Selasa, 8 April 2014

The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

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The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

Baby George has royal play day in New Zealand
Japan opposition fears Abe 'destabilizing' region
Vietnam releases one of its most prominent dissidents

Baby George has royal play day in New Zealand

Posted: 08 Apr 2014 10:40 PM PDT

Wellington (AFP) - Britain's baby Prince George hosted his first ever official function on Wednesday -- maintaining a regal calm on a play date with a group of New Zealand toddlers, even as some of the others burst into tears.

The eight-month old, whose parents Prince William and Kate began a tour of New Zealand on Monday, met 10 local babies at Wellington's Government House at a play session organised by non-profit childcare group Plunket.

George, who was born on July 22 last year, looked comfortable in the spotlight as his mother gently rocked him in her arms and chatted to his playmates' parents.

The babies sat in a room with a large portrait of George's great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II looking down from the wall, with cushions and toys scattered on the floor, including a giant blue teddy bear.

There were tears from some of the other infants as introductions were made but George, dressed in dark-coloured dungaree shorts and a white t-shirt, appeared calm even after dropping a toy to the floor.

Plunket president Tristine Clark said the babies were all roughly the same age as George and were born to first-time parents, just like William and Kate.

She said the parents were also selected to reflect the diversity of New Zealand society, including various ethnic groups and a same-sex couple.

"The parents are a spread of all the communities in New Zealand, including Maoris, Samoans, people of Chinese descent and gay couples," she said ahead of the session.

"This is a very multi-cultural country and we wanted the Duke and Duchess (of Cambridge) to meet people from all backgrounds."

Kate wore a simple black and white dress for the occasion, while William opted for an open-necked blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up as he sipped on a soft drink.

Plunket's Wellington manager Tina Syme said the event was designed to be fun for the royals, who said they wanted to meet as many locals as possible as they kick off their three-week tour of New Zealand and Australia.

"We wanted something quite special for the duke and duchess, not just a meet-and-greet and shake hands but something that was actually really enjoyable for them as well," she said.

While the atmosphere was meant to be relaxed, Syme said the parents had been advised to address the royals as "Your Royal Highness" on the first instance, followed by their name after that.

She said the parents had also been told not to hesitate to intervene if a royal row erupted between the prince and some of his pint-sized subjects.

"They said what you do at a normal play group, you can do here. If you're the nearest parent and you need to intervene for a child's safety, then you would."

The New Zealand Republic lobby group said any of the 10 Kiwi babies at Government House would be better qualified as the country's head of state than George, who is third in line to the throne in both Britain and New Zealand.

"Baby George is as cute as any other baby... but unfortunately he cannot be New Zealand's future head of state, not unless he one day migrates to New Zealand and becomes a citizen," it said.

Japan opposition fears Abe 'destabilizing' region

Posted: 08 Apr 2014 10:35 PM PDT

Washington (AFP) - Japan's main opposition leader chided Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for conservative statements on war history and voiced fear he could be a "destabilizing" factor in East Asia.

On a visit to Washington on Tuesday, Banri Kaieda, president of the opposition Democratic Party of Japan, said he remained fully committed to the country's past expressions of regret for its wartime behavior.

Kaieda said that the Abe government's remarks and actions had alienated Japan's neighbors as well as its US and European allies by "fueling suspicions that Prime Minister Abe may be a historical revisionist."

"I clearly reject historical revisionism and will oppose it," Kaieda said at the Brookings Institution think tank, vowing that his party "will safeguard the mature democracy fostered by post-war Japanese society."

"Domestically, the Abe administration has now made its authoritarian tendencies clear and internationally, the Abe administration could move beyond the realm of healthy nationalism and become a destabilizing factor in East Asia," Kaieda said.

Abe in December paid a pilgrimage to the Yasukuni shrine, which honors 2.5 million Japanese war dead including convicted war criminals from World War II. The move outraged China and South Korea and led to a rare public rebuke by the United States, Japan's main ally.

Abe, whose grandfather was arrested but not prosecuted as a war criminal, is known for his conservative views and while in opposition questioned whether imperial Japan forced women into sexual slavery, although he has since indicated he will not revoke a landmark 1993 apology to the so-called "comfort women".

Kaieda voiced hope for strong relations with both Asian neighbors and the United States, saying that Japan could still voice concerns over actions by a rising China while expressing remorse for the past.

Kaieda repeatedly portrayed himself as an ideological soul mate of President Barack Obama, saying that his party shared the US Democrats' principles of social inclusion.

The Democratic Party of Japan "wants an open nation that's cosmopolitan, multicultural -- an open nation with no gender discrimination. We will thoroughly oppose xenophobia," he said.

The center-left party led Japan from 2009 until 2012 when it was crushed by Abe's Liberal Democratic Party. The ruling coalition later won upper house elections, handing Abe a stronger political position than any Japanese prime minister in nearly a decade. - AFP

Vietnam releases one of its most prominent dissidents

Posted: 08 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT

HANOI: One of Vietnam's most prominent dissidents, who was jailed after trying to sue the prime minister, has been freed and has left for the United States, a US official said.

French-trained lawyer Cu Huy Ha Vu, the son of a Vietnamese revolutionary leader, was sentenced in April 2011 to seven years in prison for "anti-state activity".

The release of the 55-year-old, who last year staged a hunger strike to draw attention to his treatment in jail, followed intense campaigning by rights groups and foreign governments.

"We welcome the decision by Vietnamese authorities to release prisoner of conscience Dr Vu," US Embassy spokesman Spencer Cryder said.

"Dr Vu and his wife decided to travel to the United States after his release from prison and arrived in Washington DC on Monday."

He declined to say whether Vu would live permanently in the United States, but Washington has granted asylum to Vietnamese dissidents in the past.

The Vietnamese government has not said why it freed Vu, who according to his wife suffered from heart problems.

Vu's lawyer Tran Vu Hai said the reason for his release was unclear.

The veteran activist is the son of Cu Huy Can, who was a member of revered founding president Ho Chi Minh's provisional cabinet from 1945 and remains a celebrated poet.

Vu was arrested in 2010 after attempting unsuccessfully to sue Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung over a bauxite mining plan that sparked unusually broad opposition.

The head judge in his trial said Vu's writings and interviews "blackened" the Communist Party of Vietnam.

Former wartime foes Vietnam and the US have worked to improve ties in recent decades, but concerns over human rights have sometimes strained the relationship.

The one-party state is regularly denounced by rights groups and Western governments for its intolerance of political dissent and systematic violations of freedom of religion.

Human Rights Watch's Asia deputy director Phil Robertson said Vu's release was a "welcome development, especially given the serious health issues he developed while unjustly imprisoned by the Vietnam authorities".

"He should never have been tried or imprisoned in the first place because all he did was exercise his right to free speech," Robertson added.

Vietnam bans private media and all newspapers and television channels are state-run.

Lawyers, bloggers and activists are regularly subject to arbitrary arrest and detention, according to rights groups.

