Isnin, 19 Ogos 2013

The Malaysian Insider :: Food

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The Malaysian Insider :: Food


OpenTable selects 100 best US restaurants for a scenic view

Posted: 19 Aug 2013 05:11 PM PDT

August 20, 2013
Latest Update: August 20, 2013 04:11 pm

Of OpenTable's 100 best US restaurants featuring a view, 22 can be found in California.

The word 'California' immediately conjures up images of Hollywood, the Golden Gate Bridge, Santa Monica and famous vineyards.

And with all those iconic sites, it's perhaps no surprise that the state has the larget number of restaurants with a prime view of the nation.

Specialized restaurant booking site OpenTable revealed its list of the 100 winners of its Diner's Choice Awards for Best Scenic View.

Washington comes in second with seven restaurants, before Maryland, Nevada and New York which count six restaurants each.

The survey is based on 5 million restaurant reviews submitted by OpenTable diners from July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2013.

15,000 restaurants were taken into account in 50 states and the District of Columbia.

A look at four of the California entries, from Malibu to San Francisco.

Bertrand at Mister A's

Located at the top of a San Diego skyscraper, the restaurant offers a great view of the bay, the Balboa Park and the famous San Diego zoo. Website: www.bertrandatmisteras.com/

Moonshadows

At the Moonshadows in Malibu, clients can admire a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean and enjoy Asian, Italian and American-inspired cuisine. Website: www.moonshadowsmalibu.com

River's End

Jenner's establishment, located at the top of a cliff on the Russian River, promises breathtaking sceneries and a unique cooking experience, only 45 minutes away from the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge. Website: ilovesunsets.com

Wind and Sea

This seafood restaurant in Dana Point is surrounded by the sea on three sides and offers a gorgeous view of the marina. Website: www.windandsearestaurants.com

The complete top 100 list is available at www.opentable.com/scenic - AFP/Relaxnews, August 20, 2013.

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The Malaysian Insider :: Sports

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Argentine Zabaleta to stay at Manchester City until 2017

Posted: 19 Aug 2013 08:35 AM PDT

August 19, 2013

Manchester City's Pablo Zabaleta (L) fights for the ball with Arsenal's Mikel Arteta during their friendly match at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium in Helsinki in this file picture. Zabaleta has signed a four-year contract that will keep him at Manchester City until 2017.– Reuters pic, August 19, 2013.Manchester City's Pablo Zabaleta (L) fights for the ball with Arsenal's Mikel Arteta during their friendly match at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium in Helsinki in this file picture. Zabaleta has signed a four-year contract that will keep him at Manchester City until 2017.– Reuters pic, August 19, 2013.Argentina right back Pablo Zabaleta has signed a new four-year contract that will keep him at English Premier League Manchester City until 2017.

"I have been here for five years and it feels like home. Signing a contract extension with the club makes me feel very happy," said the 28-year-old who has captained City on several occasions.

Zabaleta, voted the club's Player of the Year last season, helped City win the Premier League title in 2012 and has made 175 appearances since joining them from Espanyol five years ago.

"I think we have got a great squad, fantastic players and hopefully we can win something this year," Zabaleta told the club website (www.mcfc.co.uk).

City, under new Chilean coach Manuel Pellegrini, open their league season at home to Newcastle United later today.

Zabaleta, who began his career at San Lorenzo, is a regular in coach Alejandro Sabella's Argentina team who are top of the South American 2014 World Cup qualifying table. – Reuters, August 19, 2013.

France to host Australia for first time in October

Posted: 19 Aug 2013 07:32 AM PDT

August 19, 2013

France are to entertain Australia for the first time in an international when they meet in a friendly later this year, the national soccer federation (FFF) said in a statement today.

The fourth encounter between the two teams will take place at the Parc des Princes in Paris on Oct. 11, four days before France's final World Cup qualifier at home to Finland.

The two nations have not met since they shared a 1-1 draw in a friendly in Melbourne in 2001.

France, who are one point behind leaders Spain in their World Cup qualifying group, travel to Georgia on Sept. 6 and Belarus four days later.

The Socceroos have already qualified for next year's World Cup and visit tournament hosts Brazil next month for a friendly. – Reuters, August 19, 2013.

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The Malaysian Insider :: Showbiz

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The Malaysian Insider :: Showbiz


For “Biggest Loser” trainer, diet trumps exercise in weight loss

Posted: 19 Aug 2013 01:15 AM PDT

August 19, 2013
Latest Update: August 19, 2013 04:33 pm

Harper feels that having a balanced diet trumps exercising for those who want to lose weight. AFP pic, August 19, 2013.Harper feels that having a balanced diet trumps exercising for those who want to lose weight. AFP pic, August 19, 2013.Celebrity trainer Bob Harper (pic), of the weight-loss TV show "The Biggest Loser," has built a career putting very obese people through some gruelling fitness paces but if he's learned anything from the experience, it's that diet trumps exercise every time.

The Los Angeles-based trainer, who was born on a cattle farm in Tennessee and arrived in California some 20 years ago, said gone are the days when he believed it was possible to just exercise the pounds away.

"It is all about your diet," Harper, 48, said during a break from filming Season 15 of the long-running US show. "I used to think a long time ago that you can beat everything you eat out of you and it's just absolutely not the case."

Harper has spun his TV fame improving the fitness of people who are 45 kg or more overweight into an empire with DVD workouts and the best-selling book "The Skinny Rules," which offers tips to drop excess weight.

He said if the 'Skinny' of his book titles and fitness DVDs is meant tongue-in-cheek, it is also the word that his morbidly obese clients attach to most.

"People say, 'Shouldn't I be fit? Shouldn't I be healthy?', and I say 'Yes, absolutely. But what I always hear from my contestants on the show is, 'I just want to get skinny.'"

In addition to promoting a healthy diet, a big part of his exercise routine includes lunges and other core-strengthening moves to burn enough fat to let the inner six-pack shine through.

