Isnin, 8 Ogos 2011

The Malaysian Insider :: Sports

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The Malaysian Insider :: Sports


Spain’s Xavi out of Italy friendly

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 07:23 AM PDT

Xavi acknowledges supporters at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, April 16, 2011. — Reuters pic

MADRID, Aug 8 — Barcelona midfielder Xavi has dropped out of the Spain squad to play Italy in a friendly on Wednesday after failing to recover from an injury to his right calf.

Xavi was examined by federation doctors when the squad assembled outside Madrid today but was deemed unfit for the match in Bari and will return to his club for treatment, the Spanish football federation said in a statement.

He is the second player to withdraw from Vicente del Bosque's team after Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos, who has sustained a back injury.

The world and European champions called up Malaga's Nacho Monreal as a replacement for Ramos yesterday but Del Bosque may decide to make do with the players he has to cover the absence in midfield.

The injuries to Xavi and Ramos put them in doubt for the traditional curtain-raiser to the new La Liga season, the two-legged Spanish Super Cup which starts on Sunday.

League champions Barca visit the Bernabeu and three days later King's Cup holders Real travel for the second leg at the Nou Camp. — Reuters

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Wembley performance earns Cleverley England call-up

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 06:09 AM PDT

Cleverley (left) challenges Manchester City's Yaya Toure during their FA Community Shield match at Wembley Stadium August 7, 2011. — Reuters pic

MANCHESTER, England, Aug 8 — Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley was called up to Fabio Capello's England squad today for the midweek friendly with Netherlands after a sparkling performance in the Community Shield.

The 21-year-old, yet to play for United in the Premier League, came on as a second-half substitute in yesterday's 3-2 victory over Manchester City in the season curtain-raiser at Wembley and played a key part in his side's second goal.

Seen as a potential successor to the retired Paul Scholes, the lively Cleverley put Nani through for United's equaliser after an intricate passing move also involving England striker Wayne Rooney.

"He (Cleverley) has got a great future ahead of him," United and England winger Ashley Young told a news conference.

"He did tremendously yesterday ... I'm sure he'll go on to be a top player."

Cleverley was called up after club mate Michael Carrick and fellow midfielder Jack Wilshere were sent home after being assessed by England medical staff before Wednesday's friendly against the 2010 World Cup runners-up, the Football Association said on its website (thefa.com).

Wilshere's participation had already been in doubt with his Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger saying at the weekend that England "can include him as much as they want, he will not play". — Reuters

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The Malaysian Insider :: Features

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Caracas fights for facelift to woo tourists, residents

Posted: 07 Aug 2011 07:09 PM PDT

CARACAS, Aug 8 — Caracas does not figure large on the map for the thousands of tourists who flock to South America every year lured by the promise of ancient civilizations, mysterious jungles and pulsating rhythms.

Even for residents of the Venezuelan capital, Caracas — once a popular home-from-home for waves of immigrants drawn by its quality of life — is today synonymous with insecurity and traffic nightmares.

An aerial view of Caracas, where the murder rate is said to be as high as 100 murders for every 100,000 residents. — Picture courtesy of Alexander Chaikin/shutterstock.com

Now a slew of new initiatives is aiming to give the city a more human face: more parks and green spaces, wider pavements, the renovation of the historic city centre, more police patrols and more open-air cultural events.

"I think people are prepared to fight more now for their open spaces than they did before," said Cheo Carvajal, author of the "Caracas By Foot" column in a Venezuelan daily and a leading advocate for the rights of pedestrians and cyclists.

"There must be a pressure from below from citizens demanding their rights, and from above with concrete policies to recover such spaces."

But at night, when Caracas, a city of four million residents, turns into a ghost town because of fears of robbery and violence, when traffic jams can last for hours and onlookers seek out the bright lights of the shopping malls, it is apparent there is still much to be done.

"We need more public open spaces, and people have to get over their fear and visit these public places and take care of them, instead of remaining behind closed doors at home," said young mother Patricia Medina.

