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McDonald’s reports dip in sales as competition beefs up Posted: 09 Nov 2012 04:18 PM PST NEW YORK, Nov 10 — Burger behemoth McDonald's is blaming increased competition from fast-food rivals and decreased consumer demand on a worldwide dip in sales last month, as mid-sized chains also make aggressive expansion moves abroad. Sales at McDonald's dipped around the world in October compared to the same period last year. — AFP pic According to the company's latest global comparable sales report, it seems consumers in Asia, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Africa are taking their money elsewhere, as sales in those regions fell the most at 2.4 per cent in October compared to the same period the year before. The dip in sales, meanwhile, coincides with a few significant shake-ups to the fast-food landscape in Asia and the Middle East. For example, after pulling out of Japan in 2009, Wendy's re-entered the market last year. Other major competitors include MOS Burger, the second-largest fast-food franchise in Japan after McDonald's with 1,305 restaurants in Japan and 200 outlets in China. Last year, the brand announced ambitious plans to beef up its international presence by opening outposts in Europe and the US. Meanwhile, popular mid-sized US burger brands like Smashburger, Shake Shack and Fatburger are also expanding beyond their borders. Popular New York burger institution Shake Shack, for instance, opened its first international outposts in Dubai and Kuwait recently, while Denver-based Smashburger announced plans to take its brand to the Middle East as part of international expansion plans. Fatburger likewise will be exported out to Asia, in countries like China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore. Sales also dipped in the US and Europe by 2.2 per cent, the company said, where mid-sized burger chains are becoming big-time rivals, and where alternative fast and casual foods including brands like Chipotle, Subway and Pret a Manger and fast ethnic fare are encroaching on their sales. Overall, global comparable sales decreased by 1.8 per cent in October. — AFP-Relaxnews

An Indian celebration in Kota Damansara Posted: 09 Nov 2012 03:46 PM PST The Bangalore Fish Curry... my favourite at RK Restaurant. — Pictures by Eu Hooi Khaw PETALING JAYA, Nov 10 — The mango lassi came in a small earthernware jar and piqued my interest in what was to follow at RK Restaurant in Kota Damansara here. Our curiosity was further stirred by the appearance of a small charcoal brazier at the next table, skewers of meat placed across it, and the cloud of smoke that enveloped them. That was what we were having for dinner too at this Indian restaurant. It turned out to be the RK BBQ Special. Threaded through the skewers were chunks of smoky boneless chicken, tender, moist and exploding with flavours of spices, herbs and garlic. It was so delicious. RK Restaurant is just nine months old; it serves a range of Indian food from Bangalore and Goa to southern India. I'm always delighted to find a restaurant that has its own unique take on classic Indian dishes, and adding on some unusual ones as well. RK BBQ Specila... skewers of marinated chicken finished over a charcoal brazier. One of these is the Tandoori Aloo. A thin slice of potato is rolled up with a filling of chopped cashews, potato, chilli, carrot, onion and ginger. It yields nutty, fragrantly spiced bites, with the potato "skin" remaining crunchy. A mint raita dip is served with this, but it is already so tasty eaten on its own. Another was the Vegetable Shami Kebab, made with potato, carrot, onion and cauliflower, with a cottage cheese ball in the centre. Eaten hot, you encounter melted cheese and a mushy centre after the crispy outer layer. It tasted good dipped in the mint raita. The Romali Roti — a thin, handkerchief-like naan — came, and we ate this hot, with the Mutton Rogan Josh. It was superb, with every bit of the tender mutton imbued with the aromatic spice mix, with just the right heat from chilli. I had a second helping of this. Mehti Chaman... one of the more unusual dishes at RK. Methi Chaman is another unusual dish at this restaurant. Methi is fenugreek leaves which are cooked with tomato, onions and cashewnuts. Cottage cheese strands strewn across the dish. It's creamy, and it's a fine balance of sweet and sour. The Special Chicken Bryani had been covered with a piece of dough and baked in the tandoor, as in a dum bryani. This thin dough was lifted up to reveal some of the longest grains of basmati rice I have ever seen!  The Special Chicken Bryani is a must-try. Exquisitely spiced and tinged with saffron, they were almost two centimetres long. I loved the rice, that had buried within it chunks of well marinated, spicy chicken. The bryani was served with a yoghurt sauce and a tart curry which tempted us to eat even more rice. Dhal Makhni has five different varieties of dhal in it, and I could pick out the black dhal and creamy red kidney beans in a texturally rich stew. It takes hours to cook this dish which originates from Punjab. It goes so well with the thin butter naan. The RK Chicken Curry Special is a mild creamy curry, almost velvety in the mouth. It had hard-boiled eggs in it, together with chicken, and it is streaked with cream on top. Take a bite of the chicken and it delivers the oomph of all the spices in the curry. The Bangalore Fish Curry stood out among all the curries we had, for its rich red colour derived from tomatoes and chilli. We ate this with white basmati rice, and I enjoyed the sour notes in the curry, and of course all the wonderful aromas of the spices in it. The mango lassi comes in an earthenware jar. The Pistachio Kulfi we had at the end was generously studded with the pistachios and cashews, and there were lovely perfumed hints of rose water in the milky ice cream. These fine, well-cooked dishes are so reasonably priced. The RK BBQ Special is RM20.90, Vegetarian Sheesh Kebabs RM11.90, RK Special Chicken Curry RM18.90, Mutton Rogan Josh RM17.90, RK Special Bryani RM18.90, Mango Lassi RM6.90, and the breads are RM3.50 each type. RK Restaurant is across the road from the brightly lit neighbourhood hawker centre in Kota Damansara. It is located at 16-1, Jalan PJU 5/7, Dataran Sunway, Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya (Tel: 03-6142-1314). It is open every day from 11am to 11pm, and from 6pm on Monday. You can also have RK's food delivered to you by Kitchen on Wheels within the hour of calling 1700-81-7223.

