Sabtu, 20 Julai 2013

The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

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Successful youth more likely to have close friends from another race

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SINGAPOREANS who are younger, better educated, have higher incomes and live in a more expensive house are more likely to have a close friend from another race.

The findings, from an Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) and OnePeople.sg survey released on Thursday, goes against some commonly held perceptions that older folk and those living in Housing Board flats, have deeper relationships with those from other communities.

Tertiary schools and cosmopolitan workplaces may give the young more opportunities to build such friendships, said Dr Mathew Mathews, the study's principal investigator.

Education and working together tend to "open people's world view and help people become more apt at dealing with diversity", said the IPS research fellow.

Race differences may also become less salient as people become better off, he added, as their values and aspirations tend to be more similar to one another's.

In the study, more than one in two of the 4,131 Singaporeans surveyed said they did not have at least one close friend of another race. The overall profile of the survey's respondents mirrored national demographics.

About two in 10 Chinese had a Malay or Indian friend, while nearly two-thirds of minorities had at least one close Chinese friend.

The study defined a close friend as someone with whom they felt at ease, could talk to about what was on their mind, or they could call on for help.

Across all the three major races, those aged between 18 and 25 were more likely to have such friends from another race than those who were older.

Among those surprised by the findings was Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circle leader Ameerali Abdeali, who said he had expected older people to be the ones more likely to have close cross-racial friendships. Because of his childhood in a kampung, he has close friends from other races, he added.

But rosy pictures of interracial camaraderie that were a result of kampung days might not be representative, said Dr Mathews, noting that some of these communities were segregated.

Moreover, these ties might not have translated to close friendships, on which the study focuses, said OnePeople.sg chairman Zainudin Nordin.

Dr Mathews added: "Speaking a common language didn't necessarily mean people were deeply connected (to those from another race). 

"The racial riots happened in the 1960s, a time when people did speak other languages." 

The strength of interracial ties was also greater the higher up the socioeconomic ladder a respondent was, the study found.

"People from similar class backgrounds share similar values and lifestyles, and cross-racial friendship becomes a lot more possible," Dr Mathews said.

"The higher you move up the socioeconomic ladder towards the middle class and beyond, the more people's values become similar. There's more likelihood of you finding affinity and closeness with others with similar values, regardless of race." 

How can interracial ties be strengthened, especially among the lower-income groups?

Zainudin, an MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, suggested small-group recreational programmes to help neighbours get to know one another better.This could take the form of encouraging them to greet one another in lifts, and fun quizzes about how well they knew one another.

"This allows people to get a bit of courage to say hello," he said.

But at the end of the day, he added, it was still down to the individual to make a move. —The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Asians must avoid rocky ride ahead

Posted:

Disputes over islands are sowing mistrust and risk sparking an unintended conflict.

OUR little boat bobbed about in the churning waters for several hours before we caught sight of the tiny island, 45km east of Singapore. A mere speck on the vast sea, it looked forlorn with its solitary lighthouse.

As we approached the rock, covered in bird droppings, it became clear how the island dubbed Pedra Branca (which means white rock) got its name.

A wave of emotions washed over me. Incredulousness, indignance and a sense of the sheer inanity of it all.

"This is what we are squabbling over?" I asked the captain of our crew, referring to the long-drawn dispute between Malaysia and Singapore over sovereignty of the island. "Afraid so," he replied sheepishly.

Yes, I was aware of the wider significance of it all. There was much at stake for both countries in the dispute, which threatened at times to turn nasty. But set against this was the tragedy of lost opportunities to build a better future for people on both sides of the Causeway.

Thankfully, wiser counsel prevailed and both countries agreed in 2003 to take their old dispute to the International Court of Justice in The Hague and settle the matter using jaw-jaw instead of more unspeakable options. Eventually, in 2008, after a keenly contested hearing, the Court ruled in Singapore's favour, a verdict which leaders on both sides accepted with equanimity and good grace, allowing them to press on with cooperation on other fronts.

This happy outcome flashed back in my mind during a panel discussion I chaired at the FutureChina Global Forum recently, titled China-Asean: Managing a Complex Relationship.

Complex is a euphemism. Fraught, tricky or precarious might sum it up better.

The relationship is many-faceted. China is Asean's biggest trading partner, with trade reaching a record high of US$400.9bil (RM1.3 trillion) last year, up 10% from the previous year. These countries are linked not only by commerce, but also common cultures and history. But set against the deepening ties are rising political tensions, chiefly from competing claims to a few island chains around the region.

Some of these islands have been disputed over for decades by several members of Asean. Even among these supposed partners, resolving the claims has proven a challenge. So, add to this mix a rising China, with its historically fraught relations with Japan, and the so-called "pivot" by the United States as it reorientates towards Asia, and the waters get a lot more choppy for all concerned.

At stake is not just national pride, but also access to presumed (it's never been proven because any talk of exploration by one country immediately provokes a strong reaction from others) rich stores of oil, gas and also fishing resources. Lamentably, the disputing countries have adopted a zero-sum, all-mine-or-nothing approach to these resources, leaving everyone worse off.

One of the panellists at the forum, Professor Zheng Yongnian, director of the East Asian Institute at the National University of Singapore, summed up the present situation with an interesting paradox. China, he noted, is today no longer so weak that it has to simply accept the situation in the South China Sea as some other countries in the region view it. But, nor is it so powerful that others in the region have to accept its view of how the situation should be.

