Melaka : Gadis Di Kurung & Di Lacurkan - Blog Makanan di Melaka - Blog Makanan di Melaka

Melaka : Gadis Di Kurung & Di Lacurkan - Blog <b>Makanan di Melaka</b> - Blog Makanan di Melaka


Melaka : Gadis Di Kurung & Di Lacurkan - Blog <b>Makanan di Melaka</b>

Posted: 24 Jul 2014 07:16 AM PDT

5

"AWAK tinggal beritahu kereta yang mana awak inginkan. Kita pandu keluar." Confident sahaja dia offer sebuah kereta buat Aisha. Mahu babah tahu, kelu lidah dia hendak menjawab. Duit tidak menjadi masalah buat Ivan, leteran dari babah sahaja yang buat dia pening kepala.

"Kereta kebal ada?" Aisha sekadar memerhati ruangan showroom. Kereta-kereta mewah yang terpamer di situ hanya memberi satu makna sahaja kepada Aisha iaitu kemudahan.

"Awak nak pergi berperang ke?"

"Hihihi... tak adalah. Saja bergurau. Saya dah biasa ke mana-mana dengan LRT mahupun pengangkutan awam yang lain."

"Laaa... saya nak bagi awak kereta, awak tolak pula?"

"Awak nak bagi tapi saya tak cakap saya nak terima."

"Habis ke mana-mana kita pergi, saya kena naik pengangkutan awamlah kalau begitu?"

"Ya, Encik Ivan Hayden. Kalau tak pun, awak masih boleh naik kereta awak dan saya naik public transport. Kita bertemu di mana sahaja lokasi yang dijanjikan. Saya rasa tiada masalah."

Pertemuan yang diatur cukup mudah. Sama seperti apa yang berlaku kepada mereka setiap kali ingin berjumpa. Hari ini, Aisha hanya meminta Ivan mengirimkan mesej akan lokasi syarikat Brittany. Tidak menjadi masalah bila ada pengangkutan awam yang melalui kawasan menempatkan syarikat tersebut. Bas ada, teksi pun banyak.

"Encik Hayden..." Aneesa yang merupakan setiausaha syarikat mendekati kedudukan dirinya dan Aisha di sebelah kiri ruang showroom.

Ivan menoleh, "Ya, saya."

"Boleh semak beberapa dokumen yang saya kepilkan sebelum Encik Hayden turunkan tandatangan di sini?"

"Sekejap ya, awak."

"Oh, okey."

Aisha mengambil jarak bila Ivan ke bahagian front desk syarikat Brittany. Dia memerhatikan Ivan meneliti dokumen-dokumen yang ada dari jauh. Aura lelaki itu semasa bekerja ternyata berbeza berbanding saat berada di universiti. Jika di universiti, Ivan kelihatan sangat relaks dan kasual. Berada di sini, terserlah sisi yang lain daripada yang sebiasa Aisha lihat.

Semuanya melibatkan urus niaga pengeksportan kereta-kereta keluaran syarikat ke Eropah. Ia membuatkan Ivan berfikir tentang sesuatu sebelum menurunkan tandatangannya.

"Aneesa, awak ada dapat panggilan daripada kilang kita di Kedah?"

"Belum lagi Encik Hayden, mungkin petang sedikit rasanya."

"Kalau mereka telefon, maklumkan kepada saya secepat mungkin sebab kapasiti pengeluaran kereta di kilang yang terletak di Sik tu akan ditambah. Jadi, untuk barisan pertama selepas perubahan dibuat, saya nak tahu sama ada terdapat masalah atau tidak untuk jenama Mercury dan Prestigue disiapkan mengikut tarikh yang ditetapkan."

"Baiklah, saya akan maklumkan sekiranya terdapat panggilan yang dibuat."

"Oh, ya... hari ni babah saya masuk lambat ke?" Baru Ivan perasan, sejak dia tiba tidak sampai setengah jam tadi, tidak kelihatan pula Datuk Rill Hayden membuat rondaan di ruang showroom. Selalunya, itu antara hobi babahnya yang tidak dapat dikikis saban hari.

"Datuk dah masuk awal pagi dan sejam selepas itu keluar bertemu klien di Subang Jaya. Katanya akan terus ke Kelana Jaya. Khabarnya ingin berjumpa dengan wakil dari kilang di Thailand pula untuk berbincang akan kontrak edaran kereta ke pasaran Asia Tenggara. Rasanya Datuk tak masuk pejabat selepas itu."

"Terima kasih, Aneesa."

"Ada apa-apa lagi yang boleh saya bantu Encik Hayden?"

"Hmmm... rasanya tak ada. Nanti kalau saya perlukan bantuan, saya akan panggil awak semula."

"Baiklah kalau begitu."

Ivan beralih dari front desk menuju ke arah Aisha. Gadis itu masih tekun memerhati kereta-kereta yang ada terpamer di ruang tersebut.

"So, dah fikir nak pilih kereta yang mana?"

"Awak nak buat apa beli kereta banyak-banyak? Kereta yang awak pandu setiap hari tu dah cukup untuk memudahkan awak ke mana-mana."

"Tapi, saya nak berikan hadiah untuk awak."

"Awak nak berikan saya hadiah?" Aisha ingin mengetahui sebab-musabab Ivan ingin memberikan hadiah kepadanya. Hari lahirnya lambat lagi dan tak mungkin Aisha berbesar hati menerima sebuah kereta sebagai hadiah hari lahir. Itu bukan cara Aisha. "But, why? Hanya kerana saya selalu gunakan public transport?"

Ivan terus mengangguk. Dia risau setiap kali Aisha ke mana-mana malah menemuinya dengan menaiki pengangkutan awam. Kalau Aisha memiliki kenderaan sendiri, kuranglah sedikit rusuh di hatinya memikirkan keadaan gadis itu di jalan raya.

"Hihihi... niat baik awak saya hargai. Tetapi, jujur saya katakan saya selesa dengan cara saya dan saya tak mahu termakan budi manusia dengan mudah. Saya harap awak hormati pendirian saya."

Nampaknya pertemuan mereka berdua di syarikat Brittany tidak memberikan hasil seperti yang diharapkan oleh Ivan. Hendak mengeluh pun tiada guna. Sedikit sebanyak dia memahami dengan lebih mendalam akan keperibadian Aisha dari kaca matanya sendiri. Memang tidak silap dia berusaha mengenali Aisha kerana dia nampak banyak kelebihan gadis itu berbanding gadis-gadis lain di luar sana.

"Awak..."

"Ya, saya."

"Boleh saya minta izin untuk gunakan ruang solat di bangunan ni?" Dalam hati, Aisha mengharapkan bahawa ada disediakan ruang solat untuk pekerja-pekerja muslim di syarikat Brittany. Maklum bahawa bangunan tersebut cukup besar dan luas, rugi sekiranya tidak dimanfaatkan dengan menyediakan ruang solat untuk tujuan beribadah.

