Rabu, 2 Oktober 2013

The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

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The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

Posted:

ALL Singaporeans passing through Woodlands Checkpoint by bus or on foot are now required to scan their thumbprints in a move to enhance security.

Until recently, only those opting for automated clearance were required to scan thumbprints using biometric technology.

But machines were recently added to staffed immigration lanes so that Singaporeans must now give a thumbprint.

Vehicle lanes are not affected.

A similar system is in place at the Tuas Checkpoint, although a spokesman for the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) declined to confirm this.

She did not comment either on whether the enhanced screening also affects permanent residents and foreigners.

The ICA said only that its BioScreen system, currently deployed at the automated lanes at various checkpoints is being progressively rolled out to the manned counters.

The aim is to "facilitate the smooth immigration clearance of travellers while ensuring the continued high security of our borders against unauthorised and undesirable elements", added the spokesman.

The ICA did not say when the roll-out started, nor when the system will be extended to other checkpoints.

Currently, only travellers with biometric passports, which contain a computer chip embedded with the passport holder's thumbprint and unique facial features, can opt for automated clearance.

Machine-readable passports are being phased out.

At Woodlands recently, several travellers whose thumbprints could not be scanned, for whatever reasons, were taken to a separate office for further checks. Their thumbprints were re-scanned there.

Security experts noted that an increasing number of countries are turning to biometric technology that identifies a person by a unique human trait – say his fingerprints, the irises of his eyes, or even his voice – to step up security levels at checkpoints and other key installations.

The ICA has said before that the push for more travellers to use the automated system allows for more focused security checks on "unknown" travellers who are not Singapore citizens or registered card holders.

Assistant Professor Terence Fan of the Singapore Management University's Lee Kong Chian School of Business said the move towards biometric technology enhances border protection by matching the identity of the person holding the passport to the biometric details embedded within the document.

But travellers may be inconvenienced if the system does not accommodate people whose fingerprints may be hard to read.

He said: "I myself have sensitive skin which peels off easily and this sometimes gets me into 'trouble' if only thumbprint scanning is done. In some countries, all 10 fingers are scanned."

A traveller at Woodlands Checkpoint, who had to undergo further checks because her thumbprint could not be scanned, said: "I hope this does not happen each time I return from JB." — The Straits Times/Asia News Network

Second gay-sex law arguments rejected

Posted:

A HIGH Court judge upheld the law that criminalises sex between men, in his second judgment on the same law this year.

Justice Quentin Loh, in a 54-page judgment, rejected arguments by Tan Eng Hong that Section 377A of the Penal Code was unconstitutional. The judge held that the provision had not infringed Tan's rights.

Tan, 49, was the first to fight the law here when he filed a challenge in 2010 after he was charged with having oral sex with another man in a public toilet.

Subsequently, a gay couple, Gary Lim, 44, and Kenneth Chee, 37, filed their own challenge.

The couple's case was heard first. In April, Justice Loh dismissed their case.

In his judgment on Tan's case, Justice Loh said he has not changed the views in his judgment on the couple's challenge.

Responding to the judgment, Tan's lawyer M. Ravi said: "We will continue to fight until we collectively position ourselves on the right side of history, and towards a more inclusive society in Singapore." — The Straits Times/ Asia News Network

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews

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The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews

One more Chronicles Of Narnia in the works

Posted:

The fourth film in the series will now be made, thanks to The Mark Gordon Company.

Aslan will roar on the big screen again.

The C.S. Lewis Company will partner with The Mark Gordon Company to jointly develop and produce a feature film adaptation of The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Silver Chair.

Plans for a big screen version of the fourth book in Lewis' fantasy series were delayed after the third film in the series, The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader, made slightly less at the box office than its producers had hoped, grossing north of US$400mil (RM1.28bil) on a US$155mil (RM496mil) budget.

Compounding matters, Walden Media, which produced the first three films, underwent a major restructuring this year and laid off a big chunk of its employees and announcing it will concentrate on third party productions.

In Gordon, C.S. Lewis Company gets a veteran producer who has worked on such films as Saving Private Ryan, Wonder Boys and Speed.

"Like many readers, both young and old, I am a huge fan of C.S. Lewis's beautiful and allegorical world of Narnia," Gordon said in a statement. "These fantasy stories inspire real-world passion among millions of devoted fans around the world. As we prepare to bring the next book to life, we are humbled and excited to contribute to the outstanding legacy of Narnia."

Mark Gordon and Douglas Gresham along with Vincent Sieber, the LA-based director of The C.S. Lewis Company, will serve as producers and will work with The Mark Gordon Company on developing the script. — Reuters

Cruella de Vil on the big screen

Posted:

The scary villainess from 101 Dalmatians is set to have her own movie.

The villainess from 101 Dalmatians will be at the centre of a new Disney live-action feature, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

On the heels of Maleficent, arriving in theatres in 2014, Disney is once again resurrecting one of its wicked characters for a new film. This time, the studios are bringing back Cruella de Vil, the fur-loving, puppy-hating character from Dodie Smith's 1956 novel The Hundred And One Dalmatians.

The ruthless character first appeared on screen in Disney's 1961 animated adaptation of the book, complete with white and black hair and aggressively pointy features. In 1996, Glenn Close brought the character to the screen again in Disney's live-action adaptation. The actress is now one of the producers behind the forthcoming film featuring Cruella de Vil.

