Apple bakal lancar televisyen akhir 2013

New York: Apple Inc dikatakan sedang membangunkan televisyen yang akan didatangkan dalam dua saiz, 47 dan 55 inci sekali gus dijangka menjadi peranti yang paling dihajati sebagai hadiah menjelang musim perayaan hujung tahun depan.
Gene Munster dari Piper Jaffray, penganalisis Apple, dengan beberapa kejayaan jangkaan lampau berhubung syarikat itu, minggu ini dalam satu nota pelabur menyatakan beliau percaya Apple akan melancarkan televisyen menjelang suku ketiga tahun depan yang akan membabitkan pelbagai ciri tambahan.
Dalam nota yang diterbitkan semula dalam blog Apple Insider, beliau berkata: “Kami menjangkakan rekaan yang cantik menjadi ciri utama, tetapi ciri yang lebih penting adalah kebolehan menggunakan televisyen itu dengan pelbagai peranti.
Katanya, televisyen 47 inci itu akan dijual pada harga AS$1,500 (RM4,586) dan model 55 inci, AS$2,000 (RM6,115) apabila ia mula berada di pasaran November tahun depan.
Ia adalah khabar angin terbaru, beberapa minggu ini mengenai kemungkinan kemasukan Apple dalam pasaran televisyen.

Peringkat akhir
Minggu lalu, bank pelaburan Jefferies & Co mendakwa bahawa syarikat itu sudah pada peringkat akhir menyiapkan televisyen itu. Namun, pemeriksaan lanjut hanya dapat mengesahkan bahawa Apple memang sedang berhubung dengan beberapa pengendali televisyen kabel mengenai produk berkaitan televisyen.
Menurut Wall Street Journal, sumber berita pertama yang mempunyai jangkaan tepat terhadap iPad Mini, menyatakan produk itu akan menjadi imaginasi semula Apple TV.
Peranti itu kini membolehkan pengguna melayari kandungan daripada mana-mana peranti Apple hingga kepada televisyennya, namun ia percaya bahawa kesemua model baru kini dalam perancangan akan turut menyediakan fungsi seperti set kotak atas dengan gaya navigasi Apple dan paparan muka serta kemampuan untuk menghentikan dan mengulang siaran langsung televisyen.
Sementara itu di Ottawa, Kanada, saham Research In Motion (RIM) pengeluar telefon pintar BlackBerry yang juga antara pesaing Apple, melonjak lebih 15 peratus selepas pelabur positif dengan tinjauan masa depan syarikat itu terutama berkaitan pengenalan produk baru.

Lancar peranti baru
Kris Thomson dari National Bank Financial meningkatkan harga sasaran RIM, dengan menaruh saham itu akan naik ketika momentum meningkat bagi pelancaran sistem operasi baru Blackberry 10 dan dua telefon pintar baru.
Penganalisis Jefferies & Co, Peter Misek menggandakan sasaran harganya kepada Can$10 (RM30.70) dengan menyatakan penyedia perkhidmatan telekomunikasi itu yang sedang menguji peranti baru itu mempunyai lebih banyak pandangan positif mengenai BB10 berbanding jangkaan.
Peranti terbaru RIM ditumpukan bagi meraih kembali momentum berbanding telefon pintar Apple dan telefon lain yang menggunakan sistem operasi Google Android.
Misek berkata, jumlah pengguna global RIM turun kepada kepada lebih 80 juta bagi suku sebelum ini, mengukuhkan laporan tindakan syarikat besar dan pelanggan kerajaan bertukar kepada iPhone Apple. - AFP
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A380 tarikan baru perkukuh khidmat MAS

