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Sponsors help London Olympics organisers to balance books Posted: 13 Nov 2012 07:08 AM PST Sponsorship deals and record revenues from the sale of almost 11 million tickets helped the London Olympics organisers pay the bills. — Reuters pic LONDON, Nov 13 — Sponsorship deals and record revenues from the sale of almost 11 million tickets helped London organisers to hit their target of raising £2.4 billion (RM11.7 billion) to stage the Olympics and Paralympics. The income covered the core costs of putting on the world's largest sporting event, said Paul Deighton, the former Goldman Sachs banker who served as chief executive of the London Organising Committee (LOCOG) for the Games in July and August. The British government separately provided almost nine billion pounds of public money to build and provide security for the venues in east London for the Games. "Throughout this period we have made clear our aim for LOCOG to break even, and we remain confident that our revenues will meet our costs," Deighton said in a written submission to the London Assembly released today. The success of the London Games has earned Deighton a position with the finance ministry overseeing delivery of infrastructure projects. He will take up the role at the start of next year. London organisers raised almost £750 million through domestic sponsorship deals with more than 40 businesses including oil company BP, British Airways and telecoms company BT. That was almost on a par with the sum reported by Beijing after it hosted the Games in 2008 and almost four times what Athens generated in 2004, the last time the summer Games were in Europe. Revenue from ticket sales also topped forecasts at a record £659 million after near sell-outs crowds for both the Olympics and Paralympics. The fact that any tickets were left over will irk some Britons who were unable to get in to see live action after missing out in an initial ballot for seats. The majority of more than 300,000 unsold tickets were for early rounds of Olympic soccer, LOCOG said. It also said it had made thousands of free tickets available to students, soldiers and volunteers after embarrassing gaps appeared in the areas reserved for media, athletes and officials early in the Olympics. The previous highest figure raised from ticket sales was US$551 million (RM1.7 billion) generated by Sydney in 2000. — Reuters

Javelin champion Spotakova takes year off to have baby Posted: 13 Nov 2012 06:26 AM PST PRAGUE, Nov 13 — Olympic javelin champion Barbora Spotakova is pregnant and will not compete in 2013, news website www.idnes.cz reported today. Spotakova, 31, retained her Olympic title at the London Games and also won the Diamond League series this season. The Czech world record holder is due to give birth early next summer but plans to continue training for the time being. "The doctor told me I can continue doing sports. I will remain at work, but probably in a different mode," she said. Spotakova intends to return to competition in time for the 2014 European Championship in Zurich. — Reuters

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One in three open to being ‘medical tourists’ poll finds Posted: 13 Nov 2012 07:48 AM PST An Ipsos poll has found more people are open to the idea of traveling abroad to enjoy cheaper medical or dental treatment. — AFP pic NEW YORK, Nov 13 — Looking for an affordable face lift without breaking the bank? Want to combine a tummy tuck with two weeks in the sun? You're not alone. Nearly a third of people surveyed around the world say they are open to the idea of medical tourism — traveling abroad to enjoy cheaper medical or dental treatment, according to a new Ipsos poll of 18,731 adults in 24 countries. Indeed, 18 per cent said they would definitely consider it. "The concept of medical tourism is well accepted in many countries," said Nicolas Boyon, senior vice president of Ipsos Public Affairs. "With the exception of Japan there are at least one third of consumers in every country we covered that are open to the idea," he said in an interview. Whether for economic reasons or perceptions of superior treatment elsewhere, for treatments ranging from cosmetic to life-saving surgeries, Indians, Indonesians, Russians, Mexicans and Poles were the most open to the idea of being medically mobile. Thirty-one per cent or more people in each of those countries said they would definitely consider traveling for a medical or dental treatment. Conversely, people in Japan, South Korea, Spain and Sweden were least likely to be medical tourists. Boyon said it was not surprising that men and women from emerging nations would be medically mobile if the treatments were cheaper. "This probably reflects perceptions of medical care in other countries that is superior to what is available at home," he said. But he was intrigued by the per centage of people in developed nations such as Italy, where 66 per cent said they would definitely or probably consider medical tourism, along with Germany (48 per cent), Canada (41 per cent) and the United States, where 38 per cent of people were open to the idea. "It is a reflection that the medical profession is no longer protected from globalization," Boyon said. Risks vs benefits Although medical tourism spans a range of treatments, the most common are dental care, cosmetic surgery, elective surgery and fertility treatment, according to an OECD report. "The medical tourist industry is dynamic and volatile and a range of factors including the economic climate, domestic policy changes, political instability, travel restrictions, advertising