Stephen Hawking: 'There are no black holes'

Artist's impression VICTOR HABBICK VISIONS/SPL/Getty

The defining characteristic of a black hole may have to give, if the two pillars of modern physics — general relativity and quantum theory — are both correct.

 

Most physicists foolhardy enough to write a paper claiming that “there are no black holes” — at least not in the sense we usually imagine — would probably be dismissed as cranks. But when the call to redefine these cosmic crunchers comes from Stephen Hawking, it’s worth taking notice. In a paper posted online, the physicist, based at the University of Cambridge, UK, and one of the creators of modern black-hole theory, does away with the notion of an event horizon, the invisible boundary thought to shroud every black hole, beyond which nothing, not even light, can escape.

Rumah dijanjikan Rahman Dahlan belum dapat

Oleh Jurle Sagayong

KOTA BELUD : Kira-kira tiga tahun lalu sebuah keluarga daif di Kampung Kelawat dekat sini dilawati ahli parlimen Kota Belud, Abdul Rahman Dahlan apabila salah seorang anak dalam keluarga besar berkenaan menjadi pelajar terbaik SPM sebuah sekolah di daerah ini walaupun dalam keadaan serba kekurangan.

Pelajar berkenaan, Syevesther Liew, 19, kini pelajar tahun pertama Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) namun keluarganya dan neneknya masih belum mendapat rumah yang dijanjikan Abdul Rahman, kini Menteri Perumahan, Kesejahteraan Bandar dan Kerajaan Tempatan Persekutuan.

History and constitutional guarantee allow Christians to use ‘Allah’, say law experts

Two Malaysian academics have come out in support of Christians in the country on their right to use the word "Allah" in their religious practices amid Putrajaya's admission that states can regulate such activities.

Universiti Malaya law professor Dr Azmi Shahrom (pic) and former International Islamic University law lecturer Dr Abdul Aziz Bari went on record to support such rights when they affirmed affidavits in support of a judicial review application by a Sarawakian Christian, Jill Ireland Lawrence Bill, against the home minister.

Clear my name – Kangkong

 Dear Malaysians,

I am writing to you to ask for your help to clear my name. In recent days my name has been stained by associating me with a failed leader and thus become a derogatory word. A by-word. I have become infamous.

I want to appeal to your good nature and kindness to disassociate me from this person and restore to me my dignity.

Projek kelapa pandan di Kota Belud gagal?

Oleh Nuraniz Ghaus

KOTA BELUD : Satu projek tanaman kelapa pandan seluas 500 ekar di Kota Belud kini bakal berhadapan skandal pertanian ekoran projek itu menemui jalan buntu dan sudah ada pihak mula bimbang ia bakal memberi kesan negatif lagi kepada pihak kerajaan.

Projek tanaman kelapa pandan di Skim Bokilong di Kampung Gaur dekat sini itu dikatakan dibiayai RM1 juta oleh Kerajaan Persekutuan dan sepatutnya sudah mula memberi pendapatan kepada kira-kira 90 peserta yang terdiri daripada penduduk kampung.

Orang Islam dan Kristian adalah bersaudara

KOTA BELUD : Ketua Umum Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), Datuk Anwar Ibrahim, berkata umat Kristian dan umat Islam adalah bersaudara dan tidak harus bergaduh sesama mereka demi agama masing-masing.

Anwar yang juga Ketua Pembangkang  berkata beliau bukan membawa ajaran baru apatah lagi agama baru, sebaliknya khalifah keempat Islam, Saiyidina Ali Ibn Talib, yang menyatakan demikian kepada umat Islam.

Sabah Govt Needs to be Assertive in SESB

Kota Kinabalu:    “The Sabahgovernment needs to act as the government of the people in Sabah and be assertive in SESB.   As shown in the aftermath of the state-wide fiasco affecting 511,611 consumers, the government cannot and should no longer play a passive role on its 20% shareholding in SESB” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief in response to SESB’s excuse for the blackout and refusal to compensate the Sabah and Labuan consumers.

