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“The Preppy Cookbook” serves up comfort food on a silver spoon Posted: 10 Sep 2013 05:22 PM PDT September 11, 2013 Latest Update: September 11, 2013 04:22 pm A new cookbook sings the praises of a more gracious world, where invitations are handwritten, brunch begins at 12:15 sharp, and asparagus is fingered, not forked. Chef Christine E. Nunn includes 125 recipes in "The Preppy Cookbook," from meat loaf to macaroni and cheese and shuns the trendy for the tried and true. "Preppies are people who like the classics," said first-time author Nunn, executive chef of Grange restaurant in Westwood, New Jersey. "Like that Brooks Brothers navy blazer you can wear for 20 years." To the manner born, Nunn, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, is also a loyal member of her local Junior League, charitable women's organizations aimed at improving their communities. The 49-year-old spoke to Reuters about a blue-blooded American lifestyle where Gin and Tonic is the drink, condensed soup is a "mother sauce" and proper etiquette is just good sense. Q: How did you learn to cook? A: I grew up eating well. My mother watched Julia Child every day and that's what we would have for dinner a night or two later. I grew up eating shad roe and thinking it was meat. Q: Why did you write this book? A: It was always percolating, but cooking, catering and the restaurant got in the way. And I also thought, everybody today is becoming a foodie, into all these exotic ingredients. I wanted to bring a lot of the basic recipes to the forefront. Q: Who is it aimed at? A: It's for anyone looking for simple recipes that are tried and true, and people who like a good laugh and like a good cocktail. Q: What's always in a preppy pantry? A: Absolutely Wheat Thins and Triscuits, olives for martinis, a jar or two of mayonnaise, and definitely condensed soup. And elbow macaroni, just in case. You won't see penne or tagliatelle. Q: You include etiquette tips; how seriously do you take them? A: They were written tongue in cheek but they're absolutely true to life. They're all just a way to be civil and polite. I will pick up my asparagus with my hand and I will send a formal thank you note. Q: Why do you include cocktails? A: A Dark and Stormy, an Old Fashioned, a Bloody (Bloody Mary), a Gin and Tonic are classically prep. The Pimm's Cup is a delicious drink given to me by my (business) partner who worked at Wimbledon. Q: Do you have advice for entertaining? A: Keep it simple. I think people are overly stressed by doing more and more exotic ingredients and difficult techniques when really, if you know the basic technique you can experiment with flavors and ingredients. Q: Why emulate the preppy lifestyle? A: It's just a nice return to a gentle, polite time where you have conversation instead of text on your iPhone, where you get back to a basic, simple, slightly elegant way of life. Q: Do you still live like that? A: I'm a chef, there's nothing elegant about that anymore. But I do wear Lilly Pulitzer prints instead of chef pants. And I'll zip up to my lake house on the weekend. Lobster Rolls - makes 4 2 bay leaves 2 1-1/4-pound lobsters 1/2 cup good-quality mayonnaise 1 stalk celery, finely chopped Juice of 1/2 lemon 2 tablespoons salted butter, softened 4 New England (called top-split) hot dog buns, such as Arnold's Have a large bowl of ice water ready that is big enough to fit the lobsters next to the stove. In a large stockpot with a lid, bring 8 quarts of water to a boil over high heat. Add the bay leaves and lobsters and let the water return to the boil. Cover, reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes. With tongs, transfer the lobsters to the bowl of ice water. Let cool. Remove the lobster meat from the shells, making sure you get every bit. If you have never cracked a lobster, begin by twisting the tail from the body. Remove the tail and check the bottom fin for any meat left. Remove the large vein and any green (tamale) or bright red (roe) sacs. Twist the claws and knuckles at the base of body and crack with a nutcracker. Use a skewer or any thin sharp object to get every bit of that knuckle meat out. The claws and knuckles have the sweetest, most tender meat. Cut the meat into generous chunks, leaving the claws intact to top each roll with. – Reuters, September 11, 2013.

Culinary Wikipedia invites public to contribute their expertise Posted: 10 Sep 2013 04:28 PM PDT September 11, 2013 Latest Update: September 11, 2013 03:28 pm The Spaniard widely cited as the world's best chef for his now-shuttered mythical restaurant El Bulli has issued an open call to the public to help write what's billed as the gastronomic equivalent of Wikipedia. Yesterday Ferran Adrià launched Hacking Bullipedia, an open portal that invites data scientists, designers and "data visualization experts" to brainstorm design proposals, tools, new technologies and application ideas and help create the largest virtual library of gastronomic knowledge in the world. The project will include everything from the culinary history of Western dining to cooking techniques, a glossary of culinary terms, and everything you need to know about white asparagus, for instance, all in a tidy, codified system. Like Wikipedia, Adrià's online culinary database will depend on crowd-sourced contributions - an attempt to embrace open innovation and move away from the "traditional model of chef secrecy" which is pervasive particularly among the old guard of chefs. "We have only just scratched the surface when it comes to realizing the full potential of technology and food," said Adrià in a statement.  "Bullipedia is an attempt to unlock the culinary knowledge of the greatest chefs and make it available to everyone on the web. With this initiative we are inviting creative and talented people everywhere to join us in this exciting challenge." Also collaborating on the project is chef Joan Roca of Spanish restaurant El Celler de Can Roca - currently ranked the best dining destination in the world by Restaurant magazine - plus a roster of other top chefs from the country and academics from the University of Barcelona. Funding the project is major Spanish telecommunications company Telefonica. Teams have until October 30 to submit their ideas. In November, three finalists will be chosen to pitch their ideas to a panel of experts. The winning team will spend three months in Barcelona working with the El Bulli Foundation to bring their idea to life. The earliest the site would launch would be 2016. For more info visit http://www.hackingbullipedia.org. – AFP/Relaxnews, September 11, 2013.

