Ahad, 22 Disember 2013

The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

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The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

Japanese Emperor Akihito turns 80
Kejriwal hints at forming Delhi govt
Heirs to fortune from bungalow sale step forward

Japanese Emperor Akihito turns 80

Posted: 22 Dec 2013 10:42 PM PST

TOKYO (AFP) - Thousands of people thronged Japan's Imperial Palace Monday to celebrate Emperor Akihito's 80th birthday, as he lauded his wife for standing by him in his "lonely" pursuit of leading the world's oldest monarchy.

Empress Michiko, a wealthy flour magnate's daughter, was the first commoner in modern times to marry into Japan's imperial family.

Following their fairy-tale wedding in 1959, Michiko, now 79, also became the first empress to raise her children herself, famously making them "bento" lunch boxes to take to school.

"Being an emperor can be a lonely state," Akihito said in an interview released by the Imperial Household Agency on Monday.

"But... it has given me comfort and joy to have by my side the empress, who has always respected my position and stood by me.

"And I feel most fortunate that I have been able to endeavour to carry out my role as emperor with the empress by my side," said the ageing monarch, who inherited the Chrysanthemum Throne in 1989 upon his father Emperor Hirohito's death.

The soft-spoken monarch greeted well-wishers from a glass-covered balcony at the Imperial Palace overlooking the East Garden, flanked by Empress Michiko and other members of the royal household.

"Thinking about disaster sufferers, I will spend my days wishing all the people happiness," he said, referring to the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami and various other natural disasters that struck Japan in the past year.

The Imperial Palace said around 24,000 attended his birthday address, braving the bitter cold and waving small Japanese flags as crowds shouted "Banzai" (long live).

In the afternoon, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe joined other dignitaries for a birthday banquet at the palace.

While Emperor Hirohito was once worshipped as a living demigod, Akihito and Michiko have tried to be seen as an "ordinary couple" and narrowed the distance between the palace and the people.

The Imperial Palace, surrounded by stone walls and mossy moats - is opened to the general public twice a year - on the emperor's birthday and the second day of New Year - for the royal family to greet well-wishers.

The Japanese throne is held in deep respect by much of the public, despite being stripped of much of its mystique and its quasi-divine status in the aftermath of World War II.

Kejriwal hints at forming Delhi govt

Posted: 22 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST

NEW DELHI: India's anti-graft crusader Arvind Kejriwal has vowed to punish corrupt politicians and clean up "dirty politics" in a fiery speech that hinted his party may lend support to form a coalition government in Delhi.

Kejriwal, a former civil servant turned politician, has been under mounting pressure to form a coalition government since his party's stunning performance at Dec 4 state elections.

Kejriwal is wary of joining forces with the Congress party or the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after voters flocked to his party, disillusioned with mainstream politics and angry over rampant corruption.

"If we form the government, we will pass the anti-corruption law and send corrupt BJP and Congress leaders to jail," Kejriwal told a rally in Delhi of several hundred supporters.

"We are not after political power. We want to change the system and cleanse the dirty politics," Kejriwal said, adding that he expected to make an announcement on forming government today.

Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (Common Man's Party) won 28 of the 70 seats at the polls for an assembly, trouncing the ruling Congress which took eight and depriving the biggest winner – the BJP with 31 – of a majority.

AAP's success, only a year after its formation, signalled its emergence as a new political force which poses a threat to India's two main parties at general elections next year.

AAP has until now refused to accept support from either the Congress or the BJP, fuelling criticism that they were running away from the responsibility of forming government.

AAP is seeking opinion on whether to form government in Delhi, holding public meetings and asking supporters to telephone or SMS their thoughts, in a move that taps into its grass roots base.

With yesterday the last day for the unusual consultations, speculation in the Indian press was mounting that Kejriwal would team up with Congress.

The Hindustan Times newspaper and other media reported yesterday that AAP has received an overwhelming response from the public in favour of forming a new government. — AFP

Heirs to fortune from bungalow sale step forward

Posted: 22 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST

PERRY Koh was at work two Sundays ago when one of his three sisters called and asked him to read the day's papers.

A report in The Sunday Times had stated that an old bungalow in Katong had recently been sold for almost S$4mil (RM10.4mil), and the estate's trustee was searching for eligible beneficiaries of the proceeds.

Memories of his childhood came flooding back when he saw the photograph.

"I remembered visiting the home during Chinese New Year with my family and climbing its stairs," said the 49-year-old.

Koh's great-great-grandmother Wan Chin Neo had bought the property in Carpmael Road in 1937 for the then princely sum of S$1,900 (RM4,900).

The small house today looks out of place in a row of newer private homes.

Koh had already been aware of the estate and his lineage. His father Walter, 80, is among the 15 – all descended from Koh Hoon Teck – who had already stepped forward to stake a claim to the estate, so he is unlikely to get a share.

But spurred by nostalgia and encouragement from relatives, the manager of a luxury watch shop told Rockwills Trustee that he and his four siblings wanted to be considered for a share of the money.

He is among Wan's great- and great-great-grandchildren – many of whom are retirees – that the estate planning and trust firm said it is largely dealing with in its search for heirs.

The search, which has included tombstone inspections at the Bukit Brown cemetery and a newspaper advertisement last month, had been a challenge as Wan and her three children were all long dead.

None of them had left a will, meaning the money should be shared by their descendants, who must first be traced.

Koh and his siblings are among at least five living descendants of Wan who have stepped forward following the report on Dec 8.

Rockwills Trustee's chief executive Lee Chiwi, assisted by Goh Kok Yeow of law firm De Souza Lim & Goh, will do a further search of court records and approach the High Court for an order to distribute the money to those who come forward – and are eligible under inheritance rules – by Jan 1. — 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

China wants more party bosses reprimanded for ignoring graft
Bomb explodes on Israeli bus, no one hurt - police
U.S. will seek triggers to reimpose sanctions on Iran - Rice

China wants more party bosses reprimanded for ignoring graft

Posted: 22 Dec 2013 09:40 PM PST

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's ruling Communist Party would like to see more party bosses held accountable for allowing corruption to happen on their watch, something that rarely happens now, a senior official told a newspaper on Monday.

