Jumaat, 25 April 2014

The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

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The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro


Obama in first US presidential visit to Malaysia since 1966

Posted: 25 Apr 2014 11:01 PM PDT

Kuala Lumpur (AFP) - US President Barack Obama arrives in Malaysia on Saturday, hoping to energise aloof ties with a Muslim-majority nation whose government is under the microscope for wide allegations of abuse of power and the loss of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

Obama becomes the first serving US president to visit since Lyndon Johnson in 1966 as he tours Asia to fortify alliances amid concern over China's rise and push his troubled plans for a Pacific-wide trade pact.

Washington is keen to emphasise its relations with economically successful, moderate-Muslim Malaysia as the United States battles image problems in the Islamic world.

But Malaysia is a close trading partner of China and has resisted key aspects of Obama's Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement on trade.

Obama also will have to tread a fine line between courting Prime Minister Najib Razak while acknowledging huge segments of society in multi-cultural Malaysia that are fed up with his corruption-plagued coalition which has been in power for 57 years.
Najib craves acceptance abroad, where he portrays himself as a reformer and religious moderate.

But the reality is one of a "corrupt and authoritarian regime," opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said in a statement Saturday that urged Obama to voice support for "freedom and democracy" in Malaysia.

"It would be an opportune moment to live up to the ideals Obama espoused in his campaign and the early days of his administration," Anwar said.

Graphic showing the itinerary of US President Barack Obama in his four-nation tour in Asia.


Najib's government has come under growing criticism for harassing opponents and stifling free expression, particularly after elections last year in which it lost the popular vote to Anwar's opposition.

Najib clung to power via what critics say is a skewed electoral system favouring his coalition.

After his visits to Japan and South Korea, Obama is due to arrive in Malaysia late Saturday afternoon.

Accusations of repression 

Anwar was convicted March 7 and sentenced to five years in jail on controversial sodomy charges that he says are politically motivated and which the US State Department has questioned.

A number of other activists, opposition politicians and rights groups face a range of charges including sedition, while Christians complain of official intimidation.

In an interview with government-controlled The Star newspaper published Saturday, Obama said mildly that the most successful countries are those that "uphold the human rights of all their citizens, regardless of political affiliation, ethnicity, race or religion".

A Pos Malaysia Postal services employee poses with the special commemorative cover to mark US President Barack Obama's visit to Malaysia, in Kuala Lumpur, on April 25, 2014. -AFP


Obama will not see Anwar -- National Security Advisor Susan Rice will -- but he will meet late Sunday with representatives of several groups critical of the government.

During the visit, Obama is expected to stress growing security ties with Malaysia, which is among several nations with competing territorial claims in the South China Sea, where Beijing's assertiveness has sparked alarm.

Najib is believed to be keen for a dose of Obama's star power in the face of domestic criticism and the loss of MH370 which disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

His government has come under international criticism over the missing plane and a response that has been seen as secretive and incompetent.

Obama will meet Malaysia's king on Saturday and attend a state dinner.

On Sunday, he visits the National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur and holds a bilateral meeting with Najib, before a "town hall" meeting with youth leaders from around Southeast Asia.

He leaves Monday morning for a visit to the Philippines. - AFP

Thailand makes rare arrest of protest leader

Posted: 25 Apr 2014 10:55 PM PDT

Bangkok (AFP) - Thai authorities have made a rare arrest of one of the leaders of the country's anti-government protest movement on charges including insurrection and inciting unrest, an official said Saturday.

Former opposition lawmaker Sakoltee Phattiyakul is one of only a handful of prominent protesters to have been detained despite dozens of arrest warrants.

He was arrested at around midnight at Bangkok's main airport while returning from a trip overseas.

"He faces five serious accusations including insurrection, trespassing, inciting unrest and obstruction of an election," said Tarit Pengdith, director-general of the Ministry of Justice's Department of Special Investigation (DSI).

Sakoltee, considered a "core protest leader", was undergoing interrogation and would be taken to the Criminal Court where the authorities would oppose his bail, Tarit said.

Leaders of the anti-government movement have flouted arrest warrants to deliver fiery speeches, lead marches, block roads and besiege government buildings in their bid to topple Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Sakoltee led protesters to storm the building of broadcaster Thai PBS late last year.

The movement wants to replace Yingluck's government with an unelected "people's council" that would oversee reforms to tackle alleged corruption and rein in the political dominance of her billionaire family.

Top protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban faces several arrest warrants linked to the rallies including for treason, as well as murder charges linked to a deadly crackdown on opposition demonstrations in 2010 when he was deputy prime minister.

Yingluck meanwhile is accused of dereliction of duty linked to a loss-making rice subsidy scheme and the improper transfer of a senior civil servant. Both cases could lead to her removal from office within weeks.

Flash floods kill more than 80 in north Afghanistan

Posted: 25 Apr 2014 09:34 PM PDT

Mazar-i-Sharif (Afghanistan) (AFP) - Flash floods in northern Afghanistan after two days of torrential rain have killed more than 80 people, officials said Friday, with scores more missing as helicopters searched for stranded villagers.

Local officials told AFP that 43 people died in Jowzjan province, 33 in Faryab province and six in Sar-e Pul province.

The floodwaters swept through villages and fields, engulfing thousands of homes and leaving many people seeking safety on the roofs of their mud-brick houses.

"We have been able to recover 43 bodies," Jowzjan provincial police chief Faqir Mohammad Jowzjani told AFP.

"Rescue helicopters have evacuated some 200 people, but many people are still trapped on roofs of their homes and some are also missing."

Faryab governor Mohammadullah Batash said the death toll in the province, which borders Turkmenistan, was expected to rise.