Pesawat dijangka mampu tingkat jumlah penumpangPENERBANGAN Malaysia (MAS), memulakan era baru perkhidmatannya dengan menjadikan pesawat penumpang terbesar dunia, A380 sebagai tarikan utama mengukuhkan jumlah penumpangnya.
Pesawat itu dibawa pulang semula ke Malaysia semalam selepas menjalani kemasan terakhir di kilang Airbus di Toulouse, dengan warna serta hiasan korporat MAS yang baru menjelang penerbangan sulungnya ke London, esok.
Ketua Eksekutif Kumpulan MAS, Ahmad Jauhari Yahya, berkata sambutan memberangsangkan yang diterima untuk penerbangan dua minggu pertama A380 memberikan isyarat sangat positif kepada syarikat penerbangan kebangsaan itu.
Katanya, bersandarkan tempahan awal yang diterima, faktor muatan bagi pesawat A380 adalah 10 peratus lebih tinggi daripada yang dicatatkan penerbangan serupa yang menggunakan pesawat Boeing 747.
“Faktor muatan A380 untuk penerbangan dua minggu pertama ini ternyata sudah melebihi jangkaan kami.
“Pesawat baru ini menyediakan daya tarikan yang besar dan ini sudah dibuktikan oleh syarikat penerbangan lain yang turut menggunakan A380.
“Kami mahu meraih faktor muatan setinggi mana yang mungkin, namun pada masa sama apa yang lebih penting adalah bagaimana MAS dapat menetapkan harga yang berdaya saing,” katanya pada sidang media menyambut ketibaan pesawat A380 itu di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Kuala Lumpur (KLIA), Sepang, semalam.
Ketibaan rombongan disertai 91 tetamu dan kakitangan MAS, termasuk Ahmad Jauhari disambut Menteri Pengangkutan, Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha.
Pesawat yang diterbangkan Kapten Norshid Ali itu tiba di KLIA kira-kira jam 10 pagi selepas membuat penerbangan terus 12 jam dari Toulouse.
Ia akan membuat penerbangan sulungnya, MH2 dari KLIA ke London malam esok dan penerbangan sulung MH3 dari London ke KLIA keesokannya.
Pada majlis semalam, MAS turut melancarkan Lounge Kelas Pertama dan Perniagaan Antarabangsanya yang baru dinaikkan taraf.
MAS adalah syarikat penerbangan kelapan dunia yang menggunakan pesawat A380, yang dianggarkan bernilai AS$390 juta (RM1.2 bilion) setiap unit.
Syarikat penerbangan kebangsaan itu akan menerima lima lagi pesawat jenis itu sehingga Mac tahun depan.
Ahmad Jauhari berkata, MAS akan membuat keputusan berhubung destinasi serta tempoh kekerapan penerbangan bagi lima lagi pesawat itu pada suku ketiga ini.
“Kami sudah menghantar kertas cadangan, termasuk kepada Lapangan Terbang Narita di Jepun, dan lapangan terbang di China. MAS dijadualkan akan membuat pengumuman pada akhir suku ketiga ini,” katanya.
Pesawat A380 yang pertama itu dikhususkan untuk penerbangan ke London dengan kekerapan tiga kali seminggu.
Sementara itu, pesawat kedua yang dijadualkan tiba bulan depan akan membuat penerbangan harian ke London, dengan penerbangan sulungnya dijangka pada 25 Ogos ini.
Ahmad Jauhari berkata, ketibaan pesawat baru yang merendahkan usia angkatan pesawat MAS itu juga memberi isyarat bermulanya tahap produk dan pengalaman baru kepada penumpangnya.
“Ini sebahagian inisiatif pembaharuan angkatan pesawat untuk menurunkan purata usia pesawat kami, yang kemudian akan menghasilkan pengurangan kos dengan ketara,” katanya.

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Sejarah Negeri Kelantan

bendera

Nama "Kelantan" dikatakan pencemaran daripada perkataan "gelam hutam", iaitu nama Melayu bagi pokok Melaleuca leucadendron. Ada juga yang mengatakan bahawa namanya datang daripada perkataan "kilatan" atau "kolam tanah". Selain itu Negeri Kelantan juga dikenali dengan nama Tanah Serendah Sekebun Bunga, Tanjung Pura, Negeri Cik Siti Wan Kembang dan Serambi Mekah pada masa dahulu.
Sejarah awal Kelantan tidak begitu jelas, tetapi temuan arkeologi mempertunjukkan kesan petempatan manusia di zaman prasejarah. Kelantan awal mempunyai perhubungan dengan Empayar Funan, Empayar Khmer, Srivijaya dan Siam. Kira-kira 1411, Raja Kumar, raja Kelantan, membebaskan negeri itu dari Siam. Beliau memakai gelaran Sultan Iskandar Shah apabila memeluk Islam. Kelantan kemudian menjadi sebuah pusat perdagangan yang penting pad akhir abad ke-15.

