Tun M Backs Mukhriz as Next Kedah MB

KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has voiced his support for his son Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir (pic) to become the next Kedah mentri besar should Barisan Nasional (BN) win back the state in the 13th general election. The former prime minister’s endorsement of his son will likely add pressure for the state Umno leadership to decide on whether to back Mukhriz (picture) as a potential candidate, as support within the party for the deputy international trade and industry minister appears divided at best.

“I would help him but what he does, what position he holds, is up to the party. If he is nominated for mentri besar, I will still support him.

“(The party) normally does not nominate someone for mentri besar; we do not know whether we are going to win so it is usually a nomination of either state or federal seats,” said Dr Mahathir in an interview with online television station The Malaysian Observer (MobTv). He was asked by interviewer Datuk Jahabardeen Md Yunos to comment on speculation of Mukhriz becoming the next Kedah MB if BN wins the state from PAS in GE13.

Mukhriz is currently Kedah Umno deputy chief and Jerlun MP. But Dr Mahathir conceded that Mukhriz was still “struggling” to establish himself politically, and that he had personally discouraged his children from being active in politics when he was prime minister.

“As far as Mukhriz (is concerned) I knew he was interested (but) by not allowing him to go into politics when I was PM, he couldn’t start as early as I did. So he did not have that head start.

“He’s struggling, finding things very difficult, he has to establish himself,” said the country’s longest-serving prime minister.

Dr Mahathir said the main reason why he did not encourage his children to become active in politics when he was PM was because he did not want to be accused of nepotism or trying to create a family legacy.

“It was very selfish, I was thinking about myself... I told them no politics, no business with government. After I retire they can do it,” he stressed. Speculation is rife that Mukhriz will give up his federal seat and contest a state seat in Kedah to boost BN’s and Umno’s strength and presence.

But it is understood that not all state Umno warlords support the Jerlun MP, and have objected to the latter’s push in the state. BN won only 14 of the 36 state seats in the 2008 general election, while Pakatan Rakyat (PR) won the remaining 22 seats, with PAS claiming victory in 16 of those seats.

Mukhriz has previously conceded that being his father’s son has helped his progress in politics, but told Bernama Online in February he was not too concerned being in Dr Mahathir’s shadow. - Malaysian Digest

Nasihat Budi Hikayat terhadap artis masuk politik

Hasmi Hashim atau Budi Hikayat

Senario artis menyertai parti politik bukan sesuatu yang asing. Bahkan kalau dilihat di luar negara, sudah dibuktikan ada golongan parti politik yang latar belakangnya dari kalangan orang seni, misalnya bekas Presiden Amerika, Ronald Reagan yang dahulunya merupakan seorang bintang filem dan TV popular. Selain, Arnold Schwarzenegger yang sudah menjawat jawatan Gabenor California. Juga pelakon terkenal, Joseph Estrada sebagai Presiden Filipina.

Sementelah dunia hiburan tanah air juga sedia mencatat sejarah tersendiri apabila Tan Sri Jins Shamsuddin merupakan seniman pertama dilantik sebagai Ahli Dewan Negara. Cumanya sejak kebelakangan ini di negara kita, fenomena artis menyertai parti politik macam... 'tsunami politik'.

Ekoran itu, malam tadi telah berlangsungnya satu forum anjuran Pak Sako Akademi, bagi membincangkan mengenai Artis Berpolitik: Sekadar Glamor @ Kerana Prinsip, bertempat di Dewan Perhimpunan Cina KL-Selangor.

"Saya dah lama sertai politik. Sekarang ni jer orang baru sambut saya luarbiasa. Kalau selama ini, selain khabar mengenai kerjaya seni serta ada juga cerita-cerita mengenai anak seni kita buat yang 'bukan-bukan'. Justeru majlis malam ni membuktikan yang para seniman kita bukan hanya buat yang 'bukan-bukan' tapi juga memikirkan hak dan perjuangan bangsa", ucap penulis lirik, Budi Hikayat atau nama sebenarnya Hasmi Hashim yang juga merupakan Ketua Cabang Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Parit Sulong, memulakan hujah. 

Forum anjuran Pak Sako Akademi ni turut menampilkan dua lagi panel iaitu, pelakon Hairie Othman, mewakili PAS. Serta wakil daripada parti UMNO iaitu Presiden Persatuan Seniman, pelakon Zed Zaidi. 

"Sepanjang telibat dalam politik bermula tahun 1998, saya melihat ada politik yang menghina dan mengaibkan orang. Percakaran dalam politik itu, biasa lah", 

"Saya menyertai Keadilan adalah disebabkan ketika itu hampir setiap minggu ada demonstrasi. Parti ini juga yang mendengar suara-suara anak muda",

"Sekarang ni Keadilan kalau nak diikutkan, parti yang paling sikit disertai oleh artis kita. Tapi kalau boleh saya kata, Keadilan adalah parti yang melahirkan artis dan bukannya tempat artis masuk parti", tambah komposer yang pernah memenangi Anugerah Juara Lagu menerusi lagu ciptaannya, Awan Nano ni, secara berkias.

Dalam pada itu Budi turut menyangkal dakwaan artis masuk politik kerana glamor.

Sebaliknya menyatakan pandangan bahwa artis sebenarnya yang dipergunakan untuk sesebuah parti itu menumpang populariti. 

"Artis ni sebenarnya mereka sekadar crowd-puller. Contohnya sekarang ni, kalau nak satu-satu ceramah tu ramai orang datang, mereka jemput artis. Jadi tak betul lah dakwaan artis masuk politik hanya sekadar nak glamor sebab sebelum masuk politik pun, mereka dah dikenali. Tapi saya harap ada seniman tak kira dari mana-mana fahaman ada yang akan jadi menteri 

"Cuma saya bimbang, bila mereka sertai politik, artis itu tidak dapat bertahan lama dalam politik. Bagi kami para artis, memilih untuk menyertai parti politik itu bukan mudah. Sebab bukan hanya nak bawa suara seniman dalam dewan negara, tapi perlu berjuang hingga ke bilik PM", 

"Politik ni bukannya manis, saya dah pernah kalah pun. Tapi dalam muzik-muzik saya menang, katanya berjenaka lagi.