About 14,000 people were murdered in Venezuela in 2010, which has a homicide rate of 48 in every 100,000 — a near-record in Latin America. According to non-governmental organisations the rate in Caracas is as high as 100 murders for every 100,000 residents.

And here in oil-rich Venezuela, where gas is the cheapest in the world at just pennies for a litre, about five million vehicle journeys happen every day — 24 per cent in private cars — clogging the city streets.

"We can't reclaim a city by insisting that it is dangerous. Caracas has potential, and we have to take risks to highlight this. The more that people take back the streets, the safer they will be," Carvajal added.

One resident, Sofia Bautista, is helping to lead the way.

"For several months I have been doing yoga in the park. It's the perfect place because Caracas has such rich nature. But even doing this in a group you are still a little bit afraid because of the stories you hear about robberies and attacks," she said.

The city's historic centre is also one of its least safe places, where the dirt, insecurity and lack of pedestrian walkways need to be tackled.

"We are going to transform Caracas into a much nicer city," pledged Jorge Rodriguez, mayor of the Libertador district, the most heavily populated in the capital. "Caracas will win a place on the tourist routes," he vowed.

For the July celebrations of the bicentennial of the nation's independence from its former Spanish rulers, the city centre was spruced up, historic buildings were renovated and a host of cultural events have been organised to breath fresh life into streets.

But sharp, and apparently irreconcilable differences between allies of firebrand President Hugo Chavez and several opposition mayors have not helped forge a common political will.

Architect Daniel Fernandez Shaw, who has taken part in several urban projects in Caracas for the past 40 years, said "compared to other cities like Quito or Bogota we have not seen much planning" in the Venezuelan capital.

Above all, Shaw said, the transformation of the city needs to come from improving the conditions in working class districts, which would need an investment of some €320 billion (RM1,377 billion), in a nation where social inequality remains huge. — AFP-Relaxnews

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The Malaysian Insider :: Showbiz

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Ethan Hawke welcomes his fourth child

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 02:29 AM PDT

Hawke attends a news conference at the Teatro Espanol in Madrid, April 16, 2009. — Reuters pic

LOS ANGELES, Aug 8 — Ethan Hawke and his wife, Ryan Shawhughes, have welcomed their second child together, a baby girl named Indiana, People magazine reported over the weekend.

Born two weeks ago, she's the fourth child for actor/writer Hawke, who also has two children with ex-wife Uma Thurman.

On Friday, the family had lunch at La Bottega in the Maritime Hotel, in Manhattan, providing a public glimpse of the infant. "He was very happy," an onlooker told People. "Seemed like a proud daddy."

Ethan, 40, and Ryan married in June 2008. Their daughter, Clementine Jane, is 3.

Hawke's children with Thurman are Maya, 13, and Levon, 9. — Reuters

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Anthony Quinn’s son, Francesco, dies at 48

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 02:26 AM PDT

Francesco Quinn talks with reporters during a reception in Beverly Hills, California February 19, 2008. — Reuters pic

LOS ANGELES, Aug 8 — Francesco Quinn, a son of the late actor Anthony Quinn, has died of an apparent heart attack while jogging near his home in Malibu, California, according to media reports yesterday.

Quinn, 48, was jogging Friday night with his son Max in the La Costa neighbourhood of Malibu, the posh seaside community north and west of Los Angeles, when he fell and lost consciousness. People on the scene were unable to revive him.

"We were working feverishly at it. But at a certain point it turned, and there was no response," La Costa resident Tim Lawrence told local news website, the Malibu Patch.

Paramedics arrived and took Quinn to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Anthony Quinn was a major Hollywood star who won two Oscars for his work in "Lust for Life" and "Viva Zapata!" He died in 2001.

Francesco Quinn followed his father into acting. On the big screen, he played the drug dealer Rhah in Oliver Stone's 1986 movie "Platoon." He appeared as a regular on TV soap opera "The Young and the Restless" and had roles on TV series including "NCIS," "The Shield" and "24."

