Khamis, 15 Mei 2014

The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

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The Star Online: Metro: Sunday Metro

Vietnam riot takes fatal turn
Ruling party defends promo clip
Manila releases pix of reclamation

Vietnam riot takes fatal turn

Posted: 15 May 2014 09:00 AM PDT

HANOI: A 1,000-strong mob stormed a Taiwanese steel mill in Vietnam overnight, killing a Chinese worker and injuring 141 others, Taiwan's ambassador and police said, the first deadly incident in a wave of unruly anti-China protests prompted by Beijing's deployment of an oil rig in disputed seas.

The unrest is emerging as a major challenge for Vietnam's authoritarian and secretive leadership, and is hurting the country's reputation as a safe investment destination. It risks inflaming an already dangerous standoff between patrol ships from both countries in the South China Sea close to the rig, which Hanoi is demanding Beijing withdraw.

Companies from Taiwan, many of which employ Chinese nationals, are bearing the brunt of the protests and violence – the most serious in years to hit the tightly controlled nation of 90 million people.

In his first remarks on the crisis, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said peaceful protests over the last few days were "legitimate", but that anyone involved in violence should be punished severely.

Nervous Chinese expatriates were fleeing by land and air. Immigration police said 600 Chinese crossed into Cambodia over the land border in southern Vietnam on Wednesday, and more arrived yesterday.

The riot took place at a mill in Ha Tinh province in central Vietnam, about 350km south of Hanoi. It followed an anti-China protest by workers at the complex, operated by the Formosa Plastics Group, one of the biggest foreign investors in Vietnam, according to Ambassador Huang Chih-peng and police.

Huang said rioters lit fires at several buildings and hunted down the Chinese workers, but did not target the Taiwanese management. He said the head of the provincial government and its security chief were at the mill during the riot but did not "order tough enough action."

He said one Chinese citizen was killed and another died of natural causes during the unrest, adding that around 90 others were injured.

Ha Tinh's deputy police chief, Bui Dinh Quang, said the situation was "stable" on Thursday and none of the injured, which he put at 141, had life-threatening injuries.

Anti-Chinese sentiment is never far from the surface in Vietnam, but it has surged since Beijing deployed an oil rig into disputed waters about 240km off the Vietnamese coast on May 1, close to the Paracel Islands.

The government protested the move as a violation of Vietnam's sovereignty and sent a flotilla of boats, which continue to bump and collide with Chinese vessels guarding the rig. — AP

Ruling party defends promo clip

Posted: 15 May 2014 09:00 AM PDT

SINGAPORE: Singapore's ruling party has defended a promotional video produced by its youth wing that went viral after being lambasted online for its amateurish quality and for sounding "robotic".

The five-minute YouTube video clip, titled "Re-ignite the Passion of Servant Leadership", featured youth leaders of the long-ruling People's Action Party (PAP) espousing a series of motivational messages for other party members.

Some appeared to be reading from a script placed on either side of the camera.

One segment featured a woman and a man clad in the all-white party uniform and holding miniature toy guitars, as others around them took turns to complete a sentence: "We must empower our members... to make a positive impact... to those around us".

In a statement, the PAP said the effort by members of the Young PAP was "genuine and sincere".

"We did not expect that our humble (raw and unpolished) in-house production would go viral like this," it said in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

It said the video represented the Young PAP's "spirit of activism – to serve our nation and to care for our fellow Singaporeans".

Online, the video continued to draw a steady stream of derision yesterday.

"And here kids, you find yourself a bunch of brainwashed young adults. They even sound like robots. Amazing," wrote local celebrity comedian Hirzi Zulkiflie on the Must Be Singapore Facebook page, which had shared the video.

"Sad to see youth talking like parrots, reading script and with bad diction/pronunciation," wrote another Facebook user. — AFP

Manila releases pix of reclamation

Posted: 15 May 2014 09:00 AM PDT

MANILA: The Philippines has released photographs to back its claim that China was reclaiming land on a disputed reef in the South China Sea in an apparent effort to build an airstrip.

Manila had warned on Wednesday that China may be building an airstrip on the Chinese-held Johnson South Reef – claimed by the Philippines and Vietnam – boosting the superpower's claim to most of the strategic Asian waters.

A series of photographs released by the foreign department yesterday appeared to show large-scale reclamation in stages. The latest photograph dated March 11, 2014 appears to show a large light-coloured landfill, surrounded by shallow turquoise waters.

"This series of photographs ... from Philippine intelligence sources, shows in stages the extensive reclamation by China on Mabini Reef (Johnson South Reef)," the foreign department said in a statement.

"These actions are considered destabilising and in violation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and international law," it said, asserting that the reef was "part of Philippine territory".

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Hua Chunying on Wednesday would not confirm Manila's claim, but asserted the outcrop was Chinese territory.

The Philippines said it filed a diplomatic protest against China's reclamation works on the reef last month, but Beijing rejected it on grounds the reef is part of Chinese territory.

Last week, the Chinese press downplayed the activity at the reef, saying it was merely to renovate the living facilities for troops stationed there.

The Philippines calls the outcrop, part of the Spratly chain, the Mabini Reef, while China calls it Chigua Reef. Internationally, it is recognised as the Johnson South Reef.

Manila says the reef falls within the country's 370km exclusive economic zone under a United Nations convention.

