Isnin, 1 Oktober 2012

The Malaysian Insider :: Food

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The Malaysian Insider :: Food


Scaling down: Warming will make fish smaller

Posted: 01 Oct 2012 05:59 PM PDT

PARIS, Oct 2 — A hearty fillet of fish, already a rare treat because of over-trawled oceans, will become even more infrequent in the future when global warming starts to reduce fish size, studies show.

Researchers looked at computer models to see how warmer, and thus less oxygenated, seas affected more than 600 species of fish.

Getting smaller as the world gets warmer. — Picture courtesy of shutterstock.com

Compared to 2000, the maximum attainable body weight of these fish declined 14-24 per cent by 2050.

Fish in the Indian Ocean were the most affected, reducing by 24 per cent, followed by those in the Atlantic (20 per cent) and the Pacific (14 per cent), with tropical waters worst hit.

"It's a constant challenge for fish to get enough oxygen from water to grow, and the situation gets worse as fish get bigger," said Daniel Pauly of the University of British Columbia in western Canada, who first linked global warming and growth 30 years ago.

"A warmer and less-oxygenated ocean, as predicted under climate change, would make it more difficult for bigger fish to get enough oxygen, which means they will stop growing more."

The investigation appears in the journal Nature Climate Change.

The model used the so-called A2 scenario, which projects an average rise in global atmospheric — not sea — temperatures of 3.4 degrees Celsius by 2100 compared with 2000.

Until recently, this would have been considered a pessimistic scenario, but many climatologists today say it is realistic in the light of a relentless rise in fossil-fuel emissions.

Under the A2 scenario, temperatures at the sea bottom of the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern and Arctic Oceans would rise 0.012-0.037 C per decade up to 2050.

As those oceans warm, oxygen levels will progressively decline, a measurement expressed in millimoles.

The average fall, per decade, would range from 0.1 millimoles per cubic metre in the Arctic to 1.1 millimoles per cubic metre in the Atlantic.

"Although the projected rate of change in environmental temperature and oxygen content appears to be small, the resulting changes in maximum body size are unexpectedly large," said the paper. — AFP/Relaxnews


Peru shows off culinary best

Posted: 01 Oct 2012 05:43 PM PDT

LIMA, Oct 2 — Some say that only food and football can unite all Peruvians.

But with the nation's prowess on the pitch on the wane it is cooking that has become a passion.

Chicken morsels blended with rice and wrapped in leaves from a fabulously red, spiky Amazon plant called the Lobster Claw.

Or pork simmered with bananas, washed down with a glass of pisco — the quintessential Peruvian brandy — and snazzed up with mango or honey.

A woman serves traditional food from Arequipa, southern highlands of Peru, at the fair. — AFP pic

Welcome to Mistura, Latin America's largest culinary festival, which attracts hundreds of thousands of foodies.

Peruvians are nuts about food, be it from the coast, mountains or jungle.

Cooking schools are all the rage among young people, with many dreaming of reaching the dizzying heights of Gaston Acurio, the country's best known chef and culinary ambassador.

French-trained Acurio is a friend and associate of Spain's Ferran Adria, considered the pioneer of molecular cuisine — the art of taking food and drink apart and putting them back together in unexpected formats.

Luis and Virginia Flores and their two children came to the Peru food fair with a hearty appetite, plenty of time and the equivalent of 100 dollars — a lot in this country where the average monthly salary is only twice that.

"We are going to taste a little bit of everything," said Luis Flores. "We are going to stay all day, eating slowly."

He said the pig roasted on a spit, or the chicken steamed in a metal drum, were "not to be missed".

About 150 restaurants were represented at the fair, which took place earlier in September.

The festival also illustrates what big business food is in Peru. It provides jobs for 300,000 people in more than 60,000 restaurants, more than half of them in Lima, according to 2010 figures from the Trade Ministry.

Juan Carlos Ventura, 21, studied in one of the hundreds of cooking schools that dot Lima and now works in a restaurant called Tumbes Mar. He said its specialty was a dish cooked with potatoes, a spicy yellow sauce and crab meat, all nestled under a crunchy layer of breadcrumbs.

Ventura's favourite is ceviche, the popular Latin American dish of seafood marinated with lemon or lime juice. "I recommend it for lunch as an option that is always fresh, especially if it is made with sole. It is the perfect fish, tasty, white and firm."

Isabel Alvarez, a sociologist and culinary researcher, said passion for food in Peru spanned young and old, urbanites and country folk, irrespective of social distinctions.

"They are all together on this," she told AFP, adding that society was otherwise very fragmented, and food — like football — was something people could enjoy together.

"Peru has not been in the World Cup for 30 years. In the face of all that frustration that people feel, we find this big success in cuisine, which means a collective achievement that we can show off to the world," she said. — AFP/Relaxnews


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The Malaysian Insider :: Sports

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Funeral held for slain S. African champion Sanders

Posted: 01 Oct 2012 08:10 AM PDT

Funeral held for slain S. African champion Sanders

JOHANNESBURG, Oct 1 – Former world heavyweight boxing champion Corrie Sanders, shot dead in a robbery, was laid to rest at a funeral in South Africa today with friends saying he was a gentle man who gave his life to save others.

Sanders, 46 (pictures), was shot in the arm and the stomach when robbers raided a restaurant near Brits, in North West Province, where he and other family members were attending a birthday party for his nephew nine days ago.

Relatives said Sanders used his body to shield his daughter when the robbers started shooting.

"He was a gentle giant – a guy who was dangerous in the ring but harmless outside of it," boxing promoter Nick Durandt told reporters after the funeral held at a church in Pretoria and attended by hundreds of mourners.

Police last week arrested three suspects – all Zimbabwean citizens – who appeared before a court in Brits, 80 km northwest of Johannesburg, today to face charges of murder and armed robbery, SAPA news agency said.

