Gereja dibenar guna kalimah Allah

(Utusan Malaysia 1/1/2010
Oleh SUWARNI MOKHTAR
pengarang@utusan.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR 31 Dis. – Gereja Katolik dibenarkan menggunakan perkataan Allah dalam penerbitan mingguannya, Herald - The Catholic Weekly setelah Mahkamah Tinggi berpendapat bahawa setiap individu mempunyai hak berperlembagaan untuk menggunakan perkataan Allah.

Hakim Mahkamah Tinggi (Bahagian Rayuan dan Kuasa-Kuasa Khas), Datuk Lau Bee Lan ketika membenarkan permohonan tersebut berkata, Gereja Katolik selaku pemohon mempunyai hak untuk berbuat demikian di bawah Perlembagaan Persekutuan.

Menurut beliau, Artikel 11(4) Perlembagaan Persekutuan menyebut bahawa menjadi satu kesalahan bagi seseorang bukan Islam untuk menggunakan perkataan Allah kepada umat Islam untuk menyebarkan agamanya.

Bagaimanapun, katanya, ia bukanlah satu kesalahan bagi bukan Islam menggunakan perkataan itu sesama mereka bagi tujuan agama mereka.

Hakim tersebut juga bersependapat dengan pemohon bahawa Artikel 3(1) Perlembagaan Persekutuan yang menyatakan Islam selaku agama rasmi tidak memberi kuasa atau membenarkan Menteri Dalam Negeri dan Kerajaan Malaysia menghalang gereja tersebut daripada menggunakan perkataan Allah.

Penggunaan perkataan Allah dalam penerbitan itu juga, menurut beliau, merupakan sebahagian daripada hak untuk bersuara sebagaimana termaktub dalam Perlembagaan.

Dalam penghakiman lisannya, hakim itu menyatakan, perintah larangan yang dikeluarkan menyatakan penggunaan perkataan tersebut boleh menimbulkan kekeliruan dan salah faham di kalangan umat Islam serta menggugat ketenteraman negara.

‘‘Pihak responden dalam hujahnya bagaimanapun tidak memberikan sebarang bukti bagaimana penggunaan perkataan Allah boleh mengganggu ketenteraman awam,’’ katanya.

Sehubungan itu, beliau menyatakan, keputusan Menteri Dalam Negeri melarang penerbitan mingguan itu menggunakan perkataan ‘Allah’ adalah salah di sisi undang-undang, batal dan tidak sah.

Hakim Bee Lan memutuskan demikian dalam semakan kehakiman oleh Gereja Katolik yang difailkan melalui Ketua Paderi, Tan Sri Murphy Pakiam dengan menamakan Kementerian Dalam Negeri dan Kerajaan Malaysia sebagai responden.

Gereja Katolik antara lain menuntut perisytiharan bahawa keputusan responden pada 7 Januari 2009 yang melarang penggunaan perkataan Allah dalam Herald-The Catholic Weekly adalah menyalahi undang-undang dan perkataan Allah bukan eksklusif untuk kegunaan agama Islam sahaja.

Sejurus keputusan itu diumumkan, Peguam Kanan Persekutuan, Datuk Kamaludin Md. Said meminta penjelasan sama ada ketetapan tersebut mempengaruhi permit penerbitan berkenaan bagi tempoh 1 Januari hingga 31 Disember 2010.

Ini kerana, katanya, permohonan itu dibuat berdasarkan larangan terhadap permit bertarikh 1 Januari hingga 31 Disember 2009.

Peguam Porres Royan yang mewakili gereja itu sebaliknya menyatakan keputusan telah pun dikeluarkan hari ini dan terpulang kepada pihak-pihak yang terlibat untuk mentafsirkannya.

Penghapus etnik Melayu Champa ke mahkamah jenayah perang

PHNOM PENH 16 Dis. - Mahkamah jenayah perang Kemboja yang disokong oleh Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) buat kali pertama memfailkan tuduhan penghapusan kaum terhadap dua bekas pemimpin rejim Khmer Rouge.

Bekas pemimpin nombor dua rejim komunis itu, Nuon Chea dan bekas Menteri Luarnya, Ieng Sary didakwa berhubung tindakan Khmer Rouge membunuh rakyat Vietnam dan etnik Melayu Champa pada 1970-an, kata jurucakap tribunal tersebut, Lars Olsen hari ini.

"Minggu ini, Nuon Chea dan Ieng Sary dibawa menghadap hakim siasatan dan diberitahu mereka didakwa atas tuduhan melakukan pembunuhan kaum terhadap penduduk Islam Melayu Champa dan rakyat Vietnam," kata Olsen.

Mahkamah tersebut bulan lepas mengumumkan siasatannya mengenai pencerobohan gerila Khmer Rouge ke Vietnam serta pembunuhan masyarakat Melayu Champa oleh rejim yang berkuasa pada 1975-1979 itu.

Hujah akhir juga didengar bulan lepas, dalam perbicaraan pertama tribunal melibatkan ketua penjara Khmer Rouge, Kaing Guek Eav yang lebih dikenali sebagai Duch, yang didakwa atas tuduhan jenayah perang, jenayah terhadap kemanusiaan, penyeksaan dan pembunuhan.

Nuon Chea dan Ieng Sary masing-masing sudah pun didakwa atas tuduhan jenayah perang dan jenayah terhadap kemanusiaan.

Mereka ditahan di mahkamah itu sementara menantikan perbicaraan dalam kes kedua, bersama isteri Ieng Sary, bekas Menteri Hal-Ehwal Masyarakat, Ieng Thirith dan bekas Presiden, Khieu Samphan.

Khmer Rouge pimpinan Pol Pot yang meninggal dunia pada 1998 mengosongkan bandar-bandar di Kemboja dalam usaha untuk mewujudkan sebuah utopia komunis dan dalam proses itu menyebabkan dua juta orang maut akibat kebuluran, dipaksa bekerja terlalu teruk, penyeksaan dan pembunuhan.

Kini terdapat hampir 240,000 penduduk Melayu Champa di Kemboja, kebanyakannya di wilayah tengah, membentuk 1.6 peratus daripada penduduk di negara yang majoritinya beragama Buddha. - AFP

Daim in EPL

Saya membayangkan Kuala Lumpur sebagai ibu kota pertembungan bola sepak Eropah, Latin Amerika, Afrika serta Asia.

Kita jadualkan lawatan 16 pasukan ternama seluruh dunia setahun. Manchester City dimiliki jutawan Arab. Kita boleh pelawa mereka bermain di sini, mungkin tidak pada musim panas tahun depan kerana bintang ternama terlibat dalam Piala Dunia.

Mungkinkah seorang daripada kanak-anak yang kita lihat dalam National Little League (Liga Kebangsaan Kanak-kanak) melalui Astro akan membanggakan negara? Saya terpegun melihat kebolehan anak-anak ini. Maaf, saya tak ingat nama mereka. Tetapi ada seorang penyerang yang memakai jersi No 6 yang sudahpun menjaringkan lapan gol. Saya lihat dia ada naluri sebagai penyerang modern seumpama Rooney.

Saya terfikir apakah amalan pemakanan dia? Apakah beliau dibimbing cara mengambil makanan secara professional? Lionel Messi tidak sebesar mana, tetapi dia kental dan langsung tidak gerun pada pemain-pemain yang lebih besar.

Saya sudah melawat beberapa kelab ternama EPL dan terpesona melihat disiplin pemakanan mereka.

Apakah bahan bacaan anak muda yang memakai jersi No 6 itu? Saya tanya mengenai bahan bacaan kerana kita dapati pemain Sepanyol dan Perancis lebih berilmu dan faham persoalan falsafah.

Pembaca sekalian tentu sekali ada mengikuti interviu dengan bekas penyerang Manchester United dan Perancis, Eric Cantona. Bandingkan pula temubual dengan bintang-bintang EPL. Pemain kita harus bijak seperti Cantona.

Saya pernah diusik rakan yang bertanya: “Tun, tak berminatkah beli pasukan ternama EPL?”

Saya sudah 71 tahun. Biarlah mereka yang muda terlibat kerana pengurusan kewangan, jual beli, menyediakan program merchandising, tajaan dan program latihan pemain negara semuanya memerlukan tumpuan sepenuh masa.

Ada yang bertanya mengenai Newcastle United. Satu ketika dulu, memang ada pihak yang saya kenali meninjau kemungkinan ke arah sedemikian tetapi Newcastle kini bermain di Divisyen Satu. Jumlah gaji atau kos saraan pemain terlalu tinggi. Apa jadi sekiranya mereka cedera?

Kelab-kelab Perancis atau Belanda lebih menarik untuk diterokai, pada pandangan saya. Mereka tidak putus-putus menghasilkan bintang baru. Kelab-kelab Perancis dapat menarik minat pemain Afrika dari Franchophone, tanah bekas jajahan Perancis.

Saya sering berkunjung ke Afrika bagi tujuan bisnes. Mana saja ada kawasan lapang, kita lihat anak muda bermain bola. Skil mereka agak luar biasa, serta mereka bertubuh besar.

DAIM and His BANKS

After several aborted plans to own banks in Malaysia, former finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin gets a promising banking network in place with his Swiss-based ICB Group.

Stories by Halim Wahab

THE International Commercial Bank Group (ICB) is as much a mystery as the man behind it.

It carries his traits and pursues his ambitions, but little is known about the group except that it is closely linked to former two-time finance minister Tun Daim Zainuddin.

Despite lacking the size of top players, the achievements of the Swiss-based banking group have been quite impressive in their own way, with total assets growing at an average of 60% per year.

It traces its history to the opening of its first bank in the Czech Republic in 1993. Anchored by this, a decade later the group spread its wings to eight countries spanning cities like Prague and Budapest in Eastern Europe and Conakry and Accra in Africa.