Beijing's claim to nearly all of the South China Sea, which straddles vital sea lanes and is believed to sit on vast oil and gas reserves, has strained its ties with neighbours.

The Philippines in March asked a United Nations tribunal to declare what Manila said was China's claim to 70% of the sea as illegal. — AFP

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The Star Online: World Updates

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The Star Online: World Updates

India vote count puts Modi on course for resounding win
U.S. warns China its actions in sea disputes are straining relations
Colombia's president slips behind rival in election polls

India vote count puts Modi on course for resounding win

Posted: 15 May 2014 09:05 PM PDT

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Early counting of results in India's general election put opposition leader Narendra Modi on course for a resounding victory that would hand him a clear mandate for his agenda to revive growth and create jobs.

Returns showed Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies leading in 249 parliamentary seats. The ruling Congress party alliance was ahead in just 67, according to NDTV news.

Modi was ahead in both of the constituencies he contested - in Vadodara in his home state of Gujarat and in the Hindu holy city of Varanasi.

Rahul Gandhi, who led the Congress campaign, was lagging in his seat of Amethi, which has been held in turn by his uncle, father and mother, Sonia, since 1980. A loss there would spell disaster for the great grandson of India's independence leader and cast the future of the dynasty into serious doubt.

If early trends are confirmed the BJP and its allies would win an absolute majority of more than 272 seats in the lower house of parliament, bearing out the findings of exit polls that have proved inaccurate in the past.

"This is undoubtedly going to be a BJP government," said Prannoy Roy, the head of NDTV news channel and a political analyst.

Such an outcome would open the way for Modi, 63, to become prime minister and act quickly to form the core of a new government by naming loyalists to the prized cabinet posts of finance, home, defence and external affairs.

"We didn't go by the exit polls. We went by the sense on the ground," said Piyush Goyal, BJP treasurer.

"It looks pretty bleak at the moment," said Abhishek Manu Singhvi, a Congress leader, adding he would wait for final results.

Betting on a Modi win, foreign investors have poured more than $16 billion (9.52 billion pounds) into Indian stocks and bonds in the past six months and now hold over 22 percent of Mumbai-listed equities - a stake estimated by Morgan Stanley at almost $280 billion.

Indian markets got off to a roaring start, with the Indian rupee breaking below 59 to the U.S. dollar, and SGX Nifty stock futures up by more than 3 percent, sharply reversing an earlier drop of 0.6 percent.

MODI WAVE

Since being named as his party's candidate last September, Modi has flown 300,000 km and addressed 457 rallies in a slick, presidential-style campaign that has broken the mould of Indian politics.

In so doing, Modi has outclassed Gandhi, 43, while burnishing his pro-business record as chief minister of the western state of Gujarat.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who as finance minister launched reforms in 1991 that brought an end to decades of economic isolation, has already bid farewell to his staff after a decade in office marked by mounting policy paralysis.

Modi's mantra of development has won over many voters sceptical about his Hindu-centric ideology and role in sectarian riots in his home state in 2002 in which more than 1,000 people, mainly Muslims, died. He has denied any wrongdoing and a probe ordered by the Supreme Court has found he had no case to answer.

Exit polls estimate that the BJP's vote share rose by 15 percentage points to 34 percent. Under India's first-past-the-post system, that may be enough for the BJP to take battleground states like Uttar Pradesh - home to one in every six Indians.

"MODINOMICS"

Modi has promised that, if elected, he would take decisive action to unblock stalled investments in power, road and rail projects to revive economic growth that has fallen to a decade low of below 5 percent.

Tax and labour market reforms, backed by a gradual opening up to foreign investment, would seek to create the 10 million jobs that Asia's third-largest economy must create every year to employ young people entering the workforce.

If Modi does fall short of a majority, he could face lengthy coalition talks with regional parties that might demand a high price for their loyalty and dilute his reform agenda.

Modi has retreated to his home base in Gujarat, where he will learn of the election results on Friday before flying to New Delhi for what could be a hero's welcome from party loyalists clad in the BJP's orange colours.

(Additional reporting by Shyamantha Asokan; Writing by Douglas Busvine; Editing by John Chalmers)

U.S. warns China its actions in sea disputes are straining relations

Posted: 15 May 2014 08:20 PM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - China's "provocative" actions in maritime disputes with its neighbours are straining ties with the United States, raising questions over how the world's two biggest economies can work together, a senior U.S. official said.

The strong comments from Washington on Thursday come after deadly anti-China riots broke out in Vietnam in response to China towing an oil rig into a part of the South China Sea claimed by both Hanoi and Beijing.

"This is raising some fundamental questions for us about China's long-term strategic intentions," the U.S. official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity. He said Beijing's move appeared to fit a "pattern" of advancing territorial claims through coercion and intimidation.

"China's activities are straining the U.S.-China relationship because it raises questions about our ability to partner together in Asia or even bilaterally."

The Vietnamese government says one person was killed in the anti-China violence on Tuesday and Wednesday, but a doctor at a hospital near one area of rioting said he had seen 21 dead bodies and that at least 100 people were wounded. An eyewitness to fighting between Chinese and Vietnamese workers in an industrial zone in the same area said she had seen at least 15 people killed.

There were no immediate reports on Friday of further violence.

