FMT News |  |
- Hong Kong willing to re-open RM40m case
- Hudud-leaning Hadi won’t do in Sabah
- Alangkah bagus kalau PAS doa keselamatan Gaza
- TTDI folk seek PM’s help against MRT
- Adun BN ‘sapu’ tanah S’gor
- K’jaan Pakatan S’gor gagal penuhi pelbagai janji
- Singapore cabbie returns US$900,000 to Thai couple
- ‘Blur’ Sarawak ministers exasperate opposition bench
- ‘Made in USA’ label popular in China too
- Pasca muktamar: PAS wajar menilai diri
- Asian markets up on US hopes, euro eases
- BN seeks Samy’s help in Sg Siput
- Dr M: Pembangkang berebut-rebut nak jadi PM
- ‘Hobbit’ producer deny animal cruelty
- Sarawak NGOs aim to ‘pressure’ Aussie govt
- Race to lure Beckham down under
- Hudud: Don’t believe DAP, says MCA
- Najib’s Twitter followers exceed one million
- Truly hairy mid-life crises
- Pakistan quashes Christian girl ‘blasphemy’ case
- Isu kondo Batu Caves: Exco dicabar letak jawatan
- Rafizi to meet HK’s anti-corruption officials tomorrow
- Kumpulan anti-AES demo depan Parlimen
- Hutang Talam bukan ‘bailout’
- Cocaine for trick-or-treaters
- Asian shares rise on hopes for US fiscal deal
- Malaysia’s Dialog, Halliburton in US$1.2 billion oil services deal
- US ITC will review Apple, Samsung patent decision
- Motion denouncing Israeli attacks tabled
- I challenge Hisham to a debate
- Louvre in Abu Dhabi
- Mempertingkat program profesional berterusan untuk guru
- AC/DC’s music to be sold on iTunes
- ‘Virgin Mary’ image handed over to Church
- List for reforms remains long in Burma
- Have we become a fascist state?
- Acknowledging the heroes among us
- Chinese sex toys see new dawn
- Signs of a break-up
- Look at the bigger picture
- Divided PAS spells trouble for Pakatan
- Lynas to start production in Dec
- Astro management exercises 1m new shares
- Fearing the cops
- Electronic games development industry to grow under GTP
- QPR deny Hughes ‘sacked’ reports
- Kagawa set for second month out injured
- Di Matteo refuses to speculate on fallout of Juve defeat
- Rooney and de Gea train ahead of ‘dead’ tie
- Israel says prefers diplomacy but ready to invade Gaza
| Hong Kong willing to re-open RM40m case Posted: 20 Nov 2012 03:50 AM PST
Kevin Zervos, Hong Kong’s Director of Public Prosecutions, told FMT that his office would require fresh evidence to revisit the case. He added that his office and the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) would welcome information from anyone. “In relation to this case, it was more of a jurisdictional matter," he said. "Material that was obtained from Malaysia was that it was political donations. If anything comes up now to show that this wasn’t the case, the matter would definitely be looked into.” Any additional information or evidence should be brought to the ICAC's attention, he added. Referring to the earlier investigation, he said the money “was claimed to be political donations. We didn’t have additional evidence that was forthcoming that would enable us to deal with it." He declined to comment when asked whether he meant that the Malaysian side was not cooperative in the investigations. Earlier, in an email to FMT, Zervos confirmed that funds in bank accounts in the name of a Malaysian national were suspected to have been held on behalf of a Malaysian government official. He said Hong Kong authorities withheld the funds towards the end of 2008 while the ICAC and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) conducted a joint investigation. The investigations looked into suspected breaches of Hong Kong's Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
“Accordingly, the restraint of the monies was lifted towards the end of 2011.” Asked if he would consider the case closed, Zervos said the question was for the ICAC to answer. He declined to comment when asked if he thought the investigation was adequate, or if there was anything to substantiate the claim that the funds were political donations. On whether his office had the authority to call for further evidence, Zervos explained that in Hong Kong the prosecutors would guide enforcement authorities but would not take charge of investigations. However, he said he was open to being questioned further, adding: “I firmly believe in being accountable. That’s a policy we have in Hong Kong. When we make a decision about a matter, we explain it.” Rafizi’s Hong Kong visit Asked for his thoughts about PKR strategy director Rafizi Ramli’s plan to travel to Hong Kong tomorrow, Zervos said: "I’ve made it very clear that if there is any further information or evidence that would assist us, of course the authorities here would receive and evaluate it and deal with it accordingly.” Click here to view the video on YouTube. Rafizi said today that he would meet with the ICAC Operations Review Committee as well as Hong Kong politicians. He will be travelling with PKR MPs William Leong (Selayang) and Hee Loy Sian (Petaling Jaya Selatan) and state assemblyman Chang Li Kang (Teja). The purpose of the trip is to find out whether the Malaysian government stonewalled the ICAC's investigation of timber tycoon Michael Chia, who was carrying the RM40 million, and to seek a re-opening of the 2008 case. In 2008, news reports said Chia, a Sabah businessman, was arrested at Hong Kong airport on suspicion of trying to smuggle out Singapore currency worth RM40 million. He reportedly told ICAC that the money was meant for Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman. In October this year, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Abdul Aziz told Parliament that the money was political funding for Sabah Umno. He announced that both Hong Kong and Malaysian corruption authorities had closed the case. Nazri disputed news reports about the case, saying Chia was never arrested by the ICAC. He also said the RM40 million seized from him was wired into an account and was not in the businessman's possession. Previously, it was also alleged that ICAC's investigation had been dropped after three years because of a lack of cooperation by the Malaysian government. It was also reported that leaked MACC files revealed that Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail had shelved files on the investigations and refused to prosecute Musa. Also read:      |
| Hudud-leaning Hadi won’t do in Sabah Posted: 20 Nov 2012 03:48 AM PST
Whispers then were linked to the imminent outcome of Anwar’s Sodomy II and rumours were that Anwar was being asked to "leave" politics "temporarily" and the "powers-that-be” would allow Nurul to grow (politically). The comment at that time was: “Najib has no personal angst against Anwar… but if he [Anwar] wants a future [Nurul Izzah]; he [Anwar] must go”. It just seemed like random speculation last year as during the very same period there were also talks of Najib and Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah "ironing out details”. Talk was that Razaleigh would have his own "independent" team contesting in the 13th general election. Much has happened since. Anwar was acquitted of his Sodomy II charge in January 2012, and while PKR was immediately jubilant, its coalition partners in Pakatan Rakyat – PAS and DAP – were wary, waiting for the "catch". Many thought the "catch" was in the appeal the government filed but that was rejected. The months in-between have been a volley of exposures by PKR’s young turks with BN on the defence. Nurul Izzah, too, has come under some heavy criticism, the latest potshots came for defending religious freedom. Amidst the cacophony of disclosures and criticism from both sides, Najib has made an unprecedented number of visits to Sabah. With its 25-plus one (Labuan) parliamentary seats, Sabah is crucial to Najib’s personal future. Talk is rife that deals are being struck here with individuals on the outside who are “federal friendly”. Sabah is also crucial to Anwar. And he, too, has struck deals; among them with former Upko deputy chairman Wilfred Bumburing, a devout Christian whose platform Angkatan Perpaduan Sabah (APS) aims to "lead" the Christian Kadazandusun community. Sabah, like Sarawak, has a large Christian community. But unlike in Sarawak, in Sabah many are closet Christians mostly due to fear. PAS may not be significant in Sabah but one cannot discount the impact of its president Abdul Hadi Awang’s headlining “I welcome being elected as the prime minister” statement on Sunday in Kelantan. Hadi supported ‘unity government’ call Hudud-leaning Hadi’s “willingness" to be prime minister will not resonate well in Sabah where Christianity has been a victim of Umno’s "Islamisation" policy dating back to the 1970s. If popular political blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin’s posting on Monday is any measure, then PAS is sure of its position in Peninsular Malaysia and couldn’t care less how its partners – DAP and PKR – and allies fare in Sabah in the coming election. According to Raja Petra, if PAS wins 60 seats and DAP and PKR collectively have 60 seats, then “PAS will have a say on who should be prime minister” within the opposition block. “Hence it is not impossible for Abdul Hadi to become the prime minister if PAS wins more seats than PKR and DAP,” noted Raja Petra. At the closing of PAS’ annual muktamar (national conference) in Kelantan on Sunday, Hadi had publicly conceded to a delegate’s call that he accepts the position of prime minister if the opposition coalition wins the 13th general election. His “willingness” has reminded observers of a call he made, together with Nasharudin Mat Isa and Hasan Ali, post-2008 general election for a unity government with Umno. Hadi’s call took many members by surprise and was a clear indication that PAS under his leadership was willing to compromise. Political observers have not forgotten this and Raja Petra has suggested that perhaps PAS may have been in the know of a rumoured "deal" between Najib and Anwar last year involving his Sodomy II case and others. The question Raja Petra has now posed is: “Was Anwar's acquittal [in January] an independent decision by the judge or was the judge's decision to acquit Anwar a brilliant political move by Najib to drive a wedge between PAS and PKR?” According to him, many in PAS are not convinced about Anwar's innocence (sodomy charges). “They are convinced that Anwar is guilty. But they do not want to be the ones to say so,” he said, adding that some had hoped the courts would have made the decision for them by convicting Anwar. But with the 13th general election closing in on the opposition pact, pressure is mounting on PAS and Anwar to state their stand on a pivotal issue in Peninsular Malaysia and Christian Borneo – hudud. While DAP’s stand on hudud is well known, PKR under Anwar has dodged the question at every turn. On Sunday, responding to Hadi’s willingness to be prime minister, all Anwar told reporters in Shah Alam was: “No problem…” How this “no problem” will echo in Sabah and Sarawak is left to be seen. One fact is now clear, Anwar is no longer a clear choice for prime minister.    |
| Alangkah bagus kalau PAS doa keselamatan Gaza Posted: 20 Nov 2012 03:42 AM PST
“Mengadakan solat hajat untuk hancurkan orang lain adalah sia-sia. Bukan dalam Islam sahaja tapi dalam agama lain tidak mengajar supaya mendoakan kehancuran agama lain. “Alangkah bagusnya kalau PAS doakan keselamatan di Gaza…umat Palestin meletakkan harapan yang tinggi kepada kerajaan Malaysia supaya membantu mereka,” katanya di lobi Parlimen hari ini. Zulkifli merujuk kepada doa yang dibacakan anggota Dewan Ulama PAS Kelantan Nik Razi Nik Mat ketika memimpin solat hajat yang disertai kira-kira 50,000 ahli dan penyokong parti di Stadium Sultan Muhammad IV, Kota Baharu pada 16 November lalu. Nik Razi yang juga adik kepada Mursyidul Am PAS Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat itu dalam doanya menyebut ‘Kuburkanlah Umno-BN’ dan ‘KO BN’ ketika berlangsungnya Muktamar Tahunan PAS kali ke 58. Sementara itu, Ahli Parlimen Tangga Batu Datuk Idris Haron mengingatkan PAS supaya berhati-hati dengan tindakan mereka apabila mengadakan solat hajat mendoakan kehancuran Umno, tumbangnya Barisan Nasional (BN). Beliau berkata, tiada hukum dalam Islam yang menyuruh umatnya mendoakan keburukan terhadap orang lain apatah lagi terhadap sesama Muslim. Katanya, tindakan PAS menunjukkan parti itu tidak lagi boleh dipercayai sehingga terdesak meng’halal’kan doa tersebut semata-mata demi matlamat mahu memenangi Putrajaya. “Saya yakin kalau Perhimpunan Agung Umno yang akan bersidang tidak lama lagi kita akan mendoakan yang baik-baik supaya semuanya bahagia dan berjaya di dunia dan akhirat. “Kita takkan sesekali mendoakan supaya pemimpin PAS atau parti lawan hancur musnah dan dilaknat…kita takkan buat perkara ini,” katanya. Ahli Parlimen Pasir Mas Datuk Ibrahim Ali pula ketika ditemui berkata, tindakan itu mendedahkan PAS terjerumus kepada hukum syirik apabila sudah jauh menyimpang daripada landasan yang dibenarkan agama. “PAS bukan satu agama yang membenarkan setiap tindakan ahlinya. Parti politik ini boleh melakukan kesilapan kerana ia dipimpin oleh manusia yang bukan maksum (sempurna), sudah tentu ada perkara yang tersasul dan tak betul,” katanya. Katanya, PAS sepatutnya berdoa meminta perlindungan keselamatan rakyat Palestin di Gaza supaya tidak terus menjadi mangsa kezaliman, bukannya mendoakan demi kepentingan politik sendiri. “Saya tak cadangkan supaya mereka (PAS) ini turut hancur tapi sekurang-kurangnya PAS mintalah doa supaya DAP diberikan hidayah menerima Islam,” katanya yang merujuk keengganan DAP menerima hukum hudud dan pembentukan negara Islam.    |
| TTDI folk seek PM’s help against MRT Posted: 20 Nov 2012 02:54 AM PST
The 20-odd residents and some of their children also held out placards bearing messages such as these: Save Pinggir Zaaba, Noise and Vibration Drive Us Crazy, PM Please Hear Our Plea. Their spokesman, 68-year-old Mokhtar Abdul Karim, pointed at a piling machine and told FMT: "This is only half of the noise. It will get louder as they dig deeper.” It is not only the noise that the residents are complaining about. They are also worried that their homes would be damaged by the vibrations from the construction activity and from the trains when they start running. "Already, three autogates in the neighbourhood have stopped working because they have been derailed,” said resident Saiful Azhar Rosly. He fears that cracks will soon appear on the walls of their homes. The residents have the support of Segambut BN chairman Jayanthi Devi Balaguru of Gerakan. “This issue must be reconsidered seriously," she said at a press conference today. "The government and MRT Corp can't just shove this down these people’s throats. Their complaints have basis." She promised to seek a meeting with the prime minister to bring up the residents’ case. Since January 2011, the residents have met several times with representatives of SPAD, MRT Corp and Prasarana. According to them, these meetings had not yielded any concrete result. Furthermore, they added, talk of compensation seemed to have fizzled out. Resident Ho Lee Yoke said that MRT CEO Azhar Abdul Hamid appeared to have broken his promises. “The best thing to do is to realign the track," he said. "But if we can't get that, at least they should compensate us. But now it seems even that is not the case. We feel cheated.”
The residents have proposed to MRT that it move the line so that it would run above the LDP highway. According to resident K Singarayar, some houses are as close as 30 metres to the construction site. Soon, he said, the construction would move to no more than 14 metres from some houses. "That means we'll wake up every morning to say, 'Good morning, MRT.' That’s an unacceptable way to live.” MRT Corp: Aligned approved by government Meanwhile, MRT Corp insisted that the current alignment for the MRT line was the optimal alignment and that this was explained to the residents of Pinggir Zaaba and to the public at large. The planned alignment, it said, has been approved by the government and local authorities. “The current alignment, whether along the edge of Taman Tun Dr Ismail or at any other location, has been chosen based on a balance of various criterias including the fact that the alignment causes the least social impact and is technically viable in terms of construction and operation,” said a statement sent out to the media in the evening. It said while it noted the concerns of the Pinggir Zaaba residents and is aware of the fact that construction work will have some impact on residents living adjacent to the alignment, it assured residents that it would “take all necessary steps to mitigate the impact”.
