Jumaat, 20 Disember 2013

The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

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Mayor shot dead at Manila airport

Posted: 20 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST

MANILA: Gunmen opened fire outside the Manila international airport, killing four people including the mayor of a town in the southern Philippines, where political violence is endemic.

Terrified men and women screamed and cried while a man, apparently fatally wounded, lay face down on the pavement outside the passenger terminal in a video clip uploaded to the local GMA television network's website.

The dead included Mayor Ukol Talumpa (pic) of the southern town of Labangan, his wife, his 18-month-old grandson and a male aide, said Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.

"I understand that was the third attempt on the life of the mayor and this time the culprits succeeded," de Lima said.

"It's extremely deplorable that even the wife, grandson and a staff (assistant) were also killed."

An airport policeman, who asked not to be named, said he was on duty about 10m away when the mayor and his party were attacked yesterday.

"I heard gunshots, so I whipped out my pistol and ran to the area. But the gunman had fled. He had an accomplice on a motorcycle," said the officer.

"People were shocked and just stood there so I could not shoot," he added.

"We tried to chase them in a police van but got caught up in the traffic," he said, adding that the gunman was wearing a police cap and a blue jacket.

Talumpa, an opposition leader who was the town's former vice mayor, had defeated in the May 2013 elections the incumbent mayor who is a political ally of President Benigno Aquino.

He had earlier survived a grenade attack that injured a police bodyguard on the troubled southern region of Mindanao in September last year, and also escaped an assassination attempt in Manila in 2010, provincial officials said.

The Philippines is infamous for a brutal brand of democracy where politicians – particularly at local and provincial levels – are willing to bribe, intimidate or kill to ensure they win.

More than 60 people were killed in last May's elections, when 18,000 posts from provincial governor to town and city mayors as well as city and town executive councils were contested.

Talumpa and his party were attacked as they stepped out of the passenger terminal shortly after getting off a flight from southern Philippines, said Manila airport general Angel Honrado.

Four people were killed and four others wounded in the broad daylight shooting, he added.

Honrado said the authorities did not know the identity of the gunmen nor the motive for the attack.

In the footage obtained by GMA, which it said was taken by a bystander, spilled luggage and trolleys lay scattered on the curb on both sides of the gunned down man.

Two other people were shown crouching on the curb, while the voices of screaming men and women could be heard.

A taxi cab and four vans, all their doors open, were stopped on the driveway, with the hazard lights of one van still blinking on and off.

"This is a very unfortunate incident that did happen at Terminal 3," Honrado said.

"Government agencies are trying their best to determine the perpetrators and bring them to justice."

He appealed to other passengers who witnessed the shooting to help the police identify the suspects. — AFP

Japan’s robot astronaut begins chatting

Posted: 20 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST

TOKYO: The world's first robot astronaut has begun chatting to the Japanese commander of the International Space Station, in what was being billed as the first conversation of its kind.

Kirobo, a pint-sized android equipped with artificial intelligence and capable of learning how to respond appropriately to humans, even put a marker down for Christmas, telling Koichi Wakata he expected a visit from a certain man bearing gifts.

"Santa Claus will come to space," Kirobo, wearing a Santa hat, told Wakata as they drifted in zero gravity hundreds of kilometres above the Earth.

"What will you ask for from Santa Claus, Kirobo?" asked the Japanese astronaut.

"I want a toy rocket ... let's ask Santa Claus."

The wide-eyed and bootie-wearing Kirobo – roughly the size of a chihuahua – left Earth on a cargo-carrying rocket and reached the space station on Aug 10.

Wakata along with Mikhail Tyurin of Russia and NASA astronaut Rick Mastracchio joined him at the ISS in November.

"We've had some trouble before having the robot carry on the conversation smoothly," said developer Tomotaka Takahashi.

"When people develop a relationship, it is an accumulation of small bits of communication.

"Small things make it work or not work," he said.

"We've learnt important tips to develop a robot that can communicate with people more." — AFP

Driver charged with murdering friend’s wife

Posted: 20 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST

A FORKLIFT-DRIVER has been charged with the murder of Jasvinder Kaur, 33, whose decapitated body was found floating in Whampoa River on Dec 12.

The accused was identified in court as 25-year-old Gursharan Singh, whom police had previously said was a friend of Jasvinder's husband Harvinder Singh. All three are Indian nationals.

Gursharan is accused of causing the death of Jasvinder at a residence in Balestier Road, together with an "unknown male person" between Dec 10 and Dec 12.

The police on Thursday had also said that they were now looking for Harvinder to help in their investigations.

The husband had left Singapore 30 minutes before Jasvinder's body was found – without her head and hands – and reported to the police by a jogger and cleaner at about 7.30am last week.

The senior logistics coordinator left by bus through Woodlands Checkpoint, but it is not known if he is in Malaysia. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

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Saudi, Pakistani films out of Oscar foreign award race

Posted: 20 Dec 2013 07:15 PM PST

Oscar-winning Iranian director also fails to make cut.

NINE movies, including works by Palestinian, Danish and Hong Kong filmmakers, have been shortlisted for best foreign language Oscar, organisers announced on Dec 20.

But films left out included Saudi Arabia's first ever candidate and Pakistan's first entry in five decades, while an Oscar-winning Iranian director also failed to make the cut.

Films by Belgian, Bosnian, Cambodian, German, Hungarian and Italian directors are also on the shortlist.

The films were whittled down from a long list of 76 movies announced in October by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which organises Hollywood's biggest annual awards fest.

They will be reduced to five nominees next month, before nominations in all Oscar categories are announced on Jan 16. The 86th Academy Awards will be held on March 2.

The nine shortlisted foreign language films are:

> The Broken Circle Breakdown, Belgium, director Felix van Groeningen.

> An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker, Bosnia and Herzegovina, director Danis Tanovic.

> The Missing Picture, Cambodia, director Rithy Panh.

> The Hunt, Denmark, director Thomas Vinterberg.

> Two Lives, Germany, director Georg Maas.

> The Grandmaster, Hong Kong, director Wong Kar-wai.

> The Notebook, Hungary, director Janos Szasz.

> The Great Beauty, Italy, director Paolo Sorrentino.

> Omar, Palestine, director Hany Abu-Assad.

