Isnin, 25 Februari 2013

The Star Online: World Updates

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The Star Online: World Updates


Powers to offer sanctions relief if Iran curbs nuclear program

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 07:44 PM PST

ALMATY (Reuters) - Major powers will offer Iran some sanctions relief during talks in Almaty, Kazakhstan, this week if Tehran agrees to curb its nuclear programme, a U.S. official said on Monday.

But the Islamic Republic could face more economic pain if it fails to address international concerns about its atomic activities, the official said ahead of the February 26-27 meeting in the central Asian state, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"There will be continued sanctions enforcement ... there are other areas where pressure can be put," the official said, on the eve of the first round of negotiations between Iran and six world powers in eight months.

A spokesman for European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who leads the talks with Iran on behalf of the powers, said Tehran should understand that there was an "urgent need to make concrete and tangible progress" in Kazakhstan.

Both Russia and the United States stressed there was not an unlimited amount of time to resolve a dispute that has raised fears of a new war in the Middle East.

"The window for a diplomatic solution simply cannot by definition remain open forever. But it is open today. It is open now," U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said in London.

"There is still time but there is only time if Iran makes the decision to come to the table and negotiate in good faith," he added in a news conference in London. "We are prepared to negotiate in good faith, in mutual respect, in an effort to avoid whatever terrible consequences could follow failure."

It was not clear what he meant by "terrible consequences." Top U.S. officials have repeatedly said the United States will not take any options off the table, code for the possibility of a military strike. They also fear Iran's getting a nuclear weapon could set off an arms race across the Middle East.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said there was "no more time to waste", Interfax news agency quoted him as saying in Almaty.

The immediate priority for the powers - the United States, Russia, China, Germany, Britain and France - is to convince Iran to halt its higher-grade enrichment, which is a relatively short technical step away from potential atom bomb material.

Iran, which has taken steps over the last year to expand its uranium enrichment activities in defiance of international demands to scale it back, wants a relaxation of increasingly harsh sanctions hurting its lifeline oil exports.

Western officials say the Almaty meeting is unlikely to produce any major breakthrough, in part because Iran's presidential election in June may make it difficult for it to make significant concessions before then for domestic reasons.

But they say they hope that Iran will take their proposals seriously and engage in negotiations to try to find a diplomatic settlement.

"No one is expecting to walk out of here with a deal but ... confidence building measures are important," one senior Western official said.

The stakes are high: Israel, assumed to be the Middle East's only nuclear-armed arsenal, has strongly hinted at possible military action to prevent its old foe from obtaining such arms. Iran has threatened to retaliate if attacked.

GOLD SANCTIONS RELIEF?

The U.S. official said the powers' updated offer to Iran - a modified version of one rejected by Iran in the unsuccessful talks last year - would take into account its recent nuclear advances, but also take "some steps in the sanctions arena".

This would be aimed at addressing some of Iran's concerns, the official said, while making clear it would not meet Tehran's demand of an easing of all punitive steps against it.

"We think ... there will be some additional sanctions relief" in the powers' revised proposal," the official said, without giving details.

Western diplomats have told Reuters the six countries will offer to ease sanctions on trade in gold and precious metals if Iran closes its Fordow underground uranium enrichment plant.

Iran has indicated, however, that this will not be enough.

Tehran denies Western allegations it is seeking to develop the capability to make nuclear bombs, saying its programme is entirely peaceful. It wants the powers to recognise what it sees as its right to refine uranium for peaceful purposes.

The U.S. official said the powers hoped that the Almaty meeting would lead to follow-up talks soon.

"We are ready to step up the pace of our meetings and our discussions," the official said, adding the United States would also be prepared to hold bilateral talks with Tehran if it was serious about it.

Ashton's spokesman, Michael Mann, said the updated offer to Iran was "balanced and a fair basis" for constructive talks.

(Additional reporting by Yeganeh Torbati and Dimitry Solovyov and by Arshad Mohammed and Mohammed Abbas in London; Editing by Jon Hemming)

(This story corrects headline to make clear offer contingent on nuclear programme curbs)

Copyright © 2013 Reuters

Italy faces stalemate after election shock

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 06:50 PM PST

ROME (Reuters) - Italy faced political deadlock on Tuesday after a stunning election that saw the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement of comic Beppe Grillo become the strongest party in the country but left no group with a clear majority in parliament.

Voting officials count the ballots in a polling station in Rome February 25, 2013. REUTERS/Yara Nardi

Voting officials count the ballots in a polling station in Rome February 25, 2013. REUTERS/Yara Nardi

The centre-left coalition led by Pier Luigi Bersani won the lower house by around 125,000 votes and claimed the most seats in the Senate but was short of the majority in the upper house that it would need to govern.

Bersani claimed victory but said it was obvious that Italy was in "a very delicate situation". Party officials said the centre-left would try to form a government but it was unclear what its options would be.

Neither Grillo, a comedian-turned-politician who previously ruled out any alliance with another party, nor Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right bloc, which threatened to challenge the close tally, showed any immediate willingness to negotiate.

World financial markets reacted nervously to the prospect of a government stalemate in the euro zone's third-largest economy with memories still fresh of the financial crisis that took the 17-member currency bloc to the brink of collapse in 2011.

Italy's borrowing costs have come down in recent months, helped by the promise of European Central Bank support but the election result confirmed fears that it would not produce a government strong enough to implement effective reforms.

Grillo's surge in the final weeks of the campaign threw the race open, with hundreds of thousands turning up at his rallies to hear him lay into targets ranging from corrupt politicians and bankers to German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

In just three years, his 5-Star Movement, heavily backed by a frustrated generation of young Italians increasingly shut out from permanent full-time jobs, has grown from a marginal group to one of the most talked about political forces in Europe.

Its score of 25.5 percent in the lower house was just ahead of the 25.4 percent for Bersani's Democratic Party, which ran in a coalition with the leftist SEL party and it won almost 8.7 million votes overall, more than any other single party.

"The 5-Star Movement is the real winner of the election," said SEL leader Nichi Vendola, who said that his coalition would have to deal with Grillo, who mixes fierce attacks on corruption with policies ranging from clean energy to free Internet.

RECESSION

"It's a classic result. Typically Italian," said Roberta Federica, a 36-year-old office worker in Rome. "It means the country is not united. It is an expression of a country that does not work. I knew this would happen."