practices, geo-political shifts, and innovative and pioneering forms of treatment may all contribute towards shifts in patterns of consumption and production of domestic and overseas health services," the report said. Various studies using different criteria have estimated that anywhere between 60,000 to 750,000 US residents travel abroad for health care each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Along with variations among countries, the Ipsos survey showed that younger adults under 35 years of age were more likely in most countries to consider medical tourism, than people 50 to 64 years old. In India, 86 per cent of young adults said they would consider medical tourism, along with 77 per cent in China, and 71 per cent in Italy. Boyon suggested that the cost of travel, proximity, borders and quality of care may also be factors considered by potential medical tourists. In both Italy and Germany, about 20 per cent of adults said they would definitely consider medical tourism. Both countries are near Hungary, a popular destination for health treatments. Ipsos conducted the poll in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the United States. — Reuters

British go mad for latest Nexus smartphone Posted: 13 Nov 2012 07:44 AM PST The LG Nexus 4 has sold out in the UK in under an hour. – Copyright LG LOS ANGELES, Nov 13 – Proving that Apple doesn't have exclusive rights to launch events where products sell out in record time, the newly launched Nexus 4 smartphone has sold out completely in the UK in 30 minutes. The handset, the latest Google-branded smartphone, manufactured by LG and based on its LG Optimus G, boasts a quad-core processor, is NFC-enabled for wireless payments, and is one of the few Android devices that runs the latest version of the open source operating system, Jelly Bean. The Nexus 4 is available to order November 13 via Google Play stores in the US, Australia, France, Germany and Spain, and sites have been sluggish and unresponsive due to sheer traffic numbers, suggesting the handset is likely to also sell out in the US and Europe within 24 hours. The 8GB version is priced at US$299 (RM916.09) while the 16GB version retails for US$349 (RM1,069). – AFP/Relaxnews

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One in three open to being ‘medical tourists’ poll finds Posted: 13 Nov 2012 07:48 AM PST An Ipsos poll has found more people are open to the idea of traveling abroad to enjoy cheaper medical or dental treatment. — AFP pic NEW YORK, Nov 13 — Looking for an affordable face lift without breaking the bank? Want to combine a tummy tuck with two weeks in the sun? You're not alone. Nearly a third of people surveyed around the world say they are open to the idea of medical tourism — traveling abroad to enjoy cheaper medical or dental treatment, according to a new Ipsos poll of 18,731 adults in 24 countries. Indeed, 18 per cent said they would definitely consider it. "The concept of medical tourism is well accepted in many countries," said Nicolas Boyon, senior vice president of Ipsos Public Affairs. "With the exception of Japan there are at least one third of consumers in every country we covered that are open to the idea," he said in an interview. Whether for economic reasons or perceptions of superior treatment elsewhere, for treatments ranging from cosmetic to life-saving surgeries, Indians, Indonesians, Russians, Mexicans and Poles were the most open to the idea of being medically mobile. Thirty-one per cent or more people in each of those countries said they would definitely consider traveling for a medical or dental treatment. Conversely, people in Japan, South Korea, Spain and Sweden were least likely to be medical tourists. Boyon said it was not surprising that men and women from emerging nations would be medically mobile if the treatments were cheaper. "This probably reflects perceptions of medical care in other countries that is superior to what is available at home," he said. But he was intrigued by the per centage of people in developed nations such as Italy, where 66 per cent said they would definitely or probably consider medical tourism, along with Germany (48 per cent), Canada (41 per cent) and the United States, where 38 per cent of people were open to the idea. "It is a reflection that the medical profession is no longer protected from globalization," Boyon said. Risks vs benefits Although medical tourism spans a range of treatments, the most common are dental care, cosmetic surgery, elective surgery and fertility treatment, according to an OECD report. "The medical tourist industry is dynamic and volatile and a range of factors including the economic climate, domestic policy changes, political instability, travel restrictions, advertising practices, geo-political shifts, and innovative and pioneering forms of treatment may all contribute towards shifts in patterns of consumption and production of domestic and overseas health services," the report said. Various studies using different criteria have estimated that anywhere between 60,000 to 750,000 US residents travel abroad for health care each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Along with variations among countries, the Ipsos survey showed that younger adults under 35 years of age were more likely in most countries to consider medical tourism, than people 50 to 64 years old. In India, 86 per cent of young adults said they would consider medical tourism, along with 77 per cent in China, and 71 per cent in Italy. Boyon suggested that the cost of travel, proximity, borders and quality of care may also be factors considered by potential medical tourists. In both Italy and Germany, about 20 per cent of adults said they would definitely consider medical tourism. Both countries are near Hungary, a popular destination for health treatments. Ipsos conducted the poll in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the United States. — Reuters