So, the region is in for a difficult period of transition, as all players adjust to the shifting political and economic tides.

A Code of Conduct on how to manage this and navigate the tricky waters ahead would help greatly. Thankfully, Asean and China agreed earlier this month to begin talks on this in September, after years of dithering over it.

Welcoming this, Tan Sri Mohamed Jawhar Hassan, chairman of Malaysia's respected Institute of Strategic and International Studies, said that finding a way forward would call for mutual restraint and much goodwill.

Countries in the region should take a good, hard look at themselves, he said, and ponder if some of their actions were unhelpful to building trust and confidence. Without naming any fellow Asean members, he pointed to moves such as inviting companies from countries outside the region to embark on oil exploration, or making provocative remarks in public statements.

Joining in, editor-in-chief of the Jakarta Post Meidyatama Suryodiningrat threw a challenge to the business leaders in the audience. They could help by fostering even stronger economic and investment links among Asean and China, so that leaders on all sides would have to think many times about the economic downside for their own people before embarking on any aggressive adventures on the high seas.

Indeed, despite the complexities in this relationship, the panel members and audience seemed sanguine that the likelihood of a conflict breaking out in the region was low. There was just too much at stake.

In any case, someone noted, the risk of a flare-up in the South China Sea was considerably lower than it was further north, where tensions are also rising over maritime disputes among China, Japan and Korea. That seemed like scant consolation, since trouble in the north would soon spill over further south.

Indeed, given the tense relations and the proximity of fishing and military vessels out at sea, the reality is that we are one accident – or one nervous soldier's over-reaction – away from a major incident. Many conflicts begin not by design, but through an accident, misstep or miscalculation.

Thoughtful commentators are flagging this as a concern to be taken seriously. A chilling piece in Foreign Policy magazine by Dr Patrick Cronin, titled "Tell me how this starts?", outlined how an unintended conflict might arise on the Korean peninsula, before escalating into a regional conflict as a result of the internal dynamics and pressures faced by key players.

Many have trumpeted the rise of China and Asia, or the dawn of a Pacific century, as if this is an ineluctable certainty. But, to my mind, there is nothing inevitable about this. Asians are just as capable as anyone of allowing empty pride, sheer avarice or plain stupidity to override economic good sense.

Asia will prosper, and Asean with it, only if its leaders and people learn the lessons of the past, and are wise enough to rise above old rivalries to avoid stymying hopes of a better future. They will have to work together to find creative ways to resolve their differences peaceably and develop the region's resources collectively for the common good.

Unless we do so, we will all have to brace ourselves for a rough and rocky ride ahead. — The Straits Times/ Asia News Network

The Malala backlash

Posted:

Naysayers in her own country tore down the young woman, her father and Western nations for supporting her in her quest for education.

WHY has Malala Yousafzai's speech at the UN on July 12, her 16th birthday, created such admiration all over the world, only to be met with a nasty backlash against the young education activist in Pakistan?

Perhaps the negative reaction of many Pakistanis to the young girl is the carping of jealous nobodies, but it bears examining because it says something profound about Pakistan.

The reaction to Malala's words was swift in Pakistan; barely hours after she made her inspirational speech, people began complaining about its contents, the fact that the UN had dedicated an entire day to her and the adulation she was receiving from world leaders by her side.

Ignoring the text of her speech, which spoke out for the rights of girls and women and implored world leaders to choose peace instead of war, the naysayers tore down the young woman, her father, and Western nations for supporting her in her quest for education.

The insults flowed freely: Malala Dramazai was a popular epithet that popped up on Facebook pages and Twitter. The whole shooting was staged by "the West" and America, who control the Taliban. She was being used to make Pakistan feel guilty for actions that were the fault of the Western powers in the first place. Posters were circulated that showed Mukhtaran Mai and Malala with Xs through their faces, and berated the two women for speaking out about their experiences in order to receive money, popularity and asylum abroad.

Another popular refrain was "drone attacks". Why had Malala not spoken out about drones at the UN? Why did everyone care so much about Malala and not the other girls murdered by drones? Why did America kill innocent children with drones and then lionise the young Malala to make themselves feel good that they actually cared about the children of Pakistan and Afghanistan?

It was a shameful display of how Pakistanis have a tendency to turn on the very people they should be proud of. Prof Abdus Salam fell victim to this peculiar Pakistani phenomenon, as well as the murdered child labour activist Iqbal Masih, Rimsha Masih, who recently received asylum for the threats to her life after the blasphemy case, and Kainat Soomro, the brave child who had been gang-raped and actually dared to take on her attackers.

Pakistanis have very deliberately abandoned these brave champions of justice, and each time one more joins their ranks, the accusations of fame mongering, Western agendas, and money ring out louder and louder.

The insults to Malala had a decidedly sexist tone, the comparison to Mukhtaran Mai – another Pakistani hero – making it obvious that rather than embracing female survivors of hideous, politically motivated violence, Pakistanis prefer them to shut up and go away, not to use their ordeals as a platform to campaign for justice.

What does this say about Pakistani mentality? Firstly, it illustrates the fact that most Pakistanis are very confused. As British journalist Alex Hamilton said: "Those who stand for nothing fall for anything". Because we don't know what to stand for, we fall victim to conspiracy theories, wild imaginings, and muddled thinking about what is so clearly right and wrong.

