Khamis, 1 Disember 2011

The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

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The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio


A bigger bang

Posted: 01 Dec 2011 11:57 PM PST

STAR Live 2011, the star-studded year-end concert by ntv7, is back and will be coming your way on Dec 17 at 8.30pm at Stadium Bukit Jalil (Carpark A) in Kuala Lumpur. With performances by 11 acts from South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Malaysia, Star Live 2011 is setting the mood to its theme, "Crazy Over Music". Broadcasting live on ntv7, this free entry concert is held in appreciation of ntv7's loyal viewers and to celebrate the year end.

This year, two of Malaysia's favourite Chinese radio stations, 988 FM and one FM, will be participating and endorsing the concert. Also partnering ntv7 in this outdoor show are Red Box and Green Box Karaoke. The concert management for Star Live 2011 is Galaxy Group.

Into its fifth year now, Star Live 2011 once again boasts a fun-filled line-up comprising Malaysia's dayDream, Choo Hou Ren, Lin Kah Jun, Athena Beh, and Jess Lee; Taiwan's Sam Lee, Aaron Yan, (US-born) Anthony Neely and (China-born) Della Ding Dang; Hong Kong rock band Mr. and South Korea's Alexander Lee Eusebio (formerly of K-pop boyband U-KISS).

Passes are available via roadshows where fans can enjoy performances by local artistes and redeem the concert tickets through exciting games. Details for upcoming road show are as follows: Viva Home, Cheras, KL (Dec 3, 8pm); ntv7's Yuan Carnival, Seri Kembangan, Selangor (Dec 4, 2pm); and Berjaya Times Square, KL (Dec 11, 2pm).

Fans can win VIP passes through contests held by radio stations one FM and 988 FM.

If you cannot make it to the live show, catch the live telecast on Dec 17 at 8.30pm on ntv7. If you happen to miss the show, you can also watch it later on (www.tonton.com.my).

For more info about Star Live 2011, visit www.ntv7.com.my/starlive, or follow ntv7 on Facebook and Twitter.

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Season of giveaways

Posted: 01 Dec 2011 11:58 PM PST

IT'S the most happening month of the year and to mark the merry season of December, Red FM has fantastic giveaways for you.

To kick things off, tune in to Red FM'S Late Night Love Songs with Mynn (Sunday to Friday, 10pm to 1am) from Dec 5 to Dec 9. Send in your three favourite love songs along with a dedication to someone special when the cue for Red FM's Threesome comes on. If your selection gets chosen, you win a New Year's Eve dinner for two at Uncle Chilli's in Hilton Petaling Jaya in Selangor. It's a night of revelry as you feast on an elegant five course set dinner followed by a New Year countdown party at the hotel.

If you prefer instead to win a prize that can add on to your music collection, next week's CD giveaway will be one you would not want to miss. You stand the chance to win Amy Winehouse's Lioness: Hidden Treasures (pic) throughout the week. Winehouse's third album showcases her extraordinary interpretation of classic songs and is a fitting tribute to this talented singer and songwriter. The album features songs such as Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, The Girl From Ipanema, A Song For You and many more. There is a special bonus pack up for grabs on the Red FM's Evening show with Arnold Loh (Monday to Friday, 7pm to 10pm). Give Arnold a call on 03 7728 1049 when you hear the cue for Red FM's Onboard. Let Arnold know you are 'Onboard' with him for a fun time ahead and you also get to pick up a copy of Winehouse's Back To Black album as well as the DVD edition of I Told You I Was Trouble - Live in London performance.

With more treats, events and New Year's Eve parties coming up, join Red FM for a month of non-stop celebration and end your year on a high note.

Log on to www.red.fm for terms and conditions. Join the Red FM Malaysia Facebook fan page (www.facebook.com/redfm.my) and follow them on Twitter (@iloveredfm) for the latest updates of the contest.

Red FM is owned and operated by The Star.

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All excited about first radio gig

Posted: 01 Dec 2011 02:13 PM PST

PETALING JAYA: The excitement of co-hosting a radio show for the very first time kept actor Tony Eusoff (pic) up on Wednesday night.

"I didn't get much sleep because I was both nervous and excited. This is my first time doing a radio show.

"It was a good first day and I will remember it forever," Tony said of his gig as a guest deejay on Capital FM 88.9, the country's first women's radio station.

Tony joined Capital FM deejays Joanne Kam and Joey G on the breakfast segment, The Talk of the Town, yesterday morning and will be a guest deejay on the show for the rest of December. He is glad to be part of a station that gives voice to women.

"I was brought up by a single mother who is my biggest inspiration.

"She worked as a hospital attendant and earned about RM1,000 but with that she managed to raise me and my adopted brother," said Tony of his mother who has her own farm in Sarawak.

He describes himself as "one of the least chauvinistic people around".

"I hope to bring a man's insight on some of the topics that are discussed," said the 34-year-old actor, who added that it had always been his dream to be involved in a radio show.

As such, Tony had no hesitation in accepting when approached by programme consultant Aanont Wathanasin.

Was he also influenced by the fact that his "celebrity crush" Asha Gill is also a deejay on the station?

"I did have a crush on Asha.

"She was someone I idolised when I was younger and it is a little strange to be working alongside her now," he said with a laugh.

Launched on Wednesday, Capital FM aims to be a "real radio station for real women" with the tagline, "Women – The New Capi­tal".

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The Star Online: World Updates

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The Star Online: World Updates


Coke says child's death in China not linked to product

Posted: 01 Dec 2011 08:38 PM PST

BEIJING (Reuters) - Coca-Cola Co defended on Friday the safety of its yogurt drinks sold in northern China, denying there was any link to the death of a child or the illness of three other people who had consumed the drinks, but said it removed the product from shelves in a precautionary move.

Chinese media reports said an 11-year-old boy died in Changchun city in Jilin after he drank a strawberry-flavoured Pulpy Milky yogurt drink on November 28, and his mother was in intensive care after consuming the same drink.

Another mother and her daughter became ill after drinking another bottle of the same drink in Jilin a few days earlier, but recovered after treatment, Coke spokeswoman Joanna Price said.

"Our thoughts are with the affected families and we have reached out to them to express our concern and compassion," she said. "This case does not involve a product quality issue, and government authorities are carrying out detailed investigations at this time."

