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'Moderate' Malaysia Faces Islamized Bureaucracy

2009-11-24T15:46:00.000-08:00

As a country often referred to as an example of a moderate Muslim-majority state in the region, Malaysia has been raising eyebrows worldwide lately.

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..

Brewers Tread Carefully to Raise Sales in Malaysia

2009-11-24T15:32:00.000-08:00

How do you sell beer in a country where about 60 percent of the population is Muslim and thus forbidden by the government from buying it? Very carefully.

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.”.

Malaysia says will guarantee around $1 bln PKFZ bonds

2009-11-24T15:29:00.000-08:00

Malaysia's Deputy Finance Minister, Awang Adek Hussin, said on Tuesday that the government would guarantee around $1 billion in bonds issued to fund a free zone project to allay investor concerns over the debt.

A fund manager who holds the debt, issued in 2003-2006 to fund the multi-billion dollar Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) project, said bondholders are concerned that letters of support honouring the bonds are not sufficient.

So they want the government to refinance the debt to overcome investor fears that they will not be repaid, said the fund manager, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak told an investor briefing in New York on Monday that the government would honour all PKFZ obligations, said the fund manager, who attended the meeting.

'We will definitely honour the bonds,' the Deputy Finance Minister said.

The free zone project has been dogged by allegations of corruption and mismanagement and Malaysian MARC ratings agency said in August it had downgraded the outlook on PKFZ-related debt to negative.

The fund manager said the bonds have fallen in value by 15 percent since they were issued, adding that concerned bondholders had sought to approach the Malaysian government.

'A bondholders group led by UBS ( UBS - news - people ) has tried to talk to the Malaysian government to get clarity on whether they are going to honour the bonds,' said the fund manager.

The Deputy Finance Minister said he was not aware of any approach by bondholders to the ministry.

A recent audit report on the port project, whose costs have surged to 10 billion ringgit ($2.95 billion) from an original 1.8 billion, said initial letters of government guarantee issued by transport ministers were given without the knowledge of the finance ministry.

To be legally enforceable as a letter a government guarantee, they have to be issued by the finance ministry.

'There is a huge incentive for the government to solve this issue. The port bonds carry an A1 rating which is the same as sovereign bonds,' the fund manager said.

The project has been dogged by allegations of corruption and a report presented to parliament identified irregular payments to contractors as well as mismanagement that resulted in cost overruns.

A report released recently by the Public Accounts Committee said that the former transport minister Chan Kong Choy should be investigated by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission and police for criminal breach of trust.

The project, at Malaysia's largest port which covers 1,000 hectares (405 hectares) is located approximately an hour from the capital of Kuala Lumpur.

Its development has also been hit by the pullout of the project's Dubai-based partner.

In September, cabinet papers were leaked that showed a request from the finance ministry to retrospectively guarantee the bonds worth 4.6 billion ringgit.

Malaysia tracks orangutans with implants

2009-11-24T15:20:00.000-08:00

Malaysian wildlife authorities are using electronic implants to keep track of orangutans in a bid to protect the endangered apes after they are freed into the wild, an official said Tuesday

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..

Pemerhati SMART

2009-06-08T18:02:00.000-07:00

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.

Syahwat Sang Bedal

2009-05-22T09:16:00.000-07:00

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 to face Malaysia in Sultan Azlan Shah final

2009-04-11T10:31:00.000-07:00

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

Malaysian man jailed for stealing panties

2009-04-11T10:25:00.000-07:00

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) — A Malaysian man was sentenced to 25 weeks in jail for stealing 80 pairs of women's panties, a media report said Saturday.

The Star newspaper said Zunaidi Ismail, a 34-year-old unemployed man from Borneo island, had admitted stealing the underwear from an apartment occupied by nursing students in three separate break-ins.

The underwear was worth a total of 280 ringgit (77 dollars), it said.

In mitigation, Zunaidi told the court he stole the underwear to resell at a secondhand clothing market.

Why I posed nude in Malaysia – Kenyon’dre Bassey, Nigerian international model

2009-02-08T08:55:00.000-08:00

How did you start modelling? It all started in the college in 2003, when I finished second in the Elite Model Search in Malaysia. As a matter of fact, modelling chose me. It never occurred to me that I could be one.

What is it like modelling internationally?

It’s been very interesting. I have come to love it.

Looking back, would you say it was a good thing that you relocated?

I am very grateful to God for where I am in modelling right now. I would rather give all the credit to God, because when I was picked to be a model, I didn’t look like a model. I had a pot belly and I looked very funny. For me to have been picked, I believe that the agencies and fashion designers saw a diamond in the rock; that after a while, I would become very great in the industry. I’m very grateful to God and thankful to the people I had around me, who encouraged me to do what I do.

How has it been since then?

It has been from grace to grace. But at the beginning, things were very rough, because people didn’t know me and I was in a country where I was a stranger. In the industry, the way things work is very different. You find yourself in the midst of these people and they are like, ‘Waoh, who is this one who is not a European but actually an African, a black skinned person.’ That put a lot of pressure on me as someone from Nigeria, because Nigerians don’t really enjoy a good reputation out there. So, even though I am from this part of the world and people think that Africans cannot do this, I have it at the back of mind that I’m representing my people and my race, even though I am alone. If I made it out there, I would be someone that my people would be proud of. So when I was walking my way through, I had lots of challenges with racism. Racism is even more pronounced when you go for an audition and you are the only black man. You have to audition for a job very many Europeans are coming for. One thing that amazes me is that in the midst of these Europeans, I would always land the job. That is something very extraordinary and I believe it is the grace of God. Some of them, when they look at me, the look on their faces tells me that this people don’t want me here. But I would always tell myself that I don’t care; I’m just going to do my job.

What motivates you to push through racism and discrimination?

I am someone who is pushed by challenges. Challenges give me more energy. I have been to places where even European models ask me, ‘Boy, how did you get here?’ And I’m like ‘I got here the same way you did.’ They are very surprised to see me on the same runway. Sometimes they ask some weird questions that don’t make any sense, and I would tell them that I’m a black model. I believe that whatever anyone in a very comfortable environment with all the facilities can achieve, even though I’m from a place that does not have all this, I can achieve it as well. I can go as far as I want to go; nobody can stop me. It doesn’t matter how much they look at me. They say, ‘Oh, look at this black man! Oh, that guy is black!’ I don’t allow that that to push me down. Instead, I keep my head above the water’s and try to encourage a lot of black people. I have seen a lot of black people coming to me and saying, ‘Can you show us how you did it?’ And I show them the way. I take them to agencies and tell them, ‘Where I’m taking you to, it is not going to be easy. In fact, I have walked into agencies where they kicked me out and asked me to leave because they didn’t want a black man. Some of them told me, ‘You know what, there’s no place here for a black man. Can you go to another country? They may have something for you.’ But in all this, I stood my ground and kept going. In fact, there are agencies I have gone twice. I would go the first time and they would kick me out. The second time, they take me in. That has been the journey. It is a journey of persistence. No matter what happens you, just keep knocking. So that has been the push. And when I sit there and think about where I come from, my very rough childhood, not having enough to eat and my family, and I think I can come back here and better the lives of people, it really encourages me to do what I do.

What does the public think about black models in Malaysia?

I think one of the things that make me happy is that when I go to a place, I don’t go as a person. I go in there as a Nigerian, and I’m very proud of our country. Since I started my modelling in Asia, I have never said oh, I wish I came from there. I’m very proud to be a black man and a Nigerian. I can always tell anybody that. Being a male model from Nigeria is very strange to some people, and because of that they treat you differently. Some are very negative towards you while others are very positive. That has been able to proof that there are some good Nigerians that are trying to put Nigeria on the world map. I believe that I have done my beat.

Are you the only black model in Malaysia?

This is not to say that I’m boastful, but in most cases, I’m the only black model around. For instance, I was the only black model that came second in the Elite Model Search Malaysia; the only black model to also appear on CNN in Malaysia. And in most of the categories, I’m always the only black model there. What a lot of Nigerians out there lack is encouragement, because when this segregation thing gets to them, they can’t go any further. So, it has not been easy at all. But so far, it has been a ride that has placed me alongside different people in different places—black, white and whatever colour or race.

As a professional model, do you consider yourself successful?

Not yet. But I believe that one can be successful in different ways. For instance, if you ask me whether I’m successful in financially, I have done so much job and been paid so much money. To some people, that is success of sorts. As for me, I believe that being able to grab this kind of portfolio from the part of the world I’m coming from, I think it is some level of success, because not a lot of us go there and come back with this kind of success. In terms of money, I believe the money will come when it will come.

What has been your highest pay so far as a professional model?

You know as an African model, a Nigeria model specifically, when you go to a place where you are called for a job, they look at you as a black man and they would like to capitalise on the fact that you are a person of a different colour. They bring your value down. That happens a lot. Sometimes I find out that I’m paid less than I’m supposed to be paid. When they see you coming in as a black model, they treat you differently in terms of pay. So it affects a whole lot of things. I thank God, whatever it is that I have been paid, be it a thousand dollars or more, I’m grateful to God that I have been able to do that. But I want to say this for the records: people out there should appreciate people with talent. When you see someone with talent, you should give him a chance. I’m also in the fight to stop racism wherever it is, be it Nigeria or elsewhere. Wherever somebody is coming from, whatever colour, if that person has what it takes to be whatever he wants to be in a certain field, that person should be given a chance.

What is your routine like?

My regular routine is exercise. Sometimes you have to discipline yourself to maintain your routine exercise, check your diet and eat some very good food. Living on eba will cause wahala. You have to take a lot of fruits and vegetables in between. And exercise is very important.

What is your normal day like?

If I don’t have places to go, I wake up in the morning and say my prayers. I do exercise. I‘m very creative when it comes to exercise. On a normal day, I go out for casting after exercise. I come back and relax. Relaxation is very important even when you don’t really have time for yourself and you are always on the road trying to find food to put on your table.

If not modelling, what would you have gone into?

I would have gone into music.

Why music?

Music is a talent that God gave me. I started in the church choir then and it’s been there. In fact, music is a part of me.

Does that mean you are a musician too?

Yes.

How many albums have you released?

I have not actually come up with an album yet. But I have recorded some songs. I have been doing some songs with a group called Moneygram in Malaysia. It is a group of three Nigerians. We have been able to record some songs. A track called Save Me, we recorded that in Malaysia. There is also a track called Sweet Tongue, it is a love song. One called Street is about our lifestyle here in Nigeria and the suffering we experience in Nigeria everyday.

Can you model nude for a million dollars?

Oh, that’s a very tempting question actually. A million dollars is a lot of money. For some of us that are still climbing the ladder of success, it can be very tempting to break our moral principles: what we were taught by the church or our parents. It is very tempting. Maybe, maybe not.

In what circumstance then would you pose nude?

There are different levels of nudity. If I am given some degree of coverage and protection, I would. There is nudity that has to do with art. I did a series for Limcock University in Malaysia and it was exhibited in the national art gallery of Malaysia. I was actually nude, because it was for the right reason. It was art and nothing else. It was not used for pornographic reasons. People who have moral value are the ones that appreciated it as art and nothing else. For the purpose of art, for the fulfilment of art, I will do it. As an artist, I did it and feel comfortable with it and be happy that what I have done is not for any wrong reason but for reasons of art, because it is God that gave us the talent and skills. So, for that reason, the ability to be able to work out and have a nice body is not from us. I believe that because of where I come from, I was very skinny with my stomach coming out. After a while, I saw a very spectacular turn from a very skinny kid with a pot belly to an international model. I think it is something and I thank God for that. So, for the right reasons I will do it.

What are some of the jobs you have done so far?

There are categories of job s that I have done. I have worked for NEC Computers and the advert came out in Time magazine in eleven countries, including Europe and America. I have done stuffs for Guinness Malaysia, Panasonic, Mini Cooper, the advert was on the Internet in seven countries. I have also modelled for the Central Bank of Malaysia. I have a fashion spread, an editorial fashion spread in Peak magazine, one of the most prestigious magazines in Malaysia. I have done stuff for Malaysia International Financial Centre, and I have modelled for a telecom company in Malaysia called Cell Com. I have done a telecommunication commercial for Exim Bank in Singapore, Dubai Towers, CNN Runway Fashion Show in 2006. The list goes on and on.

What is the meaning of Keyon’dre, because it is not the name that your parents gave you?

Yeah, it is not a Nigerian name. It means man of wisdom.

How did you come about that?

It is a name I researched. When I saw the meaning, I was very inspired by it. I thought it could be part of my name. It is different and cool.

What is your real name then?

The real name my parents gave me is Eneh Okon Peter Bassey.

How was growing up like?

Oh, this is very interesting. I grew up in different parts of Akwa Ibom State. My dad was a pastor. We had to move from one place to another within three years. It was fun being a child, because as you are growing up, you really don’t know what it is to face hardship. All you do is sit down, wake up and expect food. But when you begin to grow up, you realise that you are not supposed to be going to your parents to beg for five Naira or ten Naira to buy this or that. You start going out on your own to make your own money. Then I started to know that knowing that life is not easy, and actually, It was not easy at all for me as a person. Things were very rough and I had to go and play drums during vigils and burials to make some money for myself so that I could buy clothes and take care of myself in the Polytechnic in Calabar. I did not enjoy much luxury because my dad was not on that level of being able to give us all the luxury that we needed. But he was a man of integrity, which is the part of him that I miss most.

What prompted your travelling out?

As a child, I had this dream to be outside the country. But while in school, my friend came to me with an opportunity to study in Malaysia. I embraced it, thinking I could work while studying. When we got there, we realised one couldnot work in Malaysia as a student. That was the first bad news. Secondly, some of them were just seeing a black man for the first time, so it was difficult to be in that kind of environment.

Why are you In Nigeria?

I am on vacation. Moreover, I have not been in the country in the last five years. A lot of changes have taken place here. You know home is home, no matter what. Since I came in, a lot of people have been suggesting one project or the other, and I am very comfortable with that. I love what I have seen so far in Nigeria. The entertainment industry here is booming. I will be performing with other artistes. Also, I am looking for an opportunity to tell the youths that getting into vices is the wrong way to go.

Aznil Dianugerahkan pingat Darjah Yang Mulia Mahkota Wilayah Pangkat Keempat Johan Mahkota

2009-02-06T04:42:00.000-08:00

Aznil mahu terus disayangi dan menyayangi semua orang.

DIRINYA bukan saja diiktiraf sebagai popular malah kehadirannya mendapat perhatian dengan pelbagai penghargaan. Terbaru, Aznil Nawawi, 45, menerima anugerah Bintang Johan Mahkota Wilayah (JMW) sempena sambutan Hari Wilayah, Isnin lalu.

Bagi Aznil, anugerah itu dianggap antara perkara terbaik yang pernah berlaku dalam hidupnya. Membanggakan, bekas pengacara Akademi Fantasia itu menerima anugerah itu daripada Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tunku Mizan Zainal Abidin di Balai Rong Seri, Istana Negara.

Katanya, penganugerahan itu memberi pengertian besar buat warga seni apabila ia diberikan kepada pengacara televisyen sepertinya.

"Sebelum ini orang tidak nampak sumbangan pengacara televisyen tetapi sekarang berbeza apabila kerjaya ini turut diiktiraf dan penggiatnya mula mendapat perhatian dan diberikan penghargaan.

BINTANG kebesaran yang diterima sempena Hari Wilayah suntik semangat Aznil untuk terus berbakti kepada masyarakat.

"Selama 16 tahun membabitkan diri dalam bidang pengacaraan, rasanya ini antara pengiktirafan tertinggi diperoleh di samping kejayaan lain.

"Saya berterima kasih kepada Kerajaan Pusat yang memberikan anugerah ini dan sudah tentu ia dijadikan pembakar semangat untuk saya memberikan hasil kerja lebih bermutu setaraf dengan anugerah diberikan," katanya.

Selain itu, kata Aznil sebagai anak jati Kuala Lumpur, dia berbangga dengan anugerah terbabit. Apapun katanya, ia juga membuatkan dirinya harus melakukan lebih lagi terhadap kerjayanya mahupun peribadi.

"Orang mungkin melihat saya sebagai idola, jadi cabaran perlu digalas cukup besar," katanya.

Menceritakan mengenai anugerah diterima jelas Aznil, pihak Kerajaan Pusat menghubunginya memberitahu mengenai anugerah diberikan.

"Katanya, mereka sudah menghantar surat pada 17 Disember lalu dan ia dihantar di Astro. Masalahnya saya tidak menerimanya sehinggalah mereka menghubungi saya sendiri. Saya terperanjat dan tergamam apabila diberitahu dan dalam waktu sama sangat terharu.

"Sewaktu menerima anugerah ini, saya berdebar memandangkan inilah kali pertama saya masuk Istana Negara dan mengadap Tuanku untuk menerima penganugerahan ini.

"Sewaktu raptai penuh diadakan tidaklah saya berasa kalut sangat, tetapi apabila Tuanku ada di depan mata, terasa badan seram sejuk," katanya menceritakan pengalaman dilalui sewaktu menerima anugerah terbabit.

AZNIL ditemani kakaknya, Nora ketika hadir menerima anugerah di Istana Negara, baru-baru ini.

Aznil turut menjelaskan sejak pulang daripada mengerjakan ibadat Haji, rezekinya semakin murah. Malah selain menerima anugerah Bintang Johan Mahkota Wilayah (JMW), pada Disember lalu dia turut dicalonkan dalam kategori Pengacara Terbaik di majlis Anugerah Televisyen Asia yang berlangsung di Singapura.

"Hanya saya dan seorang lagi calon disenaraikan dalam kategori itu. Pada saya itu juga satu kejayaan besar. Saya menganggapnya ia doa yang dimakbulkan Tuhan. Selain itu, dalam waktu sama saya percaya peminat selalu mendoakan kejayaan saya.

"Terima kasih saya ucapkan atas sokongan mereka yang tidak berbelah bagi sepanjang 16 tahun pembabitan saya dalam bidang ini," katanya.

Pingat bakar semangat

Pengacara nombor satu negara, Aznil Nawawi dianugerahkan bintang kebesaran Johan Mahkota Wilayah, 1 Februari lalu

PELBAGAI perasaan bercampur baur namun pastinya terselit sedikit rasa bangga kerana sebagai anak jati Kuala Lumpur, sumbangan serta jasanya menaikkan martabat industri hiburan dipandang tinggi hingga dianugerahkan bintang kebesaran, Johan Mahkota Wilayah, 1 Februari lalu.

Anak kelahiran Kampung Datuk Keramat, Kuala Lumpur ini bagaimanapun akur, semua itu tidak datang bergolek dengan mudah.

Hampir dua dekad menabur bakti, memerah idea dan keringat untuk menyumbang kepada pembangunan industri penyiaran perjalanannya tidak sepi daripada ujian dan kritikan.

Semua itu mematangkan dirinya dan hari ini, gelaran pengacara nombor satu yang kemas berada dalam genggaman membuktikan pengaruh kuat bapa kepada dua cahaya mata ini di mata masyarakat.

Merendah diri kata Aznil, sukar untuk dia menilai kelebihan sendiri namun dia bersyukur kerana segala usahanya dipandang kerajaan.

“Pelbagai rasa bercampur baur. Saya bangga, gembira dan terharu apatah lagi bintang kebesaran ini disampaikan sendiri oleh Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin pada acara yang berlangsung di Balai Rong Seri, Istana Negara, 1 Februari lalu,” katanya.

Penganugerahan itu kata pengacara yang juga penyampai radio Era berusia 46 tahun itu, secara tidak langsung menyuntik semangat baru dalam dirinya untuk terus berbakti kepada masyarakat.

Malah, pengorbanan melupakan ijazah Sarjana Muda Ekonomi yang diterima daripada Universiti Malaya dan menumpukan segenap masa kepada dunia penyiaran bukan sesuatu yang sia-sia.

“Dalam apa juga hal, setiap yang saya lakukan saya utamakan kualiti. Jujur ketika mula menceburi bidang seni, saya tidak pernah terfikir mengenai pengiktirafan atau sebagainya.

“Daripada kritikan yang diterima, saya memperbaiki kelemahan dan alhamdulillah, hasil kerja saya dinilai dengan pengiktirafan ini,” katanya.

Aznil berkata, seminggu sebelum upacara penganugerahan berlangsung dia menerima sepucuk surat bertanya adakah dia bersetuju untuk menerima bintang kebesaran itu.

Menghargainya, Aznil bersedia menerima kerana ia menjadi faktor penggerak yang membakar semangat untuk terus berusaha.”

Aznil juga yakin pemilihannya bukan semata-mata kerana dia antara yang terbaik sebaliknya banyak faktor lain yang dinilai sebelum namanya tersenarai dalam barisan penerima pingat dan bintang kebesaran sempena sambutan Hari Wilayah lalu.