Harper said the workout is aimed at getting the heart rate up because that's when people are going to be able to burn fat and when fat is burned off, the abdominal muscles are exposed.

He also adheres to the no-frills strength and condition program called Crossfit, which is a series of timed, ever- changing physical challenges that he says are suitable for everyone.

"I'm working with people who are 227 kg and doing Crossfit on a regular basis," said Harper, who described the approximately 20-minute workout as well-balanced.

"To me Crossfit just completely makes sense (as long as) you work at your level doing the things you can do with proper coaching," he explained.

But Dr. Mark Kelly, an exercise physiologist at the American Council on Exercise, said that even with supervision, Crossfit can be risky if the fitness groundwork isn't in place.

"Crossfit has very ballistic training. You're asking people to move fast through a large range of motion. Even with coaching, the foundation of stability, mobility and psychomotor skill has to be laid (first)," he said.

Kelly agrees that diet is the main factor that can lower weight, but it's exercise, he adds, that allows that lower weight to stick.

He cited the National Weight Control Registry, a research study that includes people 18 years or older who have lost at least 13.6 kg of weight and kept it off for at least one year. Ninety percent of those in the study exercise regularly.

"They're the biggest losers across the nation," Kelly said. "And the No. 1 thing they did was exercise on a regular basis. Many simply through walking."

Harper said he values working with people who have gotten far off the diet and fitness track more than the celebrity status conferred upon him by reality TV.

"Of course with everyone being on a television show, from people working on fishing boats to people being interior designers, you get this platform," he said. "But I think for me, celebrity trainer is not who I am."

He is, he said, someone who has found what he loves to do.

"When you find your passion, it makes for a good life." - Reuters, August 19, 2013.

Lindsay Lohan says she’s an addict, aims “to shut up and listen”

Posted: 18 Aug 2013 08:48 PM PDT

August 19, 2013
Latest Update: August 19, 2013 12:04 pm

Weeks after finishing her sixth trip to rehab, actress Lindsay Lohan said in an interview broadcast yesterday that she was an addict and realizes she needs "to shut up and listen" because her approach to dealing with personal problems had not worked.

"I'm my own worst enemy, and I know that and I admit it," Lohan, 27, told Oprah Winfrey in an interview on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). She said she only realised she had a problem "over a period of time" rather than at any one moment.

Asked whether she was an addict, Lohan replied "Yeah," adding that her drug of choice was alcohol, which she said had been a "gateway to other things."

Lohan, who shot to fame as a child star in "The Parent Trap" before huge success in hit films such as "Mean Girls," has seen her image tarnished by a string of arrests, court appearances, bouts in rehab and a stint in prison, not to mention nearly continuous media coverage of the scandals.

She recently sought treatment at the Betty Ford Center, then finished treatment at another facility.

Lohan told Winfrey she had often felt shame, and "tons of guilt" over her frequent relapses with substance abuse, public quarrels with her parents and scrapes with the law.

When Winfrey asked what was different about this latest time in rehab, Lohan said that she no longer takes adderal, which she took for ADD (attention deficit disorder), saying being on the drug was "all I know" but that she was now calmer without it.

Lohan said she now only takes vitamins.

And she said her attitude had evolved.

"I just need to shut up and listen. In this case (in rehab) I wasn't fighting at all," she said, adding that it was clear that her idea of what works hasn't in the past.

Lohan spoke of a life steeped in chaos, starting with her home life, although she differed with a common perception that her parents had exploited her talents for financial gain.

"Nobody's perfect," she said of her parents, themselves tabloid fodder, adding "I love my family."

"I don't think anything was intentionally done ... they're just parents," Lohan said when Winfrey asked about the possibility of her parents having exploited her.

"I don't blame anyone for my mistakes," she added. "I did that, and I'm not proud of it."

But Lohan said she felt many of her demons have endured due to "all the chaos around me, that I was so comfortable with."

Since completing a court-ordered 90-day stint in rehab on July 31, the actress has enlisted a "sober coach" to help her stay clean and guest-hosted comedienne Chelsea Handler's talk show "Chelsea Lately" on U.S. cable network E!.

Her latest film, "The Canyons," was excoriated by critics, but many praised her performance.

Lohan, who will also be the subject of a reality series on OWN next year, is required to attend weekly therapy sessions over the next 15 months to comply with a court order for a reckless driving charge. - Reuters, August 19, 2013.

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The Malaysian Insider :: Features

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Chicago airport’s “chew gang” keeps the grass away

Posted: 18 Aug 2013 08:59 PM PDT

August 19, 2013
Latest Update: August 19, 2013 07:59 pm

Chicago's bustling O'Hare airport has hired a new crew to keep the grass cut: a herd of goats, sheep, donkeys and llamas. Yes, llamas.

The llamas help protect the sheep and miniature goats from coyotes that roam the wooded areas near one of the world's busiest airports. The donkeys are also big and aggressive enough to keep predators away.

And the entire chew crew works to keep the grounds clear of critters that can interfere -- or even endanger - airport operations.

Long grass isn't just messy, airport officials explained as they unveiled the new crew Tuesday. It's also a breeding ground for the small rodents that attract hawks and other birds of prey.

"Birds and planes don't mix," said Rosemarie Andolino commissioner of Chicago's airport authority.

Chicago used to rely on herbicides and motorized lawnmowers to maintain the nearly 8,000 acres (3,200 hectares) of land surrounding O'Hare.

But the rocky and hilly areas far from the tarmacs were tough to mow and could damage the city's expensive equipment. And despite endless hours of hot sweaty landscaping work, the airport's wildlife relocation team was constantly on the hunt for errant animals.

So the Windy City decided to follow the lead of airports in Seattle, San Francisco and Atlanta and try an old-fashioned approach.

Aside from giving the landscaping crew a break, relying on ruminants also potentially reduces the airport's carbon footprint by eliminating the use of gasoline-powered equipment.

It's not yet clear how much of an impact the herd of 14 goats, six sheep two llamas and three donkeys will make. It can't be allowed anywhere near the tarmac and also has to be protected from the busy freeway and roads that line the airport grounds.

