FMT News |  |
- 5 surprising things that make you slim
- Get body confidence
- Kenyataan Hadi bertanding di Pekan hanya gimik politik
- Nothing serious in audio clip
- Support me on bill, Karpal urges BN
- Guan Eng to DAP: Beat BN in ‘readiness’
- Selangor DAP targets 8 BN seats
- Hudud versi PAS, versi Umno?
- Trend baru Score berimpak tinggi
- Leaders’ lapses worry United boss Ferguson
- Di Matteo finds a Friend despite Chelsea slip-up
- Milan giants hit top form as Juventus crumble
- Murray eyes Tour Finals win to cap glorious year
- United go top as Chelsea and City stumble
- Record breaking Barca beat Celta as Real play catch-up
- Hamilton on pole as Vettel demoted
- FIFA urged to allow Brazilian food at cup
- US disaster relief in a race against freezing cold
- Israel: Three Syria tanks enter Golan demilitarized zone
- Europe urges end to Myanmar killings, pledges aid
- Activists rally to end prison torture in Egypt
- Somalia wants Ugandan troops to remain
- Israel’s Peres welcomes ‘courageous’ words from Abbas
- Syrian rebels attack air base to secure north-south corridor
- Mexico finance minister urges fiscal stimulus from able G20 nations
- Freed Niger hostages say were not mistreated
- Which country but Malaysia!
- Let’s pray that godly men will rule the day
- Impose immediate moratorium on all executions
- Knowing what not to post…
- BN could lose 8 parliament seats in Pahang
- Sabah BN ‘sensibly’ confident
| 5 surprising things that make you slim Posted: 04 Nov 2012 01:06 AM PST
Chocolate Fried food and cakes for breakfast Beer Fatty foods Eating more frequently LINKS      |
| Posted: 04 Nov 2012 01:01 AM PST
Get active Stop comparing Buy clothes that fit Jump on a horse Avoid the bloaters LINKS [This content is provided by FMT content partner realbuzz.com]    |
| Kenyataan Hadi bertanding di Pekan hanya gimik politik Posted: 04 Nov 2012 01:59 AM PDT
Ahmad yang juga menteri Besar Terengganu berkata, kalau benar Abdul Hadi ingin bertanding di sana (Pekan), dia tidak perlu menunggu arahan parti kerana dia merupakan Presiden parti. “Kenyataan itu merupakan gimik parti PAS saja. Tak payah layanlah. Kalau betul-betul dia nak bertanding, dia tak perlu tunggu arahan. Dia boleh kata dia nak bertanding di Pekan. “Tapi dia tidak akan buat (bertanding) kerana dia tahu kalau dia bertanding di sana, seolah-olah dia menempah maut,” katanya kepada pemberita selepas menghadiri Rumah Terbuka Deepavali peringkat negeri Terengganu di sini, malam tadi. Ahmad berkata demikian ketika diminta mengulas laporan akhbar semalam bahawa Abdul Hadi akan membuat kejutan dengan bertanding di kawasan Parlimen Pekan, Pahang pada PRU-13 akan datang. Hadi kini adalah Anggota Parlimen Marang dan juga Anggota Dewan Undangan Negeri Rhu Rendang. - Bernama    |
| Posted: 04 Nov 2012 01:49 AM PDT
DAP national chairman Karpal Singh said there was nothing critical in the leaked alleged conversation that could jeopardise Lim’s position as head of the Penang government. Dismissing the purported recording as "no issue at all", the DAP supremo said it was the only media which got excited over the leak. He called on all quarters to put an end to it. Karpal also noted that Cheong had already explained the matter thoroughly in her press statement yesterday. "There is nothing really serious in the conversation that can compromise Lim's position as the chief minister. "Yin Fan had explained it to the press. "So put the matter to rest," Karpal, the Bukit Gelugor MP, told a press conference here today. The five-minute recording has been uploaded recently on Facebook and YouTube under the title “Lim Guan Eng and assistant Cheong Yin Fan’s secret audio recording.” It airs an alleged conversation in Mandarin between Lim, the DAP secretary general, and Cheong, on the allocation for Chinese schools. In the recording, which has garnered over 2,700 hits, Lim is heard requesting Cheong to get more details on the allocation. An individual who leaked the audio recording alleged that it was a secret conversation between the two, and that they were out to twist details on Barisan Nasional (BN) allocation to Chinese schools. In her statement, Cheong insisted that her conversation with Lim was no secret as it took place before many during a press briefing when Lim attended the Shared Services & Outsourcing Conference 2012 recently. “He was instructing me to get more details on the allocation for Chinese schools.” “The content of the conversation I had with the Chief Minister is the same as the one described as secret by Souminews,” she said. The latest audio recording leak comes on the heels of the leaked "CAT" audio recording involving Deputy Chief Minister I Mansor Othman. In the leaked recording, which was aired during TV3 prime time, state PKR chief Mansor was allegedly heard describing Lim as “cocky, arrogant and tokong (a deity)” to some party members during a closed door meeting. Mansor was also allegedly heard claiming that DAP, despite being part of Pakatan Rakyat, “wants to kill off PKR in the next general election and control power in Penang”. State PKR has submitted a comprehensive report on the case based on findings of an internal probe to party top leadership for further action. It's learnt that the report had virtually identified the culprits behind the leak.    |
| Support me on bill, Karpal urges BN Posted: 04 Nov 2012 01:26 AM PDT
He said BN reps should back him to uphold public interests and political stability of the country. Karpal's initiatives are to amend Articles 10 and 48 of the Federal Constitution to pave way for the federal and state anti-hopping legislations to stop MPs and assemblymen from hopping to another party after being elected by voters under another party candidature. Karpal will table his private bill to make the constitutional amendments in coming week parliamentary session. He said his amendments were important to stop future political coup d'etat to form governments by defections as a government should only be formed through legitimate elections. He said political defections were not only unethical practice, dangerous trend and betrayal against people's mandate, but could cause political uncertainty, destabilise a government, trigger public anxiety and frighten off investors. Article 10(1)(C) guarantees Malaysian citizens the right to freedom of association. Article 48(6) and sub-section 6 (5) Schedule Eight respectively stipulate that a MP or state assemblyman who resigned be disqualified from contesting as a member of the House of Representatives for a period of five years effective from the date of resignation. In the case of Kelantan Legislature vs Nordin Salleh, the then Supreme Court ruled on April 3, 1992 that the PAS-helmed state government's enactment outlawing party hopping was unconstitutional. The court ruled that it violated Article 10 as it affected one's right to freedom to association. Despite the legal barriers, the Pakatan Rakyat Penang state government passed a Penang State Constitution Enactment (Amendment) Bill 2012 on Nov 1 to end party hopping in Penang. However, Karpal said Penang's amendment can only gain legitimacy strength if amendments were done to Federal Constitution. He pointed out the failure to party hopping via state constitutional amendments made in Sabah in 1980s and Kelantan in early 1990s to back his argument. "Without the constitutional amendments, any anti-hopping law would be void," said Karpal, the two-term Bukit Gelugor MP. He said it was important for the federal and state governments to legislate anti-hopping laws to stop the breeding of political frogs. "I hope the BN reps would support my private members' bill," said Karpal, also a senior lawyer.    |
| Guan Eng to DAP: Beat BN in ‘readiness’ Posted: 04 Nov 2012 01:25 AM PDT
Citing a BN assessment internal report, Lim today told the party delegates at the Selangor DAP annual convention that BN's national election readiness (kesiapsiagaan) in Chinese areas was at 47%, and at 63% in India areas. He said the BN internal report also recorded a 70% readiness in Penang's non-Malay areas and 53% in Selangor's non-Malay areas. In Malay areas, BN was more than 90% ready, he added. The Penang chief minister urged the party members not to take non-Malay votes for granted as the statistics showed that MCA, Gerakan or MIC are ready to pose a strong challenge in the coming election. "I want to remind the party members that we should also improve our readiness to at least 75% when election is just around the corner. "I feel that we have yet to reach that stage, and I urge the Selangor DAP leadership to work on this," he said. He opined that a well-prepared Pakatan or DAP would ensure their election victory, but this would not be the case if they are not. Later at the press conference, Lim admitted that he was less than satisfied to the level of election readiness in Selangor, saying there were much room for improvement. He however refused to disclose the criteria to evaluate his party’s readiness, saying that this was an internal strategy. Playing the racial card Meanwhile in a surprising remark, Lim also labeled Selangor as the second safest state in Pakatan’s possession, after Kelantan. He said his Penang, would only come third and followed by Kedah. "This is because (BN) is playing racial card in Penang, and it is more difficult for them to do the same in Selangor," he said. When asked to elaborate, he said he was the only Chinese state chief in Malaysia and was made an easy target by BN in its attacks. Asked again why this would affect Penang given its dominant ethnic Chinese composition, he said he still needed the Malay support to ensure a "good victory". On a separate matter, Lim has criticised MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek for the suggestion to impose a three months’ grace period for the traffic offenders caught under the Automated Enforcement System (AES). He said it was a delay tactics to drag the matter to after the general election next year. "Now even Gerakan and Umno Youth have voice objections over AES, only MCA still insists on its implementation," he said. The five-hour convention recorded a low turn up as only 311 out of 1,153 delegates attended. The convention passed eight motions, many of which targetted the federal government, urging it to build vernacular schools based on needs, to review the AES, to co-operate with Selangor government to restructure the water industry, to amend laws to allow local government elections and to take action against poverty and gangsterism plaguing the Indian society.    |
| Selangor DAP targets 8 BN seats Posted: 03 Nov 2012 11:00 PM PDT
Opening the 17th Selangor DAP State Annual Convention today, Kok said that the seats comprise of at least 15% of non-Malay voters, and have seen an increase of new voters between 11.9% and 42.2% since 2008. The seats are Sg Ayer Tawar, Sabak, Permatang, Kuang, Taman Templar, Sri Serdang, Paya Jaras, Morib, Kok said though DAP are not contesting on these seats, the party can play a significant role in spurring the non-Malay support to Pakatan candidates in the coming election. "If we can increase the non-Malay votes to at least 70 percent, then we can win the seats," she said. The DAP stalwart also cautioned party members on the risk of losing two DAP-held state seats – Sekinchan and Teluk Datuk – which they won with 190 and 698 majority votes respectively. "If they place some phantom voters there, and our Pakatan coalition parties don't co-operate with each other, the seats will be in great danger," she said. However, she also pointed out its party arch rival MCA was not on the better position, as the only two state seats they have now – Kuala Kubu Baru and Sungai Pelek – might fall to DAP to anytime. "They only won Kuala Kubu Baru with 448 votes and Sungai Pelek with 1,572 votes, we must our focus energy to wrest over the seats," she said. The opposition pact won the Selangor leadership for the first time in 2008 when they swept away 35 out of 56 seats in the state. BN holds 20 seats while Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) has one. Being the richest state in Malaysia, Selangor was seen as a major battlefield in the coming election as BN trains its gun to recapture the state. Speaking to reporters later, Kok revealed that Pakatan as a whole has eight marginal seats in the state including the two held by DAP. She said if Pakatan managed to recapture the eight, and score breakthrough in another eight BN seats, then they would be safe to continue ruling the state after the next GE. She said the political reality was that DAP's influence was still limited to non-Malay areas, hence the party should work on its strength and assist Pakatan coalition partners in that aspect.    |