“Alhamdulillah kerana peranan insan seni turut mendapat perhatian kerajaan dan itu bagi saya adalah sesuatu yang cukup membanggakan. Namun anugerah tidak datang begitu saja kerana ia turut hadir bersama tanggungjawab. Selepas ini saya akan menjadi lebih berhati-hati kerana insan seni ialah idola masyarakat,” katanya.

Disebabkan itu, kata Aznil, penganugerahan itu juga mendorong dirinya untuk terus berkhidmat kepada masyarakat. Malah dengan murah hati, Aznil menawarkan khidmat dan tenaganya jika diperlukan untuk menjalankan segala kempen berkaitan negeri kelahirannya.

“Saya mahu membalas jasa, malah ia juga sebagai tanda terima kasih kepada masyarakat yang terus meletakkan kepercayaan kepada bakat dan kelebihan yang saya miliki,” katanya.

Permulaan 2009 yang manis

IBARAT pelangi yang menyimbah warna ceria, begitu juga perjalanan karier Aznil yang lima kali mempertahankan trofi Pengacara Lelaki Popular, Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian (ABPBH) sejak 2003.

Pencapaian tidak hanya diraihnya dalam negara, bahkan menjangkau sempadan apabila program kendaliannya, Macam-Macam Aznil dinobatkan Rancangan Bual Bicara Terbaik di Asian Television Award 2005, Singapura.

Disember lalu, ketika mengerjakan ibadah haji di Makkah, Aznil mendapat tahu namanya dibariskan dalam senarai Pengacara Hiburan Terbaik Asia.

Pencapaian itu diterima Aznil menerusi program Jangan Lupa Lirik.

“Pada 2003 nama saya tersenarai dalam Top 5 namun tahun lalu, kedudukan saya semakin selesa apabila tersenarai sebagai antara dua pengacara terbaik di Asia.

“Pastinya pengiktirafan itu membuka ruang untuk saya terus melipatgandakan lagi usaha membuatkan saya bertekad mahu menjadi yang terbaik di Asia,” katanya.

"Terima kasih semua" - Aznil

AZNIL NAWAWI (kanan) berkongsi kejayaan dengan ibu tercinta, Noorbaiti Surur.

SEMUA orang sedia maklum, personaliti popular tanah air, Aznil Nawawi merupakan antara penerima pingat kebesaran sempena sambutan Hari Wilayah Persekutuan ke-35 pada 2 Februari lalu.

Beliau dianugerahkan bintang Johan Mahkota Wilayah yang disampaikan oleh Yang Di Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin pada majlis yang berlangsung di Balai Rong Seri, Istana Negara, Kuala Lumpur.

Lalu, apabila Aznil menyiarkan nota syukurnya kepada Ilahi serta rakaman terima kasih kepada peminat-peminatnya di atas penganugerahan itu dalam blog peribadinya, banyak komen positif yang diterima Aznil atau lebih mesra dengan panggilan Pak Nil.

Sebilangan besar komen yang disiarkan dalam aznilnawawi.blogspot.com mendoakan Aznil agar lebih berjaya dalam kerjaya yang diceburinya.

Namun, antara komen yang lebih menyentuh perasaan sudah tentu yang mengingatkan Aznil agar sentiasa menjaga nama baik, reputasi dan terus mengekalkan kecemerlangan dalam berkarya.

Harapan mereka Aznil akan terus mengekalkan imej yang mesra serta tidak meninggi diri selain mendoakan anak seni kelahiran Kuala Lumpur itu dijauhi oleh segala anasir-anasir yang cuba menjatuhkan nama baiknya.

Kepada Aznil, Hits ajukan persoalan mengenai maklum balas positif yang diterima daripada peminat-peminatnya.

Menurut penyampai stesen radio popular Era itu, segala doa dan harapan yang diluahkan peminat-peminatnya itu akan menjadi bekalan dan panduan buatnya untuk mengharungi cabaran pada masa depan.

"Saya sedar tanggungjawab menjadi semakin besar, apa lagi selepas menerima pengiktirafan sebegini, saya harus bijak menjaga hati dan perasaan dan menghormati pihak yang memberi anugerah ini.

"Kepada saya secara peribadi, anugerah ini bermakna saya memikul kepercayaan dan amanah yang sangat besar.

"Justeru, saya akan terus berhati-hati dan berikrar akan melakukan kerja dengan sebaik yang mungkin," janji Aznil kepada seluruh anggota masyarakat.

Berkongsi saat-sat manis apabila menerima surat memaklumkan penerimaan pingat kebesaran itu, kata Aznil, dia begitu terharu.

"Semua ini rezeki yang telah ditentukan oleh Allah. Saya terlalu bersyukur dan gembira sebaik dimaklumkan mengenai penganugerahan bintang daripada kerajaan sempena sambutan Hari Wilayah.

"Ini bermakna, saya harus bekerja lebih keras untuk terus berbakti kepada negara tercinta dan bidang seni yang sangat saya sayangi ini," kata Aznil yang sentiasa berkongsi kegembiraan dengan seluruh ahli keluarga yang disifatkannya sebagai tulang belakang kejayaannya.

Apa yang lebih bermakna buat Aznil juga, selaku anak jati Kuala Lumpur, personaliti berusia 47 tahun itu akan terus bekerjasama dengan Kementerian Wilayah Persekutuan untuk menjadikan tempat tumpah darahnya itu lebih maju dan setanding dengan kota metropolitan dunia.

Sekali lagi janji Aznil buat seluruh anggota masyarakat, anugerah yang diberikan oleh kerajaan akan menjadi penyuntik semangat beliau dan rakan-rakan artis yang lain untuk terus melakukan tugas yang diamanahkan dengan ikhlas.

"Tidak pernah sekelumit di hati ini terfikir untuk diiktiraf sedemikian rupa oleh kerajaan dan Yang Di Pertuan Agong.

"Berada dalam Balai Rong Seri, Istana Negara itu sahaja sudah bagai mimpi jadi kenyataan bagi saya, apa lagi bersalaman dan dikalungkan bintang oleh Yang di-Petuan Agong," kata Aznil dalam nota penghargaan yang disiarkan dalam blognya itu.

Kepada penyokong-penyokongnya, Aznil merakamkan terima kasih yang tidak terhingga sekali gus mengharapkan semangat dan doa akan terus mengiringinya sepanjang berjuang di dalam industri hiburan tanah air.

"Disayangi dan menyayangi merupakan sifat yang sungguh murni dalam hidup. Saya sentiasa berdoa kepada Allah agar saya disenangi dan disayangi oleh semua orang," jelas Aznil yang juga terkenal sebagai seorang pelakon dan penyanyi.

Menurut bekas pengacara Akademi Fantasia itu lagi, ketika ini, dia mahu menjadi individu yang lebih bertanggungjawab terhadap usaha memupuk kasih sayang sesama insan.

"Saya harap, tugas yang sama dipikul oleh seluruh rakyat Malaysia yang lain. Kita harus memiliki rasa kasih dan cinta sesama insan.

"Bila kita disayangi, ia bermakna kita disenangi dan keakraban itu akan menjadikan kehidupan kita lebih bermakna," katanya mengakhiri perbualan.

Aznil sanggup dipergunakan untuk kerja amal

GELARAN Haji Aznil Haji Nawawi semakin membuatkan hos, penyanyi dan penyampai radio itu ingin menempatkan diri beliau di kedudukan yang lebih baik daripada sebelumnya.

Aznil (dua dari kiri) bersama jaket hitam yang dilelongnya tempoh hari.

Lantas, peluang tersebut digunakan untuk melakukan kerja amal apabila mempunyai masa yang senggang.

Lebih terharu, Aznil berkata, beliau sanggup dipergunakan oleh mana-mana pihak untuk beliau melakukan kerja amal.

“Saya tak kisah kalau stesen televisyen lain nak gunakan saya untuk kerja amal.

“Untuk melakukan kerja ini, saya tak boleh ada sempadan. Sama ada stesen Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), TV3 mahupun konglomerat Media Prima, mereka boleh gunakan saya,” luah Aznil ketika terlibat dalam aktiviti lelongan dan jualan amal untuk tabung Gaza di Amcorp Mall, Petaling Jaya baru-baru ini.

Di dalam aktiviti lelongan tersebut, Aznil melelong jaket yang beliau pakai ketika Anugerah Skrin tahun lepas di mana ketika itu beliau mendapat Anugerah Bual Bicara Terbaik.

“Diikutkan, orang lain boleh membeli jaket tersebut di Butik Zara.

“Tetapi jaket yang saya lelong ini agak istimewa sedikit kerana saya tampal berlian di kolarnya dengan sendiri dalam masa seminggu.

“Jadi, jaket itu begitu bermakna buat saya dan mempunyai nilai sentimentalnya tersendiri.

“Melalui aktiviti sebegini, saya nampak kemeriahannya selain memikirkan ada orang yang lebih memerlukan duit ini.

“Dalam kemeriahan ini, diharap ia sedikit-sebanyak dapat melenyapkan kesedihan yang berlaku di Gaza selepas semua orang hadir menghulurkan bantuan,” beritahu Aznil sebelum melelong jaket tersebut.

Selepas lelongan dibuat, Aznil yang pada mulanya meletak harga RM220 semakin menaikkan harga kepada RM320 bilamana banyak permintaan daripada orang yang ingin membeli.

Akhirnya jaket tersebut dibeli oleh seorang kanak-kanak pada harga RM320. Ternyata telatah Aznil yang begitu mesra dengan orang itu berjaya menggamatkan suasana.

Kata pengacara Macam-Macam Aznil ini, walaupun beliau telah mengikat kontrak secara eksklusif selama 10 tahun mulai tahun 2007 dengan stesen TV berbayar Astro, bagi beliau tidak perlu ada sempadan untuk melakukan kerja amal sebegini.

“Selain melakukan lelongan dan memberikan sumbangan dalam bentuk kewangan, selepas ini saya akan banyak melibatkan diri dalam melakukan kerja amal.

“Saya bersedia menawarkan diri untuk sama-sama terlibat dengan aktiviti berkaitan yang bukan sahaja untuk tabung Gaza tetapi untuk tabung amal lain seperti tabung Darfur,” ulasnya yang turut menjayakan Malam Puisi Demimu Palestin yang dianjurkan oleh Kumpulan Utusan, di perkarangan Istana Budaya, sebelum ini.

Selain itu, Aznil turut bergelar Duta Penyayang di bawah Kementerian Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat di mana ketika itu dinaungi oleh Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

Jelas Aznil yang telah melibatkan diri di dalam kerja amal sejak 19 tahun lalu, beliau banyak berubah dan melihat pelbagai perkara dalam dimensi berbeza selepas pertama kali mengerjakan umrah.

Semua kerja amal tersebut dilakukan secara sukarela tanpa melibatkan apa-apa bayaran.

Aznil juga menjayakan ceramah di sekolah-sekolah berhubung keselamatan kanak-kanak dan budi bahasa.

“Saya berasa seronok apabila dapat melakukan semua kerja ini,” luah Aznil sambil tersenyum.

Info

Pencapaian Aznil:

Pengacara TV Lelaki Popular (Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian 2007)

Bual Bicara Terbaik (Anugerah Skrin 2007 Kategori Penerbitan Dalaman) - Macam-Macam Aznil

Pengacara TV Lelaki Popular (Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian 2006)

Pengacara TV Popular (Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian 2005)

Rancangan Bual Bicara Terbaik (Asian Television Award 2005, Singapura) - Macam-Macam Aznil

Pengacara TV Terbaik (Anugerah Sri Angkasa 2005)

Rancangan Hiburan TV Terbaik (Anugerah Sri Angkasa 2004) - Macam-Macam Aznil

Pengacara TV Popular (Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian 2004)

Anugerah Khas (Media Hiburan 2004)

Pengacara TV Terbaik (Anugerah Sri Angkasa 2004)

Pengacara TV Popular (Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian 2003)

Tan Sri Elyas Omar Teraju KL lebih sedekad

2009-02-01T21:40:00.000-08:00

PROJEK pembinaan bangunan tinggi antara aspek yang diutamakan Elyas (kanan).

WAJAH Kuala Lumpur sebelum ia dibangunkan.

Beliau pernah mentadbir Wilayah Persekutuan KL lebih sedekad sebagai Datuk Bandar yang ketiga. Apakah ramuan beliau sehingga berjaya mengangkat Kuala Lumpur menjadi sebuah kota moden yang begitu pesat membangun pada hari ini?

SEMALAM genap 35 tahun tertubuhnya Wilayah Persekutuan (WP). Daripada kawasan perlombongan, berubah menjadi pekan kecil dan akhirnya sebuah kota moden. Bermula dengan sebuah wilayah di Kuala Lumpur, ia disusuli dengan gabungan Pulau Labuan dan Putrajaya.

Kuala Lumpur adalah sebuah kota yang sarat dengan seribu satu cerita. Kisah sejarah, penghuni, budaya, seni, pembangunan, jenayah, bisnes dan hiburan menjadikan Kuala Lumpur kota yang penuh dengan warna-warna kehidupan.

Peringkat awal, Kuala Lumpur dimiliki oleh Kerajaan Negeri Selangor. Ia telah diberi gelaran sebagai bandar raya pada tahun 1972 dan kemudian diserahkan kepada Kerajaan Persekutuan pada 1 Februari 1974 seterusnya diiktiraf sebagai Wilayah Persekutuan Malaysia yang pertama.

Tempoh 35 tahun itu juga menyaksikan WP Kuala Lumpur menerima peneraju yang bukan calang-calang. Jawatan Datuk Bandar hakikatnya antara kerusi paling panas kerana mengemudi wilayah paling pesat di Malaysia. Malah, ia menuntut cabaran yang bukan sedikit.

Walaupun WP Kuala Lumpur sudah menerima sembilan Datuk Bandar dengan yang terbaru Datuk Ahmad Fuad Ismail yang dilantik secara rasmi pada 14 Disember 2008, namun tiada siapa dapat menafikan legasi yang ditinggalkan oleh bekas Datuk Bandar ketiga, Tan Sri Elyas Omar.

Menjawat jawatan Datuk Bandar selama 11 tahun, Elyas merupakan antara individu penting dalam memastikan pembangunan Kuala Lumpur dapat dicapai sebaik mungkin. Malah, sepanjang tempoh pentadbirannya, beliau berjaya menjadikan Kuala Lumpur daripada sebuah bandar yang sunyi dan sepi kepada kota yang ceria.

Mengulas mengenai perkara itu, Elyas ketika ditemui Kosmo! berkata, sepanjang bergelar Datuk Bandar, semua pengalaman yang dilalui banyak memberi kepuasan kepadanya terutama dari aspek prestasi dan pencapaian Kuala Lumpur ketika itu.

"Alhamdulillah, saya gembira kerana dapat memberi sumbangan kepada rakyat Kuala Lumpur khususnya dan Malaysia amnya melalui amanah yang diberikan. Boleh dikatakan, setiap tahun, saya melontarkan pelbagai idea baru untuk memperbaiki pentadbiran Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) supaya lebih cekap, bersih dan amanah," jelas Elyas yang kini berusia 73 tahun.

Dalam pada itu, Elyas turut berkongsi rahsia yang mungkin ramai tidak mengetahuinya. Sebelum dilantik sebagai Datuk Bandar pada tahun 1981, beliau masih menjawat jawatan sebagai Timbalan Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam.

"Dulu, ketika Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad masih menjadi Timbalan Perdana Menteri, dia sering menjemput beberapa individu seperti pegawai-pegawai kanan kerajaan, tokoh-tokoh swasta, profesor universiti dan ahli politik untuk menghadiri jamuan makan malam di rumahnya yang ketika itu terletak di kuarters kerajaan Bukit Tuanku.

"Selepas makan dan solat Isyak, kami seramai 15 hingga 20 orang ketika itu akan duduk bersila dan mula berbincang tentang pelbagai topik, isu dan masalah dengan bebas, telus serta tanpa prejudis. Proses ini berlaku setiap dua atau tiga bulan sekali.

"Dalam perbincangan itu, kami bebas bercakap apa sahaja sama ada mengkritik, menegur atau mengulas mengenai pentadbiran atau dasar-dasar kerajaan dalam pelaksanaan projek-projek pembangunan. Waktu itu, Tun langsung tidak bercakap sebaliknya cuma mendengar apa yang kami perkatakan.

"Salah satu topik yang paling hangat dibincangkan ialah pentadbiran Kuala Lumpur dan keadaan kota yang tidak menyenangkan ramai pihak khususnya Tun Mahathir sendiri. Saya juga antara individu yang lantang bersuara terutama mengenai imej dan aspek pentadbiran Kuala Lumpur yang kurang maju.

"Justeru, saya sendiri tidak sangka selepas Tun menjadi Perdana Menteri pada tahun 1981, saya dilantik sebagai Datuk Bandar. Mungkin kerana beliau melihat saya banyak bercakap dan kemudian memberi tanggungjawab kepada saya untuk melaksanakan apa yang telah dikatakan sebelum itu," terang Elyas yang mentadbir WP Kuala Lumpur dari 1981 hingga 1992.

WAJAH Elyas pernah menghias majalah Asia Magazine pada tahun 1988.

Apabila bergelar Datuk Bandar, secara tidak langsung Elyas tahu pandangan tokoh-tokoh yang hadir ketika pertemuan dengan Tun di kediamannya mengenai isu pentadbiran Kuala Lumpur.

Sehubungan itu, beliau mula melakukan pelbagai perancangan untuk membangunkan Kuala Lumpur yang dikatakan sebagai sleepy town, kotor, sampah sarap merata, setinggan berselerak, tiada taman dan pokok untuk menjadikan ia sebagai ibu kota yang boleh dibanggakan.

Namun, ia satu cabaran yang besar untuk dihadapi kerana dahulu DBKL tidak mempunyai sumber kewangan yang mencukupi.

"Dahulu, kami hanya memperoleh hasil pendapatan menerusi kutipan cukai pintu sebanyak RM75 juta setahun. Jadi, bagaimana Kuala Lumpur dapat dibangunkan dan dipelihara dengan baik? Untuk itu, saya perlu mempercepatkan projek pembangunan di tanah-tanah yang kosong.

"Caranya, saya memanggil tuan punya tanah dan menyuruh mereka bangunkan kawasan tersebut. Mereka diberi kelulusan perancangan dengan pantas berbanding mengambil masa dua hingga tiga tahun untuk DBKL meluluskan sesuatu projek pembangunan.

"Kesimpulannya, lebih cepat sesuatu projek dibangunkan, maka lebih cepat DBKL menambah hasil pendapatan dan sekali gus dapat menampung pembiayaan membangunkan Kuala Lumpur," kata Elyas yang dilantik menjadi Datuk Bandar pada usia 45 tahun. Langkah pertama yang dilakukan setelah menjadi Datuk Bandar ialah memperkemaskan pentadbiran DBKL dengan mengubah sikap pegawai-pegawai terhadap peranan mereka.

Sewaktu pentadbiran Elyas juga, banyak perkara baru yang dilaksanakan. Antaranya ialah memperkemaskan kawasan setinggan dengan cara memindahkan mereka ke rumah-rumah pangsa yang dibina DBKL dan membangunkan semula kawasan setinggan seperti di Kampung Pasir, Jalan Genting Klang dan Jalan Klang Lama.

Projek ini dilakukan oleh DBKL dengan kerjasama Kementerian Wilayah Persekutuan melalui penswastaan semula kawasan setinggan.

Selain itu, beliau turut memberi penekanan terhadap aspek menjaga kebajikan rakyat seperti memperkemaskan sistem pelesenan, menempatkan semula penjaja dan memperkenalkan program kebajikan untuk pegawai-pegawai rendah DBKL, biasiswa untuk anak-anak dan anugerah pegawai cemerlang.

Dalam konteks mengindahkan Kuala Lumpur, Elyas telah merancang satu kempen kebersihan yang akhirnya diguna pakai oleh kerajaan untuk kempen kebersihan di seluruh negara.

Beliau juga bertanggungjawab mewujudkan konsep perumahan dalam taman seperti di Taman Tun Dr. Ismail, di kawasan Bukit Kiara dan sebagainya. Elyas juga turut mencadangkan pembinaan bangunan-bangunan tinggi seperti Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) dan projek sistem pengangkutan Aliran Transit Ringan (LRT) yang kini menjadi lambang kemegahan Kuala Lumpur.

Beliau turut memulakan projek penswastaan kawasan seperti di Wangsa Maju.

Apa yang pasti, semua yang dilakukan Elyas adalah semata-mata untuk menyaksikan Kuala Lumpur menjadi sebuah bandar raya yang maju dan boleh dicontohi oleh negara lain.

