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Valentine’s Day: Gourmet sweets Posted: 12 Feb 2013 08:27 PM PST Pierre Hermé's Ella Heart.© PARIS, Feb 13 — From erotic, exotic and peppery chocolates to spice up your love life, to fairytale cakes that would make even the hardened heart flutter, master chocolatiers and top luxury pastry boutiques have come out with another wide assortment of sweet treats for this year's edition of Valentine's Day. You may want to still your beating heart for this virtual sampling of "I heart you" desserts. Pierre Hermé has three. One with a discreet heart in the bottom left corner is a litchi and rose pâte de fruit, or fruit jelly, covered in a raspberry ganache. The Ella Heart making no apologies to romance is made with a base of olive oil and lemon biscuits, an ode to red berries, and is filled with a light lemon mousse. In a lighter shade, Hermé's Tarte Cœur Infiniment Jasmin, or Infinitely Jasmine Heart, is made with shortbread, jasmine–infused ganache, jasmine tea biscuit and Marscapone cream. Dalloyau's collection of three signature heart-shaped offerings include the Macaron of Love, a raspberry-flavoured cookie filled with a Madagascan vanilla cream and raspberry compote. Another is a shortbread pastry filled with a Sabayon mousse and berries, and the third a choux-pastry filled with vanilla and raspberries. Want to spice up your regular repertoire? French chocolate boutique La Maison du Chocolat has come out with special edition bonbons with interesting flavour pairings. Among them are a vanilla and Jamaican pepper-spiced praline filled with almonds and hazelnuts, and Galanga and lemon chocolates. Godiva's signature gold box is an assortment of 36 milk, dark and white chocolate bonbons, pralines and ganaches. — AFP/Relaxnews

Eau de Pizza Hut rolled out around the globe Posted: 12 Feb 2013 06:19 AM PST NEW YORK, Feb 12 — Pizza Hut is expanding the launch of its novelty oregano, tomato sauce and cheese-scented cologne in 10 of its global markets after becoming a viral hit last year. Eau de Pizza Hut. — Pic courtesy of Pizza Hut What began as a simple Facebook message from a diehard fan's desire to bottle the scent of freshly baked pizza was turned into a marketing opportunity by the PR machine at Pizza Hut Canada. After releasing 100 bottles of the pizza-scented cologne to fans in Canada, the Yum! brand has produced 1,000 more 0.5 oz bottles of Eau de Pizza Hut, which will be awarded to social media fans around the world. In the US, Twitter users who tweet @PizzaHut using the hashtag #LastMinuteLovers will get a stab at receiving one of 24 pizza packages, offered daily until February 13, that include a US$20 (RM60) Pizza Hut gift card and a bottle of the cologne. Eau de Pizza Hut supposedly bottles the scent of freshly rising dough and finishes off with savoury hints of Italian spices like oregano, tomato sauce, vegetables and cheese. For your chance at a bottle, check your country's Pizza Hut Facebook page and Twitter feed. Meanwhile, rival Domino's has also launched a Valentine's Day special that will give away US$10 gift cards to fans whose names are variations of the word 'love.' Email love@dominos.com through February 15 for details. — AFP/Relaxnews

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Inter fined for fans’ racist chants about Balotelli Posted: 12 Feb 2013 06:02 AM PST Balotelli poses for a photo with his jersey before a news conference at the San Siro stadium in Milan February 1, 2013. — Reuters pic MILAN, Feb 12 — Inter Milan have been fined 15,000 euros (RM62,447) after fans chanted racist slogans about their former striker Mario Balotelli during a Serie A match on Sunday. Balotelli, who joined rivals AC Milan from Manchester City last month, was the target of abuse by Inter fans during their 3-1 home win over Chievo Verona. Serie A said in a statement that Inter had been fined because their fans "directed insulting chants and expressions of racial discrimination towards the player of another team." Balotelli, who joined Inter in 2007 before moving to City in 2010, had upset Inter fans during his time at the club by wearing an AC Milan shirt on a television programme. Milan and Inter are due to meet in Serie A on Feb. 24 and Inter president Massimo Moratti said he hoped there would be no repeat of the abuse. "I am very sorry," he told reporters when asked about Sunday's events. "I hope it doesn't happen in the derby."— Reuters