After discussions with local authorities, the company and officials mutually agreed the product should be removed from shelves from stores in Jilin province and Coke is cooperating with the local investigation, she said.

Local authorities said the beverages were tainted by pesticide, according to local media. There was no further information about how or when the pesticide could have been introduced into the drink.

"Our first priority is always to ensure food safety and the quality of our products," Price said.

"After learning about this incident, we immediately carried out comprehensive internal reviews of our production, logistics and other processes, and conducted 3rd party tests of the retention samples of the same production batches and found everything to be safe," she said.

NUMEROUS CRACKDOWNS

Food scandals are common in China, where numerous crackdowns on the country's food sector have had little effect as it continues to be beset by poisonings and toxin scandals that have shaken consumer confidence.

Foreign companies are watched closely as they are generally perceived to hold to stricter standards. When western companies are accused of transgressions, it becomes big news in China.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc, the world's biggest retailer, was hit by tough sanctions in the central city of Chongqing in October when authorities closed 13 stores for two weeks and fined the company 2.7 million yuan (269 thousand pounds) for selling ordinary pork as more expensive organic meat.

Wal-Mart apologised and stepped up training for employees and dialogue with customers.

Chinese government-run media also criticised U.S. healthcare products maker Johnson & Johnson last month for continuing to sell in some markets baby shampoo containing a preservative that is a possible carcinogen and allergy trigger.

Johnson & Johnson responded that its products meet or exceed safety regulations in every market in which they are sold, but that the company is phasing out use of the ingredients in baby products worldwide.

(Reporting by Terril Yue Jones and Beijing newsroom; Editing by Don Durfee and Muralikumar Anantharaman)

Copyright © 2011 Reuters

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Clinton highlights democracy on last day of Myanmar trip

Posted: 01 Dec 2011 07:15 PM PST

YANGON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held a final meeting with pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Friday as she wrapped up a landmark visit to Myanmar which saw the new civilian government pledge to forge ahead with political reforms and re-engage with the world community.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton waves as she tours the Shwedegon Pagoda in Yangon December 1, 2011. REUTERS/Saul Loeb/Pool

Clinton and Suu Kyi - the Nobel laureate who has come to symbolise the pro-democracy aspirations of Myanmar's people - held a private dinner on Thursday and met again on Friday at Suu Kyi's lakeside home, effectively her prison until she was released last November after years in detention.

Standing in the foyer of Suu Kyi's house with staff milling around, Clinton said: "I know how important it is to have so many dedicated people around you. It makes all the difference."

"The house looks wonderful," Clinton told Suu Kyi as she welcomed Clinton in.

Clinton was later due to meet representatives of ethnic minority groups, some of which remained locked in bloody conflict with the army, as well as fledgling civil society organisations.

She will aim to reassure them that the U.S. outreach to Myanmar's government does not mean it will ease pressure on human rights, political freedoms and rule of law in a country long a hallmark for authoritarian military rule.

Clinton met President Thein Sein on Thursday and announced a package of modest steps to improve ties, including U.S. support for new International Monetary Fund and World Bank needs assessment missions and expanded U.N. aid programs for the country's struggling economy.

She also said the United States would consider reinstating a full ambassador in Myanmar and could eventually ease crippling economic sanctions, but underscored that these future steps would depend on further measurable progress in Myanmar's reform drive.

"It has to be not theoretical or rhetorical. It has to be very real, on the ground, that can be evaluated. But we are open to that and we are going to pursue many different avenues to demonstrate our continuing support for this path of reform," Clinton told a news conference on Thursday in the capital, Naypyitaw, before arriving in Yangon.

U.S. ENGAGEMENT

Clinton's trip - the first by a senior U.S. official in more than 50 years - represents an opportunity for both Myanmar and the United States, and both appear eager to press ahead with rapprochement.

Myanmar's new leadership hopes the United States will eventually see its way clear to ease or remove sanctions, a step which could open the resource-rich but desperately poor country to more foreign trade and investment and help it catch up to booming neighbours such as Thailand and India.

For Washington, improved ties with Myanmar could underscore President Barack Obama's determination to up U.S. engagement in Asia and balance China's fast-growing economic, military and political influence.

U.S. officials said Clinton's visit was aimed at bolstering reformers in the government, but said it was clear that some powerful figures remained wary of reforms - throwing a question mark over whether the changes can be sustained.

Clinton's dinner with Suu Kyi on Wednesday marked her first personal encounter with the veteran activist, who has played a central role in the Obama administration's decision to explore the possibility of new ties with the country also known as Burma.

Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy will contest coming by-elections for parliament - seen as the next key test of the government's reform program - and Suu Kyi herself has said she will stand for election, another sign that the pro-democracy leader believes the changes under way are real.

(Editing by Robert Birsel)

Copyright © 2011 Reuters

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Clinton highlights democracy on last day of Myanmar trip

Posted: 01 Dec 2011 05:58 PM PST

YANGON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was due for a final meeting with pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Friday as she wrapped up a landmark visit to Myanmar which saw the new civilian government pledge to forge ahead with political reforms and re-engage with the world community.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton waves as she tours the Shwedegon Pagoda in Yangon December 1, 2011. REUTERS/Saul Loeb/Pool

Clinton and Suu Kyi - the Nobel laureate who has come to symbolise the pro-democracy aspirations of Myanmar's people - held a private dinner on Thursday and were to meet again on Friday at Suu Kyi's home, effectively her prison until she was released last November after years in detention.

Clinton will also meet representatives of ethnic minority groups, some of which remained locked in bloody conflict with the army, as well as fledgling civil society organisations, aiming to reassure them that the U.S. outreach to Myanmar's government does not mean it will ease pressure on human rights, political freedoms and rule of law in a country long a hallmark for authoritarian military rule.

Clinton met President Thein Sein on Thursday and announced a package of modest steps to improve ties, including U.S. support for new International Monetary Fund and World Bank needs assessment missions and expanded U.N. aid programs for the country's struggling economy.

She also said the United States would consider reinstating a full ambassador in Myanmar and could eventually ease crippling economic sanctions, but underscored that these future steps would depend on further measurable progress in Myanmar's reform drive.

"It has to be not theoretical or rhetorical. It has to be very real, on the ground, that can be evaluated. But we are open to that and we are going to pursue many different avenues to demonstrate our continuing support for this path of reform," Clinton told a news conference on Thursday in the capital, Naypyitaw, before arriving in Yangon.