Sabahans seek Judicial Review on Herald seizure

Joe Fernandez

KOTA KINABALU : Two Church-going Sabahans, both Roman Catholics, on Fri filed an ex-parte Application for Leave at the High Court in Kota Kinabalu to file a Judicial Review to obtain an Order of Certiorari (squash) against the decision of a Malaysian Government agency/agencies to seize 2,000 copies of the Herald, a Church weekly, on Sat 26 Oct last year at Kota Kinabalu International Airport.

The Application was filed under Order 53 Rule 3(2) of the Rules of the High Court 2012 by activist Daniel John Jambun, one of the Applicants, Acting in Person.

I’m Catholic and I won’t use ‘Allah’. Are you happy now?

Francis Paul Siah

Executive Editor

I’m a Catholic and a Sarawakian but I reside in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. On the “Allah” issue, what should I do or rather, where do I stand?

I have been told that Christians and other non-Muslims can use “Allah” to refer to God in Sarawak and Sabah but not in Malaya. I’m not sure whether that is a court ruling, a royal decree or just a political decision.

We were tricked into converting to Islam

The Protestant Church of Sabah church in Kampung Layung Maliau has been packed since the alleged conversion incident. – The Malaysian Insider pic, January 20, 2014.The small, white, nondescript wooden Protestant Church in Sabah (PCS) church in the Dusun village of Layung Maliau, in Sabah's remote Pitas district, was again packed for its Sunday service yesterday.

It has been filled to the brim since the first Sunday of 2014.

Political Eunuchs Incapable to Fight for Sabah Rights - Dr. Jeffrey

Kota Kinabalu:    “It’s hilarious but very saddening to see BN leaders twisting and turning my statement on the ex-DAP leaders and the Chinesecommunity to re-focus and fight for Sabah rights and autonomy including Sabah’s oil and gas resources.  Their ill-advised responses are nothing more than to please their political masters” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief responding on the several statements by BN leaders.

High Tech ID Proves Sabah IC Workable- Dr. Jeffrey

Kota Kinabalu:    “The Sabah government should implement a high tech, high-security Sabah IC as it is workable to secure Sabah’s sovereignty and weed out fake ICs and MyKads” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief responding on the federal government’s launching of the uniform high-security identification card for all government staff in a move to check impersonation and forging of the identification documents of government employees.

What Re-look? Basis of Malaysia Has Failed-Dr. Jeffrey

Kota Kinabalu:  “The recent events in the Peninsula with the rise of religious bigots and extremists and now violence with the non-appearance of the PM and the federal government on the Allah issue and the Bible raid proves that the federation of Malaysia is breaking up and will soon reach the point of no-return”said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief, commenting on the call by the senior Sarawak Minister for a re-look of the Malaysia Agreement.

Human rights in M’sia: ‘A tale of two Najibs’

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian government backtracked significantly on human rights after the May 2013 general election returned the ruling coalition to power with a significantly smaller majority, Human Rights Watch said today in its World Report 2014.

The passage of new repressive laws, arrests of opposition activists, and greater repression of political speech marked the apparent end to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak’s proclaimed reform agenda.

Support of Chinese, Mission and Other Schools Still Insufficient – Dr. Jeffrey

Kota Kinabalu:“The Sabah government is missing the primary objective of education with a “less than half-full glass” view in its support of Chinese, mission and other vernacular and non-national type schools in Sabah.  It should not have a misplaced notion that it is doing enough to assist these schools with yearly grants and ad-hoc contributions” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief, opining on the Chief Minister’s statement stressing that the State Government is very attentive to the needs of students to have better basic educational infrastructure and services.

Revert State ROS to Own State Control

Kota Kinabalu:    “The decision of the federal Registrar of Societies (ROS) in Putrajaya on SUPP and LDP shows the need for Sabah and Sarawak governments and their people to re-assess the de-merger of the Sabah and Sarawak arm of the ROS” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief in commenting on the decision of ROS to de-register 2 branches of SUPP in Sarawak and the picking of the president of LDP in Sabah.

Why No Priority for Sabah Road Slopes Repairs?

Kota Kinabalu: “It is not surprising that there are landslides affecting major roads in Sabah whenever there is heavy rain as the Sabah JKR had been clamouring and literally begging without success for federal funds since 2009 for repairs of 647 road slopes failures” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief, commenting on roads being cut off in Penampang-Tambunan, Tamparuli-Kiulu and Tuaran-Topokon due to landslides two days ago.