lambang

Pada 1499, Kelantan menjadi negeri vasal Kesultanan Melaka. Dengan kejatuhan Melaka pada 1511, Kelantan dibahagikan dan diperintah oleh ketua-ketua kecil. Dengan ancaman oleh Siam pada 1603, kebanyakan ketua kecil Kelantan bernaung di bawah Persekutuan Pattani Besar. Kerajaan pusat di Pattani membahagikan Kelantan kepada 4 wilayah iaitu Kelantan Timur, Kelantan Barat, Legeh dan Ulu Kelantan. Kira-kira 1760, seorang putera raja Kelantan Barat berjaya dalam penyatuan wilayah Kelantan sekarang. Tidak lama kemudian, pada 1764, Long Yunus iaitu putera raja Kelantan Timur, anak Long Sulaiman berjaya merampas takhta kerajaan dan mengisytiharkan diri sebagai Raja Kelantan. Walaubagaimanapun, dengan kemangkatannya, Kelantan dipengaruhi oleh Terengganu.

Pada 1800, Raja Muhammad mengisytiharkan diri sebagai sultan pertama Kelantan. Pada 1812, baginda melepaskan diri daripada pengaruh Terengganu dan menjadi negara ufti Siam yang berasingan. Pada 1820-an, Kelantan merupakan salah satu daripada negeri yang terbanyak penduduk serta termakmur di Semenanjung Tanah Melayu kerana berjaya mengelakkan perang dan pertikaian yang menimpa negeri-negeri di selatan dan barat. Siam terus memainkan peranan yang mustahak di Kelantan pada seluruh abad ke-19.
Di bawah syarat Perjanjian British-Siam pada 1909, Siam menyerahkan tuntutan Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah dan Perlis kepada Britain, dan Kelantan menjadi salah satu daripada Negeri-negeri Melayu Tidak Bersekutu di bawah Residen British.

Bendera negeri Kelantan yang digunakan dari tahun 1912 hingga 1923. Sumber worldstatesmen

Kelantan merupakan tempat pertama di Malaya yang ditakluk oleh Jepun yang menyerangnya pada 8 Disember 1941. Semasa pendudukan Jepun, Kelantan sekali lagi dikawal oleh Siam, tetapi selepas kekalahan Jepun pada Ogos 1945, Kelantan kembali kepada pemerintahan British.
Kelantan menjadi sebahagian Persekutuan Tanah Melayu pada 1 Februari 1948 dan bersama-sama dengan negeri lain, mencapai kemerdekaan pada 31 Ogos 1957. Pada 16 September 1963, Kelantan menjadi salah satu daripada negeri-negeri yang membentuk Persekutuan Malaysia.

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Mudarat air ketum sama seperti dadah