Bagaimanapun beliau menyarankan, para artis yang menyertai parti politik tidak kira dalam mana-mana aliran pun, selain percaya dengan perjuangan sesebuah parti itu, artis terbabit harus mempunyai ilmu politik untuk bertahan.

"Artis yang masuk politik, tak kiralah mana-mana parti harus ada pemikiran politik yang lebih tajam supaya diorang boleh survive.Jangan nanti masuk tak sampai enambulan, hilang macam tu jer",

Beri Laluan Zed Zaidi Bertanding?

Budi juga berkata, tidak mustahil satu hari nanti negara kita bukan hanya boleh dipimpin oleh orang politik tipikal seperti sekarang. Siapa tahu, bintang filem yang akan jadi perdana menteri. Atau penyanyi jadi perdana menteri. Ataupun penulis lirik jadi perdana menteri.

"Kalau Hairie ada nyata hasratnya nak jadi Menteri Penerangan. Saya juga akan sokong kalau Zed Zaidi nak bertanding sebagai Ketua Pemuda. Tapi kalau mereka berdua nak jadi perdana menteri tu susah sikit lah yer sebab saya pun macam nak gak jawatan tu", selorohnya. - Malaysian Digest

Sertai PAS, Hairie Othman Berhenti Berlakon

Hairie Othman masuk PAS

Pelakon filem juga drama popular, Hairie Othman, mengakui sejak menyertai parti PAS, beliau tidak lagi menerima sebarang tawaran berlakon sehingga ke hari ini. Namun situasi tersebut tidak langsung mematahkan semangat hero filem Leftenan Adnan ni untuk tetap dengan pendiriannya mahu setia dengan parti pimpinan tok guru Nik Aziz Nik Mat itu.

Malahan Hairie sudah sejak dari awal lagi menjangkakan yang dia bakal berdepan dengan nasib sebegitu. Justeru pelakon berusia 41 tahun ni memberitahu yang dia akan bersara dari kerjaya yang sudah diceburi selama 20 tahun itu. 

Menurut Hairie, dia langsung tidak bimbang meskipun kini sudah kehilangan pekerjaan. Sebalik rezeki baru yang diterima, Hairie sekarang giat aktif dengan memenuhi undangan-undangan ceramah di merata tempat. 

"Selepas saya declare saya sertai PAS, memang tiada satu pun tawaran berlakon yang saya terima. Kali terakhir saya berlakon ialah drama Waris yang kini ditayangkan di TV3. Itu pun sebab drama tu menjalani penggambaran awal tahun ni. Tapi tak mengapa, sebab sekarang saya kerap dijemput untuk berceramah",

"Saya tidak terkilan langsung tinggalkan dunia lakonan. Sebab sudah tiba masanya saya berubah dan ini adalah perjuangan saya" ujar Hairie Othman ketika ditemui sejurus usai majlis forum Artis Berpolitik: Sekadar Glamor @ Kerana Prinsip, bertempat di Dewan Perhimpunan Cina KL-Selangor, malam tadi.

Turut hadir sebagai panel ialah Ketua Cabang Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Parit Sulong yang juga merupakan penulis lirik lagu Awan Nano, Hasmi Hashim atau popular dengan nama pena, Budi Hikayat. Serta wakil daripada parti UMNO iaitu Presiden Persatuan Seniman, pelakon Zed Zaidi. 

Bercakap di majlis anjuran Akademi Pak Sako itu mengenai tajuk forum tersebut, Hairie yang mewakili parti PAS berkata keputusannya untuk menyertai parti berkenaan kerana prinsip jauh sekali untuk meraih populariti.

"Glamor ni lebih sesuai dalam bidang seni. Mungkin juga sebab saya ni pelakon, jadi kalau masuk politik nampak glamor lah. Tapi macam mana pula dengan orang biasa yang menyertai parti politik?"

"Secara dasarnya kalau kita bercakap soal politik mestilah atas dasar prinsip. Saya ni masih baru jer lagi dalam dunia politik. Saya pilih untuk menyertai parti atas dasar prinsip. Perjuangan PAS berlandaskan Islam. Pada mulanya tujuan saya adalah mahu mengubah diri daripada kurang baik kepada menjadi seorang insan yang lebih baik. Jadi saya merasakan parti PAS sesuai dengan jiwa saya", hujah Hairie.

Pun begitu, jelasnya lagi, dia mengambil masa agak lama sebelum membuat keputusan mahu menyertai parti berkenaan.

"Kalau artis masuk UMNO tidak pula jadi isu. Tapi kalau seseorang artis tu masuk parti PAS atau PKR, akan timbul isu. 

"Keputusan saya menyertai parti ni adalah satu keputusan yang amat berat. Sebab, lepas ni konfem saya kena gam dengan RTM dan muka saya memang tak keluar TV lah" ujar Hairie dengan nada berseloroh.

"Minta lah tolong pada Seniman...!!", sahut seorang penonton awam yang berada di dalam dewan lantas mengundang gelak ramai.

Meneruskan hujahnya Hairie menyambung,

"Ramai orang datang dan katakan pada saya, kalau saya sertai PAS, saya mungkin susah nak dapat job selepas ni. Mereka tanya, saya nak kerja apa? Nak makan apa?"

"Astro ada...!!!, celah seorang lagi penonton awam. Dewan sekali lagi gamat.

"Saya jawab balik, saya tahu saya ambil risiko dengan keputusan yang saya buat ni. sebab berkemungkinan besar saya akan hilang kerja. Tapi tak apa lah sebab yang bagi rezeki pada saya bukan BN tapi Allah"

"Tapi sungguh saya katakan, orang yang berani saja akan buat keputusan macam ni. Saya ada juga bertanya pada hadirin sewaktu di satu ceramah saya, kalau tiada siapa nak ambil saya berlakon, saya nak buat apa?? Mereka beramai-ramai jawab, "apa lagi, ceramah lah!!!"

"Alhamdulillah, memang program ceramah saya banyak lepas ni. Jadual dah penuh sampai lepas raya", ujar Hairie sambil menahan gelak.