"We have a confirmed toll of 33 people dead and 2,152 houses destroyed, several districts have been badly affected," he said. "Rain is still continuing, which is hampering relief efforts."

In Sar-e Pul, another northern province, the flooding killed at least six people with more than a dozen still missing, said governor Abdul Jabar Haqbeen.

Local officials reported shortages of drinking water, food and medicine, as the central government's disaster management agency said it was assessing emergency needs.

The floodwaters destroyed farmland and also killed livestock across the remote region.

Flooding often occurs during the spring rainy season in northern Afghanistan, with flimsy mud houses offering little protection against rising water levels.

Afghanistan is set to release preliminary presidential election results on Friday, and Ashraf Ghani, one of the leading contenders, was quick to call for help for the flood victims.

"With great regret, we have been informed that heavy flooding has caused casualties and destroyed properties in some northern provinces," said a statement from his campaign.

"We extend our deepest sympathies to the people affected and demand urgent action by the government and relief organisations to help the affected people."

Two weeks ago, a landslide triggered by heavy rains and a small earthquake swept through two villages in the northern province of Takhar, killing four people and destroying around 100 houses.

In the last major flooding in Afghanistan, 40 people died in August in flash floods in eastern and southeastern provinces and some districts of the capital Kabul.

Neighbouring Pakistan suffered the worst floods in its history in 2010 when almost 1,800 people died and 21 million people were affected.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Buzz

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That's Mrs Jodie Foster to you: Photographer Alexandra Hedison

Posted: 25 Apr 2014 02:35 AM PDT

Here comes the bride. Here's comes the other bride. Oscar-winner Jodie Foster's rep confirms that she's married photographer Alexandra Hedison.

Jodie Foster has married photographer Alexandra Hedison, a representative for the Oscar-winning actress confirmed on April 23. E! News, which first reported the marriage, said the couple wed over the previous weekend.

Notoriously private, Foster, 51, publicly acknowledged that she's gay during a televised speech at the 2013 Golden Globe Awards, and referred to her "ex-partner in love" Cydney Bernard, with whom she has two sons.

Ending speculations that had dogged her for years, she joked during her acceptance speech of the Cecil B. DeMille Award: "I already did my coming out about a thousand years ago back in the Stone Age."

Hedison, 44, who dated Ellen DeGeneres about a decade ago, is also an actress. She appeared most recently in Showtime series The L Word, about the lives and loves of a group of gay women. 

According to E! News, rumours about the two started streaming through the Internet grapevine last summer when they were photographed at a "technology seminar" at Fox Studios in Los Angeles, and then out at "dinner with friends" a few days later. – Reuters

'The Hobbit: There And Back Again' is now something else

Posted: 24 Apr 2014 10:55 PM PDT

Filmmaker Peter Jackson reveals that the third film in The Hobbit series now has a new title.

The film formerly known as The Hobbit: There and Back Again has a new title.

Director Peter Jackson announced via his Facebook page Thursday that There And Back Again will now be titled The Battle Of The Five Armies when MGM and Warner Bros release it later this year.

"When we did the premiere trip late last year, I had a quiet conversation with the studio about the idea of revisiting the title," Jackson wrote. 

"We decided to keep an open mind until a cut of the film was ready to look at. We reached that point last week, and after viewing the movie, we all agreed there is now one title that feels completely appropriate. And so: The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies it is." 

Five Armies marks the third and final film in Jackson's Lord Of The Rings prequel trilogy.


Fan site TheOneRing.net reported last week that New Line had registered the title Into The Fire for the next Hobbit installment, along with Five Armies. Jackson also posted that fans of the film's original title may see it "used on a future box-set of all three movies".

The Oscar-winning director is currently editing Five Armies, while also overseeing work on an extended cut of last year's hit, Desolation Of Smaug. According to Jackson, the latter will feature more than 25 minutes of "new scenes, all scored with original music composed by Howard Shore". The Hobbit: Battle Of The Five Armies arrives in theatres Dec 17, 2014. — Reuters

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio

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The Star Online: Entertainment: TV & Radio


And the Emmy (hosting duty) goes to ... Seth Meyers!

Posted: 26 Apr 2014 03:45 AM PDT

Comedian Seth Meyers has been chosen to host this year's Primetime Emmy Awards in August.

Seth Meyers is to host the 66th Primetime Emmy Awards 2014. The Late Night With Seth Meyers host is set to front the annual event for the first time on Aug 25 at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, which will air on NBC in the US.

Bruce Rosenblum, head of the Television Academy, said: "Seth is such a talented performer and writer, and we know he will bring something unique to hosting the Primetime Emmy Awards."

The glamorous ceremony, which honours the best in US primetime television programming, will be held one month earlier than usual, and on a Monday instead of the usual Sunday, because of NBC's contractual commitment to televise Sunday Night Football.

Meyers, 40, who has previously won three Emmy awards for his involvement in the long-running show Saturday Night Live, follows in the footsteps of How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris, who hosted the event last year on CBS.

In 2012, Jimmy Kimmel fronted the awards on ABC, before taking over from Glee star Jane Lynch, who led the ceremony for Fox in 2011. Meanwhile, Meyers was named as one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people recently alongside Beyonce, Pharrell Williams, Matthew McConaughey, Miley Cyrus and Amy Adams. — Bang Showbiz

Michelle Obama, the Hollywood star

Posted: 25 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT

The First Lady of the United States will be appearing in an episode of Disney's Jessie sitcom.

Michelle Obama, the wife of US President Barack Obama, will guest star on Disney Channel comedy Jessie in an upcoming episode.

The episode highlights the service, sacrifice and needs of military families. Obama will appear as part of the White House's Joining Forces initiative.

Additionally, Obama will take part in a public service announcement that accompanies the episode.

