Jumaat, 3 Januari 2014

The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

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The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

Kin identify bodies found in river
Costly affair to spy on husband
Car bursts into flames along highway

Kin identify bodies found in river

Posted: 03 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

The bodies of two men found separately along two rivers here, were identified by their family members.

Lee Eng Hock, 59, whose body was found in the Singapore River at about 4pm on Thursday, was jobless and suffered from depression, his younger brother Lee Eng Hwa, 57, said at the mortuary at Singapore General Hospital.

The man whose body was found in Kallang River on the same day, has been identified by his uncle.

The uncle, who declined to be named, said his nephew was the middle child and has two other siblings.

The deceased lived alone and had a sales jobs in Arab Street before he died. He would have turned 30 this year. His father is currently in India and his mother died about three years ago, said the uncle.

Police have classified both cases as unnatural death and are investigating. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Costly affair to spy on husband

Posted: 03 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

A dentist who spent S$55,000 (RM142,700) on private investigators to spy on her cheating husband will get only S$10,000 (RM26,000) to settle the bill after a judge described the amount she paid as "unusually large".

The 35-year-old had wanted evidence to support a divorce from her 42-year-old husband of nine years. She suspected him of having affairs with two women.

Investigators caught the chief investment officer "behaving intimately" with one of them, and the couple divorced a year ago.

A settlement case was held to determine how their assets would be split, but in judgment grounds released yesterday, Judicial Commissioner George Wei shared the husband's scepticism over the investigators' bills.

The total 213 hours of surveillance cost S$41,400 (RM107,400) – or about S$195 (RM506) per hour.

The husband, defended by lawyers Andy Chiok and Loy Wee Sun, produced a source which charged about S$400 (RM1,038) per day or S$6,000 (RM15,500) for an unlimited package until evidence is found.

The wife, represented by lawyer Foo Siew Fong, spent another S$13,600 (RM35,300) on "data forensic extraction" from the husband's cellphone and laptop, according to the bills. These produced no results for the court.

The judge held that while it may not be fair to make comparisons, the sum of S$41,400 (RM107,400) was "outstandingly unreasonable".

Divorce lawyers said that such fees do not usually exceed S$10,000 (RM26,000) .

"Given that the wife relied on the husband's improper association with two other women as the grounds for divorce, in hindsight, there was sufficient evidence on Sept 10 (the first of the three days) to support her petition," said the judge.

The judge ordered that the couple's S$5.5mil (RM14mil) three-storey penthouse be sold, and 75% be apportioned to the husband and 25% to the wife.

He based his decision on the respective financial contributions of the parties and the relatively short length of the marriage. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Car bursts into flames along highway

Posted: 03 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

Two people were sent to the National University Hospital (NUH) after the car they were in burst into flames along the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE).

The Singapore Civil Defence Force said they received a call about a car on fire at 1.20pm yesterday. The car was on the BKE towards the Pan-Island Expressway when it caught fire.

Two fire bikes, a fire engine, red rhino and ambulance were sent to the scene, and the fire was extinguished within five minutes.

A man and a woman, in their 20s, were sent conscious to NUH with abrasions and body pains sustained in an earlier accident with a truck. — 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

Dangerous cold sets in as heavy snow blankets U.S. Northeast
Earthquake of 5.9 magnitude hits off coast of Chile - USGS
Nine dead after attackers dressed as police enter Mexican prison

Dangerous cold sets in as heavy snow blankets U.S. Northeast

Posted: 03 Jan 2014 09:10 PM PST

BOSTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - People across the northeastern United States on Friday dug out after a heavy snowfall that grounded thousands of flights, closed schools and government offices, caused several deaths and left the region in the grip of bitter cold.

Boston was hard hit by the first major winter storm of 2014, getting nearly 18 inches (45 cm) of snow, while some towns north of New England's largest city saw close to 2 feet (60 cm) of accumulation.

Major cities from Washington, D.C., to Portland, Maine, were slammed, with New York's Manhattan Island getting 6 inches (15 cm) of snow and parts of Queens seeing more than 10 inches (26 cm) of fresh powder.

While plows made easy work of the powdery snow to clear roads and runways, authorities warned residents to expect unusually cold weather across the Midwest and Northeast.

Embarrass, Minnesota, notched a reading of minus 36 Fahrenheit (minus 38 Celsius) that stood as the lowest temperature recorded in the United States outside Alaska on Friday, according to the National Weather Service.

"Temperatures tonight and tomorrow are expected to be extremely low, and dangerously so," Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick said. "These are dangerous conditions."

The forecast overnight low for Boston was minus 4F (minus 20C) while New York looked for a low of 3F (minus 16C).

New York City's Department of Homeless Services went to "code blue," doubling the number of vans patrolling streets to seek people who needed shelter and streamlining the check-in process for homeless shelters.

SEVERAL DEATHS REPORTED

Washington received more than 2 inches (5 cm) of snow, Philadelphia roughly 5 inches (13 cm) and Hartford 7 inches (18 cm). (U.S. snowfall: http://link.reuters.com/zym75v)

In Cambridge, Massachusetts, just outside Boston, Tom Klein took a break from shovelling and said that a life in New England had accustomed him to harsh winter weather.

"I love a good snowstorm," the 60-year-old co-owner of a small manufacturing company said. "I don't mind shovelling. I've never minded shovelling."