Secondly, people who deflect from Malala's speech to the issue of drone attacks may believe they care about drone victims, but it is hard to find what, if anything, they have actually done for those drone victims besides register their displeasure on social media. Instead, it is a way of deflecting the guilt they feel about their own impotence, their own inability to make any substantial change or impact in this country.

A note of warning: Malala and her cause must not be hijacked by opportunists, money-makers, politicians, or those who wish to use this pure young woman for their own selfish ends.

In celebrating Malala, the world should not forget about the thousands of girls who are still in danger from extremist violence in Pakistan.

Malala's beautiful words must be a source of inspiration for solid action on the ground in the areas most affected by the conflicts she describes.

Whether you support her or not, nobody can deny the urgent need to bring education and peace to Pakistan.

Don't ignore this message, even if you feel like shooting the messenger all over again.

> The writer is a novelist.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

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Jake Gyllenhaal, Josh Brolin lined up for Everest movie

Posted:

Jason Clarke and John Hawkes, too, are set to appear in film about the storm that left eight climbers dead on the world's tallest mountain.

JOSH Brolin, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jason Clarke and John Hawkes are all in line to star in the mountain-climbing disaster movie Everest, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Iceland's Baltasar Kormakur (The Deep, Contraband) will direct for production company Working Title. Everest is based on real-life events that took place in 1996 when a freak storm hit the world's tallest mountain, leaving eight climbers dead.

The story was made famous by Jon Krakauer in the book Into Thin Air, which described how he survived to tell the tale. Kormakur's take follows two separate expedition groups whose lives come under threat.

Clarke is being sought to play New Zealand climber Rob Hall, leader of one of the teams, while Gyllenhaal is set to play Scott Fischer, his opposite number with the other expedition. Brolin is cast to play a doctor named Beck Weathers, who is forced to spend a night on Everest, while Hawkes (The Sessions) will be cast as a slow climber who causes his team to be late setting out on their journey up the peak.

The project was previously in play with Christian Bale as Hall, but the British-born actor no longer seems to be involved. Kormakur hopes to shoot the film in Iceland in October.

It is unclear what Everest's move towards production means for another film with the same title which is currently in the works. The latter project is being overseen by Bourne Identity director Doug Liman, and has Tom Hardy attached to play Sir George Mallory, the famous British mountaineer who attempted to be the first to reach the top of the Himalayan peak in the 1920s. – Guardian News & Media

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Jake Gyllenhaal, Josh Brolin lined up for Everest movie

Posted:

Jason Clarke and John Hawkes, too, are set to appear in film about the storm that left eight climbers dead on the world's tallest mountain.

JOSH Brolin, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jason Clarke and John Hawkes are all in line to star in the mountain-climbing disaster movie Everest, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Iceland's Baltasar Kormakur (The Deep, Contraband) will direct for production company Working Title. Everest is based on real-life events that took place in 1996 when a freak storm hit the world's tallest mountain, leaving eight climbers dead.

The story was made famous by Jon Krakauer in the book Into Thin Air, which described how he survived to tell the tale. Kormakur's take follows two separate expedition groups whose lives come under threat.

Clarke is being sought to play New Zealand climber Rob Hall, leader of one of the teams, while Gyllenhaal is set to play Scott Fischer, his opposite number with the other expedition. Brolin is cast to play a doctor named Beck Weathers, who is forced to spend a night on Everest, while Hawkes (The Sessions) will be cast as a slow climber who causes his team to be late setting out on their journey up the peak.

The project was previously in play with Christian Bale as Hall, but the British-born actor no longer seems to be involved. Kormakur hopes to shoot the film in Iceland in October.

It is unclear what Everest's move towards production means for another film with the same title which is currently in the works. The latter project is being overseen by Bourne Identity director Doug Liman, and has Tom Hardy attached to play Sir George Mallory, the famous British mountaineer who attempted to be the first to reach the top of the Himalayan peak in the 1920s. – Guardian News & Media

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Business

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O&M M’sia picks up 4 Lions

Posted:

OGILVY & Mather Malaysia swept a record four Lions − two silver and two bronze − at the recent Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

The agency says in a statement that it clinched the silver Lions for Nestle Malaysia (Milo Cans "Twisted Football") and Pizza Hut ("When Friends Invite Friends Invite Friends" poster campaign).

Meanwhile, the bronze Lions were for Pictionary's "Quick Draw Wins" campaign.

O&M Malaysia, the first Malaysian agency to net a Lion at Cannes back in 2001, was the only Malaysian agency to win at the competition last month.

Chief creative officer Gavin Simpson attributes the winning of the Lions to "great clients that are open to exciting and relevant ideas."

"We hope this would inspire creatives and clients in Malaysia alike to create work that's world-class," he adds.

The Milo Cans "Twisted Football" integrated campaign, covering digital, on-ground activation and public relations, aimed to redefine the age-old rules of football.

"Selected goalpost designs, each with its own unique shape and dimensions, were built at football fields across Malaysia. Through Facebook, teens were invited to redefine football for themselves and give it a new lease of life by creating their own football twisted designs which were uploaded and shared among their friends," O&M says.