Airport officials identified about 120 acres in four fenced-in sites that are choked with the kinds of grasses and weeds that can keep the herd happily munching for months.

They plan to monitor how long it takes the herd to clear each section. If it works well, they could even expand the herd to include more animals and a wider grazing area, Andolino said.

A local restaurant - which keeps its own goats for cheese -- has partnered with an animal rescue group to manage the herd at a cost of $19,000 for two years.

"It's a very inexpensive project," Andolino said.

The airport's fire-fighters drive fresh water over for their water trough and a crew of minders corrals the herd in and out of a trailer that acts as a temporary barn for the evenings.

When it gets too cold for them to graze, the herd will be transferred to a warmer winter home.

The animals don't seem bothered at all by the roar of the airplanes as they take off and land overhead, said Pinky Janota of the Settlers Pond animal shelter.

"We had a little lamb born this morning," she said. "He's doing great, suckling on mom with planes going overhead. He didn't flinch."

They named him O'Hare, naturally. - AFP/Relax, August 19, 2013.

World shoe aficionados flock to Italian masters

Posted: 18 Aug 2013 05:36 PM PDT

August 19, 2013
Latest Update: August 19, 2013 08:42 am

Italian artisan Angelo Imperatrice shows techniques to a student during a shoemaking lesson.Italian artisan Angelo Imperatrice shows techniques to a student during a shoemaking lesson.Bukola Asafa, a 30-year-old mother-of-two from Nigeria, stitches a deep red lining for a pair of made-to-measure grey moccasins, while around her others mould wooden models for high heels or shape leather on thunderous fleshing machines.

"I studied for an MBA at Liverpool University then opened my own company making bags in Lagos. Now I'm here to get that 'Made in Italy' touch for shoes. The designs will be mine, but influenced by Gucci!" she said with a wide grin.

She is not alone in travelling to Florence to learn from master cobbler Angelo Imperatrice, 75, who was taught the trade aged 11 by his uncles. Some of his students go on to sell their shoes for 3,000 euros ($3,991) a pair.

Imperatrice is from the Basilicata region in southern Italy but grew up in the Tuscan city famed for leather-working, where the cobbled streets "once thrived with artisans, from silversmiths to watchmakers and knife-sharpeners", he said.

The bustling streets near Michelangelo's statue of David may sport trendy shops with dazzling shoe displays, but it is the Oltrarno area on the other side of the river where the heart of Florence's ancient artisan sector thrived.

"Crafts like these have fallen out of fashion, but young people would do well to consider cobbler apprenticeships. They could become the next Salvatore Ferragamo," he said, referring to the Florentine designer loved by A-listers.

The blue-eyed master teaches up to eight students at a time at the Accademia Riaci - there is a long waiting list - and around 100 have graduated so far.

Amid the rolls of suede, calfskin leather and cord stand finished models, from a pair of towering patent-red heels with a seductive, winding ankle-strap to a lower-heeled blue velvet-lined court shoe with a small gold fork as a clasp.

Mashizan Masjum, a television producer from Singapore, said he had long dreamt of designing women's shoes - "elegant, but with an edge" - and believes he and his fellow students from Japan to South America will help keep Italian shoemaking alive.

"In this class we have people from all over the world learning from the same Italian master: it's globalisation at its best. There is a crisis, but with every crisis comes opportunity," the 41-year-old said as he nailed down a sole.

Imperatrice says that while cobbler apprentices used to work unpaid for four years on repairs before they were allowed to begin shoemaking, freshly trained shoemakers can now set up shop fairly quickly for between 4,000 and 5,000 euros.

Elderly masters of his generation often cannot read or write and are unwilling to face the bureaucratic hassle which modern apprenticeships bring, he says, but they still have a huge amount to teach about the ancient craft.

Several students say their interest in a hands-on trade has raised eyebrows.

Dana Alseif, 25, from Saudi Arabia, worked for a while in private banking before risking the wrath of her engineering family to do an intensive Italian language course and indulge her passion for classic men's shoes at Riaci.

The only Italian on the eight-week course - which costs 5,100 euros - is Daniele Ortolani, a 31-year-old who had been repairing shoes for eight years when he decided to learn how to make custom-made models for people with orthopedic conditions.

"Some of my friends were surprised when I chose to become a cobbler, but others are now considering the old trades. Being an upholsterer or rag-and-bone man is an increasingly appealing way to beat the economic crisis," he said.

Imperatrice has high hopes for Ortolani, who he hopes will become the next Stefano Bemer, a renowned Tuscan cobbler who boasted Oscar-winning actor Daniel Day-Lewis among his pupils, before dying in 2012 aged just 48.

Bemer took the British actor in as an apprentice for eight months between 1999 and 2000, welcoming him in to his tiny workshop at 8:00 am every day to learn how to make shoes using 180 different leathers, including hippopotamus and sharkskin.

"I want to join the greats some day," Ortolani said.

"I fear there will always be fewer Italian cobblers, but I hope the Tuscan expertise will somehow survive." – AFP/Relaxnews, August 19, 2013.

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The Malaysian Insider :: Books

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Shanghai bookstore opens metro line library scheme

Posted: 18 Aug 2013 04:44 PM PDT

August 19, 2013
Latest Update: August 19, 2013 07:51 am

The Aizhi Bookstore chain is offering free book loans to travelers after successful trials last year.

Starting Sunday, a cursory 1 yuan rental fee allows borrowers to take a book or magazine from a store or specially allocated shelf at one of over 60 designated spots: 16 stations on Shanghai's metro line 2, ten stations elsewhere around the metro network, and 30 repositories based in offices and residential areas, notes the Shanghai Daily.

Loans are made on trust, asking for books to be returned after a day, but with no registration process, membership fees or deposit, the system leans on its patrons' goodwill.

