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Armstrong sued over RM36m in Tour prize money Posted: 07 Feb 2013 03:19 PM PST Armstrong admitted to using performance enhancers during his record seven Tour wins. — Reuters pic LOS ANGELES, Feb 8 — Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong on Yesterday was sued by a company that paid him about US$12 million (RM36 million) in prize money in connection with three of the seven Tour de France titles that have since been stripped from him for his use of banned drugs. SCA Promotions Inc, in a suit filed in Texas state court in Dallas, alleges Armstrong and his management company, Tailwind Sports, defrauded SCA into paying Armstrong US$12.1 million in prize money for his 2002, 2003 and 2004 Tour de France wins by lying about Armstrong's use of performance-enhancing drugs during those events. Last month, Armstrong ended years of vehement denial and admitted in a televised interview with Oprah Winfrey that he had cheated his way to a record seven Tour de France titles through the use of banned, performance-enhancing drugs. Armstrong has been banned from cycling for life and stripped of race wins, including all of his Tour de France victories. "Lance Armstrong cheated to win all of his Tour de France victories," SCA chief executive officer Robert Hamman said in a statement. "He has admitted as much on national TV." "As a result of Lance Armstrong's unjustly achieved victories and related activities, SCA paid US$12,120,000 to Tailwind Sports Inc," Hamman said. "SCA also suffered reputational damage and substantial loss of business." An attorney for Armstrong could not immediately be reached for comment. Armstrong already has other legal problems. He faces a civil whistleblower lawsuit filed by former teammate Floyd Landis accusing Armstrong of fraud. The US Justice Department has not said whether it intends to join the suit. Also, last month two California men sued Armstrong and his book publishers for fraud and false advertising, claiming his best-selling memoirs, billed as non-fiction, were revealed to be filled with lies after his confession to systematic doping. — Reuters

Liverpool stalwart Carragher to quit at end of season Posted: 07 Feb 2013 03:14 PM PST Carragher gestures during a Europa League match in Liverpool February 18, 2010. — Reuters pic LONDON, Feb 8 — Liverpool's Jamie Carragher will retire from football at the end of the season after making more than 700 appearances for the club, the former England defender said yesterday. The 35-year-old, who joined the five-times European champions at the age of nine and made his first-team debut in 1997, is no longer an automatic starter and his appearances have become increasingly infrequent this season. "This will be my last season at Liverpool and my last as a professional footballer," said Carragher who won 38 England caps. "I'm making this announcement now because I don't want the manager or the club to be answering questions on my future when I've already decided what I am going to do," he told the club website (liverpoolfc.com). "I will be fully committed between now and the end of the season to doing the very best ... as I've done my entire career." Carragher, second behind Ian Callaghan in the club's all-time appearance list, has won a string of honours in his 17 seasons at the club and played a leading role in the astonishing 2005 Champions League final win over AC Milan. Liverpool clawed their way back from a 3-0 deficit and Carragher was at the heart of a stirring backs-to-the-wall defensive display before his team triumphed on penalties. This season has been mainly spent behind centre backs Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger in the pecking order at Anfield. Carragher has won his place back in recent weeks, though, and was impressive in draws at Arsenal and Manchester City. "It has been a privilege and an honour to represent this great club for as long as I have and I am immensely proud to have done so and thankful for all the support I have had," he said. "There are many memories I want to share and people to thank but now is not the time for that." Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers paid tribute to the defender but said he still had a significant role to play as the club looks to climb the Premier League table and continue in the Europa League. "Jamie has been absolutely outstanding for me since I joined the club. He has been a model professional on and off the pitch and has shown an unswerving commitment to our work," Rodgers said. "I know his commitment and dedication on the pitch will remain as it has done his entire career at Liverpool. "Jamie's focus is always on doing what is best for the team and he has said he doesn't want any distractions while there are still important matches to be played and won. "But when the time is right we, as a team and a club, will give the man the tribute and recognition he deserves; I know the supporters will want to say thank you to someone who has served them with such distinction for so long." — Reuters

