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The Malaysian Insider :: Food

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Striking the right chord at Sitka Posted: 16 May 2014 05:25 PM PDT BY EU HOOI KHAW May 17, 2014 The Lavender Cherry Pound Cake is as good as it gets. – May 17, 2014.I like it that the food is for sharing at Sitka Restaurant, whether it's the soft tacos or fried chicken, or a salad as a main course. Balance seems to be the swing here, as every dish is accompanied by a small bowl of salad. Aubergine and Portobello Salad with miso and honey marinated vegetables and millet.The bistro in Damansara Heights is only a month old, but it's already attracting a neighbourhood crowd. You have to do the ordering at the counter but the food is brought to the table. It's probably to let you take in the row of the cakes on the counter, and the Danish pastries, and keep in mind for later. I already had my eye on the Lavender Cherry Pound Cake. We shared the Aubergine and Portobello Salad, Soft Tacos with Aromatic Shoulder of Lamb, and the Hot Buttermilk Fried Spring Chicken with honey and thyme. For the salad, the aubergine had been marinated with miso, ginger and honey before being roasted while the Portobello had been marinated in a braising liquid derived from simmering two types of mushrooms. So the roasted vegetables were flavourful on their own. Sweet cherry tomatoes, zucchini, coriander, spring onions and millet made up the rest of the salad. It was topped with a perfectly poached egg and daubed with aioli. Altogether they tasted so good. The soft tacos were filled with shredded lamb shoulder that had been marinated with 12 kinds of spices, among them ginger, fennel, cumin and cinnamon, overnight and then braised with yoghurt. The lamb was rich and intense and so right for the tacos. Together with pea mash, fresh mint and thin slices of baby radish, the tacos made delicious bites. Soft Tacos with Aromatic Shoulder of Lamb, crushed peas and mint.You can also have the tacos with beef brisket braised with the Korean Gochuchang sauce and served with feta and spring onions or Tempura Fish with apple slaw and smoked red pepper aioli. For a vegetarian version, try the Panko Fried Mushrooms with Soy and Truffle Dressing. Only the Fried Chicken with Hot Buttermilk, honey and thyme came up a little short. While the spring chicken was moist, tender and had tasty hints of its salt and herb marination, I found its deepfried crust a bit grainy and it detached easily from the chicken. Much work had gone into making this no doubt. Hot Buttermilk Fried Spring Chicken, honey and thyme.Every dish comes with a nice, refreshing quinoa salad. The Lobster with Squid Ink Bun, Cocktail Sauce and Celery Leaf is worth trying – it has pleased a couple of my friends. The Lavender Cherry Pound Cake was as good as I expected it to be. The cake was dappled with cherries that gave a tart, fruity snap to the moist, soft cake. It was irresistible. I don't fancy meringues, but I was bowled over by the Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake that I was told I should try. It was just a thin meringue which crumbled and fell apart at the bite, with a layer of chocolate mousse and a chocolate ganache topping. It was the layer of intense raspberry compote that defined this cake, giving it a tart and exquisite lift. There is a Strawberry Rhubarb Tart that I would love to have on my next visit. Chocolate Raspberry Mousse.Only on weekends can you get freshly baked breads like muesli and Alpine seed loaves, cranberry and rye breads at Sitka, though there are Danish pastries and croissants every day. The prices: The Cherry Pound Cake is RM12, Chocolate Raspberry Mousse RM12, Tacos with Lamb RM27, Aubergine and Portobello RM22, and Hot Buttermilk Fried Chicken RM23. At present, Sitka is open from 9am to 6pm daily but in a month's time, its Test Kitchen will roll out a dinner menu from Thursday to Saturday. It will transform into a supper club on these three nights. Chefs Christian Recomio (of the award-winning Moonfish Café in Aberdeen, Scotland) and Barry Lindsay have been sourcing quality local produce from small farms and select producers. Already a menu is up on its website at www.sitkarestaurant.com. You can look forward to Sourdough with Flavoured Liver Butter and snacks like Korean Style Gochujan Meatballs with Sesame and Scotch Egg with Mushroom Ketchup.  You may try Hay Smoked Beef, Pickled Egg Yolk and Salted Radish, or Indian Lime, Seabass Crudo, Burnt Tomato Curry and relish Spring Chicken, Corn and Sumac or Short Rib, Black Bean, and Squash. Of course there are edgy desserts like Pineapple, Szechuan, Ricotta and Wolfberry Sorbet, and Goat Milk Pannacotta, Banana and Chocolate Wantan. Sitka is located at 8-5 Jalan Batai, Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur, tel: 03-2011 1117. – May 17, 2014.The warm ambience at Sitka.