Justeru, tidak hairanlah apabila Elyas diberi penghormatan anugerah Tokoh Wilayah Persekutuan pada tahun 2007 sekali gus menjadi individu pertama yang menerima anugerah tersebut.

Ia merupakan anugerah yang julung kali diberi bagi merai dan mengiktiraf jasa, sumbangan dan pengorbanan tokoh-tokoh yang banyak menyumbang kepada pembangunan setempat.

Mengurus lambakan mayat

2009-01-28T09:06:00.000-08:00

Hospital beri tempoh dua minggu kepada waris untuk menuntut mayat ahli keluarga sebelum keputusan diambil untuk melupuskan mayat itu.

ADA yang mahu, ada juga yang menolak atas sebab-sebab tertentu. Namun bagi mengelak lambakan mayat di hospital-hospital kerajaan, langkah terbaik yang ditetapkan oleh Institut Perubatan Forensik Negara (IPFN), Hospital Kuala Lumpur ialah menguruskannya dalam tempoh dua minggu.

ABU BAKAR LAJIS memeriksa mayat yang belum dituntut oleh waris di IPFN.

Sama ada berwaris atau tidak, jika mayat tidak dituntut dalam tempoh tersebut, pihak hospital akan menguruskannya mengikut identiti dan agama masing-masing kecuali yang melibatkan kes mahkamah.

Bagaimanapun, tindakan tersebut hanya akan diambil setelah hebahan melalui media dibuat sebelum tempoh yang ditetapkan.

Penyelia IPFN, Abu Bakar Lajis berkata, kebanyakan mayat yang tidak dituntut itu dibahagikan kepada dua kategori iaitu mempunyai identiti atau tanpa identiti.

"Bagi mayat yang mempunyai identiti, waris mereka akan dikesan melalui dokumen peribadi di samping kerjasama dengan polis bagi membolehkan pengecaman dilakukan.

"Kita tidak mempunyai masalah bagi mayat yang mempunyai waris, cuma jika ada yang enggan menguruskannya, mayat tersebut terpaksa diuruskan oleh pihak hospital melalui Jabatan Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan (JAWI) atau pertubuhan agama berkaitan," katanya ketika ditemui KOSMO!.

Katanya, bagi kes mayat yang tidak dituntut kerana tidak beridentiti seperti pendatang tanpa izin (Pati), pihaknya akan berusaha mencari waris terdekat dengan bantuan polis di samping membuat hebahan di media massa sebelum menguruskannya dalam tempoh dua minggu.

"Kami akan menjalankan siasatan menyeluruh ke atas mayat untuk mengenal pasti identitinya, jika sahih Islam atau identitinya tidak dapat dikenal pasti akibat keadaannya tidak sempurna, kita akan serahkan kepada JAWI.

"Jika sah bukan Islam, seperti ada tanda-tanda seperti tatoo pada badan atau kenyataan waris terdekatnya, kita akan uruskan di rumah pembakaran mayat," ujarnya.

Tambah Abu Bakar, bagi memudahkan sebarang proses tuntutan pada masa akan datang yang di luar jangkaan, pihaknya turut mengambil sampel DNA, cap jari dan gambar mayat untuk rekod simpanan.

"Ia sebagai bukti sekiranya ada waris mayat yang tidak beridentiti itu menuntutnya selepas tempoh dua minggu.

"Tempoh dua minggu merupakan piawaian standard (SOP) yang ditetapkan IPFN bagi membolehkan mayat itu diuruskan secepat mungkin bagi mengelak kesesakan di bilik mayat," katanya.

Tambahnya, perasaan malu, masalah keluarga yang kronik serta kepercayaan tertentu adalah antara punca sesetengah waris enggan menguruskan mayat ahli keluarga mereka.

Ini melibatkan golongan yang sering dikaitkan dengan permasalahan penagihan dadah, pesakit HIV dan penyakit berjangkit, pesalah jenayah atau kutu rayau.

Disebabkan itu, ada di antaranya rela mengeluarkan wang poket dan menyerahkan tanggungjawab itu kepada pihak hospital sebelum diuruskan oleh pihak jabatan agama Islam atau pertubuhan agama berkaitan daripada menguruskannya sendiri di rumah.

Bagi golongan warga asing pula, kebanyakan mayat yang tidak dituntut ialah bertaraf Pati, tidak mempunyai dokumen pengenalan diri dan tidak diiktiraf pihak kedutaan.

Selain itu, ada juga waris tidak mampu menanggung kos menguruskan pengkebumian lantas membiarkan mayat tidak dituntut sehingga memaksa pihak hospital membuat keputusan yang ditetapkan.

Berdasarkan rekod IPFN, sepanjang tahun 2005, terdapat 96 mayat yang tidak dituntut di hospital tersebut, manakala pada tahun 2006 (95 kes) dan tahun lalu (112 kes) yang semuanya melibatkan rakyat tempatan dan warga asing.

MAYAT beragama Islam yang tidak dituntut dalam tempoh dua minggu akan diuruskan oleh JAWI manakala bukan Islam akan diuruskan di rumah pembakaran.

Sementara itu, Pegawai Sains Forensik Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (HUKM), Hairol Azwan Mohd Yusop menjelaskan pihaknya turut berdepan dengan masalah mayat tidak dituntut tetapi jumlahnya lebih rendah iaitu satu atau dua kes sahaja dilaporkan setahun.

Si kecil juara di bumi Thai

2009-01-28T03:45:00.000-08:00

Ayam serama peliharaan Mazuki telah membawanya bertemu puteri sulung raja Thailand, Ubol Ratana yang tertarik dengan kehebatan ayam serama beliau.

Sepanjang perjalanan perasaan gementar terus-menerus bersarang di dalam hatinya. Sesekali dia menoleh ke bahagian belakang van bagi memastikan tujuh ekor ayam serama yang akan dipertandingkan berada dalam keadaan selamat.

Sebaik tiba di tapak pertandingan, Mazuki Mat Zin, 46, begitu berhati-hati mengeluarkan ayam serama peliharaannya. Ini bagi mengelakkan ayam bersaiz kecil itu mengalami sebarang kecederaan yang boleh menyebabkan mereka tidak layak menyertai pertandingan.

Perasaan gemuruh dan gementar yang dirasai Marzuki semakin kuat apabila pertandingan bermula. Kelihatan lebih daripada 10 ekor ayam serama jantan dipertandingkan dalam setiap kategori (anak A, anak B, remaja, muda, bapa A, bapa B dan induk). Masing-masing memiliki kecantikan, gaya dan keunikan yang tersendiri.

"Persaingan cukup sengit kerana setiap jenis ayam serama yang dipertandingkan terdapat dalam pelbagai warna dan perwatakan yang istimewa. Namun, saya berasa gembira dan bersyukur kerana berjaya menggondol tempat pertama dalam enam kategori," kata Mazuki yang menyertai Pertandingan Haiwan Terbuka Thailand 2004. Dalam pertandingan tersebut, tujuh ekor ayam serama Mazuki terlibat. Daripada tujuh kategori yang dipertandingkan, Mazuki memenangi enam kategori.

"SELEPAS dimandikan, ayam serama dikeringkan dengan menggunakan mesin pengering atau tuala."

Pertandingan yang diadakan di Thailand itu terbuka kepada semua tetapi hanya peserta dari Kelantan dan Thailand saja yang menyertainya. Mazuki, yang sebelum ini pernah menjuarai tempat pertama dalam pertandingan ayam serama, buat kesekian kalinya bertuah apabila ayam serama yang dipertandingkannya dinobatkan sebagai juara.

"Mungkin rezeki dan nasib menyebelahi saya apabila ayam serama saya dinobatkan sebagai juara," ujar bapa kepada enam anak itu mengimbas memori manis bersama ayam serama peliharaannya.

"Berbekalkan pengalaman selama dua dekad bergelumang dengan ayam serama telah mematangkan saya untuk melatih dan 'melahirkan' ayam serama yang terbaik.

Walaupun peserta Thailand membeli ayam serama di Kelantan, tetapi mereka tidak memiliki kepakaran menjaga ayam serama seperti kita," jelasnya seekor ayam serama boleh mencecah hingga RM80,000.

Menurut Mazuki, ayam serama ternakannya berjaya menambat hati juri kerana bijak memperaga diri, berdada tegap, cantik, jinak dan sihat. Menariknya, selepas beberapa jam bergelar juara salah seekor ayam seramanya telah dibeli oleh seorang warga Thailand pada harga RM1,500.

Lebih membanggakan, seminggu selepas pertandingan tersebut Mazuki dipanggil menghadap puteri sulung Raja Thailand, Ubol Ratana. Baginda begitu kagum dengan kecantikan ayam serama dari Malaysia.

"MAZUKI mahir mengendalikan ayam serama peliharaan beliau."

"Pada pertemuan tersebut, Puteri Ubol Ratana meluangkan masa sekitar 15 minit dengan memegang dan mengusap enam ekor ayam serama saya yang bergelar juara.

"Baginda memuji kecantikan bulu dan lawi (terdapat di ekor ayam jantan) yang menegak dan melentik ke belakang di penghujungnya. Tangannya tidak henti-henti membelai ayam saya yang jinak dan manja," ujar Mazuki ketika ditemui Kosmo! di ladang mini ternakan ayam serama, Serama Corporation Sdn. Bhd., Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.

Bagaimanapun, penduduk Thailand terpaksa mengurangkan aktiviti membela dan membeli ayam serama kerana bimbang penyakit selesema burung. Begitu juga dengan masyarakat Indonesia yang bimbang mendekati ayam yang beratnya kurang daripada 500 gram itu. Ketinggian ayam serama menyamai air kotak dengan isipadu 300 mililiter (ml).

Mazuki yang kini memiliki hampir 100 ekor ayam serama mula mencintai spesies itu ketika dia berusia 26 tahun. Dibesarkan di Pengkalan Chepa, Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Mazuki menjelaskan, rata-rata penduduknya begitu obses pada haiwan tersebut.

Bolehkan ayam serama dimakan? "Ayam serama boleh dimakan, dagingnya sama seperti ayam kampung cuma ia tidak liat," katanya yang seronok membela ayam serama kerana haiwan tersebut mudah dikawal.

Jelas Mazuki, ayam serama jantan mempunyai lawi yang menegak di hujung ekor dan balung berwarna merah, manakala ayam betina tidak mempunyai ciri-ciri tersebut. Ayam serama mula bertelur apabila usianya mencecah sembilan bulan. Ia mengeluarkan telur sehari satu biji. Lazimnya, induknya mampu bertelur sebanyak enam biji. Saiz telurnya besar sedikit daripada telur puyuh.

"Telur ayam serama akan menetas selepas 19 hari. Ancaman haiwan ini hanyalah musang dan anjing serta tidak boleh bunyi bising," ujarnya. Ayam yang boleh hidup antara tujuh hingga 15 tahun itu dibela untuk tujuan peliharaan dan bukan untuk dimakan. Bagi mengekalkan kecantikan bulunya, ayam ini perlu dibiarkan berenang dalam kolam selama dua minit untuk latihan kepaknya.

"REBAN dua tingkat yang menggunakan kaedah ternakan moden."

Kemudian, ayam tersebut perlu dikeringkan sama ada dengan tuala, alat pengering atau mereka menjemur diri di bawah panas terik.

Jika dahulu ayam serama merupakan hiburan dan permainan di istana, kini ia menjadi salah satu haiwan peliharaan yang begitu popular terutamanya di negeri Kelantan dan Kedah.

"Orang di Kelantan dan Kedah khususnya, memang sukar dipisahkan dengan ayam serama. Boleh dikatakan, setiap minggu, setiap daerah atau pelosok kampung menganjurkan pertandingan ayam serama," ujar Mazuki yang turut memenangi tempat pertama dalam pertandingan ayam serama yang diadakan di Johor, Terengganu dan Selangor.

Sementara itu, aktiviti membela ayam serama bukan sahaja diminati oleh golongan yang berusia, malah remaja. Pelakon dan model baru, Asry Azizan, 22, mula membela ayam serama ketika berusia 14 tahun.

Setiap petang, selepas mengulangkaji pelajaran, pelakon drama Obsesi itu akan memberi makan, suntikan vaksin dan vitamin serta melatih lima pasang ayam serama peliharaannya.

Latihan keras perlu dilakukan supaya ayam-ayam itu tidak berasa takut atau malu ketika berada di pentas pertandingan. Ayam serama bukan sekadar diajar supaya bijak beraksi lensa kamera, tetapi pada masa yang sama Asry juga melatih bagaimana melakukan aksi mendada yang tinggi.

"Ketika ia berjalan, saya mengeluarkan bunyi aneh supaya ayam berhenti. Bagi mencari punca bunyi itu, ia akan mendada.

"Dalam pertandingan lagi tinggi dada ayam serama maka lebih tinggi markah dikutip. Menariknya pertandingan ayam serama, ia tidak menyakitkan ayam kerana hanya menilai dari segi perwatakan, jenis, ekor melentik berbentuk V, kepak dalam posisi menegak dan badan tegap dan bulat.

"Tidak seperti pertandingan ayam biasa yang ditentukan pemenangnya menerusi hasil kekuatan melawan dan bersabung," jelas Asry yang pernah memenangi tempat ketiga dalam pertandingan Malaysian Bantam Beauty 2000 dan Pertandingan Kesenian Ayam Serama anjuran Litrak Kategori B (tempat kesembilan).

Ayam serama ikon Malaysia

Kalau disebut ayam serama, ramai yang beranggapan ia tidak lebih daripada aktiviti waktu senggang orang kampung. Malah, bisnes ayam serama tidak lebih daripada perniagaan kecil-kecilan yang tidak mendatangkan untung.

"AHMAD FAUZI (tengah) mengadakan pameran terbuka ayam serama setiap hujung minggu."

Hakikatnya, pasaran dan minat meluas masyarakat Malaysia dan antarabangsa sebenarnya memberi keyakinan bagi Serama Corporation Sdn. Bhd., untuk memulakan bisnes haiwan itu.

Berlandaskan beberapa matlamat utama seperti mewujudkan sumber pendapatan baru dalam sektor penternakan, mereka juga ingin menjadikan penternakan ayam serama sebagai daya tarikan pelancong, sekali gus ingin mengangkat ayam ini sebagai ikon Malaysia.

“Saya percaya sekiranya diberi pendedahan, promosi dan diiktiraf sebagai ikon pasti ia boleh dijadikan salah satu tarikan utama pelancong. Jika inisiatif ini tidak dilakukan secepat mungkin, kebarangkalian negara luar terlebih dahulu mengiktiraf ayam serama adalah milik mereka.

“Ini berikutan seorang ahli perniagaan, J.Schexnayder telah mengimport beberapa ekor ayam serama ke Amerika Syarikat (AS) pada tahun 2002. Bukan setakat membiak dan mempromosikan ayam serama, malah, beliau menubuhkan persatuan khas,” kata Pengarah Urusan Serama Corporation Sdn. Bhd., Ahmad Fauzi Mohamed dalam nada kecewa ekoran beberapa pihak di luar negara (Indonesia dan AS) sedang mengacuk ayam jenis itu.

Sejak enam bulan kebelakangan ini, ayam serama kembali popular dan menjadi perhatian ramai setelah ia dilupakan sejak tahun 2003. Segalanya berpunca apabila orang ramai bimbang membela ayan serama kerana isu selesema burung.

Ahmad Fauzi menambah, Malaysia juga perlu mempunyai identiti haiwan tersendiri seperti China yang berbangga dengan beruang panda dan abalon, Thailand dengan kucing Siam dan kanggaru serta kaola yang terkenal di Australia.

Menyedari faktor tersebut Serama Corporation Sdn. Bhd., sedang berusaha membuka sebuah ladang seluas empat ekar di Ulu Yam, Selangor.

Ia bertujuan menternak lebih banyak ayam serama memandangkan ladang di Ampang dan Kelantan hanya mampu menempatkan 300 ekor ayam serama di satu tempat.

“Kami sedang berusaha menternak lebih banyak ayam serama kerana mendapat permintaan yang tinggi dari Jepun dan China. Stok untuk dihantar ke luar negara masih belum mencukupi kerana di Malaysia hanya terdapat lebih kurang 3,000 ekor saja,” jelas Fauzi.

Pameran dan penjualan ayam serama, Serama Corporation:

Pasar Seni Kuala Lumpur

Sabtu dan Ahad

Hubungi 03-4270 7181 (En. Shazly) atau e-mel : seramacorporation@gmail.com

Eye On Malaysia Mampu bertahan Sehingga Lima Dekad

2009-01-18T11:55:00.000-08:00

Kerja selenggara mula 8 pagi

Bagi memastikan operasinya berjalan lancar dan selamat, pihak pengurusan memperuntukan masa selama dua jam sebelum Eye On Malaysia layak beroperasi pada hari-hari yang ditentukan.

IKON Malaysia iaitu roda ferris setinggi 60 meter telah membawa lebih sejuta pengunjung menikmati panorama Kuala Lumpur menerusi 42 buah gondola yang berhawa dingin.

Sejak mula dibuka kepada orang ramai di Taman Tasik Titiwangsa pada Januari 2007, keajaiban kejuruteraan itu telah merebut gelaran roda ferris mudah alih yang pertama di Asia Tenggara.

Meskipun ia tidak setinggi Singapore Flyer dengan ketinggian 165 meter atau Beijing Great Wheel yang bakal siap tahun ini pada ketinggian 208 meter, tumpuan untuk memastikan keselamatan operasi Eye On Malaysia (EOM) bukanlah perkara remeh.

"Setiap hari bermula pukul 8 pagi, kami akan memeriksa semua pin, ketegangan kabel dan juga perkakasan mekanikal berada dalam keadaan baik," kata Greame, 44, ketika ditemui Kosmo!, di rumah baru EOM di muara Sungai Melaka.

Jelas anak jati London itu, pemeriksaan akan dilakukan selama dua jam bagi memastikan keadaan fizikal Eye On Malaysia layak untuk beroperasi pada hari itu.

GRAEME CROSS yakin jangka hayat Eye On Malaysia mampu bertahan sehingga lima dekad jika kerja-kerja penyelenggaraannya dilakukan mengikut jadual.

"Kami juga mempunyai pemeriksaan rutin setiap minggu, setiap bulan dan setiap tahun.

"Semua kerja-kerja penyelenggaraan harian dijalankan oleh tenaga kerja tempatan yang dilatih oleh pembuat roda ferris ini," katanya.

Kata beliau, struktur utama roda ferris dan sistem kawalan pergerakannya dibuat di Jerman manakala gondolanya dibuat di Switzerland.

"Setiap tiga bulan, jurutera dari syarikat pembuat komponen tersebut akan melakukan pemeriksaan rutin.

"Semua itu walaupun menelan belanja besar, perlu dilakukan bagi memastikan keselamatan penumpang berada di tahap tinggi. Jadi tiada ruang untuk mudah bersikap puas hati di sini," ujar beliau.

Roda ferris yang pertama telah dibina dan direka oleh seorang pembuat jambatan dari Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, George W. Ferris.

Ferris memulakan kerjayanya dalam industri pembinaan jalan raya dan mengembangkan minatnya dalam pembinaan jambatan.

Beliau telah mengasaskan sebuah firma yang menguji keluli untuk pembinaan jambatan dan jalan raya iaitu syarikat G.W.G. Ferris & Co. di Pittsburgh.

Beliau membina roda ferris pertama untuk satu pesta di Chicago pada 1893 bagi menyambut 400 tahun Columbus datang ke Amerika Syarikat (AS). Penganjur pesta itu mahukan sesuatu yang dapat menyaingi menara Eiffel di Paris.

Ia merupakan kejuruteraan yang menakjubkan pada ketika itu. dua menara keluli setinggi 140 kaki menampung roda besi berdiameter 250 kaki yang disambungkan oleh gandar setinggi 45 kaki.

ADAM YONG (kiri) dan Graeme sering berbincang bagi memastikan tahap keselamatan penumpang yang menaiki Eye On Malaysia terjamin.

Ketika George Gale Ferris membina roda ferrisnya yang pertama, mungkin dia tidak pernah terfikir bahawa roda ferris ini akan menjadi trend kepada pemilikannya bagi setiap negara.

Kini, boleh dikatakan hampir semua negara maju memiliki roda ferrisnya sendiri untuk tarikan pelancong.

Pada Disember lalu, roda ferris tertinggi di dunia ketika ini, Singapore Flyer telah mengalami kerosakan dan menyebabkan 173 penumpangnya terperangkap selama enam jam.

Menurut laporan berita, operasi roda ferris itu terhenti akibat litar pintas yang berlaku kepada motor kawalan pergerakannya.

