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Nadal back in groove on grass, Murray labours Posted: 09 Jun 2011 04:03 AM PDT Andy Murray of Britain returns the ball to Xavier Malisse of Belgium during their tennis match at the Queen's Club Championships in west London on June 8, 2011. — Reuters pic LONDON, June 9 — Rafa Nadal swapped clay for grass yesterday but the result was just as emphatic with the world number one overpowering Australia's Matthew Ebden at the Queen's Club championships on a chilly evening in west London. The reigning Wimbledon champion, fresh from his record-equalling sixth French Open title, beat gallant qualifier Ebden 6-4 6-4 to move into the third round after Britain's Andy Murray, the second seed, won a three-setter with Xavier Malisse. Top seed Nadal, who passed the time with some table football in the players' lounge as rain delayed his opening singles match, unleashed some trademark forehand firepower on the 168th-ranked Ebden who provided an ideal test. "It's never easy to start the grasscourt season but I'm here with a lot of motivation," the 25-year-old Nadal said courtside after being mobbed for his autograph at the exclusive club. "Everything is different and especially because I had just one day to adapt my game. I'm a bit tired after a very difficult claycourt season but I'm happy to be in the next round," added the Spaniard who next plays Czech Radek Stepanek. Just five days after losing to Nadal in the French Open semi-finals on clay, Britain's world number four Murray made a stuttering start, beating Belgian Malisse 6-3 5-7 6-3 in a match played in two chunks either side of a lengthy rain break. No discomfort Second seed Murray, the 2009 champion at the most traditional of English venues, lost his way at the end of the second set but hit back to reach the third round. With Wimbledon looming, the 24-year-old Scot showed no obvious signs of discomfort from the right ankle he rolled painfully in his third round win at the French Open against Germany's Michael Berrer — good news when you carry the weight of British hopes on your shoulders. "That was really the first true test on the grass to put it through," Murray told reporters in a news conference that sounded more like a physiotherapy lecture as the Scot was quizzed on the small tear in one of his tendons. "It's a tough one because there's little time between now and Wimbledon (starting on June 20)," he said. "If this tournament was irrelevant then I wouldn't be playing. The fact is I'm here trying to play as many matches as possible. "It's getting better, but it's still sore." Croatia's Marin Cilic, the eighth seed, wasted no time against French qualifier Arnaud Clement, winning 6-4 6-4 before the showers arrived, while big-serving South African Kevin Anderson eased past American Donald Young 6-2 6-4. Argentine double Former US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro also reached the third round with a 6-4 6-4 defeat of Russia's Igor Kunitsyn and was joined there by Argentine compatriot David Nalbandian who saw off Serbia's Ilija Bozoljac by the same margin. There was not a spare seat when Nadal took to the court at tea time, such is the Spaniard's appeal, and he treated the crowd to a few fireworks in a contest that was always going to end one way after he broke qualifier Ebden's first service game. It was not so comfortable for Murray, however. He raced into a 3-0 lead but his progress was slowed by a downpour that sent fans scuttling off to the Pimms stands dotted around the grounds and when action resumed Malisse played his part in some eye-catching rallies. Murray survived two break points immediately after the restart before closing out the first set from the baseline. He seemed poised for a straight-sets win when he had three break points at 5-5 in the second set but Malisse survived and then capitalised on some loose Murray forehands in the next game to take the match into a decider. With dark clouds hovering, Murray broke the Malisse serve in the third game of the second set thanks to a wayward forehand from the pony-tailed Belgian and sealed victory when his opponent dribbled a sliced backhand into the net. Murray faces Serbian Janko Tipsarevic in the third round. — Reuters Andy Murray of Britain returns the ball to Xavier Malisse of Belgium during their tennis match at the Queen's Club Championships in west London on June 8, 2011. — Reuters pic Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

