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'PLEASE WAKE UP AH KONG'

Grandchildren have been asking when Ong Kim Koon, who died last Friday after a hit-and-run incident, will wake up.

Ong will be laid to rest today.

By MUZLIZA MUSTAFA crime@mmail.com.my AMPANG: Sisters Ong Yi Qing, five, (left) and Yi Heng, three, (right) had been constantly asking when their 'Ah Kong' or grandfather will wake up from his 'sleep' as they would often check on Ong Kim Koon's (centre) body lying in an open casket at their house in Taman Pandan Mewah.

Said their factory supervisor father, Vincent Ong Kah Hui, 27: "When my daughters asked me about Ah Kong, I could only tell them he had gone to a better place. They were very close to him as he was to them. Any free time he had he would teach them gardening as it was one of his hobbies.”

As Ong had continued to 'sleep' since he was brought home on Friday evening, Vincent said his daughters had since come to accept they would not be able to wake him any more.

Ong, fondly known as Michael among family and friends, will be laid to rest at the Rawang Memorial Park today. Besides Vincent and two granddaughters, he left behind wife Lau Chooi Lin, two daughters, and a grandson.

Vincent said his father’s friends came from near and far to pay their respects after hearing about his death on Friday at 12.20am at Hospital Ampang without regaining consciousness, 11

days after he was knocked down by a Toyota Estima on April 11 about 1.30am.

“My family and I are overwhelmed with all the love and support shown by them,” he said, adding the couple whom Ong saved also paid their last respects.

He said strangers also turned up to offer their condolences after reading The Malay Mail's Friday Page 1 report on Ong's passing after he was knocked down while helping fruit-seller Zainal Md Yusoff, 45, and his wife, Rosamiah Hashim, 38, from the wreckage of their car.

“To all the friends and strangers who visited

us, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts as we are touched by your presence."

Vincent said he was proud of Ong for his deeds and the hearts he touched. “My dad taught me well. I am saddened by his death but proud of him.”

He said one thing his father taught him was to help people, regardless of race, religion and social standing. “I will continue doing good like him. He made me want to be a better person, he made me so proud to be his son.”

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the malay mail

Monday 25 APRIL, 2011

News Alert

news

FAULTY CABLE CAUSED MISHAP Contractor sought in probe on playground death

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By FAIZAL NOR IZHAM mmnews@mmail.com.my SHAH ALAM: The massive jolt of electricity which killed an 11-year-old boy at a Batu Tiga playground last month was due to a faulty underground cable joint.

The contractor responsible for the work is being sought by the Energy Commission of Malaysia to facilitate investigation into the case.

These were the findings of the commission, which had probed the death of Muhammad

Naquiddin Mohd Marzuki, who came into contact with a lamp post at a playground in front of his house at Taman Batu Tiga here on March 19.

In a statement, the commission's director of enforcement and regional coordination department, Othman Omar, said their investigation showed the cause of the leakage was a faulty underground cable joint.

The commission said they were waiting for the Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ) to identify the contractor responsible for the installation.

It is understood the commission has asked the council to appoint a registered electrical contractor to repair the fault in accordance with proper standards. Only when this is done will electrical supply be restored to the two lamp posts in the playground.

The supply to the playground's lamp posts had been cut off soon after the incident.

The Malay Mail had reported that on the day of the incident, Naquiddin, the eldest of four siblings, was playing football with friends when he slipped and fell on the wet ground and touched

the lamp post, which led him to being electrocuted.

Factory worker Mohd Marzuki Muda had to use a piece of plywood to free his son, whose right leg was stuck to the lamp post due to the massive current.

Despite efforts to revive him, the boy died at the hospital.

It was also reported that several other residents had experiences mild electric shocks with the lamp post in the past. However, none had reported the matter.

It was claimed that no one had raised the matter with the MPSJ for further action.

Sedition charge re-mention on June 20

PRAYERS FOR HERO: Prayers are offered for the soul of Ong, who will be buried this afternoon

By MARHALIM ABAS mabas@mmail.com.my SHAH ALAM: The Sessions Court here this morning fixed June 20 for the remention of the sedition charge against Sri Muda assemblyman Shuhaimi Shafiei.

Judge Slamat Yahya fixed the date after Shuhaimi's lawyer, Nizam Bashir, told the court the High Court here had fixed May 31 to hear their application to strike out the charge.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Siti Syakimah Ibrahim did not object to the new date.

The application to strike out the charge, on grounds the Sedition Act was unconstitutional, was made on April 1.

Shuhaimi is charged with posting an alleged seditious article in his blog (srimuda.blogspot.com) on the appointment of Datuk Mohd Khusrin Munawi as the new Selangor State Secretary on Dec 30 last year.

He is alleged to have committed the offence at his service centre in Jalan Anggerik Vanilla, Kota Kemuning, Shah Alam.

He is charged under Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act 1948, which carries a fine not exceeding RM5,000 or imprisonment up to three years, or both, upon conviction.

If convicted, Shuhaimi also risks losing his state assembly seat.

Relatives and friends pay last respects ● from page 1 Vincent said he was looking for witnesses to the incident and they could contact him at 012-6982385.

Meanwhile, Lau said it was her husband's wish to be buried instead of cremated. “A long time ago, he joked about how he wished to be buried. He said to not cremate his body as he was afraid of fire."

Ong celebrated his 52nd birthday the day earlier with his family and was returning home after donating to a temple in Genting Highlands when he came across the car crash couple on the Middle Ring Road 2, near the Tesco roundabout.

He had retrieved Zainal and placed him on the road divider, and was about to pull out Rosamiah when he was hit by the Toyota Estima which was apparently trying to barge its way out of the resultant traffic jam.

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The vehicle dragged Ong, who was stuck in its wheel housing, over a few metres. A friend, who was also helping the accident victims, alerted the driver to stop. While the friend freed Ong, the driver sped off. Police have confirmed the driver had left the scene and lodged a police report at 3pm the same day.

Two ambulances arrived about 20 minutes later and took Ong and the injured couple to Hospital Ampang. His right leg had to be amputated. Last Thursday, doctors told Ong's family his other leg had to be amputated to prevent blood poisoning but postponed it as his blood pressure was too low.

The same night, doctors said it was too late to save Ong as his body had been infected. Zainal was discharged on April 15 while Rosamiah was released on Thursday.

Earlier today, several of Ong's family members, relatives and

friends gathered at the family home at Taman Pandan Mewah in Ampang from this morning to pay their last respects to the fallen hero.

Vincent said his father's body will be taken to Rawang Memorial Park around 2pm for burial.

"It was a solemn day here in my house and I am glad that everybody was here to pay tribute to my father."

One of Ong's fr iends, A. Vasudevan, said Ong was a great man and his heroic effort would be remembered forever.

"He was a great man and I will remember him forever," said Vasudevan.

It is understood from the family members that Pandan Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Ong Tee Kiat and Teratai State assemblyman Janice Lee will be paying their respects today.

Ampang Jaya police chief launches Ops Payung 2

By MUZLIZA MUSTAFA crime@mmail.com.my KUALA LUMPUR: Ampang Jaya police chief ACP Amiruddin Jamaluddin launched Ops Payung 2 at Taman Pandan Mewah, Ampang recently.

He said Ops Payung 2 would see an improved version of the 'payung' beat base, for better visibility, at strategic locations in Ampang.

The revised version will have foldable tables and a beacon instead of merely stationing policemen under umbrellas.

It can also be used to set up immediate roadblocks upon a tip-off.

Amiruddin said Ampang police now had 18 payung beat bases that can be used at any one time.

“The placement and locations will change daily and decided by the officer in charge of stations in Ampang based on reports and crime statistics in the area,” he said.

The payung beat bases are placed at residential, commercial areas and crime hot spots.

The launching includes the distribution of 4,000 pamphlets containing police contact numbers and crime prevention tips for residents and business owners.

Amiruddin said the pamphlets were initiated by residents of Taman Pandan Mewah in Ampang.

“Residents approached us with the idea of the pamphlet to create awareness to combat crime and wanted our input on it, so we assisted them by providing tips and information content,” he said.

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the malay mail

Monday 25 APRIL, 2011

UKRC land status issue coming to a close

By AZREEN HANI azreenhani@mmail.com.my AMPANG: Will the soon-to-beheld public hearing on the Ulu Klang Recreational Club (UKRC) land title issue finally bring closure to a controversial land status saga spanning over 50 years?

Hulu Kelang State assemblyman Saari Sungib and UKRC president Andrew Gopal both feel the answer is: "Very likely."

After receiving a letter from the Selangor Menteri Besar's (MB) office on April 20 inform ing them a public hearing on the UKRC land title is planned, Saari was optimistic the land issue would be resolved soon.

“The letter informed me the public hearing will be chaired by local leader Datuk Wan Mahmood Pawan Teh and should be attended by Gombak MP Azmin Ali, myself, representatives from UKRC, and the Indian and Chinese communities.”

He expected Mahmood to call for a meeting first to decide the date of the hearing.

“If possible, we want this to be resolved as soon as next month.

We would let UKRC members decide on the proposal — whether they want to amend the gazette or have the land awarded to them.”

Saari noted this was the first time the motion on the UKRC land title had been tabled and passed during a State meeting, which signified a positive move.

Meanwhile, Gopal expressed confidence the land status was “as good as confirmed to be ours”.

He said the public hearing was only standard operating procedure: “We are delighted the MB and State government, especially Saari, have shown serious attention in resolving the matter.

“We are now waiting for the date to be scheduled and we hope for positive feedback. Hopefully, the public hearing would be held before the fasting month."

Last month, the Selangor State Assembly approved a motion tabled by Saari, in which he proposed the UKRC land status — gazetted as “open space” by former Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khir Toyo in 2004 — be corrected and changed to “recreational”.

Club members have for almost two decades dealt with broken promises, and wrangled with State and local governments over ownership of the five-acre site. UKRC was established on Sept 20, 1957, as a recreational club by the late K. Suppiah, who wanted to create fellowship among residents.

The battle for control of the club's land title began in earnest when residents discovered the field was earmarked for a squatter relocation project in April 2002.

The Malay Mail has, since the 1990s, been relentlessly highlighting UKRC’s plight.

3

news

Normal loans cheaper

By SHAHRIM TAMRIN shahrimtamrin@mmail.com.my KUALA LUMPUR: A probe by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) reveals the Malaysia International Tuna Port Sdn Bhd (MITP) will not get into financial trouble if it had taken up conventional financing instead of the Bai Bithaman Ajil Islamic (BAIS) debt securities bond facility.

PAC deputy chairman Dr Tan Seng Giaw (pic) told The Malay Mail the committee had also called a representative from one of the financial institutions which provided the bond financing to the concessionaire.

“A week after we called the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry's former secretary-general and former deputy secretary-general, the committee called the vice-president of the financial institution.”

This was to enable the committee to understand more about the

financing facilities provided to the concessionaire.

“PAC noted MITP only used RM40 million of the RM240 million bond but now needed to pay back RM95 million. The concessionaire has to incur high interest from the Bai Bithaman Ajil Islamic (BAIS) debt securities bond facility.

"So the committee asked the bank representative what if MITP had taken up conventional bond financing, would the repayment amount then be lower? The banker answered yes.”

Still, Tan said the issue about how the RM40 million loan taken ended up with the concessionaire owing RM95 million was not about the Islamic financial system.

“It’s all about the people involved.

How the bond facilities were finalised, why it was necessary in the first place and ministry officials' awareness. These were the main concerns of the committee. Something,

Employers prefer to hold maids' bank books

By EE ANN NEE ean@mmail.com.my PETALING JAYA: Employers of maids are agreeable to paying them through bank accounts but prefer to hold onto their employees' bank passbooks and ATM cards as a precaution against them running away, The Malay Mail found in a random survey.

Jarimah Sham, 40, a secretary who employs an Indonesian maid, welcomes the move by the government to compel employers to pay maids through bank accounts, rather than in cash.

“However, employers would not feel secure without a ‘bond’ and in this case, we need to hold onto the maid's passbook and ATM card. If not, maids may not be committed and can run away when they have full access to payments.”

Her sentiment was echoed by S. Sageetha from Kuala Lumpur, who employs a Filipino maid.

“I’m in favour of the new rule over payments if we can have control over the funds, like holding the maid's bank passbook and ATM card. I disagree if maids keep those documents themselves as they can run off anytime,” said the 30-year-old IT analyst.

Alex P’ng, 36, who employs a Cambodian maid, said he was already practising the bank account payment arrangement.

“I highly recommend it because we remain accountable to our maids through a schedule of payments. Every month, our maid acknowledges the

pay. It’s a good check and balance,” said the product manager from Subang Jaya.

P’ng said in his case, his maid had allowed her bank passbook to be kept by him.

“When you pay cash, you don’t know what the maid will do with it. And let’s face it, keeping the money in the bank is more secure than the maid stuffing it under her bedsheet.”

However, Yap Chye Chin from Klang said the new rule could be a hassle.

The 46-year-old supervisor, who employs an Indonesian maid, said: “Paying maids through their bank accounts is not a problem but what if a maid prefers to take cash? Moreover, it seems more work for the employer if their maid does not qualify for an ATM card. Don’t tell me employers have to bring their maids to the bank every time the maid wants to withdraw money?”

Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam had said that beginning June, employers would be required to pay the salaries of maids through bank accounts and not in cash to protect the interests of both parties.

He said it would also help prevent cases of maids running away because of non-payment of wages and for employers there would be proof of payment and no false claims by either party.

The move was among recommendations to protect the welfare of foreign maids here, in particular those from Indonesia, following allegations of abuse and non-payment of salaries by some employers.

Tuna P could h ort a conven ve had bond fi tional nancing

somewhere went wrong.”

Asked when PAC expected to complete investigations, he said: “We are very close to finishing our inquiry. We may present the report to the Dewan Rakyat in the next session. Whatever was relayed to us by the people involved, we will present it verbatim to the MPs.” MITP, a joint venture company between Blindforce and the Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM), was incorporated in 2004 to undertake privatisation of the tuna port in Batu Maung, Penang, under a 32-year concession.

The port was to be developed into a fully-integrated fisheries port specialising in tuna by 2008, but MITP defaulted on payments in November 2009.

Dr Tan said both MITP and LKIM

provided clarification for the irregularities noted in the 2009 AuditorGeneral's report, released on Oct 25 last year.

“MITP and LKIM gave their side of the picture. Well, everybody has their own story.”

PAC had in January announced it would investigate nine major irregularities cited in the A-G's 2009 report. The other organisations summoned so far include the Higher Education Ministry, Education Ministry, Pos Malaysia, Defence Ministry and Syarikat Perumahan Negara Bhd. PAC consists of 14 members made up of parliamentarians from both the ruling party and opposition members. The committee is headed

by Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid.

NGOs: Target ex-husbands' EPF funds for maintenance payments

By FAIZAL NOR IZHAM mmnews@mmail.com.my KUALA LUMPUR: There have been calls recently to make it compulsory for men to pay nafkah (maintenance) to former spouses via monthly salary deductions.

Now some women's groups feel contributions to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) could also be targeted for this purpose.

Noting the proposal by a group of lawyers called SukaGuam, following complaints from women over their ex-husbands' failure to pay child maintenance, Women's Aid Organisation (WAO) executive director Ivy Josiah believed courts should have authority to direct employees to pay former spouses.

"Once the policy is drafted, alimony should be taken automatically from husbands' EPF funds or taxes," she said. "However, it won't be easy if the ex-husband is self-employed."

She also recommended devising a collection agency for such situations.

"Nowadays, many irresponsible men tend to disobey maintenance laws after a divorce. Not only that, women do not always have the resources to return to court to settle disputes.

"The final sum ought to be discussed between the two parties after the court order."

Empower's Maria Chin Abdullah agreed the proposal could only apply to civil servants. "While there should be such rulings regarding ex-husbands

in the private sector or for the unemployed, these would be harder to tackle."

She expressed concern for women previously working in the civil service and housewives. "Divorce is often a messy, unpleasant experience, therefore there should be a third party to assist in these arrangements.

"In many cases, maintenance payments tend to overlook child custody and education fees. So, these should be taken care of as well. Single mothers who have to support children, because of their former spouses' irresponsibility, should be protected."

All-Women's Action Society (AWAM) programmes manager Betty Yeoh welcomed the proposal, saying the move would prevent former husbands from shedding their responsibilities.

"It will also help save the court's time and costs."

She said this kind of issue was not limited to Muslim couples or the Syariah Court, as seen in many instances. "Divorced men often have ways to evade paying. Sometimes, they quit their current job and join another company."

As a result, she agrees EPF funds should be given focus as that would prove more effective.

Bernama recently reported many women have welcomed the proposal

by SukaGuam, for a law be drafted to make it compulsory for men to pay maintenance to former spouses and children through salary deductions.

4

the malay mail

Monday 25 april, 2011

news

Hazard-proof your car accessories, says RTD

By EE ANN NEE ean@mmail.com.my PETALING JAYA: Surveillance cameras and security devices can be installed in vehicles as long as they do not pose a hazard to drivers and passengers.

Road Transport Department (RTD) automotive engineering division director Mohamad Dalib told The Malay Mail the installation of such

devices in vehicles was up to the discretion of car owners as they were considered accessories.

There are no rules or special guidelines to regulate the installation and usage of such optional devices like LCD screens (TV monitors and DVD players) or GPS navigation devices in vehicles.

Mohamad said the installation of LCD screen devices like closecircuit television cameras, Bluetooth,

handsfree navigation or intelligent highway and vehicle system equipment (GPS), anti-theft systems and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) equipments were allowed.

“Our division has no objection on the fixing of LCD screen devices in vehicles if the accessory is fitted where it cannot be seen by the driver in a normal driving position.

For example, having the devices installed anywhere behind the

The Pug roars Peugeot's sales volume best among other European makes in Malaysia KUALA LUMPUR: For the first time in history, Peugeot has claimed the top spot among European makes in Malaysia.

In the first quarter, ending March 31, Nasim Sdn Bhd, the official local distributor of the Peugeot marque, sold 1,538 units which represented a sterling 167 per cent jump from the 576 units sold in the same period last year.

Peugeot's sales volume in the first quarter gave the French lion a leading market share of 26 per cent among European brands in the market, according to latest figures released by the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA).

“This is a milestone for the marque in Malaysia and for Nasim after being appointed distributor for Peugeot in 2008,” said Nasim CEO SM Nasarudin SM Nasimuddin.

“We thank our customers, dealers, vendors and partners all over the country, for having faith in our revival of the brand. This could not have been done without the support

of the Malaysian government and the decisive move by Automobiles Peugeot in making Malaysia their right-hand-drive production hub".

He said the sales volume recorded in the first quarter of this year by Nasim were in line with their annual sales target of 7,000 units, adding they would launch two more models this year that would help them achieve their annual sales target.

Peugeot’s most popular model in the first quarter, the 308, contributed 38 per cent of sales, selling 588 units compared with the 458 sold in the same period last year.

This represented an increase of 28 per cent while the 207 sedan sold 537 units (35 per cent of sales). One per cent of Nasim's sales in the first quarter came from the 3008, with 237 units. Nasim registered 2,562 units last year.

“With demand for European makes on the rise in Malaysia, Peugeot is now being viewed in a different light,” said Nasim chief operating officer Datuk Samson Anand George. “We

are optimistic about the future, and will introduce five new sales and service outlets, increasing our network size to 23 nationwide. Our Q1 sales result, along with the upcoming introduction of two new models, puts us on the right track towards achieving our sales target of 7,000 units this year.”

Peugeot vehicles sold in Malaysia are manufactured at the Naza Automotive Manufacturing in Gurun, Kedah. The plant is preparing to roll out a C-segment sedan codenamed T73.

The plan is to make 60,000 units of the T73 over a five-year period, from 2012 to 2016, with some 60 per cent set aside for export to right-hand drive markets, such as Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Brunei, Australia and New Zealand, and right-hand drive countries in Africa.

“Exports will eventually outnumber domestic sales and, as a brand, we will be actually contributing positively to the automotive trade balance," said Nasarudin.

RM250m dredging ship launch DONE DEAL: Dr Mahathir, flanked by (left) Gulzar and Inai Kiara group managing director Kapt Hisham Hashim

PORT KLANG: Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, wife of former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, launched a new dredging ship, Inai Liatree, at Selat Melaka Shipbuilding Corporation Sdn Bhd's (SMSC) dock in Pulau Indah here recently.

Inai Liatree, built at a cost of RM250 million, is the second dredging ship belonging to Inai Kiara Sdn Bhd, a

leading company in the integrated marine engineering industry.

Inai Kiara's first dredging ship, Inai Ixora, was launched in July last year.

Present were Dr Mahathir and Inai Kiara executive chairman Datuk Gulzar Mohamad Noor Mohamed.

"Inai Liatree is the second of six dredging ships which our subsid-

iary SMSC is building for use in port maintenance work, coastal reclamation, deepening of estuaries and flood mitigation works," said Gulzar.

"These are among the largest and most powerful dredging ships in the 'cutter suction dredger' category, each with 13,800 horsepower and able to dig as deep as 22m."

driver’s seat up until the rooftop is not a problem.

“However, having the devices fitted in front or on the dashboard will become an offence if an accident happens, as any sharp edges can hit drivers and passengers during an impact.”

He said one should take note of the sharp edges, bar, antenna, wiring systems that comes with the security cameras and devices.

On the exterior fitting of such devices, Mohamad said the same should also be observed where security devices should not possess any sharp edges around the vehicle.

In a recent smash-and-grab robbery case in Section 16, Petaling Jaya, the victim, who had installed five video cameras in his car a year ago as a security feature, had recorded and posted the incident on YouTube.

