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US mine gold in Daegu, Britain get off mark Posted: 01 Sep 2011 08:00 AM PDT David Greene of Britain holds his national flag after winning the gold medal in the men's 400 metres hurdles final at the IAAF World Championships in Daegu, September 1, 2011. – Reuters pic DAEGU, Sept 1 – The United States flexed their muscles at the world athletics championships today, harvesting three of the six titles on offer, while Britain finally won an elusive gold medal in Daegu. Kenya extended their dominance of the men's steeplechase and celebrated with some joyous theatrics on the track afterwards and double-amputee Oscar Pistorius produced another momentous achievement, Lashinda Demus in the 400 metres hurdles, 1,500 metres runner Jenny Simpson and high jumper Jesse Williams lifted the United States to the top of the medals table on a glittering night for the Americans. Although Simpson's winning time of four minutes 05.40 seconds was the slowest to win a world title, her triumph left her euphoric. She crossed the line wide-eyed and holding her head after leading home Britain's Hannah England and Spaniard Natalia Rodriguez. "I am supposed to say I am not surprised," Simpson told reporters. "All I can say is that a dream has come true. Absolutely there will be a big celebration tonight – I guess I will not sleep for the next (few) nights." Demus ran 52.47 seconds in the 400 metres hurdles, beating defending champion Melaine Walker of Jamaica into silver with Russian Natalya Antyukh bronze. Williams completed a hat-trick of golds for the United States when he won the men's high jump with his first attempt at 2.35 metres, the first US gold in the event in 20 years. "We have a great team, with fantastic talented athletes and they know how to do well at the big dance," US coach Vin Lananna told reporters. GREENE BREAKS DROUGHT In the last race today, Welsh 400 metres hurdler David Greene broke the drought for a British track-and-field team who will be relieved to have finally got off the mark less than a year before their nation will expect them to deliver as Olympic hosts. "I am just overwhelmed, I cannot believe it happened to me," Greene told reporters. "I am so happy about this victory – now I am number one in the world." Pistorius, who runs on carbon prosthetics after his lower legs were amputated as a baby, is redefining athletic achievement at these championships and, in the scorching day session, led his 4x400 metres South African team mates to the final and a national record. "It is unbelievable to be one of four names on a list to run a national record," the jubilant 'Blade Runner' told reporters. "I'm extremely proud." Pride, too, was written all over the face of Ezekiel Kemboi who streaked to gold in the 3,000 metres steeplechase before setting off on a lap of hip-wiggling, gyrating celebrations. Kenyans have now won nine of the 13 world steeplechase titles. "I am happy to have won," Kemboi said, though his smile made the words redundant. "My friend Usain Bolt was not in the final and couldn't dance so I had to do it for Usain." Bolt was disqualified at the start of the 100 metres final on Sunday for a false start. Compatriot Brimin Kipruto won silver with a bitter Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad bronze, the Frenchman believing Kipruto had unfairly denied him second place. "When I start passing him he blocked my path," he told French television. "I told him it was not fair play. He looks behind and changes his line." A French appeal was rejected by the world governing body. The curse of the cover claimed its fifth victim in six days when official programme cover star and defending women's triple jump champion Yargeris Savigne was forced to pull out of the final through injury. On the first four days of competition each athlete featuring on the programme's cover – including Bolt – suffered an ignominious exit. – Reuters

American Simpson springs 1,500 surprise Posted: 01 Sep 2011 05:29 AM PDT Jennifer Simpson of the US reacts after winning the women's 1500 metres final at the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Daegu, September 1, 2011. – Reuters pic DAEGU, Sept 1 – American Jenny Simpson summoned a sensational sprint finish to win a surprise gold medal in the women's 1,500 metres at the world championships today. The 25-year-old bided her time in what developed into a physical race with plenty of bumping and kicked off the final bend to overhaul Spain's Natalia Rodriguez and take victory in four minutes 05.40 seconds. Hannah England followed her home in 4.06.68 to win silver for Britain, while Rodriguez, who finished first at the last world championships in Berlin but was disqualified for tripping a rival, claimed bronze in 4.05.87. Double defending champion Maryam Jamal of Bahrain, who had set the pace early in the race, finished last after being boxed in and then tripped. – Reuters