Todt forgives Hamilton after personal letter Posted: 09 Jun 2011 02:18 AM PDT Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton waits to present the International male solo artist award, won by Cee Lo Green, during the BRIT music awards in London on February 15, 2011. — Reuters pic LONDON, June 9 — Lewis Hamilton wrote a personal letter to the head of Formula One's governing body to escape a possible race ban for his Monaco Grand Prix outburst against stewards and rivals. The Times newspaper yesterday quoted International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Jean Todt as saying the McLaren driver could have faced a heavy punishment for his comments after the May 29 race. "It is unacceptable. I didn't want to over-react," the Frenchman said. "I could have asked the judicial court to address the problem but we never officially opened the case and he went with his father to the stewards to apologise. "He wrote to me and it was between him and the FIA. "Maybe it would have been a better decision to send him to the judicial court and ban him for six grands prix or something," added Todt. "But for me this thing is over." Hamilton, the 2008 world champion, went to see the stewards to make peace on Sunday evening in Monaco and also apologised to his rivals via his Twitter feed after losing his cool in the heat of the moment. The McLaren driver had collided with Ferrari's Felipe Massa and Williams rookie Pastor Maldonado, ending both of their races although he himself finished sixth, and called them ridiculous afterwards in a BBC television interview. The Briton also wondered jokingly whether he was being singled out by stewards because he was black. Hamilton had already described the stewards' actions against him in imposing drive-through penalties as a 'joke'. Hamilton will be a favourite in Canada this weekend, round seven of the championship, at the Montreal circuit where he took his first pole position and grand prix win in 2007. The 26-year-old, currently second overall in the championship and the only man to have beaten Red Bull's champion Sebastian Vettel this year, has won twice in Canada in three visits after starting all three races on pole. — Reuters Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

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Reese Witherspoon produces and stars in ‘Who Invited Her?’ Posted: 09 Jun 2011 08:45 AM PDT Reese Witherspoon will produce and star in a movie about a woman who crashes a guy's bachelor party weekend. — AFP pic LOS ANGELES, June 9 — On the heels of The Hangover sequel hitting the top of the box office, Reese Witherspoon will star in a romantic comedy, Who Invited Her?, about a woman who crashes a guy's bachelor party weekend. She will also produce the movie, according to Entertainment Weekly. The actress received the MTV Movie Awards Generation Award three days ago for her body of work, which has spanned from June Carter in Walk the Line to Ginormica in the animated Monsters and Aliens, as well as Legally Blonde and her current film, Water for Elephants, co-starring Robert Pattinson and Christoph Waltz. Later in 2011, Witherspoon will star in the romantic comedy This Means War, which costars Tom Hardy (Inception) and Chris Pine (Star Trek) as two CIA operatives both vying for her attention. McG (Terminator Salvation, Charlie's Angels) will direct. — AFP-Relaxnews Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

Bieber and Swift win country music awards Posted: 09 Jun 2011 08:32 AM PDT Justin Bieber won Best Collaborative Video of the Year at the CMT Awards for "That Should Be Me," featuring country rock act Rascal Flatts. — AFP pic LOS ANGELES, June 9 — With a pre-taped Thelma & Louise send-up, singers Taylor Swift and Shania Twain kicked off the CMT (Country Music Television) Awards Show, telecast live on June 8 from Nashville, Tennessee, an event filled with musical genre-blurring moments. The ceremony, hosted by Kid Rock, found teen pop superstar Justin Bieber winning the Best Collaborative Video of the Year for "That Should Be Me," featuring country rock act Rascal Flatts. Crossover performances included Lady Antebellum's cover of Prince's "Kiss" and the winner of the Breakthrough Video, The Band Perry, who performed an acoustic version of Rihanna's "Love the Way You Lie." Besides country music favorites, presenters included rapper Ludacris and singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow, who moved to Nashville. Jimmy Buffett and the Zac Brown Band received the Performance of the Year trophy for Buffett's classic "Margaritaville" on the channel's Crossroads show. Not to be confused with the Academy of Country Music Awards, which takes place in April as an officially sanctioned industry event that is the equivalent of the Grammys, the CMT Awards is fan-voted and comparable to MTV's Video Music Awards show. The cable/satellite channel is part of MTV Networks and programmes country-styled music videos. Notable winners included Taylor Swift, who took the top award for "Mine" as Video of the Year. Also, newlyweds Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton, who coincidentally won the Female Artist of the Year and Male Artist of the Year prizes, respectively. Shelton cohosts the TV talent show The Voice with Cee Lo Green, Christina Aguilera and Maroon 5's Adam Levine. — AFP-Relax news http://www.cmt.com/cmt-music-awards Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

