Aam june july2016 final by klamerican

PP 4353/05/2013 (033269)

June/July 2016

american

A Publication of the American Association of Malaysia KL American June/July 2016

Extra care comes as standard The support you need to make relocating more successful for the whole family.

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KL American June/July 2016

Crown’s service offerings include: • • • • • •

International & Domestic Shipments Transit Protection Immigration & Legalization School Search Settling-in Services Intercultural Support

Tel: +60 3 5636 9166 kualalumpur@crownrelo.com

Contents AAM June/July 2016 Advertisers Index Advertisers

(A-Z)

Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Message

Page

Asian Tigers Transpo

Back Cover

Crown Relocations

Inside Front Cover

Eastern Carpets

Inside Back Cover

EVA Air

p.26

Heaven Resort

p.21

Hop On / Hop Off

p.23

Tan & Tan

p.13

The Expat

p.19

RSDHC

p.12, 29 & 30

Tropicana Medical Centre

p.22

5 6

Weekly/Monthly Activities

June/July Activities

10 - 11

Featured Article Similarity

14 - 20

Retro Night Annual Ball

27 28

AAM Messages

AAM Community Bulletin Board

29 30

Cover photo by Janson Lois Concept

Membership

AAM Calendar / June AAM Calendar / July

14 KL American June/July 2016

President’s Message

Board of Directors President Peggy Uptigrove President.aam@gmail.com Vice President Ann Blacklock FirstVP.aam@gmail.com Sum, Sum, Summertime! Here we are – June & July and I’m sure everyone is looking forward to the lazy days of summer. When I think back to being a school aged girl and summer break from school, I think about how long summer seemed to last – 2 ½ whole months and I was always excited for school to start again. Then I had two daughters of my own, summer still seemed to last forever and I was still excited for school to start again – this time for other reasons. Now that my children are adults, I WANT summer to last forever. Funny how that comes full circle. If you are planning to stay around Kuala Lumpur for the summer, please make plans to join us for our member only event on the 3rd of July. We will be doing an old fashioned backyard BBQ to celebrate the 240th anniversary of the Independence of the United States. See the details for this event inside. Where ever your travels take you, I truly hope you have a great summer, making memories with family and having fun in the sun.

Peggy Uptigrove President

Secretary Brenda Miller Secretary1.aam@gmail.com Treasurer Lesia Puri Treasurer.aam@gmail.com Publications Director VACANT Editor.KLAmerican@gmail.com Major Events Director Jamie Abbott Majoreventsdir.aam@gmail.com Membership Director Wendy Frazer Membershipdirector.aam@gmail.com

Liaison Directors American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce Stephanie Chua ISKL Hilda Alposilva US Embassy Alyssa Calabrese Kelli Baker

Corporate Partners For 2016

Event Sponsors for 2016

KL American June/July 2016

Membership

AAM is making changes to the Membership Renewal Process:

American

In an effort to keep a more accurate record of our current membership and provide better support to our members, the AAM Board has made the decision to switch to an annual renewal effective January 1st, 2017. The changes to our current membership will be implemented this year so that we have a smooth transition starting in 2017.

Magazine Team

Editor VACANT Photo Editors Judy Pescio Randee Duncan

For our current members: Your membership renewal will be pro-rated for the remainder of this year according to quarters.

Contributors Debz Rafferty Mary Ho

If your membership expires before June 30th you will pay RM159 inclusive of GST. If your membership expires between July 1 – September 30th you will pay RM106 inclusive of GST. If your membership expires between October 1 – December 31st you will pay RM53 inclusive of GST.

Proof Reader Samantha Urwin Editorial Support Peggy Uptigrove Designer Yap Wai Kuan Advertising Sales Tel: (03) 2161-9008 / 9009 Printer Seng Hoe Printing Process 33, Jalan Hang Tuah 2 Taman Salak Selatan 57100 Kuala Lumpur Tel/Fax: (03) 8941-7603 Publisher American Association of Malaysia The KLAmerican is published 10 times per year. The deadline for inclusion is at least six weeks prior to publication, which is the 1st of the month. Advertising for non-profit organizations is free-of-charge on a space-available basis. The magazine staff reserves the right to edit copy for clarity, brevity, and accuracy. Information on AAM members is not to be used commercially.

For our new members: Joining between 1 January – 30 June you will pay RM212 (inclusive of GST). Joining between 1 July – 31 December you will pay RM106 (inclusive of GST). Every one will be reminded in December to renew your membership and it will be effective for the entire calendar year of 2017 and every subsequent year thereafter. We thank you for your continued support.

Wendy Frazer Membership Director

“Selamat Datang ke AAM!” to our new members for April:

Reproduction, in whole or in part, without written permission, is strictly prohibited.

American Association of Malaysia Unit 19-1, 19th Floor, Tower B The Troika, 19 Persiaran KLCC 50450 Kuala Lumpur GPS Coordinates: N3° 9’ 28.899” E101° 42’ 58.217”

Stokes, Liz Tel: (03) 2161-9008 / 9009 Fax: (03) 2181-7005 E-mail: klamerican.info@gmail.com Website: www.klamerican.com

OFFICE HOURS Monday – Wednesday 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Closed Thursday - Sunday and public holidays

KL American June/July 2016

Weekly Activities All activities are at the AAM Villa @ The Troika unless noted.

MONDAY

WEDNESDAY

The Mahjong group will meet for the first three weeks of June and then will take a break for the last week of June and the entire month of July. The group will resume regular Monday meetings starting 1 August.