“The current monitoring being carried out was in response to concerns raised by the same residents earlier and is in addition to earlier monitoring done to determine existing levels of noise and vibration (baseline). "Further measures to mitigate the impact from noise will be taken if necessary,” said MRT Corp. “MRT Corp will continue to engage such residents as well as other stakeholders to increase their understanding of construction activities and provide enough information about the project," it added.    |
| Posted: 20 Nov 2012 02:12 AM PST
Adun Sekinchan, Ng Suee Lim mendakwa 23 bidang tanah dianggarkan bernilai RM20 juta dibeli Adun Umno-BN dengan harga cuma RM1 satu kaki persegi, saiz di antara satu hingga tujuh ekar, jauh lebih rendah dari harga pasaran. Ujar beliau, “Sebanyak 23 bidang tanah rakyat Selangor, meliputi pembinaan pusat komersial dan rumah kedai ini, ‘disapu’ oleh MIC, MCA dan Umno. Kami cabar mereka supaya menjelaskan isu tanah di beberapa daerah di Selangor. “Sebagai parti pemerintah ketika itu mereka diam-diam mohon tanah untuk kepentingan sendiri,” katanya pada sidang media di lobi persidangan Dewan Undangan Negeri (Dun) di sini hari ini. Ujarnya, sepanjang Pakatan mentadbir, Menteri Besar Selangor, Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim tidak membenarkan Adun atau mana-mana parti memohon untuk memiliki tanah di negeri ini. Ini jelas menunjukkan ketelusan yang ditonjolkan pentadbiran Pakatan di Selangor.    |
| K’jaan Pakatan S’gor gagal penuhi pelbagai janji Posted: 20 Nov 2012 12:59 AM PST
SHAH ALAM: Kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat di Selangor didakwa gagal memenuhi pelbagai janji semasa Pilihan Raya Umum lalu (PRU12) dan kira-kira RM2.4 bilion belum lagi diagihkan kepada rakyat menerusi program yang diumumkan sebelum ini. Ketua Pembangkang Datuk Satim Diman berkata, selepas mengambil kira perbelanjaan oleh kerajaan Selangor, kajian mendapati RM2.4 bilion itu masih belum ditunaikan ke atas lapan program yang melibatkan bantuan kewangan. “Lapan program itu melibatkan pemberian RM100 kepada setiap anak kelahiran Selangor, bantuan RM75 sebulan kepada anak yang dihantar ke pusat jagaan, RM50 untuk pendidikan pra-sekolah dan lain-lain,” katanya pada sidang Dewan Undangan Negeri Selangor di sini hari ini. Menerusi lapan program itu kata beliau, kajian itu mendedahkan pemberian wang Takaful bernilai RM2,500 kepada warga emas, kurang upaya dan anak yatim merupakan jumlah tertinggi iaitu RM407,205 juta. “Walaupun Menteri Besar kata manifesto PRU bukan janji tapi rakyat tidak dapat terima. Mereka menuntut janji-janji PRU12 yang mendorong mereka memilih Pakatan pembangkang. Manifesto PRU12 Pakatan “Manifesto PRU12 Pakatan memfokus lima bidang iaitu urustadbir berwibawa, sosial dan kebajikan rakyat, kesihatan, ekonomi dan keselamatan rakyat dengan 31 janji atau program yang begitu menarik. “Daripada 31 janji itu, lapan program melibatkan kewangan untuk setiap kumpulan sasaran dan dapati masih terdapat lebih kurang RM2.4 bilion belum ditunaikan,” jelas beliau. Ujarnya, pelbagai janji PRU12 gagal ditunaikan dan jika ada ia hanya melepaskan batuk ditangga sahaja. Satim berkata, janji yang gagal dipenuhi kerajaan negeri antaranya merujuk kepada laporan Jabatan Audit Dalam, Setiausaha Kerajaan Selangor dan pendengaran SELCAT mengenai pengurusan industri pasir melalui Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd, pengurusan kewangan Yayasan Selangor dan Universiti Selangor (Unisel). Katanya, isu pembinaan rumah mampu milik oleh Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Selangor (PKNS) juga turut disentuh dalam ucapan beliau. Sementara itu, peranan Penasihat Ekonomi Negeri Selangor yang diterajui Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim juga dipersoalkan kerana didakwa gagal bertindak terhadap pelbagai penyelewengan dan penyalahgunaan kuasa di PKNS, Yayasan Selangor, Unisel dan agensi-agensi kerajaan negeri. “Walaupun gaji penasihat ekonomi itu hanya nominal sebanyak RM1, berapa jumlah sebenar perbelanjaan pejabat beliau?” soal beliau.    |
| Singapore cabbie returns US$900,000 to Thai couple Posted: 20 Nov 2012 12:11 AM PST  SINGAPORE: A Singaporean taxi driver has been heralded as a hero after he returned Sg$1.1 million (US$900,000) in cash to a vacationing Thai couple who left the money in his cab.Sia Ka Tian, 70, was shocked to find the money in a black paper bag on the back seat on Monday after he dropped the couple off at a shopping centre. “When I saw the money, I thought, trouble is here. I was sure there was at least $200,000 in the bag,” the Straits Times quoted the 31-year veteran in the taxi business as saying. But when he brought the money to transport company ComfortDelGro’s lost-and-found office, his stunned colleagues counted Sg$1.1 million in thousand-dollar bills. “The money is unimportant to me. It doesn’t belong to me, so how can I use it?” he told the newspaper. The Thai couple reported the loss to the transport company and Sia was waiting for them when they arrived to claim the money. The report did not say what the couple were doing with that large sum. The driver received an undisclosed cash reward from the grateful couple, whose names have been withheld, and the company also plans to give him an award for good service. “Finding one million dollars in cash is not an everyday affair and in fact, we wonder how many people would have possibly been tempted” to pocket it, company spokeswoman Tammy Tan told AFP. “We are immensely proud of him and are glad that the passengers recovered their money.’ It was the second most valuable item returned by a cabbie working for the company. In 2009, another taxi driver returned fives kilos of gold bars worth Sg$377,000. - AFP    |
| ‘Blur’ Sarawak ministers exasperate opposition bench Posted: 20 Nov 2012 12:11 AM PST
According to State Legislative Assembly Opposition Leader Wong Ho Leng, their questions are always dealt with “irrelevant answers”. "They always give irrelevant answers to specific questions. If this is the quality of their answers (as given today), then there is no future in the Dewan. "They don't know the people's problems; they don't know their own problems. "They should remove themselves and they should be ashamed of themselves," said an exasperated Wong. Wong, who is also the Bukit Assek Assemblyman, was commenting on the quality of replies given by Taib’s cabinet members to questions raised by the opposition during the sitting. "State and assistant ministers did not answer questions especially supplementary questions asked by the opposition. “Even you can see Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu (Numpang) dodging or escaping from answering my question on the minimum wage of foreign workers in the state. "Instead of answering my question he said that I was blind that the workers are illegal. "I was asking him what was the government's position regarding the minimum wage of foreign workers. It (the question) has nothing to do with illegality. "Unfortunately the Deputy Chief Minister did not answer my question," he said. Wong said Assistant Minister Jerip Susil also failed to answer his question on the position of 1Malaysia clinic at Sibu Jaya. "I asked a very specific question, but he told me the government wanted to build two more 1Malaysia clinics. "That means the assistant ministers do not know the answer to my question, "he said. Another assistant minister Talib Zulpilip also failed also to answer his questions.    |
| ‘Made in USA’ label popular in China too Posted: 19 Nov 2012 11:28 PM PST
The report, by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), found 61 percent of Chinese consumers would pay more for a product made in the United States. When products are of similar price or quality, about 47 percent prefer the U.S.-made alternative, more than double the number who would pick the Chinese-made item. “The Chinese consumer is quietly concerned about what they’re getting,” said Hal Sirkin, a BCG senior partner and co-author of the BCG study. Consumers are responding to recent cases of lead paint in toys, tainted milk and other scandals that, in some cases, led to severe penalties for those responsible. As more Chinese enter the middle class, they will increasingly look for value in the goods they buy rather than just the lowest price, which will pressure Chinese manufacturers to improve quality, Sirkin said. Chinese consumers’ preference for US goods, of course, is not as strong as U.S. consumers’, and its causes are different: Chinese shoppers more often cite durability and environmental impact than do shoppers in the United States. But the survey still shows a potential advantage for manufacturers or retailers of consumer products, who may be able to charge higher prices for goods made in the United States. BCG cited several examples of US-based manufacturing: Dell Inc (DELL.O) makes computers; Google Inc (GOOG.O) makes Motorola-branded phones; and General Electric Co (GE.N) manufactures home appliances in Kentucky. The survey of more than 5,000 consumers helps support the argument that more manufacturers should base production in the United States, according to BCG. As the cost of producing and shipping goods from China rises, more US manufacturers are expected to expand US capacity, BCG predicts. And as US factories churn out more autos and auto parts, electrical equipment and furniture, they could spark an industrial renaissance with 5 million new jobs, it says. BCG recommends retailers lock in US suppliers to attract shoppers, and is advising consumer brands to make their U.S. sourcing as visible as possible. For now, relatively few do. “If you’re going to have things that have a long life, like mechanics’ hand tools, there’s real premiums for ‘Made in USA’ over a foreign brand because the quality is better,” Sirkin said. He named Stanley (SWK.N) brand tools as an example. In both the United States and China, more than 80 percent of those polled cite quality as a reason to pay more for U.S. goods. Baby food, household appliances, tires, car parts and furniture are items for which most people are willing to pay a premium, generally of 10 percent or less. Some categories are outliers: shoppers in China would pay 77 percent more for US -made athletic shoes, a status symbol. The BCG study, to be published Thursday, focused on consumer goods rather than pricy capital equipment geared toward business and government. It found only minor differences in attitudes based on age, income and whether respondents had children. The appeal of U.S. goods is by no means universal, however. French consumers see U.S.-made mobile phones, shoes or baby toys as less valuable than local equivalents, and almost two-thirds of Germans would pay more for German products. -Reuters    |
| Pasca muktamar: PAS wajar menilai diri Posted: 19 Nov 2012 11:24 PM PST
Kedudukan semasa PAS dalam Pakatan Rakyat tidak membolehkan sama sekali Presiden PAS untuk menjadi Perdana Menteri. Kerusi yang dimenangi Pakatan Rakyat dalam pilihanraya umum 2008 ialah 77 tetapi lima daripadanya telah menjadi wakil Bebas. PAS hanya menang 24 kerusi berbanding PKR 31 dan DAP 24. Ini bermakna PAS paling kurang kerusi Parlimen dalam Pakatan Rakyat. Abdul Hadi ditolak oleh DAP, ditolak PKR dan juga ditolak oleh sebahagian pemimpin pro Anwar dalam PAS sendiri. Sama ada Presiden PAS itu menolak jawatan itu, ia satu perkara yang lain. Berdasarkan ucapan Presiden PAS di muktamar parti Ahad lalu, beliau mengalu-alukan cadangan untuk melantiknnya sebagai Perdana Menteri. Cuma beliau mengingatkan ahli dan para penyokong PAS supaya tidak terlalu terburu-buru. Abdul Hadi mengaitkannya dengan pengalamannya pergi memancing dengan Menteri Besar Kedah, Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak. “Saya alu-alukan nak lantik saya jadi perdana menteri. Syok juga sepintas lalu. Tetapi saya kata di sini, saya minta Tuhan jadikan cita-cita saya ini biar menangkan Islam, kemudian kalau nak mati, matilah. “Saya tak mahu macam cerita saya dengan Ustaz Azizan. Ustaz Azizan tahu saya minat memancing. Saya pergi Kedah, dia ajak saya memancing di laut Yan. “Sebelum pergi, dia berpaling ke anak buah dia, dia kata, tumbuk rempah siap-siap. Nak masak ikan tenggiri, ikan jenahak. Saya pun pergilah, dia pun pergi juga ke laut. Bila balik, boleh ikan belukang sebesar kelinking je. “Ustaz Azizah ingat tak peristiwa itu? Saya tak mahu jadi macam tu lah. Belum apa-apa dah tumbuk rempah,” kata Abdul Hadi. Adakah Hadi mahu atau tidak? Adakah boleh dimaksudkan ucapan itu bererti beliau mahukan Pakatan Rakyat dan PAS menang terlebih dahulu sebelum memikirkan jawatan itu. Organ rasmi PAS, Harakahdaily hari ini pantas membuat penjelasan bahawa presiden parti, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang menolak cadangan menjadi Perdana Menteri. Beliau lebih rela kembali menjadi nelayan selepas Islam menang, kata Harakahdaily. Harakah menjelaskan demikian ekoran sebuah akhbar tempatan melaporkan Abdul Hadi bersedia menjadi Perdana Menteri. Pada masa sama, Naib Ketua Ulamak PAS, Datuk Mahfodz Mohamed juga menegaskan PAS mahu Abdul Hadi menjadi Perdana Menteri dalam pilihanraya umum ke 13. Bagaimanapun, Pesuruhjaya PAS Johor itu menegaskan Majlis Pakatan Rakyat yang akan membuat keputusan sama ada Abdul Hadi atau Ketua Pembangkang, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Tetapi dalam ucapan pengangguhan Abdul Hadi di muktamar parti Ahad lalu, Presiden PAS itu mengalu-alukan pihak yang mahu melantiknya menjadi Perdana Menteri. Abdul Hadi tidak mungkin menjadi Perdana Menteri kerana beliau ditolak oleh DAP sekutunya dalam Pakatan Rakyat. PKR parti gabungan Pakatan Rakyat yang paling banyak menguasai kerusi Parlimen mahukan Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim menjadi Perdana Menteri. Lebih sukar lagi kerana sebahagian pemimpin utama PAS juga mahukan Anwar menjadi Perdana Menteri. Secara mudah, cadangan dewan ulamak PAS untuk melantik Abdul Hadi sebagai Perdana Menteri sekadar hendak menyedapkan ahli dan penyokong parti. Mimpi siang hari Bekas Menteri Besar Selangor, Dr Mohd Khir Toyo berkata, PAS bermimpi di siang hari jika mahu melihat Abdul Hadi sebagai Perdana Menteri. “Berapa banyak kerusi Parlimen yang dimenangi oleh PAS dalam pilihanraya umum ke 13? Katakan PAS bertanding 80 kerusi dan menang 60 kerusi…ia tidak cukup untuk PAS menjadi parti dominasi dalam Pakatan Rakyat. “Perdana Menteri dilantik berdasarkan parti yang menang paling banyak kerusi di Parlimen. Anwar menjadi Ketua Pembangkang kerana PKR menang paling banyak kerusi. “Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim dilantik menjadi Menteri Besar Selangor kerana PKR menang kerusi terbanyak di Selangor. Lim Guan Eng menjadi Ketua Menteri Pulau Pinang kerana DAP menang majoriti di Pulau Pinang,” katanya. Menurut bekas Menteri Besar Selangor itu, Abdul Hadi boleh menjadi Perdana Menteri jika PAS sekurang-kurangnya 120 kerusi Parlimen. “Jangan mimpi nak jadi Perdana Menteri tetapi bertanding kurang. Kalau tanding sekurang-kurangnya 12 kerusi baru boleh jadi Perdana Menteri. “Umno menjadi Perdana Menteri kerana parti itu majoriti dalam BN,” katanya lagi. Dr Mohd Khir juga menegaskan, DAP tidak akan menerima Abdul Hadi sebagai Perdana Menteri sebagaimana yang berlaku di Pulau Pinang. “Mengapa DAP tidak melantik wakil tunggal PAS, Datuk Salleh Man sebagai ahli exco kerajaan negeri Pulau Pinang? “Sedangkan hanya seorang sahaja Adun PAS di negeri itu? “DAP tidak menghormati PAS. Ini bermakna mereka tidak akan menerima Abdul Hadi sebagai Perdana Menteri,” katanya. Sepatutnya tambah Dr Mohd Khir, pemimpin PAS semasa muktamar menegaskan bahawa parti itu akan bertanding sekurang-kurangnya 120 kerusi Parlimen. Kalau itu berlaku, barulah penyokong dan ahlinya boleh bermimpi untuk menjadi Perdana Menteri dalam pilihanraya akan datang. Bagaimanapun, PAS dijangka akan meletakkan calon di 80 kerusi Parlimen sahaja. TURUT BACA: Dr M: Pembangkang berebut-rebut nak jadi PM    |
| Asian markets up on US hopes, euro eases Posted: 19 Nov 2012 11:20 PM PST
The decision by Moody’s to downgrade French debt staunched the single currency’s rise, which had been stoked by hopes that eurozone leaders will agree to hand Greece its latest batch of bailout cash. Tokyo, which has risen about five percent in the past three sessions, ended the day 0.12 percent lower owing to profit-taking and after the Bank of Japan held off any new monetary easing measures following a policy meeting. The Nikkei shed 10.56 points to 9,142.64. Sydney finished 0.56 percent, or 24.3 points, higher at 4,385.7 while Seoul was up 0.64 percent, or 12.08 points, to close at 1,890.18. In afternoon trade Hong Kong was up 0.71 percent while Shanghai was down 0.24 percent. Wall Street provided a strong lead as markets opened for the first time since Republicans and Democrats on Friday pledged to work on a budget that would avoid the fiscal cliff of tax hikes and spending cuts due on January 1 that would tip the economy into recession. Global shares have tumbled in recent weeks on fears the two parties would not find a compromise but the comments from Congressional leaders have soothed fears. The Dow climbed 1.65 percent, the S&P 500 jumped 1.99 percent and the Nasdaq surged 2.21 percent. The rally was also boosted by figures showing that existing home sales rose 2.1 percent in October from September and home builder confidence improved for a seventh straight month in November. However, European woes continue to nag. On Monday it was France in the spotlight after Moody’s cut its gold-plated AAA credit grade by one notch to “Aa1″ and maintained a negative outlook, meaning another downgrade was possible. It cited the the country’s “disproportionately large” exposure to the troubled countries on Europe’s periphery. Fellow ratings agency Standard & Poor’s made a similar move in January. The euro, which has been enjoying a rally, suffered as a result. In early Tokyo trade it bought $1.2787 and 103.90 yen, compared with $1.2778 and $103.99 yen in New York late Monday. The single currency had risen to $1.2816 and 104.25 yen shortly before Moody’s made its announcement. The dollar was trading at 81.25 yen in Tokyo, compared with 81.40 yen in New York. The yen remains under pressure — which has sent the Nikkei surging in recent days — after the frontrunner to become Japan’s next prime minister in December said he would embark on an aggressive monetary easing policy to help the economy. In the early afternoon the central Bank of Japan said it would hold off any fresh monetary easing — after two such moves in the past two months — while it also warned the economy faced an uncertain future. It also kept interest rates on hold. Investors had been buying the euro on a likely agreement between regional finance ministers to hand Athens the latest installment of cash it needs to avoid bankruptcy. They will try Tuesday to reach a framework agreement at a meeting on Greece and heal a split with the International Monetary Fund over a key debt reduction target. “We are headed for an agreement, but a partial one,” said a European diplomat who asked not to be named. Another source underscored the will to reach an agreement, but noted a finalised deal could take a few more days. On oil markets prices eased. New York’s main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in January, wad down 24 cents to $ 89.04 a barrel in the afternoon and Brent North Sea crude for January delivery fell 16 cents to $ 111.54. Gold was at $1,733.80 by 0640 GMT compared with $1,723.10 late Monday. In other markets: – Taipei rose 16.73 points, or 0.23 percent, to 7,145.77. Smartphone maker HTC fell 3.08 percent to Tw$236.0 while chip giant TSMC was 0.44 percent higher at Tw$90.4. – Wellington climbed 0.77 percent, or 30.37 points, to 3,972.97. Fletcher Building rose 3.7 percent rise to NZ$7.65 and Telecom was down 0.21 percent at NZ$2.38. -AFP    |
