Jumaat, 1 Februari 2013

The Star Online: World Updates

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The Star Online: World Updates


Mexico probes if blast was attack or accident, 33 dead

Posted: 01 Feb 2013 06:30 PM PST

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's government vowed on Friday to find out whether an explosion that killed 33 people at the headquarters of its state-run oil monopoly Pemex was a deliberate attack or yet another stain on the company's poor safety record.

A view of the inside of the headquarters of state-owned oil giant Pemex in Mexico City February 1, 2013. REUTERS/Edgard Garrido

A view of the inside of the headquarters of state-owned oil giant Pemex in Mexico City February 1, 2013. REUTERS/Edgard Garrido

Rescue workers continued to pull bodies from the debris on Friday and officials said the search would continue until they account for everyone inside the Mexico City building.

Government officials have refused to speculate over what caused the explosion on Thursday but said they had deployed large teams of experts to pore through the wreckage.

"The government is determined to find out the truth, whatever that may be ... whether it was an accident, negligence or an attack, whatever," Attorney General Jesus Murillo said on Friday evening. "We are not going to rule out anything."

He said the explosion did not cause a fire but refused to be drawn on what that implied about the cause. Parts of the reinforced concrete ground floor of the building caved in, and the ceiling was a mess of twisted metal pipes and ducts.

The blast at Pemex's complex in the capital killed at least 33 people and a further 121 were injured. The scenes of chaos have dealt another blow to Pemex's image, just as Mexico's new government is seeking to open up the oil industry to more private investment.

Speculation over the cause has ranged from a bomb attack, to a gas leak, to a boiler blowing up.

"A fatal incident like yesterday's cannot be explained in two hours. We are working with the best teams in Mexico and from overseas. We will not speculate," Pemex's chief executive, Emilio Lozoya, said on Friday.

FIRST TEST FOR NEW PRESIDENT

New President Enrique Pena Nieto declared three days of national mourning.

Pemex, which was created when Mexico nationalized its oil industry in 1938, is a symbol of self-sufficiency but it has also been blighted by corruption, inefficiency and frequent accidents costing hundreds of lives.

The latest Pemex disaster is one of the first serious tests for Pena Nieto, who must overcome the legacy of his Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, which ruled for much of the last century.

After seven decades in power, the party gained a reputation for corruption and cover-ups that have made Mexicans sceptical of whether they are being told the truth.

Investors have been closely following how far he will go in enticing private capital to boost flagging oil output in a country that is the world's No. 7 producer.

"This incident speaks very poorly of the image of Pemex management, and that's interpreted as additional risk in the market," said Miriam Grunstein, an energy researcher at Mexico's CIDE think tank.

A Pemex official said the damaged area of the company's headquarters was used for human resources in the corporate and refining divisions. It did not have a boiler or gas installations, the official said.

Former Pemex worker Ricardo Marin, 53, said there was nothing in the building that would explode and that the kitchen, where there would be gas, was on the other side.

"The only thing that occurs to me is that it was an attack - but against whom? There's no one with an important job down there," he said, waiting outside the Pemex hospital where a friend was in intensive care. "Maybe it could be a message to Pena Nieto, but not even that has any logic."

Pemex office worker Alfonso Caballero, who was one floor above the blast at the time, said he did not smell any gas and guessed it had been caused by machinery.

Mexican officials have not ruled out sabotage.

An official at the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said an "international response team" was on its way to Mexico City at the request of the Mexican government. The team includes explosive specialists and fire experts.

Pemex CEO Lozoya said the four floors most affected by the explosion normally had about 200 to 250 people working on them. About 10,000 staff work in the entire complex.

Red Cross official Isaac Oxenhaut said the ceiling had collapsed in three lower floors of the Pemex building.

The blast followed a September fire at a Pemex gas facility near the northern city of Reynosa that killed 30 people. More than 300 were killed when a Pemex natural gas plant on the outskirts of Mexico City blew up in 1984.

Eight years later, about 200 people were killed and 1,500 injured after a series of underground gas explosions in Guadalajara, Mexico's second-biggest city. An official investigation found Pemex was partly to blame.

'NO PRIVATIZATION'

Whatever caused the explosion, the deaths and destruction will put the spotlight back on safety at Pemex, which only a couple of hours beforehand had issued a statement on Twitter saying it had managed to improve its record on accidents.

"I suspect this was a bomb," said David Shields, an independent Mexico City-based oil analyst. "There are clandestine armies across Mexico, not just the (drug) cartels."

Shields pointed to the bombing of several Pemex pipelines in the eastern state of Veracruz in 2007. A shadowy Marxist rebel movement took credit for some of the blasts.

Meanwhile, George Baker, director of Energia.com, a Houston-based energy research centre, said past history suggested the government could seek to exploit the incident.

He pointed to the 1992 Guadalajara blast and the subsequent deal that followed to overhaul the Pemex administration led by then-President Carlos Salinas, like Pena Nieto a PRI member.

"Salinas said he wanted a response from Pemex, and months later Pemex announced a restructuring. The restructuring had nothing to do with the Guadalajara accident, but it was used as a pivot to do something," Baker said.

Pena Nieto has yet to reveal details of his Pemex reform plan, which already faces opposition from the left.

Both Pena Nieto and his finance minister were this week at pains to stress the company will not be privatized.

(Additional reporting by Adriana Barrera, Simon Gardner, Krista Hughes and Tim Gaynor in Phoenix; Writing by Dave Graham; Editing by Kieran Murray, Louise Ireland, Vicki Allen, Eric Beech and Lisa Shumaker)

Copyright © 2013 Reuters

Iran escalating efforts to destabilize region - Panetta

Posted: 01 Feb 2013 06:23 PM PST

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Outgoing U.S. Defence Secretary Leon Panetta accused Iran of an intensified campaign to destabilize the Middle East by smuggling anti-aircraft weapons to militant allies, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.

"There is no question when you start passing MANPADS around, that becomes a threat, not just to military aircraft but to civilian aircraft," Panetta told the newspaper in an interview. "That is an escalation."

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta delivers a speech on the future of transatlantic relationships and the future of U.S. defense, at King's College in London January 18, 2013. REUTERS/Andrew Winning

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta delivers a speech on the future of transatlantic relationships and the future of U.S. defense, at King's College in London January 18, 2013. REUTERS/Andrew Winning

MANPADS are shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles. Western officials have worried about the spread of such weapons and the risk they pose to airline passengers as well as to military helicopters and jets.

