Sabtu, 11 Januari 2014

The Star Online: World Updates

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The Star Online: World Updates


Permit to hunt endangered rhino sells for $350,000 despite protests

Posted: 11 Jan 2014 09:05 PM PST

(Reuters) - A permit to hunt a black rhino in Namibia sold for $350,000 (£212,314) at an auction in Dallas on Saturday with proceeds going to protect the endangered animals despite protests from animal rights groups that saw the sale as immoral conservation.

The license allows for the killing of a single, post-breeding bull, with Namibian wildlife officials on hand for the hunt to make sure an appropriate animal is selected.

The Dallas Safari Club had been expecting the permit to bring $250,000 to $1 million at an auction held during its annual convention. The hunt will help in managing the population and provide an underfunded Namibian government hard cash in the expensive battle to thwart poachers, it said.

"Biologists in Namibia were hopeful that a U.S.-based auction would produce a record amount for rhino conservation, and that's exactly what happened," said club Executive Director Ben Carter.

"These bulls no longer contribute to the growth of the population and are in a lot of ways detrimental to the growth of the population because black rhinos are very aggressive and territorial. In many cases, they will kill younger, non-breeding bulls and have been known to kill calves and cows," Carter said this week

More than 75,000 people signed an online petition at www.causes.com to stop the sale, saying black rhinos cannot be protected if they are allowed to be killed.

There are about 25,000 rhinos in Africa - 20,000 white rhinos and 5,000 black rhinos - with the majority in South Africa. Namibia is one of the leading habitats after that.

Both countries allow for a few, carefully regulated hunts under internationally approved guidelines each year with proceeds going to fund conservation.

Rhino protection has grown more expensive in the last few years due to a surge in poaching fuelled by international crime syndicates to feed demand in places such as Vietnam, where horn is used as a traditional medicine and sold at prices higher than gold.

Wayne Pacelle, chief executive officer and president of the Humane Society of the United States, said the group has a general objection to trophy hunting and sees as morally questionable raising money for conservation by selling permits to kill endangered species.

"If we are going to put a price tag on the most endangered animals in the world, we are going to go down a very dangerous path," Pacelle said.

Tom Milliken, leader of the elephant and rhino program for the international wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC, said Namibia had 1,750 black rhino as of the end of 2012 and the population has been steadily increasing under good management and protection.

"TRAFFIC believes Namibia has demonstrated a sound conservation policy for its rhinos over the years and does not oppose Namibia's legitimate execution of its hunting quota," Milliken said in an email.

Nearly 950 rhino were killed by poachers in South Africa in 2013, its environment ministry said.

In Namibia, little poaching has occurred over the past decade, with only 10 animals killed since 2006 - half of which were last year, TRAFFIC said.

Up until about 2010, only a handful rhinos were poached in Africa but the number shot up when rumours circulated about the same time in Vietnam that a minister's relative was cured of cancer by rhino horn. There is no basis in science to support the claim.

South Korea to contribute $867 million for U.S. military forces in 2014

Posted: 11 Jan 2014 08:25 PM PST

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea said on Sunday it had agreed to pay 920 billion won ($866.86 million, £525.8 million) in 2014 towards the cost of the U.S. military presence in the country, a rise of 5.8 percent from a year ago.

U.S. and South Korean officials have struck a five-year cost sharing plan for 28,500 U.S. troops in the country after a series of negotiations since early last year.

The deal, subject to South Korean parliament's approval, comes after Washington's decision to send more soldiers and tanks to South Korea next month as part of a military rebalance to Asia after more than a decade of war in Afghanistan and Iraq.

"The U.S. side had demanded a large-scale hike, considering U.S. Forces Korea's strengthened readiness due to serious security situation in the Korean peninsula and its budget situation, but the government put the utmost efforts and drew agreement to an extent to minimize our burden," South Korea's foreign ministry said in a statement.

Still technically at war with North Korea, Seoul has shouldered part of Washington's cost for stationing its troops since 1991, currently paying for about 40 percent of the cost.

($1 = 1061.3000 Korean won)

(Reporting by Ju-min Park; Editing by Michael Perry)

Two more Greek far-right party MPs jailed before trial

Posted: 11 Jan 2014 04:20 PM PST

ATHENS (Reuters) - Two lawmakers from Greece's far-right Golden Dawn party were remanded to custody on Saturday pending trial on charges of belonging to a criminal group, on what prosecutors say is evidence linking the party to a series of attacks, including the killing of an anti-racism rapper in 2013.

Lawmakers Yorgos Germenis and Panagiotis Iliopoulos are the latest senior party officials to be jailed pending trial as part of a government crackdown on the party, which it has branded a "neo-Nazi criminal gang."

Both men denied charges against them in a marathon plea session before investigating magistrates that ended late on Saturday after more than 12 hours. A trial date has not been set. All Golden Dawn lawmakers deny involvement in the killing.

"Golden Dawn is a legitimate political party taking on a sincere political struggle," Iliopoulos told reporters earlier on Saturday, flanked by dozens of flag-waving supporters, some chanting the party's "Blood! Honour! Golden Dawn! slogan.

"We will not buckle. Golden Dawn will be victorious - Greece will be victorious," he said.

Party leader Nikos Mihaloliakos and dozens more senior party officials were arrested last September following the stabbing of rapper Pavlos Fissas and were charged on what prosecutors say is evidence linking the party to a series of attacks.

