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French &#39;anti-Semitic&#39; comic drops controversial show – BorneoPost <b>...</b> Berita Sabah - News 2 Sabah

French &#39;anti-Semitic&#39; comic drops controversial show – BorneoPost <b>...</b>

Posted: 11 Jan 2014 04:12 PM PST

FRANCE: French comedian Dieudonne sought Saturday to circumvent a ban imposed on his controversial show over its "anti-Semitic" slant, replacing it with a new performance complete with "a few tai-chi moves".

Earlier in the day he had announced his intention to go ahead with four performances in Paris, despite the Friday-to-Wednesday ban on the show titled "The Wall".

Dieudonne M'Bala M'Bala will instead present an alternate performance called "Asu Zoa" on a "different theme", his lawyer Jacques Verdier told AFP, noting that the ban was specifically on "The Wall" and not the new show.

The comedian had also cancelled a scheduled show in the central French city of Orleans after losing a legal challenge to get the ban lifted, Verdier said.

Outside the Main d'Or theatre in Paris, the police decree was pasted on the door, and a handwritten poster beside it announced Dieudonne's "new show".

It will include dance, music, mime "and a few tai-chi moves", the 47-year-old Dieudonne said on his Facebook page, adding that he had written the show in three nights.

The French government branded the comic a "peddlar of hate" for his diatribes against Jews.

The comedian earlier was defiant, calling on his supporters in a video to buy DVDs of his show "in massive numbers".

"The more of you there is, the more I can continue this fight," he said, adding that French Interior Minister Manuel "Valls has declared war against me".

Preview performances of his "The Wall" tour in Paris included a sketch in which the comedian mimed urinating against a wall. He then reveals that it was the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem.

Amid the legal tussles over the show, Dieudonne announced in the same video that he has come up with "Asu Zoa".

Dieudonne's supporters, and even some who reject his brand of humour but defend his right to express himself, have displayed concern over the clampdown, saying that is a troubling breach of freedom of speech.

But French government lawyers argue that the comedian's act is fundamentally racist and thus cannot be afforded protection under France's constitutional provisions on freedom of speech.

Valls vowed on Saturday that he would "never allow words that divide the French".

Dieudonne has been fined several times for defamation, using insulting language, hate speech and racial discrimination.

But the comedian argues that the horrors of the Holocaust are given too much focus to the exclusion of other crimes, like slavery and racism, and says his so-called "quenelle" gesture merely represents his anti-establishment views.

He has directed volleys of abuse at prominent French Jewish performers, rounding off one rant about radio presenter Patrick Cohen with the observation: "Gas chambers … a shame."

Dieudonne has also been slammed for his trademark "quenelle" stiff-arm gesture, which has been described as a disguised Nazi salute.

The gesture, which Dieudonne insists is purely an "up yours" to the French establishment, has taken on a life of its own.

Some people have been caught on camera doing the quenelle at Auschwitz or outside synagogues in France.

On Saturday afternoon, a handful of Dieudonne's supporters gathered on Faubourg-Saint-Antoine street in central Paris chanting "Dieudo, Dieudo". A woman aged about 60 joined in the demonstration, crying "Long live the Jewish dictatorship!".

Dieudonne started his career as part of a double act with a Jewish childhood friend, Elie Semoun.

But he veered towards anti-Semitism and the change burst into the open in 2003, when he concluded a televised sketch for which he had dressed up as an extremist Jew with a Nazi salute. -AFP

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Three <b>Sabah</b> cooperatives in top 100 - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 09 Jan 2014 09:10 AM PST

by Murib Morpi. Posted on January 10, 2014, Friday

KOTA KINABALU: Three cooperatives from Sabah were listed among the top 100 cooperatives in Malaysia last year.

Sawit Kinabalu Personnel Cooperative Berhad was listed at number 14, Sabah Government Servants Cooperative Berhad at 50 and Nasip Kita Tawau Cooperative Berhad at 77.

Additionally, Mukim Batu Puteh Kinabatangan Tourism Cooperative Berhad from Sandakan was also awarded the Best Cooperative in Tourism, Personal Grooming and Healthcare Category.

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Yahya Hussin said Sabah had recorded an excellent performance in the cooperative sector, marked by many significant achievements throughout the year.

Yahya, who is also the Agriculture and Food Industry Minister, said 1,053 cooperatives with a combined membership of 296,309 and assets worth over RM517 million were registered in Sabah as of November, last year.

The capital shares and membership fees collected amounted to RM89.81 million while the estimated income generating capacity stood at RM281.4 million per year.

"These figures clearly show that the cooperative sector has its own strength. Developed collectively and properly, it will have a huge impact towards the economic development of the State," said Yahya when officiating at the state-level launch of Institute of Cooperative Malaysia (iCOOP) here yesterday.