Yemeni forces intercepted a ship on January 23 carrying a large cache of weapons - including surface-to-air missiles - that U.S. officials suspect were being smuggled from Iran and destined for Yemeni insurgents.

"It is one of the first times we have seen it," Panetta said, referring to the seizure of MANPADS.

A Defence Department spokesman was not immediately available for comment on Panetta's remarks to the paper.

Yemen's government said the arms intercepted aboard the ship off the country's coast also included military-grade explosives, rocket-propelled grenades and bomb-making equipment.

Iran denies any interference in Yemen's affairs.

Panetta said the United States was stepping up efforts to counter the Iranian threat, and was leading a multinational exercise in the United Arab Emirates through Thursday to improve the interdiction of Iranian arms and other weapons.

He called the exercise critical to building up Arab capabilities to help halt Iranian arms transfers, including the smuggling of MANPADS.

U.S. officials have said the anti-aircraft weapons intercepted on January 23 likely were headed to northern Yemen's Houthi separatists, who are fighting the U.S.-backed government in Sanaa and have also clashed with Saudi forces.

Panetta is preparing to step down as Defence secretary after 19 months in the job.

The Senate Armed Services Committee held a hearing on Thursday on the nomination of former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel to succeed Panetta.

(Writing by Doug Palmer; Editing by Peter Cooney)

Copyright © 2013 Reuters

Suicide bomber kills guard at U.S. embassy in Turkey

Posted: 01 Feb 2013 04:39 PM PST

ANKARA (Reuters) - A far-leftist suicide bomber killed a Turkish security guard at the U.S. embassy in Ankara on Friday, officials said, blowing open an entrance and sending debris flying through the air.

A security officer runs after an explosion at the entrance of the U.S. embassy in Ankara February 1, 2013. REUTERS/Yavuz Ozden/Milliyet Daily Newspaper

A security officer runs after an explosion at the entrance of the U.S. embassy in Ankara February 1, 2013. REUTERS/Yavuz Ozden/Milliyet Daily Newspaper

The attacker detonated explosives strapped to his body after entering an embassy gatehouse. The blast could be heard a mile away. A lower leg and other human remains lay on the street.

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said the bomber was a member of the Revolutionary People's Liberation Party-Front (DHKP-C), a far-left group which is virulently anti-U.S. and anti-NATO and is listed as a terrorist organisation by Washington.

The White House said the suicide attack was an "act of terror" but that the motivation was unclear. U.S. officials said the DHKP-C were the main suspects but did not exclude other possibilities.

Islamist radicals, extreme left-wing groups, ultra-nationalists and Kurdish militants have all carried out attacks in Turkey in the past. There was no claim of responsibility.

"The suicide bomber was ripped apart and one or two citizens from the special security team passed away," said Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan.

"This event shows that we need to fight together everywhere in the world against these terrorist elements," he said.

In New York, the U.N. Security Council strongly condemned the attack as a heinous act.

Turkish media reports identified the bomber as DHKP-C member Ecevit Sanli, who was involved in attacks on a police station and a military staff college in Istanbul in 1997.

KEY ALLY

Turkey is a key U.S. ally in the Middle East with common interests ranging from energy security to counter-terrorism and has been one of the leading advocates of foreign intervention to end the conflict in neighbouring Syria.

Around 400 U.S. soldiers have arrived in Turkey over the past few weeks to operate Patriot anti-missile batteries meant to defend against any spillover of Syria's civil war, part of a NATO deployment due to be fully operational in the coming days.

The DHKP-C was responsible for the assassination of two U.S. military contractors in the early 1990s in protest against the first Gulf War and launched rockets at the U.S. consulate in Istanbul in 1992, according to the U.S. State Department.

Deemed a terrorist organisation by both the United States and Turkey, the DHKP-C has been blamed for suicide attacks in the past, including one in 2001 that killed two police officers and a tourist in Istanbul's central Taksim Square.

The group, formed in 1978, has carried out a series of deadly attacks on police stations in the last six months.

The attack may have come in retaliation for an operation against the DHKP-C last month in which Turkish police detained 85 people. A court subsequently remanded 38 of them in custody over links to the group.

"HUGE EXPLOSION"

U.S. Ambassador Francis Ricciardone emerged through the main gate of the embassy shortly after the explosion to address reporters, flanked by a security detail as a Turkish police helicopter hovered overhead.

"We're very sad of course that we lost one of our Turkish guards at the gate," Ricciardone said, describing the victim as a "hero" and thanking Turkish authorities for a prompt response.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland condemned the attack on the checkpoint on the perimeter of the embassy and said several U.S. and Turkish staff were injured by debris.

"The level of security protection at our facility in Ankara ensured that there were not significantly more deaths and injuries than there could have been," she told reporters.

It was the second attack on a U.S. mission in four months. On September 11, 2012, U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three American personnel were killed in an attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya.

The attack in Benghazi, blamed on al Qaeda-affiliated militants, sparked a political furore in Washington over accusations that U.S. missions were not adequately safeguarded.

A well-known Turkish journalist, Didem Tuncay, who was on her way in to the embassy to meet Ricciardone when the attack took place, was in a critical condition in hospital.

"It was a huge explosion. I was sitting in my shop when it happened. I saw what looked like a body part on the ground," said travel agent Kamiyar Barnos, whose shop window was shattered around 100 metres away from the blast.

CALL FOR VIGILANCE

The U.S. consulate in Istanbul warned its citizens to be vigilant and to avoid large gatherings, while the British mission in Istanbul called on British businesses to tighten security after what it called a "suspected terrorist attack".

In 2008, Turkish gunmen with suspected links to al Qaeda, opened fire on the U.S. consulate in Istanbul, killing three Turkish policemen. The gunmen died in the subsequent firefight.

The most serious bombings in Turkey occurred in November 2003, when car bombs shattered two synagogues, killing 30 people and wounding 146. Part of the HSBC Bank headquarters was destroyed and the British consulate was damaged in two more explosions that killed 32 people less than a week later. Authorities said those attacks bore the hallmarks of al Qaeda.