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IOC members gear up to elect new president Posted: 09 Sep 2013 05:17 PM PDT September 10, 2013 Latest Update: September 10, 2013 08:31 am Jacques Rogge President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announces Tokyo as the city to host the 2020 Summer Olympic Games during a ceremony in Buenos Aires on September 7, 2013. - Reuters pic, September 10, 2013.Six men will wake up today with hopes of ending the day as the most powerful man in sport by being elected International Olympic Committee (IOC) President and succeeding Jacques Rogge (pic). Their fate lies in the hands of fellow IOC members when they vote later today in Buenos Aires. They may not be locked away like the cardinals when they go into a conclave to elect the Pope, and they don't burn their voting papers after voting, but their vote is similar in that it is by secret ballot. Their responsibility is enormous as they are voting for the president of the sporting equivalent of The United Nations. The winner will be the flagbearer not only of the IOC values of Excellence, Respect and Friendship but also of continuing to lead the fight against doping and illegal betting to name but two daunting challenges. In as much as one can assess what members' voting intentions are, Germany's Thomas Bach is still regarded as likely to justify his role throughout of being the favourite and be rewarded with a position he has wanted for a long time. One of his supporters told AFP a first round win was assured: "We have more than wrestling had in their vote (they got 49 on Sunday in the first round to regain their place among the Olympic roster)." However, in the relative privacy of pushing the button on their voting boxes some members freed from constant pressure could feel liberated and change their minds and there are those who resent the way some Bach supporters are calling the vote a done deal and a coronation. Of the 59-year-old lawyer's rivals only two have been talked about as potentially being capable of dashing his dreams of achieving his goal: Ng Ser Miang of Singapore and Puerto Rico's Richard Carrion. The 64-year-old China-born Ng, Singapore's ambassador to Norway, is extremely popular among the membership. However, the victory of Tokyo in the race to host the 2020 Olympics on Saturday damaged his chances as members could be loathe to give Asia two golden prizes in such a short space of time. Carrion, responsible for brokering the record $4.38 billion (3.3 billion euros) broadcasting deal with NBC to have exclusive US coverage of the Olympics through to 2020, has presidential bearing and espoused powerful arguments in his campaign, but his lack of a sporting background is likely to hurt his chances. Thus the likelihood is that at 1400GMT, when voting begins, the odds are that at the end of it Europe will retain its stranglehold over the presidency - the controversial American Avery Brundage is the only non European to have held the office. Should Bach be elected - becoming the first Olympic champion to be IOC President - there could well be a frosty exchange between him and one of his rivals, Swiss lawyer Denis Oswald. The 66-year-old Oswald, realising he had no chance of winning, decided to vent his feelings about the German. "I don't believe he and I share the same values," said the 66-year-old, president of the Rowing Federation. "I imagine a president who is independent, who is not dependent solely on alliances with other people and who does not use his position for anything else but the defence of sport." - AFP, September 10, 2013.

Rafael Nadal wins US Open title Posted: 09 Sep 2013 05:01 PM PDT September 10, 2013 Latest Update: September 10, 2013 09:08 am Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates a point against Novak Djokovic of Serbia in their men's final match at the US Open tennis championships in New York, yesterday. Nadal won the match 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1. - Reuters pic, September 10, 2013.Rafael Nadal claimed his second US Open title and 13th Grand Slam crown yesterday when he defeated world number one Novak Djokovic, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 in a lung-busting, big-hitting final. Nadal, 27, added the 2013 trophy to his 2010 triumph, when he completed a career Grand Slam, and gloriously capped a year that has now seen him capture 10 titles and stretch his season record to 60 wins and just three losses. Yesterday's win also earned him a total of US$3.6 million (RM11.8 million), which takes his career earnings through the US$60 million mark and also edged him closer to Roger Federer's record of 17 majors and put him one behind Pete Sampras. In the pair's record-setting 37th meeting, world number two Nadal, who only returned to the tour in February following a seven-month injury lay-off, took his lead over Djokovic to 22-15 as he added the US Open crown to the eighth French Open he claimed in June. "It's very emotional. All my team knows what this means to me," said Nadal. "Novak always brings my game to the limit. He is an amazing player. He will go down as one of the greatest in the sport." For Djokovic, playing in a fourth successive final in New York, it was a devastating defeat in a year which started with a fourth Australian Open title but was followed by a semi-final loss at the French Open to Nadal and a Wimbledon final mauling by Andy Murray. For the neutrals, however, it was a memorable contest which showcased thrilling athleticism, delicate touch and exhausting, brutal rallies, one of which was fought out over 54 shots. Djokovic lost 11 of the last 13 games with his challenge fatally undermined by 53 unforced errors to Nadal's 20. "Rafa was too good, and he definitely deserved to win today. I am disappointed to lose a match like this but it's a huge privilege to be fighting for the trophy," said Djokovic. Nadal, in his 18th major final, was comfortably the more settled player in the opening stages, finding pin-point accuracy while Djokovic, who had already voiced his dislike at playing on a late Monday afternoon, was sluggish and heavy-footed. Nadal, who missed the 2012 tournament through injury, sensed the Serb's uneasiness and broke for a 2-1 lead, mastering the occasion as well as the tricky breeze. Djokovic, meanwhile, looked as lethargic as he had done at Wimbledon when he was brushed aside in straight sets by Murray. Even the technology was on the Spaniard's side as a successful challenge on triple break point gave him a double break for 5-2. With a host of showbusiness glitterati looking on - including Sean Connery, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jessica Alba and Justin Timberlake - Nadal claimed the first set with ease after 42 minutes, Djokovic undone by 14 unforced errors. The omens were looking good at that stage for the 27-year-old Spaniard, who had only lost three out of 154 career Grand Slam matches when winning the first set. But 26-year-old Djokovic stormed out of his slumbers and broke for 4-2 in the second set after a 54-shot rally, Nadal dumping an approach into the net. It was only the second time Nadal had dropped serve in the tournament and the setback fired him into an immediate response, hitting back at 3-4, before Djokovic broke again for 5-3 on a modest 28-shot exchange. This time, the world number one backed up it up to level the final, taking the 58-minute set with a down the line winner. Djokovic broke to love in the opening game of the third and had a point for a double break in the third before Nadal clung on to avoid dropping serve for the fourth game in a row. The world number two then capitalized on a sloppy Djokovic service game to level at 3-3, but the twists and turns became a tumble for Nadal, who slipped to the floor in the ninth game. Unruffled, he saved three break points to sneak ahead 5-4 and then unleashed a deep, fierce forehand which Djokovic could only slap long as Nadal went into a two sets to one lead. The momentum was back with Nadal as Djokovic cursed his unforced error count, which had rocketed to 42. Nadal fought off two break points in the opening game of the fourth set and broke a tiring Djokovic with a heat-seeker of a forehand. He backed it up for 3-0 and repeated it against a broken-spirited Djokovic for 5-1. Victory was Nadal's after three hours and 21 minutes when Djokovic buried a return in the net. - AFP, September 10, 2013.