The film will be based on a screenplay by Aline Brosh McKenna, the screenwriter behind the adaptation of The Devil Wears Prada as well as Kenneth Branagh's Cinderella, arriving in theatres in 2015.

A live-action adaptation of Dodie Smith's novel The Hundred And One Dalmations was released in 1996. — Reuters

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: World Updates

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The Star Online: World Updates

Leader of Greek far-right Golden Dawn party jailed pending trial
Eight killed as church bus crashes into car, truck in Tennessee
Obama, congressional leaders still deadlocked on shutdown

Leader of Greek far-right Golden Dawn party jailed pending trial

Posted:

ATHENS (Reuters) - The leader of Greece's far-right Golden Dawn party was sent to jail pending trial on charges of belonging to a criminal group, a court official told Reuters early on Thursday, the first such action in decades against an elected party chief.

Golden Dawn leader Nikolaos Mihaloliakos appeared before investigating magistrates and a prosecutor during a six-hour plea session to respond to charges of founding and participating in a criminal organisation.

"He will be jailed pending trial," the court official said on condition of anonymity.

The unfolding saga has riveted a country where a crackdown on elected politicians has not been seen since a military coup nearly five decades ago.

Mihaloliakos has denied the charges against him. He was arrested on Saturday alongside other party members as part of the government's efforts to rein in a party it says is a neo-Nazi criminal gang. The party rejects the neo-Nazi label.

"Long live Greece, victory," Mihaloliakos said as he left the court.

His wife and daughter, joined by other Golden Dawn lawmakers, waited outside the court during a rainy night for the outcome of the hearing. "You are a diamond, don't buckle," she told him.

Earlier, as Mihaloliakos was brought to court by police, about 200 party supporters carrying Greek flags shouted, "Blood, honour, Golden Dawn."

Another party member was also detained pending trial after responding to the same charges, the court official said.

On Wednesday, three senior Golden Dawn lawmakers were freed pending trial on the same charges in an unexpected setback to the government's efforts to clamp down on the party.

The decision to free the three men after an 18-hour court session raised questions about the state's case against Golden Dawn after one of its sympathisers stabbed to death an anti-fascism rapper.

Party spokesman Ilias Kasidiaris and fellow lawmakers Ilias Panagiotaros and Nikos Michos stormed out of the court to cheers of "Bravo" from supporters. They kicked and shoved journalists out of the way before hailing a taxi.

Golden Dawn rose from being a fringe party to win 18 seats in parliament in last year's election. It has drawn on anger over the debt crisis, budget cuts, high unemployment and corruption to become what opinion polls indicate is Greece's third most popular party.

But the latest polls show it has lost about a third of its support since the killing.

Another senior Golden Dawn lawmaker, Christos Pappas, will face the magistrates later on Thursday to respond to the charges.

(Additional reporting by Phoebe Fronista, writing by George Georgiopoulos; Editing by Peter Cooney)

Eight killed as church bus crashes into car, truck in Tennessee

Posted:

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Reuters) - Eight people were killed on Wednesday when a tire blew out on a bus carrying passengers from a church outing and it crossed over the median on a Tennessee interstate and crashed into a sport-utility vehicle and a truck, officials said.

Six people were killed on the bus, which was from Statesville, North Carolina. The crash also killed one person in the SUV and one person in the tractor trailer truck, highway patrol spokeswoman Dalya Qualls said. A total of 14 people were injured, eight critically, authorities said.

The crash also forced the closure of Interstate 40 in both directions near its connection with Interstate 81 about 40 miles (64 km) east of Knoxville, the highway patrol said.

The crash caused the bus to overturn and the driver's cab in the tractor trailer was engulfed in flames, said Sergeant Bill Miller, a highway patrol spokesman.

"This is an extremely horrific event," Miller said.

The bus was carrying about 18 people from the "Young at Heart" group from the Front Street Baptist Church in Statesville, who were returning from a day trip to Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

"Several went on with the Lord," said church pastor Rick Cruz. "We do appreciate all the prayers that have been given, and the community's caring concern in this time of difficulty."

The University of Tennessee Medical Centre in Knoxville was treating the eight people listed in critical condition as well as two in serious condition and four who were stable, spokeswoman Susan Wyatt said.

All of the patients being treated from the crash at the medical centre were adults, Wyatt said.

Traffic was being diverted in both directions and the roadway was expected to remain closed until late on Wednesday night, the highway patrol said.

Wednesday's crash was the latest involving passenger buses. Three people were killed and 26 injured in July when the driver of a bus returning from a church summer camp in Michigan to an Indianapolis church said the brakes failed as the bus exited an interstate highway.

Three people, including a pastor and his pregnant wife, were killed and 26 were injured in July in Indiana when the brakes on their bus failed as they returned from a church camp.

In April, a charter bus crashed near Dallas, killing two people and injuring dozens. In March, a bus carrying a university women's lacrosse team crashed on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, killing the driver and the team's pregnant coach. The other 19 passengers were not seriously injured.

In February, seven people were killed and dozens more injured when a tour bus returning to Mexico from a Southern California ski resort crashed on a mountain road. Nine people were killed last December when a charter bus skidded off an icy Oregon mountain highway and crashed down an embankment.

Obama, congressional leaders still deadlocked on shutdown

Posted:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama met with Republican and Democratic leaders in Congress on Wednesday to try to break a budget deadlock that has shut wide swaths of the federal government, but there was no breakthrough and both sides blamed each other.

After more than an hour of talks, House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner said Obama refused to negotiate, while House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid accused Republicans of trying to hold the president hostage over Obamacare.

