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A swanky New Year at Svago Posted: 23 Dec 2013 04:45 PM PST December 24, 2013 Svago KLCC.Svago is a fine dining restaurant located at Suria KLCC. It's located right above its more casual sister outlet, Limoncello. View from the bar. And unlike its Italian name (Svago means leisure), this concept restaurant serves fusion cuisine in a swanky and intimate environment, while boasting of picturesque views of the cityscape, making it a good place to dine in the city. For the New Year, Svago has prepared a multicourse New Year's Eve dinner menu crafted for those wanting a feast to mark the start of, perhaps, in style. First on the list are entrees of Homemade Goose Liver Terrine alongside Masala Jelly, Potted Apple Roasted Chestnut Puree; and Lobster Bisque with a hint of Cognac XO. Of main courses, there are three to choose from: Grilled Free Range Chicken with Morel Cream Sauce and Basil Flavoured Homemade Tagliatelle; Grilled Black Angus Rib Eye topped with Aged Balsamic infused with Fig with sides of Roasted Baby Potato with Oregano and Portobello Tempura; and the Seafood Bouillabaisse with Garlic Rouille and Grilled Polenta. Grilled Black Angus RibeyeAnd for afters, there's the Light Iced Orange Soufflé. Accompanying your dining experience throughout dinner is Svago's resident band. Of course, you can up the ante and join in a night of celebration with guest DJs from 11pm onwards, or you can purchase a party package at RM290 per pax that entitles you to a selection of open bar drinks and assorted pizzas from 11pm to 1am. For more of Svago and its New Year's eve offering, call 03-2163 011 or pay them a visit at Lot G45B-136, Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. – December 24, 2013.

Echo rosemary turkey with rosemary-scented cocktail Posted: 23 Dec 2013 04:25 PM PST December 24, 2013 When the man named the best bartender in the world mixes drinks for the holidays, you can bet they go beyond vodka tonics. With holiday parties filling up itineraries and people's homes, Spaniard David Rios of The Jigger Cocktail & Disco Bar in Bilbao offers a few cocktail recipes to set the tone and whet guests' appetites. This past summer, Rios rose above 43 finalists from around the world to to crowned the World Class Bartender of the Year 2013. Using rosemary on your turkey or potatoes this year? Whet your guests' appetites with this savory, sweet, rosemary-scented cocktail. Rosmarinus 50ml Ketel One vodka 10ml Ratafia 15ml Carmelina (cinnamon, clove and pimento flavoured) syrup 1 barspoon olive oil 1 barspoon Turkish honey tea 1 sprig rosemary Glass: Turkish coffee glass Garnish: Rosemary sprig and olive tapenade on the side. Method: Infuse Ratafia with rosemary and Turkish honey, then filter it, combine with other ingredients and stir over ice. Double strain into chilled glass over hand-cracked ice. - AFP/Relaxnews, December 24, 2013.

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Mackay admits Cardiff reprieve came as surprise Posted: 23 Dec 2013 02:57 PM PST December 24, 2013 Cardiff City manager Malky Mackay admitted yesterday that he had expected to be sacked over the weekend. The Scot, who led the Bluebirds to promotion last season, appeared to be on his way out of the club after being told in an email from controversial owner Vincent Tan (pic) to resign or face the axe. Tan's email, sent last Monday, included a list of grievances with the former Watford manager, and Mackay said he had been left "deeply upset" by its content. He had refused to step down but it looked like the axe would fall in the wake of Saturday's 3-1 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield. However, a reprieve came from chairman Mehmet Dalman, who released a statement on Sunday saying the 42-year-old would be in charge for the "forseeable future" while he tries to repair the fractured relationship between manager and owner. "I did feel I was going to lose my job on the weekend. The email deeply upset me," said Mackay, who admitted that his gesture to the travelling Cardiff fans on Merseyside effectively amounted to a farewell. "I declined to resign and expected to be sacked over the weekend. To give the fans a clap was something I wanted to do for the support they had given me." Now, though, it remains to be seen if Mackay can resolve his issues with the Malaysian Tan. There has been ill-feeling between the two since Tan's removal of Iain Moody as his head of recruitment in October, and the owner was said to be furious at Mackay's hopes of adding to his squad in January, which resulted in last week's incendiary email. Mackay admits he is not sure if and when he and Tan may meet after revealing two requests to come together for talks had already been rejected. "I wanted that meeting to be today (Monday) but that was declined. If not today, then tomorrow (Tuesday) but that was also declined," he said. "I don't know if we can talk. Mehmet has been trying to do this for three months, as have I. There are certain areas that have to be addressed that were in the email. I will find out when I go to the meeting. "At that point I will take stock of where I am." Mackay also had praise for Dalman, who he considers a close ally. "Mehmet is a good man and a sensible man. But he's not the man who makes the decisions. Ultimately he will not make the decision. That still has to be addressed. "I'm proud to be the manager here and I think I should be the manager here. I will keep doing what I'm doing and if someone wants to do something different that's up to them," he added. Cardiff are due to entertain Southampton in the Premier League on Thursday, before playing Sunderland, also at home, on Saturday. - AFP, December 24, 2013.

