Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Malaysian Insider :: Sports

---

Malaysia whitewash Indonesia 3-0 to set up Thomas Cup final date with Japan Posted: 23 May 2014 08:48 AM PDT May 23, 2014 Latest Update: May 24, 2014 01:10 am Lee Chong Wei returning a shot to Tommy Sugiarto in the Thomas Cup semi-final between Malaysia and Indonesia, in New Delhi tonight. - AFP pic, May 23, 2014.Malaysia's 2014 Thomas Cup team walked tall after whitewashing Indonesia 3-0 to secure their berth in the final, ending a 12-year wait for a chance at the title. Malaysia will face Japan in the final at the Siri Fort Stadium in New Delhi on Sunday. Malaysia last reached the final in 2002 in Guangzhou, China but lost 2-3 to Indonesia. Malaysia's badminton superstar Datuk Lee Chong Wei defeated Tommy Sugiarto 21-19, 21-13 in the first singles while first doubles Tan Boon Heong/Hoon Thien How chalked a stunning victory over world champions Mohammad Ahsan/Hendra Setiawan 21-19, 8-21, 32-21. Second singles Chong Wei Feng thrashed Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka 21-10, 21-17 to give the much needed win after more than a decade to put Malaysia in the final. Tan Boon Heong (left) and Hoon Thien How overcame the odds to defeat the world doubles champions from Indonesia. - AFP pic, May 23, 2015."In the first set I made some mistakes and Tommy was also good. It will be a lie if I said there was no pressure. The second match, I had more confidence," said Chong Wei after his match. He added that the team's performance was also very good as players like Chong Wei Feng were making their Thomas Cup debut. Wei Feng won all his matches in his maiden Thomas Cup tournament. "Not only Thomas Cup, but the Uber Cup as well. The team's performance was good. We didn't expect to beat Germany 5-0 (Uber Cup)," added Chong Wei, whose wish to beat the Badminton Association of Malaysia's semifinal target and reach the final came through. An extremely cheerful Boon Heong said he has gained a lot of confidence having beaten the world's best men's doubles pair. Earlier today, Japan caused a major upset defeating China 3-0. China has won the Thomas Cup in the last five editions. "Nobody would have expected Japan to win 3-0 against China, maybe 3-1 or 3-2 but not 3-0. They played so well," said Chong Wei, when asked on Japan's victory. It will be the first time that Malaysia and Japan are meeting in the final of this premier badminton tournament. "It is interesting to be up against Japan as this is the first time they reached the final," Chong Wei said. Malaysia last lifted the Thomas Cup in 1992 in Kuala Lumpur when they beat Indonesia. – Bernama, May 23, 2014.

Malaysia whitewash Indonesia 3-0 to set up Thomas Cup final date with Japan Posted: 23 May 2014 08:48 AM PDT May 23, 2014 Latest Update: May 24, 2014 01:10 am Lee Chong Wei returning a shot to Tommy Sugiarto in the Thomas Cup semi-final between Malaysia and Indonesia, in New Delhi tonight. - AFP pic, May 23, 2014.Malaysia's 2014 Thomas Cup team walked tall after whitewashing Indonesia 3-0 to secure their berth in the final, ending a 12-year wait for a chance at the title. Malaysia will face Japan in the final at the Siri Fort Stadium in New Delhi on Sunday. Malaysia last reached the final in 2002 in Guangzhou, China but lost 2-3 to Indonesia. Malaysia's badminton superstar Datuk Lee Chong Wei defeated Tommy Sugiarto 21-19, 21-13 in the first singles while first doubles Tan Boon Heong/Hoon Thien How chalked a stunning victory over world champions Mohammad Ahsan/Hendra Setiawan 21-19, 8-21, 32-21. Second singles Chong Wei Feng thrashed Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka 21-10, 21-17 to give the much needed win after more than a decade to put Malaysia in the final. Tan Boon Heong (left) and Hoon Thien How overcame the odds to defeat the world doubles champions from Indonesia. - AFP pic, May 23, 2015."In the first set I made some mistakes and Tommy was also good. It will be a lie if I said there was no pressure. The second match, I had more confidence," said Chong Wei after his match. He added that the team's performance was also very good as players like Chong Wei Feng were making their Thomas Cup debut. Wei Feng won all his matches in his maiden Thomas Cup tournament. "Not only Thomas Cup, but the Uber Cup as well. The team's performance was good. We didn't expect to beat Germany 5-0 (Uber Cup)," added Chong Wei, whose wish to beat the Badminton Association of Malaysia's semifinal target and reach the final came through. An extremely cheerful Boon Heong said he has gained a lot of confidence having beaten the world's best men's doubles pair. Earlier today, Japan caused a major upset defeating China 3-0. China has won the Thomas Cup in the last five editions. "Nobody would have expected Japan to win 3-0 against China, maybe 3-1 or 3-2 but not 3-0. They played so well," said Chong Wei, when asked on Japan's victory. It will be the first time that Malaysia and Japan are meeting in the final of this premier badminton tournament. "It is interesting to be up against Japan as this is the first time they reached the final," Chong Wei said. Malaysia last lifted the Thomas Cup in 1992 in Kuala Lumpur when they beat Indonesia. – Bernama, May 23, 2014.