Reid said Obama told Republicans "he will not stand" for their tactics. The White House later issued a statement saying that Obama remains hopeful that "common sense will prevail."

There was little to encourage hope for a quick solution to the two-day-old shutdown and hundreds of thousands of federal employees remained off the job without pay.

Leaders of the Republican-controlled House of Representatives and the Democratic-led Senate offered token concessions that were quickly dismissed by the other side. Obama, meanwhile, scaled back a long-planned trip to Asia.

Republicans have tried to tie continued government funding to measures that would undercut Obama's signature healthcare law. Obama and his Democrats say that is a non-starter.

"The president reiterated one more time that he will not negotiate," Boehner told reporters after the White House meeting. "All we're asking for here is a discussion and fairness for the American people under Obamacare."

Reid said Democrats were willing to discuss any way to tackle the budget after a temporary funding bill is passed. "We're through playing these little games," he said.

"My friend John Boehner ... cannot take yes for an answer," he told reporters.

The shutdown, which took effect Monday at midnight (0400 GMT Tuesday), has raised questions about Washington's ability to carry out its most essential duties.

Though it would do relatively little damage to the world's largest economy in the short term, global markets could be roiled if Congress also fails to raise the debt limit before borrowing authority runs out in coming weeks.

The shutdown has closed landmarks like the Grand Canyon, cut off government economic data reports and prevented some cancer patients from receiving cutting-edge treatment.

United Technologies Corp, which makes Sikorsky helicopters and other items for the military, said it would be forced to furlough as many as 4,000 employees if the U.S. government shutdown continues through next week, due to the absence of government quality inspectors.

OBAMA EXASPERATED

"Am I exasperated? Absolutely I'm exasperated. Because this is entirely unnecessary," Obama told CNBC television in an interview before meeting the congressional leaders. "I am exasperated with the idea that unless I say to 20 million people, 'You can't have health insurance,' these folks will not reopen the government. That is irresponsible."

The U.S. Army's top general said the shutdown was significantly harming day-to-day operations, and intelligence leaders say it is undermining their ability to monitor threats. A Federal Reserve official said it could delay the central bank's ability to assess whether its monetary stimulus efforts are still needed.

The uncertainty in Washington has forced Obama to scale back an Asia trip that was designed to reinforce U.S. commitment to the region.

Despite the shutdown, Boehner's Republicans have failed to derail Obama's controversial healthcare law, which passed a milestone on Tuesday when it began signing up uninsured Americans for subsidized health coverage.

The government on Wednesday scrambled to add computer capacity to handle an unexpectedly large number of Americans logging onto new online insurance marketplaces.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, speaking to CNBC, described the law as a "trainwreck" that was "creating havoc across the country," and reiterated Republicans' call for a one-year delay in its implementation.

Though some moderate Republicans have begun to question their party's strategy, Boehner so far has kept them united behind a plan to offer a series of small bills that would re-open select parts of the government most visibly affected by the shutdown.

The Republican-controlled House passed and sent to the Senate on Wednesday a funding bill that would re-open the National Institutes of Health, which conducts medical research, and another bill to reopen shuttered federal parks and museums, such as the Smithsonian museums, the National Gallery of Art and the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington.

Both bills passed with the support of about two-dozen Democrats, who joined Republicans. The House was expected to vote Thursday on measures to fund veterans' care, the District of Colombia and the Army Reserve.

The measures are likely to be defeated in the Democratic-controlled Senate, and Obama said he would veto them if they reached his desk.

Still, they allowed Republicans to charge that their adversaries are standing in the way of help for elderly veterans and young cancer patients. "Will they now say 'no' to funding for veterans, our National Parks and the National Institutes of Health?" asked Boehner spokesman Michael Steel.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll indicated that 24 percent of Americans blamed Republicans for the shutdown, while 19 percent blamed Obama or Democrats. Another 46 percent said everyone was to blame.

BIGGER FIGHT LOOMS

The shutdown fight is rapidly merging with a higher-stakes battle over the government's borrowing power that is expected to come to a head soon.

Treasury Secretary Jack Lew has said the United States will exhaust its $16.7 trillion borrowing authority no later than October 17.

The government could have difficulty paying pension checks, interest charges and other bills after that point.

Many Republicans see the debt limit vote as another opportunity to undercut Obama's healthcare law or extract other concessions - an approach that business groups say could lead to disaster.

"You can re-litigate these policy issues in a political forum, but they shouldn't use the threat of causing the U.S. to fail on its ... obligations to repay on its debt as a cudgel," Goldman Sachs chief executive Lloyd Blankfein told reporters after he and other financial-industry executives met with Obama.

Some Democrats have begun to consider asking Obama to unilaterally raise the debt ceiling on his own - a move that could lead to years of court battles. The White House has said that approach is not feasible.

The U.S. dollar stayed under pressure as Asian trading began on Thursday while share markets flatlined.

Obama said Wall Street should be worried about the debt ceiling. "I think this time's different. I think they should be concerned," Obama told CNBC. "When you have a situation in which a faction is willing potentially to default on U.S. government obligations, then we are in trouble."

A short-term shutdown would slow U.S. economic growth by about 0.2 percentage points, Goldman Sachs said on Wednesday, but a weeks-long disruption could weigh more heavily - 0.4 percentage points - as furloughed workers scale back personal spending.

The last shutdown in 1995 and 1996 cost taxpayers $1.4 billion, according to congressional researchers.