Reporters Without Borders said earlier this month that Vietnam was second only to China in the number of bloggers it detained with at least 34 behind bars. — AFP

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

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The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

Ten films you didn’t realise Mickey Rooney was in

Posted: 07 Apr 2014 12:35 AM PDT

The consummate entertainer has been in so many movies and TV shows, it's impossible to remember them all.

Veteran American actor Mickey Rooney, who passed away on Sunday at age 93, had acted in a string of movies and TV shows in all genres. While he was known for his role as the teenage sweetheart Andy Hardy in the Andy Hardy movie series of the 1930s and 1940s, Rooney's other films were the ones that really shaped his career.

Here are 10 films – including animations – that showcased Rooney's many, many talents.

1. Breakfast At Tiffany's (1961)

Rooney plays Mr Yunioshi, a cranky Japanese guy who lives above socialite Holly Golightly's (Audrey Hepburn) apartment. Although some may now see the character as being stereotypical – even a little racist – it's pretty hard not to laugh at his antics.

2. National Velvet (1944)

Known as the movie that kickstarted Elizabeth Taylor's career (she was only 12 at the time), National Velvet sees Rooney playing a jaded former jockey who reluctantly helps a young girl prepare for a horse race called the Grand National Sweepstakes. The movie also stars Angela Lansbury, another legendary actress who has been in the business since ... forever.

3. Babes In Arms (1939)

Based on a Broadway musical, Babes In Arms stars Rooney and Judy Garland as two young entertainers struggling to make it in show business. Their adorable duet, Good Morning, is one of the most popular tracks in musicals. Rooney earned his first Oscar nomination for best actor in a leading role.

4. The Fox And The Hound (1981)

This Disney animation tells the story of how best friends Tod, a fox, and hound dog Copper are faced with the cruel realities of life and forced to turn on each other once they become adults. Rooney plays the voice of the adult Tod – he also sings some tracks – while Kurt Russell voices the adult Copper.

5. The Human Comedy (1943)

Rooney was nominated for a best actor in a leading role Oscar for his touching portrayal of Homer Macauley, a teenager who is too young to join the army and is forced to stay home to take care of his mother and younger brother.

6. It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)

After serving a 15-year jail term, a robber heads to a location where he had hidden all the stolen money. However, luck is not on his side as his car careens off a cliff and he's badly injured. The drivers and passengers of four cars see the accident and they all rush to help the man. When the robber realises he may not live to see the day he gives the kind strangers clues as to where the loot is. A crazy, outrageous and hilarious search by the strangers ensues; Rooney plays one of them, aptly named Ding Bell.

7. The Bold And The Brave (1956)

A typical war film which earned Rooney a best supporting actor Oscar nomination.

8. Journey Back To Oz (1974)

Rooney is the voice of Scarecrow in this animated feature. While it may not be as wonderful as Garland's The Wizard Of Oz (1939), it is still quite entertaining, thanks to the songs in the film.

9. Words And Music (1948)

Rooney stars in this film as real-life lyricist Lorenz Hart, who frequently collaborated with songwriter Richard Rodgers in the 1920s and 1930s. It also features a few legendary singers, among them Lena Horne, Mel Torme and Gene Kelly, who star as themselves.

10. Babe, Pig In The City (1998)

Rooney made a brief appearance in this film, which is the sequel to Babe. He played Fugly Floom, a nasty clown who kidnaps Babe the pig, who is somehow lost in the big city.

Related story:

Mickey Rooney dies at 93

Veteran actor Mickey Rooney dies at 93

Posted: 06 Apr 2014 09:30 PM PDT

The actor had been in the entertainment business for almost his entire life.

Pint-sized American actor and comedian Mickey Rooney, who has been acting since he was just a toddler, died on Sunday at 93.

According to reports, the screen dynamo of the 1930s and 1940s best known for his boy-next-door role Andrew "Andy" Hardy, had been ill for some time. However, a cause of death has yet to be determined.

Born Joseph Yule Jr on Sept 23, 1920, Rooney had always been known as a gifted entertainer. He had appeared in countless movies and TV shows, most notably in MGM's Andy Hardy movie series where he played a wholesome teenager just trying to make it in life. In one of the movies, Andy falls head over heels with a beautiful girl named Betsy Booth, played by America's sweetheart of that era, Judy Garland.

A year after the movie was released, Rooney and Garland starred in the film Babes In Arms, which is a film version of a popular Broadway musical of the same name. In 1944, Rooney starred with a young Elizabeth Taylor in National Velvet, the movie that launched the actress' career.

Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland in a promotional picture for the 1938 film, Love Finds Andy Hardy.

Based on the Internet Movie Database, Rooney had three projects on his plate this year – Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde, Fragments From Olympus: The Vision Of Nikola Tesla and Old Soldiers.

Rooney had received several awards including an Emmy for the TV movie Bill (where he played a mentally challenged man) and two special Oscars – the Juvenile Award in 1939 and another in 1983 for his outstanding work in the film industry. He had been nominated four more times in the Oscars for his films.

The actor, who stood at 159cm, had been married eight times and had nine children, one of whom passed away in 2006. He first tied the knot with screen beauty Ava Gardner in 1942; their marriage lasted a whole year. His other wives were Betty Jane Rase, Martha Vickers, Elaine Devry, Barbara Ann Thomason, Marge Lane, Carolyn Hockett and Jan Chamberlin, who survives him (however, they separated in May 2013).

He was once asked if he would marry all his eight wives again. He said, "Absolutely. I loved every one of them."

Rooney (left) in the 2006 comedy Night At The Museum with veteran actors Dick Van Dyke (centre) and Bill Cobbs.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

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The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

Chinese craze for My Love From The Star
'Hell On Wheels' tackles the dark and dirty side of history
Tatiana Maslany: Beside herself

Chinese craze for My Love From The Star

Posted: 06 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT

South Korean hit TV drama spawns big business in China.

My Love From The Star has concluded with an unexpected happy ending, but the craze for the South Korean television hit continues in China, sweeping sectors from fashion to finance.

In a country of 1.3 billion, the love story between two neighbours in a luxury residential complex – Cheon Song Yi, an actress played by Gianna Jun, and Do Min Joon, an alien professor played by Kim Soo Hyun – has been viewed more than two billion times online on websites including PPS and iQiyi since it debuted in December last year, says Beijing Youth Daily.

The show has become big business in China, inspiring a wave of consumption and advertising, says the report.

On Taobao, the country's equivalent of eBay, the list of Star-related items – clothing, bags, shoes, watches, glasses and jewellery – grew as Cheon, a clothes horse, changed in and out of designer togs through the show, says the daily.

Besides major labels such as Dior and Gucci, Cheon's wardrobe also featured the likes of Paul Smith and Didier Dubot, which were not widely known to Chinese consumers months ago.

After she wore silver Jimmy Choo heels in the second episode, Taobao was blanketed in photos of the shoes. A seller of Jimmy Choo shoes said she sold three pairs of silver heels in a day. Last year, she sold three pairs in a year. Lookalikes of the shoe sold faster on the website, 100 pairs in a few days, says the report.