Everest climb for cancer patients

WHITE LIGHT: Mohd Farid (right) with 'Rainbow' members yesterday KUALA LUMPUR: Eight Malaysians will climb Mount Everest in an effort to raise RM200,000 for poor cancer patients who are being assisted by the National Cancer Council (Makna).

The projec t, k nown as The Everest Cancer Climb, will see the group’s expedition to the base camp of Mount Everest (the base camp is 5,545m above sea level while the mountain is 8,848m in height).

The journey, which begins on April 27, will take about 15 days to complete.

Makna president Datuk Mohd Farid Ariffin said the climb would be spearheaded by lawyer Datuk Dr Arunan Selvaraj and accompanied by seven seasoned climbers, including Makna senior manager Vemanna Appannah.

“Cancer treatment is expensive and not everyone has the means.

It’s not easy to raise money but we have to be passionate and persevere, just like the climb,” said Mohd Farid at a Press conference

yesterday.

So far, RM130,000 has been raised under the project.

The climbers call themselves the "Rainbow” as it reflects their diversity in background, characteristics and personalities and when the colours are combined, they form a single white light which would adequately symbolise the mission of their expedition.

All generated income will be channelled to Makna which will, among others, provide monthly financial assistance to cancer patients, radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment, purchasing non-formulary drugs, cancer-related equipment and accessories, offering mammography screenings and so on.

Those interested to donate to the project can visit www.makna. org/cancerclimb.asp o r w w w. simplygiving.com/cancerclimb.

Alternatively, contributions can be made via cheques or credit cards, payable to Makna, and addressed to Vemanna.

the malay mail

Monday 25 April, 2011

5

news 1st Malaysian-Asean Regional Bloggers Conference

Birth of the KL Consensus KUALA LUMPUR: The two-day congregation had significantly produced a five-point resolution, named the “KL Consensus”, which saw the formalisation of the Asean Social Media and Blogging Network.

Selected 34 local and international blog writers deliberated for four hours at the Sime Darby Convention Centre on Saturday and eventually agreed upon the five points which were to become the KL Consensus. “ The KL Consensus is our (Asean bloggers network) common stance and combined aspirations which are sensitive to our diverse backgrounds,” said Blog House Malaysia adviser Datuk Ahirudin Attan, who blogs at Rocky's Bru. “We try to become a network that supports the aspirations of the Asean governments. We also would ask for space for freedom of expression over the Internet.”

The KL Consensus 1. The establishment of the Asean Social Media and Blogging network to promote understanding, good relations, unity and cooperation for regional betterment and progress of social media practitioners in the spirit of mutual respect.

2. To assist achieving and promoting the common values and aspirations of goodwill and to promote greater understanding through social media.

3. To promote the freedom of expression, freedom of information and freedom from persecution in Southeast Asia nations.

4. To promote ethical practices in social media by constantly encouraging engagement.

5. To meet regularly and promote the growth and progress of social media in Asean.

Liberal Malaysia Thriving blogging culture here compared with others in the region

Chak: People afraid to speak against the government

By JOSEPH KAOS JR joejr@mmail.com.my KUALA LUMPUR: The 1st Malaysian-Asean Regional Bloggers Conference, held here over the weekend, saw bloggers of varying themes such as socio-politics, business, lifestyle and humour exchanging ideas and learning from the experiences of their regional counterparts.

A primary issue discussed in the workshops and forums were restrictions imposed on new media and persecution towards bloggers in the region.

“I think Malaysia is liberal when it comes to blogging,” said Sopheap Chak, a human rights activistblogger from Cambodia.

“Although no bloggers have so far been persecuted in my country, people there are still by and large afraid of speaking up against

KEASBERRY: Culture and lifestyle way to go

ROBILLO: Has full freedom of expression

Anh-Minh: Political issue are sensitive

the government,” said Chak, who blogs mostly on social injustices, land grabs and corruption in her country.

“The number of blogs and websites promoting causes in Malaysia are many, which shows the freedom of speech here is thriving. In my country, not many people take up blogging. One main reason perhaps is the level of Internet penetration, in which only 10 per cent of people in Cambodia have Internet access.”

Chak, who blogs at sopheapfocus.com, said being at the conference was a good exposure and she enjoyed the exchanges with other bloggers from the region.

Anh-Minh Tran Do from Vietnam said it was exciting to meet bloggers from countries which were more radical when it comes to being critical on the government in their blogs.

“It’s very inspiring to see how most bloggers from other countries can be more open, especially about politics,” said Anh-Minh, who blogs on caligarn.wordpress.com.

“In Vietnam, you cannot be too direct when blogging about politics, because it’s a very sensitive issue, considering it’s a one-party system government.

“I blog about society, culture, lifestyle, but when it comes to politics, I self-censor. I do it through humour and satire,” said the 26-year-old.

“For example, on inflation, we just make fun of it instead of directly criticising it.”

While a huge number of the participants were socio-political bloggers, Delwin Keasberry from Brunei was one of many whose writings were solely on culture and lifestyle.

The author of ProjekBrunei.com, a portal that promotes the nation’s

cultural, music and arts, told The Malay Mail, in Brunei, its people would prefer to avoid blogging on sensitive issues like politics and religion.

“I can see that in most countries, politics is very much part of the blogosphere, but in my country people just steer clear.”

Oliver Richard Robillo from the Philippines said it was inspiring to learn from bloggers from countries which has limited freedom of speech.

“In my country, I’d say freedom of expression is almost 100 per cent.

But there are still cases of government officials trying to crack down on blogs.

"I’ve learnt from the unique experiences shared by the others here and I’m here to contribute my own experiences,” said Robillo, better known as “Blogie” among the blog fraternity in the Philippines.

PM's presence sends strong message KUALA LUMPUR: The country's more prominent bloggers felt the two-day regional gathering over the weekend was due recognition to the ever-expanding “blogosphere” community.

And Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s willingness to grace the event yesterday was seen as further testament that blogs can no longer be ignored by the authorities and the public at large.

Blog House Malaysia president Syed Akbar Ali said bloggers were no longer perceived as an “irritation” in the eyes of the government and the public.

“The Prime Minister could have easily turned down the offer to come here, more so since it’s a Sunday,” said Syed Akbar, who blogs at OutSyed the Box. “He is the first Asean leader to officiate a bloggers event such as this. Throughout the conference, we heard from our Asean friends how their governments have different ways of looking at new media. So, the PM’s presence here has sent a

MUTUAL RESPECT: (From left) Najib signs a plaque witnessed by Syed Akbar and Dr Mahathir

strong statement.”

Zakhir Mohamad, better known as Big Dog among bloggers, said the event showed the government had come to recognise blogs play an important role in the dissemination of information.

“The fact that the PM came to officiate this event meant we are in partnership with the government and they are friendly to us.

We should work together and learn how to put this powerful medium to good use.”

Shamsul Akmar Musa Kamal, one of the speakers at the conference, said the high attendance showed the strong interest Asean people had for blogging and the establishment of a regional network.

“The establishment of an Asean platform takes blogging to a higher level,” said the New Straits Times columnist who also blogs on sociopolitics anonymously.

Shamsul Yunos, of marahku.blogspot.com, said the conference was a major step towards “organising the

un-organisable”.

“Bloggers tend to be appre hensive when you try to form an association. Even in our association meetings, there are always strong disagreements, some bordering on fights. At the very least, this effort has managed to bring bloggers together.”

During his keynote address, Najib made a strong statement by stating the government “wants to engage bloggers” even if the views of bloggers were critical of the administration.

"I believe this relationship will be an important relationship based on mutual respect. We might not agree all the time but we cannot be disagreeable.

"What is important for us is to put forward your (bloggers) views, even your constructive criticism, and together we can build a better Malaysia and future for us."

Also at the event was former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the patron of Blog House Malaysia, the association of Malaysian bloggers.

6

the malay mail

Monday 25 April, 2011

news .

MASTERCHEF: Chef Riz cooking at Sunway Giza

KRU BOWS OUT Band to retire from performing and cutting full albums

By EENA HOUZYAMA eena@mmail.com.my PETALING JAYA: KRU, one of the top bands in the local music industry, might decide to stop cutting new albums.

Apparently, discouraged by the low sales of compact discs (CDs) and the bleak outlook of the domestc music scene, the three brothers who form edthe band have also decided to retire from perfoming.

The youngest of the trio, Edry Abdul Halim (pic), one of the country's most prolific songwriters and producers, told The Malay Mail the group might not consider recording a full album.

"We have collectively decided we should retire from performing, especially now that we are busy with different areas of work," said Edry, adding the music industry had evolved and there was no longer money for those who release full albums.

He said fans were keen on downloads instead of purchasing full albums. As such, KRU plans to "play it smart" and be prudent with its investments.

"Even though many fans have asked us to release a new album, there are no guarantees fans will buy it. Our strategy now is to release a new single every few months, which might later be

Who will be Masterchef Malaysia?

compiled into an album," said Edry.

The next single to be released by the brothers is titled 3 Kata, following the recent release of Ganas which is enjoying good airplay over most radio stations. The singles will be also be marketed via downloads and telephone ringtones.

Meanwhile, KRU fanatics can expect a compilation album containing hits that have been "refreshed and re-recorded". The album is part of KRU's 19th anniversary celebrations next month.

They can expect new takes on their songs like AWAS, Untukmu, Apa Saja and Fanatik.

PETALING JAYA: Masterchef Malaysia is in production and speculation is rife as to which local chef will be chosen to "terrorise" the contestants just like Scots-born Gordon Ramsay, the host of the US version of the TV franchise.

While names like Chef Wan, Chef Ismail and Chef Zam have been speculated, there are some who believe the coveted job may go to Chef Wan's son; Mohd Nazri Redzuawan, better known as Chef Riz. When approached recently, Chef Riz denied being the "chosen one" but did not hide his excitement about the Malaysian version of the show.

"No, I did not get any phone call but I would definitely welcome it!

Perhaps I am not qualified or experienced enough to be part of the judging panel, but who knows, they might invite me as a guest chef on the show."

Since the show disallows professionals and those with culinary backrounds, Chef Riz may not fit the cut as he has been trained in Italian

and French cuisine.

"I think there are many potential masterchefs here. The mak cik selling nasi lemak at the corner stall can be a masterchef, too, as she's a master at

what she does best. It will be interesting to see new talents emerge from the show," said Chef Riz who owns On the Table, a fusion restaurant at Solaris Dutamas in Kuala Lumpur.

Akademi Fantasia 9 drops two contestants

By Che'AZ cheaz@mmail.com.my KUALA LUMPUR: It was a second lease of life for 27-year-old Hazama Ahmad Azmi when he finally achieved his dream of making it into Akademi Fantasia (AF), five years after he first auditioned and was rejected. In 2006, the Kuala Lumpur boy was turned away at the Konsert Prelude AF4.

Luck continued to elude him when he was again turned down at auditions a year later for the fifth season of the show.

Last Saturday night, Hazama, who has since become a vocalist for local indie band, Meet Uncle Hussain, was one of two candidates to gain entry after the show introduced 'Ops Gugur' to drop non-performing students, and introduce four other talents for consideration.

The other choice selected by the faculty was 18-year-old Fina from Malacca who was reconsidered for a spot, after having been turned down earlier this year at auditions for being underage, despite her powerful vocals.

Fina's entry, however, was somewhat dramatic, as elder sister Aida, 19, had been one of two students dropped for not performing up to par.

Accompanying Aida on her exit after failing to impress with Adibah Noor's Terlalu Istimewa, was 18-yearold Amir who also failed to deliver to expectations after singing D'Masiv's Dilema.

Kuala Lumpur local Miza, 27, who was the first casualty of the night, was kicked off the show for lack of votes from viewers after her rendition of Black's Sofea Jane.

Said Astro Ria channel manager

Azlin Reza Azmi: "As we have emphasised before, we are looking for quality, real talents and together with that, all students must have the will and spirit to be here.

"It is very important for us to do this to make sure only worthy students will be in AF9. This is the last season of AF and the teachers here are giving their best. This is serious and lack of commitment cannot be tolerated."

Monday 25 APRIL, 2011

the malay mail

7

8 ● ● ● ●

hotline

Monday 25 APRIL, 2011

the malay mail

hotline@mmail.com.my tel:03-7947 2288, 019-261 4948 (after 9pm) fax: 03-7960 5096

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.

your right to be heard

By T.K LETCHUMY TAMBOO, NURULHUDA JAMALUDDIN AND IKRAM ISMAIL

Cambodian maid fee hike Agency clarifies increase 'too significant' for them to absorb

STEPHANIE WONG from Puchong is frustrated with the ser vice shown by a local maid agency, Agensi Pekerjaan Setiakarib, particularly after paying a RM2,000 deposit last December for a Cambodian maid.

"The agency said the process would be completed

by March 2, so I waited for two-and-a-half months. But on March 7, the agency said I have to pay another RM1,600 on top of the paid deposit. They said this was because the Cambodian agency increased their fee.

"I was extremely annoyed at that time, so I hung up," she tells Hotline.

Despite that, on March 22, STEPHANIE went to the maid agency. She negotiated with them by offering to

pay RM800, half the amount, but was shot down.

"They didn't agree. When I enquired on the status of the maid, they said the one I had selected had been taken by another employer, as they assumed I had rejected the request. They also said they will give me a full refund," she says.

"How can they redirect the maid to another employer when I haven't officially cancelled my request?"

STEPHANIE says she is angr y with the way the agency had managed the situation.

"I have yet to collect my refund even though I know it's ready for collection. This is because I don't want them to get an impression that I have given my consent to

close this matter," she says.

STEPHANIE wants a clarification from the maid agency. ● AG E N S I P E K E R J A A N SETIAKARIB SDN BHD manager Evon Ting says: " We w i s h t o e x p l a i n t h e a p p l i c at i o n fo r a Cambodian maid.

"Firstly, only after selection of biodata, deposit collection and obtaining complete documents from the employer and the maid, that the application is forwarded to the Immigration Department.

Our sales personnel had ex p l a i n e d t h i s to t h e employer accordingly.

"Secondly, the RM1,600 fee increase was informed to us by the Cambodia

recruiter and this is beyond our control. If the increase was only RM100 or RM200, our company would have absorbed it but the amount is quite signific ant. When our sales personnel called to inform and explain to the employer, the employer hung up. We presumed the employer disagreed with the fee and did not wish to proceed with the application. We were prepared to fully refund the fee to the employer. We could not wait too long to process the application because at that time, the maid's documents were complete and the application has to be prepared as soon as possible. This is because the Cambodian

Don't leave me hanging!

WHY was a set of broken traffic lights left literally "hanging" by the authorities for over three months?

This is the question posed by LEE HUI TENG, a resident of Taman Wangsa Permai who is puzzled over the inaction over the broken lights in Jalan Aman, near Desa Aman Puri.

LEE says the faulty traffic pole — slanted to the left with its signal compartment partially detached and suspended in the air — is just waiting to fall.

"The situation has been the same for more than three months. As traffic lights are under the responsibility of the local council, the authorities should have taken proactive measures in ensuring the traffic lights were either fixed or replaced completely.

"Why only wait for complaints from the public before taking action?" she says.

LEE, a housewife who regularly ferries her 11-year-old daughter to and from school as well as runs errands, says as a fre-

ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN: This traffic light has been hanging for the last three months

quent user of the stretch, she is concerned over the safety aspects.

"What if the semidetached part falls off and hits oncoming traffic and pedestrians? It's hazardous and could risk the lives of road users.

"The council should taken action before any-

one is hurt."

LEE wants the council to fix the traffic lights and restore it to working condition or replace it with a new one soon. ● SELAYANG Municipal Council public relations director MOHAMAD ZIN MASOAD says the

council is aware of the traffic light's condi tion.

He says they are appointing a contractor to undertake the repair works.

"Action will be taken within 14 days after the contrac tor has b een appointed."

agent might cancel the maid as the maid had also waited for a long time to get her passport. As such, we had no choice but to find the maid a new employer whose application could be processed immediately.

"Finally, the employer's cheque for a full refund is ready for collection.

We'd appreciate it if the employer can come to our office to collect the refund and settle the matter.

"We take this opportunity to thank the customer and regret the inconvenience caused to her."

When contacted, STEPHANIE says she is upset with the way the agency handled the situation.

"I feel cheated. If their Cambodian counterpart decided to increase the fee, the local agenc y should have stuck with the original price.

They only told me of the increase after I signed the dep osit contrac t.

Instead of putting this new fee into implement a t i o n i m m e d i a t e l y, they should have implemented it for the new batch of employers who n e e d e d a Ca m b o d i a n maid. The agency should have negotiated this with their Cambodian counterpart.

"Now, I have to apply for another maid in a new agency and have to wait again. It is such a waste of time."

'Why snap photo?'

STANLEY HO is perplexed as to why anyone would want to snap a photo of his MyKad. STANLEY, from Petaling Jaya, says he recently used MyEG's services to renew his road tax and insurance. As promised, they delivered the documents to his home on April 19.

Upon receipt of the items, I was asked by the company's representative to produce my MyKad. This, said the representative, was so that it could be scanned on the hand-held biometric device," he says.

However, STANLEY was taken aback when the MyEG representative whipped out a handphone and took a picture of his MyKad with it.

"Why did he do this? Does he have any right to snap a picture of my MyKad on his handphone?" he asks.

STANLEY says he is afraid that his personal details may be abused should it fall into the wrong hands.

"I would like MyEG to explain if this is a standard policy," he says. ● MyEG Services Berhad

executive director Raja Munir Shah Raja Mustapha, says upon receiving the road tax, STANLEY is required to produce his MyKad to the MyEG logistics officer to be scanned on the biometric device.

"That day, the device failed to scan STANLEY's MyKad chip, so our staff needed to take a photo of the customer's MyKad using the company phone.

This is done to show proof of receipt."

Raja Munir says once this is done, the logistics staff will then transfer the data into MyEG's records. The staff are not permitted to keep the data for personal use.

He says MyEG is approved by the National Registration Department (NRD) to snap photos of the MyKad and save the data.

"We also advise our customers to replace their MyKad at the NRD if the chip is faulty to prevent any complications.

"We hope our customers now understand the process better."

KUALA LUMPUR CITY HALL: • General line: 03-2617 9000 • Call Centre: 1800 88 3255 • One-Stop-Centre: 03-2617 8013

• Health: 03-2027 5300 • Security and Enforcement: 03-4026 7200

• Urban Planning: 03-2617 9731 • Licensing: 03-2617 6000 • Housing Management: 03-2617 6066

the malay mail

Wobbly website application G R AC E F R A N C I S h a s been hoping to secure enrolment in a public university and start a new chapter in her life.

But due to a website technical glitch during her online application, she now fears her future will be compromised.

"After sitting for my SPM last year, I filled up the online application form during Phase One in December for admission to public universities. A notice on screen stated the application was sent successfully."

But when GRACE tried updating her application for Phase Two, between Januar y and Februar y, another pop-up notification stated her infor-

mation was not in the system.

"I tried registering again but a different notification then said my application has been sent, so I can't re-register. Even after trying to update my application a few times, it still failed."

Confused by the contradicting notifications, t h e 1 8 - ye a r - o l d f ro m Miri, Sarawak, is now in limbo.

"Am I registered? Has my a p p l i c a t i o n b e e n sent? I don't know which message is correct. I'm not even sure if my application had gone through during Phase One." The SMK Lutong alumna is upset because living in a longhouse hours away

from town, she has to travel to higher ground just to make a phone call.

"I have to travel for four hours via a four-wheel drive or a boat to get to town and the nearest Internet service.

"I've been calling the numbers on the IPTA website. They have 10 phone lines but none answered.

My emails went unreplied, too," says GRACE. "Does this mean that I have to wait till next year to apply again?"

Fe a r i n g t h e te c h n i cal glitches may quash her chance of furthering study, she wants the IPTA admission unit to rectify the glitch and look into her application.

● A REPRESENTATIVE from the Higher Education Department's student admissions management unit says they have updated GRACE on her application status and gave her a copy of the Phase Two applications for July admission for her reference.

In an official letter dated April 19, it says: "GRACE's application was received through t h e s ys te m o n Ap r i l 14 and is being processed. The result of IPTA admission can be made in the first week of May though web site upu@mohe.gov.my.

Inconveniences caused are regretted."

told me to check with MBF. "What is this? Which party should be checking the transaction?" she fumes.

CINDY h a s s i n ce applied to cancel the Touch 'n Go auto reload service.

"My credit card payment is due April 14. I'm not going to pay until I receive a proper explanation from Touch 'n Go," she says. ● TOUCH 'N GO SDN BHD customer service division head A. Azmi Jafar says: "We thank CINDY for her feedback. We have contac ted her and will resolve the matter as

S FAST FACT

Q: What can I complain to the PCB about?

A: PCB investigates complaints about administrative actions and decisions of Malaysian Government agencies at the federal, state and local levels (except in Sabah and Sarawak only at federal level) to see if they are wrong, unjust, unlawful or just plain unfair.

A: It is free of charge.

9

Online Hotline comments www.mmail.com.my 'Smoky' mall — April 22, 2011 ● WHY waste money? These smokers should be made to swallow the smoke and eat their cigarette butts to get the full value of their money. Don't fine them. They won't pay.

— Anonymous ● WHY complain about smoking in the shopping complex?

