Rabu, 11 Disember 2013

The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

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The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

Cops question thousands over riot in Little India

Posted:

SINGAPORE: Singapore police have questioned nearly 4,000 foreign workers in a widening crackdown following the city-state's first riot in more than 40 years, officials confirmed.

Three more Indian nationals were charged in court yesterday with rioting, in addition to 24 compatriots charged a day earlier with the same offence, which is punishable by up to seven years in jail and caning.

An estimated 400 south Asian workers went on the rampage on Sunday night after an Indian construction worker was struck and killed by a private bus in a district known as Little India, leaving 39 police officers and emergency responders injured.

A police spokesman said that so far 176 men including those placed under arrest had been taken to a police complex to have their statements recorded.

Around 3,700 foreign workers living in dormitories have been interviewed as well, she said.

The breakdown of their nationalities was not given.

A total of 25 vehicles – including 16 police cars – were left damaged or burnt after the fracas.

The 55-year-old Singaporean bus driver who knocked down and killed Indian construction worker Sakthivel Kumaravelu, 33, has been released on bail after being charged with causing death by a negligent act.

Activists have urged authorities to investigate whether the violence on Sunday was an indication of wider discontent among low-wage migrant workers.

Home Affairs Minister Teo Chee Hean, who looks after internal security, said police had increased their presence in worker dormitories and places where foreign workers gather.

"Investigations will continue so that all those who have broken the law will be dealt with strictly, firmly and fairly in accordance with the law," Teo said in a statement on Tuesday.

Yesterday, workers were seen installing new surveillance cameras on lampposts along Race Course Road, where the riot broke out.

A makeshift memorial board in memory of Sakthivel had also been erected at the scene.

Local media reported substantially more police patrolling the area.

Singapore's foreign ministry said it was working closely with the Indian High Commissioner (ambassador) "to facilitate consular access and support for their nationals, including legal representation".

Sunday's riot was the second incident involving a large group of foreign workers in the past year. — AFP

Lee: Asia’s prospects bright, provided it maintains peace

Posted:

Asia's prospects for economic growth remain positive, provided the region continues to be peaceful and stable, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Speaking in Seoul at a lunch with South Korean business leaders yesterday, Lee said Asian countries were pursuing closer economic integration regionally and globally, and were expected to outgrow the rest of the world again next year.

"So all in all, the outlook for Asia is bright, provided we have peace and stability in Asia," he said at the lunch, which was organised by the Korea International Trade Organisation.

Lee also expressed Singapore's admiration for South Korea's quick economic recovery after the global financial crisis.

"I remember during the global financial crisis, how vigorously your government... went about reinforcing your position and buttressing yourself against the waves and the storms that would come – working out swap arrangements, stabilising your economy domestically, cooperating with other countries in the region," he said.

Now, South Korea has established many economic strengths and Singapore, too, is "making steady progress", Lee said.

But the nation's society and economy are in transition, as it adapts to a more mature economic phase and new social needs, he added.

Still, Singapore "remains a good place for companies to do business", Lee said. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: World Updates

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The Star Online: World Updates

Mexico lower house OKs energy reform, paves way for final passage
Thai anti-govt protesters briefly enter grounds of PM's office -witness
All eyes on Thai military as protest leader calls for meeting to pick sides

Mexico lower house OKs energy reform, paves way for final passage

Posted:

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's lower house on Wednesday gave general approval to a landmark energy reform bill to open up the country's ailing energy sector to private investment, paving the way for its final passage.

Earlier in the day, the Senate passed the constitutional reform, which aims to open Mexico's energy sector to private investment.

Lawmakers in the lower house must now debate and approve the details of the bill and give the final green light, which could come as early as Thursday.

(Reporting by Dave Graham and Gabriel Stargardter; Editing by Simon Gardner)

Thai anti-govt protesters briefly enter grounds of PM's office -witness

Posted:

BANGKOK (Reuters) - A small group of Thai anti-govt protesters climbed over the walls into the grounds of the prime minister's office on Thursday but quickly left after they moved aside internal barricades, a Reuters reporter said.

The protesters said they wanted the police to withdraw from Government House. Riot police in the area held their positions and there was no confrontation. The protesters left after a few minutes.

On Monday, around 160,000 people massed around Government House and Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra called a snap election in a bid to end the unrest. The protesters have rejected that and say they want an unelected "people's council" to govern.

(Reporting by Pracha Hariraksapitak; Writing by Alan Raybould; Editing by Paul Tait)

All eyes on Thai military as protest leader calls for meeting to pick sides

Posted:

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Anti-government protesters in Thailand pinned their hopes on winning support from the powerful security forces on Thursday to take forward a campaign to oust Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and install an unelected administration.

Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, a firebrand veteran politician, has asked police and military chiefs to meet him by Thursday evening and choose their side in the latest crisis engulfing Southeast Asia's second-biggest economy.

