Ahad, 7 Oktober 2012

The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

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The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio


'Idol' producers show support after Carey-Minaj reports

Posted: 07 Oct 2012 08:00 PM PDT

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com): The producers of "American Idol" are offering a seemingly sincere show of support after the seemingly manufactured blow-up between new judges Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj.

Following a leaked video of an altercation between Minaj and Carey, and even a report of a possible death threat, "Idol's" producers collectively issued a statement late Friday, saying that the current crew is "passionate, dynamic and invested."

"This is one of the best, most passionate, dynamic and invested judging panels we've ever had," the producers say.

"We love and support all of the judges and the fantastic work they are doing, and we can't imagine a better group to find the next American Idol."

The producers added, "Despite all the accusations and media speculation - much of which is inaccurate - production is going extremely well today and the judges are focused on finding the best talent here in Baton Rouge."

Reports of tension between Minaj and Carey erupted earlier this week, when TMZ published a leaked video from an "Idol" audition in Charlotte, N.C., during which Minaj hurled several choice words in Carey's direction.

The situation escalated later in the week, when Barbara Walters revealed that Carey had told her that Minaj had threatened to shoot the singer.

"She said that when Nicki walked off the set, multiple people heard Nicki say, 'If I had a gun I would shoot the b***h,'" Walters recalled on the daytime talk show "The View" on Thursday.

Very dramatic stuff. But many - including TheWrap - have suggested that the brouhaha had been ginned up in order to build interest in the long-running series, which begins its next season early next year.

Nice to see the "Idol" producers working to mend fences - and assuring that people will still be talking about the incident into the weekend.

A clean sweep

Posted: 08 Oct 2012 02:26 AM PDT

AFTER a month of preliminary rounds held nationwide, an accountant from Malacca outsmarted other finalists to walk away with RM30,000 in the finale of 988 Be Smart, Pay Your Bill shopping sweep.

An ecstatic Loh Mei Hui and her three team members plan to donate part of the prize money to charity and use the rest to go travelling.

An accountant, Loh applied her expertise in the game. In the finale held last Sunday at Giant Hypermarket Bandar Puteri Puchong, Selangor, her team completed the challenge in seven minutes, 47 seconds.

The finale saw eight teams – two teams each from the regional rounds in Penang, Johor Baru, Klang and Ipoh – battling hard and smart.

The finalists were given eight minutes to carry out their task which includes solving a mathematical problem that would decide how much they could spend. Besides that, their shopping list had to include a few must-have items.

Much to the delight of the participants, they had 988 deejays Yin Yin, Kian, Anson, Yi Hui, Jason, Teddy, Mike and Piao Ming on hand to help.

The finalists also received a Brand's hamper and a RM1,000 Giant shopping voucher each. "Be the smartest and we'll pay your bill" was a fun and challenging supermarket sweep organised by 988 and sponsored by Brand's, with venue support from Giant Hypermarket.

A total of RM100,000 in cash and prizes was given out in this month-long campaign.

To witness the excitement of the finale, view the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35ZKdNEDmEw.

For more information, visit www.988.com.my.

Big Bang treat

Posted: 08 Oct 2012 06:01 AM PDT

Grab your chance to win tickets to Big Bang's concert.

CAN'T get your hands on any Big Bang concert tickets? Tune in to 988 and you won't be disappointed. Here are more radio highlights for the week:

The Feature (Monday and Tuesday, 9am-10am)

"I want to fight 10 people!" is a famous quote many will remember from the movie, Ip Man. The film franchise played a big role in popularising Wing Chun martial arts. On the other hand, Muay Thai, a combat sport from Thailand, is a hit with Malaysian women. Let's find out more about the rise of Muay Thai here.

Street VIP (Wednesday-Friday, 9am-10am)

A young Chen Sheng ventured into big cities, determined to make a name for himself as a singer-songwriter. Unfortunately, the Taiwanese lad didn't have it easy. However, through hard work and determination, Chen finally achieved success. Here's his story.

Music VIP (Monday-Friday, 2pm)

Sodagreen is one of Taiwan's biggest indie bands. The band is well known for its vocalist and songwriter's poetic lyrics, unique performing style and ethereal voice. Learn more about this six-member band which also features a female bassist.

K-Pop Chuego (Monday-Friday, 3.30pm)

Let's K-Pop (Saturday, 3pm-4pm)

Good news for those who failed to secure Big Bang Alive Galaxy Tour 2012 In Malaysia tickets. 988 is extending its ticket giveaway, so you have the entire week to try and get tickets to one of the biggest music events this year. Oh, there's also a little surprise in store for the listeners.

Night Chat (Monday-Friday, 10pm-midnight)

Talented Taiwanese singer William Wei Li An will be hosting tonight's instalment of Night Chat, sharing inspirational stories with listeners. How will he fare as a radio DJ and will he be serenading listeners with a song or two as well? Remember to tune in.

> For more information, visit www.988.com.my. 988 is owned and operated by The Star.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: World Updates

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The Star Online: World Updates


Venezuela's Chavez re-elected to extend socialist rule

Posted: 07 Oct 2012 08:44 PM PDT

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's socialist President Hugo Chavez comfortably won re-election on Sunday, quashing the opposition's best chance at unseating him in 14 years and cementing himself as a dominant figure in modern Latin American history.

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez gestures as he arrives to cast his vote for the presidential elections in Caracas October 7, 2012. REUTERS/Jorge Silva

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez gestures as he arrives to cast his vote for the presidential elections in Caracas October 7, 2012. REUTERS/Jorge Silva

Chavez's victory will extend his rule of the OPEC member state to two decades, though he is recovering from cancer and the possibility of a recurrence hangs over him.

Jubilant supporters poured onto the streets of Caracas to celebrate the victory of a man who has near-Messianic status among Venezuela's poor. And there was relief too among leftist allies around the region - from Cuba to Bolivia - who rely on his oil-financed generosity.

"I'm celebrating with a big heart," said Mary Reina, a 62-year-old Chavez supporter who lives in the hillside slum where the president cast his vote.

"Chavez is the hope of the people and of Latin America."

The 58-year-old Chavez took 54.42 percent of the vote, with 90 percent of the ballots counted, compared with 44.97 percent for young opposition candidate Henrique Capriles, the electoral authority said.

Chavez's fans partied and set off fireworks in the streets. A subdued and tired-looking Capriles accepted defeat in a speech at his campaign headquarters.

"I hope a political movement that has been in power for 14 years understands that almost half the country does not agree with it," Capriles told crestfallen supporters.