Flu, fever in pregnancy tied to autism risk Posted: 13 Nov 2012 07:01 AM PST A study finds that women who had the flu and fever during pregnancy might result in autistic child. — AFP pic WASHINGTON, Nov 13 — Women who had the flu or ran a fever for more than a week during their pregnancy face a greater risk of having a child with an autism spectrum disorder, Danish researchers said yesterday. The study was based on a survey of mothers of nearly 97,000 children aged eight to 14 and born between 1997 and 2003 in Denmark. Only one per cent (976) of the children were diagnosed with autism Researchers said that mild and common respiratory, sinus, urinary tract or genital infections, as well as feverish episodes or use of antibiotics in mothers during pregnancy were not a strong risk factor for autism. But children whose mothers reported experiencing a bout of influenza during pregnancy had twice the risk of being diagnosed with autism, while those whose mothers had a fever lasting more than seven days before gestational week 32 were three times more likely to be diagnosed with the disorder. Pregnant women have a weakened immune system during the nine months of gestation. The study, published in the US journal Pediatrics, also noted a small increase in the risk of autism after the mother used different antibiotics during the pregnancy. However, the researchers stressed that, "we do not know whether the antibiotic treatment itself caused the observed association or whether the antibiotic use functioned as a proxy variable for an underlying disease." They also stressed that the link between fever during pregnancy and autism could be a "coincidental finding," and required further study. Given the link found between autism and fever or the flu during pregnancy, the study's authors recommended that pregnant women get a flu shot. — AFP/Relaxnews

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Australian rockers INXS confirm retirement Posted: 13 Nov 2012 05:02 AM PST Kirk Pengilly (C) with other INXS band members Andrew Farris (L) and Tim Farris (R) in 1999. — AFP pic SYDNEY, Nov 13 — Australian rock band INXS, one of the world's biggest acts throughout the late 1980s and early '90s, confirmed Tuesday their retirement after 35 years. In a statement the band, whose original frontman Michael Hutchence committed suicide 15 years ago, said media reports of their demise were true. "We understand that this must come as a blow to everybody, but all things must eventually come to an end," said band members Tim, Andrew and Jon Farriss, Kirk Pengilly and Garry Beers. "We have been performing as a band for 35 years, it's time to step away from the touring arena. Our music will of course live on and we will always be a part of that." The band, which formed in 1977 and has sold more than 30 million records, played to stadiums across the globe at their peak but the death of the charismatic Hutchence hit them hard. He was found dead in a Sydney hotel room in 1997, leaving behind a daughter, Tiger Lily, from a relationship with British TV presenter Paula Yates, who died of a heroin overdose in 2000. Tiger Lily now lives with her legal guardian, Yates's former husband Bob Geldof. Since then INXS has hired several other singers and performed with the likes of Terence Trent D'Arby and Australian rocker Jimmy Barnes, but they were never able to revisit their early success. "We lived for each other in the trenches and we loved each other. It was the six of us against the world and then suddenly and inexplicably we were but five," said Jon Farriss. "We were lost right at the moment we were on top." His brother Andrew said they could have quit when Hutchence died but opted to carry on. "We never took a soft option, it was the adversity, the challenge and the struggle that forged us into the live working band we became," he said. "And this was as big as it could possibly get when it came to a challenge, and in the end we decided for a whole bunch of reasons to march forward." — AFP-Relaxnews

She’s got the voice, now Christina Aguilera looks for hits Posted: 13 Nov 2012 04:09 AM PST LOS ANGELES, Nov 13 — Christina Aguilera has the vocal chops, the look, the strut and millions of new fans thanks to her stint as a judge on TV singing contest "The Voice." But can she still sell records? The singer, who had global hits with "Genie in a Bottle" and the female empowerment ballad "Beautiful" more than 10 years ago, bids to reclaim her status as one of the world's biggest pop stars with her new album, "Lotus," released on Tuesday. Aguilera, 31, says the title and the mixture of dance-pop, ballads and rock-tinged tracks reflect the hopes and disappointments of recent years that saw her 2010 tour for album "Bionic" canceled, a divorce and the box-office flop of her debut feature film, the musical "Burlesque." "Lotus represents the unbreakable flower that stands the test of time. No matter the roughest of weather conditions, it remains strong and continues to thrive. (The album) is a nod to my fans who have been here with me the whole journey, and a nod to myself," she said. "It is a record of freedom and embracing that...It is very artistic at times, it is very fun at times, it is very free. I think that's how music and life should be, away from all the negativity," the four-time