Ivan jadi tak pasti pula. "Hmmm... sekejap ya?" Macam mana dia nak pastikan, kalau dahi tu dah lama tak menyentuh sejadah dalam erti kata ikhlas beribadah. Solat yang lima waktu, sering kali bertebaran entah ke mana. Apa yang dia tahu, setiap hari Jumaat dia dan Eric ditarik mengikuti Ted ke masjid untuk menunaikan solat Jumaat, itu sahaja

Aisha hanya memerhati bila Ivan mendekati kedudukan meja Aneesa. Mereka berbicara seketika. Sesekali kelihatan Ivan menganggukkan kepala namun Aisha tidak mendengar langsung butir perbualan di antara mereka berdua. Dia hanya memandang ke lain bila langkah Ivan diatur kembali ke arahnya.

"Ruang untuk solat ada di tingkat dua. Telekung pun ada disediakan. Awak nak saya tunjukkan arahnya?"

"Awak tak nak solat sekali?"

"Maksud awak berjemaah?"

"Ya. Bukankah pahalanya lebih berlipat kali ganda jika hendak dibandingkan dengan solat bersendirian?"

"Tapi memikul tugas sebagai seorang imam bukan perkara mudah, Cik Aisha. Besar tanggungjawabnya. Saya tak boleh nak sesuka hati mengimamkan awak sedangkan solat sendiri pun belum tentu saya dapat khusyuk apatah lagi hendak berjemaah." Malu memanglah malu, tetapi benda betul takkanlah Ivan nak ambil ringan sahaja.

"Kalau macam tu, tak apalah. Lain kali mungkin."

Nada ayat 'lain kali mungkin' itu kedengaran semacam sahaja di telinga Ivan.

"Sekarang ni, kita solat zohor dahulu. Asing-asing pun tak mengapa, janji kita tunaikan apa yang wajib." Sempat lagi Aisha tersenyum. Dia nampak banyak lompang kekurangan yang cuba disembunyikan oleh Ivan tetapi itu lebih baik dari tersimpan. Mana yang elok, Aisha akan cuba sehabis baik untuk membantu. Sama-sama memperbaiki kelemahan dalam diri dengan saling memberi dan menerima. Selagi Allah SWT memberikan kesempatan buatnya memperbaiki diri, tiada ruginya jika hamba-Nya beriltizam untuk berubah ke arah yang lebih baik. Di samping itu mengajak orang lain untuk sama-sama berubah ke jalan yang diredai-Nya.

"Kita ke tingkat dualah kalau begitu..." Ivan sudah melajukan langkah berjalan di bahagian hadapan. Aisha hanya mengekori.

Mereka mendaki tangga ke tingkat dua dan Aisha dapat melihat ruangan di tingkat atas nyata berbeza dengan ruangan showroom di tingkat bawah. Di sini terdapat banyak bilik yang digunakan untuk pekerja-pekerja juga bahagian pentadbiran. Kelihatan beberapa orang pekerja Brittany berada di meja masing-masing, melunaskan tanggungjawab seharian. Sempat jugalah mereka memandang ke arah Ivan dan Aisha yang baharu sahaja tiba ke ruangan tersebut.

"Kalau awak nak tahu, inilah ruang kerja saya jika saya masuk ofis." Ivan menunjukkan sebuah bilik yang menampilkan nama juga jawatannya di muka pintu. Belum masanya dia mengajak Aisha masuk apatah lagi mereka berdua sahaja sekarang ini.

"Oooh... okey."

Mereka meneruskan langkah ke sebelah kiri. Terdapat ruang pantry juga ruang solat yang terletak saling berhampiran. Kalaulah Aneesa tidak memaklumkan, pasti Ivan sendiri tidak perasan ruang tersebut adalah tempat untuk warga Brittany mengerjakan solat. Ivan pun hanya sesekali sahaja ke bahagian pantry, jadi dia memang tak ambil pusing sangat akan lokasi tersebut.

"Awak solatlah dahulu, take turn..." Tak bolehlah nak main serbu masuk berdua kerana ruang solat itu hanya boleh memuatkan seorang sahaja dalam satu-satu masa dan tak manis pula jika ada pekerja lain yang melihat. "Saya tunggu awak dekat pantry."

Aisha hanya mengiyakan sebelum dia melangkah masuk ke ruang solat yang ada. Pintu dikunci dari dalam. Dia bergerak ke tempat mengambil wudhuk dan berwudhuk sebelum menyegerakan memakai telekung. Solat zohor empat rakaat itu ditunaikan dengan rasa lapang di dalam hati.

Segelas air masak berjaya dihabiskan saat Aisha menunggu di ruang pantry. Aisha tidak tahu hendak membuat apa bila bersendirian di situ. Dia hanya memerhati dekorasi pantry yang nampak ringkas dan mudah. Sebuah meja bulat disertakan dengan lima buah kerusi mengelilingi. Peti sejuk, singki mencuci dan rak pengering terletak saling berdekatan. Kabinet pula menempatkan barang-barang seperti water purifier, coffee maker, rak pinggan dan cawan malah bekas berisi pelbagai barangan termasuk biskut dan kuih-muih. Mungkin sahaja ada tea lady yang menguruskan bahagian tersebut.

"Jom?" Muncul Ivan di situ mengajaknya untuk keluar.

"Dah fikir nak kereta jenis yang mana? Sporty, classy, casual, compact, SUV, MPV tapi jangan tanya jenis eco car pula... memang tak ditawarkan dekat Brittany."

"Awak."

"Hmmm..." Ivan memandang Aisha yang bergerak menuruni tangga di sebelahnya.

"Saya tak nak kereta, jauh sekali memandu kereta."

"Tapi kenapa?"

"Memandu di tengah kesesakan kota raya sangat berbahaya dan, saya mana ada lesen kereta..."

"Laaa... ye ke?"

"Sebab itu saya rasa pelik, kenapa awak ajak saya ke syarikat awak. Ingatkan awak ada urusan penting, sebab tu kita berjumpa di sini."

"Jadi sia-sia sahajalah saya bawa awak ke mari?" Ivan mengeluh.

"Eh, tak adalah. Saya tak rasa sia-sia pun. Sekurang-kurangnya saya tahu awak bekerja sambil belajar. Tak mudah nak uruskan dua perkara dalam satu masa. Tapi, mungkin sebab awak antara ketua di sini jadi tiada masalah untuk bahagikan masa awak di universiti mahupun syarikat."

"Nak kata susah tu tak adalah susah mana. Selagi saya faham dan cepat tangkap, semuanya boleh berjalan dengan mudah tak kira di universiti atau syarikat. Cuma part yang susah bila papa saya minta idea untuk luaskan pasaran syarikat malah fikirkan cara untuk meningkatkan jualan setiap suku tahun. Masa tu, baharu pecah kepala nak manage sekali gus."

"I'm always believe that you will do well in whatever you're doing."

"Oh, thanks." Ivan tidak sedar sejak bila dia tersenyum.

"So, shall we hit the road now? Saya dah rasa lapar." Comel sahaja riak di wajah Aisha mempotretkan dirinya yang berasa lapar.

"Okay, let's go!" Ivan menolak daun pintu dan mempersilakan Aisha untuk keluar terlebih dahulu.

"Terima kasih." Aisha yang melangkah keluar terlebih dahulu sudah mengucapkan terima kasih di atas perhatian yang diberikan oleh Ivan.

Ivan tersengih. Mereka mendekati kereta yang diparkir berdepanan dengan bangunan syarikat. Dia mmboloskan diri ke dalam kereta. Aisha turut melakukan perkara yang sama dengan duduk di sebelah pemandu.

"Kita nak makan di mana?"

