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Argentina’s wine industry savours progress, still struggles Posted: 17 Feb 2013 08:01 PM PST A vineyard in Lujan de Cuyo, Mendoza, where the soil is considered ideal for growing Malbec. — AFP pic MENDOZA, Argentina, Feb 18 — Argentina has built up a world-class wine industry, luring a flood of wine tourists, but boosting the quality quotient is still keeping its winemakers hard at work. The century-old industry, with its heart in the Mendoza area in the southwest, has increased volume by leaps and bounds in the past two decades, with Argentina's Malbec-based reds drawing raves worldwide. "In the broad scheme of everything going on with wine around the world, we have a long way to go," said Martin Castro, who runs a vineyard in the Valle de Uco area in Mendoza, a parched and sunny province abutting the soaring Andes that grows its grapes with a huge irrigation network fed by mountain water. "On top-end wines, we still have work to do to compete globally. But we definitely have a presence with Malbec, which is well-known globally," Castro stressed, referring to the varietal used as a base grape in many meat-friendly local reds — a varietal that used to be common in Bordeaux, now less so. If the industry has far to go, it also has come far, especially in the past few decades. Argentina has become the world's number five producer, according to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV). It is the world's ninth-ranking exporter, and a big domestic consumer, according to the Argentine Wine Clearinghouse (OVA). Castro and his partner Cristian Allamand, an agricultural engineer, are among those riding the wave, with plenty of hard work. They oversee production at Bodegas Luminis, which in recent years has enjoyed phenomenal growth. It is among the 900 or so wineries spread out on over 20,000 hectares in the Mendoza area alone — an area that also has attracted foreign capital such as Pernod Ricard from France, Trivento (Concha y Toro) from Chile, and Portuguese Finca Flichmann. Thousands of tourists traipse from tasting to tasting on local wine trails, staying at boutique hotels at or near many wineries, dizzied by so much Malbec and its perfect partner, grass-fed local beef. "Aside from Malbec, the most widely grown red varietal in Argentina, there are many others that are doing well," Castro said, checking out the vines at his winery 950 metres above sea level, with a dramatic Andean backdrop. Marcelo Pelleriti, the boss over at Monteviejo, said Argentina had plenty to be proud of, having won considerable renown for its Malbec-based reds and their local terroir. Last year winemakers here exported 365 million litres, up 17 per cent year on year, worth US$920 million (RM2.8 billion), OIV data shows, with top markets being the United States, Canada and Russia. Still, "we have a way to go, when there are countries like France with 400 years of history, and which can do very large volume, as well as the higher-end and pricier vintages", Castro said, sounding somewhat hopeful despite the cool economic growth across the world. Mendoza is the fifth most populous of Argentina's provinces but produces 70 per cent of Argentine wines. — AFP/Relaxnews

French foodie festival to showcase new international chef talent Posted: 17 Feb 2013 05:39 PM PST ©All rights reserved PARIS, Feb 18 — For the eighth edition of French foodie festival Omnivore, organisers have invited 16 chefs from around the world — from Russia, Australia and China to Tasmania — to make their first ever debut to the French public. After a worldwide tour in 2012, the foodie festival that was first created as a rejection of old guard French gastronomy — Michelin stars, excess tableware and starched linens — returns to Paris next month for a three-day event. Last year the event was exported to New York, Moscow, Shanghai and Montreal. Typically, chefs invited to participate share similar culinary philosophies and demographic profiles: irreverent, young, bold, creative types. New this year, Omnivore 2013 will turn the eighth floor of the Maubert de Mutualité in the 5th arrondissement, where the event will be held, into a pop-up restaurant with a panoramic view of the city. Three luncheons will be served by Swedish chef Petter Nilsson of La Gazetta in Paris, chef brothers Vincent and Laurent Folmer of Couvert Couvert Belgium, and Jean-Luc Tartarin, who helms the namesake restaurant in Le Havre on the north coast of France Other events include Masterclass cooking demos and F****ing Dinner events, which pair Parisian chefs with their international confreres. Montreal chef Martin Juneau of Pastaga, for instance, will cook alongside Louis-Philippe Riel of 6 Paul Bert, while Australian expat James Henry of über-trendy Bones will host Luke Burgess of Garagistes in Tasmania. Another renegade foodie group that vies for loyalty among its French gourmands is Le Fooding, which publishes an annual guide of best restaurant addresses in the city every year and also hosts events in both Paris and New York. Omnivore runs March 17-19 in Paris. — AFP/Relaxnews

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Teen genius Ko to go pro in two years Posted: 17 Feb 2013 08:37 AM PST Lydia Ko: Remaining amateur years to work on her putting and mental side of the game. — Reuters file pic CANBERRA, Feb 17 — Teenage golfing sensation Lydia Ko says she will turn professional in a couple of years after the 15-year-old New Zealander finished third in the women's Australian Open today. "I've got a couple of years until I turn pro so I guess within that period hopefully I'll be able to get a little bit better," South Korean-born Ko told reporters at the Royal Canberra Golf Club. Ko hopes to improve her putting and the mental side of the game while still an amateur. "I always think putting is the biggest part of the game and also the psychology part, so those are the two things I would like to build up," added Ko, who finished behind British Open champion Shin Ji-yai and world number one Yani Tseng. Last Sunday, Ko became the youngest winner of a women's European Tour event when she took victory at the New Zealand Women's Open in Christchurch. She had already become the youngest winner of a pro event aged 14 in January 2012 and the youngest Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour winner in August. — Reuters

