Sabtu, 12 Januari 2013

The Malaysian Insider :: Food

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The Malaysian Insider :: Food

Best wine destinations of 2013 list has glaring omission: France

Posted: 12 Jan 2013 06:09 PM PST

PARIS, Jan 13 — While usual suspects such as Italy, Spain and Australia are given nods in the list of best wine destinations for 2013 by the publication Wine Enthusiast, there is the notable omission of one major wine producing country: France.

In its annual Top 10 Best Wine Travel Destinations 2013 list, published this week, editors of "Wine Enthusiast" tipped their hats to wine growing regions like Italy's Puglia, Spain's Rioja and Australia's Hunter Valley.

But nowhere is there mention of French producing areas.

Leading the list are US-based wine growing areas, with three of the top 10 wine travel destinations hailing from North & South Forks of Long Island, New York; Monterey County, California; and Willamette Valley, Oregon.

Meant to represent the "wide swath of cultural and culinary experiences" the editors' picks promise "outstanding travel experiences and unforgettable wines."

"Whether your tastes lean toward the rustic climbing trails of South Africa's Stellenbosch or a tour of a Puglian castle, this list promises outstanding travel experiences and unforgettable wines," reads the article.

Meanwhile, TripAdvisor also released a traveller's choice of best international wine destinations last year, which likewise omitted France in favour of Tuscany, Sonoma County, Hunter Valley, Stellenbosch, and the Province of Mendoza in Argentina.

Here are the top 10 wine destinations for 2013 according to Wine Enthusiast:

Rioja, Spain
Danube, Austria
North & South Forks of Long Island, New York, USA
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Monterey County, California, USA
Vale des Vinhedos, Brazil
Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Australia
Douro Valley, Portugal
Puglia, Italy — AFP/Relaxnews

Champagne faux pas at Obama inaugural luncheon?

Posted: 12 Jan 2013 05:05 PM PST

WASHINGTON, Jan 13 — Would champagne by any other name taste as good? For French producers, the answer is a resounding "non" — especially when the beverage is to be served at the US presidential inaugural luncheon.

Champagne producers in France, who are very protective of the singular nature of their product, were not necessarily upset that California-made bubbly is to be served at lunch after President Barack Obama's January 21 swearing-in.

But the official menu from organisers — which includes steamed lobster, hickory grilled bison, apple pie and "Korbel Natural, Special Inaugural Cuvee Champagne, California" — released Wednesday definitely raised hackles.

"Champagne only comes from Champagne," Sam Heitner, the director of the US Champagne Bureau, told AFP, referring to the French region outside Paris where the festive fizzy beverage is produced.

The name may seem a trifling matter, but Europeans are striving to protect the names of regional and traditional foods originating from specific regions, such as French champagne and Parmesan cheese made in Parma, Italy.

The US and the European Union in 2006 signed a deal banning US producers from using the word "champagne" on their labels — but the law was not retroactive, so producers like Korbel can still use the French term.

However, they must specify where it is made — "California Champagne" or "New York Champagne," according to Heitner.

Later in the day, a spokesman for the inaugural organizing committee seemingly put an end to the bubbling crisis.

"The Champagne Lobby should have a glass of their own product and relax," said Matt House, spokesman for the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies.

"We are proud to be serving American champagne at the inauguration, and its location of origin will be appropriately displayed on the label, and the menu in accordance with the law, and international treaties," he told AFP.

"The menu will say 'California Champagne'," said House. — AFP/Relaxnews

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The Malaysian Insider :: Sports

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Armstrong to admit to doping in Oprah interview, says report

Posted: 12 Jan 2013 07:48 AM PST

Former cyclist Lance Armstrong. — Reuters pic

NEW YORK, Jan 12 — Lance Armstrong plans to admit to doping throughout his career in an interview with Oprah Winfrey next week, the American cyclist's first interview since being stripped of his seven Tour de France titles, USA Today reported on Saturday.

But Armstrong, 41, likely will not offer great detail about specific cases and events, the paper said, citing an unidentified source with knowledge of the situation.

The interview is scheduled to tape on Monday at Armstrong's home in Austin, Texas, and set to air on Thursday on the Oprah Winfrey Network.

Such an admission would mark a major reversal for the famed cyclist. Armstrong has always vehemently denied using performance-enhancing drugs and has never been proven to have tested positive.

But an October report from the US anti-doping body USADA cited Armstrong's involvement in what it characterised as the "most sophisticated, professionalised and successful doping program that sport has ever seen," involving anabolic steroids, human growth hormone, blood transfusions and other doping.

Less than two weeks later, Armstrong's seven Tour de France victories were nullified and he was banned from cycling for life after the International Cycling Union ratified the USADA's sanctions against him.