"Selera Rastaaaaaaaaaaa!" Dalam nada bergurau Ivan menjawab seiring dengan jari telunjuknya sudah diisyaratkan akan lokasi yang hendak dituju. Mindanya sudah merencana untuk makan di Hotel Applegate.

"Manalah Selera Rasta buka waktu-waktu begini?" Seketika kedengaran tawa Ivan meletus bila Aisha mengetap bibir. Geram dirinya dipermainkan oleh lelaki itu.

Tidak dinafikan Selera Rasta menjadi lokasi favourite pelajar-pelajar Unitadz untuk makan dan hang out bersama rakan-rakan di waktu malam dan hanya beroperasi bermula jam enam petang.

Baharu sahaja Ivan hendak membuat pusingan U di persimpangan hadapan, telefon bimbitnya berbunyi. Lantas iPhone yang berada di dalam saku seluar slack ditarik dan diserahkan kepada Aisha.

"Saya tak bawa handsfree, tolong swipe dan pegangkan, boleh?"

"Err... ah, okey." Aisha menyambut telefon yang dihulur. Tertera nama Lucy di permukaannya. Tanpa menunggu lama Aisha menyentuh permukaan skrin sebelum dilaraskan kepada speaker.

"Lucy..." Aisha menyebut sebaris nama tersebut agar Ivan tahu siapa pemanggilnya. Dalam hatinya tertanya-tanya. Siapalah Lucy yang membuat panggilan sekarang ini?

"Haaa... Lucy. Awat call?"

"Papa Eric masuk hospital, heart attack. Aku on the way ke KPJ."

Aisha yang mendengar terus menekup mulut dan beristighfar. Walaupun dia tidak kenal individu yang dimaksudkan, tetapi lelaki itu orang tua Eric. Sedikit sebanyak terpalit rasa bimbang di dalam dirinya bila melihatkan wajah Ivan berubah mendadak. Dari ceria bertukar muram mendengarkan perkhabaran tersebut.

"Kalau macam tu, aku datang sekarang. Jumpa dekat sana."

Tak sempat hendak bertukar salam, panggilan sudah terlebih dahulu ditamatkan oleh Ted. Aisha merenung skrin telefon bimbit yang bertukar gelap di tangan. Biarlah telefon itu dipegangnya terlebih dahulu. Dia perasan perubahan besar di wajah Ivan dan dia tidak mahu mengganggu tumpuannya memandu sekarang.

"Aisha, boleh awak temankan saya ke sana?"

"Iyalah, saya temankan. Awak pandu kereta ni elok-elok. Saya rasa dah laju semacam awak drive sekarang..." Walaupun hendak segera tiba ke hospital, keselamatan diri di jalan raya sekarang patut sama-sama dititik beratkan.

"Sorry." Ivan tidak melanjutkan kata selepas itu. Tumpuannya tetap di jalan raya walaupun fikirannya sudah melayang teringatkan perihal Eric juga papanya, Datuk Abdullah.

IVAN nampak Eric tertunduk sugul di luar bilik pemeriksaan. Aisha yang mengekorinya turut tertanya-tanya akan keadaan papa Eric yang masih lagi menjalani rawatan.

"Eric." Ivan datang dekat seraya memeluk Eric yang kelihatan lemah. Saat pelukan dileraikan, Eric nampak ada gadis yang berdiri di sebelah kanan Ivan.

"Lucy dah sampai dan dia ke surau. Kau dari mana dengan Aisha?" Baru dia perasan akan kehadiran Aisha sama.

"Aku dari main office Brittany tadi. Hajat nak pergi makan. Tapi bila dapat panggilan dari Lucy fasal papa kau terus kami ke mari. Macam mana dengan keadaan papa kau?"

"Masih lagi menjalani pemeriksaan di dalam. Driver yang jumpa papa aku di bilik hotel sebab tak turun-turun selepas lunch." Eric sedaya-upaya cuba menyembunyikan rasa sedihnya di depan Ivan.

"Dah lama kau sampai?" Ted tiba-tiba menegur. Dia yang baru sahaja kembali dari surau langsung tidak berlengah untuk lama-lama berada di bawah.

"Baru je." Ivan menjawab sedang Aisha hanya diam dan tersenyum nipis. Baru dia tahu siapa Lucy yang menelefon sebentar tadi.

"Ivan, Aisha... kamu berdua belum makan lagi, kan? Ajak Lucy sekali turun makan." Eric berasa kasihan mengenangkan mereka bertiga terpaksa bergegas ke KPJ menemuinya setelah dimaklumkan tentang keadaan papanya.

"Aku okey lagi." Ivan menjawab seraya memandang tepat ke wajah Eric. Tidak tegar membiarkan temannya itu keseorangan.

"Aku pun." Ted menjawab walhal dari semenjak di surau perutnya sudah berkeriuk-keriuk minta diisi.

"Kau memanglah okey tapi Aisha tu yang aku kasihan. Pergilah turun dahulu. Apa-apa nanti aku call. Papa aku masih dirawat dekat dalam jadi jangan risau. Pergi makan..." Eric menolak tubuh Ivan juga Ted agar segera bergerak ke kafeteria. Tidak elok jika dibiarkan perut kosong semata-mata kerana dirinya.

Ivan yang sedar akan situasi Aisha terus sahaja menurut. Bukankah gadis itu benar-benar lapar sebelum mereka keluar dari Brittany? Kasihan pula mengenangkan bila dia dengan perut kosong terpaksa menemankan Ivan menemui Eric di KPJ.

"Kalau macam tu, aku bawa Aisha dengan Lucy ke kafe. Sekejap lagi selesai makan kami naik balik. Kalau ada apa-apa jangan lupa untuk beritahu sesegera mungkin. Faham?"

"Iyalah. Kau ni kalau mengarah, memang macam mak nenek."

"Ingat apa yang Ivan pesan?" Ted menepuk bahu Eric yang cuba untuk tersenyum.

"Yalah..."

Eric memerhatikan Ivan, Ted dan Aisha yang bergerak ke arah lif di sebelah kanannya. Saat mereka hilang dari pandangan, terbit keluhan keluar dari bibirnya.

"Maafkan Aiman, papa..." Dia masih ingat akan kata-kata yang diucapkan kepada papanya petang semalam. Akibat merajuk dengan teguran papanya, dia tidak pulang ke rumah apatah lagi ke hotel. Sebagai tanda protes sengaja dia bermalam di studio seni Unitadz seorang diri.

Eric bimbang jika perkataan 'Goodbye' yang dilafazkan semalam menjadi perbualan terakhir di antara papa dan dirinya. Dia jadi betul-betul takut. Air mata yang cuba ditahan dari dilihat teman-temannya sejak tadi kini mengalir juga. Lekas-lekas dikesat dengan belakang tapak tangan. Tidak mahu ada yang melihat.

"Aiman takut papa akan tinggalkan Aiman. Sama macam mama..." Matanya kini fokus ke hadapan. Memandang tepat ke arah pintu bilik pemeriksaan.

Ivan dah bergerak ke bahagian kaunter. Beberapa jenis lauk-pauk yang tersedia dalam tray diperhati sebelum dia menimbang hendak memilih yang mana. Lewat hari ini mereka menikmati hidangan makanan tengah hari.