A long recession and growing disillusion with mainstream parties fed a bitter public mood that saw more than half of Italian voters back parties that rejected the austerity policies pursued by Prime Minister Mario Monti with the backing of Italy's European partners.

Berlusconi's campaign, mixing sweeping tax cut pledges with relentless attacks on Monti and Merkel, echoed many of the themes pushed by Grillo and underlined the increasingly angry mood of the Italian electorate.

Stefano Zamagni, an economic professor at Bologna University said the result showed that a significant share of Italians "are fed up with following the austerity line of Germany and its northern allies".

"These people voted to stick one up to Merkel and austerity," he said.

Election rules give the centre-left a solid majority in the lower house, despite its slim advantage in terms of votes, but without the Senate it will not be able to pass legislation.

Calculations by the Italian Centre for Electoral Studies, part of LUISS university in Rome, gave 121 seats to Bersani's coalition, 117 to Berlusconi, 54 for Grillo and 22 to the centrist coalition led by Monti.

That leaves no party or likely alliance with the 158 seats needed to form a Senate majority.

Even if the next government turns away from the tax hikes and spending cuts brought in by Monti, it will struggle to revive an economy which has scarcely grown in two decades.

Monti was widely credited with tightening Italy's public finances and restoring its international credibility after the scandal-plagued Berlusconi, whom he replaced as the 2011 financial crisis threatened to spin out of control.

But he struggled to pass the kind of structural reforms needed to improve competitiveness and lay the foundations for a return to economic growth and a weak centre-left government may not find it any easier.

(Additional reporting by Naomi O'Leary and Stephen Jewkes; Editing by Doina Chiacu)


Related Stories:
Italy's centre left to win lower house, Senate deadlocked

Messy election outcome to weigh on Italian markets
Comic Grillo stuns Italy with astonishing election showing

Copyright © 2013 Reuters

Syria says ready to talk with armed opposition

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 06:27 PM PST

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Syria is ready for talks with its armed opponents, Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem said on Monday, in the clearest offer yet to negotiate with rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad.

A man inspects a house that was damaged by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al Assad at the Harasta area in Damascus February 25, 2013. REUTERS/ Mohamed Abdullah

A man inspects a house that was damaged by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al Assad at the Harasta area in Damascus February 25, 2013. REUTERS/ Mohamed Abdullah

But Moualem said at the same time Syria would pursue its fight "against terrorism," alluding to the conflict in which the United Nations says 70,000 people have been killed.

His offer of talks drew a dismissive response from U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who was starting a nine-nation tour of European and Arab capitals in London.

"It seems to me that it's pretty hard to understand how, when you see the Scuds falling on the innocent people of Aleppo, it is possible to take their notion that they are ready to have a dialogue very seriously," Kerry said.

He said U.S. President Barack Obama was evaluating more steps to "fulfil our obligation to innocent people," without giving details or saying whether Washington was reconsidering whether to arm the rebels, an option it has previously rejected.

"We are determined that the Syrian opposition is not going to be dangling in the wind," Kerry said.

Obama has carefully avoided deeper U.S. involvement in Syria, at the heart of a volatile Middle East, as he has withdrawn troops from Iraq and extracts them from Afghanistan.

Assad and his foes are locked in a bloody stalemate after nearly two years of combat, destruction and civilian suffering that threatens to destabilise neighbouring countries.

Syria's Moualem said in Moscow that Damascus was ready for dialogue with everyone who wants it, even with those who have weapons in their hands "because we believe that reforms will not come through bloodshed but only through dialogue."

"WAR AGAINST TERRORISM"

Russia's Itar-Tass, which reported his remarks, did not say if Moualem had attached any conditions for the dialogue.

"What's happening in Syria is a war against terrorism," the agency quoted him as saying. "We will strongly adhere to a peaceful course and continue to fight against terrorism."

Moaz Alkhatib, head of the opposition Syrian National Coalition, told reporters in Cairo he had not been in touch with Damascus following Moualem's offer. "We have not been in contact yet, and we are waiting for communication with them," he said.

Syria's government and the political opposition have both suggested in recent weeks they are prepared for some contacts - softening their previous outright rejection of talks to resolve a conflict which has driven nearly a million Syrians out of the country and left millions more homeless and hungry.

The opposition says any solution must involve the removal of Assad, whose family has ruled Syria since 1970. Disparate rebel fighters, who do not answer to Alkhatib or other politicians in exile, insist Assad must go before any talks start.

Brigadier Selim Idris, a rebel military commander, told Al Arabiya television that a ceasefire, Assad's exit, and the trial of his security and military chiefs must precede any talks.

Damascus has rejected any preconditions and the two sides also differ on the location for any talks, with the opposition saying they should be abroad or in rebel-held parts of Syria, while the government says they must be in territory it controls.

"STATE COLLAPSE"

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed alarm about events in Syria, which he said was at a crossroads.

"There are those who have set a course for further bloodshed and an escalation of conflict. This is fraught with the risk of the collapse of the Syrian state and society," he said.

"But there are also reasonable forces that increasingly acutely understand the need for the swiftest possible start of talks ... In these conditions the need for the Syrian leadership to continue to consistently advocate the start of dialogue, and not allow provocations to prevail, is strongly increasing."

Lavrov's warning that the Syrian state could founder appeared aimed to show that Russia is pressing Assad's government to seek a negotiated solution while continuing to lay much of the blame for the persistent violence on his opponents.

Russia has distanced itself from Assad and has stepped up its calls for dialogue as his prospects of retaining power have decreased, but insists that his exit must not be a precondition.

A deputy to Lavrov said the West had not matched Moscow's peace efforts. "Our Western partners ... have to some degree encouraged (the opposition) to continue the armed fight," Itar-Tass quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov as saying.

The Syrian National Coalition said on Friday it was willing to negotiate a peace deal, but insisted Assad could not be party to it - a demand that the president looks sure to reject.

U.N. envoy Lakhdar Brahimi has said Assad had told him he would complete his term in 2014 and then run for re-election.

International deadlock over how to bridge the political chasm between Assad and his opponents has allowed an increasingly sectarian conflict to rage on for 23 months.

Assad, announcing plans last month for a national dialogue, said it would exclude "traitors" and "puppets made by the West."