The New York Times reported last week that Armstrong was considering an admission of using banned drugs with the hopes of persuading anti-doping officials to allow him to resume competition in athletic events that adhere to the World Anti-Doping Code.

Another motivation might be to keep the scandal from hurting Livestrong, the cancer-support charity he founded in 1997, USA Today said on Saturday. Armstrong, a survivor of testicular cancer, stepped down as a board member in November.

Armstrong's planned admission, however, carries the risk of getting him sued or held reliable by those who believe he defrauded them by lying about his use of drugs, the paper reported. — Reuters

Struggling QPR hold Spurs in Redknapp reunion

Posted: 12 Jan 2013 07:07 AM PST

QPR chairman Tony Fernandes laughs before their English Premier League soccer match against Fulham at Loftus Road in London. — Reuters pic

LONDON, Jan 12 — Queens Park Rangers manager Harry Redknapp had to be content with a point in his first game against former club Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday with a 0-0 draw at Loftus Road lifting the strugglers off the foot of the Premier League.

A point moved Rangers up one place to 19th, although they will sink back again if Reading take a point at home to West Bromwich Albion in a 1500 kickoff.

The lunchtime kickoff lacked spark and creativity with third-placed Spurs stifled for long periods, although Rangers keeper Julio Cesar made smart saves in either half to deny Jermain Defoe.

Redknapp was sacked by Spurs in June after almost four years in charge at White Hart Lane where he took the club to the Champions League for the first time.

Six other matches are due to kick off at 1500 on Saturday, including fourth-placed Chelsea's visit to Stoke City.

Leaders Manchester United host fierce rivals Liverpool on Sunday (1330) before second-placed Manchester City, seven points behind Alex Ferguson's side, complete the weekend programme at Arsenal (1600). — Reuters

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The Malaysian Insider :: Features

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Six million turn out for global garbage clean-up

Posted: 12 Jan 2013 06:31 AM PST

TALLINN, Jan 12 – More than six million volunteers from 96 countries collected an unprecedented 100,000 tonnes of garbage last year as part of a global, web-driven clean-up campaign, cyber-environmentalists said yesterday.

"Last year the most astonishing numbers of volunteers attended clean-ups in Sweden, Bulgaria and in Slovenia," Tiina Urm, spokeswoman for World Cleanup 2012 said.

Nearly 700,000 Swedes, 322,000 Bulgarians and 265,000 Slovenians turned out to clear trash, often illegally dumped garbage, pinpointed with special software using Google Maps.

"In the last five years seven million volunteers have attended our clean-up actions," Urm said.

The Let's Do It! campaign started in 2008 in Estonia, where organisers created special software to map and photograph over 10,000 illegal garbage dumps across the Nordic nation of 1.3 million people.

In what proved an unexpected success, over 50,000 volunteers collected 10,000 tonnes of illegal garbage from roadsides, forests and towns in just five hours.

Backers of the clean-up campaign say the world is drowning in 100 million tonnes of illegally dumped trash.

A global cyber-environmentalist meeting to be held in Tallinn in February will focus on ways to expand the global clean-up.

Pictures, data and maps about World Cleanup 2012 are available on www.letsdoitworld.org. – AFP/Relaxnews

For many, EPF nest egg may not last the distance

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 06:51 PM PST

One consultant said RM100,000 in EPF savings was insufficient to fund a leisurely retirement. — Reuters pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 12 — Retirement must be the sweetest moment for any employee who has worked for over 20 years as it will allow them to rest and do leisure activities with their loved ones.

However, inadequate retirement funds may bring these dreams crashing down as some may continue to work following failure to manage their Employees Provident Fund (EPF), the only retirement scheme in the country.

According to studies conducted by the EPF, 70 per cent of inactive contributors had retirement savings of below RM50,000 and will spend it within the first five years of retirement.

Without financial stability from personal saving, pension or children to support them, this situation could put many retirees in a troubling position.

According to EPF's senior public relations manager Nik Effendi Jaafar, the EPF hoped to increase their members' saving with the introduction of the minimum wage.

"The main contributing factor for this situation is that low income earners will contribute a small amount into their EPF until their retirement age.

"We hope the minimum wage implemented this year will increase member contributions," he told Bernama here today.

However, he said the EPF would like to remind its members that their responsibility was to provide basic financial security for retirement but there was a possibility that the funds would not be sufficient for their needs.

Therefore, he said members were encouraged not to depend entirely on their EPF savings by choosing other investment options to increase their savings.

"In addition to that, to avoid reducing their EPF savings, members should only make pre-retirement withdrawals only when necessary. More importantly, we emphasise that a comfortable retirement is possible through sound financial planning," he said.

