18 August 2011

Thursday 18 AUGUST, 2011

PP423/01/2012(029578)

Down2Earth

With Terence Fernandez

Luka left out

Injured Tottenham midfielder Modric’s absence in the squad to face Hearts in Europa League ensures he will not be cup-tied if he moves to Chelsea

>> pg31

Back to the roots

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>> pg6

Crazy splasher strikes again PETALING JAYA

LOCAL

Nipped in the bud Timely KL police intervention prevents students’ revenge attack

>> pg2

Brisk Raya car sales MAA sees good business with Hire Purchase Act fine-tuning

>> pg4

It’s a dog’s life ... for neighbour of a man with 56 canines at home!

>> pg8

KUALA LUMPUR

HE lived the high life and called Malaysia home for three years.

A Porsche 911 was just one of the vehicles he parked in the driveway of a rented three-storey bungalow in Jalan Duta. But if he did not wish to drive, there was a chauffeur at his disposal.

A few rounds at the Klang Valley’s premier golf clubs and even polo at a renowned equestrian resort in Selangor occupied his weekends and

Stop ‘raving mad’ man before more lives are ruined, says victim No. 3

THE hit list of the lunatic acid splasher-cum-robber rose to three as police widened the dragnet for the vicious criminal and his accomplices.

Selangor and Kuala Lumpur police stepped up the manhunt after a 24year-old Internet marketing operator was splashed with corrosive liquid and robbed while changing a flat tyre at midnight on Tuesday.

Winson Ng, who suffered serious injuries to the face, chest and both hands, told police the assailant resembled the photofit of a man believed to be involved in two similar attacks in Sungai Besi on July 26 and along Jalan Raja Laut on Aug 8.

He said he recognised the attacker’s face from the photofit published in newspapers, including The Malay Mail.

City police released it following the 1.30am incident on Aug 8 when a stranger thrust a container of acid at perfume sales promoter Mohd Rafie Abd Latif, 28, who was seated in a car while his friend was in a public toilet.

While the assailant’s car in that in-

By AIZAT SHARIF aizat@mmail.com.my cident was a black Proton Wira with a fake plate number, WLC 1475, and had two accomplices, in Ng’s case, it was a blue car with stickers plastered on its bumpers and with only one partner.

A police source said the CCTV footage at the Batu 9 toll plaza where both Ng’s and the attacker’s cars passed through was grainy and showed little detail.

“We believe it was the same attacker in all three cases, and we have stepped up the hunt for him and his accomplices.”

A forlorn Ng told The Malay Mail from his bed at Pantai Hospital, Cheras, yesterday that the incident had scarred both his body and future.

“He must be raving mad to be going on an acid splashing-cum-robbery spree.

TRAUMATISED: The left side of Ng’s face was scarred after lunatic acid-splashercum-robbery suspect splashed corrosive liquid on him before attempting to steal his car. (Inset) Photofit of the suspect — Pic: SHARUL HAFIZ ZAM

• Continued on pg3

‘It’s not about money’

By TERENCE FERNANDEZ terence@mmail.com.my past-time, and he had a taste for expensive wine and fine foods.

So when 50-year-old Australian Paul Douglas Peters was revealed on Tuesday as the suspect who placed a fake collar bomb on a teenage girl in Sydney, along with a ransom note, two weeks ago, his friends and

former colleagues in Malaysia responded with disbelief.

“It can’t be about money. He’s loaded!” said a former associate who called this writer.

He said Peters loved the luxuries that came with being an investment expert, including being managing director of the Malaysian arm of the now defunct Allco Finance Group.

Working in Hong Kong in early 2006 for the investment arm, he

moved to Malaysia that year, staying here until 2009, where he took over Allco, renaming it Douglas Corporation. With a capital of RM750 million, he even joined forces with a Malaysian bank to introduce an Islamic finance scheme.

That venture eventually went south with the financial crisis two years ago and Douglas Corporation was over half a million ringgit in the red.

“He then cashed in his chips and left for Sydney,” said the former associate who declined to be named.

Publicly available information on Peters reveals he was a partner and director of Asian Capital Partners between 1994 and 1998 in Malaysia and Hong Kong where, among others, he was credited with structuring Islamic bond (sukuk) issuances.

• Continued on pg3

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news

The security level of Malaysian waters is at an optimal level and the Malaysian Armed Forces are prepared for any challenges — Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Dr Abd Latiff Ahmad

The Malay Mail Thursday 18 AUGUST, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR

Cops defuse second attack

Students all geared and ready for revenge after initial assault

KUALA LUMPUR

Application period for TLC extended

DUE to increasing demand during the upcoming balik kampung rush, the Land P u bl i c Tr ans p or t Commission (SPAD) has extended the application period of temporary permits for additional buses to Aug 23.

The application period for the Temporary Licence Change (TLC), was supposed to end on Monday.

SPAD chief executive officer Mohd Nur Kamal said the commission had received many requests for the temporary bus permits.

"As of Tuesday, we have issued 1,209

permits nationwide (see table) and expect more to come as Aidilfitri draws near," he said.

The permits or licences are for express buses, school buses, factory and charter buses, stage buses and tour buses to be converted temporarily as additional buses to cope with the increasing demand during the festive period.

“These buses will have to comply with the terms and conditions stipulated in the circulars 3/2011 and 1/2011 which can be referred to on our website and at State offices."

TEMPORARY LICENCE CHANGE

(As of Aug 16) Permits Issued SPAD Offices

Headquarters (Putrajaya) Southern Region (Muar)

724 183

Northern Region (Sungai Petani) Eastern Region

278

TOTAL

1,209

24

THE MALAY MAIL IS PUBLISHED BY Malay Mail Sdn Bhd, Lot 2A, Jalan 13/2, 46200, Petaling Jaya

A REVENGE attack could have taken place among students from three schools located near each other in the city if police did not step in on Tuesday night.

Deputy Education Minister Datuk Puad Zarkashi told The Malay Mail this following an incident where four students of a secondary school were attacked by a gang of 30 students from two nearby secondary schools in the afternoon on the same day.

That incident led to a revenge assault planned by one of the victim's schoolmates, whose friends had been injured in the attack.

The student got two outsiders to meet the attackers at a playground in Taman Melawati but police defused

By THASHA JAYAMANOGARAN thasha@mmail.com.my

the fight upon a tip-off.

It all started when the four victims were leaving their school on Tuesday afternoon. The student gang from two nearby schools, armed with iron rods, batons and helmets, then bashed the quartet outside the school compound.

Police arrived after the incident was reported and detained a suspect while the victims' school disciplinary teacher later made a report at the Dang Wangi police headquarters before informing the victims' parents.

The victims were sent to Kuala Lumpur Hospital and received out-

patient treatment.

They told the police they did not know the reason behind the attack.

They said they never had any misunderstandings or arguments with the suspects.

One of the victims suffered head injuries that required three stitches while another fractured his right hand. Two others were seriously injured on their bodies.

Puad said he had directed all three schools involved to set up a meeting to discuss an action plan.

"I've informed each school's disciplinary board to speak to their students and find out what transpired.

Buka Puasa/Imsak Times

KUALA LUMPUR

Anti-crime campaign launch at bazaar

Ramadan 18, 1432H

THE Bazar Ramadan Taman Tasik Permaisuri in Jalan Yaacob Latif, Cheras, yesterday saw the launch of the "Balik Kampung Sempena Hari Raya 2011" crime prevention campaign by KL police.

Deputy KL police chief SAC Datuk Amar Singh said it was the first time they had chosen a Ramadan bazaar to launch the annual Raya campaign.

"We did so because there are many people at Bazar Ramadan and we can get our campaign message across directly, besides through the mass media," he said.

"Our campaign includes encouraging those spending the Raya holidays outstation to inform the nearest police stations so we can patrol their vacant houses frequently."

Amar said a household could also do this by sending an SMS to the RakanCop hotline, with details of their house address and the time period they will be away.

"The house will then be added to our list and our officers on patrol will fill up a report every time they

EDITORIAL

MAGHRIB (TODAY)

IMSAK (TOMORROW)

WILAYAH PERSEKUTUAN Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya

7:26pm

5:43am

SELANGOR

By G. PRAKASH prakash@mmail.com.my

Tel : 03-74951288 Fax : 03-74951229 Email : mmnews@mmail.com.my

The school must also help police by providing information to facilitate the investigation," he said.

Puad also advised the three schools to request police patrol for the time being and closely monitor students until the matter is resolved.

City deputy CID chief ACP Khairy Arasa said police have recorded statements from five suspects and three have been remanded until today.

"The remanded suspects had surrendered themselves. We are investigating their motive for the assault," he said.

The case is being investigated under Section 148 of the Penal Code for possession of weapons or missiles for rioting.

Zone I: Daerah Gombak, Petaling Jaya/ Shah Alam, Hulu Selangor, Hulu Langat and Sepang

7:26pm

5:43am

Zone II: Daerah Klang, Kuala Langat, Kuala Selangor, and Sabak Bernam

7:28pm

5:45am

News Alert

FOR THE PEOPLE: Amar handing out flyers to traders

check on each house.

"We have been doing this for the past few years and results have shown this to be effective in preventing break-ins."

During the campaign launch, police also handed out Hari Raya greeting cards signed by new KL police chief DCP Datuk Mohamad Salleh.

"It's a thrill to receive a Raya card from KL's top cop and I will be using the card to decorate my house," said bazaar trader Siti Fatimah Ahmad, 49.

ADVERTISING SALES Tel : 03-74951273 (Classifieds) / 03-74951262 (Display) Fax : 03-74951228 Email : ad@mmail.com.my

Also present at the launch were KL Narcotics CID chief ACP Kang Chez Chiang, Cheras police chief ACP Mohan Singh and Cheras deputy police chief Supt Abdul Rahim Hamzah Othman.

Mohamad Salleh was unable to attend the campaign launch yesterday afternoon but will be present for walkabouts at Bazar Ramadan Jalan Kuching in Sentul on Aug 22 at 4.30pm, and Pasar Ramadan Taman Tun Dr Ismail in Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad 2 on Aug 24, also at 4.30pm.

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The Malay Mail Thursday • 18 AUGUST, 2011

Decision to relocate villagers of landslide-hit Kampung Ruil will be made once studies are completed — Pahang Rural Development and Orang Asli Affairs Committee chairman Datuk Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail

KUALA LUMPUR

In hot pursuit

But no arrest yet of the acid splasher-robber and friends NO arrest has been made in the 24 hours after the photofit of the suspect, believed to be responsible for three acid splashing incidents, was released.

KL deputy police chief Datuk Amar Singh said investigations were on-going to identify the attacker but confirmed no one has been detained so far.

"After releasing the photofit, we hope the culprit will be caught soon," said Amar.

The suspect is believed to be involved in the attack on Mohd Rafie Abd Latif on Aug 8 at Jalan Raja Laut, as well as in a robbery on July 26, when a dispatch rider was splashed with corrosive liquid and then

By G. PRAKASH prakash@mmail.com.my

robbed of RM18,000 at Jalan Sungai Besi.

Yesterday, Internet marketing operator Winson Ng identified the suspect through the photofit as the person who splashed corrosive liquid on him.

When asked if police had closed the file on the serial acid-splasher who terrorised KL for months earlier this year, Amar said police investigations were ongoing.

"On the serial acid-splasher, we don't have new leads for now but will act if we get a new tip-off," he said.

Earlier this month, Deputy

AMAR: Investigations ongoing

Inspector-General of Police Datuk Khalid Abu Bakar told The Malay Mail police had re-interviewed the victims and reviewed CCTV footage covering areas where the attacks took place.

However, police still do not have evidence to determine the suspect's identity.

"Just because there hasn't been an arrest, it does not mean we are ceasing investigations. We are still keeping an open eye on the case," said Khalid.

"It's just that we have yet to find fresh details or leads."

The acid-splashing reign of terror began on March 2 and saw 11 reported incidents involving 24 victims, mostly

women and children.

All victims were injured but one escaped unscathed during the last occurence on May 20 when a pink coloured liquid was splashed at her car window near Central Market.

The attacks often occurred at places with heavy traffic and constant movement of people, making it easier for the splasher to target victims and flee.

On weekdays, the attacks usually took place during day time but had also taken place in early evenings on weekends.

The splasher, sometimes with an accomplice, was said to have used Honda and Yamaha motorcycles.

Deadly trail of the 'mad' mugger PERFUME sales promoter Mohd Rafie Abd Latif, 28, and his friend were cruising along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman after Raya shopping on Aug 8 when their car grazed another vehicle.

Soon after the mishap, the other car trailed close behind the friends.

His friend, Mohd Zaid

Haris, 23, who was at the wheel, then pulled up at a public toilet next to Wisma Bumi along jalan Raja Laut to use the restroom while Mohd Rafie remained seated in the front passenger seat.

Suddenly, a man appeared from nowhere, opened the car door and splashed corrosive substance on him.

Surgeons at Kuala Lumpur Hospital are now trying to save the sight of his left eye.

Mohd Rafie also suffered burns on his face and right hand.

Police traced the suspect through street video surveillance cameras and matched it with a man involved in a robbery at a petrol station toilet

'Peters was helpful to everyone' ● From pg1 "Money was never an issue with Paul," said another source familiar with Peters' work in Malaysia.

"He was also a very kindhearted boss who prioritised the welfare of his staff," he said, contradicting reports Peters was stern and had a volatile temper.

"I would not say he was particularly generous but if you had a problem, he would help you out," the source said, adding Peters abhorred class distinction and was respectful of everyone — from the cleaners to senior executives at the offices he maintained in Damansara and Jalan Sultan Ismail.

"After the financial crisis, he tried to resurrect his business but was unsuccessful.

Following that, he left for Sydney."

However, the source said Peters returned to Malaysia occasionally to meet with friends and business associ-

ates, and his last visit to KL was in February.

Peters was arrested on Tues­­­­day by US police in Louisville, Kentucky, at his exwife's home.

He is being processed for extradition to Australia for breaking into the Sydney home of millionaire Bill Pulver on Aug 3 and placing — what has now been established as a fake bomb — on the neck of the latter's 18-year-old daughter, Madeline.

Sydney's bomb squad took over 10 hours to remove the device which had a USB memory stick and a note attached that read: "Powerful new technology plastic explosives are located inside. The case is booby-trapped. It can only be opened safely if you follow instructions."

Investigators eventually traced details in the note and credit card details for the purchase of a baseball bat used to confront Madeline to Peters.

As with those in Australia, Peters' associates in Malaysia

are also of the opinion his actions were not motivated by money.

The fact he used the moniker "Dirk Struan" in the note gave rise to more speculations that Pulver was not a random victim.

Struan is the central character in James Clavell's 1966 bestselling novel Tai-Pan, who vanquished his business rival, Tyler Brock, through cunning and brute force. Struan was loosely based on Scotsborn William Jardine (17841843) who co-founded Hong Kong conglomerate Jardine, Matheson and Company.

"Peters mentioned many people he had done business with but never Bill Pulver," said the ex-associate. However, Pulver has denied any "known" links to Peters.

The former associate said Peters, who has three daughters, was in the midst of reuniting with his ex-wife. "It just doesn't make sense. I suppose we need to wait for the trial to find out why."

in Sungai Besi on July 26.

In that hold-up, a 35-yearold dispatch rider, who had just cashed out company funds totalling RM18,000, was splashed with acid before being relieved of the money.

The victim shielded himself from the liquid with a bag he was holding but

sustained burns mostly on his hands.

In both incidents, the suspect used a black Proton Wira bearing a false registration number plate WLC 1475.

Those with information should contact Rakan Cop at 03-2115 9999 or any police station.

Ng in brave fightback despite the pain ● From pg1 "He and his accomplices must be stopped before the lives of other innocent people are ruined."

Ng (pic) said he thought nothing of it when a man waved at him to point out his left front car tyre was flat on his way home to Taman Megah after a night out with friends.

"Their car sped off while I drove slowly past Batu 9 Cheras toll plaza and stopped at the R&R lay-by.

"As I was chan­­ g­­­­ing the tyre, I noticed a car not far from mine with two men inside.

As I was on my mobile phone trying to contact my father, a man walked towards me.

"Suddenly, he splashed liquid at me from close range and I screamed for help but

no one was around. I felt a burning sensation and began writhing in pain as my body felt like it was on fire."

Although in pain, Ng tried to stop the accomplice who was ordered by the splasher to drive off in his car.

Ng put up a fight but the pain was unbearable and he ran into a nearby surau to wash off the liquid.

The men could not take Ng's car because the key was with him.

However, they stole his laptop.

His father, Ng Tuck Seng, 54, arrived shortly and took him to hospital before making a report at Batu 9, Cheras, police station.

Ng believed both the suspects and the man who alerted him on his car's flat tyre might be from the same gang.

news

3

CCTVs to monitor traffic offences CITY HALL plans to install 1,200 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras by year-end to monitor traffic offenders within the city. Mayor Tan Sri Ahmad Fuad Ismail said the CCTVs would facilitate bringing to book those who cause obstructions and flout traffic laws under City Hall jurisdiction. Ahmad Fuad added the installation of the CCTVs, however, would depend on the financial allocation from the Treasury.

Online housing loan applications CIVIL SERVANTS, beginning next year, can apply for housing loans via the Malaysian Treasury's integrated housing application system portal Treasury Housing Loan Division secretary Datuk Shuib Md Yusop said the move would save the government more than RM1 million in printing costs. He said once the applicants obtained conditional approval, they could submit the processing fee via Internet banking and given two weeks to submit supporting documents for processing. The portal, which started operation on Aug 10, can be accessed through https://sppb.treasury.gov.my.

'Caste' bias claims by indian couple AN Indian couple who met at a legal firm have become the first in Britain to claim "caste" discrimination, saying they were forced from their jobs following their marriage, the Daily Mail reports. An employment tribunal was told that solicitor Amardeep Begraj, 33, was from a higher caste than her husband Vijay, 32, the practice manager. He belonged to the Dalits, formerly known as the Untouchables because of the nature of their work in roles, such as cleaning, pest control or scavenging, and the lowest class of people according to the ancient Indian caste system.

Pitbull terrier attack kills girl A FOUR-YEAR-OLD girl has died and her two cousins injured in a pitbull terrier attack in Melbourne, Australia, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. It is believed the dog was being walked by a neighbour when it broke free and launched itself at Ayen Chol and her five-year-old cousin, who were playing in front.

