INFO MINISTER: REVIEW LIVE DEWAN TELECAST

The opening session of Malaysia's new parliament descended into noisy name-calling Wednesday as a newly emboldened opposition took on the government.

The Dewan Rakyat today kicked off with a fiery question-and-answer session where top opposition parliamentarians crossed swords with both the speaker and Barisan Nasional backbenchers.

The temperature went up few notches during the 90-minute session after a number of controversial rulings from speaker Pandikar Amin Mulia and an 'unparliamentary remark' from Ibrahim Ali (Independent-Pasir Mas) which drew heckles from the opposition Pakatan Rakyat MPs.

"Monkey" and "Bigfoot" were two of the epithets hurled in a rowdy session during which lawmakers shouted and gesticulated in heated exchanges across the floor of the chamber.

The scenes, broadcast live on television. The trial live telecast of 30 minutes of the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat may be reviewed because Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek feels several Opposition MPs attempted to seek cheap publicity by raising trivial issues during today’s maiden broadcast.

He said several MPs often interfered in the proceedings by raising questions pertaining to the standing orders and attempted to highlight their own interests instead of the people.

“There may be people who want to watch a circus but Parliament is not a circus,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby, here.

Ahmad Shabery said he was disappointed that the Opposition failed to show appreciation for the institution of parliament and misused it during today’s session.

WHO ORDERED TEMPLE DEMOLITION, KHIR OR SAMY?

Can Samy Vellu tell Ex-Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo to demolish the temple, which was already demolished? Or it is under Dr Mohd Khir Toyo’s order to do so?

I nearly crack my little brain. It got me thinking and thinking, but I can’t see where and how to conclude to a point that Samy or Khir has not to face it; honestly, I can’t wait to see the responsible politician claim to be responsibled. If you dare to do it, why should you shame or afraid to claim it? Is honestly not always the best policy?

It is reported that Ex-Selangor Menteri Besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo has been tagged as the chief culprit behind the controversial demolition of the Kampung Rimba Jaya Hindu temple near Shah Alam, now claims that MIC president S Samy Vellu had instructed him to do so.

“Samy Vellu called me on the night of Nov 15 and told me that Hindraf (Hindu Rights Action Force) people had infiltrated the temple and that it must be demolished that night itself.” alleged Khir.

Khir Toyo also denied that the temple had been pulled down two days before Deepavali, saying the exercise had been carried out a week after the significant Hindu festival.

MIC president S Samy Vellu today refuted ex-Selangor menteri besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo's claim, he asked, "How can I tell him to demolish a temple which was already demolished?"

"It was under his order that more than 500 enforcement personnel from the local authorities from various districts came to demolish just one temple.

NEW YORK CHINESE BEAUTICIAN SUE CNN FOR US$1.3 BILLION

Two Chinese women filed a class action against the Media giant CNN in a United States federal court, demanding one dollar for every Chinese person on the planet.

New York beautician Lydia Leung and Beijing primary school teacher Li Lilan signed the complaint against broadcaster. They will be represented by Attorney Ming Hai and his law office.

The suit claims remarks by commentator Jack Cafferty labeling Chinese "goons and thugs" violated the dignity and reputation of the Chinese people and intentionally or recklessly inflicted emotional distress on the plaintiffs.

"So I think our relationship with China has certainly changed, I think they're basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they've been for the last 50 years," Jack Cafferty said in the program "Situation Room" that aired on April 9.

The women are seeking compensation of one dollar for every Chinese person on the planet; a total of US$1.3 billion.

Cafferty, and CNN's parent company Turner Broadcasting, are named as co-defendants. According to New York-based overseas Chinese website Sinovision.net, the court has accepted the case.

Lawyers said the court will send subpoenas to the defendants within two weeks. If the defendants fail to respond within 30 days, the judge can find for the plaintiffs by default. Lawyers said the massive compensation figure would force CNN to contest, but declined to comment on the outcome or claims the case was a symbolic action rather than a serious attempt to seek damages.

