Rabu, 5 September 2012

The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

0 ulasan 9:10 PTG Dicatat oleh blog2

Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

Just stay tuned

Posted: 06 Sep 2012 01:32 AM PDT

Get your share of the RM100,000 cash that Red FM is giving away to its loyal listeners.

RED FM's Sure Can Win which started on Sept 3 is a month-long contest offering cash and cool prizes to listeners. There is no need to run around town, no need for embarrassing acts. All you do is tune in and wait for the announcers to call out profiles.

Should the profile fit you, give them a call immediately and answer one simple question. Sarimah from The Red Breakfast's no brainer question yesterday was, "Who are you talking to", an easy question which made the first winner, Faiz Aizuddin, RM400 richer! Faiz fitted the description – a 26-year-old sales person. It was that easy!

Mary Anne, a loyal listener of Red FM, was the second lucky winner for the day. The 30-year-old housewife loves tuning in to the radio station because of the music choices, which features a mix of current and 90s hits, keeping her upbeat as she goes about caring for her family. When asked what she plans to do with the RM250 she had won, she shared that she would be using it to celebrate her son's second birthday. She added that last year she celebrated her son's birthday with Red FM's help from the Runaway DJ contest. "My husband won money last year when he managed to catch Fiqrie on the run. As it was my son's birthday it was exciting to share a cake with the radio team," said Mary Anne. It was a memorable birthday for the new mum as she and her family shared a cake with Fiqrie from The Edge On Red and The Red Ryders.

Mary Anne said excitedly: "I am very happy to have Red FM help me celebrate my son's birthday for two consecutive years."

Look out for the Sure Can Ryders too as they will be taking to the ground to give out goodies at selected stops. Once a day, they will be giving out cash as well. For clues on their whereabouts, follow their Facebook page at facebook.com/redfmryders.

So stalk or run after them to get your hands on the treats they have for you. The same Sure Can Win on air contest is also available on ground. The Sure Can Ryders will be calling out profiles and if you match it, the money is yours.

With this being a four-week long competition, there sure will be plenty of chances for you to win easily, so keep yourself tuned to Red FM.

For more information, log on to red.fm/surecanwin. Join the Red FM Malaysia Facebook fan page on facebook.com/redfm.my and follow them on Twitter @iloveredfm.

Red FM is owned and operated by The Star.

> Red FM's Station Frequencies: Taiping, Kedah, Perlis and Pulau Langkawi: 98.1FM; George Town and Seberang Prai: 107.6FM; Ipoh, Perak: 106.4FM; Klang Valley, Negri Sembilan and Tapah: 104.9FM; Kuantan, Pahang: 91.6FM; Batu Pahat and Malacca: 98.9FM; Johor Baru and Singapore: 92.8FM.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Sports

0 ulasan 7:44 PTG Dicatat oleh blog2

Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Star Online: Sports

Paralympics: M'sian paddlers beat Brazil to move into quarters
Murray back from brink as Cilic chokes
Serena advances to US Open semis

Paralympics: M'sian paddlers beat Brazil to move into quarters

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 06:10 PM PDT

LONDON: Malaysia crossed their first hurdle in the London Paralympics men's table tennis team competition by beating Brazil 3-1 in their first round match at the Excel North Arena here Wednesday.

The win ensured Malaysia a spot in the quarterfinals and set up a date with Ukraine Thursday.

After a flying start, Malaysia were in for a surprise when the Brazilians levelled the tie at 1-1, but two points in quick succession ensured a positive start when men's team table tennis competition got underway here Wednesday.

In the first singles, Koh Zhi Liang beat Paulo Salmin 11-8, 11-6, 9-11, 11-7 but Brazil came back to level the tie when Carlos Carbinatt edged Mohamad Azwar Bakar 8-11, 12-10, 11-9, 0-11, 11-9 in a five-set thriller.

Mohamad Azwar however, made amends for his earlier defeat by beating Salmin 11-4, 11-5, 11-6 in straight sets to give Malaysia a 2-1 lead.

In the fourth match, Koh, who had contributed Malaysia's first point, clinched the winning point after a five-set thriller against Carbinatt to avenge Mohamad Azwar's defeat at the hands of the Brazilian.

Koh triumphed 11-6, 13-15, 11-8, 6-11, 11-9 to ensure Malaysia moved on to the next stage. - Bernama

Murray back from brink as Cilic chokes

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 05:52 PM PDT

NEW YORK - Andy Murray reached a second successive US Open semi-final on Wednesday after Croatia's Marin Cilic squandered a set and 5-1 lead to lose their quarter-final 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2, 6-0.

