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MEMBER
IGP: Were
committed to
fighting crime
Winning
moves
page 04
page 25
Remembering Lee Kuan Yew

page 13
MARCH 26, 2015
Barriers
Next Gen:
Local authorities are EMPOWERED TO APPROVE

boom gates and guardhouses for security purposes
NOT
ILLEGAL
P
UTRAJAYA: Proponents of
security barriers across
public roads have good reason to cheer as the Federal
Court has ruled that structures like
boom gates and guardhouses for security purposes are not illegal.
Taiwan seizes
Japanese food
from radiationtainted areas
TAIPEI: Japanese food from areas
contaminated by radiation near the
2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster was
found in Taiwan and ordered taken
off the shelves, local media reported
yesterday.
The Food and Drug Administration found 283 items of Japanese
food with counterfeit labels, in Chinese language, in local supermarkets
in early February, according to an
Apple Daily report.
However, the government did not
order the removal until March 19.
The products including instant
noodles, black tea, coffee and sweets
were falsely covered with stickers
purporting to show manufacturing
in Tokyo, Osaka, Hokkaido and even
parts of the United States, state-run
Central News Agency said.
Taiwan has banned food products
from the Japanese prefectures of
Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gumma
and Chiba since March 2011. dpa
A five-member panel chaired by

Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri
Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin declared
that regulated access to a defined
area is not an obstruction in law,
particularly if it is for security
purposes.
It is so only if one is denied

access to a public place. A barricade
placed across a public road does not
deny access altogether to all who
wish to enter, Zulkefli said in his 18page judgment delivered on March
19.
The court ruled that guardhouses

and boom gates are authorised
structures under the Town and
Country Planning Act 1976, the
Street, Drainage and Building Act
1974 and the Local Government Act
1976.
It cannot be disputed that

guarded communities are schemes
implemented to improve public
safety and security in defined
residential areas, Bernama quoted
TURN TO PAGE 04
AFPPIX
SALUTING A
STATESMAN
... Thousands
lined the streets in
Singapore yesterday
to pay respects to
Lee Kuan Yew as the
casket containing
his body is taken to
Parliament House
where it will lie in
state for public
viewing, ahead of his
funeral on Sunday.
SEE ALSO PAGE 06
02
NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS

theSun ON THURSDAY | MARCH 26, 2015
POTA only to combat

violent extremism
> Proposed law to safeguard peace and security, says Najib
BY AIEZAT FADZELL
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
PM conveys condolences
KUALA LUMPUR: The proposed

Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) 2015
will only be used against those involved in
violent extremism, Prime Minister Datuk
Seri Najib Abdul Razak said.
Assuring that there is no political motive
in the proposed POTA, he said the
proposed Act is to safeguard peace and
security and there is no need for the
government to be apologetic about it.
Some people will say that these laws
are undemocratic or threaten their
freedom.
Well, there is no such thing as absolute
freedom. Freedom without responsibility
has no place in this country, Najib said at
the 208th Police Day celebration at the
Pulapol Parade Square here yesterday.
Najib was responding to public
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk

Seri Najib Abdul Razak has conveyed his
condolences to the families and friends
of the passengers and crew of a Germanwings Airbus flight that crashed in France
on Tuesday.
My thoughts and prayers are with
the families and friends of those on board
Germanwings Flight 4U 9525, he said
in a Twitter post yesterday.
concerns that the law may be used by
certain parties for their benefit.
The concern came after provisions in
POTA, as well as the planned amendments
to the Sedition Act 1948, would provide
detention without trial.
Najib said the new law will be
administered by a competent body and not

by members of the administration as its
objective is to prevent the proliferation of
acts of terrorism that will threaten national
security.
He added that the laws are to combat
new challenges, including the rise of the IS
(Islamic State), and should not be used by
certain groups for their own political ends.
Only those who raise the threat of
violent extremism can be detained under
this new Act, Najib said.
We have to act first to prevent
terrorism because the consequences can
be disastrous if we are late in doing so, he
said.
Najib added that people should not
show disrespect to the police as they are
the ones who have to uphold the law to
ensure peace in the country.
Nowadays, there are people who make
fun of police officers. These people are
very irresponsible. The police should be
respected as they are the one who uphold
the rule of law, Najib said.
US believes in
our fight against
terrorism: Zahid
BY VATHANI PANIRCHELLVUM
PUTRAJAYA: The White House believes that

Malaysia is serious in its efforts to curb
terrorism by foreign militant groups as the
Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) will
soon be tabled in Parliament, said Home
Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
Ahmad Zahid was speaking after receiving
a courtesy call from Dr Evans Medeiros,
Special Assistant to the President and Senior
Director for Asian Affairs at the National
Security Council at his office here yesterday.
He said they discussed efforts taken by
Malaysia in curbing and preventing terrorism
in the country in view of US President Barack
Obamas visit, which is scheduled for
November this year.
The White House sees Malaysia as being
serious in combating terrorism as POTA,
enacted specifically to address terrorism by
foreign militant groups, will be tabled in the
current sitting of Parliament, Ahmad Zahid
told the media at his office here yesterday.
He said Malaysia and the US will share
information through their respective
enforcement and intelligence agencies as it is
important to curb terrorism before it
happens.
BERNAMAPIX
PKR to play
mediator role
VIP
VISITOR...
Defence Minister
Datuk Seri
Hishammuddin
Hussien mingles
with Nor Amira
Natasha, eight,
and Nor Atirah
Sayrizad, three,
daughters of army
personnel Sayrizad
Yahaya when
visiting Sayrizad's
house during the
opening of the
Army Village in
Sungai Lembing
yesterday. The
Army Village was
built to benefit
army personnel and
their families.
BY HAIKAL JALIL
Poser over RM90m

RTM news centre
1MDB task force to be set up
BY HAIKAL JALIL
THE government will set up a

special task force to look into
1Malaysia Development Berhads
(1MDB) performance, the Dewan
Rakyat was told yesterday.
Finance Minister (II)
Datuk Seri Ahmad
Husni Mohamad Hanadzlah, in his winding-up speech on the
royal address, said the
task force will include
him, Minister in the
Prime Ministers Department
Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar,
Chief Secretary to the Government
Tan Sri Ali Hamsa as well as Treasury Secretary-General Tan Sri Irwan
Serigar Abdullah.
He said the task force will be
looking at the overall performance
of 1MDB and the debt it has accumulated.
KUALA LUMPUR: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC)

questioned the construction of Radio Televisyen Malaysias
(RTM) RM90 million integrated news centre, which is only
being used as a normal office space, despite the whopping sum
spent on the project.
PAC chairman Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed said the
building, which was completed in 2012, did not have any
broadcast equipment for news operations, which defeats the
purpose of its construction.
Currently, the building is not used as a news centre and
only serves as a normal office building, he told a press
conference at Parliament yesterday, adding that the RM90
million allocation was only enough to construct the building.
They should have asked for enough funds for both the
building and equipment before starting the project, he said.
Nur Jazlan said RTM is now asking the government for
another RM126 million to buy related equipment to allow the
building to operate as a news centre.
No electricity tariff increase

ENERGY, Green Technology
and Water Minister Datuk Seri
Maximus Ongkili reiterated
that electricity tariff will not be
raised this year. "The government is monitoring the price of
fuels used in electricity production such as coal, piped natural
gas and liquefied natural gas
(LNG). "Currently, we are giving subsidy for piped natural

gas, he said in reply to a supplementary question from
Datuk Ahmad Fauzi Zahari
(BN-Setiawangsa), who asked
whether the government could
assure that the electricity tariff
will not be raised this year.
BY BERNARD CHEAH
We will also be asking CIMB

to come in as a third party to
evaluate (1MDB), so we can ensure
that we can get a fair evaluation,
Ahmad Husni said.
We will also look at how much
1MDB can be valued at, how to
use the land that it has,
and joint ventures and
more, which we believe, will solve 1MDBs
cash-flow problems,
he said.
Ahmad Husni also
acknowledged the fact
that 1MDBs problem
lies with its cash flow,
adding that the state-owned investment firms financial woes
would end once its initial public
offering (IPO) for its power plant
assets take off.
We have no problems with the
principal as they are long-term
debts. But in terms of the interests,
we are confident that once the IPO
is done, it will decrease.
Visa waiver can bring in RM8.3b income

THE visa exemption for tourists
from China could generate income
of about RM8.3 billion this year.
Tourism and Culture Datuk Seri
Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said the
visa exemption would attract some
2.7 million tourists from China to

the country this year. "China is the
third largest market for Malaysia in
the tourism sector," he said in reply
to a question by Datuk Wee Jeck
Seng (BN-Tanjong Piai).
KUALA LUMPUR: PKR will act as a mediator

to resolve the squabble between PAS and
DAP over disagreement on the hudud issue.
PKR secretary-general Rafizi Ramli said it
is important for component parties in Pakatan
Rakyat to sit down and discuss ways to
resolve the matter peacefully.
We are also going to sit down with PAS
and DAP leaders, he told a press conference
at the Parliament lobby here.
He said disagreement between parties in
the coalition is nothing new and many issues
have been solved through talks.
Even the most difficult issues have been
resolved through discussion, and I believe
that will continue, he said. Despite all the
issues, Pakatan still stands strong, he added.
He also dismissed talks that the
disagreement on hudud will signal the end of
the three-party coalition.
I do not think we can sweep everything
under the carpet. Yet I am optimistic that
Pakatan is not breaking up (over this issue),
Rafizi said.
While there are some miscommunication
problems internally, Pakatan as a whole will
continue to move along in the same direction
in line with the wishes and aspirations of
Malaysians, he said.
He said PKR will have separate meetings
with PAS and DAP respectively soon.
PR1MA homes not affected

THE government has given its assurance the soonto-be implemented Goods and Services Tax (GST)
on April 1 will not affect the prices of houses under
the 1Malaysia Peoples Housing (PR1MA).
Minister in the Prime Ministers Department Datuk
Seri Shahidan Kassim said the 20% discount from
the market prices will continue to be implemented.
There is no reason to raise the PR1MA house
prices, especially as the building materials and
construction costs are not included in the price hike
list, he told the Dewan Rakyat yesterday. He was
replying to a supplementary question by Mohd
Fasiah Mohd Fakeh (BN-Sabak Bernam), who
wanted to know whether the implementation of
GST would increase the PR1MA house prices.
To an oral question by Mohd Fasiah, he said
one-third of the PR1MA project has received planning approval. He said 32 projects from the 95
planned nationwide had been given the approval.
The 32 projects cover 28,363 houses built all
over Malaysia, and they are in various development
stages, he said.
03
04

XFROM FRONT PAGE

him as saying, in dismissing an
appeal by a Petaling Jaya resident,
Au Kean Hoe of DVilla Equestrian
housing estate in Kota Damansara,
who had taken legal action against
DVilla Equestrian Residents
Association over the construction
of such structures.
Au had sought an order for a
guardhouse and two boom gates
built in the housing estate be
demolished, claiming they were
illegal structures, a nuisance and
amounted to an obstruction.
Zulkefli said the Petaling Jaya
City Council (MBPJ) was fully
empowered to approve the
guardhouse with the boom gates in
accordance with its guidelines for
guarded communities issued by the
Urban Planning Department in
May, 2011.
The court found that the
housing estate developer had
obtained approval from MBPJ for
the
construction
of the
guardhouse.
In August
2010, Au had
ceased to be a
member of
the DVilla
Equestrian
Residents
Association
and stopped
paying
maintenance
and security
charges.
He lodged
a police report and an online
complaint to the MBPJ after the
association issued a circular on Oct
25, 2011, notifying residents that
those who had not paid the security
and maintenance charges would
have to open the boom gates
themselves without the assistance
of the security guard on duty.
Woman who witnessed murder killed

BY CHARLES RAMENDRAN
PETALING JAYA: A murder

witness was slashed and stabbed
to death moments after she saw
her killers attacking a man at a
karaoke centre near Bandar
Sunway here yesterday.
Norlia Alias, 40, who worked
as a supervisor at a karaoke outlet
in Jalan PJS 8/13, was found dead

on the walkway near her work
place at about 1am. She suffered
wounds on her chest and head.
The assailants had pursued her
after realising she had witnessed
them killing a 34-year-old
Indonesian man identified as
Lukmanul Hakim, police said.
The three men, armed with
knives and parang, had attacked
Lukmanul at a stairway leading to

the karaoke centre located at a
three-storey shoplot.
The victim suffered multiple
stab wounds on his body and a
severed finger.
Petaling Jaya police chief ACP
Azmi Abu Kassim said revenge is
believed to be the motive behind
the murder. Police have yet to
identify the assailants.
It is learnt that police have

retrieved a footage from several
closed-circuit security cameras
installed at the centre which
showed images of three men
believed to be locals.
A pocket knife was also found
at the scene. The bodies of the
victims were sent to the
University Malaya Medical
Centre for a post mortem.
No let-up, says IGP

