TR EMERITUS

By Hafiz Yatim from Malaysiakini Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan began testifying in the sodomy trial against his former employer Anwar Ibrahim, revealing details of alleged sexual advances from him. Mohd Saiful is the complainant and the prosecution's first witness. Anwar was alleged to have sodomised Mohd Saiful on June 26, 2008. According to Solicitor-General II Mohamed Yusof Zainal Abiden, the prosecution has listed more than 25 witnesses. The case is being heard at the Kuala Lumpur High Court before Justice Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah. When the hearing began at 3.30pm, Anwar pleaded not guilty, additionally claiming that the charges are "evil frivolous lies by those in political power". In his opening statement, Yusof said the prosecution will prove that traces of Anwar's semen were found in Mohd Saiful's rectum. He said doctors obtained the semen traces from tissue samples. Mohamed Yusof added that the prosecution will prove its case, beyond a reasonable doubt, through direct evidence from Mohd Saiful and reports from chemists, forensic experts and doctors. When Mohd Saiful was called to the stand, a shout of "taubat-lah (repent)" was heard from the public gallery. Mohd Saiful blushed. The person who shouted is believed to be one of Anwar's daughters. Under examination, by Mohamed Yusof he related how he had come to meet Anwar and to work for him. On June 26, he said he was instructed to meet Anwar at the Desa Damansara condominium at 2.30pm to discuss work. The witness said he was given "Mokhtar" as a password to enter the condominium compoun. "The unit 1151 and 1152 are both owned by one Hasanuddin (Abdul Hamid) but the unit 1151 has been made as a guest room," he said. When Saiful entered unit 1152, Anwar was seen sittinig by a dinner table. Mohd Saiful said he handed some documents to Anwar who responded by asking: 'Can I f*** you today?' Although he was "afraid and unwilling", Mohd Saiful said he nonetheless complied with Anwar's instructions and washed up in the bathroom before entering a bedroom in a towel. He said Anwar then drew the room curtains and switched off the lights. "I saw Anwar wrapped in a towel near the bed. He approached me and hugged me," he said. At this juncture, defence counsel Karpal Singh applied for the rest of the testimony to be heard in camera. Justice Mohamad Zabidin agreed and adjourned proceedings until 9.30am tomorrow. Despite heavy rain, Anwar's supporters gathered near the entrance to the complex entrance. Two supporters sported masks of the first couple. Police issued arrests threats. Earlier, Karpal raised objections after Mohd Saiful's June 28, 2008 police report at the Kuala Lumpur general hospital was tendered as evidence. The report states that "the last incident" took place on June 26, implying that there were other instances where Saiful was allegedly sodomised, but that was not stated on the charge sheet. "The prosecution should concentrate on the charge at hand and not try to implicate (my client) for other offences," said Karpal. Mohamed Yusof replied that the authorities had no control over the content of police reports. He said the police report tendered as evidence because it led to the police investigations. Justice Mohamad Zabidin agreed to expunge the words "the last incident". Read rest of article on Malaysiakini  Read More →

By Claudine Beaumont from Telegraph My first impressions of the device are largely positive. Apple has once again built a product that looks good and feels great in the hand, and the familiar user interface, borrowed from the iPhone and iPod touch, is perfectly suited to the bigger screen. The iPad whizzes along, opening applications, re-sizing web pages, and zooming in and out of maps almost instantaneously. It's a great, fun gaming platform, and it's lovely to view full-size web pages while browsing the internet. Developers, no doubt, are already rubbing their hands with glee about the apps and services they could tailor specifically for this device. The new touch-optimised iWork suite is beautifully realised, making it quick and easy -- and, dare I say, fun -- to piece together a spreadsheet or presentation. It also helps to elevate the iPad to more than just a plaything. As Steve Jobs said during his keynote, if you're going to create a third category of device, between the smartphone and the laptop, then it needs to be better than either for certain tasks. In many areas, this is true for the iPad -- web browsing is much better on the iPad than the iPhone, just because of the bigger screen, and physically flicking through photos, music and movies is just more enjoyable on the iPad than a laptop. But in several crucial areas, the iPad falls short of the functionality that would have made this more than just a large iPod touch. The lack of Flash support is a major issue; the iPad's big screen is designed to make the best of multimedia content and the full-screen browsing experience, but the sight of little blue squares dotted around web pages where embedded video should have been just makes you feel like you're being short-changed. The iPad's inability to multi-task could also severely hamper its appeal. It's being pitched as a portable device that you could kick back and use on the sofa at home, but you can't listen to your Spotify playlists at the same time as writing an email, or browse the web while using an instant-messaging app to chat with friends. It's one or other, just as it is on the iPhone and iPod touch, but for the extra money you're paying for the iPad, you expect something more akin to a laptop computing experience. Read rest of article here  Read More →