"Sekiranya motor EOM rosak, kita tidak akan melihat anggota penyelamat menggunakan abah-abah untuk menurunkan penumpang. Ini kerana kita mempunyai sistem pelepasan brek manual yang membolehkan roda berpusing bebas.

"Tambahan pula, roda ini direka berat sebelah agar ia dapat turun sendiri ke satu sisi apabila brek dilepaskan, jadi penumpang dalam setiap gondola dapat keluar satu demi satu," kata Greame.

Bagaimana jika EOM mengalami masalah bekalan elektrik? "Kita mempunyai dua bekalan elektrik yang disediakan Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) dari sumber yang berbeza.

"Sekiranya satu daripadanya gagal, satu lagi talian masih boleh berfungsi. Sekiranya kedua-dua bekalan terputus, kita mempunya generator sendiri. Sekiranya itu juga gagal, kita akan menggunakan kuasa bateri.

Apa berlaku sekiranya kuasa bateri juga gagal?

"Kita masih boleh menurunkan penumpang secara manual dengan melepaskan brek," katanya.

Meskipun semua langkah dan pemeriksaan harian dijalankan bagi mencapai tahap keselamatan tertinggi, hanya satu faktor yang tidak boleh dikawal iaitu penumpang itu sendiri.

"Kita boleh mengawal dari segi keadaan fizikal dan perjalanan roda ferris ini. Tetapi kelakuan manusia yang menjadi penumpang roda ferris ini sukar dikawal.

"Sebagai contoh, kemalangan boleh berlaku sekiranya penumpang berdiri dan menggerakkan gondola dengan kuat. Sebab itu kita tidak membenarkan penumpang berdiri ketika berada dalam gondola," jelas Greame.

Mendapat jolokan roda ferris mudah alih terbesar di dunia, apakah EOM dapat didirikan di mana saja ada peminatnya?

"Memang benar, struktur ini boleh didirikan di mana saja," kata Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Eye On Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Adam Yong Abdullah.

"Kalau dilihat tapak struktur EOM kini berada pada sebuah tanah yang ditebus guna. Pada hakikatnya, kerja-kerja pengukuhan asas tanah tidak perlu dilakukan kerana ia begitu fleksibel.

"Kalau hendak, kita boleh mendirikan EOM di atas sebuah padang bola dalam masa 10 hari!," ujarnya.

Keyakinan Adam itu sebenarnya bersandarkan fakta bahawa roda ferris itu disokong lapan kaki yang ditambat ke tanah dengan tangki balast berisi 60,000 liter air. Sokongan daripada tangki balast itu menyingkirkan keperluan untuk melakukan kerja pengukuhan asas tanah.

Apakah yang menyebabkan operasi EOM terhenti? "Hanya ketika ribut petir, operasi EOM akan dihentikan seketika. Dalam keadaan hujan biasa, tiada sebab untuk penumpang bimbang terhadap keselamatan mereka," ujar Adam.

Melihat kawasan persekitaran kediaman baru EOM di muara Sungai Melaka, masih banyak yang sedang dilakukan untuk menambah daya tarikan agar pengunjung tidak hanya tertumpu kepada roda ferris itu.

Menurut Adam, tarikan baru perlu diwujudkan bagi memastikan orang ramai tidak bosan mengunjungi roda besi bernilai RM30 juta itu.

"Malaysia International Space Adventure (MISA) adalah sebuah pameran berkenaan sains angkasa lepas yang mendapat sambutan hangat apabila ia diadakan di Putrajaya tahun lalu.

"Selain itu, prasarana lengkap untuk kemudahan pengunjung seperti kafe dan restoran; Eye Cafe dan Eye Seafood Restaurant akan turut dibina di kawasan ini agar pengunjung tidak bosan mengunjungi ke EOM," kata Adam.

"Saya yakin, hayat EOM pasti akan melebihi jangka hayat saya meskipun ia bukan yang tertinggi atau mampu membawa penumpang terbanyak.

"Dengan penambahbaikan dan perubahan semasa terhadap tarikan sampingan EOM, pengunjung tiada alasan untuk tidak mengunjungi EOM untuk kali seterusnya selepas yang pertama, kedua atau ketiga," kata Adam.

EYE ON MALAYSIA pernah membawa penumpang menikmati panorama indah Kuala Lumpur.

Jelas beliau, EOM adalah ikon Malaysia dan ia akan kekal relevan selagi ia mampu mengekalkan daya tarikannya.

"Kawasan persekitaran di muara sungai ini juga masih luas dan kita mampu mengembangkan daya tarikannya," kata beliau.

Malah, Greame juga turut yakin daripada sudut pandang mekanikalnya, EOM mampu terus beroperasi selama 50 tahun selepas ini.

"Sekiranya penyelenggaraan dilakukan mengikut jadual, saya yakin ia mampu bertahan selama itu.

"Memang akan berlaku kerosakan dan kehausan alat ganti pada roda ini, tapi ia boleh diganti," katanya.

Masjid Kristal tarikan pelancong

2009-01-18T11:53:00.000-08:00

DUA pelancong tempatan berjalan ke arah Masjid Kristal untuk melihat 21 monumen seni bina tamadun Islam yang terdapat di situ.

Peratusan penginapan hotel di Terengganu dijangka meningkat 72 hingga 75 peratus tahun ini, berbanding 68 peratus tahun lalu.

'PAKAT mari ramai-ramai" (datanglah beramai-ramai), kata Mohd Fairus Lizam Mohd Zaid, mengajak pengunjung menghayati keunikan Taman Tamadun Islam (TTI) di Pulau Wan Man di Kuala Terengganu.

Akui pemuda berusia 29 tahun itu, beliau sendiri mulanya keberatan untuk berkunjung kerana kesibukan kerja, tetapi akhirnya memaksa diri untuk ke sana selepas beberapa kali dipujuk isteri.

Ternyata, katanya, ia menjadi satu pengalaman yang menakjubkan dan membuka minda terhadap ketamadunan Islam.

"Taman Tamadun Islam merupakan tempat yang menarik untuk dilawati kerana banyak monumen sejarah dunia Islam terdapat di sini. Lagipun, kalau kita nak pergi sendiri melawat tempat-tempat asalnya, kita tidak mampu," katanya.

Taman itu terletak di sebuah pulau kecil di Sungai Terengganu berhampiran Kampung Losong yang terkenal dengan industri keropok lekor.

Ia menempatkan 21 monumen seni bina tamadun Islam seperti Kubah As Sakhra di Palestin, Masjidil Haram (Arab Saudi), Masjid Al-Hambra Citadel (Sepanyol), Taj Mahal (India), Menara Kalyan (Uzbekistan), Masjid Samarra (Iraq), Masjid Mohd Ali (Mesir), Masjid Qairawan (Tunisia), Masjid Allepo Citadel (Syria) dan Masjid Kul Syarif (Rusia).

Selain itu, taman berkenaan turut menempatkan pusat konvensyen serta Masjid Kristal.

Bagi Mohd Fairus Lizam, TTI bukan sekadar tempat riadah bagi keluarga malah, berfaedah kepada generasi muda terutama untuk mereka yang mahu mengetahui keagungan tamadun Islam.

Beliau yang berasal dari Ajil, Terengganu, berkata, jika dianjurkan program menarik sepanjang tahun, tidak mustahil TTI dapat mengerakkan industri pelancongan Terengganu sekali gus mencambahkan industri lain untuk manfaat penduduk setempat.

Pandangan graduan Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) itu diakui Setiausaha Kehormat Persatuan Hotel Malaysia Terengganu, Shahrir Naelis Amir yang menjangkakan sektor perhotelan khususnya di bandar raya Kuala Terengganu akan mengalami pertumbuhan lebih pesat pada tahun ini.

Beliau berkata, pertumbuhan itu didorong oleh penambahan produk pelancongan yang mampu dipakejkan oleh pengusaha hotel di negeri itu.

Sebagai contoh, beliau yang juga Pengurus Felda Residence berkata, pihaknya akan mengeluarkan pakej Kebudayaan Islam di Terengganu yang merangkumi kunjungan ke TTI dan Masjid Kristal, selain budaya masyarakat setempat khususnya kepada pelancong Islam Asia dan Eropah.

Menurutnya, peratusan penginapan di hotel dijangka meningkat 72 hingga 75 peratus tahun ini, berbanding 68 peratus pada tahun lalu.

Selain itu, katanya, purata pelancong bermalam dijangka turut meningkat kepada 3.5 malam bagi pelancong domestik sementara lima malam bagi pelancong asing berbanding 3.1 (domestik) dan 4.6 (asing) pada tahun 2008.

Pengarah Pelancongan Terengganu, Suhaimi Abu Hassan Shari, pula berkata, TTI seluas 23 hektar itu telah menarik 1.6 juta pengunjung sejak ia dibuka pada Februari tahun lalu.

Beliau berkata, perkembangan itu dilihat menarik pengusaha hotel dan berdasarkan maklum balas yang diterimanya, sebanyak 11 lagi hotel termasuk yang bertaraf dua hingga tiga bintang akan beroperasi menjelang akhir tahun ini, menjadikan jumlah keseluruhan hotel di Terengganu ialah 241 buah.

"Daripada jumlah itu, enam hotel akan dibina di bandar raya Kuala Terengganu yang setakat ini mempunyai 52 hotel termasuk hotel bajet. Pada masa ini, terdapat 230 hotel di seluruh negeri ini dengan 7,813 bilik," katanya.

Menurutnya, pembinaan hotel-hotel berkenaan bukan hanya mampu menambah 3,379 bilik bagi penginapan pelancong malah memberi peluang pekerjaan kepada penduduk setempat.

Tambahnya, berdasarkan statistik, hampir 600,000 pelancong dalam dan luar negara menginap di hotel-hotel seluruh negeri itu sepanjang Januari hingga Jun tahun lalu.

"Jumlah itu meningkat berbanding hampir 500,000 pelancong dalam tempoh sama pada tahun sebelumnya," katanya sambil memberitahu, kunjungan ke Kuala Terengganu yang kini digelar bandar raya warisan pesisir air menjadi tidak lengkap jika tidak ke Masjid Kristal.

Malaysian authorities condemn rumoured 'sex party'

2008-12-31T10:49:00.000-08:00

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) — Malaysian authorities have condemned rumoured plans for a New Year's Eve sex party at a remote beach, while police warned the "no-underwear" event could be a con job.

Newspaper reports said the party for the under-40s, to be held in southern Johor state bordering Singapore, was being advertised through a website that asked for 250 ringgit (72 dollars) as an entrance fee.

"A sex party is against our culture and religion and if it went on, it would damage the country's reputation worldwide," Tourism Minister Azalina Othman said according to the New Straits Times newspaper on Tuesday.

"There are other events organised to usher the New Year which are hip, fun and suitable to our culture."

Party organisers had reportedly said that male guests were banned from wearing briefs to the event, while women were only permitted to wear G-string underwear which had to be removed after midnight.

Johor criminal investigation department chief Amer Awal warned that the sex party was likely to be a fraud designed to cheat potential partygoers out of the ticket price.

"The idea of organising such a party is far-fetched but the state Religious Department and local councils have all been informed," he told the New Straits Times, adding that authorities would be on alert.

Malaysia's Indian community disillusioned with Anwar

2008-12-31T10:23:00.000-08:00

KUALA LUMPUR: Disgruntled ethnic Indian leaders from Malaysia's opposition Parti Keadilan have threatened to leave the party.

In fact, one of its three MPs, S Manikavasagam, resigned on Wednesday as state liaison deputy chairman.

For the economically disadvantaged ethnic Indian community in Malaysia, all they want in the New Year are fairer opportunities.

Many said they are unhappy and disillusioned as they felt short-changed by the opposition party led by Anwar Ibrahim, whom they had supported in the last general election.

The 100,000 ethnic Indian members in the coalition, along with the Chinese vote, had helped the opposition to sweep the elections last March.

The ruling Barisan Nasional coalition lost control of five states and was denied the crucial two-third majority for the first time in its 50-year history. Now, many are thinking of forming their own party.

A final decision will be made next week after a meeting with Mr Anwar. Some, however, are urging those involved to keep cool.

Gobind Singh Deo, MP, Puchong, said: "The issue is simply this – having come nine months, is this a right time to throw in the towel and say, 'Look, as far as I am concerned, I don't think anything can happen?' I don't think that's right."

But with the crucial by-election in Kuala Terengganu coming up on January 17, there is little time to restore the image of Mr Anwar's opposition alliance, which is plagued by internal strife.

Single male rhino, 20, seeks mate to save species

2008-12-25T19:16:00.000-08:00

He probably hasn't dated in two decades, but the survival of a species may depend on whether Tam can get lucky soon.

A male rhinoceros recently rescued on the edge of Borneo's rain forest is expected to become the first participant of a Malaysian breeding program for his critically endangered ilk, a wildlife expert said Wednesday.

The roughly 20-year-old Borneo Sumatran rhino, nicknamed "Tam," was found wandering in an oil palm plantation in August with an infected leg likely caused by a poacher trap.

Tam, whose species is known for its solitary nature, has been resettled in a wildlife reserve in Malaysia's Sabah state, the last preserve of the Borneo Sumatran rhino — a subspecies of the bristly, snub-nosed Sumatran rhino.

Authorities hope to bring at least five male and female rhinos into the reserve over the next few years so that they can mate and produce offspring, said Junaidi Payne, the senior technical adviser for the World Wildlife Fund's Malaysian Borneo chapter.

"Their numbers are so low that they might drift into extinction if no one does anything," Payne told The Associated Press.

Experts cannot confirm how many Borneo Sumatran rhinos remain in the wild, but estimates range from 10 to 30 individuals, many of them isolated from others in their species.

Borneo Sumatran rhinos have rapidly vanished in recent decades as their habitat has been lost to logging, plantations and other development. Poachers have hunted them for their horns, which are used in traditional medicines.

The rhinos in Sabah's 300,000-acre (120,000-hectare) reserve will probably be able to find each other through their scent and mate without human interference, Payne said.

"If they are not stressed out by people, the chances of success should be better," he said.

Hope for the subspecies was boosted after Malaysian government officials and WWF experts found new evidence of them in the wild in May 2005. Rhino protection units have since launched patrols to deter poaching.

Conservationists have warned the rhinos could face extinction in the next 10 years.

Remains of fifth victim of Malaysian landslide found: police

2008-12-25T09:33:00.000-08:00

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) — Malaysian police have found the remains of a fifth person killed in a landslide in Kuala Lumpur's up-market northeastern suburbs, more than two weeks after the disaster struck.

Central Selangor state police chief Khalid Abu Bakar told state news agency Bernama late Tuesday that the body was found in a hole under the rubble.

Police were unable to immediately identify the remains, but they were found around 50 metres (yards) from a bungalow where a Sri Lankan maid -- who is still officially listed as missing in the disaster -- worked.

Police said the body was found by a rescue officer called to investigate a stench coming from the rubble where clean-up work was under way.

Close to 1,000 evacuees have yet to be allowed home after the December 6 disaster amid fears of further structural collapses.

The landslide came after days of heavy rains in the area, which is prone to slippages. In 2006 four people were killed and 43 homes destroyed in a nearby suburb.

Malaysia's AirAsia, Sime in talks on new airport

2008-12-23T08:23:00.000-08:00

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Malaysian budget airline AirAsia (AIRA.KL) is in talks with plantation-to-property conglomerate Sime Darby (SIME.KL) on a 1.6 billion ringgit ($462 million) low-cost carrier terminal project, the companies said on Tuesday.

"AirAsia and Sime Darby jointly expressed an interest to the government to develop and operate a private low-cost terminal situated on Sime Darby's land in Negri Sembilan," they said in filings with the stock exchange.

"The project is in the initial planning phase and (the companies) are engaged in preliminary discussions with state and federal authorities."

Local media reported on Saturday the government has approved the construction of a new low-cost carrier terminal in the southern state of Negri Sembilan.

The new airport will be part of a city development and will have the capacity to handle 25 million passengers a year, the government said, according to the reports.

AirAsia flew about 18 million people this year using the low-cost carrier terminal in Sepang near Kuala Lumpur, which can accommodate 15 million passengers a year at maximum capacity. ($1=3.463 Malaysian ringgit)

Screening call intensifies AIDS debate in Malaysia

2008-12-23T08:20:00.000-08:00

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) — Proposals for compulsory screening and sex and marriage curbs for HIV sufferers have triggered an intense debate over how to handle a disease taking hold in mainly Muslim Malaysia.

The issue has revealed a sharp gulf in thinking in this multiracial nation of 27 million people, with AIDS activists critical of attitudes they say are stigmatising people with the deadly disease and its precursor HIV.

Last week, deputy premier Najib Razak said all Muslim couples would have to undergo mandatory HIV screening before they wed -- a test so far only applied in certain states.

He also suggested the measure should be expanded on a voluntary basis for non-Muslim couples.

A senior opposition politician went further Monday, saying couples with HIV should not be allowed to marry at all or have children.

"I think it is a gross error to allow somebody very sick like that, an HIV carrier, to marry," Mohammad Nizar, of the conservative Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), told the New Straits Times newspaper.

"If there's any breeding -- sorry for having to use that word -- the embryo will also carry the same virus. It's very unjust to the child," added Nizar, whose party controls the northern state of Perak.

According to United Nations figures, more than 82,500 Malaysians have been infected with the virus since records began in 1986 and, while precise data is hard to obtain, around 80,000 are currently living with HIV/AIDS.

The number of new HIV infections is falling, however.

Last year 5,400 new cases were reported compared to 6,900 the year before, the health ministry says, a figure expected to drop further in 2008 to nearly 3,500.

At the same time, infections among married women through sex have increased from five percent of total cases in 1997 to 16 percent last year.

Malaysian AIDS Council president Adeeba Kamarulzaman said screening plans reflected a lack of understanding of the disease.

"It is crazy. HIV-infected persons should be allowed to marry and have safe sex," she told AFP.

"These comments and proposals show there is a lack of education about the latest developments in treating HIV/AIDS."

Irene Fernandez, director of women's group Tenaganita, said the government "should not be making such choices for people."

"It is a screwed-up perspective. After so many years of HIV/AIDS education they (the government) come up with such views. This is very worrying.

"We must let people decide on how to live their lives. We cannot deny the people their choice of whom they want to marry," she told AFP.

"If a couple gets married and one partner is found to be HIV positive, does it mean they will have to divorce? This clearly does not make sense."

Analysts say the comments by politicians showed they were behind the times on science and how to deal with the disease.

Tricia Yeoh, an analyst who focuses on social-political issues, said that government policies must reflect the changing face of HIV in Malaysia.

"Today, the infection is no longer treated as a social vice, but more as a disease which can be treated.

"Medical science has progressed ... but the perception of politicians and many people in Malaysia of HIV remains fixed to the images of promiscuity and death from AIDS as it was in the 1980s."

Health minister Liow Tong Lai last week said six out of every 10,000 people who went for pre-nuptial HIV screening last year tested positive.

The Malaysian AIDS Council's Adeeba warned that pre-marital testing would stigmatise the disease and make those at risk fearful of coming forward.

She said the Islamic religious department's involvement in the process made the situation worse, as a person's HIV status would no longer be private.

"I have had a case where I confirmed a patient's HIV status but the couple still wanted to get married -- so the religious department took it upon itself to inform the girl's parents of her HIV status to stop her from marrying."

Iran, Malaysia agree on economic cooperation

2008-12-23T08:13:00.000-08:00

TEHRAN, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- Iran and Malaysia agreed on Tuesday to cooperate in the scientific, technological and economic fields, the official IRNA news agency reported on Tuesday.

Iranian and Malaysian officials signed three letters of understanding for bilateral cooperation in "scientific, technological and auto manufacturing fields as well as campaign against drug trafficking," according to the report.

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and visiting Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi attended the signing ceremony.

Heading a high ranking delegation, Badawi arrived in Tehran on Sunday for a three-day visit.

"During the ceremony, Iran's Zagros Khodro company signed an agreement with the Malaysian Proton company to carry out joint auto manufacturing projects," IRNA said.

mid increasing economic cooperation between the two countries, Iran and Malaysia signed several memoranda of understanding (MoU) on cooperation earlier this month, under which Malaysia will invest 5 to 6 billion U.S. dollars in Iran's gas fields.

Iran has also inked a contract to build a petrochemical refinery complex in Malaysia.

Malaysia 'to double tiger stock'

2008-12-22T19:30:00.000-08:00

Malaysia has launched a national plan to double the country's wild tiger population by 2020. The number of tigers has fallen from 3,000 to 500 in the last 50 years, activists say.

Conservation groups and the government have set an ambitious target of expanding the tiger population from 500 to around 1,000 over 12 years.