Selangor beats Sabah to advance into quarterfinals Posted: 12 Feb 2013 03:34 AM PST KOTA KINABALU, Feb 12 – Selangor book a berth in the FA Cup quarterfinals after defeating Sabah 3-0 in the second round of the tournament at the Likas Stadium, here today. Francis Forkey Doe became Selangor's hero when he not only made a breakthrough in the 47th minute by capitalising on a free kick taken by Solihin Kanasian, but also sealed the issue beyond doubt in the 87th minute. Mohd Raimi Md Nor made it two up for Selangor in the 52nd minute. Selangor coach Irfan Bakti Abu Salim told reporters that he was satisfied with the team's performance even though some players did not live up to his expectations. "For this match, I was targeting only a 1-0 win for it was a knockout match to enable Selangor to advance to the next round. "However, when the players succeeded in scoring three goals, we take pride in the victory," he said.  – Bernama

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‘Chicago’ cast to join musical Oscars line-up Posted: 12 Feb 2013 06:28 AM PST LOS ANGELES, Feb 12 — The stars of "Chicago" will reunite as presenters at this year's Oscars show, on the 10th anniversary of the film's Academy Award win for best picture, organisers said yesterday. Renee Zellweger (R) and co-star US actor Richard Gere (L) after their win for Best Performance by an Actress and Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy for their roles in "Chicago" at the 60th Annual Golden Globe Awards in 2003. — AFP pic Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Gere and Queen Latifah will join already-announced presenters including "Avengers" stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, Jeremy Renner and Mark Ruffalo. The 85th Academy Awards, the climax of Hollywood's annual awards season, have a musical theme this year, with highlights set to include Britain's Adele singing Oscar-nominated 007 theme tune "Skyfall." In addition, Dame Shirley Bassey, Norah Jones and Barbra Streisand will sing at the ceremony on February 24. It will be Streisand's first Academy Awards performance since 1977 when she sang the winning song from "A Star Is Born." "We are very excited to reunite the stars of 'Chicago' to present on the Oscars, on the 10th anniversary of the movie's win for Best Picture," said the show's producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. The four "Chicago" stars were all nominated for the 2002 film, although only Zeta-Jones won a prize, for best supporting actress, along with the best picture award and four other Oscars. Other presenters already announced include the four winners of the acting prizes at last year's Oscars: Meryl Streep, Jean Dujardin, Octavia Spencer and Christopher Plummer. — AFP/Relaxnews

Uganda deports British theatre producer of gay play Posted: 12 Feb 2013 05:54 AM PST KAMPALA, Feb 12 — Uganda has deported a British theatre producer charged with staging a play about homosexuality, the British High Commission said today. Homosexuality is illegal in Uganda and further legislation on the issue, awaiting debate in parliament, has drawn criticism from donors including the United States. Producer David Cecil, 35, was deported from the east African country late yesterday aboard a KLM flight, and arrived in the UK today morning, British High Commission spokesperson Chris Ward said. A court threw out a case against Cecil last month. He had been charged with disobeying a public official last September after ignoring orders to cancel a theatre production with a gay leading character. Cecil, who denied being a gay rights activist, could have faced two to four years in jail in the religiously conservative country if convicted. "We are extremely disappointed and obviously concerned that David was being deported without being given an opportunity to challenge the deportation order which would be through the Ugandan courts," Ward told Reuters. He said he had not arranged a meeting with Ugandan officials yet "but we fully intend to do so. It's obviously key ... (for) the UK government to know that due process is being followed." Immigration officials were not available for comment after the deportation, but have told Reuters there was a direct ministerial order to deport Cecil. A spokesperson said the ministry would issue a statement later. Uganda's immigration act enables the deportation of any foreigner declared by the minister of internal affairs to be an "undesirable immigrant". Fridah Mutesi, one of Cecil's lawyers and a gay rights activist, said they still intended to challenge the validity of the deportation order by filing a case to the high court. Cecil's partner, Florence Kebirungi, said she last heard from him at about 6pm (0300 GMT) yesterday night. "He called me briefly when he was at the airport to say 'Can you call the lawyers' and then before I could reply, he hung up," she said. Uganda's latest legislative proposals include a charge of "promotion of homosexuality" which could mean up to seven years in prison for activists, artists, lawyers and even health workers convicted of "funding and sponsoring ... homosexuality and related activities." Uganda's Minister of Ethics and Integrity Simon Lokodo has already been enforcing that clause in recent months to clamp down on gay rights activism, and had promised a "fresh investigation" into Cecil after he was cleared last month. A previous bill, denounced as "odious" by US President Barack Obama, had proposed the death penalty for gays. — Reuters

