Isnin, 24 September 2012

The Malaysian Insider :: Food

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The Malaysian Insider :: Food


Domino’s taps into selling power of artisan foods with ‘handmade’ pizza

Posted: 24 Sep 2012 08:19 PM PDT

Described as a crispy, buttery crust, Domino's Pizza has debuted a line of pan pizza 'handmade' from fresh dough. — Picture courtesy of ©Domino's Pizza

NEW YORK, Sept 25 — In yet another pitch appealing to the consumer appetite for "artisan" and homemade foods, the largest pizza delivery chain in the world has launched what they're marketing as "handmade" pan pizzas.

Described as a crispy, buttery crust, Domino's Pizza has debuted a line of pan pizza "handmade" from fresh dough, a term that implies artisanal craftsmanship and authenticity.

It's been an emerging trend in the commercial food market, with brands like Campbell's and Frito-Lay slapping the "artisan" term on labels for everything from soup to tortilla chips.

And after launching artisan and hand-tossed pizzas, Domino's is tapping into that selling power again by conjuring up images of pizza makers kneading and tossing dough in the air, as opposed to industrial machines spitting out mass-produced balls on conveyor belt assembly lines.

According to the company, one in five pizzas sold in the US is a pan pizza. The pan pizza is available in all of its 5,000 stores across the country.

Pizza Hut also offers hand-tossed and pan pizzas on their menu.

According to an estimate made by market research company Datamonitor last year, more than 800 new products released over the last five years carried the term "artisan" on their packaging. — AFP-Relaxnews


Emmanuel Renaut voted chef of the year

Posted: 24 Sep 2012 07:13 PM PDT

In this year's edition of the French 'Michelin' guide, Renaut earned his third stripe for his traditional Savoyard cuisine. — AFP pic

PARIS, Sept 25 — It's been a banner year for French chef Emmanuel Renaut.

After earning his third star in the last Michelin guide, the chef of Flocons de Sel in eastern France has been voted chef of the year by his fellow colleagues.

It's a distinction he shares with other French culinary luminaries including Jean-Francois Piège — a popular food TV personality in the country — Gilles Goujon, and Eric Frechon, all of whom were given nods from their confrères of more than 6,000 chefs, pastry chefs and sommeliers across the country.

The other big winners of the annual competition hosted by Le Chef magazine include two women: pastry chef Claire Heitzler of Paris restaurant Lasserre and Estelle Touzet, sommelier of Le Meurice in Paris.

In this year's edition of the French Michelin guide, Renaut earned his third stripe for his traditional Savoyard cuisine becoming the country's 26th restaurant in France to boast triple stars.

At Paris restaurant Lasserre, meanwhile, desserts share the spotlight with savoury items in a €30 (RM119) menu that includes multiple courses like roasted figs with cream and olive oil, chocolate soufflé and assorted seasonal offerings.

And ritzy restaurant Le Meurice, which overlooks the Tuileries Gardens, is now home to both a three-Michelin starred chef Yannick Alléno, in addition to a sommelier considered "le nez" (or 'the nose') of France with her keen pairing abilities. — AFP-Relaxnews


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The Malaysian Insider :: Sports

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The Malaysian Insider :: Sports


Roma awarded 3-0 walkover win against Cagliari

Posted: 24 Sep 2012 08:33 AM PDT

ROME, Sept 24 — AS Roma have been awarded a 3-0 walkover win for yesterday's match at Cagliari after the game was called off for security reasons, Serie A said in a statement today.

Cagliari club president Massimo Cellino was also referred to the Italian football federation's prosecutor for possible further sanctions after calling on supporters to defy an order from local authorities to play the game behind closed doors.

Cagliari have moved to the Is Arenas on the outskirts of the Sardinian capital but authorities ruled last Thursday that the renovated stadium was not ready to host Serie A games despite recent improvements.

The Sardinians had previously been forced to play their opening Serie A home match against Atalanta behind closed doors.

On Saturday, Cagliari issued a statement slamming "the bureaucratic difficulties and the collective disinterest of the authorities". They invited fans to watch the Roma game, saying the stadium was safe.

Cagliari's city government responded by postponing the game.

Cagliari had played at the Stadio Sant'Elia from 1970 until late on last season when they abandoned the dilapidated arena due to disagreements with the local authorities and growing safety worries.

They staged their remaining home games last season in Trieste, around 1,600 kilometres from their base and closer to Belgrade than the Sardinian capital. — Reuters

Outrage and disbelief after Real-Rayo game abandoned

Posted: 24 Sep 2012 08:00 AM PDT

Technicians try to get the lights back on after a power failure on half of the pitch at the Teresa Rivero stadium in Madrid. — Reuters pic

MADRID, Sept 24 — Spanish media reacted with outrage and disbelief today after the La Liga match between Real Madrid and Rayo Vallecano was abandoned because of alleged lighting sabotage at the Estadio de Vallecas stadium.

Several commentators said the farcical scenes of a handful of workmen trying to fix severed cables on the roof of Rayo's ground as groups of officials waited below in the semi-darkness yesterday made the Spanish league look like a "banana republic".

Fans wait outside the stadium for word if the match would go ahead. — Reuters pic

With La Liga's image already damaged by the financial woes of many of its clubs, half-empty stadiums and discontent over ticket prices and kickoff times, the incident could hardly have come at a worse time.