Washington is in close contact with the Vietnamese government on "how most effectively to manage" Hanoi's standoff with Beijing, the U.S. official told Reuters,

The Philippines, one of Washington's closest allies in Asia, has said China is reclaiming land on a reef in the oil- and gas-rich South China Sea that both countries claim and is building what appears to be an airstrip on it. It has offered the United States the use of an underdeveloped naval base on a nearby island to ensure U.S. warships can enter the vicinity.

Vice President Joe Biden and other top U.S. officials told visiting General Fang Fenghui, chief of general staff in China's army, that Beijing's behaviour in the maritime disputes was "dangerous and provocative" and must stop, the official said.

The renewed tensions in the South China Sea underscore one of the biggest challenges in Asia facing President Barack Obama, who is under pressure by America's allies to accelerate a "pivot" of military assets to the region to counter China's rising influence.

In Washington on Thursday, Fang defended the deployment of the oil rig in the disputed South China Sea and blamed Hanoi, saying China cannot afford to "lose an inch" of territory.

The general also pointed the finger at Obama's strategic shift towards Asia, saying it had encouraged countries such as Vietnam, Japan and the Philippines to make trouble with Beijing. Vietnam and China are now grappling with one of the worst breakdowns in relations since the neighbours fought a brief border war in 1979.

WRONG LESSONS

The U.S. official dismissed Fang's accusation as "a fundamental mis-reading" of U.S. strategy and said China's assertiveness would only encourage Asian countries to seek greater U.S. involvement in regional diplomatic, economic and military affairs. Washington insists its Asia-Pacific re-engagment is not meant to contain China's rise but that Beijing must conduct itself according to international norms.

"We're concerned that China has learnt the wrong lessons from Russia and Ukraine and has decided that unilateral assertion is the way to advance China's interests," the official said.

Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea peninsula - and perceptions of limited U.S. options to get Moscow to back down - have heightened unease in parts of Asia over whether Beijing will be emboldened to use force to pursue its territorial claims in the East and South China Seas.

In Beijing, the official Xinhua news agency said China's foreign minister condemned Vietnam in an urgent phone call with the Southeast Asian country's deputy prime minister over the anti-Chinese protests.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh in the call on Thursday night that "Vietnam bears unshirkable responsibility for the violent attacks against Chinese companies and nationals", the report said.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has called on police and state and local authorities to restore order and ensure the safety of people and property in the affected areas.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Le Hai Binh confirmed one death in the clashes, and described media reports and accounts on social networking sites of higher casualties as "groundless".

China's state news agency Xinhua reported that at least two Chinese nationals had died and more than 100 were hospitalised.

The worst violence appears to have taken place in an industrial zone in the central province of Ha Tinh. Journalists' movements are restricted in tightly controlled Vietnam, where the government maintains an iron grip on law and order, and it was not possible to get independent confirmation of the death toll.

The doctor at the Ha Tinh hospital who had seen 21 dead bodies and the witness who saw the fighting in the industrial zone did not want to be identified by name.

(Additional reporting by Nguyen Phuong Linh and Martin Petty; Writing by Raju Gopalakrishnan; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore)

Colombia's president slips behind rival in election polls

Posted: 15 May 2014 08:10 PM PDT

BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos slipped behind his main rival, right wing Oscar Ivan Zuluaga, in two election polls on Thursday, raising the heat 10 days before a vote in which prior surveys appeared to assure the incumbent a second mandate.

A Gallup poll published by local media said Zuluaga would gain 29.3 percent of votes in the first round, a fraction ahead of 29 percent for Santos, but it gave Zuluaga a comfortable lead in a run-off vote of 42.5 percent versus 35.1 for Santos.

Pollster Cifras y Conceptos had also predicted a technical first round tie for the candidates with 27.7 percent for Santos versus 23.9 percent for Zuluaga. That poll said a run-off would give Zuluaga a thin victory with a 0.6 percentage point lead at 34.2 percent versus Santos' 33.6.

Barring an extraordinary late-minute surge, neither contender is expected to clear the 50 percent threshold needed to avoid a June 15 run-off. The number of blank or protest voters who would not choose any of the candidates in the race, initially 31 percent, fell to 5.9 percent in the Gallup poll.

Santos and Zuluaga differ little on economic issues - both favour investor-friendly policies - so the choice for many voters is likely to come down to the candidates' position on ongoing peace negotiations with Marxist FARC rebels.

In a bid to end five decades of war, Santos began talks with the FARC, or Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, at the end of 2012.

Zuluaga, the anointed candidate of former president Alvaro Uribe, who decimated the guerrillas' ranks with a relentless U.S.-backed military offensive, has said he would demand concessions, including a ceasefire, from the rebels before continuing talks, a condition FARC leadership has rejected.

He has also talked about scrapping the negotiations, which could intensify on-going combat in order to defeat the rebels militarily, something which has eluded the Andean nation with the guerrillas scattered over its mountainous jungle terrain.

Santos says his re-election is vital to completing the negotiations in Havana, where representatives of the FARC and the government have so far reached partial agreements on two of the five agenda points.

Both campaigns were jolted by the resignations of key advisors last week, after allegations of bribery and spying prompted investigations by authorities.

Support for each of the other candidates in the contest - the Green Alliance's Enrique Penalosa, Clara Lopez of the left-wing Polo Democratico and the Conservative Party's Marta Lucia Ramirez - was at or below 10 percent in the Cifras y Conceptos poll and 10 percent or higher in the Gallup poll.