The politically powerful army has staged or attempted 18 coups in the past 80 years - including the ousting of Yingluck's brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, in 2006 - but it has said it does not want to get involved this time, although it may mediate.

The latest crisis in an eight-year, on and off, political conflict again centres on Thaksin, with protesters viewing Yingluck as her brother's puppet. Thaksin lives in self-imposed exile. He was convicted in absentia of graft in 2008 but he dismissed the charges as politically motivated.

Thaksin, a former telecommunications tycoon, courted rural voters to win back-to-back elections in 2001 and 2005 and gain an unassailable mandate that he used to advance the interests of major companies, including his own.

His opponents are Thailand's royalist elite and establishment who feel threatened by his rise. Trade unions and academics see him as a corrupt rights abuser, and the urban middle-class resent, as they see it, their taxes being used as his political war chest.

Yingluck was forced on Monday to call an early election for February 2, as 160,000 protesters massed around her office. But the protesters have rejected the ballot.

They want an unelected "people's council" to run the country and say Yingluck and her ministers should step down now. She is caretaker prime minister until the election.

"If a plane crashed with the whole cabinet in it and they all died, Thailand would still go on," protest leader Suthep told supporters late on Wednesday.

Thaksin's supporters have said they would weigh in to defend Yingluck if Suthep seemed poised to overthrow her. On Wednesday, pro-Thaksin leader Jatuporn Promphan promised to mobilise crowds that dwarfed the recent anti-government protests.

Thaksin's "red shirt" supporters brought central Bangkok to a halt for weeks in April and May 2010 in protests aimed at forcing then Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to call early elections.

That protest was put down by the military. More than 90 people, mostly Thaksin supporters, died over the two months.

Abhisit and Suthep, who was a deputy prime minister in Abhisit's government, have been charged with murder related to those events. Suthep was in charge of a crisis control centre that authorised "live fire" zones.

Formal proceedings start on Thursday and both men have been summoned to the criminal court. Suthep has said he won't go.

Suthep's campaign to oust Yingluck has been strong on rhetoric but failed to stop the government from functioning.

Missed deadlines for Yingluck to resign have become the norm for a protest movement that has openly courted anarchy on Bangkok streets in the hope of inducing a military coup or judicial intervention that, as in the past, might disband Thaksin-allied parties or ban their leaders from politics.

Suthep's statements have been bewildering at times. He has told police to arrest Yingluck for treason, ordered civil servants and security forces to report to him and not the government, and has called for citizen "peacekeeping forces" to take over from police.

(Writing by Martin Petty and Alan Raybould; Editing by Michael Perry)

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

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The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

Better Midler to star in Mae West biopic
Nadya Hutagalung: Beauty with a purpose
Raising the stakes of 'Asia's Next Top Model'

Better Midler to star in Mae West biopic

Posted:

The singer-actress will also sit in as executive producer for the HBO Films project.

Bette Midler has joined the HBO Films biopic of Mae West. She will both play the provocative Hollywood star as well as executive produce the project which is currently in development, a cable channel representative told TheWrap.

Midler joins Excorcist director William Friedkin, who will direct and executive produce; Harvey Fierstein, who's writing the script; and executive producer Jerry Weintraub (Behind The Candelabra).

The movie will be based on West's autobiography, Goodness Had Nothing To Do With It. First written in the 1950s and then updated in the 1970s, West's book discusses her rise to fame as the highest paid actress in 1930s Hollywood, how she saved Paramount from bankruptcy, fought obscenity charges and her take on why the roles dried up.

In similar fashion to West, Midler has pushed the boundaries over her career. Well known for her riotous and high energy stage show, Midler earned the nickname the Divine Miss M. She is also well known for the critically acclaimed tearjerker opposite Barbara Hershey, Beaches. Her other well known movies include The Rose, The First Wives Club and Hocus Pocus.

Midler is currently in the middle of a three-week engagement at the Geffen Playhouse of I'll Eat You Last. She plays Hollywood agent Sue Mengers in the play written by John Logan and directed by Joe Mantello. — Reuters

Nadya Hutagalung: Beauty with a purpose

Posted:

Nadya Hutagalung shares her role as a model mentor with an environmental conscience.

NADYA Yuti Hutagalung, currently known as the head judge and host of Asia's Next Top Model (AsNTM), is quite possibly one of the most recognised faces in Asia.

In fact, according to Asiaweek magazine, she was voted one of "Asia's Leading Trendmakers" along with the Dalai Lama, Tan Sri Michelle Yeoh and Chow Yun-Fat for her ability to inspire and fascinate.

"I wouldn't put myself on the same level as his Holiness, but I am indeed happy for the title," said the practising Buddhist, who looked ever so chic in her black sleeveless jumpsuit and simple gold link necklace.

Hutagalung was in Kuala Lumpur recently to promote the show.

Hutagalung in a promo shot for season one of Asia's Next Top Model.