| Posted: 03 Nov 2012 10:28 PM PDT
Dalam akhbar milik Umno, Mingguan Malaysia hari ini, Soi Lek dalam kenyataannya menjelaskan pendirian parti perkaumannya mengenai hukum hudud di bawah tajuk ‘Kami hanya tentang hudud versi PAS’. Di antara lain, beliau berkata, “ketika MCA bangkit untuk menentang perjuangan Enakmen Hudud versi PAS, MCA sebenarnya tidak menghina agama Islam kerana tindakan MCA mempertikaikan perjuangan sesebuah parti politik (PAS) adalah berbeza dengan penentangan MCA terhadap sesuatu agama (Islam). “Isu ini sebenarnya telah dipolitikkan dan diputar oleh pemimpin Pakatan Rakyat apabila mereka menganggap sesebuah parti politik (PAS) itu adalah agama Islam,” kata Soi Lek dalam kenyataannya itu. Sekali lagi Soi Lek mendedahkan kecetekan ilmunya tentang Islam dan lagi banyak beliau mengeluarkan kenyataan tentang Islam dan hukum hudud ternyata terserlah lebih banyak kesalahan dan kesilapannya. Kenyataan terkini tentang hudud ialah dakwaan beliau bahawa hukum hudud yang mahu dilaksanakan di negara ini adalah hudud versi PAS. Barangkali kenyataan beliau ini dikeluarkan setelah mendapat nasihat daripada para pemimpin Umno bagi meredakan kemarahan umat Islam yang semakin memuncak. Istilah hudud ‘versi PAS’ ini mula dipelopori oleh mantan perdana menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad pada sekitar tahun 1994 apabila beliau menolak cadangan kerajaan negeri Kelantan mahu melaksanakan hudud dengan memberi amaran keras. Dr Mahathir cuba untuk mengelirukan umat Islam agar menerima dakyah beliau bahawa hukum hudud yang mahu dilaksanakan itu adalah hudud versi PAS dan bukan hudud dalam Islam yang sebenar. Ramai yang terpedaya dan ada yang keliru dengan propaganda Dr Mahathir ini hingga ada yang menganggap hukum hudud ini sengaja dipolitikkan oleh PAS dan bukan tuntutan yang tercatat dalam Al Quran. Kini Soi Lek mula memutar belitkan kenyataannya apabila mendapati semakin ramai anggota masyarakat Cina yang ingin mengetahui lebih lanjut tentang hudud dan boleh menerima pelaksanaannya. Satu kajian yang dijalankan oleh Pusat Kajian Demokrasi dan Pilihan Raya Universiti Malaya (UMCEDEL) mendapati penerimaan pelaksanaan hukum hudud di kalangan masyarakat Cina meningkat sebanyak 12 peratus. Kajian persepsi pertama ini dijalankan tahun lepas melibatkan 683 responden Melayu dan 245 responden Cina dan kajian kedua melibatkan 1,041 responden Melayu dan 385 responden Cina. Kebimbangan Soi Lek ini didedahkan oleh Pengerusi Dewan Himpunan Penyokong PAS, Hu Pang Chow yang berkata, tindakan Soi Lek itu telah menambah rasa ingin tahu anggota masyarakat Cina tentang hudud. “MCA cuba fitnah isu hudud hingga menyebabkan rasa ingin tahu masyarakat Cina terhadap hudud semakin bertambah dan inilah masanya untuk pimpinan PAS menerangkan mengenai hudud yang sebenar,” katanya. Sebenarnya Soi Lek takut dengan pelaksanaan hukum hudud kerana beliau bimbang sokongan masyarakat Cina terhadap partinya yang lapuk itu, lama kelamaan akan terhakis dan lenyap dari muka bumi ini. Kalau tidak masakan beliau melenting apabila Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (Adun) Kemelah, Datuk Ayub Rahmat encadangkan bahawa negeri Johor seharusnya melaksanakan hukum hudud untuk semua kaum berbanding dengan Kelantan yang mahu melaksanakan untuk umat Islam sahaja. Soi Lek menganggap Adun Umno itu sudah hilang akal kerana mencadangkan perkara ini dan ini menyerlah peribadinya yang sebenar, Hudud versi Umno? Kalau tidak, mahukah Soi Lek menerima hukum hudud versi Umno kerana Adun yang mencadangkan pelaksanaan hudud di Johor ini adalah datangnya daripada seorang Adun dari Umno, sekutunya dalam Barisan Nasional? Bukti lain Soi Lek ini ialah seorang anti Islam ialah apabila beliau mendakwa bahawa daripada 11 buah negara yang melaksanakan hukum hudud, lapan negara adalah paling korup, tidak stabil dan tidak selamat. Di sini kita ingin bertanya adakah negara-negara yang beliau dakwa paling korup, tidak stabil dan tidak selamat itu, walaupun kenyataan beliau ini disanggah oleh Penasihat DAP, Lim Kit Siang dalam blognya, melaksana dan mempraktik hudud versi PAS? Taktik MCA menakut-nakutkan masyarakat Cina dengan isu hudud ini sebenarnya membimbangkan Umno dan merugikan MCA sendiri. Ahli-ahli Umno yang mengaku dirinya Melayu tulen dan beragama Islam tidak akan sanggup melihat agamanya (Islam) dipijak-pijak dan dihina sebegitu rupa oleh Soi Lek. Isu hudud ini akan menjauhkan orang-orang Melayu daripada Umno dan membuat anggota masyarakat Cina ingin mengetahui syariat Islam dengan lebih dekat. Dari sudut mana pun anda lihat, isu hudud yang menimbulkan polemik ini akan menguntungkan parti atau golongan yang menyokong Islam dan akan merugikan Umno-Barisan Nasional. Sebenarnya tidak ada hudud versi PAS atau versi Umno, yang ada hanya hudud Islam. PAS dan Umnolah yang harus menerima dan mematuhi syariat Islam, yang di dalamnya terkandung di antara lain, undang-undang hudud, qisas dan takzir. Mereka cuba memadamkan cahaya Allah dan menggantikannya dengan kegelapan tetapi sudah pasti Allah akan memelihara dan memenangkan agamanya!    |
| Trend baru Score berimpak tinggi Posted: 03 Nov 2012 09:29 PM PDT
Ketua Menteri Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud menegaskan, projek Score yang dilaksanakan itu bukan sahaja membuka laluan kepada perniagaan bersaiz mega malah membina peluang kepada industri kecil dan sederhana (SME). “Dalam Score, industri besar ini akan menghasilkan produk huluan hingga ke produk hiliran yang secara langsung membina rantaian produk dan perkhidmatan yang membuka peluang perniagaan kepada semua,” ujarnya. Menurut Taib, dalam projek, industri berat berasaskan elektronik mungkin bergerak dengan perlahan berbanding dengan industri lain. “Pada hari ini, kita masih belum berupaya lagi untuk menghasil produk hiliran industri elektronik ini kerana kita bermula daripada produk huluan terlebih dahulu,” katanya. Bagaimanapun, katanya, kemasukan industri berskala besar membuka peluang pekerjaan kepada warga tempatan yang tinggal berdekatan malah ia turut berupaya menarik kedatangan penduduk dari luar kawasan ke tempat tersebut. “Dengan adanya sumber tenaga banyak ini, para pelabur tidak perlu khuatir mengenai kos buruh asing yang terpaksa ditanggung berbanding sebelumnya,” katanya sambil memberitahu industri berat berminat bertapak di negeri ini kerana kelebihan kos tenaga yang kompetatif dan murah. Oleh itu, katanya, masyarakat tempatan terutamanya kalangan generasi muda harus melengkapkan diri mereka dengan pelbagai tahap disiplin dan kemahiran kerana rata-rata daripada peluang pekerjaan memerlukan pekerja berkemahiran teknikal. “Pada hari ini, kita berhadapan dengan pelbagai cabaran untuk menuju ke sebuah negeri berstatus maju tetapi saya yakin laluan tersebut dapat ditempuhi bersama,” tegasnya. Kata Taib, sistem pendidikan teknikal mesti bijak melihat kepada keperluan sumber tenaga mahir dan separuh mahir yang diperlukan dalam pasaran hari ini. Dalam pada itu, beliau yakin semua misi dan visi yang telah dikemukakan mampu dicapai sekiranya rakyat Sarawak secara keseluruhannya bersama-sama berganding bahu menjayakannya. Hadir sama, isteri beliau Puan Sri Ragad Kurdi Taib, Timbalan Ketua Menteri Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu Numpang; Menteri Kerajaan Tempatan dan Pembangunan Masyarakat, Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh; Menteri Perumahan, Datuk Amar Haji Abang Johari Tun Openg dan Pengarah Urusan KTS, Dato Henry Lau.    |
| Leaders’ lapses worry United boss Ferguson Posted: 03 Nov 2012 07:37 PM PDT  MANCHESTER: Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has called on his players to be more ruthless in order to avoid a repeat of last season’s Premier League disappointment.Ferguson saw his side pipped for the title on goal difference in May by local rivals Manchester City and during pre-season brought in Robin van Persie and Shinji Kagawa in a bid to sharpen United’s cutting edge. United have already managed 38 goals in 15 matches in all competitions — but Ferguson felt his team almost paid the price for their wastefulness despite a dominant performance in a 2-1 win over Arsenal at Old Trafford on Saturday. Victory in this early kick-off match took United to the top of the table and that is where they stayed after both previous leaders Chelsea and City were held to draws by Swansea and West Ham respectively later in the day. Van Persie was on target against former club Arsenal and Patrice Evra added a second before Santi Cazorla’s stoppage-time goal for the Gunners meant the full-time score failed to reflect United’s dominance. “I’m disappointed in the inability to hammer home the advantage,” said Ferguson. “I spoke to them at the start of the season. “We lost on goal difference last season and I don’t want that to happen again,” he added. “We had an opportunity in this game to add to our goal tally. “Thank God we got the second because with them scoring in injury-time it would have been an embarrassment. “With the chances we missed we should have put it to bed a long time ago,” added the veteran Scottish boss, days away from the 26th anniversary of his appointment as United manager. “You look at the scoreline and think it’s a close game but it wasn’t.” Van Persie continued his fine scoring form since his £24 million move ($39 million) from Arsenal in by scoring within three minutes of the kick-off against his old club. Wayne Rooney missed the chance to add a second from the penalty spot but Evra doubled the lead in the second period. Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere was sent off for a second bookable offence before Cazorla scored with the final kick of the game. Van Persie admitted United should have been more potent in attack, but added he was enjoying his flourishing partnership with Rooney. The 29-year-old Dutchman, who refused to celebrate in front of his old supporters after putting United ahead, said: “We are both (number) nine-and-a-half. “You have a nine and a 10 and we are a nine and a half, helping each other out and both play behind or higher up. “It seems to work well and I’m very happy, hopefully we can keep it going.” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has now seen his team make their worst start to a season since he took charge of the Londoners in 1996 and this defeat left the Gunners, without a major trophy for seven years, already nine points off top spot just 10 games into the campaign. He felt they had only themselves to blame for Saturday’s loss, with defender Thomas Vermaelen’s error helping van Persie open the scoring. “We put ourselves in trouble because most of the problems we had were our mistakes when we had the ball and lost it, especially for the first goal.” The Frenchman also insisted Wilshere was unfortunate to be dismissed after receiving a second yellow card for a challenge on Evra. “It was not deserved. He went for the ball. His game is commitment and sometimes (it happens), especially when you are tired. “It did not look to me at all that he went over the ball on purpose.” - AFP    |