Kerry is to meet Lavrov in Berlin on Tuesday, but a senior U.S. official said he expected no breakthrough on Syria there.

The new secretary of state is also to meet Syrian opposition leaders at a "Friends of Syria" conference in Rome on Thursday.

The Syrian National Coalition said on Monday it would attend the Rome meeting, reversing a decision it made last week to stay away in protest at Syrian government missile strikes on Aleppo.

The change of mind came after Kerry called Alkhatib to urge him to attend.

"I want our friends in the Syrian opposition council to know we are not coming to Rome simply to talk. We're coming to Rome to make the decision about next steps," Kerry said earlier.

Following up on Kerry's call, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden phoned Alkhatib to welcome his decision to travel to Rome, stressing that the talks there would be an opportunity to consult on "ways to speed assistance to the opposition and support to the Syrian people," the White House said.

(Additional reporting by Yasmine Saleh and Ayman Samir in Cairo, Arshad Mohammed and Mohammed Abbas in London and Matt Spetalnick in Washington; Writing by Dominic Evans; Editing by Alistair Lyon, Michael Roddy and Lisa Shumaker)


Related Stories:
U.N. says staffer to peacekeeping force in Golan Heights is missing

Five killed by Damascus car bomb - monitor group

Copyright © 2013 Reuters

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Business

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IGB shares unaffected by disqualification from Taipei project

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 06:15 PM PST

Published: Tuesday February 26, 2013 MYT 10:15:00 AM

KUALA LUMPUR: IGB Corporation Bhd's share price was unaffected on Tuesday by the recent disqualification of its joint venture in a multi-billion ringgit Taipei land development project.

At 9.46am, it was up one sen to RM2.27. There were 8,700 shares done.

However, the FBM KLCI fell 3.07 points to 1,624.28. Turnover was 92.96 million shares valued at RM87.24mil. There were 80 gainers, 153 losers and 174 counters unchanged.

IGB announced on Monday its joint bid with Taipei Gateway International Development Co. Ltd for a land development investment in the Airport MRT System Taipei train station special zones C1 & D1, was disqualified.

The Taipei City Government's development of rapid transit system and IGB could not agree on the terms of the award and were deemed disqualified from the Taipei prject.

To recap, IGB announced in October 2012 that its unit, Mid Valley City Sdn Bhd and Taipei Gateway, had submitted a tender for the proposed joint land development investment

Reports stated the bid was to build the Taipei Tiwn Towers at a cost of RM7.3bil and RM8.35bil.

KLCI may test immediate support line of 1,615

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 05:37 PM PST

Published: Tuesday February 26, 2013 MYT 9:01:00 AM
Updated: Tuesday February 26, 2013 MYT 9:37:11 AM

KUALA LUMPUR: Hwang DBS Vickers Research (HDBSVR) expects the FBM KLCI to test the immediate support line at 1,615 following Wall Street's overnight slump.

It said on Tuesday the KLCI, which rebounded 14 points or 0.9% over the past three days, could surrender parts of its recent gains.

"On the chart, the benchmark index is expected to test the immediate support line at 1,615," it said. HDBSVR said sentiment would be impacted by the overnight fall on Wall Street where major US equity indices dropped between 1.4% and 1.8% at the closing bell. Sentiment was hit by concerns over a possible hung Parliament in Italy and deteriorating Eurozone's debt woes, it said. The research house said stocks which might generate added interest on Bursa Malaysia might include Boustead as its earnings outlook were expected to be capped by weak crude palm oil prices.

Also in focus could be DRB-Hicom, after its management said the group was discussing to start the local assembly of Audi cars in Malaysia.

Hong Leong Capital could see trading interest in response to its announcement that the takeover offer by parent HLFG has received an acceptance rate of 2.2% only.

Kenanga remains upbeat on QL Resources

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 05:32 PM PST

QL RESOURCES BHD

By Kenanga Research

Outperform

Target Price: RM3.40

AS feared, the nine-month financial year 2013 net profit of RM99.7mil came in below estimates, comprising 66% and 64% of the street's estimate and our forecast of RM151mil and RM156mil, respectively.

As expected, no dividend was declared in the quarter.

Fiscal year (FY) 2013 third-quarter revenue was down by 2.8% due to the lower sales recorded in integrated livestock farming (ILF) at -9% quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q), which offset the increased sales in palm oil activities (POA +21.5% q-o-q).

The pre-tax profit declined by a higher 15.2%, largely dragged down by the margin compression in the ILF division .

Third-quarter revenue is expected to improve 7.6% on the back of better sales from marine product manufacturing (+2.7% year-on-year), ILF (+8.7% y-o-y) and POA (+11.9% y-o-y). Nevertheless, pre-tax profit dropped by 8.4% due to a 58.6% decline in ILF profit.

This was mainly due to a lower raw material trade margin and lower farming margins arising from a steep increase in global feed cost due to the drought in the United States.

For the year-to-date, September forecast of pre-tax profit is pretty flat, with only a 0.2% growth y-o-y despite a 9.3% growth in sales due to a more challenging operating environment.

The slower pre-tax profit growth compared with the sales growth was mainly due to the margin decline in ILF , which was fortunately offset by the rise in the margin at MPM. There was a strong pre-tax profit growth rate registered in MPM (+44.6% y-o-y) due mainly to the higher contribution and better economies of scale from its surimi and fishmeal operations in Malaysia and Indonesia.

We remain positive on QL as it has always delivered earnings growth and expansion plans, which will help its businesses achieve better economies of scale.

Nonetheless, we have cut our FY2013 and FY2014 estimated net profits by 11%-13% to RM138mil-RM157mil after lowering the earnings of POA and ILF due to the weaker results.

As we are rolling our valuation to FY2014, we have arrived at a new target price of RM3.40 from RM3.50 previously based on an unchanged financial daily FY2014 estimate profit-earnings ratio (PER) of 18.5x.

Risks include global economic and weather uncertainties.

We have cut our FY13-14E net profits by 11%-13% to RM138mil-RM157mil after lowering the earnings of POA and ILF.

Despite the better volume and sales growth from ILF, the nine-month to September 2013 pre-tax profit tumbled by 27.7% y-o-y.

