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Group warns that pork and bacon shortage ‘unavoidable’ Posted: 25 Sep 2012 08:08 PM PDT A vendor selling pork sleeps while still holding onto her knife at a market in Beijing in this file picture. — Reuters pic LOS ANGELES, Sept 26 — It's already being called the "Porkpocalypse" by online media. A group representing the interests of pig farmers is warning that a worldwide shortage of pork and bacon is not only imminent, but "unavoidable," sending porcine lovers into a mild panic and giving them an excuse to indulge in bacon binges. It's a doomsday scenario for pork and bacon lovers — easily the one meat group to boast a sect of devotees that verges on the obsessive — and digital media are having fun with the news item, churning out a flurry of pork puns and fomenting general quasi panic. The headline on blog Gawker, for instance, warns that "The End is Nigh", while other headlines scream "Catastrophe" or express dismay "Say it ain't so". A statement released by the National Pig Association (NPA) in Britain paints a grim picture of the potential pork shortage in its "Save Our Bacon," campaign. Pig-producing countries in Europe are reporting shrinking sow herds, they say, with numbers falling across the board from Denmark, France, Austria and Sweden. The impending shortage is being blamed on the soaring prices of pig-feed following a disastrous growing season and harvesting weather. According to the NPA, a fall of just 2 per cent in pig slaughtering next year could cause prices to rise by as much as 10 per cent. It's a pattern that's mirrored around the world, they add, due to the global failure of maize and soy harvests. In the UK, British grocery chain Sainsbury's has increased the price it pays to pig farmers in response to the shortage. Meanwhile, it's not just the pig industry that's in trouble from the drought. Feed scarcity and skyrocketing costs have driven some cattlemen in the US to feed their cows everything from gummy worms and cookies to marshmallows and dried cranberries as an alternative to the starchy sugar content found in corn, reports Reuters. — AFP-Relaxnews

Glass of wine with your mooncake? Posted: 25 Sep 2012 05:49 PM PDT Wines to try with the mooncakes at 5 Sen5ses, The Westin Kuala Lumpur. — Pictures by Eu Hooi Khaw KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 26 — Mooncakes are a perfect match with Chinese tea, especially a good pu-erh. Would wine go with them? Only two did, as we discovered recently at a mooncake and wine pairing with food and wine connoisseurs Didier Richer and Louie Lui at Five Sen5es at the Westin Kuala Lumpur. Westin's hotel manager Benjamin Zahn had offered eight different mooncakes which we were to taste with five wines; three from Jacob's Creek and two from Torres & Vigneron de Caractere. The mooncakes were the classic White Lotus Paste with Egg Yolks, Assorted Fruit Nuts, Red Bean Paste, White Coffee with White Lotus Paste, Yaki Nori Kawaryo with Egg Yolk, Secret Method Flavoured Chocolate and Custard Milk with Taro Paste. The wines were Jacob's Creek Moscato Blanc, Jacob's Creek Moscato Rose and Jacob Creek's Steingarten Riesling 2011, Muscat de Beaume de Venise "Bouquet de Dentelles" and Torres Moscatel Oro Floralis. All agreed that the sparkling wines — Moscato Blanc and Moscato Rose — went well with most of the mooncakes. The delicate snow skin mooncake from Chef Choi. The pear and peach aromas of the Moscato Blanc gave a lift to the White Lotus Paste, but it didn't work so well with the egg yolk part of the mooncake. The sparkling wine also worked with the Red Bean Paste mooncake, cutting its sweetness. It balanced out the cloying richness of the Yaki Nori Kawaryo with Egg Yolk, and lightened its flavour.  It was also a good pairing with the chocolate mooncake, as well as the Custard Milk with Taro Paste. Only the White Coffee with White Lotus Paste didn't go with the wine. The Moscato Rose was good with the White Lotus Paste and an excellent match with the Assorted Fruit Nuts. It fell out with the Red Bean Paste, White Coffee, and the Yaki Nori Kawaryo and was just tolerable with the Custard Milk with Taro Paste and the Chocolate mooncakes. Most agreed that the two sweet wines —  Muscat de Beaume de Venise "Bouquet de Dentelles" and the Torres Moscatel Oro Floralis — were a difficult match with the mooncakes.  The first two sparkling wines ready for a tasting with the mooncakes. Only the Assorted Fruit Nuts were a fair pairing with these two wines, especially so with the Moscatel Oro Floralis. The Jacob's Creek Steingarten Riesling 2011 is really not a "mooncake" wine. I had an emphatic "No!" on my review form for all the mooncake varieties. It left a strange aftertaste in my mouth — the sweetness of the mooncakes clashing violently with the delicate Riesling with its citrus blossom, fresh apple and lemon aromas, and a crisp mineral acidity. So if you must have a wine with your mooncakes, get the two sparkling ones. I would love to drink the Riesling on its own. The Jacob's Creek wines are from Pernod Ricard, while Sunrise Wine & Spirits are the distributors for the wines by Torres & Vigneron de Caractere. Didier, who's from Cognac, France, has been in the food and wine industry for more than 30 years, and has been in Asia for the past 15 years. Didier on why a certain wine went well with the mooncake he just tasted. He runs a food and wine blog, www.didiernlouie.com, with his Malaysian friend Louie, who is also in the same industry.  