The Saudi long-list candidate, Wadjda by Haifaa al-Mansour, is an avowedly feminist movie about a young girl's quest to own a bicycle in the ultra-conservative Muslim kingdom where women are deprived of many rights, among them driving.

Directed by Saudi Arabia's first female filmmaker and shot entirely in the Gulf state, the film won best Arabic feature award at the Dubai Film Festival last year and picked up an award in Cannes in March.

For Pakistan, Zinda Bhaag (Flee Alive) was the first Oscar entry for over 50 years. It is a comedy-thriller about three young men trying to escape the drudgery of their everyday lives through unconventional means. – AFP Relaxnews

Paul Rudd to star as Ant-Man

Posted: 19 Dec 2013 11:25 PM PST

Actor will 'bring several dimensions' to the Marvel action hero.

DISNEY-owned Marvel Studios said on Dec 19 it has cast Anchorman 2 and This is 40 actor Paul Rudd to play the lead role in Ant-Man, the next hero in its stable of comic book characters to go to the big screen.

Marvel said the choice of Rudd, 44, reflected the studio's desire "to cast actors that bring several dimensions to its onscreen heroes." Rudd is a staple in the comic films from director Judd Apatow, such as The 40-Year-Old Virgin, and is currently in theatres in news anchor send-up Anchorman 2: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.

The studio said in a statement that the plot is being kept under wraps. But in Marvel Comics, Ant-Man is a scientist who invents a substance that allows him to shrink his size and communicate with insects. The film, to be directed by Edgar Wright, is scheduled for release in mid-2015.

Walt Disney Co. bought Marvel in 2009 for US$4.3bil (RM14.1bil). The studio is behind some of the most successful films of recent years, including the Iron Man, Avengers and Thor franchises. – Reuters

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The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

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2013 TV ratings winners

Posted: 20 Dec 2013 07:40 PM PST

NCIS, Sunday Night Football and The Big Bang Theory most watched shows.

The CBS drama NCIS topped the latest list of the most-watched programmes on American broadcast TV once again this year.

Since the launch of its 11th season on Sept 24, NCIS has drawn an average 21.83 million viewers on CBS. The investigations of the charismatic and virtuous Leroy Jethro Gibbs attracted only slightly more viewers than NBC's Sunday Night Football, which was watched by 21.28 million Americans each week on average.

In third place, just as in 2012, The Big Bang Theory attracted 21.27 million fans on average. The NCIS franchise takes up another slot in the ranking in fourth place through its spin-off NCIS: Los Angeles, watched by 16.84 million TV viewers per week.

Entering the ranking in fifth position, The Blacklist is the only new series in the top ten. The drama starring James Spader as a criminal mastermind drew 16.57 million viewers, outperforming Person of Interest, whose third season was watched by 15.99 million viewers on average.

Reported by Tvline.com and Entertainment Weekly, among other sources, the ranking is based on TV ratings from Sept 23 to Dec 15. – AFP Relaxnews

'How I Met Your Mother' series finale date set

Posted: 19 Dec 2013 10:10 PM PST

Three months to go before the end.

HOW I Met Your Mother fans, prepare for the end. Or, at least, know when the end is coming.

The long-running CBS comedy will wrap up its nine-season run with a one-hour series finale on March 31 at 8pm, the network said on Dec 19.

The HIMYM finale will be immediately followed by the series premiere of Friends With Better Lives.

Friends With Better Lives, a comedy about a group of friends who are outwardly happy, but question whether their friends have it better, will move to its regular 8.30pm time slot on Monday, April 7.

The ongoing comedy 2 Broke Girls, currently in its third season, will move to the Mondays at 8pm timeslot starting April 14 to spearhead the network's Monday comedy block. – Reuters

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Saudi, Pakistani films out of Oscar foreign award race

Posted: 20 Dec 2013 07:15 PM PST

Oscar-winning Iranian director also fails to make cut.

NINE movies, including works by Palestinian, Danish and Hong Kong filmmakers, have been shortlisted for best foreign language Oscar, organisers announced on Dec 20.

But films left out included Saudi Arabia's first ever candidate and Pakistan's first entry in five decades, while an Oscar-winning Iranian director also failed to make the cut.

Films by Belgian, Bosnian, Cambodian, German, Hungarian and Italian directors are also on the shortlist.

The films were whittled down from a long list of 76 movies announced in October by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which organises Hollywood's biggest annual awards fest.

They will be reduced to five nominees next month, before nominations in all Oscar categories are announced on Jan 16. The 86th Academy Awards will be held on March 2.

The nine shortlisted foreign language films are:

> The Broken Circle Breakdown, Belgium, director Felix van Groeningen.

> An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker, Bosnia and Herzegovina, director Danis Tanovic.

> The Missing Picture, Cambodia, director Rithy Panh.

> The Hunt, Denmark, director Thomas Vinterberg.

> Two Lives, Germany, director Georg Maas.

> The Grandmaster, Hong Kong, director Wong Kar-wai.

> The Notebook, Hungary, director Janos Szasz.

> The Great Beauty, Italy, director Paolo Sorrentino.

> Omar, Palestine, director Hany Abu-Assad.

The Saudi long-list candidate, Wadjda by Haifaa al-Mansour, is an avowedly feminist movie about a young girl's quest to own a bicycle in the ultra-conservative Muslim kingdom where women are deprived of many rights, among them driving.

Directed by Saudi Arabia's first female filmmaker and shot entirely in the Gulf state, the film won best Arabic feature award at the Dubai Film Festival last year and picked up an award in Cannes in March.

For Pakistan, Zinda Bhaag (Flee Alive) was the first Oscar entry for over 50 years. It is a comedy-thriller about three young men trying to escape the drudgery of their everyday lives through unconventional means. – AFP Relaxnews

Paul Rudd to star as Ant-Man

Posted: 19 Dec 2013 11:25 PM PST

Actor will 'bring several dimensions' to the Marvel action hero.

DISNEY-owned Marvel Studios said on Dec 19 it has cast Anchorman 2 and This is 40 actor Paul Rudd to play the lead role in Ant-Man, the next hero in its stable of comic book characters to go to the big screen.

Marvel said the choice of Rudd, 44, reflected the studio's desire "to cast actors that bring several dimensions to its onscreen heroes." Rudd is a staple in the comic films from director Judd Apatow, such as The 40-Year-Old Virgin, and is currently in theatres in news anchor send-up Anchorman 2: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.

