Man surrenders to police over threat to kill IGP

A direct-selling dealer surrendered to the police today over a threat to kill Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar.

The 33-year-old man surrendered himself at the Cheras District Police headquarters at 9.30 am, said Cheras Police chief ACP Mohan Singh Tara Singh.

"The suspect came alone and surrendered. We sent him to the Dang Wangi District Police headquarters for a statement to be recorded," he told reporters.

A preliminary investigation revealed that the man hailed from Negeri Sembilan and was living in Melaka, he said, adding that the man had no criminal record.

The police lodged a report yesterday at the Dang Wangi District Police headquarters after coming across a Facebook account in the name of one Murugan Nagaretinam which read: "Can anyone just hire gunman to shoot down this police or IGP?"

The Facebook account holder had commented on the police shooting dead two men believed to be gangsters in Melaka yesterday.

The men were killed in a shootout with the police at 9.20 am after they opened fire at policemen who had approached them as they waited in a car at the roadside near a hypermarket in Cheng.

- BERNAMA 

Bale no threat to Ronaldo’s rampant ego

It isn’t unthinkable that Cristiano Ronaldo’s ego might have been bruised by Gareth Bale’s record arrival. For the first couple of days it might be a daunting challenge for Bale just to turn up for training, as he did for the first time on Wednesday.

He is the most expensive player in the world, but he is not yet recognised as one of the best in the world as that status belongs to a handful of other people – one of whom will be standing next to him in a training top. Bale might have joined as the most expensive player in history but arguably he is only the fourth best player in La Liga after Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Neymar.

Ronaldo is the main man at Madrid, but handily, Bale doesn’t seem to have an ego on or off the field, and Ronaldo will realise that soon enough. On the pitch, the Welshman doesn’t need to satisfy himself with a certain amount of goals – if he plays well all season and only scores 15 he will be happy – while Ronaldo is different. He needs to score 50 before he is happy.

Ronaldo will discover that Bale is not a threat to him – in terms of his position on the pitch and the status he craves. At this stage he might have an eye on him, but Bale will quite happily play second string to Ronaldo, at least for now.

Over time, Ronaldo might even let him take a few free-kicks. In two or three months’ time they won’t have a problem at all.

It has been said Madrid were even telling Ronaldo that it wasn’t a world record deal to stop him having a strop, but to be honest, if you are that good you can afford to have a bit of an ego on you. We’ve seen people develop big heads without the ability to back it up – Ronaldo isn’t like that. He always delivers.

He might be a bit of a diva but he trains hard and plays exceptionally well.

In terms of how they will link up together on the pitch, I think Carlo Ancelotti might use Bale in a central position at Real Madrid. If you look at the sale of Mesut Ozil to Arsenal there is a space there, and Ronaldo will continue on the flanks with Angel Di Maria so Bale could slot in just behind Karim Benzema.

Last season we saw an evolution in Bale. Previously we had a very clear picture of what he was about: pace, hitting the byline and great crosses. But Andre Villas-Boas moved him to a central position and he developed his game – for which he deserves great credit.

Bale will be most productive in a central position. If he is in that area of the pitch, I think he could run riot, particularly given opposition defences will also have Di Maria and Ronaldo to look after. He has that ability to go past defenders and take them out of the game. I think this attribute means he could be devastating in a central role.

Madrid will be keen not to move Ronaldo given the huge number of goals he scores from that wide starting position, whereas if you put Bale on the left his potential goals tally is likely to decrease. To extract the maximum from both players, the solution is obvious. That way you maximise your goal return.

As well as delivering on the pitch, Bale has a challenge to settle into a new city and a new life. It’s all about being happy when you move abroad as a player. Madrid can help him settle by getting him a house in the right area and making sure his family are settled, but ultimately it comes down to whether Gareth can find happiness himself.

Getting off to a flying start will certainly be important. With the intense media glare in Spain, he will be scrutinised like he never has before. Just look at the fuss around his contribution for Wales this week.

He needs a goal in his first three games to head off any early criticism and start feeling comfortable.


Source: Eurosport.com

Mahkamah arah Papagomo bayar ganti rugi RM500,000

Mahkamah Tinggi memerintahkan pengendali blog 'Papa Gomo' atau nama sebenarnya Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris, membayar ganti rugi RM500,000 kepada ahli perniagaan Abdul Razak Mohd Noor berhubung penerbitan artikel berunsur fitnah dalam blognya.