Born on July 28, 1974 in Sydney, Australia, Hutagalung has certainly led an adventurous life with roles as a model, film actress, a MTV VJ, TV host and painter under her belt.

Married to Desmond Koh – a former competitive swimmer from Singapore – Hutagalung is also an eco-activist as well as an eco-centric jewellery designer; she has launched her own sustainable jewellery line called OSEL (meaning "clear light" in Tibetan). Despite all of that, this mother-of-three says she is a "full time mother and a part-time everything else".

The environmental plight is one that the half-Indonesian, half-Australian has devoted much of her time and voice to outside of her modelling career.

She created major waves when she began the three-year project of building one of Singapore's first few eco-homes from its foundation up.

Having been an ambassador in Singapore for the World Wildlife Fund's Earth Hour for the last five years, she is now an Earth Hour Global Ambassador. The Green School, where she's also a board member, was just awarded the "Greenest School on Earth" title by the US Green Building Council.

Her presence in the environmental arena has certainly expanded with Hutagalung's tasks growing to include her now favourite project by far – www.greenkampong.com – which became an online resource for anyone looking for information and news on sustainable living.

"I am passionate about my work," she said of her green focus, adding, "I don't have a lot of time to prioritise everything, especially since I have three kids waiting at home for me. But I do whatever I can. I travel a lot though, and find that I exhaust myself with the additional flying."

She has received accolades for her work: she was the runner-up for "The International Green Awards: Most Responsible International Celebrity 2013", alongside other eco-warriors such as George Clooney, Ian Somerhalder, Penelope Cruz and Vivienne Westwood.

This year, Hutagalung focused her efforts on a campaign for ivory reduction, which is due to launch in the first quarter of 2014 and is targeted at the South-East Asian audience.

With a face that attracts and a personality that is a natural cocktail of confidence and humour, it comes as no surprise that Hutagalung has returned as the lead in the second season of AsNTM.

"I always find it amazing to see how the girls evolve throughout each season of the show. This season is especially great since it is a FOX production and they have such an amazing team who have worked with the girls and the producers and have come up with something that is quite stylish."

"It certainly makes for great television when you see how the girls develop a bond with each other, although there definitely were moments of tension between them and even the judges."

This is FOX's first production in Asia and the show reflects that.

Nadya Hutagalung along with the other judges from AsNTM season two.

Judging the best: Joining Hutagalung's team of judges are (from left) model mentor Joey Mead King from season one, resident photographer Mike Rosenthal and movement coach, Adam Williams.

"Firstly, being an Asian production, it is for the Asian audiences and with that, you can see a lot of Asian talent. I do love the fact that they are supporting local talent and local designers. And not only is it a modelling show, but it is also a platform for the designers. How is it different you ask? It's just Asian!

"Secondly, it is just more glamorous and there is a lot more depth from all sides."

Glamorous it is, especially in terms of styling and the great array of guest judges, which includes Datuk Jimmy Choo, international songbird Coco Lee, , Rob Scheppy (beauty guru to the Kardashians) and Australia's premier couturier, Alex Perry. "It's great for the girls to meet these people who have had years of experience in their various industries as it will boost their career," says Hutagalung.

As for what she hopes the contestants and viewers take away from the show, she says it's about anything you want to be.

"You can be fabulous, strong and powerful, but the most important thing is to be committed. Just like in any profession, study your craft, understand fashion and watch the runways. Always do your homework."

Posted:

FOX International Channels (FIC) Asia brings you glamour and drama with the premiere of the second season of model reality TV series Asia's Next Top Model.

With a multi-million-dollar budget, the show attracted prominent local and international partners including returning prize sponsors Subaru and Tresemme, and new partners YTL Hotels, Malaysia Airlines and Ponds; it is supported by Tourism Malaysia.

Shot primarily in Malaysia, this cycle features a total of 16 models from 12 countries across Asia, who compete against some of Malaysia's most breathtaking and picturesque scenery.

These long-legged beauties from China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam will compete to come out tops in this 13-episode reality series.

Nadya Hutagalung flanked by the contestants of Asia's Next Top Model Cycle 2.

Nadya Hutagalung (centre) flanked by the contestants of Asia's Next Top Model Cycle 2.

The winner will be awarded a fashion spread in Harper's Bazaar Singapore and Malaysia as well as obtain a three-month modelling contract with Storm Model Management.

The second season of Asia's Next Top Model will premiere on Jan 8 on Star World.

Joining returning host Nadya Hutagalung, who is also the head judge, are model mentor Joey Mead King from season one, resident photographer Mike Rosenthal and movement coach, Adam Williams. Visit asntm2.starworldasia.tv for more information.

