Saturday, January 10, 2015

Charlie Hebdo & kebenaran yang mana?

Charlie Hebdo & kebenaran yang mana?


Kita dikejutkan dengan peristiwa Charlie Hebdo. Kita terkejut (ataupun buat-buat terkejut), kerana tidak menyangka atas nama kebenaran, darah boleh ditumpahkan sewenang-wenangnnya.
Peristiwa keganasan terhadap Charlie Hebdo ini berlaku di Paris.
Dan, Perancis memang terkenal sebagai negara yang melaungkan “kebebasan, kesetaraan dan kebersamaan.”
Ini adalah negara sekular, yang dalam kebanyakan keadaan, selalu dianggap sebagai negara sekular yang ekstrim.
Bagi pengganas, agamanya adalah kebenarannya.
Bagaimanapun, bagi Perancis dan kenegaraannya pula, kebenarannya adalah apa termaktub dalam kedaulatannya (perlembagaan dan undang-undangnya).
Justeru, terdapat pertembungan fikrah antara individu yang mahu bertindak dengan tangan sendiri bagi merealisasikan kebenarannya dengan negara yang tidak membenarkan mana-mana warganya melanggar kebenaran yang terdapat dalam perlembagaan dan perundangannya.
Kemelut ini, saya ibaratkan sebagai ketegangan ekoran dari pemilikan kebenaran.
Memang, dewasa ini terdapat sebahagian individu atau kelompok, malah negara sekalipun, masih lagi menganggap bahawa kebenaran adalah soal hidup mati.
Kebenaran adalah perkara segala-galanya. Ini sebuah perspektif yang berbahaya kepada masa depan masyarakat majmuk dan wajar dibedah siasat habis-habisan.
Langkah pertamanya, kita perlulah memikirkan kembali tentang peranan yang sesuai antara agama dan negara ini, lebih-lebih lagi dalam kaitannya dengan pemilikan kebenaran.
Lumrahnya, agama, atau orang beragama, atau lebih tepat lagi bagi agamawan, selalu dipandang sebagai puncak kebenaran.
Bagi kalangan ini, kebenaran agama tidak ada tapi-tapi lagi dan sama sekali tidak boleh menjadi barang dagangan.
Menyeragamkan fikiran
Hatta, pada satu tahap, bagi mereka ini, negara pun berhak ditundukkan sesuai dengan laras kebenaran agama. Justeru, seluruh alat dan perkakas negara mestilah dikiblatkan kepada agama “rasmi”.
Di sisi yang berseberangan pula, negara terutamanya negara sekular menjadikan kebenarannya dipaksikan kepada kedaulatan perlembagaan dan perundangan sekularnya.
Di sini, sekularisme bukanlah soal tawar-menawar. Ia harga mati bagi sebuah negara sekular. Dan, sekularisme, sebagai ideologi negara, dianggap sebagai pusat kebenaran bagi semua warga.
Seandainya ada yang enggan mematuhi kebenaran ini, maka negara tersebut layak menjatuhkan hukuman, termasuklah – setelah proses mahkamah– hukuman bunuh sekalipun.
Sebab itu, dalam bahasa yang lain, negara sebenarnya satu-satunya institusi yang mempunyai lesen untuk membunuh warganya sendiri.
Maka, agama dan negara, secara zaman-berzaman saling meneriakkan kebenaran. Keduanya mahu merebut kebenaran sebagai medium mereka untuk menyeragamkan fikiran dan tindakan masyarakat.
Memang, adalah gila untuk kita bayangkan betapa masih ada lagi yang mahu menyeragamkan fikiran dan tindakan manusia yang lain! Tapi peristiwa Charlie Hebdo mengesahkan bahawa kegilaan ini adalah reliti hari ini.
Sudahnya, bagi yang tidak tega dengan nilai-nilai kebenaran yang ingin dipaksakan oleh agama atau negara, maka jawapannya: Ia boleh jadi dibunuh atau dihukum bunuh.
Dan, kematian itu boleh hadir dari tangan individu tertentu yang ekstrim mahupun dari tangan negara tertentu yang ekstrim (mari ingat kembali alasan Bush tatkala mahu menyerang Iraq).
Batas agama adalah iman
Di sini, ada persoalan untuk kita sama-sama renungkan baik-baik: Apakah sememangnya dalam dunia ini hanya terdapat dua kebenaran sahaja?
Kalau tidak kebenaran agama, maka apakah itu mestilah kebenaran negara? Sejujurnya, saya tidak melihat citra kebenaran sebegini rupa.
Malah, saya melihat, pertarungan kebenaran-kebenaran inilah yang pada akhirnya mendorong tercetusnya peristiwa seperti Charlie Hebdo. Dan, akhirnya kita saksikan berlakunya Islamophobia dan diskriminasi terhadap Muslim yang merebak ke banyak negara Barat.
Shahdan, jika kita tidak menerima bahawa agama dan negara bukanlah daerah bagi kebenaran, maka apakah kita boleh lagi hidup dengan bernafaskan kebenaran? Benar, boleh saja.
Setidaknya, kita masih lagi boleh memikirkan bahawa masih terdapat wilayah yang kebenaran dapat diterapkan serasi dengan nilai kefungsiannya.
Sama ada agama atau negara, masing-masing tidaklah berhak untuk mendakwa-dakwi atas nama kebenaran. Sebaliknya, keduanya perlu dibataskan wilayah kebenarannya.
Batas agama adalah iman. Sekiranya iman tersebut cuba dinyatakan sebagai kebenaran buat semua dan mahu dipaksakan perlaksanaannya buat semua, maka itu bukanlah lagi dalam lingkungan keimanan. Sebab, itu sudah cuba melampaui wilayah kenegaraan.
Wilayah kenegaraan pula adalah ruang untuk perlaksanaan perintah untuk semua warga. Sebagai sebuah negara berdaulat, negara berhak melaksanakan perintah umum yang didasarkan kepada hubungannya dengan perlembagaan dan perundangan.
Tetapi, adakah perlembagaan dan perundangan ini adalah nilai bagi kebenaran? Tidak juga.
Kerana itu, belum tentu mereka yang bersalah di sisi perundangan negara adalah mereka yang turut sama bersalah di sisi tuhan.
Jadi, dengan keadaan ini, sama ada agama mahupun negara, masing-masing tidak lagi mempunyai wibawa untuk berbicara atas nama kebenaran.
Kesal tak kunjung padam
Lalu, langkah terakhir, di mana tempatnya bagi kebenaran?
Dan, apakah tema kebenaran masih lagi tersisa dalam masyarakat yang kompleks ketika ini? Pada hemat saya, kebenaran masih ada tempatnya. Bukan bertempat pada agama atau negara.
Tetapi, bertempat pada pengetahuan (sains).
Dengan memberikan pengetahuan hak memiliki kebenaran, kita bukan sahaja boleh mengurangkan ketegangan antara agama dan negara, malahan kita juga boleh mengurangkan unsur kekerasan dan keganasan atas nama kebenaran.
Sebabnya, pengetahuan tidak boleh dibunuh. Ia, sebaliknya, hanya boleh disanggah dengan pengetahuan yang lain.
Jadi, dengan lingkaran terbatas seperti ini, kebenaran yang terdapat dalam pengetahuan akan makin subur dan seterusnya dapat merancakkan lagi semangat untuk mencari dan menyebar kebenaran menerusi jalan pengetahuan juga.
Mudah kata, dari lakaran ini, kita menjadikan masyarakat tidak lagi diintegrasikan atas nama kebenaran ideologi tertentu (sebut saja sama ada Islamisme ataupun liberalisme). Tetapi, menariknya, masyarakat kita masih boleh terus diintergrasikan atas nama penerokaan kebenaran pengetahuan.
Pastinya, ada harga yang perlu dibayar lantaran kita menurunkan martabat kebenaran dari agama dan negara kepada hak khusus yang dimiliki oleh bidang pengetahuan sahaja. Harga yang paling mahal yang perlu kita bayar ialah terpisahnya hubungan antara agama dengan amal jamai (mass action), dan terlerainya hubungan antara negara dengan akal jamai (public reasoning).
Tetapi, bagi saya, inilah bayaran yang berpatutan demi untuk melihat masyarakat moden kita berfungsi dengan lebih “baik”.
“Baik” bukanlah bermaksud inilah satu-satunya jalan.
Tetapi, “baik” di sini lebih bersifat kefungsian (yang ada nilai kebolehgunaan) yang dapat membantu kepada kerukunan masyarakat.
Sudah tentu, daripada sejarah, kita lazimnya bongkak untuk membayar harga penukaran autoriti kebenaran –dari agama/negara kepada pengetahuan– ini sekarang.
Tetapi, daripada sejarah juga, kelak muka jual mahal kita tersebut dileburkan oleh rasa kesal yang tak kunjung padam.
DIAN ANAIS adalah seorang suri rumah sepenuh masa. Beliau boleh dihubungi melalui [email protected]
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AG enggan jawab isu surat Zahid

AG enggan jawab isu surat Zahid


Peguam Negara Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail enggan mengulas mengenai isu yang timbul berhubung surat sokongan oleh Menteri Dalam Negeri Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi mengenai individu disyaki anggota kongsi gelap 14K.
Gani mengelak soalan tersebut ketika ditanya selepas pelancaran persidangan Legal Year 2015 di Putrajaya hari ini yang menghimpunkan para hakim, peguam dan pegawai kehakiman.
“Saya tidak akan kata apa-apa (hari ini). Biarlah hari ini jadi acara untuk mahkamah.
"Jika tiak, (jika) anda tiba-tiba muncul dengan perkara lain, anda memperkecilkan urusan mahkamah.
"Saya akan jawab bila anda temui saya di masa lain,” katanya ketika ditemui Malaysiakini.
Gani juga enggan mengulas apabila ditanya dalam sidang media sebelum itu, dan menegaskan bahawa beliau hanya ingin memfokuskan pada acara hari ini.
Beliau ditanya sama ada Menteri Dalam Negeri merujuk Pejabat Peguam Negara sebelum Zahid mengemukakan surat mendakwa individu digelar raja judi Paul Phua bukan anggota kongsi gelap 14K.
[Baca berita penuh]
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Police to call up PKR Youth members for organising flash mobs last year