Since taking power in 1999, the flamboyant former soldier has become a global flag bearer of "anti-imperialism," gleefully baiting the U.S. government while befriending leaders from Iran to Belarus whom the West views with suspicion.

Highlighting the relief among leftist allies in Latin America, Argentine President Cristina Fernandez wrote via Twitter: "Your victory is our victory! And the victory of South America and the Caribbean!"

At home, casting himself as an heir to independence hero Simon Bolivar, Chavez has poured billions of dollars in oil revenues into anti-poverty programs, and skilfully used his humble roots and folksy oratory to build a close connection with the masses.

But his victory was considerably slimmer than his win of 25 percentage points in 2006, reflecting anger at his failure to fix basic problems such as crime, blackouts, and corruption.

Record turnout of 80 percent will boost Chavez's democratic credentials, though critics said his use of state resources made a mockery of fairness during the campaign.

WHAT NEXT?

Attention will now shift to Chavez's plans for a new six-year term at the helm of South America's biggest oil exporter.

The government spent lavishly during the campaign to boost Chavez's chances, likely ensuring healthy economic growth of 4 to 5 percent this year but potentially paving the way for an inflation-fuelled hangover in 2013.

In the past, Chavez has taken advantage of election wins to press forward with radical reforms, and there is speculation that his taste for nationalizations may turn to some untouched corners of Venezuela's banking, food and health industries.

Having already controversially amended the constitution to scrap presidential term limits, Chavez might also be tempted to tinker with it further to ensure continuity for his ruling Socialist Party should his cancer return.

The constitution states that if an incumbent steps down in the first four years of a six-year term, a new vote would be called. Under such a scenario, Capriles or another opposition candidate would have another crack at power.

Either way, all eyes will be on Chavez's health again.

During a year's treatment from mid-2011, Chavez endured three operations for two cancerous tumours, and chemotherapy that left him bald, exhausted and fearing death at his lowest point.

He wrongly declared himself cured once, and repeated that in July after a recurrence, prompting scepticism from doctors who say that at least two years must pass before a cancer patient can be given a clean bill of health.

Chavez has looked bloated and at times exhausted in recent months, but he ran a surprisingly energetic end to his campaign, even managing to dance, sing and strum a guitar at rallies.

Any sign of a downturn in his health now would stoke a succession debate in the Socialist Party. Congress head Diosdado Cabello, Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro and Vice President Elias Jaua all look well-placed for a potential push for leadership.

But none of Chavez's allies come anywhere near his popularity, so if there were to be another election, Capriles could be a favourite after a widely praised campaign that has made him well-known across the nation of 29 million people.

Though the 40-year-old Capriles is the once-rudderless opposition's best leader of the Chavez era, his position is not guaranteed. There are other young political figures - including Zulia state governor Pablo Perez and telegenic former Caracas district mayor Leopoldo Lopez - waiting in the wings.

STATE ELECTIONS AHEAD

Now, Capriles and other leaders of the Democratic Unity coalition must dust themselves off and prepare for state governorship elections in December, when they will hope at least to increase the opposition's influence at the local level.

Chavez's new six-year term begins on January 10.

His latest election win continues a remarkable story that began with his birth on July 28, 1954 in a mud hut belonging to his grandmother in the rural village of Sabaneta.

He joined the army and spent years plotting before a failed coup in 1992 against President Carlos Andres Perez.

On his way into jail, wearing a red military beret that was to become his trademark, Chavez gave a two-minute televised speech admitting that his revolution had failed "for now." The speech electrified the nation and launched his political career.

Pardoned in 1994, Chavez began crisscrossing the country sharing his vision and eventually shocking the political elite by sweeping to victory at the ballot box in 1998.

With private media and business leaders opposed to his rule, Chavez was briefly toppled by army dissidents and street protests in 2002 - but returned two days later thanks to military loyalists and popular counter-demonstrations.

He also survived an economically crippling oil strike.

Chavez's win will probably mean more foreign investment from politically allied countries such as China, Russia, Iran and Belarus, while Western investors are more cautious. Relations with Washington are also likely to remain on edge, though Venezuelan oil has continued to flow to the United States over the years despite the diplomatic tension.

Wall Street had been hoping for a Capriles win, so prices of Venezuelan bonds - among the most actively-traded emerging market debt - are likely to dip on Chavez's triumph.

(Additional reporting by Daniel Wallis, Todd Benson, Eyanir Chinea, Diego Ore, Helen Murphy, Enrique Andres Pretel, Deisy Buitrago, Mario Naranjo, Ana Isabel Martinez, Marianna Parraga and Girish Gupta; Editing by Todd Benson, Andrew Cawthorne and Kieran Murray. Desking by Christopher Wilson)


Related Stories:
Venezuela's Capriles accepts defeat, congratulates Chavez on re-election

Factbox - Hugo Chavez's record in Venezuelan elections
Factbox - Venezuela's nationalizations under Chavez
Factbox - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez

Copyright © 2012 Reuters

Venezuela's Chavez re-elected to extend socialist rule

Posted: 07 Oct 2012 08:04 PM PDT

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's socialist President Hugo Chavez won re-election on Sunday, quashing the opposition's best chance at unseating him in 14 years and cementing himself as a dominant figure in modern Latin American history.

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez gestures as he arrives to cast his vote for the presidential elections in Caracas October 7, 2012. REUTERS/Jorge Silva

Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez gestures as he arrives to cast his vote for the presidential elections in Caracas October 7, 2012. REUTERS/Jorge Silva

The 58-year-old Chavez took 54.42 percent of the vote, with 90 percent of the ballots counted, to 44.97 percent for the young opposition candidate Henrique Capriles, official results showed.

Chavez's victory would extend his rule of the OPEC member state to two decades, though he is recovering from cancer and the possibility of a recurrence hangs over his political future.

Jubilant supporters poured onto the streets of Caracas to celebrate the victory of a man who has near-Messianic status among Venezuela's poor, and there was relief too among leftist allies around the region - from Cuba to Bolivia - who rely on his oil-financed generosity.

"I'm celebrating with a big heart," said Mary Reina, a 62-year-old Chavez supporter who lives in the hillside slum where the president cast his vote.

"Chavez is the hope of the people and of Latin America."

Chavez fans partied and set off fireworks in the streets.

The mood was grim at Capriles' campaign headquarters, where opposition supporters broke into tears. The opposition will now have to regroup quickly for state elections in December.

