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A string of incidents has recently underlined tensions between the Muslim majority and the Christian and Hindu minorities, and otherwise painted the country with more Islamic colors. These have included Muslims protesting against Hindu temples by parading in front of one carrying a cow's head; fathers converting their children to Islam without informing the mother; housewives sentenced to whippings for daring to drink a beer; and pop concerts being banned.

But more worrisome is the level of Islamization in the nation's bureaucracy, which has taken on a life of its own and seems accountable to no one. Each of the 13 states in Malaysia now has its own Islamic administration and jurisdiction.

The case of respected cleric Asri Zainul Abidin has brought the problem to the fore, pushing the issue onto the national agenda. In so doing, it has opened the door to potentially significant ripple effects for Malaysia's political and religious future.

On Nov. 18, Asri was charged in the Selangor Sharia Court with teaching without a permit. He pleaded not guilty, but if convicted, he could be imprisoned for up to two years.

The scholar was briefly arrested at the beginning of November, when 35 members of the Selangor Islamic Administration led some 20 police officers in storming the private house where he was giving a lecture.

The teaching permit is required in several states of the Malaysian federation to avoid the spreading of heretical Islamic sects. It is, nonetheless, rarely imposed on those who have well-known, mainstream Islamic credentials.

Asri, who has a doctorate in religious studies and was the highest religious authority in the state of Perlis until recently, certainly qualifies as far as his credentials go. But his view of Islam as a religion that needs to be seen through a modern lens remains controversial.

In the last few years, he has not hesitated to speak out on a number of sensitive issues. He has argued that there should be no punishment for apostasy, and that Islamic authorities have no right to conduct raids on hotel rooms looking for unmarried Muslim couples. He has also defended the right of non-Muslims to use "Allah" as a translation for "God" in Bibles and other non-Muslim texts, and called for teaching all children interfaith lessons at school.

These views are seen as a threat by the Islamic bureaucracy and intelligentsia, which have successfully marginalized alternative voices in the last two decades. Hence, their mob-like attack on the scholar.

Asri's arrest was supported by the National Ulama Organization, the Sharia Lawyers Association of Malaysia, and a plethora of ultra-conservative NGOs. This same informal coalition had last month opposed his nomination to lead the Islamic Da'wah Foundation of Malaysia, a high-profile, government-sponsored Islamic missionary organization.

Moderate academics, non-partisan NGOs, civil society groups and religious minorities have long voiced concerns over the growing power of the religious apparatus. But over the last two decades, these concerns were overshadowed by the larger political battle -- between the governing United Malays National Organization (UMNO) and the opposition Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) -- for the country's Muslim vote, which accounts for 40 percent of its 26 million people.

Today, though, the political landscape has changed. Islam is no longer the sole political commodity available, and both PAS and UMNO have shown signs of opening up toward a more inclusive political platform.

PAS has opened its ranks to non-Muslims. And although UMNO faces internal divisions, with one faction calling for further Islamization, it has begun to consider softening the affirmative action policies that, since the 1970s, have given the ethnic Malays a privileged position in government, education and the bureaucracy.

The Malaysian constitution states that Malays must be Muslim, inextricably linking the religious issue to that of ethnic relations in a country where millions of ethnic Indians and Chinese feel less than equal.

Asri, who is very popular among the young, has previously been courted by both the UMNO and PAS, and both parties have expressed their support for his cause. Both Prime Minister Najib Razak and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim have made public statements of support, as have many NGOs, academics and civil society groups. The case has also been relentlessly reported by the national media, with a clear bias in favor of the cleric.

With such popular and political support, it is unlikely that Asri will be convicted for a crime that contradicts the constitution's secular right of freedom of speech. In fact, it is quite possible that the ordeal will convince him to enter politics, bringing his erudite, progressive view into that public arena.

Moreover, Asri's plight could push the political establishment further, toward confronting a despotic Islamic bureaucracy that no longer serves the interests of a modern, multi-ethnic Malaysia as it struggles to attract the foreign investment needed to continue its progress.

