US warns of possible terrorism at Sochi, but no specific threat |
- US warns of possible terrorism at Sochi, but no specific threat
- Three-wheel US$6,800 car gears for 2015 US launch
- Government failure over religious issues — Tommy Thomas (Loyar Burok)
- GM recalling about 370,000 large pickups for possible fire issue
- Cops pass fraudulent conversion case to Sabah religious authorities
- The “fiercest” biryani in town gets fiercer
| US warns of possible terrorism at Sochi, but no specific threat Posted: 10 Jan 2014 05:01 PM PST
In a "travel warning," the department urged Americans to be vigilant about personal security at the February 7 to March 14 Olympic Games, and flagged the possibility of petty crime, inadequate medical care and hotel shortages. It also highlighted a Russian law, much criticised by rights groups, that would make it a crime to publicly promote the equality of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. "Large-scale public events such as the Olympics present an attractive target for terrorists," the State Department wrote in the travel warning, saying that Russian authorities have said they are taking appropriate security measures. However, the department noted what it described as "acts of terrorism" in Russia during the final three months of last year, including three suicide bombings that targeted public transportation in city of Volgograd, 600 miles from Sochi. "There is no indication of a specific threat to US institutions or citizens, but US citizens should be aware of their personal surroundings and follow good security practices," it said. The warning also highlighted the danger of petty crime and the possibility that political demonstrations - which the Olympic charter bars at the site of the Games, but which Russian authorities say may take place seven miles from Sochi in the village of Khost - could unexpectedly turn violent. It also noted that Russia's State Duma lower house of parliament passed a law in June banning the "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations" to minors which, in the US government's view, applies to Russian citizens and foreigners. "Russian citizens found guilty of violating the law could face a fine of up to 100,000 roubles (US$3,100). Foreign citizens face similar fines, up to 14 days in jail, and deportation," it said. — Reuters  |
| Three-wheel US$6,800 car gears for 2015 US launch Posted: 10 Jan 2014 04:48 PM PST
What makes the Elio Motors vehicle unique is its ultra-high fuel economy and an ultra-low price tag: US$6,800 (RM22,222). The vehicle, which was on display at the Showstoppers startup showcase on the sidelines of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, promises to deliver as much as 84 miles per gallon (3.8 litres) of gasoline for highway driving. It accelerates as quickly as many cars on the road ― to 100 miles per hour in 9.6 seconds, according to the company. Urban fuel economy is estimated at 49 miles per gallon. Company founder Paul Elio said he came up with the idea because "I got mad about seeing all this wealth leave the country" for imported petroleum. An engineer by training, Elio began the firm in 2008 and recently took over an abandoned General Motors plant in Louisiana ― one which had been producing the gas-guzzling Hummer. In order to deliver the best fuel economy, the car has a cockpit wide enough only for the driver, with a passenger seat in the rear. It has two wheels in front and tapers in the rear to a single wheel. "Front-to-back seating, that's the key to mileage," Elio told AFP. This makes it principally a one-person car, but Elio said the vehicle is a good solution for the millions who drive along to work or leisure events. Elio readily admits there is no special technology in the car ― it has a three-cylinder internal combustion gasoline engine, power windows, air conditioning and anti-lock brakes. While it does not have some of the on-board electronic gadgety found in other vehicles, drivers can connect their smartphones for navigation, apps and more. "This was a design completely based on existing engineering," says company spokesman Jim Andrews. The car has a top crash-impact rating from the National Highway Transportation Safety Board, and is expected to meet all US safety standards. Elio is targeting the US market but hopes to eventually ship internationally. He has more than 6,000 orders from customers who have paid a deposit, and hopes to start delivering in the first quarter of 2015. He also plans to speak with major automakers, including Chrysler, about possible partnerships. It's not clear how much of an impact the Elio vehicle will have, but it comes after a sizzling debut for another startup carmaker, Tesla, which sells a US$70,000 electric car. Other three-wheelers may be in the words as well: a three-wheel concept car from Toyota was on display at the huge electronics exhibition. Elio said he is encouraged by the response to the car. "We didn't design it to be cool," he said. "It was cool by accident." ― AFP-Relaxnews |
| Government failure over religious issues — Tommy Thomas (Loyar Burok) Posted: 10 Jan 2014 04:46 PM PST
