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The lowdown on porcini mushrooms with Quentin Domange Posted: 21 Oct 2013 05:00 PM PDT October 22, 2013 Quentin Domange (pic) is head chef at the Bistro Urbain, a casual gastronomic bistro in Paris's up-and-coming 10th arrondissement. Here, he shares his affinity for one of the most flavorful mushrooms harvested this time of year in France: porcini. What led you to choose this ingredient? This ingredient reminds me of vacations with my family in Normandy. What is your best kitchen memory associated with this ingredient? During my first two months of training, I came to appreciate mushrooms and garlic - which I could not stand before - thanks to the chef Philippe Groult, and this opened up a lot of doors for me. When is this ingredient in season? Porcini can be enjoyed from the end of summer through to the start of fall. What is the best way to prepare porcini mushrooms? Can you share a recipe? The best method is to sauté them. They must be washed thoroughly with water before cooking, but avoid completely immersing them. Next, cut them up (dice them, halved or simply sliced), and cook them in oil and butter. The porcini can be served with foaming butter and sautéed garlic, parsley and shallots. What other ingredients can be combined with porcini to delight and surprise the taste buds? A carpaccio can be prepared with just thin slices of porcini, olive oil, lemon, coarse sea salt, and black pepper or Espelette chili powder. But be sure to use only small porcini mushrooms; otherwise the taste is too strong. Porcini can also be sliced thinly and served raw with a few leaves of arugula. What are the most common mistakes made when preparing this ingredient? When washing porcini, one should never allow them to soak in the water. It is essential to store them with the cap down so that the green part does not begin to eat away at the cap. One should remove the green and slimy part of porcini when it is large. How do you offer this ingredient on your current menu? Sautéed porcini with bacon as a starter, and as a side dish, porcini that is simply sautéed, a great accompaniment for veal or sweetbreads. What wine (or other alcohol) is best paired with this ingredient? A Chauffit Riesling, a Côteaux Varois Château Thuerry, or a Guigal Condrieu. - AFP Relaxnews, October 22, 2013.

Tesco to try and curb Britain’s food waste Posted: 21 Oct 2013 06:59 AM PDT October 21, 2013 Tesco looks to cut to cut the near 60,000 tonnes of food wasted by its suppliers and shoppers each year.Tesco, Britain's biggest retailer, vowed today to cut the near 60,000 tonnes of food wasted by its suppliers and shoppers each year, the latest firm volunteering to help tackle a growing environmental problem. The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation said last month that a third of all food produced worldwide, some 1.3 billion tonnes worth US$750 billion (RM2.38 trillion), is thrown out each year, wasting water equivalent to the annual flow of Russia's Volga River. Tesco said it was the first British retailer to reveal data on its food waste, which it put at 28,500 tonnes in the first half of the year. In total the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) estimates Britain wastes 15 million tonnes of food each year. The European Union is seeking to halve the disposal of edible food waste in the bloc by 2020 from about 90 million tonnes currently, by donating surpluses to food banks, reviewing sell-by date labelling and shortening supply chains. "Families are wasting an estimated 700 pounds (RM3,581) a year and we want to help them keep that money in their pockets, rather than throwing it in the bin," Matt Simister, Tesco's group commercial director for food, said in a statement. Nestle, the world's biggest food company, pledged last week to achieve zero waste in all of its 150 factories in Europe by 2020 in a campaign which will include using spent coffee grounds as a source of energy at its Nescafe factories. For its part, Tesco said today it would end multiple-buy offers on large bags of salad after data showed that 68% of all salad grown to be sold in bags ended up wasted. It is also cutting the amount of bread on display and sharing tips on how to use leftover loaves. The world's third-biggest retailer behind France's Carrefour and US number one Wal-Mart is trying to improve its image in its main British market, where it has been losing market share in recent years. Confusing labels Tesco said 40% of apples, a quarter of grapes and a fifth of bananas were wasted, prompting it to work with growers to reduce pests and disease and trial new varieties, as well as improving transport and sharing storage tips with customers. It will also remove "display until" dates from fresh produce. The British government says confusing labelling is partially to blame for food waste and wants to phase out sell-by or display-until labels used by stores for stock control. A study published last month by Harvard Law School and the Natural Resources Defence Council found that dates printed on US packaged foods are inconsistent, confusing consumers and leading many to throw out food before it actually goes bad. Environmentally-aware Germany has taken the lead in fighting food waste in Europe, with the government launching a "too good for the trash" campaign last year. The country is also a pioneer in "food-sharing", using the Internet to distribute produce recovered from store rubbish while still in good condition. Meanwhile German grocery chain Rewe started a trial in Austria this month to sell less than perfect apples, carrots and potatoes as part of its contribution to reducing waste, while Switzerland's Coop has launched a "unique" range of oddly-shaped produce. – Reuters, October 21, 2013.