If not, the country once known for its moderate form of Islam might instead continue to make headlines for cows' head protests, beer whippings and banned pop concerts..

Guinness Anchor, which has the largest market share of the three brewers in Malaysia, recently celebrated Guinness’s 250th anniversary with a concert near Kuala Lumpur featuring the Black Eyed Peas. The company had to create a separate area where alcohol could be served and agreed not to use the word “Guinness” at the concert or in advertising promoting the event.

Initially, Muslims were not allowed to attend; however, the authorities later changed their minds. The concert did not sell out, but about 16,000 people went through the gates. It is not known how many were Muslim.

“We target our activities squarely towards the Malaysian Chinese and Malaysian Indian community bases,” said Charles Ireland, the brewer’s managing director, referring to the country’s largest non-Muslim communities. “There’s an ingrained mutual respect in Malaysia which, as an expat in the country, I find extraordinarily heartening.”

Despite such cultural challenges — and the fact that Malaysia has one of the world’s highest excise taxes on alcohol — beer consumption here has remained relatively steady in the past decade. Analysts and local manufacturers are cautiously optimistic that sales may gradually increase as the economy improves, disposable incomes rise and the population of 28 million people grows.

Euromonitor International, an independent market research group, has forecast that beer consumption in Malaysia will increase to 144 million liters, or 38 million gallons, this year and 171 million liters in 2014 from 137 million liters in 2008, or five liters per person. That is small compared with Thailand, which has 65 million people, a small Muslim population and beer sales of about 2 billion liters in 2008, or 31.6 liters per person. But in total consumption, Malaysia is slowly catching up to Indonesia, home to the world’s largest Muslim population, with 240 million people, which consumed 215 million liters of beer in 2008.

While alcohol is banned in some Muslim-majority countries, in Malaysia it is legal for non-Muslims and available in supermarkets, bars and restaurants. Still, it remains a sensitive topic.

In July, a Muslim model was sentenced to be caned after she was caught drinking beer in a hotel in the eastern state of Pahang. In most states, Muslims found drinking alcohol can be fined up to 3,000 ringgit, or about $885; jailed for up to two years; or both. Muslims caught selling alcohol can be fined up to 5,000 ringgit and jailed for three years.

Only a few dozen cases come before the courts each year, and offenders are usually fined.

The managing director of Carlsberg Malaysia, Soren Holm Jensen, said brewers had to adapt their marketing strategies because they could advertise only in print and movies, and could aim only at non-Muslims. Carlsberg, which holds the second-largest market share, ahead of Napex Corp., uses more product-related advertising in Malaysia, while in other countries it is more likely to depict people drinking in a social setting, Mr. Jensen said.

“We have to acknowledge that we are only selling to 35 to 40 percent of the market, so it’s very important in all aspects of what we do,” he said, referring to marketing to specific communities. “You need to be sure that your messages are not offensive.”

Malaysia, a middle-income country, aims to qualify for developed nation status by 2020. The World Bank has forecast that the Malaysian gross domestic product would grow 4.1 percent next year after contracting 2.3 percent this year.

With renewed economic growth, the only inhibitor to increasing beer sales, some analysts say, could be further excise tax increases.

Mr. Jensen said the tax amounted to 7.40 ringgit per liter, giving Malaysia the second highest alcohol tax in the world after Norway.

A 325-milliliter, or 11-ounce, can of Carlsberg typically sells for 5 ringgit at a supermarket. The price in high-end hotels is about 20 ringgit for a bottle.

“By any measure, Malaysia comes out as one of the most expensive places in the world for a beer,” Mr. Jensen said. “We find it reasonable to have high duty levels due to the religious and ethnic factors, but it’s reached the level where it’s become borderline inaccessible to the common, legal beer drinkers.”

Mohamed Sufian, deputy director of the excise division at the Malaysian Customs Department, said the government believed the excise tax was at a “manageable” level and was accepted by consumers.

