Indonesia’s presidential candidates hostage to smaller parties? |
- Indonesia’s presidential candidates hostage to smaller parties?
- Catalan independence movement gathers pace
- What’s the rush with hudud?
- Absolut to launch latest art bar at Art Basel Hong Kong
- Martinez still targets Champions League despite setback
- Celebrities’ April love life roundup
| Indonesia’s presidential candidates hostage to smaller parties? Posted: 26 Apr 2014 06:00 PM PDT JAKARTA, April 27 — After the election comes the scapegoating. In the time-honoured tradition of Indonesian post-reform politics, elections provide a good excuse for parties to change leadership, particularly when the results are not to their satisfaction. Often this causes major infighting, sometimes leading to party breakups with members leaving to form a new party. This week saw the near crumbling of the United Development Party (PPP), Indonesia's longest-running Islamic party, after its chairman Suryadharma Ali was accused of breaching the party line with his endorsement of Prabowo Subianto's presidential candidacy. Ignoring his detractors, Suryadharma, who is also the religious affairs minister, reiterated his support for Prabowo and declared a coalition with Gerindra a week after the election. Some of PPP's top officials, who had preferred to side with the other leading presidential contender, Joko Widodo, were angered by his decision and began the move to oust their chairman. Suryadharma fought back by firing some officials. The drama ended and a breakup was finally averted on Thursday after a two-day national party congress. A teary-eyed Suryadharma apologised for his move and said his party would withdraw its support for Prabowo. PPP's internal dynamics highlighted the crucial issue of Indonesia's oligarchic politics and the disproportionate role of medium-sized parties in determining the course of the presidential election. With only about 12 per cent of the votes, Gerindra had counted on PPP's support to bump up its number, as it looked for other parties to help meet the presidential threshold of 25 per cent in popular votes. Now Gerindra is back to square one. Like Gerindra, the Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDI-P) has had its shares of headaches when it comes to forming a coalition. For PDI-P's candidate Jokowi, Joko's popular moniker, the National Democratic Party's support with 7 per cent of the votes may be sufficient to nominate him, but it's still not enough to ensure a landslide victory that could prevent a risky two-round election. Meanwhile smaller parties, like the Nation's Awakening Party and the National Mandate Party, had put up too high "political prices" for their support. Transactional negotiations may force even the most idealistic presidential candidates to play the game, particularly in choosing a running mate. Jokowi will eventually face the options of pairing up with a sidekick of his choice or with one he does not favour but who has larger political capital
An alliance with Golkar Party's Jusuf Kalla, who is touted as his potential running mate, for example, might mean a lot of compromise for him. Kalla's previous track record as the most effective vice president to Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2004-2009 has caused some apprehension that, as a deputy, he might undermine the leadership of Jokowi, who is also many years his junior. Non-political party running mates, who may come from the military background such as TNI Commander General Moeldoko, and retired generals Ryamizard Ryacudu and Luhut Panjaitan, might resolve this issue of loyalty. But all will depend on the official results of the legislative elections on May 7-9. Parties need to submit the names of their tickets within a week after this announcement. If the horse-trading continues to frustrate the formation of a solid and real political alliance, the candidates will likely end up with fragile and highly transactional coalitions. A senior politician once told me that unless the presidential threshold system is changed to a one that allows only the top three or five parties to nominate a candidate regardless of their votes, Indonesian politics would always be held hostage by smaller parties. As a result, political oligarchy in the country will be even more cemented, leaving the real constituents out of the equation. *This is the personal opinion of the columnist.  |
| Catalan independence movement gathers pace Posted: 26 Apr 2014 06:00 PM PDT BARCELONA, April 27 — Romance was in the air in my home town of Barcelona on Wednesday, when the locals celebrated Sant Jordi's Day — Catalonia's patron saint St George — in the traditional manner of men buying a rose for women, who reciprocated with the gift of a book for their menfolk. The day serves as a Catalan equivalent of Valentine's Day, and on a bright and sunny Wednesday afternoon, strolling down the tree-lined avenue of Passeig De Gracia, with impromptu one-day-only book and flower stalls cramming the pavements, was a festive experience. However, a little below the surface there lurks a far less benevolent sentiment in the hearts of many residents, whose calls for independence from Spain are gathering momentum all the time. Away from Spain, few people are particularly aware of the Catalan independence issue. For the vast majority of outsiders, Barcelona and its surrounding countryside, tucked in behind the Pyrenees mountain range, is the north-eastern corner of Spain — as simple as that. Locally, though, you will hear a very different story. The majority of Catalans do not regard themselves as Spanish at all, pointing to their separate language and their strong sense of history and culture — with the rose and book-giving traditions of Sant Jordi's Day, which does not take place in any other parts of Spain, a fine example. Indeed, the feelings of many natives were summed up on Wednesday by one of the most