Jumaat, 30 Ogos 2013

The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

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The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro


City Harvest Church Trial: I have not seen the documents, says trustee

Posted:

A trustee of the City Harvest Church responsible for managing its assets said that he had not seen several documents related to the church's investments.

This, however, was not unusual as the trustees had given an investment firm the power to negotiate and sign agreements on their behalf, he said.

The documents were related to financial tran­sactions which are at the heart of the ongoing criminal trial against church founder Kong Hee and five of his deputies.

The six were charged last year with conspiring to cheat the megachurch of about S$50mil (RM130mil) in total. S$24mil (RM62mil) was allegedly misused to finance Kong's wife Ho Yeow Sun's music career, and another S$26mil (RM67mil) purportedly taken to cover this up.

Jeffrey Cheong (pic), a founding member of the church who is now one of its three trustees, said he would have been briefed on other documents about investments at the time he signed them, but he could not recall what he had been told.

Among the documents shown in court yesterday which he had not seen was an letter from John Lam Leng Hung, one of the accused, to the owners of glassware manufacturer Firna. The church had agreed to invest up to S$24.5mil (RM64mil) in Firna bonds, although only S$11mil (RM28mil) was given to the firm.

Part of the contract allowed the church to convert the bonds to shares in the company. However, if this was ever done, City Harvest would sell the shares back to the company at just US$1 (RM3.3), Lam promised in the letter. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Netizens weigh in on Wee's looks and court outfits

Posted:

While there are six people involved in the alleged embezzlement of over S$50mil (RM130mil) worth of funds in the City Harvest Church (CHC) trial, one woman is standing out – not for her testimonies, but more for her sense of style.

Over the past few days, Netizens have expressed various reactions over the way Serina Wee, former finance manager of CHC, is carrying herself amid the court hearings.

An Aug 29 post on dropdeadgorgeous.org says Wee should be spared from too much pressure. "Give her a break man. She needs to stay Pretty, Elegant and Drop Dead Gorgeous!"

There is also a Serina Wee Facebook page, which describes her as a public figure and a goddess. It currently has over 370 likes. In one of the posts on the page, Facebook user Favored Cenizal says "this kind of looks can earn more money in other ways rather than being accountant in CHC". — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Police arrest 200 in blitz against loan sharking

Posted:

Police have arrested 200 suspects for suspected loan sharking activities after an islandwide anti-loan sharking operation that took place over 69 hours from Monday to Thursday.

The 140 men and 60 women were aged between 19 and 74. They were nabbed after officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and six land divisions conducted simultaneous raids at multiple locations in Singapore.

Of the 200 suspects, three will be charged in court under the Moneylenders Act. Investigations against the remaining suspects are ongoing. Separately, another 67 people will also be charged for their involvement in loan sharking activities as runners and bank account holders. They were arrested in previous anti-loan sharking operations conducted by the police.

Said CID Deputy Director and Assistant Commissioner of Police Florence Chua: "By surrendering bank accounts to loan shark syndicates, or by assisting them to transfer money or to carry out harassment acts, these perpetrators are actually helping the syndicates to evade police detection. Police will continue to clamp down hard on all these perpetrators and bring them to justice." — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

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The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz


Wong Kar Wai, the grand director

Posted:

The renowned director ventures into new territory with martial arts epic The Grandmaster.

Released in the spring of 2008, My Blueberry Nights was expected to be the big American breakthrough for the esteemed Chinese filmmaker Wong Kar Wai – the first English-language movie from a director whose previous work (In the Mood For Love, Chungking Express, Happy Together, 2046) had earned him an international fan base on the arthouse and film festival circuits.

But despite a starry cast (Jude Law, Natalie Portman, Rachel Weisz) and a healthy promotional push by The Weinstein Co, the movie was a critical and commercial failure in the United States, grossing less than US$1mil/RM3.2mil (the film fared much better overseas, earning nearly US$22mil/RM70.4mil).

So, Wong turned his back on Hollywood and went back to his roots. Six years later, he emerged with one of his best films to date.

The Grandmaster is a sweeping epic that uses the life of Ip Man (played by Tony Leung Chiu Wai), the kung fu master who trained Bruce Lee, to recount two tumultuous decades in China's history.

Packed with elaborate, eye-popping fight sequences choreographed by Yuen Wo Ping (The Matrix, Kill Bill), The Grandmaster is the most action-intensive film Wong has made. It is also among his most personal. The movie incorporates his recurring theme of romantic longing (Ip has an unspoken, unfulfilled love affair with Gong Er, another martial arts master played by Zhang Ziyi) into a recreation of Japan's invasion of China in 1937 – an event that forever changed the country's culture.

Zhang Ziyi and Tony Leung Chiu Wai had to do all the fight scenes in The Grandmaster themselves.

"The Grandmaster was new territory for me, because I knew nothing about martial arts," Wong says. "This is also the first time I've made a film about China in the 1930s. But when I was writing it, I wasn't conscious of the love story elements.

"The immediate attraction between Ip and Gong is more than just man and woman. They are both martial artists. They are more like comrades. When they're forced to say farewell, they're not just saying goodbye to a friend or a lover. They're also saying farewell to an era, which will probably turn out to be the best times of their lives."

Wong spent three years researching The Grandmaster before a single frame was shot. He travelled to various cities in China and Taiwan in the company of martial arts coach Wu Bin (who trained the action-film star Jet Li) and met with a number of masters who shared their philosophies and differing fighting styles. Wong wanted to make sure he got even the smallest details right, because he felt a responsibility to pay homage to a past that was on the verge of being forgotten.

"I didn't want to make a kung fu film," he says. "I wanted to make a film about the history of kung fu. It's a film about that world at that precise time. In the 1930s, people like Ip Man and Gong Er were not typical martial artists. They weren't street-fighters. They came from very wealthy families with their own banners and rituals. That is a class that doesn't exist any more."

The Grandmaster was shot in 22 months over a period of three years, allowing time for the actors to becomes experts in the various schools of kung fu they were representing. Wong insisted that Leung and Zhang perform all their own fighting (no stunt doubles were used), and the action sequences were so elaborate that they would take weeks to film (the opening setpiece, in which Ip fends off hordes of kung fu students under a rainstorm, took a month).

Born in Shanghai in 1956, Wong moved to Hong Kong with his parents when he was seven, and his childhood memories were part of the motivation that led him to make The Grandmaster.

"I grew up on a street where there were several different martial arts schools," he says. "Some of them were from northern China and some from the south. I was curious to know where they all came from and what happened to their past. When you spoke to an established master in Hong Kong, their best stories were all about their younger days.

"The year 1936 was one of the golden years for Chinese martial arts. It was right before the Japanese invasion, and after that happened, all these martial artists wanted to do their part. They had a platform to be noticed and do something other than challenge each other, so they joined forces to help defend their country."

One of the pleasures of The Grandmaster is learning about the multitude of kung fu styles. Ip practiced Wing Chun, which consists of only a few basic but critical moves. Gong was the daughter of a master of Bagua, a more complex form of kung fu that was sometimes referred to as "64 Hands".

"I had to understand the differences between all the various schools so I could film them properly," Wong says. "I spent a lot of time attending demonstrations and meeting martial artists. One master said something to me that I never forgot. He said 'When you go into a fight, it's almost like kissing the other person'. I (asked) what that meant and he said 'First, you have to get close to your opponent. And when you kiss someone, you can feel it throughout your whole body. Your reaction is very concentrated. It's almost like a reflex'. That was his way of describing kung fu."

Wong clearly remembered that description while shooting the face-off between Ip and Gong: In one beautiful, slow-motion shot, the two warriors hover in the air, their faces just inches apart, like two lovers about to embrace. The sensuality of the moment is so subtle that some viewers may not even notice it. And even though the film's third act takes on the dreamy, gorgeous aura that is Wong's trademark, The Grandmaster is categorically an action movie first.

However, some of Wong's stylistic flourishes have been lost. The version of The Grandmaster being released in the United States by The Weinstein Co runs 108 minutes; the cut released in China was 130 minutes.

"We had an obligation to release the film here (the US) under two hours," Wong says. "But I didn't want to just cut and take out entire scenes. The structure of the original version is extremely precise: If you removed certain things, the movie's structure would collapse. So I decided to make a different version for American audiences that tells the story in a more linear way."