Last year, PKR Youth launched the #RakyatHakimNegara campaign in support of party de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim which included flash mobs and ceramah held in front of the Palace of Justice. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, January 10, 2015.Two Parti Keadilan Youth members will be called up by police to assist investigations into the organising of flash mobs and ceramah (talks) in front of the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya last year.Chua Wei Kiat and Gunaraj George are expected to give their statements at the Rawang police station at 5.30pm tomorrow. Both are being investigated under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012.PKR Youth strategy director Akmal Nasir said Gunaraj and Chua would be accompanied by lawyer Melissa Sasidaran.Last year, PKR Youth launched the #RakyatHakimNegara campaign in support of party de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim which included flash mobs and ceramah held in front of the Palace of Justice.Anwar's appeal against his second sodomy conviction was heard by the Federal Court in October last year.Both Chua and Gunaraj are being investigated in connection with the organisation of flash mobs which had been held throughout that month.Akmal said there had been no reports of violence or untoward incidents which threatened national security when the flash mobs were held."This raises the question of the necessity in probing those who were merely voicing out their opinion and support openly."Who could have lodged the police report which necessitated immediate investigations by the authorities?" Akmal asked."Does this mean more will be called up too as they had participated in the flash mobs?" he said, adding that intimidation tactics would only rally more people. – January 10, 2015.
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Police deny slain French gunman and fugitive wife entered country


Reports from France quote neighbours of Hayat Boumeddiene (left) and Amedy Coulibaly saying that the duo had visited in Malaysia before. – Reuters pic, January 10, 2015.Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar has denied that French gunman Amedy Coulibaly and his fugitive wife Hayat Boumeddiene were ever in Malaysia, despite news report claiming that they holidayed here together.Khalid's latest post on Twitter today indicated that there was no evidence that showed the couple had ever entered the country.He, however, did not indicate or elaborate on how far back was the police search done."Paris attack – Checks by @PDRMsia resulted, Amedy and his wife Hayat have never entered M'sia." he tweeted, in an immediate response to reports by international news agencies claiming that both Coulibaly and Boumeddiene had previously holidayed in Malaysia.However, sources told The Malaysian Insider that police are also awaiting additional information on the duo as it was difficult to carry out checks to verify the reports based only on their names."Neither Amedy Coulibaly nor Hayat Boumeddiene figure prominently on the list of international terror suspects,""We are waiting for more information from French authorities," the source added, declining to elaborate further.It was reported that Coulibaly was killed along with four others after French security forces stormed the kosher grocery store where the former had been holding hostages.According to French judicial documents, a police search of Coulibaly's residence in 2010 turned up a crossbow, 240 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, films and photos of him during a trip to Malaysia, as well as letters seeking false official documents.Boumeddiene is currently on the run and is reported to be armed and dangerous.This is not the first time that Malaysia has figured prominently in terror suspects' list of holiday destinations.After September 11, 2001, several Southeast Asian nations including Malaysia gained notoriety as the launching-pad for terrorism and network of Al-Qaeda operatives.It was reported that several high-level Al-Qaeda operatives held a meeting in Kuala Lumpur between January 5 and 8, 2000.The meeting had reportedly been held in the hotel room of Yazid Shufaat, a former Malaysian Army captain.The purpose of the meeting was allegedly to plan future attacks, which included the October 2000 bombing of the USS Cole and the September 11, 2001 US commercial airliner hijacking and attack plot.Those who attended the meeting included Riduan Isamuddin @ Hambali, Ramzi Al-Shibh, Nawaf Al-Hazmi, Khalid Al-Mihdhar and Tawfiq Attash. – January 10, 2015.
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Catholic lawyers pray for profession, 'Allah’ case at Red Mass


Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur Julian Leow (centre) today led the Red Mass to pray for, among others, a just decision on the 'Allah’ case review hearing on January 21. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Nazir Sufari, January 10, 2015.Catholic lawyers gathered at the Red Mass presided by Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur Julian Leow today to pray for, among others, a just decision on the “Allah" case review hearing on January 21.The Red Mass, which is celebrated annually in the Catholic Church for lawyers and judges, offered prayers for those facing persecution by militants in Nigeria and the Middle East as well as the attack on French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo where 12 people were shot dead.They also prayed for victims and families of three air travel disasters, namely the still missing Malaysia Airlines MH370, MH17 which was shot down in July and the recent Air Asia QZ8501 crash.Prayers were also offered for all Malaysians to be able to practise their religion peacefully.The Red Mass is named after the garments of the celebrant and the mass is traditionally offered to those involved in the administration of justice, praying for guidance from the Holy Spirit.In Malaysia, the Red Mass has been celebrated annually by the Catholic Lawyers’ Society (CLS) for the past 20 years, presided ov
Catholic lawyers taking part in the Red Mass today at the Church of the Holy Rosary in Brickfields. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Nazir Sufari, January 10, 2015er by archbishops, bishops and priests.Today, Leow was joined by Archbishop Emeritus Tan Sri Murphy Pakiam along with seven other priests, including Catholic weekly Herald editor Rev Father Andrew Lawrence, who entered the Church of the Holy Rosary in Brickfields with some 70 members of the legal profession in their black robes.The church’s review application is aimed at setting aside the ruling by the apex court and establish a new panel to re-hear the leave application following the church's failure to obtain leave to appeal the home minister's ban on the use of the word "Allah" in the Herald.CLS president Viola De Cruz in her address today said that Christians around the world were facing great challenges, adding that in Malaysia, they were still struggling for their right to practise their faith.She cited as example the recent seizure of the 31 hymn books from Catholic priest Father Cyril Mannayagam in Johor, which were meant for the Orang Asli parishioners in Bekok for Christmas.She said that it was only with the help of former CLS president Joy Appukuttan with the assistance of Tan Sri Joseph Kurup's political secretary Vincent Wong that the books were released in time for Christmas.When asked to comment on the upcoming “Allah" case after mass, Leow told The Malaysian Insider that he hoped for a just decision by the Federal Court."We pray for a just decision by the Federal Court and that peace and good sense will prevail." – January 10, 2015.
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'Charlie buktikan kenapa perlu akta hasutan'

'Charlie buktikan kenapa perlu akta hasutan'


Ketua Polis Negara Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar menasihati rakyat Malaysia agar merenung kepentingan pengekalan Akta Hasutan 1948 di sebalik kejadian serangan di Paris, Perancis Rabu lepas.
"Ambillah iktibar kejadian di Paris. Itulah sebabnya kita memerlukan Akta Hasutan dan @PDRMsia tidak akan membiarkan penghasut agama," kata Khalid dalam laman Twitternya.
Beliau berkata undang-undang seperti Akta Hasutan berupaya membolehkan polis menghapus tindakan pelampau atau kumpulan ekstremis daripada peringkat awal.
Beliau turut menasihati rakyat Malaysia supaya berhati-hati dalam memberi sebarang komen agar tidak menyentuh sensitiviti mana-mana pihak.
Insiden keganasan selama tiga hari di Paris melibatkan sekumpulan bersenjata api dan bertopeng melepaskan tembakan di pejabat akhbar mingguan Charlie Hebdo menyebabkan 12 orang terbunuh dan tiga lagi cedera parah.
Khalid turut mengeluarkan kenyataan melalui laman Twitternya bahawa pasangan Amedy Coulibaly dan isterinya, Hayat Baumeddiene yang menawan beberapa tebusan di sebuah pasar Raya di Paris pada Jumaat lepas tidak pernah memasuki Malaysia seperti yang didakwa laporan media asing.
"Semakan @PDRMsia, Amedy Coulibaly dan isterinya, Hayat Baumeddiene yang ditembak mati di supermarket di Paris tidak dikesan masuk Malaysia," katanya.
Media asing baru-baru ini melaporkan bahawa pasangan tersebut pernah bercuti di Malaysia tetapi tidak menyatakan tarikh kunjungan mereka.
Coulibaly ditembak mati oleh polis sementara Boumeddiene melarikan diri ketika insiden berbalas tembakan dengan polis berlaku.
Penjenayah itu dikatakan mendesak pembebasan Cherif Kouachi, 32, dan Said Kouachi, 34, yang menyerang pejabat akhbar Charlie Hebdo serta membunuh 12 orang sebelum pasangan adik beradik itu ditembak mati di Dammartin-en-Goele.
- Bernama
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Mangsa banjir 4 negeri menurun

Mangsa banjir 4 negeri menurun


Jumlah keseluruhan mangsa banjir di kesemua pusat pemindahan di empat negeri terlibat banjir menurun kepada 10,346 orang setakat 9 pagi ini berbanding 12,971 malam tadi.
Namun, dua pusat pemindahan baharu dibuka di Bentong, Pahang pada 12 tengah malam tadi selepas dua kampung di daerah itu dinaiki air.
Kedua-dua pusat itu menempatkan sebanyak 99 mangsa banjir melibatkan 23 keluarga dari Kampung Chergar Medang dan Kampung Batu 1 Chamang.
Jurucakap Bilik Gerakan Banjir Ibu Pejabat Polis Kontinjen Pahang bagaimanapun berkata jumlah keseluruhan mangsa banjir di pusat pemindahan di negeri itu menurun kepada 5,256 orang pagi ini berbanding 7,807 orang malam tadi.
Sebanyak 29 pusat pemindahan dibuka dengan Pekan menempatkan mangsa paling ramai iaitu sebanyak 2,675 orang diikuti Kuantan (888); Maran (848); Temerloh (437); Rompin (262); Bentong (99) dan Bera (47).
Sementara itu, jurucakap Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah Bentong berkata laluan Bentong-Raub telah ditutup kepada semua kenderaan selepas berlaku hakisan teruk akibat arus deras di jambatan Kampung Baru Bentong.
Pengguna dinasihat menggunakan jalan alternatif Bentong-Lebuhraya Karak-Cinta Manis-Sertik-Mempaga atau Lebu-Raub atau Sertik-Kuala Krau.
Di PERAK, jurucakap Majlis Keselamatan Negara (MKN) Perak berkata jumlah mangsa banjir di pusat-pusat pemindahan berkurangan daripada 2,735 orang malam tadi kepada 2,661 orang pagi ini.
Beliau berkata sebanyak 14 pusat pemindahan masih dibuka dengan Perak Tengah mencatatkan jumlah mangsa paling tinggi iaitu seramai 1,965 orang, Hilir Perak (465), Manjung (155) dan Hulu Perak (76).
Di KELANTAN, jurucakap MKN Kelantan berkata jumlah mangsa banjir di 27 pusat pemindahan di negeri itu kekal sebanyak 2,366 orang seperti yang direkodkan malam tadi dengan Gua Musang menempatkan sebanyak 1,157 mangsa, Kuala Krai (1,016), Machang (100) dan Tanah Merah (93).
Di JOHOR, jurucakap Pusat Kawalan Operasi Bencana Negeri Johor berkata jumlah mangsa banjir di empat pusat pemindahan di Segamat juga kekal 63 orang seperti direkodkan malam tadi.
Jalan Jabi-Bukit Tempurung di Segamat masih terputus hubungan, katanya.
- Bernama
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Jejak 'raja judi' dari Macau ke Vegas

Jejak 'raja judi' dari Macau ke Vegas


Lelaki yang menjadi subjek dalam surat Menteri Dalam Negeri Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi kepada Biro Siasatan Persekutuan (FBI) Amerika Syarikat (AS) dikatakan memiliki kehidupan mewah dan bersenang-senang di Caesars Palace, hotel mewah di Las Vegas.
Zahid menulis membersihkan nama Phua, seorang rakyat Malaysia, yang dikaitkan dengan kumpulan kongsi gelap terkenal berpangkalan di Hong Kong 14K, untuk prosiding di mahkamah AS.