4

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Crystal ready to host Oscars again IF the Oscars need a host, Billy Crystal is ready to talk. That was the message when Crystal, who hosted the show eight times between 1990 and 2004, answered a fan who asked an Academy Awards question after a 20th anniversary screening of City Slickers in California recently, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. Crystal admitted that he got ''itchy'' after last year's cameo on the Oscars and that he'd be ready to talk about a return to the global stage of the gala. Crystal is at work on Monsters University, the prequel to the Pixar hit Monsters, Inc, and he is ramping up plans to make a film out of his Tonywinning one-man play 700 Sundays.

Luna Maya visits jailed boyfriend LUNA MAYA (pic) says she has visited boyfriend Nazriel “Ariel” Ilham several times since Ramadan began, the Jakarta Post reports. Ariel, the singer of the band Peterpan, is serving a three-and-a- halfyear prison sentence in Kebon Waru, Bandung, for his role in the production and distribution of pornographic videos. “He is well, thank God,” she said about his condition. She said every time she visits, she brings him food, which Ariel gladly accepts. He never asks for anything else and is always content with whatever I have brought, Luna added.

Dengue fever cases and fatalities between January and Aug 13 saw a 58 per cent drop from 30,455 cases last year — Health Ministry director general Datuk Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman PETALING JAYA

The Malay Mail Thursday 18 AUGUST, 2011

Back on track

Amended HP Act tweaked, rise in Raya car sales anticipated THE Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) expects brisk car sales in the weeks leading to Hari Raya Aidilfitri as revisions have been made to the newly-amended Hire Purchase Act 1967.

Although car dealers are still barred from issuing blank documents in transactions, the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumer Affairs Ministry acceded to MAA's requests during a meeting last month.

MAA president Datuk Aishah Ahmad told The

By Marhalim Abas mabas@mmail.com.my

Malay Mail in a telephone inter view that "during a meeting last week, our members informed us they no longer face any problems in their dealings".

Among the revisions were for car dealers to accept payment from customers directly instead of the banks. Since its implementation on June 15, industry players complained the new amendments to the Act had created confusion

and delayed the car-buying process.

Aishah said the revisions were meant to make car registrations "easier". Prior to the revision last month, customers had to go four times to dealers to seal a deal.

The delay and confusion, according to Aishah, resulted in sales dropping 20 to 30 per cent compared with the corresponding period last year.

With the revision, sales have returned to the pre-June 15 figure.

Domestic Tr a d e ,

Cooperatives and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob had been quoted in The Malay Mail saying he was willing to relax certain regulations under the amended Act but will not change anything pertaining to the safety and rights of consumers.

Ismail had also denied the enforcement of the Act had hurt car sales. He said the amendment was aimed at protecting car buyers.

Under the new law, car buyers need only pay a one

per cent booking fee once a bank approves the loan and the other nine per cent down payment upon the signing of all documentation. Previously, buyers had to fork out 10 per cent of the total cost of the car they intended to purchase even before their loans were approved. If the loans were not approved or if the dealers absconded, the deposit would be forfeited.

These old practices are now outlawed by virtue of the new amendments.

New SOP smoothens out auto purchase A new standard operating procedure (SOP) for car sales under the Hire Purchase Act 1965, has the automotive industry buzzing again but uncertainties in the economy have dampened chances of a quick recovery.

Proton Edar Dealers Association president Armin Barniaz Pahamin told The Malay Mail that the uniform SOP had resolved delays and confusion which resulted in the implementation of the amendments to the Act, which became effective on June 15.

"The delays and confusion

happened because everyone in the industry had different interpretations of the amendments. Now that the ministry has come out with a standard SOP for the industry, the delays and confusion have been resolved."

Armin clarified that provisions protecting consumers in the amendments were still in force and the industry was not resorting to pre-June 15 practices.

"We are still following the provisions strictly but with an industry-wide SOP, the bureaucratic red-tape imposed on June 15 has been

lifted. Customers need only to pay one per cent booking fee before the loan is approved and a further nine per cent after the second schedule is issued by the bank. It is still the same but with the new SOP, things which used to take four days before can now be done in one or two days.”

The SOP was introduced by the Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumer Affairs Ministry during a meeting with industry players such as banks, automotive distributors and manufacturers as well as NGOs, marking a first in automotive history where

stakeholders met, discussed and came to a compromise.

Notwithstanding the new system, however, Armin said the industry is not poised for a quick and full recovery.

"The atmosphere at the dealers is not the same as what we had during the same time last year. Due to the confusion over the new amendments, the uncertain economic outlook and rising inflation, t he mont hs ahead will be challenging to say the ARMIN: Optimistic but cautious least."

KUALA LUMPUR

SPAD asked to provide means to replace old school buses

GIVE us time and money to replace old buses, say school bus drivers and operators associations when commenting on the Land Public Transport Commission's (SPAD) move that permits would not be issued to school buses aged 30 years and more.

There are about 25,000 school buses operating nationwide and these associations caution that over 60 per cent of bus drivers will be affected if the commission implements the policy immediately.

Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Bumiputra School Bus Operators Association chairman Ahmad Fauzi Murad said most school bus drivers do not have other sources of income.

"How does the government expect us to replace our buses with the amount we earn presently?"

He said if SPAD comes down hard on old school buses, there may

By ANDREW SAGAYAM andrew@mmail.com.my

not be enough school bus operators in the industry to cater to public demand for their services.

"SPAD must realise that most school bus drivers have been doing this for many years. The younger generation is not interested as it does not pay well."

Federation of Malaysian School Bus Drivers Association deputy president Mohd Rofik Mohd Yusoff said school bus drivers were willing to abide by SPAD's policy on the condition that the commission provides bus operators with adequate funds and the necessary time to obtain new buses.

"You tell me, how can we afford to buy new buses based on what we make? Most of the drivers, if not all, earn about RM3,500 a month at the very most. And you have to

remember, we have to bear the cost of repairs, maintenance, road tax, insurance and monthly vehicle loan installments.

"A new bus could cost at least RM150,000 and if we were to change them, it must be done straight away as we have parents relying on us to transport their children to school without disruptions.

"If SPAD insists on implementing the policy, they should help us obtain new buses and the policy can be implemented by tomorrow, if they wish."

He also questioned why school buses had to be changed when most of the reports on accidents involved express buses.

"If buses were to be taken off the roads, they should be express buses as those are the ones usually involved in accidents and not school buses."

Federation of Malaysian School

Bus Drivers Association adviser Amali Munif Rahmat echoed the same sentiments.

"If SPAD wants us to change our vehicles, do help us by giving the money to buy new buses.

"Buses do not come cheap and bus drivers cannot afford to fork out much to replace them. I wonder why school buses are being singled out. Compared with other vehicles, buses have a longer lifespan."

He also said school buses that have passed Puspakom inspection are deemed fit to be on the road.

"There are so many other vehicles besides school buses that have been on the road longer. We cannot understand why the focus is only on school buses," said Amali.

"Why don't they check on lorries instead as some of them have been on the road for more than 30 years, yet they are allowed to continue."

ThursDay 18 August, 2011

the malay mail

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news

The Cabinet has agreed for the motion on the proposed parliamentary select committee to be tabled at the next parliamentary sitting this October — Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz

The Malay Mail Thursday 18 AUGUST, 2011

A sort of homecoming ON Sept 4, 1996, a wideeyed, late-blooming 25-yearold walked into The Malay Mail office at Balai Berita in Jalan Riong, Kuala Lumpur, when this paper was still in the New Straits Times Press stable.

There, this young upstart whose only claim for the job of cub reporter was a "fairly good command" of the English language, got his first taste of life in the newsroom. The then deputy editor of The Malay Mail, A. Sri K. Nayagam, was alternating between chastising over the phone a reader with a frivolous complaint, and bellowing at a reporter who was late for work.

It certainly unnerved me and in the days that followed, I, too, was at the receiving end of Nayagam's rants, whether it was due to poorly written or researched stories and yes, the occasional tardiness. I remember wanting to quit after two weeks!

But after my first Page One

story about a water crisis (that was preceded by more yelling), Nayagam called me out for dinner and changed my outlook forever.

"Working hard is not enough. You have to be smart.

A good reporter must always be able to sieve through the bull**** and never take anything at face value," he advised.

These were the words that made me realise the enormous privilege I had as an agent of change and the power of the pen.

My earlier three years at The Malay Mail had guided me through my journey as a reporter before I moved on to two other newspapers (including The Sun), accumulating about 700 Page One stories and over 800 columns (including Down2Earth at The Sun), not forgetting four lawsuits and numerous summonses to Bukit Aman.

All these experiences, accolades and challenges have been my personal milestones

Down2Earth With Terence Fernandez ON THURSDAY which have since led me back home to The Malay Mail where it all started for me 15 years ago.

Nayagam is gone now (he passed away on Nov 30, 2005, aged 63), but there are still familiar faces here at The Malay Mail, now under the Redberry Media Group with offices at Redberry City in Section 13, Petaling Jaya — such as the current editorin-chief Yushaimi Yahaya who took me under his wing when he was on the domestic trade beat and reminded me that phones ring for a reason: "It could be a Page One story calling".

My 12 years at The Sun may have further honed my skills

as an investigative journalist and accorded a level of maturity in my writings, thanks in part to my mentor R. Nadeswaran (himself another The Malay Mail alumnus).

Our exposé on the Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) in The Sun may be the biggest scandal uncovered in Malaysia yet.

However, as far as investigative reporting goes, it cannot be denied it is The Paper That Cares (which will reach its 115th anniversary on Dec 14) that started it all.

The Malay Mail's awardwinning exposés and campaigns that even made international headlines, such as the Abdullah Ang privi-

leged prisoner saga, the Baby Bala child abuse death case that prompted the Child Protection Act, the Hotline column (now in its 30th year) and social experiments, such as the man-in-cuffs walking freely in KL, are talked about till today.

Readers can continue to look forward to these sort of stories and commentaries which they may feel has been lacking in the mainstream media.

With a dream team of young go-getters who remind me of myself not too long ago, as well as inspirational industry veterans such as The Malay Mail editor-atlarge Frankie D'Cruz who, together with Nadeswaran, were the "dangerous duo" of their time, I know I am in good company.

To the readers who are familiar with my articles and comments, you can continue to expect the honest opinions and factual reports imbued with my own brand

of subtle sarcasm.

To those new to me, I hope The Malay Mail will give you another reason to pick up the paper, including on Thursdays when this Down2Earth column appears.

One thing The Malay Mail has been consistent about is that it never boasts to be what it is not — something some publications have been guilty of.

And on that premise, I start this new chapter in my life as I strive to live up to the high expectations of this long-established newspaper and the people — you! — who have supported us all this time.

TERENCE likes this line from Shakespeare's King Lear: "Thou hast spoken right, 'tis true. The wheel is come full circle, I am here." He is executive editor at The Malay Mail and can be reached at terence@mmail.com.my

The Malay Mail Thursday 18 August, 2011

Institutions managing tithe distribution must be proactive and have to go down to the ground to identify the needy â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin

news

7

Benjy fined RM5,000 for drug possession

BEST DEALS: Customers at Sogo rummage items on sale â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Pic: Salhani Ibrahim

ACTOR Khaeryll Benjamin Ibrahim or Benjy was fined RM5,000 in default of six months jail by the magistrate court yesterday after he was found guilty of possessing 0.24gm of syabu at his residence last year. Magistrate Hafizza Sauni made the decision after finding that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. Benjy, 33, was charged under Section 12(2) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which carries a fine up to RM100,000 or jail term up to five years upon conviction. Throughout the trial, the prosecution called 14 witnesses and the defence, two.

Over RM300k in fines for dengue KUALA LUMPUR

Raya shopping heats up Many who work in Selangor take advantage of State holiday to spend in KL

WITH less than two weeks to Raya, shopping for new clothes and other goodies heated up yesterday, especially for many from Selangor who enjoyed the Nuzul Al-Quran public holiday and headed to KL city centre in search of Ramadan bargains.

The Malay Mail went to Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman and Jalan Masjid India and spoke to traders and their customers, many of whom purchased apparel such as the traditional baju kurung, scarves, shoes and sandals, along with accessories like handbags and jewellery.

Dhaz Collection trader Nor Asma Abdul Aziz, 31, was thrilled to have a huge crowd at her stall.

"I have been selling clothes here for the past five years and business soars during Ramadan. My supplies of shirts, tops, pants and dresses come mainly from South Korea and China and the designs are trendy."

Nor Asma said besides catering to those who like to shop at Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman and Jalan Masjid India, she also operates a stall at the Mines uptown market in Seri Kembangan, Selangor.

"My prices range from RM25 for a long-sleeve shirt to RM55 for a dress. Our wide range of feminine shirts include floral ones for those who like to look smart but casual, also funky types such as harem pants."

Among her regular shoppers was 24-year-old Suhaila Abdul Hamid from Subang Jaya.

"Ever since I came across this stall, I have become a steadfast customer as I find their range fashionable and their prices reasonable," she said.

By CECILIA VICTOR cecilia@mmail.com.my

ZALEHA: During Ramadan, there are more than usual customers on weekdays

"I come here not only during Ramadan, but as frequently as once a fortnight the year round."

Meanwhile, shoe trader Zaleha Harun, 35, said the public holiday in Selangor had boosted the number of customers.

"Usually, our best business days are on weekends, but during Ramadan there are more customers than usual on weekdays," she said.

"Most of my shoes are imported from Thailand and China and are priced from RM20 a pair upwards. Over the years I have built up a regular clientele."

Baju kurung trader Anwar Ramli, 29, said he looks forward to Ramadan every year as that is the best season for business.

"My supplies are mainly from Indonesia and during Ramadan, customers expect bargains but that's okay as I sell much more during this period," he said, adding he gives up to 50 per cent discount, especially for customers who buy

NUR AIN: Has already shopped but still in search of a new wallet

several items.

Among the eager customers spotted was 20-year-old Nurazlin Ridzuan, a college student from Selangor.

"I am spoilt for choice when it comes to dresses, scarves and shoes with sexy pumps at affordable prices, but the problem is I live on a tight budget and have to forgo some things until I start working," she said.

One happy shopper was 18-year-old Nur Ain Mastor who said: "I have already done some Raya shopping but am back here again in search of a new wallet."

Among the others who came from Selangor was 28-year-old accountant Aman Rushidie who resides in Klang.

"I am taking advantage of the public holiday to do all the pre-Raya shopping I need, including looking for branded products at the Sogo shopping centre, as I will soon be heading back to my hometown in Kedah for Raya. I'm exhausted from the shopping, but satisfied."

THE Health Ministry collected RM348,010 in fines last month in its effort to control the spread of dengue under the Destruction of Disease Bearing Insects Act 1975. Its director-general Datuk Dr Hasan Abdul Rahman said the amount involved 1,003 cases with fines averaging RM347. During the same period, there were 180 cases registered for court action for the offence where 45 cases were settled with total fines amounting to RM24,930.

8

The Malay Mail Thursday 18 AUGUST, 2011

hotline@mmail.com.my

tel:03-7495 1000/1001/1002 tel:019-261 4948 (after 9pm)

your right to be heard ● ● ● ●

Complainants have to submit their personal particulars and provide a detailed account of their complaint.

Complainants have to first file their complaints with the respective parties before contacting Hotline.

Complaints referred by Hotline to the relevant parties would be published if there is no response in seven days.

After a complaint has been resolved, the complainant cannot demand non-publication of the matter.

By T.K. LETCHUMY TAMBOO and IKRAM ISMAIL

Man's best friends — 56 of them

Retiree says his dogs are his 'babies' but neighbour thinks they are a nuisance IT is a classic case of animal hoarding. P. ARUMUGAM has 56 dogs crowded into his home off Jalan Ipoh he calls “my babies”.

He says he has been collecting dogs over the past 18 years and even sleeps with them.

His relationship with the animals has, however, caused family and friends to desert him, he declares.

He clearly feels he is just helping the animals but a neighbour cites nuisance and leash violations.

ARUMUGAM swears there has been no neglect of the dogs and that he does not live in filth as claimed by neighbour MANOHARAN VADIVELOO. MANOHARAN’S biggest concern is a lack of sleep that stems from “noisy dogs”.

"I have been living here peacefully for about 25 years. The problem started when my neighbour moved in two years ago with his dogs," claims the 58-yearold retiree.

"I have no idea how many dogs he has but the noise they make is enough to make a person go deaf."

MANOHARAN says the dogs would bark at anything and everything that moves.

"Sometimes, I am roused from a deep sleep because

CONFINED: A number of Arumugam's dogs are kept in cages in the compound of his two semi-detached houses — Pix: SHARUL HAFIZ ZAM

"These dogs are a nuisance to the neighbourhood. I have lodged numerous complaints with City Hall but they seem to have fallen on deaf ears as the barking has SEALED OFF: A fence blocks the side of not stopped. I have even Arumugam's home from public view lodged a police report," he says.

The Hotline roving of the incessant barking and I can't go to sleep after that. team visited ARUMUGAM's My college-going daughter’s home, comprising two semistudies are also being dis- detached lots, in Jalan Krian rupted by the barking," says and was overcome by stench emanating from all corners the father-of-four.

MANOHARAN says that of the home.

He says there are 56 dogs on one occasion, one of the dogs wandered into his and eight cats. The dogs home and when he tried were either tied up, kept ARUMUGAM: 'I love my dogs. to chase it away, “it bit my in kennels or crammed in They are beautiful' cages. hands”.

All for the love of his canines P. ARUMUGAM's dog collection, an 18-year "labour of love", would not have happened if not for a "disturbing" incident he claims haunts him till this day.

The retiree says he has not always been fond of animals.

"I used to abuse my niece's dog for no apparent reason. 'Brownie' was a loyal dog. When I hit him, he still came back to me. I once threw him into my niece's swimming pool and he swam back to me," he recalls as tears fill his eyes.

He decided at that mo-

ment that enough was enough.

"After seeing Brownie's loyalty and love despite me abusing him, I told myself I would dedicate my life to taking care of animals.

"I even turned vegetarian. I don't mind starving as long as my dogs are well-fed."

ARUMUGAM spends RM1,500 on dog food alone every month.

He says his love for dogs is so strong he chose his dogs over his family.

"My wife and my two children left me because they do not like me keeping the dogs."

