Borders @ The Curve dibuka Khamis ini

Borders is opening at The Curve, Mutiara Damansara on 1st December 2005


Bergambar kenangan sebelum stor dibuka secara rasmi

Second Borders Franchise Opens in Malaysia

Come and check out our great opening specials and entertainment in-store on 3rd and 4th December 2005:
-free RM20 vouchers for the first 100 paying customers* on each day from store opening until 4th December 2005
-free Starbucks coffee for early birds*
-free balloons & candies for kida*
-kids' story time and coloring contest from 3pm to 5pm
-join in the fun and excitement brought to you by our DJ, and lots of freebies to be given away*
-free RM15 voucher when you purchase RM100 and above thtoughout the Christmas promotion period
-15% off full priced books and 10% off multimedia with cut-out coupon during Christmas promotion period. Terms & condition apply

*Promotions are valid on a first-come-first basis, and while stock last

Berjaya Times Square
Lot 01-66 & 02-49, 1st & 2nd floor, East Wing, Berjaya Times Square, No. 1 Jalan Imbi, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel : 03-2141 0288 Fax : 03-2144 5037
bordersbts@bordersstores.com

The Curve
Lot G16, G16A-C & 114A, Ground & ist Floor, The Curve, No. 6, Jalan PJU 7/3, Mutiara Damansara 47800 Petaling Jaya,Selangor Darul Ehsan
Tel : 03-7725 9303 Fax : 03-7722 5037

www.bordersgroupinc.com
www.borders.com
www.bordersstores.com
www.bordersunion.org

p/s: bermula minggu lepas sehingga pertengahan bulan februari 2006, aku akan bertukar sementara ke cawangan The Curve, so janganlah cari aku kat Times Square

Sukan Sea Manila 2005
Selamat berjuang Malaysia!



Laman web rasmi

Ia datang lagi setelah 2 tahun (dwi tahunan), Sukan Sea adalah di antara temasya sukan yang aku sentiasa nantikan selain daripada Sukan Olimpik, Sukan Asia dan Sukan Komanwel. Di temasya sebeginilah semangat patriotik kita sebagai rakyat Malaysia teramat mudah untuk dizahirkan kerana adanya penyertaan peserta dari negara kita. Mendengar lagu Negaraku berkumandang apabila atlit kita memenangi pingat emas sahaja sudah menaikkan bulu roma setegak-tegaknya.

Namun bagi mereka yang tidak meminati acara sukan tidaklah bermakna semangat patriotik mereka dipertikaikan. Cuma aku berpendapat melalui acara sukanlah semangat cintakan negara kita ini begitu mudah dirasai dan ditonjolkan tanpa sedar. Semangatnya agak berbeza di dalam hal-hal lain seperti seni, politik, ekonomi dan sebagainya yang kadangkala semangatnya hanya dapat dizahirkan secara dalaman sahaja.

Apa yang pasti, Insya Allah aku akan menyertai kemeriahan temasya yang berlangsung kali ini di Manila pada dua hari terakhir dan berharap dapat menyaksikan acara bowling, lumba basikal kriterium, ping pong dan acara penutup. Malaysia boleh!

Pilihanraya DUN Pengkalan Pasir


ihsan Shin Shin

Pertandingan Tiga Penjuru Di Pengkalan Pasir
Lebih 20,000 iringi calon PAS
WEBLOG Pilihanraya Kecil Pengkalan Pasir N.12
Lamanweb Pengkalan Pasir
Malaysia Media Monitors' Diary

Aku akan berada di Manila semasa hari pembuangan undi berlangsung dan amat berharap agar parti PAS dapat memenangi pilihan raya ini atas beberapa sebab. Salah satunya supaya Barisan Nasional/UMNO sentiasa sedar bahawa parti mereka itu tidaklah sekuat mana dan jika ia berlaku akan membuatkan pimpinan UMNO terutamanya bersikap lebih terbuka dan mendengar pandangan rakyat seperti mana yang sudah mula dilakukan perlahan-lahan oleh Pak Lah.