Occurring in a multi-ethnic, multi-religious society compounds the problem. Twentieth century history across the globe is replete with examples where the safety of minorities is threatened by a majority abusing coercive state power; Nazi Germany being the most extreme. Post colonial developments since 1950 in Burma, British Guyana, Uganda, Fiji and Sri Lanka have illustrated the consequences of harsh treatment of minorities and the resultant irrevocable damage to the entire nation state when governments controlled by majorities abuse their power. In other words, any historian will warn a plural society that it is a tinder-box insofar as ethnic and religious matters are concerned, and such issues must be handled carefully, delicately and with sensitivity to minorities. One therefore cannot over-emphasize the responsibility of leaders to ensure fairness in such matters. Since JAIS has purported to rely on a law passed by the Legislative Assembly of Selangor, I shall consider whether that law authorizes its actions. The subject of Islam, and especially criminal enforcement of offences is a complex matter under the Federal Constitution, with the Yang diPertuan Agong and the Malay Rulers being the heads of Islam in their respective states, and legislative and executive power being shared by the Federal Government and the 13 State Governments. Fundamental liberties of all Malaysians (and indeed foreigners however short-term their residence is in the country) are given entrenched protection in Part II of the Federal Constitution, the supreme law of the land. Paramount among these liberties is an individual's freedom of religion in Article 11(1) and the collective freedom of a religious group in Article 11(3). Additionally, the JAIS raid should not have occurred because of the Ten Point Solution reached by the Federal Government in April 2011. Finally, the Selangor State Government should not have permitted JAIS, as its agency and subordinate to it, to carry out the raid. Hence, both the Barisan Federal Government and the Pakatan State Government are responsible for this state of affairs. At the very least the people of Malaysia are entitled to better political governance than that provided by both coalitions. Perkasa, Utusan and other extreme fringe groups propelling such drastic steps by the state agencies are insulting the intelligence and faith of millions of Muslims in Malaysia. A student of empire will point out how impressive is the faith of our Muslims despite the onslaught by successive foreign colonial powers from 1511 to 1957. The Portuguese, Dutch, British and Japanese occupiers of our land did not convert Muslims. That is the historical reality. Having hundreds of Muslim friends and acquaintances for over 50 years since primary school, I can personally vouch for their commitment and piety to Islam. None of them are shaken in their faith. Muslims are secure and confident in their faith; they do not need the protection of the ultras. Hence, it is an absolute affront to Muslims to contend that Islam in Malaysia would be threatened because some Malay Bibles would be used by some Christians in some churches which contains the word Allah. This is especially so when not a single respectable Islamic scholar across the Islamic world outside Malaysia has supported the reasoning and conclusion of the recent Court of Appeal decision in the Herald case that the word "Allah" wholly and exclusively belongs to Muslims. They have all condemned the purported acquisition by a group of people of a word in a language which belongs to everyone and no one. Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Amongst Muslims) Enactment, 1988 The Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Amongst Muslims) Enactment, 1988 ("the Selangor Enactment") is a law passed by the Legislative Assembly of Selangor to control and restrict the propagation of non-Islamic religious doctrines and beliefs among persons professing Islam. If there is any doubt that the intention of the Legislative Assembly to enact this Enactment, and the purpose of the Enactment is to prevent proselytising Muslims to change their religion, such doubt will be removed when it is noted that express reference is made in the Enactment to Article 11(4) of the Federal Constitution which states just that. It is critical to always keep in mind this limited purpose of the Selangor Enactment. Under the Selangor Enactment, a person commits an offence if he persuades, influences or incites a Muslim to become a follower of a non-Islamic religion or forsakes Islam, punishable in Section 4, on conviction, to 1 year's imprisonment. A person commits an offence if he persuades, influences or incites a Muslim minor to receive instructions or take part in any act of worship of non-Islamic religions, punishable in Section 5, on conviction, to 1 year's imprisonment. A person commits an offence if he approaches or arranges for a Muslim to subject the latter to any speech on any matter concerning a non-Islamic religion, punishable in Section 6, on conviction to 6 months imprisonment. Sections 7 and 8 create offences