(Additional reporting by Daren Butler and Ayla Jean Yackley in Istanbul, Mohammed Arshad and Mark Hosenball in Washington; Writing by Nick Tattersall; Editing by Stephen Powell and Sandra Maler)


Related Stories:
U.S., Turkish staff struck by debris in Ankara embassy blast

Blast damages side entrance of U.S. embassy in Ankara
Turkey's Erdogan says U.S. embassy blast was suicide bombing
U.S. says will investigate embassy blast in Turkey

Copyright © 2013 Reuters

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The Star Online: Sports

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The Star Online: Sports


Mickelson misses magical 59 by a single shot

Posted: 01 Feb 2013 03:29 PM PST

SCOTTSDALE (Arizona): Phil Mickelson came tantalizingly close to golf's magic number of 59 on Thursday, a near-miss at his last hole leaving him with a 60 and a four-shot lead in the US PGA Tour Phoenix Open.

Mickelson's 25-foot birdie attempt at his final hole of the day - TPC Scottsdale's par-four ninth - curled around the rim of the cup but didn't drop.

"You don't have chances to shoot 59 often," he said. "To have that putt on line - I'm kind of mortified that it didn't go in."

Only five golfers have carded 59s on the US PGA Tour, most recently Australian Stuart Appleby in the 2010 Greenbrier Classic.

Paul Goydos also accomplished the feat in 2010 at the John Deere Classic. Al Geiberger (1977), Chip Beck (1991) and David Duval (1999) have also posted 59s on the US tour.

Japan's Ryo Ishikawa carded the lowest round on a major professional tour with a 12-under 58 to win the 2010 Crowns on the Japan Tour.

Bo Van Pelt had a 59 in the pro-am here on Wednesday, which doesn't go into the record books as an official tournament round.

Mickelson's 11-under 60 gave him a four-stroke lead over five players when darkness halted play in the first round with 33 players still on the course. None of those who were to return to complete the round on Friday morning were threatening the lead.

Ireland's Padraig Harrington and Americans Brandt Snedeker, Ryan Palmer, Ted Potter and Jeff Maggert were tied on 64.

South Korea's Y.E. Yang and Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts were among nine players on six-under 65.

But the day belonged to Mickelson, who was coming off a tie for 51st at Torrey Pines last week and was equal 37th in his first start of the season at La Quinta, California, earlier in January.

Teeing off on 10, the four-time major champion opened with four straight birdies. He strung together four more from the par-three 16th through the par-four first.

He birdied the par-five third despite finding a fairway bunker and moved to 10-under with a birdie at the fourth.

He managed just one more birdie, however, making a seven-footer at the par-three seventh.

Mickelson matched his best career round. He posted the same score in the second round of the Phoenix Open en route to his second title here. Among those chasing him, Harrington is playing the Phoenix Open for the first time.

"It's a nice score, obviously, seven-under par," the three-time major champion said. "It's a little bit behind Phil, but still a nice score in itself.

"I pretty much got the most out of the round for the first 15 holes, then had three chances the last three holes and didn't hole the putts." — AFP

Ferrari’s Alonso predicts tighter F1 race

Posted: 01 Feb 2013 04:06 PM PST

MILAN: Fernando Alonso (pic) said yesterday said that he believes the battle for Formula One supremacy will be a lot tighter this year ahead of his bid to replace two runner-up places to Sebastian Vettel with a maiden title for Ferrari.

Last season's world championship was remarkable for the fact there were seven race-winners in the first seven races before Alonso went toe-to-toe with Red Bull ace Vettel in a decisive, thrilling finale at Interlagos.

Vettel, the sport's youngest-ever three-time world champion (2010, 2011, 2012), finished sixth at the legendary Brazilian circuit, where Alonso was second, to beat his Spanish rival to the title by only three points.

Alonso, speaking at the launch of Ferrari's new F138 car for the upcoming season, indicated that their anticipated duel in 2013 could leave rivals trailing in their wake from the season-opening Australian GP in March.

"I think the likelihood of seeing seven different race winners in the first seven races, like last year, will be impossible," he said.

"There will be a maximum of two or three teams" battling for the title, he added, "and one of those will definitely be Ferrari."

Alonso, a two-time world champion with Renault in 2005 and 2006, joined Ferrari for the 2010 season and finished runner-up to Vettel.

He finished a disappointing fourth the following season but in 2012 won three times and secured a total of 13 podium places before being pipped by Vettel at the finish.

Afterwards, he said: "Next year, we will try and improve the car, trying to start further up the grid, thus avoiding accidents. Let's hope we also have a bit more luck."

The F138 - whose name represents the current year and the car's V8 engine, which will be used for the last time this season - was unveiled at Ferrari's Maranello headquarters in northern Italy on Friday.

Ferrari described it as "an evolution of last year's race-winning car, although every single part has been revised in order to maximise performance while maintaining the characteristics which were the basis of the F2012's superb reliability". The "Scuderia" have retained the front and rear pull-rod suspension set-up introduced last year but said they had "refined it for maximum aero advantage".

"The rear of the car is much narrower and more tapered than before," added Ferrari, although "significant modifications will be made to the car's aero package" before the Australian Grand Prix on March 17.

One major change Ferrari has made, one year ahead of schedule, is in the electronics domain with the early introduction of the single control unit that will be used in 2014.

"This has involved a lot of work to integrate and control all its features in terms of both software and hardware," added the team.

Alonso is set to get his first taste of the F138 at a pre-season testing session in Barcelona from February 19. It means Brazilian Felipe Massa will be at the wheel for the first pre-season test at Jerez in Spain next week.

Massa, who finished seventh overall last season, believes the car is equipped sufficiently to allow Ferrari to aim for both the drivers' and constructors' titles. — AFP

What’s all the fuss about Lin Dan?

Posted: 01 Feb 2013 04:09 PM PST

[unable to retrieve full-text content]KUALA LUMPUR: World No. 1 Lee Chong Wei is in no mood to find out the reasons behind Lin Dan's continued absence from the international scene.
Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Business

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The Star Online: Business


Eye on Stock

Posted: 01 Feb 2013 05:05 PM PST

AFTER finding a shelter at the 3-year lows of 85.5 sen on Dec 6, last year, Unisem (M) Bhd turned sideways, lasting four weeks before bouncing off in the wake of fresh bargain hunting interest.

Riding on the improved strength, prices recovered to a high of RM1.17 on Jan 11, only to be met by another bout of profit-taking activity.Shares retraced back to the 96.5-sen level to trade range-bound, finishing up three sen to RM1.03 on Thursday.