Their main goal is to find the best pairing for food and wine in the best restaurants, focusing on ingredients and recipes. Didier plans to do a tasting of mooncakes with various Chinese teas next year. As for other mooncakes I have tasted, the Jacob's Creek Moscato would be a great pairing with Chef Choi's snow skin mooncake with white lotus paste. It's a smooth delicately-flavoured snow skin, with a creamy white lotus paste filling that's lightly sweet. The sparkling wine would also go well with the snow skin lotus paste with egg yolk from the Oriental Group of restaurants. No wine, however, is needed for the lai yow or custard mooncakes from Tsui Hang Village in Hong Kong that a friend brought for me. These small, deliciously eggy mooncakes just need a good Chinese  tea.

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Rooney set for United return after badly gashed thigh Posted: 25 Sep 2012 08:57 AM PDT LONDON, Sept 25 – England striker Wayne Rooney, who has not played for a month after suffering a severely gashed thigh against Fulham, is likely to return for Manchester United this week. Rooney's leg was badly cut in an accidental clash with Fulham forward Hugo Rodallega at Old Trafford on Aug. 25 but he could play against Newcastle United in the League Cup tomorrow or against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Saturday. "He is not far away," manager Alex Ferguson told reporters. "He's doing a lot of great training and has been working hard." Darren Fletcher, who was out for almost 10 months with a chronic bowel complaint, made his comeback as a substitute in last week's Champions League game against Galatasaray and will again feature in the League Cup third round tie. "He will certainly play against Newcastle," said Ferguson. "That is a perfect game for him. "Then we have the game against Tottenham and he possibly could be involved in that depending on how he does on Wednesday." Scotland skipper Fletcher must live with his incurable bowel condition but Ferguson said he was managing the situation well. "He's handling the conditions at the moment and he looks fine as we saw the other night," said the United manager. "It's a matter of hoping the condition stays dormant. He's handling his diet well and doing all the right things so hopefully he gets that break he needs." – Reuters

Platini determined to introduce winter World Cup Posted: 25 Sep 2012 08:18 AM PDT UEFA President Michel Platini arrives for the World Cup qualifying soccer match between France and Belarus in Saint-Denis, near Paris, September 11, 2012. Platini is determined to stage the World Cup during the European winter for the first time at the 2022 tournament in Qatar. – Reuters pic LONDON, Sept 25 – UEFA president Michel Platini is determined to stage the World Cup during the European winter for the first time at the 2022 tournament in Qatar, the Frenchman told the London Evening Standard today. The move would require all major European Leagues to take a month-long winter break, including England's Premier League which has no mid-season break at all. "I hope it will be held in winter," he said. "We have to go to Qatar when it is good for everybody to participate. What is better for the fans?" Platini believes there is enough time to work out how to organise the domestic leagues around a winter World Cup. "In 10 years we can manage to decide how we can postpone the season for one month," he said. "January is difficult for the World Cup because you have the Winter Olympic Games. If we stop from Nov. 2 to Dec. 20, it means, instead of finishing in May, we stop in June. It is not a big problem. It is for the good of the World Cup, the most important competition in the world." Platini voted for Qatar to get the 2022 World Cup in preference to England and was also in favour of Russia being awarded the 2018 tournament. "I voted for Qatar because it was time to go to a country in that part of the world," he said. "They bid five times." He also denied voting for Qatar after being told to do so by former France president Nicolas Sarkozy. "I tell you one thing immediately," Platini said. "One day I was invited to dinner by Sarkozy where there was the Prime Minister of Qatar. Mr Sarkozy never asked me during the dinner to vote for Qatar. They invited me to the dinner but they know I will be independent, that I will vote for who I want." – Reuters

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Actress Helen Mirren to receive European film award Posted: 25 Sep 2012 07:44 AM PDT Helen Mirren at a news conference during the premiere of the film "The Door" in Budapest, March 7, 2012. — Reuters file pic LONDON, Sept 25 — British actress Helen Mirren will receive a lifetime achievement award from the European Film Academy when it hands out its annual movie prizes in December, the organisation said today. The 67-year-old, best known for her Oscar-winning portrayal of Queen Elizabeth in "The Queen", will attend the awards ceremony held on December 1 in Malta. "It was discovering the immense diversity of European film making that gave me an enduring love and respect for the art form," Mirren said in response to the announcement of the European