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How John Kerry’s off-hand remark put a deal on Syria in play Posted: 09 Sep 2013 10:05 PM PDT [unable to retrieve full-text content]Whether deft diplomacy or a rhetorical stumble, US Secretary of State John Kerry (pic) has managed to crack open the door to a possible solution to the Syrian crisis that could get President Barack Obama and US lawmakers out of a bind, save Syria from a bombing and cast Russia as peacemaker. Kerry's seemingly off-hand suggestion on Monday that...

Hidden for a century, “fake” is actually a Van Gogh Posted: 09 Sep 2013 07:47 PM PDT September 10, 2013 Latest Update: September 10, 2013 06:47 pm A French landscape painting stored in an attic and kept from public view for a century because it was considered a fake is the work of Dutch master Vincent Van Gogh, a museum said on Monday, citing new research. Sunset at Montmajour, which shows twisted holly oaks and a distant ruin bathed in the light of the setting sun, was painted in 1888 when Van Gogh was living in Arles, in the south of France. The work, owned by a private collector, will go on show at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam later this month for a year. Museum director Axel Rueger described the discovery of a new work by Van Gogh as "a once in a lifetime experience" as the painting was unveiled at a press conference on Monday. "What makes this even more exceptional is that this is a transition work in his oeuvre, and moreover, a large painting from a period that is considered by many to be the culmination of his artistic achievement, his period in Arles," Rueger said. As recently as 1991 the Van Gogh Museum had concluded that the painting was not by the Dutch artist when contacted by the owners of the work for an opinion. But thanks to new research, including analysis of the pigments in the paint used and their discolouration, as well as letters from Van Gogh himself, the museum has changed its view. In a letter to his brother Theo dated July 5, 1888, Vincent described the scene he had painted the previous day, but expressed his disappointment at the end result, writing: "I brought back a study of it too, but it was well below what I'd wished to do." The work was later listed in one of Theo's catalogues, and then reappeared in 1970 in the estate of a Norwegian industrialist, Christian Nicolai Mustad, who had collected the works of Edvard Munch. The Mustad family believed the painting had been bought by Mustad in 1908 but that he was advised later on that it was a fake or wrongly attributed, and banished it to the attic. - Reuters, September 10, 2013.

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Malaysian poet publishes new collection depicting life’s many challenges Posted: 09 Sep 2013 07:37 PM PDT September 10, 2013 Latest Update: September 10, 2013 06:37 pm Photo courtesy of weekokseng.wordpress.com. In Chronicles of Life in Poetry, poet Adrian Wee Kok Seng dedicates his anthology of poems to poetry lovers around the world. The theme could be summed up in a single phrase: Everybody is a winner. Wee's collection of poems covers the many emotions that one may encounter in life. His compendium of poems flows through pain, sadness, reflections, expectations and even confessions. His poem Say It focuses on the liberating and healing power of words. Each poem has a heart-warming message and motivates readers to be tolerant and compassionate towards others. For example, in his poem Manners, he talks about how he demonstrates respect to another by showing courtesy. In his epigraph, Wee writes, "If only the blind could lead the way, those with sight should be able to walk with confident strides." This speaks of his perception that people's lack of trust and communication ability has tremendously influenced their character and judgements. Wee is an avid poet whose poems portray his multi-faceted experiences concerning the complexity and reality of life. His love for poetry-writing paid off when his contributions to a poetry website fetched positive reviews and encouragements. His persistent effort was finally compiled and published with the intent of sharing and assisting individuals to understand and accept adversities as a tool to mature. Currently, he resides in Malacca with his wife and three children. - September 10, 2013.