What about our enviroment? The government should raise the price of cigarettes and impose heavier fines for smuggling them. No point arguing, it is too easy to dispose the cigarette butts when enforcement walks in. — Anonymous

Same item, different price — April 22, 2011 ● THIS problem can be avoided if supermarkets update their price database before advertising their promotions in newspapers. It happened to me before. There is no excuse for the management to blame anyone but themselves. In fact, by advertising a lower price and then charging customers at retail, supermarket operators can be charged for misleading customers which is known as 'bait advertising'. It's certainly a serious offence in countries like Australia, NZ, UK and US. Supermarkets are making a bomb from unsuspecting customers who think they're getting a bargain, but are being fleeced instead. - Anonymous

Sour affair at IT shop — April 21, 2011

tomers' account. " They also said all t h e s e p r o ce s s e s a r e fully automated but sometimes there are occurrences of delayed debiting and posting that it beyond their control, such as delayed transaction data from toll plazas and debit posting date which is part of issuer bank process," she says.

CINDY says Touch 'n Go has also provided her details of her auto reload transactions.

"Since the process is all automated, I'm not sure of the amount I i n c u r re d. S o, I h ave decided to manually reload my Zing card from now on."

● FOR those who get good service at the shop, I think remaining a loyal customer may be right. But for this specific case, why go there again? Just boycott them. Sometimes, retailers don't care if one customer stops buying from their shop. Keep complaining to the authority. Let's make consumerism known everywhere in Malaysia! Spread the word.

Let others get better service, at least. - Anonymous

'Reckless' monkey culling — April 20, 2011 ● IF a monkey hangs around a tree that is too close to a person's balcony, I don't believe Perhilitan will shoot at that particular aninal as it might injure a human. I agree with Perhilitan's action, better safe than sorry, but only if it is the last resort. — realiti

'Arrogant' book seller — April 20, 2011 ● THE shopkeeper have the rights to refuse to sell. Its called 'offer and acceptance'. Whenever I come across this type of rude sales staff here, I say out profanities, not directed to them but meant for them, just like a mad and annoyed mentally ill person (they know I'm not one, anyway). I have found out that the particular staff becomes a new person the very next day. Works like magic. If a few more guys do that to him, he becomes a saint at the shop. Now, isn't that good for everyone? — Orang Asli

We invite our readers to ask questions and share knowledge on any topic. Our panel of experts on wide-ranging subjects will respond to your queries promptly. Write to us at hotline@mmail.com.my.

Public Complaints Bureau

Q: Is any fee charged to lodge the complaint?

soon as possible.

"We advise our customers to submit their enquiries or feedback via e-Customer Service at www.touchngo.com. my, at our Careline at 03-7628 5115 or email to careline@touchngo. com.my."

When contac ted by H o t l i n e, C I N DY s ays Touch 'n Go explained in an email that the auto reload transac tions of her Zing card at the toll lanes will be automatically uploaded into their system.

"The reload data will then be submitted to the issuer bank for debit approval, which will be posted by the bank in cus-

hotline

● LESSON to be learned: never pay in full when you haven't receive the goods/ services you asked for. Pay only the minimum deposit. Trust me. It works toward consumers' advantage. — Anonymous

'Automatically' charged four times MONTHLY auto reloads are suppose to make your life easier, but not so in the case of CINDY LEE. The Kuala Lumpur resident is experiencing a fair share of hassle when her monthly RM102 reload for her Touch 'n Go Zing card was 'automatically' charged four times on her credit card last month.

C I N DY r e a l i s e d t h e glitch when she received her card statement on April 9.

"I called MBF, but they said there was nothing they can do about it and told me to check with Touch 'n Go instead.

"When I went to their office later that day, they

Monday 25 APRIL, 2011

Home loans Q: Do I need to appoint a lawyer?

Can I choose my own lawyer?

A: Yes. You need to appoint a lawyer to draw up your loan documentation. Normally, the financial institution will provide a panel of lawyers who are familiar with their documentation requirements for you to choose from. If you prefer to engage your own lawyer, you should discuss this with your financial insti-

tution.

Q: Who pays for the legal fees?

A: Generally, legal fees are borne by the buyer. However, certain developers and financial institutions may offer to pay the legal fees on the legal documentation as part of their marketing package. In addition, some financial institutions also extend financing for the loan documentation fees.

Malaysian Association of Standard Users Q: What is the Malaysian Association of Standards Users?

A: Established in September 2004, the Malaysian Association of Standards Users (or Standards Users) is an NGO affiliated to the Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca).

Its roles and responsibilities are to: educate consumers on the importance of standards in ensuring safety of consumer products and services; participate in the

Malaysian Standards development activities to voice and put forth concerns of consumers with regards to safety, health, quality and performance of products and services for which standards are developed; embark on activities to enhance awareness and promote the importance of those standards among consumers; and ensure that consumers are given adequate and timely information, knowledge and awareness on standards.

10

the malay mail

Monday • 25 APRIL, 2011

letters&opinions

● 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.

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

Email: mmnews@mmail.com.my Fax: 03-7960 5096

FOR THE RECORD Farewell hero Ong (April 22)

An exceptional person, a near angel FIRST of all, my condolence to Ong Kim Koon's family. Mr Ong, your selflessness, valor and courage is not only reserved for those exceptional incidents that involve life threatening situations. It has more to do with choosing to walk the high road, do the right thing and give your all when no one is watching and scores are not kept.

That is you! Being an

unsung hero has its own reward, so long as we make one commitment. That is committing oneself to take responsibility and finding value in everything that we do.

A mature person understands that there is no such thing as meaningless task.

If anything is worth doing, it is worth doing well; it is also worth being done with care and compassion. Just

Inspiring Malaysian story I AM truly saddened by this sudden turn of events.

I do not know Mr Ong personally, but he left this world with a good name.

God bless you Mr Ong. I hope this truly inspiring story of a Malaysian regardless of race, will continue to be in all of us.

I hope the media will continue to highlight

all the good and exemplary actions done by Malaysians.

Stories like this are a motivational factor for all of us, to be united and do the right thing.

The Malay Mail, thank you. Mr Ong, God bless you.

Abdullah Hukum

Remember his deeds

DESPITE his unfortunate passing away, we all should continue to remember this great man and have a special fund created for him and his family.

I hope all the big corporations out there and the rakyat will come forward and contribute to the cause.

Let us cherish Ong Kim Koon's memories as a truly great Malaysian hero.

By now, I wonder why our politicians are still not making their move?

Ong has sacrificed his life not for any political or racial motives. He did what he did best without asking for any financial gains or powers.

Where is the 1Malaysia spirit which is lauded thus far? Has it been replaced with the "elegant silence" when the true test finally arrives?

May Ong rest in heavenly peace. We are proud of you and your family and what you stand for.

Goundamani

Help Ong's family THE news of Ong's demise is just so sad. I feel like crying.

I do hope The Malay Mail will initiate something, a special fund or foundation where everyone can donate to help out Ong's family.

I feel that it is the only meaningful thing we, as Malaysians, can do for his

family.

We can even name the foundation after Ong. Also, I do hope Ong had bought an insurance policy and the insurance company involved must honour its obligations. We can't depend too much on the government. nawawi

Fine character TO Ong's family. From across the miles.

Please accept our deepest condolences. Although I never had the privilege of meeting Ong, I have read about the highest praise of his fine character.

Ong will surely be missed and there is no doubt that his passing will be a great loss to all who know him.

With deepest sympathy.

Jules Canada

like a chain is not stronger than its weakest link.

The task at hand has little to do with satisfaction but the intention behind the action has everything to do with it — just out of compassion. Mr Ong you are on top of others, you think big because only little people are too big for small things.

Your selflessness, compassion and courage are

the hallmarks of a complete person. It is the standard that defines the great humility in you and it is the standard by which human beings should be.

By right, the two are completely interconnected and one cannot exist without the other. And that is you Mr Ong, both and all of it.

We were all born with the seed of greatness but

Being human WE lost a selfless and kind hearted soul on Friday.

Let it be known that humanity is not about race, colour or creed. It is about the compassion that lives in the hearts of humans.

This is what Mr Ong would want us to learn.

Such acts of selflessness

reflect the understanding of the bigger picture of humanity.

God bless this kind soul and his family.

As he is no longer among us, he lives in the hearts of the people he has helped, his family and all who know him.

Anon

Heartbroken LIKE many readers of The Malay Mail, I too was heart broken to learn about Ong's death.

My deepest condolences to Ong's family.

I think Ong somehow taught all of us a valuable lesson — we can never predict what will happen to us in the future, but we can always make the best out of every minute of our

lives and live a life without regrets.

The world will be a better place if everyone starts to think a little lesser about ourselves and a little more about others.

Ong's strong spirit will live on and keep on inspiring people to do good to others.

Annie Tan

A good example to follow R.I.P. Sir Ong Kim Koon.

This title I bestow on you for your honourable, sincere and unselfish help to others.

You have set a very good example for all to follow and I will always tell this heroic

story to my sons and also their sons and everyone I know.

My condolences to the family.

Autobots

Next course of action?

NOW that Mr. Ong has passed on, many of us would like to know what the authorities are going to do with the Toyota Estima driver.

Has he been picked up and blood samples taken for alcohol and drug testing?

The person, whoever he or she is, should have been in jail for failure to stop or slow down during an accident.

It does not justify that the driver reported in to the

police within 24 hours. The fact still remains that the driver caused grievous injury to Mr Ong. The case, with Ong's death, should now be reclassified and considered as manslaughter or reckless endangerment.

I pray with all my heart that the driver is brought to justice and receives a very long prison sentence.

Mystimi

that seed needs to be recognised and nurtured if it's to come to fruition. The hardest part of the process is recognising the fact that we were born to be great in our own way. But you, your seeds are now blooming with myriad of flying colours.

The greatness in you is having a sense of pure compassion, holding yourself to the best possible

principles of selflessness and having the courage to be true to your convictions and to uphold your humility. And that is you Mr. Ong. A near angel.

Finally my salutations and gratification; in the embodiment of these three words: compassion, selflessness and courage. May you rest in peace.

Joe Burn

Few heroes like Ong THE MALAY MAIL has really shown its true human side, by keeping us, Malaysians, abreast of what has been happening to Mr Ong. Indeed, it is so sad to know that he did not pull through and yes, there are so few heroes like him around these days.

Our deepest condolences to his family and we pray for them during this time of grief and sadness.

He is indeed a true Malaysian hero, above most of us.

Rest in peace, Mr Ong. Constance Westwood

Learn from Ong IT is indeed sad but let us look at the bright side.

Ong had shown us a great example of being human.

In this time and age where so many Malaysians are so selfish, politicians more worried about their politiking than the people they represent and occasional

bigots making racist statements. Ong showed us that one can act beyond colour, religion and willingness to sacrifice for others.

Lets all learn from Ong Malaysia and his death will not be in vain.

Road Warrior

Gone too soon GOODBYE my hero.

Nothing else to be said...., what more can be said for this most heroic man. You leave this world abruptly but your place will be replaced

by thousands of new friends who did not know you before but now we have placed you in our hearts and minds.

Rahman

Always on our minds I JUST read the news of Mr Ong passing. I was about to visit him this weekend at the hospital to personally hand him my cheque.

It feels like a member of

my family has passed on. I know he is with the angels now. God bless his soul and his family.

Mystimi

The Malay Mail-Dutch Lady HAMPER FOR CHARITY THE best opinion of the week as decided by the editor will win a hamper from Dutch Lady Malaysia for charitable institutions. Readers are encouraged to nominate charities deserving of this gesture. The Malay Mail will deliver the winning hamper.

the malay mail

Monday 25 april, 2011

There's more to 'sissy' kids!

WHEN I saw the newspaper headline one morning, I knew it was going to destroy my whole day just thinking about it!

The headline was about a bunch of kids considered to be effeminate who were sent to a boot camp to turn them into macho men.

Then it was quoted that in Islam if a person is born male, he is masculine and sexually attracted to women, and if born female, she is feminine and sexually attracted to men! Or is it that simple?

Islam aside, even scientists cannot explain why some men are attracted to men and women to women. It has been said such behaviour could be genetic, programming from birth. If that is so, will Islam abandon these people who are an “anomaly” in the human race?

I have two relatives who were considered effeminate and some of us used to tease them, and we

By Rusdi Mustapha loved to poke them in the torso and they would “melatah”, or get into a hysterical tick. Guess what?

They both got married and have healthy normal children!

Another case I can look at is my brother-in-law. He had a “Ken” doll (Barbie’s male counterpart) which he would play with.

Granted, he played adventure games with it and used it to annoy

his sister, but he has grown up to be decidedly heterosexual.

Imagine if they were to be born in Terengganu today — they would both be sent to a camp where they would be traumatised and would grow up into adults hating the religion and the cruel system they were brought up in.

Yes, effeminate children are just that and chances are great they

will grow up normal.

Even if they do grow up effeminate, they are still God’s children, for I believe God is powerful enough to understand such foibles found in children at a very early age.

I know people — men and women — whose sexual orientation can’t be read from their behaviour. There are some “softies” who are definitely heterosexual, while some of the tough ones are not. But it is not my place to judge them. I know them as decent human beings and that’s what I think is important.

Parents who agreed their effeminate children should be sent to boot camp to turn them into “men” should be ashamed of themselves for being ill-informed on the matter.

On the subject, I read many positive views of these quirky kids put up by psychologists and

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experts, and they seemed to agree boot camp for these children was harsh. One said acceptance and understanding of the “phenomena” are some of the best cures any understanding parents can give.

We can teach our kids socially acceptable manners, but we are not going to change their personalities.

Boot camp is not the answer if the intention is to remodel their personalities. They are who they are. Parents must also be very supportive of these children. Love it or hate it, they are your children.

By the way, the authorities seemed to have backpedalled, stating the camp was to improve students' awareness of their responsibilities as citizens. The group of participants just “happens to display some feminine tendencies”, according to a quote in the New Sunday Times yesterday.

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Seoul sets up rockets near N. Korea border

the malay mail

Monday 25 april, 2011

world

Old wounds reopen Lockerbie’s tragic past resurfaces as Libya unravels

LOCKERBIE: One winter's night in 1988, dozens of bodies fell from the sky onto the green fields surrounding a small stone church a few miles outside this Scottish town.

A Boeing 747 had blown up over Lockerbie, scattering its doomed passengers and crew across the countryside. That moment, and the ones that followed, turned Lockerbie into a byword for international terror.

Pan Am Flight 103's nose cone, lying on its side just across from the Tundergarth church's mossstreaked graveyard, became the disaster's unforgettable symbol.

Ever since, the town of about 4,000 has been trying to heal and draw a veil over the tragedy

that just happened to take place above it.

"It's over 20 years ago, but it's still very real," said Moira Mortimer, the church's treasurer. She recalled the warm food she and others cooked for the workers hunting for corpses, and the red blankets local farmers used to cover the bodies of the pilot and co-pilot.

The past can be difficult to leave behind, particularly when the present butts in.

In recent weeks, the regime of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, which years later would accept responsibility for the bombing, has unraveled.

Armed conflict has spread throughout the North African country. International powers

have intervened.

The reminders of 1988 dot the town.

The town hall, which served as a makeshift morgue for Lockerbie's victims, has a stained glass window bearing the flags of all 21 countries whose citizens died in the attack. At Sherwood Crescent, a simple landscaped garden marks the small side street almost completely consumed in a fireball caused by the plane's fuel-laden wing.

Flight 103 blew up four nights before Christmas. Many of its passengers had left London to be with family for the holidays.

Marjorie McQueen, a former councilwoman, said she had no

comment on the recent events in Libya. Nor did she want to discuss Scottish prosecutors' effort to get information out of Libya's former Foreign Minister Moussa Koussa, whom some accuse of having a hand in bringing down Flight 103.

More than a decade after the bombing, a Scottish police officer who had responded on the ground, published a poem.

The officer, Brian McManus, wrote of the unshakable sadness of discovering a little girl's corpse lying on a frosted field.

He called her "an angel, cast unwanted to the ground."

"My life revolves around her memory yet," McManus wrote.

And still, in a larger sense, does Lockerbie's. — AP

SEOUL: South Korea has deployed rockets on two islands near its tense Yellow Sea border with North Korea to guard against possible attacks, reports said today.

The Chosun Ilbo newspaper, citing government sources, said more than 10 130mm Kuryong multiple rocket launchers have been positioned on Yeonpyeong and Baengnyeong islands.

Each launcher has 36 rockets with a range of 23-36km, Chosun said.

"This is the first time for us permanently to deploy multiple rocket launchers to the northwestern islands."

The North attacked Yeonpyeong with artillery and rockets last November, killing four people including two civilians and damaging dozens of buildings. Baengnyeong is the closest island to the North's coastline. — AFP

Gaddafi's office destroyed in air strike TRIPOLI: Libyan leader Muammer Gaddafi's office in his immense Tripoli residence was destroyed in an air strike early this morning.

A Libyan official accompanying journalists at the scene said 45 people were wounded, 15 seriously, in the bombing. He added that he did not know whether there were victims under the rubble.

"It was an attempt to assassinate Colonel Gaddafi," he affirmed.

A meeting room facing Gaddafi's office was badly damaged by the blast.

Nato warplanes had already targetted the Bab Al-Aziziya district on Friday, where the presidential compound is located. — AFP

Monday 25 APRIL, 2011

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the malay mail

Monday 25 April, 2011

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Flaming bungle

17 die, 24 injured in Beijing building fire BEIJING: At least 17 people were killed and 24 injured in a building fire here today, China's official Xinhua news agency reported, quoting local police.

The blaze broke out early in the morning in a four-story building in the Daxing district in the capital's southern

suburbs, the agency reported, adding that the fire had been put out.

An investigation has been launched into the cause of the blaze, it said.

Chinese authorities ordered safety standards to be revised after a fire in November engulfed a high-rise apartment

building in Shanghai, leaving 58 people dead.

A preliminary investigation blamed the inferno on careless work by unlicensed welders who ignited nylon netting swathing the building, which was being renovated to improve energy efficiency.

— AFP

At least 105 killed in clashes in Southern Sudan JUBA: At least 105 people have died in violence between government forces and rebel militias in Southern Sudan this week, an official said yesterday, raising concerns of southern instability ahead of the region's independence declaration in July.

Brig Malaak Ayuen, the head of the Southern Sudan's Army Information Department, said fighting on Saturday between a group of rebels led by Maj Gen Gabriel Tanginye in Jonglei state and southern government forces led to 57 people being killed and scores being injured.

Ayuen said that five days of

fighting between government forces and those loyal to another rebel chief, Peter Gatdet, in Unity state which is northwest of Jonglei, led to the deaths of 48 people. He did not give a breakdown of the number of civilians, rebels and the army killed in both incidents.

Since its January independence referendum, Southern Sudan has seen a wave of violence that has killed hundreds.

The south voted nearly unanimously to secede from the north, but there are many issues that still remain unaddressed including the sharing of oil revenues,

PUERTO NARE: An aerial view of the floods in this municipality in Antioquia yesterday. Strong rains in Colombia have left 67 dead and 98,516 people affected so far in this month alone, authorities said — Both photos by AFP

the status of southerner and northerner minorities living on both sides of the border, and who controls the disputed border region of Abyei, a fertile area near large oil fields.

Southern officials now claim the militia groups they are fighting are being funded by the north to cause instability with the goal of taking over the oil fields in the south.

Before this week's violence, the UN said that at least 800 people had been killed and 94,000 displaced because of violence in Southern Sudan this year. — AP

Thousands turn out to honour NZ war dead WELLINGTON: Tens of thousands of New Zealanders turned out in wet weather today for annual Anzac Day dawn services to honour the country's war dead.

Anzac Day is observed as a day of remembrance in New Zealand and Australia on April 25, the anniversary of the ill-fated landing of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) at Gallipoli in modern-day Turkey in World War I. Ve te r a n s ' Af f a i r s M i n i s te r Judith Collins, who attended a service at the Auckland War Memorial Museum, said the Gallipoli campaign had forged a bond between the two countries.

"Those men, many of whom did not survive the Gallipoli campaign, or who were badly wounded, helped forge the Anzac spirit that lives on in New Zealanders and Australians today.

"We saw this during the recent Christchurch earthquake and Queensland floods when emergency services personnel from both countries worked shoulder to shoulder to help victims."

— AFP

SOUVENANCE: Haitians celebrated Easter yesterday by sacrificing goats at a voodoo ceremony here, a suburb of Gonaives, 171km north of Port-au-Prince

Egypt prosecutor orders Mubarak to army hospital CAIRO: Egypt's prosecutor general ordered yesterday that former president Hosni Mubarak to be moved from his hospital in a Red Sea resort town to a military facility, the state news agency reported.

Prosecutor General Abdel-Maguid Mahmoud said Mubarak was originally supposed to be moved to Cairo's Tora prison hospital, but it was deemed not yet ready to receive him. Instead he would stay in a military hospital until the prison facility was ready. — AP

11 killed in Thai-Cambodian fighting

SOLEMN: Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard (centre) at the dawn service held to commemorate soldiers of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corp (ANZAC) today — AFPpic

BANGKOK: Three days of heavy fighting between Thailand and Cambodia on their disputed border have left 11 people dead, with another soldier killed on the Thai side, officials said today.

Six Cambodian and five Thai troops have died as the two neighbours exchanged artillery shells and small arms fire on their jungle frontier.

The latest casualty was a Thai army ranger who was killed late yesterday, said a Thai military spokesman in the border area, Colonel Prawit Hookaew.

It is the first serious outbreak of hostilities since February when 10 people were killed in clashes near the 900-year-old disputed temple Preah Vihear — AFP

the malay mail

Monday 25 april, 2011

'Rio' still flying high LOS ANGELES: Anne Hathaway and Jesse Eisenberg's talking birds have edged out Tyler Perry's sasstalking grandma at the weekend box office.

Hathaway and Eisenberg's animated family adventure Rio took in US$26.8 million (RM80.5million) to remain the No. 1 movie for the second-straight weekend, according to studio estimates yesterday.

