Israel hantar senjata untuk bantu Hosni

KAHERAH: Israel dilapor menghantar senjata untuk menyuraikan tunjuk perasaan untuk digunakan oleh Presiden Mesir, Hosni Mubarak, terhadap beribu-ribu penunjuk perasaan yang menentang pemerintahan 30 tahunnya.

Menurut Rangkaian Hak Asasi dan Pembangunan Antarabangsa, pesawat Israel mendarat di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Mina Sabtu lalu dengan membawa kelengkapan itu. Ia melaporkan, pasukan keselamatan Mesir menerima kargo di atas pesawat Israel, termasuk gas untuk menyuraikan penunjuk perasaan yang dilarang oleh pertubuhan antarabangsa.

Sementara itu, parti pembangkang utama Mesir, Ikhwanul Muslimin semalam bersetuju untuk menyokong pemimpin pembangkang liberal, Mohamed ElBaradei sebagai jurucakap utama kumpulan pembangkang dalam rundingan reformasi.

Ikhwan mengumumkan keputusannya semalam ketika perarakan bantahan ‘sejuta orang’ berterusan di Kaherah.

Mohamed, 68, adalah bekas Ketua Agensi Tenaga Atom Antarabangsa - AP

http://www.hmetro.com.my/myMetro/articles/IsraelhantarsenjatauntukbantuHosni/Article/index_html

Ratusan ribu berarak

SESAK...penunjuk perasaan berkumpul di Medan Tahrir atau Medan Pembebasan di Kaherah, semalam.

SEORANG lelaki membawa poster Presiden Hosni Mubarak yang digambarkan sebagai Adolf Hitler ketika menyertai tunjuk perasaan di Kaherah, semalam.

KAHERAH: Ratusan ribu penunjuk perasaan semalam membanjiri Kaherah dan bandar kedua terbesar Mesir, Iskandariah, dalam gerakan paling hebat untuk menyuarakan kemarahan mereka dalam usaha menggulingkan rejim Presiden Hosni Mubarak.

Ketika kerajaan negara asing bergegas untuk memindahkan warga masing-masing dari Kaherah, pembangkang berkata, ia tidak akan berunding dengan Hosni.

Sementara itu, Mohamed ElBaradei, yang dianggap pemimpin penunjuk perasaan anti rejim Hosni, berkata, Jumaat sudah ditetapkan sebagai ‘hari pemergian Hosni.

Pemberontakan di Mesir yang dianggarkan sudah menyebabkan 300 orang terbunuh, menyebabkan rasa cemas merebak di seluruh rantau itu dengan Raja Jordan, Abdullah II memecat kerajaan Samir Rifal selepas pembangkang mengadakan tunjuk perasaan sejak beberapa minggu lalu bagi menuntut perubahan.

Di Kaherah, penunjuk perasaan, termasuk lelaki, wanita dan kanak-kanak membanjiri jalan raya bandar raya itu, menyertai ribuan orang yang bermalam dalam khemah atau di atas padang di sekitar Medan Tahrir.

Tentera yang berkata ia tidak akan melepaskan tembakan ke arah penunjuk perasaan, memeriksa kad pengenalan sebelum membenarkan penunjuk perasaan memasuki medan itu.

Orang awam juga mengadakan pemeriksaan kad pengenalan di kawasan itu, kerana bimbang ada polis berpakaian preman menyelinap masuk untuk menjadi pengacau. - Reuters

http://www.hmetro.com.my/articles/Ratusanribuberarak/Article

Pasangan paling pelik di dunia

DOMINIK SEJDA (kanan) dan Andrea Kajzarova dianggap pasangan paling pelik di dunia kerana kedua-duanya telah menukar jantina.

PRAGUE - Sepasang kekasih di Republik Czech layak digelar pasangan paling pelik di dunia kerana mereka jatuh cinta selepas kedua-duanya menjalani pembedahan menukar jantina.

Dominik Sejda, 45, atau nama asalnya Ilona Tomeckova, dilahirkan sebagai wanita pernah menjalani pembedahan menukar jantina untuk menjadi lelaki dan dia kini hidup bersama dengan seorang lelaki yang telah menukar jantina menjadi perempuan, Andrea Kajzarova, 32.

Sejda memainkan peranan sebagai lelaki manakala Andrea merupakan wanita dalam hubungan tersebut.

Mereka yang bekerja sebagai pembantu ambulans di dua hospital di sini, berkenalan dalam satu laman web pondan.

Lebih aneh, Sejda pernah melahirkan seorang anak lelaki 25 tahun dahulu, Radim, yang juga telah menjalani pembedahan untuk menukar jantinanya menjadi wanita. - Agensi

http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/content.asp?y=2011&dt=0202&pub=Kosmo&sec=Dunia&pg=du_05.htm

Empat cahaya misteri di Utah

EMPAT cahaya misteri (dalam bulatan) muncul di American Fork, Utah, Amerika Syarikat pada Rabu lalu.

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AMERICAN FORK, Amerika Syarikat - Beberapa rakaman video dan telefon bimbit menunjukkan beberapa cahaya misteri yang berwarna putih dan merah muncul di sini pada waktu malam, lapor sebuah akhbar semalam.

Imej tersebut dirakamkan beberapa penduduk yang menyaksikan fenomena ganjil itu pada Rabu lalu di antara pukul 7.15 dan 7.30 malam.

Dalam rakaman itu, tiga cahaya tersebut didapati berwarna merah dan bergerak di langit selama 15 minit sebelum satu cahaya berwarna putih yang terang muncul.

Seorang penduduk tempatan yang ditemuramah stesen televisyen ABC, Lynette Chidester berkata, dia tidak mendengar bunyi semasa cahaya ganjil itu muncul.