Southpaw Sanders, nicknamed "The Sniper" because of his fierce and quick left, won the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) heavyweight title in 2003 with a surprise knockout of Ukraine's Vladimir Klitschko. He lost only four of his 46 professional fights. – Reuters

Berdych eases past Paire in Tokyo opener

Posted: 01 Oct 2012 07:20 AM PDT

TOKYO, Oct 1 – Former champion Tomas Berdych eased his way into the second round of the Japan Open with a 6-1 7-6 victory over France's Benoit Paire today.

US Open champion Andy Murray opens the defence of his Tokyo title against Frenchman Gael Monfils today.

Second seed Berdych (picture) almost inflicted the dreaded 'bagel' on Paire in the first set until the Frenchman finally held serve in the sixth game but the Czech was pushed in the second.

Berdych, who beat Juan Martin del Potro to win the 2008 Tokyo title, took the second set on a tiebreak 8-6 to close out the match in blazing sunshine.

"I was actually surprised at how the first set went," Berdych told reporters. "He made me work harder in the second set.

"I'm taking anything for granted," added Berdych, who defeated Roger Federer in his run to last month's US Open semi-finals.

"I hope if I can continue to play like this it will qualify me for London."

The Czech is currently seventh in race to make the elite eight-man World Tour Finals having qualified for the season-ending shootout the past two years.

"I'm going match-by-match," said world number six Berdych, seeking his second title of the year this week after winning in Montpellier in February.

"I have nice memories here. I like coming back to Tokyo. It was one of the biggest tournaments I won in the past. It gives me positive thinking."

Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka was given a fright by Japanese wildcard Hiroki Moriya before the seventh seed came through 7-5 4-6 6-4.

Lukas Lacko of Slovakia thrashed Spain's Alberto Ramos 6-0 6-2 to set up a clash with either Murray or Monfils.

Serbia's Viktor Troicki was a man in a hurry, firing 12 aces in a 6-2 6-3 win over Dutchman Robin Haase that took just 64 minutes. – Reuters

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The Malaysian Insider :: Showbiz

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Daniel Craig’s swim shorts up for grabs in Bond auction

Posted: 01 Oct 2012 08:09 AM PDT

LONDON, Oct 1 — Props, costumes and memorabilia from 50 years of James Bond films have gone up for auction in London, with an Aston Martin car and a pair of Daniel Craig's swimming trunks among the lots.

The swimming trunks Bond Daniel Craig wore in "Casino Royale", on display at Christie's. — AFP

Christie's auction house expects the tight sky-blue shorts — which left some fans shaken and stirred when the current 007 wore them in his 2006 debut, "Casino Royale" — to fetch up to £5,000 (RM24,324).

Other star lots in the charity auction include an Aston Martin DBS, used by Craig in a car chase through Italy in "Quantum of Solace", which is expected to fetch up to £150,000.

Christie's director Nicolette Tomkinson said there were items from every single Bond film among the 50 lots celebrating a half-century of the glamorous British spy.

"We've tried to make them exciting and accessible," she told AFP. "It's really a landmark sale for Bond."

Other items include the tarot cards used by Jane Seymour's character Solitaire in "Live And Let Die", a fake ice table seen in "Die Another Day", and costumes worn by Bond stars from Timothy Dalton to Pierce Brosnan.

Of the 50 items, 40 went up for online auction on Friday, while the final 10 will be sold at Christie's on October 5, the 50th anniversary of the first screening of "Dr No".

Proceeds from the auction will go to 12 charities.

The newest Bond film, "Skyfall", is due for release in Britain and Ireland on October 26 and the US on November 9.

Directed by Oscar winner Sam Mendes, it has Craig play the secret agent for a third time, opposite Spanish actor Javier Bardem as the villain.

Judi Dench returns as 007's no-nonsense boss M, while Berenice Marlohe and Naomie Harris star as the "Bond girls". — AFP/Relaxnews

Ludacris to release new album in 2013

Posted: 01 Oct 2012 07:49 AM PDT

LOS ANGELES, Oct 1 — American rapper and actor Ludacris's next album will be released during the first quarter of 2013.

Ludacris (picture) announced the launch of "Ludaversal" on US radio station Hot 107.9. The release had previously been postponed because of clashes with the artist's movie career. In 2011, he had roles in Ivan Reitman's "No Strings Attached", Justin Lin's "Fast & Furious 5" and Garry Marshall's "New Year's Eve".

Ludacris announced the release of several singles before the album comes out. The first one, "Representin" featuring Kelly Rowland, is already available.

Ludacris's latest album, "Battle of the Sexes", dates back to 2010.

Click here for the official website. — AFP/Relaxnews

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The Malaysian Insider :: Features

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What to give a Chinese boss who has it all, or nothing?

Posted: 01 Oct 2012 07:04 AM PDT

A woman is seen carrying luxury shopping bags in Hong Kong. – AFP pic

HONG KONG, Oct 1 – Giving gifts is crucial if you want to get ahead in Chinese politics or business, but what do you do when you don't know whether your boss is about to be promoted or tossed out of a job?

Judging by sales of certain luxury goods in the Chinese shopping heartland of Hong Kong, that's a conundrum facing more than a few well-heeled mainland visitors during the Golden Week holidays from October 1.

The break is a boom sales period for Hong Kong stores, but this year it's coinciding with a slowdown in the Chinese economy and the buildup to Beijing's once-a-decade leadership transition.

The crucial congress that will name the new chiefs of the secretive Communist Party will take place on November 8, state media has announced.

Few analysts expect any surprises at the very top – Vice President Xi Jinping appears certain to replace President Hu Jintao – but what happens at lower levels of China's vast machinery of state is anyone's guess.