The Cifras y Conceptos survey interviewed 2,762 respondents in 62 municipalities and was conducted between May 9 and May 12. Gallup's poll of 1,184 people was gathered from May 10 to May 13.

(Reporting by Julia Symmes Cobb, Luis Jaime Acosta and Peter Murphy; Editing by W Simon and Michael Urquhart)

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Business

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The Star Online: Business

Malaysia Airlines share price flat after Q1 losses
Public Bank, Petronas Gas support KLCI’s early gains
With its sight on Apple, China smartphone maker Xiaomi unveils first tablet

Malaysia Airlines share price flat after Q1 losses

Posted: 15 May 2014 06:35 PM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR: Shares of Malaysian Airlines System (MAS) were flat at 21 sen in early Friday trade after posting wider losses in the first quarter ended March 31, 2014.

At 9.25am, it was unchanged at 21 sen. It was actively traded with 22.55 million shares done.

The FBM KLCI fell 1.02 points to 1,878.81. Turnover was 211.50 million shares valued at RM151.77mil. There were 133 gainers, 226 losers and 214 counters unchanged.

CIMB Equities Research is retaining its Reduce call on MAS with an unchanged target price of 14 sen, which is one times calendar year 2014 price-to-book value.

It said MAS's Q1, FY14 core net loss of RM426mil was at 28% of its full-year forecast and broadly in line since the second half is seasonally stronger.

"MAS is heading towards its largest annual loss since the Global Financial Crisis of 2009, and clearly, its management and Khazanah are working towards a deep restructuring. But unless we can put our finger on the details, we retain our Reduce call with an unchanged target price of 14 sen,"said the research house.

Public Bank, Petronas Gas support KLCI’s early gains

Posted: 15 May 2014 06:23 PM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's FBM KLCI was firmer in early Friday trade, underpinned by mild gains in Public Bank and Petronas Gas but the broader market mirrored the weaker key regional markets after the overnight fall on Wall Street.

At 9.11am, the FBM KLCI was up 0.95 of a point to 1, 880.78. Turnover was 126.88 million shares valued at RM82.87mil. There were 108 gainers, 167 losers and 180 counters unchanged.

Reuters reported Asian shares were under pressure on Friday morning, with Japanese stocks skidding as the yen rose against the dollar, which has struggled in recent days on the back of lower US Treasury yields.

A second day of losses on Wall Street pulled MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan down 0.2%. The index has gained about 2.1% so far on the week during which Wall Street set the tone by climbing to record highs.

JF Apex Research, had in its market outlook, said: "We expect the KLCI to be negative today with immediate support at 1,870."

At Bursa Malaysia, Public Bank rose eight sen to RM20.04 while Petronas Gas added 24 sen to RM24.24. BAT rose 40 sen to RM62 with just 100 shares done.

Lysaght jumped 62 sen to RM3.86, United Plantations 60 sen to RM27.70 and AZRB-WA warrants surged 30 sen to 30.5 sen.

However, Khind fell the most, down 25 sen to RM2.75, Carlsberg 24 sen to RM12.30 and DKSH 19 sen to RM7.69.

UMW fell 18 sen to RM10.60, Eco World lost 12 sen to RM4.64 and AmBank eight sen to RM7.22.

With its sight on Apple, China smartphone maker Xiaomi unveils first tablet

Posted: 15 May 2014 05:08 PM PDT

BEIJING: Chinese budget smartphone maker Xiaomi unveiled on Thursday its first tablet, expanding its product lineup to directly challenge established rivals Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Apple Inc.

The Mi Pad, which comes in six colours, will have a 7.9 inch screen, the same size as an iPad Mini.

Like other tablets, it comes equipped with wireless internet, front and back cameras and a built-in memory capacity of 16 gigabytes or 64 gigabytes. But it is priced cheaper than comparable iPad Mini and Samsung Galaxy Tab models at 1,499 yuan ($240) for the smaller version.

The company did not say anything about a 4G version.

"We wanted the hardware to come close to, or even surpass Apple's iPad," Xiaomi's founder Lei Jun said at the launch event in Beijing. Xiaomi's flagship smartphones, which are among the fastest selling in China, resemble Apple's iPhone.

Lei said an initial version of the tablet would be available for testing by the public in mid-June, but he declined to specify a launch date or sales targets. It was also not clear if the Mi Pad would be sold outside China.

The worldwide tablet market, which saw shipments of 195.4 million devices in 2013, is forecast to grow nearly 40 percent this year, according to consultants Gartner, Inc, with China especially seeing significant growth.

Privately held Xiaomi became the world's sixth-largest smartphone vendor in the first quarter of 2014, according to data firm Canalys, after repeatedly doubling its sales. Its cheap yet sleek phones are popular in China, the world's largest market for smartphones.

The company expects to sell 40 million phones this year, compared to 18.7 million last year and 7.2 million the year before.

DIFFERENT BUSINESS MODEL

Xiaomi said its Mi Pad will have a plastic case and run on its own Android-based operating system. The company, founded in 2010, leads a group of young Chinese home-grown handset brands that have successfully attracted local consumers with advanced features at lower prices than global brands.