The studio said in a statement that the plot is being kept under wraps. But in Marvel Comics, Ant-Man is a scientist who invents a substance that allows him to shrink his size and communicate with insects. The film, to be directed by Edgar Wright, is scheduled for release in mid-2015.

Walt Disney Co. bought Marvel in 2009 for US$4.3bil (RM14.1bil). The studio is behind some of the most successful films of recent years, including the Iron Man, Avengers and Thor franchises. – Reuters

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The Star Online: Business

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i-Bhd builds from within

Posted: 20 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST

IT'S a known fact that information communication technology (ICT) and theme park-based i-City in Shah Alam has major development plans over the next eight years.

Thus, the corporate exercise announced by its master developer i-Bhd on Friday evening wasn't exactly surprising.

The numbers told of a fund-raising story which involves a share split, rights, warrants and a bonus issue that would strengthen the company's coffers by some RM200mil.

At the same time, i-Bhd will be issuing convertible securities amounting to RM502.3mil for three parcels of land for its next phase of i-City as well as for its KLCC project. The convertible securities scheme will enable i-Bhd to build up its cash reserves by the equivalent amount over the next five years.

In a nutshell, the completion of this whole exercise will see the paid up capital of i-Bhd increasing to RM775mil with some 1.55 billion shares at a par value of 50 sen. The best part is the company will still be debt-free.

i-Bhd's founder and executive chairman Tan Sri Lim Kim Hong has grand designs of making the 29.13ha i-City the ultrapolis landmark and centre of urbanisation of Shah Alam. i-City is slowly but surely getting the numbers it wants.

Currently, it is receiving some 90,000 visitor arrivals on a weekly basis, with an average visitor spending RM15. This spending too, is inching upward. Take up rates for its condominium projects this year, namely i-Residence and i-SOVO are all above the 90% level.

"We are starting to see the transformation happening. Over the next three years, when our mall and hotels are ready, you will start to see the full extent of i-City's development," said Lim.

He explained that the corporate exercise was mainly to fund i-Bhd's investment properties, namely its regional mall, the CentralPlaza@i-City for which it has earmarked RM66.54mil. i-Bhd has a 40% stake in this mall.

The remainder of RM133mil will be used to construct its 6,000-bay car park, its hotels and for general working capital.

"Now we have some RM50mil worth of investment properties. In three years' time, this will increase significantly to RM1bil with the completion of the mall, car parks and the hotels. At a yield of 5%, that is the sort of recurring income we are targeting to generate for the company," said Lim.

i-Bhd deputy chairman Datuk Eu Hong Chew said that at the rate the company was developing i-City, the theme park will soon make up only 25% of the entire business.

"Nonetheless, the theme park is important. We are rejuvenating and bringing in new rides. Next year, we are planning an Aliens meet Avator sort of ride. This is our differentiator. Perhaps that is why our recent developments have set new benchmark pricing in Shah Alam. Our condos are now going for an average of RM800 per sq ft," he said.

Wouldn't RM800psf be a little on the steep end?

Not if you believe in i-City's growth story. Afterall, it is still in the early stages of development.

i-City has so far developed half a million sq ft of land out of a total of 13 million sq ft of approved gross floor area. Once it completes the mall and its current ongoing projects, it will still have 7 million sq ft of land for development.

"I have been in many different businesses since I was 14," said Lim, who made his first million at 18, exporting furniture pieces.

Lim was previously the founder of Dreamland Malaysia Bhd (now known as FACB Bhd). He cashed out his 55% stake in 1995 for RM350mil.

Subsequently, he set up a total of 14 factories in China dabbling in stainless steel pipes, power plants and air conditioners.

"A businessman and an entrepreneur are two different people. The businessman will never build a theme park because it needs a gestation period. As an entrepreneur, we want to create something different, where benefits may come later. The entrepreneur also does not know how to enjoy life and works until he dies. I-Bhd for me, will be my final vehicle," says Lim.

The corporate deal

The deal announced on Friday evening was twofold. The first was a corporate exercise, while the second is a related party transaction (RPT) involving two pieces of land in I-City.

On the corporate side, I-Bhd has proposed share split which entails the subdivision of one share into two.

This will see the number of shares in the company increasing to 228.97 million shares from 114.49 million shares previously. The paid up capital remains the same at RM114.49mil.

With the completion of the share split, i-Bhd will then undertake a renounceable rights issue of new shares together with free detachable warrants raising gross proceeds of RM200mil.

Of this RM200mil, some RM160mil will be utilised for acquisition of property development land, while RM16.83mil will be repaid to Sumurwang for certain parcels of land for its I-Sovo development. The remainder will be used for general working capital and expenses related to the proposals.

There is also a proposed bonus issue in I-Bhd on the basis of one bonus share for every five shares held in the company.

Assuming the completion of the proposed share split, a total of 45.6 million bonus shares shall be allotted.

"Through this deal, we are able to continue developing i-City, while at the same time, strengthen the company's balance sheet.

"This is because we are paying the vendors of the land via ICULS and RCULs, and not cash. The vendor will also offer his ICULs and RCULs to shareholders if they feel they want to participate in the company's growth," said Eu.

The land acquisition

i-Bhd and i-City Properties Sdn Bhd, (a wholly owned subsidiary of I-Bhd) are purchasing two pieces of land from The Peak @ KLCC.

The Peak, together with Sumur Heights Sdn Bhd, Sumurwang Industries Sdn Bhd, Top Capital Sdn Bhd, Sumur Marketing Sdn Bhd and Sumurwang Development Sdn Bhd are the vendors and beneficial owners of the land, SOHO land and the Tower Lands.

Directors of The Peak are Tay Siew Lian and Tang Soke Cheng. Tay is Lim's sister in-law while Tang is corporate service manager of i-City.

Lim indirectly owns about 75% in I-Bhd through Sumurwang and Sumur Ventures. Lim, and his wife Puan Sri Tey Siew Thuan are the directors of most of the vendor companies.

It is important to take note that Sumurwang is the land owner which owns all the land plots in i-City while I-Bhd is the developer and project owner of i-City.

The 4.9ha SOHO land is priced at RM241.3mil while the Tower land measures 3.01ha is priced at RM129mil. Both the SOHO land and the Tower land forms part of the 29.12ha of land located in Shah Alam which houses the group's i-City project.

