Jumaat, 25 Januari 2013

The Star Online: World Updates

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The Star Online: World Updates


Venezuela prison riot kills dozens - report

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 08:08 PM PST

CARACAS (Reuters) - A jail riot in south-western Venezuela killed dozens of people on Friday, local media reported, the latest incident in the ongoing crisis in the South American nation's crowded prisons.

Violence broke out after news of an inspection to confiscate weapons at the Centro Occidental jail, Prisons Minister Iris Varela said in a statement, without providing a death toll.

Soldiers prepare to evacuate unidentified injured victims during an uprising at Centro Occidental (Uribana) prison in Barquisimeto in this picture provided by Diario el Informador newspaper January 25, 2013. REUTERS/Diario el Informador

Soldiers prepare to evacuate unidentified injured victims during an uprising at Centro Occidental (Uribana) prison in Barquisimeto in this picture provided by Diario el Informador newspaper January 25, 2013. REUTERS/Diario el Informador

Local media reports say between 26 and 54 people were killed and dozens wounded.

A prisons ministry source told Reuters that "many" had been killed, including one national guard officer, but declined to offer more details. The source said the ministry would hold a news conference on Saturday with details.

The violence involved both a struggle between rival gangs for control of the jail and a confrontation between inmates and troops called in to calm the situation, Varela said.

Venezuelan prisons are controlled by armed gangs that have rioted repeatedly over the last several years due to disputes with jail authorities or prison leaders.

"Who is going to be blamed for this new massacre in one of our country's jails? Incompetent and irresponsible government," tweeted opposition leader Henrique Capriles.

The South American nation's 34 prisons were designed to hold around a third of the 50,000 inmates now in them, according to local prison advocacy groups. Many of the prisoners are armed and hundreds are killed each year in riots and gang fights.

A month-long siege occurred in 2011 at El Rodeo prison, just outside the capital of Caracas, when 22 died before some 5,000 soldiers restored order.

(Reporting by Deisy Buitrago and Pablo Garibian, writing by Brian Ellsworth; editing by Philip Barbara)

Copyright © 2013 Reuters

Egypt deploys troops in Suez after 9 killed on anniversary of uprising

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 06:26 PM PST

CAIRO/ISMAILIA, Egypt (Reuters) - Egypt's armed forces deployed troops in the city of Suez early on Saturday after nine people were shot dead during nationwide protests against President Mohamed Mursi, underlining the country's deep divisions as it marked the second anniversary of the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak.

A protester opposing Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi walks near burning barricades while fleeing from tear gas fired by riot police during clashes along Mohamed Mahmoud street near Tahrir Square in Cairo January 25, 2013. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

A protester opposing Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi walks near burning barricades while fleeing from tear gas fired by riot police during clashes along Mohamed Mahmoud street near Tahrir Square in Cairo January 25, 2013. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

Eight of the dead, including a policeman, were shot dead in Suez, and another was shot and killed in the city of Ismailia, medics said. Another 456 people were injured across Egypt, officials said, in unrest on Friday fuelled by anger at Mursi and his Islamist allies over what the protesters see as their betrayal of the revolution.

Mursi said the state would not hesitate in "pursuing the criminals and delivering them to justice". In a statement, he also called on Egyptians to respect the principles of the revolution by expressing their views peacefully.

The troops were deployed in Suez after the head of the state security police in the city asked for reinforcements. The army distributed pamphlets to residents assuring them the deployment was temporary and meant to secure the city.

"We have asked the armed forces to send reinforcements on the ground until we pass this difficult period," Adel Refaat, head of state security in Suez, told state television.

Friday's anniversary laid bare the divide between the Islamists and their secular rivals.

The schism is hindering the efforts of Mursi, elected in June, to revive an economy in crisis and reverse a plunge in Egypt's currency by enticing back investors and tourists.

Inspired by the popular uprising in Tunisia, Egypt's revolution spurred further revolts across the Arab world. But the sense of common purpose that united Egyptians two years ago has given way to internal strife that already triggered bloody street battles last month.

Thousands of opponents of Mursi massed on Friday in Cairo's Tahrir Square - the cradle of the revolt against Mubarak - to rekindle the demands of a revolution they say has been hijacked by the Muslim Brotherhood, the group from which Mursi emerged.

In Suez, the military deployed armoured vehicles to guard state buildings, witnesses and security sources said, as symbols of government were targeted across the country.

Street battles erupted in cities including Cairo, Alexandria, Suez and Port Said. Arsonists attacked at least two state-owned buildings. An office used by the Muslim Brotherhood's political party was also torched.

"Our revolution is continuing. We reject the domination of any party over this state. We say no to the Brotherhood state," Hamdeen Sabahy, a popular leftist leader, told Reuters.

The Brotherhood decided against mobilising for the anniversary, wary of the scope for more conflict after December's violence, stoked by Mursi's decision to fast-track an Islamist-tinged constitution rejected by his opponents.

The Brotherhood denies accusations that it is seeking to dominate Egypt, labelling them a smear campaign by its rivals.

'LEAVE! LEAVE! LEAVE!'

There were conflicting accounts of the lethal shooting in Suez. Some witnesses said security forces had opened fire in response to gunfire from masked men.

News of the deaths capped a day of violence that started in the early hours of Friday. Before dawn in Cairo, police battled protesters who threw petrol bombs and firecrackers as they approached a wall blocking access to government buildings near Tahrir Square.

Clouds of teargas filled the air. At one point, riot police used one of the incendiaries thrown at them to set ablaze at least two tents erected by youths, a Reuters witness said.

Skirmishes between stone-throwing youths and the police continued in streets around the square into the day. Ambulances ferried away a steady stream of casualties.

Protesters echoed the chants of 2011's historic 18-day uprising. "The people want to bring down the regime," they chanted. "Leave! Leave! Leave!" chanted others as they marched towards the square.

"We are not here to celebrate but to force those in power to submit to the will of the people. Egypt now must never be like Egypt during Mubarak's rule," said Mohamed Fahmy, an activist.