Third seed Murray goes on to face either world number one Roger Federer, the five-time champion who beat him in the 2008 final, or Czech sixth seed Tomas Berdych for a place in Sunday's final.

Wednesday's win was Murray's seventh in eight meetings with 12th-seeded Cilic, whose only victory over the Briton came in the fourth round in New York in 2009 when he raced to a straight-sets triumph.

But after twice serving for the second set, the 23-year-old Cilic's game fell to pieces, being broken in the fifth and seventh games of the third set.

Murray, the Olympic champion and Wimbledon runner-up to Federer this year, was quickly 4-0 ahead in the fourth set as Cilic, who came into the match having spent over three hours more on court than the Scot, wilted.

Murray broke three more times in the fourth set with the Croat winning just four points on his own serve.

Cilic ended the three-hour encounter having won just three more games from 5-1 ahead in the second set. - AFP

Serena advances to US Open semis

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 05:48 PM PDT

NEW YORK - US fourth seed Serena Williams advanced to the US Open semi-finals for the fourth time in five years on Wednesday by defeating Serbian 12th seed Ana Ivanovic 6-1, 6-3 in 58 minutes.

Three-time champion Williams, a 14-time Grand Slam winner who lost to Samantha Stosur in last year's final, will next play on Friday against Italian 10th seed Sara Errani for a berth in Saturday's championship match.

"It's going to be a good matchup. She is such a fighter. She's so strong and quick," Williams said. "I'm just so happy to be in the semis. It's so cool."

Williams has only dropped 16 games through five matches while blasting a tournament-best 41 aces, including 12 against outmatched Ivanovic, a former World No. 1 who won a Grand Slam title at the 2008 French Open.

"I came out really strong," Williams said. "Playing someone like Ana, the former No. 1, I knew I had to come out strong and play some amazing tennis." - AFP

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Business

0 ulasan 7:13 PTG Dicatat oleh blog2

Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Star Online: Business

Pentagon lists 66 countries as eligible to buy U.S. drones
CIMB Research sees more upside for O&G sector
Euro failure no longer on Germany's minds - Loew

Pentagon lists 66 countries as eligible to buy U.S. drones

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 06:27 PM PDT

Home > Business > News

Story file not found.

CIMB Research sees more upside for O&G sector

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 06:26 PM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR: CIMB Equities Research continues to have positive expectations for the oil & gas sector, and maintains its Overweight call.

"Our top picks are SapuraKencana for big caps and Perisai for small caps. For exposure to marginal field development, we recommend SapuraKencana and Dialog," it said on Thursday.

It quoted Upstream, an international oil & gas newspaper, that Petronas is set to reveal by year-end the winners of two further risk service contracts (RSCs)that will cover the development of the Tembikai and Cenang marginal fields.

"Meanwhile, several local companies are believed to be in talks to participate in the Kapal, Banang and Meranti (KBM) RSC with Thailand-based Coastal Energy," the newspaper said.

CIMB Research described this is a welcome development given that it has been more than a year since Dialog (Outperform) won the second RSC.

So far, three RSCs have been awarded, giving the opportunity for SapuraKencana (Outperform) and Dialog to venture into exploration & production.

With 22 more RSCs worth an estimated US$17.6bil to US$22bil to be awarded, the marginal field development offers great potential for local companies, CIMB Research said.

Euro failure no longer on Germany's minds - Loew

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 06:25 PM PDT

BERLIN: Germany's summer of footballing failure will not be preying on their minds as they kick off their World Cup qualifying campaign on Friday, coach Joachim Loew has promised.

The Germans have been given a gentle start, with a home match against the Faroe Islands in Hanover, but even so are likely to be jittery after a traumatic four months.

After Friday it gets more difficult, with a trip to neighbours Austria on Tuesday.

"The players have put their disappointments behind them and there is real hunger for success," Loew said. "That goes for the coaching staff as well."

Germany's troubles began when Bayern Munich lost the Champions League final to Chelsea in their own Allianz Arena, going down on penalties after dominating the game.

The national side then lost to Italy in the Euro 2012 semi-finals, continuing a run of near misses that include second place at the 2002 World Cup, third in 2006, third in 2010, and runners-up at Euro 2008.

Loew's team was also outclassed by a Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina, losing 3-1 at home in a friendly in August.

Germany won all 10 games on their way to Euro 2012 but Loew has warned that a group also containing Sweden, Austria and Ireland, and involving a long trip to Kazakhstan, could pose more difficulties.