high-profile supporters of Catalan independence — and a potential future president of the state, if such a position ever becomes available. Pep Guardiola is a former football Barcelona player and manager who is now in charge of European champions Bayern Munich. By coincidence, his team happened to be playing away to Real Madrid on Sant Jordi's Day, prompting an unsuspecting German journalist how he felt to be "back home" in Spain. Guardiola's reply was simple but succinct: "Catalonia is my home, and it is not Spain." Catalan is one of four existing "Romance" languages to have derived from Latin, along with French, Italian and, yes, Castilian Spanish. Catalan's use throughout the province is ubiquitous, even in the tourist-friendly capital Barcelona, where all administrative paperwork is conducted in the local language and, for example, it is also the first listed in restaurant menus; visitors looking for the famous local side dish of bread with tomatoes may be surprised to see "Pa Amb Tomaquet" rather than the Appeals for independence are nothing new. Historically, in fact, Catalonia was an entirely distinct nation for many centuries, enjoying great wealth due to its vast naval power and control over Mediterranean trade routes. For a brief time, its expanse even stretched as far as Italy and Greece, and some parts of modern-day southern France still regard themselves as Catalan.
Since then, Catalonia has officially been part of Spain — sometimes more begrudgingly than others. The most bitterly contested period was during and after the Spanish Civil War, which was eventually won by General Franco whose republican zeal led him to ban the public use of the Since his death in 1975, however, the Catalan culture has reasserted itself, with the latest peak in patriotic sentiment provoked largely by the financial crisis endured by Spain in the last five years. The catalyst is the fact that Catalonia, with its tourism and industry, generates a lot more revenue and, therefore, pays a lot more taxes than other parts of Spain, leading Catalans to feel aggrieved that they are effectively subsidising the failing parts of the country. The most visible appeals for independence are launched via Catalonia's most successful and most famous export: Barcelona's football club. Fans (of the team and of independence) use home games — especially against Real Madrid — as an opportunity to state their case in front of the watching world, while pro-independence chants sweep around the stadium after 17 minutes and 14 seconds of every half of every game, referencing 1714, the year of annexation to Spain. Despite the popular support, independence remains a long way off. The Spanish government is firmly opposed to the move, fearing the break-up of Spain (the Basque region, for one, could follow suit if Catalonia is successful) and the loss of vital revenue. Considering that opposition, it was no surprise when Spanish politicians rejected with a huge majority an official Catalan appeal to hold a referendum on the subject. Undeterred, Catalan officials are determined to push ahead with a vote later this year, which will now be called a "consultation" rather than a "referendum" to avoid provoking Madrid's ire with an unconstitutional act. Ultimately, though, the independence movement will probably prevail. For many Catalans, celebrating their own patron saint, speaking their own language and cheering on their own football team just isn't enough: they want their own country. *This is the personal opinion of the columnist. |
| Posted: 26 Apr 2014 06:00 PM PDT KUALA LUMPUR, April 27— By insisting to seek Parliament's approval to implement hudud in Kelantan this year, Islamist party PAS has certainly put all other political parties in terribly awkward positions. Chinese-majority MCA, which had long opposed hudud and blatantly so before the 13th general election (GE13) last year, together with Gerakan both risk being seen as "anti-Islam" by publicly opposing it. PAS's rival, Umno, another major representative of the Malay-Muslim community, risks an even worse backlash from its own constituents if it rejects the implementation of the Islamic penal code. Which was probably why it had employed filibustering tactics, especially during Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad's tenure, to avoid hudud being brought up in Parliament. But none have been put in a more awkward position than PAS's own allies in Pakatan Rakyat (PR). Meanwhile, DAP will probably be faced with their biggest challenge yet in keeping Malaysia secular and fending off creeping Islamisation. Even with the recent death of its stalwart Karpal Singh, DAP must stand its ground despite the risk of alienating the more conservative Muslim voters. So, with analysts and observers noting that the two private members' bills to pave way for hudud will fracture PR even more than ever before, what does PAS have to gain from all this? Why has the hudud blitz returned? It may well trace back to the last PAS annual conference, or muktamar, held in November last year. After losing two seats from its 2008 haul, delegates made it clear that they felt the pact had not only hindered them politically, but had also halted their progress in trying to establish an Islamic state. This was especially so after PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang announced the "tahaluf siyasi" concept — roughly meaning political consensus, with PR partners — and "downgraded" their fight for Islamic state to just a "welfare state" instead, all in the previous muktamar in 2012. Delegates stressed that they no longer wanted to be seen as just a "pillion rider" in PR. The divide between the two factions — those who wanted PAS to go it alone, and those who saw PR as the more resourceful vehicle to Putrajaya — has never been clearer. The balance between the two factions was nearly unsettled in the party polls, and continues to teeter even now.