The i-SOHO development project encompasses four phases that will comprise a mix of both residential and commercial units with total gross development value of RM1.8bil over five years.

the Tower Land development encompasses a mixed development of residential service suites, a hotel tower and office tower with a GDV of RM3.7bil over four years.

To fund these two pieces of land, i-Bhd will be issuing a combination of ICULs and RCULs. For the SOHO land, there will be an issuance of RM196.3mil five year 2% stepping up to 3% ICULS, and RM45mil 5 year 3% stepping up to 5% RCULS.

For the Tower Land, there will be the issuance of RM105mil worth of ICULS and RM24mil of RCULs.

i-Bhd's revenue for the third quarter ended Sept 30 jumped to RM35.54mil, from RM16.32mil a year earlier, on higher percentage of completion recognised from ongoing property development projects.

Net profit for the quarter fell to RM2.68mil from RM3.95mil in the previous corresponding period on the back of high non-recurring operating costs in the leisure segment.

For its nine-month period, i-Bhd posted a 168% increase in revenue to RM96.49mil from RM35.92mil, while net profit rose to RM14.39mil from RM7.74mil a year earlier.

The property development division contributed RM59.9mil, representing 62% of the year-to-date group revenue.

Yinson finalises Fred Olsen buy

Posted: 20 Dec 2013 05:19 PM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: Yinson Holdings Bhd has fully completed the settlement for Fred Olsen Production ASA's acquisition and currently owns 97.1% of the outstanding shares and votes in the Norwegian company.

The acquisition was settled at 9.40 Norwegian krone (equivalent to RM5.20) per share in cash.

Yinson said the acquisition increased the company's current offshore services fleet size to four floating production, storage and off-loading facility (FPSO) and one floating storage and off-loading facility (FSO).

"These additional assets with its long-term contracts will increase the company's orderbook to about RM7.5bil in total," it said in a statement.

Upon completion of the offer, Yinson intends to initiate a compulsory acquisition of the remaining shares in Fred Olsen Production not owned by the company.

It is also proposing to delist Fred Olsen Production from the Oslo Stock Exchange, it said. 

"It is expected that a compulsory acquisition of the remaining Fred Olsen Production' shares will be effected in mid-January 2014," it added. — Bernama

2013 has been biggest for equity fundraising globally since 2010

Posted: 20 Dec 2013 03:23 PM PST

LONDON/NEW YORK/HONG KONG: This year has been the biggest for equity fundraising globally since 2010, thanks to improving confidence among companies on the back of the strong investor demand for stocks, according to Thomson Reuters data published on Friday.

A total of $774 billion has been raised worldwide from equity capital market (ECM) offerings as of December 18, including flotations, issues of bonds which are convertible into stock, and secondary share offers by already-listed companies, a rise of 24 percent on 2012.

Companies globally raised $159.7 billion from initial public offerings (IPOs), a 37 percent increase on 2012 and bankers expect 2014 to carry on where 2013 left off, with many companies bringing forward plans to go public as they look to take advantage of the strong market conditions and low levels of stock market volatility.

"It's the perfect storm for the IPO product," said Evan Damast, global head of equity syndicate at Morgan Stanley, saying increasing confidence in global growth and company earnings as well as investors seeking to boost the proportion of equities in their portfolios were supporting the market.

"These factors, in addition to positive deal performance, are encouraging investors to spend more time analyzing and investing in new issue opportunities."

At the same time private equity firms , encouraged by soaring stock markets to seek exits for their investments proved a big driver of IPOs in both the United States and Europe. In London, Blackstone Group and CVC floated amusement parks operator Merlin Entertainments while Blackstone also listed hotel operator Hilton Worldwide Holdings in New York.

Large floats such as Hilton and Plains GP Holdings helped lift the volume of U.S. IPOs by 22 percent to $49.3 billion, making it the strongest year by proceeds since 2000. Technology companies like Twitter were also among those who completed high-profile public offerings in 2013.

According to the data Goldman Sachs was the top-ranked bank this year, having worked on more than $90 billion worth of deals, almost $26 billion ahead of second place JP Morgan.

"The great thing about the IPO market in 2013 was that it was reasonably broad-based in terms of investor interest in different sectors, company business models, stage-of-company development and so forth," said Matthew Sperling, head of equity advisory for North America at Rothschild.

And bankers expect companies to push ahead through a normally quieter January to make the most of strong market conditions.

"There's a tremendous amount of pitching activity going on so there will be some things that come in the first quarter," said Joseph CastleBarclays' global head of equity syndicate.

Large U.S. deals next year are expected to come from a variety of sectors including industrial and financial institutions, including Chrysler Group LLC, Banco Santander SA's U.S. consumer lender and General Motors' former financial services affiliate Ally Financial.

In the technology sector, high profile floats could include Chinese Internet company Alibaba and payments company Square.

EUROPE TURNS A CORNER

In Europe, where the volume of new stock market listings more than doubled this year to $34.9 billion, bankers said the return of U.S.-based investors was a big supporter of deals.

"The general view on the part of investors is that Europe has turned a corner and is perceived as undervalued ... there are opportunities here," said Craig Coben, head of EuropeMiddle East and Africa ECM at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

New money flowing into equity funds have been key, said Coben, as without them investors don't buy IPOs, or demand deep discounts as they have to sell an existing holding to buy the new stock.

Privatizations, including Polish power company Energa and British postal service Royal Mail, were a major source of activity, with governments expected to continue to take advantage of strong markets to privatize their holdings, particularly in banks bailed out during the financial crisis.

Britain began selling its stake in Lloyds Bank in September and is likely to offload more shares in early 2014.

"If markets continue on their current path we may see more and more privatizations, including the unwinding of government positions in some of their listed holdings," said Edward Sankey, global co-head of equity syndicate and co-head of EMEA ECM at Deutsche Bank.

European deals have been dominated by UK firms, which made up nearly a quarter of ECM proceeds, and over a third of IPOs.

While a string of UK retail and consumer companies, including Poundland and Pets at Home, are set to go public next year on the back of improving economic growth, advisors expect a broader range of activity in Europe in 2014.

Investors are looking at southern Europe again, bankers said, with several Spanish IPOs in the works including industrial testing firm Applus+.