Another MP, Stathis Boukouras, was due to respond to the charges on Sunday. "All these lies will be forfeited - the truth will shine," Boukouras said outside the court

The public arrests of the party's top brass riveted the country, which has not witnessed a mass round-up of elected politicians since a military coup nearly five decades ago.

Golden Dawn rose from being a fringe party to win 18 seats in parliament in elections in 2012.

It has drawn on anger over the debt crisis, budget cuts, high unemployment and corruption to become the Greece's third most popular party in surveys, but it lost about a third of its support after the killing.

As part of government efforts to clamp down on the party, parliament last year voted to cut off state funding for the group.

Golden Dawn, whose emblem resembles a swastika and whose members have been seen giving Nazi-style salutes, rejects the neo-Nazi label.

(Reporting by Karolina Tagaris and Gina Kalovyrna)

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Business

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KL stocks expected to rebound next week

Posted: 10 Jan 2014 09:29 PM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: Stock prices on Bursa Malaysia are likely to stage an oversold bounce next week, correcting an oversold situation and track a slow U-turn of Asian regional indices, an analyst said.

After declining to a five-week low, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI)
is expected to climb to the 1,850 points level, said Affin Investment Bank Vice-President/Head of Retail Research Dr Nazri Khan.

Regional markets are recovering slowly following the dovish stance by the Bank of England and European Central Bank to maintain easy interest rates for an extended period of time, he told Bernama. 

Despite the holiday-shortened week, Nazri said the FBM KLCI may rebound with lower liners, specifically in the oil and gas sector, attracting an inflow of bigger funds.

The stock exchange will close for two local holidays next week; the Prophet Muhammad's birthday on Jan 14 and the Thaipusam religious festival on Jan 17. 

The immediate support for the index remains at the 1,820 and 1,800 points level while the immediate resistance level stood at 1,880, 1,860 and 1,850 points.

"We see last week's correction as a bullish 'return moves' after FBM KLCI made a strong breakout," he said.

Therefore, traders should take advantage of the current oversold situation to swing new positions, Nazri said.

Developments that will catalyst the market will include the government's decision to invoke Section 114 of the Water Services Industry Act 2006, forcing Selangor's water assets to be taken over by Kumpulan Darul Ehsan Bhd and Scomi Energy which bagged two major contracts from Petronas Carigali Myanmar and Petronas Carigali Hong Kong.

As for strategy, oil and gas-related counters such as UMW Oil Gas, Dayang, Uzma, Yinson, Coastal and Perdana Petroleum, looked the most promising with more upswing in the offing, Nazri said.

On a Friday-to-Friday basis, the FBM KLCI declined 3.44 points to 1,831.3, the Finance Index declined 83.08 points to 16,721.02, the Industrial Index slipped 27.51 points to 3,104.48 and the Plantation Index lost 112.38 points to 8,714.63.

The FBM Emas Index shed 0.45 of a point to 12,678.3, the FBMT100 Index dropped 15.4 points to 12,387.32 but the FBM 70 went up 13.87 points to 14,107.61 and the FBM Ace rose 286.16 points to 5,962.68.

Weekly total turnover surged to 9.14 billion shares, worth RM9.66 billion from, 5.34 billion shares, valued at RM5.91 billion, recorded last week.

Main market volume increased to 6.67 billion shares, valued at RM9.06 billion, from 4.15 billion shares, worth RM5.67 billion, registered previously.

Warrant turnover rose to 215.56 million units, worth RM26.30 million, from 154.81 million units valued at RM17.29 million.

The ACE market volume rose to 2.21 million shares, valued at RM520.58 million, from 1.03 billion shares, worth RM217.98 million, transacted last week. - Bernama

Gold futures price expected to dip below RM128 a gramme next week

Posted: 10 Jan 2014 09:25 PM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: Trading in gold futures contract on Bursa Malaysia Derivatives is expected to be easier in the coming holiday-shortened week with the precious metal trading below RM128.00 a gramme.

The local market will be closed on Tuesday and Friday for local holidays.

Phillip Futures Sdn Bhd Dealer Thomas Yew Jia-Jong said the market would follow the metal's performance on the New York Commodity Exchange.

He said trading would remain cautious as sentiment would be weighed by the outcome of the US jobs data released on Friday.

"The data is expected to be favourable and this will shift investors' focus to equity markets and the US dollar," he told Bernama.

On a Friday-to-Friday basis, January 2014 decreased six sen or 12 ticks to RM129.95 a gramme while February 2014, March 2014 and April 2014 also eased six sen or 12 ticks each to RM130.30 a gramme, respectively.

Total volume rose to 1,910 lots, valued at RM24.82 million, from 1,779 lots, valued at RM22.76 million, recorded last week. 

On Friday, open interest expanded to 1,425 contracts versus 1,084 contracts registered last Friday. - Bernama

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The Star Online: Nation

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Woman ordered to enter defence on amok charges

Posted: 10 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

PUTRAJAYA: Muhdalena Ahmad, the woman who allegedly ran amok with a sword-wielding man outside the Prime Minister's Department, has been ordered to enter her defence over the incident.

Sessions Court judge Mohamed Kamil Nizam ruled yesterday that the prosecution had established a prima facie case in the four charges against Muhdalena.

Muhdalena, 28, is accused of committing criminal intimidation by threatening to cause grievous hurt to a policeman, possession of a sword, and two additional charges under the Protected Areas and Protected Places Act 1959.