Rumours are swirling of deep divisions within the party's elite, and many analysts say this leadership transition is the most turbulent since Jiang Zemin's appointment as party leader in 1989.

Evidence of this uncertainty could be on display in the jewellery shops of Hong Kong, where sales of expensive watches, a bellwether of the luxury gift market, have fallen in recent months, analysts and retailers said.

"There's definitely a decrease in sales this year of about 20 to 30 per cent," said Wong, a salesman at a fancy watch shop who refused to give his full name.

"It feels like the customers that actually buy things have decreased. There is a big change."

Analysts put this slump down to China's slowing economic growth – at 7.6 per cent in the second quarter it's the slowest since March 2009 – and a drop in overnight stays by mainland tourists.

"If you're coming for an overnight stay you probably have a bigger budget and you also have more time to spend it," HSBC Greater China Economist Donna Kwok said.

"Looking at the big picture, the most important thing is that China, for now, is in slowdown mode."

But there are also signs, largely anecdotal in nature, that at least some of the fall in certain categories of luxury goods could be linked to doubts about who will be in power after the all-important party congress.

Chinese consumers spent an estimated US$49 billion (RM149.99 billion) on luxury goods last year, a quarter of a global market worth US$197 billion. They are poised to overtake Americans this year as the biggest buyers of luxury goods in the world.

Analysts say around 20 per cent of the luxury goods Chinese people buy are for gifts, and gifts are often used to grease the wheels of "guanxi", the Chinese term for relationships that help win jobs and promotions.

Drilling down a bit further, one segment of the gift market that could serve as an informal indicator of "guanxi" is watches, and logically it follows that the more expensive the watch the more powerful the receiver.

"For sure the watch segment has been a bit weaker and the watch category lends itself well to gift giving," said Aaron Fischer, head of consumer research at Hong Kong-based brokerage CLSA.

"I think with the current political climate, and a bit of a clampdown on corruption, and also a desire to reduce the level of conspicuous consumption, we're seeing some of those flashier products perform a little bit worse."

Hong Kong Tourism Board figures show that mainlanders accounted for some 30 per cent of the growth in watches and jewellery sold in Hong Kong in 2010.

In the first half of this year, sales growth in that segment of the luxury market was only 2.2 per cent, compared to 32 per cent in the same time last year.

The boss of a leading luxury goods distributor in Hong Kong said the political uncertainty surrounding Beijing's power transition was forcing some gift givers to delay their purchases until the dust settled.

He said products that could be affected included expensive French wines, a trendy new addition to the list of acceptable items to give your Chinese boss if you really want to make an impression.

One politician who will not be receiving gifts from ambitious employees is former Chongqing city party boss Bo Xilai, a favourite for one of the top posts in the all-powerful Politburo who was dramatically sacked earlier this year after his wife was accused of murdering a British businessman.

The wife, Gu Kailai, was given a death sentence commuted to life in prison last month, and the police chief who exposed the scandal, Wang Lijun, was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Monday.

China's state media announced last Friday that Bo will "face justice" for a litany of serious crimes, indicating it will come down hard on the one-time rising star as it prepares to usher in a new generation of leaders. – AFP/Relaxnews

Amsterdam goes green with electric scooter taxis

Posted: 01 Oct 2012 06:46 AM PDT

File photo shows an Amsterdam street scene with a canal. Amsterdam's 17th Century canals and cobbled streets make driving cars, including taxis, in the centre of the city often difficult and time consuming due to unloading trucks, congestion or road blocks. A Dutchman has come up with an idea to use electric scooter taxis to help visitors and residents get from one point to another faster. – Reuters pic

AMSTERDAM, Oct 1 – Six years ago Dutchman Ruben Beugels was on an Amsterdam tram that broke down, leaving him stuck in an out-of-the way place, and late for an appointment when he couldn't quickly find another means of transport.

"I was very frustrated at being late, and it was then that I thought, hey a scooter would be able to get me to my meeting on time," said Beugels, founder of Hopper, Europe's first electric taxi scooter service, which will debut in Amsterdam on Monday.

Amsterdam's 17th Century canals and cobbled streets make driving cars, including taxis, in the centre of the city often difficult and time consuming due to unloading trucks, congestion or road blocks, which is one of the reasons so many Amsterdamers prefer to use bicycles within the city centre.

Dutch public transport, including trams, trains and buses, is generally considered reliable and efficient, but these services, which span out like a fan from the main central train station reaching to the city's edge, aren't available throughout the oldest parts of Amsterdam's city centre, which Beugels hopes will become Hopper's new turf.

Beugels, who calls the scooters a "new form of public transport," says they will help bridge the gap between using public transport and getting to your final destination, or that last kilometre, right to the doorstep.

The scooters are high-tech, kitted out with navigation and tracking systems by the Dutch firm TomTom and a Samsung smartphone which is locked into the dash and a tablet on the back, which is used for digital advertising.

Beugels expects the glossy lime green coloured scooters will become an urban fixture in Amsterdam and eventually in the three other biggest Dutch cities including The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht, where Hopper scooters will be rolled out throughout 2013.

The electric scooters drive at a maximum speed of 25 km/h and can go 130 km on a fully charged electric battery. Hopper's main garage, replete with 100 scooters to start, crouches between TomTom HQ and Amsterdam's central train station.

Six years since he was left stranded by the tram, Beugels cobbled together a consortium of partners, distributors and sponsors from both private and public sectors, including the city of Amsterdam, the National railway and sustainable bank Triodos, which provided half of the financing.

"Everything we finance has to contribute, one way or another, to a better quality of life because we think that profit should not come at the expense of the world's most pressing problems, which is why we finance organic farming, sustainable buildings, arts and culture, and renewable energy schemes," said Maarten Thijs from Triodos.