Evidently, the prevailing trend is bearish while prices continue to consolidate but the daily chart clearly shows that Unisem has bottomed out and appears to be making an attempt to mend.

As Unisem was active in the past several weeks indicating growing investors interest the stock is set to carve out a recovery path soon. Elsewhere, the oscillator per cent K and the oscillator per cent D of the daily slow-stochastic momentum index were on the slide. It had triggered a short-term sell at the 73% level in mid-week.

The daily moving average convergence/divergence histogram also continued to expand negatively against the daily signal line to stay bearish. It had issued a sell on Jan 21. In stark contrast, the 14-day relative strength index had indicated a mild ticking up pictogram from the 42 points level.

Technically, indicators are unclear, implying extended range-bound pattern until a breakout is detected. A successful penetration of the recent high of RM1.17 would signal a bullish reversal, clearing the way for prices to challenge the heavy overhead resistance of RM1.45-RM1.55 band. In the case the 96.5-sen support is violated, a re-test of the 85.5-sen floor can be expected.

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

Safe to buy on dips

Posted: 01 Feb 2013 05:05 PM PST

REVIEW: Bursa Malaysia was shut for a public holiday on Monday, alongside Australia. While we were taking a break, world equities, led by Wall Street, drifted higher on the back of positive sentiment, encouraged by solid US corporate earnings and the strongest seasonal inflows of mutual funds into equities.

In line with the bullish offshore performance, Bursa kicked off the week on a concrete platform, with the bellwether FBM Kuala Lumpur Composite Index (FBM KLCI) jumping a significant 7.89 points, or 0.48% to 1,645.02, playing catching up.

But sadly, the momentum was short-lived, as early buyers were quick to turn sellers in the absence of fresh market-stimulating leads on the domestic front to boost stocks.

In the wake of profit taking, the key index reversed from an intra-day high of 1,646.14 in the morning to a low of 1,635.38 in the afternoon before bouncing off slightly in late hour to churn out a small plus note, up 0.21 point to 1,637.34 in lacklustre session on Tuesday.

Despite the firmer close, the overall market breadth was decisively negative, with the scoreboard showing 473 losers beating 253 winners.

Nevertheless, Bursa made another attempt to recover the next day, with the key index treading above water in early business, drawing strength from US markets on optimism that global economic growth was accelerating following the release of a better-than-expected housing data. The gains in major indices in the region added to the upbeat note.

However, it was another sad story here. Apparently, the bulls were forced to abandon the idea, as an unusual fresh bout of liquidation pressure, quite similar to the ones we had seen only several days ago, once again hit Bursa for no apparent reason.

Losses in the heavyweights dragged the FBM KLCI down 24.17 points at one stage before bargain hunting activity came to the rescue, helping to cushion the downside.

At the final bell, the local bourse still shed 9.61 points to 1,627.73 on correction in mid-week.

Thereafter, shares on the domestic front moved sideways on extended consolidation, with a pullback in overseas markets weighing on the local sentiment.

In sluggish trade, the key index eased an extra 0.18 point to end the week at 1,627.55 on Thursday.

The local bourse was closed for a public holiday yesterday.

Statistics: The principal index declined 9.58 points week-on-week, or 0.6% to 1,627.55 on Thursday, versus 1,637.13 at the close on Jan 25.

Total turnover for the three-day holiday-shortened week stood at 3.369 billion units valued at RM5.682bil, compared with 5.285 billion shares worth RM8.151bil done during the four-day previous week.

Technical indicators: The oscillator per cent K had indicated a tentative topping out sign at the 56% level and in great danger of tripping below the oscillator per cent D of the daily slow-stochactic momentum index.

Meanwhile, the 14-day relative strength index continued to linger at the bearish territory, ending at the 20 points level on Thursday.

In addition, the daily moving average convergence/divergence (MACD) histogram sustained the downward expansion against the daily signal line to stay bearish. It had issued a sell on Jan 14.

Weekly indicators worsened, with the weekly slow-stochastic momentum index sinking lower and the weekly MACD expanding negatively against the weekly trigger line after flashing a sell signal a week ago.

Outlook: Bursa continued to consolidate, with the benchmark FBM KLCI suffering losses for the fourth straight week, as profit-taking activity dominated the floor due to lack of new leads on the domestic front.

Sentiment has not changed one bit, as we are still seeing a bout of unusual liquidation occasionally.

Based on the daily chart, the key index had violated the important 200-day simple moving average (SMA) four times during intra-day session in the past seven days and each time it fell below this last line on our radar screen, big funds emerged from the sidelines to lift it off the bottom. As a result, the market avoided a major breakdown at the end of the day.

From the recent market action, it is fairly safe to buy on dips, at least for now, especially below the 200-day SMA level.

Technically, all the indicators are sending out a negative reading, implying Bursa is likely to remain in consolidation mode this week.

Initial support is envisaged at the 1,613 points. A lower floor is pegged at the 1,590.67 points, of which a clear violation would have a negative impact on the market going forward.

Resistance is maintained at 1,650 points, followed by 14-day SMA and 21-day SMA, resting at 1,654 points and 1,665 points respectively.

The next upper objective would be to challenge the heavy 1,700 points psychological barrier.

People ‘N Rich-H gets boost from new wins

Posted: 01 Feb 2013 05:03 PM PST

ADVERTISING and branding agency People N Rich-H Sdn Bhd, which is part of Japan's worldwide Hakuhodo group, achieved a strong 20% growth last year thanks to new business wins.

It says in a statement that the wins included National Gas Company, KL Metropolis by Naza TTDI, Saito Academy of Security Management, Saito College, Astalift, and Meditag.

The agency's expanded scope of services for existing clients ranged from Fujifilm's launch of Fujifilm Instax, Fujifilm X-Pro1, and Fujifilm X-E1 Premium interchangeable lens camera.

People N Rich-H also spearheaded the launch of a series of Hitachi home appliances from refrigerators to air-conditioners and washing machines, and the Suzuki Nex a fun, trendy, and spirited scooter targeted at the younger generation.

"In a broad sense, 2012 was a significant year for People N Rich-H," says Victor Chen, the agency's director of client management. "The current momentum is in line with our plans to provide our roster of clients with holistic and fully integrated services."