Ditanya pendapatnya mengenai sesebuah parti itu mempergunakan artis dalam meneruskan agenda politik mereka, bidas Hairie,

"Saya rela dipergunakan maksudnya parti boleh menggunakan khidmat saya untuk menarik ramai undi atau berkempen. Saya rela PAS menggunakan khidmat saya"

Dalam pada itu, Hairie juga diminta mengulas mengenai penyertaan sesorang artis tu dalam parti kerajaan hanyalah kerana mahu melobi projek. Sementara penyertaan sesorang artis di dalam parti pembangkang pula adalah kerana tidak mendapat sebarang projek.

"Jujur saya cakap, orang yang buat keputusan untuk sertai pembangkang adalah dikalangan mereka yang sangat berani. Saya nak tanya, selama ni pun projek apa yang mereka beri pada saya, jawab Hairie dengan nada sinis sambil menahan tawa.

"UMNO bukan tidak baik. Perjuangan mereka juga bagus. Cuma orang-orang di dalam UMNO itu yang buat UMNO itu punah", ujar Hairie memberikan pandangan. - MalaysianDigest

Utada Hikaru Kembali Warnai Dunia Muzik

Utada Hikaru

Penyanyi pop terkenal Jepun, Utada Hikaru bakal kembali mewarnai industri hiburan Asia sejak kali terakhir muncul pada Ogos 2010.

Utada yang sebelum ini begitu popular dengan lagu 'First Love' dikatakan telah menggubah beberapa lagu untuk mengiringi kemunculannya kelak.

Sebelum ini, turut tersebar khabar angin bahawa Utada sedang giat berkerjasama dengan penerbit Skrillex dalam menghasilkan muzik barunya. Sama-sama kita nantikan! - Media Hiburan

Bayaran Social Seeding Churp-churp bernilai RM100++

Whoa! Kalau sekali-sekala dapat Social Seeding bernilai lebih seratus ringgit kan best jugak. Ini first time dapat SS dari Churp-churp setinggi itu. Biasanya hanya RM10++ saja tapi kali ini nampaknya ada peningkatan yang sangat memberangsangkan. 

Earning Churp-churp.

Sejak dua menjak ni saya agak slow sikit dalam mempromosikan iklan-iklan kat Churp-churp. Facebook pun dah jarang buka sebab dah kurang minat kat muka buku...huhu..Bila buka akaun Churp-churp kelmarin, nampak ada SS sedang menunggu. Seperti biasa, terima saja peluang yang diberi. Nasib baik kena approve. Memang tak sangka betul dengan 'harga' yang diberi..huhu..Macam harga emas satu gram dah..haha..kena bersyukur..Mungkin nilai ini bergantung kepada jumlah follower Twitter tu. Tak sangka usaha bak kata pepatah "sikit-sikit lama lama jadi bukit" dalam meningkatkan bilangan follower akhirnya berbaloi juga. 

Nak tambah followers Twitter ini bukan senang. Kena ada teknik. Jangan saja main "extreme following" atau "extreme unfollowing". Kalau kena ban dengan Twitter, nah...bye bye gaman la...

Nak tahu tipsnya? salah satu ialah dengan 'follow' mereka yang gerenti akan 'followback'. Cukup lah dalam sehari tu dapat 10 hingga 20 orang. Kalau sebulan, dah dapat sekitar 300+ followers. Pergi kat Twitter, cari hastag #followback atau #teamfollowback atau #NF atau #ifollowback dan banyak lagi. Biasanya mereka ini akan follow semula jika anda minta. Ala..macam follower kat blog juga. Banyak yang bagi mesej "i'm done following your blog, please follow me back" kat shoutbox atau kotak komen kan. Twitter pun macam tu juga. Jadikan ini sebagai mutual interest antara pengguna Twitter.

Tapi kena hati-hati..sebab ada juga #teamUnfollowBack kat sana tu. Huhu..Sekarang ini, Twitter pun boleh jadi sumber pendapatan pasif. Thanks again to Churp-churp.

Saiful Apek Bebas Dari Tuduhan Dadah

Selepas dua tahun dibelenggu dengan insiden yang telah mencalarkan namanya sebagai seorang selebriti, akhirnya pelakon komedi popular Saiful Apek lega apabila Mahkamah Majistret membebaskan dia dan tiga rakannya daripada tuduhan memasukkan dadah jenis kanabis ke dalam badan dua tahun lalu. Keputusan tersebut telah dibuat oleh Majistret Ahmad Solihin Abd Wahid, semalam.

Memetik kenyataan di mStar, pelakon itu menyatakan rasa syukur kerana semuanya telah selesai dan sedikit sebanyak keputusan yang dibuat telah membersihkan namanya yang tercalar sebelum ini.

Saiful, 42, dan tiga lagi orang rakannya iaitu Shah Zainatull Ehsan Al-Muazam Shah Yahya, 28, Shaiful Baharom, 24, dan Noremy Mohamad, 28 di bebas dan dilepaskan tanpa perlu membela diri selepas pihak pendakwaan gagal membuktikan kes 'prima facie' terhadap kesemua tertuduh.

Mereka dituduh melakukan kesalahan tersebut di Pejabat Bahagian Siasatan Jenayah Narkotik, di IPD Subang Jaya, dekat sini pada 12 Jun 2010 kira-kira pukul 11 malam.

Pendakwaan terhadap mereka dilakukan mengikut Seksyen 15(1) Akta Dadah Berbahaya 1952 yang membawa hukuman maksimum penjara dua tahun atau denda RM5,000 jika sabit kesalahan.

Dalam pada itu, Saiful memberitahu, dia amat terharu dengan sokongan semua pihak terutamanya peminat yang tidak jemu-jemu memberikan kata-kata semangat kepadanya dalam mengharungi kes yang berlanjutan hampir dua tahun itu.

Katanya, walaupun telah dikecam oleh pelbagai pihak tetapi dia sangat beruntung kerana masih mendapat sokongan daripada orang yang mempercayainya.

"Bebanan yang dipikul sebelum ini kerana kes tersebut telah bertukar menjadi lega dan sokongan peminat sentiasa membuatkan saya kuat untuk mengharungi semua dugaan ini," katanya. - MalaysianDigest

Raja Azmi dan Jalani Sidek bercerai secara baik

Raja Azmi ditemani anaknya bersama peguam dan Jalani Sidek.