Young Malaysian writer publishes five books in five years Posted: 09 Sep 2013 05:46 PM PDT September 10, 2013 Latest Update: September 10, 2013 04:46 pm It was not exactly the type of background you would expect from a teenage fiction writer. He was in the science stream and loved mathematics. A smart student, he scored 9As in his PMR examinations and 10As in SPM. Yet Ridzuan Mohd Ghazali certainly had a talent for writing. In just five years, the budding young writer has written five books: Melodi Hati (The Melody of the Heart), Hazim, Aizat & Muzik (Hazim, Aizat & Music), Brrr... Sejuknya Salji! (Brrr... How Cold the Snow Is!), Diari Untuk Ibu (A Diary for Mother) and Goodbye New York. His first book was published in 2009. A love for writing Ridzuan goes by pen names of Iwan Reaz and Iwan Ghazali. The Selangor-born lad, now in his early 20s, started writing while he was in Form 2. At that time, he was a student at Sekolah Agama Hulu Langat in Batu 10, Cheras. "I've always thought about what to do after the final exams when there is usually not much to do at school. I wanted to do something fruitful. I decided I would write a book," he said. Ridzuan said although he had authored several teenage novels, he was not a fan of the genre. He prefers teenage comics and mysteries. His flair for writing was first noticed when he was in Form 3. He would often participate in essay-writing competitions and bagged at least third place. Ridzuan said he would get most of his ideas after reading a book or watching a film, and would then come up with a storyline. First work He started writing seriously during his final semester at INTI College in Nilai, while pursuing the American Degree Transfer Programme. "In the four months, I took only two subjects. Most of my free time was spent on writing the book. "I had three months of free time before flying off and, alhamdulillah (praise be to Allah), I managed to finish my first book in just a month," said Ridzuan. After finishing the manuscript, he found himself wondering about how to get it published. "I was new to the world of literature and had no idea how to go about getting my book published. I asked my neighbours who are in the field of multimedia and they suggested I visit bookstores to find out the names of potential publishers," he said. To make his first book stand out, Ridzuan included a CD of the songs he wrote. The young author was already in the US when his book, Melodi Hati was finally published by Telaga Biru, but without the accompanying CD. He had initially kept the writing process a secret and only informed his parents after the manuscript was approved. "I didn't want to tell them about it earlier as I wasn't sure if at all the writing would amount to anything. They were surprised when my first book came out. However, they did not discourage me from pursuing the effort. "Even my roommate back at Inti College was surprised when my book came out. He wondered how I found the time to write the book," said Ridzuan, who is now a training executive with Bernama. Ridzuan said his mother proofread the manuscripts of subsequent novels before they were sent to the publishers. Family-themed Family is the central theme of Ridzuan's books, with a special focus on sibling relationships. His first book featured the relationship between brothers Iwan and Syahmi after the death of their parents. Iwan faces many challenges in raising his younger brother Syahmi while at the same time trying to pursue a career as a composer and a lyricist. His second book Hazim, Aizat & Musik also revolved around two brothers who lose their parents. Their relationship becomes strained and distant when Hazim decides to continue his studies overseas without consulting Aizat. Ridzuan said he was inclined towards the theme as it served as a reminder for the current generation, which has a tendency to put friends and careers above family relationships. "I would like to help reset the mindsets of the younger generation, especially those still in school, about the importance of the family institution over anything else. "Moral decadence is prevalent among the youths today. I'm hoping to educate them on good moral values through my writings," said Ridzuan. Upholding values Ridzuan is currently writing several more books, among them the mystery novel Subway. He is also working on a proposal paper for a teenage novel Mr Novelist. According to Ridzuan, moral values were considerations when choosing the theme for his books. "I like to emphasise on good values. Promoting good through my writings is like an investment for my hereafter. But if I promote bad values and influence my readers through my writing, that will not bode well for me. "This is my way of preaching and spreading good," he said. Ridzuan said his next work would be a romance novel but with an Islamic theme. He also expressed interest in collaborating with his cousin to produce a comic book that would be released in time for the Malaysian International Book Fest next year. Challenges in writing On what does it take to write a book, Ridzuan noted that a high degree of commitment and discipline is a prerequisite. Coming up with ideas can be a challenge on its own. "There are days when the ideas are just pouring in, and I can complete two chapters a day. But on some days, it can be difficult to even write a page," he said, adding that he had this problem when writing his second book. "While other students were enjoying the semester break, I had to stay in to complete my book. "Since then, I taught myself to become more disciplined in managing time and would write at least an hour after my maghrib (evening) prayers," he said. Ridzuan said he took quite some time to finish his second book as at the time, he had just started on his MBA, majoring in Actuarial Science in the US. His second book was published by Galeri Ilmu, under the pen name Iwan Ghazali. Ridzuan said the bookstores carrying his work were Popular, MPH and the Badan Bookstore. Those wishing to purchase his books online can do so via the publisher's website. Making videos Another of Ridzuan's way to spend his past-time is by making videos. It all started while he was in Form 3 and was selected as an extra for a telemovie titled See You di IPT. The shoot took place at the school which he attended. "It was then that I developed an interest in acting and directing. I don't intend to make a career out of it, but it's just something I like to do for personal satisfaction. I'd like to become good at it," said Ridzuan. He produced many video clips while in school and during his three years at the Temple University in Philadelphia. About his time studying in the US, Ridzuan said it was his first time away from his family but there were many interesting memories. "I celebrated Hari Raya in 2009 in Philly (Philadelphia). The following year, we went all the way to New York to celebrate Hari Raya with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak. "We had a good time," he said. - Bernama, September 10, 2013.