Bagaimanapun, peguam Phua menarik balik surat itu pada 29 Disember lalu selepas kerajaan Malaysia membantah penggunaannya di mahkamah.
Dalam pembelaannya terhadap pertuduhan melibatkan perjudian, peguam Phua dan anaknya Darren mendakwa bahawa mereka diperangkap.
Sebagai reaksi, kerajaan AS yang diwakili oleh pendakwanya Daniel Bogden mengeluarkan jawapan 53 halaman bagi menjawab perkara itu.
Jawapan itu, yang diubah statusnya, termasuk eksibit 295 halaman.
Eksibit itu termasuk nota FBI, pengakuan saksi yang tidak didedahkan, ratusan pesanan WhatsApp, Skype dan SMS, jutaan transaksi bank, termasuk juga resit dan pengisytiharan kastam.
Berdasarkan semua ini, nyata kedua-dua tertuduh begitu berhati-hati.
Saksi-saksi memberitahu FBI bahawa Phua – kadang-kadang digelar “bos” – tiba Vegas selepas ditangkap di Macau atas dakwaan perjudian haram.
Bagaimanapun beliau bebas, berdasarkan keratan akhbar di China, “tidak diketahui”.
[Baca berita asal]
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At 80, maths teacher Francis Santa Maria still inspires students


Maths teacher Francis Santa Maria with a poster of his upcoming 80th birthday celebration. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Nazir Sufari, January 11, 2015.Back in the day, former La Salle Brickfields headmaster Francis Santa Maria used to bark at students who grouped together along racial lines.But such a scenario was rare during his time as a government school teacher from 1954 to 1991, said the 80-year-old, lamenting the lack of integration among students of different races today."During my time as a teacher in government service there was no separation, kids did not even realise they were different from one another."And I was very strict, I would never allow them to get into racial groups," he said, adding that he was sad and disappointed at the lack of racial integration in government schools today.Having been at the job since 1954 when he was recruited as a trainee teacher, Santa Maria has seen it all, and has had what can only be described as a full life, from coping with policy changes in school to his passion for sports cars and keeping up with jazz music trends over the decades.As an educator for 60 years, he has endured many rounds of policy change, some not for the better and which he labelled as being politically motivated.However, Santa Maria, who is an icon in La Salle Sentul where he taught for 33 years before he was promoted as headmaster of La Salle Brickfields, has taken it all in stride.Having started his teaching career before the Independence, Santa Maria went from teaching mathematics in English to Malay in the late 1960s and then to English again when the Teaching of Mathematics and Science in English policy, or PPSMI, was implemented.And this year, Santa Maria, who now teaches at the Stella Maris Primary School in Ampang, will be teaching maths in English for the last time to his standard six pupils, while at the same time, he will teach the subject in Malay to his standard five classes, as the education policy has changed yet again and the medium of instruction has been reverted to Malay.Despite all that, Santa Maria still enjoys teaching, having been attached to Stella Maris Primary School for the past 10 years.Having taught boys during his entire teaching career in government service, Santa Maria, who now has female students at Stella Maris, said that girls were far easier to manage."I'll take the girls anytime," he quipped.
Maths teacher Francis Santa Maria (centre) with former students Magendran Muthiah (left) and Don Darrell. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Nazir Sufari, January 11, 2015. And where his former students used to shiver at the sound of his deep, gruff voice, these days, Santa Maria is not such a tough disciplinarian as the private school is dependent on students' enrolment to sustain it.His former student Magandren Muthiah, who was also at the interview, remembered how he used to be caned and had his sideburns pulled by Santa Maria.However, the 47-year-old businessman said he was inspired to change for the better because of his maths teacher."He was a strict teacher, I used to get punished by him, I even got the electric chair treatment and he would pull at our sideburns."But he was also very compassionate, there were many poor students in Sentul, and he would help by buying them books and other essentials," said Muthiah.Santa Maria laugh upon hearing this, saying that he remembered Magandren because he would usually remember two types of students – the naughty and nice ones."He was the naughty one, so I remember him, but look at him today, a successful businessman," he said, beaming proudly.Santa Maria also remembered another of his former students who was also present at the interview, self-employed Don Darrell, describing him as small in size and timid in school.Darrell, 48, meanwhile, recalled that he would shiver at the sound of Santa Maria's voice.Santa Maria has mellowed in many other ways as well, and where once he was into fast cars and hung out at jazz bars, today he prefers to stay at home in his condominium, where he lives on his own, and read.His passion for fast cars had led him from a MG Midget in 1962 to a Triumph Spitfire, then a Mitsubishi Celeste and on to his last sports car, a Mitsubishi Sapporo.The boys at La Salle loved his cars, and would offer to carry their maths teacher's books just to get a closer look at them.While he still has his Mitsubishi Sapporo, Santa Maria drives a Proton Satria to school these days.Apart from fast cars, the octogenarian, who is of Portuguese descent, is also passionate about jazz.He has kept abreast of music trends since the 1940s, from the time of swing music and bebop to cool jazz, hanging out at nightclubs where local jazz bands played.These days, Santa Maria, who is also known for being a good singer, has ditched the nightclubs for his personal Thursday get together with a group of friends, taking turns to meet at their respective homes, to listen to jazz music. "No wives, no girlfriends, just us, boys' night out."After listening to music, we end the night with a nice dinner," he told The Malaysian Insider recently.Despite a slower pace of life, Santa Maria is not entertaining any retirement plans just yet, saying that teaching has kept his body healthy and his mind active.When asked if he was not tired after teaching for so long, Santa Maria quipped: "We get so many holidays, so I've had no reason to stop working."And life is good, I get a good salary."In honour of their old school master, the La Salle Sentul Old Boys Assocation is organising a dinner at the Royal Lake Club on Saturday in conjunction with Santa Maria's diamond jubilee as a teacher as well as his 80th birthday.Those interested in attending the dinner can email obalasalle@gmail.com or contact Darrell at 012-344 2798. – January 11, 2015.
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Attacks in Paris show why we need Sedition Act, says IGP


IGP Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar says Malaysians should learn from the Paris incidents. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, January 10, 2015.The Inspector-General of Police today used the attacks in Paris to drum up support for the Sedition Act 1948 to be retained after Putrajaya had highlighted the need to step up security measures to prevent similar attacks in Malaysia.Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, in his tweet today asked Malaysians to take note and learn from the Paris incidents."Ambil lah ikhtibar kejadian di Paris. Itu lah sebab nya kita memerlukan Akta Hasutan dan @PDRMsia tidak akan membiarkan penghasut agama... (Draw a lesson from the Paris incident. That is why we need the Sedition Act and police will not let off those who insult religions...)," he said in a posting on online social networking service, Twitter, this morning.Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein had warned yesterday that Malaysia should not take any terror incident lightly.He said the Armed Forces and police were stepping up security at checkpoints and other vulnerable areas.“It is not impossible that our country could face a similar incident," he had said, referring to the attack against French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo that left 12 dead.Khalid added that laws, such as the Sedition Act, would help police nip the problem of extremism in the bud."Paris attack – Laws like the Sedition Act will surely help @PDRMsia nip the problem in the bud before it escalates. Think bef saying...," he added.Khalid also reminded Malaysians against making seditious and inflammatory comments that would land them in trouble."Hati2 lah dalam memperkata kan sesuatu. Jgn 'berkata kata' yg akan mengundang @PDRMsia mengambil tindakan. Berani cakap berani lah tanggung (Be careful when you say something. Don't talk about something that will invite police to take action. Be prepared to pay the price.)In November, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is also Umno president, announced at the party’s general assembly that the colonial-era Sedition Act would be maintained following feedback from various quarters.He, however, assured that changes would be made to the act.Najib first announced the plan to abolish the act in June 2012, to be replaced by a National Harmony Act. The Sedition Act was amended five times with the last one in 1975.Of late, there have been growing calls among Pakatan Rakyat leaders, social activists and NGOs to repeal the act given that many, apart from politicians, have been hauled up under this legislation.However, Najib's plan to abolish the act faced objections from Umno leaders and right-wing Malay groups. – January 10, 2015.
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Volunteers overcome damaged roads, bridges to reach orang asli flood victims


The MEDRF Elite 4x4 Search and Rescue Squad repaired damaged roads to enable them to get to the remote parts of Kelantan where Orang Asli folk were affected by the floods in recent weeks. – Pic courtesy of Alison Sandra Murugesu of MEDRF, January 10, 2015.Helping flood victims in Kelantan, the worst hit east coast state in the disaster, was a gruelling task for some volunteers.Members of the Malaysia Elite Disaster Rescue Foundation (MEDRF) who took aid to Orang Asli communities in secluded areas in Kelantan, found themselves having to cut up fallen trees that blocked their path and drove on badly-damaged roads and perilous bridges.While on their way to Pos Tohoi, the MEDRF's Elite 4x4 Search and Rescue Squad members, who travelled in convoys, found that a bridge 11km from the village was broken. Volunteers and the Orang Asli were turned into instant civil engineers and builders to repair the bridge so that the convoy could pass.There were several occasions during their humanitarian mission last week when the convoy had to stop and repair damaged roads and bridges to get through.As many people needed help, the squad members even slept in the open under tents at night, so they could continue helping the stranded natives.The trials faced by the volunteers were documented in hundreds of photos by Alison Sandra Murugesu, who shared them on Facebook.She posted photos of tents with foldable beds and chairs where they had slept for three nights, and kitchen utensils that suggested they also had to cook and eat outdoors.
The MEDRF team came prepared to rough it up with tents and foldable beds during their stay with the Orang Asli in remote parts of Kelantan. – Pic courtesy of Alison Sandra Murugesu of MEDRF, January 10, 2015.She also shared pictures of the affected Temiar folks. One showed a group in Kuala Betis, who were cut off from their village in Pos Balar from two weeks due to the floods.They were standed in Kuala Betis when the weather turned for the worse on December 21 and could not return to their village until New Year's Day. She said the people had no idea how the village and their families were faring.Another photo showed Kampung Jias, one of the worst hit villages, where everyone had to be relocated to a temporary shelter on the hill."Most of them lost everything," she wrote in the caption of the photo. Several other photos depicted the devastation in the village, where homes were destroyed and almost everything was covered in mud.As the floodwaters receded, other private volunteers on the ground had also turned their attention to victims in secluded locations.On January 1, motivator and professional speaker Raja Shamri Raja Husin from Pasir Puteh, Kelantan, who had organised flood relief efforts, posted on Facebook that help must be sent to those in far and isolated locations.In Kelantan, 39 relief centres around the state still had 4,742 flood evacuees, as of yesterday.The flood disaster, the worst the country had seen in decades, affected more than 200,000 people in several states over the past few weeks. – January 10, 2015.
Bringing some cheer to the folks of Kampung Jias, one of the most badly-hit communities, the MEDRF team put up temporary shelters for the Orang Asli folk who lost everything. – Pic courtesy of Alison Sandra Murugesu of MEDRF, January 10, 2015.
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French gunman and wife holidayed in Malaysia, says report