Grammy winner said in an appearance at a Billboard Film and TV Music conference in Los Angeles last month. Aguilera will perform one of the tracks - "Make the World Move" - with her fellow judge Cee Lo Green live on "The Voice" this week for the show's more than 10 million viewers. But music industry experts say Aguilera's popularity on "The Voice" - where her powerhouse performances leave aspiring pop stars in the dust - may not guarantee huge album sales and won't give the singer a No. 1 hit. This week also sees new releases from British boy band One Direction and singer Susan Boyle as well as the new "Twilight" film soundtrack. Not a blockbuster "I think 'Lotus' will certainly debut in the top 10 on the Billboard 200 album chart. But we don't see it as being a blockbuster out of the gate," said Keith Caulfield, associate director of charts at Billboard. "It is a long road to rebuilding Christina as a brand and as a musician, after the last album didn't so very well," said Caulfield. "But it's not always about first week sales." Much like Jennifer Lopez on "American Idol," Aguilera has seen her star rocket in her 18 months on "The Voice." Just a few months before the TV show made its debut in spring 2011, Aguilera was arrested for being drunk in public in West Hollywood, and her 2010 album "Bionic" had sold a disappointing 312,000 copies. "'The Voice' has reinvigorated her entire career. A lot of people think she is the star of 'The Voice' - the judge you tune in for," said Lyndsey Parker, managing editor at Yahoo! Music. Yet the first single - "Your Body" - from the new album failed to make a big impact when it was released in September. It peaked at No. 34 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and never really caught fire on radio. "It came and went, which surprised me because I think it is a very strong song. And pretty much everything I have heard on this album is strong. I think it's a real return to form," said Parker. "There are very few people in pop who can sing like her. I do think there is a renewed appreciation for great singing that can be done live and that isn't just about flash. And Christina is coming back to prove that. I think some people are looking at her to take back her crown," Parker added. "Lotus" includes duets with both Green and Aguilera's fellow "Voice" judge, country singer Blake Shelton. It also features the piano-driven ballad "Blank Page," which is reminiscent of her 2002 hit "Beautiful" and rock-tinged tracks like "Army of Me." Aguilera says she hopes to inspire a new generation of singers who were not around in 1999 for her first big hit "Genie in a Bottle." "It's so exciting for me to show them what I do as an artist," she said. "I've been through a lot over the past few years, going through 'Burlesque,' a divorce...having a few setbacks....Stuff happens! This is the business. It's not going to be all cute and pretty and tied up in a bow. "All of that combined is in 'Lotus.' It embraces the woman that I've become, and embracing myself coming full circle as a pop star," she said. — Reuters

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Jamie Oliver launches North American edition of magazine Posted: 12 Nov 2012 10:27 PM PST LOS ANGELES, Nov 13 ― British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has launched a North American edition of his publication Jamie Magazine for fans in Canada and the US which will feature local food stories, recipe ideas and travel pieces. On newsstands tomorrow, the inaugural edition, published by the Canadian office of interactive media company idoodlemedia, will be a special holiday issue that includes a travel story on Nova Scotia, autumn recipes and ideas on how to build a better burger. The North American version of Jamie Magazine is the latest expansion for Oliver's growing publishing empire. Since its launch in 2008, the magazine also added local editions in Russia, Germany and Holland. Meanwhile, in other food publishing news, American domestic doyenne Martha Stewart's media empire announced recently that it would stop publishing monthly magazine Everyday Food as a standalone publication. Instead, it will be merged with flagship magazine Martha Stewart Living. Other food celebrity-helmed magazines include Every Day with Rachael Ray and Cooking with Paula Deen. Jamie Magazine will publish 10 issues a year in North America. Introductory subscription offers are US$33 (RM101) for eight issues. ― Reuters

Everest book wins Samuel Johnson non-fiction award Posted: 12 Nov 2012 03:39 PM PST The base camp of Mount Everest. LONDON, Nov 13 — Wade Davis, explorer-in-residence for the National Geographic Society, on Monday won the Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction for his account of George Mallory's ill-fated attempt to scale the heights of Everest. "Into the Silence: The Great War, Mallory and the Conquest of Everest", published by Random House imprint The Bodley Head, was the result of 10 years' research and writing and sought to link the conquest of Everest with a desire to exorcise the massed ghosts of those who fell in World War One. "This fascinating historical narrative of a great adventure manages to shed new light on events and stories we thought we already knew," said David Willetts, a parliamentarian who was chair of the judges. "It's an exciting story of human endeavour imbued with deep historical significance. "Wade's scrupulous use of sources and attention to detail, combined with his storytelling skills and ability to enter into the minds of the people he is writing about, makes this a thoroughly enlightening and enjoyable book." Mallory was a British climber who may or may not have reached the summit of Everest before dying on the mountain in June, 1924. His frozen remains were discovered 75 years later hundreds of feet below the peak, and the climbing community is divided to this day over whether Mallory was the first person to stand on the roof of the world. Davis, who is Canadian, is the author of 15 books including "The Serpent and the Rainbow", "One River", and "The Wayfinders". His film credits include "Light at the Edge of the World", an eight-hour documentary series produced for the National Geographic Channel. His was one of six books on the shortlist for the annual prize, which is in its 14th year and is worth 20,000 pounds (RM100,000) to the winner. Last year's winner was "Mao's Great Famine" by Frank Dikoetter. — Reuters