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Mencari tugas Soi Lek yang belum selesai Posted: 09 Sep 2013 05:48 PM PDT September 10, 2013 Penulis adalah seorang jurutera semikonduktor, wartawan freelance, penerbit dan editor buku motivasi yang suka mengikuti perkembangan politik Malaysia Setelah menjadi burung puyuh sekian lama, pemimpin MCA kebelakangan ini kelihatan seperti tertumbuh taringnya semula gara-gara kerana pemilihan parti yang dijadualkan pada akhir tahun ini. Sejurus selepas malu besar di PRU13 di mana MCA hanya menang tujuh daripada 31 kerusi parlimen yang ditandiingi, Presiden MCA, Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek mengumumkan bahawa beliau tidak akan mempertahankan jawatannya di pemilihan parti tahun ini. Pengumuman itu dibuat 6 Mei. Ramai yang sangsi ketika itu dengan kata-kata Chua, kerana beliau bersusah-payah membina kerjayanya semula selepas skandal video seksnya tersebar luas satu ketika dulu. Orang pertama yang sangsi pada Chua ialah bekas Presiden MCA, Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, yang tewas diguling Chua pada 2010. Ong berkata Chua tetap akan mempertahankan jawatannya. Sejurus selepas pengumuman Chua, pemimpin veteran MCA seperti Lim Ah Lek turut tidak sabar melihat Chua meletakkan jawatan. Desakan untuk Chua meletak jawatan itu dibuat bersama 14 veteran yang lain. Namun, Chua bertegas tidak berundur dan berkata 'banyak perkara belum diselesaikan' dan beliau hendak selesaikannya sebelum Disember ini. Perkara ini menjatuhkan maruah mereka dan menunjukkan kehebatan kuasa Chua sebagai presiden. Bagi Chua, majoriti di dalam MCA masih menyokongnya sebagai presiden. Antaranya ialah bekas Menteri Pelancongan dan Naib Presiden MCA, Datuk Seri Ng Yen Yen. Pada masa yang sama, timbalan Chua, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai berganding dengan Ketua Pemuda MCA, Datuk Wee Ka Siong mula menyerang Chua bertubi-tubi. Kedua-dua ini adalah antara dua daripada tujuh calon MCA yang menang. Liow berjaya mempertahankan Parlimen Bentong manakala Wee berjaya mempertahankan Parlimen Ayer Hitam. Liow membuat pengumuman untuk bertanding kerusi presiden. Liow mengasah pedangnya dan dihalakan ke arah Chua berkali-kali semenjak menunjukkan niatnya untuk menggantikan Chua. Pertembungan pedang Liow dan kapak Chua boleh dilihat dalam isu Matang-Scope RTO (pengambilalihan berbalik), isu pelantikan bekas Setiausaha Penganjur MCA, isu penolakan sebarang jawatan di kabinet persekutan dan negeri, Datuk Tee Siew Kiong sebagai Exco Johor, isu pelantikan Ng Yen Yen sebagai Pengerusi Lembaga Pelancongan Malaysia dan kedudukan Chua sebagai pengerusi Pelabuhan Pulau Pinang. Chua pula berkali-kali menyelar Liow, menyuruhnya supaya tidak gila kuasa dan bersabar. Semalam Liow menyelar Chua dan menafikan bahawa beliau menekan Chua untuk berundur. Mereka juga bertengkar dalam isu penarikan penggantungan Tee Siew Kiong sebagai anggota parti selama tiga tahun berkuat kuasa serta merta yang diumumkan Chua. Liow dan Wee, kedua-dua bekas ahli kabinet berkata keputusan untuk menerima jawatan itu melanggar keputusan parti. Chua pula berkata, keputusan dibuat setelah Siew Kiong membuat rayuan dengan mengemukakan bukti daripada Sultan Johor, Sultan Ibrahim yang mahukan dirinya memegang jawatan dalam kerajaan negeri. Wee pula dilihat ingin bertanding kerusi timbalan yang disandang Liow dengan membuat interbiu terbuka dengan bertubi-tubi mengkritik dasar BN yang tidak berani disentuhnya ketika menjawat Timbalan Menteri Pendidikan. Antara Liow dan Wee, Wee dilihat lebih berkempen menggunakan sentimen orang Cina. Kelantangan Wee mengkritik dasar yang tidak betul BN adalah kerana beliau sedar hakikat bahawa MCA kehilangan hormat daripada kaum Cina kerana sikap 'kow-tow'nya pada Umno. Beliau sedar mengapa DAP berjaya. Pemasaran politik (political marketing) DAP ialah pada kepandaian, kelantangan dan kesensitifannya untuk mengeluarkan kenyataan untuk membela sebarang tindakan BN yang dilihat menindas orang bukan Islam. DAP juga cepat mengkritik PAS sekiranya ada perkara yang mereka tidak suka atau mengusik sensitiviti bukan Islam. Di dalam BN, MCA tidak boleh berbuat begitu kerana abangnya Umno, dan adik Umno, Perkasa akan datang menerkamnya sehingga mereka diam. Sebelum PRU13, peluru yang MCA ada ialah menembak PAS. Tapi bagi kaum Cina, apa gunanya menembak PAS yang tidak berkuasa sedangkan yang menindas mereka ialah Umno. Baru-baru ini, Wee mengaku bermain isu hudud adalah satu kesilapan di PRU13 yang lalu. Keberanian Wee mengaku kesilapan ini adalah untuk memukul Chua, yang menerajui serangan terhadap PAS. Namun begitu, bukan mudah untuk Liow dan Wee menundukkan Chua. Sebagai ahli politik, Chua bukan calang-calang orangnya. Skandal seksnya tidak menghalangnya menjadi Presiden MCA semula. Tekanan daripada orang veteran MCA seperti Lim Ah Lek tidak dapat menggoyangkannya. Liow dan Wee harus faham apa tugas yang belum diselesaikan Chua sebelum beliau sudi berundur. Apakah perkara itu? Tidak lain tidak bukan ialah masa depan anak Presiden MCA itu, Chua Tee Yong, ahli Parlimen Labis. Semasa Chua mengundurkan diri kerana skandal video di 2008, Tee Yong dicalonkan menggantikan tempatnya di parlimen Labis dan kemudiannya dilantik menjadi timbalan menteri. Sekarang Chua dikatakan nak berundur daripada kerusi MCA, sudah tentu Tee Yong mesti diletakkan di satu tempat yang selamat supaya Liow dan Wee tidak dapat membunuh kariernya dalam MCA selepas Chua kehilangan kuasa. Secara taktikalnya, Tee Yong perlu dinaikkan di kerusi Naib Presiden dan dilindungi orang Chua yang masih berada di dalam parti. Oleh itu, majoriti kerusi naib presiden  dan jawatankuasa pusat MCA perlu ditawan semuanya oleh orang Chua. Biar Liow dan Wee sahaja di atas, asalkan Chua masih boleh mengawal Jawatankuasa Pusat MCA. Hanya dengan demikian, Chua boleh mengatur langkah dari luar supaya beliau boleh kembali menerajui MCA melalui Tee Yong di pemilihan parti yang satu lagi dan menghalang Liow-Wee untuk mencantas akarnya dari MCA. Chua mungkin terpaksa bersara dari kerusi presiden, tapi ini tidak bermakna nafsunya untuk mengawal MCA akan terhenti. Itulah tugas Chua yang belum selesai. Jika perkara itu tidak dapat diselesaikan, percayalah bahawa Chua akan mempertahankan jawatannya. – 10 September, 2013. * Ini adalah pendapat peribadi penulis dan tidak semestinya mewakili pandangan The Malaysian Insider.