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Australians develop ‘smart’ bandage Posted: 09 Jun 2011 03:22 AM PDT A smart bandage by Louise van der Werff. The fibres change colour when exposed to heat. SYDNEY, June 9 – Australian researchers have developed a "smart" bandage that changes colour as a wound worsens or improves, potentially leading to the better treatment of ailments such as leg ulcers. Lead inventor Louise van der Werff, a materials scientist at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, said the dressing would change from red to blue depending on the temperature of the wound. "If the wound becomes infected then it typically gets warmer. It would get cooler if there were, for example, a compromised blood supply," she said recently. Van der Werff said wound changes were not always obvious and the fibre she helped devise, using liquid crystals which react to different temperatures, could show changes of less than half a degree Celsius. "A temperature is sort of an obvious indication – if they can see that through a colour change then hopefully it can help a lot," she said. Van der Werff, who is completing her doctorate at Monash University in Melbourne, said plans were underway to incorporate the colour-changing fibre into a textile which could then be woven or knitted into a wound dressing. "Our main target is for chronic wound care – the elderly, obese and people with diabetes who can get wounds like leg ulcers and pressure ulcers and things like that which can really last a long time without healing properly," she said. – AFP Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

Feeling nauseous? Eat dirt Posted: 09 Jun 2011 01:29 AM PDT Geophagy, or the act of eating dirt, stems from a biological need to protect oneself from toxins and pathogens, says a new study. – Shutterstock LOS ANGELES, June 9 – It may be regarded as a strange phenomenon in the developed world, but tucking into a generous helping of mud pie is perhaps the most natural way to protect the stomach against toxins, parasites and pathogens, a new study suggests. After sifting through 480 reports compiled by missionaries, plantation doctors, explorers and anthropologists from around the world, researchers at Cornell University concluded that human geophagy – the act of eating dirt – is most likely driven by the belief that earth and clay absorb dangerous toxins and act as a shield against pathogens. Their review was published in the June issue of The Quarterly Review of Biology and explores a range of possible theories to explain why people in areas outside the Western world crave dirt. After exploring other possible theories – that geophagy is driven by hunger and food shortages, or for its nutrients like iron, zinc or calcium – researchers found that protection against toxins and pathogens was a recurring pattern within the mountain of data. While it may sound counterintuitive, the report points out that geophagy is documented most commonly in women in the early stages of pregnancy and in pre-adolescent children – both of whom are especially sensitive to parasites and pathogens. In parts of Africa, rural areas of the US, and remote villages in India, for instance, clay is used to eliminate nausea, as it coats the gastrointestinal tract and is believed to absorb dangerous toxins. The eating of clay is also common among people suffering from gastrointestinal stress, the report pointed out. Because the dirt itself is usually taken from deep below the surface of the ground and is usually boiled before consumption, it also acts as an antidote to parasites, researchers said. For Western societies, however, the act of eating dirt – typically considered impure and contaminated – is treated as a pathology and abnormal behaviour, a stigma lead author Sera Young hopes to demystify. It's also been associated with pica, an eating disorder characterized by the abnormal cravings for nonfood items. "We hope this paper stimulates research," Young and her colleagues wrote. "More importantly, we hope readers agree that it is time to stop regarding geophagy as a bizarre, non-adaptive gustatory mistake." Currently, countries like Haiti, the poorest economy in the Western Hemisphere, eat "bonbons de terre," sun-dried cookies or pancakes made from earth. But as the report points out, the first written account of human geophagy came from Hippocrates more than 2,000 years ago and since then has been reported on every inhabited continent in almost every country. Meanwhile, another study published in Australia last year suggests that children who eat or inhale dirt while spending time on the playground could actually become smarter. When scientists fed mice a dirt bacteria called Mycobacterium vaccae, the animals navigated complex mazes twice as fast as those that weren't – a finding that flies in the face of helicopter parenting and compulsive hand-sanitizing habits. Young has also written a book on the subject called Craving Earth: Understanding Pica - the Urge to Eat Clay, Starch, Ice, and Chalk, which is available on Amazon. – AFP Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