PENAGIHAN dadah dalam kalangan anak muda kita semakin membimbangkan. Munculnya pelbagai jenis dadah moden seperti ice, pil kuda, dan ekstasi bukan sahaja menjadikan cara manusia menghisap dadah berubah, malah menjadikannya merebak dengan begitu cepat.
Kini, di beberapa negeri di utara tanah air, muncul pula kegilaan baharu masyarakat terhadap air ketum. Ia merupakan daun yang diambil dari sejenis tumbuhan yang tumbuh secara melata di beberapa negeri utara tanah air.
Daun ini kemudiannya direbus dan airnya diminum dengan anggapan bahawa ia mampu menyembuhkan penyakit dan memulihkan tenaga.
 Bagaimanapun, yang jarang disedari ialah simptom ketagihan bahan ini. Adalah mustahil ia mampu mengubat penyakit atau memberikan kekuatan jika penggunanya tidak boleh meninggalkannya sama sekali dan perlu bergantung pula pada air ketum setiap hari.
Dalam keadaan seperti ini, air ketum tidak lagi mampu menjadi ubat, sebaliknya sedang menjadi racun yang sedang merosak diri dan masyarakat.
Kesan ketagihan
Benar, kesan ketagihannya mungkin tidaklah sebesar penggunaan dadah hingga menyebabkan ada yang mencuri atau melakukan jenayah lain. Bagaimanapun, ada kesan sosial lain yang lebih buruk daripada penggunaan dadah.
Tidak seperti penggunaan dadah, peminum air ketum ini terdiri daripada pelbagai lapisan masyarakat. Ia bukan hanya melibatkan anak muda, malah orang dewasa.
Kalau penggunaan dadah biasanya melibatkan mereka yang dianggap sebagai ‘rosak akhlak’, bagaimanapun peminum air ketum ialah ahli masyarakat yang normal.
Mereka terlibat dengan aktiviti harian lain seperti bekerja, pergi ke masjid dan terlibat dengan kegiatan kemasyarakatan seperti biasa. Dalam erti kata yang lain, mereka ialah manusia budiman.
Aktiviti meminum air ketum juga lebih terbuka. Ia diminum di rumah ketika duduk bersantai dan dianggap hal biasa yang tidak merosakkan masyarakat. Malah, dalam banyak keadaan, peminumnya memberi tanggapan positif kononnya ia boleh menghilangkan pelbagai jenis penyakit termasuklah kencing manis dan darah tinggi.
Hakikat yang jarang diselidiki ialah sejauh manakah air ketum ini memberikan kebaikan dibandingkan dengan keburukannya?
Mereka yang telah beberapa kali meminum air ketum biasanya berpotensi untuk terus menjadi penggunanya. Pengguna yang cuba meninggalkannya pula akan berasa mengantuk, tidak senang duduk, malah ada yang mengadu mengalami cirit birit.
Simptom ini sebenarnya sama seperti yang dialami oleh penagih heroin dan ubat batuk, malah penggunaan air ketum yang terlampau menyebabkan kulit muka menjadi seperti terbakar dan kehitaman. Semua ini merupakan kesan buruk yang biasanya tidak disedari oleh penggunanya.
Hakikat lain yang jarang difikirkan ialah penagihan air ketum ini telah menyebabkan kesan sosial yang jauh lebih buruk malah, lebih buruk daripada penggunaan dadah yang lain.
Begitupun, oleh kerana penggunanya ialah orang dewasa dan ada yang ‘warak’, maka mereka boleh memberikan pelbagai fatwa untuk menghalalkan penggunaannya.
Ini menjadikan ia mampu berkembang dan merebak dengan cepat ke dalam masyarakat. Bayangkan, kini penggunanya melibatkan pelajar sekolah menengah pula.
Persepsi berubah
Ia tidak dianggap sebagai hal terlarang kerana golongan dewasa sendiri telah menganggapnya secara positif. Sekiranya ada anak-anak remaja yang menggunakannya, adakah golongan dewasa mampu memberikan teguran kalau mereka sendiri penggunanya?
Sebenarnya inilah antara isu besar yang sedang melanda kita. Orang dewasa yang menggunakan air ketum ini akan kehilangan ‘pengaruh’ psikologikal untuk menegur dan membimbing anak-anak remaja sekiranya ada yang terjebak dengan ketagihan air ketum.
Harus diingat, penagihan dadah biasanya berkembang daripada satu tahap ke tahap yang lain. Bayangkan, sekiranya anak-anak ini kemudiannya mula menjinakkan diri dengan dadah. Apakah yang boleh dilakukan oleh orang dewasa untuk menegur mereka?
Bagaimana nanti sekiranya anak-anak ini mula bertanya apakah bezanya mereka, ‘ayah menagih air ketum, dan kami pula menagih ganja!’.
Inilah sebenarnya kesan buruk yang mungkin tidak disedari oleh pengguna air ketum. Walau sebesar mana mitos positif mengenai air ketum, ia sebenarnya lebih banyak mengundang kerosakan kepada masyarakat berbanding kebaikannya.
Ia sedang menyumbang kepada beberapa kerosakan lain yang tidak disedari. Mitos kehebatan air ketum hanyalah dongeng seperti yang juga muncul dalam penggunaan dadah yang lain. Berhentilah, kalaupun bukan untuk diri sendiri, tetapi untuk anak-anak kita yang kian membesar.

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Promoting healthy vision

S P SETIA Foundation donated an eye screening equipment worth RM60,000 to the Malaysia Glaucoma Society at Pandan Ria Apartments in Pandan last Saturday.
The donated items included a Fundus Camera, a Steps Slit Lamp and an Icare hand-held digital Tonometer.
The foundation’s chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye presented the equipment to Malaysia Glaucoma Society president Steven Chan Kum Fai.
Lee pointed out that glaucoma could be treated if it was detected early through regular eye health checks conducted by an eye specialist or optometrists.
“According to the Health Ministry, it is estimated that 500,000 Malaysians had glaucoma in 2006 and the number increases yearly,” said Lee.

Latest technology: A resident (right) getting ready for her eye examination with the Fundus Camera during the free eye check-up day.