Related story:

Nadya Hutagalung: Beauty with a purpose

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Business

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The Star Online: Business

Berjaya Assets share price up on disposal
Fed tapering worries weigh on KLCI as Tenaga, Genting slip
RUBBER-Tokyo futures inch up on higher oil prices

Berjaya Assets share price up on disposal

Posted:

PETALING JAYA: Berjaya Assets Bhd's share price jumped on hopes that the company will reap long-term benefits from the disposal of a 20% stake in key unit Berjaya Times Square Sdn Bhd (BTS) to the Sultan of Johor.

One analyst said the latest development could be a prelude to more exciting times ahead for Berjaya Assets, with its new-found link to royalty.

The prospect may have helped mitigate concerns that the group will record a one-time loss of RM149.15mil arising from the disposal.

BTS is the owner of Berjaya Times Square Mall located in Kuala Lumpur and Berjaya Waterfront in Johor Baru.

"With the entrance of the Sultan of Johor, there might be a possibility to do something with the unoccupied space at the mall," the analyst said.

The stock climbed two sen, or 2.3% yesterday to 89.5 sen on volume of 379,00 shares.

Berjaya Assets announced on Tuesday that it would sell a 20% stake in BTS for RM250mil to Sultan Ibrahim Ismail Ibni Almarhum Sultan Mahmud Iskandar Al-Haj in a move that will enable the group to raise cash and invite the Sultan "to participate more actively in the future direction and developments of the BTS.''

The principal activities of BTS are property investment, property development and investment holding whereas its subsidiaries are involved in operation of theme park, car park, hotel, commercial complex and ferry terminal management.

Fed tapering worries weigh on KLCI as Tenaga, Genting slip

Posted:

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's blue chips fell in early trade on Thursday as profit taking on index-linked stocks like Tenaga and Genting Bhd after the recent run-up in their shares.

At 10am, the FBM KLCI was down 8.37 points to 1,834.45. Turnover was 188.95 million shares valued at RM201.07mil. There were 154 gainers, 241 losers and 218 counters unchanged.

Japan's Nikkei share average dropped 1.4% to a one-week low on Thursday morning, led by selling in futures and big-cap stocks as the mood was soured by renewed anxiety of an early reduction in US stimulus.

Hwang DBS Vickers Research (HDBSVR) said the KLCI, after rising 44.4 points or 2.5% in the past 10 market days, the index could take a rest today.

"From a technical perspective, the benchmark index may show a marginal negative bias, possibly testing the immediate resistance-turned-support level of 1,840 ahead," it said.

HDBSVR said sentiment would likely be dented too by an overnight drop on Wall Street. Major US bellwethers fell between 0.8% and 1.4% at the closing bell on speculation that the Federal Reserve might begin reducing its monetary stimulus as early as next week following a budget compromise reached on government spending.

HLFG fell the most, down 28 sen to RM15.54 while Petronas Dagangan lost 18 sen to RM30.12, PPB Grpup and Tenaga lost 14 sen to RM15.30 and 11.16 while Genting Bhd was down 10 sen to RM9.98.

However, BIMB-WA jumped 30 sen to 60.5 sen while condom maker Karex gained 14 sen to RM3.79.

Coastal Contracts added 13 sen to RM3.42 and UMW-OG nine sen to RM3.80. Hibiscus and its warrants were 10 sen higher at RM2.53 and RM2.

RUBBER-Tokyo futures inch up on higher oil prices

Posted:

TOKYO: Key TOCOM rubber futures edged up on Thursday, as higher oil prices offset pressure from a stronger yen, while dealers waited to see if the U.S. Federal Reserve will taper its stimulus soon.

FUNDAMENTALS

* The key Tokyo Commodity Exchange rubber contract for May delivery <0#2JRU:> was changing hands 0.7 yen higher at 280.4 yen as of 0034 GMT. The benchmark contract stood nearly 1 percent down from a 2-1/2 month peak hit on Tuesday.

* News that Congress has reached a bipartisan budget deal that would end three years of impasse and fiscal instability was seen clearing a potential hurdle for the Fed to taper its massive bond-buying program.

MARKET NEWS

* U.S. stocks posted their largest drop in a month on Wednesday as traders locked in recent gains after a provisional budget deal out of Washington removed one of the near-term reasons for the Fed to keep up its current pace of economic stimulus.

* The yen held firm in Asia on Thursday, having risen broadly on the back of a slump on Wall Street as expectations grew the Federal Reserve could scale back stimulus as early as next week.

* Brent oil rose on supply concerns as traders remained skeptical that Libyan oil exports would resume while U.S. crude fell after government data showed large builds in refined oil products, suggesting sluggish oil demand.

* Japan's Nikkei share average was down 0.97 percent, falling for a third day, following Wall Street's losses.- Reuters

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Nation

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The Star Online: Nation

Wildlife Department to probe open sale of bushmeat
All they want for Xmas are brand new clothes
Inspections at Serdang Hospital to prevent repeat of mishaps

Wildlife Department to probe open sale of bushmeat

Posted:

KOTA KINABALU: A host of exotic wildlife meat, including those from protected species, are being sold openly at a tamu (weekly farmers' market) in Sabah's interior Nabawan town.