It is sad that Sabahans have to bear the brunt of the landslides and failure of the road slopes due to the failure of the federal government to provide sufficient funding for Sabah JKR. 

10 points, sultan’s decree and the raid

By Luke Rintod of FMT 

Recently, various news reports on the confiscating of Bibles translated into Bahasa Malaysia have repeatedly referred to the so-called 10-Point Resolutions adopted in April 2011 to ease fears among Christians about the Islamic agenda of government agencies and certain leaders in the Barisan Nasional coalition.

But what exactly are the 10 points?

How Much to Compensate Sabah Motorists? – Dr. Jeffrey

Kota Kinabalu: “The time has come for the Sabah government and Sabah Ministers, Deputy Ministers and MPs, both government and opposition, to step up and look after the interests of Sabah and Sabahans.   They need to stop the unfair and unjust treatment of Sabah by the federal government” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief in commenting on toll hikes and government compensation for toll operators and concessionaires.

Consider Re-locating Kaiduan Dam - Dr. Jeffrey

Kota Kinabalu:    “The Sabah government shouldconsider re-locating the Kaiduan Dam rather than adopt intransigent and stubborn attitudes from their federal government.  They should also establish their own attitudes in governing consistent with local cultures and attitude.  They should not shaft the building of the Kaiduan dam down the people’s throats” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief in commenting on the people’s growingprotests onthe Kaiduan dam and government insistence to build it.

Be Wary of Internal Colonization - Dr. Jeffrey

KOTA KINABALU:   “Sabahans should not be too excited with the establishment of the first UTC (Urban Transformation Centre) in Kota Kinabalu.   It is nothing more than another subtle step in the internal colonization of Sabah” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief,on the opening of the first UTC at Sembulan, Kota Kinabalu.

How About Public Transport System in KK? - Dr. Jeffrey

Kota Kinabalu:    “PM Najib and the SPAD chief should drive in the Kota Kinabalu peak hours traffic jam so that they can gauge for themselves the need for a proper public transport system befitting the RM26.6 billion that Sabah will be contributing to Petronas and the federal government in 2014” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief in response to the PM’s tweet that the (federal) government will continue to strive to provide the best public transport.

PBS UPKO Should Leverage Their Presence or LeaveBN – STAR

Kota Kinabalu:    “PM Najib and his Umno party have mis-used the federal government and its machinery for its own political ends and has already laid the path of no return for the nation.   The BN components, particularly PBS and Upko do not have any more options.  They need to leverage their presence in BN now or else bite the bullet and leave the BN or be rejected as irrelevant and incapable of protecting Sabahans from Umno/Malayan hegemony” said HasminAzroy Abdullah, STAR Sabah Youth Chief in a press statement released today.

Govt Got It All Wrong-Dr. Jeffrey”

Kota Kinabalu: “The disease of the federal government of being clueless and doing it all wrong is spreading to Sabah.   There is no point in monitoring price increases without solving the problems or reducing the burden of the people caused by the price hikes” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief, responding to the CM’s statement calling for monitoring of prices.

US imam: Barring use of 'Allah' besmirches God

FLORIDA (US) : By trying to protect the name of God, the Islamic religious authorities in Malaysia are actually "besmirching" the name of Allah, an American imam has said.

Imam Muhammad Musri, who is the president of the Islamic Society of Central Florida, said this was because Malaysia's ban of the use of the term 'Allah' by non-Muslims goes against Allah's teachings in the Quran.

Mahathir Should Rectify Umno/Malayan Hegemony - Dr. Jeffrey

Kota Kinabalu:     “Ex-premier Mahathir should take the opportunity to redeem some of his past mistakes by rectifying the Umno hegemony over the other races and the Umno/Malayan hegemony over Sabah and Sarawak instead of insincere statements to hoodwink the people to continue the Umno stranglehold on the country”said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief, commenting on the ex-premier’s statement to BN on adjustments in power-sharing.

In private, the other BN leaders will acknowledge that there is no real power-sharing in BN nowadays and everything is decided by Umno and imposed on the other BN components.

Suria Sabah tidak selamat?