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Over 90 per cent of Americans support gun background checks Posted: 07 Feb 2013 06:24 AM PST A poll today finds that over 90 per cent of Americans support gun background checks. — Reuters pic HAMDEN, Feb 7 — More than 90 per cent of US voters supported background checks for all gun buyers, while much smaller majorities were for stricter gun control laws such as bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, said a poll released today. But the National Rifle Association (NRA) edged out President Barack Obama in the poll, with 46 per cent saying the pro-gun lobby better reflects their views on guns, versus 43 per cent for Obama. By a margin of 92 per cent to 7 per cent, voters supported background checks, the Quinnipiac University telephone poll showed. In households with a gun, 91 per cent were in favour, while 8 per cent were opposed, Quinnipiac said. In response to the December 14 shooting that killed 20 school children and six adults in Newtown, Connecticut, Obama last month announced a series of gun-control measures opposed by the NRA, including proposals for enhanced background checks and a ban on military-style assault weapons. House Democrats were expected to announce their own firearms legislation today. A majority of those surveyed supported stricter national gun control laws, Quinnipiac said. Fifty-six per cent were for a ban on the sale of assault weapons, and the same per centage supported a ban on the sale of high-capacity magazines, defined as those holding more than 10 rounds. Congress would need to approve those initiatives and background checks. "The politics of gun policy are also unclear," Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, said in a statement. "Despite the huge news media coverage of the issue since the Newtown shooting, only 37 per cent of voters are more likely to vote for a congressman who votes to ban sales of assault rifles, while 31 per cent are less likely, and 30 per cent say it would not affect their vote." The poll surveyed 1,772 registered voters from January 30 to February 4 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.3 per centage points, Quinnipiac said. — Reuters

‘Light’ sodas hike diabetes risk, says study Posted: 07 Feb 2013 02:52 AM PST Artificially-sweetened sodas have been linked to a higher risk of Type 2 diabetes for women than sodas sweetened with ordinary sugar. — shutterstock.com pic PARIS, Feb 7 — Artificially-sweetened sodas have been linked to a higher risk of Type 2 diabetes for women than sodas sweetened with ordinary sugar, according to French research unveiled on Thursday. "Contrary to conventional thinking, the risk of diabetes is higher with 'light' beverages compared with 'regular' sweetened drinks," the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) said. The evidence comes from a wide-scale, long-term study, it said in a press release. More than 66,000 French women volunteers were quizzed about their dietary habits and their health was then monitored over 14 years. The women were middle-aged or older when they joined the study. Sugar-sweetened sodas have previously been linked with an increased risk of diabetes, but less is known about their artificially-sweetened counterparts. Researchers led by Francoise Clavel-Chapelon and Guy Fagherazzi dug into the data mine to look at the prevalence of diabetes among women who drank either type of soda, and those who drank only unsweetened fruit juice. Compared with juice-drinkers, women who drank either of the sodas had a higher incidence of diabetes. The increased risk was about a third for those who drank up to 359 millilitres  per week of either type of soda, and more than double among those who drank up to 603 ml per week. Drinkers of light sodas had an even higher risk of diabetes compared to those who drank regular ones: 15 per cent higher for consumption of 500 ml per week, and 59 pe rcent higher for consumption of 1.5 litres per week, Inserm said. There was no increase in diabetes among women who drank only 100-percent fruit juice, compared with non-consumers. The study noted that women who drank "light" sodas tended to drink more of it — 2.8 glasses a week on average compared to 1.6 glasses among women on "regular" sodas. The findings are published in the latest issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Its authors admitted the study had limitations. "Information on beverage consumption was not updated during the follow-up, and dietary habits may have changed over time," the paper said. "We cannot rule out that factors other than ASB (artificially sweetened beverages)... are responsible for the association with diabetes." The authors urge further trials to prove a causal link. The study covered women born between 1925 and 1950, who have been monitored since 1990. The paper noted previous research which says that aspartame — the most frequently-used artificial sweetener — has a similar effect on blood glucose and insulin levels as the sucrose used in regular sweeteners. — AFP-Relaxnews

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Conflict survivors find healing in theatre group performance Posted: 07 Feb 2013 05:48 AM PST 2010's production "I Once Knew a Girl" brought the unheard stories of women affected by the Troubles to the public.