Part of the tail of AirAsia flight QZ8501 is pulled on board the Crest Onyx ship used by the Indonesian search and rescue team in the Java sea today. – AFP pic, January 10, 2015.The mangled tail of an AirAsia plane that crashed with 162 people on board was lifted out of the Java Sea today, but without the crucial flight recorders, Indonesian authorities said.
The Airbus jet went missing in stormy weather on December 28 as it flew from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore, killing all aboard.The wreckage of the tail, which contained the black box data recorders that are essential to explaining the disaster, was found in the seabed 10 days after the crash.The 10-metre-long stretch of mostly mangled metal was finally lifted on to a tugboat vessel today using giant balloons and a crane, but there was no sign of the black boxes."It's definite that the black boxes aren't there," S.B Supriyadi, a director with the National Search and Rescue Agency, told reporters after the tail had been inspected.The black boxes are seen as important because they should contain the pilots' final words as well as various flight data.However Supriyadi said the boxes were still emanating ping signals and were believed to be buried in the seabed close to where the tail was found, about 30 metres under the surface.Supriyadi said divers, from an elite Marines unit, would continue scouring the sea for the black boxes."The challenge is that these sounds are very faint. If a ship passes by, the sounds will be drowned out. So we really need calm waters," he said.To aid the tracking of the signals, Supriyadi said the engines of the warships involved in the search operation would be turned off today.Search efforts also involving foreign naval ships continued throughout today for other parts of the plane's wreckage, as well as for the bodies of the passengers and crew.Just 48 bodies have been found so far, according to Indonesian authorities.There was no success today in finding the cabin part of the plane where most of the passengers were."We strongly intend to find other parts of the plane as we are confident that the victims' (bodies) are still trapped in there," Indonesian military chief Moeldoko told reporters.All but seven of those on board were Indonesian.The non-Indonesians were three South Koreans, one Singaporean, one Malaysian, one Briton and a Frenchman – co-pilot Remi Plesel.The Indonesian meteorological agency has said weather was the "triggering factor" for the crash, with ice likely damaging the engines of the Airbus A320-200.Before take-off, the plane's pilot, Captain Iriyanto, had asked for permission to fly at a higher altitude to avoid a major storm. But the request was not approved due to other planes above him on the popular route, according to AirNav, Indonesia's air traffic control.In his last communication, the experienced former air force pilot said he wanted to change course to avoid the storm. Then all contact was lost, about 40 minutes after take-off.Indonesia's transport ministry also said AirAsia was flying the Surabaya-Singapore route on an unauthorised day, highlighting concerns over chaotic regulation of the nation's aviation industry.A subsequent ministry audit found five other airlines, including national carrier Garuda, were flying dozens of routes without permits.The ministry yesterday suspended 61 routes until those airlines secured the correct permits.Indonesia AirAsia was banned shortly after the accident from flying the Surabaya-Singapore route.However no connection over the permit issue has been made with the crash. – AFP, January 10, 2015.
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Aktivis 'Occupy' menang saman ke atas k'jaan

Aktivis 'Occupy' menang saman ke atas k'jaan


Polis dan Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur (DBKL) diperintahkan membayar gantirugi kepada aktivis Occupy Dataran, Fahmi Reza kerana ditahan secara tidak sah pada tahun 2012.
"Kita menang. Akhirnya kita menang," tulis Fahmi di akaun Facebook miliknya.
Fahmi turut menyiarkan sepucuk surat dari Peguam Kanan Persekutuan, Habibah Nordin yang memaklumkan bahawa pihak DBKL dan polis dikehendaki membayar pampasan melebihi RM30,000 kepada Fahmi.
Fahmi ditahan pada 22 April 2012 sewaktu pihak DBKL cuba mengosongkan Dataran Merdeka daripada aktivis Occupy Dataran yang berkampung di situ.
Mereka berkampung di situ susulan daripada demonstrasi pada 14 April 2012 bagi menuntut pemansuhan Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Negara (PTPTN) dan pendidikan percuma.
[Baca berita asal]
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DAP: 1MDB hanya mahu audit lulus?

DAP: 1MDB hanya mahu audit lulus?


DAP mempersoalkan jika kenyataan syarikat pelaburan 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) kepada juruauditnya berhubung dana RM4.07 bilion di bank luar pesisir hanya bertujuan untuk membolehkan audit tersebut diluluskan.
Setiausaha publisitinya, Tony Pua berkata demikian dengan merujuk kenyataan 1MDB kepada juruaudit, Deloitte Malaysia bahawa dana tersebut akan diperolehi semula pada November 2014.

"Sehingga hari ini, sudah masuk bulan Januari 2015 namun tiada tanda bahawa dana ini sudah dikembalikan ke Malaysia atau kepada 1MDB,” kata
Beliau juga membangkitkan persoalan sekiranya lembaga pengarah 1MDB mencapai keputusan baru dan menangguhkan usaha untuk membawa pulang dana terbabit untuk satu “tempoh yang tidak pasti”.
"Secara khususnya, adakah mereka berubah fikiran hanya selepas juruaudit kewangan, Deloitte Malaysia, bersetuju untuk tandatangan laporan kewangan pada 5 November 2014?," soalnya lagi.
MP Petaling Jaya Utara itu juga berkata, ia turut membangkitkan persoalan sama ada Deloitte Malaysia telah dikelirukan oleh 1MDB sehingga menandatangani laporan kewangan 2014 berdasarkan anggapan bahawa kesemua dana dengan nilai penuh di Caymans bakal diterima
Menurut Pua, Pengerusi 1MDB Datuk Lodin Wok Kamaruddin mesti menjelaskan kegagalan untuk melaksana arahan lembaga pengarah bertarikh 1 Ogos 2014 agar dana itu dikembalikan menjelang November 2014.
Katanya, Lodin hanya membayangkan dalam satu kenyataan bahawa 1MDB hanya "berhasrat untuk menebus jumlah yang berbaki pada bulan yang akan datang" tahun ini.
Pua berkata, dana yang dijanjikan sebanyak RM4.07 bilion (USD1.23 bilion) akan dapat membantu 1MDB lulus “ujian risiko kecairan” yang ditetapkan oleh juruaudit, memandangkan syarikat itu ditetapkan untuk membayar balik pinjaman tertunggak berjumlah RM2 bilion menjelang akhir 2014.
"(Jika tidak) juuaudit kewangan akan terpaksa menawarkan 'pendapat pakar' mereka sama ada 1MDB boleh diteruskan,” kata Pua.
Juruaudit berkenaan menyatakan bahawa aliran tunai 1MDB “dijangka memadai untuk menampung keperluan aliran tunainya”.
Bagaimanapun, kata Pua, syarikat tersebut masih belum menunaikan bayaran pinjaman RM2 bilion itu hingga ke hari ini.
[Baca berita asal]
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Suspek dikepung, penduduk Paris tabah

Suspek dikepung, penduduk Paris tabah


Dua suspek yang dipercayai menembak di pejabat mingguan satira Charlie Hebdo di Paris, dikepung polis bersama seorang tebusan di satu kawasan perindustrian ringan, utara Paris.
Reuters melaporkan polis pada awalnya mengejar satu kenderaan berkelajuan tinggi berhampiran lebuh raya A2 menuju ke Paris.
Berlaku tembak-menembak dan trak polis, ambulans dan kenderaan berperisai kemudian dikerah ke kawasan berhampiran lapangan terbang Charles de Gaulle itu.
"Semua penduduk diminta berada di rumah. Kanak-kanak diminta dijaga dengan selamat di sekolah," kata laman web majlis perbandaran.
Sementara itu, satu lagi berita Reuters melaporkan yang rata-rata penduduk Paris terkejut namun tabah menghadapi insiden itu.
Mereka yang ditemubual tekad meneruskan kehidupan seperti biasa walaupun kini lebih berhati-hati dalam pergerakan seharian.
Perkhidmatan keretapi dan pejabat, sekolah serta bangunan awam berhenti senyap selama seminit pada waktu tengahari sebagai tanda berkabung.
Hari ini juga, media sosial dipenuhi seruan #JeSuisAhmed (Saya Ahmed) sebagai tanda setiakawan bersama Ahmed Merabet, anggota polis yang terbunuh dalam kejadian semalam.
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Jenazah Tun Abdul Rahman selamat dikebumikan

Jenazah Tun Abdul Rahman selamat dikebumikan


Jenazah Tun Abdul Rahman selamat dikebumikan
Suasana menjadi hening seketika semasa imam besar Masjid Jamek Datuk Joji Suhaili membacakan talkin sehingga hampir teresak-esak sejurus selepas jenazah Allahyarham Tun Abdul Rahman Ya'kub dikebumikan di tanah Perkuburan Islam Semariang, di sini pukul 2 petang ini.
Antara yang berada di tanah perkuburan tanpa menghiraukan hujan renyai untuk majlis pengebumian bekas Yang Dipertua Negeri Sarawak itu ialah Ketua Menteri Tan Sri Adenan Satem, Timbalannya Tan Sri Alfred Jabu serta beberapa menteri kanan Sarawak dan juga menteri persekutuan.
Allahyarham, 87, meninggal dunia di Pusat Pakar Perubatan Normah di Kuching pada kira-kira pukul 9.30 malam tadi, dan pagi ini jenazahnya dibawa ke Masjid Negeri terlebih dahulu bagi memberi peluang kepada orang ramai memberikan penghormatan terakhir.
Hampir 2,000 orang membanjiri kawasan Masjid sejak pukul 10 pagi ini bagi menziarahi Allahyarham. Selain ketua menteri, antara yang turut hadir ialah Yang Dipertua Negeri Sarawak Tun Abdul Taib Mahmud, yang juga anak saudara Allahyarham, serta beberapa anggota barisan kabinet negeri.
Menteri Persekutuan yang kelihatan ialah Menteri Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim, dan Menteri Kerja Raya Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof.
Cuaca yang cerah tiba-tiba hujan seketika semasa keranda diusung enam anggota tentera darat dan dua anggota tentera udara yang diterajui oleh ketua kompeni Bravo RAMD kem Semenggok Mejar Mohd Shahfuddin Ismail, keluar dari masjid untuk dibawa ke tanah perkuburan.
Semalam, kerajaan negeri meengeluarkan kenyataan membatalkan semua acara rasmi kerajaan hari ini, di samping mengarahkan supaya bendera negeri dan Persekutuan dikibarkan separuh tiang.
Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak pula menerusi catatan di laman Twitter beliau lewat malam tadi merakamkan ucapan takziah buat keluarga Allahyarham, dan berkata jasa Allahyarham kepada Sarawak amat besar.
- Bernama
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Gani: Majlis Peguam hanya ulas politik semasa