Achievement in World Cinema honour. "This award is therefore a very meaningful honour," she added in a statement. "I would be proud to be counted as an actor in the European tradition." Mirren began her film career in the late 1960s, with titles including Michael Powell's "Age of Consent", and established her reputation in 1980 with gangster movie "The Long Good Friday" also starring Bob Hoskins. She became a well-known figure in Britain for her work on the police television series "Prime Suspect", which won her a slew of prizes. In "The Madness of King George" (1994) she played Queen Charlotte, but it was 14 years later, in the part of another queen, Elizabeth II, that she established herself at the very top of her profession. Her portrayal of the current British monarch won her a best actress Academy Award, and she was nominated for the same award again for "The Last Station". Mirren will portray the queen on stage in a play written by the script writer of "The Queen", Peter Morgan. "The Audience" opens in London in 2013. — Reuters

Jagger family values Posted: 25 Sep 2012 05:58 AM PDT LOS ANGELES, Sept 25 — Following last week's announcement that Georgia May Jagger will appear worldwide as the face of the brand new Just Cavalli fragrance, we take a look at the Rolling Stones front man's prodigious brood. Georgia May Jagger was signed last week as the face of the new Just Cavalli fragrance. ©Coty Prestige Karis Jagger — A Yale-educated, Los Angeles-based movie producer, Karis is the daughter of singer Marsha Hunt. Born in 1970, she keeps out of the limelight. Jade Jagger — Mick's second child, Jade Jagger was born in Paris but raised in New York City by her mother, the Nicaraguan model Bianca Jagger. A jewellery designer, model and socialite, as well as a mother of two, Jade spent seven years as creative director of Asprey & Garrard, the oldest luxury brand in the world. Like her younger half-sister Georgia May, Jade has also been involved with the perfume industry, redesigning the bottle for Guerlain's Shalimar Eau de Parfum in 2010. Lizzy Jagger — The eldest child from Mick's marriage to Texan supermodel Jerry Hall. Lizzie has modelled for Mango, Lancôme and Marks and Spencer. She is currently the face of Parisian brand Eleven. James Jagger — Famously telling journalists that the Jagger name "is more of a curse" than a blessing, James has modelled for Tommy Hilfiger and Burberry, but his true passion lies on the stage. Mick's eldest son also plies his father's trade as a musician in the band Turbogeist. Georgia May Jagger — Mick and Jerry's third child, Georgia May has already stepped out of her parents' considerable shadows, bagging a modelling deal for Hudson Jeans back in 2009 when she was a tender 17 years old. Her signature gap-toothed style has seen her compared with Dutch supermodel Lara Stone and pick up a variety of advertising contracts including campaigns with Rimmel London and H&M. Mick's two youngest sons have not yet flown the nest, but clearly much is expected from Gabriel Jagger (Mick's youngest child with Jerry Hall), and Lucas Jagger (born to a Brazillian model mother, Luciana Giminez Morad). — AFP/Relaxnews

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Coke, Segway inventor team up on clean water project Posted: 25 Sep 2012 09:14 AM PDT NEW YORK, Sept 25 — Coca-Cola Co plans to deliver and operate water purification systems in rural parts of the developing world, working with the inventor of the Segway transportation device in a project that will also help further Coke's sustainability targets. The world's largest soft drink maker said today that it was teaming up with American inventor Dean Kamen to roll out his new invention, called the Slingshot, to bring clean water to areas where it was limited. Kamen, whose organisation is called Deka R&D, has made many inventions in the medical device field but is best-known for his Segway personal transporter. He also worked with Coke on its Freestyle fountain dispenser. Kamen expects to deliver 30 Slingshot machines to Coke by the end of 2012. Next year, Coke will place machines in rural areas of South Africa, Mexico and Paraguay, in places such as schools, health clinics and community centres. By 2014, the distribution should widen to include thousands of units, and later to extend to India, the Middle East and Asia. "For us to partner with Deka and embark on a project with huge societal implications gives me huge excitement," Coke chief executive Muhtar Kent told Reuters. "And it fits perfectly with our other sustainability pillars, such as our goal for water neutrality." As part of Kent's "2020 Vision", Coca-Cola has committed to replenish 100 per cent of the water used in its drinks and their production. Through 386 water projects in 94 countries, the company is 35 per cent of the way towards the goal. The Slingshot uses a vapour compression distillation system that runs on very low levels of electricity. Through boiling and evaporation, the system can clean and purify anything from ocean water to raw sewage, Kamen and Coke said. One Slingshot unit could purify up to 300,000 litres of water a year, or enough daily drinking water for about 300 people, Kamen said. Coke declined to quantify its financial investment, but Kent said the company would dedicate "whatever funds are necessary" to make the project