TAWAU: Member of parliament Datuk Chua Soon Bui said she would bring the Tanjung Market Hawkers Association’s suggestion to fully manage the public toilet at the market to Tawau Municipal Council.
Chua said she was informed that the toilet was currently managed by TMC from Mondays to Fridays from 7am to 5pm, while the association managed the toilet on Saturdays and Sundays from 4am to 7pm.
“The association had suggested that it be approved under one management as it was more convenient for the public, but received no answer. I will assist to convey their suggestion to the president as I believe there is no need for two management teams,” she said yesterday.
“With the existing two management teams, the problem is pointing fingers and blaming each other when the toilet is not clean, and this suggestion will resolve the problem,” she said at an awareness drive, “Sign Against Stroke in Atrial Fibrillation”, which was held at Tanjung Market here yesterday to create awareness on how to detect atrial farbillation (AF) which can prevent strokes.
Previously, when the toilet was under the council’s management, it was only opened on weekdays and there were complaints from the public when they found that the public toilet was closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
Touching on the campaign, Chua said it was started by Professor Dr Sim Kui-Hian, a top surgeon on cardiology.
“This is a public issue. It is a global drive as there are many who suffer from strokes,” she said.
According to Chua, in Malaysia there are 50,000 cases of stroke a year and ten per cent would die; those who survive would suffer and burden the family as they have to be cared for.
“We want to create public awareness so that stroke cases can be reduced and the family need not suffer. A simple way to gauge is try to feel the pulse. Any irregular pulse rhythm, see the doctor,” she said.
Chua said the drive was launched in parliament on October 3 by deputy speaker Datuk Dr Wan Junaidi and every parliamentarian has to go back and do the campaign in their respective area.
She said the public could check it out at www.signagainststroke.com to get a better understanding on the drive to create awareness globally.
Atrial fibrillation or AF is the most common sustained abnormal heart rhythm, or arrhythmia, worldwide. This dangerous arrhythmia causes the two upper chambers of the heart (the atria) to quiver instead of beating effectively, resulting in blood not being completely pumped out, which in turn causes pooling and can lead to clotting. These clots can travel to the brain, block an artery and interrupt the brain’s blood supply. This can trigger a major and often fatal stroke. AF increases the risk of potentially disabling or deadly ischaemic stroke (stroke caused by a blood clot) by nearly 500 per cent.
Common underlying causes of AF include high blood pressure, heart valve defects, rheumatic heart disease and diabetes. Dietary and lifestyle factors such as emotional and physical stress and excessive caffeine, alcohol or illicit drug intake also contribute to the risk of developing AF
An easily identifiable sign of AF is an irregular pulse. Symptoms of AF may include palpitations, chest pain or discomfort, shortness of breath, dizziness and fainting. However, many people with AF have no symptoms or vague non-specific symptoms.