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France hits back at Blatter Qatar World Cup claims Posted: 16 May 2014 08:51 AM PDT May 16, 2014 France today rejected as "unfounded" remarks by Sepp Blatter that French pressure contributed to Qatar being awarded the 2022 World Cup, as the FIFA president admitted that giving the Gulf state a summer tournament was a "mistake". Blatter told Swiss television RTS Thursday that pressure from Paris – as well as Germany – had helped Qatar become hosts of the mega-event watched by millions around the world. But French Foreign Ministry spokesman Romain Nadal hit back saying: "The allegations by the president of FIFA on alleged pressure by France at the time of the award of the 2022 World Cup are unfounded. "The designation of the country chosen to host the World Cup is for FIFA itself, and for the whole of its executive committee to choose through a vote." Blatter told RTS that Qatar had not "bought" the World Cup but did have powerful backers, admitting to "political pressures" coming notably from France and Germany, both of whom, he said, had economic interests in the Gulf region. "We know perfectly well that big French companies and big German companies have interests in Qatar. But they are not only involved in the World Cup." Contacted today, a German government spokesman declined to comment, but he referred to remarks made by Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert in November 2013. Seibert told reporters then: "I can only very clearly say here for the chancellor that at no time has there been a recommendation to a German FIFA executive member to cast a ballot for the choice of Qatar as host." FIFA took the decision to award Qatar the World Cup in December 2010, handing organisation of the world's biggest sporting event by viewership to the tiny gas-rich emirate. Since then Qatar has been dogged by controversies over the validity of the vote, the treatment of foreign workers employed on World Cup infrastructure projects, as well as when in 2022 the tournament should be played. When asked if it was a mistake to award the Middle East country the World Cup because of its high temperatures during the summer months, Blatter replied in Thursday's interview: "Yes, of course." "You know, everyone makes mistakes in life," he added. The average temperature tops 40°C in June and July, when World Cup finals usually take place. "The Qatar technical report ruled that it was too hot in the summer, but the (FIFA's) executive committee, with a large majority, decided to play in Qatar," said Blatter. In these circumstances, "it is more than likely" that the 2022 World Cup will be played in winter, said Blatter, who has repeatedly expressed his desire to move the tournament to a more suitable date. Temperatures in the winter in Qatar are around 25°C. "The best time to play is at the end of the year. You must remain realistic... we must play in winter at the end of the year," added Blatter. Following his comments, FIFA issued a statement saying they were fully in line with previous remarks and affirmed that Qatar would remain hosts. Blatter's comments are in line with the position taken by his number two, FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke, who said in January that the 2022 World Cup should be held ideally between November 15 and January 15. A final decision will be made after next month's World Cup finals in Brazil. – AFP, May 16, 2014.

