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The Malaysian Insider :: Food

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Overweight and at risk of heart disease? Pop a few walnuts Posted: 25 Sep 2013 05:46 PM PDT September 26, 2013 Overweight adults can help protect themselves from diabetes and heart disease by adding walnuts to their diet. That's the conclusion of a new Yale University study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition which put a small group of adults on a walnut-enriched diet for two eight-week sessions. For their research, scientists chose 46 adults between the ages of 30 and 75 who had a body mass index larger than 25 and a waist circumference exceeding 102 cm for men and 35 inches 89 cm for women. All exhibited risk factors for metabolic syndrome, a precursor of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and none were smokers. Participants were assigned to either a walnut-enriched ad libitum diet or an ad libitum diet without walnuts. Those who followed the walnut diet were instructed to eat 56 g of shelled, unroasted walnuts a day as a snack or with a meal. At the end of the experiments, scientists observed improved endothelial function in overweight adults who consumed walnuts. Endothelial cells make up the inner lining of blood vessels and help with blood clotting and the formation of new blood cells, regulate inflammation and control blood pressure. No participants in the walnut-eating group gained weight. "We know that improving diets tends to be hard, but adding a single food is easy," explained lead author Dr. David Katz. "Our theory is that if a highly nutritious, satiating food like walnuts is added to the diet, there are dual benefits: the benefits of that nutrient rich addition and removal of the less nutritious foods." The Yale study is the latest research to vaunt the health benefits of walnuts. A longitudinal study out of Spain published this summer found that people who ate nuts, particularly walnuts, tended to have a lower body mass index and a smaller waist, were less likely to smoke and were more likely to be physically active compared to those who never included nuts in their diets. Overall, nut eaters had a 39% lower mortality risk and walnut eaters had a 45% lower risk. — AFP Relaxnews, September 26, 2013.

Artificial sweeteners for weight loss? Forget it, says study Posted: 25 Sep 2013 05:39 PM PDT September 26, 2013 Think you're saving yourself extra calories by going the artificial sweetener route? New research suggests you're just setting yourself up to fail. That's the conclusion of a new study out of Yale University which found that eating low-calorie sweetened products may actually sabotage efforts to reduce calorie intake, by leading people to reach for higher calorie alternatives later on. Or, as scientists put it, despite good intentions, the brain can't be fooled by artificial sweeteners. That's because in their animal research, scientists observed that a specific physiological signal that regulates dopamine levels — the feel-good chemical that works with the reward centre in the brain — only arose when sugar was broken down into a form that could be used as fuel and energy for the body. For the study, scientists performed behavioural testing involving sweeteners and sugars and measured chemical responses in the brain circuit. "According to the data, when we apply substances that interfere with a critical step of the 'sugar-to-energy pathway', the interest of the animals in consuming artificial sweetener decreases significantly, along with important reductions in brain dopamine levels," explained lead author Ivan de Araujo in the Journal of Physiology. In an opinion article published in Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism this summer, experts also pointed to similar studies which showed that consuming zero-calorie sweeteners altered the brain's pleasure centre and dampened physiological responses to sweet taste, causing mice to overindulge in calorie-dense foods later. Artificial sweeteners have also been associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The overall lesson from the study? Limit the intake of artificial sweeteners, stick to water and if the craving is too strong, opt for fibre-rich, unprocessed natural fruit juices or smoothies. — AFP Relaxnews, September 26, 2013.

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Malaysia beat England 3-1 for third consecutive win Posted: 25 Sep 2013 08:56 AM PDT September 25, 2013 Malaysia maintained its winning momentum in the Sultan of Johor Cup by chalking up its third consecutive victory by beating England 3-1 at the Taman Daya Hockey Stadium today. Malaysia's top hit man Mohd Shahril Saabah was once again the toast of the team as he scored a brace from penalty corners in the 9th and 56th minutes while Izad Hakim accounted for the other in the 43rd minute, also from a penalty corner. Mohd Shahril had scored a hattrick in the 4-2 win over Argentina and again kept his scoring touch intact in the win against South Korea. "The pace of the match today was rather slow and we failed to convert a number of chances. We need to be more focused in the match against Pakistan tomorrow and India on Saturday," said head coach Muhammad Dhaarma Raj Abdullah. Dhaarma admitted that playing against two of the most feared teams in Asia, Pakistan and India, won't be easy but believes his charges would be able to maintain their winning momentum to make it to the final and repeat the title-winning feat of 2011. Meanwhile, England managed to reduce the deficit in the 61st minute through Peter Bull's penalty corner strike. In an earlier match played at the same venue, South Korea drew 2-2 with Argentina while India whipped Pakistan 4-0 in another exciting match. India's goals came through Sukhmanjit Singh (37th, 48th min), Imran Khan (45th min) and Ramandeep Singh (61st min). With the win, Malaysia moved to the top of the table with nine points, the same as India but with a better goal difference after scoring 12 goals against India's nine. - Bernama, September 25, 2013.