Since taking power in 1999, the flamboyant former soldier has become a global flag bearer of "anti-imperialism," gleefully baiting the U.S. government while befriending leaders from Iran to Belarus whom the West views with suspicion.

At home, casting himself as an heir to independence hero Simon Bolivar, Chavez has poured billions of dollars in oil revenues into anti-poverty programs, and skillfully used his humble roots and folksy oratory to build a close connection with the masses.

While that ensured his re-election, the opposition's big share of the vote reflected a real and growing anger at Chavez's failure to fix basic problems such as violent crime, potholed roads, electricity blackouts and entrenched corruption at all levels.

WHAT NEXT?

Attention will now shift to Chavez's plans for a new six-year term at the helm of South America's biggest oil exporter.

The government spent lavishly during the campaign to boost Chavez's chances, likely ensuring healthy economic growth of 4 to 5 percent this year but potentially paving the way for an inflation-fuelled hangover in 2013.

In the past, Chavez has taken advantage of election wins to press forward with radical reforms, and there is speculation that his taste for nationalizations may turn to some untouched corners of Venezuela's banking, food and health industries.

Having already controversially amended the constitution to scrap presidential term limits, Chavez might also be tempted to tinker with it further to ensure continuity for his ruling Socialist Party should his cancer return.

The constitution states that if an incumbent steps down in the first four years of a six-year term, a new vote would be called. Under such a scenario, Capriles or another opposition candidate would have another crack at power.

Either way, all eyes will be on Chavez's health again.

During a year's treatment from mid-2011, Chavez endured three operations for two cancerous tumours, and chemotherapy that left him bald, exhausted and fearing death at his lowest point.

He wrongly declared himself cured once, and repeated that in July after a recurrence, prompting scepticism from doctors who say that at least two years must pass before a cancer patient can be given a clean bill of health.

Chavez has looked bloated and at times exhausted in recent months, but he ran a surprisingly energetic end to his campaign, even managing to dance, sing and strum a guitar at rallies.

Any sign of a downturn in his health from now would stoke a succession debate in the Socialist Party. Congress head Diosdado Cabello, Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro and Vice President Elias Jaua all look well-placed for a potential push for leadership.

But none of Chavez's allies come anywhere near his popularity, so were there to be another election, Capriles could be a favourite after a widely-praised campaign that has made him well-known across Venezuela, a nation of 29 million people.

Though the 40-year-old Capriles is the once-rudderless opposition's best leader of the Chavez era, his position is not guaranteed, with other young figures - including Zulia state governor Pablo Perez and telegenic former Caracas district mayor Leopoldo Lopez - waiting in the wings.

STATE ELECTIONS AHEAD

Now, Capriles and other leaders of the Democratic Unity coalition must dust themselves off and prepare for state governorship elections in December, when they will hope at least to increase the opposition's influence at the local level.

Chavez's new six-year term begins on January 10.

His latest election win continues a remarkable story that began with his birth on July 28, 1954, in a mud hut belonging to his grandmother in the rural village of Sabaneta.

He joined the army and spent years plotting before a failed coup in 1992 against then-President Carlos Andres Perez.

On his way into jail, wearing a red military beret that was to become his trademark, Chavez gave a two-minute televised speech admitting that his revolution had failed "for now." The speech electrified the nation and launched his political career.

Pardoned in 1994, Chavez began crisscrossing the country sharing his vision and eventually shocking the political elite by sweeping to victory at the ballot box in 1998.

With private media and business leaders opposed to his rule, Chavez was briefly toppled by army dissidents and street protests in 2002 - but returned two days later thanks to military loyalists and popular counter-demonstrations.

He also survived an economically crippling oil strike.

Chavez's win will probably mean more foreign investment from politically allied countries such as China, Russia, Iran and Belarus, while Western investors remain more cautious. Relations with Washington are also likely to remain on edge, though Venezuelan oil has continued to flow to the United States over the years despite the diplomatic tension.

Wall Street had been hoping for a Capriles win, so prices of Venezuelan bonds - among the most actively-traded emerging market debt - are likely to dip on Chavez's triumph.

(Additional reporting by Andrew Cawthorne, Daniel Wallis, Todd Benson, Brian Ellsworth, Enrique Andres Pretel, Deisy Buitrago, Mario Naranjo, Ana Isabel Martinez, Marianna Parraga and Girish Gupta; Editing by Todd Benson, Andrew Cawthorne and Kieran Murray. Desking by Christopher Wilson)


Related Stories:
Factbox - Hugo Chavez's record in Venezuelan elections

Factbox - Venezuela's nationalizations under Chavez
Factbox - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez

Copyright © 2012 Reuters

Venezuela's Chavez re-elected to extend socialist rule

Posted: 07 Oct 2012 07:46 PM PDT

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's socialist President Hugo Chavez won re-election in on Sunday, quashing the opposition's best bet at unseating him in 14 years and cementing himself as a dominant figure in modern Latin American history.

A cardboard shows ballots counted at a polling station set up in the parking lot of the Venezuelan embassy in Mexico City October 7, 2012. REUTERS/Bernardo Montoya

A cardboard shows ballots counted at a polling station set up in the parking lot of the Venezuelan embassy in Mexico City October 7, 2012. REUTERS/Bernardo Montoya

The 58-year-old Chavez took 54.42 percent of the vote, with 90 percent of the ballots counted, to 44.97 percent for young opposition candidate Henrique Capriles, official results showed.

Chavez's victory would extend his rule of the OPEC member state to two decades, though he is recovering from cancer and the possibility of a recurrence hangs over his political future.

Jubilant supporters poured onto the streets of Caracas to celebrate the victory of a man who has near-Messianic status among Venezuela's poor, and there was relief too among leftist allies around the region - from Cuba to Bolivia - who rely on his oil-financed generosity.

"I'm celebrating with a big heart," said Mary Reina, a 62-year-old Chavez supporter who lives in the hillside slum where the president cast his vote. "Chavez is the hope of the people and of Latin America."

The mood was grim at Capriles' campaign headquarters, where opposition supporters broke into tears. The opposition will now have to regroup quickly for state elections in December.

Since taking power in 1999, the flamboyant former soldier has become a global flagbearer of "anti-imperialism," gleefully baiting the U.S. government while befriending leaders from Iran to Belarus whom the West views with suspicion.

At home, casting himself as an heir to independence hero Simon Bolivar, Chavez has poured billions of oil revenues into anti-poverty programs, and skilfully used his humble roots and folksy oratory to build a close connection with the masses.

