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The Malaysian Insider :: Food

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Domino’s Japan launches Kobe-beef pizza Posted: 09 Jan 2013 10:50 PM PST Domino's Kobe Beef Steak Pizza. — AFP-Relaxnews pic TOKYO, Jan 10 — In the land of fast food foie gras burgers, Whopper buffets and dyed black burger buns, comes the latest extreme food from Domino's in Japan: a pizza topped with Kobe beef for the price of about US$66 (RM190). The world's largest pizza delivery service recently launched a Kobe Beef Steak Pizza topped with potato, onion and steak sauce and the star ingredient - Kobe beef, known worldwide for its superior flavour, texture and marbling thanks to pampering breeding methods. Staff at the English-language news site RocketNews24, meanwhile, decided to take the novelty pizza for a test drive and "pooled their New Year's money" together to spring for the 5,800 Yen (RM190) meal. Reviews are mixed, with some of the taste testers describing the unlikely combination "spot-on," "sublime" and "pizza ecstasy." While the generous chunks of fatty meat were appreciated by some, others, however, found the quantity and richness of meat to overwhelm and dominate the flavours of a classic pizza. "On a negative note, with the beef being the focal point of the pizza … it actually detracts a little from the traditional notion of what makes a good pizza." The pizza will be available for a limited time until mid-January. Meanwhile, Japan is home to a slew of fast food innovations. Wendy's, for instance, topped their burgers with foie gras, Burger King offered customers an all-you-can-eat buffet of Whoppers and sandwiches topped with black buns. — AFP-Relaxnews

Falafel chain opens first store outside Middle East in London Posted: 09 Jan 2013 09:25 PM PST Just Falafel. — AFP-Relaxnews pic LONDON, Jan 10 — While Western fast food chains have been turning their gaze towards the Middle East for strategic growth, there's another trend afoot in which Middle Eastern brands are likewise expanding into the West. In a series of firsts, Dubai-based restaurant chain Just Falafel, for example, opened its first location outside the Middle East in London's Covent Garden this week, one of 200 outlets to be opened in the UK over the next five years, reported Arabian Business. Like its name suggests, the chain serves falafel-based sandwiches, burgers and wraps. The chain also has a presence in Oman, Qatar, Lebanon and Jordan. Meanwhile, one of the most successful fast food brands in Brazil is also a Middle Eastern food chain. Habib's was identified by international market research company Euromonitor as a global foodservice company to watch: in three years, the Brazil-based chain grew 78 per cent to make US$706 million (RM228 million) in 2010. Habib's sells traditional Middle Eastern snacks called sfihas or open-faced meat pies. On the flipside, Starbucks launched its first drive-thru outlet in Dubai this week. The Jumeirah Beach Road Starbucks is the 103rd outlet in the UAE. McDonald's and mid-sized burger chain Smashburger are also expanding into the Middle East. Trendspotters at the Sweets & Snacks Expo in the US also predicted that increasingly worldly palates would drive new snack trends in 2012 that defy traditional flavours, including Middle Eastern foods like chickpeas. — AFP-Relaxnews

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Ronaldo hat-trick fires Real into Cup quarters Posted: 09 Jan 2013 03:18 PM PST Ronaldo celebrates a goal against Celta Vigo at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid January 9, 2013. — Reuters pic MADRID, Jan 10 — Cristiano Ronaldo was the decisive figure for the second time in four days as he scored a hat-trick to lead Real Madrid to a 4-0 victory over Celta Vigo that put them in the quarter-finals of the King's Cup yesterday. The Portugal forward, runner up to Lionel Messi in Monday's World Player of the Year awards, netted twice inside the first 25 minutes at the Bernabeu as they sought to overturn a 2-1 first-leg deficit. After Sergio Ramos was sent off with 17 minutes to go, Ronaldo eased the home crowd's nerves with his third and Sami Khedira wrapped up the scoring at the end. A 5-2 aggregate win set up a meeting with Valencia next week. Real Zaragoza were 2-0 winners at home to Levante to progress 3-0 on aggregate, and set up a last-eight meeting with Sevilla. The 2010 Cup winners Sevilla were never seriously troubled having won 5-0 away at Real Mallorca in their first leg, and in a sparsely populated Sanchez Pizjuan progressed 6-2 on aggregate. — Reuters