"Four or five guys working and 100 more standing watching," columnist Roberto Palomar wrote in the sports daily Marca. "Where have we seen this before? In Spain of course.

"The image of the workman who, without taking the cigarette from his lips, was trying to fix the cables together with a bit of sticky tape is the metaphor for the banana republic of the league.

"Crazy kickoff times, atrocious debts, falling attendance in the stadiums, sabotage at a game that was declared high risk, clubs that do not meet the most basic requirements to take part in a professional competition," added Palomar.

"There are local leagues that are better organised."

Real initially said they did not want to risk another lighting failure and would prefer to play the match today at 1500 GMT before reluctantly agreeing to a 1745 start.

The game was due to kick off at 1930 yesterday but thousands of fans were still waiting outside the locked and darkened arena as workmen toiled to fix the lights.

Rayo president Raul Martin Presa told Spanish television that unidentified people had cut some of the cables, and when it became clear they could not be repaired in time the game was abandoned.

Alfredo Relano, a columnist for the As sports daily, said the incident was yet another blow to the image of Spain, noting the match would have been televised in 150 countries.

"We are facing a new kind of crime: football terrorism," Relano added. "The police must find the culprits and bring them to justice."

Cristina Cifuentes, the central government's representative in Madrid, told Spanish radio today that initial investigations appeared to confirm the lights had been sabotaged.

"Officers are attempting to recover fingerprints," she said, adding they were also examining closed-circuit television footage to try and identify those responsible. — Reuters

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The Malaysian Insider :: Features

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Ten-minute workouts lure time-challenged exercisers

Posted: 24 Sep 2012 08:42 AM PDT

File photo shows a general view of a gym. Experts say that short bursts of activity, sometimes called exercise snacking, can give a good workout too because of the intensity. – Reuters pic

NEW YORK, Sept 24 – The procrastinators, the super-busy, and the easily bored in pursuit of a manageable fitness routine may find what they seek in the 10-minute workout.

Experts say what these short bursts of activity, sometimes called exercise snacking, lack in duration they can make up for in intensity.

"You can get a good enough workout that can make real metabolic changes to your body," said Liz Neporent, co-author of "The Thin in 10 Weight-Loss Plan" along with fitness instructor Jessica Smith.

"It can help you lose weight, reduce stress and basically give you all the benefits that we know come from exercise."

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends that most adults to engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week.

But multiple shorter sessions of at least 10 minutes are acceptable and even people unable to meet the minimums still benefit from some activity, according to ACSM.

Neporent, who writes on health and fitness, said mainstream science is finding that if you increase intensity you can decrease time.

That approach can work for a lot of people, she said, because poll after poll has shown that the Number One objection to not getting a workout is time.

"The typical recommendation is to do 30 minutes, so if we told you that you could do 10 minutes at a time, you might actually have a better shot at getting it done," she said.

To make the most of 10 minutes, Neporent and Smith favor a hybrid of cardio and strength exercises.

"You want to get in something that's heart-healthy, and something that's good for your muscles and bones," Neporent said. "A lot of our workouts (in the book) tend to be circuit-weighted to maximise time."

They also promote the 10-minute walk; the meal plan section extends the theme with recipes that take 10 minutes or less to prepare.

MIDDLE-AGED PERILS

Amy Dixon, creator of the "Give Me 10" DVD series of 10-minute workouts, said studies show shorter, but more consistent, workouts can yield dramatic results.

"If I had 10 minutes I would do fairly intense strength training, total body workouts with dumbbells or kettle bells interspersed with cardio intervals like jumping jacks," said Dixon, who is Group Fitness Manager at an Equinox fitness center in Santa Monica, California.

She's seen too many people spend 60 minutes just going through the motions of a cardiovascular workout.

"If you're reading a magazine," she said, "you're not working out."

Dr Carl Foster, a professor in the exercise and sports science department at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, said there are unique advantages to high-intensity training for the young and the fit.

"There are things you gain that you can't get from low-intensity workouts because you're using muscle fibres that are sedentary in a walk," he said.

For the middle-aged or older, high-intensity exercise has its perils.

"Somewhere around age 45 for men and 55 for women, you worry about the dark side of exercise," he said.

"Studies are clear that when people have catastrophes, such as heart attacks, they are almost always related to inappropriately high-intensity exercise."

Sometimes high-intensity routines are just too uncomfortable to be habit-forming, he said.

"Yes it can be done. You can do the work in 10 minutes but then it takes you 40 minutes to recover."

Foster predicts the focus on high-intensity interval training will wane.

"It will be like seasoning in food: you want to feel like an athlete, so let's do some of it in the middle of the workout," he said.

Before you leap into high-intensity training, he urges, be sure to have at least six months of normal training behind you. Then gradually add five or 10 seconds that are a little harder.

The biggest risk is that people who've been sedentary will suddenly decide to get in shape with high-intensity training.

"For middle-aged and older people, high-intensity training can be a trap that leads to health problems," Foster said.

"The people who are moderately active on a routine basis are the people who don't get heart attacks." – Reuters

America’s hidden unemployed: Too discouraged to count

Posted: 24 Sep 2012 07:29 AM PDT

Americans line up for an interview at a job fair in Washington in this file photo. Economists, analysing government data, estimate about four million fewer people are in the labour force than in December 2007, primarily due to a lack of jobs rather than the normal aging of America's population. – Reuters pic

WASHINGTON, Sept 24 – When Daniel McCune graduated from college three years ago, he was optimistic his good grades would earn him a job as an intelligence analyst with the government.