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Madonna thanks exes for encouraging movie career Posted: 01 Sep 2011 07:14 AM PDT US pop star Madonna (C), director of the movie 'W.E.' poses with actresses Andrea Riseborough (L) and Abbie Cornish during a photocall at the 68th Venice Film Festival September 1, 2011. – Reuters VENICE, Sept 1 – Pop star Madonna thanked her ex-husbands for encouraging her to take up a career in movies, as she arrived in Venice today for the world premiere of her lavish royal drama "W.E." The 53-year-old American has been married to US actor and director Sean Penn and British film maker Guy Ritchie – and has spent much of the last few years behind the camera rather than on the stage. W.E., her second feature film, appears at the Venice film festival outside the main competition, but the presence of one of the world's biggest celebrities inevitably dominated the attention of the world's press. The film re-tells the story of American divorcee Wallis Simpson, whose affair with Britain's King Edward VIII led him to abdicate the throne. It does so through the eyes of another American Wally Winthrop, played by Abbie Cornish, who lives in New York in the 1990s and becomes obsessed with the life of a woman with whom she bears an uncanny resemblance. "I am and was attracted to very creative people which is why I married Sean Penn and Guy Ritchie, two very talented directors," Madonna told reporters after a press screening of W.E. "They both encouraged me as a director and as a creative person to do what I did, and they were both very supportive," added the singer, who wore a short-sleeved black dress with white trim. There was applause for the movie after the first screening and one early review, in the Daily Telegraph, gave W.E. three stars out of five. "Her version of their (the Windsors') lives is a fantasia that will not trouble historians," wrote David Gritten. "Yet oddly, that's a relief after so many stale, plodding TV documentaries about this unlovely couple." Madonna said she saw parallels between herself and Simpson, a woman who was vilified by many for her role in a constitutional crisis but who is sympathetically portrayed in W.E. by Andrea Riseborough. Like Simpson, Madonna is a woman who lives her life in the public glare, and is also an American who moved to England for several years while married to Ritchie. "I identified with her in that I think it's very common when people become celebrities or public figures or icons that we are often reduced to a soundbite and that you're given a few attributes and then you're not allowed to have anything more than that," she said. "I did go through periods of feeling like I was an outsider when I first moved to England. "I certainly didn't feel like that by the time I'd lived there for 10 years. And I feel, since I moved there, that I feel very welcomed by England." Asked why she chose Simpson as a subject, Madonna replied: "I was deeply and utterly swept up in trying to understand the reason that this man, King Edward VIII ... would relinquish this great position of power for love." She added that she hoped the success of "The King's Speech", set at the same time and in a similar world to W.E., would help, not harm her project. "I was a little bit nervous, because I thought, 'oh dear, if someone else is making a movie about the same time-frame, then who would be interested in my movie?' "But then I saw the film and I saw that it was from a completely different point of view and I view the success of that film as sort of laying the groundwork for my movie. "So there is a little bit of history and a little bit of knowledge and we are not starting with a blank slate." – Reuters

‘Harry Potter’ picked top summer movie: Poll Posted: 01 Sep 2011 03:32 AM PDT Over six thousand fans watch 'Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2' Croatian movie premiere at the Roman Amphitheatre in the Adriatic city of Pula, 270km from Zagreb, July 19, 2011. A new poll has picked 'Harry Potter' as the top summer movie. – Reuters pic LOS ANGELES, Sept 1 – The summer blockbuster movie season comes to an end this weekend, and already moviegoers on one website have decided their favourite flick of the period – "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2." Voters in a new poll released today by NextMovie.com had the British boy wizard casting his spell over nearly 60 per cent of voters for favourite summer flick, easily surpassing "X-Men: First Class" with only 15 per cent of the tally. "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" was No. 3 in the survey with comedy "Bridesmaids" and thriller "Super-8" rounding out the top five in that order. Fans voted the kiss between "Potter" characters Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger as their favourite moment of the final "Potter" film in the survey of more than 25,000 votes. The biggest bomb of the summer was superhero film "The Green Lantern," starring Ryan Reynolds, with 41 per cent, while sci-fi ape thriller "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" was