New and seasoned sewing enthusiasts work together to share their love of the stitching arts. We meet at the AAM Villa @ The Troika. Please contact Coordinator, Jeanie Kennedy at jhkennedyuk@yahoo.co.uk for details. Please be sure to put “Stitching Friends” in the subject line.

Mahjong 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Members Free / Non-Members are welcome for a nominal fee. (The first two visits are complimentary)

Stitching Friends 10:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Members FREE / Non-Members RM10 donation (The first two visits are complimentary.)

Get rid of those Monday blues by playing a lively game of mahjong. We’ll shuffle the tiles, make ‘pungs’ and ‘kongs’, and enjoy the afternoon. Beginners are welcome. For more information, please email klamerican.info@gmail.com and include “Mahjong” in the subject line.

Monthly Activities Tuesday, 7 June and Tuesday, 5 July 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. St. Francis Xavier Home for the Elderly Taman Sri Bahtera, Batu Lima Cheras Tel: (03) 9131-1464 Wednesday, 1 June and Wednesday, 6 July 6:00 p.m. onwards Tapas Beer Bar, One Residency, 1 Jalan Nagasari

Bingo with Little Sisters of the Poor Join our monthly bingo game to help spread the joy at this home for the elderly! We will bring prizes for the winners. The bingo morning is one of the highlights of the month for the residents. Please email klamerican.info@gmail.com if you can join us or would like more information.

Gentlemen’s Night Out

Calling all Gentlemen!

For many of us getting out and socializing with other men folk can be difficult, with working all week and weekends reserved for family. Well, no more! There will be a ‘Gentlemen’s Night Out’ every first Wednesday of the month in the popular Changkat Bukit Bintang area. The format is entirely informal with the chance to sample some craft beers and great grub - and plenty of scope to move onto play some pool, darts or even just talk on manly matters! See you there! Stan RSVP: Useful but not needed. Email: drstanbrook@hotmail.com

Friday, 3 June and Friday, 1 July 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. Aseana Café Bar / KLCC Ground Floor, Park side of Suria Mall Cost: Individual

First Friday

For the summer months we are going to visit Aseana Café Bar in both June & July. It might become our regular meeting spot if they make really good coffee! Newcomers are welcome to join us here to connect to others that are new in the area and hopefully connect you to our Association and all the great things we do here at the AAM. Everybody welcome. RSVP: klamerican.info@gmail.com (not required but would be nice to know how many to expect).

KL American June/July 2016

June Activities Hop On Hop Off Night Tour Fresca Mexican Kitchen / Avenue K Tuesday, 14 June 11:45 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Fresca Mexican Kitchen & Bar Ground Level / Avenue K Cost: Individual This month, our lunch bunch is going to enjoy lunch – Mexican Style. We have chosen Fresca Mexican Kitchen at Avenue K for our June Lunch Bunch and we hope you can join us. Fresca (meaning ‘fresh or cool’) brings classic Mexican cuisine to Kuala Lumpur. The idea came about by two adventure seeking siblings who fell in love with Mexican food and the country’s passion for LaVida (life). They use only the freshest ingredients in all of their dishes and their corn tortillas are home-made and hand pressed the traditional way. If you have never been to Fresca and really enjoy Mexican cuisine, then we will see you there.

Saturday, 25 June 3:45 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Meeting at Malaysia Tourism Centre on Jalan Ampang (parking on-site) Cost: RM220 per person and RM150 for children Hop on our bus and take a relaxing night tour of Kuala Lumpur. Our friends over at Hop On Hop Off have put together a fun trip for us which includes stops at the City Gallery to see the KL City model which measures 40’ x 50’. Next is a drive by the KL Mosque on the way to the daunting 272 steps of the Batu Caves. After our stop at the caves, we will be treated to an authentic Malay dinner and show, and then up to the Observation Deck of the KL Tower to view the neon lights of the city at night and the spectacular views. Price includes all of this and the memories we will make as we tour around in comfort. RSVP: klamerican.info@gmail.com by Wednesday, 22 June

RSVP: klamerican.info@gmail.com by Friday, 10 June

July Activities

AAM 4th of July BBQ

Sunday, 3 July 4:00 – 9:00 p.m. 3rd Level / Poolside at The Troika Cost: Donation of Dog or Cat Food (bags of dry and/or cans). We will be donating our collection to support our local SPCA that is always in need of food. Min: 20 / Max: 60 This is a member only Appreciation BBQ hosted at the AAM so that our families can come together to share one of the most iconic American holidays. The AAM will provide BBQ’d beef burgers and hot dogs, beer and wine (soft drinks/water). Attending members are asked to sign up for side dishes or desserts when they email their RSVP’s for this event. Appetizers, Salads (tossed, pasta, potato), fruit / veggie platters, desserts (think Apple Pie!) Don’t delay – get your family signed up for this fun event and let’s celebrate the 240th Anniversary of America’s Independence together. RSVP: klamerican.info@gmail.com by Wednesday, 29 June and don’t forget to let us know what dish you will be bringing to share.

Looking Ahead… Be sure to mark these dates for activities in August: 02 August – BINGO at Little Sisters 03 August – Gentlemens Night Out 05 August – First Friday 09 August – Lunch Bunch KL American June/July 2016

SA VE THE DATE!! Celebrate the end of summer with the AAM Annual “Welcome Back” SHRIMP BOIL Date: Saturday, September 24th Time: 7:00 p.m. – Midnight (More information to follow!)