You are subscribed to email updates from The Malaysian Insider : Sports To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

Kredit: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com

Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Malaysian Insider :: Features

---

New vaccine approach imprisons malaria parasite in blood cells Posted: 22 May 2014 06:52 PM PDT May 23, 2014 A UPDF medic takes care of a malnourished child with malaria in a hospital in Bor, in this March 15, 2014 file photo. – Reuters pic, May 23, 2014.Scientists seeking a vaccine against malaria, which kills a child every minute in Africa, have developed a promising new approach intended to imprison the disease-causing parasites inside the red blood cells they infect. The researchers said yesterday an experimental vaccine based on this idea protected mice in five trials and will be tested on lab monkeys beginning in the next four to six weeks. Dr Jonathan Kurtis, director of Rhode Island Hospital's Center for International Health Research, said if the monkey trials go well, a so-called Phase I clinical trial testing the vaccine in a small group of people could begin within a year and a half. Using blood samples and epidemiological data collected from hundreds of children in Tanzania, where malaria is endemic, by Drs Patrick Duffy and Michal Fried of the US National Institutes of Health, the researchers pinpointed a protein, dubbed PfSEA-1, that the parasites need in order to escape from inside red blood cells they infect as they cause malaria. The researchers then found that antibodies sent by the body's immune system to take action against this protein managed to trap the parasites inside the red blood cells, blocking the progression of the disease. Scientists have struggled for years to create an effective vaccine against malaria, a mosquito-borne disease that the UN World Health Organization estimates kills 627,000 people a year, mostly children in sub-Saharan Africa. "It's profoundly important to develop an effective malaria vaccine," said Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, calling the study "a novel and different type of an approach toward a vaccine". "Since the malaria parasite has such a complex replication cycle, there are multiple points in that replication cycle that are vulnerable to interference by an antibody or some response that can be induced by a vaccine," Fauci told Reuters. Microscopic malaria parasites are carried in the saliva of female mosquitoes and enter a person's bloodstream through the insect's bite. The parasites pass through the liver and infect red blood cells. They replicate wildly in these cells and cause them to rupture, flooding the body with more and more parasites. Two existing approaches to vaccine development have sought to block the parasites from entering the liver or red blood cells. The new approach instead tries to bottle them up inside the red blood cells – or, as Kurtis put it, "trap them inside a burning house". If the parasites remain trapped, they can be harmlessly gobbled up in the spleen by immune system cells called macrophages, Kurtis said. The researchers developed a vaccine that targeted PfSEA-1 and tried it on mice. In five experiments, vaccinated mice that were exposed to malaria had parasite levels four times lower than unvaccinated mice and survived twice as long afterward. The researchers then looked at blood samples from some of the Tanzanian children. Roughly one in 20 had naturally occurring levels of the antibodies that target PfSEA-1, and among these children there were no cases of severe malaria. The researchers also examined blood samples from 138 boys and men from a malaria-endemic area of Kenya. Those with detectable levels of naturally occurring antibodies to PfSEA-1 had 50% lower parasite levels than those who did not. Kurtis expressed hope about the prospects of a vaccine targeting this protein, but said the best future vaccine likely would combine this approach with others to attack the parasite on several fronts. He noted that there is currently no licensed vaccine for human parasitic infection. The study was published in the journal Science. – Reuters, May 23, 2014.

