Ahad, 16 Februari 2014

The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

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The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

Striking out as your own boss
Number of marriages failing after five years, on the rise
Longest green belt to be complete by year end

Striking out as your own boss

Posted: 16 Feb 2014 08:00 AM PST

WHILE many of his peers have just started working, Mohamed Juffrie Mohamed Juma'at, 24, runs his own videography firm. "I have the freedom to direct and I can choose which projects to take on and pick the crew I want to work with," he says.

The bachelor graduated from Republic Polytechnic with a diploma in new media in 2009. He started working as a freelance videographer in 2010 while doing national service and set up his own firm last year.

The desire to be rid of office routine and answering to bosses, and the wish for empowerment, flexibility and job satisfaction are driving many young graduates to start their own businesses.

Experts from universities and human resource firms say the trend has been growing since 2009.

Associate Professor Hooi Den Huan, director of Nanyang Technological University's Nanyang Technopreneurship Centre, estimates that the number of students striking out on their own after graduation has jumped "by about 50%" from 2009 to last year, although the base figure remains small.

At the National University of Singapore (NUS), more graduates from the NUS Overseas Colleges programme are returning to start companies, says Dr Lily Chan, chief executive of NUS Enterprise.

The programme arranges internships for students in start-ups overseas, such as Stockholm in Sweden and Silicon Valley in the United States. "There are more than 100 start-ups by returning students since 2005," she says.

The Singapore Management University says it has 174 students who started 58 ventures over the last three to four years.

Experts say the trend shows that young Singaporeans are becoming more adventurous.

Associate Prof Hooi says one reason for the greater willingness among younger Singaporeans to venture out is that they do not feel as much pressure to bring home a pay cheque as people 10 to 20 years ago did. "Many kids these days are well-provided for and have understanding parents, who support their plans," he said.

Juffrie recalls borrowing between S$5,000 (RM13,120) and S$8,000 (RM20,992) from his parents to start his videography business. "They were hoping I'd work in a company but remained supportive. I've since paid them back and make it a point to take them out for meals now that my income is sustainable."

Associate Prof Hooi adds that most students will give the professional ladder a shot first before venturing out on their own.

Being your own boss is not always plain sailing, of course.

Some young entrepreneurs cite unstable income and the lack of medical benefits as some of the cons.

"Some months, when we earn less, we pay ourselves less. The future is unknown and there is increasing competition," said one

"Entrepreneurship is a journey and not a bed of roses," says another. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Number of marriages failing after five years, on the rise

Posted: 16 Feb 2014 08:00 AM PST

THE first five years of marriage are proving a challenge for more Singapore couples – that is when partners stray, and a rising number of marriages break down.

A study on straying couples by Touch Family Services found that slightly more than half the 164 respondents polled had affairs within five years of marriage.

For one in three, the affairs happened in the first two years of married life.

The number of marriages which ended in divorce under five years rose from 272 in 1980 to 1,268 in 2012.

But those married for five to nine years continued to make up the largest group of divorcing couples over that period – 617 in 1980, and 2,084 in 2012.

The total number of divorces in 1980 was 1,551, and in 2012, the figure was 6,893.

There were 22,444 marriages in 1980 and 27,936 in 2012.

Most of the respondents in the Touch survey remained in their marriages, but lawyers say unfaithfulness is one of the main reasons marriages end.

"From the cases I see, infidelity is the No.1 reason for divorce and it is happening early in the marriage," said senior divorce lawyer Tan Siew Kim.

The Touch study, done over the past two years, invited individuals who had unfaithful spouses to complete questionnaires online.

Close to 1,000 people responded, but only 164 met the criteria of having been married and of having an unfaithful spouse.

The researchers found that nine in 10 of the troubled marriages involved dual-income couples and one in three cheating spouses earned more than S$5,000 (RM13,120) a month.

The relatively high socio-economic status of those who stray was also borne out in an earlier study on infidelity by Dr Terence Yow, a director of Reach Family Service Centre.

He found that 65% of the 227 individuals who sought help at social service agencies after discovering their spouses' affairs lived in four-room or larger flats and earned S$5,000 or more a month.

Counsellors point to several reasons the crisis point of the modern marriage seemed to be arriving sooner, and especially among better-off working professionals.

They say there is a diminishing stigma attached to divorce and some couples are more willing to give up on a troubled marriage.

Elysia Tan, a counsellor at Touch Family Services and part of the research team behind the latest study, said many couples are stressed during the year after having their first child.