| Di Matteo finds a Friend despite Chelsea slip-up Posted: 03 Nov 2012 07:35 PM PDT  SWANSEA (United Kingdom): Chelsea manager Roberto di Matteo revealed he congratulated referee Kevin Friend on his display in Saturday’s draw at Swansea.All eyes at the Liberty Stadium were on the match official following the controversy involving referee Mark Clattenburg during European champions’ Chelsea’s league defeat by Manchester United last weekend. Having led through Victor Moses’s first Premier League goal for the Blues, di Matteo’s men passed up the chance to reclaim top spot in the table after Pablo Hernandez’s 88th-minute equaliser earned the Swans a 1-1 draw. However, the agenda continues to be dominated by last weekend’s events at Stamford Bridge which led to the Blues lodging a formal complaint with the Football Association over allegations Clattenburg used “inappropriate language” towards Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel. Di Matteo paid tribute to the performance of Friend, whose display was bound to come under scrutiny given last week’s events. “I’ve got to say the officials were very good,” di Matteo said. “Kevin Friend did very well in the game to keep both teams calm and let the game flow. “He didn’t have any influence on the game. I congratulated him after the game because they (the officials) were very good. “I didn’t speak to the players before the game about the referee. Generally our team is very good (with officials). “There has to be something really out of the ordinary for them to react. In general, we are a fair team,” the former Chelsea and Italy midfielder added. “Talking about the football is how it’s supposed to be week in, week out. Everyone would like it to be this way, including me.” This result meant the London club have claimed just a point from their last two league matches and they now trail United by a point in the title race after Alex Ferguson’s side beat Arsenal 2-1 earlier on Saturday. But di Matteo insisted the week’s off-field events had played no part in his team’s failure to hold on for a victory. “I wouldn’t read anything into what has happened in the last week and the result here,” he said. “This is our second away draw of the season — we have won the rest of the (away) games. “It is disappointing not to have hung onto our lead. Even when you are not brilliant, you need to get a result like that. “It’s a long season and it is going to stay very tight at the top. This match followed Chelsea’s draining extra-time League Cup win over United in midweek and di Matteo said: “We have certainly felt (tired) this week after the two games with Manchester United including extra-time. “It’s important we utilise our squad and we rotate them so we remain fresh and have enough energy on the pitch.” Swansea manager Michael Laudrup claimed his team were good value for the draw, saying: “I think it was a deserved point. It was, in many ways, a copy of the game we played last week against Manchester City (and lost 1-0). That time we deserved a point but didn’t get anything, we did this time. “They had a few goal chances, we had a couple, two or three half chances,” the Denmark great added. “There were not that many chances. A point for each (team) was a fair result.” Laudrup, who said he expects Chelsea to challenge for the title alongside Manchester United and Manchester City, added that it was a significant result on the back of Swansea’s midweek League Cup victory over Liverpool. “It has been an important week for the club,” he added. “We have had three different results in the last week, but three very good performances. “It’s nice to see that we can play like that against the big ones with our style of playing. That’s important for us.” - AFP    |
| Milan giants hit top form as Juventus crumble Posted: 03 Nov 2012 07:33 PM PDT  MILAN: Inter Milan earned the bragging rights over city rivals AC Milan yesterday with an emphatic 3-1 victory away to Juventus which stopped the champions’ impressive unbeaten run at 49 games.Earlier, seven-times European champions AC Milan, who have been languishing in mid-table and beyond since the start of the season, moved up a gear at the San Siro to register a 5-1 win over struggling Chievo. Milan’s fourth win in 11 games has moved them up to seventh ahead of Sunday’s matches and will prove a morale-booster ahead of the visit of Champions League Group C opponents Malaga on Tuesday. Embattled coach Massimiliano Allegri, who has survived several virtual votes of confidence this season having led Milan to the title in 2011 and runner-up place last season, admitted this result was more than welcome. “After our crisis period we needed a result like this but it’s one we deserved,” he said. “We still have improvements to make in some areas but we’re going in the right direction and hopefully we will make something of this season, which did not start well for us.” Yet Inter’s feat trumped Milan’s hands down. The Nerazzurri themselves endured a sluggish start to the season but 36-year-old Inter coach Andrea Stramaccioni has brought his side to the boil in timely fashion. The build-up to the ‘Derby d’Italia’ lasted more than two weeks and led, in the closing days, to exchanges between both clubs that threatened to boil over. While Juve cancelled two scheduled press conferences earlier this week, Inter have been forthcoming about their ambitions and plans. Inter’s win allowed Stramaccioni to vent some of his frustration at what he felt was “ironic” remarks on the part of Juventus president Beppe Marotta. “I’ve heard some ironic remarks about how we go about things,” he told Sky Sports. “I tried to prepare for this game in the best possible way so it’s annoying to hear sarcasm from Juve before the match on Inter’s tactical approach. At the final whistle perhaps Marotta might think differently. I just want respect.” In 10 previous games this season Juve had conceded only five goals. But despite opening the scoring through Chilean Arturo Vidal in a dominant first half the Turin giants were outplayed after the interval with Diego Milito grabbing a brace and Rodrigo Palacio scoring the third in the 89th minute. Inter are now just one point behind Juventus, with Napoli — unbeaten until two weeks ago when they visited Juventus Stadium — six points off the lead before they host Torino Sunday. Juventus came out firing on all cylinders and should have had three quick goals but it was their first-minute opener that hit the net. A textbook attack caught Inter off guard although when Ghanaian midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah latched on to a through ball on the left the Ghanaian midfielder was a metre offside. Officials, however, failed to spot the infringement and when he lashed the ball across the area Vidal slotted home past Samir Handanovic. Both teams had their chances in the first half but Inter moved up a gear in the second period as doubt began to creep in to Juve. Inter’s break came when they were awarded a penalty just before the hour mark. Milito stepped up to send the ball just past Buffon’s shoulders to level and then made it two a quarter of an hour later when he latched onto the rebound from a fierce drive by second half substitute Freddy Guarin to beat Buffon. Juve’s chances of salvaging a draw were kept in check when Rodrigo Palacio finished off the good work of Yuto Nagatomo to handed Juve their first league defeat since a reverse against Parma in May 2011. “It was a tough game,” Milito told Sky Sport. “We were caught napping at the start and went immediately behind but then we fought our way back into it and at the end we deserved the win.” - AFP    |
| Murray eyes Tour Finals win to cap glorious year Posted: 03 Nov 2012 07:30 PM PDT  LONDON: Andy Murray has set his sights on capping a glorious year by winning the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals on home turf at London’s O2 Arena.After spending much of his career struggling in vain to break the vice-like grip Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic held on the sport’s top prizes, Murray has finally earned the right to be regarded as an equal to those three giants after a remarkable five months. In July, the 25-year-old became the first Briton to reach the Wimbledon final since 1938 and although Murray wept tears of frustration on Centre Court after Federer took the title, that run proved a defining moment. While Murray had previously reacted to significant defeats by heading into prolonged periods of introspection and poor form, this time his response was that of a champion. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, Murray came back to Wimbledon for the Olympics just weeks later and thrashed Federer in straights sets to take the gold medal in the men’s singles final. With the confidence from that triumph still racing through his veins, Murray headed to New York, where he ended his long wait to win a first Grand Slam title by defeating Novak Djokovic over five dramatic sets in the US Open final in September. Now Murray returns to play in front of a British audience for the first time since his US Open breakthrough and he is keen to wrap up his golden year with one more title. “There’s always pressure at all of the major tournaments you play but I feel a little bit more relaxed coming in this year than I have in previous years because I managed to win the US Open,” Murray said. “The only thing I can guarantee is that I’ll give 110 percent on the court, fight as hard as I can until the end of all the matches and see where that gets me. Hopefully it’ll get me a few wins. “Against all the guys here you’re going to have to play a top-quality match to win.” Murray has been reunited with coach Ivan Lendl this week for the first time since that momentous night in New York. Lendl only travels with his charge for certain tournaments and stayed at home in the US while the Scot played in Tokyo, Shanghai and Paris, where Murray suffered a shock exit against Poland’s Jerzy Janowicz in the third round. Murray, who is making his fifth appearance at the Tour Finals, said: “I always enjoy having Ivan around. He’s been a great asset to me and all the guys I work with. “He’s been very easy to work with and helped me at the big events this year. “He’s helped me come back from some tough losses and finish the year in the slams very well. I hope we can have a good tournament.” The tournament usually features the top eight players in the world rankings, although reigning French Open champion Rafael Nadal is continuing his recovery from a knee injury, handing Serbia’s Janko Tipsarevic a place in the draw. Murray is in Group A along with Djokovic, Tomas Berdych and last year’s runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, and it is Berdych who will be the world number three’s first opponent on Monday. Defending champion Federer, who will lose the number one ranking to Djokovic on Monday, takes on Tipsarevic, Spain’s David Ferrer and former US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro in Group B. Federer has won the Tour Finals a record six times and he underlined his desire to add a seventh crown when he pulled out of the Paris Masters at the last minute to rest ahead of his trip to London. Del Potro, who is back at the Tour Finals for the first time since in 2009, arrives in London on the back of tournament wins in Vienna and Basle, where he beat home-town hero Federer in the final. “It’s a pleasure to be part of the eight players, it’s an honour,” Del Potro said. “We have big names playing this week, they’re favourites more than me, but to be here is a gift after my wrist injury.” - AFP    |
| United go top as Chelsea and City stumble Posted: 03 Nov 2012 07:29 PM PDT  LONDON: Robin van Persie piled on the misery for former club Arsenal as Manchester United went top of the Premier League with a 2-1 victory at Old Trafford yesterday.Victory in this early kick-off match saw United supplant Chelsea in first place and that is where they stayed after the European champions were held to a 1-1 draw at Swansea later Saturday. Premier League title holders Manchester City could have drawn level at the summit with United but instead were left two points adrift of their local rivals following a goalless draw away to West Ham in the day’s late kick-off. In Manchester, van Persie needed fewer than three minutes to put United in front before Patrice Evra doubled their lead in the 67th minute. Arsenal’s day got worse when midfielder Jack Wilshere, in only his second game back following a long injury lay-off, was sent off for a second bookable offence after he caught Evra on the ankle. “It was a special day, in the end it was about the game and I think we played well,” van Persie told Sky Sports. United manager Alex Ferguson praised van Persie’s all-round display by saying: “I thought he was fantastic today. His movement, his penetration was fantastic.” Van Persie, playing against Arsenal for the first time since his £24 million ($39 million) pre-season move from the Gunners, wasted little time in giving United the lead. He scored in the third minute when, after Thomas Vermaelen failed to clear a Rafael cross, Van Persie struck from the edge of the penalty area. It was the 29-year-old van Persie’s 10th goal in 13 United appearances. United were awarded a penalty shortly before half-time after Santi Cazorla blocked Ashley Young’s cross with his arm only for Wayne Rooney to drill his spot-kick wide of the left post. However, Evra did make it 2-0 when he headed in a Rooney cross following a short corner. Cazorla pulled a goal back for Arsenal with virtually the last kick of the match, but by then the damage