"Korporal Ridzuan (Megat Ahmad)'s testimony helped form my decision that she threatened to harm the officers," said Mohamed Kamil. Kpl Ridzuan, a first responder at the scene, testified that Muhda­lena's partner Khalil Afendi Abd Hamid had shouted: "Polis jangan masuk campur, kalau tak, mati (Police, don't get involved, or else, you're dead)."

The duo then charged at him, forcing Kpl Ridzuan to open fire. "Though he (Kpl Ridzuan) was armed, and considering that the accused did not stop despite being issued three warnings and instea­d charged at him, I understand how this could make (Kpl) Ridzuan fear for his life," said Mohamed Kamil.

The court also found that three police officers at the scene and CCTV footage had proved that Muhdal­e­na had wielded a samurai sword during the incident.

Mohamed Kamil ruled that the two additional charges were proven by the fact Muhdalena had entered the PM's Department, a restricted area, without getting permission to do so. The court fixed Feb 13, 24 and 25 for Muhdalena to enter her defence.

Counsel M. Visvanathan told the court that in addition to Muhdalena, two psychiatrists would be testifying for the defence. Khalil Afendi died from his injuries.

Judge dismisses Shafee’s appeal

Posted: 10 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: Lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah (pic) has lost his appeal to reverse a decision by the Advocates and Solicitors Disciplinary Board which fined him for misconduct in his professional capacity.

High Court (Appellate and Special Powers) judge Justice Zaleha Yusof held that the court should not interfere with the decision of the Bar Council.

"I agree with the respondent (Bar Council) that the article did contain laudatory remarks and statements about the appellant (Muhammad Shafee) and his firm which was beyond the scope or approved information allowed by the Legal Profession (Publicity) Rules 2001.

"I think what matters here is what was the opinion of the Bar Council as provided or by Rule 15 (1)(b)," she said in her ruling.

Under Rule 15 (1) (b) of the Rules 2001, any lawyer who has consented to be interviewed by the media should not be seen by the council as attempting to publicise his practice or his firm in a manner inconsistent with these Rules.

Justice Zaleha said she read the article on Muhammad Shafee and found that the words "top lawyer" and "high-profile lawyer" were that of the reporter and not of him (Muhammad Shafee).

"I dismiss this appeal with no order as to costs," she said.

Justice Zaleha ordered his co-counsel Sarah Abisegham to make a formal application when she applied for a stay pending appeal.

The board had on Oct 5, 2012 fined Muhammad Shafee RM5,000 following a complaint by then-Bar Council president Ragunath Kesavan on Sept 23, 2010 that he had breached Section 94(3) (k) of the Legal Profession Act.

The complaint was based on an interview given by Muhammad Shafee in two articles that appeared in The Star on Sept 27, 2009.

The board had affirmed the findings of the Disciplinary Committee that Muhammad Shafee had publicised himself and his firm of solicitors in a manner that infringed the Legal Profession Publicity Rules 2001, Legal Profession Practice and Etiquette Rules 1978 and Rules & Rulings of the Bar Council 2007.

He had on Nov 1, 2012 paid the fine to the Discipline Fund witho­ut prejudice to his rights to appeal and without admitting liability.

He filed the application on Nov 16, 2012 to set aside the board's decision and to be refunded on grounds that it had erred in law and fact.

200 Nepali workers protest over death of three countrymen

Posted: 11 Jan 2014 03:30 PM PST

ALOR SETAR: A group of 200 Nepali workers gathered in front of a timber mill in Jabi near here to protest against the death of their three co-workers.

They staged the protest in front of the mill at 8pm on Saturday until they were dispersed by the police two hours later.

It is learnt that they were concerned after three of their countrymen died due to suffocation at the mill's hostel last month.

Kota Setar Traffic and Public Order chief Deputy Supt Mat Akhir Jaafar said police have arrested three men to facilitate investigations.

He added that the death of the three workers at the hostel was classified as sudden death.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies

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YSL brought to life on screen

Posted: 08 Jan 2014 07:00 PM PST

Fashion legend Yves Saint Laurent is brought to life in a biopic released this week.

Feted as a visionary but tormented genius who reshaped the silhouette of 20th century women, Yves Saint Laurent comes back to life this week in the first biopic of the man known as the "prince of fashion".

The film by French actor-turned-director Jalil Lespert focuses on 20 years of the designer's life between 1956 and 1976 that saw him burst onto the fashion scene – first at Dior then at the head of his own house – and ascend to fame and fortune.

It is also a love story – that of Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Berge, whose up-and-down relationship reveals the "dark, sombre face" of a man who at times plunged into depression, drugs and alcohol, and was unfaithful.

Saint Laurent, who died in 2008 aged 71, dominated the international couture scene from the swinging 1960s, revolutionising women's wardrobes with a new androgynous style that mirrored women's push for a stronger social role.

He is also widely credited as the first to employ black models, and British supermodel Naomi Campbell in 2008 paid tribute to a man she said promoted women of colour on the runway.

Lespert, 37, told AFP he wanted to "tell a love story and at the same time a story about people who fight for their dreams".

He pointed to "the historic and national importance" of the designer "through his creations, men's clothes – trousers, tuxedos, reefer jackets – which he democratised for women at a time when French society was changing".

For Lespert, the designer embodied "absolute timidity, extreme elegance."

Saint Laurent is played by 24-year-old actor Pierre Niney, a rising star who joined the prestigious Comedie Francaise theatre when he was just 21. Tall, slim, and wearing Saint Laurent's trademark black-rimmed glasses, Niney morphs into the 1.85m designer in the film.