BAM accepts Tan Aik Mong’s resignation Posted: 25 Sep 2013 08:03 AM PDT September 25, 2013 The Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) has today accepted Tan Aik Mong's resignation as BAM's Talent Management Group director. BAM President Tan Sri Tengku Mahaleel Tengku Ariff said Aik Mong's resignation was effective as of today. Tengku Mahaleel said he and BAM vice-president Dr Koay Bang Hin will take over the duties of Aik Mong with immediate effect while former doubles ace Razif Sidek and Tan Kim Her will remain in their capacity to oversee the performance of coaches and the national team. "The case of Aik Mong is closed, all in the meeting have agreed. There's no more statement," said Tengku Mahaleel during a brief press conference at the Juara Stadium in Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur, today. Aik Mong, 63, a former international who quit his job said on Tuesday that the job, which he had carried out voluntarily, had become untenable following BAM's decision to revert all his changes to their original structure. The former international who started his job earnestly on September 7 was initially given the full mandate to hire and fire. Former national singles coach Rashid Sidek quit last Thursday after claiming that coaches were treated like second-class citizens and that he did not enjoy the working environment any more due to the drastic changes brought about by the BAM, or rather Aik Mong. Meanwhile, Tengku Mahaleel said Rashid was expected to submit a letter to answer allegations that he had signed a one-year contract to coach the Delhi Smashers in the India Badminton League (IBL) last month. "Tey Sieu Bock (men's single coach) has submitted his letter and explanation and we accepted it. The case is closed," he said. Yesterday, Rashid was reported to have said that he would reconsider his decision to quit since the BAM had reverted to the old system. - Bernama, September 25, 2013.

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Colombian “futbol” telenovela is a ratings GOOOOOOOOL! Posted: 25 Sep 2013 08:56 AM PDT September 25, 2013 Colombian actors impersonating former Colombian football stars for the television series 'La Seleccion' (The National Team). - AFP pic, September 25, 2013.With Colombia's national football team close to qualifying for the 2014 World Cup, viewers are tuning in by the millions to a telenovela about their dream team of the 1990s. The soap opera - known simply as La Seleccion (marketed in English as Football Dreams, a World of Passion) - is an undeniable runaway smash hit. The series focuses on the personal struggles and love stories of the national team's four main players - Carlos "El Pibe" (The Kid) Valderrama, goalkeeper Rene "El Loco" (Madman) Higuita, striker Faustino Asprilla and midfielder Freddy Rincon. These players formed the backbone of the team that played in World Cup tournaments in Italy in 1990, the United States in 1994, and France in 1998. "These characters are representative of Colombia, and rich from a dramatic point of view," said series co-director Ricardo Coral. Valderrama, known for his trademark bushy blond afro, was the team captain and a born leader. Internationally he played for Montpellier in France, Real Valladolid in Spain, and later with US soccer teams. Higuita, who sported long, curly black hair, was the goalkeeper known for his spectacular "scorpion kick" and for daring forays far from his goal posts. He also played for Real Valladolid, and for Veracruz in Mexico. Striker Asprilla, a media diva, played internationally in Italy and Britain, while midfielder Rincon, who played for SSC Napoli, Real Madrid and teams in Brazil, was known for his tenacity and determination, Coral said. Fed up with "narco-dramas" Colombian soaps in the past years have focused on the usual fare of steamy love stories as well as "narco dramas" – stories about the country's decades-long conflict involving drug traffickers, leftist guerrillas and right-wing paramilitary forces. "We wanted to state – loud and clear – that Colombia is not only made up of drug traffickers and paramilitary fighters," Coral told AFP. "We want to change that view and give a fresh one that shows high personal values, hard work, and massive effort, which also represents us." Coral acknowledges Colombia's dark side, "but we're fed up with seeing it." The decision to shy away from drug trafficking led producers to cut out a scene in which Higuita meets Colombia's most famous drug lord, the late Pablo Escobar. Colombian football clubs were soaked with drug money in the 1980s and 1990s, so it was impossible to avoid the topic. "We mention it, but it's not a main part of the storyline," said Coral, who acknowledged taking some artistic liberties. "The story is based on their lives, but it's not a fully accurate portrayal. We had to introduce changes to create more tension for dramatic purposes," he said. Nevertheless there is plenty of humour, and real-life drama worthy of a Garcia Marquez novel – like the time that Higuita was courting a young woman who turned out to be his half-sister. "His father shows up and tells him: 'she is your sister, you can't get involved with her,'" Coral said. "It sounds like fiction, but it's true." Part of the success of the series relies on the physical similarities between the actors and the football stars. Edgar Vittorino, the actor who portrays Valderrama, said he was terrified to represent a national icon. People would "love or hate me for the rest of my life because I was portraying their idol," he told AFP. Vittorino was studying in the United States when he was approached by the series producers. He prepared by buying a blond afro wig in New York and watching videos of Valderrama interviews. Later he visited the neighborhood where Valderrama grew up, in the northern coastal city of Santa Marta, and spent an afternoon with the football great. "Every year there was a telenovela about narcotrafficking and violence. Now, not just parents, but children too, can sit down and watch this show," Vittorino said. The first part of the series ends with the 5-0 blowout Colombia dished out to Argentina in Buenos Aires in a 1993 World Cup qualifying match, and with players visiting Higuita in prison, where he spent six months for helping negotiate the release of a friend's kidnapped daughter. The prison sentence meant that Higuita missed the 1994 World Cup tournament in the United States. Filming for the second part of the series begins in early 2014, and will take the team through the qualifying round and into the 1998 World Cup in France. - AFP, September 25, 2013.

