Speaking at the health forum hosted Bintulu Hin Hua Association and initiated by Bintulu United Chinese Association, he said these diseases were uncommon in the past, and the strike of the sickness had often caught people off-guarded.

He said the health talk tonight focussing on gastrointestinal and liver cancers were appropriate topics, saying such cases were on the rise.

Tiong, who is also the chairman of BN Backbenchers’ Club, said, “I hope the participants will find out from the medical specialists the reasons for people getting these diseases – whether there is anything to do with the way we eat and the other unhealthy lifestyle we are indulged in.”

He said this would help the people to live better and a happier life.

He cautioned that people down with the disease tended to avoid letting others know because they could not accept the fact.

“This is a negative mentality. Patients should let their family members and closed friends know so that they will get the moral boast they need badly to overcome the problems. 

“They also need the boast from their closed ones as they undergo treatments.”

He hoped with the health knowledge at hand, the health forum participants would take the doctor’s advice to see to a healthy lifestyle.

He hoped they would step up preventive measures too to avoid getting the dreaded diseases. 

Also present in the health session were the Chairman of Bintulu Hinhua Association Wong Feng Yang, his deputy Kapitan Loo Boon Chai, Legal Advisor William Lai Chi Hua, the Vice President of Federation of Registered Chinese Societies Bintulu Ngo Huang Yong and other NGOs leaders or representative.