"The level of marital satisfaction tends to drop as they transit into their new roles as parents. Some do not feel as important in the marriage or feel they do not have enough support from their spouse," she said. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Longest green belt to be complete by year end

Posted: 16 Feb 2014 08:00 AM PST

SINGAPORE'S longest green corridor was unveiled by the National Parks Board (NParks) and the South West Community Development Council (CDC).

When completed by the end of 2014, Tengah Nature Way will be lined with trees and shrubs to help the movement of small animals like birds and butterflies.

The 13km stretch will connect the Bukit Timah and Central Catchment Nature Reserves in central Singapore, to the Western Catchment area where the Safti (Singapore Armed Forces Training Institute) live-firing area is located.

It will comprise community gardens and greenery planted along roads in residential areas to bring biodiversity closer to the neighbourhood.

The green corridor will also create a route for small animals to travel between the two wooded areas in central and western Singapore.

Tengah Nature Way will be the longest of seven nature ways in Singapore.

Work has already started on the longest green belt with plants lining more than half the 13-km stretch.

These were planted by NParks and about 21 community groups, corporate organisations, schools and South West District neighbourhoods.

They include Hillgrove Secondary School, NatSteel and Almukminin Mosque. — The Straits Times / Asia News Network

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

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The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

Simon Cowell's girlfriend gives birth to boy in New York

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 06:59 PM PST

BRITISH TV and music mogul Simon Cowell, who had long said fatherhood was not in his plans, welcomed a son on Friday, his representative AnnMarie Thomson said.

The former "American Idol" judge's girlfriend, Lauren Silverman, gave birth to the 6 pound, 7 ounce (2.9 kilograms) boy in New York. It is her second child and Cowell's first.

Cowell, 54, who gained fame as an acid-tongued judge on television singing contests in the United States and his native Britain, has never married.

"I'm not brilliant with babies," Cowell told U.S. magazine Parade last October. "I never know what to do. But (once he's older) I think I'll be a good dad in terms of advice."

Silverman's pregnancy first came to light last year when her ex-husband filed for divorce in New York and naming Cowell as a co-respondent.

Cowell's "The X Factor" contest was canceled last week by U.S. broadcaster Fox, and he said that he would return to the judges panel on its UK counterpart amid sagging ratings. - Reuters

Teddy bear Ted may guest on 'Wahlburgers'

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 01:45 AM PST

Producer is hoping to rope in Mark Wahlberg's foul-mouthed stuffed animal for an episode of the reality TV series starring Paul Wahlberg.

BEARS like burgers, right? The producer of A&E's Wahlburgers hopes so. He wants Mark Wahlberg's talking bear from the movie Ted to make a special guest appearance on the show.

Rasha Drachkovitch envisions an episode in which the foul-mouthed stuffed animal, voiced by Seth MacFarlane, would show up at the main Wahlburgers restaurant to harass Paul, the Wahlberg brother who runs it.

"Mark's shooting Ted 2, and we've talked about bringing Ted, the bear, into one of the episodes," Drachkovitch told TheWrap. "Mark's going to talk to Seth about it. We're talking about doing it for Season 2. I would love to figure out the special effects and all to have a scene where he kind of plants the movie franchise with the television series. It would be wicked cool."

"You'd come in with the bear – 'Hey, where's Paul Wahlberg?'" said Drachkovitch, doing Ted's Boston accent. "Why not dream big?"

The talking bear segments would need to be – gasp – scripted. But Drachkovitch believes viewers could adjust to the concept of a reality show not being 100% real.

"We break the wall. We're not taking the show super seriously," he said. "If you see a talking bear, and it's scripted, you're in on the joke."

A&E has ordered 18 episodes of the hit show, double the initial order of nine. The series follows Paul Wahlberg as he tries to expand the restaurant with the help of brothers Donnie and Mark. Mark wants to build out the business fast, while Paul wants to take his time and get it right. Alma, the family's matriarch, wants the family to stay true to its Dorchester, Massachusetts, roots. Donnie is caught in the middle.

Ted wouldn't be the first star to drop in on the Wahlbergs.

The show has already featured a visit from Donnie's real-life girlfriend, View co-host Jenny McCarthy. It will also feature Donnie's New Kids On The Block bandmate, Joey McIntyre, recording a Wahlburgers jingle in an upcoming episode. – Reuters

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The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

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The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

A simply magical tale in 'Saving Mr. Banks'
Streep 'very grateful' for 18th Oscar nomination
Movies now showing

A simply magical tale in 'Saving Mr. Banks'

Posted: 15 Feb 2014 08:00 AM PST

Saving Mr. Banks is a feel-good Disney film about the making of a Disney film.