Pesuruhjaya Kehakiman Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera membuat keputusan itu selepas mendapati Abdul Razak berjaya membuktikan perkataan-perkataan fitnah dalam artikel yang ditulis oleh Wan Muhammad Azri itu merujuk kepadanya, dan sebenarnya memfitnah beliau.

Vazeer Alam memerintahkan Wan Muhammad Azri membayar ganti rugi am sebanyak RM200,000 dan ganti rugi teladan RM300,000 kepada Abdul Razak, serta menetapkan kos guaman sebanyak RM50,000, selain membenarkan permohonan injunksi supaya Wan Muhammad Azri dihalang daripada terus menyiarkan kata-kata fitnah itu.

Dalam penghakimannya, Vazeer Alam berkata Abdul Razak selaku plaintif berjaya membuktikan Wan Muhammad Azri yang menerbitkan artikel itu, meskipun defendan dalam keterangannya menafikan beliau adalah pemilik blog yang dikenali sebagai 'Papa Gomo'.

Beliau berkata dalam kes ini, plaintif telah memanggil saksi pertamanya iaitu Mohd Fauzi Mohd Azmi yang mempunyai blog dikenali sebagai 'Perisik Rakyat' dan dalam keterangan saksi itu menyatakan beliau dapat mengecam defendan setelah defendan sendiri memperkenalkan dirinya sebagai 'Papa Gomo' ketika menghadiri satu persidangan bloggers di Lake View Garden, Subang Jaya pada 16 Mei 2009.

"Saksi itu, yang turut diperkenalkan kepada seorang blogger lain yang dikenali sebagai 'Parpukari' semasa persidangan itu berkata beliau telah mengambil gambar defendan dan 'Parpukari' dan gambar itu dikemukakan sebagai bahan bukti dalam kes ini," katanya.

Vazeer Alam berkata mahkamah percaya gambar yang diambil adalah gambar mereka walaupun muka mereka tidak dapat dilihat dengan jelas kerana mereka cuba melindung separuh daripada wajah mereka dengan tangan.

"Apabila mahkamah membandingkan ciri-ciri wajah muka dalam gambar itu dengan ciri-ciri defendan semasa hadir di mahkamah, saya dapati ianya sama dan jelas menunjukkan bahawa defendan yang dipaparkan dalam gambar itu," katanya.

Beliau berkata walaupun defendan menafikan beliau merupakan orang di dalam gambar itu, mahkamah mendapati penafian defendan adalah satu pembohongan kerana keterangan Mohd Fauzi bahawa beliau telah berjumpa dengan defendan dan 'Parpukari' di persidangan itu tidak dicabar oleh peguam yang mewakili defendan.

Vazeer Alam berkata keterangan Mohd Fauzi bahawa terdapat nama, gambar serta nombor telefon defendan yang dimuatkan dalam blog isterinya adalah sama dengan nombor telefon yang digunakan saksi itu untuk menghubungi blogger yang dikenalinya sebagai 'Papa Gomo' dan keterangan itu juga tidak dicabar oleh peguam. Katanya, mahkamah juga mendapati kata-kata yang diterbitkan defendan dalam artikelnya bukan komen sebaliknya merupakan kata-kata fakta yang tidak berasas.

"Dalam kes ini plaintif adalah seorang ahli perniagaan yang dikenali ramai dan kata-kata defendan bahawa plaintif seorang penipu yang telah mengaut keuntungan berjuta-juta ringgit semasa Sukan Komanwel berkecenderungan merendahkan plaintif dalam pandangan mata umum," katanya.

Vazeer Alam berkata mahkamah mendapati perkara memuatkan artikel yang berunsur fitnah dalam sesawang internet telah berleluasa dan ada beberapa pihak yang tidak bertanggungjawab seperti defendan yang bermaharajalela di alam siber, bersembunyi di belakang tirai nama samaran atau 'anonymity' untuk menulis apa sahaja yang mereka mahu tanpa mempedulikan kesan akibat penulisan mereka.

Katanya, mahkamah mengambil serius terhadap gejala negatif ini yang telah menular tanpa batasan sejak akhir-akhir ini dan sekiranya tidak dibendung dan dibanteras akan merosakkan 'social fabric' masyarakat yang berpotensi menggugat ketenteraman awam dan keselamatan negara.

"Dengan ini, saya mahu penghakiman yang diberikan diambil sebagai satu teladan kepada defendan dan juga semua pengguna internet supaya mereka tidak menyalahgunakan kemudahan ini.