Malaysian Government Pensioners Association (PPKM) president Datuk Wan Mahmood Pawan Teh said a panel to provide financial management courses to future retirees should be set up to help them save more and manage their money well after retiring.

"For example, there are suggestions for contributors to invest in asset management companies, but the government has not provided detailed information to them so that they are not exposed to risks or fraud.

"Not all contributors, including from the private sector, can manage funds well. So we want contributors to understand the way to save, invest, set up business and spend in time for their retirement," he said.

Independent financial consultant Fiona Tahir said, at the age of 55, even if a person receives more than RM100,000 in EPF funds, they still cannot live comfortably.

The best way is to have other forms of saving and to invest at least 10 per cent of the net monthly salary.

"Saving up through normal saving with low return is useless. Savings must be invested in an instrument that yields higher returns than the inflation rate," she said.

Therefore she advised EPF contributors to invest in unit trust as it was capable of increasing retirement saving with low risk.

"However, we must remember that unit trust is a long-term investment for financial planning during retirement, children's education, or for emergency matters especially health-related," she said.

She said each investment, including property, gold and more also had risks and each individual needs to have savings or investment other than EPF to face retirement.

She added that the public should not get involved in suspicious investment schemes which promise high returns in a short period of time. — Bernama

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The Malaysian Insider :: Showbiz

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Alicia Keys, Katy Perry top bill at Obama inauguration parties

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 06:18 PM PST

WASHINGTON, Jan 12— R&B singer Alicia Keys, country guitar slinger Brad Paisley and pop star Katy Perry are some of the A-list performers who will entertain partygoers at President Barack Obama's inaugural celebration, organisers said yesterday.

Alicia Keys performs at the 2013 People's Choice Awards in Los Angeles, January 9, 2013. — Reuters pic

Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder, two prominent elder statesmen of American music, also will perform at one of the three official parties planned for the onset of Obama's second term in office, the inaugural committee said.

Other performers include salsa singer Marc Anthony, rappers Far East Movement and Nick Cannon, pop band fun., R&B singers Usher and John Legend, gospel choir Soul Children of Chicago, and members of the cast of the TV show "Glee".

Obama's swearing-in ceremony on January 21 is expected to draw up to 800,000 people, less than half of the 1.8 million who flocked to Washington in 2009 to celebrate the United States' first African American president.

That historic event featured 10 official balls. This time around, organisers are planning only two — one for members of the military service and one for the public. Organisers also plan a children's concert for the Saturday before the event.

Organisers did not say who would perform at which event.

The inauguration committee previously announced performers for the swearing-in ceremony. R&B star Beyoncé Knowles will sing the national anthem, while country singer Kelly Clarkson is scheduled to give a rendition of "My Country, 'Tis of Thee". Singer-songwriter James Taylor will perform "America the Beautiful".

It will be Beyoncé's third inauguration performance. Four years ago, she serenaded the first couple with Etta James' "At Last" at an inaugural ball, and in 2001 she performed at the children's concert with her band, Destiny's Child. — Reuters

Britney Spears calls off engagement, quits ‘X Factor’

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 06:00 PM PST

LOS ANGELES, Jan 12 — Pop star Britney Spears yesterday called it quits with both fiance Jason Trawick and as a celebrity judge on "The X Factor" talent show.

Spears, 31, and Trawick, 41 — her former agent — got engaged in December 2011.

"Jason and I have decided to call off our engagement," Spears said in a statement. "I'll always adore him and we will remain great friends."

Britney Spears and Jason Trawick in this file photo at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles. — Reuters pic

The couple began dating in May 2010, following a turbulent few years in Spears' personal and professional life in which she lost custody of her children, entered rehab and shaved off her hair.

Trawick added in a statement: "As this chapter ends for us a new one begins. I love and cherish her and her boys and we will be close forever."

The wedding would have been the third for Spears. She divorced dancer Kevin Federline, with whom she had two children, in 2006.

The singer also spontaneously married childhood friend Jason Alexander during a trip to Las Vegas in 2004. That marriage lasted 55 hours before the singer annulled the union.

Spears and Trawick announced their split the same day that the "Toxic" singer confirmed she was leaving "The X Factor" after just one year as a judge on the Fox singing show, saying it was time to get back to making music.

"I had an incredible time doing the show and I love the other judges and I am so proud of my teens but it's time for me to get back in the studio.

"Watching them all do their thing up on that stage every week made me miss performing so much! I can't wait to get back out there and do what I love most," Spears said of her "X Factor" departure.

Spears' most recent album, "Femme Fatale", was released in March 2011.

Celebrity website TMZ.com reported yesterday that Spears was in talks about a long-term residency gig in Las Vegas. The gambling city is already host to stars like Celine Dion and Shania Twain, who perform under long-term contracts.