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Portugal get Sweden test as France take on Ukraine in WC2014 European playoff Posted: 21 Oct 2013 09:15 AM PDT October 22, 2013 Continental giants Portugal and Sweden were drawn together in the pick of the World Cup qualifying play-offs in Europe made by football's governing body FIFA. Former champions France were given a favourable pairing as they travel to Ukraine for the first leg on November 15 while Greece will host Romania and Croatia play their first leg in Iceland. The second round of the two-legged ties will be played on November 19. Former World Cup semi-finalists Portugal and Sweden were the first two countries pulled out of the hat as Cristiano Ronaldo will defy Zlatan Ibrahimovic in what will be a battle of star-studded line-ups. "We have been drawn against a team against whom we will be playing two complicated matches, two relatively balanced matches," explained Portugal coach Paulo Bento. "Besides having one of the best strikers in the world (Ibrahimovic), the quality of their team (Sweden), is their collective spirit. "They finished second in a group that had one of the best European teams and potential winners Germany. "However regardless of the opponent, we will be playing these two matches with the aim of playing at the World Cup," continued Bento. Ibrahimovic believes Sweden are the underdogs. "Portugal are favourites, but they are going to be two fantastic matches," said the Paris Saint Germain star. "We're playing against a good team with many good players. Play-off matches are like two finals, it's completely different from group matches. "I think we have to reduce our errors and the team who makes the most will miss the World Cup." Didier Deschamps' French side, who were narrowly beaten to top spot in their pool by defending champions Spain, travel to the Euro 2012 co-hosts where they defeated Ukraine 2-0 in group play. "We were not seeded and could have played Portugal or Croatia who have a long history, but Ukraine is not a simple draw either," Deschamps told Eurosport tv. "They are on a run of seven matches without defeat and they concede very few goals as well as a long trip over there," he continued. "It's good to have the return leg at home but one team will qualify and the other will be staying home for the World Cup." added the 1998 World Cup winning captain. Ukraine's key player Artem Fedetsky of Dnepropetrovsk believes in his side's chances despite a tough draw. "We've already been buried after the poor start in the qualifying campaign. "However, we managed to come back and reach the play-off stage. After that every single match for us was like the final, like a do-or-die mission. "Now we have serious experience of playing the most important matches. We are a cohesive team now and, I believe, we have a fair chance to go through," he added. Romania are bidding to return to the final stages for the first time since 1998 and will fancy their chances against goal-shy Greece, who were beaten to top spot in their pool by Bosnia-Herzegovina. Greece coach Fernando Santos feels the 2004 European champions can fulfil their dream and called on their fans to get behind the team. "No matter who the opponent, the level of all the teams are very strong. The Romanians are of great quality and dangerous and difficult opponents. "I would have preferred the first match to be away, but again, it does not matter. The message I send to the Greek fans is to believe in this team, to support us, to fill the stadium to push the team and help us," he concluded. Finally, Iceland look to qualify for the first time in their history against a Croatia side coming off back to back defeats against Scotland and in the midst of a managerial change. The four winners will qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil from June 12 to July 13. Nine teams have already qualified from Europe - Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, England, Russia and Bosnia. (See chart below for full WC2014 qualifying nations list) The draw for the eight groups of four that will feature in the first round of the tournament will take place on December 6 in Bahia, Brazil. - AFP, October 21, 2013.

Ex-Blackburn Rovers manager Kean will be good for S-League side, says Shebby Posted: 20 Oct 2013 10:20 PM PDT October 21, 2013 Ex-Blackburn Rovers manager Steve Kean, who endured a miserable spell on and off the field with the former English champions, is in discussion to become coach of Singapore league side Brunei DPMM. The Scot stepped down from his role with Blackburn in September last year having overseen their relegation from the Premier League. He was unpopular with Ewood Park supporters and routinely faced protests for his managing style in his two years in charge after replacing the popular Sam Allardyce. Undeterred, Brunei are close to finalising the recruitment of the former Fulham, Real Sociedad and Coventry City assistant coach who has been out of work since his departure from Blackburn, owned by Indian poultry giant Venky's. "We are still in talks and will make an announcement at the end of the season," Brunei DPMM club manager Waslimin Momin told Singapore daily The Straits Times. The 12-team S. League season finishes next month and Brunei are currently seventh under the guidance of coach Vjeran Simunic, who led them to the 2012 League Cup which earned him the S. League coach of the year award. The S. League is one of the weakest divisions in Asia and struggles to attract supporters to matches, despite Singaporeans love of soccer, in particular the English Premier League. Shebby Singh, the former Blackburn global advisor who was also criticised for his work alongside Kean at the club by disgruntled fans, backed his former charge. "The step up to Premier League manager may have proven difficult, but Steve has all the credentials and it will good for him to get away from all the negativity," the former Malaysian international told the paper. "In Brunei, there won't be many influences. He can be his own man and I can safely say that he will excel." - Reuters, October 21, 2013.

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India diggers find artefacts after holy man’s treasure tip Posted: 21 Oct 2013 07:12 AM PDT October 21, 2013 Archaeologists began digging at the fort on Friday, three months after a Hindu holy man told a junior government minister about his dream of a 1,000-tonne gold treasure. – AFP pic, October 21, 2013.Indian archaeologists said today they have found artefacts in the ruins of a centuries-old fort where a Hindu holy man has said he dreamt that a hoard of gold was buried. Archaeologists began digging at the fort in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Friday, three months after the seer told a junior government minister about his dream of a 1,000-tonne gold treasure. The dig in the impoverished village of Daudiakala created a media storm and drew large numbers of local residents, prompting barricades to be thrown up around the site. The fort belonged to Raja Rao Ram Bux Singh, a Hindu king who was executed after taking part in a 1857 revolution against British colonial rulers. The Archaeological Survey of India (AIS) has said it began excavating on the basis of findings from the Geological Survey of India (GSI) that suggested gold or silver could be buried there. The junior minister told an Indian newspaper that he had earlier alerted the GSI and fellow ministers about the gold, after swami Shobhan Sarkar said that the dead king had appeared in his dream and asked him to recover the stash. However the AIS insisted today that its excavation was aimed at discovering and recording the fort's "cultural heritage" and was not a gold hunt. "It is a trial excavation and so far we have cleared soil up to a depth of 1.5 metres and yesterday we found a medieval wall, earthen jars and pots, a hearth and a floor," ASI's excavation chief Syed Jamal Hasan said. "Archeologists anywhere in the world do not dig for gold and treasures and here we are interested only in discovering the site's cultural heritage," Hasan said. He said a 12-member team would keep digging as long as there were signs of human habitation. "It might take us a month or so," said Hasan, whose government agency is charged with researching and protecting India's cultural heritage. The guru told India media that he was worried about the "collapsing economy of India" and so also wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Reserve Bank of India about the "hidden treasure". A hoard of golden Hindu idols, precious stones and other treasures, which some estimates value at billions of dollars, was unearthed in 2011 in the vaults of a 16th-century temple in the southern state of Kerala. The temple, dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, was built by a king and donations by devotees had been kept in its vaults ever since. – AFP, October 21, 2013.