Yet, ICB’s network of banks in these emerging markets did not attract media attention until late last year, when it teamed up with Singapore’s Temasek Holdings in a Sorak Financial Holdings Pte Ltd consortium to acquire Indonesian bank PT Bank Internasional Indonesia.

The partnership has put the spotlight on both ICB and Daim, whose foray into Indonesia includes a controlling stake of 57.9% in another Indonesian bank, PT Bank Bumiputera Indonesia.

It appears that while Daim has gone low profile since his resignation as finance minister in 2001, conversely ICB has been building its reputation as a credible global player, teaming up with major foreign partners to expand into the Southeast Asian region.

As former Prime Minister Tun Mahathir Mohamad’s chief economic trouble-shooter, Daim was credited with pulling Malaysia out of the recession in the mid-80s, then by slashing public debts and relaxing investment rules, and again in the late 1990s.

Being the entrepreneur that he is, is there more than meets the eye with ICB expanding its banking empire closer to home?

Stamping its mark

Daim’s close associates describe him as a person ‘who is in love with banks’. But, as the man operates his ventures very much like his nature, privately, there is scant information on the past performance of the banking group. Nonetheless, this is set to change soon.

In a rare insight into ICB’s operations, Malaysian Business reveals for the first time why Daim picked Eastern Europe and Africa as the launching pad for his international banking business. We also provide a glimpse of the group’s growth prospects, future direction and plans.

Since Daim declined to be interviewed, we spoke to the general manager of ICB Global Management Sdn Bhd, Harith Harun, who oversees ICB’s global network from Kuala Lumpur. (See excerpts of interview on page 31)

‘ICB will continue to expand in markets where it sees ample opportunities for growth. We are fairly strong in Africa, in six countries now, and we plan to open in several more countries in the next few years,’ Harith says.

Consequently, in the next five years, ICB aims to consolidate its operations worldwide into a successful and respected global banking group and be identified as a key player in emerging markets.

Going by the extensive network that Daim has built up in the past 10 years, it looks like it’s just a matter of time for this plan to reach fruition. In any case, with stakes in two banks in Indonesia and a total of 24 branches in Hungary, Albania, the Czech Republic, Ghana, Guinea, Tanzania, Mozambique and Sierra Leone, ICB already earns recognition as the first Malaysian-owned global bank.

Harith declines to provide profit and asset figures, but says the return on equity (ROE) of the respective banks has ranged from 5% to 20 % on average over the past three years. Likewise, growth in assets, revenue and income has been within expectations, with total assets growing at an average rate of 60% a year.

‘It has to be noted that the loan growth was funded entirely by customers’ deposits. Hence, the substantial increase in deposits indicates that the public has confidence in us,’ he says.

Interestingly, while the investment holding company of the banking group, ICB Financial Group Holdings Ltd, is located in Zurich, Switzerland, the hub and nerve centre of its sprawling network is in Kuala Lumpur, where ICB Global Management is located.

For the group, this is about logistics and strategy. Harith says the company was set up in 2001 to provide technical support and consultancy services to the banks under the group. It acts as liaison between the management of the banks, its shareholders and directors and conducts feasibility studies, manages the establishment of new banks and seeks new business opportunities for the group. The company has 10 employees.

A year ago, following the steady expansion of his international banking network, Daim set up ICB Financial Group as an investment holding company to rationalise his investments in the respective banks. According to Harith, Daim wholly owns ICB Financial Group.

‘Daim is principle shareholder of these banks. In some countries, the law sets a certain limit on the maximum shareholding by a single shareholder and in such instances, other Malaysian shareholders have taken up stakes in the bank,’ he says.

A check reveals the presence of several Malaysian shareholders in some of these banks. For example, IC Banka in the Czech Republic, in its FY2003 annual report, lists Daim’s long-time associate Robert Tan Hua Choon, or the Casio King, as a shareholder together with former Czech Prime Minister Dr Marian Calfa.

The ‘interrupted’ banker

For the record, before ICB came into the picture, the 66-year-old Daim had already owned stakes in two banks, albeit briefly as he had to dispose of them when he was made finance minister.

Perceived as an influential player due to his close ties with top party officials and businessmen, Daim took control of Malaysian French Bank in 1982 when it was incorporated to take over Banque Indosuez, a privately owned French bank in Malaysia.

The French Government had then nationalised all French banks, but as Malaysian laws did not allow banks owned by foreign governments to operate in the country, Daim bought it from its owners. He later sold the bank to Multi-Purpose Holdings Bhd in 1984.

The other bank was United Malayan Banking Corporation (UMBC), then Malaysia’s third largest bank, which Daim acquired the same year. However, his appointment as finance minister soon after gave rise to allegations of conflict of interest. He subsequently sold his UMBC stake.

But Daim’s association with local banks did not end there. In 1997, he was linked to the acquisition of a controlling stake in Hock Hua Bank (Sabah) by Langkah Bahagia Sdn Bhd. One of Langkah Bahagia’s shareholders, Mohd Nasir Ali, had then publicly declared that he was acting on behalf of Daim, who was at that time Economic Adviser to the Government. Daim later sold the stake when he was appointed finance minister in 1999 for the second time.

Despite Daim’s assertion that he was no longer linked with Langkah Bahagia, the market still sees his fingerprint on the company. In the years that followed, Hock Hua Bank, which became International Bank Malaysia, merged with Multi-Purpose Bank that was later renamed Alliance Bank Malaysia.

Langkah Bahagia has since sold its 15.37% stake in the bank’s holding company, Malaysian Plantations, to Temasek. Interestingly, the Singapore investment company had teamed up with ICB in a consortium that acquired PT Bank Indonesia in November last year.

Why Eastern Europe and Africa?

As Daim had little success in owning a Malaysian bank in the past two decades because of the interruption by calls to serve the country, his involvement in ICB may be a natural progression.

A close associate offers an explanation for Daim’s decision to focus on the Eastern European and African markets. ‘Daim is shy and he doesn’t like crowded places. So, Eastern Europe and Africa are natural destinations as hardly anybody knows him there,’ he notes.

Still, they are not exactly traditional financial centres where Malaysian banks are willing to tread. A case in point is that one of the biggest banks in the country has branches in Cambodia, Vietnam and Papua New Guinea, to name a few, but not in Eastern Europe or Africa. Unless properly managed, retail banking is a high-risk leverage business and this is true in Malaysia or anywhere else.

An industry observer says although it usually takes one to two years for a new branch to break-even in Malaysia, the gestation period differs from country to country based on the customer profile, make-up of business and economic growth.

‘Local banks generally do not blaze the trail, but tend to follow the client to provide support to their existing customers who have expanded overseas. It is tough especially if it is a single-bank operation,’ he says.

Thus, he contends that despite ICB’s modest size, the banking group should be commended for being able to build up its business over the years.

Aptly, the group’s model in these countries has been to set up banks rather than to acquire them. For this reason, Harith says, ICB is able to exercise control over the cost, recruitment of staff and policy and direction of the banks. It also does not inherit the work culture or bad-loan portfolios.

He underscores ICB’s optimism in these markets, which he feels provide relatively greater opportunities for growth in the long term.

‘Of course there are risks operating in these new, non-traditional markets. But we are selective in terms of the countries in which to invest. Based on the performance of the banks in the ICB Group, we can say that we have made the right choice,’ he observes.

From a different perspective, Harith points to one of ICB’s primary objectives, which is to help promote the development of bilateral trade and investment between Malaysia and the host countries.

‘In this instance, we have assisted some of our customers in Africa and Central Europe to find new suppliers as well as buyers in Malaysia. Their Malaysian counterparts feel more comfortable knowing they are dealing with a Malaysian-owned bank in these countries,’ he says.

In April 1997, Daim led a private visit of Malaysian businessmen to nine countries across Africa in an effort to enhance bilateral and trade relations as well as to seek investment opportunities. Guests included close friends and the London-based New Straits Times correspondent. There were many follow-up visits by Daim since.

Inadvertently, those visits have given rise to the perception that Daim had used his influence to meet with the leaders of these countries to set up businesses there. But a banker downplays such talk.

‘There is no need to use influence to set up banks in these countries. There is no conflict of interest as anyone can open a bank in those countries,’ he says.

Generally, ICB’s ventures in the emerging markets are seen in a positive light by the host countries. Foreign embassy officials from countries where ICB operates not only praise the group, but also say ICB helps boost bilateral trade between their countries and Malaysia.

‘ICB is an example to other Malaysians who may want to consider investing in Ghana. Many think Ghana is a backward country but it is not,’ says an embassy official in Kuala Lumpur.

He feels Daim’s investments in Ghana, including those in social development projects that benefit both parties, reflect his support of the country and Africa in general. ‘People consult him if they want to go to Ghana,’ he says.

It is the same in Albania. An official from the embassy says it is important for a Malaysian-owned bank like ICB to be in Tirana as it acts as a platform to enhance trade and investment between the two countries.

Bracing for competition

ICB set up its first two banks in Prague and Budapest respectively in 1993, at a time when both the Czech Republic and Hungary were emerging from the shadows of the communist empire and were opening up their economies to foreign investors.

Likewise, the group expanded to Africa in 1996 when the Malaysian Government was actively encouraging local companies and businessmen to invest there.

As such, according to Harith, ICB has acquired a fairly good knowledge of the local business conditions and practices, having invested substantially in people and systems.

In Hungary, the group made some strategic changes in the bank to prepare for the continuing consolidation and rising competition in the banking industry in anticipation of the country’s entry into the European Union (EU) in May 2004.

It acquired several branches of a savings cooperative to expand the branch network and customer base, replaced the old IT system with an integrated on-line system, hired a new and skilled workforce and introduced new products such as bankcards and Internet banking.

Although the larger than usual expenditure had contributed to a loss in FY2002, the bank’ performance has improved markedly since then, with total assets increasing by 100%. The bank is expected to return to the black this year.