"This particular loan customer (Hopper) has a very clever idea, but it's also very simple and sophisticated, which is why we like it," said Thijs.

Users can call, book online or use the Hopper app to find the nearest driver and contact them directly to book a ride, which is a flat rate of €2.50 (RM9.89).

"Amsterdam will become a bit more Italian with all those hip scooters in town. Very nice. But the nicest thing is that the Amsterdam Hoppers are noiseless and non-polluting," said Peter-Paul Blommers, marketing expert who has advised Hopper. – Reuters

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The Malaysian Insider :: Books

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The Malaysian Insider :: Books


You are my fountain

Posted: 30 Sep 2012 05:07 PM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 1 — "What I'm feeling on the inside is so, so full. Every breath. Every one." — Darren Aronofsky and Kent Williams, The Fountain

I: The book

It is the end of days. The nurse comes and takes away the vase of flowers. She sweeps the dead leaves off the window counter, disappears, and then returns with fresh flowers in the vase. These white flowers, what sort are they, you ask yourself, but you can't quite remember their name. They are pretty.

The nurse helps you to sit up on the bed, plumps up the pillow for your back. She smiles at you, pretty as a flower, she is. Are you waiting for your lover, you wonder, or has that time come and gone?

There is a book beside your bed. You can't quite make out the title on the spine but even if you could read it, you know you will forget it as soon as you turn away from it. No point beginning, you think, you won't have time to finish the book.

The nurse walks over and pulls apart the curtains, letting in the dawn light.

"Thank you, nurse," you say, barely recognising your own voice.

It has aged, caking with doubt and disappointment, yes? The sun comes in. It is a new day, but even new days will end.

The nurse walks out, leaving you alone.

II: The tree

We sit together on the bench, slightly apart, not looking at each other. The bench is on the hilltop overseeing the city below. The tree branches overhead offer some shade. It is like the scene from a movie, when lovers say goodbye to each other, but we are not lovers.

"You didn't visit me at the hospital," you say.

"No. No, I didn't."

 "It's okay. I told most of them not to come, but they came anyway. Such sweet darlings."

 "I don't like hospitals. People … people die in hospitals."

"People do. It's okay."

"You are an amazing woman, you know that?"

"I survive. I deal. We all do. It's not that different from what everyone has to handle every day."

 "Some of us don't deal all that well. I don't think I do."

"You will. You do."

"Will I? I just hope it won't take cancer for me to figure that out … Sorry, I didn't mean that …"

"It's okay. It's cancer. I'm dealing with it. And it didn't take getting cancer for me to realise there are so many things I want to do … Cancer just made things more … urgent."

"You are just amazing."

"Oh honey, if only you can see how amazing you are already, you won't say this. Come here."

And I lean into you, sinking into a deep hug, a comforting embrace. We must look like lovers from a distance, discovering each other, about to embark on a life together. The sun sets, without hurry.

III: The fountain

We meet at the wake. We have not seen each other in weeks.

We dance around the grieving family, avoiding each other's eyes. We offer our condolences separately to the bereaved, walk across the room to another family member, swap and repeat; all without sharing a nod or a single word. The night is long, the gossip and the conversations are peppered by the cracking of groundnut shells and the chatter of mahjong tiles.

Too late, we both realise we haven't paid our respects to the departed. We join the queue, the last in line. I step in behind you, catching a whiff of your favourite perfume. You haven't changed one bit.

We take one step, two; we get closer to the coffin. Here, he is. Our friend, our brother, our mentor: the light and the life of our parties. There shall be parties no more. I cannot see your face but I know you are sorrowful. I put my hand on your shoulder, the way I used to. I cannot help myself. I need to comfort you.

"You were there when he died."

"Yes," I say.

"He just collapsed, they say. He was telling a joke one minute, and then he collapsed."

"He never finished the joke. But we knew the ending. It was always the same joke."

"Yes, he only had one. But it was a good one. He was a good one. You tried, didn't you, saving him?"

"CPR. I didn't know much else, you know that. I was never really good in emergencies. But I try."

You turn to me, and you are barely there. In your eyes, your beautiful eyes, you are barely there. You ask me, "How do you keep going? How do you keep trying? How can you still be strong?"

It is an accusation, a challenge, a riddle. I don't have an answer for you, but I know the truth, "I am only strong because I know you are."

"Nonsense."

"You are. You are my strength. You are my fountain."

 We look at each other, no more fights left in us, no more promises. We fall into each other and one of us starts crying. We have each other. We have each other.

"There she was, my beauty, my love, my love eternal." — Darren Aronofsky and  Kent Williams, The Fountain

 The Fountain, by Darren Aronofsky and Kent Williams (Vertigo, 2005)

* Kenny doesn't know if there is life after life, only that the one we have now is pretty darn precious already. Read more of his musings at http://lifeforbeginners.com


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The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion

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‘Awak sebar agama Hindu melalui cerpen’

Posted: 30 Sep 2012 05:18 PM PDT

1 OKT — Mahatma Gandhi pernah menegaskan bahawa "even if you are a minority of one, the truth is the truth". Maknanya kebenaran tetap kebenaran walaupun kumpulan minoriti itu hanya terdiri daripada seorang individu.

Kata-kata itu kembali terngiang-ngiang di telinga berikutan suatu kejadian terbaru di mana sebuah cerpen saya ditolak dengan alasan bahawa karya sastera itu "ada unsur penyebaran agama Hindu".

Apabila mendapat berita itu daripada penolong editor majalah terbabit, saya boleh sahaja berdiam diri dan mengirim manuskrip cerpen yang sama ke media lain untuk diterbitkan.

Anak-anak Annur Puteri tidak menghadapi masalah membaca karya berunsur budaya India.