Serbians buy “solidarity meal” for poor Posted: 20 Oct 2013 09:18 PM PDT October 21, 2013 Every morning at rush-hour in a Belgrade bakery, Lidija Milanovic buys her usual breakfast - two croissants. But she takes only one, leaving the other for someone who cannot afford it. In Serbia, a country hard-hit by the economic crisis, three young Internet workers have launched a website to help the poor which calls on citizens to buy an additional "solidarity meal" that will be offered to those in need. "It's great that someone has found such a simple way to help people, without spending a lot of time or energy," said Milanovic, a 37-year-old businesswoman who learned about the initiative on social networks. Jovana Bogavac, a high school student queueing behind Milanovic, was curious about what was going on. After hearing an explanation of the project - called "Solidarity Grub" (Solidarna Klopica) - she decided to join in. "A great idea! In this neighbourhood I often see people digging in garbage cans for food, but I didn't feel comfortable approaching them to offer help. This is the way to do it," she said. Official statistics show that 9.2 percent of Serbia's 7.2 million people live in absolute poverty, on less than one euro ($1.35) a day. Almost one-fifth of the population lives on less than four euros a day. For children, the number living in absolute poverty rises to 12.2 percent, and 6.2 percent suffer from malnutrition. Solidarity Grub was started in April by three 20-something employees at Internet portal Kioskpages.com, an online catalogue of goods, services and special promotions. They say they were inspired by an online video about people in Italy leaving coffees for the homeless. "We liked the idea," coordinator Nina Milos, 24, told AFP, but they wanted to offer more so "we opted for food." The trio first contacted bakeries, since they wanted lots of people to participate and baked goods are relatively affordable. Their website advertises the bakeries and includes an interactive map locating them (kioskpages.com/lp/mapa-solidarne-klopice). So far some 60 bakeries have joined in. Poverty and empathy Surprisingly, in a country where the unemployment rate stands at 24 percent, the action has spread. "This project is successful because it doesn't require much personal engagement, and the costs are minimal," said psychologist Anika Stojanovic. "Also, as previous experience has shown us, people with the lowest or lower income react faster and stronger to projects like this, because they can imagine themselves in such a needy situation." At the bakery where Milanovic buys her morning croissants, saleswoman Silvija said the project has been a success. "At first I didn't believe in it... but there are more and more people who are leaving food for others," she said, putting collected food in a basket in the window so those who are hungry can see it's available. A poster in the window also advertises that the bakery is part of the initiative. At least one meal every day The most difficult part has been getting out the information to potential users, who have little Internet access. To spread the word, the organisers have arranged for large displays publicising the project as well as advertising in free newspapers and networking with homeless shelters and advocacy groups. They have also appealed to local residents to tell the homeless people in their neighbourhood. "When we see someone digging in garbage cans we go out to give him food and tell him that he can find it at our place, for free, every day," said Silvija at the bakery. Mirjana, a jobless mother of three whose family survives on her husband's modest construction worker's wages, saw a television report on Solidarity Grub. Her family had been skipping meals and on some days didn't eat at all. "Now we have at least one meal every day," said Mirjana, who is in her 40s and travels almost an hour to get free food. She said her family still depends on neighbours who give them food, but what the bakery provides is sometimes enough to cover two meals a day. The team behind the idea now want to expand it outside Serbia - they have already started a project in Macedonia - and offer more than food such as clothing and toiletries. To coordinator Milos, the Solidarity Grub project is a source of pride. "Life is not easy in Serbia. When people show such solidarity it really deserves praise. That's the best thing that has happened to me!". – AFP, October 21, 2013.

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X-rated Japanese erotica sets throats clearing at UK shows Posted: 21 Oct 2013 08:14 AM PDT October 21, 2013 Japanese shunga shows sex, love and humour in Japan through some 200 works including paintings, scrolls, sets of prints and illustrated books with texts. Giant genitalia in action and ribald humour take centre stage at a British Museum show of erotic art from feudal Japan that runs until next January. The museum's Shunga: Sex and Pleasure in Japanese Art is one of three shows on across Britain dedicated to traditional Japanese erotica, pleasure and Kabuki theatre from 1600 to 1900. The exhibitions at London's British Museum, the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge and Edinburgh's National Museum of Scotland include works by some of Japan's most famous artists from the period, including Utamaro, Hiroshige and Kunisada. The British Museum and the Fitzwilliam have opened recommended adult-only displays of Japanese shunga – erotic Spring pictures – exploring sex, love and humour in Japan through some 200 works including paintings, scrolls, sets of prints and illustrated books with texts. "It's up to people to make what they want of it, but when they become aware of the beauty and humour and humanity of it they're quickly won over," British Museum curator Tim Clark said today. In Edinburgh, the National Museum of Scotland has turned its eye on Kabuki, the popular form of all-male Japanese theatre combining drama, music, dancing and acrobatics, with 61 prints. In conjunction with the London museum's much bigger exhibition, Cambridge University's Fitzwilliam has opened: The Night of Longing: Love and desire in Japanese prints. Fitzwilliam curator Craig Hartley said how the prints of courtesans, geishas, famous love stories and theatre show the art form's celebrated place in exploring love, desire and pleasure in Japan's otherwise rigidly controlled society during the feudal Edo and imperial restoration Meiji periods. "It wasn't frowned upon... There wasn't any sense of sin or shame," Hartley said. Parental guidance In fact, shunga art on scrolls, prints and made into books could be used as a sex manual on wedding nights, for stimulation by young and middle-aged couples, was proudly displayed to visiting guests, and enjoyed equally by women as well as men. Shunga prints even depict the creation myth that underpins Japan's Shinto folk religion. "They tell about how Japan was founded when two deities had sex," Clark said. "From their union were created the islands of Japan, the other deities and the imperial family." The British Museum blockbuster warns visitors that its explicit material may offend some people and carries the tag "Parental guidance advised" on its website. "We're basically advising it's probably not appropriate for under-16s," Clark said. The 170 or so works include painted scrolls, printed books, sets of colour prints of couples making love in richly coloured inks, some spattered with gold dust and gold leaf, others sparingly drawn. Clothing from the period and shunga's influence on Western artists such as Pablo Picasso are also on display. The show was packed with visitors who avoided catching your eye and occasionally made the kind of gentle throat-clearing noise signalling public awkwardness among the polite British middle classes. But beyond the over-sized penises penetrating intricately drawn vaginas, there are tender moments of love, traditional stories brought to life, poetry, lewd jokes and affectionate humour celebrating love and pleasure in all its aspects. Some of the masterpieces on display at the British Museum, including Kitagawa Utamaro's Poem of the Pillow (1788) – one of the most celebrated shunga sets of all – show a wide variety of people engaged in love-making and emphasise the universality of sexual enjoyment. Clark said the show's curators hope the exhibition can be taken to Japan, where shunga played a central role until the country opened up to prurient Western cultures during the Meiji period (1868-1912), after cutting itself off from the outside world for more than two centuries. The social changes that followed eventually led to a ban on displaying the art in public until the 1990s. "It's the hope of everybody in the project that the exhibition can be reconstituted in Japan," Clark said. – Reuters, October 21, 2013.

