FMT News |  |
- KL shares end marginally higher on late buying support
- Tsunami alert after 7.3-magnitude quake rocks Japan
- ‘AG Chambers aiding human traffickers’
- ‘Developer cause of floods in Klang’
- Putrajaya police notified of Dec 12 sit-in
- Club Med reports in profit in 2012 despite gloom
- MIC Youth stage demo, wants MB’s head to roll
- ‘Mayans were right, world is ending’
- Workers ‘accidentally’ demolish chateau
- No grammy love for Bieber, 1D
- Chua off the mark on National Trust Fund
- Pakatan parti ‘touch and go’
- MPS batal hasrat tutup AES
- Kempen ‘Rakyat Pengayuh Perubahan 2.0’ mula di Seremban
- Share prices marginally lower at mid afternoon
- Jackson’s Hobbit: The journey begins
- M’sia October exports fall on weak China demand
- Marijuana goes legal in Washington state amid mixed messages
- Dogs learn to drive in New Zealand
- Land grabs in Selangor: DAP reveals more
- Philippine camps overflow with typhoon homeless
- Bolton to sell Langkawi shopping complex
- Tata chief lashes out at ‘venal’ Indian business climate
- Cech: Chelsea will bounce back
- Judge calls for ‘global peace’ in Apple-Samsung war
- Indonesia’s sports minister resigns amid graft probe
- No power tariff hike if Pakatan rules
- Get real about BN’s racism, Kayveas told
- Thailand wary of Malaysian tigers
- Natives threaten army with court injunction
- Integrated approach vital in facing urbanisation challenges
- 1976 plane crash: The unanswered questions
- Packaging personal loans to facilitate affordability
- Najib must explain ‘land grab’ scandal
- PetDag on RM200m acquisition spree
- Star will work with ‘any’ coalition that wins
- MBSB trendsetting with heart, while maintaining focus on profitability
- KFH to add 25 new branches by 2015
- Business with an eye on the environment
- Male artists lead 2013 Grammy nominations
- Musa: I was upset by Sin Chew reporter’s detention
- Pittsburgh Zoo to remove viewing deck after toddler’s death
- Classes a la carte
- Kaum Cina sudah mula terima Lynas
- Bus driver returns half a million dollars found in bag
- Mulan and women’s empowerment
- Mission to bring home top talent
- Marquez and Pacquiao both aim for vindication
- ‘Umno memang tak boleh diharap bela Islam’
- Breathing in poison
| KL shares end marginally higher on late buying support Posted: 07 Dec 2012 02:10 AM PST
The index moved between 1,614.69 and 1,617.77 today after opening 0.76 of a point lower at 1,615.47. JF Apex Securities Bhd head of research Lee Chung Cheng said the local market had traded cautiously throughout the week due to the lack of impetus in market movement with some investors remaining sidelined. “They are still awaiting fresh internal or external leads to help the market rebound strongly,” he told Bernama. He said about 10 minutes before the market closed, buying interest surfaced, especially from local institutional buyers, in major banking counters like Public Bank and Hong Leong Bank. Public Bank and Hong Leong Bank rose four sen each to RM15.64 and RM14.78 respectively. Gainers led losers by 329 to 295, while 336 counters were unchanged, 679 untraded and 18 others suspended. The Finance Index declined 8.329 points to 15,040.19, the Industrial Index improved 20.47 points to 2,686.80, and the Plantation Index eased 13.70 points to 7,838.29. The FBM Ace Index slipped 2.31 points to 4,166.24 and the FBM Mid 70 Index dipped 8.31 points to 12,008.33, with the FBM Emas Index rising 8.261 points to 11,005.90. The FBMT100 increased 6.97 points to 10,859.14. Among actives, Tiger Synergy rose 4.5 sen to 38.5 sen, Nexnation Communication declined half-a-sen to 11 sen and Takaso Resources dipped 14 sen to 33 sen. Of the heavyweights, Maybank fell three sen to RM9.06, CIMB was unchanged at RM7.55, Sime Darby rose five sen to RM9.00 and Axiata added a sen to RM5.98. Volume on the Main Market rose to 721.744 million units valued at RM1.187 billion from the 712.60 million units valued at RM1.23 billion yesterday. Turnover on the ACE Market advanced 214.302 million shares worth RM32.253 million from 140.04 million shares worth RM18.95 million yesterday. Warrants improved to 32.631 million units worth RM1.52 million from 25.572 million units valued at RM1.76 million previously. - Bernama      | ||||
| Tsunami alert after 7.3-magnitude quake rocks Japan Posted: 07 Dec 2012 01:36 AM PST  TOKYO: Japanese authorities issued a tsunami alert for the northeast coast today after a powerful 7.3-magnitude undersea earthquake struck, setting buildings in Tokyo swaying violently.Media reports said a one-metre-high wave could sweep ashore in an area badly hit by the March 2011 tsunami that devastated a large swathe of the northeast coast, killing thousands. Residents of at least one town, Minamisanriku in Miyagi prefecture, were advised to evacuate to higher ground, reports said, suggesting other towns were also affected. It was not possible immediately to confirm the reports, with telephone operator NTT saying the network was jammed with the weight of callers. A presenter on state broadcaster NHK repeatedly told viewers to get to safety. “Remember last year’s quake and tsunami,” he said. “Call on your neighbours and flee to higher ground now!” NHK, quoting the national meteorological agency, said the tsunami was expected to hit the coast of Iwate at 5:40 pm (0840 GMT), Fukushima at 5:50 pm, and Aomori and Ibaraki at 6:00 pm. The United States Geological Survey measured the quake’s magnitude at 7.3. It said the tremor struck a relatively deep 36 kilometres under the Pacific. The epicentre was 284 kilometres east of Sendai, or 459 kilometres northeast of Tokyo, according to the USGS. NHK said the Japan Meteorological Agency had issued a tsunami warning, one notch lower than a tsunami alert, for the Pacific coast of Iwate, Fukushima, Aomori and Ibaraki prefectures. There was no threat of a Pacific-wide tsunami, US monitors based in Hawaii said. Officials in both Indonesia and the Philippines south of Japan said there was no threat of a localised tsunami. Nuclear plant operator Tokyo Electric Power told AFP there were no reports of any problems at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant. “No abnormalities have been recorded on instruments at Fukushima Daiichi nulcear plant’s six reactors,” a TEPCO spokesman said. “All workers were ordered to take shelter inside buildings at the Fukushima plant. “No abnormalities were confirmed with the radiation monitoring posts at the Fukushima plant. No abnormalities were seen with the water processing facilities.” Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda was heading to his office where he would be monitoring the situation, Jiji Press said. Japan Railways East temporarily suspended Shinkansen bullet train services to check any damage, Jiji said, while Haneda Airport near central Tokyo was reported to be operating normally. - AFP    | ||||
| ‘AG Chambers aiding human traffickers’ Posted: 07 Dec 2012 01:35 AM PST
In an open letter to the government, the Selangor Anti-Human Trafficking Council member said he came to such a conclusion after his appointment as a workers welfare adviser under the Bangladeshi High Commission here was suddenly revoked. “The sudden cancellation of my appointment by the commission under the instructions of the AG Chambers is beyond their boundaries and perimeter and it was done in bad faith,” he wrote. He said he suspected that the AG Chambers and the Bangladesh High Commission had, willingly or unwittingly, become the tools of human trafficking syndicates, by protecting them. In 2007, Aziz said he was officially appointed to assist or represent Bangladesh migrant workers on matters concerning their welfare by the commission. He was then empowered to assist them to obtain temporary stay visas, lodging police reports and accompanying them during legal proceedings as a translator. He said in the years of voluntarism in this manner, he succesfully secured about more than RM700,000 of unpaid wages for exploited foreign workers. He said that his work had began somewhere between 2006 and 2009, when most of the Bangladesh migrant workers were brought into Malaysia and issued fraudulent "calling visa" by the Immigration Department approved by the Home Ministry to bogus employers or outsourcing companies. He alleged that those workers were later sold to a third party by their bogus employers or outsource companies, and abandoned. “These traffic victims were later detained and arrested as undocumented, illegal entry, over-staying and violating employment pass," he said. Aziz said he was much involved during that period and represented victims of unpaid wages, unlawful dismissal, unlawful detention and all other suppression by agents, employers or the authorities. All these he did without being paid a single sen by the commission or by the victims. He said that the current 6P amnesty programme was akin to a “Re-Trafficking Programme” that caused hundreds of thousands of foreigners to be cheated and victimised by enforcement agencies. Human trafficking industry “Their objective is to deport the current re-trafficked victims at the expense of public funds and recruit new intake to boost the human trafficking industry,” he added. Recently, Aziz helped FMT expose SNT Universal Corporation Sdn Bhd to be behind the exploitation of foreign workers, mainly Bangladeshis. The company was accused of committing several offences, including cheating by falsely claiming to be able to register foreigners under the 6P programme and getting work permits for them, and setting up dozens of bogus employment agencies. Those working in the company were also accused of assaulting these foreigners, an episode of which was captured on CCTV recordings. FMT also reported that former home minister Mohd Radzi Sheikh Ahmad, the current MP for Kangar, was also a director in SNT Universal Corporation Sdn Bhd, according to the Companies Commission of Malaysia (CCM) records. Radzi later explained that he was roped in to be a director by several friends and that he was unaware of the activities of the company. Former inspector-general of police Musa Hassan had also weighed in on the controversy, alleging that the way the government had conducted the 6P was akin to human trafficking. "When you privatise 6P and foreign labour, and allow third parties to make money out of it… this can be regarded as human trafficking," Musa said.    | ||||
| ‘Developer cause of floods in Klang’ Posted: 07 Dec 2012 01:25 AM PST
Tan said Ronnie Liu has not pulled up the developer which has contributed to the floods in Klang. He cited the Harbour Place Shopping Centre which had its drainage design allegedly deviated from the local council's city plan, thus causing floods in the area. He said this was despite assemblyman M Manoharan who had written 20 letters to the state government on the issue. "As a exco in charged of local government, Liu should take a proactive stance by hauling up the wrongdoers and imposing hefty fine on the developer. "The developer should bear all construction expenses for flood mitigation around the area," he said at a press conference here today. After criticisms earlier on his inconsistent statements on Klang floods, Liu told FMT that it was indeed true to say that irresponsible developers, the terrain and rubbish pollution were the causes of floods in the town. "Sometimes developers refuse to build retention ponds that cause the floods. "And the reason why Klang is called Pa Sang [pasang] in Hokkien is because high tides and low tides affect the town," said the Pandamaran assemblyman. He said for a thorough solution to Klang's flood woes, the federal agency, Department of Irrigation and Drainage, has estimated the cost to be RM1.2 billion but had not funnelled the fund to the state. He urged Tan and other critics to press for federal government's funding. Responding to this today, Tan said the state should brain-storm on ways and means of obtaining allocations rather than passing the buck to the federal government. He said flood occurrence would had been minimised if state assembly representatives in Klang used their RM1 million annual allocations to tackle the problem. Tan, the former DAP branch chairman, also claimed that the state government has yet to build an anti-flood retention pound at Jalan Tengku Kelana, despite an allocations of RM3.5 million last year. When contacted, Liu told FMT that the cause of the floods around Harbour Place Shopping Centre remained unconfirmed. He also said that Manoharan was the one who accused the developer of having faulty drainage design. However, Liu refused to comment further on the allegations, saying that Tan was not a DAP member anymore. "We don't entertain him anymore, he doesn’t even write a letter to us," he said. Meanwhile, Manoharan said it was the Klang Municipal Council and Drainage and Irrigation Department that refused to act against the developer. "For me it's not Liu's fault, he has already directed the local authorities to rectify drainage system in the whole of Klang," he said. The Kota Alam Shah assemblyman also said construction of the retention pounds in Jalan Tengku Kelana has already started.    | ||||
| Putrajaya police notified of Dec 12 sit-in Posted: 07 Dec 2012 01:13 AM PST
“We have officially notified the police today,” he told reporters after meeting with Putrajaya police chief Abdul Razak Abdul Majid. He said all senior officers of the Putrajaya district police were at the meeting, which was held at their headquarters. Surendran was accompanied by his lawyer Latheefa Koya, Batu MP Tian Chua of PKR, Klang MP Charles Santiago of DAP and Kuala Selangor MP Dzulkefly Ahmad of PAS. He said Abdul Razak raised concern that the notice was short of the 10 days required under the Peaceful Assembly Act. “Our stand is that the spirit of the Act is to facilitate the assembly,” he said. “We asked them to ensure everything will be under control. It is their duty to do that under the Police Act." The protest will be held in front of the National Registration Department (NRD) and will begin at 10am. Several thousand stateless people are expected to participate. “We’ll bring documentation and we’ll demand of the NRD to issue identification cards to them immediately," he said. “We expect the NRD to process the applications because we are aware of cases of foreigners getting ICs immediately.” Three days ago, Surendran was summoned to the Travers police station for questioning over the protest, but he refused to give a statement. Dzulkefly told FMT he would ask PAS to assign its Unit Amal to provide security at next week's protest. “I will raise the issue with PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu during the central committee meeting this weekend,” he said. Tags: N Surendran, Latheefa Koya, Tian Chua, Charles Santiago, Dzulkefly Ahmad, PKR, DAP, PAS, stateless Indians. See also:    | ||||
| Club Med reports in profit in 2012 despite gloom Posted: 07 Dec 2012 01:10 AM PST
The travel and leisure specialist, which returned to profitability last year, said that given the uncertain outlook for the European economy it would not pay a dividend. However Club Med held out the possibility of a share buyback, which it said was preferable to paying a dividend, which it hasn’t done in a decade. Despite turning in duller second half results, annual sales still rose by 2.6% to 1.46 billion euros. The profit margin slid to 8.7% from 8.9%. Since 2004, Club Med has sought to move both upscale to base itself in the luxury segment and create resorts in developing countries to rely less on Europe. Chief executive Henri Giscard d'Estaing said that remaining profitable despite the slowdown in the European market this year vindicated Club Med’s strategy. The company “is positioned to capture the growth of the market of high-end all-inclusive vacations and have, at the end of 2015, nearly one client in three from a rapidly developing country,” he said. Currently about 25% of Club Med’s clients are from rapidly developing countries. The company aims to have three-quarters of it business in the luxury segment (four or five stars), compared to two-thirds today and 45% five years ago. The company has a dozen resort projects abroad due to be completed by 2015, with China expected by then to become Club Med’s number two market with 200,000 clients in five resorts. To capture the Chinese market it plans to target the urban rich seeking weekend escapes to luxury resorts it plans to open in idyllic settings near major cities. Favouring a strategy of management contracts, the resorts will be branded “by Club Med”. The Chinese investment company Fosun is one of Club Med’s biggest shareholder. - AFP    | ||||
| MIC Youth stage demo, wants MB’s head to roll Posted: 07 Dec 2012 12:57 AM PST
Led by Youth chief T Mohan, who submitted a memorandum to the state government, the protesters also demanded a public apology over the demolition carried out by the Sepang Municipal Council (MPS) in the compound of S Gobikumar’s residence here on Nov 20. “We want Khalid and Jeyakumar to resign immediately," Mohan told reporters. While more than 1,000 people had turned up at Dataran SACC, only about 500 joined in the march to the secretariat building. Carrying banners, the protesters called on Jeyakumar and Pakatan Rakyat leaders to "wake up" in order to defend the rights of non-Muslims in the state. Among others, the banners read: “Xavier jangan tidur” (Xavier don’t sleep) and “Sejak 2008 Pakatan telah merobohkan tujuh kuil” (since 2008, Pakatan has demolished seven temples). Apart from MIC Youth, local Indian-based NGOs like Perinbam, IASA, Tamillar Uthavum Karangal, Nambikkai and others also took part. Mohan told reporters that the memorandum was submitted to Jayakumar’s personal assistant Abdul Razak. “We are not like Jeyakumar and his team who are opportunists,” said the MIC Youth chief in denying that the protest was to fish for Indian votes. Click here to view the video on YouTube. “Pakatan Indian leaders are always claiming they are sincere but why are they keeping mum on this issue," he added, urging MPS to rebuild the shrine. Mohan also took Jayakumar to task for issuing contradicting statements over the matter. The exco had asserted that the demolition was according to the Local Council Act but yesterday he issued another statement claiming that it was an act of "sabotage". He also said that the state government was unaware about the incidents and the exco council did not issue any orders to demolish the shrine. “Look, how he twists his words,” claimed Mohan. "First, he said everything was done according to rules. And now he puts the blame on others." "He should investigate who ordered the demolition," he added. He also claimed that Jayakumar's initial comment that the shrine was merely a "structure with no idols inside" was an insult to the Indian community. "Even if it is just a structure, is it OK to demolish it by trespassing into someone’s house? All this talk goes against what was said before the general election when they promised not to demolish any place of worship," he said.    | ||||
| ‘Mayans were right, world is ending’ Posted: 07 Dec 2012 12:52 AM PST
With the straight face she often uses in a normal press conference, and surrounded by Australian national flags, Gillard addressed viewers as “My dear remaining fellow Australians.” “The end of world is coming. It wasn’t Y2K, it wasn’t even the carbon price,” said Gillard firmly. “It turns out that the Mayan calendar is true.” Y2K was the computer glitch feared globally just before the year 2000, while the carbon tax refers to a major controversial policy put forward by her Labour government in 2012. She went into terrifying details about the end of the world such as “flesh-eating zombies” and “demonic hell beasts”, but then wooed her constituents with promises. “If you know one thing about me it is this: I will always fight for you to the very end,” she said, but noted that there is also a bright spot.
