Wednesday, December 21, 2011

66 journalists killed, 1,044 arrested this year

66 journalists killed, 1,044 arrested this year

66 journalists killed, 1,044 arrested this year

Posted: 21 Dec 2011 08:59 PM PST

PARIS: Sixty-six journalists were killed and more than 1,000 arrested this year, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said today, naming cities in Syria, Egypt and Libya among the world's most dangerous places for the media.

The press freedom group for the first time compiled the world's 10 most dangerous places for the media – ranging from the Egyptian capital Cairo, to Misrata in Libya and the Khuzdar district in Pakistan's southern Baluchistan province.

RSF said a tumultuous year, which included the Arab Spring uprisings and the felling of several veteran Arab dictators, saw a 16 percent rise compared to last year in the number of journalists arrested worldwide.

"Street protests in other countries such as Greece, Belarus, Uganda, Chile and the United States were responsible for the dramatic surge in the number of arrests, from 535 in 2010 to 1,044 in 2011," RSF said in a statement.

It said 20 journalists were killed in the Middle East and an equal number in Latin America "which is very exposed to the threat of criminal violence.

"For the second year running, Pakistan was the single deadliest country with a total of 10 journalists killed, most of them murdered. China, Iran and Eritrea continue to be the world's biggest prisons for the media," the group added.

RSF said the world's deadliest places for journalists this year also included Ivory Coast's economic capital Abidjan, where a bloodbath after contested polls claimed around 3,000 lives; Mexico's drug-infested Veracruz state, and the islands of Luzon and Mindanao in the Philippines.

- AFP

Lynas reaches out to public

Posted: 21 Dec 2011 08:58 PM PST

PETALING JAYA: Lynas Corporation Ltd appears to be pulling out all the stops in its efforts to assure the public that its rare earth plant in Gebeng, Kuantan, is not a safety threat.

The corporation has taken out a full-page colour advertisement in a mainstream daily addressing the community's concerns over the controversial RM1.5 billion Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP).

The advertisement's headline reads: "Everyone is entitled to have questions. We're committed to giving answers." The copy lists seven basic questions on rare earth, radiation and LAMP with the accompanying answers and explanations.

One of the questions addresses the fear of LAMP unleashing the same tragedy on Gebeng residents as Mitsubihi's rare earth plant did on Bukit Merah residents two decades ago.

"LAMP is completely different from the Bukit Merah rare earths plant," Lynas stated. "The Bukit Merah plant processed 'monazite' from the waste of tin mines, which is very different from the rare earths we are processing."

"There are now much higher standards in place which mean Bukit Merah could never be repeated."

The Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM) yesterday confirmed this, saying that claims that LAMP would emit radiation detrimental to public health were untrue and that the risks of the Lynas operation were manageable.

In the advertisement, Lynas also emphasised that international standards are being applied to LAMP and that it has fully endorsed and applied these standards from the start.

"LAMP meets rigorous health, safety and environmental regulations which are some of the highest in the world," Lynas added.

Specially designed Lynas website

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) last month issued guidelines to enable the plant to process rare earth and ASM added that the plant would be safe and harmless if these recommendations are followed.

At the end of the advertisement, the public is invited to visit a specially designed Lynas website dedicated to providing details on rare earth and Lynas.

FMT understands this is the first in a series of advertisements aimed at plugging the gaps in Lynas' previous engagement with the public.

Lynas has reportedly acknowledged that it had not done enough in the past and is undertaking these publicity efforts to beef up public knowledge and trust in both the plant and itself.

LAMP, which is estimated to be 85 percent complete, is expected to begin operations early next year. Lynas plans were derailed this year following strong public protests by local residents and environmental groups over the radioactive threat it posed.

This prompted the IAEA to conduct a review of the plant which resulted in Lynas being instructed to provide a better long-term waste management system.

In June, Putrajaya imposed tighter environmental safety standards on LAMP but has held back on issuing it a pre-operating licence.

Reject Ketuanan Melayu, Sabah Muslims told

Posted: 21 Dec 2011 08:56 PM PST

KOTA KINABALU: United Borneo Front (UBF), which has been calling for the reinstatement of Sabah and Sarawak rights as stipulated under the Malaysia Agreement, wants Sabah Muslims to reject Umno's 'Ketuanan Melayu" (Malay supremacy) concept.

"Sabahan Muslims should reject the Ketuanan Melayu concept because Malays were non-existent during pre-Independence (in Sabah)," said UBF vice chairman Awang Ahmad Shah.

"As Sabahans we should look forward above religion and race and not let the federal government divide us by race and religion.

"Who will look after us when our oil are exhausted and Sabah becomes a liability to the federal government?"

Awang Ahmad said the acceptance of foreigners as 'bumiputeras' or 'Malay' had sidelined local natives.

"The federal leaders should make Sabahans proud to be Malaysians by practicing justice and respecting the feelings of Sabahan Malaysians.

"We shouldn't be deprived of our rights and our resources as well as the opportunities to develop and progress with dignity. We deserve the right to speak and choose without fear," he added.

Awang Ahmad was hitting out at Malaysian Muslim Welfare Association (Pekida) Sabah chairman Mohd Akjan Ali Muhammad who had objected to the proposed Royal Commision of Inquiry (RCI) claiming it would cause racial tension among the various ethnic groups in Sabah.

Describing Akjan's claim as not only irresponsible but scandalous, ridiculous and treasonous to all genuine Sabahans, Awang Ahamd said: "All ethnic groups in Sabah including local Suluks and Bajaus have been living together and working hand in hand since Independence in 1963 and have even formed the state government together and shared the power.

"Our concern on the wrongful issuance of IC, MyCards and citizenship to the illegal immigrants is genuine as these foreigners have numbered almost equal to the local population."

Government ignoring due process

Local politicians and civil rights groups are incensed that thousands of allegedly unqualified illegal immigrants have been granted citizenship purely for political purposes.

They claim that the mass issuance of MyKads by the federal government to illegal immigrants has encouraged the influx of foreigners to the state to the extent that the local population is on the verge of becoming a minority.

Awang Ahmad said that it was ironical that instead of protecting Sabah from being "invaded" by Indonesia or the Philippines as promised by Tunku Abdul Rahman, the present government had caused a reverse takeover of Sabah by ignoring due process and granting citizenship to all-commers.