Spears was recruited to "The X Factor" with a reported US$15 million (RM45.4 million) salary after a 14-year singing career that made her one of the biggest pop stars of the 2000s.

But audiences slumped and the TV show lost about three million regular viewers from its first season. Many fans and TV critics found Spears bland and boring.

The exit of Spears leaves "X Factor" creator Simon Cowell searching for two new judges to lift his show past its NBC rival, "The Voice", in the ratings when it returns in September.

Judge and record producer L.A. Reid announced in December that he would be returning full time to his job as the head of Epic Records.

Spears took "The X Factor" gig with singer Demi Lovato, 20, in May 2012 to fill the judges' seats left by Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger, who were both fired by Cowell a year ago. — Reuters

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The Malaysian Insider :: Breaking Views

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Armstrong to admit to doping in Oprah interview, says report

Posted: 12 Jan 2013 07:48 AM PST

Former cyclist Lance Armstrong. — Reuters pic

But Armstrong, 41, likely will not offer great detail about specific cases and events, the paper said, citing an unidentified source with knowledge of the situation.

The interview is scheduled to tape on Monday at Armstrong's home in Austin, Texas, and set to air on Thursday on the Oprah Winfrey Network.

Such an admission would mark a major reversal for the famed cyclist. Armstrong has always vehemently denied using performance-enhancing drugs and has never been proven to have tested positive.

Armstrong's planned admission, however, carries the risk of getting him sued or held reliable by those who believe he defrauded them by lying about his use of drugs, the paper reported. — Reuters

Pakistani Shi’ite keep second night of vigil over 96 bomb victims

Posted: 12 Jan 2013 07:40 AM PST

Members of the Hazara community and various NGOs sit-in during a protest against last Thursday's twin bomb attack in Quetta, in Lahore. — Reuters pic

QUETTA (Pakistan), Jan 12 — Pakistani government officials met with Shi'ite leaders late on Saturday as thousands of protesters prepared for a second night in the cold rain, alongside the bodies of 96 people killed in one of the worst sectarian attacks in the country's history.

Leaders of Shi'ite Hazaras, the ethnic group which was the target of Friday's twin bombings in the provincial capital Quetta, have vowed not to bury their dead until authorities promise to protect them from a rising tide of sectarian attacks.

Around 2,000 people spent Friday night outside keeping vigil at the site of the bombings - claimed by the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) Sunni militant group - spreading plastic sheets over the shrouded bodies to keep the rain off them.

By Saturday, the number had swelled to around 5,000.

Muslim tradition requires that bodies are buried as soon as possible and leaving them above ground is a powerful expression of grief and pain.

A delegation led by Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Syed Khurshid Shah met Shi'ite leaders after they complained about what they believe is the indifference of most Pakistani politicians to their plight.

Syed Dawood Agha, the vice president of the Shi'ite Conference of Quetta, said negotiations were underway with the government but nothing had been decided by Saturday night.

Small protests were also held in the cities of Lahore, Karachi and the capital of Islamabad, where around two hundred protesters held candles and placards demanding an end to attacks on Shi'ites, who make up 20 percent of Pakistan's population.

Parliamentarian Bushra Gohar from the Awami National Party (ANP) was the only prominent politician attending the protest in the capital.

She said there were several reasons why officials had been slow to respond: support for militants, fear or indifference.

"It could be pure callousness," she said. "Many political parties also support these groups. They are proxies."

Security policy in Pakistan is dominated by the army, which denies accusations it retains ties to militant groups, in part to counter the influence of India.

The ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP), which has seen some of its own senior politicians gunned down, has often been unwilling to speak out against militants for fear of being killed. — Reuters

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The Malaysian Insider :: Books

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The Malaysian Insider :: Books

‘Fifty Shades’ dons hardcover for collectors and courters

Posted: 12 Jan 2013 07:01 AM PST

LOS ANGELES, Jan 12 – Hardcover first editions and paperbacks for the masses – that might be the established standard, but the "Fifty Shades of Grey" trilogy by E.L. James is travelling in the other direction, with 200,000 hardcover copies due from January 29.

The "Fifty Shades" series first made waves in online form as an illicit tribute to Stephanie Meyer's "Twilight" novels, before its transformation into a best-selling paperback. So why produce a hardback edition now, after totting up 65 million sales worldwide without it?

Well, with Valentine's Day approaching, publisher Vintage hopes that the hardcovers will bring with them not only the allure of a collector's edition but also the prospect of becoming a gift for that special someone.

Certainly, the hardback has a different market in mind, trading at US$26 instead of the sub-US$10 cover charge that a paperback or e-book version would ask.