This year, the agency plans to expand its investments in digital and integrated media offering as well as promoting Enrich Media, its media planning unit.

Media Consortium Corp (MCC), the group's independent media entity, had a tremendous year of new business growth in 2012 from acquisitions in the property, fast food, and fast-moving consumer goods sectors. Two other divisions in the group, Ambient and Display Asia, also won new business, including from Western Union, F&N, Visa, Kuwait Finance House, Bank Simpanan National, and Corridor Utara.

People N Rich-H also launched Think, a customised training programme developed jointly with 95% of the Advertising Academy, to equip the agency's staff across all divisions to guide them in leading conversations, originate and express fresh ideas meaningfully, and sharpen their skills in new competencies.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf

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The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf


Joyce in China

Posted: 01 Feb 2013 02:32 AM PST

A NEW Chinese translation of Finnegan's Wake, renowned for its linguistic difficulty in the original English language, is proving a hit in China – although one academic called the author James Joyce "mentally ill".

The first-ever mainland Chinese edition of the novel sold out its initial print run of 8,000 copies just three weeks after being launched in December, the official Xinhua news agency said.

Translator Dai Congrong of Shanghai's Fudan University toiled for eight years to render the work about an Irish family into Chinese, imitating the stream of consciousness style and unusual language, it said.

It quoted Wang Weisong of the Shanghai People's Publishing House, which released the book, as saying its success was "totally unexpected".

Both the translator and the publisher declined to comment on Tuesday.

Chinese readers are already familiar with other works of the early 20th century Irish writer. The Chinese edition of Ulysses, considered Joyce's masterpiece, went on sale in 1995.

Literary critic Liu Wei told a recent seminar on Finnegans Wake that the book – the plot of which remains open to interpretation – deserved respect.

"Modern writers share a common sense of doing interesting textual experiments ... among this group of writers, Joyce has the most intensive sense of all," he said, according to an online transcript. "I think it deserves our respect that Joyce created such a rich text."

But one reader, who gave the name Eudaimonus, said in a microblog posting that the work was not accessible to all.

"Finnegans Wake is a book for book collectors and critics, but not for readers," the posting said.

Others were more emphatic. Xinhua quoted Jiang Xiaoyuan, a professor at Shanghai's Jiaotong University, as saying: "Joyce must have been mentally ill to create such a novel." – AFP Relaxnews

Journeys of self discovery

Posted: 01 Feb 2013 01:42 AM PST

Big Nate All Work and No Play: A Collection of Sundays

Author: Lincoln Peirce

Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing, 144 pages

THIS New York Times bestseller contains over two years of the popular comic strip, Big Nate, which appeared in that paper's Sunday edition. It follows the colourful and rebellious life of Nate Wright, a spunky 11-year-old who has little interest in school and is no stranger to the detention room but whose heart is in the right place.

I Funny: A Middle School Story

Authors: James Patterson & Chris Grabenstein

Illustrator: Laura Park

Publisher: Little, Brown and Company, 272 pages

BESTSELLING thriller writer James Patterson moved into young adult fiction territory successfully with several ongoing series, including Maximum Ride and Daniel X, and then kicked off the Middle School series with the hit opener, Middle School: The Worst Years Of My Life.

In this second instalment, Patterson revisits the life of wheelchair-bound student Jamie Grimm who dreams of becoming a great comedian. He's a pretty funny kid, judging by the reaction he gets whenever he practises his stand up routine on friends, family members, and customers at his uncle's diner. Then, his uncle hears about a contest called "The Planet's Funniest Kid Comic", and Jamie is all set to take part – until he begins wondering: what if the judges only give him sympathy votes because of his disability?

Mal And Chad #03: Belly Flop! Author: Stephen McCranie

Publisher: Dial, 160 pages

THE third book in the children's series about geeky Mal and his best friend, the talking dog Chad, takes readers into Mal's love life – or lack thereof. While young scientist Mal can build all manner of clever gadgets and machines, he can't seem to build up enough courage to woo Megan, the girl of his dreams.

But then, Megan invites him to her birthday party! Wow! Mal's so excited, he creates all sorts of disasters, including destroying the party! Oh dear. Can his fierce science skills help Mal find a way of saving the situation?

The Great Wall Of Lucy Wu

Author: Wendy Wan-Long Shang

Publisher: Scholastic Press, 320 pages

WENDY Shang dishes out a humorous and heartfelt tale about cultural identities and a tween's complicated life. Aspiring basketball star 12-year-old Lucy Wu is ready to take on new challenges with hopes of becoming the captain of the school basketball team. At home, she's excited to take over the room she has always shared with her older sister.

However, things take a twist when she learns that her grandaunt is coming to visit for several months and is staying in that coveted room!

Hollywood romances

Posted: 01 Feb 2013 12:47 AM PST

IN Hollywood, break-ups happen so often you are want to wonder why stars even bother hooking up in the first place. However, not all celebrities who find romance on the red carpet or movie sets end up on the rocks. There are some Hollywood romances that aren't fleeting and Galaxie has picked, for its Feb 1 issue in commemoration of Valentine's Day, its most beloved celebrity couples.

From one of the longest lasting A-list marriages (Will Smith and Jada Pinkett), a scandal rocked Twilight romance (Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart), a Crazy In Love couple (Jay-Z and Beyoncé), a cover worthy duo (David Beckham and Victoria Adams) and young love (Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth), Galaxie features the couples that have given celebrity watchers hope that maybe there is such thing as a Hollywood happily ever after.

In this love fest issue, we uncover the secrets to making relationships work in the spotlight, we discover the chemistry that sparked some whirlwind romances and a peek at when reel love turned to real love.

And just for fun, we threw in a side-bar on when romances turned sour with a look at some celebrity hookups that turned ugly.

Besides Galaxie's love affair with power couples, the Feb 1 issue also features the latest in entertainment news, gossip and fashion!

One Direction hit it big in Japan and Galaxie has snapshots of the boyband in kimonos, Justin Timberlake returns to music while Justin Bieber proves that if his music career doesn't pan out, he might have a fall back plan as a babysitter.

On the fashion front, Taylor Swift shows us how to rock décolletage while James Bond star Daniel Craig and The Avengers villain Tom Hiddleston vie for the title of Best Dressed Man in Britain.