Clinton's trip - the first by a senior U.S. official in more than 50 years - represents an opportunity for both Myanmar and the United States, and both appear eager to press ahead with rapprochement.

Myanmar's new leadership hopes the United States will eventually see its way clear to ease or remove sanctions, a step which could open the resource-rich but desperately poor country to more foreign trade and investment and help it catch up to booming neighbours such as Thailand and India.

For Washington, improved ties with Myanmar could underscore President Barack Obama's determination to up U.S. engagement in Asia and balance China's fast-growing economic, military and political influence.

U.S. officials said Clinton's visit was aimed at bolstering reformers in the government, but said it was clear that some powerful figures remained wary of reforms - throwing a question mark over whether the changes can be sustained.

Clinton's dinner with Suu Kyi on Wednesday marked her first personal encounter with the veteran activist, who has played a central role in the Obama administration's decision to explore the possibility of new ties with the country also known as Burma.

Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy will contest coming by-elections for parliament - seen as the next key test of the government's reform program - and Suu Kyi herself has said she will stand for election, another sign that the pro-democracy leader believes the changes under way are real.

(Editing by Robert Birsel)

Copyright © 2011 Reuters

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Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Sports

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Pacesetting Choi stands tall in strong Sherwood winds

Posted: 01 Dec 2011 05:19 PM PST

THOUSAND OAKS, California, Dec 1 (Reuters) - South Korean KJ Choi, who regularly practises in strong winds at his U.S. base in Dallas, was seemingly unflappable in 35 miles per hour (56 km/h) gusts during Thursday's first round at the Chevron World Challenge.

The 41-year-old is renowned for his ability to keep the ball low in windy conditions and, with his putter on song, he charged into a three-shot lead over Americans Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker after opening with a superb six-under-par 66.

Choi's only surprise was that the strong winds forecast overnight failed to arrive at Sherwood Country Club until he had teed off at the par-four sixth, by which time he had recorded five consecutive birdies.

"Today I wake up early, so I am looking around outside the window and it looked very calm," Choi told reporters with a flashing smile.

"Last night, the weather (forecasts were) saying 45 mph (72 km/h) and 60 mph (97 km/h) winds. But I'm very confident in the wind, playing with my low ball, the high draw and low draw.

"And I started very quick, and got my best record in the (first) five holes with birdies for the first time."

Choi, who won his eighth PGA Tour victory and the biggest title of his career at the prestigious Players Championship in May, downplayed his experience in windy conditions.

"Living in Dallas, where there are 20, 30 mph (32, 48 km/h) winds every other day. I'm used to practising in those conditions," the 41-year-old Korean said through an interpreter.

"And throughout the years from just playing in the wind at tournaments, I've become very comfortable with those windy conditions.

"But I don't think practising in windy conditions really gave me the advantage today. Overall my game has really improved. This being the second time for me to play here, I felt more comfortable. And putting really helped today."

WOODS WATCH

Playing three groups behind tournament host Woods on Thursday, Choi was impressed by what he saw from the former world number one on a couple of holes on the front nine.

"He is really 80, 90 per cent back to his form again," Choi said of the 14-times major champion who has not won a tournament in more than two years while struggling with his game and fitness.

"I'm very happy about playing with him tomorrow. Tiger is a good friend and he's got a very strong will. He's got the right mental attitude right now, and I think it's going to be a very fun day tomorrow."

Choi, the son of a rice farmer, watched Woods hit shots on the fifth and sixth holes and was suitably impressed.

"He was swinging at his rhythm, at the power that he had (before)," the Korean said. "It almost seemed like watching the old Tiger, back in the day.

"With this form that he has right now, he's going to play well, and I think it's very good for the game. It's very good to see that he's really coming back to his old shape."

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Maldonado to race for Williams next year

Posted: 01 Dec 2011 04:10 PM PST

LONDON, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado will race for Williams again next season with Finland's Valtteri Bottas handed the role of reserve, the Formula One team said on Thursday.

There was no mention of the team's second race driver, with Brazilian veteran Rubens Barrichello hoping to compete in his 20th season next year but facing strong competition for the seat.

Maldonado, a former GP2 champion who brings considerable funding to the team from his country's state oil company PDVSA, scored just one point in his rookie season to Barrichello's four.

He had been expected to stay on but Williams triggered some uncertainty when the official entry list was published on Wednesday with the team having no drivers confirmed.

Last season was the worst in the history of one of Formula One's most successful teams, with Williams finishing ninth overall.

Principal and founder Frank Williams said Maldonado had shown his potential nonetheless and would play an important role.

"Pastor has proven he is not only quick but also that he is able to maintain a consistent and strong race pace," he said on the team website (www.williamsf1.com).

"Pastor has been responsible for all of our forays into Q3 (the final top 10 phase of qualifying) in 2011 and his race at Monaco was outstanding ... he will play a critical role in 2012 as we rebuild the team and move forward."

Maldonado, who crashed out in Monaco while in sixth place and scored his sole point with a 10th place in Belgium, said it had been a tough season for the whole team but he would learn from it.

"I am convinced the steps we have taken to improve our competitiveness will bear fruit in 2012 and beyond. I am thrilled to be part of that and also to represent the people of Venezuela in Formula One."

Williams hinted Bottas, 22 and winner of the GP3 series this year with four wins in the last seven races, was not ruled out of competing for the team next year as well as taking part in Friday practice.

"We anticipate that Valtteri will participate in a Friday practice session at 15 grands prix next year, most likely with a more experienced driver taking over for the remainder of the race weekend," he added.

"We will announce the identity of that driver in due course."

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Woods makes solid start at windy Sherwood, Choi leads

Posted: 01 Dec 2011 04:26 PM PST

THOUSAND OAKS, California, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Tiger Woods put himself in position to end a victory drought of more than two years by moving into a tie for second place in Thursday's wind-buffeted first round at the Chevron World Challenge.

Seeking his first win since the 2009 Australian Masters, Woods fired a three-under-par 69 on a difficult day for scoring at Sherwood Country Club as swirling winds gusted up to 35 mph across the Santa Monica Mountains.

Tournament host Woods ended the day level with playing partner and fellow American Steve Stricker while South Korean KJ Choi took charge with a superb seven-birdie 66.

Americans Nick Watney, 2009 champion Jim Furyk and Rickie Fowler carded matching 71s and were the only other players in the elite field of 18 who shot sub-par scores in the opening round.