"Xiaomi has a different business model than Apple or Samsung," said Ben Thompson, founder of Stratechery.com, a technology and strategy website.

"Apple makes it profits on the hardware, while Xiaomi claims they will make their profits on services."

Xiaomi is now looking to expand abroad, and has already started selling its phones in Singapore and Taiwan. At an April event in Beijing, Hugo Barra, a Xiaomi vice president and former Google Inc executive, said the firm is planning to expand into Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, India, Brazil and Mexico.

In October, Xiaomi launched its flagship Mi 3 smartphone, selling 100,000 units in 90 seconds when it was released online. Its low-cost Redmi handset has also saw strong sales in China and was recently launched in Singapore.

Xiaomi's success also is creating new opportunities for parts suppliers in Japan, including display makers Sharp Corp and Japan Display Inc, as they bolster their offerings of high-specification features to compete with global brands.

Xiaomi lists Sharp as a supplier and said it had provided the displays for the tablet.

($1 = 6.2289 Chinese Yuan)- Reuters

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies

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The Star Online: Entertainment: Movies

New trailer alert: 'Transformers Age Of Extinction'
Fuying & Sam: Stepping into the world of film
New 'Transformers: Age Of Extinction' stills and poster revealed

New trailer alert: 'Transformers Age Of Extinction'

Posted: 15 May 2014 01:15 AM PDT

The latest trailer for the upcoming summer flick has just been released.

Check out the official "payoff" trailer from Michael Bay's Transformers: Age Of Extinction starring Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, Nicola Peltz, Kelsey Grammer and Li Bingbing. The movie is set to open in the final week of June.

We're not exactly sure what a "payoff" trailer means but we do like what we see in the clip. Watch for yourself and tell us what you think.

Fuying & Sam: Stepping into the world of film

Posted: 14 May 2014 09:00 AM PDT

The future looks bright for local heart throbs Fuying & Sam, who have landed their first ever leading roles in a feature film.

From making music to making movies, local pop duo Fuying & Sam are on a roll.

After topping local Chinese radio charts with their second hit song Detachment (Fen Kai Yi Hou) last year, the fresh-faced duo of Ong Fu Ying, 21 and Sam Chin Neng, 24, then went on to win the Best New Artiste Award last year at the 2013 AIM Chinese Music Award, 2013 Neway Music Awards and MY Astro Music Awards 2013.

The charming pop duo released Love & Dream in December last year, a mini-album that comprises of five upbeat melodies that they say are meant to encourage listeners to believe in themselves and pursue their own dreams.

Taking their own advice to heart, the duo have also pursued their own showbiz dreams to the next level.

Having had their first taste of the movie business through contributing to the Kepong Gangster (2012) soundtrack and whetting their appetite with cameos lunar new year flick Ah Beng: Mission Impossible (2014), the dashing duo are set to star in local Chinese movie The Dream Boyz. The movie commenced principal photography end February and is set to film in Klang Valley and Penang. The young cast includes local artistes such Teddy Chin, Alvin Chong, Rayz Lim, Eric Lin and Joe Chang.

The coming-of-age movie revolves around the colourful adventures of a bunch of playful students who are members of the school's drama club.

The inspirational story sees how the tight-knit group of 18-year-olds work to keep their friendship afloat amidst the challenges they face as they try to complete their first film together before graduation day.

In the movie, Fuying plays the wealthy Liu Mei Zheng while Sam portrays the stammering Lee Da Xiong.

The former is an academically-inclined boy who doesn't dare defy his domineering mother, while the latter is a shy fellow whose family operates a curry noodle business. As the tale progresses, Lee takes on the responsibility of preparing the film's script while Liu overcomes his speech impediment and lack of confidence to become a sought-after stage presenter.

"The rich boy character Mei Zheng is someone who excels in his studies and is basically a good kid who toes the line," said Subang native Fuying, describing his movie character as a boy who gradually grows into an individual who dares to dream.

"Da Xiong is nicknamed Curry due to his family's food business. And he has a speech impediment that affects his social life," shared Sam, who psyched himself into portraying a young man who eventually builds up his self-confidence to achieve something he thought to be beyond himself.

"I'm still quite new at acting and needed more time to get the hang of it. Sam, on the other hand, has had more experience in front of the camera, said Fuying, whose first movie role was in comic book-inspired movie Gemeilia in 2013.

"Although we learnt a lot in artiste training class, it was nothing like the real experience on the set," continued Ipoh-born Sam, whose acting experience includes local Chinese tv sitcom After Class (2012) and several local short films.

When asked whether there were action scenes, the boys revealed that there is one, set on a beach.

"The director told us about the beach scene earlier and requested that we prepare for it by working out. So, we are now going to the gym more often now and doing a lot of cardio. We prefer the outdoors, but it is safer and more convenient to workout indoors these days."

"We enjoy meeting new people and experiencing new things. We never imagined doing interviews with English and Malay media, because we always thought we would be appealing to the Chinese market only," quipped Fuying, who loves watching Japanese anime.

"Like what he mentioned earlier, if we had a nine-to-five job, we would never have had the opportunity to try out so many things. It's a good chance for us to pick up new skills," shared Sam, who had to learn how to make curry noodles for his role.