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Who’s in charge of Malaysian democracy? Posted: 12 Nov 2012 04:21 PM PST Nov 13 ― It has been psychologically proven that it is human instinct to attribute anything bad to one's surrounding. For example, if I baked a cake and it failed for whatever reason, I would instinctively and firstly seek out the problem from the ingredients that I've used, or a bad oven, or the recipe. It will usually take a while before I would acknowledge that the failure was due to a mistake on my part, or maybe, that I simply lack the necessary skills. Again, note that the aforesaid relates to human instinct. One may acknowledge personal fault at a later point, but the first reaction would always usually be to seek the problem in one's surroundings. So, coming back to the topic ― what is Malaysian democracy? To break the question down a little ― where does Malaysian democracy take place? The first answer to this would be that it is exercised at the ballot box. The second answer to this may be that it is exercised when there is a protest. But is that all there is to Malaysian democracy? Surely, its exercise cannot be so occasional. Yet, if Malaysians have been exercising their right to democracy, why and how have we been subject to a degenerating regime for the past 50-odd years? We speak of change, but our concept of change can only materialise at the ballot box. In other words, we can only change once every five years. What about protests? Must democracy only happen when a group of people decides to take the people's voice to the streets? And say, if no one decides to rally up the people, is our only other option for change at the ballot box? Is representative democracy our only option? Our reaction to this degenerating regime would instinctively be the fact that our leaders are lacking in competence, and that it is their fault that we are in the position that we are in. But, tying this back in with the opening paragraph of this article ― is this really the case? Is Malaysia degenerating because of what our leaders are doing to us? Or are we degenerating because of what we fail to do? In a situation where the Malaysian leadership does not change, what other option do we have? A simple analysis of our leadership structure will show that there are several avenues for the lay Malaysian to be involved in our country's policy-making decisions. All of us have been allocated one member of the state legislative assembly and one Member of Parliament to speak on our behalf at the different levels of government. With this in sight, participatory democracy becomes far more feasible. Opinions of local communities can simply be gathered and submitted to the leader that the community has voted in. Contrasting this to our former idea of democracy, this other option for continual accountability would seem more manageable and therefore feasible. Putting the effect of the aforesaid into perspective – what this means is that the needs and wants of local communities for specific policies will be heard by the designated leaders. There will be a clear request from the voters of the constituencies to hold their leaders accountable to. And depending on what the leader says or does in reaction to these requests, local communities can then decide on what else to do – should the leader respond favourably to the request, the community would have reason to be satisfied with his leadership; and should the leader decide to not respond to the request, the community can properly seek out the reasons for such decisions and correspondingly take further action or make the necessary assessment of his leadership. The important point, therefore, is this: that by doing so, communities will be able to measure the performance of their leaders, and leaders will be able to measure the specific needs of their communities. In relation to communities – they will then be able to determine how and why the leader has succeeded or failed; and in relation to leaders, they will then know whether or not they have failed. As to the latter, should the leader be put in the realisation that he has failed his community, he will likewise be put in the lingering realisation that his future as a leader may come to an end. In short, we can only say that one has failed to fulfill our request when there has been a request made in the first place. Malaysia, there is a need to depart from our unrealistic and immature ways of putting the onus on our leaders to gauge our interests and needs when we to not take the personal responsibility of voicing them out in the first place. Democracy is a two-way communication. It is a continual two-way communication. Malaysia, we say that this is our country. It's time to start acting as we claim. * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.