With a Bachelor of Science degree from Liberty University in Virginia, majoring in government service and history, McCune applied for jobs at the National Security Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other agencies.

But after a long hunt that yielded only two interviews, the 26-year-old threw in the towel last fall, joining millions of frustrated Americans who have given up looking for work.

"There's nothing out there and there probably won't be anything for a while," said McCune, from New Concord, Ohio. He has moved back home to live with his parents, who are helping him pay off his college debt of about US$20,000 (RM61,444).

"I don't like it, it's embarrassing. I don't want to be a burden to my parents," said McCune, adding that he felt like a high school dropout.

Economists, analysing government data, estimate about four million fewer people are in the labour force than in December 2007, primarily due to a lack of jobs rather than the normal aging of America's population. The size of the shift underscores the severity of the jobs crisis.

If all those so-called discouraged jobseekers had remained in the labour force, August's jobless rate of 8.1 per cent would have been 10.5 per cent.

The jobs crisis spurred the Federal Reserve last week to launch a new bond-buying programme and promise to keep it running until the labour market improves. It also poses a challenge to President Barack Obama's re-election bid.

The labour force participation rate, or the proportion of working-age Americans who have a job or are looking for one has fallen by an unprecedented 2.5 percentage points since December 2007, slumping to a 31-year low of 63.5 per cent.

"We never had a drop like that before in other recessions. The economy is worse off than people realize when people just look at the unemployment rate," said Keith Hall, senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University in Arlington, Virginia.

The participation rate would be expected to hold pretty much steady if the economy was growing at a normal pace. Only about a third of the drop in the participation rate is believed to be the result of the aging US population.

SLOW PROGRESS

The economy lost 8.7 million jobs in the 2007-09 recession and has so far recouped a little more than half of them.

Economists say jobs growth of around 125,000 per month is normally needed just to hold the jobless rate steady.

Given the likelihood that Americans will flood back into the labour market when the recovery gains traction, a pace twice that strong would be needed over a sustained period to make progress reducing the unemployment rate.

Last month, employers created just 96,000 jobs.

Roslyn Swan lost her job in 2007 as a portfolio associate at a financial firm in New York. After submitting hundreds of applications, the 44-year-old is taking a break.

"Maybe after the elections," Swan said of her next attempt to get work. "I know that I will be employed again. I don't know when, but I know it will happen."

Americans of all ages are leaving the workforce, but the problem is most acute in the 20-24 age group, where the participation rate has plunged by 4.4 percentage points since December 2007.

Many Americans typically start working in their teens, taking part-time jobs after school and over summer vacations, a tradition that is supposed to instill a work ethic. With many failing to secure jobs after graduating from high school and college, analysts worry about US competitiveness.

"Because of delays to their career, the skills set accumulation that normally happens in the first or third job is not happening," said Paul Conway, president of Generation Opportunity in Washington, a non-profit, non-partisan organisation that works with 18- to 29-year-olds on economic issues.

TOUGH ON YOUNG WORKERS

Last month, the proportion of 20- to 24-year-olds in the labour force was its lowest since 1972. Other age categories are faring little better. The 25-54 age group has seen a decline of 1.8 percentage points since December 2007.

Some, like 27-year-old Casey Potts, have gone back to school. She is studying nursing in Kentucky after losing her medical sales job.

"If I had stayed in medical sales, I would be job searching now," said Potts.

But separate surveys by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) and Generation Opportunity found little evidence that young people were going back to school when unable to land a job.

One deterrent is the rising cost of education and record levels of student debt. About two-thirds of 2012 college graduates left school in debt, owing on average US$28,700 in student loans, according to Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of FinAid.org.

"Young people dropping out of the labour force to go back to school would be a silver lining if it were true," said Heidi Shierholz, a senior EPI economist, adding that enrollment had gradually been increasing for decades.

A Generation Opportunity survey published in August showed a third of young people were putting off additional training and post-graduate studies because of the sour economy.

"This is significant. People are making the decision to put those off because the assurance of a return to investment is not there," said the non-profit's Conway, a veteran observer of the labour market as a former Department of Labor chief of staff.

He said his organisation found that young people were doing unpaid internships at nonprofit groups and businesses to prevent their skills from atrophying. Others were joining the military.

Some economists say the participation rate does not paint a true picture because people find work in the informal sector, ranging from legal activities such as child care to crime in some cases.

"People are picking a buck here and there and not being reported in anybody's payroll," said Patrick O'Keefe, head of economic research at J.H. Cohn in Roseland, New Jersey.

"They will say they are not doing anything, even as they have a job and are being paid under the table," said O'Keefe, a former deputy assistant secretary at the Labor Department. "We do not know to what extent that is going on." – Reuters

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The Malaysian Insider :: Showbiz

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‘Resident Evil: Retribution’ continues domination of the global box office

Posted: 24 Sep 2012 05:08 AM PDT

Cast member Milla Jovovich speaks during a panel for "Resident Evil: Retribution" during the Comic Con International convention in San Diego, California July 13, 2012. — Reuters pic

LOS ANGELES, Sept 24 — The horror movie "Resident Evil: Retribution" continues its reign over the global box office with an extra US$37.2 million (RM114 million) in the bank, according to Rentrak.