作者:冀居·谢 林瑞生在经济战略委员会的新闻发布会上说了一个故事： 『有一次，爱因斯坦 (Einstein) 发出考卷后，考生都大感意外，数分钟后，终于有人打破沉默，鼓起勇气问爱因斯坦是否弄错，误用前一年的考卷。爱因斯坦说，考卷的确一样，但他要的是不同的答案。提升生产力的问题和过去没什么不同，但我们要的同样是不同的答案。』 与其说这段话是饶有深意，还不如说林瑞生的这些话是很生动的比喻。李显龙 (Lee Hsien Loong) 在2004年8月接棒当上了总理，在2006年第一次以总理的身份率领行动党举行大选，四年后的今天，应该是他交出一份成绩单的时候，可是这份成绩根本一塌糊涂；根据尚达曼的报告，我国过去十年每年仅取得5％的经济增长，而生产力的增长从过去十年也是保持在1%的低水平，我们纳税人给予这些部长们每年世界一流的百万年薪，看来是肉包子打狗了。所以他们把他们的“无能”重新包装成新的“问卷”，要人民给出新的“答案”：就是只有再次依靠他们，才能够走出这样的困境！？ 在这次经济战略委员会所提出七个建议中，不难看出几乎所有的花招都是和部长们的薪水提高息息相关。当然有人说，经济好了、富人赚钱多了，社会自然就会好起来，这是真的吗？难道你没有听过“朱门酒肉臭，路有冻死骨”这样的社会不公吗？过去十年，属于收入最低20%的工友，他们的工资年均增长只有1.2%，扣除通货膨胀，是属于负的增长，缩小贫富差距这一块怎么没有成为“战略”的一个重要组成？ 还有当年吴作栋所提出“商者有其店”的口号，在半哄半骗下买下组屋商店的小头家，现在才惊觉是政府本身在破坏组屋区的商业生态平衡，可是马宝山的“重新注入活力”的行动根本就是只闻楼梯响不见人下来，社区小商家如此惨淡经营，怎么也同样在经济战略中缺席？说穿了，部长们看的根本就是大企业、大薪水、大花红这类的东西。国内的民生经济都摆到犄角旮旯去了。 【战略①提高技能与创新精神】 政府说，接下来有意把外劳人数控制在目前劳动力三分一之下的水平，并且提高劳工税来让企业“戒瘾”，根本就是选举花招，目的就是平复众怒。 当年人民质问政府：为什么允许那么多的外劳？他们说引进外劳不是为了跟本地人抢饭碗，而是为了提高生产力；是外来的妖娆啤酒阿嫂间接帮了本地的臃肿咖啡阿嫂，还记得吧？今天的早报社论《改造经济　分享成果》引用尚达曼的话，为大家画公仔画出肠：『新加坡过去10年年均5%的经济增长率，靠的主要是外来移民扩充劳动队伍来取得，是一种依赖简单地扩大生产投入、品质不高的增长方式，委员会的报告书指出，虽然本地员工的增长幅度预料在未来10年将减半，但应对之道却不是继续倚重外来员工，而是通过提升生产力来驱动经济成长。』 如果你还是不懂，其实你也不需要懂，因为话可以分两头讲，他们可以根据需要来胡扯。 【战略②成为环球—亚洲枢纽  成为环球企业亚洲基地】 那么他们的CEO、CFO、COO的高薪都能够列入给行动党的部长参考。 【战略③建立有活力多元企业生态  让本地 “亿元企业”倍增】 亿元企业必然造就收入超过千万的总裁。 【战略④普及商业创新  打造亚洲创新之都】 这个战略如果早三五年前提出，那么恩龙、雷曼兄弟和马多夫都得把总部移到这里来。 【战略⑤巧用能源】 Cheaper 、Better 、Faster，多快好省地建设行动党皇朝。 【战略⑥提高土地效益】 Cheaper 、Better 、Faster，多快好省地建设行动党皇朝。 【战略⑦成为独特环球都市  汇聚人才 打造宜居城市】 打高尔夫球、享受岛屿浮潜、驾豪华游艇寻求刺激和休假日到赌场玩两把的富豪们，都来吧！ 来源：大马论坛  Read More →