Eugene Suen, a Chinese-American filmmaker and producer of the coming drama Abigail Harm, has seen both cuts of The Grandmaster and strongly prefers Wong's original edit, which may still get a DVD release stateside.

"The differences are very noticeable, to the extent that I feel they are different movies," Suen says. "Many of Wong's previous movies dealt with Western preoccupations and a heightened sense of romance, so they could travel the world without any re-editing. This one is a great reappropriation of his prominent themes – the passage of time, unfulfilled love, romantic longing – as a survey of contemporary Chinese history."

Suen also says the references to Bruce Lee in The Grandmaster are much more overt in the US version (including a title card preceding the end credits that spells out the connection). "There are a couple of scenes of Ip Man training his students and there's this little kid there practicing, but there's no strong hint as to who he is," Suen says.

But in the same way Lee helped popularise martial arts movies in the US in the 1970s, his aura may help attract audiences who might have not otherwise noticed The Grandmaster. And this sumptuous, spectacular movie merits attention. — The Miami Herald/McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

Cruisin' for more bruisin' in Kick-Ass 2

Posted:

Kick-Ass 2

LOCK up your comic-books and stash the perps in protective custody – the costumed vigilante with damaged nerve endings is back, and if he's here, can the fan-favourite Hit-Girl be far away? The sequel to the most refreshing "superhero"/vigilante flick in recent memory is here at last and, although it's all a little familiar by now, the over-the-top violence and audacious attempts at comedy (some hits, some misses) still have an impact.

Basically, it's about the three main players on the Kick-Ass stage – Dave Lizewski/ Kick-Ass (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), Mindy Macready/ Hit-Girl (Chloe Grace Moretz) and Chris D'Amico/ The Supervillain Formerly Known As Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) – trying to find themselves; in short, that age-old quest to belong. Dave joins a (somewhat sad) superhero team; Mindy falls in with the cool girls at school; and Chris ... spends a lot of money.

If this were a teen comedy or drama, well, same old, same old; but this is a Kick-Ass movie, from the nihilistic comics of Mark Millar. As such, things seldom transpire as they would in the "real world" – no matter how many times writer-director Jeff Wadlow (taking over from Matthew Vaughn) tries to stress that this isn't a comic-book but the real world.

The film has some big laughs and the action (especially the Hit-Girl fights) is quite terrific, but the resolution of the main characters' respective paths could have been handled much better. That bit with Mindy, the mean girls and the "sick stick" for example – sure, it's gross and a bona fide "Tell me they didn't just do that!" moment, but it's neither skilful nor satisfying. – Davin Arul ***

The Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones

THIS movie is certainly filled with eye candy for two generations of moviegoers.

Tweens and teens have teenager Clary Fray (Lily Collins, who seems to have tamed her eyebrows somewhat), who starts to unconsciously draw a strange symbol obsessively and see things others don't, and the unconventionally good-looking Shadowhunter Jace Wayland (Jamie Campbell Bower), who becomes her love interest, as well as fellow sibling Shadowhunters Isabelle (Jemima West) and Alec Lightwood (Kevin Zegers).

Older viewers have Clary's mother, Jocelyn (the luminous Lena Headey), who tries, but doesn't succeed in shielding her daughter from her heritage, family friend Luke Garroway (Aidan Turner), and villain Valentine Morgenstern (Jonathan Rhys Meyers, who projects bad-boy sexiness despite the mini-braids in his hair).

Major props to the costuming department, whose choices contributed a great deal to the characters' appeal.

Based on Cassandra Clare's book of the same name, this movie adaptation is quite well done.

The plot is well-paced and has a good flow, although there are deviations from the book, and the action is well-choreographed with good CGI.

As far as Young Adult movie adaptations go, I would recommend this over Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters.

My only quibble is with the overly emotive soundtrack; the acting is good enough for me without the musical manipulation.

A recommended watch for fantasy fans. – Tan Shiow Chin ****

Elysium

THE year is 2154, and mankind is divided into two: the haves, who live in a luxurious, peaceful space station called Elysium, and the have-nots, who remain behind on an over-populated, polluted and crime-ridden Earth.

Most significantly, the people of Elysium have the technology to cure practically any medical ailment, while hospitals on Earth are ill-equipped to treat even basic injuries.

Max (Matt Damon) is a reformed criminal who is simply trying to make a living for himself on Earth, until a dire turn of events forces him to embark on a desperate attempt to break into Elysium. This earns him the wrath of Elysium's Secretary Of Defense, Delacourt (Jodie Foster), and her hitman on Earth, Kruger (Sharlto Copley).

Those who enjoyed director Neill Blomkamp's amazing debut District 9 will see his signature all over Elysium – his realisation of the era is fantastic, with stunning details that are both familiar yet otherworldly. He also doesn't compromise on the action either, which is both gory and hugely exciting.

The storyline, while lacking the freshness of District 9, is pretty decent sci-fi fare, and brings up relevant questions about government and society's class systems.

And despite some rather unlikely plot turns, a stellar cast keeps your attention riveted. The best, however, has got to be Copley's surprising turn as the deranged, bloodthirsty and yet thoroughly enjoyable Kruger – Hollywood, this man needs to be in more films! – Sharmilla Ganesan ****

Welcome To The Punch

THE premise of this British action thriller is quite typical. Jacob Sternwood (Mark Strong) is a thief who has managed to evade the police until one young detective Max Lewinsky (James McAvoy) is put on his trail. Despite getting close enough to touch Sternwood, Lewinsky doesn't get to arrest him and Sternwood disappears. Three years later, Sternwood makes an appearance and Lewinsky is back at work, sniffing him out. Only thing is, the game has shifted quite a bit for both men.

No doubt there are more intense films involving robbers and cops – Michael Mann's Heat comes to mind immediately thanks to the blue tint director Eran Creevy uses and the subject matter. Except here, Creevy works in the fact that British police officers are not allowed to carry firearms on normal patrols.

There are some good action scenes too – but again, they resemble other Hollywood productions. However, if there is a reaason to watch the film it is to see the performances – all the cast members deliver, especially the leads. Strong exudes danger with calm control while McAvoy ably conveys Lewinsky's self-hatred and determination with just a look. – Mumtaj Begum ***

Planes

PLANES is a classic example of a perfectly entertaining, perfectly unoriginal and perfectly unmemorable movie.

The Cars movies have always been at the bottom of my Pixar movies list, mainly because their other efforts have far better stories and characters (in my opinion).

So, I didn't really have high expectations for this spin-off.

That, perhaps, was the key to my enjoyment of the movie.

Telling the story of Dusty Crophopper, a cropduster plane, whose biggest dream is to participate in the elite Wings Around the World racing competition, the plot is about as dramatic as deciding whether to paint your house white or beige.

Every character in the movie has a counterpart in either Cars or Cars 2, from the young hopeful to the reticent mentor and the silly sidekick to the arrogant villain.

But the visuals are beautiful, especially in 3D, and many of the puns are quite hilarious.

A good movie to escape the daily grind for a short while and have a good laugh.

Also, a good one to bring the kids to. – TSC ***

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews

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The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews


Wong Kar Wai, the grand director

Posted:

The renowned director ventures into new territory with martial arts epic The Grandmaster.

Released in the spring of 2008, My Blueberry Nights was expected to be the big American breakthrough for the esteemed Chinese filmmaker Wong Kar Wai – the first English-language movie from a director whose previous work (In the Mood For Love, Chungking Express, Happy Together, 2046) had earned him an international fan base on the arthouse and film festival circuits.

But despite a starry cast (Jude Law, Natalie Portman, Rachel Weisz) and a healthy promotional push by The Weinstein Co, the movie was a critical and commercial failure in the United States, grossing less than US$1mil/RM3.2mil (the film fared much better overseas, earning nearly US$22mil/RM70.4mil).

So, Wong turned his back on Hollywood and went back to his roots. Six years later, he emerged with one of his best films to date.

The Grandmaster is a sweeping epic that uses the life of Ip Man (played by Tony Leung Chiu Wai), the kung fu master who trained Bruce Lee, to recount two tumultuous decades in China's history.