Selepas beberapa tahun membiarkan rumah tangganya dihimpit pelbagai kontroversi dan dek kerana tidak tahan mendengar tomahan masyarakat yang menuduh dan menghina suaminya sebagai dayus, produser filem sensasi Raja Azmi Raja Sulaiman hari ini diceraikan dengan talak satu oleh bekas jaguh badminton negara, Jalani Sidek. Perceraian secara baik itu dilakukan di Mahkamah Syariah Gombak Timur.

Jalani atau nama sebenar Mohammad Jalani Mohammad Sidek, 48, melafazkan talak kepada Raja Azmi, 53, pada pukul 3.30 petang tadi di hadapan Hakim  Saiful Azli Jamaludin.

Semasa hendak melafazkan talak, suasana menjadi hiba dan Jalani kelihatan tenang begitu juga dengan Raja Azmi. Sebelum itu pihak mahkamah meminta mereka bersalaman buat kali terakhir sebagai muhrim.

Raja Azmi dan Jalani bernikah di Taiping, Perak, pada 23 Disember 1984. Hasil perkongsian hidup, mereka di kurniakan tiga anak. Puteri Suraya, 27, Puteri Suaida, 23, dan Megat Deli, 18 serta seorang cucu Mohd Akid Mohd Shadan, 1. - MalaysianDigest

Buku Pekin dan Zahiril Adzim dirampas JAIS

Kandungan buku yang didakwa memesong akidah umat Islam

Buku karya dua pelakon filem Bunohan, Pekin Ibrahim dengan buku berjudul Memoir Bukan Memoir dan naskah Zahiril Adzim bertajuk Bogel Menuju Tuhan telah dirampas oleh Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor (JAIS). Kedua-dua buku tersebut diterbitkan oleh syarikat penerbitan Merpati Jingga.

Dalam serbuan tersebut, seramai lebih 30 pegawai yang terdiri daripada wakil JAIS, Polis Di Raja Malaysia (PDRM) dan Kementerian Dalam Negeri (KDN) menjalankan serbuan di premis tersebut.

Menurut penerbitnya, Faisal Mustaffa, buku-buku tersebut telah dirampas oleh pihak terbabit pada Selasa minggu lalu atas dakwaan naskah-naskah itu kononnya menyebarkan fahaman yang boleh memesongkan akidah umat Islam.

"Pihak JAIS datang bersama waran geledah dan kerana itu kami tidak boleh berbuat apa-apa dan membenarkan mereka menjalankan operasi geledah. Kedua-dua buku itu, masing-masing dirampas sebanyak tiga naskah.

"Saya tidak tahu apa sebab mereka tiba-tiba buat rampasan. Tetapi katanya, di antara buku tersebut dirasakan memesongkan akidah", ujarnya ketika ditemui di Annexe Gallery, pada Sabtu lalu.

Bagaimanapun, menurut Faisal, pihaknya tidak menerima sebarang notis susulan daripada Jais. Sebaliknya, satu invois telah di hantar kepda jabatan berkenaan meminta mereka jelaskan pembayaran.

"Kami tak terima apa-apa surat daripada JAIS. Tapi saya dah hantar invois meminta mereka membayar harga buku-buku berkenaan. Saya katakan pada mereka, kalau hutang buku tersebut tidak djelaskan, mereka dulu yang masuk neraka sebelum saya", kata Faisal yang juga merupakan orang kuat Rumah Anak Teater (RAT Production) itu dengan nada sinis. 

Sementara itu Pekin yang ditemui sewaktu majlis pelancaran bukunya di Annexe Gallery (hari yang sama), memberitahu insiden itu berlaku kerana salah faham. JAIS membuat serbuan di syarikat penerbitan itu kerana buku lain dan bukan bukunya. Oleh kerana buku Pekin berada di situ, pihak terbabit turut merampas tiga naskhah untuk tujuan siasatan.

"Saya berasa terkilan kerana tidak pasal-pasal buku saya pula terbabit sama tetapi semuanya sudah diselesaikan dengan baik sewaktu memberi keterangan kepada pihak JAIS. Saya tahu kandungan buku tersebut tidak salah dan telah mendapat kelulusan Kementerian Dalam Negeri (KDN), jadi saya telah memberikan kerjasama yang baik sewaktu memberikan keterangan.” tambah Pekin lagi. - MalaysianDigest

11 Hari Tanpa Tidur Demi Euro 2012, Seorang Fan Di China Meninggal

Seorang penggemar berat sepakbola di Cina menghembuskan napas terakhir di usia 26 tahun setelah tidak tidur selama 11 hari berturut-turut demi menonton seluruh pertandingan Euro 2012, demikian dikabarkan Sina.com.

Jiang Xiaoshan, nama fans tersebut, yang diketahui menjagokan timnas Inggris dan Prancis pada turnamen terakbar antarnegara Eropa itu, dilaporkan meninggal akibat kelelahan.

Seperti halnya di Indonesia, kick-off laga-laga di Polandia-Ukraina pun berlangsung pada dinihari waktu Cina. Sebagai seorang gibolalias penggila sepakbola, Xiaoshan, yang tinggal di kota Changsha, ogah melewatkan satu pun pertandingan.

Setiap malam ia selalu menonton laga demi laga dengan teman-temannya, lalu pergi bekerja pada pagi harinya. Namun, tubuhnya akhirnya tak bisa lagi menahan kebiasaan tersebut.

Usai menyaksikan duel Republik Irlandia kontra Italia di fase penyisihan, Selasa (19/6) dinihari waktu Cina, Xiaoshan pulang ke rumahnya pada pukul 05.00 dan kemudian mandi. Tak kuat menahan kantuk, ia lalu tertidur dan tak pernah terbangun lagi.

Kawan-kawannya sangat syok mendengar kabar duka ini. Menurut mereka, Xiaoshan menjalani pola hidup yang relatif sehat, bahkan sempat menjadi anggota tim sepakbola universitas semasa kuliah beberapa tahun sebelumnya.

Meski begitu, beberapa sumber meyakini bahwa efek alkohol dan rokok, dikombinasikan dengan kelelahan kronis, merupakan pemicu kematian Xiaoshan karena hal tersebut melemahkan sistem kekebalan tubuhnya.