The respective banks under the group have generally performed to expectations. A few have achieved recognition for their excellent performance. ICB Guinea, for instance, has won The Banker magazine’s annual award for ‘Bank of the Year in Guinea 2004’, while the bank in Ghana is a member of the ‘Ghana Club 100’, which gives recognition to successful organisations based on growth and profitability.

Still, there are challenges looming over the horizon, particularly in the Eastern European market.

‘The entry of Hungary and the Czech Republic into the EU has to a certain extent changed the banking landscape. Large multi-national banks are squeezing out the smaller ones to the periphery. To survive, we have to be an efficient and innovative niche player,’ says Harith. But, he contends that ICB has anticipated these changes and has already put in place strategies to face the challenges.

In view of the changing trends, Africa will be the thrust of ICB’s expansion drive. The group will be operating in two more countries in the continent soon, in Sierra Leone this month and The Gambia in November. It also expects to receive licences to operate in three other countries in Africa later this year.

Harith says based on the performance in recent years, growth will be more significant from the African operations, which, it is understood, offers a lot more scope and better margins.

Today, at group level, ICB employs over 1,100 people in 10 countries. However, for Eastern Europe and Africa, due to the lack of experienced personnel, ICB still relies on Malaysians to manage the banks. Hungary and the Czech Republic are exceptions, as operations there have reached a level where local managers are now capable of taking over.

The future

It looks like while Daim prefers to remain low key, ICB may take a higher profile in the near future following its partnership with Temasek, and its foray into Indonesia.

Incidentally, Temasek is now seen as a serious investor in the country following the warmer relations between Malaysia and Singapore. Temasek noted recently it would co-invest with companies that are interested to invest internationally, away from their home bases.

This has heightened speculation that there is a good chance of ICB teaming up with Temasek again, or any other foreign players for that matter, as the former is already seen as a reputable and credible player given its extensive network and international relationships.

‘Indonesia will not be ICB’s last bus-stop. There is more to come,’ says an observer.

Perhaps, his remarks will ring true sooner than expected as the banking group is already eyeing new opportunities.

‘Indonesia is our first investment in Southeast Asia. However, we are not limiting our expansion to the region but are also looking for opportunities in other parts of Asia,’ Harith says.

Analysts feel ICB would do well to look at China, Asia’s fastest growing economy.

This notwithstanding, Daim seems to be having better luck with ICB so far, having maintained a tight grip on the group for the past 10 years. It will be interesting to see if he will continue to do so over the long haul, in view of the big plans that have been laid out for the group.

( This article appeared in the September 2004 issue of Malaysian Business magazine. )

Sumanto digeruni kerana 'makan orang'

Sumanto

PURBALINGGA: Seorang lelaki Indonesia, Sumanto mencetuskan ketakutan di kalangan penduduk hingga terpaksa diasingkan daripada masyarakat kerana memakan daging manusia meskipun sudah berhenti daripada tabiat itu.

Dia pernah digelar pemakan orang kerana suka makan daging manusia sehingga sanggup menggali mayat seorang wanita tua semata-mata untuk mendapatkan hidangan yang 'murah dan sedap'.

"Daging itu sungguh sedap," kata Sumanto di sebuah pusat pemulihan di luar bandar Jawa Tengah.

"Saya suka makan semua jenis daging selagi ia dimasak. Tetapi, saya tidak lagi makan orang. Sekarang saya makan bayam," katanya.

Jika di negara lain, petani seperti beliau berusia 37 tahun dari kampung Palumutan itu akan menerima rawatan psikiatri khas di sebuah kemudahan yang selamat.

Tetapi, tidak di Indonesia. Dia menghabiskan masa lima tahun di penjara biasa yang turut menempatkan pencuri kerana menakutkan orang ramai sebelum dibebaskan terus ke kampung halamannya tanpa sebarang rawatan susulan.

Jirannya yang takut memulaukannya menyebabkan Sumanto dihantar ke sebuah pusat pemulihan berhampiran.

"Tiada siapa sukakannya. Penduduk kampung memanggilnya 'pemakan orang' dan takut kepadanya," kata pengarah pusat berkenaan, Supono Mustajab.

Bekas pengerusi Persatuan Perubatan Indonesia, Kartono Mohammad berkata tiada institusi rasmi di negara itu dibina bagi menempatkan penjenayah 'tidak waras' walaupun rayuan dibuat pakar kesihatan mental.

"Hingga kini, Menteri Kesihatan (Siti Fadilah Supari) tidak kisah. Beliau tidak berminat dalam isu ini. Perkara ini bukan satu isu yang diberi keutamaan," katanya. "Saya amat prihatin. Di beberapa negara lain, rakyat seperti Sumanto akan ditempatkan di sebuah pusat perlindungan, bukan di penjara. Bagaimana jika keadaan beliau berulang? Ia akan menjadi satu masalah sosial. Beliau perlukan kaunseling dan perubatan," kata Kartono.

Di pusat pemulihan itu di Purbalingga, bersebelahan kampung Sumanto di Palumutan, kakitangannya berkata, Sumanto berkelakuan ganas dan tertekan selepas dibebaskan dari penjara pada 2006.

"Kehidupan di penjara memberi kesan buruk kepadanya. Dia tidak akan makan atau minum serta bersikap pemarah. Kami perlu kawal biliknya siang dan malam supaya dia tidak ganggu orang lain,' kata Mustajab.

Di pusat itu, beliau diajar membaca al-Quran dan digalakkan untuk bersukan, bertani dan menangkap ikan untuk menghilangkan tekanan. - AFP

Tun M tak tahu kebenaran cerita pelantikan pengerusi baru Petronas

IPOH: Bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad mengakui ada mendengar cerita bahawa jawatan Pengerusi Petronas yang kini disandang Tan Sri Hassan Merican akan diganti oleh individu lain namun menegaskan beliau tidak tahu sejauh mana kebenaran cerita berkenaan.

Katanya beliau hanyalah seorang penasihat tanpa kuasa eksekutif dan oleh kerana Petronas terletak terus di bawah bidang kuasa Perdana Menteri, sebarang pelantikan jawatan di syarikat itu bergantung kepada keputusan Datuk Seri Najib Razak.

"Barangkali orang lain ini lebih cekap daripada Hassan Merican... boleh dapat untung lebih besar kot, mana kita tahu," katanya ketika ditanya sama ada menggantikan Hassan yang telah terbukti keupayaannya di Petronas sebagai satu tindakan yang betul.

Beliau berkata demikian kepada pemberita selepas mesyuarat agung penubuhan Gagsan Melayu Perak di sini hari ini.

Desas-desus sejak beberapa bulan lalu menyatakan bahawa bekas Pegawai Khas Najib ketika beliau Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Omar Mustapha Ong akan dilantik sebagai Ahli Lembaga Pengarah manakala bekas Menteri Dalam Negeri, Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar dilantik sebagai Pengerusi Petronas bagi menggantikan Hassan yang juga Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Petronas.

Dr Mahathir juga menolak dakwaan pihak tertentu kononnya beliau semakin hampir hilang sabar terhadap Perdana Menteri yang dikatakan mempunyai gaya kepimpinan lemah dan menegaskan beliau tidak pernah beranggapan sedemikian terhadap Najib.

"Saya tak kata saya puas hati, saya tak kata saya tak puas hati tapi saya buat teguran tentang pemilihan orang yang terlibat dalam rasuah masih ada dalam kepimpinan parti. Yang itu saya rasa tak setuju," katanya ketika ditanya sama ada ini bermakna beliau berpuas hati dengan kepimpinan Najib setakat ini.

Sementara itu ketika mengulas tulisan dalam blognya www.chedet.cc yang menyamakan Menteri Mentor Singapura Lee Kuan Yew sebagai 'Maharaja Kecil', Dr Mahathir berkata Lee adalah seorang pemimpin sombong yang cuba mengajar pemimpin di negara-negara jirannya.

"Orang ini dia cukup sombong. Dia pergi ke negara jiran untuk nak bagi tahu kepada negara jiran apa yang patut mereka buat dan dia mengutamakan negeri dia dan memberitahu kepada kita, kita hanya pedalaman. Saya dari dulupun saya tak berapa serasi dengan dia," katanya.

Mengenai lawatan lapan hari Lee ke beberapa negeri baru-baru ini, Dr Mahathir berkata bekas pemimpin Malaysia belum tentu akan mendapat layanan serupa di republik itu seperti mana sambutan yang telah diberikan oleh para pemimpin negara ini terhadap Menteri Mentor Singapura itu.

Terdahulu dalam ucapannya pada majlis itu, Dr Mahathir berkata masa depan orang Melayu akan menjadi gelap sekiranya pemimpin Umno terus dengan sikap lebih mengutamakan kepentingan diri daripada agama, bangsa dan negara.

"Umno tidak lagi memperjuangkan kepentingan orang Melayu tapi menjadi landasan untuk orang mendapat tempat dan gelaran. Sebab itu pada pilihan raya umum ke-12, orang Melayu tidak lagi mengundi Umno sebab mereka kecewa dengan keadaan sedemikian," katanya. - Bernama

Mahathir bercakap lagi

Mahathir tak minat jumpa Kuan Yew

KUALA LUMPUR 11 Jun - Bekas Perdana Menteri, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad tidak berminat untuk bertemu dengan Menteri Mentor Singapura, Lee Kuan Yew selain tidak yakin jambatan ketiga Malaysia-Singapura akan menjadi realiti.

Beliau berkata, Kuan Yew tidak meminta untuk bertemu dengannya dan tidak ada sebab bagi pemimpin veteran republik berkenaan untuk berjumpa dengan beliau.

"Ah! tak dak,'' katanya kepada pemberita apabila ditanya mengenai kemungkinan bagi beliau untuk bertemu dengan Kuan Yew yang sedang dalam lawatan lapan hari ke negara ini.