had been done and Gunners manager Arsene Wenger said afterwards: “It was important not to put ourselves in trouble, which is what we did.” Nigeria winger Victor Moses gave Chelsea a 61st minute lead at the Liberty Stadium with a flick-on after Gary Cahill’s header from an Eden Hazard corner only for Pablo Hernandez to equalise two minutes from time. “It is a disappointment we weren’t able to finish the game off,” said Chelsea manager Roberto di Matteo. At Upton Park, Manchester City were fortunate to maintain an unbeaten start to their title defence. They nearly fell behind early on when West Ham midfielder Kevin Nolan lashed a volley into the net only for his effort to be unluckily ruled out for offside. And the Londoners suffered more bad luck when another volley, this time from Israel’s Yossi Benayoun, hit the post before England striker Andy Carroll added to their frustrations by shooting wide. Still in the first half, City’s Mario Balotelli then wastefully volleyed over from eight yards out. “We continue to miss a lot of chances in every game and this is no good,” City manager Roberto Mancini, who started with three strikers in Balotelli, Carlos Tevez and Edin Dzeko, told ESPN. West Ham manager Sam Allardyce had mixed emotions, saying: “We believe we scored a perfectly good goal. However, he added: “When the champions are unbeaten, and you play them at home and get a draw, you’ve got to be happy.” Belgium midfielder Marouane Fellaini scored twice as Everton replaced Tottenham Hotspur in fourth place on goal difference with a 2-2 draw at Fulham. Spurs dropped out of the Champions League positions after Wigan’s Ben Watson scored the only goal in a 1-0 win for the visitors at White Hart Lane. Elsewhere, Gabriel Agbonlahor scored for the first time in 29 league games as Aston Villa pulled clear of the relegation zone with a 1-0 win against a Sunderland side managed by former boss Martin O’Neill. Meanwhile, Bradley Johnson headed in the only goal of the game a minute before half-time as strugglers Norwich beat Stoke 1-0 at Carrow Road. - AFP    |
| Record breaking Barca beat Celta as Real play catch-up Posted: 03 Nov 2012 07:27 PM PDT  MADRID: Real Madrid beat Zaragoza 4-0 yesterday but remain eight points behind record breaking Barcelona who earlier won 3-1 against Celta Vigo to go three points ahead of the pack.Gonzalo Higuain and Angel Maria struck in a two minute blitz midway through the first half while Michael Essien and Luka Modric added another two late on but despite their recent good form it will be difficult to claw back the Catalan side, who have made their best start to a season. Barcelona now have nine wins and a draw which beats their previous record by Louis van Gaal’s 1997-98 side. The Catalan club also gained a boost when second-placed Atletico Madrid suffered their first defeat of the season as goals from Roberto Soldado and Nelson Valdez gave Valencia a 2-0 win, leaving Barca three points clear. Madrid’s defensive problems eased with the return of Alvaro Arbeloa who came in on the left of defence with Marcelo and Fabio Coentrao both still injured. It freed up Michael Essien to move back into midfield where Madrid were without Xabi Alonso and Sami Khedira, suspended and injured respectively. Zaragoza arrived at the Bernabeu with confidence restored after back-to-back wins and they made it difficult for Madrid with their organisation. Madrid got their opening breakthrough out of the blue from a corner. Raul Albiol leapt to power a header which Roberto got down well to save but Higuain smashed in the rebound. Zaragoza fell further behind as Di Maria had an effort from a tight angle saved by the keeper but he then cracked in the rebound. The visitors came out for the second half with more attacking intent, though they were mainly reduced to shots from distance and came closest to scoring with a drive by Jose Mari from 25 yards which crashed against the crossbar but Ronaldo also hit the woodwork for Madrid with a late freekick. Essien and Modric added gloss to the result with goals in the 88th and 91st minutes. But Real coach Jose Mourinho had praise for his rivals. “There were moments when I applauded Zaragoza. We were not solid, at the back yes but not going forward,” said Mourinho. “We wasted a lot of chances in attack and I think 3-1 would have been a fairer result.” Earlier, Adriano Correia put Barca ahead against Celta after 21 minutes and while Mario Bermejo momentarily brought the visitors level minutes later, David Villa quickly restored the lead while Jordi Alba secured the win in the second half. “What is important are the points not the record. To have 28 from a possible 30 points is not easy and shows the desire of the players. In every game we have kept going until the end,” said Barca coach Tito Vilanova. Ahead of the game Lionel Messi showed off his Golden Boot trophy which he was presented this week after scoring 73 goals last season, while he was also the focus following the birth of his first child Thiago on Friday. Barca were still without Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol at centre half and this time Sergio Busquets was chosen to play alongside Javier Mascherano. Adriano Correia, joining the attack, put Barca ahead. Pedro Rodriguez got in front of full-back Roberto Iago on the right and crossed for the Brazilian to knock the ball home from close range. The celebrations had barely finished though before Celta were level. An Alex Lopez pass split the Barca defence and Bermejo fired past Valdes on the rebound. Barca restored their advantage with a delightful move as Villa back-heeled the ball to Iniesta, who got to the deadball line and pulled it back for Villa to score. Right after the restart Aspas had a shot which went inches wide from a tight angle but Alba increased Barca’s lead after 60 minutes. Villa flicked on an Iniesta pass to the full-back who did well to round the keeper and finish but replays showed he was clearly off-side. - AFP    |
| Hamilton on pole as Vettel demoted Posted: 03 Nov 2012 07:26 PM PDT  ABU DHABI: A supremely-dominant Lewis Hamilton crushed all his rivals on Saturday as he set up a Red Bull party-wrecking race in Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix by taking his sixth pole position of the season while a fuel issue saw season leader Sebastian Vettel demoted.The 27-year-old Briton was simply untouchable as he steered his car to the fastest time in all three parts of the session, finishing with an outstanding best time of one minute and 40.630 seconds. His dazzling display ended Red Bull’s run of three consecutive races in which they dominated qualifying and produced front row lockouts. To make matters worse for Red Bull, defending champion Vettel, who had missed the front row by qualifying third on the back of technical problems, was demoted and will start from the back of the field after he did not have sufficient fuel left in his tank for a fuel sample to be taken. Vettel fell foul of F1 rules which dictate that cars must return to the pits with at least a litre of fuel on board to avoid a performance advantage. But he shrugged off the mishap. Vettel said: “One of the best ski jumpers of all times once said ‘Every chance is an opportunity’ and as far as we are concerned there are still plenty of chances tomorrow.” Hamilton’s best lap, clocked on his first run in the top ten shootout, was good enough to leave him three-tenths of a second clear of Vettel teammate Mark Webber who will share the front row with him for Sunday’s 55-laps race at the 5.554 kms Yas Marina Circuit. Vettel’s main title rival, Fernando Alonso of Ferrari, endured a frustrating session – though the Spaniard was bumped up a place to sixth after Vettel’s demotion. Williams’s Pastor Maldonado will start the race third, ahead of Kimi Raikkonen of Lotus, McLaren’s Jenson Button and Alonso. Hamilton’s pole was his sixth this year and the 25th of his career on a circuit that he clearly responds to with great elan — and gives him a perfect opportunity to upset the Red Bull express and end Vettel’s run of four consecutive wins in pursuit of his goal of becoming F1′s youngest triple world champion. Hamilton, whose father Anthony has been with him in the paddock, said: “I’m very excited. It’s the first time for a long time to be ahead of the Red Bulls and starting at the front. “It’s going to be tough in the race and I hope we are strong enough to fight them once again. The car’s felt beautiful all weekend but we’ve not made any improvement since last weekend so I guess it just likes the track and hopefully it will continue to like it tomorrow.” Webber said: “Credit to Lewis and McLaren – they have a quick car and we’ve been bumped off the front row for the first time in awhile. “We did the best we could, it was a pretty smooth qualifying and we’re still a long way up the grid. There’s a little bit of friendly fire going on which we need to tidy up. Seb’s still involved in the drivers’ championship and there’s the constructors’.” Vettel, who takes part in his 99th Grand Prix on Sunday, said: “I dont know why I had to stop, I was asked to stop. It’s probably some problem. It shouldn’t be something major. “This morning wasn’t ideal not being able to run. Nevertheless, we were settling in quite well, the pace was there. McLaren, in particular Lewis, are pretty quick and were out of reach today. “I’m not entirely happy with the last part of qualifying. It was quite tricky for me. I should have been a little quicker. I think we can be happy overall. The race pace should be good tomorrow. I’m looking forward to it.” Alongside Vettel on the second row is Williams’ Pastor Maldonado who won his maiden F1 race at the Spanish Grand Prix earlier in the season. He said: “”We have shown all weekend that we are quite competitive. I did my best in qualifying. The car was there, I’m happy for the team and happy for myself. I’m happy for tomorrow. “We need to look at ourselves. Point will be important for us. I will push at the maxmium and we will see. I think we have strong pace and are competitive like the top teams.” Occupying the third row are Kimi Raikkonen and Jenson Button in the second McLaren, with Alonso sharing the fourth row with Nico Rosberg of Mercedes. - AFP    |
| FIFA urged to allow Brazilian food at cup Posted: 03 Nov 2012 07:24 PM PDT  SAO PAULO: FIFA is under pressure to allow sales of a native Brazilian sandwich in stadiums at the 2014 World Cup amid allegations that the governing body is bowing to corporate sponsors such as McDonald’s.The row centers on acaraje, an iconic black-eyed pea fritter from the northeastern state of Bahia, and a FIFA regulation that bars street vendors within a two-kilometer (1.2 mile) radius of World Cup venues. A petition circulated by the Association of Bahian female acaraje vendors (ABAM) is demanding that FIFA guarantees space inside stadiums for its members. Acaraje, a fritter which is split and stuffed with caramelized onions and shrimp, was declared a cultural heritage of Brazil in 2005. ABAM and its supporters say the restrictions were imposed to protect the interests and hamburger sales of McDonald’s, one of the World Cup’s main sponsors, and argue that it would be outrageous to bar acaraje, particularly in the Fonte Nova stadium of the Bahian state capital Salvador. ABAM president Rita Santos sent the petition to FIFA President Sepp Blatter, Brazilian Sport Minister Aldo Rebelo, and national team hero Ronaldo, a member of the World Cup’s Local Organizing Committee (LOC). “Clearly security, hygiene and healthy food must be of concern to organizers of such a major event, but this must not be influenced by the interests of sponsors such as McDonald’s,” it said. “We want Bahian women vendors and acarajes at the 2014 World Cup.” FIFA, however, insisted the restrictions were put in place for security and safety reasons and have nothing to do with McDonald’s. The petition specifically urges Ronaldo, who won the World Cup with Brazil in 2002, to intervene on the issue and secure a conciliatory pledge from FIFA. In a statement sent to AFP on Saturday, FIFA said it was important “the food and beverage offerings in the stadia at the 2014 FIFA World Cup incorporate a local Brazilian flavor,” noting that it was in the process of appointing a food and beverage concessionaire to implement the event’s menu. “Once appointed we will together assess the possibilities of including local food choices for each host city, taking into account the requirements of the local people and the international audience,” the statement said. “The sale of acaraje in Salvador will be part of these discussions.” FIFA said it was in talks with Salvador and the other 11 Brazilian host cities to ensure the interests of these informal sellers are taken into account and that “regulated opportunities to benefit from the World Cup are offered to this group to the greatest extent possible.” - AFP    |