"Anything under par was a good round today with the wind up," former world number one Woods told reporters after mixing six birdies with three bogeys. "It was tough out there.

"You don't know which way it (the wind) is coming from, then you have the intensity changes on top of that. The wind was dancing all over the place."

Asked if he was satified with his start, Woods replied: "Absolutely. To be in the red (under par) was a good day today."

Woods, a four-times champion here, made a fast start on a glorious autumn morning, coolly sinking a five-footer at the par-four first and hitting a wedge to two feet for a tap-in putt at the par-five second to birdie the opening two holes.

He drained a 20-foot birdie putt at the fourth, where he struck a superb approach from the left rough, and very nearly eagled the par-five fifth after reaching the green in two.

His first putt from 18 feet lipped out of cup, sparking cries of "Whoah" and "Man" from the gallery crammed around the green, before he knocked in the birdie putt to get to four under.

STRENGTHENING WINDS

After Woods teed off at sixth, the winds strengthened but his only mistake on the front nine came at the par-four ninth where he duffed his second shot from the left rough and advanced the ball only five yards.

From there, he did well to salvage a bogey five to reach the turn in three-under 33.

Though Woods went on to birdie the par-five 13th, bogeys at the 15th and 16th stalled his momentum.

Stricker, who drained a 40-foot birdie putt at the last to join Woods three under, applauded his playing partner's form on a tricky day at Sherwood. "I think he's playing great," said the American world number six. "He's striking the ball so solidly. It was tough out there today but he looks like the Tiger of old."

Renowned wind player Choi, however, delivered the day's most impressive round after setting out with five consecutive birdies in dazzling autumn sunshine.

He reached the turn in five-under 31, and picked up further shots at the 13th and 16th while making his only mistake of the day with a three-putt bogey at the par-three 15th.

"It was very windy out there but I play well in the wind with my low ball and low draw," the ever-smiling Choi said.

"I played very well today. The back nine was more difficult and my mindset was just to make pars. I tried to be patient and I think my strategy worked well."

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The Star Online: Nation

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Two thumbs up from Dr M

Posted: 01 Dec 2011 02:31 PM PST

FORMER Umno president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has given the thumbs up to Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak's presidential address.

He lauded Najib for touching on the part of Umno's history which many were not aware of.

"He has rightly pointed out that Umno is not a racist party.

"Umno has worked with and supported other people," he said.

Another former president Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi called on Umno members to heed the president's call to make way for winnable candidates.

He said choosing candidates was not easy, thus all members must accept the president's decision, as his choice would be for the betterment of the party.

"I've went through the process of choosing candidates ... let me tell you, it is not easy.

"It is the president who will decide who will contest," he said on the sidelines of the party general assembly here yesterday.

Wanita Umno chief Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said it was interesting to observe that Najib stressing on love, duty and sacrifices in his speech.

"These are the traits that Wanita members are known for," she said.

Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin said Najib obviously understood the demands of the young people.

He said Najib knew that while it was important to keep reminding people of Umno's contribution to the country, it was no longer enough to secure the support from the young.

"If the party has no vision and direction, the young will not support us," Khairy said.

He was also impressed when the president spoke about the supremacy of ideas.

"He gave an impression that he is willing to accept good and bright ideas even though they are proposed by young people."

Puteri Umno chief Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin said the call for Umno to engage the young people through new media was timely.

"If we want to win, we must have the X factor'," she said, adding that the wing had set up its own cyber troopers group two years ago.

"We are improving it and hope to contribute in our own way, not only physically, but through new media as well," she said.

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Shopping delight for party members

Posted: 01 Dec 2011 02:30 PM PST

AN astounding 30,000 pieces of headscarves have flown off the racks this week as Umno party members jumped at the chance to do some shopping at Putra World Trade Centre.

Delighted shop manager Mohd Fauzi Nazir said they had custom-ordered Umno-themed tudung in Wanita Umno's red and Puteri Umno's pink.

"The fabric is from Italy and manufactured in Turkey. We are offering great prices this week and have received amazing response," he said, adding that 50,000 of the tudung had been ordered.

The special red and pink tudung feature small Umno logos around the edges.

Mohd Fauzi said the shop also had a "happy hour" two to three times a day during which prices would be slashed by half.

Male party members have not done too shabbily either, so far snapping up around 2,000 Umno-themed shirts ranging from RM150 to RM200.

Customer Zalinah Ismail, 60, said she loved to take advantage of the reduced prices during the annual Umno general assemblies as the tudung were normally quite expensive.

"There are so many choices here, I'm so tempted to buy more," she said.

Another customer, Shera Samsudin, said she loved the wide variety of bargains as it was great value for money.

"For example, I saw a shop offering three dresses for RM100," said the 31-year-old online boutique owner.

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Toddler survives fall from ferris wheel

Posted: 01 Dec 2011 02:13 PM PST

A TODDLER survived a 2m fall from the world's tallest ferris wheel the Singapore Flyer after he landed on the safety net along with his stroller, Sin Chew Daily reported.

The 7.30pm incident on Nov 27 was recorded by a Netizen, Reva, who uploaded it on a website.

According to the report, it was unclear how the baby boy, who was seated in the stroller, had fallen off the ferris wheel.

Some Netizens speculated that the stroller could have slid off the slanted platform of the ferris wheel as the parents were leaving the cabin.

The boy was rescued by workers.

> China Press reported that a woman in Kuching lodged a police report against a man who slept with her 15-year-old daughter after he bought her virginity.

It was reported that the girl sold her "first time" to the man for RM150 after a male relative introduced the two.

The girl had slept with the man at a hotel and upon returning home, her mother, in her 30s, noticed that she was acting strangely and asked her what happened.

Her mother then confronted the man and demanded RM15,000 from him to cover up the matter.

However, he only agreed to pay RM3,000, and she subsequently lodged a police report against him.

> Nanyang Siang Pau reported that a couple and their two children walked naked in a Dianbai province street in Guangzhou, China, to appeal for donations so that they could settle one of their children's hospital bill.

It was reported that the family did so out of desperation to pay off a RMB1,500 (RM750) hospital bill for their third child, who was born two months ago.

The police escorted the family to a welfare centre to be clothed before negotiating with the hospital to waive the remaining hospital fees.

Other News & Views is compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with this > sign, it denotes a separate news item.