A spokesman for Gillard said the video, which was uploaded by radio station Triple J yesterday and has already been viewed more than 232,000 times on YouTube, was simply a spoof. “It’s just bit of fun,” he told Reuters. “It’s just a bit of humor for the end of the year. Nothing else.” The video comes out in the wake of a phone hoax in which two Australian presenters from another local radio station called the hospital which is treating Prince William’s wife Kate and posed as Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles to ask questions about her condition.—Reuters    | ||||
| Workers ‘accidentally’ demolish chateau Posted: 07 Dec 2012 12:43 AM PST
Russian businessman Dmitry Stroskin told a local newspaper he was shocked to learn that workers who were supposed to tear down an outhouse and renovate the rest had instead bulldozed his stately pile, wiping Chateau Bellevue off the map. “He told me that he was really surprised, that this was an accident and he was the principal victim,” said Claude Carty, mayor of the village where the chateau used to stand. Poland-based Stroskin, who runs an export business, has said he will build a replica of the chateau, which used to be rented out for weddings under previous ownership. “I will rebuild Bellevue exactly as it was,” Stroskin told SudOuest newspaper, which spoke of a rebuilding contract worth 1.5 million euros (US$1.96 million).
“He’ll need a new building permit,” said mayor Carty.—Reuters    | ||||
| Posted: 07 Dec 2012 12:35 AM PST
Indie-pop band fun and rapper Frank Ocean led the 2013 nominations, tying with The Black Keys, Mumford & Sons, Jay-Z and Kanye West for six nods. But The Recording Academy overlooked some of the year’s biggest and most commercially successful artists in Wednesday’s nominations. While Bieber, 18, who won three American Music Awards in November, stayed quiet on his omission, his manager Scooter Braun took to Twitter. “Grammy board u blew it on this one. the hardest thing to do is transition, keep the train moving. The kid delivered. Huge successful album, sold out tour, and won people over. … This time he deserved to be recognized,” Braun posted in a series of tweets. Many of Bieber’s 31 million Twitter fans quickly followed suit, with hashtags such as #BieberForGrammys trending on the micro-blogging service. The Canadian singer, who has never won a Grammy, in June released album “Believe,” showcasing a more grown-up image. The album, which produced top 10 hits “Boyfriend” and “As Long As You Love Me,” has sold more than 1.1 million copies. British boy band One Direction was also left empty-handed despite their debut album “Up All Night” having topped the Billboard 200 album chart. The quintet has performed sold-out shows across the world and won three MTV video music awards earlier this year.
Lady Gaga, rapper Nicki Minaj and Korea’s Psy also failed to snag any nominations. While Gaga hasn’t released new music this year, focusing on her global tour, Minaj released “Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded,” which topped the Billboard 200 chart and spawned singles such as “Starships.” Psy may have YouTube’s most watched video ever with “Gangnam Style,” – over 897 million views – but he missed out on becoming the first Korean artist to receive a Grammy nod. The Grammy Awards will be handed out at a live performance show and ceremony on February 10 in Los Angeles.—Reuters    | ||||
| Chua off the mark on National Trust Fund Posted: 07 Dec 2012 12:22 AM PST
A source said PKR vice-president Chua Jui Meng got it all wrong when he questioned the existence of the fund. Chua questioned the existence of such fund in a FMT comment piece, alleging that only the prime minister was privy to Petronas accounts. Sources revealed that the NTF or also known as Kumpulan Wang Amanah Negara (KWAN) was established on Feb 19 , 1988, under the National Trust Fund Act 1988 (Act 339). They said the Act was enacted by Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the advice and consent of Parliament. They added that the NTF was established to ensure optimum utilisation of the depleting natural resources of the country with the view to providing a continuous source of revenue for the people. "Bank Negara has been entrusted to manage and administer the NTF to ensure that it is properly managed and invested. "Under the Act, contribution to the NTF is not only made by Petronas but also by any state in Malaysia which derives any form of royalty from exploitation of petroleum or other depleting resources," the source said. The sources said since the establishment of the NTF, Petronas has been the only contributor to the fund and until 2010, has been contributing RM100 million per annum . The source said Petronas recently raised the bar and made a commitment to contribute until 2020 on a formula based on Weighted Average Realised Price of Oil. "Based on this, Petronas contribution in 2011 [paid in March 2012] was RM1 billion. "Information pertaining to the NTF has been made known via Petronas media releases and similar explanations have been given as response to a parliamentary question in June 2011," the sources added. On the claim that only the prime minister is privy to Petronas accounts and finances, Chua has again shown that he is ignorant of government procedures and access to information. The source said as a company incorporated under the Companies Act 1965, Petronas is required to prepare its financial reports in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Companies Commission of Malaysia. "These financial reports are audited by internationally accredited auditors and prepared based on global accounting standards. "Petronas also publishes its financial reports annually and these reports are made available on its website and can be downloaded by members of the public." About the claim of giving away two oilfields to Brunei, for Chua's and public's information, the "two oilfields" referred to are in actual fact two exploration blocks which then were disputed between Malaysia and Brunei. This matter has been resolved between the two countries in an exchange of letters, which include a mutually beneficial commercial arrangement. Also read:    | ||||
| Posted: 06 Dec 2012 11:54 PM PST
Sambil menggesa rakyat agar tidak terpedaya dengan helah pembangkang, Salleh berkata pendekatan pembangkang hanya mencipta dan memainkan isu dengan harapan memenangi hati dan minda rakyat. “Pakatan tidak tahu bagaimana mahu menyelesaikan masalah, objektif mereka hanya untuk membentuk kerajaan dan akan bergaduh sesama mereka. “Ini sudah dibuktikan di negeri yang mereka tadbir termasuk di Selangor dan Pulau Pinang,” katanya ketika berucap pada majlis bersama rakyat di Kampung Tamau, dekat sini hari ini. Salleh yang juga Speaker Dewan Undangan Negeri Sabah percaya pakatan parti pembangkang itu tidak akan bertahan kerana pakatan mereka berdasarkan ‘marriage of covenience’ atau kesenangan bersama. Memberi contoh tanda-tanda perpecahan dalam pakatan semakin ketara dengan isu terbaharu membabitkan cadangan Presiden PAS Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang sebagai Perdana Menteri jika mereka menang pilihan raya umum ke-13, Salleh berkata itu hanya peringkat permulaan. Saranan itu disuarakan seorang perwakilan PAS pada muktamar tahunan parti bulan lepas, namun perkara tersebut disanggah pemimpin pembangkang lain termasuk Lim Guan Eng, yang dilapor berkata DAP berpegang kepada konsensus sebelum ini bahawa Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim akan dilantik Perdana Menteri jika pembangkang menang pilihan raya umum akan datang. Mengulas lanjut, Salleh berkata jelas perebutan dalaman sudah menjadi budaya pakatan pembangkang kerana mereka “berkawan” untuk mengaburi mata rakyat dalam usaha mahu memerintah negara. Semua ini berbeza dengan Barisan Nasional (BN) di bawah kepimpinan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak yang mempunyai dasar dan arah yang jelas, katanya. “BN bersedia membuat keputusan yang sukar demi negara. BN parti yang bertanggungjawab dan mahu maju ke hadapan serta mengubah negara. BN mahu menghasilkan lebih banyak peluang pekerjaan dan ekonomi untuk rakyat,” katanya. Salleh juga menegaskan kerajaan serius dalam memperjuangkan rakyat, justeru masyarakat terutama penduduk Sabah harus memberi sokongan tidak berbelah-bahagi kepada BN pada pilihan raya umum akan datang. - Bernama    | ||||
| Posted: 06 Dec 2012 11:51 PM PST
Yang Dipertua MPS Mohd Sayuthi Bakar sebaliknya berkata, kerja itu diserahkan kepada Beta Tegap Sdn Bhd dan Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan (JPJ) yang bertanggungjawab memasang kamera AES. “MPS tidak menutup kamera AES di dua lokasi yang terlibat yang sepatutnya akan dijalankan pada petang ini sepertimana yang telah diumumkan oleh Kerajaan Negeri Selangor. “Sebaliknya pihak Majlis telah mengarahkan pihak syarikat yang bertanggungjawab memasang kamera tersebut iaitu Beta Tegap Sdn. Bhd. dan JPJ untuk menutup sendiri kamera mereka melalui notis seksyen 72(1)c dibawah Akta Jalan Parit dan Bangunan 1974 yang dikeluarkan pada 06 Disember 2012,” katanya dalam satu kenyataan hari ini. Beliau berkata pihaknya akan mengambil tindakan lain yang difikirkan wajar mengikut undang-undang yang sedia ada setelah tempoh matang notis dikeluarkan. Exco Selangor Ronnie Liu sebelum ini merancang untuk menurunkan kamera AES pada hari ini selepas memberikan notis tempoh 14 hari kepada kontraktor terbabit yang didakwa tidak mematuhi prosedur pemasangan. Namun Menteri Besar Selangor Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim kelmarin mengumumkan tidak perlu menurunkan kamera buat masa ini, sebaliknya    | ||||
| Kempen ‘Rakyat Pengayuh Perubahan 2.0’ mula di Seremban Posted: 06 Dec 2012 11:47 PM PST
Pengerusi Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM), Dr Mohd Nasir Hashim dalam ucapan ringkas sebelum peserta berbasikal dilepaskan berkata tuntutan yang didokong oleh peserta kempen ini adalah tuntutan yang tidak boleh dipertikaikan. "Semua tuntutan tersebut adalah berkaitan masalah rakyat maka semua pihak sepatutnya melibatkan diri dalam kempen ini terutama sekali golongan muda," kata Mohd Nasir. Setiausaha PSM Seremban, S Tinagaran berkata kempen 'Rakyat Pengayuh Perubahan 2.0' ini yang bermula hari ini akan berakhir pada Isnin 10 Disember ini. "Jelajah dan kempen berbasikal ini akan meliputi semua daerah di Negeri Sembilan termasuk Port Dickson, Rembau, Tampin, Jempol, Kuala Pilah, Jelebu, Nilai dan Seremban. "Pada hari Isnin ini kami akan menyerahkan memorandum kepada Menteri Besar Negeri Sembilan, Dato' Seri Mohamad Hasan pada pukul 10.00 pagi di Wisma Negeri, Seremban. "Sepanjang kempen ini kami akan edarkan risalah berkaitan tuntutan-tuntutan Jerit. Terdapat tujuh tuntutan bertaraf nasional dan tujuh tuntutan untuk Negeri Sembilan", jelas Tinagaran. Ahli Dewan Undangan Negeri Senawang, P Gunasekaran (DAP) berharap Menteri Besar dapat menunjukkan semangat keterbukaan dan menerima memorandum tersebut pada hari Isnin ini. Setiausaha PAS Negeri Sembilan, Mohamad Hassan Tamby pula menjanjikan sokongan penuh PAS Negeri Sembilan kepada peserta dan penganjur kempen tersebut. "PAS kawasan akan menunggu peserta kempen di setiap 'check point' dan akan meraikan mereka dengan menyediakan makanan dan minuman. "Di setiap lokasi PAS juga akan membawa peserta kempen berkunjung rumah ke rumah untuk mengedar risalah tersebut," kata Mohamad Hassan. Turut terlibat dan memberikan sokongan kepada Jerit dalam kempen ini ialah Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia (SAMM). Tujuh tuntutan Jerit untuk kempen 'Rakyat Pengayuh Perubahan 2.0' peringkat nasional ialah pilihan raya yang bersih dan adil, hentikan pemusnahan alam sekitar, perumahan selesa untuk rakyat, hentikan penswastaan perkhidmatan asas, Sementara untuk peringkat Negeri Sembilan; tujuh tuntutan Jerit untuk kempen 'Rakyat Pengayuh Perubahan 2.0' adalah skim perumahan alternatif, perkhidmatan awam dan jalan raya, keperluan asas, penternakan, pendidikan, keselamatan dan pembangunan.    | ||||
| Share prices marginally lower at mid afternoon Posted: 06 Dec 2012 11:47 PM PST
At 3pm, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) eased 0.68 of a point to 1,615.55 after opening 0.76 lower at 1,615.47 this morning. The Plantation Index declined 7.45 points to 7,844.54, the Finance Index lost 14.21 points to 15,034.31 and the Industrial Index rose 9.8 points to 2,676.13. The FBM Emas Index dipped 3.239 points to 10,994.40, the FBM Mid 70 Index lost 1.199 points to 12,015.44 and the FBM Ace Index declined 11.87 points to 4,156.68. Decliners led advancers by 259 to 254, while 313 counters were unchanged, 813 untraded and 18 others suspended. Turnover stood at 582.13 million shares worth RM567.82 million. Among actives, Tiger Synergy rose five sen to 39 sen, Karambunai fell 1.5 sen to 12 sen, Nextnation Communication was flat at 11.5 sen. Of the heavyweights, Maybank and CIMB gave up one sen to RM9.08 and RM7.54 respectively, Sime Darby increased three sen RM8.98, and Axiata declined four sen to RM5.93. - Bernama    | ||||
| Jackson’s Hobbit: The journey begins Posted: 06 Dec 2012 11:44 PM PST WELLINGTON: The first of the Hobbit movie trilogy – “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” – is about to hit theatres, and Jackson says he’s tried to hold true to its roots as a children’s fantasy story, with scary bits. “If they’re scared of the trolls great, if they’re scared of the goblins great, they know there are no goblins, they know there are no trolls, it’s a safe kind of danger,” he says. The film, produced by MGM and Time Warner Inc, is the fourth in the Oscar-winning Jackson’s blockbuster “Lord of the Rings” film franchise, based on the books of author J.R.R. Tolkien. It follows the journey of hobbit Bilbo Baggins, reluctantly pushed into travelling with 13 dwarves to steal treasure from a dragon and regain their homeland. During his travels, he comes by the ring that he later passes onto kinsman Frodo Baggins, which was at the core of the “Rings” trilogy. Jackson says he’s worked to keep distance between the Hobbit, published in 1937, and the much darker Lord of the Rings, which came out nearly 20 years later. “The Lord of the Rings has an apocalyptic sort of heavy themic end-of-the world quality to it, which the Hobbit doesn’t, which is one of the delights of it,” he said. Pompous and small minded The pointy eared, hairy footed hobbit Bilbo is played by British actor Martin Freeman, who says he’s tried to make Bilbo his own creation, a character audiences can root for despite his initial pomposity and small mindedness.