Del Potro beats Benneteau in Rotterdam final Posted: 17 Feb 2013 07:49 AM PST Del Potro on his way to a 7-6 6-3 win over Julien Benneteau. — Reuters pic ROTTERDAM, Feb 17 — Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro clinched his first title of the year as he overcame Julien Benneteau 7-6 6-3 in the final of the World Indoor Tournament in Rotterdam today. Del Potro, beaten in last year's final by Roger Federer, lost his serve in the first set but Benneteau had no answer to his solid baseline performance, which earned him the tiebreak 7-2. An early break in the second set meant Del Potro became only the second Argentine after Guillermo Vilas to triumph at the tournament. Benneteau had beaten Federer in the last eight. — Reuters

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Bird droppings, bull testicles among pre-Oscar beauty treatments Posted: 17 Feb 2013 08:17 AM PST LOS ANGELES, Feb 17 — Hollywood stars wanting to look their best for Tinseltown's biggest night of the year are being offered beauty treatments ranging from the lavish to plain loony such as US$250,000 black diamond nail varnish and bird excrement facials. The Academy Awards on February 24 are almost as much about fashion as they are about films, with the televised red carpet arrivals and ceremony drawing an estimated audience of one billion people worldwide. It's a night when women — and men — spare no expense to out-dazzle other Oscar-goers, and ends a two-month run of awards shows to reward the top stars and films of the previous year. "It's the grand finale to the awards show season so celebrities pull out all the stops when it comes to fashion and beauty," said style expert Sam Saboura, a fashion host on the cable channel TLC. "They're willing to go to any extreme to perfect their look and make a statement on the red carpet." In the past, the ever-youthful actress Demi Moore, 50, has admitted to having leeches put on her skin to detoxify her blood. Gwyneth Paltrow once arrived at a premiere with her back covered with circular bruises from "cupping", a kind of acupuncture said to encourage blood flow and ease stress. Angelina Jolie told Vanity Fair in 2011 that her sons Maddox and Pax had pedicures in which fish "eat the dead skin off your feet" while music impresario Simon Cowell was reported to carry pocket-sized inhalable oxygen shots to maintain his looks. This year, there's a twist on the long-practised use of injectable dermal fillers to smooth facial creases and plump up the skin. Enter the Vampire FaceLift, which mixes filler with the patient's own blood. Blood and bird droppings Plastic surgeon Paul Nassif, who offers the service in his Beverly Hills office, says this process involves removing a tube of blood from the patient, isolating certain components and then mixing it with a dermal filler to inject back into the skin. "It's a one-two punch," Nassif told Reuters. "You get an immediate response from the filler, and the long-terms benefits is new collagen formation, natural volume and healthier skin." A bottle of nail polish by Azature, containing small, full cut diamonds, shown in this handout photo released by Azature to Reuters February 17, 2013. — Reuters handout pic For those averse to needles, bird poop could be the answer to brighter skin. Shizuka New York Day Spa in Manhattan offers a Geisha Facial, an hour-long treatment that involves applying nightingale bird droppings in powder form to the skin. The droppings, which salon owner Shizuka Bernstein imports from Japan, are said to contain natural enzymes that exfoliate the skin. "There are so many drastic options to exfoliating the skin like chemical peels and microdermabrasion," Bernstein told Reuters. "But if you want a more natural approach, this will give you great results as well. Dead skin is removed, skin tone is brighter and you're left with a radiant look." When it comes to hair, Santa Monica-based The Broot, an all-natural hair treatment bar, has a secret not-on-the menu ingredient — bull testicles. Owner Samira Asemanfar said her Persian family had used them for generations, boiling testicles bought from a local butcher to extract a broth of protein and hormones that's added to treatments to strengthen and repair hair. "Clients have told us their hair felt thicker, more repaired, more fortified. One client said her hair grew faster," said Asemanfar. Beauty on loan It's no secret that designer gowns and jewels are often borrowed for the red carpet. These days, many designers have some last-minute tricks for looking taller and slimmer for the thousands of photographers and TV crews at the Oscars who transmit images around the world within minutes. Hong Kong-based shoe company iiJin has an invisible wedge inside every pair of its shoes, giving wearers an extra 5-12 cm in height depending on the style. Dresses from NUE by designer Shani Grosz all come with built-in compression fabric to make the wearer look a size smaller, reducing the need for figure-hugging, slimming under garments. Accessories can make any outfit but bling from New York company Fonderie 47 adds more than sparkle. The company melts down steel from assault rifles seized in African war zones and partners with designers to make earrings, necklaces, and watches. Fonderie 47 founder Peter Thum said the company had destroyed more than 25,000 assault rifles since 2010, with each piece of jewellery imprinted with the serial number of the gun it came from. If expense is not an issue, another way to stand out on the red carpet is to arrive with a manicured set of nails containing 267 carats of black diamonds. Los Angeles' luxury jewellery designer Azature Pogosian, who goes by the single name Azature, has created a black nail polish containing small, full cut diamonds that he said "add a three dimensional sparkle" when applied on the nail. Only one bottle exists, on sale at London's Selfridges department store for US$250,000 since last November. But Azature keeps samples for A-list celebrities, such as Britney Spears, who wore it in a fragrance advert, and Kelly Osbourne, who wore it to last year's Emmy Awards. "It makes women feel incredible," Azature told Reuters. "There is nothing wrong with making someone feel beautiful. We're not spending money on wars. We're not hurting anyone. We make a woman feel like a queen." — Reuters