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The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies

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The book of love

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 12:38 AM PST

Osman Ali's Ombak Rindu will tug at your heartstrings.

FOR the last decade, Osman Ali has been steadily carving a niche for himself as a prolific feature film director. Versatile, creative and a talented storyteller, Osman cleverly incorporates a local flavour to his tales.

Known for his more risque works, such as Bukak Api (revolving around transvestites in Kuala Lumpur) and the short film Malaikat Di Jendela, Osman has also written and directed his own scripts ranging from dramas such as Anak Halal to romantic comedies like Cun.

Now, fresh from winning the best director award at the recent Anugerah Skrin 2011 for his work on Cun, Osman is ready to give movie-goers an emotional roller-coaster ride with the love story, Ombak Rindu.

An adaptation of a bestselling Malay novel of the same title, Ombak Rindu tells the story of Izzah (Maya Karin) a village religious teacher who is sold to a brothel by her uncle on the pretext that they need money for her aunt's surgery. Her first customer is rich playboy Hariz (Aaron Aziz). Izzah begs him to marry her as a way out of prostitution and he agrees, but with the intention of making her his mistress. Little does he know that when two people spend so much time together, feelings are bound to develop.

As time goes by, love grows and Hariz falls for Izzah. But there's a problem – Hariz is engaged to his childhood sweetheart Mila (Lisa Surihani) and has to find a way out of the mess.

Mila, in turn, proves herself as a force to be reckoned with and she is determined to win him back at all costs. So how is Hariz going to get out of the emotional mess?

For those who have been following Osman's work all these years, Ombak Rindu is definitely a big surprise. A very pleasant one at that. And be warned – a box of tissues is likely to come in handy.

With leading ladies such as Maya and Lisa (both have won the best actress titles at the Malaysian Film Festival, in 2008 and 2010 respectively) and Bront Palarae (he won the best actor award at the MFF 2010) as well as the popular Aaron Aziz, Ombak Rindu is arguably the most anticipated movie of the year.

Jointly produced by Astro Shaw and Tarantella Pictures, the movie was filmed last August in Langkawi, Kedah and Cameron Highlands, Pahang, and racked up a RM2.1mil budget (it was originally estimated to cost about RM1.6mil).

For Osman, directing an adaptation from a novel was a huge challenge but it was something that he had wanted to do for so long.

"The opportunity never materialised before this. I don't think there are many filmmakers who have made movies based on books. So when Tarantella Pictures contacted me about the movie, the first thing I did was to contact novelist Fauziah Ashaari. I needed her blessing ... it was very important for me as a director," said the affable filmmaker, after the media was treated to a preview last week.

"We also discussed the script which was already written by Indonesian Armantono (who wrote for movie Lagenda Budak Setan). What I did was to make minimal changes here and there to suit Malaysian sensitivities.

While working on the screenplay, Osman also took into account that fans of the book may have problems accepting some of the changes made in the film adaptation. He said that he was aware the fans would have their own expectations and he had to stay true to the book.

"I couldn't possibly follow the book 100%. I guess it is a big challenge for any director to work on a movie based on a book. In fact, I read and loved the book. The story was set in a Malay community, and it was full of love and tears.

"It is how a woman struggled all her life to find true happiness; that's really fascinating for me as a director," he said, adding that it was important for him to love the story and the charactesr from the get go. "I think one has to give a part of their soul to the story and I did.

He added that one of his biggest challenges was to create a new Izzah in Maya Karin and a new Mila in Lisa Surihani.

"I was proud to see how Maya worked so hard to play her role. I also decided to make Maya's character, Izzah, wear a tudung (headscarf) and I kept telling Maya to play Izzah as honest as she could.

"Then we also had Lisa playing the strong-willed b***h Mila, who is the total opposite of her own soft-spoken personality. So it was a challenge for me to change Lisa into somebody else through the filming process.

For Maya, to play an ustazah in Ombak Rindu was challenging, but she embraced it whole-heartedly.

"Izzah is a soft-spoken, righteous girl from a village. She's always used religion as a guide in her daily life," she described her role.

To ensure she did her best, Maya personally hired an ustazah to teach her more about Islam.

"I took it upon myself to hire a religious teacher for three weeks to teach and show me all there is to know about Islam and what being an ustazah is all about. We spent about two to three hours a day together and I learnt a lot from her," said Maya.

"Before I got the offer to act in Ombak Rindu, I had already read the book (which I bought seven years ago!) It was the first Malay novel that I read and I loved it! I loved Izzah's character in the book and I fell in love with Hariz too.

"So when I was offered the role I was beyond excited. I guess I'm a romantic at heart, and I loved it most when Izzah and Hariz (who love each other deeply) have a difficulty expressing that love," elaborated Maya.

Having worked with Osman previously in Anak Halal and Cun, Maya is quick to give the director props. "Osman is an amazing director and my fellow actors have been amazing too. I'm glad to finally see the movie on screen," she said.

Lisa, meanwhile, feels that Mila has been her most challenging yet.

"When I heard about the movie I just said yes, without knowing which role I was going to get!" she revealed.

Lisa is glad for the acting rehearsals that Osman put her through with actress-turned-acting coach Ellie Suriyati. "It helped me familiarise myself with my role. Osman did give me 'Mila' because he wanted to show a different side of me. I have to admit it was very challenging."

"There's an obvious black or white streak to Mila's personality. My main challenge was to balance that out a little so people wouldn't hate her for who she is."

Ombak Rindu is now playing in cinemas nationwide.

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Top of the world

Posted: 02 Dec 2011 12:38 AM PST

Singaporean actor Aaron Aziz does good in Malaysia.

MANY will remember Aaron Aziz from the underrated romantic comedy Pisau Cukur, arguably one of the best Malaysian films of 2009. There was already a bit of hype surrounding him as a relative newcomer in the Malaysian film industry when he played a supporting role in the film alongside stars like Nur Fazura, Maya Karin and Dato' Rahim Razali. But not many would have predicted the sort of meteoric ascent that has seen him become not only the undoubted dreamboat of Malaysian film and television, but also a much sought after actor with some serious acting chops.

Such is his busy schedule that an opportunity to sit down for an interview with him had to be fit in during the lunch break at the shoot of an upcoming production you'll be seeing him in.

Just what made Aaron, a Singaporean who began his acting career on TV for the Suria Channel in Singapore, try his luck in Malaysia instead?