CHINA IPOS TO RESUME AFTER FREEZE

In contrast to other regions, equity issuance in Asia Pacific ex-Japan shrank for a third straight year in 2013, down 1.4 percent to $168.7 billion.

However, IPO proceeds rose 7.4 percent to $41.5 billion as a surge in deals in AustraliaNew Zealandand Hong Kong helped offset weaker markets in Malaysia and South Korea and a freeze on new listings in mainland China.

Bankers and analysts predict a bumper 2014, with large deals in Hong Kong putting it centre stage for IPOs again. Among those expected are a $6 billion deal from Chinese meat processor Shuanghui International Holdings and a multi-billion dollar float from health and beauty retailer A.S. Watson.

The resumption of IPOs in Shanghai and Shenzhen next month should also provide a much needed boost to deal volumes in the region, after the absence of new issues for more than a year in China.

"When they re-open, there will be a boom," said Ringo Choi, Asia Pacific IPO leader at consultancy firmEY in Hong Kong.

Next year should also see a surge in IPOs of Chinese firms in the United States, benefitting from the strong performance of listings in 2013 including Autohome Inc and 500.com. Bankers and analysts estimate the number of floats could exceed 20, from eight in 2013 and just three in 2012.

"The overall trend is an improving one," said a report by EY on the global outlook for IPOs. "The market window looks its best in several quarters for the start of 2014."- Reuters

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Women take on leadership

Posted: 19 Dec 2013 03:23 PM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: MCA Youth saw the first batch of women in its central leadership. 

They are vice-president Nicole Wong Siaw Ting and eight central committee members –Tee Tze Wei, Nian Yien, Mandy Kaw Shuen Hui, Heng Sinn Yee, Wai Bee Hoon, Teow Chia Ling, Yap Lay Keat and Jasmine Chan Kit Mun. 

Being the first woman to hold a high post in the wing where three-quarters of its members are men, Wong said her main concern was what her next course of action should be. 

"I hope to bring more women into the wing, and prove to the men that we are not the weaker ones.

"I would like to empower more women into the decision-making level," she said. 

As the new youth leadership comprised members from different teams, Wong said this clearly showed the delegates were not voting by faction. 

Chan said she would work together with the rest of the movement's committee members to revamp the wing and to carry out projects beneficial to the party, society and nation. 

"I will stress on empowering youths in various fields such as education, and to provide them with a platform to gain more exposure," she added.

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Analysing MCA Youth election winners

Treatment costs controlled, Dewan told

Posted: 19 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: The cost of seeking treatment at Government and private hospitals is controlled, and these institutions are not at liberty to revise their charges, said Deputy Health Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya.

Replying to a supplementary question from Senator Datuk Yunus Kurus at Dewan Negara yesterday, Hilmi said patients who are unhappy with the charges could complain to the ministry.

He added that the cost of treatment at private hospitals was regulated under the Private Healthcare Services and Facilities Regulations 2006.

Elaborating further in response to Yunus' question, Dr Hilmi said the government had allocated RM54mil to the ministry to educate people on the need to practise healthy living.

As a means of checking the rising cost of medical treatment, the ministry had adopted the approach of disease prevention through various programmes, he said. — Bernama

The Heat suspended indefinitely

Posted: 19 Dec 2013 03:41 PM PST

PUTRAJAYA: Weekly newspaper The Heat has been suspended indefinitely by the Home Ministry.

The suspension order was announced in a statement published in its sister publication The Ant Daily news portal yesterday. 

The portal said that with the suspension, the weekly would not be published on Dec 21 as scheduled. They were also given 14 days to reply to the show-cause letter. 

"We will keep our readers, subscribers and advertisers updated on further developments. 

"Subscribers will be compensated through an automatic extension of their subscription period," it said.

The Heat has been in operation since last September. 

The reasons for the suspension is not known. However, it is learnt that the ministry issued them a show-cause letter last week over certain news reports and its editor-in-chief David Lee was summoned to the Home Ministry over the matter.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

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Paul Rudd to star as Ant-Man

Posted: 19 Dec 2013 11:25 PM PST

Actor will 'bring several dimensions' to the Marvel action hero.

DISNEY-owned Marvel Studios said on Dec 19 it has cast Anchorman 2 and This is 40 actor Paul Rudd to play the lead role in Ant-Man, the next hero in its stable of comic book characters to go to the big screen.

Marvel said the choice of Rudd, 44, reflected the studio's desire "to cast actors that bring several dimensions to its onscreen heroes." Rudd is a staple in the comic films from director Judd Apatow, such as The 40-Year-Old Virgin, and is currently in theatres in news anchor send-up Anchorman 2: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.

The studio said in a statement that the plot is being kept under wraps. But in Marvel Comics, Ant-Man is a scientist who invents a substance that allows him to shrink his size and communicate with insects. The film, to be directed by Edgar Wright, is scheduled for release in mid-2015.

Walt Disney Co. bought Marvel in 2009 for US$4.3bil (RM14.1bil). The studio is behind some of the most successful films of recent years, including the Iron Man, Avengers and Thor franchises. – Reuters

Tropical memories

Posted: 17 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST

Thai filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul talks about the film experience.

YOU don't just watch an Apichatpong Weerasethakul film. You experience it. That's probably the best way to express what an Apichatpong film is like.

From the feverish jungle sensuality of Blissfully Yours to the mysterious, mythical fantasy of Tropical Malady and the folkish magic of the Cannes-winning Uncle Boonme Who Can Recall His Past Lives, his films have the ability to reach into the dream-like depths of our psyche.

But that is also the problem with his work, which often leaves audiences dumbfounded. The best example of this is Tropical Malady, essentially a love story between a soldier and a young man, but which switches gears halfway and without warning to become a dark, psychological and anthropomorphic fantasy.

During our interview in Kuala Lumpur recently, where Tropfest South East Asia announced Apichatpong's appointment as the festival's ambassador, I told him that I loved Tropical Malady but would be hard-pressed to explain why, if anyone should ask. I asked if that's the reaction his films usually got.

"Yes!" said the soft-spoken director. "And I'm very happy because I always say that I really wish I can make a film as a film. Because a film is not a book. For me, a successful film is something that you cannot express in words. It's film, it's feelings. It's not a book. You cannot explain it, you have to experience it."