A Samad Said besar kerana karyanya Posted: 09 Sep 2013 05:46 PM PDT September 10, 2013 Shukur mempunyai lebih 30 tahun pengalaman sebagai wartawan dan bekerja dengan pelbagai media. Beliau kini pencen tetapi menjadi pemerhati politik yang tegar. Hanya sesekali dalam sesuatu zaman, seorang sasterawan besar lahir untuk mengisi erti kemanusiaan dan kebebasan serta menjadi jurubicara masyarakat dan zamannya. Di sepanjang zaman, memang ramai penulis yang muncul dalam pelbagai genre, tetapi hanya sejumlah kecil yang benar-benar mampu mengisi tugas itu. Malah dari jumlah yang kecil itu pula, lebih kecil lagi yang bertahan dan mampu mendambakan dirinya walau menghadapi badai dan gelombang. Daripada jumlah yang sangat kecil itu hadir dan mengalir sasterawan besar A Samad Said. Dalam usianya yang lanjut, 78 tahun itu, dia menjadi ikon anak muda pula, sesuatu yang kelihatannya aneh dan sangat jarang berlaku. Iaitu dalam usia lanjut, sasterawan berasal dari Belimbing Dalam Melaka itu, menjadi idola generasi baru, menyebabkan ada sesetengah pihak sukar memahaminya. Sasterawan ternama ini menjadi besar kerana usahanya menjadi besar  dan beliau akan terus menjadi besar walau berdepan dengan 'ribut taufan' yang cuba menggugat kewibawaannya. Sebab itu apabila ada pihak yang menuntut supaya Anugerah Sasterawan Negara itu ditarik balik, reaksi segera dari A Samad Said ialah, "Silakan ambil, bila-bila masa" justeru beliau tetap besar kerana karyanya. Untuk ini saya teringat sebuah dialog hebat dalam novel Ernest Hemingway, 'Old Man And The See', "You can destroy people, but you cannot defeat people." – sama seperti apa yang diucapkan oleh Mahatma Ghandi di depan polis yang menangkapnya, "You can arrest me but you cannot defeat me." Memang manusia boleh dihancurkan, tetapi tidak boleh dikalahkan. A Samad Said adalah jurubicara masyarakat pada zamannya, bahkan mungkin melampaui zamannya. Tahun lalu, kami dari Seniman Paksi Rakyat (Paksi) dan Markas Madrasah Tarbiyah, Kampung Bandar Dalam, Kuala Lumpur, pimpinan Cikgu Ishak Surin,  mengadakan sambutan hari lahir yang ke-77 Sasterawan Negara itu dalam suasana penuh syahdu dan sederhana. Kami meraikan beliau bukan semata-mata kerana menyambut hari lahirnya itu, tetapi bahkan kerana kehadirannya di tengah medan perjuangan yang membara, malah menjadi antara tokoh penggerak kebangkitan rakyat bahkan mencetuskan sebuah phenomena yang menarik terutama di kalangan golongan muda. Di majlis itu saya berucap, dengan menyebutkan bahawa dalam umur 77 tahun, A Samad Said dapat menyaksikan suasana politik dan kemasyarakatan yang sedang menuju 'arah yang tidak tentu arah'. Beliau sedang menyaksikan suasana seolah-olah negara dan bangsa ini kehilangan jati diri, kehilangan kebebasan, malah seperti kehilangan manusiawinya. Sebagai sasterawan, beliau menyaksikan semuanya ini dengan penuh kecewa dan bertanya mengapa negara dan bangsa yang sudah lebih setengah abad merdeka ini berada dalam kancah yang sedemikian rupa. Sebagai sahabat lama sejak setengah abad lalu, malah pernah bertugas di bawahnya ketika beliau menjadi Editor Berita Harian dulu, saya amat gembira dan terharu bahawa sasterawan yang satu ini masih berdiri gagah, walaupun dalam usia lanjut, memikul amanah untuk melaksanakan tuntutan agama dan kemanusiaan supaya menyeru kepada yang makruf, mencegah kepada yang mungkar. Seperti kata A Samad Said sendiri dalam bukunya 'Dari Salina Ke Langit Petang' bahawa "tidak ramai manusia yang sempat memikirkan apa ertinya kehidupan mereka. Makanya dengan caranya sendiri, dengan kehalusan seninya dan kekayaan imaginasi dan fikirannya, penulis sebagai seniman berupaya menyingkapkan pengalaman baru kepada sesiapa  saja yang meresapi atau menghayati karyanya." Hari ini A Samad Said hadir dan mengalir, memberikan sumbangan kepada masyarakat sesuai dengan peranan sasterawan sebagai jurubicara masyarakat. Hidupnya tidak sia-sia.  Semoga akan lahir lagi tokoh dan ditelaah, menjadi khazanah bangsa dan negara, tetapi perjuangannya juga akan dikenang hingga abadi. Beliau yang menulis lebih 30 novel, ratusan puisi dan rencana dan menerima Anugerah Pejuang Sastera, Southeast Asia Write Award, Anugerah Sasterawan Negara dan pelbagai lagi, yang semuanya mengiktiraf sumbangan besarnya kepada kesusasteraan dan bahasa Melayu. Namun bagi sesetengah pihak, yang didorong pelbagai prejudis politik, melihat A Samad Said dengan pandangan dan imej negatif, namun beliau tidak tergugat dengan gelombang protes terhadapnya. Dengan bahasa yang sangat puitis, sasterawan besar ini menulis: "Cukuplah sedekad kuasa elita bangsawan. Kini, benarkanlah pula upaya permulaan era kuasa murbawan (rakyat) untuk menterjemahkan erti kuasanya pula. "Hentikanlah cengkaman dan kesombongan lama. Belajarlah bersantun menerima pusaran nasib demi kebahagiaan bangsa. Kepada generasi muda, sedarlah kebobrokan ini. Jangan risaukan sangat orang lama; mereka memang sudah lebih awal termadu atau tercandu. Anda yang masih Bersih! A Samad Said bukan penulis yang tidak sayangkan