The Central Commission for Discipline and Inspection, the party's anti-graft watchdog, said in November it would target all senior officials as part of reforms to deepen its war on pervasive corruption.

President Xi Jinping has pursued an aggressive drive against corruption since coming to power, vowing to pursue high-flying "tigers" as well as lowly "flies", and warning that the problem is so serious it could threaten the party's power.

In an interview with the party's official People's Daily newspaper, Li Xueqin, head of the anti-graft watchdog's research division, said that the party still had a long way to go to hold officials accountable for ignoring corruption.

"We often hear that such-and-such a government leader has been held responsible and investigated for large safety incidents," Li said, referring to officials being reprimanded for mine disasters or transport crashes which happen because rules have been ignored by underlings.

"But rarely do we hear about a local party boss or discipline inspection boss being investigated and held responsible for not effectively enforcing party conduct and clean government (rules)," he added.

"This situation has to change," Li said. "If we discover the leadership or leading officials neglecting their duties on building up party conduct and clean government, we will trace it back to whoever is responsible, and certainly will not let them muddle through as a group."

Regional governments and other departments will have lists drawn up clearly outlining who is responsible for what, he said, as the government targets an old problem of its orders being largely ignored at the local level.

"At the end of the day, finding out who to blame is crucial for building up party conduct and clean government. If this does not happen, then the concept of responsibility means nothing," Li said.

Xi has not only targeted corrupt practices like bribe taking, but also extravagance and waste, as he seeks to assuage public anger over perceived corruption in the civil service and Communist Party offices.

While many of those caught up in the anti-graft sweep have been relatively junior, Xi has begun to take on more significant figures.

Last week, the party announced that a deputy minister in the powerful Ministry of Public Security was being investigated for "suspected serious law and discipline violations", which normally means corruption.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard and Sally Huang; Editing by Robert Birsel)

Bomb explodes on Israeli bus, no one hurt - police

Posted: 22 Dec 2013 04:41 PM PST

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A bomb that Israeli authorities suspect was planted by Palestinian militants exploded in a bus near Tel Aviv on Sunday after passengers were evacuated, and police said no one was hurt.

No group claimed responsibility for the bombing. But Fawzi Barhoum, a spokesman for the Islamist militant group Hamas, said in a statement the blast was a "heroic action" in response to what he termed the "continued crimes" of Israel's occupation of land Palestinians seek for a state.

Photographs from the scene, in the Tel Aviv suburb of Bat Yam, showed the blast blew out the vehicle's windows.

"There were about 12 passengers on the bus. The driver stopped immediately when he was alerted to a suspicious object. It was a bag on the back bench, and he immediately ordered everyone off," Eitan Fixman, a spokesman for the Dan bus company, was quoted as saying on the YNet news site.

"We confirm the explosion on the bus today was a terror attack, based on assessments and evidence gathered at the scene," said Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld, referring to suspected Palestinian militants.

Police had set up roadblocks at entrances to the occupied West Bank and were searching cars for the perpetrators.

It was the first such incident since Israeli-Palestinian peace talks - which have shown few signs of progress - resumed in July.

"We strongly condemn the bombing of a bus near Tel Aviv today. Our thoughts are with those affected and with the Israeli people at this time," U.S. State Department spokesperson, Jen Psaki, said in a statement on Sunday.

"Violent acts targeting civilians are deplorable. We reaffirm our unshakable bond with Israel and our solidarity with the Israeli people."

Violence in the West Bank has increased in recent months, and at least 19 Palestinians and four Israelis have been killed in the occupied territory since the negotiations got under way after a three-year break.

Rosenfeld said one of its bomb experts was examining the explosive "from a distance" when the bag blew up. He was taken to hospital for observation but was not listed as injured.

One of the passengers on the bus had alerted others to the bag, prompting them to leave the bus before the explosion, he said.

Israeli media reports said one person was slightly hurt.

The last time a bomb exploded on an Israeli bus was in November 2012, when 15 people were wounded near the Defence Ministry compound in Tel Aviv. An Israeli Arab pleaded guilty earlier this month to planting the bomb and said it was for political reasons.

(Writing by Jeffrey Heller; Additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi in Gaza and; Ori Lewis and Allyn Fisher-Ilan in Jerusalem; Editing by Andrew Roche and Sonya Hepinstall)

U.S. will seek triggers to reimpose sanctions on Iran - Rice

Posted: 22 Dec 2013 04:40 PM PST

HONOLULU (Reuters) - The United States and its allies will have ways to reimpose sanctions on Iran if the Islamic Republic is caught making bombs after striking a deal to freeze its nuclear program, national security adviser Susan Rice said on Sunday.

In an interview on the CBS news program "60 Minutes," Rice rejected the idea that, once relaxed, the economic sanctions on Tehran would be hard to reinstate.

Any United Nations Security Council resolution that enshrines a final nuclear deal with Iran - not the interim six-month deal signed in Geneva in November - could have triggers to automatically reimpose sanctions on Iran if they violate the deal, she said.

"We will not construct a deal or accept a deal in which we cannot verify exactly what they are doing," Rice said. "And if they're caught, we will ensure that the pressure is reimposed on them."

A mechanism for such "automatic triggers" has not been finalized, Rice said. Any deal beyond the current arrangement is still months away.

"We haven't designed that resolution yet. But this is something that's quite doable," Rice said. The United States does not want Iran to be "in a position to race towards a bomb undetected."

Rice said it was still unclear if Iran was hurting enough from existing sanctions on its oil exports and other industries to give up its nuclear ambitions in a "verifiable way."

"We don't know. But the other half of the answer is we have every interest in testing that proposition," she said.

Under November's interim agreement, Iran agreed to curb its nuclear program for six months in exchange for limited relief from sanctions.