Mengenai jambatan ketiga Malaysia-Singapura pula, Dr. Mahathir berkata, jambatan itu hanya akan menjadi kenyataan jika Malaysia memberikan pasir kepada republik berkenaan.

"Jika kita beri pasir kepada Singapura, kita dapatlah (jambatan ketiga),'' kata beliau selepas melancarkan Penyelenggara Kawalan Jauh Operasi Dasar Laut Sapura Crest Petroleum Berhad pada Pameran Minyak dan Gas Asia 2009 di Pusat Konvensyen Kuala Lumpur (KLCC) di sini hari ini.

Jelas Dr. Mahathir, Kuan Yew tidak membuat sebarang permohonan untuk bertemu dengan beliau.

"Saya tidak fikir sebab untuk Kuan Yew bertemu dengan saya. Saya bukan sesiapa,'' katanya.

Mengenai pertemuan Kuan Yew dengan pemimpin pembangkang Malaysia, Dr. Mahathir berkata, Menteri Mentor Singapura itu mempunyai pengalaman yang luas.

"Ahli politik Malaysia tidak tahu apa-apa jadi kita kenalah belajar dari Singapura.

"Singapura sebuah negara yang hebat, mereka melabur banyak wang,'' katanya.

Kuan Yew, 85, kini dalam rangka lawatan lapan hari ke negara ini.

Pembangkang perlu ada sebagai cermin kerajaan - Dr Mahathir

Star Online
Selasa Jun 9, 2009

SHAH ALAM: Bekas Perdana Menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad berkata pembangkang perlu ada bagi memainkan peranannya sebagai "cermin" kepada kerajaan.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika diminta mengulas cadangan Presiden PAS Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang pada penutupan Muktamar PAS ke-55 di sini Ahad lepas, bagi penubuhan kerajaan perpaduan.

"Kalau nak buat negara satu parti ni, kurang sihat la, kita kena ada pembangkang, jika tidak kita tidak ada cermin nak tengok muka kita, cantik ke tidak," katanya dalam sidang media di sini hari ini.

Mengulas lanjut, Dr Mahathir berkata idea kerajaan perpaduan yang dimaksudkan Abdul Hadi juga tidak jelas, sama ada ia dilakukan di antara PAS dan Umno atau Barisan Nasional (BN) dengan pakatan pembangkang.

"Dulu masa kita tubuhkan BN, kita jemput semua orang (parti) untuk menyertai dan yang tolak hanya DAP. PAS pun masuk jugak BN tapi kemudian kita terpaksa berpisah dengan PAS sebab dia guna kuasa dia dalam kerajaan untuk perkukuhkan parti dia bukan BN," katanya.

Ditanya bukankah perpaduan itu akan memberikan keuntungan kepada negara, Dr Mahathir berkata ia mendatangkan kebaikan jika kedua-dua pihak ikhlas melakukannya demi untuk negara.

"Tapi ahli politik ni kadangkala susah jugak nak ikhlas, saya ahli politik jugak tau," katanya sambil tersenyum.

Terdahulu, Dr Mahathir merasmikan kilang perintis Green Base Utama Sdn Bhd di Seksyen 28 di sini, yang mampu menukar barang buangan plastik kepada biofuel.

Pengerusi Green Base Utama, Tan Sri Abdul Halil Abdul Mutalib berkata kilang itu mampu mengeluarkan 5,000 liter biofuel sehari.

Katanya biofuel yang dihasilkan adalah lebih bersih kerana kandungan sulfurnya hampir sifar.

Beliau berkata biofuel keluaran syarikat itu dijual pada harga lebih rendah iaitu RM1.40 dan RM1.50 seliter berbanding harga bahan api yang terdapat di pasaran sekarang.BERNAMA

CEOs Without College Degrees

by Rebecca Reisner
Monday, June 1, 2009 provided byBusinessWeek

The thousands of wait-listed would-be MBAs who may not get the chance to go to their dream B-school might want to draw inspiration from the following group of CEOs. Not only did they not get graduate degrees, they didn't get undergraduate degrees -- and some never even attended college.

Of course, not having a degree didn't stop them from being a big name on campus. You'll find Alfred Taubman's name at Brown, Harvard, the University of Michigan, and Lawrence Technological University; at least one building on each campus bears his name, although the retail magnate and philanthropist never finished college. Read on to learn who else made it into corporate top spots without the benefit of a bachelor's degree.

1. Dennis Albaugh

Chairman, Albaugh
Type of Business: Pesticides
Education: Associate's degree from Des Moines Area Community College
Fun fact: He has a collection of more than 100 classic Chevrolets

2. Paul Allen

Founder and chairman, Vulcan
Type of Business: Media, telecommunications
Education: Dropped out of Washington State College after two years
Fun fact: He persuaded Bill Gates to drop out of Harvard. They later founded Microsoft (MSFT) together.

3. Richard Branson

CEO, Virgin Group
Type of Business: Travel, radio, TV, music, venture capital
Education: No college degree
Fun fact: He became an entrepreneur at age 16 with the creation of Student magazine.

4. Maverick Carter

CEO, LRMR Innovative Marketing & Branding
Type of Business: Marketing
Education: 3.5 years of college at Western Michigan University and University of Akron combined
Quote: "Don't be afraid if you see an opportunity to go and give it shot. You can finish school later; it's always there."

5. John Paul DeJoria

CEO, John Paul Mitchell Systems
Type of Business: Hair-care products
Education: No college
Fun fact: He started out selling greeting cards at age 9.

6. Michael Dell

Founder, chairman, and CEO Dell (DELL)
Type of Business: Computers
Education: Attended University of Texas, Austin; did not finish.
Quote: "When I started our company, it was very much an idea outside of the conventional wisdom, and if there were people telling me that it wasn't going to work, I wasn't really listening to them."

7. Felix Dennis

Founder and chairman, Alpha Media Group, formerly Dennis Publishing
Type of Business: Publishing (Maxim, The Week)
Education: No college degree
Fun fact: He wrote a biography and published a magazine about Bruce Lee; sales surged when the martial arts star died suddenly in 1973.

8. Barry Diller

Chairman and CEO of IAC/InterActiveCorp (IACI)
Type of Business: Media
Education: Dropped out of UCLA after three weeks
Fun fact: He started his career working in the mail room of the William Morris Agency.


. Bill Gates

Co-chair and Trustee, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Chairman, Microsoft (MSFT)
Type of Business: Philanthropy. Software.
Education: Dropped out of Harvard
Fun fact: As a schoolboy, he created a program that allowed people to play tic-tac-toe on the computer.

10. Mukesh "Micky" Jagtiani

Chairman, Landmark International (Dubai)
Type of Business: Retailing
Education: No college degree
Fun fact: The billionaire mall developer flunked out of a London accounting school as a teenager and worked as a taxi driver before becoming an entrepreneur.

11. Dean Kamen

Founder and chairman, Segway
Type of Business: Motor vehicles
Education: Dropped out of Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Fun fact: Kamen founded FIRST, a robotics competition for high school students.

12. David Oreck

Founder, Oreck
Type of Business: Vacuum cleaners
Education: No college. At 17, enlisted in the army, and flew B-29 bombers during World War II
Quote: "Things are never as bad as they seem to the pessimist and never as good as they seem to the optimist."

13. Amancio Ortega Gaona

President, Inditex Group
Type of Business: Fashion retailing (Zara, Kiddy Class, others). (A Coruna, Spain)
Education: No college
Fun fact: Often cited as the richest man in Spain, he reportedly has never given any media interviews

14. Phillip Ruffin

Owner, Treasure Island
Type of Business: Casinos
Education: Attended Washburn University for three years and Wichita State University but never got his degree.
Quote: "You get the most experience from the business of life."

15. Alfred Taubman

Founder, Taubman Centers (TCO). Philanthropist
Type of Business: Shopping malls
Education: Attended the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor for three years but left to start a family and his career
Quote: "Become an expert in one fundamental area of your market or business. No one starts out as a generalist."

16. Ty Warner

Founder, Ty, Inc.
Type of Business: Toys (stuffed animals)
Education: Dropped out of college to pursue a career in acting. Later founded Ty Inc.
Fun fact: The plush animals his company manufactured retailed for only $5 in the 1990s, but Beanie Baby-mania drove prices up to $30 or more for the hard-to-get characters.

BTN apa sudah jadi?

Friday May 22, 2009
BTN course teaches disunity

AS parents we are glad that our grown up children attend the Biro Tata Negara (BTN) course, which is compulsory for government servants. They are all mature professionals.
But what angers me is that, instead of talking integrity, unity and harmony among the various races, participants are taught about disunity and racial hatred. Is this what our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib wants for 1MALAYSIA?
Throughout the five days of the course, participants are repeatedly told not to question Malay rights and so on. The course coordinators keep talking about social contracts and telling non-Malays not to question Malay rights and so on.
Many participants, including my Malay friends, are upset.
Are we still living in a primitive age? If the BTN course is to be conducted in this manner, it is better to abolish it or let it concentrate on only one ethnic group.
The course is not bringing unity but only arousing anger and hatred.
As it is handled by the Prime Minister’s office, please do not say that they do not know what is going on.
DISAPPOINTED,Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur.