"This is the problem that we are talking about" added Awang Ahmad.

"Only the RCI can independently investigate the roots of the problems and offer remedies to be taken to resolve the problem of illegal immigrants and the granting of citizenships to them who are unqualified," he said.

UBF, an NGO set up by Jeffrey Kitingan last year, has been warning that Sabahans are feeling threatened on all fronts as employment, education, politics, business and quarrels over land become common along with crime and social problems.

Already public transportation such as taxis and buses are dominated by immigrants or new Sabahans while enrollment in public universities and colleges has become more difficult, Awang Ahmad claimed.

Immigrants outnumber locals

In Kinabatangan district alone, he said, locals were outnumbered five fold with a reported population of 117,689 foreigners to 32,638 locals in 2010.

"State seats in the east and west coast especially Muslim majority seats and mixed-seats are already filled with thousands of voters with dubious MyKads.

"The illegal immigrants with MyKads have become the balancing power and dictate the outcome of the elections. For example, both Petagas and Tanjung Aru, have at least 2,000 voters each with dubious MyKads," he alleged.

He said that since the federal government holds the power, Sabahans view the authorities as the root of this problem.

"The government instead of taking action, is protecting and covering up their wrong doings. It is not surprising that they are not in favour of establishing the RCI.

"The dependence on these foreign voters have weakened Sabah Umno leaders who no longer have the credibility, integrity and will-power to safeguard and protect Sabah," added Awang Ahmad

Paris’ Rungis market groaning with seasonal cheer

Posted: 21 Dec 2011 08:42 PM PST

RUNGIS: Plump turkeys adorned with red ribbons, proud capons trussed up in tinsel – the finest poultry is again the star of the show as French cooks shop for Christmas in Paris' biggest market.

While the French capital sleeps, a vast fleet of trucks and delivery vans perform a ballet in the freezing mist, shipping vast quantities of meat, cheese, vegetables and delicacies to the city's shops and restaurants.

Rungis market is almost a city in its own right, spread over 234 hectares (578 acres), and Christmas its busiest season. The 120,000 tonnes of food that pass through its alleys in December account for a quarter of its annual trade.

French families traditionally enjoy a lavish evening meal on Dec 24, Christmas Eve, and – along with oysters – birds are a centrepiece: geese, turkeys, chickens, game birds or capons, stuffed with sweet chestnuts.

This year, the must-have bird is the goose, but, as poultry seller Gino Catena warns, wrapped up against the pre-dawn chill in his bright red anorak: "It's an animal which is relatively pricey per kilo."

With France in the grip of financial crisis, he recommends thrifty shoppers opt for a "poularde" a fattened chicken raised like its male cousin the capon but smaller, weighing in at around 2.5 kilos (five pounds eight ounces).

Foie gras – the liver of a force-fed goose or in this case duck – is considered a luxury in most of the world, but Catena says that in France this year it's "actually very affordable", prices having tumbled 10 percent.

Christmas is of course a Christian festival, but France's large Muslim minority need not miss out on the feasting at least; the suppliers now all carry halal turkeys, slaughtered according to Islamic rite.

When Paris' food market was still in the crowded town centre alleyways around Les Halles, it was notorious as a place of chaos and dirt, but the wholesale halls in Rungis are spotless and antiseptic.

Workers mill around in hygienic white uniforms and only occasional pearls of bright red blood mark the scrubbed floors.

Some stalls specialise in big volume sale, others in luxury. At the firm Masse, foie gras and truffles are flying off the shelves despite the mood of economic foreboding hanging over the country at large.

Eat something decent

"The year-end festivities are very important in the lives of the French. They're used to spending on food, which remains sacred," says owner Frederic Masse, sorting a batch of truffles at 1,300 euros (US$1,700) the kilo (2.2 pounds).

Seafood of all sorts is another big seller, but particularly oysters – a French Yuletide tradition that was threatened this year by a deadly virus which ravaged crops in beds around the French coast.

Prices have soared, by between 20 and 40 percent, but demand is high.

"People will always stand by the high-end luxury products. If you're going to enjoy yourself, you might as well eat something decent," says Thierry Maia, oyster trader with the supplier Reynaud.

His tip to save money: Dutch oysters. "There's a good quality to price ratio, even if we French are sometimes pretty chauvinist about these things."

In the vast polystyrene crates that line the fish hall, huge king crabs from the cruel Alaskan waters of the Bering Strait lie alongside Arctic char – more refined than trout or salmon – and row upon row of swordfish.

The fork-lifts unloading the refrigerated trucks can barely keep up.

"Scallops, prawns, lobster, shrimp… In two hours everything was sold!" grins fishmonger Pascal Pean. "Last week it was tougher, with the storm, but the boats are back at sea now, and there'll be enough for the holidays."

The clock turns 7am. In the city beyond, French men and women are waking to coffee and croissants, but in Rungis the night's work is almost done, for the tradesmen in any case.

The waiters in the Cafe Saint-Aubert still have their hands full – and their heads covered in novelty Santa hats – serving rounds of ham sandwiches and beer to the tired workers.

- AFP

Konvensyen Pakatan Rakyat: Isu rakyat, nasional fokus DAP

Posted: 21 Dec 2011 08:37 PM PST

PETALING JAYA: DAP akan mengetengahkan isu rakyat dan isu nasional  semasa konvensyen Pakatan Rakyat ketiga pada 14 Januari yang akan diadakan di negeri Kedah.

Konvensyen sebelum ini diadakan di Selangor dan Pulau Pinang.

Naib Pengerusi DAP kebangsaan, Dr Tan Seng Giaw menggariskan tiga isu utama yang akan diketengahkan  oleh parti itu.

"KIta akan mengetengahkan isu birokrasi dan ketidaktentuan di dalam kerajaan.

"Selain itu isu pekerja asing dan ekonomi akan turut diberi tumpuan," kata beliau ketika dihubungi.

Kerangka dasar bersama

Konvensyen membabitkan DAP, PKR dan PAS itu akan diadakan di Kedah pada 14 Januari depan.

Konvensyen sebelum ini diadakan di Selangor dan Pulau Pinang.