meaningful. Still, significant investments in time and effort by Coke and its local bottlers would translate to millions of dollars, Kent said. "It is not a small project," he said. Lack of access to clean water can lead to diseases including diarrhoea, the second-leading cause of death in children under five years old, according to data from the World Heath Organisation. Kamen, who has developed insulin pumps, said that giving everyone access to clean water would be a major contribution to preventing such diseases. "Talk about low-hanging fruit," Kamen said in an interview. He said he reached out to Coca-Cola for its vast distribution network and ability to deliver small products everywhere. Kent said he envisioned the Slingshots, which each weighed about 90 kilograms and could fit in the back of a truck, being placed in kiosks that would run on solar power or biofuel and could provide rural communities with other benefits, such as refrigerated vaccines, mobile-device charging stations and entrepreneurial opportunities for women. Last year, the organisation of Coke and Kamen conducted a field trial of the Slingshot, testing it in five schools outside Accra, Ghana. — Reuters

Milan fashion opts for light, timeless and wearable Posted: 25 Sep 2012 07:59 AM PDT Models take to the catwalk with creations of Roberto Cavalli. — Reuters pic MILAN, Sept 25 — Designers at Milan Fashion Week delivered lightweight and flowing dresses for the thrifty woman seeking a timeless look that will last more than a season in the age of austerity. Sheer dresses in pastel colours dominated the 2013 spring/summer shows, which ended today with a call for restraint on the catwalk from designer Giorgio Armani. Giorgio Armani with some of his models at the end of theEmporio Armani collection: Calls for restraint in this age of austerity. — Reuters pic "Our work as designers is to suggest what people wear. What's the point of showing 30 pieces that don't go into the stores?" Armani asked reporters. Fashion executives meeting in Milan acknowledged that the economic environment was getting tougher for luxury makers as growth slows in China and recession hits southern Europe. Sales of Italian fashion are expected to fall 5.6 per cent this year after growing 6 per cent last year, according to the National Chamber of Italian Fashion. The decline makes Italy the worst-performing market in a global luxury industry expected to grow 7 per cent this year. Luxury goods makers Salvatore Ferragamo and Prada dismissed concerns of a sharp slowdown among global players with retail exposure to emerging countries. "We follow China with great attention. But the (growth) trend remains," Ferragamo chief executive Michele Norsa said on the sidelines of his label's show. The kimono look from Prada. — Reuters pic Global economic concerns were echoed on Milan catwalks where most designers opted for wearable shapes and neutral shades. Armani stuck to an androgynous style for his collection, where flowing trousers were cut above the ankle and masculine jackets were tailored to fit like a glove. Prada surprise Trend-setter Miuccia Prada surprised her audience with a Japanese-inspired collection that confirmed the designer as one of the most independent creative minds in the industry. Prada stitched white flowers on kimono-like dresses, while shoes were either impossibly high or replaced by leather socks. "I thought of a woman who is strong and sweet," Prada told reporters after her packed show in a black-and-white theatre. Asked whether her bold creations were to be found in stores, Prada said everything she showed would be on sale. Italian brands insisted on the value of craftsmanship, a quality for which Italy is famous. From Roberto Cavalli to Roccobarocco, designers elaborated embroideries difficult to copy by fast fashion chains. Florentine designer Cavalli, known for making his own animal prints, created deco motifs for his robes in natural shades. Gucci's creative head Frida Giannini proposed aristocratic looks in bright colours with matching shoes. Bell sleeves and ruffles added movement to her sophisticated looks. Lightweight dresses returned at Blumarine and Versace, where platinum-blonde designer Donatella Versace turned mini-dresses in lingerie pieces tie-dyed in pastel colours. Almost every collection offered mixed lengths from mini shorts to flowing trousers in a wide appeal to differing body shapes and styles. Brands such as Gianfranco Ferre, Genny, Versace and Frankie Morello cut new shapes from trapezoidal to A-shaped dresses. Although the clothes were linear, practical and the most dramatic catwalk excesses toned down this season, handbags and shoes with gold and silver details stole into the limelight. The fashion pack descend on Paris next for the finale of the spring/summer 2013 catwalk season. — Reuters Flowing trousers and masculine jackets cut from the androgynous style of Armani. — Reuters pic