On the episode, titled From The White House To Our House, Jessie (Debby Ryan) and Zuri (Skai Jackson) plan a birthday party for Taylor (Kyla-Drew Simmon) whose mother is a deployed member of the military.

But when Taylor doesn't want to celebrate without her mother, Zuri turns to Obama for help.

Obama has made numerous appearances on news and talk shows, but she's only guest-starred once before on a scripted show – playing herself on Nickelodeon's iCarly

She is also set to guest star on a military-themed episode of ABC's Nashville in May. – Reuters


Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star eCentral: Movie Reviews

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That's Mrs Jodie Foster to you: Photographer Alexandra Hedison

Posted: 25 Apr 2014 02:35 AM PDT

Here comes the bride. Here's comes the other bride. Oscar-winner Jodie Foster's rep confirms that she's married photographer Alexandra Hedison.

Jodie Foster has married photographer Alexandra Hedison, a representative for the Oscar-winning actress confirmed on April 23. E! News, which first reported the marriage, said the couple wed over the previous weekend.

Notoriously private, Foster, 51, publicly acknowledged that she's gay during a televised speech at the 2013 Golden Globe Awards, and referred to her "ex-partner in love" Cydney Bernard, with whom she has two sons.

Ending speculations that had dogged her for years, she joked during her acceptance speech of the Cecil B. DeMille Award: "I already did my coming out about a thousand years ago back in the Stone Age."

Hedison, 44, who dated Ellen DeGeneres about a decade ago, is also an actress. She appeared most recently in Showtime series The L Word, about the lives and loves of a group of gay women. 

According to E! News, rumours about the two started streaming through the Internet grapevine last summer when they were photographed at a "technology seminar" at Fox Studios in Los Angeles, and then out at "dinner with friends" a few days later. – Reuters

'The Hobbit: There And Back Again' is now something else

Posted: 24 Apr 2014 10:55 PM PDT

Filmmaker Peter Jackson reveals that the third film in The Hobbit series now has a new title.

The film formerly known as The Hobbit: There and Back Again has a new title.

Director Peter Jackson announced via his Facebook page Thursday that There And Back Again will now be titled The Battle Of The Five Armies when MGM and Warner Bros release it later this year.

"When we did the premiere trip late last year, I had a quiet conversation with the studio about the idea of revisiting the title," Jackson wrote. 

"We decided to keep an open mind until a cut of the film was ready to look at. We reached that point last week, and after viewing the movie, we all agreed there is now one title that feels completely appropriate. And so: The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies it is." 

Five Armies marks the third and final film in Jackson's Lord Of The Rings prequel trilogy.


Fan site TheOneRing.net reported last week that New Line had registered the title Into The Fire for the next Hobbit installment, along with Five Armies. Jackson also posted that fans of the film's original title may see it "used on a future box-set of all three movies".

The Oscar-winning director is currently editing Five Armies, while also overseeing work on an extended cut of last year's hit, Desolation Of Smaug. According to Jackson, the latter will feature more than 25 minutes of "new scenes, all scored with original music composed by Howard Shore". The Hobbit: Battle Of The Five Armies arrives in theatres Dec 17, 2014. — Reuters

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: World Updates

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Boy who raised alarm on doomed Korean ferry had no time to call parents

Posted: 25 Apr 2014 09:10 PM PDT

SEOUL (Reuters) - The frightened boy who first raised the alarm that a South Korean ferry with hundreds on board was sinking did not have time to call his parents, his father said, and was found dead not wearing a life jacket.

Choi called the emergency 119 number which put him through to the fire service, which in turn forwarded him to the coastguard two minutes later. That was followed by about 20 other calls from children to the emergency number, a fire service officer told Reuters.

The Sewol ferry sank on April 16 on a routine trip south from the port of Incheon to the traditional holiday island of Jeju.

More than 300 people, most of them students and teachers from one high school on a field trip, have died or are missing and presumed dead. The children were told to stay put in their cabins, where they waited for further orders.

They paid for their obedience with their lives. The confirmed death toll on Saturday was 187.

Choi's body was found on Wednesday, a week after the sinking, at the back of the fourth deck.

"I was so angry at the reality that all I can do is look at the sea and pray, but I am so grateful that he has been found and he is back," his father told the Kukmin Ilbo newspaper.

"If only he had been wearing a life jacket, I wouldn't be this heartbroken... He didn't have time to call his mum and dad... He reported it to 911 (emergency number) and he's back now. I am so proud of him."

Grieving parents were taken by a smaller ferry to the sunken vessel on the day after the disaster, wrapped in blankets against the wind and rain.

A witness quoted one mother crying to the sky: "It's my child's tears."

"I DON'T MIND DYING"

When the smaller ferry reached the scene of the tragedy, the capsized hull obscured by mist, all the parents rushed to the right side of the boat to look, causing it to list, with waves splashing the deck, the witness said.

"Move to the left," a crew member shouted through a loud speaker. "We need to have balance."

The parents responded with cries of "I don't mind dying" and "let me jump in". One woman shouted: "My child is in that cold water."

Another mother was berating herself for making her daughter go on the field trip when she didn't want to. She said she would commit suicide if her child's body was found.

"What makes me really mad is... what kind of school leaves for a field trip at 9 p.m.? At night? Is there any school like that in the entire country? Taking 12-13 hours..? and they had to wait three or four hours before the boat could leave? I want to kill everyone. There is no meaning to my life anymore."

Captain Lee Joon-seok, 69, and other crew members who abandoned ship have been arrested on negligence charges. Lee was also charged with undertaking an "excessive change of course without slowing down".

Prosecutors have also raided the home of Yoo Byung-un, 73, the head of a family that owns the Chonghaejin Marine Co. Ltd, the company that operated the Sewol. They seized another ferry run by the company and found that life rafts and escape chutes were not working properly.