Packed with elaborate, eye-popping fight sequences choreographed by Yuen Wo Ping (The Matrix, Kill Bill), The Grandmaster is the most action-intensive film Wong has made. It is also among his most personal. The movie incorporates his recurring theme of romantic longing (Ip has an unspoken, unfulfilled love affair with Gong Er, another martial arts master played by Zhang Ziyi) into a recreation of Japan's invasion of China in 1937 – an event that forever changed the country's culture.

Zhang Ziyi and Tony Leung Chiu Wai had to do all the fight scenes in The Grandmaster themselves.

"The Grandmaster was new territory for me, because I knew nothing about martial arts," Wong says. "This is also the first time I've made a film about China in the 1930s. But when I was writing it, I wasn't conscious of the love story elements.

"The immediate attraction between Ip and Gong is more than just man and woman. They are both martial artists. They are more like comrades. When they're forced to say farewell, they're not just saying goodbye to a friend or a lover. They're also saying farewell to an era, which will probably turn out to be the best times of their lives."

Wong spent three years researching The Grandmaster before a single frame was shot. He travelled to various cities in China and Taiwan in the company of martial arts coach Wu Bin (who trained the action-film star Jet Li) and met with a number of masters who shared their philosophies and differing fighting styles. Wong wanted to make sure he got even the smallest details right, because he felt a responsibility to pay homage to a past that was on the verge of being forgotten.

"I didn't want to make a kung fu film," he says. "I wanted to make a film about the history of kung fu. It's a film about that world at that precise time. In the 1930s, people like Ip Man and Gong Er were not typical martial artists. They weren't street-fighters. They came from very wealthy families with their own banners and rituals. That is a class that doesn't exist any more."

The Grandmaster was shot in 22 months over a period of three years, allowing time for the actors to becomes experts in the various schools of kung fu they were representing. Wong insisted that Leung and Zhang perform all their own fighting (no stunt doubles were used), and the action sequences were so elaborate that they would take weeks to film (the opening setpiece, in which Ip fends off hordes of kung fu students under a rainstorm, took a month).

Born in Shanghai in 1956, Wong moved to Hong Kong with his parents when he was seven, and his childhood memories were part of the motivation that led him to make The Grandmaster.

"I grew up on a street where there were several different martial arts schools," he says. "Some of them were from northern China and some from the south. I was curious to know where they all came from and what happened to their past. When you spoke to an established master in Hong Kong, their best stories were all about their younger days.

"The year 1936 was one of the golden years for Chinese martial arts. It was right before the Japanese invasion, and after that happened, all these martial artists wanted to do their part. They had a platform to be noticed and do something other than challenge each other, so they joined forces to help defend their country."

One of the pleasures of The Grandmaster is learning about the multitude of kung fu styles. Ip practiced Wing Chun, which consists of only a few basic but critical moves. Gong was the daughter of a master of Bagua, a more complex form of kung fu that was sometimes referred to as "64 Hands".

"I had to understand the differences between all the various schools so I could film them properly," Wong says. "I spent a lot of time attending demonstrations and meeting martial artists. One master said something to me that I never forgot. He said 'When you go into a fight, it's almost like kissing the other person'. I (asked) what that meant and he said 'First, you have to get close to your opponent. And when you kiss someone, you can feel it throughout your whole body. Your reaction is very concentrated. It's almost like a reflex'. That was his way of describing kung fu."

Wong clearly remembered that description while shooting the face-off between Ip and Gong: In one beautiful, slow-motion shot, the two warriors hover in the air, their faces just inches apart, like two lovers about to embrace. The sensuality of the moment is so subtle that some viewers may not even notice it. And even though the film's third act takes on the dreamy, gorgeous aura that is Wong's trademark, The Grandmaster is categorically an action movie first.

However, some of Wong's stylistic flourishes have been lost. The version of The Grandmaster being released in the United States by The Weinstein Co runs 108 minutes; the cut released in China was 130 minutes.

"We had an obligation to release the film here (the US) under two hours," Wong says. "But I didn't want to just cut and take out entire scenes. The structure of the original version is extremely precise: If you removed certain things, the movie's structure would collapse. So I decided to make a different version for American audiences that tells the story in a more linear way."

Eugene Suen, a Chinese-American filmmaker and producer of the coming drama Abigail Harm, has seen both cuts of The Grandmaster and strongly prefers Wong's original edit, which may still get a DVD release stateside.

"The differences are very noticeable, to the extent that I feel they are different movies," Suen says. "Many of Wong's previous movies dealt with Western preoccupations and a heightened sense of romance, so they could travel the world without any re-editing. This one is a great reappropriation of his prominent themes – the passage of time, unfulfilled love, romantic longing – as a survey of contemporary Chinese history."

Suen also says the references to Bruce Lee in The Grandmaster are much more overt in the US version (including a title card preceding the end credits that spells out the connection). "There are a couple of scenes of Ip Man training his students and there's this little kid there practicing, but there's no strong hint as to who he is," Suen says.

But in the same way Lee helped popularise martial arts movies in the US in the 1970s, his aura may help attract audiences who might have not otherwise noticed The Grandmaster. And this sumptuous, spectacular movie merits attention. — The Miami Herald/McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

Cruisin' for more bruisin' in Kick-Ass 2

Posted:

Kick-Ass 2

LOCK up your comic-books and stash the perps in protective custody – the costumed vigilante with damaged nerve endings is back, and if he's here, can the fan-favourite Hit-Girl be far away? The sequel to the most refreshing "superhero"/vigilante flick in recent memory is here at last and, although it's all a little familiar by now, the over-the-top violence and audacious attempts at comedy (some hits, some misses) still have an impact.

Basically, it's about the three main players on the Kick-Ass stage – Dave Lizewski/ Kick-Ass (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), Mindy Macready/ Hit-Girl (Chloe Grace Moretz) and Chris D'Amico/ The Supervillain Formerly Known As Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) – trying to find themselves; in short, that age-old quest to belong. Dave joins a (somewhat sad) superhero team; Mindy falls in with the cool girls at school; and Chris ... spends a lot of money.

If this were a teen comedy or drama, well, same old, same old; but this is a Kick-Ass movie, from the nihilistic comics of Mark Millar. As such, things seldom transpire as they would in the "real world" – no matter how many times writer-director Jeff Wadlow (taking over from Matthew Vaughn) tries to stress that this isn't a comic-book but the real world.

The film has some big laughs and the action (especially the Hit-Girl fights) is quite terrific, but the resolution of the main characters' respective paths could have been handled much better. That bit with Mindy, the mean girls and the "sick stick" for example – sure, it's gross and a bona fide "Tell me they didn't just do that!" moment, but it's neither skilful nor satisfying. – Davin Arul ***

The Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones

THIS movie is certainly filled with eye candy for two generations of moviegoers.

Tweens and teens have teenager Clary Fray (Lily Collins, who seems to have tamed her eyebrows somewhat), who starts to unconsciously draw a strange symbol obsessively and see things others don't, and the unconventionally good-looking Shadowhunter Jace Wayland (Jamie Campbell Bower), who becomes her love interest, as well as fellow sibling Shadowhunters Isabelle (Jemima West) and Alec Lightwood (Kevin Zegers).

Older viewers have Clary's mother, Jocelyn (the luminous Lena Headey), who tries, but doesn't succeed in shielding her daughter from her heritage, family friend Luke Garroway (Aidan Turner), and villain Valentine Morgenstern (Jonathan Rhys Meyers, who projects bad-boy sexiness despite the mini-braids in his hair).

Major props to the costuming department, whose choices contributed a great deal to the characters' appeal.

Based on Cassandra Clare's book of the same name, this movie adaptation is quite well done.

The plot is well-paced and has a good flow, although there are deviations from the book, and the action is well-choreographed with good CGI.

As far as Young Adult movie adaptations go, I would recommend this over Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters.

My only quibble is with the overly emotive soundtrack; the acting is good enough for me without the musical manipulation.

A recommended watch for fantasy fans. – Tan Shiow Chin ****

Elysium

THE year is 2154, and mankind is divided into two: the haves, who live in a luxurious, peaceful space station called Elysium, and the have-nots, who remain behind on an over-populated, polluted and crime-ridden Earth.

Most significantly, the people of Elysium have the technology to cure practically any medical ailment, while hospitals on Earth are ill-equipped to treat even basic injuries.