France hits back at Blatter’s Qatar World Cup claims Posted: 16 May 2014 08:51 AM PDT May 16, 2014 France today rejected as "unfounded" remarks by Sepp Blatter that French pressure contributed to Qatar being awarded the 2022 World Cup, as the FIFA president admitted that giving the Gulf state a summer tournament was a "mistake". Blatter told Swiss television RTS Thursday that pressure from Paris – as well as Germany – had helped Qatar become hosts of the mega-event watched by millions around the world. But French Foreign Ministry spokesman Romain Nadal hit back saying: "The allegations by the president of FIFA on alleged pressure by France at the time of the award of the 2022 World Cup are unfounded. "The designation of the country chosen to host the World Cup is for FIFA itself, and for the whole of its executive committee to choose through a vote." Blatter told RTS that Qatar had not "bought" the World Cup but did have powerful backers, admitting to "political pressures" coming notably from France and Germany, both of whom, he said, had economic interests in the Gulf region. "We know perfectly well that big French companies and big German companies have interests in Qatar. But they are not only involved in the World Cup." Contacted today, a German government spokesman declined to comment, but he referred to remarks made by Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert in November 2013. Seibert told reporters then: "I can only very clearly say here for the chancellor that at no time has there been a recommendation to a German FIFA executive member to cast a ballot for the choice of Qatar as host." FIFA took the decision to award Qatar the World Cup in December 2010, handing organisation of the world's biggest sporting event by viewership to the tiny gas-rich emirate. Since then Qatar has been dogged by controversies over the validity of the vote, the treatment of foreign workers employed on World Cup infrastructure projects, as well as when in 2022 the tournament should be played. When asked if it was a mistake to award the Middle East country the World Cup because of its high temperatures during the summer months, Blatter replied in Thursday's interview: "Yes, of course." "You know, everyone makes mistakes in life," he added. The average temperature tops 40°C in June and July, when World Cup finals usually take place. "The Qatar technical report ruled that it was too hot in the summer, but the (FIFA's) executive committee, with a large majority, decided to play in Qatar," said Blatter. In these circumstances, "it is more than likely" that the 2022 World Cup will be played in winter, said Blatter, who has repeatedly expressed his desire to move the tournament to a more suitable date. Temperatures in the winter in Qatar are around 25°C. "The best time to play is at the end of the year. You must remain realistic... we must play in winter at the end of the year," added Blatter. Following his comments, FIFA issued a statement saying they were fully in line with previous remarks and affirmed that Qatar would remain hosts. Blatter's comments are in line with the position taken by his number two, FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke, who said in January that the 2022 World Cup should be held ideally between November 15 and January 15. A final decision will be made after next month's World Cup finals in Brazil. – AFP, May 16, 2014.

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US burlesque takes off as dancers take it – almost – all off Posted: 16 May 2014 12:32 AM PDT May 16, 2014 By day, Amanda is an accountant. But some nights she assumes her saucy alter-ego, gets on stage and strips off her clothes, as part of the growing US burlesque movement. It's an art, performers say that lies at the intersection between intellect and flesh. "Getting naked in front of people has given me the confidence that I never had," said Amanda, 28, before going on stage at the Black Cat, a concert hall in Washington that sometimes hosts burlesque shows. "My family is absolutely not ok with it," quipped the young performer. "My parents are very staunch Republicans, they're very close-minded people," she said. On stage Amanda is light years away from the southern town where she lives. As "Ellie Quinn" she arrives on stage squeezed into a dress that highlights her voluptuous curves and wearing a stylized blond wig. But her performance aims at more than just a saucy striptease. As "Ellie Quinn" strips defiantly against a backdrop of bad music, a message written across her back is revealed. "One size doesn't fit all," it says. Throwing her wig on the ground, she again becomes Amanda, a woman who wears glasses – and – according to her back – is fundamentally opposed to the beauty standards imposed by fashion magazines. Performance over, Ellie Quinn doesn't leave the stage totally naked. In burlesque, artists cover their nipples with tassels and leave their thong underwear on. And many performers are performing only as a side hobby, not as a day job. "We have this joke where, unlike a burlesque artist, a stripper actually makes enough money to pay the rent," said Danielle who goes by the stage name "Gigi Halliday". 'It's art!' The cabaret aspect of burlesque is first and foremost, performers and producers said, arguing that total nudity is not the objective. Since it began, burlesque was intended as "a parody: it was telling a story, it was the theatrical part of strip tease. And that's what it still is," said Melina Afzal, who produces burlesque shows in Washington. Humour and provocation are critical aspects, she said. "People are not comfortable with nudity in America, but they are intrigued. They want to see it, but they don't really know what to do with it. For us it's very empowering," said Asha, known as "Cherokee Rose". Hiding behind feathers as she undresses on stage, the young woman's act is reminiscent of Josephine Baker, the dancer-singer-actress who became a star in for her erotic dancing in 1920s Paris. Burlesque had its heyday at the beginning of the 20th century, survived Prohibition, and went out of fashion in the 1960s. Its strong renaissance a dozen or so years ago was spurred by the movies "Moulin Rouge" in 2001 and "Burlesque" in 2010 starring Cher and Christina Aguilera. In Washington, alone, more than a half dozen venues offer burlesque shows. "We are running into saturation problems at least on the East Coast – too many shows, too many producers," said Afzal. Its popularity is owed without a doubt to its "safe and sexy" air, she says. "It's non-judgmental." At the Black Cat, the audience is all smiles and appreciative whistles as soon as a bra hits the floor. But Clark, a forty-something who came with his companion Sheryl, said he wasn't only there to see dancers take off their clothes. "I am Canadian, so I know Americans don't strip off" all their clothes, he joked. "It's art! Yes, it's artistic" Sheryl said with a laugh. – AFP, May 16, 2014.