Gani: Majlis Peguam hanya ulas politik semasa


Peguam Negara Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail berkata Majlis Peguam tidak sepatutnya hanya mengulas isu politik yang “mengikut zaman”.
Dalam ucapannya kepada para hakim, peguam dan pegawai kehakiman hari ini, Gani berkata tugas utama Majlis Peguam adalah untuk memajukan lagi gagasan keadilan dan kedaulatan undang-undang.
"Dalam saluran ini, ia menjadi lebih tidak wajar lagi bagi sebuah badan profesional perundangan negara, yang ditubuh secara berkanun untuk mengawal selia profesyen guaman, untuk memfokuskan kepada isu politik semasa ketika profesyen itu sendiri hancur lebur,” katanya.
Gani dalam ucapannya di persidangan Legal Year 2015 turut memetik kenyataan bekas peguam negara dan lord chancellor England, Francis Bacon, yang menyatakan bahawa hakim perlu “lebih bijaksana dari pintar, lebih terhormat dari munasabah dan lebih maklum dari yakin”.
Pada pandangan saya, ini terpakai juga dengan setara kepada semua peguam,” katanya.
[Baca berita asal]
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Lutfi: Saya masih ketua pengarang Harakah

Lutfi: Saya masih ketua pengarang Harakah


Ketua Pengarang Harakah Ahmad Lutfi Othman menegaskan bahawa beliau masih lagi memimpin redaksi lidah parti PAS itu dan tidak pernah dipecat atau digantung tugas.
Bagaimanapun, beliau tidak mahu mengeruhkan lagi keadaan berhubung isu permintaan ahli lembaga pengarah lidah rasmi PAS itu supaya beliau meletakkan jawatan, katanya kepada Malaysiakini.
Katanya, soal mengenai keperluan beliau untuk meletak jawatan akan dibincangkan dalam mesyuarat ahli lembaga pengarah Harakah yang akan diadakan pada pertengahan Februari depan.

"Saya tak nak keruhkan lagi suasana. Saya cuma nak beritahu yang  saya masih lagi berkhidmat sebagai ketua pengarang kumpulan Harakah.
"Selepas perkara ini timbul, saya ada buat pertemuan dengan Pengarah Urusan Harakah Dr Rosli Yaakob untuk berbincang mengenai perkara ini," katanya ketika dihubungi.
Selain itu, Lutfi memberitahu, tawaran 'pencen illat' dengan bayaran separuh gaji oleh Pertubuhan Keselamatan Sosial (PERKESO) tidak boleh dilaksanakan kerana kriterianya tidak mencukupi.
Ini kerana, doktor yang merawatnya memberitahu, penyakit yang dihidapinya mempunyai tanda positif untuk pulih memandangkan pencen illat hanya boleh diberikan kepada individu yang mempunyai cacat kekal.
"Apabila berjumpa dengan Dr Rosli, dia maklumkan pada saya, sekiranya tak cukup kriteria, saya akan terus bertugas. Harakah dan Dr Rosli memberi jaminan akan memberi keutamaan dan perhatian dari segi kebajikan saya.

"Kes saya berbeza dengan dua pengarang (Tarmizi Md Jam dan Roslan Hamid) kerana saya kakitangan tetap. Mereka bekerja secara kontrak," katanya lagi.
Ketika ditanya mengenai tahap kesihatannya kini dan adakah beliau boleh bertugas, Lutfi berkata keadaannya kini bertambah baik.
Namun, Lutfi berkata, beliau tidak mempunyai masalah sekiranya di letakkan jawatan yang bersesuaian sekiranya tahap kesihatannya tidak mengizinkan.
"Saya amat memahami sekiranya kesihatan saya tak mengizinkan. Saya pun tak akan gagahi juga. Walaupun komitmen nak beri sumbangan pada parti tinggi, tapi saya tak akan sama sekali meletakkan diri saya ke peringkat meyusahkan Harakah dan parti.
"Sekiranya tak mampu, saya rasa tak ada masalah kalau nak diletak dalam post yang lebih sesuai," katanya.
Ditanya adakah isu perletakan jawatan ini ada kaitan dengan penyiaran artikel Che Samsudin Othman atau Dinsman yang dikatakan mengkritik ulama dalam PAS, Lutfi berkata perkara itu di luar pengetahuannya.
"Saya tak bertugas masa itu. Saya tak boleh nak kaitkan permintaan berhenti dengan pergolakan parti atau dengan artikel Dinsman atau apa-apa.
"Saya merasakan isu ini boleh selesai secara kekeluargaan," tambahnya lagi.
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No turning back for Kampung Baru facelift, but some still resist


Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria says any attack on the judiciary which undermines public confidence in the institution amounts to an attack on the administration of justice. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, January 10, 2015.The nation's top judge and the Attorney-General today took exception to attacks on the judiciary by lawyers, saying they are unwarranted and amount to an attack on the administration of justice.Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria and Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail in their speeches at the opening of the legal year made special reference to The Malaysian Insider report on May 22.The article titled "Judiciary comes under attack for not respecting the rule of law" had said that most Malaysian judges failed to recognise that the Federal Constitution was the supreme law of the land  and that was the reason public law litigation was dead in this country."I must say it is disheartening to note that a handful of lawyers have repeatedly made use of public media and public fora to make unjustified criticism against the judiciary, and more so on the decisions of the court, knowing full well that as members of the Malaysian Bar they are obliged to act with candour, courtesy and fairness."And any attack on the judiciary which undermines the confidence of the public in this institution amounts to an attack on the administration of justice," Arifin said.Gani, who departed from his set text, said there were reports in the alternative media where lawyers made scurrilous remarks about the judiciary."Criticism must be made at the right place and manner. One should not criticise for the sake of criticising," he said.Gani said the Attorney-General's Chambers had a responsibility to protect and defend the integrity of the judiciary.In the report, lawyer Tommy Thomas said there were a category of judges who over the years merely paid lip service to the supremacy of the constitution."That has not ‎changed much now and I will likely lose constitutional cases before them," he told a panel discussion at a public forum on the Rule of Law and Human Rights in Malaysia, jointly organised by the Malaysian Bar‎ and the United Kingdom-based Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law.Thomas, who has been in practice since 1976, also said it was difficult for litigants to get leave in the High Court to mount a challenge against arbitrary decisions made by public authorities."The Attorney-General, who is the custodian of public interests, comes to court to object to the leave application," he had said.Thomas said lawyers could argue brilliantly by submitting cases and legal principles on constitutional and administrative ‎laws before these judges, but it was difficult to woo them."So public law in this country is in a sad state and constitutional law‎ is especially, really dead," he added.Thomas, a regular feature in the superior court rooms in Putrajaya, said he had also observed that only the presiding judge in the Federal Court dominated proceedings although a five-man bench sat to hear appeals."Four other judges who flanked the chairman on his right and left are normally silent and do not contribute much during proceedings."As such, he said he did not see any merit of having an enlarged bench to hear ordinary "bread and butter" cases."So public law in this country is in a sad state and constitutional law‎ is especially, really dead," Thomas was responding to a question from the floor on whether a full quorum should hear public interest cases.Another speaker at the forum, lawyer Datuk Malik Imtiaz Sarwar was also critical about the judiciary  and  said unlike the past, the judiciary no longer had prolific members on the bench.Malik said the Judicial Appointments Commission which was set up in 2009 was not transparent "as we do not know what they do behind closed doors".Arifin in his speech today said the allegation that public law was dead was an inaccurate statement in the light of a slew of decisions in the past year where the Malaysian courts have upheld constitutional rights vigorously.He said the Bar had also long been tolerant of declining standards and professionalism of a small number of members of the profession.Responding to claims that the JAC of which Arifin is chairman was not transparent, he said the selection process could not be conducted in public."An annual report of the JAC is tabled in Parliament, detailing out the activities. I am confident there is considerable more transparency since its formation compared (with) appointments prior to that period."JAC was set up in 2009 and commission members consist of five judges of the Federal Court and four eminent people appointed by the prime minister after consulting the stakeholders.Arifin said only persons with highest calibre were appointed as judges by the JAC whose recommendations would be made to the prime minister. – January 10, 2015.
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Attacks in Paris show why we need Sedition Act, says IGP


IGP Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar says Malaysians should learn from the Paris incidents. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, January 10, 2015.The Inspector-General of Police today used the attacks in Paris to drum up support for the Sedition Act 1948 to be retained after Putrajaya had highlighted the need to step up security measures to prevent similar attacks in Malaysia.Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, in his tweet today asked Malaysians to take note and learn from the Paris incidents."Ambil lah ikhtibar kejadian di Paris. Itu lah sebab nya kita memerlukan Akta Hasutan dan @PDRMsia tidak akan membiarkan penghasut agama... (Draw a lesson from the Paris incident. That is why we need the Sedition Act and police will not let off those who insult religions...)," he said in a posting on online social networking service, Twitter, this morning.Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein had warned yesterday that Malaysia should not take any terror incident lightly.He said the Armed Forces and police were stepping up security at checkpoints and other vulnerable areas.“It is not impossible that our country could face a similar incident," he had said, referring to the attack against French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo that left 12 dead.Khalid added that laws, such as the Sedition Act, would help police nip the problem of extremism in the bud."Paris attack – Laws like the Sedition Act will surely help @PDRMsia nip the problem in the bud before it escalates. Think bef saying...," he added.Khalid also reminded Malaysians against making seditious and inflammatory comments that would land them in trouble."Hati2 lah dalam memperkata kan sesuatu. Jgn 'berkata kata' yg akan mengundang @PDRMsia mengambil tindakan. Berani cakap berani lah tanggung (Be careful when you say something. Don't talk about something that will invite police to take action. Be prepared to pay the price.)In November, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who is also Umno president, announced at the party’s general assembly that the colonial-era Sedition Act would be maintained following feedback from various quarters.He, however, assured that changes would be made to the act.Najib first announced the plan to abolish the act in June 2012, to be replaced by a National Harmony Act. The Sedition Act was amended five times with the last one in 1975.Of late, there have been growing calls among Pakatan Rakyat leaders, social activists and NGOs to repeal the act given that many, apart from politicians, have been hauled up under this legislation.However, Najib's plan to abolish the act faced objections from Umno leaders and right-wing Malay groups. – January 10, 2015.
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French gunman and wife holidayed in Malaysia, says report