Yoo, a photographer who also goes by the name of AHAE, expressed his "profound sadness" at the sinking, a statement released by Ahae Press, which markets his work said, stressing that Yoo did not have any stake in the company.

"While the Korean authorities investigating the ferry tragedy have issued a travel ban for 30 to 40 officials associated with Chonghaejin ownership, including members of the Yoo family, this blanket approach is standard for investigations by Korean regulators," the statement said.

(Writing by Nick Macfie)

Most workers trapped in Nepal tunnel rescued, three still missing

Posted: 25 Apr 2014 08:30 PM PDT

KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Thirteen of the workers including a Chinese national trapped by a landslide inside the tunnel of a hydroelectric power project in Nepal were rescued on Saturday, a project official said.

Three other men, who were working at the Upper Madi Hydroelectric Project in Kaski district, 125 km (80 miles) west of Kathmandu, when falling earth and rocks blocked the tunnel entrance, are still out of contact.

"I am lucky to be out. Initially, I thought I would die inside," Bishal Gole, a 21-year-old labourer, told Reuters from Kaski after spending more than 12 hours inside the tunnel before being rescued.

Rescuers dug through the night to clear the debris and took them out, project official Ram Raj Koirala said.

The search for those still missing is continuing, he said.

The project was being constructed by the China International Water and Electric Corporation.

China is a major donor, business partner and investor in Nepal, a strategically located buffer state between China and India.

Many Chinese companies are involved in infrastructure projects that include hydroelectric power.

(Reporting by Gopal Sharma; Editing by Kim Coghill)

G7 leaders agree to impose new sanctions on Russia over Ukraine crisis

Posted: 25 Apr 2014 08:25 PM PDT

SEOUL (Reuters) - The leaders of the Group of Seven major economies agreed on Saturday to swiftly impose further sanctions on Russian individuals over the Ukraine crisis, and the United States could unveil its new punitive measures as early as Monday, officials said.

A senior U.S. official said each G7 country would decide which targeted sanctions to implement and while the measures would be coordinated they would not necessarily be identical.

The new sanctions are intended to punish Russia for failing to comply with an international agreement to help defuse the Ukraine crisis, according to a statement from G7 leaders released by the White House while President Barack Obama was on a visit to South Korea.

"Given the urgency of securing the opportunity for a successful and peaceful democratic vote next month in Ukraine's presidential elections, we have committed to act urgently to intensify targeted sanctions and measures to increase the costs of Russia's actions," the statement said.

The new sanctions will hit Russian "individuals and/or entities" and Washington will announce its list as early as Monday, senior U.S. officials said.

Sources familiar with the matter said the U.S. list of individuals expected to include "cronies" of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The G7 statement warned that "we continue to prepare to move to broader, coordinated sanctions, including sectoral measures, should circumstances warrant."

At the same time, the leaders told Russia that "the door remains open to a diplomatic resolution of this crisis" on the basis of the Geneva accord and urged Moscow to take that path.

The G7 leaders accused Russia of reneging on its promises to use its influence to get pro-Russian militants in eastern Ukraine to disarm and leave buildings they have occupied.

"Russia has taken no concrete actions in support of the Geneva accord," the statement said. "Instead, it has continued to escalate tensions by increasingly concerning rhetoric and ongoing threatening military manoeuvres on Ukraine's border."

The announcement of new sanctions followed lobbying by Obama among top European leaders, who have been divided over how far to go.

"We, the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission, join in expressing our deep concern at the continued efforts by separatists backed by Russia to destabilize eastern Ukraine," the G7 statement said.

"We have now agreed that we will move swiftly to impose additional sanctions on Russia," it said

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Business

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Palm oil biodiesel programme to cover all of Malaysia by July

Posted: 25 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT

MALAYSIA's B5 biodiesel programme will be fully implemented nationwide this July – three years after the initial phase launch in the central region in the Peninsula.

The B5 biodiesel is a blend of 5% palm oil or palm methyl ester (PME) and diesel. For this palm biodiesel initiative, the PME requirement for the entire B5 programme is estimated at 500,000 tonnes per year to support both the subsidised and non-subsidised sectors in the country.

This initiative is also envisaged to effectively reduce domestic palm oil inventory to below one million tonnes, and provide a floor price to support CPO prices at RM2,000 per tonne, says Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) senior research officer Yung Chee Liang at a recent palm oil conference.

The B5 implementation was launched in phases, starting with the central region (Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur Selangor, Selangor and Malacca) between June and November 2011. Next was the southern region (Johor) in July last year, followed by the northern region (Perlis, Kedah, Penang and Perak) in October, the eastern region (Kelantan, Pahang and Trengganu) in January, and finally, Sarawak, Sabah and Labuan this July to complete full national coverage.

Meanwhile, the B5 programme has been fully implemented among the subsidised sectors such as retail stations, fleetcard, skid tanks and fisheries in the central region since Feb 15, 2012.

As at November last year, some 35 depots nationwide with in-line blending facilities had been set up by the Government together with participating petroleum companies, namely Petronas Dagangan Bhd, Shell Malaysia Trading, Petron (formerly Esso Malaysia Bhd), Boustead Petroleum Marketing and Chevron Malaysia Ltd.

Yung says there is a need to install more in-line blending facilities at another 26 depots for the full implementation of B5 nationwide. There are currently over 1,500 retail stations in the central and southern regions selling the B5 biodiesel, he adds.

On pricing, Yung says further subsidy from the Government would be expected to ensure the price of B5 is similar to that of diesel.

Another issue to tackle is the need to finance the construction of in-line blending facilities for petroleum companies.

For full implementation of B5, Yung expects an estimated RM300mil for in-line blending facilities for 35 petroleum depots or terminals, while additional subsidies may be required when the main PME feedstock – crude palm oil (CPO) – price is higher than that of diesel.