Born in Rome on March 22, 1963, Francesco Daniele was one of Anthony Quinn's 13 children. His mother, Iolanda, was a noted costume designer. He is survived by his wife, Valentina Castellani-Quinn, and three children. — Reuters

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The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion

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Pelakon kanak-kanak

Posted: 07 Aug 2011 04:36 PM PDT

8 OGOS — Saya dan keluarga berpeluang menonton filem Tamil "Deiva Thirumagal" (Holy Child of God) baru-baru ini. Seperti diharapkan, Vikram berjaya memberikan lakonan mantap dengan membawakan watak dan perwatakan berbeza daripada filem-filemnya sebelum ini.

Selain daripada watak Krisha lakonan Vikram, watak lain yang hangat diperkatakan adalah Nila lakonan "Baby Sarah", kanak-kanak berumur 5 tahun. (Gelaran "Baby" selalu diberi pada nama pelakon kanak-kanak perempuan dalam industri filem India.)

Nizha Periaswamy, seorang wartawan yang berpeluang mewawancara Vikram dan Baby Sarah baru-baru ini mengakui bahawa kanak-kanak itu sangat comel, petah berkata-kata, cepat mesra dan mempunyai bakat semula jadi sebagai pelakon.

Apabila menyaksikan bakat Baby Sarah dalam filem "Deiva Thirumagal" yang diarah oleh A.L. Vijay dan diterbitkan oleh Mohan Natarajan, saya terus teringat akan seorang lagi pelakon kanak-kanak yang mula menonjol sejak berumur 4 tahun.

Nizha kagum dengan bakat semula jadi Baby Sarah.

Seingat saya, saya mengenali "Baby Shalini" melalui penampilannya sebagai kanak-kanak nakal bernama Amloo dalam drama bersiri Tamil "Amloo" di televisyen pada akhir tahun 1980-an. Pada waktu itu, Baby Shalini juga sudah menjadi sebutan ramai berikutan bakat lakonannya yang cukup hebat.

Pada tahun 1990-an, saya melihat Shalini yang sudah remaja dalam filem Tamil "Kaadhal Devathai" yang sebenarnya merupakan versi alih suara daripada filem Telegu "Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari" (1990) lakonan Sri Devi dan Chiranjeevi. Filem Telegu itu turut dialih suara ke Hindi sebagai "Aadmi Aur Apsara" dan Malayalam sebagai "Hai Sundhari".

Wajar dinyatakan bahawa filem "Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari" menggandingkan Shalini bersama adiknya, Baby Shamili yang kemudian "menggemparkan" dunia pada tahun 1990 melalui pembawaan watak kanak-kanak terencat akal dalam filem "Anjali" arahan Mani Ratnam.

Shalini lahir di Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India pada tahun 1979. Pelakon keturunan Malayalam ini fasih Bahasa Tamil dan penguasaan bahasa ini amat nyata dalam filem-filem Malayalam dan Tamil lakonannya.

Shalini muncul sebagai pelakon kanak-kanak dan dikreditkan sebagai "Baby Shalini" dalam 80 filem Tamil, Malayalam dan Telegu bagi tempoh 1983-1990.

Bagi tempoh 1997-2001 pula, Shalini muncul sebagai pelakon wanita utama dalam 12 filem Tamil dan Malayalam — tanpa perlu mendedahkan tubuh seperti "terpaksa" dilakukan kebanyakan pelakon lain dalam industri filem di India.

Filem pertama lakonannya adalah filem Malayalam arahan Fazil, "Ente Mamattikkuttiyammakku", pada tahun 1983. Filem itu kemudian dibuat semula dalam versi Tamil dengan judul "En Bommukutty Ammavuku" pada tahun 1988; sekali gus membuatkan peminat filem Tamil di Malaysia turut mengenali Baby Shalini.

Shalini "menghilangkan diri" selepas filem Telegu "Jagadeka Veerudu Athiloka Sundari" (1990) dan muncul kembali sebagai pelakon wanita utama dalam filem Malayalam arahan Fazil, "Aniyathi Pravu" (1997).

