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World Chefs: Philippe Orrico’s white truffle dreams in Hong Kong Posted: 18 Dec 2012 09:37 PM PST Chef Orrico in front of Hullett House in Hong Kong. — Reuters handout pics HONG KONG, Dec 19 — Philippe Orrico isn't afraid to take risks. He abandoned a fledgling career in art at the age of 24 to venture on a culinary journey with French chef Pierre Gagnaire. This apprenticeship with a leader in the fusion cuisine movement whisked Orrico, who was born on Reunion Island, to Paris, London and Hong Kong, where finally — after seven years under Gagnaire — Orrico has struck out on his own. Now executive chef of the Michelin-starred St. George at Hullet House along Canton Road in Hong Kong, Orrico is once again taking risks, this time on the white truffle — showcasing its intense pungent aroma on his beef carpaccio and its savoury qualities in a ricotta parfait. Reuters caught up with the 39-year-old and asked him about how he's developing his own culinary style beyond Gagnaire, and his obsession with white truffles. Sea urchins baked in shell with quail eggs. Q: What's your favourite memory involving white truffles? A: "I remember the first time I smelled white truffle, I thought it was a kind of garlic. It was not. I am still dreaming about the day I will eat the perfect white truffle risotto." Q: What's with the obsession with white truffles? A: "White truffle is something definitely unique, nothing else smells like white truffle. The season is short, each year is different and it is expensive. When you taste a good truffle in a good year it is like a good wine in a good year. Those kinds of moments can be moments of grace, when time stops and you fly somewhere else..." Q: White truffle season came late, but I hear the quality is so much better? A: "The quality is better at the beginning of the season but it's still not a big year. After saying that, white truffles are always good. I just need to put more slices on my dishes to make everybody happy." Q: What traditional and innovative dishes do you like best with white truffles? A: "A good risotto is still the best for me and for something less traditional I really like the desserts with white truffle like an apple tart and vanilla ice cream with a big amount of thin slices of truffle." Q: What lessons do you think you've learned so far about the culinary scene in Hong Kong? A: "In my six years in Hong Kong, I saw many restaurants open... and close. Hong Kong is very dynamic, things move very quickly and to survive you need to always try to improve. Hong Kong pushes you always forward. More and more good ingredients, more and more good chefs, more and more fun... it is challenging. I love it." Q: What's your favourite recipe? A: "My mushroom soup. This is the only dish which hasn't ever quit my menu in the six years that I've been in Hong Kong. This soup comes from a mistake of one of my suppliers which forgot my overseas order. So quickly I went to the fridge, I found some local mushrooms and decided to do a soup. Pierre Gagnaire thought the soup was good and added the Beaufort cheese. I added the white truffle foam and some dry mushroom on the top. And the guests have loved it since day one. Since then it is impossible to take it out of my menu." Recipe Sea Urchin Bake in Shell with Quail's eggs 3 sea urchins 9 quail's eggs 10 g (2 teaspoons) butter 20 g (4 teaspoons) cream Juice of ⅟₂ lemon 5 cl (3⅟₂ tablespoons) truffle juice 2 slices of brioche or sourdough bread 1. Open the sea urchins and separate the meat and liquid. 2. Wash the shells, then break three quail eggs in each. Put the sea urchins in the oven for a few minutes at 100 C until they are cooked. 3. Then add the sea urchin meat and cook for 30 more seconds. Just until the meat is warmed. Keep the sea urchin liquid separately. Pass it through a strainer. Then put it in a sauce pan and add a little bit of cream, butter, truffle jus, lemon juice and black pepper. Whisk it into an emulsion and put a bit of this emulsion on the top of each shell and it is ready to eat. This dish is perfect with a few slices of white truffle on the top or with white truffle on a nice piece of toasted sour dough bread on the side. — Reuters

Cellar auction of La Tour d’Argent rakes in record €5.1m Posted: 18 Dec 2012 06:03 PM PST LONDON, Dec 19 — A wine auction that sold off a collection of rare Cognacs and spirits from one of the oldest and most historic restaurants in Paris broke a new record at Christie's, raking in more than €5.1 million (RM20.5 million) over the two-day event. Two jeroboams (2.5l) Grande Fine Champagne Cognac "La Tour d'Argent" 1805.©Christie's La Tour d'Argent, a historic dining destination that dates back to 1582 and has hosted everyone from French royalty and emperors to celebrities such as Grace Kelly, Clark Gable, Coco Chanel and Tom Cruise, sold off a collection of spirits that included one of the oldest bottles ever sold by the auction house. The Vieux Cognac Grande Fine Champagne "Close de Griffier" Café Anglais, circa 1788, sold for €21,960 to a private buyer in Europe. A lot of 12 bottles of Cheval Blanc 1947 fetched a record-breaking €155,468 against an estimated €92,252 to €153,711 — the highest price ever paid for a full case of wine at Christie's in London. The buyer was identified as being from the Asian trade industry. The rarest wines were transferred from the Café Anglais when the owner's daughter, Augusta Burdel, married the owner of La Tour d'Argent, André Terrail — grandfather of the current owner. The café was destroyed in 1913. Other top sellers included a dozen bottles of Hermitage La Chapelle 1961, sold to a private buyer in Europe for €139,614, and a lot of 12 bottles of Château Mouton-Rothschild 1945, sold to a private buyer in Asia for €127,201. All 180 lots of Cognacs along with ancient Armagnacs, rums, Calvados and port were sold over the two days on December 13-14. The restaurant is best known for its signature dish, the pressed duck, and was the inspiration for Pixar's animated 2007 movie "Ratatouille". Meanwhile, world-famous Spanish dining destination El Bulli — which closed last summer — will also auction off its wine cellar next year, through Sotheby's. — AFP/Relaxnews