| US disaster relief in a race against freezing cold Posted: 03 Nov 2012 07:19 PM PDT
President Barack Obama, neck-and-neck in opinion polls with Republican rival Mitt Romney three days before the general election, told emergency response officials to cut through government “red tape” and work without delay to help ravaged areas return to normal as quickly as possible. The power restorations relit the skyline in Lower Manhattan for the first time in nearly a week and allowed 80 percent of the New York City subway service to resume, but more than a million homes and businesses still lacked power, down from 3.5 million on Friday. The power outages combined with a heating oil shortage meant some homes could go cold as unseasonably frigid weather sets in. Forecasters saw temperatures dipping into the upper around 3 degrees Celsius yesterday night with freezing temperatures expected next week. In Staten Island, the New York City borough whose half a million residents bore the brunt of Sandy, people tried to stay warm. Tom Clark, 43, and family members were burning wood in a steel drum on their front yard. Clark said the family and their dogs planned to go stay at his mother-in-law’s heated house. George Harrison, 39, and his wife had masks hanging around their necks that they had used to shield them from the stench of raw sewage when they entered their flood-hit house. US Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano visited Staten Island on Friday amid assertions by some angry residents that they had been ignored by emergency relief workers. The weather forecast remains bleak. An aggressive early-season “Nor’easter” storm was expected to hit the battered New England coast next week with strong winds and heavy rain. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg yesterday urged those without power and heat – especially the elderly and other vulnerable groups – to head to shelters where they could keep warm and receive food. “Right now it’s starting to really get cold,” he said. In New York and New Jersey, more than 18,000 people remained in shelters, Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Craig Fugate said. Bloomberg critizes utility “There’s no heating oil around,” said Vincent Savino, the president of Statewide Oil and Heating, which usually supplies 2,000 buildings across New York City. “I don’t know how much fuel we have left: maybe a day or two.” The post-storm chaos also threatened to jumble Tuesday’s election, with Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney locked in a tight race. The storm’s death toll rose to at least 110 with nine more deaths reported in New Jersey on Saturday, raising the total in that state to 22. Bloomberg put New York City deaths at 41. Sandy killed 69 people in the Caribbean before turning north and hammering the US Eastern Seaboard on Monday with 130-kphwinds and a record surge of seawater that swallowed oceanside communities in New Jersey and New York, and flooded streets and subway tunnels in New York City. Bloomberg praised utility Consolidated Edison for making significant progress in restoring power to customers, but warned New Yorkers that it would be days before everyone had electricity again and fuel shortages ended. But he had sharp words for the Long Island Power Authority, LIPA, which he said “has not acted aggressively enough” in its power restoration efforts, above all in the Rockaways, a beachfront community in the borough of Queens. In New Jersey, Governor Chris Christie ordered rationing that allows only half of all cars to buy gasoline each day. “I was there (at the Jersey Shore) yesterday and I will tell you, it looked like we had been bombed,” Christie said “There are homes in Bay Head on the beach that had been driven by the storm surge into the houses across the street.” Obama won praise for the federal storm response but the devastation was so widespread that angry storm victims continued to appear on television days after landfall. The storm damaged or destroyed thousands of homes and displaced voters, forcing election officials to improvise at early polling stations. Christie ordered county clerks in New Jersey to open on Saturday and Sunday to accommodate early voters and ensure a “full, fair and transparent open voting process.” New Jersey authorities also took the uncommon step of declaring that any voter displaced from their home by superstorm Sandy would be designated an overseas voter, which allows them to submit an absentee vote by fax or email. Tight gasoline supplies have tested the patience of drivers – fistfights have broken out in mile-long lines of cars – but a reopened New York Harbor meant fuel was reaching terminals. To alleviate one of the country’s worst fuel chain disruptions since the energy shortage in the 1970s, some 8 million gallons of gasoline and other petroleum products have been delivered since Friday, with much more expected this weekend, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said. Running on empty Cuomo also announced the Defense Department would set up five mobile gas stations in the metropolitan area, providing people with up to 10 gallons of free gas. New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs said the fuel was for personnel and first responder vehicles, which have priority. At least 1,000 drivers queued up at the Freeport Armory in Long Island, only to be told the gasoline would not arrive for at least eight hours more, one driver said. “There’s just so many people getting very frustrated. People don’t know what to do,” said Lauren Popkoff, 49, a history teacher who had been in line for four hours. Bloomberg said the fuel shortages would be easing soon. According to the US Energy Informational Administration the number of dry stations in the New York metropolitan area plunged to 38 percent on Saturday from 67 percent on Friday. The US Department of Energy confirmed on Saturday that most filling stations in the metro area had fuel. New York City’s overstretched police got a break with the cancellation of Sunday’s marathon, a popular annual race that became a lightning rod for critics who said it would divert resources. People are also worried about crime. In one hard-hit Queens neighborhood, a garage full of debris stood open with a sign next to it reading: “LOOTERS WILL BE CRUCIFIED – GOD HELP YOU.” Police arrested a man who was wearing a Red Cross jacket and checking front doors of unoccupied houses in Staten Island. The Obama administration directed the purchase of up to 45 million liters of gas and 10 million gallons of diesel, to be trucked to New York and New Jersey. It also waved rules barring foreign-flagged ships from making US domestic fuel transfers. Consolidated Edison, battling what it called the worst natural disaster in the company’s 180-year history, restored electricity to many Manhattan neighborhoods, though some 11,000 customers on the island were without service. The company said 270,000 customers in New York City and Westchester County still had no power, down from nearly a million who were cut off by the storm. - Reuters    |
| Israel: Three Syria tanks enter Golan demilitarized zone Posted: 03 Nov 2012 07:15 PM PDT
“The Israeli Defense Forces have filed a complaint with the UN (peacekeeping) force in the area,” the spokeswoman said. She had no further information on what the tanks were doing. Israeli media said the tanks were involved in fighting in the Syrian village of Beer Ajam against rebels trying to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad. Israel is technically at war with Syria, but it has generally taken a cautious line on the uprising in its Arab neighbor. Errant Syrian mortars bombs landed in Israel in September, spurring Israel to lodge a similar complaint with the United Nations observer force that monitors a long-standing, de facto truce between the two countries. Israel captured the Golan Heights, a strategic plateau, from Syria during a 1967 Middle East war. It later annexed it in 1981 in a move not recognized internationally. In Washington, the White House had no immediate comment. - Reuters    |
| Europe urges end to Myanmar killings, pledges aid Posted: 03 Nov 2012 07:14 PM PDT
In western Myanmar, 89 people have been killed in clashes between Buddhist Rakhines and Muslim Rohingyas, according to the latest official toll covering the last 10 days of October. Many thousands more have been displaced by the violence. “We are deeply concerned by these events and by the consequences for the reforms and democratization of the country. We hope that all religious leaders will call for restraint,” Barroso said in a speech, a copy of which was released in Brussels. “The EU stands ready to mobilize 4 million euros (US$5.14 million) for immediate humanitarian needs, provided access to the affected areas is guaranteed,” Barroso added. He was speaking in Myanmar at a newly established peace center designed to aid dialogue between all parties in Myanmar’s peace process. During his visit to the country he also held talks with President Thein Sein. The European Union, winner of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, has contributed 700,000 euros to starting up the peace center, to be followed by further funds. In 2013, the bloc will contribute 30 million euros to Myanmar’s ethnic peace process, a Commission statement said. After five decades of brutal junta rule, Myanmar has stunned the world with rapid economic and democratic change, which has led to an easing of sanctions imposed by the United States and the European Union to encourage further reforms. - Reuters    |
| Activists rally to end prison torture in Egypt Posted: 03 Nov 2012 07:12 PM PDT
Islamist president Mohamed Mursi was elected in June following 16 months of rule by the army council that took over after Hosni Mubarak’s overthrow last year. During the council’s rule, some 12,000 civilians were tried by army courts and many of them were tortured in prisons, according to rights groups. Aida Seif al-Dawla, of the El Nadeem Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence, spoke on a stage yesterday and told the crowds that the group has documented 150 cases of torture in the 100 days since Mursi took office. “Mursi is following in Mubarak’s footsteps,” Dawla said. “Oh martyrs rest in peace, the struggle continues,” chanted the demonstrators, who hung up on nearby street walls posters showing the disfigured faces and bodies of torture victims. “No torture – is that too much to ask?” read a poster carried by members of campaign group A Nation without Torture. The protest, which took place near the Interior Ministry, commemorated the death of Essam Atta, a young Egyptian whose family said he was tortured to death by authorities in October last year while held in Torah prison south of Cairo. An army court had jailed Atta for two years in February 2011 for offences including “thuggery”. His family accused prison officers of torturing him by inserting a hose in his mouth and anus and pumping water and soap into his body causing mass bleeding that led to his death. “All I ask of our new president is to treat Essam as though he were one of his own children and seek justice for him and for the other martyrs,” cried Enaam Youssef, Atta’s mother, who was present at the event with her daughters. Rights groups have compared Atta’s death to that of online activist Khaled Said, whose disfigurement and killing at the hands of police in Alexandria in 2010 was one of the factors that helped ignite the revolt that toppled Mubarak. Human rights groups have demanded that Egypt’s new constitution, which is being drawn up by a 100-strong assembly, explicitly ban torture. - Reuters    |
| Somalia wants Ugandan troops to remain Posted: 03 Nov 2012 07:09 PM PDT