While that connection ensured his re-election, the opposition's big share of the vote reflected a real and growing anger at Chavez's failure to fix basic problems such as violent crime, potholed roads, electricity blackouts, and entrenched corruption at all levels.

Attention will now shift to Chavez's plans for a new six-year term at the helm of South America's biggest oil exporter. The government spent lavishly during the campaign to boost Chavez's chances, likely ensuring healthy growth of 4 to 5 percent this year but potentially paving the way for an inflation-fuelled economic hangover in 2013.

In the past, Chavez has taken advantage of election wins to press forward with radical reforms, and there is speculation his taste for nationalizations may turn to some untouched corners of Venezuela's banking, food and health industries.

(Additional reporting by Andrew Cawthorne, Deisy Buitrago, Mario Naranjo and Girish Gupta; Editing by Todd Benson and Kieran Murray)

Copyright © 2012 Reuters

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Sports

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Grace wins Dunhill Links

Posted: 07 Oct 2012 07:24 PM PDT

ST ANDREWS (United Kingdom): Branden Grace of South Africa won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews on Sunday, holding off a late challenge from Dane Thorbjorn Olesen.

Grace, who won for the fourth time on the European Tour this year, closed with a two-under 70 over the Old Course, with the fast-rising Olesen coming in with a 68.

The 24-year-old from Pretoria began the week with a European Tour record-equalling 60 at the nearby Kingsbarns course - the European Tour's pro-celebrity event is staged over three links courses - and was never overtaken after that.

Olesen did make a move in the final round, drawing level with seven holes to go, but the South African birdied the next three holes and with another on the last finished with a tournament record-equalling 22-under-par total.

Alone in third place, four strokes off the pace, was Alexander Noren of Sweden, while another Swede, Joel Sjoholm, was fourth a further two strokes back.

Scotland's Stephen Gallacher, winner in 2004, finished in a tie for fifth after incurring a two-stroke penalty for playing the wrong ball at the 16th.

Grace, who became the first wire-to-wire winner on The European Tour season, is a product of the Ernie Els Foundation, following in the footsteps of Louis Oosthuizen, who won the British Open at St Andrews in 2010, and 2011 Masters winner Charl Schwartzel.

Winning at St Andrews, as Oosthuizen did in the Open, was especially emotional for Grace.

"I've really dreamt of this moment my whole life," he said. "I had goosebumps thinking this morning about Louis and the possibility of holding a trophy here myself," he said. "It was a tough day, but the putter started working and that's all I needed to do."

There were celebrations too for another South African as George Coetzee carded a 10-under-par 62 to tie for the St Andrews Old Course record.

The 26-year-old, having only just made the cut with a 15 foot birdie putt on his last hole at Kingsbarns on Saturday, fired 10 birdies in a flawless final round - including a stretch of eight in nine holes - to surge 58 places up the leaderboard into a tie for fifth.

It would have been a course record in its own right were it not for the first day heroics of Frenchman Victor Dubuisson, who deposed Luke Donald, Simon Dyson and Rory McIlroy as the former incumbents of the record with a 62 of his own on Thursday.

"Every kid dreams about it, it's the home of golf," said an elated Coetzee.

"Every time I step up, it's just an unbelievable feeling. I'll play the course any way they let me, and obviously 62, I'm very happy, especially to move up into the top ten only just making the cut yesterday.

"I had five birdies on the trot and I missed one. I think I lipped out one on 16 and if that one had gone in it would have been nine on the trot.

"But it's one of those days, you can always count the shots that you've left out there but all in all, I'm very happy with a 62." - AFP

Moore claims second career victory

Posted: 07 Oct 2012 05:17 PM PDT

LAS VEGAS: American Ryan Moore captured his second win on the USPGA Tour, closing with a five-under 66 to win the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open on Sunday.

Moore, who lives in Las Vegas, won by one stroke, setting a tournament 72-hole scoring record with a 24-under 260 total.

"It is unbelievable," Moore said, whose wife is expecting a child in 25 days. "The countdown starts here. That is it for me; I am done for the year."

Moore bettered fellow American Kevin Na's previous record of 261 which Na established in 2011.

Zimbabwe's Brendon de Jonge closed with a four-under 67 to take second at minus-23 at TPC at Summerlin. De Jonge shared the third round lead with Moore and Sweden's Jonas Blixt.

Moore rolled in a birdie on the 16th hole to take the outright lead. He said the support he received from family and friends this week helped motivate him.

"I got 35 to 40 people here with me so this week is real special," he said. "I got such great people around me."

Moore collected US$810,000 in first place prize money in the Fall Series opener.

Blixt posted a 70 to finish in sole possession of third at 20-under-par 264.

Aussie Jason Day fired a seven-under 28 on the front nine, but double-bogeyed the 18th hole to shoot 65.

He placed fourth at minus-18, while Bill Lunde shot 66 to end by himself in fifth at 15-under 269.

Day, of Brisbane, pulled within three shots of Moore and de Jonge with a birdie on the No. 16 but then ran into trouble on 18. - AFP

Taiwan Open GP Gold: Zakry-Fairuzizuan need just 27 minutes to end title drought

Posted: 07 Oct 2012 06:03 PM PDT

PETALING JAYA: Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif-Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari showed that they still have much to offer at the highest level after beat­ing Indonesia's Angga Pratama-Ryan Agung Sa­­putra 21-12, 21-14 to win the men's doubles title in the Taiwan Open GP Gold in Taipei yesterday.

Many had written the pair off since they left the Badminton Association of Malaysia's (BAM) fold last year to join KLRC. In only their second final appearance since the Thailand Open in June, Zakry-Fairuzizuan were brilliant from the start against their top seeded opponents and needed just 27 minutes to seal victory.

It was their fourth career title since winning the back-to-back Singapore Open and Indo­ne­sia Open in 2009 and the India Open in 2010.

It was also the experienced Zakry-Fairu­zizuan's first career title since striking out on their own about a year ago.

Zakry-Fairuzizuan, currently ranked 27th in the world, will certainly be boosted by this result, having crashed out in the first round of four tournaments since the Thailand meet.

"Thank goodness we finally won! I'm really happy with this win because this is one the best performances we've produced in the past year," said Zakry.

"Result-wise, this is certainly the best that I have achieved alongside Fairuzizuan since the Thailand Open earlier in June. Hopefully, we'll be able to carry on playing like this ... but we've got to work on our consistency."