Romanian cinema triumphs again with top Berlin award Posted: 17 Feb 2013 12:33 AM PST BERLIN, Feb 17 — Romania claimed another major scalp on the European film festival circuit this weekend when "Child's Pose" won the Golden Bear in Berlin, underlining the country's emergence as a powerhouse of hard-hitting cinema in the post-Communist era. The film, directed by Calin Peter Netzer, tells the story of Cornelia, an obsessive mother who uses every trick in the book to prevent her son from going to jail after he kills a boy in a car accident. It is the latest in a long list of critical hits that have enjoyed startling success at festivals such as Berlin and Cannes in recent years, bringing Romania's cinema to a wider audience. Some of Romania's top directors, who have enjoyed the artistic freedom that flourished after the death of Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989, dismiss talk of a cinematic "new wave", saying it lumps together very different styles and stories. But ever since Cristi Puiu's "The Death of Mr. Lazarescu" hit Cannes in 2005, and two years later his compatriot Cristian Mungiu won the coveted Palme d'Or there for the harrowing abortion drama "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days", Romanian cinema has been firmly on the map. "It is an acknowledgement, I think, that Romanian cinema is still producing good quality cinema and has been for a few years and it is a good endowment that it is still like this," Netzer told Reuters after receiving the Golden Bear for best film. Unflinching storytelling While each film differs, there is a common thread of unflinching storytelling and compelling human drama often laid out against the backdrop of a cold and uncaring society. Director Calin Peter Netzer and producer Ada Solomon with the Golden Bear award for their "Pozitia Copilului" (Child's Pose). — Reuters pic Netzer said "Child's Pose" was not a critique of Romania today, despite its unflattering portrayal of flashy materialism and casual corruption among the nouveau riche. "I think basically this is about a relationship, a kind of pathological relationship between mother and son," he told reporters in Berlin after the closing ceremony late on Saturday. "The rest — the corruption, the framework, the context — all of that is on a separate level and is really only a backdrop." Victory in Berlin is likely to give the movie a major boost in terms of distribution in Romania and beyond, although some critics wondered whether the alienating figures of both mother and son might limit its appeal. "There's an instant bond the audience has with the two young women in '4 Months...' which we are deliberately not supposed to have in 'Child's Pose'," said Jay Weissberg, critic at trade publication Variety. "The mother is a monstrous figure and her son is even worse." However he, like many others, was impressed by Luminita Gheorghiu's portrayal of Cornelia, one of several standout performances in Berlin-nominated films by mature actresses making the most of the kind of parts rarely written in Hollywood. Paulina Garcia was the popular winner of the best actress Silver Bear for her turn in Chilean film "Gloria", in which she plays a 58-year-old divorcee who sets out to live life to the full despite her setbacks. "We all face crossroads in our lives where we can retreat into ourselves or we can hit the dance floor," said "Gloria" director Sebastian Lelio of his character. The biggest surprise at the Berlin awards ceremony was the best actor prize going to Nazif Mujic, a Bosnian Roma who had never acted before and had to be talked into playing himself in a drama based on his real-life ordeal. "An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker", made for just €30,000 (RM123,470), tells the story of how Bosnian hospitals refused to operate on his wife after she miscarried because she was not insured, despite the fact that her life was in danger. Best director went to US filmmaker David Gordon Green for his quirky road movie "Prince Avalanche", and Iranian entry "Closed Curtain" picked up the best script prize for directors Kamboziya Partovi and Jafar Panahi. Panahi made the movie in secret in defiance of a 20-year ban on filmmaking, and was not allowed to travel to Berlin to collect his award. "Tradition and culture remain, politicians come and go," Partovi told reporters after receiving the honour. — Reuters

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Experts tell flatulent flyers: let rip Posted: 17 Feb 2013 01:29 AM PST A new study determines that airline passengers should ignore the social embarrassment of breaking wind and "just let it go". — shutterstock.com pic WELLINGTON, Feb 17 — A group of medical specialists has provided an answer to a dilemma that has faced flyers since the Wright brothers took to the air in 1903 -- is it okay to fart mid-flight? The experts' recommendation is an emphatic yes to airline passengers -- but a warning to cockpit crews that breaking wind could distract the pilot and pose a safety risk. The study concluded that anecdotal evidence that flying increases flatulence is not hot air, finding that changes in air pressure at altitude result in the gut producing more gas. When Danish gastroenterologist Jacob Rosenberg encountered the malodorous problem first-hand on a flight from Copenhagen to Tokyo, he enlisted some of the finest minds in his field to address the issue. The result was an in-depth review of scientific literature on flatulence, looking at issues such as whether women's farts smell worse than men's (yes), what causes the odour (sulphur) and how often the average person passes wind every day (10). The bottom line, according to the 3,000-word study published in the New Zealand Medical Journal on Friday, is that airline passengers should ignore the social embarrassment of breaking wind and "just let it go". "(Holding back) holds significant drawbacks for the individual, such as discomfort and even pain, bloating, dyspepsia (indigestion), pyrosis (heartburn) just to name but a