picked the summer's biggest surprise hit. Comedy "The Hangover Part 2," the much-anticipated sequel to 2009's box-office smash "The Hangover," was voted the second most disappointing film of the summer, but in an odd twist, it managed to nab the title of favourite comedy with 35 per cent of voters favouring it over No. 2 comedy, "Bridesmaids." NextMovie also asked its readers who was the "Hottest Babe," and "Friends with Benefits" star Mila Kunis beat out "Cowboys & Aliens" leading lady Olivia Wilde by a 4 per cent margin – 31 per cent to 27 per cent. Among men, "Captain America" actor Chris Evans won the "Best Abs" title, fighting off stiff competition from the likes of "Conan the Barbarian" actor Jason Momoa and Chris Hemworth in "Thor." While boy wizard Harry Potter may have thundered ahead in this year's rankings, fans are already excited for next summer's big releases, with more than 76 per cent selecting "Snow White and the Huntsman," starring Hemsworth and "Twilight's" Kristen Stewart, as the film they are most looking forward to seeing. – Reuters

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Merdeka: These things we share Posted: 31 Aug 2011 04:42 PM PDT SEPT 1 — Let us ignore the muted Merdeka celebrations this year and build some cheer of our own here. This is not going to be a diatribe about anything. This is a tribute to those things that make Malaysia tick. A nation is a concept which is in perpetual motion, made horrendously difficult by personal interests. The smart know that in Malaysia, wealth is aplenty if long term is not a concern. So it is difficult keeping a union going, our union going, and for that I will have to cross the aisle and say that all you, committed to Malaysia irrespective of partisanship, deserve credit. Millions of Malaysians, grudgingly or not, keep the faith. And in that spirit of not going after anyone, let's talk a bit about some of these things.  Again, not things that most Malaysians like, but rather things which transcend the institutional race, religion, regional and gender divide. The things which we live for, or have disdain for in equal measure. Badminton  Football has more fans than badminton in the country, however the fan base is divided across teams — mostly abroad. And the relatively poor turnouts at our national league matches in contrast to our national football viewing base shows not all is in sync. The euphoria over the national team's limited success regionally is on the wane as home truths cripple the sport. Badminton, well badminton is different. Most people don't follow the national badminton scene, but when it comes to the tournaments then the nation is transfixed on the national badminton team. It might be the history of being a major global player in this sport with a realistic chance of winning world titles, perhaps. People like badminton so much, for years they put up with the repetitive and ignorant commentating by Datuk Hasbullah Awang on TV. Though the national team, back-up players and the coaching scene are crowded with ethnic Chinese, Malaysians have uncharacteristically refrained from downplaying badminton's success. A couple of weeks ago, in an almost empty bar in an awkward corner of Bukit Jalil near the national sports complex, strangers were screaming, gasping, cursing and punching the air as Lee Chong Wei almost upended China's Lin Dan. It was not to be, but the blood pressure reading for the patrons and the waiters would not have been pretty reading. We all wanted Lee Chong Wei to win, as we will the next time he walks into a major final. We were there when Cheah Soon Kit-Yap Kim Hock almost won an Olympic gold in 1996. We cried when Razif-Jalani nailed the Thomas Cup in 1992. And we will all be there for the next triumph or defeat. Thank you badminton. Singaporeans: We love you man (or, The humourless Singaporean: An oxymoron) Asean ties be damned, everything might work better in Singapore, or as a friend said perhaps a little too well. Too well it starts to annoy. Disclaimer: We love Singaporeans, and please bear with our customs and enjoy your trip here. We deplore any type of physical or psychological harm on Singaporeans. And Malaysians do look up to the Singaporean work culture in some instances. But when see the Singaporean walk past, we just break out in laughter. The Singaporean is so bland it is unreal. And to be fair, the Singaporean knows it. So he does try to joke at times, which obviously leads to us laughing hard at them as much as with the joke. The scorn we have for our cousins down there is almost like the "break in case of emergency" glass. When things go really bad, we do go down on our knees and thank all kinds of gods that we did not have to be them. Bad road directions Irrespective of the language used, Malaysians generally give horrible road directions. I think this might be down to our polite culture of not telling too much. If we tell the asking guy in a way no deciphering is necessary, it might seem a little too condescending I suppose. I learnt a hard lesson as a teenager with friends trying to get around Ipoh city once by enquiring from a guy, who now seems on hindsight a vicious vitriolic man. Remember when a guy asks you to make four right turns in succession you end up in the same place. Youth, tragic youth. But there are these wonderful terms: Gostan; straight, straight, straight; up and down two times, etc.  