Yahya, who also chairs the Sabah Cooperative Council, said the government recognized the potentials in the cooperative segment and had implemented various programmes specifically for developing this sector.

He noted that in 2013 focus was given to five key result areas identified in the National Cooperative Policy, including to transform cooperative outlets to boost their competitiveness.

He said 69 cooperative premises benefited from the Transformasi Kedai Runcit (TUKAR) programme in Sabah, each received a grant up to RM72,000.

"The impact was noticeable, with the sales of cooperatives involved increased by almost four folds from RM5.5 million in 2011 to RM21.4 million in 2012," he said.

In terms of human capital development, 235 training programmes were implemented last year, he added.

Meanwhile, Cooperative Malaysia College (MKM) director general Dr Ahmad Zahiruddin Yahya said 57 'Integrated Approach' programmes had been planned for 2014.

With the launch of iCOOP in Sabah, various long-term development programmes will be implemented, starting with the introduction of Diploma in Cooperative Management by MKM this year.

"If the response is encouraging, it is not impossible that we may bring more long-term programmes to the State," he said.

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VAT69 team yet to gather info on intruders when attacked, court told <b>...</b>

Posted: 10 Jan 2014 08:32 AM PST

KOTA KINABALU: One of five VAT69 police teams positioned at designated areas to cordon off Kampung Tanduo had yet to gather sufficient information on the Sulu intruders when it was attacked on March 1, last year.

"At that time (shootout), we had yet to gather enough information on the location of the armed intruders because it (information gathering) should be carried out by tactical ways," Superintendent Mancha Laga told the High Court which convened at the Sabah Prisons Department here yesterday.

He was testifying in the trial of 30 people charged with various offences related to terrorism activities in Sabah last year.

During cross-examination by lawyer Ram Singh, Mancha said part of his duties in the close reconnaissance operation at the village was to assess the strength of the intruders, the location of their strongholds and their sentries.

When Ram asked what the intruders meant by the words, "Tiger! Keluar kau dari sini. Ini bumi kami" ("Tiger! Get out of here. This is our land!") upon encountering the VAT69 team, Mancha said the words meant that they were challenging his team to leave the area.

"Were these intruders rushing towards you and your team when they shouted those words?," asked Ram, to which Mancha replied: "Yes."

Mancha told the court the intruders' act of rushing towards his team was to attack his team.

"When the intruders were moving by walking fast (towards my team), I saw they were aiming their firearms at us," he said.

Earlier, when cross-examined by lawyer Datuk N Sivananthan, Mancha said he saw some of the intruders running away towards the direction of Kampung Tanduo when the shootout ended, but he did not pursue them.

"I have been attached with VAT69 for 28 years and I am experienced. Had I chased the intruders (who ran away from the shootout area), there was a possibility that I would have been ambushed and attacked by the armed intruders," he reasoned.

Mancha also said apart from firearms and six machetes found at the shoot-out area after it ended, there was a clothing bag which he did not open to see its contents.

Twenty-two of the 30 individuals jointly being tried, including two Malaysian men, are charged with waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, which carries the death penalty or life imprisonment, and being members of a terrorist group, punishable with life imprisonment and a fine upon conviction.

Of the 22, one faces two additional charges of recruiting members of a terrorist group and harbouring persons knowing that they were members of a terrorist group.

Of the remaining eight, five are accused of being members of a terrorist group; one of them, the sole woman of the 30 and a Malaysian citizen, is charged with harbouring persons knowing they were members of a terrorist group, while two are charged with attempting to harbour persons knowing they were members of a terrorist group. The rest are Philippine nationals.

They are all accused of committing the respective offences between Feb 12 and April 10, last year.

The hearing before Justice Stephen Chung continues on Jan 15. — Bernama

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Proposed Kaiduan Dam important to ensure enough water supply in <b>...</b>

Posted: 10 Jan 2014 02:20 AM PST

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan today said it was vital for the proposed building of the Kaiduan dam to proceed to ensure sufficient treated water supply to several areas in Sabah until 2050.

The areas are around Kota Kinabalu, Penampang, Papar, Tuaran and Putatan.

However, Pairin said the government's recent move to carry out a feasibility study on building the Kaiduan dam received strong protest from certain quarters who wanted the proposed project to be cancelled.

He said the government would continue to explain to the people, particularly those who opposed the proposed project, so that they could view it in the right perspective.

Pairin said the government would continue to give serious attention to the issue of treated water supply as it was a problem of concern to the "rakyat", as the supply system in the state was still inadequate to meet their aspirations.

"The issue will be tackled by the government through developing water sources, providing a network of pipes statewide and reducing non-revenue water."

Pairin, who is also state Infrastructure Development Minister, said this when addresssing a patriotic gathering of staff of the ministry and the departments and agencies under it, here.

On another note, Pairin said the ministry's development programmes would focus on strategic issues to provide efficient, quality connectivity such as comprehensive road networks.