Aizhi's bookstall operation sees most of its business take place at the Shangai Metro Line 2 terminus, Pudong International Airport - and perhaps unsurprisingly, that's also the location with the highest proportion of unreturned books and magazines.

By contrast, office drop-offs have a higher rate of retention, reported China's Global Times.

It's low-risk for Aizhi, which furnishes the book stalls with stock it wouldn't be able to sell as new anyway, and beneficial for commuters and visitors who don't have to lug sometimes bulky reading material once their journey's done.

In fact, both companies and individuals have donated to Aizhi stock, with travelers receiving a coupon for an online language learning course, added the Global Times in a later report.

London's rail and underground stations saw a similar donation-dependent scheme called Books for London come to fruition in time for the 2012 Summer Olympics. - AFP/Relaxnews, August 19, 2013.

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The Malaysian Insider :: Bahasa

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The Malaysian Insider :: Bahasa


Idris Jusoh: PTPTN laksana CCRIS, senarai peminjam ingkar mula bulan ini – Bernama

Posted: 19 Aug 2013 02:22 AM PDT

August 19, 2013

Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional (PTPTN) akan melaksanakan Sistem Maklumat Rujukan Kredit Pusat (CCRIS) dengan kerjasama Bank Negara bagi menyenaraikan peminjam ingkar, bermula bulan ini.

Menteri Pendidikan Kedua Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh berkata CCRIS merupakan sistem pangkalan data Bank Negara yang menyimpan maklumat kredit peminjam yang telah dilaporkan oleh institusi kewangan.

Menerusi pendekatan ini peminjam PTPTN yang ingkar menerima kesan seperti peminjam institusi kewangan lain, terutama membabitkan kelulusan permohonan pinjaman, kad kredit, sewa beli dan sebagainya, kata Idris.

Beliau ditemui pemberita pada majlis mesra bersama pelanggan dan sambutan Aidilfitri PTPTN, di sini hari ini.

"Institusi kewangan atau bank akan menilai dan menganalisis setiap pinjaman, baki pinjaman, rekod bayaran balik serta bilangan bulan tertunggak yang terlibat. Ini akan mempengaruhi kelulusan permohonan atau jumlah pinjaman," katanya.

Idris berkata pelaksanaan CCRIS tidak bertujuan membebankan peminjam PTPTN sebaliknya mahu menggalakkan budaya pembayaran balik sebagai kemudahan pembiayaan pendidikan kepada generasi seterusnya.

Pada masa yang sama, beliau berkata PTPTN merangka beberapa penyelesaian bagi membantu peminjam yang disenarai dalam CCRIS termasuk membayar keseluruhan tunggakan serta membuat komitmen bayaran secara ansuran melalui potongan gaji atau Arahan Tetap bank.

"Selain itu peminjam juga mempunyai pilihan dengan membuat penjadualan atau penstrukturan semula pinjaman mereka yang tertakluk kepada syarat-syarat yang telah ditetapkan oleh PTPTN," katanya.

Sehingga 30 Jun lepas PTPTN telah meluluskan pembiayaan pendidikan kepada 2.2 juta pelajar dengan amaun keseluruhan berjumlah RM49.9 bilion.

Dalam perkembangan lain, Idris berkata Kementerian Pendidikan sedang berbincang dengan Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi Mesir agar penangguhan peperiksaan membabitkan pelajar Malaysia dilanjutkan untuk satu tempoh yang lama.

Ini kerana katanya krisis di Mesir dilihat akan mengambil masa untuk pulih. – Bernama, August 19, 2013.

‘Berita baik’ Zahid penipuan kepada keluarga tahanan ISA, kata Suaram

Posted: 19 Aug 2013 02:14 AM PDT

OLEH DIYANA IBRAHIM
August 19, 2013
Latest Update: August 19, 2013 05:16 pm

Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram) menggesa Menteri Dalam Negeri Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (gambar) segera membuat permohonan maaf kepada keluarga tahanan Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA) ekoran pengumuman yang dibuat menteri itu menjelang Hari Raya lepas.

Suaram dalam kenyataan hari ini berkata, Zahid dilaporkan mengumumkan ahli keluarga tahanan ISA akan menerima "berita baik" tidak lebih dari janji palsu yang biasa dicanangkan oleh kerajaan.

"Jika niat beliau, sekadar ingin mempermainkan perasaan para keluarga tahanan ISA dan meraih populariti murahan, maka kami mengutuk sekeras-kerasnya perbuatan tidak bertanggungjawab ia seperti perbuatan orang yang jahil," kata Penyelaras Suaram Syukri Razab.

Badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) itu juga turut melahirkan keraguan berhubung keengganan pihak kerajaan khususnya Menteri Dalam Negeri untuk membebaskan baki tahanan ISA.

Menurut Suaram, Zahid tidak pernah memberi alasan kukuh kenapa penahanan ini diteruskan meskipun jumlah tahanan ISA kini terlalu sedikit.

Mereka melihat naib presiden Umno itu sengaja menunjukkan kuasanya dengan menangguh-nangguhkan pembebasan.

"Sebagai seorang bekas tahanan ISA yang pernah meringkuk di Kem Tahanan Kamunting, Zahid seharusnya lebih faham mengenai sensitiviti keluarga yang perlu dihormati.

"Tindakan memberi harapan tanpa tanggungjawab tidak ubah seperti menambah hukuman terhadap keluarga tahanan yang sudah sekian lama dizalimi oleh ISA," kata badan itu lagi.

Suaram juga menggesa Zahid menubuhkan sebuah Suruhanjaya Rekonsiliasi bagi menyiasat semua dakwaan salah laku polis terhadap tahanan bagi mengheret mereka yang bersalah ke muka pengadilan.

Zahid dilaporkan membuat pengumuman tersebut pada 11 Julai lalu. Melalui rekod Suaram setakat ini terdapat lapan tahanan ISA yang masih ditahan di Kem Tahanan Kamunting.

Ini merupakan kali kedua para tahanan dan keluarga diberikan harapan palsu oleh pihak yang bertanggungjawab jelas Suaram apabila pertama kalinya ialah sewaktu Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak mengumumkan pemansuhan ISA pada 15 September 2011.