BlackBuried — Indonesia failings offer lessons for Apple, Samsung Posted: 25 Sep 2013 01:26 AM PDT September 25, 2013 Indonesia has long been a surprising jewel in the crown of BlackBerry Ltd, a rare market where its devices enjoyed mass appeal. But the country also highlights the struggling company's failure to embrace the emerging economies that are leading smartphone sales growth across the globe. Indonesia is still one of BlackBerry's biggest markets, accounting for about 15% of global users but its share of smartphone sales in Southeast Asia's biggest economy has fallen fast to 21% in the second quarter from 39% a year earlier, according to data from telecoms consultancy IDC. Industry experts say BlackBerry was too slow to capitalise on its handsets' popularity with ordinary Indonesians, a clientele far removed from its traditional corporate and government "CrackBerry" users, a mistake that offers lessons for rivals like Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd. "Indonesia was an opportunity lost — and at what cost," said a former BlackBerry executive familiar with the company's strategy, who declined to be identified as he did not want to jeopardise business ties with his ex-employer. As smartphone prices fall and the number of global users rises, companies must either focus on niche markets, like Apple does with its high-end devices, or rapidly roll out a wide range of products at prices that would appeal to all customers, a strategy market leader Samsung has wielded with much success. BlackBerry's stuttering approach meant it did neither. After failing to spark interest with its upgraded operating system and devices, BlackBerry said last week it would step back from the consumer market and focus on enterprise customers. It also agreed to go private in a $4.7 billion (RM15.2 million) deal led by its biggest shareholder. Turning its back on the mass market follows a series of missteps BlackBerry made in lucrative emerging markets like Indonesia, where telecom networks and users embraced the devices long before the firm acknowledged their potential, and the need to tailor its business to make the most of that opportunity. Too little, too late Indonesia was once known as "BlackBerry Nation", a testament to the devices' popularity. The handsets started gaining market share around 2007, when telecom networks became the first in the world to adopt pricing plans that offered basic services at a fraction of the cost of the usual enterprise-focused schemes. Unlike BlackBerry's mainstay developed markets, where devices are subsidised by the networks, most users in Indonesia buy their own handsets and then pay upfront for services. The other key difference in places like Indonesia is how the devices are used: for most Indonesians, the main attraction was the BBM messaging service, a group-based network open only to those who own a BlackBerry, and not the secure email features. But by the time BlackBerry's leadership grasped the value of understanding Indonesia, if only to counterweight falling sales in developed markets, the wave had already crested. Only in late 2011, almost a year after it set up an Indonesia office, did BlackBerry pick Jakarta for the global launch of one model, triggering a mad rush for the devices. It has since invested $5 million (RM16.12 million) in educational funding in partnership with a local university, built a flagship store in Jakarta and this week expanded its Bali-based global centre for verifying software submitted to its app store. These investments, however, did not address a key requirement to boost sales in any emerging market: a range of devices that match the varying budgets of clients. Prashant Gokarn, chief strategy and planning officer at Indosat, said his carrier was one of two chosen for the domestic launch of devices running BlackBerry's new BB10 operating system earlier this year. The Z10, however, debuted with $750 (RM2, 426.25) price tag, putting it beyond the reach of all but the most well-heeled Indonesian. "There was a lot of excitement at the time, but somehow the excitement did not translate into large numbers," Gokarn said, adding that most customers are now likely to use a second-hand BlackBerry, and carry it alongside another smartphone. The Z10 helped lift shipments in Asia in the second quarter of 2013, but it wasn't enough to counter the fall in shipments of older devices in markets such as India and Indonesia, said Kiranjeet Kaur, Singapore-based analyst at consultancy IDC. And while the appeal of the BBM remains strong, messaging services such as WhatsApp, Kakao Inc's KakaoTalk, Naver Corp's LINE and Tencent Holding Ltd's WeChat are increasingly popular alternatives. BlackBerry has said it would shortly release an Android version of its BBM application, a move likely to further slow sales of its handsets in emerging markets.  An early version of the app that was leaked online was downloaded more than a million times. "Sales of Samsung or other Android phones will increase once they make BBM available on Android," said Eko, a BlackBerry retailer in Jakarta. BlackBerry intends to continue catering to some non-enterprise customers, a company spokesman said, but he declined to give details, citing the company's quiet period ahead of its full quarterly results on Friday. This lack of clarity has left the network operators that helped pioneer BlackBerry in emerging markets like Indonesia questioning the company's future in their country. "Maybe they don't want to tell us they're shifting, but my reaction is to ask whether it's feasible to keep their device business going," said Joy Wahyudi, chief marketing officer of XL Axiata, one of Indonesia's biggest telecoms networks. "That's going to be a challenge." - Reuters, September 25, 2013.