Numbers have fallen sharply in recent decades because of illegal hunting.

Conservationists say new security measures will prevent poaching and that jungle corridors will be restored so tigers can roam over larger areas.

The National Tiger Action Plan is the government's first concerted effort to reverse the decline in tiger numbers, instead of merely slowing it.

Although Malayan tigers have been protected by wildlife laws since the early 1970s, their numbers have been hit by demand for their meat and for body parts which are sometimes used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Authorities estimate the wild tiger population has fallen from 3,000 to 500 in the past 50 years, largely due to illegal hunting and the human encroachment and destruction of the tigers' natural jungle habitat.

Malaysia's tropical forests are home to a wide range of threatened animals, including orang-utans, Borneo sun bears, Sumatran rhinoceroses and pygmy elephants.

HIV carriers shouldn't marry : Malaysia politician

2008-12-22T19:20:00.000-08:00

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - HIV carriers should not be allowed to marry, in order to avoid having sick children, a top Malaysian politician was quoted on Monday as saying.

"Somebody who is very sick like that should not be allowed to get married," Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin, chief minister of northern Perak state was quoted as saying by New Straits Times newspaper.

"If there's any breeding, sorry for having to use that word, the embryo will also carry the same virus. So that is even more unfair because you are actually passing that disease on to the child."

He had been asked to comment on a statement by an official of the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia that Muslims who test positive for the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, would still be allowed to marry.

An aide to Nizar, who is a member of the opposition Islamist party Parti Islam se-Malaysia (PAS), said the minister was referring to both Muslims and non-Muslims.

Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak was quoted last week as saying all Muslim couples in peninsular Malaysia must undergo HIV screening before getting married.

The debate on the right of HIV/AIDS carriers, especially Muslims, to marry comes as mostly Muslim Malaysia is struggling to allay concerns of a rise in hard-line Islam.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said last month Muslims are allowed to do yoga but without chanting, reversing an outright ban that had caused a flap in the country.

The government has also threatened to shut down a Catholic newspaper for using the world "Allah," saying it could inflame the country's Muslim population.

Politically dominant ethnic Malay Muslims form about 60 percent of the population of roughly 26 million, while the ethnic Indian and Chinese minorities include Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Christians.

A symbol of historical ties between S'pore and Malaysia

2008-12-22T19:18:00.000-08:00

JB residents still hope for bridge to Singapore.

I cannot understand why the Johor government is lobbying for support from its residents for the Causeway to be demolished and rebuilt. It claims the move will ease traffic in the city with the new Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex in Johor Baru.

Built in 1923, the Causeway is a symbol of historical ties between Singapore and Malaysia. One must accept that a bridge that links two countries reflects the unity they share. The future generation will inherit this fact about the two countries.

Tearing down the Causeway and building a new structure may change the skyline but will wreck part of our heritage. I therefore disagree with the proposal to replace the Causeway with a 'crooked' bridge - which would reflect an unhealthy relationship.

Instead, I suggest the Causeway be upgraded by expanding the lanes sideways.

Also, the Second Link is the best connection to the Iskandar Malaysia region. Was that not its main purpose, after all?

To maximise usage at the Second Link at all times, I urge the authorities in both countries to reduce toll charges to the same level as at the Causeway. This will enhance the boost expected in the Johor economic region and ease traffic flow as well.

Malaysia govt doesn't object to Sime hospital buy

2008-12-20T01:18:00.000-08:00

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Malaysia's government will not object to plantations-to-automotive conglomerate Sime Darby (SIME.KL) buying a stake in the country's top heart hospital, the country's deputy premier said on Thursday.

Sime, which already owns a private hospital and a nurse training business, wants to buy IJN Holdings, the operator of the national heart hospital in a move to diversify its earnings and move into the profitable sector, analysts said.

"We are in the process of finalising the matter with the Ministry of Health although in principle we have no objection to the proposal," said Najib Razak, who is finance minister as well as deputy prime minister, according to state news agency Bernama.

Najib's ministry owns the hospital operator and some health officials had expressed concerns over provision of care to the poor if it were privatised, Malaysian newspapers have reported.

Najib said he was not aware of any other bidders for the hospital and said that there would be a requirement for any new owner to ensure services were provided to all.

"Whatever the position of IJN, it is important for the social programme to be given high priority," he said.

TA Securities said that expanding healthcare in Malaysia and China was a long-term aim of Sime Darby, although it warned that the IJN purchase may not be particularly profitable as the government would likely impose tough regulations.

"Rising affluent and health consciousness in Malaysia, and China makes healthcare a rather attractive business to venture into, in our view," TA Securities analyst James Ratnam wrote in a report published on Thursday.

He said that IJN was regarded as being the top heart specialists in the region but warned that the purchase may come with some restrictions such as a national interest consideration.

"Therefore, despite all the lure of owning one of highly rated medical centers in the country, it may not necessarily be attractively profitable," he noted.

Sime stock was up 1.82 percent by 0557 GMT at 5.60 ringgit. It outperformed the wider Bursa Malaysia index .KLSE which gained 1.12 percent, but lagged the palm plantations sector where IOI Corp (IOIB.KL) led gainers with a 5.5 percent rally to 3.48 ringgit due to a weaker dollar helping earnings. [ID:nKLR385876]

UPDATE 1-Malaysia's Sime gets govt nod for hospital deal

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Malaysian conglomerate Sime Darby (SIME.KL) on Thursday said it had received government approval for its proposed acquisition of a majority stake in the country's top heart hospital.

The plantations-to-automotive group's statement came after Malaysia's deputy premier said earlier in the day the government will not object to Sime buying a stake in IJN Holdings, which operates the national heart hospital.

"Sime Darby... received approval-in-principle from the Government of Malaysia on the proposed acquisition of a 51 percent equity stake in IJN," the company said in a statement issued late on Thursday.

Sime, which already owns a private hospital and a nurse training business, wants to buy IJN in a move to diversify its earnings and move into the profitable sector, analysts said.

"We are in the process of finalising the matter with the Ministry of Health although in principle we have no objection to the proposal," said Najib Razak, who is finance minister as well as deputy prime minister, according to state news agency Bernama.

The deal was criticised by a member of Malaysia's ethnic Chinese party, Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), who said a potential fee increase would burden low-income groups, Bernama reported.

"We hope the IJN will not be privatised. This is not about the money. This is about the government's obligation to provide an affordable health service," said MCA's Chua Soi Lek. MCA is a key party in Malaysia's ruling coalition.

Finance Minister Najib, whose ministry owns the hospital operator, said he was not aware of any other bidders for the hospital and said that there would be a requirement for any new owner to ensure services were provided to all.

"Whatever the position of IJN, it is important for the social programme to be given high priority," he said.

Brokerage TA Securities said expanding healthcare in Malaysia and China was a long-term aim for Sime, but warned the IJN purchase may not be particularly profitable as the government would likely impose tough regulations.

"Rising affluence and health consciousness in Malaysia, and China makes healthcare a rather attractive business to venture into, in our view," TA Securities analyst James Ratnam wrote in a report published on Thursday.

He said that IJN was regarded as one of the top heart specialists in the region but said the purchase may come with some restrictions such as a national interest consideration.

"Therefore, despite all the lure of owning one of (the most) highly rated medical centers in the country, it may not necessarily be attractively profitable," he noted.

Sime's shares closed 2.73 percent higher on Thursday at 5.65 ringgit. (Reporting by David Chance and Varsha Tickoo; Editing by Julie Goh and Jon Loades-Carter)

Restaurants put the Asian in Malaysian

2008-12-20T01:16:00.000-08:00

Mango shrimp is a specialty at Kuala Lumpur, a Malaysian restaurant on Route 36 in Hazlet..

Malaysian food has always taken a back seat, or back burner, in any discussion of Asian cuisine. Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Thai, Korean, Vietnamese, Philippine -- all can be found easily enough in New Jersey.

Malaysian? Good luck. Malays are a mix of various cultures, which is why you'll find Chinese, Indian and Thai food sprinkled around the menus of the dozen or so Malaysian restaurants in New Jersey. Satay in Hoboken, for example, offers two menus -- one Chinese, one Malaysian, the latter dotted with such dishes as Malaysian pork chops, roti canai or Indian pancakes, Singaporean fried mee hoon or stir-fried rice noodles, curry chicken and pad Thai.

This report matches two Malaysian restaurants -- one in North Jersey (Satay) and one on the way to the Shore (Kuala Lumpur, in Hazlet). Call it a Malaysian Iron Chef showdown. My friend Alison and I, Tiger beer in hand, sampled representative dishes from each and declared a winner. (No fair jumping to the end!)

Satay is the cozier of the two. Kuala Lumpur resembles a mini-banquet hall, with mirrored walls, Naugahyde booths and white ceiling, but points for the Malaysian travel posters on the glass-topped tables.

At Satay, we tried poh-piah (steamed Malaysian spring rolls stuffed with shiitake mushrooms, shredded eggs, jicama, bean sprouts and onion, $5.95 for two) and the seafood tomyum soup (with shrimp, squid, scallops and vegetables, $4.25). The spring rolls are bland and borderline-boring. The soup is better, packing heat and flavor.

At Kuala Lumpur, the beef satay (five sticks, $6.50) is agreeably greasy, accompanied by a first-rate peanut sauce, more subtle than most. The Kuala Lumpur clay pot noodle ($7.95) featured plump scallops and thin, tasty, slurp-worthy noodles.

Give the first round to Kuala Lumpur.

Satay bounced back in the next round -- entrees. The lamb with lemongrass ($13.95), a house special, is enlivened with bell pepper and spicy curry leaves, but the sauce is thick and cloying.

The ayam tropical (boneless white chicken with fresh mango, papaya, onion and red pepper in a light spicy lime sauce, $14.95) is a standout, and easily the best dish sampled at either restaurant.

The chicken with curry sauce at Kuala Lumpur ($9.95) featured an agreeable-enough curry flavor, but the "hot and spicy" warning on the menu proved meaningless. "I'm still waiting for it," Alison said, several bites in.

The jumbo shrimp Malaysian style ($14.95), another alleged spicy item that proved docile, was somewhat redeemed by the ring of nicely cooked broccoli.

Give the main round to Satay.

Dessert? Call it a tossup between Satay's mochi (ice cream wrapped in rice dough, $4.50) and Kuala Lumpur's pineapple spring roll ($3), a fried, custardy delight.

And the winner is ...

"Satay, by a very close margin," Alison said. "Perhaps it was that lovely mountain of mango slivers atop the tropical chicken."

When in doubt, go with the mountain of mango, although the clay pot noodle soup at Kuala Lumpur put me most in mind of KL the city. (Alison and I have each visited Malaysia in recent years).

Satay and Kuala Lumpur offer different dining experiences, but both serve as good introductions to the little-known, overlooked world of Malaysian food.

Minister: Indonesians aboard hijacked tugboat safe

2008-12-20T01:08:00.000-08:00

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — All 11 Indonesian crew members on board a Malaysian tugboat hijacked by Somalian pirates in the Gulf of Aden this week are safe and have enough food for a month, Malaysia's foreign minister said Friday.

The pirates got in touch with the tugboat's owner, Masindra Shipping Pvt. Ltd., by satellite phone to say the vessel was being taken to Somalian waters from near Yemen where it was hijacked Tuesday, Foreign Minister Rais Yatim told reporters.

He said the pirates told a Masindra representative that "the payment of ransom would be discussed later."

All crew members of Masindra 7 were reported to be safe and in good health, he said, adding that the information had been conveyed to the Indonesian ambassador in Kuala Lumpur.

Pirates based in Somalia, a poor lawless African nation in the grip of civil war, have hijacked more than 40 vessels this year — many in the Gulf of Aden — for ransom. A multinational naval force patrols the area but is unable to cover the vast waterway at all times.

The Malaysia-registered Masindra 7 was about 45 nautical miles (83 kilometers) off the Yemen coast when it was hijacked. Rais said Muhibbah Engineering, a Malaysian company that had hired the tugboat and an accompanying barge, informed the Malaysian mission in Sana'a, Yemen, of the hijacking.

Rais said a Malaysian navy vessel in the Gulf of Aden as part of the multinational force was ready to help Malaysian merchant ships in the area.

"The Malaysian Shipping Association has been informed of this to spread the word to all Malaysian shipping companies," he said.

That navy vessel, KD Sri Indera Sakti, and a Malaysian military helicopter helped prevent the hijacking of a China-registered vessel, Zhenhua 4, on Wednesday. The helicopter fired warning shots at the pirates' boat, forcing them to abandon their mission.

Sri Indera Sakti was sent to the Gulf of Aden after two Malaysian ships were hijacked on Aug. 19 and Aug. 29. A Filipino crew member was killed by a stray bullet during the first hijacking. All remaining crew members were later released after undisclosed sums were paid as ransom.

On Thursday, China said it would send warships to join the international task force, the Chinese navy's first major mission outside the Pacific.

The move comes after a unanimous U.N. Security Council vote this week to authorize nations to conduct land and air attacks on the increasingly audacious pirates in the Gulf of Aden.

Indonesia not to negotiate with Somali pirates over crew hostage

2008-12-20T01:05:00.000-08:00

JAKARTA, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian government would not negotiate with the Somali pirates over the detaining of 11 Indonesians working as crews at a Malaysian tug boat, Indonesian foreign ministry said here Friday.

The 11 crews were taken hostage by Somali pirates when they sailed at Yemen waters on Dec. 16 and brought to the Somali waters, spokesman of the ministry Teuku Faizahsyah said.

The Indonesian government was now coordinating with the owner of the Malaysian ship, Mas Indra Shippping Malaysian Bhd, based on Port Klang Malaysia, to rescue the crews, Faizahsyah added.

"The Indonesian government would not negotiate with the Somali pirates, because the negotiation with those conducting a wrong thing would only open a possibility on the repetition of such act in the future," he told Xinhua.

"Such stand has been exercised by many governments in the world," Faizahsyah said.

So far, the crisis center, set up by the ministry to task on this matter, has been able to identify all the crews, he said.

According to Tempo interactive online, all the 11 crews are still alive.

Malaysia's Lee to meet Indonesian rival Taufik

2008-12-20T00:44:00.000-08:00

KOTA KINABALU, Malaysia (AFP) — Top seeded Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia will take on his old Indonesian rival Taufik Hidayat in the men's single semifinals match in the inaugural Super Series Masters Finals Saturday.

The other semifinal pits two old foes, Sony Dwi Kuncoro of Indonesia and Peter Gade of Denmark, who made the cut despite losing to Malaysian Wong Choong Hann in his final Group A match Friday night.

Lee, the tournament favourite topped Group A after securing three straight wins, including an easy 21-13, 20-22, 21-8 win Hong Kong's Chan Yan Kit early Friday.

Hidayat also had a stroll in the park with a comfortable 21-8, 21-17 win over England's Andrew Smith.

Kuncoro topped Group B with three straight wins, the latest when he outclassed third seed, Joachim Perrson of Denmark 12-21, 21-7, 21-16.

The season-ending Super Series Masters Finals began Thursday in Kota Kinabalu in the eastern state of Sabah on Borneo island. It offers a total purse of 500,000 dollars.

Malaysian pair, Koo Kien Kiat and Tan Boon Heong continued their impressive run here Friday, to top Group B unbeaten and qualify for the last four on Saturday.

Despite being ranked sixth for this tournament, the Malaysian pair created an upset Friday night when they upstaged the top seeds and tournament favourites, Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan of Indonesia, winning 21-14, 17-21, 21-18.

Koo and Tan play fellow Malaysians, Mohamad Zakry Abdul Latif/Mohamad Fairuzizuan Mohamad Tazari in the semifinals.

They had earlier in the day beaten Tony Gunawan and Candra Wijaya the veteran USA/Indonesian pair 21-16, 21-11.

Speaking to the media later, Koo said that their mission was to top the Group despite being the underdogs.

"We gave our best display but despite winning the first game, we had to go to the rubber because we made too many mistakes in the second game and lost.

"But we remained focused to win the decider. In the semifinals, it can go either way," said Koo.

Zakry and Fairuzizuan, the second seeds succumbed to an onslaught by Jung/Lee, 21-17, 21-16 earlier in the day, but bounced back with a 21-8, 18-21, 22-20 win over England's Chris Adcock/Robert Blair later to finish second in the group.

Kido and Setiawan also qualified for the semifinals and will take on crack Korean pair, Jung Jae Sung/Lee Yong Dae, who are ranked third. The Koreans topped Group A with three straight wins.

The women's singles sees top seeded Mi Zhou of Hong Kong take on the second seed Tine Rasmussen of Denmark in one semi-finals while the other tips Wang Chen of Hong Kong against the up and coming Saina Nehwal of India.

The Malaysian top seeds Chin Eei Hui and Wong Pei Tty will take on fourth seeds Ha Jung Eun/Kim Min Jung of Korea in the women's doubles semifinals. The other semifinals is an all Indonesian clash between second seed Lilyana Natsir and Vita Marissa and Jo Novita/Greysia Polii.

In the mixed doubles, Indonesian Nova Widianto/Lilyana Natsir, the top seeds will face England's Anthony Clark/Donna Kellogg, the third seeds. In the other semi-finals second seed Thomas Laybourn/Kamilla Rytter of Denmark play Thai pair Sudket Prapakamol/Saralee Thoung Thong Kam.

Smash-hit Saina makes history in Malaysia

2008-12-20T00:37:00.000-08:00

Mumbai: Have match, will win. Saina Nehwal steps onto the court with that simple philosophy every time, as head-to-head statistics, opponents’ relative rankings, her own form, and even the level of the competition blur out.

The Indian ace has the ability to narrow down her focus to the next match, next game, next rally and next point. She also has the necessary kill-shot — the smash — in her arsenal.

Needing to win two out of two on Friday at the World Super Series Masters group games, India’s world No 10 smashed her way into the semi-finals. And an astounding 41 points — nearly one-third of her winners — came from the 18-year-old’s forehand howitzer. On the smashing front, Nehwal is second only to Chen Wang — her opponent in the semi-final on Saturday — who fired 56 while topping Group A in Malaysia.

Error-prone in her first match against Tine Rasmussen on Thursday, Nehwal worked on that, and thrashed her first opponent of Friday, French world No 7 and fourth seed Pi Hongyan, 21-18, 21-13 for the fourth top-10 scalp of her career. Moving quickly and sending down some sharp smashes, Nehwal took the opening game 21-18. She then changed tack in the second, dominating the net and neutralising her opponent’s smashes to wrap up the match in 34 minutes.

Playing a tricky match against local challenger Mew Choo Wong at the fag end of the day, Nehwal dropped every pretence to defence as she totalled a stunning 26 smashes in her 21-10, 17-21, 21-16 win.

Dictating the points

Nehwal rushed to an eight-point lead and eased to the first set 21-10. And she was determined not to deter from her game-plan despite the Malaysian’s comeback 21-17 second game. The teenager was back to dictating the points in the decider as she kept Wong at an arm’s length, smashing every time she sensed her rival was drawing close, as eight of her first 11 points came with the smash.

For someone who sneaked into this prestigious tournament at the very last moment, an appearance in the last-four will only highlight her newly acquired top-10 status. Playing her semi-final within 14 hours of that smash-spree group ties though, Saturday will be another challenge against an even more accomplished power-player. Nehwal beat Wang at the Olympics, but lost to her in Hong Kong recently.

Malaysia's Proton sued by former Chinese partner: report

2008-12-17T07:32:00.000-08:00

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) — Malaysia's Proton is being sued for 146 million dollars by China's Goldstar Heavy Industrial over the collapse of their joint venture plan to build vehicles in China, a report said Wednesday.

The Star daily said Goldstar had started legal action in Guangdong province, seeking about 1.0 billion yuan in compensation over the failed venture.

The two companies were to have produced vehicles in a plant in Dongguan province, but Proton reportedly said Goldstar failed to obtain a licence for the joint venture.

Goldstar's legal action contravenes "the agreed arbitration process", the Malaysian firm told the daily, adding that arbitration had been due to be held in Singapore in March.

The Star said Proton had instead signed an agreement to partner with another Chinese firm, Jinhua Youngman Automobile Manufacturing, with a goal of selling 30,000 units of its GEN-2 model in China.

Proton has been trying to develop export markets as it suffers a steep decline in market share in Malaysia, where it has been outgunned by imports in a newly deregulated environment.

The automaker was formed 25 years ago as part of an ambitious national industrialisation plan, but it has suffered from a reputation for poor quality and unimaginative models.

Malaysia open to state airline tie-up-paper

2008-12-16T05:33:00.000-08:00

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Malaysia's government is open to a tie-up between its national airline Malaysian Airline System (MAS) and a foreign-owned airline, the country's deputy premier told the Malaysian Reserve newspaper.