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Terry free after ban but Di Matteo coy on starting place Posted: 09 Nov 2012 07:23 AM PST Chelsea's John Terry controls the ball during a team training session at Stamford Bridge in London November 6, 2012. — Reuters pic LONDON, Nov 9 — John Terry is available after four-game suspension for Chelsea's Premier League match against Liverpool on Sunday but coach Roberto Di Matteo would not be drawn on whether his club captain will start. The centre back, banned by the English FA after being found guilty of racially abusing Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand last year, missed the league matches against Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Swansea City as well as the League Cup match against United. Terry was eligible and played in the Champions League against Shakhtar Donetsk in Ukraine while serving his domestic ban, but was an unused substitute when Shakhtar played Chelsea at home on Wednesday. "He is going to be available on Sunday and is in a good position to be involved," Di Matteo, speaking to reporters at the club's training ground at Cobham, said on Friday. Asked if he was pleased the ban was over, the Italian replied: "We can focus on the football and try and achieve things on the pitch. But no-one is guaranteed a starting place, they all have to work and be fighting for their places in the team. "They are all internationals. We have England internationals playing, or a Brazilian international, or a Serbian - there is a lot of quality there at a very high level. But he continues to be our captain and our leader when he plays." Chelsea, who slipped to second last weekend, will be without left-back Ashley Cole, who is still suffering with the hamstring injury that kept him out of Wednesday's 3-2 win over Shakhtar. Liverpool, who lost 1-0 to Anzhi Makhachkala in the Europa League on Thursday, are 12th but have a good recent record at Stamford Bridge - winning on their last three visits including two last season in the League Cup and the league. — Reuters

Hearts cheered by fans’ response to financial crisis Posted: 09 Nov 2012 07:15 AM PST LONDON, Nov 9 — Hearts fans have responded positively to an appeal for emergency financial help after the Scottish Cup holders said a winding-up order over a tax bill could put them out of business. The Edinburgh club, founded in 1874, has asked fans to ensure the Tynecastle Stadium is sold out for forthcoming home games and to invest in a share issue to raise 1.795 million pounds (RM8.750 million) to help secure the club's short-term future. "It is clear to us that there is a very strong will amongst supporters to make sure that we can steer our way through the current position," the club said in a statement on Friday after talks between directors and groups representing fans. The fans' groups urged supporters who had come to big games such as May's 5-1 Scottish Cup final win over local rivals Hibernian to back the club in its hour of need. "This is a call to arms. The club needs you now," said a statement from groups including the Federation of Hearts Supporters. HM Revenue & Customs, the British tax authority, said football clubs had to pay their bills like any other business. "Tax deducted from the wages of players and support staff, such as ground keepers, physiotherapists and receptionists must be paid over to HMRC - that is the law and there is no excuse for treating tax money as working capital," HMRC said in a statement. Money has long been tight in Scottish football and Rangers, champions a record 54 times, were demoted to the fourth tier this year after collapsing under the weight of their debts. Hearts warned this week that they could go out of business this month after being issued with a winding-up order over a tax bill for almost 450,000 pounds. — Reuters

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Andy Summers film documents surviving the Police Posted: 09 Nov 2012 06:29 AM PST LOS ANGELES, Nov 9 — Police guitarist Andy Summers has always been a multifaceted artist — musician, songwriter, photographer and author. Now he can add filmmaker to his extensive resume. Members of The Police, (L-R) Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers, acknowledge the audience during their performance at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles February 11, 2007. — Reuters pic "Can't Stand Losing You: Surviving the Police," Summers' 90-minute documentary film that chronicles his musical career and life with supergroup, has its world premiere at the DOC NYC festival in New York today. Summers, who narrates the film, describes it as "a musical journey" that uses live footage from the 2007-2008 Police reunion world tour, along with lots of archival material from both the early Police days and the London punk scene. "But it's not done as a chronological story," he told Reuters. "We establish the fact we're doing the reunion tour early on, and then it dips in and out of live Police concert footage, and then starts going back to the earlier days." Based on his 2006 memoir "One Train Later," the documentary also incorporates rare footage dating back to the 1960s, when Summers, now 69, was involved with the early British rock scene and seminal artists including British vocalist and keyboard player Zoot Money and Eric Burdon. The film also features many still