Some 3,467 flights were cancelled on Friday across the United States and 12,394 were delayed with Philadelphia and Newark airports hardest hit, according to FlightAware.com.

Airports across the region warned travellers to expect residual delays as they cleared a backlog of flights.

"We now have all our airfields - runways and taxiways - clear," said Ed Freni, aviation director for Boston's Logan International Airport. "We will be back to normal operations by tomorrow."

The weather was a factor in several deaths.

Police recovered the body of a 71-year-old woman suffering from Alzheimer's disease who had wandered out in the rural western New York State town of Byron on Thursday night, improperly dressed for the single-digit temperatures, according to the Genesee County Sheriff's Office.

A Philadelphia city worker was killed after a machine he was using was crushed by a mound of rock salt, media said.

DE BLASIO DIGS OUT

New York's new mayor, Bill de Blasio, started his day shovelling the walk in front of his Brooklyn brownstone - a task his wife had said their 16-year-old son Dante would handle. Dante turned up later, not being an early riser, his father said at a briefing.

Asked what grade he would give his teenaged son, de Blasio said: "I give Dante an A for effort and a D for punctuality."

In Washington, the Office of Personnel Management told hundreds of thousands of federal workers they could work from home or take a leave because of the storm. The United Nations in New York and federal courts in New York, New Jersey, and Boston shut down. Schools closed across much of the region.

A Wayne, New Jersey, man was rescued Friday afternoon after falling through the ice at Ramapo Lake, where he was snowshoeing in an area frequented by hikers and mountain bikers, state officials said.

The Oakland Police Department dive rescue team pulled the man to safety and resuscitated 34-year-old Guncel Karadogan, who was talking and lucid as he was taken to a local hospital, where there was no immediate word on his condition.

And in Monmouth, New Jersey, fire officials said the driver of a mail truck and two people in another vehicle were rescued from flood waters in separate incidents after the Shrewsbury River flooded during high tide late Friday morning.

One victim was transported to Monmouth Medical Center. However, a spokesperson could not release any information on that victim.

In Green Bay, Wisconsin, the temperature plummeted to -18 degrees Fahrenheit (-28 C) on Friday, breaking a record for the date set in 1979, according to the National Weather Service.

Despite the frigid forecast predicted for the end of the weekend, Green Bay Packers fans bought the remaining 40,000 tickets this week for their team's National Football League playoff game against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

The NFL threatened to prohibit local TV from airing the game if the team was unable to sell out the game in Lambeau Field, where diehard fans will brave the temperatures expected reach 0F (minus 18C) during the game.

(Additional reporting by Ellen Wulfhorst and Barbara Goldberg in New York; Daniel Lovering in Cambridge, Massachusetts; Jeffrey B. Roth in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; Kevin Murphy in Kansas City, Missouri; Dave Warner in Philadelphia; Mary Wisniewski in Chicago; David Bailey in Minneapolis; Ian Simpson in Washington; David Jones in Newark, New Jersey; Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee and Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Lisa Shumaker)

Earthquake of 5.9 magnitude hits off coast of Chile - USGS

Posted: 03 Jan 2014 05:00 PM PST

(Reuters) - A shallow earthquake of 5.9 magnitude struck off the coast of Chile on Friday, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. There were no immediate reports of damage.

The quake's epicentre was located 71km (44 miles) southwest of Iquique, Chile, at a depth of 7.3 km (4.6 miles).

(Reporting by Ken Wills; Editing by Toni Reinhold)

Nine dead after attackers dressed as police enter Mexican prison

Posted: 03 Jan 2014 03:35 PM PST

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Nine people were killed during a gunfight at a prison in Mexico's violent Guerrero state, after a gang dressed as police officers gained entry on Friday, authorities said.

Six gunmen wearing police uniforms were allowed to enter the prison by unsuspecting guards who believed the men were delivering another prisoner, state prosecutors said.

"Once inside the prison, the armed group began an attack on inmates and then on guards in a security tower, where four prisoners and five attackers were killed," the attorney general's office of Guerrero said in a statement.

A prison guard and one of the alleged gunmen remained hospitalized with gunshot wounds.

Prison unrest is common in Mexico, where the government's human rights agency has drawn attention to the killing of dozens of inmates and prison guards as well as the presence of criminal gangs attempting to take over correctional facilities.

"We currently do not know if they were planning a mass escape or if this was simply a rivalry between two criminal groups," said a security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Guerrero, along Mexico's southwestern coast, is one of the country's most violent states. It is home to several drug cartels, including the Zetas and the Knights Templar, who compete for control of territory and trafficking routes.

(Reporting by Lizbeth Diaz; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by David Gregorio)

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

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The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

Trailer: 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2'

Posted: 02 Jan 2014 05:15 PM PST

Introduction by a very excited Stan Lee.

SONY Pictures and Marvel have rung in the New Year with a new trailer for the blockbuster, including images from the much-anticipated fight scene between Spider-Man and Electro.

Introduced by Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee, the new video reveals shots from an epic fight between the superhero and the villain Electro in New York's Times Square. Rhino and the Green Goblin will join the fray in this intense action scene, which promises to be one of the highlights of Marc Webb's movie.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2, starring Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone and Jamie Foxx, arrives in US theatres on May 2.

Watch the special New Year's trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man 2 above or click here. – AFP Relaxnews

Justin Bieber documentary: Something to Believe in

Posted: 02 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

Director Jon Chu aims to look beyond stardom in a new documentary on Justin Bieber.