Over 16,000 designs were submitted, and the winning design as voted by teens were built and used in the inaugural nationwide Twisted Football Tournament.

The Pizza Hut poster campaign dramatises a local quirk whereby Malaysians would invite friends to a party even if they aren't the host, hence leading to having extra mouths to feed come mealtime.

The Pictionary "Quick Draw Wins" campaign shows, through a series of posters, drawings of a matchstick man winning over an elaborate illustration of its opponents. It illustrates that simple doodles drawn quickly trumps overcomplicated artistic renditions.

Besides the four metals, another 17 of O&M Malaysia's entries were finalists.

The Ogilvy & Mather network, which racked up 155 Lions this year (the first agency to win over 100 in a year), was named Network of the Year for the second consecutive year.

G20 puts growth before austerity, seeks to calm markets

Posted:

MOSCOW: The Group of 20 nations put growth ahead of austerity, seeking to rebalance a multi-speed global economy and pledging to shift policy carefully so recovery is not derailed by volatile financial markets.

Finance ministers and central bank governors meeting in Moscow on Saturday put the finishing touches to a joint communiqué that delegates said was little changed after they met for dinner on Friday night.

Indications that the U.S. Federal Reserve would scale back its monetary stimulus dominated the debate, with emerging economies most concerned hit by a resulting selloff in stocks and bonds, and a flight to the dollar.

Hosts Russia said G20 policymakers had soft-pedalled on goals to cut government debt in favour of a focus on growth and how to exit central bank stimulus with a minimum of turmoil.

"(G20) colleagues have not made the decision to take responsibility to lower the deficits and debts by 2016," Finance Minister Anton Siluanov told Reuters. "Some people thought that first you need to ensure economic growth.

While the U.S. recovery is gaining traction, China's export motor is sputtering, Japan's bid to break out of deflation has not reached escape velocity, and demand in the euro zone is too weak to sustain a job-creating recovery.

"We do not see any revival of growth in Europe yet, and Japan - we're keeping our fingers crossed," said Indian Finance Minister Chidambaram Palaniappan.

"The best case scenario for today would be for the advanced economies to get growth going. They must keep in mind the impact of their actions on the large emerging economies."

A final draft, obtained by Reuters, said an action plan to boost jobs and growth, while rebalancing global demand and debt, would be readied for a G20 leaders summit hosted by President Vladimir Putin in September.

"We remain mindful of the risks and unintended negative side effects of extended periods of monetary easing," the draft said. "Future changes to monetary policy settings will continue to be carefully calibrated and clearly communicated."

In return for its pledge to 'message' its monetary policy intentions clearly, Washington managed to ensure that the text contained no binding fiscal targets, saying that consolidation should be "calibrated" to economic conditions.

Sources at the meeting said Germany was less assertive than previously in seeking binding targets to reduce borrowing to follow on from a deal struck in Toronto in 2010, with the improving U.S. economy adding weight to Washington's call to focus on growth.

With youth unemployment rates approaching 60 percent in euro zone strugglers Greece and Spain, the growth versus austerity debate has shifted - reflected in the fact that G20 finance and labour ministers held a joint session on Friday.

The crisis in the euro zone periphery has been exacerbated by capital outflows, and the communiqué pledged to move "decisively" towards creating a banking union in Europe that could revive cross-border lending.

Unlike at previous G20 gatherings, exchange rates and the threat of competitive devaluations barely figured, delegates said.

TREAD WITH CARE

Ben Bernanke's announcement two months ago that the Fed may start to wind down its $85 billion in monthly bond purchases sparked a panicky sell-off, particularly in emerging markets.

Investors were calmed by testimony to Congress this week by Bernanke, who is not in Moscow, although he said the exit plan from money-printing remained on the cards.

The spillover effects on developing countries from the withdrawal of quantitative easing policies by developed nations, and the United States in particular, dominated the weekend's discussion, Siluanov said.

"There were no arguments but there was discussion," he said.

The G20 accounts for 90 percent of the world economy and two-thirds of its population - many living in the large emerging economies at greatest risk of a reversal of capital inflows that have been one of the side effects of the Fed stimulus.

China is under pressure to encourage domestic demand-driven growth and allow greater exchange rate flexibility as part of wider efforts to rebalance the global economy which features a huge Chinese surplus and matching U.S. deficit.

Beijing offered an early olive branch, removing a floor on the rates banks can charge clients for loans, which should reduce the cost of borrowing for companies and households. Yet this was not discussed at the G20 talks.

Siluanov said he and others would monitor progress in Beijing and Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso labelled China's move a step in the right direction.

Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda said he would "strongly pursue" quantitative easing policies to lift growth and end deflation.

Japan, which holds an upper house election on Sunday, in turn drew criticism for giving little detail on structural reforms billed as the 'third arrow' of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's economic turnaround plan, G20 sources said. - Reuters

Microsoft shares hit by biggest sell-off since 2009

Posted:

NEW YORK: Microsoft Corp shares fell more than 11 percent on Friday, their biggest plunge in more than four years, a day after the software company posted dismal quarterly results due to weak demand for its latest Windows system and poor sales of its Surface tablet.

The stock's selloff, from five-year highs, is the biggest in percentage terms since January 2009, when the world's largest software company cut 5,000 jobs during the recession. At one point in the day, losses exceeded 12 percent, making it the biggest fall since the Internet stock bubble burst in 2000.