A love-bird story centred on rare parrots, Rio raised its domestic total to US$81.3 million. The movie has taken in US$204.7 million more overseas, for a worldwide haul of US$286 million.

Tyler Perry's Madea's Big Happy Family debuted a close second with US$25.8 million (RM77.5 million),

Unrest foils Bahrain’s royal wedding plans MANAMA: Bahrain's crown prince will be a no-show at Britain's royal wedding, saying he does not want the G u l f n a t i o n' s u n re s t to tarnish the celebration.

An official statement says Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa sent his regrets yesterday to London after questions over opening the guest list to a member of Bahrain's Sunni monarchy, which has waged a wideranging crackdown against Shiite protesters calling for more freedoms.

The crown prince said he did not want his nation's troubles to overshadow Saturday's wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton. — AP

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Talking birds speak louder than 'Madea', stay at No. 1 BOX-OFFICE top ten 1. Rio

US$26.8 million (total RM81.3 million)

2. Tyler Perry's Madea's Big Happy Family US$25.8 million (total RM25.8 million) 3. Water for Elephants

US$17.5 million (total RM17.5 million)

4. Hop

US$12.5 million (total RM100.5 million)

5. Scream 4

US$7.2 million (total RM31.1 million)

6. African Cats

US$6.4 million (total RM6.4 million)

7. Soul Surfer

US$5.6 million (total RM28.6 million)

8. Insidious

US$5.4 million (total RM44.1millio n)

9. Hanna

US$5.3 million (total RM31.7 million)

10. Source Code

US$5.1 million (total RM44.6 million)

another solid opening for writerdirector Perry, who also stars as boisterous, opinionated grandma Madea.

Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson's circus romance Water for Elephants premiered in third-place with US$17.5 million.

"It's nice to have two movies in the

top-three," said Bert Livingston, distribution executive for 20th Century Fox, which released both Rio and Water for Elephants.

The weekend's other new wide release, Disney's nature documentary African Cats, opened at No. 6 with US$6.4 million. — AP

LAUSANNE: A Swiss enthusiast wearing a horse headshaped mask pretends to smoke during the 6th edition of the ‘Polymanga’ show in Switzerland's major anime, manga and video games festival. The event, which began over the weekend, will end today — AFPpic

Rap music spurs rebels to defeat Gaddafi AJDABIYA: Libyan rebel fighter Jaad Jumaa Hashmi cranks up the volume on his pickup truck's stereo when he heads into battle against Muammar Gaddafi’s forces.

He looks for inspiration from a growing cadre of amateur rappers whose powerful songs have helped define the revolution.

The music captures the anger and frustration young Libyans feel at decades of repressive rule under G addafi, driving the 27-year- old Hashmi forward even though the heavy machine gun bolted on the back of his truck — and other weapons in the rebel arsenal — are no match for Gaddafi 's heavy artillery.

"It captures the youths' quest for freedom and a decent life a n d g i v e s u s m o t i v a t i o n ," Hashmi said as he sat in his truck on the outskirts of the f ro nt l i n e c i t y o f Aj d a b i ya .

He was listening to Youth of the Revolution, which the rap group Music M asters wrote just days after the uprising began in mid-February. " M u a m m a r, g e t o u t , g e t o u t , g a m e o ve r ! I ' m a b i g,

DRIVING BEAT: Madani, who goes by the nickname of Madani Lion (left), and Faraway, a.k.a. Dark Man, fire up the rebellion with their brand of music — APpic big soldier!" sang 20-year-old M ilad Faraway, who star ted Music Masters with his friend and neighbour, 22-year- old M o h a m m e d M a d a n i , at t h e end of last year.

Rather than grabbing AK-47s and heading to the front line with other rebels to fight Gaddafi 's forces, Faraway and Madani stayed in Benghazi, the de facto capital of rebelheld eastern Libya, and picked up a microphone.

"Everyone has his own way of fighting, and my weapon is art," said Faraway.

The freewheeling rap scene

developing in Benghazi indicates how much has changed in eastern Libya in the past two months. Speaking out a g a i n s t G a d d a f i b e fo re t h e rebellion used to mean prison and maybe even death.

And rap, like other forms of Western culture, was despised

by Gaddafi, who burned foreign musical instruments and books after he seized power in 1969.

"I always wanted to talk about Gadhafi's mistakes and crimes, but we never had the chance for free speech," said Madani. — AP

SOLEMN MOMENT: Turkish and Armenian activists gathered together in Istanbul, Turkey, yesterday to mark the anniversary of the massacre of Armenians during World War I in 1915 — APpic

Turks commemorate Armenian massacre ISTANBUL: Tourists flocking to see carpets and calligraphy at one of Istanbul's most renowned museums were met yesterday by a rare public display of opinion on perhaps the darkest episode of Turkey's history, the massacres of Armenians during World War I. Several dozen demonstrators held red roses and photographs of the dead outside the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art, an Ottoman-era building where historians say Armenian intellectuals were briefly detained at the outset of the 1915 slaughter.

Hours later, bigger crowds held similar events in Istanbul's Taksim square, a bustling transit hub, as well as in the capital, Ankara, and Izmir, a coastal city. It was the second consecutive year that Turkish demonstrators marked the anniversary of what many international experts say is the first genocide of the 20th century. — AP

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the malay mail

Monday 25 APRIL, 2011

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A pal remembered RESPECT where it's due. The more senior acts in the local music industry should be applauded for continuing to soldier on despite whatever odds they have to face.

A great example was, 'Konsert Untukmu Loloq', organised by friends and admirers of the late lyricist (real name Rosli Khamis). The concert featured (pics from left) Ella, M.Nasir, Ramli Sarip and Spider.

While the cause was noble, the result was not as encourag-

The ultimatum game THERE is apparently a lawsuit ‘blanket ban’ on major publications, preventing the media from speculating or even writing gossips about this ‘celebrity couple’, specifically on the supposed infidelities of the husband.

Sniffing out word of an extra-marital affair, which fairly enough has not been substantiated — the media circus began, thanks to the star

power of the duo.

Still, the husband and wife team were apparently not amused and the former has apparently threaten of lawsuits against any party that dares to take on the topic.

While we are pretty much against gutter Press, we think stifling the media with threats is hardly the way to confront things.

Twitter drama ACTRESS Memey Suhaiza (left), who deleted her Twitter account after a ‘revelation’ that got Norman Hakim’s former significant other Abby Abadi riled up — is back to micro-blogging.

After she tweeted about spending time with her stepchildren (Norman's

kids with Abby), especially the school-going child – Abby was not amused.

When word got around of Memey’s "encouragement" of her stepchild playing truant, she immediately deleted her account, probably realising her mistake which invited not so pleasant reactions.

Still, she immediately resurfaced with a new Twitter account, and perhaps, more intelligently privatised it.

The simple rule is, look before you leap, girl!

ing as one would expect.

Loloq's musical works will remain timeless, that's for sure. He was one of the few who could actually fuse high aesthetic values within his deceivingly simple lyrics.

The question is, was there no effort to perhaps rope in younger acts to collaborate and pay tribute to Loloq? That could have enticed a whole new generation of music-lovers to be part of the project and contribute to the good cause.

Take the P. Ramlee: Di Manakan Ku Cari Ganti – Satu Indiepretasi for example. The reinterpretation of the legend’s works immediately exposed his music to a younger audience.

By Joe Lee

joe@mmail.com.my

Perhaps having young blood to be part of the tribute show might have helped ticket sales of Konsert Untukmu Loloq.

We’re not just talking about filling concert halls here, but a long-term effect that could sustain the longevity of Loloq's quality material.

Perhaps, if there's any future tribute projects, the younger generation could be considered as part of the bigger picture.

In the long run, such projects would not only be a celebration of Loloq's life, but it will also be a way to keep his legacy alive and relevant to the younger ones.

Well, that's the least we could do...

What's eating JB? MEMBERS of media who were at the singer's concert in KL recently — which was part of his 'My World Tour' — were fuming mad when they were not allowed to record and photograph the first three songs of the concert (contrary to the earlier agreement).

The order apparently came from the singing embryo who was said to be pretty disappointed that the local Press managed to snap him and girlfriend Selena Gomez during their arrival at our airport.

Apparently, there were also threats to not even kick off the concert too, as the teen idol was P-eed off to the max.

We understand his hormones are developing, but seriously, stop being a brat, and learn not to lip-synch!

Rock fans rejoice!

LIVE concert enthusiasts and fans of American rock band Incubus can rejoice with the news that the quintet will be in town on July 23 to rock Malaysians.

It’s a rock-fest indeed with Switchfoot, another California-

based band hitting Kuala Lumpur on May 1, while Brazilian heavy metal band Sepultura, will be turning up the volume on their amps here later in the year.

We need more hormones anyway, after having Bieber on our shores.

Power of ethics WAS Anita Sarawak snubbed at a rec e n t fashion event? Apparently she got into a huff when no one attended to her entering into the event. Details about the incident are pretty sketchy, and for that, we would like to reserve our comment. Still, we feel that the organisers could have been a little more tactful — no matter how many VIPs are in line — in treating the guests with adequate respect.

Usop to play hero MAMAT Khalid’s (pic in circle) reported next offering, that will feature Zizan of Raja Lawak fame (right) as the title character, will more importantly feature everyone’s wheelchairbound darling, Usop Wilcha. Yes, Usop will apparently play the lead.

Syed Mohamad Asri, the person who is now more known as Usop, already has a huge following, and it will be interesting to see

Torn la THIS particular television personality showed up at this fashion society event dressed to the nines in his favourite label. Unfortunately, for the brand-savvy, it was obvious that his togs, which bore the name of the designer from top to toe, was not ‘original’.

The knock-offs were the

the malay mail

Monday 25 APRIL, 2011

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THE LONG AND SHORT OF BIEBER

By LOONG WAI TING waiting@mmail.com.m

o

whether the character will have the strength to sustain the audience interest.

abels laughing point of the night, but the ‘star’ proudly displayed his threads anyway, oblivious to the sniggers behind his back.

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NO doubt, Canadian-born pop sensation Justin Bieber’s 'My World Tour Live' gig in Kuala Lumpur was one of the loudest, hottest and most packed outdoor concerts that one would have ever experienced in a very long time.

Some were seen gathering in front of the stadium as early as eight in the morning, hoping to catch a glimpse of their idol doing his last minute sound check.

Whether you’re a fan or not, you would really have to salute the teen singer for his courage and 'never-say-never' attitude to pursue what he loves most — music.

It was an eye-opener really, to see how a 17-year-old kid commanded the crowd from all walks of life with his boy-next-door manners. It’s no wonder that Bieber enjoyed tremendous success compared with other boys his age.

At one point of the show, the crowd was more than happy to give up their seats just to dance the night away with Bieber. That was after the singer made an impromptu move by jumping off stage, much to the delight of fans and VIPs who were seated nearer to the stage. Bieber

Bieber was clearly basking in all the attention he received that night

then posted on his Twitter later saying that “I had to”, referring to the stunt.

Bieber had so much up his sleeves that night and was clearly basking in all the attention he received from his stunts.

Just when everyone thought the night was over, he invited good friend, Joel Madden from Good Charlotte to come up onstage for a short but sweet jam-

ming session that got the fans even more excited.

Immediately after that, Facebook and Twitter went abuzz with Madden's surprise performance.

Bieber was obviously having a great time teasing the fans in this "little tug-o-war" game, when he pretended not to hear his fans’ request to sing Baby as the last song of the night.

Young fans and their parents enjoying the show

Our very own Mizz Nina opened the show for Bieber

Together with his crew, he sang snippets of songs with the word 'baby' in it, like Britney Spear’s Hit Me Baby One More Time; Usher’s There Goes My Baby and even a funny version of Rockabyebaby (nursery rhymes).

And when he finally broke into the real Baby song with his signature dance move, the crowd went ballistic!

While Bieber shone on stage, it was however a different story altogether back stage. The organiser of the concert was not

much help. They might have had some problem managing the whole show.

To begin with, there wasn’t any proper guidelines that specifically pointed out the 'dos and don’ts' throughout the entire event.

Some frustrated fans and parents lashed out at security personnels who made them sit throughout the show. It was a little unfair especially for those who was seated at the back.

On the media account, things were equally chaotic. Instead of setting up some temporary platform for press photographers to take photos of the concert, some were asked to move away to the reserved media-only seats.

The organiser could have worked out a better system to let press photographers to take photos even for a limited amount of time, like the standard first-three-songs only rule.

While things like these could have been overlooked by the organiser, Bieber's lip-synch misadventures shouldn’t have occurred in the first place.

No, it wasn’t like he was faking it all the time, but there were moments when our tropical heat was catching up fast on the singer, making him out of breath. Bieber wasn’t too bad as a performer, but he could improve a little bit on his stamina.

He proved that he has so much to work on.

While the organiser put in 17,000 as the official number of fans who made it to the world tour on Friday, the numbers could be more than that given the amount of people that thronged the stadium at the very last minute.

But for the rest who filled the entire stadium from the side seats to the muddy field in the centre, the heavy rain just could not

dampen their spirits.

It was also one of the commendable aspects that the organiser took into consideration to distribute free disposable raincoats as an alternative to umbrellas for those present that day.

Amid screaming fans with raging hormones and their even excited parents, the 'Justin Bieber World Tour Live in Malaysia' concert couldn’t end on a happier note with such a spectacular show put up by a 17-year-old kid.

However, what was missing here was the fireworks show that might put some, if not all, in an ecstatic mood for a night to remember.

In the process, fans were finally quelled of their thirsts to party with the superstar, and what more could they asked for? Bieber certainly stopped traffic with his slick move, and great sporting stance. Now this is a crowd pleaser with the charm of a boy-next-door.

Do not worry if you couldn’t make it to the actual concert though. Just pray hard that the DVD will be out any time soon.

Held at Stadium Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur, Bieber swooned fans with his hit songs like Pray, Eenie Meenie, I Just Need Somebody To Love, One Time, Never Say Never and Baby. He is set to bring the house down again in the Philippines on May 10.

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Avril’s angry no more

By SHUHAIDAH SAHARANI iedas@mmail.com.my MANY young female recording artistes seem to have the same strategy. First they’d appear like a ‘good girl’ in their debut and as they progress, they would change into the more ‘naughty’ persona. When the time is right, they move on to the next level and appear more ‘grown up’ (think Miley Cyrus) with all the mature attributes and attitude.

The bad-to-the-bone, foulmouthed and short-fused rock chick Avril Lavigne, however has been doing the exact opposite. Yet, she still gets her music up the charts.

Always a tomboy in the punk-themed t-shirts, skinny jeans and dirty sneakers, now, she’s also donning more girly clothes. And this new, softer persona is reflected even in her music.

However, being a pop-punk tomboy in her early years was fruitful for the young Avril.

Just 17-of-age then, she shot to global pop stardom with the 6x-platinum Let Go, followed by 2004’s 3x-platinum Under My Skin, and 2007’s platinum The Best Damn Thing.

Over the course of her three albums, Lavigne scored a string of international hit singles Complicated, Sk8er Boi, I’m With You, Losing Grip, Don’t Tell Me, My Happy Ending, Nobody’s Home, Keep Holding On, Girlfriend, When You’re Gone, Hot, and The Best Damn Thing.

She earned eight Grammy Award nominations, won seven Canadian Juno Awards, and sold more than 30 million albums and nearly 20 million tracks worldwide over the past eight years.

Now, aged 26, the Canadian-born artiste has left most

of the angst and transformed into a young woman who is in tune with her emotions and feelings.

The new emotions are obvious in her latest effort, Goodbye Lullaby, her fourth album.

Where her three albums were fun, upbeat and angry, Goodbye Lullaby is softer, more feminine, containing songs that revolve a lot on love and heartbreaks, possibly reflecting the ups and downs of her brief marriage to Sum 41 guitarist Deryck Whibley.

“I still love rocking out, but I wanted this record to show a different side. That’s why I produced some of the songs myself, which I never thought I’d do,” said Lavigne of Goodbye Lullaby for which she wrote or co-wrote every song, and wrote and produced two — 4 Real and Goodbye — entirely on her own.

“I pushed myself and didn’t hold back, I allowed myself to be vulnerable. I think it’s during the real moments that people can relate the most.

Those who have heard the album have had very strong emotional reactions to the songs, so I realised that when something is so real, it will

FOR THE SPECIAL YOU! Just like Lavigne, you’d feel pretty frickin’ special too, when you win an Avril Lavigne Imported Tote Bag! To win, just answer the questions below and mail it to us at contest@mmail.com.my (subject: Avril Lavigne contest) along with your particulars (name, IC number, address and contact number) before April 29.

We only have five tote bags and five Sony Music hampers worth RM100 to give away, so email us your answers quick!

QUESTION:

1. Avril Lavigne’s latest album is called _______________ 2. My favourite Avril Lavigne song is _________ because ______________________

probably touch somebody. The beauty of music is that it’s open to interpretation.

“I put a lot into this album, as I do with all my other albums, but this one in particular has a lot of meaning to me. I feel like I’ve grown a lot on this album.”

Written at various stages over the past few years, the album is filled with appealingly relatable, heartfelt songs that convey a variety of emotions and reflect a bittersweet mood not generally associated with Lavigne’s best-known tunes.

Except for the first single, What The Hell and Smile, which mirrors on her previous work, the remainder of Goodbye Lullaby like Everybody Hurts, Push, Remember When, I Love You and Wish You Were Here show her softer side.

Instead of sounding weird, she delivers a vocal which probably best described as a young Alanis Morissette and her music with rich textures of acoustic guitar and piano resembles the band Coldplay.

Lavigne couldn’t be more real or sound more beautiful.

When asked if she has a favourite track from the album, Avril picked Push.

“Push is definitely one of my favourite songs on this record. All my girlfriends love it. The song’s been around for awhile now, for me. What I really like about Push is that it’s a song about fighting for love, believing in love, when you’re fighting and just, ‘shut up’, and ‘move forward’, and ‘move along’, and ‘let’s do this because we love each other.’ I think it has a strong message.

I think it is emotional, but it also comes from a confident, strong place. And a place of putting your foot down and saying, ‘Come on, what are we doing here? Let’s just work this out.’

“Overall, the album is about how we all go through difficult experiences, whether it’s ending a relationship, losing a job, or just missing someone. We get through it and we grow,” said Lavigne.

Music is not the only thing on her plate. Lavigne also launched a second career as an entrepreneur by creating a well-received fashion and lifestyle brand (Abbey Dawn), two

fragrances (Black Star and Forbidden Rose), branched out into film work (Over the Hedge, Fast Food Nation), and further committed herself to the philanthropic activities she’s participated in over the years by establishing The Avril Lavigne Foundation, which works in partnership with leading charitable organisations to design and deliver programmes, raise awareness, and mobilise support for children and youth living with serious illnesses or disabilities.

It’s been a whirlwind journey for Lavigne, who says the thing she’s looking forward to most about releasing Goodbye Lullaby is getting the opportunity to hit the road and perform for her fans around the

world.

“I’ve been in the studio for about two years working on this record, so at this point now I’m looking forward to getting back out and to touring and travelling, getting to see the fans and put on shows and all that craziness again.

“My fans are hardcore. They are very dedicated and really supportive — the kind of fans who stick around. It’s been an amazing experience meeting them after shows and reading their letters, because the things they’ll say to me are very special. People have come up and started crying, saying, ‘You have no idea what your music has done for me.’” That’s all I need to hear.

“If I can give even one person strength through my music, that’s pretty frickin’ special.”

Being a pop-punk tomboy in her early years was fruitful for the young Avril — Pic courtesy of Mark Liddell

the malay mail

Monday 25 APRIL, 2011

entertainment

A terribly rude wake up call

By che’az

19

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he wanted to stay with all the right moves and attitude.

LIFE is a constant battle for Erul and Lena, who survival. No matter where were both highly praised we are — at home, workand credited for their place or even when we’re performance last week, taking the public transport, still maintained their stanit is all about being the dards at the third concert. strongest and striving to However, guest critic be the fittest and the best.

Norman Abdul Halim of Akademi Fantasia is all KRU was not satisfied with about that. People might Lena’s performance. say it is just another reality “I want to see more of show (with not much realyou. Now I only see you Aida (left) and Amir bidding farewell to their fans ity left in it these days after being overshadowed by nine years of being one of the original singer of the Malaysia’s guilty pleasures) Fina, on the other hand, tried ing concerts. song, Ella,” Norman said. could have shown a little bit Fina (left) shaking hands with her but the ‘fight’ among the Now, all eyes are on Hazama Lena delivered Tiada Tan- more confidence that could out for AF9 but was disqualified ‘new friends’ after her absorption into contestant is real enough. have pushed them to another because she was underaged and Fina, who seem to be quite gis Lagi, one of Ella’s hit.

Akademi Fantasia 9 — Pics: Shahir Yes, it is getting pretty Anyway, the real disap- level and stay in the competi- (the limit was 18). She happens ready to show their best and Omar predictable, but last Satgive the rest of their compatrito be Aida’s sister. pointment among all the tion. urday, at Akademi Fantasia As for the rest of the students, ots a run for their money.

Replacing Amir and Aida unperformers was Miza.

9’s third concert, real tears Observers and staunch fans and delivered his best.

Despite her unique tone, der Operasi Gugur projects are they seem safe — for now. Let’s were really shed (for a change).

It might have not been the she failed to shine (again) and two big talents — Hazama and hope the wake up call they got of the show are also pretty sure Watching Amir, who gave best performance or the best at the end of the show, she was Fina. The two new faces in AF9 from the Operasi that the two could also save the his best in singing Dilema by song but his efforts were eviGugur will result weekly concert which is in need D’Masiv, break down after be- dent. Credit where credit in better perfor- of a great competition. ing harshly criticized by Fauziah is due.