bangsa dan negaranya. Seperti pejuang Angkatan Sasterawan '50 – Kris Mas, Usman Awang, Masuri S. N. dan lain-lain, beliau adalah penulis yang sangat menghargai pejuang kemerdekaan tanah air seperti yang terpancar dalam puisinya,  'Tapak Yang Luhur' -  Istimewa buat Dr Burhanuddin Al-Helmy: Bertapak atas batas yang luhur bersumpah lidah sufi tersohor, disedarkannya lara bangsa waja dirangsang tepis membantah. Awal lagi semangat bernyala dihembus bara merdeka bangsa. Pagi ke malam berjuang tegap di tengah rakyat gigih bersikap. Bersilat atas bumi yang subur bisik bersikap qalbu sejujur — menyala unggun zaman yang garang membakar tekad cekal berjuang. Bersama bangsa bangkitlah ia tegas perkukuh asas merdeka. Namun lama selepas tanah airnya merdeka, A Samad Said melihat dengan rasa kecewa terhadap apa yang berlaku di tanah airnya terutama mengenai nasib rakyat, demokrasi, hak asasi manusia dan kepincangan lain seperti yang dirakamkannya dalam puisi 'Unggun Bersih' tahun lalu. Dalam satu ucapannya dua tahun lalu beliau berkata dalam bahasa sastera yang dalam maknanya:  "Murbawan (rakyat biasa) Malaysia tidak senang dengan apa yang sedang berlaku di negara ini. Kita menghantar pesanan yang sangat waras. Demokrasi perlu murni dan terus dimurnikan. Kenapa kita tidak boleh memperbaik situasi? Kenapa kita harus membiarkan demokrasi diperkuda oleh segelintir kuasawan yang tampaknya bermaharajalela? Telah lama kita tidak senang dengan aliran demokrasi yang diperkuda ini. Telah lama kita inginkan demokrasi yang bersih, bergerak atas landas yang murni. "Kita sedar bahawa jalan ini tidaklah mudah. Maka itu, kita menjadi lebih berazam. Kita maklum bahawa gergasi media arus perdana kini sedang ikut garang menghempit kita dalam arus peristiwa yang semakin durjana. Kita sedang berlawan dengan keangkuhan yang pejal. "Kita tidak begitu. Kita ingin memperbaiki jentera demokrasi agar lebih berhati nurani. Kita tidak menginginkan demokrasi yang kasar dan sombong; kita merindukan demokrasi yang tulus dan betul. Inilah gerakan kita yang, sayangnya, terpaksa bermula di tengah keangkuhan kerajaan yang merasa segala-galanya sudah betul, malah sudah syurgawi, di tanah air ini. Kita sebenarnya masih dalam derita yang terus dicipta oleh tangan kasar berhati angkuh yang sangat bercita-cita. "Kita merindukan suara kuasa yang waras dan insani; suara pembimbing yang ikhlas dan mengerti. Kita tidak memerlukan suara angkuh dalam era yang sudah terlalu lama sombong ini. Kita mengharapkan tangan kuasa yang berhemah, sedia memimpin dan berdamai, turut bantu mencipta iklim demokrasi yang harum," katanya. Sementara itu, kita mengetahuai bagaimana pengarang besar dunia, antaranya,  Aleksandr  Solzhenitsyn, Boris Pasternak yang semuanya memenangi Hadiah Nobel, ada yang dipenjarakan, dibuang ke Siberia yang beku kerana mereka membela rakyat yang tetindas, membela hak asasi manusia, menentang kezaliman Raja Zar dan seterusnya kepincangan pemerintahan komunis, Lenin dan Stalin. Jadi apa yang berlaku kepada A Samad Said tidak memeranjatkan. Ia tetap besar kerana karyanya dan apa yang berlaku kepadanya hanya suatu permulaan yang kecil dari sebuah perjalanan yang panjang. – 10 September, 2013. * Ini adalah pendapat peribadi penulis dan tidak semestinya mewakili pandangan The Malaysian Insider.

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Sediakan akta cegah jenayah baru perlu sebelum mansuh EO, kata Musa Hassan Posted: 10 Sep 2013 02:52 AM PDT OLEH MOHD FARHAN DARWIS September 10, 2013 Latest Update: September 10, 2013 06:03 pm Ahli-ahli panel forum setuju akta cegah jenayah baru perlu disediakan sebelum mansuh EO. - Gambar The Malaysian Insider oleh Najjua Zulkefli, 10 September, 2013.Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM) memerlukan akta baru bagi membolehkan mereka mencegah dan mengekang jenayah daripada terus berleluasa, kata panel dalam forum "Polis Hilang Sengat: Apa Selepas EO" anjuran Sinar Harian. Bekas Ketua Polis Negara Tan Sri Musa Hassan menegaskan Putrajaya seharusnya menyediakan undang-undang gantian sebelum memansuhkan Akta Ordinan Darurat (EO). "Sepatutnya kena ada cadangan undang-undang ganti, bukan terus mansuh," kata Musa kepada pemberita sejurus tamat sesi forum di Shah Alam itu. Tegas Musa, pihak berkuasa sukar bertindak dengan undang-undang konvensional dan badan berkenaan memerlukan undang-undang yang lebih tegas. "Patut ada undang-undang lebih tegas diberikan kepada pihak polis ... Kita perlu ada undang-undang baru, bukan pinda PCA," katanya merujuk kepada Akta Pencegahan Jenayah yang kini digunakan pihak berkuasa selepas pemansuhan EO. Undang-undang pencegahan baru itu bagaimanapun jelas bekas Ketua Pengarah Penjara Malaysia, Tan Sri Zaman Khan, yang juga panel dalam forum berkenaan, perlu memasukkan peruntukan untuk mengelakkan ianya daripada disalahguna. "Orang takut berlaku salahguna kuasa polis jika ada akta pencegahan, kita wujudkan mekanisme untuk elakkan salahguna itu berlaku," tegasnya. Jelasnya lagi, undang-undang yang