Chelsea slump to shock home loss to Swansea Posted: 09 Jan 2013 03:14 PM PST Swansea's Danny Graham (centre) celebrates with teammates after scoring against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in London January 9, 2013. — Reuters pic LONDON, Jan 10 — Swansea City inflicted the second shock home defeat in eight days on Chelsea, goals from Michu and Danny Graham giving the Welsh club a 2-0 win in their Capital One (League) Cup semi-final first leg yesterday. Michael Laudrup's Swansea, playing in their first major semi-final for 49 years, weathered an early storm from the European champions before scoring against the run of play in the 39th minute. Branislav Ivanovic blundered after receiving a pass from goalkeeper Ross Turnbull and Jonathan De Guzman robbed the Chelsea defender on the edge of the box before setting up Michu for a curling left-foot finish. It was the Spaniard's 16th goal of the season in all competitions and substitute Graham delivered a sucker-punch second goal near the end. "Winning an away game against the European champions is obviously very special," Laudrup told Sky Sports. "We knew it would be a very difficult game, we had to defend a lot more than we are used to. They had a lot more possession than we had." Chelsea, who also lost 1-0 at home to Premier League bottom club Queens Park Rangers last Wednesday, started well against Swansea but paid a heavy price for poor finishing. Juan Mata and Ramires shot weakly when well placed while Gary Cahill headed narrowly over from a corner. Swansea then struck completely against the run of play through Michu before Ivanovic tried to make amends for his error when his rasping 20-metre shot was saved acrobatically by Gerhard Tremmel. The home fans became agitated in the second half as four-times League Cup winners Chelsea struggled to create clear-cut openings, calling for substitutes Frank Lampard and Demba Ba to come on. Lampard replaced Ramires in the 70th minute and new signing Ba went on for a completely ineffective Fernando Torres 11 minutes later. Swansea then delivered a second goal in stoppage time when substitute Graham rounded Turnbull before sliding the ball into an empty net. Ba, bought from Newcastle United last week, had the ball in the net in the closing stages but it was chalked off. "We had chances, the team had chances and we have to take our chances," Chelsea's interim manager Rafael Benitez said. "It's a Cup competition and we can score goals, if we score a goal everything will change," he added in reference to the second leg. Swansea captain Ashley Williams, named man of the match for a towering display in defence, said: "The second goal gives us little bit of a cushion but we know they are going to come at us with everything at our place. "I said to the guys before that this was the game of our lives. We are halfway there...and if we do get to the final at Wembley it will be massive for everyone." It was the second surprise result in successive days in the League Cup, fourth tier Bradford City having beaten Premier League Aston Villa 3-1 in their first leg on Tuesday. Both second legs are in two weeks' time. — Reuters

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Binge drinking serious problem for US women: study Posted: 09 Jan 2013 07:06 AM PST Binge drinking an increasing problem for US women. — shutterstock.com pic WASHINGTON, Jan 9 — Binge drinking is an under-recognised problem for US women, nearly 14 million of whom engage in it about three times a month, downing about six drinks each time, says a study released Tuesday. The practice is most common among women aged 18 to 34 as well as high school students, whites, Hispanics and women with household incomes of US$75,000 (RM228, 248) or more, said the report by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. That US government institution defines binge drinking as having four or more drinks on a given occasion for women and girls. And half of all high school girls who drink alcohol admit to binge drinking, said the new study. Excessive drinking, including binge drinking, is responsible for about 23,000 deaths among women and girls in the United States each year. "Binge drinking causes many health problems, and there are proven ways to prevent excessive drinking," said CDC Director Thomas Frieden. The study emphasized that hard drinking puts women at increased risk for many conditions such as breast cancer, sexually transmitted diseases and heart disease. "Effective community measures can support women and girls in making wise choices about whether to drink or how much to drink if they do," Frieden said. For this study, the agency examined the drinking behavior of approximately 278,000 US women aged 18 and older and more than 7,500 high school students over the course of 30 days in 2011. "It is alarming to see that binge drinking is so common among women and girls, and that women and girls are drinking so much when they do," said Robert Brewer, who works on the alcohol program at the CDC. — AFP-Relaxnews