The show has also started a fad for eating fried chicken, which Cheon does, and reading (or owning) books such as Korean fantasy classic The Cloud Dream Of The Nine, which Do does.

But the fans do not just want to spend money like Cheon, they also want to make money like Do.

In the show, the professor has lived on Earth for 400 years and accumulated a fortune in real estate and antiques. Accordingly, one of the most popular posts on the Chinese Internet is an investment guide inspired by the character, says the daily.

Financial companies such as China Merchants Bank have climbed on the Star bandwagon too.

As the show moved towards the will-they-or-won't-they ending – will Do stay on Earth and continue to protect Cheon? – China Merchants Bank stepped into the shoes of Do in online publicity, promising consumers that it will take over from the professor and watch over them, says the report.

The last episode of the show aired in South Korea, and online in China, recently. In Korea, it was watched by more than 28% of viewers. In China, it was played more than 700,000 times on PPS alone.

According to data released by iQiyi, Star is a phenomenon driven in China by educated women under 35. Viewers aged 35 or younger made up more than 93% of the audience, and women, more than 79% .

Viewers with a bachelor degree or higher accounted for more than 58% of the audience. – The Straits Times, Singapore/Asia News Network

The marathon rerun of My Love From The Star is on ONE HD (Astro Ch 393), at 6.30pm.

'Hell On Wheels' tackles the dark and dirty side of history

Posted: 06 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT

Western saga Hell On Wheels examines racism, greed and politics.

The team behind Hell On Wheels compares its first two seasons to the first few miles of the transcontinental railroad that serves as a backdrop for this gritty Western – both were the start of something much bigger to come.

Hell On Wheels has all the trappings of a typical Western from six-shooters to horses. But it's not about the guys who wear white or black hats.

Instead, it's an examination of the racism, greed and politics that drove people during that period and continues today. How those topics will be broached can be seen as the third season of Hell On Wheels.

At the centre of this historical tempest is Cullen Bohannon (Anson Mount), a Civil War soldier who initially joined the crew building the railroad as a way of finding revenge against the men who killed his wife.

Season Three opens in 1867, with Bohannon focused more on the world of big business, religion and the new role of Wall Street in the White House.

Mount has watched the show tackle the dark and dirty side of history from the first episode.

"I started with the idea this was a story about a guy seeking revenge, but slowly during the first season, I realised I'm playing a guy who has post-traumatic stress syndrome," Mount says.

"He's one of those soldiers who's dealing with that through conflict. He's trying to keep fighting the war. He doesn't know how to function outside the war.

"That was the journey in the first season for me. The second season was seeing his hubris play out for a time and at the end realising this metaphor of the railroad being a war was actually quite a destructive idea."

Bohannon reached the emotional bottom at the end of Season Two and Season Three will be about the reconstruction of his life.

Mount has worked in TV and films since 1999, but the combination of the physicality of the Western genre coupled with the deep emotional tribulations of the character has been the most draining work he's done.

He pushes himself to handle the challenge because of what Hell On Wheels has become.

"I think we have an opportunity here to tell a very uplifting story about people who were trying to kill each other just months before, or own each other just months before, who now have to work together," Mount says.

"I think when a television show functions best it can provide either a platform or a metaphor for talk in front of the watercooler."

One of the biggest elements of Hell On Wheels is racism and no one deals with that more than Elam Ferguson (played by Common), an emancipated slave working to achieve true freedom, but living in a world consumed by prejudice.

The show's set in a post-Civil War era, but the discussions of race resonate in contemporary times.

The fact the show shines a line on prejudice is one of the things Common likes best about the series.

"The way we find solutions to our ills is to be able to say, 'I have this issue and let's talk about it. Let's not act like it's not there'. We all have experienced prejudice. Our show is putting all those things out there."

Common has worked in movies and guest-starred on TV shows, but this is the longest he's played a singe role. He said he likes that his character shows growth in a time when it was so difficult for ex-slaves to find a better life.

In researching the role, Common found examples of ex-slaves who dared to dream big and that's the way he's played Elam. Common stresses Elam should not be described as a slave, but as a man who was enslaved.

"When I was asked what I wanted out of the character, I told them I wanted Elam to be seen as a human being," Common says.

"We should all have empathy for a person who was enslaved, but that doesn't make the person perfect.

"Once they get out of being a slave, there's also an inner conflict they have to go through and I think the writers have done a brilliant job with that. What's beautiful about Elam is that the scope of what he wants to achieve always rises."

How both men's lives continue to be rebuilt will continue with each mile of track completed during the new season of Hell On Wheels. – The Fresno Bee/McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

Hell On Wheels Season Three premieres on April 10 at 10pm on Sundance Channel (Astro Ch 438).

Tatiana Maslany: Beside herself

Posted: 05 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT

Join Tatiana Maslany as she takes us on a head-spinning and twisty ride in Orphan Black.

THE life of an actor can be either feast or famine. Many can't take the erratic nature and fallout. But Canadian actress Tatiana Maslany isn't one of them.

"The beginning of (2012) I did a play in January and was really jazzed about it, it got a great reception," the actress says.

"And then I went to LA for pilot season and had the most difficult time. I tried out for loads of things and thought I was right and thought I did an interesting audition or whatever, and then you don't hear anything – and as it's the hardest as far as rejection goes. But I think we're kind of addicted to that high-low thing."

That high-low thing kept her unemployed for almost a year. "And then I got Orphan Black. And it's the best job I've ever got because the part is insanely exciting. The part is like something I would've dreamed about and never thought I could actually do or be seen for."

For her effort in this sci-fi, Maslany received a Golden Globe nomination last year in the Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series (Drama) category.

The series revolves around Maslany's character, a runaway who returns to her hometown only to be pulled into a conspiracy after witnessing the suicide of a girl who looks just like her.

"I had to go in with an accent, and the character is this kind of London, working-class girl. She's a hustler and she's rough and she's lived hard and has a lot of regrets and a lot of flaws. And that's exactly the kind of people I'm fascinated by," she laughs. "It's so far from my world, yet it's human. We all have those flaws."

Though she grew up in the far reaches of Saskatchewan, Canada, Maslany has been performing since she was a kid. "I was doing it in high school professionally. So I would leave school for two months at a time to shoot a movie somewhere in Canada, or shoot a series. Even in high school I thought, 'I really love this, I don't know why.' It was the only thing I do, so that must be it. It's the thing I'm good at or the thing that I've been rewarded for."

Maslany starred in miniseries like World Without End and Heartland, but says she never attended drama school. "It was always working, learning on the job, learning through making big mistakes on the job. And watching bad things and being, like, 'OK. Our mistakes are right there on screen, on celluloid for the rest of our lives.' It's out there and there's lots of movies or TV shows I wish I hadn't done."

A shy person, she says she's been an observer most of her life. "As a kid I was very studious, very nerdy, very tomboyish. I wanted to be a boy. I always thought that was more interesting than being a girl. I had a younger brother who I grew up with who was my best friend and a little, little brother who's 12 years younger than me. So he was a baby that we raised.