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Obreht youngest winner of Orange fiction prize Posted: 08 Jun 2011 05:54 PM PDT Obreht poses with her novel 'The Tiger's Wife' at the Royal Festival Hall in London on June 8, 2011. — Reuters pic LONDON, June 9 — Belgrade-born author Tea Obreht was the surprise winner yesterday of Britain's Orange Prize for Fiction with her debut novel "The Tiger's Wife," a mystical, magical examination of the recent conflicts in the Balkans. At 25, Obreht is the youngest author to scoop the award, which honours female writers from around the world and is now in its 16th year. Despite her high profile in the United States, where she has lived since she was 12 and is seen as an up-and-coming literary star, Obreht was among British bookmakers' outsiders to win the Orange Prize for Fiction with odds of 6/1. The favourite had been Emma Donoghue for "Room" followed by Aminatta Forna ("The Memory Of Love"). Also on the shortlist were Emma Henderson ("Grace Williams Says It Loud"), Nicole Krauss ("Great House") and Kathleen Winter ("Annabel"). "'The Tiger's Wife' is an exceptional book and Tea Obreht is a truly exciting new talent," said Bettany Hughes, broadcaster, historian and author who chaired the Orange Prize judges. "Obreht's powers of observation and her understanding of the world are remarkable. By skilfully spinning a series of magical tales she has managed to bring the tragedy of chronic Balkan conflict thumping into our front rooms." She added: "The book reminds us how easily we can slip into barbarity, but also of the breadth and depth of human love." Obreht's family left Belgrade at the beginning of the 1990s as war broke out in the region, and spent time in Cyprus and Egypt before moving to the United States. "The Tiger's Wife", set in a Balkan country ravaged by conflict, follows a young doctor as she tries to unravel the mysterious death of her grandfather in a remote village. Critics praised its blend of contemporary realism and village legend, with Ron Charles of the Washington Post highlighting its "refreshingly un-American" treatment of the subject of death. "The Balkans' legacy of living amid so much carnage and desecration has produced what Obreht calls 'the delusion of normalcy, but never peace'," he wrote. "That sounds grim and depressing, but conveyed in storytelling this enchanting, it's the life you remember." Others were less convinced by the book, published by Random House in the United States. "After meeting innumerable exotic characters, it dawned on me that the back-stories stand in for a story, and style stands in for emotion," wrote Kapka Kassabova in Britain's Guardian newspaper in a mixed review. The Orange Prize is a perennial topic of debate in London literary circles, where authors are divided between those who view it as sexist and those who argue that women need a prize of their own in a male-dominated world of publishing. Booker Prize winner A.S. Byatt was one recent high-profile critic of the award, while "Harry Potter" creator J.K. Rowling came to its defence, saying it did "a useful job." Obreht receives a cheque for £30,000 (RM150,000) and a limited-edition bronze statue known as "the Bessie". — Reuters Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

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We are all Lain-lain (Part 1) Posted: 08 Jun 2011 05:28 PM PDT JUNE 9 — How many Malaysians you know are ethnically "pure"? At this stage of the article — inspired in no small part by the saga faced by Shay Adora Ram's parents — let's just take that to mean 100 per cent Malay, Chinese, Indian or Lain-lain. I'm willing to bet it's easily less than 50 per cent, and that the people you know and surround you have a little bit of Thai, Indonesian, Filipino, Eurasian, Arab, Iranian, Chinese, Indian, Malay, and goodness knows what other types of blood somewhere in their ancestry. I'm about one-eighth Indian by blood (I have chosen as my Indian name Perlapan, get it?); although, my maternal grandmother was a Chinese woman who was brought up by an Indian family (common enough in Malacca), so I don't know how that all adds up. She sometimes spoke Tamil to my grandfather, but all their children spoke Malay growing up (my mother oddly enough can read Tamil, but cannot understand what she is reading — much like me and Russian), and all seemed to have married Chinese (a trend which with one white Canadian exception seems to have continued unbroken in my generation so far). One of my cousins was named Saraswathi, and when her teacher called her name in SRK Infant Jesus Convent in Malacca, prompting her very Chinese-looking self to stand up, the teacher said "No, no, not you girl, you sit down". All of us have or have heard hundreds of such fun stories. The brains behind the wonderful Your Grandfather's Road project, a very good friend of mine, used to show a slide when he gave presentations about the project. On this