Menurutnya, cahaya itu menarik perhatiannya kerana salah satu daripadanya tidak berkelip seperti lampu sebuah pesawat.

Dia berkata, daripada tiga cahaya ganjil itu, timbul satu cahaya berwarna putih.

Seorang lagi penduduk, Mike Galbraith yang berada di tempat meletak kereta sebuah pusat beli-belah juga menyaksikan fenomena misteri itu.

"Saya melihat ke langit dan terdapat tiga cahaya berwarna merah dan ia kemudian seperti menggugurkan satu cahaya berwarna terang," katanya di American Fork, Utah.

Beberapa pegawai tentera dan lapangan terbang melaporkan tiada kejadian ganjil dikesan berlaku semasa cahaya misteri itu muncul. - Agensi

http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/content.asp?y=2011&dt=0202&pub=Kosmo&sec=Dunia&pg=du_04.htm

Sejuta berhimpun tuntut Hosni undur

RATUSAN ribu penduduk berhimpun di Tahrir Square bagi menuntut peletakan jawatan Hosni Mubarak sebagai Presiden Mesir di Kaherah semalam.

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KAHERAH - Sekurang-kurangnya satu juta penduduk berhimpun di serata Mesir semalam yang terdiri daripada pelajar, doktor dan penganggur dalam tunjuk perasaan paling besar bagi menuntut peletakan jawatan Presiden Hosni Mubarak.

Perhimpunan itu turut berlaku di bandar Iskandariah dan Suez.

Para penunjuk perasaan itu menolak janji pembaharuan yang dibuat oleh Hosni.

Ramai penunjuk perasaan itu melaungkan slogan revolusi dan selamat tinggal buat Hosni.

Tokoh pembangkang yang juga bekas Ketua Agensi Tenaga Atom Antarabangsa Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB), Mohamed ElBaradei berkata, Hosni perlu meninggalkan Mesir sebelum pihak pembangkang memulakan rundingan dengan pemerintah mengenai masa depan negara berkenaan.

"Dialog boleh dilakukan tetapi ia akan hanya berlangsung selepas pemintaan daripada penduduk dipenuhi dan yang pertama daripada tuntutan itu ialah Presiden Hosni perlu meninggalkan (negara Mesir)," kata ElBaradei kepada stesen televisyen Al Arabiya.

Pada Isnin lalu, Hosni berjanji tidak akan melakukan kekerasan ke atas para penunjuk perasaan selepas para penentang menggesa sejuta orang berhimpun di Kaherah.

Ramai penunjuk perasaan mengibarkan bendera Mesir, termasuk sebuah bendera tertera perkataan yang meminta Hosni berundur bersama Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Zine El Abidine tersingkir sebagai Presiden Tunisia akibat perhimpunan rakyatnya pada bulan lalu.

Ahli-ahli jawatankuasa demonstrasi di bandar Iskandariah memeriksa kad-kad pengenalan para penyokong mereka bagi mengelak anggota-anggota polis cuba mensabotaj perarakan mereka dengan menyamar sebagai penunjuk perasaan dengan tujuan untuk mencetuskan kekacauan.

Di satu sudut kawasan pula, sekumpulan penunjuk perasaan membawa keranda Hosni dalam tindakan simbolik sambil melaungkan slogan: 'Hosni telah mati tanpa pengampunan Tuhan'.

Sementara itu, PBB menganggarkan sekurang-kurangnya 300 orang telah terbunuh dalam pertempuran dengan anggota-anggota polis sejak rakyat Mesir bermula pada 25 Januari lalu.

Mereka menuntut supaya Hosni berundur dan menggesa demokrasi dan peluang pekerjaan baru diwujudkan di Mesir selain rasuah dan pencabulan hak asasi manusia dihapuskan.

Seorang lelaki yang baru keluar dari hospital selepas satu tangannya putus dalam tunjuk perasaan pada Jumaat lepas menyertai semula protes antipemerintah di Iskandariah semalam.

Tangan lelaki berkenaan, Osama Maghazi terpaksa dipotong selepas jari jemarinya hancur terkena tembakan peluru senapang polis Mesir.

Osama yang bekerja di pelabuhan berkata, dia sedang melintas semasa bantahan diadakan pada Jumaat lalu dan terperangkap dalam rusuhan yang tercetus.

"Adalah menjadi hak rakyat untuk menentukan takdir mereka," kata Osama yang berusia dalam lingkungan 30-an.

Menurutnya, dia gembira kerana perbuatan polis mencederakan tangannya mencetuskan tunjuk perasaan besar-besaran pada Jumaat lepas.

"Orang ramai menuntut supaya Hosni disingkirkan, Orang ramai melaungkan slogan satu suara, satu tuntutan," jelas Osama.

Para penunjuk perasaan juga menegaskan bahawa tuntutan supaya Hosni menamatkan pemerintahannya selama 30 tahun adalah suara ramai dan bukan didorong oleh mana-mana parti politik.

Bagi menzahirkan realiti tersebut mereka menjerit kata-kata seperti tiada parti, tiada kumpulan dan ia merupakan revolusi pemuda Mesir.

Satu kain rentang besar yang tertera ayat: 'Kami (penunjuk perasaan) akan mati tetapi Mesir (negara) akan terus hidup.'

Hosni tidak disukai rakyat kerana pemerintahnya didakwa korup selain tiada perkembangan ekonomi dinikmati penduduk.

Ramai penduduk di Mesir miskin selain pemerintah melakukan penindasan politik terhadap para penentangnya. - Agensi

http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/content.asp?y=2011&dt=0202&pub=Kosmo&sec=Dunia&pg=du_01.htm

Lebih 60,000 mangsa dipindah

KUALA LUMPUR – Seramai 60,389 mangsa banjir membabitkan 13,826 keluarga di seluruh negara dipindahkan ke 356 pusat pemindahan sehingga pukul 8 malam tadi.