Part of the tail of AirAsia flight QZ8501 is pulled on board the Crest Onyx ship used by the Indonesian search and rescue team in the Java sea today. – AFP pic, January 10, 2015.The mangled tail of an AirAsia plane that crashed with 162 people on board was lifted out of the Java Sea today, but without the crucial flight recorders, Indonesian authorities said.
The Airbus jet went missing in stormy weather on December 28 as it flew from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore, killing all aboard.The wreckage of the tail, which contained the black box data recorders that are essential to explaining the disaster, was found in the seabed 10 days after the crash.The 10-metre-long stretch of mostly mangled metal was finally lifted on to a tugboat vessel today using giant balloons and a crane, but there was no sign of the black boxes."It's definite that the black boxes aren't there," S.B Supriyadi, a director with the National Search and Rescue Agency, told reporters after the tail had been inspected.The black boxes are seen as important because they should contain the pilots' final words as well as various flight data.However Supriyadi said the boxes were still emanating ping signals and were believed to be buried in the seabed close to where the tail was found, about 30 metres under the surface.Supriyadi said divers, from an elite Marines unit, would continue scouring the sea for the black boxes."The challenge is that these sounds are very faint. If a ship passes by, the sounds will be drowned out. So we really need calm waters," he said.To aid the tracking of the signals, Supriyadi said the engines of the warships involved in the search operation would be turned off today.Search efforts also involving foreign naval ships continued throughout today for other parts of the plane's wreckage, as well as for the bodies of the passengers and crew.Just 48 bodies have been found so far, according to Indonesian authorities.There was no success today in finding the cabin part of the plane where most of the passengers were."We strongly intend to find other parts of the plane as we are confident that the victims' (bodies) are still trapped in there," Indonesian military chief Moeldoko told reporters.All but seven of those on board were Indonesian.The non-Indonesians were three South Koreans, one Singaporean, one Malaysian, one Briton and a Frenchman – co-pilot Remi Plesel.The Indonesian meteorological agency has said weather was the "triggering factor" for the crash, with ice likely damaging the engines of the Airbus A320-200.Before take-off, the plane's pilot, Captain Iriyanto, had asked for permission to fly at a higher altitude to avoid a major storm. But the request was not approved due to other planes above him on the popular route, according to AirNav, Indonesia's air traffic control.In his last communication, the experienced former air force pilot said he wanted to change course to avoid the storm. Then all contact was lost, about 40 minutes after take-off.Indonesia's transport ministry also said AirAsia was flying the Surabaya-Singapore route on an unauthorised day, highlighting concerns over chaotic regulation of the nation's aviation industry.A subsequent ministry audit found five other airlines, including national carrier Garuda, were flying dozens of routes without permits.The ministry yesterday suspended 61 routes until those airlines secured the correct permits.Indonesia AirAsia was banned shortly after the accident from flying the Surabaya-Singapore route.However no connection over the permit issue has been made with the crash. – AFP, January 10, 2015.
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Friday sermons have never encouraged extremism, says minister – Bernama


The Friday sermons have never encouraged extremism or violence as alleged, said a Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom (pic).On the contrary, he said, the sermon was a requirement in the Friday prayers which was delivered orally and carried educational elements to give advice on religion, to give inspiration and create consciousness."It also conveys the national policies and current issues among the Muslims. Can the reminders among the Muslims be construed as extreme?" he said in a statement today.He said it was the role of the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) to publish the text of the Friday sermons and coordinate activities on the pulpit just like the administration in places of worship of the other religions which had their own activities and administration.As such, he said, the allegation that Jakim was a body that promoted or encouraged extremism during the delivery of the Friday sermon was an irresponsible and most serious act. – Bernama, January 10, 2015.
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SOP to tackle major floods to be drawn up within six months, says Najib – Bernama


Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said more must be done to ensure the country would be better prepared to deal with natural disasters. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, January 10, 2015.A standard operating procedure (SOP) to tackle major floods will be drawn up and tabled in the Cabinet within six months as a guideline for everyone in facing the disaster.Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said the new SOP would cover various aspects including increasing the assets, command and control, communication equipment, simulation training, meteorological services, as well as the power supply aspect."The existing SOP is merely to face ordinary floods, so a new SOP needs to be drawn up so that we will be more prepared including in terms of command and control and appropriate assets to face the floods."If the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) is to become the main agency, then it will be supplied with appropriate facilities to face this disaster and at the same time, the aspect of weather forecasting must be more accurate and early so that we can provide early information."When we know early, we can also deploy personnel such as the military, firemen and other agencies much earlier so that when the water level rises, we have a bigger capacity," he said at a media conference at the Flood Operations Centre for the Pekan Parliamentary constituency at Baitul Rahah today.Also present were his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Pahang Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob and Science, Technology and Innovations Minister Datuk Dr Ewon Ebin.He also suggested that the Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) sub-stations be built on higher ground so that they would not be affected each time a flood breaks out.At the same time, Najib said a group of experts had been directed to make a study on the actual cause of extraordinary floods, especially in the east coast states.He said this was to enable preventive measures to be taken to avoid a recurrence of the disaster, whether in the short term or long term."It may not necessarily be due to logging activities or land exploitation alone, but a combination of various factors, that's why this major flood occurred," he said.Najib also said the people must have a new perspective in facing natural disasters by being responsible in reducing the causes of floods through compliance of the laws specified."We also point fingers at the government if there are weaknesses in tackling the disasters, but it is actually the joint responsibility of the people to observe the law and regulations.“If a particular area has been approved for felling and agricultural cultivation, we must obey the law. If the approval is for one acre, don't open up one acre plus another four."He said the same was also true in mining activities and land opening for agriculture: the guidelines for sustainable development must be complied with to prevent the effects of environmental pollution on the people.The prime minister also reminded flood victims to pay attention to health, especially in the aspects of nutrition."I should have come for the visit much earlier but I too became a flood victim when I had e-coli infection and had to stay home. If possible, I do not want to go through the same experience again."That's why I want to remind you, if you have to drink, make sure the water is clean and has been boiled. The same goes for food, make sure it has been properly cleaned and cooked," he said. – Bernama, January 10, 2015.
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Individual arrested over ‘spreading false news on floods’, says MCMC – Bernama


Police have arrested an individual suspected of spreading false news on the floods four days ago, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said in a statement today.The individual was arrested under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 which carries a fine not more than RM50,000 or jail of not more than one year, or both upon conviction.The MCMC said 21 of the 22 individuals summoned to aid investigations into the alleged spreading of false news on the floods turned up to have their statements recorded."All had their statements recorded at the MCMC office in Cyberjaya, MCMC regional offices and police stations."They began to turn up in phases starting on December 29, 2014 until today. The cases will be submitted to the Attorney-General's Chambers for further action."The statement said that another individual will have his statement recorded in the middle of this month.The MCMC advised the public not to be emotional and spread or carry unverified news over the internet.Police had summoned 22 individuals to aid investigation into the spread of false news on the floods which ravaged several states recently. – Bernama, January 10, 2015.
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Najib serik dengan serangan E coli

Najib serik dengan serangan E coli


Prosedur operasi standard (SOP) bagi menghadapi banjir besar akan dirangka sebagai garis panduan dan dijangka dibentangkan pada Kabinet dalam tempoh enam bulan lagi, kata Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
Perdana Menteri berkata SOP itu nanti akan mencakupi pelbagai aspek termasuk penambahan aset, arahan dan kawalan, peralatan komunikasi, latihan simulasi, kaji cuaca dan bekalan elektrik.
Beliau berkata SOP sedia ada hanyalah untuk menghadapi banjir biasa yang memerlukan SOP baharu dirangka bagi membolehkan kerajaan lebih bersedia daripada semua aspek termasuk alat bersesuaian untuk menghadapi banjir besar.
"Jika dalam soal ini ATM (Angkatan Tentera Malaysia) menjadi agensi utama maka ia akan dibekalkan dengan peralatan yang bersesuaian untuk hadapi bencana ini dan dalam masa yang sama aspek ramalan kaji cuaca jua perlu lebih tepat dan awal supaya dapat memberikan maklumat awal.
"Apabila tahu awal, kami juga boleh menempatkan anggota seperti tentera, bomba dan agensi lain lebih awal supaya apabila air naik kami mempunyai kemampuan yang lebih besar," katanya dalam sidang media di Pusat Operasi Banjir Parlimen Pekan di Baitul Rahah hari ini.
Turut hadir isteri perdana menteri, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Menteri Besar Pahang Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob dan Menteri Sains, Teknologi dan Inovasi Datuk Dr Ewon Ebin.
Perdana Menteri turut menyarankan pencawang Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) dibina di tempat lebih tinggi supaya tidak terjejas apabila berlaku banjir.
Beliau juga berkata sekumpulan pakar telah diarah untuk membuat kajian tentang punca sebenar berlakunya banjir luar biasa khususnya di negeri-negeri Pantai Timur.
Najib berkata kajian itu bagi membolehkan langkah pencegahan jangka pendek dan jangka panjang diambil untuk mengelak banjir skala besar berulang.
"Kita nak tahu apa faktor yang menyebabkan banjir skala besar kali ini, apabila tahu punca barulah kita boleh tentukan bagaimana boleh mengolah pembangunan negara supaya ia tidak membawa kesan buruk kepada alam sehingga terjadi bencana seperti ini.
"Ia tidak semestinya berpunca daripada pembalakan atau penerokaan tanah sahaja, tetapi pelbagai faktor bertembung, sebab itu berlakunya banjir besar ini," katanya.
Pengurusan semasa dan pasca banjir kali ini, katanya telah dipecahkan kepada tiga peringkat iaitu bantuan terhadap mangsa banjir, membersih sekolah serta kemudahan awam supaya dapat beroperasi seperti biasa selain tumpuan membina kembali kediaman yang musnah.
Najib berkata keutamaan pada masa kini adalah untuk membina rumah baharu untuk mangsa banjir yang kehilangan rumah dan mempunyai tanah sendiri manakala bagi mereka yang tinggal di kawasan setinggan akan dirujuk kepada kerajaan negeri untuk kawasan penempatan sesuai untuk mereka.
Dalam ucapannya pada majlis penyampaian sumbangan bantuan persekolahan daripada Yayasan Pahang kepada 260 pelajar di pusat pemindahan di Institut Kemahiran Belia Negara (IKBN) Paloh Hinai di sini, Perdana Menteri berkata rakyat perlu mempunyai perspektif baharu dalam menghadapi bencana alam dengan turut bertanggungjawab bagi mengurangkan punca banjir melalui pematuhan undang-undang yang ditetapkan.
"Kita selalu tuding jari kepada kerajaan kalau ada kelemahan untuk tangani bencana ini, tetapi sebenarnya ia juga tanggungjawab bersama kerana sebagai rakyat kita perlu mematuhi undang-undang atau peraturan.
"Kalau sudah diluluskan kawasan untuk menebang dan membuka tanah pertanian kita perlu patuh pada undang-undang. Kalau kelulusan satu ekar (0.4 hektar), jangan buka satu ekar tambah empat. Yang empat ekar lagi jadi tanah haram," katanya.
Najib berkata begitu juga dengan kegiatan perlombongan dan penerokaan tanah untuk pertanian, perlu mematuhi garis panduan pembangunan secara mampan untuk mengelak kesan pencemaran alam itu terpalit kepada rakyat.
Bagaimanpun, katanya dalam musibah banjir yang melanda itu, beliau merasa lega apabila ia telah berjaya menyatukan semua lapisan rakyat di seluruh negara tanpa mengira bangsa serta agama apabila bantuan tidak putus-putus dihantar ke negeri-negeri yang terjejas dengan banjir.
Perdana Menteri turut mengingatkan mangsa banjir agar menitikberatkan soal kesihatan terutama aspek pemakanan.
"Saya sepatutnya datang buat lawatan lebih awal tetapi saya juga tergolong dalam mangsa banjir sebab terkena (jangkitan bakteria) E coli ... tidak dapat keluar rumah. Pengalaman itu kalau boleh saya tak nak ulang balik.
"Sebab itu saya nak ingatkan, kalau nak minum, kena minum air yang bersih dan yang telah dimasak, begitu juga kalau nak makan kena pastikan bahan-bahan yang nak dimasak itu dibasuh dengan teliti," katanya.
- Bernama
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Penyerang Charlie Hebdo ditembak mati