Kemunculan semula Shalini disedari oleh peminat filem Tamil di Malaysia apabila filem Malayalam "Aniyathi Pravu" dibuat semula dalam versi Tamil, "Kadhalakku Mariyadhai" (1997). Filem berkenaan turut dibuat dalam versi Hindi, "Doli Saja Ke Rakhna" (1998) di mana Jyothika memegang peranan pelakon wanita utama.

Dalam filem "Amarkalam" (2000), Shalini turut menyanyikan lagu "Sonthakuralil Paada" menggunakan suara sendiri; sebagaimana disarankan lirik lagu itu sendiri!

Shalini berganding dengan Ajith Kumar dalam filem itu. Mereka akhirnya berkahwin pada tahun 2000 dan Shalini mengumumkan akan meninggalkan dunia perfileman.

Saya secara peribadi amat kecewa mendengar pengumuman itu kerana tidak ramai pelakon wanita berbakat semula jadi yang mampu mencipta nama tanpa perlu mendedahkan tubuh dalam industri filem di India.

Filem "Alaipayuthey" (2000) dikatakan filem terakhir lakonan Shalini. Bagaimanapun, filem "Kannukul Nilavu" terbit selepas itu. Shalini juga masih "berhutang" dengan Kamal yang mengarah filem Malayalam "Niram" (1999) kerana mengikut perjanjian, filem berkenaan akan turut dibuat semula dalam versi Tamil.

Maka, filem Tamil "Piriyadha Varam Veendum" (2001) adalah filem terakhir lakonan Shalini.

Sementara itu, adiknya, Shamili yang lahir pada 1987 berjaya menyentuh emosi orang ramai menerusi penampilannya sebagai bayi terencat akal dalam filem "Anjali" (1990). Pada usia 3 tahun, Baby Shamili menerima Anugerah Filem Nasional (Pelakon Kanak-kanak Terbaik).

Mungkinkah Anoushka mewarisi bakat ibunya, Shalini?

Pada tahun 1992, dia melakonkan watak kanak-kanak yang terperangkap di dalam sebuah lubang menerusi filem Malayalam "Malootty" dan berjaya merangkul Anugerah Filem Kerala (Pelakon Kanak-kanak Terbaik).

Shamili juga muncul sebagai pelakon remaja dalam filem Malayalam "Harikrishnans" (1998) selain tampil dalam beberapa filem Kannada pada tahun 1990-an.

Dia juga memegang watak Kamala dalam filem Tamil "Kandukondain Kandukondain" (2000) sebelum muncul sebagai pelakon wanita utama menerusi filem Telegu "Oy!" (2009), sekali gus menang Anugerah CineMAA (Pelakon Baru Terbaik).

Berbalik kepada Baby Sarah pula, dia mula muncul dalam iklan televisyen semasa berumur satu setengah tahun. Filem sulungnya adalah filem Hindi "404 Error Not Found" (2011), sebuah thriller psikologi.

Bapanya, Raj Arjun, seorang pelakon manakala ibunya, Sanya, seorang guru tari. Baby Sarah khabarnya baru sahaja selesai penggambaran filem "Tomorrow" bersama bapanya.

Baby Sarah mula berlakon filem pada usia 5 tahun, Shalini pada usia 4 tahun dan Shamili pada usia 3 tahun. Perlu diingat bahawa berlakon adalah suatu kerjaya dan industri besar di India. Maka, ramai yang dilatih dan diasuh sejak kecil untuk menjadi pelakon.

Biasanya, ibu bapa yang terlibat dalam industri perfileman akan mengasuh anak-anak mereka untuk turut terlibat sejak usia muda. Hal ini dapat diperhatikan sekiranya kita mengikuti dan meneliti perkembangan industri filem India.

Pasangan Ajith-Shalini dikurniakan seorang anak perempuan pada awal tahun 2008. Mungkinkah Baby Anoushka yang kini berumur 3 tahun bakal mengulangi kehebatan Baby Shalini di layar perak?

