Messi sits on the bench during a pre-season friendly against Girona earlier this month. (AP pic)
BARCELONA: Lionel Messi called for “an end” to arguments at Barcelona as he urged unity at the club he tried to leave before the season.
The Barcelona captain spoke to Barcelona newspaper Sport in an interview published online late on Tuesday.
“After so many disagreements, I would like to put an end to it,” said Messi.
“We must unite all Barcelona’s people and assume that the best is yet to come.”
Messi referred to his attempt to force Barcelona to release him from the final year of his contract after the disastrous end to last season left the club without a trophy.
“I take responsibility for my mistakes, that, if they existed, were only to make a better and stronger FC Barcelona,” said the Argentine.
“I wanted to send a message to all the club members and to all the fans. If any of them is bothered for a second by something I said or did, they should never doubt that I am always thinking about what is best for the club.”
“Adding passion and desire will be the only way to achieve our objectives, always united and pulling in the same direction,” said Messi, who last Friday criticised the way Barcelona had let Luis Suarez go saying “the truth is nothing surprises me anymore”.
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Chong Chieng Jen believes DAP can play the kingmaker role by winning 15 to 20 seats in the upcoming Sarawak election.
KUCHING: A political analyst has predicted a dismal showing for Sarawak DAP in the next election and said it was deluding itself if it believed it could play kingmaker for the state.
Commenting on a recent statement by Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen, Jayum Jawan of Universiti Putra Malaysia said it was unlikely the party could win all of the Chinese-majority seats in the state.
In a speech in Kuching last Sunday, Chong said a party would not have to win 50% of the 82 seats in the state legislative assembly to become kingmaker in forming the new government.
“Because there are many different blocks of power in the state, it is difficult for any single party or single coalition to form a new government after the election,” he said.
“So, I believe DAP can play the kingmaker role by winning 15 to 20 seats in the next state polls.”
Jayum Jawan.
Noting that there are 16 Chinese-majority constituencies in Sarawak, Jayum claimed that the most DAP could win would be “about 10 seats”.
He also alleged that DAP did not perform well when it was part of the federal government. “So it can’t expect Chinese voters to give it their support unconditionally this time around.”
He predicted good showings by parties in the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS), saying PBB, the group’s backbone, could win most Melanau seats without much problem.
He said PBB could even win Dayak seats if it were to contest in those constituencies, and Parti Rakyat Sarawak was expected to win about 70% of the seats it would vie for.
“Although DAP is most likely to win the urban Chinese-majority seats, SUPP will get some as well,” he told FMT.
“SUPP president Sim Kui Hian has been working hard to gain stronger support from the Chinese community and his efforts have started to bear fruit.
“Therefore, DAP will not play the kingmaker role even if it wins 20 seats.”
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WASHINGTON: The World Bank on Tuesday said it has asked its board of directors to approve US$12 billion to help poor countries purchase and distribute eventual vaccines against Covid-19.
The bank has already implemented emergency response programmes in 111 countries and the extra money, if approved, would be aimed at low- and middle-income countries.
“An effective and safe Covid-19 vaccine is the most promising path forward for the world to reopen safely,” a World Bank spokesman said.
“The global economy will not recover fully until people feel they can live, socialise, work and travel with confidence.”
The funds would be dispersed over 12-18 months.
Covid-19 vaccines aren’t commercially available yet but World Bank President David Malpass told French newspaper Le Figaro “the process of distributing a vaccine is complex” and it was important to anticipate the needs associated with it.
“We want the poorest countries to have access to it (a vaccine), and in these countries, we want the most vulnerable people and medical personnel to be vaccinated,” he said.
Malpass said the Washington-based development lender has experience with immunisation programmes like those directed at polio and measles, as well as in managing crises like the Ebola outbreaks.
The World Bank has rolled out a record US$45 billion in financial support between April and June as the global economy contracted amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
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(From left) Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, Datuk Jeffrey Kitingan and Datuk Joachim Gunsalam were named Sabah deputy chief ministers yesterday. — Bernama pic
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 30 — The appointment of three deputy chief ministers in Sabah does not contravene any provision of the state Constitution, constitutional law expert Associate Prof Dr Shamrahayu Abd Aziz said.
She said by convention, it is up to the Chief Minister to decide as to whether a deputy or deputies are required.
Shamrahayu said the state Constitution also does not mention any specific number for the deputy chief minister post.
“The Constitution only mentions the appointment of the Chief Minister. So, ministers or members of the state executive council, if according to party practice, are decided by the Chief Minister,” she said on the Ruang Bicara programme aired by Bernama TV last night that discussed the topic ‘The New Sabah Government 2020’.
Shamrahayu was responding to questions by programme host Sherkawi Jirim on whether the appointment of three deputy chief ministers was in accordance with the Sabah Constitution.
Elaborating further, Shamrahayu said when the Yang Dipertua Negeri appoints other ministers other than the Chief Minister, it is done on the advice of the Chief Minister.
“Perhaps, in legal aspects, there is nothing wrong, perhaps the political dynamics are such that it is more important in this context to name a few deputy chief Ministers to represent political parties.
“If we are to look at the current Federal Government, we do not have a deputy prime minister, but the Prime Minister has named senior minister from various political parties. I think the same applies and it does not contradict any provision of the Sabah Constitution,” she said.
Sabah Perikatan Nasional chairman and Sulaman assembyman Datuk Hajiji Noor was sworn in as Chief Minister before Sabah Yang Dipertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin at Istana Negeri here today.
Also taking their oath as deputy chief ministers were Sabah Barisan Nasional (BN) chairman and Lamag assemblyman Datuk Seri Bung Moktar Radin, STAR president Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan (Tambunan assemblyman) and Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) vice-president Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam (Kundasang assemblyman). — Bernama
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Umno, PAS and Bersatu will meet this week over Anwar's claim of having 'formidable' support among lawmakers. ― Pictue by Miera Zulyana
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 30 — The three main Malay parties — Umno, PAS and Bersatu — will meet this week to discuss PKR president Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s claims to have “formidable” support among lawmakers including those from the government’s side.
Sources from Umno and Bersatu confirmed the matter to Malay Mail but would not disclose details of the meeting as some party leaders were under Covid-19 quarantine while others were fatigued from the Sabah state election campaign.
“Umno and PAS will meet over the matter (Anwar’s claim). Then Umno will meet Bersatu.
“The schedule of the meeting is secret but it will be done this week on Wednesday or Thursday,” one source said.
Another source from Bersatu corroborated this but declined to comment as it would contain private and confidential matters.
“Yes, there will be a high-level meeting,” he said.
Anwar claimed sensationally days before the Sabah election to have secured a “formidable” majority with which to form a new government and declared Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s Perikatan Nasional (PN) federal administration effectively collapsed.
However, Anwar did not state the number of MPs he claimed were supporting him, saying he would only do so after an audience with the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
Though initially seen as a ploy on Anwar’s part, Barisan Nasional chairman and Umno president Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi issued a cryptic statement acknowledging support for Anwar from within his coalition and party on the same day as the announcement.
This prompted Muafakat Nasional (MN) ally PAS to publicly demand that Umno and BN explain the matter.
PAS secretary-general Datuk Takiyuddin Hassan said last week that if what Zahid described was true, it would violate the formal accord his party signed with the Malay nationalist party.
In the Pakatan Harapan (PH) presidential council meeting on Monday, reports emerged that DAP was unconvinced that Anwar managed to secure the support of Umno MPs as he inferred through his previous claim.