photographs that the rock star took along the way. "I was always interested in photography, so it was very natural for me to document everything, whether it was backstage at some grungy club or on early tours with the Police," he said. "So there's a lot of intimate moments and interesting shots and archival stuff, especially in the first 25 minutes of the film, with the Sex Pistols appearing and so on." Bumping into fame Following his book's lead, the film also documents the serendipitous nature of the formation of the Police, one of the biggest bands in rock history, when Summers "just happened to bump into" drummer Stewart Copeland in a London Underground station one day in 1977. The two decided to have coffee and discuss forming a new band with a then-unknown singer called Sting, whom they had just met. "One train later, and it all might never have happened," recalled Summers, "which is why I titled the book 'One Train Later.'" He would have preferred that title for the documentary. "It's much hipper and doesn't pander to the obvious Police connection," he said, "so I'm hoping at some point we'll change it to that." Inevitably, the film also focuses on the breakup of the always-combustible and often acrimonious trio. "It's obviously a very painful and poignant moment, when we all realize, 'Well, that's it,'" Summers said of the 2008 footage documenting the band's final dissolution. "The camera lingers on all our faces, and you can see the raw emotion there. It's very bittersweet." As for rumors that the Police may re-form yet again for another tour, Summers does not think that is likely, even though their 30th reunion tour grossed more than US$350 million (RM1.1 billion). "But then I never thought we'd get back together to do the last tour, so I never shut the door on anything," he said. "I personally think that my book was somewhat of a provoking agent in getting the Police reunited, so maybe this film will do the same thing again." — Reuters

Call me JackSUN, says singer Jermaine Posted: 09 Nov 2012 06:16 AM PST LOS ANGELES, Nov 9 — Jackson 5 singer Jermaine Jackson has petitioned to change his name, according to court documents filed earlier this week in Los Angeles. Jackson 5 singer Jermaine Jackson. — AFP pic The older brother of pop stars Michael and Janet Jackson, Jermaine wants to change his famous last name to Jacksun for "artistic reasons." Asked why Jermaine wanted to change his name, his attorney Bret D Lewis, who filed the petition on Jackson's behalf, told Reuters "If Prince and P Diddy can do it, why can't and shouldn't Jermaine?" If all goes to plan, Jackson's name will officially change following a court hearing set for February 22. Jermaine, 57, and brothers Jackie, Marlon and Tito are currently in Europe on a Unity Tour, under the name The Jacksons, performing hits made famous by the Jackson 5 along with a tribute to their late sibling Michael. Jermaine Jackson unofficially adopted the name Mohammad Abdul Aziz after converting to Islam in 1989. — Reuters

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83pc of infants worldwide get DPT vaccine Posted: 09 Nov 2012 01:22 AM PST 8 out of 10 infants received DPT vaccines in 2011. — shutterstock.com pic NEW YORK, Nov 9 — Twenty million infants worldwide went without the recommended DTP (diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis) immunisation in 2011, reports the World Health Organisation (WHO). The good news is more than 8 infants out of 10 (83%) received DTP vaccines in 2011, which shows progress: 40 years ago, only 5% of infants worldwide received them. The report sheds light on the WHO's plan to increase worldwide vaccination rates for infants: "The Plan involves four goals: strengthening routine immunisation to meet vaccination coverage targets, accelerating control of vaccine-preventable diseases and introducing new and improved vaccines." "An accessible and well-functioning immunisation programme should be a key component of public health services in every country. By supporting countries to strengthen their health systems through the implementation of the new Global Vaccine Action Plan, we can increase global access to vaccines and make an impact on the lives of millions of people," comments Dr. Jean-Marie Okwo-Bele, the Director of WHO's Department of Immunisation, Vaccines and Biologicals, as part of the report. — AFP-Relaxnews

Brain protein mutation linked to autism, research shows Posted: 08 Nov 2012 11:17 PM PST A study finds a protein that helps brain cells transfer data through neurological pathways called synapses was mutated in autism sufferers.©Shutterstock.com WELLINGTON, Nov 9 — Researchers said yesterday they had discovered a genetic mutation in people with autism that cuts communication between brain cells to about one-tenth of normal levels. The study found a protein that helps brain cells transfer data through neurological pathways called synapses was mutated in autism sufferers, offering a likely explanation for their cognitive and behavioural difficulties. Principal investigator Johanna Montgomery, from Auckland University's Centre for Brain Research, said the mutated protein, called Shank3, provided exciting possibilities in the search for autism treatments. "(A treatment) is years away," she told AFP. "But we now know how it works, we know what goes wrong, so let's try to figure out a way to fix it. "Now we've got a focus for how we actually rescue this protein, to make it work appropriately again so that brain cells can communicate at the right levels." The two-year study, published in The Journal of Neuroscience, was carried out by the Centre for Brain Research and Stanford University in the United States. Montgomery said researchers were beginning to understand the complex factors behind so-called autism spectrum disorders (ASD), which typically result in learning difficulties, lack of socialisation and repetitive behaviours. She said the condition was becoming more prevalent, partly due to more efficient diagnosis, with studies estimating it affects about one in 82 children. — AFP/Relaxnews