Preacher alarms many in Egypt with calls for Islamist vice police Posted: 09 Jan 2013 06:19 AM PST A woman wearing a full veil queues near a hieroglyphic mural outside a polling centre as she waits to vote in Egypt. — Reuters pic CAIRO, Jan 9 — Many Egyptian viewers were horrified when preacher Hisham el-Ashry recently popped up on primetime television to say women must cover up for their own protection and advocated the introduction of religious police. That an obscure preacher could get publicity for such views was seen as another example of the confused political scene in Egypt since the revolt that toppled Hosni Mubarak gave birth to a cacophony of feuding voices. "I was once asked: If I came to power, would I let Christian women remain unveiled? And I said: If they want to get raped on the streets, then they can," Ashry told Nahar TV last week. Introducing a Saudi-style anti-vice police force to enforce Islamic law was "not a bad thing", he said, and added: "In order for Egypt to become fully Islamic, alcohol must be banned and all women must be covered." Few take Ashry, who admits he flew to the United States dreaming of a Western lifestyle and romance but instead found truth in preaching, seriously. But his views have stirred emotions. With the economic downturn and rising food prices putting pressure on the government, moderate Muslims, Christians and others worry their new-found political freedom is at risk of being exploited by hardline Islamists bent on imposing their values on a society that has been traditionally moderate. Watching a recent television interview in which Ashry expounded his ideas on women and sharia law, members of one family jumped to their feet in outrage. "Look at this crazy man! Where do you think we live! In a jungle? Or are all men like you, animals, unable to control their instincts?" Mona Ahmed, 65, shouted at the television screen in her living room. "If I see him annoying any unveiled woman on the street I would punch him in the face. Wake up, man, this is Egypt, not Saudi Arabia," she yelled as her children tried to console her. Ahmed, like many women in Egypt, has chosen on her own to cover her hair with the Islamic headscarf. Egypt's top Islamic institutions, such as al-Azhar, the highest authority in Sunni Islam, and Dar al Ifta, the central authority for issuing religious rulings, have long said religious practices should not be imposed on people. "Idiotic thinking" Egypt's Grand Mufti, the country's most senior Islamic legal official, has dismissed the self-styled preacher's views. "This sort of idiotic thinking is one that seeks to further destabilise what is already a tense situation," Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa said in a statement to Reuters. "Egypt's religious scholars have long guided the people to act in ways that conform to their religious commitments, but have never thought this required any type of invasive policing." The Muslim Brotherhood of President Mohamed Mursi, who was brought to power in an election last year, has also distanced itself, if somewhat cryptically. "The case of promotion of virtue and prevention of vice is within the jurisdiction of the authorities and not individuals or groups," said Brotherhood spokesman Mahmoud Ghozlan. "It is not anyone's right to intervene." Mursi has pledged not to impose Islamic codes of behaviour and to protect adherents of all religions equally. But he has also enacted a new constitution that has more Islamic references than its predecessor and that critics say fails to protect freedoms and the rights of Christians and other minorities. Activists say although Mursi's camp is not keen on religious austerity, stronger condemnation is required at this sensitive time. "As long as such actions are not seriously condemned by the officials in public speeches, it leaves room for radicals to freely act and impose things on people," said human rights activist Gamal Eid. The image of Egypt's bearded leadership flanked by their fully veiled wives sends a powerful psychological message that may belie their official words, they say. "Islamist officials need to take a clearer stand on their views about rights and freedoms and act strictly if those rights and freedoms were threatened." Converting Christians Ashry left Egypt for New York in the 1990s, when the country was still firmly under Mubarak's rule, in search of a better life. "I went there with a dream to get a blonde girl and a big car," he said in one of his televised interviews. "(But) I was advised on the plane to cherish my religion and not get taken by the USA or risk being spoiled and losing my faith." His religious convictions grew stronger over the next 15 years in the United States, he said. "I had, thanks to God, guided many Christians to Islam. I can't tell how many as I stopped counting when their number exceeded 100," he said. It was when he was working at a men's clothing factory in New York that he became convinced that Egypt needed a Saudi-style anti-vice force. "(My goal was) to make all Egyptians love it," he said. A few find him inspiring. "He advocates what I believe is right," said Ahmed Mahmoud, 18, in Cairo. "It is about time to enforce God's law in order to be rescued from all the corruption we live in." Ashry is just one conservative influence among many. In the six months since Mursi came to power, preachers and vigilante groups have been flexing their muscles on the streets. In July, a young man holding hands with his fiancé was stabbed to death in Suez, and in October, a face-veiled teacher cut the hair of two 12-year-old girls who were not wearing scarves. Just last month, an Islamist group in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula threatened to launch a campaign against cigarette smoking and drug use in the lawless desert region. Radical Salafi figures called for Muslims not to greet Christians at Christmas, celebrated by Egypt's Copts on Jan. 7. Christians make up about 10 percent of Egypt's 84 million population, which is majority Sunni-Muslim. "Such comments scare us to death of course," said Christian activist Peter el-Naggar. "But we don't think such people are right or will have any strong grassroots support. Egypt has always been home to moderate and tolerant Islam. By God's will it will remain so." Those who rely on the tourism industry in Cairo and at the luxury beaches of the Red Sea are defiant and anxious at the same time. "Only we can control ourselves," said taxi driver Waleed Mahmoud, 36. "No human being can force another to pray or beat them to pray. It doesn't work." — Reuters