Milla Jovovich's struggle against zombies continued to draw crowds in theatres from September 21 to 23. Since its launch, the fifth chapter of the video game-inspired film franchise now totals US$136.87 million across 74 countries.

Second place goes to another horror flick, House at the End of the Street, starring Jennifer Lawrence, which raked in US$14.5 million around the world, including US$13 million in North America, where it shares first place honours with "End of Watch". The latter is fourth globally, with US$13 million.

"Trouble With the Curve", starring Clint Eastwood, ranks fourth globally. It grossed an impressive US$12.72 million in North America. — AFP/Relaxnews

HBO and cable rival Showtime score big at Emmys

Posted: 24 Sep 2012 02:38 AM PDT

L-R: Steven Shareshian, Jay Roach, Danny Strong, Gary Goetzman, Julianne Moore and Tom Hanks hold their Emmy awards for outstanding miniseries or movie for "Game Change" at the 64th Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles September 23, 2012. — Reuters pic

LOS ANGELES, Sept 23 — Cable network HBO took home the biggest haul at the television Emmy awards yesterday with 23 trophies for shows like political film "Game Change" and White House comedy series "Veep."

The CBS broadcast network finished second with 16, and cable channel Showtime, also owned by CBS Corp, scored big with major wins for new psychological thriller "Homeland."

HBO dominated with "Game Change," about Sarah Palin's unlikely pick as the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee. It earned five awards including a best actress win for Julianne Moore.

Playing a fictional vice president, Julia Louis-Dreyfus won the best comedy actress award for HBO series "Veep."

"Game Change" director Jay Roach said HBO succeeded with a commitment to political tales that others shied away from. "Everybody talks about politics," Roach said as he accepted an award. "But it's so freaking hard to get films made about politics, and they (HBO) just keep doing it and doing it so well."

Acclaimed HBO medieval fantasy "Game of Thrones" earned six wins in creative arts categories including costumes and special visual effects last week. HBO had entered the night as the most-nominated network for the 12th straight year.

Showtime celebrated its first win for a series with "Homeland." The show, which counts President Barack Obama among its fans, won six Emmys overall.

"This is your night as well as ours," "Homeland" executive producer Alex Gansa said, addressing CBS and Showtime executives from the stage as he accepted the show's award for best drama series.

"Homeland" won in a best drama field that for the first time included no nominees from the four major broadcast networks. A division of Fox produces "Homeland," which executive producer Howard Gordon said thrived in the Showtime cable universe.

"We are grateful we are on Showtime," Gordon told reporters backstage. "They gave us patience from the very top, allowing us to take time with the characters and let the stories breathe."

The CBS broadcast network's awards included a surprise win for Jon Cryer as best lead comedy actor in a revamped "Two and a Half Men." Cryer took on a larger role after the messy departure last year of Charlie Sheen, who was replaced by Ashton Kutcher.

Public television network PBS earned 12 Emmys, including best drama supporting actress for Maggie Smith in "Downton Abbey." Walt Disney co-owned broadcaster ABC took nine awards, capped by the third best comedy series win for "Modern Family."

The television studio of News Corp's 20th Century Fox unit produces "Homeland" and "Modern Family." Fox's FX cable channel won six awards.

Louis C.K. praised FX executives who gave him the unusual latitude to direct, write, edit and star in his show that is loosely based on his life as a newly divorced dad.

"They just let me do my show," he told reporters backstage. "I feel safe with them. I don't think I've ever really had a disagreement with them in three years."

The History Channel won five Emmy awards — the most in the network's history — for its ratings hit "Hatfields & McCoys" starring Kevin Costner in the classic story of a family feud. The show's three nights in May averaged a massive 17.1 million viewers.

The cable network is owned by A&E Television Networks, a joint venture of Hearst Corporation and Disney. — Reuters

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The Malaysian Insider :: Books

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Two new interviews reveal ‘The Casual Vacancy’ details

Posted: 24 Sep 2012 06:09 AM PDT

Rowling herself prefers to see her novel as a comic tragedy, with tones of a nineteenth-century novel. – AFP pic

LOS ANGELES, Sept 24 – Amid discussion of J.K. Rowling's background and the impact of the Potter years, conversations with The Casual Vacancy author reveal tidbits about the plot and characters of the novel, due out September 27.

Thematically, "mortality and morality" link the Potter books to The Casual Vacancy, although the newer work, built around a local election in south-west England, is certainly more mature in terms of material: the realities of drug addiction and prostitution lie amidst an exploration of relations between rich and poor and the cruelty of self-interest.

Indeed, an interview in The Guardian revealed that the titular vacancy arises when a village politician dies, creating a power vacuum that certain inhabitants of Pagford are eager to fill, for a variety of personal and public reasons – the local doctor, the headmaster, and the councillor's bereaved son – while other characters are undeniable hints towards the more mature direction Rowling has chosen, such as junkie prostitute Terri Weedon and her two children.

And while The Casual Vacancy has been described as parody or a black comedy in parts, Rowling herself prefers to see it as a comic tragedy, with tones of a nineteenth-century novel, and The New Yorker's writer comparing its closing sections to a Thomas Hardy novel.

The New Yorker: "Mugglemarch – J.K. Rowling writes a realist novel for adults".