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Candid excerpts tease Schwarzenegger autobiography Posted: 25 Sep 2012 06:50 AM PDT Arnold Schwarzenegger during his time as Californian governor. – AFP pic LOS ANGELES, Sept 25 – For those wondering how Arnold Schwarzenegger's autobiography Total Recall touches upon career lows as well as highs, excerpts give some indication that his most awkward moments are not off the table. In excerpts taken from the book, the former Mr. Universe, blockbuster movie star, and governer of California writes about a visit to his therapist in the company of his then-wife, Maria Shriver. "The minute we sat down, the therapist turned to me and said: 'Maria wanted to come here today and to ask about a child – whether you fathered a child with your housekeeper Mildred'," reads an excerpt published by the New York Daily News. The meeting took place almost immediately after Schwarzenegger left his post as Californian governor. As for how he'd kept the secret for 15 years, "instead of doing the right thing, I'd just put the truth in a mental compartment and locked it up where I didn't deal with it every day" – but eventually, the truth came out, and Schwarzenegger admitted it would have been better to tell his wife beforehand. Schwarzenegger's autobiography Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story, to be released October 1, will join those of Ronald Reagan (An American Life), George Murphy (Say... Didn't You Used to Be George Murphy?) and fellow Predator co-star Jesse Ventura (I Ain't Got Time to Bleed) in charting a Hollywood actor's journey to political office. NY Daily News story: nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/arnold-schwarzenegger-reveals-wife-maria-shriver-confronted-love-child-new-tell-all-book-article-1.1165667 – AFP/Relaxnews

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Unwritten laws Posted: 24 Sep 2012 05:02 PM PDT SEPT 25 — I strongly disagree with the police action that was taken recently against those who stepped on the picture of our prime minister. However, it was an extremely disrespectful thing to do. In fact, it was plain wrong. Why? Because he is the prime minister of Malaysia, someone whom we should respect. Because he is the head of the ruling party of Malaysia, a historic party which has given us much wealth and prosperity — without them, we would still be under the rule of the British.  Not only has our current prime minister given so much to us, his father was also previously a prime minister who helped develop Malaysia. We are nothing without them. Cheh, who am I kidding? Those are very old-school arguments. Those who are trying to school these disrespectful teens should stop using these points. The rakyat owes our freedom to all the good people who were involved directly during that time... not to a single almighty party whose members come and go with the passing of time. As someone who takes comfort in combative banter, I appreciate the freedom to disagree... to write and express what I feel. The bottom-line is that stepping on the prime minister's image isn't illegal, but it is certainly in very bad taste. When this issue was brought up, there seemed to be two very different ways to look at it. One is that the teens should not be charged with any offence, as there is nothing in the law that makes what they did illegal. I fully agree with this — in fact, if there was any law criminalising this, it should be removed. Long live civil liberty and democracy. But many conveniently ignore the other view, which is what I would call the unwritten laws. These unwritten laws refer to values which were instilled in us from young by our families and society. These "laws" are so much a part of us that they need not be included in our school rulebooks or our Constitution or laws. These unwritten laws are the norms that have been accepted by our society. Should you break these unwritten laws, society will act as both judge and executioner in your case, and react accordingly.  There should be no need for a court of law to be involved. Examples of such cases include: being rude towards your mother, ignoring people in need (e.g. a heavily pregnant woman who needs a seat on the LRT). In all these cases, it should be society's job to reprimand those who break these unwritten laws.  These rules may not be enshrined in paper and ink in the archives of our judiciary, but these rules are enshrined in the heart of every Malaysian. In this particular case, it does not matter if you stomped on the prime minister's photo, your father's photo, or even your girlfriend's photo when you were both having a fight.  In all these scenarios, there is the intention to disrespect the person whose image you are stepping on. To me, both your actions and intentions should be frowned upon. And this has nothing to do with me loving Barisan Nasional, or being your father's best friend or your girlfriend's secret lover. Although what was done should not be criminalised as we should be free to do what we please within the bounds of the law, such acts are symbolic at best. For the most part, it is a pathetic attempt to express one's displeasure at another — we should focus on more constructive and effective ways of addressing the issue and fixing the problems we see. As much as I would not want to live in a society which is fearful of questioning the government and always prepared to accept what the government says as correct, I also do not want to live in a society which applauds disrespectful symbolic gestures which signify nothing more than just hatred. The rakyat should stop looking for so-called heroes from an army of one, and realise that they themselves have the power to bring about the change they desire. * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.