In the men's singles final, second seed Nguyen Tien Minh broke the hearts of local fans when he beat local ace Chou Tien Chen 21-11, 21-17 for his second title of the year.

But the Taiwanese fans still had much to rejoice when teenage sensation Tai Tzu Ying put up a gritty performance to beat Indonesia's Lindaweni Fanetri 21-19, 20-22, 22-20 in the women's singles.

Indonesia ended the day with two titles – through Pia Zebadiah Bernadeth-Rizki Amelia Pradipta and Muhammad Rijal-Debby Susanto in the women's and mixed doubles.

Results

(All finals)

Men's singles: Nguyen Tien Minh (Vie) bt Chou Tien Chen (Tpe) 21-11, 21-17.

Men's doubles: Mohd Zakry Abdul Latif-Mohd Fairuzizuan Mohd Tazari (Mas) bt Angga Pratama-Ryan Agung Saputra (Ina) 21-12, 21-14.

Women's singles: Tai Tzu Ying (Tpe) bt Lindaweni Fanetri (Ina) 21-19, 20-22, 22-20.

Women's doubles: Pia Zebadiah Bernadeth-Rizki Amelia Pradipta (Ina) bt Suci Rizky Andini-Della Destiara Haris (Ina) 21-15, 21-12.

Mixed doubles: Muhammad Rijal-Debby Susanto (Ina) bt Lee Chun Hei-Chau Hoi Wah (Hkg) 21-14, 21-14.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Business

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Semperit AG Holding makes RM603m takeover offer for Latexx

Posted: 07 Oct 2012 06:49 PM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR: Semperit AG Holding has made a RM603mil (152mil euros) voluntary conditional offer for Latexx Partners Bhd.

Its unit, Semperit Investments Asia, said on Monday it had made a voluntary conditional cash offer for the medical gloves producer at a price of RM 2.30 per share and RM1.77 per warrant.

It said the share offer price of RM 2.30 was a premium of 28.5% to the closing price on Oct 5, 2012 and 36.9% to the one-month volume weighted average price (VWAP)

Semperit Investments said the warrant offer price of RM 1.77 per warrant represents a premium of 36.2% to the closing price on Oct 5 and 50.0% to the one-month VWAP.

"The share offer price and warrant offer price represent an attractive premium over the trading prices of Latexx Partners' shares and warrants respectively, and shareholders and warrant holders may realise their investment at the attractive premium without incurring brokerage and other trading costs," it said.

Latexx Partners chairman and CEO Low Bok Tek had entered into a share sale agreement with Semperit Investments Asia to divest his entire shares and warrants holding comprising 65.0 million ordinary shares (29.3% of the ordinary shares outstanding) and 35.0 million warrants.

Semperit Investments Asia has entered into put and call option agreements with eight other holders of shares and warrants in Latexx Partners who together hold 20.2 million ordinary shares (representing 9.1% of the ordinary shares outstanding) and 9.6 million warrants in Latexx Partners.

"The put and call option agreements are subject to the completion of the share sale agreement between Semperit Investments Asia and Low Bok Tek," it said.

Financial Snacks

Posted: 07 Oct 2012 06:36 PM PDT

Starting this week, StarBiz present s a weekly column on financial tips written by a number of certified financial planners.

Their Monday offerings will give readers an insight into a wide range of financial issues that matter to the ordinary person.

They will present their advice in a friendly and easy-to-digest manner.

Today's maiden article is by Joyce Chuah who has been in the industry for 15 years.

As a bonus, our associate editor Hafidz Mahpar will unveil his artistic skills in the illustrations that accompany each article

Some of you may wonder why our finances are not in great shape and do not seem to improve month after month.

Have you ever thought if you could have been focusing on the wrong side of your personal financial health equations?

Your Financial Equations simply tell you if you are above or underwater in your finances.

The most important 3 are as follows: JOYCE CHUAH writes

Income- Expenses=Savings

Income is the common part of any savings equation. However, what is more important is expenses. Are you surprised? If you focus your attention on managing on your expenses on a higher level of consciousness, you can quite immediately increase your savings. Increasing income is possible but it takes time which means waiting for an increment, working 2 jobs or even starting a small business which has a gestation period for results.

Returns-Inflation=Real Returns

We are all too obsessed with returns. We check out the best FD rates in town, and queue up for deposits that give slightly better returns than FDs. Many times, our focus moves away from inflation, which is after all an important element in providing you your real returns. So, don't just chase after raw returns which do not give you a positive return after your personal inflation rates.

Asset-Liabilities=Net worth

A commonly used barometer used to rank wealthy individuals is the amount of net worth the individual has - hence the term "high net worth individuals". Increasing assets and reducing liabilities will surely increase our net worth. However if we have limited resources, how much can we do to increase our net worth? One way is to focus on your liabilities check if you too under geared that you are compromising the growth of your net worth? Start thinking like a business person they usually leverage on Using Other People's Money' i.e. borrowing prudently to make more money. Think about it.

KLCI opens weaker, banks weigh

Posted: 07 Oct 2012 06:29 PM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR: Blue chips started the week on a cautious note on Monday, with some profit taking seen in index-linked stocks.

At 9.10am, the FBM KLCI was down 5.75 points to 1,654.48. Turnover was 63.78 million shares valued at RM27.28mil. There were 87 gainers, 64 losers and 104 counters unchanged.

Reuters reported Asian stocks edged lower on Monday and other riskier assets such as commodities fell as investors remained cautious about the outlook for the global economy and corporate earnings despite better-than-expected US jobs numbers at the end of last week.

Wall Street stocks dipped late on Friday as an unexpected drop in the U.S. unemployment rate was overshadowed by concerns about the earnings season -- which kicks off with Alcoa Inc on Tuesday -- and S&P 500 futures traded in Asia were down a touch on Monday, the wire report said.

At Bursa Malaysia, Maybank and CIMB fell six sen each to RM8.93 and RM7.64 while UMW was the top loser, down 16 sen to RM9.92.

Petgas fell six sen to RM20 with 100 shares done, Genting Malaysia shed six sen to RM3.72 while Axiata gave up five sen to RM6.71.

Among the plantations, SOP fell fuve sen to RM6.15 while Sime Darby gave up five sen to RM9.60. However, KLK added 22 sen to RM21.64.

Dutch Lady jumped 74 sen top RM44.50, Pharmaniaga added11 sen to RM7.50 and MISC six sen to RM4.31.