In this issue, Galaxie trains the spotlight on Lawson, the other up and coming British band that are giving One Direction and The Wanted a run for their money at the top of the music charts. Also featured is TV actress Lyndsy Fonseca who reveals how its never a dull day on the set of Nikita.

Not to be missed too is the low-down on the judges who are stirring up trouble on the latest season of American Idol. Yes, we're talking about the famously feuding divas Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj.

If you're excited much and want more, then get your copy of Galaxie that's out at a newsstand near you.

Galaxie is published by Star Publications (M) Bhd. Galaxie can also be found online at galaxieblog.com.my (providing you gossip seven days a week!), facebook.com/GalaxieMagazine and on Twitter@galaxiemag.

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Smooth start for 10-minute immigration clearance initiative at KLIA

Posted: 01 Feb 2013 06:22 AM PST

SEPANG: The first day of the 10-minute immigration clearance initiative at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) here got off to a smooth start Friday.

Despite the arrival of nearly 3,000 passengers within three hours, there was hardly any bottleneck at Immigration counters.

The passengers had arrived between 6pm and 9pm, one of the airport's three peak hours. The other two peak hours are 6am-8am and 12pm-2.30pm.

Reporters, who were taken for a tour to access the initiative during the 6pm-9pm peak hours, saw passengers being cleared in less than 10 minutes.

Immigration director-general Datuk Alias Ahmad said all 58 counters, including six auto gates, for arriving passengers would be opened during the peak hours.

"We will ensure that the last person in the queue will be attended to in less than 10 minutes.

"If there is no issue with their documents, it will take only 45 seconds to process it and the passengers will be cleared in 10 minutes," he said.

Alias, however, said the 10-minute clearance initiative could face some delays if there was any power failure or interruption to the system.

"Otherwise, it is our pledge to arriving Malaysians and foreigners that they will be cleared in 10 minutes," he said.

He said the 10-minute clearance initiative had been applied at the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal since 2011.

Dry weather thwarts police operation to revisit river where William Yau was found

Posted: 01 Feb 2013 05:09 AM PST

Published: Friday February 1, 2013 MYT 9:07:00 PM
Updated: Friday February 1, 2013 MYT 9:09:49 PM

SUBANG JAYA: Attempts to revisit the river along which six-year-old William Yau's body is thought to have floated to Port Klang have been unsuccessful due to the current hot weather.

A river operation by the police was cancelled after its levels were too low, caused by the hot weather this past week.

Subang Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Yahaya Ramli said his men were unable to launch their boats into the river as the water had receded too far from its banks.

"We wanted to explore the entry points along the river through which William's body could have entered and floated downstream," said Yahaya when met Friday.

"There are two entry points into the river in Kg Bukit Lanchong. We want to see where he could have fallen in or been dumped into the river. Even his parents' house is quite close to a river - within one kilometre," he added.

Kg Bukit Lanchong is the nearest spot to the Klang river from Putra Heights where William had disappeared on Jan 16.

It is located some three kilometres from the electrical store where he was last seen by his family.

Yahaya said there were still many unanswered questions, adding that how William died was still a "mystery".

He also said he had received initial statements from William's post-mortem and was expecting a written report next week.

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Residents: William could not have come through village

Home Ministry: Crime index dropped by 7.6% in 2012

Posted: 01 Feb 2013 05:04 AM PST

Published: Friday February 1, 2013 MYT 8:27:00 PM
Updated: Friday February 1, 2013 MYT 9:04:02 PM

KOTA KINABALU: The Home Ministry, which is responsible for the Crime Reduction National Key Result Area (NKRA,) has exceeded its crime reduction target set throughout last year.

Deputy Home Minister Datuk Wira Abu Seman Yusop said during that period, the crime index had dropped by 7.6% compared with the 5% target.

"Clearly, the Crime Reduction NKRA outlined by the Prime Minister has indicated an impact," he told reporters after officiating the Sabah Halfway House in Kepayan near here Friday.

He said one of the 50 initiatives under the Crime Reduction NKRA was a resettlement programme for ex-prisoners through the Halfway House inspired by the laboratory for crime reduction.

Abu Seman said 14 Halfway Houses were built nationwide with one in each state.

He said the halfway house, among others, is aimed to help ex-prisoners obtain work and counselling, to give them confidence that they are still needed by the community. - Bernama

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Bollywood star Salman Khan faces homicide trial

Posted: 01 Feb 2013 05:01 AM PST

MUMBAI: A court in Mumbai has ruled that Bollywood star Salman Khan will be tried for culpable homicide over a 2002 hit-and-run case which could land him behind bars for 10 years, his lawyer said Friday.

Khan is alleged to have rammed his Toyota Land Cruiser vehicle onto a pavement and over five sleeping homeless people in suburban Mumbai, killing one and injuring four others.

Dipesh Mehta, who represents Khan, said a sessions court had on Thursday "directed the police to book him for culpable homicide not amounting to murder".

"We will however challenge this decision in the High Court," Mehta told AFP.

Khan was being tried under a lesser charge of rash and negligent driving but prosecutors had filed an application for the charges to be upgraded, which the court upheld.

The new offences carry sentences of up to 10 years in prison.

"The court said there was enough evidence to show the act was not incidental and hence the case should be tried under a more serious section," the Times of India reported on Friday, quoting another of Khan's lawyers Kaushal Thakkar.

The star has been asked to be present in court on March 11.

Khan - known for his muscular physique and off-camera fits of temper - has been a controversial figure since he first broke into Bollywood in the late 1980s in the romance film Maine Pyar Kiya (I'm In Love).

In 1998, he spent more than a week in prison for killing endangered Indian gazelles in the northern state of Rajasthan. - AFP

Movies coming soon

Posted: 01 Feb 2013 12:39 AM PST

A Good Day To Die Hard — It's hard to keep a good character down, and since this is John McClane (Bruce Willis), it's darn near impossible. It has been six years since we saw Die Hard 4.0, and a quarter-century since Die Hard. McClane's two children are grown up (they're played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Jai Courtney here) and he travels to Russia to help his son only to, once again, save the day from very bad guys. The teaser poster says it all: Yippee ki-yay, Mother Russia.

The Wedding Diary 2 — Young couple Wei Jie and Zhixin welcome a new family member, baby Heng, while coping with the stroke suffered by Zhixin's father and her mother's deteriorating mental health. Starring Ah Niu, Elanne Kwong, Kara Hui, Jack Choo and Marcus Chin.