Here's a toast to all the people who lose hours and hours to the typical Malaysian. Tabloid news True, everywhere in the world people are enamoured by the bizarre, but Malaysians come frighteningly close to actually believing in the tabloid news as life lessons. Perhaps more so with the suppression of mainstream news when it comes to actual news, and the negating of alternative news sources, it becomes too challenging for the common man to always read between the lines. One side seems to be saying selectively, and the other seems too urgent. Tabloids seem happy enough to let the crazy come out easy with popcorn morality summaries. Headline: No wife in violent spousal dispute! Man beats wife, only to realise his wife was once a man, therefore the marriage is annulled and the two broken bones during the violent beating are seen as collateral to a regrettable marriage but necessary since it let to the doubts which undid the sex-change cover. Moral summary then follows, it is important not to be tricked by unscrupulous men trying to fight nature with science. The shame, guilt and condemnation cycle of our local tabloids is so engrossing for all Malaysians. Not sure what is the redeemable quality here, except maybe more of us than not are found to read them. At least it gets us to read. Durians: The king lives well... Nothing divides global taste and smell buds as much as the king of fruits, the mighty durian. I tell friends that all I ever expect of my unborn children is for them to play football and chess, and eat durians. I understand that the third may test the best of filial piety, but it is one which I will risk for the king deserves better. Most of the world finds the durian a challenge, so much so eating it became a serious challenge in an American survival reality show.  But in Malaysia, only a minority detests it and in those cases I put it down to poor training and constitution. Malaysians cannot be defined by who eats and sells durians.  Music: Alleycats and that Man Bai song The multi-language and four-type public schools system has also retained the wall of separation in cultural development in the country. Malay, Mandarin, Tamil and nasyid music scenes on their own go on. The karaokes in Sarawak will carry their Iban tunes. Diversity is great actually, it even explains the success local acts have in the Chinese music scene, Cantonese and Mandarin (which is huge on its own), and the Tamil music scene with the presence of people like Yogi B in major soundtracks. Which is why those Alleycats have been Malaysia's biggest non-Malay band in the Malay music scene. Generations of Malaysians raised to read and write in Malay most, and only a handful of non-Malays make it through the Malay music scene. I don't offer answers here but I think the prime minister might want to produce more Malay albums by non-Malays as part of his 1 Malaysia vision. Sounds like a vote getter. But while we wait for a more multicultural Malay music scene, there is this one song which seems to have infected the Malaysian psyche, Man Bai's "Kau Ilham Ku" (You're my inspiration). An advert to support the Malaysian hockey team to the 2000 Olympics used it, but the song has been lingering about before and after. A friend sent a YouTube link of his son and another singing a version, which prompted me to do a short search of other uploads of the song. It is interesting to catch, including this one by someone who is not even Malaysian.  Something about longing, waiting and hoping seems to hit a chord with many Malaysians, so that makes the list. And we go on, together Every day most of us are told why this whole country is disparate. Firstly countries are collections of autonomous individuals, who then shape themselves through their families and then interact in their communities. There will be so many examples of how so different, in this instance, Malaysians are from each other. That just means we are individuals. What we have to see is if those differences fundamentally separate us and hold them up side by side with the thing we so readily agree with. Today in Malaysia, it just seems race and religion get more mention, therefore more space in our conversations. The argument is skewed. But having lived with each other for so long we have adjusted to each other more than we all like to admit. And preferences have melded, just that the language to express that commonality is missing from the main stage. So the thing is we are more alike than we are allowed to admit. "Kita serupa" (We are alike, an old Headwind song). * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.