DOG FACT • The Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur by-law 1991 for licensing of dogs and kennel establishment states that an owner of a house measuring 300 sq ft is only allowed to keep one dog.

Some of the dogs are let loose on a small patch of garden behind the home, barred from entering the main compound by a gate.

The home itself is void of any furniture except for a worn-out sofa and a large dining table with a pile of dog food on it.

The Hotline team spotted a pool of dog urine, and faeces in some parts of the home.

"I love my dogs. I even sleep with them. They're beautiful. What's wrong with keeping dogs?" asked the 62-year-old retiree.

ARUMUGAM says he used to stay in a terraced house in the same street but decided to move into his present home two years ago when the number of dogs under his care grew.

"When I lived in the terraced house, I had 18 dogs with me but I took in more dogs and the space was simply not enough to cater to their needs. So, I moved into this home just to take care of my 'babies'.

"My dogs are all strays and each of them has a story. All of them are spayed and I have an assistant who helps me to attend to them."

ARUMUGAM refers to some of the dogs by names like 'Murugan', 'Sumathi', 'Monica', 'Christina' and 'Robbie'.

He defends himself by saying his dogs do not bark excessively and are not a nuisance to the neighbourhood as there are hardly any residents around the area.

"In fact, I have sealed off the side of my home so people would not get disturbed by the sight of my dogs." ● IF City Hall finds MANOHARAN's complaint is true, it might result in ARUMUGAM having to lose more than 50 dogs.

This is in line with the by-laws that govern the number of animals that can be kept in a house according to its size.

A Corporate Planning Department spokesman says they will look into all aspects, including health, environmental and nuisance and leash violations, when they check on ARUMUGAM's home.

"If the complaint is genuine, we will issue a notice to the owner to reduce the number of dogs to what is permitted.

"The notice has to be adhered to within 14 days, failing which we will follow up with compound notices.”

The Malay Mail Thursday 18 AUGUST, 2011

1. City Hall will tow away and destroy old have yet to be settled. Traffic offenders who do TAKE NOTE vehicles parked haphazardly at parking lots not settle their summonses within the stipulated or along road shoulders. A seven-day notice time will be blacklisted by RTD and the police. will be served to owners and if unheeded, the vehicles will be 3. The Subang Jaya Municipal Council has issued guidelines for business premises, especially shop lots, seeking to operate as towed away and destroyed. A RM210 fine will be imposed if the student hostels. Those who wish to convert shop lots into such owners decide to reclaim their vehicles. hostels should make an application to the council. Private homes 2. A total of 18 million traffic summonses issued by the police, Road are not allowed to do the same.

Transport Department (RTD) and City Hall from 2000 to 2009

Manhole danger

Branches and pole to warn drivers and motorcyclists K. SARAVANAN, of Taman Overseas Union, Kuala Lumpur, is concerned about an exposed manhole in Jalan Sepadu which he uses regularly.

He says he almost drove over the manhole on his way to work a week ago.

"I was driving to my workplace in Petaling Jaya when I saw the manhole just in time,” he says.

"I had assumed the authorities would cover the manhole immediately as it posed a danger to motorists and motorcyclists."

When SARAVANAN passed the area the next day, the manhole was

IS IT A BUSH? No, it's only branches and a wooden pole to alert the public of the exposed manhole — Pic: Arif Kartono

still not covered.

A day later, he says, he noticed that someone had placed branches and also a wooden pole with a yellow plastic bag tied at the top in the manhole.

"It has almost been a week. Why can't City Hall get someone to put a permanent cover on the manhole so nobody gets hurt?" ● A CITY HALL Corporate Planning Department spokesman says the manhole is maintained by Maxis.

"We have contacted Maxis and asked them to take action as soon as possible."

Feeling hot over frequent power cuts AZHAR MOHAMED says he is frustrated over the frequent power disruption in Kedai Peringat, Kota Baru, Kelantan, since moving there a year ago.

He says sometimes, there are two or more power failures in a month which can last up to four hours.

"The frequent disruption and the attitude of the Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) customer service officers really upset me," he says.

"There were two power failures last month. The latest was on Aug 7 at

12.30am and my family and I had to bear with the heat for four hours."

AZHAR says his patience is wearing thin.

"I don't understand why there are so frequent power cuts. What baffles me is Kedai Peringat is just 12km away from Kota Baru and it is not a rural area."

He says petty traders also complain about the loss of business everytime there is a power failure.

"TNB should offer better service to the people, and not the kind of service we are forced to put up with."

● TNB Kelantan general manager Datuk Zulkifli Ab Rahman says an investigation shows Kedai Peringat has been experiencing power disruption.

"We apologise for the inconvenience caused to AZHAR and the residents there," he says.

"TNB Kelantan has carried out upgrading works to improve the electricity supply in his area. They were carried out to improve the sources for electricity capacity at Ketereh from 2x7.5 Megavolt ampere (MVA) to 2x15 MVA.

The exercise was completed on Aug 8 at a cost of RM3 million."

Zulkifli says TNB is also improving the electricity capacity at Pekan Melor and the project will be completed in November at a cost of RM2 million.

"Residents can lodge a report or complaint through SMS or call TNB's helpline 15454 if the disruption happens again."

When contacted, AZHAR says he is happy with the measures taken

by TNB Kelantan to improve its service.

Long wait for housing document AS a loyal customer of HSBC Bank, SHAMSUL RIZAL OMAR, of Subang Jaya, never imagined he would have to wait for more than five years to get his bank to hand over a document.

"I settled my housing loan in 2006 but I've not been able to get the deed of assignment from the bank. Because of this, I'm not able to sell my apartment," he says.

SHAMSUL plans to sell the apartment in Bandar Sunway to save his other properties from being auctioned off. He says he owns

three other properties but one is the subject of a nonperforming loan.

He says he took loans from the bank for all his properties and he has a good payment record until December last year.

"The buyer confirmed he wanted to buy my apartment in January. Unfortunately, the sales and purchase agreement cannot be drafted," he says. " My lawyer says I need the deed of assignment from the bank to prepare the sales and purchase agreement."

SHAMSUL says that

when he went to the HSBC branch in USJ Subang in March and April to request for the document, the bank staff told him they were unable to give it to him.

"They also refused to give a written explanation that the document is not with them."

SHAMSUL is not satisfied with the way the matter is being handled.

"The bank has not been putting in any effort to prepare the document.

How long am I going to wait to get the document to settle my non-performing loan?"

● A SPOKESMAN for HSBC Malaysia Berhad says the bank contacted SHAMSUL on Aug 11 and they have addressed the issues raised by him.

"We will continue to communicate with SHAMSUL with regards to this matter."

When contacted, SHAMSUL says he went to the USJ branch on Aug 12 to meet with an officer.

"They have prepared the document but it has not been completed. The bank says it will be handed over to me once it is completed."

9 Online comments www.mmail.com.my Annoying neighbour (Aug 16) ● GREAT! When you need the authority to step in, they say it is beyond their jurisdiction. Some things just don't change.

— Anonymous ● THE council last monitored the situation on June 28. It is now mid-August. Did MPSJ go back to monitor the situation once again?

I am asking this because it is our nature to comply when we are reprimanded. But not long after that the bad habit tends to creep in without us knowing. I am sure the problem has not been resolved yet. MPSJ should drop by and do a surprise check.

A couple of regular visits by the council should help eventually. — Anonymous ● UNCIVILISED neighbour. Maybe he is eyeing the property, hoping to force him to sell. — Corrupted ● SOME people are just selfish and inconsiderate. Brian should have a friendly chat with his neighbour and advise him that what he is doing is wrong and that the next time he finds any cigarette butts in his compound, he will throw all the rubbish back into the neighbour's compound to teach him a lesson for causing inconvenience to others. I am sure the neighbour would not want his compound strewn with rubbish.

After all, if you give, you should also be able to take. — Shaktiman ● PUT up a signage "No littering, no smoking. If you do, take in all — the smoke, the ash and the butts!" Hopefully, he will get the message. — Abang Tan ML Dinner that never came (Aug 11) ● IF I were him, I'd be mad, too. And I am sure others will also be. Don't tell me you waited for hours and suddenly you just cheerfully replied "No problem!"

If they had not accepted his order in the first place or informed him they could not deliver, he would have gone to look for food somewhere else. It is not about the free food or the gastric. It is about being made to wait and not taking responsibility over one's own action, wasting money, time and energy. McD was the one who offered the free food anyway, he did not ask for it. — Anonymous Not able to apply for new ATM card (Aug 4) ● WHY not just go to another bank and open an account? — Kambengz ● DON'T have to apply for ATM card, just go to the counter each time you want to withdraw money, even if it's just for RM5.

If the teller makes noise, tell him/her it was her bank's fault. Sometimes, this type of hard approach works — especially if the banks start to feel the pinch of losing manhours. — Greg Only RAs can reques t speed bumps (Aug 17) ● WHO do we complain to if RA and RT put a bump right in front of a resident's gate without checking first with the resident? Why must it be one-way? RA and RT must check with the resident first. — Loneoku S

10

letters&opinions

● Mail: Letters To The Editor, Malay Mail Sdn Bhd, Lot 2A, Jalan 13/2, 46200, Petaling Jaya, Selangor

● Email: mmnews@mmail.com.my Fax: 03-7495 1229

The Malay Mail Thursday 18 AUGUST, 2011

● Opinions may be in the form of Letters to the Editor or comments posted in relation to all news. ● Letters to the Editor must carry your name, address and contact number. A pseudonym may be included.

PJ: Bumiputra development agency (Aug 10)

Stop pointing fingers POINTING fingers at others and blaming others for anything and everything comes too easily to some of us Malaysians.

But have we ac tually stopp e d to consider if this exercise is really constructive or destructive in nature?

Just reading the newspapers these days reaffirms that we are indeed a nation of finger-pointers and experts at levelling the blame everywhere else apart from where it’s really

deserved — ourselves.

Before we can even give anything a chance to work or take effect, we are too quickly to jump in, draw conclusions and start levelling criticism and blame.

And we’re surprisingly efficient when it comes to pointing fingers and blaming the government of the day.

All too often, we blame the government for the failings around us, without even giving a second thought to our role in this

perceived failure.

New legislations, amendments to current policies, ne w gover nment agencies, government ideas and even comments by those in power are quickly rubbished without any second thoughts.

At a moment's notice, we place blame on others for our own shortcomings, our failures and our own inability to move ahead.

Let’s take a simple example and look at the recent spate of articles and com-

ments on the newly-formed Un it Pe n e r aj u Ag e n d a Bumiputera (Teraju).

There have been numerous articles and comments calling into question the existence and effectiveness of this agency.

We all have something to say when it comes to this agency but how many of us have actually stopped to think about it?

Have we considered that Teraju is only six months old? That its mandate is one of lasting change? How can

lasting change be effected in an instant?

How many of us have thought of the challenges facing a unit like this — the opposition it faces and yet the need for this unit to push through for the greater good?

Have any of us thought of this at all? I suspect the answer is a resounding NO. So, why don’t we give them a chance? If we do have criticisms, let them at least be constructive, not

PJ: Parliamentary select committee

The move will surely please the voters as they are the ones that matter most and have been wanting to be convinced that all is well with the voting system.

Now is the right time to allay the fears. B oth the Government and the Opposition will sit down and discuss the changes needed to be made.

By all means, please discuss and provide concrete answers to the rakyat and remove all doubts, manipulations and misconceptions.

There is so much to be done to make the Election Commission (EC) an agent that conducts elections fair-

Being Frank: Misguided siege mentality (Aug 8)

Bring back the glory days ST PAUL's was t he best, wasn't it?

So many leaders have come out f rom t he school and so have many national sportsmen.

What it all says is that the mission school produced these fine leaders and sportsmen without the pressure of the authorities then.

These days the school is different for obvious reasons which I don't wish to talk about lest I be accused of being anti this and that.

Mr Frankie, you are very much my senior but what you wrote is testimony that the mission schools were not in anyway trying to brainswash students from other religions to embrace Christanity.

I just regret the miss i ons s c h o o l s we re forced to deviate from their original direction and that's why they do not get the respect they once held in high esteem.

Soo Weng Chee

ly and freely, and also in a transparent manner.

With the change being implemented, hopefully there will be no fingerpointing.

The EC, too, must work as a professional body and create a level playing field for all parties to participate.

Another idea which the EC can look into is to make voting compulsory once a citizen reaches the age of 18.

Students and those working abroad should be allowed to vote, too. I am sure the EC can find the best ways to do this.

Why not impose a spending limit on candidates so

Positive result achieved

from now.

Until then, let us concentrate on Chong Wei’s burning desire and preparation to bring home the elusive gold medal in the London 2012 Olympics come July 27 – less than a year from today.

Lin Dan is the reigning Olympic gold medalist. Chong Wei's task is to dethrone him.

But first, Chong Wei will have to be mentally, spiritually and physically fit if he is to beat Lin Dan. He will have to continue working hard, starting from today, if he wants to see that happening.

I A M h appy t o read that the open tender system currently being implemented throughout Selangor is beginning to show positive result.

Such was the report that Subang Jay a Mu n i c ip a l Council had managed to s ave RM200,000 through the system.

To me, the sum is big considering the current economic situation. This is not the time for wastage and hearing the news like this is music to my ears.

Ku d o s t o t h e Selangor government.

Wit h t h e s av ings, I believe the people will be able to enjoy more and better facilities and ser vices without having to pay more taxes.

It also helps that t h e g ov e r n m e nt is ensuring things are being run in a clean and transparent manner.

Mohd Faizal Abdullah

Selangor resident

REMOVING ALL DOUBTS: The parliamentary select committee is the best platform to create lasting electoral reforms

there will be no excessive funds deployed to win elections?

This is the best time and platform to create lasting reforms. Both parties should be able to put aside political differences and do their best for the sake

of voters.

No one should win by default. The only winning is by a true clear mandate of the ers.

Can we have that?

here true and vot-

Bulbir Singh

PJ: National sports champion (Aug 16)

Go for Olympic gold NATIONAL ace shuttler Datuk Lee Chong Wei could have clinched the World Championship title but he just blew it.

It was so close. He was on the verge of making history as Malaysia's first world champion.

In the end, the world No. 1 and All England champion was beaten by his arch rival, Lin 'Super' Dan. Nonetheless, it was still a spectacular match by the top two players.

The country’s top shuttler was disappointed and so were we. Chong Wei gave his best but it turned out that Lady

Shazlan Ariffin

PJ: Open tender system

Right time to allay voting fears THE all-party parliamentary select committee on electoral reforms as announced recently by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is a welcome move.

Everyone involved should treat this as a national duty and a highly significant work valuable to the nation, thus transcending any niggling inconsistency in the electoral process or nagging doubts about the electoral rolls.

In this matter, put in all your best efforts.

Also, I would like to see Malaysians of all political background working together meaningfully to refine the electoral process.

merely criticism for the sake of criticism.

Let’s start looking at what we’re doing to improve our lot in life before accusing others of not helping us along the way.

When I was younger, I remember teachers at school telling us when you point one finger towards another, you must always remember that the other four fingers are pointing back at you.

Luck was not with him the moments he needed her the most.

Winning the world title would have been the perfect birthday gift for Malaysia which celebrates its 54th Merdeka anniversary because a Malaysian has never won the tournament since it was introduced in 1977.

Chong Wei and Lin Dan will be playing against each other in future tournaments and may meet again in the next edition of the World Championships in 2013 if they can get through the early stages to the final.

But that is still two years

The Malay Mail Thursday • 18 AUGUST, 2011

I know it's blasphemy to compare the two because Mike (Michael Jackson) was such an innovator, but I think she's (Beyonce) like, the second coming — Jay Z

LONDON

Swift and Lautner rekindling romance?

Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner (pic) are “on again!” reports Star magazine, which claims the former couple is “back together behind the scenes”.

The mag says Lautner and Swift, who reconnected at the Teen Choice Awards on Aug 7, “first got together several weeks ago over the phone and email after Taylor [Lautner] reached out to her”.

“Taylor wants a second chance with her,” adds a source, noting that Swift has agreed to give their romance “another go”.

B u t d o n’t h o l d y o u r breath waiting for these two to announce they’re back

PARIS

Depardieu urinates in plane aisle F rench a c t o r G e r a r d Depardieu (pic) outraged fellow passengers by urinating in the aisle of an Air France flight as it prepared to take off on Tuesday, forcing the plane to turn back to its parking spot.

A passenger on the flight said Depardieu, 62, the star of movies such as Jean de Florette and Green Card, appeared to be drunk and insisted he be allowed to use the bathroom during takeoff, when passengers must remain seated.

When he was asked by a hostess to return to his seat, Depardieu urinated in the

aisle, the passenger told French radio station Europe 1 on Wednesday.

"You could see that he had been drinking, but there were no comments. The hostess was shocked but there was no argument, nothing," said the passenger. — Reuters

Baby Potter's meagre pay 20-month-old got only RM198 for part

HE may not be out of nappies yet, but miniature thespian Toby Papworth already has one hugely impressive credit to his name.

The 20-month-old "played" Harry Potter as a baby in the final instalment of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II. However, despite his starring role, Toby was paid only £40 (RM198) for his trouble, the Daily Mail reports.

The meagre fee seemed at odds with the importance of his part. Toby's understandably shocked mother Ashley, 26, said: "I couldn't believe my eyes when I got the cheque.

SEATTLE

ZHAO HUI TANG, a businessman from Bellevue, Washington, took a photo (pic) last Friday on his iPhone when he spotted the first Chinese-American ambassador to China and a former governor of Washington State Gary Locke at the counter of an airport Starbucks.

Tang uploaded the photo to the Chinese social media network Sina Weibo because he wanted to point out that he ran into the new ambassador at Seattle-Tacoma International

Airport, The Telegraph reports.

His response, however, generated 40,000 reports and thousands of comments.

"This is something unbelievable in China," said Tang, a Chinese-American citizen.

"Even for low-ranking officials, we don't do things for ourselves.

Someone goes to buy the coffee for them. Someone carries their bags for them."

Locke tried to use a coupon or voucher for the coffee, but the barista rejected it, Tang said.

WASHINGTON

One in five Web users visited Amazon in June One out of five Internet users visited online retail giant Amazon in June, tracking firm comScore said yesterday.