Dr Tan menjelaskan bahawa banyak syarikat menjangka akan berhadapan dengan masalah meskipun kadar pertumbuhan negara dijangka berada di paras lima peratus.

Beliau menambah isu lain akan turut dibangkitkan kerana konvensyen tersebut akan diadakan dalam tempoh tiga minggu.

Sementara itu Setiausaha Publisiti DAP Tony Pua memberitahu FMT bahawa konvensyen kali ini akan bertumpu kepada usaha memobilisasi akar umbi parti di dalam persediaan untuk menghadapi pilihan raya umum ke 13.

"Dari segi dasar, kesemua perkara sudahpun tertera di dalam kerangka dasar bersama (CPF)," kata ahli Parlimen Petaling Jaya Utara itu.

Mexico soldiers, police kill 22 in anti-drug operations

Posted: 21 Dec 2011 08:29 PM PST

VERACRUZ: Soldiers and police killed 22 people yesterday in counter-drug operations in three different Mexican states, officials said.

In Panuco, the eastern state of Veracruz state, eight suspected traffickers were killed in fighting with members of an army unit, army commander Carlos Aguilar said without adding further details.

In another incident in the same state, two suspected traffickers were killed in a clash with the army in the town of Coatzintla, Aguilar added.

The federal government two months ago sent military and police reinforcements to Veracruz, on the Gulf of Mexico, which has been rocked by violence blamed on the Zetas cartel.

The Zetas – former hitmen for the Gulf cartel – have spread fear with kidnappings and killings across Mexico and also in Guatemala in recent years.

In Sinaloa state, on the Pacific coast, prosecutors said six suspected drug traffickers were killed in army and police operations in the towns of Guasave and Ahome that rescued a kidnapped businessman and several workers.

Businessman Guadalupe Miranda, known as the "King of Beans," had been abducted along with relatives and workers by gunmen demanding part of his crop and a cash payment as ransom.

Prosecutors did not say how many workers were rescued along with Miranda.

And in the western state of Jalisco, six gunmen were killed in a clash with police yesterday near the town of Milpillas, the state Public Security office said.

A gun battle broke out when police on patrol in a rural area came upon a group of suspicious men, who opened fire, according to a statement released by office, which said 15 gunmen fled.

More than 45,000 people have been killed in drug-related violence in Mexico since December 2006, when the government launched a military-led crackdown on the country's powerful drug cartels.

- AFP

Fighting for a better Malaysia

Posted: 21 Dec 2011 08:28 PM PST

By Zaid Ibrahim

If we reflect on the issues that wrought cataclysmic change to the political landscape – culminating in the 2008 general election – we must acknowledge the important role played by both the Hindu Rights Action Force, or Hindraf, and blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin.

In different ways, both gave the opposition the impetus and dynamism it so badly needed then, the kind that outstripped even the BN juggernaut's ability to contain the people's march for change.

Hindraf's contribution was their ability to mobilise the poor and marginalised Indian community. They were united and more importantly, they showed tremendous resolve and courage in pursuing their demands.

Some of these demands were questionable and perhaps even unreasonable, but it can't be denied that they gave voice to pent-up grievances the Indian community had suffered for decades.

When such feelings have had no outlet for expression for so long, it's not surprising that they can seem extreme and unreasonable in parts when they are finally unleashed.

Hindraf's announcement last week that they too would support the opposition and do whatever they can to bring about more change in the political landscape is a gesture that we all should appreciate.

The Indian community still supports Hindraf and I have no doubt that their ability to mobilise this group in the upcoming general election will be as formidable as ever.

Fighting for a better Malaysia

Raja Petra meanwhile, may not be living in Malaysia any longer but as a friend I know he has sacrificed a lot for the cause of reform and political transformation.

He is still in the thick of things, and I hope his relentless assault on the Internal Security Act and tireless online campaigning for the opposition will not be forgotten.

He also took great personal risks back in 2008. More importantly, he is still with the forces of change.

Raja Petra is a maverick so he may sometimes say or do things we don't approve of, but he will continue to fight for a better Malaysia. He would not be Raja Petra if he were so predictable, or always sang the right tune.

The political culture that we need to nurture in this country is that of inclusiveness.

That means we must learn to trust those who share our struggle even when they come in different shapes and sizes – we share the same destination in this long journey for change.

Differences are plentiful and we may even disagree on what we need to do to attain success. We must, however, appreciate and value those who have given their pounds of flesh in this struggle, warts and all.

Zaid Ibrahim is the president of Kita.

Mourning a loyalty test for North Koreans

Posted: 21 Dec 2011 08:19 PM PST

SEOUL: North Koreans have been told to pay respects to late leader Kim Jong-Il three times a day and mourning rituals have become a test of their loyalty to the communist dynasty, an expert said today.

In contrast, when Kim's father and founding president Kim Il-Sung passed away in 1994, just one trip per day to a mourning place sufficed to prove their respects, said Professor Kim Young-Soo of Seoul's Sogang University.

"It is deeply in North Koreans' consciousness that they have to express their sorrow in the bitterest degree when the top leader dies, to avoid raising suspicions about their loyalty," he told AFP.

"They have learned by experience that the stronger they express their grief, the better," said the professor, who has interviewed scores of North Korean defectors.

When TV cameras were trained on them, he said, there was increasing competition about who could stage the most dramatic display of weeping and wailing.

"Mourning is somewhat compelled and mobilised," said Kim, adding that residents were rounded up to participate according to their jobs and places of residence.

The fact that North Koreans are being told to pay respects three times a day is a sign that loyalty to Jong-Il was weaker than to his father, the professor said.

Following the announcement on Monday of Kim Jong-Il's death, North Korean TV showed thousands of people pounding the ground and weeping.

State media has urged citizens to rally round his son Jong-Un as new leader – in the country's second dynastic succession.

- AFP

Australian teen jailed over Indian murder

Posted: 21 Dec 2011 08:11 PM PST

SYDNEY: An Australian teenager who fatally stabbed an Indian graduate, during a spate of attacks that fuelled a bitter diplomatic row with New Delhi over racist violence, was today jailed for 13 years.

The youth – whose identity has been suppressed – was just 15 when he attacked Nitin Garg, 21, as he walked through Melbourne parkland to work on Jan 2, 2010, stabbing him during an attempt to steal his mobile phone.