"We completed the last qualifies in a rousing manner," Loew said. "This time it will be more difficult, the group is very even. There won't be any pushovers.

"We have to improve when we don't have the ball. I place value on the way we develop going forward, but we must be more active off the ball and make sure we don't give our opponents any time."

Loew said that not even the Faroe Islands, who have 12 of their 19-man squad based locally, would be easy.

"The Faroes have only lost recently by narrow margins, one-or two-goal margins. Italy only beat them by a goal," he said. "They are certainly not cannon-fodder."

Germany are missing striker Mario Gomez, who is recovering from an ankle operation, and Bastian Schweinsteiger, who is not match fit. - Reuters

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf

0 ulasan 3:45 PTG Dicatat oleh blog2

Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf

Author Malcolm Mejin determined to pursue his passion

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 06:11 AM PDT

He's been writing since he was six and there's nothing else he would rather do, says this determined young author.

EVERYBODY loves a good secret. Whether it's a trivial matter such as a secret crush or something grand like an international conspiracy, people often get a kick out of discovering the unrevealed.

With this in mind, author Malcolm Mejin decided to play on the themes of secrets and revelations in his debut novel, Cool Diary.

"Secrets and revelations sound like good ingredients in a book to me. As human beings, we have a tendency to be very curious and I think revelations can actually teach us real-life lessons," says Kuching-born Mejin.

The habit of keeping journals played a part in inspiring the 25-year-old to write Cool Diary, which is an epistolary novel.

"I pretty much grew up writing journals. I actually have a huge box where all my diaries are safely kept. So I thought it would be a great idea to write a novel that feels as though you're reading about somebody's life story, just like a journal," reveals Mejin.

In Cool Diary, Mejin weaves a story about Cool, a special student who leads a secret life in the human world. However, being extraordinary does not spare him from the ordinary problems that every teenager faces even as he grapples with an impending apocalypse.

"On the outside, Cool looks just like any other normal person. The only thing that separates him from the others is his special abilities. He is sworn to secrecy, but there are times when he's on the brink of revealing who he really is," says Mejin.

It was a conscious decision on Mejin's part to christen the book's titular character with a bizarre name.

"When I first started writing the book, the main character's name was actually Mart, which is short for Martin. But eventually it all boiled down to the title of the book and I wanted the name to sound simple and catchy.

"So I thought to myself, 'What would sound cool for a book title?' and then bam! The word 'cool' just rang inside my head," the Sarawakian shares.

It took Mejin about three months to complete Cool Diary. While the book may be his debut novel, Mejin is not exactly an amateur in the publishing industry. The journalism graduate from Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman has been writing story drafts since he was six and compiling them into books for himself.

His short story, Women In Boots, was shortlisted in the MPH Search for Young Writers competition and appears in the 2005 collection, Rewind, Fast Forward: An Anthology.

Apart from that, Meijin also created the children's book series, Zany Zombie, which began publication in 2010.

"I have been writing my whole life and working on Cool Diary feels like a dream come true," Mejin offers.

Running through the young author's list of published work, it's apparent that his readers fall within the children and young adult demographics.

"Well, I guess the reason why I decide to write for young people is because I'm young myself. Besides, there are countless interesting stories and anecdotes during school and college life just waiting to be told," says Mejin who lists Charles Dickens, Suzanne Collins and R.L. Stine as some his favourite authors.

Having experienced first hand the tough journey of getting a book published, Mejin believes more can be done to develop the local literary scene.

"There's just not enough spotlight on the Malaysian literary scene. I think Western books are given more emphasis as there is a persistent sentiment that fiction novels from abroad are much better than the local ones.

"But what people don't realise is that local books can be just as good as those written by Western authors. The time has come for our local authors to stand out," Mejinsays.

That being said, the author is optimistic about the future of the publishing industry here.

"I'm an idealist, so I'd say that the local literary scene is going to be amazing in the next 10 years. But for us to get there, we will need continuous support from literary institutions, the media and the public. Once the awareness is there, people will start to notice and gradually embrace local authors," he feels.

But regardless of what state the local literary scene is in, Mejin is certain he will keep writing in the future.

"I'm very unpredictable. But I think I'll probably be writing more novels in the future because writing is what I love to do. I can't think of anything else I'd rather do."

Books for a bargain

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 05:45 AM PDT

Being able to buy boxes full of great books at low prices at a warehouse sale is pretty great, huh? Well, here's even better news: Star2 readers can get even lower prices for these special titles!