Bagaimanapun sehingga kini Putrajaya masih belum melaksanakan pembebasan itu.

11 Julai lalu Menteri Dalam Negeri itu berkata anggota keluarga kepada saki baki tahanan ISA, yang kini masih ditahan bawah Akta Kesalahan Keselamatan 2012 (Langkah-langkah Khas) (Sosma), bakal menerima "berita baik" menjelang Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

"Ada berita baik untuk mereka (tahanan dan keluarga) tahanan. Polis akan membuat pengumuman (tentangnya) tidak lama lagi," kata Zahid.

Laporan pada Jun lalu menyebut seramai 15 orang masih ditahan bawah Sosma, yang mengehadkan penahanan tanpa bicara, selepas ISA dimansuhkan pada 22 Jun tahun lalu. - 19 Ogos, 2013.

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The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion

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Membuka pintu dialog

Posted: 18 Aug 2013 04:54 PM PDT

August 19, 2013

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.

Konvoi Rumah Ibadat Seremban membawa peserta memasuki masjid, kuil, gurdwara, gereja dan tokong.Konvoi Rumah Ibadat Seremban membawa peserta memasuki masjid, kuil, gurdwara, gereja dan tokong.Sesungguhnya Nabi Muhammad menggalakkan dialog antara agama. Hakikat dan fakta ini nampaknya kurang diketahui sekelompok umat  Islam di Malaysia; khususnya pemimpin agama Islam yang menganggap kedudukan mereka "lebih tinggi dalam agama, jadi mereka tidak boleh duduk sama taraf dengan Bukan Islam" (The Malaysian Insider, 1 Ogos 2013).

Setiap orang Islam sewajarnya mengajak orang Bukan Islam (Tidak Islam; Non-Muslim) untuk berbincang tentang konsep ketuhanan, kehidupan selepas kematian, perayaan dan sebagainya dalam amalan budaya masing-masing.

Demikianlah juga ditekankan oleh Telaga Biru Sdn Bhd pada bahagian "Kata Penerbit" buku Fiqah Berinteraksi dengan Non-Muslim (2009) tulisan Mohammad Nidzam Abd Kadir. Maka jangan pula ada puak yang menuduh saya mempromosikan dialog antara agama secara yang kononnya bertentangan dengan seruan Rasulullah dan ajaran Islam.

Istilah "fiqah" atau "fikah" merujuk kepada ibadat dan hukum-hakam syarak dalam Islam. Buku setebal 186 halaman ini yang terbahagi kepada 12 bab membicarakan pelbagai topik yang amat wajar untuk bacaan golongan Muslim; khususnya dalam suasana pelbagai "fatwa" (tanda kutip) dikeluarkan saban hari.

Bagi golongan Bukan Islam pula, pembacaan buku ini akan memberikan maklumat yang amat berguna juga; sama ada untuk memahami pelbagai perkara dan hukum-hakam pergaulan dengan rakan-rakan dan jiran-tetangga beragama Islam, atau untuk bersedia apabila diajak terlibat dalam dialog sihat berkaitan agama.

"Dakwah kepada non-Muslim mestilah dengan berhikmah, nasihat yang baik dan dialog. Proses ini memerlukan kita umat Islam bukan sahaja mengetahui agama Islam sahaja tetapi perlu juga mengetahui asas agama-agama lain," Mohammad Nidzam mengingatkan pembaca Islam.

Saya menerima senaskhah buku yang tepu dengan ilmu ini daripada Pertubuhan IKRAM Malaysia Negeri Sembilan sewaktu menyertai Konvoi Rumah Ibadat di Seremban, Negeri Sembilan pada 17 Februari 2013. Buku berkenaan saya baca dari semasa ke semasa untuk menimba ilmu dan meningkatkan pengetahuan.

Petikan ayat-ayat Quran disertakan dengan terjemahan Bahasa Malaysia bagi memudahkan pemahaman. Beberapa terjemahan akan saya petik dalam makalah ini.

Seperti kata penerbit buku ini, orang Islam sepatutnya tidak menghalang orang Bukan Islam daripada membaca ayat-ayat (terjemahan) Quran; sebalik perlu bertanya sama ada ayat-ayat yang sama terdapat dalam agama mereka. Nah, inilah satu cara dialog antara agama!

Secara keseluruhan, Mohammad Nidzam menekankan, "Non-Muslim mestilah dihormati sama ada sebagai rakan, jiran, pimpinan agama, pimpinan politik dan sebagainya. Apa jua usaha dan tindakan yang menyimpang daripada dasar menghormati dan boleh menggugat keharmonian masyarakat adalah ditegah."

Menjawab pelbagai persoalan sensitif

Sesungguhnya tidak ada paksaan dalam agama sebagaimana firman Allah dalam Surah al-Baqarah, Ayat 256. Sikap memaksa orang lain supaya beriman kepada Allah juga ditegur dalam Quran:

"Adakah kamu (hendak) memaksa manusia hingga mereka menjadi orang yang beriman." - Surah Yunus, Ayat 99

Sejak halaman 2, penulis sudah mengingatkan bahawa "hanya Islam agama yang diredai Allah. Selain Islam, tidak ada agama lain yang diterima". Pada halaman 125, dinyatakan bahawa "Non-Muslim dianggap najis dalam al-Quran" kerana fahaman iktikad (keyakinan) yang tidak sama dengan akidah Islam. Penulis juga sempat menambah - di halaman 4 - bahawa Islam tidak sedikit pun meminta umatnya membenci penganut agama-agama lain.

Menerusi buku yang ditulis secara mudah, padat dan fakta berdasarkan pandangan Islam, kita boleh mendapatkan pengesahan bahawa sebenarnya tidak menjadi apa-apa kesalahan bagi orang Islam memasuki rumah-rumah ibadat seperti kuil, gereja, wat, gurdwara dan tokong.