Bangkok hujan lagi Posted: 24 Sep 2012 04:48 PM PDT 25 SEPT — Nama Bangkok memang terkenal dengan industri pelancongannya, apatah lagi industri pelancongannya selalu dikaitkan dengan industri seks yang menjana sumber pendapatan utama kepada Thailand. Namun sejak banjir besar yang menenggelamkan Bangkok dan Ayuthia, Bangkok lebih dikenali hari ini kerana hujan lebat dan sistem pengairan dan perparitannya yang tidak terurus dengan baik. Sejak banjir besar itu warga Bangkok akan senantiasa trauma apabila hujan turun. Inisiatif Saya menghadiri satu konferensi yang telah diadakan di Bangkok mulai 17-19 September. Latarbelakang konfensi adalah atas inisiatif Dr Ismail Lutfi, Rektor Universiti  Islam Yala bersama dengan beberapa pihak lain yang berkenaan dari Universiti Mahidol dan Pejabat Shaikhul Islam. Konfrensi itu bertemakan Agama dan Peranan Membentuk Keamanan di Rantau ASEAN. Sebenarnya perkara ini telahpun dibincangkan oleh saya dan Dr Ismail Lotfi bersama dengan Dr Shahril Harahap semasa kami berkoferensi di Medan 2 tahun yang sudah.  Hasrat kami ialah supaya setiap negara ASEAN akan mengadakan Konferensi Dialog Antara Agama dalam berbagai perspektif supaya dapat dikongsi bersama peranan agama yang tidak hanya tersudut di upacara-upacara tertentu sahaja. Dr Ismail Lotfi berjanji untuk mengadakannya di Bangkok dan baru-baru ini tercapailah sudah hasrat tersebut. Saya mengharapkan Malaysia akan jadi tuan rumah dan saya dipertanggungjawabkan untuk tujuan tersebut, Indonesia sudah dua kali menjadi tuan rumah di bawah kerja keras Dr Shahril Harahap. Namun dari skala kecilan saya telah berjaya mengadakan dua Makan Malam Antara Agama yang diadakan di Selangor, Kedah dan Pulau Pinang melibatkan wakil dari berbagai agama dan Dr Shahril dan Dr Ismail Lutfi dijemput sebagai pengucap utamanya.  Hasrat kami ialah membawa agenda dialog antara agama ini sebagai pencetus keamanan di rantau yang dipalit dengan kebencian kaum dan agama seperti yang berlaku di selatan Thailand, Selatan Filipina dan terkini di Myanmar. Kami adalah pemain kecil yang berhimpun untuk tujuan besar di mana hati-hati kami terpaut dengan cintakakan kedamaian dalam hubungan antara agama. Jaringan Antara masalah kami ialah kami tidak dapat akses kepada rakan ASEAN yang lain dari berbagai agama yang berkongsi cita-cita ini walaupun saya tahu ramai yang menuju ke arah jalan yang mulia ini. Peluang di Bangkok saya menfaatkan dan alhamdulillah saya dan Dr Ismail Lotfi telah berjaya melebarkan jaringan rakan-rakan dari ASEAN yang lain. Saya berpeluang bertemu dengan jalinan dari Mynmar, Laos, Vietnam, Kampuchea Singapura dan Brunei. Kami berkongsi pengalaman semasa makan malam dan semasa rehat antara program. Saya lebih banyak bertanya daripada bercerita kerana saya mahu mengambil peluang melebarkan jaringan. Menarik ialah, pada setiap negara ASEAN semua agama diwakili termasuk minoriti Islam dan Kristian. Malah dari Malaysia ada perwakilan dari kepercayaan Bahaism yang dijemput melalui Mahidol Universiti. Tokoh-tokoh Tokoh besar dalam dialog peradaban ini seperti Dr Din Syamsudin, Ketua  Umum Muhamadiyah, Dr William F. Vendley dari Religions for Peace dan Dr Abdullah Sulaiman Al Turki dari Rabitah Alam Islami (World Islamic League) turut hadir membentuk arus pemikiran keamanan dari perspektif kepelbagaian agama yang ada. Saya berpeluang mendengar ucapan-ucapan mereka dan sempat bertemu dengan mereka. Khususnya Dr Din Syamsudin, saya pernah menjadi moderator kepada ucaptamanya dalam Seminar Kesederhanaan Tulen yang diajurkan oleh Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang tahun sudah. Saya juga sempat bertukar fikiran dengan Dr William yang bernaung di bawah UN untuk kerja-kerja keamanan melalui perspektif agama. Namun saya bertuah kerana dapat temujanji pertemuan tertutup bersama Dr Abdullah Al Turki. Kami berbual panjang dan nampak sikap diplomasinya kerana beliau adalah mantan Menteri untuk kerajaan Arab Saudi bagi urusan agama. Saya menyatakan hasrat untuk bekerja melalui dialog antara agama kerana ia adalah tanggungjawab yang dituntut oleh Islam. Beliau gembira kerana Rabitah Alam Islami juga mempunyai cita-cita yang sama, malah beliau menegaskan komitmen dan sokongannya untuk rantau ASEAN ini menjadi model yang baik dengan usaha yang berterusan. Bagi saya bertemu dengan tokoh dan pencinta keamanan bertaraf dunia adalah penghargaandan semangat untuk saya menggagahkan langkah kecil saya ini. Melebarkan risalah Semasa di Bangkok saya