 

“Most people only realise that they are suffering from glaucoma when they have lost 40% to 50% of their peripheral vision. This is not reversible.
“We hope that our donations will assist more people to have their eye check-ups to combat unnecessary blindness,” added Lee, who also checked his vision at the event.
Chan was grateful for the foundation’s donation as it would help many people.
He said three weeks ago, the society went to an orang asli village in Rompin, Pahang.
“Out of 150 villagers who were screened, seven had glaucoma,” he said.
“To my surprise, one of them was a 12-year-old.
“According to a worldwide statistics on glaucoma, it was recorded that babies as young as seven months old could have glaucoma.
“With this new equipment, we can do more eye check-ups nationwide and conduct regular eye screening tests,” added Chan.
As part of the donation, the society had a free eye screening session for residents of Pandan Ria Apartments.
More than 100 residents turned up for the event that started at 9am and ended at 1pm.
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Growing healthy veggies at home

PETALING JAYA: Jenny Koh was so determined to consume vegetables free from synthetic and chemical fertilisers that she flew to Hawaii to learn aquaponics.

Koh, 58, started researching aquaponics, which is a marriage between vegetable and fish farming, on the Internet several years ago.
Her interest grew so much that she flew to Hawaii to meet some growers there to learn their tricks for successful aquaponic farming.
Koh has converted the first floor front garden of her three-storey bungalow here into an aquaponic garden and plants chillies, tomatoes, a variety of beans, spinach and several other leafy vegetables.
She said the system involved fertilising the vegetables with fish excrement directly from the ponds.

Harvest time: Koh picking chillies in her garden.

“There are two methods which I use. One involves putting a raft with holes directly on the fish pond and placing pots with the vegetable seedlings into the holes,” said Koh, who has two children aged 40 and 38 and two grandchildren aged 16 and 17.
She added that fish excrement and other organic waste in the pond would fertilise the roots of the vegetables while the vegetables filtered the pond water and kept it healthy for the fish.
Koh rears a variety of fish except the Tilapia in her aquaculture pond and tank.
“I found that the Tilapia eats the vegetable roots and so I stopped rearing them,'' she said.
Besides her aquaponic vegetable garden, Koh has a regular vegetable garden in her backyard which is also located at the first floor of her home.
“I am from Penang and I must always have all the variety of herbs used in Malaysian cooking to add flavor to my food,'' she said.
Koh added that the yield from her aquaponic garden was enough for her own consumption as well as to give away to friends.-thestaronline
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A Cancer Patient’s Best Friend

       When I was growing up, my dream was to one day become a veterinarian. In fourth and fifth grade, I volunteered every day after school at a veterinarian’s clinic. I didn’t view it as an “internship” — in my mind, I was apprenticing for a certain future in the field. When I was 10, I asked for an incubator for Christmas. By spring, I was carting around a dozen baby chicks in my purple doll stroller. In middle school I walked dogs at the local animal shelter. But as I got older, there was college, summer travel, then my first real job, at a law firm in France. I was entering the “real world,” as they say in commencement speeches. And there was no room in my adult life for a dog.

Then, a year and a half ago, came my cancer diagnosis, and with it the return home. I found myself pleading with my parents for a puppy, just as I’d done as a child. But I knew the medical reality: My weakened immune system, the result of chemotherapy, made getting a dog impossible. My doctors didn’t even think twice about rejecting the prospect, though I still made it a point of asking every few months.

In early September, I was shocked when I received a voice mail message from one of the nurses in the bone marrow transplant clinic. Instead of rescheduling an appointment or changing the dosage of one of my medications, she had dog-related news: My doctors had decided to give me the green light on adopting a furry friend. In fact, they encouraged it. My immune system was stronger — not as strong as it could be, but relatively strong for a patient in the first six months after transplant. And caring for a pet, my doctors told me, might even be therapeutic. As a cancer patient, I’m always being prescribed medicine. But I never thought I’d get a prescription for a puppy.

I didn’t waste much time. The same day I headed with my boyfriend, Seamus, to Animal Haven, a rescue animal organization in Lower Manhattan. As we skimmed their selection of dogs, I began to feel overwhelmed. There were big dogs and small ones, old and young. How could I pick my future companion as if I were shopping for shoes in a catalog? But when I saw Schnoodle, a 9-week-old miniature schnauzer and toy poodle mix with big brown eyes, floppy puppy ears and soft white fur, I couldn’t resist. I didn’t need to see any other dogs. I knew I had to bring him home. In the cab ride home, “Schnoodle” became “Oscar,” named after my favorite writer, Oscar Wilde, and Seamus’s favorite basketball player, Oscar Robertson.