Your junk…is someone else’s treasure!!! Please drop off your once loved items and put a smile on someone’s face as they shop our huge White Elephant Sale. Take your gently used items to the AAM office (The Troika, Tower B, 19th Floor) any time during business hours between now and 19 October. All proceeds raised will go to our charities.

Christmas is Coming! Used Books Dust off those bookshelves and bring your used books, games and puzzles to the AAM. All proceeds raised will go to our charities.

KL American June/July 2016

The AAM Christmas Charity Bazaar is approaching and 2016 will be the 30th Anniversary of hosting this highly anticipated Bazaar. We have already starting to think about securing vendors, white elephant items and baked goods, which all come together for charity. We would like to make this years’ Bazaar the BIGGEST and BEST ever as we raise funds for the charities the AAM supports. If you are interested in getting involved or want more information, please email: Leslie Sjurseth at leslie.sjurseth@gmail.com.

Ladies Trip to Bali, Indonesia!

Calling all you ladies that are up for a whole lot of fun and adventure. This year we are putting together a fun filled trip to Bali! What could be better than Bali, beaches, and best girlfriends getting together for a few days to share a lot of laughs and making some really great memories along the way. Here are all the details: Trip Dates: Sunday 13 November – Thursday 17 November (Air fare is NOT included in the price listed below and you are responsible to make your own flight arrangements. Flights are currently running about $80USD return). Staying at our own private villa located on the southeast coast of Indonesia(near Ubud, Indonesia). Ubud offers Balinese massages galore, the Art Market, gorgeous white sand beaches, outdoor activities (rafting, tubing, treks through rice fields) to name a few. The Villa is located in the exclusive neighborhood of Anapuri Villas which is on Pabean Beach. Our villa has 6 bedrooms which allows for 12 guests, 6 bathrooms, private plunge pool, media room, fully equipped gym, indoor and outdoor dining areas, turn down and make up services, on-site security, manager, housekeeper, satellite T.V. in each room as well as Wifi throughout. We will also have our own private chef that will shop for and prepare our meals for us – the chef is included with the rental. Groceries will be an additional charge once we work out menus for each meal. We will also have our own driver and vehicle for our stay who can pick us up from the airport, shuttle us around to town for shopping and dining out and then take us back to the airport at the end of our trip. Price: $400.00 U.S. per person and includes everything mentioned above except for your flights, groceries and wine.mma If you are interested in going on this trip you must act fast – 6 of the 12 spots have already been sold so we only have room for 6 more. Get ready Ladies – Bali will never be the same. Please email Mona Reaves at monareaves@gmail.com to get more information and to sign up. Don’t wait – if you hesitate someone else may take your spot! To view more details about our villa, go to: www.vrbo.com/3952344ha#or simply type in Bayu Gita Beach Front KL American June/July 2016

Liber 8 WHITE NOISE By Debz Rafferty

Five years ago a movement calling themselves Project Liber8 WHITE NOISE started and since then #liber8whitenoise posts have been popping up all over the internet. This year I was lucky enough to be given an invitation to attend. What is WHITE NOISE? It is a group of courageous young adults and teens who have decided to educate their peers about Human Trafficking. White noise traditionally is a buzz in the background, but this was no quiet buzz, it was loud and in your face and absolutely fabulous! The conference was held at BLACK BOX, a hip conference place nestled in the heart of Publika. Friendly, smart and bubbly people met me at the door and after registration, I was shown around. The room was dimly lit with pockets of light around the edges. “Have you seen our exhibition?” a smartly dressed young woman asked me. “No, not yet.” “Let me show you.” Around the edges of the room were displays, the first was a cubicle measuring 3-meters by 3-meters. A young man sat with his feet up on a deck chair, another young man was washing his feet. 10

KL American June/July 2016

My guide spoke: “BEATEN AND INTIMIDATED, sex trafficking victims are often sold into debt bondage and subject to physical and sexual abuse by their traffickers. Many suffer severe emotional trauma including symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder from living under constant mental and physical anguish. Many women are sold to massage parlours, where they are put to work to perform massages, and before long they are pushed into performing ‘Happy Endings’. They cannot say no or they will be beaten.” On January 3rd 2015 Malaysian Police rescued 138 foreign women from a human trafficking ring during a raid on a night club

in downtown KL. If you have ever visited a club in KL the chances are you would have sat near to one or more vulnerable women who have been sold into prostitution! Has that statement made you think? I hope so because the numbers are astounding! I was led to a second cubicle, which was a similar size to the first. This one was black and white with shirts hanging on the left and sewing machine and a tailor’s manikin in the center. It was dark and sparse. A poster read: MORE THAN 300 FISHERMEN WERE RESCUED BY THE INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT LAST YEAR FROM FORCED LABOUR. THE FISHERMEN WERE MOSTLY FROM MYANMAR AND DESCRIBED BEING BEATEN AND FORCED TO WORK FOR NO PAY, WHILE WORKING GRUELING SHIFTS UPTO 22 HOURS LONG. WHEN NOT WORKING, THEY WERE LOCKED IN DIRTY CELLS, GIVEN UNCLEAN WATER TO DRINK AND SCARCELY ANY FOOD.

THEY DO NOT HAVE, AND THEIR ORGANS ARE HARVESTED WITHOUT THEIR KNOWLEDGE. I was reminded of the flurry of posters that were put up in the Mont Kiara area in the first 6 months that I was in Malaysia, stuck up in bus stops and local restaurants by desperate families reporting that their sons had vanished. I recalled at least four young Indian men, between the age of 17 and 22, who had gone missing after training at a local gym. Now I found myself wondering if they were ever found. Was there a connection to people vanishing for their organs? Their faces flashed in my mind along with those of missing children. I was horrified.