In a report this year, Euromonitor attributed a rise in Malaysia’s alcoholic beverage sales in 2008 to the government’s decision not to raise the tax on beer, coupled with the rising affluence of consumers and an increasing number of female drinkers.

Analysts said that when the government had raised the tax, as it did in 1998, and every year from 2003 to 2005, beer consumption fell before gradually recovering as consumers adjusted to the new prices. After the last tax increase in 2005, beer sales fell to 4.8 liters a year per person from 5.4 liters in 2004, according to Euromonitor.

Local analysts support the view that consumption is likely to increase.

“As long as the government maintains excise duty, consumption in the local market should go up,” said Vincent Lim, a consumer analyst at OSK Research in Kuala Lumpur.

Guinness Anchor recently reported its best fiscal-year performance since the company was formed 45 years ago, posting revenue of 1.29 billion ringgit and a pretax profit of 191.2 million ringgit for the financial year ended in June.

This year, the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party called for a ban on alcohol sales at convenience stores in the Muslim-majority city of Shah Alam, near Kuala Lumpur. While a ban was not introduced, the party’s member of Parliament for Shah Alam, Khalid Samad, said some convenience stores in the area had voluntarily decided to stop selling alcohol.

Mr. Khalid said Muslim parents were concerned that their teenagers were buying alcohol, and Shah Alam residents had complained about a store selling alcohol opposite a mosque.

“What we want is to see a bit more sensitivity in terms of the sale of alcohol and, where they wish to sell, do so in a more discreet manner and not advertise and have big posters,” he said.

Siti Zubaidah Ismail, a lecturer at the University of Malaysia’s department of Shariah and law, said about 30 cases involving Muslims drinking alcohol typically come before the courts each year. She said it could be difficult for the authorities to catch Muslims drinking and there was concern that alcohol consumption might be rising among young Muslims.

Malaysia is not the only Muslim-majority country where alcoholic beverage sales are rising, Euromonitor reported. Turkey is expected to record beer sales of 1.1 billion liters this year, or about 15 liters a person, up from 727 million in 2004, while sales in Egypt are expected to reach 182 million liters this year, or 2.4 liters a person, from 118 million in 2004.

“In Egypt, Turkey, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates, home to some of the largest Muslim populations, economic growth, increasingly Westernized views and heavy government investment in tourism have contributed to stellar growth of alcoholic drinks sales,” said Marlous Kuiper, Euromonitor’s industry manager of alcoholic drinks.

Other businesses see opportunity amid the challenges in the multiethnic Malaysian society.

Pork is also off-limits to Muslims, and is not found on many restaurant menus, so Werner Kuhn opened El Cerdo, a restaurant in a popular dining area in Kuala Lumpur, in 2005. The name translates as “the pig” in Spanish.

“You have to give your customers a reason to come to your place,” said Mr. Kuhn, a German chef. “You have to offer something no one else does.”.

Laurentius Ambu, wildlife department head in Sabah state on Borneo island, said three orangutans had coin-sized transmitters implanted in their necks in September.

"These are rescued orangutans. Eventually they will be reintroduced into the wild and we would like to monitor their movement, to know how they are doing in the forests," he told AFP.

"We would like to ensure the orangutans are safe."

The three chosen orangutans now live in a sanctuary in Sabah that houses about 250 orangutans in all.

Laurentius said the department aims to gradually install the transmitter on more orangutans in the state, which has about 11,000 of the primates.

Experts say there are about 50,000 to 60,000 orangutans left in the wild, 80 percent of them in Indonesia and the rest in Malaysian's eastern states of Sabah and Sarawak on Borneo island.

A 2007 assessment by the United Nations Environment Program warned that orangutans would be virtually eliminated in the wild within two decades if current rates of deforestation continue.

Orangutan habitats in Malaysia and Indonesia are disappearing as their jungle homes are cleared for logging and to make way for plantations..

Mereka bukan setakat berkebolehan mengawasi kelancaran trafik melalui kamera litar tertutup, malah mereka juga perlu peka pada paras kenaikan air sekiranya banjir berlaku di sekitar ibu kota. Wartawan, NOOR HASLIZA NUSI menjejak peranan petugas Bilik Kawalan Trafik SMART.