Little kiwi, huge extinct elephant bird were birds of a feather Posted: 22 May 2014 05:52 PM PDT May 23, 2014 An adult brown kiwi (Apteryx australis) beside the egg of a huge elephant bird (Aepyornis maximus) is shown in this undated handout provided by Paul Scofield and Kyle Davis at the Caterbury Museum in Christchurch, New Zealand, yesterday. – Reuters pic, May 23, 2014.They might be the odd couple of the bird world. Scientists yesterday identified the closest relative of New Zealand's famed kiwi, a shy chicken-sized flightless bird, as the elephant bird of Madagascar, a flightless giant that was 3 metres tall and went extinct a few centuries ago. The surprising findings, based on DNA extracted from the bones of two elephant bird species, force a re-evaluation of the ancestry of the group of flightless birds called ratites that reside in the world's southern continents, they added. The group, which boasts some of the world's largest birds, includes emus and cassowaries in Australia, rheas in South America, ostriches in Africa and kiwis in New Zealand. Ratites that have disappeared in recent centuries include the moa of New Zealand and the elephant bird. The researchers compared elephant bird DNA to the other birds and saw a close genetic link to the kiwi despite obvious differences in size, body shape and lifestyle – and the fact they lived about 11,500km apart. The largest elephant bird species weighed more than 275kg. Kiwis reach around 5kg. There has been a lively debate among bird experts about the origins of the ratites and how they came to live where they do. The world's first birds arose about 150 million years ago. Over the eons, some species lost the ability to fly but became large and formidable. Many scientists have thought the ancestors of today's ratites were already flightless when they were isolated in their current locations by the separation and drift of the southern continents over the past 130 million years. The new findings indicate the continents had already separated before ratite ancestors showed up, meaning the forebears of these flightless birds reached their current homes by flying. "It does seem a little ironic, but in fact it's the simplest explanation for the facts we observe," said Kieren Mitchell of the University of Adelaide's Australian Centre for Ancient DNA. Alan Cooper of University of Adelaide said the new data suggest that flying ratite ancestors dispersed around the world right after the mass extinction killed the dinosaurs 65 million years ago and before mammals became dominant. Mitchell said the researchers had expected to find that the elephant bird and ostrich were the most ancient lineages of ratite because Africa and Madagascar were the first landmasses to separate from what had been an ancient super-continent. Instead, they found that elephant birds and kiwis arose from a common ancestor around 50 million years ago after even New Zealand had become isolated. Previous research had suggested Australia's ratites as the kiwi's closest relatives. "If the common ancestor of kiwi and elephant birds lived on Madagascar, then kiwis must have flown to New Zealand. If this ancestor lived on New Zealand, then elephant birds must have flown to Madagascar," Mitchell said. "Or perhaps the common ancestor of both elephant birds and kiwis flew to their final locations from somewhere else entirely." The study was published in the journal Science. – Reuters, May 23, 2014.

You are subscribed to email updates from The Malaysian Insider : Features To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

Kredit: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com

Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Malaysian Insider :: Showbiz

