Negri makes pre-marital HIV test a must for Muslims

The Star, 29 May 2007
SEREMBAN: From Friday, all Muslim couples getting married will have to undergo HIV tests in government clinics, Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said.

“We want the couples to be free of any problem that can affect their family relationship,” he said.

He said HIV and AIDS were among the top five diseases reported in the state, with 109 new cases reported last year but many cases went unreported because the victims had not gone for health checks. Mohamad said 80% of the 1,300 Muslim couples who attended pre-marital courses last year were supportive of the tests to stem the spread of HIV/AIDS. “This shows that prospective brides and grooms accept the idea and are conscious of their health,” he said when contacted.

Johor was the first to implement the ruling in 2001 before other states followed suit.

“We will offer counselling and advice to those with HIV/AIDS to make them change their lifestyle,” he said. Mohamad said that in the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) report, it was stated that Malaysia had achieved all development targets except that of overcoming the HIV/AIDS issue. “Malaysia is among the countries which are not free from HIV and AIDS due to the problems of drug misuse and the practice of free sex,” he said. Mohamad said statistics from the Health Ministry’s AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases division showed that 70,559 HIV cases were reported between 1986 and December 2005. Some 10,663 patients had developed AIDS, of which 8,179 died.

Editorial: Getting real with AIDS

New Straits Times, 22 May 2007

MORAL dilemmas are hard to grapple with when they arise as a consequence of a scourge as deadly as AIDS.

Consider the qualified success of the needle and syringe exchange programme introduced last year as a means of cutting down the incidence of HIV/AIDS infections spreading through the contaminated paraphernalia of drug abuse. This was an instance of "realism" taking precedence over the morally repugnant notion of helping drug addicts remain addicts, only with cleaner equipment, which too many of them took only to exchange among themselves as before. Now comes the question of condoms: To promote, or not to promote?

A quarter-century after AIDS raised its ugly head, the facts are incontrovertible: The single most effective measure against infection, other than sexual abstinence or congress only within a proper monogamous relationship, is condom use. Yet, many countries, other than ours, have wrestled with the dilemma of whether or not to encourage prophylactic use among young people by, say, installing condom vending machines in school or college lavatories. While national administrations dithered in hand-wringing anguish, infection rates inexorably climbed.

Today, some 2.3 million children under 15 are infected with HIV worldwide, with more than half-a-million infected last year alone. In this country, 38 per cent of the more than 73,000 HIV cases are between the ages of 13 and 29. Children under 15 and young people between 15 and 24 account for half of all new HIV infections, and the mother-to-child transmission rate rose from 0.2 per cent in 1991 to 1.2 per cent in 2005. Yet, too many newly infected people ruefully admit to having had the mistaken notion that HIV was a risk faced only by intravenous drug users, sex workers and the promiscuous.

Still, the government is loath to openly sanction condom use among youth, in view of the thin ice it would have to tread on religious sensibilities and cultural sensitivities. This is understandable.
But why should governments be expected to take charge of everything to do with life and death in any given nation? Here in Malaysia, such NGOs as the Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC) have done sterling work in expanding awareness and disseminating information and assistance to HIV/AIDS sufferers and their families, while actively pursuing preventive strategies especially among the young.

Let the MAC and other concerned organisations shoulder the task of promoting condom use, freeing the higher national authorities to uphold the ideals of clean and moral living, while social activism takes on the hard realities of modern life.

CONDOM SNAG : Tough task of promoting condom use goes to NGOs

New Straits Times, 21 May 2007, Shamini Darshni

KUALA LUMPUR: The debate on whether the government will lead the campaign to promote the use of condoms to fight HIV/AIDS may be over. Health Ministry deputy director Dr Jalal Halil Khalil said the job had been handed over to non-governmental organisations like the Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC) through its 37 affiliates.

He said the government could not be seen to be the agent advocating the use of condoms as this could be misinterpreted. "We realise that we are an Islamic country and we have to do things carefully," he told a press conference yesterday in conjunction with the International AIDS Memorial Day (IAMD).

"That is why we have given this duty to non-governmental organisations like the Malaysian AIDS Council."
Dr Jalal, of the AIDS/STD unit, said the ministry and the government were concerned about the rising number of people being infected every year. "Of course, we are worried. If not, we would not be working hard. We will not give up. We will continue to educate." Seventy per cent of the nearly 75,000 people with HIV/AIDS are Injecting Drug Users (IDUs).

Existing efforts to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS has so far been targeted at IDUs, sex workers and homosexuals. However, the steady rise of HIV/AIDS among sexually-active heterosexuals, not only among marginalised communities but also among the public, is worrying the government and NGOs. Dr Jalal said the government understood that condoms were the answer to preventing HIV transmission among marginal- ised groups like sex workers, IDUs and the public.

