KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 ― It's not a bad way to spend a Sunday afternoon ... eating cake. Lots of cake. And all in the line of "duty".Together with five other people, I had the enviable job of tasting and ... Read More
KUALA LUMPUR, June 3 ― It's not a bad way to spend a Sunday afternoon ... eating cake. Lots of cake. And all in the line of "duty".Together with five other people, I had the enviable job of tasting and ... Read More
Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt looks on during a news conference in Rome June 4, 2013. — Reuters picROME, June 4 — Jamaica's Usain Bolt aims to preserve his sprint dominance and add to his collection of six Olympic gold medals before he ends his glittering athletics career after the Rio de Janeiro Games in 2016.
"I have pretty much four more years I think personally, in the sport, so now it is all about dominating for those four years," Bolt, 26, told a news conference in Rome where he was preparing to make his European season debut at Thursday's Golden Gala meeting.
"I am looking forward to the next Olympics to do something that has never been done before so that is one of my biggest things right now," he said.
Bolt, Olympic champion and world record holder over 100 and 200 metres, has struggled with a slight hamstring strain this year and last competed in a meeting in the Cayman Islands last month where he ran the 100 at a relatively pedestrian 10.09 seconds.
As well as Bolt, Thursday's field includes American Justin Gatlin, bronze medallist at the London Olympics, and 2003 world champion Kim Collins from St Kitts and Nevis.
The Jamaican was confident that he had overcome the injury problems which dogged the start of his year and said he would not relax his hold over a sport he has dominated since his triumph at the Beijing Olympics of 2008.
"It is going to take hard work and I really look forward to the competition because it drives me and it helps the sport. I am going to do as much as possible and enjoy it and help to develop the sport over the years," he said. — Reuters
ROME, June 4 — Italy must go all out to try to beat Czech Republic in Friday's World Cup qualifier in Prague or risk coming a cropper, goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon (picture) said today.
Italy lead Group B by three points after four wins in five games but with the Confederations Cup on the horizon, Buffon wants minds to be focused on the clash against the third-placed Czechs.
"We are enjoying qualification for the World Cup in a serene manner, up to now there haven't been any nasty surprises partly because of how we have played," he told reporters.
"The Czechs are one of those teams you have to go out and beat because they don't give you anything.
"You play a below-par game then you risk losing, if you play only normally then you might be able to grab a point but we want to play a great game to increase our lead at the top of the group."
Buffon's wife is Czech and the keeper shared his sympathies with those affected by floods in Prague.
"They are experiencing a real drama," he said.
Italy head to Brazil for the Confederations Cup on Sunday where they first face Mexico in Group A on June 16 in Rio de Janeiro.
Defenders: Ignazio Abate (AC Milan), Davide Astori (Cagliari), Andrea Barzagli (Juventus), Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Mattia De Sciglio (Milan), Christian Maggio (Napoli)
Midfielders: Alberto Aquilani (Fiorentina), Antonio Candreva (Lazio), Daniele De Rossi (AS Roma), Alessandro Diamanti (Bologna), Emanuele Giaccherini (Juventus), Claudio Marchisio (Juventus), Riccardo Montolivo (Milan), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)
Forwards: Mario Balotelli (Milan), Alessio Cerci (Torino), Stephan El Shaarawy (Milan), Alberto Gilardino (Bologna), Sebastian Giovinco (Juventus) — Reuters
A new study suggests that vegetarians have reduced mortality rates. — AFP-Relaxnews picCALIFORNIA, June 4 — Want to live longer and keep the grim reaper at bay? A new study suggests dropping meat from your diet.
After following more than 70,000 men and women over six years, researchers at Loma Linda University in California - a Seventh-Day Adventist health institution - concluded that those who followed vegetarian lifestyles had reduced rates of mortality.
As part of their religion, Seventh-Day Adventists are encouraged to follow vegetarian diets.
Findings were published online by JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) Internal Medicine this week with an accompanying commentary of the study.
After categorizing study participants into five dietary groups - non-vegetarians, semi-vegetarians, pescatarians, lacto-ovo-vegetarians, and vegans - authors found that vegetarian groups - the lacto-ovo-vegetarians and the vegans - tended to be older, more highly educated, and more likely to be married, drink less alcohol, smoke less, exercise more and be thinner.
Mortality rates were also lower among those who followed meat-free diets -12 per cent lower than their carnivorous counterparts. This was particularly noteworthy among male participants, who showed a significant reduction in cardiovascular and ischemic heart disease-related deaths, researchers point out.