Uganda’s foreign affairs ministry said earlier that it would withdraw from peace keeping initiatives in Africa unless the United Nations amended a report accusing it of supporting rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Somali Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon Saaid told Reuters in an interview that Somalia had not yet received any official communication from Uganda on the issue of withdrawing from the African Union force known as AMISOM. “We are not impressed with that message. We would like to work with AMISOM in that respect,” he said. “The Ugandans have contributed significantly and a lot, and this is now a critical moment and in light of that we are of the view, if the media reports turn out to be true, it may be a challenge.” Stung by accusations of support for Congo’s M23 rebel group, Uganda’s security minister said on Friday Kampala would tell the United Nations it was withdrawing its forces from military operations in Somalia and other regional hotspots. Uganda and its neighbor Rwanda have denied accusations contained in a leaked report by a UN Group of Experts that the two countries have helped the M23 rebels, whose warlord leader has been indicted by the International Criminal Court. “Uganda’s withdrawal from regional peace efforts, including Somalia, CAR (Central African Republic) etc would become inevitable unless the U.N. corrects the false accusations made against Uganda, by bringing out the truth about Uganda’s role in the current regional efforts,” the foreign ministry said in a statement. UN diplomats in New York said it was unclear whether Uganda meant the threats seriously or was merely trying to pressure Security Council members from taking action on the Group of Experts’ recommendations. The experts called for UN sanctions against individuals supporting the M23 rebels. Troops from the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) account for more than a third of the 17,600 UN-mandated African peacekeepers fighting Islamist al Shabaab rebels in Somalia and their withdrawal could hand an advantage to the militants, who are linked to al Qaeda. A sudden reduction in peacekeeping numbers, especially in the capital Mogadishu, would risk undoing the security gains that allowed the first presidential elections in decades to be held in the capital in September. Uganda’s soldiers, backed by US special forces, are also leading the hunt for fugitive Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony in Central African Republic, with some stationed in South Sudan. A Nairobi-based diplomat told Reuters it was unlikely Uganda would pull back its troops. “Uganda plays a key role in AMISOM and has invested a lot. The international community has supported the UPDF and it would be difficult at this stage, at least in the short term, to take a step back,” the diplomat said. - Reuters    |
| Israel’s Peres welcomes ‘courageous’ words from Abbas Posted: 03 Nov 2012 07:05 PM PDT
In an interview with Israeli television broadcast this week, the Western-backed Abbas also hinted that Palestinians who, prior to the 1948 establishment of the Jewish state lived on lands that are now in Israel, do not have a right to return there, comments that sparked an outcry from his Islamist rivals. “(Abbas’s) courageous words prove that Israel has a real partner for peace,” Peres said in a statement. “These are significant words … We must all treat them with the utmost respect.” Peres, a Nobel peace prize laureate, holds a post that is largely ceremonial and he has little influence on the policies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing government. As prime minister more than a decade ago, Peres headed a left-wing government that actively pursued peace with the Palestinians. Netanyahu has repeatedly portrayed Abbas as a peace partner, urging him to return to negotiations, despite Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s description of the Palestinian president as an obstacle to peace. There have been no direct peace talks since 2010, when the Palestinians refused to resume negotiations unless Israel suspended settlement building in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which they say is killing off all chances of them ever creating a coherent state. Abbas has defied Israel and the United States by planning to ask the UN General Assembly to upgrade the Palestinians to a non-member state. Facing possible punitive Israeli and US sanctions, Abbas has promised an immediate return to peace talks after the UN vote, which the Palestinians are likely to win. The Islamist group Hamas, which wrested control of the Gaza Strip from Abbas in 2007, condemned the comments and thousands of its members rallied in protest and burned posters of Abbas. “No one, regardless of who he may be … has the right to cede a single tract of the land of Palestine or to cede the right of return,” Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh told reporters. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a faction historically allied with Abbas, even called on the president to be questioned by his own Palestine Liberation Organisation. Abbas spokesman Nabil Abu Rdainah said issues like the right of return of Palestinian refugees and the borders of a future state must be resolved in negotiations with Israel. He accused rival groups, without singling any of them out, of exploiting the president’s comments to “carry out a coup” against him. - Reuters    |
| Syrian rebels attack air base to secure north-south corridor Posted: 03 Nov 2012 07:02 PM PDT
President Bashar al-Assad’s forces appear over-stretched with fewer fighters on the ground and have sought to limit rebel advances with far superior firepower, increasingly from the air and especially in the Aleppo and Damascus areas. But despite ragged command-and-control and few heavy weapons, the rebels have gained control over the rural north and border crossings to Turkey after 19 months of conflict and now seek to isolate Aleppo from Assad’s power fulcrum in Damascus. Abroad, fragmented anti-Assad opposition groups will try again at a meeting in Qatar starting on Sunday to form a united front in pursuit of international respect and, most important, better weapons to turn the battlefield tables and oust Assad. Fighters from the Islamist Front to Liberate Syria said they launched the attack on the Taftanaz military airport in the northern province of Idlib in the early hours on Saturday, using rocket launchers and at least three tanks. The government has used Taftanaz to fuel helicopter gunships and fighter jets that have bombarded nearby villages. “All planes that bomb Idlib take off from that airport, and also, if we liberate it, the road between Aleppo and Idlib will be open and safe,” a rebel from the Sukour al-Sham brigade said. “We have managed to destroy one helicopter and several anti-aircraft batteries, and we are using tanks to shell the base,” he told Reuters by phone from the scene. Rebels said they pulled back after six hours of fighting and destroying two helicopters. “We are finished for the day but we will be back,” said another rebel. A video posted on the internet showed rebels firing rockets at the base. Syrian warplanes attacked the nearby village of Bennish in retaliation, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Further fighting was reported in the eastern, oil-producing province of Deir al-Zor and on the outskirts of Damascus. Activists said government forces also clashed with rebels near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and killed at least nine fighters. An Israeli military spokeswoman said three Syrian tanks entered the demilitarized zone in the Golan Heights between Israel and Syria on Saturday and Israeli media said the tanks were involved in the fighting with rebels. In Washington, the White House had no immediate comment on the incursion. The revolt against Assad began as peaceful rallies calling for more freedoms and democracy but turned to armed struggle against the military machine that he unleashed on protesters. Diplomatic intervention has been fruitless because major world and regional powers are at loggerheads over how to end the conflict. It has killed about 32,000 people, making it the bloodiest of Arab uprisings that have ousted entrenched leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen since early last year. Military base abandoned On Friday government troops vacated their last base near Saraqeb, leaving Idlib town and its surroundings “completely outside the control of regime forces”, the Observatory said. The pullout followed coordinated rebel attacks on Thursday on three military posts around Saraqeb, 50 km southwest of Aleppo, in which 28 soldiers were killed. Saraqeb lies at the confluence of Syria’s main north-south highway, linking Aleppo with Damascus, and another road connecting Aleppo to the Mediterranean port of Latakia, a stronghold of Assad’s minority Alawite community. The mainly Sunni Muslim rebels are supported by Sunni states including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and neighbouring Turkey. Shi’ite Iran remains the staunchest regional supporter of Assad, whose Alawite faith derives from Shi’ite Islam. The conflict has been seared by sectarian bloodshed which UN rights officials say may amount to war crimes. The rebels suffered a setback in image this week when the United Nations said a video released on Wednesday appeared to show them executing soldiers who had surrendered after the insurgents occupied the base near Saraqeb. A video posted on Saturday on YouTube by anti-Assad activists appeared to show government forces mutilating bodies of rebels in one area of Idlib. In two sequences, soldiers cut off ears of dead rebels while cursing them. “This is the ear of a dog,” a voice behind the camera says with a laugh. In response to rebel territorial gains, Assad has cranked up air strikes on opposition strongholds, including working class suburbs east of Damascus over the last week. Pressure to unite anti-Assad groups Political divisions within the opposition, a lack of cohesion between their leaders abroad and fighters in Syria, as well as the rising profile of Islamist militants in rebel ranks, have put off Western states otherwise keen to see Assad fall. Veteran opposition leader Riad Seif has proposed a structure melding the rebel Free Syrian Army, regional military councils and other insurgent units alongside local civilian bodies and prominent opposition figures. Called the Syrian National Initiative, his plan envisages the creation of an Initiative Body, including political groups, local councils, national figures and rebel forces; a Supreme Military Council; a Judicial Committee and a transitional government-in-waiting composed of technocrats. - Reuters    |
| Mexico finance minister urges fiscal stimulus from able G20 nations Posted: 03 Nov 2012 06:58 PM PDT
Other countries need to focus on grappling with their deficits, and all G20 nations should coordinate their fiscal policies, Meade told reporters. “Each country has to find the best policy based on its own limitations, its own reality,” Meade said. “But that public policy has to be coordinated so that those countries that have the space to continue to foster demand do so and those countries that have to make (fiscal) adjustments do so as well.” - Reuters    |
| Freed Niger hostages say were not mistreated Posted: 03 Nov 2012 06:56 PM PDT