"Our family was very close. We went on bike rides all the time and my brothers and I would make movies in the back yard with a video camera and make Claymations and sitcoms. We'd always be creating something – music or free styling or doing improv with our friends in our basement. We were super nerdy in that way," she nods.

"I wasn't rebellious in any way so I think I'm really drawn to characters who have that 'other thing' in them."

Maslany's mother is a translator and her father a woodworker. She's Ukrainian-Polish on one side and German-Austrian-Romanian on the other. Besides English, she speaks French, German and a little Spanish: "I learned it in high school. I've done a lot of dialect work on this show and just having a sense of different cadences and different vocal placements and vowel sounds it definitely helps to know other languages."

At 28, she thinks she's also retained a childlike view of the world. "I didn't grow up really quickly in as much as I was in the industry and had a job very early. I was doing improv with my brothers in the basement and I feel like I didn't want to let go of that sense of play or imagination or wonder. I was kind of wide-eyed and fascinated with the world instead of becoming a jaded teenager."

Glancing at her hands which lie on the table in front of her, she says: "I think I stayed a kid for a long time. I think that especially now that I've gotten over needing to be an adult – that sense of play has started to return to the way I want to work and the way I see the work. Because it is that openness of a child that you need to bring to it. If you don't, then you're not keying into all the cool things your imagination can bring to it." – McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

Orphan Black premieres on April 7 at 9pm on Lifetime (Astro Ch 709).

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews

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The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews

Ten films you didn’t realise Mickey Rooney was in

Posted: 07 Apr 2014 12:35 AM PDT

The consummate entertainer has been in so many movies and TV shows, it's impossible to remember them all.

Here are 10 films – including animations – that showcased Rooney's many, many talents.

1. Breakfast At Tiffany's (1961)

2. National Velvet (1944)

3. Babes In Arms (1939)

4. The Fox And The Hound (1981)

5. The Human Comedy (1943)

6. It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)

7. The Bold And The Brave (1956)

A typical war film which earned Rooney a best supporting actor Oscar nomination.

8. Journey Back To Oz (1974)

Rooney is the voice of Scarecrow in this animated feature. While it may not be as wonderful as Garland's The Wizard Of Oz (1939), it is still quite entertaining, thanks to the songs in the film.

9. Words And Music (1948)

10. Babe, Pig In The City (1998)

Rooney made a brief appearance in this film, which is the sequel to Babe. He played Fugly Floom, a nasty clown who kidnaps Babe the pig, who is somehow lost in the big city.

Related story:

Mickey Rooney dies at 93

Veteran actor Mickey Rooney dies at 93

Posted: 06 Apr 2014 09:30 PM PDT

The actor had been in the entertainment business for almost his entire life.

Pint-sized American actor and comedian Mickey Rooney, who has been acting since he was just a toddler, died on Sunday at 93.

Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland in a promotional picture for the 1938 film, Love Finds Andy Hardy.

Based on the Internet Movie Database, Rooney had three projects on his plate this year – Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde, Fragments From Olympus: The Vision Of Nikola Tesla and Old Soldiers.

He was once asked if he would marry all his eight wives again. He said, "Absolutely. I loved every one of them."

Rooney (left) in the 2006 comedy Night At The Museum with veteran actors Dick Van Dyke (centre) and Bill Cobbs.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: World Updates

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The Star Online: World Updates

Indonesians vote for new parliament, stage set for presidential poll
Venezuela government and foes talk; Vatican to mediate
China recruits 'guardian angels' to protect embattled doctors

Indonesians vote for new parliament, stage set for presidential poll

Posted: 08 Apr 2014 08:40 PM PDT

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesians began voting for a new parliament on Wednesday in a poll likely to be dominated by the opposition Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDI-P), boosting the chances of its popular candidate in a presidential election three months from now.

Opinion polls predict the PDI-P will win the most votes although not an outright majority. Its candidate for the presidential election on July 9, Jakarta governor Joko Widodo, widely known as Jokowi, already looks unbeatable.

"I'm very confident. My party will do very well," Jokowi said after voting with his wife in central Jakarta, according to local news website, Detik.com.

Former president and head of the PDI-P Megawati Sukarnoputri appeared to set aside her own ambition last month when she gave the green light to Jokowi to run for president, recognising that his popularity could lead her party back to power.

Indonesia's embrace of democracy since the downfall of former authoritarian leader Suharto 16 years ago has seen four different presidents and repeated change of the leading party.

The Indonesian stock market and the rupiah (IDR=), the best performing currency in Asia so far this year, are expected to react positively to a strong PDI-P showing, analysts said. A larger share of votes would allow the party to create more certainty for the business community under a Jokowi presidency.

The stock market, up 15 percent this year, was closed as Wednesday was declared a public holiday for the vote.

Campaigning has been notable for its lack of policy initiatives to give Southeast Asia's biggest economy a boost.

Though economic growth is still expected to be a little over 5 percent this year, it has weakened partly on the fall in prices for commodities on which the resource-rich country still depends.

Voting in the world's third-largest democracy began in Indonesia's distant eastern islands and will finish two time zones away in the densely populated west at 0600 GMT. Exit polls should give an idea of the outcome fairly soon afterwards.

There were no reports of any violence, but voting was delayed in some areas due to bad weather and logistical problems.

Political parties must secure at least 25 percent of the national vote on Wednesday or 20 percent of the 560 seats in parliament to be able to field a candidate in July's presidential ballot. There are only 12 parties running compared with 38 in the last election in 2009.

Much of the debate has shifted already to who might become the vice-presidential candidate with Jokowi, who has no experience on the national political stage.

JOKOWI SURGES

According to a Roy Morgan International survey released a week ago, support for Jokowi jumped to 45 percent after PDI-P named him as its candidate last month, from 35 percent before. Jokowi has won admirers for his clean reputation in a country of rampant corruption and his common touch with ordinary people.

The survey showed backing for rival Prabowo Subianto, a former general, holding at 15 percent, while tycoon Aburizal Bakrie trailed with 11 percent.

Support for PDI-P was at 37 percent, it said. A separate survey showed support for both Bakrie's Golkar and Prabowo's Gerindra parties dwindling to less than 20 percent.

Backing for the ruling Democratic Party of outgoing President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has fallen to single digits after it was hit by a series of high-profile graft cases last year. Yudhoyono is limited by the constitution to two terms.

Islamic parties, which became popular after the fall of Suharto, have also seen their fortunes fade in the world's most populous Muslim nation, hit by corruption scandals and a strong focus on pluralism in mainstream politics. Five Islamic parties are running this time, compared with eight in 2009.

Rather than policy, the colourful mass rallies of the past few weeks offered free merchandise, food and quite often money to those who attended, along with scantily clad singers and dancers who sought to whip up enthusiasm.

Parties also tapped into Indonesia's obsession with social media by launching politically themed apps and online games. Indonesia is home to the world's third-largest number of Facebook and Twitter users.