This was due to the sharp increase in global feed cost from the drought in the US, which has lowered farming margins in turn. Nevertheless, we believe the feed cost should stabilise in FY2014 based on the lower consensus estimate of soybean prices. As a result, we are lowering our pre-tax profit margin estimate for FY13 from 8.4% to 5.7%, which is pretty much in line with the nine-month actual reported margin of 5.4%, and estimating a normalised 7.3% margin for FY14 (from the previous pre-tax margin of 8.7%).

On the other hand, we have also lowered our earnings estimate from POA to streamline it with our in-house crude palm oil price assumptions of RM2,500-RM2,700 for FY13-14E (from an assumed RM3,000 for QL previously).

MSM-MALAYSIA HOLDINGS

By Maybank IB Research

Hold

Target Price: RM4.40

MSM's 2012 fourth-quarter net profit of RM38mil (-22% quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q), -50% year-on-year (y-o-y)) disappointed on account of lingering high input costs despite lower raw sugar prices; and an unexpected lumpy zakat payment of RM17mil.

Taking these factors into account, we slash our fiscal year 2013-2014 net profit forecasts by 19% and 15%, respectively.

Our dividend discount model-based target price is also lowered to RM4.40.

Our "hold" call remains, pending further clarity on MSM's outlook in an analyst briefing.

MSM was not able to convert seasonally 2012 second-half higher revenue to bottom-line growth, as input cost remains high.

We believe that this is due to MSM's utilisation of its expensive sugar inventory it has locked in 50% of its sugar supply at US$0.26/lbs for the next three years.

Also, MSM recorded a substantial zakat expense of RM16mil in 4Q12 alone (RM1mil in 3Q12).

Full-year NP of RM201mil (-24% y-o-y) made up of 78% and 85% of our and consensus forecasts, respectively.

Raw sugar prices have fallen by 17% from US$0.24/lbs earlier in 2012, hovering around US$0.20/lbs by the end of 2012. The downtrend is continuing; raw sugar prices have fallen by 9% year-to-date to around US$0.18/lbs.

Based on this, we continue to expect lower input cost in the near term (on a blended basis despite 50% of its sugar supply having been procured at higher prices), which will translate into better margins and profits.

MSM is also looking to expand upstream into sugarcane plantations, to further reduce its input cost in the future.

Factoring in recurring zakat payments as well as lower margins from high input cost, we cut our FY13-14 earnings by 19% and 15%, respectively. Based on a 65% net profit payout assumption, MSM's net yield is still decent at 4+% for the next three years. PPB GROUP BHD

By Kenanga Research

Outperform (maintain)

Target Price: RM14.38

WILMAR International Ltd's financial year ended Dec 31, 2012 (FY12) core net profit of US$1.17bil came in above both the consensus and our expectations. It made up 104% of the consensus' FY12 forecast of US$1.12bil and 113% of our forecast of US$1.04bil.

Wilmar's Oilseeds and Grains (OAG) division registered a better-than-expected profit before tax (PBT) of US$46mil in the fourth quarter of 2012 (4Q12) and turned the division's FY12 results into profitability with US$14mil in PBT (against a US$32mil loss before tax in the first nine months of FY12).

The strong turnaround should be due to Wilmar's prudent management of its soybean crushing margin by undertaking crushing only when it was profitable to do so.

A final ordinary dividend of S$0.03 was announced. This is in line with the better than expected earnings. The dividend was better than our expectation of S$0.02.

Quarter-on-quarter, Wilmar's 4Q12 core net profit improved 3% to US$401mil. The higher profits from its Palm and Laurics (PAL) and sugar divisions were neutralised by the lower profit from its OAG division, leading to just the small overall rise.

Year-on-year, Wilmar's FY12 core net profit declined 23% to US$1.17bil, caused mainly by the 97% fall in its OAG's division PBT to US$14mil. That said, the OAG division did recover strongly in the second half of 2012 from a loss before tax of US$92mil in the first half.

We believe the worst could be over for PPB with a possible positive earnings surprise in its FY12 results (due Feb 27 or Feb 28). Financial year ending Dec 31, 2013 estimated (FY13E) outlook also seems better with Wilmar's management revealing that the company's soybean crushing margin had improved in China. This is in line with our view of a lower input cost (soybean) due to the expected bumper crop in South America.

We have raised PPB's FY12E earnings by 7% to RM748mil after taking into account the better than expected margin at Wilmar's OAG division. Our FY13E earnings are maintained at RM832mil, as we had already assumed the OAG division's earnings to recover in FY13E to a PBT of US$150mil.

We maintain our "outperform" call on PPB. We are maintaining our target price of RM14.38 based on a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 20.9 times on its FY13E earnings per share of 68.8 sen. Risks include below expectation margins for the OAG and PAL divisions.

PARKSON HOLDINGS BHD

By Affin Investment Bank

Reduce (maintain)

Target Price: RM4.13

LAST Friday, Parkson Holding's (PHB) 51.5%-owned unit Parkson Retail Group (PRG) reported its financial year ended Dec 31, 2012 results. Gross sales proceeds (GSP) and revenue grew by 4.8% and 4.2% y-o-y to 17.2 billion yuan and 4.5 billion yuan respectively, driven by a 4.7% increase in consessionaire sales and a 4.4% growth in total merchandise and direct sales. Notwithstanding the healthy growth in PRG's GSP and revenue, FY12's same-store-sales growth of 0.4% was unexciting and is below management's earlier guidance of a 2% growth. We attribute this to the weaker consumer sentiment in China and hence on discretionary spending coupled with the stiffer-than-expected competition faced by PRG.

Taken together with the overall increase in operating expenses (a y-o-y increase of 12.4%), staff cost (a y-o-y increase of 28.5%) and rental expenses (a y-o-y increase of 34.8%), PRG's earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) margin contracted sharply by 10 percentage points to 24.7%.

Consequently, PRG's FY12 core net profit fell by 24% to 850.8 million yuan. Results were within our expectations but below street estimates, accounting for 96% of our and only 79% of the street's full-year projections.

On a sequential basis, PRG's fourth quarter of 2012 GSP, revenue, and core net profit registered healthy double-digit growths of 17%, 15% and 20% to 4.5 billion yuan, 4.6 billion yuan and 1.78 billion yuan, respectively, mainly driven by Christmas and year-end sales. EBIT margin also expanded by 2.2 percentage points to 19%. On a y-o-y comparison, however, PRG's profit before tax and core net profit fell by 26.7% and 36.5%, respectively, owing to higher operating expenses (4Q12: 669.7 million yuan versus 4Q11: 573.1 million yuan) and higher tax expenses (4Q12's tax rate of 31% versus 4Q11's tax rate of 21%).