Amazon sites had 282.2 million visitors during the month, or 20.4 per cent of the worldwide

"I was told he would get a standard extra's fee for the day, but they promised to try to get more if he appeared in the film," she added.

Deathly Hallows Part II, the finale of the biggest movie franchise of all time, has already made £750 million at the box office.

Toby appears in flashback scenes of the boy wizard's first encounter with Lord Voldemort.

Having murdered his parents, the evil wizard attempts to finish off the baby boy with a curse.

Ashley said: "On one hand, I was over the moon, because his scene is quite a major one. But

on the other, the filmmakers didn't even send me a ticket."

Concerned there had been some error when they received the cheque, Ashely called Toby's agency. She was told "that was all he was getting".

"Considering he was a named part, it seemed a bit mean. That said, we had a great day," she said of their treatment.

For their day of filming, Toby was given his own dressing room and Ashley received a £90 chaperone fee, more than double that of her starring son's.

Warner Brothers has confirmed that fees were decided by an external company.

NEW YORK

Photo of bag-carrying ambassador goes viral

Internet population, comScore said in a report on the top global retail and auction sites.

Online auction titan eBay received 223.5 million visitors in June, or 16.2 per cent of the total number of Internet users.

China's Alibaba, which includes the sites Taobao and Alipay, was next with 156.7 million visitors, or 11.3 percent of total Internet users, followed by Apple with 134.2 million visitors, or 9.7 per cent. — AFP

11

Lopez, Tyler return to 'Idol' judges seats

LONDON

BABY WIZARD: Toby in a scene from the blockbuster film

together.

Ev e n t h o u g h t h e y ’v e remained friends since their break-up, a source close to Swift said they are not dating again, and that the Star story is untrue.

world

Gisele refuses to wear heels on runway While the "mannish" shoe is firmly on-trend for the autumn/ winter season, Balenciaga's creative director Nicolas Ghesquière was already one step ahead when he sent chunky flats down the spring/summer 2011 runway.

But it has now been revealed that the brothel creepers which featured so prominently in the French fashion house's collection were a happy coincidence rather than fashion-forward statement.

In an interview with WWD, Ghesquière, who describes shoes that were "too high" as being "beautiful", suggested that it was the supermodel Gisele Bündchen (pic) who insisted on the shoes being flat, reports The Telegraph.

When talking about the label's catwalk show, he said: "The idea was to have this crazy casting with Gisele and Amber Valletta and Carolyn [Murphy], and they said no for high heels. They were not used to walking with heels anymore.

Gisele was worried; she would not walk with my heels."

IT’S official: Jennifer Lopez is returning to the judges’ table for Season 11 of American Idol.

Fox confirmed yesterday what Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe teased to host Ryan Seacrest last week on his morning radio show that Lopez, Randy Jackson and Steven Tyler will all return for Season 11 of the reality hit. “Having both Jennifer and Steven return to Idol in 2012 alongside Randy is such a positive reflection on what was a wonderful and hugely successful season last year, and everyone is delighted,” Idol creator and executive producer Simon Fuller said in a statement.

Naughty Aussie youths banned from nights out CHILDREN who have run amok on Australia's streets are being banned from leaving home at night under a plan to halt after-dark crime, the Herald Sun reports. The initiative for offenders aged 10 to 18 will be implemented to curb youth crime across the State of Victoria.

It is being tried in Melbourne, and aims to put the onus on parents to keep their children, particularly youths or repeat offenders facing charges, out of trouble. The plan involves the imposition of bail conditions requiring youths to obey a curfew banning them from being out, generally between 7pm and 7am, until they appear before a Children's Court.

Murdoch in Asian television coup SKY News has trumped the ABC in the battle to win the US$223 million (RM664m) contract to run Australia's official TV service in Asia by winning a landmark deal for television broadcasts in China. The agreement signed with Chinese State television CCTV in Beijing yesterday will see live and breaking news stories from Rupert Murdoch's partowned Sky News broadcast in China the Herald Sun reports.

Plans for Winehouse mini-series PLANS are underway to make a television mini-series about Amy Winehouse. The British singer was found dead at her London home last month. She was 27.

Television bosses feel a story of her life would be a hit and are already considering who should portray her. Earlier this month, it was reported a big-screen adaptation of Winehouse's life may also be taking shape. It's rumoured that Lady Gaga is keen to be involved.

12

world

A radical anti-US Shiite cleric warned of 'war' if US forces stayed in Iraq beyond a year-end deadline for their withdrawal in a statement viewed yesterday -- AFP

The Malay Mail Thursday 18 August, 2011

TALLINN (Estonia)

Dalai Lama: Greed and secrecy underpin global ills

THE crises wracking the world are underpinned by human flaws including greed and secrecy, Tibet's exiled spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said yesterday in The Estonian capital, but insisted he remained optimistic about the future.

"Greed, speculation and secrecy are some of the main causes of our current global

problems," the 76-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate told thousands of Estonians gathered in Tallinn's Liberty Square for a public address titled "A Call for Universal Responsibility".

"I am not a businessman, but I have been speaking with many of my friends who are businessmen about the global economic

crises that started two years ago," said the Dalai Lama, who recently handed over his role as the head of the Tibetan government in exile to a successor.

"It's sad, but the gap between rich and poor keeps increasing."

But the Dalai Lama, whom Buddhists believe to be the reincarnation of a past lama, said

he remains optimistic about the future because "people learn from mistakes".

"When we look at the start and the end of 20th century, we see that humankind has changed a lot," he said, noting the rise and demise of Soviet totalitarianism among others.

"We pay more attention to environmental issues. Spiritu-

MADRID

Pope's party poopers Thousands protest RM217m youth event in Madrid

THOUSANDS of protesters angry over a visit by Pope Benedict XVI for a lavish youth festival took to Madrid's streets yesterday, and were confronted by Catholic pilgrims who sang "hallelujah" and sat on the ground and prayed.

No serious incidents were reported as dozens of riot police kept the two groups apart in and around the central Puerta del Sol square.

The 84-year-old pontiff will join in the celebrations tomorrow. The joint protest unites many causes, including groups seeking a change in the Church's attitude to gay rights and those fighting for a clearer separation of Church and state.

But the outcry that has struck a chord with many, including some priests, is over the official €50.5 million (RM217m) price tag, excluding the cost of police and security, of the Madrid celebrations.

The protest groups, some of which argue the real cost of the event to taxpayers is more than €100 million, are joining under the slogan: "The pope's visit, not with my taxes."

Organisers say most of the cost will be covered by a

WASHINGTON PET thefts are up by nearly 50 per cent this year compared with last year, the American Kennel Club (AKC) says.

Based on reports from clients and media, the AKC says in a statement released this week that some 224 pets were stolen in the first seven months of this year, up from the same period last year when 150 were stolen.

DISILLUSIONED: Protesters attend a demonstration against the public cost of the World Youth Day celebrations at the Puerta del Sol square in Madrid yesterday. Thousands of protesters chanting "God yes, church no!" took to Madrid's streets to decry the expense of a rock festivalstyle, youth party at a time of economic crisis — AFPpic

registration fee from the assembled pilgrims, and the celebration will be a massive tourist boost for Spain.

But for many the celebrations are jarring at a time when the economy is faltering, the government is making painful cuts and the unemployment rate stands at 20.89 per cent. For those under 25, the jobless figure is over 45 per cent.

"We criticise this scandalous show at a time of such a terribly distressing economic situation, with entire families unemployed," said Evaristo Villar, of Redes Cristianos

(Christian Networks).

"This ostentation is causing a lot of damage and distancing a lot of people from the Church," he said.

Many of those in Spain's 15-M "indignant" movement, launched on May 15 against the management of the economic crisis, were also taking part in the protest.

One huge placard at the march showed a picture of the pope next to that of Stephane Hessel, the writer who inspired the "indignant" movement, with the words "Clash of the Titans."

Another banner said: "We

demand a real secular state, freedom of conscience is a right."

Chants by the crowd included "God yes, church no".

The pope will hold a "Prayer Vigil" on Saturday evening at an airbase southwest of the capital, where the pilgrims will spend the night on an esplanade the size of 48 football pitches.

Pope Benedict will celebrate mass there on Sunday morning at a white altar almost 200 metres long in front of a wave-shaped stage and under a giant parasol "tree" of golden rods. — AFP

Pet thefts up sharply in US Pets are stolen "during home invasions, out of parked cars while people are running errands and even snatched from dog lovers out for a walk in the park," AKC spokeswoman Lisa Peterson said.

"We've even seen a new trend of dogs being stolen from shelters and adoption events for the first time this

year," she said.

Some stolen pets are held for ransom, some are resold on the Internet and others are taken because thieves don't want to "pay a purchase price or adoption fee," the AKC says.

Other organisations, such as stolenpets.com and petfinder.com, say up to two million animals are stolen each year

in the United States, and only 10 per cent of those are returned to their owners.

Petfinder, a website owned

by Discovery Communications that connects homeless pets with potential owners, says stolen pets are used in satanic rituals, as bait in dog fights or killed for their fur or meat, among other gruesome fates. — AFP

ality and science have become closer and human rights are more honoured," he said, insisting also that "we have to pay more attention to children".

"People who have been beloved in childhood have enjoyed the closeness with their mothers and relatives, have more inner peace in their minds," he said, insisting that

peace is learned at home.

Earlier the Dalai Lama held an unofficial meeting with Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves.

The Dalai Lama arrived in Estonia Tuesday for a three-day visit to the former Soviet republic which joined the EU and Nato in 2004 and the Eurozone in January. — AFP

OSLO

Norway attacker had second, bigger bomb THE gunman behind the July 22 attacks in Norway had prepared a second bomb bigger than the one that exploded in Oslo's government district, public broadcaster NRK reported yesterday.

Quoting unnamed military sources, NRK reported the bomb discovered at the farm Anders Behring Breivik had rented, some 140km north of Oslo, weighed between 1.0 and 1.5 tonnes and was ready to use.

In comparison, the carbomb he set off outside government offices in Oslo, killing eight people, weighed 950kg, according to expert estimates.

Norwegian authorities did not respond to requests for comment on the NRK report.

On July 27, police said they had found and destroyed explosives stored at the isolated farm, but did not provide any details on the quantity or what condition they were in when they were discovered.

Breivik, a 32-year-old rightwing extremist who had been planning the attacks for years,

had rented the farm several months before the July 22 carnage, officially to grow vegetables but most likely to have a reason to purchase chemical fertiliser without arousing suspicion.

According to a Norwegian agricultural cooperative, Breivik received a delivery at the beginning of May of six tonnes of fertiliser, which may have been used to make the bombs.

After setting off his bomb in Oslo, the killer went on a shooting rampage on the nearby island of Utoeya, where the ruling Labour Party's youth wing was hosting a summer camp, killing 69 more people, many of them teenagers.

According to police, Breivik had said during interrogations he had "other targets" in mind that day, and media had reported he had planned to attack the royal palace and the Labour Party headquarters.

Currently being held in preventive custody in a highsecurity prison near Oslo, Breivik has confessed to the attacks and claims he acted alone. — AFP

SAN FRANCISCO

Hackers hit San Francisco subway police website HACKERS yesterday posted personal information about more than 100 San Francisco transit officers online after apparently breaching the police association website.

An anonymous posting on Pastebin.com listed the names, home addresses, email addresses and passwords of 102 officers and said they were taken from the website of the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Police Officers Association.

The website, bartpoa.com, was inaccessible yesterday afternoon and displayed a

message saying it had been "locked."

The anonymous poster said the information was released in retaliation for BART's bid last week to shut down cellphone service to limit a protest over the fatal shooting by BART police in July of a knifewielding homeless man.

The hacker group Anonymous, which has targeted BART websites previously, denied involvement in the latest attack, saying it was carried out by "some random joe." — AFP

world

Brazilian authorities are investigating claims a supplier for Spanish clothing brand Zara is forcing workers to toil in inhumane conditions, a labour ministry spokesman said yesterday — AFP

The Malay Mail Thursday 18 August, 2011

NEW DELHI

WASHINGTON

India in crisis

Authorities struggle with mass protests INDIA'S graft-tainted government faced a growing crisis today, with the country rocked by mass anti-corruption protests that have pitted the prime minister against a popular hunger striker.

Rallies continued late into the night across India yesterday in support of veteran campaigner Anna Hazare, 74, who remained in a New Delhi jail after being arrested to prevent him starting a public fast in a city park.

Although the police ordered his release, Hazare refused to leave prison until the authorities withdrew restrictions on his planned hunger strike.

His advisers struck a deal with police in the early hours today allowing him to fast for 14 days, aide Kiran Bedi told the Press Trust of India news wire, and he is expected to leave the prison and begin his protest this afternoon.

Tens of thousands of protesters gathered yesterday in Delhi and other cities in a direct challenge to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who said Hazare's fast was "totally misconceived" and undemocratic.

Hazare's protest, which is focused on what he sees as a watered-down anti-corruption law

introduced in parliament, has attracted support from India's middle classes as well as constant media coverage.

He was arrested on Tuesday morning along with thousands of supporters in a much-criticised police action as he prepared to start his "fast unto death" to push for changes to the anti-graft bill.

Yesterday's rally in Delhi piled pressure on Singh's government at a time of public outrage over a succession of multi-milliondollar scandals involving senior ministers.

Organisers estimated the size of the crowd marching from the India Gate monument at more than 60,000. Independent witnesses put the number at between 20,000 and 30,000.

The prime minister earlier told parliament that Hazare's arrest was justified by his refusal to accept police restrictions limiting his planned fast in the park to three days.

Many observers believe Hazare's arrest reflected concern he was emerging as the focus point for a broader protest movement against Singh's government, which is also grappling with an economic slowdown and high inflation. — AFP

Data 'matchmaker' finds new uses for drugs

India’s ruling Congress Party has been rocked by a series of scandals exposing bribery and favouritism. Even Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s anti-corruption watchdog chief faces charges of wrongdoing 2010 Commonwealth Games: Allegations of financial malpractice include manipulations of tenders to build stadia, games infrastructure, and inflating bills.

Cost to country: $22 million.

Congress Party head of organizing committee, Suresh Kalmadi (above), Manmohan Singh: Has charged with criminal conspiracy pledged to root out corruption Telecoms scandal: Allegations Cash-for-votes: Leaked secret that phone licences U.S. government cable alleges that were sold at Congress Party earmarked some below-market $20 million to bribe opposition MPs prices, costing in confidence vote over support for country up to nuclear deal between India and U.S. $39 billion in Anti-corruption chief: Vigilance lost revenue. commissioner P.J. Thomas forced Minister in charge, out of office over corruption charges Andimuthu Raja, in palm oil imports scam has denied any wrongdoing War widow scam: Homes meant for disabled veterans and war widows allegedly replaced by luxury apartment building. Valued at $1.8 million each, 100-plus apartments sold to politicians, bureaucrats and military chiefs for as little as $130,000. Loss to tax payer: $167 million Loans-for-bribes: Top officials of Indian public sector banks and financial institutions have been accused of taking bribes to facilitate large corporate loans Anna Hazare: Protests swell across India in support of selfstyled Gandhian anti-corruption crusader, “fasting to death” in jail Sources: The Hindu, BBC, Economist, WikiLeaks

Pictures: Getty Images

© GRAPHIC NEWS

NEW YORK

UN chief may call for ICC probe into Syria THE UN rights chief is expected to tell the Security Council today that the international war crimes court should investigate Syria's deadly crackdown, diplomatic sources said.

The 15-nation council meets today on the Syria crisis amid growing concern over President Bashar al-Assad's military assault on prodemocracy protests, which is said to

MEXICO CITY

have killed about 2,000 people in five months.

UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay and emergency relief coordinator Valerie Amos are to give details of latest events in the strifetorn country, where the government has fiercely resisted outside interference.

Pillay's report will say there is

"evidence that Syria has committed grave violations of international human rights law," said one diplomatic source with knowledge of the report.

Pillay wants "a thorough, appropriate, international investigation" of the crackdown, the source told media, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The UN official "is likely to suggest the International Criminal Court

13

would be appropriate," added another diplomatic source.

The UN human rights department is expected to conclude the allegations are serious and credible that national level investigations conducted by the Syrians will be insufficient.

Only the Security Council can refer the Syria case to the ICC, which is based in The Hague. — AFP

US scientists have devised a drug-disease matchmaking software program that mines databases for potentially useful new treatment combinations and has turned up two so far, said a study yesterday.

For instance, a drug commonly used to alleviate ulcers has shown promise against lung cancer and an epilepsy medicine for halting seizures could also work against inflammatory bowel disease, the study said.

The research, led by Stanford University scientists and funded by the National Institutes of Health, is published in the Science Translational Medicine.

"This work is still at an early stage, but it is a promising proof of principle for a creative, fast and affordable approach to discovering new uses for drugs we already have in our therapeutic arsenal," said Rochelle Long, director of the NIH Pharmacogenomics Research Network.

The technique could also save money, since it costs about US$1 billion (RM2.9b) to develop a new drug these days, Long added.

The team used an NIH database that is available to the public, called the NIH National Center for Biotechnology Information Gene Expression Omnibus, which contains thousands of genomic studies from around the world.

The database compiles information on how gene activity changes during the course of disease and in response to drug treatment.

The researchers created a program that scoured the database for "drugs and diseases whose gene expression patterns essentially cancelled each other out," said the study.

"For example, if a disease increased the activity of certain genes, the program tried to match it with one or more drugs that decreased the activity of those genes."

They found that an anti-ulcer treatment known as cimetidine was a good match for lung cancer, and a seizure drug topiramate would work against inflammatory bowel disease.

They tested cimetidine on human lung cancer cells, some in a lab dish and others that were transplanted into mice. Both approaches slowed the cancer cells' growth. — AFP

Mexico police accused in mob killing of migrant

MEXICAN police allegedly turned over a Guatemalan migrant for the equivalent of US$40 (RM119) to an angry mob, which beat him to death in revenge for a robbery, news reports and witnesses said yesterday.

The death of Julio Fernando Cardona, 19, near a hostel for migrants in the city of Tultitlan on Aug 8 sparked protests Tuesday outside the Mexican embassy in Guatemala City and Guatemalan charges of possible

police complicity.

Father Hugo Raudel, the director of the San Diego Migrants House, told reporters that Cardona was detained by police as a suspect and taken away in a patrol car.

