Day +1091 : Rais Yatim and swine?

I am fine today.

Our learned Information Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said all media should return to using “swine flu”.

KUALA LUMPUR, June 25 – Shortly after Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai urged the media to use the term Influenza A(H1N1) as recommended by the the World Health Organisation, Information Communication and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said all media should return to using “swine flu” instead.

Rais said this was to ensure that the people realised the danger of the disease and to get the message across to them more accurately.

It is also easier for (radio and television) announcers to state “selsema babi” (swine flu) than H1N1 in Bahasa Melayu, he told reporters after an official visit to Pos Malaysia, here.

Rais also said that the ministry would monitor programmes broadcasting health-related advertisements to ensure that there was no confusion as to the accuracy of the message as well as the people’s understanding of swine flu/A(H1N1).

“We should not combine health-related matters with confusing advertisements," he said. – Bernama

So the reasons are threefolds:

1. Ensure that the people realised the danger of the disease.
2. Get the message across to them more accurately.
3. Easy to pronounce.

But I think not even one of these reasons stand.

Firstly, I really can’t figure out why calling it swine flu will make people feel that the flu is more dangerous. What I know is that pork is delicious :-) Some people, especially those running the country, are a lot more dangerous than swine.

Secondly, he said that it is more accurate to call it swine flu, but if this is the case, why WHO chose to use a term less accurate?

Thirdly, calling it swine simply “babi (pig)” is easier to pronounce doesn’t stand too. If this is the case, babi and Rais Yatim, which one is easier to pronounce?

See you next post :-)