CNN earlier issued a statement denying Cafferty or CNN had intended to offend the Chinese people. Cafferty clarified that he was referring to Chinese government. But his clarification was denounced by the Chinese Foreign Ministry as "an attempt to incite the Chinese people against the government" and as confirmation that the intention of CNN coverage of Tibet and the torch relay was to demonize China.

Ming Hai anticipated the defendants would try to argue they were referring to the Chinese government, but he pointed out that Cafferty used "they" rather than "it", implying he was talking about the Chinese people not the government. And when the commentator referred to "junk" and "poisoned pet food" produced by the Chinese, he was evidently not talking about the Chinese government. Freedom of speech doesn't mean freedom to libel, the lawyer said.

Ming Hai has assembled a team of six lawyers, including a judge from New York Superior Court. "We are going to win because justice is on our side," Ming Hai said. "And I also believe Jack Cafferty will suffer during the long legal proceedings."

"US$1.3 billion averages out at one dollar per Chinese person, so it isn't much," he added.

HISHAM APOLOGISES FOR WIELDING KERIS

Umno Youth chief Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein apologizing to all Malaysians for his raising of the keris action . However, he did not want to say if the tradition of kissing the keris would be stopped at future Umno Youth assemblies.

He said: “If it affected anyone, I cannot run away from the reality of it. I apologize to the non-Malays and the Malays. To the non-Malays because of the fear to a symbol which was not my intention. And to the Malays for not being able to uphold their symbol of heritage.”

Describing it as a “sad lesson”, he said as a leader, he must be gracious and accept the consequences because the party came first.

The wielding of the keris was introduced at the Umno Youth assembly in 2005 to symbolize Malay tradition. At the start of the assembly, a procession carrying the keris would proceed to the hall to hand it to the Youth chief, who would then unsheathe and kiss it.

In the 2006 assembly, there was uneasiness among non-Malays when some speakers made racially slanted remarks about using the keris. Things were made worse as the proceedings of the assembly were telecast live.

MCA and several other Barisan component party leaders criticized the use of the keris in such a manner.

However, Hishammuddin had then defended his action, saying the keris was a symbol of Malay culture.

NO RESPONSE TO LEE KAH CHOON'S OFFERED TO HEAD PENANG GERAKAN

The word politics comes from the Greek word "polis", meaning the state or community as a whole. Politics could be defined as a calculating art of power gain or power retention or more simply as power struggle. It presupposes a diversity of view, if not about ultimate aims, at least the best ways of achieving them and the ultimate power is found in government.

It is clearly reflected from the Lee Kah Choon political incidence. Datuk Lee Kah Choon has quit as a Gerakan member with immediate effect after he was lambasted for accepting Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng's offer to become director of the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) and investPenang.

Ex-Gerakan President Lim Keng Yaik said, five days after the general elections, he had dinner with Lee Kah Choon. Lee told him of his grand plans to revive Gerakan in Penang and fight the DAP.

Lee wanted to be a watchdog against the DAP government and Keng Yaik said good, but advised him not to give people the impression that he wanted to become the next Penang chief minister.

On April 9, 2008, Sin Chew Daily reported that former Gerakan deputy secretary-general Datuk Lee Kah Choon, who resigned all seven party posts more than a week ago, intends to go for the posts of Gerakan Penang state liaison chief as well as vice-president.

The report said this had prompted state youth chief Huan Cheng Guan to declare his intention to contest the same post which is held by acting party president Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon. It seems like the stage is set for the battle for the post, for the first time in almost a decade.

The post has not been contested since Koh staved off a challenge by Datuk Dr Goh Cheng Teik in 1999. It was learn that after the party lost power in Penang in the recent general election, Lee, known to be a strategist, had offered to take charge of Gerakan's Penang base to help revitalize the party.

Unable to get a response from Koh, Lee went for broke to quit all party posts.