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A Singaporean’s Malayan journey Posted: 08 Nov 2012 09:15 PM PST KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 9 — Born out of a crazy idea — cycling around peninsular Malaysia with his best friend on a shoestring budget of US$3 a day between them — Floating on a Malayan Breeze is the story of that journey and more. Author Sudhir Thomas Vadaketh does not give you tips on interesting places to visit but instead provides you with "a series of thoughtful — sometimes provocative — observations on the history, culture, politics, religion and other aspects of our diverse lives in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. In an increasingly globalised future, it seems more and more likely that our destinies will remain intertwined. It is the same Malayan breeze on which we float." That came from no less than George Yeo, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Singapore. Sudhir Thomas Vadaketh: A learning experience — self control, discipline, and how to stretch your dollar. Vadaketh, a Singaporean, is a senior editor with The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) of The Economist. He will be launching his book tomorrow at Borders Mid-Valley. The Malaysian Insider caught up with him on e-mail ahead of that: 1) You are a Singaporean although your father was born in Malaysia and you spend a lot of time travelling in Malaysia. What fascinates you most about these two countries? Were there any childhood memories that triggered you to embark on this cycling journey? What fascinates me most is how politics/policies/governance can change the way people think; societies function; and economies operate. We are essentially the same country and people, separated by politics. But our worldviews differ today because of the very different socio-economic models we have pursued. The main reason for the trip is that my best friend and I wanted to find out more about Malaysia from the ground up. For most of our histories, everything we hear about our countries and each other comes from our governments. There is very little dialogue at a grassroots level. To this day, we cannot buy each other's newspapers in our countries, e.g. no NST in Singapore and no The Straits Times in Malaysia. This is a shame, as we are essentially the same country and people, separated by politics. As the Singapore-born son of a Malaysia-born father, I have much affection for both places. Hence the main motivation for the trip was discovery — to find out what ordinary Malaysians think about themselves, Singapore, and the wider world around them. 2) Culturally, Malaysia and Singapore are very much alike but in many other ways the two are very different. Why do you think this is so since we actually used to be just one "country" under the British? It is mostly because of our very different socio-economic philosophies from 1965 onwards: Malaysia has been guided by the desire for "equality of outcomes". It has been trying to redistribute the fruits of growth in a more equitable fashion by giving some people — the bumiputeras — more opportunities than others. Singapore has been guided by the desire for "equality of opportunities", with little concern for outcomes. Also very important is the fact that we have had iron-fisted strongmen — particularly Lee Kuan Yew and Mahathir — leading authoritarian governments that have pursued these philosophies with a dogged determination. So they have managed to push their beliefs with very little opposition. Thus, thinking about how strong personalities interact and compete, one can argue that Malaysia's and Singapore's leaders have been trying to outdo each other. To prove that their respective system is better and more just. Of course, a lot of good has come out of it — both countries have developed tremendously since 1965. But these philosophies have also directly led to some problems — for instance, ethnic tensions in Malaysia and income inequality in Singapore. 