Carol Burnett honored for comedy chops with Mark Twain Prize Posted: 20 Oct 2013 09:30 PM PDT October 21, 2013 Stars from television and stage honoured entertainer Carol Burnett yesterday with the Kennedy Centre's Mark Twain Prize during a night that highlighted her decades-long comedy career while poking fun at politicians in Washington. Broadway and film actress Julie Andrews, comedian Tina Fey, and singer Tony Bennett were among the line up of friends and colleagues who paid tribute to Burnett, whose variety series "The Carol Burnett Show" ran for 11 years. "I'm overwhelmed, totally overwhelmed," Burnett told reporters ahead of the award ceremony. "I just hope after tonight they'll knock me down a few pegs because I think I'm getting a really big head." The 80-year-old singer and actress, famous for tugging her ear at the end of her performances, watched from a Kennedy Centre balcony as many of her contemporaries spoke of the example she set for their lives and careers. "I love you in a way that is just short of creepy," Fey, a former lead writer and actress on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" and sitcom show "30 Rock," said to Burnett. "I watched your show, and I thought: I could do that." The award program is scheduled to air on PBS on November 24, but the October events in Washington featured prominently. The US government re-opened last week after a 16-day shutdown triggered by failed Republican efforts to delay or defund Democratic President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law. "We are here tonight to celebrate the first lady of American comedy, Ted Cruz," Fey said to laughter and applause from the audience, referring to the Republican senator from Texas whose opposition to the law known as Obamacare helped inspire the shutdown. Burnett also had zingers for the town in which her prize was delivered. "It was a long time in coming, but I understand because there are so many people funnier than I am. Especially here in Washington," she said after coming on stage to accept the award. "With any luck they'll soon get voted out and I'll still have the Mark Twain Prize." Politics aside, most of the evening focused on the actress whose famous roles include Princess Winifred in the original Broadway production of "Once Upon a Mattress" and Miss Hannigan in the film version of "Annie." Burnett wiped her eyes after crooner Bennett serenaded her with a smooth rendition of "The Way You Look Tonight," and she talked back from the balcony as Andrews recalled their shenanigans during decades of personal and professional partnerships. "We're going on our 55th year of friendship," said Andrews, the star of movies "Mary Poppins" and "The Sound of Music." "My squeaky clean image goes right out of the window when I'm with her." Colleagues described Burnett as generous and classy. Vicki Lawrence, a co-star on Burnett's long-running variety show, and Rosemary Watson, a fellow entertainer, described how Burnett helped their careers after responding to simple fan letters they had sent to her. "She shaped my life as a child," Watson said. "She was the female comedienne I wanted to be most like." Clips from "The Carol Burnett Show" played throughout the evening, and famous costumes - one of which now resides in Washington's Smithsonian museum - were brought on stage. The Twain prize, named after the 19th century satirist, is the nation's highest honour for achievements in comedy. Burnett ended the show with a tug of her ear and a rendition of a signature song, "I'm so glad we had this time together." – Reuters, October 21, 2013.

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Writer Hosseini condemns Western “fortress mentality” Posted: 20 Oct 2013 07:14 PM PDT October 21, 2013 Writer Khaled Hosseini called for more tolerance for the plight of refugees, as the author of the bestselling "The Kite Runner" spoke to AFP about his latest book "And The Mountains Echoed". "There is a kind of fortress mentality in the West," said the Afghan-born American novelist, whose new novel has a complex plot spanning from Kabul to Paris, a Greek island to California. "I think it's important for us to remember the humanity of these people," he said during a visit to Milan after twin shipwreck tragedies off Italy in which over 500 asylum seekers are feared dead. "Nobody says you have to open your door and the whole world can come and settle in your country. Refugees have not chosen their fate, their fate has been forced upon them," Hosseini said. The author regularly travels to his war-torn homeland as an ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) but said he wanted his new book to be "less Afghan-centric". The book begins with a disturbing folk take about a devil kidnapping children in Afghan villages. The first setting is an Afghan village in the 1950s and the conclusion is in California where Hosseini, a trained physician, now lives. It revolves around the story of two children from a poor family who are forced into a heart-rending separation that will forever mark their lives. The writer said the book had a "non-linear, un-traditional" plot with lots of characters. "The war in Afghanistan is not such a looming presence in the book. The impact on a lot of characters is less pressing, less urgent. "It's more a personal story having more to do with human struggles," he said, adding that the characters he wanted to create were "morally ambiguous" and "not quite so black and white". The award-winning novelist is a literary phenomenon whose star shows no sign of fading. His first two books, "The Kite Runner" and "A Thousand Splendid Suns", sold 38 million copies worldwide. His latest book has already sold three million copies since first coming out in the United States in May and is due to be translated into 40 languages including Malaysian and Icelandic. While the writer said the book had less of a focus on Afghanistan and its future, he is certainly not forgetting his homeland and chief inspiration. "I feel I have a debt to Afghanistan because of my success. I think it obligates me to be socially conscious but the books are written for very personal reasons," Hosseini said. "Books are always about some kind of human enigma, some truth I'm trying to get out," said the writer, who pointed out that he has not lived in Afghanistan for 33 years although he travels there. "It's neither my intention nor my ambition to alter thought in Afghanistan. I want to be very respectful of the fact that if any significant change comes in Afghanistan it will not be spurred by an Afghan in exile," he said. – AFP, October 21, 2013.