Tuesday May 26, 2009
BTN course turning into a farce

REFERRING to the letter “BTN course teaches disunity” (The Star, May 22), I agreed with the writer. I’ve talked to almost everybody who had attended the course and the common reaction was how much more they dislike the Government after the course.
I believe BTN should be dropped. The course is not achieving its objectives.
On the contrary, it is sowing hatred against the Government and encouraging disunity.
All BTN course participants are grown-ups and know what is right and wrong.
By trying to enforce a belief, the Government is instead causing a backlash.
If the organisers of a five-day course think they can convert an opposition-minded government officer to change his mind, they are being naive.
The course is compulsory for all new government servants and those who entered the service from 2002 to 2004.
If one does not pass BTN, one will not get a promotion or salary increase even though one gets “Aras 4”, the highest mark for the PTK (Penilaian Takap Kecekapan) exam.
This is another reason why decent, hard-working government doctors leave the service and we end up employing foreigners who can barely live up to the standards.
Do not waste money and precious time by conducting such a course.
Government servants are attending enough courses and seminars already.
Let them stay in their workplace to serve the people.
GOVERNMENT DOCTOR,Kuching.

Allow Chin Peng to return, Gerakan

Posted Date 19/05/2009: GERAKAN WEBSITE

Press Statement by Penang Gerakan Chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan

Former communist leader Chin Peng should be allowed to return to Malaysia on humanitarian grounds, especially when he is no more a security threat to the country, said Penang Gerakan chairman Datuk Dr Teng Hock Nan.

“Communism all over the world including China and Russia has transformed and is moving towards economy-based struggles and extreme communist terrorism practiced in the 50s is non-existent now,” said Dr Teng in a statement.

Echoing the call by Penang-based Citizens International chairman S.M. Mohamed Idris to the government to allow Chin Peng to return to the country, Dr Teng urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to use his good offices to take a re-look at Chin Peng’s case.

Chin Peng, who was born in Sitiawan, Perak, has brothers and sisters, and close relatives who are staying in Butterworth, Perak and all over Malaysia.

“He is now 85years’old and wishes to return to Malaysia, his birthplace. He had even appealed to the High Court to allow him to return but the appeal was rejected.

“The government should fulfill his wishes,” said Dr Teng, adding that Chin Peng’s family would be very happy to see him back.

S. M. Mohamed had told a Press conference yesterday that the struggle waged by the liberation movement led by Chin Peng, Rashid Mydin, Abdullah C.D, Shamsiah Fakeh and others had contributed to the independence of Malaya.

S.M. Mohamed described Chin Peng as a Malaysian patriot who fought the British colonialists from the age of 15 and “sacrificed everything he had to free this country from British control, domination and exploitation.”
Mohamed also said an appeal letter would be sent to Najib.

Chin Peng is currently living in exile in Bangkok. He failed in his last bid to live in Malaysia after the Federal Court on April 30 upheld two lower courts’ decisions compelling him to produce his identification documents before he could enter the country.

Dia mulaaaa dahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..

Belum pun kering dakwat cap jari Mahathir dah mula dahhhh nak attack Najib. Minta Najib pandai-pandai tackle negarawan yang terbilang ini.

Kalau tidak Najib akan berakhir macam Pak Lah.

Dr M: I’m not Najib’s adviser or consultant

CYBERJAYA: Saying he was not a “consultant” to Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad pointed out that the Prime Minister did not depend on him for any advice.

He cited the appointment of the Cabinet as an example, adding that he did not agree with the selection of certain people who he claimed were corrupt.

He declined to identify them, but said that Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz and Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Deputy Minister Datuk Johari Baharom should not have been appointed.

“Nazri was nasty to me, so of course I don’t like him. And Johari ... he had this accusation against him that he had accepted RM5mil to release some people (from jail).

“Of course he was cleared. But some people feel that he should have not been made deputy minister,” he told reporters after presenting a speech titled “The MSC and Leadership in the Information Age” at the MSC Malaysia Leadership Talk Series here yesterday.

Nazri had been a vocal critic of Dr Mahathir when the latter constantly made scathing attacks against Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who was prime minister then.

Johari was Deputy Internal Security Minister when he was accused of accepting bribes to release a detainee in 2007.

Dr Mahathir said he was only giving his personal opinion that Barisan Nasional should contest if a by-election is called in Penanti, although Najib had indicated that the coalition should focus more on improving the economy.

“I gave valid reasons. But I’m only expressing my opinion. He (Najib) doesn’t have to follow what I say. I give my opinion, but they don’t consult me. I’m not a consultant on every issue,” he said.

Dr Mahathir also said the Iskandar Malaysia project would be a success if the bridge linking Johor Baru and Singapore was built.

“The bridge is needed because we need to prevent traffic jams occuring at the Causeway. Now that the bridge is not built, we can’t use the CIQ complex,” he added.

Earlier, he said local IT companies should not underestimate the potential of research and development (R&D) and allocate funds for it as the returns could be huge, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said.

GONE!

Now, everything is over. Everybody is scratching who's mistake now. The Malay, the Chinese, The Indian. The best blame is Anwar Ibrahim is very strong. Still they dont realize their internal weaknesses.
So, till the end of this world they still right and people always wrong. Thats is BN and UMNO.
BYE,BYE, TAta..Tutuuuu.

PULUT KUKUIH, NYOK KUKOQ DAN SEPAT RONGGENG

Pulun punya pulun, haaa..hari ni sampailah masanya hari buang undi. Tak dak lagi dalam sejarah pilihanraya kertas undi sebesar kertas suratkhabar. Kerana gatai pungkoq nak bertanding sampai 15 oghang ni lah punca dia.

Depa ingat bertanding dalam pilihanraya ni macam serawa langut atau makan pulut kukuih dengan nyok kukoq ikan sepat ronggeng?

Mak Piah dan Kak Besah semalam dah bagi tau tak mau keluag undi kata depa naik meluat dah depa dok mai rumah dok kempen sampai pukoi 3 pagi.

PULUT KUKUIH, NYOK KUKOQ, SEPAT RONGGENG
SINI BUNGKUIH, SANA TERSUNGKOQ, SEMUA TERTONGGENG.

Perokok lebih hina daripada lembu - Nik Aziz

Utusan online
27/03/2009 2:26pm

KOTA BAHARU 27 Mac - Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat berkata umat Islam yang cuba menonjolkan keislaman mereka melalui pakaian jubah dan ketayap tetapi menghisap rokok adalah lebih hina daripada lembu.

Nik Aziz, yang juga Mursyidul Am PAS, berkata amalan menghisap rokok dikeji kerana diharamkan oleh agama dan doktor kerana ia memudaratkan kesihatan.

“Contohnya, lembu yang berak di tengah jalan tidak boleh diambil tindakan undang-undang kerana tidak mempunyai otak dan fikiran. Tetapi manusia yang mempunyai otak sanggup melakukan perbuatan yang menyalahi agama dan kesihatan, apatah lagi dalam keadaan berpakaian melambangkan Islam (kopiah atau berjubah).

“Maka, mereka yang melakukan perbuatan (menghisap rokok) itu dianggap lebih hina dari lembu,” katanya ketika menyampaikan kuliah Jumaat di Dataran Ilmu di sini,hari ini.

Nik Abdul Aziz berkata ada antara umat Islam yang mencuri-curi menghisap rokok di serambi masjid sambil bersembang sementara menunaikan solat.

Beliau mengingatkan umat Islam supaya menghentikan amalan yang dianggap jijik dan tidak berdisiplin itu. — Bernama

YB - Hisap curut lambang status

Cohiba Esplendidos yang berharga RM232 sebatang.

Oleh SADATUL MAHIRAN ROSLI

RENCANA ini ditulis bukan bermaksud untuk 'merestui' jauh sekali menggalakkan aktiviti menghisap cerut atau yang 'sekutu' dengannya. Sememangnya diketahui segala yang berkaitan dengan pengambilan bahan-bahan berasaskan tembakau seperti merokok, menghisap cerut mahupun mengunyah tembakau memudaratkan kesihatan.

Tabiat buruk ini cukup sinonim dengan penyakit-penyakit berbahaya terutama kanser paru-paru. Justeru, pelbagai kempen telah dijalankan secara bersungguh-sungguh oleh Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia bagi membangkitkan kesedaran mengenai bahaya merokok termasuk menghisap cerut.

Peliknya bagi sesetengah golongan amalan menghisap cerut masih lagi dianggap sebagai simbol status yang dimiliki oleh golongan berada, kenamaan, aristokrat, tokoh politik, usahawan berjaya dan selebriti.

Dengan mengenakan pakaian sut ribuan ringgit, bertempat di kelab-kelab atau majlis-majlis elit, fenomena menghisap cerut telah menjadi salah satu santapan pelengkap kepada golongan ini.

Selain itu, sambil duduk berbincang urusan perniagaan atau sembang-sembang kosong untuk menghilangkan rasa stres daripada kesibukan bekerja, cerut sering menjadi teman berseronok di kelab-kelab cerut yang wujud di beberapa hotel bertaraf empat dan lima bintang di ibu kota.

Cerut iaitu daun tembakau kering yang dipintal dan digulung di dalam helaian daun dianggap sebagai simbol status dan doktrin yang mesti diikuti oleh mereka yang mahu menjadi gentleman.

Namun begitu, sejak kebelakangan ini, tarikan cerut sudah berakar kepada golongan pertengahan yang mahu menampilkan imej perantau, maskulin mahupun misteri.

Bahkan, menghisap cerut ini bukan lagi milik 100 peratus lelaki tetapi telah mula dimonopoli oleh wanita yang inginkan kesaksamaan gender. Walaupun bilangannya tidak banyak tetapi telah mula meresap dalam kehidupan masa kini.

Pengurus Makanan dan Minuman Hotel Eastin, Zari Hamid berkata, jika dahulu mengikut sejarahnya, menghisap cerut adalah ritual kaum orang Asli di bumi terpencil iaitu Cuba di Amerika Selatan.

Kini ia menjadi trend generasi mewah material yang mencetuskan identiti dan status eksklusif.

Katanya, penyebaran yang dibawa oleh anak-anak kapal Christopher Columbus pada tahun 1492 ke serata dunia telah menyebabkan budaya ini semakin ditiru dan diterima di kalangan masyarakat Asia dan Malaysia khususnya.