The Obama administration has clashed with Congress over the sanctions issue; many lawmakers want to impose tougher sanctions on Iran.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews

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The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews

War, webs, wisecracks

Posted: 20 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST

Check out some of these new trailers.

BEFORE you can say "Spidey's back", a second trailer has been released for The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (May 1) in the span of two weeks.

Like the earlier trailer, this one is action-packed but it also has loads of humour in it. Besides the friendly neighbourhood guy hurling one-liners at the bad guys, the bits about Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) trying to get out of tough situations with Aunt May (Sally Field) and Gwen (Emma Stone) are worth a chuckle.

This doesn't mean the trailer is devoid of dark mystery – there's plenty of that too.

Speaking of mysteries, Christopher Nolan's next hush-hush project – Interstellar (Nov 6) – just had a teaser trailer released. But really, the teaser doesn't reveal anything (typical Nolan move) except that it has to do with space, which we already got from the title. In this 56s teaser, we hear Matthew McConaughey's character recall Man's greatest achievements especially in space exploration. The film is based on a scientific theory developed by Caltech physicist Kip Thorne. It revolves around a group of explorers travelling through a wormhole and into another dimension.

And the final exciting trailer to come out in recent weeks is Edge Of Tomorrow (May 29), starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt. Remember these words: Live, Die, Repeat. Cruise and Blunt are soldiers who live the same day again and again – the day they die in a war against an alien race.

From the various bits we see, Cruise's character is a soldier who has just been recruited to be in the battlefield. With zero fighting skills, he is killed soon after ... until he wakes up again.

With the help of another soldier, with similar experience, he trains to be a skilled fighter. If the story sounds interesting, the visuals are even more impressive – especially in the last few seconds which has Cruise attacking the aliens like he is running out of time, which he probably is. Phew.

Is it 2014 already?

Hear the picture, see the sound

Posted: 19 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST

There's a new immersive cinema sound system in town.

IN 1974, cinemagoers flocked to see the disaster movie Earthquake, not for the astounding special effects of the day, nor for the star appeal of Charlton Heston, but for the literally earth-shattering new sound system called Sensurround.

The system, developed by audio manufacturers Cerwin-Vega, utilised low frequencies to shake audiences in their seats, thus approximating the experience of a real earthquake. It was an instant hit and was also used for the war movie Midway (1976) and another disaster movie, Rollercoaster (1977), as well as two Battlestar Galactica movies.

Over the years, cinema audio systems have seen various improvements. When American digital surround sound specialists DTS introduced digital surround sound with 1993's Jurassic Park, people queued around the block to catch the realistic roar of the Tyrannosaurus rex.

But surround sound only enabled sounds that went around the cinema hall. Now sound specialist Dolby has gone a step further by introducing Dolby Atmos, a system that enables sound to come even from above, thus creating a wholly realistic and immersive aural environment. Now, sounds can be anywhere in the cinema hall, not just at the front or back or left to right and vice-versa. For example, dialogue doesn't have to be just in the centre any more. As was demonstrated by the animated film Brave, with which the Atmos system made its debut last year at the Los Angeles Film Festival, a voice can follow a character in any direction and position.

LEAD PIX ON PAGE 25: Getting kudos: According to Stuart Bowling, feedback on the Dolby Atmos sound system from audiences has been extremely positive.

According to Stuart Bowling, feedback on the Dolby Atmos sound system from audiences has been extremely positive.

GSC One Utama in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, is the first cineplex in Malaysia to install the Dolby Atmos system. It recently held a demonstration for the media that showed off the system's impressive capabilities with the sounds of a jungle, a thunderstorm and pattering rain, and a singer playing an acoustic guitar seemingly walking around the cinema hall. Simply put, it is sound in 3D.

Dolby Atmos can utilise more than 60 speakers (including an array on the ceiling) and up to 128 channels, depending on the size of a cinema hall. The hall in GSC One Utama has 54 speakers and 46 channels. The large set-up ensures that there is no sound deterioration during panning, and the possibilities are endless for a filmmaker.

Notable directors such as Peter Jackson, Guillermo del Toro, Alfonso Cuaron and Ang Lee have mixed their films in Atmos. This year alone, 85 films have been mixed in Atmos. To date there are 300 screens worldwide that are equipped with the Atmos system, while 40 studios around the world are equipped to mix in Atmos.

Asked if the added cost of installing the Atmos system was substantial for GSC, Heng Beng Fatt, the exhibitor's deputy general manager, said: "This is a new technology that will bring customers to the cinemas. We look at it as enhancing the cinema experience. More people will come and the occupancy will be higher. We only charge an extra RM1, but we will recover the cost.

"We have been continuously upgrading with digital 3D and so on. We have to keep up with the technology because, otherwise, it would be like the old days when the cinemas faded away."

Stuart Bowling, Dolby Laboratories' market development director, was on hand to answer questions about the system.

How have cinema audiences responded to Atmos?

The feedback that we got from exhibition has been extremely positive. There's an exhibitor in California, whose venue, after putting in Atmos for Man Of Steel, actually outgrew the IMAX cinema near it. We have other examples of exhibitors actually seeing an increase in occupancy rate. Even if you just search on Twitter for Atmos, there's a lot of positive feedback.

Which film do you feel best used Atmos?

It's a bit like asking which child do you like more? (Laughs.) I think Gravity used Atmos incredibly well.

I think part of that was because silence was used very powerfully in that movie. The great thing about Atmos is, can it make an explosion big and life-like? Absolutely. But it can also make you acutely aware of subtlety and detail, which is what happened with Gravity.

Obviously every movie is driven by an artist, and it's how the artist uses the instrument to the best of his ability. It's open to debate and interpretation.

Is there a "sweet spot" in a cinema hall for the best experience?

The system is designed to give a uniform coverage of sound pressure across the seats. Obviously, the way our brains put sound and visuals together means if you're in the middle, then you're basically in the main spot where you're going to be immersed in the picture and audio. But in general, you would get a better experience than you would with 5.1 or 7.1 channel systems.