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Bradford prove there is life in the wilderness Posted: 09 Jan 2013 07:55 AM PST Bradford City's McArdle celebrates after scoring against Aston Villa during their English League Cup semi-final soccer match in Bradford. — Reuters pic LONDON, Jan 9 — Bradford City have spent most of their 110 years in English soccer in the shadows of the country's northern giants but their continuing League Cup fairytale means the proud Yorkshire club are striking a much-needed blow for the also-rans. Tuesday's 3-1 victory over top flight Aston Villa in the first leg of their semi-final rocked League Two (fourth tier) Bradford's Valley Parade stadium to the rafters and warmed the hearts of football romantics up and down the country. The relentless march of the Premier League, where clubs feast on television-fuelled riches, has put genuine cup shocks on the endangered list but Bradford's feats in first beating Arsenal in the quarter-finals on penalties and then out-playing Villa prove there is life in football's wilderness. It also highlighted that success does not have to come with a multi-million pounds price tag with Bradford boss Phil Parkinson's impressive side costing 7,500 pounds (RM36,583) in transfer fees. He knows the job is only half done and that Villa are still favourites when the second leg is played but his side are now tantalisingly close to becoming the first fourth tier side to reach the league Cup final since Rochdale in 1962. "We know we have a tough job in two weeks time and they are still the favourites but if Aston Villa are going to get to Wembley they know they are going to have to really earn it," Parkinson told the BBC. Championship (second tier) Cardiff City reached the League Cup final last season, losing the Wembley showpiece to Liverpool on penalties, but should Bradford hold on to their advantage it would rank alongside the most unlikely cup runs. Just a few days before their stunning performance against Villa, Bradford were beaten 2-0 at Barnet in front of 2,317 fans - a result that left them eighth in the table. On Saturday they get back to the nitty gritty of League Two football with a home game against Oxford United. The euphoric scenes at Valley Parade on Tuesday are a stark contrast to the gloom that has hung over Bradford since their brief flirtation with the Premier League ended in 2001. Promoted in 1999 under Paul Jewell, Bradford survived their first season in the Premier League on the final day of the campaign but the following season they were relegated with mounting debts as the dream turned into a financial nightmare. Having built a new stand and saddled with players on Premier League wages, the club went into administration in 2002 leading to 16 players having their contracts torn up and manager Nicky Laws left with five professionals and 16 youth team players. Bradford were minutes away from going out of business in 2004 but the slide down the ladder continued on the pitch and since 2007 they have resided in the fourth tier. It is a cautionary tale, and one that has been repeated several times by small-town clubs desperate to mix it in the Premier League, but the signs are encouraging that Bradford are now on the mend. Whatever happens at Villa Park, Parkinson's side have already stamped their name on the season and provided hope for the clubs the modern game has left behind. — Reuters

Customs foils attempt to distribute banned firecrackers and fireworks Posted: 09 Jan 2013 07:54 AM PST PORT KLANG, Jan 9 – Selangor Customs foiled an attempt to distribute banned firecrackers and fireworks worth RM323,941.20 including duty, in two separate raids in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, yesterday. Its director, Datuk Azis Yacub told a news conference, here, today that in a joint raid with the Home Ministry, the team found 260 cartons of firecrackers and fireworks in two houses in Bandar Mahkota Cheras. He said the team also inspected a five-tonne lorry parked in front of one of the houses and found several boxes of firecrackers and fireworks of various types. Azis said following the raids, three men aged between 25 and 45 were detained to facilitate investigation under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967 for keeping or possessing banned goods. If convicted, the offenders can be fined not less than 10 times and not more than 20 times the value of the goods seized or face a jail term of up to three years, or both. Azis urged the public to report any smuggling activity or violation of the Customs Act they know about by calling the toll-free line 1-800-88-8855 or by contacting the nearest Customs office. – Bernama