ASHRAF SHAMSUL/THE SUN
Developer
obtained nod
> Were committed to

fighting crime
BY AIEZAT FADZELL
KUALA LUMPUR: Police have managed to

reduce the crime rate in the country by 12.6%
last year compared with 2013.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid
Abu Bakar said the
statistics prove the
polices commitment to
curbing crimes.
We have to continue
to take the necessary
steps to go forward, even
when facing threats from
certain individuals, as
well as the need to change
in accordance to current
challenges, he said at the
208th Police Day
celebration at the Police
Training Centre (Pulapol)
here yesterday.
He added police have
dealt with the challenges
well and in fact there are many
transformations that have been made to
provide the best service for the people.
He said police managed to reduce the
crime rate from 147,062 cases in 2013 to 128,544
in 2014 a drop of 18,518 cases.
He also noted that the rate of violent crimes
has dropped by 13.4% (3,950 cases) and
property crimes has declined by 12.4% (14,568
A special performance during the 208th Police Appreciation Day celebration at

Pulapol yesterday.
cases). Based on the statistics, Khalid said, the
police have managed to achieve the target set
by the government under the National Key
Result Area.
Overall, he said, the safety assurance in the
country is at a controlled stage.
He urged the public to play an active role in
helping the police through community
policing. The community needs the police to

safeguard peace whereas the police need the
communitys help in performing its duty
responsibly, he said.
Khalid felt the concept of community
policing could make the public aware of the
importance of collective responsibility in
curbing crime.
Harassed Borders manager seeks

royal intervention in row with Jawi
PETALING JAYA: Borders bookstore
manager Nik Raina Nik Abdul Aziz
has appealed to the Yang di-Pertuan
Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim
Muadzam Shah to intervene in her
long-running legal battle with the
Federal Territory Islamic Affairs
Department (Jawi).
She said she is tired of dealing with
Jawi, and pleaded the King to
reprimand the religious authority for
hounding her for allegedly selling a
book deemed un-Islamic.
For the past three years, Nik Raina,
38, had been harassed by Jawi over
the sale of the book even though all
the three courts High Court, Court
of Appeal and Syariah High Court
had freed her of wrongdoing.
Jawi has filed an appeal against the
Federal Territory Syariah High
Courts decision on Feb 26 to
discharge Nik Raina for selling the
book entitled Allah, Kebebasan dan
Cinta at the Borders bookstore at Mid
Valley Megamall in 2012.
The book, translated from English,
was written by Canadian author
Irshad Manji.
She said she is at a loss over what
to do.
I hope that my rights under the
Federal Constitution are protected.
As a lay person, what is important is
that I have been freed by the three
courts.
I thought the suffering and
disgrace I faced for three years had

ended. However, my joy was brief as
Jawi has appealed, she said in a
statement yesterday.
On March 22, 2013, High Court
judge Datuk Zaleha Yusof ruled that
Jawis action against Nik Raina was
illegal and directed the department to
drop its charges against her.
However, Jawi refused and
appealed against the civil courts
decision. Her case was postponed.
Then on Dec 30 last year, the
Court of Appeal upheld the High
Courts ruling, describing Jawis
action as unlawful and
unconstitutional.
I thought the pain and humiliation
I suffered for three years ended with
the courts decisions. However, my
happiness was short-lived.
Jawi, please let go off this
oppression, she said.
Chief syariah prosecutor
Mohamad Adib Husain has served
the notice of the appeal directly to
Nik Raina at her place of work at the
Mid Valley Megamall.
Nik Raina also accused Jawi of
making her a scapegoat to show off its
power.
My crime was being a Malay and
Muslim store manager who could be
a scapegoat for Jawi to show its
power, she said.
Recalling the pain and humiliation
she endured, she said every time she
went to court she was called the

accused, and had her freedom
restricted while out on bail.
She said some people thought she
had insulted Islam, and had treated
her family with suspicion.
I was trapped in such a situation
and my employer defended me by
challenging Jawi through a judicial
review that exposed Jawis lame
action, she said.
She added that the religious
authority had acted without legal
basis in raiding the Borders bookstore
on May 23, 2012. The store is owned
by Berjaya Books Sdn Bhd.
We gave full cooperation to Jawi
in its investigation but Jawi was rough
with the Muslim staff there.
My employer tried to resolve the
matter amicably but Jawi went on to
charge me with distributing books
against Islam, she added.
Nik Raina said she is stressed out
and I plead to leaders of this country
to look at what Jawi is doing, which is
making the public, namely Muslims,
weary.
She added that it is unfair for her
employer to keep paying the legal
cost to defend her.
I am embarrassed to keep
burdening my boss that way. On my
own, I cannot afford the legal fees. My
future job prospects are also
jeopardised... this is my dilemma,
which Jawi will never think about.
05
06

Thousands pay respects

to LKY
> Overwhelming queues at
Parliament where body lies
in state, hours extended
SINGAPORE: Singaporeans wept on the
streets and gathered by the thousands
yesterday to pay respects to founding leader
Lee Kuan Yew as his flag-draped coffin was
transported on a gun carriage to Parliament
for public viewing.
After a two-day private wake for the
family, the coffin was taken from the Istana
government complex, Lees workplace for
decades as prime minister and cabinet
adviser, to the legislature, where his remains
will lie in state until the weekend.
Local media said Singaporeans began
queuing after midnight on Tuesday for a
chance to be among the first to pay their
respects to the man popularly known by his
initials LKY.
The 91-year-old patriarch died on
Monday after half-a-century in government,
during which Singapore was transformed
from a poor British colonial outpost into one
of the worlds richest societies.
Lee will be cremated after full state
honours on Sunday.
His son, Prime Minister Lee Hsien
If you believe in
democracy, you must
believe in it
unconditionally. If you
believe that men
should be free, then,
they should have the
right of free
association, of free
speech, of free
publication. Then, no
law should permit those
democratic processes to
be set at nought.
Muslim affairs
minister
commends Lee
Members of the public queue under the sun to pay their respects to Lee at the
Parliament House yesterday.
Loong, said there were overwhelming
queues outside Parliament and announced
that visiting hours had been extended until
midnight to cope with the turnout.
Applause and shouts of We love you!
and Lee Kuan Yew! broke out as the dark
brown wooden coffin, draped in the redand-white Singapore flag, emerged from the
AFPPIX
Thousands
came to view
the casket
containing Lees
body, which will
lie in state until
Saturday.
Istana inside a tempered glass case atop a

gun carriage pulled by an open-topped
military truck.
Many along the route were in tears as
they raised cameras and mobile phones to
record the historic event.
Some threw flowers on the path of the
carriage.
Office workers watched from the
windows of high-rise buildings along the
route.
President Tony Tan and his wife Mary
were the first to pay their respects after
Lees closed coffin was placed in the foyer
of Parliament House.
Even before lunch break, the line was
already snaking for up to 2km as
Singaporeans patiently awaited their turn to
enter the viewing hall.
They came from all walks of life, from
office workers and bosses to students and
the elderly in wheelchairs accompanied by
caregivers.
These are amazing scenes. I have not
seen anything like this in my lifetime, said
bank executive Zhang Wei Jie, 36. AFP
SINGAPORE: The Malay-Muslims of Singapore

remember Lee Kuan Yew for his strong
conviction that no one should be left behind,
especially those in the minority groups.
He found ways and means to help us to
move along. He has helped the Malay-Muslim
people to understand that you need the two
principles that I have always mentioned
meritocracy and multiracialism to succeed,
and I think we have done so, Minister-incharge of Muslim Affairs Dr Yaacob Ibrahim
was quoted as saying in an interview with The
Straits Times of Singapore yesterday.
Yaacob was at a community tribute site at
Hong Lim Park yesterday afternoon with
Muslim religious leaders to pen his condolences.
Yaacob, who is also Singapores
communications and information minister, said
one of Lees greatest contributions to the
Muslim community was setting up the Mosque
Building Fund, now known as the Mosque
Building and Mendaki Fund.
The fund was set up in 1975, and allowed
Muslims to donate to the building of new
mosques through the Central Provident Fund.
At that time, some Muslims who were being
resettled in new Housing Board flats did not
have a community mosque in their area.
Community efforts to raise funds through doorto-door donations were also slow.
We are a secular country and we cannot
possibly use government funds, so we have to
help the community. But to get the community
organised to raise funds, Lee allowed us to make
use of the CPF system, said Yaacob.
07
08

ASHRAF SHAMSUL/THE SUN
Students must
fight dengue
> They have found to be
contributing to aedes
breeding in Selangor
BY ASHWIN KUMAR
SHAH ALAM: Irresponsible throwing of

rubbish at unauthorised places by students
from institutions of higher learning has been
found to be a contributing factor to aedes
breeding and rise in dengue cases here.
Disclosing this, Health Minister Datuk
Seri Dr S. Subramaniam said students are an
educated generation and should know the
importance of keeping their houses and
surroundings clean.
I understand students are busy with their
studies but they also have a responsibility to
make sure they do not litter places and create
an environment for aedes breeding, said the
minister, who went on the ground at Teres E,
Jalan 7/29 to Jalan 7/35, Section 7 together
with health officials to check for aedes
breeding sites.
The area is populated with students from
institutions of higher learning.
Students are an educated generation and
thus should play a role to curb this deadly
disease. From what we saw, their actions of
littering and uncleanliness are definitely not

acceptable, he said.
Subramaniam, who visited houses resided
by students in aedes hotspot areas, was
shocked to find some houses dirty and poorly
maintained.
Between January 1 and March 21, dengue
cases shot up to 30,890 cases with 98 deaths
from the 21,967 cases and 54 deaths reported
during the same period last year.
Subramaniam said aedes hotspots had
also increased in the country, with Selangor
topping the list with 180 hotspots.
Talking on Ops Gempur Aedes, he said,
of the 111 construction sites inspected, 95
were found breeding aedes mosquitoes.
They were subsequently taken to court
and 80 were issued with stop-work orders to
allow them to clean their premises, said
Subramaniam.
He urged all state Health Departments to
work closely with their respective state
governments and local authorities to search
and destroy aedes breeding grounds.
He also revealed that the ministry is
looking into using chemical paint (the same
used in spraying to destroy aedes
mosquitoes) by the middle of this year to
combat aedes breeding.
Currently it is being researched at the
Institute for Medical Research.
Four B. Youth staff in T-shirts that signify the four pillars of B. Youth Inspiration,
Creativity, Eco and Animal.
Over 5,000 volunteers roped

in by Berjaya Youth
BY VATHANI PANIRCHELLVUM
KUALA LUMPUR: Cultivating the spirit of

voluntarism is one of the endeavours
Berjaya Youth (B. Youth) strives to achieve
and it has succeeded so far by roping in
more than 5,000 youths from around the
country.
Created by Berjaya Corporation Berhad,
B. Youth, as it is better known, is
specifically for the youth community to
give them an opportunity
to be different in the way
they contribute their
expertise, talent and
services to society.
We encourage
Malaysian youths to step
out of their comfort
zones and unleash their
potential through four
pillars Inspiration, Creativity, Eco and
Animal. This allows them to make a
difference to the community in their own
way.
From our collaboration with Epic
Homes, we saw an overwhelming response
where more than 30 youths came together
to build a house for a needy orang asli
family in Gombak, Bcorps corporate
communications senior manager Emily
Tan told theSun.
Our recent event with Roots & Shoots
Malaysia in presenting Reasons For All, A
Talk by Dr Jane Goodall, where 2,000
people, mostly youths, came together for a
talk by Goodall, world renowned
priamatologist and United Nations
Messenger of Peace, on conservation
issues and her reflections and reasons for
our planets future, was inspiring. Many
were very excited at the opportunity of
meeting her in person, said Tan, who

heads B. Youth.
B. Youth will be working with Roots &
Shoots on two more programmes, one an
animal welfare project and another on
helping a refugee community in Malaysia.
Now, B. Youth is gearing up for its
annual B. Youth Showtime during the 5th
Berjaya Founders Day, which will be held
on March 28 at Berjaya Times Square.
B. Youth Showtime will be open to the
public and we would be presenting a line-up
of fun games as well as
inspiring talks from youth
speakers. Actorpreneur Razif
Hashim, who hosts Best in the
World, a food programme on
Asian Food Channel (AFC)
and Lite FM radio announcer
Davina Goh, who has learned
Shaolin Kung Fu, will be
giving inspiration talks. We
hope to see active participation from the
crowd, Tan said.
This year, the theme for the Berjaya
Founders Day is Lets Go Plant a Seed of
Love, which encourages everyone to take
a step forward in volunteerism and
contribute their time, skills and talent
towards a good cause and make a
difference within the community.
Another exciting project by B. Youth
that will kick off in May this year is the
annual Berjaya Youth Short Film
Competition (BYSFC 2015) that often sees
young talent on the path of becoming the
next generation film makers.
Interested youths can get more
information on some of B. Youths exciting
projects through the social media via their
Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Google+
and their own webpage at www.
berjayayouth.com
B R I E F S
A GREEN FT BY 2020
MOKHTAR RE-ELECTED
KUALA LUMPUR: In the year of 2020,

Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) wishes to
grant the governments wish to ensure a
green environment and maintain healthy
and unharmed trees for the residents in
the Federal Territory. Kuala Lumpur
mayor Datuk Seri Ahmad Phesal said
DBKL has taken the initiative to provide
a systematic disposal site where the
remains of trees will be processed into
compost. With the new systematic
disposal site, compost can also be
reused for landscaping to improve soil
structure and soil fertility which provides
benefits in greening and beautifying the
whole Federal Territory, he said after
visiting the green technology pilot
project at Jinjang Nursery, yesterday.
From 2010 until December 2014, DBKL
had successfully planted 135,734 trees.
KUALA LUMPUR: Bernama deputy

editor-in-chief (domestic news service)
Mokhtar Hussain was returned
unopposed as National Press Club (NPC)
president for the 2015-2017 term. M.
Veera Pandiyan of The Star and
Muharyani Othman of Bernama were
also returned unopposed, as deputy
president and vice-president
respectively, in the biennial elections
held at the NPC clubhouse in Jalan
Tangsi on Tuesday. M. Govind Nair
(Bernama) and Mohd Ghazemy Mahmud
(Syed Hussain Publications) were elected
unopposed as secretary and assistant
secretary respectively, while S. P.
Manivasagam (Mannan Monthly) and L.
Jaiarajo (Bernama) were returned
unopposed as treasurer and assistant
treasurer. Bernama
09
10

www.thesundaily.my
Tycoon sues Indonesian govt

> Bakrie patriarch seeks to
prevent Golkars defection
to Widodos coalition
JAKARTA: Indonesian tycoon Aburizal
Bakrie is suing the government in a bid to
keep control of the countrys biggest
opposition party and prevent it defecting to
President Joko Widodos minority coalition.
The opposition Golkar party controls 14%
of parliamentary seats and would give Jokos
coalition control of over half the parliament,
easing fears of political gridlock in Southeast
Asias largest economy.
Bakrie, the patriarch of the sprawling

family-owned Bakrie Group conglomerate,
has filed a legal challenge against last weeks
ministerial decree that gave the Golkar
chairmanship to a rival faction sympathetic
to the president.
We have lodged a complaint against the
ministry of law and human rights, whose
decision in favour of the other faction is
contrary to the principles of good
governance, Bakries lawyer Yusril
Mahendra said.
He added that Bakrie should remain the
chairman of Golkar, which backed losing
presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto in
last years election, until a verdict was

announced.
A law ministry spokesman said the
government, which intervened after being
asked by Golkar to resolve months of
political infighting, would see the legal
process through.
He declined to say when the ministerial
decree would come into effect.
Agung Laksono, who is set to replace
Bakrie if he loses his lawsuit, said last week
the party planned to join Widodos coalition
without expecting cabinet seats in return.
Vice-President Jusuf Kalla said last week
the government was planning a cabinet
reshuffle in the next month, but declined to

comment on whether Golkar would be
included in the new line-up.
Analysts say Widodo will face pressure to
include Golkar, the political vehicle of
former authoritarian ruler Suharto, in any
new cabinet.
Jokowi already has patrons to deal with
in his coalition and the addition of Golkar
would mean another patron and he has to
balance power between them, said political
analyst Tobias Basuki, using the presidents
nickname.
It could potentially create new problems
for (Widodo). Reuters
TOKYO: Workers at a Tokyo aquarium are

scratching their heads after the deaths of
dozens of fish that have left just one lonely
tuna roaming a once-flourishing tank.
The park on Tuesday found the second
last fish floating dead in its vast doughnutshaped enclosure that was once home to
nearly 160 fish and among the venues most
popular attractions, said a spokesman for
Tokyo Sea Life Park.
We have had the tuna tank since the
aquarium opened in 1989 but never
experienced this kind of mass-dying, he
said yesterday.
We are studying what caused the fish
deaths, but we havent figured it out yet. We
suspect that it could be due to new factors
that were not present before.
Researchers are studying a range of
possibilities including the tanks lighting and
other factors that could have caused stress

among the fish, or even the presence of a
poisonous substance in the water, the
spokesman said.
The 2,200-tonne tank that is 30m in
diameter once housed 69 bluefin tuna, 52
eastern little tuna and 38 oriental bonito.
In December, the tanks population
suddenly started plunging with just 30 fish
alive by mid-January, the park said.
The second last one that just died
apparently crashed into the acrylic wall
twice.
It suffered a broken backbone, which was
unfortunate but not very unusual for tuna
kept in a tank, the spokesman said.
An earlier examination has found some
sort of virus among some of the dead fish,
but it wasnt the kind that is usually fatal in
fish farms. AFP
AFPPIX
Aquarium baffled by mystery fish deaths
Fighters made up of local tribes, Popular Resistance Committees and supporters of

the southern Yemeni separatist movement, who are all opposing the Houthis, drive a
tank at the Al-Anad airbase, in north of Aden, on Tuesday.
Yemen asks UN to back military

action by willing countries
NEW YORK: Yemen asked the United
Nations Security Council on Tuesday to
back military action by willing countries
to combat an advance by Shiite Muslim
Houthi militia, according to a letter from
President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.
Hadi wants the 15-member body to adopt a
resolution to authorise willing countries
that wish to help Yemen to provide
immediate support for the legitimate
authority by all means and measures to
protect Yemen and deter Houthi aggression.
Hadi said he has asked the Arab League
and the Gulf Cooperation Council
comprised of Gulf Arab states to provide
immediately all means necessary, including
military intervention, to protect Yemen and
its people.
Violence has been spreading across the
country on the Arabian peninsula since last
year when Iran-backed Houthi militia
seized the capital Sanaa and effectively
removed Hadi, who seeks to return from
the southern port city of Aden.
The UN warned on Sunday that Yemens
conflict could become an Iraq-Libya-Syria

scenario if either side pushes for control.
UN mediator Jamal Benomar said
Yemen had been pushed towards the edge
of civil war.
Hadi cited Article 51 of the UN Charter,
which covers an individual or collective
right to self-defence against armed attack,
as his legal justification for requesting
military help from Arab countries.
All our efforts for peaceful settlement
have encountered absolute rejection by the
Houthis who continue their aggression to
subdue the rest of the regions out of their
control, Hadi wrote.
There are military convoys destined to
attack Aden and the rest of the south.
The fighting in Yemen, a frontline in US
efforts to combat militants waging war
across the region and beyond, has raised the
prospect that regional rivals Iran and Saudi
Arabia could be drawn into the fray.
Yemen is home to Al Qaeda in the
Arabian Peninsula which has carried out
attacks abroad. Reuters
No blacks Chinese restaurant shut down

NAIROBI: A Chinese restaurant in the
Kenyan capital Nairobi has been shut down
and its owners summoned by authorities
after it emerged it was barring black
patrons, reports said yesterday.
The restaurant fell into the spotlight of
city authorities after furious residents took
to social media to denounce an apparently
racist policy of not allowing African
patrons to eat there after 5pm.
The owners of the restaurant said the
measure had been put in place following a
robbery in 2013, and have apologised for
causing any offence, the Daily Nation said.
But it said the Chongquing Chinese
restaurant, situated in Nairobis bustling
commercial and residential district of

Kilimani, had been shut down anyway for
not having the proper licences.
We have established that the restaurant
did not have the licences and I have ordered
it closed until the management complies,
Nairobi governor Evans Kidero said.
He also said all business and service
providers must ensure that all customers
and clients are treated with respect and
dignity, irrespective of race, colour, sex,
tribe and religion, the Standard
newspaper quoted him as saying.
The restaurants Chinese owners and
managers had also been summoned by
Kenyas immigration authorities. AFP
NEWS
WITHOUT BORDERS
11
Rescuers search for

bodies in French Alps
B R I E F S
X-FILES RETURNS AFTER
13-YEAR COMMERCIAL BREAK
AFPPIX
> Cockpit voice recorder

damaged: Source
PARIS: French rescuers resumed the
search yesterday for the remains of the 150
people, including 16 school children, killed
when a Germanwings Airbus slammed
into the side of a nearly inaccessible
mountain in the Alps.
Helicopters took off from a nearby
improvised base, heading for the rugged
area where flight 4U9525 crashed on
Tuesday, spreading debris and body parts
of the mostly German and Spanish victims
over a wide area.
Officials are hunting for clues to why
the plane, operated by German flag carrier
Lufthansas budget subsidiary, entered a
fatal eight-minute descent on its route
between Barcelona and Duesseldorf.
No distress signal was sent and the
crew failed to respond to desperate
attempts at contact from ground control.
The cockpit voice recorder recovered
from the wreckage has been found
damaged and has been taken to Paris for
analysis, a source close to the inquiry said
yesterday.
The black box that was found is the
CVR, the source said on condition of
anonymity.
The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) was
damaged. It has been transferred to Paris
this morning.
A second so-called black box, in this
case recording flight data, has yet to be
found.
Video images from a government
helicopter on Tuesday showed a desolate
snow-flecked moonscape, with steep
ravines covered in scree. Debris was
strewn across the mountainside, pieces of
twisted metal smashed into tiny bits.
Debris was believed to be scattered
OFFICIAL SACKED FOR SAYING

KILLED PROTESTER TOO THIN
A screengrab taken from an AFP TV video yesterday shows search and rescue
personnel at the crash site of the Germanwings Airbus A320 in the French Alps
above the southeastern town of Seyne.
over four acres of remote and inaccessible
mountainous terrain, hampering rescue
efforts.
The plane was totally destroyed, a
local member of parliament who flew over
the site said, describing the scene as
horrendous.
The biggest body parts we identified
are not bigger than a briefcase, one
investigator said.
More than 300 policemen and 380
firefighters have been mobilised for the
grisly task of searching the site.
Lt-Col Jean-Marc Menichini said a
squad of 30 mountain rescue police were
set to resume attempts to reach the crash
site by helicopter at dawn yesterday, while
a further 65 police were seeking access on
foot.
Five investigators had spent the night

camped at the site.
It would take at least a week to search
the remote site, he said.
Germanwings said 67 Germans were
believed to have been on board, while
Spain said 45 people with Spanishsounding names were on the flight.
Two Colombians, two Argentines, and
two Australians were among the dead,
their governments said, while Turks may
also have been aboard.
Two Japanese were very likely on
board, their government said. Belgium and
Denmark said at least one of their
nationals was on board, while Mexico said
three of its citizens were believed to be
among the victims and Britain said its
nationals were also on board. AFP
Thai junta chief threatens to hold onto power

BANGKOK: Thailands junta chief warned
detractors yesterday that he would hold
onto power indefinitely if they continued
to oppose his plans for the kingdom in a
press briefing ahead of an overseas trip.
Prayut Chan-O-Cha (pix), who was
appointed as prime minister a few months
after seizing power in a coup last May,
appeared irritated when he met reporters
shortly before flying to Brunei, frequently
raising his voice and shaking his head.
If the situation remains like this I can
tell you that I will hold on to power for a long
time, he said after denouncing those who
criticise the lack of democratic progress.
Why is there all this fuss about
elections? (If theres no election) will
anyone die?
The former army chief imposed martial
law two days before the military takeover
that followed the ousting of Yingluck
Shinawatras democratically elected
government after months of

protests.
He has vowed to return
power to an elected civilian
government but only once
reforms to tackle corruption
and curb the power of political
parties are codified in a new
constitution.
Rights groups say basic
freedoms have fallen off a cliff
since the military took over,
with political gatherings
banned, the press muzzled and increasing
use of lese majeste legislation to stifle
political opposition.
Prayut, a blunt-speaking career army
man, has little time for such criticisms.
While he often jokes with his press
pack, he also gets irritated when reporters
push him for answers in daily briefings.
I want to tell all of you that I am not
discouraged but I am getting

more angry.
I am a fighter. So dont say
anything to discourage me, he
said during yesterdays press
meeting.
Earlier this month, the Thai
Journalists Association
criticised Prayut for saying he
wanted to punch a reporter in
the face when he was pressed
on his governments results.
In December, he was also
filmed throwing a banana skin at a camera
man, though that incident caused more
merriment than concern.
His off-the-cuff remarks often spark a
mixture of surprise and derision.
This week, he was lampooned online
and even in some sections of mainstream
media for insisting Thailand under martial
law is still a 99.99% democracy. AFP
China gives priority list of wanted officials to US

BEIJING: The Chinese government has
provided to the United States a priority
list of Chinese officials suspected of
corruption and are believed to have fled
there, a top state-run newspaper said
yesterday.
Last year, Chinese officials said more
than 150 economic fugitives, many of
them described as corrupt government
officials, were in the United States.
Xu Jinhui, head of the anti-graft bureau
at the state prosecutor, said a priority list
of alleged Chinese corrupt officials
believed to be at large in the US has been
provided to American authorities.
LOS ANGELES: Cult sci-fi TV show The