few resulting abdominal symptoms," the study found. "Moreover, problems resulting from the required concentration to maintain such control may even result in subsequent stress symptoms." The authors -- five gastroenterologists from Denmark and Britain — said that while passengers may experience poor service from the cabin crew as a result of their decision, the health benefits outweighed any negative impacts. However, they said the cockpit crew faced a lose-lose situation. "On the one hand, if the pilot restrains a fart, all the drawbacks previously mentioned, including impaired concentration, may affect his abilities to control the plane," the researchers said. "On the other hand, if he lets go of the fart, his co-pilot may be affected by its odour, which again reduces safety onboard the flight." The authors canvassed a number of solutions to the issue of flight-induced flatulence, including using methane breath tests to screen wind-prone passengers from flights, but rejected them as impractical. They did, however, note that the textile covers used on seats in economy class absorbed up to 50 per cent of odours because they are gas permeable, unlike the leather seats in first class. They suggested airlines could improve the odour-eating properties of the seats and issue special blankets and trousers to passengers to minimise mid-air flatulence. "We humbly propose that active charcoal should be embedded in the seat cushion, since this material is able to neutralise the odour," they said. "Moreover active charcoal may be used in trousers and blankets to emphasise this effect." Air New Zealand declined to comment when asked if it would adopt such measures, which sparked lively debate on social media. One commentator on news website stuff.co.nz said the study was a prime candidate for the Ig Noble Awards, the annual prize for bizarre scientific research, where past winners have examined the best way to dunk a biscuit and methods of collecting whale snot. One person unlikely to agree with the study's recommendation is British pop singer Cheryl Cole, who last year called for flatulent airline passengers to be named and shamed. "There should be a sort of aerosol that can be sprayed into the air and it would pinpoint the guilty person," she told The Sun newspaper. — AFP-Relaxnews

New NYC yoga brand creates fabric it claims won’t pill or fade Posted: 17 Feb 2013 12:54 AM PST New YogaSmoga range promises fabric that piles less than most brands. — YogaSmoga pic NEW YORK, Feb 17 — Former Goldman Sachs executive Rishi Bali has just launched a new yoga clothing company, YogaSmoga, on Thursday featuring a new technical fabric that uses eco-dyes that won't fade. While the line is so far only available in the US, the concept is interesting in that the New York-based company aims to takes on popular brands Lululemon and Athleta by obsessing over fabric, fit, and yoga and only yoga, reports Well + Good NYC. "I feel like the Lululemons and Athletas are clothing companies that are taking advantage of yoga," Bali told the blog. "We're different. I want to be a yoga company. And I want to do everything [clothing-wise] at a higher level." The collection — which features leggings, tanks, and bras in myriad colors — is made from Aurum, a fabric that is a blend of Supplex and Lycra. The result is a fabric that wicks moisture, has a good stretch, but is more resistant to pilling than other active fabrics on the market. Prices in the collection range from US$49 (RM151.63) to US$109 (RM337.30). Meanwhile, yogis can also get their hands on yogi superstar/model Tara Stiles's new yoga line from Reebok. The 23-piece collection features cool affordable pieces (prices range from US$35 to US$60) and is sold in Reebok stores. http://yogasmoga.com — AFP-Relaxnews

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Serpent smugglers Posted: 16 Feb 2013 04:31 PM PST The Lizard King by Bryan Christy KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 17 — Investigative journalist and author Bryan Christy made me angry on January 2010 with his National Geographic article on the Asian wildlife trade and one of its alleged kingpins, and how wildlife protection laws and enforcement have largely failed to address issues of wildlife trafficking.  The central figure in this bit of reportage was said alleged kingpin Anson Wong (no relation), who is featured in Christy's book, The Lizard King.  Wong had been caught trying to smuggle over 90 reptiles out of Malaysia in 2010. He was released from prison</a> in 2012 when his five-year jail sentence was reduced  to 17 months.  Both the book and the National Geographic article hints at a cosy relationship between Anson and some officers in the Malaysian Wildlife and National Parks Department (Jabatan Perhilitan). Perhilitan, naturally, said the book was "simply fiction".  Reptile rustlers  The Lizard King traces the beginnings of the illegal animal trade in the US, when zoos practically fought to have the most exotic animal species on display. This was during the Sixties, and nobody cared how the exhibits were obtained. We are also given a glimpse into the backgrounds of the enforcement agents who stalked and prosecuted these smugglers.  If I read this book right, it all began with love.  Two figures in this book: Ray Van Nostrand and Henry A Molt, Jr were fond of reptiles and eventually turned their passion into a business. Both would also do time in jail; Van Nostrand would venture into drugs and was snared in a drug bust, while Molt would set up an international animal smuggling network.  When Ray Van Nostrand went to jail, his son Mike took over the reins and expanded his father's reptile-selling business into a major smuggling outfit that could have rivalled Molt's.  Other key plots in this book include the cat-and-mouse chase between Mike Van Nostrand and Chip Bepler, an agent with the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS); the beginnings of Henry Molt Jr's reptile racket; and how an undercover USFWS agent helped apprehend Anson Wong in 1998.  This gripping account of the US authorities' pursuit of wildlife smugglers, albeit one that feels roughly sketched out, is short but well-paced. The exact magnitude and enormity of the illegal wildlife trade is conveyed by the behaviours of the smugglers; facts and figures appear only sporadically.  