Because we're now creating a spatial environment, you can get a slightly different experience no matter where you sit. For instance, in (the first instalment of) The Hobbit, Gollum was in a cave, and if you sat in the front of the cinema, then you would hear water drops coming down from the cave ceiling. If you were in the back right-hand corner, you would hear some of the water coming in filling the pool inside the cave.

No matter where you sit, we're giving you a representation of that environment so that if you really were there with the characters, that would be exactly how you would experience the sounds.

How much does an Atmos mix add to a film's budget?

We had a production recently that went through the Atmos mix, and they actually shaved time off the production.

They cut down three physical days of mixing. But there is an additional day in print mastering. But ultimately they saved two days.

Any plans to make Atmos available for home theatre?

If you look at what Dolby's done over its history, then either technology has transitioned into other areas, or parts of the technology have transitioned and provided improvements downstream. Right now Atmos has only been a product for six months, and it's too early to tell yet how Atmos could transition beyond the cinema space.

It's very difficult to replicate what Atmos does. Not many people can put 64 speakers in their house! They probably could, but they'll be single for the rest of their lives! (Laughs.)

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

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The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

War, webs, wisecracks

Posted: 20 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST

Check out some of these new trailers.

BEFORE you can say "Spidey's back", a second trailer has been released for The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (May 1) in the span of two weeks.

This doesn't mean the trailer is devoid of dark mystery – there's plenty of that too.

From the various bits we see, Cruise's character is a soldier who has just been recruited to be in the battlefield. With zero fighting skills, he is killed soon after ... until he wakes up again.

Is it 2014 already?

Hear the picture, see the sound

Posted: 19 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST

There's a new immersive cinema sound system in town.

According to Stuart Bowling, feedback on the Dolby Atmos sound system from audiences has been extremely positive.

"We have been continuously upgrading with digital 3D and so on. We have to keep up with the technology because, otherwise, it would be like the old days when the cinemas faded away."

Stuart Bowling, Dolby Laboratories' market development director, was on hand to answer questions about the system.

How have cinema audiences responded to Atmos?

Which film do you feel best used Atmos?

It's a bit like asking which child do you like more? (Laughs.) I think Gravity used Atmos incredibly well.

Obviously every movie is driven by an artist, and it's how the artist uses the instrument to the best of his ability. It's open to debate and interpretation.

Is there a "sweet spot" in a cinema hall for the best experience?

No matter where you sit, we're giving you a representation of that environment so that if you really were there with the characters, that would be exactly how you would experience the sounds.

How much does an Atmos mix add to a film's budget?

We had a production recently that went through the Atmos mix, and they actually shaved time off the production.

They cut down three physical days of mixing. But there is an additional day in print mastering. But ultimately they saved two days.

Any plans to make Atmos available for home theatre?

It's very difficult to replicate what Atmos does. Not many people can put 64 speakers in their house! They probably could, but they'll be single for the rest of their lives! (Laughs.)

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Business

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The Star Online: Business

As Singapore grows richer, more people get left behind
Kanger debuts 56% higher than issue price
Trading in Hibiscus Petroleum suspended on Monday

As Singapore grows richer, more people get left behind

Posted: 22 Dec 2013 06:18 PM PST

SINGAPORE: Every day, through eyes clouded by glaucoma, Peter witnesses the spending power generated by Singapore's economic success, knowing he can only afford to look on.

The 54-year-old shopping mall security guard is part of Singapore's hidden problem – a growing number of poor living on the margins in one of the world's most expensive cities.

The party that has run the city state since independence in 1965 has always preached the virtues of self-reliance, but for some the cost of looking after themselves has moved beyond their means.

Peter fears that he can not afford to treat his glaucoma, a condition that could threaten his sight, despite being eligible for subsidised surgery and other state benefits.

He was told treatment would cost over S$4,000, but the ailment only qualifies him to take up to S$1,700 from his state-administered healthcare savings.

Peter, who wanted his surname to be withheld as he did not have his employer's permission to speak to media, earns around S$1,600 a month working in the glitzy Orchard Road area.

Half of his salary goes paying off S$20,000 of debts run up when his wife broke her ankle two years ago, and they are also still paying off their small flat in a public housing block.

"We have no savings," he mumbled, recounting how he had borrowed from 18 moneylenders after his wife's accident.

COMPULSORY SAVINGS

Singapore operates a system of compulsory savings, supplemented by employer contributions, for retirement and healthcare through its Central Provident Fund (CPF). Private insurance schemes are also available.

Yet, Mindshare, a global media and marketing services firm, found in a survey last year that 72% of Singaporeans felt they "cannot afford to get sick due to high medical costs".

Data for 2002 to 2011 shows the government paid for less than one-third of all healthcare costs, whereas the average for developed countries in the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development was between 60-70%.

Mounting unease over the number of voters who feel excluded from the comforts of living in Singapore has persuaded the People's Action Party (PAP) to re-set its goals.

At a convention this month, the ruling party issued its first new resolution in 25 years, promising to improve living standards for all, create quality jobs, and provide affordable healthcare.

Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing said the government is ready to help citizens struggling to meet medical costs, but some were unaware of the support available.

"Very often, the people who are most in need may not read the newspapers, access the Internet or even understand English," he told parliament last month. "They need people who can talk to them in their language, people who will knock on their doors, check on them to see whether they are okay, and explain some of these assistance schemes to them."

MORE MILLIONAIRES, BIGGER GAP

The city-state has seen a huge rise in wealth over the past decade as it positioned itself as a luxury low-tax base for ultra-wealthy people from across the world.

Per-capita GDP of S$65,048 exceeds that of the US and Germany. And surveys highlight how Singapore, with a population of 5.4 million people, has more millionaires per capita than any other country. The Economist Intelligence Unit ranks it as the world's sixth most expensive city.

But data published by the CPF shows the proportion of Singaporeans earning less than half the median income – an international yardstick for measuring the proportion of poor people – rose to 26% in 2011 from 16 percent in 2002.

