Image for postWe are in the midst of an environmental and social crisis. That might sound alarmist, but recent events have proven this to be an inconvenient truth.

As the world’s population continues to grow to reach 10 billion people by 2050, governments and businesses will need to find drastically different ways to make the food, products and resources we rely on to live.

We speak about the environmental and social challenges we face related to the climate crisis and inequality in our first posting of this publication, A sustainable post COVID-19 economic recovery: how the facts show us there is no other option.

Faced with this new reality, what can we do to create the systemic shift required to create a more sustainable and equitable society? And which factors can play a role in pushing companies in particular to take responsibility for their corporate footprints?

In other words, which drivers can encourage companies to consider their impact on both people and the planet as an intrinsic part of their operations?

The economic and social fallout from COVID-19 has accelerated scrutiny and debate about what stakeholder capitalism means in practice for company decisions and actions. A growing number of investors are viewing environmental and social risks as financial risks, and are pushing companies to consider them.

WITH a swipe of your finger, your order of pizza, fried chicken and burgers will be at your doorstep within minutes. There is no need to get into your car, drive to your favourite restaurant, find a parking spot, spend another 15 minutes getting your order through before finally getting your meal.The proliferation of mobile delivery applications has made it super simple to order a meal. The flip-side to this means that we have truly become a nation of couch potatoes.But it is a win-win situation for the restaurants as well as online delivery companies.The restaurant increases sales while the delivery company gets a percentage. It is even simpler with large fast-food chains who cut out the middleman by employing their own delivery service and dealing directly with the customer.The sheer number of food delivery apps available here is mind-boggling. I counted 11 of them, including popular ones like GrabFood, dahmakan, Delivereat and Foodpanda. And more and more companies are getting on the bandwagon. But have you stopped to think about how your meal gets delivered to you?

The demand for these services has seen a spike in the number of delivery riders on Malaysian roads. They are literally everywhere.You would not have failed to notice them, with their bright green or pink or prominent fast-food logo delivery bags fastened to their back seats.We appreciate the services rendered by these delivery riders, rain or shine, to get our food to our doorsteps. But the risks they take while doing their job is very worrying.A friend recently sent me a viral video of a delivery rider beating a red light and getting hit by an oncoming vehicle in Damansara Perdana. Actually, there are a few such viral videos out there. I have also had two close calls with these motorcyclists.The most recent happened last week in my neighbourhood. The rider in front of me, slowed down, sped up and then swerved to the right. As this happened about 10m in front of me, I had a first-hand look at the motorcycle rider, even as I tried to stop myself from colliding with him. The rider was checking his handphone with one hand while manoeuvring his bike with the other.

The reasons for road traffic accidents are multiple and include rapid urbanisation, poor safety standards, lack of enforcement, people driving distracted or fatigued, influence of psychoactive drugs and alcohol, speeding, and failure to wear seat belts or helmets.

Malaysian data

Malaysia has the third highest fatality rate from road traffic accidents in Asia and Asean, behind Thailand and Vietnam.These fatality rates are similar to that of some African countries.By comparison, the fatality rates in developed countries are all in single digits.Transport accidents (5.4%) were the fourth most common cause of death in Malaysia in 2016, behind ischaemic heart disease (13.2%), pneumonia (12.5%) and cerebrovascular disease (6.9%).It was the third most common cause of death among men behind ischaemic heart disease and pneumonia, according to the Department of Statistics.There has been no change in the Malaysian fatality rates since 2007.The Global Status Report on Road Safety published by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank in December 2018 reported that Malaysia had 7,152 deaths in 2016, of which 87% were males and 13% females.In the same year, there were 27,613,120 registered vehicles, comprising 13,123,638 cars and four-wheeled light vehicles, 12,677,041 motorised two and three wheelers, 1,191,310 heavy trucks, 59,977 buses and 561,154 other vehicles.

DUNIA kini memasuki Revolusi Digital atau Revolusi Industri 4.0. Penggunaan Internet (IoT), data besar (big data), pangkalan data awan (cloud computering), blockchain dan lain-lain pastinya akan mengubah corak kehidupan manusia.Sistem pendidikan negara sebagai contohnya, pelajar kini dapat mencari maklumat melalui internet untuk menyelesaikan tugasan sekolah mereka.Di kawasan bandar kini, kerja-kerja sekolah pelajar telah mula disimpan di sistem awan dan ia membolehkan alat menggantikan ibu bapa dan guru.Ia memungkinkan pendidikan lebih berkualiti ditawarkan apabila ibu bapa yang tidak memiliki taraf pendidikan tinggi bagi membimbing anak-anak mereka untuk belajar begitu juga di kawasan suar mendapatkan guru.Pada masa akan datang, tidak mustahil pembelajaran dan pengajaran pelajar boleh menjadi fungsi syarikat-syarikat penyedia perkhidmatan digital juga.Selain berada di sekolah, kanak-kanak boleh menikmati proses pembelajaran dan pengajaran yang lebih fleksibel di mana sahaja.