(Additional reporting by Susan Heavey, Patricia Zengerle, Richard Cowan and Mark Felsenthal in Washington, Ann Saphir in San Francisco and Adrian Croft in Brussels; Writing by Andy Sullivan; Editing by Tim Dobbyn and Jackie Frank)

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

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The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

One more Chronicles Of Narnia in the works

Posted:

The fourth film in the series will now be made, thanks to The Mark Gordon Company.

Aslan will roar on the big screen again.

The C.S. Lewis Company will partner with The Mark Gordon Company to jointly develop and produce a feature film adaptation of The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Silver Chair.

In Gordon, C.S. Lewis Company gets a veteran producer who has worked on such films as Saving Private Ryan, Wonder Boys and Speed.

Cruella de Vil on the big screen

Posted:

The scary villainess from 101 Dalmatians is set to have her own movie.

The villainess from 101 Dalmatians will be at the centre of a new Disney live-action feature, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

A live-action adaptation of Dodie Smith's novel The Hundred And One Dalmations was released in 1996. — Reuters

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

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The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

Beauty And The Beast: Dark reflection

Posted:

Is the new Beauty And The Beast a cynical fairytale for a hardened generation?

SO, this is where Lana Lang ended up after she took off from the tiny town of Smallville, Kansas. Actress Kristin Kreuk trades in her simpering teen girl persona in Smallville to play a tough detective in this updated version of the 1987 series Beauty And The Beast (which itself was loosely based on the classic fairytale).

In the pilot, we meet Kreuk's character, Catherine Chandler, going home late at night after her shift as a waitress in a bar ends. Her car runs into trouble, and she calls her mother for help. When the latter arrives, they are attacked. Her mother is killed, but Catherine is saved by a "beast". Naturally, nobody believes her story about a fearsome creature coming to her rescue.

Nine years later, the beautiful Catherine is now a detective with the New York Police Department. She is really good at her job, but the mystery surrounding her mother's death still troubles her. Then, coincidentally, a murder case leads her to the beast's lair – which turns out to be a warehouse, complete with hi-def TV and Xbox – and she meets the beast, one Vincent Keller (Jay Ryan).

He is an ex-soldier, presumed dead, who was part of an experiment in the army's bid to make unstoppable soldiers. Thanks to the super soldier programme, whenever this Captain America's emotions are amped up, he becomes a beast of great speed and strength.

We also learn that Vincent is keeping a low profile not only because of these sudden transformations but also because it was the army that tried to kill him (cue suspicious military men dressed in black and driving black SUVs).

But like any good guy, even though he has a temper, he patrols New York's streets at night and saves people in trouble from time to time. This is how he came to save Catherine a long time ago, and – since making his presence known to her – he continues to rescue her on more than one occasion, even though she is quite adept at hand-to-hand combat.

No doubt casting Kreuk is an interesting move; she played the damsel in distress for so many seasons in Smallville that seeing her take down a couple of men on her own is a nice change. Despite her petite size, Kreuk does lend her character a steely determination, which is a must for any TV cop. Unfortunately though, Catherine comes off a little bland although the actress herself is visually arresting.

What is lacking too is chemistry with her co-stars – the spark between Catherine and Vincent is quite low-key, considering the story is ultimately about these two people falling in love and finding a happily ever after, despite all the obstacles thrown at them. Or are true love and lasting happiness two concepts that are too old-fashioned for today's TV audience?

Another aspect of Beauty And The Beast that doesn't sit right is Vincent's story, which is very weak. This is not helped by the fact that he looks normal most of the time (except for a scar on his face) – and is a beast on screen for all of three minutes.

Also, from the first three episodes, it seems he is very much in control of the monster within him. So why are we supposed to care if he finds an antidote or not? He would still be a wanted fugitive when he becomes normal again, wouldn't he?

While the 1987 series starring Linda Hamilton and Ron Perlman may not be fast-paced enough for today's audience, it did boast of wonderful dialogue, great performances and Perlman's really beautiful recital of poems.

His Vincent had no choice in the looks department – he was a big man with a lion's head, that's who he was. This gave the character so much more emotional baggage than the present Vincent, who grew up normal to become a doctor before enlisting in the army.

Creator Ron Koslow also gave Perlman's Vincent intelligence, integrity and, most of all, a kind heart. Like the fairytale, the moral of the story is to look beyond a person's appearance.

In the modern take, we can only feel pity for Vincent – which is not a good thing to give a hero. In the old series, the anguish of being an outsider formed the core of Vincent's being, and his appeal. Here, the character development is meshed with a government conspiracy and dirty deeds.

If anything, this new take informs us that we have become a much more hardened society – constantly worrying about reading what's between the lines instead of just enjoying the simpler things in life.

Beauty And The Beast is aired on RTL CBS Entertainment HD (HyppTV Channel 616) every Tuesday at 9pm.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Business

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The Star Online: Business

Harn Len upbeat on proposed land sale
UMW Oil and Gas indicative retail price at RM2.80 per share (Update)
Genting, UMW, Sime Darby weigh on KLCI in early trade

Harn Len upbeat on proposed land sale

Posted:

PETALING JAYA: Harn Len Corp Bhd, whose share price soared recently following a proposal to sell its land in Sabah for RM184.6mil, is planning to use the proceeds to retire debts and dish out a dividend.

It was the prospect of a dividend payout that had gotten investors chasing the stock, dealers said.

But executive chairman Tan Sri Low Nam Hui told StarBiz that the company had not decided on the quantum of the dividend payout yet.