"As one of the world's richest nations, we can afford to do better," Caritas Singapore, the Catholic Church's social outreach arm, said at the launch of an advertising and social media campaign to highlight the plight of the poor.

About 12% of the 2 million Singaporeans at work earn less than S$1,000 a month. Hui Weng Tat, an associate professor in economics at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, reckons a typical worker needs a minimum S$1,400-S$1,500 a month to cope with living costs.

The city-state's Gini co-efficient, a measure of income inequality, hit 0.478 in 2012, according to government figures, higher than every other advanced economy aside from Hong Kong.

Unlike Hong Kong, Singapore has not set an official poverty line, and the government has rejected calls to introduce a minimum wage.

What PAP has done is to make it harder for firms to recruit low-cost foreigners, tighten requirements to boost wages at the low-end, and amend labour laws to give more job security.

There are also plans to expand social protection and increase spending on healthcare. And while Singapore isn't going to raise income tax anytime soon, it has raised taxes on bigger cars and luxury homes.

"There's more to be done," Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said during a recent dialogue with diplomats and university students. "I'm not satisfied with the situation in the way it is" – Reuters.

Kanger debuts 56% higher than issue price

Posted: 22 Dec 2013 07:00 PM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: The latest China-based stock to be listed on Bursa Malaysia, Kanger International Bhd debuted 56% higher than it's issue price.

The stock opened at 39 sen this morning, on a trading volume of 3.11 million shares. The issue price was 25 sen.

Managing director Leng Xingmin said after the market opened: "I'm 100% confident of our business and I believe that the share price can perform better."

The initial public offering was oversubscribed by 60.57 times.

Although the bamboo flooring manufacturing company does not export to nor sell it's products in Malaysia yet, it has an ongoing research and development joint venture with the Federal Reserve Institution of Malaysia.

Kanger intends to set up dealerships in Malaysia by the second half of 2014.

Kanger issued 80 million publis issue shares of 10 sen each, 11 million for the public and 69 million for placement to selected investors.

Trading in Hibiscus Petroleum suspended on Monday

Posted: 22 Dec 2013 06:56 PM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: Trading in Hibiscus Petroleum is suspended until 5pm on Monday pending the release of a material announcement.

The company told Bursa Malaysia the request for suspension was made pursuant to Paragraph 3.1(c) of Practice Note. 2 of the Main Market Listing Requirements of Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd.

"Bursa Securities has approved the aforesaid application and trading in the securities of the company has been suspended with effect from 9am, Monday, Dec 23, 2013," it said.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf

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The Star Online: Lifestyle: Bookshelf

Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China
A Curse On Dostoevsky
Rigih And The Witch Of Moon Lake (The Jugra Chronicles #2)

Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China

Posted: 21 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST

Historians might not agree with the conclusions of this book but its author has done a fine job of ensuring that they will now certainly discuss this lesser known historical figure.

HISTORY, it is well known, is written by the victors: the vanquished are rarely in a position to write anything at all. So it is always interesting when a historian goes back to hitherto unknown or untapped source material and puts together a picture which is completely at odds with the received view.

It appears that, up until now, the Empress Dowager Cixi has had pretty poor press. Words like tyrant, dictator, poisoner, traitor, self-interested, immoral and incompetent seem to crop up regularly in traditional accounts of her rise and exercise of power. Jung Chang's book changes all that. In her hands, Cixi becomes a skilled and far-sighted ruler who has been much maligned but who, in fact, guided a reluctant nation towards the modern world. It makes for an interesting argument.

Chang is, of course, best known for her international blockbuster, Wild Swans, published originally in 1991. It became one of the best non-fiction sellers of all time, some 10 million copies and counting, and was translated into 37 languages.

It told in unflinching terms the story of three generations of Chinese women: her grandmother, her mother and herself. For most of those who read it, the book was a gripping eye-opener: so this was what China was really like in those years when little reliable information leaked out. It read like the nightmare those years really were for ordinary people and it made Chang the voice of China in the West. Needless to say, it was banned in her mother country.

It is unlikely, I think, that Empress Dowager Cixi will enjoy the popular acclaim accorded to Chang's previous two books. While Wild Swans reads like a gripping novel, this is much more of a history book – a brief look at the sources and index at the back of the book confirm the amount of scholarly research that has gone into its writing. This becomes increasingly evident as the book progresses.

As Cixi begins to wield power, the demand on the reader to recall names, factions and political deals significantly increases. These were clearly complex and difficult times for China as a nation and as if that wasn't enough, there were the additional complications caused by court factions, not a few of whom initially had very considerable difficulties in accepting that a woman should exercise any power at all.

That she did so was due to her delivery of a first male child to the Xianfeng Emperor in 1856. That maternal act gave her status and influence, and after the Emperor's death her route to real power opened up, helped along the way by Cixi's skilled and effective, some might argue devious, manoeuvring. She was to remain a key player from that time on, albeit frequently from behind the scenes.

Chang presents Cixi as a far-sighted reformer. The China she "inherited" was militarily weak and falling rapidly behind the times. Its traditions and practices were locked in centuries old beliefs and traditions. Foreigners were almost xenophobically distrusted.

But China had no means of defending itself against incursions into its territories. The bullying tactics adopted by European powers in search of trading ports make for shocking reading. There was nothing noble about their territorial and trading demands – they were motivated by pure and simple greed.

Cixi recognised that China needed to be much stronger and to have much better relations with the outside world if it was to retain its political and geographical integrity and although she was not always successful, she did effect a distinct change in attitude and diplomatic practice.

Chang concludes that, "In terms of groundbreaking achievements, political sincerity and personal courage, Empress Dowager Cixi set a standard that has barely been matched. She brought in modernity to replace decrepitude, poverty, savagery and absolute power, and she introduced hitherto untasted humaneness, open-mindedness and freedom. And she had a conscience. Looking back over the many horrific decades after Cixi's demise one cannot help but admire this amazing stateswoman, flawed though she was."