There were similar scenes in Suez and Alexandria, where protesters and riot police clashed near local government offices. Black smoke billowed from tyres set ablaze by youths.

In Cairo, police fired teargas to disperse a few dozen protesters trying to remove barbed-wire barriers protecting the presidential palace, witnesses said. A few masked men got as far as the gates before they were beaten back.

Teargas was also fired at protesters who tried to remove metal barriers outside the state television building.

Outside Cairo, protesters broke into the offices of provincial governors in Ismailia and Kafr el-Sheikh in the Nile Delta. A local government building was torched in the Nile Delta city of al-Mahalla al-Kubra.

With an eye on parliamentary elections likely to begin in April, the Brotherhood marked the anniversary with a charity drive across the nation. It plans to deliver medical aid to one million people and distribute affordable basic foodstuffs.

Writing in Al-Ahram, Egypt's flagship state-run daily, Brotherhood leader Mohamed Badie said the country was in need of "practical, serious competition" to reform the corrupt state left by the Mubarak era.

"The differences of opinion and vision that Egypt is passing through is a characteristic at the core of transitions from dictatorship to democracy, and clearly expresses the variety of Egyptian culture," he wrote.

Mursi's opponents say he and his group are seeking to dominate the post-Mubarak order. They accuse him of showing some of the autocratic impulses of the deposed leader by, for example, driving through the new constitution last month.

"I am taking part in today's marches to reject the warped constitution, the 'Brotherhoodisation' of the state, the attack on the rule of law, and the disregard of the president and his government for the demands for social justice," Amr Hamzawy, a prominent liberal politician, wrote on his Twitter feed.

The Brotherhood says its rivals are failing to respect the rules of the new democracy that put the Islamists in the driving seat via free elections.

(Additional reporting by Tom Perry, Ahmed el-Shemi, Ashraf Fahim, Shaimaa Fayed and Yasmine Saleh in Cairo and Abdel Rahman Youssef in Alexandria; Writing by Tom Perry; Editing by Robert Woodward and Peter Cooney)


Related Stories:
Egyptian army deploys troops in Suez after clashes

Soccer stadium hearing threatens Egypt with more unrest

Copyright © 2013 Reuters

Seven die in Egypt violence on anniversary of uprising

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 04:34 PM PST

CAIRO/ISMAILIA, Egypt (Reuters) - Seven people were shot dead in the Egyptian city of Suez during nationwide protests against President Mohamed Mursi on Friday, underlining the country's deep divisions on the second anniversary of the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak.

A protester opposing Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi walks near burning barricades while fleeing from tear gas fired by riot police during clashes along Mohamed Mahmoud street near Tahrir Square in Cairo January 25, 2013. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

A protester opposing Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi walks near burning barricades while fleeing from tear gas fired by riot police during clashes along Mohamed Mahmoud street near Tahrir Square in Cairo January 25, 2013. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh

One of the dead was a policeman, medics said. Another 456 people were injured across Egypt, officials said, in unrest fuelled by anger at Mursi and his Islamist allies over what the protesters see as their betrayal of the revolution.

Mursi said the state would not hesitate in "pursuing the criminals and delivering them to justice". In a statement, he also called on Egyptians to respect the principles of the revolution by expressing their views peacefully.

The January 25 anniversary laid bare the divide between the Islamists and their secular rivals.

The schism is hindering the efforts of Mursi, elected in June, to revive an economy in crisis and reverse a plunge in Egypt's currency by enticing back investors and tourists.

Inspired by the popular uprising in Tunisia, Egypt's revolution spurred further revolts across the Arab world. But the sense of common purpose that united Egyptians two years ago has given way to internal strife that already triggered bloody street battles last month.

Thousands of opponents of Mursi massed in Cairo's Tahrir Square - the cradle of the revolt against Mubarak - to rekindle the demands of a revolution they say has been hijacked by the Muslim Brotherhood, the group from which Mursi emerged.

In Suez, the military deployed armoured vehicles to guard state buildings, witnesses and security sources said, as symbols of government were targeted across the country.

Street battles erupted in cities including Cairo, Alexandria, Suez and Port Said. Arsonists attacked at least two state-owned buildings. An office used by the Muslim Brotherhood's political party was also torched.

"Our revolution is continuing. We reject the domination of any party over this state. We say no to the Brotherhood state," Hamdeen Sabahy, a popular leftist leader, told Reuters.

The Brotherhood decided against mobilising for the anniversary, wary of the scope for more conflict after December's violence, stoked by Mursi's decision to fast-track an Islamist-tinged constitution rejected by his opponents.

The Brotherhood denies accusations that it is seeking to dominate Egypt, labelling them a smear campaign by its rivals.

DEATH IN SUEZ

There were conflicting accounts of the lethal shooting in Suez. Some witnesses said security forces had opened fire in response to gunfire from masked men.

News of the deaths capped a day of violence that started in the early hours. Before dawn in Cairo, police battled protesters who threw petrol bombs and firecrackers as they approached a wall blocking access to government buildings near Tahrir Square.

Clouds of teargas filled the air. At one point, riot police used one of the incendiaries thrown at them to set ablaze at least two tents erected by youths, a Reuters witness said.

Skirmishes between stone-throwing youths and the police continued in streets around the square into the day. Ambulances ferried away a steady stream of casualties.

Protesters echoed the chants of 2011's historic 18-day uprising. "The people want to bring down the regime," they chanted. "Leave! Leave! Leave!" chanted others as they marched towards the square.

"We are not here to celebrate but to force those in power to submit to the will of the people. Egypt now must never be like Egypt during Mubarak's rule," said Mohamed Fahmy, an activist.

There were similar scenes in Suez and Alexandria, where protesters and riot police clashed near local government offices. Black smoke billowed from tyres set ablaze by youths.

In Cairo, police fired teargas to disperse a few dozen protesters trying to remove barbed-wire barriers protecting the presidential palace, witnesses said. A few masked men got as far as the gates before they were beaten back.

Teargas was also fired at protesters who tried to remove metal barriers outside the state television building.