Ezra Haganez

KOTA KINABALU : Selepas kompleks membeli-belah terkemuka Sabah, 1Borneo Hypermall, disyaki menjadi tempat penularan wabak TB bulan lepas dan menyebabkan pengunjung khuatir dengan tahap keselamatan di kompleks membeli belah itu, kini giliran kompleks membeli-belah Suria Sabah pula menjadi kurang selamat untuk dikunjungi.

Bagaimanapun ini bukan wabak tuberkulosis atau TB yang mengancam keselamatan pengunjung tetapi peragut yang juga dipercayai berpunca dari pendatang haram yang semakin berleluasa di kawasan kompleks berkenaan.

Dilaporkan hampir tiap hari ada yang mengadu menjadi atau hampir menjadi mangsa ragut dan gangguan budak-budak malahan orang dewasa Filipina yang berkeliaran mencari mangsa.

What are in Najib's 10-Point Cabinet Decision on "Allah" and Bible?

KOTA KINABALU : In April 2011, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Idris Jala, revealed a 10-point solution to the Bible / Alkitab / Allah controversy. These 10-point solution are :

1. Bibles in all languages can be imported into the country, including Bahasa Malaysia/Indonesia.
2. These Bibles can also be printed locally in Peninsula Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak. This is a new development which should be welcomed by the Christian groups.
3. Bibles in indigenous languages of Sabah and Sarawak such as Iban, Kadazan-Dusun and Lun Bawang can also be printed locally and imported.

Look Beyond Schooling for Illegals –Dr. Jeffrey

Kota Kinabalu:    “Without a doubt, the educational needs of the children of illegal immigrants need to be addressed.    However, both the federal and Sabah governments need to look at the problems and potential problems beyond the schooling needs of these illegals” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief, commenting on the newenrolment of SK Kinarut where illegals outnumber locals by 3:2.

This phenomena clearly reflects the by-product of the Project IC, “Ops Durian Buruk” or whatever named project of bringing in foreigners to outnumber the local natives and other Sabahans who were then pre-dominantly non-Muslim.

Don't Look for Scapegoats for Price Hikes-Dr. Jeffrey

Everyone except the ruling Umno/BN government knows thatthe recent price hikes are caused by government policies in increasing the petrol and diesel prices, sugar subsidies and now raise in electricity tariffs and the like.

The people also know that these price increases are totally contrary to the BN Manifesto in the May 2013 general election.    The Prime Minister and the BN had promised the people the stars and the moon just to fish for the votes to remain in power.   Six months later and many of these stars and moon promises have been broken.

Increasing RM500,000 Limit Does Not Improve EducationStandards –Dr. Jeffrey

Kota Kinabalu:    “The DPM cum Education Minister’s move to increase the authorization limit of State Education Directors is welcomed and a right move in the right direction but it does not help to improve declining education standards and too little in the case of Sabah and Sarawak” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief, commenting on the limit increase from RM500,000.00 to RM5.0 million annually.

PM jetting around in new luxury aircraft?

KUALA LUMPUR: Amid austerity measures, pro-Umno bloggers are questioning whether Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak is now jetting across the country in a new luxury aircraft.

In blog postings by, among others, Big Dog and RockyBru, they pointed to an Airbus ACJ320 with tail number 9H-AWK using the call number, "Perdana 2" or "NR2" - which incidentally are similar to Najib's initials.

The aircraft is registered in Malta and leased from aviation group Comlux.

How Will Najib Tackle Runaway Inflation in 2014? -Dr. Jeffrey

Kota Kinabalu:     “While everyone is focused on the recent policies of the government resulting in total price hikes in almost every item, the ringgit has been depreciating alarmingly almost unnoticed by most ordinary man in the street” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief, noting that the Ringgit has fallen by one of the biggest margin in 2013 since the 1997 economic meltdown.

Based on statistics from Bank Negara Malaysia of the rates from the Interbank Foreign Exchange Market in Kuala Lumpur, in December 2013 alone the Ringgit lost almost 2% against the US Dollar from 3.2230 to 3.2815.  From 02 January 2013 when the exchange rate was RM3.0375, the resultant depreciation of the Ringgit is 8.03% for the whole of 2013.