---

‘X-Men’ set to soar at US holiday box office Posted: 22 May 2014 09:33 PM PDT May 23, 2014 British actors Patrick Stewart, James McAvoy, Ian McKellen and Irish-German actor Michael Fassbender arrive for the British premiere of 'X-Men: Days of Future Past' at Leicester Square in London. – Reuters pic, May 23, 2014.The latest "X-Men" blockbuster is expected to take North America's box office by storm this weekend, as the mutant superhero gang reunites for one of the biggest US film-going holidays of the year. "X-Men: Days of Future Past," a time-bending movie that is already a hit with critics, could make up to $110 million (RM353 million) over the extended Memorial Day weekend that runs through Monday – the unofficial kick-off of the summer movie season. The film, in which Hugh Jackman's saber-knuckled Wolverine travels back in time to save the earth from a devastating war, could become one of the biggest grossing movies of all time, according to industry journal Variety. Review website Rotten Tomatoes gave it a huge 91% approval rating, saying it "combines the best elements of the series to produce a satisfyingly fast-paced outing that ranks among the franchise's finest instalments." The star-studded cast – including Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Michael Fassbender and Halle Berry – probably won't hurt the bottom line either. It features three Oscar-winning actresses – Berry, Jennifer Lawrence and Anna Paquin – and multiple Academy Award nominees including McKellen, Jackman and Fassbender. "The reviews have been great and we're confident that everyone, X-fans and non-X-fans, will see this movie and really like it," Chris Aronson, president of domestic distribution at 20th Century Fox, told Variety. There was repeated applause at a special preview screening of the movie in Hollywood this week, ahead of its US release today. It opened yesterday in many countries around the world. A big opening for "X-Men" would continue a solid run this year for films starring characters from the Marvel Comics universe. Sequel "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" led the North American box office for three weeks in April, and "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" opened in the top spot earlier this month. Time-travelling Wolverine The high-adrenaline film features all the characters from the original trilogy (2000, 2003, 2006), but also includes both their older and younger selves, introduced in 2011's "X-Men: First Class." The action alternates between a dystopian 2023, when humans and mutants are both under attack by an army of super-powerful Sentinels leaving the world teetering on the brink of oblivion, and 1973. The mutants' father-figure teacher Professor X, played by Stewart, is forced to send Jackman's lupine character back to the 1970s to tamper with history to head off a cataclysmic war. Specifically, he has to stop Raven/Mystique – the shape-shifting mutant played by Lawrence, in full blue body make-up and showing off all her curves – from falling into human hands. That is because, with samples of her DNA, they created the Sentinel robot fighters. To do this, Wolverine has to find the younger versions of his mutant cohorts, including Quicksilver, who unfortunately is held captive in a vault under the middle of the Pentagon, for allegedly killing President John F. Kennedy. There is one particularly stylish – and funny – scene where Quicksilver uses his lightning-fast abilities to help them escape, which almost got a standing ovation in the preview screening theatre. Without giving away the plot, the finale set in Washington will also probably delight anyone who likes a spectacle. Critics are happy. "Bryan Singer returns to blockbuster form," said the Variety review, referring to the director who made this and the first two X-Men movies, and who had to sit out promotion in recent weeks due to a sex assault lawsuit filed against him. "Singer has pulled together an ambitious, suspenseful screen chapter that secures a future for the franchise while facilitating continued reinvention," echoed the Hollywood Reporter. This weekend will tell if fans – and studio heads – will be happy too. – AFP, May 23, 2014.

‘American Idol’ finale draws lowest audience in 13-year history Posted: 22 May 2014 06:13 PM PDT May 23, 2014 Winner Caleb Johnson speaks on stage with Randy Jackson (left) and Ryan Seacrest during the American Idol XIII 2014 Finale in Los Angeles, California, May 21, 2014. – Reuters pic, May 23, 2014.The finale of Fox's singing competition show "American Idol" drew the lowest viewership in its 13-year history, with only 10.1 million viewers, down 29% from last year's record low, according to early ratings figures from the network. "Idol", which crowned North Carolina singer Caleb Johnson the winner in a two-hour finale on Wednesday night, was once an industry powerhouse for Fox and watched by more than 30 million viewers at its peak. But it has steadily declined in ratings in recent years, averaging around 8 million viewers per episode over the current season despite featuring celebrity judges Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban and Harry Connick Jr. The "Idol" finale also saw a significant slump in its 18-49 demographic that advertisers covet, drawing 3.3 million this year. Last year, the finale garnered a low of 14.2 million viewers, the first time the show's finale failed to draw 20 million people, despite bringing in high-priced celebrity judges Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and Urban to boost sagging ratings. In comparison to "Idol's" Wednesday finale, NBC's singing competition "The Voice" drew 11.6 million viewers during its Tuesday finale and continues to be a hit for the Comcast Corp-owned network. "Idol" will be scaled back for its next season from approximately 50 hours to 37 hours, Fox Broadcasting entertainment chairman Kevin Reilly said earlier this month. Last year, longtime "Idol" producer Nigel Lythgoe was fired from the show last year due to low ratings, and replaced by Swedish producer Per Blankens. – Reuters, May 23, 2014.