At the same time, it is important for on time completion of the blending facilities, as well as to iron out the challenges of logistics and supply in Sabah and Sarawak.

B7, B10 and B20

The Government is also considering the introduction of a higher biodiesel blend B7 in the near term and studying the prospects of the B10 and B20 biodiesel programmes.

Yung says the action plans for B7 and B10 would include experts' consultation, revision of Malaysian Standards (MS), engine warranty issue and full implementation.

For B10, the revision of MS will include the diesel fuel blending up to 10% of PME which is in accordance with the Euro 2M specifications. To this end, MPOB will need to carry out a consumer study, material compatibility test, quality test of B10 and testing of engine components.

In the works right now are the Palm Biodiesel Incentive Scheme, B10 and B20 trial projects on MPOB vehicles, B10 on Peugeot cars and B10 on Alam Flora vehicles.

MPOB is also looking into B10 to be tested on KL City Hall vehicles, the fishery sector, defence and military vehicles, B10 for KTM trains and for burning of olein at Tenaga Nasional Bhd's power generator plants, says Yung.

On PME supply, the Government has issued 60 biodiesel manufacturing licences with total annual capacity of 6.50 million tonnes as at September last year.

Yung points out that 21 biodiesel plants have been commissioned since 2006 with total production capacity of 2.96 million tonnes per year.

In January to September last year, there were only 12 biodiesel plants in operation with total annual capacity of 1.22 million tonnes.

Biodiesel orders

Malaysian Biodiesel Association (MBA) vice president U.R. Unnithan tells StarBizWeek that the Government biodiesel mandate on B5 and the strong possibilities of expanding the working perimeters to B7 and other higher biodiesel blends are positive developments for MBA members.

The MBA represents 22 local and foreign biodiesel manufacturers, which have invested over RM2.2bil in the country since 2008.

For Peninsular Malaysia alone, Unnithan says MBA expects the subsidised sector such as retail stations, fleet cards, skid tanks and fisheries to take up about 250,000 tonnes annually while the non-subsidised sector about 100,000 tonnes annually.

"With Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan being roped in by this July for the B5 programme, we foresee an additional 70,000 tonnes being taken up by the subsidised sector there while for the non-subsidised about 80,000 tonnes," he adds.

However, Unnithan claims that not all of the MBA members are getting consistent orders from the petroleum companies which participate in the B5 programme. In fact, only eight to 10 members are getting orders from companies such as Petronas, Shell Malaysia, Petron, Boustead Petroleum and Chevron Malaysia.

Unnithan says this could be due to the on-going due diligence process being carried out by the petroleum companies on the respective biodiesel producers prior to their PME being verified as fit for use in the in-line blending facilities at their respective depots/terminals.

"Normally the due diligence process will take about two to three months to complete as the export track record, quality, capacity, ISO system of quality, etc, will need to be carefully vetted," he explains.

Unnithan says Malaysia exported about 175,000 tonnes of biodiesel last year which is quite a reasonable volume compared to 2012 figures.

However, he says biodiesel export for this year is still vague as the biodiesel discount export parity to diesel fuel may not be so good given the price of CPO is currently seen rising to above RM2,600 per tonne.

In another development, Unnithan concurs that there is a trend among cash rich plantation companies lately to acquire "idle" biodiesel plants in Malaysia.

"I believe the Government's latest commitment in its biodiesel mandates is seen as an attractive investment venture for oil palm planters which already have the main feedstock for the production of PME.

"Therefore, I will not be surprised more such acquisitions will take place this year as plantation companies are finally beginning to realise that biodiesel can provide a safe avenue and act as a good buffer to support the CPO price in case of oversupply," says Unnithan.

All it needs is a strong government mandate and incentives to support the domestic biodiesel programme, similar to the biofuel mandates undertaken by the US, Europe, Brazil, Argentina and Indonesia, he adds.

Mobius: Malaysia can compete

Posted: 25 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT

Templeton Emerging Markets Group executive chairman Mark Mobius has no qualms about Malaysia overcoming competition from its South American emerging market rivals.

"If I were South American, I would be more concerned (about Malaysia)," he quips.

Mobius was responding to a question about Malaysia's prospects under the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), in an interview with StarBizWeek at the Franklin Templeton Investments Asia Investor Forum 2014 in Tokyo, Japan.

The 77-year-old emerging markets expert and advocate believed there was nothing for Malaysia to fear about joining the agreement, stating that the country has good fundamentals and was competitive in its own right.

"I'm surprised that Malaysia would be worried about competitiveness as Malaysia can easily compete with these countries," he says, referring in particular to the manufacturing sector. "They would probably be complementary."

Mobius says there are many trade ideas the emerging market countries under the TPPA could pursue, such as Malaysia supplying processed rubber.

"In fact, the whole of South-East Asia should join the TPPA as a block. Any trade between Asia and the Pacific would be very good; it makes a lot of sense because a lot of things are happening in the Pacific."

The TPPA is a free trade agreement currently negotiated between 12 nations - Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, United States, Singapore, Vietnam and Japan.

Among the concerns raised about the TPPA have been market access, investor-state dispute settlement, labour, environment, tobacco, medicine, intellectual property rights, state-owned enterprise issues.

International Trade and Industry minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed has said last week that Malaysia will negotiate in the national interest even if US President Barack Obama does not receive wide-ranging powers known as a trade promotion authority to push for a trade pact from the US Congress.

Aside from the South American countries involved in the TPPA, Mobius adds that Panama and Colombo were thriving markets to note as well.

On Malaysia's progress since Mobius began investing in the country in the 1980s, he says the market has "progressed very far and done a terrific job".