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Algeria’s home-grown manga a hit with the young Posted: 24 Sep 2013 08:08 PM PDT September 25, 2013 Algerian manga artist Fella Matougui, 18, poses with some of her comics in Algiers. - AFP pic, September 25.It is a massively popular book form that originated in Japan where it became a cultural phenomenon. Now manga comics are flourishing in Algeria as well. "The Algerian manga is our trademark," said Salim Brahimi proudly. "It's what we call the DZ manga." Brahimi is the founder of Z-Link, Algeria's first publisher of manga comics. And Z-Link's manga are 100% Algerian, from the drawings to the text. Published in French, colloquial Arabic and soon in north Africa's Berber language, DZ manga has put a distinctly local stamp on a major Japanese product. And the comics are flying off the shelves. "We are printing 3,000 copies per title," said Kamal Bahloul, Z-Link's representative at a book festival in the eastern city of Tizi Ouzou. "In 2008, 40% of our print run was sold against 70% today," he added. Since its launch in 2007, Z-Link has been increasing its catalogue — and its staff. "When we started this adventure there were just two of us," said Bahloul. "Now we have nearly 30 employees. We are growing 5% on average every year." In 2008, a year after Brahimi co-founded Z-Link, he launched a key weapon in its marketing armoury: Laabstore magazine, a monthly review of Algeria's burgeoning manga, cinema and video games scene. Laabstore runs extracts from the work of up-and-coming manga writers — and of course also serves as a successful shop window for Z-Link's own titles, with its print run having risen from 2,000 to 10,000 copies in five years. Japan's manga, a sometimes lurid style of comic strip, cover a wide range of themes and are massively popular both at home and abroad. The Algerian version respects the basic ingredients of sharp humour, suspense and a hyperactive artistic style, but the scripts also add the crucial local flavour. "The stories we deal with are typically Algerian scenes," said 28-year-old Sid Ali Oudjiane, a manga writer whose Victory Road series — featuring a schoolboy's quest for sporting glory — has already won him three national awards. DZ's catalogue includes a variety of genres — and claims plenty of young talent, both male and female. The Revolution, published in 2012 to mark the 50th anniversary of Algeria's independence from France, is one of a string of titles from 18-year-old Fella Matougui. And one of the first major successes of the local manga scene was Samy Kun by Yacine Haddad, about a teenager who gets mixed up in the problems of the Algerian Sahara. But as well as the different subject matter explored by the writers, the artists have sought to break away from the purely Japanese style by bringing distinctive local touches to their work. Despite its success, however, Algeria's DZ manga is often more of a passion to pursue than a way of earning a living — even for the award-winning Oudjiane. "I work on manga on the side. I can only devote my free time to it, at the weekends and at night," he said. Likewise for manga author Amir Cheriti, whose day job is as a graphic artist in an advertising agency. "For us, it is still for pleasure," he said. Algeria's DZ manga has had its own special billing at prestigious industry events, including two international book fairs in the French cities of Angouleme and Montpellier. But surely the greatest recognition so far has come from the manga Mecca itself. This year, Japan's Kyoto International Manga Museum acquired several Algerian works, "not just to be exhibited, but also for research", said Z-Link founder Brahimi. The influence of the Algerian brand is also attracting attention in the United States, where it is the subject of a doctoral thesis at Philadelphia University. And there is growing interest from companies seeking to harness its marketing potential. "Firms like Sonelgaz and Panasonic have called us about advertising illustrations," said Bahloul. At the Tizi Ouzou book fair, Z-Link is busily raising manga's "Made in Algeria" profile, with Oudjiane displaying his skills to a group of inspired young festival-goers at one workshop. "In 20 or 30 years, young Algerians will all have mangas and comics on their bookshelves," said Bahloul, predicting the continuation of trend that few would bet against right now. - AFP Relaxnews, September 25, 2013.