PH sources told Malay Mail that Anwar still would not disclose how many rival MPs he has won over, only that their backing did not come at a price.
“The support from Umno MPs for Anwar to take over the government is unconditional. However it is dependent on Anwar securing an audience with the King,” said a source from PKR.
Anwar has secured this audience, which Istana Negara confirmed, but it had to be postponed because Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah was admitted to the National Heart Institute before this could take place.
Separately, DAP organising secretary Anthony Loke told news portal Malaysiakini that not much detail was divulged during the meeting.
Officially, only PH component Parti Amanah Negara has confirmed its lawmakers — all 11 — supported Anwar in this.
DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng reiterated that his party’s 42 MPs would support Anwar’s takeover only if he has the majority to do so.
While rival parties and coalitions have denied supporting Anwar, it is noteworthy that he stressed during his announcement that he has the support of individual MPs rather than parties.
Assuming all of PH supported his bid, Anwar would have 91 seats for the 112 he needed.
Other Opposition lawmakers he could draw from might come from Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (five), Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal’s Parti Warisan Sabah (nine), Upko (one), Parti Sarawak Baru (two), and a single seat from Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman’s Malaysia United Democratic Alliance (Muda).
All combined, Anwar would still need at least three lawmakers from the government side before he could claim a simple majority. He purported to have a “formidable” majority earlier.
This means Anwar’s bud must draw support from across the political aisle.
While Istana Negara has since announced that the Agong was in good health, it said he was not expected to grant any audiences for at least the rest of this week as he remained under medical observation.
The Agong played a central role in the March crisis when he personally interviewed all of Malaysia’s 222 federal lawmakers before concluding that Muhyiddin commanded the confidence of the majority and appointed him the PM.
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Emir Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, menghadiri acara pembukaan Sidang Kemuncak Arab ke-30 pada 2019. (Gambar AP)
KUWAIT CITY: Emir Kuwait, Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, dilaporkan menghembus nafas terakhir pada Selasa. Beliau meninggal dunia pada usia 91 tahun.
Berita itu dimaklumkan menteri yang bertanggungjawab ke atas hal ehwal kerajaan, Ali Jarrah Al-Sabah, menerusi siaran rasmi.
Sabah sebelum ini dilaporkan berlepas ke Amerika Syarikat pada 23 Julai lalu untuk menjalani rawatan susulan selepas pembedahan baru-baru ini.
Sabah memerintah negara pengeluar minyak Teluk Arab dan sekutu Amerika Syarikat itu sejak 2006 dan memimpin dasar luar Kuwait selama lebih 50 tahun.
Beliau dikenali sebagai seorang pemimpun yang banyak membantu negaranya melalui beberapa peristiwa penting seperti serangan Iraq pada 1990, krisis pasaran minyak dunia, dan pergolakan di Parlimen dan jalanan.
Kerajaan Kuwait menamakan adik tirinya, Putera Mahkota Kuwait, Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, 83, untuk menggantikan tempat beliau.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel shows the Hezbollah’s ‘secret weapons depot’ in a video speech to the UN. (AP pic)
UNITED NATIONS: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday accused Lebanon’s Hezbollah of manufacturing weapons next to a “gas station” in Beirut, warning of “another tragedy” if it explodes.
Israel has repeatedly accused the Shiite movement Hezbollah, backed by Israel’s arch-foe Iran, of building missiles to attack the Jewish state.
Hezbollah swiftly denied the latest charge and invited journalists to visit the site.
In a video speech from Jerusalem broadcast to the UN General Assembly in New York, Netanyahu presented a map with coordinates he said showed a “secret weapons depot” in Beirut’s southern suburb of Jnah, a stronghold of the movement.
Beirut is still reeling from an Aug 4 explosion when a huge stockpile of ammonium nitrate exploded in the port, killing more than 190 people, wounding thousands and ravaging large parts of the city.
The Israeli illustrations showed what Netanyahu said was a weapons depot sandwiched between two compounds.
The alleged precision missile factory is “a few metres away from a gas station” on one side, and 50m from a “gas company” on the other.
“If this thing explodes, it’s another tragedy,” Netanyahu said.
The site is also close to Beirut’s international airport.
The Israeli images appeared to show cooking gas depots, but there are also petrol stations nearby according to Google Maps.
Netanyahu showed details of two other alleged missile production sites, in Beirut’s Laylaki and Choueifat districts, which he said were located under apartment buildings.
“I say to the people of Lebanon, Israel means you no harm,” he added.
“But Iran does. Iran and Hezbollah have deliberately put you and your families in grave danger.”
Prompt media tour
Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah retorted in a previously announced address that Netanyahu was “inciting the Lebanese people against Hezbollah as usual” and invited journalists to visit the Jnah site.
“We will allow media outlets to go into this site and see what’s there,” he said in his televised address, accusing Netanyahu of lying.
“We don’t store rockets at Beirut port, nor do we put them next to gas stations,” he said.
Within an hour, an AFP photographer had joined dozens of journalists on a media tour of the site in south Beirut, where he saw heavy machinery inside a two-storey warehouse.
He also saw large gas tanks that an employee told him were produced on site.
“This is a normal industrial site,” Hezbollah spokesman Mohammad Afif told journalists.
“We reiterate that all the accusations that the enemy (Israel) repeatedly levels against us are nothing but false.”
As the journalists toured the warehouse, Hezbollah supporters turned up, chanting their support for the group’s leader and shouting: “We are your rockets!”
The Israeli army, which has in the past said it had located three weapons factories in Beirut, said the new sites referred to by Netanyahu were not the same.
The one in Laylaki was under a seven-storey apartment block and the other under a residential complex, it said late Tuesday.
Israel and Lebanon are technically in a state of war, and their common border, patrolled on the Lebanese side by a UN force, remains the scene of sporadic attacks.
Hezbollah and Israel fought a devastating month-long war in 2006.
Israel has also carried out dozens of air strikes on Hezbollah targets in neighbouring Syria where the group is fighting alongside the government of President Bashar al-Assad.
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Komuniti Cina Sabah tidak mempunyai wakil rakyat yang boleh dipertimbangkan Ketua Menteri Hajiji Noor untuk Kabinetnya. (Gambar Bernama)
KOTA KINABALU: Apakah ada ruang untuk wakil orang Cina dalam Kabinet Sabah? Demikian persoalan yang timbul dalam komuniti itu selepas sebilangan besar mereka menolak calon Cina daripada GRS dan memilih calon Cina daripada Warisan Plus.
Ahli politik seperti bekas pembantu menteri negeri, Pang Yuk Ming, menganggap 95% undi daripada komuniti Cina memilih calon Warisan Plus.
Kesannya, calon Cina daripada GRS seperti MCA, PBS, dan SAPP tewas – ada juga yang hilang deposit – perkembangan yang menyebabkan komuniti itu tiada wakil untuk dipertimbangkan ketua menteri baharu Sabah, Hajiji Noor, untuk Kabinetnya.
Hajiji, yang belum menamakan 5 lagi menterinya, boleh menamakan seorang atau lebih wakil komuniti Cina untuk mana-mana 6 jawatan Adun lantikan dan kemudian boleh dilantik menjadi Kabinet negeri.