Although he said he quit to take responsibility for the polls setback, it was seen as a move "to get ahead by going backward". It has boosted his image in the party and upped his political stake.

The move had also surprised Koh, who was forced to drop hints that he would not seek another term as Penang Gerakan chief.

Lim Keng Yaik said, Datuk Lee Kah Choon has his feet on two boats that are going in opposite directions. Eventually, he is going to fall and hurt himself. Is it true, let's wait and see. After all, wait and see is the best policy.

HASSAN ALI: MUSLIM DIDN’T GO OVERBOARD ON PIG ISSUE

Selangor PAS commissioner and state EXCO member Hassan Ali said, the Muslims didn’t go overboard on pig issue. “The protest that we saw I suppose was being orchestrated by Umno in particular.”

When, in an interview with Malaysiakini, he claims that Umno is the one who orchestrated the pig issue in particular.

Selangor state EXCO member Hassan Ali is the EXCO in charge of Islamic affairs, Malay customs, infrastructure and public amenities, who is also the Selangor PAS commissioner and Gombak Setia state representative.

Here is what we learned.

Malaysiakini: From your point of view, why are the Malay Muslims highly sensitive towards the issue of pig farming whenever it’s being brought up?

Hassan Ali: It’s not only about religion but a cultural factor as well. As far as religion is concerned, as a Muslim, we should be adopting the attitude of respecting each other. Other people also have got their needs. Islam respects the needs of other people professing different religions other than Islam. Therefore, if I were to be seen from that angle, I think I would be giving the opportunity to the non-Muslims as well. They need pork, they eat pork. So why don’t give them the opportunity to get pork, and apart from that, better facilities and amenities in pork production as well?

Secondly, as far as Islam is concerned, pig is forbidden. Our mufti has given a good explanation on that. Of course it is forbidden for the Muslim, but allowing other people to eat pork is not forbidden. To me, more or less, it is not only recommended, but also obligatory for the Muslim authority, like me here administering the state, to give the same good opportunity to the non-Muslims to enjoy whatever within the limitation of the broad moral and ethical character of this state.

But from what I see, the Muslims didn’t go overboard on this issue. The protest that we saw I suppose was being orchestrated by Umno in particular. So when we put to them that this was Umno’s project and the Umno people are getting directly involved in this project, now I think the problem of pig rearing is no longer a big issue. If Umno was to keep pushing on this, I think they are the ones who have to shoulder the brunt, rather than us.

PIG-FARMING ISSUES CHALLENGE ANWAR IBRAHIM

It seems that Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek had identified the pig-farming issues as the main factor that will cause Parti Keadilan Rakyat MPs defect to Barisan Nasional and the dream of Anwar Ibrahim becoming the Prime Minister cannot come true.

Ironically, it is a well-known fact that Anwar Ibrahim is working hard, stay focus to achieve the Prime Minister Dream. Is it overly realistic for him? Can’t he make his dream come true? Is it no evidence that his dream is possible, instead just much less a good idea? Should Anwar Ibrahim still stick to this beautiful challenge? Can he reply to the challenge by putting up the practical political moves to remove the obstacles?

Although the answer had been provided by Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek. However, it still noted that significant questions above still remain. Might be it is not the correct answer addressing the problem? Let us read the story below.

Information Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek said, Parti Keadilan Rakyat should not be shocked if its MPs defect to Barisan Nasional instead of the other way round.

He said Barisan was not worried about its MPs crossing over to the Opposition coalition but it was Pakatan Rakyat that should be afraid.

Asked whether Barisan was worried about PKR de-facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's statement that many Sabah Barisan MPs were ready to defect to the Opposition given that the state has a history of MPs party hopping, Shabery said: “We are not worried especially with what is being done by PKR. He should realize that the Malays are very angry.

“It's not that I want to play up racial sentiments with regards to pig-farming issues. But is this the priority of the government led by PKR? Does it mean that PKR's efforts to have a clean government and transparency start with a pig-farming project?” he asked.