"Sekiranya disalahgunakan, mahkamah akan mengambil pandangan yang amat serius, seperti pepatah "sepandai-pandai tupai melompat, akhirnya jatuh ke tanah juga" dan sepandai-pandainya defendan menyembunyikan diri dengan nama samaran, akhirnya telah didedahkan melalui 'footprint' yang beliau tinggalkan di alam siber," tegasnya.

Sementara itu, Abdul Razak ketika ditemui pemberita berkata berkata beliau gembira dengan keputusan mahkamah.

"Ini bukan untuk kebaikan diri saya sahaja. Saya telah difitnah oleh blogger," katanya.

Pada 26 Jan, 2012, Abdul Razak, 59, memfailkan saman terhadap Wan Muhammad Azri, 30, berhubung penerbitan artikel berunsur fitnah dalam blog 'Papa Gomo' pada 11 Dis 2011.

Dalam pernyataan tuntutan itu, Abdul Razak mendakwa Wan Muhammad Azri telah mengeluarkan kenyataan fitnah bahawa beliau merupakan seorang penipu yang telah mengaut keuntungan berjuta-juta ringgit setelah mendapat kontrak semasa Sukan Komanwel yang berlangsung di negara ini yang menyebabkan reputasinya terjejas.

Abdul Razak diwakili peguam Reuben Netto dan Malik Imtiaz Sarwar manakala Wan Muhammad Azri diwakili peguam Jasbeer Singh.

- BERNAMA 

Chrome 29 for iOS brings voice search with pronouns

Google loves to throw small-yet-sensible interface updates into many Chrome releases, and the new Chrome 29 for iOS represents a textbook example.

The browser's voice search now supports contextual pronouns like "her" or "them;" ask a question and you can run a follow-up search without mentioning the subject by name.

The update also lets you quickly jump back to search results if you visit the wrong result, and it's now easier to view bandwidth savings if you have access to the experimental data compression feature. Should you like the smattering of new features, you can grab Chrome 29 now through the App Store.

Source

Interpreter's pride comes through in her translation

TOKYO:  When an International Olympic Committee member asked Prime Minister Shinzo Abe why he thought the crippled nuclear power plant in Fukushima Prefecture has no effect on Tokyo, the atmosphere became tense at a venue of the IOC general assembly in Buenos Aires.

Tokyo made the final presentation there on Saturday, but media from many nations had reported that radioactive water leakage from Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant was a mounting concern for IOC members.

When Abe began explaining in Japanese, interpreter Mariko Nagai, 70, who was sitting in a booth at the back of the seats, told herself: "Interpret in a tone just as the prime minister puts it."

Abe said in a clear, strong voice that he is taking responsibility by implementing programs for a fundamental solution. His strong words were delivered to IOC members in English through Nagai's interpretation.

Nagai is an interpreter for the Tokyo bid committee. When Tokyo competed for the 2016 Olympic Games, Nagai worked with then Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara. She has visited more than 50 places in Japan and abroad for bidding activities since around 2007. Having also been involved in the 1998 Nagano Olympics from before its start, she has a lot of experience with Olympic-related activities.

Many people put strong faith in her, saying Nagai interprets remarks by understanding context.

Nagai said she pays attention to every word she chooses, aiming to give a positive impression at such occasions as a press conference. For example, she prefers to use "a challenge" or "a point to be improved" instead of "weak points."

"I love the Olympics. I never change the words of a speaker when I interpret, but I guess my wish that Tokyo be chosen as the host city naturally comes out in my interpretation," she said.

Her strong feelings for the Olympics date back to a vivid memory half a century ago.

It was the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. When planes flying in formation drew the five-ring emblem in the blue sky at the opening ceremony, Nagai was at the National Stadium in Tokyo, wearing a white jacket with an emblem of a rising sun. VIPs from around the world passed by in front of her eyes.

Nagai, then a student at International Christian University, applied for a part-time job as an interpreter to utilize her experience of studying at high school in the United States, as an army of interpreters were needed.

She was in charge of women's swimming. She translated results into English, as the announcements were made in Japanese at the National Yoyogi Stadium. She was excited to see athletes from all over the world. "I was so proud that I took part in it as a Japanese," she recalled.

It has been over 50 years since then. As a member of an interpretation company, she receives about 200 requests a year, including requests from such big names as former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and actor Kevin Costner.