Arsenal frustrated by Chelsea in goalless stalemate Posted: 23 Dec 2013 02:51 PM PST December 24, 2013 Arsenal's manager Arsene Wenger gestures during their English Premier League match against Chelsea at The Emirates in London, yesterday. - Reuters pic, December 24, 2013.Arsenal missed their chance to return to the top of the Premier League after being held to a bruising 0-0 draw by title rivals Chelsea in a spiteful London derby yesterday. This was the final English top-flight fixture before Christmas, but there was little festive cheer on display at the Emirates Stadium as Chelsea battered Arsenal with a series of bruising challenges. John Obi Mikel was fortunate to avoid a red card after the Chelsea midfielder crunched into Mikel Arteta, while Arsenal also complained they should have had a penalty for Willian's challenge on Theo Walcott. It was a frustrating night for Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who failed to secure his first win over Jose Mourinho at the 10th attempt and as a result saw his side waste an opportunity to climb back above leaders Liverpool. Instead, second-placed Arsenal go into the Christmas programme level on points with Liverpool but behind the Anfield outfit on goal difference. "We should have won it," Wenger said. "They came here to defend and catch us on the break. We were a bit edgy at the start but we took control in the second half. "It was 100% a penalty when Theo Walcott was fouled. I don't know why it was not given." Chelsea, who moved up to fourth and are two points behind Liverpool, finished the more satisfied side after stifling Arsenal with ease and creating the better of the few chances on offer. "We controlled the game defensively. It was a tactical match, a match where neither side wanted to lose," Mourinho said. "We want creative players who use the ball and kill opponents. But there are some matches where we have to take one step backwards and play with a different philosophy." Wenger had admitted Arsenal had a point to prove after last weekend's 6-3 thrashing at Manchester City prompted many pundits to question his team's chances of lasting the pace in the title race, but this spluttering performance will hardly silence the doubters. Mourinho sent Chelsea out in a 4-5-1 formation, with Fernando Torres as the lone striker, and that cautious approach worked impressively as Arsenal struggled to find any rhythm. It didn't help that torrential rain and gale-force winds lashed the Emirates throughout the match, making passing something of a lottery. Frank Lampard made a typically intelligent run to meet Cesar Azpilicueta's cross in the early stages, but for once the Chelsea midfielder's clinical finishing deserted him and he scuffed a mistimed effort well wide. Mourinho's men finally cast off their defensive shackles just before the break and almost took the lead when Lampard met Eden Hazard's pass with volley against the crossbar. Wenger was growing increasingly vexed on the touchline and he was furious when referee Mike Dean refused to even book Mikel for his aggressive lunge on Arteta. Mikel's eyes were on the ball when he went into the tackle and Arteta slid in with equal intent, but it was the Chelsea midfielder whose follow-through contained more menace and could easily have left the Spaniard nursing a serious injury. Arsenal's anger increased when they appealed in vain for a penalty after Willian's challenge caught Walcott on the foot without making contact with the ball. Arteta was the victim of another crunching tackle from Ramires, but the Brazilian escaped with just a booking. By now Walcott, usually mild mannered, had had enough and the winger responded by chopping down Azpilicueta, earning a yellow card of his own. The tone of an already fiery match became ever more combustible after Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic caught Mesut Ozil and then started a bout of shoving with an incensed Kieran Gibbs. Arsenal's Tomas Rosicky sought retribution and went into the book for a crude foul on Ivanovic. It was Arsenal who finished the stronger, with Giroud firing into the side-netting and then forcing Cech to block at his near post. Bacary Sagna's header was cleared off the line by Azpilicueta, but neither side deserved to take the points on an ugly night. - AFP, December 24, 2013.