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Asia 'not supporting independent films'

Posted: 06 Oct 2012 10:23 PM PDT

BUSAN (South Korea): Asian Filmmaker of the Year Koji Wakamatsu has said a lack of government support for young directors in the region is stifling artistic freedom.

"Only commercial films are being supported by government funds in Asia so young filmmakers are only making commercial films," said Wakamatsu, who received the Busan International Film Festival honour for his contribution to independent cinema.

"It comes back to the power of the multiplexes which will not screen smaller films," the Japanese director told AFP late Saturday, adding that young filmmakers "should be given the freedom to make the films they choose".

Maverick Wakamatsu's own career spans six decades and more than 100 productions.

He started out making Japan's notorious 'pink' or soft porn films such as "Go, Go Second Time Virgin" (1968) and entered the mainstream through his involvement in the likes of the acclaimed erotic drama "In the Realm of the Senses" (1976).

"Caterpillar" (2010), a savage critique of Japan in the 1930s, was nominated for the prestigious Silver Bear award at the Berlin International Film Festival.

In the past year, the 76-year-old has directed three productions - "11.25 The Day He Chose His Own Fate", "Kaien Hotel in Blue", and "The Millennial Rapture".

The Busan festival handed Wakamatsu its Asian Filmmaker of the Year Award on Thursday to "honour his spirit of independent film as a rebellious auteur and his never-ending passion for cinema".

Past recipients of the award include Taiwan's Tsai Ming-liang (2010) and Hong Kong's Tsui Hark (2011).

"I think my films are undervalued in Japan so this is a great honour for me," said Wakamatsu.

"I am an independent filmmaker and this goes against the system in Japan. But you have to make the films that are in your heart not films other people want you to make."

Wakamatsu held a 'master class' for young filmmakers and film enthusiasts on Saturday night.

"I wanted to tell them that I have not changed since I started in cinema," said Wakamatsu. "My intention was to talk to the people of Japan. Cinema is freedom and this must never change."

The 17th edition of the Busan festival, which is this year screening more than 300 films over 10 days, comes to a close on October 13. - AFP

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The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf

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Intriguing maze

Posted: 07 Oct 2012 01:49 AM PDT

Fault Line
Author: Robert Goddard
Publisher: Bantam Press, 405 pages

IN every small town, there is at least one young person whose sole ambition is to get out and do something different. This goal is both focused and broad. Fame, fortune, career and direction are unspecified. What matters is distance. What matters is escaping the flock.

Often, such single minded determination is enough to make the deceptively easy dream possible, for better or for worse. Getting out is easy when the escapee does not care where he ends up. As long as there is nothing to distract him from the exit road, he will take it.

Robert Goddard's narrator in Fault Line, Jonathan Kellaway, is such a person. He lives in St Austell in Cornwall and, with a place waiting for him at college in London, he seems ready to break away from his town.

Goddard bounces his readers up and down Jonathan's timeline.The book starts in 2010 and Jonathan suspects that the reason why he is being called into the big boss' office is because he is about to be forced into early retirement. This is absolutely fine with him. The company to which he has devoted his life is not what it once was. He is ready to cut ties.

No such luck, however. Big boss has been ordered by someone even further up, the company patriarch, to give Jonathan one last mission. One that will take Jonathan home to St Austell and perhaps to the resolution of several mysteries that arose and remained unsolved over Jonathan's lifetime.

At this point Goddard takes his readers to the first and largest leap back in time, to 1968. St Austell is a one-industry town, offering a steady job and secure future to anyone who enters it. That is enough to put Jonathan off. The most he is willing to devote to the china clay industry is one summer job.

A summer is all it takes to bungee cord Jonathan to china clay forever. The chord is formed when he becomes entangled with a powerful and wealthy family that reign in the industry. If at first all Jonathan wants from them is a summer job, he slowly starts wanting more, starting with the family's beautiful daughter, Vivien. For the next 50 years the family will help Jonathan get what he wants, but they will demand much in return.

Very rarely does Goddard offer readers a clue of what lies ahead. Right when he seems to have settled into a pleasant pace for his plot, he ambushes with twists and tragedies. The family appears to be cursed, plagued by violent deaths, suicides and kidnappings.

In Jonathan, Goddard has created an ideal guide for the reader. Somewhat like the characters in the horse-racing novels of Dick Francis, Jonathan is not a cop nor is he particularly interested in the family dramas. But by the simple virtue of being in the right place at the right time, he becomes the unlikely receptacle of family trust. Key family members may trust him more than anyone else, but that does not mean the trust is complete. Far from it. Jonathan is kept in the dark about a lot of things, fed only morsels of information.

Jonathan is a very ordinary character that is made interesting by what happens to him rather than by who he is. If he goes beyond what is asked of him, it is always with an ulterior motive, the quick calculation of what he can get back in return as the family's go-to guy.

At times the reader may feel like shaking Jonathan into being more curious or dogged, but he is neither and lets a lot of things drop until circumstances or the family put them in his path again.

Bestselling Goddard's plots have been described as "labyrinthine", a term that perfectly fits his latest book which for the most part keeps its readers in the dark, baffles them with sudden turns, and frustrates them with dead ends.

It is only after 400 pages and more than 50 years of Jonathan's life that both narrator and reader are allowed to emerge from the maze. The bright light Goddard flashes so expertly is as shocking and as disorientating as the dark unmapped tunnels.

You have to read the preceding pages to get the full experience of the last few, which is that one chapter has finally ended satisfactorily and it is just now time to begin chapter two.

Crime capers, Asian style

Posted: 07 Oct 2012 01:45 AM PDT

After living in this part of the world for a quarter of a century, an American author delivers authentically spicy thrillers.

THE Kingdom of Thailand thrived on its contradictions, and it was with these contradictions that it contrived to seduce you.

Thai people were generally placid and charming. Somehow they had combined Buddhist stoicism and the upheavals of modern life into a brew of ambivalence that beguiled the Western soul. 'Mai pen rai'– never mind – was the national motto. Who could resist that?" From Killing Plato, page 192.

Author Jake Needham is a man who knows Asia like the back of his hand.

Having lived in Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok for the last 25 years, Needham is familiar with the charms and quirks of these megacities. It should come as no surprise, therefore, that his five contemporary crime novels, all set in the cities of Asia, have been published in 15 separate editions in four languages, and have sold over 100,000 copies.

Born in the United States, Needham graduated from Rice University and the Georgetown University Law Center, and went on to practice international law before eventually taking up writing.