— Pic courtesy Theatre of Witness. BRUSSELS, Feb 7 — The European Union won the Nobel Peace Prize last year for helping unite a continent. But one US woman is demonstrating that in Northern Ireland, peace and reconciliation can also be fostered in more personal and expressive ways. Teya Sepinuck from Philadelphia is the founder of Theatre of Witness, a group that puts on dramas to tell the stories of people who would not otherwise be heard, performed not by actors but by the people themselves. The most recent production, "Release," portrayed the experiences of six men involved in the Northern Irish conflict which pitted Catholic Irish nationalists seeking a union with Ireland against Protestant loyalists determined to keep Northern Ireland as a part of the United Kingdom. The show, funded through the European Union's Peace III Programme, was designed to bring together people from opposite sides of the three-decade long conflict and reach reconciliation and forgiveness. More than 3,000 people were killed in the violence, often referred to as "The Troubles," before the Good Tomorrow Agreement in 1998 led the nationalist Irish Republican Army to disband. "Release" includes a range of perspectives: ex-prisoners, a former prison governor, a former British soldier, a policeman, and a man who survived a car bomb as a child. "They walk in each others' stories, which is like walking in each others' shoes," Sepinuck said. "It's just incredible. They love each other, so it's like watching love grow." James Greer, a former member of a paramilitary group, said that although he was reluctant to open up initially, participating in Theatre of Witness was one of the most positive experiences of his life. He shared the story of a bomb that blew his friend's arm off, and talked about his arrest and imprisonment. "The first time I did that, the emotions ran so high it was unbelievable," Greer, now 57, said. He performed these stories in "We Carried Your Secrets," which toured Northern Ireland in 2009. "I felt that I had exposed myself," said Greer, who now works with peace organizations. "Perceived enemies could have seen it as a threat, perceived friends could have seen it as exposing them, but universally it was received." Later this year, "Women and War" will premiere in Londonderry to share manifestations of loss, rape, emigration and refuge. With the help of peace and social agencies, Sepinuck has recruited women from around the world - Israel, Rwanda, Iraq, Afghanistan - to take part in the production. "I think that human beings learn by stories and we learn by being in the presence of others," Sepinuck said. "Especially when people are being deep and real and truthful." The roots of Theatre of Witness date back to the 1980s, when Sepinuck, then a dancer, created a performance about ageing using recorded sounds of laughter from her son and grandfather. In subsequent years, the group has used its distinct form of storytelling to explore social and political issues in the United States, Poland and now Northern Ireland. These raw, emotional pieces are not only a form of catharsis for the participants. In comments written after the performances, audience members have expressed how deeply the stories resonated with their own lives. "Listening to somebody whose husband was made into a human bomb and blown up at a checkpoint and watching her cry can reach people in a way that all the statistics and all the policy isn't going to do," Sepinuck said. Sepinuck generally acknowledges that policy is needed to achieve change and to work for people. She showcased her work last month at a conference of the European Commission, where she showed video clips and Greer performed a live piece. Sepinuck has a book coming out in February — a memoir about her experiences with the group she founded, including excerpts of scripts. But in her gentle and quiet, yet resolute voice, she insists that it's all about the performers. "The people that I work with become my teachers," Sepinuck said. "They are the unsung leaders." — Reuters

The Wanted take music to television with E! reality show Posted: 07 Feb 2013 02:14 AM PST Members of British-Irish boyband, The Wanted (from L-R) Siva Kaneswaran, Jay McGuiness, Tom Parker, Max George and Nathan Sykes, pose for a portrait in Los Angeles, California in this file photo taken April 4, 2012. — Reuters pic LOS ANGELES, Feb 7 — After storming the US pop charts with their infectious dance songs last year, British-Irish boy band The Wanted are set to invade television screens with a new reality show on the E! channel this summer, the network announced yesterday. "The Wanted Life," co-produced by Ryan Seacrest Productions, will follow the band members as they move into a house in the Hollywood Hills and work on their anticipated album, due for release later this year. The Wanted — Max George, Siva Kaneswaran, Nathan Sykes, Tom Parker and Jay McGuiness — formed in 2009 in England, and was signed by Justin Bieber's manager Scooter Braun for its US endeavours. The five, aged 19 to 24, are known for their raucous behaviour and are often pictured out drinking and partying with girls. "We've always tried to show who we are. We haven't hid much," band member George said in an interview with E! Online. "I don't think there's anything off limits to be honest ... We'll let everything be exposed," Kaneswaran added. The band have accumulated a strong following of fans on Twitter after hit singles such as "Glad You Came" and "Chasing the Sun" became radio and pop chart staples last year. The band also opened for Bieber at various tour dates including his sold-out Madison Square Gardens gig in New York last December. They will be embarking on their own headlining tour in the United States and Britain in the fall, with details to be released in summer. George has also grabbed headlines for his friendship with troubled actress Lindsay Lohan, who has been travelling to the UK with the band in the last few months. George did not say whether Lohan would appear on the show, which is set to premiere in June. — Reuters