He said the money gained from the land sale would be utilised to pay off its debts, which stood at RM145.26mil as at Dec 31, 2012, while the remaining portion would be distributed in the form of dividends to its shareholders.

"We plan to use the remaining money for a future dividend payout, but have yet to decide on the quantum at this point," he told StarBiz in a telephone interview.

Low pointed out that by paring down its debts, Harn Len, a Johor-based plantation company, would save about RM10mil in annual interest payments.

To recap, the relatively low-profile company had come on the radar of investors after it sold plantation estates in Lahad Datu totalling 2,410ha to Boustead Holdings Bhd for RM184.6mil.

Harn Len said it would enjoy a gain on disposal of RM143.2mil from the sale.

The stock touched a 10-year peak of RM1.10 on Sept 30, while its one-year average price was 82.5 sen.

Assuming that it pays off its entire borrowings of RM145.26mil from the total proceeds of RM184.6mil, that would leave the company with RM39.34mil in cash.

That amount, in turn, works out to 21 sen per Harn Len share, the potential amount of dividends that can be distributed.

It last declared a two-sen dividend for the full year of 2011. Due to weak crude palm oil prices, Harn Len had reported close to RM4mil in losses in the financial year 2012 (FY12) and has been in the red for the last two quarters of FY13.

Asked if Harn Len was looking at more land disposals, the 95-year-old Hakka-speaking Low said that while it was not looking to sell its core assets, he did not rule out unlocking the value of its non-core assets, including land in Johor, where prices have appreciated in recent times.

Low said it chose to sell the land in Sabah because it wanted to focus on its operations in Sarawak, where it has a more significant landbank.

Harn Len has 9,967ha of largely plantation land in Sarawak and another 4,240ha in Pahang.

According to Low, the company has another 10,000ha of greenfield land in Sarawak on top of the 9,967ha which had been planted, although this is not reflected in the company's 2012 annual report.

"We have plans to increase our landbank there more aggressively going forward, as we seek to focus more in that state."

In Johor Baru, Harn Len owns a 25-storey office-cum-hotel building, where its headquarters is located. It also has six units of double-storey shop houses and some vacant land in the city.

He also said the company had taken necessary measures to maintain its expenses.

Harn Len said in Bursa filings that the proceeds of the sale from the Sabah land would see it enjoying an increase in earnings per share by about 0.76 sen for FY13 ending Dec 31. Loss per share for its first half ended June 30 was 5.27 sen.

Its net assets per share, meanwhile, stood at RM1.32 as at June 30.

UMW Oil and Gas indicative retail price at RM2.80 per share (Update)

Posted:

KUALA LUMPUR: UMW Oil & Gas Corp Bhd has set an indicative retail price at RM2.80 per share under its listing exercise on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia, valuing the company at RM6.05bil.

In its prospectus issued on Thursday, it said the IPO would involve up to 843.18 million shares of 50 sen each, comprising of an offer for sale of up to 231.38 million existing shares and a public issue of 611.80 million new shares.

Based on the public issue of 611.80 million new shares, this would enable it to raise RM1.71bil.

The offer shares are in conjunction with the listing of the entire 2.162 billion shares, which would see its market capitalisation at RM6.05bil.

Under the listing exercise, the institutional offer is up to 648.60 million IPO shares to Malaysian and foreign institutional and selected investors, including Bumiputera investors at the institutional to be determined by bookbuilding.

The retail offering of 194.58 million IPO shares would be for eligible directors and staff and Malaysian public at the retail price of RM2.80 per share.

The tentative listing date is Nov 1.

On its dividend policy, UMW O&G said while it does not have any fixed policy, "we intend to adopt a policy of active capital management".

Genting, UMW, Sime Darby weigh on KLCI in early trade

Posted:

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's blue chips slipped in early Thursday trade, in line with the lacklustre key regional markets as investors awaited the resolution to the US government debt woes.

At 9.05am, the FBM KLCI was down 0.74 of a point to 1,769.61, dragged by losses in genting Bhd, UMW and Sime Darby.

Turnover was 115.25 million shares valued at RM28.69mil. There were 85 gainers, 59 losers and 144 counters unchanged.

BIMB Securities Research expects the market to continue to remain sideways as investors are staying cautious over the outcome of the US shutdown. Expect to see immediate resistance at 1,776/80 while support at 1,767/62.

It said local institutions were net buyers at RM57.5mil and foreigners net buyers at RM8.4mil while local retailers were net sellers at RM65.9mil.

Hong Leong Bank fell the most, down 18 sen to RM13.96 with 100 shares done, UMW and Genting lost six sen each to RM11.44 and RM10.36 while Sime Darby shed four sen to RM9.47.

BAT was the top gainer, adding 50 sen to RM63 while Mudajaya rose seven sen to RM2.87.

Public Bank gained eight sen to RM17.80 and Maybank four sen higher at RM9.85.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Nation

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The Star Online: Nation

Seven held over gang fight that ended in murder
Pairin unopposed, PBS polls focus now on deputy presidencies
Two brothers force Year One girl to perform oral sex

Seven held over gang fight that ended in murder

Posted:

MARANG: Two students who are to sit for the PMR examinations today were among seven arrested over a gang fight in which a 20-year-old factory worker was stabbed to death.

The fight over a girl involved members of rival gangs from the neighbouring villages of Kampung Durian Penjara and Kampung Seberang Jerung.