"Kak Erma (local actress Erma Fatima) was a member of the jury for an awards show called Pesta Perdana in Singapore in 2002, and she saw me then. I had won a Best Supporting Actor award that night and later she called me up and asked me to play a supporting role in Sumayyah in 2004.

"Back then I just went up to Kuala Lumpur for shoots, and then I would return to Singapore, but as time went on I started getting more offers, like from Kak Erma again for Haryati 2 and from Dato' Yusof Haslam for Janji Diana, and finally in 2007, Astro offered to sign me as one of their artistes, so I decided to make the jump and try my luck here, as it was beginning to look more and more like I could make a career out of this here, as opposed to it being more of the part-time thing like it was in Singapore," answered Aaron.

Aaron's dashing good looks are a strong hint that he got his start in front of the camera as a model, and when asked whether he had always wanted to be an actor, he explained that it wasn't really the case at all.

"I sort of stumbled into the acting profession through modeling," the 35-year-old said, elaborating on how he was asked to enroll in acting classes to arm himself with better skills for TV commercials. He also adds: "People always say you won't know something unless you try it, and that's how it was with the acting classes and the TV commercials. Unlike some actors, it was never a case of actively seeking out production houses with a portfolio for me. There's a huge element of luck where I was concerned because people would come up to me and say, 'why don't you come and read for this part?' It never crossed my mind that I'd be an actor, but as I started going for those early auditions and trying out for my first few parts, I began to fall in love with the craft ... and here we are now."

Having starred in a variety of highly popular TV dramas and telemovies including Gerak Khas, Cahaya Kasih, Emil Emilda and the latest TV sensation Nora Elena, Aaron saw his star rise even higher this year when he snagged the lead role in Syamsul Yusof's KL Gangster, currently the highest grossing Malaysian film in history with box office takings of around RM12mil.

Add to that two more big box office hits in Evolusi KL Drift (Parts 1 and 2), the aforementioned Pisau Cukur, and another high profile release in the now-playing movie adaptation of best-selling Malaysian novel Ombak Rindu and it's pretty clear that this is one guy who is fast becoming the new "Hero Malaya" (as the local press likes to dub whoever the current "king" of Malaysian films is).

In addition to being a much-in-demand actor, Aaron has also quietly made his first foray into feature-length directing with the recent airing of his telemovie Kekasih Awal Dan Akhir, which judging from publicity and reported high ratings (more than one million viewers, Aaron informs with a big smile) is quite an achievement for a first-time director.

On both sides of the camera

Was it difficult, handling the pressure of being both behind and in front of the camera for this first telemovie?

"Luckily, I've done a few commercials, music videos and info ads in Singapore where I was both behind and in front of the camera, so when the time came to shoot Kekasih Awal Dan Akhir, I'd already learned how to compartmentalise my different roles, so that didn't worry me that much," he answered.

"What did worry me, was whether the things I had planned and put in the movie would be good enough to interest people to tune in. Watching it again now, of course, there will always be things that I wish I did better, which I'm sure is something that any filmmaker will feel about their 'baby', but I tried to do my best and hopefully people can see it in the finished product."

Talking about his latest film, the big-screen adaptation of the best-selling novel by Fauziah Ashari, Ombak Rindu, Aaron revealed that he didn't read the book.

"As an actor, I always choose to read the screenplay only, as it is the screenplay that will be shot and put on film, and what the director wants is always in the screenplay. I don't want to risk confusing the character and putting in things that are not in the screenplay but are there in the book, so as a general rule it's the screenplay only for me."

Starring alongside Maya Karin and Malaysia's most popular leading-lady-at-the-moment, Lisa Surihani, in what is surely the love triangle weepie of the year, Ombak Rindu also boasts some heavyweights behind-the-camera power in producer Sharad Sharan, who directed and produced last year's hit movie adaptation of Lagenda Budak Setan and, of course, award-winning director Osman Ali, who also adapted the book with Armantono.

"When you're doing films, the directors are usually quite particular, and if they're not getting what they want on film, they're unlikely to say 'Let's move on to the next scene'. Some directors put more emphasis on technical and visual matters, and less on acting, while others are more concerned about getting the right performances from actors but are not as fussy, technical-wise," said Aaron as he related his experiences with Osman, adding that he'd like the opportunity to work with such filmmakers as Ahmad Idham and Shuhaimi Baba.

"Osman Ali is particular about both these things, and it's this commitment that makes him special. If you see the movie, there's one short scene on a yacht, which he insisted on getting, even if it was only a short scene. Yes, it might be expensive to do it, but it's beautiful, and Osman thinks it was worth having that shot in the film, and it's these details that make him quite different. He's not the kind of director who takes the easy way out, and I really respect him for that."

Having neither seen the finished film nor read the book at the time of this interview, one wonders what Aaron thinks the audience reaction will be like to the film.

He said: "I think it's something that people will find easy to like. It's not too 'urban' and it's also not too simplistic in the way that some Malay movies are, and since it's adapted from a popular novel, this means there's already a built-in audience wanting to see the film ... I hope it will do well."

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Movies coming soon

Posted: 01 Dec 2011 11:50 PM PST

The Muppets – Walter, a big fan of the Muppets, along with his friends Gary and Mary, discover the shocking plans of a rich businessman to tear down the Muppet Theatre. They immediately set out to find Kermit the Frog, who is no longer with the Muppets, and reunite him with the rest of the gang to stage a fundraiser and save the theatre.

Starring Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo, Animal, Jason Segel, Amy Adams and Chris Cooper.

New Year's Eve – This movie celebrates love, hope, forgiveness, second chances and fresh starts, among couples and single people living in New York. Their lives somehow intertwine, and on New Year's eve, everything comes together in a dazzling end. Starring Jessica Biel, Jon Bon Jovi, Abigail Breslin, Ludacris, Robert De Niro, Josh Duhamel and Zac Efron.

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The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf

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Presenting, books!

Posted: 01 Dec 2011 11:48 PM PST

IT'S almost that time of the year again when greetings and gifts will be exchanged. Now, there's nothing we bibliophiles at Reads love more than a beautifully-wrapped book (or two!) in our stockings, but with so many books out there, making a choice can be quite a challenge.