Alasan lain adalah kemenangan PAS akan membuatkan semangat parti pembangkang meningkat semula setelah momentumnya jatuh merudum akibat kekalahan teruk berdasarkan peratusan kerusi (bukan undi popular) di dalam pilihan raya umum 2004. Aku amat berharap agar barisan pembangkang termasuk DAP dapat bersatu padu semula untuk memberi tentangan sengit kepada BN di dalam pilihan raya umum yang akan datang sekurang-kurangnya untuk meningkatkan bilangan kerusi dan jika boleh menafikan majoriti 2/3 BN (nak menang janganlah harap).

Walau apapun politik di negeri majoriti Melayu seperti Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah dan Perlis tidaklah begitu penting bagi diri aku kerana ia hanyalah politik PAS atau UMNO yang mana kedua-duanya bukanlah parti yang sesuai dengan jiwa aku. Komposisi dan pemikiran masyarakatnya juga tidak sama dengan wilayah yang aku membesar, menetap dan berbangga dengan pasukan bolanya. Sokongan aku seperti sebelum ini pasti tetap diberikan kepada parti pembangkang dan di Pengkalan Pasir ianya adalah PAS. Hidup PAS! Hidup pembangkang!

Searching for Peace in southern Thailand

A Public Forum
co-organised by
Asia Forum for Human Rights and Development (Forum-Asia) and Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM)

Background

The southern Thai provinces of Songkla, Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani were once part of the ancient kingdom of Pattani. At the start of the 20th Century, these territories were annexed by the Thai Kingdom but grievances of these Muslim-dominated provinces formented until it exploded into a 20-year movement for independence in the 1970s.

But the fragile calm soon passed with several incidents including that of the massacre of Tak Bai. Since January 2004 more than a thousand people have died, hundreds have fled to the Malaysian borders seeking refuge and there has since been a deterioration in the diplomatic relations between Malaysia and Thailand. Various attempts to ameliorate the restive south have seemingly failed. In the recent Thai general elections, the south rejected the ruling party and those who were perceived as Thai-centric candidates.

Is there an option for peace in southern Thailand or will the iron-gloved reactions by Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra provoke a new civil war and a revived impetus for independence in South East Asia? Is there truth in allegations that Islamic jihadists have a hand in the starting and continuing the conflict? What roles can civil society organisations and the inter-governmental regional body - ASEAN play in light of ceaseless acts of violence?

This public forum presents Mr. Sunai Phasuk, a human rights activist and expert on the subject of south Thailand, who will give his insights into the situation there and the political future of those living in the south; and Mr. Yusri Mohammad, President of ABIM, will provide perspectives of the Malaysian public opinion and observations made during ABIM's humanitarian missions there.

Speakers:
1. Sunai Phasuk, Consultant on Thailand, Human Rights Watch
2. Yusri Mohammad, President, Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM) and Lecturer, Faculty of Law, International Islamic University (IIU)

Moderator:
Dr. Yeoh Seng Guan, Chair of Secretariat, SUARAM.

Details of the Public Forum

Date: 25 November 2005, Friday
Time: 8.30 pm - 10.00 pm
Venue: Hotel Istana, 73, Jalan Raja Chulan 50200, Kuala Lumpur

There are no admission charges to the public forum.

For reservations and further information, please contact SUARAM at 03-7782 0357 or suaram@suaram.net

Highlight Minggu Ini!

ADA APA DENGAN INDONESIA?
a documentary by Amir Muhammad

Venue: Auditorium of HELP University College BZ-2 Pusat Bandar Damansara, 50490, Kuala Lumpur

Date & Time: Fri 18 - Sun 20 Nov 2005 (Fri: 8.30pm; Sat & Sun: 3pm, 6pm & 8:30 pm)

Tickets: RM10

Further enquiries: 012 3700 207 (Raymond)

Synopsis:

"Ada Apa Dengan Indonesia?" is the newly extended remix of Amir Muhammad's documentary "The Year Of Living Vicariously". In it, Amir follows the filmaking process of the Indonesian epic "Gie" (directed by Riri Riza and starring Nicholas Saputra) in mid 2004. During the time that Amir was there, Indonesia was also having it's first direct presidential elections.