Outside Cairo, protesters broke into the offices of provincial governors in Ismailia and Kafr el-Sheikh in the Nile Delta. A local government building was torched in the Nile Delta city of al-Mahalla al-Kubra.

BADIE CALLS FOR 'PRACTICAL, SERIOUS COMPETITION'

With an eye on parliamentary elections likely to begin in April, the Brotherhood marked the anniversary with a charity drive across the nation. It plans to deliver medical aid to one million people and distribute affordable basic foodstuffs.

Writing in Al-Ahram, Egypt's flagship state-run daily, Brotherhood leader Mohamed Badie said the country was in need of "practical, serious competition" to reform the corrupt state left by the Mubarak era.

"The differences of opinion and vision that Egypt is passing through is a characteristic at the core of transitions from dictatorship to democracy, and clearly expresses the variety of Egyptian culture," he wrote.

Mursi's opponents say he and his group are seeking to dominate the post-Mubarak order. They accuse him of showing some of the autocratic impulses of the deposed leader by, for example, driving through the new constitution last month.

"I am taking part in today's marches to reject the warped constitution, the 'Brotherhoodisation' of the state, the attack on the rule of law, and the disregard of the president and his government for the demands for social justice," Amr Hamzawy, a prominent liberal politician, wrote on his Twitter feed.

The Brotherhood says its rivals are failing to respect the rules of the new democracy that put the Islamists in the driving seat via free elections.

Six months into office, Mursi is also being held responsible for an economic crisis caused by two years of turmoil. The Egyptian pound has sunk to record lows against the dollar.

The parties that called for Friday's protests list demands including a complete overhaul of the constitution.

Critics say the constitution, which was approved in a referendum, offers inadequate protection for human rights, grants the president too many privileges and fails to curb the power of a military establishment supreme in the Mubarak era.

Mursi's supporters say enacting the constitution quickly was crucial to restoring stability needed for economic recovery.

(Additional reporting by Ahmed el-Shemi, Ashraf Fahim, Marwa Awad, Shaimaa Fayed and Yasmine Saleh in Cairo and Abdel Rahman Youssef in Alexandria; Writing by Tom Perry; Editing by Robert Woodward and Peter Cooney)


Related Stories:
Four killed by gunfire in Egypt's Suez - medics

Soccer stadium hearing threatens Egypt with more unrest
Egyptian army deploys troops in Suez after clashes

Copyright © 2013 Reuters

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Sports

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The Star Online: Sports


USADA chief Tygart: Armstrong lied to Oprah

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 05:24 PM PST

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Cricket: Pakistan's World Cup games shifted from Mumbai

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 05:21 PM PST

NEW DELHI: Pakistan's matches in the forthcoming Women's World Cup have been moved from Mumbai because of a right-wing nationalist group's threat to disrupt them, cricket officials said on Friday.

The entire eight-nation event, to be held from January 31 to February 17, was due to take place in the financial city but the International Cricket Council (ICC) has revised its schedule following Shiv Sena's planned protests.

The eastern city of Cuttack will now host all of Group B's matches, featuring Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Pakistan will play its three league games at Cuttack's Test venue, the Barabati Stadium, while the other group games will be held at the nearby Driems cricket ground.

Pakistan will stay in Cuttack if they qualify for the second round, but will still have to travel to Mumbai if they make the final, the ICC said in a statement.

Group A matches between defending champions England, India, the West Indies and Sri Lanka will remain in Mumbai as originally scheduled.

The dates of the tournament also remained unchanged.

Shiv Sena's anger stems from recent border tension between India and Pakistan.

Tension was heightened in early January by a series of cross-border exchanges in disputed Kashmir along the de facto border known as the Line of Control.

Protests by Shiv Sena in Mumbai has already forced organisers of the inaugural Hockey India League to withdraw nine Pakistani players from the tournament and sent them home.

ICC chief executive David Richardson said in the statement that he was glad the governing body had come out of a "difficult situation which was not of cricket's making". - AFP

Cricket: Pakistan slip after good start

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 05:15 PM PST

EAST LONDON: The touring Pakistan suffered a collapse after a century opening partnership on the opening day of their four-day match against a South African Invitation XI at Buffalo Park on Friday.

The tourists were 178 for six at the close on a day shortened by rain and bad light.

Mohammad Hafeez and Nasir Jamshed put on 105 for the first wicket but the Pakistanis then lost six wickets for the addition of 40 runs.

Wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed and fast bowler Umar Gul added an unbeaten 33 for the seventh wicket.

Hafeez made 55 off 95 deliveries with ten fours before he was dismissed by opening bowler Kyle Abbott.

But the batsmen who followed were unable to take advantage of the good start in their only warm-up match before three Test matches against South Africa.

Jamshed saw Azhar Ali, Younis Khan, captain Misbah-ul-Haq and Asad Shafiq dismissed cheaply before he fell to off-spinner Simon Harmer to be sixth man out for 68, compiled off 158 balls with eight fours. - AFP

Close of play scores on the first day of a four-day match between a South African Invitation XI and the touring Pakistan at Buffalo Park on Friday.

Pakistan, first innings

Mohammad Hafeez c Puttick b Abbott 55

Nasir Jamshed c Chetty b Harmer 68

Azhar Ali c Chetty b Harmer 2

Younis Khan c Vilas b Hendricks 5

Misbah-ul-Haq c Van Jaarsveld b Hendricks 4

Asad Shafiq b Abbott 4

Sarfraz Ahmed not out 10

Umar Gul not out 23

Extras (lb1, nb6) 7

Total (6 wkts, 66 overs) 178

Fall of wickets: 1-105 (Hafeez), 2-116 (Ali), 3-135 (Khan), 4-139 (Misbah), 5-145 (Shafiq), 6-145 (Jamshed)

Bowling: Abbott 16-5-50-2 (2nb), Hendricks 13-5-39-2 (2nb), Parnell 13-2-38-0 (1nb), Harmer 24-7-50-2

SA Invitation XI: J. Ontong, D. Jacobs, A. Puttick, S. van Zyl, V. van Jaarsveld, C. Chetty, D. Vilas, W. Parnell, B. Hendricks, S. Harmer, K. Abbott.