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Polis tahan tujuh suspek berhubung 302 kes rompakan di Selangor Posted: 25 Sep 2013 03:17 AM PDT September 25, 2013 Polis menahan tujuh lelaki berusia di antara 19 hingga 31 tahun di sebuah hotel di Kuala Lumpur semalam bagi membantu siasatan berhubung 302 kes rompakan di negeri ini.  Ketua Polis Selangor Datuk Mohd Shukri Dahlan berkata kesemua mereka ditahan pada 11.45 pagi semalam, kira-kira lima jam selepas mereka merompak seorang suri rumah dan melarikan barangan berharga dan wang tunai RM40,000 di Taman Rimbun Hijau Country Heights, Kajang. Berikutan kejayaan itu, polis merampas lima buah kereta yang disyaki digunakan dalam rompakan itu, 15 keping nombor pendaftaran kereta serta pelbagai model telefon bimbit, barangan kemas dan jam tangan daripada mereka. Selain beberapa keping MyKad dan lesen memandu, polis turut merampas sejumlah wang tunai, dua pemotong dawai, tiga topi, dua set rambut palsu, sarung tangan, empat bilah parang dan empat batang besi kuku kambing, katanya kepada pemberita di sini hari ini. Kesemua suspek direman tujuh hari mulai hari ini. Kes disiasat mengikut Seksyen 395/397 Kanun Keseksaan iaitu samun berkawan dan bersenjata yang boleh dihukum penjara maksimum 20 tahun dan boleh disebat, katanya. Mohd Shukri berkata anggota kumpulan itu yang berasal dari Negeri Sembilan dan Johor dipercayai bergerak aktif sejak setahun lalu dengan perancang utamanya yang berumur 31 tahun tidak bekerja dan mempunyai rekod lampau kes dadah. Adik suspek berumur 29 tahun pula seorang penganggur dan mempunyai rekod kes samun. Seorang daripada anggota kumpulan itu berumur 19 tahun adalah seorang penuntut kolej swasta, manakala yang lain bekerja di kedai perabot, menjadi pembantu restoran dan menjual telefon bimbit, katanya. Mohd Shukri berkata kumpulan ini tidak menetap di satu-satu tempat untuk mengelak daripada dikesan polis dan disyaki terlibat dalam kes rompakan di negeri-negeri lain. Polis juga sedang menjejaki beberapa suspek yang dipercayai saki baki kumpulan ini, katanya. Beliau berkata modus operandi kumpulan ini ialah merompak di waktu pagi di rumah yang mempunyai seorang penghuni seperti suri rumah selepas anggota keluarga yang lain keluar bekerja atau ke sekolah. Mohd Shukri turut mengingatkan orang ramai supaya sentiasa mengunci pintu pagar mereka bagi mengelakkan mereka menjadi sasaran perompak. - Bernama, 25 September, 2013.

Sang Saka Malaya terus berkibar walau penjara 1,000 tahun, kata aktivis Posted: 25 Sep 2013 03:12 AM PDT OLEH MOHD FARHAN DARWIS September 25, 2013 Dua aktivis yang disiasat di bawah Akta Hasutan 1948 kerana mengibarkan Sang Saka Malaya semasa sambutan ambang Kemerdekaan lalu menganggap pindaan akta untuk memberikan hukuman penjara selama 15 tahun bagi tindakan menghina Jalur Gemilang tidak masuk akal. Menurut Hishamuddin Rais (gambar), Sang Saka Malaya akan terus berkibar walau dipenjara 1,000 tahun sekalipun. "Sang Saka Malaya (gambar) telah berkibar lebih 2,000 tahun. Bila wujudnya Jalur Gemilang itu?" soal Hishamuddin ketika dihubungi The Malaysian Insider. "Sejak Merdeka hingga 2007 apa nama bendera kita? Seluruh Nusantara menggunakan Sang Saka Malaya," katanya, dan menambah hukuman penjara maksimum sebanyak 15 tahun itu juga sekadar "perkara kecil." Putrajaya hari ini memasukkan peruntukan 12E Kanun Keseksaan yang membawa penjara minimum lima tahun dan maksimum 15 tahun termasuk denda terhadap mana-mana individu yang menghina logo rasmi ataupun bendera negara. Pindaan yang dibacakan untuk kali pertama di Parlimen hari ini turut memberi peruntukan sama terhadap penggunaan logo atau simbol yang berlainan selain bendera bagi memperkenalkan negara. "Mana-mana pihak yang cuba menukar, mengubahsuai, mengoyak, membakar, atau meletakkan, mempersoalkan untuk menghina sebarang logo nasional atau bendera, atau negara lain boleh dihukum penjara bagi tempoh tidak kurang lima tahun dan tidak lebih 15 tahun, dan juga boleh didenda," kata pindaan berkenaan. Menteri Dalam Negeri Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi hari ini membacakan untuk kali pertama pindaan untuk Kanun Keseksaan termasuk 10 akta lain beserta Akta Kesalahan Jenayah. Aktivis mahasiswa Adam Adli Abdul Halim bagaimanapun berkata pindaan itu membuktikan kelemahan kerajaan. "Aneh dan gila bagaimana kerajaan boleh keluarkan satu cadangan undang-undang sedemikian rupa. Kita akan digelakkan oleh seluruh dunia. "Jika mengibarkan bendera pun dianggap jenayah yang boleh dipenjara sehingga 15 tahun, entah apa lagi bentuk jenayah baru yang akan 'dicipta' kerajaan selepas ini? "Mungkin akan ada undang-undang menghukum orang yang tidak menghafal rukun negara," katanya secara sinis kepada The Malaysian Insider. Selain Hishamuddin dan Adam Adli, Sasterawan Negara Datuk A Samad Said turut disoal siasat pihak berkuasa atas kesalahan sama. – 25 September, 2013.