Pengerusi Gabungan Persatuan Cina Sabah, Goh Tian Chuan, secara tidak langsung menyentuh hal ini apabila menyeru ketua menteri membentuk sebuah kerajaan negeri yang berbilang kaum dan Kabinet yang pelbagai perlu untuk memastikan tiada kaum dipinggirkan.
Timbalan Presiden PCS, Pang Yuk Ming.
Namun, Pang, yang merupakan timbalan presiden PCS, mempersoalkan adakah boleh Hajiji mengambil langkah sedemikian kerana “kerumitan” dalam gabungan GRS yang terdiri daripada Umno, PPBM, PBS, dan STAR.
“Umno dan parti lain mengatur pelbagai portfolio dalam Kabinet. Adakah anda fikir mereka sanggup serah 1 portfolio untuk menolong komuniti yang menyokong kuat parti lain?” soalnya.
Pemerhati politik, Hamid Ismail, secara peribadi percaya komuniti Cina layak diberi suara dalam Kabinet.
Namun, sekiranya ia tidak menjadi kenyataan, ada alternatif untuk memastikan suara komuniti itu didengari, katanya, termasuk di Dewan Undangan Negeri di mana wakil rakyat Cina dari Warisan Plus dan PKR boleh menyuarakan isu mereka.
“Apapun terjadi, ketua menteri tidak akan mengabaikan atau meninggalkan mana-mana komuniti pun,” kata Hamid.
Penganalisis politik, Lee Kuok Tiung, berkata sudah tiba masanya orang Sabah dan rakyat Malaysia umumnya meninggalkan pemikiran bahawa hanya wakil rakyat dari komuniti tertentu yang boleh mewakili komuniti itu.
“Pada zaman ini, tidak semestinya orang Cina perlu mewakili komuniti Cina. Kita perlu lihat diri kita sebagai rakyat Malaysia terlebih dahulu dan bukan hanya sebagai rakyat Sabah atau etnik tertentu,” katanya.
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Luke with his sibling Cleo and Sivadass’ grandkids, Maya and Lakshen. (Sivadass pic)
Luke is a beautiful doe-eyed Golden Retriever-Terrier mix who is two and a half-years-old. He lives with his sister Cleo and Odin, a big black Labrador.
According to Sivadass, Luke is warm and loving, always ready to collapse on the ground and surrender to belly rubs and pats on the head.
“He’s a brave but silly dog, who gets into fights with Odin who is much bigger and stronger than him,” Sivadass says.
When he isn’t vying for top spot as alpha dog against Odin, Luke loves going for walks and taking in the sights, sounds and smells of Mother Nature.
Luke (in the background) and Cleo, seen here with Sivadass’ grandson Vidhesh. (Sivadass pic)
And sometimes, he gives in to his canine instincts and digs the garden up just for the fun of it, utterly content with his misdeeds, prancing around the compound with dirt-encrusted paws.
“He gives the impression that he is fierce but he’s actually a friendly boy and quite the attention-getter,” Sivadass says, pointing out that Luke shakes in fear at the sound of thunder.
He lives outdoors with Cleo and Odin, and has the run of the garden to keep him occupied during the day.
Bath time is a family affair even if Luke isn’t too happy about it. From left: Vidhesh, Lakshen, Sivadass and Maya. (Sivadass pic)
TELL US ABOUT YOUR PET: FMT Lifestyle readers are invited to send in pictures (landscape format) and a short video (if any) of their furry, scaly or feathery friends to lifestyle@freemalaysiatoday.com. Don’t forget to include details like your pet’s name, age, breed and a short story about them.
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Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz (centre) and ministry officials at the Apec Virtual Finance Ministers’ Meeting on Friday.
PETALING JAYA: Malaysian business and trade leaders approve of the commitment from Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) finance ministers to support multilateral coordination in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Munir Majid, chairman of the Asean Business Advisory Council Malaysia, told FMT he welcomed statements made at last week’s virtual Apec conference but said the relevant ministries would now have to make good on their promises.
At the conference, representatives of member nations stated their commitment to working towards establishing tax, trade and business policies that would allow the region to rebuild its economy.
Munir said any improvement in supply chain efficiency would greatly benefit the health, food and medical sectors since many supply chains had been disrupted because of reduced trade during the pandemic.
He also said travel agreements among Apec members would reap rewards for all.
“One quick win is to get international travel going again, whether for business or leisure,” he said.
“Manufacturing should benefit from supply or value chain reactivating, and the airline and hotel industries will benefit from getting international travel going again.”
Shaun Edward Cheah, executive director of the Malaysian International Chamber of Commerce and Industry, agreed that a travel agreement was needed as the region “has an advantage with our short haul flights”.
“We should be pushing for an Apec open skies policy to rejuvenate our tourism and aviation industry.”
He said Apec needed to agree upon definitive multilateral agreements to reduce trade barriers and open up the economy further.
“With more open multilateral agreements, Malaysian businesses can access foreign markets and conversely attract foreign knowledge technology and financial investments.”
This, he said, would be able to “make our businesses, and more importantly our GLCs, more competitive”.
Michael Kang, president of the Small and Medium Enterprises Association of Malaysia, said allowing SMEs to trade more freely with regional counterparts would add value to their businesses.
“For SMEs, this is very positive in regard to recovering from the pandemic. The agreement will give them a lot of assistance from a tax perspective,” he said.
Kang said he believed in the importance of fostering regional relationships with industry players.
“We would like to see Apec continue to give opportunities for SMEs to work together so that we can work as equal partners with Apec members.”
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A South Korean boat patrols near Yeonpyeong Island on Sunday amid tensions with the North. (AP pic)
SEOUL: North Korea has discovered unspecified “faults” in its anti-epidemic measures, state media said on Wednesday, amid controversy over the death of a South Korean man whom Pyongyang said was killed to prevent the coronavirus.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un convened a meeting of the ruling Worker’s Party’s powerful politburo on Tuesday to review its anti-Covid-19 measures and discuss ways to improve them, the official KCNA news agency said.
The gathering came after a South Korean fisheries official was shot dead by North Korean soldiers at sea last week, a major incident that shocked many South Koreans.
Seoul has accused the soldiers of setting the man’s body on fire after killing him, while Pyongyang said they only burned a flotation device he was using, in order to stave off any risk of coronavirus infections.
At the politburo meeting, participants said “some faults” have been found during the implementation of virus prevention measures, KCNA said, without elaborating.
“The meeting stressed the need to strictly guard against self-complacency, carelessness, irresponsibility and slackness in the anti-epidemic field,” KCNA said.
“It also called for successfully maintaining a steel-strong anti-epidemic system and order.”
KCNA said the meeting also discussed unspecified organisational issues and preparations for the party’s 75th founding anniversary on Oct 10, a major holiday that North Korea usually celebrates with a massive military parade.
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Bahasa Melayu merupakan salah satu daripada bahasa yang paling luas ditutur di dunia. Hampir 200 juta orang di Asia Tenggara bertutur dalam bahasa ini. Namun begitu, ada yang mengatakan bahasa Inggeris seharusnya dititik beratkan kerana ia merupakan bahasa antarabangsa dan pengantar ilmiah. Pada pihak lain, bahasa Melayu sering dianggap sebagai bahasa yang kurang mampu memenuhi keperluan semasa kerana taraf pembangunan bahasa ini tidak setara dengan cabaran zaman yang berasaskan kepada perkembangan teknologi dan sumber manusia yang pesat.