Aisha sudah lama berlalu mengambil tempat duduk. Itu pun setelah selesai dia memilih makanan yang diinginkan. Ted yang baharu sahaja selesai memilih makanannya turut duduk di meja yang sama. Dia hanya membiarkan kerusi di sebelah kosong agar mudah untuk Ivan duduk setentang dengan Aisha.

"Aisha, kalau saya tanya sesuatu boleh?" Melihatkan Ivan belum ke meja, Ted mengambil kesempatan untuk bertanyakan sesuatu kepada Aisha.

"Erm... tanyalah."

"Awak kenal Hannah?"

"Hannah? Maksud awak, Kak Hannah? Ya, saya kenal dia. Satu fakulti." Tanpa berselindung Aisha memaklumkan.

"Dia ambil jurusan apa dekat Fakulti Bahasa & Kesusasteraan tu? Maksud saya, major? Bahasa atau Sastera?"

"Kalau tanya majoring, Bahasa. So, awak tahulah apa yang minor, kan?"

"Err... ya."

"Kenapa tanya fasal Kak Hannah? Awak kenal Kak Hannah ke?" Rasa unik pula ada yang bertanya fasal seniornya itu. Aisha sendiri sedia maklum, Hannah susah untuk rapat dengan orang lain. Terutamanya jika berlainan fakulti. Sebab itu dia rasa semacam apabila Ted menunjukkan minat untuk mengetahui lebih lanjut tentang Hannah.

"Sort of." Sejak bila dah terbiasa dengan 'sort of' ni? Ted pun naik hairan.

"Sebenarnya, jarang orang tanya fasal Kak Hannah. Lebih-lebih lagi kalau pelajar dari fakulti lain."

"Dia tak campur orang ke?"

"Hmmm... susah nak cakap sama ada campur atau tidak. Tak ramai yang kenal dia di luar. Tetapi, bebudak fakulti memang hormat dia sebagai senior. She's one of the excellent students in our faculty. Boleh dikatakan role model pelajar junior."

"Oh, okey. Terima kasih untuk infonya. Err... maaflah sebab buat Aisha tergendala hendak makan." Baru Ted perasan, disebabkan hendak mengetahui perihal Hannah, tidak sempat Aisha menjamah makanan di dalam pinggannya apatah lagi dirinya.

"Tak apa. Benda kecil sahaja."

"Aik, borakkan apa sampai nasi pun tak sentuh lagi?" Ivan yang baharu sahaja tiba di meja, melabuh punggung di depan Aisha. Seketika dia memandang wajah Ted dan Aisha berselang-seli. Apa kenalah mereka berdua ni?

"Saja bual-bual kosong fasal fakulti Aisha." Ted menjawab.

"Fasal fakulti ke fasal pelajar fakulti? Ayat tu biar jelas sikit." Mulalah Ivan dengan perangai mengusiknya. Arif dirinya akan sikap Ted yang jarang ambil kisah fasal pelajar Unitadz.

"Dah, jangan banyak cakap. Baca doa makan, sekejap lagi kita nak naik atas semula. Tak sedap hati pula aku tinggalkan Eric seorang diri dekat atas."

"Bismillahirahmanirrahim..." Ivan menadah tangan untuk mengetuai bacaan doa makan. Aisha dan Ted sekadar mengaminkan. Sempat lagi Ivan menoleh ke arah Ted di sebelah sambil tersengih-sengih. Ingin memaklumkan bahawa dia boleh membaca doa makan. Mujur makanan yang disuap ke mulut Ted tidak tersembur melihatkan aksi Ivan waktu itu.

Hampir ke petang Ted menemankan Eric di hospital. Selepas sahaja solat asar di surau, Ivan meminta diri untuk pulang terlebih dahulu. Dia ingin menghantar Aisha ke perhentian bas seperti yang diminta oleh gadis itu dan berjanji akan sama-sama menemankan Eric di hospital pada sebelah malamnya.

Beberapa orang penting di Hotel Applegate turut datang melihat-lihat keadaan Datuk Abdullah yang kini dikatakan stabil selepas pemeriksaan menyeluruh dilakukan. Lega hati Eric bila mengetahui papanya tidak lagi berada dalam keadaan bahaya dan kini sedang tidur.

"Malam nanti aku datang temankan kau. Aku bawakan sekali pakaian dari Suite."

"Thanks. Aku tak tahu macam mana nak berterima kasih dengan kau dan Ivan sebab sudi temankan aku dari tadi."

"Relakslah, kita kan kawan. Hari ini hari kau, mana tahu esok lusa hari aku pula susah..."

Ted dapat melihat Eric senyum segaris mendengarkan kata-katanya tadi. Dia tahu, temannya itu berusaha untuk kelihatan tabah dan kuat. Segala kepayahan yang dilalui kalau boleh hendak disorok dari dilihat oleh orang lain. Begitulah sikap Eric dan Ted sendiri rasa kagum.

Mereka bertiga membesar jauh dari rasa kasih seorang ibu. Jadi masing-masing sangat bergantung kepada insan yang digelar ayah semenjak kecil sehinggalah menginjak ke usia dewasa.

Eric kehilangan mamanya semenjak dia berusia tujuh tahun akibat kanser perut. Ivan pula kehilangan uminya akibat kemalangan jalan raya saat dia memasuki tingkatan satu manakala Ted langsung tidak pernah mendapat kasih sayang seorang ibu semenjak dilahirkan. Ini kerana ibunya meninggal dunia selepas mengalami pendarahan teruk saat bersalin.

"Aku gerak dulu. Kalau ada apa-apa telefon aku tahu!"

"Hati-hati..."

"And, one more thing Eric... don't forget to pray. Allah will always listen to your prayer." Di antara mereka bertiga, hanya Eric sahaja yang jarang menunaikan solat walau kerap kali diingatkan oleh Ted. Setakat Ivan bolehlah juga jika kena caranya Ted mengajak. Tetapi Eric agak liat untuk menunaikan Rukun Islam yang ke dua itu.

"Hmmm..." Eric tidak terus menjawab. Dia sekadar menggumam sebelum melihat Ted melangkah keluar dari wad peribadi yang menempatkan dirinya juga Datuk Abdullah.

HAMPIR pukul sepuluh barulah Ted melangkah keluar dari Suite 1601 dengan beg berisi pakaian juga toiletries buat Eric. Setengah jam tadi Ivan memaklumkan bahawa dia sudah tiba di hospital manakala Ted akan singgah ke Suite terlebih dahulu. Gerakan kakinya kini dibawa menuju ke bahagian lif. Setelah memboloskan diri dalam lif, dia terus sahaja menekan butang L yang mewakili ruang lobby hotel.

Pintu lif berdenting sebelum terbuka di tingkat 14. Ini menunjukkan ada pengunjung hotel yang ingin menaiki lif untuk turut serta turun. Ted bergerak sedikit ke sebelah kanan. Seorang gadis melangkah masuk dan Ted cukup terkejut bila mereka berdua kini berkongsi lif yang sama.

Hannah merasakan bahawa dirinya menjadi mangsa renungan Ted. Terlupa dirinya seketika bahawa lelaki di sebelahnya itu merupakan anak kepada pemilik universiti di mana dia belajar sekarang. Rasa pelik adalah setiap kali menemui lelaki itu di sini seperti tiada rumah sendiri.