In order to play the fashion legend, he first read up about Saint Laurent to get his head round a person he knew very little about. Four-and-a-half months later, he was taught fashion design and drawing. Niney also underwent coaching to imitate Saint Laurent's soft, halting voice.

"I worked with a woman who drew for Saint Laurent for 15 years. I also learnt to recognise the ... coded vocabulary of workshops," he said.

Berge is played by Guillaume Gallienne, a French actor who is also part of the Comedie Francaise.

Lespert said he wanted two actors who had received classical theatre training to better encapsulate the language used at the time, and Saint Laurent's specific way of speaking. Berge okayed the film, unlike another biopic on Saint Laurent due to come out in May.

Saint Laurent was born in 1936 in Algeria, when the North African country was still French territory. A shy lonely child born to a well-off family, he was taunted over his homosexuality and became fascinated by clothes.

He arrived in Paris in 1953, aged 17, with a portfolio of sketches and the following year won three of the four categories in a Paris design competition – the fourth went to his rival Karl Lagerfeld, now at Chanel.

Saint Laurent started out at Christian Dior and then struck out on his own, with Berge taking care of the business side. He went from strength to strength, mixing along the way with famous people, and his name and the YSL logo became synonymous with all the latest trends.

But in his later years, the depression that haunted him all his life became more oppressive, and at his farewell bash in 2002 Saint Laurent admitted to having recourse to "those false friends which are tranquilisers and narcotics". — AFP Relaxnews

Still of 'Yves Saint Laurent' starring Pierre Niney

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Metro: Central

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Singapore cops solve rare kidnap case within hours

Posted: 10 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

SINGAPORE: Two men who allegedly abducted the 79-year-old mother of a supermarket tycoon for ransom have been arrested and charged.

Lee Sze Yong, 41, is accused of abducting Ng Lye Poh on Wednesday between 10.30am and 1.02pm along Hougang Avenue 2, with intent to hold her for ransom. His accomplice, Heng Chen Boon, 50, is said to have helped him confine the victim in a vehicle between 8.30pm and midnight.

The court granted the prosecution's request for the two Singaporeans to be remanded in police custody for further investigations. The case against them will be heard again on Jan 17.

The men face the death penalty or life in jail if convicted for the offence. Lee, who is the younger of the two, may also be caned.

Ng was released unhurt shortly after her son, Lim Hock Chee – who founded the Sheng Siong supermarket chain in 1985 – paid a S$2mil (RM5.2mil) ransom just before midnight on Wednesday.

She was kidnapped earlier that day after a trip to a nearby market and taken by car, while blindfolded and bound, to an unknown place.

The suspects were arrested by the police at about 1am, an hour or so after Lim had dropped off the ransom under a tree in Sembawang Park.

The S$2mil ransom – which was negotiated down from $20mil (RM52mil) – was recovered at the park after the arrest.

The older suspect was said to be a credit card promoter and the younger man, an odd-job worker.

There have only been three other cases of kidnapping for ransom reported in Singapore over the last 13 years, all of which were solved by the police.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong commended the police for the swift arrest.

"Great job by the Singapore Police Force," said Lee in a Facebook post. "Glad Madam Ng is safe and sound. Also glad that her son ... alerted the police as soon as it happened, so that the police could rescue Madam Ng and solve the case."

Meanwhile, Ng is resting at home and will not be attending a scheduled doctor's appointment.

Her son told reporters camped outside his Jalan Arif home earlier that Ng is still resting – a day after she was released by the two kidnappers – and will miss her medical review at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.

Lim said he would not be letting his mother venture beyond the house after she was abducted on Wednesday morning while she was on her way home from a nearby market.

The half a dozen reporters and photographers were waiting to catch a glimpse of Ng or interview her since news of her kidnapping broke on Thursday.

On a related matter, withdrawing large amounts of cash from a bank in Singapore is not at all difficult, say people in the banking industry.

However, they noted that it is rare for a customer to withdraw millions of dollars at short notice. Clients usually notify the bank a few days or even weeks in advance to get the cash ready.

This question of how easy it is to withdraw a large amount of cash from the bank arose after Lim paid the S$2mil ransom.

The Straits Times understands that a request to take out S$2mil can be done in a few hours, as long as the customer has the funds in his bank account.

He or she would have to produce his identification card to the teller for verification purposes.

Upon confirmation that he is the rightful account holder and that there is sufficient bank balance, the teller will check internally if there is enough cash at hand to dispense the money.

If the bank branch does not have sufficient cash at hand or bills in the denomination specified by the customer, the teller will advise the customer of two options.

He may go to another branch that has the cash amount or quantity of notes asked for. Or he can wait in the banking hall while the bank arranges for the cash to be delivered from elsewhere.

Bankers say it is unusual for a customer to walk into a bank to withdraw a large amount in cash. Customers who have large amount of money deposited with a bank are usually high net-worth clients.

They will be assigned relationship managers or private bankers to service their needs, including processing requests for big cash withdrawals and having the money ready for delivery when the clients turn up at the bank. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Two kidnap suspects are lovers

Posted: 10 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

THE two men allegedly behind Wednesday's kidnapping for ransom are lovers who have been living together for more than 10 years.

This was revealed by a woman who identified herself as the mother of 41-year-old Lee Sze Yong, the younger of the two suspects who were charged in court yesterday with the abduction of Ng Lye Poh, 79.