Wildlife rangers have been sent to check on the public tip-offs on the open sale of slaughtered protected species at the market, some 200km from Kota Kinabalu.

Sabah Wildlife Department director Datuk Dr Laurentius Ambu said that the species included the binturong or bear cat, common palm civet, banded palm civet, Malay civet, sambar deer, porcupine, blood python and many others.

Free no more: A binturong or bear cat carcass being put up for sale in the 'tamu' in Nabawan.

"These species are definitely hunted from forest reserves and national parks, where hunting is totally forbidden," said Dr Laurentius, who promised action against those responsible as such acts were "unacceptable".

He said they would be going after the suspects involved in the selling and hunting of the animals.

The newly-opened Wildlife Health Genetic and Forensic Laboratory would analyse confiscated illegal bushmeat to determine species and origin using genetic tools, he said.

Wildlife department assistant director Dr Sen Nathan said there was a clear and present danger to wildlife in Sabah as illegal hunting and poaching was happening at an unprecedented rate that was fuelled by both local consumption and also by international illegal trade in wildlife.

"The department is seriously looking at beefing up the department's capacity by setting up a Wildlife Enforcement Unit to address this serious issue, which will be very similar to the very successful Department's Wildlife Rescue Unit," Dr Nathan added.

Danau Girang Field Centre director Dr Benoit Goossens said there were evidence of illegal hunting and wildlife trade happening in national parks and protected forests in Sabah based on evidence caught by camera traps.

Dr Goossens also cautioned the public who hunt, handle, buy and eat bushmeat that they were not only acting against the law but also risking their lives by handling and consuming wildlife.

"Take the example of ebola, a zoonotic and deadly disease transmitted by bushmeat handling and consumption in central Africa, especially of chimpanzees and gorillas.

"Closer to home, the nipah virus was carried by flying foxes (fruit bats) and then transmitted to pigs. This later affected the people handling or consuming bats or pork, and it proved fatal for many in peninsular Malaysia," he said.

All they want for Xmas are brand new clothes

Posted:

BUTTERWORTH: It was a fun outing at the movies and a lip-smacking meal at an American-style seafood restaurant for SMK St Mark student F. Fatrik, but the 15-year-old wonders if he will have any new clothes to wear for Christmas.

The Form Three student was among 20 underprivileged children from the Shammah Children's Home here, aged two to 15, who were feted to a Christmas outing by the Sunway Carnival Mall in Seberang Jaya yesterday.

While he enjoyed the movie and the meal, Fatrik feels sad that he and the others would have to wear their old clothes for Christmas although the celebration is just around the corner.

"Nobody has bought us new clothing for the celebration," said Fatrik. "Maybe all of us would have to wear the old ones," he added.

Fatrik and his brother, F. Manuel, 11, together with the other youngsters, watched the animated movie Frozen at Golden Screen Cinemas and were then given a hearty lunch at Manhattan Fish Market.

"I really enjoyed it,'' said Manuel.

Another SMK St Mark Form Two student, P. Vijay, 14, thanked the sponsors for the treats.

After lunch, the children were given a story book each and a chance to make personal sand art greeting cards.

Sunway Carnival Mall marketing manager Sharley Ooi said the event was part of their corporate social responsibility programme called Some of Us.

Present at the events were mall senior executive marketing and communications Khoo Yi Peng and Shammah home administrator M. Josephine.

Inspections at Serdang Hospital to prevent repeat of mishaps

Posted:

PETALING JAYA: The Serdang Hospital, near here, where a ceiling at its staff quarters collapsed, will make a thorough inspection of its buildings.

"We will carry out routine inspection so that any defect can be detected early," said deputy director (medical) Rohana Johan in a statement yesterday.

"We are currently renovating all the toilets in the staff quarters," she said when commenting on media reports that the wife and four children of a hospital staff were nearly hit by parts of the ceiling that fell off in the toilet at 1pm on Saturday.

Runtuhan siling dalamtandas sebuah rumah kakitangan di blok D, Hospital Serdang semalam.

Undergoing renovation: Parts of the ceiling that fell off in a toilet in the staff quarters at Serdang Hospital.

There were no injuries.

Similar incidents were reported to have occurred at the hospital since 2011.

On Jan 30, 2011, a ceiling collapsed at the hospital's main lobby.

On Aug 13 last year, three nurses and a female medical officer were hurt when 15 ceiling pieces collapsed at the hospital's emergency department.

On Sept 20, this year, portions of the ceiling at the hospital's maternity ward gave way and on Nov 14, parts of the ceiling at the paediatric intensive care unit collapsed.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Datuk Seri S. Subramaniam said the ministry had yet to receive any report on the latest incident.

He added, however, that the ministry was keeping a close watch on the hospital.