DISNEY delves into its own history in Saving Mr. Banks, a movie about the difficult birth of the classic film Mary Poppins, wrenched from a tale by a reluctant British author.

Tom Hanks plays Walt Disney, who used all his sunny Californian charms to persuade writer P.L. Travers, played by Emma Thompson, to allow him to use the story.

Directed by John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side, The Alamo, A Perfect World), the film recounts the two weeks Travers spent in 1961 at Disney Studios, where Walt battled to win her consent for his whimsical adaptation of her work.

Australian-born Helen Lyndon Goff, who changed her name to P.L. Travers after moving to Britain – a nation whose starchy national stereotype she came to embody – began writing her Mary Poppins stories in 1934. For two decades Disney had been trying to secure the rights to her tale about an English nanny who floats into a family's home with the help of a magic umbrella.

Disney had nonetheless already begun the film, and invited Travers to come and work with the screenwriter and composers Robert and Richard Sherman, hoping to win her confidence – never imagining how hostile she could be.

To prepare for the role, Thompson studied everything about Travers.

"Around some corners, you'd find this terrible monster. And around other corners, you'd find a beaten child. She was the most extraordinary combination of things," Thompson said at a press conference in Beverly Hills.

"I suppose that was the scary thing. In films, we often get to play people who are emotionally, or at least morally, consistent, in some way, and she wasn't consistent, in any way.

"You would not know what you would get, from one moment to the next."

The movie is constructed around repeated flashbacks to Travers' childhood in Australia, marked by boundless admiration for her father, a day-dreaming bank manager and chronic alcoholic whose first name was Travers.

The film doesn't claim to depict a historically exact account of events. But it is based on memories of Disney veterans, notably in creating the unforgettable tunes for the 1964 film Mary Poppins starring Julie Andrews.

Richard Sherman, the sole survivor of the musical duo behind the score, was "literally a never-ending fountain of stories, of facts, of anecdotes, and of bits and pieces of everything that had happened," said Hanks.

The actor, who is also a producer, said the new film is a perfect illustration of the ruthlessness a filmmaker must sometimes have to exert in order to get a project completed.

"At this point, Walt Disney was pretty much used to getting his way because everybody loved him and he was the guy who invented Mickey Mouse," he told reporters.

"In the creative process, which is really what this movie is about, you come to loggerheads and you just have to keep the process moving forward, even if that requires jumping on a plane and flying to London.

"It's a good thing. It's fun, otherwise it would be too much work," he added.

Thompson said she was sure what Travers would have thought of Savings Mr. Banks.

"I think what she would say about this is 'This is an absolutely ridiculous film! It has no relationship, whatsoever, to what was happening. But, it's about me. And the clothes were really rather nice.'" – AFP

Saving Mr. Banks opens in cinemas nationwide on Feb 20.

Streep 'very grateful' for 18th Oscar nomination

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 06:31 PM PST

PARIS, Feb 14, 2014 (AFP) - US actress Meryl Streep, nominated for her 18th Oscar for "August: Osage County", on Friday said she was "very grateful" to be in the running despite having won three times.

Streep stars in the black comedy drama along with Julia Roberts as the "toxic" and strong-willed Violet Weston who gathers her family together after the death of her husband.

The film is based on the award-winning Broadway stage play by Tracy Letts who also wrote the screenplay.

"I saw the play seven years ago. I remember it hit all of us like a freight train ... I was entranced, it made me laugh and it shocked me," the actress told reporters in Paris where the film had its French premiere on Thursday.

Streep said actors were supposed to relish playing difficult characters but that the "reality is that where it begins, where it emanates from is a very unpleasant place."

"She has cancer in her mouth. She chooses to smoke constantly in the face of that, she has chemotherapy ... she's a drug addict ... it's all a toxic mix, a nasty place to live."

But she added that it was also liberating "to play a person who says exactly what she thinks, never with a cover, never, never being nice, no thought of diplomacy. So that's a wonderful free feeling".

Streep said she was thrilled at the Oscar nomination and that people were "still willing to look at my work and to look at it fresh".

"That is the most unbelievable thing, that they are not tired of me yet or of my work so I'm very happy about that. Very gratified," she said.

Roberts plays one of Streep's daughters in the film and has also been nominated for a best supporting actress for her role.

Other nominees in this year's best actress category are Amy Adams for "American Hustle", Cate Blanchett for "Blue Jasmine", Sandra Bullock for "Gravity" and Judi Dench for "Philomena".

Streep won best actress Oscars for "Sophie's Choice" (1982) and The Iron Lady (2011); she was named best supporting actress for "Kramer vs. Kramer" (1979).