Citing the needle and syringe exchange programme (NSEP) introduced last year, Dr Jalal said needles and syringes were also handed out through NGOs. The NSEP falls under the National Strategic Plan on the Control and Prevention of HIV/AIDS, on which the ministry has spent RM27 million.

"The important thing is to prevent HIV/AIDS from spreading. We have to give enough information to all levels of society. But changing knowledge to behaviour is not easy." Malaysian AIDS Foundation trustee Datuk Zaman Khan, while agreeing the use of condoms was the best method of controlling HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, said abstinence was still the best option.

"There are so many taboos in this country. Not a single religion on earth encourages people to have intercourse before marriage but in reality, it happens. "I am not trying to encourage heterosexual practices but the truth is one way to stop HIV from spreading is by the use of condoms. The problem we have is about how to promote their use."

MAC president Prof Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman said promoting the use of condoms had been a challenge over the past 20 years. "Delaying sexual practices and having monogamous relationships are ideals but these do not necessarily happen in real life. We have to match that with pragmatism." Surveys, she said, had shown that Malaysians were having sex at a young age but many were not protecting themselves. Asked how the taboo associated with condoms could be broken, she said: "I wish I knew a simple way, but there isn’t one.

"We know what works and we have to get people to realise that they have to protect themselves. For those who are against condom promotion, it’s about protecting public health and educating the young. "It does not mean that with condom promotion we are going to stand at every street corner and shout ‘condoms’ or have a condom parade. "Those things are not in keeping with our culture, but it does mean that we have to educate people about risks."

IAMD is observed worldwide on the third Sunday in May to remember those who lost their lives to AIDS.

Earlier, HIV-positive persons and representatives from margi- nalised communities, NGOs and the government, released 21 doves to represent the 21 years HIV/AIDS has been in the country.

The two MPs and the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Caucus on Gender Equality

Like many Malaysians, I too was appalled, yet not surprised, at the recent vulgar innuendoes uttered by the two Members of Parliament, Bung Mokhtar Radin and Mohd Said Yusof. These two individuals whose many past antics in and out of Parliament have included spouting out sexist and racist remarks and allegedly being involved in corrupt practices, continue to be a stain and disgrace on the honour and integrity of the Parliament of Malaysia. That they will continue to be unrepentant (the recent apology was probably painfully extracted under pressure from the political leadership) and are likely to repeat their childish and chauvinistic behaviour despite the uproar of the recent controversy, is also not surprising and is probably expected on the basis of past similar performances. That they continue to represent the Barisan National despite everything they have said and done, is a disgrace to the coalition and should be treated as such.

It is time for our Prime Minister to call these two to account for their behaviour. Least he forget, the rakyat is best served in Parliament by those who are the best that we can find and who appreciate and value the virtues of respect, honour, integrity and honesty. We should not resort to retain those who are clearly disdainful of these values and who continue to represent and perpetuate a culture of impunity. As a rakyat of this country and a voter, I call on the Prime Minister to suspend these two individuals, to drop them from the coming elections, and demonstrate to other Parliamentarians the need to be accountable for what they say and do. If you or the Deputy Prime Minister as the Government Whip are able to punish BN MPs who vote against or abstain from supporting government sponsored bills, surely this requires very little effort. This continued culture of impunity in Parliament whether on issues of gender chauvinism or corruption, must end.

I was also appalled to note the lack of support to Fong Po Kuan by the chairperson of the Parliamentary Caucus on Gender Equality, Rozaidah Talib. She is obviously unworthy of the role and responsibility entrusted in the position of the Parliamentary Caucus chair. Rather than supporting the effort to censure the duo, she instead placed the blame on Fong and the opposition benches whom she stated were becoming too emotional and restrained herself from wanting to “blow the matter out of proportion”. Ms. Rozaidah should be reminded that gender equality is more than just having a seat at the table, it involves obtaining the respect of all regardless of gender. Who else should play a major role in creating this environment and preventing the reoccurrence of such incidences in Parliament if not the Caucus chair. I call on Ms. Rozaidah Talib to resign from the position of chairperson of the Parliamentary Caucus on Gender Equality, as she would no longer inspire confidence, credibility and integrity in the protection of this issue.

Closure? Not so fast..

Like many Malaysians, I too was appalled, yet not surprised, at the recent vulgar innuendoes uttered by the two Members of Parliament, Bung Mokhtar Radin and Mohd Said Yusof. These two individuals whose many past antics in and out of Parliament have included spouting out sexist and racist remarks and allegedly being involved in corrupt practices, continue to be a stain and disgrace on the honour and integrity of the Parliament of Malaysia. That they will continue to be unrepentant (the recent apology was probably painfully extracted under pressure from the political leadership) and are likely to repeat their childish and chauvinistic behaviour despite the uproar of the recent controversy, is also not surprising and is probably expected on the basis of past similar performances. That they continue to represent the Barisan National despite everything they have said and done, is a disgrace to the coalition and should be treated as such.