The Malaysian press has reported MAS and Australia's Qantas Airways Ltd may be in merger talks, although MAS has denied the reports and said that it and Qantas were in talks on a joint maintenance venture, not a merger.

"The present conditions in the world dictate to us to be creative and innovative provided we can agree on the participation of foreigners on a win-win basis," Najib Razak, who is also the finance minister told the paper when asked about a potential tie-up with Qantas.

The Malaysian state owns over 90 percent of MAS, which said earlier this month it was in talks with several airlines on code shares and joint ventures.

Malaysia's Firefly abolishes fuel surcharges

2008-12-16T05:27:00.000-08:00

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Firefly, the budget wing of Malaysia Airlines, on Tuesday removed fuel surcharges on all its flights and introduced low off-peak fares to woo travelers amid the global economic slump.

Firefly's move mirrors that of its rival, AirAsia, which last month became the first carrier in the world to abolish fuel surcharges amid the recent steep drop in fuel prices.

From its peak of nearly $150 a barrel in mid-July, crude prices have tumbled to around $44 a barrel amid fears that slower global growth will crimp demand.

Managing Director Eddy Leong said Firefly was able to pass on fuel savings to its customers following lower oil prices as well as increased efficiency in fuel usage with its new fleet of ATR72-500 turboprop aircraft.

Firefly has five ATR aircraft at present and will get five more new planes next year, which will help reduce its operating cost by almost 20 percent, he said in a statement.

At the same time, Firefly will also offer discounts of up to 80 percent or even zero fares for off peak season, he said. There will be attractive deals for high peak season, and Firefly will not go beyond their normal fare structure to encourage people to travel, he said.

"This initiative acknowledges the current economic situation and the need to provide more affordable and transparent air fares for business and leisure travelers. The benefits shared with passengers will make traveling within one's mean in today's economical downturn," Leong said.

Launched in April 2007, Firefly currently flies to several Malaysian cities, the Thai resort islands of Phuket and Koh Samui and to Banda Aceh, Medan and Pekanbaru in Indonesia.

AirAsia offers 100,000 free tickets to Thailand

2008-12-16T05:25:00.000-08:00

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Southeast Asia's top budget carrier AirAsia said Tuesday it would offer 100,000 free tickets to Thailand under a regional marketing campaign to support its tourism industry battered by recent political unrest.

AirAsia said it would collaborate with Tourism Authority of Thailand to bring back tourists and businessmen by "reinstating the core message that it is now safe to travel back to the Land of Smiles."

Under its campaign themed "Get Your Baht To Thailand" — a play on the Thai currency — AirAsia will give away 100,00 free tickets to Bangkok from Vietnam, Cambodia, Myammar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and China, as well as for flights within Thailand.

Passengers will only have to pay airport taxes and administration fee. AirAsia last month abolished fuel surcharges on all its flights.

"We hope that this campaign will instill the confidence among travelers and also help to boost tourism which is vital at this juncture," Group Chief Executive Tony Fernandes said in a statement.

Tickets can only be purchased online at AirAsia's Web site over the next three days from Wednesday for travel between Jan. 6 and March 31.

AirAsia operates over 400 international weekly flights that connect Thailand to the rest of Southeast Asia and China. Within Thailand, its affiliate, Thai AirAsia, operates 378 flights weekly.

Thailand's tourism industry is suffering after months of anti-government protests culminated last month with demonstrators taking over Bangkok's two main airports for a week.

A measure of political stability has returned to Thailand after the parliament selected a new prime minister Monday, but the political turmoil and airport shutdown are expected to discourage travelers from visiting Thailand.

No need for Sabah talks--Malaysian exec

2008-12-14T11:04:00.000-08:00

MANILA, Philippines--In a rare policy statement on the Philippines’ long-standing but dormant claim to Sabah, Malaysia’s top foreign official said that as far as he was concerned, there was no need for further negotiations.

"I think the question of negotiation should not arise as we resolved this matter in 1963 when Malaysia was formed," Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri was quoted as saying by the pro-government daily, The Star, on Friday.

Rahim, however, conceded there were mechanisms to amicably settle disputes such as the Sabah claim within the framework of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), of which both the Philippines and Malaysia are members.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has yet to comment on Rahim’s statement, which was also posted on The Star’s website.

Sabah is currently counted among the 13 states of Malaysia. The Philippines has a claim to the territory based on the contention that it was once part of the Sultanate of Sulu and had been merely leased to Sabah’s former colonizer, Great Britain, in 1878.

According to the article, Rahim was interviewed in Sabah’s capital, Kota Kinabulu, during the launch of the foreign ministry’s nationwide "Information Dissemination and Public Diplomacy" program there.

Rahim was asked to comment on calls by a local political group, Parti Bersatu Sabah (Sabah United Party), to include state leaders in a negotiating team to get Manila to drop the claim "once and for all."

Rahim said the Philippine claim was based on a "civil agreement" that was "superseded" by the desire of the people of Sabah to join the Malaysian federation. Malaysia was formed by the union in 1963 of the Federation of Malaya and the then British crown colonies of North Borneo (Sabah) and Sarawak.

The official was apparently referring to the lease agreement between Britain and the Sultanate of Sulu, in accordance with which the heirs of the last sultan continue to received "cession," "rent" payment, now about 5,300 Malaysian ringgit (P77,000) a year.

Rahim said that in 1963, the Cobbold Commission, formed by the British and Malayan governments, determined that about two-thirds of Sabah residents wanted to join Malaysia. A United Nations mission sent to Borneo held a poll and made a similar finding. The Federation of Malaysia was established soon after.

The Philippine government, then under President Diosdado Macapagal, questioned the inclusion of Sabah in the new federation.

The issue has continually been a sore point in Philippine-Malaysian relations.

The Philippine government’s claim has been complicated by feud between the Sabah heirs. There are at least three claimants to the sultan’s throne.

In 2002, President Macapagal-Arroyo met with one faction of the feuding heirs and instructed the DFA to help them establish their "proprietary rights" over Sabah.

In the 1960s, President Ferdinand Marcos created a military force composed of Muslim youths to forcibly take the island. The invasion did not go through after the Muslims were killed by their own commanders when the young men staged a mutiny upon discovering the true objective of their training.

The so-called Jabidah massacre was said to have sparked the organization of the Moro National Liberation Front and the Moro rebellion, which still rages today.

Legoland theme park to open in Malaysia: officials

2008-12-14T01:07:00.000-08:00

A multi-million dollar Legoland theme park will open in Malaysia's southern Johor state neighbouring Singapore in 2013, officials said over the weekend..

Merlin Entertainments will design and operate the 209 million dollar park, and will become a 20 percent shareholder, while a consortium led by Iskandar Investment Berhad (IIB) will own the balance.

IIB is an investment holding company which promotes development to support the 17.7 billion ringgit (5.1 billion dollars) Iskandar Development Region (IDR), while Merlin Entertainments operates various attractions globally including Sea Life, Madame Tussauds and Legoland.

Azman Mokhtar, managing director of state investment arm Khazanah Nasional, said the theme park would boost the tourism sector, a major foreign exchange earner for Malaysia. Khazanah is a major investor in the IDR.

"This is a significant first step in developing Iskandar Malaysia as an international tourist destination," he said in a statement late Saturday following the signing ceremony between IIB and Merlin Entertainments.

The IDR, which was launched in November 2006, also includes exclusive residential homes, a logistics hub, a waterfront city, a medical hub and an educational city.

The development will be 2.5 times the size of Singapore when completed and Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has referred to it as Malaysia's most important and ambitious initiative.

John Jakobsen, managing director of Legoland Parks, said the company was looking forward to the rollout of East Asia's first Legoland Park.

"We love the location of Iskandar Malaysia and are delighted by our partnership with IIB," he said.

Nick Varney, Merlin Entertainments' chief executive, said despite the global slowdown, he was confident of the success of the new theme park.

"We are very excited by this development which underlines our continued confidence in the market despite the current global economic situation.

"Our strong belief is that while not recession-proof, quality branded attractions such as ours are recession-resilient. Even when times are hard people will choose to get away from the gloom," he said.

Malaysia has long harboured ambitions of turning Johor into a major metropolis to rival gleaming Singapore which lies across a narrow waterway.

Universal Studios is involved in a 3.4 billion dollar resort project in Singapore.

Top 8 Poor Human Rights Record in Malaysia

2008-12-14T01:03:00.000-08:00

Malaysian human rights group, Suara Rakyat Malaysia, aka Suaram, meaning Voice of Malaysian Citizens, released on Dec 9, 2008 its annual overview of the country's civil right status. The following highlight in the report demonstrates the poor human rights record in Malaysia:

1. The perpetuation of racial and religious intolerance, made worse by the heightened politicization of race by the race-based ruling parties, Barisan National, to strengthen support. Racial discrimination continues to be institutionalized, while the assertion of racial and religious intolerance by non-state actors has been tolerated by the government. There would be pertinent implications on human rights and fundamental freedom in Malaysia when current premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi relinquishes the leadership to his deputy Najib Abdul Razak next year.

2. The continued use of the Internal Security Act (ISA) and other repressive laws to arrest and detain critics and opposition of the government. The government continued to detain persons without trial, with 46 individuals still detained under the ISA as of 5 December 2008. 10 arrests were made under the ISA in 2008, including a blogger, an opposition member of parliament, and a journalist, while 55 detention orders or extension of detention orders were signed by the Home Minister.

3. The perpetuation of the culture of impunity in the police force with further instances of abuses of police powers. These abuses remained unchecked with the failure to set up the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC). In 2008, SUARAM recorded 7 deaths in police custody through media monitoring, with possibly
more cases unreported.

4. Press freedom continued its decline in world rankings, being placed in an all-time low position of 132nd out of 195 countries in 2008, dropping from 124th in 2007. The continued downward slide was made worse by the persecution of critics and dissidents, especially bloggers.

5. The government was selective in recognizing the right to freedom of assembly. While some assemblies were tolerated by the government, those which were held to oppose government policies were cracked down.

6. Refugees, undocumented migrants and asylum-seekers continued to face arrests and other serious human rights abuses, particularly in mass arrests, deportations, and inhuman conditions of detention, as a result of the Malaysian government's non-recognition of the rights of these groups.

7. The eroding confidence towards the judiciary with no substantial reforms being taken despite the findings of the Commission of Enquiry on the "Lingam Tape" which confirmed the heavily compromised independence of the judiciary.

8. The loss of credibility of Malaysia at the international level for its lack of commitment in promoting and protecting human rights, best illustrated in the possible downgrading of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM).

Spirit Detains Burglar for 3 Days in Home

2008-12-14T00:50:00.000-08:00

Ghost Spirit Detains Burglar for 3 Days in Home picture

A Malaysian couple, who were on vacation, returned home to find a 26 year-old man passed out on the floor from fatigue and dehydration. They quickly called an ambulance and then filed a report with the police.

The burglar told the Police that after he entered through the back door, he was blinded and felt as though he was in a cave. “Each time I wanted to flee, I felt a ’supernatural figure’ shoving me to the ground.”

He was held captive by the spirit for 3 days without food or water.

Abdul Marlik Hakim Johar, a Police official, said the burglar was in stable condition at the Kemaman Hospital.

AFF Cup: Thailand - Malaysia Match Moved To Bangkok

2008-12-07T07:47:00.000-08:00

After much deliberation by the Tournament Committee, the Asean Football Fedeartion (AFF) has confirmed Phuket's Surakul Stadium and Bangkok's Supachalasai Stadium as the venues for the final matches of Group B to be played simultaneously on Wednesday, 10th December 2008.

As such, the revision to the Official Match Schedule for Group B (10 Dec 208) are as follows:

Match No 11: Vietnam vs Laos, 1930hrs, Surakul Stadium, Phuket

Match No 12: Thailand vs Malaysia, 1930hrs, Supachalasai Stadium, Bangkok

Whilst every effort was made to play both matches in Phuket utilizing Sapahin Staium, unfortunately there was not enough time for organizers to arrange the necessary upgrade of the venue's floodlights.

Although the decision to keep Vietnam and Laos in Phuket for the final match was taken solely for logistically reasons, it is also being viewed as a positive step to return to the Thai capital, which was the intended venue for the AFF Suzuki Cup 2008.

Plans are subsequently in place to fly both the Thai and Malaysian teams up to Bangkok on the morning of 9 Dec 2008, thereby minimising any disruption to their preparations for their final group match on 10 Dec 2008.

Bollywood fever hits Malaysia as Shah Rukh Khan 'knighted'

2008-12-07T00:04:00.000-08:00

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) — Bollywood fever has hit Malaysia as Indian movie icon Shah Rukh Khan flew in to be awarded the nation's equivalent of a knighthood.

Khan was presented with an award from Malacca which carries the title "Datuk", equivalent to a British knighthood, after a 2001 film which was set in the southern state boosted its profile as a tourist destination.

The actor was decked in a gold and black traditional Malay outfit for the Saturday ceremony, which was attended by more than 500 invited guests.

The crowd -- including the wives and teenaged children of diplomats and politicians -- shrieked his name and mobbed the star.

The 42-year-old heartthrob is well-loved in Malaysia, where Indian films have a huge following among ethnic Indians, majority Muslim-Malays and the ethnic Chinese community as well.

"It is a wonderful honor, it is very, very prestigious for me and... for all the people who act in films in my country," Khan told reporters.

"When you are an actor, you truly believe that the language that you speak can be truly international and go across boundaries and bring hope especially in today's time and age, when the world is full of strife."

Khan was taken on a tour of Malacca's tourist attractions before meeting thousands of fans.

"I love Shah Rukh. I got especially dolled up for him today and even though I am an ethnic Chinese, I really enjoy watching Hindi movies with Shah Rukh in them," said 22-year-old Chia Hooi Ling who attended the ceremony.

The award drew some controversy, with politicians questioning whether local artists should be recognised instead.

But fans were thrilled by the visit, which drew a large crowd of citizens, tourists and trishaw riders with Hindi movie songs blaring on their radios -- all hoping for a glimpse of the legend in the flesh.

"It is a dream come true for me. I traveled from Kuala Lumpur to see him and I managed to take a picture with him," said Siti Asmah Abdullah, a 21-year-old university student.

"He's lovely and very charming. Even my grandmother is in love with him," said Angelica Das, 16, who waited for hours to see him.

For local trishaw driver, Abu Mat Kassim, Khan's presence in the state -- where he filmed "One 2 Ka 4" -- meant a boost for his business.

"Look at how much he has done to make Malacca famous," he said. "We love him and we are proud to have this fabulous star as a Malaccan Datuk."

Thailand, Malaysia take AFF Cup wins

2008-12-06T21:15:00.000-08:00

Thailand and Malaysia registered wins in their opening Group B matches in the AFF Suzuki Cup soccer championship in Phuket, Thailand, on Saturday.

Three-time champion Thailand beat Vietnam 2-0 while Malaysia trampled Laos 3-0 earlier that day.

The top two teams will advance to semifinals, while the other two semifinalists will come from Group A which comprises Cambodia, Myanmar and reigning champion Singapore and co-host Indonesia.

Indonesia and Singapore racked up convincing wins, 3-0 over Myanmar and 5-0 over Cambodia respectively on Friday. --JP

Man killed for not sharing karaoke microphone

2008-12-05T09:03:00.000-08:00

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Police say a Malaysian man has been stabbed to death by customers at a karaoke bar for singing too much and refusing to share the microphone.

A district police official says witnesses saw a group of men punch and stab 23-year-old Abdul Sani Doli with a knife at the bar late Wednesday in eastern Sandakan town on Borneo island.

The official says a brawl broke out because the men were furious that Abdul Sani was hogging the stage. He says police detained two suspects after Abdul Sani was found dead outside the bar.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity Friday because he was not authorized to make public statements.

Bollywood star eager for Malaysia honorary title

2008-12-03T09:11:00.000-08:00

Make Windows Genuine -Legit [ XP , VISTA , Office ] Download

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Bollywood heartthrob Shah Rukh Khan has voiced excitement about accepting a Malaysian honorary title equivalent to a British knighthood, despite claims by some Malaysians that it is wrong to honor a foreigner, a news report said Wednesday.

Khan is scheduled to receive the title of "Datuk" on Saturday from the governor of Malaysia's southern Malacca state in the presence of 1,000 invited guests.

"After I heard about the award, I have not stopped telling everyone around in the world — in the United States, Britain and South Africa — that I have been knighted," Khan told The Star newspaper.

"What made this honor so profound was that it was given by a country that does not even speak my language," The Star quoted Khan as saying in a phone interview from Mumbai.

According to Malacca's chief minister, Khan is being given the title because six of his movies were shot on location in the historical state and helped boost its tourism.

The move has stirred controversy, with Malaysians writing letters to newspapers saying it was wrong to honor a foreigner when there were many deserving local artists.

Khan brushed aside the criticism, saying he has "so much love for Malaysia" and takes his family for vacations in this Southeast Asian nation.

"I know who I am and what I deserve," Khan said. "Whatever people write about me, be it positive or negative, will not change anything."

Bollywood movies are highly popular in Malaysia and Khan enjoys a huge following among local Malays and ethnic Indians.

Mumbai terrorised: Terrorists may have claimed to be from Malaysia

2008-11-30T19:14:00.000-08:00

Mumbai terrorised: Terrorists may have claimed to be from Malaysia

PETALING JAYA (Malaysia): Several of the terrorists who went on a random shooting spree in Mumbai may have tried to pass themselves off as Malaysians before carrying out the attacks.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar did not discount the possibility, saying that many groups sought Malaysian documents as Malaysia was well-known as a safe and peaceful country.

Malaysian authorities are trying to ascertain if foreign reports claiming that the terrorists used a Malaysian cover are true.

The gunmen who killed 180 people were said to have had Malaysian addresses. Malaysian-issued credit cards were also found.

Syed Hamid said Malaysian authorities would assist their Indian counterparts in investigations.

Meanwhile, the 60-hour siege of Mumbai which left 180 dead was reportedly carried out after a year of extensive planning and intense training by a tightly-knit, well-financed and meticulous militant outfit.

During the training, the terrorists were taught the use of explosives and close-quarter combat, according to people who interrogated the lone captured terrorist.

Lankan student attacked by gangsters in Malaysia dies

2008-11-30T18:49:00.001-08:00

The Sri Lankan student attacked by Malaysian gangsters, died yesterday at the Surdan Hospital in Suban, 40 kilometers from the capital Kuala Lumpur.

Sri Skandarajah, a student of Kingston University, Malaysia was rushed to the Surdan Hospital in a critical condition after being attacked by Malaysian gangsters targeting Indian students three days ago.

According to Foreign Ministry sources, the gangsters had mistaken Skandarajah and other Sri Lankan students to be Indians and assaulted them. Skandarajah’s friend had escaped without injuries.

The Sri Lankan Mission in Kuala Lumpur immediately informed the Malaysian Government to ensure maximum security to the Sri Lankan student community in Malaysia on the instructions of the Foreign Ministry. Mission officials have visited the hospital.

The Daily News yesterday contacted Skandarajah’s parents who broke down in tears and refused to talk about the issue over the phone.

Malaysia expresses condolence over Mumbai incident

2008-11-28T19:29:00.000-08:00

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Abuddulah Ahmad Badawi Friday sent a condolence letter to his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh, expressed his sympathies on the pain and losses suffered by the Indian people.

"I wish to express my shock and abhorrence on the acts of terrorism in Mumbai in the evening of 26 November 2008 which caused deaths and injuries to hundreds of innocent people and damage to many important buildings and public utilities," Badawi said in the letter available here.

"I share your revulsion against these heinous crimes. I am confident, however, that you and your Government would soon be able to restore normalcy to the situation in Mumbai and bring to justice the guilty parties," he said.

Badawi also said that terrorism under any form cannot be tolerated and must be condemned, stressing that Malaysia was ready to work closely with India to deal with the problem of terrorism, for the present and for the future.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Rais Yatim also has sent a condolence letter to Indian Foreign Minister Shri Pranab Mukherjee.

Malaysia's Proton posts strong quarterly profit

2008-11-28T07:49:00.000-08:00

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — National carmaker Proton reported upbeat news about the most recent quarter Thursday: a jump in quarterly net profit, stronger sales and a bigger share of Malaysia's domestic auto market.

And despite the global economic slowdown, it still plans to start selling its first seven-seater multipurpose vehicle by March — an offering meant to appeal to families and young people.

Proton said it posted a net profit of 43.8 million ringgit ($12.2 million) in the quarter through September, up from 3.5 million ringgit in the same period last year. Revenue rose 41 percent to 1.84 billion ringgit.

Net profit however, was lower than 52 million ringgit recorded in the previous quarter following provisions for higher raw material and component cost, and increased overhead, officials said.