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Astro’s Oh My English! Hello America premieres in January – Bernama Posted: 23 Dec 2013 04:55 AM PST [unable to retrieve full-text content]Astro is ushering in the new year with the new Oh My English telemovie filmed in the US, said its GenNext Business vice-president, Putri Yasmin Megat Zaharuddin. She said the telemovie, Oh My English! Hello America, would premiere on January 15, 2014 at 9pm on Astro TVIQ and in high definition (HD) on Astro Maya. Yasmin said the telemovie...

Astro to release ‘Oh My English! - Hello America’ next month Posted: 22 Dec 2013 11:17 PM PST December 23, 2013 Astro is ushering in the new year with the new Oh My English! telemovie filmed in the US, says GenNext Business Vice-President Putri Yasmin Megat Zaharuddin. She said the telemovie, Oh My English! – Hello America, would premiere on January 15, 2014 at 9pm on Astro TVIQ and in high definition (HD) on Astro Maya. Jasmin said the telemovie came on the heels of the first Oh My English! telemovie, Oh My Ganu, which enjoyed a tremendous response of 1.1 million viewers on its premiere and was ranked the number one trending topic on Twitter in Malaysia. "Oh My Ganu is Astro's most-watched HD movie of 2013 and our fan support has been amazing," Yasmin told reporters. She said the telemovie was Astro's way of giving back to the fans for their unwavering support. "We would like to invite our fans to join the cast on a journey of discovery of America," she said. Fans of Oh My English! will be delighted to know that many favourite characters will be featured in the new telemovie, such as Henry Middleton (Zain Saidin), Cikgu Ayu (Tiz Zaqyah), Cikgu Malik (Aaron Aziz), Encik Mohd Salleh (Harun Salim Bachik), Azlin (Izara Aishah), See Yew Soon (Roax Tan), Jibam (Akmal Nazri), Mazlee (Zhafir Muzani) and Anusha (Kaameesha Ravichandran). - Bernama, December 23, 2013.

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Africans face uncertain Israeli future after perilous migration Posted: 22 Dec 2013 05:14 PM PST December 23, 2013 Angesom Solomon (right), a 28-year-old African migrant from Eritrea, attends a first-grade Hebrew lesson at Kehila Democratic school in Tel Aviv, where he also works as a school custodian, November 27, 2013. - Reuters pic, December 23, 2013.Angesom Solomon had to dodge bullets and tear his way through barbed-wire fencing to get into Israel across its testy border with Egypt after a two-month trek from his native Eritrea. Six years on, he is married, a father and holds a coveted menial job in Tel Aviv. But a sense of security still eludes him, as one of 60,000 African migrants living in Israel who face indefinite jail time under a law parliament passed this month. Solomon, 28, got a rare work permit that allows him to earn $1,500 (RM4,900) a month as a school custodian. It is due to expire next month and may not be renewed - a situation he fears would expose him to police round-ups as an illegal worker. "I wanted to change my life (but) in Israel I am also afraid," said Solomon, who absconded army conscription in Eritrea in 2007 to make the two-month trip via war-ravaged Sudan and then Egypt. In Egypt's Sinai desert, he hid for two days while Egyptian troops fired at other African migrants, then successfully dashed into Israel. At the time, he was briefly detained by the Israelis and then released to Tel Aviv, the coastal metropolis in whose lower-income south many Africans have carved out a tenement network including clinics, cafes and churches. Israel's right-wing government has cracked down on the migrant influx, however, seeing a threat to public order. It fortified the Egyptian border fence and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to deport migrants in Israel. On December 10, parliament approved a measure to incarcerate migrants indefinitely in new desert facilities under construction, unless they voluntarily leave Israel. The measure describes the migrants - deemed by the government as job-seekers though migrants say they want asylum or safe haven - as doing "harm to Israel's social fabric and safety of its citizens". Human rights groups and left-wing politicians denounce the amendment to an anti-infiltration law as undemocratic. They have petitioned Israel's Supreme Court to outlaw it. In September the court struck down a similar law that enabled the jailing of migrants for three years. Israel grants automatic citizenship to Jews, while denying refugee or residency status to many others. Some