The election, a $1.5 billion logistical feat, will see more than 186 million voters flock to half a million polling stations across the vast Indonesian archipelago, according to the election commission.

Voters, nearly a third of them under 30, will choose between 6,600 candidates vying for national parliament seats. On the same day, elections will be held for 19,007 provincial and district level legislative assembly seats.

Most Indonesians view the national parliament as among the country's most corrupt institutions, according to a 2013 Transparency International survey.

It operates, however, within a presidential system where the executive branch has the authority to overrule it.

(Additional reporting by Anastasia Arvirianty, Fergus Jensen and Jonathan Thatcher; Writing by Randy Fabi; Editing by Jonathan Thatcher, Dean Yates and Simon Cameron-Moore)

Venezuela government and foes talk; Vatican to mediate

Posted: 08 Apr 2014 08:40 PM PDT

CARACAS (Reuters) - President Nicolas Maduro's government and Venezuela's main opposition group agreed on Tuesday to begin talks intended to halt the nation's worst political unrest in a decade.

Representatives of the Vatican and South American regional bloc Unasur will mediate, both sides said.

Clashes between security forces and pro-government militants on one side, and hooded opposition demonstrators blocking streets on the other, have killed 39 people since mid-February, according to official figures.

The dead have included government supporters, opponents, and members of the security forces.

Maduro, the 51-year-old successor to Hugo Chavez, led the government team at Tuesday's preliminary talks that were the first sit-down with the Democratic Unity (MUD) opposition coalition since the troubles began.

"We spoke frankly, directly and respectfully. There were moments of tension, but we agreed to start a cycle of meetings," Maduro said after the meeting in a 17th century colonial building that houses the foreign ministry.

"Neither will we try and convert them to Bolivarian socialism nor will they convert us to capitalism," he said, using a reference to Venezuelan independence hero Simon Bolivar.

The formal talks are set to begin on Thursday.

On the agenda will be Venezuela's crime epidemic and economic problems - issues high on the litany of complaints from demonstrators in the streets since early February.

The opposition is also insisting on the release of jailed protest leader Leopoldo Lopez and dozens of imprisoned students.

"DIFFICULT PATH"

Tuesday's meeting, brokered by visiting Unasur foreign ministers, may take some heat out of a crisis that has also caused hundreds of injuries and arrests, and proved a further drag on Venezuela's ailing economy.

But they may disappoint hardliners in the opposition, who had been hoping to inspire a "Venezuelan Spring" and view Maduro's exit as the only solution.

MUD leader Ramon Guillermo Aveledo said the opposition would ensure that students, who have led the wave of protests, would not be forgotten in the talks.

"We have agreed to the presence of a third party who will help us in this difficult path," he added, referring to the probable involvement of a Roman Catholic Church official.

From jail, Lopez called for a continuation of peaceful protests and expressed scepticism over the incipient talks.

"I believe deeply in dialogue, but in a dialogue of equals, not (with one side) on its knees. For 15 years, we have seen how the dictatorship conducts dialogue," he said in a series of messages posted by his wife on Twitter.

Though there have been no new fatalities for several days, clashes have continued on the streets of Caracas and some other hotspots such as the western city of San Cristobal.

While the students have failed to bring millions of protesters out as they had hoped, they have shown persistence in building barricades on streets and using other nuisance tactics.

Some have been posing naked on social media to protest against the beating and stripping of a student during a melee last week at a university in Caracas.

Maduro accuses the protesters of trying to promote a coup against him similar to a brief toppling of Chavez in 2002.

(Editing by Lisa Shumaker and Ken Wills)

China recruits 'guardian angels' to protect embattled doctors

Posted: 08 Apr 2014 08:15 PM PDT

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's capital Beijing is taking a novel approach to protecting doctors from growing levels of violence from angry patients: volunteer "guardian angels".

The campaign will recruit students, medical workers and other patients to act as middlemen between doctors and those in their care to defuse disagreements and smooth over tensions, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Wednesday.

Doctors in China have come under increasing threat as the country's healthcare system struggles to cope with low doctor numbers, poor levels of training and rampant corruption inflating the price of care. This has seen a number of fatal attacks by patients on doctors in the past year.

"Patients will understand doctors better after talking with our volunteers," Feng Guosheng, head of the Beijing Municipal Administration of Hospitals told Xinhua, adding services would include "hospital guidance" and "psychological intervention".

China's government stepped up security at hospitals earlier this year, posting police at some centres and increasing surveillance after a rise in attacks. In February a doctor in northern Heilongjiang province was beaten to death by an angry patient, while another was stabbed in October last year.

The Beijing campaign will recruit over 1,500 volunteers to serve a one-year term across 21 hospitals in the capital, Xinhua reported, citing another city official Wei Jiang.

Providing affordable, accessible healthcare is one of the key platforms of president Xi Jinping's new government, but China's healthcare bill is set to hit $1 trillion (597 billion pounds) by 2020, according to a report from McKinsey & Co.

Authorities have previously said they will increase punishment of those who cause disruption in medical institutions and the health ministry in February cracked down on "red envelope" bribes for quicker and better treatment, often a cause of tension as it raises the price patients have to pay for care.

(Reporting by Adam Jourdan; Editing by Michael Perry)

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

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Boost for Lafarge's M'sian position; 'buy' for TNB and Sime
KLCI edges up early Wednesday
HDBS jumps on RM2.50 special dividend

Boost for Lafarge's M'sian position; 'buy' for TNB and Sime

Posted: 08 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT

LAFARGE MALAYSIA BHD

By RHB Research Institute

Buy (maintained)

Target price: RM9.61

LAFARGE SA and Holcim Ltd agreed to merge to form the world's biggest cement maker with more that US$40bil (RM133bil) in sales. The enlarged entity will also cut overcapacity and energy expenses.

The new company will be called Lafarge-Holcim.

Lafarge Malaysia has not made any announcement pertaining to the merger. However, Holcim Malaysia Sdn Bhd is currently operating a 1.2 million tonne per annum (tpa) grinding plant in Pasir Gudang, Johor, that leads to a potential asset injection of this unit into Lafarge Malaysia is possible.

There is synergy on the possible merger or acquisition of Holcim Malaysia, as Lafarge Malaysia is also operating a separate 700,000 tpa grinding plant in the same area to service clients in Peninsular Malaysia's southern region.

The company's integrated plant in Langkawi, Kedah, has been exporting excess clinker at marginal costing.

Hence, the transaction may see Lafarge Malaysia possibly channelling more clinker to Holcim Malaysia at better margins, as the larger quantity may mean savings in logistics costs.

Apart from that, the merger may also further fortify Lafarge Malaysia's leading position in the local cement market, with market share increasing to almost 40% from one-third presently.

SIME DARBY BHD

By Maybank Investment Bank Research

Buy (unchanged)

Target price: RM10.20

SIME Darby Energy Sdn Bhd (SDESB), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sime, has entered into sales and purchase agreements to dispose of its 75% equity interest in Port Dickson Power (PDP) plant to Hypergantic Sdn Bhd (HSB) and its operations and maintenance business to Malakoff Power Bhd (MPB) for a total cash consideration of RM300mil.