The Guardian: "JK Rowling: 'The worst that can happen is that everyone says That's shockingly bad'." – AFP/Relaxnews


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The Malaysian Insider :: Bahasa

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The Malaysian Insider :: Bahasa


Saya tidak menentukan harga tanah PKFZ, kata Ling kepada mahkamah

Posted: 24 Sep 2012 02:22 AM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR, 24 Sept — Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik (gambar) hari ini memberitahu mahkamah tinggi bahawa dia hanya memberi tumpuan untuk mendapatkan tanah Zon Bebas Pelabuhan Kelang (PKFZ) daripada membincangkan harga.

Dr Ling, yang merupakan bekas presiden MCA dituduh menipu kabinet dengan membenarkan pembelian tanah 999.5 ekar tanah untuk projek PKFZ.

Dia juga menghadapi dua tuduhan tambahan menipu kabinet membeli tanah dengan harga RM25 per kaki persegi dengan 7.5 peratus kadar faedah - yang dikatakan dipersetujui oleh jabatan penilaian dan perkhidmatan harta (JPPH) walaupun tidak ada sebarang perjanjian.

"Kenapa kamu bertanya semua soalan ini? Persoalan menentukan harga ini bukan sepatutnya dijawab oleh saya," kata Dr Ling kepada pendakwa Datuk Tun Majid Tun Hamzah dalam sesi soal jawab hari ini.

Kemudian beliau menjawab, "saya kata saya tidak tahu. Saya hanya berminat untuk mendapatkan tanah tersebut."

Kemudian menjawab kepada soalan tambahan tentang nilai harga tanah tersebut, beliau menjawab, "Jawapan saya, ini bukan tugas saya. Tugas saya ialah mendapatkan tanah tersebut secepat mungkin."

Beliau berulang kali menyebut, "Arahan ialah mengikut penilaian JPPH."

Dia kemudian berkata JPPH  "tak mungkin salah. Selagi kita mengikut penilaian mereka, kita tidak lakukan sebarang kesalahan."

Dr Ling kemudian mempertahankan diri dalam perbicaraan hari ini, dengan hakim bertanya tentang soalan Tun Majid.

"Kerana dia bertanya soalan yang tidak munasabah," kata Dr Ling.

"Jangan cuba mengelak," kata Tun Majid.

"Siapa yang mengelak?" kata Dr Ling

Hakim Datuk Ahmadi Asnawi kemudian bertanya kepada peguam Dr Ling, Wong Kian Kheong untuk menasihati kliennya untuk menjawab soalan mengikut kemampuan dan tidak bergaduh dengan Tun Majid.

Dr Ling akan menghadapi penjara tujuh tahun, atau denda, atau keduanya sekiranya didapati bersalah seksyen 418 kanun keseksaan.

Dakwaan tambahan boleh membawa hukuman lima tahun, denda atau keduanya sekali.

Perbicaraan akan bersambung esok.

Enam calon Pro M dari UKM terima ugutan bunuh, culik

Posted: 24 Sep 2012 01:38 AM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR, 24 Sept — Kumpulan Pro-Mahasiswa (Pro M) Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) hari ini mendakwa enam daripada 28 calon yang bertanding merebut kerusi pilihan raya kampus universiti berkenaan yang dijadulakan esok menerima ugutan culik dan bunuh.

Dalam sidang media hari ini, jurucakap Gabungan Mahasiswa UKM,  Ahmad Afif Zulkipli berkata, bermula awal pagi tadi, enam calon dari Pro M universiti berkenaan telah menerima ugutan supaya tidak meneruskan niat bertanding,atau akan diculik dan dibunuh.

"Ugutan dibuat kepada keluarga calon. Sekarang Pro M telah menang di tujuh kerusi tanpa bertanding, dan kami hanya memerlukan lapan kerusi untuk menjadi majoriti.

"Sekarang enam daripada calon kami diugut bunuh dan culik. Setiap sejam akan ada calon yang menerima ugutan bermula pagi tadi," katanya yang juga daripada Pro M.

Esok merupakan hari pengundian bagi pilihan raya kampus di institusi pengajian tinggi di negara ini.

"Mereka menerima ugutan akan dibunuh sekiranya meneruskan bertanding dalam pilihan raya kampus," kata Ahmad Afif.

Menurutnya lagi, kempen di kampus berkenaan turut dicemari insiden berbaur perkauman apabila kain rentang calon berbangsa Melayu dan Cina turut dilempar cat merah.

"Ia seperti kempen politik di luar, seperti bas Jelajah Merdeka Rakyat yang turut disimbah cat merah.

"Pengalaman kami sebelum ini menunjukkan kali ini tentangan yang diberikan amat sengit, lebih dahsyat," katanya lagi dan menambah, insiden sedemikian tidak akan berlaku kecuali atas campurtangan parti pemerintah dan pentadbiran universiti."

Beliau turut menuntut Timbalan Naib Canselor Hal Ehwal Pelajar, Prof Dr Osman A Karim, yang juga Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Majlis Perwakilan Pelajar UKM,  untuk membuat penafian terlibat dan bersekongkol dengan insiden terbabit.

"Kita tak mahu ada sebarang campurtangan politik jijik dan kotor," tegasnya.

Sehubungan itu, mahasiswa berkenaan telah membuat dua laporan polis di Felda Sungai Tiang di Kedah berhubung ancaman bunuh dan culik berkenaan.