Keadaan banjir di Johor menunjukkan penurunan dengan seramai 42,111 mangsa daripada 10,095 keluarga berada di 238 pusat pemindahan berbanding sebelah pagi iaitu 45,000 mangsa daripada 11,104 keluarga berada di 267 pusat pemindahan.

Daerah Segamat masih mencatatkan jumlah mangsa teramai iaitu 20,025 orang membabitkan 4,855 keluarga, diikuti Kluang dengan 6,840 orang daripada 1,756 keluarga.

Di Negeri Sembilan, seramai 1,549 mangsa banjir daripada 368 keluarga masih berada di 16 pusat pemindahan setelah beberapa pusat pemindahan ditutup petang semalam selepas banjir mulai surut.

http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/content.asp?y=2011&dt=0202&pub=Kosmo&sec=Negara&pg=ne_03.htm

Penyamun stesen minyak dijel 66 tahun

Oleh AHMAD SYAHIR KASSIM
syahir.kassim@kosmo.com.my

ABDULLAH (kanan) dan Mohd. Azrul diiiring keluar dari Mahkamah Sesyen Alor Setar selepas dijatuhi hukuman penjara 66 tahun semalam.

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ALOR SETAR - Dua rakan karib terpaksa mensia-siakan hidup mereka di penjara setelah dijatuhi hukuman penjara 66 tahun oleh Mahkamah Sesyen di sini semalam terhadap 10 kesalahan merompak sembilan stesen minyak di sekitar kawasan ini tahun lalu.

Bagaimanapun tertuduh, Abdullah Mat Daud, 25, dan Mohd. Azrul Aswaar Mohd. Shafie, 22, dari Pokok Sena dekat ini bernasib baik apabila Hakim Norsharidah Awang memerintahkan hukuman itu dijalankan serentak selama 10 tahun dan 21 sebatan mulai dari tarikh tangkapan.

Menurut fakta kes, tertuduh melakukan 10 rompakan dengan bersenjatakan parang dan pistol tiruan di beberapa stesen minyak di antara 6 Jun 2010 hingga 1 Oktober 2010.

Tertuduh didakwa mengikut Seksyen 395/397 Kanun keseksaan yang memperuntukkan hukuman penjara 20 tahun dan sebatan.

http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/content.asp?y=2011&dt=0202&pub=Kosmo&sec=Negara&pg=ne_06.htm

'Tolong selamatkan kami'

Oleh ADHAM SHADAN
adham.shadan@kosmo.com.my

RUMAH Negeri Sembilan di Kaherah ini adalah antara tempat kediaman pelajar Malaysia yang menuntut di Mesir.

KOTA BHARU - Pelajar jurusan pergigian di Universiti Al-Azhar, Tengku Nurfar'ain Qistina Tuan Kamarul Baharin (gambar), 21, bernasib baik kerana sempat meninggalkan Mesir kelmarin walaupun dia tidak mempunyai wang yang cukup.

Semuanya kerana ibu kepada kenalannya mempunyai kad kredit dan dengan kemudahan kewangan itu, mereka berjaya membeli tiga tiket penerbangan pesawat Gulf Air dan tiba di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Kuala Lumpur (KLIA) pukul 9.30 pagi kelmarin.

Namun ada pesanan rakan-rakan pelajarnya di negara yang sedang bergolak itu menyebabkan dia tidak lena tidur.

"Kawan-kawan saya pesan, kalau saya selamat balik, tolong selamatkan mereka pula," ujarnya pada sidang akhbar di sini semalam.

Katanya, walaupun dia mempunyai wang di dalam bank, masalah yang dihadapi ramai orang di Mesir ialah semua urusniaga perbankantelah dihentikan.

http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/content.asp?y=2011&dt=0202&pub=Kosmo&sec=Negara&pg=ne_02.htm

Kapal, pesawat jadi penyelamat

LAPANGAN Terbang Kaherah sesak apabila orang ramai tidak sabar untuk meninggalkan Mesir dengan menaiki pesawat semalam.

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KUALA LUMPUR – Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak berkata, kerajaan memutuskan untuk membawa keluar pelajar-pelajar Malaysia dari Mesir menerusi laut dan udara berikutan pergolakan di negara itu yang semakin meruncing.

Beliau berkata, keputusan itu dibuat setelah mendapat laporan daripada delegasi Malaysia ke sana yang diketuai Timbalan Menteri Luar, A. Kohilan Pillay dan turut disertai Setiausaha Politik Perdana Menteri, Datuk Sahlan Ismail.

“Beberapa langkah segera akan diambil untuk membawa keluar pelajar-pelajar kita dari Mesir,” katanya kepada Bernama di sini malam tadi.

Antara langkah berkenaan ialah meminta kapal Bunga Mas 5, iaitu sebuah kapal serbaguna yang dikawal oleh Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia (TLDM) yang sedang bertugas di Teluk Aden, untuk belayar ke Pelabuhan Adabiyah di selatan Kaherah bagi membawa keluar pelajar-pelajar berkenaan.

“Kapal itu dijangka tiba di Pelabuhan Adabiah pada 5 Februari. Ia dapat memuatkan kira-kira 500 pelajar kita,” katanya.

Najib juga berkata bahawa beliau sudah berunding dengan Menteri Luar, Datuk Seri Anifah Aman untuk meminta syarikat penerbangan Malaysia Airlines (MAS) dan AirAsia untuk melakukan penerbangan khas ke Kaherah untuk membawa keluar pelajar-pelajar Malaysia.