Lee's mother, who wanted to be known only as Madam Seow, said her son and 50-year-old Heng Chen Boon – the other suspect – share the Hougang flat with her.

She told reporters, who were outside her flat, that Lee was her only son.

"My son is in trouble, of course I'm very sad," she said.

According to business records, Lee and Heng started a cleaning company called Plus Concept in 1999. But the company was terminated in 2001.

A neighbour, who wanted to be known only as Chu, said she recalled seeing the two men move cleaning equipment such as brooms and mops into a white car some years ago.

Meanwhile, Lim Hock Chee, chief executive of supermarket chain Sheng Siong, and his family come from humble beginnings.

The former farm boy and Jurong Vocation Institute graduate-turned-supermarket tycoon once recalled about his childhood: "Every day after school, I had to clean the pigsties and prepare the pigs' feed."

He was thrown into the media spotlight again after his mother's abduction.

The first Sheng Siong outlet was founded by Mr Lim and his two brothers as a mini-supermarket in Ang Mo Kio back in 1985. Today, the chain has 33 supermarkets.

Lim's brothers, Hock Eng and Hock Leng, continue to serve on Sheng Siong's board, as executive chairman and managing director respectively. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Metro: South & East

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Singapore cops solve rare kidnap case within hours

Posted: 10 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

SINGAPORE: Two men who allegedly abducted the 79-year-old mother of a supermarket tycoon for ransom have been arrested and charged.

Lee Sze Yong, 41, is accused of abducting Ng Lye Poh on Wednesday between 10.30am and 1.02pm along Hougang Avenue 2, with intent to hold her for ransom. His accomplice, Heng Chen Boon, 50, is said to have helped him confine the victim in a vehicle between 8.30pm and midnight.

The court granted the prosecution's request for the two Singaporeans to be remanded in police custody for further investigations. The case against them will be heard again on Jan 17.

The men face the death penalty or life in jail if convicted for the offence. Lee, who is the younger of the two, may also be caned.

Ng was released unhurt shortly after her son, Lim Hock Chee – who founded the Sheng Siong supermarket chain in 1985 – paid a S$2mil (RM5.2mil) ransom just before midnight on Wednesday.

She was kidnapped earlier that day after a trip to a nearby market and taken by car, while blindfolded and bound, to an unknown place.

The suspects were arrested by the police at about 1am, an hour or so after Lim had dropped off the ransom under a tree in Sembawang Park.

The S$2mil ransom – which was negotiated down from $20mil (RM52mil) – was recovered at the park after the arrest.

The older suspect was said to be a credit card promoter and the younger man, an odd-job worker.

There have only been three other cases of kidnapping for ransom reported in Singapore over the last 13 years, all of which were solved by the police.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong commended the police for the swift arrest.

"Great job by the Singapore Police Force," said Lee in a Facebook post. "Glad Madam Ng is safe and sound. Also glad that her son ... alerted the police as soon as it happened, so that the police could rescue Madam Ng and solve the case."

Meanwhile, Ng is resting at home and will not be attending a scheduled doctor's appointment.

Her son told reporters camped outside his Jalan Arif home earlier that Ng is still resting – a day after she was released by the two kidnappers – and will miss her medical review at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.

Lim said he would not be letting his mother venture beyond the house after she was abducted on Wednesday morning while she was on her way home from a nearby market.

The half a dozen reporters and photographers were waiting to catch a glimpse of Ng or interview her since news of her kidnapping broke on Thursday.

On a related matter, withdrawing large amounts of cash from a bank in Singapore is not at all difficult, say people in the banking industry.

However, they noted that it is rare for a customer to withdraw millions of dollars at short notice. Clients usually notify the bank a few days or even weeks in advance to get the cash ready.

This question of how easy it is to withdraw a large amount of cash from the bank arose after Lim paid the S$2mil ransom.

The Straits Times understands that a request to take out S$2mil can be done in a few hours, as long as the customer has the funds in his bank account.

He or she would have to produce his identification card to the teller for verification purposes.

Upon confirmation that he is the rightful account holder and that there is sufficient bank balance, the teller will check internally if there is enough cash at hand to dispense the money.

If the bank branch does not have sufficient cash at hand or bills in the denomination specified by the customer, the teller will advise the customer of two options.

He may go to another branch that has the cash amount or quantity of notes asked for. Or he can wait in the banking hall while the bank arranges for the cash to be delivered from elsewhere.

Bankers say it is unusual for a customer to walk into a bank to withdraw a large amount in cash. Customers who have large amount of money deposited with a bank are usually high net-worth clients.

They will be assigned relationship managers or private bankers to service their needs, including processing requests for big cash withdrawals and having the money ready for delivery when the clients turn up at the bank. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Two kidnap suspects are lovers

Posted: 10 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

THE two men allegedly behind Wednesday's kidnapping for ransom are lovers who have been living together for more than 10 years.

This was revealed by a woman who identified herself as the mother of 41-year-old Lee Sze Yong, the younger of the two suspects who were charged in court yesterday with the abduction of Ng Lye Poh, 79.

Lee's mother, who wanted to be known only as Madam Seow, said her son and 50-year-old Heng Chen Boon – the other suspect – share the Hougang flat with her.

She told reporters, who were outside her flat, that Lee was her only son.

"My son is in trouble, of course I'm very sad," she said.