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Spielberg wins new awards nod, as Oscars awaited Posted: 09 Jan 2013 07:53 AM PST LOS ANGELES, Jan 9 — Steven Spielberg, Kathryn Bigelow and Ben Affleck were among the nominees Tuesday for top honours from the Directors Guild of America (DGA), seen as a key bellwether for Oscars glory. Daniel Day-Lewis (L) and director Steven Spielberg. — AFP pic Others nominated for the DGA's prize for directorial achievement in a feature film — the winner of which regularly goes on to take best director Oscar — were Tom Hooper for his musical adaptation "Les Miserables" and Taiwanese-US director Ang Lee for the stunning 3D "Life of Pi." The DGA shortlist was announced two days before the all-important unveiling of nominees for this year's Academy Awards, the climax of Hollywood's annual gongs season. The DGA winner will be announced on February 2. Spielberg's political drama "Lincoln" already has strong momentum after topping nominations for the Golden Globes, the winners of which will be announced on Sunday. Also tipped by the DGA is Bigelow's Osama bin Laden manhunt movie "Zero Dark Thirty," which has sparked controversy over its depiction of enhanced interrogation techniques used by the CIA which critics say amount to torture. Bigelow won best film and best director among six Oscars for 2008's "The Hurt Locker," along with screenwriter Mark Boal who joined her again on the bin Laden film. Actor-director Affleck was nominated for Iran hostage drama "Argo," which tied for second in Golden Globes nominations, in the running in five categories. The DGA top prizewinner has gone on to win best director Oscar in all but six years since 1948. The last time it didn't was 2002, when Rob Marshall won the DGA for "Chicago," but the Oscar went to Roman Polanski for "The Pianist." Last year's DGA winner was silent movie "The Artist," which went on to Oscars glory with five Academy Awards including best film and best director for Michel Hazanavicius. Spielberg has won the DGA's top prize three times, for 1985's "The Color Purple," 1993's "Schindler's List" and 1998's "Saving Private Ryan." Hollywood is bracing for the all-important Oscar nominations, to be announced shortly after 5.30am (1330 GMT) tomorrow, with the Academy Awards themselves to be handed out on February 24. — AFP/Relaxnews

A Minute With: ‘Glee’ star Chris Colfer’s ‘Lightning’ film debut Posted: 09 Jan 2013 07:36 AM PST Actor Chris Colfer poses on the red carpet for the 69th annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, January 15, 2012. — AFP pic LOS ANGELES, Jan 9 — Chris Colfer, best known for portraying the openly gay Kurt Hummel on the hit musical television series "Glee," will make his feature-film acting and writing debut in dark indie comedy "Struck by Lightning" on Friday. Colfer, 22, plays a high-school student who blackmails the popular kids into contributing to his literary magazine. The film also stars comedienne Rebel Wilson and "Modern Family's" Sarah Hyland. Colfer sat down with Reuters to talk about the film, and his day job on "Glee," which is now in its fourth season on US network Fox. Q: You play a high-school student on television. What made you want to stick to the high-school genre for your debut film? A: "I really wanted to tell a story of a genre of high-school students that often doesn't get told - the under-appreciated over-achieving student, like I was in high school." Q: Was it hard to get financiers to see you as a credible writer because you are known primarily as an actor? A: "Anytime an actor associated with something larger than life like 'Glee,' I think there is automatic suspicion and doubt that the script would be good. Once people got the script, it wasn't hard to convince them to read it, but it was difficult getting it made. Had I sold it to a studio, I bet you anything it would have been turned into a movie with me not in it and about a kid losing his virginity or doing drugs. Because that's what happens and that's not what I wanted." Q: Why did you choose to make this movie as your debut? Were you not getting other offers? A: "I have been getting offers but for the most part they were Kurt Hummel 2.0-type roles. Which I don't mind because I see typecasting differently. My attitude is as long as I'm employed, I really don't mind. But this character that I wrote just happened not to be a Kurt Hummel-type. I really wanted to play this character and tell his story." Q: You shot this while on hiatus from "Glee." Was that tough? A: "With 'Glee,' every time we go on hiatus, we go on a tour. As soon as we were done with that tour, I had 2 1/2 weeks off before shooting season three. I was the only cast member who decided to do a movie during that time, so the odds were definitely against me. We shot the film in 16 days. We shot digitally, which helped a lot because there wasn't quite as much lighting to set up or time needed to reload the camera and get film. So that helped. And the locations were all very close to one another." Q: This latest season of "Glee" sees a split in storylines as the show follows both a new generation of students at William McKinley High and graduates — like Kurt Hummel — at their new school in New York. What do you think of this change? A: "I love it. I think we all love it because it means not all of us are working eight days a week, 25 hours a day like we used to. We all get a few days off every week, which is really nice. It's been fun to leave the choir room and experience what else is out there for Kurt. That's been great." Q: You published a children's fiction novel, "The Land of Stories," last year, which topped the New York Times bestseller list, and you have a sequel due out this year. Is writing important to you? A: "Unless you fit the standard Hollywood template perfectly, to survive in this business you have to generate your own stuff. But for me, it's more the drive of wanting to tell stories. I've always been a storyteller ever since I was a kid." Q: Really? A: "One of my biggest blessings ever was being born knowing exactly what I wanted to do. I have a very long bucket list of films and stories — mostly stories — that I want to tell. I love creating characters and I love creating worlds that represent something that's not so on the nose." Q: Because Kurt Hummel is openly gay, do you feel responsibility to represent the gay community in real life? A: "Everyone automatically associates me with being the poster boy for gay youth. But I feel like Kurt put me in a position to be the poster boy for anyone who is at all uniquely different. I feel anyone who has that one secretive element that makes them different from the rest is my demographic. And with all the writing I've done and with this movie, I feel like I've added another straw to my cap in representing all the ambitious kids out there, which is a dream for me." — Reuters