Max (Matt Damon) is a reformed criminal who is simply trying to make a living for himself on Earth, until a dire turn of events forces him to embark on a desperate attempt to break into Elysium. This earns him the wrath of Elysium's Secretary Of Defense, Delacourt (Jodie Foster), and her hitman on Earth, Kruger (Sharlto Copley).

Those who enjoyed director Neill Blomkamp's amazing debut District 9 will see his signature all over Elysium – his realisation of the era is fantastic, with stunning details that are both familiar yet otherworldly. He also doesn't compromise on the action either, which is both gory and hugely exciting.

The storyline, while lacking the freshness of District 9, is pretty decent sci-fi fare, and brings up relevant questions about government and society's class systems.

And despite some rather unlikely plot turns, a stellar cast keeps your attention riveted. The best, however, has got to be Copley's surprising turn as the deranged, bloodthirsty and yet thoroughly enjoyable Kruger – Hollywood, this man needs to be in more films! – Sharmilla Ganesan ****

Welcome To The Punch

THE premise of this British action thriller is quite typical. Jacob Sternwood (Mark Strong) is a thief who has managed to evade the police until one young detective Max Lewinsky (James McAvoy) is put on his trail. Despite getting close enough to touch Sternwood, Lewinsky doesn't get to arrest him and Sternwood disappears. Three years later, Sternwood makes an appearance and Lewinsky is back at work, sniffing him out. Only thing is, the game has shifted quite a bit for both men.

No doubt there are more intense films involving robbers and cops – Michael Mann's Heat comes to mind immediately thanks to the blue tint director Eran Creevy uses and the subject matter. Except here, Creevy works in the fact that British police officers are not allowed to carry firearms on normal patrols.

There are some good action scenes too – but again, they resemble other Hollywood productions. However, if there is a reaason to watch the film it is to see the performances – all the cast members deliver, especially the leads. Strong exudes danger with calm control while McAvoy ably conveys Lewinsky's self-hatred and determination with just a look. – Mumtaj Begum ***

Planes

PLANES is a classic example of a perfectly entertaining, perfectly unoriginal and perfectly unmemorable movie.

The Cars movies have always been at the bottom of my Pixar movies list, mainly because their other efforts have far better stories and characters (in my opinion).

So, I didn't really have high expectations for this spin-off.

That, perhaps, was the key to my enjoyment of the movie.

Telling the story of Dusty Crophopper, a cropduster plane, whose biggest dream is to participate in the elite Wings Around the World racing competition, the plot is about as dramatic as deciding whether to paint your house white or beige.

Every character in the movie has a counterpart in either Cars or Cars 2, from the young hopeful to the reticent mentor and the silly sidekick to the arrogant villain.

But the visuals are beautiful, especially in 3D, and many of the puns are quite hilarious.

A good movie to escape the daily grind for a short while and have a good laugh.

Also, a good one to bring the kids to. – TSC ***

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: World Updates

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The Star Online: World Updates


U.S. says world cannot let Assad get away with chemical attack

Posted:

WASHINGTON/PARIS (Reuters) - The United States made clear on Friday that it would punish Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for the "brutal and flagrant" chemical weapons attack that it says killed more than 1,400 people in Damascus last week.

"We cannot accept a world where women and children and innocent civilians are gassed on a terrible scale," President Barack Obama told reporters at the White House.

He said the United States was still in the planning process for a "limited, narrow" military response that would not involve "boots on the ground" or be open-ended. He set no timetable for action.

In a sign the United States may be preparing to act, a senior State Department official said Secretary of State John Kerry spoke on Friday to the foreign ministers of Britain, Egypt, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as well as to the secretary general of the Arab League.

The White House will brief Republican senators on Syria in a conference call on Saturday at the request of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a spokesman for the senator said.

The timing of the attack, most likely with cruise missiles from five U.S. Navy destroyers already stationed in the eastern Mediterranean, was uncertain, but it had been considered unlikely before U.N. weapons experts probing evidence from the August 21 attack, left Syria on Saturday.

The inspectors left their Damascus hotel early on Saturday, a Reuters witness said, with their convoy of vehicles heading onto a highway that leads to neighbouring Lebanon.

A sixth U.S. warship is now operating in the eastern Mediterranean, defence officials said late on Friday. One of the officials said the USS San Antonio's passage into the Mediterranean was long-planned, but officials thought it prudent to keep the ship near the destroyers given the current situation.

Kerry said on Friday it was essential not to let Syria get away with the attack, partly as a sign to those who might consider using chemical weapons in the future.

"History would judge us all extraordinarily harshly if we turned a blind eye to a dictator's wanton use of weapons of mass destruction," Kerry said in a televised statement.

Syria's Foreign Ministry repeated the government's denial that it had used chemical weapons and said Kerry's accusations were a "desperate attempt" to justify a military strike. "What he said was lies," the ministry said of Kerry's statement.

The witness saw the team's convoy of vehicles head onto a highway that leads to neighbouring Lebanon.

With France on Friday affirming its support for a military response to punish Assad's government, the statements from Obama and Kerry appeared to harden the resolve for a U.S. attack despite Thursday's British parliamentary "no" vote that left Washington without one of its closest allies.

Kerry said that "if a thug and a murderer like Bashar al-Assad can gas thousands of his own people with impunity," it would set a bad example for others, such as Iran, Hezbollah and North Korea.

Obama said chemical weapons attacks such as last week's threatened U.S. national security interests as well as U.S. allies such as Israel, Turkey and Jordan.

"So, I have said before, and I meant what I said, that the world has an obligation to make sure that we maintain the norm against the use of chemical weapons," he said.

Kerry laid out a raft of evidence he said showed Assad's forces were behind the attack, and the U.S. government released an unclassified intelligence report at the same time including many of the details. The report said the attack killed 1,429 Syrian civilians, including 426 children.

The intelligence included an intercepted communication by a senior official intimately familiar with the attack as well as other intelligence from people's accounts and intercepted messages, the four-page report said.

"Any action that he (Obama) might decide to take will be (a) limited and tailored response to ensure that a despot's brutal and flagrant use of chemical weapons is held accountable," Kerry said.

Assad's government has accused rebels of perpetrating the attacks in order to provoke intervention.

Syrian state television, which did not carry Kerry's speech live, reported that Kerry said the "first and last" aim of any action the Obama administration will carry out in the Middle East was to "guarantee the security of Israel."

Kerry said the U.N. inspectors' report would only confirm that chemical weapons were used and made clear it would not change much for Washington since "guaranteed Russian obstructionism" would make it impossible for the United Nations to galvanize world action.

"The primary question is really no longer, what do we know? The question is, what are we - we collectively - what are we in the world going to do about it?" Kerry said.

The United Nations said its experts had completed the collection of samples and evidence from last week's attack. U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said all the analysis of the samples must be completed before conclusions can be drawn.

Diplomats said U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told Security Council members it may be two weeks before final results of the tests are ready.

SHIFTING ALLIANCES

Kerry and Obama were speaking the day after British Prime Minister David Cameron failed to win parliamentary backing for military action in Syria.

Finance Minister George Osborne, one of Cameron's closest allies, accepted that the vote had raised questions about Britain's future relations with its allies.

French President Francois Hollande told the daily Le Monde he still supported taking "firm" punitive action over an attack he said had caused "irreparable" harm to the Syrian people.

Hollande is not constrained by the need for parliamentary approval of any move to intervene in Syria and could act before lawmakers debate the issue on Wednesday. An official in his office said the French president spoke to Obama on Friday and "they showed great determination about this crisis."

Britain has traditionally been the United States' most reliable military ally. But the defeat of the government motion authorising a military response in principle underscored misgivings dating from how the country decided to join the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Russia, Assad's most powerful diplomatic ally, opposes any military intervention in Syria, saying an attack would increase tension and undermine the chances of ending the civil war.

Yuri Ushakov, senior foreign policy adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin, said the British vote represented majority opinion in Europe.

"People are beginning to understand how dangerous such scenarios are," he told reporters. "Russia is actively working to avert a military scenario in Syria."

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said any intervention in Syria should be aimed at ending Assad's rule - a goal that Obama has ruled out.

U.S. CAUTION

Kerry said the U.S. intelligence community had carefully reviewed and re-reviewed information regarding the attack. "I will tell you it has done so more than mindful of the Iraq experience. We will not repeat that moment."