Penyerang Charlie Hebdo ditembak mati


Pasukan antipengganas Perancis menembak mati dua beradik yang dikehendaki kerana menyerang pejabat akhbar satira Charlie Hebdo dalam operasi ke atas tempat persembunyian mereka di timur laut Paris.
Sementara itu empat orang tebusan terbunuh dalam satu operasi berasingan di sebuah pasaraya di bandar Paris.
Presiden Perancis, Francois Hollande mengesahkan kejadian tersebut, lapor agensi berita Reuters.

Beliau menyifatkan serangan oleh kumpulan bersenjata beragama Islam itu sebagai tindakan “antisemitik” dan perkauman dan menggesa warganya agar tabah menghadapi serangan tersebut.
Kumpulan bersenjata tersebut menahan tebusan di pasar raya Hyper Cacher di daerah Vincennes. Beberapa orang tebusan dilihat bergegas meninggalkan pasar tersebut apabila pasukan polis membuat serbuan.
Perancis merancang untuk mengadakan perhimpunan besar esok sebagai bantahan ke atas serangan tersebut.
Ia dijangka akan disertai Canselor Jerman Angela Merkel, Perdana Menteri Britain David Cameron, Matteo Renzi (Itali), Mariano Rajoy (Spain) dan presiden Suruhanjaya Eropah, Jean-Claude Juncker.
Presiden Amerika Syarikat juga menyatakan sokongan negaranya.
Presiden Kongres Yahudi Sedunia Ronald Lauder turut mengutuk serangan tersebut dan berkata "nyawa Yahudi di Perancis diancam sekiranya keganasan tidak dihentikan”.
Rakaman video di kawasan pasar raya tersebut menunjukkan berpuluh orang anggota polis dengan kelengkapan antipengganas berkawal di luar dua pintu utama.
Serangan bermula dengan tembakan dan letupan di pintu. Para tebusan seterusnya meluru keluar daripada pintu terbabit.
Rakaman Reuters antara lainnya menunjukkan seorang lelaki yang membawa seorang bayi diiring ke sebuah ambulans oleh polis manakala yang lain dengan pengusung.
Polis Perancis menggerakkan hampir 90,000 anggotanya selepas serangan ke atas Charlie Hebdo, akhbar mingguan yang sering meraih kontroversi kerana menyindir Islam serta agama dan pemimpin politik lain.
Seorang saksi menyebut, salah seorang daripada penyerang tersebut didakwa melaungkan: “Kita sudah bunuh Charlie Hebdo! Kita sudah membela Nabi!”
Dua beradik tersebut dipercayai penyerang yang menembak mati 12 orang, termasuk kartunis dan dua orang anggota polis.
Pasukan keselamatan menyebut, dua beradik tersebut yang dilahirkan di Perancis berada bawah pengawasan dan diletakkan dalam senarai larangan terbang di Eropah dan Amerika Syarikat.
Peristiwa keganasan itu menimbulkan persoalan baru mengenai pengawasan ke atas kumpulan radikal, politik berhaluan kanan, agama dan penapisan di negara yang bergelut dengan masalah integrasi sejumlah kira-kira lima juta warga Islamnya.
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French gunman and wife holidayed in Malaysia, says report


Part of the tail of AirAsia flight QZ8501 is pulled on board the Crest Onyx ship used by the Indonesian search and rescue team in the Java sea today. – AFP pic, January 10, 2015.The mangled tail of an AirAsia plane that crashed with 162 people on board was lifted out of the Java Sea today, but without the crucial flight recorders, Indonesian authorities said.
The Airbus jet went missing in stormy weather on December 28 as it flew from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore, killing all aboard.The wreckage of the tail, which contained the black box data recorders that are essential to explaining the disaster, was found in the seabed 10 days after the crash.The 10-metre-long stretch of mostly mangled metal was finally lifted on to a tugboat vessel today using giant balloons and a crane, but there was no sign of the black boxes."It's definite that the black boxes aren't there," S.B Supriyadi, a director with the National Search and Rescue Agency, told reporters after the tail had been inspected.The black boxes are seen as important because they should contain the pilots' final words as well as various flight data.However Supriyadi said the boxes were still emanating ping signals and were believed to be buried in the seabed close to where the tail was found, about 30 metres under the surface.Supriyadi said divers, from an elite Marines unit, would continue scouring the sea for the black boxes."The challenge is that these sounds are very faint. If a ship passes by, the sounds will be drowned out. So we really need calm waters," he said.To aid the tracking of the signals, Supriyadi said the engines of the warships involved in the search operation would be turned off today.Search efforts also involving foreign naval ships continued throughout today for other parts of the plane's wreckage, as well as for the bodies of the passengers and crew.Just 48 bodies have been found so far, according to Indonesian authorities.There was no success today in finding the cabin part of the plane where most of the passengers were."We strongly intend to find other parts of the plane as we are confident that the victims' (bodies) are still trapped in there," Indonesian military chief Moeldoko told reporters.All but seven of those on board were Indonesian.The non-Indonesians were three South Koreans, one Singaporean, one Malaysian, one Briton and a Frenchman – co-pilot Remi Plesel.The Indonesian meteorological agency has said weather was the "triggering factor" for the crash, with ice likely damaging the engines of the Airbus A320-200.Before take-off, the plane's pilot, Captain Iriyanto, had asked for permission to fly at a higher altitude to avoid a major storm. But the request was not approved due to other planes above him on the popular route, according to AirNav, Indonesia's air traffic control.In his last communication, the experienced former air force pilot said he wanted to change course to avoid the storm. Then all contact was lost, about 40 minutes after take-off.Indonesia's transport ministry also said AirAsia was flying the Surabaya-Singapore route on an unauthorised day, highlighting concerns over chaotic regulation of the nation's aviation industry.A subsequent ministry audit found five other airlines, including national carrier Garuda, were flying dozens of routes without permits.The ministry yesterday suspended 61 routes until those airlines secured the correct permits.Indonesia AirAsia was banned shortly after the accident from flying the Surabaya-Singapore route.However no connection over the permit issue has been made with the crash. – AFP, January 10, 2015.
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Prasarana to test its new 6-car LRT trains in a week – Bernama


The new 6-car Light Rail Vehicles at the LRT Ampang depot in Kuala Lumpur today. – Pic courtesy of Prasarana, January 10, 2015.The first of Prasarana Malaysia Bhd (Prasarana)'s new 6-car Light Rail Vehicle (LRV) has arrived at Rapid KL LRT Depot in Ampang and is ready to commence testing in a week.The first of a fleet of 50 new sets travelled more than three weeks by sea, spent three days at West Port in Port Klang and then a challenging six-hour ride to the city.The LRVs, procured from train manufacturer, CSR Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Co (CSR), will replace the current six-car trains, which has been servicing the LRT Ampang Line since 1996."With the arrival of the first set, we can now start our testing and commissioning works, which is vital in preparation for the full replacement of the trains, which will be done in stages within two years. "As the first train, we would be conducting the type and integration tests apart from the routine test for all the new trains."These data would be vital for our suppliers and would set pace for the exercise," Prasarana group director for Project Development Datuk Zohari Sulaiman said in a statement.He said after unloading the train set, the team would work to reassemble the six-car set and conduct an open case inspection before commencing the tests."We are looking at a period of about one week before we conduct the necessary tests," he said, adding that the next train set was scheduled to be delivered by the middle of next month.With an investment of about RM1 billion, the purchase of the 50 new trains is one of the many initiatives undertaken by Prasarana in elevating further the standard of public transport services in Klang Valley.While 30 sets are purchased to replace the existing fleet of trains at the LRT Ampang Line, the remaining 20 LRVs are procured under the LRT Line Extension Project (LEP)."We are hoping to have six new sets of six-car LRVs by the time we commence the first phase of the Ampang LRT Line Extension Project at the end of October."The first phase will involve the opening of four new stations – Awan Besar, Muhibbah, Alam Sutera and Kinrara BK5," he said.The LRT Ampang Line currently serves some 200,000 passengers per day.Zohari said under its arrangement with the manufacturer, the first 35 LRVs would be delivered as completely built-up units from China.The last 15 would be locally assembled at the CSR Zhuzhou plant in Batu Gajah to meet the local content requirement.The new LRV sets, which meet the latest international safety standards, are equipped with universal access features including six compartments for wheelchairs.It also allows commuters to walk from one end of the train to another as the new Ampang LRV now comes with a walkthrough gangway.Zohari said the user-friendly coach design was developed based on passengers’ feedback, adding that several new features have been incorporated which are not found in the first-generation Ampang Line trains."These include the end-destination display in the coaches, with an integrated dynamic route map," he said, adding that the new LRV has a lifespan of 30 years and must be refurbished once it reached half its service life.In addition to space for disabled passengers that is not found in the existing trains, the LRVs are equipped with CCTV cameras as additional safety measures. – Bernama, January 10, 2015.
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Gani: Majlis Peguam hanya ulas politik semasa