IF your bookshelf's been looking woefully bare lately, fret not. The MPH Distributors Warehouse Sale is back to thrill book-lovers with the usual good bargains on a wide range of books, ranging from beloved classics to the latest in fiction, business books, self-help, travel, cookery, children's books and much more.

Customers who purchase RM300 and above worth of books at the sale will stand a chance at the lucky dip, where 100 freebies will be given out daily on a first come, first served basis for the duration of the sale, from Saturday to Sept 17.

And Star2 readers, listen up: you are entitled to further marked down prices for a selection of titles. Simply present the original page of the paper (no photocopies) upon payment and enjoy the special prices.

This offer is valid, while stocks last, only during the MPH Distributors Warehouse Sale from Sept 8 to 17. It is not valid with other promotions and is not exchangeable for cash. One page is valid for up to five of the titles featured here.

Look out for more discounted titles, exclusively for Star2 readers, this Friday.

77 Shadow Street by Dean Koontz (WP: RM15 / SP: RM10) – Welcome to Pendleton, a 1880s tycoon's dream home that hides a history of madness, suicide, murder and worse. Now, whatever drove the past occupants to their unspeakable fates is at work again.

Assorted Dale Carnegie titles, 3-in-1 bundles (WP: RM39 / SP: RM34) – Dale Carnegie's words of wisdom have been translated into success by scores of graduates for nearly a century. Six perennial bestsellers are now available in two separate value buy bundles.

Assorted Jodi Picoult 2-in-1 bundles (WP: RM35 / SP: RM30) – New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult has penned over 20 novels touching on elements of love, family and relationships. Her selected novels can be picked up in affordable 2-in-1 bundles.

Assorted John Gray 2-in-1 bundles (WP: RM30 / SP: RM25) – Relationship expert John Gray helps men and women understand, respect and appreciate their differences in both personal and professional relationships. Combining communication techniques with healthy nutritional choices for brain and body chemistry, his books have sold over 50 million copies in 50 different languages. The books are available in assorted 2-in-1 bundles.

Big Nate Five-Book Set (WP: RM65 / SP: RM60) – Nate is bigger than ever in this value-for-money box set containing Big Nate Goes For Broke, Big Nate On A Roll, Big Nate Strikes Again, Big Nate The Boy With The Biggest Head and Big Nate Boredom Buster. Readers can create their own comics, test their Big Nate knowledge and laugh at wacky facts.

Big Nate Boredom Buster #2: Fun Blaster (WP: RM15 / SP: RM12) – The perfect companion to the Big Nate books, this is packed with word puzzles, drawing games, brain-bending quizzes and lots of laughs!

Built To Last by Jim Collins & Jerry Porras (WP: RM34 / SP: RM28) – By comparing companies during specific eras in history, this book investigates the question, why are some companies able to achieve and sustain success through multiple generations of leaders, across decades and even centuries?

Collins Cobuild English Grammar (WP: RM25 / SP: RM20) – A modern, global and learner-focused English grammar reference. Updated to take into account significant changes in grammar over recent years, this guide is based on the evidence of the four billion-word Collins corpus.

Collins First English Words (WP: RM12 / SP: RM8) – Packed full of fun and useful everyday words, this beautifully-illustrated dictionary is perfect for kindergarten-aged English learners. With 36 themes each containing songs, games and engaging scenarios, young readers are introduced to 300 English words they need to learn by Ben, Daisy and Keekee the monkey.

How To Talk So People Listen by Sonya Hamlin (WP: RM31 / SP: RM26) – This revised and updated edition features Sonya Hamlin, one of America's leading communication experts, showing us how to successfully capture people's attention so that they listen, understand and are persuaded by our message – particularly in the plugged-in and fast-paced atmosphere of today's workplace.

Good To Great by Jim Collins (WP: RM48 / SP: RM40) – How can a good company become a great company? Based on a five-year research project, this book shows that greatness is a matter of choice and discipline, discussing concepts like Level 5 Leadership, First Who, and the Flywheel.

Penang Heritage Food by Ong Jin Teong (WP: RM27 / SP: RM22) – Ong Jin Teong shares the recipes for classic and forgotten dishes of Penang, while revealing the rich influences that created the state's unique culinary heritage.

The Hobbit (Part 1 and 2) Slipcase (warehouse sale price: RM23 / Star2 price: RM18) – The unforgettable story of Bilbo Baggins, a peace-loving hobbit, who embarks on a strange and magical adventure. This classic by J.R.R. Tolkien is now available as a two-part gift slipcase set.