Match situation: Pakistan are 178 for six in the first innings

Toss: Pakistan

Umpires: Ian Howell, Dennis Smith (both RSA)

Match referee: Tiffie Barnes (RSA) - AFP

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Business

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Eye on Stock

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 06:22 PM PST

LION Diversified Holdings Bhd shares dropped to a low of 24.5 sen on Dec 19, last year, the worst level since April 1, 2009 amid extended correction process.

Thereafter, they rebounded slightly before turning range-bound on bargain hunting interest alternated with light selling, undergoing a period of consolidation.

Based on the daily chart, the prevailing trend of this stock remained bearish, but Lion Diversified appears to have bottomed out and the shares are currently in the midst of building a base, probably for recovery.

Perhaps, it is about time investors start taking up a position, while prices were trading at an attractive level.

Elsewhere, the daily slow-stochastic momentum index is ticking up. Its oscillator per cent K curved up from the neutral zones and climbed above the oscillator per cent D to trigger a short-term buy yesterday.

Also on the rise, the 14-day relative strength index improved significantly over the past several days, up from the 30 points level earlier on Tuesday to close at the 60 points line yesterday.

In addition, the daily moving average convergence/divergence histogram had indicated a bullish convergence pictogram and on the verge of triggering a buy signal.

On the back of an improving technical landscape, Lion Diversified shares are poised to strengthen in the short-term. If they can overcome the important 200-day simple moving average, resting at 29.5 sen and charged forward to penetrate the 32 sen upper strong overhead barrier, the outlook would be more apparent.

Concrete floor is pegged at the recent lows of 24.5 sen.

The comments above do not represent a recommendation to buy or sell.

 

Uncertainty prevails

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 06:22 PM PST

REVIEW: In spite of a firmer Wall Street the previous Friday, Bursa Malaysia started out the week little changed, with the FBM Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (FBM KLCI) easing 0.08 point to 1,676.36 in initial deals.

Market sentiment was frail in early trade and quickly turned worse on lack of support for no apparent reason.

A steadier performance in the Asia-Pacific region, which saw Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index scaling a fresh 19-month peak was not helping.

Consequently, blue chips were the hardest hit. Elsewhere, second and lower liners joined the selling spree and with no sectors being spared; the key index succumbed to tremendous stress to settle down 40.81 points to 1,635.63 in a sea of red on Monday.

Overnight, US markets were shut for Martin Luther King Day and US President Barack Obama taking the oath of office to start his second four-year term in Washington. Though European stocks rose, with investors nibbling "undervalued" sectors and most regional markets tracing out a similar trend, shares on the home front staged another wild move to the downside the next day, as spilt over selling thronged the floor.

Apparently, the FBM KLCI gapped down a huge 8.63 points to 1,627.00 at the opening and very quickly violated the important 200-day simple moving average (SMA), losing another 33.51 points or 2.1% in early business.

The overall sentiment was decisively bearish, with blue chips topping the decliners board, but just when it appeared defenceless and in great danger of suffering another major breakdown from the 1,590.67 points level, which is the base of the previous short-term rally, some funds emerged to seek value buys.

Obviously, their actions helped the key index bounce off the ebb but it was not good enough to send it back above the flat line.

At the close, the local bourse still shed a moderate 6.97 points to 1,628.66 on Tuesday. Then, the Dow and crude oil prices extended their upward thrust after the one-day break.

Taking the cue from a steady US markets overnight, the local bourse overcame a minor hiccup and staged a relief recovery.

However, the upside was capped, as there was a clear sense of caution, with a generally mixed performance in Asian equities weighing on the local sentiment.

In range-bound session, the major index recouped 6.59 points to 1,635.25 in mid-week.

Bursa was shut for a public holiday on Thursday. When it resumed trading after the one day break, the local bourse continued to mend, but the momentum was checked by late profit-taking activity.

In lacklustre trade, the FBM KLCI notched up a minor 1.88 points to 1,637.13 yesterday.

Statistics: Week-on-week, the principal index dived a hefty 39.31 points, or 2.3% to 1,637.13 yesterday, compared with 1,676.44 on Jan 18. Total turnover for the four-day holiday-curtailed week amounted to 5.285 billion shares worth RM8.151bil, against 6.414 billion units valued at RM7.976bil changed hands during the regular previous week.

Technical indicators: The oscillator per cent K and the oscillator per cent D of the daily slow-stochastic momentum index firm after flashing a short-term buy at the oversold area on Tuesday. Likewise, the 14-day relative strength index climbed from an oversold reading of 14 on Tuesday to end at the 30 points level yesterday.

In stark contrast, the daily moving average convergence/divergence (MACD) histogram was flirting sharply below the daily signal line to stay bearish. It had triggered a sell on Jan 14.

Weekly indicators continued to deteriorate, with the weekly slow-stochastic momentum index extending declines and and weekly MACD flashing a sell signal.

Outlook: A breakdown, weakening sentiment and a couple of sell signals were highlighted here a week ago, a precursor of a market correction looming.

However, the steep pullback of the market (a total of 74.32 points or 4.4% in two days) was really unexpected and scary, not only catching many people by surprise but also undermining their confidence.

With more breakdowns appearing on the chart and the sighting of a "death cross" of the 14-day SMA against the 21-day SMA, as well as investors turning cautious, it seems the hopes of a traditional pre-Lunar New Year rally is dimming fast.

Going forward, equities would be clouded by uncertainty in the short-term. Should there be a fresh sign of the bulls striking back in vengeance, it would be the FBM KLCI penetrating the 1,650 points hurdle. So, look out for that. The next upper resistance is resting at the 1,670-1,675 points band, followed by the 1,700 points psychological

Technically, the daily/weekly MACDs are bearish, implying the local bourse may drift within a range at best until a new catalyst emerges. Current support is envisaged at 1,625 points. The lower floor is pegged at the 1,590.67 points, of which a crack would have a negative impact on the market direction.