Historians, of whom I am not one, will doubtless argue over this verdict and point to significant flaws in both judgement, such as her misguided support for the Boxer rebellion, and to her ruthlessness in, for instance, poisoning Emperor Guangxu to ensure that he should not succeed her. But, of course, the ongoing debate it stimulates is both the interest and the fun of revisionist history. And Jung Chang is a very fine proponent.

A Curse On Dostoevsky

Posted: 21 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST

"FOR every crime, there must be a punishment...."

So begins A Curse On Dostoevsky, Afghan-born writer Atiq Rahimi's latest opus. In this fabulous re-imagining of Fyodor Dostoevsky's famous novel, Crime And Punishment (1866), Rahimi's protagonist is Rassoul, an Afghani who studied Russian literature in Leningrad. He's now back in Afghanistan and living in a squalid little room filled with books by Russian authors, Dostoevsky being one. The other great love of Rassoul's life is his fiancé, Sophia, who possesses such power over him that Rassoul would do anything for her.

In either a homage to or a cheeky take on Crime And Punishment, Rahimi recreates the opening scene of Dostoevsky's novel by introducing Rassoul fresh from committing a murder, axe in hand, cold body at his feet, and blood on the floor.

Rassoul, being such a fan of Dostoevsky's novel, identifies closely with Crime And Punishment's protagonist, Raskolnikov, and thinks he is Dostoevsky's anti-hero. So like Raskolnikov, following the murder, Rassoul at first runs away and then searches for the meaning of his crime. Through tortured internal monologues, Rassoul tries to makes sense of the crime he committed, wondering if murdering someone would have made Sophia love him more and, most disturbingly, why his crime remains unpunished.

Through those monologues, Rahimi paints a picture of an Afghanistan that is far from peaceful, and a Kabul that is in conflict with itself and the foreigners who have invaded the country. Even though A Curse does not give a specific time frame, there are hints that the Afghan militants in charge of the country are vehemently anti-Russian, which indicates that the novel is set in the early 1980s, during the Soviet Union's war with Afghanistan.

Although Rassoul's conscience informs him that he should be punished, part of him is also afraid of what awaits him should he be caught. While the debate between right and wrong rages inside Rassoul's head, Afghanistan, too, finds herself fighting on two fronts, against suspected communist followers and the Soviet invaders.

When Rassoul returns to the scene of his crime, a thousand possibilities await him. It is perhaps due to Rahimi's genius that he does not offer a concrete solution for Rassoul. The very open ending allows each reader to determine the fate of this tortured anti-hero.

It can be argued that the anguish and anger that Rassoul feels not only towards his crime but also the fact that it has gone unpunished can also be read as the anguish and anger that many – if not all – people living in a war-torn country feel. And Rassoul's conscience debating right and wrong can also be seen as a metaphor for the civil war in Afghanistan that had Afghanis fighting against each other for years, so long, in fact, that they had forgotten why they fight.

Rahimi seems to have perfected the art of telling tales of life in Soviet-occupied Afghanistan, giving A Curse On Dostoevsky a feel of acute airless paranoia, hopelessness, desperation and frustration, mixed with an undertow of anger that permeated the Afghan landscape of that particular era.

Though translated works often lose the nuances of their languages of origin, A Curse On Dostoevsky – originally written in French – manages to retain a distinct flavour of desperation and fading hope and the ever-growing anger of a man trying to make sense of his life, his crime, and the social injustice of his crime going unpunished.

Although A Curse On Dostoevsky is very much influenced by Crime And Punishment, this novel is very much about Rahimi's thoughts about his birth country, which continues to battle with herself decades after the Soviet invasion. Perhaps Rahimi sees parallels between Rassoul's crime going unpunished and the invasion of his country by outsiders going unpunished, even ignored, by the rest of the world.

For those who are not familiar with Rahimi's works, A Curse On Dostoevsky is a good starting point. For those who love Middle Eastern literature or want to compare Rahimi's version with Dostoevsky's masterpiece, this novel should be considered. Either way, it is well worth a read.

Rigih And The Witch Of Moon Lake (The Jugra Chronicles #2)

Posted: 21 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST

THIS book continues where Miyah And The Forest Demon (2011) left off. I reviewed that book too and found it engaging, mystical and a page-turner.

The review can be found at The Star Online (tinyurl.com/mg9tthq). When I reviewed Miyah I did not realise there would be a sequel in two years' time. This new book doesn't fail to impress, though. It has all the ingredients to capture the attention of pre-teens and teens and get them to keep reading right till the end.

Based in Sarawak, it has many themes and native words that would be familiar to readers – from hantu to penyamun and the shape-shifter.

It starts off introducing readers to the village of Tapoh where Kumang, her younger sister Malidi and their friend Suru live.

Suru is athletic and loves to go hunting with her brother Temaga and their friend Rigih. Kumang recently married Majang, while Malidi is a young, curious and adventurous girl.

One day, Malidi picks up some beads in the forest – despite countless warnings from elders never to do this, as they believe things found in the forest could either be enchanted or bait by penyamun wanting to kidnap children and youths.

But Malidi has seen those beads before and since nobody else has picked them up, she thinks they are safe to take to the longhouse.

When she is found out, her parents try to get a healer to free her of the "spell" while confining her to a room in their home.

Malidi is miserable being stuck in her room and not even allowed out to have a bath. Unable to stand it any longer, Malidi sneaks out of the house one day when she discovers she is alone. She takes the beads and runs out to have a bath nearby.

When she is done, Malidi intends to return home when she hears a rustling nearby.

And then she disappears!

With both Miyah and now Malidi missing – Miyah disappeared in the first book – something must be done.

Believing that Malidi, like Miyah before her, has been taken by a hantu, Miyah's brother Bongsu, who has the gift of sight, and Rigih go to Nenek Kebayan for help. The trio then set forth on a journey to find the Bobohizan (witch) of Moon Lake, for only she can vanquish a hantu.

I have to admit I was reluctant to start reading this book. Despite being familiar with author Tutu Dutta-Yean's works and being a fan of them, I feared that this book might be a letdown because I am not a big fan of stories about mystical beings or those set in the jungle.