DERINGAN telefon tidak putus-putus berbunyi. Suasana di Bilik Kawalan Trafik Syarikat Mengurus Air Banjir & Terowong Sdn. Bhd., (SMART) riuh dengan suara-suara yang datang dari hujung telefon.

Siapa dan dari mana panggilan itu dibuat menjadi persoalan harian petugas di bilik tersebut. Dalam kesibukan itu, sepasang tangan pantas merekodkan masalah yang dihadapi dan segera mengarahkan peronda memberi bantuan.

Berada di dalam bilik yang beroperasi selama 24 jam sehari bersama 72 paparan skrin (barco wall) yang terletak berhadapan dengan tempat duduk petugas, situasi ini cukup menjelaskan fungsi kerjaya yang dilakukan mereka.

Nyata, tugas mereka bukan setakat menjawab panggilan telefon, tetapi memantau seluruh laluan terowong dari bilik tersebut melalui kamera litar tertutup (CCTV).

Contoh lain tugas mereka adalah memeriksa fungsi CCTV, membantu pengguna apabila kereta rosak, kemalangan, menghalau binatang terbiar seperti kucing termasuk memantau objek yang boleh menghalang laluan seperti cebisan tayar.

"Tugasan kami adalah menerima maklumat daripada pengguna terowong atau isyarat banjir daripada pihak berwajib serta mengawal kelancaran trafik menerusi sistem CCTV di bilik ini.

"Kemudian, kami akan mengeluarkan arahan yang diterima kepada Pasukan Ronda SMART dan mereka akan bertindak memeriksa serta memberi bantuan kepada pengguna terowong SMART dalam masa lima minit," kata Penyelia Trafik SMART, Mohd. Hilemi Masban, 27.

Menurutnya, tugas paling mencabar adalah sewaktu penutupan pintu jalan dan pintu air sekiranya berlaku banjir di sekitar Kuala Lumpur.

Bagaimana isyarat banjir itu disampaikan? Menurutnya, sekiranya hujan lebat di seluruh kawasan Kuala Lumpur, perkara pertama yang harus dilakukan oleh setiap petugas di bilik ini adalah persediaan untuk berjaga-jaga sebelum air naik secara mendadak.

"Urusan melibatkan penutupan pintu kedap air dan pintu jalan dilakukan oleh kakitangan di bilik ini atas arahan yang dikeluarkan oleh Jabatan Pengairan dan Saliran (JPS).

"Sekiranya, paras air menunjukkan kurang daripada 70 padu sesaat, ia bermakna paras itu berada pada mode dua. Tetapi jika melebihi 150 meter padu sesaat, paras air berada di mode tiga dan pihak JPS akan mengeluarkan isyarat bersedia atau penutupan di kedua-dua pintu tersebut.

"Sebelum penutupan dilakukan, kami perlu memastikan tiada kenderaan ataupun kakitangan berada di dalam terowong menerusi 220 CCTV di setiap 50 kilometer (km)," katanya sambil memberitahu terdapat 24 pintu kedap air iaitu 12 di dek atas dan 12 di dek bawah yang terletak di laluan trafik atau pintu kecemasan.

KESESAKAN lalu lintas biasa berlaku apabila terowong ditutup akibat banjir.

Bagi memastikan kesemua pintu ditutup dengan baik dan tiada sesiapa berada di dalam terowong, petugas di bilik tersebut akan menghubungi Pasukan Ronda SMART untuk bertindak memeriksa kesemua pintu itu seberapa segera. Masa penutupan seharusnya dilakukan kurang daripada satu jam.

Bagaimana pula sekiranya proses penutupan sedang dijalankan, masih ada pengguna melalui terowong tersebut?