You are subscribed to email updates from The Malaysian Insider : Showbiz To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

Kredit: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com

Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Malaysian Insider :: Books

---

Judge reinstates ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ author’s lawsuit against museum Posted: 22 May 2014 06:19 PM PDT May 23, 2014 Harper Lee's bestselling classic 'To Kill A Mockingbird'. – The Malaysian Insider pic, May 23, 2014. A federal judge yesterday reinstated a lawsuit by "To Kill a Mockingbird" author Harper Lee against an Alabama museum she accuses of illegally profiting from her Pulitzer Prize-winning book. Attorneys for Lee and the Monroe County Heritage Museum announced in February that the two sides reached an out-of-court settlement. But the agreement has fallen through, according to legal filings from Lee's attorneys. An Alabama judge yesterday reset a trial date for November 2014. Norman Stockman, an attorney for Lee, said in the filing that the museum has not complied with the terms and is attempting to add new requests. The museum's lawyer, Sam David Knight, declined to comment. Details of the agreement have not been made public. The reclusive author sued the museum in October, saying it never paid her a licensing fee for using the novel's title and a mockingbird image on merchandise it sold in its gift shop. Lee's suit contended the museum earned more than US$500,000 (RM1.6 million) in 2011 by selling goods including aprons, kitchen towels, clothing and coasters emblazoned with the title of her sole published work. The museum is located in Monroeville, the rural town that inspired the setting for Lee's 1960 bestselling classic about racism and injustice. The tourist attraction includes the old courthouse that served as a model for the courtroom in the book's movie version, which earned Gregory Peck the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of small-town lawyer Atticus Finch. Museum officials contend that Lee never requested compensation for the souvenirs honouring her literary legacy before filing the lawsuit. Lee, 88, is in declining health after suffering a stroke and lives in an assisted living facility in Monroeville, according to the suit. – Reuters, May 23, 2014.

You are subscribed to email updates from The Malaysian Insider : Books To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

Kredit: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com

Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Malaysian Insider :: Opinion

---

Right time for new man at helm of FAM Posted: 22 May 2014 03:59 PM PDT May 23, 2014 As a player, Shebby Singh won everything there was to win in Malaysia football, and represented the country on the international stage. What do Tan Sri Annuar Musa, Raja Ahmad Zainuddin and the late Datuk Ahmad Basri Akil have in common? They have all been let down, in one form or another, by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) that they attempted to rejuvenate. Ahmad Basri was the national team manager when Malaysia competed in and won the SEA Games Gold Medal for football in 1989. A true gentleman with a great understanding of the game, both on and off the pitch, Ahmad Basri was always years ahead in football innovation. And therein lies the problem. Being "too" progressive means waiting for no one, attempting to innovate instead of replicate. Unfortunately, FAM has never had a clear vision in the future of Malaysian football, thus shackling any individual whose progressive mind and attitude is deemed a threat. The same scenario was repeated with Raja Ahmad. He was simply someone who spoke his mind on the state of affairs in Malaysian football. Then came the football revolution in Kelantan. Annuar Musa's innovative thinking, coupled with business acumen off the pitch, provided the springboard for Kelantan's success on the pitch. That is, until he realised that his horizons and dreams were being stifled by the custodians of Malaysian football. Like in Raja Ahmad's case, speak your mind and the Football Association drops on you like a durian! Today, however, there stands an individual who can, and will, reshape Malaysian football for years to come, if given the chance. The Crown Prince of Johor,, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim has given rise to a new force in local football. With the Southern Tigers of Johor Darul Takzim, he has transformed Johor football in the two years he has been involved with the state FA, and uniting the people of Johor while he is at it. TMJ, as Tunku Ismail is affectionately known, is determined to keep the youths in the state occupied through healthy means and off the streets, and will take winning trophies as consolation to the social and cultural development he intends to nurture. For that, he has the heartfelt gratitude of this former state footballer from Kluang, and who bears witness to the positive direction that football is heading in Johor. His priorities are not mired in the pursuit of fame and wealth. Besides, TMJ's attempts at unifying his state's foundations through sports is a breath of fresh air, especially when there are factions and groups intent on causing racial rifts in our beautiful multicultural country. I have been told that the grassroots, youth and amateur football development programmes will take off in stages state-wide after the holy month of Ramadan. Every district will be scoured, talent and coaching education nurtured. As a football fan, TMJ now stands on the threshold of resurrecting Malaysian football on a larger scale. He is spearheading an attempt to bring Malaysia into the upper echelons of Asian football. We have been mired in the "Third Division of Asian Football" not for a lack of passion, drive or intelligence but unfortunately due to a lackadaisical and suppressive footballing governing system. The time has come for someone brave enough to take on the mantle of developing and progressing football in Malaysia, and TMJ is the ideal candidate. His willingness to appear on live television has also displayed one quality that has been severely lacking in Malaysian football administration for decades; that is, being open to dialogue with the people. We have sorely missed such a direct line of communication in Malaysian football, especially when answers were much needed over the years from the FAM leadership. .A sportsman by his own right (polo, in this case), Tunku Ismail knows that one is responsible for their own actions, and change can only come from individuals willing to go above and beyond the call of duty for progress...  Class! – May 23, 2014. * This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider

Mary says no ‘Islam-bashing’ in churches Posted: 22 May 2014 03:55 PM PDT May 23, 2014 Zan Azlee is a documentary filmmaker, journalist, writer, New Media practitioner and lecturer. He runs Fat Bidin Media www.fatbidin.com A few days ago, I received a Facebook message from an old university friend of mine, Mary Michael, who is from Sarawak. We were studying in UiTM, Shah Alam, together. She had a big concern and she needed my help to address this concern. It was regarding the most-annoying Ridhuan Tee Abdullah and an article he had recently wrote. The article, which was carried in Sinar Harian, defended the criticism that was thrown towards a seminar about combating Christianisation in Malaysia, held at UiTM. Many accused the seminar, organised by the Academy of Contemporary Islamic Studies, UiTM, Warisan Ibnu Aaby and the Selangor Islamic Council, of being "Christian-bashing". Tee went on to say that it wasn't "Christian-bashing" and that it was a legitimate concern of Muslims that Christians in the country were out to convert Muslims. He reminded readers that it was a crime to spread religious teachings to Muslims in Malaysia other than that of Islam. Tee also added that whatever that was said in the seminar was not as bad as anything that was said in churches, implying that "Islam-bashing" was going on among Christians. The only reason why no fuss is made about "Islam-bashing" in churches because no one knows about it and Tee suggests that Muslims "infiltrate" churches to find out for themselves. Now back to the concern of my old Sabahan friend from UiTM, Mary Michael. Here is what her message to me read: "pls b**ch slap this guy again will u zan azlee... in my yrs going to church never ever the priest or the church bashing other religions." Firstly, I would like to make it clear that I have never b**ch slapped Ridhuan Tee. I would never resort to violence! I'm sure she was referring to my articles criticising Tee. Secondly, Mary, I have known you for many years and when you say that in the many years that you have been to church and never witnessed any "religious-bashing", I believe you. As a Malaysian, I trust a fellow Malaysian even though she is of another religion. Unfortunately, for reasons I can't explain, I don't trust Tee. Thirdly, Mary, my advice is for you (and all of us) is to just ignore what Tee says and writes in his columns. We all know what he says is just nonsensical animal faeces anyway. So there really is no point in us getting so worked up over it. I know it isn't easy because Tee has his words spread by the mass media and many people are exposed to it. Out of all the people who read his writings, some would actually be fooled into thinking that what he says is true. But I'm not too worried, to tell you the truth. Have faith in Malaysians. If Mary and I are sane enough to know that Tee is an annoying mosquito, I'm sure Malaysians will know this too. And for those who don't, and still think, that what Tee says is gospel (see what I just did there?), well, they're in the minority. With a little bit of fogging, they will die off. So hang in there, Mary. Don't get too stressed out. You and I (and many other Malaysians) are all on the same page, that Ridhuan Tee is just not worth stressing about anymore. – May 23, 2014. * This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.