Kerry said that three days before the attack, the Syrian government's chemical weapons personnel were on the ground in the area, making preparations.

"And we know that the Syrian regime elements were told to prepare for the attack by putting on gas masks and taking precautions associated with chemical weapons."

"We know that a senior regime official who knew about the attack confirmed that chemical weapons were used by the regime, reviewed the impact, and actually was afraid that they would be discovered," Kerry said.

Assad's forces fired rockets on Friday at a Damascus suburb hit by poison gas last week in another attempt to capture the strategic area, opposition activists said.

Polls show the American public is largely opposed to U.S. military action, and after a Thursday briefing some lawmakers said they were still not convinced of the need for it. Some questioned whether the Pentagon could afford to attack Syria after spending cuts imposed this year.

A new Reuters/Ipsos poll on Friday showed 53 percent of those surveyed this week said the United States should stay out of Syria's civil war, down from 60 percent last week. Twenty percent said the United States should take action, up from 9 percent last week.

Analysts said there was little doubt about the message from Obama's administration. "I would now be shocked if the U.S. government doesn't go to war, even if alone," said Bilal Saab, director and head of research at the Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis. "This is as clear a case for intervention, from the administration's standpoint, as can be."

Some allies, including Italy, have warned that military action without U.N. Security Council authorisation may make matters worse. Russia holds veto power as a permanent Security Council member and has blocked three resolutions meant to press Assad to stop the violence since the revolt began in 2011.

(Additional reporting by Matt Spetalnick, Andrea Shalal-Esa, Patricia Zengerle, Thomas Ferraro, Arshad Mohammed and Jeff Mason in Washington, Erika Solomon and Oliver Holmes in Beirut, Khaled Yacoub Oweis in Amman, Sarah Marsh in Berlin, Timothy Heritage in Moscow, Phil Stewart in Manila, Louis Charbonneau and Michelle Nichols at the United Nations, Lidia Kelly in Moscow, Ben Blanchard and Michael Martina in Beijing, John Irish in Paris and Andrew Osborn, Marie-Louise Gumuchian and Peter Apps in London; Writing by Alistair Lyon and Claudia Parsons; Editing by David Storey, Jim Loney and Peter Cooney) Interactive timeline: http://link.reuters.com/rut37s

U.N. chemical weapons inspectors leaving Damascus: witness

Posted:

DAMASCUS (Reuters) - The team of U.N. chemical weapons inspectors left their Damascus hotel early on Saturday, a Reuters witness said, and appeared to be leaving the country.

The witness saw the team's convoy of vehicles head onto a highway that leads to neighbouring Lebanon.

(Reporting by Marwan Makdesi; Editing by Peter Cooney)

Kerry makes case for limited military action on Syria

Posted:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Friday made a broad case for limited U.S. military action against Syria for its suspected use of chemical weapons, saying it could not go unpunished for such a "crime against humanity."

Kerry also stressed that anything the United States might do would be carefully tailored and would not in any way resemble the U.S. invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, nor its intervention to help topple former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

"It will not involve any boots on the ground. It will not be open-ended. And it will not assume responsibility for a civil war that is already well underway," Kerry said of any action U.S. President Barack Obama might pursue.

"Any action that he might decide to take will be (a) limited and tailored response to ensure that a despot's brutal and flagrant use of chemical weapons is held accountable," he added in a brief and forceful televised speech at the U.S. State Department. He said other nations that might use weapons of mass destruction were watching to see if Syria escaped with impunity.

(Reporting By Arshad Mohammed; editing by Christopher Wilson and Jackie Frank)

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

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Better external trade ahead?

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Recovery of advanced nations may spell good news to exports, but it has led to massive capital outflow from emerging economies

ONE might think that the weak ringgit now can help boost Malaysian exports, as it makes the country's produce relatively cheaper in the international market. What's more in the present environment whereby developed nations seem to be heading towards a more convincing economic recovery, which suggests that global trade will likely improve further in the months ahead.

But depending on the weak ringgit to grow the country's exports is not something that the authorities have in mind for the long-term benefit of the country's economy.

"We've told exporters never to rely on the exchange rates to gain competitiveness," Bank Negara governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz told reporters over the week.

"Export competitiveness must be gained through other measures such as enhancing productivity, being innovative, and enhancing the management of their (exporters') businesses," she emphasised.

Malaysia's exports have been contracting since February through June this year due to weak demand for the country's electronics and electrical products as well as weak commodity prices amid a sluggish global economy.

The Government is expected to announce the country's external trade numbers for July 2013 in the week ahead. The prediction so far remains lacklustre, with most economists forecasting another round of contraction, albeit at a slower pace compared with the contraction of 6.9% year-on-year in June.

But with global manufacturing purchasing managers index trending upwards and semiconductor sales showing signs of improvement in tandem with the economic recovery of developed nations such as the United States and those in the European Union, economists seem optimistic that Malaysia's exports could gradually improve in the subsequent months, as global demand for goods and services is expected to grow.

G3 recovering

If the latest data is anything to go by, the Group of Three (G3) economies, comprising Europe, Japan and the United States, are certainly on the mode of recovery after a prolonged period of sluggishness.

The United States, for instance, reported a stronger-than-expected growth during the second quarter of the year. Its gross domestic product (GDP) expanded at an annualised 2.5%, compared with an initial estimate of 1.7%, and a growth of 1.1% in the first quarter of the year, in a sign that growth was accelerating as the world's largest economy overcame the effects of federal tax increases and budget cuts.

There were also signs that the US labour market was improving, as jobless claims in the week ended Aug 24 fell by 6,000 to more than a five-year low at 331,000.

Across the Atlantic Ocean, the debt-mired eurozone seemed to have emerged from its longest-ever recession, as the GDP of the 17-nation region grew 0.3% in the second quarter, after contracting 0.3% in the preceding quarter. The rebound of the eurozone's economy was driven by growth in the region's two largest economies – Germany and France – and an easing of recession in the region's third and fourth biggest economies – Italy and Spain.

Japan's economy also seemed to be blossoming under "Abenomics", referring to the economic policies established by the country's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Japan's GDP expanded at an annualised pace of 2.6% in the three months to June 2013 on growing domestic demand and rising exports. It was the third consecutive quarter of growth for the world's third-largest economy, albeit at a slower pace when compared with its annualised growth of 3.8% in the preceding quarter.

Most emerging-market economies have been looking to the recovery of G3 economies, which have traditionally been their major export destinations, for recovery in global trade. But while improving G3 economies could spell good news to external trade, there are side effects with which emerging-market economies, including Malaysia, have to contend – reversal of capital that has led to the plunge of their equity and bond markets, and the weakening of their currencies.

As Zeti puts it, we are living in an environment that is so dynamic and increasingly challenging.

She explains: "As the recovery happens in the United States, and possibly Europe and Japan, these advanced economies will commence withdrawing some of their liquidity injections and eventually normalise their interest rates. And this will have consequences on us (as an emerging economy)."

Capital reversal

As in the case of many emerging-market economies, Malaysia has been a major recipient of foreign capital inflow since developed nations embarked on their quantitative easing (QE) programmes in 2009.

The QE programmes saw developed nations, in particular the United States, injecting massive amounts of liquidity into their economies in a move to prevent them from plunging into deep recession following the onslaught of the 2008/09 global financial crisis. The provision of such massive liquidity has continued to this day.

During the process over the years, a massive amount of that liquidity has flowed into emerging-market economies, including Malaysia, to seek higher rates of return.

But with the US Federal Reserve recently indicating that it has plans to soon taper some of its easy-money policies on the back of an improving economy, a reversal of foreign capital from emerging markets back to developed nations, notably the United States, has begun to take place.

This is evident in the declines of the equity and bond markets of emerging economies, as well as the significant depreciation of their currencies. Malaysia has not been immune to such trend.

Bank Negara's stand is not to intervene in the foreign exchange market, but to allow market forces take their course.

"What is important for us is to ensure orderly market conditions. We do not focus on any specific level of exchange rate," Zeti has said, adding that the central bank would only step in and intervene if there were disorderly movements in country's financial markets.