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‘The Walking Dead’ tops 2012 comic sales, big year for Avengers Posted: 08 Jan 2013 02:59 PM PST Seven of the top ten graphic novels were anthologies for the original "Walking Dead" series. – AFP pic NEW YORK, Jan 9 – The 100th issue of "The Walking Dead" was the best-selling comic book in North America last year and "Walking Dead" anthologies packed out the graphic novel top ten, according to distributor Diamond Comics. Multiple covers for "Walking Dead #100" helped increase its appeal, while "The Walking Dead Volume 1," which collects issues 1 to 6, topped the graphic novel category despite having been in circulation since 2004. In fact, seven of the top ten graphic novels were anthologies for the original "Walking Dead" series. The remaining slots were taken up by DC's "Batman Earth One" and "Batman: The Court of Owls" alongside Top Shelf's "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen III," part of a series starring "Dracula" heroine Mina Harker, Allan Quartermain of "King Solomon's Mines" and the main character from Virginia Woolf's "Orlando." Links between comic strip and screen continued as Joss Whedon's interpretation "The Avengers" debuted in cinemas in April; last year, eight of the top ten comics issues starred the Avengers team, and all but one saw them team up with one of Marvel's previous cinematic cross-overs, the X-Men. "The Walking Dead" publisher Image Comics was the year's third biggest publisher with 7 per cent of the retail market, while Marvel (34 per cent) and DC (32 per cent) retained dominant positions. For top tens and market shares, see here. – AFP-Relaxnews

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Selepas 400 tahun ‘Allah’ dalam Bible, CFM mahu teruskan Posted: 09 Jan 2013 02:53 AM PST Berdasarkan Artikel 11 Perlembagaan Persekutuan, kumpula Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) mengesahkan setiap mereka boleh mengamalkan ajaran agama masing-masing. — Gambar fail KUALA LUMPUR, 9 Jan  — Kumpulan Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) berpendirian adalah hak perlembagaan mereka untuk terus menggunakan perkataan "Allah" sebagai rujukan kepada Tuhan mereka dalam Bible berbahasa Melayu sepertimana amalan lebih 400 tahun lalu walaupun Sultan Selangor melarang penggunaan perkataan Arab itu untuk bukan Muslim. Badan yang mewakili 90 peratus gereja di seluruh negara berkata, Kristian berkata bahasa Arab  "digunakan gereja yang menggunakan Bahasa Melayu, termasuk Orang Asli Kristian, Baba Kristian, Kristian Sabah dan Sarawak, termasuk mereka di Malaysia Timur." "Berdasarkan Artikel 11 Perlembagaan Persekutuan, CFM mengesahkan setiap mereka boleh mengamalkan ajaran agama masing-masing, dan dalam hal ini, gereja bebas menggunakan Al Kitab, dalam semua kegiatan gereja, perjumpaan, dan di rumah," kata Pengerusinya, Bishop Datuk Ng Moon Hing dalam satu kenyataan hari ini. Perkara itu timbul selepas Majlis Agama Islam Selangor memutuskan bukan Muslim dilarang menggunakan perkataan itu, walaupun Mahkamah Tinggi pada Disember 2009 berkata perkataan "Allah" tidak terhad kepada Muslim, dan Gereja Katholik mempunyai hak untuk menerbitkan perkataan itu dalam akhbar mingguannya, Herald. Masyarakat Singh, yang juga menuntut hak penggunaan perkataan itu dalam kitab suci mereka turut terkesan dengan peraturan tersebut. MENYUSUL LAG