| BN seeks Samy’s help in Sg Siput Posted: 19 Nov 2012 11:04 PM PST
Sources reveal that Najib met Samy Vellu end of last month asking for help to ensure the ruling coalition won back the seat, which it had lost at the 2008 general election. “Yes, they met and the PM wanted Samy Vellu’s help in getting back Sungai Siput. Samy Vellu still has a good amount of support in the parliamentary seat. A new candidate would face an uphill struggle. “The PM felt Samy Vellu’s presence in the constituency could clinch the seat. He can guide the candidate, whoever it may be, in the run-up to the elections,” said a source who did not want to be named. They also revealed Samy Vellu’s two-year term as the country’s special envoy for infrastructure to India and South Asia, has been renewed. His term was to have run out at end of this year. The post comes with ministerial status. Last Saturday, Najib visited Sungai Siput alongside Samy Vellu. MIC president G Palanivel, who was also present during the visit, made the announcement that Samy Vellu has been appointed the BN coordinator for Sungai Siput, replacing R Ganeson. While it is unclear if Palanivel made the announcement through a press conference or otherwise, only Tamil Nesan, a vernacular daily run by Samy Vellu’s family, published the report. FMT could not reach Samy Vellu for comment. Palanivel tight lipped Samy Vellu lost the Sungai Siput seat, which has about 52,000 voters, to PKR’s Dr Michael Jeyakumar by a 1,821 vote majority in 2008. The seat is Chinese majority with 24,000 voters followed by Malays (14,000), Indians (11,000) and Orang Asli (3,000). Palanivel has been tight lipped over who the candidate for the seat would be. There were speculations over the candidate for the seat and among those mentioned were MIC vice president SK Devamany and MIC secretary general S Murugesan. Devamany is the Cameron Highlands member of parliament. Sources said Palanivel would replace Devamany, who is also deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, as the BN candidate for Cameron Highlands at the next general election. Sungai Siput has always been in the hands of the MIC until the last general election. It has been traditionally contested by the MIC president under the BN ticket. Samy Vellu contested the seat for the first time in 1974 and the constituency became his fort for 34 years until 2008. There have been calls within the MIC for Palanivel to contest the seat at the next general election. But indications are that Palanivel, who is also Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, was not keen on the seat, preferring a safer Cameron Highlands instead.    |
| Dr M: Pembangkang berebut-rebut nak jadi PM Posted: 19 Nov 2012 11:00 PM PST
Bekas Perdana Menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad secara sinis berkata jawatan itu patut diberi kepada Pengerusi DAP Karpal Singh. “Belum jadi kerajaan sudah berebut-rebut, esok (kalau) dah jadi kerajaan bukan saja Hadi, Anwar (Ketua Pembangkang Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim) malah Karpal Singh pun nak jadi PM juga. “Bagilah kepada dia. Teruk, lama dia berjuang…patut bagi Karpal Singh (jadi) perdana menteri Malaysia, yang amat berhormat…bila pencen dapat Tun,” katanya kepada pemberita selepas melancarkan Tabung Bantuan Kecemasan Gaza di sini hari ini. Dr Mahathir yang juga presiden Yayasan Keamanan Sedunia Perdana (PGPF) mengulas pendirian perwakilan Muktamar PAS ke-58 baru- baru ini yang mahu Abdul Hadi menjadi perdana menteri sekiranya kemenangan berpihak kepada pakatan pembangkang pada pilihan raya umum akan datang. Ditanya mengapa DAP pula mahu Anwar menjadi perdana menteri, Dr Mahathir berkata parti itu mahu mendapat kepercayaan daripada masyarakat Melayu di negara ini. Mengenai kenyataan Anwar kepada akhbar Wall Street Journal awal tahun ini yang dilapor menyokong semua tindakan menjaga keselamatan Israel, beliau berkata perkara itu timbul kerana mahukan sokongan Yahudi. Dr Mahathir bagaimanapun meminta penyokong Anwar supaya tidak telalu taksub dan fanatik tetapi menggunakan akal untuk menimbang segala perbuatan yang dilakukan pemimpin mereka itu. “Kalau tanpa mengambil kira apa yang pemimpin buat, ia akan merosakkan negara,” tegasnya. Mengenai pendengaran oleh Suruhanjaya Jenayah Perang Kuala Lumpur mengenai Palestin hari ini, Dr Mahathir berkata selain menyenaraikan Israel dalam daftar jenayah perang, media perlu menyiarkan pelbagai kesalahan jenayah Israel untuk diadili masyarakat antarabangsa. Tambah beliau, media Malaysia lebih bersifat terbuka dalam melaporkan kejadian sebenar berbanding media antarabangsa yang kebanyakannya dikuasai Yahudi. Tabung yang dilancarkan itu bertujuan membantu mangsa serangan Zionis Israel sejak Rabu lepas di Semenanjung Gaza yang dilapor mengorbankan lebih 100 penduduk dan mencederakan 700 yang lain. - Bernama    |
| ‘Hobbit’ producer deny animal cruelty Posted: 19 Nov 2012 10:54 PM PST
Animal rights group PETA said up to 27 animals, including horses, sheep, goats and chickens, died during filming, prompting it to plan protests against the movies, the first of which has its world premiere in Wellington next week. Jackson and the producers said in a statement that the American Humane Association monitored all use of animals during the shoot and "no animals died or were harmed on set during filming". "The producers completely reject the accusations that 27 animals died due to mistreatment during the making of the films," the statement said. "Extraordinary measures were taken to make sure that animals were not used during action sequences or any other sequence that might create undue stress for the animals involved." It added that 55 percent of shots featuring animals in the three films, which were shot back-to-back with a budget estimated at US$500 million, were computer-generated. PETA said most of the allegations it was raising did not occur on set while cameras were rolling, but at farms and stables where the animals were housed. It said some wranglers involved in the project — who the producers said had been sacked more than a year ago — reported two horses died from broken necks after being forced off steep embankments by other animals in their paddocks. PETA US senior vice president Lisa Lange said sheep and goats died from worms and after falling into sinkholes in rugged terrain, and a dozen chickens were mauled to death by dogs. "This production's decision to use numerous live animals and allow them to suffer needlessly takes the entertainment industry a giant and disgraceful step backwards," she said in a statement. PETA spokeswoman Claire Fryer alleged that during a location shoot a misbehaving horse was left on the ground for three hours with its legs tied together, suffering rope burns that were covered with make-up during filming. The first of the three movies, "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," premieres in Wellington on November 28 and will be released worldwide in December. PETA said it would protest at the event and at premieres in the United States and Britain. "It's important that movie-goers are made aware of this," Fryer told AFP. The producers said they took animal welfare seriously and had pursued the highest level of care for those used in the films. "We regret that some of these accusations by wranglers who were dismissed from the film over a year ago are only now being brought to our attention," they said. -AFP    |
| Sarawak NGOs aim to ‘pressure’ Aussie govt Posted: 19 Nov 2012 10:50 PM PST
According to Save Rivers network chairman Peter Kallang, the coalition will also be meeting with local campaigners in Tasmania fighting to save their forests from a Sarawak linked timber company. "Together, we will inform the Australian people about Hydro Tasmania, a public company that is heavily involved in mega-dam development in Sarawak. "We also plan to meet with the heads of Hydro Tasmania, and other Australian companies who are involved in Sarawak Corridor Renewal Energy (SCORE). "We believe that Australians would not want an Australian state owned company such as Hydro Tasmania to be responsible for the destruction of livelihoods of indigenous peoples and the environment in Sarawak,” said Kallang in an email statement to FMT. Kallang said Save Rivers wanted Hydro Tasmania to get out of Sarawak, and they would seek to ‘pressure’ the Australian government “to get them out”. “We want the Australian public to pressure the Australian government to get them out (of Sarawak). "The fight is not ours to fight alone, but together in solidarity with our friends in West Malaysia, Australia and the rest of the world," he said. Kallang said that Sarawak is embarking on a drastic social and economic change via an energy-intensive programme called the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy. SCORE comprises at least 12 planned mega-dams which will displace tens of thousands of indigenous people. The proposed Baram dam alone will displace 20,000 natives, and submerge more than 400 square kilometres of rainforest, he said. Excess power The ultimate plan is to increase that to 28,000MW by 2030. Kallang said that local communities displaced by current mega-dams in Sarawak still face many woes and unfulfilled promises. "The Sarawak government has in particular acknowledged the failure of the Sungai Asap resettlement for the Bakun mega-dam, while promising that mistakes would be rectified for subsequent mega-dams. "Unfortunately for the Penan and Kenyah communities of Murum, the same mistakes are being made," he said, pointing out that the month-long blockades at Murum dam reflected on the failure of the Sarawak government to fully engage the local communities which were not in favour of the dams. He also alleged that the Sarawak government had made a mockery of their claim that it had followed international standards such as the Equator Principles or the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Kallang said that Save Rivers had visited the Malaysian Parliament yesterday and called for an immediate halt to all planning works on further dams. "SAVE Rivers is demanding for full transparency from the Sarawak government on SCORE. “It is also calling for a state-wide dialogue on SCORE and development alternatives and is urging that the Sarawak government respect fully the rights of affected communities according to international standards, national and state laws," Kallang added.    |
| Race to lure Beckham down under Posted: 19 Nov 2012 10:46 PM PST
Already fired up by Football Federation Australia (FFA)’s announcement last week that Beckham’s representatives had been in touch, A-league clubs have been lining up to signal their intention to have the 37-year-old in their midfield. The clubs were clearly undeterred by a statement from the Beckham’s management team last Friday that he had “absolutely no plans” to play in Australia. “David Beckham has confirmed the MLS Cup final will be his last game for the Galaxy. The race is on,” was posted on the official Perth Glory Twitter account. Melbourne Heart chief executive Scott Munn confirmed his club would definitely be putting in a bid to bring ‘Brand Beckham’ to Australia’s second largest city. “What I can say is that it’s certainly real, we’re putting forward an offer, it’s compelling and the opportunity is here for him to come here,” he told reporters in Melbourne. “That is absolutely legitimate. Let’s let David get through next week, play the final of the MLS and hopefully he’ll have a win. Then I’m sure he’ll assess every offer.” Beckham said on Tuesday he was leaving LA Galaxy after next month’s MLS Cup final and wanted to pursue “experience one last challenge” before the end of his playing career. With the A-League season already underway and the league’s salary cap as strict as that in the MLS, a Beckham stint in Australia would most likely be as a guest player for 10 games. Central Coast Mariners have also signaled their interest, while Western Sydney Wanderers could launch a bid with backing from the FFA, who are funding them in their debut season. Sydney FC are unlikely to make a move having signed Juventus and Italy great Alessandro Del Piero for this season, although his salary of A$2 million ($2.08 million) a year is an indication of the sort of money that might be on the table. Beckham came to Australia with the LA Galaxy last year and helped attract a crowd of 34,608 to a friendly against the Melbourne Victory. -Reuters    |
| Hudud: Don’t believe DAP, says MCA Posted: 19 Nov 2012 10:43 PM PST
The BN coalition partner is incensed with DAP for constantly saying that hudud will not be implemented when PAS has made its stand clear. At the recently concluded PAS muktamar in Kelantan, the party leadership had reiterated that it will not shelve the implementation of its hudud enactment. In a statement today, MCA vice-president Chor Chee Heung said that since this was the last PAS Muktamar before the general election, it was obvious that PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang will not compromise with his other Pakatan allies with regards to the implementation of hudud. "The Chinese and non-Muslim communities are advised to think carefully of their future. “It is necessary to study indepth whether it is appropriate for PAS hudud enactments to be implemented in the country. Don’t just believe the words of DAP. "All this while, DAP has reiterated that Pakatan will never implement PAS hudud enactments. But as GE approaches and with PAS' exhortations for PAS hudud enactments, the reality greatly differs from DAP's words," he said. He added that this was why MCA has always warned the non-Muslim communities of the probable possibilities without intending to intimidate anyone. MCA Central Committee member Loh Seng Kok meanwhile urged DAP to apologise to the Chinese community for deceiving them by giving them assurance that PAS will not implement its hudud enactments. "If DAP continues to con the non-Muslim community that PAS will not implement PAS hudud enactment and believe that a Malaysian Chinese will soon be appointed to the high position of Deputy Prime Minister, this is just another set of lies. "Not only is DAP unable to safeguard the interest and rights of non-Muslims, but paradoxically, DAP aids PAS to achieve their aim of implementing PAS hardline version of Islamic law which is not acceptable," he said. He also added that DAP should be criticised for not speaking out on this issue and that it has never given a firm answer towards the implementation of PAS' hudud enactments. "The DAP of today forsakes our future by never complying with their stand as declared earlier. Also, if Lim Guan Eng is a responsible person, he should explain to the rakyat as to why he finally changed his mind and position," he said.    |
| Najib’s Twitter followers exceed one million Posted: 19 Nov 2012 10:41 PM PST
As of 1pm, the prime minister’s Twitter page @NajibRazak showed 1,001,869 followers. Describing the support as a special moment for him on Twitter, Najib extended his thanks to all his loyal Twitter followers. “The number of my Twitter followers hit the one millionth mark last night. It was a special moment for me on Twitter. Thank you all,” he tweeted today. The prime minister said several of his Twitter followers had suggested that he identify and meet up with the one millionth follower. “I have asked for my one millionth Twitter follower to be identified. I hope we can meet. We are 1Malayssia,” Najib tweeted. Najib had expressed his desire to meet up and have tea with his 500,000th and one millionth Twitter followers and Facebook fans on a date to be announced. He had said that the meeting would be his acknowledgement of the support shown by his social media friends during the three years that he had been the prime minister. - Bernama    |
| Posted: 19 Nov 2012 10:38 PM PST
A new study finds that chimpanzees and orangutans, too, often experience a mid-life crisis, suggesting the causes are inherent in primate biology and not specific to human society. “We were just stunned” when data on the apes showed a U-shaped curve of happiness, said economist Andrew Oswald of the University of Warwick in England and a co-author of the paper, which was published on Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA.