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US court invalidates patent on Bristol hepatitis B drug Posted: 12 Feb 2013 07:49 AM PST NEW YORK, Feb 12 — A US federal court has invalidated the US patent on Bristol-Myers Squibb Co's Baraclude treatment for hepatitis B after a challenge from generic drugmaker Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, Bristol-Myers said on Tuesday. "We are disappointed with the court's decision and believe it is incorrect," Bristol-Myers spokeswoman Laura Hortas said. She said the company is considering whether to appeal the ruling by the US District Court in Delaware. Bristol-Myers had filed suit against Israeli drugmaker Teva in 2010 to block introduction of its generic form of Baraclude. Hortas said the drug's chemical patent lapses in February 2015, but declined to comment on whether US regulators might allow Teva's generic onto the market before then. Teva officials could not immediately be reached for comment. ISI Group analyst Mark Schoenebaum said the US Food and Drug Administration would have to approve Teva's marketing application before its generic could be introduced, and that it was unclear when the FDA might act. Schoenebaum said Baraclude is expected to have US sales this year of about US$260 million (RM805.61). Even if the Teva generic arrives this year and hurts Baraclude's US sales, he said Bristol-Myers will probably not need to lower its current full-year profit forecast. Shares of Bristol-Myers were down 0.6 per cent at US$36.69 on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday morning. Teva shares were down 0.4 per cent in Tel Aviv. — Reuters

Latest photo of Rolls-Royce suggests power Posted: 12 Feb 2013 07:39 AM PST The latest photo, officially released February 12, suggests that the Wraith may have 'sporting' as well as luxury credentials. – Pix courtesy of ©Rolls- Royce motor cars LTD LONDON, Feb 12 – Rolls-Royce continues to tease its client base and luxury car fans alike with the second official picture of its upcoming Wraith. The car is scheduled to make its first official appearance at the Geneva Motor Show on March 7, and the latest picture shows its rear quarters in silhouette and suggest that the car may break with the marque's 108-year reputation for discreet power and performance. The little that can be seen is muscular and reminiscent of recent Bentleys in terms of flared arches and muscular haunches. The hints that Rolls-Royce is dropping also suggest that this will be a driver's car. It describes its power as being "more than ample" rather than the more traditional "adequate, sir" and therefore will have to combine luxury and a magic carpet ride in terms of suspension and dampening with road handling and feedback. An earlier photo, released in January, shows that the new model will be a coupe and therefore aimed at those that like to drive, rather than be driven. In terms of popularity and demand, Rolls-Royce has never been so successful. 2012 represented the company's greatest year ever in terms of sales. It delivered 3,575 vehicles to its clients and claims that its bespoke wing—which customises cars to owners' exact specifications—has never been busier. The marque is now sold in over 40 countries and, despite ongoing economic uncertainty, has seen growth in every territory, including the US, which overtook China to retake its position as the company's most important market. The customisation and bespoke service proved so popular in 2012 that 95 per cent of all Phantoms and 73 per cent of its Ghost models left the factory with some form of bespoke personalisation. – AFP-Relaxnews