Below was a number of tags with MADE BY CHILDREN embossed on them, the shirts swung sombrely below, with a notice saying: SOME EMPLOYERS FALSELY ARGUE THAT CHILDREN ARE PARTICULARLY SUITED TO CERTAIN TYPES OF WORK BECAUSE OF THEIR SMALL SIZE AND NIMBLE FINGERS.

Shortly after arrival we were shown to our seats. Although I was graciously given a large armchair in the front row, I did not feel comfortable. One after another young men and women stepped up on to the stage and spoke about Trafficking. Edgard Kagan, the United States of America’s Deputy Commissioner,spoke about PROJECTLIBER8 with obvious commitment and passion. He praised the tireless work of the main organiser Su Shern and her team. Later in the evening the organisers organised for me to have a one on one chat with Edgard. He was very easy to talk to and explained how he had first met Su Shern and her crew, through an American sponsored “Young South East Asian Leaders Program”, where the US acknowledges people like the future leaders at this spectacular event. What struck me the most about Edgard was his total lack of pomp and ceremony. He said very little about himself and focused entirely on the brilliance of the evening, and the amazing work that was going on around us. He was openly in awe at the amount of people Su Shern had mobilised to make a lot more than white noise. He used words like enthusiastic, courageous, and determined when he spoke about the group’s leader. I was humbled by his words and motivated to do more by his actions. The Embassy should be very proud of how they were represented.

My guide looked at my clothes and asked“Do you know if your clothes were made by children?” I recalled my eldest son refusing to wear a mainstream clothing brand because there had been a scandal about them using child labour. I looked at the tiny sewing machine and asked myself“How can we know who makes our clothes?”

The third cubicle was very shocking. There was a black table with a smallbox on top and an anatomy model on one side. A board on the left had a photograph of derelict wooden buildings, written over the eerie black and white picture was written: THE UNEARTHING OF 139 GRAVES AND 28 SUSPECTED HUMAN TRAFFICKING CAMPS IN PERLIS LAST YEAR HAS LED SOME LOCALS TO BELIEVE THAT THE VICTIMS WERE KILLED HERE AND THEIR ORGANS HARVESTED BEFORE BEING SMUGGLED BACK INTO A NEIGHBOURING COUNTRY. I read the words and felt a dry lump develop in my throat. Below was also written: VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES SICH AS MIGRANT WORKERS, THE HOMELESS AND THE ILLITERATE ARE OFTEN ‘TREATED’ FOR AN AILMENT

My guide showed me to the back of the auditorium where they had created a 3-meter wide corridor. On one side there was a black wall covered in black and white photographs alongside black and white posters dramatically lit with red lights. Spaced equally on the left wall were three 2-meter by 2-meter cloth screens backlit with red light, behind haunting silhouettes of women softly pleading “help me”. It all made the walk down the corridor gut-wrenchingly real.

The Special Officer for Human Rights Mr. Daniel Lo, from the Prime Minister’s Office also spoke. He was very matter of fact with the data he transmitted, articulate and clear spoken. To see his speech, copy this link into your search engine: https://www.facebook. com/ProjectLiber8/?fref=photo I could write pages and pages about this event, but instead I really would like you to take a look at the above link so you can hear the full message, see the wonderful drumming performed by the Suriana Welfare Society youth group, and witness the stunning presentations given by local celebrity YouTubers, like Seanlje. If you have a Facebook account, please repost so we can help them to get the word out. I am still trying to understand what I witnessed at this event. Yesterday I saw a child’s toy in a local family coffee shop, and the images of the evening haunted me once more. I no longer looked at it as just a toy sewing machine, because I now know that so many children’s reality is to work day in and day out on a real sewing machine. 20.9 MILLION people are living as slaves right now, a third of those people were trafficked from ASIA. Does that shock you? KL American June/July 2016

KL American June/July 2016

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AAM 2016 Annual Ball “Retro Night – Pick a Decade” Thank you to all that attended our Retro Night on 16 April at the Sheraton Imperial KL. It was truly a fun filled evening with dinner, drinks and dancing. First and foremost, a huge Thank You to our Corporate Partners: Murphy Oil, ConocoPhillips, and ExxonMobil. We appreciate your continued support of the American Association and we hope that those who attended from these three organizations had a fun night. Hercules Offshore and the SPCA also contributed to our event by way of table sponsorships. We could not have put on an event of this size without the help of a supportive team. Ann Blacklock, for her work bringing together the wonderful silent auction that we had. Ann spent the time securing donated items from many businesses in and around KLCC and we appreciate everything she did to help cover this important part of our party. Thank you Ann. We also need to also take a moment to thank Wanda Holmes for her work on the centerpieces that were so colorful and festive – she had a great vision for the room and brought it together so nicely. To the many volunteers that helped during the days leading up to the event as well as those that helped the night of, we truly appreciate you and all the things you did to make this night a success for our guests. Stacy Taylor for stepping up to be our MC for the night – you did a great job on short notice, Thank you. To our office staff that handled ticket sales and keeping the seating chart organized, Thank you. I also want to recognize and Thank our many special guests. Starting with the U.S. Marines that posed endlessly with guests who couldn’t get enough pictures of those men & women in uniforms. They entered the room with such presence making us proud to call ourselves Americans. Next, our special guest from the U.S. Embassy, Edgard D Kagan, Deputy Chief of Missions to Malaysia. Mr. Kagan spent the cocktail hour mingling and talking to as many guests as he could and we appreciate him taking time out of his schedule to attend our event. Last, but certainly not least, Donne Ray Radford. Donne Ray, for those of you that don’t know, was formally the lead singer for the popular group, The Platters. Donne Ray hit our stage with his high energy and smooth sounds making it hard for guests to resist getting up on the dance floor and dancing the night away. Thank you to those that made Donne Ray’s appearance possible – it was truly the highlight of the evening. Thank you to Edmund and his crew from Eastern Carpets for their live rug auction and for the fun they too brought to the evening. Next year, just as much fun will be had again. Sincerely,

