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Introduction: Measles outbreaks are endemic in Southeast Asia. A possible reason for such outbreaks is low vaccine coverage. In Malaysia, there is a lack of studies on measles outbreaks. The urban district of Petaling in Selangor, Peninsular Malaysia, reported a high number of outbreaks in 2014-2018. Thus, we analysed the trend of measles outbreaks and identify the common characteristics of measles cases in Petaling District. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using secondary data from the Petaling District Health Office online surveillance system. Data from 2014 until 2018 from the e-Measles and eWabak systems were extracted, and the trend and common characteristics of measles cases were analysed. Results: A total of 48 outbreaks involving 124 cases were reported during the period investigated. The outbreaks showed an increasing trend from 2.1% in 2014 to 37.5% in 2016, and decreased slightly from 29.2% in 2017 to 27.1% in 2018. The common characteristics were age 1 to <7 years (50.8%), female sex (55.6%), Malay ethnicity (89.5%), Malaysian citizenship (95.2%) and being unvaccinated (55.6%). Of the cases, 63.7% were admitted to hospital, and siblings were the common source of infection (75.8%). Most cases occurred at home (75.8%). Most of the children who were infected at home were unvaccinated (60.6%). Conclusion: Unvaccinated children aged 1 to <7 years are at highest risk of contracting measles and spreading it to their siblings. Thus, awareness of the importance of vaccination needs to be emphasized to their parents to prevent related issues such as vaccine hesitancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 12th General Election has revealed drastic changes in the Malaysian political landscape, in particular the success of the opposition party (Pakatan Rakyat) in gaining control over several states in Malaysia, including Selangor. This success has enabled Pakatan Rakyat to govern at a state level, a commitment that includes, fulfilling their campaign promise to return democracy at the local level before their five-year term ends. Nonetheless, the very fact of the five year's ruling demonstrates that Pakatan Rakyat had previously failed to bring back democratic local elections in Selangor, in accordance with their promise they made at the 12th General Election. With regard to this issue, this paper attempts to identify the factors that have restrained local elections from being properly revived in Malaysia, specifically Selangor. The recent election result demonstrates that a number of factors have contributed to this failure, including legal constraints, the disapproval of the Federal Government, financial issues, and the reluctance of the Election Commission to properly manage local elections in Selangor. Furthermore, this paper also argues that a lack of consensus among Pakatan Rakyat members regarding this issue has indirectly hindered the restoration of democratic local elections in Selangor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Women are less active than men in most nations. Insufficient physical activity is a leading risk factor for non-communicable diseases and can impact on mental health and quality of life. For this reason, the aim of our study is to identify the prevalence of physical activity and to see if there were gender differences. Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out at Kampung Bukit Bangkong, Sg Pelek, Sepang, Selangor among Malaysians, aged more than 18 years old and residents for at least one month, which were selected via 3 different types of sampling method. Data was gathered using face-to-face interview, with a validated set of questionnaires. Results: The overall prevalence of physical inactivity was higher among women (60.8%) compared to male (39.2%). Among the physically inactive respondents, 40% were in the age group of above 60 years, married (87.1%), adults with secondary education (55%), and self-employed (90.7%). "Not enough time" was reported as the common barrier for both men and women. Conclusion: The prevalence of physical inactivity was higher in females compared to males. However, statistically there was no significant difference between both genders. The promotion of physical activity should be strengthened with focusing on gender specific interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]