About $34 billion was wiped off Microsoft's market value on Friday, exceeding the size of rival Yahoo Inc.

Microsoft's earnings were wrecked by a $900 million writedown on the value of unsold Surface tablets after it cut prices in a bid to excite buyers.

The poor results shocked Wall Street, which had believed the company's strength with business customers would help it ride out a downturn in consumer PC sales. The results provoked fresh skepticism of Chief Executive Steve Ballmer's new plan to reshape the company around devices and services, unveiled last week.

"The recent reorganization does not fix the tablet or smartphone problem," Nomura analyst Rick Sherlund said in a note to clients on Friday. "The devices opportunity just received a $900 million hardware write-off for Surface RT and investors may not even like the idea of wading deeper into this territory."

Sherlund suggested that activist investors will pressure Ballmer to reconsider his strategy this summer, a reference to ValueAct Capital, which took a $2 billion stake in Microsoft in April and is in talks to get a seat on Microsoft's board.

"This (the results) was much more disruptive than investors have expected, with Microsoft missing its guidance in every division and guiding lower," wrote Sherlund. "Everything an activist investor could ask for."

Other Wall Street analysts were similarly dismayed by Microsoft's latest financial report.

Brokerages Raymond James and Cowen & Co cut their ratings on Microsoft stock by a notch to "market perform" and at least five others trimmed their price targets by as much as $3.

Price targets were cut as low as $35, below Thursday's closing price of $35.44. The shares fell as low as $31.02 on Friday and closed at $31.40 on Nasdaq, an 11.4 percent drop.

FBR Capital Markets analyst David Hilal said Microsoft's revenue from Windows operating system in the fourth quarter was 9 percent below his expectations.

"The key potential growth drivers (Windows 8, Surface) of the Microsoft story appear to be fading, heading into FY14," Hilal wrote in a note.

Earlier this week, Microsoft said it was drastically cutting Surface prices to entice buyers, reducing the value of the devices in its inventory.

Microsoft launched Surface tablets last year to challenge Apple Inc's iPad, but sales have failed to meet expectations.

"The new Windows RT operating system has not been the hit MSFT had hoped for," Cowen analyst Gregg Moskowitz said in a note, adding that investor expectations for the tablet had never been very high.

Janney Capital Markets analysts said the writedown was an admission that Microsoft's first attempt in the tablet market had not been successful.

The company also said on Thursday it expected revenue from Windows software to continue to fall due to a weak PC market.

Microsoft's outlook points to a weaker PC market, shifts toward subscription revenue and a pause ahead of the Xbox One gaming console release, all of which are expected to pressure revenue growth, Morgan Stanley analysts said in a note.

Xbox is the only device by Microsoft that has found a following among consumers and a new version is expected to launch this year. - Reuters

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The Star Online: Nation

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Judge acquits two murder accused

Posted:

GEORGE TOWN: Two murder accused shed tears of joy when the High Court here freed them.

Security guard Mohd Fazli Abdul Rahman, 33, and cyber cafe worker Muhamad Hafis Md Yusoff, 28, were acquitted and discharged at the end of the prosecution's case.

Justice Zamani Abdul Rahim ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case.

He said two key witnesses were not credible as their statements to the police contradicted their testimonies in court.

Mohd Fazli and Muhamad Hafis were jointly charged with murdering unemployed U. Yuganthan, who was then 21.

They were alleged to have committed the offence in Lorong Lima Kongsi 8, Taman Lima Kongsi in Sungai Bakap, south Seberang Prai, at about 1am on Feb 25, 2011.

Outside the court, Mohd Fazli's and Muhamad Hafis' family members cried as they rushed to hug them.

Mohd Fazli was represented by counsel V. Parthipan while Muhamad Hafis was represented by counsel R. Dev Chander. DPP Nur Ashikin Mokhtar prosecuted the case.

Fara Fauzana insures voice

Posted:

Hot FM radio presenter Fara Fauzana (pic) was said to have insured her voice recently, reported Berita Harian.

Fara, who spends her daily routine talking on the radio and TV, said she was willing to insure her voice because she was concerned that her source of income might be affected due to health issues.

"Some may think that it's strange but I see it as a necessity because my voice is important as a presenter.

This is also to secure my future.

"The decision was made after I had problems with my voice and could not be on air even though I was in good health," she added.

Fara's secret to maintaining the quality of her voice is by consuming lots of mineral water.

The 33-year-old radio presenter had also said that she has not touched carbonated drinks since she was 17.


> Kosmo! reported that actress Noniswara Baharudin has officially divorced for the second time from her husband Datuk Rosman Ridzwan.

Noniswara was requested to pay RM10 as a condition for her divorce in the Syariah Court on Thursday.

The 44-year-old dramatist had to file for a divorce after being ignored by her husband for the last eight months.

Noniswara claimed she was relieved with the decision.

"For eight months, he has not been present in my life and I don't see how it will make any difference now," she said.

Noniswara has three children from her first marriage while Rosman, a widower, has five children from his previous marriage.

The couple tied the knot on July 31, 2009, but their marriage had been on the rocks since rumours surfaced about Rosman having an extramarital affair with another actress.