"Kau dari mana?" Tidak tahu mengapa, sejak dua menjak ini dia merasakan bahawa dia terlalu ramah berbicara bila bertemu dengan Hannah. Situasi sekarang tidak terkecuali.

"Jumpa kawan."

"Kawan yang tempoh hari tu ke?"

"Ya."

"Oh, lupa nak cakap... puisi semalam, simple dan boleh tahan." Ted tidak tahu hendak memuji yang bagaimana. Janji dia dapat menyatakan apa yang dia rasa setelah mendengar gadis itu melantunkan puisi dalam gaya tersendiri.

"Saya 'taram' aje asalkan kena dengan tajuk. I'm quite good when dealing with improvisation." Tidak menjadi masalah buat Hannah untuk hadir dengan idea spontan. Janji tahu nak cakap fasal apa, itu sudah memadai.

"Sekarang ni kerap betul aku jumpa kau." Rasanya dah banyak kali dia nyatakan perkara yang sama.

"Hmmm... saya pun rasa macam tu juga. Tetapi kalau awak rasa tak selesa, saya akan cuba untuk elakkan diri dari kita bertembung di mana-mana." Hannah sendiri rasa tidak selesa bila kerap menemui lelaki itu kebelakangan ini.

"Heh! Macam mana kau nak elak? Cuba kau beritahu aku..." Lainlah gadis itu tahu 'tentatif program' dirinya saban waktu, pasti tiada masalah.

"Ha'ah ek! Saya tak terfikir pula sampai ke situ." Kenapa dirasakan lif bergerak terlalu perlahan ketika ini?

Hannah memandang Ted yang berdiri di sisi sambil menjinjit sebuah beg di tangan kiri. "Awak nak ke mana dengan bawa beg ni? Lari dari rumah?"

"Hahaha..." Seketika terhambur ketawa Ted.

"Kau ni suka betul buat assumptions yang bukan-bukan. Bawa beg tak semestinya nak lari dari rumah. Sama macam duduk lepak dekat tembok rooftop, bukan bermakna nak bunuh diri." Sempat juga kata-katanya diselitkan dengan ayat berbaur sindiran. "Aku nak bawa pakaian untuk kawan aku, Eric. Papanya masuk hospital akibat serangan jantung..."

Belum sempat Hannah ingin membuka mulut bertanyakan keadaan papa temannya itu, lif sudah membawa mereka sehingga ke aras lobby. Mereka melangkah keluar dengan Hannah mendahului di hadapan. Tidak sedar bahawa kehadiran mereka di ruang tersebut menarik perhatian beberapa pasang mata yang juga merupakan pelajar-pelajar Unitadz.

"Kau nak balik terus ke?"

"Ha'ah."

"Nak aku hantarkan?" Sejak bila Tengku Edzfareel bin Tengku Adzlan berani offer seat untuk hantar orang lain balik? Ada hati nak jadi pemandu 'teksi sapu' ke?

"Tak apa. Ada kawan yang akan ambil saya nanti."

Mendengarkan perkataan 'kawan' kening Ted terangkat sedikit.

"Okeylah kalau macam tu. Aku gerak dahulu. Ciao!"

Modal kata lelaki itu selalu sahaja berakhir dengan perkataan 'ciao' dan ia sedikit sebanyak membuatkan Hannah merasa jengkel. Tak boleh ke beri salam elok-elok?

"Assalamualaikum." Harap-harap salamnya berbalas kerana Hannah pasti Ted mendengar ucapan yang disampaikan.

"Wa'alaikumsalam warrahmatullah..." Rendah sahaja Ted membalas sambil melangkah keluar dari pintu utama hotel menuju ke kereta yang dipandu oleh seorang valet attendant Hotel Applegate.

Hannah yang menunggu kehadiran Arya sekadar memerhatikan lelaki itu hilang dari pandangan. Seketika dia tersenyum mengingatkan puisi yang dibaca semalam juga kenangan berada di rooftop bersama-sama lelaki itu tempoh hari. Tidak sedar bila otaknya bekerja sehingga Biru Langit Dia kembali terngiang-ngiang di telinga.

Awan putih, biru langit,

Terang, hangat dan bahang,

Kau dan aku, larut dalam irama kicauan.

Sedang diri tertanya-tanya,

Suara itu milik kau, atau

Sekadar desir angin menyapa?

Sekali lagi aku merenung,

Sekian kali engkau memandang,

Arah yang sama,

Biru langit milik Dia,

Jauh di atas sana.

ps: Maaf, dah berkarat dengan puisi. Sudah lama zaman itu ditinggalkan. Untuk chapter 6 akan datang, ada kuiz 'happy-happy' menanti. Tunggu!

12b) Makanan pelik di Putrajaya - Blog - Blog <b>Makanan di Melaka</b>

Posted: 08 Jun 2014 09:10 AM PDT

attractionI am going to take you to a country which is full of islands. Any guess? Yes, you are right. It's Malaysia. There are878 islands in Malaysia. This country is known for its stunning sights and attractions. We are going to explore its astounding natural beauty that magnetizes vacationers/ tourists or visitors attraction. It's a country of exclusive culture and tradition. It's one of the best places on the globe with delicious cuisine and hospitable people. Kuala Lumpur is its capital with charming iconic Petronas Twin Towers.  Malaysia has many offshore geographical places. There would be around 510 which include ridges, sandbank and rocks. It's a multicultural state with many festivals and celebrations. Tour to Malaysia, is really a unique and pleasant experience.

There're lots of choices to stay in Malaysia, so it's tough to decide where to stay?

Mid-range hotels and 5 stars hotels with Chinese, Indian or Malaysian traditional cuisine and cozy rooms are easily available for vacationers/visitors anywhere in cities. You can enjoy luxury hotels or resorts located on islands. Accommodation is so cheap in Malaysia, you can easily get a room for $ 3 to $ 9 USD/night. Private rooms are available for $ 11 to $ 20 USD/night. You can camp in Taman Negara and can save lodgings cost.

Anyways, here're some suggestions.

Lone Pine Hotel, located Batu Ferringhi, Penang Island, posses welcoming staff, stunning swimming pool, lip-smacking food, and calm atmosphere with beautiful sea views. You can get a huge variety of cocktails in bar corner.

Golden Sands Resort by Shangri-La, located on Batu Ferringhi beach, Penang Island, is a fantastic family resort, offers services such as water sports, tennis court, delicious food, pools, cozy rooms, hospitable staff and family entertainment center. Its cuisine includes Bar & Grill pizzas and seafood, tea/coffee, snacks, pastries.

where to stay

Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur, in Kuala Lumpur City Centre, is a fantastic hotel with superb services. Welcoming staff, comfortable rooms, suspended pool and delicious Malaysian food make it more worthy staying.

Tanjong Jara Resort, located on Batu, Dungun, is one of the top 25 hotels in Malaysia, offers services such as Spa village, Pools, tennis court, delicious dining out, air-conditioned rooms, seafood and bar. You can spend a relaxing morning with coffee and newspaper on the beach.

Berjaya Tioman Resort, located in Pulau Tioman, is a traditional Malay style resort, offers services like pools, golf, tennis court, spa, coffee, snacks, global drinks, tasty food, air-conditioning cozy rooms and water sports including diving, fishing, snorkelling etc.