Bagaimanapun, nampaknya tidak ada apa-apa berita mengenai penglibatan Baby Anoushka dalam dunia lakonan; sebagaimana tiada berita (yang saya nanti-nantikan) mengenai kemunculan semula Shalini untuk menaikkan "maruah" pelakon wanita dalam filem-filem Tamil.

* The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.

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Whatever happened to respecting other religions?

Posted: 07 Aug 2011 04:24 PM PDT

AUG 8 — A few years ago I attended a debate with a couple of English friends. Whilst waiting for it to start, we conversed, and soon enough the topic turned to Islam and Muslims. 

I mentally sighed in frustration. Dear reader, it was Ramadan and all I wanted was to be able to practise my beliefs in peace for that one month without discussing the way Muslims live.

Now the blessed month is upon us again, and again, this year, I am sighing in frustration.

What did Jais think it was doing, raiding a church?

I can't work out why the raid was necessary. Was it because:

a) Some Muslims had dinner with some non-Muslims during Ramadan?

b) Some Muslims went to a church during Ramadan?

c) Some non-Muslims used the words "Quran" and "pray" in front of Muslims?

d) Some Christians were trying to convert some Muslims to Christianity?

e) All of the above?

If the reason or reasons really were one or more of the above, then ... what is the big deal?

Muslims have dinner with non-Muslims all the time, surely. Plenty of restaurants and hotels hold buka puasa banquets during Ramadan, and I'm sure that you'll find tables of Muslims and non-Muslims eating together.

Ahh, but they were in church. Well again, so what? So what if they were in a church, eating, listening to speeches? It's not a crime for Muslims to enter a church in Malaysia, surely? It's not a crime for Muslims to eat and listen to speeches in churches in Malaysia, surely?

Oh, but it's Ramadan, you say, they should have been at Tarawih prayers. Hmm, yes. Well, why weren't those Jais officials then, eh?

As for non-Muslims supposedly using certain words in front of Muslims, what has our world come to, that we are banned from communicating with each other?

Are the words "Quran" and "pray" for the exclusive use of Muslims then? Is there a law that bans non-Muslims from uttering those words when Muslims are present?

Anyway that was just me speculating. If the raid was so necessary, then why hasn't Jais come out and explained why it was necessary? I know a gag order has been imposed and I see that a report will be submitted soon.

Well, that's all fine and good, but presumably Jais didn't just decide to conduct the raid out of the blue, and that there were solid reasons why it had to be done. Given the fairly serious accusations flying around about Christian proselytising, why can't we know what those reasons are?

Whatever the charge against those in that church, I don't think a raid was justified. A place of worship should always be respected, and if wrongdoing is suspected, then those charged with its investigation should proceed with the utmost sensitivity and caution.

We regularly denounce the West for sending troops into mosques, yet we have no compunction about doing the same to those of another religion. A case of one rule for us and another rule for others. Is this what Islam is about?

Our prime minister went to Vatican City recently to meet the Pope and cement the ties between our countries. Curious then, the silence that has emanated from him.

In the paranoid world of the Internet, I have read reports (well actually, just the one report recycled everywhere) about a Christian "scheme" to lure pious Malay-Muslim girls into Christianity. Is it true? I don't know. 

Maybe there are Christians out there who want to convert Muslims. In our topsy-turvy country, such things are not allowed. Once a Muslim, always a Muslim. Never mind if your faith wavers, or if you change your mind.

Yet, there are plenty of Muslims who want to convert Christians (and others) to Islam. Our Malay papers are full of heartwarming stories about converts to Islam being welcomed into the fold, and how even their non-Muslim families have accepted their new way of life. What a pity such generosity is not reciprocated when the opposite happens.

There are many who would say that allowing Muslims to leave their faith would tear the fabric of our country. Maybe, maybe not. Personally, I don't see much point in forcing people to believe what they no longer wish to believe. I don't see that the state has the right to dictate how people should live their lives.

If someone has been coerced into leaving their religion then obviously that's wrong. But if someone, out of their own free will, decided to change their religion, well, that should be wholly their decision, don't you think?