At the time of the Nagano Olympics, she was an interpreter for the Empress when the Imperial family hosted a tea party for IOC members.

Sheets of paper on which she wrote down relevant vocabulary for the Olympics have become her treasure. They contain about 500 words she learned, including official translation of slogans for the Games and special terms used in the Olympics.

What she remembered in Buenos Aires, the location of the final presentation, is a remark by a member of the Tokyo bid committee for the 2016 Games. "You are a bid committee member before you are an interpreter," she was told.

Nagai did her job, just trying to make Tokyo look the best candidate before the IOC.

When the announcement was made, she cried, as a member of the Japan team.

In 2020, a huge number of people from other countries will visit Tokyo.

Nagai hopes that they will enjoy unique Japanese expressions that are hard to translate into English, such as "omotenashi" which recently became popular as a description for top-quality hospitality.

Source: Astro Awani 

Selepas 50 tahun Malaysia dibentuk, kita masih alami krisis identiti

"Selepas 50 tahun, kita masih mengalami krisis identiti," kata aktivis teater, Khaled Salleh ketika ditanya makna Hari Malaysia.

Pelakon yang memenangi anugerah Pelakon Lelaki Terbaik di Festival Filem Asia Pasifik ke-43 menerusi filem Jogho itu berkata, sepatutnya perkara itu tidak lagi berlaku selepas 50 tahun Malaysia dibentuk.

Katanya, tidak ada rasa empunya atau perasaan cinta terhadap negara dan bahasa menyebabkan selepas 50 tahun pembentukan Malaysia, krisis identiti masih dialami oleh rakyat negara ini.

Beliau nyata kecewa dengan apa yang berlaku kerana baginya, selepas 50 tahun dibentuk, Malaysia sepatutnya sudah mempunyai jatidirinya sendiri, baik rakyat atau pemerintah.

Mengambil contoh dari segi bahasa, Khaled menegaskan rakyat Malaysia seolah-olah lupa bahawa mendaulatkan bahasa Melayu sebenarnya terkandung dalam perlembagaan Malaysia.

"Sebagai rakyat, sepatutnya apa yang terkandung dalam perlembagaan negara itu perlu kita sama-sama pastikan supaya didaulatkan.

"Tetapi apa yang berlaku, saya dapat tahu ada kalangan korporat Melayu kalau bincang atau mesyuarat sesama mereka pun bercakap bahasa Inggeris.

"Ini penyakit sebenarnya, penyakit rasa tidak intelek kalau tidak bercakap bahasa Inggeris. Bukan salah belajar bahasa atau menguasai bahasa Inggeris, belajarlah banyak mana bahasa pun, bagus tetapi bahasa sendiri perlu kita daulatkan," katanya kepada Astro Awani ketika ditemubual sempena Hari Malaysia.

Mengulas lanjut, penulis buku Melayu Hilang Di Dunia ini menjelaskan, dari segi budaya juga, setelah 50 tahun dibentuk, masih terlalu banyak perlu disuntik kesedaran kepada rakyat negara ini untuk memahami budaya dan mengamalkan budaya yang dihormati.

"Kalau kita tengok, rakyat Jepun, kalau makan ais-krim, selagi tak jumpa tong sampah, plastik bungkus ais-krim itu mereka tidak buang merata-rata.

"Begitu juga kalau naik eskalator, kalau tidak tergesa-gesa, tanpa perlu kita maklum, mereka sudah faham, mereka akan berada di sebelah kiri kerana di sebelah kanan, mereka yang nak cepat akan guna.

"Itu semua kerana ada kesedaran, bukan kerana hambatan undang-undang, seperti di negara jiran kita yang kononnya rakyatnya jaga kebersihan tapi kalau datang sini (Malaysia), kita selalu dengar orang kata mereka ini buang sampah dari dalam kereta," katanya lagi.

Setelah 50 tahun Malaysia dibentuk, Khaled berkata sepatutnya rakyat ada rasa kasih atau rasa bertanggungjawab terhadap negara.

Selain rakyat, pihak berwajib juga perlu mempunyai rasa bertanggungjawab terhadap negara kerana ia juga boleh menjadikan Malaysia sebuah negara yang dihormati.

Katanya, pemerintah sepatutnya mempupuk kesedaran kepada rakyat supaya mereka mempunyai rasa kasih kepada negara dan mempunyai budaya dan identiti sendiri.