Kabar ini tentu patut menjadi perhatian para gibol di negara-negara lain yang juga punya perbedaan zona waktu signifikan dengan Eropa, termasuk Indonesia. Menonton siaran langsung sepakbola tentu mengasyikkan, tapi perhatikan kondisi tubuh dan jangan lupa istirahat! - MalaysianDigest

School encouraged pupil to write 'suicide note'

A school has apologised after asking a pupil to write a farewell letter to his mother, who was left fearing he would commit suicide.

The suicide note?

Wesley Walker, 14, was told to write to his mother as if he had a terminal illness and only had a few hours to live. But when he handed the note to his mother Vicki, she believed it was a suicide letter and thought her son was going to hang himself.  The letter, seen by the BBC, said: "I am writing this letter to say goodbye and thank you for giving me life and don't cry I don't want you to be sad I want you to remember the fun times and the happy times."

Wesley added: "I know I have been a pain at the best of times but I am with nan and grandad now." He also asked his mother to give his Xbox console and games to his father, leaving her everything else.

"I felt I was going to find him hanging from his bed, I found it sick," Mrs Walker told the BBC.

"He handed it to me one evening and then just went upstairs to bed. "I really felt like I was going to find him hanging from his bed and maybe he felt he couldn't take any more." She added: "I just don't think schools should be asking children to write things like this especially when it can be seen as a suicide note, I don't agree with it."

Wesley said he thought the exercise was "normal" for a creative writing lesson at the Discovery Academy in Staffordshire. A spokesperson said the exercise was part of an "expressive art" lesson and pupils were asked to say a "special thank you". They also confirmed Wesley showed the letter to a teacher and that pupils were told to take them home. 

The academy apologised for any distress. - The Telegraph

Family rides a camel when they need to nip out for the groceries

Happy family with their camels

When Rebecca Fossett goes on the school run or picks up the groceries, she often doesn’t bother with the car. Instead, she pops out to the fields around her home – and hops on one of the family camels.

Mothers at the school gate are so used to spotting their neighbour turning up on one of the desert beasts they barely bat an eyelid.  Mrs Fossett, her circus-raised husband Joseph and their children Daisy, 13, and Leo, ten, are Britain’s only owners of a herd of camels. 

‘We go out in public on them once or twice a week and people love seeing them,’ said Mrs Fossett, 42.  ‘People think camels are grumpy and spit all the time but that couldn’t be  further from the truth. They are great company and very affectionate.  ‘They’re also incredibly nosy and rush to the garden gates to have a look whenever anyone goes past, so they enjoy  being out and interacting with people.’ 

At £10,000 each, the six dromedary and Bactrian camels – named Ruby,  Sahara, Sophia, Kokoso, Kazak and Veneta – certainly don’t come cheap.  But the Fossetts have turned them into a thriving business. taking customers on countryside treks from their tree-lined village of Idlicote, in Warwickshire.  Given the camels’ background, there’s one place they seem to particularly enjoy visiting. 

‘They love the beach,’ said Mr Fossett, 52. ‘As soon as they get the sand  between their toes you can see they  instantly feel at home.’ - Metro UK

Teenager survives being shot through head with spear

A teenager from Florida has survived after being shot through the head with a spear. 

Yasser Lopez, 16, was said to be extremely lucky to survive after his friend accidentally fired a spear-gun into his forehead as it was being loaded. The force of the impact was said to be so strong that it knocked him into the lake where the two teenagers had been fishing. Lopez was airlifted to Miami's Jackson Memorial Hospital where doctors were only able to X-ray him after sawing off part of the spear so he could fit into the scanner.

Miraculously, the three-inch spear went straight through his skull, narrowly missing his right eye and perforating the right side of his brain. Neurosurgeon Dr Ross Bullock said Lopez was hugely fortunate that the spear missed every major blood vessel in his brain and did not pierce the left hand side, sparing his speech. After discovering in the X-ray that the part of the spear in Mr Lopez's head was a screw tip, doctors managed to delicately remove it without damaging his brain.

"It was possible for us to figure out a strategy during the operation to be able to unscrew the tip of the spear, instead of having to get this whole spear dragged out through his brain," Dr Bullock said.

Lopez was alert and speaking to paramedics when he arrived at the hospital, giving doctors confidence that he would survive.

As he cannot remember the incident, doctors suspect Lopez is suffering from post-traumatic amnesia. Although he currently has trouble using the left hand side of his body, he has been moved out of intensive care, with doctors expecting him to make a full recovery. - The Telegraph

Farmer takes 5,000 ducks on a walk in busy traffic in search of food

More than 5000 ducks.

A farmer caused chaos when he walked his ducks almost 1.5km (1 mile) from his farm to a pond in a quest for food.

The mini migration was timed to avoid rush hour but commuters could not help but get caught up in the parade.  At one point, several scooters were marooned in a sea of brown but the ducks’ feathers remained unruffled – or maybe the riders were just winging it.  Farmer Hong – who was armed with just a (very) long stick and a few assistants – managed to make the journey without losing a single duck en route to the water.

And he boasted that, incredibly, he had not lost a duck in the past six months while making the trip. 

He regularly undertakes the perilous journey in the booming coastal city of Taizhou, in China’s Zhejiang province, about 305km (190 miles) south of Shanghai. 

Just ponder on that traffic nightmare the next time you find your own feathers being ruffled when you’re stuck in a jam. - Metro UK

Short-sighted elephant C'sar to receive jumbo sized contact lenses

C'sar surgery. 

The African bull elephant has had vision problems for many years and back in 2010 staff at the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro, US noticed that the 38-year-old's eyes were becoming increasingly cloudy. 

He began to grow depressed and gradually lost 1,000 pounds, leaving his shoulder bones clearly visible. C'sar had cataract surgeries, perked up and started regaining weight, however when the natural lenses from both of his eyes were removed the pachyderm was left farsighted. 

In order to improve his eyesight, zookeepers and the North Carolina State University's College of Veterinary Medicine are currently deciding whether it would be worth fitting him with corrective lenses.  They are considering whether the risks would be worth it and if C'sar should be the world's first test subject of such a procedure. Richard McMullen, assistant professor of veterinary ophthalmology at NC State, who performed both of the earlier surgeries, claimed that lenses could significantly improve C'sar's wellbeing.

'In dogs, we have seen their quality of life increase,' he claimed, although later added that 'there are a lot of questions that still need to be answered,' before the procedure was given the go ahead.