Moraliti, kejujuran dan keikhlasan — kriteria utama pemilihan seseorang wakil rakyat Posted: 31 Aug 2011 04:30 PM PDT Moraliti, kejujuran dan keikhlasan — kriteria utama pemilihan seseorang wakil rakyat 1 SEPT — Apakah jenis wakil rakyat yang anda mahukan? Adakah wakil rakyat yang anda maksudkan itu merupakan seorang yang tidak banyak bercakap tetapi sentiasa turun padang dan menyelesaikan masalah yang dihadapi rakyat? Ataupun wakil rakyat yang suka mencari publisiti murahan dengan aktiviti-aktiviti yang dilakukannya dan turun padang dan tunjuk muka lima setahun sekali menjelangnya musim pilihan raya umum? Bagaimana pula dengan kalangan pemimpin yang berani bersuara isu rakyat hinggakan popularitinya kedudukan dalam partinya tergugat? Bagaimana pula jika wakil rakyat sedia ada tidak tersenarai sebagai calon bagi partinya meskipun prestasi yang ditunjukkan cukup cemerlang dan mendapat sokongan rakyat keseluruhannya?  Tidakkah pemimpin-pemimpin sedemikian wajar diangkat sebagai pemimpin contoh untuk mendukungi aspirasi rakyat? Apakah dengan bertindak sedemikian mereka telah melanggar konvensyen parti politik yang disertainya yang tidak menggalakkan perbedaan pendapat secara terbuka? Konvensyen politik sememangnya penting untuk menjaga kestabilan sesebuah gagasan. Namun dalam usaha menjaga kestabilan sekalipun, jangan pula dinafikan realiti sebenar yang berada di hadapan kita. Realiti tetap realiti yang tidak mungkin dapat dipadamkan dari pandangan kita. Sama ada yang pahit atau manis, realiti sebenar perlu dihadapi dengan penuh keterbukaan. Mengelak daripada berhadapan dengan realiti bukanlah penyelesaian yang terbaik. Apabila seseorang pemimpin bersuara dan melanggar konvensyen parti politik, tidak bermakna mereka menentang polisi kerajaan. Mereka bersuara kerana ingin melihat penambahbaikan kepada dasar-dasar yang dilaksanakan kerajaan. Pemimpin-pemimpin politik ini menegur kerana mereka prihatin kepada keadaan negara. Justeru, pihak yang berkepentingan harus tahu membezakan apa yang dikatakan sebagai menentang dan apa yang dikatakan sebagai memberi pendapat. Jikalau memberi pendapat bernas yang membawa kebaikan kepada parti dan negara, apa salahnya. Kerana melalui teguran yang membina, baharu negara kita boleh maju ke hadapan. Kerana teguran yang membina jugalah, negara kita boleh belajar sesuatu daripadanya. Melainkan mereka ini tidak suka mendengar teguran atau mendengar keadaan yang tidak memihak kepadanya. Tidak salah untuk pemimpin-pemimpin politik membuat keputusan berpandukan kepada pendirian kolektif pucuk kepimpinan partinya tetapi dalam sesetengah keadaan yang memerlukan pendekatan yang berlainan, maka kebebasan untuk berbeda pendapat itu harus dibenarkan. Adalah sesuatu yang tidak masuk akal untuk parti-parti politik terus mematuhi konvensyen parti politik biarpun mengetahui ia sudah tidak relevan dengan perkembangan semasa. Keengganan untuk menerima realiti sebenar bukan hanya menyebabkan pemimpin-pemimpin politik ini terus terpinggir daripada arus perdana politik negara malahan menyebabkan mereka terus "lose touch" dengan pengundi-pengundi. Dalam kehidupan seharian, perubahan merupakan sesuatu yang perlu dilalui oleh semua. Sama ada ke landasan yang lebih baik ataupun sebaliknya. Tuntutan ke arah perubahan yang bergema akan senantiasa meletakkan sesebuah parti politik atau pemimpin dalam kesiapsiagaan dalam memberikan yang terbaik kepada rakyat. Inilah semak dan imbang yang perlu ada dalam sistem politik negara. Kepada pengundi-pengundi, mereka harus bijak menilai pemimpin-pemimpin ini. Gunakanlah kebijaksanaan dengan memilih pemimpin bukan berdasarkan kepada emosi dan kesetiaan yang membuta-tuli tetapi melihat kepada rekod perkhidmatan dan perwatakannya sebagai seorang wakil