The Academy Awards take place in Los Angeles on March 2.

Movies now showing

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 08:00 AM PST

The Journey

DURING Chinese New Year, Uncle Chuan (Lee Sai Peng) receives a surprise from his estranged daughter Bee (Joanna Yew). She returns home from Britain with fiance Benji (Ben Andrew Pfeiffer). Owing to Benji's ignorance of Chinese culture, Uncle Chuan refuses to give his blessing to the couple. Later, he agrees to change his mind on condition that Bee and Benji throw a traditional Chinese wedding with 50 tables for guests. Benji must also accompany Uncle Chuan on a journey across Malaysia to personally deliver wedding invitations to some of his closest friends.

As Benji and Uncle Chuan go on their journey, the audience is also taken on a ride across dreamy landscapes. I've never been to Cameron Highlands and I feel like I should after seeing the way it was shot in this movie. There is also a stunning shot of clear seas in Sabah and colourful festive lights in Penang. Director Chiu Keng Guan also takes the viewer on an ethereal journey by hot-air balloon.

Overall, The Journey is an unforgettable film with hilarious characters (Lee shines as Uncle Chuan with his deadpan comic delivery), heartrending scenes (watch out for Bee's speech to her father) and plenty of gorgeously-shot scenes. – Angelin Yeoh (*****)

Cuak

This Malaysian movie is ideal viewing for young adults. Cuak, which roughly translates to "cold feet" or "suspicious" depending on the situation, is the story of Adam (Ghafir Akbar) who is about to get married to Brenda (Dawn Cheong) but is having second thoughts. Ghafir and both Dawn are really good in their portrayal of the betrothed.

Told by five young directors who each direct an event in Adam and Brenda's past leading up to their present situation, Cuak's narrative is naturally a variety of different styles. What you get here is a combination of very different films produced by very different people: very rojak, and in that sense, very real and very Malaysian. – Azhariah Kamin (****)

The Lego Movie

"Everything is awesome! Everything is cool when you're part of a team. Everything is awesome, when you're living your dream!"

I promise you, this incredibly catchy theme song from the movie will be playing in your head long after you've walked out of the theatre. Alternatively, you might be more taken by the equally memorable and hilarious heavy metal-style Batman song (Darkness!!).

Now, I was really looking forward to this movie, and it certainly didn't disappoint.

It was huge, colourful, fresh, funny and nostalgic all at once. Trust me, you'll want to break out your Lego sets, no matter what your age, after watching it.

The story is surprisingly layered for a supposedly kiddie movie, with an interesting twist two-thirds of the way through, and kind of puts the question out there: which are you – instruction follower or random builder? (Nothing wrong with being either, by the way, just don't Kragle the finished product!)

Go watch it! Awesome for actual kids and kids-at-heart of all ages. – Tan Shiow Chin (*****)

That Awkward Moment

Pick three guys in their 20s and give them reckless and irresponsible lifestyles – that pretty much sums up the entire movie.

Best friends Jason (Zac Efron), Daniel (Miles Teller) and Mikey (Michael B. Jordan) make a promise to avoid getting into any relationships and remain single, so that they can have all the fun together. However, things begin to fall apart when Mikey starts meeting his ex-wife while Jason and Daniel unexpectedly fall in love.

The movie indulges in a whole lot of distasteful jokes which don't seem to be funny. I'm guessing writer-director Tom Gormican has a strange sense of humour.

Yet, as cliché as the movie is, this is one romance movie that tells the story from the men's point of view. – Samuel Lee (**)

Endless Love

This film – starring Alex Pettyfer as David and Gabriella Wilde as Jade – is an idyllic, almost mushy tale of a modern-day Romeo and Juliet who are barred from seeing each other by their parents. It explores true love as well as the question "Is love all that you need in life?"

My issue is that, apart from their star-crossed relationship, the movie doesn't have much else to offer besides its sickly sweetness and idealism. The only character development seems to be in Hugh (Bruce Greenwood), Jade's father. He carries his role believably, propping up the story, but it's not nearly enough to provide any real substance.

There is an innocence to the movie that may resonate well with people who might feel like the romance in their life is waning. – Clarissa Say WC (**)

From Vegas To Macau

To think that The Los Angeles Times once called Chow Yun-Fat "the coolest actor in the world". The thought made me cringe all the more when I saw him in this one. The actor has always exuded a certain coolness and sophistication. Unfortunately, he is anything but cool in this fourth instalment of the God Of Gamblers film series.