His crime novels, which focus on Jack Shepard, a lawyer-turned-lecturer living in Thailand, have earned rave reviews, with Needham being memorably described by the Bangkok Post as "(bestselling American crime author) Michael Connelly with steamed rice".

Tight and atmospheric, Needham's three Shepherd novels are financial thrillers of the highest calibre, a perfect combination of suspense and wit that will satisfy even the highest of standards.

Much of his stories involve references to real life places and events, and pondering on what is fact and what is fiction adds an extra layer of enjoyment to his novels.

Laundry Man, his first Jack Shepard crime novel, opens dramatically with the protagonist receiving a call from his former law partner, the shifty Barry Gale, who Shepard had until recently thought to be deceased. Gale reveals himself to be the mastermind behind the financial collapse of the Asian Bank of Commerce, a disgraced Philippine bank that he had taken over for his own profit. However, in a strange karmic turn, Gale confesses that he too has been scammed and he needs Shepard's help to save him from his bosses, a cruel gang of Russian mobsters who think he has absconded with their money.

What results is a crazed ride of financial misconduct, dirty money and misuse of power, as Shepard's investigations draw him into a twisted conspiracy involving Burmese drug traffickers, American intelligence agencies, and Chinese military groups.

While the novel does not lack in its action scenes and possesses a thrilling guns-and-glory climax, the most gripping element of Laundry Man is watching the slow unravelling of the various conspiracies. Like Thailand's famous Patong bargirls (who can sometimes turn out to be barboys...), nothing is truly as it seems when it comes to Needham's novels, and watching Shepard get into trouble as he tries to figure out who is double-crossing who can be truly absorbing.

Protagonist Jack Shepard is a delight, a sharp-witted lawyer with a drive for justice, forced to reside in a world of hard men who don't believe in the rule of law.

Laundry Man also features a rich supporting cast of characters, many of whom feature throughout the series. Particularly memorable are the amiable but largely ineffective Thai police officer Jello (no, not his real name), flighty former intelligence officer Darcy Rice, and Shepard's friend "Tommy" Tammarat, who constantly insists he is not a spy despite much evidence to the contrary.

Needham's next book, Killing Plato, ups the ante by introducing a killer new character, the notorious financier Plato Karsarkis, the world's most wanted fugitive, accused of racketeering, money laundering and murder.

Imagine Shepard's surprise, therefore, when he walks into a bar in Phuket to discover Karsarkis waiting for him. The fugitive begs Shepard to help him obtain a presidential pardon through Shepard's friend Billy Redwine, a counsel to the American president. His nine-year-old daughter in New York is dying of leukaemia and he really wants to see her again, pleads Karsarkis.

Complicating matters, however, are the breakdown of Shepard's marriage and the presence of US assets who have come to Phuket to kill Karsarkis, all of which puts Shepard into something far hotter than tomyam soup.

Needham shines when it comes to writing antiheroes, and Karsarkis delights, coming across as sympathetic and ruthless at the same time. Also memorable is Deputy US Marshal Clovis Ward, head of the marshals tasked to capture Karsarkis. Full of Southern swagger, and prone to colourful one-liners, Ward occasionally feels like a stereotype, but provides many of the novel's funniest bits.

The Shepard crime series concludes with A World Of Trouble, where Shepard, now based in Hong Kong, finds himself hired as the lawyer of General Charlie Kitnarok, a former Thai Prime Minister.

Kitnarok, living in exile in Dubai, is plotting a return to power when his plans are thrown for a loop by a sudden assassination attempt that leaves several journalists dead. It turns out that the former PM is smuggling arms into Thailand, which poses a threat to the country's newly elected Prime Minister: the beautiful Kathleeya Srisophon, who Shepard has previously been involved with.

Thailand edges closer and closer to a violent civil war – and it seems only Shepard can stop it.

A World Of Trouble is slightly different from its predecessors: not only does the setting expand, with action taking place in Hong Kong and Dubai as well as Thailand, but Needham now narrates in the third person instead of through Shepard.

While this means we get a necessary view of the thoughts and actions of other characters in the novel, this may be a little disappointing to readers accustomed to hearing Shepard's voice.

Readers up to date on current affairs may notice striking parallels between A World Of Trouble and recent political conflicts in Thailand, where Yingluck Shinawatra was elected as Thailand's first female prime minister. Amazingly, however, Needham started writing his novel before the events in question, a strange coincidence that the author says he is not very surprised by.

In an author's note in the beginning of A World Of Trouble, Needham relates an anecdote told to him by a friend, which perhaps perfectly sums up the tone of his series: "That's the thing about Asia." He chuckled. "You really can't make anything up. No matter how outrageous what you have written may seem, one day somebody will come up to you and tell you it really happened, or is about to happen."

Visit Jake Needham's website at jakeneedham.com.

Unorthodox ideas

Posted: 07 Oct 2012 01:43 AM PDT

FRANCESCO Pittau and Bernadette Gervais have a new picture book, Birds Of A Feather, which I have yet to see, but sounds amazing.

The husband-and-wife team are known for their rather far-out ideas and quirky, sometimes slightly dark, sense of humour.

Their book That's Dangerous, for instance, has provoked several outraged postings on Amazon.com. Admittedly, not everyone will be guffawing over pictures depicting children in washing machines, with plastic bags over their heads, and about to get their brains blown out. It's perhaps Pittau and Gervais' opinion that children need to be told explicitly what they are not supposed to do, but many parents express horror that their children should be shown such pictures.

Might the book give kids ideas? Perhaps. I guess it's for parents to decide whether That's Dangerous is suitable reading material for their sweet, innocent little ones. However, just because it's a picture book doesn't mean it has to be read to/with a toddler. A tween or teen might get a kick out of it, as might some adults.

Same goes for That's Disgusting! One quite gross illustration in this book shows a girl about to stick her finger up a cat's butt. However, I know for a fact that this is something children think about doing. My neighbour's son actually told me he contemplated doing this very thing to my cat and, suddenly, it made perfect sense why his own cat was always so bad tempered!

Birds Of A Feather seems to be presented in the same style as Out Of Sight, another Pittau and Gervais book. The illustrations in both books are in full-colour and realistic style, unlike the sketchy, cartoony doodle-type drawings in Dangerous and Disgusting.

There are also flaps and pop-outs galore. The online reviews make the books sound like quite a visual feast, and also suggest that they contain some fascinating bits of information, told in the pair's usual succinct manner.

The only Pittau-Gervais book I have firsthand knowledge of is Elephant Elephant: A Book of Opposites. The book illustrates all the usual antonyms like "fat" and "thin" and "tall" and "short". There are also more unusual opposites, for example "plugged" and "unplugged".