''Ini terbukti dengan wujudnya banyak kedai-kedai menjual cerut yang tubuh bagai cendawan yang bukan sahaja memasarkan hampir beratus-ratus jenis cerut.

"Begitu juga dengan kelab-kelab cerut seperti mana yang terdapat di Hotel Eastin, Cigar Divan yang khusus untuk penghisap cerut menikmatinya dalam suasana relaks dan mendamaikan.

''Peningkatan bilangan penghisap cerut ini juga ekoran daripada kemajuan negara dan peningkatan status ekonomi penduduk yang semakin mewah dan mengikuti trend gaya hidup semasa.

''Jika dahulu kebanyakan yang menghisap cerut terdiri daripada golongan kenamaan, ekspatriate dan ahli perniagaan yang berumur 40 tahun ke atas tetapi kini para eksekutif muda yang berusia pertengahan 30-an telah mula menampakkan minat ke arah ini. Ini kerana gaya hidup yang berubah selaras menuju negara maju,'' katanya ketika ditemui di Hotel Eastin, Petaling Jaya, baru-baru ini.

Menurut Zari, peningkatan penghisap cerut inilah menyebabkan hotel-hotel menyediakan tempat khas untuk golongan ini menikmati cerut dalam suasana yang relaks sambil mengadakan pertemuan dengan rakan niaga atau rakan-rakan.

''Di Hotel Eastin, Cigar Divan yang dibuka pada tahun 1998 memulakan operasinya dari 2 petang hingga 1 pagi. Di sini, pengunjung bebas menghisap cerut sambil melakukan pelbagai aktiviti yang merelakskan atau perbincangan.

''Mereka juga boleh menempah makanan dan minuman ringan serta cerut daripada 100 jenis yang dijual di Cigar Divan.

''Selalunya pelanggan yang mengunjunginya di sini inginkan suasana relaks, privacy dan damai setelah penat menjalankan tugas seharian atau makan malam di hotel atau sebagai lokasi menjalankan perbincangan urusniaga sambil menghisap cerut,'' jelasnya.

Tambah beliau, di Cigar Divan, kebanyakan cerut yang dijual adalah dari negara Cuba.

''Kami turut menyediakan Humidor Room bagi menyimpan semua jenis cerut ini. Cerut perlu disimpan di tempat yang mempunyai kelembapan antara 19 darjah Celcius hingga 22 darjah Celcius dengan 83 peratus kelembapan. Jika tidak, ia akan kering dan pecah.

''Perlu diketahui juga, bukan semua penghisap cerut ialah penghisap rokok. Bagi golongan ini, menghisap cerut adalah untuk berseronok. Ini kerana asap daripada cerut itu tidak disedut ke dalam, ia dihembus keluar. Sebab inilah juga, penghisap cerut tidak akan rasa ketagih seperti mana penghisap rokok,'' katanya yang juga penghisap cerut sejak 1997 lagi.

Tambahnya, golongan ini hanya untuk berseronok dengan rasa 100 peratus tembakau. Bahkan, cerut ini tidak dihisap di rumah, tetapi di kelab-kelab, parti, majlis makan malam atau perjumpaan dengan rakan-rakan.

''Saya menghisap cerut hanya pada majlis-majlis tertentu sahaja dan bukannya selalu. Ini kerana harganya mahal dan ia tidak menimbulkan ketagih seperti mana rokok.

"Kerana harganya yang mahal jugalah menyebabkan seseorang penghisap cerut tidak menghisapnya selalu.

"Cerut mahal kerana diperbuat 100 peratus daripada tembakau dan buatan tangan. Di Cigar Divan, harga paling mahal ialah Cohiba Esplendidos yang berharga RM232 sebatang dan paling murah ialah Fonseca (RM40),'' katanya yang telah 25 tahun berkecimpung sebagai seorang hotelier.

Beliau memberitahu, di Cigar Divan, seseorang pengunjung akan ditanya jenis potongan cerut yang dikehendaki sebelum menyerahkannya untuk dihisap.

''Jenis potongan cerut akan memberi rasa yang berbeza. Terdapat tiga jenis potongan iaitu, potongan kecil, sederhana dan penuh. Semakin panjang atau penuh potongan akan memberi rasa yang 'kuat' tembakau dan asap yang dikeluarkan banyak,'' ujarnya sambil menghisap cerut pemberian salah seorang penggulung cerut terkenal Cuba.

Sementara itu, menurut Pengurus Besar Cigars Lounge, Ray Ooi permintaan kepada pelbagai jenis cerut di negara dan perubahan gaya hidup yang menyebabkan beliau menceburi perniagaan ini pada 2005.

''Kini selain daripada jenis premier iaitu yang buatan tangan, Cigar Lounge turut menjual cerut mesin yang hanya berharga RM10 untuk lima batang. Walaupun ia tidaklah seenak buatan tangan, tetapi bagi yang tidak mampu, inilah pilihannya,'' katanya ditemui di kedainya di Hartamas Shopping Centre, baru-baru ini.

Menurut Ray, kualiti sesuatu cerut bergantung 100 peratus pada prosesnya. Malah, kualiti sebatang cerut buatan tangan dipercayai bergantung kepada mood atau perasaan seseorang penggulung cerut sewaktu menghasilkannya.

''Ini kerana setiap cerut adalah sejenis hasil seni. Begitu juga dengan perasaan dan jiwa seseorang penggulung yang dipanggil torcedor akan mempengaruhi mutu gulungan.

''Di kilang, setiap penggulung cerut hanya menggulung sejenis cerut. Ini penting untuk memastikan konsistensi kualiti cerut yang dihasilkan. Misalnya, penggulung cerut berkelayakan tahap tertinggi iaitu tahap sembilan biasanya hanya dibenarkan menggulung cerut besar bagi memastikan kualiti cerut itu terjamin.

''Selain kemahiran menggulung, kepakaran memilih dedaun tembakau dan menggabungkan rasa mengikut permintaan pelanggan adalah satu kemestian untuk semua penggulung cerut.

''Penghasilan sebatang cerut yang baik adalah satu proses yang menyeluruh. Daripada proses penanaman tembakau, penuaian sehinggalah pemilihan daun menggulung dan pembungkusan perlu dilakukan secara teliti,'' katanya.

Tambahnya yang mengakui cerut dari Cuba adalah yang terbaik kerana daun tembakau adalah 100 peratus ditanam di negara itu sedangkan cerut yang datang dari Indonesia, Nicaragua, kurang enak kerana mengandungi campuran daun dari tempat-tempat lain.

''Di Cigars Lounge, antara jenis cerut yang dijual ialah Cohiba, Hoto De Monterrey, Romeo Y Julieta, Villiger, Davidoff, Trinidad dan Fonseca.

''Cohiba selalu dijadikan pilihan oleh kerabat diraja, orang kenamaan dan orang berada. Ini kerana kualitinya terbaik dan harganya ratusan ringgit sebatang,'' ujarnya yang turut mempunyai sebuah lagi cawangan di City Square Centre, Kuala Lumpur.

Jelas lelaki berasal dari Alor Star ini, kebanyakan pelanggan yang datang ke kedai, selain membeli cerut, turut membeli produk aksesori cerut seperti kotak penyimpan cerut yang dipanggil humidor, tempat abuk cerut, pemotong, penebuk, pemetik api.

''Bagi penghisap cerut, mereka perlu mempunyai aksesori ini kerana jika tidak, mereka tidak boleh menghisap cerut. Contohnya pemotong, jika menggunakan gunting biasa, cerut akan retak dan pecah. Begitu juga dengan humidor, jika tidak disimpan dalam tahap kelembapan yang terdapat dalam kotak tersebut, cerut tidak tahan lama,'' ujarnya.

Beliau memberitahu, melayan pelanggan atau mengadakan perbincangan urusniaga atau majlis-majlis tertentu adalah waktu beliau menghisap cerut.

''Saya tidak kerap menghisapnya. Jikalau ada perbincangan barulah hisap. Ini kerana untuk menghabiskan sebatang cerut makan masa satu jam.

''Pada saya, menghisap cerut ini telah menjadi gaya hidup. Ia suatu yang menyeronokkan malah lebih selamat daripada menghisap rokok, di mana cerut mengandungi 100 organik, tidak ada bahan kimia manakala rokok mengandungi bahan kimia yang boleh menyebabkan kanser,'' katanya.

Calun Bebas dan Calun BN bertemu

Calun Bebas - Zahran Abdullah dan Calun BN/MIC Datuk Ganeson Subramanium

Walaupun mereka akan bersaing dalam pilihanraya kecil Bukit Selambau nampaknya kedua-dua calun ini gentlement dan masih boleh bersua mesra.

China enggan amal demokrasi

JELITAWAN di atas bukan ratu cantik atau model, sebaliknya mereka adalah wakil rakyat yang mewakili 55 masyarakat minoriti di China yang terdiri daripada keturunan Mongolia, Korea, Orogen hinggalah kepada Uighur yang beragama Islam pada persidangan Kongres Kebangsaan Rakyat (NPC) di Beijing, semalam. – REUTERS

BEIJING 9 Mac – China tidak akan sesekali menjadi negara mengamalkan demokrasi ala-Barat, kata Pengerusi Kongres Kebangsaan Rakyat (NPC) China, Wu Bangguo sebagai reaksi kepada seruan bagi pembaharuan politik dari dalam dan luar negara.

Semasa berucap pada sidang tahunan sembilan hari kongres tersebut, Wu membentangkan hujah yang menyeluruh bagi menggariskan sistem satu parti komunis China dan menjelaskan perbezaannya dengan amalan sistem pelbagai parti politik di Barat.

China ujar beliau, tidak akan sesekali memperkenalkan sistem ‘pelbagai parti untuk memerintah secara bergilir-gilir’, atau membenarkan pemisahan kuasa di kalangan penggubal undang-undang, eksekutif dan perundangan atau badan penggubal yang berbentuk dewan rakyat atau dewan negara.