3) If Singapore was not kicked out of Malaysia 47 years ago, what do you think it would be like today? There is an alternate historical narrative that suggests that Singapore should have positioned itself as the pre-eminent city in the Malay-Indo archipelago. However Singapore, largely because of history and politics, is untethered from our most obvious heartland, the Malay Peninsula. Singapore is not a primary city for the Malay-Indo region, or for China, or for India. We have tried to position ourselves as the Asian jack of all trades, a developed-world hodge-podge that is both all of Asia and yet not Asia at all. Looking at investment levels and migration patterns, you can argue that Singapore today is much more of a mainland Chinese city or an Indian city than a Malay city. Many people — especially in the establishment — think this has been for the better, but others, including myself, worry about the negative impacts, including on our sense of identity and belonging. If Singapore was not kicked out of Malaysia 47 years ago, it might have been a wonderful regional hub — rather than this aspiring global hodge-podge. Moreover, Malaysia and Singapore have many complementarities. E.g. Singapore lacks land and resources, Malaysia lacks a great port and similar merchant/economic traditions. The Federation of Malaysia — or Malaya — could have been a real economic powerhouse by today. But of course, this is a bit of a pipe dream — there are many personality conflicts and ethnic/religious issues that might never have worked themselves out. 4) Who was the most interesting person you met on your journey so far and why? It was the former guerrilla from the Communist Party of Malaya in Betong, Thailand. We went there expecting to meet battle-scarred old men, but we found this tender, mellow lady who had joined the cause simply because she believed in the equality of all people. It was a reminder that there are "Malayans" out there — people who fought for our countries' independence — who are no longer welcome at home. It also illustrated our governments' complete control over the scripting of national histories. I tell this story in Chapter 1 of the book. 5) There is a rivalry among Singaporeans and Malaysians, a love-hate relationship that cannot be explained unlike other relationships between other countries. How do you think this can be resolved? I am not sure if it ever will be resolved. As mentioned, even though we are bound by history and geography, Singapore has now positioned itself away from the Malay-Indo region. For instance, it is getting harder to find people in Singapore to speak Malay with — even some Malays prefer to converse in English! And there is that sibling rivalry because of the nature of our separation and the fact that we chose very different socio-economic paths. But then I am also not too worried about this tension. Some of the most beautiful relationships in the world are love-hate ones: think of Anna and the King, Apple-Samsung, USA-Mexico. Perhaps, at a more philosophical level, we crave that tension, we thrive on it. 6) Your book touches on the topic of Malaysia being guided by the desire for "equality of outcomes", giving bumiputeras more opportunities than others. Do you think it is a sensitive topic that will create some backlash for your book? I don't think so. Malaysia has become a very open, tolerant place in the past decade. I think readers here appreciate a good discussion on issues of national importance. When I started working on this project in 2004, I felt a bit more nervous about broaching some of these topics. But not anymore. In fact, I imagine that authors today are more nervous about writing on Singapore than Malaysia! 7) What was the single biggest thing you learned from the journey and writing the book? The idea for the book took shape when my best friend and I spent one month cycling around Malaysia on RM10/day. The experience of living on RM10/day taught me many things — self control, discipline, and learning how to stretch your dollar. There were occasions where we were craving for an iced drink, but we decided not to have the ice because it cost an extra 20 sen. I'm still amazed that my best friend and I could have such an exciting, invigorating, stimulating experience for so little money! In today's modern consumption-driven world, we sometimes assume that we need a million and one things just to survive. But you don't — all you need is basic food, water and some good company. In Singapore especially, one can easily forget about the simpler, more romantic aspects to living life. This entire experience — the trip, and the writing as well — has made me fully aware of this. Floating on a Malayan Breeze: Travels in Malaysia and Singapore will be launched at Borders Mid Valley, KL, 11am-1pm, November 10, 2012. Sudhir's blog: http://sudhirtv.wordpress.com

Furtive readers snap up Hong Kong’s books banned in China Posted: 08 Nov 2012 04:46 PM PST Man of the moment: People at a crossroads in Shanghai, November 8, 2012, watch a huge screen showing a news broadcast of Vice President Xi Jinping at the 18th Communist Party Congress. New Biography of Xi Jinping is among those high on the best-seller list. — Reuters pic HONG KONG, Nov 9 — Books banned in China have been flying off the shelves in Hong Kong in the run-up to China's leadership transition as mainland people seek insight into the decision makers who will run their country and the rivals who have fallen out of favour. Hong Kong, a former British territory that returned to Chinese rule in 1997 under a deal that preserved much of its autonomy, has its own laws that include liberal publication rights. As a result, mainland officials, businessmen and students eager to read up on China's most sensitive issues flock to the city's book shops. "They want to know more about their fellow competitors — who goes up, who goes down and who's in trouble," said Paul Tang, director of People Book Cafe on the second floor of a shopping centre in the busy Causeway Bay district. Tang attracts shoppers' attention