It's just now occurred to me that the elephants could have been portrayed in an electric rock band, and playing an acoustic set, but no, "plugged" shows an elephant, full of water, with a cork in its bottom, while the "unplugged" elephant is corkless and leaking all over the floor.

"Boy" and "girl" have the elephants peeing, thus clearly showing where and what their girl and boy parts are, and there's "sealed" and "unsealed" with the sealed elephant sporting a zipped-up side-flap, and the unzipped pachyderm showing all its internal organs.

I know many parents would think this book very odd indeed. The elephants, who, I must say, look either alarmed or alarming, are line drawings, smudgily coloured in with grey, on an off-white background, and there's no rhyming text or heart-warming tale as a saving grace. It's not what most would think of as suitable for children, but I love its subversive humour and originality.

My favourite pair of opposites is "clever" and "stupid" – well, what do you know, the elephants look exactly alike! This is so true and just this one wise illustration is worth the price of the book.

Daphne Lee reads to wonder and wander, be amazed and amused, horrified and heartened and inspired and comforted. She wishes more people will try it too. Send e-mails to the above address and check out her blog at daphne.blogs.com/books.

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Philippines, MILF to sign landmark peace agreement on Oct 15 (Update)

Posted: 07 Oct 2012 04:55 AM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR: The Philippines government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are set to sign a landmark peace agreement in Manila on Oct 15, said chairman of the panel representing the Philippines government Marvic Leonen.

He said the unprecedented agreement was reached during the 32nd round of talks between the two parties here late Saturday,

The agreement calls for the creation of Bangsamoro to replace the former autonomous region in Muslim Mindanao.

The final settlement will help usher peace in the mainly Muslim island of Mindanao, the site of a rebel uprising which had led to clashes with government forces that killed thousands in the past four decades.

The peace deal is significant to Malaysia, which offered its assistance to resolve the conflict by facilitating and hosting the talks.

Phillippines Ambassador to Malaysia Eduardo J. Malaya described the signing as a new, bright dawn for all Filipinos - Muslims, Lumads, Christians and all others.

"We are deeply grateful to Prime Minister Najib, facilitator Tengku Ghafar and countless others in the Philippines and the international community who laboured patiently and kept faith with President Aquino and panel chair Leonen in the long quest for peace," he said.

In MANILA, AFP reports that the agreement calls for a new semi-autonomous Muslim area in the resource-rich Mindanao, which the 12,000-strong MILF regards as its ancestral homeland.

"This framework agreement paves the way for a final and enduring peace in Mindanao," President Benigno Aquino said in a nationally televised address.

"It brings all former secessionist groups into the fold. No longer does the Moro Islamic Liberation Front aspire for a separate state."

The MILF hailed the breakthrough, which was achieved in the latest round of peace talks in Malaysia that ended on Saturday, as the "beginning of peace".

"We are happy and we thank the president for this," MILF vice chairman for political affairs Ghazali Jaafar told AFP by phone from his base in Mindanao.

While Aquino did not say when the final peace pact would be achieved, Jaafar said the two sides were aiming for the middle of 2016 when the president's term ends.

Both Aquino and Jaafar pointed to major obstacles that still needed to overcome before a final peace could be achieved.

Aquino said a final agreement would have to be approved by a plebiscite.

Such approval is not certain in the mainly Catholic country.

A planned peace deal during previous president Gloria Arroyo's term crumbled in 2008 at the final moment amid intense domestic opposition.

Jaafar also emphasised the agreement reached over the weekend was just a "road map", and said there had been no deal yet on significant issues such as the extent of the territory to be included in the new semi-autonomous region.

Neither were details announced on when the MILF's men would lay down their arms.

There are roughly four million Muslims in Mindanao, which they see as their ancestral homeland dating back to Islamic sultanates established before Spanish Christians arrived in the 1500s.

After decades of Catholic immigration, Muslims are now a minority in Mindanao but they insist they should be allowed largely to govern the region themselves and control its riches.

Mindanao is home to vast untapped reserves of gold, copper and other minerals, as well as being one of the country's most important farming regions.

The MILF and other Muslim rebel groups have been fighting for independence or autonomy in Mindanao since the early 1970s.

The rebellion has claimed more than 150,000 lives, most in the 1970s when all-out war raged, and left large parts of Mindanao in deep poverty.

The MILF is the biggest and most important remaining rebel group, after the Moro National Liberation Front signed a peace pact with the government in 1996.

The MILF first began peace talks with the government in 1997. They fell apart when then-president Joseph Estrada declared an all-out war against the rebels in 1998.

Former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo then brokered a ceasefire with the MILF in 2003 and began peace talks.

But after the 2008 peace deal fell apart, two MILF commanders led attacks on mainly Christian villages in Mindanao, with the unrest killing 400 people and displacing about 750,000 others.

Aquino reinvigorated the peace process in August last year when he met MILF chairman Murad Ebrahim in Japan. Their encounter was the first ever face-to-face talks between a sitting president and a MILF leader.

Related Stories:
Malaysia's efforts to broker peace in Philippines bearing fruits
Philippine government, rebels hold talks in Malaysia
Philippines and MILF close to reaching peace deal
60 MILF rebels surrender ahead of talks resumption in Kuala Lumpur

Muhyiddin: Malaysia, Indonesia must foster better ties

Posted: 07 Oct 2012 04:54 AM PDT

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia and Indonesia must continue to foster a comprehensive and sustainable relationship for mutual benefit, said Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

The Deputy Prime Minister said both governments would continue to overcome obstacles and strengthen the understanding between the people.

"Obstacles including issues on land and maritime borders are very complex and need time before a final solution is reached.

"Efforts to find an agreement on these issues show that Malaysia and Indonesia can sit together to find an amicable solution," he said when addressing the Malaysia-Indonesia strategic bilateral relations colloquium here on Sunday.

Hisham: Don't be influenced by Opposition

Posted: 07 Oct 2012 04:54 AM PDT

JOHOR BARU: Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Tun Hussein has urged the people not to follow the tune of the Opposition on issues that would jeopardize the country's security.

He said the Opposition would raise sensitive issues such as race and religion in the build-up to the upcoming general election.

"They would highlight baseless allegations against the Government to influence the rakyat. I urge the rakyat not to be influenced by them," he said adding that the Government would answer all the allegations.

Hishamuddin was speaking to reporters after officiating the Sembrong Health Carnival here.

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