Romantically minded gift-givers should also bear in mind that the "Fifty Shades" hardcover comes a day after the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen's classic "Pride & Prejudice," for which an Anniversary Edition has of course been made available. – AFP/Relaxnews

Murakami Diary app gives iCal a literary look

Posted: 12 Jan 2013 01:12 AM PST

A screen from the Murakami Diary app. – Copyright Random House

LOS ANGELE, Jan 12 – The "Murakami Diary" launches just in time to mark Haruki Murakami's birthday, the paperback edition of his latest novel "1Q84," and the very pressing need for a more literary makeover of iOS's calendar app iCal in 2013.

Mukarami, who rose to prominence with "Norwegian Wood" and more recently "Kafka on the Shore," celebrates his birthday on January 12, and "1Q84" is due for publication in paperback format come January 22.

Quotations sprinkled throughout the diary were selected with help from Facebook community contributions, while also contained within the app are six of Murakami's short stories, redesigned book covers, and links back to the App Store for those who want to follow up with i-book editions of the writer's work.

The £1.99/€2.69/¥250/RM6.01 app also contains event creation and organisation tools, along with iCal syncronisation.

"1Q84" was longlisted for the Man Asian Literary Prize in 2011, an award eventually given to Shin Kyung-sook for "Please Look After Mom."

Murakami Diary (UK app store link): http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/id584881937 – AFP/Relaxnews

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The Malaysian Insider :: Bahasa

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The Malaysian Insider :: Bahasa

Perhimpunan jejaskan perniagaan, kata peniaga

Posted: 12 Jan 2013 02:12 AM PST

KUALA LUMPUR, 12 Jan — Peniaga di Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman dan Raja Laut mendakwa kerugian ekoran perhimpunan didukungi pembangkang hari ini menyebabkan ramai warga kota kurang mengunjungi kawasan beli-belah itu.

Malah, ada peniaga mendakwa kekurangan pelanggan hampir 80 peratus berbanding hujung minggu sebelum ini. Pekerja sebuah kedai aksesori telefon di Jalan Raja Laut, Omiratna Abas, 19, berkata kedainya tidak dikunjungi pelanggan selepas dibuka pagi tadi.

"Pelanggan kami kurang hingga 80 peratus. Saya lihat kedai makan dan kawasan ini juga lengang sedangkan pada hujung minggu, selalunya pelanggan kami ramai," katanya.

Peniaga Sate Kajang Haji Samsuri di Medan Mara, Romi Yuli, 30, berkata perniagaannya pasti terjejas setiap kali ada perhimpunan seperti itu.

"Walaupun kedai dibuka tetapi kurang pelanggan," katanya yang mengusaha perniagaan itu sejak tiga tahun lepas.

Penjaja makanan, Charles Kato, 26, pula terpaksa sentiasa bergerak dari satu tempat ke satu tempat bagi mencari pelanggan.

"Saya baru pulang dari Sabah...saya tidak tahu mengenai perhimpunan hari ini. Susah mahu berniaga kerana perhimpunan ini menjejaskan perniagaan saya," katanya.

Tinjauan Bernama di kedua-dua kawasan itu juga mendapati beberapa kedai menutup perniagaan kerana bimbang kemungkinan kejadian tidak diingini berlaku.

Seorang peniaga kain di Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Ahmed Bukhara, 43, berkata premisnya terpaksa ditutup kerana keadaan yang sesak dengan peserta perhimpunan.

"Keadaan ini menyebabkan pelanggan tidak mahu datang. Saya tidak suka kerana sebabkan kami rugi...susah nak berniaga," katanya.

Keadaan di Jalan Petaling, yang sering menjadi tumpuan pelancong terutamanya dari negara Arab, juga tidak banyak bezanya apabila ramai peniaga mendakwa sukar berniaga kerana perhimpunan itu.

Kebanyakan pelancong telah diingatkan oleh pengusaha hotel supaya tidak ke kawasan itu hari ini.

Sementara itu, beberapa warga kota yang ditemui juga merungut apabila himpunan itu menjejaskan perancangan hujung minggu mereka.

Penjawat awam, Zulfahmi Syafiq, 25, kecewa kerana terpaksa membatalkan hasratnya dan keluarga membeli-belah di Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman kerana terperangkap dalam kesesakan lalu lintas yang melampau.

Norizah Hasan, 26, pula terpaksa membatalkan hasratnya mengambil kursus perkahwinan di sebuah premis di kawasan itu kerana bimbangkan keselamatan selain kesesakan lalu lintas.

Norizah, dari Kampung Baru di sini berkata beliau akan berkahwin pada Mac depan dan telah mendaftarkan diri untuk mengikuti kursus itu hari ini dan esok.

Seorang guru, Mohd Kadir Abdullah, 42, pula menyifatkan kesesakan lalu lintas di kawasan Tuanku Abdul Rahman adalah sangat luar biasa ekoran perhimpunan itu.