So we'd love to know which book you'd like to give someone as a present, and what book would make the perfect gift for you. And if you are one of five readers who sends in the best, most creatively/touchingly/hilariously explained reasons for the chosen titles, you stand a chance to win a RM100 voucher from the kind people at MPH Bookstores!

To participate, go to thestar.com.my/lifestyle/lifebookshelf/ and fill out the "Gift-A-Book" survey.

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Holiday pickle

Posted: 01 Dec 2011 11:48 PM PST

Cabin Fever

Author & illustrator: Jeff Kinney

Publisher: Puffin Books, 224 pages

GREG Heffley is the No.1 suspect when school property is damaged, but he's innocent ... sort of. A blizzard hits, trapping the Heffleys indoors and buying Greg a little more time – but really, perhaps being punished would actually be preferable to being stuck inside with your family during the holidays!

The Heroes Of Olympus Book 2: The Son Of Neptune

Author: Rick Riordan

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd, 544 pages

IN The Lost Hero, the first book of this series, three demigods named Jason, Piper, and Leo made their first visit to Camp Half-Blood, where they learn that, with four other half-bloods (the offspring of the union between humans and gods), they must defend the world from destruction. Who are the other four demigods? Well, at another camp thousands of miles away, a new camper appears to be the son of Neptune, god of the sea. With an ever-expanding cast of brave-hearted heroes and formidable foes, this second book in The Heroes Of Olympus series offers all of the action, pathos, and humour that Rick Riordan fans crave.

Legend

Author: Marie Lu

Publisher: Putnam Juvenile, 336 pages

FIFTEEN-year-olds June and Day are both citizens of the Republic, but while June is a member of the elite and is being groomed for a career in the military, Day is the country's most wanted criminal. Their paths cross when Day is wrongly accused of murdering June's brother. June swears to make Day pay for her family's loss while Day must save himself and his own loved ones. But, in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth about their country and the sinister lengths it will go to keep its secrets.

Inheritance

Author: Christopher Paolini

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers, 880 pages

IN this conclusion to Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle, Eragon and Saphira must finally confront the evil and greedy King of Alagaësia. The fate of the empire lies on the Dragon Rider's shoulders – will he be able to defeat the king and restore justice to Alagaësia? And if so, at what cost?

Eight Keys

Author: Suzanne LaFleur

Publisher: Puffin Books, 224 pages

ELISE and Franklin have been best friends since she can remember, but things seem different when they start secondary school. Suddenly, Elise feels like a fish out of water and everything seems to go wrong. Even Franklin. Then, one day, Elise receives a mysterious key and uncovers an incredible secret – a secret that just might change everything, for the better ... if Elise lets it.

Gangsta Granny

Author: David Walliams

Illustrator: Tony Ross

Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books, 240 pages

BEN has to stay at granny's house – worst luck! Talk about boring: all she wants to do is play Scrabble, for crying out loud. Little does Ben know that old gran used to be a jewel thief and she's not quite retired, either. Granny wants to steal the Crown jewels and her plans include help from Ben!

Brother Sun, Sister Moon (Saint Francis of Assisi's Canticle Of The Creatures)

Author: Katherine Paterson

Illustrator: Pamela Dalton

Publisher: Chronicle Books, 36 pages

IN Brother Sun, Sister Moon, award-winning author Katherine Paterson re-imagines a hymn of praise originally written by Saint Francis of Assisi in 1224. Illuminated with the exquisite illustrations of cut-paper artist Pamela Dalton, this picture book offers a stunningly beautiful tribute to nature.

Stuck

Author & Illustrator: Oliver Jeffers

Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books, 32 pages

WHAT do you do if your kite gets stuck up a tree? You throw something up after it to unstick it, of course. That's what Floyd does, but a pair of shoes, a ladder, a pot of paint, the kitchen sink, an orang utan and a whole lot of other stuff later, the kite's still stuck. Will poor Floyd ever get his kite back?

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Confidence shines

Posted: 01 Dec 2011 11:39 PM PST

This local author's debut short story collection nicely shows off her development as a writer.

The Female Cell

Author: Rumaizah Abu Bakar

Publisher: Silverfish Books, 166 pages

RUMAIZAH Abu Bakar's work was first published in the collection News From Home (Silverfish Books, 2007) alongside short fiction by Shi-Li Kow and Chuah Kok Yee, who both went on to publish individual collections (Without Anchovies and Ripples respectively).

Rumaizah's solo debut, The Female Cell, is very much a mixed bag comprising fiction, short pieces of observational writing best described as vignettes, and non-fiction travel writing. In all of them her greatest strength is her ability to capture the smallest of details and to freeze the moment.

She is clearly the kind of writer who enjoys travelling with notebook in hand, capturing the minutia that most of us would be too preoccupied to register.

I particularly enjoyed her vignettes in the first section of the book, Love, Lies And Lives. (I'm a great fan of this form – the best example of which is Sam Shepherd's Motel Tales). Kuala Lumpur's LRT system is the focal point of several of the pieces and she captures unusual individuals, small dramas and conflicts, and creates a sense of menace very well.

Rumaizah draws on her inside knowledge of the hotel industry for several of the pieces in News From Home, and revisits this territory here. In Christmas in July, a world famous Michelin-starred chef returns to the hotel kitchen where he started his career 22 years before and stirs memories of old rivalries; while The Moon Fairy involving a battle over a hotel's moon cake promotion powerfully demonstrates the politics of this small enclosed world.

The strongest piece of fiction in the collection is The Other Woman, which records a pivotal moment in the relationship of two lovers after one of them is forced to admit that he is marrying someone else to please his family.

The inner turmoil of the main characters contrasts with the matter-of-factness of the setting; the sweeper idly observing them, and the passing tourists. Counting Raindrops is a story of adolescent sexual awakening which has a mystical, almost fairy-tale like quality.

Other pieces of fiction don't work quite so well. Sunny Side Up feels like an incident in search of a story. House Husband captures family politics rather well, as 75-year-old Tok practices some reverse psychology on her unwed daughter, but the piece needed pushing further as it leaves us with many unanswered questions.

In Shoe Bags, a story set in Mecca, two Malaysian sisters become separated during a visit to the Al-Haram mosque.

One is never seen again. The setting is very well drawn, and real tension is generated, but the story is let down by the rather flat ending. Any short story writer surely owes it to his/her readers to provide all the clues that might be needed to at least make a decent stab at what happens in the end.