"Kami akan mengumumkan kepada mereka menerusi sistem Isyarat Pesanan Boleh Ubah (Variable Message Sign - VMS). Fungsinya adalah untuk memberikan maklumat penutupan ketika operasi sistem banjir akan dilaksanakan dan menyiarkan maklumat trafik sekitar laluan berkaitan dengan lebuh raya SMART.

"Bantuan penyiaran maklumat dilakukan melalui stesen radio FM (Frequency Modulation). Siaran radio FM boleh diterima sekiranya pengguna terowong sedang mendengar mana-mana radio FM.

"Melalui siaran FM ini juga, Pusat Kawalan SMART boleh membuat pengumuman untuk memberi arahan melalui sistem penyiaran semula," jelasnya sambil memberitahu pintu kecemasan terletak di setiap 250 meter di sepanjang terowong manakala telefon kecemasan pula terdapat di setiap pintu kecemasan yang menghubung terus ke bilik kawalan trafik.

ANTARA tugas di Bilik Kawalan Trafik SMART adalah memantau terowong melalui CCTV.

Bagaimanapun, mungkin ramai dalam kalangan kita ingin mengetahui sejauh manakah cabaran dan pengalaman yang dihadapi petugas, selain memantau kelancaran trafik dan menjawab panggilan telefon.

Menyentuh mengenai cabaran dalam mengharungi kerjaya tersebut, Hilemi, berkata, sejak bertugas hampir dua tahun lalu, banyak pengalaman diperoleh termasuk melayan kerenah pengguna menerusi panggilan telefon bebas tol.

"Kesesakan lalu lintas setiap kali waktu bekerja begitu menguji kesabaran. Apatah lagi berlakunya penutupan terowong disebabkan banjir.

"Kami harus bijak berkomunikasi dengan pengguna dan mahir mengendalikan kesemua sistem di dalam bilik ini dengan baik dan profesional.

"Kami juga perlu memastikan peralatan yang ada dalam terowong berfungsi dengan baik, dengan kerjasama satu kumpulan," katanya.

TEROWONG akan ditutup untuk lalu lintas sekiranya banjir berlaku dan ketika kerja-kerja membersihkan lumpur akibat banjir dilakukan.

Berkongsi pengalaman sepanjang bertugas, beliau berkata, selain melihat kemalangan yang mengakibatkan kebakaran sebuah kereta Perdana V6 dan air naik sehingga menutupi pandangan CCTV, dia juga pernah menyelamatkan seekor kucing daripada dilanggar.

"Mungkin kucing itu tersesat, tetapi akhirnya dapat diselamatkan oleh peronda," katanya.

Mengulas lanjut, katanya, kerjaya tersebut begitu mematangkan fikirannya. Melayan kerenah pengguna menerusi panggilan telefon dan menjawab pelbagai pertanyaan dan aduan sememangnya mencabar mental dan fizikal.

"Walaupun tidak bersua muka dan sekadar bercakap melalui hujung telefon, namun saya cukup memahami apa yang dinyatakan mereka.

"Sebagai petugas, peranan membantu dan menyelesaikan masalah para pengguna adalah tanggungjawab yang harus dilaksanakan.

"Saya bersyukur dengan kerjaya ini. Bagi saya, inilah pengorbanan yang mampu saya berikan dalam menghulurkan bantuan kepada insan yang memerlukan," katanya.

PETUGAS tidak boleh leka atau bekerja dalam keadaan stres.

Sementara itu, rakan sekerjanya, Mohammad Azrul Saleh, 24, berkata: "Kerjaya sebegini melibatkan nyawa pengguna. Sekiranya, kami leka atau bekerja dalam keadaan kelam-kabut, pelbagai perkara boleh berlaku.

"Begitu juga apabila bekerja dalam keadaan stres sewaktu sesuatu perkara berlaku. Ia membuatkan seseorang itu mula berasa tertekan.

"Dalam keadaan tertekan, mungkin seseorang petugas tidak menyedari terdapat kenderaan rosak atau berlaku kemalangan kecil sehingga menyebabkan kesesakan lalu lintas. Ini akan membebankan pengguna terowong," katanya.