Dalam pada itu, ramai juga yang meluahkan rasa marah mereka terhadap perhimpunan itu melalui laman sosial Facebook dan Twitter masing-masing.

Firdaus Ashraf menyifatkan perhimpunan itu sebagai terlalu fanatik kerana mengganggu aktiviti harian warga kota. — Bernama

Badan kehakiman ulangi komitmen terus junjung kebebasan

Posted: 12 Jan 2013 02:02 AM PST

PUTRAJAYA, 12 Jan — Ketua Hakim Negara Tun Arifin Zakaria hari ini mengulangi komitmen badan kehakiman untuk berpegang teguh pada prinsip kebebasan.

Beliau berkata badan kehakiman akan terus memperkukuh kedudukannya dan menentang sebarang cubaan untuk melemahkan kedudukannya sebagai sebuah badan bebas.

Ini akan dilakukan melalui latihan dan pengawasan lebih ketat terhadap anggota badan kehakiman, katanya.

"Saya ingin menyeru anggota Majlis Peguam dan orang ramai supaya mengelak daripada memberi rasuah kepada hakim dan pegawai untuk mendapat keuntungan peribadi.

"Sesungguhnya, dalam setiap perbuatan rasuah, pasti ada pemberi dan penerima. Anda semua boleh menyekatnya di peringkat anda," kata Arifin ketika merasmikan Tahun Undang-undang 2013 di Istana Kehakiman di sini.

Beliau berkata Jabatan Peguam Negara, Majlis Peguam dan badan kehakiman berkongsi impian yang sama iaitu untuk melihat badan kehakiman mencapai taraf dunia dan kerjasama rapat yang terjalin antara ketiga-tiga institusi ini merupakan langkah positif ke arah mencapai matlamat ini.

Arifin mengumumkan bahawa badan kehakiman mencatat prestasi cemerlang tahun lepas. Katanya pada tahun ini, institusi itu akan melaksanakan beberapa inisiatif baharu untuk meningkatkan prestasi dan kualiti kerjanya.

Arifin berkata mahkamah khusus berkaitan pembinaan akan ditubuhkan di Kuala Lumpur dan Shah Alam tidak lama lagi untuk mendengar pertikaian mengenai projek pembinaan memandangkan permintaan terhadap projek pembinaan akan terus meningkat.

"Kes berkaitan pembinaan memang unik kerana ia melibatkan isu teknikal, banyak pihak dan pelbagai terma pembayaran. Oleh itu, penubuhan mahkamah khusus mengenai pembinaan akan memberi manfaat kepada industri itu. Dengan mempunyai hakim khas, kes sedemikian dapat diselesaikan dengan cepat," katanya.

Beliau berkata untuk membolehkan Badan Peguam Malaysia dan Jabatan Peguam Negara menambah baik persembahan mereka dalam kes rumit, kemudahan sistem persembahan elektronik akan digunakan bagi membantu mereka ketika membuat persembahan.

Mengenai penyelesaian kes pula, Arifin berkata pada keseluruhannya, jumlah penyelesaian di Mahkamah Persekutuan tahun lepas meningkat sebanyak 175 kes, berbanding jumlah pada tahun sebelumnya.

Katanya Mahkamah Persekutuan berjaya menyelesaikan 759 daripada 1,375 kes rayuan serta permohonan kelulusan tertangguh dan sehingga 31 Dis 2012, terdapat 616 kes yang belum diselesaikan. — Bernama

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The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion

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The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion

Nasib seniman jalanan terpinggir

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 04:58 PM PST

12 JAN ― Apabila membaca artikel yang bertarikh 7 Januari di Berita Harian Online yang bertajuk "Seniman jalanan terjejas DBKL rampas peralatan", tidak ada apa yang boleh saya saya katakan lagi melainkan memang tidak ada jaminan tentang nasib para seniman jalanan yang berkarya di jalanan dari tahun 70an dulu sampailah ke hari ini.

Saya katakan begitu kerana setiap kali Datuk Bandar Kuala Lumpur bertukar, mereka akan punya idea yang berbeza dan segalanya bergantung di atas budi bicara mereka. Jika tidak suka, apa yang kita mampu lakukan?

Mungkin Datuk Bandar yang baru ini, Datuk Ahmad Phesal yang dilantik sebagai Datuk Bandar Kuala Lumpur berkuatkuasa 12 Julai 2012 , agak terbuka dan prihatin dalam menangani isu seniman jalanan, pun begitu adakah pegawai-pegawai bawahannya akan seiring dan senada dengan pandangannya?

Padahal para pelukis yang melukis di Bukit Bintang sudah melukis di sana sejak beberapa tahun yang lepas, juga para pemuzik jalanan atau busker.