Kavyan sentiasa menganjurkan aktiviti yang membantu memupuk perpaduan kaum dan agama.Kavyan sentiasa menganjurkan aktiviti yang membantu memupuk perpaduan kaum dan agama.Kavyan yang menganjurkan Dialog Perpaduan dan Konvoi Rumah Ibadat sejak 2010 amat memahami hakikat ini. Tentulah kami memastikan dialog dan konvoi yang dianjurkan demi memupuk perpaduan dan persefahaman tidak bercanggah dengan ajaran mana-mana agama.

Fakta yang mungkin kurang diketahui umum adalah bahawa seorang penganut Islam sebenarnya sah jika mendirikan solat (sembahyang mengikut hukum Islam) di sebuah gereja, kuil, tokong, wat atau gurdwara; selagi tidak menimbulkan fitnah terhadap diri atau agama Islam.

Malangnya, di negara bertuah ini, memang ada musang berjanggut di mana-mana yang menunggu masa dan peluang untuk menyebarkan fitnah sehingga memusnahkan hubungan baik dan silatulrahim antara agama dan mazhab.

Pada masa sama, ada juga orang Islam - termasuk beberapa individu yang saya temui dalam urusan seharian - tidak mengizinkan orang Bukan Islam memasuki masjid mahu pun kawasan masjid!

"Terdapat beberapa peristiwa pada zaman Nabi SAW menunjukkan keharusan non-Muslim memasuki masjid," kata Mohammad Nidzam sambil menyarankan betapa baik jika masyarakat Bukan Islam diundang ke majlis jamuan, ceramah atau forum yang diadakan di masjid.

Selain menyokong penuh saranan di atas, saya juga suka menarik perhatian orang Islam di Malaysia terhadap dua lagi saranan dalam Quran berkenaan hukum harus berbuat baik dan berlaku adil kepada orang Bukan Islam:

"Allah tidak melarang kamu berbuat baik dan berlaku adil kepada golongan yang tidak memerangi agamamu dan tidak mengusir kamu dari negerimu. Sesungguhnya Allah menyukai orang yang berlaku adil." - Surah al-Mumtahanah, Ayat 8

"Dan apabila kamu dihormati dengan penghormatan, balaslah ia dengan cara yang lebih baik atau sekadar membalasnya." - Surah al-Nisa', Ayat 86

Saya percaya bahawa penjelasan lanjut tidak perlu diberikan kerana kandungan dan saranan dalam ayat-ayat di atas amat jelas dan nyata.

Manfaatkan kelapa upacara Hindu

Sementara memberi dan menerima hadiah daripada orang Bukan Islam tidak ditegah dalam Islam, mungkin ramai juga orang Islam yang kurang sedar bahawa ucapan seperti "May his/her soul rest in peace" atau "God bless him" tidak diharuskan dalam agama Islam terhadap orang Bukan Islam.

Pada halaman 49, dinyatakan bahawa kelapa dipecahkan sempena Deepavali sebagai membayar nazar. Saya percaya berlaku kekhilafan penulis di sini dan apa yang sebenarnya dimaksudkan adalah Thaipusam. (Tidak mengapa kerana Thaipusam adalah bidang "kepakaran" Ridhuan Tee Abdullah.)

Namun, apa yang menarik, Mohammad Nidzam menjelaskan bahawa "kelapa yang dipecahkan untuk upacara agama Hindu harus dimanfaatkan dan digunakan oleh Muslim." Dalam konteks Islam, "harus" atau "jaiz" bermakna "boleh dilakukan dan boleh juga ditinggalkan; kedua-duanya tidak berdosa".

Peserta perlu membaca untuk menambah ilmu pelbagai agama sebelum menyertai dialog.Peserta perlu membaca untuk menambah ilmu pelbagai agama sebelum menyertai dialog.Isu pemeliharaan anjing oleh orang Islam juga digembar-gemburkan puak tertentu dewasa ini tanpa pemahaman penuh, lengkap dan menyeluruh terhadap ajaran sebenar Islam sebegaimana terkandung dalam Quran dan Hadis.

Suka saya menyarankan puak berkenaan membeli dan membaca buku Fiqah Berinteraksi dengan Non-Muslim  -- khususnya bab "Fiqah Kenajisan Anjing" - sebagai santapan minda sebelum membuka mulut.

Puak yang sering ghairah menggunakan istilah "kafir" juga wajar bertaubat, beristighfar dan memahami makna dua kategori Bukan Islam iaitu "zimmah" dan "kafir harbi". Begitu juga dengan "Zimmi", "Mustakman" dan "Mu'ahid". Kalau tidak tahu, baca buku ini sebelum membuka mulut.

Bagi individu yang bercadang memeluk agama Islam pula, ada beberapa persoalan menarik yang dibincangkan secara terbuka dalam bab 12. Misalnya hukum berkhatan bagi lelaki dan wanita dewasa berdasarkan pandangan Imam Syafi'i, Imam Abu Hanifah dan Imam Malik.

Bagaimana jika ada individu yang sudah memeluk Islam tetapi masih belum mengambil inisiatif mempelajari gerak-geri (seperti rukuk, iktidal, sujud, tasyahud) dan bacaan wajib (seperti al-Fatihah) semasa solat yang merupakan rukun Islam yang kedua?

Suka saya menyarankan individu terbabit segera memiliki dan membaca buku Fiqah Berinteraksi dengan Non-Muslim bagi memantapkan akidah. Ya, saya sedang berdakwah kepada saudara Islam kerana saya mahu mereka menjadi umat yang baik dan beriman kepada Allah.

Di negara bertuah ini, individu yang memeluk agama Islam ketara menukar namanya. Apakah itu saranan agama dan diwajibkan? Rupa-rupanya, nama bapa (Bukan Islam) patut dikekalkan. Contohnya, apabila "Muthu a/l Ramasamy" masuk Islam, namanya mungkin "Ahmad bin Ramasamy".