Then there are our Malay newspapers. Why do they persist in peddling fear amongst their readers? Christians this, Christians that. Christian NGOs giving money to poor Muslim women.

For crying out loud! If no one else wants to help the poor in our country then for god's sake why can't a Christian charity do so? Do we want our poor to die of hunger before accepting help from someone who doesn't share their beliefs?

If these papers really want to help Muslims then believe me, there are plenty of issues that they can focus on. Forget a church hosting a dinner in Malaysia, how about the bigger sin of Muslims killing other Muslims in Syria?

Sure, it's not happening in our country, but are they not part of the ummah too? If we are so incensed when the Americans bomb Muslim countries, then why aren't we angry when our fellow Muslims are killed and oppressed by other Muslims?

Lest it be forgotten, Islam places great importance on other religions and we Muslims are exhorted to respect other religions, their adherents and their places of worship.

Ramadan should be a time for peace, prayer and reflection. What a pity this has been forgotten by some overzealous officials and our Malay newspapers.

* The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.

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The Malaysian Insider :: Bahasa

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Royalti: Rayuan Kelantan ditolak, Putrajaya kekal pencelah

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 02:15 AM PDT

PUTRAJAYA, 8 Ogos – Kerajaan pusat kekal sebagai pencelah dalam saman yang difailkan kerajaan negeri Kelantan terhadap Petronas kerana melanggar kontrak berhubung royalti minyak.

Saman itu juga dikekalkan untuk dibicarakan di Mahkamah Tinggi Sivil Baru (NCvC), dan bukan di Mahamah Komersial Baru (NCC) di mana saman itu difailkan.

Panel tiga hakim Mahkamah Rayuan yang dipengerusikan Tan Sri Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin hari ini menolak permohonan kerajaan Kelantan untuk merayu terhadap keputusan Mahkamah Rayuan pada 26 Mei tahun ini yang menolak dua daripada rayuan-rayuannya, lapor Bernama Online.

Dua rayuan itu adalah berhubung keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi membenarkan kerajaan pusat untuk menjadi pencelah dalam saman itu dan perintah Mahkamah Tinggi bahawa saman itu dibicarakan di Mahkamah Sivil daripada Mahkamah Komersial, yang mana saman itu pada asalnya difailkan.

Dalam menolak rayuan terakhir oleh kerajaan negeri, Hakim Zulkefli yang bersidang berhubung rayuan itu bersama dengan Hakim Tan Sri Ghazali Mohd Yusof dan Datuk Suriyadi Halim Omar juga memerintahkan kerajaan negeri Kelantan membayar RM20,000 sebagai kos kepada kerajaan Persekutuan.

Kerajaan negeri menyaman Petronas kerana didakwa melanggar kontrak berkaitan pembayaran tunai yang patut dibayar kepada kerajaan negeri berhubung royalti minyak.

Dalam pernyataan tuntutannya, kerajaan negeri menuntut supaya Petronas membayar tunggakan dan pembayaran tunai masa depan bagi petroleum dikeluarkan di pesisir Kelantan seperti yang ditetapkan dalam Perjanjian Petroleum.

Peguam Tommy Thomas yang mewakili kerajaan negeri Kelantan berhujah bahawa kerajaan persekutuan tidak boleh dijadikan sebagai satu pihak kepada saman itu kerana kerajaan negeri tidak mempunyai sebarang tuntutan terhadap kerajaan.

Katanya, selepas Mahkamah Tinggi membenarkan permohonan kerajaan persekutuan untuk menjadi pencelah, kerajaan telah memfailkan pernyataan pembelaan yang menyatakan bahawa tiada tuntutan terhadap mereka dan bahawa kerajaan telah tersalah diletakkan sebagai defendan kedua dalam saman itu.

Peguam kanan Persekutuan Amarjeet Singh yang mewakili kerajaan persekutuan mempertikai bahawa kerajaan persekutuan perlu dijadikan sebagai satu pihak kepada saman itu kerana petroleum dalam pentas benua itu adalah milik kerajaan Persekutuan.