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PAS keluar dari kebiasaan malam tadi, berbincang soal muzik dan cetak rompak Posted: 21 Oct 2013 03:13 AM PDT OLEH ZULKIFLI SULONG, PENGARANG ANALISIS DAN RENCANA October 21, 2013 Mat Sabu menyalahkan etika orang Melayu sebagai sebab mengapa cetak rompak boleh hidup. Gambar The Malaysian Insider oleh Nazir Sufari, 21 Oktober, 2013.PAS keluar dari kebiasaannya malam tadi apabila berbincang soal seni dan budaya sambil berdialog bagaimana mahu melawan budaya cetak rompak yang menzalimi industri muzik tempatan. Dengan diketuai sendiri oleh Presiden PAS, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang, mereka berbincang bagaimana mahu meningkatkan industri ini di samping meletakkan industri muzik di jalan yang tepat. Bersama mereka adalah para penyanyi, pelakun, pembuat filem, budayawan, karyawan termasuk kartunis dan penyair tanah air. Antaranya Sasterawan Negara Datuk A. Samad Said, tokoh sains dan matematik Profesor Shahrir Mohd Zin, budayawan Dinsman, penyanyi Mel dari kumpulan Wing, kartunis Zunar dan lain-lain nama besar lagi. Turut serta adalah pelakon Abby Abadi dan suaminya serta penyanyi Wan Aisyah. Antara pemimpin PAS yang menyertai dialog budaya ini adalah Timbalan Presiden PAS, Mohamad Sabu, Naib-naib Presiden Salahudin Ayub dan Datuk Mahfuz Omar di samping dua exco kerajaan negeri Selangor. Mel, Zua dari kumpulan XPDC dan juga Blank dari kumpulan rock Gamma telah membuat persembahan secara live di depan para pimpinan PAS termasuk Abdul Hadi. "Budaya adalah fitrah manusia," kata Abdul Hadi yang menyokong aktiviti kebudayaan yang tidak bercanggah dengan Islam. Namun, katanya, ada juga kebudayaan yang digunakan sebagai alat untuk merosakkan nama baik Islam. "Misalnya filem Semerah Padi lakunan P Ramlee yang dibuat semasa zaman penjajahan dahulu. Ia sengaja memberikan nama tidak baik kepada hukum hudud," kata Abdul Hadi kesal kerana filem itu tidak memberikan gambaran yang betul tentang syariat Islam sehingga menakutkan orang terhadapnya. "Mana ada mereka gunakan keperluan empat saksi untuk jatuhkan hukuman hudud?" kata beliau merujuk kepada filem yang memberikan gambaran salah tentang perundangan Islam itu. Mohamad Sabu pula bercakap soal cetak rompak yang sangat tidak menghormati hak cipta dan karya seni negara. "Ini semua berlaku kerana kita orang Melayu dan Islam hilang etika," kata Mohamad yang kesal dengannya. Namun pembicara terbaik malam tadi adalah penyanyi Aishah yang memberikan gambaran jelas apa yang berlaku dalam industri muzik negara. "Bayangkan tuan puan, negara kehilangan RM38 juta setahun kerana kegiatan ciplak, cetak rompak dan download lagu dan filem secara haram," kata Aishah kesal. Beliau juga berkata, petugas industri tempatan juga selalu sahaja menghadapi kebanjiran pesaing mereka dari luar. "Masa saya dahulu, Dangdut masuk. Sekarang K-Pop dari Korea Selatan pula yang mendapat tempat. Mana ada artis tempatan dapat bayaran sehingga RM1.6 juta," kata Aishah merujuk kepada laporan Audit Negara yang mendedahkan hal itu. Bagi beliau, sebagai sebuah parti Islam, PAS perlu mengambil berat tentang industri hiburan ini kerana Malaysia negara ke-10 paling suka berhibur di seluruh dunia. "Kalau kita tidak memberikan alternatif kita, orang lain akan ambil," kata Aishah yang terkenal dengan lagu Janji Manis Mu. Beliau juga berkata, anak muda negara ini dipengaruhi oleh muzik dan berkata, "Kita tidak boleh berdakwah dalam masjid sahaja tetapi perlu keluar". "Kita perlu bagi hiburan jenis kita dan cara kita," kata Aishah yang bertanding sebagai calon PAS di Parlimen Jelebu dalam pilihan raya umum ke-13 lalu. Di kalangan budayawan pula, mereka sangat kesal dengan sikap susah berkira kerajaan negeri Pakatan Rakyat khasnya Selangor dalam memajukan seni budaya. "Nak minta RM10,000 untuk anjurkan program pun susah dan akhirnya melopong saja," kata Dinsman dalam ucapan panjang lebarnya. Beliau juga kesal kerana Sasterawan Negara Samad yang tidak di manafaatkan sepenuhnya oleh kerajaan negeri Pakatan Rakyat (PR). "Apa salahnya Pak Samad dilantik sebagai Karyawan Tamu oleh Unisel dengan memberikan kemudahan kepada beliau untuk berkarya di samping memanafaatkan beliau?" kata Dinsman. Exco kerajaan negeri Selangor yang bertanggungjawab dengan pendidikan, Dr Halimah Ali, ketika memberikan respon terhadap cadangan berkata, beliau akan membawa perkara itu kepada kerajaan negeri Selangor. Namun cita-cita besar Pengerusi Lajnah Seni dan Budaya PAS, Dr Muhaimin Sulam amat menarik perhatian hampir 100 yang hadir malam tadi. "Saya bercita-cita mahu jadi budaya ini satu kuasa baru selepas ekonomi. Kita gabungkan budayawan dan kuasawan (ahli politik)," kata Muhaimin. Namun begitu, dalam ucapan aluannya, beliau juga melahirkan kekesalan dengan sikap sesetengah pihak dalam PAS sendiri yang hanya menggunakan khidmat budayawan dan seniman ini secara bermusim sahaja. "Saya ingin tegaskan, kami bukan askar upahan tetapi pejuang sepanjang zaman," kata Muhaimin disambut tepukan gemuruh para hadirin. Pendekatan pertemuan malam tadi memberikan nafas baru selepas kemasukan beramai-ramai golongan seni ini ke dalam PAS sebelum pilihan raya umum lalu. Di akhir majlis, Mohamad Sabu membuat kejutan apabila menghadiahkan kek untuk Abdul Hadi sempena hari jadi beliau yang ke-66 semalam. Sambil menyanyikan lagu, Allah Selamatkan Kamu beramai-ramai, Abdul Hadi memotong kek itu dan Mohamad Sabu menyuapkannya ke mulut Abdul Hadi. – 21 Oktober, 2013. Mat Sabu menyuapkan kek hari jadi kepada Abdul Hadi. Gambar The Malaysian Insider oleh Nazir Sufari, 21 Oktober, 2013.