The reasons for the plunge in well-being in middle age, when suicides and use of anti-depressants both peak, are murkier. In recent years researchers have emphasized sociological and economic factors, from the accountant’s recognition that she will never realize her dream of starring on Broadway to the middle manager’s fear of being downsized, not to mention failing marriages and financial woes. In what Oswald, 58, calls “a burst of madness,” since no such study had ever been attempted, he and his colleagues decided to see whether creatures that don’t have career regrets or underwater mortgages might nevertheless suffer a well-being plunge in middle age. They enlisted colleagues to assess the well-being of 155 chimps in Japanese zoos, 181 in US and Australian zoos and 172 orangs in zoos in the United States, Canada, Australia and Singapore. Keepers, volunteers, researchers and caretakers who knew the apes well used a four-item questionnaire to assess the level of contentment in the animals, said psychologist Alex Weiss of Scotland’s University of Edinburgh. One question, for instance, asked how much pleasure the animals – which ranged from infants to graybeards – get from social interactions.
Why would chimps and orangs have a mid-life crisis? It could be that their societies are similar enough to the human variety that social, and not only biological, factors are at work, Oswald said. Perhaps apes feel existential despair, too, when they realize they’ll never be the alpha male or female. An evolutionary explanation is even more intriguing. “Maybe nature doesn’t want us to be contented in middle age, doesn’t want us sitting around contentedly with our feet up in a tree,” he said. “Maybe discontent lights a fire under people, causing them to achieve more” for themselves and their family. “By knowing our results, people might be gentler on themselves” when they experience a mid-life crisis, Oswald said. “Knowing that it’s biological, they’ll realize that if they can just hang on they’ll likely come out the other side.—Reuters    |
| Pakistan quashes Christian girl ‘blasphemy’ case Posted: 19 Nov 2012 10:27 PM PST
Rimsha Masih spent three weeks on remand in an adult jail after she was arrested on August 16 for allegedly burning pages from the Koran in a case that prompted worldwide condemnation. She was released on bail in September and police have since told the courts that she was not guilty and that a cleric who allegedly framed her should face trial instead. “The court has quashed the case, declaring Rimsha innocent,” her lawyer Akmal Bhatti told AFP. Cleric Hafiz Mohammed Khalid Chishti, who first gave police the burned papers as evidence against her, was detained on September 1 for desecrating the Koran and tampering with evidence. An official medical report classified Rimsha as “uneducated” and aged 14, but with a mental age younger than her years. Others have said she is as young as 11 and suffers from Down’s Syndrome. Paul Bhatti, the only Christian member of Pakistan’s federal cabinet, confirmed that the case had been thrown out by the high court in the capital Islamabad. “I welcome this order. Justice has been done and the law of the land has been upheld by the court,” he told AFP. “It will send out a positive image of Pakistan in the international community that there is justice for all and that society has risen up for justice and tolerance,” he added. Rimsha and her family, who have been in fear for their lives since the allegations, were moved to an undisclosed location after her release on bail on September 8. -AFP    |
| Isu kondo Batu Caves: Exco dicabar letak jawatan Posted: 19 Nov 2012 09:41 PM PST
SHAH ALAM: Exco Kerajaan Negeri Selangor, Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew dicabar meletakkan jawatan jika gagal menyelesaikan isu pembinaan projek kondominium Dolomite Park Avenue setinggi 29 tingkat di Batu Caves. Perkara itu disuarakan oleh Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) M Manoharan (DAP-Kota Alam Shah) dalam soalan tambahan kepada Ronnie Liu (DAP-Pandamaran) pada sidang DUN Selangor di sini hari ini. Manoharan berkata jika projek tersebut diteruskan ia akan menjejaskan struktur dan mengancam kuil Batu Caves yang berusia lebih 100 tahun. Malah pembinaan kondominium 29 tingkat yang berhampiran bukit batu kapur itu turut menjejaskan penduduk dan kawasan di sekitarnya. “Adakah exco bersedia meletak jawatan jika projek ini tidak dibatalkan? ……kerana projek ini mengancam kuil Batu Caves yang berusia lebih 100 tahun?” soal Manoharan kepada Ronnie Liu. Ronnie Liu yang juga Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Tetap Kerajaan Tempatan, Kajian dan Penyelidikan Negeri berkata tidak timbul isu letak jawatan kerana pendirian kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat negeri Selangor ialah untuk membatalkan pembinaan kondo tersebut. Katanya, kerajaan negeri juga mengeluarkan arahan untuk memberhentikan sementara kerja-kerja pembinaan itu malah satu jawatankuasa bebas ditubuhkan bagi mengkaji kelulusan projek. Menurutnya, kuasa untuk menarik semula permit dan lesen pemaju terletak ditangan dan bidang kuasa Perdana Menteri mahupun Timbalan Perdana Menteri. Katanya, projek kondominium itu telah mendapat permit pengiklanan untuk jualan di mana 60 peratus dari sejumlah 400 unit kondo tersebut sudah dijual. Lokasi projek pembinaan kondominium itu yang terlalu hampir dengan Batu Caves mendapat perhatian apabila Jawatankuasa Kuil Sri Subramaniam Swamy Devasthanam Batu Caves membuat bantahan baru-baru ini. Mereka mendakwa projek berkenaan akan menjejaskan pemandangan dan struktur kuil tersebut.    |
| Rafizi to meet HK’s anti-corruption officials tomorrow Posted: 19 Nov 2012 09:34 PM PST
He said that the two-day trip will see him, PKR MPs William Leong (Selayang) and Hee Loy Sian (Petaling Jaya Selatan) and state assemblyman Chang Li Kang (Teja) meet with the Independent Commissions Against Corruption’s (ICAC) Operations Review Committee (ORC). “The review committee can direct the ICAC to divulge certain information…We are going to get to the bottom of this,” he told reporters at the National Oversight and Whistleblowers centre. Rafizi said that the committee, which was made out of ICAC-independent members, had the power to get the ICAC to take another look into closed investigations. Additionally, he and the PKR lawmakers would also meet with Hong Kong Legislative Council opposition members, including Leung Kwok-Heung (League of Social Democrats), James To Kun-Sun (Democratic Party), Raymond Wong Yuk-Man (People’s Power) and Civic Party leaders. According to him, the trip, which would see him return to KL on Friday, had two objectives: to query if the ICAC’s investigation of timber tycoon Michael Chia was stonewalled by the Malaysian government, and to re-open the 2008 case. In 2008, Chia was supposedly caught by ICAC officers for trying to smuggle RM40 million in Singapore dollars to Malaysia. In October this year, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Abdul Aziz told Parliament that Chia had never been arrested, clearing him of corruption. This prompted Rafizi to reveal that Nazri’s family had been using a RM459,000 Hummer vehicle that Chia owned, leaving the PKR strategic director to wonder if Nazri was in fact linked money-wise to the timber tycoon. Previously, the PKR leader also alleged that ICAC’s investigation had been dropped after three years because of a supposed lack of cooperation by the Malaysian government. Click here to view the video on YouTube. Speaking on the trip, Rafizi hoped that the matter would be campaigned by Hong Kong politicians to resolve the matter. He said that he had written to the ORC, though he said that the ICAC could only act if an official complaint was made. “What is of paramount importance as far as this case concerned, is what led to ICAC to stop the investigation…If it was true that they stopped because they didn’t get any cooperation,” he said. He added that a press conference would be held in Hong Kong this Thursday, and another one on Friday at PKR headquarters at 4pm. Hoping that the ICAC would revisit the matter, Rafizi added that if his allegations were true, it would amount to a government cover-up. He also said that the Hong Kong mission was the first of a series of future investigations undertaken by him.    |
| Kumpulan anti-AES demo depan Parlimen Posted: 19 Nov 2012 09:14 PM PST
Desakan itu dibuat kira-kira 30 penyokong anti-saman ekor AES di hadapan bangunan Parlimen pagi tadi yang diketuai Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Teja Chang Lih Kang. Ahli Parlimen PKR-Batu Tian Chua, Sim Tong Him (DAP-Kota Melaka) serta Jeff Ooi (DAP-Jelutong), turut hadir menyokong demonstrasi aman itu. Tian Chua dalam ucapannya menegaskan matlamat utama kempen terbabit bukan untuk menghalang rakyat daripada membayar saman AES. Sebaliknya membantah projek swasta yang membebankan rakyat tetapi dalam masa yang sama menguntungkan kroni sendiri. “Kerajaan sepatutnya menangguhkan pelaksanaan AES dan memberikan pendedahan secukupnya kepada rakyat mengenai fungsi kamera itu supaya ia benar-benar efektf dalam mengurangkan kes kemalangan jalan raya,” katanya. Sementara itu, Chin Tong memberi jaminan sistem AES itu akan ditangguhkan malah samannya dibatalkan serta-merta sekiranya Pakatan Rakyat menguasai pemerintahan Pusat selepas Pilihan Raya Umum ke 13 (PRU13) nanti. “Kami berpendirian tetap menolak AES dan harap suara ini boleh menjadi satu tekanan kepada kerajaan supaya segera menghentikannya,” katanya. Manakala Chang berkata pihaknya dalam perancangan untuk membuat demonstrasi besar-besaran dalam masa terdekat sekiranya AES diteruskan.    |
| Posted: 19 Nov 2012 09:05 PM PST
SHAH ALAM: Pelunasan hutang-hutang Talam Corporation Berhad (Talam) bukan satu usaha penyelamat (bailout) tetapi merupakan satu keputusan komersil yang bijak. Demikian menurut laporan kertas putih yang diedarkan kepada pihak media ketika Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Selangor bersidang di sini pagi ini. Menurut laporan itu, pelunasan menerusi Perjanjian Pelunasan Menyeluruh (GSA) dilaksanakan bagi memastikan anak-anak Syarikat Kerajaan (GLC) Negeri Selangor mampu mengutip semula hutang-hutang Talam. KPMG Transaction dan Restructuring Sdn Bhd (KPMG) yang menjalankan pemeriksaan bebas terhadap usaha pungutan semula hutang- hutang Talam turut berpandangan keputusan kerajaan negeri melengkapkan GSA ini adalah bijak. Kerajaan negeri Selangor pada 2009/2010 memikul tanggungjawab untuk memulakan usaha baru bagi mengutip hutang-hutang itu menerusi GSA dengan Talam bertujuan menyelesaikan kutipan hutang sekaligus. Kata laporan itu, terdapat keperluan yang mendesak untuk kerajaan negeri menyelesaikan hutang-hutang Talam kerana kegagalan rancangan pelarasan kewangan Talam boleh memberi impak buruk kepada GLC berkenaan. Talam menghadapi masalah kewangan serius dan dikategorikan sebagai syarikat berstatus PN17 antara 1 September 2006 dan 10 Jun 2010 kerana kegagalan membuat bayaran balik terhadap pinjaman bon. “Maka Talam perlu menyelaraskan kedudukan kewangannya dengan mengemukakan satu pelan penyelarasan kepada Bursa Malaysia Berhad,” kata laporan itu. Laporan itu menjelaskan dibawah GSA, Talam mengaku janji untuk melunaskan sejumlah RM392 juta dengan cara memindahkan aset- aset mereka kepada Menteri Besar Incorporated (MBI). Berdasarkan jaminan dan aku janji itu, kerajaan negeri berkeyakinan bahawa seluruh jumlah hutang RM392 juta itu dilunaskan. Dalam proses pengambilalihan hutang-hutang kepada MBI, kerajaan negeri hanya membelanjakan RM420,000 dan sebahagian besarnya yuran perundangan dan faedah yang dikenakan oleh pihak bank. “Pelunasan hutang melalui GSA ini juga membolehkan pengutipan semua hutang Talam disatukan di peringkat negeri dengan MBI nmemastikan proses pengutipan hutang diselesaikan secara holistik. “Ini berbeza dengan cara sebelum ini apabila tiap-tiap anak syarikat negeri berurusan secara berasingan dengan Talam,” tambah laporan itu. Isu Talam ini timbul apabila Ketua Biro Profesional Muda MCA, Datuk Chua Tee Yong sebelum ini mendedahkan mengenai pembelian aset berjumlah RM676 juta dan penggunaan peruntukan sebanyak RM392 juta berkaitan Talam oleh kerajaan negeri.    |
| Posted: 19 Nov 2012 08:58 PM PST LONDON: Three primary school age children in one English city reaped more than the usual harvest of sweets and chocolates on Halloween when they emptied their trick-or-treat goody bags and found several bags of cocaine. On Monday, the man who had mistakenly handed out his cocaine stash to the children instead of candy was given a community service sentence in court, the Press Association reported. Apprentice panel-beater Donald Junior Green fished in his pockets for a bag of chewy sweets to give to the youngsters at his door on Halloween, but instead pulled out a plastic pack containing eight bags of cocaine he had bought for 200 pounds (US$320) earlier that day, Oldham Magistrates’ Court heard.