  • Other News & Views is compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a > sign, it denotes a separate news item.
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Kuala Besut by-election: More opposition big guns to arrive to help PAS campaign

Posted:

BESUT: The election temperature in Kuala Besut is expected to increase in the next few days when more opposition big guns arrive to help PAS campaign for the by-election.

As the current meeting of Parliament is over, many of the opposition leaders who are MPs are expected to campaign in Kuala Besut in the next few days.

PAS spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, speaking at a ceramah late Thursday night, set the tone for what is to come from the Opposition's campaign when he accused Umno of being evil and rejecting Islam.

This is despite the existing gentlemen agreement between PAS and Barisan Nasional to conduct a clean and civil campaign in respect of the fasting month.

The former Kelantan Mentri Besar said that throughout the 23 years that he was in office, he did not believe in building mosques using the state government's money as he wanted the people to contribute.

"Umno keep asking us to build mosques, but they themselves do not pray. They are only interested in getting the contract to build the mosques. Getting the contract is enough for them," he said, drawing laughter from the ceramah crowd in Kampung Beris Pak Abu.

At the same event, former Air Force Leftenan Kolonel Mohd Nazali Mokhtar claimed that the Go­­vernment had failed to look after the welfare of the serving armed forces personnel and those who had left the service.

He said that so bad was the treatment given to ex-servicemen that many were not able to make a decent living.

In comparison, he claimed that the ex-servicemen in Bang­ladesh were well treated by their government.

He also questioned why the Government did not provide land for agriculture and other economic activities to ex-servicemen.

Related story:
Kedah Barisan sending an A-Team
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The Star Online: Metro: Central

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CHC leader ask for another extension

Posted:

MOST of the eight City Harvest church leaders who face being stripped of office are believed to have asked for a further extension to the deadline for them to submit their objections.

The cut-off date to make representations to the Commissioner of Charities was last Saturday – a deadline already extended from a previous one on May 13.

Church founder Kong Hee was among those who requested a further extension.

But at least two – Tan Ye Peng and Chew Eng Han – submitted their documents on time.

In April, the Commissioner launched a bid to discharge the eight from office after an inquiry revealed there was mismanagement of funds at City Harvest – in particular at least S$23mil (RM57.9mil) used to fund the music career of Kong's wife, Ho Yeow Sun.

The eight are board member Kong Hee, board chairman and trustee John Lam Leng Hung, vice-chairman and trustee Tan Ye Peng, executive director of the church's administration division Kelvin Teo Meng How as well as executive members Sharon Tan Shao Yuen, Chew Eng Han, Jacqueline Tan Su Pheng and Serina Wee Gek Yin.

All were suspended from office following the Commissioner's inquiry.

If the Commissioner is successful in removing them – which he can do only with the consent of the Attorney-General – the four key officers will no longer be allowed to hold any office position in churches or any other charities for life.

The eight were given a month to submit their objections in writing, after which the Commissioner will assess their cases.

But when the May 13 deadline came, the Commissioner extended the deadline by another two months as a "goodwill gesture" after all eight asked for more time.

The May deadline coincided with the start of a criminal trial in which six members of the group face charges of criminal breach of trust and falsification of accounts.

Kong said yesterday that his lawyers had written to the Commissioner requesting that he defer the removal proceedings until after the trial has ended. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Prison officer fined over inmate's death

Posted:

The senior prison officer found guilty of causing the death of an inmate by negligence had failed to adequately supervise his men when they were restraining the deceased, Dinesh Raman Chin­­­naiah, the court heard.

Lim Kwo Yin, 36, who holds the rank of deputy superintendent with the Singapore Prison Service, pleaded guilty yesterday to the charge and was sentenced to S$10,000 (RM25,000) fine.

The prosecution, recounting the incident of Sept 27, 2010, said Dinesh – who was serving a jail sentence for rioting and theft – had to be restrained after he had kicked a prison warden in his abdomen at about 10.45am that day in Changi Prison.

He was moved to a disciplinary housing unit and left alone on the ground in a "prone position" by officers under the supervision of Lim.

But the inmate was later rushed to Changi General Hospital after he did not respond to Lim, who had gone to check on him at 11.18am. Doctors at the hospital subsequently pronounced Dinesh dead at 12.45pm.

A pathologist report showed that the 21-year-old was likely to have succumbed to "positional asphyxia" while being restrained. The prone position he was left in had restricted the respiratory movements of his chest and abdomen, according to the report.

Lim was also found to have failed to adequately supervise "restraint operation".

For an offence of causing death by a negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide, Lim, could have been jailed for up to two years, or fined, or both.  —The Straits Times / Asia News Network

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CHC leader ask for another extension

Posted:

MOST of the eight City Harvest church leaders who face being stripped of office are believed to have asked for a further extension to the deadline for them to submit their objections.

The cut-off date to make representations to the Commissioner of Charities was last Saturday – a deadline already extended from a previous one on May 13.

Church founder Kong Hee was among those who requested a further extension.

But at least two – Tan Ye Peng and Chew Eng Han – submitted their documents on time.

In April, the Commissioner launched a bid to discharge the eight from office after an inquiry revealed there was mismanagement of funds at City Harvest – in particular at least S$23mil (RM57.9mil) used to fund the music career of Kong's wife, Ho Yeow Sun.