Garg, an accounting graduate, managed to stagger to his workplace, a nearby burger restaurant, before collapsing with fatal stab wounds to the abdomen.

He died early the next day in hospital.

The highest-profile in a string of attacks on Indian students in Australia, Garg's murder made international headlines and outraged public opinion in India, leading to accusations of widespread racism against migrants.

Diplomatic ties were tested, with Delhi condemning the killing as a "heinous crime on humanity" and "an uncivilised brutal attack on innocent Indians".

It followed a spate of muggings and beatings, accompanied by migration scams and colleges charging for substandard courses, which prompted street protests by Indians in Melbourne and Sydney in 2009.

Australia's reputation as a safe and welcoming destination for international students was badly damaged, leading to a drop-off in enrolments and sparking a government review of the tertiary education sector.

A study published this August found that Indian students were more likely to be robbed than the Australian average and more likely to be assaulted than other foreign students, but said circumstances rather than race were to blame.

For example, because of their greater proficiency in English, they were more likely to have retail or service sector jobs that involved working late.

Crime of opportunity

Canberra has conceded that some of the violence was racially motivated and damaged Australia's image abroad, with ex-foreign minister Stephen Smith warning that the attacks had been "widely noticed beyond India and South Asia."

Judge Paul Coghlan today described Garg as an "innocent and random victim" but said the crime was spontaneous and accepted that his attacker, now 17, was remorseful and had no intention of killing when he went to the park.

He had never before been in trouble with the police and was carrying a flick knife that day for "reasons never explained".

The judge also ruled that it was a crime of opportunity rather than race.

"The community abhors the use of knives because of the consequences such as this," Coghlan said, adding that he had found the sentencing a "very difficult" exercise.

"In circumstances such as this there are just no winners. One able young man is dead and your life is affected forevermore."

The teen, who pleaded guilty to murder and attempted armed robbery, must serve at least eight years of his sentence before being eligible for parole.

International education is Australia's top services export industry and was worth A$16.3 billion dollars in 2010-11, a 12.0 percent decline on the previous year.

A strong Australian dollar and reputation damage has seen student numbers slide, with 542,000 enrolments in the year to October, a decline of 9.1 percent year on year.

Though they continue to account for 13 percent of all foreign enrolments, second only to China, Indian student numbers have dropped especially sharply, down 27.3 percent year-on-year at 69,702.

- AFP

PAS minta penjelasan Hasan, Nasharudin dan Saari Sungip

Posted: 21 Dec 2011 08:11 PM PST

PETALING JAYA: PAS akan mendapatkan penjelasan dari tiga pemimpin kontroversinya – Exco kerajaan Selangor Datuk Dr Hassan Ali, bekas Timbalan Presiden Nasharuddin Mat Isa dan Ketua Penerangan Saari Sungip berhubung beberapa isu yang bebangkit sekarang.

Penjelasan ini mesti dilakukan, supaya parti tidak lagi perlu membazir masa melayan pertikaian yang timbul akibat kecil hati terhadap sesuatu kesilapan yang kecil, ego berlebihan dan keengganan sesetengah pihak menerima keputusan parti dan jamaah, kata Ketua Penerangan, Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.

Berlaku perang mulut antara mereka mereka dengan pucuk pimpinan PAS terutama membabitkan Setiausaha Agung, Datuk Mustafa Ali.

Ia bermula dengan kenyataan Saari yang mendakwa Dr Hasan yang juga bekas Pesuruhjaya PAS Selangor tidak termasuk dalam tiga senarai calon teratas bagi DUN Gombak Setia yang diwakilinya sekarang.

Dr Hasan mempertikaikan konsep negara berkebajikan yang diperjuangkan PAS sekarang dan mendesak parti itu kembali kepada perjuangan asal menegakkan negara Islam.

Nasharudin, ahli Parlimen Bachok pula mempertikaikan polisi pemilihan calon oleh PAS sekarang.

Kemuncaknya, Mustafa mendakwa Dr Hasan dan Nasharudin terperangkap dengan Umno.

`Team player'

Beliau menegaskan PAS   tidak akan bertolak ansur dalam sebarang sabotaj samada dari dalam mahu pun luar yang mengganggu persiapan akhir parti.

"Semua ahli mesti memainkan peranan sebagai 'team player' untuk memastikan jamaah bergerak dalam keadaan baik dan harmoni.

"Seluruh tumpuan kerja mesti difokus kepada persiapan akhir ini daripada melayan karenah-karenah segelintir pemimpin yang ada berbeza pandangan terhadap dasar parti yang dijamin arahnya oleh Majlis Syura," katanya dalam kenyataan media hari ini.

Tuan Ibrahim menegaskan, PAS ialah sebuah parti dan jamaah yang berdemokrasi, segala keputusan bukanlah keputusan individu tapi keputusan jamaah.

Katanya, apabila keputusan telah dibuat dan Majlis Syura telah mengesahkan bahawa keputusan tersebut selari dengan dasar Islam, setiap ahli PAS perlu bergerak pada arah yang sama untuk membawa parti mencapai matlamat yang disasarkan dan memenangkan Islam.

Kepada ahli-ahli PAS, Tuan Ibrahim berpesan ingatlah apa yang ada ialah hari ini, yang lepas tidak akan datang kembali, yang depan tidak menentu lagi.

Oleh itu, pendamkan dendam, buangkan kekecilan hati, ketepikan kepentingan individu dan kembalikan fokus dan bergerak ke depan untuk memenangkan parti, tambahnya.

Toyota eyes 20% global sales growth in 2012

Posted: 21 Dec 2011 08:08 PM PST

TOKYO: Japan's biggest carmaker Toyota expects a 20% growth in global sales in 2012 after a dismal 2011 on the domestic front when the march 11 earthquake and tsunami hit demand.

The automaker expects to sell 8.48 million units globally in 2012, and plans to boost global production by almost a quarter to a record 8.65 million vehicles, focusing more on emerging markets, the company said.

A statement said the firm would look to further increase its global output to 8.98 million in 2013.

A turbulent 2011, in which the global economic slowdown also dragged, is expected to show domestic sales plunged 19% across the group – including subsidiaries Daihatsu and Hino – with a 24% fall in sales of the Toyota brand alone.