social activists complain this is a result of discrimination while others cite a shortage of legislation governing immigration. Hotline for Migrant Workers, an organisation that advocates for the Africans, accuses Israel of pressuring hundreds in its jails to accept payouts and leave. More than a dozen left earlier this year for Eritrea to win release from prison. Israel balks at repatriating Sudanese and Eritrean migrants given the dangers they might face in their native lands, and has said it was seeking other African destinations for them. Despite the government's unwelcoming attitude, the left-leaning Tel Aviv municipality offers many of the migrants aid, such as welfare and education for their children. Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai scoffed at Israeli policy toward the migrants, saying on Israel's Channel 2 television in November, "can 50,000 people be a demographic threat? That's a mockery." "The truth is they will remain here. They are human beings and I must take care of them," Huldai said. A teacher where Solomon works arranged for him to be included in first-grade Hebrew classes. Swallowing his pride, Solomon attends, hoping language skills will open up new opportunities with which to support his 10-month-old child and his wife, a fellow African migrant who lacks a work permit. "What's the difference how old I am? I just want to learn," he said. "You just have to live your life for today. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?" - Reuters, December 23, 2013.

Boozy, explosive fun – the old Colombian sport of disc throwing Posted: 22 Dec 2013 04:55 PM PST December 23, 2013 Oscar Perez (right) and Oscar Diaz (left) play 'tejo', a popular Colombian game that every weekend gathers thousands of fans in the Andean region of Colombia, in Bogota, on November 30, 2013. - AFP/Relaxnews pic, December 23, 2013.As sports go, it is rather old, quite boozy and a tad explosive. It involves trying to hurl a disc into a tube surrounded by small bags of gunpowder. Tejo was first made popular by an indigenous people in Colombia called the Muisca, but is still played by thousands of enthusiasts in the South American country's Andean region. The atmosphere is festive, as drinking beer during the competition is common, and players and spectators alike enjoy local delicacies like beef tripe stuffed with rice. The disc, or tejo, is thrown from a distance of about 16 to 18 metres at a metal tube sticking out of a clay-covered board angled at about 45 degrees. Around the hole are four triangular pouches of gunpowder. The highest score is given for getting the disc in the hole and exploding a pouch along the way. Lower scores come from just scoring a detonation or getting the thing in the hole, or at least getting it close. The game ends when a player or his or her team – the game can be played one-on-one or by teams of two players each – reaches 27 points. "I play every weekend with my friends," said Javier Borda. He celebrates every gunpowder pop joyfully, as if it were a goal in football. Borda, of medium stature, has a hefty build but is nonetheless agile as he aims and throws the disc. "It is a sport that was played by the indigenous peoples that lived in what are today the departments of Cundinamarca and Boyaca" in central Colombia, said historian Luis Moreno, a tejo buff. Both men and women play. As in a discus throw, there is a rule as to how much of a running start players can get – no more than 2.5 metres. The game is just half the fun. A carnival atmosphere fuelled by beer and food surrounds all the play, watched by boisterous crowds. "Here, you make friends, drink some beer, enjoy the afternoon, get dirty with the clay and forget your problems for a day," said Roberto Alayon, who takes pride in his aim. Inviting spectators to join him in downing a beer from a case at his feet, he says he has had runs of 15 straight good shots in which he either got the disc in the hole, hit an explosive pouch, or both. If none of those feats is achieved, a point goes to the player who hits closest to the hole. The game is played both in rural areas and in cities in Colombia. Booze flows freely, and typical dishes are wolfed down: small intestines from a cow, large intestines stuffed with rice, and special potato dishes. "Here we eat a lot of vitamin ch," a cook named Hermilda says with a laugh. She is referring to pigs, known in these parts as "chanchos", and treats made from them like fried pork rinds. - AFP/Relaxnews, December 23, 2013.