Shabery, who spoke to reporters after inspecting preparations for the live telecast of the Parliament session, said Pakatan Rakyat component parties shouldn’t be surprised if this will cause their MPs to defect.

He said Anwar had been dreaming for a long time of becoming the Prime Minister, adding it would also be just a dream for him to win over Barisan MPs.

LIM KENG YAIK: MY FOOT!

The general political rule is that the one who made mistake should be obliged to bear the consequences of the mistake. Dr Lim Keng Yaik had made no greater political mistake than picked up Lee Kah Choon. It is truly unbelievable and no sense at all why should Dr Lim Keng Yaik is so disappointed and angry.

It got me thinking and I can’t see where and how to conclude to a point Gerakan has not to face it; honestly, I can’t wait to see upcoming practical political strategy from veteran politician Lim Keng Yaik instead of describing himself as a “disappointed and angry old man”.

It is reported that former Gerakan president Dr Lim Keng Yaik described efforts by Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to rope in Lee Kah Choon as a form of “poaching” which he also repeatedly described as “froggy politics”.

“And Guan Eng has the gall to say that this is a new era of politics. My foot! He is a far more cunning politician than his father or Karpal Singh. I don‘t think his father or Karpal would approve of his effort. This was the kind of things they were shouting when we were in power.”

“I’m disappointed and angry because he was picked by me. Dr Koh Tsu Koon should not be blamed,” he said. He criticized former protégé Lee Kah Choon for lacking principles by seeking greener pastures with the new Penang Pakatan Rakyat government.

Describing himself as a “disappointed and angry old man” over the matter, Keng Yaik said he shouldered the blame for grooming Lee as a prominent leader in the party.

“This young man is not willing to struggle anymore. He is trying to take short cuts. Don’t tell me he is not in active politics anymore. He is still very much in it, but now, with a DAP agenda.”

“The sooner you can see the real face the better. No principles. No spirit of struggle and wants to take the easy way out.”

Chinese lawyers sue CNN and Cafferty over 'goons and thugs' remark

The lawsuit case of Chinese lawyers against CNN and Cafferty will reflect the degree of the Principle VI and Principle VII of UNESCO's International Principles of Professional Ethics in Journalism were being practiced.

However, it is claimed that the establishment of precedent far outweighs any devastating effect of the reputation and dignity.

Fourteen Chinese lawyers in Beijing have sued American TV channel CNN and one of its commentators over a remark labeling the Chinese "a bunch of goons and thugs", saying it had harmed their reputation and dignity.

The plaintiffs, from Beijing Huanzhong & Partners, a Beijing-based law firm, filed a lawsuit with the Chaoyang Court in Beijing, demanded in the suit filed on Monday that CNN and its commentator Jack Cafferty cease "harmful acts and issue a public apology" and pay a compensation of 100 Yuan (about USD 14.30) to each of the plaintiffs for "mental distress".

During an appearance on "The Situation Room," a program that aired on April 9, Cafferty said while speaking about the US trade deficit with China: "We continue to import their junk with the lead paint on them and the poisoned pet food and export, you know, jobs to places where you can pay workers a dollar a month to turn out the stuff that we're buying from Wal-Mart. So I think our relationship with China has certainly changed," he said, "I think they're basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they've been for the last 50 years."

CNN issued a statement early last week in which it said, in part, that Cafferty had made critical comments about many governments, including the United States.
"On this occasion Jack was offering his strongly held opinion of the Chinese government, not the Chinese people," said CNN in the statement.

Liu Jing, one of the plaintiffs, said the statement lacked sincerity and would never be treated as an apology. She said the remarks made by Cafferty gravely infringed upon and trampled her reputation and dignity as a Chinese and had caused severe spiritual and psychological harm.

She said that Cafferty's remarks violated the Chinese Constitution and the General Principles of the Civil Law, which state that human dignity should not be infringed upon.

