Khamis, 27 Januari 2011

Suara Sri Andalas

Suara Sri Andalas


Anwar Goes Pop in Family Album

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 05:21 PM PST

PETALING JAYA: Politicians aren't generally known for their musical ability. But a new indie pop album by Anwar Ibrahim and Elizabeth Wong seeks to change all that.

Produced by a crew led by Kelana Jaya MP Loh Gwo Burne, "Teratak" (translated as "house") is a family-based four-track album with songs on love and peace.

"The songs are, you know, a thanks to everybody who has supported us, and forgave us for some of the mistakes we made," Loh said, adding that the album was a form of gratitude to all Malaysians.

"It's not supposed to be a political thing. It's about family and love and a common language that we can give to everyone. It's about not giving up and continuing to work hard."

Teratak's titular track is sung by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim, and "A Capella" group known as The Wayfarers. According to Loh, the group consisted of members of PAS-Kuala Selangor MP Dzulkefly Ahmad's family.


Teratak's name, he added, was also a lot catchier than "rumah" (house) and not as overly used as "keluarga" (family).

The album's fourth track, "Feeling Fun" is sung by Bukit Lanjan assemblywoman Elizabeth Wong.

Loh also said that his voice was also featured in most of Teratak's songs.

The songs were co-written by the album's production team d*Crew, Loh himself, his girlfriend and DAP Senator Tunku Abdul Aziz Ibrahim's special assistant, Faisal Mustaffa.

Initially launched on Jan 25 at Subang Parade, Loh said that Malaysian radio stations were afraid of playing Teratak over the airwaves.


Shoe-string budget

Although supposedly produced on a shoe-string budget, the Kelana Jaya MP said that his team didn't intend to make any returns on Teratak.

Loh added that he was also touched by Anwar's part in the album.

"Anwar wanted something a bit up-tempo, so I worked on that, and I got something for him. But he went on a completely different direction, and was going for something bolero-like. It was very emotional."

"I felt very sad when I heard it. It was not just about the voice, but how he brought himself up," the PKR MP said.

Asked if the album was expected to top Prime Minister's wife, Rosmah Mansor's cover of "If Never Tomorrow Comes", Loh disagreed.

"No, I think Rosmah has a very good voice, because I heard her singing a couple times. She's actually pretty good."

Speaking on possible BN criticism of the album, Loh said that Pakatan Rakyat's political rivals were free to say whatever they wished.

"We're letting everybody download the songs, and we don't really discriminate whether you're Pakatan or not," he added said.

The songs will be downloadable for free on the album's website (http://uni-tee.org/) from this evening onwards.



Source: Patrick Lee, Free Malaysia Today

Lebarkan PPPA Kepada Internet Ancam Hak Asasi

Posted: 27 Jan 2011 12:25 AM PST

PETALING JAYA 27 JAN: Cadangan Kerajaan Barisan Nasional (BN) untuk melebarkan skop Akta Mesin Cetak dan Penerbitan 1984 (PPPA) melibatkan media Internet membuktikan mereka tidak mempunyai komitmen serius terhadap perubahan dan hak asasi manusia, kata Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad.

Dalam satu kenyataan Pengarah Komunikasi PKR itu berkata sehingga hari ini, ruang Internet adalah lebih terbuka berbanding media arus perdana memandangkan komitmen Kerajaan terhadap Jaminan (Bill of Guarantees) Koridor Raya Multimedia (MSC).

Tetapi beliau turut melahirkan rasa kecewa kerana ketika ini pelbagai jenis tekanan telah dikenakan di Internet termasuk penangkapan blogger, serbuan polis ke atas Malaysiakini pada tahun 2003 dan penutupan Malaysia Today pada 2008.

"Kerajaan sudah beberapa kali menggambarkan hasrat untuk menyekat Internet, terutamanya selepas kemenangan besar Pakatan Rakyat pada Pilihan Raya Umum 2008.  Contohnya pada tahun 2009, Rais Yatim mengumumkan rancangan untuk sebuah sistem tapisan Internet, seperti perisian "Green Dam" Di China, tetapi membatalkanya selepas tentangan daripada rakyat," katanya yang juga ADUN Seri Setia.

Nik Nazmi menambah, pengumuman terbaru ini membuktikan bahawa Pentadbiran Najib Razak  tidak putus asa dalam usaha mereka untuk menyekat hak asasi dan kebebasan politik di Malaysia.  Di sebalik manipulasi dan kempen Kerajaan, pengumuman terbaru ini membuktikan BN masih lagi terperangkap di dalam politik lama untuk mengawal dan menekan rakyat.

Sebaliknya, Pakatan Rakyat di dalam Buku Jingga telah memberikan komitmen untuk meminda Akta Mesin Cetak dan Penerbitan, memperkenalkan Akta Kebebasan Media dan memelihara kebebasan Internet sekiranya dipilih menjadi Kerajaan Persekutuan dalam pilihan raya akan datang.

Pakatan mengiktiraf perlunya membuka ruang media yang sempit di bagi memastikan demokrasi yang segar dan kemakmuran negara.

Justeru, kami kecewa dengan sikap BN yang mengambil pendekatan bertentangan dengan mencadangkan untuk melebarkan akta tersebut kepada Internet.
 
Lebih ironis lagi, pengumuman tersebut dibuat sehari sebelum kerajaan diktator di Mesir menyekat akses rakyat mereka kepada Twitter.

Kerajaan menghantar mesej yang salah kepada pelabur-pelabur luar, yang sebelum ini tertarik dengan jaminan MSC.  Tanpa ketelusan dan kebertanggungjawaban yang wujud menerusi Internet dan media yang bebas, semua rancangan perubahan - termasuk "NEM", "ETP" mahupun "GTP" yang diuar-uarkan selama ini - akan menjadi sia-sia.

"Keyakinan terhadap Malaysia, yang sudahpun berada pada tahap yang paling rendah, tidak akan pulih jika kerajaan terus menerus menyekat dan menghukum sesiapa yang memberikan kritikan yang jujur, tepat dan membina.  Kestabilan dan keselamatan negara kita bergantung kepada wacana awam yang lebih terbuka," katanya.

PKR menggesa BN membatalkan rancangan ini dan sebaliknya meminda Akta Mesin Cetak dan Penerbitan bagi membuktikan mereka benar-benar mahukan perubahan.


Sumber: TVSNEWS

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