Dividend per share (DPS) of 0.14 yuan for FY12 declared, vis-vis FY11's 0.18 yuan was in line with our expectations. PRG has proposed a final dividend of 0.07 yuan, bringing its total dividend per share declared for FY12 to 0.14 yuan, based on a payout ratio of 46%. Note that the quantum of DPS declared in FY12 was lower than that of FY11's DPS of 0.18 yuan. We maintain our DPS forecast of 0.15 yuan for FY13, based on a payout ratio of 45%.

There is no change in our FY13 to FY15 net profit forecasts for now, pending PHB's full-year FY06/12 results.

We maintain a "reduce" call, with an unchanged RNAV derived target price of RM4.13. While China's GDP growth is expected to pick up to about 8.4% in 2013 from 7.8% in 2012, we believe PRG's earnings growth prospects (accounting for more than 85% of PHB's EBIT) will remain unexciting. We gather that PRG will continue with its expansionary plans, albeit at a slower pace.

As such, we believe PRG will incur higher upfront operating and rental expenses, which will offset the tepid SSS growth projected to only 2% to 4% in FY13.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

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Julian favourite for overall title after magnificent win

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 06:13 PM PST

GENTING HIGHLANDS: Colombian Julian Arredondo virtually sealed the Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) overall title after producing a magnificent ride to grab the Shah Alam-Genting Highlands Stage Five yesterday.

The 24-year-old from Team Nippo rode to his first-ever professional victory by covering the 110.3km stage in 3'11:41.

Dutchman Pieter Weening of Orica GreenEdge was second – 26 seconds. Another Colombian, Victor Nino Corredor of RTS Racing, crossed the finish line a further 44 seconds behind.

The win puts Arredondo in a comfortable lead in the overall classification after inheriting the leader's yellow jersey from Wang Meiyin of Hengxiang Cycling.

Arredondo has a 1:22 advantage over Weening and 2:10 over Sergio Pardilla of MTN Qhubeka.

Meiyin finished the stage 5:13 behind Arredondo in 20th spot and currently sits fifth overall – 2:40 behind.

"This is the most memorable win for me and I hope this'll mean a lot more success in the future," said Arredondo. "I turned professional last year and had a good result in the Tour of Japan last year, where I finished second overall ... so this means a lot to me."

Orica GreenEdge's Travis Meyer initiated a solo breakaway in the early part of the race and enjoyed a lead of up to 9:03 on the peloton.

However, Meyer's lead quickly dissolved in the final 20km as teams reined them in.

At the foot of the Hors category climb (1,699m), a select group of 35 riders – including Arredondo, Corredor, Weening, Pierre Rolland (Europcar), Yonnatha Monsalve (Vini Fantini) and Meiyin – pulled away from the peloton.

The leading group of 35 was strung out on the steep climb, driven by Arredondo's team-mate Fortunato Baliani in front, leaving just 10 riders in the group with five kilometres to go. That was when Meiyin dropped out of contention.

"We decided to wait and see how the yellow jersey (Meiyin) will play his cards today and when the front group managed to lose him, we decided to go for the win," said Arredondo, who was 2:43 behind Meiyin in second place at the start of yesterday's stage.

Arrendondo then made his move with four kilometres to go to the finish line.

"I was doing the job of pulling the small group at the front ... and when I asked Arredondo to do his bit, he just took off," said Weening, who won a mountain stage in the Giro d'Italia in 2011 with Rabobank. "It was a good day for us when he had Meyer in the break. But you know it's going to be chased down easily when it comes to a climb this steep."

The 217.5km Stage 6 from Mentakab to Kuantan today is the longest stage in the LTdL this year.

Hard part over, Adiq now wants a stage win

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 02:28 PM PST

GENTING HIGHLANDS: With the difficult part of the race out of the way, Champion System rider Adiq Husainie Othman will be given a free rein to pull a stage win in Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL).

Adiq, who spent most of his time helping team-mates get into good positions in the previous five stages, will look to feature in any of the breakaways for a chance to grab a stage win.

In the grueling Shah Alam-Genting Highlands stage, with a Hors category climb yesterday, Adiq was the best Malaysian finisher in 32nd spot – 8:21 behind stage winner Julian Arredondo of Team Nippo.

Adiq is capable of attacking from a small group like he did last year in the 187.2km stage from Ayer Keroh to Pandan Indah, where he finished fourth.

"There is a chance for the breakaway to win the stage and it will most likely come tomorrow (today)," said the 21-year-old Adiq.

"The stage is long enough for a break to be succesful and it'll be difficult for the peloton to control the break.

Thunderbolt and UniKL favourites for overall crown battle

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 06:15 PM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: Showdown No. 4 is on the cards as SSTMI-Thunderbolt and Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) are fancied to face off again in this Sunday's MHC-Milo-NSC Junior Hockey League final.

The two teams have contested the last three finals for the overall title, with UniKL triumphant in 2010 and Thunderbolt in 2011 and 2012.

Both teams will start as favourites in the semi-finals, which will be held tomorrow and on Friday.

In tomorrow's first-leg, Thunderbolt will meet MBI-Anderson in Johor Baru while UniKL will play against SSTMI Juniors in Kuala Lumpur.

Thunderbolt, however, will be wary of the threat posed by MBI-Anderson, who are the only team to have beaten them in the preliminary round.

"When we faced MBI-Anderson in the preliminary round, we had to travel up north and that took a toll on my players. We are again facing a travel headache ... when you consider that teams have to play three matches in six days (including the quarter-final return leg on Sunday), that can be taxing indeed," said Thunderbolt coach Wan Mohamed Roslan.

That's why Thunderbolt will need a big win to take back to take to Ipoh for the second leg.

MBI-Anderson, on the other hand, will do all they can to try and hold the sports school to a draw or even snatch a narrow win and, hopefully, complete the job on home ground.

MBI-Anderson coach Mohd Ezral Ariff warned his players not to be too confident "although we beat Thunderbolt in the preliminary round".

"The semi-final is always a different ball game. This is the knockout stage and we need to plan over two matches," he said.