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Chelsea to explain Leeds rivalry to foreign players Posted: 18 Dec 2012 07:21 AM PST Interim coach Rafael Benitez of Britian's Chelsea gestures during their FIFA Club World Cup final soccer match. — Reuters pic LONDON, Dec 18 — Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez will explain to his contingent of foreign players what playing against bitter rivals Leeds United means to the club ahead of their Capital One (League) Cup quarter-final on Wednesday. The two clubs have been sworn enemies since the infamous 1970 FA Cup final replay, won by the London club, was marred by nasty tackles and ill-feeling. That match and fractious games since have ensured plenty of spite between both sets of supporters. Leeds, now mid-table in the Championship (second tier), are chasing their third Premier League scalp of the competition having knocked out Everton and Southampton. This is the first time the pair have met since Chelsea's 1-0 win in the 2003-04 season and Benitez will explain to his players what the fixture means. "We will talk with them and we will explain how important is every game, how important is the competition for us and how important the game will be for all the fans and for the club," the Spaniard told a news conference on Tuesday. "We will have some research about the history, I think that it is quite interesting." Benitez's side have just returned from the Club World Cup in Japan, where they lost in the final to South American champions Corinthians. Given the holders are already out of the Champions League and have slipped behind in the Premier League title race, the League Cup has taken on more importance as Benitez tries to convince Chelsea he should be kept on past May. The match also has extra spice because of animosity between Benitez and Leeds manager Neil Warnock, which stems from 2007 when the Spaniard played a weakened side for Liverpool against Fulham ahead of the Champions League final. Fulham won, a result that contributed to Warnock's Sheffield United side being relegated. Warnock has said he is unsure if he will shake Benitez's hand before the match, although the Chelsea boss has no such issue. "I'm professional so I will do my job. I'm professional, I will behave," he said. Another link between the two clubs is Ken Bates, who sold Chelsea to owner Roman Abramovich in 2003 and has recently relinquished control of Leeds but stays as club president. Chelsea will still be without the injured John Terry and striker Daniel Sturridge is doubtful. John Obi Mikel, Gary Cahill and Ramires are suspended. The match will be Chelsea's eighth in 24 days, but Benitez said fatigue was something they would just have to deal with. "That's the situation and we have to manage the situation." — Reuters

Liverpool’s Suso fined for Twitter comment Posted: 18 Dec 2012 07:19 AM PST LONDON, Dec 18 — Liverpool forward Suso has been fined 10,000 pounds (RM49,531) for a comment he posted on Twitter, the FA said on Tuesday. Suso was responding to his team mate Jose Enrique posting a photograph of himself getting his teeth whitened. "What the f*** is he doing? This guy is gay...he does everything except play football," tweeted Suso, who accepted the charge that he had brought the game into disrepute. The 19-year-old Spaniard, who has made 13 first-team appearances for Liverpool this season, was also warned as to his future conduct by the FA. — Reuters

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Assessment rates in Selangor according to department’s valuation, says MB Posted: 18 Dec 2012 07:40 AM PST Selangor MB Khalid Ibrahim said next year's assessment rates were based on current property valuation. — File pic SHAH ALAM, Dec 18 — The assessment rates throughout Selangor were set based on the current property valuation made by the Valuation and Property Services Department of the Finance Ministry, said Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim today.  He said officers of the local authorities could not arbitrarily raise assessment rates on local residents.  "The local authorities applied the valuation made by the Valuation and Property Services Department to set the assessment rates in their areas," he said in a statement.  Abdul Khalid said he had directed the local authorities involved to hold meetings with residents associations or individuals who did not agree with the assessment imposed.  The state government would look into every complaint and was prepared to give reduction in certain cases, but the owners needed to pay the full rate when they wanted to sell the property, he said.  Last Saturday, Selangor MCA criticised the Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) for raising assessment rates by 10 fold effective next year.  Subang MCA chairman Lee Wei Kiat said the increase imposed on Sungai Buloh New Village and Subang New Village residents was considered extremely high and should be withdrawn immediately.  "The assessment hike is unreasonable and burdensome for the residents. The assessment rates started to rise in 2011, 2012 and including next year's increase, the rates would have exceeded 10 times that charged three years ago.  "According to the records, some residents paid assessment rate of RM1,470 to MBSA in 2011 and the amount increased to RM5,512 the following year, and according to the latest notice received, the rate is RM23,040 for 2013," he said.  Lee said the residents were questioning the rationale behind the hike when the services provided by the local authority were unsatisfactory. — Bernama