"We are realistic that moving forward, the operating environment will be very challenging. Evidence of this can already be seen in the global automotive industry," said Chairman Mohammed Azlan Hashim. "We will continue with our efforts to minimize costs and improve efficiency in our operations while investing for our future."

Azlan said Proton, which returned to the black in its fiscal year ended March this year, expects its "positive performance to continue" but declined to say if it can sustain its profitability as the economic downturn hits demand.

Proton said its domestic and overseas sales rose to 44,677 units in the July-August quarter, up from 39,888 in the previous quarter, after it launched several low-priced models this year. It improved its domestic market share to 33 percent from 24 percent last year.

Managing Director Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir said the automaker hasn't experienced any sharp drop in sales so far. He expects Proton's new multipurpose vehicle to be launched in March to help prop up sales next year. Proton has traditionally made only five-seater passenger cars.

"Things are on track. We are very excited that it will open a new segment for us not only in Malaysia, but also the region. We need to focus on fuel efficient cars and mass market products," he said.

In the fiscal year ended March 31, Proton posted a net profit of 202.9 million ringgit (US$62 million, rebounding from a loss of 589.5 million ringgit the previous year.

Willis vs. Malaysia -- Nolo Contendere

2008-11-27T09:12:00.000-08:00

He bested the terrorists who tried to take over Nakatomi Plaza, did you really think a company in Kuala Lumpur stood a chance against Bruce Willis?

Less than a week after he filed suit, a Malaysian tech company has agreed to repay Bruce the $900,000 he says the company owed him. Willis invested in "a revolutionary technology to produce devulcanised 'green rubber'" and wanted to pull his money out, but the company wouldn't let him.

All Bruce's high-powered lawyer Marty Singer would say is that the suit was "amicably resolved." Yippee-ki-yay, Malaysia!

Bruce Willis settles dispute with Malaysia company

2008-11-27T09:08:00.000-08:00

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Malaysian technology conglomerate has repaid $900,000 to Bruce Willis after the actor filed a lawsuit demanding a refund of his investment.

Martin Singer, Willis' lawyer, said Wednesday the federal lawsuit filed in Los Angeles has been "amicably resolved."

The Kuala Lumpur-based Petra Group said Willis invested $2 million last year in its subsidiary, Green Rubber, a developer of technology that can recycle rubber in old tires.

Petra returned $1.1 million to the star of the "Die Hard" action films earlier this year when he decided to pull out his investment. Willis sued last week to get the remaining $900,000.

Willis says he still has a shareholding position in the company and believes the Green Rubber technology has "vast potential" for the environment.

VIDEO : Pekerja Zoo Singapura Mati Dibaham Harimau Putih. [ White Tiger attacked Man In Singopore Zoo Video]

2008-11-24T20:29:00.000-08:00

Klik pada gambar untuk perbesarkan imej (click for enlarge)

A man was mauled to death by up to three tigers which pounced on him at Singapore Zoo on Thursday, officials and news reports said.

"This is a case of a man who was mauled by a tiger," Lieutenant Colonel N. Subhas, the director of public affairs with the Singapore Civil Defence Force, told AFP.

The Straits Times news website said the dead man was a Malaysian national, Nordin Mondong, 32, who worked at the zoo as a cleaner.

It said he fell into the moat surrounding the tiger enclosure and, while terrified visitors screamed, was pounced on by three tigers each weighing at least 100 kilograms (220 pounds).
Fellow zoo workers rushed to his aid and managed to bring two of the tigers under control but the third kept attacking Nordin, the report said.

Police said they were called to the zoo about 12:30 pm (0430 GMT) and found the injured man, who was in his early 30s.

Subhas, whose paramedics pronounced the victim dead, said he had injuries mainly to his head and neck.

Police said they were investigating the "unnatural" death but would not say where the incident occurred. A source said it happened in the tiger compound.

Subhas could not say whether the victim was a worker or visitor to the zoo and police only described him as being an ethnic Malay.

Spokesmen for the zoo could not be immediately reached for comment.

SINGAPURA 13 Nov. – Seorang pekerja zoo mati dibaham tiga ekor harimau putih apabila terjatuh ke kawasan kurungan haiwan berkenaan di sini, hari ini.

Mangsa, Nordin Montong, 32, rakyat Malaysia yang berkerja sebagai pencuci di zoo berkenaan mati di tempat kejadian akibat cedera parah, menurut kenyataan Penolong Pengarah zoo tersebut, Biswajit Guha.

“Pekerja lain bergegas ke tempat kejadian untuk menyelamatkan mangsa dan berjaya mengawal dua ekor harimau itu tetapi seekor lagi terus menyerang Nordin,” katanya.

Jurucakap polis berkata, mereka tiba di tempat kejadian pada pukul 12.30 tengah hari (12.30 tengah hari waktu Malaysia) dan menemui mangsa yang cedera di bahagian kepala dan leher.
Mangsa meninggal dunia tidak lama selepas itu.

Seorang anggota paramedik yang dikenali sebagai Subhas memberitahu, mangsa mati akibat cedera parah di bahagian kepala dan leher. – Rueters

Klik pada gambar untuk perbesarkan imej (click for enlarge)

Pekerja Zoo Singapura Mati Dibaham Harimau Putih

Pertimbangan Wajar dinasihati kepada yang lemah semangat untuk tidak membukanya
DISTURBED VIDEO !!WARNING

Ini merupakan cerita disebalik kejadian menimpa saudara alaryaham Nordim yang disiarkan pada surat khabar di Singapura, tercatat:

1 Mula mula Nordin Montong 32 th, jumpa kawan kawan
dan bertahu mereka:
"Bye bye. Engkau org TAK akan dpt jumpa aku lagi sa lepas ini"
(ganjil kan kalau org cakap gini ?)(macam org buang tebiat, nak mati)

2 Dia naik basikal.

3 Pergi ke kawasan Buaya, BUANG semua kad kad dalam wallet (bag duit)
di kawasan buaya ini. Pelancong Australia nampak & mereka HAIRAN
kenapa org buang barang di kawasan buaya ini ?

4 Nordin naik basikal ke kandang HARIMAU PUTIH. Panjat tembok & turun
ke kawasan "yg ada air" se dalam 6 kaki.

5 Dia berjalan dalam air ini sambil "memanggil manggil" Harimau. Di tangan
nya sebelah pegang baldi & sebelah pegang penyapu lidi.

6 Harimau (pertama) DENGAR dan pergi cari "yg memanggil manggil". Macam kita juga,
kalau "bunyi bising" kan kita akan TENGOK.

7 Nordin Monton berjalan mengharongi air, menuju ke arah Harimau & semakin
"mendekatkan diri nya"

8 Sa ekor Harimau (yg kedua) datang. Kedua dua Harimau MERENONG Nordin.
Dengan jarak "yg sangat dekat" Nordin dah mula rasa takut. Dia kata: Ya ALLAH tolong
lah aku. Aku salah. Maafkan aku.

9 Org ramai menjerit (utk kasi Harimau DISTRACT)(supaya dia TAK gigit Nordin)
& pelancong (org putih) baling payong ke arah Harimau, tapi tak kena.
Budak melayu yg ambil gambar video, suroh Nordin turun dari batu dan masok ke kawasan
air (pasal Harimau TAKUT air)

10 Nordin takut, ambil baldi & tutop kepala, kemudian mula turun. Bila dia bergerak, se ekor

Harimau mula tepok Nordin (tahu lah tapak tangan dia "berapa punya besar ?"). Orang ramai
terus buat bising, supaya Harimau TAK apa apakan Nordin. Kedua dua Harimau
KEBINGONGAN, tengok org org yg buat bising.

11 Dalam masa Harimau (yg dua ekor kebingongan) (pasal bising), datang lah lagi
se ekor Harimau. Harimau yg ketiga ini YANG GIGIT & SERET Nordin
(macam dia bawa anak dia jalan)(macam kucing angkat anak dia gitu lah).
Di bawa nya ke dalam (kandang)

12 Pegawai zoo, doktor haiwan, polis etc masa ni dah tunggu. Pegawai zoo memanggil
Harimau harimau ini utk masok dalam kandang. Mereka masok.
Dengan segera, Doktor berikan rawatan pada Nordin...... ..tapi dia DAH Meninggal.

Note :-
juru tembak dah tunggu. Tapi mereka TAK tembak pasal:
Harimau "ada kelemahanm nya" Kalau mereka di sakiti (kena tembak sakit
kan ?) mereka "akan lebeh mengganas, akan terus gigit Nordin (yg di depan mata mereka)

Tiga hari berturut turut surat kabar siarkan berita ini

Courtesy of DAT05.blogspot.com

Shippers urge naval blockade of Somali coast

2008-11-24T20:24:00.000-08:00

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Shipping officials from around the world called Monday for a military blockade along Somalia's coast to intercept pirate vessels heading out to sea. Yemen's government said Somali pirates have seized another ship.

Peter Swift, managing director of the International Association of Independent Tanker Owners, said stronger naval action — including aerial and aviation support — is necessary to battle rampant piracy in the Gulf of Aden near Somalia.

But NATO, which has four warships off the coast of Somalia, rejected a blockade.

Some 20 tankers sail through the sea lane daily. But many tanker owners are considering a massive detour around southern Africa to avoid pirates, which will delay delivery and push costs up by 30 percent, Swift said.

The association, whose members own 2,900 tankers or 75 percent of the world's fleet, opposes attempts to arm merchant ships because it could escalate the violence and put crew members at even greater risk, he said.

"The other option is perhaps putting a blockade around Somalia and introducing the idea of intercepting vessels leaving Somalia rather than to try to protect the whole of the Gulf of Aden," Swift said.

Somali pirates have become increasingly brazen, seizing eight vessels in the past two weeks, including a huge Saudi supertanker loaded with $100 million worth of crude oil.

On Monday, Yemen's Interior Ministry says Somali pirates have hijacked a Yemeni cargo ship in the Arabian Sea. It said communication with the vessel was lost last Tuesday after it had been out to sea for a week.

The ship is called Adina and it was not immediately clear what cargo it was carrying. The U.S. 5th Fleet based in Bahrain could not confirm the hijacking.

The Arabian Sea is part of the Indian Ocean and stretches between Yemen and Somalia. The Gulf of Aden links it with the Red Sea.

A blockade along Somalia's 2,400 mile coastline would not be easy.

"But some intervention there may be effective," Swift told reporters on the sidelines of a shipping conference in Malaysia.

U.S. Gen. John Craddock, NATO's supreme allied commander, said Monday the alliance's mandate is solely to escort World Food Program ships to Somalia and to conduct anti-piracy patrols.

Asked what he thought of a Russian proposal to jointly attack the pirate strongholds, Craddock answered: "That's far beyond what I've been tasked to do."

According to Lt. Nathan Christensen, 5th Fleet spokesman, more than 14 warships from Denmark, France, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, the U.S. and NATO are currently patrolling a vast international maritime corridor. They escort some merchant ships and respond to distress calls in the area.

Christensen declined to comment on the idea of a blockade.

But the navies say it is virtually impossible to patrol the vast sea around the gulf.

NATO has ruled out a blockade.

"Blocking ports is not contemplated by NATO," said NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer in Brussels. U.N. Security Council resolutions "do not include these kind of actions and as far as NATO is concerned, this is at the moment not on the cards," he said.

Secretary-General of the Arab League Amr Moussa said Monday Arabs should deploy their own naval forces to fight piracy in the Horn of Africa and also cooperate with foreign fleets in the area.

Diplomats of the Arab countries on the Red Sea met in Cairo last week to coordinate efforts to combat piracy, but some of these nations have been reluctant to get involved.

Somalia, an impoverished nation caught up in an Islamic insurgency, has had no functioning government since 1991. Before the Yemeni report of another hijacked ship, there had been 95 pirate attacks so far this year in Somali waters, with 39 ships hijacked.

There were 15 ships with nearly 300 crew still in the hands of Somali pirates, who dock the hijacked vessels near the eastern and southern coast as they negotiate for ransom. That does not include the Yemeni cargo vessel.

"Any action to prevent the pirates from heading out to sea is welcome," said Noel Choong, who heads the International Maritime Bureau's piracy reporting center in Kuala Lumpur. He said it was up to the international community to decide how they can deploy their forces for the blockade.

The Baltic and International Maritime Council, the world's largest private shipping organization, echoed calls for greater military action.

"Despite increased patrols by coalition forces, piracy attacks continue. We hope a system ... will be put in place to coordinate the coalition forces," said Thomas Timlen, its Asian liaison officer. "It's clear from recent events ... that more needs to be done."

Both Swift and Timlen said a blockade is possible if the multi-coalition naval force coordinate their actions and more warships are sent to the area with a stronger mandate.

U.N. resolutions now allow pursuit of pirate ships but various countries interpret the law differently, Swift said.

He called for a clear mandate from the United Nations to allow warships to intercept pirate ships and arrest the sea bandits.

Associated Press reporters Slobodan Lekic in Brussels and Ahmed al-Haj in Sana, Yemen contributed to this report.

Stratus' ENTICE Platform Turns Asian ISP into VoIP Provider, Rapidly Deploying Service to Malaysia, Cambodia & Indonesia

2008-11-24T20:21:00.000-08:00

Danawa Resources Taps ENTICE for Integrated Session Control, Applications & Billing

MAYNARD, Mass., Nov 24, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Stratus Technologies, Inc., announced today that Danawa Resources ( www.danawa.net.my), a broadband service provider operating in Malaysia, Cambodia and Indonesia, has deployed the Stratus ENTICE E-REV telecommunications platform to expand into residential, enterprise and wholesale VoIP-based phone service throughout its coverage area.

The installation marks the first multi-country ENTICE deployment in Southeast Asia as well as highlighting the use of ENTICE to enable an ISP to leverage their existing Internet infrastructure to add VoIP offerings. Danawa operates under the Danawa name in Malaysia, ClickNet in Cambodia and PrimeNet in Indonesia.

Danawa selected ENTICE E-REV as its services deployment platform because of its ability to provide session control, customer billing and value-added applications such as unified messaging and prepaid/postpaid services in a single solution, eliminating the need to license and integrate components from multiple vendors.

The deployment went live in June with a superswitch located in Singapore controlling satellite switches in each of Danawa's three serviced countries. The implementation - completed in less than a month - utilizes Stratus' ftServer(R) continuous availability hardware in conjunction with Dell 2950 dual-core servers to achieve fault tolerance. Stratus' ftServer family offers 99.9999% uptime with a proprietary architecture that eliminates clustering by providing two-server redundancy in a single housing.

"The countries where we offer broadband service have an underdeveloped telecom infrastructure with very expensive international calling, so it was logical for us to diversify into phone service by piggybacking VoIP on top of our existing broadband backbone," said Peter Chew, Danawa's Chief Technical Officer. "Stratus was the only solution that fulfilled our key requirements: a cost-effective one-platform architecture, rapid deployment, and a central point of control for all three countries."

"This implementation is a direct result of our integrated approach to VoIP deployment. Our ability to deliver an application server, session border controller, billing system, unified messaging system and endpoint provisioning system in one integrated package simplifies VoIP installations immeasurably," said Nathan Franzmeier, Stratus senior vice president of the Emerging Network Solutions Group. "This was Danawa's #1 criterion for selecting a VoIP platform, and it is a key reason for our growth."

In addition to providing ISP and voice services in Malaysia, Cambodia and Indonesia, Danawa Resources owns and operates citywide WiFi broadband and intercity fiber links in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia. The company is a subsidiary of Mitzmara ICT Technologies Group, a Malaysia-based multinational provider of wireless broadband Internet access services and a wide variety of IT sales and support services.

Die Hard actor Willis sues Petra Group, Tunku Imran

2008-11-21T19:57:00.000-08:00

Bruce Willis is suing to get back RM3.27 million

KUALA LUMPUR: Bruce Willis, star of the popular Die Hard movies, has sued Malaysia's Petra Group and its chairman, Tunku Imran Ibni Tuanku Ja'afar, to recoup US$900,000 (RM3.27 million) which he claims he is owed by the company.

The suit was filed in a Los Angeles federal court, against Elastomer Technologies Ltd. Willis accuses Petra and its executives of breach of contract and unjust enrichment, according to a Bloomberg report.

The Petra Group said in a statement it was surprised by the actor's actions and refutes "in the strongest possible terms" any allegations of impropriety.

The company said Willis had wanted to invest in the Petra Group subsidiary, which in 2007 was seeking to list in the AIM market in London. However, the listing plans were put on hold when the stock market saw a severe downturn caused by the global credit crunch.

At the time the actor made his investment, Petra Group chief executive Datuk Vinod Sekhar agreed to buy back Willis' shares at any point in the future.
"As a gesture of goodwill, US$1.1 million of the US$2 million Mr Willis invested has been repaid. Mr Willis is aware that the balance will be repaid within the next few weeks," Petra Group spokesman Andrew Murray-Watson said in the statement.

It is understood that Willis' investment is less than 1 per cent of the total shareholdings in the company.

The Petra Group said it had had a very successful year, and earlier this month signed a deal to supply its revolutionary recycled compound to glogbal footwear giant, Timberland.

"Our listing plan remains. We will re-look at the market's condition in the first quarter next year, and if it is favourable we are going to start the listing process again," Vinod said yesterday.

Actor Mel Gibson, who has a significant six per cent stake, said he was satisfied with the company's progress.

"At the time, I was in complete agreement with the board in its decision not to seek a listing. In hindsight, it has turned out to be, absolutely, the right decision.

"When you make investments in companies that have the potential to have such a significant positive impact on the world, you do it for the long-term gains, and not for a quick return," Gibson said in the statement.

President of Turkmenistan and Prime Minister of Malaysia hold talks

2008-11-21T19:39:00.000-08:00

President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Prime Minister of Malaysia Abdullah Ahmed Badawi who had arrived in the Turkmen capital on an official visit held the talks in Ashgabat

The high-ranking government official greeted he honorary guest at the Ashgabat International Airport decorated with the national flags of two friendly countries.

Upon arriving the Prime Minister of Malaysia attended the ceremony of opening the Oil and Gas of Turkmenistan – 2008 Exhibition and visited the exposition.

In the afternoon the President of Turkmenistan and the Prime Minister of Malaysia held the talks at the new official residence of the Turkmen leader

Greeting the honorary guest Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted that he was glad to welcome the head of the Government of friendly Malaysia that Turkmenistan had established and actively developed fruitful contacts with. Standing steadfast to the open door policy Turkmenistan attached special importance to enhancement of constructive collaboration particularly with the neighbouring countries on the Asian continent The President said that Turkmenistan and Malaysia had the positive experience of co-operation that based on its profound potential had every chance to grow into full-scale mutually advantageous partnership.

Thanking for the heartfelt and hospitable welcome and noting that Malaysia viewed Turkmenistan as a fraternal state Mr. Abdullah Ahmad Badawi informed of Malaysia's intention to the intensify the intergovernmental dialogue in the interests of both peoples. Focusing on the intense interest of the Government and business circles in Malaysia in intensifying business co-operation the Prime Minister said that it was conditioned by Turkmenistan's profound resource and economic potential and the Turkmen leader's reformative policy guaranteeing social and political stability in the country.

The sides harmonized the views on the essential aspects of co-operation and the approaches to the further strategy of expanding it. In this context the sides considered a broad range of the issues on intensification of collaboration in the priority fields including trade and economy, fuel and energy sector and humanitarian sphere, in particular education. The President and his guest emphasized that the age-old ties of friendship between the two peoples bound with the common cultural and spiritual traditions and the similarity of views on the problems of the modern world served as the solid foundation of the Turkmen-Malaysian dialogue.

Then the government delegations of Turkmenistan and Malaysia joined in the talks.

Cordially greeting the guests President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov gave the floor to the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Expressing sincere gratitude on behalf of the Malaysian delegation for the heartfelt welcome and hospitality Mr. Abdullah Ahmed Badawi said that he was very glad to visit Ashgabat – a wonderful city that he first visited in 1994. The guest noted that the capital of Turkmenistan rapidly grew and developed that vividly illustrated the progress of the whole country.