He plays a renowned gambler who becomes a security consultant for a casino. When an undercover policeman is murdered by the boss of an illegal gambling syndicate, he is enlisted to help take down the ruthless villain.

All-too-familiar slapstick comedy and unrealistic scenarios (don't get me started on those heavily CGI-ed card tricks) dominate the movie which is typical Hong Kong gambling-comedy fare. Chow's character is always either in a suit or turtleneck but the sophisticated appearance fizzles out the moment he delivers a lame punchline.

But if you're not too critical about it, it's still possible to have a good time. – Kenneth Chaw (**)

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews

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The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews

A simply magical tale in 'Saving Mr. Banks'
Streep 'very grateful' for 18th Oscar nomination
Movies now showing

A simply magical tale in 'Saving Mr. Banks'

Posted: 15 Feb 2014 08:00 AM PST

[unable to retrieve full-text content]'Saving Mr. Banks' is a feel-good Disney film about the making of a Disney film.

Streep 'very grateful' for 18th Oscar nomination

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 06:31 PM PST

[unable to retrieve full-text content]PARIS, Feb 14, 2014 (AFP) - US actress Meryl Streep, nominated for her 18th Oscar for "August: Osage County", on Friday said she was "very grateful" to be in the running despite having won three times.

Movies now showing

Posted: 14 Feb 2014 08:00 AM PST

The Journey

Cuak

The Lego Movie

"Everything is awesome! Everything is cool when you're part of a team. Everything is awesome, when you're living your dream!"

Now, I was really looking forward to this movie, and it certainly didn't disappoint.

It was huge, colourful, fresh, funny and nostalgic all at once. Trust me, you'll want to break out your Lego sets, no matter what your age, after watching it.

Go watch it! Awesome for actual kids and kids-at-heart of all ages. – Tan Shiow Chin (*****)

That Awkward Moment

Pick three guys in their 20s and give them reckless and irresponsible lifestyles – that pretty much sums up the entire movie.

The movie indulges in a whole lot of distasteful jokes which don't seem to be funny. I'm guessing writer-director Tom Gormican has a strange sense of humour.

Yet, as cliché as the movie is, this is one romance movie that tells the story from the men's point of view. – Samuel Lee (**)

Endless Love

There is an innocence to the movie that may resonate well with people who might feel like the romance in their life is waning. – Clarissa Say WC (**)

From Vegas To Macau

But if you're not too critical about it, it's still possible to have a good time. – Kenneth Chaw (**)

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: World Updates

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The Star Online: World Updates

Asia-Pacific stability depends on success of ASEAN code of conduct - Kerry
Free Syrian Army sacks chief, appoints replacement
China says keen on meeting with Taiwan president, but no rush

Asia-Pacific stability depends on success of ASEAN code of conduct - Kerry

Posted: 16 Feb 2014 09:01 PM PST

JAKARTA (Reuters) - The future stability of the Asia-Pacific region depends on the success of negotiating an ASEAN code of conduct on maritime claims, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Monday.

The United States has been increasingly uneasy at what it sees as China's effort to gain creeping control over waters in the Asia-Pacific, including its November 23 declaration of an air defence identification zone (ADIZ) in an area of the East China Sea that includes islands at the centre of a dispute with Japan.

Speaking in the Indonesian capital during a trip to Asia and the Middle East, Kerry added that negotiations on a Tran-Pacific Partnership trade deal would continue and he believed the U.S. Congress would come to an appropriate conclusion on the trade talks.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations groups Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Brunei.

(Reporting by Arshad Mohammed; Writing by Michael Taylor; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

Free Syrian Army sacks chief, appoints replacement

Posted: 16 Feb 2014 09:00 PM PST

AMMAN (Reuters) - The Western- and Arab-backed Syrian Free Army (FSA) has sacked its leader and replaced him with a more experienced field commander as part of a revamp of moderate forces fighting President Bashar al-Assad, opposition sources said on Monday.

A statement by the FSA's Supreme Military Council said it replaced General Selim Idriss, who had served in the Corps of Engineers of Assad's army, with Colonel Abdelilah al-Bashir, head of FSA operations in the province of Qunaitera on the border with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

The decision was prompted by "the ineffectiveness of the command in the past few months... and to provide leadership for military operations against the criminal regime and its allies from terrorist organisations," said the statement.

The announcement was made on Sunday after a Supreme Military Council meeting in Turkey attended by Asaad Mustafa, defence minister in a provisional government set up by the opposition last year, the sources said.

Dissident rebels have long been wary of accepting leadership by Idriss, who has spent most of his time outside Syria since helping create the Supreme Military Council in December 2012.