Born in Bangkok, Thailand to a couple of doctors (he later put his parents' story in his 2006 film, Syndromes And A Century), Apichatpong recalled his childhood days climbing a guava tree in his neighbourhood. It was the beautiful scenery he saw from atop the tree that still inspires his cinematic vision today, he said.

Apichatpong sees his stint as ambassador for Tropfest SEA as a learning process.

"I, myself, started a film festival more than 10 years ago, and we managed to keep it small," he said. "So, I was very curious about how Tropfest has become such a big event and is still not commercialised. It still celebrates variety.

"I think to be ambassador is to support, and at the same time, to learn. You will learn a lot, especially about organisation ... Another benefit, to me, is to discover the new voices of the region. It is sometimes hard to find these new voices, even though we are so close."

Uncle Boonme Who Can Recall His Past Lives (2010) won Apichatpong Weerasethakul the Palme d'Or, the highest honour at the Cannes International Film Festival.

Uncle Boonme Who Can Recall His Past Lives (2010) won celebrated Thai filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul the Palme d'Or, the highest honour at the Cannes International Film Festival.

The 43-year-old director is currently preparing for his next film, titled Cemetery Of Kings. It tells the story of a group of soldiers who gradually fall prey to a "sleep disease." Shooting will commence in September next year.

According to a Hollywood Reporter interview in March this year, Apichatpong was quoted as saying he may have to change the title to avoid any controversy as Thailand has strict lese magiste laws. Anyone perceived to be insulting the king can be jailed.

"Yes, I was thinking about that, but we've been advertising it everywhere as Cemetery Of Kings," he said with a laugh. "I don't know, I might change the title, but for now, it will remain as that. And because I'm still developing the script, and rewriting it, it might change."

He said he doesn't agree with the laws as he feels constructive criticism can help the monarchy and there should not be an atmosphere of fear.

Apichatpong is not new to controversy in Thailand. Syndromes And A Century drew the ire of certain parties because of its depiction of a monk playing guitar and doctors kissing and drinking alcohol in a hospital. Following that, he and several other filmmakers launched a protest called the Free Thai Cinema Movement.

Apichatpong lamented that not much has changed since then, but said at least censorship is now under the jurisdiction of the Culture Ministry and not the police.

"It's a learning process for the officials and the government as well," he said. "Every time there is a ban, people on social media will oppose it. And obviously they learn. It has become true that the government is working for the people because people are dictating the way they operate."

Some people find your films hard to understand or inaccessible. How do you respond to this?

But the more important thing is you'd want yourself to appreciate your own work. (Laughs) So, you must be true to your heart first, and then of course, there will be other people who will agree or disagree. You cannot please everybody.

Even Hollywood films can't do that. As such, when you set out to make a personal film, where the structure of funding and the distribution strategy is different from Hollywood movies, I think it would be counter-productive to constantly think about what the audience wants.

A lot of filmmakers, from Chris Marker to Alain Resnais and yourself, seem intrigued by the idea of time and memory. What draws you to this?

I have a very bad short-term memory! (Laughs) I'm not joking! I really need to keep what I remember and what I can interpret out of it. Film is like a time machine, really. I'm also interested in science.

I think many filmmakers are interested in science because films are the magic of science. It's just light creating an optical illusion, and it creates this illusion of movement.

And you start to think of the fundamentals of an image and the after-image. And you compare them to what's going on in your mind, another kind of image in your mind. So, inevitably, it will lead to the issue of memory.

Even though Uncle Boonme won the highest honour in Cannes, some French critics panned it. One called it "a work that never goes beyond the theoretical intentions of the director and which uses dramatic arbitrariness as an artistic posture." What then, is your approach to story?

I think it depends. Cemetery Of Kings is very story-based. It has a very narrative style. But for Tropical Malady, it's more of light and feelings. So, it depends on what kind of mood you want people to get into.

For me, most of the time, the story is not so important, because the world is full of stories. For film, you operate differently. Story is just one part of it. There are many things that create a film – the sounds, the colours, all these things. It's dealing with the sensory and also memory. When you read a book, you can stop any time.

But for a film, you follow it, very linear actually, but at the same time, you can play around with it and make it non-linear, and make the audience aware that hey, this is an illusion, make them feel there is something larger than the film itself.

Shia LaBeouf wants to make amends

Posted: 17 Dec 2013 11:00 PM PST

The actor hopes to 'work out a deal' to properly credit writer and artist Daniel Clowes.

Shia LaBeouf hopes to work out a deal to give Daniel Clowes proper credit for his short film HowardCantour.com, which caused an uproar this week for its glaring similarities to Clowes' obscure 2007 comic Justin M. Damiano, an individual close to the situation told TheWrap.

LaBeouf's overture may include a monetary settlement of some kind, though how much wasn't immediately clear, as the film wasn't meant to be a profitable enterprise. But a deal would almost surely include proper credit in the film's credits, which previously made no mention of Clowes' source material.

The screenwriter and comicbook artist's associate and publisher told Buzzfeed on Tuesday that the writer was "considering his legal options". LaBeouf apologised over Twitter late Monday night for failing to credit Clowes' work, which he said was "a source of inspiration" for his short film.

The 12-minute short, which debuted at the Cannes Critics' Week, stars Jim Gaffigan as a tortured online film critic named Howard Cantour, who pines for another young journalist played by Portia Doubleday. LaBeouf did not equivocate in his apology – he made it clear that he improperly lifted the story, which was only credited as "A film by Shia LaBeouf".

"In my excitement and naivete as an amateur filmmaker, I got lost in the creative process and neglected to follow proper accreditation," he said in a series of tweets. "I'm embarrassed that I failed to credit (Clowes) for his original graphic novella Justin M. Damiano, which served as my inspiration. ... I f***** up."

LaBeouf's apology may have backfired, however, as it appears to have been partially plagiarised from Yahoo! Answers, giving his critics even more ammunition.

Clowes' long-time editor Eric Reynolds took issue with the apology in an e-mail to Buzzfeed on Tuesday morning. "His apology is a non-apology, absolving himself of the fact that he actively misled, at best, and lied, at worst, about the genesis of the film. No one 'assumes' authorship for no reason. He implied authorship in the film credits itself, and has gone even further in interviews. He clearly doesn't get it, and that's disturbing. I'm not sure if it's more disturbing that he plagiarised, or that he could rationalise it enough to think it was OK and that he might actually get away with it. Fame clearly breeds a false sense of security."