Walaupun bahasa Melayu dianggap secara rasmi sebagai bahasa kebangsaan di Malaysia, secara praktikal ia masih belum mencapai kedudukan bahasa utama, khususnya yang menyangkut wacana ilmiah dan teknikal. Yang menggarisbawahi keadaan seumpama ini adalah kepercayaan dalam kalangan sesetengah pihak kepada keunggulan bahasa Eropah dibandingkan dengan bahasa Melayu, dari segi kemampuan menjadi pengantar wacana rasional. Malangnya, pendapat ini ditemui dalam kalangan rakyat Malaysia sendiri.
Ini merupakan sesuatu yang bahaya bagi perkembangan kesedaran kebangsaan dan amat melemahkan semangat untuk yang masih memperjuangkan bahasa kita sebagai bahasa rakyat Malaysia. Di samping itu, sikap seumpama ini hanya merupakan rintangan kepada usaha mempertingkatkan bahasa Melayu kepada taraf bahasa sastera dan ilmiah.
Pendapat bahawa bahasa Melayu masih terbelakang secara linguistik sepanjang yang menyangkut menjadi pengantar wacana ilmiah adalah jauh dari kebenaran. Kenyataan bahawa kita sering meminjam dan memperolehi istilah ilmiah dari bahasa Inggeris tidak membuktikan bahasa Melayu merupakan bahasa yang rendah tarafnya. Bahasa-bahasa Eropah sendiri terdiri daripada ribuan perkataan, istilah dan ungkapan yang berasal daripada bahasa Latin and Yunani, tambahan lagi, bahasa Arab dan bahasa Melayu sendiri. Apakah ini bermakna bahasa Inggeris, Jerman, Perancis, Itali, dan Sepanyol tidak layak menjadi pengantar wacana rasional?
Yang penting untuk perkembangan pemikiran ilmiah adalah kemampuan seorang penutur bahasa yang tertentu mempergunakan bahasa itu untuk mengungkapkan konsep dan gagasan. Bukan bahasa yang menentukan perkembangan ilmiah tetapi perkembangan ilmiah yang mempengaruhi perkembangan sesuatu bahasa itu, asal penutur-penuturnya berusaha untuk mencapai tujuan ini. Perkembangan bahasa Melayu itu tidak dapat lepas dari pembangunan sosio-budaya masyarakat di Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, dan Singapura yang mempergunakan bahasa itu.
Kalau kita mengambil contoh dari bahasa Arab, ia menjadi bahasa perantara dalam falsafah dan bidang keilmuan selainnya hanya selepas orang Arab menguruskan penterjemahan naskah falsafah dari bahasa Parsi, Syria, dan Yunani kepada bahasa Arab. Penaklukan Arab di Asia Barat dan penyebaran Islam ke benua Hindi dan Nusantara mewujudkan keadaan dalam mana para pemikir dan cendekiawan dari pelbagai bangsa termasuk Andalusia, Barbar, Urdu, Melayu, Parsi, Syria, dan Arab menulis dan mengungkapkan fikiran mereka dalam bahasa Arab. Daya pemersatu seumpama itu ada juga pada bahasa Melayu yang pada zaman yang lampau menjadi bahasa perantara di Nusantara antara orang Portugis, Belanda, dan penduduk kepulauan Melayu-Indonesia.
Bahasa Melayu merupakan suatu bahasa yang amat kaya. Dalam nahu Melayu, sistem imbuhan yang terdiri daripada awalan, akhiran dan sisipan membolehkan penggunanya menukar kala, berpindah mundar-mandir antara kata kerja aktif dan pasif, dan merubah kata kerja menjadi kata nama. Dipandang dari sudut tatabahasa, alat nahu Melayu dapat memenuhi keperluan pembangunan masa kini. Yang merendahkan bahasa Melayu dan membayangkannya sebagai bahasa rendah taraf harus meningkatkan kemahiran mereka dalam bahasa ini supaya dapat mempergunakannya secara bermanfaat.
Perkembangan bahasa Melayu bergantung kepada pembangunan intelektual dan ilmiah dalam kalangan rakyat dan sikap mereka terhadap menggunakan bahasa mereka dengan seluas mungkin. Perkembangan bahasa Melayu tidak dapat lepas dari taraf intelektual masyarakat yang menghidupi bahasa itu.
Kita semua mengkehendaki supaya bahasa Melayu menjadi bahasa sains dan teknologi. Demi mencapai matlamat ini bahasa Melayu seharusnya sanggup membawa pengertian yang jelas, tidak samar-samar dan tepat. Yang tidak percaya bahasa Melayu mempunyai kemampuan ini ingat bahawa bahasa kita terdiri daripada perkataan yang maknanya kabur. Mereka tidak faham masalahnya adalah kekaburan dalam pemikiran pengguna bahasa itu. Inilah yang mewujudkan bahasa yang samar-samar.
Janganlah serah kepada status maha kuasa. Bahasa tidak merupakan suatu kuasa yang bebas dan terpencil dari masyarakat. Bahasa tidak menentukan masyarakat, malahan masyarakat menentukan bahasa. Perkembangan bahasa Melayu bergantung kepada pembangunan masyarakat yang mempergunakan bahasa itu dalam bidang ekonomi, sosial, dan budaya.
Di samping itu, ia juga bergantung kepada usaha penyatuan bahasa Melayu-Indonesia yang sudah lama menjadi hasrat orang Malaysia dan Indonesia. Sebahagian dari tujuan ini dicapai, iaitu penyatuan sistem ejaan. Supaya proses penyatuan ini berterusan dan segala halangan terhadap kemasukan pelbagai jenis penerbitan antara negara berbahasa Melayu, iaitu, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, dan Singapura harus dihilangkan. Proses penyatuan bahasa seharusnya dapat dipercepatkan agar pembaca dari kelima negara itu dapat saling membaca dan memakai tulisan mereka.
Syed Farid Alatas, professor di Jabatan Sosiologi, Universiti Nasional Singapura, mengkhususkan dalam pemikiran sosial dalam tradisi bukan Barat, di samping masalah kebangkitan masyarakat Islam pada zaman moden.
Artikel ini adalah pandangan penulis dan tidak semestinya mewakili FMT.
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Serbia’s Novak Djokovic is bidding to become the first man in half a century to win all four Grand Slam titles twice. (AP pic)
PARIS: Novak Djokovic was likened to a snake devouring its prey Tuesday as his bid to become the first man in half a century to win all four Grand Slam titles twice got off to a straightforward start at Roland Garros while a ‘double bounce’ row prompted calls for video replays to be introduced in tennis.
World No 1 Djokovic, returning to Grand Slam action for the first time since his US Open disqualification, eased past Sweden’s Mikael Ymer, ranked 80, in straight sets 6-0, 6-2, 6-3.
It was his 32nd win in 33 matches in 2020 and kept him on course for a second French Open title following his 2016 triumph, and 18th career Major.
“It’s always a pleasure to return to Paris on Philippe Chatrier, this important court. The atmosphere is a little different this year with few fans but I remain motivated to win the title,” said Djokovic, only one of two men to have defeated 12-time champion Rafael Nadal in 15 years in Paris.
The 33-year-old top seed is in the second round for a record-equalling 16th time, matching Guillermo Vilas and Nadal.
Djokovic, who suffered no immediate hangover from his US Open controversy by quickly wrapping up a record 36th Masters title in Rome on the eve of Roland Garros, next faces Lithuania’s Ricardas Berankis.