During his tenure, the FSA suffered major setbacks.

Loyalist forces backed by Shi'ite fighters from Iran, Iraq and Hezbollah regained strategic territory in the province of Homs in the centre of the country and expanded a buffer zone around Damascus, where most elite troops, mostly comprised of Assad's minority Alawite sect, are based.

Al-Qaeda-linked groups also emerged as a potent force on the ground, and several Islamist brigades broke off from the FSA, helping create the Islamic Rebel Front, which overshadowed the FSA militarily.

A statement by the opposition National Coalition, which has embarked on U.S.-and Russian-sponsored peace talks with Assad's government to end the three-year civil war, said news of Bashir's appointment came as a "relief".

The coalition's delegation added several FSA commanders to its negotiating team in the second round of peace talks, which concluded on the weekend in Geneva without any significant results.

(Reporting by Khaled Yacoub Oweis, Amman newsroom; Editing by Eric Walsh)

China says keen on meeting with Taiwan president, but no rush

Posted: 16 Feb 2014 07:55 PM PST

BEIJING (Reuters) - China said on Monday it was keen on a meeting between President Xi Jinping and Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou, but signalled it was in no rush to set a venue or timeframe for what would be a historic get-together.

Since taking office in 2008, Ma has signed a series of landmark trade and economic agreements with China, cementing China's position as Taiwan's largest trading partner.

But Taiwan said last week that China had rebuffed as "inappropriate" a request for the two men to meet at an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Beijing.

Fan Liqing, spokeswoman of China's Taiwan Affairs Office, told reporters the subject of a Xi-Ma summit was "not a topic for discussion" during last week's landmark meeting between top Chinese and Taiwan government officials.

That meeting was an important step in pushing overall cross-Strait relations, she said, adding that further steps would follow, promising to benefit people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

"As for a meeting between the leaders on both sides of the Strait, we have said many times that this is something we have upheld for many years, and we have always had an open, positive attitude towards it," Fan said.

"Compatriots on both sides of the Strait all hope that the leaders can meet."

She declined to elaborate on the topic of an appropriate venue for the two presidents to meet, adding, "APEC has its own rules, which should be handled in accordance with the memorandums of understandings."

China and Taiwan have been ruled separately since Nationalist forces, defeated by the Communists, fled to the island at the end of the Chinese civil war in 1949. China considers Taiwan a renegade province and has never ruled out the use of force to bring it under its control.

But in recent years the two sides have built up extensive economic ties, and last week they held their first direct government-to-government talks, a big step towards expanding cross-strait dialogue beyond trade.

Yet booming trade has not brought progress on political reconciliation or reduced military readiness on either side. Many in democratic Taiwan fear autocratic China's designs for their free-wheeling island.

In October, Xi told Ma's envoy to last year's APEC summit, Vincent Siew, that a political solution to the standoff between China and Taiwan could not be postponed forever.

But Ma later said he saw no urgency to hold political talks and he wanted to focus on trade.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Business

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The Star Online: Business

MRCB maintained at 'buy'
Gold hits 3-month high on US growth fears
Scomi shares up following Quek's entry

MRCB maintained at 'buy'

Posted: 16 Feb 2014 08:00 AM PST

MALAYSIAN RESOURCES CORP BHD

By AmResearch

Buy (maintained)

Target price: RM2.20

AMRESEARCH has maintained a "buy" rating on Malaysian Resources Corp Bhd (MRCB) with an unchanged target price of RM2.20 per share.

The deal to inject Platinum Sentral into Quill Capita Trust (QCT) should be signed by mid-March.

This could be a prelude to MRCB injecting more prime office properties in KL Sentral into QCT, said AmResearch.

Such a move would aid MRCB's de-gearing efforts and enable it to reinvest its capital into more net asset value (NAV)-accretive deals, it said.

Furthermore, the status of the EDL Highway could be revealed by May, which would lead to the removal of a key overhang on the stock. AmResearch said these asset monetisation initiatives, which included MRCB's divestment of its 30% stake in Duke for RM228mil, could reduce its net debt by about RM1bil.

Meanwhile, the High Court's judgement on PJ Sentral could be known by the end of the month. A positive resolution will result in a significant lift to MRCB's revised NAV (RNAV), given PJ Sentral's high development potential, AmResearch said.

The research house foresees the company emerging as a front-runner for the Kwasa Damansara project. Kwasa Land, a unit of MRCB's major shareholder EPF, is the master developer.

Tenders could be called in two months' time, it said.