But there is enough bad behaviour to make you angry. A famous quote belongs, of course, to our very own Anson. "I could sell a panda and nothing," he once boasted to the undercover USFWS agent who'd got him arrested. "As long as I'm still [in Malaysia] I'm safe."  Another annoying aspect is carelessness, especially by those who should know better. Two tragic tales illustrate how love can make one stupid. A man considered "the dean of American herpetologists" in the 1950s died days after a venomous African boomslang bit him.  A surprising mention is snake expert Joseph B Slowinski. Deep in the Myanmar interior on 9/11, Slowinski showed no concern when a, thinking it was a harmless "mimic" of the more deadly krait. Sadly, it turned out to be a real krait.  Love makes one do funny things, I guess.  Long live the (lizard) kings?  There is no fairy-tale ending in The Lizard King — no ending, for that matter. Not long after Mike Van Nostrand went to jail, Chip Bepler died of a brain tumour.  According to a syndicated article in The Star in December 2010, Bepler's quarry has returned to the trade. It also underscored the difficulty in regulating the ongoing wildlife trade, which also sells illegally acquired animals and endangered species.  No one has pinned down how much the trade's worth; estimates have gone up to billions in US dollars. Demand is high and all sorts of arguments were made for the trade. Jobs. Inspiring kids to learn about the environment.  How does one learn enough about the environment or help conserve it by keeping a Burmese python in a glass tank? Will this 'love' of the environment or the cute little snake remain after said animal outgrows its enclosure and starts threatening the family dog or cat, or when owners don't "love" their pets any more?  Didn't they learn anything from the Burmese pythons in the Everglades or the extermination of over 40 animals on a private farm in Muskingum County, Ohio, some of which were endangered big cats?  "No no no, we didn't poach these from the wild — they are captive bred!" Really? Then what about this little nugget from a local news portal (emphasis mine)?  "The green tree python (Morelia viridis) is a popular snake in the global pet trade. It is one of Indonesia's top exports, and stocks are declared as captive breeds. In 2011, however, scientists Jessica Lyons and Daniel Natusch from the University of New South Wales found that at least 80 per cent of Indonesia's green tree python exports were poached from the wild.  All this, plus Christy's book, leaves one to believe that the pet trade is mostly about profit and prestige. Rare exotic specimens being marketed like the latest Louis Vuitton bag (as opposed to being used to make Louis Vuitton bags), Nike sneakers, or some action figure.  Such a demand, fuelled by hubris and naiveté, only helps the likes of those 'lizard kings' more than the environment or the animals.  The Lizard King  The True Crimes and Passions of the World's Greatest Reptile Smugglers  Bryan Christy Twelve (2008)  239 pages Non-fiction ISBN: 978-0-446-69975-4  * Alan Wong  is an editor and book reviewer, and wishes all readers of The Malaysian Insider a happy, healthy and prosperous Year of the Snake.

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Dr M mahu kerajaan tapis media alternatif Posted: 17 Feb 2013 03:11 AM PST KUALA LUMPUR, 17 Feb — Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad hari ini berkata beliau lebih rela kerajaan menapis internet daripada media alternatif terus dimanipulasi. Bekas perdana menteri itu berkata dalam blognya chedet.cc bahawa video penyanyi sensasi Korea Psy di Pulau Pinang, yang menunjukkan orang ramai berkata "No" (tidak) kepada perdana menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak, tetapi mempertikaikan video tersebut dengan mengatakan video itu diubahsuai. "Saya akan hilang kebebasan dalam media apabila kerajaan mungkin merampas kebebasan saya," kata Dr Mahathir dalam blognya chedet.cc hari ini. "Terus terang saya rela kerajaan menapis saya, kerana jika saya tidak suka apa yang kerajaan buat, saya boleh buat apa sahaja untuk menolak parti yang membentuk kerajaan. Tetapi saya tidak boleh buat apa untuk menghentikan orang ramai yang cuba merampas kebebasan saya melalui media alternatif," katanya lagi. Dr Mahathir berkata mengenai video Psy yang semakin popular di Facebook, "diubahsuai" dengan "kumpulan tertentu" dengan kamera video dan mikrofon yang berkata "No" (tidak) kepada soalan Najib kepada orang ramai sama ada mereka bersedia untuk Barisan Nasional (BN). Dr Mahathir, yang menjadi perdana menteri selama 22 tahun hingga 2003, pernah berjanji Malaysia tidak akan menapis Internet untuk menarik pelabur membangunkan Koridor Raya Multimedia (MSC). Beliau mengulangi pendiriannya dalam Persidangan Ketua Pelajar Malaysia Tahunan Ketiga pada 2011, walaupun mengatakan tindakan disiplin perlu diambil terhadap penyalahgunaan Internet. Dr Mahathir bagaimanapun pada Jun tahun lalu berkata Putrajaya perlu memikirkan semula kebebasan mutlak dalam Internet. Beliau berkata ada beberapa negara mengenakan pengawalan dan menghalang "laman web kotor" dan menghukum mereka yang merosakkan minda pengguna Internet. Dr Mahathir juga berkata "kebenaran juga boleh dibuat kelihatan seperti penipuan", merujuk kepada video seks melibatkan ketua pembangkan Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim dengan seorang pelacur, tetapi tidak menyebut nama bekas timbalannya itu. "Selepas ketua pembangkang itu dilihat bersama perempuan yang jelas sekali mengadakan hubungan seks, ia boleh dibuat kelihatan seperti penipuan seperti ditunjukkan dalam video tersebut, ia boleh diubahsuai," kata Dr Mahathir. Beliau juga berkata blognya digodam sebanyak lima kali. "Orang ramai tidak boleh melayari laman blog saya dan saya disenyapkan," kata perdana menteri paling lama berkhidmat dalam sejarah Malaysia. Dr Mahathir mendakwa orang ramai bebas menulis apa sahaja dalam media alternatif kerana tidak dikawal oleh editor. "Kebebasan hampir mutlak. Adakah ini nilai demokrasi?" katanya lagi. Dr Mahathir juga berkata laman web lucah juga berleluasa kerana kebebasan media alternatif.