Egypt prosecutor’s resignation angers Brotherhood Posted: 18 Dec 2012 07:40 AM PST Karim Al Shaer, a protester against Egypt's President Mohamed Mursi. — Reuters pic CAIRO, Dec 18 — Egypt's public prosecutor resigned under pressure from his opponents in the judiciary, dealing a blow to President Mohamed Mursi and drawing an angry response on Tuesday from the Islamist leader's supporters in the Muslim Brotherhood. Seeking to keep pressure on Mursi, the main opposition coalition will hold new protests against an Islamist-backed draft constitution that has divided Egypt but which looks set to be approved in the second round of a referendum on Saturday. Mursi obtained a 57 per cent "yes" vote for the constitution in a first round of the referendum last weekend, state media said, less than he had hoped for. The opposition, which says the law is too Islamist, will be emboldened by the result but is unlikely to win the second round, to be held in districts seen as even more sympathetic towards Mursi's Muslim Brotherhood. Protesters broke out into cheers when the public prosecutor appointed by Mursi last month announced his resignation late on Monday. In a statement on its Facebook page, the Muslim Brotherhood, which propelled Mursi to power in elections in June, said the enforced resignation of public prosecutor Talaat Ibrahim was a "crime". The Supreme Judiciary Council, which governs the country's judicial system, should refuse to accept the prosecutor's resignation, the Brotherhood said. Further signs of opposition to Mursi emerged when a judges' club urged its members not to supervise Saturday's vote. But the call is not binding and balloting is expected to go ahead. If the constitution passes next weekend, national elections can take place early next year, something many hope will help end the turmoil that has gripped Egypt since the fall of Hosni Mubarak nearly two years ago. The National Salvation Front opposition coalition said there were widespread voting violations in the first round and called for protests across Egypt on Tuesday to "bring down the invalid draft constitution". The Ministry of Justice said it was appointing a group of judges to investigate complaints of voting irregularities around the country. Demonstrations In Cairo, the Front planned to hold demonstrations at Tahrir Square, cradle of the revolution that toppled Mubarak, and outside Mursi's presidential palace, still ringed with tanks after earlier protests. "Down with the constitution of the Brotherhood," the Front said in a statement. "Down with the constitution of tyranny." A protester at the presidential palace, Mohamed Adel, 30, said: "I have been camping here for weeks and will continue to do so until the constitution that divided the nation, and for which people died, gets scrapped." The build-up to the first round of voting saw clashes between supporters and opponents of Mursi in which eight people died. Recent demonstrations in Cairo have been more peaceful, although rival factions clashed on Friday in Alexandria, Egypt's second biggest city. On Monday evening, more than 1,300 members of the General Prosecution staff gathered outside the public prosecutor's office, demanding Ibrahim leave his post. Hours later, Ibrahim announced he had resigned and the crowd cheered, "God is Great! Long live justice!" and "Long live the independence of the judiciary!" witnesses said. The closeness of the first-round referendum vote and low turnout give Mursi scant comfort as he seeks to assemble support for difficult economic reforms. Opposition boost "This percentage ... will strengthen the hand of the National Salvation Front and the leaders of this Front have declared they are going to continue this fight to discredit the constitution," said Mustapha Kamal Al-Sayyid, a professor of political science at Cairo University. Mursi is likely to become more unpopular with the introduction of planned austerity measures, polarising society further, Sayyid told Reuters. To tackle the budget deficit, the government needs to impose tax rises and cut back fuel subsidies. Uncertainty surrounding economic reform plans has already forced the postponement of a US$4.8 billion (RM14.68 billion) loan from the International Monetary Fund. The Egyptian pound has fallen to eight-year lows against the dollar. Mursi and his backers say the constitution is needed to move Egypt's democratic transition forward. Opponents say the document is too Islamist and ignores the rights of women and of minorities, including Christians who make up 10 per cent of the population. Demonstrations erupted when Mursi awarded himself extra powers on Nov. 22 and then fast-tracked the constitution through an assembly dominated by his Islamist allies and boycotted by many liberals. The referendum has had to be held over two days because many of the judges needed to oversee polling staged a boycott in protest. In order to pass, the constitution must be approved by more than 50 percent of those voting. — Reuters

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Gene turns heart cells into pacemaker: Lab study Posted: 18 Dec 2012 02:19 AM PST New research is a step toward the goal of a biological fix for irregular heartbeat. – shutterstock.com PARIS, Dec 18 – A gene inserted into ordinary heart cells transformed them into rare "pacemaker" cells that regulate cardiac rhythm, according to experiments carried out on lab rodents. The research is a step toward the goal of a biological fix for irregular heartbeat, which at present is tackled by drugs or electronic pacemakers, its investigators said. The heart has 10 billion cells but fewer than 10,000 of them are pacemaker cells, which generate electrical activity that spreads to other cardiac cells, making the organ contract rhythmically and pump blood. The work, reported in the journal Nature Biotechology on Sunday, uses a virus to deliver a human gene called Tbx18, whose normal role is to coax immature cells into becoming pacemaker cells. Ordinary cells "infected" by the harmless Trojan horse were reprogrammed by Tbx 18 and became these important specialised cells. "The new cells generated electrical impulses spontaneously and were indistinguishable from native pacemaker cells," said Hee Cheol Cho at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute in Los Angeles, California. The promising technique builds on decade-long research into biological pacemakers. It has so far been tested on guinea pigs and rats. "We expect this to work in humans. It would be two to three years from now until the first clinical trial, the first target patients being the ones with (pacemaker) device infection," Cho said in an email. – AFP/Relaxnews