Sekarang sebahagian besar rakyat Malaysia adalah pengguna internet dan sebahagian besar melayarinya melalui telefon bimbit.Masyarakat kini lebih cenderung dihubungkan melalui media digital dalam menjalani urusan seharian seperti membeli-belah, membuat bayaran perkhidmatan termasuk juga mengulang kaji pelajaran.Sejumlah besar daripada golongan itu ialah orang muda yang suka dihubungkan dan berkomunikasi. Mereka juga suka kepada perubahan serta kelainan.Kebanyakan adalah generasi baharu yang mengalami peralihan dalam gaya hidup lama kepada tradisi baharu.

KUANTAN: Fuziah Salleh has slammed a news report which states that rare earth materials producer Lynas has successfully found commercial applications for its water leach purification (WLP) residue.The Kuantan MP, who is a staunch opponent of Lynas, said the report in an English language daily – besides deviating from fact – was irresponsible."Lynas must accept the fact that the Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister has already issued a statement that research involving WLP, which is radioactive waste from the Lynas plant, cannot proceed."It must be sent back to its country of origin before the expiration of Lynas' operating licence in September."The executive review committee recommended that studies into recycling the neutralisation underflow residue can continue without involving WLP.

"Because the Condisoil (a type of fertiliser) contains WLP, any further activity in the form of research or potential use can no longer be continued," Fuziah said on Wednesday (March 6).The report said the Condisoil had been tested and found to be safe to use in soil, water, plant tissue and rice grain.The report also claimed that it could have a significant impact on Lynas' licensing conditions because if the WLP had commercial use, there would no longer be a reason to export the waste out of the country.Fuziah, who is a Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, also called out Lynas for not addressing the WLP waste issue previously, and said that the company probably thought people would continue believing their communication strategy."It is as if the radioactive waste does not exist .

BANGI: Kerajaan akan mencadangkan satu indeks pengukur kos sara hidup bagi menentukan kenaikan gaji lebih munasabah.Menteri Kewangan, Lim Guan Eng, berkata kaedah pengukuran menerusi Indeks Harga Pengguna (IHP) yang diguna pakai pada masa ini tidak mencukupi untuk menentukan kenaikan gaji sebenar yang diperlukan rakyat."Kita memerlukan satu indeks pengukur lain untuk menunjukkan peningkatan kos sara hidup yang berbeza, bukannya seperti IHP yang mana memasukkan semua perkara."Saya akan mencadangkan perkara ini kepada Bank Negara Malaysia atau mungkin Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja (KWSP) untuk mengadakan satu perbandingan dan model berhubung cadangan indeks berkenaan.

"Dengan adanya kayu ukur atau indeks sedemikian, kita boleh kongsikan kepada setiap majikan di negara ini, yang mana ia bermanfaat kepada pekerja" katanya ketika berucap pada pelancaran 'Belanjawanku' - Panduan Perbelanjaan Untuk Individu & Keluarga di Malaysia, di sini, hari ini.Hadir sama, Pengerusi Lembaga Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja (KWSP), Tan Sri Samsudin Osman.Beliau berkata, indeks berkenaan akan menentukan kenaikan gaji pekerja dan boleh dijadikan titik rujukan lebih tepat, adil dan saksama untuk 15 juta pekerja di Malaysia."Menerusi indeks itu, ia juga membantu kita mencapai aspirasi untuk satu kadar gaji yang membolehkan seseorang menyertai aktiviti masyarakat dan keperluan kehidupan mereka," katanya.Malaysia mencatatkan kadar inflasi yang rendah iaitu 0.7 peratus pada Januari 2019 dan kos sara hidup masih lagi membebankan sesetengah golongan masyarakat.

Mengulas mengenai pelancaran itu, Guan Eng berkata, berdasarkan kajian S&P Global Literacy Financial pada 2014 melaporkan tahap kecelikan kewangan di Malaysia hanya berada pada tahap 36 peratus berbanding sekitar 59 peratus di negara maju."Kadar kecelikan kewangan yang rendah antara faktor menyumbang kepada tahap keberhutangan tinggi serta masalah kebankrapan yang membimbangkan di kalangan belia."Antara 2013 dan 2017, 100,610 rakyat Malaysia diisytiharkan muflis, dan 60 peratus daripada mereka berusia dari 18 hingga 44 tahun," katanya.