In HowardCantour.com, Thomas Lennon plays a rival critic, while Dito Montiel, who directed LaBeouf in A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints, plays a filmmaker in desperate need of a good review. Clowes said at the time that he had no idea his comic had been misappropriated.

"The first I ever heard of the film was this morning when someone sent me a link. I've never spoken to or met Mr LaBeouf," Clowes told BuzzFeed.

"I've never even seen one of his films that I can recall – and I was shocked, to say the least, when I saw that he took the script and even many of the visuals from a very personal story I did six or seven years ago and passed it off as his own work. I actually can't imagine what was going through his mind." — Reuters

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Philippine mayor among four dead in Manila airport ambush

Posted: 19 Dec 2013 09:49 PM PST

MANILA: Gunmen opened fire outside Manila international airport Friday, officials said, killing four people including the mayor of a town in the southern Philippines, where political violence is endemic.

Terrified men and women screamed and cried while a man, apparently fatally wounded, lay face down on the pavement outside the passenger terminal in a video clip uploaded to the local GMA television network's website.

"The mayor and his family and some security escorts were attacked," Manila airport general manager Angel Honrado told reporters, adding one of the dead was the mayor of Labangan town in the troubled southern region of Mindanao.

Ukol Talumpa, a member of the political opposition, won a hotly contested election for mayor of Labangan in last May's elections, defeating the incumbent who is a political ally of President Benigno Aquino.

The official, his wife, other members of his family and their bodyguards were shot at by at least two men as they stepped out of the passenger terminal shortly after getting off a flight from the southern Philippines, Honrado said.

Four people were killed and four others wounded in the broad daylight shooting, he said, adding "the mayor and his wife" were among the dead.

He said he could not confirm television news reports quoting unnamed eyewitnesses as saying the two suspects were wearing police uniforms.

Airport security forces chased after the gunmen but they escaped on a motorcycle in the heavy late-morning traffic outside the terminal, he added.

Honrado, speaking alongside Manila police officials at a news conference, said the authorities did not know the identity of the gunmen nor the motive for the attack.

The Philippines is infamous for a brutal brand of democracy where politicians - particularly at local and provincial levels - are willing to bribe, intimidate or kill to ensure they win.

More than 60 people were killed in last May's elections, when 18,000 posts from provincial governor to town and city mayors as well as city and town executive councils were contested.

In the footage obtained by GMA, which it said was taken by a bystander, spilled luggage and trolleys lay scattered on the curb on both sides of the gunned down man.

Two other people were shown crouching on the curb, while the voices of screaming men and women could be heard.

A taxi cab and four vans, all their doors open, were stopped on the driveway, with the hazard lights of one van still blinking on and off.

Police are withholding the identities of the other victims pending notification of next of kin, Honrado said.

"This is a very unfortunate incident that did happen at Terminal 3," Honrado said.

"Government agencies are trying their best to determine the perpetrators and bring them to justice."

He appealed to other passengers who witnessed the shooting to help the police identify the suspects.

Talumpa was the former vice mayor of Labangan who successfully challenged Aquino ally and incumbent Wilson Nandang for the mayoral post in the last election, according Leo Santillan, spokesman for the provincial government of Zamboanga del Sur, which includes Labangan.

Santillan told reporters in Pagadian city, the provincial capital, that Talumpa, a member of the Nationalist People's Coalition Party, had flown to Manila earlier in the day with his wife, two nephews and six other people. -AFP

Three more remanded after riot

Posted: 19 Dec 2013 03:49 PM PST

THREE more alleged rioters in the Dec 8 incident in Little India were on Thursday afternoon ordered to be remanded until the following week to assist in ongoing investigations.

Agreeing to the prosecution's request, District Judge Lim Tse Haw cited the scale and sheer amount of evidence involved in the case for the trio to be remanded at 'A' Division. The case against them will be heard next Monday, along with 25 others who had appeared in court earlier in the week.

All Indian nationals, namely Karuppaiah Chandrasekar, 31, Palanivel Dhasmohan, 27, and Arumugam Karthik, 24, had been charged in court last week (on different days) for being part of an unlawful assembly at Little India on Dec 8.

A riot was sparked on that day after a fatal traffic accident involving construction worker Sakthivel Kumaravelu, a 33-year-old Indian national, and a private bus operated by BT&Tan.

Two of the accused, Karuppaiah Chandrasekar and Palanivel Dhasmohan, were alleged to have thrown hardened concrete at police officers.

The third, Arumugam Karthik, is said to have been part of a group of at least five that had overturned and set a police car on fire, as well as thrown a dustbin, hardened concrete, bottles and a metal drain cover at the bus windscreen and windows.

When asked if they had anything to say, the three men, who were dressed in yellow polo tees, all shook their heads. There will be a hearing next Monday. — The Straits Times / Asia News Net­work

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Marrying Me: Don't wait for love

Posted: 19 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST

Marrying Me is a musical love story raring to challenge conventions.

Hilarious comedy and poignant drama come together in Marrying Me, A New Musical – a whimsical production about an unconventional wedding.

The American comedian Eddie Cantor once said that a wedding was like a funeral, except you got to smell your own flowers.

Okay, this is a bit of a morbid take on matrimony: tying the knot has its benefits, after all. Marriage encourages many timeless values, such as patience, compromise, compassion and understanding. Admittedly, these are all traits you wouldn't need if you had just stayed single, but better to get hitched than end up alone, right?

Not so, according to the characters of Marrying Me. The musical is a love story with a difference: the tale of a woman who discovers that despite what fairy tales tell you, happiness is not always found in the handsome prince who sweeps you off your feet. Rather, one must learn to love oneself before one can give or receive love from others.

Featuring beautiful melodies, clever lyrics, laugh-loud humour and a quintessentially Malaysian story, the show is rib-tickling and heart-warming all at once.

Marrying Me features an all-star creative team, with book by Mark Beau de Silva, lyrics by Ella Rose Chary, and music composition by Onn San.

The show, which ends its Kuala Lumpur run this weekend, is directed by Christopher Ling, with a cast comprising Stephanie Van Driesen, Sandra Sodhy, Tony Leo Selvaraj, Chang Fang Chyi, Joel Wong, Benjamin Lin, Aaron Lo, Abdul Muhaimin, Ho Lee Ching and Tan Yi Qing.