Candid opinions from the cast, crew and extras are therefore sought on the politics, culture and myths of modern Indonesia. A split-screen, fast-talking ride that will make you say "Asik banget, dong!"

74 min. Bahasa Indonesia with English subtitles.

A review in Malay by Fadz can be read here:

http://tontonfilem.blog-city.com/aadi.htm

SEXPO Singapore 2005

Venue: Singapore EXPO Hall 4

Date & Time: Fri 18 - Sun 20 Nov 2005

Tickets: Adult Ticket:* S$14 (Adult aged 21 or above), Minor below 21 Ticket: S$2 Children below 12: Free entrance to Living Room section

Further enquiries: http://www.ticketcharge.com.sg/

Official website : http://www.sexpo.com.sg

Astro A1 Grand Prix of Nations (Round 5)



Venue: Sepang Circuit

Date & Time: Fri 18 - Sun 20 Nov 2005

Tickets: free admission 18th November except for pitwalk, Mall Grandstand - RM200 K1 Grandstand - RM100 K@ & C2 Hillstand - RM30 (ticket are for entry both Saturday & Sunday) Pitwalk passes - RM150 per entry (Friday or Saturday only) please call 03-77262002 for more info or click here

Official website : http://www.a1gp.com

Jangan lupa ke HELP!

Kelab Seni Filem Malaysia
Presents
MALAYSIAN SHORTS: edisi Nov 2005

Curated by Amir Muhammad
Special Thanks: Red Communications & Bernard Chauly.

Monday, 14 November, 8pm.
HELP University College Auditorium, Pusat Bandar Damansara KL.

Admission is FREE!
Vote for your favourite shorts of the night!

The third and final Malaysian Shorts installment of 2005 sees yet another multilingual package by students and new directors. The naughty and nice will mingle to create a smorgasbord to savour. Q&A with the directors will follow after the screening. Jangan lepaskan peluang ini!

10 shorts (out of 22 entries).
Total running time: 1 hour 45 minutes.

1. AL-BAQARAH by Saiful Razman (7 min, Malaysia, in Malay).
Enigmatic urban odyssey where people literally never say what they seem to. Named after a part of the Quran.
* Teluk Intan-born Saiful Razman, 25, is a visual artist who recently completed a year-long stint at the Rimbun Dahan Arts Residency.

2. JOB INTERVIEW by Khoo Eng Yow (5 min, Malaysia-Singapore, in Chinese)
A Malaysian goes down to Singapore for a job interview. But first the question of water needs to be resolved…Commissioned and screened as part of the Singapore-Malaysia Short Film Exchange at The Substation last year.
* Khoo Eng Yow was once a Petronas scholar. Now he is a professional editor, director of the documentary ‘Ah Kew the Digger’ as well as the forthcoming fictional ‘The Old House’.

3. SIKKAL by Kannan Thiagarajan (21 min, Malaysia, in Tamil)
A tutor, beset by post-collegiate ennui, experiences temptation. As Dustin Hoffman once wondered aloud in The Graduate: “Are you trying to seduce me?”
* Kannan Thiagarajan teaches at MultiMedia University. His first short “Chitappa’ charmed many at a previous edition of Malaysian Shorts. “Sikkal” is his second short.

4. WICKED by Aaron Chung (3 min, Malaysia, no dialogue).
Does TV cause violence? The answer might be eye-popping. Shot on film and not for the squeamish.
* Kuching-born Aaron Chung is a graduate of Akademi Filem Malaysia. He does his own stunts.