In South Korea’s ‘Exam Village’ young voters yearn for change Posted: 17 Dec 2012 10:16 PM PST Young South Koreans wait to cast their absentee ballot at a polling station in their "exam village" in in Seoul, December 13, 2012. — Reuters pics SEOUL, Dec 18 — Living on $2 bowls of rice in rows of tiny rooms, thousands of young South Koreans are voting early ahead of tomorrow's presidential election as they cram for exams that they hope will lead to a government job for life. There are 30,000 residents of a drab neighbourhood of the South Korean capital known as Exam Village, where people preparing for tests for low-level civil service jobs have gravitated for years. Kim Sa-myeong studies in his small room. There is a growing sense of frustration among the young in a country where there are simply not enough jobs to go round, especially for graduates of less prestigious universities whose options are largely limited to the public sector. That frustration might translate into votes for the leftist candidate, Moon Jae-in, who has promised more welfare, better education and taxes for the super-wealthy. Moon is competing against Park Geun-hye from the ruling conservatives, who has pledged a continuation of current policies. Opinion polls show the race is too close to call, with Park, the 60-year-old daughter of South Korean dictator Park Chung-hee, relying on older voters who tend to turn out in force, while Moon's chances might depend on more fickle younger voters. They often can't be bothered to vote but that might be different this time. Kim emerges from his Goshiwon, one of the many private dorms. In Exam Village, or Goshichon in Korean, there were so many young people who wanted to cast early ballots last week that extra polling booths had to be brought in. "I want to see regime change. Everything is so stuck," said Kim Sa-myeong, 27, in his tiny room in one of the many private dorms that house students in the neighbourhood. In the past four decades, South Korea has transformed itself from one of the world's poorest countries into an industrial powerhouse where top companies such as Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Motor make telephones and cars for global markets. Gross domestic product per capita is more than US$30,000 (RM91,590) a year, the world's 29th highest, and South Korean television dramas and pop stars are taking the world by storm. But reality for many young South Koreans is a world away from glitzy showbiz and corporate triumph. The $2 rice staple in "exam village". The 27-year-old Kim moved from his rural town outside Seoul to his cubicle with a desk, chair and tiny fridge to try again to pass the civil service exam. He has failed once already. He borrows money from his family to get by and studies until midnight. The drab walls of his room are plastered with lists of English words he's trying to learn. "Even if I become a public servant, I don't think it will be much fun if this continues," said Kim, referring to the conservative government of President Lee Myung-bak, whose single mandatory five-year term is coming to an end. Kim speaks in a hushed voice, wary of disturbing fellow students immersed in books in their rooms all around. Promises South Korean students consistently outperform their counterparts in reading and maths. University enrolment rates are 80 per cent, the highest in the world, and tuition costs are ranked the third highest among rich nations. While graduates of top universities can aim for jobs with Samsung or Hyundai, those from lower-ranked universities set their sights on a state job, with 28.7 per cent of graduates wanting to get government work. Exam Village, the real name of which is Noryangjin, is packed with cram schools and study rooms. Students trudge along narrow alleys, backpacks full of books slung over their shoulders. No one was willing to say they were supporting Park. Class at a cram school in a Goshichon. "My parents are saying that now is much more difficult than the IMF crisis," Christine Kang, 24, told Reuters after she cast her vote. The 1997-98 Asian financial crisis is known in South Korea as the IMF crisis. Kang has been living and studying in Exam Village for a year in the hope of passing exams to become a police officer. She said she voted for Moon and tweeted a picture of herself carrying a sign reading "12.19 Vote!" to encourage her friends. Moon came to the neighbourhood to campaign and stood with students at a street stall to eat one of their staple $2 rice meals from a plastic container. He promised job quotas for young people and an increase in the number of civil service job opportunities. But he's got his work cut out, if he wins. The percentage of people between 15 and 29 who are not in employment, education or training stood at 36.8 per cent, the highest level among countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development in 2008, according to Korea Labour Institute. Of about 300,000 people taking the civil service exams, only about 10,000 will pass. "No matter who becomes president, the job problem isn't going to be solved quickly," said Oh Eun-a, a 25-year-old woman also hoping to pass the police exam. "The rich get richer and the poor get poorer and it's is getting worse. "Becoming a public servant is the only dream that the have-nots can pursue," Oh said. — Reuters

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Pakistan fishmonger’s family pray for Christmas No.1 Posted: 17 Dec 2012 10:41 PM PST This picture taken on December 14, 2012 shows Kashifa (second right), the wife of of Muhammad Shahid Nazir, sitting with her children as her son Shahid Nazir (left) holds a fish at her residence in Pattoki, 234 kilometres south of Pakistan's capital Islamabad. — AFP/Relaxnews PATTOKI, Pakistan, Dec 18 — The mother of Pakistani Internet sensation One Pound Fish Man is praying to Allah that her son has a Christmas No. 1 hit so his wife and children can join him for a new life in Britain. When Muhammad Shahid Nazir left his four children behind in Pakistan to study business in London, he could never have imagined he would one day be cavorting in a Warner video with scantily-clad Western beauties, singing about fish. Nazir, who got a job as a fishmonger in east London's Queens Market in Upton Park, came up with a song to entice customers in which he urged local women to part with one pound (RM4.80) for a single, glistening fresh fish. "Come on ladies, come on ladies, one pound fish," he croons. "Very, very good one pound fish, very very cheap one pound fish." Shoppers