“Mereka (MAS dan AirAsia) akan memaklumkan kepada saya esok (hari ini) mengenai kemungkinan menggunakan pesawat mereka untuk tugas itu,” katanya.

http://www.kosmo.com.my/kosmo/content.asp?y=2011&dt=0202&pub=Kosmo&sec=Negara&pg=ne_01.htm

Hangus dalam bah

Oleh Ahmad Ismail
am@hmetro.com.my

MUSNAH...rumah mangsa hangus dalam kebakaran di Kampung Paya Dalam, semalam. Gambar kecil Jofri yang sedih selepas kejadian itu

SEGAMAT: Tidak cukup ditimpa musibah dengan rumah ditenggelami banjir sedalam 0.4 meter, kediaman seorang lelaki musnah dalam kebakaran Kampung Paya Dalam di sini, kira-kira jam 4.30 pagi semalam.

Kejadian malang itu menimpa Jofri Md Dol, 40, apabila rumahnya terbakar dipercayai berpunca daripada api lilin selepas bekalan elektrik ke kediamannya itu diputuskan atas faktor keselamatan.

Lebih tragik, jentera pasukan Bomba dan Penyelamat yang tiba tidak jauh dari rumah mangsa tidak dapat memberikan bantuan kerana tersekat air banjir menyebabkan rumah Jofri musnah.

“Walaupun cuba memadamkan api menggunakan air banjir namun kediaman yang berusia 60 tahun ini tidak dapat diselamatkan,” katanya.

Dalam kejadian jam 4.30 pagi itu, Jofri tidur seorang diri bagi mengawal keselamatan rumah yang dinaiki air manakala bapa, Md Dol Abu Bakar, 84, dan ibu, Kuntum Limat, 66, berada di pusat penempatan sementara mangsa banjir di Balai Raya Kampung Paya Dalam.

Ibu bapanya dipindahkan ke sana berikutan banjir menenggelamkan kediaman mereka sejak tiga hari lalu.

“Saya terjaga selepas terdengar bunyi objek terbakar dan terkejut mendapati api marak di ruang tamu, saya cuba memadamkannya menggunakan air banjir tetapi api semakin menjulang.

“Saya bergegas ke pusat penempatan sementara yang terletak kira-kira 300 meter dari rumah dan memaklumkan kepada ibu bapa serta jiran,” katanya.

Bagaimanapun, menurut Jofri, apabila mereka kembali, api hampir memusnahkan rumah walaupun ketika hujan renyai manakala pasukan bomba yang tiba kira-kira 10 minit kemudian gagal memberi bantuan kerana jentera gagal memasuki lokasi disebabkan jalan ditenggelami air.

Jofri berkata, kebakaran bukan berpunca daripada litar pintas tetapi berkemungkinan akibat lilin yang dipasang di ruang tamu.

“Saya memasang lilin berikutan bekalan tenaga elektrik dipotong Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) yang bimbang ada penduduk terkena renjatan elektrik akibat banjir.

“Lilin dipasang kerana saya bimbang dengan ancaman haiwan berbisa ular dan kala jengking,” katanya yang menganggarkan kerugian kira-kira RM60,000 akibat kebakaran itu,” katanya.

Menurut Jofri, jika banjir surut sekalipun, mereka sekeluarga terpaksa menumpang di rumah saudara sementara menunggu rumah baru siap dibina.

http://www.hmetro.com.my/articles/Hangusdalambah/Article

Kemaruk layan pucuk muda

Oleh Ramli Hussin
am@hmetro.com.my

PASIR PUTEH: Seorang wanita berusia 55 tahun yang tidak sampai 24 jam diceraikan, ternyata kemaruk nafsu apabila dicekup berkhalwat dengan pasangan berusia 34 tahun dalam serbuan di rumah warga emas berkenaan di Kampung Kuala Semerak, awal pagi semalam.

Serbuan ke atas kediaman wanita yang berstatus nenek tapi berselera muda itu dilakukan pasukan Skuad Amru bersama Jabatan Hal Ehwal Agama Islam Kelantan (JAHEAIK) diketuai Ketua Operasinya, Ismail Yaacob, kira-kira jam 1 pagi, sebaik mendapat maklumat awam.

Ketika serbuan dilakukan, wanita itu yang mempunyai beberapa cucu sanggup berbohong dengan memberi alasan kononnya lelaki muda bersamanya di dalam bilik tidur itu suaminya.

Tindakannya itu nyata gagal meyakinkan penguat kuasa agama dan pasangan itu dibawa ke Pejabat Agama Pasir Puteh untuk diambil keterangan serta disoal siasat sebelum dibebaskan dengan ikat jamin.

Ismail berkata, serbuan ke atas rumah terbabit dilakukan hasil maklumat orang ramai yang dikumpulkan sejak seminggu lalu berhubung kejadian khalwat yang didakwa membabitkan seorang wanita warga emas bersama pasangannya.

“Berikutan aduan yang diterima, rumah itu diserbu penguat kuasa agama yang mengetuk pintu rumah berkenaan beberapa kali sebelum dibuka seorang wanita warga emas dalam keadaan berkemban beberapa minit kemudian.

“Ketika siasatan dilakukan, wanita itu berdolak-dalik dengan mengatakan lelaki berseluar pendek yang tidur di biliknya adalah suaminya menyebabkan penguat kuasa mencurigainya,” katanya.

Katanya, tidak sampai lima minit disoal, wanita berkenaan menukar pengakuan dengan mendakwa dia tidak tahu menahu kehadiran lelaki berkenaan yang didakwa secara tiba-tiba berada dalam biliknya.

“Selepas disoal siasat, wanita itu mendakwa dia baru bercerai dengan suaminya kira-kira jam 5 petang kelmarin, menyebabkan pasangan berkenaan terus disiasat untuk dihadapkan ke mahkamah,” katanya.