HSB is presently the minority shareholder of PDP with a 25% equity stake. Both HSB and MPB are indirect subsidiaries of MMC Corp (not rated) via Malakoff Corp Bhd.

The proposed disposal does not come as a surprise as Sime Darby earlier decided not to make further investments into the capital-intensive power business as it is of the opinion that the new generation power purchase agreements (PPAs) have been giving lower returns to IPPs.

As such it is better to re-allocate capital to its four core businesses which are able to generate higher returns to shareholders.

It is believed the RM300mil price tag is fair considering the IPP expires in January 2016 and priced at 1.8 times price-to-book value (considering the residue value for its power plant sited on a 67-acre in Port Dickson, Negri Sembilan).

The disposal is expected to complete in its six months ending June 3, 2014 and Sime is expected to record a one-off estimated net gain of RM56mil or a marginal 1.8% increment to its six months' core net profits of RM3.10bil. The earnings forecast has been maintained for now.

TENAGA NASIONAL BHD (TNB)

By TA Securities

Buy

Target price: RM14.16

TNB's earnings for its second quarter ended Feb 28, 2014 are tentatively scheduled for release on March 24, 2014. Its core net profit (before foreign exchange) is estimated to be between RM1bil and RM1.05bil.

That implies a 29% to 32% decline quarter-on-quarter. Note that quarter-on-quarter comparison is partially distorted by RM188.7mil due to reduction of corporate income tax by one percentage point announced in Budget 2014, recognised in the preceding quarter.

Electricity demand is assumed to decline by 2% quarter-on-quarter, as the quarter coincides with major festivities, i.e. lower demand from non-residential segments. It has also taken into account savings in capacity payment as a result of unplanned outages at Tanjung Bin and Jimah.

The impact however will be partially offset by time lag – TNB's P&L would reflect cost to procure liquified natural gas (LNG) at RM41.68 per million British thermal units for two months (January and February) but the revenue covers only one month (February) due to billing timing.

It is estimated that this will translate into approximately RM172mil additional fuel cost in the second quarter of 2014 versus the proceeding quarter.

KLCI edges up early Wednesday

Posted: 08 Apr 2014 06:25 PM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's key FBM KLCI eked out marginal gains early Wednesday, propped up by DiGi and BAT but the gains were restrained by mild selling of TM, Maybank and Genting.

At 9.10am, the FBM KLCI was up 0.73 of a point to 1,853.04. Turnover was 136.53 million shares valued at RM69.81mmil. There were 182 gainers, 72 losers and 165 counters unchanged.

BIMB Securities Research said after Tuesday's decline, where the KLCI lost 10.59 points despite some final minute attempts to prop the market up, the market could remain lacklustre. It expects 1,850 to be the immediate support level.

Reuters reported that Asian shares rose in early trade on Wednesday after Wall Street snapped a three-day losing streak, but Japanese stocks tumbled after the yen surged on fading hopes of near-term stimulus from the Bank of Japan.

MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan advanced 0.6%, taking heart from a recovery in US stocks overnight. Australian shares gained 0.2%.

At Bursa Malaysia, BAT was the top gainer, adding 58 sen to RM60.18 while Nestle added 50 sen to RM67.20.

HDBS jumped 43 sen to RM4.48 with 1.07 million shares done after it announced a RM2.50 special dividend.

Takaful regained its footing to add 14 sen to RM12.50after the pullback on Tuesday.

Property based Eco World added 13 sen to RM5.33.

DiGi rose seven sen to RM5.33.

Auto-based Tan Chong added nine sen to RM5.60 but its bigger rival UMW fell the most, down 12 sen to RM11.80.

Plantation heavyweight IOI Corp fell six sen to RM4.78. TM and Maybank lost four sen each to RM5.82 and RM9.70 while Genting dipped three sen to RM9.70.

HDBS jumps on RM2.50 special dividend

Posted: 08 Apr 2014 06:08 PM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR: Hwang-DBS (M) Bhd's share price surged to a high of RM4.76 at the start of Wednesday's trade as it plans to return RM2.50 a share to its shareholders as special dividend.

At 9am, HDBS was up 71 sen to RM4.76. There were 257,500 shares done.

The FBM KLCI edged up 0.83 of a point to 1,853.14. Turnover was 50.99 million shares valued at RM26.06mil. There were 97 gainers, 45 losers and 137 counters.

Hwang-DBS announced plans to reward its shareholders after completing the sale of its investment banking business to Affin Holdings Bhd for RM1.36bil.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

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GST Bill outcome follows heated debate over potential pricing effects
Ocean Shield detecting source so AUV can be deployed for search
'Continuous heavy rain can end rationing'

GST Bill outcome follows heated debate over potential pricing effects

Posted: 07 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT

THE contentious Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill 2014 was passed after two bloc division votes were taken among the MPs.

The Bill, which will pave the way for a 6% tax to be imposed from April 1 next year, was passed following a heated debate among MPs that lasted two days.

In the first bloc division vote, the Bill was passed for second reading after 118 MPs voted in support of it versus 81 who opposed.

No debate was held for the Bill at the third reading or committee stage, prompting the Opposition to request for another bloc division voting to be conducted.

The Bill was passed by the House after 119 MPs, including Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak (BN-Pekan), voted in favour of the law, while the remaining 81 were against it.

During the debate, Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Ahmad Maslan said that a survey had been done by the Government on 689 consumer items to study the effects of GST on their pricing.

"Only 10% or 73 products will be more expensive, while 48% or 329 will not see any price changes.

"The remaining 287 items or 42% are expected to be cheaper," he said when wrapping up points raised in the debate on the GST Bill.

To a question by Datuk Chua Tee Yong (BN-Labis), Ahmad confirmed that electricity usage of 300KW and below a month would be exempted from the GST.

This is an increase from the proposed 200KW a month.

Replying to Liew Chin Tong (DAP-Kluang), Ahmad said there would be a one-off 1.8% increase in inflation rate following the GST implementation but prices were expected to stabilise after that.

"We will fight inflation by holding campaigns.

"For those who unreasonably raise prices of goods, we will use the Anti-Profiteering Act and put them behind bars," he warned.

During the bloc division voting, several Opposition MPs held up placards and banners with the words "Tolak GST (Reject GST)".

At the Budget 2014 announcement last year, Najib had said the GST would be imposed at a rate of 6% on selected goods and services, and that it would replace the 10% sales tax and 5% service tax.

Ocean Shield detecting source so AUV can be deployed for search

Posted: 07 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT

PERTH: The Australian ship Ocean Shield is focused on reacquiring the two acoustic contacts which could be from the missing Flight MH370.

If successful and the location of MH370's black box can be fixed, the next step would be to send an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) to look for wreckage.

Australian Navy Commodore Peter Leavy said Ocean Shield, equipped with a Bluefin 21 AUV, is searching the Indian Ocean where the pings had been detected.