The 23-year-old defendant then closed the door, went back inside the house and put his hand in his pockets to get out his drugs – but instead pulled out the sweets. Green immediately realized what had happened and went on foot, then by car, scouring the streets of Oldham in northern England to find the youngsters. But the officer, Pc Simon Fowell, had taken his children home and, as they emptied their bags to share the spoils, he spotted the drugs, and made a swift call to on-duty colleagues. Green was given a 12 month community order, ordered to do 130 hours community work and told he must pay court costs totaling 145 pounds.—Reuters    |
| Asian shares rise on hopes for US fiscal deal Posted: 19 Nov 2012 08:54 PM PST
With risk assets from stocks to commodities rallying over the past two sessions, recovering some of last week’s sharp losses, markets were prone to profit taking as trading will likely slow ahead of Thanksgiving holiday weekend. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan. MIAPJ0000PUS added 0.6 percent, led by the materials and technology sectors .MIAPJMT00PUS .MIAPPJIT00PUS. South Korean shares .KS11 rose 0.6 percent, pulled higher by tech stocks, and Hong Kong .HSI stocks added 0.8 percent. Shanghai shares.SSEC were down 0.1 percent, but were off their lowest since early 2009 hit yesterday. Japan’s Nikkei average . N225 was up 0.1 percent, after climbing to a fresh two-month high earlier, rising for the fifth day in a row. .T The dollar was steady against a basket of key currencies.DXY, moving away from the two-month high of 81.455 hit on Friday, helping to cap commodities and gold. Crude oil also retreated after jumping almost 3 percent yesterday. As expected, the Bank of Japan took no fresh steps after a two-day policy meeting on Tuesday, reiterating that it would pursue powerful monetary easing as Japan’s economy is weakening. The dollar was down 0.2 percent at 81.26 yen, but held near its highest since April 25 of 81.59 yen touched yesterday. David Baran, co-founder of Tokyo-based hedge fund Symphony Financial Partners, said Japanese equities and the yen were attractive in comparison to other Asian assets as they have stayed at the lower end of ranges through 2012 and there are expectations that next month’s election will result in a government that wants the BOJ to take stronger stimulus steps. “Just from a risk-reward standpoint, you are seeing investors looking at Japan, looking at the yen,” he said. “If you are trying to trade big moves, turning points, then you are getting into low risk, high reward possibility in yen and subsequently Japanese equities.” Wall Street stocks climbed almost 2 percent, extending a rally that began on Friday, with the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index .SPX closing above its 200-day moving average for the first time in eight sessions. The rise on Wall Street reflected investors’ view that US lawmakers will reach a deal to avert $600 billion in tax increases and spending cuts due to start in January – the “fiscal cliff” that threatens to send the US economy back into recession. Prospects that Greece will get a lifeline to stay solvent also helped boost markets, but the euro zone’s debt crisis saw Moody’s cut France’s government bond rating to Aa1 and kept its negative outlook, citing the country’s uncertain fiscal outlook and deteriorating economic prospects. France’s downgrade sent the euro down 0.3 percent to US$1.2777 in early Asia from US$1.2810, a two-week high reached yesterday, and also pushed crosses lower such as the euro against the yen down 0.2 percent and the Australian dollar against the yen down 0.1 percent. The euro was last at US$1.2804. “Moody’s news is certainly not positive but market reaction seems contained,” said Hiroshi Maeba, head of FX trading Japan for UBS in Tokyo, adding that trading was getting lighter ahead of the US Thanksgiving holiday weekend. “Given the recent market rally, the rest of the week is likely to be spent on adjusting positions before the long weekend, with any uptick giving way to profit taking,” he said. Euro zone finance ministers are expected to give a tentative go-ahead for the disbursement of 44 billion euros in emergency loans to Greece at a meeting later today. The ministers will also discuss how to reduce Greek debt and provide two extra years of external financing to help the country achieve its fiscal targets. Tail risks remain European equities rebounded from multi-month lows yesterday for their biggest daily gain in 10 weeks on signs of progress in US talks to avoid a budget crisis. Ratings agency Fitch yesterday warned that failure to reach a deal on the “fiscal cliff” could trigger a recession and push the US jobless rate above 10 percent. Given such “far-reaching effects,” Fitch said it did not expect Congress to allow it to happen, echoing recent market optimism. But Richard Franulovich, senior currency strategist at Westpac Securities in New York, said in a note that the positive conciliatory rhetoric over the “fiscal cliff” could easily come unstuck, while anything that is produced at the euro zone finance ministers’ meeting is likely to be piecemeal. “Given our read of the fiscal cliff and Greek risks we remain comfortable fading strength in risk assets,” he said. US crude futures eased 0.1 percent to US$89.17 a barrel while Brent was nearly flat at US$111.66. China’s foreign direct investment inflows fell 3.45 percent in the first 10 months of 2012 from a year ago, but were on track to secure over $100 billion for the third consecutive year, following a raft of other economic indicators for October which pointed to a recovery gaining pace in the world’s second-largest economy. - Reuters    |
| Malaysia’s Dialog, Halliburton in US$1.2 billion oil services deal Posted: 19 Nov 2012 08:49 PM PST
The agreement aims to boost recoverable reserves in the Bayan Field, located offshore Sarawak, as Malaysia tries to boost flagging production from its existing oil fields. “This is in line with Dialog’s strategy to continue developing its upstream capabilities, which include the rejuvenation and re-development of mature oil fields,” Dialog said in an announcement to the Malaysian stock exchange. Dialog’s unit Dialog D&P Sdn Bhd and Halliburton’s Asia Energy Services Sdn Bhd would hold an equal interest in Halliburton Bayan Petroleum Sdn Bhd (HBP) under the agreement running for a term of 24 years, the statement said. Dialog and Halliburton signed a memorandum of understanding in June to jointly pursue business opportunities in Malaysia. HBP has tied up with Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd, the exploration and production arm of state-owned Petroliam Nasional Bhd PETR.UL, to boost reserves in the Bayan Field. Shares in Dialog rose 0.74 percent to 2.41 ringgit by 0940 am (0140 GMT), while Halliburton shares last traded at US$31.7. - Reuters    |
| US ITC will review Apple, Samsung patent decision Posted: 19 Nov 2012 08:47 PM PST
An administrative law judge at the ITC had said in a preliminary ruling in September that Apple was innocent of violating the patents. The ITC, which could have opted to simply uphold the judge’s decision, said that it would take up the matter. A final decision is expected in January. If Apple is found to infringe, its devices can be banned for sale in the United States. Apple and Samsung have taken their bruising patent disputes to some 10 countries as they vie for market share in the booming mobile industry. Apple won a huge victory in August when a US jury found the South Korean firm had copied key features of the iPhone. Apple was awarded US$1.05 billion in damages. That ruling is under appeal. In its announcement that it would review the case, the ITC asked for briefings on how it should consider standard essential patents, which are normally expected to be licensed widely and on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms. The use of standards helps companies ensure devices are interoperable. Some antitrust enforcers have argued that it is wrong for companies which own standard essential patents to ask for infringing devices to be barred from the country except in extreme instances. The commission is reviewing a decision by ITC Judge James Gildea, who said in September that Apple did not violate the four patents at issue in the case, which was filed in mid-2011. The two standard essential patents in the complaint are related to 3G wireless technology and the format of data packets for high-speed transmission. Apple has a parallel complaint filed against Samsung at the ITC, accusing Samsung, a major Apple chip provider as well as a global rival, of blatantly copying its iPhones and iPads. An ITC judge said in that case that Samsung infringed on four Apple patents. The full ITC will issue a final decision in February. Apple has waged an international patent war since 2010 as it seeks to limit growth of Google’s Android system. The fight has embroiled Samsung, HTC and others who use Android. Google’s Android software, which Apple’s late founder Steve Jobs denounced as a “stolen product,” has become the world’s No. 1 smartphone operating system. Samsung is the world’s largest smartphone maker, while Apple is in third place. Many experts consider Samsung’s Galaxy touchscreen tablets the main rival to the iPad, although they are currently a distant second to Apple’s devices. Samsung is also a parts supplier to Apple, producing micro processors, flat screens and memory chips – both dynamic random access memory (DRAM) chips and NAND memory chips – for the iPhone, iPad and iPod. Apple has reduced orders from Samsung for chips and screens. The case at the International Trade Commission is No. 337-794. - Reuters    |
| Motion denouncing Israeli attacks tabled Posted: 19 Nov 2012 08:40 PM PST
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Nazri Aziz, tabled 10 resolutions at about 11am, which drew support from both sides of the political divide. "The attacks on Gaza and Palestinians is an act of travesty against international conventions, human rights, and United Nations (UN) Charter. “It is a war crime which goes against the Fourth Geneva Convention that guarantees protection for civilians during war," said Nazri. Among the resolutions tabled were: 1 The Malaysian government condemns the military attacks by Israel on Gaza which had claimed the lives of civilians, including women, children, babies and senior citizens, as well as damages to properties and infrastructure, and urge Israeli military to withdraw in total from Gaza and West Bank. 2 Urge the UN Security Council to stop Israel from military aggression on Gaza through a ceasefire and place peacekeeping troops there to enforce the ceasefire. 3 Urge the United Nations General Assembly to hold an emergency meeting under UN Resolution 377a (V) if its Security Council fails to fulfill its responsibility. 4 Urge those involved in the conflict to negotiate peace and adhere to the resolutions made by UN on the Palestinian issue. On Nov 14, the Israeli government launched air strikes in Gaza, on areas referred by the Zionist government as "terrorist hotspots". The military attacks, codenamed "Operation Pillar of Defense", had thus far claimed more than 100 Palestinian lives, including women and children. The attacks drew widespread criticism from Muslim leaders worldwide, but Israel has stood by its actions, claiming its was defending its territory from Hamas rocket attacks. Nazri, who is also Padang Rengas MP, expressed his gratitude to MPs for supporting the motion. "I thank all the MPs for taking up this issue, regardless of our racial, religious and political background to address the fate of our Palestinians brothers in Gaza," he said. Calling Israel arrogant, Nazri said the Jewish state was being inhumane by attacking Gaza via sea, air and land. "Malaysians feel there is no reason for Israel to punish Palestinians with such aggression. We urge the UN Security Council to take serious action on the matter," he said. Umno MP, Ismail Kassim, said that the issue was not about Muslims’ plight but an issue of international human rights. He also criticised US president Barack Obama for defending the attacks despite the widespread support he received from the world community for his re-election. "Since the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt, the US government kept supporting Israeli aggression against Palestinians for their own agenda," said Ismail. Politics of disposition Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim said that Israel has defied international conventions numerous times and the world community is seen incapable of doing anything. "It’s politics of disposition. Israel just keeps seizing Palestinian land and leaves its natives stranded," said the Permatang Pauh MP. Anwar called on the Malaysian government to urge the US to act against Israel for its defiance, as the latter would not have attacked Gaza without the superpower’s backing. "Israel has managed to ignore international treaties due to the support it receives from America. It’s becoming nothing less than a terrorist state," said the former deputy prime minister. Ipoh Timur MP, Lim Kit Siang, also took a swipe against Obama for being quick to defend Israel for its attacks, although civilians were at the receiving end of the war. Marang MP, Abdul Hadi Awang, urged the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) and the Non-Aligned Movements (NAM) to make strict resolutions against Israel. "And I laud Egypt for opening its borders to Palestinians to seek refuge," said the PAS president. During his winding up speech, Nazri said that Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak met Obama today at the ASEAN Summit in Cambodia, to speak about the Israel-Palestinian conflict. "Najib told the US president that the attacks must stop. In return, Obama said that he will try his level best to end the conflict and restart the two-state solution negotiation process," said Nazri. He added that Malaysia had always supported the two-state solution process, with East Jerusalem being the capital of a new Palestinian nation. On why Malaysia only speaks to the Fatah administration in Palestine instead of Hamas, Nazri said that Malaysia was bound by certain regulations imposed by UN on the matter. He said that while Fatah was in favour of the two-state solution, Hamas was bent on eliminating Israel from the land. "We cannot deny the existence of Israel and that’s why UN refuses to speak to Hamas. We have no choice but to adhere to the regulations imposed by the international body," said Nazri. The motion was passed without objections at 3pm, presided by Dewan Rakyat deputy speaker Ronald Kiandee.    |
| I challenge Hisham to a debate Posted: 19 Nov 2012 08:39 PM PST FMT LETTER: From Gobind Singh Deo, via e-mail I challenge Home Minister Hishamuddin Hussein to a debate over what more could be done to make police stations safer for members of the public so as to avoid further recurrences of incidents such as deaths, assault and rape of detainees in police custody. The minister seems clueless as to how he can further improve the police force, especially in light of the rape of an Indonesian woman by three officers in a police station in Prai recently. It is worrying to read his response to a call for him to resign as Home Minister over the case, saying, “We have already ensured that they are brought to court. What else can we do? This is our country’s system.” Such a statement by the Home Minister in such a situation does not inspire an ounce of confidence. It also doesn’t help that the minister further failed to take a position on the implementation of the IPCMC, which would perhaps offer some hope to the nation that the government is serious about complaints against the police and how such complaints are to be dealt with. The minister’s cold responses to complaints against the force shows how out of touch he is with what the real issues are and what needs to be done to solve the problem. I think he just doesn’t know what’s going on or understand what is happening around him. He should learn from cases in the past where people have died, have been abused and have been raped in custody. He should learn from the deaths of Kugan, Teoh Beng Hock and Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed. These were cases in which allegations of brutality were raised and inquiries were held. All of them point to weaknesses in measures which currently exist in police stations or places where individuals are taken for questioning when suspected of having committed offences. The Teoh Beng Hock RCI went so far as to recommend broad changes to be made in order to make these places more secure so as to avoid such incidents from occurring again in future. The Home Minister does not seem to have understood anything at all from all this. And what of cases in which police officers are accused of rape and abuse of women and young girls in police stations? In 2008, a police officer, was charged at the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court for raping a 17-year- old student and forcing her to perform oral sex on him in the Putra Heights police station. The trial saw the victim describe how she and her boyfriend were stopped by a police patrol car at 6am on June 18 that year and taken back to the police station. At the police station she and her boyfriend were taken to separate rooms for questioning. There, she was raped and forced to perform oral sex on the officer. In her police report, the victim alleged that the officer told her not to be afraid as he had seen many other girls like her previously. No action was taken until the matter was raised in Parliament and exposed in the press. And now we have a case in which three officers are alleged to have raped an Indonesian maid in a police station. The three have been charged swiftly, but not until after the matter was highlighted in the press and demonstrations were held both here and in Indonesia, which even saw the burning of our national flag. How does the minister have the stomach to say “what else can we do? This is our country’s system” in light of all this? This is not what we expect from the Home Minister in a situation as pressing as this. The question is how do you make the police more accountable for their actions? How do you put a stop to it? How do you make senior officers and even the government more responsible for incidents like these so as to ensure that officers are not motivated to break laws in pursuit of their own agenda and there are no more assaults, rapes and deaths in police custody? This is where the minister’s response is seriously lacking. He should tell us, what has he done to make police stations safer since becoming Home Minister? How has he as minister reduced “opportunity” for such incidents from happening in police stations? For example, how many stations have we fitted with CCTV cameras which would record all the movements of suspects inside of stations so as to reduce the risk of incidents like these from happening? How about interviews? Have we put into place any system which would demand that interrogations of suspects be done with more transparency and greater responsibility? For example, have we introduced a system where interrogations are recorded so as to avoid assault, threats, suggestions of corruption, if not questions suggestive sexually in nature against women in particular? And as stated above, what changes have been made to make senior officers such as the officers in charge of the police stations or lock-ups more responsible for incidents against anyone during their watch? If we are serious, we must make sure it works all the way up the ranks. Senior officers will keep their juniors in check more so if they know they too will be held responsible if laws are broken and civilians hurt whilst in custody. These are merely some of the suggestions which could help improve things. The setting up of the IPCMC will also boost the image of the police force as they will have an independent measure against them in terms of how they perform and deal with the public. It is most regrettable that the minister has chosen to trivialise a matter of such great importance. Hishammuddin must explain his lackadaisical response to this very pressing issue. I call upon him to therefore accept my challenge. I will raise these matters in Parliament and I expect him to attend personally to respond. The writer is MP for Puchong    |
| Posted: 19 Nov 2012 08:37 PM PST ABU DHABI: Visitors to Abu Dhabi’s latest attraction will be offered a journey through time when building of a branch of Paris’s world-famous Louvre museum finally gets under way next year. The emirate’s tourism arm, which is also building a branch of New York’s Guggenheim museum in the Gulf Arab emirate, confirmed construction will begin in the first quarter of 2013.