X-Files is returning for six new episodes, 13
years after David Duchovny and Gillian
Andersons last outing as agents Fox
Mulder and Dana Scully. The Emmy- and
Golden Globe-winning series which ran
for nine seasons between 1993 and 2002
will begin production this summer with the
original stars. I think of it as a 13-year
commercial break, said the shows creator
and executive producer Chris Carter,
adding: The good news is the world has
only gotten that much stranger, a perfect
time to tell these six stories. AFP
Most of the suspected corrupt officials

overseas either worked for the
government or state-owned enterprises
and took bribes or embezzled public funds,
Xu told the official China Daily.
The report did not elaborate.
Senior US officials will meet their
Chinese counterparts in August to discuss
the possibility of repatriating Chinese
officials who have fled to America with
billions of dollars of allegedly stolen
government assets, a US official said last
month.
Xu said China will start legal
procedures to confiscate assets overseas.
Once in possession of solid evidence,

we will initiate confiscation procedures
according to the law, he was quoted as
saying by the daily.
The United States may deport the exwife of a fugitive Chinese official indicted
on money laundering and immigration
fraud charges, a US prosecutor said last
week.
But there is no extradition treaty
between the two countries and Western
governments have long been reluctant to
hand over suspects because of a lack of
transparency and due process in Chinas
judicial system. Reuters
CAIRO: Egypts forensic medicine authority

on Tuesday sacked its spokesman for saying
that a protester who was shot by police only
died because she was too thin. Hisham
Abdul-Hamid had caused a storm by telling
broadcaster Sada al-Balad that socialist
activist Shaimaa al-Sabbagh would not have
died as a result of a police birdshot round if
she had had more body fat. Basically, the
spokesman is telling us that we need to put
on more weight to avoid dying when shot at
by police officers, historian Khaled Fahmy
wrote on Facebook. dpa
MARS HAS NITROGEN,

KEY TO LIFE: NASA
WASHINGTON: Nasas Curiosity rover has
found nitrogen on the surface of Mars, a
significant discovery that adds to evidence
the Red Planet could once have sustained
life, the space agency said on Tuesday. By
drilling into Martian rocks, Curiosity found
evidence of nitrates, compounds containing
nitrogen that can be used by living
organisms. The Curiosity team has already
found evidence that other ingredients
needed for life, such as liquid water and
organic matter, once existed at the site
known as Gale Crater. AFP
BRITAIN TO BOLSTER
FALKLANDS DEFENCE
LONDON: Britain will bolster its defence of
the disputed Falkland Islands in the South
Atlantic to counter a very live threat from
Argentina, the government said on
Tuesday. The islands will get a new defence
package, including two Chinook helicopters
and an improved surface-to-air missile
system, defence secretary Michael Fallon
told parliament. The government will spend
some 180 million (RM990 million) to
upgrade the islands main harbour by 2017
and other defences over the next decade,
Fallon said. dpa
CHINESE TOURISTS KILLED

IN THAI BUS CRASH
BANGKOK: Three Chinese holidaymakers
died and 17 were injured yesterday in a bus
crash in Phuket, a senior official said. The
accident happened shortly before midday
when a bus smashed through a crash barrier
and plunged into a ravine near Karon beach,
on the islands southwest coast. Two
women and one man were killed. Of the 17
injured, one is in a serious condition,
Phuket governor Nisit Jansomwong said.
The bus was travelling uphill. We dont
know the cause of the accident but police
will question the Thai bus driver. AFP
AUSTRALIA STOPS THIRD TEEN

HEADED FOR MID-EAST JIHAD
CANBERRA: Australia has prevented a
third teenager from flying out to fight in the
Middle East, a minister said yesterday, as
Western countries battle to stop the flow of
youngsters to extremist groups. The 17year-old boy was taken off a plane at
Sydney airport on March 12 after being
interviewed by counter-terrorism officers,
immigration minister Peter Dutton said. He
has since been returned to his family while
investigations continue. Two other boys,
aged 16 and 17, with tickets to an
undisclosed Middle Eastern country were
stopped from leaving Australia on March 6.
AFP
12
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f Senior Manager, Production Jeremy Tan f Senior Manager, Distribution Channels Gurunatham Gopal
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Let them eat cake

ON POINTE
HE implementation of the Goods and

Services Tax (GST) starting next
week is supposed to be a good thing
and I agree with the concept of it
to address the weaknesses in the current
taxation system, but right now all it feels
like is confusing and expensive.
A few months ago while on a walkabout
through the old town of Petaling Jaya, where
shop owners have been operating for more
than two decades, with stock that can be
dated back to the 1980s, conversations of
GST were at the fore. These family run
stores that sell just about everything were
ready to close shop which is colloquial for
shut down because the impending
realisation of GST was just too much for
them to handle. An owner said, how do I
calculate stock that has been in the store for
20 over years? as he wiped a thick layer of
dust off a set of delicate drinking glasses that
had clearly been sitting in their upstairs
stockroom for decades.
They were so confused and the various

explanations given were just not clarifying
anything for them, so the best option was an
earlier-than-expected retirement and to sell
off as much as they could before shutting
down the business. These were the old
school shop owners, the ones you see in
Merdeka and festival advertisements, who
under normal circumstances would never
retire the shop is their whole life, it keeps
them going. And now they were closing
down because GST implementation has
been too confusing.
While the Customs Department has done
its best to advise businesses and the public,
the concept is still foreign to most and these
things take time to grasp. The general
understanding is that prices of everything
are going to go up. These fears are not
misguided.
In this country, prices never go down.
When the price of petrol dropped
significantly, the price of food continued to
go up. If the price of petrol increases by 25
sen per litre, the price for a plate of noodles
sometimes increases by 50 sen, and the
explanation given is that the cost of
transport has increased.
At every point of exchange, the tax and
price hike is passed on and in the end, the

consumer bears the brunt of it. So its
understandable when a new tax system is
introduced, the automatic assumption is that
the price of goods will also increase
perhaps even more than 6% judging from
past experience when prices went up when
they should be going down.
But theres a whole lot of confusing maths
to this GST, because there are many ways of
doing business and the different taxes paid
and passed on, and also because from the
start of the GST talk, classification of items
has been unclear.
For example, why are women being taxed
for their periods? As it is, the prices of
sanitary products are high even without the
GST equation but from next week onwards,
6% will be added to that. The same applies
to diapers and other essential items.
But GST will reduce the cost of some
things especially for items on the zero-rated
GST list. Then there are items in which if
the company was already paying the 10%
sales tax and 6% service tax, that will be
reduced to a fixed 6% and therefore, the
items should then cost less but it does not
seem the case. So how does a consumer
check these things? Should we just accept
the pricing without question?

The public cant be told to just wait to see
whats going to happen (say, after a month of
GST) to understand how the taxation
system works. Confusion builds mistrust
and with food prices increasing, as well as
public transport fares also increasing before
the implementation of GST, its
understandable why the public are weary.
The most talked-about catalyst of the
Arab Spring was the rising cost of bread.
When bus fares went up by 20 cents, protest
hit Brazil. Over on our shores, the price of
kangkung is no more than what it used to be.
With subsidies being cut and the continued
weakening of the ringgit, food prices not
only affected by global prices but also by the
floods discomfort levels are rising fast.
This doesnt include the mounting
frustration of government spending, the lack
of transparency and misappropriation of
public funds.
The idea of GST is a good thing; we do
need a fairer tax system but the timing
seems like a Malaysias let them eat cake
moment.
Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
LETTERS
letters@thesundaily.com
G25: Hudud law is irrelevant to society today

WE, the G25 comprising concerned
Muslim citizens, call for the upholding of
the highest standards of justice in the
implementation of laws, including Hudud
laws. Be just, that is nearer to
righteousness. (Quran 5:8). Justice is the
overriding principle of Islam.
Bearing in mind the injunction for
Muslims to be the best and moderate
community or khaira ummatin-ummatan
wasatan and recognising that there is a
diversity of juristic interpretations or
iktilaf concerning Hudud laws as part of
Shariah laws, we have concerns as to
whether the Kelantan Hudud law, namely,
the Kelantan Syariah Criminal Code (11)
Enactment, 1993 as amended in 2015 will
succeed in upholding justice as enjoined in
the Quran.
Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, the chairman
of the World Union of Muslim Scholars,
has provided the basic guidelines on the
methods of implementation of the Hudud
law in society based on his observations of
the Prophet Muhammad SAWs approach
in implementing Hudud law.
According to Sheikh Qaradawi, the
application of Shariah must be governed
by Ijtihad, or creative thought, to
determine how it can be enforced today. It
would not be helpful to take rulings from
ancient texts and apply them in totality to
modern societies. Just as the ulama or
Muslim scholars in the past used Ijtihad to
determine how to apply Shariah, scholars
today must do the same. The problem,
according to Sheikh Qaradawi, is that
Hudud is being enforced before the
conditions for its application are met.
The following are the pre-conditions
for the implementation of Hudud laws:
X Establish true Islam where society is
pious and God-fearing.
X Ensure the economic needs of the
people are met.
X Provide employment opportunities for
all.
X Reduce the income gap and ensure
there is no poverty.
In light of the above elucidation by
Sheikh Qaradawi, can any State in
Malaysia claim to have satisfied the
preconditions in order to allow for the
implementation of Hudud?
Professor Hashim Kamali an eminent
Islamic scholar who currently heads the
Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies, has
published a scholarly and detailed analysis
of Kelantans original Hudud law as
drafted by PAS which was passed by the
Kelantan State Assembly in November
1993, from the perspective of the Quran,

the Hadith and the opinions of the
Companions of the Prophet. In his
conclusion, the professor stated that the
Hudud Bill of Kelantan has failed to be
reflective either of the balanced outlook of
the Quran or of the social conditions and
realities of contemporary Malaysian
society. He added that the Hudud Bill
exhibited no attempt to exercise Ijtihad
over new issues such that would fulfil the
ideals of justice and to encourage the
development of a judicious social policy.
A perusal of the 2015 Hudud Enactment
of Kelantan reveals that it has retained the
emphasis on punishment rather than
repentance and rehabilitation as enjoined
in the Quran.
Many other prominent Muslim scholars
such as S.A.A. Maududi, Salim el-Awa,
Muhamad al-Ghazali, Mustafa al-Zarqa and
Cherif Bassiouni have opined that the
application of Hudud as an isolated case
without providing the necessary context
and environment is not only unrealistic,
but is more likely to induce the opposite
result and frustrate, rather than satisfy, the
Islamic vision of justice and fair play. In
addition, they emphasise that the Hadith,
as recorded in Sahih Al-Bukhari, and which
is also a legal maxim, provides that Hudud
must be suspended in doubtful situations.
We would also question the necessity of
implementing Hudud in a multi-racial and
multi-religious society like Malaysia. In
1957, the Conference of Rulers, the
government of the Federation of Malaya,
comprising Umno, the MCA and MIC, and
the British government agreed to the
enactment of the Federal Constitution of
Malaya on the basis of the
recommendations of the Reid
Commission. Article 4 provides that the
Constitution is the supreme law of the
Federation and any law passed after
Merdeka Day, which is inconsistent with
the Constitution shall to the extent of the
inconsistency, be void. In addition, in July
1963, the Malaysia Agreement pertaining
to the formation of Malaysia was
concluded between the United Kingdom
and the Federation of Malaya, North
Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore. Prior to
the signing of the Malaysia Agreement,
North Borneo (Sabah) and Sarawak had
negotiated a 20-Point Agreement and an
18-Point Agreement respectively, as the
terms for their incorporation into the
Federation. Point 1 of the North Borneo
Agreement is on religion. It states While
there is no objection to Islam being the
Is Malaysia safe
for my children?
national religion of Malaysia, there should

be no State religion in North Borneo and
the provisions relating to Islam in the
present Constitution of Malaya should not
apply to North Borneo. Similarly,
Sarawaks 18-Point Agreement stressed
that everyone shall be entitled to worship
as he pleases.
Therefore, should there be an attempt
to amend the Constitution to pave the way
for the implementation of Hudud, it would
be a clear violation of the Agreement
reached between the members of the
Alliance party in 1957 and the Agreements
in 1963, with Sabah and Sarawak. We
would strongly urge Parliament not to
abandon the fundamental provisions of the
Federal Constitution to enable the
implementation of PAS Hudud law.
We fully endorse the view of Dr
Chandra Muzaffar that there is nothing
un-Islamic about the Federal Constitution.
To quote Dr Chandra, It emphasises the
rule of law; it recognises the equality of all
citizens before the law; it upholds the
freedom of religion; it enshrines
individual liberties; it embodies the
separation of powers among the
legislative, executive and judicial arms of
the State; it provides for the independence
of the judiciary and it allows the people to
elect their leaders. That these are Islamic
values and principles will only occur to
those who appreciate the essence and
substance of the faith.
A multi-racial country with an open
economy like Malaysia cannot afford to
alter the secular character of its
Constitution to allow for the
implementation of PAS Hudud enactment.
Since Independence, this country has
chosen the path of moderation. The prime
minister has continued to steer the
government along this path and has
launched the Global Movement of
Moderates to show to the world that the
country is committed to the principle of
moderation. The imposition of PAS Hudud
laws will signify to the world that Malaysia
has abandoned the moderate path. We will
be seen as a country governed by religious
laws which are subjected to the vagaries of
interpretation of the ulama who are also
fallible human beings.
In light of the above, the G25 urges the
government to take a strong stand to
protect the Federal Constitution as the
supreme law of the land.
THE latest incident about a BFM newsreader