were charmed and after someone filmed a video and uploaded it on YouTube the song went viral and Warner Music offered Nazir a record deal. A slicker version with Nazir shimmying and strutting Bollywood-style in a natty suit went up on December 10, launching the race to top the Christmas charts in Britain. The original video has had a staggering 4.6 million hits, while the professionally produced one already has more than two million. Nazir has also gained nearly 28,000 followers on Twitter. Back at the family home in Pattoki, a small town 234 kilometres south of Pakistan's capital Islamabad, his delighted 67-year-old mother Kalsoom says she is praying and fasting for Nazir's success. "I appeal to people in Pakistan and abroad to give this song as many hits as possible. I am fasting and saying special prayers for my son so that his song appears as number one," she told AFP at the affluent family home. Nazir's family run their own business in Pattoki where they settled after migrating from India to the new Pakistan when Britain closed the curtain on the empire in the sub-continent. Today, they say they have been nicknamed locally as the "One Pound Fish" family and that people are flocking to download the song onto USBs and CDs. Nazir's father was initially reluctant to let his middle son go off to England, "but now he is also very happy", Kalsoom said. If her son gets a work visa, she said, he should take his wife and children with him to Britain. British newspaper The Sunday Times reported this month that Nazir is under investigation by the Home Office over a potential breach of the terms of his student visa after he ditched his studies to work as a fishmonger. Nazir's wife Kashifa, dressed in the traditional shalwar kameez with a dupatta over her head, smiles when asked if she is jealous of her husband dancing with half-naked girls in the video. "I have no problem with this nor am I getting jealous. He performed the song and it was a requirement for the video," she said. She says she spoke to her husband of 12 years in recent days, describing him as a "loving husband and father" despite his departure for London in May last year. "I am really very excited. We never imagined that my husband would become so popular. Our children and I miss Shahid a lot and we want to join him in London to share these happy moments," she said. The whole family can sing the song, mimicking Nazir. When AFP visited, his three-year-old daughter Sania was only too happy to belt out the lyrics. His four brothers and their families live with their mother and Nazir's wife in the extended family system common in Pakistan. For now they hope that Nazir will soon be back for a visit. "People in our town often call us the One Pound Family. I think my brother will come back soon," said elder brother Abid, who works for the family business. "He got all this fame because he has been very responsible and dedicated since childhood and it is for this reason that luck also sided him." — AFP/Relaxnews

Florida man sentenced to 10 years in ‘hackerazzi’ case Posted: 17 Dec 2012 08:22 PM PST Christopher Chaney (left) arrives for a post-indictment arraignment at Edward R. Roybal Federal Building in Los Angeles, November 1, 2011. — Reuters file pic LOS ANGELES, Dec 18 — A Florida man who pleaded guilty to hacking into the email accounts of celebrities to gain access to nude photos and private information was sentenced to 10 years in prison by a federal judge in Los Angeles yesterday. Former office clerk Christopher Chaney, 36, said before the trial that he hacked into the accounts of film star Scarlett Johansson and other celebrities because he was addicted to spying on their personal lives. Prosecutors said Chaney illegally gained access to email accounts of more than 50 people in the entertainment industry, including Johansson, actress Mila Kunis, and singers Christina Aguilera and Renee Olstead from November 2010 to October 2011. Chaney, who was initially charged with 28 counts related to hacking, struck a plea deal with prosecutors in March to nine felony counts, including wiretapping and unauthorized access to protected computers. "I don't know what else to say except I'm sorry," Chaney said during his sentencing. "This will never happen again." Chaney was ordered to pay US$66,179 (RM200,000) in restitution to victims. Prosecutors recommended a 71-month prison for Chaney, who faced a maximum sentence of 60 years. Tearful Johansson Prosecutors said Chaney leaked some of the private photos to two celebrity gossip websites and a hacker. Johansson said the photos, which show her topless, were taken for her then-husband, actor Ryan Reynolds. In a video statement shown in US District Court in Los Angeles, a tearful Johansson said she was "truly humiliated and embarrassed" when the photos appeared online, asking Judge S  James Otero to come down hard on Chaney. Prosecutors said Chaney also stalked two unnamed Florida women online, one since 1999 when she was 13 years old. Chaney, a native of Jacksonville, Florida, was arrested in October 2011 after an 11-month FBI investigation dubbed "Operation Hackerazzi" and he continued hacking after investigators initially seized his personal computers. Shortly after his arrest, Chaney told a Florida television station that his hacking of celebrity email accounts started as curiosity and later he became "addicted". "I was almost relieved months ago when they came in and took my computer ... because I didn't know how to stop," he said. —Reuters