"We have instructed the hospital and its engineering department to do a daily inspection and give us a report," he said.

"We are looking at a comprehensive review of the hospital structure," he added after a cheque presentation ceremony at the Ara Damansara Medical Centre (ADMC) here yesterday.

The cheque was a RM500,000 contribution by Sime Darby Foundation for epilepsy surgery to be carried out by the medical centre and the Kuala Lumpur Hospital (KLH).

On another matter, he said about 200,000 people in the country were suffering from epilepsy.

"Most can be treated with medication but there is one group that is resistant to medication and require other methods of treatment such as surgery," he said, adding that the collaboration between ADMC and KLH was reflected in the ministry's encouragement of public-private partnerships.

So far, 12 children and teenagers from underprivileged families have undergone surgery and are said to be seizure-free to date.

Dr Subramaniam said at least 17 young epilepsy patients would be able to undergo surgery with the foundation's contribution.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Metro: Central

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The Star Online: Metro: Central

Singapore bans alcohol in riot-hit Race Course Road area

Posted:

SINGAPORE: There will be a complete ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol this coming weekend in the Race Course Road area where a riot broke out in Little India on Sunday night, Second Minister for Home Affairs S. Iswaran said.

The details of the ban, such as exactly what time it would apply and what geographical area it would cover, would be worked out by the police, Iswaran told reporters.

Though it was too early to say definitively what caused the riot – which was triggered after a fatal traffic accident – it was "plausible that alcohol consumption was a contributory factor", he added.

"And that is why we have taken this step in the first instance in order to stabilise the situation."

Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew, who is the MP for the ward in Moulmein-Kallang GRC, said that he had wanted curbs on the sale of alcohol in the area for some time, after seeing the proliferation of liquor licences there.

"I know my residents will fully support this immediate measure," he said.

He and Iswaran were speaking to the media after a visit to the area on Monday evening, during which they spoke to shopkeepers.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Monday that a committee of inquiry (COI) would be set up to investigate the causes of the riot.

"The COI will look into the factors that led to the incident and how the incident was handled on the ground. It will also review the current measures to manage areas where foreign workers congregate, whether they are adequate and how they can be improved. MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) will provide more details when ready," he said in a statement.

Lee said the riot was an isolated incident arising from the unlawful actions of an unruly mob reacting to a fatal traffic accident.

"The vast majority of foreign workers in Singapore are law-abiding workers. They contribute to our economy, working hard to earn a living and support their families back home. We must not allow this bad incident to tarnish our views of the foreign worker community here," he said.

He also offered his deepest condolences to the family of Sakthivel Kumaravelu, who was killed in the traffic accident that preceded the riot, and urged Singaporeans to remain calm and continue with their daily lives.

"Support our frontline officers in the Home Team, and share any leads you may have with the police. Let us stay united as one people as we deal with this unfortunate incident, and keep Singapore a safe and orderly country," he said. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Learn the lessons from Little India fracas

Posted:

SINGAPORE: On Sunday night, in Little India, a bus involved in an accident was smashed by a crowd of angry men; 16 police cars were damaged; one ambulance was completely burnt and two ambulances and other support vehicles were badly damaged.

It was as shocking as it was unacceptable. Whoever was responsible for the damage must be apprehended and punished according to the law. That much was clear but many questions are also crying to be answered.

Chief among them was what led to this outbreak of violence.

At the time of writing, the authorities have not provided a definitive answer and investigations are ongoing. But the media and online chatter have thrown up a host of speculation and charges that I would like to offer some observations to as a response.

One common refrain I hear is how such behaviour is un-Singaporean and these foreign workers have wilfully violated our norms. Others point to the possibility of underlying issues afflicting foreign workers.

For a start, I would urge that everyone be careful not to read too much into this incident until we get a fuller picture of what happened.

From the experience of TWC2 (migrant workers' group Transient Workers Count Too), we do not find foreign workers any more prone to violent, criminal or anti-social behaviour than Singaporeans.

Singapore crime statistics also bear this out. In fact, I sometimes marvel at how stoic the foreign workers are in the face of a bullying employer or a rogue agent or an unresponsive bureaucrat.

A Singaporean in that situation might have become far more confrontational. So I would appeal to Singaporeans not to jump to conclusions that foreign workers are an unruly lot.

TWC2 has always emphasised the importance of observing the law in Singapore, because that is the only way foreign workers – or local workers for that matter – can avoid trouble and be protected when they are in trouble.

We always tell migrant workers we work with to raise their grievances with the Ministry of Manpower while seeking the help of non-governmental organisations like us. And that advice has always been followed.

Was the rioting an expression of bottled-up grievances with their working life in Singapore?

My thinking is we should not play sociologist too readily. At the present moment, little is known about how exactly the rioting started. All we have heard is that the crowd was upset with the bus driver, and for some yet unclear reason started lobbing objects at the police and ambulance first responders.