I’m giddy these days since Oscar came into my life. Caring for a pet is a welcome distraction from the day-to-day reality of being a cancer patient. I’m not sure what it is about puppies, but holding Oscar instantly makes me feel better. I’ve had him for only 13 days, but my new favorite pastime is to watch him sleep, his tiny black paws twitching as he chases rabbits in his puppy dreams. The warmth of his little body and the steady beat of his heart against my chest distract me from my anxiety. He brings me instantly to the present.
In the short time Oscar has been in my life, he’s had an effect on my relationships. Rather than staring at my bald head, passers-by stop to play with Oscar and to tell me how cute he is. The other tenants in my building now say hello to my dog before greeting me. And instead of discussing my symptoms and treatment plan for the week, my boyfriend and I have been spending more time focused on puppy playtime, going on long walks in the park and taking Oscar to his obedience classes. It’s nice not to be the center of attention for a change.

But the reality is that I am a cancer patient. I have to take extra health precautions, like wearing gloves when I clean up after him and washing my hands thoroughly. It’s work, but I enjoy the structure, something cancer patients often lack. I share responsibility for Oscar with my boyfriend, which allows me to rest when I need to.

For now, I’m in a tenuous type of remission reserved for “high risk” leukemia patients in the first year after transplant. I still feel anxious at each appointment, as I wait to hear that the previous week’s test results are all right. I still take medicine (23 pills a day, by my last count). I still have my weekly appointments at the hospital. And every three weeks, I do a five-day course of preventive chemotherapy.

But it’s a sign of my progress that I’m allowed to be around a dog at all. My immune system is getting stronger, my doctors tell me. Oscar can’t change what’s going on in my bone marrow. But I can feel that he’s already working magic.
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Malaysia

Malaysia has long prided itself as a model of ethnic harmony. But the country’s three main races Malays, Chinese and Indians now find themselves at an uneasy turning point. The post-independence political formula of race-based parties united in a common coalition is breaking down, with Chinese and Indians withdrawing their support. An affirmative action program favoring Malays has been extended indefinitely and is widely resented among non-Malays. Add religious tensions to the mix and the notion of a common Malaysian identity is looking fragile. Malay Muslims are asserting their rights to be judged by a separate Islamic legal system in matters pertaining to marriage, divorce and inheritance. The civil courts have so far ruled in their favor.
Yet as the country searches for a common identity, some parts of the country are thriving. Construction is booming in the heart of the commercial capital, Kuala Lumpur. The government is reaping billions of dollars from the surge in commodity prices, mainly oil and gas and palm oil and rubber. Malaysia continues to build world-class highways and other physical infrastructure. But the quality of its universities and education system remains middling to poor.
In February 2008, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi called for general elections. The campaign was a barometer of a soured national mood, with voters in opinion polls saying their greatest concerns were ethnic tensions, income inequality, rising prices of fuel and food and a surge in crime. Contested vigorously by the opposition, the elections were also a test of Mr. Abdullah’s popularity. He came to power in 2003 promising sweeping reforms and a crackdown on corruption, but his administration has been widely seen as ineffectual. When opposition party members and activists wanted to send a message about the state of Mr. Abdullah’s administration, they delivered a present to his office.

General Information on Malaysia

Official Name: Malaysia
Capital: Kuala Lumpur (Current local time)
Government Type: Constitutional monarchy
Population: 24.82 million
Area: 127,316 square miles; roughly the size of New Mexico
Languages: Bahasa Malaysia (official), English, Chinese, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai
Literacy: Total Population: [89%] Male: [92%]; Female: [85%]
GDP Per Capita: $12,900
Year of Independence: 1957
Web site: Parlimen.gov.my In Bahasa Malaysia
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Natural Remedies to Supercharge Your Sleep

Do you rarely wake up rejuvenated, energized, and ready to take on the day? Restful sleep is imperative for attaining more energy and slowing down the aging process. Try these alternative approaches to remedy whatever may be hindering you from getting a peaceful night’s sleep.

Feng Shui
Feng shui is the ancient Chinese science that uses shapes, colors, textures, sound, light, symbolic imagery and the arrangement of furniture to adjust the energy of a home. A misaligned bedroom may block or weaken energy flow, making you feel tired, depressed, or unable to focus.

Energy tends to be stagnant near the walls of a room. Place your bed away from corners to avoid feeling stifled by the lack of space between the side of your bed and the wall.

Don’t put your bed next to a window, as it is thought in feng shui that the window drains out the good energy. Ideally, the window should be to the side of the bed so you can receive positive energy from the universe when you wake up.