The overall mortality rate was six deaths per 1,000 person years, or 2,570 deaths over a follow-up time of about six years.
It's the latest study to tout the benefits of a meat-free diet. Earlier this year, researchers from the University of Oxford found that the risk of hospitalisation or death from heart disease is 32 per cent lower in vegetarians than their counterparts. — AFP-Relaxnews
Online dating has ballooned into a billion-dollar industry and the Internet "may be altering the dynamics and outcome of marriage itself," said a study by US researchers in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. — AFP-Relaxnews picWASHINGTON, June 4 — More than one third of US marriages begin with online dating, and those couples may be slightly happier than couples who meet through other means, a US study out today found.
Online dating has ballooned into a billion-dollar industry and the Internet "may be altering the dynamics and outcome of marriage itself," said the study by US researchers in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The research is based on a nationally representative survey of 19,131 people who married between 2005 and 2012.
"We found evidence for a dramatic shift since the advent of the Internet in how people are meeting their spouse," said the study, led by John Cacioppo of the University of Chicago's Department of Psychology.
However, some experts took issue with the findings because the survey was commissioned by eHarmony.com, the dating site that attracted one quarter of all online marriages according to the research.
Cacioppo acknowledged being a "paid scientific advisor" for the website, but said the researchers followed procedures provided by the Journal of the American Medical Association and agreed to oversight by independent statisticians.
People who reported meeting their spouse online tended to be age 30-49 and of higher income brackets than those who met their spouses offline, the survey found.
Of those who did not meet online, nearly 22 per cent met through work, 19 per cent through friends, nine per cent at a bar or club and four per cent at church, the study said.
So who is happier?
When researchers looked at how many couples had divorced by the end of the survey period, they found that 5.96 per cent of online married couples had broken up, compared to 7.67 per cent of offline married couples.
The difference remained statistically significant even after controlling for variables like year of marriage, sex, age, education, ethnicity, household income, religion and employment status.
Among couples who were still married during the survey, those who met online reported higher marital satisfaction - an average score of 5.64 on a satisfaction survey - than those who met offline and averaged 5.48.
The lowest satisfaction rates were reported by people who met through family, work, bars/clubs or blind dates.
"These data suggest that the Internet may be altering the dynamics and outcomes of marriage itself," said Cacioppo.
"It is possible that individuals who met their spouse online may be different in personality, motivation to form a long-term marital relationship, or some other factor."
But not all experts believe that online dating translates into instant bliss.
Eli Finkel, a professor of social psychology at Northwestern University, led an extensive review of the science published about online dating last year.
He told AFP he agreed with the proportions found in the PNAS study. His research showed about 35 per cent of relationships now start online.
"The overreach occurs when the authors conclude that meeting a partner online is better than meeting a partner through offline avenues," Finkel said.
"Nobody's surprised when a minuscule effect reaches statistical significance with a sample of 20,000 people, but it's important that we don't misunderstand 'statistical significance' to mean 'practical significance.'"
Finkel also took issue with eHarmony's involvement in the study.
"I'm always a bit wary when a project is entirely funded by a private organisation that clearly has a vested interest in the results," he said.
According to New York City psychologist and author Vivian Diller, the seven-year study was too short to assess the long-term outcomes of relationships that begin online.
"Success in marriage is largely about how you negotiate differences, not just compatibility," she told AFP, adding that online dating can raise expectations and result in greater unhappiness.
"I find that younger people who use online dating seem to use it more as a playground, especially guys looking at profiles of young women. They look at it as an opportunity to meet as many people as possible, and women fatigue of that." — AFP-Relaxnews
LOS ANGELES, June 4 — Lou Reed says he is "bigger and stronger than ever" after a life saving liver transplant and is looking forward to getting back to performing on stage.
71-year-old rocker Lou Reed. — AFP pic"I am a triumph of modern medicine, physics and chemistry," the 71-year-old rocker said on his website after his wife revealed news of the transplant at the weekend.
"I am bigger and stronger than ever. My Chen Taiji and health regime has served me well all of these years," Reed said, referring to a traditional martial arts workout regime aimed at promoting health and relaxation.
"I look forward to being on stage performing, and writing more songs to connect with your hearts and spirits and the universe well into the future," said the veteran musician and songwriter, who rose to prominence as the front man of the 1960s rock band, The Velvet Underground.