berkesempatan mendapatkan media tempatan menemubual saya. Satu wawancara khas diadakan melalui BTV yang merupakan satelite TV Islam berbicara tentang konflik Selatan Thailand dan harapan kedamaian. Soalannya yang diterjemahkan agak mencabar kerana saya terpaksa menjawab persepsi bahawa Malaysia melindungi pemberontak di Selatan Thailand. Saya menyatakan dalam wawancara tersebut bahawa kami ada ikatan budaya dan etnik dengan masyarakat Selatan namun urusan keselamatan adalah tanggungjawab kerajaan Thailand dan Malaysia ada perjanjian keselamatan jika ada apa apa masalah yang timbul. Sebuah Majalah Islam Thailand yang berpengaruh turut wawancara saya pada pagi saya bersiap untuk meninggalkan Bangkok. Apabila ditanya apakah nasihat saya kepada minoriti Islam Thailand, saya membalas dengan menasihati mereka menjadi muslim yang baik dan setia kepada negara yang didiaminya. Mereka harus tertakluk kepada kerangka sistem yang ada dan menjadi sebahagian anggota masyarakat yang menyumbang kepada kebaikan negara tersebut. Sikap ini bukanlah sesuatu yang pelik kerana Islam memberikan kita ruang yang selesa untuk berada di mana-mana sahaja di ceruk dunia ini. Yala Seminar mengambil ruang satu hari di Yala di mana Universiti Islam Yala menjadi tuan rumah. Kami menaiki pesawat tentera dan sampai dalam keadaan keselamatan yang ketat kerana kawasan di situ masih bergolak. Saya berucap mewakili Malaysia untuk menyatakan bahawa usaha damai dari perspektif agama adalah proses yang panjang dan mencabar, semua pihak memainkan peranan bukan sahaja orang agama. Ini adalah kerana orang politik, media dan juga orang ramai turut berperanan menjayakan misi ini. Kami kembali ke Bangkok setelah satu hari di Yala dalam jadual yang ketat dan esoknya saya bersiap balik ke tanah air tercinta. Malam sebelum bertolak balik, Bangkok hujan lagi. Suasana dingin dalam bilik hotel Sukasol tempat kami menginap membuatkan saya tidak lelap tidur awalnya kerana khuatir esok jika berterusan hujan, penerbangan akan terganggu, malam itu Bangkok hujan lagi namun terlelap jua mata saya kerana terlalu letih satu hari di Yala. * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.

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Nasha gesa Guan Eng minta maaf kepada Nik Aziz Posted: 25 Sep 2012 01:10 AM PDT KUALA LUMPUR, 25 Sept — Nasharuddin Mat Isa (gambar) hari ini menggesa Setiausaha Agung DAP Lim Guan Eng supaya segera meminta maaf secara terbuka kepada Mursyidul Am PAS Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat kerana mengeluarkan pendirian menolak pelaksanaan hukum hudud di negara ini. Nasharuddin, yang merupakan bekas Timbalan Presiden PAS berkata, Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang itu juga perlu segera menarik balik kenyataannya kerana ia dilihat bercanggah dengan Nik Aziz yang sebelum menegaskan 'hudud satu kewajipan bukan pilihan'. "Atas semangat Pakatan Rakyat (PR) seperti mana yang disebut, Lim Guan Eng perlu minta maaf kerana bagi PAS pendirian Tok Guru (Nik Aziz) perlu dihormati," katanya dalam sidang media di Parlimen hari ini. Walaupun sedar hudud tidak termasuk dalam polisi PR, ahli parlimen Bachok itu menegaskan kenyataan itu adalah satu campur tangan dalam asas perjuangan sesuatu organisasi. "Kami hormati perbezaan pandangan, agama dan kepercayaan lain tapi isu sekarang ialah dia (Lim) secara konsisten mengeluarkan kenyataan yang bertentangan dengan prinsip dan perjuangan asas PAS. "Apa yang saya pertahankan ialah pendirian yang dimainkan oleh Lim dan Karpal yang secara konsisten menyerang isu keagamaan, saya sekadar nak pastikan semangat dalam Pakatan tidak rosak," katanya merujuk kepada Pengerusi DAP, Karpal Singh. Nasharuddin juga menegaskan tidak gentar sekiranya menghadapi tindakan daripada pemimpin tertinggi PR kerana berpegang kepada prinsip yang diperjuangkannya. "Ini bukan isu dipecat ataupun tidak, ia hanya persoalan saya menyatakan pandangan dan kepercayaan saya," katanya lagi. Semalam, akhbar Umno, Utusan Malaysia melaporkan Lim mengambil pendirian sama dengan Karpal Singh dan Penasihat DAP Lim Kit Siang menolak hudud atas alasan itu bukan dasar Pakatan Rakyat. Bagaimanapun, Lim menyalahkan pihak media dengan mendakwa kemelut antara DAP dan PAS dalam isu berkenaan sengaja disensasikan. "Dalam pakatan pembangkang, mana-mana parti boleh mempunyai pandangan yang berbeza tetapi hudud tidak berbangkit langsung sebagai dasar kita dan perkara itu jelas," katanya dipetik dari Utusan Malaysia.