When lying in bed you should have full view of the door, but the soles of your feet should not face the doorway. You may feel anxious if you are unable to see who is approaching the room, and overtime, it is thought that this could create an imbalance in the nervous system.

Get a House Plant
Studies show that houseplants are the best filters of common pollutants such as ammonia, formaldehyde, and benzene. Hundreds of poisonous chemicals may be released by furniture, carpets, and building material and then trapped by closed ventilation systems. Plants absorb toxins and pollutants through their leaves and release oxygen. They provide cleaner air that prevents respiratory and allergic reactions caused by chemicals. Snake plants are a great low-maintenance house plant as they only need to be watered once a week and are available at home and garden stores. Keep them away from kids and pets because they are mildly toxic if eaten.

Grape Skin Powder
Grape skin powder contains melatonin and other anti-inflammatory polyphenols, making it one of the most powerful antioxidants. Get your nightly dose of grape skin powder by trying Dr. Oz’s Strawberry Sleep Smoothie two hours before bedtime. Strawberries contain melatonin, and bananas are rich in magnesium and potassium, which can lower blood pressure and help your body relax before you sleep.

Combine the following ingredients in a blender and enjoy:

• 1 tbsp grape skin powder
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 banana
• 4-5 ice cubes

Mantra
A mantra is a form of meditation that consists of the repetition of a word or a phrase. The practice of repeating certain words or phrases over and over in your mind counteracts thoughts that produce anxiety. Try this exercise if it is difficult to quiet your mind before bedtime. You can choose a neutral word with no particular significance or a word with pleasant connotations, such as peace, love or joy.

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Shila Moo-ves on up as opening act for China tour

SEPANG: Asian Wave 2012 winner Shila Amzah's career continues to soar after being chosen to be the opening act for a series of concerts by Malaysian award-winning singer-composer Eric Moo in Beijing.
Speaking after her arrival at the KL International Airport, Shila said she was ecstatic at the offer, which would make her the first Malaysian guest artist to perform in an international artiste's concert in China.
The perfomances start Nov 17.
Last Thursday, Shila, who is the daughter of famous 80s era musician ND Lala, clinched the coveted top prize at the Asian Wave reality TV singing competition.

Rising star: Shila posing with her top prize trophy she bagged from the Asian Wave 2012 competition together with fans after arriving at KLIA from Shanghai.

“I know Eric because he was one of the judges during the competition and his invitation is a huge honour for me.
“I immediately agreed when he asked me to be his opening act in Beijing,” said Shila.
During the competition, the 22-year-old songbird serenaded audiences with songs like Gemilang, originally sung by Jaclyn Victor, Grenade by Bruno Mars and a Mandarin song titled, Zheng Fu (Na Ying).
Shila said she was shocked at her win as it was a close competition with other talents.
She added that pundits from the local media, which predicted a win for the competition's home contestant, made her lose all confidence at her chance of winning.
Meanwhile, Shila said the competition's prize money of RM5mil would be shared among her and the second and third place winners.
She added that the money, which is sponsored by Shanghai Media Group (SME) is to help mould her into a popular Asian act through promotions and stage performances.
“A lot of programmes have been lined up by SME for me in China. My people are still looking over the contract before they make a decision.
“But I am ready to spread my wings to greater heights and hope I can bring pride to my country,” she said
-THESTAR
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Couple held over abuse of maid

JOHOR BARU: A husband and wife have been detained by the police to assist in investigations of alleged abuse of an Indonesian maid.
It is learnt that the couple, in their 20s, was arrested in Batu Pahat after they fled from their home in Taman D'Utama here to avoid being detained by the police.
It is believed that the couple had used hot water, a hot ladle and a hockey stick to abuse their maid.
Johor Baru (North) OCPD Asst Comm Ruslan Hassan said police arrested the couple at their relative's house at Rengit in Batu Pahat on Monday night around 9pm.
"After they avoided arrest twice, we learned that they were hiding in Batu Pahat. However, we managed to locate them.
"They turned themselves in after police arrived at the house," he said Wednesday.
He added that the couple was being remanded for seven days to assist in the investigations.
The case was being investigated under Section 326 of the Penal Code for causing harm using weapons, which provides for a jail sentence of up to 20 years and a fine or whipping upon conviction.
ACP Ruslan added that the maid was still receiving treatment for her injuries at the Hospital Sultanah Aminah.
It was recently reported that the 24-year-old maid had run away from her employers after being allegedly abused by them for the past nine months.
She claimed that her employers would get angry with her over minor things and beat her up.
 -THE STAR
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Proton Tempa Sejarah Baru Dengan Preve

KUALA LUMPUR – Proton Holdings Bhd kini menempa sejarah baharu menerusi pelancaran Proton Preve yang dapat memenuhi citarasa pelanggan global, kata Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Beliau berkata pelancaran model kereta global baharu itu mencerminkan transformasi Proton untuk melonjak ke tahap yang lebih tinggi setelah lebih 27 tahun meneraju industri automotif negara menerusi model kereta nasional.