It is time for our Prime Minister to call these two to account for their behaviour. Least he forget, the rakyat is best served in Parliament by those who are the best that we can find and who appreciate and value the virtues of respect, honour, integrity and honesty. We should not resort to retain those who are clearly disdainful of these values and who continue to represent and perpetuate a culture of impunity. As a rakyat of this country and a voter, I call on the Prime Minister to suspend these two individuals, to drop them from the coming elections, and demonstrate to other Parliamentarians the need to be accountable for what they say and do. If you or the Deputy Prime Minister as the Government Whip are able to punish BN MPs who vote against or abstain from supporting government sponsored bills, surely this requires very little effort. This continued culture of impunity in Parliament whether on issues of gender chauvinism or corruption, must end.

I was also appalled to note the lack of support to Fong Po Kuan by the chairperson of the Parliamentary Caucus on Gender Equality, Rozaidah Talib. She is obviously unworthy of the role and responsibility entrusted in the position of the Parliamentary Caucus chair. Rather than supporting the effort to censure the duo, she instead placed the blame on Fong and the opposition benches whom she stated were becoming too emotional and restrained herself from wanting to “blow the matter out of proportion”. Ms. Rozaidah should be reminded that gender equality is more than just having a seat at the table, it involves obtaining the respect of all regardless of gender. Who else should play a major role in creating this environment and preventing the reoccurrence of such incidences in Parliament if not the Caucus chair. I call on Ms. Rozaidah Talib to resign from the position of chairperson of the Parliamentary Caucus on Gender Equality, as she would no longer inspire confidence, credibility and integrity in the protection of this issue.

Seks rambang semakin menular

Berita Harian, 13 May 2007, Hafizah Iszahanid

PERKONGSIAN jarum suntikan di kalangan penagih dadah masih menjadi faktor utama punca HIV di Malaysia. Buktinya berdasarkan statistik pada 2005 menunjukkan 49.3 peratus kes Aids dan 66.0 peratus HIV di negara ini berpunca daripada penyalahgunaan dadah.

Bagaimanapun, dengan gaya hidup gay yang seakan menjadi sebahagian budaya hidup lelaki di kota dan kisah ‘kenduri seks’ yang menjadi paparan muka depan akhbar, adakah seks masih dianggap taboo? Ini dibuktikan dengan peningkatan kes HIV/Aids membabitkan golongan homoseksual, biseksual dan heteroseksual daripada 7.4 peratus pada 1995 kepada 25.6 peratus pada tahun lalu.

Itu belum diambil kira kisah habuan seks mat dan minah rempit, ‘parti anak VIP’ dan sebagainya yang tajuk sensasi akhbar sepanjang 2006. Adakah mereka ini tahu mengenai seks selamat? Paling penting, adakah mereka mengamalkan seks selamat? Statistik yang dikeluarkan Kementerian Kesihatan menunjukkan di Malaysia satu kes HIV terjadi dalam setiap 90 minit. Ia bermaksud 17 jangkitan sehari. Jika 365 hari, 6,205 kes dicatat pada setiap hujung tahun.

Ketua Penolong Pengarah dan Pakar Perubatan (Kesihatan Awam), Dr Mohd Nasir Abd Aziz, berkata pada 2005, 6,120 kes baru dicatatkan dengan 73.2 peratus membabitkan belia berusia antara 20 hingga 39 tahun. “Kaum Melayu mencatatkan kes jangkitan HIV/Aids paling tinggi dengan 53,272 kes dalam tempoh 20 tahun sejak 1986 hingga 2006 diikuti Cina (10,768 kes), India (5,966 kes) dan warga asing (2,339 kes) dan lain-lain 1,082 kes pada tempoh sama,” katanya.

Presiden Majlis Aids Malaysia (MAM), Profesor Adeeba Kamarulzaman, berkata isu Melayu sebagai pembawa HIV/Aids tertinggi bukan isu baru. Beliau berkata, dari dulu orang Melayu memang mengungguli carta, mungkin disebabkan majoriti penduduk Malaysia adalah Melayu. Begitupun, kebanyakan kes dikaitkan dengan faktor penagih dadah dan perkongsian jarum suntikan.

Malah, Pertubuhan Kesihatan Sedunia pada 2004 melaporkan antara 31 hingga 41 peratus kes jangkitan HIV disebabkan perkongsian jarum dikesan di Kelantan dan Terengganu. Bagaimanapun, ia seimbang dengan penahanan 39,000 penagih dadah pada tahun sama yang menjelaskan, tindakan bersungguh-sungguh kerajaan membanteras penyalahgunaan dadah. Begitupun, faktor perkongsian jarum suntikan kini bersaing dengan faktor seks tidak selamat dan seks sesama lelaki.