Hantu Kak Limah 2: Husin, Mon & Jin Pakai Toncit — After the events of Hantu Kak Limah Balik Rumah, Husin returns to his village to deal with his money problems. Upon his arrival, he has to deal with a new kind of evil and it wants a debt settled. Directed by Mamat Khalid, the horror-comedy stars Awie, Shy8, Delimawati, Avaa Vanja, Zami Ismail and Man Kadir.

On the run

Posted: 01 Feb 2013 12:36 AM PST

2 Guns

DIRECTOR David O. Russell is currently enjoying a high profile with his film Silver Linings Playbook. Next, he is on joint writing duties for 2 Guns, based on the Boom! graphic novels by Steven Grant. Directed by Baltasar Kormákur (Contraband), the movie stars Denzel Washington, Mark Wahlberg, Paula Patton and Bill Paxton.

The action flick is about two operatives from competing bureaus forced to go on the run together. There is also another problem with their alliance: neither knows that the other is an undercover federal agent.

For the past 12 months, DEA agent Bobby Trench (Washington) and US naval intelligence officer Marcus Stigman (Wahlberg) have been reluctantly attached at the hip. Working undercover as members of a narcotics syndicate, each man distrusts his partner as much as the criminals they have both been tasked to take down.

When their attempt to infiltrate a Mexican drug cartel and recover millions goes haywire, Trench and Stigman are suddenly disavowed by their superiors. Now that everyone wants them in jail or in the ground, they can only count on one another.

Unfortunately for their pursuers, when good guys spend years pretending to be bad guys, they pick up a few tricks along the way.

The film is set to open in Malaysia on Aug 16.

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Metro watch

Posted: 01 Feb 2013 05:07 AM PST

LANE CLOSURE

Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd will be closing the left-most lane on Jalan Cheras (Kajang-bound) beside the motorcycle lane starting today until April 12 to facilitate utilities relocation works along the 600m stretch of the road. The lane closure will be done in stages, from 9pm to 5am. The alternative motorcycle lane for a stretch of 200m in the Kajang-bound direction will be closed for two years starting today until Jan 30, 2015 to facilitate utilities relocation works and construction of the Taman Bukit Ria Station. As an alternative, motorists can use Jalan Cheras (Kajang-bound) and Jalan Sembilang.

SABAH NIGHT

NGO Qaseh Bonda (Persatuan Ibu Tunggal Warga Sabah Lembah Klang) will be organising the "2nd Sabah Nite 2013" on Feb 3, at Dewan Perdana Felda, Kuala Lumpur, from 5pm to 11pm. There will be an exhibition on Sabah State Development, tourism, culture and food, performances, lucky draw and awards presentation. Seats are available from RM180 onwards. For details, call 019-2922 887 (Kartini) / 017-650 55799 (Rona).

U-TURN DIVERSION

Besraya (M) Sdn Bhd will be working on the U-turn diversion at Jalan Sungai Besi from now to April 1. It is to facilitate construction of bridge piers BR 3 Connection Project for the Sungai Besi Highway. Motorists are advised to comply with traffic signage. For details, call 017-622 1621 (Indawati) / 019-265 2143 (Hasziala).

HEALTH FORUM

Tropicana Medical Centre will be organising a free public forum on "The Hormone Theory of Ageing" at Tropicana Medical Centre, Level 7 Auditorium on tomorrow from 10.30am to 1pm. Admission is free. To RSVP, call 03-6287 1206 (Mei Yee) or 018-288 6789 (Huda) or email your full name and contact number to meiyees@tropicanamedicalcentre.com

PREVIEW TALK

The Centre for PranaYoga & SelfTransformation will be a organising a workshop titled "Achieving Oneness with the Higher Soul". There will be a free preview talk by senior arhatic yoga practitioner and Indra Ramamoorthy today at 7.30pm at Zenith 1 Corporate Park, Block D, 41-1, SS 7/26, Kelana Jaya, Selangor. To register, call 03-7887 1028 / 012-974 2028 or visit www.pranichealingmalaysia.org

FOOD NEEDED

Take part in the "Some Of Us — S.O.S" charity campaign and donate food items for Jumble Station at LG2 of Sunway Pyramid until Feb 24. Items needed are instant noodles, instant beverages, oats, milk powder, crackers, biscuits, cooking oil, salt, sugar, pasta and canned food. For details, call 03-7494 3035.

MAINTENANCE WORKS

The KL-Kuala Selangor Expressway (Latar Expressway) will undertake maintenance and remedial works until May 2. Roadusers are advised to follow traffic signage along the affected stretch. For details, call 03-6145 1515 or visit www.latar.com.my

Change in mindset needed to make country proud

Posted: 01 Feb 2013 05:07 AM PST

THE fact that flash floods occur frequently in several parts of the city after heavy rain is clearly because of poor drainage systems and a lack of maintenance.

Poor maintenance is the result of a lackadaisical attitude and poor commitment from the workers involved.

A lack of supervision and budget are the other major factors that contribute to a poor maintenance culture in our cities.

A lack of maintenance culture is a concern every Malaysian shares.

For example, if we bother to look at our public drains today, we can find them mostly clogged up with all kinds of debris and litter, particularly those around construction sites.

This is further aggravated by the indiscriminate dumping of rubbish in drains by irresponsible people.

As a result of poor maintenance culture, or an inadequate budget for maintenance, these drains are not regularly cleaned and broken drains have not been repaired.

Common sense tells us that clogged drains can lead to flooding. Our poor maintenance culture is not only reflected in the way we take care of our public drains and drainage system.

Look at the condition of our roads. Potholes that are left unattended for weeks, even months, can endanger road users.

Failure to prune tree branches and leaves that obstruct road signs along our highways as well as federal, state and town roads also pose a risk to motorists.

Poor maintenance of public facilities and infrastructure often leads to accidents and injuries.

Public toilets that are not properly maintained cause much inconvenience, while poorly maintained playgrounds can lead to accidents and injuries.

Incidences of defects and breakdown in new government buildings and other infrastructure are still fresh in our minds. Problems of such nature are embarrassing and far too serious to be ignored.

Malaysia is known as a country that prides itself for its first-world infrastructure but sadly, this is not so in terms of maintenance.

The authorities and every Malaysian must imbibe a strong culture of maintenance and make it a way of life.