being threatened with death, rape and being
burnt alive by those whom I assume to be
Malay-Muslim netizens brings forth serious
questions for this country. Is this country safe
for our children to live in? If a simple point of
view is raised against such issue as hudud or
even such issue as democracy and clean
elections can produce outburst of murder, rape
and burning people alive, what does it say about
our country, its citizens and our leadership?
I have noticed that the ones making threats
of this nature come from mostly Malays who I
assume are Muslim. Where did we, as a nation
go wrong in educating these Malays? What are
we teaching in our secondary schools? More
importantly, are our public universities
producing people of such culture?
I sincerely hope that those who made the
threats have never stepped foot in our public
universities because if not, I would like to ask
these vice-chancellors, what kind of Malay
Malaysians are you producing?
Yes, they are passable engineers and
architects but are they barely passable
Malaysian citizens, or passable Muslims or
worse, are they even passable human beings
with a humane conscience?
I have been to mosques and have listened to
thousands of Youtube speeches by our so called
eminent ustazs and I know that their understanding
of Islam is a strong contributor to the kinds of
comments made by these young netizens.
Although I feel anger towards these netizens
but I am ready to forgive them because I know it
was our society that have created such a culture.
When the Prophet Muhammad was faced
with the persecution of the young people of
Taif, he stood in front of the angel Gabriel at the
command of a host of a heavenly army ready to
eliminate the people of Taif, he said, No, do not
do anything against these people because they
knew not what there were doing. Perhaps
future generations may accept my message if
these people do not at the present time.
The Prophet had the magnanimity to forgive
because he knew those young adults were
influenced by their elders. I am afraid, our
religious scholars may be teaching a brand of
Islam that is very much distant from the
examples of the holy Prophet himself.
I write these words with a heavy heart. I write
these words as a concerned Malaysian citizen
and as a simple Muslim for the sake of all our
children. And finally, I write these words as the
father of Aisyah Mohd Tajuddin, the BFM girl.
Concerned Group
Via email
Prof Dr Mohamad Tajuddin Mohamad Rasdi

Via email
SPEAK UP
13
He changed my life
BY YAP MUN CHING
HE news that many

Singaporeans have been
dreading finally hit the
headlines on Monday
morning. The passing of Singapore
statesman Lee Kuan Yew will have
reverberations around the world
and nowhere more so than his citystate whose population has never
known a time without his guidance.
There will be many obituaries on
his life and achievements but this
will not be one of those. This
article, instead, will be a simple
account of how the actions of one
great statesman influenced the life
of an individual who has never met
him and will now, definitely not
meet him.
One of Kuan Yews oftremarked virtues was his ability to
have great foresight and the singlemindedness to pursue his vision.
From the early days of Singapores
independence, he had stressed on
Singapores survival imperative.
To do this, he set about creating a
world-class education system and
put in place incentives to attract
some of the best talents in the
region to the city. I was a
beneficiary of one of these
policies.
Over 20 years ago, I joined a
large group of Malaysian students
in relocating south after being
awarded an Asean scholarship. I
was barely 15, only been to
Singapore once on a rare family
trip and previously attended a
poorly funded neighbourhood

school. The opportunities opened
up by the scholarship were lifechanging. Like my fellow scholars, I
was enrolled in one of Singapores
top schools and the differences
were stark. Classes were smaller by
about 10 students, teachers were
well-trained and labs fullyequipped. We switched our
medium of instruction
to English and for
extra-curricular
activities, there were
science camps,
micromouse
competitions and
foreign language
classes, all publicly
funded. Although
Malaysians made up
the largest number of
scholars, Singapores
scholarship
programme did not only target
Asean citizens. Over the four years
that I attended secondary school
and thereafter, junior college, there
were growing numbers of Hong
Kong scholars, China scholars as
well as Indian scholars.
In the cold light of day, none of
this came from any altruistic
intentions as the name of the
scholarship tended to suggest.
Singapores objective has always
been to ensure it has the people
resources to fuel its ambitions.
What better way than to capitalise
on the short-sightedness of
neighbouring countries in pushing
away their own talent? It is by no
accident that all my fellow

Malaysian scholars were nonbumiputra, and the majority have
remained in Singapore, working as
doctors, architects, lawyers,
lecturers and bankers. Singapores
success today is in no small way
thanks to the contributions of these
skilled Malaysians and Kuan Yew
has often alluded to this when he
aunts had married a Singapore

political activist. She gained three
children from her husbands first
marriage and went on to have
another four. My uncle was one of
the early victims of the draconian
Internal Security Act (ISA) that the
post-colonial governments of
Malaysia and Singapore retained
from the British.
As a member of the
Socialist Front, formed
by a breakaway faction
of the Peoples Action
Party, my uncle was
among those detained in
a wide anti-Communist
sweep. He was later
released on condition
LEE KUAN YEW
that he would no longer
1923 2015
be involved in political
activities but the
subsequent years were
tough on the family. At
reminisced on the ill-fated
times, my then-homemaker aunt
Malaysia-Singapore union.
had to raise the large family as the
Although I have always felt regret
sole breadwinner and as a
at the loss of so many of my friends, schoolgirl, I would visit her in the
without his vision, I would
bowels of one of Singapores
probably have had a very different
shopping malls where she worked
future.
as a cleaner. Under the
Quite at the opposite end of the
meritocratic system that Kuan
spectrum, the other lesson that I
Yew built, my cousins eventually
learnt from Kuan Yew is that
thrived and are now fully
growth can come at a heavy price
integrated and successful
and each citizen must take a stand
Singapore citizens. Yet, until the
on how much we are willing to
day he died, my uncle never fully
sacrifice in the name of progress.
made peace with his fate and his
Quite soon after I moved, this
convictions were never
dilemma came into sharp focus
understood nor shared by his
when I met my extended family in
children.
Singapore. In the 1960s, one of my
In my later years working as a
REMEMBERING
journalist, I came across many

more stories like this from
seasoned seniors including the late
MGG Pillai, who was blacklisted
from entering Singapore for his
critical views of the city-states
government, and former Utusan
Melayu editor-in-chief Said Zahari
who was detained for 17 years
under the ISA for union activism.
Said Zahari, who now lives in
Malaysia, holds the distinction of
being the second longest-serving
political detainee in Singapore. It is
in learning about the hardships of
these individuals that I came to
realise that there is no perfect
system. There is always a price to
pay for progress and we each have
a role to play in ensuring that a
balance exists between the rights of
the state and the rights of the
individual.
In remembering Kuan Yew
today, I thank him for the
opportunities that his foresight has
given me as a young student. Much
as I once chafed against the hard
Confucian line that his system
demanded, I am able to appreciate
nonetheless that it has many
redeeming qualities, not least the
many safe and secure lives of my
friends and family across the border.
Ultimately, his system may not
be for me but the experiences that I
gained while living in an order of
his creation, helped me decide
what is important for me and one of
it is to speak up when injustices far
outweigh any purported gain to the
collective good.
14
MEDIA & MARKETING

Striking gold!
> A golden start to the Year of the Goat with Guinness Anchor Berhad
IKE all good things that

must come to an end,
Tiger Beers
Celebration of Golden
Prosperity campaign did too
but culminated with a grand
and exciting event where 44
loyal consumers were
rewarded with pure gold.
Held at the brewerys
Tavern, the finale saw 10
elated consumers walk away
with 500g of pure gold worth
up to RM85,000 each and
another 34 each taking home
10g of pure gold.
To be shortlisted, these
consumers had to purchase
any big bottle of Tiger Beer,
Guinness, Heineken or
Anchor during the campaign
period. They had to look out
for specific winning bottle
cap liners.
Besides, winning pure gold,
many consumers also received
other exciting prizes during
A group photo of all 44 winners of pure gold with the Guinness Anchor Berhad management team during the grand finale event.
the campaign. Prizes in all
totalled to a whopping RM1.2
million and included giving
appreciation and reward them as a token of
away some 100,000 bottles of
their continuous support.
Tiger Radler and 800 ang pow packets filled
What some of the winners say ...
Not only that, through this Celebration of
with RM388 each.
Vijayan Muniandy, 45, from Shah Alam,
winners. I have supported Tiger
Golden Prosperity campaign, we were also
At the finale, the 44 finalists were ushered
Selangor.
products for more than 10 years and this
to the House of Gold to strike upon golden able to reward consumers with some
The moment I struck the golden egg
is the first time I am winning such a big
entertaining on-ground events at various
eggs which revealed their prizes.
and found out the prize I got, I was blank
prize. I am planning to save the money
coffee shops and restaurants across
We are exceptionally pleased that the
for a moment. Only later, my heart was
from this pure gold for my children.
Peninsular Malaysia, giving our loyal
campaign received strong interest and
filled with joy. I am planning to share this
consumers a great start to a new year, said
participation from our loyal consumers,
prize with four other friends who were
Selvaraja Krishnan, 45, from Jinjang
nationwide, this year. This is our way to reach Guinness Anchor Berhad (GAB) managing
there at the restaurant when I got the
Utara, Kuala Lumpur.
director Hans Essaadi.
out to our consumers to show our
winning bottle cap liner. As for my
Although I do not have any idea
portion, I am planning to donate
on what to do with the 500g pure gold,
to charity.
I have made a decision to donate
RM20,000 towards charity and
Cheong Yong Man, 58, from Jalan Kuchai
a temple.
Lama, Kuala Lumpur.
I have been a supporter of Tiger Beer Lai San Lian 51, from Seremban, Negri
for more than 20 years and this is the first Sembilan.
time I am winning something big. I am so
I am so excited, so happy, that is
happy that I can finally renovate my
really how I feel right now. I have
house with the cash from the pure gold.
supported Tiger for more than 30 years.
I am planning to save up some cash from
Wong Vooi Soon, 47, from Raub, Pahang.
the pure gold for my children, and will
I am very excited as I never imagined use the rest to continue supporting Tiger
that I can be one of the 500g pure gold
Beer by buying more of its products!
Above left: One of the 10 winners of

500g of pure gold Vijayan Muniandy with
Essaadi at the grand finale-cum-prize
giving event.
Above right: Another one of the 10
elated 500g pure gold prize winners Lai
San Lian and Essaadi.
Right: Sek View Leong randomly makes
his choice that determines which golden
egg he gets to crack open. He was one of
the 500g pure gold winners.
ON THURSDAY
Business Editor Presenna Nambiar Tel (Editorial) 03-7784 6688 Fax 03-7785 2624/5 Email sunbiz@thesundaily.com
Tel (Advertising) 03-7784 8888 Fax 03-7784 4424 Email advertise@thesundaily.com
MARCH 26, 2015
BURSA MALAYSIA TRADE STATISTICS - 25/3/2015

Bought
Sold
Net
RM m
RM m
RM m
1063.4
1229.6
-166.2
54.0
Institutions
17.6
Retail
362.6
384.8
-22.2
28.4
Foreign
696.2
507.8
188.4
2122.2
2122.2
0.0
Preliminary stats (excluding trade amendments). For final data, please refer to www.bursamalaysia.com
Source: Bursa Malaysia
10 MOST ACTIVES
MARCH 25, 2015
STOCK
ASIABIO
GENETEC
PRIVA
MPAY
MQTECH
AWC
WINTONI
KRONO
KNM
CLIQ-WA
VOL
CLSG (sen) +/- (sen)
150,300,500
108,427,000
105,516,800
44,963,300
35,524,500
35,454,100
35,067,900
30,749,600
27,184,400
26,714,900
11
22.5
37.5
27.5
17
45.5
33.5
32.5
64.5
16.5
UNCH
+3.5
+3.5
+1.5
UNCH
+5
+3.5
+4
+4.5
-3
KL MARKET SUMMARY
MARCH 25, 2015
INDICES
FBMEMAS
FBMKLCI
INDUSTRIAL
CONSUMER PRODUCTS
INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTs
CONSTRUCTION
TRADING SERVICES
FINANCE
PROPERTIES
PLANTATIONS
MINING
FBMSHA
FBMACE
TECHNOLOGY
CHANGE
12,469.59
1,819.10
3,346.84
598.80
135.32
296.60
239.55
16,080.99
1,302.55
7,807.83
571.45
13,058.98
6,971.15
21.29
+22.71
+5.06
+9.02
+2.67
-0.10
-1.02
+0.40
+76.46
-10.01
+12.39
+4.05
-3.57
+78.60
+0.08
TURNOVER
VALUE
2.039 bil
RM2.122 bil
1,819.10
5.06
Hang Seng 24,528.23
STI
3,419.02
5.76
SCI
3,660.73
128.63
Nikkei
19,746.20
32.75
KOSPI
2,042.81
1.44
30.68
TSEC
9,667.83
63.83
S&P/ASX200 5,973.32
4.23
Amin sues Perak Corp
Participation
100.0
KLCI
Bargain-hunting
in finance stocks
SHARE prices on Bursa Malaysia closed higher yesterday on bargain hunting in selected finance heavyweights, dealers said.
The FBM KLCI closed 5.06 points higher at 1,819.1,
after moving between 1,812.18 and 1,823.19 during
the day.
On the Bursa scoreboard, gainers edged losers 449
to 391 with 298 counters unchanged, 632 untraded
and 12 suspended. Total volume rose to 2.03 billion
units worth RM2.12 billion,
Among heavyweights, Maybank gained 6 sen to
RM9.21, TNB earned 4 sen to RM14.50 and Public
Bank garnered 14 sen to RM18.56.
Axiata slipped 1 sen to RM7.06 and Sime Darby lost
4 sen to RM9.26.
A dealer said window-dressing activities in selected
index-linked counters, especially finance stocks, helped
to lift the FBM KLCI but the upside was capped by
cautious sentiment amid weak regional markets.
Asian stocks took a breather following declines on
Wall Street after a rise in US inflation, he said.
Meanwhile, FBM KLCI futures contracts on Bursa
Malaysia Derivatives closed mostly higher in sync with
the firmer cash market.
Spot month March 2015 and June 2015 added a
point each to 1,818 and 1,809, and April 2015 earned
0.5 point to 1,816.5.
Turnover rose to 11,966 lots while open interest
jumped to 54,906 contracts. Bernama
> Wants company to