I needn't have worried. Dutta-Yean has not disappointed. From the first chapter, Rigih And The Witch Of Moon Lake is a page-turner. It's a quick read and your pre-teen and teenage kids will not want to put it down for needing to know what happens next.

This book can be read as a sequel to the first book or as a standalone.

The black and white illustrations are few but help readers picture what the characters look like and even serve to get readers to empathise with characters.

The Tapoh family tree at the start of the book also helps readers to keep track of who is who.

Another good feature of the book is the glossary at the back of the book for words like pisacha and remaung.

Once again, Dutta-Yean has done a good job. She is a splendid storyteller who really takes the time to put in a lot of details into her stories and reel the reader in with her memorable characters and intriguing plot.

Kudos also to illustrator Tan Vay Fern for the beautiful drawings.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Nation

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MCA polls: Wee: We're brothers and can work together
Another painting on the wall — 20m away from the cover-up
Wisma Putra to help two Malaysians held in Myanmar

MCA polls: Wee: We're brothers and can work together

Posted: 21 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: The MCA central delegates have elected a good mix of new leaders, said deputy president Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong.

"We are brothers and can work together. I hope the media can give us some room. There is no problem among us," he added.

He thanked the delegates for their support and for the new mandate given him as the party deputy president.

"They have their own minds and did not vote according to any chai tan or menu. They were not easily influenced as well," he said.

Dr Wee also expressed his appreciation to his opponent Datuk Donald Lim, saying Lim was a well-respected party veteran who had guided him along the way.

As for party president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, whom some had described as being soft-spoken, Dr Wee said Liow had proven himself to be a dignified leader because the latter had risen above the criticisms to become the party chief.

MCA line-up 2013-2016

Dr Wee also appealed to the media to give the new team some space by not raising allegations of different camps within the leadership.

When asked if the new line-up was chosen according to a brokered peace plan, Dr Wee said there was no such deal and that the election was a free-for-all.

"The delegates knew who to vote for in the best interest of the party," he said, adding that Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon, who received the highest vote for central committee, was a good example of the delegates' wisdom.

He said the delegates appreciated Dr Mah's position as the sole MCA state assemblyman in Perak, and a leader who had contributed much to the people in the state.

As for his plans in the party, Dr Wee believed the party needed to rejuvenate and attract young voters especially teenagers who would be the new voters in next general election.

"Before this we focus on those 21 years and above, now, we want to focus on those who are 17 and 18, as they will be voters in 2018," he said.

Another painting on the wall — 20m away from the cover-up

Posted: 21 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST

JOHOR BARU: For the past three months, Pauline See Poh Chen has been spending about four hours during weekends drawing murals on a wall of a pre-war shophouse in Jalan Tan Hiok Nee.

The 37-year-old freelance artist, who works as a principal at a newly opened orphanage, hopes to complete her pencil drawing titled Songs of Dream by the end of the year.

Just 20m away from her mural is the wall of a pre-war shophouse in Jalan Pahang where a mural by Lithuanian Ernest Zacharevic was painted over by the Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) enforcement team on Friday.

However, See does not have to worry because she has received permission from the building owner for her mural.

She said her painting was a re-enactment of her childhood fantasy, a scene from Alice in Wonderland where human beings, plants and animals co-exist and live harmoniously.

Meanwhile, Cheng Mau Ni, 31, from Hong Kong, who was having breakfast with her Malaysian husband Chan Min Pio, 36, and her parents in Jalan Tan Hiok Nee said it was illegal to paint on walls of private properties in Hong Kong.

"Our local council will take action, similar to what MBJB has done,'' she said, adding that Hong Kong property owners believed graffiti on their buildings would reduce the value of their properties.

A check by The Star in Jalan Pahang found that the area no longer attracted curious on-lookers after Zacharevic's painting was painted over.

Wisma Putra to help two Malaysians held in Myanmar

Posted: 21 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST

ALOR SETAR: Officers from Wisma Putra will be heading to Myanmar today to meet the two Malaysians who have been detained by authorities there for fishing illegally in their waters.

The Malaysians, Imran Izhar, 19, and his cousin Mohd Rashidi Ruslan, 26, were arrested by the Myanmar Navy off the Rakhine coast in Myanmar on Nov 24.

Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Hamzah Zainudin said Myanmar officials have agreed to allow Wisma Putra officers to meet the detained Malaysians tomorrow.

"They have also allowed the Malaysians to communicate with their families," he said, adding that Wisma Putra would continue to negotiate with the Myanmar government, following the meeting on Monday (tomorrow), for their release.

Earlier, Imran's father Izhar Ahmad, 44, said his son and Mohd Rashidi had left Langkawi for Bangladesh on Nov 17, on Hannah 8 which was supposed to be a cargo ship belonging to Syarikat Image 2000 Sdn Bhd.

He said that policeman came to the house on Dec 4, and told him and his wife Rohayati Mohammad, 40, that their son had been arrested in Myanmar for encroachment.

"We thought he was working on a cargo ship, but it turned out the vessel was a fishing boat. We hope the two youths will be released safe and sound," he added.

On Nov 28, a Myanmar newspaper reported that two Malaysians were arrested by Myanmar Navy for illegal fishing.

Upon inspection, the navy found fishing equipment and diesel.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Metro: Central

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Luxury market cooling down

Posted: 21 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST

The government's anti-corruption and frugality campaign has been cited as one of the major factors dragging down growth in the country's high-end goods market.

BEIJING: Growth in luxury spending on the Chinese mainland is expected to cool to just 2% in 2013, down from 7% last year and a staggering 30% in 2011, according to Bain and Co's annual "China Luxury Goods Market Study" published on Tuesday.

The growth in China is moderate compared with global expansion of 6%. Total luxury spending of 116 billion yuan (RM63.45bil) in the country represented just 7% of sales worldwide.

The impact of the government crackdown on graft and extravagant spending is starting to have an effect, as is evident in the precarious drop in the sales of luxury watches and men's wear, two categories that featured prominently in gift purchases.