Worldwide group sales are expected to show a six percent fall for the year, the company said.

- AFP

Nepali girls confined by stigma and superstition

Posted: 21 Dec 2011 08:07 PM PST

ACHHAM: Saraswati Biswokarma sits in the dark, rearranging the threadbare cotton sheet and straw bed she is forced to sleep on before bringing her knees up to her chest with a shiver.

It is already mid-morning but she has not been allowed out of the airless brick shed where she has spent every night for the past week.

The 13-year-old was effectively banished to the shed – barely big enough to stand or lie down in — where she must experience her first period alone in a traumatic ordeal.

"I've been here eight nights so I have one left," she says with a nervous smile. "It's not nice here, it's scary and I felt very alone on the first night. I was so scared."

Saraswati's isolation is part of a centuries-old Hindu ritual known as chhaupadi that has been blamed for prolonged depression and even deaths in remote, impoverished western Nepal.

Under the practice, women are prohibited from participating in normal family activities during menstruation and after childbirth, and can have no contact with men of the household.

"I'm not allowed to touch any cattle or go inside our house. I have to stay in the shed and when my mother calls I have to wait nearby the house with a plate so she can give me food," Saraswati says.

She is also barred from consuming dairy products or meat or taking a bath. Even looking in the mirror is frowned upon.

The practice stems from the belief that when women have periods they are impure and will bring bad luck on a whole family if they stay in the house and will contaminate anything they touch.

Cow shed

In 2005, the government, in line with a Supreme Court order, enacted a law abolishing chhaupadi but enforcement has been minimal or non-existent.

Saraswati's shelter, known as a chhaupadi goth, looks like a miniature cow shed, with a dirt floor and no windows or running water.

In January last year, two women were found dead in chhaupadi goths in the remote district of Achham after temperatures dropped to 30F (-1C). In another case, a 15-year-old died of diarrhoea contracted while sleeping in a shed.

Chandrakala Nepali, 17, is preparing for her fifth night in her goth.

Her parents went to Mumbai to find work two years ago, leaving her and four younger siblings to live with relatives in a house high up in the hills an hour's walk from Mangalsen, the main town in Achham.

"During the day I'm allowed out but only to work in the jungle, collecting firewood," she says, sweeping the dark, cold hut, which is barely big enough to lie down in.

"I'm not allowed to walk on the same road as the cattle and I'm not allowed to be with my family for seven days. To eat, I sit outside the house and they bring me food on a plate.

"When I'm alone in the shed I feel scared. There are insects and I'm afraid of snakes coming in."

Chandrakala says that if she has daughters she would never force chhaupadi on them.

Community disapproval

But few women are prepared to challenge the status quo, and many continue the ritual for fear of community disapproval or out of religious belief.

Pashupati Kuwar, 30, lives with her five children in Budhakot, a small hamlet high in the hills.

Her husband is away, working in the Indian city of Pune, while her in-laws died several years ago, but Kuwar still observes chhaupadi.

"I don't touch any cattle for five days. I sleep on straw. Most of the day I go out but I go back to the shed to sleep," she said.

Pashupati says she will make her six- and 13-year-old daughters take part in the ritual.

"Some people think it's wrong but if I didn't do this my god would be angry."

Pashupati's own mother, Kunta Rawal, 45, has turned her back on chhaupadi.

"Before I thought it was important because of what I was told by elders and society but I have been made to realise that it is wrong," she says.

Nepal's education ministry is hoping to establish a literacy drive in the region, including health education classes dedicated exclusively to reproductive health and menstrual hygiene.

Thanks to campaigns by humanitarian organisations like Unicef, the sites of confinement are beginning to improve, with women often allowed in separate rooms in the main house rather than banished outside.

Janaki Bohara, 40, president of the Bahagyaswor Paralegal Committee, a women's advocacy group supported by Unicef, says she will refuse to allow her 14-year-old daughter to take part in the ritual.

"If I see families doing this to their daughters I will say to them 'look at me – I have nothing to do with chhaupadi but nothing has happened to me'. I'm ready to go to villages and fight people about this issue."

Meanwhile Saraswati's 18-year-old aunt, Radhika Biswokarma, is a rare example of a chhaupadi rebel.

"After the first time I stayed in the chhaupadi goth I decided from then on I would not do it again," she said. "Society said to me 'your god will be angry' but I don't care."

- AFP

Our disappearing sense of common courtesy

Posted: 21 Dec 2011 07:55 PM PST

FMT LETTER

From Kathleen Cheong, via e-mail

I wish to share with readers one of the many unpleasant experiences encountered by passengers on monorail trains.

Recently, during rush hour, there was an elderly frail man with a crutch under his arm standing nearby a row of occupied seats.

Those on the seats remained seated and no one stood up to offer his or her seat to the feeble elderly man.

Other passengers and I who were on our feet were squashed like sardines. I then requested the passengers on the seats to offer his or her place to the old man.

The man who sat right in front of the elderly man stood up reluctantly. I felt that he should have given up his seat from the outset without me asking.

However, the lady who sat beside the man irked me. As the elderly old man took the seat, she told him that she was unaware of his presence and would have offered her place to him.

Her apology was unacceptable and was made to absolve her from guilt. Does she expect the old man to hold a placard stating, "I'm old and partially disabled – please give me a seat"

That was not the first time I have seen such a selfish attitude and a total disregard for others.

I've seen self-centred passengers being oblivious to pregnant women, mothers with babies-in-arms or toddlers, disabled persons and senior citizens.

These people with selfish mindsets need to be educated on civic behaviour and consciousness, if not, there's no way Malaysians can achieve a first class society standard.

How many foreign visitors are Tamil spoken?

Posted: 21 Dec 2011 07:49 PM PST

FMT LETTER

From NK Khoo, via e-mail

The decision to have announcements in more languages in KLIA and international airports has to be made based on statistics and data.

Too many announcements will be a nuisance to airport users who do not understand the languages. There should be a limit on how many are used for public announcements.

Can Malaysia Airport Berhad make a pareto analysis on tourist arrivals and share it with the public on the top three airport users according to their language spoken.