"We have increased our investments in Malaysia and we have a number of funds we're managing for investors in Malaysia itself."

Mobius is happy with the way the market has developed here, opening the doors to pension funds to be invested in equities and providing opportunities for foreign fund managers to come in and work.

"Vis-a-vis Singapore, Malaysia's weaker currency means it has good opportunities to attract foreign investments.

"That's why Johor is on a swing."

Mobius believes both Malaysia and Singapore are complementary economic partners.

"Singapore doesn't have the land and the lower labour costs which they have found in Malaysia while Malaysia can get the high-tech resources from Singapore."

Emerging from a slump

Mobius, who has been invested in the emerging markets for over 40 years, predicts the emerging markets would rebound from a sluggish performance last year. The avid bicyclist points out that these markets have already outperformed the developed markets so far this year.

"It is a sign that money is flowing this way - back into emerging markets.

"Bear markets don't last. Historically, bull markets last longer than bear markets," he says during his presentation on emerging markets.

2013 saw investors moving out of emerging markets to developed markets like the United States where the economy recuperated from the global financial crisis.

"We should see a reversal of that this year. Whether by the end of the year the trend would continue to be so, I don't know but it looks that way," he says.

Among the other major trend he sees in the emerging markets realm were the China and Hong Kong exchanges merging. While China is expected to undergo some challenging economic reforms that will see a lot of banks going under, people getting arrested, state-owned enterprises closing down as the government improves efficiency and resources allocation.

Other sweeping changes, he notes were deregularisation of industries reserved for the government allowing market access by private sector, as well as financial liberalisation which will see the private sector setting up financial institutions.

The property market in China will also be vibrant, as more citizens migrate from rural areas to the city.

"China is not slowing down. It is now at a single digit growth rate but in dollar value, this growth is bigger than the years before," he says.

Mobius is bullish on the consumer services sector in emerging markets, as purchasing power rises in these countries. Gross domestic product per capita growth has reached 45% in emergign markets between 2008 and 2013, while developed markets only scored a 3% growth.

He is also keen on the financial and technology sectors, where people are increasing able to access these services and innovations.

"Government debt in these markets is quite low but consumer debt in some countries may increase due to the rapid rise in credit card and consumer financing. So rapid that it's going to have problems along the way," he says, noting that the non-performing loans on the consumer side may increase.

He is also confident of the growth of internet-based businesses in the region where the absence of legacy technology allows emerging markets to adopt the latest solutions than in developed markets.

"Internet shopping is coming into its own globally, I don't see any let up there. And internet-shopping related businesses will grow", he adds, referring to delivery and payment companies.

The Templeton Emerging Markets Group projects a 12-month forward price-to-earnings (P/E) at 10.1 times for the emerging markets.

Developed markets' 12-month forward P/E is 14.8 times.

The 2014 emerging markets gross domestic product growth is expected at a average of 5.1%, compared to 1.8% in developed markets.

That said, Mobius cautions investors to be selective still about their investments in these markets using a bottom-up approach.

Mobile Net services boost DiGi Q1

Posted: 25 Apr 2014 09:00 AM PDT

PETALING JAYA: DiGi.Com Bhd reported solid growth for its first quarter ended March 31, 2014, with net profit rising 48% to RM485.16mil from RM328.65mil previously, driven by a strong boost in the usage of mobile Internet services.

Revenue for the period was RM1.72bil, 4.3% higher than the RM1.65bil achieved a year ago.

Chief executive officer Henrik Clausen said in a statement that the healthy growth in Internet revenue was fuelled by higher usage and a bigger customer base in the Internet segment.

"Our focus on making access to Internet services easy and relevant has encouraged stronger adoption among our 10.9 million customers, and an overall increase in new Internet customers within our base.

"The introduction of our 'Best For Internet' campaign offering flexible and bite-sized plans, comprehensive service bundles and unlimited access to selected digital services gave different customer segments customised options that better addressed their needs," DiGi said.

The company expanded its 3G high-speed packet access (HSPA+) footprint to 82% of the population, increased its long-term evolution or LTE sites in the Klang Valley, Johor Baru and Kota Kinabalu, and grew its fibre network to more than 4,100km.

"The company has committed to invest up to RM900mil in capital expenditure this year to strengthen its network position to deliver on its promise of the best Internet experience to more customers in Malaysia," DiGi said.

The telco giant's Internet customers grew 31.6% year-on-year (y-o-y) and 3.6% quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q) to four million. Internet revenue increased 41.1% to RM374mil compared with the corresponding quarter last year, contributing 24% to the group's overall service revenues.

DiGi further said that total subscribers increased 4.9% y-o-y, although q-o-q development was impacted by seasonal effects on churn and gross adds with continued pressure from levelling postpaid demand.

Prepaid service revenue surged 7.3% y-o-y, with 1.2% growth q-o-q on a normalised 92-day quarter. Postpaid service revenue remained rather flat y-o-y and inched lower versus the preceding quarter.

The company explained that the 2.7% q-o-q decline in postpaid services was mainly attributable to flat postpaid demand, seasonally lower voice and roaming traffic after the year-end travel peak.

Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation stood at RM778mil, at a margin of 45%, mainly due to stronger service revenue and improved cost structure.

The positive financials demonstrated the sustainable benefits and synergies from a stronger network infrastructure and efficient asset base, the company said.

DiGi announced that it will pay a first interim tax-exempt dividend of 6.2 sen per ordinary share equivalent to RM482mil, or a 99.4% payout ratio, to shareholders on June 6, 2014.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

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PKR polls: Ramachandran pulls out in race for deputy

Posted: 25 Apr 2014 08:14 AM PDT

PETALING JAYA: Hulu Selangor PKR branch member Datuk K Ramachandran withdrew from the race for the deputy president post on Friday, leaving only three contenders from the original six.