The Majestic Hotel, Majestic Malacca, Cameron Highlands Resort and Sama-Sama Hotel, in Kuala Lumpur, Holiday Villa Beach Resort & Spa and Four Seasons Resort in Langkawi, Miri Marriot Resort & Spa, Mega Hotel, Grand Palace Hotel and Imperial Palace Hotel in Miri, Seven Terraces, Yeng Keng Hotel, Museum Hotel and Hotel Panega are also wonderful places to stay in Malaysia. 

As far as meal is concerned, you can have it in restaurants, western hotels , cooking own when living in camping or as a street meal and just have to pay $1 to $3 USD /head for street meal, $4 to $6 USD/head in restaurants while western food is a bit expensive. Malaysia is a Muslim country that's why drinks are expensive here. Anyways, here are some suggestions of restaurants for you.

Dining in the Dark, located on Changkat Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, is an amazing restaurant deeply into darkness and offers delicious food including soups, desserts etc.

Malaysian-Food-2

Black Forest, located on Changkat Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, offers German cuisine.

Kebaya, located on Stewart Lane, Georgetown, Penang Island, offers good services and food.

Living Room Cafe Bar & Gallery, located on Batu Ferringhi, Penang Island, is a good place for families, lovebirds, special occasion or groups. You can enjoy Bar, Asian and Eclectic cuisine here until late night.

Top Spot Food Court, located Bukit Mata Kuching, Kuching is a family restaurant, offers best seafood and opens until late night.

Jambu Restaurant and Lounge, located on Crookshank Road, Kuching is a restaurant offers best pasta in town. It also deals with Bistro, Bar for cocktails and Tapas etc.

Black bean, The Heritage, Tribal Stove and Bella Italia are also superb restaurants in Kuching with the fantastic setting near river.

La Casa Kuantan, Crocodile Rock Pizza & Grill Restaurant, Satay Zul, and Dallah Restaurant in Kuantan offer great services with superb cuisine.

Malaysia is a country with many attractions or points of interests and more exciting thing is those are quite cheap. Here're some suggestions, and you must visit those places once you are in Malaysia.

Birch Memorial Clock Tower, located in one of the biggest cities of Malaysia named "Ipoh". Here're plenty of attention-grabbing sights such as museums, temples and historical buildings.

attraction

Galeria Perdana, Rice Museum, and  Padi Langkawi, in Langkawi, are amazing places with precious stuff and collection, to visit. Langkawi is a beautiful island with lovely beaches and plenty of interesting sights. Ave Stella Maris Catholic Chapel is a beautiful church. Langkawi Wildlife Park and Underwater World are educational and exciting places with lots of fun.

The Islamic city "Kota Bharu" is a great city with royal places, museums, and plenty of other eye-catching sights.

Taman Negara National Park is a beautiful park in oldest rainforest Taman Negara. It's a place with lots of activities like trekking, safaris, and canopy walks.

activities

Islamic Art Museum, Petronas Twin Towers, Putrajaya Bridge, Petrosains Science Discovery Centre, Kuala Lumpur Bird Park, Thean Hou Temple, and Lake Garden Parks are some suggested amazing places to visit in Kuala Lumpur.

Mount Kinabalu National Park, is the best choice for hiking, this Park is full of fun and will never disappoint you on your visit.

Malaysia is a land of festivals and celebrations as multicultural people exist here. Tourists or vacationers can enjoy these festivals almost every month of the year. Here are some suggestions for our visitors.

Tamil Community celebrates festival named "Thaipusam". It's a unique festival that is worth seeing. It can be best observed at Batu Caves in Selangor or Penang, in Januanry.

Chinese New Year is celebrated in February and last for 15 days. You can enjoy lion dances, fireworks, and delicious Chinese meal.

In April, Good Friday and Malaysia Water Festival are celebrated.

Wesak Day, and Harvest Festival are celebrated in May.

June is a month with amazing festivals like Hari Gawai and Dragon Boat Festivals.

July and August are the months with festivals such as the Rainforest World Music Festival, Independence day, Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Hungry Ghost Festival.

September becomes more colorful with Malaysia Day and Mid-Autumn Festival.

Hari Raya Haji, Deepavali Festivals of Lights, and Christmas are celebrated in October, November and December.

Malaysia is not less than a heaven for shopaholics. Super international brands have covered Malaysian market and have luxury stores here. Sales at shopping mall attract many tourists every year. Mega Sales held on Christmas and Independence Day and last up to two months.

Utama, BB Plaza, Fahrenheit88, Lot10, Plaza Low Yat, Suria KLCC and Sogo are some remarkable shopping malls in Kuala Lumpur.

shopping3

ICT@Komtar, Island Plaza, Midlands One Stop, Plaza Gurney, Prangin Mall, Queensbay Mall and Straits Quay are some suggested shopping centers in Penang.

Langkawi Fair is a beautiful place for a shop in Langkawi.

Malaysia is a country with beaches. Therefore, beach holidays can be enjoyed all around the year. Summer season is mild, and usually climate is pleasant in Malaysia so you can visit it in all seasons. Anyhow, December and January are two peak tourists' seasons.  From June until August is also a good time to enjoy beaches activities.

when to fly

I assure you, your vacations to this country holding natural beauty, would be a treasured and unforgettable experience.

folio <b>makanan</b> tradisional <b>di</b> malaysia - <b>Makanan di</b> Malaysia - Blogger

Posted: 24 Jul 2014 07:57 PM PDT

Top UK 'Think Tank' Staged BN's Latest PR Stunt On Palm Oil – INVESTIGATION
Alfred Jabu flew out Sarawakians to dress up as grateful "rural folk" and parade at the IEA as people who had benefitted from SALCRA

Alfred Jabu flew out Sarawakians to dress up as grateful "rural folk" and parade at the IEA as people who had benefitted from SALCRA

The prominent London-based free market 'think tank', the Institute of Economic Affairs, has been put in an embarrassing position over an apparent conflict of interest, thanks to remarks by Sarawak's Deputy Chief Minister, Alfred Jabu.

Jabu, in a speech earlier this week, boasted about his "world-wide acknowledgement" by the Institute, thanks to being granted a platform in January, at the launch of a supposedly independent report on palm oil, commissioned by the IEA.

Sarawak Report has now investigated the matter and uncovered compromising links between the on-going PR campaigns sponsored by the Malaysian Palm Oil Council and this IEA report.

The report, entitled  reflects the arguments of the MPOC and praises the Malaysian palm oil industry, claiming it "has a good record with regards to sustainability":

 "Certainly, some loss of forest and wildlife habitat has occurred as a result of the expansion of agriculture, including oil palm, in Malaysia, but the extent of this loss appears to have been exaggerated. The majority of palm oil plantations are located on the Malaysian mainland peninsula – nowhere near the states of Sabah and Sarawak on the island of Borneo where the Borneo orang-utans are to be found. Over 50 per cent of Malaysia's land area remains under forest cover and many areas are given full protection against logging"[IEA Report, October 2013]

Massive deforestation - the reality of Sarawak's oil palm industry

Massive deforestation – the reality of Sarawak's oil palm industry

The author of the report, which clearly defies all the known evidence about this most rapidly deforested area on the planet, is a member of the Institute's own Editorial Board, Keith Boyfield, who told Sarawak Report that the entire report was commissioned by the IEA, which published it as a 'discussion paper'.