with a portrait of Mao Zedong at the entrance of his shop and a sign in Chinese script promising "banned books". China's ruling Communist Party chooses a new leadership team for the first time in a decade in a congress that began yesterday. Speculation has been rife about whose stars are on the rise and whose are on the way down. Sales of banned political books have gone up by 30 per cent over the past year, Tang said. His customers include men who he believes are Chinese intelligence officers who regularly fork out hundreds of dollars for books about politics. "It's a major stop for information-gathering," he said of his shop. High on the best-seller list of banned Chinese-language books are Seven Members in the Standing Committee by Xian Fe and Cheng Gong and New Biography of X i Jinping by Liang Jian. Xi is expected to become China's top leader at the end of the week-long congress. Promising a more racy read is Mistresses of Top Officials in the Chinese Empire by Shen Lin and Fang Yan Hong. Another favourite is China's Best Actor: Wen Jiabao by activist Yu Jie. Wen is the outgoing prime minister. Tang said businessmen were eager for books that offered insight into how the leadership transition could affect them. 'Too sensitive' The leadership change has been marred by the downfall of a former top leader, Bo Xilai, which has exposed rifts in the party as it tries to pull off a smooth transition against a backdrop of murder, plots and prison sentences. Another bookshop owner who only wanted to be identified by his surname, Lin, also said tight-lipped mainland officials regularly browsed his shelves. "They won't tell you a thing but you just know they're officials in the government or military," said Lin, owner of the Causeway Bay Bookstore. China has long banned books it deems a threat to the leadership or to stability. But a ban often fires interest in the book across the border in Hong Kong. In the nearby Best Reading Bookstore, publications billed as "politically sensitive" fill nearly half the shelf space. Their sales have jumped almost 50 per cent over the past year, said assistant manager Mag Chan. Mainlanders, who have to get a visa to visit Hong Kong, trade tips on Weibo, China's version of Twitter, on how to smuggle books. Some suggest the old trick of putting them in innocuous covers. Zhang Qianye, 25, a mainlander who works in Hong Kong and often takes banned books to China, said customs officials caught her in March with a book about Liu Xiaobo, a human rights activist who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010. The agents confiscated the book but that won't stop her trying again. "Information is destined to be free-flow. Customs just can't stop it," she said. Back at Tang's shop a middle-aged mainlander surnamed Zhang said that with the congress on, it was far too risky to try to smuggle books back home: "The timing is just too sensitive". But after a couple of hours of browsing, he seemed impressed and emboldened by all the "insider news" on offer. "I guess it should be all right if I just take one," he said. — Reuters

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SIS: Kebebasan beragama termasuk menukar agama Posted: 09 Nov 2012 02:55 AM PST KUALA LUMPUR, 9 Nov — Kebebasan beragama mestilah termasuk untuk menukar agama, kata badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) yang memperjuangkan wanita Muslim berikutan kenyataan Nurul Izzah Anwar dalam isu ini. Dalam kenyataan medianya, Sisters In Islam (SIS) bertanya bagaimana Muslim menuntut kebebasan, yang mahu menarik lebih ramai orang bukan Islam untuk memasuki agama itu tetapi dalam masa sama tidak membenarkan penganutnya keluar dari agama tersebut. "Kepercayaan berdasarkan paksaan akan jadi hipokrit," menurut SIS dalam kenyataan medianya. Pengarah program SIS, Suri Kempe menerangkan bahawa NGO tersebut tidak menggalakkan umat Islam untuk murtad, sebaliknya memperjuangkan kebebasan meninggalkan agama bagi mereka yang tidak lagi mempercayainya. "Islam bukanlah agama jalan sehala," kata Suri. Kenyataan naib presiden PKR, dalam forum berkenaan dengan isu negara Islam di Subang Jaya Sabtu lalu telah menyebabkan beliau diserang oleh pemimpin agama dan pemimpin Umno dengan mengatakan beliau menggalakkan murtad. Nurul Izzah telah membuat laporan kepada Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (JAIS) untuk menjelaskan perkara tersebut dan akan mengambil tindakan ke atas akhbar yang dimiliki Umno, Utusan Malaysia, Berita Harian dan beberapa blog kerana memutarbelitkan kenyataannya. Murtad dan kebebasan beragama adalah isu sensitif di Malaysia, di mana Melayu — yang mewakili 60 peratus dari 28 juta penduduk — dari segi Perlembagaan adalah Muslim. Sementara kebebasan untuk beragama adalah dijamin bagi bukan Muslim di bawah Artikel 11 Perlembagaan Persekutuan, semua orang Melayu adalah Muslim di bawah undang-undang. Undang-undang Islam melarang Muslim dari keluar dari agama tersebut dan undang-undang syariah negara ini telah memberi kuasa kepada kerajaan negeri untuk mengenakan hukuman kepada golongan murtad. Dengan mempunyai dua sistem perundangan syariah dan persekutuan, ianya sering mencetus kontroversi dalam kebebasan beragama di bawah artikel 11 apabila orang Muslim cuba untuk keluar dari agamanya. Ini boleh dilihat dalam kes Lina Joy (Azalina Jailani), Revathi Massosai dan Nyonya Tahir (Wong Ah Kiu).