JUSTIN Bieber wasn't sure he liked what he saw. When the petite pop prince from the Great White North first viewed a rough cut of the new documentary Justin Bieber's Believe, he excitedly called its director Jon Chu in the middle of the night to voice concerns.

Not about the less-than-flattering aspects of the movie, like where Chu asks Bieber about him turning into a "train wreck". Or where the director, speaking off-camera, ponders if Bieber will wind up like Michael Jackson or Lindsay Lohan.

The 19-year-old Canadian superstar was hung up on a segment in which he's shown talking about being in love and experiencing heartbreak. Could Chu edit Bieber's halting answers down to more concise sound bites?

"He was, like, 'I'm umming and awwing a lot. Can you, like, clean that up?'," recalled Chu. "'It feels like I don't know what love is.' And I'm, like, 'That's awesome! That you're trying to find the right words is so great. That's why we like you.' He's, like, 'OK. I just don't want to look like an idiot'."

With its insider's view of teenage fandom's foremost icon, Justin Bieber's Believe presents any number of compelling insights on its subject: as a self-starting artiste shown putting pencil to loose leaf pad to write his hit 2012 single Boyfriend.

As a cheerful kid with an extensive wardrobe of harem pants who's at least self-reflective enough to admit his attempt to grow a barely there mustache is "delusional". As a man-child on the cusp of adulthood, able and willing to butt heads with his powerhouse manager Scooter Braun.

But contrary to the avalanche of tabloid reports about the star that materialise on a weekly basis – "Justin Bieber pees into restaurant mop bucket," "Justin Bieber goes butt naked with a guitar in leaked photos!" – he does not seem feckless in the film. In addition to scenes of "Beatlemania"-on-steroids fan adulation and concert footage shot during his last tour, Believe serves to humanise a teenager who is so constantly in the public eye that he's become an abstraction.

And Chu, who directed the singer's 2011 3D concert documentary, Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, was probably the only person who could have brought the new movie to screen.

After becoming a trusted member of the star's inner circle and being contracted by Braun to stage-direct Bieber's 2012-13 Believe tour (a first for the filmmaker, who says he had "never directed a high school play before"), Chu initially proposed a behind-the-scenes straight-to-DVD concert movie.

As filming commenced, however, a new narrative came into focus.

"He's a boy. He's a man. What is he? He doesn't know yet but he's taking control," the director said at the Hollywood-adjacent office of his production company, Chu Studios. "The idea was to show him in that vulnerable spot."

Chu, 34, pitched Braun and the singer on a new idea: a warts-and-all rockumentary.

"'I want people to know that you're normal people'," Chu recalled telling them. "'(To Braun) You're not the puppet master and (to Bieber) you're not this douche-bag kid. I want people to know you guys the way I know you'."

The director says he never intended to film a "fluff piece" and was granted wide creative latitude by Braun (whose platinum-plus client roster includes South Korean pop star Psy, Call Me Maybe singer Carly Rae Jepsen and British boy band The Wanted).

Towards that end, the film includes footage that will be familiar to any Belieber worth his or her salt – Bieber flying off the handle at British paparazzi last March, attempting to leap from a van to physically assault the men but being restrained by his security team.

"As a human being, rage comes out," the singer explains in Believe. "You snap. I wanted to hit him."

Although the movie could have served to shoot down any number of tabloid rumours, Chu says Believe was never intended as a rejoinder to scandalmongering.

"I didn't want this to be a defence of things he did, because you can just go down the list," he said. "We addressed things having to do with him being a human being – the basis of his character."

Given Chu's up-close-and-personal access to pop musicdom's brightest shining light, it raises the question: Does the director think Bieber will wind up a train wreck like Lindsay Lohan or Michael Jackson?

"The movie is his answer," said Chu. "Maybe the choices haven't been made yet as to whether he'll be a train wreck or not. But there's enough evidence in his life to show he will make the right choice at some point." – Los Angeles Times/McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

Justin Bieber's Believe is playing in cinemas nationwide.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Business

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The Star Online: Business

GUH powers ahead after lull
Palm oil falls on worries of overwhelming supply
Southeast Asia Stocks: Down, Thai shares reel

GUH powers ahead after lull

Posted: 03 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

HAVING completed its expansion for its printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing operations in Penang and Suzhou, China, GUH Holdings Bhd is ready to bounce back after slowing down for three quarters since the fourth quarter of 2012.

In the second half of that year, the group injected RM20mil to expand its production capacities of the Penang and Suzhou plants by about 50% to 807,000 sq ft from about 592,000 sq ft to position itself in the higher-value double-sided and multi-layered PCB segment.

That expansion has paved the way for the group to go further today.

Says group managing director Datuk Kenneth H'ng: "We are in the process of inking business contracts with an estimated value of RM70mil.

"The contracts are for PCBs to be used in branded air conditioners, LED backlight of automobiles, general LED lightings, power supply management system, car and home audios, DJ mixer, air purifier, speakers and subwoofer," he says.

Smartphones and touchscreen tablets are the major drivers of the PCB industry, according to Research and Markets, the world's largest research store in Ireland. Another significant driver is the demand for products with features that are more advanced, offering greater convenience, the report says.

GUH is now working on securing new orders from existing and new customers in South Korea and Japan, says H'ng.