Akan tetapi, sekiranya saya berdiam diri, tidak mustahil bahawa "kejayaan" yang dicapai oleh penolong editor itu akan dijadikan penanda aras (benchmark) untuk seterusnya menzalimi, menindas, berlaku tidak adil dan menidakkan hak para penulis lain yang mengangkat tema budaya kaum India menerusi karya sastera pada masa hadapan.

"Kalau awak hantar cerpen ni ke surat khabar atau majalah India mungkin boleh disiarkan tapi kalau majalah ini, saya rasa cerpen awak agak terbuka bercerita tentang Tuhan Hindu. Saya dah tanya editor kanan dan dia pun kata tak boleh nak siar cerpen ini sebab awak cuba sebar agama Hindu secara halus menerusi cerpen-cerpen awak."

Demikian antara intipati alasan yang diberikan untuk membatalkan penyiaran cerpen berkenaan. Sebelum ini, manuskrip saya sudah dibaca, dinilai dan diluluskan oleh editor dan ketua editor serta sepatutnya disiarkan dalam majalah keluaran November 2012. Namun, tiba-tiba sahaja penolong editor tampil sebagai wirawati dengan keputusan baharu.

"Awak juga ada banyak kes dengan DBP dan saya mendapat tahu bahawa semasa Puan Padilah Haji Ali menjadi ketua editor dulu, mereka memang boikot tak siar karya awak di mana-mana majalah DBP. Jadi, majalah kami pun kena berhati-hati. Kami diminta lebih berhati-hati dengan nama-nama yang ada masalah seperti awak dan Faisal Tehrani. Saya tak nak ada masalah nanti. Saya rasa cerpen awak tak boleh disiarkan dan salah dari segi Akta Penerbitan."

Demikian penolong editor berkenaan berusaha menegakkan benang yang basah. Memandangkan alasan utama yang diberikan adalah bahawa karya saya "ada unsur penyebaran agama Hindu", saya cuba bertanya kepada beberapa rakan beragama Islam yang sudah biasa membaca karya-karya saya. Apakah cerpen-cerpen saya menyebarkan agama Hindu?

Kata-kata Mahatma Gandhi sentiasa menjadi pegangan penulis.

Hazama Harun @ Aida Shahira, seorang penulis dan editor mengatakan bahawa meskipun karya-karya saya membicarakan hal-hal berkaitan agama Hindu dan budaya masyarakat India, tiada apa-apa unsur yang melampau sehingga mengancam akidahnya sebagai seorang Muslim.

"Bahkan, saya lebih faham serba sedikit tentang budaya hidup kaum India, seterusnya menghargai kepelbagaian adat-resam di negara kita. Tidaklah wajar membuat andaian secara semborono mengatakan membaca karya-karya sedemikian akan menjejaskan akidah. Kita perlu membaca dan mendalami ilmu untuk menambah kefahaman," kata penulis novel "Bukan Duniaku" yang dijadikan teks Komsas pelajar Tingkatan 1 di Kelantan, Pahang, Terengganu dan Melaka.

Hazama juga tidak ada masalah menonton filem-filem klasik Tamil yang menampilkan kisah sejarah silam India dan mitos Hindu. Malah beliau juga dahulu gemar menonton cerita kartun di RTM tentang pengembaraan Seri Rama dan kisah cintanya dengan Sita Dewi.

"Banyak sekali unsur-unsur Hindu di dalamnya tetapi tidak pula menjadi masalah. Mengenai cerpen Uthaya, sebagai pembaca dewasa dengan akal yang matang, sudah semestinya khalayak beragama Islam boleh berfikir sendiri. Tak perlu paranoid. Jika masih takut-takut dan terkurung di bawah tempurung, bagaimana kita mahu orang lain memahami kita; budaya dan kehidupan kita? Bagi saya, membacalah dengan fikiran dan hati yang terbuka tanpa prejudis," beliau menegaskan.

Bagi seorang lagi rakan pelukis yang hanya mahu dikenali dengan nama Post Script (nama di Facebook), "Kalau ada pun unsur-unsur agama Hindu, apa salahnya? Kalau orang Melayu-Islam menganggap bahasa kebangsaan hanya untuk mereka, maka selama-lamanyalah bahasa kita akan ketinggalan."

Nur Hidayah dari Kota Baru, Kelantan juga tidak setuju sama sekali dengan pandangan bahawa karya-karya saya ada unsur penyebaran agama Hindu seperti didakwa penolong editor sebuah majalah.

"Sebenarnya, apa yang berlaku adalah saya dapat belajar tentang budaya dan cara hidup masyarakat India di negara ini. Saya sebagai seorang pembaca amat berterima kasih kepada penulis yang berkongsi pengalaman budaya kaum dan agamanya menerusi karya sastera," katanya.

Pak Samad membaca manuskrip cerpen yang kononnya menyebarkan agama Hindu.

Sasterawan Negara Datuk A. Samad Said (Pak Samad) yang berpeluang membaca manuskrip asal cerpen tersebut pada 24 September 2012 tidak menemui apa yang disifatkan sebagai "unsur penyebaran agama Hindu". Beliau tidak menolak kemungkinan ada "alasan lain" mengapa cerpen saya ditolak.

Sementara itu, novelis dari Tanah Merah, Kelantan, Annur Puteri membeli beberapa kumpulan cerpen dan novel saya untuk turut dibaca oleh anak-anaknya.

"Sepanjang membaca keenam-enam buku itu, saya sama sekali tidak menemui sebarang unsur penyebaran agama Hindu seperti didakwa. Sebaliknya banyak unsur kemurnian yang sebelum ini dilaungkan oleh kerajaan sudah diterapkan dalam karya-karya ini," katanya sambil merujuk pada unsur persefahaman antara kaum berciri "1 Malaysia" yang ditemui dalam cerpen-cerpen saya sejak tahun 1992.