 

Managing perception

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 06:19 PM PST

LISTEN, listen, listen" has become a joke recently, but Kishore Ravuri believes in the Asian culture of listening.

"Today everyone just wants to talk, on Facebook and elsewhere. It's important to bring back (the habit) that you must listen, think and (only then) speak," he tells StarBizWeek.

Ravuri, who took over as CEO of Perception Management Sdn Bhd on Jan 1 from founder and veteran PR practitioner Dr Millicent Danker, says that if management doesn't know what their key staff are thinking about their leadership, it means they are not listening and just continue to talk in a vacuum.

"If you listen, you can manage perception," he says.

Public relations has too often been associated only with media relations. Ravuri believes PR should go beyond media and focus on engaging with multiple stakeholders.

In fact, he prefers to describe Perception Management as "a stakeholder relations agency" although his business card still says "public relations & communication counsel".

"It is not a secret that PR has become synonymous with media relations," Ravuri says. "All the serious PR practitioners and big credible brands do complain about this. Agencies complain that clients do not go beyond media, because even in the universities, it is taught that PR is anything that influences the potential image or reputation. It is defined as (reaching) multiple stakeholders, including employees, partners, and the government − anybody who impacts or touches your business,"

However, Ravuri, who hails from Mumbai and has worked in various countries, says in practice, PR agencies in Asia and globally are "being typecast into agencies that only deliver media conferences and media work, such as pushing out press releases without considering whether it's important or relevant."

"The PR agencies may say that's what the client wants without realising it's the responsibility of consultancies to evolve over time and get clients to embrace and believe the benefits of engagement with multiple stakeholders beyond media," he says.

Ravuri joined Perception Management as director of strategy and regional business in 2006 after meeting Danker, whom he viewed as one of the few "serious" PR practitioners in Asia and who shared her vision on tapping the potential of emerging markets.

Danker, 62, has 36 years of PR experience both in-house as well as on the consultancy side, including at Tanjung plc, Petronas and Burson-Marsteller.

"I joined because Perception Management was one of the few firms I had seen in Asia-Pacific or even globally that had been trying to capture that mind space with the clientele on managing stakeholder perceptions," Ravuri says.

"Perception Management, when it was founded by Dr Danker, was so forward-looking that we knew this is where the potential is and this is what PR agencies should be doing. And we continue to promote it."

The KL-based agency uses a strategic and scientific tool called Perception Wheel, which helps companies manage their reputation by taking an outside orientation, i.e. listening to the stakeholders. One of the wheel's components is a perception audit − a one-on-one qualitative audit which leads to the identification of the top 40 to 50 most influential stakeholders.

According to Ravuri, 85% of its communication campaigns are multiple stakeholders-centric, not media-centric.

"We don't abuse media and don't encourage our clients to abuse media. We ask clients to judiciously use media when they want to communicate to the mass audience with the specific objective of not just informing them but also helping them to learn something," he says.

As an example, he says that for client Department of Standards Malaysia, it is not just sending out press releases and arranging media interviews but also helps to reposition it in the market by talking to the man in the street and to the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO).

"Other channels could be breakfast roundtables, conferences, forums, communiqus, and community outreach programmes. We have been very different and that's why we continue to attract big clients that see the value and benefits of multiple stakeholder engagement," he says.

Perception Management may be a small specialist agency but it has attracted many government-linked companies as well as public listed corporations. Its clients have included Mimos Bhd, Pantai Hospital KL and Klang, Prudential Assurance, Tropicana Medical Centre, Iskandar Investment Bhd, Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd, Sunway City Bhd, Affin Investment Bank, Malaysian Agrifood Corp, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, and SME Corp.

The 17-year-old agency's move over the last five years towards becoming a stakeholder relations and management consultancy, "a very niche area," has done wonders to its revenue per employee,

"We have a staff of 15, but you'll be amazed to know that our topline is the same as what it used to be when we had 35 people in 2002-2003," Ravuri says.

The consultancy achieved a 20% growth in revenue last year. "For 2013, our year-on-year target is conservatively set between 15% and 20%. This is in keeping with the industry potential as well as the maturing communications landscape," he says.

While the Economic Transformation Programme is in full-swing implementation, Perception Management hopes this year to attract companies in the identified priority sectors, as it sees an opportunity to communicate the "change or the transformation" to their agents and beneficiaries. "We can help the industry share positive stories in a compelling manner, helping position Malaysia and its progressive, innovative and successful programmes," he says.

Ravuri, who started out as a trainee copywriter at Ogilvy & Mather in India, has been in the PR industry for 12 years. Besides India and Malaysia, he has also worked in Oman, Singapore, Vietnam, Zambia, and Ghana.

"Even when I was at Ogilvy, I felt very strongly about the stakeholder relations part. I don't see any inadequacy in the curriculum in Malaysia. They teach PR as what it should be. But when the graduates come out to the industry, they do not get the right orientation," he laments.

"A lot of global PR agencies want to do it and they do have the capability to do it, but they pitch for the clients' business, they would be satisfied by saying This is what the client wants'."

He says that his personal observation as a foreigner is that most of the stakeholder engagement for Malaysian companies happen at a very senior level, either the CEO, chairman or board.

"I don't think the people who are actually designing the communications − the corporate communication department or marketing units designing the advertising campaigns − are in touch with what the stakeholders want and what are their expectations unless the management is cascading (the information) down.

"The advertising or PR campaigns may not address the issues, so the company will continue to say things which people either may not believe or look at with scepticism," he says.

With Ravuri taking over the CEO position, Danker, who alternates between Malaysia and England on high-level projects, is positioned to grow UK-based training services company Mentor Communication Resources, another member of the Perception Management group.

Mentor, which has been in operation for 18 years, complements Perception Management's work. It is not just a training provider that does presentation skills or soft skills workshops, but also coaches senior leaders on articulating the messages and positioning their brand, company, products, services or even themselves impactfully.