Besides boosting capacity, the exercise also realigns production flow to increase efficiency, improve quality and yield, and upgrade the skills of the workforce.

H'ng says increasing production of double-sided and multi-layered PCBs is necessary as there is demand from makers of consumer electronic products with advanced and user friendly features such as energy-saving refrigerators and washing machine.

According to Research and Markets, the PCB growth is projected to increase at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.1% from 2012-2017, reaching an estimated US$93.9bil in 2017.

On its non-core segments, GUH has secured RM40mil worth of water projects in the country.

"These projects involve upgrading and expanding municipal water treatment plants in various states," he says.

The projects will be undertaken by Teknoserv Engineering Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of the group, which is equipped with a class A licence that allows it to undertake any project regardless of its contract value in the country.

The group now seeks new water projects in the Asian region, according to H'ng.

"We are interested in securing water concession projects to supply treated water. The other projects we are keen to do in Asia is to treat waste water before it is discharged into rivers.

"The contribution from the water projects should boost our revenue for 2014. The water (business) should generate about 10% of the group's turnover this year compared to less than 5% last year," he adds.

The market value of municipal drinking water, municipal wastewater treatment, and industrial wastewater projects in the world today is about US$63bil, according to the Global Water Intelligence report.

"The driver of municipal water projects is in Asia Pacific. The increasing burden of environmental regulations, combined with the need to extract more value from the water cycle, is driving the market for municipal wastewater treatment," he says.

On its property segment, GUH plans to launch RM185mil worth of landed properties, comprising semi-detached, bungalows, and terraced houses in Taman Bukit Kepayang this year.

"We generated RM40mil in revenue from our sales in Taman Bukit Kepayang last year, compared to about RM30mil in 2012.

"The property development business is expected to contribute 15% to the group's revenue last year, compared to 12% in 2012," he says.

The present selling price of properties at Taman Bukit Kepayang ranges between RM400,000 and RM800,000, depending on types compared to about RM300,000 in 2008. This represents an increase of 25% to 30%.

The growth in amenities, government buildings and recreational facilities has contributed to a rise in property value in the area since 2008, he says.

On its undeveloped landbank in Taman Bukit Kepayang, H'ng says the group has 50ha left.

"We plan to develop more residential properties in the area for the next four to five years. We have developed over 300 acres and completed over 1,300 units of landed residential and commercial properties over the past 10 years," he says.

On its cash in hand, H'ng says the group has about RM175mil for business expansion.

"We will focus on spending to acquire land and to use the funds as working capital for large-scale water projects," he adds.

For the first nine months of last year, the group posted a pre-tax profit of RM22mil on the back of RM216mil turnover, compared to RM28mil and RM217mil in same period in 2012.

"In revenue and profit, we expect to close slightly below 2012, due to the soft PCB market. The PCB market is expected to contribute 70% of the group's turnover for 2013, compared with 80% in 2012," he says.

Palm oil falls on worries of overwhelming supply

Posted: 03 Jan 2014 03:29 PM PST

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 (Reuters) - Malaysian palm oil futures
ended lower in tight trade on Friday as investors feared that
surging supplies of the tropical oil will overwhelm global
demand and weigh on prices.
Indonesia, the top producer, said its 2013 palm oil output
likely grew to 24.4 million tonnes from 23.5 million tonnes a
year ago, due to "an expansion in plantation areas and better
weather conditions".
Output in 2014 is seen rising further, to 28 million tonnes,
its agriculture ministry said on Friday.
Malaysia, the No. 2 producer, expects its production to hit
a record 19.4 million tonnes in 2013 and inch up to 19.5 million
tonnes in 2014.
"The main reason palm oil dropped today is because of the
Indonesian output news," said a trader with a foreign
commodities brokerage.
The benchmark March contract on the Bursa Malaysia
Derivatives Exchange had edged down 0.3 percent to 2,640 ringgit
($802) per tonne by Friday's close. Prices traded in a range of
2,625 to 2,644 ringgit.
Total traded volume stood at 21,029 lots of 25 tonnes, below
the average 35,000 lots.
Crude palm oil could face increased competition from rival
oilseeds that are slated to churn out bumper crops this year.
Technical selling added to the drag on prices, traders said.
"The market has also been up for a number of days before the
New Year. So there's some technical correction, but prices are
still rangebound," the Kuala Lumpur-based trader added.
Better-than-expected exports in December and warnings of
floods over a palm-growing region in Borneo pushed up palm
prices by 0.3 percent this week -- their third straight weekly
rise -- although demand worries capped gains.
Technicals showed that a bearish target at 2,620 ringgit per
tonne remains unchanged for palm oil, as it has broken below a
support at 2,639 ringgit, Reuters market analyst Wang Tao said.

In other markets, Brent crude rose above $108 a barrel after
posting its biggest daily percentage drop in six months in the
prior session, but expectations for a rise in Libyan supply and
speculation of a build-up in U.S. stockpiles capped gains.