What’s in a title? Posted: 12 Nov 2012 04:14 PM PST Nov 13 ― I have to admit that I am not really big on titles and honorifics, though I certainly have appreciation for the traditions and institutions behind them. That said, however, I can be quite a stickler for correctness. I always try, wherever possible, to address or pronounce people's names correctly. After all, it is the least we can do to respect an individual. As a result, I am often vexed whenever I hear the many mangled ways names like Yves, Zegna, Gullit and Solksjaer are pronounced. And of course, being Malaysian means that my compulsion for correctness is tested on a nearly daily basis, due to the myriad of titles and styles that our class-obsessed society has to deal with. After all, as they say in our country, throw a stone and one is bound to hit a Dato'. Or a Datuk. Now, which exactly is it? This quandary is a common one that perplexes many Malaysians – what on earth is the difference between Dato' and Datuk? The answer is really quite simple (okay, maybe not that simple). They are both different and the same. Technically speaking, Dato' and Datuk are both spelt and pronounced the same way in the Jawi script. The problem actually arises from its Romanisation. Yet if it is a simple matter of transliteration, then they should logically be interchangeable. However, this isn't the case because there are some semantic nuances involved as well. For the sake of correctness, Dato' actually denotes a title awarded by one of the nine Malay Rulers, while Datuk is a title awarded by the Agong or his Governors in the other states. Be that as it may, one would not find this difference in the local newspapers, which use Datuk regardless of origin. This is because the press, for the sake of uniformity, uses a standardised spelling. Presumably so as not to confuse, though I am tempted to say that it probably works to the contrary. Now that the difference between Dato' and Datuk is clear, can we assume that it is the same case between Dato' Sri and Datuk Seri? Not quite, as it turns out. This is because Dato' Sri is only conferred by the Sultan of Pahang, while the other eight Rulers award Dato' Seri. The equivalent award from the Agong or a Governor would of course be Datuk Seri. Hence, we have Dato' Sri Najib Razak and Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Unfortunately, it does not get any simpler for women. The title used for awardees of the fairer sex is usually the same as their male counterparts – either Dato' or Datuk, though an exception arises when the honour is bestowed by the Sultan of Selangor, in which case it becomes Datin Paduka. The latter, however, should not be mistaken for the wife of a Dato' Paduka from Perlis. It is slightly less complicated for wives, as they are generally called Datins across the board, regardless of whether their husband is a Dato' or a Datuk. That is, unless the husband received his Dato'ship from Terengganu, in which case the Datin would then be called To' Puan, a title that is not to be confused with Toh Puan (the wife of a Tun). Subtle differences also exist in the case of the hereditary royal titles of Tengku and Tunku. Like Dato' and Datuk, the Jawi form of these two titles are exactly the same. Similarly as well, they also carry different traditions. With some exceptions, Tunku is generally used by heirs of the royal houses of Kedah, Johor and Negeri Sembilan. The other royal houses use Tengku, except when they use Raja or Syed. Now that we have the Datuks and Tengkus sorted out, we shall discuss honorary styles. A Datuk is given the style YBhg (Yang Berbahagia) while a Tengku is styled YM (Yang Mulia). But of course the most recognisable style to most Malaysians would have to be YB (Yang Berhormat), which is accorded to members of the federal and state legislatures. Generally, people do not face many problems with the use of styles, except when it comes to translating them into English. The conundrum that arises is one of context. The question is, should the styles be mere transliterations or should they