Toughest questions Harvard Business School asks its applicants Posted: 15 May 2014 08:58 PM PDT May 16, 2014 Every year, nearly 2000 people go through a 30 minute rigorous interview for admission to the MBA program at the prestigious Harvard Business School. While technology helps the officials to interview candidates at off campus locations, on campus interviews are conducted in the project rooms on the second floor of Spangler Hall. The questions are usually in a rapid fire mode and the interviewer in a nonchalant mood for his primary concern is to extract answers to maximum number of questions in these 30 minutes. The questions range from the mundane – Why do you want to do an MBA? Why Harvard? What are your strengths and weaknesses to the usual ones asking a candidate to talk about their undergraduate experience and leadership abilities till the exciting and the unpredictable ones come. These questions come as a surprise designed with the objective of narrowing down 2000 interviewees to about 1100 candidates for a total of 941 seats for the 2015 session. Let us look at the 10 most unexpected questions along with tips for answering the same. The questions have been chosen from the 96 questions identified by The Harbus, MBA student newspaper. Remember, irrespective of the nature of question, your ability to communicate and articulate your ideas are a priority. Explain to me something you're working on as if I were an eight-year-old? The ability to communicate complex information to a layman using simple language is an important skill and this question is directed towards the same. You will discuss the concept just as you would discuss something with your great grandmother. Take care not to breathe down the interviewer's neck. Make it interesting. Describe something that you should start doing, do more of, and do less of? It's time to be self-aware and perform self-evaluation. The idea is to identify a person who is reflective and can clearly identify what drives him or her. What's the one thing you'll never be as good at as others? A seemingly simple, but tricky question. Take care not to sound unaware about yourself by saying 'nothing'. Be honest and do not try to cook stories. Just say what you are lacking in. What are the two best pieces of advice you have been given, and why? Wondering what is the aim behind this question? Once again, something very simple to understand the influences on your personality and the reasons behind it. Pick instances from two different aspects of your life – business, academic, personal or extracurricular. Talk about growth and augmentation, how you have incorporated it in your life and what has the impact been. What do you want to be remembered as? The question is an effort to understand your larger goals in life and how well you communicate the same. Remember to be honest and genuine. Let your passion towards your larger goal be reflected. What is your definition of a leader? How do you fit that definition? Start with a clear idea in your mind. If you perceive yourself as a leader, it is only then that others will. The question has a simple aim to understand how you perceive leadership. This would require articulating important dimensions of leadership and drawing a connection between these and your personal traits. How do you make big decisions? Take a deep breath. The idea behind this question is to understand your thinking and decision making process. Incorporate an example, a story to showcase a logical thought process. Do not hesitate to mention that you use a paper and pen, a spreadsheet or consult a mentor. Do not be afraid to talk about gut, intuition, instinct and heart. How would your parents describe you when you were twelve? This question should bring a smile on your face. Remember no one expects you to be perfect so 'no facades'. Use this question as an opportunity to reflect on self awareness. You could start by talking about a weakness and then moving on to discuss how you worked to improve on it. What is one thing I'd never have guessed about you, even after reading your application? This is an opportunity to talk well beyond what you have mentioned in your application. Say something that makes you sound as valuable and interesting to have at the school. You could talk about your interests, a talent or an accomplishment. Talk about things beyond your application. What is the one thing you would like me to remember about you? The question can come in many forms. This is an opportunity to sum up yourself and why you should be at the school. Your confidence and excitement should clearly reflect while answering this. – May 16, 2014. * This article is courtesy of easyuni.