slide, there were three beautiful women, dressed in traditional Malay, Chinese & Indian garb respectively. The point he made was this: that this 1 Malaysia Ali, Ah Chong and Muthu depiction of our society was simply not an accurate reflection of reality — we no longer live in such a crudely delineated social landscape. Race, ethnicity, nationality, kaum, bangsa Late last night, there was an argument unfolding on Twitter. Against my better judgment, I felt I might as well jump in. The advantage of having some time on one's hands is the ability to occasionally out-troll the trolls — a sport that, after all, really pivots on one's endurance and staying power (being right occasionally helps as well). So, among the things I was trying to give some people a hard time about was this: can one — in an academically and conceptually sound and consistent manner — properly define and differentiate the following terms: ethnicity, race, and nationality. While we're at it, can we do the same for kaum and bangsa? Now, I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, but my parents spent a whole lot of money on my education, so let's see if we can explore whether or not consistent definitions for such things exist. The Wikipedia article on race offers quite an insightful exploration of the concept, which I believe essentially concludes that most serious scholars think there's no such thing. Let's explore some simple ways we might be able to differentiate people by "race." How about how they look? Well, my cousins all look Chinese, but many of them list "Indian" in their registration forms, like their fathers before them. How about defining by parentage? What about children who don't know or are uncertain of the race of their parents? (like my paternal grandfather, for instance, who was also adopted) Perhaps we can define according to language and culture? My cousins and I again mostly don't speak any Chinese, and they most certainly do not speak Tamil — does that mean we are neither Chinese nor Indian? What about the difference between race and ethnicity? Are Bugis and Javanese the same ethnic group? If they are not, how can "Malay" be an ethnic group? Are Tamils and Punjabis the same race? If they are not, how can "Indian" be a race? If we were to exchange the places of "race" and "ethnic group" in the questions above, would there be a difference? A Malual in Southern Sudan is a Malual to the Dinka, a Dinka to Southern Sudanese, a Nilote in East and Northeast Africa, a Sudanese in Africa, and just another black guy in America. Which one is his ethnic group, race or nationality? A nation is by far the most constructed of these constructs. An often quoted author and anthropologist Benedict Anderson uses the term "imagined communities" to differentiate between real communities based on real interactions versus communities that some people want us to imagine exists. We use kaum and bangsa quite often, but do we know exactly what they define or categorise? My conclusion is this — all these words have no scientific or useful semantic meaning that can withstand scrutiny. They are empty constructs that were put in place to help divide a people into "others", when what we should be striving instead for is a way to unite people into an "us". If we cannot even really define them properly, then why on earth are we insisting that we put it down on forms, and worse yet, why do we spend all our time fighting about it? * Tomorrow: We are all Lain-lain (Part 2) * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

A guide to a great career in Malaysian politics: Umno first Posted: 08 Jun 2011 05:16 PM PDT JUNE 9 — So you want to be a politician. Well done... wishing it is only a kind step away from willing it in this celebrated old sport of intrigues, deceptions, expectations and, above all, perceptions. The days of Idi Amin and Suharto may be long gone but as far as leaving a legacy goes, nothing quite matches politics unless, of course, you find the cure for cancer. This guide is concerned with getting you to the very top, so this is not an elongated explanation on how to fill up a political party membership form and then through to getting elected to your local branch's protocol sub-committee (Read: You don't get to decide the type of flowers to be presented to a visiting party leader, even if you do get to wrap it). We are into the big time baby, so this is about getting our own "First among Equals" chasing pack. The next generation of Malaysian leaders set to lead, whether they can or not. We've left the "can" at the door. You start by picking a side. Malaysian politics is parochial and polarised, so picking a side helps you along the way better than not. Don't be fooled by former and present muftis who claim to be apolitical and supportive of good policies — they are hedging their bets. Everyone has to — in the current climate — in order to move their career forward. Decide then, Barisan Nasional or the other blokes? This column will centre on a career in