5. GOING HOME by Chong Yew Fei (14 min, Malaysia, in Chinese)
Sometimes, they come back.
* Chong Yew Fei’s script for this short received a Special Mention in the Shortcuts Short Film
Competition this year.

6. JIDAH by Sheikh Munasar (4 min, Malaysia, in Malay)
Odd little thing ostensibly about a man who misses his mother, even though she seems not too perturbed.
* Sheikh Munasar, 22, is a producer at Leo Burnett Advertising. His earlier work “Keluarga Saya’ got a lot of attention at a previous edition of Malaysian Shorts.

7. LIFE THROUGH LINES by Joseph Liu (19 min, Malaysia, in Chinese)
Striking ensemble piece in which an ancient art-form achieves contemporary relevance in the concrete jungle,
* Joseph Liu’s previous short was the rather different ‘Mini Stardust’ which starred his little nieces and a host of special effects.

8. HUNGRY? By Hardesh Singh (3 min, Malaysia, in English)
Consumerism in the face of all the world’s problems. It’s a dog’s life.
* Hardesh Singh is one of Malaysia’s busiest composers, having scored Chemman Chaalai, The Big Durian, Tokyo Magic Hour and Monday Morning Glory as well as the upcoming Gubra and Lelaki Komunis Terakhir, all in the space of 2 years. “Hungry?” is his directorial debut.

9. CAPTIVATION by Tan Meng Yoe (7 min, Malaysia, in Chinese)
Can you fall in love with someone whose face you glimpsed for only a second?
* Tan Meng Yoe is a student at Monash University in Sunway.

10. HARI MENUNGGU by Arif Rafhan Othman (21 min, Malaysia, in Malay).
Romantic opportunity, chance encounters, violence and even an insurance salesman all play their part in the circular events of a lazy Sunday.
* Arif Rafhan Othman is better known as Apan, His first short “Ptuihhh!” was an audience favourite when we screened it last year. This is his second short. More info on him can be found at www.outphace.com

TAMAT.

Islam's forsaken renaissance

By Mahathir Mohamad

CHILDREN often play a game where they sit in a circle. One whispers something to his neighbour, who then whispers that information to the next child, and so on, around the circle. By the time the last child whispers the information to the first, it has become totally different from what was originally said.

Read more...

Azahari: Death of an Extremist, Not a Martyr

By Farish A. Noor

Though some were sceptical at the beginning, it now seems increasingly clear that the Malaysian academic-turned-militant Dr Azahari Husin has been killed in a shoot-out with Indonesian security forces in the East Javanese town of Malang. Azahari’s death, we have been warned, does not signify the end of terrorism in Southeast Asia – if anything, it is just as likely to prompt other martyr-wannabes to come to the fore to sacrifice their lives and the lives of others for their own exclusive sectarian ends. The ‘moderate’ Muslims in the region may rejoice at his passing, but their celebrations are hasty and laced with a touch of dread: the dreadful thought that in the months and years to come there will be other Azaharis creeping out of the woodwork to carry out their bloody labours in broad daylight.

One question, however, remains: Why is it that the moderate Muslims of the region were so evidently impotent in the face of this threat? After all, Azahari was not merely a threat to the security of ordinary civilians in Indonesia, but to the image of Islam and all Muslims in general. Why were the heads of state of so many Southeast Asian countries so slow in condemning the man and his deeds; why were the famed religious scholars of ASEAN so slow to denounce his actions; and why were the moderates of the region so lame in their critiques?

Perhaps the reason for this lies in the fact that Azahari was seen as ‘one of us’. He was, despite everything, a Muslim, a Malaysian and a citizen of an increasingly wired-up and connected ASEAN region. In this regard, he was almost a proto-ASEAN citizen whose identity was not shored up by parochial bonds of nationality and local belonging. He had a vision for ASEAN, however twisted that vision may have been. The moderate intellectuals, leaders, scholars and activists of ASEAN, however, lacked the same all-encompassing global vision that drove Azahari to the heights and depths that he reached.