follow the correct British usage? Being that we are members of the Commonwealth, I would argue for the latter. In which case, ordinary MPs and state assemblymen in Malaysia should not be addressed as The Honourable, as such a style is not used by British MPs. This is a popular misconception arising from the way British MPs use the phrase "the honourable member" as a courtesy when addressing each other in Parliament. In actual fact, a typical British MP is simply addressed as, for example, Mr John Smith MP. It is a solecistic mistake to append the style The Honourable as a direct translation or replacement of the Malaysian style YB. In our local context, The Honourable as a style is actually only reserved for members of the Federal or State executive, such as Ministers and Executive Council members, as well as Senators and judges of the High Court and above. Furthermore, and this is where most people get it wrong, our prime ministers or chief ministers should not be referred to as The Right Honourable, which is a style that is only confined to members of the British Privy Council. So while the British prime minister and Opposition Leader, by virtue of their membership in the Privy Council, are styled The Right Honourable, our own prime minister and chief ministers should only carry the style The Honourable. This problem derives from our egregious attempt to translate YAB (Yang Amat Berhormat), which is the Malaysian style for PMs and CMs. If so, then the translation should correctly be The Most Honourable rather than The Right Honourable. This article is not meant to be exhaustive, as it would take a whole tome to explain the proper usage of every Malaysian honorific. I have merely listed some of the more common misunderstandings associated with the various titles and styles used in our society. And so to cap it off, for the benefit of anyone who may have to emcee an official function or write a letter to a multi-titled individual in the near future, the basic guideline for order of styles and titles in our country is thus: honorary style, professional rank, royal hereditary title, federal title, state title, non-royal hereditary title, Doctor (of medicine or philosophy), Haji or Hajjah, before finally, the least important bit of all in the Malaysian scheme of things, the poor fellow's name. But if one finds that it is too difficult or cumbersome to remember how who should be called what, then one merely needs to know this general rule of thumb: when in doubt, just call them Dato'. Or Datuk. * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.

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Janji batalkan projek kondo Batu Caves adalah rasuah politik, kata Pakatan Posted: 13 Nov 2012 01:14 AM PST KUALA LUMPUR, 13 Nov — Janji Perdana Menteri (PM), Datuk Seri Najib Razak untuk membatalkan projek pembinaan kondominium kontroversi di Batu Caves sekiranya Barisan Nasional (BN) menawan semula Selangor adalah rasuah politik kata pemimpin Pakatan Rakyat (PR) Selangor. Pemimpin PR juga membidas Najib sebagai tidak bertanggungjawab kerana menggunakan isu sensitif semata-mata untuk menarik pengundi kaum India. "Ia adalah rasuah... Saya rasa adalah sesuatu yang pelik seorang PM berkata begitu," kata ahli ahli majlis mesyuarat kerajaan negeri (Exco) Selangor, Xavier Jayakumar (gambar) kepada The Malaysian Insider. "Malahan dengan memberi ucapan kepada masyakat dikategorikan sebagai berpendapatan rendah secara demikian... ia sesuatu yang pelik. "Mereka tidak memiliki jaminan daripada segi kesihatan, pendidikan dan perumahan seperti diketahui tetapi kamu memainkan janji seperti ini di depan mereka. "Lebih baik beritahu mereka - kamu akan lebih teruk jika kamu tidak lakukan perkara ini (undi kepada BN) dan saya (PM) tidak kisah jika kamu tidak lakukannya," tambah beliau lagi. Hari ini sempena sambutan pesta cahaya Deepavali di Batu Caves, Najib telah membuat pengumuman bahawa kerajaan pimpinannya akan membatalkan projek pembinaan kondominium 29 tingkat berhampiran pusat keagamaan masyarakat Hindu di Batu Caves jika kembali