Yet Boyfield, who operates his own consultancy, has enjoyed two recent trips to Sarawak, funded by none other than the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC).

Not only that, it turns out that Boyfield was accompanied on at least one of these occasions by senior staff of the IEA, including the chief operating officer, Glynn Brailsford, who also enjoyed the hospitality of the MOPC.

And their chief host on these trips?  None other than Boyfield's fellow panellist at the IEA event, Deputy Chief Minister Alfred Jabu, the Chairman of the controversial SALCRA (Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority)!

Keith's Malaysian Government host Alfred Jabu enjoying a platform at the IEA with the launch of its research on palm oil

Keith's Malaysian Government host Alfred Jabu enjoying a platform at the IEA with the launch of its 'research paper' on palm oil

Only natural!

Boyfield has confirmed to Sarawak Report that his trip was funded by the Malaysian Government:

"We got an invitation from the Malaysian Government….They [the MPOC] certainly were responsible for organising some of it. That was the background. The study was commissioned by the IEA"

When informed that there have been a number of PR drives of this nature by the MPOC, Boyfield appeared to contradict the IEA's ethical guidelines, which bann government sponsorship and tied funding, saying:

"Well that's only natural!"

He also confirmed he was hosted and escorted by SALCRA to their own plantations. SALCRA has forced thousands of native customary land owners into statutory 'joint ventures' with the state government to grow palm oil with highly controversial outcomes.

The trip in April 2012 was variously described in Sarawak's government controlled media as a "press trip" (Borneo Post), a trip of "international experts" (Star) and as "a visit by an 8 member delegation of the IEA" (Sarawak Monitor)

Hearing SALCRA's side of the story - but was this genuine or "tied" research?

Hearing SALCRA's side of the story – but was this genuine or "tied" research? [The Star Archive]

 Rock solid rules on 'tied funding'

These visits and links to the Malaysian Palm Oil Council by the author of the report and "fellow" of the IEA clearly breech the purpose of the Institute's own "rock solid rules" against any "tied funding" to research or government sponsorship, as explained by a spokeswoman for the Institute this week:

"in terms of our funding we don't take any tied money, so the paper would have been commissioned purely on the merit of the work that is in it.  And again we don't accept any money from government or government agencies" 

Responding to our queries, the spokeswoman admitted that given the clear involvement of the MPOC and Jabu in Boyfield's research and the IEA's own compromising links, "it is a very complex and inter-twined matter".

She added "I understand obviously that it may be the case that the conclusions in Keith's paper aren't necessarily a true reflection of how things are, and that may well be to do with a number of other factors, but in terms of the relations we have, we did not take any tied money".

Posing as representatives of SALCRO "smallholders" at the IEA

Posing as representatives of SALCRO "smallholders" at the IEA

It is a weak position to take and the Institute's will have been further embarrassed by the fact that Jabu and the Malaysian Palm Oil Council have not hesitated to extract maximum positive PR from both the IEA visits to Borneo and the resulting return trip to London to launch the IEA's positive report on Malaysia's record.

'Native smallholders' flown to the UK

To take advantage of the IEA event the MPOC flew over three "Sarawak smallholders" to join Alfred Jabu on stage.

The MPOC named the trio on their promotional 'faces of palm oil' Facebook page, as Thomas Lamit, Rebecca Lambet and Briku Busang.

All three dressed up in tribal costume for the evening, in order to present themselves to the British onlookers as delighted native beneficiaries of the SALCRA 'joint venture' programmes.

Later, the same trio dressed in ordinary clothes, posed outside the Houses of Parliament to record a You Tube video, in which they took turns to condemn NGOs and to boast how they now have new homes and cars, thanks to oil palm and SALCRA.

This video, entitled 'Human Faces of Palm Oil', was sponsored by SALCRA and the MPOC.  In it the lead speaker claims, untruthfully, that "palm oil cultivation in Sarawak is done on land already cleared long ago, so there is no destruction of forest".

Apologists for SALCRA attacking NGOs in London

Malaysian Government funded this "smallholder's" trip to the UK to attend the IEA event and produce promotional material on oil palm

Screen Shot 2014-07-23 at 14.36.25

In the same video Rebecca Lambet describes her own family's rich new lifestyle, including multiple car ownership.

These are circumstances that bear little relation to the reality of life for most dirt poor Dayaks living on SALCRA plantations.

Furthermore, these PR friendly "smallholders'" are noticeably advanced English-speakers, considering they are supposed to be rural folk.

Despite the IEA's attempt to distance themselves from "tied funding" these 'faces of palm oil' clearly had their trip funded by the Malaysian public.

PR dividends for the Malaysian Oil Palm Industry 

It is therefore clear is that Keith Boyfeild and his IEA event have just provided the latest platform for yet another publicly funded publicity stunt by the Malaysian Palm Oil Council in their on-going 'greenwash campaign' promoting palm oil.

And the MPOC generated publicity around Boyfield's Sarawak visits wholly undermines any attempts by the IEA to claim distance or objectivity for their research.

Boyfield and Jabu on his 'press trip' in 2012. He lavished praise to the Sarawak media about BN's record in Sarawak and attacked foreign criticism about human rights and the environment.

Boyfield (3rd left) and Jabu on his 'press trip' in 2012. In the article he lavished praise on BN's record in Sarawak, saying it was time to "correct misperceptions in western countries"

For example, during his MPOC funded visit in 2012, Boyfield was quoted extensively by the KTS-owned Borneo Post (below), who portrayed him as a senior international journalist, relentlessly praising the Sarawak state government and its record on logging, oil palm and the environment:

"The state government should do more to promote the positive things it has been doing with regards to nature conservation to correct misperceptions, especially among western countries…Keith Boyfield, the spokesperson for a delegation of foreign media to the state, said…

Sarawak oil palm expert, thanks to his week long trip?

Sarawak oil palm expert, thanks to his week long trip?

He opined that at the moment Sarawak had been too modest in its campaign to tell the world about its conservation efforts, and because of that it had been subjected to criticisms particularly in Britain and Europe about the way oil palm plantations were being developed here…

"Most of the things we hear about are always threats to the habitats and also constant theme of the elimination of mangrove swamps and rainforests when in actual fact that doesn't appear to be the case," he said...

Boyfield, who is a regular contributor to The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times and other leading newspapers and journals including Financial Centres International, said before this there had been a lot of criticisms in Great Britain and Europe about the way oil palm plantations were being developed in Malaysia and Indonesia…

"There also have been sort of view from people in Britain that Malaysians or the people of Sarawak are cutting down all the virgin rainforests and eliminating the habitats for mammals like orang utans so that they could grow oil palm," he noted.

He explained that the purpose of the delegation was basically to see with their own eyes whether some of the claims and accusations made in the western media corresponded to reality, saying what they discovered proved that those reports were untrue."[Borneo Post 28/4/12]

Boyfield's quoted opinions on these matters appear to have been furnished by his week long visit, hosted by SALCRA and being shown round SALCRA plantations by Alfred Jabu. They contradict widely known facts and betray a lack of genuine investigation on the ground.

Indeed his own reports on Twitter at the time focused less on the conditions in dirt poor Dayak longhouses and more on his sponsored accommodation in the Taib family's Hilton Hotel!

Report from the ground? - excited tweets from Boyfield about his luxury experience of Sarawak.