The eight are board member Kong Hee, board chairman and trustee John Lam Leng Hung, vice-chairman and trustee Tan Ye Peng, executive director of the church's administration division Kelvin Teo Meng How as well as executive members Sharon Tan Shao Yuen, Chew Eng Han, Jacqueline Tan Su Pheng and Serina Wee Gek Yin.

All were suspended from office following the Commissioner's inquiry.

If the Commissioner is successful in removing them – which he can do only with the consent of the Attorney-General – the four key officers will no longer be allowed to hold any office position in churches or any other charities for life.

The eight were given a month to submit their objections in writing, after which the Commissioner will assess their cases.

But when the May 13 deadline came, the Commissioner extended the deadline by another two months as a "goodwill gesture" after all eight asked for more time.

The May deadline coincided with the start of a criminal trial in which six members of the group face charges of criminal breach of trust and falsification of accounts.

Kong said yesterday that his lawyers had written to the Commissioner requesting that he defer the removal proceedings until after the trial has ended. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Prison officer fined over inmate's death

Posted:

The senior prison officer found guilty of causing the death of an inmate by negligence had failed to adequately supervise his men when they were restraining the deceased, Dinesh Raman Chin­­­naiah, the court heard.

Lim Kwo Yin, 36, who holds the rank of deputy superintendent with the Singapore Prison Service, pleaded guilty yesterday to the charge and was sentenced to S$10,000 (RM25,000) fine.

The prosecution, recounting the incident of Sept 27, 2010, said Dinesh – who was serving a jail sentence for rioting and theft – had to be restrained after he had kicked a prison warden in his abdomen at about 10.45am that day in Changi Prison.

He was moved to a disciplinary housing unit and left alone on the ground in a "prone position" by officers under the supervision of Lim.

But the inmate was later rushed to Changi General Hospital after he did not respond to Lim, who had gone to check on him at 11.18am. Doctors at the hospital subsequently pronounced Dinesh dead at 12.45pm.

A pathologist report showed that the 21-year-old was likely to have succumbed to "positional asphyxia" while being restrained. The prone position he was left in had restricted the respiratory movements of his chest and abdomen, according to the report.

Lim was also found to have failed to adequately supervise "restraint operation".

For an offence of causing death by a negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide, Lim, could have been jailed for up to two years, or fined, or both.  —The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Maid jailed for abusing boss' mum who suffers from dementia

Posted:

A Myanmar domestic worker has been jailed for four weeks for causing hurt to her employer's elderly mother who suffers from dementia.

Naw Toe Toe Mar, 26, had admitted to dragging Loh Kin Soo around and then pushing the 77-year-old's head against the wall once, causing her to suffer injuries at the HDB flat in Teck Whye Avenue on May 16. She had also admitted to using her hand to hit the victim's head and back multiple times earlier that day.

A magistrate's court heard that the maid had worked for the employer for about a year and one of her duties was to look after the victim.

Since July last year, the employer, Edwina Chan Ruth, 45, had noted several bruise marks all over her mother's body. When she asked the maid, she claimed she did not know how the victim was injured. Neither could the victim recall as she was in an advanced stage of dementia.

Chan then installed a video ca­­­­mera in her unit's living room. The CCTV footage captured some of the incidents of abuse. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

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The Star Online: Entertainment: Music

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Not just a surfer boy

Posted:

Popstar Cody Simpson returns to Australian roots with his new album.

Teen pop star Cody Simpson may exude the laid-back, surfer dude attitude associated with his native Australia, but behind the mellow exterior lies a business brain.

At age 10, he had the wherewithal to ask his mother to book the domain name CodySimpson.com. Three years later he signed a record deal.

The 16-year-old blonde pop star with an estimated net worth of US$4.5mil (RM13.5mil) has already toured with Justin Bieber, is headlining his own North American tour and releases his second album, Surfers Paradise, this week. He co-wrote all of the songs on the album which returns to his roots on the Gold Coast of Queensland.

Surfers Paradise by Cody Simpson 

"I wanted to really stay as true to myself as possible and incorporate some influence from back home," Simpson said about the album during a break from his tour. "The sound and the whole vibe of the album share a piece of me and my lifestyle," he added.

In Pretty Brown Eyes, the first single from the album, the  tall, lanky teen heartthrob gives his own take on brown-eyed girls. Another track, Imma Be Cool, features rapper Asher and Ziggy Marley, who performs also on the song Love.

"It's definitely a classic summer album. There are a few reggae songs. There is a lot of acoustic guitar, some ukulele," said Simpson, who is managed by Scooter Braun, whose clients include Bieber, Carly Rae Jepsen and The Wanted.

Despite his early success after being discovered on YouTube and MySpace, Simpson said he wasn't always sure he was destined for a singing career. The son of swimming champions in Australia, Simpson said he once wanted to follow in the footsteps of Olympic swimming sensation Michael Phelps – until music took over.

He doesn't know what prompted him to book his domain name but he knew he would need it some day.
Simpson remembers telling his grandmother when he about seven that he would be really successful at something when he got older, but he didn't know yet what it would be.

"I thought it would be swimming, then something else and then the music thing came about," he said. With a huge female teen fan base, more than 4.8 million Twitter followers and 146 million YouTube views, comparisons to Bieber are inevitable.

