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Singing grasshoppers to attract tourists

Posted: 05 Jun 2011 10:57 PM PDT

KOTA BAHARU -- Grasshopper singing competitions which locals here have long been enjoying can be turned into a major tourist attraction, Kelantan Information Department director Ramly Yusof said.

He said the singing giant grasshoppers, locally known as "belalang kerrek", had a unique "voice" which was pleasing to the ear.

Ramly was speaking to reporters after a singing competition among 53 "kerrek" grasshoppers in Kampung Peringat here last night. Three were announced as winners.

He said that grasshopper singing competitions in Kelantan were usually held at night, with judges to rate the "voice."

Ramly did not see any problem organising such competitions for foreign audiences. -- Bernama

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Anwar loses bid to remove judge

Posted: 05 Jun 2011 09:44 PM PDT

Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim failed again today in his third bid to remove the trial judge in his drawn-out sodomy case.

The 63-year-old is on trial over allegations that he sodomised a 25-year-old former aide at an upmarket apartment in June 2008. He says the accusations are politically motivated.

"I find that the application by the defence to be without any merit and therefore I hereby reject the application," High Court judge Zabidin Mohamed Diah told a packed courtroom, dealing a further setback to Anwar.

In seeking the judge's removal, Anwar's counsel Karpal Singh told the court that Zabidin was biased and had effectively convicted Anwar before the opposition leader had given his defence.

Karpal said the prosecution was also delaying the trial by allowing Anwar's lawyers to interview only five of the 25 witnesses it had promised, including Prime Minister Najib Razak and his wife.

They met Mohamad Saiful Bukhari, the man allegedly sodomised by father-of-six Anwar, after the purported incident.

But government prosecutor Mohamad Yusof Zainal Abiden argued that there had been "no prejudgement and there is no bias" because the judge had done his job in evaluating the evidence and concluded the evidence was strong enough to establish a case against Anwar.

Anwar's lawyers said they will appeal the ruling and the trial will resume on July 13.

Last month, the High Court ruled that Anwar had a case to answer after finding the prosecution's main witness — the accuser — "credible". Sodomy is illegal in Muslim-majority Malaysia, whether or not it is between consenting adults.

Anwar says the accusations are part of a long-running government plot to derail his political career, but authorities have denied any conspiracy.

He was sacked as deputy premier by then prime minister Mahathir Mohamad in 1998 and found guilty of corruption and sodomy, but was released from jail in 2004 after a separate sodomy conviction was overturned.

He has since become an electoral threat to the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, which has been in power for half a century.

Anwar could face up to 20 years in jail if convicted. The marathon trial began in January last year but has been punctuated by delays and legal arguments. - AFP

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Kredit: www.nst.com.my

Ahad, 5 Jun 2011

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