Kenyataan Wu tersebut yang menekankan keutamaan terhadap ‘laluan sosialisme dengan perwatakan China’, kelihatan tindakan sengaja untuk menyanggah pengkritik di dalam dan luar negara yang menyeru dilakukan lebih banyak liberalisasi termasuk mewujudkan parti pembangkang dan pilihan raya bagi badan-badan penggubal undang-undang.

Kenyataannya berhubung isu berkenaan disifatkan lebih panjang berbanding ucapannya tahun lalu, dimana beliau hanya menyentuh sepintas lalu mengenai penolakan China terhadap pemisahan kuasa.

We juga menolak mentah-mentah usaha memberi kebebasan yang lebih kepada badan perundangan, dengan berkata, Parti Komunis yang sungguh berkuasa di China akan terus menentukan piawaian dan keutamaan yang dimahukan untuk mahkamah dan pendakwa raya patuhi.

‘‘Model sistem perundangan Barat tidak boleh ditiru secara mekanikal dalam sistem kita,’’ ujar Wu.

Ucapan beliau itu menggariskan tugas dan peranan Jawatankuasa Kerja NPC iaitu badan yang memiliki 74 anggota bagi menguruskan hal- ehwal perundangan.

Anggota-anggota NPC disaring secara berhati-hati dan berperanan membincangkan serta meluluskan keputusan yang telah dibuat oleh kepimpinan parti.

Menurut Wu, China berhasrat untuk mewujudkan ‘sistem perundangan sosialisme yang memiliki perwatakan China’ menjelang tahun depan, yang akan dicapai menerusi pelaksanaan dan penyusunan semula perundangan tetapi bukan pengubahsuaian berstruktur.

Katanya, tugas penggubal undang- undang tahun ini akan bertumpu pada merangka undang-undang meliputi program sosial seperti penjagaan kesihatan, persaraan dan pendidikan. – AP

Kamaruddin, Zamzarina nafi khalwat

Oleh Zulhilmi Hat
bhnews@bhrian.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian Penerangan, Datuk Kamaruddin Siaraf dan pengacara televisyen, Zamzarina Zambri (gambar kecil) membuat laporan polis secara berasingan semalam berhubung penyebaran fitnah yang mendakwa mereka berkhalwat.

Kamaruddin tiba di Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah (IPD) Brickfields kira-kira jam 3.30 petang dengan menaiki kereta pacuan empat roda dan ditemani seorang pengawal peribadinya.

Sebelum itu, kira-kira jam 2 petang, Zamzarina datang berseorangan ke IPD sama untuk membuat laporan.

Bagaimanapun beliau tidak dapat ditemui wartawan selepas itu.

Kamaruddin ketika ditemui kemudian berkata, laporan itu bertujuan meminta polis menyiasat secara terperinci berkaitan fitnah yang dibuat terhadapnya.


"Saya sudah cukup dimalukan oleh penyebar fitnah ini dan berharap polis segera menyiasat mereka ini," katanya.

Ditanya tindakan susulan kes itu, Kamaruddin berkata, hasil siasatan itu bakal menentukan sama ada tindakan akan di ambil atau sebaliknya.

Menteri Penerangan, Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek, sebelum ini membidas seorang pemimpin pembangkang yang didakwa menyalahgunakan kebebasan Dewan Rakyat untuk menyebar fitnah seorang pegawai tinggi kementerian ditangkap khalwat bersama seorang pengacara televisyen.

Beliau menjelaskan berita itu adalah fitnah kerana pegawai dimaksudkan berada di London pada tarikh dimaklumkan pemimpin pembangkang berkenaan.

Sementara itu, Ketua Polis Daerah Brickfields, Asisten Komisioner Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid mengesahkan menerima dua laporan itu.

Sokong Calun Bebas Zahran Abdullah untuk PRK Bukit Selambau

Calun Bebas tersebut ialah seorang ahli perniagaan Zahran Abdullah, 39, berkelulusan Bc (Hons) Public Administration UUM. Merupakan aktivis

masyarakat yang katanya telah berkihidmat selama 3 tahun untuk masyarakat kawasan tersebut walaupun bukan sebagai wakil rakyat. Kalau benar hasrat beliau dan niat yang ikhlas untuk rakyat seharusnya beliau disokong. Tidak lah berbangkit bila nak bertanding baru nampak muka macam Wan Farid di KT.

NZ man's MP3 player holds US military files

A New Zealand man who bought an MP3 player from a thrift shop in Oklahoma found it held 60 U.S. military files, including names and telephone numbers for American soldiers, a media report said Tuesday.
TV One News said the 60 files contained personal details of U.S. soldiers, including some who had served in Afghanistan and Iraq. A New Zealand security expert said the information should not be in the public domain, but that it did not appear likely to affect U.S. national security.
The U.S. Embassy declined to comment on the incident.
Similar breaches occurred in Afghanistan in 2006, when U.S. investigators reportedly bought back stolen flash drives that contained sensitive military data from shops outside a main U.S. base in the Afghan city of Bagram.
Chris Ogle, 29, from the northern New Zealand city of Whangarei, said he bought the music player at a thrift shop in Oklahoma, and that he found the files when he linked the $18 device to his computer, TV One News reported.
The report did not say exactly where and when the device was purchased, and Ogle could not be reached by The Associated Press for comment Tuesday.
The private information about troops included U.S. Social Security numbers and even which female troops were pregnant, TV One reported.
Details of equipment deployed to bases in Afghanistan and a mission briefing were also found on some files, the report said, displaying names like "Bagram," a main U.S. base in Afghanistan, from the files on screen.
A TV One News reporter called some of the phone numbers listed in the files and found that some of them were still active.
Some of the files included a warning that the release of its contents is "prohibited by federal law."
Most of the files are dated 2005 so are unlikely to compromise U.S. national security, said Peter Cozens, director of Victoria University of Wellington's Strategic Studies Department.
"This is just slack administrative procedures which are indeed a cause of embarrassment," Cozens said. "It's the sort of thing which ought not really to be in the public domain."
Ogle told TV One News he would hand the files to U.S. officials if asked.
"The more I look at it, the more I see and the less I think I should be" looking, Ogle said.
Janine Burns, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Embassy in the capital, Wellington, told the AP, "We have nothing to add at this time."
She had no response to Ogle's offer to hand over the electronic files.
It's not the first time such data files have surfaced in public.
In 2006, shopkeepers outside the Bagram base said they were selling flash drives with U.S. military information that had been stolen by some of the 2,000 Afghans employed as cleaners, office staff and laborers at Bagram.
Included on some memory drives seen by AP at the time were the Social Security numbers of hundreds of soldiers, including four generals, and lists of troops who had completed nuclear, chemical and biological warfare training.
The Los Angeles Times also reported that some drives had classified military secrets, including maps, charts and intelligence reports that appeared to detail how Taliban and al-Qaida leaders had been using southwestern Pakistan as a planning and training base for attacks in Afghanistan.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
27-01-2009

White House stuck in "technological dark ages"

Obama might be keeping his BlackBerry, but his tech-savvy staffers are reportedly stunned by the West Wing's painfully antiquated gear, not to mention a constricting, Web 2.0-stifling catalog of security and record-keeping regulations.As this funny/sad story in the Washington Post reports, Obama's team arrived at the White House Tuesday to find only a handful of laptops, old PCs running outdated software, disconnected phone lines, and a series of rules and regulations that essentially forbid anything resembling Gmail, Twitter, Facebook, or AIM.

Indeed, as the Post points out, Obama's sleek new White House Web site is looking pretty weak right now, with only five posts (as of Thursday morning) on the official White House blog (including a "Hello World" post and a video of Obama's inaugural address, minus comments), a couple of executive orders, no pool reports, old bios and agenda items from the campaign, and a standard "Contact Us" Web form.

My favorite: The list of Cabinet appointments, all displayed in a basic HTML table circa 1996.

I'm sure the sketchy gear in the West Wing came as a rude shock to Obama's staff, which dazzled the nation during the campaign with its technical prowess and social-networking wizardry. But then again, government is probably one of the most tech-adverse institutions around, right up there with schools (pretty sad) and the legal community (oh, come on, Counselor—don't deny it).

Why? Again, as the Post notes, part of it is tradition, another part is security. Also: What we might call an innocuous e-mail or tweet, a White House lawyer would call evidence.

Obama and his administration have promised transparency of government—especially though its White House Web site—and I have high hopes they can achieve it. That said, they're facing an uphill battle.

Obama: Great speech but can he deliver?

Posted 6:00AM Tuesday, January 21, 2009

Obama's goals...can he execute?

At this time of change, we need to remind our readers that the Global Power Barometer measures "which nations, ideologies or movements are best exercising their power to achieve their desired goals." In the process of defining the "desired goals" of any player, we need to figure out what they are. Then, GPB staff and computers can measure progress. After a significant change in any nation's government, we need to adjust the goals we have for that country.

In the case of the new Obama Administration, we understand general directions, but we do not yet fully understand specific foreign policy goals. Nor do we fully understand execution strategies and whether the Obama Administration will learn from the mistaken strategies of the past years and begin to fight the next crisis rather than the last crisis.