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Laksana rasionalisasi subsidi secara sistematik, kata KLSICCI Posted: 23 Dec 2013 02:52 AM PST December 23, 2013 Peniaga memerlukan masa untuk menyesuaikan diri dengan perubahan subsidi dan semakan semula tarif elektrik. Gambar fail.Perusahaan Kecil dan Sederhana (PKS) berharap kerajaan akan melaksanakan rasionalisasi subsidi secara sistematik dan memberikan mereka masa untuk menyesuaikan diri dengan perubahan itu. Presiden Dewan Perniagaan dan Industri India Kuala Lumpur dan Selangor (KLSICCI) Madhu Sudan Nair berkata rasionalisasi yang tidak diselaraskan boleh menjejaskan perniagaan PKS tempatan. "Perubahan perlu dibuat secara berstruktur dengan PKS tempatan diberikan masa untuk menyerap impak. "Sebagai sebuah kumpulan perniagaan, kami mahu menjadi kompetitif dan oleh itu kami mahu mengetahui kos kami," katanya pada sidang media bersama oleh KLSICCI dan Persatuan SMI Malaysia. Persidangan media itu berlangsung sebelum sesi dialog dengan pelbagai persatuan termasuk Persatuan elektrik dan elektronik (Teeam), Dewan Perniagaan dan Industri Cina Klang dan Dewan Ekonomi dan Sosial Muslim Malaysia (Desmma). Madhu berkata objektif sesi dialog itu ialah untuk mencari kata sepakat dalam menangani keputusan baru-baru ini membabitkan rasionalisasi subsidi dan semakan semula tarif elektrik. Sesi dialog itu juga menyaksikan pembentukan Pergerakan Tindakan Ekonomi Negara untuk PKS oleh pertubuhan bukan kerajaan. Menerusi pergerakan itu, persatuan-persatuan akan menjalankan kajian ekonomi terhadap rasionalisasi dan akan dibentangkan kepada kerajaan bagi menangani semua isu. - Bernama, 23 Disember, 2013.

Pengubahan wang haram: Dua beradik, syarikat pelaburan emas didakwa Posted: 23 Dec 2013 02:23 AM PST December 23, 2013 Dua beradik dan sebuah syarikat pelaburan emas berdepan 116 pertuduhan terlibat dalam aktiviti pengubahan wang haram membabitkan RM6.85 juta di Mahkamah Sesyen hari ini. Datuk Noor Ismahanum Mohd Ismail, 32, dan adiknya, Mohamad Ismahanif, 25, serta syarikat Worldwide Far East Berhad bagaimanapun mengaku tidak bersalah selepas pertuduhan dibacakan di depan Hakim Ahmad Bache. Ahmad membenarkan Noor Ismahanum serta syarikat itu diikat jamin RM500,000 manakala Mohamad Ismahanif sebanyak RM30,000 masing-masing dengan dua penjamin dan menetapkan 17 Februari depan untuk pengurusan kes. Beliau turut memerintahkan kedua-dua beradik, yang merupakan pengarah Worldwide Far East Berhad, menyerahkan pasport masing-masing kepada mahkamah. Noor Ismahanum dan syarikat itu didakwa menggunakan wang berjumlah RM3,281,202.63 hasil aktiviti haram melalui 57 cek daripada akaun CIMB Bank Berhad milik syarikat itu manakala Mohamad Ismahanif didakwa memiliki sebuah kereta Honda Civic dan wang berjumlah RM295,883.48 menerusi hasil aktiviti haram. Mereka didakwa melakukan kesalahan itu di CIMB Bank Berhad, Jalan Radin Tengah, Bandar Baru Sri Petaling dekat sini antara 4 Julai 2011 dan 31 Disember tahun lepas mengikut Subseksyen 4(1)(a) Akta Pencegahan Pengubahan Wang Haram dan Pencegahan Pembiayaan Keganasan 2001, yang membawa hukuman maksimum penjara lima tahun atau denda RM5 juta atau kedua-duanya sekali, jika sabit kesalahan. Terdahulu, Timbalan Pendakwa Raya Mardziatun Nisa Ahamadul Kaber dari Bank Negara tidak menawarkan sebarang jaminan