A key scene is an encounter in a cave between Bilbo and the creature Gollum, reprised in full computer generated splendor by Andy Serkis with the distinctive throaty whisper. “It was a very rich experience,” he said, adding that playing Gollum again was “an absolute thrill”. Such is the affection for the creature, who calls the magic ring “Precious”, that a 13 meter sculpture of Gollum hangs in the airport terminal at Wellington, which regards itself as the spiritual home of the Tolkien films and terms itself the “Middle of Middle Earth”. Returning actors from the Rings trilogy, many of whom have only passing mention in the book, were no less enthusiastic. Ian McKellen returns for a leading role as the wispy-haired, grey bearded wizard, Gandalf, while Cate Blanchett is the elven queen Galadriel and Elijah Wood appears as Frodo Baggins. “You couldn’t not come back, you had to come back,” says Hugo Weaving, the leader of the elves, Elrond. Hobbit – A fraught journey The Hobbit film journey has not been without its setbacks. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, owners of the film rights to the Tolkien books, had financial woes, prompting original director Guillermo del Toro to pull out and Jackson, already script writer and executive producer, to step in. A major labor dispute prompted threats to move production out of New Zealand, and was solved by changing labor laws, while Jackson suffered a perforated ulcer and underwent surgery, delaying the film still further.
Audiences are also getting more visual bangs for their buck, with the movies filmed in 3D and at 48 frames per second (fps), double the industry standard. This delivers clearer pictures, but opinion is divided, with some critics calling it cartoon-like and jarring. Jackson says he wants to drag the iPad generation back into theatres and the romance, excitement and mystery they offer. “It’s more realistic, it’s more immersive. I almost feel a responsibility as a film maker to try to do my part at encouraging people to come to the movies, to watch the film in a cinema,” he said. The second film “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” will be released in December next year, with the third “The Hobbit: There and Back Again” is due in mid-July 2014.—Reuters    | ||||
| M’sia October exports fall on weak China demand Posted: 06 Dec 2012 11:38 PM PST
Total exports contracted 3.2% year-on-year as the lower shipments to China removed a buffer that has helped shield Malaysian trade from the impact of the eurozone troubles. October exports by Southeast Asia’s third-largest economy were valued at RM61.29 billion (US$20.08 billion), down from RM63.35 billion in October 2011, the trade ministry said in a statement. Shipments for the first 10 months of the year were 1.1% higher, at RM586.79 billion, mostly supported by regional markets in Asia. Exports to other Southeast Asian countries rose 8.9% in October to RM17.2 billion – making up about a third of the total – with Singapore the top destination. However, exports to China fell 15.3% to RM7.16 billion on lower shipments of agricultural goods such as palm oil and crude rubber, while exports of refined petroleum products and liquefied natural gas rose. China has emerged as an increasingly important export destination for Malaysia, unseating Singapore in 2011 as the top market. Selena Ling, head of treasury, research and strategy at OCBC Bank in Singapore, said Malaysia’s performance was in line with regional markets. “The (region’s) trade picture actually continues to deteriorate,” she said. “We may not get a turnaround until 2013. It’s going to be a gradual recovery story.” Shipments to the European Union in October fell 14.2% to 5.57 billion, while those to India dropped 7.3% to 2.51 billion. Exports to the United States, however, rose for the sixth straight month, up 11 percent to RM5.55 billion on sales of electrical and electronic products. Imports for October stood at RM51.71 billion, up 5.7% from the same month last year. Resource-rich Malaysia relies heavily on exports of commodities such as palm oil and energy products, as well as electronics and other manufactured goods. Its economy grew a better-than-expected 5.2% in the third quarter as domestic demand compensated for slowing exports, spurred on by government spending ahead of elections next year. The government expects 5.0% full-year growth. - AFP    | ||||
| Marijuana goes legal in Washington state amid mixed messages Posted: 06 Dec 2012 11:34 PM PST
The pre-dawn public gathering defied a key provision of the state’s landmark marijuana law, which allows possession of small amounts of marijuana but forbids users from lighting up outside the privacy of their homes. The gathering also underscored mixed law enforcement messages about the statute. Hours earlier, Seattle’s city attorney issued a stern warning that public pot puffing would not be tolerated and violators faced citations with $100 fines. But the prosecutor’s admonition was contradicted by the Seattle Police Department’s own instructions to officers to limit their enforcement actions to warnings, at least for now. The new law, passed by voters last month in a move that could set the state up for a showdown with the federal government, removes criminal sanctions for anyone 21 or older possessing 28.5 gram or less of pot for personal use. Colorado voters also chose to legalize pot for personal recreational use, but that measure is not due to take effect until next month. Both states are among 18 that have already removed criminal sanctions for medical use of marijuana. The Washington law legalizes possession of up to 0.45 kg of solid cannabis-infused goods – like brownies or cookies – and up to 2.4 kg of weed in liquid form. But driving under the influence of cannabis or imbibing in public places where the consumption of alcohol is already banned remain illegal. “If you’re smoking in plain public view, you’re subject to a ticket,” Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes told a news conference on Wednesday. “If drinking in public is disallowed, so is smoking marijuana in public. Victory for hemp The new law ultimately will permit cannabis to be legally sold and taxed at state-licensed stores in a system to be modeled after those in many states for alcohol sales. The state Liquor Control Board, along with agriculture and public health officials, have until next December to set up such a system. For now, it remains a crime to sell, cultivate or even share one’s own stash, even though the law allows individuals to purchase a limited amount for personal possession. Ironically, an early court challenge of the law came from a medical marijuana patient in Olympia, who filed suit last week seeking to block enforcement of a new standard for marijuana impairment while driving, similar to the blood-alcohol standard for drunken driving. The plaintiff, Arthur West, says the new legal limit – 5 nanograms per milliliter of blood of THC, pot’s active ingredient – would unfairly subject him to prosecution for a THC level at which he routinely drives without impairment. A hearing on his request for an injunction was set for Friday. Little if any of the law’s fine points seemed to matter to the mellow and largely middle-aged gathering of about 100 people near the foot of the Space Needle as the statute took effect at midnight. Low-key cries of “Yeah!” and “Smoke some weed” and “Anybody got a bong?” rose after an Oregon radio personality, “Radical” Russ Belville, finished a 10-second countdown on a bullhorn. Mike Momany, 61, wearing a black “Bad Pig” brand motorcycle jacket, said he was forming the Washington State Cannabis Tourism Association to promote pot tourism. Although he has smoked grass for 40 years, Momany said he had slowed his intake “because it makes me eat too much.” Another smoker, wearing sunglasses and calling himself “Professor Gizmo,” 50, said: “Victory for hemp. If our forefathers could see us now.” No police were visible as the aroma of cannabis wafted through the air and Bob Marley music blared from loudspeakers. There were no immediate reports of any arrests. Appeals to keep pot smoke indoors were expected to go unheeded again at a larger celebration by marijuana advocates planned for Thursday evening at the Space Needle. Celebrations over pot legalization were later overshadowed by violence, as police said two masked men who tried to rob a large pot-growing operation in a residential garage were shot and killed outside of Tacoma. Laid-back approach The Seattle Police Department publicized its laid-back pot enforcement directive on its “SPD Blotter” website on Wednesday, but advised against flagrantly lighting up in public. “The police department believes that under state law, you may responsibly get baked, order some pizzas and enjoy a Lord of the Rings marathon in the privacy of your own home, if you want to,” the notice said. While asserting that public pot use remained expressly prohibited, Seattle police said officers lacked clear enforcement authority and that it would take at least 30 days for legislation to be crafted enabling officers to cite violators. In the meantime, in the spirit of the new law, “the department’s going to give you a generous grace period to help you adjust to this brave, new and maybe kinda’ stoned world we live in,” the department’s online message says. Prosecutors in several counties said last month they were dismissing scores of misdemeanor marijuana possession cases in advance of the new law. But whether public or private, cannabis use violates federal law, which classifies marijuana as an illegal narcotic. US Attorney Jenny Durkan in Seattle reiterated on Wednesday the US Justice Department position that growing, selling or possessing any amount of marijuana remained a federal crime, regardless of any changes in state law. —Reuters    | ||||
| Dogs learn to drive in New Zealand Posted: 06 Dec 2012 11:29 PM PST  WELLINGTON: Rather than chasing cars, dogs in New Zealand are being taught to drive them — steering, pedals and all — in a heartwarming project aimed at increasing pet adoptions from animal shelters.Animal trainer Mark Vette has spent two months training three cross-breed rescue dogs from the Auckland SPCA to drive a modified Mini as a way of proving that even unwanted canines can be taught to perform complex tasks. The motorised mutts — Porter, Monty and Ginny — sit in the driver’s seat, belted in with a safety harness, using their paws to operate specially designed dashboard-height pedals for the accelerator and brakes at Vette’s command. The car’s steering wheel has been fitted with handles, allowing the dogs to turn it, while the “starter key” is a dashboard-mounted button that the dogs press to get the motor running. “There’s about 10 different behaviours involved, so we had to break them down into each behaviour — using the accelerator, feet on the wheel, turn the key on, feet on the brake, the gear(stick) and so on,” Vette said. “So every time you get a new element you’ve got to train them for it and then link it all together, what we call chaining, then getting in the car and doing it.”
So far, their experience in the modified car has been limited but they will undergo a “doggie driving test” live on New Zealand television on Monday. Footage of the old dogs being taught new tricks has attracted more than 300,000 views on YouTube and also proved a trending hit on Twitter. Vette said training a dog to drive a car on its own initially seemed unbelievable but his canine charges had risen to the challenge. “(They’ve) taken to training really well, it really does prove that intelligent creatures adapt to the situation they’re in,” he said. “It’s really remarkable.” The dogs all had difficult backgrounds — Ginny was neglected, Monty dumped at the shelter because he was “a handful” and Porter a nervous stray, according to the Auckland Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. “Animals this smart deserve a home,” its chief executive Christine Kalin said. “The dogs have achieved amazing things in eight short weeks of training, which really shows with the right environment just how much potential all dogs from the SPCA have as family pets,” she said. The idea was the brainchild of Auckland-based advertising agency DraftFCB, which was commissioned by Mini, which has worked with the SPCA previously, to come up with a campaign that would challenge preconceptions about shelter dogs. “It’s just taken off, the interest has been enormous,” DraftFCB spokeswoman Eloise Hay said. “The good thing is, it really seems to be getting the message across too.”—AFP    | ||||
| Land grabs in Selangor: DAP reveals more Posted: 06 Dec 2012 11:26 PM PST
The land bordering a river was Kajang town. MCA subsequently built a four-storey building and housed its office there. In 2004 the party officially registered the building. According to Teo, her search with the Hulu Langat Land Office indicated that the building was entrusted to three MCA members – former Hulu Langat MCA division chief, Choong Tow Chong and Law Kok Tian and Yap Chean Keong. “The land was given to the trio by the former state government on Jan 10, 2001 and they formally registered the land and building in 2004. “MCA should stop lying and buy buildings at current market prices just like we do in DAP, PKR and PAS,” she said alluding to recent allegations by MCA of land grabs by the Selangor Pakatan Rakyat government. MCA, she said, would likely be making a sizeable profit from the acquisition of the land by MRT project. Early this year, the MRT earmarked the land for its project and made MCA an offer. FMT learnt that MCA and the MRT convenors are still in negotiations over the compensations. Said Teo: “We want to know how much compensation did MCA receive for the land from the federal government? The compensation should be returned to the people.” Teo’s disclosure follows a series of other revelations of land grabs by Umno-Barisan Nasional during its reign in Selangor. Land grabs It was the Sekinchan state representative Ng Suee Lim who first exposed that Umno and BN leaders were involved in owning 24 plots of land in Selangor, which were purportedly secured for community or welfare use. Of the 24, 15 were owned by Umno branches and divisions. Of the 15, six is owned by former menteri besar, Dr Mohd Khir Toyo. Former MIC president S Samy Vellu with party founder SOK Ubaidullah and one S Subramaniam are trustees for a 2,832 sq m plot in Kuala Selangor. Kuang state representative Abdul Shukor Idrus, however, defended the move which he claimed was used to build public amenities. But on Tuesday DAP presented evidence that one of the 24 plots of land meant for public use was for commercial purposes. PJ Utara MP Tony Pua revealed evidence that land worth RM17.5 million was sold at RM87,000 to Selangor Umno before Pakatan took over the state. Yesterday, Selangor DAP Youth led by its deputy Youth chief Tiew Way Keng lodged a report to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission in Shah Alam. Also read: Condominium sits on Umno’s ‘welfare’ land    | ||||
| Philippine camps overflow with typhoon homeless Posted: 06 Dec 2012 11:15 PM PST
Typhoon Bopha, which smashed into the nation’s south on Tuesday leaving at least 484 people dead and 383 missing, was the deadliest natural disaster this year in a country that is regularly hit with quakes, floods and volcanic eruptions. President Benigno Aquino flew into the southern island of Mindanao which bore the brunt of Tuesday’s storm, to meet with bruised and grieving survivors who must now rebuild their lives. “We want to find out why this tragedy happened and how to keep these tragedies from happening again,” he told dazed crowds after arriving by helicopter in the town of New Bataan which was mostly obliterated by the storm. As the president spoke, a yellow excavator tore into the rubble of a row of flattened houses a short distance away, allowing rescue workers to pull out the bodies of two more victims. Among the 306,000 left homeless by the storm were 2,000 people huddled in a basketball gym in New Bataan, one of only a few buildings left standing in the town which is a centre for the nation’s banana and gold mining industries. With the overpowering stench of decomposing corpses from the parking lot outside, farmer’s wife Violy Saging, 38, tried to focus on the needs of her surviving children. “It (the typhoon) snatched our life away. There is nothing left, but we are hoping our relatives or friends will take us in,” she told AFP. Her eldest son’s body was found wrapped around a coconut tree that he had climbed in a vain effort to flee the deluge. The youngest of her three children who survived, a son aged aged three, has a high fever. The concrete floor of the crowded gym was caked with mud, and part of its roof was blown away by the cyclone, exposing the newly homeless to heavy rain that began pouring again shortly after Aquino left. Families took turns to sleep on benches around the walls, and the 2,000 occupants had to share the building’s two toilet stalls. The government has appealed for immediate international aid for food, tents, water purification systems and medicine, and warned the homeless face months in evacuation centres before safe places can be found for new homes. Interior Secretary Mar Roxas told reporters during Aquino’s visit that more rescue workers, equipment and canine units, capable of sniffing out any people still alive beneath the rubble, were being fielded in the worst-hit areas. He said the government is also investigating why so many people were killed even when advance warnings were given ahead of the typhoon. “They should not have built houses there,” Roxas said, noting many of the mining areas which are a magnet for the nation’s poor had been declared unsafe for habitation due to frequent deadly landslides. Outside the gym, Medarda Opiso, 47, joined crowds with handkerchiefs pressed to their noses as they gingerly peeled away death shrouds covering faces and bloated bodies laid out on the pavement. Her son’s wife and daughter are among the missing. “My son is in despair. He is not talking to anyone. I am afraid he will lose it,” Opiso said. The son, farmer Gomer Opiso, had been tending to his crops when the wall of water and debris nearly wiped out the town of 48,000 people. But amid the despair there were also some poignant reunions. Lucrecio Panamogan, 74, found his grown children huddled together with their families in a devastated school yard two days after the storm. “I thought I had lost them,” he told AFP, his tears welling up. “We may no longer have a house, or any possessions, but we still have each other.” - AFP    | ||||
| Bolton to sell Langkawi shopping complex Posted: 06 Dec 2012 11:10 PM PST
PETALING JAYA: Property developer Bolton Bhd will be selling its shopping complex in Langkawi, Kedah, as it plans to streamline its business to concentrate on residential properties. The company is already talking to three potential buyers. "The property is still profitable, but the rationale of this disposal is to allow us to streamline our business," said Bolton executive director Chan Wing Kwong at the launch of its latest project, Tijani Ukay, in Petaling Jaya yesterday. Bolton, which currently has a total landbank of up to 1,500 acres, previously developed several residential and commercial properties in the central and northern region of peninsular Malaysia including condominiums, hotels and retail developments. Its latest development, Tijani Ukay, has a gross development value of RM300 million and a take-up rate of 50% with the other half expected to be taken up within next year, according to Chan. Additionally, he told reporters the target market for Tijani Ukay is mainly for Kuala Lumpur residents but 20% of responses so far came from east Malaysia. Located on a 23-acre leasehold land in Ukay Perdana, Hulu Klang, the project consists of eight units of bungalows and 110 units of zero lot bungalows within a gated and guarded community. The lots range between 3,700 sq ft and 4,900 sq ft with prices starting from RM2.4 million, depending on the land size, design and location. Photo: Bolton independant non-executive director Zakaria Ahmad (left) and Chan at the exclusive media preview of Tijani Ukay at Bolton Sales Gallery in Petaling Jaya. This content is provided by FMT content partner The Malaysian Reserve.    | ||||
| Tata chief lashes out at ‘venal’ Indian business climate Posted: 06 Dec 2012 11:06 PM PST