It was learnt that the main suspect, a 17-year-old dropout, was unhappy that the factory worker's 16-year-old brother had "stolen" his girlfriend.

Terengganu CID chief Asst Comm K. Manoharan said initial police investigations showed that the youth and his gang confronted the factory worker and his friends in front of a restaurant at about 8.30pm on Monday.

"The quarrel turned into a fight during which the factory worker was stabbed in the chest," he said yesterday. "He was taken to a hospital and was pronounced dead at 10.10pm."

He said the police identified nine suspects, aged between 15 and 21, who were involved in the gang fight and had nabbed seven of them so far.

ACP Manoharan said the police believe that only the older suspect was involved in the stabbing but were investigating if the others were involved.

Another suspect, a 15-year-old who is one of the two sitting for the PMR, is believed to have taken away the murder weapon.

"We have contacted his parents, who are expected to turn him in," ACP Manoharan said.

He said the police would probe the involvement of the two PMR students in the fight before deciding whether they could sit for the exam.

Pairin unopposed, PBS polls focus now on deputy presidencies

Posted:

KOTA KINABALU: Parti Bersatu Sabah president Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan has been returned unopposed for another three-year term to head the party he founded and has led since its inception 28 years ago.

Pairin, who is the 73-year-old Hguan Sou (paramount leader), received all of the nominations from the party's 57 divisions as the focus of the contest now turns to the the deputy president posts.

With Pairin indicating that it is his last term, incumbent deputy president (non-Muslim bumiputra) Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili is facing a challenge from secretary-general Datuk Henrynus Amin in the party elections during its congress scheduled for Oct 23.

Dr Ongkili, who is Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister, has been Pairin's deputy since 1995 and is expecting an intense challenge from Henrynus.

Another deputy president (Chinese), Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai, who was Sabah Deputy Chief Minister who lost the Api Api state seat in the general election, is being challenged by his one-time close ally Datuk Edward Yong Oui Fah, a state assistant minister.

Also nominated to make it a three-cornered fight for the Chinese deputy president's post is former Sungai Sibuga assemblyman Datuk Thien Fui Yun.

For deputy president (Muslim bumiputra), its incumbent Datuk Almudin Kaida might face a challenge from the party's Wanita chief Datuk Jamilah Sulaiman and party vice-president Rakam Sijim.

At least nine people have been nominated for the five elected vice-president positions and about 60 will contest for the 25 elected supreme council places.

PBS information chief Datuk Johnny Mositun said nominated candidates had till Oct 8 to decide if they wanted to withdraw from the contests.

Two brothers force Year One girl to perform oral sex

Posted:

MALACCA: Two brothers, one in Year Four and the other in Year Two, allegedly forced a Year One girl to perform oral sex on them after the duo browsed an adult movie site on their school computer.

The brothers apparently had watched a movie at the school's computer lab and later invited the girl to their house in Tanjung Minyak Utama here to re-enact what they had seen.

The girl's 25-year-old mother lodged a police report on Monday after her daughter told her about the incident.

In her report, the mother claimed the brothers had "romanced" her daughter by inviting her on the pretext of helping her with homework.

Sources told The Star that the boys had accessed adult sites that were not filtered by the blocking software.

Malacca Action Group for Parents (Magpie) chairman Mak Chee Kin said the state education department should probe the shocking case as it involved primary school pupils.

"The department should investigate whether children at school are watching pornography," he said, adding that schools should also install web-filtering software to block minors from visiting inappropriate sites.

"Magpie has received information that some schools here are not stringent in monitoring Internet usage.

"The Education Department should also commission Internet security firms to monitor computer use in schools."

Mak said pupils were becoming competent at bypassing standard blocking systems and firewalls, but added that there was software to monitor web use which could automatically alert teachers when an inappropriate page was being viewed.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies

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The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies

Cruella de Vil on the big screen
Taylor Swift will act in The Giver
Paul McCartney will get a cartoon film

Cruella de Vil on the big screen

Posted:

The scary villainess from 101 Dalmatians is set to have her own movie.

The villainess from 101 Dalmatians will be at the centre of a new Disney live-action feature, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

A live-action adaptation of Dodie Smith's novel The Hundred And One Dalmations was released in 1996. — Reuters

Taylor Swift will act in The Giver

Posted:

The singer will be joining multiple award-winning actress Meryl Streep and Jeff Bridges in the film adaptation.

Taylor Swift has joined the cast of The Weinstein Company and Walden Media's adaptation of The Giver, the two companies announced last weekend.

The singer, who has only a few acting credits to her name, joins Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep, Alexander Skarsgard and Katie Holmes in the film that kicks off production in Cape Town, South Africa, on Oct 7.

Swift is best known for her music, but previously appeared in hit romantic comedy Valentine's Day, and voiced a main character in 2012 animated hit Dr Seuss' The Lorax. Swift last appeared on the small screen last spring in the season finale of Fox comedy The New Girl.

Phil Noyce (Salt) will direct the dystopian future film from a screenplay by Michael Mitnick (The Current War). Bridges, who plays the titular character responsible for storing and passing on an entire society's memories from the past, will produce with Nikki Silver and Neil Konigsberg.

Ralph Winter, Scooter Braun and Alison Owen executive producing. The Giver focuses on a young boy (Thwaites) who lives in a seemingly ideal world of conformity and contentment. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver of Memory does he begin to understand the dark, complex secrets behind his fragile community.