Peggy Uptigrove President

KL American June/July 2016

Jamie Abbott Major Events Director

AAM 2016 Annual Ball “Retro Night – Pick a Decade” Corporate Partners For 2016

AAM Ball Sponsors 2016

KL American June/July 2016

AAM 2016 Annual Ball “Retro Night – Pick a Decade” Auction / Raffle Partners 2016 Special thanks to our auction donors Fine-Art-Batik by Sam Karuna Urban Springs Ambiance Eastern Carpets Stephanie Kuen Artwork Melanie Bayoud Designs SdnBhd The Entertainer Ramsay Sime Darby Malacca Woodwork Fiona Poon

Desert Diamonds The Sheraton Imperial KL The Haven Resort Hotel Villa Danialla Beach Resort TokBalli Luretta D.O.P. Savini Ristorante Italiano Fraser & Neave Holdings BHD Scuba Mike

Thank you also to FR Events (Asia) and their staff for assisting the AAM with our Silent Auction for managing our event.

KL American June/July 2016

AAM 2016 Annual Ball “Retro Night – Pick a Decade”

KL American June/July 2016

AAM 2016 Annual Ball “Retro Night – Pick a Decade”

KL American June/July 2016

AAM 2016 Annual Ball “Retro Night – Pick a Decade”

KL American June/July 2016

AAM 2016 Annual Ball “Retro Night – Pick a Decade”

KL American June/July 2016

Understanding Hemorrhoids Piles or Haemorrhoids is a common condition but most people are shy to talk about it or seek treatment. They will rather suffer in silence than consult a doctor. Most people do not seek treatment because they believe it is painful and associated with incontinence. This is not true as now there are various safe and painless ways of treating piles. What are piles? We havevascular cushions in the anal canal which help with stool control. Piles develop when the anal cushions become swollen or inflamed. What causes piles? The actual cause of piles is still unknown but it is believed that irregular bowel habits (constipation or diarrhoea) may leads to piles formation. Other causes include pregnancy, low fiber diet, excessive straining during defaecation, sitting on the toilet bowl for long period of time and lack of exercise. In pregnancy, hormonal changes and pressure of the fetus worsened the condition. It usually improves after delivery.

By Dr Wong Sze Ming MD(USM),M Surg(UM), MRCS(Edin) Fellowship in Colorectal Surgery (M’sia, Aust) Consultant General and Colorectal Surgeon Tropicana Medical Centre

What are the symptoms? It can present as bleeding during defaection. Commonly, there is blood around the stools or commonly noted on the toilet paper. It may also drip after defaecation. The stools are usually normal if blood is mixed with the stools it usually indicated a different problem. There may be mucous discharge as well. Another common presentation is the prolapse of the piles after defaecation. The prolapsed pile may reduce spontaneous or in more serious cases it needs to be manually pushed back into the anus. Other symptoms include perianal itch or discomfort. If there is severe pain it usually indicate that it is thrombosed(formation of a clot) or infected. Other conditions may mimic symptoms of piles. It is advisable to see a doctor and not assume that all the symptoms are due to piles. The doctor should be able to help in the diagnosis after proper history taking and physical examination. A simple bedside examination should confirm the diagnosis. There are other symptoms that may indicate a more sinister condition. This includes unexplained loss of appetite and weight. Another symptom is altered bowel habits which mean that there is a change in your normal bowel opening such as recent onset of constipation or diarrhoea. In the older age group, colorectal cancer needs to be ruled out but colorectal cancer is presenting in the younger age group as well now. A colonoscopy may be needed to exclude other causes especially colorectal cancer. Other condition such as colorectal cancer, fissures and abscesses often have similar presentation.

TROPICANA MEDICAL CENTRE

11, Jalan Teknologi, PJU 5, Kota Damansara, 47810 Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan. T: +603-6287 1111 W: www.tropicanamedicalcentre.com FB: www.facebook.com/TropicanaMedicalCentre E: enquiries@tropicanamedicalcentre.com

Grading of Piles. • Grade I : No prolapse • Grade II : Prolapse during defaecation but spontaneous reduction • Grade III : Prolapse during defaecation but requiring manual reduction • Grade IV : Prolapse but unable to reduce it manually Treatment Most people are afraid to seek treatment for piles as most associate it with pain and incontinence. This is not true. There are many methods of treating piles which are ‘painless’ and the risk of incontinence is very low. Most piles in the early stage can be managed conservatively. This consists of a high fiber diet and adequate intake of water basically to avoid constipation. Stools softener may be needed for a short period of time during the acute phase. Medications such as flavo-

KL American June/July 2016

noids may be used to shrink and reduce the symptoms but is not proven. Suppositories may also help. For larger piles, some form of intervention is usually needed. For symptomatic stage I and II haemorrhoids, rubber banding of haemorrhoids can be done as a bedside procedure. This is a simple bedside procedure in which small rubber bands are placed over the haemorrhoids which cuts off the blood supply. It is a painless procedure. After a week, the haemorrhoids will shrink or drop off. The procedure may need to be repeated for optimal results for larger haemorrhoids. Laser haemorrhoidopexy is another method of treating haemorrhoids. A laser probe is inserted into the haemorrhoid to cauterize it. The haemorrhoid will then shrink over time. This method is less invasive than surgery. The advantage of it is that there is minimal or no pain compared to surgery. The patient also recovers quickly. It does not involve cutting of any tissue and hence there is maximum preservation of continence and minimal risk of anal canal narrowing.