"Pemerintah bertanggungjawab terhadap rasa kasih rakyat kepada negara dan pemerintah juga perlu bertanggungjawab agar negara ini da rakyatnya mempunyai jati diri yang kuat," katanya lagi.

Khaled berpendapat, setiap mereka yang bergelar rakyat Malaysia perlu memahami sejarah bangsanya, sejarah negara dan juga sejarah perlembagaan negara.

Kerana dengan memahami sejarah, rakyat Malaysia tidak kira yang memegang kuasa atau rakyat biasa akan mempunyai jati diri dan tidak lagi tercari-cari apa bentuk jati diri dan budaya mereka.

- Astro Awani 

Harga tepung dan gula tidak akan naik walaupun harga minyak sudah naik

Harga tepung dan gula tidak akan naik di sebalik pengurangan subsidi petrol RON 95 dan diesel.

Menteri Perdagangan Dalam Negeri, Koperasi dan Kepenggunaan (KPDNKK), Datuk Hasan Malek memberi jaminan ia berdasarkan persetujuan antara kementerian dengan beberapa pengeluar dan pengilang utama dua komoditi makanan itu, semasa pertemuan pada Selasa.

Jelas Hasan pengeluar dan pengilang memberitahu bekalan gula dan tepung mencukupi dan bersetuju untuk tidak menaikkan harga barangan tersebut.

Ini bermakna peniaga tidak boleh menaikkan harga barangan berkenaan sewenang-wenangnya.

Kementerian sebelum ini mengadakan pertemuan serupa dengan pengilang dan pengeluar barangan lain termasuk pengusaha pasar raya.

Kebanyakan mereka bersetuju dan menyokong langkah kerajaan mengurangkan subsidi petrol RON 95 dan diesel yang membawa kepada kenaikan 20 sen harga dua bahan api terbabit.

Dalam pada itu, Hasan berkata sejak pengumuman kerajaan berhubung pengurangan subsidi minyak 30,538 pemeriksaan dibuat terhadap peniaga menerusi Ops harga.

Daripada jumlah itu, 157 kesalahan dikesan di bawah Akta Kawalan Harga dan Anti Pencatutan 2011 dan Akta Timbang Dan Sukat 1972 dengan kompaun RM16,530 dikeluarkan.

Selain itu, pihaknya juga merampas barangan bernilai RM55,382.20 daripada  peniaga yang melakukan pelbagai kesalahan termasuk menaikkan harga barangan, tidak mempamerkan harga dan menjual barangan tiruan.

Sementara itu, Timbalan Presiden Gabungan Persatuan-Persatuan Pengguna Malaysia (Fomca) Muhammad Shaani Abdullah berkata tepung dan gula , sebagai barang kawalan sepatutnya tiada soal kenaikkan harga sehingga kerajaan kaji semula kedudukan harga barangan runcit di pasaran.

- Astro Awani 

No action against footballers caught for 'Khalwat'

The Pahang Football Association (PBNP) will not take any action against two Pahang footballers caught on suspicion of having committed 'khalwat' (close proximity) until the Pahang Islamic Religious Department (Jaip) completed its investigation.

PBNB secretary-general Fuzzeimi Ibrahim said as the matter was under Jaip's jurisdiction, PBNB could not take any action against the players until the investigation is completed.

"We leave it to Jaip to carry out its investigation first.

"Tengku Muda of Pahang Tengku Abdul Rahman Sultan Ahmad Shah, who is PBNP president, will make an official announcement after Jaip's investigation is completed.

"I cannot give further comment as I am worried it might affect Jaip's investigation," he told Bernama at a Merdeka Cup dinner in honour of participating teams here Thursday night.

The two players were allegedly caught with a woman each in separate rooms at a hotel here by Jaip enforcement officers at about 4.30am yesterday.

The officers were tipped off by a member of the public who suspected that the unmarried footballers had checked into the hotel with two women in their 20s.

The source said the footballers and the women were taken to the Jaip office for further investigation.

- BERNAMA 

J.K. Rowling announces Harry Potter spin-off movie series

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling is writing a series of spin-off films set in the magical world of the British boy wizard, she announced on Thursday.

The first film will be called "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" and will be based on a textbook of the same name used by Harry and his classmates at their school Hogwarts, Rowling said on her Facebook page.

Set in New York and featuring magical zoologist Newt Scamander -- the author of Harry's textbook -- the Warner Bros. film marks Rowling's screenwriting debut, two years after the final movie in the eight-part series spawned by her phenomenally successful novels.