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Smoking out tobacco: The rise of the e-cig Posted: 12 Feb 2013 01:32 AM PST A flurry of e-cigs are entering the market as tobacco prices skyrocket and smokers become ever more concerned about the toxins they inhale. — shutterstock.com pic PARIS, Feb 12 — The camera zooms in on a stubble-bearded hunk dragging on a cigarette and blowing out a thick cloud of smoke with what seems to be great satisfaction. It resembles the TV smoking ads of yesteryear, now banned in most of the world, yet this modern-day offering is approved for American television viewers. "You know what the most amazing thing about this cigarette is? It isn't one," explains a narrator as the modern-day Marlboro Man fixes the viewer with a broody stare before returning the reusable smoke to a container that resembles the traditional pocket-sized cardboard pack. The NJOY "cigarette" is electronic -- its tip lights up with the help of an LED and what appears to be smoke is actually water vapour. The actor is not smoking, but "vaping". "Cigarettes, you have met your match," proclaims the ad for a product that claims to mimic "the look, feel and flavour of the real thing" — minus the tar, ash, smoke and most toxins. NJOY is one of a flurry of e-cigs entering the market as tobacco prices skyrocket and smokers become ever more concerned about the toxins they inhale. But the jury is still out on whether the gadgets are safe or not. "Without question, e-cigarettes are safer than traditional tobacco cigarettes," said Joel Nitzkin, of the American Association of Public Health Physicians. "They deliver nicotine, with only the tiniest traces of other toxic chemicals." But there are concerns that these battery-driven alternatives, officially called electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), may pose health hazards we are not even aware of yet -- just like cigarettes before their ill-effects became clear. "The safety of ENDS has not been scientifically demonstrated," the World Health Organisation said in response to a query. "The potential risks they pose for the health of users remain undetermined." The UN's health organ said some testing "suggests the presence of other toxic chemicals, aside from nicotine", and "strongly advised" consumers not to use them. E-cigs first emerged in China in 2003 as an alternative to tobacco, which kills nearly six million people each year. Just like their predecessors in the 1950s and 60s, electronic cigarettes are being advertised with attractive women and rugged, virile men — hinting at a better, more popular you. It's a strategy that seems to work. A study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine (AJPM) last month said 80 percent of users questioned in the United States, Britain, Canada and Australia believed e-cigarettes to be less harmful than their tobacco counterparts. NJOY chief executive Craig Weiss told AFP that industry predictions are for electronic cigarette sales, which have doubled in the United States every year since 2008, to reach $1 billion (about 750,000 euros) in 2013. "Growth in the category has occurred as a result of the millions of smokers who are actively seeking an alternative to cigarettes," he said by email. The company would not comment on the health aspects. According to Nitzkin, the hazard posed by traditional tobacco cigarettes is about 100 times higher than today's smokeless tobacco alternatives. "When burned, cigarettes create a tarry residue that sticks to the inside of the smallest bronchial tubes of the lungs and in the alveoli, where the body absorbs the oxygen and releases the carbon dioxide. "This tarry residue stays in place 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the life of the smoker," he said — a side-effect that ENDS do not have. Yet the European Respiratory Society said this month it could not classify e-cigs as a safe alternative to smoking, and stressed the principle that tobacco users "should not trade one carcinogenic product for another." Last month, the UK's Advertising Standards Authority banned an ad for an e-cigarette, Nicolites, saying: "claims that the product was not harmful had not been substantiated". Some researchers have also expressed concerns that non-smokers may get hooked on nicotine through e-cigarette use, or that the gadget would keep people addicted to nicotine who might otherwise have quit. Nicotine can be harmful to children, pregnant women and adults with heart disease. A recent study among 3,400 high school pupils in France showed that 12 per cent of 15-to-16-year-olds who claimed never to have smoked before had experimented with ENDS, and 19 per cent of 17-year-olds. "As a doctor, I cannot recommend the electronic cigarette," lung specialist Bertrand Dautzenberg told AFP recently at the Pitie-Salpetriere hospital in Paris. "But I would not interfere with a smoker who wants to take it up. With a cigarette, there is a 50 perc ent chance of killing oneself. With the electronic cigarette, we aren't too sure yet, but it is probably less," he said. — AFP-Relaxnews