In interviews published ahead of his retirement as chairman this month, Ratan Tata criticised what he called a lack of coherence in government policy and said the Mumbai-based group’s ethical standards had cost it business. Tata, a sprawling conglomerate whose portfolio ranges from salt to software, has earned itself a global reputation for its eye-catching purchases of Western companies such as Jaguar Land Rover and Corus Steel. Tata told the Financial Times that his group planned to look to other emerging markets for expansion and accused Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of forcing it to look abroad by failing to address complaints about bureaucracy. Singh’s government is currently steering a series of economic reforms through parliament which aim to open up sectors such as supermarkets, insurance and aviation. But Tata, whose global sales total US$100.9 million, said investors were being deterred from India and complained that it still took the best part of a decade to gain clearance for major projects. “Different agencies in the government have almost contradictory interpretations of the law, or interpretations of what should be done,” he told the London-based newspaper. “These are things which by and large would drive investors away in most other countries,” he added. Tata contrasted the Indian government’s attitude towards its industrial sector with that of its counterpart China where Tata recently opened a Jaguar Land Rover factory. “There’s a great, marked difference (in) government support,” he said. “If we had the same kind of encouragement to industry… I think India could compete definitely with China.” In a separate interview published in the Mumbai-based DNA newspaper, Tata said his successor Cyrus Mistry would face a major struggle not to compromise the group’s ethical standards. “They (Mistry and his fellow executives) will have to make decisions and, when they do this, they will be constantly faced with the question: do you compromise, do you give in?” said Tata, who stands down on Dec 28 when he turns 75. “You can call it by another name, but in playing this game of appeasing or surrendering to a venal system, the soft option, the easy way out is a compromise.” Tata was the driving force behind the creation of the Nano, billed as the world’s cheapest car when it launched in 2008. But with annual sales lagging below the 100,000 mark, Tata said there should be a rethink on how it is marketed. “The Nano was meant to be an affordable car for the family, a vehicle that delivers outstanding value for money,” he said. “Unfortunately, it has come to be perceived as a low-priced car and various stigmas have been attached to it… I think that is the wrong way to go,” he added. - AFP    | ||||
| Cech: Chelsea will bounce back Posted: 06 Dec 2012 11:03 PM PST  TOKYO: Goalkeeper Petr Cech believes Chelsea will quickly rediscover their form after an alarming slide which saw the holders crash out of the Champions League at the group stage. The London club travel to Japan after tomorrow's visit to Sunderland to play at the Club World Cup with intense pressure on interim coach Rafael Benitez to deliver. Bringing back the trophy would help ease tension on the beleaguered Spaniard, a largely unpopular appointment among fans because of his time as manager of Liverpool. "Not many people can say 'I won the Club World Cup' — the special competition of the Champions League winners," Cech told FIFA.com. "We have experienced players in the team — the guys from Spain have won the World Cup, the European championship and the Champions League. "I hope, after missing out on the Super Cup, it will be a trophy we win. With all this experience we will handle the situation." Chelsea finally recorded a victory under Benitez at the fourth time of asking in midweek in a 6-1 rout of Nordsjaelland, although it was in vain. After becoming the first European Champions League holders to exit at the group stage, Chelsea's 12,000-mile round trip to the Far East takes on added importance. FIFA's seven-team competition gives Chelsea an opportunity to win some silverware, although a potential final against South American champions Corinthians stands in their way. "Everybody was saying we are a great club, having won all the domestic trophies," added Cech. "But this is the one thing everybody kept reminding us about, not the Champions League. "It will be a new tournament for us. We wanted to make sure that we got it one day. We will face a different style with the team from South America." Chelsea first have to negotiate their semi-final against either Mexico's Monterrey or Asian champions Ulsan Hyundai of South Korea in Yokohama on December 13. Failure to reach the final three days later could spell disaster for Benitez and persuade owner Roman Abramovich to make another change after the sacking of Roberto Di Matteo. Benitez has previous experience at the Club World Cup, losing out to Brazil's Sao Paulo 1-0 in the 2005 final. Cech believes Chelsea have the character to overcome their recent troubles and become the second English club to win the title after Manchester United in 2008. "We were almost out three times during last season's Champions League and we always came back," said the 30-year-old, pointing to their semi-final win over favourites Barcelona. "You could see the spirit." Chelsea's 3-2 aggregate defeat of Barcelona was achieved with a memorable 2-2 draw in the Nou Camp after being two goals down and with captain John Terry sent off after only 36 minutes. "We showed against Barcelona the team is strong enough to cope with pressure," said Cech, who saved Arjen Robben's penalty in extra time in the final against Bayern Munich. "We showed that in the final, we showed a great change of character in those games. A lot of people say luck involved but I don't believe in luck. "You need to play 13 games to win the Champions League. You have to fight hard, you have to defend well, you have to be organised. "If you are down to 10 men in Barcelona for 60 minutes then you need to really know what you're doing. We managed to do that. I don't believe that's luck." — Reuters    | ||||
| Judge calls for ‘global peace’ in Apple-Samsung war Posted: 06 Dec 2012 10:57 PM PST
“I think it’s time for global peace,” US District Court Judge Lucy Koh said after legal teams from Apple and Samsung dueled for hours over post-verdict motions in her courtroom in the Silicon Valley city of San Jose. “Let me hear if there is anything the court can do,” she continued. “It would be good for consumers; good for the industry and good for the parties.” Samsung attorney Charles Verhoeven responded to the challenge by saying the South Korean consumer electronics firm was willing to negotiate a settlement with Apple but “the ball is in their court.” Apple attorney Harold McElhinny expressed no interest in working out a settlement, opting instead to urge Koh to back legal “remedies” daunting enough to dissuade a powerhouse like Samsung from ever copying an Apple gadget. “It is the power of this court to establish a line and enforce it,” McElhinny argued. “If you didn’t see the same case that the jury saw, I am not sure how we get to resolution.” Verhoeven told Koh that Apple was engaging in “thermo-nuclear war” and choosing the court instead of the market as the battle ground. Koh massaged her temples at times as she grilled rival attorneys for more than four hours regarding nuances of law and evidence underlying the slew of motions filed after the US$1.049 billion jury verdict three months earlier. At times, she challenged Apple to convince her why the damages award for patent infringement wasn’t excessive. Legal logic How legal and sound the jury’s calculations were, and whether the massive award should be reduced or even whether a new trial should be held just to recalculate damages, were among the matters tackled by Koh. “I have quite a number of questions, because there are so many issues and they are quite complex,” Koh told the rival legal teams. “I am planning to issue orders in instalments, organised by subject matter,” she added, explaining that her decisions on motions would be doled out in the weeks or months ahead. Koh questioned the jury’s mathematical and legal logic, targeting specific Samsung smartphones at issue in the case. “I don’t see how you can look at the aggregate verdict without looking at the pieces put together to make that verdict,” Koh replied after Apple attorneys urged her not to try to figure out the jury’s reasoning, device by device. “If there is a basis to uphold the damages award, by the record, then I am going to uphold it,” she continued. “But I think it is appropriate to do analysis by product.” Apple attorneys protested that Koh was trying to dig into the jury’s thought process, while Samsung countered that it was proper for the judge to “reverse engineer” the damages award. Motions addressed included Samsung’s request to have the verdict overturned on the grounds that a juror’s own legal dispute wrongly led to the South Korean firm being hit with a billion-dollar patent damages award. Patented technology Samsung wanted the verdict tossed out based on the jury foreman’s undisclosed legal skirmish with Seagate nearly 20 years ago. The foreman had worked for Seagate, a technology company in which Samsung owns a small stake, and wound up declaring bankruptcy after a court battle with his former employer. Samsung tried to convince Koh that the juror’s experience influenced the August verdict, in what amounted to misconduct strong enough to have the outcome overturned. “He was deliberately dishonest,” argued Samsung attorney John Quinn. “He should have been excused.” Apple argued that it was ludicrous to believe the man held a grudge for 19 years and then made it his purpose in life to get onto the jury to exact revenge. Koh is also considering a motion by Apple for an injunction banning US sales of eight Samsung smartphone models said to contain patented technology at issue in the trial. Apple also wants the award tripled on the grounds the patent infringement was “willful.” The damages the jury ordered Samsung to pay to Apple for illegally copying iPhone and iPad features made it one of the biggest patent cases in decades. Jurors decided the case with over 700 separate claims in less than three days of deliberations. Samsung had steadfastly denied the charges by Apple, claiming it developed its devices independently. It unsuccessfully argued that Apple infringed on its wireless patents. - AFP    | ||||
| Indonesia’s sports minister resigns amid graft probe Posted: 06 Dec 2012 10:46 PM PST
Andi Mallarangeng is the first minister to resign on graft allegations since the country’s powerful Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) began operating in 2003 with a mandate to crack down on rampant graft. The case is an embarrassment for President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who won a landslide victory for a second term in 2009 on a corruption-fighting platform. While the country has shown an improvement in tackling corruption over the past decade, that battle has dwindled in recent years. This week it slid to 118th of 176 countries ranked by Transparency International’s annual index, which rates the least to the most corrupt states. The Corruption Eradication Commission announced late Thursday that Mallarangeng was a suspect in connection with the construction of a sports centre worth 2.5 trillion rupiah ($261 million). “In relation to the KPK’s announcement… I met with the president and handed him my resignation letter as sports minister, effective today,” Mallarangeng told reporters, while maintaining his innocence. Yudhoyono had accepted his resignation, he added. Mallarangeng also stepped down as secretary of the Democratic Party, the party’s third-highest position. “I don’t want to become a burden for the president and the cabinet. The wheels of the government must keep turning, and my personal legal matters are my responsibility,” he said. The KPK asked authorities to ban Mallarangeng from travelling pending an investigation. The Hambalang sports centre was built on the outskirts of the capital, Jakarta, in a tender process that has been publicly questioned. “Suspicions about me and the things levelled at me in the media are not true. Since becoming minister, in my whole professional career, I’ve always tried to do things as well and straight as possible,” Mallarangeng said. The KPK has named several members of Yudhoyono’s Democratic Party as suspects in various cases in the recent years, threatening the ruling party’s position ahead of mid-year elections in 2014. The KPK this year prosecuted the party’s former treasurer Muhammad Nazaruddin over a separate sports graft case. Suspicions around the Hambalang case grew in July 2011, when Nazaruddin, then a fugitive, told local media by phone that the construction contracts for the project had been decided before the tender process. -AFP    | ||||
| No power tariff hike if Pakatan rules Posted: 06 Dec 2012 10:44 PM PST
Wong Chen, the party’s investment and trade bureau head, said under the current contracts, the IPPs’ return of investments (ROIs) stood at a whopping 19% and a Pakatan Rakyat government would reduce it to 10%. This means the national power company, Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB), would save up to RM2.6 billion annually and gives it a breathing space to service its huge debt TNB recently said it has a relatively low operating income and it is RM23.1 billion in debt. Much of it is due to the volatile fuel prices and in particular coal. The government’s efficiency unit Pemandu said TNB must jack up its tariff rates to at least 41% in the near future or an increase every six months for up to five years to offset its growing debt. Wong, however, argued that rate hikes are not necessary if the ruling coalition has the political will to force the IPPs, seen as politically well-linked, to accept a fairer and just deals. Some are owned by renowned tycoons like Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary and Ananda Krishnan who are accused of making their fortunes through their close relations to the Barisan Nasional government. “Even if the ROI is at 10%, which is the global benchmark, it is still a lot of money for them. What we want is to cut their obscene profit,” Wong told reporters at the party’s headquarters here. He added that bond repayments and finance costs are already factored in the 10% ROI and the government’s reasons not to renegotiate with the IPPs – to honour the current contracts – was unacceptable. The BN government had also failed to justify the staggeringly high power reserve margin of 38% given to the IPPs, said Wong. For every 1% of reserve margin, a sum of RM483 million is lost as stranded investment. The bloc said it will cut the margin to 20%. An 18% slash would save up to RM870 million a year for TNB. Add up to the RM2.6 billion saved from the reset ROI of 10% for the IPPs, it will mean the national power company would save RM3.47 billion a year. Wong projected that the new deal will double its annual net profit to RM5.61 billion annually. “These higher profits could then be used to pare down debts. Most importantly, the pressure to increase electricity tariffs for consumers should also evaporate,” he said.    | ||||
| Get real about BN’s racism, Kayveas told Posted: 06 Dec 2012 10:41 PM PST
Teluk Intan MP M Manogaran noted that Kayveas spoke of the public's "perception" of racial discrimination in government policies while knowing well enough how real the problem is. "If it is just perception, how come 95% of Felda settlers are Malays?" Manogaran said. "Intake into the civil service is also Malay-centric. Those who sit in GLCs [government-linked companies] from top to bottom are mostly Malays as well. "In the armed forces, most of the non-Malays promoted from Major to Lieutenant Colonel are put under what I would call the 'flexi category'. They draw the salary of a lieutenant colonel, but their authority is on par with a major. "The government has an unofficial policy that jobs in the civil service are for Malays and vacancies in the private sector are for non-Malays. "This is not good for nation building." Manogaran told FMT such racist policies were unfair to the Malays as well because it creates the impression that they owe their positions to their racial background, not their capabilities. "This is not right because there are many capable and qualified Malays who hold important and high posts in the private sector due to their capabilities and purely on merit. "Furthermore, there is real discrimination against the poor Malays and those Malays who are not connected to Umno. "These groups of Malays also need help because they are marginalised. They don't get sufficient business opportunities. Big contracts are given to crony Malays." He agreed with Kayveas that voters were flocking to Pakatan Rakyat, but not because they had falsely perceived the BN government as one practising racial discrimination. "They are seeking fairness and justice," he said. He urged Kayveas to be honest and admit to the reality of racial discrimination by BN.    | ||||
| Thailand wary of Malaysian tigers Posted: 06 Dec 2012 10:39 PM PST
The three-time champions, twice losing finalists since last lifting the trophy in 2002, edged the Philippines 2-1, thumped qualifiers Myanmar 4-0 and then dismissed Vietnam 3-1 during their Group A games in Bangkok. Next up is a difficult, two-legged clash against fellow co-hosts Malaysia, who recovered from an opening 3-0 loss against Singapore to beat Laos 4-1 and Indonesia 2-0 to reach the last four as Group B runners-up. Singapore, twice winners of the biennial Asean Football Federation (AFF) championship, face the rapidly improving Philippines – featuring ex-Chelsea poster boys Phil and James Younghusband – in the other home-and-away semi. Thailand start as favourites against Malaysia after beating them 2-0 in a friendly last month, but they will be wary of the Tigers, who host the first leg at Kuala Lumpur’s Bukit Jalil stadium on Sunday. “They’re dangerous, especially at home where passionate fans normally pack the stadium to the rafters. Such strong support really helps them as the players feel more motivated,” said Thailand’s coach Winfried Schaefer. “We beat them 2-0 recently but we cannot read much into that result because both of us used many reserves in that game. The win was no doubt a boost to our morale, but we cannot underestimate them. “They pass the ball well and their teamwork is good since they have been together for a while.” After resting players against Vietnam, Thailand are expected to be at full strength including striker Teersil Dangda and midfielder Datsakorn Thonglao, who went off with a groin problem against the Philippines. The same cannot be said of Malaysia, who have five players on the injury list including winger Wan Zack Haikal Wan Nor and midfielder Shakir Shaari. “This puts us in a difficult situation ahead of our match against Thailand,” said coach K Rajagobal. “We still have few more days to prepare for the match. I’m keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for the best for Shakir and Zack.” In Manila the Philippines, denied the chance to host a semi-final leg two years ago due to the lack of a suitable venue, will finally play in front of their home fans at the renovated Rizal Memorial Stadium on Saturday. “Now that we are here, we are hoping the home fans can help get us through,” said team manager Dan Palami. The encounter will be emotional for the “Azkals” (street dogs) after hundreds of people died and 300,000 were made homeless when a typhoon hit the south of the country this week. Singapore topped Group B but they will be missing midfielder Hariss Harun, out for the rest of the tournament with a shin fracture, and winger Shi Jiayi, who has travelled to Shanghai for a family emergency. -AFP    | ||||
| Natives threaten army with court injunction Posted: 06 Dec 2012 10:29 PM PST