Ymer, making just his fourth main draw appearance at a Major, graphically summed up the challenge of facing Djokovic.
“It felt like when a snake kills its prey,” said 22-year-old Ymer.
“I had chances to rally but then I got suffocated.”
Russia’s Andrey Rublev, the 13th seed who won the Hamburg title just two days ago, staged a remarkable recovery from two sets and 3-5 down in the third to beat Sam Querrey of the US 6-7 (5/7), 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 6-4, 6-3.
“My attitude today was really horrible and it needs to change,” said Rublev, who had lost both his previous matches in Paris.
Greek fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, the runner-up in Hamburg, also needed five sets to make the second round, beating Spain’s Jaume Munar 4-6, 2-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 on the back of 54 winners.
“I never had a match like this before,” said Tsitsipas after coming back from two sets down for the first time in his career.
Kristina Mladenovic called for a football-style VAR system to be introduced in tennis after her opponent profited from a double bounce to help knock the Frenchwoman out of her home Grand Slam.
Mladenovic was 5-1 up and with a set point against Laura Siegemund when the German scooped a winner despite the ball appearing to bounce twice. The incident was missed by chair umpire Eva Asderaki.
World No 44 Mladenovic pleaded in vain before Siegemund took full advantage, racing into the next round with a 7-5, 6-3 win.
‘Replace human with camera’
Frenchwoman Kristina Mladenovic wants a football-style VAR system to be introduced in tennis. (AP Pic)
“It would be great to have that,” said Mladenovic when asked if video replays should be introduced.
“It’d be a pity to replace a human with a camera but to err is human. I don’t see how the umpire could not see it. Unfortunately, she continues at Roland Garros but I do not.”
Second seed Karolina Pliskova ended Mayar Sherif’s fairytale Grand Slam breakthrough to set up a second round clash against former champion Jelena Ostapenko.
Pliskova, a semifinalist in 2017, squandered eight set points in the opener as world No 172 Sherif, the first Egyptian woman to play in the main draw at a Slam, took a shock lead.
However, the Czech’s greater experience eventually told as she recovered to progress 6-7 (9/11), 6-2, 6-4.
Latvia’s Ostapenko, the world 43, won her first match at the French Open since sweeping to her shock 2017 title when she fired 46 winners past Madison Brengle of the US to win 6-2, 6-1.
‘Pressure all gone’
“After I won here it was a tough time. I had to get used to the pressure but now it’s all gone,” said the 23-year-old Ostapenko.
Denmark’s Clara Tauson, just 17 and a qualifier, unleashed 48 winners to knock out American 21st seed and US Open semifinalist Jennifer Brady 6-4, 3-6, 9-7.
Tauson also saved two match points on her way to a maiden career main draw win.
Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin recovered from a break down in the final set to defeat 125th-ranked Russian Liudmila Samsonova 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.
Fourth seed Kenin, who dumped out Serena Williams in Paris a year ago, fought back from 2-0 down in the decider to advance to a second round tie against Romania’s Ana Bogdan.
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Joson Numismatic Collections in Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, Melaka. (Malaysia Traveller pic)
Joson Numismatic Collections in Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, Melaka is a treasure trove of old banknotes, coins, stamps, vintage advertising and other collectables for sale.
The Jonker Street area has long been known for its antique, bric-a-brac and collectables shops, as well as traditional craftsmen such as sign painters, chop makers and shoemakers.
Over the years, most of these have either gone out of business or been pushed out of their prime location by higher rents.
Joson Numismatic deals in a range of collectable banknotes, coins and stamps from Malaysia. (Malaysia Traveller pic)
Fortunately, some, like Joson and Wah Aik, the bound foot shoe shop, have survived and relocated to nearby Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock (Heeren Street).
Joson Numismatic sells (and buys) collectable banknotes, coins and stamps from Malaysia (including Malaya, Straits Settlements, British North Borneo) Asia and beyond.
Old cigarette packs are popular among collectors. (Malaysia Traveller pic)
Other collectables and memorabilia on display include porcelain, old photos, toys, advertising material, posters and more.
The bright blue exterior makes Joson hard to miss. (Malaysia Traveller pic)The signboard gives a taste of what is inside the shop. (Malaysia Traveller pic)
Joson Numismatic Collections
64 Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock
75200 Melaka
Tel: (016) 669 1811
Liverpool’s Thiago Alcantara warms up before the Premier League game against Chelsea earlier this month. (AP pic)
LIVERPOOL: Liverpool’s new midfield signing Thiago Alcantara has tested positive for Covid-19 and is self-isolating with minor symptoms, the Premier League champions said on Tuesday.
The Spaniard, who joined from Bayern Munich earlier this month and made his debut in their 2-0 win over Chelsea, was ruled out of their next two games after missing Monday’s 3-1 victory over Arsenal at Anfield.
“It is the choice of each individual whether they reveal publicly the outcome of a Covid-19 test,” Liverpool’s first-team doctor Jim Moxon said in a statement.
“We have followed all the protocols to the letter and Thiago is okay. He will be self-isolating now as per the guidelines and hopefully he’ll be back with us soon.”
Liverpool will host Arsenal in the last 16 of the League Cup on Thursday and return to league action on Sunday with a trip to Aston Villa.
Spain manager Luis Enrique is due to announce his squad for this month’s matches with Portugal, Switzerland and Ukraine.
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Sabah’s Chinese community has no elected representatives who can be considered for Chief Minister Hajiji Noor’s Cabinet. (Bernama pic)
KOTA KINABALU: Is there room in the new Sabah Cabinet for a Chinese representative? That is the question the community is asking itself after an overwhelming number of them rejected Chinese candidates in the now ruling GRS in favour of those from Warisan Plus.
Politicians like former state assistant minister Pang Yuk Ming reckon as much as a whopping 95% of votes from the Chinese community went to Warisan Plus candidates.
As a consequence, GRS’ Chinese candidates from MCA, PBS and SAPP were defeated – some losing their deposits – leaving the community with no elected representatives who could be considered by new Sabah Chief Minister Hajiji Noor for his Cabinet.
Hajiji, who has yet to name five more of his ministers, could name one or more Chinese community representatives for any of the six nominated assemblymen positions and they could then be appointed to the state Cabinet.
Federation of Sabah Chinese Associations president Goh Tian Chuan alluded to this when he called for the chief minister to form a state government that was multi-racial and said a diverse Cabinet was necessary to ensure no particular race was marginalised.
PCS deputy president Pang Yuk Ming.
However, Pang, who is the PCS deputy president, questioned whether it was even possible for Hajiji to take such a move given the “complexity” within the GRS coalition comprising Umno, PPBM, PBS and STAR.
“Umno and other parties have brokered for the various portfolios in the Cabinet. Do you think they would be willing to give up a portfolio to accommodate a community that had overwhelmingly supported the other side?” he asked.
Political observer Hamid Ismail said he personally believed the Chinese community deserved a voice in the Cabinet.
However, even if this did not materialise, he said there were alternatives for the community to be heard, including at the state legislative assembly where the Chinese elected representatives from the now opposition Warisan Plus and PKR could voice out their issues.
“No matter what happens, the chief minister is not going to abandon or forsake any community,” Hamid said.
Political analyst Lee Kuok Tiung said it was time for Sabahans and Malaysians in general to move beyond the thinking that only an elected representative of a particular community could represent that group.