Reed's wife Laurie Anderson told The Times of London in an interview published on Saturday that Reed "was dying" before a liver transplant in April.
"My husband had a big surgery, which went very well ... a liver transplant," she said. "It's as serious as it gets. He was dying. You don't get it for fun."
Reed cancelled numerous performances scheduled in California in April, including two at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
The singer of now classic songs such as "Sweet Jane" has enjoyed a successful solo career with 20 studio albums and numerous collaborations with other artists, including country singer Vince Gill and rock group The Killers.
He married Anderson, a performance artist and experimental musician, in 2008. She is six years his junior. — Reuters
Singer Sharon Jones of Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings arrives at the Apollo Theater Spring Benefit Concert & Awards Ceremony in New York, in this file picture taken June 14, 2010. — Reuters picLOS ANGELES, June 4 — Soul group Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings on Monday postponed the release of its forthcoming album and tour after Jones was diagnosed with early-stage bile duct cancer, according to a statement on the band's website.
The singer, 57, is to undergo surgery, and is expected to make a full recovery but will require a "lengthy" rehabilitation period, the statement said.
"Over the last few weeks I haven't felt good and I didn't know what was going on," Jones said in a statement. "We just found out that I have a stage-one tumor on my bile duct. Luckily we caught it really early and fast and the doctors say it's operable and curable!"
Bile ducts carry bile produced by the liver from the gallbladder into the small intestine to aid with digestion.
Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings are best known for the 2007 song "100 Days, 100 Nights" and 2010's "I Learned the Hard Way."
The group's fifth album, "Give the People What They Want," was scheduled to be released on Aug. 6. A new release date has not been announced.
The band is credited with reviving interest in soul music over the past decade and preceding such acts as the late British soul singer Amy Winehouse.
Without Jones, the brassy Dap-Kings have also provided backing music to such artists as Winehouse and British rockers The Heavy and Muse. — Reuters
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KUALA LUMPUR, 4 Jun — Islam perlu memainkan peranannya untuk menyatupadukan umat manusia dalam keadaan dunia yang sedang berpecah-belah, kata bekas perdana menteri Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Abdullah, yang juga pengerusi Institut Kefahaman Islam Malaysia (IKIM), berkata perpaduan yang dimaksudkan ini perlulah berlandaskan keikhlasan dalam menghormati perbezaan budaya, bahasa dan agama yang wujud dalam kalangan penduduk Asean, di samping memberi penekanan terhadap nilai bersama mereka, berasaskan semangat perpaduan dalam kepelbagaian.
"Kita perlu mengadakan perbincangan antara agama apabila timbulnya perkara yang memberi kesan serius terhadap kepentingan bersama para penduduk Asean yang terdiri daripada pelbagai agama," katanya dalam ucapan alu-aluan pada Simposium IKIM bertemakan 'Islam dan Era Baharu Negara Asean: Penyatuan Pandangan Hidup Ke Arah Mencapai Kemakmuran Bersama', di sini hari ini.
Simposium dua hari itu dirasmikan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. Matlamat simposium ialah untuk mengenal pasti asas kerjasama umat Islam melalui perspektif Islam serta meneroka inisiatif yang perlu dilaksanakan dalam menghadapi krisis ketamadunan dan sosioekonomi yang sedang melanda dunia.
Abdullah berkata Islam juga boleh memainkan peranan penting dalam menangani isu dan arah aliran yang sedang muncul berkaitan keselamatan sosial, pembangunan dan perpaduan.
Katanya isu tersebut agak rapat dengan Islam berikutan kedudukannya sebagai agama keamanan, yang menolak sikap melampau, pencerobohan, ancaman kekerasan dan jenayah ganas serta isu perubahan iklim, jaminan makanan dan krisis air yang menjejaskan banyak negara Islam.
"Sejarah membuktikan bahawa Islam sentiasa mengutamakan musyawarah dan perdamaian dalam menyelesaikan sesuatu sengketa.
"Bantahan diplomatik, memberi respons dengan cara yang sewajarnya, komitmen terhadap perjanjian dan arbitrasi secara adil adalah antara alternatif untuk mencari penyelesaian sebenar terhadap pelbagai sengketa, manakala penggunaan kekerasan hanya boleh digunakan dalam keadaan yang amat terhad," katanya.
Beliau berkata Malaysia boleh dijadikan model kajian atau sebagai mini Asean kerana ia mempunyai penduduk yang terdiri daripada pelbagai etnik dan agama - 60 peratus daripada penduduknya beragama Islam, manakala selebihnya merupakan penganut Kristian, Hindu, Buddha, Konfusianisme, Taoisme, Sikh dan kepercayaan lain.