"The police had him get into the car but they did not turn him over to prosecutors but rather they went and turned him over for 500 pesos" to a group of angry youths who had been robbed," he said.

Other witnesses said Cardona had nothing to do with the robbery, but was beaten to death anyway by youths demanding that he return what he had allegedly stolen.

"The police detained the wrong person, they made a mistake," a resident of the hostel told media, speaking on condition of anonymity. This witness also said police charged 500 pesos to turn Cardona over to the mob.

The police said the patrol car was dispatched to the scene in response to a call by a neighbor that a youth was being beaten.

But witnesses said the police were on the scene before the beating.

"The police arrived first and they negotiated for a few bills to let them beat him," a Honduran migrant, who identified himself only as Merwin, told reporters.

In Guatemala City, the country's

foreign ministry said Mexican authorities informed them two suspects were arrested in the case.

The foreign ministry also said that it would fully pay to send Cardona's remains to his home town of Pajapita, southeast of Guatemala City.

Amnesty International on Tuesday called on the government to protect the migrant refuge from angry residents who over the weekend threatened to burn it down. — AFP

14 lifestyle

By Loong Wai Ting waiting@mmail.com.my

FORMULAIC: The director seems to play safe throughout the film

Hong Kong director Wong Jing said in a recent report, he had all the confidence in his new movie Treasure Hunt.

Well, that's what he wants to believe. After watching it, this reviewer begs to differ.

Why? Firstly, it’s a Wong Jing movie. Ask anyone who has seen his pevious works and chances

The Malay Mail Thursday 18 august, 2011

No real treasure are, out of 10 viewers, almost a clean nine might simply smirk and chuckle sarcastically.

Secondly, well, Treasure Hunt isn’t any better but continues to be a further downgrade to the director's ability, especially to those who are familiar with his mo lei tau comedy and spoofs.

The pemise is also not that exciting. After being persuaded by her boss to shoot an advertisement on a deserted island, Peggy (Cecilia Cheung) finally gives in, leaving her son Lucas (Lucas Tse) and husband Andy (Ekin Cheng).

At the fishing village, the filming crew, together with Mr Big (Ronald Cheng), an alcoholic, bump into local thugs headed

by Cobra (Liu Hua) and his honchos.

In the possession of the gang leader is a treasure map dated back to the Ming dynasty. To avoid further tussle with the film crew, the gang backs off.

However, the crooks also vow to get rid of the meddling crew.

What started off as a promising revival (of some sort) for Cecilia’s career as an artiste to save whatever little that is left (the actress once was the box office darling

before her sex photo scandal broke in 2008) turns out to be an uphill battle.

The more the director attempts to give his film the push, the more annoying it turns out to be.

Little Lucas Tse (played by the real son of Cheung and Nicholas Tse), is cuter than he looks, but the kid needs to stay out of the set. What he should do now is watch and learn if he were ever to follow his parents' footsteps.

His special appearance in the movie (as Cheung's screen son) might help boost ticket sales, but there isn’t much to expect from the kid.

If anything, Treasure Hunt bears a close resemblance to the Indiana Jones franchise, only cheaply made with a storyline that is not as exciting.

The plot, instead of promising a thrilling adventure, falls flat as it bores the audience, to say the least. It seems to drag on and on and the entire exercise is really a waste of screen time.

The message appears to be too clichéd as well and the

director seems to play too safe that the entire film turns out somewhat formulaic.

The special effects could have been better too. The flaws are just too glaring and one ends up cringing more than rejoicing.

Each time there is an emotional scene in the movie, it turns out to be unsuitable. In fact, most of the emotional scenes are annoying and don't really support the story.

The more watchable parts are mainly those involving the group of children — which only appear during the second half of the movie.

In short, Treasure Hunt is a goofy movie made for people who want a break from serious stuff and be entertained by a silly storyline and mo lei tau acting.

There might be some funny lines that could make you smile though.

This film is a continuation of the love-hate Wong Jing might have created between his work and the audience. Nevertheless, the final say belongs to the viewers.

lifestyle 15

The Malay Mail Thursday  18 August, 2011

Stomping on to local shores

By anu venugopal anu@mmail.com.my HERE is something worth stomping your feet for! Literally.

London’s West End and Broadway sensation Stomp! makes a return to our shores this November with a brand new show.

Stomp' 11 — Fresher, Faster, Funnier! will be showcased at the Plenary Hall, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, from Nov 29 to Dec 4 for eight performances only.

Presented last in Malaysia in 2005 to rave reviews and standing ovations, Stomp! got over 15 million people in 48 countries across five continents stamping their feet, drumming their fingers while savouring all the rush of adrenaline with the show's rhythmic beats.

For the uninitiated, Stomp! takes the clutter and junk of everyday life — including the kitchen sink — and transforms it into a pulsating, witty, utterly irresistible theatrical event.

Originating from a single drum hanging around Luke Cresswell’s neck back at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 1991, Stomp! has taken on a life of its own and become an award-winning phenomenon around the world.

Even in the early days, creators and co-directors Cresswell and Steve McNicholas developed a unique, universal language of rhythm, theatre, comedy and dance

that caught the attention of art lovers everywhere.

After nine years in the West End and 17 years on Broadway, the latest edition was inspired by their large-scale Las Vegas version, Stomp Out Loud.

With new music and choreography combined with ordinarily mundane objects, the cast are once again set to cast their musical magic on the audience.

For the melodic environmentalists at heart, see the huge ribbed tubes, previously used for recycling fluorescent lights recycled into outsized Guiros, a Latin American percussion instrument, played by scraping the ridged sides with a stick.

In one of two spectacular new routines, paint cans are tossed between the performers, as they simultaneously build an astonishingly complex rhythm over every surface of the airborne cans.

With the emphasis on ‘spectacular’, the Stompers are also joined by inflated monster truck inner tubes strapped around their waists to create both a dance of bobbing, whirling rubber skirts and pounding, portable drum kits — the ultimate re-definition of ‘surround sound’.

Stomp! lovers can look forward to the troupe's signature high-octane presentation of slick choreography, tight ensemble work, industrial percussion and a narrative of chaotic clowning.

Not to mention the irrepressible troupe of eight performers turn brooms into soft shoe partners, clapping into intricate conversations; and water cooler bottles into sophisticated instruments.

Imagine a row of folding chairs are straddled, slid, slammed and slapped into rhythmic submission.

Featuring a reworked climax, the show is set to be

clutter of everyday life WITTY: Stomp! takes the theatrical event. ing sat and turn it into a pul

a showstopper in every sense — as a crackling carnival of leaping, spinning, skidding and pounding Stompers.

With their inexhaustible energies vented out on the unsuspecting orchestra of metal dustbins, bin lids, tubs and water butts, be treated

to a thumping, thrilling show from start to finish.

The Stomp! international community of performers now totals 100 over five companies, including two in the US and one international touring company.

With an Olivier award and a performance at the Oscars cer-

emony already under its belt, Stomp! is a truly international stage phenomenon not to be missed.

Stomp! has consistently wowed audiences and critics alike with its infectious rhythms and “pure stage magic” and is ready to give audience an explosive extrava-

ganza of percussion, theatre, comedy and dance.

Ticket prices start from RM75 (students) to RM305 for the Malaysian season of Stomp’11 and can be purchased from Ticketpro hotline at 03-78807999. For more information, vist www.ticketpro. com.my

namely Sam Chia, Jinnie Lim, Kenneth Wong, Pyrena Ong and Vince Leong are all set to entertain audience.

Keeping in tune with its environmentally-friendly theme, the set and props for Gila-Gila to the Moon are assembled mostly from household and recycled materials.

“With the limited budget that we have, the entire cast have been working together to help collect bottles, paper boxes and such to be recycled into costumes and props for the set,” said Ng. A production

by The Actors Studio Academy @ KLPac and Eutopia Theatre, it will feature original songs composed by Airy Lee and Jocelyn Stemilyn. Audience can look forward to live singing and playing of musical instruments on the set of

Gila-Gila to the Moon. It is a production that will appeal to all but will especially fascinate the young while imparting an important lesson about protecting the environment.

While the dialogue consists of three languages, audience will have no problem understanding the physical play.

“It is truly a Malaysian child’s play as the characters and issues faced are elements of every Malaysian life, like a Malay makcik and the public toilet problems.

"It will be a play that is fun, different and entertaining,” said Ng. Tickets are priced at RM25 for adults and RM15 for students, the disabled and The Actors Studio card members.

Call 03-40979000 or visit http://klpac.org/ — By anu

Mooning over Earth AS the title suggests, Gila-Gila to the Moon promises to be a fun and crazy children’s production with a message.

Presented at Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPac) on Aug 21 and 22, the play in Mandarin, English and Bahasa Malaysia is all set to make an impact of children’s lifestyle and habits when it comes to taking care of the environment. “The play is not your typical children’s play. We use elements such as puppets and shadow acting. We also get the audience to help the characters on stage,” said director Eugene Ng (pic, below).

Set in Earth City in the nottoo-distant future, Jinnie and her father live amidst rubbish.

When it becomes unbearable to live with all the trash,

citizens of Earth City decide to send it all to the moon.

One day, Jinnie was sent to the moon after offending a seemingly harmless cleaning lady. There, she finds out that the rubbish has turned into monsters.

Unfazed by the discovery at first, things change when her father is held hostage by the monsters.

All of Jinnie’s cheekiness soon dissipates when the monsters threaten to turn her father into a monster and attack Earth City. That is, unless Jinnie can complete a challenge. In the end it is up to Jinnie to save her father and Earth City.

No stranger to educating the younger generation, Ng has been teaching drama to students in schools after graduating from TEA Theatre and has directed numerous plays. Gila-Gila to the Moon marks his debut in children’s theatre.

“It was a challenge for me to come up with a play about protecting the environment, as I am not a person who goes out to save the environment. Now I have realised we can all do small things like switching off the fan after we are done to help protect Earth,” added Ng, who also wrote the script and came up with costume ideas for the cast.

With the aim of imparting the idea that even children can save the Earth, Ng and his young and energetic cast

venugopal

16 lifestyle

'Glee' bound for 3D g

By JOE LEE joelee@mmail.com.my

twitter @klubbkiddkl A FEW groans echoed when Glee: The 3D Concert Movie was announced for release. Many passed the release as crass consumerism, a manipulation of the mass enslavement with the success of the TV series.

After 34 million downloads and loads more physical copies of their music sold to

Naya Rivera (left) and Amber Riley

Chris Colfer (left) and Lea Michele date, tonnes of merchandise sold and a 40-date tour in the States and Canada — it’s understandable why many would think so with Glee raking in enough dough to bail out a small nation.

There were already similar attempts to cash in by the likes of Miley Cyrus and the Jonas brothers, for instance.

From the opening strains of the anthemic Don’t Stop Believin’, it was safe to say, more than a few Gleeks (fans of the series) in the cinema teared up.

Fans will revel at the opportunity to catch the concert, or at least snippets of it in 3D, that enhances the experience. Unlike most 3D efforts which focus on things popping out of the screen, Glee 3D allows a sense of dimension and depth to the visuals.

Make that a front-row seat to the show for the engaging nature of the medium that allows the viewer to feel like they're actually there in the audience.

One could have sworn quite a few were itching to get on their feet and sing and dance along — something perhaps reminiscent of the cult musical

The Rocky Horror Show.

Non-fans will be perplexed to make head and tail of the movie with no explanations of the characters or the premise of the series, though it’s a wonder why one would even be in the cinemas for this, apart from checking out the hype or chaperoning nephews and nieces, or bratty little siblings.

Glee: The 3D makes no pretensions of reaching out

Darren Criss

specifically to non-Gleeks, while fans will find the weekly Glee episodes amplified, and ease into mode to celebrate all that is Glee.

Directed by Kevin Tancharoen, who also was responsible for 2009's remake of Fame which was nothing but eye candy, Glee works to his advantage given the substance of the series and the scale of the live summer tour

which boasts a massive and way impressive stage set-up, with flash pyros and awesome lighting.

Rachel Berry (Lea Michele) still owns the spotlight, but some other members of the cast get their time to shine, too, notably Mercedes Jones (Amber Riley), Kurt Hummel (Chris Colfer) Blaine Anderson (Darren Criss) and even Brittany S. Pierce (Heather Morris) and Santana Lopez (Naya Rivera), with tunes made familiar over the weekly offerings.

The likes of Finn Hudon (Cory Monteith) and Mike Chang (Harry Shum Jr.) don’t have the best voices, so there's no pretension there (the latter, however, shows off his more famous moves) though there are questions why Quinn Fabray (Diana Agron) gets less airtime than expected and how Artie Abrams (Kevin KcHale) gets his time with Safety Dance (though PYT gets a nod).

Tina Cohen-Chang (Jenna

Harry Shum Jr. and Kevin McHale (on wheelchair)

Ushkowitz) is sorely missed merely being placed in the background, and so is Sam Evans (Chord Overstreet) and Lauren Zizes (Ashley Fink) — though at least she gets a little more time with Puck (Mark Sailing) serenading on Fat Bottomed Girls.

A big boo though for the fact that Sue Sylvester (Jane

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IDOLISED BUNCH: The music, however, remains the forte of this offering

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The Malay Mail  Thursday 18 AUGUST, 2011

glory

ynch) didn’t make an appearnce at least, and not being a an of Gwyneth Paltrow, her ppearance for Forget You was yawn. And where was Will chuester (Matthew Morrison)?

Pilfering a treasure trove f the series’ tribute to Top 0, show tunes, and miscelaneous retro gems, the music, owever, remains the forte of his offering.

Don’t Stop Believin’ kicks off he list of quite well-chosen nthems, but other inspiring moments include Ain’t No Way Amber), Get Happy (Lea and Chris) and Rain On My Parade Lea) apart from notable performances from the Dalton Academy Warblers led by laine who earn their stripes with Teenage Dream, Love ongs and Raise Your Glass.

Then there’s Somebody To ove in the credits, Empire State f Mind and loads more from our favourite Glee episodes though Defying Gravity from he musical, Wicked, is sorely missing).

Fans will definitely enjoy the uirky side to the cast like how ea reacts when told on camra that her personal (and Ra-

chel’s too) lifelong idol Barbra Streisand is in the audience or when Brittany mentions how her breasts will look awesome in 3D — all while still in character, to the delight of Gleeks.

If the concert movie as it’s tagged, lacks in more material like more songs, or the absent skits playing on the Glee series, it’s simply because for good reason. The idea was to put forth the impact of the show on its legions of fans, thus welcoming the ensemble cast of Glee’s fans, who share how their lives have changed with Glee.

From the chubby social misfit with flaming red hair with Aspberger’s Syndrome, to the dwarf star cheerleader who overcame her fate to be Prom Queen to the gay teenager outed for his sexuality and having to face peer pressure alone — the heartwarming stories are real, everyday tales, that speak of victory of overcoming adversity of being the odd one out by celebrating being different.

Ending it with the group performance of Born This Way is as riveting as watching it on the series, and indeed a fitting end to the celebration of affirmation of self-appreciation and self-worth.

Glee is a rare pop culture phenomenon that is edgy with bite and heart. Some may say it has started taking itself seriously, and media oversaturation is starting to wear down the franchise — but irregardless, the message will outlive even the hype and for that, we want an encore!

GLEE: THE 3D CONCERT MOVIE from Twentieth Century Fox Malaysia is now playing in cinemas nationwide.

17

Go ahead, be nosey!

THE fourth installment of the Spy Kids franchise, All the Time in the World is made solely for die-hard fans, who still find thrill in the premise.

For the rest of you however, if the word 3D does not excite you that much, how about 4D? The latest of the Spy Kids series uses this new technology known as Aromascope to engage viewers.

Apart from the 3D sensation, the audience will be able to smell different odours and aromas from the film based on the 'sniff card', which will be provided to patrons based on first-come-first-served basis at the box office counter.

If you think it would cost extra on your receipt, well, the good news is that it will be provided absolutely free!

For some local viewers, this might be something new aside from the 3D glasses.

However, as exciting as it looks, there's hardly any difference between each of the smell on the card. But then, there are few ones that stand out like the smell of someone farting, the smell of bacon and when one of the characters, Cecil (played by Mason Cook) discovers a table full of assorted candies.

Story wise, the film is pretty simple. After the birth of her baby girl, Marissa (Jessica Alba) decides to retire from the spy world.

However, her world turns upside down when the crazy Timekeeper (Jeremy Piven) threatens to overtake the world and she is once again called in to resume her duty.

With Armegeddon fast approaching, Rebecca (Rowan Blanchard) and Cecil (Mason Cook) are thrust into action, where they learn the truth about their stepmother, Marissa’s secret identity.

When Spy Kids was released back in 2001, everyone was pretty much excited about the whole animation thing, but apart from better effects, the movie still lacks the exciting plot that any spy movie should offer, even if it involves a bunch of kids.

In All the Time in the World, the plot still lags behind and often too painful to watch with all the corny lines and cliché bad acting.

Previous spy kids Carmen

DISCOVERY: Cecil (played by Mason Cook) learns the truth about his stepmother in the latest film

IMAGINATIVE: A family movie that is super perfect for the kids more like a decoration of some and Juni Cortex from the first sort. There are times when the film (played by Alexa Vega movie is truly fun and enjoyand Daryl Sabara respectively) made a comeback in this fourth installment, playing themselves. They however do not have that many action scenes like their previous roles in the franchise.

Their presence in the movie serves more like a selling point than serving a real purpose to help boost the movie’s plot.

Then again, it is all good to see some familiar faces again.

Both of the actors, who are well into their teen are clearly having fun reviving the roles that once shot them to stardom.

Performance-wise, it is well below expectations, even if guys would still go 'ooh-la-la' because Jessica Alba is in it.

Her appearBACK IN ACTION: Cook (left) ance in the movie and Rowan Blanchard had fun is so subtle. Her reviving the roles that once shot screen time looks them to stardom

able, but the rest of it drags on and on without having the right sense.

Running at 90 minutes, All the Time in the World blows its cover as an average movie with plain acting.

Expect less of the premise and be entertained only by the Aromascope (which in time will be another thing of the past as well).

A family movie and super perfect for the kids, All the Time in the World is passable for general viewing and for people who are looking for some time-out from saving the planet. — By LOONG

WAI TING

18 lifestyle

The Malay Mail Thursday 18 August, 2011

More channels on your way

By Zainal Alam Kadir alamkadir@mmail.com.my YOU know that Aidil Fitri is drawing near and that you need a little bit of home improvement that might just impress your guests.