A joint project of SKT Media & Entertainment Group and RAM Entertainment, The Dream Boyz is conceptualised by acclaimed director/screenwriter Ryon Lee who has scripted top-grossing films like Chiu Keng Guan's trilogy (The Journey, Great Day and Woohoo), as well as Namewee's debut film Nasi Lemak 2.0 (2011), for which Lee bagged the Best Screenwriter Award at Malaysia's inaugural Golden Wau Awards.

The Dream Boyz is scheduled for a year-end release.

New 'Transformers: Age Of Extinction' stills and poster revealed

Posted: 14 May 2014 12:30 AM PDT

Optimus Prime and Bumblebee of the Autobots make their debut in a movie magazine.

Paramount has released the poster and new stills from Transformers: Age Of Extinction, the fourth feature in the series directed by Michael Bay.

The new images of Optimus Prime and Bumblebee, two of the good guy robots known as the Autobots, made their debut in the latest issue of Empire magazine.

Part of a new trilogy directed by Michael Bay, the feature is headlined by Mark Walhberg. Peter Cullen, John Goodman and Ken Watanabe lend their voices to the Autobots Optimus Prime, Hound and Drift, respectively.

Bumblebee is all set for an epic battle.

The action in Transformers: Age Of Extinction takes place four years after the end of the previous film, Dark Of The Moon. The Transformers have been eliminated from the face of the Earth by humans, who now control the Cybertron technology. Until one inventor decides to reactivate Optimus Prime.

Meanwhile, Earth is coming under threat from an ancient force. The feature will be released in Malaysia in late June. — AFP Relaxnews

Ride 'em, cowbot!

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The Star Online: Nation

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The Star Online: Nation

Cabinet committee set up as Malaysia braces for El Nino
Sarawak govt approves RM1mil aid for Wong Ho Leng's medical expenses
MH370: We "hardly spent anything" on SAR, says Hisham

Cabinet committee set up as Malaysia braces for El Nino

Posted: 15 May 2014 08:07 AM PDT

PUTRAJAYA: A special cabinet committee has been set up as the country braces for the El Nino phenomenon from June to September due to the dry Southwest Monsoon, said Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Ongkili.

He said the committee would be headed by Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin while the secretariat would be hosted by the ministry.

"The special cabinet committee will monitor the devastating impact of the dry spell (brought about by El Nino) from various aspects, including weather changes, health and agriculture.

"The committee will also monitor and implement comprehensive mitigation measures at the national level to brace for the El Nino phenomenon in all economic and social sectors," he said in a statement on Thursday.

Ongkil said the committee would take over the role of the Water Crisis Committee, which was set up by the ministry during the water rationing exercise from January to April.

He said the committee would be made up of representatives from the Health Ministry, the Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry, the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, the Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry, the Finance Ministry, and the National Security Council.

Apart from the Malaysian Meteorological Department's forecast, he said the World Meteorology Organisation predicted that the El Nino phenomenon could persist from six to 18 months, and if this were to happen t would worsen the national water supply situation.

Meanwhile, Ongkili urged state governments to take immediate steps to ensure enough raw water supply and protect water sources to avoid inadequate supply of treated water to consumers.

While urging domestic and industrial users to use water prudently, he said industrial users should take steps to reduce the impact of water crisis by using underground water, recycling water, using water-efficient equipments, and increasing the capacity of water storage tanks. - Bernama

Sarawak govt approves RM1mil aid for Wong Ho Leng's medical expenses

Posted: 15 May 2014 07:50 AM PDT

KUCHING: The Sarawak government has approved a RM1mil aid to meet the medical expenses of former Sarawak DAP chairman Wong Ho Leng who is suffering from cancer.

Chief Minister Tan Sri Adenan Satem said the aid was given on humanitarian grounds following a request from Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen.

"I have instructed the (State) Ministry of Finance to issue a cheque for RM1 million (to cover Wong's medical expenses)," he said when winding up his speech at the state assembly here.

Wong, the assemblyman for Bukit Assek, had been suffering from brain cancer since last year and requires treatment in Singapore.

He was brought back to Sibu recently and is said to be in a coma.

MH370: We "hardly spent anything" on SAR, says Hisham

Posted: 15 May 2014 06:24 AM PDT

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia has "hardly spent anything" in the search mission for the missing MH370 jetliner, said acting Transport Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein.

He said this is because other countries such as Australia, China and the United States have extensively contributed to the search mission of the jetliner which went missing on March 8 with 239 people on board enroute to Beijing.

"The search has not cost us anything at all, considering this is the largest search in the aviation history.

"As far as Malaysia is concerned, the cost is for deploying our military assets.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been with us in the earlier phase of the search," Hishammuddin told a press conference Thursday.

Hishammuddin said Australia's commitment of up to USD89.9mil (RM272.3mil) towards the search for the missing plane over two years is only a ceiling amount.

"In this new phase, we have not estimated our cost and to be fair to Australia, we should share it but the actual amount has not been determined because we need to identify the exact location and the assets needed to be deployed," he added.

Hishammuddin said third parties have also expressed their willingness to provide support in the search for MH370 but refused to divulge who they were.

Asked if the Government will provide financial aid to Malaysia Airlines, which posted a loss of RM442mil in the first quarter of 2014, Hishammuddin said no.

On asset deployment, he said the tripartite meeting between Malaysia, China and Australia on the specific assets needed for the search agreed that procurement arrangements for the use of commercial contractors will be undertaken by Australia, in consultation with Malaysia.