But before we get carried away with these observations, a few cautionary qualifications are called for:

Despite his aim to create a singular, united ASEAN region, Azahari’s vision of a Pan-Islamic ASEAN state was a limited one. His was a view of the world that did not recognise the difference between nation-states, but one that merely replaced territorial divisions with an even more repressive authoritarian model of a sectarian religious state that favoured one faith community – Muslims – above others. No, Azahari was not an advocate of a pluralist, multicultural ASEAN that celebrated its religious, cultural, ethnic and linguistic difference. He envisaged a singular ASEAN state that was homogenous, uniform, conformist and modelled after a narrow interpretation of Islam that hailed from the drier climes of the Arab world instead. Azahari did not celebrate the historical inter-connectedness of ASEAN and its rich legacy of cross-cultural borrowing with and from India and China: If anything, he denounced the region’s pre-Islamic Hindu-Buddhist past as something archaic, corrupted and un-Islamic.

Despite his violent tirades against the authoritarian political culture and repressive regimes of ASEAN, Azahari was not a democrat or a friend of democracy. Like many of his ilk, his chaffing at the yoke of political repression did not lead to a cry from more freedom and equality. He did not preach or believe in the equality of the sexes, races, or religious communities; nor did he militate for more pluralism and diversity. Azahari sought and fought to replace the political authoritarianism of ASEAN today with an even more repressive form of religious dictatorship instead, one where power was even more centralised though less arbitrary, bound as it was by the dictates of religious orthodoxy that was based on a non-negotiable discourse of absolutes. The man was no freedom fighter or democratic revolutionary; Che Guevara he certainly wasn’t. His vision of order and stability was rather underpinned by a fear of political contestation and the overwhelming desire to tame that political ‘chaos’ with the stamp of religious dogma instead.
And despite his claims to have laboured and sacrificed for the sake of Muslims, the man was hardly a friend and ally of Islam or Muslims himself. If anything, his actions have only sedimented even further the stereotypical view that Islam is a religion of violence and that all Muslims – even those like him who were the product of secular education at Western universities – are essentially irrational, violent demagogues and tyrants. Azahari was no friend to Indonesia either, for he cared little about the damage that he was doing to the image of Indonesia in the wake of the 1997-98 economic crisis. Here lies the greatest irony of all: while countless Indonesian workers have come to Malaysia to help in the construction of the Malaysian economic miracle, Azahari was a Malaysian who had come to Indonesia to do precisely the opposite: stir up chaos and strife and to complicate life for millions of ordinary Indonesians instead.

In short, Azahari was exactly the opposite of the ASEAN dream of creating an ASEAN by, for and of the peoples of Southeast Asia themselves. He lived and died at the most extreme antipode of ASEAN’s collective dreams and imaginings. If his ghost is to be remembered, it should be as the alterior face of ASEAN itself, not what we want to be, but what we need to avoid at all costs. ASEAN may not know where it is heading and what it wishes to be in the future, but at least now we are a tad wiser and we know what we should not be and where we should not be heading. Anything but that, anything but another monster like Azahari.

Those who call themselves ‘moderate Muslims’ must now pause and take a good, close look at themselves. Azahari was the bugbear that haunted our conscience while he was alive, and with his death his followers and admirers will undoubtedly praise his efforts and sacrifices as laudatory. Yet we all knew that the man was a radically contingent factor who placed himself outside the equation of Islamic social dialectics and represented something far more extreme and radical that most of us would care to admit. This was the man who did not hesitate to label the moderates ‘kafirs’, ‘traitors’ and ‘hypocrites’, and for whom the killing of ‘moderate Muslims’ and ‘non-Muslims’ went hand-in-hand. Lest we miss the opportunity and allow his passing to be transformed into a modern myth by the die-hard extremists, we have to speak up now and condemn the man for what he was: a murderer, a fanatic and an extremist, plain and simple.

End.