invite further offers
from TNB or others for
Integrax stock and seek
minimum RM3.66 a share
BY RUPINDER SINGH
sunbiz@thesundaily.com
PETALING JAYA: Integrax Bhds major

shareholder Amin Halim Rasip is taking
legal action against Perak Corporation
Bhd (PCB) after it turned down his offer
for its 5% stake in the port operator in
favour of Tenaga Nasional Bhds (TNB)
superior offer.
Amin, who is also a PCB
shareholder, is seeking to add on a
resolution at PCBs EGM tomorrow to
seek alternative offers for the port
operator at a minimum of RM3.66 per
share.
Yesterday, Amin said he has given
notice to PCB and its board of directors
to table a Modified or Addition of
Resolution at the EGM which requires
PCB to invite further offers from TNB
or any other party, and to seek a
minimum price offer of RM3.66 per
Integrax share.
I urge all PCB shareholders to
consider and vote for this Modified
Resolution and achieve a higher value
from any sale of the Integrax shares as
its assets are strong with consistent
cash flow and profit producing.
I also wish to inform PCB
shareholders that I have also
commenced legal action against PCB
and its directors in respect of due care,
diligence and judgement to be
exercised always in the best interest of
all PCB shareholders, he said in his
letter.
On Tuesday, Amin said PCBs
decision to recommend to its
shareholders to vote in favour of TNBs
offer of RM3.25 per share was
imprudent and lacking care, diligence
and judgement and not in the best
interest of all PCB and Integrax
shareholders.
Amin advised other shareholders of
Integrax to wait for the outcome of the
PCB EGM before making any decision
on the sale of Integrax shares.
He reiterated that the strategic assets
of of Lekir Bulk Terminal and Lumut
Maritime Terminal are worth much
more.
Amin also pointed to the review and

valuation of Integrax done by M&A
Securities Sdn Bhd, an independent
adviser appointed by Integrax, which
determined a value of RM3.66 per
Integrax share.
He said Perak Corps
recommendation to accept TNBs offer
was based on a report by Affin Hwang
which he argued does not include a
proper valuation and which is arguably
not independent.
PCB earlier rejected Amins offer to
acquire its 5% stake in Integrax saying
that TNBs offer was superior to his
despite him offering a higher price.
It said Amins offer of RM3.50 a share
for a 5% stake in the port operator, with
a lockout period of three years for the
remaining shares it owns in Integrax,
constituted a clear strategic risk if it
planned to dispose of its entire equity
interest on a piece-meal basis.
On Feb 25, TNB made a revised offer
Integrax at RM3.25 a share, up from its
previous offer price of RM2.75 per share
made in January. The revised share
price places the valuation of Integrax at
an estimated RM977.6 million, of which
TNB would have to put up RM761.4
million for the acquisition.
Govt hopes to implement

Ar-Rahnu Act by next year
BY EVA YEONG
government, MGA has also

are locally minted, he said, adding that
asked the government to
the standards of locally minted gold
relook the model of the
bars are the same with LBMAPETALING JAYA: The
pawnshop business and to
accredited gold bars, either 999 or 995.
government is considering an
MGA secretary Datuk Wira Louis
consider changing it into a
Ar-Rahnu Act to regulate the
Ng Chun Hau said smaller local
one-stop gold centre, which
Islamic pawnbroking industry
players will lose out thus the urgency
would enable pawnshops to
in Malaysia, which has grown
for MGA to set up a technical
buy and sell gold bars, gold
to almost RM5 billion a year,
committee to present its case to the
dinars and possibly sell gold
said Malaysia Gold Association
Royal Malaysian Customs Department
jewellery in the future.
(MGA) president Abd Razak
We are already in the gold and the Finance Ministry.
Mohd A. Kadir.
Abd Razak said MGA will work on a
business, we accept gold as
Abd Razak
The Ar-Rahnu business,
proposal within the next
pawn. So why cant
which was set up 25 years ago,
three months and look at the
we sell for instance,
is currently regulated by the
possibility of working with
gold bar or gold dinar
Pawnbrokers Act, which was enacted in
Sirim to come up with
as well? It works for the people
1972.
standards for locally minted
right? Or why cant we buy
Now the government thinks its
gold bars which can be
used gold or pre-owned gold?
about time to do an Ar-Rahnu Act
recognised and exempted
he questioned, adding that a
because Ar-Rahnu itself is a big market,
from GST.
one-stop gold centre would
worth almost RM5 billion a year. The
MGA also wants to
provide convenience to the
players from Ar-Rahnu cover the entire
propose a GST model for gold
public.
spectrum of the industry as well
jewellery to the government,
On the implementation of
because you have banks, cooperatives
similar to Turkey whereby
the Goods and Services Tax
and even private limited players coming (GST), MGA is working
GST is only imposed on value
Louis Ng
in, he told reporters at MGAs
added such as labour cost and
towards getting GST-exempt
inaugural AGM yesterday.
design, but not on the value of
status for locally minted gold
Abd Razak said it is time to regulate
the gold.
bars, which will be taxed 6%
the Ar-Rahnu business to make it more
Ng said Turkey is the worlds third
from April 1.
transparent and to answer current
largest importer and exporter of gold,
According to Abd Razak, investment
market needs as the business has
with a vibrant gold trading market.
precious metals (IPMs) comprising
evolved.
Currently, gold is duty free in Malaysia
gold, silver and platinum are currently
The government was open enough
but gold jewellery will be charged 6%
GST-exempt but for investment gold,
to ask for our input. Weve given our
GST from April 1. About 90% of the gold
only those accredited or certified by the
input and it has been taken positively.
market in Malaysia is in jewellery form
London Bullion Market Association
Well keep on engaging them. Theyve
with 10% in the form of investment gold.
(LBMA) are GST-exempt.
indicated to us that they would like to
Ng said the local gold market will
In Malaysia, the market trading
implement the Ar-Rahnu Act as an Act
value for the IPMs is about RM10 billion slow down for the first six months after
of Parliament by next year, he said.
GST is implemented as consumers
annually, of which 90% are LBMAIn its engagement with the
adopt a wait-and-see attitude.
accredited bullion and only about 10%
Tanjung Offshore, Tan drop lawsuits against each other

PETALING JAYA: Tanjung
Offshore Bhd has withdrawn its
civil suit against director Tan Sri
Tan Kean Soon and five others,
soon after the cancellation of an
EGM called by Kean Soon, who in
turn has also dropped a lawsuit
against several directors and
officials of the company.
Tanjung Offshore said in a
statement yesterday that it has

dropped the suit against Kean Soon,
Muhammad Sabri Ab Ghani Sabri,
Datuk Harzani Azmi, HMS Oil &
Gas Sdn Bhd, Datuk Dr Nik Norzrul
Thani N. Hassan Thani and Datin
Norhafizah Mohd Nordin.
Kean Soon, now an executive
director of Tanjung Offshore, has
dropped his suit against the
companys legal adviser Datuk Seri

Krishna Kumar Sivasubramaniam,
independent, non-executive director
Shahrizal Hisham Abdul Halim,
executive director Eric Tan Wee
Koh, corporate finance head Joachim
Tan Seow Hoe and corporate finance
officer Khairil Annuar Mohd Said.
On Monday, Tanjung Offshore
announced the lifting of the
suspension of Kean Soon, Harzani

and Sabris roles on the board.
Sabri, however resigned on the
same day, citing personal reasons.
Tanjung Offshore also
announced it has dropped its
defamation suit against Kean Soon
and five others, namely Nik
Norzrul, Norhafizah, Datuk
Rosman Hassan, Datuk Norazman
Hamidun, Datuk Maheran Mohd

Salleh and Tan Sam Eng.
Tomorrows EGM to remove
George William Warren Jr, Datuk
Ab Wahab Ibrahim and Sharizal
Hisham Abdul Halim, has been
cancelled following Nik Norzrul
Thani, Maheran and Sam Engs
appointments to the board and
Warrens resignation.
16
SUNBIZ
Prinsiptek to expand property

ops in region
> Group, already in
Thailand, sees
Indonesia as next
destination of choice
BY LEE WENG KHUEN
SUBANG JAYA: Prinsiptek Corp

Bhd, which expects a stable
financial performance in 2015, aims
to expand its property business
into other Asean countries,
especially Indonesia.
If there is an opportunity, well
consider that, its group managing
director Datuk Foo Chu Jong (pix)
told SunBiz in a recent interview.
He explained that Indonesia
would be the destination of choice
considering the 253 million odd
population there.
Prinsiptek is already in the
Thailand market, which has seen a
30% take up rate given the adoption
of the build-and-sell concept there.
The property development
division contributes some 40% to
the groups top line, with the rest
coming from the construction
segment.
Foo expects the group to
increase revenue contribution
from the property development
segment, saying that the softening
in the market currently is mainly in
high-rise.
Foo said the fact that 70% of its
property projects in Shah Alam
were taken up by first-time home
buyers, reflects the existing
demand in the market. Prinsipteks
properties are mostly priced below
RM500,000.
Commenting on upcoming
projects, Foo said the master plan
for the Seri Kembangan project is
yet to be ironed out, with an
expected launch by year-end, while
the Kajang project is scheduled to
be launched next year. They have a
gross development value of RM60
million each. Prinsiptek has over
100 acres of undeveloped landbank,
mainly in the Klang Valley.
In construction, Foo said the
group will be eyeing more
government jobs such as the
construction of hospitals and
highways, with a tender book of
between RM600 million and
RM700 million.
Prinsiptek has expressed interest
in participating in the 1Malaysia
Housing Project (PR1MA) through a
joint-venture basis. Were still in a
discussion, weve not decided
whether to go ahead with this
project, Foo said.
Although construction activities
are slowing down, he said, Prinsiptek
will still be able to secure some jobs
given its good track record.
He said profit margins for some

jobs have dropped due to increased
labour cost, but they remain
comfortable for them, ranging from
single to double digits. Prinsipteks
construction order book stands at
over RM400 million.
Prinsipteks net profit for the
financial year ended Dec 31, 2014
rose 2.75% to RM4.67 million
against the RM4.55 million it made
a year ago, mainly due to the
recognition of higher profit margin

projects and upward revision of the
profit margin of certain projects.
It achieved RM302.16 million in
revenue last year, a 28.5% drop
versus RM422.60 million a year ago.
Foo hopes to maintain revenue
within the range of RM200 million
and RM300 million for 2015.
He said the group is still looking
for opportunities to embark on
mergers and acquisitions in the
DGB Asia to boost overseas contribution to 50%

PETALING JAYA: DGB Asia Bhd, formerly
known as DSC Solutions Bhd, is looking to
ramp up its operations in Vietnam and
Thailand, as part of its plan to increase
overseas revenue contribution to 50% within
a year from the current 30%.
The group is also confident of turning
around its fortunes in the financial year
ending Sept 30, 2015. For the first quarter
ended Dec 31, 2014, DGB returned to the black
by registering RM139,000 in net profit
compared with a net loss of RM538,000 in the
previous corresponding period.
The group has been incurring losses over the
past few years, with a net loss of RM5.16 million
for the financial year ended Sept 30, 2014.
In a bid to revive its financial performance,
DGB Asia managing director Datuk Pang
Chow Huat said, the group will open offices in
Vietnam and Thailand to cater to the growing
demand in the two markets.
We believe we can get multi-million

profits from there (Vietnam and Thailand),
we see the Vietnam market growing better
and in development, they need our support,
so this is a good opportunity for DGB to invest
there, he said.
DGBs main overseas markets are
Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand, which
collectively contribute about 30% to its top
line.
Segment-wise, the software and
engineering business is the main contributor
to the groups revenue (60%), followed by
radio frequency identification and other
businesses.
The market is growing strongly and has
no effect on our current business, even in
pricing we havent seen any slowdown, Pang
told SunBiz in a phone interview.
He said the group has no intention of
diversifying its business at the moment, given
the promising outlook of its current businesses.