"Sejak merdeka, Malaysia mencatat rekod ekonomi terbaik di Asia, dengan Keluaran Dalam Negara Kasarnya (KDNK) berkembang pada kadar purata 6.5 peratus, manakala ekonominya pula berkembang untuk meliputi sektor inovatif baharu dalam bidang sains dan perdagangan," katanya.
Abdullah berkata sejak era perjuangannya menuntut kemerdekaan lagi, Malaysia melindungi kepentingan semua penduduknya, termasuk golongan minoriti, dan menganjurkan kebebasan beragama, manakala sistem pentadbirannya pula mematuhi sistem demokrasi, keluhuran undang-undang dan tadbir urus yang baik.
Sambil menyatakan aset paling berharga bagi Asean ialah penduduknya, beliau berkata pembangunan modal insan berkualiti perlu diberi keutamaan, termasuk meningkatkan daya intelek warga Asean untuk menjadikan rantau berkenaan sebuah ekonomi berasaskan ekonomi dan sebuah rantau yang maju.
"Pendekatan yang diamalkan perlulah memberi penekanan terhadap usaha meningkatkan penguasaan ilmu dan kreativiti, memantapkan kemampuan saintifik dan inovatif serta memupuk sebuah masyarakat berperibadi mulia, yang memiliki sifat amanah dan integriti," katanya. — Bernama
PETALING JAYA, 4 Jun — PKR mempertahankan dakwaan warga asing dari Bangladesh telah mengundi secara haram pada Pilihan Raya 2013 walaupun penafian telah dibuat oleh Kedutaan Besar negara itu semalam di sini, menegaskan mempunyai bukti untuk menyokong dakwaan mereka.
Parti tunjang Pakatan Rakyat (PR) itu menambah, Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) perlu bertanggungjawab untuk permusuhan yang ditunjukkan terhadap pekerja asing Bangladesh kerana kegagalan untuk menangani aduan pengundi hantu, mengukuhkan tuduhan kerajaan telah memenangi pilihan raya 5 Mei melalui penipuan.
"Kita terima kenyataan mereka, mereka punyai hak tetapi kamu perlu tanya soalan ini: jika majoriti rakyat telah bercakap tentang ini dalam waktu yang lama, saya tidak fikir rakyat biasa Malaysia akan pergi dan membuat cerita tanpa apa-apa dan yang lebih penting ialah integriti pilihan raya adalah suci dan begitu penting kepada negara kita.
"Cara saya melihat ia adalah jika terdapat sebarang dakwaan mengenai pengundi hantu sama ada mereka adalah warga Bangladesh, Indonesia, Filipina ... apa yang lebih penting adalah pihak berkuasa dan pihak-pihak yang bertanggungjawab untuk itu seperti SPR perlu mengambil serius dan menyiasat sepenuhnya.
"Tetapi mereka enggan menyiasat jadi ianya memperkuatkan lagi persepsi terdapat pengundi hantu dari luar negara," kata pengarah strategi PKR Rafizi Ramli (gambar) dalam satu sidang akhbar di ibu pejabat parti di sini.
Semalam pemerintah Bangladesh menafikan wujud pengundi hantu daripada kalangan rakyat negara itu pada pilihan raya umum 5 Mei lalu, walau bagaimanapun mengakui terdapat pemberian kad pengenalan melalui proses secara sah.
Pesuruhjaya Tinggi AKM Atiqur Rahman berkata dakwaan kehadiran 40,000 pengundi warga Bangladesh diterbangkan untuk mengundi Barisan Nasional (BN) seminggu sebelum pilihan raya 5 Mei sebagai tidak munasabah.
Menurut Atiqur lagi, dakwaan tersebut adalah palsu dan bertujuan untuk kepentingan politik semata-mata pihak tertentu untuk meraih sokongan sehingga mencalar imej hubungan antara kerajaan Bangladesh dan Malaysia.
Naib Presiden PKR Nuruk Izzah Anwar mengatakan walaupun parti itu mengakui adalah salah untuk mensasarkan pekerja asing Bangladesh, SPR seharusnya melakukan sesuatu untuk mencegah tindak balas xenofobia terhadap warga asing jika ia bertindak terhadap aduan itu.