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Schalke face Bayern with backs to the wall Posted: 07 Feb 2013 08:02 AM PST Greuther Fuerth 's goalkeeper Wolfgang Hesl (R) and player Abdul Rahman Baba watch the ball with Schalke 04's Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (L)during the German first division Bundesliga soccer match in Gelsenkirchen February 2, 2013. — Reuters pic BERLIN, Feb 7 — Schalke 04 are with their backs to the wall when they travel to leaders Bayern Munich on Saturday (1730 GMT), with a prolonged slump in form risking to derail the Champions League competitors' once sparkling season. Established as the main title rivals to Bayern at the start of the campaign, Schalke, who topped their Champions League group, have imploded since late last year with one win in their last nine games to drop to sixth place. Their fans were jeering and whistling after last week's home defeat to bottom-placed Greuther Fuerth, adding more pressure on coach Jens Keller, who took over from Huub Stevens just before the winter break, and his team. Keller has so far failed to turn their fortunes around with only one win in three games since the Bundesliga restart in mid-January. The departure of playmaker Lewis Holtby to Tottenham Hotspur last week, has further compounded problems, with their midfield looking out of sorts against Fuerth. The absence this week of several players who are on international duty has also not helped. "It is understandable that our fans are frustrated. We are now obliged to pull ourselves out of this situation," said midfielder Roman Neustaedter. "We have to work together to do this. If everyone shows what they can do then we will pull ourselves out of this situation," he said. "We have to keep working hard to get back to the road of success." HUNTELAAR DOUBTFUL Schalke, who take on Galatsaray in the Champions League Round of 16 later this month, could be without forward Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who was replaced in the Netherlands squad prior to Wednesday's friendly against Italy with an eye injury. He will undergo further tests to determine whether he will be fit in time for Saturday's game, Schalke have said. The mood could not be more different a few hundred kilometres further south in Munich, where Bayern enjoy a 12-point lead at the top following a record-breaking campaign so far and look set to end a two-season title drought. With three wins and three clean sheets in all games since the league restart, Bayern tightened their hold on first place, having conceded just seven goals in 20 matches so far. "We do not want to let off. We want to continue like that because everything is in our own hands," Croatian striker Mario Mandzukic, whose two goals last week in their 3-0 win over Mainz 05 sent him top of the Bundesliga scorers' list with 14, told reporters. "Up to now everything is going according to plan," he said. Champions Borussia Dortmund, on 39 points after their own fine start to the year with three wins, will look to strengthen their grip on second place with victory over visitors Hamburg SV (1430). Bayer Leverkusen, a further two points behind in third place, travel to Borussia Moenchengladbach (1430). — Reuters

Defeat shows France lack class to trouble world’s best Posted: 07 Feb 2013 07:57 AM PST France's coach Didier Deschamps watches his players during their international friendly soccer match against Germany at the Stade de France stadium in Saint-Denis, near Paris, February 6, 2013. — Reuters pic PARIS, Feb 7 — France had gained a great deal of confidence and satisfaction from a recent run of good results but yesterday's 2-1 friendly defeat to Germany in Paris suggest Les Bleus are still some way below the upper echelons of world soccer. When Didier Deschamps's team followed up a 1-1 away draw against Spain in a World Cup qualifier last October with an encouraging 2-1 friendly win over Italy in Parma a month later, many observers were claiming France were back among the elite. However, France were brought back down to earth against a solid Germany side, often lacking punch up front, looking slightly disorganised in midfield and vulnerable on the left side of the defence. "We lack efficiency," Deschamps told reporters. France enjoyed a handful of chances but the form of Karim Benzema came into question when the Real Madrid striker shot straight at Rene Adler after being set up nicely by Mathieu Valbuena and he missed another opportunity in stoppage time. "He just needs the goal that will free him for good," Deschamps added of the striker who has now failed to score in 10 international appearances. "He needs to get back the confidence a striker needs, as well as a bit of luck." Germany, though, did not need to rely on luck, outplaying France in the midfield thanks largely to Mesut Ozil's creative spark. The Real Madrid attacking midfielder set up club teammate Sami Khedira for the winner and proved a constant threat, exploiting the space between the France midfield and defence. "He is a player who has great technical qualities, it is hard to steal the ball from him, especially because of his positioning on the pitch," Deschamps admitted. Holding midfielder Yohan Cabaye, who has a history of struggling against top class opposition, was unable to prevent Germany from pouring forward while Blaise Matuidi did a better job, although only in the first half. GOOD DISPLAYS Newcastle midfielder Moussa Sissoko also struggled, with an international friendly against the team ranked second in the world proving far trickier than life in the Premier League has proved so far since his January move from Toulouse. "It was really hard to block them in the midfield," Sissoko said. "They (Germany) have more experience," Deschamps said It was not the lack of experience, though, that had Patrice Evra being outfoxed on both goals ashe left back looked far from his Manchester United best. He was