I suspect Indian visitors mostly are English and Hindi speakers. Tamil speaking visitors may be in a minority since only 5% Indian population are Tamil descendants.

Go ahead and add Tamil language announcements if Tamil spoken visitors are in the top three airport users, otherwise let scrap the idea for lesser noise pollution in our airports.

Also read:

Call to include Tamil announcements at KLIA

Tamil announcements at KLIA, LCCT from Jan


Rebel leaders summoned to explain outbursts

Posted: 21 Dec 2011 07:48 PM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: PAS top leadership has summoned embattled renegades Hasan Ali and former deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa to explain their recent outburst against the party.

Also to be summoned is Selangor PAS information chief Saari Sungib, likely due to his statement that Hasan had received insufficient nomination to contest in the upcoming national polls.

In a stinging statement issued today, party information chief Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said the move was to ensure that PAS does not have to "waste time" on a similar situation in the future arising from "petty" arguments and "excessive egos".

He also seemed to have backed claims that Hasan and Nasharuddin's ongoing attacks against their own party are motivated by their disappointment at the recent party polls.

"Explanation must be given so that the party will not have to waste time entertaining arguments over something petty, excessive egos and the unwillingness to accept the decision of the (party) majority".

The two were ousted from their posts – Nasharuddin as the deputy president and Hasan as the party's Selangor chief, in a landmark election that saw the progressives' influence rising to dominance.

The two had openly attacked the party through media owned by archrival Umno and accused the Islamic party of deviating from its Islamic struggle.

Syura-backed policies

They have also called for "unity talks" with Umno to be rekindled. Prior to the open friction between PAS and the two leaders, Umno had often use the same accusation – that PAS had sacrificed their Islamic ideals for political gains – as fodder against the Islamist party.

The result is a painstaking effort by party leaders to defend the party and ensure party grassroots that PAS remained consistent with its Islamic agenda.

Party secretary-general Mustafa Ali claimed Hasan and Nasharuddin are falling into Umno's trap "whether they realise it or not". He added that this was part of an external agenda to weaken and destroy PAS.

Tuan Ibrahim said the party was now preparing to face national polls and will not tolerate any sabotage attempts.

"All party members must play their role as team players to ensure that the party moves in harmony".

He also asserted that PAS was heading in the right direction, saying the party's top decision-making body, the Syura Council, is guiding the party at all times.

"All focus must be given to our final (election) preparation instead of entertaining the behaviours of certain leaders with differing opinions against the party's policies which are guided by the Syura Council".

He added that PAS is a democratic party that thrives on collective decision making and not based in the interest of individuals.

And all the decision will be referred to the council of ulamas and once it has been endorsed, all party members must work together towards achieving it.

Antara turunkan bendera Najib dan kencing gambar Hadi, Nik Aziz

Posted: 21 Dec 2011 07:45 PM PST

PETALING JAYA: Tidak semena-mena nama seorang mahasiswa Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Adam Adli menjadi sebutan gara-gara tindakan beliau menurunkan bendera bergambar Najib di hadapan PWTC Ahad lalu.

Tindakan yang dilakukannya dalam demontrasi sekumpulan kira-kira 100 mahasiswa bagi mendesak Auku dimansuhkan itu akhirnya telah mengakibatkan tindakan balas keras oleh penyokong-penyokong Umno.

Selain hampir ditumbuk oleh seorang lelaki yang marah dengan tindakan itu, Ketua Wira Perkasa yang juga ketua Pemuda Umno Petaling Jaya Utara Armand Azha Abu Hanifah, turut mengancam untuk menampar dan meludah ke muka Adam Adli sekiranya beliau berpeluang bertemu mahasiswa terbabit.

Bagaimanapun,  tindakan menurunkan bendera Najib tidaklah dapat menandingi perbuatan tiga penyokong BN yang kencing pada gambar Presiden PAS, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang dan Mursyidul Am PAS, Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat dalam satu kempen pilihan raya kecil tidak berapa lama dahulu.

Apatah lagi, ketika menurunkan bendera itu Adam dikatakan melakukannya dengan tertib serta hormat dan hanya mengambil masa kira-kira lima minit sahaja sebelum dinaikan semula.

Umumnya, selain dianggap sebagai ahli politik dalam PAS, Nik Aziz dan Hadi juga dianggap sebagai golongan ulama.

Penglima Ludah Umno

Semalam, mengulas dua kejadian tersebut, dalam satu entri blog amenoworld.blogspot telah mencabar Armand yang lebih popular di alam siber dengan gelaran Panglima Ludah Umno itu agar  menjelaskan pendirian beliau mengenai isu ini.

Malah pengendali blog tersebut turut melontarkan cabarannya kepada blogger pro Umno, menteri-menteri Umno-BN termasuklah Ketua Penerangan Pemuda Umno Datuk Reezal Merican Naina Merican.

"Benda yang sama ditujukan kepada blog BN dan Umno, menteri-menteri Umno dan BN termasuklah Reezal yang pong-pang dalam Utusan kelmarin, aku ingin sangat melihat apa pendirian kamu dalam isu ini," tulisnya.

Tindakan Adam menurunkan bendera pemimpin Umno di bangunan ibu pejabat mereka  dianggap sebagai satu penghinaan terhadap parti itu.

Dalam peperangan, menurunkan bendera lawan dan menggantikan dengan bendera lain memberi maksud kawasan tersebut telah berjaya ditawan oleh lawan.

Dalam pilihan raya di negara ini, BN juga dikatakan sering memberi upah yang tinggi kepada pihak yang sanggup menaikkan poster BN di kawasan bilik gerakan parti lawan dalam memberikan mesej kekuatan BN sekaligus satu penghinaan kepada lawan mereka.

Mohd Hasan tak mungkin jadi calon PRU-13

Posted: 21 Dec 2011 07:33 PM PST

SEREMBAN – Kedudukan Menteri Besar Negeri Sembilan, Datuk Seri Mohd Hasan sebagai calon pilihan raya umum (PRU) ke-13 mungkin akan terpelanting jika senario terbaru di dalam Umno Negeri Sembilan diambil kira.

Menurut sumber dalaman, kedudukan Mohd sebagai calon PRU-13 mungkin tergugat apabila panel pemilihan calon PRU Umno Negeri Sembilan turut dianggotai oleh bekas Menteri Besar, Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad dan Ketua Umno bahagian Seremban, Datuk Ishak Ismail.