Ahmad minta Bukit Aman tubuh jawatankuasa siasat polis salah guna kuasa Posted: 09 Nov 2012 02:30 AM PST Ahmad Abdul Jalil bersama laporan polis yang dibuat hari ini bersama peguamnya Fadiah Nadwa Fikri. — Gambar oleh Siow Feng Saw. PETALING JAYA, 9 Nov — Juruukur bahan yang didakwa menghina Sultan Johor di laman Facebook hari ini membuat laporan polis menggesa satu siasatan dijalankan terhadap pihak polis yang bertanggungjawab dalam siasatan terhadapnya kerana dakwanya telah menyalahgunakan kuasa mereka. Ahmad Abdul Jalil, 27  yang ditemani keluarganya, beserta peguam hadir ke Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah Petaling Jaya pada jam 3.30 petang hari ini turut meminta Ibu Pejabat Polis Bukit Aman untuk menubuhkan satu jawatankuasa khas bagi tujuan tersebut dan juga demi keselematan dirinya dan keluarga. "Ahmad menuntut pihak polis menyiasat anggota mereka yang terlibat dalam kes ini telah menyalahgunakan kuasa mereka apabila menggeledah rumah keluarganya tanpa waran serta tidak memberikan hak kepadanya untuk berjumpa peguam dan keluarga. "Kami (juga) meminta Bukit Aman untuk menubuhkan satu pasukan khas bagi memastikan keselamatan Ahmad dan keluarganya terjamin," kata peguam yang mewakili Ahmad, Fadiah Nadwa Fikri. Sementara itu, Ahmad ketika sidang media selepas laporan polis itu dibuat berkata, dirinya mengalami tekanan emosi akibat tindakan pihak polis semasa sesi soal siasat, di samping tidak memberi kebenaran kepadanya untuk bertemu keluarga dan peguamnya. "Saya tiada niat untuk tarik perhatian umum ... (tetapi) ketika ditahan, saya tidak diberikan hak untuk jumpa peguam dan keluarga. "Tuduhan mereka juga tidak berasas ... bukan saya yang lakukan perkara itu (hina Sultan Johor) ... saya bukan penjenayah," kata Ahmad kepada pemberita. Beliau juga meminta pihak polis diberikan kebebasan untuk menyiasat kes ini dan mengambil berat terhadap keselamatan dirinya. "Bukit Aman perlu siasat dan ambil berat kes ini ... dan perlu diberikan kebebasan untuk menyiasat kes ini," katanya lagi. Ahmad semalam telah didakwa di Mahkamah Johor Baru atas dua pertuduhan, masing-masing di bawah Seksyen 233 (1) (a) Akta Komunikasi dan Multimedia 1998 di atas dakwaan menghina Sultan Johor di laman Facebook. Beliau bagaimanapun mengaku tidak bersalah, dan telah dibebaskan dengan ikat jamin sebanyak RM5,000 bagi setiap pertuduhan. Sebutan bagi kes ini akan didengar pada 28 November 2012 di Mahkamah Sesyen Jenayah 2 Johor Bahru. Beliau sebelum ini telah ditahan di pejabatnya di Cheras, sebelum di bawa ke Johor oleh pihak polis.

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Let’s do the Dappan! Posted: 08 Nov 2012 05:13 PM PST NOV 9 — So, there's this video from Petronas to celebrate the coming Deepavali celebrations. And we all know what suckers Malaysians are for festival messages from Petronas. It's called "Do the Dappan", and yes, it's all about the Indian dance called the "dappan". If you haven't seen it, then you have to. Check it out below: Now Petronas has actually taken it down from its official YouTube channel. Why you may ask? Well, it's because people have no sense of humour. The entire Malaysian society has become this one serious society that is oversensitive and takes things too literally. The video is just about a group of Indians dancing the dappan all around town and having fun while getting people of all races to dance with them. It's quite funny since it's obviously a parody of the popular Gangnam style videos and that silly Tamil Michael Jackson Thriller video. (Okay lah, it's not that funny!) As soon as the video was released on YouTube, it received more dislikes than likes and numerous complaints and critiques. Apparently, a lot of people were offended by the video, claiming that it misrepresented the Indian culture and that they do not celebrate Deepavali like that. Look, obviously people do not celebrate Deepavali by dancing in the streets and stopping traffic (with everything nicely choreographed too!). There are a few terms such as comedy, satire, humour and parody that I think Malaysians do not have in their vocabulary. Why do they have to look at the negatives all the time? The spirit of the video is to show that a celebration of a particular ethnic group can actually be enjoyed by all. I guess these same people believe that Deepavali isn't a time to have fun and that celebrating it in a fun way with different people is just offensive. Let me tell you one thing. I'm a Muslim but I have Indian Hindu relatives and also friends. And I celebrate Deepavali with them all the time. Never in all of these times has Deepavali not been fun. I would be at my Uncle Ramesh and Aunty Pauline's house and the entire family would all be chatting and laughing the day away. I would be at my friend Deva's (an honest-to-god Hindu priest complete with a white thread around his waist) house and we would be laughing hysterically as we make up racist jokes while tucking into his mother's excellent briyani. Then again, people can say that I'm Muslim and have no right to comment on this issue. But I'm just stating my observations here. I for one am definitely going to enjoy this Deepavali with my friends and family as I have always done as far back as I can remember. And, before I get inundated with comments saying that the dappan is a funeral dance, is it not true that the particular "Saavu Adi Dappan" beat is more commonly used to express joy? And, is it not true that the Hindu deity Lord Mahadeshwara enjoys the dappan so much that he is said to be happiest when his believers dance for him? So to all "uncles, aunties, machas and thambis", have a Happy Deepavali! * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.