Touching upon the aims of the visit the Prime Minister reaffirmed Malaysia's intention to maintain overall co-operation with Turkmenistan noting that the relations between two independent countries had been developed for 16 years. This dialogue was of paramount importance as to implementation of Malaysia's foreign policy strategy aimed at establishing constructive contacts with the countries worldwide including the Organisation of the Islamic Conference member states. Focusing with satisfaction on the increased dynamics of the Turkmen-Malaysian dialogue the Prime Minister noted that his country stood ready to further co-operation on the basis of the existing opportunities and common approaches to the issues of global peace and security. The guest said that both Turkmenistan and Malaysia had the splendid perspectives to deepen partnership in the trade and economic, financial and investment spheres. The Prime Minister informed that after he returned to the homeland he would recommend the businessmen to visit Turkmenistan so that they could evaluate the country's potential and the perspectives of fruitful collaboration. Mr. Abdullah Ahmed Badawi also invited Turkmen businessmen to visit Malaysia to establish direct business contacts. Emphasizing that the Malaysian Government would favour intensification of the Turkmen-Malaysian dialogue the Prime Minister thanked Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov for supporting the Petronas Company which had been successfully operating on the Turkmen energy market for over 10 years and hope for the continuation of this exceptionally fruitful co-operation.

Mr. Abdullah Ahmed Badawi said that the vast opportunities of partnership were opened up in tourism industry. The Malaysian companies stood ready to offer the profound expertise in this field to Turkmenistan. Moreover, co-operation deemed to be very promising in the sphere of urban development, road construction, transport and telecommunication in which Malaysia had advanced technologies and manufacturing capabilities. The Prime Minister said that the intergovernmental document to be signed upon concluding the talks would foster effective collaboration and strengthen the legal foundation of bilateral co-operation. The guest noted that a major field of Turkmen-Malaysian partnership was the sphere of education where the partners had accumulated the profound experience and intended to enrich with new undertakings and projects.

The Prime Minister invited the President of Turkmenistan to pay an official visit to visit Malaysia at any convenient time

Thanking for the invitation Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasized that having gained the impressive achievements and playing the key role on the geopolitical arena in Southeast Asia Malaysia ranked among the priorities of Turkmenistan's foreign policy strategy. The President said that there was every reason for that – the spirit of friendship, mutual confidence and understanding typical of the Turkmen-Malaysian intergovernmental dialogue and expressed gratitude to the leadership of Malaysia for supporting Turkmenistan's international initiatives, in particular the opening of the UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy in Central Asia and adoption on the UN special resolution "Reliable and Stable Energy Transit and Its Role in Guaranteeing Economic Development and International Cooperation".

The Turkmen leader noted the vast opportunities were opened up in the economic sphere. Citing the Petronas Company as an example of the Malaysian company successfully operating on the Turkmen market Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said that the countries had laid the reliable foundation for developing mutually advantageous partnership particularly in the fuel and energy sector. Inviting the Malaysian companies to co-operate the President emphasized that the conditions including the favourable investment climate and stability of the domestic financial market conducive to foreign business had been created in Turkmenistan.

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said that Turkmenistan was interested in the investments in high-technology sectors of the national economy, in particular energy industry, communication and telecommunication, transport, processing sector. The Turkmen leader said that the country was open for close humanitarian co-operation particularly in the sphere of education, science, healthcare, sport and tourism. The President thanked the Malaysian partners in training highly qualified specialists for Turkmen economy. In particular, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov welcomed the decision of the Petronas University of Technology to increase an admission of Turkmen young people to 15 students each year.

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said that the forums, exhibition, festivals, days of culture standing as the key factors for bringing different peoples together would perform the noble mission of strengthening the bridges of co-operation between Turkmenistan and Malaysia.

In conclusion the President expressed belief that these talks would open a new page in the history of the Turkmen-Malaysian relations and attach new dynamics and fill it with new content.

Upon concluding the talks eth ceremony of signing the Intergovernmental Agreement on Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Income Tax Evasion was held.

Upon concluding the ceremony the President of Turkmenistan and the Prime Minister of Malaysia bade cordial farewell to each other and expressed wishes of peace, happiness and welfare to the peoples of Turkmenistan and Malaysia.

SRK unlikely to go to Malaysia to receive state title

2008-11-21T02:30:00.000-08:00

Kuala Lumpur, Nov 20: Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan has indicated that he will not be able to fly down to Malaysia to receive a prestigious title conferred on him by the state of Malacca.

The actor was to arrive here on 29 November to receive the “Datukship” title. State officials were reportedly arranging for another date for the star to come, The Star newspaper reported today.

The announcement to confer the title on Khan drew criticisms from a broad spectrum of Malaysians as many of them felt that the award could have been given to local artistes. Some had even questioned if the star knew where Malacca was.
Malacca Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam did not want to comment on the matter. “I understand it has been postponed. For any details, you will have to ask the State Secretary,” he told reporters yesterday.

Shah Rukh Khan was among 77 people conferred the Darjah Mulia Seri Melaka (DMSM) which carries the title Datuk in conjunction with the 70th birthday of Sultan of the state Tun Mohd Khalil Yaakob last month. n PTI

Bruce Willis wants cash back from Malaysia company

2008-11-21T02:22:00.000-08:00

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — A Malaysian technology conglomerate pledged Friday to repay $900,000 to Hollywood star Bruce Willis, but denied any wrongdoing after he took legal action to demand a refund of his investment.

The Kuala Lumpur-based Petra Group environmental technology company said Willis invested $2 million in its subsidiary, Green Rubber, a developer of technology that can recycle rubber in old tires, in 2007.

Petra returned $1.1 million to Willis earlier this year when he decided to pull out his investment. U.S. news reports said the star of the "Die Hard" action films filed a court complaint in Los Angeles this week to recoup the remaining $900,000.

The company said in an e-mailed statement to The Associated Press that it intends to pay Willis the balance "within the next few weeks" and that the actor need not have filed the court complaint.

Petra Group is "very surprised by Mr. Willis' actions and refute in the strongest possible terms any allegations of impropriety," it said.

Green Rubber had been seeking an initial public offering in London when Willis made the investment last year, but the Petra Group's chief executive agreed to buy back the star's shares at any point "as a gesture of goodwill," the statement said.

"Unfortunately, the market then took an unforeseeable severe downturn, caused by the global credit crunch, and flotation plans had to be put on hold," the statement added. "Mr. Willis asked to sell his shares back ... despite the company's exceptional underlying operating performance."

Malaysia's Opposition Leader Sees Fewer Options for Unseating Government

2008-10-23T19:21:00.000-07:00

Malaysia's opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim says now is not the right time to topple the government, contrary to his earlier vow to unseat the ruling coalition by September 16.

Anwar said Thursday that the opposition still plans to unseat the Barisan Nasional government. But he said it would not be appropriate to make such a move during the global financial crisis.

In March elections, Anwar's three-party, People's Alliance, coalition reduced the ruling coalition's majority to the smallest since Malaysia gained independence in 1957.

Anwar said at the time he would persuade enough ruling party lawmakers to join his coalition to form the necessary majority to topple the government.

But speaking to reporters Thursday, he acknowledged that his options have diminished since Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced recently he will hand over power to his deputy, Najib Razak, in March.

Malaysia: AFC Is Not The United Nations!

2008-10-22T22:35:00.000-07:00

The secretary-general of the FA of Malaysia (FAM), Datuk Azzuddin Ahmad wants the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to stop acting like the United Nations.

The AFC is a long-time resident in Kuala Lumpur, but president Mohamed Hammam has invited its 46 member countries to make bids in order to host the governing body.

Ahmad insists that Kuala Lumpur would rather risk losing the AFC than agree to their unrealistic requirements.

“Their demands are too excessive; diplomatic status, loans and more. They must understand they are not the United Nations," he told Reuters.

“We won’t bid for it - why should we?” Azzuddin asked, adding, “We have a sentimental attachment to the AFC. This is their home, but if they want to move we will not stop them."

Any shift of headquarters, however, requires the approval of 70% of members.

Malaysia and the AFC have been at loggerheads several times recently over issues such as land ownership and the FAM’s reluctance to postpone a visit by Manchester United.

The English Premier League side had been scheduled to visit Malaysia at the same time as the Asian Cup, the region’s biggest football tournament.

In the meantime, FAM president Sultan Ahmad Shah says that the Asian Football Confederation AFC should give due respect to the noble efforts of the late Tunku Abdul Rahman by remaining at AFC House in Kuala Lumpur.

Click here to view map
AFC House

Malaysia says to cut prices of essential goods

2008-10-22T22:09:00.000-07:00

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Malaysia will lower prices of food items and other goods in line with recent fuel price cuts, state news agency Bernama quoted the country's domestic trade minister as saying on Wednesday.

The move will be announced on Friday, Shahrir Samad said, the same day as September inflation data is released and when the central bank holds a rate-setting meeting. But he did not say whether there would be fresh fuel price cuts following a fortnightly price review.

Malaysia's inflation hit 27-year highs of 8.5 percent in August after the government hiked pump prices of petrol and diesel.

Shahrir said at least one hypermarket chain had agreed to cut prices.

'We hope more companies will agree to reduce prices of especially food and household products,' he said.

September inflation data is expected to show inflation rose 8.3 percent year-on-year, according to a Reuters poll, while another poll showed that rates would remain on hold at 3.5 percent.

Fuel prices have already been cut three times since then as global oil prices have fallen and slowing growth has now become the main worry for the economy.

Malaysia blocks Iran Nobel winner

2008-10-22T22:05:00.000-07:00

Shirin Ebadi is one of Iran's first female judges

A Malaysian university has cancelled a scheduled speech by the Iranian Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi.

Ms Ebadi, an outspoken human rights lawyer, had been due to speak at the University of Malaya early in November.

Foreign ministry officials admitted that they had advised the university to withdraw Ms Ebadi's invitation.

Ms Ebadi, who won the peace prize in 2003, has often found herself at odds with the Iranian government over her human rights work.

'Big implications'

Ms Ebadi had been due to deliver the speech entitled Islam and Cultural Diversity on 3 November.

But an official told the Associated Press news agency that the foreign ministry had sent a letter "strongly advising" the organisers not to go ahead with the speech.

"We were told there would be big implications for bilateral relations," the unnamed official said, adding that Iranian diplomats were "pushing for Malaysia to call it off".

The university's vice-chancellor, Rafiah Salim, told the French news agency AFP that the decision was made "out of respect for our Iranian students, who were not very happy".

The speech was supposed to begin a series of talks in Malaysia and Thailand over the next few months.

Other speakers include fellow Nobel laureate President Jose-Ramos Horta of East Timor and American activist Jesse Jackson.

In her capacity as a lawyer, Ms Ebadi has defended many people accused of political and security crimes in Iran, and campaigned for greater rights for women and children.

She has faced numerous death threats and hostility in the Iranian media, and the government banned her Centre for Protecting Human Rights in 2006.

Anwar Says Options for Taking Power in Malaysia Are Diminishing

2008-10-22T22:00:00.000-07:00

Oct. 23 (Bloomberg) -- Malaysia's opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said he's running out of options to unseat the government, seven months after reducing the ruling coalition's majority to the smallest since independence in 1957.

Anwar, 61, missed deadlines he set to have coalition lawmakers defect to the opposition and parliament conduct a vote of confidence in Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. The premier's response was to accelerate a power handover to his deputy, Najib Razak.

``I'm not saying we have no options left, but I'm saying it's getting to be much more difficult,'' Anwar said in an interview yesterday in his parliamentary office in Kuala Lumpur. His three-party People's Alliance remains confident it can woo the 30 coalition lawmakers it needs to form a majority after taking control of 5 of 13 states in the March elections, he said.

Anwar's assessment, the most pessimistic since the election, suggests the transfer of power to Najib will be smooth, removing the uncertainty that has contributed to a 37 percent decline in the benchmark stock index this year.

``It's only right for Anwar to clarify the People's Alliance stand to the public,'' regarding their diminishing options, said Tricia Yeoh, director of the Centre for Public Policy Studies, an independent research institute in Kuala Lumpur. ``They should focus on administering the five states well and strengthening the bonds within the parties. This will demonstrate that they can be a formidable alternative federal government.''

Missed Deadlines

Anwar failed to meet his Sept. 16 deadline to oust Abdullah, timed to coincide with the anniversary of the founding of the Federation of Malaysia. He was also unable to persuade the prime minister to recall parliament for a confidence vote or even meet with Abdullah to discuss a change of government.

The opposition has pledged to end Malaysia's system of preferences in employment and education for ethnic Malays and to reduce corruption. The ruling National Front, headed by the United Malays National Organisation, adopted a race-based system known as the New Economic Policy in 1971.

Anwar said he is exploring other options for a takeover that would be ``peaceful and orderly'' and adhere to the constitution, without elaborating.

Abdullah, 68, agreed this month to hand over power to Najib, the son of Malaysia's second prime minister, in March. Previously the transition had been planned for June 2010, three years before the next general election must be held.

Cause for Regret?

``The opposition wants Abdullah to carry on, because they believe if he leads the party in the next election, their chances would be enhanced,'' former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said in a separate interview yesterday. Mahathir, the nation's longest-serving leader, handpicked Abdullah as his successor, a decision he said he now regrets.

Anwar, a former deputy leader of UMNO, returned to parliament in a by-election on Aug. 26. He was fired as deputy prime minister by Mahathir in 1998 and jailed on charges of having illegal sex with a man and abuse of power. The sodomy conviction was overturned in 2004.

Anwar is currently facing similar sex charges after a 23- year-old former male aide filed a complaint with police.

``They don't have a case. That I know for a fact,'' Anwar said. ``What they want to do is to embarrass me.''

Adun UMNO & PAS berbesan

2008-10-21T21:54:00.000-07:00

TANAH MERAH 18 Okt. - Perbezaan politik tidak menjadi halangan bagi Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri (ADUN) Barisan Nasional (BN) Bukit Bunga, Mohd. Adhan Kechik untuk berbesan dengan ADUN Pas Sungai Abong, Johor, Dr. Sheikh Ibrahim Salleh.

Anak perempuan wakil rakyat BN itu, Ernie Muneerah, 25, disatukan dengan anak wakil rakyat Pas, Salleh, 25, dalam majlis akad nikah yang berlangsung di kediaman Mohd. Adnan di sini hari ini.

Kedua-dua mempelai bertugas sebagai pegawai penyelidik Jabatan Perkhidmatan Haiwan yang cuma dipisahkan oleh tempat kerja iaitu Ernie di Putrajaya manakala suaminya di Jerantut.

Bagi Mohd. Adhan, hubungan anak perempuannya dengan menantu tidak perlu dihalang hanya atas sebab perbezaan parti kedua-dua bapa, kerana ia tidak menguntungkan mana-mana pihak.

''Sebaliknya mungkin memberikan kesan buruk bila kasih sayang mereka berdua disekat. Selaku bapa, saya ingin melihat anak saya bahagia apabila ditakdirkan mereka berdua bersatu.

"Sama dengan politik, kita tidak mahu mendapat susah kerana cuba menghalang sesuatu yang baik yang akhirnya membawa kesan kepada generasi akan datang," katanya.

Sementara Sheikh Ibrahim pula berkata, atas dasar kasih sayang, agama dan bangsa, perbezaan politik dapat diketepikan jika ada keikhlasan di dalam hati untuk memastikan anak-anak bahagia.

Salleh dan Ernie Muneerah pernah bertemu sewaktu zaman persekolahan namun terpisah kerana pekerjaan keluarga.

"Tidak sangka pula kami berdua bertemu semula sewaktu belajar di Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia ketika kami mengambil jurusan yang sama, dalam kursus ijazah Biologi Molekul.

''Kami berkenalan rapat selama tiga tahun sebelum memutuskan untuk berkahwin hari ini. Ibu bapa memberi sepenuh restu," ujar Salleh.

Wood group partners up for gas turbine care in Malaysia

2008-10-21T12:04:00.001-07:00

ABERDEEN, SCOTLAND: John Wood Group's Gas Turbine Services division has signed an Alliance Agreement with Serba Dinamik, a Malaysian engineering firm specializing in the maintenance of gas turbines. The agreement will allow Wood Group and Serba to jointly bid for gas turbine maintenance contracts in the Malaysian oil and gas sector.

Serba Dinamik Group MD Ir Abdul Karim said, "Serba Dinamik is happy to be linked with Wood Group. We have worked together for many years and are excited about the future. This agreement allows us to provide a qualified option for gas turbine maintenance to Malaysian companies."

The Alliance have already signed a Short Term Service Agreement with a national Asia-Pacific oil company for gas turbine maintenance services in the region.

Malaysia to ask for Thailand, Cambodia to settle conflicts peacefully

2008-10-21T12:02:00.000-07:00

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia is expected to ask for Thailand, Cambodia to solve their conflicts peacefully in the spirit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a senior official said on Tuesday.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Dais Yatim made this remark at a hotel in Putrajaya, administrative center of the Malaysian Federal Government, after he had a luncheon with the heads of missions of Americas in Malaysia.

Dais said that he would travel to Bangkok and, if possible, to Cambodia, to convey a message from Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi suggesting the two countries solve their conflicts without resorting to the use of arms.

He also hoped that more ASEAN countries would join to ask for Thailand and Cambodia to discuss ways to solve the problem between them without involvement of arms.

Dais told reporters that he believed that the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia would not widen.

Dais was scheduled to visit Thailand late Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the Malaysian Foreign Ministry.

Malaysia's DPM says Straits of Malacca is significantly safer

2008-10-21T11:57:00.000-07:00

Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak speaking at the opening of a Centre for the Straits of Malacca.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak says the Straits of Malacca is significantly safer.

He revealed that there has not been a single reported security related incident so far in 2008, compared to 75 cases in 2000.

He was speaking at the opening of a Centre for the Straits of Malacca set up by the Maritime Institute of Malaysia.

Traffic along the Straits of Malacca has increased by nearly 40 per cent from some 44,000 vessels in 1999 to 70,700 in 2007.

Mr Najib Razak believes that by 2015, the figure will go up to 120,000 vessels.

He says that over the past few years, Malaysia has spent millions of dollars to install and upgrade navigational aids along the Straits of Malacca. Mr Najib added that for a small country, the money spent is well worth it, especially when it involves enhancing the safety and security of an important sea line of communications

One reason for the increased security, says Mr Najib, is cooperation between the littoral states of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, and the international maritime organisation.

It has resulted in the implementation of several systems for precision navigation and emergency response.

Mr Najib said, "I understand other systems being planned include the proposed marine electronic highway which will lead to the integration of current maritime safety technologies with the marine environment management and protection systems. Seamless integration is necessary without prejudicing sovereignty of nations."

While Mr Najib feels there is a limit to what Malaysia can afford for this purpose given the long-term financial implications, the country's overall national security and defence is a different matter.

He said, "Defence and security related projects cannot be measured in terms of purely on the basis of economic yardstick."

This is a clear signal of the Malaysian government's stand, when reviewing its spending on major projects in view of the current global financial crisis.

Kapal Angkasa India

2008-10-20T19:16:00.000-07:00

M'sia to ease investment rules

2008-10-20T19:13:00.000-07:00

Salesmen in astronaut garb with a visitor at last week's housing exhibition in Wuhan. But sliding growth is putting the brakes even on China's once red-hot property sector.

KUALA LUMPUR: MALAYSIA plans to loosen investment rules to lure foreign funds and will review guidelines to ease rules on foreigners buying property, Finance Minister Najib Razak said yesterday.

The government will also inject RM5 billion (S$2 billion) to double the size of a local fund that invests in undervalued companies to reduce the impact of a global slowdown.

'We have to make Malaysia more competitive,' Datuk Seri Najib said, adding that it is inevitable that the country's real economy would feel the impact of the financial turmoil.

While insisting that the country will not slide into a financial crisis, he said its economic growth forecast for next year will have to be cut from the current estimate of 5.4 per cent.

'Malaysia is not in a crisis and we will not go into a recession,' he was quoted as saying by Bernama news agency.

He added: 'Yes, our stock market is affected by the sentiments in other markets but I would like to stress that we are not in a financial crisis, and certainly we should not talk ourselves into one.'

Mr Najib said the government may also review its budget deficit targets for this year and next, and postpone some infrastructure projects.

Details will be revealed on Nov 4 in Parliament.

Mr Najib said some investments and property purchases may no longer require the approval of the Foreign Investment Committee (FIC).

Industry players say top foreign property buyers include Singaporeans and those from the Middle East, Britain, Europe and, more recently, China.

The government last liberalised the property market in April last year with measures including a blanket exemption on real property gains tax, the removal of FIC approvals for foreign ownership of houses costing RM250,000 and above, and unlimited loans for non-residents.

The measures paid off, with developers reporting higher sales, more than half of which went to foreigners, and prices in popular areas up too, said property consultant Ho Chin Soon.

Real Estate and Housing Developers' Association (Rehda) president Ng Seing Liong said that this time around, the government might further relax the rules on commercial or industrial properties.

Not many analysts were impressed with the measures announced, and some said the government needed to present more concrete economic policies.

Bank Islam senior economist Azrul Azwar said the measures would not provide the immediate results needed.

'The results of the liberalisation will be seen only in two to three years. The measures do not really respond to the needs of the hour,' he said.