Umno, you'll have to wait for your Pakatan turn. Note: No one else has explicitly written down a manual, so live with this till someone else does, hopefully with pictures. [Politicians not nuclear physicists, they (politicians, silly!) appreciate graphic details I'm told.] A Barisan Nasional career path You might not need to do anything. (Sigh, pause and continue...) That is if you are the male child of any Umno minister or ex-minister. The average grade score leaving school will get you a not-so-average scholarship to a pretty average university somewhere there are nice roads for your "student" car. A career and then a job in politics await those conventional, grateful and colourless. Now for the rest. [We are helping top dogs (cats, if you want to keep this manual kosher a la Malaysia), not supporting cast so we are politely, with great reservation but no apology, ignoring those who apply to join the other 13 component parties in Barisan Nasional (BN).] The rest again. Three sub-filters: Name, origin and faith. Your success percentage falls or increases with where you stand in the three. You may be a constitutional Malay, but the name has to be national without being regional, if that makes sense. Tip: Rahman great, Herman OK, Rahaman Pitchay worrying and Seri Hanuman — an unmitigated disaster waiting for an iceberg or a shout from the crude kid at the back of the classroom. The National Registration Department has strict rules on name changes so sometimes this one you just have suck it up. Sad though that people who have amazingly unimaginative names like a hybrid of their parents' names don't suffer for their abysmal names. A sign that mediocrity is preferred. First box ticked, move on to the second — region. If you were born in Kedah, Johor, Penang, Pahang, Selangor or Perak, very nice and well done to your parents. Eleven of the 12 past-present Umno presidents/deputy presidents are from the first four states. Yes, Penang is indeed curious. The final two have no precedent but remain large traditional Umno states.  Being born in Kelantan, Terengganu, Sabah, Negri Sembilan, the Federal Territory, Perlis or Malacca is not the end of the world, but you'll struggle since your state either has large non-BN forces or is too small. Sabah is a large Umno state but the disparate and fluid nature of politics over there in terms of the Malayanising process coupled with distance to Kuala Lumpur handicaps Umno members from there. A whole paradigm separates Sabah and Johor inside Umno. Sarawak's not in the peninsula and without Umno presence, so over there you have to settle for statewide opportunities, not national ones. Not so good too if you were born in Brunei, Singapore, Thailand or south Philippines (you know who you are). Hope your chances are still bright, move on to criterion three, religion. No atheists, agnostics or scientists. You can mask your lack of faith with an over-eagerness for race since the party struggles to differentiate it from religion. Or, you can fake piety by lengthy salutations in Arabic and thanking god for everything including the red plastic chairs in halls you speak in. You can never be thankful enough. Thank god. All three factored, rate your chances in the Barisan Nasional. Yes, yes, you might make it anyway (to the top) while failing all three, it is always possible. But please do not be offended if we do not place our money on your chances. You might be disappointed that up to this point there has been no reference to your intellectual ability, well we've come to that exciting point; it does help immeasurably if you are not a raving idiot. Throw die and follow one of these paths. The special officer. You are an aide, but no envelope licking is necessary. If you notice the male, ethnic, name, region and religion filters, coupled with a decent university degree requirement and then no philosophical objection to the dynamics of Umno's prevailing ideologies, then the list becomes amazingly thin. There are not that many out there, and recruiters take them early. How to be one then? Get noticed through Umno clubs in universities overseas; or participate in local university activism by opposing the need for student activism other than to support Umno ministers; or pose incessant questions at government events to senior ministers, which actually are congratulatory messages to them on their dress and previous actions. When you get the job, grow. Don't get greedy now, there'll be time enough later.   