C'sar has already been trained to position his eye between six-inch thick steel bars to receive eye drops, however the changing of contact lenses every three months could prove more difficult. - Metro UK

'Vampire' skeletons found in Bulgaria

Bulgarian archaeologists have discovered two 'vampire' skeletons during excavations near the Black Sea, which are now on display at the National Museum of History in Sofia.

The remain skeleton of 'vampire'?

Bulgaria's history museum has an unusual display on show: a "vampire" skeleton, discovered after the unearthing of the 800-year-old remains of two skeletons stabbed through the chest with iron rods. Archaeologists, excavating a monastery near the Black Sea city of Sozopol, discovered the skeletons which were buried in a pagan ritual that they said was aimed at keeping the men from turning into vampires.

"To prevent suspected would-be-vampires from turning into vampires, a group of brave men reopened their graves and pierced the corpses with iron or wooden rods. Iron rod was used for the richer vampires," National History Museum head Bozhidar Dimitrov said. Mr Dimitrov explained that these people would have been considered bad during their lifetime and therefore, according to pagan beliefs, could become vampires after death.

The men, who were buried over 800 years ago, were stabbed in the chest and the stomach, as people feared that they would rise from the dead as vampires. - The Telegraph

Lagi kes artis kena rompak: Pemain Drum Estranged Hampir di Bunuh!

Di laman portal mStar hari ini melaporkan pemain dram kumpulan Estranged iaitu Andy, 28, berhadapan dengan maut apabila diikat oleh empat orang perompak yang memecah masuk rumah didiaminya bersama keluarga di Kota Damansara dekat sini pada Ahad lalu.

Andy Estranged

Andy atau nama sebenarnya Azwin Andy Malik berkata, perompak-perompak yang menutup wajah dengan topeng itu telah mengugut untuk membunuh jika dia atau ahli keluarga lain cuba untuk melawan.

"Mereka muncul dengan membawa wayar, batang besi dan kayu. Malang sekali abang saya (Azlan Rudy) dipukul teruk sehingga meninggalkan kesan lebam pada badannya ketika cuba melawan.

"Saya beritahu mereka untuk ambil apa sahaja barang yang diinginkan dan jangan mencederakan kami sekeluarga," katanya.

Kejadian rompakan tersebut berlaku pada Ahad lalu, pukul 3.45 pagi sewaktu Andy baru sahaja pulang ke rumah. Menyedari pintu utama rumahnya tidak ditutup, dia terus ke tingkat atas.

"Pada mulanya, saya sangka nenek saya datang ke rumah dan berborak bersama ahli keluarga yang lain apabila mendengar bunyi orang sedang bercakap.

"Ketika mahu naik ke tangga, terdapat dua lelaki memakai baju hitam turun dan masa itu saya tidak dapat berbuat apa-apa.

"Habis semua barang-barang berharga diambil. Mereka juga bertanya sama ada kami menyimpan peti besi atau tidak? Mujurlah perompak tersebut memenuhi permintaan saya supaya memulangkan kad pengenalan dan kad kredit," ujarnya.

Antara barang-barang yang dirompak ialah sebuah komputer riba, iPad, sejumlah wang tunai, barangan kemas serta beberapa barang lain.

Sejurus selepas kejadian tersebut, mereka sekeluarga membuat laporan polis. - mD

10 Reasons to Stop Buying on Amazon

Amazon: the evil empire? The Nation seems to think so, warning that Amazon is "well positioned to overpower its rivals" as publishers turn to digital books and the mega-site sells more Kindle books than hardcovers. The lefty mag lists 10 reasons not to do business with Amazon:

1. Amazon avoids paying taxes. Amazon's tax rate is a shockingly low 3.5%, and what's more, the company gives paltry sums to charities.

2. Amazon is monopolistic. As the world's biggest bookseller, Amazon has insisted on more discounts from distributors—but that's illegal under anti-trust law that forbids companies from selling the same product at different prices to different buyers.
3. Amazon kills small businesses. Its practice of selling bestsellers at a loss means small bookstores can't compete.
4. Amazon gathers your info. A class-action lawsuit has accused Amazon of dodging customer privacy settings, and critics say Kindle Fire's web browser could help Amazon track all our surfing.
5. Amazon dissed Wikileaks. Facing political pressure, Amazon kicked Wikileaks off its cloud server two years ago.

(NEWSER)

Isu Main Poker: "Bukan Berjudi. Sekadar Uji Minda Psikologi"- Gambit

Lama tidak ada kontroversi, alih-alih nama Gambit Saifullah, 27, kembali panas berikutan gambarnya bermain poker sewaktu di sebuah lokasi hiburan sewaktu berkunjung ke Australia baru-baru ini, tersebar. Gambit sendiri yang memuat naik gambar tersebut di dalam laman sosial Twitter miliknya lalu dikongsikan bersama peminat.

Namun yang demikian, memetik kenyataan di mStar, kata Gambit, pembabitannya dalam permainan tersebut secara kebetulan bagi memenuhi masa terluang sewaktu bercuti dan bukannya semata-mata atas tujuan berjudi. Sebaliknya ia adalah bertujuan untuk mengasah minda psikologi melalui permainan tersebut. (Takder permainan lain eh?)

"Saya menyertai permainan itu sebenarnya secara kebetulan sahaja dan menganggap ia satu permainan psikologi.

"Biarlah orang nak buat macam-macam tuduhan terhadap saya kerana saya bermain daun terup bukan kerana mahu mendapatkan duit, tetapi sekadar ingin menguji pengetahuan.

"Cakap pun tak guna, kerana orang akan tetap mengkritik. Asalkan saya dan Tuhan tahu niat sebenar, itu sudah cukup," katanya.

Pada 5 Jun lalu, telah menulis mesej melalui Twitter miliknya yang mengharapkan tuah dalam permainan daun terup yang disertainya.

Gara-gara mesej tersebut, pengikut laman sosial milik Gambit turut menghantar kritikan selain menganggap pelakon itu tidak peka tentang halal dan haram menyertai permainan tersebut.

Bagaimanapun, pelakon Karipap-Karipap Cinta itu terkilan apabila kebanyakan masyarakat tempatan terlalu cepat membuat spekulasi dan menyebarkan maklumat dengan membuat tuduhan yang tidak benar selepas membaca entri berkenaan.