“Ia juga merupakan perkembangan yang signifikan. Dengan semangat yang ditunjukkan oleh kakitangan Proton, sokongan kerajaan dan pimpinan Tun Mahathir sebagai penasihat, serta pengurusan yang digabung jalin antara DRB-Hicom dan Proton, Proton akan menempa masa depan yang lebih hebat,” kata Najib.

Beliau berkata demikian ketika berucap melancarkan model kereta nasional terbaharu di Pusat Pameran dan Persidangan Antarabangsa Malaysia di sini. Turut hadir ialah penasihat Proton Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Proton kini dikuasai secara majoriti oleh DRB-HICOM selepas DRB-HICOM memperoleh kepentingan 42.74 peratus daripada cabang pelaburan kerajaan, Khazanah Nasional Bhd.

Najib berkata Proton berjaya melakukan transformasi menerusi kualiti kejuruteraan dan prestasi bertaraf global serta pelbagai nilai tambah lain, termasuk kemudahan Internet 4G, sehingga meletakkan Preve sebagai “bertaraf lebih tinggi berbanding kebanyakan kereta lain.”

“Kesungguhan kakitangan Proton menghasilkan kereta ini akan menjadi kebanggaan dan kegembiraan semua rakyat Malaysia,” katanya.

Sementara itu, Najib berkata pengambilalihan Proton oleh DRB-Hicom Bhd mampu membawa Proton ketahap yang lebih unggul memandangkan synergi yang ada pada syarikat konglomerat berkenaan.

“Pemilihan DRB-Hicom telah melalui proses yang objektif dan kita telah buat penilaian,” katanya, sambil menambah, DRB-Hicom juga mempunyai pelan korporat yang terbaik untuk Proton pada masa depan.

“Ia merupakan satu perkahwinan yang akan membawa kepada natijah yang menguntungkan Proton dan negara,” katanya.

Dalam perkembangan lain, Perdana Menteri berkata kerajaan sedang dalam proses untuk menambah baik Dasar Automotif negara agar syarikat tempatan berupaya bersaing dengan pembuat kereta negara lain dan tidak bergantung harap kepada kerajaan semata-mata.

Usaha penambaikan dasar berkenaan akan diteraju oleh Menteri Perdagangan Antarabangsa dan Industri Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed, katanya. – BERNAMA

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Sejarah Kereta Proton

Pastinya, ramai yang menggunakan kereta Proton, tetapi tidak mengetahui sejarah Proton. Untuk pengetahuan semua, PROTON (singkatan untuk Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional Sdn Bhd) yang ditubuhkan pada 7 Mei 1983 dengan modal sebanyak 150 juta ringgit, merupakan pengeluar kereta pertama Malaysia. Penubuhannya merupakan gagasan Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad, Perdana Menteri ketika itu, untuk mencapai aspirasi negara menuju ke arah perindustrian. Tugas berat ini disokong oleh Perbadanan Industri Berat Malaysia Berhad (HICOM), serta rakan-rakan usaha sama dari seberang laut.

Pemegang saham terdiri daripada:

1. Perbadanan Industri Berat Malaysia Berhad (70%)
2. Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, Jepun (15%)
3. Mitsubishi Corporation, Jepun (15%)

Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional Sdn Bhd ditubuhkan oleh Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad berasaskan idea beliau kepada presiden Mitsubishi semasa lawatan beliau ke Malaysia pada tahun 1981. Kemudian pada bulan Februari 1982, satu pasukan projek ditubuhkan di Perbadanan Industri Berat Malaysia Berhad (HICOM) bagi membuat penyelidikan dan menandatangani perjanjian dengan Mitsubishi.
Pada 9 Julai 1985, kereta Proton Saga yang pertama telah dikeluarkan. Kereta Proton telah mencapai tahap jualan paling laris dalam pasaran kereta penumpang di Malaysia dan juga di luar negara sejak tahun 1990.

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