The Ten Day MBA by Steven Silbiger (WP: RM33 / SP: RM28) – Thousands have mastered the skills taught at America's top 10 business schools with this book at a fraction of the time and cost an MBA typically takes. This revised fourth edition contains the most up-to-date information for understanding today's global business world.

The Warlock by Michael Scott (WP: RM18 / SP: RM13) – In this fifth instalment of The Secrets Of The Immortal Nicholas Flamel series, the twins of prophecy have been divided. Sophie is on her own with the weakening Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel, and must depend on Niten to help her find an immortal to teach her Earth Magic. – Sharmilla Ganesan

The MPH Distributors Warehouse Sale will be held from 8am to 6pm, from this Saturday to Sept 17, at The Crest, 3 Two Square, Block F, Ground Floor, No. 2, Jalan 19/1, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. For inquiries, call 03-7958 1688. "Like" the sale at facebook.com/MPHDistributors for the latest updates and a chance to win free books until this Friday.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Nation

0 ulasan 3:20 PTG Dicatat oleh blog2

Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Star Online: Nation

AG Chambers: Rape cases require deterrent sentencing
Batang Kali massacre victims’ kin to press for British apology, compensation
Ex-NS camp chief jailed 12 years for graft involving RM2,400

AG Chambers: Rape cases require deterrent sentencing

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 08:48 AM PDT

"This aberration of justice for those who most need the protection of law must be rectified," said the statement signed by AG Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail.

PETALING JAYA: Rape offenders should be severely punished to prevent others from committing such crimes against women and children, said the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) in a strongly-worded statement late Wednesday.

"The department's stand is that rape cases require deterrent sentencing to reflect the abhorrence and revulsion of the public towards such crimes.

"This aberration of justice for those who most need the protection of law must be rectified," said the statement signed by AG Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail.

The statement was in response to public uproar after former national youth squad bowler Noor Afizal Azizan and electrician Chuah Guan Jiu were bound over for five years and three years respectively on a RM25,000 good behaviour bond after being found guilty of statutory rape.

Both Noor Afizal and Chuah were 19 and 21 respectively when they committed the offences on girls who were then aged 13 and 12.

Noor Afizal escaped jail when the Court of Appeal allowed his appeal against a High Court decision to sentence him for statutory rape of a 13-year-old girl in 2009.

Chuah had been found guilty of raping his 12-year-old girlfriend on two occasions last year.

In the two cases, the judges took into consideration the future of both youths. They also noted that the sex acts were consensual.

Section 294 of the Criminal Procedure Code allows courts the discretion to bind the offender on a good behaviour bond if he is a first time offender and the offence had been committed under extenuating circumstances.

"In determining the appropriate punishment, especially for statutory rape cases, among the major factors to be considered by all parties involved is public interest and the seriousness of offence committed," the statement from AGC said, adding that this had always been observed in court decisions thus far.

In relation to this, the AGC said offences under Section 376 of the Penal Code, especially those which involve child victims, which increase the seriousness of the offence, is not an offence under "extenuating circumstances".

"In principle, an adult, or a person above the age of 18, especially persons known and trusted by the child victim, should not take advantage of a child as the child has not reached maturity.

"Even if it is said (alleged) that there was consent from the child victim for a sexual act, the consent must be questioned, due to the age and immaturity of the party which is said to have given its consent," it said.

The AGC said it had filed an appeal against the Penang Sessions Court's decision on 29 Aug for Chuah's case.

As for the Appeal Court's decision on Noor Afizal's case, the AGC said it was considering the use of the court's inherent power to review the decision.

Batang Kali massacre victims’ kin to press for British apology, compensation

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 08:43 AM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR: The relatives of the 24 men shot dead in the Batang Kali massacre will appeal against the British High Court decision on Tuesday that there was no legal obligation to hold a public inquiry into the killings.

The group's instructing solicitor here, Quek Ngee Meng, said the family members did not want to give up.

"There is some aspect of the judgment which is in our favour, so they have instructed us to appeal," said Quek, who announced the decision to appeal in a press conference here Wednesday. He said they had until Oct 2 to file the appeal.

President of the Queen's Bench Division Sir John Thomas and High Court of England and Wales Justice Colman Maurice Treacy had heard the judicial review of the British government's position on the killings and delivered the judgment.