Kalimah Allah boleh digunakan di Semenanjung, kata Joseph Kurup Posted: 21 Oct 2013 02:40 AM PDT OLEH HASBULLAH AWANG CHIK October 21, 2013 Kalimah Allah boleh digunakan di Semenanjung Malaysia, kata Joseph Kurup. Gambar The Malaysian Insider oleh Afif Abd Halim, 21 Oktober, 2013.Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri Tan Sri Joseph Kurup berkata penganut agama Kristian di Semenanjung Malaysia masih boleh menggunakan kalimah Allah dalam perhimpunan mingguan mereka meskipun selepas keputusan yang diputuskan oleh Mahkamah Rayuan pada Isnin lalu. Katanya keputusan itu hanya terpakai kepada akhbar mingguan Katolik, Herald, dan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak akan menghuraikan lebih lanjut sewaktu kunjungannya ke Sabah tidak lama lagi. "Keputusan Mahkamah Rayuan itu tidak terpakai di Sabah dan Sarawak tetapi membabitkan kepada akhbar Herald sahaja. "Mereka di Sabah dan Sarawak masih bebas menggunakan kalimah Allah," katanya semasa sidang media Pra-Pelancaran Festival Keamanan Global di Kuala Lumpur hari ini. Menteri yang bertanggungjawab dalam perpaduan dan integrasi nasional itu turut bersetuju apabila ditanya pendapatnya sama ada kalimah Allah masih boleh digunakan dalam perhimpunan mingguan penganut Kristian di Semenanjung Malaysia. – 21 Oktober, 2013. MENYUSUL LAGI

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Malaysia’s human rights review: flawed from the start Posted: 20 Oct 2013 04:39 PM PDT October 21, 2013 Ying Hooi is attached with a local university. Her research interests cover the fields of civil society, social movements, protests, political participation, human rights and democratization. Malaysia's human rights record will be in the global spotlight on October 24, 2013 as it undergoes its second round of Universal Periodic Review (UPR) by the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. While this provides an important opportunity to hold the Malaysian government to account for its domestic human rights records, the concern is that this perhaps, again, will be little more than an exercise in international diplomacy. Since its inception, the UPR has been subjected to a substantial amount of criticism from particularly the stakeholders. In Southeast Asia particularly, the mechanism began functioning in 2008, but little is known about the roles and functions of the UPR. Similarly, despite the fact that Malaysia experienced its first UPR in 2009, the mechanism is inadequately made public to its citizens. What is UPR all about? In simple terms, UPR is a process, in which states judge other states. The review provides an opportunity for governments to present their points of view, explain steps they have taken or have not taken, outline planned improvements, and agree on what they will do to fulfil their international human rights obligations. It is designed to improve the human rights situation among the 193 UN member states through constructive process. Back in 2009 during its first review, the Malaysian government undertook the UPR exercise as a major diplomatic event to defend its record and performance on human rights. It has sent a "generous" delegation of 31 senior officials from government agencies, including the Attorney General, Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail. Like many other nations, Malaysia lobbied and rallied extensively with friendly countries to gain support and to provide a counterpoint to the criticism they were facing. One of the key highlights in Malaysia's representative presentation back in 2009 was about the country's composite nature, made up of various cultures, religions and ethnicities, that must be considered when discussing about human rights in the country. Then, Malaysia accepted 62 of the 103 recommendations issued by the UPR Working Group on various human rights issues. Nevertheless, little attention was given to concerns mainly put forward by the NGOs as well as in the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) compilation report. The procedural problem due to the number of participating states and time constraint for discussion have worked to the great advantage of the Malaysian delegation. With so many states registered to speak, not much can be said for or against any part of a state's UPR within two minutes. As such, Malaysia was at no time under pressure and it could choose to give general replies to questions by clusters. Moreover, the Malaysian delegation had opted not to respond to critical questions particularly on civil and political rights or sensitive issues. But the irony was that the government's success in its lobbying  meant that critical issues of human rights concern were obfuscated. Four years later, the Malaysian government is set to face its second UPR on October 24, 2013. Apart from the position of Islam, some other contentious issues raised by the NGOs are the unresolved religious freedom and LBGT rights. This time around, interestingly, apart from the Coalition of Malaysian NGOs in the UPR Process (Comango) that has also participated in the UPR back in 2009, MuslimUPROs, a coalition of Muslim NGOs in the UPR process, will also participate in the second review of Malaysia with its 17-delegation. A Malaysian Shiite organisation is also set to raise its concerns about the religious persecution of Shiites in the country, together with at least six other NGOs and Bar Council members. What makes it even compelling this time around is that it is not merely a human rights "tussle" between the NGOs and the government, but is also a "religious clash" between the two coalitions. In countering these, as usual, the Malaysian government in its 21-page report has specifically emphasised its diversity in terms of cultures, religions and ethnicities. It is the same argument the government applied during the first review. As the UPR is a mechanism based on peer review, it makes sense that eventually no state would care to be over-critical of another, as one day that state itself would be open to similar scrutiny. Moreover, as transpired in the now-defunct Human Rights Commission, political alliances and bilateral relations among the states are very likely to cripple the UPR process. Another common criticism is the low outcome in terms of a genuine and immediate improvement for the situation on the ground. However, the mechanism could also generate positive aspects provided the government was willing to acknowledge its reality at home. The final report adopted by the country under review with a list of recommendations could be used as a catalyst to ensure full and prompt implementation of the outcome of the review. In doing so, one important medium is the media. However, by far, the Malaysian government is still reluctant to publicise their human rights commitments under the UPR mechanism since 2009. Having said so, the true test for the Malaysian government remains with the follow-up and implementation on the ground, which means to bring human rights to home. The fact that human rights are not a part and parcel of our daily life is the root of the problem. Our education system also do not emphasise such a subject at the early level. So there is a lack of a strong culture of human rights awareness among the citizens. At the same time, the authorities also do not have sufficient knowledge on human rights. At the end of the day, the UPR process would only be effective if all stakeholders especially the government play an active role in making the UPR public. Otherwise, it would just remain once-every-four-years exercise after this October 24. It would be a shame if the Universal Periodic Review becomes "Universal Periodic Rhetoric" as termed by the national NGO coalition from Indonesia, in expressing their utter disappointment about the UPR process. - October 21, 2013.