AmResearch is also positive on Penang Sentral, which has been primed as a future transport hub in the north given its high commercial appeal and strategic location.

It expects MRCB's upcoming fourth quarter results for the financial year ended Dec 31, 2013 to improve greatly from the previous quarter, as the risk of further provisions diminishes substantially, which sets the stage for a solid earnings turnaround.

It forecasts 2014 core net profit to come in at RM101mil.

The market seems to under-appreciate MRCB's quiet but disciplined transformation to become a property-centric group with a cleaner balance sheet.

The stock is trading at a deep discount of 47% vis-à-vis its RNAV with a trough price to book value of only 1.4 times.

AmResearch recommends investors to accumulate MRCB before the investment tide turns positive ahead of sustained newsflow momentum.

Its current valuations have not incorporate two major re-rating catalysts – PJ Sentral and Kwasa Damansara

S'PORE TELECOMMUNICATIONS LTD

By RHB Research

Neutral (maintained)

Target price: S$3.55

Singapore Telecommunications Ltd (SingTel) gained further market share in mobile and Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) segments, thanks to the aggressive bundling of its services under mio-Home and mio-Plans.

However, its share of IPTV and the broadband market is likely to come under pressure going forward, due to the cross carriage agreement with StarHub and heavy competition in the fixed broadband space.

The company intends to defend its premium position in the fibre market, which RHB Research believes should ease concerns of a potentially unproductive price war.

After executing a massive transformation plan to rebrand its service and the overhaul of its distribution model over the past 12 to 18 months, Optus, Singtel's Australian unit, appears confident of gaining revenue and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) share in the quarters ahead. However, RHB thinks that revenue recovery will take time since the mobile market in Australia is still reeling from lower device subsidies and falling interconnection rates amid a shrinking subscriber base.

The Australian dollar has appreciated 1.3% against the Singaporean dollar on a year-to-date basis, after shedding 10% in 2013. This would have a positive impact on Optus' translated revenue and EBITDA going into the financial year ending March 31, 2015.

RHB lowered its 2014 and 2015 forecasts by 2% to 3% after adjusting its Australian dollar forex assumption. Incorporating the latest mark-to-market valuations of its listed OpCos and the group's latest net debt position, its sum-of-parts-based fair value is revised to S$3.55 from S$3.70 previously.

SingTel remains a "neutral" due to the lack of meaningful rerating catalysts. RHB's top pick for exposure to Singapore telecoms is M1.

SUIWAH CORP BHD

By PublicInvest Research

Not rated

Target price: RM4.78

Suiwah Corp Bhd's current market capitalisation of RM120.4mil has only factored in the value of its retail business, manufacturing division, Sunshine Square property and net cash, said PublicInvest Research.

It added that investors have overlooked Suiwah's valuable landbank as well as its newly-opened shopping mall in Bertam, Seberang Prai, which is fully tenanted.

Based on PublicInvest's sum-of-parts (SOP) valuation, Suiwah could be worth at least RM274mil or RM4.78 per share.

Suiwah has its origins as the first neighbourhood general merchant in Air Itam, Penang in 1961. It runs its retail business under the 'Sunshine' brand, a household name in Penang.

Although the Sunshine brand is a household name in Penang, the retail business is a thin-margin business. PublicInvest believes Suiwah's management is diversifying and complementing its retail business by taking pro-active steps to unlock the development potential of its valuable landbank. Going forward, property rental income is expected to diversify and improve the group's earning base.

GAS MALAYSIA BHD

By Affin Investment Bank

Reduce (maintained)

Target price: RM3.35

Against higher year-end provisions and expenses, the fourth quarter of the year ended Dec 31, 2013 core net profit fell 11.7% year-on-year and 13% quarter-on-quarter to RM40.2mil despite a strong 9.1% year-on-year gas volume growth.

This brought full-year net profit to RM171.4mil, which are in line with Affin Investment Bank's and street estimates. The group declared a second interim net dividend per share (DPS) of 3 sen, and a final 4.36 net DPS for 2013. For 2013, net DPS amounted to 13.36 sen – translating into a 100% dividend payout, in line with management's guidance and its prospectus mandate.

Since Petronas Gas Bhd's commencement of the Melaka Regasification Terminal, Gas Malaysia has been allocated higher gas volumes, leading to it recording strong 9.1% year-on-year gas volume growth.

This helped lift fourth quarter revenue by 9.5% year-on-year to RM604.2mil.

However, earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) fell 14.6% year-on-year as a result of higher operating expenditure and depreciation charges.