“In this day and age, it is not necessarily true that a Chinese should represent the Chinese community. We need to see ourselves as Malaysians first and not just as Sabahans or of a particular ethnicity,” he said.
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Kellie’s Castle tersergam indah di atas bukit jika dilihat dari tepi jalan.
Jika anda melalui jalan dari Simpang Pulai ke Batu Gajah, Perak anda dapat melihat sebuah istana lama tersergam di atas bukit dikenali sebagai Kellie’s Castle.
Kellie Castle mula dibina pada tahun 1905 oleh seorang peladang getah terkemuka warga Scotland iaitu William Kellie Smith. Bangunan tiga tingkat ini dibina mengikut reka bentuk istana Moghul di India. Malah, dikatakan tukang binaan bangunan ini dibawa khas dari Madras.
Namun, istana atau rumah agam ini tidak siap dibina sepenuhnya kerana William mati mengejut pada tahun 1926 akibat sakit pneumonia.
Istana ini mempunyai 14 buah bilik, sebuah bilik bawah tanah dan terowong rahsia. Terdapat syaf lif yang sepatutnya menempatkan lif pertama di Tanah Melayu jika istana ini dapat disiapkan.
Lif ini berfungsi daripada tingkat atas sehingga terowong bawah tanah di rumah agam tersebut. Namun, perancangan ini tidak berjaya kerana William meninggal dunia ketika pulang ke Eropah untuk mengambil lif tersebut.
Mengikut perancangan, di tingkat kedua akan dibina sebuah padang tenis berlantaikan simen. Manakala kawasan atas bumbung pula dikhaskan untuk upacara keraian bersama usahawan atau orang-orang kenamaan.
Kellie’s Castle menyimpan seribu kenangan pahit dan manis. Proses pembinaannya melalui pelbagai masalah dan kerana kematian Smith, rumah agam ini tidak dapat disiapkan.
Tidak jauh dari istana Kellie, terdapat sebuah kuil Hindu dan yang menariknya, terdapat sebuah patung lelaki Eropah diletakkan bersama-sama patung dewa hindu lain di kuil itu. Di katakan, patung tersebut adalah penghargaan kepada William yang telah membina kuil tersebut.
Fakta menarik mengenai Kellie’s Castle:
Berita mengenai Kellie’s Castle pernah disiarkan dalam akhbar London Financer pada 15 September 1911. Binaan bangunan ini dianggap unik dari segi reka bentuk dan keluasannya.
Istana Kellie sering menjadi lokasi pengambaran drama dan filem. Antaranya filem Anna And The King yang dilakonkan oleh pelakon Chow Yuen Fatt.
Pembinaannya tidak menggunakan besi atau pun paku.
Oleh kerana tiada simen pada waktu itu, batu-bata dilekatkan menggunakan campuran putih telur itik, pasir, kapur, gula merah dan madu. Lebih mengagumkan binaan yang terbina dari campuran tersebut mampu kekal sehingga ke hari ini.
Sebuah jambatan menyeberangi Sungai Kinta dibina untuk pelawat agar mudah ke Istana Kellie.
Sebuah kedai makan dan kedai cenderahati dan tapak meletakkan kenderaan telah dibina oleh Majlis Daerah Kinta Barat pada tahun 1990.
Perjalanan ke Kellie’s Castle
Jika dari Kuala Lumpur, anda akan mengambil masa selama 2 jam. Anda perlu melalui Lebuh raya Utara Selatan dan keluar ke Plaza Tol Simpang Pulai menuju ke Batu Gajah atau Universiti Teknologi Petronas di Tronoh.
Bayaran masuk
Untuk warga tempatan (Pastikan anda membawa Mycard):
Dewasa: RM5.00
Kanak-kanak berumur 3 – 12 tahun: RM3.00
Warga emas berusia 60 tahun ke atas: RM4.00
Untuk pelancong dan bukan warga negara Malaysia:
Dewasa: RM10.00
Kanak-kanak: RM8.00
Waktu operasi:
Dibuka setiap hari bermula jam 9.00pagi – 6.00petang
Lawatan ke dalam bangunan adalah ‘self-guide’.
SAN FRANCISCO: TikTok on Tuesday launched a US election guide as part of an effort to battle misinformation on the wildly popular video-sharing app that the White House has targeted for a ban.
Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other internet platforms have all ramped up efforts to provide users reliable news and avoid being used to mislead voters during a contentious US election.
TikTok’s in-app guide provides links to voter registration pages and access to election information from sources such as the National Association of Secretaries of State and BallotReady, according to head of US public policy Michael Beckerman.
“Our goal is to keep TikTok a place where authentic content can thrive, and our elections guide reflects our ongoing efforts to protect the integrity of our platform and the US elections,” Beckerman said in a blog post.
The guide can be accessed from a Discover page in the TikTok app and will appear on election-related search results, according to Beckerman.
It will also be linked at the bottom of videos related to the election or on verified political accounts, he said.
“On TikTok we’re seeing how people, especially younger voters, are passionate about important issues and are ready to make their voices heard,” BallotReady chief executive Alex Niemczewski said in the release.
“Younger voters often do not realise everything that will appear on their ballot, and we believe that TikTok can help them vote their entire ballot.”
Voting information
MediaWise at the Poynter Institute will post a series of videos on TikTok aimed at teaching first-time voters how to spot bogus information online, according to programme manager Katy Byron.
“We are excited to partner with TikTok to help teach their community how to sort fact from fiction online,” Byron said.
The election guide makes its debut as TikTok battles to stop a ban ordered by US President Donald Trump. The company has challenged the ban in court as being capricious and politically motivated.
A US judge who stopped a ban on TikTok downloads from kicking in on Monday said that Trump likely overstepped the law with the attempted move.
District Judge Carl Nichols issued a temporary injunction at the request of TikTok, which the White House has called a national security threat stemming from its Chinese parent firm’s links to the Beijing government.
The government order sought to ban new downloads of the app from midnight on Sunday.
A second phase of the ban aimed at stopping TikTok operations in the US is set to take effect on Nov 12.
Government lawyers have argued the president has a right to take national security actions, and said the ban was needed because of TikTok’s links to the Chinese government through its parent firm ByteDance.
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In any contest there are winners and losers. Congratulations to the winning parties. They now have to deliver.
In Malaysia, governments are now short lived with an average life span of two years. There is no guarantee there won’t be any more leapfrogging or switching of allegiance to PH, PN, MN, GRS or any other concocted abbreviation designed to confuse the people. The players are cut from the same cloth.
The question on everybody’s mind is what went wrong with Warisan’s campaign which led to its dismal performance.
The lower voter turnout and the use by Warisan Plus, Upko and PKR of their own symbols could be explained as contributing factors for their poor showing. But this doesn’t explain everything. The DAP, which contested under the Warisan banner, did well, winning six of the seven seats it contested. The Chinese voters were solidly behind Warisan.
Could a unified symbol have helped Upko and PKR win more seats? The sheer number of contenders – 447 in total – and gerrymandering of 13 new seats did not help the situation as the voters had more choice than ever before to split votes.
Anwar Ibrahim’s announcement that he had the numbers to form the federal government in the final stages of the campaigning added a new factor in the campaign as Shafie Apdal and Anwar are in their own contest to become the prime minister of Malaysia.
Overall, it did not help Shafie’s position as Anwar had jumped the gun over his rival.