Bahasa Malaysia dan SJKC Posted: 20 Oct 2013 04:09 PM PDT October 21, 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. Guru Besar SJKC Serdang Baru (1), Ng Boon Chuan.Sejak diasaskan pada Ogos 1999, Kumpulan Sasterawan Kavyan (Kavyan) turut terlibat dalam program galakan membaca dan memupuk minat terhadap Bahasa Malaysia di Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK), Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Tamil (SJKT) dan Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC). Hasil pengalaman, saya berani mengatakan bahawa SJKT dan SJKC turut menunjukkan minat yang mendalam terhadap usaha meningkatkan penguasaan Bahasa Malaysia dan Bahasa Inggeris dalam kalangan murid. Usaha ini bukan semata-mata bagi menjamin pencapaian cemerlang daripada segi akademik. Sebaliknya bagi memastikan murid memiliki minat dan kecintaan terhadap bahasa kebangsaan. Pada 14 Oktober 2013, saya diundang ke SJKC Serdang Baru (1), Seri Kembangan untuk mengendalikan program khas bersama murid Tahun 5 dan 6. Walaupun ini merupakan kali pertama program Memartabatkan Bahasa Malaysia (MBM) dilaksanakan di sekolah itu, sejak bertahun-tahun lamanya, Panitia Bahasa Malaysia memang sentiasa menjalankan pelbagai aktiviti serupa atas inisiatif sendiri. "Program MBM khas dilaksanakan seperti disarankan oleh Kementerian Pendidikan bagi meningkatkan minat murid terhadap Bahasa Malaysia. Maka kami dengan gembira mengadakan program tambahan ini," kata Guru Besar, Ng Boon Chuan. Sejak dahulu, Minggu Bahasa Malaysia dan English Week diadakan sebagai acara tahunan di sekolah ini. Antara pengisiannya adalah pertandingan syarahan dan bercerita. Program galakan membaca juga sering diadakan sempena Hari Buku Sedunia (23 April). Bagi program pada kali ini, pihak sekolah memasukkan pula sesi membaca buku cerita dengan kerjasama Kavyan. Ternyata penambahbaikan ini mendapat sambutan yang amat menggalakkan daripada murid. Sepanjang aktiviti selama hampir tiga jam, murid menunjukkan minat yang amat mendalam. Ternyata mereka memiliki penguasaan Bahasa Malaysia yang memuaskan. Apa yang lebih penting, mereka berminat untuk menguasai dan menggunakan bahasa ini. Cintai bahasa bukan hanya untuk lulus peperiksaan Terdapat 2,545 murid dan 122 guru di SJKC Serdang Baru (1). Hampir 85% murid Cina; sekitar 80 murid Melayu dan 50 murid India. Demikian data yang diberikan oleh Ng sambil kami bersarapan di kantin sekolah. "Hakikat yang perlu diakui adalah bahawa sekiranya tidak ada galakan menerusi pelbagai aktiviti di sekolah, murid kurang terlibat dalam program berkaitan Bahasa Malaysia. "Daripada pengalaman saya sendiri, apabila sekolah dan guru mengambil inisiatif, maka murid mula menunjukkan minat untuk mengambil bahagian," katanya. Mulai tahun depan, jumlah masa bagi mata pelajaran Bahasa Malaysia dan Bahasa Inggeris di SJKC dan SJKT akan ditambah. Sesungguhnya penambahan masa ini merupakan antara faktor yang boleh membantu mencapai objektif yang diharapkan. "Bagaimanapun, apa yang saya dan pihak SJKC lain harapkan adalah supaya cara pengajaran dan pembelajaran (P&P) Bahasa Malaysia dijadikan lebih menarik dan ada penambahbaikan. "Antara faktor penting adalah kemampuan guru, kesesuaian buku teks dan minat murid sendiri. Sekiranya masa tambahan itu hanya diisikan dengan cara pengajaran dan pembelajaran yang sama, saya bimbang objektif tidak akan tercapai," kata Ng. Faktor paling penting dalam meningkatkan prestasi Bahasa Malaysia dalam kalangan murid adalah dengan memupuk minat dan kecintaan mereka terhadap bahasa itu. Perkara inilah yang dititikberatkan oleh Ng dalam semua aktiviti bahasa yang dirancang dan dijalankan sejak beberapa tahun lalu. Guru pula diberikan latihan khas menerusi program latihan dalam perkhidmatan. Sesi ceramah, bengkel dan motivasi juga diadakan khas bagi semua guru di sekolah berkenaan supaya mereka meminati Bahasa Malaysia dan suka membaca buku. "Ini penting kerana guru secara langsung dan tidak langsung menjadi sumber inspirasi dan idola kepada murid dalam dan di luar bilik darjah," kata guru besar itu dengan penuh semangat. Bahasa Malaysia adalah bahasa kita semua Menurut Ng, buku fiksyen dan non-fiskyen Bahasa Malaysia disediakan dalam jumlah yang memadai di perpustakaan sekolah. Guru pusat sumber pula sedang dalam proses membuat senarai "100 bukGuru menjadi sumber inspirasi dan idola murid.u Bahasa Malaysia yang perlu dibaca" sebagai panduan dan rujukan murid. Majoriti murid di SJKC Serdang Baru (1) adalah kaum Cina. Kawasan di sekitar sekolah juga dipenuhi masyarakat Cina. Malah, rata-rata keluarga murid Cina ini menggunakan Bahasa Cina (pelbagai dialek) di rumah. Realiti ini membuatkan cabaran lebih besar terpaksa dihadapi oleh Ng dan guru dalam usaha menggalakkan penguasaan dan penggunaan Bahasa Malaysia dalam kalangan murid. Ng berkata, satu cara yang memang boleh memberikan kesan nyata adalah dengan menggalakkanmurid membaca buku cerita. Ke arah itu, beliau memastikan perpustakaan sekolah mempunyai jumlah buku bermutu yang mencukupi. "Persekitaran kehidupan harian murid ini memang menyebabkan mereka kekurangan ruang dan peluang bertutur