"Panel pemilihan kini dikuasai oleh orang Mohd Isa termasuk Ishak yang merupakan sekutu Mohd Isa.

"Mohd Isa antara pemimpin yang paling dipercayai oleh Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak ketika ini. Sementara Ishak merupakan antara rakan karib Najib sejak sekian lama.

"Maka bolehlah disimpulkan kedudukan Mohd sebagai calon menteri besar (Adun) mahu pun sebagai calon Parlimen agak tipis kerana majoriti panel dikuasai oleh orang-orang Mohd Isa", kata sumber tersebut.

Menurut sumber itu lagi, ada desakan di kem Mohd Isa agar kerusi Parlimen Telok Kemang yang secara tradisinya ditandingi oleh MIC diserahkan kepada Umno.

DUN Rantau untuk MIC

"Ini akan memberi laluan kepada Mohd Isa yang merupakan ketua bahagian UmnoTelok Kemang untuk menjadi calon kerusi Parlimen Telok Kemang.

"Seterusnya Umno akan menawarkan kerusi Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Rantau kepada MIC.Maka ini secara tidak langsung akan menyukarkan Mohd  untuk mempertahankan kerusi DUN Rantau yang disandang oleh beliau ketika ini", tambah sumber itu lagi.

Bagaimanapun FMT difahamkan karier Mohd  akan diputuskan oleh Najib. Difahamkan perdana menteri  akan mengekalkan Mohd untuk sepenggal lagi sebagai calon menteri besar memandangkan Datuk Shahziman Abu Mansor enggan menjadi  menteri besar.

Beliau dikatakan lebih selesa dengan tugas beliau sebagai Menteri Kerja Raya.

Bagaiamanapun pengaruh Mohd Isa dan Ishak ke atas Najib juga tidak boleh dipandang remeh.

Kewujudan dua atau tiga kem di dalam Umno bukanlah sesuatu perkara yang menghairankan malah Najib juga pernah menegur agar pemimpin parti jangan mensabotaj calon jika tidak terpilih sebagai calon.

SME sector to see dynamic growth next year

Posted: 21 Dec 2011 07:32 PM PST

By Norsyafawati Ab Wahab

KUALA LUMPUR: Small- and-medium enterprises (SMEs), comprising 99% of the country's businesses, are likely to contribute further to the Malaysian economy as they chalk up dynamic growth next year boosted by six high impact programmes initiated by the government.

The six programmes are namely the SME Investment Programme, Catalyst Programme, Inclusive Innovation, Going Export Programme, Technology Commercialisation Platform and integration of registration and licensing of business establishment.

However, analysts said SME players also need to be more capital-intensive rather than remain labour-intensive in their operations to move up the scale in operational efficiency and aspire for expanded growth.

Others opine that SMEs would still need financial support and that they should emphasise more on the services sector rather than manufacturing, as well as look to diversify into food production in efforts to reduce the food importbill in the midst of a brittle global economic outlook.

Malaysian Rating Corporation Bhd chief economist Nor Zahidi Alias said although the global economy was facing an uncertain outlook, Malaysian SMEs would remain resilient.

"It is a well-known fact that the growth of SMEs has consistently surpassed the overall economic growth between 2004 and 2010 where SME's value-added growth averaged 6.8% versus 4.9% for the Malaysian economy," he told Bernama in an interview.

Nor Zahidi said the government had taken numerous steps to ensure the domestic engine, including the SME industry, will continue to provide some support to overall growth.

"For instance, different programmes under the Economic Transformation and Government Transformation Programmes will strengthen the investment climate to some extent," he added.

Besides, Nor Zahidi said the stable labour market would ensure private consumption would not be severely affected next year.

"Recent adjustments in the civil servants' salary scale will be positive for consumer sentiment. As a result, many SMEs will stand to benefit from resilient domestic demand," he added.

However, he said there was a sizeable number of SMEs that were still labour incentive in nature.

"Ideally, we want SMEs to shift their business model to become more capital-intensive but the main hurdle is their lack of desire to do so due to several reasons such as lack of capital or sources of fund," he added.

He said from the government standpoint, identifying the various stages of SMEs was crucial in ensuring proper assistance can be tailored as there was a need to optimise the usage of limited resources especially financial assistance.

"Other than that, training programmes are important to create awareness among SMEs about their potential to become productive and competitive."

In this regard, joint efforts between universities, government-linked corporations and multinational companies was critical to enhance technological capability that SMEs can adopt in the future, Nor Zahidi said.

Affin Investment Bank economist Alan Tan said as the Malaysian economy shifted its transition to a service-based economy, local SMEs should focus on the non-manufacturing sector, which has been growing steadily, supported by domestic demand.

"However, the government will also need to look at ways to encourage further foreign direct investments into the country, by introducing more measures to reduce cost of doing business, tax incentives, reduction in corporate tax rate and providing efficiency in government processes," he said.

Tan added growth in private investment was expected to be driven by domestic direct investment in major projects identified under the New Economic Model and the ETP, therefore providing some support to SMEs.

"SMEs will be highly important for Malaysia, as they provide a major and sustainable generator of employment and income for the people in the country," he added.

- Bernama

Join Borneo Alliance, Sabah BN partners told

Posted: 21 Dec 2011 07:26 PM PST

KOTA KINABALU: Now that a third force is taking visible shape, maverick politician Jeffrey Kitingan has challenged all political parties in Sabah and Sarawak to cut their links to the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) and switch to a Bornean alliance to prove they are safeguarding the interest of the two states.

Jeffrey, the United Borneo Front (UBF) chairman, said political parties in the two states need to urgently look at protecting the rights and autonomy of the Borneo states as enshrined in the Malaysia Agreement before it is too late.

"I call upon all the Sabah and Sarawak component parties of BN to leave and join the Borneo Alliance to safeguard Sabah and Sarawak as mooted by UBF," he said in a statement following the first anniversary of UBF last Saturday.

"I also call upon the leaders and supporters of Sabah Umno to leave and join the Borneo Alliance.

"History has shown that the people of Borneo cannot rely on Malaya and its leaders to look after the interests of the Borneo states" said Jeffrey, the younger brother of Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Joseph Pairin Kitingan.