The book, by author Lois Lowry, was the winner of multiple awards, including the 1994 Newbury Medal. It has sold over 10 million copies worldwide and has been translated into 29 languages. It is Harper Collins number one selling children's eBook, outselling all other top teen novels including the Harry Potter series. — Reuters

Paul McCartney will get a cartoon film

Posted:

The singer-songwriter's children's novel is set to make a big screen debut.

RGH Entertainment and Unique Features will make an animated movie out of Paul McCartney's children's novel High In The Clouds, the two companies said.

Tony Bancroft will direct the movie from a script by Josh Klausner, who adapted the book McCartney wrote with Geoff Dunbar and Philip Ardagh.

It chronicles a squirrel's quest to find Animalia, an animal sanctuary. "Paul McCartney is a masterful storyteller whose lyrics and music have captured our imaginations for over half a century," executive producer David Corbett said in a statement.

"I am thrilled to be a part of his latest creative effort and look forward to working with our talented teams in Los Angeles, Amman and Manila to create a film worthy of the McCartney legacy."

Corbett is executive producing with RGH CEO Randa Ayoubi while Unique's Michael Lynne and Bob Shaye are producing. The film will be made in 3D for a 2015 release. — Reuters

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Lifestyle: Arts & Fashion

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The Star Online: Lifestyle: Arts & Fashion

Long-lost Napoleon portrait resurfaces

Posted:

Two-hundred-year-old painting is revealed to be an authentic artwork by Jacques-Louis David.

A PORTRAIT of French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, thought lost for two centuries, has turned up in New York, having been bought for less than a hundredth of its probable value.

The artwork, painted by Jacques-Louis David in 1813 when Britain and Prussia were threatening to occupy France, shows Napoleon I pledging to defend the country from invasion, wearing his national guard uniform to do so.

He is posing, as was his habit, with his right hand in his waistcoat.

Thought to be a copy, the painting was sold in 2005 to a New York private collector for around £15,000.

The buyer had it cleaned then asked French art expert Simon Lee from the University of Reading, west of London, for his help in authenticating it.

He compared it to copies and other David paintings.

"Although the painting is signed with David's genuine signature, the cleaning revealed the word Rouget and the date 1813 appeared in the underpaint," Lee said.

Georges Rouget was David's preferred assistant for almost 10 years, and had a role in putting images on the canvas.

"Some collectors or museums might be put off by having two names on the canvas – but in many ways that is proof that it is an authentic product of David's working process."

The portrait had been in the Borthwick-Norton family at their castle outside Edinburgh, Scotland, and was gifted to the Royal Scottish Academy (RSA) in 1988.

"Our collection policy is for Scottish arts and Scottish items so we don't collect work by European artists," an RSA spokesman said.

"It was valued by a number of auction houses, and experts looked at it and it was given the status of being a copy."

Now it seems the academy has missed out on a small fortune. The painting is thought to be worth more than £2mil (RM10.5mil).

David was one of Europe's foremost painters from around 1780 until his death in 1825.

"I am thrilled to have discovered this beautiful painting which offers a unique insight into the role that art could play at a time of war," said Lee.

"By having his portrait painted in national guard uniform, Napoleon was promoting himself as protector and defender of the nation at a time when France was under great threat.

"David produced an image of the emperor to galvanise resistance and foster patriotism, yet the painting never reached a wide audience because of the unexpectedly swift allied invasion that ensured the image remained uncirculated and practically unknown." – AFP

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Metro: Central

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The Star Online: Metro: Central

‘Emotionless’ society makes dramatic reversal

Posted:

JUST a year after being labelled the world's most emotionless society, Singapore seems to have experienced an astonishing turnaround in the feel-good stakes.

International polling firm Gallup has now singled out the republic as having the biggest surge in "positivity".

This means Singaporeans are likely no longer the least emotional nationality – a tag that caused disbelief and soul-searching following the poll results last year.

But it might be a little early to start jumping for joy – because the latest data forms only part of Gallup's overall emotions index, which has not yet been released.

And experts say the fluctuation in the results casts yet more doubts over its methodology.

Gallup tracks emotions in different countries using several rankings. As well as the overall index, there is a study of negativity and another tracking positivity – the one released yesterday.

It found 70% of Singapore respondents reported experiencing positive emotions, up from 46% in 2011.

This is the biggest jump among the 143 countries surveyed and catapults the republic from the bottom of the table to the top half of the "positivity" league.

Gallup said it could be due to the "unprecedented attention" given to the 2011 study, which may have influenced Singaporeans' response to the latest survey.

"The rise (in positive emotions) took place among all demographic groups, even as other societal measures remained steady," it added.

Latin American nations Paraguay and Venezuela continued to top the index, while Syria and Iraq were ranked the lowest.

Experts say the findings raise more doubts about the poll's credibility.

"Social conditions have not changed that much, but the results had a wide fluctuation," said National University of Singapore sociologist Paulin Straughan. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Civil servants must declare visits to casino

Posted:

CIVIL servants must now declare casino visits, months after a senior anti-graft official was charged with embezzling state money to fund his gambling habit.

Civil servants must declare within seven days if they have visited the city-state's two casinos more than four times a month, or if they purchase an annual pass that allows unlimited access, the Public Service Division (PSD) said yesterday.

Government officials in certain positions where "misconduct will have significant reputational risk to the public service" must declare every visit within seven days, it said in a statement.

Civil servants involved in gaming enforcement as well as others who represent the government in business dealings with the two casino operators will remain barred from visiting the casinos unless in an official capacity.