Menurutnya, mereka dilatih mengenai apa tindakan sewajarnya jika sesuatu kejadian berlaku dan menganggap kerjaya tersebut adalah nadi terowong SMART.

Tambahnya, sewaktu bekerja mereka juga dinasihati agar tidak gugup sekiranya berlaku kemalangan atau kesesakan lalu lintas.

"Jika berasa gementar, semua kerja tidak akan menjadi, sedangkan keselamatan pengguna adalah tanggungjawab kami," ujarnya.

Segelintir lelaki yang kemaruk seks, terutama berusia 60-an sanggup membelanjakan ribuan ringgit bagi mendapatkan alat sulit binatang buas dikenali ‘syahwat sang bedal’ semata-mata untuk menguatkan tenaga batin, apatah lagi ketika beraksi di ranjang.


Kesukaran mendapatkan alat sulit buaya itu menyebabkan segelintir pengamal tradisional menjualnya dengan harga RM1,000 dan RM3,000.

Namun, ia masih mendapat sambutan di kalangan warga emas untuk memiliki barangan terbabit.

Pemilikan ‘syahwat sang bedal’ itu mampu mengembalikan tenaga batin selain menambahkan kekuatan berlipat kali ganda.

Tidak cukup dengan itu, pemiliknya juga menggunakan beberapa jampi serapah untuk berfungsi seperti yang diinginkan.

Selain itu, alat sulit buaya itu juga didakwa boleh digunakan sebagai penunduk dengan hanya menghadiahkan senyuman, wanita yang diingini akan mampu dipikat.

Seorang bekas pemakai ‘syawat sang bedal’ yang dikenali sebagai Dolah, 50-an, berkata dia menggunakan alat sulit itu dua tahun lalu selepas tenaga batinnya berkurangan disebabkan faktor usia.

“Demi menjaga hati dua isteri yang masih muda, saya mengambil keputusan menggunakannya bagi memenuhi tuntutan batin mereka.

“Mulanya, saya menganggap ia kewajipan dalam memberikan nafkah batin kepada isteri dan situasi itu mendorong saya menggunakannya,” katanya ketika ditemui di sini, semalam.

Menurutnya, antara syarat yang perlu dipatuhi setiap pemakai ialah perlu mengikat ‘syahwat sang bedal’ di pinggang dan memastikan kedudukannya tepat di atas pusat setiap kali ingin melakukan hubungan kelamin.

“Pemakai juga disyaratkan mandi selain menyiram air dari bahagian atas melalui tangkal berkenaan dan mengenai alat sulit mereka. Ini satu kemestian bagi memastikan keberkesanan ketika melakukan hubungan kelamin,” katanya.

Dolah berkata, dia juga diarah membacakan jampi serapah dan menghembusnya pada tapak tangan sebelum disapu menggunakan setitik minyak kelapa pada alat sulit.

Dia juga mendakwa keberkesanannya memang tiada tandingan kerana sudah menggunakan ‘syawat sang bedal’ selama dua tahun.

“Apapun setiap perkara dalam dunia mempunyai pro dan kontra. Pemakainya dilarang sama sekali melakukan hubungan seks dengan wanita bukan mahram walaupun berjaya memikat mereka dengan mudah. Sesiapa yang melanggarnya akan menerima padah,” katanya.

Selain itu, pantang larang juga perlu dipatuhi iaitu mesti menanggalkannya dari pinggang sebaik selesai melakukan hubungan kelamin kerana boleh menyebabkan kemaluan terus tegang.

Katanya, akibat melanggar pantang terbabit, alat sulitnya kini tidak berfungsi biarpun pelbagai ubat dan rawatan dilakukan, termasuk berjumpa pakar perubatan moden serta bomoh.

“Saya menasihatkan orang ramai tidak tidak menggunakan tangkal durjana itu kerana ia hanya bersifat sementara dan memberikan kesan buruk kepada pemakai,” katanya.