"I always said that I would only revisit the wizarding world if I had an idea that I was really excited about and this is it," the 48-year-old said.

She pitched the idea to Warner Bros. herself after the US studio approached her about making "Fantastic Beasts" into a film.

"I thought it was a fun idea, but the idea of seeing Newt Scamander, the supposed author of 'Fantastic Beasts', realized by another writer was difficult," she wrote.

"Having lived for so long in my fictional universe, I feel very protective of it and I already knew a lot about Newt.

"As hardcore Harry Potter fans will know, I liked him so much that I even married his grandson, Rolf, to one of my favourite characters from the Harry Potter series, Luna Lovegood."

Rowling added: "Although it will be set in the worldwide community of witches and wizards where I was so happy for 17 years, 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' is neither a prequel nor a sequel to the Harry Potter series, but an extension of the wizarding world.

"The laws and customs of the hidden magical society will be familiar to anyone who has read the Harry Potter books or seen the films, but Newt's story will start in New York, 70 years before Harry's gets under way."

Rowling, who has sold more than 450 million copies of the Harry Potter books, has been keeping busy since the final novel in the series was published in 2007. -- AFP RELAXNEWS

She published her first novel for adults, "The Casual Vacancy", last year -- and in July she was unmasked as the real author of critically acclaimed detective novel "The Cuckoo's Calling", by one Robert Galbraith.

With an estimated fortune of £560 million ($885 million, 666 million euros) the former single mother is the 156th richest person in Britain, according to the Sunday Times Rich List.

Spare my son, begs mother of Delhi gang rapist

The mother of one of the New Delhi gang rapists who will be sentenced on Friday has called for leniency to be shown to her 20-year-old son whom she said was led astray.

Champa Devi, mother of Vinay Sharma, spoke to AFP from the slum in the south of the city where most of the gang lived, saying her son and friend and fellow convict Pawan Gupta were "good boys".

"They are hard workers. Not one complaint against them," she said, sitting outside her brick hut with a corrugated iron roof, face veiled with her orange saree.

"Then this Ram Singh caught him that night and trapped him into this mess."

Sharma was working in a gym at the time of the crime and is the only one of the convicts to have completed schooling.

"The judge should give them a second chance to reform themselves. Even God gives every person a second chance," Devi said on Thursday afternoon.

Ram Singh was the ring leader, police say, as well as the regular driver of the bus on which the 23-year-old student was beaten, repeatedly raped and violated with an iron bar.

He was found hanging in prison on March 12, but his brother Mukesh has been convicted and faces a possible death sentence on Friday like the others who were convicted of murder, gang rape and theft.

Sharma, 19-year-old Gupta and the Singh brothers all lived in Ravi Dass Camp, a labyrinthine slum of narrow uneven alleys with rivulets of muddy water running along them.

The fourth adult convict, a labourer and father of a two-year-old son, Akshay Thakur, hails from eastern Bihar state where his family and wife have been praying all week.

"I am hopeful that God will help us during the worst crisis in our life," Thakur's mother told AFP by telephone from their home in Lahang Karma village in the south of the state.

"There is no one except God who I can trust for some relief to my son."

Back in Ravi Dass, not everyone called for the judge to resist widespread popular support for death sentences for the men, as well as calls for their execution in the media and from politicians.

"To be honest, I don't feel bad for them. They deserve it. They deserve the harshest punishment... Reform is out of the question," said Maur Singh, a one-time neighbour, adding that he would distribute sweets in celebration if they were sentenced to hang.

- AFP

Malaysia naik satu anak tangga dalam ranking terbaharu FIFA

Kekalahan 0-2 skuad Harimau Malaya kepada China dalam aksi persahabatan di negara berkenaan, Selasa lepas, tidak menjejaskan kedudukan mereka dalam ranking bola sepak dunia.

Berdasarkan ranking terbaru Persekutuan Bola Sepak Dunia (FIFA) Khamis, skuad Harimau Malaya bimbingan Datuk K. Rajagobal sebaliknya naik satu anak tangga ke kedudukan ke-161 berbanding 162 pada bulan lepas.

Pada Januari, skuad Harimau Malaya menduduki tangga ke-158, Februari (159) Mac (164), April (163), Mei (161) selain kekal berada pada kedudukan ke-159 dunia pada Jun dan Julai.