dealing with the sending or delivering of publications of any non-Islamic religions to Muslims or distributing in a public place any such material to Muslims. It would be plain and clear that all the offences created in Sections 4 and 8 of the Selangor Enactment have the object of prohibiting the conversion of Muslims to other religions. Whether they can be the subject of criminal prosecution of non-Muslims is unclear from a reading of Article 74 and Item 1 of the State List in the Ninth Schedule of the Federal Constitution. One assumes that JAIS relied upon Section 9(1) of the Selangor Enactment to seize 300 Holy Bibles because they contain the word "Allah". But Section 9(1) is plainly and clearly not enacted for the purposes of prohibiting the proselytising of Muslims because it goes far beyond that objective. A person commits an offence under Section 9(1) if in any publication or speech he uses any of the words in Part I of the Schedule to the Selangor Enactment to express or describe any fact or thing of any non-Islamic religion. Among the 25 words listed in Part I is "Allah". Section 9(1) is not restricted to using the 25 prohibited words to convert Muslims, which is the whole purpose of the Selangor Enactment. It is drafted in much wider terms, and covers an indeterminate and open-ended category of potential offenders. The vital question that follows is: can the officers of the Bible Society who are non-Muslim be subject to criminal prosecution under Section 9(1)? In my opinion, it would be unconstitutional for JAIS to purport to extend the criminal jurisdiction of Section 9(1) over non-Muslims in circumstances where the Bibles are being used solely for Christian worship among Christians, with absolutely no evidence of any attempt to convert Muslims to the Christian faith. As the President of the Bar Council stated in his Press Statement dated 3rd January 2014.
This fact is so elementary, and yet so profound. It has been totally disregarded by JAIS. The Ten Point Solution The impounding of Malay Bibles in East and West Malaysia in early 2011 triggered religious concerns in plural Malaysia prompting the Federal Government to discuss resolution mechanisms with Christian leaders. The result was the Ten Point Solution set out in the letter dated 11th April 2011 from Prime Minister Najib Razak to Bishop Ng Moon Hing, the Chairman of the Christian Federation of Malaysia. The Prime Minister was at pains to point out that the Ten Point Solution was "a collective decision by the Cabinet". Although this letter has been in the public domain for some time, and was relied upon by the Catholic Church during the hearing of the recent appeal of the Herald case before the Court of Appeal, it deserves to be reproduced so that every Malaysian can read it for himself or herself. LoyarBurok has reproduced it here. The Malay Bibles referred to in that letter had been impounded by government agencies in Kuching and Port Klang because they contained the word "Allah". Hence, the Ten Points Solution was the product of complex negotiations to resolve the overriding problem of the use of the word "Allah" in the Malay Bible. That was the factual basis of the letter. Indeed, the Prime Minister's letter cannot be interpreted in any other manner. Points 1 and 2 are of crucial significance because the Government announces its policy of permitting the importation into and the printing in Malaysia of Bibles in Bahasa Malaysia/Indonesia. Point 6 recognises the impossibility of having separate rules for East and West Malaysia; accordingly people travelling to and from either side of the South China Sea are free to bring along their Malay Bibles. Point 8 contemplates the release of the impounded Bibles: 30,000 in Kuching and 5,100 in Port Klang. It would be reasonable for anyone to assume that once the Ten Point Solution had been announced in April 2011, the problem of the use of the word "Allah" in Malay Bibles would have been resolved once and for all. That is certainly the only interpretation one can reasonably give to the letter, read in its entirety against the background of the tension then prevailing in the country, and which it was intended to resolve. Hence it would be reasonable to ask : why was this problem not resolved 3 years ago? The only reasonable response is that there is no political will to resolve this issue. Indeed, there is short-term political gain to be made by fermenting the problem because it serves as the ideal distraction from the real ills facing Malaysians, particularly, rising costs of living caused by price hikes of nearly every basic item without any increase in salaries, wages or incomes. Malaysians in the thousands must urge the Najib government which issued the April 2011 letter to comply with it immediately. It is as plain and simple as that. Decisive past leaders like Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Tun Dr Ismail, Hussein Onn, and indeed his late father would have done just that. So Najib : please act as the Prime Minister by acting at once on your own letter. From the legal perspective, one should remind JAIS, as a statutory authority, that it is subject to the law, as this eloquent statement from Chief Justice Raja Azlan Shah (as His Majesty then was) in the Sri Lempah case in [1979] 1 MLJ 148 indicates :-