Growth potential intact

Foreign capital outflow from Malaysia may have resulted in the country's bourse and currency coming under significant pressure, but such disruptive flow is unlikely going to derail the country's economic growth potential.

"The impact of hot money outflow on the country's real sector will not be that severe because we have the capability to absorb the shock," RAM Holdings Bhd chief economist Dr Yeah Kim Leng argues.

"Malaysia has a very sound banking system and a deep financial market. Also, we are not overly leveraged, and our foreign-currency debt is low. So, we can deal with the sharp outflows of these 'excess' liquidity as we have well-demonstrated previously when the same thing happened during the height of the 2008/09 global financial crisis and 2010 flare-up of the eurozone debt crisis," he explains.

Yeah points to the recent uptick in the country's bond yields and retracement of stock market losses as signs that Malaysia is weathering the massive foreign capital withdrawal relatively well.

On another note, he thinks that the short-term weakening of the ringgit would translate into gains for the country's net exports in the coming months.

Affin Investment Bank Bhd chief economist Alan Tan believes recent developments are a wake-up call for the Malaysian Government to take immediate steps to further improve the country's economic fundamentals. Among other things, he notes, it is important for the Government to accelerate fiscal consolidation and budgetary reforms, and take steps to safeguard the country's current account surplus.

"The plan to sequence big mega projects with high import content and low-multiplier effect will have a positive impact on the country's current account surplus," Tan says.

"Our expectation is that the Government is resolved to improve the country's economic fundamentals. With that, and coupled with our expectation that the tapering of QE will not come so soon, we believe capital outflow from the country will not be disorderly," he argues, adding that Malaysia's growth potential should remain intact.

Sime Darby Q4 profit rises 19%

Posted:

KUALA LUMPUR: Despite being hurt by lower crude palm oil (CPO) prices, Sime Darby Bhd's net profit for the fourth quarter ended June 30 rose 19% due to the disposal of its 50% stake in its healthcare assets.

The conglomerate posted RM1.31bil in earnings, which included a RM340mil one-off gain from the divestment of its healthcare business to Australia-based Ramsay Health Care Ltd and higher property sales.

Going forward, its chief group financial officer Tong Poh Keow expected the plantation division's weaker showing to be offset by the stronger performance at other divisions like property, industrial and motor.

In the fourth quarter, the plantation division's profit before interest and tax declined 51% year-on-year to RM399.4mil compared with RM807.2mil due to the lower CPO price realised of RM2,250 per tonne against RM3,010 in the previous corresponding period

She expects slightly better CPO prices towards the end of 2013 on improved demand.

Although full-year earnings were 11% lower, the company declared a final dividend of 27 sen per share, bringing full-year dividend to 34 sen, which translates to 55% payout of its net profit.

Tong said the board had approved a dividend reinvestment plan (DRP) that allowed shareholders to subscribe to DRP shares at a 5% discount to the five-day volume weighted average price before price fixing date, after adjusting for the final dividend.

She also said that rubber would be coming to a "bigger play" in the group, adding that the conglomerate was also studying the possibility of venturing into other crops such as sugar.

Tong told reporters at the financial results briefing yesterday that Sime Darby was looking into planting rubber in its Liberia concession on top of the existing 8,000ha of rubber plantation and the acquisition of 10,000ha in Indonesia.

On land-banking, she said: "We have been studying the feasibility of quite a number of land-banks in Africa and even in South-East Asia and due diligence had been performed on these properties."

Asked about the flotation of its property arm, Tong said that listing was one of the options to maximise its value and that the conglomerate was looking at all the divisions and it was studying various proposals.

Group strategy and business development executive vice-president Alan Hamzah said there could be "more news at the annual general meeting".

Boost for RE fund

Posted:

Additional 1% levy may come into effect as early as next year

ELECTRICITY consumers using more than 300kWh per month will have to pay 1% extra on their electricity bill for the renewable energy (RE) fund as early as next year. Currently, this group of consumers are already contributing a 1% levy to the RE fund which was imposed on Dec 1, 2011.

Sustainable Energy Development Authority (Seda) chief executive officer Datin Badriyah Abdul Malek says the cabinet had in 2010 approved in principle the 2% surcharge required under target set in the RE policy plan and action plan.

"As of now, only 1% has been implemented and the second 1% surcharge should have been implemented in 2013 but has not been approved by the Government. The additional surcharge is necessary to expedite the growth of RE and hasten to close the gap on national RE targets.

"Although the second 1% has been proposed, the final quantum is still being considered by the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry (KeTTHA)," she tells StarBizWeek.

Badriyah discloses that Seda hopes the additional surcharge will be implemented by early 2014. However, the date of implementation is still being discussed with KeTTHA.

Seda is a statutory body established under the Seda Act 2011 and its primary function is to manage and administer the Feed-in-Tariff (FiT).

Under the Renewable Energy Act 2011, individuals or non-individuals can sell electricity generated from RE resources to power utility firms like Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) at a fixed premium price for a specified time. The four RE resources that are eligible for FiT are biogas, biomass, small hydropower and solar photovoltaic (PV).

Nevertheless, the statutory body maintains that the levy is imposed on all users, except for domestic customers who consume less than 300 kilowatt-hours (kwh) or equivalent to RM77 a month. And this only affects about 25% of TNB domestic customers.

Financing the RE fund

Presently, the only source for RE fund is from the 1% levy from consumers' electricity bill. The current 1% levy covers costs associated with the FiT scheme translates to about RM300mil a year. The amount has also been committed to feed-in approval holders (FiAHs) for the next 21 years.

Badriyah says the 1% surcharge is important because it supports payment for the FiT programme. Without a sustainable RE fund, the FiT programme cannot be implemented successfully because of the long period of Renewable Power Purchase Agreement (REPPA).

"At the start of the FiT programme, the Treasury has granted Seda an initial grant of RM300mil for the RE fund," Badriyah says, adding that Seda has been receiving the contribution to the RE fund regularly from TNB.

"We have about RM665mil in the account. However, all the amount is already committed based on all the approved RE quota," she says.

Badriyah explains that the monies have been locked in to ensure there is money to pay the FiAHs.

Seda is currently looking at various ways of sourcing money for the RE Fund. While the agency mulls with ideas of raising funds, one important factor to be considered is the source of fund must be sustainable as the commitment of RE Fund for the approved RE capacity is for 16 and 21 years, depending on the type of resources.

Asked if independent power producers (IPP) and utility companies will contribute a small portion of their profits to the RE fund, Badriyah says the idea had been considered at great length during the conceptual days of the FiT policy decision but KeTTHA had decided that the best funding mechanism for the RE fund is to impose a surcharge on electricity consumers' bills.

"This model is widely adopted in many countries with FiT programme such as Germany and Italy; this approach of funding is based on "polluters pay" concept and it, in turn, encourages the electricity consumers to be more energy efficient because the less electricity they consume, the less they have to contribute to the RE fund.

"In fact, domestic electricity consumers who consume 300 units of electricity and less are currently exempted from contributing to the RE fund; this represents 74% of the total domestic electricity consumers," Badriyah says.

Although IPPs have not contributed directly to the RE fund, KeTTHA has approved a RM20mil seed fund from the Malaysia Electricity Supply Industry Trust Account (MESITA) for the establishment of the authority.

The fund for the MESITA is contributed by IPPs from 1% of their total annual audited turnover to the Peninsular Grid and is being administered by the ministry. This seed grant is an important contribution by IPP to enable feed-in tariff to be implemented in Malaysia.

In addition, Seda is also required to disclose the management and utilisation of the RE fund to be reported and tabled in Parliament annually for the public to scrutinise the information.

As at July 31, Seda has collected about RM398mil, of which about RM44m has been used to pay for FiT payments and administrative fees for the distribution licensees and Seda.

Will Seda ask for higher levy if it exhausts the 2% levy? Badriyah says the 2% surcharge is required based on the projected RE capacity growth as set out in the RE Policy and Action Plan approved by the Government in 2010.

"Based on this quantum of surcharge on electricity tariff, Malaysia should achieve about 11% of RE in the power capacity mix. The RE fund is influenced by a number of factors such as the rate and quantum of electricity tariff subsidy rationalising, sales revenue of electricity by TNB, the prevailing displaced cost and the degression rate of each RE.