Kedudukan terbaru itu meletakkan pasukan kebangsaan setanding dengan beberapa pasukan lain seperti Nepal (163), Bangladesh (166), Sri Lanka (168) dan Pakistan (170).

Dalam kalangan negara Asia Tenggara, Malaysia kekal berada di tangga kelima di belakang Thailand (139), Filipina (141), Vietnam (153) dan Singapura (159).

Di peringkat Asia, Malaysia naik satu anak tangga untuk berada pada kedudukan ke-30 daripada 46 negara.

Sementara itu, naib juara Piala Konfederasi 2013, Sepanyol terus mengekalkan status selaku pasukan terbaik dunia dengan mengumpul 1,514 mata.

Argentina yang berada di tangga keempat sebelum ini, merampas tangga kedua daripada Jerman dengan pungutan 1,263 mata berikutan persembahan cemerlang mereka dalam perlawanan persahabatan dan aksi pusingan kelayakan Piala Dunia 2014 Zon Amerika Selatan.

Jerman pula turun satu anak tangga ke kedudukan ketiga dengan mengumpul 1,261 mata.

Kedudukan ranking FIFA itu melibatkan 209 negara. -- BERNAMA 

Jeffrey diselar berhubung cadangan 'Hari Penjajahan'

KOTA KINABALU:  Seorang pemimpin kanan Barisan Nasional (BN) Sabah menyelar Presiden Parti Reformasi Negeri (Star)  Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan yang mencadangkan Hari Malaysia dinamakan 'Hari Penjajahan'.

Anggota Dewan Undangan Negeri kawasan Buang Sayang Datuk Abdul Rahim Ismail berkata kenyataan Jeffrey itu bukan sahaja "kebudak-budakan" tetapi jelas tidak menghormati peranan penting dimainkan pemimpin Sabah untuk kemerdekaan Sabah dalam Malaysia.

Siapa beliau (Jeffrey) untuk membuat cadangan liar itu? Beliau patut baca laporan Suruhanjaya Inkuiri mengenai Borneo Utara dan Sarawak 1962," katanya.

Suruhanjaya itu diketuai Lord Cobbold, adalah untuk mengesahkan pandangan penduduk Borneo Utara dan Sarawak mengenai cadangan Persekutuan Malaysia.

Abdul Rahim juga ialah Pengerusi Kelab Penyokong Barisan Nasional Sabah. -- BERNAMA 

Keputusan rayuan permohonan ke IPTA boleh disemak hari ini

Keputusan rayuan permohonan kemasukan ke Institusi Pengajian Tinggi Awam (IPTA) bagi program Pengajian Lepasan Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM)/Setaraf (Ijazah Pertama) boleh disemak mulai pukul 12 tengah hari hari ini, Sept 13.

Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Pengajian Tinggi Datuk Prof Morshidi Sirat berkata calon boleh membuat semakan keputusan di http://upu.mohe.gov.my, http://www.jpt.utm.my, http://jpt.uum.edu.my, https://jpt.unimas.my dan http://jpt.ums.edu.my.

Beliau berkata mereka juga boleh menyemak keputusan rayuan ke IPTA dengan menghubungi Hotline 03-8870 6767, Helpline 03-8870 6777, talian am 03-8870 6755/6766 atau menerusi khidmat pesanan ringkas dengan menaip UPU RESULT 1/8Nombor kad pengenalan 3/8 dan hantar ke 15888.

"Calon juga boleh membuat semakan tawaran dan mencetak surat tawaran rasmi menerusi laman web rasmi IPTA berkaitan mulai esok," katanya dalam kenyataan hari ini.

Morshidi berkata Kementerian Pendidikan tidak pernah melantik mana-mana ejen atau wakil dalam pengurusan pemilihan kes rayuan ke IPTA.

Beliau berkata semua pengurusan pengambilan diselaraskan oleh Bahagian Pengurusan Kemasukan Pelajar, Jabatan Pengajian Tinggi dengan mengguna pakai dasar, prosedur serta kriteria pemilihan yang ditetapkan kementerian.

"Dasar pemilihan rayuan adalah untuk mengisi kekosongan tempat yang berlaku selepas pendaftaran pelajar baharu di IPTA," katanya.

Beliau berkata keputusan rayuan adalah muktamad, sekiranya tiada sebarang tawaran diterima daripada IPTA sehingga 30 Sept, maka rayuan hendaklah dianggap gagal. - BERNAMA