We shall wait and see... mance in comDatuk Ahmad Daud (Kak Ogy) His effort was initially was rather heart-wrenching. rewarded when his name You can make fun of Amir’s was not announced as the outrageous ‘Kurta’ and even eliminated student. Howthe IV Drip pole that he used as ever, when the Akademi his prop, but the truth is, Amir decided to drop him nevseemed to have given his all ertheless from the list of students who qualified to continue their fight to the final, it was pretty much a blow.

They call it Operasi Gugur Here’s how the AF9 kids (a new device that allows fare after the votes were the academy to drop any tabulated last Saturday: participant who does not perform) and Amir was the LENA - Tiada Tangis Lagi by casualty. in their Ella (17 per cent) tan were brutally honest Kak Ogy (right) and Hat Cruel, but real enough to s hip ans dents’ showm comments about the stu be a wake up call for the rest ERUL - Awan Nano by Hafiz of the AF9 kids.

(16 per cent) “Amir, you’re a basker. You had tried to be part of placed last in terms of votes.

AMIR - Dilema by D’Masiv world is not here but out there.

Unlike Amir and Aida who the show in past years (10 per cent) I understand and feel the soul were ‘victims’ of Operasi Gugur, but never made the that you have. Mark my words, Miza deservedly left with only cut.

NERA - Fly Me To The Moon by you will find your path, and be- five per cent of the total votes Hazama apMichael Buble (10 Per cent) come bigger even if you are not going to her. parently tried in this competition,” said one Amy of Search, AF9’s princi- out for AF since RAQIB - Sebelum Cahaya by person on the show. pal seemed to be the most dis- the third seaLetto (9 per cent) Amir was not the only ca- appointed. son. He mansualty. The other student who “I spoke earlier at the Tirai aged to get AFIF - Kasihnya Laila by got the axe was Aida, who was concert that I already had a list a spot in Jinbara (9 per cent) deemed not fit to be part of the of students in my head whom the prewas confident that could be lude round KAY - Salome by Chayanne (8 show.

Earlier, the audience wit- polished and I felt that they of AF4 per cent) nessed yet another round of could go far. Miza was one of but was lacklustre performance by the them. The other one was Amir. deemed AZRI - Satu by Dewa (8 per remaining students, although “Both could be considered my not good cent) one could still sense that the ‘dream students’. Still, since they e n o u g h AIDA - Terlalu Istimewa by kids were really fighting to re- did not show improvement and then.

Adibah Noor (8 per cent) main in the game.

His atprogress, they have to leave. If Kay made the wise choice of only they had pushed them- tempts to join AF continued in MIZA - Sofea Jane by Black (8 singing Salome, a dance beat by selves a bit more,” Amy said. following seasons but was still per cent) Chayanne, and it showed that Miza making her way out of the show last Saturday Amy said Miza and Amir rejected.

— cheaz@mmail.com. my —

LATEST POLLS

20

the malay mail

Monday 25 april, 2011

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entertainment

Zahiril finds his ‘today’s woman’

By SHUHAIDAH SAHARANI iedas@mmail.com.my HE was linked to petite actress Liyana Jasmay and at one time, even Natasha Hudson.

But come May 1, actor Zahiril Adzim will end all rumours by getting engaged to Wanita Hari Ini host, Shera Aiyob.

The engagement ceremony will be held at Shera’s family home in Ipoh, Perak.

A happy news, but only recently, fans in entertainment blogs and gossip forums expressed their unhappiness with the two when they vehemently denied they were making it official on that date.

The fans felt like the couple deceived them, especially when the invitation card was posted up online. Zahiril was quick to clarify the issue.

“When we were asked, the date was not yet confirmed,” said the 27-year-old.

“We were asked sometime in March and at that time, neither my family nor hers had

The actor is more than ready to get married to the woman he loves

agreed on the date just yet.

It was still up in the air, so we didn’t dare confirm it before it was decided. We did say that we’d announce it once it’s confirmed. And that’s what we did.”

Putting that slight misunderstanding behind him, Zahiril expressed his happiness — and anxiety — about the big day, leaving the preparations to the ladies.

“I’m pretty nervous. Right now, my sister is in charge of the gifts and I only help when she asks me to. I wouldn’t dare do anything otherwise,” he revealed, adding that the hantaran will all be in cream and light pink.

“Shera chose the colours, I’m okay with anything.”

On how the couple met, Zahiril said that it was at the shoot of the film Sesuatu Yang Tertinggal by Grand Brilliance.

“I was single, but she wasn’t.

I liked her, but I kept my distance for a few months. We went out but were always accompanied with friends.

Host cooks up a fancy chicken dish IF it was up to Will Quah, his next stint would be to host a cooking show.

The 27-year-old host/actor has done almost everything on TV, and most of the time his involvement would be on the serious side.

From news to talk shows and commentary-based programmes, most of the projects had not really showcased his passion, especially his penchant for cooking Western cuisine.

Apparently, Quah is a big fan of healthy recipes which allow him to use “scientific methods” when slaving over the stove.

Chemistry in his food is important and it must be right.

“When I cook I like to make sure I use the right quantity of ingredients and that everything goes well together” he said.

The star of romantic telemovie Love, Nora on Astro Citra learnt how to cook through tried and tested method, and he experiments a lot too.

“I prefer cooking Western

food because it’s cheaper to cook than Asian food. Besides, when I cook Asian food it never turns out as good as the stalls or shops,” Quah said.

One of the attractions of doing a cooking show is the fact that dishes would “magically get cleaned” and he wouldn’t

have to wait for the dishes to simmer before continuing the show.

“I would say, now we need to leave this for 10 minutes. Luckily, here’s another one I prepared earlier…” said Quah.

He revealed that he makes a mean Chicken Parmagiana but

only for those worth the effort.

Hmm…. wonder who would that be?

Although Chicken Parmagiana sounds pretty fancy, Quah has no plans of testing his cooking skills in competitions like the upcoming Masterchef Malaysia.

“Oh no, I am not into competitions, I just like to cook for fun,” he added.

The host of Motorsports and Star Sports on Astro has been busy with recording for these shows and will soon be off to Barcelona to film.

Between acting on television and hosting, the heart-throb has also been involved in theatre with Octopus at Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre last year and the upcoming God of Carnage from April 28 to May 8 at PJ Live Arts.

“I love doing theatre but it’s more of a hobby than anything else, as there is no return of investment for the amount of time Lina Teoh and Megat ah, you spend for rehearsQu ) left m (Fro : nage THE CAST OF God Of Car als,” he said. — By ANU Azlan ul Shams Ashraf : Shahrizal — Pics VENUGOPAL

“I would purposely ask them out knowing that Shera would join us because that’s the only way I could see her. But then I heard that she broke off with her boyfriend, and only then did I approach her. Lucky for me, she liked me too,” he said, chuckling.

Eight months after that, they decided to take the relationship to the next level.

“I think that if you feel that it’s right, if it’s fated, why wait?

Some couples take years to get to know each other before getting serious, and even then, only a few ended up marrying each other.

“I don’t want to wait. If possible, I want to be married as soon as possible. I hope to have our nuptials within this year because I don’t think I can handle the challenges of being engaged for too long. I am ready,” the actor said.

Impatient, but understandable.

Fans of the actor who can’t wait to see him in action can catch him in the cinema right

now in Ahmad Idham’s Senjakala with Liyana Jasmay.

“The movie appears to be a horror movie, but it’s actually a love story using horror as the background.

“People say the theme is almost similar to Twilight, although I’m not sure if that’s true because I haven’t watched the Hollywood-made film.”

Apart from that, Zahiril stars in Juvana, which premieres tonight and every Monday onwards at 9pm on TV3.

“I play the 17-year-old Daim Yahya who’s accused of a murder which he did not commit.

Since he’s under aged, he is placed in a school for troubled kids, until he is old enough for trial. At the school, he faces numerous pressures of being bullied and more. It’s a pretty interesting series.”

Juvana is produced by Kabir Bhatia, directed by Faisal Ishak and also stars Anugerah Skrin 2010 best actor Bront Palarea, Izreen Azminda, Irfan Roslan, Beto Khusairy, Kuswadinata and Hariry.

COOKING FOR JOY: Quah has no plans of testing his cooking skills in reality show competitions

the malay mail

What’sUp KL: Newspaper Conference

THE National Librar y and Malaysian Librarian Association is holding the IFLA International Newspaper Conference 2011, titled 'Newspaper in Multiple Scripts and Multiple languages: Issues and Challenges for National Heritage' from April 25 to 27. For details, call Kamarul at 016-2657424.

KL: Perak Festival

MENARA Kuala Lumpur, in cooperation with Perak government, is organising Pesta Negeri Perak at the front lawn of 1Malaysia Cultural Village from April 28 to May 8. It will be open to visitors from 10am to 10pm. For more information, contact 03-2020 5444 or 03-20205448 and visit www.menarakl. com.my.

KL: Textile Forum

T H E N a t i o n a l Te x t i l e Museum will hold a textile forum entitled 'Textile and The Body: Malaysian Perspectives' at the National Textile Museum at No 26, Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin, KL from 9.30am to noon on April 28. For details call Shahrul at 012-6742512 or Nor Asmah at 0193667275.

KL: Anniversary Celebration

P E R S AT UA N S i n d r o m Down Malaysia is holding its 10th anniversary and charity dinner at Dewan Perdana Felda i n J a l a n M a k t a b, o f f Jalan Semarak, KL from 7.30pm to 10.30pm on May 15. For details, call Hanizan Hussin at 0192860940.

PJ: Traditional Medicine Course

UNIVERSITI Tunku Abdul Rahman is offering a 30-hour course on Basic Theor y of Traditional Chinese Medicine at Ce nt re fo r E x te n s i o n Education PJ campus from 7pm to 9pm on April 27. The course, conducted in Mandarin, will be held every Wednesday. For details, call Fui M ee at 0162233562.

KL: Homedec Expo

AN expo offering A-Z solutions on ever ything for your home, the Homedec 2011 will be held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from April 29 to M ay 2 from 10am

to 8pm. Admission is free. For details, contact 03-79824668.

KL: Orang Exhibition

Monday 25 april, 2011

21

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entertainment

Asli

THE National Museum is holding the Orang Asli Exhibition and Festival from May 1 to June 20 from 9am to 6pm daily.

Visitors will be able to explore the life philosophy, myths, legends culture and languages of the Orang Asli and enjoy great dance performances too. For details, call 03-22671048/ 1049/ 1050/ 1051 or e -mel to info@jmm.gov.my or http://www.jmm.gov.my.

KL: Wedding Expo

THE 13th edition of KL Wedding Expo will be making its debut in Kuala Lumpur Convention and Exhibition Centre, Kuala Lumpur targetting mid to high-end prenuptial couples. The exhibition will be open from May 14 to 15 from 10.30am to 9pm. Admission is free. For details, contact 012-2362898.

KL: Gold Fair

THE MIJ Exhibition Sdn Bhd is holding the 8th Malaysia International Gold and Jewellery Fair from now till today at Hall 5, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

There are more than 100 jewellers from Hong Kong, Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, Poland and UAE. Among their products are jade, semi-precious gems, loose precious stines silver, gold and platinum.

KL: Creative Arts and Hobbies Course

THE Department of Extra-Mural Studies, Malaysian Institute of Art is offering drawing and painting classes, pottery classes, Chinese ink painting classes and Chinese calligraphy classes in May. Classes will be conduc ted at MIA Art Centre at Jalan Ampang (near KLCC) on Thursday, Saturday or Sunday and are suitable for adults and senior citizens. MIA Art Centre also offers drawing a n d p a i nt i n g c l a s s e s for children aged four and above as well as pr imar y and secondary students on weekends at MIA located at Ta m a n M e l awat i . Fo r more information, contac t 03-21632337 or email mia.ems@gmail. com, and visit www.mia. edu.my.

(From left) Ramli Sarip, M. Nasir, Ella and Tam Spider performing in 'Untukmu Loloq' at Istana Budaya

Loloq's legacy lives on

By CHE’AZ cheaz@mmail.com.my IT was a matter of choice. While the younger crowd in the city celebrated the 'greatness' of Justin Bieber at Stadium Merdeka, the more mature audience celebrated the life of an "old friend" in a special tribute concert at Istana Budaya last Thursday.

The "old friend" was the late Rosli Khamis, better known as Loloq. He may be gone, but never forgotten.

The tribute 'Konsert Untukmu Loloq', was a joint effort between Istana Budaya, Badan Kesenian Mindef and Global Network Entertainment, and the performers were the lyricist's closest friends and collaborators including Ramli Sarip, M. Nasir, Ella and rock band Spider.

Among the songs performed by M.Nasir were Wak Jono, Andalusia, Apokalips and Ghazal Untuk Rabiah. He also collaborated with Ramli and Ella to render a fresh version of

Defence Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (third from left) and wife Datin Seri Hamidah Khamis (on his right) graced the musical tribute event — Pics: Salhani Ibrahim

Mentera Semerah Padi.

Ella sang Nuri, Layar Impian, Bagaikan Puteri and Dunia Batinku while the inimitable Ramli rendered Syair Laila Majnun and Bonda.

The youngest of the troupe, Spider, performed their hits Kasih Latifah, Aladdin and Laukku Cukup Masin.

The event might not be as 'trendy' as Bieber's concert, but the turnout was alright. Rumours that ticket sales for the concert was slow was quashed when the first show went on successfully.

The concert was the brainchild of Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi,

who expressed his satisfaction after the concert concluded.

"I knew Loloq personally since 2008 through my friend M. Nasir and Ramli Sarip. I am a fan of Loloq and I really admire his creativity and his work. He had a unique personality. This concert is something I really want to do for him. He deserves it," Zahid said.

It was not just a walk down memory lane. The concert was also a vehicle to raise an education fund for Loloq's children.

"Loloq will remain a crown jewel in the industry. He was all about the quality of his work which is a result of his sincerity and genuine spirit. This concert is a way of expressing our respect for his work.

"Part of the collection from

the ticket sales will be set aside for his children. That's the least we could do," Zahid added.

Also present was Loloq's wife, Hariah Yaacob, 38, who seemed to have lost all words that could describe her gratefulness.

"I just can't describe how I feel now. This is the highest appreciation we've received so far. It is an achievement for my late husband. I really hope the concert would bring the audience 'closer' to Loloq," she said.

As for M. Nasir, Loloq's closest friend, the concert was important as it allowed him to share his personal feelings about their friendship.

"He was truly an honest and inspiring person. Each lyric that he wrote was pure and his songs came straight from the heart. I hope to organise a bigger concert for him in the future," M. Nasir said.

Let's hope it happens soon.

For the next round it might even be nicer to include the younger generation of musicians who can experiment with Loloq's most loved hits.

Monday 25 APRIL, 2011

entertainment

Funny Republic

By anu venugopal anu@mmail.com.my JOKES on Singapore is in. Now that would be the conclusion one could make as the message seemed to ring loudly at ‘Comedy Club: April Foolery and Fun’ last week.

Whether the jokes (or bits of reality) were told by Troy Kinne, Mary Bourke or Harith Iskander; it all worked. Who can blame the majority Malaysian crowd? We do love to hear the negative sides of our family across the southern border — and are not reluctant to admit it.

Although the crowd started packing the club way before

starting time at 8.30pm, the show only started half an hour later (a case of Malaysian time perhaps).

Hosted by Josiah Mizukami, the show opened with the antics of Melbournian funnyman Troy who got the crowd in a” TGIF mood” with his take on Singapore — and promptly got the crowd eating from the palm of his hands from that moment onwards.

Besides the jibe on the Lion City and its citizens, the ex-landscape gardener got the crowd going with his take on relationships — from his ex-girlfriends and parents, a universal problem that we all face and relate to regardless of our

WITTY AND CURRENT: Mary and Troy had really given the audience a chance to laugh their lungs out loud — Pics: Ashraf Shamsul Azlan

books (she has also published numerous romantic novels) was ruined by the many ‘wikipedia’ moments in the routine. The comedian’s finest moment was when she gave the audience a quick lesson on ‘Yo Mama’ jokes — which were intelligent, current and witty.

It was also amusing to see her play Sudoku everytime the crowd applauded and it was difficult to believe that this comic writer was once an ex-Burlesque dancer and choreographer.

Last (but certainly not least) on stage was Harith, who was the headliner for the April’ edition of the Comedy Club. Harith, opened his act with a little anti-Justin Bieber sentiment and then went straight into the heart of the matter — Singaporean jokes.

He raved about Malaysians’ ability of choice (chaos), versus Singaporeans’ need for rules (organisation). As expected, these jokes worked like a charm on the audience, even the Singaporeans in the club looked amused.

Harith’s actions and expressions were side-splitting for many in the audience especially those who haven’t watched his comedy routine before.

For others, it was a sense of ‘de ja vu’, when the actor, director and writer recycled many of his old jokes. Still, he managed to hit the spot for many at the end of the evening.

nationality, race or culture.

Troy’s easy, breezy humour and expressions gave audience a chance to laugh their lungs out many times during his half-anhour stint, but it was his personal experience entertaining the Australian Defense Forces troop in East Timor that was among the more memorable moments.

Troy’s frolics set the bench mark for the evening and when Mary Bourke came on stage, it was difficult to imagine that she could top the Australian’s comedy routine.

With a name like Mary and her dressed like a proper, ladylike teacher, it felt like she was going to give the audience a lesson instead.

Armed with a Dan Brown book and Sudoku puzzle, Mary too jumped on the anti-Singapore bandwagon, comparing ‘Kuala Lumpar’s Brickfields’ to the likes of “Paris in Springtime.”

Born in Dublin during a cross fire hurricane, the wispy comedian also shared her thoughts on the complexities of relationships — with parents as well as partners.

Her love for

SPOT ON: Harith raved about Malaysians’ ability of choice (chaos), versus Singaporeans’ need for rules (organisation)

puzzles

30-second challenge

Keep your brain sharp in just 30 seconds a day. Start on the left with the number given and follow the instructions as you go across. Within the 30-second time limit, beginners have to complete their own challenge, intermediates have to complete their own challenge AND the beginners' challenge, and advanced players have to complete their own AND the intermediate. You can try to improve on your time each day.

- 10

÷ 90

x8

+ 16

-7

÷3

x 12

- 23

Double it

1/16 of it

Times by itself

+9

15/26 of it

+ 17

25% of it

x9

- 28

x 500

8% of it

75% of this

2/3 of it

- 38

Times by itself

+ 29

13/15 of it

Plus 20%

ADVANCED

2 3/5

sudoku

Help build and develop number skills with the teaching and practice pages in our “New Website”: www.30secondchallenge.com

ANSWER

ANSWERS ON BOTTOM OF THE PAGE

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

Answer: Approved

88

ANSWER

234

INTERMEDIATE

ADVANCED

x 70

ANSWERs to 30-second challenge 179

4

ANSWER

INTERMEDIATE

BEGINNER

109

esc

BEGINNER

22

the malay mail

PROPERTY / MOTORING / HEALTH / HOME

Monday 25 APRIL, 2011

the malay mail

23

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Appointment DIVYA 014-6315 227 (002010495-XX)

OUTDOOR-GOOD MASSAGE for better. Post natal.

Experienced matured malay.

Shah Alam, Puchong. Call: 017-640 4919 CT. Klang.

TRADITIONAL MASSAGE Newly Opened in Damansara .Call Sandra,Nancy, or Fifi, Cindy.Tel: 012-258 1334 ( Just Relax Massage Centre )

AYURVEDA JAWA Traditional

by Indian and Sabahan girls.

Special massage promo RM40 VEYRA 018-222 1809

Q ACCOMPANY BY Male/ Female Masseur. Outdoor services available. Please call 03-9058 5885

BLUE ROSE AROMAS 24A, Lrg Ara Kiri 2, Lucky Gdn Bangsar.Therapist local Indian girls.Private&cosy.11am-11pm. Ms Meera 03-20945542/ 016-2056003

SAUNA D’ HOME BEAUTY and Health care. Agent required. 019-735 5295 www. saunaku.com 2010 Great Promotion!

FASHIONABLE BOLLYWOOD JEWELRY SETS. A variety of dazzling Bollywood jewelry sets that includes costume jewelry, fashion jewelry, Polki jewelry and more. 100% handcrafted & made in India. Available at a fairly good price. Call: 016-629 3704

M20

Houses for sale

ISUZU NGV. Safe 1 year Road Tax RM233. 5000kg, 0.13 sen per km. Offer up to RM62K. Call: 012-206 2515/ 016-313 0708

ABLE TO RENT , Wira, Waja, Persona, Iswara, Viva, Pregio .

Free delivery. 03-7710 4404, 012-637 8231

M130

Car for sale AMAZING GREAT DEAL! Free 10 years monthly installment ! Rebate RM20,000. Free hold. 100% Loan. No deposit.

Location MASJID TANAH MELAKA. Interested call / sms SYAM: 014-9393 282

PJ SECTION 12, single storey bungalow. 5 rooms, 2 bath.

5,400 (sq.ft). Strictly no agents.

Deals with buyer only. Call 019336 4943

LORRY AVAILABLE IN Six variantsNKR-(4500KG), NPR-(5000KG) Trade -in accepted. Call: 012-333 1189 / 019-329 2222

‘0’ DEPOSIT ALL PROTON Models, no license can buy, 100% loan for gov. & private staff, int from 3.0%, loan fast approval, high trade in. Meet at your place. Free smart tag, touch n go, full fuel, steering lock, tinted. Open everyday.Mr Lim 012-214 0207

PROTON MAC 2.58% Saga FL 37k, d/p 0 9yrs RM398 Pesona 46k, d/p 0 9 yrs RM498 Exora 58k, d/p 0 9 yrs RM 608 - Exchange old car get 6K. SALARY RM1200 aprv. - GOV, BLACKLIST Aprv. Student welcome - loan 140% -Trade in accpt. face book: rejalfaaisproton 013-679 9967 NEW ISUZU, Hino, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Inocom, Daihatsu.