"An increase in one or more of these factors will result in an increase of RE fund, which translates to more available quota. Additional surcharge will only be required if there is an increase in national renewable energy targets set by the Government," she explains.

However, not everyone is happy with an increase of levy especially when the Government has been hinting at a potential tariff hike in the near future. The last electricity tariff hike took effect in June 2011 when the subsidised gas price was raised to RM13.70 per million metric British thermal unit (mmbtu) from RM10.70 per mmbtu previously.

Explain to the public

Business Ethics Institute of Malaysia chairman S. Supramaniam opined that Seda should explain to the public what it had done with the 1% levy before seeking an extra 1%.

"We don't even know what they (Seda) have done with the 1%. Show us how well you have done with the 1%," he says.

Furthermore, he feels there has been limited consultation with the public on the levy. He also said information on the initial 1% levy was not properly disseminated to the public.

Supramaniam noted that the clean energy domain should rest with the Government and that it should pay for it.

Malaysia has a modest target of 985 MW of RE, or a 5.5% share of the energy mix, by 2015. Currently, RE contributes about 1%. The target by 2020 is for RE to make up 11% of the country's electricity generation.

The target may seem modest in comparison with the targets and achievements of other countries but it is marching towards that aspiration.

According to Badriyah, Seda has approved RE capacity of 509.75 MW, of which 112.44 MW are connected to the grid as at July 31. The remaining is expected to achieve commercial operation between now and 2015.

From a report by the Energy Commission (Electricity Supply Industry in Malaysia, 2010), the total installed generation capacity was about 27,000 MW in 2010.

Based on installed RE capacity from FiT programme, the RE from FiT will constitute 0.4% of the total installed generation capacity (2010) whereas based on approved RE capacity from the FiT programme, the ratio increases to 1.9%.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

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Wong Kar Wai, the grand director

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The renowned director ventures into new territory with martial arts epic The Grandmaster.

Released in the spring of 2008, My Blueberry Nights was expected to be the big American breakthrough for the esteemed Chinese filmmaker Wong Kar Wai – the first English-language movie from a director whose previous work (In the Mood For Love, Chungking Express, Happy Together, 2046) had earned him an international fan base on the arthouse and film festival circuits.

But despite a starry cast (Jude Law, Natalie Portman, Rachel Weisz) and a healthy promotional push by The Weinstein Co, the movie was a critical and commercial failure in the United States, grossing less than US$1mil/RM3.2mil (the film fared much better overseas, earning nearly US$22mil/RM70.4mil).

So, Wong turned his back on Hollywood and went back to his roots. Six years later, he emerged with one of his best films to date.

The Grandmaster is a sweeping epic that uses the life of Ip Man (played by Tony Leung Chiu Wai), the kung fu master who trained Bruce Lee, to recount two tumultuous decades in China's history.

Packed with elaborate, eye-popping fight sequences choreographed by Yuen Wo Ping (The Matrix, Kill Bill), The Grandmaster is the most action-intensive film Wong has made. It is also among his most personal. The movie incorporates his recurring theme of romantic longing (Ip has an unspoken, unfulfilled love affair with Gong Er, another martial arts master played by Zhang Ziyi) into a recreation of Japan's invasion of China in 1937 – an event that forever changed the country's culture.

Zhang Ziyi and Tony Leung Chiu Wai had to do all the fight scenes in The Grandmaster themselves.

"The Grandmaster was new territory for me, because I knew nothing about martial arts," Wong says. "This is also the first time I've made a film about China in the 1930s. But when I was writing it, I wasn't conscious of the love story elements.

"The immediate attraction between Ip and Gong is more than just man and woman. They are both martial artists. They are more like comrades. When they're forced to say farewell, they're not just saying goodbye to a friend or a lover. They're also saying farewell to an era, which will probably turn out to be the best times of their lives."

Wong spent three years researching The Grandmaster before a single frame was shot. He travelled to various cities in China and Taiwan in the company of martial arts coach Wu Bin (who trained the action-film star Jet Li) and met with a number of masters who shared their philosophies and differing fighting styles. Wong wanted to make sure he got even the smallest details right, because he felt a responsibility to pay homage to a past that was on the verge of being forgotten.

"I didn't want to make a kung fu film," he says. "I wanted to make a film about the history of kung fu. It's a film about that world at that precise time. In the 1930s, people like Ip Man and Gong Er were not typical martial artists. They weren't street-fighters. They came from very wealthy families with their own banners and rituals. That is a class that doesn't exist any more."

The Grandmaster was shot in 22 months over a period of three years, allowing time for the actors to becomes experts in the various schools of kung fu they were representing. Wong insisted that Leung and Zhang perform all their own fighting (no stunt doubles were used), and the action sequences were so elaborate that they would take weeks to film (the opening setpiece, in which Ip fends off hordes of kung fu students under a rainstorm, took a month).

Born in Shanghai in 1956, Wong moved to Hong Kong with his parents when he was seven, and his childhood memories were part of the motivation that led him to make The Grandmaster.

"I grew up on a street where there were several different martial arts schools," he says. "Some of them were from northern China and some from the south. I was curious to know where they all came from and what happened to their past. When you spoke to an established master in Hong Kong, their best stories were all about their younger days.

"The year 1936 was one of the golden years for Chinese martial arts. It was right before the Japanese invasion, and after that happened, all these martial artists wanted to do their part. They had a platform to be noticed and do something other than challenge each other, so they joined forces to help defend their country."

One of the pleasures of The Grandmaster is learning about the multitude of kung fu styles. Ip practiced Wing Chun, which consists of only a few basic but critical moves. Gong was the daughter of a master of Bagua, a more complex form of kung fu that was sometimes referred to as "64 Hands".

"I had to understand the differences between all the various schools so I could film them properly," Wong says. "I spent a lot of time attending demonstrations and meeting martial artists. One master said something to me that I never forgot. He said 'When you go into a fight, it's almost like kissing the other person'. I (asked) what that meant and he said 'First, you have to get close to your opponent. And when you kiss someone, you can feel it throughout your whole body. Your reaction is very concentrated. It's almost like a reflex'. That was his way of describing kung fu."

Wong clearly remembered that description while shooting the face-off between Ip and Gong: In one beautiful, slow-motion shot, the two warriors hover in the air, their faces just inches apart, like two lovers about to embrace. The sensuality of the moment is so subtle that some viewers may not even notice it. And even though the film's third act takes on the dreamy, gorgeous aura that is Wong's trademark, The Grandmaster is categorically an action movie first.

However, some of Wong's stylistic flourishes have been lost. The version of The Grandmaster being released in the United States by The Weinstein Co runs 108 minutes; the cut released in China was 130 minutes.

"We had an obligation to release the film here (the US) under two hours," Wong says. "But I didn't want to just cut and take out entire scenes. The structure of the original version is extremely precise: If you removed certain things, the movie's structure would collapse. So I decided to make a different version for American audiences that tells the story in a more linear way."

Eugene Suen, a Chinese-American filmmaker and producer of the coming drama Abigail Harm, has seen both cuts of The Grandmaster and strongly prefers Wong's original edit, which may still get a DVD release stateside.

"The differences are very noticeable, to the extent that I feel they are different movies," Suen says. "Many of Wong's previous movies dealt with Western preoccupations and a heightened sense of romance, so they could travel the world without any re-editing. This one is a great reappropriation of his prominent themes – the passage of time, unfulfilled love, romantic longing – as a survey of contemporary Chinese history."

Suen also says the references to Bruce Lee in The Grandmaster are much more overt in the US version (including a title card preceding the end credits that spells out the connection). "There are a couple of scenes of Ip Man training his students and there's this little kid there practicing, but there's no strong hint as to who he is," Suen says.

But in the same way Lee helped popularise martial arts movies in the US in the 1970s, his aura may help attract audiences who might have not otherwise noticed The Grandmaster. And this sumptuous, spectacular movie merits attention. — The Miami Herald/McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

Cruisin' for more bruisin' in Kick-Ass 2

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Kick-Ass 2

LOCK up your comic-books and stash the perps in protective custody – the costumed vigilante with damaged nerve endings is back, and if he's here, can the fan-favourite Hit-Girl be far away? The sequel to the most refreshing "superhero"/vigilante flick in recent memory is here at last and, although it's all a little familiar by now, the over-the-top violence and audacious attempts at comedy (some hits, some misses) still have an impact.