He said good road networks were not only required in the major towns but also in the small towns and rural areas to provide access to a better life for the people, besides ensuring smooth traffic flow. – Bernama

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MCA P&#39;pang urges curb on crime, rampant gambling – BorneoPost <b>...</b>

Posted: 10 Jan 2014 09:31 AM PST

PENAMPANG: MCA Penampang has expressed the public concerns over the increasing number of crime cases in the district and state capital.

The division's chief Datuk Paul Kong Sing Chu said the security situation in the district and state capital was among matters which were raised and seriously discussed during the division's meeting recently.

He said they were of the opinion that the crime situation has escalated and getting from bad to worse lately in Penampang and Kota Kinabalu.

MCA Penampang, therefore, urged the police and all the relevant authorities to increase their manpower and step up their patrol and surveillance efforts to reduce the crime situation for the safety of the public.

"The crimes include house break-in, burglary, robbery, snatch theft and vehicle theft, just to mention a few.

"An attempt by an illegal immigrant to snatch the handbag of a woman in her 20′s as she was walking towards the Suria Sabah's basement washroom last Monday night reflects the seriousness of our crime situation.

"She reportedly suffered two cuts, each on her hand and thigh while she resisted the attack," Kong said.

He said MCA Penampang welcomed the announcement by Home Affairs Minister Dauk Seri Dr Zahid Hamidi last Monday that the PDRM had set up a special unit to tackle the ever increasingly serious online gambling activities, mostly disguised as Internet cafes.

"It is common knowledge that this type of online gambling activities have mushroomed everywhere.

"Some operators have even used apartment units on the upper floors of shophouses to conduct the lucrative business, which affect both the young and old people.

"Their activities have seriously affected the welfare of the people, especially those from the low income group," he said.

Kong said that the committee also deliberated on the worsening malfunctioning of the streetlights under the jurisdiction of the Penampang District Council (MDPG) and Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK).

The worse stretches of malfunctioning streetlights can be seen along Jalan Bundusan, Jalan Penampang, Jalan Pintas, or the Penampang Bypass and Jalan Lintas.

"According to reliable sources, both MDPG and DBKK have engaged one contractor each to manage and maintain the streetlights within their jurisdictions.

"However, despite the large sum of tax and ratepayers' money being spent to construct and provide the streetlight infrastructure, it seems that the relevant authorities just cannot be bothered to ensure their proper functioning of the facilities which is basically to provide better safety for the road users at night," he said.

MCA Penampang earnestly requested an explanation from both MDPG and DBKK as to why the malfunctioning streetlights seem to get worse on a daily basis, he said.

On the garbage collection problem, MCA Penampang urged MDPG to carry out its collection regularly and on schedule as several garbage bin centres within the district have 'over-flowed' with uncollected garbage and spilled everywhere.

Meanwhile, commenting on the ongoing tussle concerning the issue of using the word "Allah", MCA Penampang urged all parties concerned to remain calm and allow the relevant authorities to resolve the crisis amicably and diplomatically for the good of the country.

The utmost importance is the peace and harmony in the country that every Malaysian has enjoyed since the formation of Malaysia more than 50 years ago.

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Avener of Sandakan is <b>Sabah</b> Model of Year - The Borneo Post Online

Posted: 09 Jan 2014 09:08 AM PST

KOTA KINABALU: Avner Damit Singkod of Sandakan won the Sabah Model of The Year Season 4 (male category) held here recently.

The 26-year-old entreprenuer beat 21 other finalists. He also won the Best Catwalk subsidiary title.

In second place was Ashton Yu Wei Sheng, a 19-year-old student from Luyang. He also received the Best Physique title.

Taking the second runner-up spot was a 24-year-old entreprenuer from Sandakan, Bob Rizal Bin Samad. Bob has a Degree in Financial Economy.

Calvin Patrick Mojinun from Penampang was voted the most popular model by audience choice.

According to the organising chairman, Victor Gerard Bryan, the winner and first runner-up will represent Sabah in the Manhunt Malaysia International 2014 to be held in Penang on January 19.

The female category is going to be held on January 12 at 5pm at Kota Kinabalu Community Centre. Earlier, the competition was set on January 11, but due to unforeseen circumstances, it is going to be held one day after that.

Those who have bought the tickets can just come on January 12 and there is no need to change their tickets, said Calvin.

In the semifinals, seven subsidiary titles will be offered, namely Most Popular Model (voting via Facebook), Most Popular Model (voting via tickets), Best Catwalk, Best Dress, Best Personality, The Most Talented Contestant and The Most Friendly Contestant.     The contestants will be participating in three rounds in which they will wear cocktail dress, street wear and evening gown. There are 41 semifinalists who will be vying for the 25 spots in the grand finale on April 5.

Audience will also have a chance to participate in lucky draws.

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