rakyat. Adalah sesuatu yang cukup malang jika keringat yang diusahakan oleh wakil-wakil rakyat berkenaan bukan sahaja dipinggirkan bahkan mereka tidak diberikan tempat untuk menyumbang sekalipun mereka masih mampu berbuat demikian. Sesungguhnya, kesetiaan membuta-tuli pengundi terhadap seseorang pemimpin biarpun menyedari pemimpin itu tidak boleh menyumbang, adalah sesuatu yang amat merbahaya. Secara langsung, ia akan mencetuskan satu precedent yang tidak sihat yang mana sesuatu perkara yang betul dan dibuktikan kesahihannya pun boleh dibuktikan tidak sah. Ramai pemimpin yang tidak menyedari bahawa pengundilah raja sebenar. Merekalah yang berhak memilih siapa untuk mewakili mereka. Maka kerana itu, penulis percaya pencalonan seseorang wakil rakyat harus berpaksikan kepada kehendak rakyat bukannya kehendak parti politik. Logiknya cukup mudah di sini. Jika kita memilih wakil rakyat berdasarkan kepada kehendak parti politik, ia boleh dipertikaikan kerana pemimpin tertinggi parti politik berkenaan mungkin mempunyai percaturannya tersendiri mengenai jenis calon yang ingin diturunkan. Berkemungkinan besar juga pemimpin parti politik tersebut mempunyai persepsi yang lain terhadap calon yang dimaksudkan. Dalam percaturan parti politik, sudah tentu kepentingan parti mengatasi keutamaan lain. Ini kerana jika survival parti tergugat, secara tidak langsung juga, survival politik mereka akan menerima nasib yang sama. Namun, jika suara-suara itu datang daripada kalangan rakyat — golongan marhaen yang saban hari berpeluang memerhati, mendengar dan menilai gelagat wakil-wakil rakyat, ia adalah manifestasi sebenar aspirasi rakyat.  Rakyat tidak mempunyai kepentingan peribadi seperti pemimpin-pemimpin politik tetapi yang ada pada mereka hanyalah kepentingan bersama untuk negara. Dan persoalan ini membawa kita kepada nasib segelintir pemimpin politik yang berada di hujung tanduk biarpun mempamerkan prestasi yang cemerlang dalam Kabinet. Mungkin salah seorang pemimpin politik yang boleh kita angkat sebagai contoh dalam kes ini ialah bekas Menteri Pengangkutan yang juga Ahli Parlimen Pandan, Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat. Mutakhir ini, Tee Keat sudah tidak berada dalam Jemaah Menteri lebih daripada satu tahun. Namun, pengguguran dari jawatan Kabinet sebaliknya memberikan lebih banyak ruang kepada beliau untuk menumpukan perhatian kepada masalah rakyat di kawasan Parlimennya. Semua sedia maklum Tee Keat pernah menjawat jawatan sebagai Presiden MCA dan Menteri Pengangkutan selama 18 bulan dan sepanjang tempoh itu, beliau dilihat memberikan perkhidmatan yang memberangsangkan. Ketegasan dan keberanian beliau untuk menyuarakan pandangan yang ada kalanya bertentangan dengan pendirian kerajaan menjadikan beliau seorang yang kurang disenangi oleh pihak berkepentingan. Ketegasan dan kejujuran inilah yang sering kali meletakkan beliau dalam kesukaran. Dan apabila terdapat khabar angin yang melaporkan bahawa Tee Keat berkemungkinan besar tidak akan dicalonkan semula sebagai calon Ahli Parlimen Pandan, ia bukanlah suatu kejutan tetapi sudah dijangka dari awal lagi. Beliau bersama-sama dengan Ong Ka Chuan menjadi "mangsa" dalam percaturan politik CSL.  