atas alasan kesalahan yang dilakukan adalah serius. Bagaimanapun, jika mahkamah membenarkan jaminan, beliau menawarkan jaminan sebanyak RM2 juta bagi Noor Ismahanum dan Worldwide Far East Berhad serta RM100,000 bagi Mohd Ismahanif, masing-masing dengan dua penjamin selain memohon tertuduh menyerahkan pasport mereka kepada mahkamah. Peguam Hamidi Mohd Noh meminta jaminan dikurangkan atas alasan kesemua anak guamnya tidak mampu membayar jumlah yang ditawar. "Pasport mereka akan diserah kepada mahkamah dan adalah mustahil bagi mereka melarikan diri kerana melarikan diri bukan jalan penyelesaian, selain itu, Noor Ismahanum juga sering melakukan kerja-kerja kebajikan termasuk membantu anak yatim," katanya. - Bernama, 23 Disember, 2013.

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Najib, inikah sebabnya rakyat bayar tol Posted: 22 Dec 2013 06:13 PM PST December 23, 2013 Penulis adalah seorang jurutera semikonduktor, wartawan freelance, penerbit dan editor buku motivasi yang suka mengikuti perkembangan politik Malaysia "Ambil lebuh raya ini. Bayar tak apa. Lebih cepat sampai. Jimat minyak," itulah kata-kata seorang rakyat jelata 10 tahun yang lalu ketika mengambil keputusan sama ada ingin menggunakan jalan yang biasa atau lebuh raya bertol. Dulu, menggunakan lebuh raya bertol adalah satu pilihan kemewahan. Bayaran tol dikembalikan dalam bentuk servis "menjimatkan masa dan minyak." Rakyat membayar tol untuk keselesaan jalan yang lebih luas, menjimatkan masa dan juga minyak. Tapi kini, situasi sudah berlainan. Jumlah kereta di atas jalan meningkat dari hari ke hari. Jalan raya semakin sesak. Lebuh raya bertol bertukar menjadi sebahagian daripada jalan keperluan biasa untuk rakyat bekerja daripada satu tempat ke satu tempat yang lain, terutamanya di kota. Menggunakan lebuh raya bertol pada hari ini, bukan lagi satu pilihan seperti dulu, tapi ia adalah satu keperluan. Tapi mutu servis yang dikembalikan daripada harga tol yang dibayar semakin kurang. Lebuh raya bertol, ya ia masih lebih luas daripada jalan biasa, tapi ia juga sesak seperti jalan biasa. Masa dan minyak yang sepatutnya dapat dijimatkan, tidak lagi dapat dijimatkan kerana kesesakan. Maka nilai tambahan pada rakyat yang sanggup membayar tol semakin kurang. Berdasarkan ini, mengapakah rakyat masih perlu membayar kadar tol yang semakin tinggi sedangkan nilai tambahan menggunakan lebuh raya bertol semakin berkurangan? Lebih-lebih lagi apabila lebuh raya bertol kini bukan satu lagi pilihan kemewahan, tapi satu keperluan untuk kebanyakan rakyat di kota? Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, berkata rakyat ada dua pilihan, sama ada membayar tol yang lebih tinggi atau membayar cukai yang lebih tinggi. Apa kaitan kadar tol dengan cukai rakyat? Bukannya dua-dua dibayar oleh duit rakyat? Bezanya jika rakyat membayar kadar tol yang tinggi, mereka membayar kepada syarikat konsesi tapi jika rakyat membayar cukai tinggi, mereka membayar pada kerajaan. Persoalannya, mengapa perlu menaikkan kadar tol? Daripada segi jumlah kenderaan yang meningkat dari hari ke hari, keuntungan syarikat konsesi tol sudah pun berlipat kali ganda. Apakah ada syarikat konsesi tol yang mengalami kerugian, atau keuntungan menurun untuk tiga tahun kebelakangan ini? Sebelum menaikkan tol, bolehkah kerajaan dapat membuktikan mana-mana penyata