DGB recently received shareholders
approval for a rights issue exercise to raise up
to RM37 million at 11 sen per rights share. This
is on the basis of two rights shares for every
one existing DGB share held, with an issuance
of up to 336.16 million shares.
Shareholders are also entitled to three
warrants for every four rights shares
subscribed. The ex-date of the rights issue
will be on March 31.
Of the proceeds raised, RM29.57 million
will be utilised for working capital while
RM5.5 million for capital expenditure.
Pang said the group is considering a
dividend payout for the current financial year
on the back of improved financials, but is
dependent on earnings it makes.
DGBs share price was down 0.5 sen to 11.5
sen yesterday, on some 4.05 million shares
done. BY LEE WENG KHUEN
Huawei to set up
ICT lab in polytechnic
Govt selects seven banks to

help Customs implement GST
BUTTERWORTH: Huawei Technologies (M)

Sdn Bhd will set up an information and
communications technology (ICT)
laboratory in Politeknik Seberang Perai (PSP).
Its director, Zulkifli Ariffin, said the lab,
which aimed to strengthen ICT facilities for
PSP students, would be ready by year-end.
The lab also aims to improve the
polytechnics infrastructure, he said.
Zulkifli said this at a media briefing after
the signing of memorandum of understanding
between PSP and Huawei and Jabatan
Pengajian Politeknik and AMTIS Solution
Sdn Bhd here yesterday.
He said the cooperation between PSP and
Huawei would help the nation produce
skilled labour from institutions to help meet
the needs of the industries.
Meanwhile, the cooperation between PSP
and ICT firm, AMTIS, would help raise the
awareness on advanced ICT and the needs of
the curriculum in polytechnics. Bernama
PUTRAJAYA: The government has

appointed seven banks to help the Customs
Department in the implementation of the
Goods and Services Tax (GST).
The seven are RHB Islamic Bank Bhd,
Malayan Banking Bhd, CIMB Bank Bhd,
Public Bank Bhd, Bank Islam Malaysia Bhd,
Alliance Islamic Bank Bhd and Hong Leong
Islamic Banking Bhd.
Customs director-general, Datuk Seri
Ahmad Khazali, said the GST registrants
could use bank counter facilities, cash
deposit machines and online banking to
make GST payments.
The banks are not appointed as agents to
collect taxes for the department but to
provide convenience of making payments.
The payments will be forwarded to the
Customs Department account, he told
reporters after signing agreements with the
seven banks at the department headquarters
here yesterday.
Khazali said the banks had branches

nationwide for efficient GST collection.
The department also welcomes other local
and international banks to become our strategic
partners in providing more choices for GST
registrants to make payments, he said.
Meanwhile, on the anti-GST protests at
the Customs Department headquarters in
Kelana Jaya on Monday, Khazali said the
protestors demanded answers to 106
questions on GST but their real intentions
were to show that the department was still
not ready to implement it.
We are ready to implement the GST
despite many negative comments. We will
answer the 106 questions and our replies will
be uploaded onto our official website as soon
as possible for all to see, he said.
Khazali said he was disappointed to see
more and more non-accredited professors
giving false information about the GST and
were confusing the public. Bernama
building materials segment, but

they have yet to materialise.
Prinsiptek has said it is talking to
parties that are involved in the
manufacturing of constructionbased materials.
Foo said the group may need to
raise more funds if it takes on bigger
jobs. Last year, it undertook a rights
issue exercise which raised RM34.23
million for the expansion of its
property development business.
B R I E F S
FORDINGTON GETS
ENOUGH AYES
FOR YOKOHAMA BID
PETALING JAYA: Fordington Pte
Ltd (offeror) has received enough
valid acceptances in respect of the
unconditional takeover offer for
Yokohama Industries Bhd for more
than 90% in the group. According
to a filing with Bursa Malaysia
Fordington managed to obtain
92.26% acceptances for its offer.
Fordington does not intend to
maintain the listing status of
Yokohama and trading in
Yokohama shares will be
suspended upon expiry of five
market days from the close of the
offer. The offer is expected to
close on April 8, 2015, unless there
is further extension by the offeror.
SAPURA INDUSTRIALS
FOURTH QUARTER
NET PROFIT DOWN 80%
PETALING JAYA: Automotive
parts manufacturer Sapura
Industrial Bhds net profit for its
fourth quarter ended Jan 31,
2014 (Q4FY14) plunged 80%
from a year earlier as it registered
lower turnover. In a filing with
Bursa Malaysia, Sapura Industrial
said it made RM1.30 million in net
profit for the quarter under
review from RM6.78 million a
year before. Meanwhile, revenue
fell 26.1% to RM54.51 million
from RM73.81 million in the same
quarter previously. Its net profit
for FY14 fell 55.8% to RM8.05
million from RM18.0 million in the
previous year corresponding
year. Revenue for the 12-month
period was RM232.7 million,
down from RM274.3 million in
the previous corresponding
period, mainly due to lower
domestic volume for certain
models.
THE SUN/ZULFADHLI ZAKI
SUNBIZ
17
MIDF Research stays neutral on auto industry

PETALING JAYA: MIDF Research is
keeping its neutral call on the local auto
industry given softer consumer demand
due to uncertainties in the economic
outlook.
Malaysias total industry volume (TIV)
for February declined 1.6% year-on-year
and 0.4% month-on-month to 50,400 units.
In its research note yesterday, MIDF
Research believes the slower sales was
mainly due to the shorter working days
during Chinese New Year.
We also believe the slower sales are
attributed to softening demand amidst rising
living costs and the cautious economic
outlook, the research house noted.
Meanwhile, The Malaysian Automotive
attributed the slower sales to consumers
holding back purchases in anticipation of

lower vehicle sales after the Goods and
Services Tax imposition in April 2015.
MIDF Research however, is positive on
MBM Resources Bhd and Berjaya Auto Bhd
which benefitted from the strong growth in
Perodua and Mazda vehicles respectively as
well as the weaker Japanese yen.
It noted that MBMs share price recently
eased after the ringgit weakened against the
yen.
Nevertheless, the RM/100 exchange
rate is still below its 2014 average of
RM3.10/100. We estimate that every 1%
change up or down in the RM/100
exchange rate would impact earnings by
1.6% up or down, it added.
MIDF Researchs TIV projection for 2015
remains unchanged at 670,000 units, representing

a 0.5% growth.
Perodua recorded another strong monthly sale
in February which exceeded 18,600 units, thanks
to the successful launch of the Perodua Axia and
the introduction of the Perodua Myvi facelift in
late January.
Proton sales, meanwhile stayed weak with
8,300 units, a 22.7% lower y-o-y, representing a
market share of 16.4%.
Honda maintained top spot within the foreign
segment with 6,000 units on the back of the highly
demanded new HRV and new variant CRV.
Honda is targeting 85,000 sales for 2015, banking
on attractive models line up.
Despite recovery to second spot, Toyota sales
remained relatively weak at 5,000 units and
Nissan slipped back to third spot with 3,600 sales.
Re-rating catalysts loom

for Gamuda: AmResearch
> Firm believed to be leading
contender for role in Penang
Transport Master Plan, Klang
Valley MRT 2 tunnelling works
PETALING JAYA: AmResearch believes
that Gamuda Bhd is slated for several rerating catalysts that will further underpin
the construction firms share price
performance in the coming months.
Analyst Mak Hoy Ken believes that
Gamuda could be among the leading
contenders for the Project Delivery Partner
(PDP) role in the RM27 billion Penang
Transport Master Plan (PTMP).
Pointing to media reports last month, he
said the Penang government has shortlisted
six bidders for the PDP role.
The evaluation process for the PDP is
expected to be completed in three months,
which implies that its award could be
dished out by June ahead of the projects
commencement, in stages, by 2017.
We firmly believe that Gamuda could
be among the leading contenders for the
PTMPs PDP as it has invaluable experience
as the PDP for Klang Valley MRT line 1 & 2
(JV with MMC), he said in his report
yesterday.
Mak also favours Gamuda as a
frontrunner for the MRT 2 tunnelling role.
He said the MMC-Gamuda JV is
reportedly planning for a RM100 million
facility to refurbish used tunnel boring

machines for the next jobs.
With the inclusion of Bandar Malaysia
into the MRT 2 route, he said, tenders
should be called by the fourth quarter of
2015.
Earlier this week, the JV was also among
six bidders that have been shortlisted for
the RM9 billion Klang Valley LRT3 project.
Assuming that Gamuda successfully
secures a 50% stake in the PDP consortium
with the PTMP, its stake is worth about
RM2 billion.
This will potentially lift Gamudas net
asset value (NAV) by 14% to RM6.94 per
share; it will rise further to RM7.10 per share
if we factor in another RM0.17 per share
upside from its recent appointment as PDP
for the Klang Valley MRT 2, he said.
He argued that another re-rating catalyst
for Gamuda is possible given the fresh
moves by the Federal and Selangor
governments to review the terms of the
water restructuring agreements which
could stoke renewed hopes of bringing
closure for Gamudas 40%-owned Syarikat
Pengeluar Air Selangor Holdings Bhd
(Splash).
We forecast Gamudas water assets
(Splash and Gamuda Water) to fetch RM1.3
billion (RM0.57 per share) or about 9% of its
NAV. Nevertheless, prospects of any special
dividends will depend on any upcoming
major infra bids/new land, he said.
Santos, partners hit oil off Sabah waters

MELBOURNE: Santos Ltd and its Japanese
and Malaysian partners hit oil in an
exploration well in deep water off Sabah, and
are planning to drill further to evaluate the
find, the Australian company said yesterday.
Santos said the well hit 67 metres of high
quality oil in depths ranging from 1,860
metres to 2,702 metres below the sea.
While there is still a lot of work to be
done in determining recoverable volumes,
this is a large structural closure potentially
capable of supporting significant column
heights, Santos vice president John
Anderson said.
The well was one of six Santos has

scheduled in a US$250 million (RM912.5
million) exploration campaign this year,
after cutting planned capital spending for
2015 by a fourth in December to help cope
with a slump in oil prices.
Partners in the block are operator JX
Nippon Oil and Energy Corp, Japans Inpex
Corp, Petronas and Santos.
Deepwater Block R, where the Bestari-1
well was drilled, is close to other oil
discoveries, including the Kikeh oil field,
which started producing in 2007, five years
after it was discovered. Reuters
Unemployment rate up slightly in January

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysias
unemployment rate in January 2015 rose
marginally to 3.1% from 3% the previous
month, the Statistics Department said.
In a statement on the Labour Force
Statistics Malaysia, it said the year-onyear comparison, however, showed a
lower unemployment rate at 3.3% in
January 2014.
The department said the labour force
participation rate declined to 67.2% in

January as compared with 67.9% in the
previous month, it said.
This decline was due to a reduction of
population aged 20 to 34 years old in the
labour market, it said.
Year-on-year, the comparison showed
the labour force participation rate was
lower at 67.8% in January 2014, it said.
Bernama
Meanwhile, Mak said that Gamuda estimates

Q2FY15 property sales to be up at about 20% from
the previous quarter, although H1FY15s sales will
likely be some 44% lower at RM550 million with
notable slowdown for its Horizon Hills project in
Johor.
Management expects the property market to
remain largely muted in 2015, casting some
downside on its initial RM1.8 billion new sales
target for FY15, he said.
Mak maintained a buy call on Gamuda with
an unchanged fair value of RM5.80 per share
which was a 5% discount to the estimated NAV.
Progressive
Impact secures
deal extension
worth RM22m
PETALING JAYA: Progressive
Impact Corp Bhd has secured an
extension of concession agreement
for an interim period of one year
worth RM22 million from the
Ministry of Natural Resources and
Environment (MNRE).
Its wholly owned subsidiary,
Alam Sekitar Malaysia Sdn Bhd,
yesterday received a letter from the
ministry to notify them about the
extension that will start from April
14, 2015 to April 13, 2016.
The concession agreement
relates to environmental
monitoring and data management
activities of the Department of
Environment.
The terms and conditions of
the interim concession will be
based on an interim agreement to
be entered into with the MNRE
next month and other existing
agreements.
The interim concession is not
expected to have any material
impact on the earnings and net assets
of the group for the financial year
ending Dec 31, 2015, the company
told Bursa Malaysia yesterday.
Progresive Impact entered into a
concession agreement on April 14,
1995 which granted it exclusive rights
to provide continuous ambient air
and water quality measurement
monitoring services with respect to
the government national monitoring
network for a term of 20 years and an
option for a five-year extension.
18
SUNBIZ
www.thesundaily.my
Chinese firms go
shopping in eurozone
> Single currencys
tumble makes
acquisitions cheaper
for outside buyers
BEIJING: The inexorable decline of the
single currency offers ambitious
Chinese firms a bargain buffet of
eurozone business, analysts say, with
this weekends multi-billion deal for
Italian tyremaker Pirelli only the latest
course in an acquisition binge.
Less than a year ago the euro was
worth nearly US$1.40 on international
markets. Earlier this month it stood at
less than US$1.05, down by a quarter as
the European Central Bank embarks on
a massive stimulus programme while
the US Federal Reserve is widely
expected to start raising interest rates.
By the standards of first-world forex
markets it ranks as a collapse.
It has recorded a similar
performance against Chinas yuan
currency, falling from almost 8.7 yuan in
May to bottom at less than 6.6 yuan.