"The procurement process will be done through an open or limited tender process based on Commonwealth standards to facilitate cost-effectiveness and best value for money.

"Malaysia and China will be consulted and detailed briefings will be provided at each step of the process.

"The meeting also emphasised the requirement that these contracts be put in place as soon as possible to ensure that search operations are not interrupted.

"Besides the commercial assets, Malaysia and China are also assigning specific assets for operations in this new phase," he said.

Hishammuddin added that Malaysia would be acquiring related assets from Petronas, SapuraKencana Petroleum Berhad, DRB-Hicom Defence Technologies Sdn Bhd (Deftech) and Boustead Holdings Berhad.

Heading the assets deployment committee is Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Abd Rahim Bakri, who said Malaysia will foot 50% of the cost to procure assets relevant to the search by the Joint Agency Coordination Centre (JACC).

Australia would pay for the other half, he said.

He said Malaysia had secured one towed sonar and an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) from Petronas, which he said had offered them for free as a form of "national service".

"We intend to have them in the water as soon as the ocean floor mapping survey is completed.

"China estimates that to be 36 days from now," he told reporters.

The committee is also in talks with SapuraKencana for a multibeam echo-sounder to assist in the bathymetric mapping of the ocean floor of the search area, as well as Boustead and Deftech for other assets.

"Whatever it is, the assets are going to be very expensive as they are rare and mostly owned by private companies.

"It has been agreed that Malaysia and Australia will share the cost to procure them.

"If there is a need for more assets we will add them to the search," Rahim said.

The committee will be represented by First Admiral Hanafiah Hassan and Colonel Hassan Loman, in a special team to Canberra consisting of senior officers from the four ministerial sub-committees in the MH370 search.

A communications, coordination and media committee will follow the team to handle the disemination of information between the Malaysian, Chinese and Australian authorities and media affairs.

Communication and Multimedia deputy minister Datuk Jailani Johari, who heads the committee, said the next-of-kin and public will also be kept up to date with the goings-on in the tripartite effort.

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Thai poll body calls for election delay after new unrest

Posted: 14 May 2014 11:12 PM PDT

BANGKOK: Thailand's Election Commission on Thursday called for the postponement of key parliamentary polls due to be held on July 20 because of political unrest shaking the kingdom.

The appeal came after an attack on an anti-government rally in Bangkok the same day that left three dead.

Hours later opposition demonstrators stormed a meeting between the government and vote officials, forcing caretaker Prime Minister Niwattumrong Boonsongpaisan and other ministers to flee.

"The election on July 20 is no longer possible. It must be postponed," Election Commission secretary general Puchong Nutrawong told AFP.

"The reason is because today's meeting collapsed and it affects the election timetable," Puchong said.
He said early August was one option for the polls but "may be too soon".

"The election cannot be held if protesters do not agree," Puchong added.

The dismissal of prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra from office last week in a controversial court ruling has sent tensions soaring in the Southeast Asian nation, which has endured years of political turmoil.

Yingluck's supporters have accused the Election Commission of conspiring with the anti-government movement and parts of the judiciary to prevent her party's return to power.

Grenade blasts and gunfire at an anti-government protest site in Bangkok early Thursday left three dead and 23 wounded, stoking fears of wider political violence in the crisis-hit kingdom.

The attack comes as opposition protesters push for the appointment of an unelected premier in a move that has infuriated government supporters.

An election held in February was later annulled after demonstrators blocked voting in many areas.
The opposition refuses to take part in elections unless reforms are held first to tackle what it says is widespread corruption and cronyism.

Thailand has been torn apart by political divisions since 2006 when Yingluck's older brother Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted in a military coup after frictions with the country's royalist establishment.

Thaksin-led or aligned parties have won every election since 2001, but have also seen four premiers removed by coups or court rulings. - AFP

Malala portrait goes for $102,500 in New York

Posted: 14 May 2014 04:50 PM PDT

NEW YORK: A painted portrait of Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani schoolgirl shot in the head by the Taliban, fetched $102,500 at auction Wednesday in New York - with the money going to female education in Nigeria.

The proceeds will be donated from her Malala Fund to a special fund designed to assist local NGOs working to educate girls and women in Nigeria, where more than 200 schoolgirls are missing after being snatched at gun point last month by extremists.

Auction house Christie's had estimated the portrait of the veiled teenager - done in 2013 by leading British artist Jonathan Yeo - would fetch $60,000-$80,000.

But after several bids it was snapped up in just a few minutes at a higher price.

Malala, now 16, was shot by a Taliban gunman in 2012 over her outspoken views on education for girls in her home region of northwest Pakistan. After undergoing extensive medical treatment, she now lives in Britain. - AFP

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The Star Online: Lifestyle: Arts & Fashion

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Goodbye master of darkness: 'Alien' artist H.R. Giger dies at 74

Posted: 15 May 2014 04:00 AM PDT

Master of darkness: A 2012 photo of the late H.R. Giger seen with a detail of Necronom IV, the 1976 painting that served as inspiration for the terrifiying xenomorph monster in Ridley Scott's 1979 sci-fi horror film Alien. Below is a younger Giger working on one of his iconic paintings with an airbrush.

The son of a chemist, he studied architecture and industrial design in Zurich, and first experimented with ink drawing and polyester works before moving to large freehand airbrush works showcasing nightmarish dreamscapes.

