MONDAY, 07 OCTOBER - Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), Universiti Malaya Centre on Addiction Sciences (UMCAS), and Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kota Kinabalu (QEH) had jointly organised The Sabah Tobacco Control Symposium at the School of Medicine (SPU), UMS today.

The symposium, which featured more than 100 people had been officiated by the Dean of SPU, Prof. Dr. D. Kamarudin D. Mudin.

In his speech he said, the aim of this symposium was to introduce tobacco control activities to as many health care providers in Sabah and also to those interested in tobacco control.

The scientific content was aimed to provide an introduction to the science of tobacco control and also recent local and international updates. This symposium had been equally divided in content between tobacco prevention which included policy development, and tobacco cessation.

“The latter is least often emphasised due to the lack of local experts within Malaysia. The recent Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) 2011 found that only 52.6% of patients who visited a health care provider were advised to quit. This figure needs to be improved and done quickly,” he added.

Dr. Kamarudin said, Malaysia through the Ministry of Health had provided nearly 300 quit clinics throughout the country.

He also informed that treatment were subsidised to those who attended these clinics which were conducted by medical doctors.

GATS identified current rates of smoking among Malaysians to be 23.1% with 43.9% being male from an overall 4.3 million Malaysians who smoked tobacco daily.

 

By Salbinous Saribun
Photo by Zulfadlee Nasyir, SPU

 

 

 

 

SATURDAY, 05 OCTOBER - The Centre for the Promotion of Knowledge and Language Learning (CPKLL) in Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) is extending the last call for participation in the inaugural International Conference on Languages, Linguistics and Society which is to be held from 22 to 24 October 2013.

 

The Convenor of the international conference, Associate Professor Dr. Jason Lim Miin Hwa said this is a huge international conference that will involve more than 200 participants from different parts of the world. More than 155 papers will be presented in the 3-day conference to be held at the Promenade Hotel in Kota Kinabalu.

 

“Although the deadline for the submission of papers is over and there are limited places left, the organiser is encouraging more residents, particularly those in Sabah, to take part in this international conference as non-presenting participants,” he said.

 

Dr. Jason Lim mention that this is also a very special occasion on which individuals, who are interested in getting postgraduate degrees, can obtain new ideas and fresh insights about conducting studies at the Master’s or PhD levels. Given that a broad range of papers related to languages and linguistics will be presented, potential postgraduate candidates in language studies can also develop interests in various fields and subfields pertaining to language studies.  

 

“The main objectives of the ICLALIS are to encourage participants to discuss and exchange ideas related to the learning and/or use of language in institutional, social and cultural settings, to explore the benefits of cross-disciplinary studies involving linguistics, and to examine the theoretical and practical implications of new ideas, perspectives and recommendations concerning different approaches to language teaching and language analysis,” he added.

 

Individuals who are interested in participating in this conference need to email a completed registration form and a scanned proof of payment to Alamat emel ini dilindungi dari Spambot. Anda perlu hidupkan JavaScript untuk melihatnya. on or before 11th October 2013. Detailed information on payment is provided at www.iclalis2013.blogspot.com.

 

 

By PPIB & Salbinous Saribun

 

SATURDAY, 05 OCTOBER – The Media Division, Chancellery Department Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) would like to thank all staff and students of UMS for their contributions in the form of cash and kind to the fire victims of Kg. Numbak. The contributions were handed over by the Vice-Chancellor of UMS yesterday.

According to a statement from the division, the contributions had helped ease the burden of the victims.

About two tons of daily needs were received including prayer mats, prayer garments, clothing, pillows, mineral water and baby diapers which were then distributed to the fire victims.

Initiator of the mission, UMS Media Division said that the fire victims needed baby milk as well as cooking utensils for them to be able to prepare food whenever needed.

Contributions can be sent to this department located at the main lobby of the Chancellery Building. Further enquiries can be obtained by calling extension 1026/1483/1315 during office hours. - FL

 

By Faezah Mohamad Dun

Photo: Ernest Berinus

 

FRIDAY, 04 OCTOBER – The hardships suffered by Kg. Numbak fire victims were somewhat relieved when they received contributions from staff and students of Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).

The contributions were handed over to the Community Head by the Vice-Chancellor of UMS, Prof. Datuk Dr. Mohd. Harun Abdullah at the Menggatal Community Hall, the temporary shelter for the victims.

Speaking when met by the media, he said UMS was concerned with the plight of the victims and started with mobilising contributions among their students and staff initiated by the Media Division, Chancellery Division the past two days.

He said, contributions in the form of foodstuff, clothing, prayer mats and baby needs were part of the contributions collected from staff and students of this EcoCampus university.

“We at UMS not only focuses totally on academic but we also do our bit to help the unfortunate and underpriviledged through our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme,” he said.

Meanwhile, one of the fire victims, Habil Nasiril, 40, expressed his thanks and gratitude to UMS for being concerned with their plight that had affected all 74 families of the village.

Habil, who is also the Community Head said the humanitarian aid was much needed in times like this as the victims were left homeless.

“We appreciate and welcome government agencies and NGOs alike to come forward to help us,” he added. – FL

 
By Mohd Affzanizam Mohd Amin
Photo: Ernest Berinus

 
                                                                                                                Chancellery Department