Vice and crime: The role of corruption Posted: 08 Nov 2012 03:23 PM PST NOV 9 — Despite official claims to the contrary, there is certainly a growing sense of unease at not just the frequency of crime occurrences, but also at the desperation exhibited by the perpetrators in the course of their occurrence. Crimes with a financial motive like robberies, which used to be the scourge of the relatively affluent, are now being experienced by ordinary people and that too with an excess of brutality. Faced with resistance, they are not content with just showing guns to intimidate, but are actually using them. In essence, criminals are now willing to risk more time behind bars for smaller payouts. While sophisticated financial criminals typically use online scams, Ponzi schemes and financial fraud to raise cash to fund expensive lifestyles, the smash and grab stick 'em up kind of robbers tend to be from the lower stratum of society. When there is a rise in the latter, it can be inferred that survival issues rather than lifestyle issues are driving the spike. When there is a wide gap in the lifestyles of the rich and poor, young people with college degrees are unemployable, Ah Longs are at the door and the cost of living is rising fast, feelings of hopelessness and loss of faith in the system are bound to occur. Complicating the problem is the attendant rise in the use of coping mechanisms with severe side effects like gambling, drug use, alcoholism, sex and human trafficking. While drugs, gambling and paid sex can serve as escape valves from everyday reality to those relatively well-off, they can quickly spiral into addictive habits for those who feel they are out of legitimate options. As is well documented especially in studies of inner-city US ghettoes, once enmeshed this leads to a rapid spiral downwards, with those affected having even fewer financial options than before, with new and expensive habits to feed. They now owe ever-increasing sums of money not to banks, but to a host of operators of these illegal businesses, and either needs to work for them just to stay alive, or to take increasingly desperate measures to keep them at bay. Enter the criminal committing desperate, violent petty robberies. These are the guns for hire, the ones who take the biggest risks for the smallest rewards, just to live for another week. When The Star reports that as soon as the authorities shut them down, even more illegal gambling centres and massage parlours open up, the problem is bigger than just an enforcement issue.  Even more worrying, the same paper reported in 2011 that according to Deputy Home Minister Datuk Abu Seman Yusop, the number of drugs-related crimes has shot up by 25.58 per cent based on the latest police statistics despite punitive anti-drug laws. In 2010, 157,756 people were detained under various anti-narcotics laws compared with 125,620 people detained in 2009. The National Anti-Narcotics Agency (AADK), meanwhile, identified 23,642 new drug addicts in 2010 compared with 15,763 new addicts in 2009. As the incidence of vice goes up, so does the incidence of violent financial crime. While it is nobody's belief that either of these two can be eliminated, to bring their levels down to a manageable level requires a multi-layered response. At a macro long-term level, reducing inequalities in wealth distribution, improving the alignment of education with employability, emphasising counselling and rehabilitation for those affected and enforcing a needs-cum-merit-based model for social security and poverty alleviation schemes come to mind. Relatively immediately, more than beefing up law enforcement or adding more deterrents like hudud punishment, what could make a telling difference is the attitude towards official corruption. Perceptions of rise in crime are intricately linked with perceptions on corruption. If the MACC is perceived as going after only the small fish, why should law enforcement be perceived any differently? However many petty criminals are nabbed, the availability of drugs, gambling dens and massage parlours only seems to be rising. It is only natural that people then feel that those behind these rackets seem to be immune to prosecution. The authorities need to be unequivocally seen to be above corrupt practices and going after the kingpins without fear or favour. This is the real perception game. If Singapore seems safer, it is also because the authorities are seen to be relatively incorruptible. Not that crime is eliminated, but the chances of success for criminal enterprises are considerably lower when strict enforcement is coupled with effective deterrence. When official corruption is low, it is the lieutenants and kingpins of criminal rackets that feel the heat, not just the runners and foot soldiers. When their ill-gotten gains cannot be spent openly or used to bribe officials to look the other way, much fewer numbers will want to take the risk of extended jail times, whippings and death sentences. This is why the fight against corruption is much more than a mere issue to be exploited in the next election. * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.

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