"We (Mentor) have regional assignments from time to time, and we also support Perception's clients in their coaching needs and communication skills development especially at director and board level," Danker says.

Danker has been doing business in the UK since the 1990s when she founded Perception Management International there. Incidentally, she is the only Malaysian PR practitioner with approved-trainer status obtained from the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, UK.

Is Danker planning to secure UK companies as Perception's clients? "Some discussions are going on at the moment. We have two prospective clients from the UK who are planning to come to Malaysia with some big projects," Ravuri says.

He paints a bright future for the PR industry.

Lately, PR has become a function at CEO and board levels, he says. "They're taking more interest because they think it is a credible platform to engage with stakeholders. In the last five to six years in Malaysia, companies are revisiting their budgets in public relations (to increase the amount) so I feel there is a lot of potential going forward.

"The future of PR is all about multiple stakeholder management and not just media management. Our appeal to the industry has always been Dare to think beyond media and don't abuse media. I feel proud because I think it is very difficult to find another PR agency that can stand its ground and pull away the clients from media and give them a bit more value."

 

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Heavy rains see three landslides in Puchong

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 07:10 AM PST

PETALING JAYA: Three minor landslides were reported in Puchong following heavy downpours Friday evening.

Serdang OCPD Supt Razak Elias reported that a three-metre retaining wall in Puncak Jalil 8 cracked during the downpour and spilled mud over a nearby car, bringing traffic to a standstill.

"The Serdang fire department is on site and the relevant authorities have been notified. There were no injuries or serious damages.

"Early investigations suggests that the wall cracked due to the rain and water inside it," he said.

Razak added that another landslide had occurred in a residential area in Taman Tenaga and in a field behind SMK Puchong 2.

The heavy downpours caused flash floods in many parts of the the Klang Valley, especially Puchong and Shah Alam.

Shah Alam OCPD Asst Comm Zahedi Ayob said that traffic had to be diverted from Batu Tiga which was inundated with floods following the rain.

"After a request from MPSJ, the Department of Irrigation and Drainage Malaysia has opened flood gates to circumvent the floods.

"Waters have receded to two feet and roads are now passable for heavy vehicles. Cars and motorcycles on the other hand are advised to avoid the area," said Zahedi.

Meanwhile, a PLUS Traffic Monitoring Centre official said no flash floods were recorded along major highways and that traffic has begun to flow smoothly.

He said however that traffic was still slow moving from Subang heading to Kota Damansara, Damansara towards Dataran Prima and from Nilai headed towards Seremban.

Police 75% sure body found is that of William Yau

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 04:58 AM PST

SUBANG JAYA: The police are 75% sure that the boy found in Port Klang is William Yau, said Subang Jaya OCPD Assistant Commissioner Yahaya Ramli.

ACP Yahaya said the parents were present during the post mortem and identified the shorts and underpants on the body found as William's.

He said the parents also identified scars on the back of the head and forehead as consistent with scars William had.

"Post mortem results could not reveal the cause of death as the body was too badly decomposed.

"We have established that the boy has been dead for about a week based on the level of decomposition," he told reporters at the Subang Jaya police headquarters Friday.

ACP Yahaya said there is no sign of external injury except for a few bite marks.

"We believe the body was bitten by animals when it was floating in the river," he said.

"We cannot be 100% sure until DNA results come in. We expect the DNA results to be in by Monday," he said.

"We have a theory that the body floated about 30km down the Klang river from Bukit Lanchong before it got stuck on a boat near the Kampung Sungai Sireh jetty.

"We will be sending a team there to investigate further," he said.

He added that the police will call upon William's older brother for further statements.

"We find his statements have been consistent," he said.

ACP Yahaya said the police did not rule out foul play, but added that William's parents are not suspects.

Related Stories:
Severely decomposed body of boy found in Klang (Update)
Identity of body likely to be determined only after DNA results (Update 3)

Movie delayed over fear of unrest

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 04:56 AM PST

The Tamil Nadu government has decided to delay the release of popular actor and producer Kamal Hassan's film Vishwaroopam for two weeks.

The Rs.95 crore film was slated for release on Jan 25 at 500 screens in Tamil Nadu alone.

The state government's move comes after Muslim organisations expressed fear that the film could disrupt communal harmony, Malaysia Nanban reported.

Kamal Hassan has denied allegations that the movie is against Muslims.

The run up to Vishwaroopam's launch has also been problematic. Kamal Hassan had to cancel his dream premier launch of the movie on Direct to Home (DTH) after opposition by cinema owners that the move would affect their revenue. He then decided to launch the film on DTH a week after its release.


> Makkal Osai reported that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa wants the Federal government to name the Domestic Terminal II of the Chennai Airport after the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) founder and former Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran.

In a letter to the Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh, she said it would be fitting that the terminal be named after MGR, an actor who was one of the most popular Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu.

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

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First Look

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 01:43 AM PST

Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2

YOUNG inventor Flint Lockwood gains recognition for his unusual ideas from The Live Corp Company, headed by Chester V, who is famous for helping an orang utan evolve into a more sophisticated being (it wears lipstick). But not all is well back home when Flint learns that his infamous invention, which turned water into food in the first movie, is still operating and is now churning out food-animal hybrids – "foodimals". And now he has to save the world again.

Directed by Cody Cameron and Kris Pearn, the sequel features the voices of Bill Hader (Flint Lockwood), Anna Faris (Sam Sparks), James Caan (Tim Lockwood), Will Forte (Chester V), Kristen Schaal (Barb), Terry Crews (Earl), Andy Samberg (Brent), Neil Patrick Harris (Steve) and Benjamin Bratt (Manny).

It is set for release on Oct 3 in Malaysia.

Kick-Ass 2

ONE look at this picture and you might mistake this one for a Watchmen sequel, especially the way Jim Carrey (left) looks as Stars and Stripes.

Resuming their normal teenage personae, Mindy/Hit Girl (Chloë Grace Moretz) and Dave/Kick-Ass (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) try to tackle some normal challenges instead. Dave, for example, is about to graduate and has no idea what to do while Mindy is in forced retirement.