The museums and New York University are among institutions that plan to set up branches on Saadiyat Island, a US$27 billion cultural project in Abu Dhabi, where they will be housed alongside a golf course and high-end housing developments. “The contractor will move (in on the Louvre project) very soon. Construction will start in the first quarter of 2013,” Nabil al-Kendi, Tourism Development & Investment Company’s chief development officer said on Monday at an MEED conference. The development of Saadiyat Island is one of the largest cultural projects in the Middle East but last year more than 130 artists said they would boycott the Guggenheim museum there over what they said was exploitation of foreign workers.—Reuters    |
| Mempertingkat program profesional berterusan untuk guru Posted: 19 Nov 2012 08:34 PM PST
Timbalan Perdana Menteri Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin berkata program itu, yang turut melibatkan guru pelatih, akan merangkumi latihan-latihan terbaik sepanjang berkhidmat sebagai guru. “Mereka akan memperoleh peluang pembangunan kerjaya yang menarik merentas beberapa laluan kerjaya, dengan kemajuan berasaskan kompetensi, dan bukan bergantung kepada tempoh perkhidmatan,” katanya ketika berucap merasmikan Konvensyen Antarabangsa Institut Pendidikan Guru Dalam Pembelajaran dan Pembangunan Guru di sini hari ini. Muhyiddin yang juga Menteri Pelajaran berkata kementerian itu juga akan memberi tumpuan kepada usaha untuk memastikan semua guru menggunakan sepenuhnya keluwesan yang diberikan dalam isu berkaitan penjadualan kurikulum, penyusunan pengajaran, pendekatan pedagogi dan pentaksiran berasaskan sekolah. Selain itu, katanya, budaya bimbingan rakan sejawatan untuk meningkatkan kecemerlangan dan standard profesional kerjaya guru menerusi pementoran, pembangunan dan perkongsian sentiasa diberi galakan. Mengulas lanjut, Muhyiddin berkata guru yang berkualiti akan membina sistem pendidikan yang berkualiti dan seterusnya melahirkan insan yang berkualiti. Justeru, beliau berkata sistem pendidikan negara perlu mempunyai mekanisme untuk menentukan guru-guru yang dilahirkan adalah benar-benar kompeten dan memenuhi standard yang ditetapkan. Transformasi keguruan Katanya transformasi keguruan sebagai profesion pilihan yang merupakan satu daripada 11 anjakan dalam laporan awal Pelan Pembangunan Pendidikan Malaysia 2013-2025 menekankan kepada peningkatan pembelajaran dan pembangunan guru. “Bagi melaksanakannya, kita perlu meningkatkan kualiti profesion perguruan supaya dapat menghasilkan guru-guru yang cemerlang. Kita mahu jadikan profesion perguruan sebagai profesion yang diminati dan menarik perhatian ramai pelajar,” katanya. Oleh itu, beliau berkata insentif utama untuk menggalakkan pelajar cemerlang memasuki profesion perguruan adalah dengan menawarkan skim gaji yang menarik dan menyediakan tempat kerja yang moden. Muhyiddin berkata sistem pendidikan negara yang mengalami beberapa Beliau berkata kemahiran berfikir dan pemikiran kritis disertai dengan keupayaan berkomunikasi serta memiliki keyakinan kendiri perlu dijana menerusi pendekatan pengajaran dan pembelajaran yang holistik oleh guru. “Pendekatan-pendekatan dalam pengajaran yang dinamik ini akan melahirkan pelajar yang mampu berfikir secara mencapah dan menerokai kebenaran,” katanya. Beliau turut meminta semua guru, secara berterusan berusaha memastikan pendidikan di negara ini berkembang maju bukan sahaja untuk generasi masa kini tetapi juga untuk generasi akan datang. Muhyiddin juga berharap pelajar yang menamatkan persekolahan mereka boleh bertutur dalam pelbagai bahasa dan mampu berkolaborasi merentas budaya dan geografi. “Kita tidak perlu takut atau risau dengan kemungkinan generasi akan datang akan hilang tradisi, tetapi dengan pengetahuan baharu dan keupayaan berfikir secara kritis, generasi dan guru-guru akan datang tetap relevan dalam pasaran pekerjaan,” katanya. - Bernama    |
| AC/DC’s music to be sold on iTunes Posted: 19 Nov 2012 08:27 PM PST
Until now the Australian heavy metal group that was formed by two brothers, Angus and Malcolm Young, in 1973, had refused to put their music on Apple Inc’s online music store. “AC/DC’s thunderous and primal rock and roll has excited fans for generations with their raw and rebellious brand of music, which also resonates with millions of new fans discovering AC/DC everyday,” Columbia Records and Apple, said in a statement announcing the deal. “Their growing legion of fans will now experience the intensity of AC/DC’s music in a way that has never been heard before,” they added. The group’s 1976 debut album “High Voltage,” its classic “Back In Black” and 2008′s “Black Ice” are among the albums available on iTunes. All the of music has been mastered for iTunes and fans can download entire albums or individual songs.—Reuters    |
| ‘Virgin Mary’ image handed over to Church Posted: 19 Nov 2012 08:26 PM PST
One of the panes has on it marks that some claim resemble artistic depictions of Virgin Mary, the Mother of Jesus. “SDMC SJ had agreed to hand over the window panes at the request of the Church. ” “The removal of the window panes was carried out by professionals with due care, safety and caution exercised throughout the process, which started at 10 am and ended without incident at 11.35 am,” the medical centre said in a statement today. Over the last two weeks the hospital had been drawing scores of people wanting to have a closer look at one of the panes, after artistic impressions resembling Mother Mary appeared on it. Some had lit candles and conducted prayers to mark the event. “Church leaders and members of the Subang Jaya Parish were among those present to witness the removal of the window panes.” “SDMC SJ would like to thank its patients and their families, residents in the vicinity of the hospital and all its staff for their patience over the last two weeks. "SDMC SJ would also like to thank the Church, the Royal Malaysian Police, Rela officers and the public for their support and kind understanding during this period,” the statement added. It is learnt that arrangements had been made for the panels to be safely moved to the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes in Klang, where it will be verified and later, may be put on display for devotees. It will then undergo various processes involved in the verification of apparitions and that would be left to the Catholic Church authorities. Also read:
'Virgin Mary' image draws the devout, the sceptics    |
| List for reforms remains long in Burma Posted: 19 Nov 2012 08:22 PM PST
As one of his first official acts overseas upon his re-election to office, President Obama's visit to Burma will indeed be a historic moment and will have major implications for the future of freedom and democracy not just for Burma but for the region. Is the visit intended to signify Washington's recognition that Burma has made some significant progress towards freedom and democracy? While this question may not be definitively answered yet, there is no doubt that some reforms have been put in place. Among them are the relaxation on curbs to press freedom, allowing workers to form unions, and the legitimisation of opposition political parties including most significantly the freeing of Aung San Suu Kyi. While these changes are palpable steps in the direction of freedom and democracy, it needs to be stressed that issues of human rights remain far from resolved. So, if Obama's visit is meant to be an endorsement of the reforms carried out, then it must perforce be a very conditional endorsement. The progress made so far may be encouraging but the laundry list for reforms remains long and freedom and democracy advocates as well as other civil society groups in the region are watching this closely. The ethnic conflicts that have plagued this nation and the response by the Burmese government in dealing with them remain troublesome. The renewed outbreak of violence recently in Rakhine State which has seen the slaughter of hundreds of the stateless Rohingya Muslims and the destruction of entire settlements is a matter of grave concern. There have been reports that security forces were complicit in the killing or at least did nothing to stop it. Attempts to rationalise the massacres as inevitable consequences of ethnic strife cannot absolve the Burmese government from blame. In this regard, Washington has remained somewhat muted in response having failed to voice in the strongest terms its condemnation of these acts of murder and mayhem and to take to task the Burmese authorities for their failure to protect the minority Rohingya population. This is an ethnic community that has been rendered stateless since 1948, and constantly under attack from both sides and has been culturally and economically marginalized for decades. A state visit by President Obama under the circumstance without putting the Rohingya problem on the table would be interpreted as Washington soft-pedaling on such a crucial issue. Make good of your pledges As we have said before, America must not repeat the errors of the past in consorting with dictators and autocrats just so it may reap the benefits of realpolitik. It is true that under Obama, American foreign policy has improved considerably not the least of which is the departure from the glaring policy of selective ambivalence prevalent under President Bush. Nevertheless, vestigial linkage remains of such a policy as became apparent when the Arab spring unfolded. Having made that historic Cairo speech and the promises held out for the Muslim world, there were great expectations generated for freedom and democracy. But when the Arab spring took hold particularly in Egypt, Washington failed to seize the moment, constrained no doubt by its long standing ties with Mubarak. You can't drop your long time friends like a hot potato at the first sign of trouble. Similar stances of self-restraint are being seen in respect of certain other countries in the Middle East whose remaining autocrats are fighting tooth and nail to maintain the status quo using every means to brutally stamp out any manifestation of a renewed spring by their people. In this regard, we would once again remind President Obama that it is still not too late to make good the pledges made when he first came to office particularly to the Muslim world. If one bothers to listen, the calls for freedom, democracy and justice reverberate not only in the Middle East but very much so in Southeast Asia as well. In this region, there are Muslim nations whose people too aspire for true freedom and democracy though any mention of an Arab spring will provoke brutal reprisals of the powers that be. For example, street demonstrations for clean and fair elections are considered treasonous and the authorities have no qualms in meting out summary punishment by tear gassing, water bombing and beating unarmed participants including women and children. As for Burma, it is of paramount importance that the State Department impresses upon the government that there can be no real reform as long as the rights of the Rohingyas as well as other ethnic minorities continue to be violated with impunity. The lessons of the Arab Spring tell us that inaction when action is called will land us on the wrong side of history. Having been rendered stateless and economically marginalized for so long, the granting of citizenship and full rights to the Rohingyas is a condition precedent to lasting peace and reconciliation. Similarly, the persecution of the Shan people in Shan State and Kachin State must not be allowed to continue. Democracy and freedom cannot thrive while ethnic minority groups remain oppressed and dispossessed. Vibrant civil society On other fronts, the Obama administration needs to do more to nurture a vibrant civil society and an effective opposition to keep in check the excesses of the powers that be. The high powered dialogue on human rights held last month with the Burmese government is of paramount importance as a first step in that direction. However, to be effective it should not be a mere charade of civil exchanges, but a no-holds barred discourse where the areas of contention are frankly and decisively discussed. In any event, dialogues on issues such as rule of law, political reform, and justice can have little import when those affected are not properly represented. In this regard, there is no overstating the role of Aung San Suu Kyi as the chair of the legislative committee on the rule of law. As an icon for the human rights cause, she has to send a strong message against the killing of innocent women and children in the Rohingya massacre. Having championed her cause for democracy and consistently pushing for her freedom ever since her house arrest, we do not regard it as a matter of moral self-righteousness to call on her to now play a more prominent role in resolving the Rohingya problem. Positioned as she is now and with an outstanding track record in the fight for human rights, we believe Aung San Suu Kyi is the best person to lead this initiative. It is true that changes cannot occur overnight especially for a country that has been under military dictatorship for five decades. The fact that the State Department was able to convey the concerns of the minority groups, the voices of civil society and parties concerned for the fight for human rights, speaks volumes for its role in this continued strategy of constructive engagement and involvement. Furthermore, the release of more than 700 political prisoners is significant even though full freedom is still being denied as many continue to labour under travel restrictions and curbs on participating in the political process. Even as Rome was not built in a day, the foundation of rule of law must be built without a day's delay. Without rule of law, reforms may crumble overnight in Burma as the executive brow beats the judiciary into submission, a state of affairs with which we are not unfamiliar. Parliamentary reforms must proceed in tandem with legal and judicial transformation. The repealing of outdated and restrictive laws will be an exercise in futility if these laws are supplanted by new ones equally draconian and oppressive, as is the case with certain sham democracies in Southeast Asia. It is reassuring that the State Department has recognised that serious human rights abuses against civilians continue and the condition of hundreds of thousands of refugees has reached crisis point. While we remain firm in applauding the American people in making the right decision by re-electing a man of principle and integrity, a leader reflective of the nation's cultural, ethnic and religious diversity, and no doubt capable of taking America to the next level at home and abroad, we urge President Obama to do the right thing when he meets with the leaders of Burma. Yes, it's true that a nation's reforms will succeed only if the people themselves put in their best efforts and there is no gainsaying that obstacles and challenges abound along Burma's road to freedom and democracy. The writer is Malaysia’s Opposition Leader.    |
| Have we become a fascist state? Posted: 19 Nov 2012 07:57 PM PST
Though the police may have acted on the orders of their political masters i.e. the top civil servants in the home ministry who would have signaled their displeasure to the Inspector General of Police after having read the article, the police themselves have become a shame to their institution and the nation as a whole. Despite having a better educated force, we still see many officers taking orders from their superiors which makes them look like fools when they execute such orders. Have we become a fascist state that criticising national policies and the way in which the nation is run has become so dangerous that writers and publishers have become the latest targets of the police? Perhaps God may have seen what happened to Malaysiakini when the police came a calling, and that in the following days a huge disgraceful incident had happened in Prai, Penang where three policemen were accused of raping an Indonesian domestic helper who was caught without having her original passport which was being withheld by the agency which had brought her here. Instead of disciplining their own, our police force seem interested in ensuring that the freedom to opine is controlled if not stifled altogether. It can be said that due to the education system that we have, the entrants into the police force today are of very low quality. Most of these entrants believe that by securing a job with the police and being in uniform, they are untouchable. Most are very lowly educated, most have very little knowledge of English, all they can converse in is in the national language. The ones that are English speaking are usually kept as aides to the higher ranked officers who speak very little English but need to put up a good public relation stunt to show the world that they are able and highly educated policemen. Now with the secondment of Rela guards as police personnel, it makes the matter even worse. Amongst the lower strata of the Indian community who have now become urban slum and ghetto dwellers, a job with the police force is like a calling from God. They feel that it will be better to join the devil instead of getting killed by the devil all the time. So, with pleasure many will be glad to see their daughters and sons in the blue uniform although what they do is just sit around in pondoks waiting for that gullible Indon, Bangla, Burmese or Indian worker to pass by. Most don’t mind that all their children will be learning is the art of corruption and how to perfect it whilst enjoying a salary from the public purse and to top it all, a pension at the end of the day. Gone are the days when we had Indian and Chinese officers whose names would be enough to put fear into the slime balls of the underworld. What we are left with today is a batch of Indian and Chinese officers who see the police force as another means of perfecting the art of patronage so that they can be as decorated as it is allowable for a non Malay in the police force. This mental state has spread to all spheres of the current regime’s administration, after the DAP took power in Penang. Suddenly the Chinese in the DAP have become ultra Chinese who “hate” Malays. But when these same Chinese were in the opposition, no mention was made of this so called ultra-ism then. So what can be gained from this is, as long as compliant Chinese in the MCA are sharing the “leased out” power which is on the benevolence of Umno, all will be fine but if the DAP takes power, the Chinese there will be termed as ultras. This fear and mental state in the Malays will never be eradicated until and unless they themselves brave the challenges and come out of the mental stranglehold of the state. When queried by the press on the rape case by the police personnel, the home minister says that all has been done to bring them to justice and questions, “What else can be done?”. In mature democracies, the home minister’s resignation will be called for and if it is not forthcoming, public pressure will mount. If we are really to become the best democracy in the world as espoused by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, accountability shall be paramount when it comes to public office. But as usual in our administration, all we have for a term of office by this current federal government is slogans, slogans and nothing but slogans. It should have been ‘People Last and What Performance?’ instead of ‘People First and Performance Now!’ We have to learn to differ and respect the right to opine if we are serious in seeing this country not become another province of Indonesia in the future, or some backwater state of South Asia where a system of governance which is more of a system of preferences based on race instead of need and a system which does not bother about accountability that has failed miserably, leaving us far behind our other South Asian neighbours. To do that we need to show this government which has now become more of a regime because of the way in which the state apparatus and its servants (civil servants) have become more of robots working on command of the ruling party instead of going in tandem with the General Orders of Civil Service no matter which party comes to power. There is no more time to be given to rectify mistakes. Mistakes should have been rectified a long time ago. We are on the verge of being a failed state. People have got to know that only when we agree to disagree can we sow the best minds which, in turn will help us lead this country to greater heights in the future especially in Southeast Asia where our neighbours are far ahead of us. A question to ask Since our administration is almost entirely Malay with just a show of multi-racialism here and there to show the world that we are multi racial, any real change must start from the Malays themselves. If they still feel that the Chinese and the Indians are here to steal Malaysia from them, then they will be stuck in this state for another 55 years to come. If the mentality is to bear it with a leadership that is corrupted and unable to do anything drastic to curb corruption and the abuse of power to plunder state funds in the name of development all because the leadership is Malay, then the country is heading in the wrong direction. The question the Malays must ask themselves is why can’t other Malays from different political opinions be given a fair shot at governing this country since it is an unwritten rule that only Malays can lead this country? If the Malays feel that the Chinese and the Indians should not question them when it comes to the leadership of this country, then they should allow the non-Malays to just do business and live in this country with equal opportunities for scholarships, contracts awarded by the government via open tender, licenses, places at blue chip faculties of local universities and many other aspects of daily live which is not right now due to high corruption and abuse of power and racism. The non-Malays should be given a fair shot at what the government has to offer to its people. If this can be done, the non-Malays will not be keen to partake in the leadership of the country because they would feel that the Malay leadership is doing a great job at it. But what we see here today is totally the opposite. Corruption has been allowed to flourish unabated with many civil servants getting into the fray by setting up companies to do work outsourced by government departments and to get contracts from the government by way of closed tender awarded to crony companies. When questioned, the force of the law with concocted facts and figures and a compliant judiciary is used to silence the questioners immediately. With every institution and department in their pockets, these leaders can continue to plunder the nation till the bottom of barrel is empty and then think of ways and means to fleece more money from the people through new innovative means. When questioned again, race and religion will be used as the final trump card to again subdue the “boiling lid effect” which is already being seen. The Malays will be warned that they will loose power and be second class citizens in their own land and to curb this they must allow the “devils” that they know, to continue to lead. The young are not prepared to see this attitude ruin the country. Many have awakened and are now more politically conscious. Be it the leading political parties, the law enforcement agencies like the police or any other institution which has been ruined and is totally useless and unworthy of its existence, the people are rising to claim this nation again. We will not allow it to become a failed state and will not allow one party to dictate and call the shots any more. Malaysia is for her citizens, we should do all it takes to protect her from the irresponsible.    |
| Acknowledging the heroes among us Posted: 19 Nov 2012 07:56 PM PST
FMT Heroes is about highlighting ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Amazing individuals who move out of their comfort zones and champion causes, often going against the grain and defying odds. These are selfless individuals who are willing to get their hands dirty and plunge into areas others fear to go. Each week, the FMT Heroes section will feature individuals or organisations who have performed the extraordinary and made a difference. It will highlight their work and accomplishments, their personal struggles and the strategies they used in striving to be more. In becoming more, they are initiating transformation. These are people who have probably lived without realising that their sense of being has inspired change, and perhaps evolution in the human spirit. We also invite you, the reader, to share and submit stories (in not more than 250 words) of who you think deserves to be highlighted in our FMT Heroes section. Our team will then follow up with you or the person/group you have submitted and work towards sharing it with our readers. We aspire to eventually organise an awards night next year to recognise these amazing women and men who have performed great deeds, serving various communities and causes in Malaysia. Please submit your heroes to fmtheroes@freemalaysiatoday.com. Please include all contact details of yourself and your nominee. It would also be helpful if you could share any news or information about your nominee if they have been featured in the media (newspaper, magazine,tv,radio,blogs,facebook) FMT Heroes is brought to you by FMTnews.com, one of Malaysia's leading news portals. (www.fmtnews.com). The site garners close to 1.4 million unique visitors every month and has more than 6 million page views a month. It is now moving forth to bring more community and grassroots stories, events and information to the public.    |
| Posted: 19 Nov 2012 07:34 PM PST
Yet this is a country where just 30 years ago public criticism erupted when a magazine published a picture of a couple kissing on its back cover. The about face in attitudes towards sex in China, which began when the prudish Communist government launched its opening and reform drive in the late 1970s and has been catalyzed by the Internet, is creating a prime business opportunity for the sex toy industry, insiders say. The market will grow to around 40 billion yuan (US$6.4 billion) by 2014 from around 10 billion yuan at the end of last year, predicts Lin Degang, chief executive of an online retailer of sex toys, www.oyeah.com.cn. “Within five years, sex toys will be a common commodity for everyday use,” he told Reuters. “Sex toys will be a key element of a fashionable lifestyle.” Sex toys have become so ubiquitous that various kinds of vibrators can even be bought at FamilyMart Co Ltd convenience stores throughout Shanghai. With price tags of US$15 to US$17, they are sold by the cashier, along with condoms. Highlighting expectations of a strong upward trajectory in domestic sales, two private equity firms in August jointly invested 300 million yuan into Love Health Science & Technology Co Ltd, the biggest Chinese sex toy manufacturer. Sex toys have existed in China for centuries. The concubines of Chinese emperors who failed to find sexual satisfaction often turned to them, and there were also sex toys for men, according to Peng Xiaohui, a professor of sexology at Central China Normal University, in the central city of Wuhan. Their use was forced underground after the Communist Party took over the country in 1949 and adopted policies aimed at repressing people’s personal desires, including romance and sex, in favor of ideas of revolution and collectivism. Forbidden puppy love Even teenagers were officially “forbidden” to have crushes on each other. “We can say that after 1949, Chinese society was more conservative than in ancient China,” said Peng. Things have changed following social and economic reforms that began in the late 1970s, but many Chinese still hold conservative views towards certain elements of sex, such as homosexuality and pornography. Pornographic websites and publications are banned, while young homosexuals often marry to conform to society. But over the last decade, the subject has become an increasingly open topic for debate, mainly due to the Internet.