The laser probe is inserted and each haemorrhoid is shrunk by means of laser energy. As a result, the haemorrhoids will shrink gradually. For larger haemorrhoids, surgery may be a better option. Stapled hemorrhoidectomy is another ‘painless’ procedure used for haemorrhoids. It involves removal of part of the haemorrhoidal tissue and reposition of the remaining tissue back in the normal position using a stapling device. It causes minimal or no pain and is associated with faster recovery as compared to open surgery. Open surgery is usually reserved for very large or thrombosed haemorrhoids. It is associated with more pain as compared with the other methods but offers the lowest rate of recurrence. The outcome of haemorrhoids is generally good. Most people will experience symptoms of haemorrhoids at some point of their life. Do seek treatment early as the doctor will be able to help in the diagnosis and treatment of haemorrhoids. Treatment of haemorrhoids need not be painful. There are many ‘painless’ ways of treating haemorrhoids. The doctor will also be able to exclude other sinister condition that may mimic haemorrhoids such as cancer. If you require an ambulance service, dial our 24-hr Emergency Hotline at +603-6287 1999. Our dedicated ambulance service is well-equipped with experienced paramedics and well-trained emergency medical staff to deliver a wide range of medical services in times of emergencies. For more info, kindly contact our Expatriate Liaison, Sarah at 018-2111 259. When should you call an Ambulance? Experience heart attack/severe chest pain, experience breathing difficulty, pediatric& neonatal cases, experience severe abdominal pain, experience severe bleeding, loss of consciousness, strokes, fainting, convulsions/fits/seizure, trauma (injury)/ road or motor vehicle accident, fractures / dislocation / serious sprain, require emergency evacuations, require medical transportation services

KL American June/July 2016

Memories First Friday at The Dome KLCC – 8 April Photos by Kay McNaught

A small group of ladies gathered at The Dome KLCC for a cup of morning coffee and to enjoy the outdoor patio.

Bingo at Little Sisters of The Poor – 3 May Photos by Peggy Uptigrove

It was our NOT so regular Bingo morning at The Little Sisters of the Poor. The games were the same as usual but the elderly friends had to say good-bye to Shannon Iler as she prepares to move back to Louisiana this summer. People really loved her and are sad to see her go. Shannon’s smile will be missed.

KL American June/July 2016

Absentee Voting Information for U.S. Citizens Abroad Make your vote count! Every overseas U.S. citizen is eligible to vote by absentee ballot as long as it is valid and reaches local election officials by the absentee ballot receipt deadline. Unfortunately, late ballots are one of the top reasons that absentee ballots are rejected by election officials. To make the most out of your vote, please follow a few simple steps to make sure that you can vote in the 2016 U.S. elections: 1. Request Your Ballot: Complete a new Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). You must complete a new FPCA after January 1, 2016 to ensure you receive your ballot for the 2016 elections - even if you have completed one before. All overseas citizens must complete a new Federal Post Card Application each year to ensure they are not dropped from the voter register. The completion of the FPCA allows you to request absentee ballots for all elections for federal offices (President, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House of Representatives) including primaries and special elections during the calendar year in which it is submitted. The FPCA is accepted by all local election officials in all U.S. states and territories. You can complete the FPCA online at FVAP. gov. The online voting assistant will ask you questions specific to your state. We encourage you to ask your local election officials to deliver your blank ballots to you electronically (by email, internet download, or fax, depending on your state). Include your email address on your FPCA to take advantage of the electronic ballot delivery option. Return the FPCA per the instructions on the website. FVAP.gov will tell you if your state allows the FPCA to be returned electronically or if you must submit a paper copy with original signature. If you must return a paper version, please see below for mailing options. 2. Receive and Complete Your Ballot: States are required to send out ballots 45 days before a regular election for federal office and states generally send out ballots at least 30 days before primary elections. For most states, you can confirm your registration and ballot delivery online. Check out the FVAP links page for helpful resources that will aid your research of candidates and issues. Non-partisan information about candidates, their voting records, and their positions on issues are widely available and easy to obtain on-line. You can also read national and hometown newspapers on-line, or search the internet to locate articles and information. For information about election dates and deadlines, subscribe to FVAP’s Voting Alerts (vote@fvap.gov). FVAP also shares Voting Alerts via Facebook and Twitter. 3. Return Your Completed Ballot: Please remember U.S. Embassies are not polling places. Same-day in-person voting is not available outside the United States. Some states allow you to return your completed ballot electronically and others do not. If your state requires you to return paper voting forms or ballots to local election officials, you can do so free of charge at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. - Fax, Email, or Internet Some states allow ballots to be submitted electronically. Check the specific requirements of your state since some require you to still mail in the signed paper ballot. - Election Materials Drop-Off at the Embassy U.S. citizens may drop off voting materials to be returned to the U.S. any business day between 9am and 3pm, at the front gate of the U.S. Embassy Kuala Lumpur at 376 Jalan Tun Razak. Place your registration materials or ballots in the postage paid return envelope (provided by your election officials, or use the online templates for registration or ballots) and address your voting materials to the relevant local election officials. Processing time is generally one to two weeks for materials to reach the U.S. postal system. - Use the Malaysian Postal System or Private Courier Service If it’s more convenient for you, you can also return your FPCA or ballot to your local election officials via international mail or professional courier service at your own expense. Affix the appropriate postage to your envelope when sending materials through the Malaysian Postal System. Do not forget to write USA on the address. Learn more at the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s (FVAP) website, FVAP.gov. You may also get information via FVAP’s toll-free telephone number: 1-800-438-VOTE (8683) or by contacting the ACS Unit at KLACS@ state.gov. Remember, make your vote count!