"If need be, we will apply for a court injunction to stop the army contractors from proceeding with the road construction," said Baru Bian, a lawyer and Ba'Kelalan assemblyman. Bian said that he had written to the chief of the Armed Forces that the villagers did not want the road (Ba'Kelalan-Bario road) as it passes Sungai Muda, which is a water catchment area. The villagers have instead proposed that road be built from Belingi-Lepo Bunga-Bario. This would then safeguard the catchment area. "The villagers have objected to the road being built through Sungai Muda as it would affect the water catchment area at Sungai Muda," he said. Bian, who is Sarawak PKR chief, said he was disappointed with army’s reply that only a few people were against the road construction while the majority of the villagers were for it. "The folks in Ba Kelalan wants to protect Sungai Muda because its destruction would affect the lives of about 2,000 villagers from Punan Kelalan, Long Muda, Long Kumap, Long Langai, Long Lemutut, Buduk Nur, and SK Ba'Kelalan, an international award winning school," he said. In the letter, the army also said that the few people who rejected the road were the supporters of the Bian and that it reflected a very bad image. "I have submitted a list of 152 villagers who are against the construction, and I will be calling for a big meeting in Ba'Kelalan on Dec 16, 2012,” said Bian. "If the army still persists in carrying out the construction, we will apply for an injunction. It is typical of the BN mentality to blame the problem on the opposition.” What about NCR rights? On the reason given by the army that it is a 'security road' having its strategic importance to the forward operation base along the border to Lapo Bunga Cam, Bian said that it appeared that the army refused to listen to the people. "Are they are serving the people or are they serving their own interest?" he asked. He also questioned whether the road was properly planned as there was no EIA report and did not appear to involve the state authorities. "And what about the native customary rights land of the people? Have they been excised out? My suspicion is that the project is improperly done and I urge the army to listen to the people," he said. Last month the villagers set up a blockade at Pa'Patar and Arur Lutut which is near the water catchment area called Sungai Muda. The villagers claimed that contractors had already cleared about a kilometre stretch of the jungle despite their disagreement to have the road built through Sungai Muda. The villagers told reporters last month that the army had explained to them that they opted for the Sungai Muda route because it is 20km shorter than the Belingi-Lepo Bunga-Bario route, and thus would incur less cost. The villagers, however, did not buy that story because the Belingi-Lepo Bunga-Bario route is already there and merely needed small improvements, such as culverts. The construction of the RM42 million Ba Kelalan-Bario Road started on Oct 1 and is expected to be completed by Sept 2014. Defence minister Ahmad Zaidi Hamidi said army would implement the project under the Blue Ocean Strategy, and the road was a continuation of the 75km Long Luping-Ba Kelalan Road which was completed in September last year.    | ||||
| Integrated approach vital in facing urbanisation challenges Posted: 06 Dec 2012 10:28 PM PST
KUALA LUMPUR: In recognising the complexities of urbanisation challenges, government agencies, policymakers and industry players are formulating a more integrated approach to address the components of water, environment, waste and city planning solutions in a more holistic way. Given the urgent need for cities around the world to address pressing urbanisation challenges, many multinational companies that are involved in urban solutions, water and waste industries are also moving into this space to provide modern integrated solutions, which are expected to be a major growth sector in future. "There is now a realisation that there are vast benefits to be gained from adopting a more holistic and integrated approach to city planning and management," Singapore's Urban Redevelopment Authority chief executive officer Ng Lang said. "We are looking for opportunities to harness new technologies and solutions to create a more sustainable built environment and as a small compact city, Singapore can be a living laboratory where companies can develop, test-bed and demonstrate urban solutions," he said. At the recently-held World Cities Summit 2012 in Singapore, expert panellists stressed that cities are now looking to infrastructure renewal as a viable way to catalyse their urban economies and are avidly seeking new opportunities to create new jobs, increase tax proceeds and enhance productivity. In sharing the World Bank's success story in the areas of water, urban development and the environment, World Bank vice-president for East Asia and the Pacific Pamela Cox said urban development, water and environment go hand in hand with development as a whole. "Our approach on urbanisation has changed, instead of focusing on sectoral analysis we now take an integrated spatial and institutional approach to engage with clients." She said the World Bank has completed Urban Reviews in 2012 in Indonesia and Vietnam whereby the bank used a spatially based "system of cities" approach which recognises the importance of interactions among cities at the local, regional, national and international scale. Spatial structure "Among developing economies in East Asia and the Pacific, Indonesia is the most urbanised at 54%, and over the past four decades it had the fastest annual rate of urbanisation, which is about 4.2%. "The spatial structure of urban growth and development will critically shape the rate and quality of economic growth over the next 15 years and this structure will determine the quality of life for urban dwellers. Focusing on green initiatives and sustainability in the domestic front, Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) senior vice president Boyd Dionysius Joeman said IRDA must play its part in ensuring that Iskandar Malaysia development region in southern Johor is developed in a sensible, timely and sustainable manner. He said IRDA's green-focused agenda is very much what it is, emphasising in making a commitment that a green environment and sustainable development to achieve a low carbon society are in focus and at the top of IRDA's green agenda. "IRDA strongly believes that the astute management of natural resources is the most important aspect of sustainable development and sets the context within which all other factors, from land use proposals and development to social engineering and service provision must be considered. "Without 'the green', there is no sustainable development and through strong policies and research, IRDA will plan, manage and develop its natural resources through close collaboration with all stakeholders and especially the local communities, whose knowledge and intimate experiences of their environment are critical to a well-planned economic region," Joeman said. Created as an economic region, Iskandar Malaysia is a growing region in Malaysia, ahead of the other four regions, which are the Sabah Development Corridor, Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy, Northern Corridor Economic Region and Eastern Corridor Economic Region. "We expect investors, developers and those with an interest in land to adopt green approaches in their development by encouraging early discussions with IRDA and the five local authorities, which are within the region," he said. Global warming Joeman further emphasised that IRDA has prepared the Environmental Planning Blueprint to tackle climate change and the impact of global warming and its approaches recognise and influence Malaysia's commitment to climate change in the formulating of the National Green Technology policy, the National Policy on Climate Change, the preparation of the Low Carbon City Framework and Assessment System and the Low Carbon Green Growth Act. "Our commitment to climate change is demonstrated through the region's main policy document, the Comprehensive Development Plan, which has identified climate change management, renewable energy, energy efficiency, green building requirements, green economy and integrated transportation as areas of priority. The specific targets are, that the energy from renewable sources must be at least 15% by 2020, that all public transport buses must be converted to cleaner compressed natural gas buses by 2020 and all diesel transport vehicles, other than buses, used by IRDA, local councils and the Johor state government must use biodiesel. In addition, carbon intensity target in Iskandar Malaysia must be a minimum of 40% and that the recycling rate within Iskandar Malaysia to be increased from the current 3%-5% to 40% by 2013, he said. This content is provided by FMT content partner The Malaysian Reserve.    | ||||
| 1976 plane crash: The unanswered questions Posted: 06 Dec 2012 09:00 PM PST
What is the difference between five percent and 20 percent? Well, anyone who has half a brain and who had not been asleep during math class in school will tell you that the answer is 15 percent – which is 20 minus five! Let us convert this to figures and let us hypothesise the figure as RM10 billion. Five percent of RM10 billion is RM500 million. Therefore 20 percent is exactly four times that amount. Twenty percent is therefore RM2 billion – witness how vast this difference is now. Imagine a state government possessing the RM500,000 million to develop the vast state or to give it to its people. Now imagine the same state government in possession of four times that amount. Now, instead of only having the monetary resources to provide aid to a quarter of the state's population, the state government can now do the same to everybody – total coverage! Let's not even get to the full 100 percent, which is the RM10 billion. Now assume that a powerful person in that same state, a tribal leader of sorts, has the influence and capacity to take that state out of the federation. This would mean an income shortfall ranging from 80 to 95 percent of the RM10 billion. Well, money isn't everything but an action as such could propel other states into mimicking parallel actions and this is unquestionably something that must be prevented at all cost; collateral damage is damned. On another note, where were you 13,215 days ago? On June 6, 1976, an Australian manufactured GAF-Nomad N.22B-type twin turboprop engine passenger plane operated by Sabah Air with the tail number 9M-ATZ took off from Labuan Airport on its 113-km route to Kota Kinabalu International Airport with 10 passengers on-board. Investigation reports still secret It was a routine short flight except for two things: almost the entire Sabah state government's top leadership was on the plane; and the plane stalled and crashed into the sea about two kilometres from its destination airport, killing the pilot and its10 VIP passengers. That abruptly ended the reign of Fuad Stephens (Donald Aloysius Marmaduke Stephens) as Sabah's fifth chief minister, a mere seven weeks from the day he took office for a second term. The lists of fatalities included Sabah ministers Salleh Sulong, Peter Mojuntin, Chong Thien Vun and Darius Binion (assistant state minister). Others were Wahid Peter Andau (Sabah finance ministry secretary), Dr Syed Hussein Wafa (a director in Sabah’s Economic Planning Unit), Isak Atan (private secretary to Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah), Corporal Said Mohammad (Fuad’s bodyguard), Johari Stephens (Fuad's eldest son) and Captain Gandhi Nathan (pilot). The crash was said to have been due to mechanical problems. Perhaps so but then again the original investigation report should have been immediately published and the coroner should have declared the "accident" as a misadventure. However, this report was promptly classified by the federal government (it still remains classified up to this day) and the coroner, Ansari Abdullah, returned an open verdict. Aviation Safety Network (ASN) reported that the aircraft "stalled and crashed on approach". However, in its narrative, ASN stated: "This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network's opinion as to the cause of the accident. “It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time." What the ASN report did not say was that ground witnesses saw the plane "drop like a stone". What the experts also failed to inform you is that fixed-wing aircraft do not drop vertically but glide to its impact point unless the wings dropped off and the wings on a fixed-wing aircraft do not just drop off by themselves when the engines purportedly stalled. Were there non-mechanical problems? Was it a conspiracy?
Let's just put it this way. The N.22B variant is rated for up to one or two pilots with a maximum of 12 passengers and unless the pilot and its 10 passengers gorged themselves silly during lunch, there is no way the plane could have exceeded its weight limitations. Was it then a problematic aircraft? Yes, the GAF-Nomad N.22B variant aircraft can be considered so. Since its production, the Nomad has been involved in a total of 32 total hull-loss accidents, which have resulted in 76 fatalities including its chief test pilot and the assistant head designer during the design and testing stage. Was this then a conspiracy? It seems so considering that Fuad wanted a 20 percent oil royalty for the state, and that Fuad may have wanted to take Sabah out of the federation following in Singapore's footsteps. There is also the third open secret that Fuad wanted to become the Malaysian prime minister at sometime in his political future. All these spiced up the concoction. Ground witnesses remembered hearing two distinct explosions. Additionally, why was Fuad's aircraft requested to circle the airfield awaiting an imaginary RMAF C-130 Hercules to take off? (Airport logs did not show the existence of any RMAF plane on the tarmac at the time of the accident, let alone a humungous C-130.) Sabah’s fortunes changed forever Shouldn't the chief minister's flight take preference over everybody, especially in Sabah and when the chief minister himself is sitting in his own aircraft? Were there really two explosions (one in mid-air and the other when the aircraft crashed) as indicated by witnesses of the crash? How is Lee Kang Yu, a trusted aide and trustee to Harris (Salleh) who had fled to Hong Kong prior to his death, involved in the crash? Why did a senior communication officer (TK Wong) living near the crash site and who was the first to arrive at the site tell everybody that the police arrived almost immediately after him and instantaneously cordoned off the entire area instead of organising search and rescue teams? Was this perhaps an unfortunate (but fatal) coincidence? But regardless of what actually transpired, the direction of Sabah's fortunes were altered forever – from a sovereign state albeit under British rule to a Barisan Nasional "fixed deposit". The writer is a Murut and a qualified mechanical engineer and test pilot. He is a vice chairman of Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP), N-34 Liawan CLC.    | ||||
| Packaging personal loans to facilitate affordability Posted: 06 Dec 2012 08:54 PM PST
When he took over stewardship of MBSB on Feb 22, 2009, he vowed to use the opportunity to help civil servants as it was already a major part of MBSB's focus. "The salaries are very low and some civil servants would usually need personal loans to start up some side businesses to earn extra income. "But they would get 'hammered' with high interest rates of 8% or more. I felt that to be very unfair to those who are already giving so much to the country." Aiming to address the imbalance, he spoke with MBSB staff – who themselves were in the same boat of low salaries as civil servants – on how to tackle the issue. And the answer proved to be quite simple – lower interest rates on personal loans without compromising too much on profit. "MBSB was already providing personal loans then but gave it very little attention. We were then doing about RM18 million in loans a month. After we starting pushing our lower interest schemes, we began handle RM50 million a day!" Ahmad Zaini is very proud of how the lower interest caused a spillover effect onto other financial institutions to make personal loans more affordable to all. "With lower interest, civil servants no longer had high monthly repayments and they could afford to breathe a little and struggle less. It was a positive development for the country because there was so much for everyone to gain without seeming to be profiteering." With a larger kitty backed from the personal loans portfolio, MBSB then began to venture into private financing initiatives and chalked up some success there as well. "There are a lot of other government-linked contracts we can now finance at very competitive rates. Hopefully, our venture into this arena will also have the same impact on the financial industry like our personal loans." Prudent checks Ahmad Zaini also acknowledged the need to review the way mortgages are offered because the peg to salaries doesn't always benefit the consumer. "If they can prove to us their capability to manage their finances better, we should help them out. Who else knows better how to manage your own finances?" He insists that MBSB should not be seen as too much of a risk-taker as prudent checks are in place to ensure loans are given out based on proper reviews. "We operate on a commercial basis with no grant from the government or from our main shareholder, the Employees Provident Fund (EPF). We can't afford to be making unnecessary losses." Looking at how well MBSB's profit growth has been over the past three years, Ahmad Zaini said with a smile: "The EPF isn't complaining about our performance as they're getting very good dividends from us." – The Malaysian Reserve Also Read: MBSB trendsetting with heart, while maintaining focus on profitability This content is provided by FMT content partner The Malaysian Reserve.    | ||||
| Najib must explain ‘land grab’ scandal Posted: 06 Dec 2012 08:54 PM PST
Last month, Selangor backbenchers had claimed Umno, MCA, MIC and Gerakan were sold 24 land plots worth a total of RM300 million at RM1 per square feet during BN’s rule in the state. BN had defended the land takeover with the excuse that it was used to build public amenities such as halls and kindergarten. But earlier this week, Pua, who is DAP publicity chief and the party’s Selangor No 2, had shown proof to reporters that a medium-cost condominium now stood on one of the 24 "welfare" plots. "This condominium is worth an estimated RM90 million based on today's prices," said the Petaling Jaya Utara MP in a statement. Ever since the issue was exposed, Pua said, Selangor Umno leaders had been "scrambling to disclaim responsibility and knowledge" by referring reporters to other leaders. But while Pua found this "comical", he said the biggest disappointment for all Malaysians was Najib’s silence on the issue, despite the prime minister's insistence that Umno had transformed. "Najib, who is also the Selangor Umno chief, must get his house in order by explaining the land grab scandal and accepting responsibility for Umno’s sins. "He must make amends for Umno's corrupt policies of the past by returning all such ill-gained profits to the state government for the benefit of the rakyat," added Pua. Passing the buck Pua related how, when contacted by the press, Subang Umno division chief Muhammad Bushro Mat Johor said there was no such land in possession of Subang Umno. "However when pressed with evidence, the Paya Jaras assemblyperson pointed that any query on the land is best directed to the previous division chief. "However, the previous division chief Mokhtar Dahlan when queried then passed the buck to Kelana Jaya Umno acting chief Yahya Bujang," he said. Pua said that Yahya was "coincidentally" out of the country and unable to respond immediately. But Mokhtar, he added, had disclosed that the land was originally intended for the construction of Subang Umno’s division headquarters. "It is a clear admission that BN abused its powers to benefit the interest of its component parties," he said. Pua claimed that at the same time, the opposition leader in Selangor Satim Diman pleaded ignorance when queried and responded that the matter should be referred to Selangor Umno secretary Mohd Zin Mohamed. "Mohd Zin, then with great finesse, responded that he ‘needs some time and will respond in due time after his researcher gathers more information on the allegation’. "The passing the buck game cannot be any more comical than the above. "Umno knows that they've been caught red-handed putting their hands into cookie jar, and no one wants to accept responsibility for robbing the people's land for their own profit," he added.    | ||||
| PetDag on RM200m acquisition spree Posted: 06 Dec 2012 08:49 PM PST