Pada penelitian penulis sepenuh masa itu, watak-watak pelbagai kaum yang hadir dalam karya-karya saya diperlihatkan sebagai suatu masyarakat yang mampu hidup secara harmoni.

"Tidak tahulah pula saya sekiranya ada dakwah tersirat di situ apabila watak kaum India dipaparkan mempunyai hubungan persaudaraan yang cukup baik dengan watak kaum Melayu, seperti dalam cerpen 'Anugerah Tertinggi'. Bukankah suasana di Malayaia amat menuntut perpaduan kaum yang sebegini?

"Unsur penyebaran agama Hindu juga tiada dalam karya-karya Uthaya walaupun ada menyebut nama dewa-dewa dan menampilkan beberapa watak seperti Rama dan Krishna dalam cerpen. Saya yakin bahawa menyebut nama dewa dalam karya tidak bermakna berlaku penyebaran agama Hindu," beliau menghuraikan.

Cerpen-cerpen tersiar di majalah berwibawa sebelum dibukukan.

Menyedari hakikat itulah juga Annur Puteri tidak teragak-agak membenarkan — malah menggalakkan — anak-anaknya membaca hasil tulisan saya.

"Saya dalam keadaan waras sepenuhnya memberi keizinan penuh kepada anak saya yang baru berumur sepuluh tahun untuk menghayati karya-karya Uthaya dengan harapan anak saya mampu belajar mengenai budaya dan agama lain agar anak saya mengerti dan tahu menghormati kebudayaan dan agama orang lain," katanya dengan penuh yakin.

Mengulas lanjut, novelis itu berkata, "sekiranya ada unsur penyebaran agama Hindu dalam karya-karya Uthaya, tentulah saya sebagai seorang ibu beragama Islam tidak akan membenarkan anak berumur sepuluh tahun, yang masih mentah dan lemah dari segi kekuatan akidahnya, menghayati karya-karya itu."

Kesemua cerpen saya tersiar di akhbar dan majalah arus perdana — khususnya terbitan Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP), Kumpulan Media Karangkraf dan Mingguan Malaysia — sebelum diterbitkan dalam bentuk kumpulan cerpen. Maka, agak menghairankan apabila seorang penolong editor yang berpengalaman tiba-tiba tampil menyerlahkan kejahilan diri dan kelemahan akidahnya selepas membaca manuskrip cerpen saya.

Saya boleh sahaja melupakan majalah berkenaan dan menghantar manuskrip saya ke tempat lain. Bagaimanapun, tindakan saya "berdiam diri dan akur" pada dakwaan bahawa cerpen saya "ada unsur penyebaran agama Hindu" mungkin akan menggalakkan penolong editor itu terus menzalimi dan menindas lebih ramai penulis kaum India yang cuba menampilkan budaya kaum India menerusi karya.

Seperti kata mendiang Mahatma Gandhi, "tidak akan tercapai kebaikan sekiranya tidak ada sesiapa yang berani mengetengahkan kebenaran" dan "jadilah perubahan yang mahu anda saksikan di dunia ini".

* Uthaya Sankar SB memblog di www.uthayasb.blogspot.com.

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

Tahniah Tuan Uskop

Posted: 30 Sep 2012 04:57 PM PDT

1 OKT — Bishop betul

Perkataan Uskop jarang dipakai oleh orang Melayu mungkin kerana ia satu jawatan dalam hiraki instituisi gereja yang merupakan sesuatu yang asing bagi orang Melayu. Orang Melayu lebih mengenali istilah imam atau ustaz atau syeikh yang menggambarkan kedudukan seseorang yang berpengetahuan agama dalam Islam. Dalam Bahasa Inggeris perkataan uskop adalah bishop. Saya mengenali istilah bishop kerana ada jalan di Pulau Pinang yang diberi nama Bishop Street, begitu juga saya mengenali bishop kerana permainan chess yang salah satu dari bidaknya ialah "bishop". Pada 22 September baru-baru ini saya bertemu dengan bishop yang betul, boleh bercakap dan memakai pakaian istiadat gereja malah fasih berbahasa Melayu dan punya perwatakan yang mesra. Namanya ialah Bishop Sebastian Francis bertanggungjawab kepada 70,000 umat Katolik melingkungi Pulau Pinang, Kedah, Perlis, Perak dan Kelantan.

Menyambung misi

Sejak 2010 misi saya adalah untuk membina jambatan semua kelompok di Malaysia termasuklah umat beragama yang berbagai. Salah satu dari usaha ini ialah melakukan lawatan ke gereja untuk mengadakan dialog dan berkenalan dengan kepimpinan agama mereka. Peluang isu kalimah Allah saya ambil untuk menjalankan misi penjelasan tentang sikap Islam dan sikap yang diambil oleh PAS sebagai sebuah parti Islam. Nama saya mula dikenali oleh kelompok gereja dan antara yang menjadi destanasi lawatan dialog saya yang besar ialah Gereja The Holy Spirit, iaitu Pusat Katolik di Pulau Pinang, St Anne di Bukit Mertajam, Church of Jesus di Sungai Petani, St Michael di Taiping dan Gereja SIB di Keningau, Sabah.

Apa wacana kami

Kami berdialog tentang kemuliaan kemanusian, umat beragama, hubungkait jalinan Ibrahimik dan isu-isu yang menyentuh sensitiviti aqidah umat Islam, hudud hingga kepada persoalan politik dan sikap PAS. Namun di sebalik wacana yang berat itu terselit satu mesej PAS yang mahukan hubungan lebih terhormat dan membawa kepada keamanan dan kerukunan hubungan. Cita-cita ini adalah berasaskan kepada latarbelakang provokasi pihak tertentu yang mahu mencetuskan ketegangan dan kebencian antara umat beragama. Azam menongkah arus supaya orang Melayu tidak termakan dengan api fitnah ini menguatkan langkah saya untukmelakukan sesuatu yang tidak pernah dibuat oleh orang Melayu mahupun PAS sendiri. Saya bersyukur kepada Allah kerana langkah ini diberkati apabila kesannya menggamit berbagai pihak untuk menyertai cita-cita kedamaian ini.

