study had received influenza vaccinations. The vaccination figure falls far below the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended coverage rate of between 50% to 90%. The study defined the elderly as individuals aged 60 and above. “The influenza vaccination coverage rate among Malaysian...

By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI PETALING JAYA: The current flu season has put the spotlight on school students, with over 6,000 down with influenza. However, attention is also needed for another vulnerable group - the elderly. Authorities have not released figures on how many seniors have been infected. However, health experts say more needs to be done to encourage them to get flu shots. This is because studies have shown that the vaccination rate in Malaysia is very low among individuals aged 60 and above. For instance, a 2023 study by researchers at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Medical Molecular Biology Institute found that only 5.5% of 13,110 elderly participants in the study had received influenza vaccinations. The vaccination figure falls far below the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended coverage rate of between 50% to 90%. The study defined the elderly as individuals aged 60 and above. “The influenza vaccination coverage rate among M...

By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI PETALING JAYA: The current flu season has put the spotlight on school students, with over 6,000 down with influenza. However, health experts say another vulnerable group also needs attention—the elderly. Authorities have not given figures on how many seniors have been infected,  but said more effort is needed to encourage them to get flu shots. Health experts said studies have shown that vaccination rates in Malaysia are very low among individuals aged 60 and above. A research study titled “Hepatitis B and influenza vaccination coverage in healthcare workers, the elderly, and patients with diabetes in Malaysia”, found that only 5.5% of 13,110 elderly participants in the study had received influenza vaccinations. The vaccination figure falls far below the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended coverage rate of between 50% to 90%. The study defined the elderly as individuals aged 60 and above and 85.5% of the...

    By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s multi-billion-ringgit furniture industry can’t easily cushion the impact of the United States’ tariffs by selling more to other markets. At least not in the short term, say manufacturers. Muar Furniture Association (MFA) president Steve Ong said no other export market comes close to the United States in terms of market size and demand for Malaysian wooden furniture. Trying to reduce reliance on the United States by growing sales in other countries or finding new markets would need time, government support and assistance, he said. “While we export to 160 countries, it is undeniable that the United States remains the largest consumer market. “Singapore, the United Kingdom, and Japan are also Malaysia’s key export markets, but none comes close to the scale and consistency of demand seen from the US,” he said. According to Malaysia’s External Trade Statistics figures, the country exported RM8.68bil w...