PAS akan keluar Pakatan jika rugikan Islam dan Melayu, kata Abdul Hadi Posted: 17 Feb 2013 02:05 AM PST KUALA LUMPUR, 17 Feb — Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang berkata PAS akan keluar dari Pakatan Rakyat (PR) sekiranya pakatan tersebut merugikan Islam dan kaum Melayu. Presiden PAS itu berkata sedemikian di hadapan 10,000 penyokongnya di Kuala Nerus, Terengganu dalam usaha mendapatkan sokongan kaum terbesar itu menjelang Pilihan Raya 2013. "Sekiranya Pakatan tersebut merugikan Islam dan Melayu, PAS keluar PR! Tidak ragu-ragu lagi," katanya dipetik Sinar Harian, yang meletakkannya di muka surat hadapan hari ini. Akhbar berbahasa Melayu itu melaporkan Abdul Hadi (gambar) berkata tidak mempunyai isu dengan rakan PR lain dan yakin pakatan tersebut tidak akan memberi impak negatif kepada Melayu, yang secara perlembagaannya juga orang Islam. Ahli parlimen Marang itu berkata kerjasama politik DAP dan PKR memperkukuhkan Melayu dan Islam. "Bahkan kita berjaya membuat anjakan paradigma dengan kemenangan calon-calon seperti Dr Siti Mariah Mahmud, Fuziah Salleh yang bertanding dengan calon-calon bukan Melayu Islam dimenangkan oleh pengundi Melayu dan bukan Islam," kata Abdul Hadi lagi. "Itu perubahan yang besar yang dapat kita wujudkan." Dr Siti Mariah adalah ahli parlimen Kota Raja mewakili PAS, manakala Fuziah, dari PKR merupakah ahli parlimen Kuantan yang kedua-duanya kerusi bandar dan mempunyai demografi pelbagai kaum. Baru-baru ini, terdapat perasaan tidak berpuas hati dari kaum terbesar ini dengan terdapat khabar angin hak perlembagaan mereka dicabar golongan minoriti. Isu kaum dan agama yang sukar dipisahkan di Malaysia, menjadi topik penting menjelang pilihan raya yang akan diadakan pada April apabila mandat Barisan Nasional tamat. Baru-baru ini, debat berkenaan kalimah "Allah" menimbulkan kontroversi dimana umat Islam percaya perkataan Arab itu ekslusif untuk Islam, walaupun Mahkamah Tinggi pada 2009 membuktikan sebaliknya.

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Antara lagu ketuhanan dan lagu nasyid Posted: 16 Feb 2013 03:47 PM PST 17 FEB — Ketika kecil dalam lingkungan usia 5 tahun di awal tahun 70an dulu, saya selalu bayangkan Tuhan itu sebagai satu objek yang gagah dan hebat seperti Giant Robot, siri kartun sains fiksyenTV popular tahun 70an dari Jepun. Saya selalu menonton siri tersebut di kaca TV hitam putih waktu itu.  Itu tahap kefahaman saya tentang Tuhan di usia kanak-kanak. Usia yang masih mentah dalam serba serbi. Bak kata orang tua-tua, akal belum cukup lagi.  Menginjak ke usia 8 tahun, saya mula diajar dan diberikan didikan agama yang secukupnya dan waktu itu saya mula faham apa itu Tuhan dalam konteks keagamaan dan kepercayaan.  Dalam usia itu juga, saya dibesarkan pula dengan lagu-lagu keagamaan dan nasihat dari kumpulan Nasyid Nada Murni, Orkes El Suraya Medan, Al Jawaher atau Ahmadi Hassan antaranya.  Menariknya muzik mereka bagi saya penuh dengan elemen irama padang pasir, sangat menarik dan berkualiti dari segi mesej dan gubahan muziknya. Saya masih mendengar lagu-lagu mereka sehingga hari ini terutamanya lagu-lagu Ahmadi Hassan ( arwah ).  Juga di zaman itu mereka berkarya tanpa banyak kepentingan, mungkin kerana itu nilai kejujuran itu jelas terserlah dalam karya-karya mereka.  Saya tidaklah menafikan zaman baru dan muzik anak-anak muda hari ini, cuma itulah seperti yang selalu saya tekankan, elok yang muda cuba menjenguk dan mengkaji apa yang ada pada yang lama kerana tiada yang lama manakan ada yang baru?  Apa yang saya kaji dan dengar muzik anak muda hari ini tempiasnya cuma di angin lalu saja, kerana mesejnya kurang bahkan dari segi keindahan bahasa juga lemah dan lintang-pukang. Kefahaman mereka tentang Tuhan hanyalah sekadar di pinggiran saja kebanyakannya.  Lagu kalau ceritanya untuk berseronok 24 jam tentang dunia dan nafsu apa faedahnya bukan tidak boleh tapi eloklah kita seimbangkan antara kemahuan minda dan jiwa.  Untuk kita menceritakan tentang bulan umpamanya, kita tidak perlu bercerita tentang keindahan dan fizikal bulan itu kerana budak umur 10 tahun pun boleh faham apabila mereka menatap cahaya bulan di malam hari.  