Saya pun sedia maklum juga bahawa kita masih tinggal di negara yang membangun, tapi perlu diingat majoriti mentaliti dan tahap pemikiran rakyat semakin matang dalam menilai apa itu seni dan kepelbagaiannya.

Tentang hal rakan pelukis yang peralatan melukis mereka dirampas oleh pihak DBKL sewaktu sedang melukis potret pelancong , hal yang sebegitu sepatutnya tidak berlaku jika ada rasa tolak ansur dan hormat kita kepada sesuatu karya seni itu.

Mengganggu periuk nasi sang pelukis satu hal, memberikan impak yang negatif di mata para pelancong pun satu hal juga.

Kejadian yang berlaku di depan mata mereka sendiri mungkin akan buat mereka berfikir betapa Malaysia yang megah dengan bangunan berkembar Petronas di KLCC ini rupanya masih mengamalkan sistem dan pemikiran yang jumud sedang negara sudah mencapai kemerdekaan sejak 50 tahun dulu lagi.

Bagi saya tidak kisahlah jika kita ini pelukis dari golongan elit mahupun di tepi jalan. Yang penting kita bebas berkarya dalam bentuk dan ragam yang kita mahu dan suka selagi masih tertakluk kepada hukum dan peradaban.

Ada pelukis memilih jalan komersial yang penuh dengan kilauan bintang yang bergemerlapan yang penuh dengan puji-pujian, ada pelukis pula lebih suka memilih jalanan sebagai tempat mereka untuk berkarya walau tanpa kemilau bintang melainkan bintang yang bersinar di waktu malam di langit sana.

Seni adalah hal yang berkaitan dengan kreativiti atau bakat yang tidak semua kita akan memilikinya. Tidak semua kita akan pandai melukis mahupun bermain muzik kerana itu adalah anugerah dari pencipta kepada siapa yang dipilihNya.

Kita masih mudah menilai dari segi luaran. Dengan imej mereka yang biasa-biasa saja, kita lebih senang menilai mereka dari sudut yang negatif saja. Itu bagi saya pandangan di abad yang ke-18, di zaman kesultanan Melaka dulu.

Begitu juga apabila saya melihat isu pemuzik jalanan (busker). Pada bulan Ogos 2011 di Bukit Bintang juga, para pegawai dari Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat (JKM) telah memberkas seorang busker yang mereka labelkan sebagai pengemis.

Busker itu melumurkan seluruh badannya dengan warna keemasan dan berdiri tegak seperti patung. Untuk bergambar dengannya kita perlu membayar sebanyak RM2.

Pun mereka itu masih tidak faham tentang busking dan konsepnya. Bukankah tangkapan itu sesuatu yang menunjukkan tahap pemikiran mereka masih ke belakang zaman sewaktu negara masih di jajah penjajah dulu ?

Adakah Akta Orang-Orang Papa 1977 ( Akta 183 ) itu masih releven di tahun 2013 ini? Atau pun adakah busker atau seniman jalanan itu masih disamakan dengan golongan pengemis? Sedang di negara maju sana aktiviti busking sudah pun bermula sejak abad ke 18 lagi.

Perkara yang paling penting adalah "sokongan" dari pihak Penguasa juga Kerajaan. Apa yang saya lihat dan faham bila kita tanya pihak kerajaan, respon mereka semakin positif tapi itulah, bila sampai ke Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) dan JKM lain pula pandangan mereka.

Sebagai busker, saya turut dijemput bernyanyi di hotel mahu pun majlis-majlis formal dan tidak formal. Pun dijemput juga untuk membuat persembahan di kaca TV.

Saya berasa bertanggungjawab untuk menyatakan sokongan kepada golongan pelukis mahupun pemuzik jalanan kerana saya adalah sebahagian dari mereka.

Saya juga pernah cuba diberkas oleh pihak JKM sewaktu busking di Subway KLCC pada tahun 2005 dulu. Apabila mereka membelek profail artis dan album-album saya, mereka mula berlembut dan pegawai JKM itu mengatakan kepada saya bahawa Malaysia bukanlah seperti di negara Jerman.

Fikirkanlah sejauh mana tahap pemikiran mereka jika memberikan kenyataan yang seperti itu. Walhal taraf jawatan mereka itu berstatus "pegawai".

Saya masih mengharapkan ruang yang lebih akan diberikan kepada golongan ini oleh pihak Kerajaan untuk mereka berkarya, seperti di laluan pejalan kaki yang strategik seperti di subway KLCC contohnya.

Dan saya percaya aktiviti yang sebegini tidak akan memberi imej yang buruk kepada kerajaan bahkan memberi pulangan yang dan nilai yang positif di masa hadapan.