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Muhyiddin selar kenyataan naib pengerusi baru DAP tentang orang Melayu Posted: 18 Dec 2012 01:35 AM PST KOTA TINGGI, 18 Dis — Timbalan Perdana Menteri Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin menegaskan dakwaan naib pengerusi baharu DAP Senator Dr Ariffin S M Omar bahawa rasuah berpunca daripada monopoli kaum Melayu dalam perkhidmatan awam merupakan satu perbuatan bodoh dan sangat tidak bertanggungjawab. Beliau berkata kenyataan itu jelas membuktikan parti pembangkang itu selama ini sememangnya bersifat cauvinis dan perkauman. "Apabila kita kata perkauman, DAP tak mengaku tetapi kenyataan dia menuduh orang Melayu sebagai paling korup menunjukkan ternyata benar mereka bersikap demikian. "Kesatuan perkhidmatan (awam) kerajaan tentu rasa kecewa dengan kenyataan ini. Tetapi sudah memang perangai (DAP) begitu, kalau parti itu cauvinis, datang dari mulut siapa pun di kalangan pemimpin mereka menjelmakan hakikat sebenar," katanya. Muhyiddin juga berkata beliau tidak terkejut dengan kenyataan yang dikeluarkan oleh Ariffin itu walaupun beliau seorang Melayu. DAP katanya, sememangnya bukan untuk orang Melayu kerana hakikat sebenar terserlah melalui proses pemilihan parti itu baru-baru ini sehinggakan veteran dan anggota Jawatankuasa Pendidikan Politik Kebangsaan DAP Lim Kit Siang sendiri mengakui kegagalan tersebut. "Mungkin Kit Siang rasa agak apologetik (mengenai kedudukan Melayu dalam DAP) tetapi sebenarnya mengakui parti itu tidak mengira kepentingan politik, bersikap perkauman dan tidak sesuai untuk orang Melayu memperjuang nasib bangsa mereka," katanya. Sehubungan itu, Timbalan Perdana Menteri meminta orang Melayu dalam parti itu supaya membuka mata dan sedar tentang hakikat penyertaan mereka dalam DAP adalah sia-sia. — Bernama

Pemimpin BN beri amaran kedudukan Malaysia dalam pengaliran wang haram Posted: 18 Dec 2012 12:56 AM PST KUALA LUMPUR, 18 Dis — Ahli Parlimen Barisan Nasional (BN) meminta kerajaan dan Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) untuk mempercepatkan usaha dan menghentikan pengaliran wang haram daripada ekonomi Malaysia, dan menegaskan  bahawa sekiranya terus dibiarkan, imej dan integriti negara akan menerima kesan buruk, terutamanya kepada pelabur global. Bercakap kepada The Malaysian Insider hari ini, Timbalan Menteri Kewangan Datuk Donald Lim Siang Chai mengakui laporan Integriti Kewangan Global (GFI) terbaru dalam pengaliran modal bagi tahun 2010 dan bersetuju bahawa kerajaan akan mengemukakan langkah pencegahan. "Kami akan menyemak mengenai perkara ini dan mendapatkan BNM untuk membalas," katanya memberi jaminan. Pemantau kewangan yang berpangkalan di US, GFI, dalam laporan terbaru, mendapati Malaysia berada di tangga kedua daripada 150 negara-negara membangun yang dikaji, mencatatkan kerugian sebanyak USD64.38 bilion (RM196.84 bilion) wang haram bagi tahun 2010 sahaja. Pendahulu senarai adalah China, yang mencatatkan kira-kira RM1.3 trilion kerugian pada tahun 2010. Secara kumulatif, Malaysia menduduki tempat ketiga, di belakang China dan Mexico, dengan sejumlah USD285.2 bilion (RM871.4 bilion) setelah disalurkan keluar daripada ekonomi negara melalui jenayah, rasuah, pengelakan cukai dan lain-lain aktiviti haram antara 2001 dan 2010. "Ini teruk. Ia adalah sejumlah besar aliran keluar dan ini tidak memberikan kesan yang baik kepada negara," kata ahli Parlimen Padang Besar, Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid. Azmi, yang merupakan bekas menteri, kini mempengerusikan Parlimen Jawatankuasa Kira-kira Awam (PAC), sebuah badan yang mengkaji penguntukan jumlah wang yang diberikan oleh Dewan untuk perbelanjaan awam. "Dari segi ekonomi, aliran keluar ini juga turut memberikan kesan buruk kerana jika wang dikekalkan selama-lamanya atau digunakan untuk pelaburan di dalam atau di luar negara, ia boleh membawa pendapatan dan kekayaan kepada Malaysia. "Sekarang, aliran keluar, berpunca daripada aktiviti haram, mereka hanya mengurangkan perbendaharaan kami," katanya. Malaysia masih kaya walaupun aliran keluar, jelas Azmi, namun menyatakan bahawa kehilangan ringgit dalam pengeluaran modal boleh membantutkan harapan negara untuk semakin maju. "Kerajaan mesti mengkaji semula prosedur dan undang-undang semasa untuk melihat bagaimana kita boleh membasmi masalah ini. Mungkin undang-undang semasa tidak dikuatkuasakan dengan baik atau tidak mencukupi," tambah beliau. Rakan Azmi dan sekutu politik dalam Umno dan MIC, bagaimanapun, menegaskan pentingnya ketepatan fakta GFI. "Adakah ini angka yang betul? Memang benar pengeluaran modal melalui pengelakan cukai atau amalan yang menyalahi undang-undang, akan menyebabkan hilangnya keyakinan kepada negara. "Tetapi jika sebaliknya, wang berlepas Malaysia pula, digantikan dengan lebih banyak pelaburan di sini, maka tidak berlakunya hilang keyakinan dan tidak akan memudaratkan kepada negara," kata ahli Parlimen Pulai Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed. Datuk SK Devamany, yang juga merupakan timbalan menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Unit Perancang Ekonomi (EPU), menegaskan bahawa kajian GFI dijalankan oleh sebuah badan bebas di luar negara serta angka dan metodologi mesti disahkan benar. "Jika ada kebenaran, sudah tentu kita perlu menyelesaikan masalahnya. Kerajaan amat mengambil berat berkenaan perkara ini dan Perdana Menteri dan Kementerian Kewangan sudah bercakap tentang aktiviti-aktiviti yang menyalahi undang-undang menyebabkan kita kehilangan wang. "Terdapat keperluan untuk melihat rangka kerja perundangan negara. Pembaharuan mungkin diperlukan bagi kawalan yang lebih ketat  berkenaan mekanisme aliran wang," kata beliau kepada The Malaysian Insider. "Dan sudah tentu, kita mesti menangkap pesalahnya," tambah naib presiden MIC itu lagi. Tahun lalu, laporan GFI yang dikeluarkan menunjukkan membimbangkan trend yang bsama dalam aliran keluar wang haram di Malaysia, mendedahkan bahawa negara ini telah meningkat dalam kedudukan keempat dalam negara membangun dengan pengaliran modal yang dicatatkan pada tahun 2009 bernilai RM150 bilion. Pada bulan Mac, 2011, Gabenor Bank Negara Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz (gambar) berkata Akta Perkhidmatan Perniagaan Wang akan dibentangkan untuk membolehkan bank pusat untuk menangani aliran keluar dana dari negara ini. Akta ini mula berkuat kuasa pada 1 Disember tahun lepas. Undang-undang baru menyokong pembangunan yang lebih dinamik, wang perkhidmatan perniagaan industri yang berdaya saing dan profesional, manakala mengukuhkan perlindungan terhadap pengubahan wang haram, pembiayaan keganasan dan aktiviti-aktiviti yang menyalahi undang-undang, menurut Bank Negara. BNM berkata undang-undang baru memperkenalkan keperluan pengukuhan berhemat, memberi tumpuan terutamanya bagi memastikan pengawasan yang berkesan dan kawalan kelakuan dan operasi entiti berlesen untuk melindungi integriti dan keyakinan dalam industri perniagaan perkhidmatan wang. Awal tahun ini, The Malaysian Insider memetik penyelidik