You are closer to a senior politician, but building your political future on the coat-tails of another politician is asking for a short career. The national name recognition has to be upped while at the same time increasing your local presence in your local division. There is no consensus if having your sponsor from your home state is better or not. Mind you, high rate of moderate to great success using this tried and tested route. We-are-the-youth-of-the-day path. This is about membership and then leadership of organisations like Belia 4B, Malaysian Youth Council, Prowaris or increasingly Perkasa Youth. Getting there might be trickier since there is a longer queue. After a period, aide positions will open up for discerning youth leaders and you can then keep all three jewels — government, party and youth posts. The more the merrier. Can be coupled with other tracks, but you have to balance belligerence with a willingness to be inclusive. So, some might call you a hypocrite. It's OK, you get the TV time and those calling you names won't get radio mention, let alone any funding. (Snigger if you find this reality amusing.) Advisory: All youth projects come down to souvenirs for VIP, launch multimedia AV and catering. The actual project is optional. The professional son returns. This circumvents the no-merit attacks since you cut your teeth in the real world. That's the upside. Downsides, you will have to re-establish your local credentials. Your sponsors might prefer you to come with better solutions, but your peers and subordinates might find you snobbish. Being right does not help you, being popular does in the long run. If you can shake off the people-rustiness then things do look bright. I-am-my-own-man path. Green Day songs pre-"American Idiot" would be a great soundtrack for this option. The general idea is to have deep love for the Malay dream while being dismissive about your predecessors. You can be an Umno member (like Dr Mahathir Mohamad back in the '60s) or not (like brother Anwar Ibrahim in the '70s), really does not matter. You just have to be impatient and point your fingers at easy targets, like an ethnic group or social class. Must be willing to consider jail time and have strong constitution, even if you care little for the Federal Constitution. You milk the spirit of revolution and then you retract. Just as you reach the precipice you turn around and take the Umno pledge. By then you are perceived to be your own man taking on Umno. It took seven years for Mahathir from being sacked to becoming deputy prime minister, two years from being a non-member to full minister for Anwar. The bravado of this method will last a long time, or you may fall short. Low success rate, but high returns. Umno historically is filled by risk-averse members who like to win by having advantages their opponents don't have, like the backing of their colonial British masters. Which is why the self-made renegade who survives the scares becomes an instant icon to the very people who opposed him before. The Umno landscape is bereft of alpha males. Don't worry, you don't have to choose this path, the path is either meant for you or not. The staid culture since post-1987 with Umno Baru and institutionalised factionalism has made these individuals rarities. Like Highlanders (apologies, truly for the 1980s reference). Decision time then The great part about the Umno world right now is that national power is pretty much in your hand, right or wrong. It is a sight to behold seeing a senior Umno politician just brushing aside any amount of reason with their righteousness. No, seriously. There will come a time Malaysians would miss that attitude. And you could be one to join the illustrious line of men and women. I probably won't like you that much after you start but I'm not your nanny. Note: You'll probably be able to afford a fair number of nannies before you are done with your Umno years. * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

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Ismail Sabri: Saya tak halang, tapi mogok pengusaha lori tak adil Posted: 09 Jun 2011 02:16 AM PDT PETALING JAYA, 9 Jun – Tindakan sesetengah pihak yang mahu melancarkan mogok ekoran pemansuhan diesel super subsidi untuk lori komersial oleh kerajaan 1 Jun lalu boleh dianggap sebagai tidak adil kepada kerajaan kerana sebelum pemansuhan itu para pengusaha lori sudah lama menikmati keuntungan. Menteri Perdagangan Dalam Negeri, Koperasi dan Kepenggunaan Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob berkata, walaupun super subsidi ditarik balik, sebenarnya kerajaan masih menanggung subsidi melalui diesel biasa dengan nilai subsidi kira-kira RM1. Menurut beliau, dahulu para pengusaha lori komersial membayar RM1.48 sen seliter melalui diesel super subsidi tetapi kini mereka perlu membayar RM1.80 seliter di mana kerajaan memberikan subsidi pada sebahagian harganya. "Mereka perlu sedar bahawa, walaupun kerajaan menarik balik super subsidi kepada mereka, kerajaan masih memberikan subsidi RM1 setiap liter, bukan bermakna kerajaan tarik sepenuhnya. "Jika ditarik semua, mereka akan membayar RM2.80 sen seperti yang dibayar pihak industri ketika ini," kata beliau dipetik Bernama Online. "Jadi, ancaman kepada kerajaan untuk boikot dan mogok adalah `very uncalled for' ... tak munasabah langsung. Selama lima tahun sudah mereka menikmati hasil daripada faedah yang diberikan kerajaan kepada mereka, tiba-tiba dalam waktu ini mereka nak mogok, ini satu tindakan yang tidak baik, eloklah difikirkan