Election director Datuk Johari Abdul, in a press release, confirmed that Ramachandran had pulled out from the contest.

Incumbent vice-president Tian Chua and former Puchong division chief S Murali had earlier announced their wthdrawal.

The contest is now between incumbent Azmin Ali, Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and secretary-general Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

Related article:

PKR expects 38 percent turnout for national polls

Gobind: Langkawi MP's remarks on Karpal's accident unforgivable

Posted: 25 Apr 2014 08:04 AM PDT

IPOH: The remarks made by Langkawi MP Datuk Nawawi Ahmad on the death of DAP veteran Karpal Singh is unforgivable, says Puchong MP Gobind Singh Deo.

Gobind, who is Karpal's son, described the remarks by Nawawi as "a disgrace to the August House and to members of parliament."

"Despite in grief and a country crying for this man, there are still people who find it fit to criticise, to put up photographs and articles (about Karpal).

"Unforgivable. Most people will agree that what he did was unforgivable," he said in his speech during the memorial service for Karpal Singh here on Friday.

"It was insensitive and inhumane," he said, also chiding Zulkifli Noordin as well over his statement.

Nawawi had posted a gruesome picture of the accident which killed Karpal last week attaching with it Karpal's "an Islamic state can only happen 'over my dead body' " newspaper article.

He has apologised for his actions.

Gobind said titles were not important to his late father but fighting the good fight was.

"Karpal will always stand up and fight to see a better Malaysia with equality and fairness.

"If we all keep quiet, evil will triumph," he said.

"Let us not remember how he died but how he had lived," he added.

A minute's silence was observed during the service while photographs of the late Karpal was put up on projector screen.

MaGIC signs MoUs on entrepreneurship with US organisations

Posted: 25 Apr 2014 07:48 AM PDT

CYBERJAYA: Malaysia has collaborated with two US organisations on empowering entrepreneurship efforts in the country.


The Malaysian Global Innovation and Creative Centre (MaGIC) on Friday inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Stanford University and UP Global for this purpose.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, who witnessesed the signing ceremony, said he believed in the young people, their passion, energy and creativity.

"As the Government, we got to create opportunities for them by building an ecosystem to turn their dreams into successful businesses and industries.

"This is what MaGIC is about- to be a truly global centre for successful stories of young entrepreneurs," Najib said at the ceremony.

Najib is scheduled to appear at the MaGIC headquarters in Cyberjaya on Sunday with United States president Barack Obama for the official launch of the centre.

Under the MoU with Stanford University, MaGIC will collaborate with the California-based university's Graduate School of Business, School of Engineering, and its Technology Ventures Program to improve the entrepreneurship curriculum within selected Malaysian universities.

MaGIC is also expected to send selected entrepreneurs to the Silicon Valley for training.

The partnership with international non-profit body UP Global is designed to increase the level of entrepreneurial activity and new company creation in Malaysia aimed at developing Malaysia as a global start-up hub whilst connecting Malaysian entrepreneurs with international communities.

This initiative will support 5,000 new entrepreneurs within a year, according to a statement from MaGIC.

Najib also witnessed the signing of MoU involving several other organisations, including Malaysian Biotech Corporation and QB3; and the Malaysia Venture Capital Management Berhad (MAVCAP) with Elixir Capital and 500 Startups.

All the MoU were driven towards expanding entrepreneurship development programmes whilst complementing MaGIC's initiatives.

MaGIC was established by the Government with a RM50mil allocation under Budget 2014 to be a one-stop centre to facilitate entrepreneurs in starting and growing their businesses.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

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That's Mrs Jodie Foster to you: Photographer Alexandra Hedison

Posted: 25 Apr 2014 02:35 AM PDT

Here comes the bride. Here's comes the other bride. Oscar-winner Jodie Foster's rep confirms that she's married photographer Alexandra Hedison.

Jodie Foster has married photographer Alexandra Hedison, a representative for the Oscar-winning actress confirmed on April 23. E! News, which first reported the marriage, said the couple wed over the previous weekend.

Notoriously private, Foster, 51, publicly acknowledged that she's gay during a televised speech at the 2013 Golden Globe Awards, and referred to her "ex-partner in love" Cydney Bernard, with whom she has two sons.

Ending speculations that had dogged her for years, she joked during her acceptance speech of the Cecil B. DeMille Award: "I already did my coming out about a thousand years ago back in the Stone Age."

Hedison, 44, who dated Ellen DeGeneres about a decade ago, is also an actress. She appeared most recently in Showtime series The L Word, about the lives and loves of a group of gay women. 

According to E! News, rumours about the two started streaming through the Internet grapevine last summer when they were photographed at a "technology seminar" at Fox Studios in Los Angeles, and then out at "dinner with friends" a few days later. – Reuters

'Gordon's alive!' Fox inks deal for 'Flash Gordon' remake

Posted: 25 Apr 2014 01:05 AM PDT

Twentieth Century Fox has signed a deal to resurrect forgotten American sci-fi hero Flash Gordon for a new remake that cult fans have been waiting for. 

In many ways an ancestor to the modern-day cast of Marvel and DC superheroes, Flash Gordon first appeared in a 1934 comic strip of the same name drawn by Alex Raymond.

FlashG

Nice duds: The original Flash Gordon drawn by comics artist Alex Raymond.

Without any super powers, the hero – who was originally a polo player and Yale graduate – undertook a mission to save Earth from the invading armies of Ming the Merciless, a bloodthirsty tyrant from the alien planet of Mongo.

Installed as screenwriters for the remake are JD Payne and Patrick McKay, according to The Hollywood Reporter, with producer John Davis about to close the deal with Fox.

Though Payne and McKay may not be widely known, they are regarded as hot property in Hollywood, as the team behind the script for a proposed third film in the rebooted Star Trek series.