High-tech glasses correct colour blindness Posted: 12 Feb 2013 01:26 AM PST Scientists have created a pair of glasses that have been shown to correct red and green color blindness. — shutterstock.com pic NEW YORK, Feb 12 — If you are red and green colour blind, a new set of specs may brighten your world. iO9.com recently reported on the glasses, developed by 2AI Labs in Boise, Idaho, which use filters to help doctors spot veins more easily. But they have a surprising side benefit: they can enhance the ability to see red and green colors. "We didn't design them for colour blind people," evolutionary neurobiologist Mark Changizi of 2AI Labs told New Scientist, "but we weren't too surprised to find they help." Last summer, the team at 2AI developed three pairs of glasses called O2Amps based on Changizi's colour vision theory. According to his theory, colour vision evolved to "perceive oxygenation and hemoglobin variations in skin in order to detect social cues, emotions and the states of our friends or enemies," writes Scientific American. The goal of the new glasses is to visually enhance this effect, to better clue wearers into the emotional state of people around them. The eyewear is currently being used for various practical applications, including medical, to help nurses spot veins, and to applify bruising that may be invisible to the naked eye. Late last year, 2AI Labs distributed the Oxy-Iso variety lenses to people who are colour blind to see if they would help with red-green colour blindness (a genetic trait that occurs in about 10 per cent of men), with positive response from users. The downside is that the lenses inhibit the perception of yellows and blues, which can be problematic for drivers because the glasses render yellow lights nearly invisible, reports Scientific American. The company is also in the process of developing ambient lighting technology to reduce glare and create a warm illumination, making everyone in the room look younger and more luminous, no corrective eyewear needed. — AFP-Relaxnews

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SUPP dapat sokongan berlandaskan semangat setiakawan BN Posted: 12 Feb 2013 03:41 AM PST KUCHING, 12 Feb — Parti gabungan Barisan Nasional (BN) Sarawak akan mempamerkan permuafakatannya dengan Parti Rakyat Bersatu Sarawak (SUPP) berlandaskan semangat setia kawan BN untuk mendapatkan semula sokongan pengundi Cina pada pilihan raya umum akan datang, kata setiausaha agung BN negeri Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi hari ini. Dr Rundi, yang juga setiausaha agung Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB), berkata beliau menyokong kenyataan ketua menteri dan pengerusi BN Sarawak Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud (gambar) semalam bahawa SUPP perlu menunjukkan bahawa ia sebuah parti yang bersatu padu dan bekerjasama dengan semua parti komponen BN, termasuk PBB, yang menjadi tonggak BN Sarawak. "Dalam semangat setia kawan BN, saya bersetuju dengan pendirian ketua menteri tentang perkara itu," katanya kepada Bernama di sini. Presiden SUPP Datuk Seri Peter Chin dilaporkan berkata Taib, yang juga presiden PBB, memberi komitmen bahawa PBB akan memberi segala sokongan yang termampu olehnya kepada SUPP bagi menghadapi pilihan raya umum ke-13 ketika menghadiri majlis rumah terbuka Tahun Baharu Cina yang dihoskan Chin di Miri. Pada pertemuan itu, Taib juga menasihati SUPP supaya bekerja lebih keras untuk mendapatkan undi pemilih Cina serta bekerjasama dengan semua parti komponen BN bagi memastikan BN memperoleh kemenangan besar. Pada pilihan raya umum 2008, SUPP, yang bertanding di tujuh kawasan parlimen, kalah kerusi parlimen Bandar Kuching kepada DAP dan mengalami nasib yang sama pada pilihan raya kecil parlimen Sibu dua tahun kemudian. Ditanya sama ada golongan muda dan pengundi luar bandar, yang secara tradisi merupakan penyokong BN, akan merupakan "pengundi atas pagar", yang menentukan keputusan pilihan raya kali ini, Dr Rundi berkata beliau yakin golongan itu akan menyokong BN. Dr Rundi berkata beliau yakin dengan sokongan golongan itu walaupun pembangkang begitu sibuk menyebar propaganda mereka, termasuk cuba mempengaruhi penduduk luar bandar melalui stesen radio rahsia yang beroperasi di luar negara untuk memburuk-burukkan kerajaan. "Kami harap dasar kami akan dibaca dan difahami dengan jelas oleh kumpulan ini," katanya, merujuk kepada pelbagai program transformsi sosioekonomi yang sedang dilaksanakan kerajaan sebagai inisiatif berterusan untuk membawa perubahan besar dan meningkatkan taraf hidup rakyat. Mengikut tradisi, bagi pilihan raya umum, PBB diperuntukkan 14 kerusi parlimen, SUPP (tujuh), Parti Rakyat Sarawak (PRS) dan Parti Demokratik Progresif Sarawak (SPDP) masing-masing diperuntukkan enam dan empat kerusi daripada sejumlah 31 kerusi di Sarawak. — Bernama