"Sudah tentu serangan dan permusuhan tidak harus dilakukan terhadap orang asing, SPR sepatutnya menghalang ini. Kami tidak meminta orang ramai untuk membenci dan sebagainya tetapi kita tidak boleh membiarkan kejadian ini menjadi sesuatu yang kita mudah lupa.
"Anda perlu untuk mendesak dan menuntut SPR dan menjalankan siasatan berkaitan dengan profesional," katanya semasa sidang media yang sama.
Pemimpin PR telah menuduh parti pemerintah mencuri Pilihan Raya 2013 melalui amalan penipuan yang termasuk mengangkut warga asing ke negeri-negeri utama di Malaysia untuk mengundi BN.
Pemimpin-pemimpin BN, bagaimanapun, menyifatkan dakwaan itu sebagai tidak berasas dan berkata pembangkang masih belum menunjukkan apa-apa bukti kukuh untuk menyokong tuntutan itu.
Walaupun terdapat kebangkitan pembangkang, BN masih memegang kuasa dengan memenangi 133 kerusi berbanding PR 88, walaupun kurang tujuh kerusi daripada apa yang mereka perolehi pada tahun 2008.
Gabungan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak juga kehilangan undi popular untuk kali pertama sejak 1969.
PR dan kumpulan reformasi pilihanraya Bersih kini merancang untuk memfailkan petisyen pilihan raya untuk mencabar beberapa keputusan dalam 5 Mei pilihan raya, mendakwa mempunyai bukti kukuh penipuan dalam apa yang dikatakan pilihan raya paling sengit di Malaysia.
Antara bukti-bukti yang dikumpul adalah video kononnya menunjukkan warga asing diterbangkan satu hari sebelum pilihan raya.
Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak baru-baru ini mengumumkan kerajaan akan melihat melalui pelan untuk reformasi sistem pilihan raya dengan meletakkan Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya (SPR) di bawah satu jawatankuasa khas parlimen.
Pemimpin PR, bagaimanapun, mendakwa langkah itu adalah lebih daripada satu latihan perhubungan awam dan mendesak kepimpinan SPR meletakkan jawatan sebagai langkah pertama ke arah reformasi tulen pilihan raya.
Uthaya Sankar SB berkarya dalam Bahasa Malaysia. Beliau adalah presiden Kumpulan Sasterawan Kavyan (Kavyan) dan pemilik tunggal Perunding Media, Motivasi dan Penerbitan Uthaya. Selain menulis, membaca dan bercakap, beliau juga suka menonton filem.
4 JUN — Salah satu "keunikan" yang sering dipromosikan oleh Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) khasnya — dan Pakatan Rakyat (PR) amnya — adalah tentang ahli pelbagai kaum serta penolakan terhadap sentimen perkauman dalam parti politik berkenaan.
Pada 31 Mei 2013, saya sedang minum bersama-sama seorang rakan di sebuah restoran di Taman Sri Muda, Shah Alam dan berpeluang mendengar (baca: mendengar tanpa masuk campur) perbualan sekumpulan ahli PKR.
Untuk berlaku adil dan objektif serta tidak menjatuhkan hukuman terhadap sesiapa, saya paparkan intipati perbualan mereka berdasarkan catatan yang saya buat semasa sesi minum teh itu.
Kumpulan berkenaan ternyata tidak berpuas hati kerana Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Seri Andalas, Dr Xavier Jayakumar Arulanandam "tercicir" daripada senarai Anggota Majlis Mesyuarat Kerajaan Negeri Selangor (Exco) yang diumumkan sehari sebelum itu.
Umum mengetahui bahawa sebelum ini memang ada kempen besar-besaran oleh sekumpulan "orang dalam" yang tidak mahu Ketua Cabang PKR Kota Raja dan Ahli Biro Politik PKR itu memegang jawatan Exco bagi penggal kedua.
Ramai penyokong yang mahukan Xavier kekal sebagai Exco.Menurut laporan media (15 Mei), kempen itu diterajui Dr S. Streram (Petaling Jaya Selatan), P. Maniam (Hulu Selangor), S. Murali (Puchong), Anthony Dass (Kota Raja), P. Krishnasamy (Klang), Dr Neduchelian (Kapar), M. Jayabalan (Lembah Pantai), S. Balan (Subang) dan P. Thiagarajan (OMS).
Sekumpulan penyokong tegar Xavier yang saya temui di restoran itu pula ternyata mempersoalkan mengapa Naib Presiden PKR, N. Surendran dan Ahli Biro Politik PKR, Sivarasa K. Rasiah yang juga Ahli Parlimen Subang berdiam diri apabila Xavier tidak dilantik sebagai Exco.