Contact was lost shortly after the pings were detected by the ship.

"If they gain another acoustic event on the Towed Pinger Locator, that will be the trigger to launch the AUV with its sonar mapping capability to get a visual of the ocean floor," said Leavy at the Joint Agency Coordination Centre (JACC) here.

The pings, consistent with those emitted by aircraft black boxes, were detected in the northern part of a 300km search area between late Saturday and early Sunday morning.

Leavy said they were confident of reacquiring the acoustic contacts if the beacons were still operating.

JACC head coordinator Air Chief Marshal (Rtd) Angus Houston said the detections were promising and the best information so far on the missing plane.

He said the first detection was held for about two hours and 20 minutes before the ship lost contact with it.

"The second detection on the return leg was held for about 13 minutes. On this occasion two distinct pinger returns were audible.

"Significantly this would be consistent with transmissions from the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder," he said.

However, he said, there was still a long way to go before they could confirm if the detections were related to MH370.

He said the areas where the signals were detected had a depth of about 4,500m which is the limit of the AUV's capability.

Houston said the underwater search area was calculated by a team of experts in Kuala Lumpur.

'Continuous heavy rain can end rationing'

Posted: 07 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT

PETALING JAYA: Selangor needs a continuous spate of daily heavy rain over the next few weeks if water rationing here is to end.

This is unlikely, said Association of Water and Energy Research (AWER) president S. Piarapakaran, adding that the recent rainfall was not enough to replenish the drying dams in the state.

"The rainfall pattern is not as heavy as it used to be. There might be an increase in this short period of time, but it's just a small increase.

"If we have continous heavy rain over the next two weeks, we would not be going into the next stage of water rationing," he told The Star.

Piarapakaran said rain in Selangor was at a "medium" level, adding that high-intensity rain would result in flash floods.

It was previously reported that water rationing here will end when capacity levels at the Sungai Selangor dam reach 55%.

However, Malaysian Meteorological Department central forecasting office director Muhammad Helmi Abdullah said heavy rainfall was likely in some parts of Malaysia over the next few months.

"It can be heavy at times, but not all places will receive the same kind of weather," he said.

Muhammad said rain would continue to fall from May to September, though at a lesser portion – about 100mm to 150mm each month.

He also expected water in dams in the state not to dry up as quickly as in February and March, adding that higher humidity due to recent rain decreased local evaporation rates.

A state-wide forecast said isolated afternoon thunderstorms were expected throughout this week, with isolated rain continuing at night until Thursday.

When asked if the Government could set up infrastructure to divert stormwater from rained-on areas to those served by water catchment areas, Piarapakaran said this was very expensive to do.

"If we want to go into stormwater management, we need to redesign our entire drain management system. There are all sorts of chemicals in them, and we need to ensure the water is clean," he said.

He said he was not confident that water authorities here were up to par in taking action against river polluters, adding that Malaysia had to decrease its non-revenue water and increase its dam capacity first.

Dam readings by LUAS, the Selangor Water Management Authority, were shown to have increased slightly over the past few days.

As of Monday morning, these were: 78.27% (Batu), 53.96% (Klang Gates), 49.35% (Langat), 71.22% (Semenyih), 37.31% (Sg Selangor), 61.46% (Sg Tinggi) and 87.24% (Tasik Subang).

Some 6.7 million people in Selangor face water rationing.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

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Power portraits: George W. Bush unveils new paintings of world leaders
Art gallery Kedai is open for collaboration
Tuneful treats from Nigel Richards

Power portraits: George W. Bush unveils new paintings of world leaders

Posted: 08 Apr 2014 01:50 AM PDT

Former US President George W. Bush revealed a series of portraits he painted of world leaders – even though the results exposed him to joking criticism from his own mother.

An exhibit titled The Art of Leadership: A President's Personal Diplomacy opens on Saturday at the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in Dallas and was shown to reporters on Friday.

It features Bush's paintings of some two dozen world figures he worked with during his 2001-2009 presidency, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Afghan President Hamid Karzai, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and the Dalai Lama.

A self-portrait and a painting of his father, George H.W. Bush, the 41st president, are also part of the exhibit.

Accompanying each portrait, are some rarely seen photos of Bush with each leader, including a photo of Bush and former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi strumming guitars during a tour of Graceland in 2006. Koizumi, a fan of Elvis Presley, had requested this visit.

"No telling how these people are going to react when they see their portrait," Bush said in a taped interview on NBC's Today with his daughter Jenna Bush Hager.

Artistic reinvention

Bush had no interest in painting until leaving the White House and reading Winston Churchill's essay Painting as a Pastime. His earliest works included quick drawings made for family members with an iPad app.

"I wanted to make sure the last chapters of my life were full, and painting, it turns out, has helped occupy not only space but opened my mind," Bush said. "I paint a lot because, as you know, I'm a driven person and I want to get better. A whole new world has opened up."

Bush, 67, said he was reluctant to display his work but hoped the exhibit, which will run through June 4, will create interest in his presidential library.

In a video that describes the exhibit, Bush said he intends to paint throughout his lifetime although he admits "the signature is worth more than the paintings."

In addition to his world leaders series, Bush's paintings include still lifes, landscapes, paintings of animals and self-portraits set in a bathtub and shower. Some of those early works, including the self-portraits, were leaked on the Internet after Bush's email was hacked.

Bush said his favourite painting was the one of his father and said he sometimes was teary while working on it. "It was a joyful experience to paint him," he said.

Bush's mother, former first lady Barbara Bush, joined the interview live and was asked what she thought of her son's portrait of his father. "That's my husband?" she joked upon first glance.

She quickly said she liked the painting very much but would absolutely not pose for her son.

Bush said he had learned an important lesson about portraiture – don't paint your wife. Former first lady Laura Bush, in a taped portion of the show, said his portrait of her "still needs some work." – Reuters

Art gallery Kedai is open for collaboration

Posted: 05 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT

Newly opened independent art space Kedai reinforces support for the artistic fringe.

If you think running an ordinary business is difficult, imagine running an independent art gallery in the Klang Valley.

But that did not stop artists, Izat Arif Saiful Bahri, 28, and Rizal Sufar, 41, from opening Kedai, an art gallery in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. The duo wanted hands-on experience in running an art/space gallery and Kedai, as a blank canvas, is the sort of place to embrace community and multi-disciplinary arts projects.

"We wanted a space to ourselves; a collaborative space that's open and free to work with other artists and creative minds alike," said Izat.

According to the owners of Kedai – which opened in March 2014 – at least one show will be held every month. Later this month, Kedai will roll out a show with two homegrown artists – Engku Iman and Akmal Borhan.

The owners say that Kedai is like an open studio, where they welcome anyone interested in using their gallery space.

"We have power tools and working areas so anyone can use them. We encourage these kinds of activities to make it less formal and make it more approachable. Of course, we have plans to organise talks, workshops and other activities. We are open to anyone who wants to utilise the space," added Izat.