yang berpangkalan di London yang mendedahkan RM893 bilion disalurkan keluar dari ekonomi Malaysia ke dalam kawasan perlindungan cukai luar negara antara 1970 dan 2010, meletakkan negara di kalangan 20 negara teratas di dunia yang membangun dilabelkan sebagai "paling rendah" dalam pengeluaran modal. Jumlahnya adalah lebih tiga kali ganda daripada jumlah hutang negara Malaysia, yang berjumlah RM257.2 bilion pada tahun 2011, menurut laporan media sebelumnya. Dalam kajian yang dijalankan oleh Tax Justice Network (TJN), sebuah pertubuhan profesional yang berpangkalan di London termasuk ahli ekonomi dan perunding cukai, Malaysia kini menduduki tempat ke-12 dalam senarai itu, dua anak tangga di atas aliran keluar Singapura RM533 bilion dan tiga bawah trilion RM1 Indonesia. Pembangkang sekian lama menyelar BN atas sikap tidak bertanggungjawab fiskal yang didakwa mereka, malah mendakwa perbelanjaan yang berterusan dan aliran keluar wang haram yang besar akan menjuruskan negara ke dalam krisis hutang.

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Malaysia’s grand old party Posted: 17 Dec 2012 04:33 PM PST DEC 18 — I think a party that has been around since 1946 can be considered "grand" and "old". This is the party that has led its multi-racial coalition, without fail, in winning all 12 general elections to date. But things have changed. The party can no longer rely on its coalition partners as much as much as it did in the past. A majority of Chinese and Indian communities are no longer seeing the other coalition partners as being relevant in championing their causes — hence the ruling coalition was punished, and lost its two-thirds majority in Parliament. Perhaps this could explain the rise of "ultra" elements within the grand old party, namely hardliners who are taking the party to the far right of Malay dominance, who refuse to buy into the multi-racial 1 Malaysia concept put forth by the party leader, the prime minister himself. They say when you are up against the wall, your true character will show. A hardliner approach might be the key since Malays represent the majority — roughly 60 per cent of the population and estimated to reach 70 per cent by 2030. The party sought to increase its influence by appealing to the Malay population, given that its other coalition partners can no longer deliver the crucial votes. However, numbers can be misleading. Face it — with the existence of alternative parties for Malays, taking a far-right approach may not guarantee those much-needed votes. As we enter into the era of a two-party system, people are progressively freeing themselves from the traditional race and religious voting lines. Universal issues such as corruption and economic performance are becoming increasingly salient, and these are issues which know no political affiliation. Party identification has also weakened among the youth. They cannot relate to the party's past struggles as much as the older generation. As such, should the alternative appear to be a more viable choice for them they would not be hesitant to vote for a change in the status quo. The new wave of first-time voters coming in the next general election will play a significant role in deciding its outcome. It is more important than ever for the grand old party to change in parallel to this fact so that it remains relevant in the political spectrum. On the bright side, we have witnessed a pragmatic shift in the direction that its youth wing is taking. In the past, the party has been on the right side of the spectrum and its youth wing was on the extreme right. That is no longer the case today. Instead of shouting for racial supremacy and playing the religion card, it is becoming more centrist in its approach and the discussion has been shaped to revolve around policies and issues concerning Malaysians as a whole. Initiatives such as Youth Lab and Job Fair, with an emphasis on young talent and tapping into their potential, signal a move towards more progressive politics in our country. Additionally, though the party is beginning to embrace new media in connecting with people, it has to keep in mind that online presence alone is not enough, because the content is what will sway the middle-ground voters. Deploying cyber troopers who go overboard in attacking opposition without any intellectual content will cause more harm than good to the party. Now, after implementing his socio-economic reforms, the prime minister must lead the efforts in reforming the grand old party. The party must prepare itself to face its toughest election yet. Some of the old guards must make way for new leaders. The party leader has made it clear at the recent general assembly: "If you do not change, you will be changed." As the party is set to embark a new multi-racial approach, it must not lose sight of its struggle to champion the Malay cause. There is nothing wrong with being a Malay party leading a multi-racial coalition. Discussion concerning the fate of Malays can continue, but they should be conducted sensibly with proper decorum. People want to see a display of intellectual leadership, together with commitment to uphold social justice. There were many previous instances where the grand old party was predicted to come to an end. The first was in 1951 when its founding father left the party over a disagreement on party membership and formed a new party. It was also the case when there was a split within the party which led to the formation of an Islamist party. The 1969 racial bloodshed also was said to be the end of the party. The same was also said following the 1987 party elections as well as the notable 1999 general election. Yet the grand old party has made it through and survived all that. Now, it is entirely up to the party to reverse its declining fortunes and avoid a taste of defeat in the next general election. It must stop relying on its glorious past, and instead regenerate and present itself as a party that is able to reach across issues of faith, culture and language, hence bridging these deep divisions in society. They must stay true to the tradition of fighting for the people. Only then it would be relevant again in the eyes of the people. It is now or never, Umno. * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.