Ismail berkata, tiada orang lain berada di dalam rumah berkenaan ketika serbuan dan sebagai warga emas, wanita itu tidak sepatutnya berkelakuan tidak senonoh sebaliknya perlu menjadi teladan kepada cucunya yang remaja.

Berikutan itu, katanya, pasangan berkenaan didakwa di Mahkamah Rendah Syariah Pasir Puteh, di bawah Seksyen 9(1)(2), Enakmen Kanun Jenayah Syariah Negeri Kelantan No 2/85 yang jika sabit kesalahan boleh didenda sehingga RM2,000 atau penjara tidak lebih setahun atau kedua-duanya.

http://www.hmetro.com.my/articles/Kemaruklayanpucukmuda/Article

Serah rumah RM300,000

Oleh Siti Nor Hidayatidayu Razali dan Zatul Iffah Zolkiply
am@hmetro.com.my

LAPOR...Julia menunjukkan laporan polis yang dibuatnya.

KUALA LUMPUR: “Hubungan intim dengan pasangan sejenis menyebabkan saya sanggup mengabaikan tanggungjawab sebagai isteri dan ibu kepada anak-anak kami,” luah pengarah sebuah syarikat berusia 30-an yang hanya mahu dikenali sebagai Julia.

Selain melakukan hubungan terlarang, Julia menghabiskan wang ringgit dan harta benda lebih RM500,000 kepada seorang ‘pengkid’ sedangkan dia masih isteri orang dan mempunyai tiga anak kecil.

Julia mendakwa layanan pengkid dikenali sebagai Az, 40-an, berasal dari utara tanah air itu membuatkan dia leka dan merasa disayangi lebih daripada kasih sayang dicurahkan suaminya.

“Hubungan kami ibarat suami isteri apabila menghabiskan masa setiap hari sejak lima tahun lalu hingga saya mengabaikan tanggungjawab kepada keluarga.

“Disebabkan kealpaan menjalani kehidupan bersama Az yang bekerja sendiri, rumah tangga saya yang dibina bersama suami atas dasar cinta selama tujuh tahun lalu musnah,” katanya ketika di temui di Bangsar, semalam.

Menurutnya, hatinya terpaut dengan pengkid terbabit kerana memahami jiwanya dan pandai mengambil hati selain belaian romantik yang tidak diberi bekas suami.

“Sejak mengenali pengkid terbabit, hidup saya berubah 100 peratus dan sanggup memberinya sebuah rumah bernilai lebih RM300,000 serta pelbagai barangan mewah lain sedangkan saya tidak pernah berbuat demikian pada anak-anak.

“Kami mendiami kondominium di kawasan elit dan sentiasa bersama termasuk bertemu pelanggan, makan dan tidur sekatil. Bagi saya, saat bersamanya ketika itu detik yang paling bahagia dan bermakna menyebabkan saya tidak mahu berpisah dengannya walaupun sedetik.

“Saya juga tidak berpeluang menjenguk suami dan anak-anak kerana akan berasa ‘panas’ apabila berada di rumah sendiri dan mengikut segala kehendaknya,” katanya yang terpaksa menyerahkan hak jagaan tiga anak kepada ibunya.

Katanya, semua perkara yang mahu dilakukan perlu mendapat kelulusan Az termasuk bertemu pelanggan lelaki dan jika ‘kekasihnya’ itu nampak dia bersama lelaki lain, dia akan diugut menyebabkan perniagaan dibinanya ada kalanya berdepan masalah.

“Semua benda yang dilakukan perlu dirujuk kepada pengkid itu terlebih dahulu. Jika saya ingkar, dia akan memukul dan menendang saya sedangkan bekas suami tidak pernah melakukan perbuatan itu.

“Saya juga wajib memberi wang saku kepadanya RM10,000 setiap bulan selain menaja kos pelancongan luar negara dan membeli barangan berjenama lain. Pendek kata, pengkid itu hanya memesan dan saya akan membayarnya,” katanya.

Katanya, sejak menjalin hubungan, semua wangnya dipegang pengkid terbabit termasuk kad kredit dan kad bank.

“Az juga marah jika saya mahu memberi wang kepada ibu di kampung kerana beranggapan hanya dia layak menerima wang saraan setiap bulan.

“Sebelum ini saya pernah terfikir untuk menjauhkan diri daripadanya, tapi tak berjaya kerana berasa kasihan kepadanya dan kembali semula selepas sehari berpisah.

“Saya tersedar sepenuhnya Julai tahun lalu selepas berubat dengan beberapa ustaz dan cuba menjauhkan diri daripadanya hingga menyebabkan dia tidak puas hati dan membuat pelbagai ugutan termasuk cubaan menjatuhkan perniagaan serta maruah saya,” katanya.

Sejak meninggalkan pengkid itu, Julia berkata Az berusaha memusnahkan hidupnya hingga menimbulkan ketakutan menyebabkan dia membuat laporan polis tiga kali di ibu kota.

“Saya harap dia tidak akan mengganggu hidup saya lagi kerana saya mahu kembali hidup normal. Cukup saya menghambakan diri kepadanya sehingga tersasar daripada landasan agama.

“Apa yang saya tahu, Az kini sudah menemui cinta baru dengan seorang wanita kaya untuk dijadikan mangsa. Dia dan rakan-rakannya sanggup mengikis harta wanita kaya untuk kepentingan diri,” katanya.

http://www.hmetro.com.my/articles/SerahrumahRM300_000/Article

Egypt uprising can be repeated here, warns Marina

Harakahdaily

PETALING JAYA, Feb 2: Urging Malaysians and leaders everywhere to take lessons from the events in Tunisia and Egypt, the daughter of former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad has warned that such explosion of anger could also be repeated in Malaysia.