A sixth aid worker – who was also kidnapped – was shot during the abduction in central Niger on Oct 14 and later died of his wounds, they said. “It is a feeling of joy and satisfaction now that we have been able to rejoin our families and friends, but there is a sadness as well, the loss of one of our colleagues,” said Garba Yaye Issa, one of the aid workers, at a news conference in Niger’s capital Niamey, hours after being released. “We don’t know where we were during our captivity. During that time, we were not mistreated either mentally or physically. We don’t know who abducted us, but they spoke Arab as well as Tamashek and Hausa,” he said. Niger Defence Minister Karidio Mahamadou told Reuters he suspected the kidnappers belonged to an al Qaeda-linked group called MUJWA, which along with Ansar Dine has taken control of about two-thirds of Mali’s north since a coup in March. “The kidnappers were from MUJWA, no doubt,” Mahamadou said. “Up to now, though, we have seen no claim of responsibility.” Gunmen kidnapped the six aid workers, who included five citizens of Niger and one from Chad, from the town of Dakoro in central Niger overnight on October 14. Officials said they believe the group were driven to a region of neighboring Mali now in the hands of Islamists. Gunmen linked to al Qaeda factions operating in the Sahel and Sahara zone have kidnapped people in Niger and taken them to Mali in the past, though they usually target Westerners for ransom payments. The aid group that employed most of the kidnapped aid workers, BEFEN – which seeks to help women and children in the impoverished state – called the kidnapping and the death of worker Aime Soulembaye “an unjustifiable tragedy”. It said he was shot during the kidnapping and later died of his wounds, and it was now seeking to recover the body. “We don’t know the motivations of the kidnappers, but our concern at the moment is to repatriate the body of our deceased colleague and we pray for help and support in doing that,” said BEFEN coordinator Sani Sayadi. The Islamist takeover of the north of Mali has created a security vacuum and opened up a safe haven for extremists and organized crime groups in the Sahara desert. The threat of kidnapping has slowed investment in Niger, the top supplier of uranium to France’s nuclear power industry. French firm Areva delayed the planned start up of its Imouraren mine in Niger after seven of its workers were kidnapped in 2010. Representatives from Niger’s uranium exploration companies met President Mamadou Issoufou late on Friday to ask for tighter security in the northern desert. “We explained all the difficulties we are facing in our work as a result of the security conditions,” said Ibrahim Alasso, speaking on behalf of the companies. - Reuters    |
| Posted: 03 Nov 2012 06:26 PM PDT FMT LETTER: From Victor Lim, via e-mail I woke this morning and found an interesting e-mail, asking all the right questions. I do not know how long the content of the e-mail has been in circulation but it sure depicts the frustrations of Malaysians in general with their super corrupt Umno-led Barisan Nasional government. If anything, the e-mail indicates Malaysians are not so gullible anymore to the mere rhetoric of BN leaders and are asking all the right questions that affect their daily lives and the country they love. It also shows there is still hope to save Malaysia from an evil and greedy regime which is bent on bankrupting the country to enrich their cronies and the elite. This explains why our federal debt is believed to be at RM800 billion or more now, not the official RM502.4 billion as claimed in Budget 2013. The RM502.4 billion is a mere 1.3% short of the 55% legislated federal debt ceiling. The recent arrogant and ridiculous response of BN leaders, including ministers, towards allegations of corrupt practices show how they have taken for granted the peoples' support for the BN (formerly Alliance) for the past 55 years. They insult our intelligence with stupid statements, thinking we are still living in tree houses, and nonchalantly continue with their unabated corrupt ways. This, they are able to do, because they are in full control of all government institutions, including enforcement agencies and the Judiciary, which they unabashedly exploit and abuse to serve their political gravy train agenda. Dissenters and whistleblowers are intimidated by government institutions, like the ongoing crackdown on human rights non-governmental organisation Suaram. The vindictive BN-Umno regime is clearly going after Suaram for lodging a report in France and causing the ongoing judicial probe on allegations of RM574 million in kickbacks over the sale of the French-made Scorpene submarines by Malaysia's Defence Ministry. The ministry, then under Najib Tun Razak who is now the prime minister, bought the two submarines at RM6.7 billion in 2009. The purchase is also marred by the murder of a beautiful Mongolian interpreter, Altantuya Shaariibuu, who was engaged by Najib's crony Abdul Razak Baginda. Altantuya was murdered on Oct 18, 2006, and two police security officers of Najib and his wife have been sentenced to death by the High Court and their appeals are pending. It is widely believed that Altantuya was pregnant at the time of the murder which explains why, after she was shot in the head at close range, the police officers used C4 explosives to blow up her body, clearly to destroy DNA evidence. C4 explosives are exclusive to the Malaysian Armed Forces in the country. Although the two officers have been found guilty of murder and sentenced to death, the whole court proceeding saw unprecedented painstaking efforts by the government (police) to hide the identity of the murderers from the public and a judge who was not interested in the motive for the murder and whose written judgment stated that the motive for the murder is irrelevant. Can any country's judiciary beat that! I reproduce here the content of the e-mail: Never in the history of any country has a government been so hypocritical, deceptive, dishonest and destructive. Which country has had only one political party in government for more than half a century? Which country allows the government to use public funds for political Which country uses the Police to beat up peaceful protestors and corner them when they have already dispersed? Which country has a Prime Minister linked to murder? Which country has a Prime Minister linked to corruption and his colleagues don’t bother? Which country uses Islam as a political tool to destroy other Muslims? Which country practices racial discrimination in its policies like South Which country gives money to the rich to buy houses cheaper because of their race? Which country gives money to ministers so they get very rich while the poor suffer? Which country punishes honest former top Custom and Police officers who whistle-blow? Which country allows its government to rob the poor and fill the pockets of the rich by unreasonable road tolls? Which country bails out cronies in business with public money into billions of ringgit? Which country forces religion down people’s throats while the political Which country has an anti-corruption agency accused of murder? Which country has a police system that sees so many Indian youths die in police lock-ups? Which country has former soldiers take part in politics and act like thugs against a clean and honest lady? Which country has a ‘First Lady’ who spends the people’s money when the country does not even have a president? Which country builds a costly palace when many people do not have proper housing, water and electricity? Which country denies the Opposition time to speak freely yet claims to be the world’s best democracy? Which country allows the Police to beat its journalists doing their jobs Which country forces it’s young into national youth programs and see many die in freak accidents? Which country has its Prime Minister say something and the DPM disagrees. Remember 1Malaysia and “Aku Melayu”. Which country has a Prime Minister who runs away while important things happen in his country? Which country allows dirty videos and other slanderous material to be Which country has conspired against its Opposition leader in a sex scandal that we know is a conspiracy? Which country has a retired Prime Minister and No Ass-Hole who can’t keep his mouth shut and creates disharmony? Which country has someone like former Premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad whose word cannot be trusted – who has said he has retired from politics but is still blabbing? Which country has a Royal Commission which exposes mismanagement and corruption in the police force but nothing is done to correct the shortcomings? Which country has a Royal Commission to expose judge fixing and yet still no one is charged? Which country has the NEP but sees many Malays denied opportunities because they belong to the wrong political party? Which country sees the non-Malays discriminated against and deprived of the constitutional rights while the corrupt take the lion’s share of their prosperity? Which country makes a car and sells it at a higher price in the country but charges less for it in other countries? Which country sees the people divided into bumiputra and non-bumiputra and practices apartheid policies? Which country has gone so backward in its political culture and stays in power by bribing others with money? Which country has a farmers’ cooperative and short-changes its members not giving them their due money? Which country has seen so many abuses of power and yet can still stay in power because of electoral irregularities? Which country has punished its honest citizens for calling for democracy and clean and fair elections? Which country controls all the country’s mainstream media and spreads propaganda? Which country punishes media producers who merely want to promote a free country, what’s wrong with that? Which country spends money on 1Malaysia but promotes racial hatred and disharmony? Which country allows a politician like that white snake in Sarawak to be filthy rich and rob the natives of their lands and trees? Which country allows a politician to spend public money to promote himself overseas? Which country has been censured by the BBC for censoring their news we see? Which country but Malaysia! I am not a member of the Opposition just a citizen sick of the situation..    |
| Let’s pray that godly men will rule the day Posted: 03 Nov 2012 06:23 PM PDT FMT LETTER: From Dr M Raken (Khartoum, Sudan), via e-mail Eligible citizens do not wish to be registered electorate A beast amasses the wealth to become a mighty tycoon A crude known ex-gangster is contesting in my constituency Scandals and slanders have crowned mighty ministers I cried and yelled for electoral reforms to save mankind Let me pray that godly men will come to rule the day    |
| Impose immediate moratorium on all executions Posted: 03 Nov 2012 06:13 PM PDT FMT LETTER: From Charles Hector, via e-mail Malaysia's move towards the abolition of the mandatory death penalty for drug offences, and replacing it with jail terms, is most welcome. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Nazri Aziz, recently said he will be moving the Malaysian Cabinet to defer the death sentences passed on 675 convicted drug traffickers in the country, while the government reviews the death penalty for drug offences. This follows the statement in July 2012, when Attorney-General Abdul Gani Patail said that his Chambers was working towards proposing an amendment to the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 to give judges the discretion of not imposing death sentences on couriers In its 2009 Universal Periodic Review report to the United Nations Human Rights Council, Malaysia also did declare that it was proposing to amend “existing anti-drug trafficking legislation to reduce the maximum sentence to life imprisonment” from the currently practised mandatory death. Most of the 675 persons on death row for drug trafficking today are “drug mules”, some of whom may have even been conned. Drug kingpins are rarely caught. In Malaysia, persons caught with a certain weight of drugs are presumed to be drug traffickers, and the onerous burden of rebutting this presumption shifts to the accused person. This goes against the norm in the criminal justice system, where the burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that a person is guilty is on the prosecution. There are also close to 250 Malaysians arrested as drug mules and sentenced to death abroad, including in China and Singapore, and Malaysia's plea for clemency is inconsistent if it retains the death penalty. In March 2012, it was also revealed in Parliament by Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein that the mandatory death penalty has been shown to have failed to act as a deterrent. Police statistics for the arrests of drug dealers under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries the mandatory death penalty, for the past three years (2009 to 2011) have shown an increase. In 2009, there were 2,955 arrested under this section. In 2010, 3,700 people were arrested, whilst in 2011, there were 3,845 arrested. Sixty-nine % (or 479) of the 696 waiting for execution of their death sentences in Malaysian prisons as on Feb 22, 2011, were for drug offences. Today, there are about 900 on death row. No legal system in the world is foolproof or error-free. There have been many examples of cases of miscarriage of justice, where innocent persons have been incarcerated for many years, or even sentenced to death. The opportunity to right a wrong is, however, not available since death is irreversible. Suhakam has also called on Malaysia to join the other 140 UN member states to completely abolish the death penalty. The United Nations General Assembly have also adopted Resolutions in 2007, 2008 and 2010 calling for a moratorium on executions, with a view to eventually abolishing the death penalty. Malaysia has begun commuting death sentence, whereby five Filipinos on death row had their sentenced commuted to prison terms earlier this year. We call for the abolition of the death penalty in Malaysia, for an immediate moratorium on all executions pending abolition and for the commutation of the sentences of all persons currently on death row; We also call on Malaysia to ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).    |