Special Discount. Please call: 019-256 2609 Hussin

M22

Houses wanted

M135

Vehicles for hire

GOOD PRICES OFFERED for land / houses and Apt in Shah Alam, PJ & KL. Quick sale. Owners TEL / SMS 019228 6666

(NEW) ALTIS , Avanza , Camry, Innova (Exec Taxi) , Rush, Hilux , Vios, Fortuner Hiace.

Trade in accepted. Islamic loan.

Call: 019-3663 050 MIRA

M30

Apartments for sale

SYMPHONY HEIGHT Batu Caves Unit Terhad Utk Bumi Shj tanpa bayaran muka tanpa SPA fees Tel: 03-6187 7888 / 012-953 6189 Azman

M34

Apartment for sale/to let UKAY PERDANA, Sri Hijauan Aprt. 800sf, 3r2b, s/ pool, security, Sales 135K. Rent 700.

Const. just completed. 012-292 3552 E(3)1317

Financing/insurance service

CAR LOAN Refinancing,Maintain name/ NCB. Blacklisted individual are qualified to apply & purchase. Aerowatts Auto S/B (678070-M) Tel:03-6185 8982, 012-308 3528

M321

Fashion/health & beauty

TOYOTA ESTIMA 2.4 06, 07, 08 unregistered, Local AP holder Many units. Various spec. 1 yr warranty. Kamal 019-307 4667

A DAILY, WEEKLY, MTLY. RM50-RM300. All types of cars. MPV, Van & 4 x 4. Call: ARI 016-683 2111 / BEN 016901 2276

ALL NEW MODELS. Stk available. Attractive promotion.

Stock 2011 Fast delivery. Full loan. Call now: 012-326 9849, 012-6961 552

M138

M133

Commercial vehicles for sale

ALL MODELS CAR Van & MPV, Toyota Alphard, Wish, BMW, Naza Ria, Kia Spectra, Vios, Waja & Perdana V6 etc. Reasonable price. Free delivery. Tel: 019-599 9973 / 012-2532 566 Roadster Travel (KPL/LN 3540)

new

HICOM 012-676 3609/ 016-259 8972

TRADITIONAL MASSAGE RM39 in Cheras. Call Hanisha, Candy, Molly, Melissa. 012-637 5044

0 AARON MASSAGE Services (1606620-V) by Female.

Privacy assured. Out call service available. +6012-393 0136

0 0 ! MEN’S Club. Adult set massage by Female & Male, good services (823086137) Pls call Amy 016-9789 603

AGE 21 TO 69- M2M-L2LCPL2CPL, ladies seek P&C. Happy Friends. Free for ladies & girls. Alan 019-696 9379 AROMA ASIAN Massage. For outdoor only. With Promotion price. Interested please Call Julie: 016-293 1051 FULL BODY MASSAGE by male height 181 cm 75kg athletic built, 7 yrs experience.In/ out call: 016-277 4639 Sri Damansara

MAN MUST TRY!!! Increase Erection & Long lasting. No side effects & Non-addictive, Malaysian Made. Man 0192222 503

NAMASTE!!! Need a relaxing massage ? Interested just call : SIMI 014-6311 228 (Indoor only) K.Lumpur TRADITIONAL MASSAGE ,Promotion, male & female, KL/ SEL. Tel: 03-8927 3867 Zetty & 012-508 4930 Julia

3 HERBALS (Radix Eurycoma, Ginseng & Maca Root) To reestablish sexual performance & General health. 013354 3369/ 012 3026568

MITSUBISHI ALL new models. Fast loan & fast delivery, (Triton full loan accpt), Grandis, Pajero, Lancer, ASX, Sport back. Good trade in, Attractive promotion, good deal in town.

All models stock available.

Must call before decide. Mr Tan 012-388 5897

WEIGHT MANAGEMENT Coaching. Take control of your weight. For 1st Free session sms name to 016 2366 381

A HAPPY MASSAGE RM 29, M2M- couples-girls-boys-menladies. Nice & P&C service. Jojo 017-848 4898. Hotel or home.

CUSTOMIZE HAIRPIECE / Toupee / Wig - RM1,700 only.

More info : www.hairsetup.com Call: 019-3118916 , 03- 9274 7857

TOYOTA WISH 1.8 (A) 06, 07, 08 unregistered. local AP holder , many unit, various spec. 1 yr warranty. Rosli 013485 4876

VIRGO ENTERPRISE FULL massage for males/ females.

Rest & relax out call services.

03-2021 6623.

OUTCALL TRADITIONAL MASSAGE, pre / post natal,body Scrub for men / women by experienced masseur. Call: Mira 013-336 3160 TRAD MASSAGE, RM50, SS21/12, PJ. Newly open. Call: 03-7873 0971. Apple/ Ida/ Shasa/ Suzie

M375

Garage sale OUT DOOR FULL Body massage by young female. Only Kl area. Call/ SMS: Shah 016245 1749 (NEW) HICOM, High discount, high trade in, cheapest in town.

Call: 016-248 8363 / 012-676 3609.

(NEW) INOKOM & HINO Special promotion, free body.

Call:012-3211 453/ 0123225334

ALL NEW CARS/ MPV available for rental. We are also looking for vehicles under 5 years for long term lease (pajak) Call: 012-241 7736

99 MASSAGE & SPA (1452468-W). Massage done by young girls. Release your tensions. Tel: 014-2288 921

CHEAPEST RATE Car rental in KL. Many types of Cars & MPV. (Pajak- accepted) Call for booking: 012-987 7756

AAAAA QUEENS SPA Male and female masseurs, out call service available. Private & Cosy. 016-646 9891

TRADITIONAL MASSAGE ladies only. PJ/KL. Out call. Just call Eddy for appointment. 016361 0530

GARAGE SALE; 6 Taman U.Thant Satu, Saturday 23 April 9am onwards. Pool table and cues, wine fridge, fridge, electrical appliances, rose wood furniture, Ikea shelves, shirts, ties, etc. Call Merlie 016-675 7880

M399

Maids available/wanted

AAAAA QUEENS SPA 016-646 9891

INDONESIAN HOUSE MAID WANTED. Age below 23. Employer in KL. Email profile and T&C to employer (maid@ gk.my)

24

HOME / OTHERS / JOBS

the malay mail

M390

Home services/renovations

M394

Home electrical appliances

M300

Education

M430

Business opportunities

M437

Distributors/agents wanted

Monday 25 APRIL, 2011 M370

Articles for sale

A/C, ASTRO, dismantle/ reinstall, t.v, tel, water heater, wiring, plumbing, lights & W/machine. Sam 012-201 8305

CENTURY ROLLER SHUTTER specialist. Installation, service & repairing all kind of door roller shutter. Call Lee 012-649 9238

A/C, ASTRO, Install/remove &repair, TV, TV8, wiring, tel, w/ heater, plumbing, w/ machine, fridge.Call: 017-345 6618 Ah Seng

M414

Photography

SBP (UK) - Society of Business Practitioners offers internationally recognized Diplomas.

Upgrade yourself for promotions and salary increment.

Weekend classes at Mâ ™ Sian Approved Study Centre (Reg:M/242/2/11). SMS <name> SEND TO 33310

WE ARE FULL OF IDEAS And confidence in our products Burger & Satay. The only thing we need to share is manpower and capable hands to pursue our expansion program. Interested parties pls call: 013-345 6771

10 MIN CAR Polishing. Agent wanted. Low capital. Tel: 012393 5376/ 016-392 5574 Video http://www.wr-bionet.blogspot. com

M398

HOUSE RENO Painting, A/ cond, marble polish, parquet, carpet, sofa wash, plumbing & grill. NIZAM: 019-3811510

VIDEO to DVD Conversion.

Video filming & Photography Svs. 03-4041 6850 / 6277 4991 / HP 012-235 5190. www.sheelvision.com

M300

Education

MQA APPROVED DIP.in accountancy (ACCT) & Mgt (FT / PT) RM 400 p/m - PTPTN & EPF claimable. Call: 03-6092 5254 / www.asa.edu.my / SMS: 012- 656 1160.

MQA/ JPA recognised MBA programme.Credit transfer and exemptions acceptable.P/T weekends.EPF withdrawable.

Shree 0126561160

M430

Business opportunities

WOOD STAIRCASE, FLOOR, Timber, Pergoda, Furniture, Kitchen Cabinet, Chengal, Balau, Merbau.

Call: 019-669 0029 Darwin.

M392

GET FREE scholarship listing for local and overseas studies for free. Log on now at www. scholarship.tips.my

REPAIR ON THE SPOT., Air cond, fridge, water heater, & w/machine. 24hrs & 7 days operation. Call: Syed 017-388 3154

M393

KURSUS PERNIAGAAN BAHULU BERINTI. Get 16 Recipe, Course & Coaching provided. only RM1,800. Tel: 017-219 6250

SHOWROOM: LOT N12, Ground Flr. CMC Centter, Tmn Connaught, Cheras. Tel Edward: 012-6399 345

SPECIALIST IN REPAIR cushion sofa, curtains, car seat & new sofa, in Jalan Kuchai Lama. Tel: 012- 313 0778 / 03- 7981 1898

GOLD 999 INVESTMENT With cheapest price offer. member 100gm for only RM5000 & introducer incentive RM3500 for 4 persons. Call: Aiman / 018-2525 283 or Azreen 017663 2859 PROVEN & TESTED: Over 9,215 people won 4D in a week! Last 2 days for those who want to take the 1 hour 4D Training Prediction Course, to win this week coaching by the Professional Author and Physics Maths Expert at our Training Center at Pusat Kajian Fizik Sains, Sunway. Call: 019329 4728 Mr. Yap or 012-239 2775 Mr. Goh to book now.

Get this new 4D Formula book title: Rahsia Menang Lottery 4D Akhirnya Terbongkar. Click to see www.SureKena.com

FOREIGNER LOOKING Investments partner in Malaysia set up modern restaurant in Malaysia. Investor can be get part of capital plus interest and profits period of monthly. Interested parties please email or call further details. familycafe33@yahoo.com or call 017-681 5190.

USE CREDIT CARD as an asset to create income. Interested to earn RM5K-RM10K or more every month?? SMS My/name/ age/location to 013-668 2718 for 20mins FREE preview.

WE CAN supply any amount of Bangladeshi workers for agriculture and farm workers direct from Bangladesh. Any outsourcing company or business owners please email or fax to details. Fax; Refer to Mr L.A. Mahindan 03-8064 2112 or email mylandjob@yahoo.com

M372

Articles wanted

WE HAVE more than 1 Million Malaysia Updated Email & Phone List to Boost Up Your Business.10,000 Email List for RM200 & 1,000 Phone List for RM200. This Month Promotion: Free Email Blasting Marketing Software + Training. Call Mr Goh :012-2392775 or Mr Yap :012-2168427

WELCOME ALL 4D Enthusiasts. The secrets of winning in any 4d games TOP PRIZES (1st / 2nd / 3rd) for direct numbers, is finally revealed. Call Mr.Vincent @ 012-670 7182 for more information.

BUY / SELL / PAWN Note book, hand phone new/old 70% digital camera.03-42517755 / 012-3388688 Peter. 208 Plaza Ampang City, KL

M280

Friendship WE BUY GOLD , white gold , diamond, Branded watches,pawn bills. LGF 041 BB Plaza, KL. 03-2145 2800, 017-236 7888

ARE U TIRED & stressed after a long day? Traditional & Relaxation Massage for ladies ( Outcall only ) by a Male masseur. Kindly contact 012-309 6461 for promotional details.

WE BUY GOLD, White Gold, Diamond, Branded watches, Pawn Bills. LG041, BB Plaza, KL. 2145 2800, 017-236 7888.

CUPID’S TOUCH high success rate genuine clientele. 0321426118 / 21421118 / 016650 1118 www.cupidstouch. com.my

M515

Jobs

SWEET LADIES Available for close friendship w/without commitment. (free/ladies).Mr. Eddy 017-670 5258 (624468-V)

M370

Articles for sale

DESPATCH BOY RM1000, petrol RM300, own motor bike.

UptownTyre Sdn Bhd. Call: 016-3300 949/ 012-265 1046 Andrew Low

CO FORMATION RM1,400.

Work permit, shelf co., rep. of office, MOF, close down, secretarial & audit. Call: 012-696 3631.

OWN A COMPUTER, put it to work, Part/ full time income RM1000 - RM8000 . Training provided. SMS 012-4444 033

MUSLIM COMPANY Secretary New & Shelf Co. ROC, MOF Bumi Kem. Kewangan Call: 0340410000 / 0162860000

M515

Jobs

Jobs

A ESTABLISHED INTERNATIONAL Newspaper /Magazines distribution company wants a DESPATCH RIDER , with motorcycle license , preferably staying around Putra Jaya area . To deliver newspaper/ magazines to Putra Jaya area . Working hours from 0600 to 1400. Salary negotiable. If interested please come personally to the following address: NEWSPAPER & MAGAZINE SERVICES (M) SDN BHD. 16 JALAN SM 10, TAMAN SRI MANJA OFF JALAN KLANG LAMA. 46000 PETALING JAYA TEL: 7783 7797 / 7783 0895 / 96 - Puan ROSE. ADMIN / GENERAL CLERK wanted. Female only. With/WO experience. Training provided.

Shah Alam. Call: 03-5569 4992 / 72 or Email: homewestsb@ hotmail.com ADMIN CUM ACCOUNTS CLERK min 1 yr experience. Indian. 5 days week. Plaza Mont’ Kiara. Contact: 03-6201 0077 for walk in interview or email resume to kanchimalaysia@ gmail.com

M434

Business Services

OUR MINDS Can heal our body.Heartaches, Headaches, Stress, Pains, Phobias, Fears, Bad Habits?Join 1 hr FREE talk & take home some great ideas how you can heal yourself. Reg. now. Tunku 03-2095 9513.

Home furniture/furnishing

HIASAN REZEKI. Kitchen cabinet, wardrobe & curtain (compare price) Call: Firdaus: 016-3260 282

GET A 100% Free, fully customizable, professional online e commerce store to sell your productsâ ¦ via Online/Internet.

The Benefits:+ Keep 100% of the profits + Expose to 26 Million people in Msia. + Start accepting orders immediately + Multi language & multi currency. + No admin charges. No onetime fee + Free shopping cart designs. + Integration to Paypal-Ready + Integration to MBB, PBB, HLB, Affin Bank, Ambank, etc is upon request. Visit www. arkdata.com.my now & register your free copy. For further inquiries, - Mr.Kong at 03-2096 9089 - Mr.Eric at 012-323 3429

Services

EARN RM5K / MONTH or more as EXTRA INCOME without selling! YES! WITHOUT SELLING! Unbelievable? BELIEVE IT! SMS BB/name/age/location to 013-277 8625 for details. Bumiputera only!

KEMENTERIAN KEWANGAN MOF Registration, Bumi status. Call: 03-40434000 / 0193840000. www.Ready Companies.com

Home repairs/maintenance

GET A LICENSED Plumber for your pipe problem!!! Repair and new installation. Call Kamarudin 012-258 5826

ADULT STEM Cells, the miraculous answer to wellness, longevity and financial freedom.

Call: 012-298 6207

PLSG ONLINE RM50.00 The Mark of The Great Man.Mobile Agent Wanted. Hotline HQ: 012-758 5800 www.abangpower.com

M515

MAMYPOKO/ HUGGIES/MAMAN, Korea/ USA/ Europe.

Direct from factory! Packing 80 pcs. From RM28 SMS: 012624 9699 Ms Lim

EMPLOYMENT AND PROFIT Sharing plan available in Cafe at Kota Damansara . Accommodation & meals provided.

Preferably School leavers.

Interested pls call: 013-3456 771

WAITRESS WANTED Preferably (Malay Girls) at Plaza Low Yat (Lot no. LG032B) Interested please call: 018-283 8888 Mr Chua

AN ESTABLISHED Logistics Company urgently required and driver (GDL). Interested please call 03-5638 9533 AUDIT FIRM nearby SS2, PJ looking for suitable candidatesAUDIT & ACCOUNT ASSISSTANT with the following requirement :- * LCCI, diploma in accounting, part ACCA * Able to converse in English & BM * Preferably stay nearby PJ * Fresh / Undergraduate are encourage apply Contact 603-7955 5702 OR email resume and application to sctongco25k@yahoo. com DRIVER; INDIAN REQUIRED. Plaza Mont’ Kiara. Age 30-45.

Preferably with car. Valid License. Contact: 03-6201 0077

LEGAL FIRM IN KL required urgently experience Conveyancing clerk to work independently. Call: 012-2514 297 LEGAL FIRM In Seremban required experience Account Clerk ( with UBS knowledge) urgently. Good salary Call: 0122514 297 NEW-AIRCOND MINI Bus drivers urgently req. around Kajang & Serdang areas. Possess valid E-license & PSV. Basic salary + EPF + Socso + Commission.

Petrol cost beared by company.

Call Cik.Ninaz 017-661 6763 / 03-8724 3118 RECOVERY OFFICERS Supervisor/ Manager needed. Attractive basic salary, commission and performance bonus provided. Located near the Pudu LRT station. (walking distance) Call: 03-9195 5551 @ 5552 or E-mail gtr@galatrack.com SCHOOL BUS & VAN DRIVERS needed URGENTLY. Based in KL. Retirees are welcomed. Call: 012-234 8081/ 034044 8081 SECURITY GUARDS needed at 5 Star Hotel and high rise building in Kuala Lumpur. Age 20 - 50 years. EPF, SOCSO, Medical, Insurance& Hostel provided. Salary RM 1400.00.

Contact Chandran 012-376 0640, Capt 012-466 8347 Mona 016-998 2030 , Nazaruddin 012-693 7759, 03-2282 7055 & 2282 7044 TECHNICIAN / GENERAL CLERK urgently needed in Tmn Klang Jaya. Salary 1-3K. Interested? Call 012-294 6626 / 019663 2553.

JOBS / LEGAL / NOTICES

Monday 25 APRIL, 2011

the malay mail

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Jobs

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Jobs

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Jobs

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Jobs

M580

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CALL : 03-7947 2288 FAX : 03-7960 5097 M580

Notices/legal/proclaim

M580

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LEGAL / NOTICES

the malay mail

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Monday 25 APRIL, 2011

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snapSH

TS

football PremierLeague

Back to basics

Young Tigers ready for turnaround

BARCELONA: Rafael Nadal celebrates with the trophy after winning the final of the Barcelona Open tennis tournament Conde de Godo against compatriot David Ferrer yesterday in Barcelona. Nadal won 6-2, 6-4

KUALA LUMPUR: April has not been a good month for Harimau Muda B. They collected only five points from a possible 18.

However, skipper D. Saarvindran (pic) believes they are ready for a turnaround.

"Though we lost our last match against Sarawak, we had a good game," said Saarvindran, 18. "We fought more for the ball and had better overall play compared with our previous games."

Harimau Muda B succumbed to a 2-1 defeat to Sarawak last Thursday. The recent slump has seen them drop from third in the table to ninth.

"Everyone in the team is to be blamed for this (slump). We took things easy," he added.

The demanding league schedule is not helping Harimau Muda B's cause either. The young Tigers have played every three days since their 3-1 victory over Penang on April 12.

"No doubt it is strenuous but we have to go through this challenge. We are put in this league for us to mature as players," said Saarvindran.

Harimau Muda B is the national

Monday 25 APRIL, 2011

27

sports

fixtures

Premier League Police v USM Paroi Stadium (8.45pm) Sarawak v Penang Kuching Stadium (4.15pm) Pos Malaysia v Johor Selayang Stadium (8.45pm) Sime Darby v PKNS PJ Stadium (8.45pm) Muar City Council v Armed Forces Jcorp Stadium (4.45pm) SDM Navy v Harimau Muda B Batu Kawan Stadium (4.45pm)

standings

By Vijhay vick ____ vijhayvick@mmail.com.my ____ STUTTGART: Rank outsider Julia Goerges of Germany stunned world No 1 Caroline Wozniacki 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 yesterday in the Porsche Grand Prix to win her first title of the year in front of an ecstatic home crowd. Goerges outplayed her opponent, winner of three titles already this year, on the fast indoor clay court, giving the Dane no chance of a title she has yet to win. Goerges won US$111,000 (RM333,000) and a sports car

the malay mail

P PKNS 12 Sarawak 12 Police 13 Johor 12 Sime Darby 13 Armed Forces 13 Pos Malaysia 13 USM 13 Harimau Muda B 13 Muar City Council 13 SDM Navy 13 Penang 13

Super League Kelantan KL Sabah Terengganu Johor FC Kedah N. Sembilan

W 9 7 7 7 6 5 5 6 4 4 1 0

D L F 3 0 24 2 3 26 2 4 19 1 5 23 3 4 12 5 3 13 5 3 15 0 7 17 5 4 16 3 6 14 2 10 13 1 12 7

results 4 0 1 3 2 1 3

Perlis Felda United Selangor Perak T-Team Harimau Muda A Pahang

standings

Under-19 team. Their participation in the domestic league is for them to be exposed to top level competition to prepare for international tournaments.

Meanwhile, Harimau Muda B's sister team, Harimau Muda A, enjoyed a victory in their away match to Kedah in the Super League on Saturday. They won 2-1.