"We should watch closely this historic moment in the MENA [Middle East and North Africa] and learn the many lessons from there. And let us never think that such a revolution can’t happen here.

"As MENA leaders are finding, never be foolish enough to say never," wrote Marina Mahathir (pic) in her regular column in The Star.

Marina said the argument that people just took to the streets because it was a fad was wrong, and said the blame should go to rulers who manipulate elections to prolong their dictatorships.

"We have to realise that people don’t revolt just to be trendy. The Middle East has been ripe for this for a long time.

"Long-standing leaders rule them with iron hands, rigging votes as well as disallowing their people of much freedom," she said.

'Lesson for leaders'

Marina said the unprecendented protests can be attributed to a rising educated population which does not commensurate creation of better jobs and income.

"Nothing could be more dangerous for leaders than to educate young people for jobs that do not exist. Couple that with a failing economy which depletes people’s already low standards of living and a refusal to address those issues, then you provide kindling dry enough to be set alight with any match.

"This should be a lesson for leaders everywhere," added Marina.

Marina also lamented what she called "silence" of Malaysians to the hard facts of Egyptian life which triggered the protests, and said Malaysians should also be concerned with the issues there "apart from ensuring our students are safe".

http://en.harakahdaily.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2203:egypt-uprising-can-be-repeated-here-warns-marina&catid=34:primary&Itemid=56

'Friday of Departure' for Mubarak as protests inch towards climax

Agencies

CAIRO, Feb 2: Egyptian protesters have declared that February 4 will be the “Friday of departure” for President Hosni Mubarak and say they will congregate at his palace on Friday afternoon.

NUMBERED DAYS? Mubarak clings on to power as protests evolve into a revolution

Angry demonstrators, fed up with Mubarak's three-decade rule, jeered at the president's remarks while watching his speech on TV in Tahrir Square on Tuesday night and chanted that he should go immediately.

Senior Egyptian opposition figure Mohamed ElBaradei, who has expressed readiness to lead the country's popular uprising, has said that the people's message is clear and they want Mubarak out now and not in September.

After Mubarak's address, the protesters said that this Friday would be the “Friday of departure” for the president and announced that they would be gathering at his palace on Friday afternoon.

In addition, a US official has said that the pledge that Mubarak made in his speech may not prove to meet the demands of the anti-government protesters.

FREEDOM NOW ... Tahrir (Freedom) Square in central Cairo, the focus of the protests, early Feb 2

"The president's announcement is significant, but the question is whether it will satisfy the demands of the people in Liberation Square," the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP on Tuesday.

In a televised speech earlier in the day, Mubarak said that he would not run in the election scheduled to be held in September but said he would stay in office until then. Few moments later US president Barrack Obama in a change of tone said the events in Egypt were a precursor to change, and reminded Mubarak that change must come "now".

Ultimatum to army

Youth-led groups at Tahrir Square in central Cairo issued a statement calling for all Egyptians to march on the palace, the People's Assembly and the television building, in what they are calling the "Friday of Departure."

They say the army must choose which side they are on: That of the people, or the regime.

"We the people and the youth of Egypt demand that our brothers in the national armed forces clearly define their stance by either lining up with the real legitimacy provided by millions of Egyptians on strike on the streets, or standing in the camp of the regime that has killed our people, terrorized them and stole from them," read the statement.

The protesters say the army has until Thursday morning to make its position clear. A lack of response will be interpreted as support for Egypt's ruling regime.

The march will commence after Friday Muslim prayers and Christian services, according to the statement.

Earlier on Tuesday, about two million people took to the streets of Cairo to pressure Mubarak to step down, and the total number of protesters across the country hit five million, Press TV reported.

Tuesday's protests were the biggest anti-government demonstrations in Egypt's recent history.

Sources: Agencies, AlJazeera, AlMasry AlYoum

http://en.harakahdaily.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2202:friday-of-departure-for-mubarak-as-protests-inch-towards-climax&catid=36:headline&Itemid=70

Five million protesters stay put across Egypt

PressTV

CAIRO, Feb 2: Over five million Egyptians have taken to the streets across the country to pressure President Hosni Mubarak and his government to step down.

Large crowds have massed in capital Cairo for the biggest anti-government protest in Egypt's recent history.

The demonstrators have flooded Cairo's Tahrir square, calling on President Hosni Mubarak to step down.

Men, women and children from all walks of life are attending the rally which has so far been peaceful.

Some reports put the total number of protesters across Egypt at about eight million.

Tanks and troops have been stationed along the route of the march, but the army has promised not to use force against the demonstrators.

Security checkpoints have also been placed all across Cairo.

Reports say the government has restricted access to the capital by shutting down all roads and public transportation.

Large demonstrations are also being held in other cities including Alexandria and Suez.

The UN says eight days of unrest have left an estimated 300 people dead.

Meanwhile, the United States has ordered all non-essential government personnel, including non-emergency embassy staff, to leave Egypt.

http://en.harakahdaily.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2199:five-million-protesters-stay-put-across-egypt&catid=37:world&Itemid=59

Post-Tenang washout

Selena Tay

The recent by-election in Tenang was a real washout. And literally.

The terrible and unexpected floods wrecked havoc on polling day, January 30, 2011. Who would have expected it? For the record, the UMNO candidate won by a majority of 3,707 votes and the voter turnout was around 10,900 voters, out of more than 14,000 registered voters.

The might and weight of the government machinery had been mercilessly and ruthlessly employed by Barisan Nasional to bear down on PAS and Pakatan Rakyat when the FELDA settlers were ferried to the polling stations using the government's 4WDs.

It is not surprising then that the turnout of the FELDA settlers amounted to over 81%. The breakdown of the turnout in the FELDA areas is as follows: Felda Chemplak 88%, Kampung Redong 80% and Felda Tenang 86%. Very high figures indeed!