telah dimansuhkan kerajaan pimpinan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak tidak menghormati hak asasi orang awam yang inginkan keamanan. "Kita perlukan undang-undang ini untuk kita hidup bebas dan bukan mereka (penjenayah) hidup bebas," tegasnya. Sebelum Pilihan Raya 2013 lalu, Kabinet telah memutuskan untuk memansuhkan Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri (ISA) dan EO sebagai menghormati keperluan hak asasi manusia. Insiden pembunuhan menggunakan senjata api yang berleluasa sejak beberapa bulan lalu bagaimanapun membuatkan kepentingan akta pencegahan dinilai semula, bagi membolehkan kes-kes seumpama itu dikekang. Beberapa pihak kemudiannya menunding jari menyalahkan pembangkang dari Pakatan Rakyat (PR) yang sebelum itu mendesak akta seperti ISA dan EO dimansuhkan, dengan mendakwa, penjenayah yang dahulunya ditangkap telah dilepaskan selepas kedua akta itu dimansuhkan, yang mengakibatkan kes bunuh meningkat. Tokoh wartawan kebangsaan Datuk A Kadir Jasin melihat Putrajaya terlalu tergesa-gesa melaksanakan pemansuhan kesemua akta dengan serentak sehinggakan lupa mencari gantian terhadap akta tersebut. "Adakah perlu kita pinda semua sekali serentak tanpa ada undang-undang gantian?" soalnya ketika berhujah dalam forum tersebut. "Kenapa kita robohkan rumah kita yang senget, dan tidak dibetulkan sahaja bahagian yang senget itu, sedangkan kita tak buat rumah sementara," katanya. Tegas Kadir, Putrajaya juga seharusnya memikirkan kesan jangka panjang akibat daripada pemansuhan akta-akta tersebut. Musa bagaimanapun melihat tindakan PDRM menubuhkan dua Skuad Khas dengan 400 anggota di Bukit Aman juga satu kesilapan kerana mereka melangkaui pegawai di peringkat negeri. "Skuad baru itu ada silap sikit...Kita sebagai ketua perlu tegas untuk orang bawah ikut arahan kita. "Kerajaan kalau buat polisi perlu terima pendapat pegawai kerajaan kita," katanya. Pendapat itu turut disokong Zaman, yang beranggapan skuad berkenaan akan mencalarkan imej peribadi ketua polis di satu-satu kawasan. Kebiasaannya, ketua polis akan dimaklumkan tentang sesuatu Operasi, tapi skuad ini melangkaui mereka ... apa perasaan mereka kepada orang awam?" soalnya. Kadir bagaimanapun berkata penubuhan skuad berkenaan adalah tindakan bijak kerana bertindak tanpa mendedahkan risiko kepada anggota tempatan. "Skuad khas ini perlu, gabungan yang baik. Mereka ada maklumat dan tindakan dibuat orang lain," katanya. – 10 September, 2013.

Polis kesan trend kumpulan kongsi gelap berselindung di sebalik majlis rasmi Posted: 10 Sep 2013 02:51 AM PDT September 10, 2013 Latest Update: September 10, 2013 05:58 pm Polis mengesan ada kumpulan kongsi gelap berselindung di sebalik majlis rasmi masyarakat dengan menaja majlis terbabit bagi mengaburi mata masyarakat mengenai kegiatan haram mereka. Ketua Penolong Pengarah Bahagian Kongsi Gelap, Maksiat dan Perjudian (D7) Ibu Pejabat Polis Bukit Aman Datuk Abdul Jalil Hassan berkata polis menyedari trend ini dan mereka (kongsi gelap) menyasarkan majlis masyarakat, terutama yang dihadiri orang kenamaan. "Mereka akan menaja majlis tersebut untuk menunjukkan penglibatan mereka dengan masyarakat. Tujuan mereka tidak lain ialah untuk menunjukkan mereka pun ada membuat kebaikan. Mereka akan mengambil gambar bersama orang kenamaan dan masyarakat sebagai bukti menunjukkan mereka menjalankan kegiatan yang sah," katanya, di Kuala Lumpur. Beliau berkata trend seperti itu adalah untuk menyusup masuk ke dalam sesuatu komuniti bagi mengalih perhatian orang ramai berhubung aktiviti mereka yang sebenar. Sebelum ini, sebuah portal berita melaporkan ada pemimpin kanan parti politik telah menghadiri sebuah majlis yang dianjurkan "Kelab Sukan dan Rekreasi Kajang" yang didakwa mempunyai kaitan dengan kumpulan kongsi gelap geng '36'. Ekoran itu satu laporan polis dibuat berikutan penyebaran sepucuk surat di Internet yang mendakwa tiga pemimpin sebuah parti politik itu turut hadir dalam majlis yang dihadiri 6,000 peserta di Seri Kembangan pada 3 Disember lepas. Abdul Jalil berkata anggota kongsi gelap terbabit akan menjadi wakil dalam sesebuah komuniti dan menaja majlis-majlis anjuran masyarakat termasuk memanggil golongan kenamaan untuk menghadiri majlis yang diadakan. "Kadang-kadang ada anggota masyarakat tidak sedar, mungkin mereka gembira ada tajaan di sebalik penganjuran majlis itu, (tetapi) sebenarnya di belakang mereka adalah kumpulan kongsi gelap. Mereka perlu berhati-hati," katanya. Abdul Jalil turut menjelaskan pihaknya sentiasa memantau perkara itu dan turut menasihati jawatakuasa penduduk agar lebih berhati-hati untuk menganjur serta menerima sebarang penajaan daripada individu yang diragui latar belakang mereka. Beliau berkata pihaknya turut meminta golongan kenamaan dan orang ramai agar menyemak latar belakang sesuatu majlis yang dianjurkan sesuatu komuniti bagi mengelak kumpulan kongsi gelap terbabit daripada "menangguk di air yang keruh". – Bernama, September 10, 2013.

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