"Cafferty has also violated Principle VI and Principle VII of UNESCO's International Principles of Professional Ethics in Journalism, as well as the Code of Ethics adopted by the Society of Professional Journalists of the United States," she said.

Liu also accused CNN of having erred in failing to determine the real situation related to its programs and failing to censor or restrain what she called biased news reporting, which had damaged the reputation of the plaintiffs.

LEE KAH CHOON QUITS GERAKAN JUSTIFIED

Datuk Lee Kah Choon did not compromise his core values by simply be saying what everyone wants him to say. He tries to confront a different political ideology by working across party lines. Can that really happen?

It is answered by his action to quit as a Gerakan member with immediate effect after he was lambasted for accepting Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng's offer to become director of the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) and investPenang.

Although the old saying is that politics is an art of impossible, but as a member of Gerakan, and under the same similar cultural environment but a different political ideology, he can't make the history to become the first bipartisan politician in Malaysia.

Ironically, the political reality is not determined by given and unchanging natural laws but by social norms and conventions that were malleable over time even under the era of globalism.

Historically, there were precedent, both former Gerakan president Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu and Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik were from MCA. DAP leaders Richard Ho and Yap Pian Hon cross over to MCA and became leaders. They had to quit as party member concern.

Under Malaysian political realism, the action taken by Datuk Lee Kah Choon to quit as a Gerakan member with immediate effect after he was lambasted for accepting Penang chief minister Lim Guan Eng's offer to become director of the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) and investPenang, is thus probably appropriate and justified.

His action most probably would put the matter to rest and that he could move forward and work on some serious tasks at hand.

Lee said today he made the decision to quit as party member as the Gerakan leadership could not accept his appointment as director of the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) and investPenang.

“Since my decision to accept the appointment is not acceptable to the Gerakan leadership, I believe it is best for me to retreat totally from party politics. I have submitted a letter to the party leadership to withdraw my membership from Gerakan,” he said in a one-page statement faxed to all media organizations here today.

BANK OF AMERICA’S PROFIT SHRINKS 77% A GLOBAL CONCERN

The biggest risks to the global economy are emanating from the United States now and Malaysian should be focused on positioning the economy for the eventual effects caused by the sluggish economy.

The 77 % drop in Bank of America's first-quarter earnings, higher energy costs and subprime crisis, is any indication, the US economy may have a long way to go before it works out the problems.

The nation's largest retail bank on Monday quintupled the money it set aside for loans that go sour, and hinted that consumer weakness and the housing slump means that things will not get better for it, or for the economy, for some time.

Bank of America says its profit fell 77 percent in the first quarter, hurt by write-downs and rising credit losses. If the economy doesn't turn around, more troubles could loom for Bank of America.

Like many other banks, Charlotte-based Bank of America is besieged on two sides. Its bread-and-butter banking business is ailing because with home prices flagging, more people and real estate developers are failing to repay their loans.

The credit crisis is also hobbling the value of many bank investments. Last week, crosstown rival Wachovia Corp. said it lost $393 million in the first quarter because of bad credit and tumultuous financial markets. Washington Mutual Inc. lost $1.1 billion.

Wells Fargo & Co.'s profit fell 11 percent, JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s profit slid 50 percent, and Citigroup Inc. posted a loss of $5.1 billion.Bank of America's shares dropped 95 cents, or about 2.5 percent, to $37.61.

TUN DR MAHHATHIR TALKS TO BBC STEPHEN SACKUR

The hottest talks in town now...
Mahathir Mohamad talks to Stephen Sackur in BBC Hardtalk.

Last month marked a watershed in the politics of Malaysia. Malaysia's ruling National Front endured its worst electoral performance in five decades yet it remains in power. Is it the beginning of the end for the National Front?

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad was Malaysia's Prime Minister for 22 years. He was Malaysia’s prime minister and one of the most outspoken leaders in the Muslim world. When he was Prime Minister his critics labeled him a racist and a dictator. Have his controversial views mellowed in retirement?