"We need to go to Johor Baru and grind out a result which we can use to our advantage in Ipoh. They can be beaten ... we did it earlier, so we can do it again."

In the other tie, UniKL will definitely be the team to watch out for especially after their 13-0 aggregate win over Malacca High School in the quarter-finals.

SSTMI juniors, meanwhile, endured a tough time before edging Division One runners-up Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) 8-7 in the last eight.

But SSTMI Juniors can expect an even tougher time from UniKL, whose coach K. Embaraj wants them to win the overall title.

"We won't take any team lightly ... SSTMI Juniors deserve our respect for having come so far. They would have learnt their lessons from the narrow win in the last eight and I'm sure they'll try to secure a good result in KL and then finish us off at home on Friday," said Embaraj.

"I'll field my best team as we are injury-free. We want to go for a big win and make our work a little easier in the return leg."

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Malacca plans for RM200mil Jurassic Park

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 06:41 AM PST

Published: Monday February 25, 2013 MYT 10:41:00 PM

MALACCA: Malacca plans to build a dinosaur-themed Jurassic Park costing RM200mil at the 1Malaysia Square.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said the park, the first tour of its kind in Asia, which would showcase 200 species of dinosaurs through hydraulic and electronic methods, was expected to draw over one million tourists a year. The park, to be built on a 12.1ha site by Yayasan Melaka and Eden Incorporation Berhad, will take two years to complete.

Mohd Ali said a 60.7ha site next to the Jurassic Park had been earmarked for the construction of the Melaka Sea World which would have the largest whale aquarium in the country.

Other projects earmarked for the 1Malaysia Square are a RM2mil Malaysia Map Square, 21 bus restaurants and 20 bus chalets costing RM2.7mil and three football fields costing RM1.4mil. - Bernama

MB Azizan: Why do people say I am not healthy

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 06:30 AM PST

ALOR SETAR: Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak insists he will contest in the upcoming general election amid calls for his resignation.

"Why do people want me to quit, say that I'm not healthy. That is not true," he was quoted by Bernama.

Saying he was "still healthy and strong-willed, Azizan said he was ready to defend the Sungai Limau State Assembly seat he won in 2008.

He was commenting on calls for him to resign allegedly from the PAS grassroots.

Earlier, Azizan said the clearing of the Bukit Perangin forest area in seven compartments in Wang Perah, Kubang Pasu was carried out by its owner and does not involve the state government.

He said the permanent forest reserve area, covering 142.76 hectares, had been given to 40 officers in the Kedah Civil Service (KCS) who were issued titles for 3.569 hectares each in 2010.

"They submitted their applications to the previous (Barisan Nasional) government, which gave the approval.

"However, we found the land that was approved was not suitable and replaced it with the areas in the seven compartments at Wang Perah because it is not in the water catchment area.

"The clearing that has been done, which had turned the area bald, is not the responsibility of the state government," he said.

State Forestry Department Director Ku Azmi Ku Aman, who was present, said the clearing was legal.

They were commenting on an allegation by Kedah Federal Action Council chairman Datuk Mohd Johari Baharom on the indiscriminate logging being carried out in Wang Perah since early this year.

Related Stories:
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Group wants Azizan to step down
Mukhriz: Azizan trying to divert public attention
Mahdzir: BN governments left Kedah forests alone

Dr M: If Anwar's family can be politicians, why can't my children be in business

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 06:11 AM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad says he has nothing to do with Petronas's decision to award contracts to any of his children.

He said he was only informed about the contracts by the Petronas president after they were awarded and that he was willing to swear in a mosque and by the Quran about it.

"(Datuk Seri) Anwar Ibrahim accused me, as Petronas advisor, of having been involved in awarding Petronas contracts to my children.

"For Anwar, this is a normal practice if he's in power.

"When he held the post of Deputy Prime Minister and Finance minister, he awarded so many contracts to his political supporters and family members.

"The ministry, during an Umno assembly, had presented the names of those awarded with contracts during his tenure. Included in the list were the names of his supporters and family members.

"None of my children's names were ever listed," he said in his latest blog entry at www.chedet.cc.

Dr Mahathir said although he was appointed Petronas advisor, he had very little to do in terms of advising the company in its decisions.

"Petronas reports only to the Prime Minister and it is the Prime Minister who can make any instruction to Petronas. When I was the Prime Minister, I did not give any aid to my children," he said.

In fact, he said none of his children held a post in the Cabinet or in the party during his tenure as Prime Minister and Finance Minister.

Dr Mahathir explained that although, on several occasions, his children were nominated to hold government posts, he personally rejected them until he retired.

"If they are successful today, be it in business or politics, they did it on their own. Moreover, Their success came after I stepped down as Prime Minister," he said. Dr Mahathir said Anwar, on the other hand, had set up a party with his wife as the president and as the candidate contesting for Permatang Pauh seat.

"When his wife won the election, he told her to quit so that he could contest for the seat.

"There is no evidence that there exists a competition for the party advisor's post which he currently holds. He had also selected his daughter as a candidate in the last general election.

"Now, his wife is the party president, his daughter is the vice-president, his friend is the deputy president. Anwar Ibrahim owns Parti Keadilan Rakyat.

"If his wife and daughter can become politicians, why can't my children venture into business?" he added. - Bernama

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Metro Watch

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 06:18 AM PST

ROAD CLOSURE

The downhill road from Resorts World Genting to Genting Sempah will be closed today, from 11am to 2.30pm, to facilitate the Le Tour de Langkawi Malaysia 2013, where the participants will cycle from Shah Alam to Resorts World Genting. Road users can use the Genting Skyway followed by Batang Kali road during the closure. Roads from Genting Sempah to Genting Highlands are not affected.

LANE CLOSURE

The right-most lane of the Sprint Highway between the Kiara interchange and Maarof Interchange (Kuala Lumpur-bound) will be temporarily closed from 9pm to 6am for two months until April 4. The temporary closure is to facilitate utility piloting and construction works for MRT piers. Traffic personnel will be on site to ensure smooth traffic flow. For details, call 1800-82-6868 or visit www.mymrt.com.my

QIGONG CLASSES

Zhineng Qigong classes in Puchong Jaya and Bandar Utama, Beginners class starts on March 4. For Puchong, call 012-336 2701 (Soo) or 012-288 0290 (Kelsey); for Bandar Utama, call 019-358 9968 (Gina) or 013-366 3229 (Lee). Bandar Utama classes are on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 8pm to 10pm at SK Bandar Utama 4 (opposite the coach terminal carpark just after new wing of 1Utama).