Parti KITA hairan sikap PAS dan akur dengan peringatan Sultan Selangor Posted: 09 Jan 2013 02:01 AM PST SUNGAI PETANI, 9 Jan — Parti KITA negeri Kedah hairan dengan sikap pemimpin PAS termasuk Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat (gambar) yang bersetuju orang bukan Islam dibenar menggunakan kalimah Allah. Pemimpinnya Zamil Ibrahim berkata PAS dan semua pihak sepatutnya akur khalimah itu adalah hak eksklusif bagi orang Islam seperti peringatan Sultan Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah semalam dan ia tidak dibenar digunakan dalam Bible versi Bahasa Melayu. Tindakan tegas memang patut dikenakan terhadap pihak yang memperlekeh fatwa berhubung perkara itu, katanya mengulas laporan akhbar yang menyebut Nik Aziz sebagai berkata demikian semalam. Dalam masa yang sama Setiausaha Majlis Agama Islam Selangor Datuk Mohd Misri Idris dalam kenyataan berkata Sultan Sharafuddin menitahkan bahawa kalimah Allah yang merupakan kalimah suci khusus bagi umat Islam tidak boleh sama sekali diguna di negeri Selangor oleh mana-mana agama bukan Islam sebagaimana yang difatwa dan diwartakan pada 18 Februari 2010.  "Apa yang disuarakan Sultan Sharafuddin adalah jelas. Pemimpin pakatan pembangkang harus ingat bahawa baginda adalah Sultan Selangor dan ketua agama negeri yang mesti dihormati. "Perlembagaan dan Rukun Negara menetapkan kesetiaan kepada Raja dan negara, dan mmempertikainya bererti menderhaka. Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim sebagai Penasihat Ekonomi Selangor kena ingat itu," kata Zamil, yang juga bekas Ketua Pemuda PKR Kedah. — Bernama