According to business records, Lee and Heng started a cleaning company called Plus Concept in 1999. But the company was terminated in 2001.

A neighbour, who wanted to be known only as Chu, said she recalled seeing the two men move cleaning equipment such as brooms and mops into a white car some years ago.

Meanwhile, Lim Hock Chee, chief executive of supermarket chain Sheng Siong, and his family come from humble beginnings.

The former farm boy and Jurong Vocation Institute graduate-turned-supermarket tycoon once recalled about his childhood: "Every day after school, I had to clean the pigsties and prepare the pigs' feed."

He was thrown into the media spotlight again after his mother's abduction.

The first Sheng Siong outlet was founded by Mr Lim and his two brothers as a mini-supermarket in Ang Mo Kio back in 1985. Today, the chain has 33 supermarkets.

Lim's brothers, Hock Eng and Hock Leng, continue to serve on Sheng Siong's board, as executive chairman and managing director respectively. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Singapore monitoring new forms of illicit financing

Posted: 10 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

SINGAPORE: Asian financial hub Singapore is scrutinising trade in virtual currencies such as Bitcoin as well as precious stones and metals to forestall new forms of illicit financing by criminals and terrorists.

In an inaugural report on money laundering and terrorist financing risks, the city-state said these sectors were identified for further study "as technology evolves and criminals become more sophisticated".

"Authorities will seek to better understand how money laundering and terrorist financing can be carried out through these channels," said the joint report by the finance and home affairs ministries as well as the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS).

It said the government would "review international best practices, to determine whether any safeguards and mitigating measures are needed".

The report said virtual money and precious metal-backed currencies carry the risk of being abused due to their anonymity, cross-border nature and low transaction costs.

The MAS, which serves as the city-state's central bank "is closely monitoring developments in this area and will consider the need for regulation if necessary", the report said.

Bitcoin, the world's most popular form of electronic money, made headlines last year when US authorities closed the Silk Road website when it was found the currency was being used to buy illegal drugs, forged documents, hacker tools and even the services of hitmen.

The report also said Singapore was monitoring the trade in precious stones and metals.

"There are international typologies on the use of precious stones and metals as a tool to launder money, particularly as a store-of-value to move illicit proceeds easily," it added.

The bank said of 22 sectors that were assessed, the city's vast financial sector remained among the most vulnerable to abuse owing to the large number of transactions that take place and its wide international reach.

Singapore houses the regional offices of some of the world's top financial institutions and its total assets under management are now around S$1.4 trillion (RM3.6 trillion), according to the MAS.

The report said "relevant controls are in place" for financial institutions, including supervision by MAS, record keeping, transaction monitoring and rigorous customer due diligence measures.

It identified remittance agents, money-changers, Internet-based stored value facility holders, pawnbrokers as well as corporate service providers as sectors where "controls are relatively less robust".

"Relevant government agencies will be strengthening the legislative and supervisory framework through the year to address the risks in these sectors more effectively," it said.

"The possibility that terrorist elements may seek to direct funds from abroad to support terrorism activities in Singapore or use Singapore as a conduit for foreign (terrorist financing) cannot be discounted," the report said.

Singapore in 2001 said it crippled a cell of the South-East Asia-based militant network Jemaah Islamiyah with the arrest of suspects linked to an alleged plot to bomb local and foreign targets including Changi Airport.

Officials say the island republic is a prime target for extremist groups because of its close ties with the United States and major role in global finance and business. — AFP

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The Star Online: Entertainment: Music

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Leehom's wedded bliss

Posted: 09 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

After an eventful year and announcing his lightning marriage, Wang Leehom now wants to focus on music.

IT was a "changed" Wang Leehom who appeared in front of fans in Singapore on New Year's Eve – the first time since he announced his lightning marriage last November.

The Taiwanese-American singer was visibly in high spirits when he ushered in the new year with the 18,000-strong crowd at MediaCorp's Celebrate TV50 New Year countdown show at The Float at Marina Bay.

Speaking backstage to the media before his performance, Wang, 37, admitted that he was a "changed man", having gone through an eventful 2013.

In an all-white ensemble and donning sunglasses, he rattled off the memorable milestones of the past year.

"Getting married, that was a huge one. Working with Michael Mann, that was a huge one," said Wang, who started filming his first Hollywood movie, action thriller Cyber, with American director-producer Mann last year. Cyber was partially shot in Malaysia.

"I worked on the film My Lucky Star, and my Open Fire concert tour," he added, referring to the romantic flick co-starring Zhang Ziyi and gigs which included a stop at London's O2 Arena.

He shocked fans when he announced on his social media accounts that he had found his "Forever Love" – a reference to his self-penned ballad and life partner Li Jinglei, 27.

His manager had earlier asked reporters here to refrain from asking questions about Wang's personal life. No mention was made of Chinese pianist Li Yundi, whom Wang has denied being romantically linked to, and who also recently unveiled a surprise girlfriend.

Since the singer-songwriter made his debut 18 years ago, spending every New Year's Eve singing to fans at countdowns has become a ritual for him.

He said: "This is my favourite way of spending festive seasons. People spend the festive season with their family. But for me, I spend it on stage with my fans. It's my ritual."

Now that he is married, how about spending special occasions with his wife?

"She's here with me, (so I have) the best of both worlds," said Wang, who was accompanied by his wife Li, a Columbia University student.

And it looks like marriage will have an impact on his future works. Switching easily between English and Mandarin, he said: "My music reflects what I go through in life. My music is like a window to my heart.