Sure if you can afford that 50-inch LED TV, why not? And yes, while you're at it, you might as well get one of those Blu-ray home theatre systems that might make your neighbours turn green with envy.

If you can't afford any of the items, you could perhaps go for a lower budget option that might have similar impact.

If you're an Astro subscriber, just upgrade to the B.yond platform and enjoy more programmes in high-definition (HD) mode.

The latest news is, Astro customers will also enjoy five new channels this festive season.

The five channels include two festive channels â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Raya HD (Channel 188) and Astro Fiesta (Channel 100); as well as three HD channels on the Astro B.yond platform namely Sundance HD (Channel 438), Discovery HD World (Channel 571) and Astro SuperSport HD2 (Channel 833).

At the launch of the five new channels in Kuala Lumpur recently, Astro chief operating officer Henry Tan said the five channels are launched in

STAR-STUDDED CHANNELS: This Hari Raya, expect various local movies featuring some of these hottest Astro talents

conjunction with the Hari Raya and Merdeka celebrations.

The Raya HD and Astro Fiesta channels are added at no extra charge and both the channels, which will carry Asian flavoured content in all languages, will be available for a limited duration.

Tan said with the three new HD channels, Astro now has a total of 15 HD channels pegged to the B.yond platform.

He said that from the first day of Hari Raya to Sept 9, viewers could also expect various local movies, concerts and drama series on Raya HD (Channel 188).

Among the films are Damping Malam, Aku Masih Dara, Love, Nora, Dan Sebenarnyaâ&#x20AC;Ś Sanggul

Beracun, 7 Lagu, Bersalji di Kuala Lumpur and Panggilan Arwah.

Music lovers can look forward to Konsert Tribut P.Ramlee: Di Mana Kan Ku Cari Ganti, Konsert Wow Putrajaya 2011 and Konsert 3 Diva. A drama series Pengantin Untuk Dijual will also be shown.

In addition to this dedicated Raya HD channel, viewers could also expect some 104 titles of special Raya programmes on Astro Ria (Channel 104), Astro Prima (Channel 105), Astro Oasis (Channel 106), Astro Ceria (Channel 611), Astro Citra (Channel 131), Astro Warna (Channel 132) and on the newly added Indo Pek channels Bintang (Channel 141) and Pelangi (Channel 142).

Among the highlights are blockbuster movie Ngangkung on Astro Citra, Maharaja Lawak Raya on Astro Warna and the Opera van Java Awards on Bintang.

Tan said Astro Fiesta (Channel 100) is expected to feature something for everyone, from comedy to drama, adventure and action, to romance and crime, where every viewer will have lots to look forward.

For instance, from Sept 1 to 9, the channel will show Chinese movie titles like Little Big Soldier, Stoll Pigeon,

Detective Dee & 14 Blades, as well as five big concerts featuring Leslie Cheung, The Big 4, Nicholas Teo, Fish Leung and Teresa Teng.

The channel will also be the home for Malay movies like Estet, Sembilu 2005 as well as four concerts like M.Nasir, Aizat Live in Damansara, Konsert Simplysiti, Konsert Double Trouble, Konsert Sore, and Konsert 4 Bintang.

There would also be Indonesian concerts featuring Wali Band and Ungu; as well as KPop Countdown which features the hottest K-pop artistes.

Fans of Tamil and Hindi movies and concerts will be presented titles like Toonpur Ka Super Hero, Arundhati and Guzaarish.

For the more discerning and independent-minded viewer, the Sundance Channel HD (Channel 438) is definitely the ideal destination as it features award-winning original cultural programmes and films.

Discovery HD World (Channel 571), on the other hand, offers its audience even closer to their world through factual and lifestyle entertainment programmes ranging from culture, science and natural history to travel and lifestyle themes.

If you're a sport freak, the Astro SuperSport HD2 (Channel 833) is expected to show LIVE sporting action in HD like the Tennis US Open, the

ATP Tennis Malaysian Open, the Golf Presidents Cup, and over 200 hours of football events ranging from Bundesliga, UEFA Europa League, Copa Sudamericana and the J-League.

Sports fans will also be able to catch more action via US

PGA Tour, American Football and over 100 hours of tennis, extreme sports and sailing, to name a few.

The channel will also broadcast selected programmes courtesy of ESPN or StarSports, for example Formula 1 and Moto GP.

lifestyle 19

The Malay Mail Thursday 18 August, 2011

From poison to predation On this channel, almost everything is allowed. From the most sexual to the most violent visuals, even the most discerning of parents would give their children the greenlight to learn from what they see on TV. For instance, this August, Nature's Deadliest on the channel looks like a good escape for many TV addicts.

From Aug 25, Nature's Deadliest captures the lethal

weaponry of the natural world's most dangerous creatures and examines the often fatal effects they have on their human victims.

From Australia to Africa to Brazil, the series travels to the home of many of the world's born killers.

Through reconstruction and scientific analysis, witness the fatal moments of attack, when nature's supremely engineered predators do what they are

made to do.

The series explores how these killers strike, what they can do to human prey and why they are called Nature's Deadliest.

The series premieres every Thursday on Animal Planet (Astro 556) at 10pm starting Aug 25. Encores are every Sunday at 5pm and 11pm.

Here are the synopses of what you can expect on the series.

▪ PART ONE Australia's rugged beauty makes it a vacationer's paradise but it is also home to a number of deadly creatures that manage to survive in harsh unforgiving conditions, such as the dry desert outback, where there are more venomous species of snakes than anywhere else on the planet.

In the coastal waters of Australia, the ferocious Bull Shark stalks the shallow waters and rivers, and in the far North, the Salt Water Crocodile reigns supreme. Whether it is teeth capable of lacerating

flesh and bone, or swift-acting venom, all these creatures are capable of inflicting death or severe trauma. Discover how their hunting strategies and weaponry vary, as do their catastrophic effects on a victim.

▪ PART TWO Some of the most powerful animals live on the planet live in Africa. They come in many shapes and sizes as creatures evolve to defend themselves and strike with maximum impact.

From the crushing jaws of the Spotted Hyena to the lethal venom of the Black mamba, Nature's Deadliest examines the weaponry of these master predators as well as the

killing techniques of the animals that must fight for their own survival every day.

▪ PART THREE Brazil's dark and steamy Amazon, the world's greatest tropical rainforest, is home to more species than anywhere on the planet, and also harbours some of the most fearsome animals known to humankind.

From these elite serpent that can eat its prey whole and killer bees that attack in massive swarms, to an assassin carterpillar capable of killing a human being, viewers will be introduced to the tactics of these predators, and learn why humans can never tame the Brazilian jungle.

sudoku sudoku

how to play Sudoku X is a simple variation of Sudoku with the only difference being the squares in white (which make up the numeral X) need to tally from 1 to 9 along with the remaining coloured squares.

Yesterday'S solution

ONE man's meat is another man's poison. Some like comedy and many tragic characters like sad and sappy storylines.

Anyway, when we run out of things to watch on TV, one subject might just please everyone — animal.

Really, when there's nothing more gory to watch on the movie channels, or any episode of CSI on the crime channel, the easiest choice is the Animal Planet.

20

the malay mail

Thursday 18 AUGUST, 2011

ThursDay 18 August, 2011

the malay mail

21

22

PROPERTY / MOTORING / HEALTH / HOME / OTHERS

the malay mail

Thursday 18 AUGUST, 2011

Readers can also look out for classified ads ONLINE as early as 9.00a.m at www.mmail.com.my

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Thursday 18 AUGUST, 2011 M398

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Pets Full color, 260gsm, art card with matt. Lamination.

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TOY POODLE 2 month old vaccine and dewormed. price: RM550-750 Call: 012-249 5424 view:www. puppiesglobe.blogspot.com.

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TOMAZSHOES! Leather Shoes! RM69 - RM89! High Quality and Comfortable!

Come to USJ9 Mall, Puchong 017-707 8383

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DRIVER FOR SENIOR Management urgently wanted.

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IMMEDIATE VACANCY FOR Sales Exec with min.

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BEAUTICIAN URGENTLY Chinese / malay beautician wanted with certificate and at least 6 month experience in beauty line. Plzz call 03-26937641 (Ninder)

IN-HOUSE TAILOR Ladies Wear. Mont Kiara. Part/Full Time.

Salary RM 1K ++ based on experience. Call: 012-201 5526 INDIAN COMPANY SECRETARY/ Company Secretarial/ Accounts/ Income Tax Clerks required. Call: 03-2693 9425/ 2698 4176 LEGAL FIRM in Hicom Glenmarie requires.

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BISTRO BAR AT Damansara requires (1) Manager; attractive salary RM2K++ plus comm.) Required with working experience in Pub & Bistro, Chinese female encouraged to apply. Interested call Chris at 014-262 6300 BRANCH MANAGER / Sales & Marketing Exec.

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PRIVATE COLLEGE IN KL requires urgently Receptionist & Cashier. For an appointment, call Gayathri / Laila at 03-2031 0266

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STORE LABOURERS urgently required by a Shah Alam company.Age below 30 years old.

5 days week work. Salary below RM800.00 + Allowance.Contact 03-51911069 (NJ/Badrul) TEACHERS / NURSES Required For Sales Job, Excellent Spoken English, Willing to work on weekends/ Public Holidays, Earn 3k7k Monthly, Retireeâ ™s Can also apply Interested candidates please Send Cv to saim_au@yahoo.com” VAN DRIVER Required at USJ for 5 days week. Min SPM with 1 year related working experience and able to work in a fast pace environment.

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VETERINARY DOCTOR & Surgeon needed on full / part time basis Interested pls call: 012-249 5424

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Our athletes are doing their best but we must remember that they are up against the best in the world — Malaysia's Universitiade chef-de-mission Prof Dr Shaharudin Abdul Aziz

The Malay Mail Thursday 18 AUGUST, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR: BADMINTON

Wuhan wins bid as badminton host THE 2012 Thomas Cup, Uber Cup and the world badminton team events will be held in central China's Wuhan city from May 20 to 27 next year.

Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) honourary secretary Ng Chin Chai said

Malaysia would play in the Asia qualifying competition in Macau from Feb 14 to 19.

"Jakarta, and Wuhan had bid for the host job and the Badminton World Federation (BWF) chose Wuhan in considering its excellent prepa-

rations and the desire of promoting badminton in the city and China," said Paisan Rangsikitpho, vice-president of BWF after the announcement was made.

Zhang Jin, deputy director of the Sports Administration

of Hubei province, whose capital is Wuhan, said it was a great honour for Wuhan and Hubei province to host the 2012 Thomas Cup and Uber Cup. Thomas Cup and Uber Cup, World Men's and

Women's Badminton Team Championships, are two of BWF's top three team events and take place every two years.

China won the Thomas Cup eight times and Uber Cup six times in a row.

KUALA LUMPUR: FOOTBALL/ MALAYSIA CUP RAZIP

No fun being Razip Players not attending regular training due to unpaid wages, says KL coach

NO one would want to be in Razip Ismail's shoes.

Razip is in a Catch-22 situation as most of the Kuala Lumpur players have not been reporting for training regularly due to unpaid wages since May. While the city coach steers away from the episode, insisting it falls under the jurisdiction of KLFA, he is feeling the pressure as the Malaysia Cup campaign starts on Sept 6.

Some of the city players are already courted by other

P O L I C E c o a c h K. Thaiyananthan says his side have exceeded expectations by qualifying for the upcoming Malaysia Cup. And he attributes tactical play for their good outing in the Premier League instead of individual talent.

However, he conceded that his charges lacked the edge that the likes of PKNS, Armed Forces and Sime Darby possessed. More often than not, they had to play to the strength of opponents and not their own.

"But i have to credit the players. It was all hard work and commitment. Their collective approach to the game served us well," said Thaiyananthan.

"We do not have the substance as most of our players are from the police force. But what they did possess is good fitness levels and we used that

By HARESH DEOL haresh@mmail.com.my

teams ahead of the new season next year.

"I can only do so much as it boils down to the players at the end of the day. They need to seriously buck up," said a frustrated Razip.

"If they carry on playing like this, no way we will qualify beyond the group stage."

KLFA are in the midst of settling the players' overdue wages. Razip and his lads will call Selayang Stadium their new home as the pitch

at Cheras Stadium is in a poor state.

The city strikers lacked the sting up front and Razip quick ly admitte d e ver y department needs to be worked on.

For instance, lanky Muhammad Afiq Azmi failed to capitalise on his height as he missed four good chances in front of goal during a friendly match against Kelantan last Sunday.

"The forwards are missing opportunities in front of goal. There is no proper build up from midfield while the defenders are everywhere.

There are a lot of problems and we need to rectify them quickly."

Nevertheless, Razip is optimistic of the squad's chances if the team show some improvement in the coming weeks.

"If the players improve, then we will be able to put up a fight and make it to the quarterfinals."

KL have lined up several friendly matches ahead of the competition. They play Selangor PKNS on Saturday followed by Johor FC (Aug 23) and Sime Darby FC (Aug 27).

Selangor, T-Team and KL in Group D. They have played two friendly matches so far. They received a 5-0 drubbing from Perak on Aug 10 and lost

Sarawak 2-0 on Aug 15.

They play Kelantan at Selayang Stadium today (10pm) before wrapping up their friendly matches against PKNS on Aug 23.

No 'I' in police team

By VIJHAY VICK vijhayvick@mmail.com.my

to our benefit."

Police were the only team in the league to play five defenders throughout the season.

They had to compromise in attack and play conservatively to have a chance of walking away with points.

Ac c o r d i n g t o Thaiyananthan, the management of the side never laid down any expectations due to the quality of players they had but he had a pep talk with the players at the beginning of the season.

"I told them we've been playing in the Premier League for several seasons but had not achieved anything. It is not about gaining promotion to the Super League but they should achieve something for themselves instead of not progressing as players.

TEAMWORK IS KEY: Thaiyananthan (right) wants his side to play as a collective unit in the Malaysia Cup

"The Malaysia Cup qualification was something we came to the consensus," said Thaiyananthan.

Police had been grouped together with favourites

Last year, Malaysia, despite playing at home, lost 3-0 to China in the semifinals.

The last time Malaysia won the Thomas Cup was in 1992 after beating Indonesia 3-2 at Stadium Negara. — Bernama

KUALA LUMPUR: GOLF

Women golfers to putt their way to Spain MALAYSIAN amateur women golfers will get a rare opportunity to represent the country in the Ladies Golf Cup World Finals in Murcia, Spain in November.

But they must first win the Ladies Golf Cup Malaysia 2011 which will be held over two rounds at the Kota Permai Golf and Country Club on Sept 13, and the second at Sutera Harbour Golf and Country Club in Kota Kinabalu on Sept 29.

Malaysian Ladies Golf A s s o c i at i o n ( Ma l g a ) executive director Datuk Rabeahtul Aloya Abbas said the opportunity to play in Spain was definitely a chance of a lifetime for Malaysian women golfers.

"With the categories divided, it sets up a level playing field, making it more interesting," she said.

The competition is open to Malaysian citizens aged 16 and above with a valid, up to date, handicap certificate.

Category A is for 0-18 handicappers while category B is for those with 19-36 handicap, and winners of each category from both rounds will qualify for the trip to Spain.

To join and stand a chance to play at Murcia, players will be charged RM480 each and RM380 for Malga members.

The Ladies Golf Cup, an amateur tournament, exclusively for women, is now the largest women's amateur golf event in Europe.

There will be three circuits for the 2011 Ladies Golf Cup, namely the English, European and the Malaysian round which is also dubbed as the Asian leg. — Bernama

Olympic athletics great Carl Lewis' bid to join the New Jersey State senate race is still in limbo — AFP

The Malay Mail Thursday 18 AUGUST, 2011

LJUBLJANA: Athletics

Ottey fails to qualify for Worlds SPRINT veteran Merlene Ottey will not feature at the World Championships in Daegu from Augu 27 after she failed to qualify for the 4x100m relay with her adopted country Slovenia.

The 51-year-old Jamaicanborn Ottey and her teammates missed the 44sec qualifying cut by a combined 0.76sec, meaning she will be unable to add to her 14 world medals.

A Slovenian citizen since 2002, Ottey did compete last year at the European championships.

Meanwhile, defending double world high jump champion Blanka Vlasic of Croatia is a doubt after injuring her leg.

Vlasic, also the double world indoor champion and reigning Olympic silver medallist, suffered a "partial rupture of the semi-membranous muscle of the left leg", her take-off leg, it was announced on her wesbite, blanka-vlasic.hr.

"This new situation brings

OTTEY

into question Blanka's participation at the Worlds in South Korea," it said, adding that a final decision would be taken tomorrow. — AFP

Nadal, Murray win in straight sets SPAIN'S Rafa Nadal and B r i t a i n ' s A n d y Mu r r ay passed their second-round te st s w it h st r ai g ht s e t s wins.

Both Nadal, the world No 2, and Murray, ranked fourth, suffered early exits in Montreal last week but there was little hint of a hangover in their latest matches.

Murray overcame a sluggish start to record a 6-4, 6-1 win over Argentine David Nalbandian, setting up a third-round match against either France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga or US qualifier Alex Bogomolov.

Nadal also put last week's setback aside as he beat Fre n c h qu a l i f i e r Ju l i e n Benneteau 6-4, 7-5 in just over 90 minutes.