Pengusaha bas swasta mahu pampasan jika industri bersikap ‘berat sebelah’ Posted: 12 Feb 2013 01:09 AM PST KUALA LUMPUR, 13 Feb — Syarikat-syarikat operator bas di seluruh negara menuntut persaingan lebih adil antara mereka dan syarikat berkait kerajaan (GLC), dan menuntut kerajaan membayar pampasan yang adil atau persaingan lebih terbuka tanpa skap 'berat sebelah'. Menurut presiden Persatuan Operator Bas Se-Malaysia (PMBOA), Datuk Mohamad Ashfar Ali, beliau menggambarkan industri bas sebagai "tidak berfungsi", serta dasar berat sebelah polisi pengangkutan kerajaan "merosakkan sektor industri bas swasta" "Dasar kerajaan bukan sahaja menentang Model Ekonomi Baru (NEM), tetapi menyebabkan kerajaan mempunyai kepentingan sendiri dan mengakibatkan penurunan produktiviti dan efisiensi. "Sudah diketahui ramai bahawa industri bas swasta kini dalam keadaan murung walaupun wang rakyat banyak mengalir dan banyak subsidi diberikan," kata Ashfar. Beliau menyatakan lima perkara yang menjejaskan perniagaan, terutamanya ruang yang tidak adil antara syarikat milik kerajaan seperti Prasarana, Rapid dan Mara dengan syarikat pengusaha bas swasta. Ashfar merujuk kepada kenyataan Prasarana di akhbar News Straits Times, pada 4 Januari bahawa syarikat tersebut mahu mendapatkan RM6 billion melalui bon sukuk untuk membiayai projek-projek Prasarana akan datang. "Ini kerana syarikat pengusaha bas swasta tidak dapat beroperasi dan terpaksa mengurangkan operasi, kegagalan memberi pampasan kepada syarikat swasta operator bas, ia adalah pemiliknegaraan jalan belakang, atau dengan kata lain, adalah satu bentuk rampasan," kata Mohamad Ashfar dalam kenyataannya hari ini. Menurut beliau, PMBOA merasakan kehilangan peluang ekonomi apabila ruang tidak diberikan seadilnya untuk mereka menjalankan operasi mereka, dan pencerobohan dalam koridor mereka apabila Rapid diperluaskan. "Kehilangan dalam kebebasan ekonomi tidak hanya menyebabkan kelembapan pertumbuhan ekonomi, tetapi memberi masalah kepada sosial seperti kesihatan, masalah kemiskinan, gagal melindungi alam sekitar dan kehilangan masa produktif kerana kesesakan jalan raya," kata Ashfar lagi. "Sudah jelas niat kerajaan bahawa Rapid, (walaupun kos operasi Rapid KL berjumlah RM280 juta, berbanding pendapatan cuma RM180 juta tahun lalu), adalah untuk memiliknegarakan industri bas, jadi ia hanya akan jadi adil jika kerajaan membayar pampasan kepada syarikat swasta. Ashfar berkata, formula yang digunapakai kerajaan negeri Melaka apabila mahu mengambil alih perkhidmatan bas adalah dengan membayar pampasan kepada operator bas berdasarkan harga pasaran operasi bas, bayaran pampasan kepada pekerja, dan bayaran secara 'lump sum' kepada syarikat bagi tujuan penutupan operasi. "Ini adalah hak melindungi hak individu dan melindungi harta, yang memjadi perkara penting dalam demokrasi, dan untuk membayar penghargaan kepada mereka yang berkorban untuk masyarakat dan ekonomi tempatan, serta kebajikan negara ini," kata Mohamad Ashfar lagi. Rapid kini dalam proses menambah kawasan liputan perkhidmatan merekaa, selain di Lembah Kelang, Pulau Pinang, dan Kuantan, dan berkemungkinan akan turut diwujudkan di Kota Bharu sekiranya Barisan Nasional berjaya memenangi negeri Kelantan daripada PAS. Pada Bajet 2013, Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak mengumumkan akan mengembangkan perkidmatan Rapid ke Ipoh dan Seremban.