Menurut laporan WHO, di kalangan negara Asia, kes jangkitan HIV tertinggi dikesan di Asia Tenggara dengan kombinasi penggunaan jarum suntikan, seks tidak selamat dan seks sesama lelaki menjadi faktor penyumbang. Ia mungkin boleh menjelaskan peningkatan jangkitan HIV di kalangan golongan muda berusia antara 20 hingga 29 tahun sebanyak 35.3 peratus.

Anehnya, dalam peningkatan kes HIV di kalangan orang muda Malaysia, di negara seperti Botswana, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania dan Zimbabwe, dibuktikan adanya penurunan antara 2000 hingga 2005. Mohd Nasir tidak menafikan hakikat itu, malah katanya, kini ia mungkin lebih hebat kerana tidak terbatas kepada faktor homoseksual tetapi turut membabitkan kes heteroseksual.

“Dulu HIV/Aids banyak dikaitkan dengan aktiviti homoseksual, tetapi kini kes membabitkan heteroseksual semakin tinggi dengan kebanyakan HIV dijangkiti daripada isteri yang mana 12 peratus wanita menghidap HIV/Aids,” katanya. Adeeba juga tidak menafikan peningkatan kes HIV/Aids di Malaysia ketika ini adalah gabungan faktor seks tidak selamat, seks sesama lelaki dan perkongsian jarum suntikan. Bagaimanapun, jika diikutkan, kempen mengenai seks selamat sudah dibuat sejak awal penubuhan MAM. Malah, satu ketika kempen seks selamat seakan menenggelamkan faktor sebenar jangkitan HIV/Aids di Malaysia. (perkongsian jarum suntikan).

Malangnya, ia seperti tidak memberi kesan kepada penduduk Malaysia. Adakah mesej MAM tidak sampai kepada sasarannya? Mungkin juga kerana WHO ada melaporkan di kebanyakan negara, maklumat mengenai seks selamat dan HIV tidak sampai. Masing-masing menganggap risiko seks tidak selamat sebagai ‘risiko peribadi’. Malah, di negara yang mencatatkan kes HIV tertinggi seperti Swaziland dan Afrika Selatan, sekumpulan besar penduduk tidak percaya mereka berisiko tinggi untuk dijangkiti HIV.

Mengikut statistik yang dikeluarkan UNAIDS/WHO pada 2006, dianggarkan 39.5 juta penduduk dunia adalah pesakit Aids. Pada tahun yang sama, 4.3 juta jangkitan dikesan dengan 65 peratus kes terjadi di sub-sahara Afrika selain wujudnya peningkatan kes di Timur Eropah dan Asia Tengah. Menurut WHO, peningkatan di Timur Eropah dan Asia Tengah adalah sebanyak 50 peratus sejak 2004. Tahun lalu, 2.9 juta orang mati kerana penyakit berkaitan Aids. Dalam laporan WHO juga menyebut, peningkatan kes HIV turut dipengaruhi faktor penularan budaya gay di China, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam dan negara Amerika Latin.

Mohd Nasir berkata, peningkatan ketara kes HIV/Aids yang dicatatkan setiap tahun amat membimbangkan, malah lebih menyedihkan apabila 500,000 kanak-kanak di bawah umur 15 tahun dilaporkan dijangkiti virus itu. "Daripada jumlah itu, sebanyak 380,000 kes kematian membabitkan kanak-kanak yang kebanyakannya dijangkiti daripada ibu bapa,” katanya.

Pada 2005, WHO melaporkan di Malaysia, seramai 8,189 kanak-kanak di bawah 17 tahun kehilangan ibu atau bapa atau kedua-duanya disebabkan Aids. Pelbagai usaha dilakukan kerajaan mengurangkan kadar jangkitan HIV/Aids di negara ini termasuk kempen dan program mendidik masyarakat mengenai bahaya penyakit. Antaranya menganjurkan acara tahunan Hari Aids Sedunia serta jambori dan Konvensyen Program Sihat Tanpa Aids Untuk Remaja (Prostar).

Malah, sejumlah RM25 juta diluluskan sebagai peruntukan tambahan bagi menjalankan kempen dan program kesedaran bahaya HIV/Aids di kalangan rakyat. Program Pengurangan Kemudaratan yang diumumkan tahun lalu diharap berupaya mengurangkan statistik jangkitan di kalangan penagih dadah selepas program terapi methadone dan pertukaran jarum dibuat. Begitupun, jika hanya pihak pemerintah berusaha tetapi tuan punya badan masih bertindak sesuka hati dan sesedap rasa atas dasar ‘hidup ini aku yang punya’ tidak mustahil Malaysia akan menjadi negara pembawa HIV dan penghidap Aids utama di Asia.