Justeru katanya, panduan Belanjawanku memudahkan orang ramai memahami corak perbelanjaan dan penggunaan isi rumah yang mungkin kompleks."Belanjawanku juga boleh membantu kita memahami kuasa membeli serta pemarkahan kredit peribadi dengan mendalam."Bagi pembuat dasar pula, ia boleh dijadikan panduan untuk mengkaji garis kemiskinan sambil mereka mekanisme bantuan pendapatan bagi membantu golongan memerlukan," katanya.

KUALA LUMPUR, 5 Mac (Bernama) -- Pengumuman mengenai peralihan siaran analog ke digital dijangka dibuat pada suku kedua 2019, kata Menteri Komunikasi dan Multimedia Gobind Singh Deo.Katanya, kerajaan telah berbincang dengan pihak berkepentingan di negara ini selain negara serantau yang telah melaksanakan siaran digital di negara masing-masing."Kerajaan Malaysia kini dalam proses migrasi analog ke digital. Saya harap bahawa bulan April atau pertengahan tahun kita boleh umumkan bahawa kita akan terus ke era digital."Peralihan ini akan menaik taraf kualiti perkhidmatan penyiaran yang diberikan kepada rakyat dan kita boleh wujudkan sistem OTT (Over-the-Top), iaitu pengguna boleh menonton program kesukaan mereka bila-bila masa dan bukan macam zaman dahulu yang memerlukan kita menunggu waktu siaran," katanya kepada pemberita selepas merasmikan Simposium Penyiaran Digital Persatuan Penyiaran Asia Pasifik ke-15 (ABU) 2019 di sini, hari ini.

Katanya, berdasarkan perbincangan yang diadakan sebelum ini, keperluan untuk menaik taraf sistem analog ke digital akan dilakukan secara berperingkat namun berharap keputusan mutakhir dapat dicapai dalam masa terdekat."Ada kemungkinan ia perlu dilakukan secara berperingkat, namun bagi saya kita harus memulakan usaha tanpa berdolak-dalih. Usaha perlu dilaksana untuk pastikan kita memulakannya (siaran) dan saya harap keputusan dapat dicapai agar kita maju ke hadapan," katanya.Terdahulu ketika berucap, Gobind berkata pertubuhan penyiaran dan media perlu segera melaksanakan penyelesaian digital dan melakukan transformasi diri untuk kekal relevan serta bersaing dengan kalangan gergasi teknologi seperti Netflix dan Amazon.

KUALA LUMPUR 20 FEB. - INDEKS Harga Pengguna (IHP) Malaysia pada Janua­ri dijangka turun buat kali pertama dalam tempoh 10 tahun didorong oleh penurunan harga minyak domestik, me­nu­rut laporan The Edge Market yang memetik tinjauan Reuters.Menurut 13 pakar ekonomi yang ditinjau, IHP Januari diunjurkan turun 0.2 peratus berbanding 0.1 peratus yang direkodkan pada November 2009.Bagaimanapun, menurut Pengurus Pembangunan Perniagaan Putra Business School (PBS), Prof. Madya Dr. Ahmed Razman Abdul Latiff, unjuran itu tidak banyak memberi ke­san kepada rakyat Malaysia dari sudut harga barang dan kuasa beli pengguna.

Jelas beliau, jika merujuk kepada data IHP harga bara­ngan makanan dan minuman, ia telah naik melebihi 30 peratus sejak 2010 iaitu dalam tempoh lapan tahun.“Ini bermakna penurunan tersebut adalah minimum berbanding kenaikan harga makanan dan minuman serta bersifat sementara memandangkan harga minyak kini mulai meningkat dan ter­tinggi sejak empat bulan lalu,” katanya kepada Utusan Malaysia di sini hari ini.Tambah Ahmed Razman, paling penting adalah memahami punca sebenar kenapa harga barangan meningkat dan ia bukan disebabkan kesan harga komoditi atau jenis cukai yang dikenakan semata-mata.Katanya, punca utama adalah disebabkan lambakan kredit yang dihasilkan oleh bank komersial melalui pemberian pinjaman kepada syarikat mahupun individu.“Antara langkah yang boleh dilakukan oleh pihak kerajaan adalah memupuk sikap untuk tidak berhutang dalam kala­ngan rakyat. Selain itu, lambakan kredit juga boleh dikawal dengan mengambil alih fungsi pemberian pinjaman,” jelas­nya.

  1. Media literacy is critical
  2. Going beyond fibre for internet throughout Malaysia
  3. Cadangan kajian kerajaan untuk menjadikan sekolah mandatori sehingga SPM – Nasional
  4. The cost of cheap shopping
  5. Higher water tariff in Terengganu on the cards
  6. Kerajaan Pulau Pinang mahu kurangkan subsidi air
  7. Kemahuan ikut kemampuan
  8. Chikungunya landa Hatyai, Perlis ambil langkah berjaga-jaga
  9. Food wastage leads to climate change
  10. IMPROVE OUR WATER MANAGEMENT FOR ALL MALAYSIANS