Let us not have first-world infrastructure and a third-world mentality when it comes to maintenance.

The time has come for the government and the private sector to see to the emergence of a new mindset that gives emphasis to the development of a strong maintenance and safety culture.

Towards this end, the Government Transformation Programme should include maintenance culture as one of its key drivers.

TAN SRI LEE LAM THYE

Kuala Lumpur

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Getting into the CNY mood

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 05:04 PM PST

KUANTAN: With Chinese New Year just around the corner, various shopping complexes here have decorated its premises creatively to usher in the Year of the Snake.

Some outlets have even started putting up decorative items more than two weeks ago to create an early joyous and celebrative mood.

East Coast Mall marketing communications manager, Ken Chin, said their team of interior designers had started decorating its premises with lanterns, blossoms and other festive items to attract shoppers.

He said many of its tenants had also joined in and offered various discounts and attractive bargains for the early birds.

"We have also lined up a host of activities including cultural performances, lion dances, Chinese acrobatic shows, a 12 Zodiac animals parade as well as several contests and other fun-filled programmes for the entire family," he said.

Lanterns were also seen decorating the streets along Air Putih which has the highest concentration of Chinese residents.

Teruntum assemblyman, Datuk Chang Hong Seong, urged more shops to put up decorative items to create a more colourful and vibrant atmosphere.

"While we are in a celebratory mood, the poor, needy and less fortunate should not be forgotten.

"In keeping with the tradition, the state government will be giving out a token payment to some 1,700 Chinese senior citizens, aged 70 and above, in appreciation of their past contributions," he said, adding that for his consitutency, the presentation ceremony would be held on Feb 6.

Semambu assemblyman Datuk Pang Tsu Ming also called on residents to decorate their homes and surroundings to blend in with the joyous celebrations.

Pang said the second round of Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia for qualified recipients would be distributed in the first week of February to lessen the people's burden.

Meanwhile, a resident Elaine Koh, 39, of Bukit Sekilau said she would do last minute shopping as normally, the prices of festive items would be reduced further.

Another shopper C.L. Tan, 50, from Air Putih said she had already completed her shopping list and look forward to the auspicious day to receive guests.

Many roadside traders saw an increase in business especially those trading in mandarin oranges and festive cookies.

MPK is being blamed for not doing jobs that do not fall under its jurisdiction

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 03:14 PM PST

KUANTAN: The Kuantan Municipal Council (MPK) is fed up of being blamed for not doing jobs that do not fall under its jurisdiction, said its president Datuk Zulkifli Yaacob.

He said the public could not differentiate between the duties of MPK and federal agencies, causing the council to be lambasted endlessly on social media sites.

"The public does not understand that MPK does not even have the authority to compound litterbugs anymore. Public cleanliness has been taken over by federal departments.

"People have sent angry SMSes to me and throw accusations at MPK. I am very distressed out by this," said Zulkifli at the council's full board meeting here.

He said the problem arose when some federal agencies did not perform its duties well but did not come forward and admit its mistakes but make MPK take the fall for it instead.

"For example, grass maintenance on federal roads is a job of Roadcare, a concession for the Public Works Department. But because they are not doing their job well, we end up having to do it ourselves.

"These agencies just keep quiet, feeling safe because they know MPK will get the blame," said an incensed Zulkifli.

He added that he had warned agencies like the Solid Waste and Public Sanitary Management Corporation that MPK would levy a surcharge if services were not delivered.

"We will force them to follow our terms since we are the paymaster. It is high time we stop shouldering the blame and start defending this council,"he said.

Zulkifli also said big billboards outlining which agencies to contact for complaints would be put up immediately around Kuantan to counter the misperception and allegations.

Kuantan OCPD Asst Comm Mohd Jasmani Yusoff, who was also present at the meeting, said the police and MPK had carried out thousands of raids on illegal gambling dens but the public was still accusing the authorities of not doing anything.

"This month alone, we carried out 632 raids and seized 7,409 computers used for gambling worth more than RM7mil. The people should know for a capital district, we only have an average of seven criminal cases a day.

"Instead of making allegations, everyone should pitch in and help us combat crime," said ACP Mohd Jasmani.

Petronas reaches out to the villagers of Sabah

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 05:06 PM PST

KOTA KINABALU: The long and winding road that cuts along the edge of Banjaran Trusmadi opened up to a tranquil village in Sook, deep in the interior of Sabah, as a group of Petronas staff turned up to undertake their Sentuhan Kasih programme.

The smiling faces of Kampung Kahaba residents greeted them on arrival, and soon there was an exchange of greetings and handshakes. What followed next was a series of activities, during which friendships were forged and goodwill was exchanged through sports and community programmes.

The two-day event, that begun on Jan 18, was held in conjunction with Christmas and New Year and was opened by Sook Assemblyman Datuk Ellron Alfred Angin who is also the Assistant Minister of Culture, Tourism and Environment.

Petronas donated books and sports equipment to Kampung Kahaba as well as 100 cooking gas cylinders to the villagers and those from nearby areas.

Ellron thanked Petronas for the initiative and urged the young people in the village to equip themselves with the necessary skills, particularly those required by the oil and gas industry.

"We in Sook welcome the initiative by Petronas to implement its corporate social responsibility in this area," he said.

Meanwhile, Sabah and Labuan Petronas chairman, Joseph Podtung, said the Sentuhan Kasih programme was a continuation of Petronas' tradition of reaching out to the community during major festive seasons.

"At the same time, the programme also aims at nurturing and enhancing the spirit of giving and volunteerism among Petronas employees, providing them with a platform to interact and engage with the people of various communities, who are our most valuable stakeholders," he said in his speech read by Petronas Sabah and Labuan Region senior manager, Julita Ontol.

Podtung said Petronas had also embarked on a series of education and human capital development initiatives such as through the setting up of Universiti Teknologi Petronas, Institute of Petroleum Technology Petronas and Kimanis Petroleum Training Centre as well as through the collaboration with five skills training institutions in Sabah namely Institut Latihan Perindustrian Kota Kinabalu, GiatMara Kimanis, Kolej Yayasan Sabah, Institut Kemahiran Mara, and Institut Latihan Teknikal dan Perdagangan in Papar.

Since its introduction in 2006, Sentuhan Kasih has joined the stable of Petronas' signature community programmes designed and implemented to reach out and benefit the needy groups wherever it operates.

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