Rupa-rupanya, apabila memeluk Islam, tidak wajar individu itu di'bin'kan kepada Abdullah. Penulis menghuraikan bahawa jika mahu digunakan juga lafaz "Abdullah", maka perlu ditambah pada nama individu itu sendiri tanpa menukar nama bapanya. Contoh: Ahmad @ Muthu Abdullah a/l Ramasamy. – 19 Ogos, 2013.

* Ini adalah pendapat peribadi penulis dan tidak semestinya mewakili pandangan The Malaysian Insider.

Membuka pintu dialog

Posted: 18 Aug 2013 04:54 PM PDT

August 19, 2013

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.

Konvoi Rumah Ibadat Seremban membawa peserta memasuki masjid, kuil, gurdwara, gereja dan tokong.Konvoi Rumah Ibadat Seremban membawa peserta memasuki masjid, kuil, gurdwara, gereja dan tokong.Sesungguhnya Nabi Muhammad menggalakkan dialog antara agama. Hakikat dan fakta ini nampaknya kurang diketahui sekelompok umat  Islam di Malaysia; khususnya pemimpin agama Islam yang menganggap kedudukan mereka "lebih tinggi dalam agama, jadi mereka tidak boleh duduk sama taraf dengan Bukan Islam" (The Malaysian Insider, 1 Ogos 2013).

Setiap orang Islam sewajarnya mengajak orang Bukan Islam (Tidak Islam; Non-Muslim) untuk berbincang tentang konsep ketuhanan, kehidupan selepas kematian, perayaan dan sebagainya dalam amalan budaya masing-masing.

Demikianlah juga ditekankan oleh Telaga Biru Sdn Bhd pada bahagian "Kata Penerbit" buku Fiqah Berinteraksi dengan Non-Muslim (2009) tulisan Mohammad Nidzam Abd Kadir. Maka jangan pula ada puak yang menuduh saya mempromosikan dialog antara agama secara yang kononnya bertentangan dengan seruan Rasulullah dan ajaran Islam.

Istilah "fiqah" atau "fikah" merujuk kepada ibadat dan hukum-hakam syarak dalam Islam. Buku setebal 186 halaman ini yang terbahagi kepada 12 bab membicarakan pelbagai topik yang amat wajar untuk bacaan golongan Muslim; khususnya dalam suasana pelbagai "fatwa" (tanda kutip) dikeluarkan saban hari.

Bagi golongan Bukan Islam pula, pembacaan buku ini akan memberikan maklumat yang amat berguna juga; sama ada untuk memahami pelbagai perkara dan hukum-hakam pergaulan dengan rakan-rakan dan jiran-tetangga beragama Islam, atau untuk bersedia apabila diajak terlibat dalam dialog sihat berkaitan agama.

"Dakwah kepada non-Muslim mestilah dengan berhikmah, nasihat yang baik dan dialog. Proses ini memerlukan kita umat Islam bukan sahaja mengetahui agama Islam sahaja tetapi perlu juga mengetahui asas agama-agama lain," Mohammad Nidzam mengingatkan pembaca Islam.

Saya menerima senaskhah buku yang tepu dengan ilmu ini daripada Pertubuhan IKRAM Malaysia Negeri Sembilan sewaktu menyertai Konvoi Rumah Ibadat di Seremban, Negeri Sembilan pada 17 Februari 2013. Buku berkenaan saya baca dari semasa ke semasa untuk menimba ilmu dan meningkatkan pengetahuan.

Petikan ayat-ayat Quran disertakan dengan terjemahan Bahasa Malaysia bagi memudahkan pemahaman. Beberapa terjemahan akan saya petik dalam makalah ini.

Seperti kata penerbit buku ini, orang Islam sepatutnya tidak menghalang orang Bukan Islam daripada membaca ayat-ayat (terjemahan) Quran; sebalik perlu bertanya sama ada ayat-ayat yang sama terdapat dalam agama mereka. Nah, inilah satu cara dialog antara agama!

Secara keseluruhan, Mohammad Nidzam menekankan, "Non-Muslim mestilah dihormati sama ada sebagai rakan, jiran, pimpinan agama, pimpinan politik dan sebagainya. Apa jua usaha dan tindakan yang menyimpang daripada dasar menghormati dan boleh menggugat keharmonian masyarakat adalah ditegah."

Menjawab pelbagai persoalan sensitif

Sesungguhnya tidak ada paksaan dalam agama sebagaimana firman Allah dalam Surah al-Baqarah, Ayat 256. Sikap memaksa orang lain supaya beriman kepada Allah juga ditegur dalam Quran:

"Adakah kamu (hendak) memaksa manusia hingga mereka menjadi orang yang beriman." - Surah Yunus, Ayat 99

Sejak halaman 2, penulis sudah mengingatkan bahawa "hanya Islam agama yang diredai Allah. Selain Islam, tidak ada agama lain yang diterima". Pada halaman 125, dinyatakan bahawa "Non-Muslim dianggap najis dalam al-Quran" kerana fahaman iktikad (keyakinan) yang tidak sama dengan akidah Islam. Penulis juga sempat menambah - di halaman 4 - bahawa Islam tidak sedikit pun meminta umatnya membenci penganut agama-agama lain.

Menerusi buku yang ditulis secara mudah, padat dan fakta berdasarkan pandangan Islam, kita boleh mendapatkan pengesahan bahawa sebenarnya tidak menjadi apa-apa kesalahan bagi orang Islam memasuki rumah-rumah ibadat seperti kuil, gereja, wat, gurdwara dan tokong.

Kavyan sentiasa menganjurkan aktiviti yang membantu memupuk perpaduan kaum dan agama.Kavyan sentiasa menganjurkan aktiviti yang membantu memupuk perpaduan kaum dan agama.Kavyan yang menganjurkan Dialog Perpaduan dan Konvoi Rumah Ibadat sejak 2010 amat memahami hakikat ini. Tentulah kami memastikan dialog dan konvoi yang dianjurkan demi memupuk perpaduan dan persefahaman tidak bercanggah dengan ajaran mana-mana agama.