The musical spins the story of Stephanie, a liberated single 30-year-old who leads an NGO for abused women: the Society of Consolidated Women's League (SCOWL). With everyone around her tying the knot, Stephanie just wants to live on her own terms, but her mother and meddling aunt have other ideas.

After her mother fakes an illness and makes a "dying wish" to see her married, Stephanie turns to Tony, an old flame. But is the both of them coming together truly a good idea? In a twist of fate, Stephanie ends up doing something truly unconventional: marrying herself!

Marrying Me's strongest point is how incredibly relatable it was: the musical is full of local flavour, from lahs and hahs to references to eating at Jalan Alor and buying products from Amway. It even had an entire song about kopi O!

Marrying Me's music spread – all melodic and catchy – balances well with the show's witty lyrics.

The many references to local Malaysian culture is an admirable feat, given the lyricist is an American!

Highlights, then? The group number That's What's Normal and the show's soaring theme song Marrying Me. Also wonderful is the villain song Win Win: what do you say about a number featuring, among other things, a woman who gets a BMW after threatening suicide?

What is most admirable about Marrying Me, however, is its humour and heart. Billed as a screwball comedy, the show definitely delivers on the laughs (although some of the slapstick antics can be a bit over-the-top): yet it also explores dark themes such as domestic violence, marital exploitation and societal pressure.

Marrying Me handles everything effectively, never trivialising its story with too much comedy or suffocating it with too much drama.

Acting is generally solid. Van Driesen plays the role of Stephanie well, proving to be engaging whether belting her heart out in a powerful ballad like Superhero, or cajoling audience members to sing along to the ridiculously laid-back and catchy Solo Honeymoon.

Sodhy also plays up her role well as Sandra, who is Stephanie's mother. She portrays her character as sweet and exasperating at the same time (like most mothers!), while Selvaraj infuses his role with a delightful charm. Lin, on the other hand, receives many of the biggest laughs of the show with his portrayal of Stephanie's best friend, the flamboyant Leroy.

Almost stealing the show, however, is Chang, who plays Auntie Gertrude, the show's villain. Whether singing or strutting onstage with a delectable air of superiority, her stern and unrelenting character is always a delight to watch, a lady Hitler with a business suit and perm.

While well-crafted, Marrying Me is not perfect. Stephanie's story is told quite well, but Tony's is slightly under-developed. A development that he is afraid of "becoming a monster" also appears a bit contrived. Sounds like a last-minute plot rethink here. The character of Ah Hee, Gertrude's younger brother also seems mostly superfluous, important only for comic relief (in a play already full of wacky roles!).

All in all, Marrying Me remains a strong production – despite all the romances depicted throughout ending poorly. Trust the lovable characters, generous doses of hilarity and solid music to delight most audiences.

Marrying Me, A New Musical runs daily at KLPac, Sentul Park, Jalan Strachan, off Jalan Ipoh in Kuala Lumpur till Dec 22. Tickets are priced at RM53 (adults) and RM33 (students, TAS card holders). Visit www.ticketpro.com.my or call 03-4047 9000 to book tickets.

Yuletide swing

Posted: 19 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST

The choir of The Philharmonic Society of Selangor returns to stage for a bilingual Christmas concert.

IT'S that time of the year again where we reflect, rejoice and make merry. So why not put on your best voice and sing along with The Philharmonic Society of Selangor to cap the year?

The community choir last staged a Christmas production almost a decade ago, but come this weekend, the Damansara Performing Arts Centre in Petaling Jaya, Selangor will be filled with enthusiastic voices in Songs For The Season.

The choir will present a concert of seasonal delights from traditional music to contemporary crowd favourites.

From Vivaldi's soaring Gloria to the seasonal chestnut Winter Wonderland, this year's repertoire will feature an imaginative mix of Christmas carols in English and Kristang.

Kristang, which is a creole language and classified as endangered by Unesco, is mostly spoken by the Kristang community (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry) in Malacca.

 

Cheryl Teh

As Kristang is rarely heard in performances such as these, this bilingual concert is a rare treat.

"Most people enjoy singing and this time around we've made it very casual. There will be lots of audience interaction because we want them to be part of the show and get into the festive mood.

For some of the songs, we will have a screen with the lyrics on it so the audience can sing along. We'd like to expose people to many different songs," says Cheryl Teh, the society's chairman and choir director.

Members, ranging in age from 10 to 81, have been rehearsing since August to get their act together.

This community choir is made up of youngsters, stroke victims, cancer survivors and senior citizens.

Last weekend, the choir had to attend a "boot camp" to ensure all the technicalities were ironed out. It was song, and a little dance, all the way! Indeed, to add zing to the choir, dance steps and easy movements have been incorporated, making it a little more stimulating for the singers.

"The 10-year-old singer (choir member) has 55 grandmothers to dote on her!" laughs Teh.

"Because we are a community choir where anyone can join in without auditioning, I have to keep the songs simple.

"A lot of them do not know how to read notes so that's a challenge and yes, they sometimes grumble that the songs are hard but I don't pull back. In my song selection, I try to be sensitive to all races and religions."

For a number of the members, this is their first show and they are clearly excited.

Teh, who has helmed the choir since 2009, says, "Singing is an outlet for stress release. It also gives the retirees, especially the empty nesters a good chance to spend time with fellow members, make new friends and learn to be tolerant of others.

"Our society doesn't have many activities for seniors, so they tend to sit at home and while their time away. If they're not babysitting their grandkids, they may become depressed. Normally they would be watching their grandkids perform, but this time it's the other way around.

"The choir is one way for them to do something fun and my way of giving back to society. We're all volunteers but we want to build a community in harmony."

The self-funded choir received a grant from Kakiseni this year, enabling it to have added resources. There will be five shows over two days, each lasting just over an hour. Teh will be accompanied by pianist Nish Tham. So, bring your family and enjoy the concert.

"Don't forget, singing also keeps you young!" says Teh.

Songs For The Season is on Dec 21 (2.30pm, 5pm and 8.30pm) and Dec 22 (2.30pm and 5pm) at the Damansara Performing Arts Centre, Empire Damansara, Jalan PJU 8/8, Damansara Perdana, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Tickets cost RM23 and can be purchased online at www.dpac.com.my or by calling 03-4065 0001.

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