The 24 men, mostly rubber tappers, were shot dead in Sungai Rimoh rubber estate on Dec 11 and 12, 1948 and their houses were set on fire by the 2nd Battalion of the Scots Guards during operations against the communist insurgency.

According to Quek, paragraph 138 of the judgment was admission that the killing was done illegally.

The paragraph states there is evidence supporting a wilful execution of the 24 civilians in Batang Kali.

Quek pointed out to paragraph 57 of the judgment, which stated the men were not running away and that two of the soldiers implicated, George Kydd and Robert Brownrigg, had reportedly said they were told by the army to testify that those killed had been trying to escape. (The conclusion of an inquiry into the incident in 1948/9 was that those killed were shot while trying to escape.)

Meanwhile, one of the four claimants in the suit against the British government, Lim Kok, 74, said he would not back off and wanted an apology over what had happened.

"My family led a miserable life after my father was killed," said Lim.

Another claimant Loh Ah Choi, 72, whose 19-year-old uncle Luo Wei-Nan was the first person to be shot, said the British government should also compensate the families for the trauma they had undergone.

Besides Lim and Loh, the other two claimants are Chong Nyok Keyu and Wooi Kum Thai. The British Secretary of State for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs and Secretary of State for Defence have been named as defendants.

The claimants are backed by 568 Malaysian organisations through the Action Committee Condemning the Batang Kali Massacre. One of the supporting organisations, The Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia (Hua Zong), hosted the press conference.

Also at the event was Hua Zong president Tan Sri Pheng Yin Huah.

Ex-NS camp chief jailed 12 years for graft involving RM2,400

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 07:06 AM PDT

KOTA BARU: The Sessions Court here on Wednesday sentenced a former commandant of a National Service (NS) Training Centre to 12 years' jail and RM60,000 fine for corruption involving RM2,400.

Judge Azman Mustapha handed down the sentence on Mohamad Nazri Osman, 45, a former NS commandant at the Ethno botany NS training camp in Gua Musang, after finding him guilty of six counts of corruption, involving RM2,400.

Mohamad Nazri, a former army officer with the rank of Major, was found guilty of committing the offence between January and August 2009.

Azman sentenced him to two years' jail and RM10,000 fine, in default 12 months' jail, on each count.

"The jail sentence is to be served consecutively," he said in his judgment.

However, Azman allowed a stay of the jail sentence following a request by Mohamad Nazri's lawyer, Mohd Aizat Nordin to appeal to the High Court.

On the first count, Mohamad Nazri was charged with accepting RM600 from a NS bus supplier, Ahmad Saifuddin Ibrahim, which was transferred into his Kota Baru Maybank, at 10.07am on June 2009.

The money was as an inducement for Mohamad Nazri, who now works as a security guard in Kuala Lumpur, to simplify matters pertaining to the supply of bus service at the camp for Ahmad Saifuddin.

The other five charges were for accepting bribes, also from Ahmad Saifudin, for the same purpose, involving RM500 at 8.51pm on Feb 11; RM600 at 8.58pm on March 11; RM300 at 9.05am on April 7; RM200 at 11.47pm on Aug 27 and RM200 at 9.30am on Jan 16.

Deputy public prosecutor from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, Mohd Ahsan Abd Latif, prosecuted. - Bernama

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Metro: Central

0 ulasan 2:03 PTG Dicatat oleh blog2

Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Star Online: Metro: Central

Shopowners in Brickfields say no to Deepavali stalls on public walkways

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 05:12 AM PDT

TRADERS along Jalan Tun Sambathan in Brickfields are up in arms against the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) move to set up a Deepavali bazaar in front of their shops.

The traders, who operate about 250 shops between Public Bank and Vinekananda Ashrama, have been protesting every year but their calls have fallen on deaf ears.

They said the stalls located on the pavement would deter shoppers from entering their premises, as a result, their business would drop by 50% to 60% as shown in previous years.

Brickfields Stakeholders Association's pro-tem president Dr R. Narkunam urged City Hall to relocate the bazaar to other open spaces in the area, citing the night market site in Jalan Abdul Samad or the carpark near the YMCA building.

"Pavements are for pedestrians, tourists and the visually impaired community of Brickfields, they are not for business. The authorities have painstakingly built tactile walkways for the blind but they allow petty traders to occupy these walkways, which defeats the purpose," he said.

He said apart from the blind, tourists and shoppers would be forced to risk their lives walking along the busy road because the bazaar took up all the space along the pavement and cars were parked haphazardly.

"The bazaar, which sells the same things we do, affects our business tremendously. Yet, we still need to pay rentals as high as RM15,000 as well as salaries for our employees," he said.