Pun itu bukanlah perkara yang mudah untuk dilakukan juga kerana ianya melibatkan pengurusan dan pelbagai kerenah birokrasi yang memang melecehkan. Mereka hanya fikir untung rugi. Mereka tidak akan faham tentang seni.

Pun jika pihak kerajaan konsisten dalam misi mereka memartabatkan golongan seniman jalanan ke satu tahap yang lebih membanggakan, saya percaya segalanya akan menjadi lebih mudah.

Bagi saya tidak ada bezanya jika kita berkarya di kaki lima jalan mahu pun di pentas yang penuh dengan kilauan emas dan bintang. Yang penting ada inisiatif dari kita sendiri untuk memajukan tahap kreativiti dan pencapaian dalam seni muzik mahu pun lukisan.

* Ini adalah pandangan peribadi penulis

A look at Lincoln as politician

Posted: 11 Jan 2013 03:46 PM PST

JAN 12 ― I'm a true blue Malaysian, but there's something about the American institution that is Abraham Lincoln that never fails to warm my heart. Without even trying to dig deep into American history, I found myself familiar with Abe-related things like the Emancipation Proclamation, the Gettysburg address, the 13th Amendment and of course his assassination at Ford Theater.

Some may call this a result of cultural or historical colonization by the American media, which in some ways may be true. But I think it's also a product of universal admiration for someone brave enough to fight for that most basic of human rights ― equality ― and all in the face of terrible opposition and at great cost.

And for a movie geek like me, what better way to get acquainted with Honest Abe than to watch the many movies about him that's been made throughout film's more than 100 years of history?

I have to admit that I've so far been unable to see D.W. Griffith's film Abraham Lincoln, which was his first talkie, and which was only released on Blu-ray about two months ago if my memory serves me right.

But other than that I think I've seen most of the important Abe movies out there, especially John Ford's enduring masterpiece Young Mr Lincoln, which I've seen at least three or four times. Heck, I even find movies about people related to Lincoln's assassination to be worth my time, like John Ford's The Prisoner Of Shark Island and Robert Redford's fairly recent The Conspirator.

After barely containing my excitement at Steven Spielberg's new movie simply titled Lincoln, I finally got to see it a few days ago and again I found myself awestruck by the great and humble man.

Quite clearly a Spielberg movie in Oscar bait mode (like Schindler's List, Amistad and The Color Purple) the movie is by no means bad technically, but it's really the subject matter itself that elevates it to a much higher plane than its mock-worthy Oscar bait status.

As usual, Spielberg, a naturally gifted filmmaker-as-entertainer uses his steady hand with surprisingly restrained and classical camera movements and angles.

With a visual strategy that mostly resembles his own film Munich, Lincoln successfully conveys the heavy weight on Abe's shoulders as it charts the months before the presentation of the Bill for the 13th Amendment (which abolishes slavery, in case you're unfamiliar with it) to the House of Representatives and the efforts made to not only pass the Bill, but to also end the Civil War with the Confederates.

In essence, this is a backroom politics movie, one which reminds me of the almost forgotten but ever more timely Advise & Consent by Otto Preminger, which shows the moral compromises and dirty machinations that sometimes have to be employed in order to achieve your goals, one that illustrates that sometimes the end does justify the means.

So here we are shown that in order to abolish slavery, and in order to gain a two-thirds majority of the vote, a softer form of corruption (which stops short of bribing, but promises posts in Lincoln's newly re-elected government) needs to be employed in order to get some Democrats to vote for the 13th Amendment as well.

For me, the beauty of the movie is that it keeps you in doubt about whether this method is justified or not. In fact, it is a movie about doubts, right from doubts whether it's right to employ dirty tactics like these all the way through doubts about what to do about the millions of African-American slaves once they are set free.

An exchange between Lincoln and a household employee named Mrs Keckley, in which she asks him about his thoughts on blacks and what will happen to them, beautifully sums up this dilemma as Lincoln answered, "I don't know you any more than I know anyone, but I believe you deserve to expect what I expect. And I'll get used to you."

There's even room for the personal doubts that haunt the Lincoln family, especially on wife Mary Todd Lincoln when their son Robert insists on joining the army, partly out of shame that hundreds of thousands of young boys have lost their lives in the Civil War and yet he, the President's son, is far away from the war in Harvard.

As I'm finishing this article, news just got out about the 2013 Oscar nominations, in which Lincoln leads with 12 nominations. I'll talk more about the nominees next week, but despite my aversion to Oscar-bait movies (which are usually cynical ploys to win awards), I'm definitely not complaining about Spielberg's Lincoln ― it's a lovely movie, and Daniel Day Lewis is simply marvellous in it.

* This is the personal opinion of the columnist

Kredit: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com

Sabtu, 12 Januari 2013