With the Chinese and Indian voters deprived of this benefit, it is therefore not surprising that a large number of them did not turn out to vote.

Moreover, the Chinese were busy preparing for the coming Chinese New Year, and no one wants to get sick at this crucial point in time. Some of the Chinese who were working outstation or across the causeway have also yet to return home.

Amid such a heavy downpour, it is also not surprising that the Indian voter turnout was a very low 39% compared to 62% in the 12th General Election.

Although BN managed to obtain 80% of the Indian votes, the low voter turnout hardly proves anything concrete.

With palm oil and rubber prices getting huge gains, it is not surprising that the FELDA settlers chose to stick with BN. Coupled with the fact of the low voter turnout of the Chinese and the Indians and the extremely high voter turnout of the FELDA settlers, the BN candidate seemed to have secured a thumping win. 'Seemed' because the results are as murky as the flood waters in Tenang.

Be that as it may, this writer opines that although the Malay vote have remained with BN, the non-Malay vote is still inconclusive.

Another salient point that must be taken into account is that this is a by-election when BN can focus all its strength in one location unlike a general election where attention is split on many fronts.

DAP vs MCA

MCA's Chua Soi Lek is happy with BN's achievement of obtaining 36% of the Chinese vote. It must be noted that PAS obtained 64% of the Chinese vote despite Chua harping on the 'handshake issue' which must have left him shaking his head in disbelief.

The Chinese voters turnout was recorded at 54% compared to 72% in the 12th General Election. The breakdown is as follows: Labis Tengah 72%, Labis Timur 67%, Tenang Station 51% and Labis 50%. This means that PAS still did well despite the horrendous floods. The support for PAS was unchanged as in the previous general election, when PAS obtained 64% of the Chinese vote.

Although the Tenang contest was between UMNO and PAS, it looked more like DAP versus MCA. DAP is still popular among the Chinese and I can personally vouch for it as I was campaigning in the Labis wet market and was given a warm welcome by the Chinese.

One Chinese vegetable seller even told me: "We will vote PAS for sure but BN will win big because of the FELDA people. No need to campaign to the Chinese lah, we are with DAP all the way," he said, and gave a hearty laugh.

One thing for sure is that the FELDA settlers are BN's fixed deposit. The Indian vote is still inconclusive whereas the Chinese are still with Pakatan Rakyat.

PR must embark on a massive public relations programme to woo the Indians and the non-FELDA Malays. Based on the results in Tenang, Pakatan has got its work cut out.

My previous article on Tenang was entitled "Tenang: Calm before the storm". Now that the real storm has caused massive flash floods, it is time for the winner of Tenang to get down to real hard work.

Selena Tay is a member of PAS Supporters Congress (DHPP).

http://en.harakahdaily.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2195:post-tenang-washout&catid=38:analysis-and-opinion-&Itemid=72

Millions converge in Cairo and other cities as army holds fire

Agencies

CAIRO, Feb 1: Up to two million protesters converge in the center of the Egyptian capital, Cairo, as a “million man march” continues across Egypt to mark a week since the beginning of the popular uprising.

A section of protesters in central Cairo, Feb 1.

Protest organizers put the number of protesters demanding the resignation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak at about two million on the eighth day of protests on Tuesday in Cairo, AFP reported.

The Egyptian government canceled national train services across the country in a move to prevent the protesters to join the “million man march” in the capital city.

Protest organizers have pledged another million-strong march in the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria on Tuesday side by side their fellow capital residents.

Anti-government protesters and opposition groups have announced an indefinite general strike to mount pressure on Mubarak.

Many protesters defied a curfew to bunker down overnight in Tahrir Square in central Cairo.

The Egyptian Army has pledged not to open fire on peaceful demonstrators as thousands of people insist on their campaign to oust Mubarak.

The army, which put Mubarak into power in 1981, has reportedly announced that it considers the people's demands as legitimate.

Turkey warns Mubarak, Iran praises protesters

Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday that Mubarak must listen to the demands of his people and instigate change, emphasizing the democratic credentials of his ruling Islamist AK Party.

Addressing the Turkish parliament in Ankara, Mr. Erdogan said: “For the sake of Egypt, Mr. Mubarak take the first step. He must do something to instigate change.”

In a speech met with frequent outbreaks of applause from Turkish lawmakers, the prime minister stopped short of calling for Mr. Mubarak’s resignation, but stressed that, “in today’s world, freedoms cannot be delayed.”

In Tehran, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi says Iran supports the protesters in Egypt and elsewhere in North Africa, the ISNA news agency reports.

"Popular protests and movements in North African countries including in Egypt show necessity of an overhaul in the region and putting an end to dictatorial rules," he says.

"Tunisian and Egyptian nations proved that the era of engineering and controlling the region by the World Arrogance is over and that people are trying to decide about their fate."

He also criticized the the United States for what he called meddling in Egyptian affairs.

"Egyptian brothers and sisters showed that they will not continue to tolerate Zionist regime's crimes," the foreign minister says on Monday, according to ISNA.

http://en.harakahdaily.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2196:millions-converge-in-cairo-and-other-cities-as-army-holds-fire&catid=37:world&Itemid=59

Of Mahathir's Islam and Nik Aziz's Islam

Harakahdaily

February 1, 2011

COMMENT Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who has been locked in a war of words with Singapore's minister mentor Lee Kuan Yew, has now turned his attention to PAS Murshidul Am Tuan Guru Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat for refusing to condemn Lee's remarks.

Mahathir ... selective defence of Islam?

Mahathir had lashed out at Lee, whose latest book tells Muslim to be "less strict on Islamic observences" in order to speed up "nation-building" of the tiny state, as well as criticising Mahathir's treatment of his successors.