A Pts 2 30 12 23 14 23 17 22 7 21 11 20 19 20 17 18 16 17 23 15 30 5 31 1

P Selangor 14 Terengganu 14 Kelantan 14 Kedah 14 Perak 14 Felda United 14 Harimau Muda A 13 Johor FC 14 T-Team 14 KL 14 Negri Sembilan 14 Pahang 14 Sabah 13 Perlis 14

W 10 8 8 7 6 5 5 3 4 3 4 3 2 1

D 2 4 3 3 5 4 3 7 3 6 3 4 5 4

L F 2 19 2 24 3 33 4 12 3 16 5 11 5 16 4 9 7 17 5 9 7 13 7 14 6 9 9 12

0 0 2 0 1 2 1

A Pts 11 32 12 28 15 27 9 24 10 23 14 19 15 18 14 16 19 15 11 15 18 15 19 13 15 11 32 7

golf

Donald: Time on my side to reach No 1

ISTANBUL: Austria's gold medallist Sabrina Filzmoster (white) is speared by Portugal's silver medallist Telma Monteiro (blue) during their women's under 57kg category European Judo Championships final match

COLOGNE: Fatmire Bajramaj (left), midfielder of the German women's national football team, attends a taekwondo training session. The Fifa Women's World Cup is in Germany from June 26-July 17 this year

HILTON HEAD: England's Luke Donald was oh-so-close to claiming golf's world No 1 ranking, but he took the near miss from a dramatic playoff loss this morning at the US PGA Heritage in stride.

American Brandt Snedeker defeated Donald for the title with a par on the third extra hole after topping Donald's 12-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole and his six-foot par putt on the second.

Donald's 15-foot chip for par on the third playoff hole slammed into the back of the cup and bounced out, leaving him second and allowing England's Lee Westwood to claim the top ranking once again.

"I came pretty close, yeah, but I've still got some time on my side," Donald said.

"Certainly No 1 is not the final goal.

To be No 1 would be great but it's not everything. It certainly would be a tick in the box. It would be something great to talk to the grandkids in 30 years' time and say that you were the best in the world, but I still have a lot of chances to do that."

Since Tiger Woods surrendered the top spot six months ago, Westwood and Germany's Martin Kaymer have traded the ranking summit while Woods, Phil Mickelson and Graeme McDowell have been within reach with a victory

final leaderboars

272 - x-Brandt Snedeker 69-67-72-64, Luke Donald (GBR) 67-65-70-70; 273 - Tommy Gainey 71-67-67-68; 274 - Tim Herron 65-7171-67, Ricky Barnes 71-67-67-69; 276 - Nick O'Hern (AUS) 70-66-72-68, Ben Crane 69-6671-70, Pat Perez 71-67-68-70; 277 - Kevin Na 70-68-73-66, Paul Goydos 72-67-70-68, Garrett Willis 64-69-74-70, Jason Day (AUS) 69-65-7172, Scott Verplank 67-70-67-73; 278 - Aaron Baddeley (AUS) 70-68-69-71; 279 - Fredrik Jacobson (SWE) 69-71-71-68, Bi-o Kim (KOR) 71-69-74-65, Brian Davis (ENG) 68-74-68-69, Brendon de Jonge (ZIM) 67-71-66-75; 280 Ryuji Imada (JPN) 70-71-69-70, Carl Pettersson (SWE) 71-69-69-71; 281 - Ian Poulter (GBR) 69-66-75-71, Stephen Ames (CAN) 72-68-6972, Camilo Villegas (COL) 66-68-74-73; 282 - Alex Cejka (GER) 69-73-70-70, David Hearn (CAN) 72-70-69-71; 283 - Nathan Green (AUS) 69-69-74-71, Trevor Immelman (RSA) 69-71-7172; 284 - Greg Chalmers (AUS) 74-65-71-74; 285 - Graeme McDowell (NIR) 68-69-74-74; 287 - Steve Elkington (AUS) 68-72-74-73, Arjun Atwal (IND) 65-73-72-77; 292 - Charlie Wi (KOR) 72-70-73-77

as well.

"Certainly there's a lot of people that have a chance to be No 1 right now.

I think it's a fun time in golf," Donald said.

"Obviously Tiger dominated for a number of years and no one was close to him. But now it's a little bit more of a race and just a little added thing to the side that's kind of fun for the spectators."

Donald tried not to let the possibilities add to the tension as he chased Snedeker's clubhouse lead. Donald birdied the par-five 13th and parred in with some tense chips and putts to set up the playoff.

"It's hard to put that out of your mind, but for sure it was going to be some big rewards if I won," Donald said. "I'll try and find the positives from this week and move on to next week."

Donald's best chance during the final holes to claim the crown without a playoff came at the 16th but he missed a six-foot birdie putt.

"Hit a great shot into 16, had a good chance there," Donald said. "I thought if I made that putt I could win the tournament."

His biggest regret was his last approach at the 18th during his second playoff attempt at the hole when his ball plugged in a bunker and his blast out left him 15 feet away on the edge on the green.

"Obviously not a great lie," Donald said. "It plugged in the bunker. Played it pretty well and just came out left.

Came out on line it would probably be six, seven feet. It's hard to control those shots.

"I gave the chip a run, it was just going a little too fast and caught the right edge." â&#x20AC;&#x201D; AFP

28

the malay mail

Monday 25 APRIL, 2011

sports football

SerieA

Pastore ultimatum Palermo star to leave if manager Rossi sacked

PALERMO: Ace attacker Javier Pastore is threatening Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini that he could leave the club if manager Delio Rossi is sacked again.

Rossi was fired and then reappointed after a month by Zamparini, who has not been clear over his policies regarding the future for the manager. But he showed clarity over Pastore's price tag last week, claiming the midfielder is worth over €60 million (RM263.0m).

However, the 21-year-old Argentine has made it clear his choices are directly linked with Rossi being confirmed. If not, the manager is moved aside once more will consider significant action, knowing Real Madrid and Barcelona are eyeing Pastore.

"I’ll only stay at Palermo if Delio Rossi does too," Pastore told Mediaset Premium.

Rossi sent a worrying message after Palermo's 2-1 win over Napoli on Saturday, claiming he was still in the dark. "I don’t know what my future holds," he said.

The manager was sent off for dissent after appearing to vent his frustrations at the officials during the game.

Meanwhile, Napoli manager Walter Mazzarri believes they were

issued ultimatum: Pastore (left) will only stay at Palermo if Rossi does also — GETTYpic

unlucky to lose, believing they deserved a draw.

Chief striker Edison Cavani's goal gave the away team the lead, but the Sicilians came back to earn all three points through goals by Federico Balzaretti and Cesare Bovo.

Napoli have been knocked down to third-place after Inter Milan's 2-1 victory over Lazio and nine points behind leaders AC Milan who beat Brescia 1-0 in another

match on Saturday.

"We lost but we deserved to draw. Now, we must not forget how well my players have done this season. It's difficult to coach in these situations because we're a young team and maybe not ready for the pressure," Mazzarri told Sky Sports Italia.

Napoli face Genoa at home this weekend and will need to win if they are to keep their faint hopes of an unexpected Scudetto alive.

Tough for Inter to retain title, says Moratti MILAN: Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti admits it will be tough for them to claw back AC Milan's eight-point lead as he regrets moments in the season which he feels compromised their hopes of defending their Serie A crown.

And he feels the race was lost with the 3-0 derby defeat against Milan three weeks ago.

"If only we hadn't gone through that cursed week then we'd have been in a different position right now," said Moratti.

"This proves that losses at this point can weigh heavily on everyone because this is a difficult campaign.

We are unfortunately quite a distance from Milan, but will try to defend our position and see how it ends up.

"The players have given and continue to give their all. I expect and hope not to struggle too much to get into the Champions League."

Such struggles were perhaps leveraged with their 2-1 win over Lazio at San Siro on Saturday which saw goalkeeper Julio Cesar sent off.

"It isn't easy to react with 10 men, but the team gave a great response," said Moratti.

"I thought the players were more tired, which with a Coppa Italia game last Tuesday against Roma was entirely understandable, but their character overcame fatigue.

This bodes well for the upcoming matches.

"This was a show of strength for many reasons. We saw a confident and intelligent side that never lost their heads or their focus within the game. If Inter won everything for five consecutive seasons, then this mentality and self-belief is among the reasons."

Inter play Cesena this weekend and are now second — eight points behind Milan.

Meanwhile, Milan's veteran defender Gianluca Zambrotta insists the Scudetto race is not as dead as it seems for Milan despite their eightpoint advantage over Inter.

Milan consolidated their bid for the title by beating relegation strugglers Brescia 1-0 — with Robinho sealing the narrow win with a late strike.

But Zambrotta was eager to warn his side there have been occasions when teams seemingly in control of the title race have thrown it away, like Juventus in 2000 and Inter

NOT IMPOSSIBLE LEO: Moratti (left) talking to Inter's manager Leonardo at the training ground in Milan — GETTYpic

in 2002.

"Scudetto over? No. Not yet," he said.

"I have the experience of winning and losing titles on the final day with big advantages four or five weeks before the end. It was fundamental to beat Brescia and we knew there would be teams who failed."

Napoli lost away to Palermo having led early in the game, meaning Milan's lead was stretched by a further two points.

results & STANDINGS Yesterday Roma 1 Chievo 0 Bari 0 Sampdoria 1 Bologna 0 Cesena 2 Cagliari 1 Fiorentina 2 Genoa 4 Lecce 2 Inter Milan 2 Lazio 1 Palermo 2 Napoli 1 Udinese 0 Parma 2 Brescia 0 AC Milan 1 Juventus 2 Catania 2

AC Milan Inter Milan Napoli Lazio Udinese Roma Juventus Palermo Fiorentina Genoa Cagliari Bologna Chievo Parma Catania Cesena Sampdoria Lecce Brescia Bari

P 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34 34

W D L F A Pts 22 8 4 60 23 74 20 6 8 60 38 66 20 5 9 54 34 65 18 6 10 46 32 60 18 5 11 59 37 59 16 8 10 52 47 56 14 11 9 52 42 53 15 5 14 52 55 50 11 13 10 40 36 46 12 9 13 38 39 45 12 8 14 42 42 44 11 10 13 34 46 40 9 12 13 32 35 39 9 11 14 34 45 38 9 10 15 33 47 37 9 10 15 32 45 37 8 11 15 27 39 35 9 8 17 40 60 35 7 9 18 28 44 30 4 9 21 20 49 21

Note: Bologna deducted three points for unpaid taxes and player salaries

BUNDESLIGA results Yesterday Wolfsburg 4 Cologne 1 Nuremberg 0 Mainz 0 Saturday Schalke 0 K'slautern 1 Leverkusen 2 Hoffenheim 1 Stuttgart 3 Hamburg 0 Frankfurt 1 Bayern Munich 1 St. Pauli 1 Bremen 3 M'gladbach 1 Dortmund 0 Friday Freiburg 1 Hanover 3

STANDINGS TOP 8

Dortmund Leverkusen Hanover B. Munich Mainz 05 Nuremberg Hamburg SC Freiburg

P 31 31 31 31 31 31 31 31

W 21 19 18 16 15 13 12 12

D L F A Pts 6 4 62 19 69 7 5 62 41 64 3 10 45 41 57 8 7 67 37 56 4 12 44 37 49 8 10 45 38 47 7 12 44 48 43 5 14 39 47 41

motorsport Formula 1

Schumacher can look forward to better things ahead LONDON: Seven-time champion Michael Schumacher's hopes of a chance to challenge for race victories this season improved at the Chinese Grand Prix last week but thanks mainly to his Mercedes GP Petronas teammate Nico Rosberg.

Schumacher, 42, has been struggling to impress in general and beat Rosberg in particular since he returned to Formula 1 last year after a three-year absence.

But the German could now be ready to make a push for the podium finishes that have eluded him.

He could even have an outside chance of challenging for the 92nd victory of his record-breaking career later this season.

According to Rosberg, who led the race at Shanghai before fuel shortage problems saw him passed by eventual victor and old friend Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes have found the key to faster performances in their car.

Had his team not miscalculated their fuel consumption for Rosberg's car, the son of former champion Keke Rosberg might have gone on to secure his first win.

"That race really was one of the most exciting that I have ever driven in. Afterwards, it took me some time to let everything sink in because I had high hopes for a good podium result - and I had led for a quarter of the race," said Rosberg.

"But I can't blame anybody in the team for having been short on fuel, it's a lesson that we learn together. We have to be happy that we made a step forward in China which was achieved by everyone in the team working extremely hard.

"And like Schumacher and everybody else, my attitude is always that we win together and we lose together as one team.

"Who would have thought before the Chinese Grand Prix that I would lead the race? That was fantastic and to be competing at the front of the field was a great feeling for me and everybody in the team."

Rosberg is 17 years younger than his senior teammate but has shown scant respect for that or his achievements.

Schumacher said he would not have it any other way. "We race for the same team and we race hard against each other, too. I am delighted for Rosberg when he has successes," he said.

football ChampionsLeague

the malay mail

Gaga over Kaka

Monday 25 APRIL, 2011

sports

PrimeraLiga KAKA

And newborn daughter Isabella will inspire in-form Brazilian further MADRID: Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho hailed midfielder Kaka's performance after watching the former World Player-of-the-Year help dismantle Valencia 6-3 at the Mestalla on Saturday.

Kaka scored two and assisted two more as his side romped to a huge victory ahead of Real's Champions League first-leg semifinal showdown with Barcelona at Santiago Bernabeu on Thursday (2.45am). ''He has done absolutely fantastic in a position that I like,'' Mourinho told Marca. ''For Kaka's confidence it is great and now we have six or seven games to play when we need the best from him. And we can see the best of him next season."

After moving for a €68 million (RM296.3m) to Real in the summer of 2009, Kaka has so far failed to live up to his mammoth price tag.

He has seldom had the Bernabeu crowd behind him but this encouraging display will give Mourinho hope that the former AC Milan

star could yet play a pivotal role in Real's Champions League hopes this season.

Kaka's superb show coincided with news that his wife gave birth to a girl on Saturday evening in Brazil.

Caroline Celico gave birth to baby Isabella at the Albert Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo - the couple's second following the birth of son Luca in June 2008.

Kaka was not with his wife as he was playing the match against Valencia. However, he dedicated both his goals to Isabella.

Caroline announced Isabella's birth on Twitter.

"I've given birth again! With a normal delivery and it was wonderful.

I enjoyed every pain, every minute which began at midnight. It was all worth it," Caroline tweeted.

Kaka arrived in Sao Paulo yesterday to meet his daughter for the first time but will fly back to Spain today to rejoin the Real squad.

He will be hoping that his impressive performance against Valencia

The semifinals of the Champions League have been dominated by teams from the “Big Five” footballing nations, with English and Spanish clubs making up the majority of semifinalists in recent years SPAIN ENGLAND 18 Deportivo: 1 Valencia: 2 18 places Spain and England have taken combined 15 Clubs from Big Five Manchester of last 20 account for 88% United: 7 semifinal places of all semifinal Real Aiming for third spots since Madrid: 6 final in four 1993/94 First semifinal years since 2003 Chelsea 5 Villarreal: 1 Barcelona 8 Semifinalist for past four years

SEMIFINALISTS Liverpool: 3 SINCE 1993/94 This year’s match-ups see three clubs with 21 previous berths between them – Arsenal: 2 whilst Schalke 04 are debutants Dynamo Kyiv: 1 Panathinaikos: 1

Porto: 2

PSV: 1 – Last semifinalist not from Big Five, in 2004/05

Ajax 3

PSG: 1 Nantes: 1 Olympique Lyon: 1 FRANCE 6 Source: Infostrada Sports

Leeds Utd: 1

Schalke: 1 Leverkusen: 1 Monaco 3

Dortmund: 2

Bayern Munich 5

GERMANY 9

AC Milan 6

Juventus 5 Italy: Only 2 of last 20 semifinal places Internazionale: 2 ITALY 13 © GRAPHIC NEWS

29

will earn him a starting berth against Barca.

Meanwhile, striker Gonzalo Higuain feels Real are in great shape ahead of the clash against Barca.

The Argentina international, who missed the bulk of the action this season because of injury, struck a hattrick in the win over Valencia.

"I gained a lot of confidence. I am very happy — a little tired, but that's normal. There is no better way to return to the team with a lot of goals.

The hard work and wait were worth it," he told Real's website.

"Now it's time to have fun because helping the team and accomplishing our goals are that count. No one was selfish. We played as a team. Now it is time to rest ahead of the Barca's match, but we proved that we are in great shape heading into the final stage of the season in the win over Valencia."

Higuain, who will probably have to make do with a place on the bench behind the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Angel Di Maria upfront, believes Mourinho has a wealth of options at his disposal ahead of Thursday's El Clasico.

"Mourinho has a variety of possibilities with the players he has to choose from, and everyone is in good form."

Sevilla, Atletico improve chances for Euro action with wins MADRID: Sevilla and Atletico Madrid boosted their hopes of snatching European spots with wins this morning.

With Villarreal occupying the fourth Champions League spot, it was crucial Sevilla won as the two sides met at Estadio Ramon Sanchez — and they did just that, claiming a 3-2 home victory.

Ivan Rakitic and Alvaro Negredo put the hosts 2-0 by the 14th minutes before Carlos Marchena pulled one back after the break.

Romaric restored Sevilla's twogoal cushion and although fellow substitute Giuseppe Rossi gave Villarreal hope, Marchena was sent off for two late bookings.

Meanwhile, striker Sergio "Kun" Aguero scored a secondhalf brace as Atletico registered a 4-1 win over Levante at home.

Tr indade Elias' opener for Atletico was cancelled out by a 40th minute penalty by Felipe Caicedo.

But vic tor y was sealed by Aguero's double, including one goal from the penalty spot, before Levante keeper Gustavo Munua turned a corner into his own net.

Sevilla and Atletico remain joint-sixth — eight points behind Villarreal with five games left.

Atletico manager Quique Sanchez Flores is happy with his side's form.

"The team started the season well. The middle was not so good but we are finishing strongly. If we finish in the European places combined with our title (UEFA Super Cup) then it would not have been a bad year," he said.

Despite the comfortable victory, striker Diego Forlan's reaction to being substituted was a sour note.

"I understand that it is a difficult time for Forlan but the manager

RESULTS

This morning S. Gijon 1 Hercules 1 R. Santander 1 R. Mallorca 2 Atle Madrid 4 Sevilla 3 Yesterday Valencia 3 Barcelona 2 Ath Bilbao 2

Espanyol Deportivo Malaga Getafe Levante Villarreal

0 0 2 0 1 2

Real Madrid Osasuna R. Sociedad

6 0 1

FIXTURE

Tomorrow R. Zaragoza v Almeria (3am)

STANDINGS Barcelona Real Madrid Valencia Villarreal Ath Bilbao Atle Madrid Sevilla Espanyol Levante R. Mallorca S. Gijon R. Sociedad Deportivo Getafe R. Santander Malaga Osasuna R. Zaragoza Hercules

P 33 33 33 33 33 33 33 33 33 33 33 33 33 33 33 33 33 32 33

W D L 28 4 1 25 5 3 19 6 8 17 6 10 16 3 14 14 7 12 14 7 12 14 3 16 12 6 15 12 6 15 10 11 12 12 2 19 9 11 13 10 7 16 9 10 14 10 6 17 9 8 16 8 9 15 9 6 18

F 88 79 57 51 51 54 51 40 37 35 31 43 27 43 32 44 37 31 30

A Pts 17 88 26 80 41 63 39 57 47 51 44 49 49 49 46 45 46 42 45 42 37 41 57 38 41 38 53 37 49 37 63 36 41 35 45 33 50 33

has to make decisions and decide what is best for the team," said Flores.

Atletico are up against Deportivo next weekend where they will be hoping to continue their impressive form.

Real favourites in first-leg, admits Guardiola MADRID: Barcelona manager Josep "Pep" Guardiola admitted Real Madrid were favourites for the firstleg of their Champions League clash at Santiago Bernabeu on Thursday (2.45am).

The two biggest teams and rivals have met twice in the last 10 days — drawing 1-1 in Primera Liga before Real claimed a 1-0 win in extratime over Barca in the final of the Copa Del Rey. Real were in scintillating form at the Mestalla on Saturday, thrashing Valencia 6-3 with fringe players Gonzalo Higuain, Karim Benzema and Kaka coming into the side and scoring all the goals between them.

"We accept that Real are in the role of favourites in the Champons League. I understand that is so, because they won the Copa and

they are playing well," Guardiola told Marca.

"We also accept the challenge. We have great faith in ourselves and I have faith more than anything in my players," he said.

There is a possibility that the referee for the clash on Thursday will be from Portugal, Mourinho's home country — something Guardiola feels the "Special One" will not be displeased with.

"If so I think the manager of Real will be very happy," said Guardiola.

Barca kept their eight-point lead in the league with a 2-0 win over Osasuna in Primera Liga at Nou Camp on Saturday and now only need two wins and a draw in the remaining five matches to retain the title for the third season in a row.

Barca midfielder Sergio Busquets, meanwhile, is expecting a hard slog

on Thursday as their dominance over Los Blancos has become less stable.

"We have to change our mentality, the semifinals of the Champions League are very hard," said the Spain international. "They are games which don't last 90 minutes, but 180. We have to be careful, work well and take an important step."

What about Guardiola suggesting Real are favourites?

Busquets changed that to a broadly neutral vibe.

"They are a great team, and perhaps the worst rivals we could have faced right now in the Champions League because they know us, they have a great manager and there is great rivalry," he said.

"But the games are even. We have to improve and must play with our philosophy."

