Good sex life vital for overall health, says expert

PETALING JAYA: Many people are shy to talk about it, but a good sex life is an important part of an individual’s overall health.

“Sex can be a wonderful cementer or a terrible wedge for a relationship,” said consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Datuk Dr Nor Ashikin Mokhtar.

She will be presenting a talk titled “Good Health, Great Sex ... For A Better Life” at the upcoming FemmeCity event.

Dr Nor Ashikin, the founder and executive chairman of Primanora Medical Centre, is also a contributor to the Women’s World column of The Star’s Fit4Life pullout.

She acknowledged that keeping the sexual spark alive in a marriage or in a long-term relationship was easier said than done.

“However, couples who take time to cultivate and maintain healthy and satisfying sexual relations tend to be more connected with each other and do not suffer from depression, heart problems and other health maladies,” she said.

Scientific evidence shows that good sex not only adds enjoyment to life but improves health and may even contribute to longevity.

“The daily routines of life challenge couples to keep alive that flame that initially brought them together,” said Dr Nor Ashikin.

“Sexual intimacy should be one of the greatest pleasure of being human. No one wants to be with a partner who is merely going through the motions. Enjoy it or don’t do it.”

The Star

Petronas maintains RM30bil dividends despite lower profit

KUALA LUMPUR: National oil company Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) is dipping into its reserves to fork out RM30bil in dividend payment to the Federal Government this year.

This was despite the group’s announcement yesterday that it posted a 23.2% drop in net profit. The net profit was RM40.3bil, with a lower revenue of RM216.4bil for the financial year ended March 31, 2010.

Despite tough operating conditions, Petronas would be maintaining its dividend payment this year, Petronas president and chief executive officer Datuk Shamsul Azhar Abbas told a press conference here yesterday. The dividend payment accounts for about 74% of Petronas’ net income.

Petronas is crucial to Malaysia’s economy as it provides almost half of the Government’s budget revenue through dividends and taxes. To date, Petronas has returned RM529bil to both the Federal and state governments. In addition, it also bore a cumulative gas subsidy of RM116bil.

For the year under review, Petronas’ grand total payments to Federal and state governments were down at RM57.6bil from RM74bil a year earlier as a result of lower taxes of RM10.7bil, given lower profits.

Petronas’ gas subsidy was also lower at RM18.9bil compared with RM19.5bil last year.

Petronas profit drops due to lower prices