Nik Aziz however refused to be drawn in to the debate, saying there were Muslim Malays who rejected religious obligations.

“Kuan Yew only asked Malays to be less strict on Islam compared to certain Malays in the country who discard Islam completely and take the nationalist route,” Nik Aziz was reported to have said.

Saying Nik Aziz was not supportive of Islam, Mahathir said he was more interested in discrediting his political enemies rather than to defend Islam and Muslims from Lee Kuan Yew.

Mahathir’s statement smacks of hypocrisy as most often than not, especially when viewed against the backdrop of recent incidents to show UMNO's selective "defence of Islam" for political mileage.

The most recent example of such a hypocrisy was seen during the run-up to the Tenang by-election recently, when UMNO failed to even mildly reprimand MCA leaders' for their open attacks on Islamic norms, all for the sake of driving away Chinese voters from PAS - a mission, which by the way, failed miserably as the results have shown.

Not one UMNO leader had then come out to condemn the MCA president Chua Soi Lek over his insults on Muslim women who prefer not to shake hands with the opposite sex.

Buoyed by the silence and instead of apologizing, Chua, the man who was caught with his pants down in a sex video scandal, and literally at that, had arrogantly stood his ground, and when criticised for his ignorance of other cultures, even said there was "nothing great" about knowing the Islamic religious values.

"So what is so great about that? That is your religious values which I don't know. How am I to know when I'm not practising that religion?”

"I have the right to say that it's basic manners to shake hands with people. That's my values. Understand? You also must value my value, which is good manners, which includes shaking hands," said Chua.

Nik Aziz ... What is the mark of a true Muslim?

Yet again, Mahathir has failed to look into the mirror when he blamed PAS and Nik Aziz for dividing the Malays into three groups and for becoming a hindrance to 'Malay unity', when history shows who the real culprit was during the split in Malay politics in 1988 and 1998.

In 1988, his tussle against the then finance minister Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah for UMNO presidency divided UMNO's Malays into two groups, culminating in the formation of Semangat 46 which led to the establishment of the first opposition coalition, Angkatan Perpaduan Ummah between PAS and Semangat 46.

A decade later, the Malays, and Malaysians at large, were again thrown in chaos due to Mahathir’s decision to oust his deputy Anwar Ibrahim from his cabinet, throwing some of the vilest allegations that Malay politics had ever seen.

This later shaped the political landscape, as well as the formation of Parti Keadilan Rakyat, now one of the three major component parties in Pakatan Rakyat together with DAP and PAS.

Continuing his argument, Mahathir questioned how bad could the Malay-nationalists be when they ensured the country is governed by Malay-Muslims leaders and instil Islamic practices in the government administration.

Mahathir, of course, refuses to recognise the obvious problems that are currently plaguing the "Malay-nationalist" leaders, namely corruption and power abuse.

“It is because of Malay nationalists our country is now governed by Malay-Muslim leaders. These leaders instil Islamic practices in the government administration and build mosques and banned the national lottery... how bad can these nationalists be?” said Dr Mahathir, again displaying his ignorance of Islamic politics.

Perkasa ... defenders of Malay-Muslims or narrow racism? [Pic: TMI]

Mahathir would be the last person to explain whether rampant corruption, massive leakages, power abuses and discrimination of other races through the hotchpotch Malay Supremacy slogan were also part of "Islamic practices".

In contrast, Nik Aziz appears to be more consistent with his message that Islam is the saviour to the country’s problems, and to him there is no reason Malay-Muslim leaders reject Islamic values in its administration. To prove their Islamicity, they only need to stop corruption, power abuse, financial leakages, unfairness and discrimination of other races.

Although many see it as an attempt to divert the Malays' attention to a 'common enemy', distracting them from real problems plaguing the country, Mahathir’s latest jibe may have a bigger agenda – namely to help UMNO get rid of its most feared enemy, Nik Aziz.

After all, Nik Aziz has been a stumbling block to Mahathir and his Perkasa cousins' idea of 'unity', and curbing him will put a stop to any efforts to make the Islamic party a replacement of UMNO in the next general election.

http://en.harakahdaily.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2191:of-mahathirs-islam-and-nik-azizs-islam&catid=34:primary&Itemid=56

Selangor state logo banned in schools?

Harakahdaily

PETALING JAYA, Feb 1: School exercise books bearing the Selangor state government's official logo are forbidden items in several schools here, according to Bahasa Malaysia daily, Sinar Harian today.

Taman Templer state assembly service centre coordinator Mohamad Abdul Rahman said the complaints were received a month after the new school session in January.

“Parents have complained that there are schools around Selayang area prohibiting students from using exercise books supplied by the state government. This should not happen, don’t victimise the children because of politics.

"If the school authorities do not want to see Selangor state logo, the students can just wrap the books,” said Mohamad.

He said the ban on the exercise books would burden parents and guardians, especially those with many school going children, and added the price of such books cost RM1.20.

“We hope that these parties will not play politics, and think positively in the contribution (from the state government) as it is meant to reduce the burden of the people.

"We ask for those parties to come out with rules and regulations to say that it is wrong to use Selangor state logo," he added.

Saying some parents had also complained the usage of '1Malaysia' logo on text books, he stressed that the PR government did not attempt to stop such practice in schools.

“Pakatan Rakyat did not stop the usage of 1Malaysia logo in school, but we question the directive for all books to include the logo.”

The exercise books were given by the Selangor government to poor students from families with incomes below RM1,500, as well for students with disabilities.

He said the contribution was not politically motivated, and similarly the books do not bear any political symbols other than the state logo and anthem.

http://en.harakahdaily.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2197:selangor-state-logo-banned-in-schools&catid=34:primary&Itemid=56