semula," katanya. Ismail Sabri juga berkata beliau tidak berupaya menghalang pihak tertentu untuk melakukan mogok. Menurut beliau, perkara itu jika hendak dilakukan biarlah mengikut undang-undang kerana di Malaysia, walaupun bebas bersuara negara ada undang-undang. "Negara ini negara yang bebas untuk mereka melakukan apa sahaja, jadi terserahlah. Kalau nak demonstrasi lebih daripada lima orang mereka kena dapatkan permit polis, negara kita bebas tapi ada undang-undang, saya tak boleh nak sekat kepada sesiapa apa mereka nak buat, terserahlah," katanya. Kerajaan telah memansuhkan diesel super subsidi yang dinikmati lori komersial kerana beranggapan hanya kenderaan individu dan kenderaan berkepentingan orang ramai sahaja yang wajar menikmati kemudahan tersebut. Super subsidi bagaimanapun dikekalkan kepada kenderaan yang melibatkan kepentingan orang ramai seperti bas sekolah, teksi dan individu yang membeli enjin bot sangkut dan sebagainya. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

Konflik Kuin cetus kerana MB tak faham AUKU, kata SMM Posted: 09 Jun 2011 02:06 AM PDT KUALA LUMPUR, 9 Jun – Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia (SMM) menyifatkan kegagalan kerajaan negeri Kedah menyelesaikan konflik Kolej Universiti Insaniah (Kuin) kerana kegagalan PAS menasihatkan Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak dalam isu lima penuntut yang dikenakan tindakan tatatertib. Menurut Pengerusi SMM Ahmad Syukri Ab Razab, sepatutnya PAS perlu menjelaskan kepada Azizan mengenai Akta Universiti Kolej Universiti (AUKU) yang perlu dimansuhkan selain turut diperjuangkan parti Islam itu. Kesemua penuntut itu didakwa di bawah kesalahan AUKU kerana menyertai demonstrasi, memberikan ucapan di hadapan orang ramai menggunakan pembesar suara di sudut pidato dan mengadakan sidang akhbar berhubung bantahan pembukaan Sekolah Insan Bestari yang menggunakan bangunan tahfiz. Dalam perbicaraan tatatertib pada 25 Mei lalu, kelima-lima penuntut kolej itu dijatuhkan hukuman gantung pengajian. Mohd Faiz Mohd Arshad digantung dua semester manakala Mohd Aiman Che Ab Razab, Zukhilatif Marzukhi, Mohd Azlan Mat Zain dan Ahmad Remi Md Arof, digantung satu semester dan diberi surat amaran. "Mahasiswa juga beranggapan bahawa konflik yang berlaku adalah disebabkan kegagalan pemimpin tertinggi PAS dalam memberi penjelasan mengenai AUKU terhadap kerajaan negeri yang diperintah oleh pemimpin PAS. "PAS sepatutnya seawal mungkin perlu memperjelaskan prinsip parti mengenai AUKU kepada kerajaan negeri Kedah di bawah PAS yang memiliki IPTS agar krisis seperti di Kuin tidak berlaku," kata Ahmad Syukri dalam satu kenyataan. Oleh itu tegas beliau, PAS perlu bertanggungjawab untuk menyelesaikan konflik ini agar ia tidak menggugat kedudukan parti Islam itu di Kedah. "Oleh itu, PAS perlu bertanggungjawab dalam menjernihkan semula prinsip yang telah tercemar ekoran penindasan terhadap aktivis mahasiswa Kuin. "Mahasiswa boleh menerima konflik Kuin ini sebagai satu kesilapan yang tidak sengajakan, namun mahasiswa tidak boleh menerima sekiranya kesilapan ini cuba disenyapkan dan ditutup tanpa penyelesaian yang telues. "Mahasiswa merasakan PAS perlu mempamerkan ketegasan dalam isu Kuin ini bagi mengelakkan pesimis masyarakat khususnya golongan muda terhadap kekuatan prinsip dan pendirian PAS," katanya. Justeru tegas Ahmad Syukri, pihaknya menggesa agar kerajaan negeri Kedah dan pentadbiran Kuin agar menjelaskan kedudukan sebenar kelima-lima penuntut itu selepas mereka mengemukakan surat rayuan. "Setelah hampir dua minggu rayuan dikemukakan, lima orang penuntut Kuin yang dikenakan tatatertib belum mendapat apa-apa maklum balas daripada pihak pentadbiran Kuin "Hal ini adalah amat tidak beretika kerana pihak pentadbiran hanya mengambil masa satu hari untuk menjatuhkan hukuman tetapi telah mengambil masa yang lama untuk meneliti rayuan. Perkara ini seolah-olah memperlihatkan sifat acuh tak acuh pentadbiran KUIN terhadap tuntutan mahasiswa yang mahu hukuman digugurkan," katanya. Sebelum ini SMM juga telah menyerahkan memorandum kepada Pakatan Rakyat dan Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia Malaysia (Suhakam) untuk menyelesaikan konflik itu. Tambah Ahmad Syukri, pihaknya sekali lagi akan menyerahkan memorandum kepada PAS untuk menuntut parti itu mengambil tindakan tegas terhadap mana-mana pemimpin yang membelakangkan prinsip. "Dalam memorandum tersebut juga mahasiswa memberi tempoh sehingga hari Isnin depan untuk pihak Kuin menyelesaikan konflik yang berlaku dan memohon maaf kepada mahasiswa yang dizalimi. "Jika isu ini tidak diselesaikan segera, mahasiswa nekad untuk melancarkan desakan yang lebih besar di peringkat nasional," katanya. Sebelum ini Azizan berkata Presiden PAS, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang tidak boleh campur tangan berhubung tindakan Kuin yang mengenakan tindakan tatatertib ke atas penuntutnya. Full Feed Generated by Get Full RSS, sponsored by USA Best Price.

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