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New ‘Star Wars’ starts filming, shrouded in mystery Posted: 16 May 2014 05:51 AM PDT May 16, 2014 The new "Star Wars: Episode VII" movie has had its first day of filming, its director's company today said while giving a tantalising hint of a return to the roots of the legendary series. The Twitter account of Bad Robot, the company of director J.J. Abrams, posted a picture of a clapperboard for the eagerly-awaited latest instalment in the saga with the simple hashtag: "#dayone". A light dusting of sand on the board appeared to show some link to the early scenes of the original "Star Wars" releeased in 1977, in which the hero Luke Skywalker is living on the desert planet of Tatooine. Production sources said that some early filming would take place in Abu Dhabi, but it was not immediately clear if the first day of shooting had taken place there or at London's Pinewood Studios. Reports in local media in Abu Dhabi have suggested that some sets have also been constructed in the Arabian desert. The only other information on the clapperboard is the mention of Abrams as director and of Dan Mindel, whose name is partially obscured, as cameraman. The new "Star Wars" movie is due for worldwide release on December 18, 2015. The cast of "Episode VII" was announced at the end of April, with key original "Star Wars" cast members set to make a return alongside some newcomers. Abrams said at the time that shooting was due to start "in a couple of weeks", adding that it was "both thrilling and surreal to watch the beloved original cast and these brilliant new performers come together to bring this world to life, once again". Harrison Ford, 71, is back as smuggler Han Solo, 62-year-old Mark Hamill will return as Jedi Knight Luke and Carrie Fisher, 57, reprises the role of Princess Leia. Disney, the new owner of pioneering director George Lucas' record-breaking franchise, recruited blockbuster director Abrams in a bid to re-create the magic from the original trilogy, "Star Wars", "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi". – AFP, May 16, 2014.

US film giant teams up with Malaysian production house for Asian content Posted: 16 May 2014 12:11 AM PDT May 16, 2014 Tarantella Pictures are set to develop and distribute their Asian content worldwide, which has led to the joint venture agreement between Tarantella and US based Medient Studios. This 5 year deal is set to jointly develop, finance, produce and distribute content for China and the Far East Asian markets. Tarantella together with Medient will aim at producing Pan Asian international quality feature films for worldwide distribution both in Malaysia and at Medient's new production facility in Effingham Country, Georgia. Tarantella will also act as the South East Asian distribution arm for Atlas International Films. Atlas was recently acquired by Medient in 2014 and remains one of the oldest film distribution companies in the world, representing more than 100 producers and 12,000 license agreements in Europe and the world. Tarantella will seek to bring high quality international ready content from South East Asia to be distributed worldwide. Medient Studios is responsible for the production and/or financing of over 250 movies and has a strong regional presence in North America, Europe and India. As part of the company's strategy to develop a worldwide distribution and content pipeline they have entered together in this joint venture with Tarantella. Tarantella already has an established repertoire of feature films for the South East Asian region and is famous for the Malaysian romantic drama films Ombak Rindu and Lagenda Budak Setan. Medient Studio's Chairman of the Board Manu Kumaran said, "Over the last 20 years Tarantella has built a formidable reputation in the region and we are excited by the possibilities that this deal has to offer". The joint venture with Medient Studios already has a number of projects in the pipeline with the first title to be announced at this year's Marche Du Film. Managing Director Sharad Sharan and Director Renu Sharan are excited about the developments. They said, "This venture together with Medient Studios is set to take Malaysian production and South East Asian culture to an all new international platform". – May 16, 2014.