Petronas diwakili Tan Sri Cecil Abraham dan Rishwant Singh.

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Isu gereja: Pembela, Peguam Muslim pertahan Jais

Posted: 08 Aug 2011 01:32 AM PDT

Oleh G Manimaran dan Lisa J. Ariffin

KUALA LUMPUR, 8 Ogos – Beberapa pertubuhan bukan kerajaan (NGO) Islam hari ini mempertahankan tindakan Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (Jais) yang melakukan serbuan ke atas sebuah gereja di Petaling Jaya, Rabu lalu yang mencetuskan kontroversi dan bantahan banyak pihak.

Presiden Pertubuhan-pertubuhan Pembela Islam (Pembela) Dr Yusri Mohamad berkata, Jais tidak pernah melakukan "serbuan", "menyerang" dan "merempuh" masuk ke dalam Gereja Methodist Damansara Utama seperti mana yang dilaporkan media.

"Berdasarkan maklumat yang diterima Jais, sebab melakukan pemeriksaan itu hanya untuk melihat sama ada terdapat orang Islam dalam majlis itu dan mahu memastikan tiada usaha menghina Islam," katanya pada sidang media di sini.

"Operasi itu telah dijalankan mengikut undang-undang dan peraturan sedia ada," kata beliau.

Yusri menambah laporan media terhadap operasi Jais itu tidak benar, sebaliknya pegawai agensi penguat kuasa itu telah berunding dengan penganjur program selama sejam, namun menemui jalan buntu.

Setiausaha Agung Pertubuhan Muafakat Sejahtera Masyarakat Malaysia (Muafakat) A. Karim Ombar berkata, berdasarkan laporan agensi agama itu, "Jais hanya masuk ke dalam selepas program itu tamat, bukan semasa."

Pembela juga menuduh sesetengah ahli politik telah masuk campur dalam urusan hal ehwal Islam melebihi bidang kuasa mereka sambil menegaskan, orang Islam tidak sepatutnya terpengaruh, sebaliknya berfikir semula tentang perkara itu.

"Pembela tidak bersetuju dengan campur tangan politik dalam hal ehwal agama Islam oleh pemimpin yang berkepentingan.

"Kenyataan Menteri Besar Selangor yang bersifat 'apologetic' amat dikesali dan tidak sepatutnya dibuat ketika siasatan sepenuhnya masih berjalan.

"Begitu juga kenyataan beberapa pemimpin politik yang bukan beragama Islam menghiris hati dan perasaan umat Islam serta menggambarkan seolah-olah agama Islam tidak bertempat di negara ini," tambahnya.

Kata Yusri, kenyataan-kenyataan itu akan menambah kekeliruan dan boleh mewujudkan prasangka antara umat Islam dan bukan Islam.

Pembela juga menegaskan hal ehwal agama Islam terletak di bawah bidang kuasa Sultan.

"Ini adalah fakta yang diterima semua dan had-hadnya perlu difahami dan (diamalkan) dalam kehidupan seharian.

"Kita tidak menentang akta kebebasan beragama, malah ia digalakkan," kata Yusri dan menambah, pihak penganjur seharusnya berhati-hati apabila menganjurkan program yang boleh menimbulkan keraguan.

Beliau menambah pihaknya menuntut pihak berkuasa untuk menghalang tindakan provokasi agama yang boleh menghakis kedaulatan agama Islam.

Pada malam Rabu lalu, kira-kira 30 anggota polis dan pihak berkuasa Jais memasuki premis gereja itu tanpa waran kira-kira 10 malam.

Bagaimanapun tindakan Jais itu mendapat kritikan banyak pihak.

Majlis makan malam muhibah anjuran Harapan Komuniti dihadiri kira-kira 100 orang termasuk orang Islam.

Sementara itu dalam kenyataan berasingan, Persatuan Peguam Muslim Malaysia berkata pihaknya memandang berat terhadap kenyataan-kenyataan beberapa pemimpin politik sebagai reaksi susulan terhadap tindakan Jais ke atas premis Gereja Methodist Damansara Utama.