Kita tidak perlu terlalu terpesona pada permukaan, bahkan bagus jika kita mengkaji bulan yang ada di dalam diri kita. Kita boleh tamsilkan ia sebagai semangat atau roh dari segi perlambangannya.  Alam ini dicipta untuk kita belajar mengenal yang tersurat dan tersirat, yang zahir dan batin. Apa yang penting tentang hidup ini adalah tentang Tuhan dan kejadiannya.  Apabila saya mendengar muzik nasyid dari kumpulan Raihan yang muncul dengan album sulung mereka, Puji-Pujian , ia bagi saya biasa saja dari segi susunan muziknya yang hanya diiringi alat perkusi dan melodi walaupun digubah oleh Steve Thornton, pemuzik bertaraf dunia yang berpengalaman dan professional.  Pun begitu mereka berjaya mempopularkan lagu-lagu nasyid di Malaysia sehingga album Puji-Pujian terjual sehingga 750,000 ribu unit di Malaysia ( yang juga merupakan rekod jualan tertinggi di Malaysia waktu itu ) dan 3.5 juta unit di seluruh dunia.  Lirik lagu mereka pula hanya asas bagi yang mahu mengenal Islam dan penuh dengan mesej dakwah yang jelas dan tidak berbelit-belit. Cuma dari segi lirik -lirik mereka bagi saya kurang punya maksud yang tersirat melainkan apa yang tersurat sahaja.  Dalam mencari Tuhan dan cuba mencari apa yang tersirat di dalam irama dan lagu, saya lebih tertarik dengan muzik, lagu dan lirik penyanyi folk Indonesia, Ebiet G.Ade di tahun 1980 dulu.  Mesej dan senikatanya sangat puitis, mistik dan misteri. Ebiet menggambarkan Tuhan dalam bentuk kefahaman yang lebih telus, matang dan terbuka. Umpamanya dalam lagu 'Hidup iv'(Camellia 3 ), 'Berjalan di Hutan Cemara' dan 'Nyanyian Kasmaran' yang terdapat dalam album Zaman ( 1985 ) Ebiet mentafsir alam diri dan perhubungan kecintaan antara khalik dan pencipta dalam mood yang penuh dengan nilai kasih-sayang dan asyik masyuk.  Pengisian lirik-liriknya lebih bersifat spiritual dan menyentuh tentang hakikat alam, Tuhan dan kejadian dengan bahasa-bahasa yang sangat berkualiti dan berseni.  Apabila mendengar lagu ketuhanannya 'Kepada Mu Aku Pasrahkan' yang terdapat dalam album Camellia 3, saya mula faham dan ia membawa pengertian yang mendalam kepada saya bahawa lagu itu adalah tentang perhubungan antara khalik dan pencipta.  Semakin berusia selera pemahaman saya semakin menekan tentang apa yang ada di dalam dari yang di luar. Saya mengkaji lirik-lirik lagu lama di tahun 50an seperti lagu 'Di Wajahmu ku lihat Bulan' ( Sam Simon ), ' Ikan di Laut Asam di Darat' ( M.Yatim dan Rubiah ) mahupun lagu 'Jangan Adik Angan-Angan ( P.Ramlee dan Rahmah Rahmat ) dan makna yang tersirat di dalamnya sangat menarik jika kita faham apa sebenarnya yang mahu disampai di dalam lagu.  Umpamanya di dalam lagu 'Ikan di Laut Asam di Darat' antara liriknya menyatakan ' kalau jujur makrifat iman, minyak dan air mungkin bercampur'. Jika kita cuba faham makna dan cerita dalam lagunya dengan lebih mendalam, kita akan dapati ceritanya berkisar tentang perjalanan hakikat insan dalam menuju Tuhannya dalam bentuk yang lebih telus.  Apabila tiba era M.Nasir ( dato) dan geng-gengnya seperti Amin Shahab, Loloq dan beberapa kenalan yang sealiran, mereka menerus dan mempopularkan lagu-lagu yang berunsur ketuhanan yang penuh dengan mood puja dan puji umpama sepasang kekasih yang bercinta.  Kita boleh dengar antara yang menarik untuk kita kaji seperti lagu 'Kepadamu Kekasih', 'Rindu',(Kembara), 'Suci Dalam Debu'(Iklim), 'Kasih tak Terhurai'( Sheqal), 'Berikan Nurbisa'(Hattan) dan kebanyakan lagu-lagu pop dari band-band rock jiwang terutamanya di tahun-tahun 90an dulu.  Cerita tentang Tuhan bagi saya ia milik semua kita yang punya roh. Kita punya hak menyatakan tahap kasih-sayang kita mengikut tahap faham kita dalam mengenal. Kalau tahap kenal kita itu sekadar huruf, neraka, syurga, dosa dan pahala, pun boleh juga.  Kalau kita ingin menyingkap tabir usul dan cuba menyelongkar apa rahsia yang tersembunyi, itu lebih baik kerana hakikat itu cerita tentang diri kita dalam bentuk yang tulus dan telus.  Antara lagu ketuhanan yang terbaik bagi saya sepanjang zaman, cuba dengarkan lagu dan liriknya ditulis oleh Sawong Jabo dan dinyanyikan oleh Fals juga Jabo, judulnya 'Anak Wayang'. Antara yang menarik dalam liriknya menyatakan 'mencintaimu adalah mencintai hidup' dan 'di mana air mata bukan lagi duka'.  * Ini adalah pandangan peribadi penulis.