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Memecahkan pengundi tegar luar bandar dari BN Posted: 24 Sep 2013 05:53 PM PDT September 25, 2013 Shukur mempunyai lebih 30 tahun pengalaman sebagai wartawan dan bekerja dengan pelbagai media. Beliau kini pencen tetapi menjadi pemerhati politik yang tegar. Masalah yang paling sukar dan hingga kini belum dapat diatasi ialah usaha PAS/Pakatan Rakyat untuk menawa hati pengundi tradisi, khususnya di luar bandar yang masih sangat tegar menyokong Umno/BN. Usaha ini sudah lama dilakukan, namun keputusan PRU yang lalu menampakkan bahawa pengundi tradisi masih tetap menyokong Umno dengan hujah takut Cina memerintah, takut negara tidak aman, takut rakyat kembali hidup susah seperti zaman baru lepas Perang Jepun dulu, takut Melayu hilang kuasa, takut itu dan takut ini lagi. Ini adalah aliran pemikiran pengundi tradisi, statik, tidak dinamik, amat sukar berubah, amat terpengaruh dengan janji wang dan pelbagai  bantuan dari parti yang memerintah. Pemberian wang RM500 oleh kerajaan dianggap sangat besar. Makanya untuk membalas budi, mereka menyokong parti yang memerintah. Kesan pemberian ini menyebabkan Pakatan Rakyat semakin sukar untuk mendapatkan sokongan. Bagaimanapun, masih tetap ada sejumlah pengundi tradisi ini yang berfikiran dinamik, bersikap bebas dan merdeka dalam erti tidak terpengaruh dengan segala macam pemberian daripada parti yang berkuasa. Mereka bebas untuk mengundi siapa yang difikirnya layak untuk diberikan amanah. Jumlah golongan ini kecil tetapi memberi makna besar dan inilah menyebabkan undi untuk PAS/Pakatan Rakyat bertambah di kawasan pengundi tradisi seperti di Selangor, Perak, Melaka dan di Johor sendiri.  Dalam situasi di mana pengundi tradisi sangat kuat menyokong parti yang memerintah, maka Pakatan Rakyat, khususnya PAS – kerana PAS paling banyak bertanding di luar bandar - menghadapi cabaran sangat getir untuk mendapat sokongan daripada kawasan luar bandar yang didominasi oleh pengundi Melayu ini. Contohnya, antara lain, kawasan di Selangor yang dipanggil Anjung Utara – Ulu Selangor, Sabak Bernam, Tanjung Karang dan beberapa lagi, calon Pakatan Rakyat masih belum berjaya menawannya dalam PRU yang lalu. Ini berlaku walaupun PAS menang 15 kerusi yang kebanyakannya kawasan pengundi campuran di mana Pakatan Rakyat memerintah Selangor untuk penggal kedua. Kesukaran di Selangor ini diakui pemimpin Pakatan Rakyat di negeri itu. Oleh itu mereka mengatur langkah segera  untuk menerobos kawasan Anjung Utara itu selepas menyaksikan keputusan PRU yang lalu di kawasan itu di mana kelihatan Pakatan Negeri Selangor begitu cepat mengatur strategi walaupun PRU ke-14 lama lagi. Tidaklah wajar diperincikan strategi untuk 'memutihkan' kawasan di sebelah utara Selangor itu, tetapi yang jelas Pakatan Rakyat mengatur segera pelbagai rancangan ke arah menawan kawasan Parlimen dan DUN di situ. Ini adalah usaha segera Pakatan Rakyat di Selangor, tetapi bagaimana pula di negeri lain, seperti di Kedah, umpamanya, di mana kerajaan PAS/Pakatan rakyat di negeri itu ditewaskan dengan teruknya. Bagaimana pula di Kelantan, di mana PAS memerintah 22 tahun di negeri Cik Siti Wan Kebang itu, tiba-tiba tewas 15 kerusi dalam PRU yang lalu di mana keputusan ini sangat mengkhuatirkan. Khabarnya, mujurlah ada pengundi anak perantau Kelantan yang pulang mengundi, kalau tidak entah bagaimana keputusannya. Keputusan PRU yang lalu di Johor pula menyaksikan permulaan yang baik, di mana dulunya PAS hanya menang dua kerusi DUN, tetapi kini bertambah dua lagi menjadikan empat kerusi DUN yang dimenanginya. Tetapi kemengan itu, antara