Watch Mahathir Mohamad talks to Stephen Sackur in BBC Hardtalk on Monday, 21st April 2008. Host, Stephen Sackur, asks in-depth and tough questions about Anwar Ibrahim, about Abdullah, about the judiciary, about Malaysia democracy.

Click here to watch the half hour interview programme.

OIL PRICES LIKELY GO HIGHER

Oil prices reached a new high Friday at $117 a barrel. It would likely go higher, higher and higher………………

ROME - OPEC Secretary-General Abdullah el al-Badri said Sunday oil prices would likely go higher and that the group was ready to raise production if the price pressure was due to a shortage of supply -- something he doubted.

"Oil prices, there is a common understanding that has nothing to do with supply and demand," al-Badri said on the sidelines of an energy conference in Rome.

A host of supply and demand concerns in the US and abroad, along with the dollar’s weakness, has served to support prices, even as record retail gasoline prices in the US appear to be dampening demand. Crude prices have risen as much as 4 percent last week.

The OPEC chief said the Organization for Petroleum Exporting Countries "will not hesitate" to increase production if the group thought the higher prices were due to shortages. But he said more oil will not solve the high prices.

OPEC's production levels were just one of many factors, he said.

"But how much higher it will go, of course it depends on a number of things: the political situation, whether there is a natural catastrophe, whether there are speculations in the market, whether there are strikes in certain producing countries. So there are many other factors other than OPEC production," al-Badri said..

PENANG NEW GOVERNMENT KILLS TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE

The appointment of former Gerakan deputy secretary-general Datuk Lee Kah Choon as a director of the Penang Development Corporation (PDC) and chairman of the executive committee of InvestPenang, a PDC subsidiary, superficially can be justified by the effort of the state government to achieve a greater efficiency and effectiveness to make a positive contribution to the economic development of Penang.

Although PDC and InvestPenang were set up by the previous Barisan Nasional state government to draw investments to Penang and the new state government wants to chart a new course by appointing those who, going by tradition, would not get appointed, by appointing Datuk Lee Kah Choon, is a good justification and excuses, but in fact, it is one of the political games professionally planned and created.

It is truly unbelievable but very effective political strategy. The strategy is remarkable indeed as the political implication is great. The action not only serves as a blow and hurting to Gerakan but also indicated that the political game over for Datuk Lee Kah Choon. It is a strategy of killing two birds with one stone.

It got me thinking and I can’t see where and how to conclude to a point. Gerakan has to face it, honestly, under the circumstances and under the political pressure the party was facing, who would have done much better? Put you in Gerakan’s shoes in this moment and circumstances, seriously, what do Gerakan can do? Is it Gerakan can’t do anything?

Gerakan ought to do something, but the best things Gerakan can do are waiting and see, after all, wait and see is always the best policy, isn’t it? Honestly, I can’t wait to see upcoming practical political strategy.

IS CNN STARTED INFORMATION WARFARE WITH CHINA?

It is reported that when the news of Tibetans slicing children's ears off and burning people alive was appeared, Chinese netizens worldwide seized onto initial misreported details from the situation in Tibet and declared cyberwar on major western media and anti-CNN.com is set up.

The cyber warfare seems to be worsen by CNN on March 25, 2008 by running a "quickvote" poll asking readers to vote "yes" or "no" to the question: "Should the Olympics in China be boycotted?"

It is reported that the online poll on the Chinese tech site DoNews was reposted an item from the blog dengjin.com. by blogger. The blogger instructed readers how to vote "no" and urges them to do so in large numbers.

The blog post was published on March 26, 2008, and DoNews republished it at around 5 pm Beijing/Hong Kong time.

At 10:30 pm Hong Kong time, the blogger believed to be Chinese was accused hacked the poll and replaced with new posting. Immediately, CNN.com replaced the poll after Chinese netizens started all voting "no" in big numbers.