The country’s state-run broadcaster has aired a program featuring a controversial sexologist, who on the show called for the legalization of homosexual marriages, while an annual sex fair in Guangzhou in southeastern China drew 250,000 visitors last month. Fang said sex is far more than a physical act. “It is a barometer of the entire society. With a more free society comes a more free attitude towards sex, and vice versa,” he added. Lin said around 70 percent of his clients, mostly in their 20s and early 30s, were male. Most purchase items — the favorite being a double vibrator — for their girlfriends. At Yamete Love Store, in a residential area of downtown Shanghai, customers can browse items ranging from inflatable dolls to sexy costumes amid low-key lighting as mellow music plays. Most of the items are imported from Japan and Sweden, and carry prices from US$100 to US$210. Most shoppers, though, still seem to prefer buying online. “I feel too embarrassed to buy any sex toys in actual stores,” said Candice Zheng, a 25-year-old office worker in Zhejiang province, south of Shanghai. “I just order them from on-line shops.”—Reuters    |
| Posted: 19 Nov 2012 07:19 PM PST
The relationship is turning mean You choose not to spend much time together You're not introduced to family or friends They're controlling You have nothing in common Where's the commitment? Too busy to call LINKS    |
| Posted: 19 Nov 2012 07:17 PM PST
At least one prominent leader of the Islamist party has come up with a sensible suggestion: stop the internal bickering and concentrate on statecraft. The opposition may have the experience in managing a state but governing a country is altogether a different ball game. It requires great skill, acumen and judgment to promote the welfare of the people while at the same time balancing the needs of a diverse society. The ruling party can claim it has solid experience in managing the affairs of the country, but after more than 50 years in the saddle, it has lost its sense of direction and purpose as it had veered onto the wrong side of the road in pursuit of obnoxious policies. What can the opposition offer? It must put on its thinking cap and start planning its moves. The general election is near and there is a strong favourable wind blowing in its direction. There is a growing feeling that this time around, the trophy may change hands and the country may see new masters taking charge of its destiny. The Orange Book is a good start with its goals clearly spelt out but more must be served on the platter. The opposition manifesto, when it is unveiled, must further set forth what the coalition will do when it comes to power. Many things have gone awry in this country in the past few decades. There is an undercurrent of dissatisfaction and unhappiness with the way political and economic affairs are being managed, with the growing realisation that something drastic must be done to stop the rot. Public anger did boil over onto the streets only to see the protest crushed. The arrogance of the government knows no bounds: it treats its citizens like chattels who can be used and abused at the whims and fancies of the political overlords. Statecraft has become an art of deception and exploitation. Now the opposition alliance with its disparate ideologies and beliefs has given the people an alternative path to a more promising future. Can it manage the country more efficiently than its rival? No one knows the answer simply because it has never occupied the centre of power. Its long years in the political wilderness have not equipped it with the skills necessary for managing a larger stage. Voters continued to cast their lot with the devil they know rather than the devil they don’t. The gathering storm may change all this old familiar scene. Squabbling must stop The ruling party senses that its grip on power is loosening and its commander is extremely wary of calling for polls now. At every chance it gets, the government of the day never fail to exploit the seeming disarray in the opposition rank to its advantage. With ample help from its mouthpiece, it has been going on an aggressive campaign to bolster its argument that the bickering in the opposition camp reflects the latter’s inability to rule the country. But the people have grown wiser to all these propaganda tactics and want to believe that the other side can and will do a better job at governance. But the squabbling must stop. The Islamist party and its partners must refocus on the bigger picture: how to rule the country once the opposition alliance triumphs at the polls. They must sit down now and begin tossing ideas and proposals on how they can solve the many ills plaguing the nation. There must be a collective approach and agreement on all the issues thrashed out. All the spat over Islamic laws and Islamic state must take a back stage. Malaysia is a story in diversity and no one should try to rewrite a different line that would only upset the delicate balance and exacerbate an already tense situation. The Party of God, the Party of Democracy and the Party of Justice must all find common ground if they want to be the government of the day. Each party cannot push its own selfish agenda at the expense of the wellbeing of the people. No one party should impose its will on the other. In matters spiritual, the guiding light should be the individual’s moral upbringing, and in matters temporal, the beacon should be the Federal Constitution. All the three players, who themselves have been no less vociferous in their criticism of the government, must live up to public expectation that they can produce a more viable plan that can pull the country back from the brink. Statecraft is serious business. Politicians who "throw themselves into public affairs and treat political activity as a pastime" have no business to embark upon a public career. Public service demands the highest level of integrity and commitment. In the overall scheme of things, people yearn for "peace, freedom, plenty, concord" while rejecting strife, medieval laws, ethnic supremacy. Also read:    |
| Divided PAS spells trouble for Pakatan Posted: 19 Nov 2012 07:04 PM PST
The fact remains that rise of the "extremist" voices within PAS is a negative element for Pakatan Rakyat. These are only two of the major woes of the Pakatan opposition, which is on a historic march to conquer Putrajaya. However, this path is rigged with troubles, which Pakatan is expected to quash well before the next general election. Which ever way Pakatan is heading, there is one obvious element: the loose coalition is experiencing the hardships of building and creating a true "rainbow" union. And this is probably due to the resistance within the Pakatan coalition itself, while the Barisan National hard-hitting "pro-Malay" campaigns could be an added disincentive. The hardships faced by PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim to build a "rainbow" coalition will surely haunt the new regime in Putrajaya, but once victory is achieved, it is certain Pakatan will overcome these woes and impose itself. While the division within PAS reflects the division among the Malay-Muslim majority in Malaysia, the DAP is enjoying the support of a large majority of the Chinese community. This is creating an imbalance that has given more room to the BN to feel cozy in its "Malay First" diatribes. And this is a significant observation since Pakatan needs a majority of the Malay community to win the 13th general election, but it has an agenda that does not satisfy half of PAS. And by extension this agenda does not satisfy a section of the Malays altogether, but it has cemented the second largest community’s – the Chinese community – support for Pakatan. A divided PAS PAS today is an embarrassment with the divided leadership and this shows how PAS is a divided party from the top to its grassroots level. The division within the PAS reflects a "maligned" situation that clashes with the agenda set by Pakatan, that is, a fair, just and equitable Malaysia. Does PAS really have to bring the support of the "extreme" right Malays to impose its views in Pakatan or is the party going to be more comfortable within the BN, divided as it is? It is clear that PAS is plagued by the fact that it is a "state-based party" (jaguh kampung) with a largely divided leadership on both political and religious issues. PAS has also been "penetrated" by elements with "foreign" ideologies while its only "national" policy is the implementation of Islamic laws in Malaysia. Its clashes with Pakatan’s agenda for concrete changes in Malaysia can be a turn-off to a fringe of the "non-Muslim" voters if the issue is pressed upon by the "divided" PAS leadership. It is clear at this stage that the Pakatan leadership does not want to get involved in the morass created by the "Malay" supremacy claims, which is apparently getting some support from pro-Umno PAS leaders. Would it be to Pakatan’s advantage to deal a direct blow to the group of "ultras" within its ranks? Or should Pakatan wait until the election is over to impose its will? The fear of losing may have bogged down the Pakatan leadership in its decision-making process, with regard to the sensitivity of Malay-Muslim voters. This hesitation to decide on the "ultras" will have a negative effect on Pakatan. It will cause a large number of the voters on the fence to either decide to continue voting for the BN or to abstain in the election. PAS will have to take the blame for this failure to win the hearts and minds of the fence-sitters. The vote bank of the fence-sitting Malaysians will be crucial to win more seats for Pakatan and defeat the BN. It will be a double jeopardy to Pakatan in the end since a divided PAS leadership, giving the wrong signal to the population, is not the only problem it is facing while a hesitant Pakatan will not convince the undecided voters. Pakatan must act Shutting out the extremists is not undemocratic. It is a necessary move to win more votes, hence more seats in order to consolidate Pakatan’s grip in its march to success. What is needed from Pakatan at this moment is for Anwar to rise above the other leaders and for the Pakatan coalition leaders to show their support for his leadership. In order to break the conundrum that has saddled Pakatan over the years since its dashing 2008 performance, Anwar must impose himself on the coalition. By imposing himself, Anwar will gain more respect from the public and a public show of support from Pakatan towards his leadership will ensure Pakatan’s greater performance in the next general election. It is time for Anwar and Pakatan to shed all fears and hesitation and make Anwar the supreme leader. In the meantime, PAS will have to swallow its ego and accept its role as a partner within the alliance and shed away its attempts to become the "leading" party in the popular opposition coalition. This will be for the betterment of the entire Malaysian nation while the sacrifice by PAS will benefit the party and Pakatan. Ali Cordoba writes extensively on local politics.    |
| Lynas to start production in Dec Posted: 19 Nov 2012 07:04 PM PST
Lynas executive chairman Nicholas Curtis told the company’s annual general meeting in Sydney on Tuesday that it had been a year “when the noise around the company has reached an amplitude that is, quite frankly, not sustainable and very negative for us all.” “But I have to say that short-term share market performance is not our main focus as management of Lynas. “One to two tough years to bring the business to life need to be put in the context of the long-term vision we are realising. “By the second half of calendar 2013, we expect to be moving towards full production capacity and have a business that has the potential to deliver sustainable and predictable earnings,” Curtis is quoted by the Australian Associated Press as saying. Production revenue is set to flow from the first quarter of calendar 2013, Curtis said. After reaching unsustainable highs, prices for rare earths have now fallen and growth in demand is expected to resume, possibly as soon as the second half of 2013, he said. After a drawn-out approval process and several legal challenges from locals and activists, Lynas’ advanced materials plant in Gebeng currently has a temporary operating licence. However, opponents, arguing the mine will pollute nearby land, are still seeking an interim stay on the licence and have appealed to the Malaysian High Court. The delays to first production have also forced Lynas to raise A$200 million by issuing new shares recently. Lynas’ share price has suffered, recently hitting an all-time low of A55 cents, down from A$1.165 a year ago. - Bernama    |
| Astro management exercises 1m new shares Posted: 19 Nov 2012 06:56 PM PST
KUALA LUMPUR: Astro Malaysia Holdings Bhd management have exercised one million new shares in the company for RM1 per share under a scheme to reward its top management and executives. The price is way below Astro's current market price that closed at RM2.70 yesterday and its initial public offering (IPO) price of RM3 per share. The issue is part of the 21.9 million management share scheme which was announced on Oct 11, after its IPO listing on Oct 19. The new shares that will be listed today, coincide with the scheduled vesting date of the new shares to be issued under the scheme. Astro which had been relisted at RM3 had seen the share price going south since its listing. Among the reasons for its disappointing IPO was that its shares were fully priced at its debut. Astro which was delisted in 2010, only listed its Malaysian assets for its relisting. "The management share scheme would have a minimal impact on the share price as the issue is small at one million shares and there would be a window period where the subscribers would not be able to sell their shares," said Mercury Securities analyst, Ken Lai who tracks the stock. Astro's market capitalisation after the scheme takes effect would be around RM14 billion thus the management share scheme would have a minimal effect on the company's share price. Astro which is controlled by tycoon T Ananda Krishnan is Malaysia's first pay-TV operator. In an announcement dated Oct 11, the company said that 3.2 million shares had been granted to the chief executive officer of the company, Rohana Rozhan with one million shares being allotted one year from the date of the listing which will be subject to a lock up arrangement of one year. The balance of the shares will be vested in tranches on the second till the fifth anniversary of the company's listing. [This content is provided by FMT content partner The Malaysian Reserve]    |
| Posted: 19 Nov 2012 06:55 PM PST
Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein will bend backwards, if necessary, to assure the rakyat that the three policemen-turned-rapists in Penang will not escape the wrath of justice. The disturbing truth is, does the rakyat trust him on this? The doubt comes about because this is not the first time the country's cops have abused their authority and outraged the modesty of a woman. On June 18, 2008, a policeman on duty at the Putra Heights (in Subang Jaya) police station raped a 17-year-old pillion rider after detaining her boyfriend at the police station for riding the motorcycle without a licence. The girl was forced to perform oral sex on the cop-rapist who afterwards threatened her to keep mum about the incident. However, thanks to Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo, the incident was brought into the open. But the case failed to perturb the country's authorities, from the prime minister to the inspector-general of police. Then in November last year, a 39-year-old finance accountant, who had highlighted her plight of being allegedly molested by a group of 11 policemen seven years ago, found herself in the dock instead, with the charge being related to the incident that took place seven years ago. Last year, too, the nation's cops forced female Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) activists who were detained to undress in the presence of male police officers. (Thirty-six of the PSM activists were detained while carrying out their "Udahlah Bersaralah" – Enough already, Retire Now – campaign in Perak, to remind Malaysians of the pitfalls of returning Barisan Nasional to power in the 13th general election.) Complaints of sexual misconduct by police were made by detainees in Kepala Batas, Penang, and Ipoh, respectively and PSM secretary-general S Arutchelvan said a police officer told them they needed six months to investigate the report. Clearly, the policemen of this land seem to have become a law unto themselves, perpetrating crimes against women and fearing the ensuing repercussions. The latest incident that has further smeared the image of the nation's 205-year-old Royal Malaysian Police happened in Seberang Prai when three policemen gang-raped an Indonesian woman whom they had detained for failing to produce her passport. They also warned her not to tell anyone about the rape. The woman, however, mustered all courage and made a police report against them, leading to the trio being nabbed. For sure, this incident has placed Malaysia in a negative light in the eyes of her neighbour Indonesia which not too long ago was sore with the former over numerous complaints of maid abuse by Malaysian employers, prompting a freeze in 2009 on Indonesian maids being despatched to Malaysia. It was after much assurance that Malaysia managed to persuade Indonesia to lift the freeze. And now with the gang-rape of an Indonesian woman, the Malaysian government has a lot of explaining to do to Indonesia. Maybe that is why the Barisan Nasional government, which manages the affairs of the nation, is all pins and needles over this latest rape incident. If the BN is giving "prominence" to this case by trying to pacify the rakyat that justice will take its course, it is simply to prevent Indonesia from severing ties with Malaysia. Otherwise, as seen from the previous rape and molest cases perpetrated by the police and that failed to receive any attention from the Home Ministry and the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, it is obvious that the BN government has no empathy for rape survivors; in fact, the gang-rape of the Indonesian woman has been turned into a political charade by BN. It is not only the three policemen who are the perpetrators; just as guilty is Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak's government which views rape cases involving authorities lightly. Justice must be meted out irrespective of ethnicity and nationality. To pick and choose which case to focus on exposes the insincerity on the part of the federal government. Also, the consistent refusal by the BN leaders to implement the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) gives rise to the question of whether the government is working hand in glove with the police, allowing the the police to escape unpunished for certain crimes. Looks like the nude squats and rapes in police lock-ups have made no impact on the government, looking at its wishy-washy reasoning in dismissing the IPCMC. So long as the government refuses to take a stand in dealing with the atrocities committed by the police against the rakyat, no amount of assurance from the Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar can restore the lost faith the people once had in the police.