Dave joins forces with Justice Forever, an outfit of do-gooders inspired by Kick-Ass and run by a born-again ex-mobster named Colonel Stars and Stripes. Kick-Ass 2 co-stars Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Morris Chestnut, John Leguizamo and Donald Faison.

Look for it in cinemas around June or July.

Movies Coming Soon

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 01:41 AM PST

Bullet To The Head – Sylvester Stallone plays a hitman who teams up with a cop to bring down a common enemy. Both men have very different methods in working towards the same goal, but in those differences they find an understanding as well. Directed by Walter Hill, the film co-stars Sung Kang, Jason Momoa, Sarah Shahi and Christian Slater.

J.J. Abrams to direct new 'Star Wars' film: report

Posted: 24 Jan 2013 06:35 PM PST

LOS ANGELES: Sci-fi and action filmmaker J.J. Abrams has been tapped to direct a seventh "Star Wars" movie expected to be released by Disney in 2015, a Hollywood trade publication reported Thursday.

After purchasing "Star Wars" creator George Lucas's Lucasfilm for $4 billion in October, Disney announced it was planning a new trilogy in the wildly popular sci-fi saga, which has raked in an estimated $4.4 billion since 1977.

Variety magazine said Disney is close to finalizing the deal with the 46-year-old Abrams, the co-creator of the popular television series "Lost," who is currently finishing work on "Star Trek Into Darkness."

Abrams, who also writes and produces, directed "Mission: Impossible III" (2006), "Star Trek" (2009) and "Super 8" (2011).

Lucas - who created the saga and directed four of the six films to date - will serve as a creative consultant for the three new films, which are expected to come out every two to three years.

Lucas's original "Star Wars" movie in 1977, which marked the birth of a new era of blockbuster cinema, launched the career of a young Harrison Ford.

It was soon followed by the equally popular "The Empire Strikes Back" (1980) and "Return of the Jedi" (1983).

In the late 1990s, Lucas drew mixed reviews when he resurrected the blockbuster series with a prequel trilogy: "The Phantom Menace" (1999), "The Attack of the Clones" (2002) and "The Revenge of the Sith" (2005).

The newer trilogy featured Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman and Hayden Christensen.-AFP

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Dating for the digital generation

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 05:17 AM PST

PERHAPS if you were single in the 1990s you'll remember all the fuss over The Rules, the cult phenomenon and dating bible that was referenced in TV series Sex In The City. The premise: play hard to get to achieve your happily-ever-after matrimony. Now authors Ellen Fein and Sherrie Schneider are giving their tome a fresh revision for the digital era.

Out this month internationally, The New Rules: The Dating Dos And Don'ts For The Digital Generation, extends the retro mantra to the cyberworld with 31 new rules to help gals remain mysterious on social media, navigate the world of texting, and keep a man at an arm's distance even while e-mailing.

Don't constantly update your Facebook status with mundane reports, and stay away from a man's Facebook profile, or at least never mention it to him. Wait at least four hours to reply to a man's text, and never after midnight. Avoid all texting, messaging, e-mail, and social media updates between 6pm on Friday and 6pm on Sunday. This apparently will drive the boys wild.

"For the rest of us, it's a welcome return to anonymity, to relinquishing the constant anxiety over whether you should be publicising how cool you are by tweeting your global positioning reference every time you enter a cool new bar or restaurant," writes The Independent newspaper in Britain.

For those needing a primer as to how to become a "Rules Girl," here are the basics:

1. Don't talk to a man first;

2. Don't stare or look at men, and don't talk too much;

3. Never spend your own money on a date, and let him travel to meet you;

4. Don't call him, ever, and only rarely return his calls;

5. Never accept a date on Saturday night if he asked you after Wednesday;

6. Always end the date first;

7. Stop dating him if he doesn't buy you presents (you, however, shouldn't buy him anything);

8. Only agree to see him once or twice a week.

While The Rules has legions of fans, and even Blake Lively and Beyoncé reportedly tried them (on Leonardo DiCaprio and Jay-Z respectively), others find them plain ol' sexist.

"The writers of The Rules want women to believe that it's empowering to give up all their power," write the ladies who run Jezebel.com.

They have some rules, too:

1. Be a person with a life.

2. Respect other people and their lives.

3. Be patient.

4. Don't be desperate. – AFP Relaxnews

Book review: Deity

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 05:13 AM PST

Series that feature the same protagonist can run out of steam pretty quickly but this book, the third, is still a very engaging read.

Deity
Author: Steven Dunne
Publisher: Headline, 533 pages

WHAT'S worse than having a sinister psychopath going about his business in your town? Try having two.

It is a rough time for the Derbyshire police force in Britain. A vagrant's body has been found in the River Derwent, presumed drowned until an autopsy reveals that his lungs have been removed. And another vagrant's corpse is soon discovered in a gravel pit, all his internal organs removed except for his heart.

If that's not complex enough, four Derby College students are discovered missing. Footage on a mysterious website known as "Deity" shows that they had been planning to ritually kill themselves: but why, when they have so much to live for? And what does an old unsolved case involving a hanged boy have to do with everything?

Fortunately, Inspector Damen Brook is on the case, stopping at nothing to track down the perpetrators and he soon discovers that the vagrant murders and the missing students may be more connected than everyone had thought. And if he does not stop the murderer(s), more innocent lives, including his only daughter's, may be in grave danger....

Deity is a brilliant read, opening with not one but two murders and not slowing down from there. The novel maintains a dark atmosphere throughout, which is fortunately balanced by well-placed moments of character humour. Certain parts are somewhat morbid: scenes involving corpses being prepared come immediately to mind.

Deity is British author and part-time teacher Steven Dunne's third Inspector Damen Brook novel, after The Disciple and The Reaper. Despite being a third in a series, it is perfectly possible to enjoy Deity without having read any of Dunne's prior novels.