Although discussions of remaking Flash Gordon have been going around for the past few years, this is apparently the first one that's actually entered actual development. Whether or not it will actually become a reality is still anyone's guess. 

The hero has seen action many times on the small and big screens, beginning with a trilogy of 'film serials' made between 1936 and 1940 starring Buster Crabbe as the title character. There have also been a few animated versions and a 21-episode Syfy channel TV series that ran through 2007 and 2008.

Early incarnation: Buster Crabbe (left) was the original cinematic Flash Gordon.

But it was the 1980 cinematic version directed by Mike Hodges that captured the public's imagination – and subsequent derision – with its campy dialogue, outlandish costumes and phallic spaceships. It didn't help that the movie downgraded Flash to a football player played by Playgirl-centrefold model Sam J. Jones who was nominated for a Razzie Worst Actor award. 

Cult favourite: Poster for the 1980 film version of Flash Gordon, directed by Mike Hodges.

The 1980 flick was also memorable for Max von Sydow's over-the-top performance as Ming, Timothy Dalton during his pre-James Bond era, and Golden Globe double-winner Chaim Topol as Dr Hans Zarkov. But the star of the film would be the soundtrack composed by British rock band Queen, especially the theme song Flash.

Although it did moderately well during its time, the film found a bigger audience after the 1980s as a cult favourite. Self-professed fan Comedian Seth MacFarlane even featured Sam J. Jones in a cameo in his 2012 hit comedy Ted

The crucial question now is: Who should be the new Flash Gordon? – AFP/RelaxNews

'The Hobbit: There And Back Again' is now something else

Posted: 24 Apr 2014 10:55 PM PDT

Filmmaker Peter Jackson reveals that the third film in The Hobbit series now has a new title.

The film formerly known as The Hobbit: There and Back Again has a new title.

Director Peter Jackson announced via his Facebook page Thursday that There And Back Again will now be titled The Battle Of The Five Armies when MGM and Warner Bros release it later this year.

"When we did the premiere trip late last year, I had a quiet conversation with the studio about the idea of revisiting the title," Jackson wrote. 

"We decided to keep an open mind until a cut of the film was ready to look at. We reached that point last week, and after viewing the movie, we all agreed there is now one title that feels completely appropriate. And so: The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies it is." 

Five Armies marks the third and final film in Jackson's Lord Of The Rings prequel trilogy.


Fan site TheOneRing.net reported last week that New Line had registered the title Into The Fire for the next Hobbit installment, along with Five Armies. Jackson also posted that fans of the film's original title may see it "used on a future box-set of all three movies".

The Oscar-winning director is currently editing Five Armies, while also overseeing work on an extended cut of last year's hit, Desolation Of Smaug. According to Jackson, the latter will feature more than 25 minutes of "new scenes, all scored with original music composed by Howard Shore". The Hobbit: Battle Of The Five Armies arrives in theatres Dec 17, 2014. — Reuters

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Singaporean fined nearly $8,000 for animal cruelty

Posted: 25 Apr 2014 02:15 AM PDT

SINGAPORE: A Singapore court has imposed a Sg$10,000 ($7,750) fine on a local businessman who failed to take his severely emaciated dog to the vet, a ruling welcomed Friday by animal rights activists.

The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority said the court's decision Thursday was the first time the maximum fine was imposed on a convicted animal abuser.

Lim Soo Seng, 76, however escaped a one-year jail term.

"This is a very telling reminder to all pet owners that it is their due responsibility to fulfill the nutritional requirements of all of their pets," said Corinne Fong, executive director of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

A photograph of the carcass released by the SPCA was shared widely on social media.

Lim was charged at a district court after he brought the carcass of the severely emaciated dog, a female cross-breed mongrel named Chilli, to the SPCA for disposal on May 17 last year, a day after it stopped eating.

A post-mortem found that the dog might have been neglected and starved for months.

The case is the latest among a series of animal abuse cases in wealthy Singapore, including the poisoning of stray dogs and attacks on cats. - AFP

Taiwan pilots hurt as Apache chopper crash-lands on building

Posted: 25 Apr 2014 02:11 AM PDT

TAIPEI: Two Taiwanese pilots were injured on Friday when their Apache attack helicopter crash-landed on a building in northern Taiwan during a routine training mission, the military said.

The pilots suffered slight facial and leg injuries after crashing on top of the three-storey building in Taoyuan county and were taken to hospital. No civilians were hurt.

Television footage showed uniformed men inspecting the wreckage of the AH-64E808 on top of the building, which was partly damaged by the impact along with two adjoining houses.

Army deputy commander Wang Hsing-wei said all Apache helicopters have been grounded for inspections, the second time the aircraft were grounded for safety checks since they came into service in December.

A special team would investigate whether the incident was caused by the weather, the crew or mechanical problems, Wang said.

The chopper "was in clouds and mist and my cockpit window fogged, I couldn't see the location of the plane and it all happened very fast and suddenly I saw a row of barriers," the pilot, Major Chen Lung-chien, told a press conference before returning to hospital for a follow-up examination.

Taiwan in November took delivery of its first six AH-64E Apaches bought from the United States as it modernises its military despite warming ties with China.

It temporarily grounded the choppers from December to February for checks after Washington warned the model could malfunction.

The Taiwanese army is the first force outside the US to use the Apache AH-64E, the latest variant of what is described as the world's most powerful attack helicopter.

Taiwan has so far received 18 of the 30 Apache helicopters it ordered and the rest will be delivered by the end of 2014. The order was part of a $6.5 billion arms deal unveiled in 2008 that irked Beijing.

Taiwan and China split in 1949 after a civil war. However, Beijing still regards the island as part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary. - AFP

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