KIUALA LUMPUR: Petronas Dagangan Bhd (PetDag) will spend RM200 million to build up downstream companies it is acquiring from Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) in Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines and Malaysia. PetDag CEO Aminul Rashid Mohd Zamzam said the acquisitions of two companies, Petronas Vietnam Co Ltd and Thang Long LPG Co Ltd are expected to be finalised by the end of the year. He said PetDag spent RM200 million on the acquisitions and its investment in growing the companies would entrench PetDag operations. In June, PetDag entered into six sales and purchase agreements to acquire the companies for about US$62 million (RM189.04 million) in cash. PetDag said it had proposed to acquire Petronas Energy Philippines Inc and Duta Inc in the Philippines, Petronas Vietnam Co Ltd and Thang Long Co Ltd in Vietnam, Petronas International Marketing (Thailand) Co Ltd as well as Petronas Aviation Sdn Bhd. The purchases represented opportunities for PetDag to grow geographically as well as diversify its revenue base. Aminul Rashid was speaking at the launching of new flagship Petronas Solaris in Putra and Serdang, Selangor. Aminul Rashid said the twin petrol station is the first of its kind, with four key energy-efficient features which include a photovoltaic solar panel rooftop, LED lighting, a rainwater harvesting system and a nitrogen tyre inflator. "The operational expenditure is about the same compared to a normal station, but in terms of energy and utility cost, it is three to four times cheaper," said PetDag retail division senior general manager Akbar Md Thayoob, who was also present at the launch. A total of RM20 million was invested into the twin petrol station which is situated in between a part of the PLUS and Besraya highways, offering access to vehicles from both highways. Aminul Rashid added that they intend to make the station "a destination in itself", thus partnering with Starbucks, Subway and Kentucky Fried Chicken to open their outlets at the station along with a separate food court. PetDag is the principal domestic marketing arm of national oil company Petronas, which holds 69.86% of its equity. This content is provided by FMT content partner The Malaysian Reserve.    | ||||
| Star will work with ‘any’ coalition that wins Posted: 06 Dec 2012 08:47 PM PST
Both parties’ words and actions point to it being a lost cause. But leaders on either side are nonetheless keeping alive the ‘line’ that they are working on a deal which opposition supporters in the state and are hopeful of hammering it out in time. They have been maneuvering for this since the beginning of the year and if nothing else, their periodic shout outs for a deal has proved they are no closer to it since they first indicated they wanted one. It is an indecisiveness that has allowed non-local parties to inject themselves into state politics since 1963 and determine the state’s direction. SAPP can only win seats if it allies itself with another party or group of politicians, which explains it’s need to reach out to DAP, PKR and Sabah Star. On its own, SAPP would find itself in a difficult position if it also had to fight on two fronts. Star may be in a favourable position if supporting crowds can be translated into real votes. Based on their sources they believe they could win in poverty-stricken Kadazandusun areas. The numbers put forward is up to 10 of the 60 state seats and more than five of 25 parliamentary seats in Sabah and one Labuan. Realistically, observers say, Star and SAPP must work together with remnant supporters of Usno under the United Borneo Alliance (UBF) concept of Borneo leaders taking charge of their political destiny. SAPP can say they are close to hammering out a deal with the Pakatan Rakyat coalition, but Star Sabah is looking at these dealings with discomfort and a hint of alarm. SAPP for all intents and purposes is already within Pakatan while Star is adamant that it is independent of both the opposition and the ruling Barisan Nasional coalitions. Star had said it would only ally itself with state-based political parties before the election. But talk is also beginning to surface that Star is being financed by Umno to split the opposition vote and that Jeffrey has been given RM100 million. For his part, the Star chairman has denounced the rumour and has threatened legal action to stop it. “I requests Sabah Star members, should you hear of any such talks, to jot down the name of the person saying that, the date, time and place so that we can sue the individual in court. “To be sponsored by BN is akin to the coalition saying "here take this knife and kill me with it … isn't that stupid?” asked Jeffrey. “We are here to topple BN-Umno so it does not make sense that Sabah Star is sponsored by the coalition,” he said after officiating Sabah Star's Wiranita (Women) Wing convention here on Wednesday. Jeffrey also accused fellow opposition parties of spreading the rumours to stop Star’s rising popularity. Party officials claim its membership has risen to about 200,000 members since its inception here 10 months ago and is the envy of other parties. “They are scared that their members will join Star which is growing in strength and gathering force as time passes. This shows that Star is strong and they are scared of the party. "It also reflects their desperation because when an individual starts to bad mouth a friend, it shows that the person either has a problem or is desperate. In this case, it is the opposition parties that are desperate to reduce the support and influence of Sabah Star," said Jeffrey. No truth in rumours Speaking to reporters after officiating the conference, Jeffrey in brushing away the party’s alleged Umno link, also said the another rumour was also going around. “It said Star was paid RM20 billion – RM1 billion for each of the 20 Points of the special powers it is fighting to have restored to Sabah,” said Jeffrey. Making it known that he does not trust SAPP, he called on its party leaders to declare if it would be working with the peninsular-based opposition parties or with local parties like Star. “SAPP needs to make a decision whether they want to be with Borneo Alliance or PR (Pakatan) so that the issue of a straight fight against BN can be resolved. “By making public its allegiance, the issue of seats allocation between Star and SAPP can be resolved,” said Jeffrey. He was commenting on Yong’s recent statement that Pakatan and SAPP were discussing seats distribution and the party would hold talks with Sabah Star on the same matter soon. Yong said the two parties were expected to meet in “two to three weeks” time to “fine tune” their election stand. "We want to close the door for discussion with any party,” he told local reporters last week when asked about the outcome the negotiations between SAPP and fellow oppositions parties in the Sabah. However, Jeffrey yesterday shot down chances of talks, saying: "If they (SAPP) decide to join Pakatan then we do not have to worry about the seats allocation anymore because they will decide among themselves and we can plan our own strategy.” “We have to discuss and finalise the seats distribution but the problem at the moment is that we are not sure where SAPP stands. "Are they negotiating with Pakatan, or are they with the Borneo Alliance? If they decide to work with Pakatan then SAPP will be part of the Malaya Agenda as we see BN and PR (Pakatan) as the Malaya Agenda while we see ourselves as Agenda Borneo," he said. SAPP must choose Acknowledging that both Star and SAPP have been keeping in touch with each other as both have a common ground, which is fighting for the state's autonomy, Jeffrey however said that both seem to to differ in approach. “We want to work with PR but at a different level. We do not want them to bully us or to control us. “We want to work together as equal partners not as subservient partners. We have talked with SAPP about seats but we have yet to finalise anything," he said. While Star sees this election as Malaya Agenda versus Borneo Agenda, SAPP has a more politically practical strategy. As Jeffrey himself said yesterday, only if the 13th general election returns a ‘hung’ parliament, would Star work with Pakatan because “we want change and before we commit anything we will make our demands first and that is the realisation of the Borneo Agenda." But the enigmatic Jeffrey also said that if BN won Putrajaya hands down and if Star won in the state election, his party would work with BN instead as “it has no choice”. So while Star is open to any partner, SAPP’s position, however, is clear cut support for Pakatan. But one must also remember that SAPP won its few seats in 2008 because of Umno’s help, while it was in BN.    | ||||
| MBSB trendsetting with heart, while maintaining focus on profitability Posted: 06 Dec 2012 08:33 PM PST
Flush with its burgeoning portfolio of personal loans to civil servants, MBSB is eyeing expansion into other areas of opportunity after already venturing into private financing initiatives (PFIs) to support government efforts and also aiding local small and medium enterprises. "For starters, we want to relook our mortgage offers in the same way we chalked up a huge success after transforming personal loan packages back in 2009," said president and CEO Ahmad Zaini Othman (photo) in an interview. "Rather than simply quoting interest rates, we want to ask the customers what they're ready to commit themselves to and then work out a package for them. "This should hopefully make them more committed to repayments because they know better what they can afford." He fully expects such an approach to likely shake up the local financing industry, based on the past experience with personal loans. "While everyone was levying an interest rate of 8% or higher before, we reduced ours to only 4% for personal loans and yet made a decent profit. "The overall default risk was minimised because we could tap into the civil service salary deduction schemes for the borrowers." MBSB is also able to venture further into PFIs because it is no longer the dowdy entity which previously only looked at basic mortgages. "Our focus is on building educational facilities like campuses for UiTM because it serves a much greater purpose while also providing us with decent earnings," he explained. Ahmad Zaini is especially proud of how far MBSB has evolved over the past three years into a financial powerhouse to be reckoned with. "Apart from probably being the largest player for personal loans, we're also very big in Islamic financing. "We are now in the position to be setting trends rather than just being followers and we'll do it with a heart with our focus on consumers first." – The Malaysian Reserve This content is provided by FMT content partner The Malaysian Reserve.    | ||||
| KFH to add 25 new branches by 2015 Posted: 06 Dec 2012 08:10 PM PST
KUALA LUMPUR: Kuwait Finance House Malaysia Bhd (KFH), the first foreign Islamic bank in the country, aims to expand its network with 25 new branches by 2015. The bank currently has 12 branches in Malaysia. CEO Jamelah Jamaluddin said the bank is also expanding its currency exchange outlets, investing in other distribution channels and enhancing its Internet banking and cash management system. "The target set for us under the business transformation plan is to have 25 new branches, beginning with two next year…Under our revised business plan, we are not going to spend more than RM2 million for each new branch," she said at the bank's partnership event with Animonsta Studios here yesterday. She said KFH wants to reach out to customers by enhancing its presence and products to meet demand. "Under our transformation plan, KFH will be a 50% wholesale bank and 50% retail bank by 2015 and the retail component of the bank will comprise retail and consumer banking and also commercial. "We expect the retail component to contribute about 20% of the entire KFH's portfolio by 2015," Jamelah said. This content is provided by FMT content partner The Malaysian Reserve.    | ||||
| Business with an eye on the environment Posted: 06 Dec 2012 08:09 PM PST
KUALA LUMPUR: A growing wave of companies in all sectors – technology, financial services, energy, retail and manufacturing – are embracing environmentally safe practices and saving hundreds of millions of ringgit. Many business institutions are leading the green revolution in their work sites, workbenches, in product development and packaging and in energy saving data centres. The Bank of America, for an example, is proving that eco-friendly operations can co-exist with business growth. According to its corporate website, the company reduced paper usage by 32% from 2000-2005 and this is despite a 24% growth in their customer base. The bank also runs an internal recycling programme that recycles 30,000 tonnes of paper each year. This amounts to saving an estimated 200,000 trees for each year of the programme's operations. The company also offers employees a US$3,000 (RM9,177) cash back reward for buying hybrid cars. Closer to home, Royal Philips Corp strives to improve the environmental performance of its products and processes and drives sustainability throughout its supply chain from product development to the end-of-product-life which continues with recycling. The company's concern for the environment is based on the belief "that prevention is better than cure" and it has been working to minimise environmental impacts of its products and processes since 1970. According to Philips Malaysia managing director Naeem Shahab Khan, the company sees sustainability and innovation as inseparable. "Everything that we do begins with the mission that we have set for ourselves as a company. We speak about a meaningful innovation to improve people's lives, but that also means a mission that takes both innovation and the impact on society and the environment into account in what we do. Sustainability and innovation cannot be an afterthought. They need to be an integral part of what we are, who we are and how we operate," says Naeem. Philips has innovated a slew of green products that make it easy to save energy and reduce the effects of climate change. These products enable consumers to make simple choices about the products they purchase and the impact they have before, during and at the end of the products' life cycle. Philips acknowledges the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and believes that global emissions should peak ultimately in 2015 and decline in order to achieve a reduction of 50%-80% in 2050. The company also supports mandatory cuts in domestic emissions in industrialised countries of at least 30% by 2020. The company itself has been contributing to the transformation towards a low carbon economy. Since 1994, Philips has been focusing on increasing the energy efficiency of its products along with other environmental improvements and also in its manufacturing activities since 1984. New choices With the company's energy saving lamps, domestic consumers and industrial users do not just change a bulb, they can change the world. Philips energy-saving lamps offer up to 80% energy saving and up to eight times longer life. Naeem said with global warming on the increase, people are on the hunt for ways to limit the phenomenon through everyday actions. To meet this demand, Philips has created a new range of energy-efficient consumer lifestyle products by taking essential consumer products and infusing new technology to transform them into energy efficient solutions without compromising on performance quality. He said the company has created steam irons, which reduce the amount of wasted steam, energy efficient kettles and a range of green vacuum cleaners all fitted with a 1250W motor that provides the same suction power as a 2000W motor but reduces energy use by 35%. "We are providing consumers worldwide with new choices such as vacuum cleaners, hair dryers and irons which deliver a better experience rather than unnecessary higher power. It is an approach that simplifies going 'green' and making it easy and pleasant to shift to less energy-hungry devices. Philips is also exploring 'evolving take-back' and recycling scenarios with specialists in waste management," he said. He added that Philips has identified three stages where it can make a key impact: greening its product portfolio, closing the material loop and enabling balanced lifestyles. "We recognise that offering consumers more sustainable alternatives to 'traditional' products is the first step. We introduced our first 'green products' in 2004 and by 2010 they already accounted for 37.5% of overall sales," says Naeem. Last year the company together with the Malaysian government lit up highways leading to the Subang Airport, Federal Highway and the Middle Ring Road 2 with the Philips LED lighting. "This is a progressive milestone to help realise the government's plan to accelerate the implementation of energy-efficient initiatives and to ensure urban areas are vibrant and livable while building Malaysians' strong confidence in public safety," said Naeem. Personal responsibility
According to Naeem, recyclability, is another focal area emphasised by the company. Philips constantly looks at the environmental performance of its products, which includes designing for energy efficiency, being mindful of chemical content, lifetime reliability and recyclability, among others. "We aim to use materials that improve recycling or are biodegradable. Our blister packaging – polyethylene terephthalate contains 25% recycled material and the cardboard packaging material of our consumer products contains around 90% recycled content," says Naeem. Philips has also actively engaged in community programmes that help to inspire personal responsibility and environmental concerns among school children on a global scale. Through its SimplyHealthy@Schools project helps school children by upgrading their lighting systems to enhance their learning and energy saving. The globally-initiated community programme was introduced in 50 countries by 2011, reaching almost 140,000 students, in 504 schools. "We introduced the programme in 2009 in Kuala Lumpur primary schools and by 2011, we have expanded our outreach to Penang schools. It is our vision to bring this community programme across all Malaysian states," says Naeem. According to Naeem, children from eight to 12 years old were shown through activities, such as the SimplyHealthy@Schools Healthy Heroes toolkit, how simple it can be to improve health and wellbeing by paying special attention to air, light, oral hygiene, as well as to exercise and pay heed to environmental care. "We believe that when these factors are improved, children perform better and their overall mental and physical wellbeing also improves. The SimplyHealthy@Schools programme also makes children aware of the positive influence that they can have not only on their health and wellbeing but also be inspired to nurture care and concern for the planet," says Naeem. This content is provided by FMT content partner The Malaysian Reserve.    | ||||
| Male artists lead 2013 Grammy nominations Posted: 06 Dec 2012 08:08 PM PST
The nominations for New York-based indie-pop band fun. – made up of Nate Ruess, Andrew Dost and Jack Antonoff – included the four main categories for record, song and album of the year, and best new artist. fun., which also performed at the Grammy nominations concert with Janelle Monae, said it felt good to be recognized and “took pride” in its live performances. “Tonight, all I wanted to do was get up and really give it our all … receiving the nomination is amazing and a culmination of hard work the three of us have put into this band,” lead singer Ruess told reporters backstage. The group scored a huge hit with its first single, “We Are Young,” and then followed that up with its successful album “Some Nights” and single of the same name. Joining it in the album, record of the year and best new artist categories was hip hop artist Ocean. The 25-year-old rapper-singer made waves earlier this year after revealing his first love was a man, a groundbreaking move in the hip hop industry, which has faced criticism in the past for being hostile toward gays. His debut album, “Channel Orange” was a critical and commercial success, debuting at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 album chart in July. Ocean and fun. will be competing with blues-rock group Alabama Shakes, country singer Hunter Hayes and folk-rockers The Lumineers for the coveted best new artist title. While young male artists made up a large portion of nominees in key categories, noticeably absent was 18-year-old Canadian singer Justin Bieber, one of 2012′s biggest pop music stars with chart-topping album “Believe” and singles such as “Boyfriend.” The winners will be announced at the televised awards show in Los Angeles on February 10. After Adele, male artists lead After British singer Adele dominated the previous Grammy Awards with her juggernaut album “21,” male artists took the lead in the album of the year category, where Ocean and fun. are competing with The Black Keys, Mumford & Sons and Jack White. British folk band Mumford & Sons, which scored six nominations both in 2011 and 2012 for its debut album, “Sigh No More,” landed six more nominations on Wednesday for its chart-topping sophomore album, “Babel,” which is the second biggest-selling album in the United States this year. Ohio rock duo The Black Keys, formed by frontman Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney, landed five nominations, while Auerbach also notched a non-classical producer of the year nomination for his work on four albums. Blues-rocker Jack White, the former frontman of The White Stripes, picked up three nods for his chart-topping debut solo album “Blunderbuss.”