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The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion

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Celebrating together Posted: 11 Feb 2013 04:28 PM PST FEB 12 — Hopefully it is still not too late for me to wish a Happy Chinese New Year to all those celebrating the festival. Surely, being a Malaysian, apart from the McDonald's prosperity burger, there is something else to look forward to on this joyous occasion. It is the celebration itself, which is not only celebrated by the Chinese, but also by all Malaysians across race, language, culture and religion. Perhaps this is evidence of the uniqueness of our multi-racial nationhood. We do not simply celebrate our own customs among our own kind, but we gather together as one, and staying true to our open house tradition. It is worth to note that the celebration this year comes in the midst of the rising political temperature. Hence, every move taken by political parties may be interpreted as being politically motivated — be it Najib Razak's special appearance in a Chinese New Year video or Anwar Ibrahim's call for change in his Chinese New Year address. Interestingly, several predictions have been made for the Year of the Snake. Taiwanese astrologer Tsai Sang-chi notes that since snakes can be associated with monsters, we can expect some political turbulence. Meanwhile, feng shui expert Master Koh predicts that blue and green will be the lucky colours this year, which is interesting if we were to put it into the context of Malaysian politics. Of course, we can make our own prediction for the coming general election. What is more important is that we stay together and accept whatever that may be the outcome of the election. Indeed, this is the strength of nationhood. It is not merely about being able to celebrate different festive seasons together. Rather, it is our ability to move forward as a nation and rise beyond the political differences. Malaysia was built on the dreams of people looking for a better future; from the travels of Parameswara which gave birth to our Malacca sultanate, to the migration of Indians and Chinese facilitated by the British. Not to forget, the faithful journey that was made by Tunku Abdul Rahman and his delegation to London in their efforts to claim our independence. We, the younger generations, are the inheritors of those beautiful dreams. Our forefathers had made the important decision to come together because they saw something in Malaya. They agreed to co-exist at that point of time because they believed that they were making the right choice for the future of their children and grandchildren. Despite all the pessimism about unity and our polarised situation, the truth is that all of us can work well together. For all this while, we have gone our own ways without interfering with the customs of the other, but that does not mean that we are being ignorant or we stand apart from each other. Instead, it is simply testament of the high level of mutual respect and understanding among us, which echoes Tunku's famous maxim: "Live and let live". And it was this principle which eventually led to this experiment of our nation. We are the products of this liberal ideology, which revolves around acceptance and tolerance. This belief that people, regardless of colour or creed, can do much more than just co-exist under one banner. It was premised on the fundamental notion of unity, guided by democratic principles and ultimately governed by moderation. Elements of religious extremism are creeping into our country. We are currently facing challenges that could disrupt and destabilise racial unity it they are not dealt with properly. Issues such as the furore over use of the word "Allah" which subsequently led to a Bible-burning threat could easily undermine our national harmony that we have long defended. Therefore, it is more important than ever for us to stay together and back each other in these turbulent times. The choice now lies on our shoulders: either to break that dream envisaged by our forefathers or to believe in what they have fought for us. Malaysians, let us just put aside our political differences for a while and celebrate this occasion together, for this is the calm before the storm. * This is the personal opinion of the columnist.