The agency said it was also bringing in compulsory job rotations and block leave for some officials holding positions that "are more susceptible to being suborned and exploited if the incumbent were to remain in the same job for too long".

"Officers are expected to maintain the highest standards of personal conduct and integrity, and their actions must not bring the public service into disrepute or call into question its impartiality," the PSD said.

The move follows a string of high-profile corruption cases in the city-state, including one involving Edwin Yeo Seow Hiang, an assistant director at the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), the country's graft-busting agency.

Yeo, 39, was charged in June with misappropriating S$1.76mil (RM4.5mil) worth of government funds to finance his gambling habit.

Large-scale graft cases remain rare in Singapore, a thriving business hub and financial centre, and the government has jealously guarded its reputation as among the least corrupt in the world.

Singapore pays its civil servants some of the highest government salaries globally in what it says is a deterrent to corruption.

Singapore has two casinos, one owned by US casino magnate Sheldon Adelson and the other by Malaysia's Genting group. — AFP

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Entertainment: Music

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The Star Online: Entertainment: Music

Melissa Indot's new sound

Posted:

The AIM award-winning singer returns with a second album.

SINGER Melissa Indot is set to release her long-awaited second album MDot in October and she hopes that listeners will embrace her new sound.

"I've always been known for being more pop and R&B. With MDot, I want to showcase a 1980s electric vibe," said Melissa during a phone interview.

There will be 11 English songs on the album including a few bonus tracks and remixes. Melissa hints of a collaboration with another local artiste but refrains from revealing the mystery guest for now.

"All I can tell you is that she's a singer who is very proud of her Malaysian heritage," was all she offered.

MDot features Melissa's current single You & Me, which she says is essentially a love song.

"I wanted a song that could reflect my growth and journey in the music industry. I also think it's a song that anyone could relate to."

She describes the upcoming music video for You & Me as "abstract".

"It tells the story set between two different worlds. I think a lot of people will be surprised by it."

It took Melissa four years to come up with new material after the release of her debut album, Eclectism.

"I travelled and performed in various countries over the years. I certainly took the time to figure out the direction that I want to take with my next material.

"I didn't just want to release something and later not be happy with it," she noted.

In 2008, Eclectism took home the prize for Best English Album at the Anugerah Industri Muzik (AIM). Prior to being a solo singer, Melissa was one half of Confucius Says, a London-based pop duo. Under Universal Publishing, Confucius Says released two singles, two music videos and even performed on a popular show in Britain.

With the upcoming release of MDot, Melissa wants to continue her own brand of "eclecticism" in the local music industry.

"In terms of my musicality, I'd love to be able to showcase my wide range of interest in various genres. Then again it would be difficult to say I want to make an album that everyone will definitely like. I just hope listeners will be able to relate and emphatise with the messages in my songs."

Check out Melissa's You & M:

Miley Cyrus does not regret raunchy show

Posted:

The singer-actress claims that she wanted to make history with her infamous performance at the awards.

Former Disney star Miley Cyrus says she was out to shock and "make history" and is unapologetic for her raunchy performance at this year's MTV Video Music Awards.

In a documentary, Miley: The Movement, airing on MTV on Oct 2 in the United States, the 20-year-old singer and actress comes across as a shrewd, ambitious performer determined to see her single, We Can't Stop, hit No.1 and put her roots as the wholesome Disney Channel star of Hannah Montana far behind her.

Cyrus refers to her performance during the August awards show with singer Robin Thicke and an oversized foam finger as a "strategic, hot mess".

The VMA show was "meant to push the boundaries," she says, adding she wanted the act to be memorable along the lines of pop star Britney Spears' kiss with Madonna at the same awards show a decade ago.

"That's what you're looking to do, make history," she says.

Spears, who begins a two-year stint in Las Vegas in December at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino, and other child stars faced personal struggles transitioning to adult careers. But Cyrus sees it as starting as a new artiste.

"I felt like I could finally be the bad b**** I really am," she says in the documentary. Cyrus' appearance – gold fingernails, tattoos and short, platinum hair – is a far cry from her days as the teenage star in Hannah Montana, which ran from 2006-11.

Miley Cyrus, before her twerking days.

Reinforcing her image, she posed topless for the cover of the Oct 12 issue of Rolling Stone magazine and for one of various covers for her album Bangerz, out Oct 8. Cyrus also shed her clothes in the music video track of the song Wrecking Ball.

The hour-long documentary was shot over three months before and shortly after the VMAs. It follows Cyrus at home in Los Angeles with her dogs, during appearances to promote We Can't Stop, and in rehearsals.

The film touches on her childhood with her country singer father, Billy Ray Cyrus, and her mother, Tish. It also includes clips with her idol, Spears, and music collaborators, producer Mike Will and rapper and record producer Pharrell Williams, who was featured in Thicke's summer hit, the multimillion-selling single Blurred Lines.

Notably absent is Cyrus' former fiance, Hunger Games actor Liam Hemsworth. Hemsworth, 23, and Cyrus called off their engagement a few weeks ago, ending a four-year relationship.

"We decided to focus on the music and the professional side," is all that Dave Sirulnick, an executive vice president at MTV and the executive producer of the film, would say about Hemsworth's absence. At a preview of the film, Sirulnick said the extent of the media reaction to Cyrus' VMA performance surprised everyone.

"As she said, people had this image of her as one thing and then here she came with something that nobody was ready for or expecting," he said. — Reuters

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Rabu, 2 Oktober 2013