You are subscribed to email updates from The Malaysian Insider : All To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

Kredit: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com

Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Malaysian Insider :: Bahasa

---

Najib mungkir janji, kata NGO Bantah TPPA Posted: 23 May 2014 02:55 AM PDT May 23, 2014 Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Razak didakwa memungkiri janji apabila mengatakan Perjanjian Perkongsian Trans Pasifik (TPPA) akan dimuktamadkan penghujung tahun ini, kata Pengerusi Bantah TPPA Nizam Mashar (gambar). Nizam dalam satu kenyataan di Kuala Lumpur hari ini berkata, kerajaan menerusi Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri (MITI) Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, sebelum ini berjanji TPPA hanya akan dimuktamadkan apabila kesemua 75 bahagian Garis Merah yang diketengahkan Bantah TPPA mendapat perhatian sepenuhnya. Laporan agensi berita nasional Bernama pada 23 Mei yang menyatakan Najib mengumumkan TPPA perlu dimuktamadkan menjelang akhir tahun ini. "Kami menganggap pengumuman itu sebagai mungkir janji," kata Nizam dalam kenyataan itu. Beliau turut berkata, Bantah TPPA ingin mengingatkan Najib akan janji beliau sebelum ini yang berkata, TPPA hanya akan termeterai menurut terma yang ditentukan oleh Malaysia. "Panggilan untuk menyelesaikan rundingan yang melibatkan 12 negara dalam tempoh 12 bulan tanpa memikirkan langsung kepastian maklum balas, penglibatan aktif dan ketelusan yang sepatutnya bagi orang awam dan pihak berkepentingan yang berkaitan jelas menunjukkan Najib tunduk menyerah kepada tuntutan-tuntutan pihak lain tanpa menghirau hak-hak kebenaran rakyat Malaysia secara keseluruhannya," katanya. Nizam berkata, Najib perlu bersedia untuk menarik diri daripada rundingan TPPA kerana ia hanya membuang masa untuk meneruskan perjanjian yang tidak menjamin kedaulatan negara. Bantah TPPA juga katanya meminta perdana menteri itu  untuk tidak sentiasa menyebut perjanjian ini mempunyai lebih banyak faedah berbanding dengan kos pelaksanaannya di Malaysia. "Kami meminta perkara ini kerana perdana menteri dan kerajaan Malaysia masih belum menunjukkan apa-apa bukti kukuh, dan oleh itu mampu dianggap sebagai khabar angin," katanya. Nizam berkata, MITI sebelum ini berjanji seawal Ogos 2013 untuk menghasilkan satu laporan interim Analisis Kos-Faedah (CBA) dan juga laporan Penilaian Kepentingan Negara (NIA) dalam tempoh dua bulan di mana mereka terus-menerus berkata sedang diusahakan dan bakal menjadi asas keputusan kerajaan untuk TPPA . "Jika ya, bagaimana pula Najib menjanjikan 'faedah melebihi kos' apabila dokumen-dokumen kajian yang menentukan sedemikian masih belum lagi disiapkan atau diedar kepada umum?" soalnya. "Kata-kata mengelirukan tanpa fakta sebeginilah yang menjadikan rakyat dan pihak berkepentingan teragak-agak di dalam urusan kerajaan sepanjang rundingan perjanjian ini," katanya. Malaysia juga kata Nizam bukan satu-satunya negara yang mempunyai keraguan terhadap TPPA. Mengambil contoh Australia, Nizam berkata, negara itu masih berpegang teguh menentang pelaksanaan penyelesaian pertikaian pelabur (ISDS) dan rakyat New Zealand pula membantah sekerasnya syarikat-syarikat pertanian yang melanggar hak sempadan mereka. "Tambahan, Bantah TPPA juga mempersoalkan kenyataan terkini Mustapa untuk lebih telus di dalam rundingan TPPA seperti dilaporkan Bernama pada 20 Mei. "Bolehkah beliau akur untuk telus dan pada masa yang sama menekan perjanjian ini semata-mata untuk memenuhi tarikh akhir yang diumumkan secara mengejut oleh perdana menteri kita?" katanya. Jelasnya lagi, masyarakat sivil masih tidak diberi peluang untuk terlibat secara aktif dalam rundingan TPPA untuk memastikan kehendak mereka dipenuhi dan bukan diancam sebaliknya. "Bantah TPPA ingin mengetahui perincian perjanjian itu, bukan sekadar diberi gambaran kasar yang hanya menunjukkan permukaannya sahaja di dalam sesi-sesi pertemuan yang selalu dijalankan MITI sehingga hari ini. "Apa yang kita lihat setakat ini dalam berinteraksi dengan kerajaan adalah kekerapan janji untuk mempertimbangkan 75 Garis Merah yang kami tekankan," katanya. Beliau bagaimanapun berkata, tanpa kebenaran untuk berbincang secara terperinci bagi setiap bab-bab yang hampir siap, pihaknya tidak boleh jamin dan juga tidak dapat membuktikan MITI berpegang kepada janji. "Kami masih belum mendapat kepastian tentang apa yang Mustapa janjikan dan – dalam sesetengah perkara – kami dimaklumkan wujud percanggahan pendapat dari sumber dalaman kementerian itu khususnya isu perubatan dan harta intelek," katanya. Tambah Nizam, bekas Perdana Menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad sendiri dalam satu ucapan membantah TPPA mengingatkan rakyat Malaysia apabila kerajaan kita menyertai perjanjian antarabangsa, kita mempunyai kecenderungan untuk rugi. "Oleh itu, ia satu keperluan rundingan TPPA mendapat pendedahan kepada orang awam dan membenarkan maklum balas membina daripada pihak berkepentingan untuk memastikan seluruh rakyat Malaysia mendapat manfaat daripadanya," katanya lagi. – 23 Mei, 2014.