Kelly Clarkson was one of the few leading female nominees, picking up three nominations, including record of the year and best pop vocal album. R&B singer Rihanna also landed three nods, including best solo pop performance for “Where Have You Been.” Record of the year nominees saw an assortment of rock, pop and hip hop nominees, with Clarkson’s “Stronger” competing with The Black Keys’ “Lonely Boy,” fun.’s “We Are Young,” Australian artist Gotye’s heartbreak hit “Somebody That I Used To Know,” Ocean’s “Thinkin Bout You,” and Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” To be eligible for nominations this year, artists had to release their music between October 1, 2011, and September 30, 2012. Adele, who swept the awards in February with six accolades including the top three, landed only one nomination this year for best pop solo performance, as she did not release any music in the eligibility time frame. The nominations for the top awards and main categories were announced during an hour-long televised concert in Nashville for the first time, co-hosted by country-pop artist Swift and veteran Grammy host, rapper-actor LL Cool J. Adding a twist to the announcements, Hayes sang the nominees for best pop album, a tight contest between Maroon 5, Clarkson, Pink, fun. and Florence and the Machine. Hayes picked up two nods for best new artist and best country vocal performance. British rock legends The Who will receive the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in February.—Reuters    | ||||
| Musa: I was upset by Sin Chew reporter’s detention Posted: 06 Dec 2012 08:00 PM PST
He told FMT he was in hospital at the time and police made the arrest in obedience to the then home minister Syed Hamid Albar. He said he scolded his deputy – current Inspector-General of Police Ismail Omar – over the arrest and the latter wept and offered to resign. Tan’s arrest in September 2008 came after the publication of her report on a speech made by the then Bukit Bendera Umno chief, Ahmad Ismail, in which he said the Chinese were squatters in the country and not deserving of equal rights. Reacting to public outrage, Syed Hamid said Tan was arrested for her own protection. He said police were acting on information that her life was under threat. The statement drew ridicule from the public. “The explanation sounded absurd to me,” Musa told FMT. “At that time, I was in hospital, in IJN (National Heart Institute), having a bypass." He said he told Ismail, who was acting IGP, to investigate the case under the Sedition Act and not to use the ISA to arrest anyone. He said he was upset at the turn of events and demanded an explanation from Ismail when he visited him at IJN. “Then he started crying, saying that the minister gave the instructions. He told me he wanted to resign, saying things like 'I want to resign, I don’t want to work anymore.’ “I said to him, ‘You shouldn’t be allowing yourself to be dictated to. I am in the hospital now, and you are Acting IGP.’ I told him 'It's stupid of you, wanting to resign. Next time, just don’t do it.'" Asked if he tried to confront Syed Hamid, Musa said he could not because he was bedridden. “But of course the girl was later released. But it was wrong. Using ISA didn’t make sense to me. If you think any seditious statement was made, then you have the law to investigate, right?” During the controversy, Syed Hamid told the press the arrest was a police decision and that he had not interfered. More recently, during the Umno annual general assembly, Syed Hamid denied Musa’s allegation that home ministers were among the politicians who regularly attempted to interfere with police investigations. Asked to comment on this, Musa told FMT: “Well he can deny it, but Ismail told me at that time that he was directed.” Drug raid Giving another example of politicians throwing their weight around, Musa spoke of a drug raid at a club in Johor in 2003, when he was serving in the state. “A Johor ADUN [state assemblyman] shouted at my officers asking them to get out," he said. "And then he called me, asking why the officers raided this place. “He told me, ‘Do you know I am wakil rakyat so and so?’ I answered ‘So what? Why are you angry? Is it your place?’ He then said he was a frequent customer and asked why we were embarrassing people who wanted to enjoy themselves. “I replied, ‘Okay, you can enjoy, but we are looking for drugs. So don’t disturb my officers.' “The next day he came to my office, scolding me. I said, 'You shouldn’t do this, you should respect the police.'" Musa said he was still upset with Ismail over his response to Musa’s recent allegations of political interference and criminal infiltration in the police force as well as his call on Ismail to "be tougher". Ismail had reportedly brushed off Musa’s remarks as "unimportant". “I am still quite upset," he said. "His statement shows that he doesn’t want to improve the situation. I’m saying he is very arrogant.” Musa said that Ismail had “changed a lot” and would often try to avoid coming face to face with him at public functions. “Maybe he has been advised by certain groups and ex-police officers not to be close to me. I wouldn’t name names. "If I don’t attend these functions, it doesn’t mean I don’t like the police. I just don’t want to be associated with these people. As I said, ex-police officers are also involved with the syndicates. I don’t want to be involved with them.” He said he was sad over the public's loss of respect for the police force. “This is not just because of political interference, but because of the police themselves, the bosses, the top people. "Firstly, they don’t know how to respond to the public. Secondly, they don’t work closely with the public. They don’t listen to public opinion. They don’t change – that’s the problem.” Meanwhile, the chairman of anti-crime NGO MyWatch, R Sri Sanjeevan, has called for a thorough investigation into Musa's allegations, including the one about Syed Hamid ordering the arrest of Sin Chew's Tan.    | ||||
| Pittsburgh Zoo to remove viewing deck after toddler’s death Posted: 06 Dec 2012 07:51 PM PST
The 2-year-old boy was visiting the zoo last month with his mother, who stood him on the railing for a better view of the animals, known as African painted dogs, police said. The boy fell into the exhibit, where he was swarmed by 11 dogs. Zookeepers rushed to the exhibit area housing the animals, firing darts to frighten them away from the child before police arrived. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the boy as Maddox Derkosh and said in a statement that he bled to death from “multiple trauma, inflicted through mauling by wild African dogs.” Zoo staff secured 10 of the dogs, but police entered the pit and shot and killed the last dog, which was particularly aggressive toward the child and the officers, authorities said. In an email to the press on Thursday, the district attorney’s office said the zoo would remove the observation platform out of respect to the victim’s family. The district attorney’s office said in November the boy’s mother would not be charged, but it is still investigating whether the zoo was at fault. African painted dogs are endangered species and native to sub-Saharan Africa. They have an average size of just over 2 feet to 3.5 feet (0.6 to 1 meter). They are also known as Cape hunting dogs or painted dogs because of their mottled coats with patches of red, black, brown, white and yellow fur.    | ||||
| Posted: 06 Dec 2012 07:45 PM PST
They’re too confining, he says. They trap kids in chairs, in classrooms, in the narrow bounds of an established curriculum. So White and a handful of fellow revolutionaries have begun pushing a new vision for American public education. Call it the a la carte school. The model, now in practice or under consideration in states including Louisiana, Michigan, Arizona and Utah, allows students to build a custom curriculum by selecting from hundreds of classes offered by public institutions and private vendors. A teenager in Louisiana, for instance, might study algebra online with a private tutor, business in a local entrepreneur’s living room, literature at a community college and test prep with the national firm Princeton Review – with taxpayers picking up the tab for it all. The concept alarms many traditional educators. They fear public schools will lose funding to private vendors and will end up with such crimped budgets that they won’t be able to provide a full range of academic classes, much less extras like sports, clubs and arts. That, in turn, could accelerate the exodus of students and the cutbacks in funding. Teachers, superintendents and school board members also warn that an a la carte system could leave behind children from poor or unstable homes who may not have computers to take online classes, transportation to reach far-flung vendors, or adult guidance to help them sort through a dizzying menu of options. The system also has the potential to leave students unsupervised for large chunks of the day, which could raise safety and discipline concerns. “We’re really concerned about equity,” said Don Wotruba, deputy director of the Michigan Association of School Boards. “There will be haves and have-nots.” Backers of the concept acknowledge there will be challenges but say the one-size-fits-all “factory model” of public school is woefully outdated. Students in many states have a vast array of school choices, including charter and online options, but once they pick a school, they’re typically limited to classes offered within its walls (or on its website). The more flexible models being tested and debated require students to pick a “home base” school where they can play sports and consult with guidance counselors, yet allow them to reach outside for some or all of their academic classes and electives.
White argues, too, that a la carte can save taxpayers money. Louisiana plans to cut funding for each public school by about US$1,300 for each class a student takes from an outside vendor. But many of the vendors charge far less; their average fees, to be paid by the state, are just US$800. The savings are to be divided between the local school district and the state treasury. Despite White’s promise of taxpayer savings, Louisiana’s program, dubbed Course Choice, hit a roadblock last week when a state judge ruled that private vendors could not be paid with money set aside for public schools. White plans to appeal. In the meantime, he’s pressing ahead with plans for students to begin ordering off the menu in the spring. The state Board of Education on Wednesday approved 45 vendors offering hundreds of classes. A few target young students, such as a music class for 5- and 6-year-olds. Most, however, are aimed at the high school crowd. The Baton Rouge Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors, a nonunion industry group, plans to train teens in carpentry, pipefitting and heavy equipment operation, with the state picking up fees of US$550 per course. “Our thrust is promoting our industry and giving students an opportunity for careers,” said Robert Clouatre, the chapter’s director of education. A local construction workers’ union plans to offer classes of its own, in scaffold building, work zone safety and the like. Louisiana Public Broadcasting has designed a US$1,280 online class in environmental science, drawing on its library of TV documentaries. A New Orleans teacher who runs a small faith-based school will offer a US$900 entrepreneurship course; she is in the midst of revising the curriculum so it does not rely on Scripture to teach financial precepts. Students across Louisiana can participate as long as they remain enrolled in a traditional public school and take at least one class from that school. There is no income cutoff, meaning the state could end up paying for wealthy students to take ACT and SAT prep classes taught by private companies such as Princeton Review and Sylvan Learning. White said that prospect didn’t trouble him. “It’s a wise use of state funds to parents to choose the path that’s right for their kids,” he said. Other states are testing different paths toward the same goal of customizable schools.