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| Electronic games development industry to grow under GTP Posted: 19 Nov 2012 06:52 PM PST
KUALA LUMPUR: MyGameDev2020, a local incubator programme for developing video and electronic games, is looking for budding developers among the young through virtual games competitions. MyGameDev2020 chairman Tan Ching Ike said talent will be needed as the Malaysian games development industry is expected to grow exponentially in the next five years under the Government Transformation Programme. "The global entertainment design industry is forecast to generate more than US$2 trillion (RM6.12 trillion) in revenue by the end of this year and the video games portion of that industry is expected to generate more than US$68.4 billion in sales this year," he said. Together with Siemens Malaysia Sdn Bhd, MyGameDev2020 launched a computer-simulation competition that challenges participants to create an ideal Kuala Lumpur virtually. "The goal of this competition is to mould exemplary citizens of the future, individuals who would be more focused and aware of the impact their actions and routines towards the environment," said Siemens Malaysia president and chief executive officer Prakash Chandran at the launching ceremony. The "SieMyCity: Build Your Ideal KL" is based on the original Siemens Mayor Simulation Game, where acting as mayor of a large city, players must manage and operate various portfolios such as financial growth, environmental concerns and quality of life for a period of at least 20 years. The MyGameDev2020 initiative is spearheaded by KDU University College to enable Malaysia become a leading game development centre in the region as a creator of high-quality creative talents and content to attract foreign game developers and investors. Currently, the initiative is partnered with British game developer Codemasters Studios which established a local studio in 2006. The Entry Point Projects progress report in May revealed that MyGameDev2020's goals were to generate revenue up to RM500 million, develop RM150 million worth of intellectual property exports, create 4,000 game-related jobs and attract five new foreign direct investors by 2020. Siemens AG is a global company in electronics and electrical engineering operating in the fields of industry, energy and healthcare as well as providing infrastructure solutions primarily for cities and metropolitan areas.    |
| QPR deny Hughes ‘sacked’ reports Posted: 19 Nov 2012 05:09 PM PST  LONDON: English Premier League strugglers Queens Park Rangers insisted late yesterday that Mark Hughes remained their manager after a day of Twitter rumours suggesting the Welshman had been sacked.“Rumours suggesting Mark Hughes has been sacked as QPR manager yesterday are not true,” Ian J Taylor, the west London club’s head of media and communications tweeted. Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at home to fellow relegation candidates Southampton left bottom-of-the-table QPR winless in the Premier League this season and five points adrift of 17th placed Reading. Hughes met with QPR chief executive Philip Beard – the man Rangers chairman Tony Fernandes sent to fire previous manager Neil Warnock – at the club’s training ground on Monday. Malaysian businessman Fernandes, the man behind budget airline AirAsia and the Caterham Formula One team, gave Hughes plenty of funds to spend on new signings in pre-season with 11 players, some from Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Manchester United and Chelsea, arriving at Loftus Road. They were all expected to help guide QPR to at least a mid-table finish, something Hughes was insisting Friday remained an attainable goal. But the defeat by Southampon extended QPR’s winless run to 12 games. QPR’s upcoming opponents include Sunderland, Aston Villa and Wigan and former Rangers striker Rodney Marsh said Fernandes, who has been staunch in his support of Hughes for most of the season, should give the Welshman four more games in which to prove his worth as a manager. “I would say ‘We are in desperate trouble. If we don’t improve our league position in four games, I am going to have to make a change.”‘ Even Fernandes appeared to be wavering in his backing of former Wales striker Hughes, whose distinguished playing career saw him appear for Manchester United and Chelsea, as well as European giants Barcelona and Bayern Munich, after Saturday’s loss. “I feel gutted,” Fernandes told his Twitter followers. “I have put my heart and soul into this with my other shareholders. And done all we can to give support to players and all management. “I can only apologise to the QPR fans. we keep fighting. “Let me tell you Fans come first. Everyone including me let the fans down. Many of us need a hard look at themselves. QPR has amazing fans. They deserve better,” he added. - AFP    |
| Kagawa set for second month out injured Posted: 19 Nov 2012 05:07 PM PST  MANCHESTER: Shinji Kagawa, Manchester United’s Japan midfielder, faces at least another four weeks out of action according to manager Alex Ferguson.Kagawa has been sidelined since suffering a knee injury against Braga in the Champions League at Old Trafford last month. Initially, Ferguson said he thought Kagawa would be back playing within four or five weeks. But, speaking ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League match away to Galatasaray in Istanbul, Ferguson told United’s website: “Shinji’s progress has been quite slow actually. “He’s not started any outside work and we’re looking at another four weeks, which is disappointing. Originally we thought three or four weeks – now it looks like seven or eight weeks,” the veteran Scottish manager added. It was disappointing news for the 23-year-old Kagawa, who has impressed with two goals in his first eight appearances since a £12 million (US$19 million) pre-season move from German club Borussia Dortmund. - AFP    |
| Di Matteo refuses to speculate on fallout of Juve defeat Posted: 19 Nov 2012 05:05 PM PST  TURIN (Italy): Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo refused to speculate on his future at the club if the Champions League holders fail to secure qualification for the competition’s last 16 today.The Blues were crowned kings of Europe for the first time last season but face the formidable challenge of trying to overhaul former two-time winners Juventus here Tuesday. With two games remaining in Group H, Shakhtar Donetsk, Chelsea and the Italian champions are all in the running for the top two places. While victory would virtually secure Chelsea’s place in the next round, defeat could spell disaster. Di Matteo and Chelsea’s challenge looks all the most pressing as it comes amid a slump which has seen them lose the Premier League lead, concede 17 goals in their past eight games in all competitions and lose 2-1 to West Bromwich yesterday. Asked if club owner Roman Abramovich has expressed concern, Di Matteo said: “We don’t disclose these kinds of things, so I won’t talk about that. I’m not thinking about that. “I’m preparing for tomorrow and have some important decisions regarding the team selection.” Di Matteo led Chelsea to Champions League triumph last season despite being on a caretaker manager’s contract following the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas. Two months after being held 2-2 at home by Juventus, he said the only thing on his mind is the task at hand. “At the moment, we’re thinking positive. We played a very good game at home against Juve,” he added. “It will be a difficult game, but they’re under pressure as well so it will make it an interesting game.” - AFP    |
| Rooney and de Gea train ahead of ‘dead’ tie Posted: 19 Nov 2012 05:03 PM PST  MANCHESTER: Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney and goalkeeper David de Gea both trained yesterday ahead of today’s Champions League match away to Galatasaray.Rooney missed the shock weekend Premier League defeat by Norwich with tonsillitis while de Gea took no part as he was having his wisdom teeth removed. However, both players featured in a training session ahead of United’s trip to Turkey. But midfielders Shinji Kagawa and Nani and defender Jonny Evans — struggling with knee, hamstring and groin injuries respectively — were all absent for the first 15 minutes of the session that was open to the media. United manager Alex Ferguson is set to give a number of first team regulars a break in Turkey with the club already having qualified for the knockout phase of the Champions League. However, midfielder Michael Carrick promised there would be no complacency come the knockout phase, where United have reached three finals, a semi-final and a quarter-final on the last five occasions they have gone beyond the group stage, irrespective of whether they got a ‘kind’ draw. “You can drive yourself mad thinking about who you might get and all the various permutations,” he said. “We just have to win our games, which we have done, and see what the draw gives us. Looking ahead to the knockout stages, Carrick added: “That is the big test. That is when the competition really comes alive. “We have done the first part. The second one is when we get the really big European nights and we go away to the best places in Europe and win games. “We have managed to do that very well over the past few years. Hopefully we can get back to that.” United crashed out at the group stage last season but have won all four of their pool matches so far, even though they have been behind in three of those games, with Carrick’s goal ensuring Galastasaray were beaten at Old Trafford. “It is a happier place because of what we are doing in the Champions League,” he said. “Last year we were chasing our tails a bit and came up short. This year we have been ahead of the game. “Getting those wins and points on the board makes it an awful lot easier.” - AFP    |
| Israel says prefers diplomacy but ready to invade Gaza Posted: 19 Nov 2012 04:53 PM PST
Egypt said a deal for a truce could be close, though by late evening there was no end to six days of heavy missile exchanges as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed his next steps with his inner circle of senior ministers. US President Barack Obama called Egypt’s President Mohamed Mursi, who has been trying to use his influence with Hamas, his fellow Islamists who run Gaza, to broker a halt. Obama “underscored the necessity of Hamas ending rocket fire”, the White House said. The leader of Hamas, speaking in Cairo, said it was up to Israel to end a new conflict that he said it had started. Israel, which assassinated a Hamas military chief on Wednesday, says its air strikes are to halt Palestinian rocket attacks. To Mursi and in a subsequent call to Netanyahu, Obama said he regretted the deaths of Israeli and Palestinian civilians. Israeli attacks on the sixth day of fighting raised the number of Palestinian dead to 101, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said, listing 24 children among them. Subsequent deaths raised the toll in Gaza to 106. Hospital officials in the enclave said more than half of those killed were non-combatants. Three Israeli civilians died on Thursday in a rocket strike. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, touring the region in the hopes of helping to broker a peace deal, arrived in Cairo, where he met Egypt’s foreign minister in preparation for talks with Mursi today. He also plans to meet Netanyahu in Jerusalem. With the power balances of the Middle East drastically reshaped by the Arab Spring during a first Obama term that began two days after Israel ended its last major Gaza offensive, the newly re-elected US president faces testing choices to achieve Washington’s hopes for peace and stability across the region. Rocket fire Militants in the Gaza Strip fired 110 rockets at southern Israel on Monday, causing no casualties, police said. Israel said it had conducted 80 air strikes on the enclave. The figures meant a relative easing in ferocity – over 1,000 rockets have been fired in the six days, and 1,350 air strikes carried out. For the second straight day, Israeli missiles blasted a tower block in the city of Gaza housing international media. Two people were killed there, one of them an Islamic Jihad militant. Khaled Meshaal, exile leader of Hamas, said a truce was possible but the Islamist group, in charge of the Gaza Strip since 2007, would not accept Israeli demands and wanted Israel to halt its strikes first and lift its blockade of the enclave. “Whoever started the war must end it,” he told a news conference in Cairo, adding that Netanyahu, who faces an election in January, had asked for a truce, an assertion a senior Israeli official described as untrue. Meshaal said Netanyahu feared the domestic consequences of a “land war” of the kind Israel launched four years ago: “He can do it, but he knows that it will not be a picnic and that it could be his political death and cost him the elections.” For Israel, Vice Prime Minister Moshe Yaalon has said that “if there is quiet in the south and no rockets and missiles are fired at Israel’s citizens, nor terrorist attacks engineered from the Gaza Strip, we will not attack”. Yaalon also said Israel wanted an end to guerrilla activity by militants from Gaza in the neighboring Egyptian Sinai peninsula. Although 84 percent of Israelis support the current Gaza assault, according to a poll by Israel’s Haaretz newspaper, only 30 percent want an invasion. Diplomacy ‘preferred’ “Israel is prepared and has taken steps, and is ready for a ground incursion which will deal severely with the Hamas military machine,” an official close to Netanyahu told Reuters. “We would prefer to see a diplomatic solution that would guarantee the peace for Israel’s population in the south. If that is possible, then a ground operation would no longer be required. If diplomacy fails, we may well have no alternative but to send in ground forces,” he added. Egypt, where Mursi has his roots in Hamas’s spiritual mentors the Muslim Brotherhood, is acting as a mediator in the biggest test yet of Cairo’s 1979 peace treaty with Israel since the fall of Hosni Mubarak early last year. “I think we are close, but the nature of this kind of negotiation, (means) it is very difficult to predict,” Egyptian Prime Minister Hisham Kandil, who visited Gaza on Friday in a show of support for its people, said in an interview in Cairo for the Reuters Middle East Investment Summit. Egypt has been hosting leaders of both Hamas and Islamic Jihad, a smaller armed faction. Israeli media said a delegation from Israel had also been to Cairo for truce talks. A spokesman for Netanyahu’s government declined comment on the matter. Egypt’s foreign minister, who met UN chief Ban yesterday, is expected to visit Gaza today with a delegation of Arab ministers. Thousands mourn family Thousands turned out on Gaza’s streets to mourn four children and five women who were among 11 people killed in an Israeli air strike that flattened a three-storey home the previous day. The bodies were wrapped in Palestinian and Hamas flags. Echoes of explosions mixed with cries of grief and defiant chants of “God is greatest!”. Those deaths drew more international calls for an end to hostilities and could test Western support for an offensive that Israel billed as self-defense after years of cross-border rocket attacks. Israel said it was investigating the strike that brought the home crashing down on the al-Dalu family, where the dead spanned four generations. Some Israeli newspapers said the house might have been targeted by mistake. In scenes recalling Israel’s 2008-2009 winter invasion of the coastal enclave, tanks, artillery and infantry have massed in field encampments along the sandy, fenced-off border. Israel has also authorized the call-up of 75,000 military reservists, so far mobilizing around half that number. The Gaza fighting adds to worries of world powers watching an already combustible region, where several Arab autocrats have been toppled in popular revolts in the past two years and a civil war in Syria threatens to spread beyond its borders. In the absence of any prospect of permanent peace between Israel and Islamist factions such as Hamas, mediated deals for each to hold fire unilaterally have been the only formula for stemming bloodshed in the past. Hamas and other groups in Gaza are sworn enemies of the Jewish state, which they refuse to recognize and seek to eradicate, claiming all Israeli territory as rightfully theirs. Hamas won legislative elections in the Palestinian Territories in 2006. A year later, after the collapse of a unity government under President Mahmoud Abbas, it seized Gaza in a brief civil war with Abbas’s forces. - Reuters    |
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