lain, disebabkan sokongan pengudi Cina sebanyak 47 peratus di dua DUN yang baru dimenangi dalam PRU tersebut. Bagaimanapun DAP mencapai kemenangan gemilang di Johor bersama PKR. Mesejnya di sini ialah, Johor bukan lagi kubu kebal Umno/BN dan zaman pencerahan boleh berlaku dari sekarang di negeri  selatan tanah air itu jika PAS/Pakatan Rakyat berusaha dari sekarang dengan strategi yang tepat untuk menwan hati budi pengundi tradisi ini. Di Terengganu, pencapaian PAS di negeri itu dalam PRU yang lalu membina kembali harapan bahawa negeri yang pernah diperintah oleh PAS itu kemungkinan besar akan dapat kembali kepada PAS dalam PRU akan datang kerana sekarang ini hanya selisih majoriti dua kerusi antara BN dan PAS. Di negeri itu, pengundi tradisi Melayu hampir mencapai 90 peratus. Di Perak, prestasi PAS/Pakatan rakyat juga memberangsangkan. Walaupun negeri utara itu banyak juga kawasan tradisi, tetapi ia mampu mengekalkan kemenangannya di kerusi tersebut di samping kerusi kawasan campuran yang dimenangi oleh DAP dan PKR. Ini menyebabkan majoriti BN hanya lebih tiga kerusi di negeri itu. Di Pahang dan Negeri Sembilan yang juga banyak kawasan pengundi tradisi, menampakkan harapan bahawa Pakatan boleh menawan kawasan tersebut dalam PRU akan datang, sementara di Perlis yang juga majoritinya adalah kawasan tradisi Melayu berusaha keras menawan hati budi pengundi tradisi ini. Setakat ini saya belum mendapat gambaran yang sejelas-jelasnya mengenai demografi pengundi di Sabah dan Sarawak. Sementara itu, saya tertarik dengan ucapan AJK PAS Pusat, Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad di Bintulu, Sarawak baru-baru ini bahawa dakwah atau penerangan PAS mestilah 'memasuki' rumah pengundi tradisi Melayu untuk menarik sokongan mereka. Ini,  katanya, disebabkan sifat golongan tradisi Melayu itu sukar untuk mengubah sokongan mereka daripada parti kerajaan kepada pembangkang.  Justeru, kata Dr Dzul,  PAS yang sentiasa berdepan dengan mereka pada setiap pilihan raya sewajarnya memastikan penerangan yang dijalankan dapat memasuki rumah golongan itu. "Politik kita bermula dengan dakwah dan kita bukan politik saja, tetapi berpolitik dan berdakwah. Iaitu di samping melaksanakan aktiviti dakwah, PAS perlu mengatur strategi politik kepada mereka dan ini perlu dilakukan serentak," kata Dr Dzul. Becakap mengenai pengalamannya sebagai ahli Parlimen Kuala Selangor sebelum ini,  beliau berkata, bahawa bagaimana pun perkhidmatan yang diberikan kepada mereka, belum tentu dapat menarik sokongan Melayu tradisi pada pilihan raya berikutnya. "Ini kerana sebahagian besar pengundi Melayu tradisi mudah dibeli oleh Umno apabila menjelang pilihan raya sehingga mereka takut untuk memberikan sokongan kepada PAS/Pakatan Rakyat. Bahkan, pengundi muda juga ada yang bersikap demikian sedangkan sebelum itu mereka banyak terlibat dengan aktiviti yang dianjurkan oleh PAS/Pakatan Rakyat seperti pertandingan futsal, motocross dan lain-lain," katanya. Oleh itu, katanya, pendekatan dakwah dan politik yang dilaksanakan oleh PAS di kawasan tradisi Melayu bukan saja sekadar dapat 'memasuki' rumah mereka tetapi juga memenangi hati budi mereka. Menurutnya, ini jelas berbeza dengan golongan Melayu bandar dan pertengahan yang sedia berbinncang, berdebat, berseminar dan lain-lain dalam usaha PAS/Pakatan Rakyat melakukan pendekatan kepada mereka. Inilah perihal pengundi tradisi yang sangat perlu ditangani oleh Pakatan Rakyat dengan segala kebijaksanaan, bukan memikirkan hal yang remeh temeh. – 25 September, 2013. * Ini adalah pendapat peribadi penulis dan tidak semestinya mewakili pandangan The Malaysian Insider.