Basically, it's about the three main players on the Kick-Ass stage – Dave Lizewski/ Kick-Ass (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), Mindy Macready/ Hit-Girl (Chloe Grace Moretz) and Chris D'Amico/ The Supervillain Formerly Known As Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) – trying to find themselves; in short, that age-old quest to belong. Dave joins a (somewhat sad) superhero team; Mindy falls in with the cool girls at school; and Chris ... spends a lot of money.

If this were a teen comedy or drama, well, same old, same old; but this is a Kick-Ass movie, from the nihilistic comics of Mark Millar. As such, things seldom transpire as they would in the "real world" – no matter how many times writer-director Jeff Wadlow (taking over from Matthew Vaughn) tries to stress that this isn't a comic-book but the real world.

The film has some big laughs and the action (especially the Hit-Girl fights) is quite terrific, but the resolution of the main characters' respective paths could have been handled much better. That bit with Mindy, the mean girls and the "sick stick" for example – sure, it's gross and a bona fide "Tell me they didn't just do that!" moment, but it's neither skilful nor satisfying. – Davin Arul ***

The Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones

THIS movie is certainly filled with eye candy for two generations of moviegoers.

Tweens and teens have teenager Clary Fray (Lily Collins, who seems to have tamed her eyebrows somewhat), who starts to unconsciously draw a strange symbol obsessively and see things others don't, and the unconventionally good-looking Shadowhunter Jace Wayland (Jamie Campbell Bower), who becomes her love interest, as well as fellow sibling Shadowhunters Isabelle (Jemima West) and Alec Lightwood (Kevin Zegers).

Older viewers have Clary's mother, Jocelyn (the luminous Lena Headey), who tries, but doesn't succeed in shielding her daughter from her heritage, family friend Luke Garroway (Aidan Turner), and villain Valentine Morgenstern (Jonathan Rhys Meyers, who projects bad-boy sexiness despite the mini-braids in his hair).

Major props to the costuming department, whose choices contributed a great deal to the characters' appeal.

Based on Cassandra Clare's book of the same name, this movie adaptation is quite well done.

The plot is well-paced and has a good flow, although there are deviations from the book, and the action is well-choreographed with good CGI.

As far as Young Adult movie adaptations go, I would recommend this over Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters.

My only quibble is with the overly emotive soundtrack; the acting is good enough for me without the musical manipulation.

A recommended watch for fantasy fans. – Tan Shiow Chin ****

Elysium

THE year is 2154, and mankind is divided into two: the haves, who live in a luxurious, peaceful space station called Elysium, and the have-nots, who remain behind on an over-populated, polluted and crime-ridden Earth.

Most significantly, the people of Elysium have the technology to cure practically any medical ailment, while hospitals on Earth are ill-equipped to treat even basic injuries.

Max (Matt Damon) is a reformed criminal who is simply trying to make a living for himself on Earth, until a dire turn of events forces him to embark on a desperate attempt to break into Elysium. This earns him the wrath of Elysium's Secretary Of Defense, Delacourt (Jodie Foster), and her hitman on Earth, Kruger (Sharlto Copley).

Those who enjoyed director Neill Blomkamp's amazing debut District 9 will see his signature all over Elysium – his realisation of the era is fantastic, with stunning details that are both familiar yet otherworldly. He also doesn't compromise on the action either, which is both gory and hugely exciting.

The storyline, while lacking the freshness of District 9, is pretty decent sci-fi fare, and brings up relevant questions about government and society's class systems.

And despite some rather unlikely plot turns, a stellar cast keeps your attention riveted. The best, however, has got to be Copley's surprising turn as the deranged, bloodthirsty and yet thoroughly enjoyable Kruger – Hollywood, this man needs to be in more films! – Sharmilla Ganesan ****

Welcome To The Punch

THE premise of this British action thriller is quite typical. Jacob Sternwood (Mark Strong) is a thief who has managed to evade the police until one young detective Max Lewinsky (James McAvoy) is put on his trail. Despite getting close enough to touch Sternwood, Lewinsky doesn't get to arrest him and Sternwood disappears. Three years later, Sternwood makes an appearance and Lewinsky is back at work, sniffing him out. Only thing is, the game has shifted quite a bit for both men.

No doubt there are more intense films involving robbers and cops – Michael Mann's Heat comes to mind immediately thanks to the blue tint director Eran Creevy uses and the subject matter. Except here, Creevy works in the fact that British police officers are not allowed to carry firearms on normal patrols.

There are some good action scenes too – but again, they resemble other Hollywood productions. However, if there is a reaason to watch the film it is to see the performances – all the cast members deliver, especially the leads. Strong exudes danger with calm control while McAvoy ably conveys Lewinsky's self-hatred and determination with just a look. – Mumtaj Begum ***

Planes

PLANES is a classic example of a perfectly entertaining, perfectly unoriginal and perfectly unmemorable movie.

The Cars movies have always been at the bottom of my Pixar movies list, mainly because their other efforts have far better stories and characters (in my opinion).

So, I didn't really have high expectations for this spin-off.

That, perhaps, was the key to my enjoyment of the movie.

Telling the story of Dusty Crophopper, a cropduster plane, whose biggest dream is to participate in the elite Wings Around the World racing competition, the plot is about as dramatic as deciding whether to paint your house white or beige.

Every character in the movie has a counterpart in either Cars or Cars 2, from the young hopeful to the reticent mentor and the silly sidekick to the arrogant villain.

But the visuals are beautiful, especially in 3D, and many of the puns are quite hilarious.

A good movie to escape the daily grind for a short while and have a good laugh.

Also, a good one to bring the kids to. – TSC ***

Deadly transaction

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Desperate times call for desperate measures. A man 'pawns' his life to a ghost and lives to regret it.

ALTHOUGH they have very little, husband and wife Neung (Krissada Sukosol Clapp) and Dao (Supaksorn Chaimongkol) are happy with their simple life. After eight years of marriage, they have finally saved enough money to invest in a small business. Unfortunately, their business venture goes south.

Things get from bad to worse when Neung runs over his neighbour's daughter while driving under the influence. The girl slips into a coma and Neung is wrecked with guilt. Wanting to do right and pay for the girl's hospital bills, Neung decides to visit a pawn shop to get some money.

Since this is the premise for a Thai horror film titled Pawn Shop, you can bet Neung's transaction is not a typical one. Pawnbroker Long Zhu (Chalee Muangthai) suggests that Neung "pawn" his life for a lot of money. Thinking this is the only solution to pay all his debts, Neung agrees. He doesn't realise that the pawnbroker is going to use Neung's life to feed a vengeful ghost that the pawnbroker has pledged his life to.

On the bk.asia-city.com website, director Parm Rangsi (Daddy's Menu) explained that he wanted to make a film in which the living interacts directly with a ghost. "The idea of Pawn Shop actually came to me when I went broke making a film previously and had to go in and out of the pawn shop all year round."

To get the right setting for the pawn shop, Rangsi picked to film in a mansion in Phang-Nga, a small town situated between Krabi and Phuket in the south part of Thailand. The mansion is apparently haunted!

In the film's production notes provided by Rainfilm Sdn Bhd, Rangsi explained: "It used to be the property of the Na Thalang clan, who had a history at that place for over hundred of years. Someone told me that there was a murder committed at the mansion too. Behind the house, there is an isolated limestone mountain. It is so gorgeous during daytime, but when the night falls, it looks scary."

The eerie location somewhat helped actor Clapp to create the emotions his character was experiencing. It is fortunate that neither Rangsi nor Clapp had any supernatural encounter working at such odd hours at the big, empty, house.

Perhaps what is scarier is the fact that the director is a perfectionist and made his actors shoot the same scene between 10 to 15 times before he was satisfied. Clapp shared: "That made all of the cast members stressed, some even cried. But I get it, that is how he directs."

There are scenes in Pawn Shop which Clapp's character slaps himself and also hits his head against the wall repeatedly. Let's hope that's not the scene Clapp had to film 15 times!

In the end, however, the director hopes the audience doesn't see Pawn Shop as just another horror film. He said: "It is a strong drama as well. I hope audiences will not only feel scared, but will shed tears too." 

Pawn Shop opens in cinemas nationwide on Aug 29.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my
 

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