barely helped by Mamadou Sakho, who failed to protect the left side of the central defence. Next month, France take on Georgia and Spain in World Cup qualifiers at the Stade de France with Deschamps keen to accentuate the positives ahead of the fixtures. "I saw some interesting things," he said. "It was not all bad." Franck Ribery once again showed that he had put his 2010 troubles behind him, offering a remarkable display with dazzling runs at the German midfield and defence, while Valbuena scored the opening goal and looked very lively throughout. Right back Bacary Sagna, in his first appearance since Sept. 2011, was solid at the back and threatening down his wing. Deschamps's main goal will now be to channel those energies so that France can be more efficient against Spain as they look to leapfrog the world and European champions in Group I. "There is a lot of frustration but we prefer to lose this game (against Germany) and then win our match against Spain," Valbuena told reporters. — Reuters

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New Bridget Jones novel set for November 2013 Posted: 06 Feb 2013 03:29 PM PST LONDON, Feb 7 — Bridget Jones will be back for her third instalment of inner city escapades in November, publisher Knopf has announced. A run of 250,000 copies will make up the first batch; the previous two titles in Helen Fielding's "Bridget Jones" series — "Bridget Jones' Diary" and "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason" — have shifted 15 million copies combined. Fielding (right) sees Jones as a character who has grown up with her readers, something that will be reflected in the story. "My life has moved on, and Bridget's will move on, too. I hope people will have as much fun reading it, as I am writing it," she said as part of the publisher's statement. As such, Jones will be depicted "at a later stage in her life", though still in present-day London. Bridget, like Fielding, was a late thirty-something when "Bridget Jones Diary" was published in 1996. — AFP/Relaxnews

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KPN sahkan penangkapan Yazid Sufaat, disyaki lakukan kesalahan keselamatan Posted: 07 Feb 2013 03:03 AM PST KUALA LUMPUR, 7 Feb — Ketua Polis Negara, Tan Sri Ismail Omar mengesahkan penangkapan Yazid Sufaat, bersama dua orang lagi dalam kesalahan keselamatan. Dalam kenyataan media yang diposkan di laman sosial Facebook, Ismail mengesahkan penangkapan tersebut, walaupun tidak menyebut nama Yazid. "Pada 7 Februari 2013, pihak polis telah menangkap tiga warganegara Malaysia terdiri daripada dua lelaki dan seorang wanita kerana disyaki terlibat dalam aktiviti keganasan. "Siasatan dijalankan mengikut peruntukan di bawah Kanun Keseksaan. Ketiga-tiga mereka disyaki menjadi dalang utama dalam merekrut beberapa rakyat Malaysia bagi tujuan aktiviti keganasan. Siasatan lanjut sedang dijalankan," menurut kenyataan media Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM) yang dipos di laman sosial Facebook. Yazid ditahan bersama pekerjanya, Mohd Hilmy Hasim, semasa sedang berniaga di kantin mahkamah tinggi Jalan Duta oleh satu kumpulan polis dari Bukit Aman, yang diketuai oleh Pegawai Penyiasat Inspektor Mani. Selepas ditahan, dia dibawa ke rumah Yazid di Taman Bukit Ampang yang kemudiannya digeledah polis. Sementara itu, Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM) mengkritik tindakan pihak Polis yang melakukan tangkapan menggunakan undang-undang yang membelakangkan Hak Asasi Manusia. "Hak untuk mendapat pembelaan secara adil di mahkamah merupakan hak eksklusif setiap rakyat Malaysia. Hak ini juga dijamin dalam Perlembagaan dan Kanun Acara Jenayah yang mewajibkan pihak polis membawa orang yang tertuduh ke mahkamah dalam tempoh 24 jam selepas ditahan untuk mendapat pembelaan," menurut penyelaras SUARAM, Ahmad Syukri Razab. Menurut Ahmad Syukri lagi, beliau bertanya kepada peguam Yazid, Fadiah Nadwa Fikri mengenai situasi tersebut, tetapi Fadiah berkata, polis mempunyai kuasa untuk tidak memberitahu apa-apa tentang penahanan dan penggeledahan itu. Yazid pernah ditahan di bawah ISA selama tujuh tahun kerana dikatakan terlibat dengan serangan 11 September 2001 di menara Pusat Dagangan Dunia di New York, Amerika Syarikat. Akta Undang-Undang Kesalahan Keselamatan (Langkah-Langkah Khas) 2012 diperkenalkan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak tahun lalu setelah beliau memansuhkan ISA pada tahun 2011. Akta Kesalahan Keselamatan (langkah-langkah Khas) yang diluluskan parlimen pada Julai 2012 merupakan akta ganti kepada Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA). Akta ini memberi kuasa besar kepada pihak polis untuk menahan orang yang dituduh sehingga 28 hari untuk tujuan siasatan tanpa melalui proses mahkamah. Orang yang dituduh juga boleh dinafikan hak bertemu peguam dalam tempoh 48 jam atau dua hari selepas ditahan.