"Enough is enough, we do not want to suffer anymore. We are only fighting for our rights," he said, adding that the association has yet to receive any reply to the many letters, including a legal letter, sent to DBKL highlighting the problem.

The traders also brought up the issue of alleged middlemen illegally collecting between RM2,000 and RM6,000 for every licence issued by DBKL.

"I had to pay the middle men RM2,000 to set up a stall in front of my own shop when, in fact, the licence costs less than RM50.

"Some of us have tried to apply for the licence with DBKL directly but were rejected, we were asked to approach the two middlemen instead," a trader who declined to be named said.

Secretary G. Gunabalan pointed out that the association was newly formed by all the stakeholders to lobby for the cause in one voice.

He said documents to register the association had been submitted to the relevant authorities but they had yet to receive a response.

"Nevertheless, we are continuing our battle, urging the authorities to issue business licences with common sense. Bazaars should be located in an open area, not in front of someone's shop," he said.

Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk M. Saravanan said DBKL was ready to listen to the stakeholders.

However, he said they would also have to accept if stalls were located on the public walkway during the Deepavali period.

"If the stall is directly in front of their building, then we have to listen to the owners if they do not want any stalls in front of their premises.

"However, they cannot demand that no stalls be placed on the public walkway because the public walkway belongs to the government," Saravanan said, adding that more than 700 temporary licences would be issued to petty traders in the Brickfields area.

"Last year, there were complaints that some stalls covered the tactile walkways for the blind. This year, we will take that into consideration before we allocate the places," said Saravanan.

Saravanan added DBKL had also done well in managing the Ramadan bazaar stalls this year.

"We did not receive many complaints," he said, adding that Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin had already asked Kuala Lumpur Mayor Datuk Ahmad Phesal Talib to relook into the number of stalls given away during the Deepavali period.

Bandar Utama kids attend clinic by former national player

Posted: 05 Sep 2012 05:10 AM PDT

SOME 40 students from various schools in Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya acquired playing techniques from a pro basketball coach during a coaching clinic held at the Bandar Utama Community Centre recently.

Organised by Bandar Utama Residents Association and sponsored by AND1, the clinic was held as a precursor to the upcoming AND1 Streetball Challenge that will be held at the Berjaya Times Square in Kuala Lumpur on Sept 16.

During the clinic, the students received insights into playing the game from former national player Tan Kee Hian.

Kee Hian said the clinic was conducted with the objective of promoting the AND1 3 on 3 Streetball event as well as to promote basketball among the youth in the area.

"The goal here is to promote basketball. The participants from this clinic also would be forming a team to participate in the AND1 Streetball Challenge," he said adding that the participants of the clinic were taught the fundamental skills of basketball including shooting and lay up during the clinic.

"A lot of kids love to play basketball but many of them do not have the opportunity to learn the proper techniques. Hopefully with more of these clinics and events like the AND1 Streetball Challenge, they can be more inspired to play the game and improve to be better players," he said.

Bandar Utama Residents Association secretary Lilian Fang said the clinic was one of the activities held by the association for the youth of the area.

"We wanted to organise something more fun and active for the young as one of the segments that we felt we have not been promoting for the residents was youth and sports," she said.

"Hopefully, we can send a few teams for the AND1 Streetball Challenge and the youngsters can use the skills they have learnt during the clinic," she added.

The main organiser of the AND1 Streetball Challenge is Ossia World of Golf Sdn Bhd while the official partners are Milo, StarMetro, and One FM Radio Station and NBL Sports Marketing.

The prizes are RM900 cash and goodies for the champions, RM600 cash and goodies for the second-placed team, RM300 cash and goodies for the third-placed team while the fourth-placed team will receive AND1 products.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Metro: South & East

0 ulasan 11:26 PG Dicatat oleh blog2

Klik GAMBAR Dibawah Untuk Lebih Info

Sumber Asal Berita :-

The Star Online: Metro: South & East

Private sector main contributors in Iskandar development
Couple detained after police seize RM50,000 worth of drugs
Philately on show

Private sector main contributors in Iskandar development

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 06:19 PM PDT

JOHOR BARU: The private sector would continue to play an important part in the development of Iskandar Malaysia under its Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP).

Iskandar Regional Development Authority (Irda) chief executive officer Datuk Ismail Ibrahim said it would be the main driver to spearhead Iskandar Malaysia's growth into an international metropolis by 2025.

He added that although the country's first economic growth corridor was the Government-backed initiative – majority of the investments it received came from the private sector.