Sabah BN/Umnoleaders Should Stand Up and Be Counted on Bible Raid-Dr. Jeffrey

Kota Kinabalu:     “Malaysia is burning while the PM is still twiddling his thumb to decide what to say and what to do.   Before the country spirals out of control, the fire and heat has reached the face of Umno and BN leaders in Sabah.   They need to act before it is too late”said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief, commenting on the Allah controversy and raid by the Islamic authority on a Christian body in Selangor.

The Sarawak BN leaders have spoken and have taken a stand with the Chief Minister earlier stating in no uncertain terms in the presence of Najib that the religious bigotry disease infecting Malaya has no place in harmonious Sarawak.  Another senior Minister has now stated there cannot be two sets of legal interpretation on the Allah issue when the Federal Constitution guarantees freedom of religion.

Walk the talk and act the leader, Najib

KUALA LUMPUR: Two former Barisan Nasional federal cabinet ministers have called for Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak to “act like a leader” and “walk the talk”  in the face of religious provocations against the Christian community.

Former Law minister Zaid Ibrahim and ex-Plantations and Commodities minister Bernard Dompok were both of the view that Najib must make clear his stand.

Najib, Why No Tweet of Federal Flood Aid for Sarawak? – Dr. Jeffrey

Kota Kinabalu: “If the treatment of flood victims in Sabah and Sarawak is any test, then it is confirmed that Sabahans and Sarawakians are treated as step-children by the Prime Minister and the Malayan/Malaysian federal government.  It also shows that Najib is only a prime minister for Malays in the Peninsula and not for the whole of Malaysia and his 1-Malaysia means only 1-Malaysia for Malays only” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief, noting that the PM only tweet his hope that Sarawak flood victims would persevere and pray that God will ease and relieve the flood victims there.

The treatment of Sabah and Sarawak flood victims is a sharp contrast to the treatment of the flood victims in the Peninsula.

Government Clueless and Can No Longer be Trusted? - Dr. Jeffrey

Kota Kinabalu: “While Malaysians rejoiced temporarily in welcoming the new year, the country continued with its downward spiral with the federal government showing that it is clueless and having lost touch with the common people” said Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan, STAR Sabah Chief, noting the various statements by the Ministers and the police big-wigs and the ad-hoc announcement of the 11 austerity measures by PM Najib culminating in the people’s protests amid celebrations to welcome 2014.

The government has failed the people and its recent policies on reduction of subsidies and price hikes are nothing more than stop-gap measures aimed at window-dressing the deep rooted economic problems caused by corruption, mis-governance, wastages and excessive spending.  

Jais has no right to raid Bible Society of Malaysia premises, says council of churches

The Selangor Islamic authorities do not have the authority to raid the premises of the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM), said the Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM).

Saying they were alarmed by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department's (Jais) raid today on BSM where they confiscated over 300 Bibles in Malay and Iban, CCM general-secretary Rev Dr Hermen Shastri said that the Federal Constitution guaranteed the right of religious communities in the country to freely profess and administer their affairs.

Umat Islam bangkit kecam Mufti Perak yang dituduh "mengampu" kerajaan BN

KUALA LUMPUR : Persatuan Mahasiswa Islam Universiti Malaya (PMIUM) mendesak Mufti Perak Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria (gambar) menarik balik label "bughah" dan memohon maaf kepada rakyat kerana menisbahkan mereka sebagai bughah (pemberontak) yang mana gelaran yang begitu menghina rakyat.

Mereka juga mendesak mufti itu supaya berlaku adil dalam mengeluarkan kenyataan sehingga mendesak peserta demonstrasi turunkan harga barang sebagai penderhaka dan halal darah mereka.

Selangor Islamic authorities raid Bible Society of Malaysia, 300 copies of Alkitab seized

The Selangor Islamic Religious department (Jais) has raided the Bible Society of Malaysia and carted away 300 copies of the Bible in Bahasa Malaysia and Iban this afternoon.

A council member for the society said its chairman, Lee Min Choon, and general-secretary, Simon Wong, were ordered to follow Jais officers to the Damansara Utama police station.

The member said, as BSM was conducting a stock take today, they were not open when some 20 Jais officers accompanied by two policemen arrived at their office about 2pm.