Polis enggan isukan surat kebenaran bedah siasat Sugumaran Posted: 07 Feb 2013 02:23 AM PST KUALA LUMPUR, 7 Feb — Pihak polis tidak memberikan surat kebenaran yang diperlukan untuk menjalankan bedah siasat baru keatas mendiang C Sugumaran, kata ketua polis Kajang ACP Abdul Rashid Abdul Wahab hari ini. Peguam mewakili keluarga mendiang awal pagi ini memberitahu pihak Hospital Universiti telah melarang Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand (gambar) daripada menjalankan bedah siasat kedua walaupun Kementerian Kesihatan telah memberikan kebenaran bertulis. Pihak hospital berkata mereka memerlukan surat kebenaran pihak polis sebelum membenarkan ahli patologi forensik dari Thailand tersebut menjalankan bedah siasat keatas penjaga keselamatan tersebut, dimana didakwa mati akibat dibelasah polis, selepas pertemuan rasmi dengan menteri. "Kami berpuas hati dengan laporan bedah siasat kedua, jadi kenapa perlu kami isukan surat kedua. Mereka yang tidak berpuas-hati dengan laporan pertama. "Saya sudah berikan kebenaran kepada mereka untuk lakukan apa saja yang mereka suka dengan mayat, jadi pandai-pandai lah," kata Abdul Rashid kepada The Malaysian Insider. Beliau kemudiaan menambah mengatakan telah memaklumkan kepada peguam untuk memohon kepada mahkamah untuk mendapatkan kebenaran bedah siasat baru di Hospital Universiti dijalankan oleh Dr Pornthip. Salah seorang dari peguam keluarga, N Surendran mendakwa permintaan hospital bagi mendapatkan kebenaran polis telah dilakukan di bawah arahan daripada Menteri Kesihatan Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai yang dianggapnya sebagai cubaan mensabotaj proses tersebut. "Konsisten dengan pendirian Liow, keluarga mangsa telah menerima sepucuk surat hari ini bertarikh 7/2/2013 daripada PPUM yang menolak permohonan bedah siasat kedua melainkan memperoleh arahan bertulis daripada polis," tambah peguam PKR tersebut. "Ini sangat mengejutkan dan secara terang cubaan sabotaj untuk menghalang bedah siasat kedua daripada dijalankan." Surendran menegaskan pihak polis sebelum ini enggan memberikan arahan bertulis kepada hospital untuk menjalankan bedah siasat kedua walaupun mereka berkata tiada sebarang bantahan ke atas prosedur tersebut. Surendran memberitahu, Kementerian Kesihatan juga bersetuju untuk menyediakan kemudahan yang sepatutnya di hospital kerajaan kepada Dr Pornthip. Dr Pornthip adalah ahli forensik Thailand yang memantau bedah siasat kedua Teoh Beng Hock untuk mencari kesalahan dalam kematian misteri ahli DAP itu di bangunan Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) Selangor. Dr Pornthip yang juga merupakan pengarah Institut Sains Forensik Thailand, terkenal di Thailand kerana seringkali bertengkar dengan kerajaan sewaktu kempen anti dadah bekas perdana menteri Thaksin Shinawatra pada tahun 2003. Beberapa saksi yang melihat Sugumaran rebah di tepi jalan berhampiran rumahnya di Hulu Langat pada 23 Januari telah menuduh polis yang menangkap Sugumaran memukulnya ketika tangan pegawal keselamatan itu masih bergari. Polis telah menafikan tuduhan tersebut dengan mengatakan bedah siasat dijalankan oleh Hospital Serdang telah menunjukkan Sugumaran mati kerana serangan jantung. Kematian Sugumaran dikaitkan dengan banyak lagi kes kematian yang didakwa melibatkan polis seperti kematian Chang Chin Te awal tahun ini, A Kugan dan R Gunasegaran pada 2009, serta kematian pelajar sekolah Aminulrasyid Amzah pada 2010 selain beberapa kematian lain dalam tempoh dua tahun kebelakangan ini. Kumpulan Kerja Pertubuhan Bangsa-bangsa Bersatu mengenai Penahanan Sewenang-wenang 2010 (United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention 2010) melaporkan pada 2011 bahawa antara 2003 hingga 2007, terdapat 1,500 tahanan mati ketika ditahan pihak berkuasa. Majlis Peguam, badan bukan kerajaan dan beberapa ahli politik dari kedua belah pihak telah menuntut agar Suruhanjaya Aduan dan Salahlaku Polis (IPCMC) ditubuhkan sejak tahun 2006 lagi. Bekas ketua polis negara (KPN) Tan Sri Musa Hassan juga menggesa penubuhan badan alternatif untuk memantau polis akan tetapi beliau dengan tegas menolak IPCMC kerana menurut beliau tidak adil kepada polis.

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Malulah pada Abby Abadi dan Aishah Posted: 06 Feb 2013 04:53 PM PST 7 FEB — Semasa saya bulan lalu ada seorang yang pernah berjawatan tinggi dalam Bursa Saham bertanya, dia tidak faham dan tidak suka PAS bersekutu dengan DAP. Ada pula rakan sesurau yang tidak menyertai PAS tetapi suka kepada PAS, memberitahu dia dukacita PAS bersekutu dengan DAP. Kemudian seorang profesor yang bidang kajiannya sains politik, jadi orang Umno yang tidak kedepan sangat dan dapat pangkat kerana Umnonya itu, bersikap terbuka terhadap PAS, merasa ajaib mengapa PAS boleh bersatu dengan DAP? Imannya terhadap Umno tidaklah sekuat iman Ibrahim Ali Perkasa atau Menteri Noh Omar. Mengikutnya, Umno yang dianggotainya itu bongkak, rasuah dan macam-macam seperti yang selalu musuh Umno kata pada Umno, tetapi dia tidak boleh terima PAS yang bukan partinya itu boleh menerima DAP sebagai kawan. Padanya, DAP yang bercakap tentang anti-rasuah, mahukan kerajaan yang baik dan demokrasi adalah parti yang licik. Mengapa PAS yakin sangat dengan DAP yang bercakap tentang beberapa yang baik tentang Islam. Ia parti licik dan hendak memperalatkan PAS saja. Maka berkewajipan pula saya menjelaskannya. Saya mengambil masa untuk berdailog dengan sesiapa saja atas isu ini bukan sekadar mahu mempertahankan PAS, tetapi apa yang PAS buat sekarang adalah apa yang saya desak PAS laksanakan selama lebih dari 20 tahun dudu dalam Jawatankuasa PAS Pusat. Sebelum saya menyertai PAS, masih menjadi wartawan Utusan Melayu, dalam forum di Universiti Malaya dengan penalis lainnya Tan Sri Senu Abdul Rahman, Setiausaha Agung Umno dan Lim Kit Siang, Setiausaha Agung DAP, saya sarankan supaya PAS mencari sekutu bukan Melayu dan DAP mencari sekutu Melayu kita mahu berperanan secara berkesan dalam politik. Saya kata kepada semua yang sangsi akan muafakat PAS-DAP itu, awak jangan sangka PAS ini bodoh sangat sambil mengaku DAP adalah cerdik. Masalah Umno dan orang Umno merasa ia saja cerdik dan PAS bodoh belaka. Padanya Cina yang baik dan jujur ada dalam MCA saja dan dalam DAP itu semua penyangak. Malaysia dan kerajaannya yang rosak sekarang, orang Melayu, Cina dan India yang rosak