Kamu adalah wira

Wira adalah kelompok yang unik kerana mereka dapat mencapai status tersebut di atas keberanian mereka. Keberanian bukan sahaja bertempur di medan perang tetapi keberanian juga adalah apabila kita mampu menyatakan sikap kita dengan tegas walaupun manusia tidak menyukainya. Agama tidak pernah bertentangan dengan fitrah manusia dan salah satu fitrahnya ialah mencari kedamaian hubungan walaupun manusia kadang-kadang berperang atas nama agama masing-masing. Menegaskan sikap yang dianjurkan oleh agama ini iaitu kedamaian hubungan, kadang-kadang mendapat persepsi yang negatif dari penganut agama itu tersendiri, tidak terkecuali dari orang Melayu. Entah apa doktrin yang menguasai benak orang Melayu selama ini, sehinggakan ketaksuban ini dialas dengan kewajaran agama yang tidak pernah diajar pun oleh Nabi Muhammada s.a.w.

Wira-wira yang berjalan atas kesedaran fitrah ini membentuk sebuah kekuatan merentasi semua sempadan. Kristian,Islam dan Buddhist serta lain-lainnya berkongsi harapan di atas jambatan kedamaian ini lalu mereka bekerja dan berlumba-lumba mendapatkan habuan masing-masing demi matlamat mulia ini. Ketika itu fahaman agama sempit dan perkauman melulu menjadi kerdil di hadapan mereka. Mereka adalah wira, nama-nama mereka jarang diukir di dada akhbar kerana mereka tidak mahu nama, mereka hanya mahu harapan tercapai.

Agama berketerampilan

Uskop adalah peribadi yang mewakili agama Katolik mengikut hiraki yang ditentukan kelayakannya oleh pihak gereja. Dalam Islam kita tidak memiliki hiraki yang ketat melainkan seseorang yang bergelar ulamak perlu mempunyai latarbelakang pengajian agama yang kemudiannya  menjadi rujukan masyarakat di mesjid ataupun institusi formal yang lain. Setelah itu terpulanglan pada ulamak-ulamak ini meningkatkan dirinya untuk bersaing dalam alam yang penuh komplikasi ini dari sudut kepelbagaian ilmu yang perlu dimilikinya.

Saya pernah menyebut tentang reformasi agama sebagai keperluan untuk membuktikan kebolehupayaan agama itu menjadi relefan pada tuntutan masa dan keadaan. Dalam Islam, konsep tajdid dan kewajarannya diperakui oleh syariat Islam sendiri. Saya yakin agama Kristian juga mempunyai nilai-nilai keterampilan ini untuk ia kekal menjadi relefan pada tuntutan semasa tanpa perlu menggadaikan prinsip dan doktrin asas pegangannya. Itu jugalah yang saya bicarakan dengan Tuan Uskop Sebastian tempoh hari kerana, tanpa reformasi agama yang terpandu usaha dialog tidak mungkin tercapai dan kita akan terkurung dalam kesepian.Saya juga mengatakan dalam sembang santai saya dengan Tuan Uskop bahawa bukan semua agama adalah sama, kerana jikalau semua agama adalah sama, saya tidak akan mewakili Islam dan dia pula tidak mungkin mewakili Katolik. Saya bukan penyeru kepada penyamarataan agama kerana ia mustahil malah menghina agama tertentu, saya hanya pencinta kedamaian dalam hubungan umat beragama. Ide ini disambut oleh Tuan Uskop pada hari saya bertemu dengan beliau, saya nampak keterampilan beliau untuk menjadi pemimpin kepada pengikut agamanya yang hidup dalam dunia yang serba serbi hari ini. Tidak cukup untuk mengatakan kita adalah dari agama tertentu hari ini tetapi adalah lebih berketerampilan jika kita menegaskan bahawa kita dari agama tertentu yang mampu hidup dan kekal relefan dalam zaman ini.

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

Kredit: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com

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‘Chegubard’ fail semula permohonan batal pertuduhan berkaitan Bersih 3.0

Posted: 01 Oct 2012 02:33 AM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR, 1 Okt — Ketua Cabang Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR)Rembau Badrul Hisham Shaharin memfailkan semula permohonan bagi membatalkan tiga pertuduhan terhadapnya berkaitan perhimpunan Bersih 3.0.

Badrul Hisham atau "Chegubard", 34, menamakan pendakwa raya sebagai responden dalam permohonan yang difailkan melalui Tetuan SN Nair & Partners di pejabat pendaftar Mahkamah Tinggi di sini.

Pada 13 Sept lepas, dia menarik balik permohonan sama yang difailkan dipejabat pendaftar Mahkamah Sesyen di sini ketika kesnya disebut di depan Hakim Mahmud Abdullah.

Peguam SN Nair, ketika ditemui pemberita, berkata pihaknya menarik balik permohonan itu kerana Mahkamah Sesyen tidak mempunyai bidang kuasa untuk mendengar kes berkaitan Perlembagaan Persekutuan.

Badrul Hisham didakwa bersama penasihat PKR Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim dan Timbalan Presiden parti itu Mohamed Azmin Ali pada 2 Julai dan 22 Mei berkaitan perhimpunan Bersih 3.0.