But why were they directing ire at the first responders? What interaction took place between the gathered crowd and first responders that might have led to misunderstanding?

It is a well-known fact that riots are complex events, often triggered by some minor dispute.

The minor dispute could be one where an authority figure, for example a police officer, may be trying to do his job, but in doing so, was perceived by a crowd as being excessive, rude or overbearing.

It is also well known that when a community harbours an underlying grievance, the threshold for tipping into anti-social acts is lower.

The foreign worker communities have been at the receiving end of employment unfairness for a long time. Many do not receive correct salaries, or have no way – in the absence of payslips – to check whether they have been correctly paid. Some have not been paid for months; TWC2 sees a regular stream of such complaints.

Other workers have seen their friends injured at work, but denied proper medical treatment by their employers. Yet others have seen their friends repatriated suddenly without receiving full salaries or injury compensation.

But while we can understand there are festering grievances, it is not possible at this stage to say what part these feelings played in the explosion of random violence.

Nonetheless, it would still be good for the authorities to pay more attention to such grievances. Doing so would reduce whatever sense of resentment may exist, and thereby raise the threshold of the tipping point, to better prevent another incident from happening again.

And this is what I want to stress.

Singapore, its Government and its people, should not see this purely as a law and order problem. It should not be just a case of find the culprit, mete out the sentences and then the punished would not dare do it again. I am hoping, and it is more important, that we learn the right lessons from this episode.

Finally, I find the online xenophobic comments targeting foreign workers offensive. My TWC2 colleagues and I believe that generally foreign workers do not face xenophobia. They very rarely complained about xenophobic treatment. On the contrary, they find Singaporeans generally treat them reasonably.

If a majority of Singaporeans are reasonable fair-minded people, then I would urge every single one of us to rebuke, rebut or ignore the nasty xenophobes among us. This is the time to take a stand against ugly values that sow dissension. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

> The writer is president of migrant workers' group TWC2..

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Raring to kick off Dr Seuss musical

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DATIN Seri Tiara Jacquelina cries at rehearsals. Oh dear. But she assures me that it's the "good" kind of crying.

"I've been watching the cast rehearse for six weeks now, and the ending still gets me each time. It's just such a feel-good ending," she says of Seussical Jr, Enfiniti Academy's inaugural production.

When Tiara founded the Enfiniti Academy of Musical Theatre and Entertainment Arts in 2011, the goal was to "train and nurture a continuous stream of performers of the highest calibre."

Two-and-a-half years down the road, these students are raring to go. And what better way to celebrate than with a show. In fact, if everything goes as planned, Enfiniti Academy, after kicking off with Seussical Jr, will have two shows each year.

The decision to stage the whimsical Seussical Jr, a musical based on the works of American writer Theodor Seuss Geisel (best known as Dr Seuss), was not a difficult one.

Enfiniti Academy's course director Joanna Bessey suggested it, and Tiara welcomed the idea.

"I've not watched the musical before, but just the fact that it was Dr Seuss already had me sold," says Tiara, who is a fan of his works.

"I grew up with the Dr Seuss books and I just love the way he writes, how clever the rhymes are, and how his books invite the reader to dream the impossible. If a word doesn't exist, just use your imagination! So I kind of grew up to be such a person as well," says the executive producer of Seussical Jr with a laugh, adding that her favourite Dr Seuss story is of Thidwick The Big-Hearted Moose.

"My kids used to make me read it to them over and over again because it is just so fun."

While Seussical Jr – which is an amalgamation of several stories and characters – might be just as quirky and fun, Tiara is quick to stress that this is a production that does not take itself lightly behind the scenes.

Enfiniti Academy is wholly owned by Enfiniti Vision Media, the producer behind the award-winning Puteri Gunung Ledang, P. Ramlee The Musical and The Secret Life Of Nora. Some of the same professionals who worked on these shows are supporting the young cast of Seussical Jr.

With Stephen Rahman-Hughes as director and choreographer, Vince Chong as performance mentor and Llewelyn Marsh as music director, this musical holds the promise of "being as professional as any of our big shows", according to Tiara.

"The only difference is that it is acted by young people – and it is young people performing at such an impressive level that you forget their age," she says.

"There's something magical about being part of a musical. You know that you're on the right track when some of the young ones moan about how it is not fair that they have to miss rehearsals just because they are sick! That's so sweet," relates Tiara.

Tickets for the opening night of Seussical Jr have all been snapped up, and Tiara shares that more than half the seats in total have been purchased for this "show for the whole family".

"Anyone from two years old and above can come and immerse themselves in the colourful and whimsical world of Dr Seuss. I promise that you will be thoroughly entertained at Seussical Jr!" she says.

Posted:

Stephen Rahman-Hughes is a cat in a different hat as he directs his first production, Seussical Jr, in Malaysia.

STEPHEN Rahman-Hughes still remembers how he started in theatre – by walking the streets of London. In the name of research, of course.