The Spaniard won all three break points he gained in a comfortable display and will now face compatriot Fernando Verdasco, who beat France's Michael Llodra 6-4, 6-4. — AFP

1990 17

1992-3: Jim Courier ranked No.1 Andy Roddick: In top 20 since Aug 2001. Last US Grand Slam winner 12

12

1994-99: Pete Sampras No.1

2002: Sampras wins CURRENT 11 14th Grand Slam TOP 10* 1 N. Djokovic SRB 2003: Roddick wins US Open 2 R. Nadal ESP 2000: Andre 2011: Top ranked US* 3 R. Federer SUI 8 8 8 7 M. Fish Agassi No.1 4 A. Murray GBR 15 A. Roddick 6 6 5 R. Soderling SWE 27 J. Isner 6 D. Ferrer ESP 50 A. Bogomolov 7 M. Fish USA 5 5 5 5 5 8 G. Monfils FRA 4 4 4 4 4 4 9 T. Berdych CZE 3 10 J-W. Tsonga FRA AMERICAN GREATS Pete Sampras Andre Agassi 1988-2003 1986-2006 ATP titles: 64 ATP titles: 60 Career win/loss Career win/loss 762

222

870

274

GRAND SLAMS: Last US men to win Australian Open French Open Sources: ATP, US Open

A. Agassi A. Agassi

2003 1999

Wimbledon US Open

MCHALE: Suprising winner — AFP photo

Hard luck Wozniacki's slump continues

US men ranked in top 50 ahead of US Open

1991 13

27

CINCINNATI: TENNIS

Earlier this year, US tennis hit an historic low with no men or women ranked among the top 10 singles players – and ahead of the US Open only four men and three women feature in the ATP or WTA top 50 AMERICAN DECLINE

sports

P. Sampras A. Roddick

2000 2003

Pictures: Getty Images *Rankings correct as of Aug 17, 2011 © GRAPHIC NEWS

WORLD No 1 Caroline Wozniacki's disappointing US Open preparations continued this morning as she crashed 6-4, 7-5 to young American Christina McHale at the WTA tournament here.

The 21-year-old Dane suffered a collapse similar to last week's defeat in Toronto, where she went out in the second round after letting a 5-1 lead slip in the second set.

Wozniacki, who holds the No 1 ranking despite disappointing showings at the French Open and Wimbledon, had only returned to action in Toronto after a month out with a painful shoulder.

Wozniacki, who has been in the news of late for being the new girlfriend of US Open golf champion Rory McIlroy, has not won a match since a last-16 exit at Wimbledon, having received first-round byes at Toronto and here.

RESULTS Men's second round Andy Murray (GBR) bt David Nalbandian (ARG) 6-4, 6-1; Rafael Nadal (ESP) bt Julien Benneteau (FRA) 6-4, 7-5; Radek Stepanek (CZE) bt Andrey Golubev (KAZ) 6-3, 7-6 (7-2); Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) bt Feliciano Lopez (ESP) 6-1, 6-4; Mardy Fish (USA) bt Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) 6-0, 6-2; Gael Monfils (FRA)

Women's second round Peng Shuai (CHN) bt Sara Errani (ITA) 6-2, 6-4; Christina McHale (USA) bt Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 6-4, 7-5; Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) bt Petra Cetkovska (CZE) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4; Petra Martic (CRO) bt Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) 3-6, 6-2, 6-2; Francesca Schiavone (ITA) bt Maria Kirilenko (RUS) 7-5, 3-6, 6-4; Nadia Petrova (RUS) bt Ana Ivanovic (SRB) 6-3, 7-6 (7-4); Samantha Stosur (AUS) bt Serena Williams (USA) walkover; Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) bt Flavia Pennetta (ITA) 6-3, 6-4; Vera Zvonareva (RUS) bt Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) 6-3, 6-0

SERENA WILLIAMS pulled out of the Cincinnati Open this morning with a right toe injury that gives the former world No 1 a chance to rest ahead of the US Open.

Williams, who returned to competition in June after missing 11 months with injuries and health problems, said her latest setback is related to

a prior toe issue but is not as serious.

"It is not nearly as extreme.

It's just a bit of an aggravation because I think I've been pounding it a lot and playing a lot," said Williams, who admitted to feeling some discomfort during her win yesterday.

"But I don't think this is a

good time for me to take a big chance. I just don't think that would be smart."

The 13-time Grand Slam champion, who triumphed in her last two tournaments, was due to face Australian 10th seed Samantha Stosur in the second round, in a rematch of the Toronto Cup final she won on Monday. — Reuters

However, Wozniacki — a finalist in the 2009 US Open — was philosophical about her poor form and vowed to put it right.

"I would have liked to have more matches under my belt before the US Open (which gets under way on Aug 29) but I am going to train even harder," added Wozniacki, who will play in the New Haven tournament next week.

— AFP

bt Ivan Dodig (CRO) 4-6, 6-3, 4-0 retired; Nicolas Almagro (ESP) bt Ivo Karlovic (CRO) 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (7-2); Fernando Verdasco (ESP) bt Michael Llodra (FRA) 6-4, 6-4

Williams withdraws

28

sports

MADRID: football/ primera liga

Spanish strike stays THE start of the Primera Liga season is set to be delayed after talks to avert strike action for this weekend's opening games ended in a stalemate.

The Spanish Professional Footballers' Union (AFE) announced last week that players from the top two divisions would go on strike for the opening two weeks of the 2011/2012 season unless an agreement with the Liga de Futbol Profesional (LFP) was reached over a new collective bargaining agreement.

The AFE want a guaranteed fund to protect players' wages in the event of their clubs being declared insolvent.

The AFE and LFP met in Madrid yesterday but no agreement was reached and the two parties will meet again tomorrow.

LFP president Jose Luis Astiazaran told AS: "There is no agreement. The AFE maintain the strike for this weekend. We will meet again tomorrow and, if it is necessary, throughout the weekend."

The Primera Division season was scheduled to start this weekend, with champions Barcelona going to Malaga and Real Madrid hosting Athletic Bilbao, while the Segunda Division was meant to begin tomorrow with a match between Villarreal B and Hercules.

Inter's Mariga on loan to Sociedad REAL SOCIEDAD have agreed to take Kenya midfielder McDonald Mariga on loan from Inter Milan, the Spanish club said in a statement this morning.

The deal is subject to the 24-year-old passing a medical and the San Sebastian-based side have an option to make the move permanent next year.

Mariga, who joined Inter from Parma at the beginning of last year before they went on to win the Champions League, is Real Sociedad's second signing in two days after they took Mexico forward Carlos Vela on loan from Arsenal. — Reuters

I hope to have a successful time with Wolfsburg as the last two years have been very hard for me — Former West Ham midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger

The Malay Mail Thursday 18 AUGUST, 2011

MILAN: football/ SERIE A

Spoiled footballers Clubs, players disagree over new tax

ITALY'S footballers have been labelled spoiled by a rightwing minister as a row over who should pay a new tax added to an existing strike threat over players' rights.

The Italian Players' Union ( A IC ) re a c t e d qu i c k l y, describing the comments as "nonsense" with no hint yet that a resolution will be found to avert the strike before the start of the Serie A campaign on the weekend of Aug 27-28.

Earlier this month, the AIC said the new season would not get under way until a new collective agreement had been signed, guaranteeing players' rights.

But there is now further disagreement over the so-called solidarity contribution, a temporary tax which is being levied on Italians who earn over €90,000 (RM386,800) a year and was announced by the government last Saturday.

Players and the clubs want each other to pay.

Cabinet Minister Roberto Calderoli said this morning: "If this spoiled class continues with their threat to strike, I propose that, like politicians,

Europa League playoff first-leg fixtures TOMORROW Vaslui (ROM) v Sparta Prague (CZE) L. Warsaw (POL) v S. Moscow (RUS) Ekranas (LTU) v Hapoel Tel-Aviv (ISR) Loko. Moscow (RUS) v Trnava (SVK) FC Zestafoni (GEO) v Bruges (BEL) HJK Helsinki (FIN) v Schalke (GER) Nicosia (CYP) v FC Salzburg (AUT) Aalesunds (NOR) v Alkmaar (NED) A. Vienna (AUT) v Gaz Metan (ROM) Poltava (UKR) v D. Bucharest (ROM) FC Thune (SUI) v Stoke City (ENG) M. Tel-Aviv (ISR) v P'thinaikos (GRE) S. Bucharest (ROM) v Sofia (BUL) Lovech (BUL) v Dynamo Kiev (UKR) Wroclaw (POL) v R. Bucharest (ROM) N'jaelland (DEN) v S. Lisbon (POR) Salonika (GRE) v Karpaty Lviv (UKR) Besiktas (TUR) v Vladikavkaz (RUS) Bursaspor (TUR) v Anderlecht (BEL) Std Liege (BEL) v Helsingborg (SWE) Hanover (GER) v FC Sevilla (ESP) R. S. Belgrade (SRB) v Rennes (FRA) Met. Kharkov (UKR) v Sochaux (FRA) Fulham (ENG) v D'petrovsk (UKR) Athens (GRE) v Dinamo Tbilisi (GEO) Rosenborg (NOR) v Larnaca (CYP) Bratislava (SVK) v AS Roma (ITA) NK Maribor (SLO) v Rangers (SCO) S. Rovers (IRL) v P. Belgrade (SRB) Hearts (SCO) v Tottenham (ENG) Nacional (POR) v Birmingham (ENG) Differdange (LUX) v PSG (FRA) Athle Bilbao (ESP) v T'zonspor (TUR) Lazio (ITA) v Rabotnicki (MKD) Celtic v FC Sion (SUI) Ried (AUT) v PSV Eindhoven (NED) Braga (POR) v Young Boys (SUI) Atle Madrid (ESP) v Vitoria (POR)

TAX FOR BRATS: Calderoli (left), in this file pic with former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, says players should double their solidarity contributions if strike persists — GETTY photo

they double their solidarity contributions.

"I don't know if the solidarity contributions are fair or not, but if anyone should pay them, it's the players."

Calderoli has previously proposed a salary cap for

players and, on the eve of the 2010 World Cup, suggested the Italy squad should forfeit their bonuses if they won. In the event, Italy went out in the first round.

AIC vice-president Leonardo Grosso responded:

"It's nonsense to say the players are spoiled.

"It has to be remembered that while some players earn a lot, there are just as many who earn modest amounts and are not paid at frequent intervals."

AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani said the players should cough up.

"It's a tax which concerns all workers and the footballers are no exception," he told Sky Sport 24.

"We should contribute everything we can to save the country and so will the players who earn so much."

His sentiments were echoed by outspoken Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini.

"The solidarity contribution?

The players will pay it," he said.

The row over collective rights has dragged on since the end of the 2009/10 season and strikes were twice narrowly averted last term as negotiations stalled.

The AIC are especially unhappy about clubs trying to force players to move in the last year of their contracts and players who are no longer wanted by their clubs being forced to train separately.

Ten days ago, the captains of the 20 Serie A teams increased the pressure as they signed an open letter demanding that the dispute be resolved. — Reuters

LUXEMBOURG: football/ EUROPA LEAGUE

Nene left out 'as punishment' NENE was left out of Paris St Germain's squad for their Europa League match with Luxembourg's Differdange as punishment for a row with Antoine Kombouare, the PSG coach said this morning.

The Brazilian for ward reportedly clashed with Kombouare after being left on the bench for the duration of PSG's 1-1 draw at Rennes on Saturday.

He was officially omitted from the trip to Luxembourg due to an ankle injury but Kombouare said he wanted to send a message to the player as well.

"Nene is not in the squad.

To protect him regarding his painful ankle and also to punish him," Kombouare said.

According to French sport daily L'Equipe, Nene and Kombouare had an angry exchange in the changing room following the match at Rennes.

L'Equipe said that Nene

NOT SEEING EYE TO EYE: Nene will not play for PSG in their Europa League clash against Differdange — GETTY photo

subsequently apologised to his teammates.

"It'll give him time to have a good workout at Camp des Loges (PSG's training ground)," Kombouare added.

PSG meet Differdange in the away leg of their Europa

League qualifying tie today.

Argentine playmaker Javier Pastore, a French-record €42 m (RM180.5m) close-season signing from Palermo, has been included in the PSG squad despite concerns about his lack of match fitness.

"It's time that we let him

play," said Kombouare. "Will he start? I still need to talk to him.

"If I've named him in the squad, it's because I'm thinking about playing him. Of course he's not ready, but he needs to play matches. He lacks playing time." — AFP

The Malay Mail Thursday 18 AUGUST, 2011

I spoke with (Juan) Mata last night and he told me that the club are really glad to have me — New Valencia signing Sergio Canales

sports

football – special focus on Barcelona BARCELONA are already rated as the best on the planet by many, producing results via their sexy football. And the Primera Liga and Champions League holders look even deadlier after this summer's signings of Chilean star winger Alexis Sanchez and Spanish midfielder Cesc Fabregas from Udinese and Arsenal respectively. For Fabregas, it is a case of home-sweet-home as he is the product of the famous Barca youth academy La Masia. Mailsport's MUSTAPHA KAMARUDDIN looks at the Barca set-up as they gun for more honours this season while entertaining their fans all over the world, of course.

Catalan empire

Pep Guardiola

BARCELONA made two significant signings this summer, to bolster their already world class cast, in Alexis Sanchez and Cesc Fabregas. This will surely make them stronger, and pretty hard to handle even by the best of teams, both in Spain and Europe.

The Catalans do look scary in the attacking aspect, with the kind of quality players manager Josep "Pep" Guardiola has at his disposal.

Imagine having the combination of Sanchez (right), Lionel Messi (centre) and David Villa (left) up front. And the bad news for Barca's opponents is they are set to be Guardiola's first choice front three this season.

The 22-year-old Sanchez may be new to the side, but he has been impressive in pre-season. It should not take him that long to really gel with Messi and Villa, who still act as the main goal poachers.

Guardiola says Sanchez, for that matter, has already won over the dressing room.

The tactician revealed the Chilean's work rate off the ball in the Spanish Super Cup first-leg at Real Madrid last week impressed his new teammates.

"He did the running of six men," said Guardiola.

"We know he's a guy who comes from a very, very humble background, and it shows in his behaviour. He will give a lot, a lot, and has lots of versatility and ambition to be great.

"This humility is the best quality Alexis can have."

Barca's regular three upfront last season were Messi, Villa and Pedro.

This means the ever-improving Pedro, who scored 13 goals in Primera Liga last season from 33 games, has to make way. But this does not mean the 24-year-old Spain international is going to sit still. Knowing Pedro, he will continue to work hard as he knows it is going to be another long and gruelling season.

He will get the chance as anything can happen, like injuries and suspensions.

The beauty of Barca is that attacking midfielder Andres Iniesta can also operate up front, on the left, if needed.

Some say Fabregas may just

Even harder now to bring Barca down

WORLDCLASS: (From left, back) Barcelona's Eric Abidal, Dani Alves, Javier Mascherano, Seydou Keita, Victor Valdes. (Front) Lionel Messi, Alexis Sanchez, Thiago Alcantara, David Villa, Adriano and Andres Iniesta — AFP photo

FAB IS BACK: Fabregas (centre), poses with Barcelona director of football Andoni Zubizarreta (left) and Barcelona vice-president of sports Josep Maria Bartomeu (right), at the Nou Camp stadium after signing with the Catalan club last Monday — AFP photo

spend his time on the bench, considering the quality Barca possess in midfield. But this is unlikely to be the case — especially after finally getting him after a long two-year saga.

Fabregas is set to be a regular, playing on the right side, with maestros Xavi and Iniesta in the

middle and on the left respectively. It won't be a surprise if he even made his debut in the Spanish Super Cup return-leg against Real at Nou Camp this morning.

"Fabregas is great and plays very good football, he is a guy who has depth in his passing, has good attacking qualities and plays

in several positions. He is here to learn the mechanisms, concepts, but is very mobile and dynamic," said Guardiola.

So what wlll happen to Sergio Busquets, who has been partnering Xavi and Iniesta all this while?

And Javier Mascherano?

Guardiola is poised to play

Busquets as a centreback to partner Gerard Pique. In fact, Busquets played this role on several occasions last season when injury-prone veteran Carles Puyol was out.

Argentine Mascherano also played this role at times, including in the Champions League final against Manchester United last May in Wembley, with Busquets playing in midfield.

Interestingly, there is another midfielder who impressed in preseason. He is 20-year-old Thiago, and there is every chance of him seeing some action as well.

Mascherano may now find it hard to see action, so much so, he has already been linked with a move to Inter Milan.

Brazil international Dani Alves will maintain his regular place at rightback, with Victor Valdes in goal.

What about leftback?

There are three candidates in Eric Abidal, Adriano and Maxwell. It can be any one of them, with Abidal likely to feature most in Guardiola's plans this season.

29

NICKNAME: L'equip blaugrana FOUNDED: Nov 29, 1899 HOME: Nou Camp CAPACITY: 99,354 PRESIDENT: Sandro Rosell MANAGER: Josep "Pep" Guardiola THE SQUAD GOALKEEPERS Victor Valdes (3rd captain) Jose Manuel Pinto DEFENDERS Daniel Alves Gerard Pique Carles Puyol (capt) Gerard Pique Eric Abidal Maxwell Adriano Andreu Fontas MIDFIELDERS Xavi Hernandez (vice-capt) Cesc Fabregas Andres Iniesta (4th capt) Javier Mascherano Thiago Alcantara Seydou Keita Sergio Busquets Ibrahim Affelay Alexander Hleb STRIKERS David Villa Alexis Sanchez Lionel Messi Pedro Rodriguez HONOURS PRIMERA LIGA WINNERS 1929, 1945, 1948, 1949, 1952, 1953, 1959, 1960, 1974, 1985, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011 RUNNERS-UP 1930, 1946, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1962, 1964, 1967, 1968, 1971, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1997, 2000, 2004, 2007 COPA DEL REY WINNERS 1910, 1912, 1913, 1919, 1922, 1925, 1926, 1928, 1942, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1957, 1959, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1978, 1981, 1983, 1988, 1990, 1997, 1998, 2009 RUNNERS-UP 1919, 1932, 1936, 1954, 1974, 1984, 1986, 1996, 2011 SPANISH SUPER CUP WINNERS 1983, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010 RUNNERS-UP 1985, 1988, 1990, 1993, 1997, 1998, 1999 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE WINNERS 1992, 2006, 2009, 2011 RUNNERS-UP 1961, 1986, 1994 EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS' CUP WINNERS 1979, 1982, 1989, 1997 RUNNERS-UP 1969, 1991 EUROPEAN SUPER CUP/UEFA SUPER CUP WINNERS 1992, 1997, 2009 RUNNERS-UP 1979, 1982, 1989, 2006 INTERCONTINENTAL CUP RUNNERS-UP 1992 FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP WINNERS 2009 RUNNERS-UP 2006

30

sports

PRESSTALK CORRIERE DELLO SPORT

Gunners talking with Zarate

This was a strange match because we had many chances, but just like it happens in football sometimes, the ball did not go in — Villarreal coach Juan Garrido ODENSE: FOOTBALL/ CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Danish delight

The Malay Mail Thursday 18 AUGUST, 2011

HEADS UP: Borja Valero of Villarreal (left) vies with Odense's Anders Moller Christensen — AFP photo

Zapata blunder sees Villarreal stunned by Odense ARSENAL are believed to be interested in Lazio's Mauro Zarate (pic), and there is speculation that talks have taken place between the club and his agent brother.