Mereka turut mempersoalkan mengapa tidak ada Exco kaum India dari PKR. Saya begitu teringin untuk masuk campur dan bertanya berapa ramaikah sebenarnya ADUN kaum India daripada PKR di Selangor. Bagaimanapun saya memilih untuk berdiam diri sahaja dan terus mengikuti perbualan mereka yang amat rancak dan bertenaga.
"Punca utama semua ini berlaku adalah kerana perpecahan dalam kalangan kaum India dalam PKR. Ada kumpulan yang terang-terangan tidak mahu Xavier jadi Exco. Hujah pihak tertentu bahawa pemilihan Exco dibuat berdasarkan formula 6:4 yang dikemukakan oleh Sultan Selangor hanyalah alasan untuk menutup hakikat sebenar," kata seorang peserta dalam perbincangan itu.
Perbualan mereka terus melompat sebentar kepada isu pelantikan pengerusi Persatuan Hindraf Malaysia (Hindraf), P. Waythamoorthy sebagai Timbalan Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri. Mereka berhujah bahawa seorang "pengkhianat bangsa dan negara" dilantik oleh Perdana Menteri dan pelantikan itu mendapat perkenan Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
"Bayangkan kalau PR telah menang majoriti dalam Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-13 (PRU13) dan Anwar Ibrahim bakal jadi Perdana Menteri. Kalau Agong tidak mahu perkenan, apa yang akan berlaku? Tapi sekarang, dalam isu Xavier, dengan mudah sahaja orang beri alasan bahawa ia ada kaitan dengan Sultan Selangor," kata seorang pemuda.
Kumpulan yang rancak berbual sambil makan dan minum di restoran itu berulang kali menyebut nama Surendran dan Sivarasa. Memang kedengaran amat sinis apabila mereka berhujah bahawa kedua-dua peguam itu tiba-tiba sibuk setiap kali ada pemuda kaum India mati di dalam lokap tetapi hanya membisu dalam isu Xavier tidak dilantik menjadi Exco.
Perkauman dalam PR, kaum India selalu mengalah
Seorang pemuda tampil menjelaskan bahawa PKR bukan sebuah parti politik berasaskan kaum. Pada pandangannya, kalau sekalipun mahu dilihat dari sudut kaum, jawatan Exco itu masih diberi kepada individu Bukan Melayu dari PKR.
"Kita jangan sempitkan fikiran dengan mengatakan DAP sebuah parti orang Cina. Kalau begitulah pandangan kita, apa bezanya kita (PR) dengan Umno, MCA dan MIC? Untuk jawatan Exco Selangor, DAP beri satu kerusi kepada ADUN Kota Alam Shah, Ganabatirau Veraman dan itu sudah cukup bagus," katanya.
Terus pula beberapa orang dalam kumpulan itu mengungkitkan bahawa PKR menang besar di Selangor dalam PRU-13 berikutan sokongan dan undi kaum India; tetapi mengapa dua wakil kaum India dari PKR tidak dijadikan Exco seperti (khabarnya) pernah dijanjikan lima tahun dahulu.
Surendran dikatakan teruja setiap kali ada pemuda kaum India mati dalam lokap.Seorang lagi individu yang kelihatan seperti memegang jawatan penting dalam PKR peringkat Taman Sri Muda menyatakan pandangan bahawa PAS hanya menolong orang Melayu. Katanya, politik berasaskan kaum masih wujud dalam PR.
"Xavier sudah banyak berkhidmat bagi kaum India. Jadi, beliau perlu diberikan peluang menjadi Exco untuk penggal kedua supaya boleh buat banyak lagi untuk kaum India. Xavier adalah Exco terbaik di Selangor," kata individu itu.
Hujah mengenai sentimen perkauman dalam PR turut disokong oleh seorang lain individu yang terlibat dalam perbincangan. Pada penelitiannya, politik perkauman dalam PR menyebabkan kaum India terpaksa sentiasa mengalah dalam pelbagai hal sejak tahun 2008.
Mengenai formula "6 Melayu, 4 Bukan Melayu" yang digunakan dalam pemilihan Exco Kerajaan Negeri Selangor, individu yang kelihatan seperti mempengerusikan perbincangan itu mengatakan bahawa majoriti Melayu-Islam "sengaja dipilih" supaya boleh membuat keputusan mudah (undi majoriti) dalam isu-isu berkaitan kebajikan umat Islam dan rumah urut.
