02/07/2025

First page Previous page 6 Next page Last page

WEDNESDAY | JULY 2, 2025

ON YOUTUBE

Malaysian Paper

/theSunMedia /

Battling OCD by offering free decluttering service

Exhibition highlights dangers of ghost nets KUALA LUMPUR: “The Echoes of the Deep: Pulau Sembilan Reborn” photo exhibition serves as a creative platform to raise awareness of the dangers of ghost nets, and advocate for the protection of marine ecosystems. The month-long exhibition, organised by the Malaysian Takaful Association (MTA), begins today at the Financial Services Library, AICB Centre of Excellence, and features 30 underwater photographs captured around Pulau Sembilan, Perak. According to MTA CEO Mohd Radzuan Mohamed, the island was selected as ghost nets found on the seabed in its marine-rich waters pose a serious threat to coral reefs and marine ecosystems. “This exhibition is not only a visual narrative but also a call to action involving cooperation from all parties, including the state government, universities, associations and industry, in efforts to preserve the environment and protect the ocean,” he said after launching the exhibition on Monday. Organised in collaboration with Etiqa General Takaful Berhad, Nature & Oceanography Advocate Society and Universiti Sultan Azlan Shah, the exhibition runs until July 30 and is open to the public free of charge. Mohd Radzuan said MTA also organised beach and seabed clean up activities aimed at equipping youth and volunteers with knowledge and awareness on marine conservation. “The beach clean-up programme was carried out to remove ghost nets from the seabed with the help of 50 university students.” – Bernama

o Nuradzlinn has launched BioQueen, an initiative to help clean up homes of people with a hoarding problem

KUALA LUMPUR: Nuradzlinn Abu Hashim, who lives with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), has made decluttering homes of individuals with hoarding disorder a therapeutic part of her recovery journey. The 37-year-old self-employed woman, who has been struggling with OCD since childhood, said she is battling it by helping hoarders clear their homes free of charge. “Imagine, I used to wash my hands up to 50 times a day until they blistered and bled, and I was so obsessed with cleanliness that I changed domestic helpers 21 times in a year and a half.” She said OCD symptoms not only affected her daily life but also burdened her family and friends, eventually leading her to seek psychiatric treatment about a year ago. On her doctor’s advice, Nuradzlinn began gradually confronting her fears, including touching objects she once considered dirty. She also launched a programme called BioQueen just over a month ago, supported by her husband Zulkefli Md Esa, 47, and about 10 volunteers, to help clean and declutter the homes of people with a hoarding problem who have persistent difficulty in parting with their possessions. “Unlike in other countries, I find that hoarders here are often neglected. There’s no proper

association or body that can help them. Society often misunderstands and looks down on people who live in cluttered conditions.” Her BioQueen initiative began gaining public attention after she shared her experiences on social media, drawing people who wanted to volunteer, donate supplies or simply offer moral support, Bernama reported. Nuradzlinn said the real challenge lies not just in cleaning dirty and cluttered homes but also in dealing with the emotional resistance and behaviour of the occupants, who struggle to let go of their unused items. “There have been instances where homeowners picked up their belongings from garbage bins after we threw them away. “In some cases, we could only clean the houses after the occupants were distracted with the help of police and family members.” She said her team also faces risks such as exposure to foul odours and encounters with venomous creatures like snakes, scorpions and centipedes hiding in the clutter. She added that safety is a top priority in every cleanup effort, including wearing masks, gloves, goggles and closed shoes. Nuradzlinn’s initiative is already having a positive impact on her. She said her OCD symptoms have reduced significantly and she is less dependent on medication. “This is my ‘medicine’ now,” she said, referring to her voluntary

Nuradzlinn says the challenge lies not just in cleaning dirty, cluttered homes but also in dealing with the emotional resistance and behaviour of occupants, – PIC COURTESY OF NURADZLINN ABU HASHIM

spine into an S-curve. She hopes to expand her small initiative through the establishment of a permanent volunteer team as well as collaborate with the relevant authorities and mental health professionals.

decluttering service. “While others go to the gym, I break a sweat cleaning houses. “It’s so satisfying to see a once filthy home become clean and safe,” said Nuradzlinn, who also suffers from scoliosis that has shaped her

Education matters remain an important component of Malaysian society. Today the landscape is fast paced with new exciting developments in technology such as AI, coding, virtual reality, and cybersecurity, leading the way for changes in curriculum development. To showcase the latest and most updated content, we invite you join us in 2025, and be part of our Education Focus!

Malaysian Paper

Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker