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Anthony Bourdain to open international food hall Posted: 26 Mar 2014 08:49 PM PDT March 27, 2014 Anthony Bourdain plans to set up an international food emporium in New York which will feature 50 stalls. – AFP pic, March 27, 2014.​Fans of Anthony Bourdain will be happy to learn that the celebrity food and travel host plans to parlay his globetrotting food adventures into a global food hall. Modelled after Singaporean street hawkers, the international food emporium set for New York will be home to up to 50 food stalls which will focus on one or two specialties, Bourdain tells Departures magazine. Given that Bourdain is a stickler on authenticity, expect ethnic specialties like Vietnamese pho, Chinese lamb noodles, Iberico ham and laksa as it's made in Kuching, Malaysia, all sold in the same spot. Stalls will be helmed by big name chefs and rising stars who specialize in the dishes sold, adds Departures. The market will be divided into three parts, Bourdain said. The Asian food hall will feature Singaporean and Malay dishes, an international section will sell gourmet street foods like Mexican tostadas and American barbecue and a third section will serve as a quarterly pop-up hall spotlighting a different city, country or region every three months. In keeping with the street food idea, dishes will be priced at $5 to $25. Though Bourdain and his business partner Stephen Werthen remained mum about the exact location and opening date of the food market, rumours are rife that the venture will end up at 3 World Trade Centre. Bourdain would join fellow celebrity food TV host and chef Mario Batali in building a sprawling food emporium. Batali has lent his star power to Italian food hall chain Eataly, which started in Italy and expanded to the US, Japan, Dubai and Turkey. – AFP/Relaxnews, March 27, 2014.

Klingon-themed suds and stout made with brains create buzz Posted: 26 Mar 2014 12:04 AM PDT March 26, 2014 Tim Man Brewing in Indiana is producing a Klingon-themed beer that will be available in Canada and US later this year. – AFP pic, March 26, 2014.It's been a particularly interesting week in the beer world, with the release of a Star Trek-themed Klingon beer as well as a brew made with smoked brains. You read correctly, smoked and roasted brains. Here's the back story. Apparently, brewers over at the Dock Street Brewing Co. in Philadelphia are obsessed with the AMC show "The Walking Dead," a post-apocalyptic horror drama filled with flesh-eating zombies. What better way to celebrate the show's season finale, than to create a brewsky in its honour? The Dock Street Walker is described as an American Pale Stout brewed with wheat, oats, flaked barley, organic cranberries and smoked goat brains, which are supposed to lend the beer "intriguing subtle smoke notes." The cranberries were included to lend the beer a "sinister bloody hue." The beer will be released to coincide with the show finale on March 30. Star Trek fans have also been buzzing about the new Klingon-themed beer being produced by Tin Man Brewing in Indiana. According to StarTrek.com, Klingon Warnog's aroma is dominated by mild banana, clove and sweet malt to create a "unique and rich flavour." The Star Trek – themed beer will hit Canadian and US shelves later this year. – AFP/Relaxnews, March 26, 2014.

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Vettel and Franklin take Laureus Awards in sombre Malaysia Posted: 26 Mar 2014 08:21 AM PDT March 26, 2014 ​Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel (pic) and American swimming sensation Missy Franklin were named Laureus Sportsman and Woman of the Year today in a ceremony filled with tributes to those affected by the missing Malaysia Airlines plane. Nearly all of the seven winners at the lavish awards ceremony in Kuala Lumpur remarked on flight MH370, which went missing 18 days ago with 239 passengers and crew on board after leaving Kuala Lumpur en route to Beijing. Malaysia Prime Minister Najib Razak opened the ceremony, after a moment's silence, and talked about the strength his nation could take from the achievements of the nominees. Satellite images have shown possible debris of the missing plane in the southern Indian Ocean, miles off course. "Sport reflects what is happening in the world," Razak told the audience. "But for millions of people sport is also an escape, from hardship, from poverty, from conflict. In the hardest times we look for heroic feats to inspire us. For Malaysia this is one such time. "At this difficult moment we draw strength from individual stories of perseverance, of generosity, and endurance. The nominees here tonight display those values." Malaysia had stepped in to host the ceremony – which featured a performance from Grammy-winning singer and actor Jamie Foxx and was hosted by British actor Benedict Cumberbatch – after Rio de Janeiro was dropped amid local reports that the Brazilian state government owed Laureus money. Franklin, 18, collected the first award of the night in recognition of her stunning efforts in the pool in 2013 as she became the first woman to win six golds at a single world championships in Barcelona in August. The four-times Olympic champion gushed at her surprise in winning the award, presented by compatriot and swimming great Mark Spitz, ahead of five others including American tennis player Serena Williams and Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. Vettel enjoyed similar dominance of his sport by winning 13 of 19 Formula One races, including the last nine, in 2013 as he took a fourth consecutive world championship and constructors' title for Red Bull. The German, in Kuala Lumpur ahead of Sunday's Malaysian Grand Prix, beat athletes Usain Bolt and Mo Farah, Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, American basketball player LeBron James and tennis player Rafa Nadal to the prize. "It's a big honour. It's one of the most special trophies I have received," Vettel said after being selected by the Laureus Academy, featuring 46 sporting greats including former world champion Emerson Fittipaldi, who handed him the award. Spaniard Nadal completed a hat-trick of Laureus awards after he took the Comeback of the Year prize after bouncing back from a seven-month absence to win the 2013 French and U.S. Opens as well as five ATP Masters titles. "How tough the year before with my injury? I never thought I would have the chance to come back as I did so for that reason this Laureus means more," he said in a recorded message. Bayern Munich were named World Team of The Year after the German side completed a treble by winning the Bundesliga, Champions League and German Cup, while MotoGP champion Marc Marquez took the Breakthrough of the Year prize after taking the title in his rookie season. Marie Bochet, the French paralympic skier, was named sportsperson of the year with a disability, with Jamie Bestwick named World Action Sportsperson of the Year. – Reuters, March 26, 2014

Formula One party arrives in mourning Malaysia Posted: 26 Mar 2014 08:11 AM PDT March 26, 2014 The F1 race in Sepang this weekend is expected to be muted as the country grieves over the recent loss of flight MH370. – The Malaysian Insider pic, March 26, 2014The world of Formula One descends on Kuala Lumpur for the often dramatic Malaysian Grand Prix with excitement around the Sepang circuit unusually muted as the country mourns the disappearance of flight MH370. The Sepang circuit is a stone's throw from Kuala Lumpur International Airport where the Malaysian Airlines flight carrying 239 passengers and crew departed 18 days ago and has since become the home for many associated with the story. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said earlier this week that the Beijing-bound flight had crashed into the southern Indian Ocean with a search for debris ongoing some 2,500 km (1,550 miles) southwest of Perth in Western Australia. While the Laureus Sports Awards in Kuala Lumpur today opted to scale down their week of events in response to Najib's announcement, the Formula One party has continued as normal for the 16th staging of Malaysia's premier sporting event. That meant Chinese relatives of the missing MH370 passengers were forced to change hotels to make way for those involved in the glamour sport, which started its new season in Australia two weeks ago. The drivers have been quick to offer their support and Lewis Hamilton also has a "#PrayForMH370" message on the side of his Mercedes car this week and he will be hoping it is on display for the entire 56 laps of Sunday's race after only managing a brief three-lap run in Melbourne. The season opening race was won by the Briton's team mate Nico Rosberg after the German overtook pole sitter Hamilton before the first turn and eased to the chequered flag. Mercedes appear to have been quickest in adapting to the new V6 turbocharged hybrid engines that have levelled the playing field after years of Red Bull dominance but they remain wary of being labelled championship favourites. "While we were pleased to come away from Melbourne with a win, we were also left with plenty to think about," Mercedes executive director Paddy Lowe said. "As is to be expected with such new technology, we are learning more about the car with every lap. This inevitably brings more problems to the surface, all of which require careful management. "Our priority has therefore been to arrive in Malaysia in better shape mechanically than we left Australia." Encouraging pace One driver in greater need of major progress is four-times defending world champion Sebastian Vettel, who failed to finish in Melbourne after reliability issues dashed his hopes of a 10th race win in a row after only a few laps at Albert Park. Vettel's pre-season had been struck by big question marks over the Red Bull's Renault-powered unit but the German saw a few shoots of optimism ahead of the Malaysian race which he won in controversial style last year after defying team orders. "We still have a lot of work to do with the car but it was encouraging to see that our pace was better than expected in Australia," said Vettel, who won 13 of last season's 19 races. "Hopefully we can build on that and start collecting some strong points in the next two races." His new team mate Daniel Ricciardo thought he had sealed a brilliant second place finish on his Red Bull debut at his home grand prix but the podium place was taken away from him by the FIA after the Australian was deemed to have broken fuel rules. Red Bull have appealed the decision with a verdict due after next week's Bahrain race in the Manama desert. McLaren's Danish rookie Kevin Magnussen was promoted up to second in Melbourne following Ricciardo's disqualification with team mate Jenson Button joining him on the podium in a bright start to the season for the team that had a 2013 to forget. However, the Briton said the car lacked race pace to challenge for victory on the notoriously quick Sepang circuit where afternoon thunderstorms are again predicted, which could play havoc on the undulating track. "Even if we don't yet have the pace to take the fight to the front runners, we should have a car that's decent in every sector, and which we'll be able to hustle through the race," the 2009 world champion said." – Reuters, March 26, 2014

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Global box office for films rise 4% in 2013 Posted: 26 Mar 2014 07:38 AM PDT March 26, 2014 The global box office receipts from all films released in 2013 rose 4% to US$35.9 billion, due to a 5% increase in international box office, according to the Theatrical Market Statistics Report for 2013. The Chinese box office grew 27% to US$3.6 billion, becoming the first international market to exceed $3 billion in box office, according to the report released by the Motion Pictures Association of America (MPAA). The United States, Canada box office was US$10.9 billion from US$10.8 billion a year earlier. Box office collections in the Asia Pacific region reached US$10.9 billion, surpassing EMEA as the top region in international box office, the report said. The report also said that over 80% of the nearly 135,000 cinema screens around the world are now digital. – Reuters, March 26, 2014

Emma Watson on how Hogwarts prepped her for ‘Noah’ Posted: 26 Mar 2014 05:21 AM PDT March 26, 2014 Emma Watson is starring in the biblical blockbuster 'Noah', which will open this Friday in cinemas in the US and Canada. – Reuters pic, March 26, 2014After spending a decade at the Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the "Harry Potter" film franchise, actress Emma Watson put her magical training to good use for her first big budget post-Potter role, in biblical action blockbuster "Noah." In director Darren Aronofsky's movie, out in US and Canadian theatres on Friday, Watson plays Ila, the wife of Noah's eldest son, Shem, who is played by Douglas Booth. The film distributed by Viacom Inc's Paramount Pictures stars Russell Crowe as the ark-building Noah and Jennifer Connelly as his wife, Naameh, in a dark, psychological reimagining of the Old Testament flood story. Three Arab countries have banned the Hollywood film on religious grounds even before its worldwide premiere and several others are expected to follow suit. Oxfordshire, England-native Watson, 23, spoke to Reuters about how the "Harry Potter" films prepared her for the physically punishing role, the challenge of realistically portraying childbirth on screen and working with a cast of veteran actors. Q: "Noah" marks your return to large-scale spectacle films, do you approach your role any differently than you did while making the "Harry Potter" series? A: I remember being on set and Darren was saying, "Okay, the water is going to be cold, we're probably going to be here for a full day, try and conserve your energy between takes, like keep warm and make sure you eat properly. This is going to be physically very demanding." For a minute I felt very intimidated and then there's something about having done those "Harry Potter" films and they were very physical. We did a lot of stuff in Scotland. It was freezing cold, filming at four in the morning, working crazy hours. It's kind of comforting in a way to know that in some senses, nothing will be as hard as that again, and I'm pretty prepared for most things people can throw at me, whether it be animals, water, stunts, CGI (computer-generated imagery), whatever it is. It was a very good school in a way and set me up very well for this kind of environment and this kind of pressure. Q: Did you do any reading on your character of Ila outside of the script? A: I actually didn't do a lot of reading, but I did a lot a research because I become a mother in the story, and obviously have never given birth myself. That required quite a lot of careful thinking. Darren and I had this conversation where we both agreed that in so many films, women give birth and it looks like they're barely breaking a sweat. We wanted it to feel very raw, very real and so I took it pretty seriously. Q: Did you talk to anybody about what it's like to give birth? A: Any pregnant woman anywhere, I'd be like, "Can I talk to you? Can I talk to you about your experience?" I spoke to my own mother a lot, obviously, and then I watched a lot of YouTube videos of natural births, lots of documentaries, spoke to midwives, just any information I could get my hands on, really. Q: Ila is unable to conceive initially, but then is made fertile by a miracle. Was there anything in particular you tried to emphasize of her psyche? A: I guess just her self-doubt. ... Ila is barren, she can't have children, and she doesn't want to deprive her future husband of being able to have kids and to have a family. There's this real wrestling match within her. She's so in love with him and she kind of sacrifices her own happiness for his, and that struggle and self-doubt felt very relatable to me. Q: What attracted you to the role in the first place? A: I was a huge fan of Darren's films. I loved "Requiem for a Dream." "The Fountain" is one of my favorite movies of all-time, "The Wrestler," "Black Swan." So, you know, even before you read the script, you're intrigued because his work speaks for itself, really. And then having read the script, I loved my role. She's got such a huge heart. She's very wise, very relatable, and then you hear about the cast, it's like Russell Croweand Sir Anthony Hopkins and Jennifer Connelly and Ray Winstone. And you realize that it's the opportunity to work with people who really are at the top of their game. – Reuters, March 26, 2014

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Moonshine is just a phone call away in Islamic Iran Posted: 26 Mar 2014 12:39 AM PDT March 26, 2014 "Have a shot of tequila first, cheer up!" Shahriyar tells guests gathered at his luxury apartment in Tehran. His girlfriend, Shima, said they party every weekend. "Shahriyar has one rule, bring your booze! We drink until morning," she told Reuters on a FaceTime call, as lights flashed to rap music in the background. Despite the ban on alcohol and frequent police raids, drinking in Iran is widespread, especially among the wealthy. Because the Shiite-dominated Muslim state has no discotheques or nightclubs, it all takes place at home, behind closed doors. Some of the alcohol is smuggled in, but many resourceful Iranians make their own. "My friends and I routinely gather to stamp down on grapes in my bathtub," said Hesam, a 28-year-old music teacher in Tehran, asking to be identified only by his first name. "It's fun, a cleansing ritual almost." Some take considerable pride in their results, to the delight of their acquaintances. "I have a friend who makes wine for his own consumption but gives me around 30 bottles per year as well," said 36-year-old Mousa, speaking from in the central city of Isfahan. Only members of religious minorities – Christians, Jews and Zoroastrians – are allowed to brew, distil, ferment and drink – discreetly in the privacy of their homes, and trade in liquor is forbidden. Catholic priests make their own wine for mass. Yet wine-making has a long history in Iran. Scientists believe Stone Age settlers in what is now Iran drank wine with their olives and bread as early as 5,000 BC. The renowned Shiraz variety of grape, named after the city in the south of the country, is said to have been brought back to Europe by the Crusaders. Persian poets Hafez and Omar Khayyam extolled the virtues of the grape. "What drunkenness is this that brings me hope? Who was the cup-bearer and whence the wine?" Hafez wrote in the 14th century. In modern Iran, the Armenian community is the main source of home-brewed spirits, notably arak, a generic variety of vodka extracted from sun-dried grapes. Amin, a 35-year-old sports trainer, has turned his 50-sq-meter yard into a vineyard and rigged up a crude apparatus in his dingy basement to make the spirit, which costs as little as 50 cents a litre. Which means, if you aren't inclined to make your own, wine, beer and moonshine are just a phone call away. "You don't even need to leave the house," said Reza, a computer engineer in Tehran. "Nasser, the Brewer, will deliver it at your door, VIP service." Western plot The availability of alcohol has caused alarm among the country's clerical leaders, many of whom accuse the West of plotting to lure Iranians away from pious religious observance. The number of police raids has declined since the pragmatic President Hassan Rouhani took office in August, but the ban on alcohol and severe punishments for producing and consuming it remain intact, for health as well as religious reasons. And in fact alcohol abuse and alcohol poisoning are becoming real problems. There are as many as 200,000 alcoholics in Iran, according to Iranian media reports, and some believe the number is higher. Last September, a permit was quietly issued for the country's first alcohol rehabilitation centre in Tehran. "The centre was set up in Tehran to help our citizens. You cannot resolve the problem by ignoring it," a health ministry official told Reuters, but would not give any details about the number of people under treatment or even the centre's location. Home-brewed drinks can cause blindness and even death. Iranian media often carry reports of deaths caused by alcohol, or "mashroob". Last year Iranian health officials warned the government over the increasing number of "victims of home-made alcohol", calling on the government to take action. Industrial alcohol is available in supermarkets, purportedly for use in manufacturing but widely consumed. "Ettehadiye Industrial alcohol (at 140 proof) is available in supermarkets for only 80,000 Iranian rials ($3.23) with orange, pineapple and apple flavours," said Hojjat, 25, a student in Tehran. The other big business around alcohol is smuggling. The Iranian judiciary has accused border officials of complicity in the contraband trade. The elite Revolutionary Guards formed in the wake of the 1979 Islamic revolution, who are in charge of controlling the borders, are widely believed to have a monopoly on the activity, securing a profit of around $12 billion annually, according to opposition websites. "The Guards is like an investment company with a complex of business empires and trading companies ... They are involved," said Mohsen Sazegara, a former deputy prime minister of Iran and founder of the Guard Corps who is now an activist based in the United States. The corps declined to comment on the accusation. Brand names smuggled in from neighbouring Turkey and Iraqi Kurdistan sell for as much as $70 a bottle. A can of beer is just under $8 a can and bottles of tequila and French brandy are easy to find on the black market for $100. Russian and Georgian vodka finds its way into the Islamic Republic through the rugged Caucasus, across Central Asia's deserts and the Caspian Sea. Police seizures cause temporary price hikes on the street, but prices and supplies soon recover. Back in Tehran, at the apartment owned by his wealthy businessman father, Shahriyar says his alcohol-fuelled parties allow his circle to get around the social restrictions imposed by the Islamic establishment. "By drinking we forget about our problems," he said. "Otherwise we will go crazy with all the limitations on young people in Iran." – Reuters, March 26, 2014.

New gadgets hope to hush Mumbai’s incessant honking Posted: 25 Mar 2014 09:51 PM PDT March 26, 2014 A handful of fed-up residents in one of the world's noisiest cities have taken on a daunting challenge – persuading Indian drivers to stop honking their car horns. – AFP pic, March 26, 2014.​ A handful of fed-up residents in one of the world's noisiest cities have taken on a daunting challenge –persuading Indian drivers to stop honking their car horns. Non-stop beeping has become the dominant soundtrack to Mumbai as clattering rickshaws, public buses, clapped-out taxis, weaving motorbikes and private cars fight for space on the traffic-clogged roads. Now two separate teams in the city have come up with devices aimed at instilling some peace: one by forcing overzealous horn-users to open their wallets, and another by simply attacking drivers' consciences. "People blow their horns just for no sake," said Jayraj Salgaonkar, who with a group of engineers has developed the 'Oren horn usage meter' (the name 'Oren' derives from local pronunciation of the word 'horn'). The meter does not prevent the horn from working but instead allows for a limited amount of honking, after which it causes the vehicle's tail-lights to flash and alert the traffic police, who could then issue a fine. The driver gets green, amber and red-light warnings over his honk allowance and can top up his meter "like a pre-paid phone card", said Salgaonkar. He is in talks with local authorities to get the device mandated city-wide. "I have invested money and time and emotion," he told AFP, relating his years of exasperation with the city's cacophony. "People take pride in honking their horn. There's an ego trip over having a car. Until you make people pay for their usage of the horn, it's not going to work," said the publisher turned honk activist, who is hoping that the potential revenues brought by the system will help persuade authorities to adopt it. The second invention, also vying for official sanction, less publicly castigates the honkers. 'Project Bleep' involves a little red button on the dashboard that beeps and flashes with a frowning face, "to make the driver conscious that he just honked and make him deliberate why he did it," said Mayur Tekchandaney, one of its creators. "Mostly it's habitual. The driver doesn't realise he's doing it." After testing the device on 30 drivers over six months, Tekchandaney and his team at Mumbai design firm Briefcase found an average 61 percent reduction in honking. "The benefit is to other people on the road, society in general. It creates a nuisance for the driver," said Tekchandaney. Honking a health worry Their goal may sound ambitious in a country where honking is so pervasive that foreign car makers, such as Audi and Volkswagen, fit their Indian vehicles with stronger, longer-life horns. Nationwide, the messages "Horn OK Please" or "Blow Horn" are colourfully painted on the back of most trucks and lorries, encouraging drivers to make their presence audibly known as they overtake. And the noise is only set to increase as more vehicles pile into densely-packed Mumbai, where the middle-class is growing and whose shoddy infrastructure and crowded trains do little to encourage the use of public transport. There are now about 900,000 cars, 10,000 buses and two million two-wheelers plying the roads of the financial capital with a population of some 12 million, according to local transport expert Ashok Datar. Their horns are not just an annoyance, say anti-noise crusaders, who warn that honking is taking a worrying toll on the health of Indian city-dwellers -- especially when combined with construction projects, roadworks and various religious festivals, which are often celebrated with ear-splitting firecrackers. "In hospitals I know people who have suffered very severely even in intensive care units because of the noise (outside)," said Sumaira Abdulali, founder of the Awaaz Foundation which campaigns against noise pollution. She said sound levels in busy parts of Mumbai continuously exceed 85 decibels, breaking the limits recommended by health experts and contributing to high blood pressure, hearing loss and heart disease. "A lot of people in Mumbai are suffering these things and the medical costs are quite high. Cutting down noise would cost much less," she said. Mumbai residents are not alone in their quest for a quieter life. In the capital New Delhi, a group of campaigners takes to the streets several times a month, plastering cars with "Do Not Honk!" stickers. Licence to honk In southern Bangalore, residents last year launched an "I Won't Honk Campaign", backed by Indian cricketer Rahul Dravid, which aimed to get drivers pledging not to use their horns unless completely necessary. But given the ingrained habit of honking, it seems such campaigns or gadgets are unlikely to work unless they are made compulsory. "Most people say there is excess honking but they think it's the other drivers," said Ram Prasad at Final Mile, a behavioural research group in Mumbai which has examined the honking phenomenon. Prasad also warned that introducing traffic police fines may only encourage bribing, giving drivers the feeling that "they have only extra licence to blow and honk". "Any device that gives subtle feedback, people will be more willing to take," he said. – AFP, March 26, 2014.

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Kolam takungan air baharu di Sungai Jernih tampung keperluan air hingga 2040 Posted: 26 Mar 2014 02:57 AM PDT March 26, 2014 Pembinaan sebuah kolam takungan air baharu yang sedang dirancang di Sungai Jernih, Alor Gajah dijangka mampu menampung permintaan bekalan air di negeri ini sehingga 2040, kata Ketua Menteri Melaka Datuk Seri Idris Haron (gambar). Beliau berkata empangan dan kolam takungan air sedia ada sekarang dijangka mampu menampung permintaan air di negeri ini sehingga tahun 2017 dan pembinaan loji simpanan air baharu itu akan meningkatkan keupayaan bekalan air di negeri ini selepas tahun itu. Katanya kolam takungan air baharu itu akan menampung permintaan air di utara negeri ini meliputi kawasan-kawasan seperti Kuala Sungai Baru, Simpang Ampat dan Lubuk Cina yang terletak dalam daerah Alor Gajah. "Kita masih dalam proses pengambilan tanah dan saya harap kita dapat mulakan projek ini secepat mungkin," katanya kepada pemberita selepas mempengerusikan Mesyuarat Exco Kerajaan Negeri di Melaka hari ini. Beliau berkata bekalan air di negeri ini sekarang berada pada tahap 58%, meningkat 4% selepas hujan mula turun pada pertengahan bulan ini. Sehubungan dengan itu Idris berkata pelan catuan air yang dirancang pada Sabtu ini dibatalkan kerana kadar hujan yang turun amat menggalakkan bagi menstabilkan bekalan air di negeri ini. "Sebelum ini hujan turun tetapi kadar (bekalan air) masih belum capai tahap biasa atau selesa lagi kerana resapan air pada tanah agak banyak kerana tanah sebelum ini kering," katanya. Sementara itu, Idris berkata Melaka mensasarkan 20 pingat emas dalam kejohanan Sukan Malaysia (Sukma) yang akan berlangsung di Perlis antara 24 Mei hingga 4 Jun depan. Beliau berkata antara sukan yang berpotensi menyumbang emas kepada negeri Hang Tuah itu ialah hoki, badminton, olahraga, memanah, menembak, pencak silat, wushu, berbasikal dan perahu layar. "Kita akan memberikan insentif yang sewajarnya kepada atlet yang menyumbang pingat, kadarnya (insentif) akan dibincangkan kemudian," katanya. - Bernama, 26 Mac, 2014.

Khalwat tidak gugat keselamatan negara, kata pakar undang-undang Posted: 26 Mar 2014 02:48 AM PDT OLEH MD IZWAN March 26, 2014 Latest Update: March 26, 2014 06:24 pm Profesor Datuk Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi semasa menyampaikan ucapan penutup pada Seminar Perdana PDRM Sempena Hari Polis ke-207 di Maktab PDRM, Cheras. – Gambar The Malaysian Insider oleh Nazir Sufari, 26 Mac, 2014.Pakar undang-undang Prof Datuk Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi menegaskan pasukan polis tidak wajar menyertai serbuan khalwat bersama jabatan agama kerana tugas agensi tersebut adalah menjaga keselamatan negara. Shad berkata khalwat tidak menggugat keselamatan negara dan pihak polis perlu memfokuskan tanggungjawab utama mereka. "Polis sepatutnya tidak mencampuri tugas agensi lain, mengikut bersama dalam operasi jabatan agama tidak sewajarnya dilakukan," kata profesor undang-undang Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) tersebut semasa menghadiri seminar Perdana Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM) di Cheras hari ini. Shad berkata, peranan polis bukan menjadi "polis moral" tetapi tertumpu kepada usaha menegakkan undang-undang di dalam negara. "Polis tidak sepatutnya menjadi 'polis moral'," kata beliau. Januari lalu, Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (Jakim), Datuk Othman Mustafa berkata, Unit Polis Syarie akan dimuktamadkan selepas perbincangan mengenai skop tugas dan bidang kuasanya selesai tidak lama lagi. Kenyataan tersebut disokong Menteri Dalam Negeri, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yang menyifatkan penubuhan Unit Polis Syarie bertujuan membantu jabatan agama mengekang ajaran sesat. Ahmad Zahid berkata, KDN akan mendapat persetujuan Jakim untuk menubuhkan unit itu, yang antara lain akan mempunyai anggota polis berkelulusan ijazah dan sarjana untuk ditempatkan di Jakim namun tarikh pelaksanaannya belum ditetapkan. Usaha tersebut menerima kritikan banyak pihak, pakar perlembagaan menegaskan tersebut bercanggah dengan Perlembagaan Persekutuan kerana Islam merupakan urusan negeri dan ia akan bertentangan dengan tugas polis. Bekas Ketua Polis Negara, Tan Sri Musa Hassan juga menolak cadangan tersebut, berkata penubuhan Unit Polis Syarie melalui kerjasama Kementerian Dalam Negeri (KDN) dan Jakim adalah cubaan untuk menambahkan beban kepada pasukan polis. Bekas perdana menteri paling lama, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad juga turut menolak cadangan penubuhan unit itu kerana ia tidak akan dapat menyelesaikan masalah umat Islam di Malaysia. Bekas perdana menteri paling lama berkhidmat itu berkata, Islam juga tidak memaksa umatnya untuk melakukan sesuatu ibadah dan apa yang paling penting adalah kepercayaan dan keimanan. Ketua Polis Negara, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar bagaimanapun menafikan laporan pihaknya akan menubuhkan Unit Polis Syarie yang menjadi kritikan banyak pihak. Khalid berkata, laporan mengatakan Polis Diraja Malaysia (PDRM) akan menubuhkan unit tersebut adalah tidak benar dan disalah tafsir pihak tertentu. – 26 Mac, 2014.

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Dr Wan Azizah dipaksa aktif semula Posted: 25 Mar 2014 06:19 PM PDT March 26, 2014 Haji Subky Abdul Latif seorang penulis bebas dan tinggal di Kuala Lumpur. Seorang pendiam, dia gemar meneliti perangai manusia dan berita politik di Malaysia. Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail ditakwil justeru terus berpolitik aktif setelah menunjukkan isyarat untuk melepaskan jawatan politiknya. Dia bercadang untuk mengakhiri baki usianya sebagai seorang isteri dan ibu yang banyak masa di rumah daripada di padang politik. Biar dia menjadi wanita di belakang seorang pemimpin pula yang menjadi suaminya, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Suatu sikap yang betul. Tindakan itu sesuai dengan padangan saya sebelum PRU13 dulu betapa tiba masanya dia menjadi suri rumah yang terhormat pula. Timbul masa itu agar dia bertanding kerusi DUN di mana-mana setelah ketika ini dia masih dalam tempoh tidak boleh bertanding kerusi Parlimen justeru dalam edah perletakan jawatan kerusi Permatang Pauh buat lima tahun. Selangor sudah bersedia memberi laluan kepadanya. Seperti sudah ada kerusi untuknya di Selangor. Saya menulis ketika itu, seeloknya dia lebih banyak masa di rumah kerana suaminya yang amat aktif itu hampir tidak ada masa di rumah. Biar anak cucu merasa kehadiran banyak masanya dengan mereka dan seri sebuah rumah tangga itu terletak tunggaknya pada isteri. Saya tidak tahu apakah dia tidak bertanding kerana membaca tulisan saya tetapi selepas itu dia mula untuk melepaskan jawatan politiknya. Bahkan Anwar disebut untuk kali ini menjadi presiden pula, bukan lagi sebagai ketua umum yang tidak dilembagakan itu. Sekonyong-konyong dia bertanding PRK Kajang menggantikan suaminya yang tiba-tiba hilang kelayakan menjadi calon setelah pulang dari mahkamah. Maka itulah dia diungkit, kata tidak mahu aktif lagi, tapi bertanding pula di Kajang. Bukan sekadar bertanding DUN bahkan dipercayai akan dikekalkan sebagai presiden PKR. Tiadalah ia dinamakan mungkir hasrat, tetapi suasana mewajarkan mengubah rancangan bersara daripada politik. Dia berpolitik dulu kerana suaminya digari kaki dan tangan daripada berpolitik. Jasadnya terpenjara. Hanya roh berada di gelanggang politik di luar penjara. Suasana itu kira-kira hampir pasti berulang lagi. Apakah dalam suasana itu dia wajar pasif daripada politik. Maka dengan sendiri dia tidak wajar meletakkan senjata. Sekadar dia saja hendak kekal aktif tidak jadi juga jika partinya tidak mahunya lagi. Tiada boleh dia meninggalkan tanggungjawab apabila partinya kata dia tidak boleh berundur. Tiada haknya untuk berkata, dia sudah penat selagi partinya mahukan dia aktif. Saya juga mengubah pendirian saya bahawa dia belum boleh lagi menjadi suri rumah saja. Saya tidak membantah menjadi Adun dan kekal menjadi presiden PKR hinggalah Anwar keluar menjadi perdana menteri atau tidak lagi menjadi perdana menteri rakyat yang dipenjarakan. Perdana menteri di luar penjara itu adalah perdana menteri Umno dan kerajaan saja. Bukan PM rakyat. Politik yang aktif baginya sekarang adalah tanggungjawab, dan tiada pilihan baginya. Bukan dia gatal sangat untuk aktif terus tetapi tok hakim paksa dia aktif lagi. Sebagai manusia setelah biasa dengan tanggungjawab itu sejak Anwar disingkirkan daripada kerajaan, jika tidak aktif lagi selesa untuk buat yang lain. Anwar tiada di luar dan tiada di rumah. Jika dia kurang di rumah sekarang, ada juga masanya di rumah. Tetapi kalau suami terkurung di penjara nanti, patutkah isteri terkurung di rumah pula? Aktif terus adalah pilihannya selagi orang mahu. Tidaklah jadi macam Dr Mahathir yang tidak tahu buat apa setelah tidak aktif dan tiada jawatan. Kerana tiada kerja, dia cari Kassim tolong sebar fikirannya. - 26 Mac, 2014. * Ini adalah pendapat peribadi penulis dan tidak semestinya mewakili pandangan The Malaysian Insider.

Doa untuk Mesir 528 Posted: 25 Mar 2014 06:12 PM PDT March 26, 2014 Mujahid Yusof Rawa is MP for Parit Buntar and PAS National Unity Committee chairman. Game over Arab Spring sudah sampai kepada satu tahap lain dalam kita melihat perubahan lanskap politik di negara-negara Arab. Sebagaimana yang kita sedia maklum, Mesir adalah antara destinasi awal Arab Spring setelah Tunisia memulakan momentumnya. Halangan tembok ketakutan yang selama ini menjadi senjata regim kuku besi sudah diruntuhkan maka rejim zalim kini bertembung wajah ke wajah dengan suara rakyat yang mahukan 'mainan' kuasa kuku besi diakhiri segera. Terkini mahkamah mengenakan hukuman mati kepada 528 OKT atas dakwaan membunuh dan mengkianati negara. Mereka adalah anggota Ikhwan termasuklah Ketua Tertingginya, Dr Badie'. Dunia berkabung bukan sahaja kepada penemuan MH370 yang diisytiharkan semuanya penumpangnya maut tetapi kes 528 yang dikenakan hukuman bunuh oleh rejim tentera Mesir juga menyebabkan dunia berkabung kerana matinya demokrasi. Imbauan Tahrir Square Tahrir Square terpahat sebagai saksi kebangkitan rakyat menurunkan rejim Mubarak pada 2009, namun pada 2013 tempat yang sama menyaksikan satu lagi kebangkitan menjatuhkan Presiden Morsi yang dilantik secara demokratik oleh rakyat Mesir buat pertama kalinya dalam sejarah politik Mesir. Proses antara 2009-2013 juga menyaksikan proses transisi kuasa dan proses pembentukan asas demokrasi dan dalam proses itu kita dapat melihat bagaimana kesan kediktatoran meninggalkan bekas buruk kepada budaya politik rakyat Mesir sehingga sukar untuk melakukan perubahan yang tulen. Dalam artikel saya sebelum ini, saya tidak menolak teori dasar Amerika di Timur Tengah yang keutamaannya ialah memastikan kewujudan Israel di celah negara-negara Arab. Demokrasi yang mengisi ruang kebangkitan rakyat menjadi 'duri dalam daging' kepada kuasa besar kerana seruan didengungkan oleh Amerika membuka ruang kepada kebangkitan Ikhwan sebagai sebuah entiti parti politik yang mendapat sokongan rakyat untuk memimpin Mesir. Dari sini, Arab Spring melalui fasa baru seolah-olah berlaku U-turn kepada kehendak rakyat yang memilih presiden mereka dengan cara yang sah. Pendakian Ikhwan Nama Ikhwan sememangnya nama yang gah dan senarainya kekal sebagai sebuah gerakan Islam yang paling ramai pengikut dan paling tersusun struktur dan aktivitinya. Dahulunya Ikhwan dianggap gerakan dakwah yang disegani tetapi apabila Arab Spring berlaku, kecurigaan kepada Ikhwan sebagai kelompok terkuat berpotensi menguasai suara rakyat mula menjadi kebimbangan dan kebimbangan itu kepada pihak tertentu menjadi kenyataan apabila melalui FJP terbukti Ikhwan menguasai kerusi di Parlimen dan menang sebagai presiden. Bagi sesetengah pihak dalam lingkungan Ikhwan sendiri, mereka berpendapat pendakian Ikhwan seharusnya lebih berhati-hati kerana respons negatif akan memungkinkan tentera kembali berkuasa dan sekali gus membawa Mesir ke zaman gelapnya kembali. Walaupun isu tersebut menjadi perbualan hangat dalam lingkungan Ikhwan dan sememangnya pada peringkat awal Ikhwan tidak berminat untuk meletakkan calonnya sebagai presiden, namun entah bagaimana pada saat yang lewat Ikhwan melalui FJP mengisytiharkan calonnya, Mohamed Morsi. Kemenangan satu bala? Kemenangan Ikhwan bukan sahaja disambut dengan optimisme seluruh pendokong demokrasi tetapi kememangan Ikhwan juga disambut dengan penuh pesimisme terhadap komitmen Ikhwan kepada lunas demokrasi pemerintahan. Kuasa besar lebih berminat untuk melihat sejauh mana kepentingan dasar rantaunya dapat dipelihara. Dalam suasana pesimistik ini, tentera mengambil kesempatan mensabotaj suara rakyat dan setiap langkah diambil menjatuhkan Morsi dirancang bagi mencapai maksud kegagalan Ikhwan dan pengkhianatan Ikhwan bagi mewajarkan hukuman bunuh dan menindas Ikhwan dengan restu Arab Saudi dan negara teluk yang lain kecuali Qatar dan Bahrain. Rejim anjing Mubarak Mubarak mungkin tidak ada kuasa lagi tetapi sejak awal lagi kejatuhan Mubarak sebahagiannya memang dirancang oleh tentera untuk menghidupkan generasi baru kuasa tentera dan termasuklah General Al Sisi, mereka hanya memerlukan alasan untuk bertindak pada masa dan waktunya yang sesuai sahaja. Jika pihak sekular yang menguasai kerajaan mungkin tentera akan lakukan rundingan secara halus untuk mereka terus menguasai keadaan. Namun pendakian Ikhwan ke persada kuasa akan memberi 'peluang' bagi tentera untuk memenuhi kehendak teori kuasa besar dan kepentingan dirinya. Kita jangan terkejut selepas ini Mubarak akan dibebaskan atas alasan jasa yang dibuat ataupun dibuang negara ke sebuah tempat yang selesa. Dunia harus kutuk Perampasan kuasa tentera di Mesir adalah sesuatu yang tidak dapat diterima kerana ia adalah rompakan ke atas hak rakyat dan pencerobohan kepada lunas demokrasi. Malangnya negara kuasa besar tidak berapa minat untuk membawa isu Mesir ke persada masyarakat antarabangsa mungkin kerana mangsanya ialah Ikhwan yang Amerika menyenaraikan Ikhwan sebagai gerakan teroris. Double standard kuasa besar ke atas Mesir mesti juga dikutuk kerana ia tidak menghormati hak rakyat Mesir yang memilih sebuah kerajaan yang sah. Hukuman bunuh ke atas 528 anggota Ikhwan termasuk pemimpin tertingginya, Dr Badie adalah satu pencabulan hak asasi manusia kerana mereka dikenakan hukuman atas motif politik dan sebagai pakej kepada rampasan kuasa tentera. Kemarahan rakyat menjadikan Mesir dalam keadaan huru-hara, dan kemarahan itu bukan sebab Ikhwan tetapi kerana rakyat menuntut hak mereka yang dirampas, apakah dunia boleh biarkan Mesir huru-hara jika benar masyarakat dunia merangkul demokrasi sebagai asas kerukunan sesebuah negara. Malaysia harus kutuk Malaysia sepatutnya mengutuk hukuman bunuh yang dikenakan regim tentera ke atas 528 anggota Ikhwan kerana sebagai sebuah negara demokrasi adalah menjadi hak Malaysia untuk memastikan setiap negara tidak merampas hak rakyatnya untuk membuat keputusan. Sekurang-kurangnya rampasan kuasa tentera mesti dikutuk kerana ia boleh dianggap sebagai senjata politik barbarik pada masa dunia menuju kepada membina struktur kuasa atas prinsip demokrasi dan suara rakyat. Sebagai masyarakat dunia yang cintakan demokrasi, tindakan regim tentera merampas kuasa dan hukuman bunuh ke atas anggota Ikhwan mesti diberi tekanan antaranya ialah menarik balik beribu pelajar Malaysia di Mesir dan memutuskan segala kepentingan perniagaan dengan Mesir dan mengetatkan visa untuk warga Mesir datang ke sini. Saya yakin rakyat Malaysia akan menyokong tindakan kerajaan untuk menyatakan solidariti sebahagian besar rakyat Malaysia yang cintakan demokrasi dan menyatakan sikap anti-rampasan tentera kita. Doakan untuk E 528. – 26 Mac, 2014. * Ini adalah pendapat peribadi penulis dan tidak semestinya mewakili pandangan The Malaysian Insider.

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