memerintah Selangor selepas pilihan raya umum (PRU) ke-13. Jayakumar juga berkata ia sangat tidak adil dengan memberikan janji sedemikan terutamanya isu tersebut nyata sensitif kepada masyarakat India. "Kami kerajaan Selangor tidak berkata jika kaum India mengundi kami, kami pasti akan membatalkan projek tersebut. "Apa yang kami lakukan ialah kami berikan notis pemberhentian kerja dan jawatankuasa khas kami sedang melakukan siasatan di setiap sudut untuk menanganinya. "Penghujungnya nanti kami akan pastikan perkara ini diselesaikan secara baik," kata Jayakumar. Ahli parlimen Puchong (DAP), Gobind Singh Deo juga senada dengan rakannya itu dan menuduh Najib mengugut masyakat India Selangor dengan janjinya. Beliau mendakwa kata-kata Najib itu sama dengan janji "awak tolong saya, saya tolong awak" kepada pengundi di Sibu semasa pilihan raya kecil 2010 lalu hingga mengundang kritikan yang meluas. "Najib perlu berusaha selesaikan isu tersebut dan bukannya berjanji dengan bersyarat," kata beliau kepada The Malaysian Insider. Semasa ucapan saat akhir kepada pengundi Sibu pada Mei 2010 lalu, Najib mengumumkan peruntukan sebanyak RM5 juta untuk projek tambatan banjir di Sungai Rejang tapi dengan syarat pengundi memilih calon BN di situ iaitu Robert Lau Hui Yew. "Saya mahu buat perjanjian dengan kamu. Bolehkah kita mencapai persetujuan bersama atau tidak? Sangat senang, kamu tolong saya dan saya tolong kamu," kata Najib tiga jam berakhir tempoh berkempen. Namun demikian, BN tetap tewas kepada calon daripada DAP iaitu pengerusi DAP Sarawak, Wong Ho Leng. Pada 30 Oktober lalu, kerajaan negeri Selangor memberikan arahan untuk menghentikan pembinaan kondominium 29 tingkat di Batu Caves serta melantik badan penyiasat bebas. Menteri Besar Selangor Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim (gambar) berkata, kerajaan negeri memberi jaminan supaya masalah ini dapat diselesaikan secepat mungkin, mengakui bahawa arahan menghentikan projek ini menyebabkan pihak pemaju mengalami kerugian. Projek kondominium Dolomite Park Avenue yang dibangunkan oleh Dolomite Properties Sdn Bhd, adalah isu sensitif kerana projek tersebut berhampiran dengan Batu Caves, tempat keagamaan penganut Hindu kira-kira 1.7 juta orang di kawasan bandar di Selangor.

Kehadiran pekerja bantut usaha empat lelaki samun ATM Posted: 13 Nov 2012 12:43 AM PST KUALA LUMPUR, 13 Nov — Kehadiran seorang pekerja membantutkan usaha empat penjenayah yang cuba memecahkan mesin pengeluaran wang automatik (ATM) di stesen minyak di Batu 13, Jalan Klang Lama-Puchong, di sini hari ini. Dalam kejadian pukul 6.30 pagi itu, empat suspek yang bertopi keledar bertutup muka terpaksa berputih mata selepas perbuatan mereka disaksi pekerja berusia 60 tahun berkenaan yang tiba untuk memulakan perniagaan. Ketua Polis Daerah Subang Jaya ACP Yahaya Ramli berkata ketika tiba untuk bekerja, warga emas itu terdengar suara orang dari dalam premis dan ternampak percikan api. Menyedari perbuatan mereka diperhati pekerja itu, dua suspek dengan seorang daripadanya bersenjatakan besi keluar dan mengheret mangsa ke belakang kedai sebelum memijak serta memukulnya, katanya ketika dihubungi Bernama. Menurutnya empat suspek terbabit kemudian melarikan diri menaiki dua motosikal. Hasil siasatan di tempat kejadian, polis menemui dua tong gas 'oxy acetelyne, peralatan kimpal) dan sebatang besi yang ditinggalkan di hadapan mesin ATM di dalam stesen minyak berkenaan."Suspek tidak berjaya mengeluarkan wang dari mesin itu walaupun dinding besi di bahagian hadapan mesin berjaya dipotong," kata Yahaya. Rakaman kamera litar tertutup berjaya merakamkan pergerakan tiga suspek berkenaan dengan 'full face helmets' berwarna putih dan biru sebelum kamera itu disembur dengan cat hitam. "Siasatan mendapati premis yang ditutup pada 11 malam dan dibuka pada 6 pagi setiap hari itu tidak mempunyai pengawal. Lampu yang dipasang juga tidak begitu terang," katanya. Kes disiasat mengikut Seksyen 394 Kanun Keseksaan iaitu rompakan menyebabkan kecederaan kepada mangsa. — Bernama

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