Pada 2 Julai, dia mengaku tidak bersalah bersubahat dengan R. Tangam, G. Rajesh Kumar dan Farhan Ibrahim melanggar perintah Majistret Zaki Ashraf Zubir bertarikh 26 April, yang melarang sebarang perhimpunan di kawasan Dataran Merdeka antara 28 April dan 1 Mei lepas.

Pada 22 Mei, Badrul Hisham mengaku tidak bersalah menyertai protes jalanan yang melanggar perintah majistret berkenaan, antara 2.30 petang dan 3 petang pada 28 April di Jalan Tun Perak di sini.

Dia juga mengaku tidak bersalah bersekongkol dengan Tangam, Rajesh Kumar dan Farhan dengan menghasut mereka supaya mengalihkan besi penghalang di Jalan Raja di sini pada hari yang sama.

Badrul Hisham didakwa melakukan kesalahan itu mengikut Seksyen 188 Kanun Keseksaan dan Seksyen 4(2)(c) Akta Perhimpunan Aman 2012.

Dalam permohonan itu, Badrul Hisham mendakwa perintah Zaki Ashraf tidak sah kerana dikeluarkan di luar bidang kuasa dan/atau ultra vires dengan Akta Perhimpunan Aman 2012 yang berkuat kuasa pada 30 Jan, yang membenarkan perhimpunan secara aman diadakan.

Katanya, pihak berkuasa yang sepatutnya melarang orang ramai mengadakan perhimpunan secara aman ialah polis, dan bukan Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur, seperti yang disebut dalam perintah itu. — Bernama

Anwar syorkan Turki sebagai model untuk reformasi ekonomi, politik

Posted: 01 Oct 2012 02:05 AM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR, 1 Okt — Dalam perbahasan Bajet 2013 hari ini, ketua pembangkang Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim berkata Malaysia hanya mampu mengukuhkan ekonominya dengan cepat menerusi reformasi kerajaan dan politik yang menyeluruh seperti yang dilakukan negara Turki.

Pemimpin pembangkang menyalahkan kerajaan Barisan Nasional (BN) yang tidak berdaya saing sebagai punca kegagalan Malaysia yang terpaksa menghadapi bajet defisit selama 15 tahun ekoran ketirisan polisi ekonomi yang mementingkan "kroni dan golongan kaya yang mempunyai kepentingan".

Pemimpin pembangkang Anwar: Menimbulkan Buku Jingga PR. — Foto fail

"Kejayaan Turki dibawah Reccip Tayeb Erdogan contohnya, memberi keyakinan kepada kita bahawa dasar ekonomi dan pentadbiran yang berteraskan keadilan sosial, ketelusan, amanah dan mengiktiraf bakat kebolehan setiap rakyatnya berjaya melonjak kemakmuran ekonomi negara an rakyat Turki dalam tempoh yang begitu singkat," kata Anwar

"Sebab itu Pakatan Rakyat (PR) dari awal lagi telah menegaskan bahawa perubahan dan tambahbaik ekonomi tidak boleh berlaku tanpa adanya reformasi politik dan pentadbiran," katanya dalam ucapan bajet beliau.

"Buku Jingga adalah dokumen yang jelas menggariskan bahawa matlamat pertumbuhan ekonomi perlu didorong oleh proses islah politik dan pentadbiran yang menyeluruh, kerana Turki dibawah Erdogan menyakinkan dunia bahawa pembaharuan politik menyuburkan pertumbuhan ekonomi."

Bekas menteri kewangan tersebut juga menggunakan Turki sebagai perbandingan dengan menyifatkan sejak Erdogan dilantik perdana menteri 10 tahun lalu beliau telah berjaya melakukan perubahan ekonomi ke atas negara Islam sekular itu menjadi sebuah "keajaiban ekonomi baru".

Menurut Anwar lagi, keluaran dalam negeri kasar (KDNK) Turki berkembang sebanyak tiga kali ganda dalam tempoh sembilan tahun daripada AS$233 bilion (RM701.3 bilion) pada tahun 2002 kepada AS$773 bilion tahun lepas.

Unjuran pertumbuhan ekonomi Turki bagi tahun ini dianggarkan lebih daripada 11 peratus, berdasarkan angka suku pertama yang didakwa Anwar telah berjaya mengatasi China dan negara membangun yang lain.

Beliau turut menegaskan pertumbuhan ekonomi Turki berkembang antara 7 dan 9 peratus secara purata ketika tahun pertama pemerintahan Erdogan dan lebih memeranjatkan lagi apabila negara itu berjaya mengimbangi hutang luar bernilai €1 bilion (RM3.9 bilion) kepada Tabung Kewangan Antarabangsa (IMF) pada April depan yang dianggapnya pembayaran balik terpantas jika diukur berdasarkan jumlah hutang.

MP Permatang Pauh itu juga berkata, Malaysia kini menghadapi risiko ketinggalan jauh dibelakang dengan negara-negara Asia lain yang suatu ketika dahulu lebih mundur daripada Malaysia pada 1970-1980an seperti Korea Selatan yang telah maju ke hadapan dengan langkah-langkah memerangi rasuah dan meningkatkan tahap ekonomi dikalangan usahawan perniagaan.

Namun dia percaya Malaysia memiliki potensi ekonomi yang lebih tinggi kerana mempunyai rizab minyak dan peluang cerah untuk melonjak ke hadapan dengan rombakan struktur ekonomi sedia ada.

"Kegagalan Barisan Nasional menamatkan defisit belanjawan selama 15 tahun berturut-turut sedangkan Malaysia mempunyai hasil minyak menunjukkan ada masalah struktur ekonomi yang diabaikan dan dibiarkan membarah, kerana menyelesaikan kepincangan ekonomi tersebut bermakna menyentuh kroni dan golongan mahakaya berkepentingan," katanya lagi.

Kredit: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com
 

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