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James Patterson’s ‘Unlucky 13’ tops US best-sellers list Posted: 15 May 2014 07:57 PM PDT May 16, 2014 James Patterson's thriller "Unlucky 13" climbed to the top of the US best-sellers list yesterday, pushing David Baldacci's "The Target" into third place. Data from independent and chain bookstores, book wholesalers and independent distributors nationwide was used to compile the list. Hardcover fiction  1. "Unlucky13" by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro 2. "Field of Prey" by John Sandford 3. "TheTarget" by David Baldacci 4. "Walking on Water" by Richard Paul Evans 5. "The Collector" by Nora Roberts 6. "Natchez Burning" by GregIles 7. "The Goldfinch" by Donna Tartt 8. "Chestnut Street" by Maeve Binchy 9. "I've Got You Under My Skin" by Mary Higgins Clark 10. "The Invention of Wings" by Sue Monk Kidd Hardcover non-fiction 1. "Finding Me" by Michelle Knight 2. "Everybody's Got Something" by Robin Roberts 3. "Good Call" by Jase Robertson 4. "Capital in the Twenty-First Century" by Thomas Piketty 5. "Instinct" by T.D. Jakes 6. "The Closer" by Mariano Rivera 7. "The Hope Quotient" by Ray Johnston 8. "#Girlboss" by Sophia Amoruso 9. "A Fighting Chance" by Elizabeth Warren 10. "Flash Boys" by Michael Lewis Powered by Nielsen BookScan © 2014 The Nielsen Company. – Reuters, May 16, 2014.

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Pay the teachers what they deserve Posted: 15 May 2014 04:26 PM PDT May 16, 2014 Zan Azlee is a documentary filmmaker, journalist, writer, New Media practitioner and lecturer. He runs Fat Bidin Media www.fatbidin.com Athena is in the process of perfecting her potty training. She only started taking off her diapers a few days ago and she's 99% fully trained already. She's three years old now and growing up quite fast – at a rate of a year every 12 months. It's astonishing! And in another four years she'll be ready for primary school. That's when the headache happens. The important decision to make about her education. Should we send her to a public school or a private school? Religious school or home school? It used to be a no-brainer for me. I went to government school and I turned out alright. So Athena would go to government school too. No doubt about it. But the horror stories that I've been hearing about the education system in the country have really spooked me. And now, I am definitely full of doubt. I've heard it all. From English language teachers who don't know grammar, physical education teachers teaching mathematics, to drug addicts teaching Bahasa Malaysia. I can't verify if this is all true. But the rumour mill is definitely working overtime when it comes to these stories being spread around among parents. But one thing is a fact. Malaysia's education system has a lot to be desired. We have students finishing school not having proper communication and critical thinking skills. Many people blame the education system and many blame the teachers. I have to say that it is a combination of both. We are lacking a good system, and lacking enough good teachers. The frequent language switches from Bahasa Malaysia to English to Bahasa Malaysia, and even the drilling of students to only answer exam questions, are all wrecking havoc on the students. Then there is the issue of the teachers. It seems that in Malaysia, teaching is one of the most undesired jobs. One of the main reasons is the low pay that teachers get. Other less demanding jobs in different industries pay way more than the average teacher's salary. So, when secondary school students have to pick an area of study upon entering the university, they don't make "teacher" their first choice. Only when a student is unable to get into other fields will they opt for teaching. So the cream of the crop is gone and the bottom scum remains. I don't mean to sound harsh. I know they are many good teachers in the country. I've been lucky to have had some of them teach me during my school days. (Hats off to Mr. P. Manoharan, my biology teacher, and Mr. Zainudin Ahmad Kamal AKA Zak Kapcai, my hostel warden, at STAR, Ipoh. From my primary school SRK St. Joseph in Johor Bahru, Mrs. Ayadurai. And from SMK La Salle Brickfields, Mrs. Fatimah Mohd Tahir, my Bahasa Malaysia teacher. Thanks for everything!). However, we need to face reality and the number of good and outstanding teachers are only a small percentage if compared to the entire teacher population. We can't blame the teachers. They made decisions based on their own realities too. And the situation just forces them to do what they need to do to survive. The government must raise the average salary of teachers, to a level that people who hold the nation's future in their hands deserve. When that happens, a chain reaction will be triggered. An automatic filtering system will exist to weed out the best who decide to choose teaching as their career. And these potential teachers will start feeling a self-worth that is positive to their attitude and self-esteem, as they know their responsibilities and that they are being compensated justly. Malaysian society will also experience a change in their perception of teachers. They will be seen as not only a noble profession, but also economically respected. You can't deny that is important! In the meantime, for the teachers who are out there doing their best and dedicating their lives to educating our youth despite the situation they are in, my hats are off to all of them. Have a very happy Teachers' Day! – May 16, 2014. * This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.