"Saya seorang yang sangat sayangkan Malaysia, bangsa dan agama, tetapi kenapa kebanyakan masyarakat kita mempunyai mentaliti iaitu terlalu cepat menilai keburukan seseorang individu itu?

"Diakui, salah saya juga meletakkan entri yang boleh menimbulkan persoalan kepada semua tetapi dengan menyebarkan maklumat dan membuat spekulasi sendiri, tidakkah ia berbau fitnah? Dan bukankah fitnah itu haram?

"Sebelum mengata tentang orang, cerminlah diri sendiri," tegasnya.- mD

Isu Artis Gaduh: Amaran Untuk Tasha, Neelofa dan Anzalna

Tasha, Neelofa, dan Anzalna. (Sumber)

Mereka bertiga jelita. Tak dinafi. Mereka bertiga boleh dikira masih baru dalam industri tapi sudah pun mengecap populariti. Ya, ketiga aktres ni sangat popular, saat ini. Sebab itu jugalah agaknya masing-masing sudah pantas menunjukkan perangai 'ala diva'. Tapi ingat yer cik Tasha Shila, cik Anzalna juga cik manis Neelofa. Kalau kalian masih terus dengan sikap bertelagah sesama sendiri, ianya akan memakan diri apabila tawaran berlakon ke atas kalian akan disekat sekiranya didapati bersalah.

Itu peringatan tegas yang dikeluarkan oleh jawatankuasa disiplin yang bakal ditubuhkan oleh Persatuan Seniman Malaysia (Seniman).'

Minggu lalu kecoh apabila pengacara Nona, Neelofa didakwa telah memburuk-burukkan rakannya iaitu Tasha Shila. Episod pergaduhan artis berkenaan tercetus apabila Neelofa kononnya telah meluahkan rasa tidak berpuas hati dengan kemenangan Tasha sebagai Artis Baru Wanita Popular, Anugerah Bintang Popular Berita Harian 2011 (ABPBH) menerusi sebuah akhbar mingguan.

Ekoran dakwaan tersebut telah membawa kepada satu lagi pengakuan seorang pelakon iaitu Anzalna yang turut sama menerima nasib serupa diawal pembabitannya dalam dunia glamor. Pada Ahad lalu Anzalna telah menempelak Neelofa dengan mendakwa pelakon itu suka memburukkannya di laman sosial.

Memetik kenyataan di mStar, bagi menyekat agar pertelingkahan tiga aktres yang sedia menjadi rebutan ramai pihak ni berlarutan, Presiden Seniman, Zed Zaidi menerusi jawatankuasa yang disebutkan di atas memberitahu, pihaknya akan memanggil mereka bertiga untuk menyiasat apakah punca sebenar mereka bertelagah yang secara langsung mencemarkan nama baik dunia artis tempatan.

"Sekarang ini semakin ramai artis terutamanya bakat baru gemar meluahkan rasa tidak puas hati terhadap artis lain atau bergaduh sesama sendiri menerusi ruangan laman sosial seperti 'Facebook' dan 'Twitter'.

"Pertelagahan antara Tasha, Anzalna dan Neelofa adalah contoh terbaru, dan kelakuan itu menunjukkan mereka terlalu mengikut emosi. Sebab itu pihak Seniman bersikap tegas dan akan menubuhkan jawatankuasa tersebut secepat mungkin.

"Dengan langkah menyekat tawaran berlakon untuk mereka, ia akan memberi pengajaran kepada mereka dan artis-artis lain agar hal sebegini tidak akan timbul lagi pada masa akan datang," kata Zed Zaidi.

Dalam pada itu tambah Zed, walaupun jawatankuasa disiplin itu belum lagi ditubuhkan, ketiga-tiga artis berkenaan serta individu lain yang mempunyai masalah sesama sendiri boleh merujuk kepada pihak Seniman sekiranya sukar untuk menyelesaikan kemelut yang dihadapi.

"Buat masa ini pihak kami tidak boleh masuk campur melainkan artis-artis ini yang datang kepada Seniman untuk selesaikan masalah.

"Bagaimanapun, andai kata kes mereka terlalu serius sehingga dibawa naik ke mahkamah, pihak kami akan campur tangan untuk menyelesaikannya," tegasnya. - mD

We are more likely to die on our birthday than any other day. Scientists say?

Be careful blowing out the candles. Scientists have found we are more likely to die on our birthday than any other day.

Researchers who studied more than two million people over 40 years found a rise in deaths from heart attacks, strokes, falls and suicides. William Shakespeare died on his birthday on April 23 1616. The actress Ingrid Bergman also died on her birthday, in August 1982.

On average, people over the age of 60 were 14 per cent more likely to die on their birthdays.

Heart attacks rose 18.6 per cent on birthdays and were higher for men and women while strokes were up 21.5 per cent - mostly in women. Dr Vladeta Ajdacic-Gross of the University of Zurich, said: 'Birthdays end lethally more frequently than might be expected.' He added that risk of birthday death rose as people got older.

Canadian data also showed that strokes were more likely on birthdays, especially among patients with high blood pressure. There was a 34.9 per cent rise in suicides, 28.5 per cent rise in accidental deaths not related to cars, and a 44 per cent rise in deaths from falls on birthdays.

Psychologist prof Richard Wiseman, from the University of Hertfordshire, said: "It seems to be a valid finding.

"There are two camps - one is the camp that suggests you eat too much and your getting on a bit and that causes you to die.

"The other is a placebo effect. You are knife-edged on death. And you kept yourself going until your birthday. You think 'that's it I've had enough I'm out of here'." Dr Lewis Halsey, of the University of Roehampton, said: 'One interesting finding is that more suicides happen on birthdays, though only in men. 'Perhaps men are more likely to make a statement about their unhappiness when they think people will be taking more notice of them.'

The study is published in the journal Annals of Epidemiology. - The Telegraph

Kes Culik Guru : Polis Buru 4 Lelaki

(sumber)

KUALA LUMPUR: Polis sedang memburu empat lelaki yang dipercayai terlibat dalam satu kes penculikan seorang guru wanita pada pagi kelmarin.

Ketua Polis Daerah Serdang, Supt Abdul Razak Elias berkata, Teoh Soo Kim, 51, diculik ketika dalam perjalanan untuk mengambil anak rakannya di sebuah sekolah di Puncak Bukit Jalil.