KL American June/July 2016

AAM Messages AAM Online Communities The AAM is on Facebook! “Like” the AAM Facebook fan page by logging on, typing ‘American Association of Malaysia’ in the Search bar at the top of the page and clicking ‘Like.’ You’ll get the latest information on all of AAM’s exciting events and activities!

Introducing the AAM Google Group - a forum for members to consult with other members on queries and recommendations for anything from best family hotels to dentists to household help. Members can join in two ways. First, you can send an email to secondvp.aam@gmail.com with the email addresses you would like to add to the Google Group. Please put “Need AAM Google Group Invite” in the header of the email. The second way to join is you can go to Google Groups, search for American Association of Malaysia and then ask to be invited and the Administrator can add you. When you receive the invite via email, you must respond to complete the registration process. For more information, go to http:// www.klamerican.com/online-communities.

Membership Renewal

To avoid missing any issues of the magazine and to continue receiving discounted prices for AAM events, please make sure your membership is up to date. Renewal notices will be emailed to you one month before expiration. Dues can be paid by cash or check in person at the AAM Villa @ The Troika by or cash deposit to the AAM’s bank account directly.

Your $0.02 Do you have any ideas or suggestions for new activities, events or workshops that may be of interest to our members? Can you think of ways we can improve our current line-up? Any concerns about the AAM’s building facilities? Your feedback, whether positive or negative, is always welcome. Kindly drop us a note in the Suggestion Box located in the villa or email klamerican.info@gmail.com.

Solicitation Policy Solicitation of business by any member or guest is not allowed at any AAM function without prior board approval. Members are requested to respectfully observe the policy that membership information is to be used solely for AAM business and is not to be used for personal or business solicitation purposes. If you are interested in sharing your talents/services with the AAM, please contact the AAM office.

Holidays in June/July 04 June – Agong Birthday 22 June – Nuzul Al-Quran 06 & 07 July – Hari Raya Puasa

Reservation & Payment Policy

Event and Activity reservations can be made via email to klamerican. info@gmail.com, in person or via fax. • If the reservation is made via email or fax, the AAM office will send you an acknowledgment receipt and advise whether or not the activity is still available. • Fees MUST be paid within 48 hours of signing up for an event or activity. You will not be “confirmed” for the event/activity until payment in full has been received by the office. • You may pay by cash or check in person at the AAM Villa @ The Troika or cash deposit to the AAM’s bank account directly. If you wish to deposit cash payments to the AAM’s bank account, please contact the AAM office for account information and instructions (your bank may charge you a minimal fee for this service). • We cannot accept credit card payments at the office. We are currently working on details to secure an on-line payment system for your convenience. Further information to come.

Cancellation Policy

• Reservations MUST be cancelled FIVE BUSINESS DAYS prior to the activity in order to received a refund. If you do not cancel your reservation within this time period or you are a no-show the day of the Event/Activity, a refund will not be issued. • For Events/Activities that have a required minimum attendance, AAM reserves the right to cancel or reschedule when circumstances warrant. • Each Event/Activity will have a sign up deadline date and we must adhere to those dates. This allows instructors of classes to gather all required materials or tour companies to arrange the proper transportation for our group. • If you still have not made payment by the reservation deadline for an Event/Activity, your name will be automatically removed from the sign-up sheet and there will be no further correspondence from the AAM office. To avoid disappointment, please make your payment within 48 hours of making your reservation.

KL American June/July 2016

A Letter from the President….. If you were at the AGM back in February, you would have heard me briefly speak to the current financial situation of the American Association and how this relates to us maintaining an office space for our members in the future. With membership numbers dropping as people are being transferred ‘home’ and the overall economic climate in Malaysia, plus the decline in our Corporate Partnership dollars, the AAM finds itself in the unique and unfamiliar position of having to take a serious look at no longer maintaining office space and getting ‘back to basics’ if you will. If I understand the history of the AAM correctly, there has never been a time since its inception, when we have not had a ‘club-house’, ‘villa’ or ‘office’ to call home. Our lease at The Troika is up for renewal on 1 October, 2016 and on this date we will need to notify our landlord if we intend to renew for another year or terminate the lease. If we make the decision to move out, that will be effective 1 December, 2016. I want to assure everyone that the Board has not made any firm decision as yet. This is something we want to take time to seriously consider, weigh in on an, ultimately, vote on. It is, after all, our duty to be good stewards of the money the AAM has raised over the years, and leave that money untouched for the Board in the future. When we look at the cost of maintaining the AAM office for our membership, it makes the most sense, at this stage, to close the office. This is not, by any means, the end of the AAM. Rather, it means we have to look at new and different ways of running the association without the high overhead costs. We still have six months in which to make a decision and we will take our time in doing so. This is not a decision to be made hastily or without looking at all the options available to us - and is certainly not one to be made lightly. I will continue to keep you, our membership, informed as this issue comes up in front of the board and again once we have voted on which direction the AAM will head during this economic downturn. Please be patient with us as we move through these growing pains. I also invite any and all members to email me any questions they may have, comments or concerns, not only on this subject but any matter concerning the AAM. Sincerely,