Perkim perlukan Dolah Badawi untuk memimpinnya Posted: 15 May 2014 04:14 PM PDT May 16, 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. Perkim dilihat berperanan dan diberi perhatian oleh masyarakat apabila ia dipimpin oleh bekas Perdana Menteri Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra. Sebelumnya ketika ia dipimpin oleh Tan Sri Mobin Sheperd dan Hakim Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Zain ia dilihat sebagai NGO biasa, tapi apabila bekas perdana menteri menjadi ketuanya dilihat penonjolan Perkim sebagai badan kebajikan Islam dan dakwah begitu ketara. Apa yang ada sekarang adalah hasil dan landasan yang letakkan oleh Tunku. Selepas itu apabila pimpinannya diambil oleh Ketua Menteri Sarawak, Tun Taib Mahmud tiada nampak yang baru pada Perkim hingga Perkim berasa ia perlu dipimpin oleh bekas perdana menteri juga. Maka Dr Mahathir diterima menjadi pengganti Taib. Pemilihan Dr Mahathir justeru dia saja yang memungkinkan Taib melepaskan jawatan. Tiada orang lain disegani Taib untuk menggantikannya. Percubaan Perkim itu berjaya. Harapan Perkim ialah dapat seorang pemimpin seperti Tunku. Tetapi ini belum nampak penampilan seperti peranan Tunku dulu. Perjalanan Perkim seperti biasa macam berketuakan Taib Mahmud juga. Selain Tunku berjaya menarik sebahagian orang bukan Islam menerima Islam, Tunku dapat mengajak sekurang-kurang dua tokoh politik MCA, Tun Omar Ong Yoke Lin dan Tahir T.H.Tan menghabiskan baki hidup dalam kerja-kerja kebajikan Islam. Malah sebelum Tunku memimpin Perkim, Tunku didampingi oleh seorang saudara baru VIP Lim Yew Hock, bekas ketua menteri Singapura yang terakhir. Tidak dipastikan apakah melalui dakwah Tunku tokoh politik Singapura sebelum Lee Kuan Yew menjadi Islam, tetapi ternyata kawan baik Tunku itu menjadi pegawai penting Sekrateriat Negara-Negara Islam di Jeddah semasa Tunku menjadi Setiausaha Agungnya. Sebagai Yang Dipertua Perkim, Tunku selalu dilihat hadir dalam acara pengislaman saudara-saudara baru. Tetapi tidak banyak publisiti tentang peranan Dr Mahathir sebagai pemimpin Perkim. Tidak dinafikan bahawa Dr Mahathir adalah seorang cergas dalam kerja-kerja masyarakat, tetapi peranannya sebagai pemimpin Perkim tidak menonjol seperti semasa Tunku dulu. Tidak dipastikan apakah Perkim dapat apa yang dihajatnya apabila Taib dapat digantikan? Malah penampilan dan kecenderungan Dr Mahathir dalam kerja sukarela dan NGO Islam sejak awal tidak begitu ketara. Baik semasa sebelum menjadi pemimpin Umno dan semasa menjadi pemimpin Umno, bekas perdana menteri tidak dilihat sebagai orang berpendirian Islam tegas al-Marhum Tun Syed Nasir Ismail dan Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim misalnya. Malah worldview Islamnya dilihat longgar dan mengikut bahawa orang sekarang ia agak liberal. Kepimpinannya dalam isu Islam lebih disenangi oleh golongan liberalisma daripada golongan dakwah. Tidaklah dia boleh disama atau disekalikan dengan fahaman itu, tetapi golongan itu mendapat untung dari pendiriannya. Agak ganjil juga dengan iman yang demikian dia memimpin Perkim sebagai sebuah badan kebajikan Islam penting bukan dakwah. Dia lebih tepat jadi orang yang dekat dengan Perkasa dan NGO yang membela Melayu dan Bumiputera. Jika Perkim perlukan seorang pemimpin yang pernah menjadi perdana menteri, mungkin penampilan Tun Abdullah Badawi lebih sesuai. Mungkin dinamik bekerja ada pada Dr Mahathir. Tetapi imej untuk kerja sukarela Islam, Tun Abdullah lebih tepat. Apakah Pak Lah boleh jadi pemimpin lebih baik bagi Perkim berbanding Dr Mahathir perlu ditelilti dan dinilai lagi. – 16 Mei, 2014. * Ini adalah pendapat peribadi penulis dan tidak semestinya mewakili pandangan The Malaysian Insider.