In other competing vegetable oil markets, the U.S. soyoil
contract for March rose 0.2 percent in late Asian trade.
The most active May soybean oil contract on the Dalian
Commodities Exchange fell 1.1 percent.
Palm, soy and crude oil prices at 1011 GMT

Contract Month Last Change Low High Volume
MY PALM OIL JAN4 2606 -13.00 2605 2608 78
MY PALM OIL FEB4 2630 -9.00 2616 2633 2060
MY PALM OIL MAR4 2640 -9.00 2625 2644 11162
CHINA PALM OLEIN MAY4 6068 -48.00 6036 6118 529516
CHINA SOYOIL MAY4 6822 -76.00 6812 6880 538488
CBOT SOY OIL MAR4 38.87 +0.07 38.79 39.10 4458
NYMEX CRUDE FEB4 95.31 -0.13 95.13 95.74 14294

Palm oil prices in Malaysian ringgit per tonne
CBOT soy oil in U.S. cents per pound
Dalian soy oil and RBD palm olein in Chinese yuan per tonne
Crude in U.S. dollars per barrel

($1=3.29 Malaysian ringgit)
- Reuters

Southeast Asia Stocks: Down, Thai shares reel

Posted: 03 Jan 2014 03:26 PM PST

BANGKOK: Most Southeast Asian stocks retreated on Friday, along with weakness in broader Asia, with Thai shares hitting a fresh 16-month closing low as domestic political protests escalated.
The Thai SET index ended down 0.5 percent at
1,224.62, recouping some of its earlier losses amid
short-covering in large-caps such as Advanced Info Service
and Kasikornbank.
It was down 5.7 percent on the week, the worst since August
2013 and Southeast Asia's worst performer.
Concerns over a possible delay in the Feb. 2 election and
active short-selling helped spur Thursday's sell-off when the
index plunged more than 5 percent.
Anti-government protesters have planned mass rallies to shut
down Bangkok on Jan. 13, calling for political reform before the
polls while the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against
Dictatorship would stage a mass rally to counter the planned
anti-government demonstrations.
Stocks in Singapore ended nine sessions of gains,
falling 1.4 percent on the day and 0.6 percent on the week,
while Malaysia lost 1 percent to a near two-week low,
with a weekly loss of 1.4 percent, its first in seven weeks.
Vietnam inched up 0.2 percent as real-estate stocks
gained after the central bank cut home loan rates, with a weekly
loss of 0.2 percent.
Indonesia slid 1.6 percent to a one-week closing low
while the Philippines was down 0.6 percent, both ending
the week around 1 percent higher.

SOUTHEAST ASIAN STOCK MARKETS
Change on day
Market Current Prev Close Pct Move
TR SE Asia Index* 379.67 383.33 -0.96
Singapore 3131.47 3174.65 -1.36
Kuala Lumpur 1834.74 1852.95 -0.98
Bangkok 1224.62 1230.77 -0.50
Jakarta 4257.66 4327.27 -1.61
Manila 5947.93 5984.26 -0.61
Ho Chi Minh 505.37 504.51 +0.17

Change on year
Market Current End 2013 Pct Move
TR SE Asia Index* 379.67 388.37 -2.24
Singapore 3131.47 3167.43 -1.14
Kuala Lumpur 1834.74 1866.96 -1.73
Bangkok 1224.62 1298.71 -5.70
Jakarta 4257.66 4274.18 -0.39
Manila 5947.93 5889.83 +0.99
Ho Chi Minh 505.37 504.63 +0.15

* The Thomson Reuters South East Asia Index is a
highly representative indicator of stocks listed in Indonesia,
Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Stock Market Volume (shares)
Market Current Volume Average Volume 30 days
Singapore 133,084,900 190,505,640
Kuala Lumpur 96,226,900 110,109,077

Bangkok 5,265,556 5,322,809
Jakarta 2,186,911,500 2,946,130,917
Manila 74,931 71,601

Ho Chi Minh 55,600 92,815- Reuters-

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Nation

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The Star Online: Nation

Malaysians smoked eight billion contraband cigarettes in 2012
Police looking for suspect who assaulted boy
More commuters opt for public transportation

Malaysians smoked eight billion contraband cigarettes in 2012

Posted: 02 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

PETALING JAYA: Malaysians smoked some 23 billion sticks of cigarettes in 2012, of which almost eight billion sticks are contraband.

That means that almost four out of every 10 packs of cigarettes sold in the country are smuggled, revealed the Illicit Cigarette Survey 2012 commissioned by the Confederation of Malaysian Tobacco Manufacturers (CMTM).

According to the survey, the proportion of illegal cigarette trade had increased from 20% in 2002 to 34.5% in 2012.

The Asia-11 Illicit Tobacco Indicator 2012 report estimated that the annual tax loss for the Government from the illicit consumption cost more than RM1.9bil in 2012.

An industry source said that with the current prices of duty-paid cigarettes, those smoking contraband now cut across all demographics and were not confined to the lower income groups or foreign workers.

A check by The Star last month found that contraband cigarettes were sold openly on the streets, with many vendors and peddlers offering the items for a fraction of the price of the duty-paid packets.

In Chow Kit, a merchant at the Jalan Raja Bot market said Gudang Garam and Luffman were his most popular brands priced at RM3.50 and RM3 for 12 sticks and 20 sticks respectively.

Canyon cigarettes sell at RM3 while John International is priced at RM3.50 for a packet of 20 sticks.

In comparison, a packet of duty-paid Dunhill (20 sticks) retails for RM12.

In Petaling Jaya, foreigners operating small sundry shops were selling more discreetly, hiding the illicit tobacco products under newspapers and behind the counter.

They only offer the contraband to regular customers.

A vendor, who declined to be named, said some of his customers bought 20 to 30 packs, and in return, would get a bulk discount of 50 sen per pack.