Proses membuang undi yang akan berlangsung esok turut menyaksikan terdapatnya insiden tidak diingini seperti tahun lalu apabila salah satu calon yang bertanding di Universiti Malaya (UM), Masturah Abu Bakar, calon Pro M yang didakwa telah diculik.

Masturah bagaimanapun telah ditemui di Bangi oleh saudara-maranya yang menjalankan gerakan mencari.

Pelajar itu dikatakan hilang selepas berkempen di Blok E, Pangsapuri Pantai Permai, Pantai Dalam yang menjadi tempat penginapan luar pelajar UM.

Malah pihak polis turut tidak mengesan sebarang unsur jenayah dan hanya mengklasifikasikan kes itu sebagai orang hilang dan bukannya diculik.

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The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion

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Poskad pancing undi

Posted: 23 Sep 2012 05:16 PM PDT

24 SEPT — Apabila pulang ke rumah pada 19 September, saya menemui sekeping poskad yang dialamatkan kepada saya. Sebaik sahaja meneliti poskad berkenaan, saya menjadi amat marah.

Bukan marah melihat wajah ceria Perdana Menteri tercinta, Datuk Seri Najib Razak yang tersenyum di sisi tulisan "Selamat Menyambut Hari Malaysia, 16 September 2012".

Poskad daripada Pengerusi Barisan Nasional Negeri Selangor memaparkan maklumat pengundi.

Sebaliknya terkejut, marah, geram dan kecewa dengan maklumat peribadi saya yang terpampang di belakang poskad. Syaitan mana pula yang "menjual" maklumat saya dalam daftar pengundi Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) kepada parti politik, lalu dicetak sewenang-wenangnya di belakang kad ucapan itu?

Demikian persoalan yang timbul dalam minda dan langsung sahaja saya luahkan pada ruangan status di laman rangkaian sosial Facebook sebagai makluman kepada rakan-rakan. Saya sebutkan juga frasa "haram jadah" iaitu frasa murni yang dipopularkan oleh Perdana Menteri tercinta mulai 8 Mei 2012.

Tentu sahaja saya berhak untuk berasa gembira dan bangga menerima kad ucapan (poskad) yang kononnya dihantar sendiri oleh Najib. Akan tetapi, hanya rasa marah, kecewa dan menyampah yang lahir dalam hati dan minda kerana maklumat peribadi saya (maklumat pengundi) dimanipulasi bagi mengirim kad ucapan berbaur politik oleh pihak yang tidak bertanggungjawab.

Saya percaya bahawa saya bukan satu-satunya penduduk di negeri Selangor yang menerima poskad berkenaan. Tidak keterlaluan untuk mengandaikan bahawa setiap pengundi berdaftar di negeri ini yang ditadbir kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat menerima kad tersebut.

Apabila saya meluahkan perasaan marah dan kecewa di Facebook, seorang rakan menulis komen bahawa "syaitan tak perlu jual data pengundi sebab syaitan ada network hebat". Manakala seorang lagi berkata, "kalau sudah menyangkut politik, semua jadi mungkin".

Clifford Tan memberikan pendapat bahawa "kalau bukan haram jadah, namanya bukan syaitan" manakala Shahrul mengatakan, "itu tandanya Perdana Menteri Malaysia mengetahui kewujudan seorang penulis yang menepati janji".

Seperti yang saya nyatakan tadi, pasti Najib tidak tahu/kenal saya. Sebaliknya, saya yakin bahawa kesemua pengundi berdaftar di Selangor menerima kad ucapan propaganda "Sayangi Selangor, Yakini BN". Turut dicetak talian hotline Pusat Khidmat Rakyat BN Selangor (Pakar) serta logo-logo 1 Malaysia, Barisan Nasional (BN), Sayangi Selangor Yakini BN dan Pakar.

Apabila saya memaklumkan perkara itu, seorang rakan yang berasal dari Kedah (dan pengundi di sana) menyatakan pandangan berhubung kemungkinan itu adalah tanda meraih undi secara halus. "Saya sudah hantarkan kad ucapan, Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-13 (PRU-13) nanti undilah saya," tafsirnya.

Pandangan itu segera mengingatkan saya pada frasa "kini masa balas budi" yang hangat diperkatakan. Jika benarlah tanggapan, andaian dan tafsiran bahawa pengiriman kad ucapan (poskad) itu sebenarnya bertujuan meraih undi, maka saya tidak menolak kemungkinan majoriti penduduk di negeri Selangor semakin meluat dan termuntah-muntah apabila meneliti kad berkenaan.

Seorang lagi rakan yang berasal dari Sabah dan kini bekerja di Shah Alam serta menggunakan alamat di sini memberitahu bahawa dia turut menerima kad ucapan berbentuk propaganda itu. "Inilah akibatnya menukar alamat pengundian dari Sabah ke Selangor," keluhnya.

Penulis berkongsi kekecewaan bersama rakan-rakan berhubung isu itu di Facebook.

Harus saya nyatakan bahawa segala pandangan, luahan rasa dan komentar yang diberikan adalah luahan rasa individu (penduduk) yang kecewa apabila menerima kad ucapan berupa propaganda politik. Lebih parah apabila maklumat pengundi dicetak secara terang-terangan di belakang poskad.

Saya ada menyebut bahawa saya pasti berasa gembira jika Perdana Menteri tercinta yang mengirim poskad berkenaan — tanpa menafikan hakikat bahawa bukan beliau yang sebenarnya menguruskan pengiriman kad itu.