Report from the ground? – excited tweets from Boyfield about his luxury experience of Sarawak in Kuching's Hilton

A bit of time in the interior of Sarawak would surely have informed Mr Boyfield a little better, because according more quotes in the Borneo Post, he then came out with the astonishing claim that the state's oil palm plantations were merely conversions from the traditional rubber plantations and that the virgin jungle remains intact!

"This is because from what we see so far is it appeared that your palm oil plantations have actually switched from other commodities such as rubber and now you have been cultivating palm oil instead of other commodities.

"It is not so much of you cutting down lots of primary rainforest as claimed by some western media," he [Boyfield] commented [Borneo Post]

Fact check for Keith Boyfield

These remarks by Boyfield were repeated throughout the Sarawak media at the time and also later when the IEA report was produced.

One widely disseminated article was entitled "British experts say criticisms from foreign NGOs on environment are exaggerated":

British experts say criticisms from foreign NGOs on environment are exaggerated

"The Institute of Economic Appeal (IEA) has produced a report entitled "Commercial Agriculture: Is It A Cure Or A Curse, Malaysian and African Experience Constructed" by Keith Boyfield.  

The report highlights the roles played by SALCRA in spearheading a move to develop native customary right land into commercial plantation….. This very favorable report was produced by The Institute of Economic Appeal an Independent Body following a visit by its 8-member delegation to Sarawak sometime in April 2012, 

During the visit, members of the delegation led by Mr. Keith Boyfield had dialogue sessions and discussions with members of local business community, representatives of statutory bodies and general public including participants in the land development schemes. 

They visited Palm Oil Plantation at Sungai Stengang in Stungkur, conducted interviews with many SALCRA scheme participants and visited Palm Oil Mill. After visiting Sarawak they visited Peninsular Malaysia for the same purpose.

Great PR material for BN's cyber-bloggers

Great PR material for BN's cyber-bloggers

To the contrary, we suggest it is time that Boyfield shook off the MOPC, took a more independent visit and checked his facts.

Because, this expert of one week was soon engaging in public debates and making his ignorance plain – claiming for example that "property rights are pretty well respected in Malaysia" and that the concept of Land Grabs is too "emotive" and "nuanced" with respect to the oil palm debate.

Academic tour or the usual tourist junket courtesy of the Sarawak government ?

Academic tour or the usual tourist junket courtesy of the Sarawak government ?

Mr Boyfield should contact Sarawak's expert native land rights lawyers, who have seen numerous court victories ignored by the state government and outfits like SALCRA, and think again.

No immigrant workers?

Boyfield has also claimed that during his 'academic visit' to Sarawak he observed that everyone he met working on oil palm plantations was a local person and not a migrant worker! 

"In Sarawak it strikes me because traditionally its been a much poorer part of Malaysia than the peninsula they're able to recruit locally". 

Mr Boyfield should contact any of the grassroots indigenous groups, who could tell him of the major problem with respect to the vast immigrant labour force in Sarawak and the uneconomic wages for local people, even on their own SALCRA "smallholdings", and then speak again.

Great dividends from SALCRA?

In yet another article, promoting his concept that the Malaysian Palm Oil Industry should be encouraged to expand into Africa for the benefit of the world poor, Boyfield even plays the SALCRA 'dividend game', ie spouting big figures without finishing the maths:

"In Sarawak, standards of living have been transformed by commercial agri-business… Farmers associated with SALCRA, a group set up to develop native land rights in Sarawak, have earned $163m individend payments since 1985″ [Keith Boyfield, The Enquirer, Liberia]

Given Boyfield himself acknowledges that there are around 22,000 SALCRA members, this sum in fact calculates over the 30 year period to about $200 a year per family, in return for the sacrifice of their rightful native lands and forests to the government controlled 'joint ventures', managed by Alfred Jabu.

World's worst CEO? Ordinary shareholders have gained little from SALCRA - only BN cronies and himself have profited

World's worst CEO? Ordinary shareholders have gained little from SALCRA – only BN cronies and himself have profited

As everyone in Sarawak knows, the smallholders from SALCRA have received virtually nothing in return for the surrender of their lands and that Jabu's dividends have been paltry compared to the rich profits made by privately run oil palm ventures.

Neither did these native customary rights land owners receive one ringgit from the huge sums raised out of logging the timber from their lands to make way for the SALCRA palm oil plantations (less than 5% of virgin forest remains in Sarawak – just another fact check for Mr Boyfield).

Only government ministers, like Alfred Jabu and their cronies, have raked in hundreds of millions from the land grab policies of the State of Sarawak.  The Dayak remain as poor as ever.

Attacking NGOs

MPOC was about to hire FBC Media, before SR exposed their illegal activities

MPOC was about to hire FBC Media, before SR exposed their illegal activities and closed them down

But rather than check his facts and balance his arguments, this British consultant has chosen instead to adopt the Malaysian Palm Oil's obsession with attacking NGOs.

In Malaysia free speech and independent opinion are treated like crimes by BN politicians, who find all criticism highly damaging, since they usually can't answer it.

But, why should a British onlooker condemn legitimate concerns raised by NGOs in the same way?

This week, when Jabu again went on the attack over native protests against Sarawak's latest dam building and 'industrialisation programme', the DCM as ever blamed "selfish foreign NGOs who are being paid" for "inciting" them.

He revealed his own paid for PR in the process:

"From overseas they get support from negative NGOs, but these people from overseas what do they know about our internal potential? I went over to London last January at the invitation of the Institute of Economic Affairs to be one of the panel speakers whereby my presentation to overseas has been acknowledged worldwide by the Institute of Economic Affairs in London. And I have been invited again to go to Belgium to tell the NGOs in Europe about our need to survive. Our own people, not because of the selfishness of the NGOs who are being paid, I know i've got records, by countries they collect money to finance the NGOs to disturb us here and I'm going to fight that, for the sake of Sarawak."  [recorded speech] 

Sarawak Report will investigate Jabu's Belgium event.  But, meanwhile why has Mr Boyfield has adopted the same anti-NGO line in his supportive articles for the MPOC?

"GLOBAL food security and the need to save Africa's poor from starvation have dominated international discussions for decades, and were key themes at the latest G8 summit. Yet the goal has triggered a raft of accusations from campaigning NGOs that business is guilty of "land grabs" across tropical Africa. The Guardian's George Monbiot, for example, claims that we are about to witness "a new set of agreements that allow foreign companies to grab [Africa's] land, patent their seeds and monopolise their food markets. This is scaremongering of the worst order and symptomatic of an ill-thought out attack on capitalism's role as a generator of prosperity."[Keith Boyfield, The Enquirer]

FBC Media would have been proud of all this from Mr Boyfield – they were the last British champions for the MOPC and they adopted exactly the same theme in their which was later disowned by the BBC.

But, when Ministers like Alfred Jabu start hurling unsubstantiated accusations about "paid NGOs", engaged by foreign powers to undermine Malaysia, someone should remind him about the millions of ringgit that are being wasted by the Malaysian Government itself on engaging this sort of blatant PR from consultants like Keith Boyfield.

It is always public money wasted, because people like Boyfield always get rumbled.

[Sarawak Report is still awaiting promise clarifications by the IEA, in response to our critique of its "complex and intertwined" relationship with the MOPC]

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