Watches, which make up more than one-fifth of the domestic luxury market, witnessed an 11% decline in 2013. Men's wear also shifted from being a growth category in prior years to slipping 1%.

"An interesting finding is that the higher the price for watches, the higher the decline," said Bruno Lannes, a Bain partner in China and lead author of the study.

Lannes said such momentum is likely to extend into 2014.

Gifting has long been identified as a major reason for luxury purchases in China. This year's research, however, found a significant drop in gifting among first-tier city consumers.

High-end businesses are feeling the pinch as stern government measures cut deeper into revenues.

LVMH, the world's largest luxury group by sales, suffered a 6% cut in net profit in the first half of 2013.

Handbag and accessory maker Gucci's quarterly growth of 0.6% was the slowest in four years.

This is largely attributable to "a consumer environment in China that has become more negative", Jean-Marc Duplaix, chief financial officer of Gucci's parent Kering, said during a conference call in October.

Swiss watch exports to China fell 13.9% year-on-year from January to October, according to the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry.

Investors are therefore increasingly concerned that China's tightening on customary gifts for favours, which often involved watches, would overshadow related businesses.

Dai Qiming, who recently quit his job as a civil servant at Shanghai's Xintiandi sub-district office, said he saw a sharp decline in receiving gifts by government officials in the first half of 2013.

"Some companies used to give out high-end bags or watches to my supervisors. Nowadays, none of them dare to receive the gifts because they don't want to risk losing their jobs," said Dai.

Despite the slowdown, Chinese remain the largest luxury buyers worldwide, with purchases constituting 29% of the global market, an increase of four percentage points versus last year.

Up to two-thirds of such luxury spending occurred overseas, the study showed, as the quick take-off of outbound tourism nurtured a growing number of price-savvy Chinese customers.

A majority of them are now wising up to the considerable price differences between domestic and overseas markets, which can be up to 40% for certain items, said Qi Xiaozhai, dean of the Shanghai Commercial Economic Research Centre. This has in part squeezed the amount spent domestically, Qi noted.

One bright spot is the prolific growth in women's categories, with women's wear and shoes showing robust growth from 8% to 10%, said Lannes.

"Much of this performance stems from women's increasing sophistication and influence, which has driven men's and women's share of luxury spending in China to equal levels in 2013. This marks a rapid evolution from a starting point of over 90% spending by men in 1995," he said.

Dear Santa, all we want for Christmas is ...

Posted: 21 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST

TAIPEH: Ho ho ho! It's that time of the year again when children around the world start thinking about writing their letter to Santa Claus and wondering when Rudolph and Santa will land at their home with all their gifts.

If you haven't sent your letter yet, we would remind you that it is always a good idea to write a Christmas wish list that will make Santa and his elves smile – they have been busy with Christmas preparations over the past few weeks – and maybe even lead to some amazing Christmas gifts.

With 2013 coming to a close, it is also a time for us to look back, cheer and reflect on Taiwan's 2013. At the same time, we should look ahead and plan what we wish for Taiwan over the forthcoming 12 months in an open letter to Santa. We are not too greedy, so we only have a few requests!

Dear Santa, we know that you are extremely busy at the North Pole at the moment, making sure all your presents, including ours, are ready and wrapped for Christmas Eve. If you are planning to give away any Made-in-Taiwan foodstuff, however, we need to remind you to be extremely careful with local products due to several ongoing food scandals across the island. The food scares have been going on from the start of this year and while the government said it is doing everything it can to prevent similar cases, we have lost our confidence in Taiwanese food manufacturers. From cooking oil to milk and rice, nothing is safe here any more, so our first wish would be that the government continually updates its inspection techniques and puts more efforts into prevention.

"Caution is the eldest son of wisdom," said Victor Hugo, meaning that we must fight against impulse and whim to give more consideration into our decisions. In the meantime, Santa, please help us make our food safer by bringing more of Hugo's books to our decision makers.

We wish this advice would also apply to leaders from our former diplomatic ally, The Gambia, which cut official diplomatic ties with Taiwan on Nov 14 without prior notice. After 18 years of partnership, Gambian President Yahya Jammeh terminated our relationship for some vague reasons related to his (people's) strategic interest.

Although it is perhaps time to pause and give more considerations to the country's "flexible diplomacy" policy, we also hope that you (Santa) can remind us in the future of this diplomatic fiasco when the next generation of leaders from both countries asks us to endorse their plans for a new "strategic partnership".

As you might already notice, politicians have a very bad memory, in that they only remember what is in their interest, so our third wish this year is that nobody ever forgets the Ma-Wang conflict of September 2013. After prosecutors claimed that Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng used his influence to persuade Justice Minister Tseng Yung-fu in a court case, President Ma Ying-jeou stated that Wang's act of influence-peddling was the most "shameful day" in the history of democracy and rule of law in Taiwan. Yet, if you haven't noticed, everything is back to normal at the Legislative Yuan (Taiwan's parliament) where they recently celebrated Christmas with some nice Christmas carols.

"Back to normal" also summarises the situation at the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), where they have been crafting a new "China Policy" for the last eight years. The latest promises were made by leaders of the opposition party on Nov 9, when they announced their willingness to enter into political talks with mainland China and said they would finalise their preliminary conclusion in January 2014. The party hopes to convince the public that they can deal with cross-strait relations better than the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), but we believe that they might need a little help with drafting their conclusions.

Last but not least, our last wish goes to the family of the Army Corporal Hung Chung-Chiu who suddenly passed away on July 4. Hung was only three days away from completing his military service when he tragically died of organ failure brought on by heatstroke. He was sent to military detention for carrying a camera phone, and subjected to arduous punishment exercises, which led to his death. We wish that you can bring some comfort to his family and hope that you can help prevent this kind of tragedy from happening again. Taiwan's military should seriously consider further reforms to the management of military detention.

To this end, we wish you all a Merry Christmas and thank you for reading and sharing some thoughts with The China Post this year.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Ahad, 22 Disember 2013