Bagaimanapun, pada hakikatnya, kad itu adalah daripada "Perdana Menteri Malaysia merangkap Pengerusi Barisan Nasional Negeri Selangor" seperti yang tertera pada poskad itu sendiri.

Suatu strategi pemasaran atau gimik politik yang agak baik. Bagaimanapun, sebagai seorang pengamal media dan perunding media, saya dapat melihat dengan jelas bahawa kad itu bukan kiriman rasmi daripada Perdana Menteri tercinta. Sebaliknya daripada Pengerusi Barisan Nasional Negeri Selangor.

Maknanya, poskad itu dikirim oleh parti pembangkang di Negeri Selangor sebagai usaha memancing undi. Tidak mengapalah. Itu strategi yang mahu mereka gunakan di sebalik samaran "Selamat Menyambut Hari Malaysia".

Namun, sebagai seorang rakyat dan pengundi berdaftar, perkara yang menjadi persoalan dan punca kemarahan adalah apabila sebuah parti politik — tidak kira pemerintah atau pembangkang — mengirim kad kepada saya dengan terang-terangan memaparkan maklumat peribadi saya pada kad itu.

Apakah SPR dengan mudah boleh menyerahkan maklumat pengundi kepada parti-parti politik? Atau adakah syaitan tertentu yang melakukannya secara amat licik tanpa disedari SPR? 

Kad ucapan propaganda parti politik turut dikirim dalam bentuk poskad sempena Aidilfitri.

Soalan lebih penting: Apakah SPR sudah mengumumkan tarikh untuk parti-parti politik mula berkempen menjelang PRU-13? Kad ucapan yang dikirim ini adalah secara terang-terangan berniat dan bermotif kempen memancing undi dan menumbangkan Kerajaan Negeri Selangor.

Sewaktu isu kad ucapan itu sedang dibincangkan di Facebook pada 19 September, seorang rakan yang hanya dikenali sebagai Syed Jay bertanya: "Kalau encik menerima kad sedemikian daripada parti pilihan encik, adakah reaksi encik sama seperti di atas? Saya ingin tahu adakah reaksi di atas tercetus kerana encik marah kerana maklumat encik diambil tanpa kebenaran atau encik memang meluat dengan parti itu?"

Dengan tenang, saya menjelaskan kepada pemuda berkenaan yang khabarnya berasal dari Kuala Terengganu dan kini tinggal di Kuala Lumpur bahawa saya tiada mana-mana "parti pilihan". Sesungguhnya kalau kerajaan negeri Selangor atau Menteri Besar Selangor mengirim kad seperti ini pun pasti saya akan berikan reaksi yang sama.

Sama ada parti pemerintah atau parti pembangkang, isu di sini adalah sama: mengapa mengirim kad ucapan berupa propaganda politik dan berkempen memancing undi serta memaparkan maklumat pengundi secara terbuka?

Saya juga terpaksa mengulangi kepada Syed Jay bahawa isu di sini adalah "syaitan mana pula yang 'menjual' maklumat saya dalam daftar pengundi SPR kepada parti politik, lalu dicetak sewenang-wenangnya di belakang kad ucapan itu". Itulah persoalannya; bukan soal parti politik mana kerana bagi saya, parti politik tetap parti politik dan politikus tetap politikus.

Sesungguhnya saya tidak menyokong mana-mana parti politik walaupun mempunyai ramai kenalan (dan musuh) daripada kalangan politikus. Orang-orang politik yang saya kenali adalah sebagai sahabat di luar lingkungan politik. Kita perlu sedar bahawa masih ada dunia yang amat luas selain daripada "tempurung" parti politik.

Walaupun selepas diberikan penjelasan, pemuda berkenaan ternyata tetap tidak berpuas hati. Katanya, "kalau encik Uthaya menerima kad sedemikian dari parti lain, harapan saya agar encik dapat kongsikan di dinding Facebook encik dengan ulasan-ulasan yang mempersendakan slogan-slogan parti mereka".

Saya sudah mula tertanya-tanya apa maksud sebenar Syed Jay menulis segala komen tadi. Ternyata dia sudah berani memberi arahan kepada saya! Khususnya mengarahkan saya "mempersendakan slogan-slogan parti".

Saya memilih untuk tidak melayannya kerana individu/sahabat seperti itu hanya akan berusaha bersungguh-sungguh menimbulkan konflik. Mujurlah rakan-rakan lain di Facebook tidak mempunyai fikiran sepertinya.

Sementara itu, beberapa lagi rakan tampil menyatakan bahawa mereka juga menerima kad ucapan (poskad) yang sama. Kesemuanya memaparkan maklumat pengundi secara terbuka di belakang kad.

Beberapa rakan Melayu pula mendedahkan bahawa mereka sebelum ini menerima poskad berupa ucapan Hari Raya Aidilfitri. Menurut seorang rakan: "Kad itu terang-terang mengandungi maklumat peribadi saya. Tak selamat langsung. Kalau ada sampul tu lainlah tapi yang ini hantar sebagai poskad sahaja."

Demikian realiti di Malaysia pada masa kini. Maklumat peribadi pengundi yang diamanahkan kepada SPR sudah boleh dimiliki oleh parti-parti politik. Lebih malang apabila parti-parti politik dengan berani membuat kempen memancing undi secara terang-terangan bagaikan SPR hanya patung yang tidak ada apa-apa kuasa.