“True teachings of Islam”: Academic unfreedom, Muslim conformity, and gender inequality? Posted: 24 Sep 2013 04:36 PM PDT September 25, 2013 Latest Update: September 25, 2013 06:11 pm Azza Basarudin received received a Ph.D. in Gender Studies from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Her research centers on gender, sexuality, women's activism, and cultural memory in communities of Muslims in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. She held fellowships and visiting scholar positions at Harvard University, Syracuse University, Universiti Sains Malaysia and the American University of Cairo, among others. She is currently a Research Scholar at the UCLA Center for the Study of Women. (This is a three-part series on academic freedom, interpretations of Islam and Muslim conformity and the Malaysian women's movement.) Education Minister/Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin recently announced that the Universiti Islam Antarabangsa (UIA) Malaysia would be receiving RM100 million a year in research funds. The purpose of this generous funding is to support UIA in becoming a research university and to stem the "spread of western liberalism, under the pretext of human rights activism and gender rights movement" and to re-educate society about "true teachings of Islam".  This project of linking research to the survival of a particular interpretation of Islam is deeply unsettling on multiple fronts. First and foremost, it is a threat to academic freedom and the process of knowledge production. It damages the status of UIA and its standing in the international community.  It forecloses spaces for constructive dialogues about the diverse interpretations of Islam and the lived realities of contemporary Muslims.  It erases the organic and rich history of women's movements in Malaysia and the blood and sweat of women activists who have devoted their lives to raising societal awareness of about women and gender issues and struggling for women's rights. And to state the obvious, it glaringly contradicts the 1Malaysia concept that aims to foster national unity, racial and religious tolerance, inclusiveness, and equitable allocation of resources. Academic freedom is the freedom afforded to members of the academic community to pursue, develop and share knowledge through research, teaching and writing. It is necessary for universities to have the autonomy to decide on their governance, finances, and administration, and to outline their policies on education, research and publication. Universities must remain a space of free thought, independent of state intrusion, and faculty members must have complete autonomy to determine the type of research they wish to undertake and communicate without being subject to state surveillance. Freedom of inquiry is the foundation of academic life; taking it away is akin to dismantling the vibrant culture of discovery, debate, and dissent that informs the process of knowledge production, and contributes to the betterment of humankind. Academic freedom is under attack everywhere, of course. For instance, threats to academic freedom in the United States have increased exponentially after September 11, 2001. Malaysia is not an exceptional case but it is a notable one in relation to the degree of state intervention in the freedom of faculty members to cultivate, disseminate and debate ideas. As a member of CSAF - California Scholars for Academic Freedom - I know first hand the consequence of violating academic freedom, albeit with a different scope. At CSAF, we write letters to protect fellow scholars, particularly those who teach about the Middle East, Arab and Muslim communities and/or are of Arab, Muslim or Middle Eastern descent. Malaysians are no strangers to state interference into academic spaces and university boundaries or laws that restrict student movements.  We are aware of the longstanding University and University College Act (UUCA 1975) that prohibits students from participating in political parties and speaking out in support of political parties.  Gracing the local headlines are cases where a student was suspended from a university after demanding academic freedom, a speaker was dropped from a panel at the state's urging, and a constitutional law professor was investigated and suspended for his intellectual acumen. We also know that many more courageous intellectuals have been, and continue to be intimidated for speaking truth to power. To ensure Malaysian universities remain competitive, and produce students and future scholars who are rigorous in their teaching, research and scholarship, state politics has no place in the halls of academia. The Minister's project to direct a university's research agenda in support of state policies privileging one racial and religious group is to cultivate the university as an arm of the state - doing its bidding to ensure that power and authority remains with the select few. What happens to faculty members who refuse to follow this directive? Are they to be targeted for harassment, fired or arrested under SOSMA?  Should the state be in the business of threatening and intimidating faculty members to betray their conscience? And how will UIA address this generous gift? Will the governing body and faculty senate vote on whether to accept this gift? Or, it is a foregone conclusion? The Education Minister would be best reminded that universities and research centers across North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa are actively engaged in cutting edge research, teaching and publication on Islamic traditions and lived realities of Muslims, including topics such as LBGTI, human rights and feminist and women's movements. To partake in the thriving discourses and practices on Islam, and Muslim cultures and societies requires much more than the Minister's particular brand of "progressive Islam" and his vision to "enlighten the society about the true teachings of Islam." If Malaysia wants to be integrated into the global educational community, this is a counterproductive move by the Ministry of Education. Why not provide the RM 100 million unconditionally so UIA can use the research funding to: offer a competitive salary for outstanding scholars and bring home Malaysian scholars abroad; establish adequate research funds and research driven scholarships; create sustainable scholarships, visiting professorships, and fellowships; establish a PhD programme and research center in Women, Gender and Islam; produce transnational campus events and programming, and so on. Along with the guaranteed protection of academic freedom, such projects will take UIA a step closer towards becoming a globally recognized research university and educational hub, rather than merely a pawn to legitimize insular political visions. - September 25, 2013. (Next week's analysis will focus on interpretations of Islam and Muslim conformity) * This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.

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