Having performed in a funk band for a while, he had just landed his first stage role in Homeless the musical, and had to hit the streets to talk to the homeless about their experiences.

"We built a storyline from that and I ended up writing a couple of songs for the musical," he recalls.

There was no looking back for him after that.

Fast forward a little, and now Rahman-Hughes is directing his first production in Malaysia.

"This is a perfect opportunity for me to have some fun and direct my first production here. Great story, great music and a bunch of wonderfully talented kids," he says of Enfiniti Academy's take on Seussical Jr with a cast of over 30 young performers, ranging from ages eight to 18.

"Tiara (Jacquelina, founder of the academy and executive producer of the musical) and Jo (Joanna Bessey, the academy's course director and the musical's associate producer) have put together a strong team on the creative side. I'm lucky to have the support of exceptional industry pros to give me their expertise to elevate my ideas."

Believe it when he says he has ideas. This man has done it all, it seems – from dancing to acting, from singing to choreographing.

From Homeless, Rahman-Hughes went on to train at the Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance and founded Red Rain Dance Theatre. The multi-talented performer was in a British tour of West Side Story, played the lead role in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Bombay Dreams, and acted in several TV shows, including musical TV series The Kitchen Musical. He is also the founding member of the vocal group Teatro.

Closer to home, the British-Malaysian played Hang Tuah in the award-winning Puteri Gunung Ledang The Musical, where he had to learn Malay from scratch – and a few years later played Merong in local epic action film Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa.

Choreography? Cuci The Musical in 2009. Singing? Yes, a solo concert at Dewan Filharmonik in 2010, not to forget a self-titled album in Malay in late 2011.

Rahman-Hughes flew in from London, where he is based, specifically for Seussical Jr. On the side, he has also met with the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra in preparation for a concert – In The Mood For Love – in February.

No stranger to working with children, he says that he has always loved it. It's apparent that he feels the same this time as well – just last week, he tweeted that "working with these kids is such a blast."

"The kids are so affectionate and excited by the work. They are just great and working with them is a fantastic experience. What an amazing bunch," adds the Seussical Jr director and choreographer.

He comments on their enthusiasm and energy, confiding that it sometimes "gets a little nuts with all that boundless energy, but they are learning to focus it into the work."

"They surprise me every day. I try to use what they give me as much as possible so that they feel they have the permission to explore and express. It is important that they feel confident so they can improve quickly since we have limited time to put it all together," he says.

It sure sounds like Rahman-Hughes is taking it all in his stride, especially when he goes on to talk about how important it is to run with a young person's love of play.

"A lot of the creative process has to be fun and shaped like a game. Getting them to stay switched on is the key, so you have to keep them interested in what they are doing. You can't set tasks that are too advanced, but if it's too easy, they can get easily bored," he explains.

"Children need a little more guidance and sometimes you'll have to take on the role of a teacher to those with little or no experience."

To him, the reward is simply "seeing the kids' faces light up and watching them develop."

"I love it when their personalities come out. They are such a funny bunch. We laugh an awful lot together and there is so much talent and humour in our cast," he shares.

Seussical Jr the musical follows the tale of a few characters from several Dr Seuss books – from Horton the elephant who hears voices on a speck of dust to Gertrude McFuzz who has only one feather on her tail, and a critical Sour Kangaroo, as well as mischievous monkeys, just to name a few.

"The story travels very quickly. The Cat In The Hat creates mayhem by encouraging a young boy, who later becomes Jojo, son of Mr and Mrs Mayor of Whoville, to use his imagination or 'Thinks' to create our story," says Rahman-Hughes, whose childhood – due to his growing up in Britain – was more Roald Dahl than Dr Seuss.

Nevertheless, he knew of the books and recalls, with some trepidation, seeing images of The Grinch.

"I remember seeing images of The Grinch as a kid – but I thought he looked pretty freaky!" he says.

Still, when Seussical Jr associate producer Bessey called him and asked if this would be something that he would like to do, he got to reading and watching Horton Hears A Who.

"I got really interested in it – they have such wonderful messages inside the strange and quirky stories. The characters are adorable and the story lines are moving," he says.

And when the curtains open on Thursday to the catchy "Oh, the Thinks you can think! Oh, the Thinks you can think, if you're willing to try ... Think and wonder and dream – Far and wide as you dare!" Rahman-Hughes – and all the other people behind Seussical Jr, both the young and young at heart – will have done just that.

*Seussical Jr will be staged at PJ Live Arts Theatre, Jaya One (Ground Floor, Block K, 72A, Jalan Universiti, PJ) from Dec 12 to 15 at 8.30pm, with additional shows at 3.30pm on Dec 14 and 15 only. Tickets, priced at RM63, can be purchased at www.tix.my or 03-7960 0439/017-228 9849. For more information, visit fb.com/EnactSeussicalJr.

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They're raring to go

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