Gani: Majlis Peguam hanya ulas politik semasa


Peguam Negara Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail berkata Majlis Peguam tidak sepatutnya hanya mengulas isu politik yang “mengikut zaman”.
Dalam ucapannya kepada para hakim, peguam dan pegawai kehakiman hari ini, Gani berkata tugas utama Majlis Peguam adalah untuk memajukan lagi gagasan keadilan dan kedaulatan undang-undang.
"Dalam saluran ini, ia menjadi lebih tidak wajar lagi bagi sebuah badan profesional perundangan negara, yang ditubuh secara berkanun untuk mengawal selia profesyen guaman, untuk memfokuskan kepada isu politik semasa ketika profesyen itu sendiri hancur lebur,” katanya.
Gani dalam ucapannya di persidangan Legal Year 2015 turut memetik kenyataan bekas peguam negara dan lord chancellor England, Francis Bacon, yang menyatakan bahawa hakim perlu “lebih bijaksana dari pintar, lebih terhormat dari munasabah dan lebih maklum dari yakin”.
Pada pandangan saya, ini terpakai juga dengan setara kepada semua peguam,” katanya.
[Baca berita asal]
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Divers resume search for QZ8501 black boxes


An Indonesian rescue helicopter flying during operations conducted by Indonesian navy divers to lift the tail of AirAsia flight QZ8501 in the Java Sea yesterday. Indonesia search and rescue teams hunting for the wreck of the AirAsia passenger jet detected pings in their efforts to find the black box flight recorders. – Reuters pic, January 10, 2015.Indonesian divers resumed their search today for the black box flight recorders and passengers and crew of an AirAsia passenger jet that crashed into the sea nearly two weeks ago.Indonesia AirAsia flight QZ8501, with 162 people on board, lost contact with air traffic control during bad weather on December 28, less than halfway into a two-hour flight from Indonesia to Singapore. There were no survivors.
Forty-eight bodies, including at least two strapped to their seats, have been found in the Java Sea off Borneo, and the tail of the Airbus A320-200 has been located in shallow water.But strong winds and currents and high waves have hampered efforts to reach larger pieces of suspected wreckage detected by sonar on the sea floor and to find the rest of the victims.Search and rescue teams detected pings they believed were from the flight recorders yesterday and two teams of divers resumed the hunt soon after dawn today."One team is for the tail and a separate team is sweeping the seabed for the black box," Supriyadi, operations coordinator for the National Search and Rescue Agency, told reporters in the town of Pangkalan Bun, the base for the search effort on Borneo."We are still looking for the main body of the plane where most of the victims could be trapped."The tail was found on Wednesday, upturned on the seabed about 30km from the plane's last known location at a depth of about 30m.The aircraft carries the cockpit voice and flight data recorders near its tail, however, officials have said it looked increasingly likely that they had become separated during the disaster.The recorders will be vital to the investigation into why the airliner crashed.'Large area’Supriyadi said the divers would try to home in on the pings but the search area was extensive and visibility in the water, churned up by rainy season weather, was poor."The black box could be covered in mud. The pings can only be detected within a radius of 500m so it can be a large area to cover," he said.If and when the recorders are found and taken to the capital, Jakarta, for analysis, it could take up to two weeks to download data, investigators said, although the information could be accessed in as little as two days if the devices were not badly damaged.While the cause of the crash is not known, the national weather bureau has said seasonal storms were likely to be a factor. – Reuters, January 10, 2015.
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Banjir: Lelaki ditahan kes sebar berita palsu

Banjir: Lelaki ditahan kes sebar berita palsu


Polis menahan seorang individu yang disyaki menyebarkan berita palsu mengenai banjir, empat hari lepas.
Suruhanjaya Komunikasi dan Multimedia Malaysia (SKMM) berkata individu itu ditahan di bawah Seksyen 233(1)(a) Akta Komunikasi dan Multimedia 1998 yang membawa hukuman denda tidak melebihi RM50,000 atau penjara tidak lebih setahun, atau kedua-duanya sekali, jika sabit kesalahan.
Selain itu, 21 daripada 22 individu yang diminta tampil membantu siasatan penyebaran berita palsu mengenai bencana banjir juga telah hadir memberi keterangan.
"Kesemua individu terbabit memberi keterangan di pejabat SKMM di Cyberjaya, Pejabat Wilayah SKMM dan balai polis. Mereka mula tampil secara berperingkat bermula pada 29 Dis 2014 hingga ke hari ini.
"Semua kes akan diperkemas dan diserahkan kepada Jabatan Peguam Negara untuk tindakan selanjutnya," kata SKMM dalam kenyataan hari ini.
Menurut kenyataan itu, seorang lagi individu akan memberi keterangan pada pertengahan bulan ini.
Suruhanjaya itu turut menasihatkan masyarakat agar tidak bertindak dengan emosi dan menyebarkan berita yang belum dipastikan kesahihannya, atau memapar semula berita tanpa usul periksa.
SKMM sebelum ini menyiarkan senarai nama 22 individu untuk hadir membantu siasatan berhubung penyebaran berita palsu mengenai bencana banjir yang melanda negeri-negeri di pantai timur.
- Bernama
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Kritikan buat Ketua Hakim Negara tawar hati

Kritikan buat Ketua Hakim Negara tawar hati


Ketua Hakim Negara, Tun Arifin Zakaria dan Peguam Negara, Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail menyelar golongan peguam kanan yang menurut mereka menyuarakan kritikan tidak adil keatas kehakiman dan Pejabat Peguam Negara.
Ariffin dan Abdul Gani merujuk kepada satu tulisan disiarkan satu portal berita yang tidak dinamakan mereka, dengan tajuk 'Judiciary comes under attack for not respecting the rule of law'.
Ariffin dalam ucapannya berkata beliau tawar hati dengan sikap segelintir peguam yang menggunakan media dan forum awam untuk mengkritik badan kehakiman.
“(Peguam ini) berulang kali menggunakan media dan forum awam untuk membuat kritikan tidak adil ke atas badan kehakiman, lebih-lebih lagi ke atas keputusan mahkamah, walaupun mengetahui bahawa anggota Majlis Peguam dwajib bertindak dengan berterus terang, penuh hormat dan adil.
"Dan apa juga serangan ke atas badan kehakiman yang menjejaskan keyakinan orang awam ke atas institusi ini merupakan serangan ke atas pentadbiran keadilan,” katanya di persidangan Legal Year 2015 di Putrajaya pagi ini.
[Berita penuh menyusul]
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Zahid tarnished our reputation, cops say over letter on gambling kingpin


A power plant under the Tanjung Energy stable. The power-generation company was purchased by 1MDB from Usaha Tegas but the former's possible default of a loan taken for the purchase could see as much as 80% of Tanjung Energy return to its original owner. – January 10, 2015.A souring loan taken by state-owned 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) from two local banks is presenting tycoon T.Ananda Krishnan with an awkward dilemma that could put pressure on his group’s close ties with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s administration, The Edge Review reports.
The digital financial weekly said the tycooon’s problem stems from a RM5.5 billion financing facility 1MDB received from Maybank and RHB Bank for the purchase of Tanjung Energy, a cash-rich power-generation company, from Ananda in March 2012.The weekly, in its INFORMER column said, financing for the deal came in two tranches from Maybank and RHB. The first tranche of RM3.5 billion is a 10-year facility that is backed by cash-flows from the clutch of power-plants owned by Tanjung Energy.Bankers tell INFORMER that this loan is very secure.At issue is the second tranche; a 2-year RM2 billion facility, which the banks demanded guarantees from Ananda’s privately-owned holding company, Usaha Tegas Sdn Bhd, before extending the loan to 1MDB.The weekly reported that as part of the complex funding exercise, bankers close to the situation say Usaha Tegas entered into a separate arrangement with 1MDB that included several penalty clauses, including one which gives Ananda’s private concern rights to part of the power assets should the state-owned sovereign fund default on the loan facility.It said the second tranche of the loan facility was due in March last year. But 1MDB sought and received several extensions with the last one due in end-December.The report said the fund failed to settle the loan and bankers close to the situation say that Ananda’s Usaha Tegas could now end up with as much 80% of the power assets should it chose to exercise its rights.Financial executives say that both 1MDB and Usaha Tegas are currently in talks to resolve the matter.The report said 1MDB can’t afford to lose control of Tanjung Energy, which has 13 power plants in six countries and a total generating capacity of just under 4,000MW.Tanjong's power assets, which generate about RM1 billion in earnings annually, is a major source of cash flow for 1MDB, which has emerged as one of the country’s most indebted companies with borrowings of roughly RM38 billion.Separately, 1MDB is also under pressure from Maybank and RHB, which are both state-controlled entities. Bankers say that the two banks have given 1MDB until the end of January to settle the loan.Should 1MDB fail to meet the deadline, both banks will be required to make provisions for the souring loan, a move that could have a sharp knock on earnings. – The Edge Review, January 10, 2015.
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Penang to beef up crisis management following east coast floods


Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the state was evaluating the response mechanism of the relevant departments and agencies in order to deliver quick and adequate aid should the state experience a disaster such as the recent east coast floods. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, January 10, 2015.The Penang government is looking at how it can beef up its crisis management plan in a bid to avert the scale of suffering experienced by victims of the recent floods that have ravaged the east coast states.Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said the state was evaluating the response mechanism of the relevant departments and agencies towards a disaster of a similar scale in order to deliver quick and adequate aid should the state be hit.“What has happened there should serve as a lesson to us," he said today. “It shows how important it is to have good administration so that aid can be rendered efficiently and systematically."Lim pointed to the storm that hit Balik Pulau on September 30 which left almost 500 houses damaged as another reminder how important it is to be prepared to respond to a disaster.“Instead of 500 houses, 5,000 could be affected. Are we ready to handle that? We must be prepared at the state administration and grassroots levels for such an eventuality," he said.He said the new Village Development, Security and Community Committees (JKKKs), which are being appointed by the state for a period of two years from this month until December 2016, will play a key role in executing crisis management.More than 200,000 people were evacuated at the height of the floods which hit Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Johor and Perak over two weeks in late December, damaging buildings, agricultural land and infrastructures.Putrajaya said the cost of recovery from the disaster would be in the billions of ringgit.Lim was speaking while officiating the presentation of appointment letters to the chairmen and committees of the 128 JKKKs of Penang island at the Kompleks Tabung Haji in Bayan Lepas.Also present was deputy chief minister (II) Datuk Rashid Hasnon who called on the JKKK members to be the “eyes and ears" of the state government in helping to identify areas in their neighbourhoods where improvement was needed.Rashid also said the JKKKs were needed to convey the state’s welfare programmes to the people, in which payments are disbursed to groups such as senior citizens, the disabled, single mothers and students entering tertiary institutions, in addition to other programmes like the state’s microcredit loan scheme run by the Penang Development Corporation (PDC).A total of RM117 million has been allocated for the welfare programmes, including the state’s hard-core poverty alleviation scheme to assist households whose monthly incomes are below RM790.Lim also said the monthly allowance for each JKKK chairman would be increased to RM600 from RM500 for the new term, and meeting allowance for ordinary members from RM30 to RM40.The state has allocated RM12.6 million per year for the 291 JKKKs across the state which comprise a total of 4,350 members. – January 10, 2015.
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