Fikir dulu sebelum bertindak Posted: 16 Feb 2013 03:35 PM PST 17 FEB — Nampaknya demam Oppa Gangnam Style di Malaysia masih belum berakhir.   Hanya lima hari selepas bintang sensasi Korea, Psy menjejakkan kaki ke Pulau Pinang untuk persembahan di rumah terbuka Tahun Baru Cina, nama beliau terus menjadi sebutan. Kali ini bukan kerana tarian, nyanyian mahupun fenomena yang dibawanya. Sebaliknya, dakwaan oleh Pengerusi Barisan Nasional Pulau Pinang, Teng Chang Yeow bahawa wujud ancaman terhadap keselamatan Perdana Menteri dan Psy yang akhirnya mengakibatkan Psy enggan untuk turut serta dalam acara menggaul yee sang yang mencuri tumpuan. Ada pihak yang menyifatkan keengganan Psy sebagai satu tamparan buat pihak penganjur dan tidak kurang juga, ia disifatkan sebagai satu "public relation disaster". Dalam konteks ini, Psy terperangkap di tengah-tengah dan menjadi mangsa keadaan. Ternyata, pemimpin-pemimpin politik baik dari kerajaan mahupun pembangkang tidak pernah gagal untuk menghiburkan kita.  Bermacam-macam alasan dan jalan cerita akan dijajakan semata-mata untuk menghalalkan tindakan mereka. Namun dalam keghairahan mereka menjajakan jalan cerita, secara tidak sedar tindakan itu telah memakan diri. Jika ingin menjajakan jalan cerita sekalipun, biarlah ia masuk akal dan logik. Mungkin Chang Yeow sudah lupa bahawa rakyat generasi kini sudah makin celik dan mempunyai sumber internet untuk mengetahui perkara sebenar. Mungkin juga beliau sudah lupa bahawa generasi rakyat sekarang lebih sukar untuk diperdaya dengan penjelasan sebegini. Apa yang diperkatakan oleh beliau tidak masuk akal. Sebab-musabab yang diberikan oleh Chang Yeow mempunyai lompong yang cukup nyata dan boleh dipertikaikan. Jika benarlah ada ancaman terhadap keselamatan Psy dan Perdana Menteri, mengapa acara menggaul yee sang diteruskan? Mengapakah Psy terus dibenarkan untuk membuat persembahan? Lebih menghairankan, mengapakah alasan itu hanya didedahkan kepada umum beberapa hari selepas acara berkenaan? Malah pihak polis juga menegaskan, mereka tidak menerima sebarang laporan mengenai ancaman itu seperti yang didakwa Chang Yeow. Juga, dimanakah Chang Yeow mendapat maklumat bahawa wujudnya ancaman terhadap PM dan Psy? Psy juga tidak membuat sebarang aduan terhadap perkara itu. Jadi, apa yang sedang berlaku? Apa pula penjelasan pemimpin Gerakan itu dengan kunjungan Psy ke sebuah restoran Korea selama lima jam? Satu pengajaran boleh dipelajari di sini. Adakalanya adalah lebih baik jika tiada kenyataan dikeluarkan langsung mengenai insiden itu. Sebarang usaha untuk menutup aib dengan memberikan alasan yang tidak logik hanya akan memburukkan keadaan. Chang Yeow perlu sedar bahawa kenyataan yang dikeluarkannya itu telah mengundang kritikan yang cukup hebat daripada pembaca dan ini terbukti menerusi komen-komen yang dipaparkan dalam beberapa portal internet beberapa hari lalu. Kritikan yang bertalu-talu dalam portal internet tidak harus ditafsir sebagai penolakan mereka terhadap kerajaan secara total tetapi terhadap kejanggalan kenyataan oleh Chang Yeow. Tidak salah untuk seseorang pemimpin mengaku kelemahan dan kekurangan yang wujud dalam penganjuran rumah terbuka itu. Malah, sikap rendah diri merupakan sesuatu yang dituntut dalam sisi agama. Lebih penting lagi, ia juga satu kriteria penting yang disukai oleh rakyat. Tetapi jika apa yang diperkatakan oleh Chang Yeow itu adalah benar, maka pihak penganjur rumah terbuka perlulah lebih berwaspada dengan keadaan sekeliling mereka di masa hadapan. Segala persiapan bagi memastikan kelancaran majlis perlu diperkemaskan dan kesilapan yang mengaibkan seperti yang berlaku tempoh hari, tidak harus dibenarkan...lebih-lebih lagi ia berlaku di hadapan puluhan ribu pengunjung. Dengan itu, tidak akan berbangkitlah bermacam-macam alasan seperti yang diberikan pemimpin Gerakan berkenaan. Ambillah iktibar dari sekarang dan jangan biarkan insiden ini terus menjadi bahan gurauan ramai. * Ini adalah pandangan peribadi penulis.

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