Fakta yang mungkin kurang diketahui umum adalah bahawa seorang penganut Islam sebenarnya sah jika mendirikan solat (sembahyang mengikut hukum Islam) di sebuah gereja, kuil, tokong, wat atau gurdwara; selagi tidak menimbulkan fitnah terhadap diri atau agama Islam.

Malangnya, di negara bertuah ini, memang ada musang berjanggut di mana-mana yang menunggu masa dan peluang untuk menyebarkan fitnah sehingga memusnahkan hubungan baik dan silatulrahim antara agama dan mazhab.

Pada masa sama, ada juga orang Islam - termasuk beberapa individu yang saya temui dalam urusan seharian - tidak mengizinkan orang Bukan Islam memasuki masjid mahu pun kawasan masjid!

"Terdapat beberapa peristiwa pada zaman Nabi SAW menunjukkan keharusan non-Muslim memasuki masjid," kata Mohammad Nidzam sambil menyarankan betapa baik jika masyarakat Bukan Islam diundang ke majlis jamuan, ceramah atau forum yang diadakan di masjid.

Selain menyokong penuh saranan di atas, saya juga suka menarik perhatian orang Islam di Malaysia terhadap dua lagi saranan dalam Quran berkenaan hukum harus berbuat baik dan berlaku adil kepada orang Bukan Islam:

"Allah tidak melarang kamu berbuat baik dan berlaku adil kepada golongan yang tidak memerangi agamamu dan tidak mengusir kamu dari negerimu. Sesungguhnya Allah menyukai orang yang berlaku adil." - Surah al-Mumtahanah, Ayat 8

"Dan apabila kamu dihormati dengan penghormatan, balaslah ia dengan cara yang lebih baik atau sekadar membalasnya." - Surah al-Nisa', Ayat 86

Saya percaya bahawa penjelasan lanjut tidak perlu diberikan kerana kandungan dan saranan dalam ayat-ayat di atas amat jelas dan nyata.

Manfaatkan kelapa upacara Hindu

Sementara memberi dan menerima hadiah daripada orang Bukan Islam tidak ditegah dalam Islam, mungkin ramai juga orang Islam yang kurang sedar bahawa ucapan seperti "May his/her soul rest in peace" atau "God bless him" tidak diharuskan dalam agama Islam terhadap orang Bukan Islam.

Pada halaman 49, dinyatakan bahawa kelapa dipecahkan sempena Deepavali sebagai membayar nazar. Saya percaya berlaku kekhilafan penulis di sini dan apa yang sebenarnya dimaksudkan adalah Thaipusam. (Tidak mengapa kerana Thaipusam adalah bidang "kepakaran" Ridhuan Tee Abdullah.)

Namun, apa yang menarik, Mohammad Nidzam menjelaskan bahawa "kelapa yang dipecahkan untuk upacara agama Hindu harus dimanfaatkan dan digunakan oleh Muslim." Dalam konteks Islam, "harus" atau "jaiz" bermakna "boleh dilakukan dan boleh juga ditinggalkan; kedua-duanya tidak berdosa".

Peserta perlu membaca untuk menambah ilmu pelbagai agama sebelum menyertai dialog.Peserta perlu membaca untuk menambah ilmu pelbagai agama sebelum menyertai dialog.Isu pemeliharaan anjing oleh orang Islam juga digembar-gemburkan puak tertentu dewasa ini tanpa pemahaman penuh, lengkap dan menyeluruh terhadap ajaran sebenar Islam sebegaimana terkandung dalam Quran dan Hadis.

Suka saya menyarankan puak berkenaan membeli dan membaca buku Fiqah Berinteraksi dengan Non-Muslim  -- khususnya bab "Fiqah Kenajisan Anjing" - sebagai santapan minda sebelum membuka mulut.

Puak yang sering ghairah menggunakan istilah "kafir" juga wajar bertaubat, beristighfar dan memahami makna dua kategori Bukan Islam iaitu "zimmah" dan "kafir harbi". Begitu juga dengan "Zimmi", "Mustakman" dan "Mu'ahid". Kalau tidak tahu, baca buku ini sebelum membuka mulut.

Bagi individu yang bercadang memeluk agama Islam pula, ada beberapa persoalan menarik yang dibincangkan secara terbuka dalam bab 12. Misalnya hukum berkhatan bagi lelaki dan wanita dewasa berdasarkan pandangan Imam Syafi'i, Imam Abu Hanifah dan Imam Malik.

Bagaimana jika ada individu yang sudah memeluk Islam tetapi masih belum mengambil inisiatif mempelajari gerak-geri (seperti rukuk, iktidal, sujud, tasyahud) dan bacaan wajib (seperti al-Fatihah) semasa solat yang merupakan rukun Islam yang kedua?

Suka saya menyarankan individu terbabit segera memiliki dan membaca buku Fiqah Berinteraksi dengan Non-Muslim bagi memantapkan akidah. Ya, saya sedang berdakwah kepada saudara Islam kerana saya mahu mereka menjadi umat yang baik dan beriman kepada Allah.

Di negara bertuah ini, individu yang memeluk agama Islam ketara menukar namanya. Apakah itu saranan agama dan diwajibkan? Rupa-rupanya, nama bapa (Bukan Islam) patut dikekalkan. Contohnya, apabila "Muthu a/l Ramasamy" masuk Islam, namanya mungkin "Ahmad bin Ramasamy".

Rupa-rupanya, apabila memeluk Islam, tidak wajar individu itu di'bin'kan kepada Abdullah. Penulis menghuraikan bahawa jika mahu digunakan juga lafaz "Abdullah", maka perlu ditambah pada nama individu itu sendiri tanpa menukar nama bapanya. Contoh: Ahmad @ Muthu Abdullah a/l Ramasamy. – 19 Ogos, 2013.

* Ini adalah pendapat peribadi penulis dan tidak semestinya mewakili pandangan The Malaysian Insider.

Kredit: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com
 

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