He said the recently concluded Umno general assembly proved that Umno had little interest in Sabah apart from shoring up its political power despite Sabah Umno being the biggest group at the meeting.

"Sabah Umno also sent its biggest ever delegation to the annual assembly, but not a single voice, let alone any motion, was tabled to highlight the issues and problems plaguing Sabah," he said.

Another sore point among Sabahans is that every party in the state government, apart from Sabah Umno, had called for the formation of a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to look into the problems of illegal immigrants and the controversial "Project IC".

Jeffrey said the situation in the state had become so ridiculous to the extent that many Sabah Umno leaders could only privately whisper their support for the RCI.

'Unity is duty'

Jeffrey said latest developments in the state showed that Sabah is in even greater jeopardy from the seemingly unstoppable influx of illegal immigrants who have been granted legitimacy purely for political purposes.

"We may not have been ready in 1963 but the people in Sabah and Sarawak are now ready, more than ready, to look after their own interests," Jeffrey said.

He added that leaders in Sabah and Sarawak remained united in fighting for the interest of the state after the 2008 general election and hoped the Sabah and Sarawak BN component parties could be part of his Borneo Alliance.

He said federal leaders would then be more accommodating in restoring the rights of the Borneo states in their desperation to remain in power and the Borneo Alliance would tap into this powerful influence.

"The time has come for the people and leaders in Sabah and Sarawak to take charge and not rely on others to safeguard Sabah and Sarawak's rights… unity is duty.

"If the people of Sabah and Sarawak are united, we will obtain the restoration of the rights and autonomy of the Borneo states as championed by our founding fathers, with safeguards built into the Malaysia Agreement," Jeffrey said.

No extra demands

He said UBF, and now the Borneo Alliance, is merely seeking restoration of the agreed rights of the Borneo states and not demanding additional rights.

"The future of Sabah and Sarawak lies in the hands of Sabahans and Sarawakians and the time for action cannot be further delayed, especially in Sabah.

"In another five years, the future of Sabah may be decided by non-Sabahans – the illegal immigrants granted citizenship through the back-door purely for vested political motives to keep the ruling BN government in power.

"The current leaders of the BN component parties here must search their conscience, hearts and souls and say enough is enough to the Peninsula-based parties and their leaders.

"Let me repeat the call of the son of our founding father, Datu Badarudin Tun Datu Mustapha… all Sabahans – whether you are Muslims, non-Muslims or Chinese – must stand united and defend Sabah's rights and not let race and religion divide us or come between us for the benefit of our future generations."

"Let's all join hands. Let bygones be bygones and strengthen the Borneo Alliance and safeguard the rights and autonomy of Sabah and Sarawak before it is too late. Let's learn from our history and not repeat past mistakes," Jeffrey said.

10 steps backwards for human rights!

Posted: 21 Dec 2011 07:23 PM PST

FMT LETTER

From E Nalini, via e-mail

The committee of Campaign for Freedom to Assemble strongly condemns the passage of the Peaceful Assembly Bill 2011 by the senate yesterday. We comprised 30 over civil society groups and individuals disappointed at the passage of the bill despite protests from around the country and internationally.

The passage of the Bill is now a foregone conclusion and it is expected to become law by next year after the Yang diPertuan Agong signs it and it is gazetted. It was first tabled at parliament on Nov 22, 2011 at the Dewan Rakyat and then the bill was passed by the House on Nov 29. Presently, the bill has just been passed by the senate with only a day of debate.

The Bill was meant to replace Section 27 of Police Act that governed the need for a police permit to hold any assemblies, meetings and processions. Although the bill which has been passed in the senate is the amended version; it still bans street protests, there is no room for spontaneous protest, there is a prohibition for non-citizens and citizens under 21 years of age to assemble peacefully, there is a conditional access to media for public gatherings, and it provides a wide range of power to the police.

This new Peaceful Assembly Bill will pose a threat to democracy. The limitation of the right to freedom of assembly is unreasonable and unjustifiable in a democratic society. The move by the government of Malaysia is fully politically motivated and is 10 steps backwards in terms of human rights. This is an outright disgrace for the Malaysia government despite being a member of the UN Human Rights Council.

The Bill also came under fire by a group of United Nations independent experts who warned that a new Peaceful Assembly Bill in Malaysia may "arbitrarily and disproportionately restrict the right to assemble peacefully".

The Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Maina Kiai, expressed his deep regret that "neither the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam), nor civil society was meaningfully consulted in the drafting of this Bill." He also claimed that many of these restrictions are not justifiable under international law.

The UN Experts warned the government of Malaysia and stressed their position that, under international human rights law, "everyone" has the right to freedom of assembly and association, without distinction of any kind, including nationality, and appeal to the Government of Malaysia to urgently review the Bill to ensure its compliance with fundamental human rights.

The Umno-BN government has used its Parliamentary majority to force through a bad law that risks doing more harm than good. It sets a worrying precedent for this Parliament. The Bill is constitutionally inconsistent as well as being illiberal. It has also codified the recent approach of the government towards demonising peaceful assemblies (such as by reference to the rights of third parties).

Malaysia's senate should have shown leadership and upheld the rights of all in Malaysia by rejecting this reprehensible bill. If the bill becomes law, this measure would put a wide range of people at risk of criminal sanctions for exercising their basic rights. This includes ordinary citizens with legitimate reasons to protest, students, indigenous peoples opposing land encroachment, and workers, as well as human rights defenders and their friends, families and colleagues.

We are concerned about the repercussion of these proposed legislative changes on the work of Malaysian NGOs, civil society groups, political parties and citizens. The new proposed legislation while recognising the need for peaceful assembly merely acts to further limit this fundamental right.

We hereby urge the government to adopt the recommendations made by Suhakam in its 2001 special report on 'Freedom of Assembly' to the Parliament. In the report, Suhakam proposed several noteworthy recommendations based on the findings and best practices in other countries and through various discussions with the police and other interested parties.

We oppose the Bill and urge the government to withdraw the Bill immediately. We also urge the government to remove restrictions under the Section 27A of the Police Act and Penal Code and establish an Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) as per the recommendations made by the 2005 Royal Commission on Policing without further delay.

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