CNN WEB SITE TARGETED

The cyber warfare between CNN and Chinese is on. Anti-CNN.com, a website set up to protest the Western media's "distortion" of recent events in Tibet, has been hacked according to The Dark Visitor.

The anger against CNN started after Chinese netizens discovered that CNN.com had cropped out a group of Tibetan rioters, who appear to be beating somebody up, from the original AFP/Getty Images photo. On the left is the cropped photo, on the right is the original image that Chinese netizens located on the internet.

In return, the United States Cable News Network (CNN) website was attacked by hackers on the April 17, 2008.

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- CNN was targeted Thursday by attempts to interrupt its news Web site, resulting in countermeasures that caused the service to be slow or unavailable to some users in limited areas of Asia.

"CNN took preventative measures to filter traffic in response to attempts to disrupt our Web site. A small percentage of CNN.com users in Asia are impacted," the network said in a statement.

"We do not know who is responsible, nor can we confirm where it came from," the statement continued.

A CNN spokesman said the Web site began to notice problems around midday Thursday and took measures to isolate the trouble by limiting the number of users who could access it from specific geographic areas.

As a result, he said, some users in those areas experienced temporary slowdowns or problems accessing the site.

The spokesman could not offer an estimate of how many users were affected. However, he said that the impact on daily usage was "imperceptible" and that the site "at no time" went down.

Service had returned to normal by mid-morning Friday, he said.

The attempt came as tech-oriented Web sites in Asia were reporting calls from hacker groups in China for denial-of-service attacks to be launched against the CNN Web site on Saturday over the network's coverage of unrest in Tibet.

Angry Chinese bloggers have accused CNN and several other Western news organizations of being unfair in covering recent pro-independence protests in Tibet, which is controlled by China.

In response, the network released a statement noting that "CNN's reputation is based on reporting global news accurately and impartially, while our coverage through the use of words, images or video always reflects a wide range of opinions and points of view on every story."

In a denial-of-service attack, hackers use automated programs to try to jam a site with bogus requests for service to the point that service is slowed or interrupted for legitimate users.

NO POLITICIZING THE BEIJING OLYMPICS

Thousands of Chinese students and expatriates convene in Old Palace Yard in London on April 19, 2008, to protest against the BBC's and other British news organizations' distorted and lopsided reports on Tibetan secessionist violence and London leg of Olympics torch relay. Some western people participating the protest too.

Currently, many Chinese, whether in China or outside the country, are deeply indignant at western media coverage of Tibet, Dalai Lama, Olympics and Freedom & Democracy issues.

Many issues claim to be conveniently muddled to confuse or even misinform the public.

NO APOLOGY BUT TAKE A GOOD LOOK BACKWARDS TO MOVE FORWARDS

Sweeping a problem under the carpet or try to hide a problem or keep a problem secret instead of dealing with it seems not to be the stand of the government of the day under Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

By addressing judicial crisis, which happened in1988, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced the ex-gratia payment for former lord president Salleh Abas and the five judges. It clearly shown that he has done his best to address the crisis.

The crisis happened 20 years ago and now he has to guard against complacency concerning the existing current political scenario and the government as a hold. After all, it is a collective stand by the Cabinet.

On the other hand, the other school of thought is, Abdullah should not be held responsibility for, as it is the old grandmother story happened 20 years ago.

In fact, we must consider the real causes and eventually have to allow or rather free little brain to justify the problem and use the result as a learning tool.

It is understandable using pressure to force the authority to apology as a victory for judicial crisis but some are opposing it. It is not the zero sum-game that winner takes all, and it is impossible for both players to win.

It should be a win-win game that all participants can profit from it in one way or the other and it is the best conflict resolution. It is reflected in the course of ex-gratia payment to six judges affected by the 1988 judicial crisis.

It is the time to move forward. Of course, wise man looks backward to go forward but to look backward, not in anger, not in hatred.

The first class mentality Malaysian, especially the justice sector that has professional flavor and responsible politicians of both parties either in power or opposition, should take a good look backwards to move forwards.