sekarang adalah gara-gara politik bongkak, rasuah, menyelewang dll Umno seperti yang diakui oleh profesor tadi. Segala keburukan Umno yang saya sebutkan tidak pula dinafi oleh profesor dan bekas orang kuat Bursa Saham tadi. Cuma kata mereka yang baiknya Umno itulah Melayunya, bukan perangainya. Mereka telan semua yang buruk Umno kerana Melayunya sedang keburukan yang dilakukannya terhadap Melayu dibiarkan saja. Jika keburukan Umno itu tidak dihentikan, bukan negara saja lingkup, Melayu pun habis lingkup. Tiada cara bagi menghentikan keburukan Umno itu ialah dengan mengalahkannya dalam pilihanraya. Umno sendiri tidak boleh mengalahkannya dan DAP sendiri pun tidak boleh mengalahkannya. Sama juga dengan Umno sendiri tidak boleh menang pilihan raya dan MCA sendiri pun tidak boleh menang pilihanraya. Umno hanya menang kerana berkawan dengan MCA dan MIC, dan Umno dan MCA boleh dikalahkan dengan PAS berkawan dengan DAP. Kalau DAP mahu merasa kuasa mesti berkawan dengan PAS. Syarat berkawan dengan PAS jangan jadi anti-Islam, jangan senggong Raja-Raja, jangan tolak Bahasa Melayu dan jangan banyak hentam Umno, serahkan pada PAS saja menghentam Umno. PAS pula jangan banyak cerca MCA dan MIC, biar DAP saja cerca MCA dan MIC. Kalau DAP mahu berperanan dan berkuasa, ikut apa yang PAS nasihat itu. Kalau PAS mahu lama berkuasa maka jagalah perasaan DAP. Kalau DAP fikir ia nak perkuda PAS, nanti PAS boleh lari  dan berkawan pula dengan Umno. Ia bukan ugut tetapi itulah caranya supaya PAS tidak jadi kuda. Tapi dengan berkawan dengan DAP itu terbukalah peluang dakwah. Hal ini boleh difahami oleh pelakun filem Abby Abadi dan penyanyi Aishah. Mereka boleh faham, orang mengaji sains politik tidak boleh faham. Tidak malukah profesor dengan Abby dan Aishah? * Ini adalah pandangan peribadi penulis.

Take your temperature Posted: 06 Feb 2013 04:35 PM PST FEB 7 — Over decades, America has generated hours of laughter in Malaysian homes with their medical dramas. From the ever-quoted "House" to favourites of the past like "Chicago Hope" and "ER", and if one ventured further back to "St Elsewhere" and "China Beach." They are funny because in our living room we witness dedicated doctors, nurses and hospital administrators making big decisions, mulling over the smallest details and going the extra mile to get people with the strangest of conditions get healthy. For the Malaysian, that's a miracle. Think about it. Right now, in the office or home, if you find a colleague or family member convulsing on the floor, would you drive the person to a hospital or call for an ambulance. 2013, and I'd drive the person.   You would too, ambulance services in Malaysia are a mystery to all. The question in your mind, if you cared for the patient, would not be whether to wait for help to arrive, but to which hospital since in your mind not all hospitals help enough.  To a government hospital which has more equipment but no guarantee of immediate access to the right medical personnel, or to a private hospital which you are not sure has the right facilities. Not all is well in Malaysia healthcare.   In this election, you must expect those vying for your vote for a start to care about it, and then to have some ideas on how to move the issue of healthcare, primarily public healthcare, forward. Because today in a country where the majority are earning RM3,000 or less per household, any major medical complication for one family member turns everyone's life upside down. For that, healthcare must be an election issue. This is a continuation of the previous discourse on education as one of the litmus tests for those intending to govern. Today I want to highlight elements to the national healthcare debate. Healthcare is complex, however discarding the people who will benefit or die from its performance from the discussion is cruel. This is one subject where transparency and participation will yield the greatest good for the rakyat.  It should not be reduced to government officials telling everyone to stop complaining and be grateful that that it cost only RM1 to meet a government physician and receive free medication thereafter. 1 Care (not) Exactly a year ago a small storm referred to as 1 Care came along. A brave plan to provide comprehensive care for all Malaysians, financed by fixed deductions from salaries. Other than Health Ministry officials no one was gushing with excitement. The minister Liow Tiong Lai adopted the standard feudal lord posture, saying too many people are prematurely opposing such an innovative and compassionate programme. An "ungrateful" nation asked where were the details, since there were allegations that up to 10 per cent of everyone's income will be passed to a pool managed by unnamed people. The minister told Parliament that the blueprint will be out in two years, which means early 2014. One year into this blueprint preparation and the public are still in the dark about what will happen next year, and how much the rakyat must pay. Mind you this is a mandatory programme they have in mind. It is an open secret that with a growing population — and in time, a larger ratio of it ageing — medical breakthroughs, rising cost of drugs and equipment let alone doctors, and uniquely to Malaysia defective-on-completion buildings, a completely free healthcare is impossible as managed by the present government. They are ready to pass the bill down, it is a matter of time. Therefore, is it conscionable for Barisan Nasional (BN) to campaign to retain their mandate without speaking or clarifying about a major policy thrust they will insert into all our lives in a year's