It is significant that Point 7 in the Prime Minister's letter contemplates disciplinary action being taken against civil servants who do not comply with the directives requiring proper implementation of the Cabinet decision in that letter. Accordingly, all the JAIS officers who participated in the raid must be subject to such disciplinary proceedings. From a political perspective, it is very disappointing that the Pakatan State Government of Selangor allowed JAIS to act in this arrogant and high-handed manner. It is absolutely unacceptable for proper political governance for the Menteri Besar and his EXCO to wash their hands of this affair. The Menteri Besar, as the duly elected head of government for the State, is responsible for the actions of all his state agencies. If these steps were taken without his knowledge, it would be shocking because it would mean that JAIS is a rogue elephant — a state within a state. If he knew about these actions before they were undertaken, he should resign. The voters of Selangor gave him a second mandate just 8 months ago. But it was certainly not on the basis that he would allow a state agency to behave this way. At the very least, a full public apology by the Menteri Besar is warranted, and a public undertaking that such conduct would never be repeated in his watch. — loyarburok.com * This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malay Mail Online. |
| GM recalling about 370,000 large pickups for possible fire issue Posted: 10 Jan 2014 04:36 PM PST
GM said eight fires had been caused by the problem, but there were no injuries. The company said all of the fires had occurred in very cold places, and it urged customers to avoid leaving trucks idling unattended. The No. 1 US automaker said the recall included 2014 model trucks with 4.3 litre and 5.3 litre engines in the United States, Canada, Mexico and other markets. Trucks with 6.2 litre engines were not being recalled. GM said signs of the problem were a continuous yellow "check engine light" and an "engine power reduced" message in the driver information centre. It said recall letters would be mailed next Thursday, but customers could contact dealers for appointments beginning early next week. It said the repair would take about 20 minutes. Of the trucks recalled, about 303,813 are in the United States, about 57,769 in Canada, about 665 in Mexico and about 7,753 in export markets, said company spokesman Alan Adler. ― Reuters |
| Cops pass fraudulent conversion case to Sabah religious authorities Posted: 10 Jan 2014 04:34 PM PST
Kota Marudu police chief Deputy Superintendent Mohd Isa Yusof confirmed that police have received the report filed by a group of villagers, who claimed they were "tricked" into converting to Islam, but noted that it is now in the hands of the religious authorities. "We received a report and police have referred the issue to JHEAINS for their action. For more information, please refer to them," he said in Malay in a brief text message to The Malay Mail Online late last night. On Wednesday, a group of 27 villagers from Kampung Maliau, Pitas lodged a police report alleging that they were converted to Islam without their knowledge after they were promised welfare aid. The group, who live in a remote part of Sabah's interior-north region, were quoted by local Sabah newspaper Daily Express as saying that they were made to say "words we did not understand" at a ceremony on New Year's Day, after which they were allegedly told by an unknown man that they had converted. The villagers, who insisted they are Christians, also claimed that they were each handed an envelope that contained RM100 after the entire affair. The fraudulent mass conversion claim is the latest to hit deteriorating relations between the country's majority Muslim and minority Christian communities, who have been at loggerheads for several years now over the use of the Arabic word "Allah". Just last week, Selangor Islamic Department (Jais) officers accompanied by policemen raided the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) office here and confiscated 300 copies of the bible in the Malay and Iban languages, for containing the word "Allah". Jais said they were empowered to conduct the raid under the Selangor Non-Islamic Religions (Control of Propagation Among Muslims) Enactment 1988 that prohibits non-Muslims in Selangor from using 35 Arabic words and phrases, including the word for God, "Allah". The incident sparked outrage among non-Muslim communities and lawyers, who argued that the raid — and the very Enactment used to validate it — were unconstitutional and an act of harassment against Christians in the country. Jais' recent action reignited long simmering tension in the country that followed the Kuala Lumpur High Court's decision four years ago in favour of allowing Catholic weekly the Herald to continue to use the word "Allah" despite an earlier prohibition by the government. The Court