Apa yang menimpa kedua-dua pemimpin MCA ini adalah sesuatu yang lumrah dalam dunia politik. Prinsip Machiavellian tidak mengenal erti belas kasihan. Yang kuat dan yang tahan lasak, akan bertahan sementara mereka yang berprinsip dan jujur dalam perjuangannya hanya menanti untuk dipijak dan mungkin mati di pertengahan jalan. Tee Keat bukan orang kerdil dalam dunia politik. Sebaliknya seorang gergasi yang kental semangatnya dan adakalanya degil dari segi sikapnya. Kejayaan mengalahkan Datuk Harun Idris, calon heavyweight dari parti Semangat 46 pada pilihan raya umum 1989 dan kemampuannya mengekalkan kerusi Parlimen Ampang Jaya dan kini, Pandan bukti mantan Presiden MCA itu bukan calang-calang politikus yang kita gambarkan. Ya, beliau bukan manusia yang sempurna sifatnya. Beliau juga pernah melakukan kesilapan. Dalam senario politik negara yang berkocak, apakah Tee Keat bukan seorang calon yang boleh menang seperti yang dilaung-laungkan CSL? Calon manakah yang dilihat CSL sebagai calon boleh menang? Adakah calon yang dimahukan hanya pandai membodek kepimpinan tertinggi parti ataupun mempunyai jawatan penting dalam parti sahaja? Mungkin ada baiknya juga Soi Lek memperincikan kepada kita semua mengenai kriteria-kriteria penting seorang calon yang boleh menang kerana takrifan calon boleh menang agak kabur. Dalam memilih seorang calon boleh menang itu, penting juga untuk kita tidak mengabaikan kriteria dari segi moraliti calon itu. Antaranya, calon itu tidak harus terlibat dalam sebarang skandal yang mengaibkan diri dan parti yang diwakili beliau. Apa gunanya seorang calon itu menang tetapi moraliti dirinya tidak bersih dan menjadi liabiliti kepada parti? Yang pastinya, kemenangan yang dicapai itu merupakan kemenangan yang kosong semata-mata. Ia adalah suatu tragedi yang tragis jika wakil-wakil rakyat yang mempunyai rekod perkhidmatan cemerlang dan disukai oleh penduduk setempat tidak dicalonkan semula. Jadi, apakah bentuk keadilan dan kesaksamaan yang cuba dilaung-laungkan oleh segelintir pemimpin parti politik? Di satu sudut, mereka bercakap mengenai keperluan untuk mendengar suara hati rakyat dalam melaksanakan dasar-dasar dan dari satu sudut lain pula, mereka mempunyai pendirian tersendiri untuk memilih calon-calon pilihan raya. Tidakkah ini hipokrit? Sebaik-baiknya, pemimpin-pemimpin politik kita harus mencontohi sikap pemimpin-pemimpin politik dari sesetengah negara maju yang tidak terlalu partisan dalam pendirian mereka. Siapakah yang bakal tersenarai sebagai calon dalam Pilihan Raya Umum akan datang, mereka haruslah datang dari kalangan calon yang mendapat restu dan sokongan rakyat. Calon yang dipilih itu haruslah bersih, bermoral tinggi dan berani menyuarakan masalah rakyat tanpa gentar dan memilih bulu. Rakyat tidak perlukan wakil-wakil rakyat yang dicalonkan hanya kerana mereka mempunyai rangkaian hubungan dengan pihak tertentu. Lebih penting lagi, rakyat tidak perlukan wakil-wakil rakyat yang hanya memanaskan bangku mereka setiap lima tahun sekali sahaja. Ternyata, terdapat sebilangan besar wakil rakyat di luar sana yang terpilih, tidak melaksanakan amanah dengan baik, sebaliknya hanya sibuk bermain politik hingga menimbulkan rasa meluat rakyat terhadap mereka. Adakah kita akan melihat lebih banyak calon berkualiti diturunkan pada PRU 13 nanti? Sejauhmanakah mereka akan melaksanakan amanah yang dipertanggungjawabkan oleh rakyat dengan sejujur-jujurnya? Mungkinkah kita akan melihat perubahan dari segi sikap pemimpin politik kita ataupun semuanya ini hanyalah hangat-hangat tahi ayam semata-mata? • Pandangan di atas hanyalah pandangan peribadi penulis.

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Gaddafi didakwa sembunyi di Bani Walid, tenggara Tripoli Posted: 01 Sep 2011 02:35 AM PDT TRIPOLI, 1 Sept — Pemimpin Libya digulingkan Muammar Gaddafi dipercayai berada di bandar padang pasir Bani Walid, kira-kira 150km ke tenggara Tripoli, demikian menurut seorang komander Majlis Peralihan Kebangsaan hari ini. Abdel Majid, penyelaras bilik operasi tentera Tripoli memberitahu Reuters, "mereka yang kami percaya" memaklumkan bahawa Muammar telah pergi ke kawasan itu bersama anaknya Saif al-Islam dan ketua risikan Abdullah al-Senoussi tiga hari selepas Tripoli jatuh minggu lalu. — Reuters

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