"Melihat pada respons sebahagian besar daripada pemimpin politik yang keliru dengan peranan dan tugas Jais, PPMM berasa sangat kesal atas kejahilan berkaitann hakikat kedudukan Islam dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan, Undang-Undang Tubuh Negeri Selangor dan Enakmen-Enakmen.

"Malah sepanjang sejarah negara, hatta sebelum kemerdekaan sekalipun, urusan berkaitan Islam tidak pernah diletakkan di luar naungan sultan dan diambil alih pemimpin poitik," kata Setiausaha Agungnya Abdul Halim Bahari.

Halim menambah hakikat itu mestilah dihormati dalam pemimpin memberikan sebarang komentar demi memberikan keadilan terhadap semua pihak dalam menilai isu ini.

Justeru kata beliau, PPMM membuat penegasan bahawa tindakan Jais dilakukan di bawah ruang lingkup peruntukan Perlembagaan dan enakmen negeri.

"Pemeriksaan tersebut adalah jelas berdasarkan pada aduan yang harus diselidiki pihak Jais sebagai pihak yang diberikan kuasa dan bertindak mengikut lunas dan perntukan undang undang.

"Ternyata kebanyakan kenyataan yang dikeluarkan adalah tidak berdasarkan fakta-fakta serta tidak bertanggungjawab serta mungkin bermotif jahat untuk merendahkan kedudukan institusi Islam di negara ini," kata beliau lagi.

Halim juga memberitahu aduan yang diterima pula adalah berkaitan dengan kesalahan di bawah Seksyen 10 Enakmen Jenayah Syariah 1995 iaitu menghina atau menyebabkan dipandang hina agama Islam.

Seksyen 9 Enakmen Tatacara Jenayah Syariah (Negeri Selangor) 2003 memperuntukkan tiap-tiap orang yang mengetahui pelakuan atau niat mana-mana orang lain untuk melakukan apa-apa kesalahan dengan serta merta memberikan maklumat kepada Pegawai Penguat Kuasa Agama atau pegawai polis yang terdekat tentang pelauan atau niat itu.

Seksyen 57 Enakmen yang sama pula memperuntukkan "jika daripada maklumat yang diterima atau selainnya seseorang pegawai penguat kuasa agama mempunyai sebab untuk mengesyaki pelakuan sesuatu kesalahan boleh tangkap, maka dia hendaklah, melainkan jika kesalahan itu adalah daripada jenis yang telah diarahkan oleh Ketua Pendakwa Syarie tidak perlu dilaporkan kepadanya, dengan serta-merta menghantar laporan mengenai maklumat itu kepada Ketua Pendakwa Syarie dan hendaklah pergi sendiri atau hendaklah mempertanggungjawabkan seorang daripada pegawai bawahannya pergi ke tempat kesalahan itu dilakukan untuk menyiasat fakta-fakta dan hal keadaan kes itu dan untuk mengambil apa-apa langkah yang perlu bagi penemuan pesalah itu."

"Oleh hal yang demikian apa yang dilakukan oleh Jais adalah dalam kuasa yang diberikan kepada mereka," kata Halim.

Halim juga menambah, PPMM sekali lagi menegaskan bahawa dalam hal dan urusan melibatkan pentadbiran Islam, tiada sesiapapun yang sepatutnya campur tangan, khususnya mengeluarkan kenyataan-kenyataan mengelirukan dan membawa pada penghinaan terhadap Islam dan institusi Islam.

Oleh itu katanya, PPMM menggesa semua pihak, terutamanya pemimpn politik agar lebih bertanggungjawab dalam memberikan komen terhadap isu semsasa ini.

"PPMM juga menggesa agar pihak Jais diberikan ruang seadilnya untuk menyelesaikan siasatan dengan lengkap dan sekiranya terdapat kes yang boleh dibawa ke ruang pengadilan, maka proses undang-undang hendaklah mengambil tempat sewajarya," kata beliau lagi.

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