time if they win? Doctors and hospitals Modern medicine and its practitioners are central to the quality of life. The leading voices in the debate for better healthcare are doctors, outstanding individuals like Dr Roy McCoy. The Tung Shin Hospital doctors spoke out against police brutality in their compound during Bersih 2.0 because that's what doctors do, defend the weak and treat the sick. But in the last 30 years, bit by bit, the political agenda has eroded the ability of public healthcare to care for all, literally. The paying wings in public hospitals are indictments of suspect middle grounds to generate more income for the hospitals and the doctors. This country can pay its doctors better, and it can become efficient if medical decisions are made by professionals, not politicians. The monopoly of drugs and hospital services to companies like Pharmaniaga only adds unnecessarily to public healthcare costs. If there is a rationalisation of healthcare in this country — I am not opposed to all of us paying to stay healthy if that is what as a country we can afford — it has to be led by doctors, not politicians, 1 Care or any care. On private hospitals, though they are in the non-public sector the nature of the business requires a social driver in the decision matrix all the time. Fee policies cannot be on "how much can a person pay" as demanded by the hospital's accountants. This is why medicine, in particular billing, has to be stringently regulated, as it should be elsewhere. When the service traded decides mortality, the state has to be omnipresent even if not dominant. Mindful too that most private hospitals in our country are new and did not grow from community involvement or religious-social orders like churches. Since they are founded on grounds of being good business, there may be a social spine missing at times. Then the list There is a shortage of specialists, and alarmingly in distribution. A colleague told me that a cancer patient was asked to head to Kuala Lumpur if she wanted a state-employed oncologist. Unfortunately, since the patient lives in Sabah it is a bit of an ask. Granted the government said that there are only around 64 oncologists in the private and public sector in total, that fact does not abdicate the responsibility. Matching the need in a crucial and almost always life-threatening area of medicine should be a priority regardless of the cost. The Health Ministry should lead information sharing on generic drugs. This is easy, but requires effort. With many Malaysians on modest incomes, people can generally self-prescribe over the counter drugs. Information is the answer, and since general ailments repeat adopting generics is a major cost-saver. The ministry has to also engage the community, healthcare must seek to help even those who are unaware of what is available to them.  Drugs for HIV patients are free and there are methadone treatment programmes for illicit drug addicts, usually heroin. It cannot downplay some of these programmes because of the moral elements perceived. The government has conceded over and over that obesity and lifestyle choices are rendering more and more people sick. Diabetics, heart patients and those with high blood pressure inundate the landscape. There is a national crisis here, and government must act. Not telling people it is bad to be unhealthy, but to lead the charge. From mandatory sports in schools for both students and teachers to prosecution of parents allowing their children to be obese, there are various policy tools available. All policies require not launches but rigour, commitment and political will. Ask your candidate what he or she thinks of this. Dengue, and hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) outbreaks are common and rely on poor public health implementation. Are you confident that your local council, district health department and other authorities are genuinely proactive in improving sanitary conditions? Is there general progress in newer but basic healthcare components in our public delivery? From trauma counsellors, family liaison officers, managed care at home, full-service ambulances with emergency medical technicians and support groups — to deal with disease, effects and death. How to add them then? The column intends to spread out on a fictional table all possible things to consider when judging the public healthcare track record of the incumbent and also assist in examining the ideas the other guys might have. A politician told me that young voters are uninterested with healthcare, in my mind I could hear a pin drop. The young may be inexperienced by they are not stupid. The value of a pill is quickly internalised by people of our age from young simply because the pill helps them feel better. And mortality is not a concept only the old and infirmed grasp. Plus you are never too young to have a family member or loved one ravaged by disease. However, that politician is right, the hiding of healthcare from the political debate has been way too successful, and way too many don't talk about it though they live the reality it creates. It is compounded by our social zeitgeist that death is indeterminate and unavoidable, which of course corrodes our society's will to exact more from our public healthcare. More so, a society that does not think — therefore does not debate — a better public healthcare system will give Malaysians better lives is unsuspectingly dissecting itself without general anaesthesia. That does not usually end well. * This is the personal opinion of the columnist.

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