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Polis ambil keterangan laporan seminar kalimah Allah di UiTM Posted: 16 May 2014 03:22 AM PDT OLEH HASBULLAH AWANG CHIK May 16, 2014 Pensyarah kolej swasta, Perzeus James (kanan) dan peguamnya, Annou Xavier selepas selesai memberi keterangan kepada polis di Shah Alam, hari ini. – Gambar The Malaysian Insider oleh Shafiq Safiee, 16 Mei, 2014.Dua individu yang membuat laporan polis berhubung seminar Kalimah Allah dan Kristologi Nusantara di Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) minggu lalu dipanggil polis bagi memberikan keterangan hari ini. Pensyarah kolej swasta, Perzeus James yang diambil keterangan kira-kira sejam di Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah (IPD) Shah Alam berkata, beliau terpanggil untuk membuat laporan polis selepas banyak komen negatif yang disiarkan di media sosial. "Acara ini diadakan di UiTM. Saya tidak tahu di mana mereka mendapat kebenaran menganjurkan acara ini. Setahu saya, jika mereka mahu mengadakan acara seperti itu perlu mendapat kebenaran kementerian. "Kita tidak boleh tunggu lagi. Tindakan segera perlu diambil. Jika tidak perkara yang lebih buruk akan berlaku," katanya kepada media setelah memberi keterangan kepada polis. James bersama pengarang, Uthaya Sankar Narayanan membuat laporan polis pada 8 Mei lalu kerana marah tiada tindakan yang diambil terhadap penganjur berkenaan walaupun ia mengundang kemarahan di media sosial. – 16 Mei, 2014. MENYUSUL LAGI

Polis serah kertas siasatan Isma kepada peguam negara minggu depan Posted: 16 May 2014 03:10 AM PDT OLEH LEE SHI-IAN May 16, 2014 Kertas siasatan terhadap Presiden Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma), Abdullah Zaik Abdul Rahman diserah kepada Pejabat Peguam Negara, minggu depan. Gambar fail The Malaysian Insider.Polis akan menyerahkan kertas siasatan terhadap Presiden Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma), Abdullah Zaik Abdul Rahman kepada Pejabat Peguam Negara minggu depan. Polis menyiasat Abdullah Zaik di bawah Akta Hasutan 1948 selepas MCA dan DAP membuat laporan polis terhadapnya. Abdullah Zaik didakwa mengeluarkan kenyataan berunsur hasutan terhadap masyarakat Cina di Malaysia dengan melabelkan mereka sebagai "penceroboh" dan mempersoalkan kemewahan serta kerakyatan mereka. Timbalan Ketua Polis Negara, Datuk Seri Bakri Zinin berkata kepada The Malaysian Insider, Abdullah Zaik disiasat minggu lalu. "Kenyataan Abdullah Zaik direkodkan dua hari selepas laporan polis dibuat pada 7 Mei. Saya boleh mengesahkan perkara itu," katanya. DAP dan MCA membuat laporan polis pada tarikh itu secara berasingan di Ibu Pejabat Polis Dang Wangi di Kuala Lumpur. Kenyataan Abdullah Zaik menimbulkan respon negatif komuniti Cina termasuk ahli politik pelbagai parti yang mendesak tindakan diambil terhadapnya. Namun, beliau menegaskan kenyataannya itu tidak memberikan ancaman kerana ia merupakan "fakta sejarah." "Kenapa saya perlu memohon maaf? Itu sejarah; orang Cina lupa asal usul mereka jadi saya perlu ingatkan mereka. "Saya enggan membuat permohonan maaf, mereka yang perlu menjaga perasaan kita," katanya. Beliau berkata, ia adalah kesalahan yang perlu diperbaiki, dengan tidak menyatakan langkahnya. "Tiada siapa berhak menggadaikan kedaulatan Islam dan Melayu di tanah ini," katanya dipetik daripada laman web Isma. Bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad turut menggesa Isma mendiamkan diri kerana kenyataan mereka merosakkan negara. – 16 Mei, 2014.

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