of Appeal, however, overturned the lower court's decision last year, arguing that it was well within the Home Minister's purview to enforce the ban in the interest of national security. The ongoing legal dispute between the government and the Catholic Church is still pending before the Federal Court, which is set to hear arguments from both sides on February 24 before it decides on whether it will hear an appeal by the Catholic Church. Christians make up about 10 per cent of the Malaysian population, or 2.6 million. Almost two-thirds of them are Bumiputera and are largely based in Sabah and Sarawak, where they routinely use Bahasa Malaysia and indigenous languages in their religious practices, including describing God as "Allah" in their prayers and holy book. |
| The “fiercest” biryani in town gets fiercer Posted: 10 Jan 2014 04:31 PM PST
Here's a question that must surely be on many fans' minds (it's on mine, certainly): Why the name Fierce Curry House? Why "fierce"? Surely it's not a nod to the admittedly heavy competition? When I ask Herukh T. Jethwani, the man behind the brand, he laughs and says the name came from a family joke. "Whenever my father had some really spicy curry, he'd say 'Wah! This is so fierce!' In fact, everything that was really spectacular for my father's generation was fierce, so I thought that was an apt name." Herukh is no stranger to really spicy curries. In the 1980s, his father used to run his law firm above Bangles, then considered the only Indian fine dining restaurant in Kuala Lumpur. His father bought over Bangles in 1986 and the restaurant continued to be in the family till it closed in 2010. "Bangles was the oldest North Indian restaurant in town with over 50 years of history," he says, "but eventually we decided it was time to give it a rest before reopening it at a later date with a fresher look. In the interim, we looked for other opportunities, which turned out to be Fierce Curry House." Before Herukh opened Fierce Curry House, he had already bought over a (mixed rice) shop in Bangsar and kept the cook on board to run the place while he tweaked the recipe for his now famous biryani. "We worked at developing our biryani rice recipe, which is based on our aunt's recipe from Hyderabad. It was my first time stepping into the kitchen to cook and experiment, despite growing up with Bangles as part of the family business. I had studied hotel and restaurant management both locally and in France, but it was more pastry art, and less curries!" The resultant Hyderabadi dhum biryani is distinguished from the rest in the market by its use of 29 key ingredients. Extra-long grain pure Basmati rice is used, at the cost of 11 to 12 times the price of normal rice used for biryani.
Marketing and social media play a strong role in building the Fierce Curry House brand. Herukh acknowledges their aggressive campaign in going after customers and converting them. "Many restaurants have static Facebook pages. For us, we see it as an active platform for us to engage our customers. Customers often tag their friends and themselves in photographs posted on our Facebook page, which is great for promotion." Offline, Herukh came up with 'The Biryani + Banana Leaf Wall of Fame' in the restaurant where pictures of customers enjoying their food are shared. "When these customers return, they and their friends can have fun trying to spot themselves!" The hard work in connecting with their customers and fans certainly paid off when Fierce Curry House was voted the Best Indian Restaurant at this year's Time Out KL Food Awards. Given this accomplishment, how is the new outlet "fiercer"? "All the signature dishes from Fierce Curry House are here at Fiercer," he says, "and there will be new items available only at Fiercer such as a special scallop shish kebab." There is also a bar serving beer and 10 signature cocktails, including one made from mango lassi. Herukh even hopes to introduce a champagne brunch by end of January. "What we want to do here is create a neutral place for diners to come for a nice Indian meal, but without having to sit outside, exposed to the elements and heat." He adds, "I don't like themed restaurants; I prefer something more neutral in terms of the décor and the music. You know you are here to have Indian food; you don't need the place decked out like the Taj Mahal to enjoy yourself." Entry-level outlets will be modelled after Fierce Curry House while Fiercer will be the basis for more upmarket yet still casual restaurants. A third category will be fine dining which may see the return of the original Bangles brand. "We definitely plan on opening more outlets but we don't want to over-expand either. One of the reasons why Fierce Curry House has been successful is that the owner is always on the floor. If we open too many outlets too quickly, we may spread ourselves too thin." Right now, the sky seems to be the limit for Herukh and his "fierce" ambitions. Fierce Curry House Fiercer This story was first published in Crave in the print edition of The Malay Mail on January 10, 2014 |
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