One of Deity's strongest points is its captivating characters. Inspector Brook is delightful to read about, a gruff, honest man who is unfortunately unable to make social connections with his fellow officers. Damaged from some of the things he's seen on the job, he struggles to do the right thing, including bonding with his estranged daughter Terri, who has problems of her own. Indeed, Dunne accomplishes the rare feat of making his novel's hero just as interesting as his villain, a difficult task in crime fiction.

Also written well are the students of Derby College who slowly become wrapped up in the Deity website's twisted plans. Particularly memorable is the beautiful yet tormented Adele Watson, a talented poet subject to unwanted affection both from her lecturer and father. A minor nitpick, however: the chapters involving them feature heavy use of slang, not always appropriately, which can be painful to read at times.

Deity is a strangely textured novel, raising themes of mortality, self-destruction, and rebellion, as well as fame and infamy. Another of the novel's major themes is the impact of the media and popular culture on youth and society, as explored through the reality TV-like Deity broadcasts and heavy reference to the 1975 Australian film based on a real-life event, Picnic At Hanging Rock, which slowly becomes an obsession for the students.

Dunne's novel forces its characters (and readers) to ask themselves a major question: is it better to die with a bang, when you are adored and at your peak, or slip away with a whimper, alone and forgotten?

Deity is packed with twists and turns, many of them executed very well. The identity of the Deity killer, once revealed, is a genuine shock and discovering how two seemingly unrelated crimes are connected is certainly engrossing. Dunne is also a master of foreshadowing, sprinkling his novel with tiny, almost inconsequential details that later become crucial to the plot.

The novel also wins points for originality: how many other crime novels can claim to have a climax centred on both popular film AND Egyptian mythology?

Towards the end, however, the twists admittedly go a little overboard: one of them, pertaining to a death, comes across as contrived and will definitely strain the suspension of belief. While it is always fun to read about the schemes of a masterful planner coming to fruition, there is a fine line between "genius" and "crackpot" and one scheme violates this line so badly one is tempted to add it to the novel's body count.

One particularly unusual thing about this crime novel is its very strong sense of continuity. Unfinished threads from previous books pop up in Deity, and not all loose ends are tied up: Dunne seems to be reserving a few character's final fates for a sequel.

Don't groan about authors simply out to make money with sequels – given Deity's terrific atmosphere and compelling characters, it is a virtual certainty that sequels will be welcomed. After all, Dunne's novel is a very engaging read, a well-written serial killer thriller that is almost impossible to put down. Crime fiction lovers, particularly fans of Mark Billingham, will be delighted and newcomers to the genre will be entertained.

Here's to Inspector Damen Brook's next case. We can't wait!

Twitter addicts will like this book

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 05:12 AM PST

Here's chick lit that real women can relate to.

The Twitter Diaries
Authors: Georgie Thompson & Imogen Lloyd Webber
Publisher: Bloomsbury Reader, 377 pages

IF you're a Twitter addict, then this book will definitely tickle your fancy. Like for real. Who knew that one could tell a proper story just by compiling Tweets exchanged between two women who are successful in their careers but unlucky in love (that's how it always is, right?)?

Well, Georgie Thompson and Imogen Lloyd Webber did, and honestly, I think that they're pretty creative for figuring that one out. Wish I came up with it!

And, yes, you're quite right: Imogen's last name is familiar – because she is the daughter of famous British music composer Andrew Lloyd Webber. (And by the way, I don't think Imogen is too fond of her father for she doesn't thank him in the book. She thanked mummy but not daddy ... family feud, you think?)

The Twitter Diaries is about two women in their mid-30s trying to make it in life and love. Tuesday Fields (@TuesdayFields) and Stella Cavill (@StellaCavill) meet at a New Year's Eve party in New York hosted by their mutual friend @PM_TV and instantly become best friends. And what do best gal pals do nowadays? They follow each other's Twitter accounts immediately.

Fields, a Brit, is trying her darndest best to make her mark as a sports reporter for Wake Up Britain, though there are some colleagues who aren't exactly making things easy for her. And on the personal front, well, let's just say that Fields has the "unfortunate ability to choose all the wrong men".

Cavill, on the other hand, already has a boyfriend (albeit one whom she rarely sees after moving from London to New York City), and she harbours ambitions of becoming "the Tamara Mellon of male footwear". Her one goal in life is to see every A-list celebrity wearing footwear from her Stellar Shoes collection and gaining recognition for her hard work.

Cavill and Fields leave nothing out of their Direct Messages to one another on Twitter. Their usual topics of discussion are: mothers trying to marry them off, their non-existent love lives, and the amount of pressure they face at work. Hey, are they talking about me?

But, of course, what is a chick lit without some money issues, cougar moments, wardrobe malfunctions, and cheating boyfriends, all of which The Twitter Diaries deliver with verve.

The girls keep each other's spirits up and I must say that they are absolutely hilarious. They are devoted to one another's lives, just like all the BFFs out there, and honestly, the way these two women communicate with one another reminds me of my own Twitter and Whatsapp conversations with my best friends.

Of course, I don't have a famous actor coming after me, like @MichaelAngeloMovie does after Cavill even though he very well knows that she's seeing someone. And I also don't have crazy bosses like Fields (I think I need to put that in ... just in case it reflects on my KPI) but other than that, these girls are absolutely relatable to most women out there.

I like how they use the actual Twitter handles of the celebrities they talk about, such as @RyanSeacrest, @Oprah and @TyraBanks because it makes the story just so believable.

The storyline may also resonate with readers because much of the "drama" is actually based on the girls' real lives. Lloyd Webber and Thompson did meet at a New Year's Eve party hosted by none other than the latter's uncle, Piers Morgan. Yup, @PM_TV's character is based on the renowned host and many of Morgan's actual characteristics are evident throughout the book – like his crazy allegiance to the Arsenal football team and his Twitter wars with English footballers from other teams.

It was really fun reading this bit of chick lit not only because the characters are amazing and relatable, but because it had some good advice for women everywhere. A recommended read if you want to know what women really talk about on Twitter ... and no, it's not just about guys.

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