"Apa yang penting dan menjadi persoalan kita sekarang adalah mengapa Surendran dan Sivarasa tidak tampil menyatakan apa-apa bantahan apabila Xavier tidak terpilih. Apabila dihubungi, mereka kata akan berbuat sesuatu tetapi sampai sekarang tak ada apa-apa," tegasnya.
"Kaum India yang memberikan undi sehingga PR menang majoriti dua pertiga di Selangor, tapi malangnya jasa kaum India tidak dikenang selepas PRU13," seorang lagi mencelah dengan nada kecewa.
Topik mengenai agama dan etnik/keturunan juga muncul dalam perbualan yang berlangsung di restoran itu. Khabarnya apabila Xavier dilantik sebagai Exco selepas PRU12, ada pihak dalam PKR sendiri yang mempersoalkan kemampuannya menolong kaum India memandangkan beliau beragama Kristian!
"Sekarang bekas pejuang Hindraf, Ganabatirau yang berketurunan Telugu dilantik menjadi Exco. Kenapa pula tidak ada sesiapa dalam PKR yang bising?" Demikian individu itu bertanya tanpa mengharapkan sebarang jawapan.
"Mengapa Surendran dan Sivarasa membisu?"
Seorang lagi peserta perbincangan mengulangi bahawa isu sebenar bukan mengapa Xavier tidak dilantik menjadi Exco tetapi kenapa tidak ada wakil kaum India dari PKR dilantik. Katanya, kalau kaum India (dalam PKR) terus berdiam diri, situasi serta nasib kaum India (dalam PKR) akan menjadi lebih teruk selepas PRU14.
Manifesto PR turut menjadi sasaran kritikan kumpulan yang sedang berbual-bual rancak itu. Pada pandangan mereka, manifesto berkenaan turut gagal menjaga kebajikan kaum India.
Sabastine (berdiri, tengah) mengadakan sidang media ringkas."Hasil maklumat yang saya terima, sepanjang lima tahun lalu, Menteri Besar Selangor tidak ambil pekerja kaum India untuk bekerja di Bangunan SUK. Seolah-olah Kerajaan Negeri Selangor hanya tolong orang Melayu sementara orang India terabai," seseorang mencelah.
Berkali-kali juga kumpulan ahli PKR yang berbual itu mengatakan bahawa Surendran dan Sivarasa sepatutnya sekurang-kurangnya mengeluarkan kenyataan bahawa mereka berdua akan cuba melakukan sesuatu.
"Kita semua undi PR dalam PRU13 sebab Barisan Nasional (BN) gagal membela nasib kaum India. Kini, di bawah PR di Selangor, kaum India masih terabai. Jika kita terus dipinggirkan, kita sepakat undi BN dalam PRU14," kata seseorang dengan penuh semangat.
"Kalau Surendran dan Sivarasa tidak mampu membantu, lebih baik mereka lepaskan jawatan. Saya dapat tahu bahawa apabila orang menghubungi Surendran mengenai isu Xavier tidak dilantik sebagai Exco, dia berkata 'saya bukan MB, saya tak boleh buat keputusan'. Itu sahaja.
"Sejak lima tahun lalu, apabila ada penduduk kaum India menghadapi apa-apa masalah, semua orang yang pegang jawatan dalam Kerajaan Negeri Selangor suruh mereka jumpa Xavier. Tapi kini Xavier tiada dalam barisan Exco," kata seorang lagi dengan perasaan yang berbaur antara marah, kecewa dan sayu.
Antara cadangan yang kedengaran semasa perbualan mereka adalah supaya mengadakan tunjuk perasaan secara aman di luar istana. Mereka juga bertekad meneruskan tunjuk perasaan di hadapan ibu pejabat PKR.
"Surendran dan Sivarasa mungkin tidak berani bersuara kerana takut hilang jawatan. Anwar pun nampaknya rasis macam Umno juga. Semasa berkempen di Taman Sri Muda menjelang PRU13, dia nyanyi lagu-lagu MGR dan menasihatkan orang ramai jangan tertipu dengan BN. Tapi akhirnya kaum India masih tertipu oleh PR." Demikian luahan perasaan seorang peserta dalam perbincangan.
Dalam perkembangan lain, Ketua PKR Ranting Sri Muda Utara, P. Sabastine Rao mengadakan sidang media bersama-sama beberapa penyokong Xavier di sebuah restoran di Taman Sri Muda, baru-baru ini.