| Posted: 03 Nov 2012 04:29 PM PDT
The catalyst for this phenomenon is social media, which has enabled everyone with a smartphone to scan the news and pass instant judgment on current issues. However, social media has a Jeckyll and Hyde personality. If you are constantly aware and use it consciously, you are safe. Overstep the boundries and you pay dearly. I am referring to my previous article "What is wrong with our judges" where I highlighted the unhappiness and anger expressed by many Malaysians via social media channels (including MARAH) over the lenient sentences for rapists with "bright" futures in contrast to the death sentence meted out to two Indonesian brothers who killed a violent burgler, R Khartic, in self defense. You now have Khartic's father VP Rajah emerging to say that he is a licensed money changer, a plantation business owner and a mini market operator who paid his son RM10k a month in salary and commissions. He is very upset that his son has been labelled a burglar and has defended his son as a good man and a registered organ donor. Despite eyewitnesses claiming that Khartic entered the shoplot unit through an opening in the ceiling, Rajah is accusing investigating officer ASP Zaiharul and the deputy public prosecutor Yusof Rahman of working in cahoots with the shop operator to pin the blame on his son, and has counter claimed to have witnesses including his brother-in-law who saw Khartic being dragged upstairs of the shophouse by four men. Here are the obvious questions. If there was a fracas of sorts and Khartic was dragged upstairs, why didn't anybody (including the brother-in-law) come to his aid or call the cops? The Indonesian brothers were the only ones who testified in their own defense. Why didn't any of these witnesses step up to vouch for Khartic? Here's another question. Who do we, Joe and Jane public, believe? Clearly, there is manipulation of social media channels to form public opinion. Whilst Malaysians are quick in assuming that there are always hidden hands in every picture, we are also quick to judge on issues. A scan of the comments section indicates an outpouring of sympathy for the father and hate for the designated bad guys – the police. Have we had all the complete facts of the case to mull over and evaluate before commenting? Vigorous debate I personally believe that a democracy should allow vigorous debate. The debate we want is the voice of reason, not the strident arguments that reverberate with dissent for the sake of automatically dissenting with your opponent or automatically agreeing to everything "your" side says. Apparently today you must take a side, otherwise how are we know which team you are playing for? The diplomatic art of agreeing to disagree is dead today's sociopolitical climate. Today complicated issues can be summarised by a short phrase. A radical idea can be propogated by a rallying call. Truth be told, how many of those who willingly respond understand the overall facts of what they're fighting about? Very few decisions are a straightforward black or white. Is there room for an individual who questions your motives, and asks for depth in debate? Is there room for truly making an effort to understand the other's point of view and then search for common ground? Or do we simply respond according to our emotions? It is quite the norm for both sides to have made up their minds on the matter and neither to be interested in listening to the other's view. Unverified facts, badly chosen words and phrases were a pitfall in the infancy of social media even back in the early days when there was only blogging; but now with the mushrooming of online portals and microblogging sites like Facebook, twitter, Whatsapp and Viber, the resultant chorus of condemnation is unprecedentally savage. Digital media literacy is not simply the ability to own a smartphone and post comments. It is also about being able to discern what not to post. My original story today was supposed to have been taken from MARAH, about a 14 year old boy who was allegedly handcuffed and sexualy assaulted by a "cop". Despite directly contacting the parties involved, I could not verify the facts in time for this article. I was also told that the distraught victim's family requested for space to deal with the matter. You have to respect other people's wishes, so no article on that today. Visit MARAH Facebook here Dave Avran is the founder of MARAH (Malaysians Against Rape, Assault & snatcH)    |
| BN could lose 8 parliament seats in Pahang Posted: 03 Nov 2012 04:26 PM PDT
In Raub, Pakatan saw a 45% swing, while in Jerantut (46%), Temerloh(46%), Indera Mahkota (50%), Kuantan (52%) and Bera (43%). Based on 2008 performance, six seats showed great promise for Pakatan. The opposition won in Kuantan and Indera Mahkota. Both seats were won by PKR. But this time round, with the racial factoring, and a simple vote swing of 4%, my projections are that Pakatan could well win eight parliamentary seats in Pahang. The seats are Cameron Highlands, Raub, Kuala Lipis, Jerantut, Temerloh, Indera Mahkota, Kuantan and Paya Besar. This is because there are a few peculiar features shown by Pahang and which are capable of being generalized. (1) Areas with a large Malay population do not necessarily lead to easy wins for BN. Jerantut, Temerloh, Indera Mahkota and Kuantan all have majority Malay voting populations. But in each of these areas, Pakatan secured 46-52% of the votes. Pakatan got 40% votes in Kuala Krau and 43% in Bera. (2) It means Malays are more discerning and are ready to evaluate their voting preference in terms of the costs and benefits. (3) Jerantut in particular with a population of 81% Malay voters saw Pakatan took home 46% of the votes. (4) As a rule, if Pakatan puts up a Malay candidate in these areas, the Malay votes are easily split 50:50 How stable was the vote swing to the opposition? Very often, the gains made by Pakatan were dismissed as protest votes. ‘Votes for Pakatan are stable’ They probably were but no one is sure how much of the swing to the opposition in 2008 was done in the name of protest. And to assume that all were protest votes would be a big mistake. The swing to the opposition can only be attributed to the people having made a choice based on conviction and belief. What Pakatan lacked in terms of material, they gave in the form of better and more committed service. Pakatan has contributed to raising general awareness. Barisan Nasional on the other hand does a number of things – paying for votes, bringing development and so forth, daily dosages of propaganda through all the marketing means of the mainstream media. But their quality of votes is different. The vote for Pakatan is stable while that of BN is fickle. It would therefore be unrealistic to assume that BN has regained completely from lost ground. Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak for example is busy marketing his own personal brand rather than improving the discredited brands of Umno and BN. The Najib factor isn't strong enough to resuscitate Umno and BN. It's even dangerous to rely on the Najib factor especially when Najib becomes the subject of greater scrutiny. The writer is a former Umno state assemblyman but joined DAP earlier this year. He is a FMT columnist.    |
| Posted: 03 Nov 2012 04:21 PM PDT
But that’s alright, says Sekong assemblyman Samsuddin Yahya because Umno BN is ‘overall’ confident about its voters loyalty and will not lose its clout in the upcoming 13th general election. “We are not worried about the Muslim and KDM (KadazanDusunMurut) votes. We are confident. Only the Chinese seats worry us. KK (Kota Kinabalu) is most a difficult seat for us because it is majority Chinese,” he told FMT recently. He was alluding to the widespread reports that the opposition was making damaging inroads into the Muslim and KDM communities in the state and that the state BN could lose up to 20 parliamentary seats in the next election Samsuddin’s Sekong constituency comprises both these communities and some Chinese. Sekong and Karamunsing sectors come under BN-Parti Bersatu Sabah held Batu Sapi parliamentary constituency. The Batu Sapi parliamentary constituency is adjacent to Sandakan bordering Libaran and Kinabatangan. Sandakan is a pipeline of BN loyalists. In the 2010 Batu Sapi by-election, BN won the seat by a 6,359 vote majority. PBS rode on Umno’s support against a divided opposition. BN-PBS candidate Linda Tsen faced off with PKR’s Ansari Abdullah and Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) president Yong Teck Lee. At that time SAPP was attempting an alliance with Pakatan Rakyat but seat allocations was always the issue. BN, said Samsuddin, is confident of retaining the Batu Sapi parliamentary seat this time round. And again local observers add, it will be because the opposition coalition is still divided. For reasons best known to the local political circles here, SAPP can’t seem to gel with the opposition parties, all of whom are clamouring to lead the people into the next general election. No group seem to want SAPP. SAPP and BN A former chief minister under the Sabah CM-rotation system, Yong’s personal and political history has much to do with this. The politics here spout a love-hate relationship with him. Some don’t trust Yong, others hate his guts. But Umno, it appears is good with him. A local political analyst went so far as to say “Umno needs him before and after GE. They’re old flames” Whilst in the BN coalition, SAPP contested in four seats and won with Umno’s help two parliamentary and two state. But SAPP quit the coalition in 2008 and has since been in the wilderness, having tried to hook up with Pakatan and then local State Reform Party (STAR) under Jeffrey Kitingan but to no avail. Now its four seats are being horse-traded within BN with every other partner in the party staking a claim. Thus far there’s been no word from Chief Minister Musa Aman on the four seats. In Kuala Lumpur however the grapevine is talking of Yong’s “probable” return to BN fold but not necessarily as a “partner”. Willy Yong has no bone with Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak or Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Afterall it was his hand that helped push out Abdullah Badawi, and gave Najib leverage. Yong apparently has “some” secrets with Mahathir and Najib. Again rumour has it that he’s in their good books. In which case if there’s a payback then it would be now. In the 2008 election BN's seat tally in Peninsular Malaya was 85 seats against Pakatan 80. It was Sabah and Sarawak that creamed it for BN. Sabah only lost one parliamentary seat – Kota Kinabalu – won by DAP’s Hiew King Cheu in the 2008 polls. However that same year, SAPP which held Tawau and Sepanggar parliamentary seats quit the coalition joining the opposition bench. In the 2008 polls Sarawak DAP won one parliamentary seat – Bandar Kuching. However in a by-election in 2010, DAP wrested Bandar Sibu seat from BN-SUPP. Going into the 13th GE, speculations are rife that opposition Pakatan may wrest six parliamentary seats in Sarawak and together with Star take away 12 from BN in Sabah. At stake in Sabah are 26 parliamentary seats, including one in Labuan. Sarawak has 31 parliamentary. But will it affect BN in Sabah and Sarawak? Observers think not. In fact, the current threat from the opposition has pushed BN partners to consolidate themselves in the smoke-swirling political backrooms. Said one Sabah BN loyalist when asked about the growing opposition threat and its effects: “No threat… good challenge. Makes us think. We don’t accept old arguments anymore. Being filial has nothing to do with getting the job done!”    |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Free Malaysia Today To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.