Consequently, EBIT margin fell 2.3% percentage points to 8.1%. Sequentially, revenue rose by 3.5% as a result of higher customer bookings in the quarter. That said, year-end provisions and expenses led to a 13% quarter-on-quarter decline in core net profit to RM40.2mil.

With Petronas committing to higher gas volumes to industrial users, Gas Malaysia as the 'toll operator', benefits from higher revenue and positive operating leverage.

Full-year topline rose 9% year-on-year to RM2.317bil, on 8.5% year-on-year growth in gas volumes sold. Coupled with the lower effective tax rate, full-year core net profit jumped 5.3% year-on-year to RM171.4mil.

Affin downgraded 2014 and 2015 earnings per share (EPS) by 7.6% and 6.8% respectively as gas volumes were downgraded marginally while operating expenditure was raised to account for 2% of group sales. Therefore, it lowered the target price to RM3.35 per share and maintained a "reduce" call on the stock.

It projects a three-year 2013 to 2016 EPS compounded annual growth rate of 7.5% driven largely by higher gas volumes.

Its target price factors in a blue-sky scenario of 100% dividend payout over the next two years. Although the stock yielded 4% in 2014, Affin cautioned that the yields come expensive.

Affin recommends switching to Tenaga Nasional Bhd, as it is a key beneficiary to the Government's subsidy rationalisation exercise.

Gold hits 3-month high on US growth fears

Posted: 16 Feb 2014 06:51 PM PST

SINGAPORE: Gold hit fresh three-month highs on Monday, adding to gains after posting its biggest weekly rise in six months, as fears over US economic growth and a weaker dollar sent investors seeking the safe-haven metal.

Spot gold rose 0.3% to US$1,322.24 an ounce by 0026 GMT, after hitting US$1,323.76 earlier in the session – its highest since November. The metal jumped 4% last week, its biggest weekly gain since August.

US gold futures rose for a 9th session – their longest winning streak since July 2011.

US manufacturing output unexpectedly fell in January, recording its biggest drop in more than 4½ years, as cold weather disrupted production in the latest indication the economy got off to a weak start this year.

Hedge fund Paulson & Co maintained its stake in the world's biggest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, SPDR Gold Trust, in the fourth quarter, even as others exited when bullion prices posted their biggest annual loss in 32 years.

SPDR Gold Trust's holdings fell 5.10 tonnes to 801.25 tonnes on Friday.

Meanwhile hedge funds and money managers raised their bets in gold futures and options to a three-month high on signs that the Federal Reserve will not rush to cut its stimulus, Commodity Futures Trading Commission data showed on Friday.

Elsewhere gold premiums in India, the world's second-biggest consumer of the metal after China, fell 17% on Friday to their lowest in four months as buyers postponed purchases on speculation over a possible cut in import duty soon – Reuters.

Scomi shares up following Quek's entry

Posted: 16 Feb 2014 06:31 PM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: Shares of Scomi Energy Services rose at mid-morning on Monday after Tan Sri Quek Leng Chan made a big entry into the group, which would make him the second largest shareholder with 11.5% stake.

At 10.24am, Scomi Energy jumped 12.5 sen with some 21.96 million shares heavily traded between the prices of RM1.04 and RM1.14.

The FBM KLCI rose 9.82 points to 1,829.19. Turnover was 1.08 billion shares valued at RM519.93mil. There were 382 gainers, 176 decliners and 298 counters unchanged.

Hong Leong Investment Research has maintained its Buy rating on Scomi Energy with a target price of RM1.02, saying that it is positive on the entry of new strategic investor given it will remove the share overhang concern.

"We view Quek's entry into Scomi Energy at a right and exciting timing given the group's potential RSC win and the vastly untapped WMS market," it said.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

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'12 Years a Slave' wins Bafta for best film
Streep 'very grateful' for 18th Oscar nomination
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'12 Years a Slave' wins Bafta for best film

Posted: 16 Feb 2014 02:26 PM PST

London (AFP) - Harrowing historical epic "12 Years a Slave" won the best film award on Sunday at the Baftas, seen as an indicator for the upcoming Oscars.

The film, adapted from Solomon Northup's 1853 memoir, took the most prestigious prize at a star-studded ceremony at London's Royal Opera House.

The film scored an earlier success when British actor Chiwetel Ejiofor, who portrays free black man Northup as he is kidnapped and enslaved in the United States, walked away with the best actor prize.

Director Steve McQueen used his acceptance speech to thank his "one and only mother" and to highlight the issue of modern day slavery.

"There are 21 million people in slavery as we sit here," he explained. "I just hope 150 years from now our ambivalence will not allow another film-maker to make this film".