Sementara itu, pengamal perubatan tradisional, Fadzil Othman, 46, berkata pemakai ‘syahwat sang bedal’ mendedahkan diri mereka kepada dosa kerana menggunakan nama Allah dan Rasul pada tempat yang salah.

“Sebenarnya mereka mempermainkan agama semata-mata untuk mendapatkan kepuasan seks. Mereka patut sedar kepuasan dan kekuatan yang diperoleh hanya bersifat sementara dan tiada benda yang kekal di muka bumi,” katanya.

Dia turut mendedahkan antara jampi serapah yang salah seperti “Bismillahirrahmanirrahim, dulu Allah kemudian Muhammad, keras syahwatku seperti besi, keras syahwatku seperti pedang, dengan berkat doa Lailahailallah Muhammad Rasulullah.”

Atau “Hai seladang putih mari diikat di pinggang aku, kuatkan aku seperti sekawan gajah di hutan, kuatkan aku seperti harimau mengaum di bukit, kuatkan syahwat aku seperti buaya dalam air, dengan berkat doa Lailahailallah Muhammad Rasulullah.”

India ON Saturday overcame arch rivals Pakistan 2-1 to meet Malaysia in their sixth final in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.

The Malaysians booked their third berth in Sunday's final by drawing 1-1 with New Zealand. In 1985 they lost the final to India and in 2007 to Australia.

The Indians were champions in 1985, 1991 and 1995 while their other final appearances were in 2006 and last year.

India's skipper Sandeep Singh scored two goals against Pakistan, to take his tournament tally to seven, in a slow and drab game that did not live up to the rivalry which usually accompanies the two teams.

Pakistan coach Shahid Ali Khan was convinced that the Indians deliberately slowed down the pace since they needed only a draw to make the final.

"I am not criticising the Indian play but the fire was somehow missing in this game. We had the chances but could not finish off the moves," he said.

"I also question the two penalty corners that were awarded to India which resulted in the goals. We gave it a good try and that is the main thing," he added.

The start of the match was compounded by some harsh tackles with both sides being aggressive.

The Indians drew first blood when they earned a penalty corner in the 28th minute. Sandeep Singh's flick was deemed to have hit a Pakistan player and a penalty stroke was awarded. Sandeep made no mistake with the conversion.

In the second half the match was evenly contested. Pakistan depended on counter-attacks and they found the equaliser with Mohamed Saqlain scoring off a field attempt in the 50th minute.

It was the Indians who gained ground with two penalty corners in the later stages of the second half. They scored their second goal with Sandeep's drag flick in the 60th minute off their second attempt.

Indian coach Harender Singh was happy with the outcome but less enthusiastic about the performance.

"Now the players need to raise their game and win the final. There is improvement but only a little," he said.

In the later match Malaysia scored their goal in the 48th minute through a deflection in the semi-circle. The Kiwis found their goal a minute later with Nicholas Wilson on target for a field attempt.

The Malaysians had three penalty corners in the match while the Kiwis had four.


India pip Pakistan 2-1 to enter Azlan Shah final

Ipoh (Malaysia), Apr 11 (PTI) Skipper Sandeep Singh scored two goals as India pipped arch-rivals Pakistan 2-1 in a do-or-die round robin match to enter the final of the five-nation Azlan Shah hockey tournament here today.
Sandeep, leading goal scorer for his side in the tournament, continued his rich form and struck twice in the 28th and 60th minutes to seal the victory for the Indians in the crucial tie at the Azlan Shah Stadium.

For Pakistan, Mohamed Saqlain reduced the margin in the 50th minute.

With this win, India sealed their place in tomorrow's final with eight points in their kitty and will take on hosts Malaysia in the summit clash.

Malaysia drew 1-1 with New Zealand in the last round robin match.

Sandeep led from the front in the crucial encounter against the traditional rivals, sounding the board on either side of the break and then ensuring that India does not succumb to their perennial habit of conceding late goals.

After 28 minutes of mid-field scramble by both the sides, India finally took the lead through Sandeep from a penalty stroke to go into the breather with a 1-0 lead. PTI