Buyers of illegal smokes face fine and jail

Police looking for suspect who assaulted boy

Posted: 02 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

JOHOR BARU: Police are trying to locate the teenage suspect who allegedly forced the tip of a broomstick up the anus of a fellow resident at a boys' rehabilitation centre here.

Johor Baru (North) OCPD Asst Comm Ruslan Hassan said police were still in the midst of investigation and urged the teenager to come forward.

He said the suspect was ordered to be housed at the centre for several weeks, but declined to reveal the reason or the duration of his stay.

The suspect had since returned home, but he cannot be located as he was not at the address provided to the authorities, he added.

The state Welfare Department director Khatijah Abdullah confirmed that the home was under her purview and said they would leave it to the police to investigate the incident.

On Wednesday, the mother of the 16-year-old boy claimed that a senior at the centre had assaulted her son by forcing the tip of a broomstick up his anus.

More commuters opt for public transportation

Posted: 02 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

PETALING JAYA: Commuters in the Klang Valley are gradually switching to public transportation, with the adoption rate rising from 19.6% in 2012 to 20.8% in 2013, said the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD).

The number of trips made during the morning peak period increased by 9% to 5.7 million trips in 2013 compared to 5.3 million trips in 2012.

The KTM Komuter ridership went up by 48% to 51,200, while the LRT saw 21,500 riders last year, 40% more than 2012.

The monorail saw a 40% increase in passengers with 192,200 passengers last year, while the Express Rail Link (ERL) experienced a 29% increase to 6,200 passengers.

In a statement, SPAD attributed the increase to several government initiatives implemented by SPAD and public transport operators.

The initiatives include 470 new RapidKL buses, 1,388 new or refurbished bus stops, nine bus expressway transit corridors, 35 additional four-car sets to the Kelana Jaya LRT line and 37 six-car sets added to the KTM Komuter lines.

SPAD said these measures had been implemented after continuous monitoring to improve service quality.

"For example, SPAD has instituted a regular monitoring system to measure and enhance service quality. This has resulted in improvements to KTM Komuter's on-time performance during the morning peak period. In November 2012, the on-time performance during the morning peak period for KTM Komuter was 79%. In November 2013, this increased to 96%," said the statement.

SPAD said the results were encouraging, and showed that the public would use public transport if the system was good, efficient and reliable.

It expects better response from the public once ongoing projects such as the MRT, the extension of the Kelana Jaya LRT Line and the expansion of the monorail are completed.

The introduction of the bus rapid transit (BRT) system is also expected to boost public transportation, it added.

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The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies

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The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies

Trailer: 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2'

Posted: 02 Jan 2014 05:15 PM PST

Introduction by a very excited Stan Lee.

SONY Pictures and Marvel have rung in the New Year with a new trailer for the blockbuster, including images from the much-anticipated fight scene between Spider-Man and Electro.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2, starring Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone and Jamie Foxx, arrives in US theatres on May 2.

Watch the special New Year's trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man 2 above or click here. – AFP Relaxnews

Justin Bieber documentary: Something to Believe in

Posted: 02 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

Director Jon Chu aims to look beyond stardom in a new documentary on Justin Bieber.

And Chu, who directed the singer's 2011 3D concert documentary, Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, was probably the only person who could have brought the new movie to screen.

As filming commenced, however, a new narrative came into focus.

Chu, 34, pitched Braun and the singer on a new idea: a warts-and-all rockumentary.

"As a human being, rage comes out," the singer explains in Believe. "You snap. I wanted to hit him."

Although the movie could have served to shoot down any number of tabloid rumours, Chu says Believe was never intended as a rejoinder to scandalmongering.

"I didn't want this to be a defence of things he did, because you can just go down the list," he said. "We addressed things having to do with him being a human being – the basis of his character."

Justin Bieber's Believe is playing in cinemas nationwide.

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The Star Online: Lifestyle: Health

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The Star Online: Lifestyle: Health

Eating slower may help trim your waistline

Posted: 03 Jan 2014 03:10 AM PST

A new US study finds that eating slower may help you cut calories and feel fuller longer.

ONE way to eat less is to simply slow down, a new US study suggests. Eating your meals more slowly may help you consume fewer calories while also feeling fuller longer afterwards.

Published online Jan 2 in the Journal Of The Academy Of Nutrition And Dietetics, the research looked at two groups of 30 people – one group of people were at a normal weight while the second group were overweight or obese.

In the study, both groups were given the same meal and told to eat it as if they had plenty of time, taking small bites and chewing well. On a separate occasion, they were given the same meal but told to eat it as if they were short on time, to take larger bites and swallow quickly. At both occasions, participants were told to eat as much of the given meal as they wanted.

The Texas Christian University researchers found that both groups ate less food and fewer calories when they slowed down, although the normal weight group ate fewer calories, around 88 fewer calories compared to 57 fewer calories for the overweight group. Both groups also reported feeling fuller for longer after eating slowly and were less tempted to snack an hour after eating.

While the study was small, WebMD reports that "there are some useful messages here for anyone struggling to keep to a healthy weight." They add: "It can be hard to find time to eat properly during a busy day, but snatching a sandwich and eating it quickly at your desk may not be the best way to keep your weight under control." – AFP Relaxnews

Study links marriage with weight gain

Posted: 02 Jan 2014 05:45 PM PST

Some put on almost 3kg a year.