There were rumours that Shafie’s deputy, Darell Leiking, who is already an MP and contesting at state level, was being groomed to become the next chief minister if Shafie moved up to the federal level.
What were the issues in the election campaign and did they really matter? There were accusations of money politics as usual but that’s been common over the past decades. While the urban folk may not be moved by money politics, it may matter to the rural folk as a few hundred ringgit may make a difference in the short term. But it still does not explain why Warisan fared badly in many areas.
Aside from money politics, what were the issues the people of Sabah were concerned about? The much talked about MA63 and the illegal immigrants issues were there in earlier elections. The opposition tried to make the Suluk heritage stick and frighten people that Shafie was sympathetic to the illegal population that had flooded Sabah for decades.
Shafie’s attempts to solve the matter by issuing a new pass when Muhyiddin Yassin was the home minister backfired, leading to the Kimanis by-election loss in January.
Another distraction which did not help Warisan was the former federal tourism minister Mohamaddin Ketapi’s loose tongue, which discredited the armed forces. It became election fodder and Shafie was forced to apologise on Mohamaddin’s behalf. Shafie made a similar gaffe in 2018 when he criticised Rela.
During the election campaign, Warisan came out with a slick campaign, some say a copy book of Obama’s campaign of hope and unity, and building around the cult personality of party leader Shafie.
The slogan “We are here to build a nation, not a particular race or religion” may resonate with a nation suffering from race and religion issues, especially in Malaya, but it’s like preaching to the converted in Sabah, where there is little issue over the matter.
It would be a nice platform or slogan if Shafie were to contest for the prime ministership, but then this was a state election.
The unity videos and slogan which resonated well with the Malaysian public may have lulled the Sabah urban voters into slumber while their opponents were attacking Warisan over the illegal immigrants issue, the economy, and the bread and butter issues involving socio-economic development of the state. In their haste to deny federal control and dominance of state matters, they may have downplayed these bread and butter issues, especially in the rural areas.
The well-oiled machinery and military discipline of Barisan Nasional/Umno were still there despite some of their leaders being convicted or facing trial for massive corruption.
The “Abah” factor cannot be discounted as Muhyiddin Yassin’s popularity is evident although his party has yet to establish roots in Sabah. Sabahans were so caught up in the feel good factor of the slick emotional heart tugging videos that they probably forgot the reality out there.
People need to be fed, people need jobs, people want economic and infrastructural development. Warisan should have promised to solve these issues instead of just talking about unity, which does not put food on anyone’s table.
Muhyiddin was continuously reminding Sabahans they could only benefit from a closer relationship with the federal government. The statement, made during the election campaign, by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mustapa Mohamed of the setting up of a special Cabinet committee to deal with Sabah’s high poverty was seen by voters as a positive sign.
Also, the statement from a “director” of the Institute for Development Studies giving a bleak economic outlook for Sabah may have spooked many voters and investors.
Shafie’s leadership was also attacked many times, especially his “poor handling” of the economy. To be fair to Shafie, the Covid-19 situation complicated matters and Sabah’s economic problem was not entirely his fault. But giving excuses when the people wanted results did not favour Shafie going into the election.
Also, backtracking on the Kaiduan dam and Tg Aru development had chipped away at the party’s credibility.
Shafie gambled by calling for a snap election and lost. He had very little choice.
In hindsight, Shafie should have listened more to the captains of industry and professionals who were willing to give his young government a chance.
It is now a big test for a young party that has not developed a culture of tight discipline and struggle and it remains to be seen whether Warisan members are made of sterner stuff and can become a constructive opposition. We can only hope for the best.
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
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Accidents can happen anytime but if you are sufficiently covered, insurance helps mitigate the financial effects. (Rawpixel pic)
No one likes cold calls from insurance agents and companies, especially when they are young, rockin’ their career and taking over the world.
Why hand over hard-earned cash to some company for the rest of your life for circumstances that are never going to happen anyway?
Delicate balancing act
The truth is, insurance is an essential item. It is better to be prepared for, say, an accident than to tear your hair out when faced with the financial strain that comes with one.
But insurance can be a difficult topic to discuss. Too often, the insurance industry and agents use jargon that the layman does not understand.
It is actually up to you to determine what kind of insurance you need and the amount of cover – too little and the policy will fail to insulate you from a financial emergency; too much and your wallet is stretched to breaking point.
Here is what you need to know about insurance.
What and how much?
Every person is different; one person’s perception about a threat is different from their BFF’s. Insurance requirements are different and choosing the correct policy is a highly personalised task.
Based on your lifestyle and your estimation of certain threats, make a list of events that are likely to occur. Granted, the future cannot be foreseen, but you must make sure you are not too scared or unreasonably “this won’t happen to me” brave. Stick to the golden middle path.
Next, prepare a rough estimate of the financial effects of these events. Comparing this figure with your income will give an idea of the amount of insurance cover needed.
As general rule, you will need the following:
Life insurance for the main breadwinner of the family to safeguard dependents in case of unexpected death or disability.
Life Insurance is the No 1 insurance priority for those with young children and other dependents, who are still repaying mortgages or student loans.
Term life insurance is inexpensive but provides compensation only if a person dies within the policy duration. It is a good choice for coverage for a short duration of say five years, after which the children will be financially independent.
Whole life insurance covers you for your entire life and you can withdraw the entire cash value of the policy or borrow from it.
With rising healthcare costs, it is important that you get adequate health insurance coverage. (Rawpixel pic)
Health insurance is something almost everyone needs as the cost of healthcare gets higher and higher.
While a major illness or accident cannot be predicted with absolute certainty, check your family history for hereditary disorders and estimate the age when these conditions develop.
Get health insurance at an early age before these disorders creep in and multiply the cost of health cover.
People who travel a lot are more likely to be involved in an accident, so, a Medishield Integrated Shield Plan and other hospital plans are useful.
Long-term disability insurance covers the income lost when you are unable to work due to a disability. Choose one that covers 60% to 80% of your income.
Long-term care insurance is very expensive. For those aged over 70 who need nursing care, this cover does help maintain financial independence without burdening the family. If you can afford it, you should purchase it
Home insurance is necessary for those living in a region prone to natural disasters. Choose a policy that covers replacement of the structure and the belongings in the house in addition to the expenses of living at a temporary residence until the home is safe to live in again.
Car insurance, or at least the liability insurance part of it, is required by law. People are increasingly interested in filing lawsuits and one might end up paying for more than the repairs to the car.
Purchasing car and other insurance from the same company usually saves money. Shop around though.
Consider income, net worth, driving habits, the amount of health coverage and whether the car is leased or under financing before getting car insurance.
Business insurance helps guard against legal liability, property damage and employee-related risks. (Rawpixel pic)
Business insurance can make the difference between a successful enterprise and a bankrupt one. For entrepreneurs, it literally pays to have business insurance to guard against legal liability, property damage and employee-related risks.
Good to have insurance
While focusing on what you need, do not forget what you do not need. Here is what you don’t usually need:
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Sarawak menganggap bahasa Inggeris sebagai bahasa rasmi ke-2. (Gambar Bernama)
PETALING JAYA: Seorang menteri muda Sarawak berkata negeri itu berhak menggunakan bahasa Inggeris sebagai bahasa pengantar di sekolah, seperti yang dinyatakan dalam Laporan Jawatankuasa Antara Kerajaan (Laporan IGC) 1962.