"Kami melahirkan rasa kecewa kerana Surendran dan Sivarasa tidak tampil bersuara apabila Xavier tidak dilantik sebagai Exco bagi penggal kedua," katanya dalam sidang media yang ringkas dan dihadiri wartawan akhbar Tamil.
* Uthaya Sankar SB suka melepak di gerai dan restoran untuk mendengar suara hati orang ramai berkaitan pelbagai isu semasa.
Andy West is a sports writer originally from the UK and now living in Barcelona. He has worked in professional football since 1998 and specialises in the Spanish Primera Division and the English Premier League. Follow him on Twitter at @andywest01.
JUNE 4 — On Sunday night, Neymar played the full 90 minutes in Brazil's surprisingly entertaining 2-2 draw against England to mark the re-opening of the legendary Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
Immediately after the game, he was whisked to Rio's airport to board a plane — private jet of course, no slumming it with the plebs for this young man — to embark upon the long and tiring transatlantic flight to Spain, hopefully catching a couple of hours of sleep en route.
Upon arrival in Barcelona on Monday lunchtime, there was nothing so ordinary such as jumping in a taxi and checking in at a hotel. Instead it was straight to FC Barcelona's offices for a photocall with the club president Sandro Rosell.
Then on again to the hospital for a series of medical tests, before heading for the Nou Camp where, within six hours of his plane touching down in the country, Neymar was paraded in front of around 40,000 fans, many of whom had queued for hours for a good seat to welcome their new hero.
Player presentations of this nature just don't happen in England so it was a new experience for me, but they are commonplace in Spain — earlier this season Mallorca even had one to celebrate the loan signing of Alan Hutton.
Neymar's appearance was a fairly brief affair. He strolled out, smiling and waving, soaking up the cheers of the crowd, before showing off his silky skills with some showboating keepy-uppies on the halfway line.
He was then handed the microphone to express in just a few words how delighted he is to have signed for the club, further ingratiating himself with the locals by uttering his "Good afternoon everyone" opening words in Catalan rather than his native Portuguese.
Then he sauntered around the pitch, pausing only to do some more waving and smiling, and kick a few footballs high into the stands as a memorable souvenir for some sure-handed fans, followed by a few photos, some more waves and swiftly back down the tunnel.
Finally, it was onto his final activity of his long day, an hour-long press conference in front of the world's assembled media, where he once again emphasised his delight at moving to Spain.
Neymar waves to Barcelona supporters at his presentation after signing a five-year contract with the club, at Nou Camp stadium in Barcelona on June 3, 2013. — Reuters picWhen that was all over and done with, you'd think Neymar would like to unwind by spending some time in his new home city, taking in the sights and soaking up the early summer sun. Maybe even start to think about where he might want to live.
No chance. It was straight back to the airport and onto the private jet to return to Brazil, meeting up again with his international teammates in preparation for this summer's Confederations Cup, after which he might just sneak in a week or two of holiday before reporting for pre-season training duty with Barcelona.
Now, Neymar is a very fortunate young man. He is being paid millions upon millions of euros, dollars or any other currency to you might care to name to play football with Leo Messi and Andres Iniesta. He's not got much to complain about.
But the unfeasibly busy schedule he's faced in the last 36 hours serves as a reminder that elite sportsmen and women don't end up where they are by chance. To be the best, they have to work, work and work. Plenty of sacrifices are called for. Neymar spends hours upon hours practising the skills that allowed him to show off those keepy-uppies in front of his new fans.
He was born with a certain amount of talent, of course, but he's only risen to where he is now, at the age of 21, because he was prepared to spend his youth practising, practising and then practising some more.
It's easy to look at the lives of the rich and famous, especially glamorous sports stars like Neymar, and be overtaken by feelings of envy, resenting how easy and privileged their lives are. And to an extent, of course, that's true.
But superstars like Neymar lead very, very different lives from you and me. We can head out to the shops, pick up what we want and come home. For Neymar, such an expedition would take at least an hour and involve dozens of autograph and photo requests.
If they are feeling tired or lazy one day, most people can coast through their jobs, going through the motions and waiting for tomorrow. If Neymar did that, he'd be out of the Barcelona team before he knew it. In fact, he would never have got there in the first place.
So yes, professional sport, especially at the elite level where Neymar operates, is a glamorous and privileged world, bringing with it all sorts of perks and luxuries.
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