His work explored the relationship between the human body and the machine, and he created surrealist images of humans fused with industrial parts, a style he described as "biomechanical".

One example of this was his 1973 record cover design for Brain Salad Surgery by English rock group Emerson, Lake and Palmer, which depicted a human skull encased in a machine.

"My paintings seem to make the strongest impression on people who are, well, who are crazy. A good many people think as I do. If they like my work they are creative or they are crazy," Giger said in a 1979 interview with Starlog magazine.

In 1975, Giger endured personal tragedy when his Swiss actress girlfriend Li Tobler, who served as a model in several of his works, committed suicide. He married Mia Bonzanigo in 1982 but the couple later divorced.

Giger was also known for his many sculptures, paintings and furniture. Many of these works are on display at his own museum in a medieval castle in Gruyeres, central Switzerland, which is run by his second wife Carmen Maria Scheifele Giger.

The museum, which opened in 1998 also houses Giger's private art collection, including works by Salvador Dali. Across from the museum is the Giger Bar – Reuters

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

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Fuying & Sam: Stepping into the world of film
Blondie marks 40th anniversary with new album
Get in shape with Red FM's WTF

Fuying & Sam: Stepping into the world of film

Posted: 14 May 2014 09:00 AM PDT

The future looks bright for local heart throbs Fuying & Sam, who have landed their first ever leading roles in a feature film.

From making music to making movies, local pop duo Fuying & Sam are on a roll.

Taking their own advice to heart, the duo have also pursued their own showbiz dreams to the next level.

The coming-of-age movie revolves around the colourful adventures of a bunch of playful students who are members of the school's drama club.

In the movie, Fuying plays the wealthy Liu Mei Zheng while Sam portrays the stammering Lee Da Xiong.

When asked whether there were action scenes, the boys revealed that there is one, set on a beach.

The Dream Boyz is scheduled for a year-end release.

Blondie marks 40th anniversary with new album

Posted: 13 May 2014 10:45 PM PDT

The rock band from the 1970s has just released its 10th album as well as a greatest hits pack to mark its anniversary.

Four decades after its debut, the 1970s pioneering New York City new wave and punk group Blondie released its 10th studio album, Ghosts Of Download, on Tuesday to mark the anniversary.

Ghosts Of Download, which features 13 new tracks, is part of a two-disc package Blondie 4(0) Ever that also includes an album entitled Deluxe Redux: Greatest Hits.

"I can't believe it," said Debbie Harry, 68, the group's blonde singer and punk rock sex symbol, about the longevity of the band behind hits Call Me and the crossover disco chart-topper Heart Of Glass. Harry founded the band with guitarist Chris Stein and drummer Clem Burke in 1975 and went on to score a string of hits such as The Tide Is High and 1981's Rapture, regarded as the first No.1 hit to feature rap.

"With most of our stuff there is never a master plan," Stein, 64, said during an interview. "It's always just moving forward bit by bit. This is like that, you know. I think there is a do-it-yourself aspect to Blondie that is what people like."

Stein has been working on the project since the group finished its last album Panic Of Girls in 2011. He said the new album is more computer-based than their last record, with electronic and Caribbean sounds.

Ghosts Of Download features a mix of dance-floor music and pop tunes. On the first single, A Rose By Any Name, Harry performs a duet with Beth Ditto of indie rock group Gossip.

"I think that the biggest thing for me about this collection is that there are so many people that have contributed," Harry said. "And, you know, that's a little bit unusual for a Blondie album."

In addition to Ditto, hip hop/R&B group Systema Sola are featured on Sugar On The Side and Oakland-based Panamanian rappers Los Rakas can be heard on I Screwed Up. The stalker-love song One Way Or Another and Hanging On The Telephone are among the songs on the greatest hits album by the group that has sold more than 40 million records worldwide and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.

Stein will also be releasing a book of photographs of Blondie in September, and the group will perform concerts around the globe in support of Blondie 4(0) Ever. — Reuters

Get in shape with Red FM's WTF

Posted: 13 May 2014 09:15 PM PDT

Deejay JJ to lead ladies to better understand their lower body area.

Pear, apple, hourglass or simply out of ... no matter which shape a woman identifies her body with, there is usually, unfortunately, a body part that she wishes to alter.

One of these "troubled" parts is the lower body and this Friday, Red FM's Red Breakfast WTF (weekdays 6am-10am) with JJ, invites Shape magazine editor Puan Sri Merina Hew to help listeners understand and break myths about this part of the torso.

"This is a very good opportunity for Red FM listeners to gain a better understanding of the lower body parts. Merina and I will unveil some interesting facts and discuss the common problems faced by most women when it comes to these parts of the body," says JJ.

"Do women consider the shape or size of their lower bodies a curse or a blessing? Tune in to find out," adds Hew.

Listeners also stand the chance to win five pairs of tickets to the "Shape Up: Butt, Hips & Thighs" event a group workout for women – that will be held at StarStage Kenanga Fashion Mall on May 24.

For more information, visit red.fm or like Red FM on www.facebook.com/redfm.my.

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

The Star Online: Metro: South & East

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Thai poll body calls for election delay after new unrest
Malala portrait goes for $102,500 in New York
Attack on Thai protest camp leaves 2 dead, 24 wounded (Update)