Ia susulan kenyataan seorang ahli akademik mengatakan cadangan menubuhkan sekolah antarabangsa milik kerajaan di Sarawak bercanggah dengan Akta Pendidikan, yang mewajibkan semua sekolah kerajaan menggunakan Bahasa Melayu sebagai bahasa pengantar.
Annuar Rapaee, menteri muda pendidikan, sains dan penyelidikan teknologi, berkata Laporan IGC jelas memberi hak kepada Sarawak untuk memutuskan dasar pendidikannya dan menggunakan bahasa Inggeris di sekolah, sambil menambah laporan itu asas kepada Perjanjian Malaysia 1963.
“Kita tidak pernah bersetuju untuk mengubah dasar ini sejak kita membentuk Malaysia. Oleh itu, mesti dihormati bahawa Sarawak boleh menggunakan bahasa Inggeris (sebagai bahasa pengantar di sekolah).
“Oleh kerana itu, kita masih anggap bahasa Inggeris sebagai bahasa rasmi ke-2 kami,” kata Annuar kepada FMT.
Perenggan 17 laporan itu menyatakan dasar dan sistem pentadbiran di Sarawak perlu kekal berada bawah kendalian kerajaan negeri, kecuali jika ia dipersetujui sebaliknya.
Beliau menjawab Teo Kok Seong dari Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia yang mengatakan pendidikan bawah bidang kuasa kerajaan persekutuan dan membenarkan sekolah antarabangsa milik kerajaan bercanggah dengan Akta Pendidikan.
Teo mengulas mengenai keputusan negeri itu untuk menubuhkan sekolah menengah antarabangsa sendiri bagi menghasilkan pelajar yang kompetitif dengan bahasa Inggeris yang baik.
Sebanyak 5 buah sekolah menengah antarabangsa diusulkan, termasuk 2 di Kuching, dan masing-masing 1 di Sibu, Bintulu, dan Miri, menggunakan Sijil Umum Pendidikan Menengah Antarabangsa oleh Cambridge Assessment International Education Board.
Annuar berkata, Teo seharusnya melakukan lebih banyak kajian sebelum mengulas mengenai perkara itu, sambil menambah langkah itu lebih kepada meningkatkan taraf pendidikan di negeri itu.
Katanya, Sarawak sudah lama menjadi “anak tiri” dalam pendidikan, menunjukkan piawaian pendidikan yang merosot dan juga kemudahan yang “sangat buruk” di sana.
“Beri peluang kepada kerajaan negeri untuk memperbaiki semua ini melainkan anda mahu melihat Sarawak masih ketinggalan ke belakang walaupun negeri ini ada sumber semula jadi dan peranan yang besar dalam KDNK negara,” katanya.
Tambahnya, tidak menjadi masalah bagi sekolah antarabangsa kendalian negeri untuk menggunakan bahasa Inggeris kerana ia tidak akan menggunakan silibus kebangsaan tetapi kurikulum antarabangsa yang sama dengan sekolah swasta lain.
“Sekolah antarabangsa kita ini akan dikendalikan oleh sebuah syarikat milik Yayasan Sarawak dan dana dari kerajaan negeri. Ia tidak bertentangan dengan Akta Pendidikan.”
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Police officers investigate the scene of the attack in Paris on Friday. (AP pic)
PARIS: A man who wounded two people in a meat cleaver attack in Paris last week has been charged with “attempted murder with relation to a terrorist enterprise”, French anti-terrorist prosecutors told AFP on Tuesday.
A judge also placed the man – who has identified himself as 25-year-old Pakistani-born Zaheer Hassan Mehmood – under judicial investigation for criminal association with terrorists, the prosecuting authority PNAT said, adding that a request had been made for him to be remanded in custody.
Earlier, the suspect admitted he lied to police when he said he was 18 and had entered the country as a minor, the lead prosecutor in the case said.
The assailant in what the French government has called an act of “Islamist terrorism” had identified himself as Hassan A, an 18-year-old born in the Pakistani town of Mandi Bahauddin.
He entered France in 2018 under the false identity that gave him access to social security aid for minors, national anti-terror prosecutor Jean-Francois Ricard told a news conference.
After the attack last Friday, investigators became suspicious about his claims when they found a photo of an identity document on his phone that appeared to suggest he was actually called Zaheer Hassan Mehmood, aged 25.
“He eventually admitted that this was his true identity and that he was 25 years old,” Ricard said.
It was under that identity that he appeared in a video filmed before the attack, in which he said he was avenging the publication of caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed by the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo.
The magazine was the scene of a massacre by Islamist gunmen in January 2015, and the trial of 14 alleged accomplices in that attack is currently under way in Paris.
The attacker seriously wounded two employees of a TV production agency whose offices are on the same block that used to house Charlie Hebdo. They are now in stable condition, officials said.
He told investigators he thought he was targeting employees of Charlie Hebdo, but did not realise they had since moved to a new location that is kept secret because of security risks.
Ricard said the attacker had never attracted the attention of any government intelligence agency before Friday’s assault.
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University students lead a Black Lives Matter protest in downtown Georgia in memory of Breonna Taylor on Friday. (AP pic)
WASHINGTON: The lone officer charged in the case of Breonna Taylor, the African American woman whose death during a Louisville, Kentucky police raid became a rallying cry of the Black Lives Matter movement, pleaded not guilty Monday.
Detective Brett Hankison rejected grand jury charges unveiled last week that accused him of “wanton endangerment”, for wildly and blindly shooting into adjacent apartments during the raid that saw Taylor shot dead by two other officers.
None of the three officers in the raid was charged with the death of Taylor, a 26-year-old emergency room aide who was shot six times after police forced their way into her apartment as she slept with her boyfriend on March 13.
Police said the boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, fired once at them, giving them cause to fire back, killing Taylor but not hitting Walker.
The grand jury indictment last week of Hankison – but neither of the others identified as the officers who shot Taylor – sparked anger and protests in the Kentucky city, and accusations by Taylor’s family of a cover-up to protect the police.
“It’s like they charged the police for missing” but not for “shooting bullets into black bodies”, Taylor family attorney Ben Crump said.
Hankison was freed on US$15,000 bond, and in Monday’s telephone hearing, his attorney requested that he be allowed to keep a weapon because of threats he had received.
“I would ask the court to consider allowing him to retain possession of any weapons that he may own for self-defence purposes,” said his lawyer, Stewart Matthews.
But the judge rejected the request.
“People that are in this court charged with offences involving firearms, I do not allow them to possess any firearm, as a condition of their bonds,” she said.
Hankison, who was fired from the police force in June, faces up to 15 years in prison on the three counts of wanton endangerment.
The next hearing will be on Oct 28.
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Bahasa Melayu merupakan salah satu daripada bahasa yang paling luas ditutur di dunia. Hampir 200 juta orang di Asia Tenggara bertutur dalam bahasa ini. Namun begitu, ada yang mengatakan bahasa Inggeris seharusnya dititik beratkan kerana ia merupakan bahasa antarabangsa dan pengantar ilmiah. Pada pihak lain, bahasa Melayu sering dianggap sebagai bahasa yang kurang mampu memenuhi keperluan semasa kerana taraf pembangunan bahasa ini tidak setara dengan cabaran zaman yang berasaskan kepada perkembangan teknologi dan sumber manusia yang pesat.
In any contest there are winners and losers. Congratulations to the winning parties. They now have to deliver.