TALK ON AUTISM

Parents and other members of the public are welcome to a free talk entitled "Autism and Education" on March 1 at noon at Fairview International School, Jalan 1/27D, Section 6, Wangsa Maju, Kuala Lumpur. The speakers from the UK will be discussing the role of education in the lives of children with autism. For details, email jovelle@fairview.edu.my or call 03-4142 0888.

DIABETIC COUNSELLING

Pantai Hospital Cheras free diabetic counselling session will be held on Feb 26, March 9 and 23, from 8.30am to 1pm, at the hospital's Diabetic Counselling Room (3rd Floor). It will be conducted by an experienced diabetic counsellor assisted by staff nurses. For details, call 03-9132 2022 ext 2126 (Sunthari) or ext 3302 (Ang).

DIAPER-CHANGING CONTEST

Change your baby's diapers in 30 seconds or less with Huggies Dry Pants and win prizes while you are at it. Parents can visit the "Huggies Dry Pants: Change for Better Convenience" roadshow from today to March 3 at Mydin USJ in Subang Jaya. The event is held daily at 10.30am, 2pm and 8pm.

KOKESHI EXHIBITION

An exhibition on kokeshi (Japanese dolls) is currently on till April 25 at the Petaling Jaya Museum in Section 10/7, Taman Jaya, organised by the Petaling Jaya City Council and The Japan Foundation. For details, call 03-7954 8122.

FREE DODGEBALL SESSION

The YMCA of Kuala Lumpur will be conducting free dodgeball sessions with the help of experienced coaches every Wednesday at its volleyball court from 8pm until 11pm. It is open to all. For details, call 03-2274 1439.

Sayid Faizullah leads VI boys’ Under-18 rugby team in schools meet

Posted: 25 Feb 2013 06:18 AM PST

THE Victoria Institution have picked the perfect candidate with the right temperament to lead their Under-18 line-up in the ongoing Federal Territory Kuala Lumpur Schools Sports Council (MSSWPKL) rugby championships.

And they are counting on their captain Sayid Faizullah Sayid Abdullah, who is also known as Cool, to spearhead their challenge in regaining their past glory at the state schools meet.

Chief coach Mohd Talha Masodi said the coaching staff and team- mates called Sayid Faizullah by his nickname due to the flanker's calmness in handling situations.

"Most of them have nicknames based on their individual characters and personalities. They have assigned each other with other witty names because it is easier for them to communicate when they are in action on the field," he added.

Last year, both the Victoria Institution's Under-15 and Under-18 sides did not go beyond the last four at the state meet.

They are hoping to spring surprises in preventing defending champions SM Sains Selangor (SMSS) from repeating an impressive double in the tussle for supremacy this year.

And Talha said his charges, especially in the Under-18 age-group, are fired up in providing fighting performances.

"The Form Four students will form the majority in the Under-18 side. We are fielding 20 of Under-16 players in the 25-member line-up.

"They have indicated that they are ready to step up when they won the Plate category to finish fourth overall at the recent Ansara 10s. They are in shape with improvement in their fitness," he added.

Last week, Victoria Institution got off to a good start with two convincing wins over SMK Wangsa Melawati (100-0) and SMK Kiaramas (57-0) in the preliminary stages of the Under-18 contest.

They will be facing favourites SMSS and St John's Institution in keeping their hopes alive in the second round.

Meanwhile, their Under-15 side under the care of Rozhan Yahya will be facing a less tricky path to book their place in the final with three other teams — SMSS, St John's Institution and SMK Bandar Baru Seri Petaling — joining the fray in the Under-15 age-group.

"The teenagers in the Under-15 team have also shown encouraging progress. They have matched a more formidable Cobra club team in a closely contested friendly encounter recently," Talha said.

Considering Victoria Institution went through a series of lacklustre performances in recent years, their former students initiated a five-year development plan to put them back on the right track in 2010.

"We have the services of a total of five coaches to guide the youngsters. We have reached the half-way mark of the programme.

"We need to follow through in the rebuilding process.

"We are confident that we will revive our proud tradition in the game," said Talha.

Besides hosting their Premier Sevens in between the MSSWPKL championships on March 2 and 3, Victoria Institution also took part in the recently concluded Malay College Kuala Kangsar (MCKK) Premier Sevens in Kuala Kangsar, Perak.

MSSWPKL rugby tournament is expected to wrap up with the finals on March 7.

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Kluang has now expanded oil palm plantations, dragon fruit and organic vegetable farming

Posted: 24 Feb 2013 10:33 PM PST

KLUANG: The name Kluang, derived from the Malay word "keluang", will always bring two things to the minds of the people – railway station and aromatic hand-roasted coffee.

About 30 minutes's drive after taking a right turn at the Ayer Hitam toll exit, Kluang is popularly known for its Kluang Railway Station Coffee, which has become such an established brand unique to the district.

People from all walks of life usually would not miss out on having a cup of their signature coffee accompanied with crisp toast bread spread with butter and homemade kaya.

But the place now has more than just delicious breakfast food to offer as Kluang, initially started as a rubber planting district, has now expanded to oil palm plantations, dragon fruit and organic vegetable farming.

With more business opportunities and better economic development, residents in the parliament constituency, which makes up of Mengkibol and Mahkota, are also concerned about increasing crime rates, flash floods, cleaner drains and rivers and the lack of public transport.

For sundry shop owner Sam Jane, 33, from Saujana, the developments were a natural change and she no longer feels that she is living in a small town.

She recalled the empty plots of land surrounding the premises when she first opened her shop in Kluang town seven year ago.

"Although with the opening of more places to shop has caused my business to drop, I am actually quite impressed with the new buildings and shopping malls opening up," said the mother of two.

"I also noticed an influx of foreign workers in the area as well, probably due to the many factories in the industrial area," she added.

Sam however, added that the security was getting worse as she has seen ladies bags being snatched while eating at hawker centres and restaurants.

She said that she would like to see more police-patrol units making their rounds to make the public feel safe.

Retired air force major R. Jegatheesan, 58, who grew up in Kluang, said that the drains and rivers in the district are filthy despite millions of ringgit spent on projects to clean it up.