Here are the general goals we've been able to identify so far:

* Restoration of US global influence. By this, we mean not just restoring the image of the US, but increasing its "soft power" or "smart power" as Hillary Clinton put it in her confirmation hearings. Certainly, the mere act of electing an African American by the name of Barack Hussein Obama has raised US standing throughout the world (a good friend of ours...a Republican...is traveling through Africa and has reported uncountable celebrations...formal and also spontaneous street celebrations). But we're not yet sure whether the Obama Administration fully understands the "power of smart" in controlling particularly the success of non-state actors such as al-Qaeda, or in stabilizing failing states, but they clearly have made re-establishing US influence a high priority. Connected with this, it appears the Obama Administration also has recognized the key role of diplomatic power in resolving international disputes...that's diplomatic "power" not just "diplomacy". It means creating and revitalizing alliances that can themselves put pressure on rogue nations. At least initial signs are that the new Administration gets the point that multilateralism - not unilateralism - is key to a peaceful 21st Century world.
* Phased withdrawal from Iraq. The Obama Administration is stuck with what has been negotiated between the Bush Administration and the Iraqi government...due for a vote in July. But the trick will be how they deal with the inevitable increases in conflict among religious groups and tribal factions as Iraqis have to govern themselves (see today's US Articles).
* Reintroduction of the US to the Mideast peace process. We've not yet identified a goal because many analysts believe the 2-state option is dead, having its coffin sealed by rocket attacks and the Israeli tactic of punishing civilian populations for transgressions of its elected leaders. Without a clear view of a solution, the present Obama goal is only to get itself back into the game. Of course, connected closely to this is the US relationship to Israel. Obviously, Mr. Obama will keep the relationship strong. But in the incremental world of diplomacy, many analysts expect an Obama Administration to begin in subtle ways to pressure Israel and take an ever so slightly more balanced role in the Mideast. One key indicator the GPB is watching is whether President Obama will appoint former Sen. George Mitchell to the post of Middle East envoy. Senator Mitchell is considered to be one who, while maintaining the US relationship with Israel, would also pressure Israel incrementally for new solutions. That said, the GPB will be looking very very hard toward the form of a new solution from the Obama Administration.
* Calming Afghanistan. During the campaign, candidate Obama stated he wanted to effect an "Afghanistan surge"...more troops to calm the nation and more money to reconstruct Afghanistan. Yet, most analysts question whether more US troops are the answer. A number of NATO members believe Afghanistan was handled so badly that it is essentially lost. They are trying to reduce their troop levels. While there are differences between the Soviet experience and strategy and the current US strategy, many point to the fact that the USSR couldn't subdue Afghanistan with a considerably larger force. The measure of whether the Obama Administration will make progress in Afghanistan will be viewed by the type of strategy they develop (e.g., one that involves political integration, assistance from Iran and other new tactics) and the progress that strategy creates.
* Defeating al-Qaeda. The lack of any attempt to disrupt the Obama Inaugural despite its attractiveness and relative ease as a target has suggested that President Bush is correct that constant US military pressure has weakened and isolated al-Qaeda. Yet, the Bush strategy is unsustainable in terms of cost. While denying al-Qaeda safe haven in the border areas of Pakistan (without destabilizing Pakistan) is an important goal, the ultimate success of the Obama fight against terrorism will depend on whether the new national security team can find new approaches sustainable over the long term that don't destabilize countries or regions..
* Independence from oil. Obama has set as a high priority weaning the US from oil...not just foreign oil, but oil in general. This goal has the potential for the greatest foreign policy benefit of anything since the US entered WWII. But it won't be easy...though given that energy independence is as much a question of infrastructure development (e.g, natural gas, electric distribution) as technology, it may be more possible at this time of economic stimulus than at any time in history. We'll be watching closely.
* A new approach to Cuba. This is actually part of an apparent goal to change how we deal with "enemies" such as Venezuela and Iran. However, Cuba, 90 miles off the Florida shore, is perhaps most important. While candidate Obama proposed only incremental steps, the opening of Cuba could be the most important symbolic move of the past two decades and could create opportunities with developing nations across the globe. This in turn would lead to a significant strengthening of the US against its rivals, Russia and China, for the (in many cases natural resource-rich) non-alligned nations.
* Russia and China? We lump these together though the strategies for dealing with either would be very different. We have not yet seen much evidence of a new strategy for dealing with these countries. We're anxiously awaiting clues.
* Nuclear non-proliferation. This is a key challenge but it can only be achieved by the "smart power." It appears the Obama Administration as a top priority will restate US adherence to critical treaties that the Bush Administration decided to ignore. Yet, much more needs to be known about new initiatives to convince rogue nations such as North Korea to abandon hopes of becoming nuclear powers.

Obviously, we will identify more goals and greater detail to these goals as this Administration progresses. We also would ask our readers to identify what you believe the goals of the Obama Administration appear to be. Remember, that's how we'll measure progress of the new President.

Note that GPB staff has decided to leave the US icon where it is (which is significantly in negative territory) rather than zero it out. President Obama has inherited a US foreign policy in complete disarray and he'll have to dig out the country from its negative position. We as all Americans and citizens of the world hope he will...and sooner rather than later.

How sick is Bush?

Editor's Note: Medical evidence shows George W. Bush to be seriously ill -- physically. Bush's physical symptoms point to stroke, cardiac arrest, dementia, and hyperthyroidism. Not to mention the heavy burden of killing innocent Iraqi men, women and children.)

Obama not ruling out prosecution of Bush officials for crimes in office

WASHINGTON (AFP) – US President-elect Barack Obama said Sunday he was not ruling out possible prosecution for abuses committed under the George Bush administration, saying no one "is above the law".

"We're still evaluating how we're going to approach the whole issue of interrogations, detentions, and so forth," Obama said in an interview aired Sunday on ABC's This Week program when asked about alleged abuses under Bush.

"Obviously we're going to be looking at past practices and I don't believe that anybody is above the law," Obama said.

But Obama, who takes office on January 20, added that he wanted his administration to focus on tackling problems moving forward, rather than reviewing policies under his predecessor.

"My instinct is for us to focus on how do we make sure that moving forward we are doing the right thing," he said.

"That doesn't mean that if somebody has blatantly broken the law, that they are above the law. But my orientation's going to be to move forward."

Human rights and civil liberties groups have called for senior Bush administration officials to be prosecuted for a series of alleged abuses, from mishandling the conflict in Iraq to the illegal detention and torture of terrorist suspects and domestic spying.

In the interview, Obama criticized Vice President Dick Cheney for his public defense of "extraordinary" interrogation methods used against top terrorism suspects, including simulated drowning known as waterboarding.

"Vice President Cheney, I think, continues to defend what he calls extraordinary measures or procedures when it comes to interrogations and from my view waterboarding is torture," Obama said.

"I have said that under my administration we will not torture."

Obama declined to say whether he could appoint a special prosecutor to look into possible charges against Bush and his deputies, saying the issue whould be up to his attorney general.

"He is the people's lawyer," he said of the attorney general-designate, Eric Holder.

"So, ultimately, he's going to be making some calls, but my general belief is that when it comes to national security, what we have to focus on is getting things right in the future, as opposed looking at what we got wrong in the past."

Bush defends interrogation record

President Bush on Sunday defended controversial interrogation measures established by his administration, arguing that techniques like water-boarding helped save American lives.

“The techniques…were necessary and are necessary to be used on a rare occasion to get information to protect the American people,” Bush said during an expansive exit interview that aired on Fox Sunday.

Citing an interrogation with Al Qaeda strategist Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, which included simulated drowning, otherwise known as “waterboarding,” the outgoing president said, “We believe the information we gained helped save lives on American soil.”

The Bush administration has been criticized by civil liberties advocates and others for the use of, and legal justifications underpinning, these harsh interrogation methods. President-elect Barack Obama has already promised to review these policies when he takes the oath of office later this month.

In the interview with Fox News Sunday, Bush joked that his administration has been “slightly criticized” for its policy to push the legal limits of the rights, the treatment and the interrogation of suspected terrorists detained by U.S. military and intelligence officials, or cooperative governments.”

The president defended those measures repeatedly on Sunday, saying, “I firmly reject the word ‘torture.’ Everything this administration does had a legal basis to it; otherwise, we would not have done it.”

In a separate interview on ABC’s “This Week,” Obama said, “From my view, waterboarding is torture.”

Whatever Bush administration policies he overturns, the president-elect wants to protect intelligence officials at the Central Intelligence Agency in order to do their jobs.

“At the CIA, you’ve got extraordinarily talented people who are working hard to keep Americans safe,” Obama said on ABC. “I don’t want them to suddenly feel like they’ve got to spend all their time looking over their shoulders.”

The outgoing president is “confident” that his successor “understands the nature of the world and understands the need to protect America.” But Bush hopes Obama and his intelligence team “take a hard look at the realities of the world and the tools now in place to protect the United States from further attack.”

In the exit interview, Bush specifically mentioned Mohammed, whose interrogation became a flashpoint in the broader legal debate about the rights of suspected terrorists detained abroad.

Mohammed, a top Al Qaeda strategist, was arrested in Pakistan and eventually flown to a secret detention site in Poland, where he reportedly endured a series of harsh interrogation methods, most notably waterboarding. But Bush administration officials have repeatedly argued that that session with Mohammed gave them leads to prevent other attacks.

“Look, I understand why people can get carried away on this issue, but generally they don’t know the facts,” Bush said of his critics on Sunday.

“But I am concerned that America, at some point in time, lets down her guard,” the president said. “If we do that, the country becomes highly vulnerable.”

UMNO TIDAK BERJUANG MEMPERTAHANAKAN IJN

UMNO lebih kepada pak turut dan tidak langsung bercakap memperjuangkan IJN dari disambar rakus oleh pihak yang berkepentingan diatas nama pengswastaan. Sedar atau tidak IJN adalah hak rakyat. Jatuhnya IJN kepada pemodal, IJN akan terdedah kepada penyangak di dalam pasaran saham di mana wang mula bercakap. Untung rugi menjadi ukuran prestasi doktor.

Tidak hairanlah IJN nak diswasta kerana UMNO pun telah diswastakan sekarang dengan limpahan kelaku pengamal politik wang di kalangan pemimpin mereka. Kalau IJN di swasta seharusnya kita kuburkan juga UMNO.
UMNO pengkhianat bangsa!