"The Government acts as an enabler to support the role played by the private sector in determining the success of Iskandar Malaysia," Ismail told Star Metro.

He said this when met at the topping up ceremony of the Singapore's ECON Healthcare Pte Ltd RM40mil Medicare Centre and Nursing Home at Taman Perling here.

Ismail said the Government's main role was to invest and provide the necessary infrastructure in Iskandar Malaysia to attract private investors to invest in the economic corridor.

He added that since 2006 up to June this year, the Government had pumped in about RM7.31bil to build new infrastructure projects and improved the existing ones within Iskandar Malaysia.

"The Government has laid a strong foundation with good infrastructure facilities in Iskandar Malaysia which is vital to attract private investors."

He added the smart partnership between the public sector and the private sector had created a win-win situation for both parties.

The manufacturing sector is the top recipient with cumulative committed investment of RM32.71bil, the property sector is on the second spot with RM29.80bil and utilities with RM9.52bil.

As of June 30, 2012, Iskandar Malaysia has recorded a cumulative committed investment of RM95.45bil, of which 43% have been spent on various projects.

Domestic investments constitute 62% (RM58.95bil) of the total investments of RM95.45bil, while the remaining 38% (RM36.50bil) are foreign investments.

"We are targeting to surpass the RM100bil mark by the end of the year and we are confident of achieving it," said Ismail.

Iskandar Malaysia, launched on Nov 4, 2006, is located in the southern most part of Johor spanning 2,217 sq km and three times bigger than Singapore.

Couple detained after police seize RM50,000 worth of drugs

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 06:18 PM PDT

MUAR: Police detained a couple and seized some RM50,000 worth of drugs after they raided a house believed used as a trafficking centre.

District police chief Asst Comm Mohammed Nasir Ramli said police found several packages of drugs and some cash when they raided the home.

He added that the seized drugs such as heroin, Syabu, and 190 Eramine- 5 pills were believed to be for distribution in Ledang and Muar.

"We arrested the couple, aged between 25 and 33, remanded them under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.

"The man and the woman, both from Ledang have also tested positive for drugs," he said.

ACP Mohammed Nasir said the man had three drug-related cases in 2004 and 2005 and was sent to the drug rehabilitation centre in 2008.

In a separate incident, the police said a woman's hope of wearing a gold necklace during Hari Raya was shattered when the item she ordered via Internet did not arrive.

ACP Mohammed Nasir said the woman paid RM1,380 to the seller she met on Facebook and after paying the man, she could not contact him again.

"The man closed his Facebook account after she paid him the cash and she decided to lodge a police report.

"We want to advise the public not to believe everything they read on the Internet," he added.

Philately on show

Posted: 04 Sep 2012 06:48 PM PDT

Stamp enthusiasts were delighted to find more than 5,000 colourful stamps being exhibited in booths at Sutera Mall here in Johor Baru.

The two-week exhibition, which ended on Aug 26, showcased the stamps accompanied by illustrations and short paragraphs of their history.

The stamps from Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, China, Macau and Hong Kong were placed in clear plastic envelopes for viewing.

Stamp collectors and shoppers alike were able to view many unique stamps including first day covers and limited editions from the Communist period, sporting events and commemorative occasions such as the Olympics and National Day.

Stamp enthusiast Chai Chu San, 60, said that the exhibition was good exposure to the younger generation to prevent the "old-fashioned" hobby from being forgotten.

"There are some very rare stamps on display and I still enjoy looking at them one by one after collecting stamps for more than 35 years.

"Hopefully the youngsters could see the beauty of these stamps and spark an interest in them like I did when I was young," he said.

Meanwhile, the mall's assistant general manager Goh Lak Jin said the organiser took two and a half months to sort the stamps and prepare them for the exhibition, many of which were from his own private collection.

"We collaborated with avid stamp collector Choa See Hoe, who was generous enough to contribute 30% of the overall stamps in the exhibition from his own collection.

"The exhibition's main aim is to encourage the young, especially school children, to take an interest in stamp collecting as the hobby could be carried on for the rest of their lives," he said.

Goh added that the stamp exhibition was part of the mall's legacy exhibition series where in the past they had organised annual cultural exhibitions including Laksamana Cheng Ho's expedition and cultural foods and dumpling festival exhibitions.

All throughout the exhibition, Pos Malaysia also set up a booth selling stamp yearbooks, which included first day covers and all the stamps that were issues in a particular year.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Rabu, 5 September 2012