"I spent quite a bit of time on my personal life last year. Now that I'm done with the matter, I can spend more time on my music. I know fans have been waiting for a long time. They'll be able to hear my new album this year."

He added: "If I have anything to share, I'll certainly share it with fans. I like Weibo as I can interact with fans directly and share the news with them in seconds." – The Straits Times, Singapore/Asia News Network

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The Star eCentral: TV Tracks

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More Doc McStuffins and Sofia for kids

Posted: 10 Jan 2014 03:42 AM PST

Disney Junior renews a number of children's programmes on its roster.

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The Star Online: Lifestyle: Parenting

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A brush with angels

Posted: 09 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

An artist is giving special needs children the freedom and avenue to express themselves through art.

ARTIST Victoria Renaux Abdoulaeva conducts art sessions but she isn't in the business of teaching children how to paint. She believes art is a medium for creative expression, and she is intent on giving special needs children the freedom and avenue to express themselves through painting, and not necessarily with a paintbrush.

"We always just have one mindset: you hold a brush, take on some colours and you paint. Some of my students cannot hold a brush, and I don't ask them to. I give them the freedom, but it is freedom with love.

"They can be throwing colours, or painting with their hands and feet. If they want to hold onto a paint bottle and observe it quietly for one hour, I am there to quietly understand why it's so interesting for them that way," says the 47-year-old French-Russian artist who is currently based in Kuala Lumpur.

For over six months now, Abdoulaeva has been sharing her alternative art approaches, conducting one-on-one as well as group sessions at venues provided by MaTiC (Malaysia Tourism Centre) in Kuala Lumpur, Soroptimist International Malaysia in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, and at Tasputra Perkim in Kuala Lumpur, a daycare centre for children with special needs.

She charges nothing for her time, but parents pay for their children's art materials.

Mother-of-four Wendy Goh, whose 10-year-old daughter Cassandra Goon has been attending Abdoulaeva's sessions for several months, has been amazed by how her daughter has taken to art.

"During the first session, Cassandra held herself back. She didn't dare put her hands in the paint. She kept telling me it was dirty. I realised then it was the programming I gave her: that it was 'wrong' to do something outside the norm. After a while I just told her to do whatever she wanted. But she was still conscious of my presence. One day, I just decided to 'disappear'.

Rather than impose rules, Abdoulaeva prefers to sit back and silently observe the children as they create art in their own ways.

Angels at work: Rather than impose rules, Abdoulaeva prefers to sit back and silently observe the children as they create art.

"And Victoria told me that in that one hour, Cassandra was able to be herself. There was this transformation in her. Victoria basically allowed her to do as she pleased. If she wanted to, she could take the paint, mix it all up and splash it on the canvas. She could choose to apply colour by colour, or use her hands or a brush, or tilt the canvas. The art pieces that have come out are what I would describe as 'magical'," says the 44-year-old homemaker.

Goon, who has Down Syndrome, has since produced a series of paintings that have awed her mother.

"I remember the first painting she ever completed. On the right side of the canvas, there were figures that looked like souls lining up in single file. And right across the middle of the painting, Cassandra had made a line. Beyond this line, she had painted beautiful bright colours, as compared to the dark and gloomy mood where the souls were.

"To me, it showed enlightenment; crossing over to a better place. There's a hidden message in every art piece and it's always exciting to find them.

"I never doubted that Cassandra was capable of things. I just never expected the beauty she could bring out from the heart. I feel so blessed that she is in our lives. Through Victoria, I was able to realise there are possibilities. Anything is possible if you set your heart to it. If you look at things in a non-judgemental way and just appreciate what those things are, it could turn out to be really, really beautiful."

Goh says what Abdoulaeva is sharing is really the power of love – it's nothing else but pure love that brings out the best in these kids.

"It's not about moulding them into what you want them to be, but allowing them to be themselves. And if you don't set an expectation and just allow them to go freely, they will probably surprise you," shares Goh.

Wendy Goh describes her 10-year-old daughter Cassandra Goon's paintings as

Wendy Goh thinks her 10-year-old daughter Cassandra Goon's paintings are magical.

For Leong Yau Wen and her husband Ben Chong, Abdoulaeva's art sessions have been a blessing, especially to their 10-year-old son Owen, who has dyspraxia.

"When we first brought Owen to Victoria's sessions, we commented a lot on how he should act. I found myself telling him things like: 'Owen, please don't dirty your feet. Owen, careful! Owen, you should put more colours on this part of the canvas.'"

Abdoulaeva persuaded them to just take a step back.

"During these sessions, we didn't just see the makings of an artist in our son, but we were also able to catch the expression on his face – the priceless look of pure enjoyment.

"When it comes to art, Owen is like a different person. We could see how focused he was. And we would have missed all these details if not for Victoria," says Leong, 42.

Freedom of expression

It was just a little over a decade ago that Abdoulaeva quit her job as a public relations consultant and embarked on a spiritual path of self-discovery.

She started painting in Paris, France, where she grew up.

"Up until then, I had never really been serious in art. As my old life faded away, I started to be more in-tune with my spiritual self. I started sensing this energy within humans; these beautiful waves and that got me started on the drawing. My friends began asking me to draw for them and from there, I started painting."

After a chance meeting with a group of special needs children, Abdoulaeva began using her new-found passion in arts to reach out to them.