In this case we find that we do not know the characters, or their relationship, well enough to be able to begin to make a guess about the cause of Kak Teh's disappearance.

The second part of the book comprises travel stories. The Wooden Liver Box tells of a visit to a pyramid and an encounter with an unusual tour guide. It has a corny "I've just spoken to a ghost" ending, much loved by Victorian horror writers, but the detail in the setting largely redeems it.

The other pieces in this section are more straightforward travel pieces. She describes the frustrations of travel so well, and has a keen eye for ironies. Room Ensuite tells of a holiday experience from hell in a small "Family Atmosphere" pension in Turkey with "mother-cooked meals". Elsewhere she travels to Mecca, Singapore, and Vigan City in The Philippines.

Her account of a visit to Malaysia is not the tourist brochure view of Malaysia, and the way she writes about her experiences, warts and all, is refreshing. However, we are waiting for the over-arching observation that ties everything together, but it never comes.

The Female Cell reveals Rumaizah as a more confident writer than she was in News From Home, and demonstrates that there are a number of directions she might move in next. (Personally I'd like to see more of Rumaizah the travel writer.) However, the collection feels rather bitty and it lacks real cohesion and, although the pieces do show real promise, many of them could have been further developed.

Sharon 'Bibliobibuli' Bakar blogs at thebookaholic.blogspot.com.

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The Star Online: Metro: Central

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Year-end goodies

Posted: 01 Dec 2011 02:33 AM PST

WHO says loving the planet isn't worth its salt?

The Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) is offering year-end goodies to owners of hybrid cars. First, the city council announced free car parking for three months for owners of fuel-efficient hybrid cars and secondly, a 25% rebate on the annual assessment under its Low Carbon Green Rebate Assessment Scheme.

However, there is a catch. The cars should be bought within Petaling Jaya.

The free car parking for the said period alone will save the car owners RM300.

MBPJ councillor and Green City committee chairman Khairul Anuar Ahmad Zainudin said the council had approved the green initiative to entice residents to go green, cut carbon emissions and at the same time save money in a whole new way.

"We are encouraging people to improve the environment while they spend less, earn more, save more and enjoy rebates on their assessment.

"We have recognised that the city council is moving forward with these initiatives - offering more incentives rather than regulatory means," Khairul told Star Metro after the council's full board meeting yesterday.

MBPJ One-Stop Centre chief Lee Lih Shyan, who has drawn up various green initiatives, explained that the free hybrid car parking was included in the 2012 council budget thus adding up to the earlier introduced 25% rebate on the annual assessment.

"Our free hybrid car parking for three months is done without hassle.

"Owners of the cars are required to make available photocopies of the car registration document and receipt of purchase to the MBPJ's Treasury department at Jalan Yoong Shook Lin," he said.

Lee added that only after verifying the documents, the free parking coupons would be issued.

"For the 25% rebate offered on the annual assessment, the owner of the car can claim it at the end of 2012 in the annual assessment," he said.

Lee said green investing is finally making its impact which is great news for the environment and a chance to save costs.

"Our aim is to create the concept of responsible investments through the Petaling Jaya Low Carbon Green Rebate Assessment Scheme to give rebates of up to RM500 to residents who incorporate energy efficient upgrades or follow a green lifestyle," he added.

On July 21, StarMetro had reported on the scheme titled "Green giveaways" where residents who cycle to work get 25% discount and those who install a solar water heater at their homes would also get 25% discount.

As of Oct 21 under the pilot project, only 49 took up the scheme as opposed to the council's target of 100.

MBPJ mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman said the council is trying to promote green incentives and eco-friendly policies to reduce carbon footprint.

"I hope the scheme is adopted by all. Our approach is to engage the people to become environmentally smarter, through economic incentives," he added.

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Residents cry foul over acquisition by KL Monorail

Posted: 01 Dec 2011 02:30 AM PST

RESIDENTS of Tong Weng Mansion situated on Jalan Berhala in Brickfields are seeing red as their property price is expected to drop after a small part of "their land" area has been carved up.

Residents' association chairman G. Subramanian said KL Monorail Systems Sdn Bhd's contractor has already taken up about 10 feet of their land and hoarded up the area.

"We have lost our badminton court which we also use to conduct activities such as gatherings and funeral services," said Subramaniam.

The residents have been using the plot of land, situated at the fringe of their property for these activities for the last 37 years.

A committee member, K. Tangaperumal, who has two units at the Tong Weng Mansion, next to the Temple of Fine Arts, said to add salt to injury, the residents have to bear with the noise from passing coaches.

"The property market will definitely depreciate with the loss of the essential facilities and the noise pollution."

He said the apartment was a sought-after place for people looking for a place to rent in Brickfields because the place was relatively quiet and lush greenery its backyard added value to the property, he said.

"Furthermore, we have come to understand that KL Monorail has agreed in principle to allow the Seng Hong Temple, which is to make way partly, to occupy the space underneath the pier," he added.

The residents claim the toilets and exorcism chamber of the temple would be erected underneath the pier.

They fear these factors would decrease the price of their property, which is currently going at RM200,000 per unit.

"We also want KL Monorail to erect a noise barrier to cushion the noise," said Tangaperumal, who is also the deputy president of the Sri Krishna temple which is also making way for the KL Monorail project.

The chairman said Sri Krishna will be relocated to a new site in Jalan Scott alongside two other existing Hindu temples.

The temple has been at its present location for the last 13 years after it moved out of Pantai Dalam.

KL Monorail, a subsidiary of Syarikat Prasarana Negara Bhd, has already started work and piling works is underway.

The committee has also appealed to Prasarana for compensation in view of the "loss" of their land, future noise level and the depreciation of their property.

S. Tiagarajah, a parcel owner and a resident of some 30-plus years said KL Monorail should pay compensation based on humanitarian grounds.

"KL Monorail has taken a piece of land that we have been using for over 30 years and the residents feel that it is only fair we too get something in return," said another resident who did not want to be named.

When contacted, Prasarana spokesman Chelam Vasudevan said Tong Weng residents had been illegally occupying the "extra plot" of land which they claim as theirs.

"We make absolutely sure of this before we start any work and the records show that part of the land in dispute does not belong to Tong Weng Mansion,'' he told Star Metro in a telephone interview.

As far as compensation is concerned, he said the residents could request and send an appeal letter.

"We are not promising anything but the management will look into their request," he said.

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