DAP ciplak manisfesto saya, kata Huan Posted: 23 May 2014 02:45 AM PDT May 23, 2014 Naib Presiden Parti Cinta Malaysia (PCM) Datuk Huan Cheng Guan hari ini mendakwa calon DAP dalam Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Parlimen Bukit Gelugor Ramkarpal Singh Deo menciplak manifestonya. Katanya lima daripada enam perkara utama yang dikenal pasti DAP itu sebenarnya terkandung dalam manifesto PCM yang bertemakan "Bersama Kita Majukan Pulau Pinang ke Hadapan", yang diumumkan pada Rabu. Huan, yang bertanding dalam PRK itu, juga mempertikai sikap DAP yang tidak menyatakan pendiriannya tentang hudud dalam manifesto itu. "Lebih kurang 60% daripada manifesto DAP sama dengan maifesto saya dan saya percaya mereka menirunya kerana mereka hanya mengumumkannya tiga hari sebelum hari mengundi Ahad ini," kata Huan kepada pemberita di bilik gerakannya di Air Itam di George Town hari ini. Beliau berkata antara perkara sama yang terkandung dalam menifesto PCM dan DAP ialah penambahbaikan terhadap masalah lalu lintas, pembinaan kawasan rekreasi, penambahbaikan terhadap pasar basah serta mengenai perumahan dan alam sekitar. "Semua isu dimainkan DAP seperti kehilangan pesawat MH370 dan GST (Cukai Barang dan Perkhidmatan), tapi kenapa mereka tak sebut sepatah perkataan pun mengenai pendirian mereka terhadap hudud?" tanya beliau. Huan juga menafikan beliau menggelar Ramkarpal Singh seorang "gay" dan sebaliknya berkata perkara itu diputar belit DAP untuk memancing undi Ahad ini. "Saya tak pernah panggil dia gay, media juga tidak memangilnya begitu, tapi itulah taktik mereka untuk memutarbelitkan isu dalam media sosial bagi mencapai matlamat mereka, katanya. Beliau juga menggesa calon dalam PRK itu supaya berkelakuan dan bertanding secara sihat berikutan dua papan iklannya disimbah cat merah pagi ini. "Kita patut bertanding secara sivil. Apa gunanya merosakkan bahan kempen satu sama lain? Kalau mereka suka sangat dengan papan iklan atau kain rentang saya, saya boleh hantar kepada mereka selepas pilihan raya kecil ini jika mereka beri alamat mereka kepada saya," katanya. PRK itu diadakan berikutan kematian penyandang kerusi berkenaan Karpal Singh daripada DAP dalam nahas jalan raya pada 17 April. Ia melibatkan pertandingan empat penjuru antara Huan, Ramkarpal dan dua calon bebas, Abu Backer Sidek Mohammad Zan dan Mohamed Nabi Bux Mohd Nabi Abdul Sathar. – Bernama, 23 Mei, 2014.

You are subscribed to email updates from The Malaysian Insider : Bahasa To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

Kredit: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com