Izat Arif Saiful Bahri (left) and Rizal Sufar, the main men behind creative space Kedai, which is a new art gallery in Petaling Jaya in Selangor. With its youthful outlook, the gallery aims to promote cross-platform artistic pursuits.

Izat Arif Saiful Bahri (left) and Rizal Sufar, the main people behind Kedai.

Back in February, Izat had one of his works removed from the Bakat Muda Sezaman (Young Contemporaries) 2013 finals at the National Visual Arts Gallery in Kuala Lumpur. The dust has since settled and this young man has moved on from that episode with Kedai.

In terms of decision-making, Izat and Rizal work together to select exhibitions for their gallery, allowing them to maintain the focus and art direction of Kedai.

"We try not to put any restrictions in terms of form. In fact, during the opening (of Kedai), we had all sorts of forms like photography, sculptures and installations."

Ultimately, being artists and owners of Kedai, the pair have to manage their time between their passion and the business.

"We think that all artists try to juggle making a living and pursuing their passion as an artist. This applies to a lot of people, regardless of profession.

"While you have to be responsible and professional, you never quit pursuing your passion. It's all about the effort on how you make the time," he added.

Currently, Kedai is hosting a show by Escape VA (real name Mohd Zaki), a 28-year-old graffiti artist. His show called Can Control features his works in graffiti art which he started back in 2006.

Art enthusiasts at the recent launch of Escape VA's 'Can Control' graffiti exhibition, which underlines art space Kedai's boldness in championing unconventional artists.

Art enthusiasts at the Can Control graffiti exhibition.

"Can Control is about how the spray can conquers me. I started in 2006 with zero support and the only thing by my side was the spray can," said Escape VA as he briefly explained the contents of his first solo exhibition. "Everything I have made comes out of the tip of the spray can."

For three years, Escape VA planned for his solo show only to be hampered by financial issues until the Kedai gallery came along.

During the exhibition period this month, art enthusiasts can view six canvases (0.9m x 1.2m each) linked to the wall, featuring Escape VA's work that even comes with glow-in-the-dark black light effects, which he achieves by using fluorescent paint.

On the subject matter, Izat says that Kedai wanted to test the limits of graffiti within the confines of a gallery.

"We wanted to see if it is possible to obtain a similar impact if the work was shown indoors.

"Escape VA also wanted to challenge his own limitations by working with canvases and doing installations to accompany his graffiti," added Izat.

While graffiti is often associated with negativity, Escape VA is adamant that like all forms of art, opinions and interests on graffiti can be very subjective.

"It's a classic thing to relate graffiti to vandalism, but I won't say that it's vandalism – it depends on how you look at it," said Escape VA, who compares graffiti to advertising billboards.

"Just like there are good and bad people; there is also positive and negative graffiti," he concluded.

Escape VA's Can Control is on at Kedai, D-G-03, Jalan SS6/20A, Kelana Jaya, Petaling Jaya in Selangor till April 11. Open daily from 11am till 7pm. For more information, log on to facebook.com/kedai.co or check out Escape VA's page at facebook.com/thegreatescapeva.

Tuneful treats from Nigel Richards

Posted: 07 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT

British vocalist Nigel Richards kept the audience in awe at his show series in Kuala Lumpur.

BRITISH singer/actor Nigel Richards is no stranger to showbiz on a large or intimate scale. His name has graced West End productions (including playing the lead role in Phantom Of The Opera) and he also made a BBC Proms appearance. To scratch the experimental itch, Richards even tried out eccentric musician Scott Walker's tunes on stage. He won the hearts of purists when he took on a role in the acclaimed production Drifting And Tilting – The Songs Of Scott Walker at the Barbican in London in 2008. Alongside British pop musicians like Jarvis Cocker, Damon Albarn and Gavin Friday, he took on Walker's challenging songcraft.

His resume also includes a two-year stint in American experimental theatre director Robert Wilson's production of Tom Waits' The Black Rider over a decade ago.

Richards is also a respected teacher in musical theatre.

Last weekend, he played a small showcase series at the Intimate Encounters@Theatre Lounge Cafe in Kuala Lumpur. It was all about Richards' fantastic voice and stageside charisma.

I've been to concerts before and watched singers perform, but nothing quite like this.

Rest assured, I was not disappointed in the least when this talented performer took the stage last Friday night.

Richards blew the crowd away with his booming voice and literally stunned the room into silence. A typical West End charmer, he bantered and captivated the audience by rolling out several tunes from stage musicals, such as Phantom Of The Opera and Les Misérables.

Throughout this 60-minute set, Richards was the focus of attention. The small performance space made the show a real treat for music fans. It was like having Richards in your living room.

Out came classics like More (from the film Dick Tracy), Frogs (from theatre production Cinderella), Some Enchanted Evening (from South Pacific), Bring Him Home, Stars and Empty Chairs And Empty Tables (from Les Misérables), Let's Do It (written by Cole Porter for the musical Paris), Pointy's Lament (from next-generation Stephen Sondheim, Michael John LaChiusa's The Petrified Prince) and Music Of The Night (Phantom Of The Opera).

He performed 13 songs in total with a short intermission in between.

On Friday night, Richards was accompanied by local pianist Samuel Tan, who supplied a sublime performance too.

Of course, it was Richards' rich and amazing vocals that put a smile on many faces. Some swayed on the spot and some simply closed their eyes listening to how he hit every note perfectly. But what was interesting was how Richards told a story in each of his performances. He sang each tune as if he was narrating a page from a delightful storybook. From songs about love, solace, heartaches and joy, Richards brought the night to life and filled the room with melodic and enchanting music that was truly magical.

Hence the title of his show, Let's Fall In Love.

It comes as no surprise that this bloke has many experiences to share.

"What would I know about love?" he asked the crowd at the beginning of his first act.

"I'm 49 and single!" he continued, sending the crowd into hysterical laughter. It is clear, Richards was born to entertain. His songs, just like him were filled with humour. By the end of the night, you could end up crying, laughing or completely inspired.

The affable Englishman wasn't just a delight to watch on stage. He was fun to talk to.

"It's my first time in Malaysia and I'm still getting over your wonderful weather!" he said. He also mentioned being in Kuala Lumpur made him fall in love with the people here. "Everyone is so warm and friendly and I feel so welcomed."

The good news is Richards will back at the Intimate Encounters@Theatre Lounge Cafe this weekend.

"I will be singing and playing the piano then. Tell your friends!" he said. Richards' next show called A Life In Song promises to feature more delightful and uplifting tunes. He has also mentioned that he will be exhibiting how the mask in Phantom Of The Opera is made on that night. A tale worth listening to surely

Nigel Richards' show series A Life In Song from April 11 to 13 will take place at Intimate Encounters@Theatre Lounge Cafe (B1-3A, Plaza Damas 3, No. 63 Jalan Sri Hartamas 1, Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur). Shows start at 9pm. Cover charge is RM100. For more details, call 012-236 9100 or 03-6211 3000. Browse www.theatreloungecafe.com.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Selasa, 8 April 2014