Azalina bidas NGO, cabar Salahuddin debat isu Pengerang Posted: 25 Sep 2012 12:35 AM PDT KUALA LUMPUR, 25 Sept — Ahli Parlimen Pengerang Datuk Seri Azalina Othman hari ini membidas kenyataan Naib Presiden PAS Salahuddin Ayub yang mengatakan nilai pampasan terhadap pengambilan tanah penduduk kampung di Pengerang hanya bernilai RM2.80, sedangkan harga sebenar adalah RM8 sekaki persegi. Ketua Umno Bahagian Pengerang itu juga turut membidas kenyataan NGO dari Pengerang yang mengatakan kawasan pembangunan projek Komples Bersepadu Petroleum Pengerang (PIPC) akan memberikan kesan kepada alam sekitar dan menjejaskan sumber mata pencarian ekonomi penduduk. Ahli Parlimen Pengerang Azalina Othman mencabar Salahuddin berdebat pasal isu ini di mana-mana sahaja. — Gambar file "Itu semua dakwaan rambang dan rumusan secara menyeluruh. Harga pampasan tanah RM2.80 adalah untuk kawasan tanah yang jauh dari jalan utama, sedangkan kerajaan menilai bukan setakat tanah, tapi turut menilai bangunan, termasuk tanaman di atas tanah tersebut."Setakat ini jumlah tertinggi yang diberikan adalah RM8 sekaki persegi," tegas Azalina ketika sidang media di Parlimen hari ini. Menurutnya lagi, berdasarkan taklimat Johor Petroleum Developement Corporation (JPDC), fasa pertama untuk pemindahan penduduk di 10 kampung tradisi di Pengerang telah menyasikan 179 borang H diserahkan tanpa sebarang bantahan. "Fasa pertama dah panggil sebanyak 179 borang H, daripada jumlah itu, 70 menerima tanpa bantahan, dan 109 menerima dengan syarat. "Tiada yang menolak," tegas Azalina membidas Salahuddin yang mengatakan ada penduduk yang menolak pengambilan tanah tersebut. Jelasnya lagi, lokasi kampung itu dipilih kerana ia merupakan laluan utama kapal-kapal dagang yang menggunakan laluan itu untuk ke China. "Ia kawasan laluan beratus kapal dagang, perkara ini sudah 10 hingga 15 tahun berlaku. Bercakap tentang pencemaran, kawasan itu bukan tumpuan pelancongan. "Kawasan pelancongan di sebelah bahagian Desaru dan Sebana," katanya lagi dan menyelar Salahuddin yang dakwanya menggunakan isu Pengerang semata-mata kepentingan politik dan pilihan raya. Justeru, beliau turut mempersoalkan keihklasan pembangkang kerana sengaja menganjurkan perhimpunan pada Ahad depan untuk tujuan politik. "Di mana keikhlasan pembangkang? Himpunan ini berbaur politik dan tidak ikhlas. Apa guna buat himpunan kalau ia banyak orang luar,  dan pengundi saya belum tentu hadir." Sehubungan itu juga, Azalina turut mencabar Salahuddin untuk berdebat berhubung isu itu. "Saya cabar Salahuddin Ayub berdebat pasal isu ini di mana-mana sahaja, pada bila-bila masa, sebelum pilihan raya ini," tegasnya.

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