Barcelona: Simply the best Posted: 17 Dec 2012 04:13 PM PST DEC 18 — Who am I kidding? Earlier this season I suggested in this column that Bayern Munich are the best team in Europe. As good as the Germans may be — evidenced by their nine-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga — there's only one team that can really be considered the continent's best: Barcelona. Perhaps I favoured Bayern because I was trying to avoid accusations of home-town bias... but I'm over that now. The firm realisation that Barca are simply the best struck me on Sunday night, when I had the pleasure of occupying a press box seat at the Nou Camp to witness the Spanish league leader's 4-1 demolition of Atletico Madrid. Despite the misleading scoreline, this was by no means an easy game for Barca. Diego Simeone's Atletico are a very decent team indeed — they are still four points ahead of Real Madrid, don't forget — and they dominated the opening half hour before finally taking a richly deserved lead through Radamel Falcao. It was the first time I'd seen Falcao in the flesh, and his performance in that opening 30 minutes was spectacular, fully justifying the €60 million (RM240 million) price tag that has been put on his head. The Colombian striker, who could be bound for Chelsea or Manchester City in the January transfer window, hit the post with a deft glancing header in the opening minutes, sent another opportunity narrowly wide and then got the goal he deserved when a devastating burst of pace was followed by a beautifully subtle chipped finish over home goalkeeper Victor Valdes. At that stage, Barca had done next to nothing coming forward, seeing their attacks well controlled by Atletico's organised and powerful defending and being reduced to a couple of harmless long-range free kicks by the otherwise peripheral Lionel Messi. But then along came one of the reasons why Barcelona are so magnificent as they conjured an equalising goal through a piece of stunning individual brilliance. And who was the scorer of this "worldy" goal? One of their superstars-in-chief, surely: Messi, Andres Iniesta or Xavi. No. Then how about one of the dangerous wingers, Pedro or Alexis Sanchez? Not them either. In fact it was the right back Adriano — one of the more anonymous members of the Barcelona squad, although he'd be a superstar in any other team. If you've not seen the goal yet, give yourself a treat and check it out now to see the most sweetly struck long-range curler into the top corner that you'll see all season. That equaliser provided Barca with all the encouragement they needed, and they proceeded to lay siege to the Atletico goal for the remaining minutes of the first half. Their reward duly followed in the closing moments of the period when a loose ball from a corner dropped to Sergio Busquets — another largely unheralded performer — who produced a quick change of feet before sweeping a shot high into the net. So there we had it: from 1-0 down and being outplayed — or well contained, at the very least — by an extremely good opposing side, Barca had struck twice in the space of nine minutes to get themselves in front. And they hadn't even needed to call upon the services of Messi: if he doesn't get you, one of the others will. Of course, it's impossible to keep Messi down and he duly played his part in a second half that was completely controlled by Barca's smooth passing game, scoring two excellent goals to give the final scoreline a rather flattering look and take his personal tally for the calendar year to an astonishing 90. All of this leaves Barcelona nine points clear of second-placed Madrid and no less than 13 better off than Real Madrid, whose under-pressure manager Jose Mourinho admitted that it will be "nearly impossible" for his team to win La Liga after watching them struggle to a home draw against lowly Espanyol. Even though it's not yet Christmas and we're less than halfway through the season, it would have to take a spectacular and highly unlikely collapse for Tito Vilanova's side to throw away their position as league leaders, and Barcelona's exceptionally strong domestic position also augurs well for their bid to regain the Champions League title. With such a healthy lead at the top of La Liga, Barca will be able to focus all their efforts on the knockout stages of the European competition when action resumes in the New Year. If Messi or Xavi need a rest ahead of their quarter-final second leg, for example, Vilanova will be able to easily provide it, safe in the knowledge that a dropped point or two in the league would not be a disaster. There are a few other serious contenders for the top European crown: Bayern, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, Real Madrid and Manchester United are all more than capable of winning it. And as Chelsea showed last season, it's impossible to discount anyone in a knockout competition so perhaps we'll end the season with Galatasaray being crowned kings of Europe. But Barcelona must be considered red-hot favourites because they are such a strong all-round team. Not only do they have Messi — the greatest player on the planet — but they're also blessed with one of the game's best-ever passers, Xavi. And a mesmeric dribbler, Iniesta. And if you manage to keep them quiet, they've always got Adriano to come along and smash one into the top corner, or Busquets to pop up and fire one in, etc, etc. There's simply not a weak link anywhere in the side. One more thing in Barcelona's favour: the venue of Wembley Stadium. The last two Champions League finals to take place at Wembley — in 1992 and 2011 — were won by Barcelona. It would be a very brave move to bet against them completing their London hat-trick at the end of May. * The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the columnist.

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