Peggy Uptigrove President

KL American June/July 2016

US EMBASSY We strongly recommend that U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in Malaysia enroll in the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at http://www. travel.state.gov/. STEP enrollment gives you the latest security updates, and makes it easier for the embassy or nearest consulate to contact you in an emergency. If you don’t have Internet access, enroll directly with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. The U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur is located at 376 Jalan Tun Razak 50400, Kuala Lumpur and is open 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. If you are a U.S. citizen and have any questions or concerns, please call the U.S. Embassy at (03) 2168-5000 or visit the U.S. Citizens Service website at http:// malaysia.usembassy.gov/. We will post the most updated information on the website. USEFUL LINKS: CountyOffice.org is the most accurate internet database of county government offices in the United States. Use our site to locate your county assessor, board of elections, chamber of commerce, child support offices, colleges, coroner, courts, and much more, with all relevant details.

USEFUL TELEPHONE NUMBERS EMERGENCY POLICE......................................................................999 FIRE & RESCUE.........................................................999 CIVIL DEFENSE.........................................................999 ANY EMERGENCIES FROM MOBILE PHONE............112 UTILITIES... ELECTRICITY/POWER FAILURE............................ 15454 WATER DISRUPTION................................1800 88 5252 SEWAGE SYSTEM.....................................03 2780 1100 OPERATOR DIRECTORY ENQUIRIES............................................100 ANIMALS MISSING PETS..........................................03 4021 1682 SNAKES & PESTS......................................03 4042 6742 ANIMAL MEDICAL CENTER. (24 HRS.).....03 4041 6742

american association of malaysia KL Sun

Mon

Tues 3

Wed 1

VENUE KEY

10 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Stitching Friends

AAM Villa @ The Troika

6:00 p.m. Gentlemen’s Night Out Taps Bar

Thu 2

June 2016

Fri

Sat

9:30 - 11:30 a.m. First Friday at Aseana @ KLCC

1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Mahjong

NO MAHJONG will resume in August

10 - 11 a.m. Bingo @ Little Sisters of the Poor

11:45 a.m. 1:30 p.m. Lunch Bunch / Fresca

10 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Stitching Friends

3:45 - 9:30 p.m. Hop On Hop Off Night Bus Tour

AAM Office Tel: (03) 2161-9008 / 9009 email: klamerican.info@gmail.com

Subang Jaya Medical Centre

For enquireies, please call -

+603 5639 1212

Ara Damansara Medical Centre

ParkCity Medical Centre

1, Jalan SS12/1A, 47500, Subang Jaya, Selangor

Lot 2, Jalan Lapangan Terbang Subang, Seksyen U2, 40150, Shah Alam, Selangor

No.2, Jalan Intisari Perdana, Desa ParkCity, 52200 Kuala Lumpur

Your One-Stop Medical Centre with Centres of Excellence in

Your Family-friendly Hospital aiming to be a regional leader in the specialties of

• Cancer • Blood Diseases • Digestive & Liver Health

• Brain • Heart • Spine & Joints

• Women • Children • Elderly Health

or email -

mcu@ramsaysimedarbyhealth.com

www.ramsaysimedarby.asia

KL American June/July 2016

american association of malaysia KL Sun

Mon

Tues

Wed

Thu

4:00 - 9:00 p.m. 4th of July Pot Luck Family Celebration

AAM Villa @ The Troika

email: klamerican.info@gmail.com

10 - 11 a.m. Bingo @ Little Sisters of the Poor

OFFICE CLOSED Public Holiday

OFFICE CLOSED Summer Holidays

NO MAHJONG

Subang Jaya Medical Centre

For enquireies, please call -

+603 5639 1212

9:30 - 11:30 a.m. First Friday @ Aseana @ KLCC

7 Public Holiday

6:00 p.m. Gentlemen’s Night Out Taps Bar

NO MAHJONG

10 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Stitching Friends

Ara Damansara Medical Centre

ParkCity Medical Centre

1, Jalan SS12/1A, 47500, Subang Jaya, Selangor

Lot 2, Jalan Lapangan Terbang Subang, Seksyen U2, 40150, Shah Alam, Selangor

No.2, Jalan Intisari Perdana, Desa ParkCity, 52200 Kuala Lumpur

Your One-Stop Medical Centre with Centres of Excellence in

Your Family-friendly Hospital aiming to be a regional leader in the specialties of

• Cancer • Blood Diseases • Digestive & Liver Health

Sat 2

AAM Office Tel: (03) 2161-9008 / 9009

NO MAHJONG

Fri 1

VENUE KEY

July 2016

• Brain • Heart • Spine & Joints

• Women • Children • Elderly Health

or email -

mcu@ramsaysimedarbyhealth.com

KL American June/July 2016

www.ramsaysimedarby.asia

KL American June/July 2016

(60-3) 5565 2200 KL American June/July 2016