SAYING "I do" could have an impact on your waistline, according to a survey conducted in Britain by Forza Supplements and reported by the Daily Mail.

Of the 1,000 people polled for the study, a majority admitted to growing heavier since tying the knot. For 40% of respondents, weight gain occurred at a rate of 1.8kg per year on average.

While 22% of those surveyed reported gaining 0.9kg annually since entering marriage, nearly as many respondents said they gained almost 3kg per year.

Somewhat reassuringly, almost a fifth of those surveyed (18%) indicated that they had not seen a change on the scales.

When asked to explain the reasons behind their sudden weight gain, over 50% of respondents who had become heavier since their wedding day confessed that they spent more time snacking together in front of the TV. A majority of respondents also indicated feeling less pressure to maintain a slim figure once they had settled into the commitment of marriage. – AFP Relaxnews

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The Star Online: Entertainment: Music

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The Star Online: Entertainment: Music

More spice in Melissa Indot's latest album

Posted: 01 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

Melissa Indot returns with long-awaited second album MDot, and continues with her pledge to add variety to her music.

SOME time in the mid 2000s, Melissa Indot returned to Malaysia after a frustrating stint with a major record company in Britain. She and a friend had secured a publishing deal as the pop duo Confucius Says.

"We did a lot of showcase performances for people like Simon Cowell, (CEO of Atlantic Records) Craig Kallman and Robbie William's manager at that time, Rob Stringer. I still remember, it was just around the time of the Spice Girls' breakout. It was really a good time for us," said Melissa in an interview in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

The enthusiasm was short-lived, though, as Melissa and her partner had the problem of being perceived as not fitting into any specific mould.

"I'm Malaysian and my partner was Eurasian. The marketing executives kept saying that we were a girl band which wrote and sang our own material. But they couldn't figure out how to package us. They didn't know where to place us."

For MDot, Melissa worked with producer Paul Morrison. She was adamant to not record another album that sounds just like her previous release, the AIM award-winning Eclecticism.

For MDot, Melissa Indot worked with producer Paul Morrison.

Melissa added all they needed at that time was just one party to take the chance and sign them up.

"We were told we were great and that they loved our poppy sound. We could even sing live without the need for a backing track. Frustrated, we then decided to just quit the music business at that time."

Later, a disillusioned Melissa moved back to Kuala Lumpur and a friend persuaded her to sign up for an open mic session for fun.

"There was this event at Bar Blonde and I think I performed some Sting, Blondie, classic top 40 stuff ... and then I won! Eventually, the owner of Bar Blonde invited me to perform there. From that one gig, I got more offers to perform at parties, weddings and corporate events."

Sharing the stage with Melissa at that time (in 2005) was her band The Misfits, which was present during this interview.

"Honestly, this is the first time I've seen my boys looking so smart during rehearsals. I think it's because I told them that I'll be doing an interview with the papers today," she laughs.

What started out as something she did for fun became the turning point for Melissa to start making music again. "I've just got the music bug," she confessed.

Melissa's approach to making her first album was simple: "I had no knowledge of the (local) industry at all. All I knew was that I just wanted to put an album out."

The fruits of her labour resulted in her debut Eclecticism winning the Best Local English Album at the 2008 Anugerah Industri Muzik. That album was an exciting blend of pop, disco, dance and even lounge music.

"When Eclecticism won an AIM award, it was a very pleasant surprise. Initially, I was just gonna put it out and make it work. The minute it won the AIM, people wanted a piece of it."

She still remembers what happened when they called her name to receive the award.

"I really didn't expect it. I nearly fell down the stairs on my way to receive it. It was an amazing experience."

When the time arrived for a follow-up, Melissa was adamant to not make an album that sounded just like its predecessor.

"It was very important for me not to write another version of Eclecticism. I really wanted an album that was reflective of the journey that I've been through."

For her second album, Melissa worked with Paul Morrison. The British producer has previously collaborated with the likes of Camelia, Poetic Ammo and Nora.

"We faced many obstacles during our time working together. I let him listen to the demos I'd made and he said 'Oh yeah, this is very good. But it's very Melissa Indot'. And I'm like 'What do you mean?' After all, I am Melissa Indot!

"Then he said it's just what people would expect from me. So we'd get into a lot of fights like that."

Eventually, she realised why it was important for Morrison to push her buttons.

"Paul pushed me to try out different things, to step outside my comfort zone. I'm very grateful for that. The results are really reflected on the new album. Some things are signature Melissa and there's also new elements to it." Melissa's latest offering MDot features 11 tracks, including latest single You & Me. It's been five years since her AIM win and the local music industry has changed a lot since then. The category for Best Local English Album has not been contested in the AIM since 2010.

"I've had people try to discourage me from releasing a full album. The reason being, apparently nobody releases an album any more. I was told to just release singles or a five-track EP and then release a whole album later."

Winning another AIM was the last thing on Melissa's mind when it came to releasing her new music.

"I'm very old school. To me, an album is about a story and it's like another chapter in a book. It's fresh, I made it for now and I want to put it out."

To her, success simply means people can relate to the songs on her album.

"I wrote about things that most people don't want to talk about, like betrayal and depression. I wanted to tell stories about situations that are uncomfortable. I hope listeners find comfort in these songs. That's success to me on a very personal level."

Melissa Indot's MDot is available on iTunes.