It would not only instil confidence in an ulama leadership among the delegates who had been clamouring for hudud to go on, but also strengthen the party's position as the premier Islamic party. This comes after its religious credentials were questioned by Islamist groups such as Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma), and Umno itself, whose delegates had claimed to be "more Islamic" than PAS during its own general assembly in December last year. At the same time, this will allow PAS to flex its muscles among its allies, showing voters that it is no longer just a "passenger". And flex its muscles PAS did; DAP MPs and even the Islamist party's own non-Muslim supporters' wing were told to refrain from criticising a move that they — as non-Muslims — have no right to question. The wish by those who want to see PAS go it alone might even come true; maybe sooner than its proponents expect. When is the right time for hudud? Under pressure, Prime Minister Najib Razak's best response turned out to be along the lines of: "Putrajaya was never against hudud, but the time is not right yet". So when will it be the right time, then? To my readers who kindly answered, "the only right time for hudud is probably some time before the 10th century", prepare yourself for a torrent of abuse from many Muslims who believe that, being Allah's law, it is immutable. But ponder a second: it has been nearly 14 centuries — that is 1,400 years — since Muhammad's death. After all this time, how can you expect those who neither subscribe to Islam or its divine laws, to accept hudud unquestioningly in this day and age? Yet, there are also many who think that implementing hudud is the be-all and end-all to being a good Muslim. It is as if by implementing hudud, all the other discrepancies and weaknesses that will come from following the Islamic moral code can simply be swept under the carpet. We saw this with Brunei, whose monarch decreed for hudud, perhaps to instantly elevate the King in the eyes of the Muslims, regardless of the monarch's less-than-pristine lifestyle in the eyes of Islam. And it worked! After the proclamation, suddenly we saw Muslims, even those in PAS, praising Brunei for being a model Islamic country and its monarch, a Muslim paragon. We saw this with Johor, whose monarch also decreed for the weekend to be changed to Friday and Saturday, perhaps in a joint bid with the newly-elected Barisan Nasional (BN) state government to seem more Islamic. (After all, DAP just made inroads in the state in GE13.) Through a chat with my old friends working in Johor, I found out that people are not entirely happy with the change. Productivity is said to be going down the drain, as workers take emergency leave on Sundays, while they spend less time working on Thursdays (since before this they spent less time working on Fridays with the three-hour Friday prayers break). Word is the Sultan of Johor will reverse the weekend decision sometime this year. And for this, he would be praised for listening to the people's pleas; nothing will be said of the previous decision. We are not a country that bases our laws and Constitution on Islamic holy texts, nor are the Muslims the overwhelming majority in Malaysia. *This is the personal opinion of the columnist. |
| Absolut to launch latest art bar at Art Basel Hong Kong Posted: 26 Apr 2014 05:57 PM PDT
Set in a post-apocalyptic environment, featuring custom sandbag enclosures and a blood bar, "Apocalypse Postponed" will draw inspiration from everything from cult science fiction films including "A Clockwork Orange" and "Dune" to 20th century defensive plans and fortifications such as the Swiss National Redoubt and WWII bunker ruins scattered around Hong Kong. Abbas has also developed a series of limited edition thematic cocktails by working alongside a mixologist, inspired by technologies developed to provide nutritional supplements in specified conditions such as space travel and during wartime rationing. These include the use of effervescent tablets in 'Ca+', and '2666: A Space Cocktail', a fresh beetroot cocktail served in a blood bag. The installation will feature a changing nightly program of live music, DJ sets, screenings and choreographed performances. It is the latest in a series of unique collaborations between Absolut and leading contemporary artists on art bar installations, following projects by Adrian Wong at last year's Art Basel in Hong Kong, Mickalene Thomas in Switzerland in 2013 and Ry Rocklen in Miami Beach in 2013. "Apocalypse Postponed" will run in Soundwill Plaza II - Midtown, Hong Kong, May 13-17. — AFP-Relaxnews |