menggunakan Bahasa Malaysia. Menyedari hakikat ini, kami berusaha mewujudkan persekitaran dan suasana yang kondusif di mana timbul keperluan, ruang dan peluang untuk murid menggunakan bahasa kebangsaan. "Di kantin sekolah misalnya terdapat gerai makanan yang diusahakan pelbagai kaum. Maka, murid akan menggunakan Bahasa Malaysia apabila berurusan dengan pengusaha gerai ini pada setiap hari," kata Ng. Saya mengenali guru besar ini sejak Julai 2008 iaitu sejak kami diperkenalkan oleh Koh Yok Hwa, pengarah urusan Gemilang Publishing Sdn Bhd. Kedua-dua mereka memang amat mencintai Bahasa Malaysia. Saya sering diundang ke SJKC Serdang Baru (1) untuk mengendalikan aktiviti bahasa dan sastera serta program galakan membaca bagi murid dan para guru. Maka, saya perhatikan sendiri kesungguhan Ng memartabatkan Bahasa Malaysia jauh sebelum program MBM diperkenalkan oleh kementerian. "Kita sebagai warganegara Malaysia memang wajib mempelajari Bahasa Malaysia. Bahasa Malaysia adalah bahasa kita semua. Kalau warganegara sendiri tidak menguasai dan menghormati bahasa kebangsaan, macam mana kita mahu mengharapkan warga asing menghormati kita," katanya. SJKC, SJKT bukan penghalang perpaduan kaum Program membaca mendapat sambutan murid.Ng mengakui bahawa penguasaan Bahasa Malaysia di SJKC dan SJKT kurang memuaskan. Bagaimanapun, beliau menegaskan bahawa mana-mana pihak tidak sepatutnya menggunakan alasan itu untuk melakukan serangan atau mengatakan SJKC dan SJKT sudah gagal. Sebaliknya semua pihak perlu bekerjasama ke arah meningkatkan usaha serta mencari teknik yang sesuai untuk menambah minat murid-murid terhadap Bahasa Malaysia; sama ada di SK, SJKC atau SJKT. Sesungguhnya, memang mudah untuk menyalahkan pihak lain tetapi apa yang lebih penting adalah kesanggupan para pengkritik itu sendiri tampil memberikan sumbangan idea, masa dan tenaga bagi mengatasi masalah yang diketengahkan itu. Ng yang juga penolong setiausaha Gabungan Guru Sekolah Cina Malaysia, berkata pihaknya sudah, sedang dan akan terus-menerus menyebarkan kepentingan MBM kepada guru SJKC di seluruh negara. "Saya juga terlibat secara langsung dalam mesyuarat meja bulat MBM di Kementerian Pendidikan. Maka saya pasti akan bekerjasama penuh dengan kementerian dalam usaha murni meningkatkan penguasaan Bahasa Malaysia dalam kalangan murid, khususnya di SJKC," katanya. Bercakap mengenai SJKC dan SJKT, memang ada pandangan yang mengatakan bahawa kewujudan sekolah vernakular menghalang usaha memupuk perpaduan antara kaum. Ada puak yang mendesak supaya SJKC dan SJKT dihapuskan. "Sebenarnya, pandangan seperti itu amat sempit dan sengaja mencari alasan. Di sekolah saya misalnya ada sekitar 80 murid Melayu dan 50 murid India. Kantin pula diusahakan orang Melayu, Cina dan India. Memanfaatkan komik di sekolah Saya amat bersetuju dengan hujah Ng bahawa apa yang penting adalah usaha mewujudkan suasana muhibah di semua sekolah; sama ada SK, SJKC atau SJKT. Di SK juga ada murid pelbagai kaum dan Bahasa Malaysia menjadi bahasa pengantar. Namun, masih timbul beberapa insiden yang bertentangan dengan usaha memupuk perpaduan. Komik pendidikan akan digunakan untuk memartabatkan Bahasa Malaysia."Bagi saya, sama ada di SK, SJKC atau SJKT, kita perlu sama-sama memikul tanggungjawab memupuk perpaduan dalam kalangan murid. Soal bahasa ibunda dan bahasa pengantar tidak harus dijadikan alasan untuk membuat kritikan yang tidak berasas. "Sepanjang pengalaman saya berkhidmat sebagai guru selama 32 tahun, memang tidak ada halangan dan sekatan bagi SJKC dan SJKT memainkan peranan penting ke arah memupuk perpaduan kaum serta bersama-sama meningkatkan perasaan cinta terhadap Bahasa Malaysia," katanya dengan penuh yakin. Bercakap tentang usaha memupuk minat terhadap bahasa, hakikat yang diketahui ramai adalah bahawa murid SJKC amat suka membaca buku komik. Mereka bermula dengan komik Bahasa Cina sejak tahu membaca. Ng merasakan bahawa minat membaca komik sebenarnya boleh dimanfaatkan sepenuhnya bagi menarik minat murid terhadap Bahasa Malaysia dan Bahasa Inggeris. Malah, beliau akan bekerjasama dengan Gemilang Publishing Sdn Bhd yang menterjemahkan komik pendidikan dari Korea Selatan dan Thailand. Percubaan akan dilakukan dengan menggunakan komik Bahasa Malaysia selama tiga bulan di beberapa kelas di SJKC Serdang Baru (1). "Saya sudah meneliti naskhah contoh yang diberikan kepada saya. Kandungan buku komik pendidikan ini amat bermutu dan menggunakan Bahasa Malaysia yang sesuai untuk kegunaan di sekolah. "Maka saya yakin bahawa penggunaan buku komik pendidikan ini akan turut menjayakan program MBM seperti diharapkan oleh kementerian," katanya. Sementara pelbagai pihak masih sekadar menunggu arahan dan cadangan daripada pihak atasan, usaha guru besar seperti Ng yang berdedikasi dan mencintai Bahasa Malaysia pasti akan memberikan sumbangan besar kepada sekolah, kementerian dan negara. – 21 Oktober, 2013. * Maklumat berkaitan aktiviti Kavyan boleh dirujuk di www.kavyan.blogspot.com. * Ini adalah pendapat peribadi penulis dan tidak semestinya mewakili pandangan The Malaysian Insider.

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