Participation in Lazio's game against Rabotnicki in the Europa League tomorrow will cup-tie him for Arsenal’s Champions League campaign, though reports suggest that at the moment Zarate is unwell.

"Mauro has had flu for the past three days," Lazio coach Edy Reja said this morning. "I'll talk to him about his condition and we will decide together what to do. I’ve never been influenced by the market since I arrived, nor will I be again when I decide who will take the field tomorrow. Then again, if I were to get orders from above, then that’s a different matter."

DAILY MIRROR

Celtic switch for keeper CELTIC manager Neil Lennon claims a deal has been agreed with Newcastle for goalkeeper Fraser Forster. Forster was on loan at the Glasgow club last season and will return for another campaign on loan with a view to a permanent move. Ahead of their Europa League play-off first-leg against Swiss side Sion at Parkhead, Lennon said: "A deal has been agreed. There are a few snags to overcome but we hope to have him registered in time tomorrow. If that is the eventuality of things, we would be absolutely delighted. He has been the main target since the end of last season."

DAILY MIRROR

Salcido joins Tigres FULHAM fullback Carlos Salcido has joined Mexican outfit Tigres on a season-long loan deal. The 31-year-old joined the Cottagers last summer from PSV Eindhoven and impressed during his first season in the Barclays Premier League. However, Salcido grew unsettled at the west London club after a robbery at his house resulted in his family leaving England, and now joins Nuevo Leon-based club Tigres after undergoing a medical.

Fulham confirmed the deal on their official Twitter page and Salcido is likely to join up with his new teammates for training straight away.

A SHO CKING error by debutant Cristian Zapata saw Villarreal stunned 1-0 by unheralded Danish side Odense in the away leg of their Champions League playoff tie this morning.

The Colombia centreback, who signed from Udinese earlier this summer, underhit an attempted back-pass to goalkeeper Diego Lopez in the 84th minute, allowing Hans Henrik Andreasen to lash home the winning goal.

Juan Carlos Garrido's side, fourth in La Liga last season and Europa League semifinalists, must now win the second-leg at El Madrigal next Tuesday or face elimination from Europe's premier competition.

Whereas Villarreal are yet to begin their domestic season, Odense are already five matches into their Danish SuperLiga campaign.

Their greater freshness was apparent in the first 20 minutes, when Andreasen

failed to capitalise on several openings.

The visitors gradually grew into the game, however, and Stefan Wessels found his goal peppered with shots in the second-half of the first period.

Mateo Mussachio had an effort cleared off the line, Giuseppe Rossi tested Wessels with a vicious nearpost shot and Cani saw a rising drive from 25 yards miss the right-hand angle of post and bar by centimetres.

Rossi rippled the side netting from Nilmar's pass 10 minutes into the secondhalf but the Spaniards were then indebted to Lopez for spectacularly tipping over a sumptuous dipping volley from Kalilou Traore.

Wessels twice repelled Nilmar and an underwhelming draw looked on the cards for the visitors until Zapata's late blunder made things even worse.

His loose pass was seized upon by Andreasen, who

slipped past Zapata's atte mpt to m a ke amends before bending a left-foot shot past Lopez and nudging Odense towards a f i rst e ve r group phase appearance.

— AFP

Champions League playoff first-leg RESULTS THIS MORNING Wisla Krakow 1 Maccabi Haifa 2 Dinamo Zagreb 4 OB Odense 1 Bayern Munich 2

APOEL Nicosia Genk Malmo Villarreal FC Zurich

0 1 1 0 0

Second-legs to be played on Aug 23/24

BIRMINGHAM: FOOTBALL/ PREMIER LEAGUE

Odemwingie to ditch West Brom for top offer WEST BROM striker Peter Odemwingie will only leave the club if an offer from a ''top'' team comes in.

Odemwingie has attracted rave reviews since his move to England last year and finished as the Baggies' top scorer last season. Wigan made an offer believed to be around £1.5 million (RM7.4m), but that was rejected by the club and the Nigerian striker now revealed that he would only leave for

a big side. ''To my dear WBA supporters,'' Odemwingie tweeted. ''I love this club and will leave only to a TOP team which is understandable. Nothing abnormal is going on. Contract is not signed 'cos of the duration of it. Figures agreed long time ago cos I know this is not real madrid . Please be patient.''

Earlier, West Brom manager Roy Hodgson said he was

hopeful the striker would pen a new deal as he ''owes'' the club that made him.

"Peter's been made an extremely good offer. I'm optimistic he'll sign,'' said Hodgson. ''We owe him a debt but he owes us too as we were the club that gave him his chance."

First-team coach Michael Appleton added his voice to the many hoping Odemwingie would stay.

"Peter is 30-years-old and I

would imagine at some point in his career he's been in a situation where he's been in negotiations with his contract," Appleton told Birmingham Mail.

"It has to be right for him, right for the club and I'm sure over the next couple of weeks something will be agreed and we can all get on with playing football and everyone comes out of it happy.

"We want him to stay. We

took a chance on taking him from Russia 12 months ago and saw something in him we liked and could work with.

He had a fantastic season last year and we want that again this season with us. Staying at West Brom will give him that opportunity.

"He got 15 goals last season and if he can get anywhere close to that, I'm sure we will give ourselves a good chance next season."

JOS: FOOTBALL/ PREMIER LEAGUE

Kidnappers demand ransom for Mikel's dad KIDNAPPERS who abducted the father of Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel contacted his family this morning requesting a US$1.3 million (RM386,600) ransom for his release, Nigerian police said.

Police were contacted on Friday after Mikel's father

Michael, who runs a transport company, failed to return to his home in the central Nigerian town of Jos. Apev Jacob, a spokesman for the local police, said they had found his father's car abandoned but did not disclose the location.

Jacob gave no further details on how ransom negotiations were progressing and Mikel's family declined to comment. Mikel is understood to earn more than US$100,000 a week.

The 24-year-old Nigeria inter nat iona l pl aye d in Sunday's English Premier

League season-opening 0-0 draw at Stoke City despite knowing his father was abducted on Friday.

He has publicly pleaded for his safe return.

It is not the first time a relative of a Premier League player has been abducted in Nigeria, where most people

live on less than US$2 a day, after former Everton defender Joseph Yobo's brother was kidnapped in 2008.

Kidnapping of oil workers in the southern Niger Delta has been relatively common in the past but abductions have begun spreading further north. — Reuters

The Malay Mail Thursday 18 August, 2011

Queens Park Rangers have revealed they plan to make an announcement about the club tomorrow amid intense speculation of a looming takeover — AFP

sports

LONDON: FOOTBALL/ PREMIER LEAGUE

Modric excluded

MODRIC: Omitted from Spurs' lineup to avoid being cup-tied — GETTY photo

Midfielder's omission fuels transfer speculation MIDFIELDER Luka Modric was omitted from Tottenham's squad to face Hearts in the Europa League first-leg playoff at Tynecastle tomorrow (4am), fuelling expectations that he will join Chelsea.

Spurs manager Har r y Redknapp said Modric has a groin injury, and his absence ensures he will not be cuptied if he moves to Stamford Bridge.

If the Croatia international had played, and Spurs reached the competition proper, he would be ineligible to represent another team in either the Champions League or Europa League this season — thereby reducing his potential transfer value.

Chelsea are reportedly ready to pay £27m (RM133m), plus Yossi Benayoun and Solomon Kalou, for Modric, having already seen two bids rejected.

Spurs, whose Premier League opener against Everton last weekend was postponed due to rioting, are already suffering an injury crisis in midfield.

"Tom Huddlestone's got a problem with his ankle

LIVERPOOL: FOOTBALL/ PREMIER LEAGUE

MAXI

Maxi welcomes healthy competition MIDFIELDER Maxi Rodriguez insists he is pleased by the signings Liverpool have made this summer, even though the task of securing a first-team place has grown tougher as a consequence.

Over the last few months, Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish has recruited Jordan Henderson, Charlie Adam, Stewart Downing and Jose Enrique, all of whom made their debuts for the club in last Saturday's 1-1 Premier League draw with Sunderland at Anfield.

Maxi — scorer of seven goals, including two hattricks, for Liverpool towards the end of last season — was not included in the squad and looks set to face a battle to be selected.

But the Argentine told Liverpool Echo: "Competition for places is always a positive thing for the club, and I think it's great that the signings who have arrived are of such high quality with a great level of skill and technique.

"It means the manager has to decide what he thinks is his best 11, but that is something he will decide, and we will all hope we are in it.

Liverpool are attempting to break back into the top four this season, and Maxi believes it is vital they make a strong start to the campaign.

"I don't think you can stress enough the importance of the first few weeks of the season," he said.

"If you can see yourself near the top of the table, it's great,

and the confidence that gives helps you grow as a team and as a squad.

"It also means that the teams you are facing will maybe come with a different attitude, perhaps showing more respect when they're coming to play against you.

"I think at the start of any season your ultimate goal is to win the league and to come out as champions."

from last year when he had an operation — he missed the back end of last season," Redknapp told Eurosport.

"Modric has got a groin problem, he's not fit. Jermaine Jenas has got an achilles injury, Wilson Palacios is not going to be fit for tomorrow and Sandro is out long-term with a knee injury, so that's five midfield players.

"We've got one midfield player really and that's Jake Livermore, a young lad who's been out on loan. We like Jake, he's a kid who's played in the Championship on loan at several clubs, and he's the only central midfield player who's available tomorrow."

Meanwhile, Redknapp confirmed Spurs want Manchester C it y st r i ke r E m manu el Adebayor.

"The chairman's dealing with it, so I'm not sure what stage it's at," he said.

Sp u r s h av e f re e d up vital funds to help finance Adebayor's £180,000-a-week wages by selling Robbie Keane to LA Galaxy.

Redknapp, at the same time, played down reports he is looking to bring FC Twente

attacker Bryan Ruiz to White hart Lane before the close of the transfer window.

Ruiz has been strongly linked with a move to the Premier League this summer, with Arsenal and Fulham also rumoured to be interested in the Costa Rica international.

However, Spurs have been mooted as favourites to sign Ruiz, who is capable of playing up front or on the wing.

He was watched by Redknapp when he scored during Twente's 2-2 draw at home to Benfica in yesterday's Champions League qualifier.

However, Redknapp was non-committal on whether he would make a bid for Ruiz as Spurs continue discussions regarding a deal to sign Adebayor.

"I went and watched the game and watched Ruiz play," said Redknapp.

"He is a good player but we are more desperate in other areas. I don't think anything is going to happen. He's a good player that I have watched before. I just like going to watch football matches so I thought I'd just go and see the game."

Toffees skipper thankful for delayed season EVERTON captain Phil everybody fully fit. I think Neville believes the club's we are there now," he told held up start to the sea- Everton's website. son could prove a real "We have worked hard bonus. over the past six or T h e To f f e e s ' seven weeks. We scheduled suffered a little setPremier League back last Saturday opening match with the game at Totten ham being off, but you last weekend was never know. postponed due to "God works in NEVILLE safety concerns folmysterious ways, lowing the London and it gave two or three riots, and their campaign of the lads some extra minwill now get under way when utes on the pitch." they host newly-promoted Everton took on Irish side Queens Park Rangers on Bohemians in a friendly on Saturday.

Monday, in which midfielder Neville was disappointed Mikel Arteta stepped up to have to wait to get back his recovery from a foot into action, but he thinks injury sustained earlier in the squad should feel the pre-season. benefit of the extra preparaArteta played 68 minutes tion time. of the 1-1 draw after being "The aim at the start of pre- named in the starting line-up season was to go into the first and Neville was delighted to game of the campaign with see the Spaniard's progress.

31

PRESSTALK MARCA

Mata bid rejected IT is being reported that Valencia have rebuffed a £21.9m offer from Chelsea for much-wanted midfielder Juan Mata. The Spanish international is considered essential at Chelsea, who look to be front-runners for his signature, with long-term admirer Arsene Wenger having stated his club Arsenal is backing down in the race.

The Blues are also reportedly preparing to order Fernando Torres to convince his international teammate of the merits of a move to Stamford Bridge. Valencia are sticking to their £26.4m price tag for the in-demand and skillful winger but it is believed a second bid from Andre Villas-Boas' team is forthcoming.

THE GUARDIAN

Everton not tempted

LEICESTER CITY will have to improve their £3m offer for Jermaine Beckford to tempt Everton into selling the 27year-old only a year after his arrival at Goodison Park.

The Toffees rejected a bid on Friday, and there have been no further offers for a striker who scored 10 goals in his debut Premier League campaign last season. Beckford arrived at Everton on a free transfer from Leeds United last summer and, despite initially struggling to adapt to the Premier League and starting mostly on the bench, his form improved in a side that struggled for goals.

Manager David Moyes has again been unable to improve his forward options this summer, and it would be a surprise if he sanctioned Beckford's departure.

EVENING STANDARD

Parker gets lifeline

SCOTT PARKER scored his first goal of the season, but it could be his last in the claret and blue shirt with Queens Park Rangers poised to make an £8m (RM39.4m) bid.

Malaysian businessman Tony Fernandes plans to make England midfielder Parker his first marquee signing once his takeover of QPR is confirmed.

Parker is keen to return to the Premier League with Euro 2012 on the horizon while Fernandes, a self-confessed West Ham supporter, wants the 2011 Player of the Year to boost manager Neil Warnock's squad. Should Parker go, West Ham could turn their attention to Newcastle's controversial star Joey Barton, who the north-east club have said can leave on a free transfer.

Caro’s living nightmare CAROLINE WOZNIACKI continues slump after shock secondround loss to 19-year-old American Christina Thursday 18 August, 2011 McHale

Williams toe-ed out

>> pg27

SERENA WILLIAMS pulls out of Cincinnati Open with a right toe injury to rest ahead of US Open

Bayern close in MUNICH: FOOTBALL/ CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

German giants ease to victory over Zurich

BAYERN MUNICH have one foot in the Champions League’s group stages after their 2-0 home win over 10man FC Zurich in this morning’s qualification playoff, first-leg.

The teams meet again on Wednesday at Zurich’s Letzigrund Stadium and the Germans take a commanding lead into the second-leg thanks to impressive finishing from Bastian Schweinsteiger and Arjen Robben.

The hosts scored an early goal through midfielder Schweinsteiger, then doubled the lead when Dutch winger Robben curled his shot home on 72 minutes.

“In the second-half we played well, we created several clear goal chances and dominated our opponents,” said Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

“In the first-half, we didn’t really do enough, but a 2-0 result gives us a good chance of qualifying.

“We have to concentrate now for the second-leg in Zurich and we could do with scoring a goal or two there.”

But Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes was left ruing several missed opportunities, especially in the second-half when the hosts squandered four clear chances.

“The players knew how important this game was for us,” said Heynckes.

“We started well in the first

20 minutes and created some good chances, but if you are as superior in the secondhalf as we were, we have to take our chances.

“We have to raise our tempo against a team like that.”

And despite creating the first goal and scoring the second, Robben says there is plenty of room for improvement ahead of the secondleg.

“The result is OK, but we have to concentrate more, be more aggressive and play faster,” said the Dutchman.

Bayern host the Champions League final at their Allianz Arena stadium on May 19 next year and this was the first step on what they hope will be a run to their first European title since 2001.

Heynckes sent out a strong side with each player enjoying some degree of international experience.

Germany midfielder Thomas Mueller was the only star left on the bench as he opted for seven full German caps in the team, plus he started with dynamic Robben and Franck Ribery on either flank.

The selection paid off when Robben beat Zurich defender Mathieu Beda down the left flank and fired in a cross which vice-captain Schweinsteiger met at the far post after just eight minutes.

A well-struck cross from right-wing Ricardo Rodriguez, headed wide by Tuni-

>> pg27 LOCAL

No money, no talk KL coach Razip Ismail under pressure as players not in training due to unpaid wages

>> pg26 football

Football superpower NEW signings add depth to Barcelona and they look to be even stronger this time around

>> pg29

From Columbia with love

BEST START: Robben (right) celebrates scoring with his teammates Olic (left) and Rafinha — AFP photo

sia striker Amine Chermiti, was Zurich’s best effort of the first-half - goalkeeper Manuel Neuer had it covered, but referee Aleksei Nikolaev ruled it offside anyway.

Germany striker Mario Gomez wasted a golden chance when Ribery darted into the penalty area and squared for his Munich teammate, but Gomez fired wide

with the goal at his mercy on 50 minutes.

Likewise, captain Philipp Lahm went one-on-one with Zurich goalkeeper Johnny Leoni just moments later, but his shot was saved.

Then Ribery clattered the right-hand post with Leoni beaten from a free-kick, but Robben eased Bayern’s nerves with his sweetly-

struck shot from the edge of the area with just under 20 minutes left.

Gomez went close again with 10 minutes remaining left as he fired over as Bayern dominated until the final whistle and Zurich were reduced to 10 men when Beda was sent off for a second yellow card in added time.

— AFP

VILLARREAL’S Colombian centreback Cristian Zapata gifts Odense winning goal in Champions League playoff tie

>> pg30

PRESS TALK

Barcelona: FOOTBALL/ spanish Supercup

Fab and painful debut for Cesc

CESC FABREGAS made his Barcelona debut against Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup this morning just two days after completing his move from Arsenal.

The 24-year-old midfielder came on as a substitute

in the 82nd minute, just after Real had equalised at 2-2, to put the scores level on aggregate at 4-4.

Lionel Messi then bagged the winner when he hit an 88th minute volley to give the Blaugrana a 3-2 win

just when the match was about to go into extratime.

Real’s Marcelo and Mesut Oezil were both sent off in ugly scenes in injury time after Fabregas was hacked down. — Agencies

No Mata what real pain: Fabregas (foreground) with Messi’s double sinks Real in Super Cup this morning — AFPpic

Chelsea’s offer for Valencia midfielder Juan Mata not good enough, for now

Published by Malay Mail Sdn Bhd (239512V), Lot 2A, Jalan 13/2, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, and printed by The New Straits Times Press (Malaysia) Berhad (4485-H), 31, Jalan Riong, 59100 KL

>> pg31