While touring with Bieber earlier this year and in 2012 Simpson said he learned a lot from the Canadian singer, whom he described as a "great mate". But musically they are taking different paths, which he said is evident on the new album.

Simpson, who relocated to Los Angeles with his family to pursue his career, has spent much of the past year on the road. Next up is a tour in his native Australia and an autobiography, Welcome To Paradise: My Journey, which will be published by HarperCollins in October.

He said he is taking his success one step at a time.

"I do like the steady growth I've had over the past couple of years. And I definitely would rather grow into an artist that can exist as an adult rather than blow it all out," he said. — Reuters

Chris Brown is in trouble ... again

Posted:

Singer Chris Brown has probation revoked due to traffic accident.

R&B singer Chris Brown had his probation revoked on Monday by a judge in Los Angeles after he was charged in a hit-and-run traffic accident last month.

Brown, who has been on probation for criminal assault for beating his former girlfriend and fellow R&B singer, Rihanna, on the eve of the 2009 Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, could face jail time if he is found to have violated his probation.

Chris Brown

R&B singer Chris Brown had his probation revoked on Monday by a judge in Los Angeles after he was charged in a hit-and-run traffic accident last month.

Brown, who has been on probation for criminal assault for beating his former girlfriend and fellow R&B singer, Rihanna, on the eve of the 2009 Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, could face jail time if he is found to have violated his probation.

The Grammy-winning singer, 24, was released on his own recognisance and will have a hearing on Aug 16 to determine whether or not he has violated the terms of his probation, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge James Brandlin said.

He was sentenced to five years' probation, 180 days of community service and domestic violence counseling for the 2009 assault on Rihanna.

The Los Angeles County Attorney's office, which has also accused Brown of cutting corners on his community service, asked Brandlin to revoke Brown's probation because of the hit-and-run charges in which he allegedly rear-ended another car. The singer was charged last month with misdemeanor hit-and-run and driving without a valid license in connection with the traffic accident on May 21 in Los Angeles.

Brown's defense team and the alleged victim filed a declaration on Monday to have the charges relating to the hit-and-run dismissed. The Los Angeles City Attorney's office said they planned to proceed with the case. 

The Grammy-winning singer, 24, was released on his own recognisance and will have a hearing on Aug 16 to determine whether or not he has violated the terms of his probation, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge James Brandlin said.

He was sentenced to five years' probation, 180 days of community service and domestic violence counseling for the 2009 assault on Rihanna.

The Los Angeles County Attorney's office, which has also accused Brown of cutting corners on his community service, asked Brandlin to revoke Brown's probation because of the hit-and-run charges in which he allegedly rear-ended another car. The singer was charged last month with misdemeanor hit-and-run and driving without a valid license in connection with the traffic accident on May 21 in Los Angeles.

Brown's defense team and the alleged victim filed a declaration on Monday to have the charges relating to the hit-and-run dismissed. The Los Angeles City Attorney's office said they planned to proceed with the case. 

Yannick Bovy is coming to Malaysia

Posted:

Young Belgian crooner Yannick Bovy will be making his debut concert in Malaysia next month.

MALAYSIANS just love their jazzy pop crooners – no matter how old they are! Late next month, we have George Benson in Kuala Lumpur and in September, the legendary Tony Bennett makes his debut concert here.

But there are young ones with golden pipes coming through the ranks too.

At barely 26 years of age, Yannick Bovy is a name to watch as his career grows beyond the European music scene. After playing a private gig in Kuala Lumpur two months ago, Bovy returns to the capital for a promo showcase at Penthouse @ The Icon, Jalan Tun Razak on Aug 3.

Despite the "Michael Buble of Belgium" tag, Bovy has the kind of voice and enough charm that holds its own. If anything, this swinging chap's career is building upwards with music that takes us back to the days of the Rat Pack at the dawn of the 1960s as well as the soulful stirrings from the great Nat King Cole.

With his first singles, She's Even More Beautiful and Theoretical love, Bovy has steadily attracted the smooth jazz faithful, the crossover crooner pop masses and loads of housewives, not only in his home country Belgium, but also in Holland, Poland, Brazil and Asia. His undeniable talent already earned him a spot at the Java Jazz Festival in Indonesia in March.

His profile is growing in this region. Just imagine the women, the banter, the concerts, the handmade suits, the swimming pools and private jets – well, that's the classic "handsome devil" sound of Bovy's music. His debut album, Better Man, was released last August in Malaysia.

The album can easily be described as a classy tribute to the Big Band, crooner and jazz traditions of yore, spiced with Bovy's talent and evergreen edge. The album also features a mix of timeless songs, including remakes of All My Loving (The Beatles), I Wanna Be Around (Tony Bennett) and Under My Skin (Frank Sinatra) as well as brand-new pop songs.

"One of my favourite songs is Better Man. I can really relate to the lyrics. You've always got to keep doing your best, keep working, if you want to move forward. I feel that as a singer, I have grown tremendously," said Bovy in the press notes.

If you want to grab a spot at Bovy's upcoming KL showcase on Aug 3, just grab a copy of Bovy's Better Man at participating record stores.

Each CD purchase of Better Man entitles you to two showcase passes. Venue address is Penthouse, The Icon, Lot E-21-01, No.1, Jalan 1/68F, Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur. Showtime is 8pm.

More details at www.universalmusic.com.my.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my
 

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