Kita nantikan kalau-kalau ada sebarang reaksi daripada SPR berhubung isu ini sebelum parti-parti politik dan politikus terus bermaharajalela dan memijak kepala SPR.

* Uthaya Sankar SB adalah pemilik tunggal syarikat Perunding Media, Motivasi dan Penerbitan Uthaya yang ditubuhkan pada Mac 2011.

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

Filem anti Islam: Kenakan Amerika tekanan

Posted: 23 Sep 2012 05:03 PM PDT

24 SEPT — Amerika dipercayai amat terasa terhadap reaksi umat sedunia atas filem pendek anti-Islam dan mencerca Nabi Muhammad SAW yang diterbitkan di Amerika.

Kerajaan Amerika berdalih itu dan ini bagi menggambarkan ia juga tidak suka tindakan seorang dua rakyatnya menghina mana-mana agama dan nabi mana-mana umat, tetapi tidak sensitifnya atas apa yang dirasai umat Islam menyebabkan ada rakyat boleh kata apa yang mereka hendak kata tentang Islam.

Sikap tidak ambil berat Amerika dan dunia barat tentang sensitivit agama juga menyebabkan ada yang menghina agama Kristian dan mencerca Jesus. Umumnya Islam juga tidak seronok apabila ada orang putih mencerca agama. Lantaklah apa yang mereka hendak buat terhadap agama mereka.

Jika mereka sanggup peleceh agama mereka, maka ia tidak bererti mereka boleh buat apa saja terhadap agama umat Islam dan Nabinya.

Umat Islam sanggup mati jika agama dan nabinya dihina.

Oleh kerana penghinaan yang terbaru berlaku di Amerika, dan tidak sensitif sejak ia disebarkan kira-kira tiga bulan lalu, apabila ia diketahui oleh umat Islam, maka umat Islam pun bangkit, sasaran yang mudah bagi mereka ialah Amerika kerana Amerika tidak kisah hal itu.

Yang tidak senang dengan Amerika itu termasuk boneka Amerika sendiri, Presiden Hamid Karzai dari Afghanistan. Rakyat Afghanistan yang terhutang budi dengan Amerika kerana Amerika membebaskan mereka Taliban ikut mengecam Amerika.

Memang Amerika terasa pahitnya, malah dutanya di Libya terbunuh gara-gara kebangkitan umat Islam, tetapi belum tentu Amerika belajar dari kejadian itu. Apa lagi negara-negara Eropah yang pobia dan antinya terhadap Islam tidak kurang dibandingkan dengan Amerika. Belum tentu mereka terasa dan belajar dengan kemarahan orang Islam itu.

Adalah benar umat Islam bersatu membantah terhadap Amerika, tetapi belum tentu umat Islam yang berjaya menyedarkan Amerika  dan barat agar lain kali jangan lagi perlecah Islam dalam apa bentuk jua.

Amerika boleh minta maaf tetapi dua bulan lagi ia lupa. Penghinaan terhadap Islam, Nabi dan al-Quran sudah menjadi-jadi dan biasa sejak bebelas tahun lalu. Tunjuk perasaan besar-besaran hingga beberapa minggumungkin tidak cukup berkesan.

Amerika perlu dikenakan tekanan yang lebih dari itu supaya ia ingat buat selama-lamanya. Sebarang tindakan bukan dibuat kerana anti-Amerika, dan masing-masing jangan jadi anti-Amerika atas kejadian yang berlaku sekarang. Tindak sekadar untuk menyedarkan Amerika supaya ia tidak membiarkan rakyat tidak senonoh lagi terhadap Isalam.

Apa caranya?

OIC mesti mengadakan sidang tergempar meluluskan usul menggantung hubungan diplomatic dengan Amerika untuk beberapa bulan, katakanlah tiga bulan. Jangan putuskan hubungan diplomatik. Gantung hubungan itu buat beberapa bulan. Suruh semua diplomatnya balik ke Amerika. Negara-negara Islam pula panggil bercuti diplomatnya sehingga ditarik balik penggantungan itu.

Bekukan hubungn dagang dan ekonomi sepanjang tempoh bertindak itu.

Semua urusan dan kepentingan rakyat masing-masing di Amerika serahkan untuk dikendalikan oleh mana-mana kedutaan sahabat negara masing-masing. Malaysia misalnya boleh mewakilkan Kanada bagi urusan rakyat di  sana dan rakyat Amerika di Malaysia boleh  dikendalikan oleh Kanada atau mana sekutunya.

Kalau Amerika menghadapi banyak kerugian atas tindakan umat Islam itu, negara-negara Islam juga menghadapi banyak kerugian. Tetapi apalah erti kerugian itu dibandingkan penghinaan yang mereka lakukan terhadap Nabi masing-masing.

Tidak nilai dan harga boleh menyamai kasih sayang umat Islam kepada Nabi dan agamanya. Segala kekayaan dunia dulu, sekarang dan akan datang tidak sama dengan harga dan kesucian seorang Nabi SAW. Tidak nilai seorang Islam di sisi Allah jika kasihnya pada harta dan dirinya lebih dari Nabinya.

Tindakan itu bukan dibuat kerana anti Amerika dan barat, tetapi untuk menyedarkan Amerika umat Islam tidak dapat dipisahkan dengan Nabinya.

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

Kredit: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com
 

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