30

the malay mail

Monday 25 april, 2011

results

sports

Yesterday

football PremierLeague

Don't let me Down Mancini wants players to raise game against Blackburn

LON D ON : M a n c h e s t e r C i t y boss Roberto Mancini warned his players not to let him down when they face Blackburn at Ewood Park tomorrow (3am).

There is a wave of euphoria in and around Eastlands with the FA Cup final against Stoke to look forward to next month and the chance to end a 35-year wait for a major trophy.

However, Mancini wants a reality check following the Wembley win over Manchester United when they take on Blackburn.

He is keen to avoid a performance similar to the one they gave against Liverpool recently, which ended in a 3-0 defeat.

City are on course for a top-four place and a spot in the Champions League while Blackburn are in freefall after failing to win any of their last 10 league games.

"It has been a good week but now United are in the past. We should forget it," said Mancini.

"Now we need to focus only only on the next four games before the final. It is impossible to think of the final at this moment. We have games against Blackburn and West Ham, teams fighting against relegation. These matches are very dangerous.

COUNTING ON YOU GUYS: Mancini (right) celebrates with his players after the final whistle in the FA Cup semifinal match between United and City on April 16 —AFPpic

"If we think we can go to Blackburn and play 50 per cent it is better we stay at home and not spend the money to go there.

If we have the same focus as against United, the same concentration we will win a lot of games.

"That is important because we have lost many points in the last month. We must remember what happened at Liverpool.

"We must give 100 per cent because Blackburn are a strong team at home and it will be a

very hard game."

Mancini could be tempted to name an unchanged line-up (the one against United) against struggling Blackburn.

Controversial striker Mario Balotelli looks set to retain his place following the victory over United as Carlos Tevez has a hamstring injury.

With defender Micah Richards also absent with a similar problem, Argentine Pablo Zabaleta is set to stay in the team following the Wembley triumph.

Bolton deserve to stun Arsenal, says Coyle LONDON: Bolton manager Owen Coyle hailed his side after they bounced back from their Wembley horror show to beat Arsenal 2-1 at Reebok Stadium yesterday.

The Trotters were thumped 5-0

by Stoke in last week's FA Cup semifinal and then faced the Gunners needing to win to maintain any realistic hope of winning the Premier League title.

Bolton were under pressure early on and for much of the second-half after Robin van Persie drew Arsenal level in the 48th minute but they refused to let their heads down and go back into their shell.

Blackburn responded well to an early Arsenal onslaught to claim a deserved lead through Daniel Sturridge in the 38th minute.

Captain Kevin Davies then had a poor penalty saved moments before van Persie's well-worked equaliser.

And although Arsenal pegged Bolton back, missing several chances to go in front, Coyle's men kept coming forward and substitute Tamir Cohen headed a 90th minute winner from Matt Taylor's corner.

"We had a terrible, horrible day last week, and everything that could go wrong did," Coyle told Sky Sports.

"We didn't feel great about ourselves and that will stay with me, as a manager, till the day I die because we went there believing we could win.

"But I think today everyone saw the true Bolton and the standards we are capable of producing.

"It was an end-to-end game and it would have been very easy to shut up shop and to try prevent them getting in behind.

"But I was adamant we were going to go out with two strikers on the pitch and try to win it,

Bolton 2 Arsenal 1 Saturday Aston Villa 1 Stoke 1 Blackpool 1 Newcastle 1 Chelsea 3 West Ham 0 Liverpool 5 Birmingham 0 Man Utd 1 Everton 0 Sunderland 4 Wigan 2 Tottenham 2 West Brom 2 Wolves 1 Fulham 1

FIXTURE Tomorrow Blackburn v Man City (3am)

STANDINGS

Man Utd Chelsea Arsenal Man City Tottenham Liverpool Everton Bolton Newcastle Sunderland Aston Villa West Brom Fulham Stoke Birmingham Blackburn Blackpool Wigan Wolves West Ham

P 34 34 34 32 33 34 34 33 34 34 34 34 33 33 34 33 34 34 33 34

W D L F A Pts 21 10 3 71 32 73 20 7 7 64 27 67 18 10 6 67 36 64 16 8 8 50 30 56 14 13 6 49 41 55 15 7 12 51 39 52 11 14 9 47 42 47 12 10 11 48 44 46 10 11 13 49 48 41 10 11 13 39 49 41 10 11 13 43 55 41 10 10 14 49 64 40 8 15 10 37 36 39 11 6 16 40 43 39 8 14 12 34 51 38 9 8 16 40 54 35 9 7 18 48 70 34 7 13 14 34 57 34 9 6 18 37 57 33 7 11 16 39 61 32

recognising that Arsenal would have an advantage in the middle of the park with that extra man.

"Every one of my strikers worked their socks off and we had some unbelievable chances in the first-half. We should have gone 2-0 up with the penalty, and then van Persie turns up with a fantastic goal.

"But this group don't know that. They picked themselves up again and we're absolutely delighted to get the late winner."

Press Talk DAILY MIRROR

Raul threat to Red Devils ALEX FERGUSON has been warned that Raul can come back to haunt Manchester United in the Champions League on Wednesday (2.45am).

Raul, once hailed by Ferguson as the best player in the world, dumped United out of Europe in 2000 and in 2003 with Real Madrid.

Ferguson had the chance to sign the striker – the all-time topscorer in the Champions League with 71 goals – when he left Spain last summer. But he turned down an approach from Raul’s agent and the star was snapped up by United’s Champions League semifinal opponents Schalke.

Steve McManaman, who played alongside Raul for four years in Madrid, said the 33-year-old striker remains a huge threat.

“He plays so many games and scores so many goals. I don’t know how interested United were but I knew he loved the English league and in an ideal world he would have come to the Premier League," he said.

“Maybe he thought he wouldn’t have played enough games here and the reason he left Real was that he wanted to play in

every single game.

“I don’t think Ferguson could have promised to play him in every single game. He’s gone to a lesser team because he knew he could drive them forward. ‘‘When you train with him and play in the same side as him you really appreciate what a fantastic footballer he is. ‘The fact he scores so many goals is exceptional.”

Although United are favourites to progress to the final, McManaman said Schalke – who put seven goals past Inter Milan in the quarter-finals – should not be taken lightly.

And he paid tribute to the role played by Raul in helping the unfancied Germans get so far in the Champions League.

“The fact he’s now helped Schalke get to the semi-finals speaks volumes for him,” said McManaman. “His experience and goal-scoring record has helped.

“I know they’ve spent a lot of money on players and the new manager has done well, but he’s certainly a cog in the club’s success."  WAYNE ROONEY lavished praise on Javier Hernandez after his priceless late winner against Everton at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Rooney, the latest high-profile footballer to air his views on social networking site

Twitter hailed the young Mexican as 'the buy of the century'.

And skipper Rio Ferdinand, a Twitter veteran, told his 800,000 plus followers: 'Lil Pea is the real deal'.

Manager Alex Ferguson is amazed by Hernandez's impact in his debut season in the Premier League.

"We thought it would take him time to bed in," he said. "But he's getting rewards for all his hard work."

The striker powered a brilliant 83rd minute header past Tim Howard for the winner. Tearful Tamir Cohen broke down after scoring Bolton’s dramatic late winner against Arsenal yesterday – and dedicated the goal to his father.

The Israeli midfielder, who lost dad Avi after a motorbike accident in December, kissed a T-shirt of the Liverpool legend after he scored.

“It was a very emotional moment for me,” he said.

But the 27-year-old was booked by apologetic-looking ref Mike Jones for removing his top to reveal the T-shirt.

Bolton boss Boss Owen Coyle, who met Avi when he visited his son shortly before his death, said: “Refs are charged with a set of rules that don’t understand the emotion of the moment.”

THE SUN

Cole to be dumped JOE COLE will be dumped by Liverpool in the summer. The former England playmaker, 29, has struggled to make an impact at Anfield since signing on a free from Chelsea last July.

Cole started just eight league games this season and now the Reds are ready to cut their losses on the £100,000-a-week star.

A Liverpool insider said: "It's tough on Joe because he is a great kid. But things just haven't worked out for him.

"Kenny Dalglish is building a new Liverpool with the likes of Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez and he wants to bring in more new players in the summer.

"And, unfortunately, that means Joe will be surplus to requirements."

Liverpool would want £10 million for Cole and West Ham, where he burst through as a teenage sensation, are keen along with Tottenham.

He would jump at the chance of returning to his native London.  FERNANDO TORRES looked back at the goal that ended 734 minutes of agony and thanked People Power for keeping him going.

The Spaniard's strike in Chelsea's 3-0 win over West Ham on Saturday was his first for the club since his record £50 million move from Liverpool in January.

And he dedicated his historic strike to the club's supporters - or, as he refers to them, "the people."

"From my first day here I felt the support of the people everywhere I went. Even when we played away. All of them were shouting my name and they were even more excited with my first goal than me," he said.

"I know they're happy now and, thanks to them, I feel very good as well.

"It's very important to have a good relationship with the people. I hope this goal will be the first of many for them."

All talk of "the people" made Torres sound like Robert Lindsay's character Wolfie Smith in 1970s sitcom Citizen Smith. That revolutionary may have been leader of the Tooting Popular Front.

But when it comes to leaders up front for Chelsea there are not many more popular than Torres - as was proved by his goal celebrations on Saturday.

He was buried under a pile of ecstatic teammates as jubilant Chelsea fans lifted the roof off Stamford Bridge after his 84thminute goal.

"It's been a long time waiting for that, 14 games without scoring," said Torres.

the malay mail

Monday 25 APRIL, 2011

WEDNESDAY – SEMIFINAL, FIRST-LEG

European form: W

D

L

Schalke v Manchester Utd Veltins-Arena European form Last 5 23rd Euro Club Index rank

GOALS (total) For Against

TEAM STATISTICS (per match) Shots on target Shots wide Possession Corners Yellow cards

5.90 4.50 51% 5.70 2.60

5 3 2nd half

EUROPEAN HEAVYWEIGHTS Final appearances* AC Milan Juventus

6

4

Bayern

3

Man Utd

3 *Since 3 1992-93

5.00 4.50 53% 5.70 0.80

1st half

4 8

1 2 2nd half

Real Madrid and Barcelona meet in Champions League for first time since 2002 semi-final – Real won and went on to claim their ninth title MINUTES IN LEAD 497 Real Madrid

Barcelona 3

Real

GOALS (total) For Against

No previous meetings

1st half

8 13

3rd

HEAD-TO-HEAD

447

Barcelona

Lionel Messi – Top scorer with 9 goals APRIL 27

Schalke

340

Man Utd

331

Real Madrid v Barcelona Bernabeu Stadium

2nd

GOALS (total) For Against 1st half

8 16

0 3 2nd half

European form Last 5 Euro Club Index rank

1st

GOALS (total) For Against

HEAD-TO-HEAD Won 86 8.20 8.30 62% 6.70 2.40

Drawn 43

Won 82

TEAM STATISTICS (per match) Shots on target Shots wide Possession Corners Yellow cards

Sources: Uefa, Infostrada Sports

Picture: Getty Images

7.50 6.90 61% 5.10 1.00

1st half

11 13

3 4 2nd half

© GRAPHIC NEWS

PremierLeague

New signings will make the Reds challengers again, Kuyt LONDON: In-form striker Dirk Kuyt says a few more signings this summer will allow Liverpool to challenge for top honours.

The Holland international scored the Reds' second goal in Saturday's 5-0 win over Birmingham City — a result which extended their unbeaten home record under caretaker manager Kenny Dalglish to eight games.

Since taking the helm at the club after Roy Hodgson's January departure, Dalglish has rejuvenated performances and introduced a crop of youngsters into the first team, which Kuyt believes will contribute to a bright future if the Scot is able to strengthen the squad.

"If we can add a few other good players I think we can compete with the best. It has a bit of the same feeling as 2009 when we were really close and finished second," said Kuyt.

"I had the feeling that if we made a few good signings we would be right up there and that is exactly the case now."

Liverpool squad list was re-written in January when Fernando Torres departed for Chelsea and strikers Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll were bought

to fill the void — a business which Kuyt believes has been complimented by the impact made by the club's youngsters as they looked to the academy to battle a growing injury list.

"With the arrival of Suarez and Carroll we have two top quality signings but also with the arrival of the young lads who are doing well things are looking much more promising," said Kuyt.

"Everyone is speaking about fullbacks John Flanagan and Jack Robinson but Jay Spearing is also doing well."

Kuyt's strike in the win over Birmingham was his seventh goal in six Premier League outings and the 30-year-old is confident that the strong second-half of the season enjoyed by the Reds along with a good group work ethic will bring success to Anfield next season.

"We have already shown in the second-half of the season we can beat Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea and draw at Arsenal," he said.

"We are close but everyone is thinking we have to move forward and we have to get better. Hopefully we have learned from 2009 and if we can move forward we will be there and the way I see it that will happen."

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Painful German lesson Evra tells United teammates to be alert against Schalke

LONDON: Manchester United defender Patrice Evra (above) vowed to learn from last year's defeat against Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

United again face a German club in Schalke in the semifinal of Europe's elite club competition this time around. Last season, Bayern Munich knocked them out on the way to reaching the final they eventually lost to Inter Milan.

Schalke enhanced their reputation by the way in which they dispatched Inter and Evra is warning his teammates against taking them lightly.

"We remember what happened playing against a German team last season when we were knocked out

by Bayern Munich," Evra told Sky Sports.

"You have to respect every team and we will. I have a lot of respect for Schalke — you can never presume anything.

"When I played for Monaco nobody thought we would get to the final.

That's because in the quarterfinals we played against Real Madrid and in the semifinal we played against Chelsea — but we won both games!

"Schalke are in the last four because they desperately want to be there.

They have a desire to win the tro-

phy. So we have top respect that and we know they are well supported and it will be a big atmosphere in Germany."

After a slow start to the season, United have put themselves in a position where they now stand just games away from completing a Premier League and Champions League double.

And with the final of Europe's showpiece club football event at Wembley this season, it has given United extra impetus to succeed.

"We want this season to finish on a high, on a big high." said Evra.

"It's amazing that the final is at Wembley but let's be clear we want to win this competition every year, not just this time.

"Every year we enjoy the Champions League. It's one of the biggest trophies to win in your career. And when you win it once, you want to win it again.

"That's why we are so focused and why it's so important to get to the final and win like we did in Moscow three years ago."

Meanwhile, United boss Alex Ferguson admits he would relish facing Real Madrid in the final but is staying focussed on the game against Schalke first.

Real will be up against arch-rivals Barcelona, from whom they snatched the Copa del Rey last week — thanks to a header from winger Cristiano Ronaldo.

"From the moment the draw was made, I thought Real had a big chance, I really did," said Ferguson.

"I think that 5-0 defeat Real suffered against Barca in the Primera Liga this season would have hurt Jose Mourinho deeply and he won't be getting beaten like that again, that's for sure.

"Since then, Real have played Barcelona twice, drawing one and winning the other. For that match, the Copa del Rey final, he put Pepe, normally a centreback, in midfield and they really got wired in to Barca.

"Ronaldo's header to win the game was fantastic but I have seen him do that before. It was a little similar to the one he scored for us against Roma in Italy.

"I thought maybe the goalkeeper could have done better, but the spring and the power he got — it came from the spine, not the neck.

"He was a threat all night, running behind them. I'm not sure it's a case of relishing playing against him in the final but the best way to look at it is that I hope we are there."

Metzelder: United are favourites for Wembley LONDON: Christoph Metzelder admitted that Schalke are the underdogs in the upcoming Champions League semifinal against Manchester United.

The German club play host in the first-leg on Wednesday, with the second-leg clash at Old Trafford on May 3.

The winners book a spot in the final at Wembley.

And Metzelder, a Real Madrid defender, believes United will be confident of making their way past the Bundesliga outfit.

"I think we are underdogs, yes," Metzelder told The Telegraph.

"United have so much experience in the Champions League, playing quarterfinals or semifinals every year.

United will be more confident of going to London than if they had faced Barcelona or Real Madrid."

But the 30-year-old insists that his side will not feel "daunted" by Alex Ferguson's charges after having beaten champions Inter Milan by a massive 7-3 aggregate en route to the last four.

"It was very surprising for us to play as we did at San Siro," said Metzelde.

"We have a manager (Ralf Rangnick) who is very intelligent, who analyses opponents very well, who is very selfconfident. He is trying to find us a way of beating them, of us taking control.

"When you have the players we do — Raul, Jose Manuel Jurado, Alexander Baumjohann — they like more to attack than defend. We know they have so many individuals who are strong. But are we daunted by them? No."

GOLF

HE MISSED! ENGLAND’S Luke Donald (pic) missed his chance to claim golf ’s world No 1 ranking this morning, losing a tension-packed Heritage tournament playoff to American Brandt Snedeker on the third hole of sudden-death

Monday 25 APRIL, 2011

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football PREMIER LEAGUE

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‘It’s my fault’ Wenger accepts blame for Gunners’ sad ending

I BLEW IT: Wenger’s side only accumulated two points from a possible nine this week — AFPpic

LONDON: Arsene Wenger took the blame as Arsenal’s title bid practically ended after the Gunners were beaten 2-1 by Bolton at Reebok Stadium yesterday.

The Frenchman also admitted his backline was their big weakness as they conceded six goals in three games during a miserable week.

The Gunners now face a sixth trophyless season on the trot but Wenger said he was responsible for his side’s mistakes, style and inability to end their run – with growing questions about his own future after this most disappointing of finishes.

The defeat by ­Bolton saw Arsenal’s chances of catching up with leaders Manchester United in tatters. The Red Devils are now nine points ahead of Wenger’s team.

“The title chances are very minimal now, but we have to continue to fight. It is very frustrating. We should have had nine points this week and only got

two. It’s been the story of our season,” said Wenger.

“The players are not to blame – it’s me. I pick the team. It was the easiest runin we have had for a long time. We feel the ­potential is there but you have to take the chances.

“We still lack something and that is maturity, ­experience or calm in important situations.”

Wenger, at the same time, is adamant he will not let go of young starlet Jack Wilshere and skipper Cesc Fabregas unless the club allow it. There has been speculation about the future of Fabregas and Wilshere at the Emirates.

Spain international Fabregas is once again linked to a return to Barcelona while teenage sensation Wilshere is believed to be on the wish-list of several big teams, including big spenders Manchester City.

However, Wenger insists his players will respect their longterm contracts and

that not a single player will exit the Emirates without the consent of the club.

“When you sign a contract for four or five years, you are committed through your contract to win trophies with the club where you sign,” Wenger told Sky Sports.

“It is in no contract that if you do not win a trophy the first year, you can leave.

“Nobody asks them to wait. We can win straight away. You speak like the players are not responsible for winning trophies.

They are also responsible, like I am, and the fans are.

“Why do you think we pay the players? A club, a football team, is a togetherness between the manager, the players, the club, the philosophy.

“It’s a very different thing to say, ‘If you do not win, I go’.

“Why should we sell Fabregas? We have built a team around him and we have now Wilshere as well. We want to keep doing that.”

Just call it humour, says Lennon

GLASGOW: Celtic manager Neil Lennon will not be the subject of a police inquiry for his gesture to Rangers supporters after yesterday’s stalemate in a Scottish Premier League match.

Lennon cupped his ears to a chorus of jeers as he left the Ibrox turf but Strathclyde Police felt there was no need to intervene at the time and will not be following up on the complaint lodged after the game.

“We can confirm we have received a complaint regarding Neil Lennon at the end of the Rangers and Celtic football match,” said a spokesman for the police.

“Strathclyde Police officers were in attendance at the time and would have taken action at that time if they had deemed it appropriate.”

Lennon was firm in his refusal to answer post-match questions on the gesture and focussed more on the

application of his players to a fixture in which Georgios Samaras missed a late penalty.

When asked on the gesture, he said: “Don’t ask me about that.

“It’s called humour, all right?

“Don’t distract away from my team’s performance.

Don’t even write about it.

“You have the photographs, I’m sure, but it is just a bit of fun. I don’t want to

distract from my team’s performance today.”

In a week in which rivalry between the Old Firm intensified as a result of the Celtic boss receiving a parcel bomb, Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell deemed the complaint “laughable”.

“It is absolute nonsense,” he said.

“It is laughable that such a ludicrous complaint has been made given the abuse Lennon received through-

out the match. It tells you more about those making the complaint than it does about him.”

In the build-up to yesterday’s clash, Lennon admitted his role placed his family in danger but refused to be driven out of Parkhead.

“I’ve had this for 10 years but I don’t want to say you get used to it, because you never do. But it is not going to deter me from doing what I want to do.”

READY TO ROAR HARIMAU MUDA B skipper D. Saarvindan believes his team are ready for a turnaround after accumulating only five points from a possible 18 in April. He added everyone in the team was to be blamed but it’s also a way for them to mature

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COOL DAD KAKA READ MADRID manager Jose Mourinho hailed midfielder Kaka’s performance after watching the former World Player-of-the-Year help dismantle Valencia on Saturday.

Kaka scored two and assisted two more as his side romped to a huge victory ahead of Real’s Champions League firstleg semifinal showdown with Barcelona. Kaka’s superb show coincided with news that his wife gave birth to a girl

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GHOST OF THE PAST ALEX FERGUSON has been warned that Raul could come back to haunt Manchester United in the Champions League on Wednesday. Raul, once hailed by Ferguson as the best player in the world, dumped United out of Europe in 2000 and in 2003 with Real Madrid

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RESPECT SCHALKE MANCHESTER UNITED’S Patrice Evra vowed to learn from last year’s defeat against Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

United again face a German club in Schalke in the semifinal on Wednesday. Schalke enhanced their reputation when they dispatched Inter and Evra is warning his teammates against taking them lightly

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

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