During Abdoulaeva's art sessions, children are given the absolute freedom to express themselves through canvas and paint, and not necessarily with a paintbrush. Shown here is 10-year-old Owen Chong.

Children are given absolute freedom to express themselves through paint at Abdoulaeva's sessions . . . and it's not always with a paintbrush, as 10-year-old Owen Chong demonstrates.

"The first time I saw them, the word 'angels' popped into my head. Once I spent a full day with them at the circus and when they left after eight hours, my face was hurting – I'd been smiling for eight hours non-stop," recalls Abdoulaeva, who soon started volunteering in hospitals and orphanages.

From Paris, Abdoulaeva travelled to India to continue her work with the disabled.

"I gave everything away to my friends and I just left for India. I felt that I needed to share something with the world and I could do my part to help. That was it. I came from a happy life and I just decided to make it even happier."

Abdoulaeva spent the next 10 years in India and Indonesia, sharing her love for "creating art that speaks from the heart" with the children in the villages while supporting herself by selling her artwork.

"I lived a quiet and simple life. In India, I travelled from Kerala to New Delhi, and to the Northern Himalayas. After that I spent five years in Bali before moving to Lake Toba."

Her filmmaker-photographer brother Vadim Abdulajev came to visit her, intending to stay for a week. He was immediately captivated by his sister's selfless vision, and the 29-year-old Lithuanian has since made Abdoulaeva's work a part of his own too, assisting with the documentation of images during the art sessions.

Art from the heart

In December 2012, the siblings came to Kuala Lumpur, with the mission to conduct art sessions for special needs children here.

"We started from zero. We went from meeting to meeting to present our project ideas. Finally, one person opened her heart to us, and everything else just fell into place," Abdoulaeva says.

Cassandra Goon has thrived in Abdoulaeva's art sessions.

Cassandra and her work of art.

The project, entitled "Power of Love: A Charity Multimedia Art Project With Special Children", has since garnered the support of the local expat community as well as Deutsche Bank Malaysia, MaTiC, Pelita Hati Art Gallery, Tasputra Perkim, Gold Foundation Sunway, Taman Megah orphanage, Rotary Diraja Kl Club, Kiwanis Malaysia and Soroptimist International Malaysia.

Since then, Abdoulaeva and her brother Abdulajev has worked with over 60 children.

"We believe that success can be found anywhere, if you live through your heart. Our vision now, after all our experiences, is to support parents who truly care about their children. We want to help them see their children as who they really are. At times, they need only your silence, tolerance and respect. They want to communicate. But if you keep telling them what they should or should not do, you're only creating a blockage and that may stress the child further.

"Everyone tries to make them 'normal' but they are already beautiful as they are."

Abdoulaeva recounted how a pair of 10-year-old autistic twins who attended their workshop in Jakarta did nothing but added paint to a pot of water. For five months, they just quietly mixed colours for an hour.

"One day, my brother happened to take a photo of what was happening inside the pot of water and we were shocked!

"There were beautiful paintings in the water, and the girls were just stirring them calmly. It was a miracle that my brother and I understood, but we needed to show proof to the people. So from the pot of water, I threw all the colours onto the canvas and made a lake.

"I gave the twins more paint and they just starting adding colours, spreading them with their fingers and the whole thing became beautiful flowers. They were the most beautiful paintings ever.

Abdoulaeva says she is helping children express their inner beauty.

"I want to bring this message across through their paintings. People might say, wow, they have this alien energy, but I don't want to speak about these extraordinary things.

"I want to focus on the simple things – how the children can reach within their hearts to produce something so beautiful, with graceful lines and a positive energy. I've worked with the children for over 10 years and all I see are these amazing human beings.

"You can only pray to have somebody like that beside you."

> Victoria Renaux Abdoulaeva will be organising her first "Power of Love" exhibition (Feb 3-28) at the MaTiC Art Gallery in Jalan Ampang, showcasing over 40 paintings made by 60 special needs children. For more details e-mail avatar352@gmail.com

Belly blessings

Posted: 09 Jan 2014 08:00 AM PST

Artist paints hopes on mothers-to-be.

A FEW brushstrokes on the round, swollen skin-tone canvas, and soon a colourful painting appears. As a precious memory of their pregnancy, mothers-to-be are lifting their shirts for artists to paint a cute picture on their bellies, as a blessing for safe delivery and the healthy growth of their baby.

Artist Tomoka Tome, 26, is one such artist. In 2008, she participated in an international body paint tournament in the United States and began painting professionally in Japan the following year. She is usually at her studio in Suginami Ward, Tokyo, but also travels to Hokkaido, Kyoto Prefecture and other regions.

Tome has painted the bellies of more than 300 pregnant women so far. Typical motifs include healthy babies and flower petals, which are done in soft brushstrokes. She uses special pigments for watercolor painting, which do not harm pregnant women's skin. Each work takes her about 30 minutes to finish.

A woman and her husband admiring the belly painting depicting their family. (KOJI ITO/The Yomiuri Shimbun)

A woman and her husband admiring the belly painting depicting their family.

"I put thought into each brushstroke. I want my work to be an opportunity to deepen the family bond," Tome said.

Sachie Yano, 36, who visited Tome's studio with her husband from Kofu, will name their first daughter Shiki (four seasons). She designed a picture with a theme of changing landscapes.

"When my baby grows up, I want to show her a picture of this painting and tell her, 'You were blessed even before you were born'," Yano said as she gently stroked her belly. – The Yomiuri Shimbun/Asia News Network

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