Jose’s last stand Posted: 11 Feb 2013 04:02 PM PST FEB 12 — It's been a terrible, terrible six months for Jose Mourinho. The outspoken Real Madrid boss entered the new season with his personal standing at an all-time high: he had just led his team to a record-breaking title-winning campaign which saw them amass more victories, more points and more goals than any other team in La Liga history. In doing so, he joined an elite group of managers to have won four major domestic leagues, having previously become a champion in Portugal (Porto), England (Chelsea) and Italy (Inter Milan). How quickly times have changed. Since August, Mourinho's reputation has sunk to the extent that it's now a valid question to ask whether he is employable for any major club looking for long-term success. A year ago, the Portuguese coach could have more or less taken his pick of any club in the world (with the exception of Barcelona, who will never employ him again), but now he has become damaged goods and will be lucky to find anyone who wants him. The catalogue of self-imposed mishaps is long and disturbing, and can be essentially encapsulated by stating that Mourinho has managed to upset everybody with whom he comes into contact. Players, staff, fans, media, opponents and referees: they all have good reason to resent the man who seems to be driven by an insatiable need for conflict which appears almost pathological. It now seems absolutely inevitable that Mourinho will leave Madrid at the end of the season, for the fairly straightforward and perfectly understandable reason that nobody at the club can stand him any longer. He does, however, still have the chance to exercise his considerable managerial powers and turn his departing months from the Bernabeu into a glorious success. La Liga might be beyond them, but Madrid are still in two cup competitions: the Spanish Copa del Rey, with their semi-final against Barcelona nicely poised at one apiece after the first leg; and, of course, the Champions League, which will see them contest a mouthwatering last-16 tie against Manchester United. The first leg takes place in Madrid on Wednesday night, and it has the potential to be an absolute cracker. The game has got everything: two of the most famous clubs in the world, possessing two of the most explosive attacking units in the world (and both with defences that are not nearly so strong), competing in the most prestigious tournament in the world; what more could we ask for? And make no mistake, the Champions League is the one that Madrid want. Of course, La Liga is important as well, but I believe part of their problem this season has been a collective lack of focus in the league as they (maybe unconsciously) save their greatest endeavours for the European stage. The Champions League has become something of an obsession for Los Blancos due to the fact that they are one more triumph away from landing their 10th European crown. "Madridistas" take great pride in the fact that their club has become continental champions more often than any other club (AC Milan are next on the list with seven) and being left marooned on nine for a decade (their last title came in 2002) has become a major source of frustration. Despite everything they've endured this season, Madrid are most definitely good enough to end that frustration by winning the Champions League this season. On their day, Madrid are still a phenomenal, formidable force. The problem has been that it's not been their day particularly often in the last six months, but their potential is undiminished. With Sergio Ramos and Pepe providing defensive steel, Xabi Alonso classily pulling the strings in midfield, Mesut Ozil and Angel di Maria cleverly creating and Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain mercilessly finishing, this Madrid team has a roster of talent that can beat anyone. And that's before we even mention Cristiano Ronaldo, who can be practically unstoppable for any unfortunate defence that happens to be given the task of containing him — as he proved by downing Sevilla with his latest hat-trick on Saturday night. Coming up against his old club — to whence he may one day wish to return — Ronaldo should be particularly motivated, seeking to demonstrate to United fans (and Sir Alex Ferguson) exactly what they've been missing. As if they don't already know. United aren't too shabby either, of course, although I don't think they're anywhere near as strong as their position 12 points clear at the top of the Premier League would imply. Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney are world class — even if Rooney has become worryingly inconsistent in the last couple of years — but beyond them, I don't think this current United team is particularly special at all. They are, however, a far more tightly knit and reliable team than the current dynamic but dysfunctional Real Madrid bunch, and the Spanish side's unpredictability ensures this fascinating tie really could go either way. If Real Madrid are — or near — their best, I believe they will prevail, possibly with a fair degree of comfort. However, thanks to Mourinho's monstrous mismanagement, Madrid at their best have become an uncommon sight in recent months. Madrid are vulnerable and United have every chance: let it roll. * This is the personal opinion of the columnist.

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