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The halal cat food question Posted: 08 Jan 2013 03:08 PM PST JAN 9 ― So, my cat is now on a halal cat food diet. I went on a spree during the recent Christmas holidays, and bought myself an automatic pet feeder that can be programmed at certain times to feed my cat. I love him, but waking up at 3, 4 and 5am every morning for the past two years was driving me nuts. I treated myself to a Christmas present, and the pet shop manager recommended that I buy my cat Muezza, Halal Cat Food. "It's actually good for cats who have hairball problems, and especially for cats who overgroom themselves," she said. I bought it because it was cheaper than the usual Royal Canin cat food I got him. Yes, my cat has a better diet than me, his owner. When I posted the photo of the halal cat food, it sparked off quite a number of comments. When on earth did the halal equation come into play when it came to animals? Do animals need to eat halal food? We were bemused. A friend remarked, perhaps it was manufactured with the handler (owner) in mind. Not wanting to feed his beloved feline food that may have been processed in non-halal factories, and sully his or her hands, there was a need to have halal pet food. So the owner could scoop with his hands and feed Furrykins. A reader of mine said it was "...useless as pet food. My cats won't touch it. Tak sedap." Pulak. Cats are damn fussy. "Bakpe mung dok baling je Friskies ke ikang kembong kat kucing awok tu? Bodoh mung ne, bazir pitih je beli biskut mahal," a friend said. "My cat does not eat Friskies," I sniffed. The makers of Muezza Halal Cat Food stated on their website: "Non-Muslim visitors may at this stage need a short explanation, as to why the availability of a halal cat food is important to a growing number of Muslims. "Firstly, there is of course no obligation in Islam for a cat to eat halal food. The obligation is on Muslims themselves not to handle haram foodstuff or feed it to either other humans or indeed animals. Muslims would also not willingly want to store haram food in their house. "Secondly, the growing importance of Islam amongst UK citizens and others around the world means that many people are attempting to adhere more strictly to their faith. Many are therefore horrified to discover that other cat foods on the market contain haram meat & meat derivatives. "Those that have attempted to comply with their faith's requirement by buying fish based products are doubly concerned on discovering, that even in this supposedly harmless product the coating used on the food itself contains haram meat and even pork." I learn something new every day. The halal industry has become one of the biggest markets to tap. Germany, a bastion of secularism, has woken up to the growing halal business. South-East Asia is a main driver, and our neighbour, Singapore, is catching up. Very fast, and they're good at it too. So why not have our furry children be part of a growing market? After all, it is claimed that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. (This is, of course debatable, as everyone proclaims that their religion is the fastest). In Malaysia, where the drive to be the best Muslim has surpassed everything else, Islam has become a product. When I wrote "I Am Muslim" almost a decade ago, it was nothing like what it is now. Sadly, some profiteers have seen it fit to capture the religion literally in a perfume bottle, and even more unfortunate, there IS a ready market for such stupidity. Voila ― the Minyak Wangi Berdoa. I don't even know or want to translate the name of the perfume. But I digress. Perhaps for crazy cat people who are Muslims, this is one way of ensuring that they are on the right and halal path. After all, we want the best for our pets. The cat was also a favourite animal of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). I'm just happy my feline dustbin likes the food. Though, if he did greet me with a salam instead of a meow, I'd have a heart attack. Crazy cat people deprived of sleep may buy automatic pet feeders at Pet Lovers Centre. No, they did not sponsor this column. This is a PSA for many pet owners who need their sleep. * This is the personal opinion of the columnist

On being an Apple cultist Posted: 08 Jan 2013 03:04 PM PST JAN 9 ― "Repent ye, sinner!" The way friends react when I mention my using Apple products befuddles me. The only thing possibly more annoying than the anti-Apple group is probably Opposition supporters. There's a surprising similarity between the two, really. For one, they both seem to think they can save me from myself by yelling a lot. Both also seem to think it is important I realise and acknowledge the "tyranny" of the side they oppose. The "Windows/Linux is cheaper/better! Macs are overpriced!" litany is beginning to sound a lot like the near constant "Down with BN!" chants I hear on a regular basis. Unlike, oh, choosing a government, my personal tech choice really isn't that big a deal. I like my 13-inch, 2009 model Macbook Pro. And I plan on using it until it drops completely dead, which I hope it doesn't do anytime soon. And I've just ordered an iPad Mini to replace my iPad 2, which I sold off to buy my brother a (Windows) laptop. "You know you're throwing good money after bad, right?" says a friend. I briefly considered throwing something at his head. People often ask me for tech buying advice as I've been a tech journo for nearly four years and I usually tell them that it all really depends on what they need. Apple computers and tablets aren't necessarily better than the competition; some people just prefer using them to alternatives. I tried using a Google Nexus 7 but ended up selling it before a week was out. Android tablet apps are rather pitiful in comparison to what I can get on Apple's App Store but plenty of my friends like their Android tablets. Unlike me, they're not particularly bothered by apps. So long as they can surf and read email, they're happy. While some of my friends love being able to customise their Android devices to death, that's not a feature I need. But then I'm the type of person who changes my desktop wallpaper once a year. I'm of the kind who adapts to a tool as opposed to someone who prefers to adapt a tool until it works the way he wants it. When my BlackBerry finally keels over, I probably won't get an iPhone. Maybe I'll get a cheapish Android. Maybe I'll try my luck with Windows Phone. I like having options. What I don't like, though, is when people start making my tech choices a basis to judge my character. "Most Apple users are stupid," a friend said to me. "So I'm stupid, then?" "I said most!" I don't go around calling Windows users masochists. I reserve that title for Linux users: Having to go into the command line to reconfigure my X-windows whenever the GUI decides to stop working was not something I enjoyed on my old Linux machine. In the end, though, you have to go with what works for you. Even if you have to stick your fingers in your ears when people criticise your buying decisions. And the next person who calls me an iFag will get an iKick in the iDerriere. * This is the personal opinion of the columnist

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