“Mangsa keluar dari rumahnya di Taman Kinrara, Puchong kira-kira pukul 7.30 pagi untuk mengambil anak rakannya di sebuah sekolah di lokasi terbabit sebelum gagal dihubungi suaminya beberapa jam kemudian.

“Mangsa kemudian ditemui oleh polis di sebuah ladang kelapa sawit di Kuala Selangor pukul 11.30 pagi semalam,” katanya ketika dihubungi Bernama, di sini semalam.

Beliau berkata, mangsa ditemui dengan kecederaan pada bahagian kepala dipercayai dipukul dengan objek keras.

Mangsa kini berada dalam keadaan koma di Hospital Sungai Buloh dan keadaannya dilapor kritikal.

Katanya siasatan mendapati empat suspek terbabit telah mengeluarkan wang daripada akaun mangsa berdasarkan rakaman kamera litar tertutup di sebuah bank di Taman Kinrara pada hari yang sama. – BERNAMA (link)

Is it a mutant pig or what? strange animal

Chinese residents were left terrified after mistaking a pink-skinned stray dog for either an escaped genetically modified pig or a strangely coloured mini-horse. 

It's actually a dog

The bizarre breed of dog was spotted roaming around the streets Xinxiang in the Henan province, central China, sparking fears it has escaped from a nearby medical research centre.

With its strange-coloured skin and hairless body, many observers speculated the rare breed could have been some sort of strange mutant pig. However given its white tufts of hair, unusual stance and wispy tail, the strange canine could even pass for a mini horse.

One witness said: 'The pink skin makes it look just like pig gone wrong in some sort of genetic experiment.' However police have denied the animal is the subject of a genetic experiment - confirming it is actually a breed known as a Chinese crested hairless dog.

'It is definitely a dog, and quite an expensive one at that,' said a spokesman. The alien breed regularly features as a contender in the annual World's Ugliest Dog contest held in California. - Metro Uk

Toddler whose heart stops for 39 minutes makes recovery. A miracle?

A toddler whose heart stopped beating for 39 minutes has made an amazing recovery, having been allowed to return home after treatment.

Zach Hilary, aged two, suffered a heart attack on Jan 26, when his mother, Trudy, found him collapsed on the floor, groaning, at their home. She called 999 and performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on her son for 10 minutes until the paramedics arrived and took over. The boy received more than half an hour of CPR, including on his transfer to hospital.

Mrs Hilary, 40, a paramedic, and her husband Dave, 37, an IT consultant, were told that Zach had swelling on his brain. Doctors warned them to prepare for the worst. The boy was put into a medically induced coma and there were concerns that he could suffer brain damage. But Zach recovered and since he has returned to the family home in York, he has relearnt all of the skills he had picked up and now has the full abilities of a two year-old. “It has been amazing to watch him recover,” said Mrs Hilary. “It has been like watching a newborn in fast motion. He has had to learn to eat, hold a cup, walk and talk all over again, all in the past few months.” She said he had been watching television when he suffered the heart attack. Initially she thought he was playing around, but then she dialled 999.

“It’s just a parent’s worst nightmare,” she said. “While I was on the phone, Zach stopped breathing. They talked me through mouth-to-mouth and chest compressions, which I did for 10 minutes.

“The paramedics arrived and continued CPR for about five minutes in the house, then took him into the ambulance and were shocking him.” He was taken to York Hospital, where he was given adrenalin to start his heart again. Mr Hilary had been away and joined his wife at the hospital. Mrs Hilary said: “They gave him adrenalin shocks three times and finally his heart started beating again.

“It felt like an absolute lifetime waiting to find out if he would live or die. The doctors told me that the prognosis was not good, that his heart had stopped beating for 39 minutes, and to prepare myself for the worst. It was just devastating.”

Five months on, the toddler is back at home with his parents and his brothers Jake, five, and six-month-old Scott. When Zach was taken off a ventilator, an MRI scan revealed that his brain had been damaged. He was given physiotherapy and speech therapy and on Feb 27 was finally able to go home. The cause of the heart attack is a mystery. Mrs Hilary has since been on a resuscitation course in case it should happen again.

One of the paramedics, Amy Mackintosh, said the case was one of the most unusual she had come across. York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said: “It’s fantastic news that Zach is doing so well. We are always pleased to hear of a good outcome.” - The Telegraph

Remains of Spanish man found 20 years later. Where?

The remains of a Spanish man have been found in his house more than 20 years after he was last seen.

Nobody in the Spanish village of Canizal had seen Vicente Benito for two decades, although the 520 residents thought that he had moved to Portugal, or work as a shepherd in another part of the world.

The discovery was only made after one of Benito's nephews broke into his house to see what happened to his uncle, according to the local newspaper.

Police found that the only coins and banknotes in his house were pesetas, suggesting he died well before the introduction of the euro a decade ago.

"We think he was last seen at least 15 years ago, but no one is sure," the mayor, Miguel Angel Herrero, said, according to the Guardian.

"He had stopped talking to his siblings and went to work as a shepherd. He was always off somewhere, so it didn't occur to people that he might still be in the village." - The Telegraph

Want to produce a 'better pork'? This is how they do it in China

Happy pigs!

A group of lucky pigs in China are enjoying a comfortable living after being moved into their own bespoke villas in a bid to produce better tasting pork.

Government advisers decided on the drastic action after concluding that happier pigs would also mean they were healthier and of better quality too. More used to living in an absolute pig sty, the playful pigs' mood quickly brightened in their new surroundings in Weiji, Suining, which has been dubbed China's first pig village.

The 600 pigs are also given toys to play with and allowed to roam in the woods every day from 8am to 5pm, seven days a week. Despite initial scepticism over the decision to move the pigs from their industrial pens to the £800 luxury villas, agricultural officer Hu Juchun believes it has now been justified.

'A good environment will leave pigs in a good mood and keep them healthy, and its therefore logical that the pork will be better,' he said.

'As well as better pork we are getting income from tourists who come to see the pig village, and in any case pigs are clever animals - it is not kind to keep them in a small pen all their lives.'

Hu added that there were now plans to open up a further 2,500 more villas across the 2,000 hectares of woodland available. - Metro UK