| Martinez still targets Champions League despite setback Posted: 26 Apr 2014 05:40 PM PDT
The 2-0 loss at St Mary's left Everton in fifth place, a point behind Arsenal, who can go four points clear of the Merseysiders with two games to play if they win at home to Newcastle tomorrow. However, Everton manager Martinez said his side could still leapfrog Arsenal if they finished the season with maximum points from their remaining games at home to Premier League title contenders Manchester City and away to FA Cup finalists Hull. That would give the Toffees 75 points and Martinez said: "I always felt that to get into the Champions League was always going to take a lot of points, anything from 72 to 75, so this doesn't change anything that we need to do. We need to try to win every game we have. "Sixty-nine points for us with two games to go is a phenomenal total and the squad is not going to be affected," the Spaniard maintained. "The opposite; we are going to be galvanised for next Saturday," added the former Wigan manager, who replaced David Moyes ― sacked by Manchester United on Tuesday after a 2-0 defeat by Everton ― ahead of this season. 'Remarkable' Everton "I think it will be enough. If you look historically, only once the fourth place went for 76 points over 15 years. Historically, with 64 or 65 points you got into fourth place. "In terms of points tally, that we can reach a tally of 72 to 75 points is a remarkable achievement." Everton sealed their own fate on the south coast with a pair of first half own-goals from Antolin Alcaraz and Seamus Coleman handing Southampton an advantage they maintained despite an improved second half showing from the visitors. "We have been brave and played attacking football with real energy," said Martinez. "We conceded two early goals and all that desire we have as a group affected our way of performing. The score line affected our game too much." Prior to this defeat, Everton had won eight of their previous nine league games. "To win eight matches out of 10 and get 24 out of 30 points is phenomenal," Martinez said. "Now we will look for the next six points. "And then I will look at the table on May 11th and see where we are." Southampton pair Adam Lallana and Luke Shaw impressed in front of the watching England coach Roy Hodgson after the two players had again been linked with a move away from the club. The Saints denied reports, transfer talks have begun with Manchester United and manager Mauricio Pochettino was anxious the ongoing speculation did not overshadow a victory that left Southampton eighth in England's top-flight with a tally of 52 points. "This is not the right time to talk about the future," Pochettino said. "We have to enjoy the moment and enjoy this victory," the Argentinian added. "We have achieved the maximum number of points for the club in the Premier League which is a great achievement. "We created the chances to make the own-goals happen and this was an amazing performance against a team trying to get into the top four." ― AFP |
| Celebrities’ April love life roundup Posted: 26 Apr 2014 05:37 PM PDT NEW YORK, April 27— Welcome to 'Love Life Roundup' where we give you the lowdown on April's newest relationship news. While promoting his latest film 'Transcendence', Johnny Depp was asked if the rumours of his engagement were true. Responding with a laugh, Johnny said that the fact that he's "wearing a chick's ring" on his finger "is probably a dead giveaway, its not very subtle." The 'Pirates Of The Caribbean' star then speculated that he "would be better at making women's shoes than planning a wedding". It's also been reported that Brad and Angelina will tie the knot this summer. Having been engaged since 2012, the couple has finally decided that this year will be their year. Apparently holding the ceremony at their French chateau, an insider close to them has said that they want tattoos as a permanent reminder of the event.
And finally, Uma Thurman recently went to an event "without her engagement ring or her fiancé" with other reports saying that he "was scheduled to attend and it seemed clear there was only one reason why he didn't show - because he and Uma are no longer an item." — Cover Media |
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