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The Star Online: Metro: South & East

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The Star Online: Metro: South & East

Burst giant yellow duck back on show in Taiwan
Steep price to pay for 'bullying' neighbour
Man gets 32 years' jail for rape and sexual abuse of stepdaughter

Burst giant yellow duck back on show in Taiwan

Posted: 02 Jan 2014 10:01 PM PST

TAIPEI (AFP) - A giant yellow inflatable duck which exploded on New Year's Eve returned to a Taiwan port on Friday after it was repaired and cleaned, organisers said.

Hundreds turned out in Keelung on the north of the island to welcome back the 18-metre-tall (59-feet) duck following two days of maintenance after it burst and deflated into a floating yellow disc Tuesday.

It was the second time that a replica of the bath toy had burst while on show in Taiwan. The duck exploded just hours before crowds gathered to count down the new year.

"The warmest welcome for the little yellow duck to come back to Keelung port. I am very excited and happy all over again," fan Mandy Liu wrote on a Facebook page created for the Keelung exhibition.

Another fan, Wu Hsien-che, wrote: "We should pray to the gods and ghosts to ensure the exhibition can go on smoothly."

The duck burst because of rising pressure caused by rapid temperature changes.

Devices have since been put inside the duck for 24-hour monitoring of temperature and pressure, organiser Huang Jing-tai told reporters.

Since 2007 the original duck designed by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman - which is 16.5 metres tall - has travelled to 13 cities in nine countries, including Brazil, Australia and Hong Kong, on its journey around the world.

Three Taiwanese cities exhibited their versions of the yellow duck in 2013. But all were forced to temporarily suspend the exhibit due to bad weather or damage.

In November, a duck in the northern county of Taoyuan deflated during a 6.3-magnitude earthquake when an air pump stopped working.

Powerful winds caused the duck's rear end to burst while it was being re-inflated.

Steep price to pay for 'bullying' neighbour

Posted: 02 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

A "BULLYING" couple ended up forking out more than S$22,000 (RM57,034) out of their pockets in a legal battle with a neighbour after they asked him to transform their property into an English country-style home like his.

Air Force Lieutenant-Colonel Ng Boo Han, in his 40s, and his wife, Audrey-Ann Koo Oi Lian, in her 50s, knocked on the door of retiree Edward Teo Boon Hiang around Christmas 2010 to ask about his house-builder.

They were so impressed with his self-renovated property that they said they wanted to rebuild their single-storey corner terraced home into a similar double-storey house.

The couple said they had a budget of S$350,000 (RM908,072) from which Teo could draw a wage of S$17,500 (RM45,368).

The neighbours signed a two-page agreement in which the couple gave the 61-year-old a free hand to reconstruct their house.

But a year later, their relationship turned sour when a dispute arose over renovation works.

Teo sued them for S$89,000 (RM230,799), which he said they owed him for his work and extra tasks they had demanded he carry out.

The couple counter-claimed almost S$200,000 (RM518,492) for rectification work, accusing Teo of failing to complete the project.

However, in decision grounds released last month, District Judge Loo Ngan Chor called the couple "unsatisfactory witnesses".

Loo allowed the couple S$25,000 (RM64,831) for defects after Teo replaced the non-conforming zinc roof with clay tiles.

But, he awarded Teo S$35,000 (RM90,807) and S$12,000 (RM31,133) for legal costs plus expenses incurred in the suit on top of this.

The couple appealed against the decision.

After six days of hearing, the judge was not convinced by the couple's claim.

Loo said: "I was convinced that the defendants were in fact flim-flamming the plaintiff and were squeezing him for more." — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Man gets 32 years' jail for rape and sexual abuse of stepdaughter

Posted: 02 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

A REAL estate agent who began sexually exploiting his stepdaughter when she was 11 years old and raped her when she was 14, was jailed for 32 years.

The 37-year-old was also ordered to be given 24 strokes of the cane, the maximum allowed under the law.

Judicial Commissioner Tan Siong Thye said 32 years was an appropriate deterrent punishment but not a crushing sentence in context of his "despicable and callous crimes".

The man began groping the girl about six months after he married her mother in 2008. He then progressed to other forms of sexual abuse and raped her in 2011.

Last month, the man pleaded guilty to seven charges. Another 11 charges were taken into consideration.

Meanwhile, the High Court has ruled against Nitcharee Peneakchanasak, who fell onto the tracks of Ang Mo Kio MRT station in 2011 and lost her legs.

The Thai teenager, now 16, had sued transport operator SMRT and the Land Transport Authority for S$3.4mil (RM8.8mil), contending that the defendants had breached their duty of care by failing to ensure that the station was reasonably safe for passengers.

But Justice Vinodh Coomaraswamy dismissed her claim. He found that the station was "reasonably safe" at the time she was injured and so, the defendants are not liable in negligence for those injuries. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

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The Star eCentral: TV Tracks

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The Star eCentral: TV Tracks

'Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' actor James Avery dies at 65

Posted: 01 Jan 2014 11:09 PM PST

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - James Avery, a classically trained actor best known for his role as the wealthy uncle of the young rapper Will Smith in the 1990s television comedy "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," has died at age 65.

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Sherlock is back from the dead

Posted: 03 Jan 2014 04:57 AM PST

Benedict Cumberbatch returns to the small screen as the famous detective.

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Jumaat, 3 Januari 2014