In Michigan, a task force tapped by the governor to reinvent public education has come up with a sweeping plan that would let kids pick and choose offerings from any school that will accept them – so they could take art at their neighborhood school, literature online, biology from one charter school and Spanish from another, with the state parceling out funding to each provider. Ultimately, public schools might come to specialize, with one focused on science and the next on world languages, said Richard McLellan, the attorney who heads the task force. Critics often say “the governor is trying to destroy public education as we know it,” McLellan said. “That’s accurate.” A spokesman for Governor Rick Snyder said he aims to enhance, not destroy, public education, by allowing state funding to flow to any number of quality educators instead of sending the bulk of it to traditional schools. Snyder has not said whether he supports the McLellan plan but has repeatedly called for reinventing the school so students can learn “any time, any place, any way, at any pace.” One key question about a la carte models is accountability: how to ensure students learn what they need to know when their schooling is so scattered. The Michigan proposal largely leaves quality control up to course providers; the state wouldn’t review curricula or require all students to take the same standardized tests. Louisiana took a tougher stance, screening all the vendors who applied to teach courses and rejecting more than half. The state will also require some vendors to test their students regularly and will withhold payments if scores don’t improve. Another hurdle: It takes sophisticated software to manage such a fragmented education system. Colorado’s Douglas County School District, which serves wealthy suburbs outside Denver, recently sought to test an a la carte program but found it first needed a multi-million-dollar systems upgrade, said Meghann Silverthorn, a school board member. Perhaps the biggest question, however, is the most basic: Will parents buy into a radically new model of public education? “It’s disruptive change,” said Idaho schools chief Tom Luna, who has embraced aspects of the a la carte model. “Not so disruptive for kids, but very disruptive for adults.” Arizona state Senator Rich Crandall understands the hesitation. He is a big proponent of school choice; earlier this year he introduced a bill that would let students select up to two courses from online providers. Yet Crandall says he is reluctant to allow kids to customize their entire education. “High school is not going to a catalog and picking a list of seven classes – that’s not a high school experience,” Crandall said. He thinks, he said, of his teenage daughter. If she were to parcel her schooling among dozens of vendors, who would be responsible for making sure she stayed on track to earn her diploma – or took classes that truly challenged her? And then there would be this conundrum, he added, laughing: “What football team does she cheer for?”—Reuters    | ||||
| Kaum Cina sudah mula terima Lynas Posted: 06 Dec 2012 07:45 PM PST
Ramai yang menentang pada awalnya terutama kaum bukan Melayu, kini dilihat mula berlembut. Hakikatnya, LAMP yang disahkan tidak melanggar mana-mana peraturan di dalam mahupun di luar negara sebelum ini, dibenarkan beroperasi pada 8 Nov selepas Mahkamah Tinggi di sini menolak permohonan injunksi interim ke atas Lesen Operasi Sementara (TOL) oleh tiga penduduk Kuantan. Menurut anggota Dewan Undangan Negeri (Adun) Teruntum, Datuk Chang Hong Seong, hanya segelintir sahaja dalam kalangan masyarakat Cina yang dilihat masih keliru dengan projek berkenaan akibat terpengaruh dengan dakyah pihak pembangkang. “Majoriti masyarakat Cina tidak lagi menentang, namun mereka memilih untuk berdiam diri. “Bagaimanapun ramai juga yang berharap agar kerajaan menubuhkan Jawatankuasa Khas bagi memantau cara kerja dan operasi kilang terbabit,” katanya kepada Bernama di sini. Mereka berharap jawatankuasa penjadi pemerhati supaya operasi mengikut kaedah yang betul dan selamat, pakar-pakar yang dipilih juga mestilah benar-benar berpengetahuan untuk mengendalikan sisa buangan kilang berkenaan. “Sisa buangan kilang memproses nadir bumi itu mestilah dipindahkan ke lokasi lain yang jauh dari petempatan penduduk,” katanya. Pengerusi MCA Kuantan Datuk Ti Lian Ker berkata usaha badan-badan bukan kerajaan yang kebanyakannya bukan orang tempatan, selain manipulasi politik oleh parti pembangkang, dilihat sebagai sebab mengapa masyarakat Cina terpengaruh dengan fakta yang salah sebelum ini. “Kini rakyat khususnya kaum Cina di sini, sudah mula akur dan yakin dengan ketetapan yang dibuat. Pembangkang diminta jangan terus mempolitikkan isu Lynas untuk menjatuhkan imej kerajaan semata-mata bagi mengaut undi,” katanya. Berdasarkan maklum balas yang diterimanya, masyarakat kini semakin yakin bahawa projek nadir bumi itu selain tidak akan menjejaskan kesejahteraan penduduk, ia akan menjana ekonomi. Masyarakat semakin sedar bahawa industri nadir bumi boleh menjadi sektor pembangunan baharu negara bagi melonjakkan Malaysia ke arah status negara berpendapatan tinggi menjelang 2020. “Kilang itu juga akan menjadi hab untuk aktiviti hiliran nadir bumi seperti televisyen, skrin komputer, telefon bimbit hinggalah kepada lampu yang menjimatkan tenaga, mesin imbasan magnetik dan juga komponen kenderaan,” katanya. Alangkah ruginya Malaysia jika projek besar seperti ini terhenti kerana manipulasi politik semata-mata. Menteri Besar Pahang Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob dalam reaksinya selepas keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi Kuantan itu berkata syarikat memproses nadir bumi itu perlu diberi peluang sebagai sebuah syarikat yang melabur dalam bidang yang penting bagi menjana ekonomi negara. Peluang ekonomi Beliau berkata Lynas adalah sebuah syarikat yang selain memberi pendapatan kepada ekonomi negara ia turut memberi peluang ekonomi dan pekerjaan kepada penduduk setempat dan negeri Pahang. Berdasarkan fakta, projek itu telah menarik ramai pembeli dan juga rakan niaga termasuk satu dari Jerman yang menjanjikan pelaburan lebih RM1.5 bilion untuk menguruskan sebuah kilang yang akan memerlukan sekitar 1,200 pekerja. Selain itu, syarikat-syarikat pembekal juga telah membina kilang mereka lebih dekat dengan tapak LAMP antaranya dua syarikat pembekal asid yang melaburkan RM300 juta dan menggaji sekitar 100 petugas. Berikutan hasil bumi, minyak dan sumber lain yang semakin berkurangan, Malaysia sememangnya perlu meneroka ke dalam sektor ekonomi baharu. Loji nadir bumi di Gebeng dijangka mampu memproses 22,000 tan nadir bumi setahun iaitu bersamaan satu perlima permintaan global seterusnya menjana pendapatan tahunan sebanyak RM4 bilion. Pakar runding Dudley Kingsnorth of Industrial Minerals Co of Australia (IMCOA) menjangkakan permintaan untuk bahan nadir bumi akan mencecah 160,000 tan menjelang 2016 berbanding 105,000 tan pada 2011. Sehingga kini, para pengeluar dari China telah memonopoli industri itu tetapi menjelang 2016, dijangkakan sekitar 60,000 tan bekalan nadir bumi dunia akan diperoleh daripada pengeluar di luar China termasuk Malaysia. Ketua Pembangkang di Dewan Undangan Negeri Pahang, Leong Ngah Ngah dari DAP ketika hadir pada taklimat untuk wakil-wakil rakyat berkenaan pembinaan kilang itu pada 2009, juga bersetuju dengan pembinaan kilang berkenaan. Beliau telah pun mengulas dalam sebuah akhbar berbahasa Cina bahawa kerajaan negeri berjaya menarik pelaburan besar dari luar negara hasil cadangan projek Dengan bermulanya projek LAMP ini tanpa halangan lagi, Pahang kini boleh menantikan pulangan ekonomi yang besar dan manfaatnya akan dinikmati semua. - Bernama    | ||||
| Bus driver returns half a million dollars found in bag Posted: 06 Dec 2012 07:32 PM PST
The driver, identified by the Vienna transport authority only as Wolfgang R, was inspecting his vehicle at the end of the line when he found the bag in a seat behind the driver’s. “At first I thought it was shopping or medicine,” the Krone newspaper quoted him as saying. However, when he opened the bag he found a collection of 500-euro notes staring back at him. Police in the Austrian capital used a bank deposit slip inside the bag to trace the owner. There was no word on whether the woman had given the honest driver a reward.—Reuters    | ||||
| Posted: 06 Dec 2012 07:26 PM PST FMT LETTER: From Nicole Tan Lee Koon, via e-mail Today, I had an epiphany. The Mulan Movement came into my mind. I was thinking about women who have had positive and lasting impacts on our lives. One would be hard pressed to think of many female heroines who were powerful and inspiring in history. The one that resonates most with me is Mulan. Once upon a time in ancient China (as written in a poem in 5AD), there was an invasion on the borders of Mulan’s homeland. The emperor demanded that every family provide a soldier to be conscripted for his army. Mulan’s father had been a soldier before. He was well trained and had passed his skills on to Mulan. By then, he was too frail to fight. Her brother was too young. Mulan's father was called to join the army. She knew that he would be killed, so Mulan offered to go in his place, dressed as a man. Mulan spent 12 years fighting the war and rose to the rank of general. When the war was over, Mulan went back to her hometown. Mulan was known as one of ancient China’s greatest women with swords. Mulan had both the capability and courage. She had the skills because she was trained in the art of war by her father and she had the courage to take her father’s place despite the fact that she had to go under disguise and be amongst the men to fight the northern marauders. There was a Shanghai-produced silent movie called, ‘Mulan Joins the Army. I would like the urge all the womenfolk in Malaysia to join the army of Change or Ubah. Women must rise up and fight, not in the physical sense but to be empowered. Taking a cue from Soroptimist International's motto of "Women at their best, helping other women to be the best", a woman must first be empowered before she can go and educate, advocate, create awareness and empower other women. Women should not beg; women should not always be at the receiving end. Women should not suffer in silence. Women should be encouraged to speak up. Women should echo other people who champion the same cause. Women should follow, join and support the cause. Women should advocate for reform and champion for issues. Women should actively take part in activism like Stop Lynas, Bersih, Walk for Justice, Green Walk, Occupy Dataran, Candlelight Vigils, etc. Women should educate others not to trade votes for bribery. Women should educate others not to end up like beggars. Women should encourage others to use their votes at local or national level i.e. the Peoples' Power. Women should be the agents of Change/Ubah to influence their husbands, boyfriends, children, relatives and friends.Women should unite and fight sexist, racist and feudalistic behaviour. Let's call this movement the ‘Mulan Movement’. What say you?    | ||||
| Mission to bring home top talent Posted: 06 Dec 2012 07:24 PM PST
KUALA LUMPUR: TalentCorp, together with more than 100 Malaysian companies, have to date organised 100 outreach events across 20 countries including the UK, Japan, United Arab Emirates, the US and Taiwan. These events are aimed at strengthening linkages with Malaysians abroad through future outreach programmes and will also be leveraging social media tools to reach out to a wider audience based overseas. Since January 2011, TalentCorp Malaysia (TalentCorp) through the Returning Expert Programme (REP) has approved more than 1,400 REP applications until September 2012, exceeding the total number of 1,130 applications approved over the 10 years (2001-2010) following the programme's inception in January 2001. This initiative was managed by the Human Resources Ministry up to 2010, and was subsequently transferred to TalentCorp in January 2011. Its CEO Johan Mahmood Merican said, as outlined in the Talent Roadmap 2020, TalentCorp's initiatives are anchored along three strategic thrusts: optimise Malaysian talent; attract and facilitate global talent; and build networks of top talent. Initiatives under the strategy to attract and facilitate global talent include international outreach and engagement sessions, which are supported by virtual career fairs. "These are targeted at the Malaysian diaspora, and are intended to raise greater awareness of job opportunities in Malaysia while promoting opportunities for collaborations and contributions while remaining abroad," he said. He said middle-income countries such as Malaysia typically face the highest migration rates, as talent has both the means and incentives to migrate for reasons including relative attractiveness of income levels, career opportunities, and the quality of life in other countries. "In our mission to build effective partnerships and make a difference in Malaysia's talent needs, we see ourselves as the focal point between the public and private sectors to identify talent issues, escalate these issues to the relevant stakeholders and develop targeted interventions to address them," he said. In past Outreach and Engagement sessions with Malaysian professionals abroad, there has always been an encouraging level of interest in returning and so, in parallel with their outreach programmes, TalentCorp facilitates the return of Malaysian professionals from abroad through the REP. But beyond the statistics, the REP has facilitated the return of high-value, C-suite professionals and technical experts mainly in finance and accounting, engineering, oil and gas, healthcare and information and communication technology. This content is provided by FMT content partner The Malaysian Reserve.    | ||||
| Marquez and Pacquiao both aim for vindication Posted: 06 Dec 2012 07:17 PM PST
Their previous three encounters were gripping, all-action affairs between Filipino Pacquiao, probably the greatest offensive fighter of his generation, and Mexican Marquez, one of the best counter-punchers in recent memory. Adding further spice to the mix is the fact that both men have a lot to prove when they square up on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena for their heavily anticipated showdown. While the 33-year-old Pacquiao is eager to show his powers have not diminished with age after a below-par performance and a stunning upset in his last two bouts, Marquez is determined to set the record straight against the Filipino southpaw. Marquez has yet to beat Pacquiao, having lost twice and drawn once, but the 39-year-old Mexican firmly believes he was “robbed” of three wins simply because of the judges’ verdict. “Everybody knows what happened in the last three fights,” Marquez (54-6-1, 39 KOs) told reporters while preparing for Saturday’s bout. “A lot of people feel I beat him. “But I want to have my hand raised (in triumph). I want the judges to really look at what they’re doing and get it right this time.” When they last met, in November 2011, Pacquiao narrowly retained his WBO welterweight title with a controversial majority decision that was greeted by loud booing from disgruntled Marquez fans. Shortly after the Mexican had lifted his arms in apparent triumph, the Filipino earned the verdict from two of the three judges while the third ruled that the bout had ended level at 114-114. “It’s hard when you’re fighting your rival and the three judges, too,” a fuming Marquez said at the time, before adding that he was contemplating retirement because of the outcome. “I got robbed. Honestly I don’t know what I need to do to change the mind of the judges. We won with clearer punches. I am frustrated right now, very frustrated.” However that is all now in the past and Pacquiao is just as eager to win on Saturday, if only to vindicate his record against Marquez, a three-division world champion. “He always claims he won the fights,” said Pacquiao, who has a career record of 54-4-2 with 38 knockouts. “So he needs to prove something. “I am giving him a chance to prove he can win the fight because he thought he has won all three and he keeps talking about it. “So it is very important to me, to win this fight, especially since Marquez really wanted this fight,” said the Filipino who lost his most recent fight on a hotly disputed split decision to American Timothy Bradley in Las Vegas in June. Pacquiao has won world titles in an unprecedented eight weight divisions and his trainer Freddie Roach has been delighted by his fighter’s preparation for Saturday’s bout. “The fourth fight could be the same as the last three, but Manny’s hungrier now,” the bespectacled Roach said. “Manny is looking great in training. I like what I see. “He is where I want him to be right now. His focus is where it has not been for some time. I don’t think Marquez has seen the best Manny yet.” Marquez and Pacquiao fought to a draw when they first met in May 2004 and the Mexican lost his WBC super-featherweight title to the Filipino in a controversial one-point split decision in March 2008. After Pacquiao won their most recent encounter 13 months ago in Las Vegas, Roach said Marquez had unquestionably proved to be the Filipino’s most difficult opponent. “A 100 percent yes,” Roach told Reuters. “Manny loves it when guys come to him and they’re aggressive. “Marquez is a counter-puncher and we’re probably going to have to go to him to make the fight happen. It’s a little harder for Manny to do that, so it’s the most difficult style for us.” -Reuters    | ||||
| ‘Umno memang tak boleh diharap bela Islam’ Posted: 06 Dec 2012 07:14 PM PST
Beliau berkata, sekali lagi Umno diam membisu apabila Gerakan mempertikai peruntukan bagi pembangunan hal ehwal Islam di Pulau Pinang jauh lebih besar dari negeri yang dipimpin Umno. Baru-baru ini, seorang pemimpin Gerakan yang juga Pengerusi Barisan Nasional (BN) Pulau Pinang, Teng Chang Yeow mempertikai langkah kerajaan Pakatan Rakyat negeri itu menaikkan peruntukkan Hal Ehwal Islam sebanyak 300%. Beliau menegaskan, sekiranya kerajaan campuran BN yang diketuai Gerakan suatu ketika dulu tidak mengendahkan peruntukan hal ehwal Islam kerana tidak mendapat nasihat dari Umno, maka tiada sebab untuk Teng Chang cemburu dan iri hati terhadap kepedulian kerajaan Pakatan hari ini yang banyak mengambil berat terhadap pembangunan dan perkembangan Islam di Pulau Pinang. “Apakah Umno tidak lagi peduli tentang Islam? Apakah ada komplot antara Umno dan Gerakan?,” soal beliau dalam satu kenyataannya kepada FMT hari ini. Ujar beliau, “Umno bukan sahaja gagal memimpin dan mendidik parti komponen dalam BN tentang Islam malah Umno tidak berbunyi sepatah haram pun untuk mempertahankan Islam apabila hukum menutup aurat dipersenda oleh seorang lagi pemimpin Gerakan, Tan Keng Liang baru-baru ini.” Kata Aidil, ternyata parti Gerakan yang retak menanti belah ini seolah-olah telah dipergunakan oleh Umno bagi mencetus suasana tegang antara kaum dan agama. “Taktik serampang dua mata ini mungkin digunakan Umno dengan harapan parti Gerakan kembali disokong oleh kaum bukan Melayu dan dalam masa yang sama, Umno menadah tangan menanti sokongan sekiranya pergaduhan antara kaum atau agama benar-benar berlaku. “Itu adalah kelebihan parti berasaskan kaum atau parti perkauman seperti Umno,” ujarnya. Justeru itu kata beliau, SAMM Pulau Pinang memberi amaran kepada Umno supaya tidak cuba untuk bermain api dengan menjadikan parti Gerakan sebagai pemetiknya. “Sentimen perkauman dan ketegangan agama harus dihindar khususnya di Pulau Pinang. Rakyat negeri Pulau Pinang juga harus sedar perencanaan jahat yang disusun ini setelah Umno dan Gerakan menemui jalan buntu untuk merampas semula Pulau Mutiara itu secara demokrasi,” tegasnya.    | ||||
| Posted: 06 Dec 2012 07:09 PM PST
Malcolm, who was for a long time the Guardian's film critic, is 81 years old, and still remarkably agile in mind and body. He can still dash off a perfectly worded and argued review in just 10 minutes. Seeing Malcolm's bewildered expression, Biswas added that Indians could not hope to live long because of the pollution. And damn right he was. After years of debate, discussion and empty rhetoric, we in India are still breathing not oxygen, but poison. Twenty years ago, when I used to visit New Delhi during winter for covering the International Film Festival, I remember the capital being covered in a blanket of soot and smoke. Fumes from the bad gasoline that was supplied in New Delhi and elsewhere, and also the smoke from charcoal used to light "chulas" or country-made stoves vitiated the air. In a recent report in The Economic Times, Shelly Singh says that along with the car key and smart phone, get set to carry a gas mask. After getting better in the 1990s, the air in New Delhi and most cities in the country has been deteriorating alarmingly. Particulate matter levels in New Delhi have risen by 47 per cent between 2000 and 2011, while nitrogen dioxide had shot up by 57 per cent. Particulate Matter 10, for instance, is a fifth the diameter of a human hair, and can easily get into our lungs to cause immense damage. In Bangalore, in Kolkata, in Mumbai, the quantity of particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide in the air has gone up many fold during the past 10 years or so. Paradoxically, while Supreme Court directives took polluting factories away from cities, motor vehicles proved to be the bane. There has been a 100 per cent increase in the number of vehicles during the past five years. Inadequate public transport system The most important reasons for this are the large scale migration into bigger cities, and the woefully inadequate public transport systems. Kolkata has just a single line of underground metro running for the past three decades. Bangalore has just opened a single line that runs for a few kilometres. Chennai is building its first metro. Mumbai has none. Delhi, of course, has a good network, but this seems still inadequate for the city that still largely relies on private transport. Also, India's uppity upper class feels that it cannot rub shoulders with the hoi-polloi in a metro train. What a difference this is to the picture, say in Japan, where a partner, managing director and editor-in-chief of the respected English daily, The Japan Times, accompanied me one evening on a metro train. He had no qualms about travelling with me, and sitting next to me. If there is one simple answer to India's pollution problem, it lies in building a good, clean and efficient public transport network. But with tens of car companies setting shop in India – reportedly offering huge kickbacks to the corrupt administration – mass public transportation seems like a mirage on a desert. Only that the desert we are talking about here is bursting with people. Gautaman Bhaskaran is a Chennai-India based author, columnist and film critic, and can be contacted at gautamanbhaskaran@yahoo.in. He is an FMT columnist.    |
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