He said that the rivers needed to be kept clean to keep up with other developments in Kluang.

"I have friends from elsewhere who come for visits and were put off by the smell and sight of the murky waters.

"I hope that the authorities will take the matter more seriously to ensure that the clean-up is done properly," he said.

The former air traffic controller also said that there were several new parking lots in operation around Kluang but said that the slots were not wide enough.

"I know that they made the bays narrower to save space but drivers have to really park carefully or risk scratching or grazing into cars parked in the next bay," he said.

Hospital worker P. Sara, 24, who would be voting for the first time this year, felt that the lack of public transport was frustrating as she often waited up to three hours for a bus heading towards the town area from where she stays in Mengkibol.

"I feel that the issue needs to be addressed as there are more and more shops opening up in town but there are not enough public transport to commute residents to and from those places.

"The long waiting time at the bus stop feels like a chore when going for a movie or shopping with friends," she said.

Sara hoped that public transport like the Iskandar bus routes would be added to remote areas so that more people could enjoy the developments in town.

She also said that as a food lover, she was happy to see many food and beverage outlets mushrooming in Kluang offering a wide variety of food to choose from.

"We use to have fast foods all the time but now we have more choice between Chinese, Malay, Indian and even Korean food," she added.

Flash floods used to be a problem for residents like Nor Ain Nordin, 27, who stays at Kampung Tengah.

"Residents in my village as well as Kampung Baru nearby used to be affected by floods about three times a year but the problem has been solved since ditches were built around the residential area about two years ago.

"Hopefully, more ditches and drains can be built in low-lying areas so that residents do not have to suffer during the rainy season," she said.

The factory worker was also unimpressed by the lack of public transport, as she always has to predict when the bus arrives to avoid from waiting too long at the bus stop.

Besides that, Toh Yow Joo, 29, who grew up in Kluang, said the price of landed property has soared with more people moving into the district and buying houses there.

He expects the prices of houses to continue rising in years to come and found it unappealing to buy a house in Kluang because of that.

"The houses are overpriced for its value and I cannot afford to buy a house yet as houses have doubled in cost from the RM180,000 to about RM400,000 now," he added.

Meanwhile, mother-of-two Samsina Hassan, 41, was worried for the safety of motorcyclists travelling on roads as they are full of potholes.

"I usually go to work on my motorcycle and I have to remember where the potholes are and when to avoid them.

"More maintenance work needs to be carried out instead of just filling the potholes, which the local council usually does and the repair does not last long before the pothole emerges again," she added.

Samsina, who has been staying in Kluang for the past 13 years, expects more improvements for the district, which would create more job opportunities for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). 

Kluang parliamentary will be a hot seat this coming general election as it was a predominantly a non-Malay seat with 60% compared with Malays who make up less than 40% of the constituency.

Shopping complex holds yee sang toss for 888 guests

Posted: 24 Feb 2013 10:31 PM PST

JOHOR BARU: Over 600kg of raw ingredients was spread on 900 ft long tables to accommodate a total of 888 visitors for a mass Yee Sang tossing party at the City Square shopping complex.

Sales promoter Farah Syukor, 20, said that she was excited to join the party with her other Malay friends as she had never tasted yee sang previously.

"We wanted to join in the fun and try out the famous Chinese yee sang dish," she said adding that she not only enjoyed tossing the but also liked the unique taste of it.

Farah hoped that the event would be held annually so that she may join and bring her family members along.

Another visitor Lee Li, 20, said that the event was a fun experience, as she had never tossed yee sang with so many other people.

"It was nice to see many people especially the non-Chinese joining in the party and indulging in the traditional Chinese dish.

"I noticed some Chinese people explaining the yee sang dish and other Chinese traditions to the non-Chinese visitors, which I thought was great as it showed the true spirit of being one community," she said.

Lucky draw grand prize winner Affandi Awang, 30, who is engineer, said that he felt happy not only because he won a gold bar worth RM2,000, but also because he had the chance to be apart of the mass yee sang party.

"The dish is not all that new to me but tossing yee sang with such a large crowd is fantastic.

"However, I hope that if the party is hosted next year, the management could make announcements in dual language, as I could not understand the Chinese language used," he said.

He added that he was not planning to sell the gold bar but instead would safe-keep it as a memory.

A special line up of performances including lion and dragon dance, God of Fortune street dance and a Chinese drum performances entertained the crowd before the yee sang tossing.

The invitation-only event was organised by the mall's management while the plentiful yee sang was sponsored by Sake Sushi restaurant on Feb 16.

Razali: PAS supporters must know party is deviating from Islamic principles

Posted: 24 Feb 2013 03:37 PM PST

MUAR: PAS supporters in Johor should realise what could happen to the state and its people if the party continues to disrespect Islamic teachings because of political perceptions.

Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Razali Ibrahim said their top leaders were willing to collaborate with DAP, which had called for the word Allah to be used by Christians.

Razali said many PAS members, including its former deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa, had alleged the party from deviating from its Islamic principles because of politics.

Many groups in PAS have started to stage protests against their party leaders in several states.

Their top leader had openly said that it was alright for non Muslims to use the word which is only confined to the Muslims, he said at a meeting with the Muar Umno division Womens election machinery recently.

Razali, who was accompanied by the Muar Umno division chief Datuk Mohd Ismail Mohd Shah, said PAS now had made political struggle their main aim, not Islamic principles.

He said those who had been under PAS rule knew how difficult things were and had started to lose confidence and staged open protests.

He said these protests were not orchestrated by Umno as how the opposition parties liked to blame whenever the political situations were against them.

He said PAS members in Johor should also know that their support for their party would be in vain when all their leaders only cared for was to gain power.

On the women election machinery, Razali said all Umno campaigners should be equipped with facts related with any issues raised by the opposition parties in their areas.

He said they should go to every house and meet with voters to clarify any issue as many fence sitters believed what the opposition parties are saying.

We picked the women's wing as they are very close to the people and we want them to explain the current political situation.

"We also want them to tell the people what the Barisan Government has done and will continue to do to help the people," he said.

Earlier, Mohd Ismail said Umno branch leaders in the division should work hard to ensure all candidates contesting in the coming general election win.

"We must not have sabotage, feud, internal bickering and jealousy among us when the names of the candidates are announced. Instead, we all must work as a team and give our fullest support to help the candidates," he added.

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