kewangan syarikat konsesi tol yang rugi dan mencapai keuntungan menurun untuk tiga tahun berturut-turut? Jika ada syarikat konsesi tol yang rugi, kerajaan tidak perlu berdolak-dalih untuk menukar pengurusan atau mengambil alih syarikat konsesi tersebut, kerana masakan perniagaan yang pasti untung ini boleh diuruskan sehingga mencapai kerugian? Jika tiada syarikat konsesi tol yang mengalami kerugian mahupun keuntungan menurun, mengapa perlu menaikkan kadar tol? Perdana menteri juga harus ingat bahawa perniagaan tol ialah satu perniagaan menawarkan khidmat servis, seperti juga servis telekomunikasi telefon. Dalam perniagaan khidmat servis, jarang ada perniagaan yang menaikkan harga servis tatkala jumlah pelanggan bertambah setiap hari tanpa perlu melakukan apa-apa (kerana rakyat terpaksa menggunakan lebuh raya bertol masa kini). Bagi perniagaan sebegini, sepatutnya harga servis semakin menurun apabila jumlah pelanggan semakin bertambah, lebih-lebih lagi syarikat konsesi tol yang diswastakan kerana infrastruktur jalan adalah satu tanggungjawab sosial. Seperti juga syarikat telekomunikasi, telefon bimbit berdata internet kini sudah menjadi satu keperluan dan bukan lagi satu kemewahan, dan oleh itu kadar servis untuk menggunakan infrastruktur telekomunikasi bertambah murah, namun keuntungan syarikat telekomunikasi tetap berlipat ganda kerana jumlah pelanggan semakin meningkat. Boleh untung, tapi haruslah berpatutan. Berdasarkan hujah-hujah di atas, sememangnya tiada alasan untuk menaikkan kadar tol, terutamanya daripada sudut rakyat. Jadi mengapa perdana menteri menyuruh rakyat memilih antara menaikkan kadar tol dan membayar cukai yang lebih? Jawapannya tidak lain tidak bukan pada perjanjian yang ditandatangani kerajaan dengan syarikat konsesi tol. Dalam kemelut mengawal kemarahan rakyat, perdana menteri dan barisan Kabinetnya langsung tidak berani menyentuh mengenai perjanjian konsesi tol yang masih di bawah OSA. Ini kerana apa yang dipersetujui dalam perjanjian konsesi tol akan lebih membangkitkan kemarahan rakyat daripada kadar kenaikan tol yang dicadangkan. Apakah perdana menteri akan berani menjelaskan kaitan sebenar kenaikan kadar tol dengan cukai rakyat, dengan pampasan yang harus dibayar kerajaan pada syarikat konsesi tol akibat perjanjian konsesi tol yang tidak berani didedahkan atas nama "subsidi" untuk rakyat? Mengapa perlu naikkan kadar tol pada syarikat konsesi yang tidak akan mengalami masalah perniagaan seperti kerugian besar daripada perniagaan mengutip tol daripada jumlah pelanggan yang semakin bertambah? Dan mengapa kerajaan sanggup menandatangani satu perjanjian untuk membenarkan kadar tol dinaikkan secara berkala oleh syarikat konsesi yang tidak akan mengalami masalah kerugian daripada perniagaan mengutip tol daripada jumlah pelanggan yang semakin bertambah? Pada kerajaan Selangor yang mengarahkan pemegang sahamnya di syarikat konsesi lebuh raya untuk menghalang kenaikan harga tol: -- Jika betul dapat menghalang kenaikan harga tol, mengapa tidak cuba terus untuk mengubah perjanjian konsesi tol dengan kerajaan supaya tol boleh dimansuhkan dengan secepat mungkin setelah mencapai tahap keuntungan tertentu? Cuma lontaran untuk difikirkan. – 23 Disember, 2013. * Ini adalah pendapat peribadi penulis dan tidak semestinya mewakili pandangan The Malaysian Insider.

Government can ignore public opinion at its own peril Posted: 22 Dec 2013 03:04 PM PST December 23, 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. It is the season for hikes in Malaysia. Toll hike, electricity hike, public transport fare hike, fuel and sugar hike, introduction of the GST, and the list go on. One thing that puzzles me is that, on one hand, the Government always encourages the public to use public transport. At the same time, the fares are raised. Oddly enough, the Government also raised tolls, so that leaves the public with little choice. Drive to work or use public transport, either way you will have to bear with the hikes. Under the theme of "People's Year of Pain 2014", this New Year's Eve, a coalition of student activists and youth groups under the Movement to Reduce the Cost of Living (Turun) will be holding a rally to protest against the price hikes at Dataran Merdeka. Another rally has been planned in conjunction with May Day to protest against the rising cost of living, government wastage and corruption. PAS deputy president Mohammad Sabu also reportedly said that a Bersih 4.0 demonstration might be held. Clearly, the Barisan Nasional Government has reversed its election manifesto. If you sit around a kopitiam or mamak stall, one of the main topics of discussion would be the financial burden and concerns about the economy, particularly the rising cost of living and inflation. The salaries of a majority of Malaysians remain more or less the same. So how are they going to sustain themselves in the long run? If this is prolonged with no solution, social problems and crime rates are expected to soar. Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah, responding to the growing discontent among the people on the rising cost of living, has just announced that a study on this problem is under way and to be finalised by January 2014. On top of that, Putrajaya also responded that in the short term. The Government would provide additional assistance to those in need, for example, 1Malaysia People's Aid (BR1M) and 1Malaysia shops. But how far can BR1M sustain the high cost of living? Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak via his Facebook asserts that he is aware of the public grievances and that the Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu), established in 2009, will play a key role in addressing these concerns. Public opinion is crucial and plays a role in policy-making but not when the policy-makers turn a deaf ear. In layman's term, public opinion literally refers to the opinion of the public. Public opinion is a shared aggregate phenomenon. As a proponent of public opinion, former United States president Abraham Lincoln's take on public opinion is simple: "public opinion is everything". In 1858, he had said, "in this and like communities, public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed." He deemed that one of the most crucial roles, as leader, was to find out what the electorate wanted and tried within every mean to give it to them. But in today's world, often, politicians love it when the public opinion is on their side, but will also conveniently ignore it if the results say otherwise. In April 2013, just before the May 2013 polls, Najib has dismissed the poll results conducted by the University of Malaya Centre for Democracy and Elections (UMCEDEL) that showed a higher electoral support for opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Ironically, Najib had, on another occasion, praised UMCEDEL for its polling results that were in his favour. Now and then, we hear reports on the results of public opinion surveys. And yes, the public can be wrong. There are many areas where the public understanding of certain issues might be well out of line with the facts. But whatever it is, survey results have becoming an important element of the political process in many countries. Ideally, it is the duty and responsibility of each elected official to carry out the desires of his or her constituents. The challenge is of course, "what the public wants". BN government suffered the worst results in the 2013 polls because of many factors, and one of them is its failure to listen to the people. Recent cases have, however, shown that public pressure does work to some extent. For example, the KL assessment rate hike. Public opinion can be a valuable input in policy-making. So rather than showing hostility towards uncooperative public opinion, I would suggest why not engagement. The resistance of the public to these financial burdens are high. Amid all the resistance, what is the Government's take on the problem? – December 23, 2013. * 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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