The yuan trades in a tight range against
the dollar.
As the unit weakens it makes
eurozone acquisitions cheaper for
outside buyers and its biggest headline
impact may come in terms of Chinese
overseas investment, which surged past
US$100 billion (RM367 billion) for the
first time last year.
For Chinese going into Europe it
cant get better than this, said Joerg
Wuttke, president of the European
Union Chamber of Commerce in China
(EUCCC).
Chinese companies are eager to go
outside China as its own domestic
economy is slowing down, he told AFP,
adding that profit margins in the rest of
the world are higher than in China,
according to EUCCC member surveys.
So I can only expect a major push
from Chinese companies to buy into the
European company landscape.
The latest deal came with stateowned chemical giant ChemChina
B R I E F S
INDONESIA FORECASTS
5.0-5.1% GROWTH IN Q1
JAKARTA: Indonesia first quarter annual
gross domestic product (GDP) growth is
seen at 5.0-5.1%, Bank Indonesia central
bank executive director for economic and
monetary policy Juda Agung told
reporters yesterday. The countrys current
account deficit is expected to be between
1.8% and 2.0% of GDP in the first quarter.
Inflation in March was expected to be
between 0.25% and 0.3% month on
month, and 6.4% year on year. Reuters
AUSTRALIA TO JOIN ASIA INFRA

BANK IF CONDITIONS MET
SYDNEY: Australia will join a Chinabacked infrastructure bank if conditions
such as multilateral and transparent
governance are met, Prime Minister Tony
Abbott said yesterday, flagging an
announcement in the next few days.
China and 20 other countries signed a
memorandum last October of
understanding to establish the Beijingheadquartered US$50 billion (RM180
billion) Asian Infrastructure Investment
Bank. AFP
agreeing to buy out the largest

shareholder in Pirelli, valuing the
purveyor of Formula One accessories
and racy calendars at just over 7 billion
now about 48 billion yuan, or 13 billion
yuan less than in May.
The euro has flirted with parity
against the dollar in recent weeks for
the first time since 2002 and while the
euro rose to US$1.0964 on Tuesday it
remained within striking distance of
more-than-dozen-year lows.
Chinas overseas direct investment
pushed sharply higher in February, the
Commerce Ministry said, driven by oil
giant China National Petroleum Corp
putting nearly US$3 billion into a Dutch
transaction.
The continued slumps in the euros
value against the dollar have led the
price of eurozone assets to fall, creating
an opportunity for Chinese companies
to invest and carry out mergers and
acquisitions there, said Commerce
Ministry spokesman Shen Danyang.
AFP
EXCHANGE RATES
Foreign currency
1 US DOLLAR
1 AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR
1 BRUNEI DOLLAR
1 CANADIAN DOLLAR
1 EURO
1 NEW ZEALAND DOLLAR
1 PAPUA N GUINEA KINA
1 SINGAPORE DOLLAR
1 STERLING POUND
1 SWISS FRANC
100 UAE DIRHAM
100 BANGLADESH TAKA
100 CHINESE RENMINBI
100 DANISH KRONE
100 HONGKONG DOLLAR
100 INDIAN RUPEE
100 INDONESIAN RUPIAH
100 JAPANESE YEN
100 NORWEGIAN KRONE
100 PAKISTAN RUPEE
100 PHILIPPINE PESO
100 QATAR RIYAL
100 SAUDI RIYAL
100 SOUTH AFRICA RAND
100 SRI LANKA RUPEE
100 SWEDISH KRONA
100 THAI BAHT
MARCH 25, 2015
Bank sell Bank buy Bank buy

TT/OD
TT
OD
3.7130
3.6180
3.6080
2.9220
2.8430
2.8270
2.7130
2.6450
2.6370
2.9680
2.8940
2.8820
4.0510
3.9510
3.9310
2.8470
2.7480
2.7320
1.4930
1.2720
1.2560
2.7155
2.6420
2.6340
5.4960
5.3860
5.3660
3.8620
3.7810
3.7660
102.3400 97.2500 97.0500
4.8310
4.5770
4.3770
59.7000 57.5000
0.0000
55.7800 51.4400 51.2400
48.4700 46.0600 45.8600
6.0580
5.7000
5.5000
0.0300
0.0268
0.0218
3.1040
3.0150
3.0050
48.5000 44.7200 44.5200
3.7100
3.4900
3.2900
8.4200
7.9500
7.7500
103.1800 98.1500 97.9500
100.2800 95.1900 94.9900
32.2800 29.7700 29.5700
2.8700
2.6300
2.4300
45.0600 41.1300 40.9300
12.1900 10.3500
9.9500
Source: Malayan Banking Berhad/Bernama
Plan B on reforms could clip US voting power

WASHINGTON: Washingtons block on
crucial International Monetary Fund
(IMF) reforms has pushed the crisis lender
into discussions of other options, with one
proposal potentially slashing US voting
power nearly in half, AFP learned on
Tuesday.
Talks on Plan B have emerged
because patience has run out with the US
Congress failure to ratify the 2010 reforms
originally strongly supported by the White
House.
The reforms would both realign the
power of members on the IMF executive
board, boosting emerging countries like
China and India, and double the capital
resources the bank uses to support
countries in financial crisis.
Brazils executive director at the IMF,
Paulo Nogueira Batista, has outlined a plan
to delink the two components of the
reforms in a way that could allow them to
go ahead without requiring the US
Congress to approve them.
The link between these two elements
is unnecessary as each pursues
independent objectives that can be
delivered separately. Delinking them
would require the support of the US

administration but not ratification by US
Congress, Batista said in the proposal.
The delinking proposal is constructive
and simple and could
clear the way for the
continuation of the IMF
reform process.
The Brazilian plan
would first advance the
modest realignment of
power as planned since
2010 by giving emerging
countries more seats on
the executive board at
the cost of Europe. That
proposal was longaccepted by the White
House, but blocked by
Congress.
After that happens, the resources
increase could also be enacted separately,
relieving the IMFs dependence since the
financial crisis on borrowed funds.
That could challenge Washingtons
dominant role in the Fund since it was
established in 1945.
Because contributions to IMF resources
determine a countrys voting quota, if

Congress still does not give its support, its
quota could fall from 17.7% to 9.8%,
according to Batistas plan.
That drop is
significant because
major IMF board
decisions require 85% of
quotas in support, giving
the US unique veto
power.
Batista allows that a
deal could be done to
allow Congress time to
reconsider and endorse
the resource increase,
restoring Washingtons
veto.
With carefully
chosen language such decisions can
provide adequate assurances to the US
Administration that the delinking option
would preserve, de facto, its veto power
over decisions requiring 85%, he said.
In the meantime, Fund members able
to consent to their quota increases would
be allowed to replenish the Funds
permanent resources. AFP
FDI into Myanmar soars to US$8.1b this fiscal year

YANGON: Foreign direct
investment (FDI) into Myanmar
has soared to more than US$8
billion (RM29 billion) this fiscal
year, US$3 billion more than
anticipated, owing to increased
activity in the energy,
manufacturing and telecoms
sectors, a senior official said.
The investments reflect growing
if cautious foreign interest in one of
Asias last remaining untapped
markets, which is offering tax
breaks and export tariff perks to
create urgently needed jobs for its
50 million people.
Myanmar received US$4.1
billion in FDI in 2013/2014 and in
September announced a target of
US$5 billion for fiscal 2014/2015
running to the end of March as
foreign firms won oil and gas
concessions and international hotel
chains started moving in.
But Aung Naing Oo, head of the
state-run Myanmar Investment
Commission, told Reuters that FDI
had easily beat that to reach US$8.1

billion, thanks to the opening-up of
its telecoms sector and the
courting of manufacturers and
energy firms.
Thirty-five per cent of total
FDI went into the energy sector,
while manufacturing and
telecommunications attracted 25%
each, Aung Naing Oo said.
It was unclear if the total
referred to pledges or how much
had already been disbursed. Aung
Naing Oo said the energy deals
were for mid-term in the initial
stage, without elaborating.
Myanmars investment
surge follows reforms
launched in 2012 by
FLEXI-PLANS
FOR IPHONE 6
PAGE 26
President Thein Sein, a former

general who enlisted help from
technocrats and global financial
institutions to overhaul an
economy that wilted under
sanctions and inept policymaking
during five decades of military
rule.
The lifting of most Western
embargoes has allowed foreign
access to sectors from banking,
property and tourism to factories,
infrastructure, airports and
agribusinesses.
The US$8.1 billion in FDI is a
staggering 25 times the US$329.6
million received in 2009/2010, the
year before the military ceded
power. It compares with an
estimated US$11.8 billion of
disbursed FDI last year in
Thailand, US$12.3
billion in Vietnam
and US$4 billion in
Cambodia, according
to official figures.
Reuters
ON THURSDAY | MARCH 26, 2015
Alternative
Healing
SPECIAL FEATURE
Science of inner engineering

Insights from the Isha Foundation on living a full life
BY RUBINI KAMALAKARAN
HE excruciating demands of daily life

in modern times, driven by complex
social, economic and environmental
factors, have had an adverse impact
on our wellbeing. Affecting us simultaneously
on physical, mental and emotional levels, it
can often manifest through various ailments
including anxiety, depression and chronic
diseases. Many also experience lethargy, lack
of motivation, addiction and emotional
fluctuations. These are some of the critical
signs which indicate that one should focus on
the inner self recommend those from the
Isha Foundation, Institute of Inner Sciences.
INNER ENGINEERING
We are the masters of our own wellbeing
suggests the Isha Foundation. By mastering
the inner self, one can essentially re-engineer
oneself to find balance while navigating the
challenges of day-to-day life. Through the
practice of inner engineering, one can enjoy
good health, overall wellbeing, as well as find
fulfilment in life.
Created by yogi and founder of Isha
Foundation, Sadhguru Vasudev (pix), he
describes Inner Engineering as a technology,
not a philosophy or a belief system. Just like
there is technology for external wellbeing,
there is a whole technology for inner
wellbeing, which everybody must make use
of. For example, during summer when the
temperature soars, you have a technology to
control the temperature in your office or
home to ensure external wellbeing. Similarly,

there is a whole technology to create an inner
climate the way you want it.
CONCEPT
Based on ancient yogic wisdom, the practice
focuses on the inner self, which is said to
ultimately determine the quality of ones life.
In a nutshell,
mental and emotional responses. It boils

down to the fact that while we may not be
able to control the situations in life, we are
still able to control our reactions to it.
As Sadhguru puts it,
The most important thing is

that you are able to create
inner situations the way you
Inner Engineering is meant want to, because that is
to encourage one to live life what determines the quality
of your life.
to the fullest while making
peace and joy ones natural Hence, how joyful and at peace we are, is that
way of being.
which will determine our beautiful
By teaching participants to create a solid
foundation of joy, irrespective of life
circumstances, the outcome is a balanced
individual, free from emotional fluctuations,
mental stress and other forces, which prevent
these individuals from performing or living
at their peak.
This perfect balance is achieved by
aligning body, mind and inner-energies to
assume a meditative state at all times. In other
words, it is about re-engineering ones inner
self to create an environment that determines
the quality of life. This allows a person, even
in the most challenging of situations, to
handle the experiences in a calm and
collected manner as opposed to the usual
experience on this planet.

PRACTICE
Though the practice comprises a combination
of simple seated postures, a series of dynamic
breathing techniques and meditation, it is not
what is generally accepted as yoga. People
think yoga is about impossible physical
postures; this is a distorted idea of yoga.
When we say yoga, we are referring to a
certain state a way of being. The very way
you sit, walk and breathe, the manner in
which you go to your office or sit at home is
yoga. How you live is yoga, shares Sadhguru.
While there are many methods to achieve
the same goal, the inner engineering practice
takes a balanced approach by employing the
TURN TO PAGE 20 X
20
ALTERNATIVE HEALING SPECIAL FEATURE

X FROM PAGE 19
body, mind, emotion and inner energies.
Nobody is all head, all heart, all hands or
all energy. What we offer is a synthesis of
all these, explains Sadhguru. Only taking
21 minutes a day, the practice is experiential
and does not require previous experience
in yoga or any change in lifestyle. In fact,
the programme is tailored for the
modern individual.
The biggest misconception

is that when one focusses
within, it denies worldly,
social and family
responsibilities,
says Saurabh Jain, the Asia Pacific
coordinator of the Isha Foundation.
On the contrary, it is a vehicle for
personal growth.
BENEFITS
Practitioners of inner
engineering all around the
world have reported
experiencing greater
emotional balance,
concentration, focus, stability
and better health. In fact,
there have been several
scientific studies that
measure the various
benefits of practising
regularly, both with
regard to brain activity
as well as statistical
research on how it
affects peoples
health and
wellbeing (refer
to tables).
Besides health
benefits, the practice helps reduce severity of

symptoms and medicine consumption,
reduces risk of cardiovascular diseases and
improves cardiac functioning, reduces
menstrual problems and improves quality of
sleep. Practitioners also report:
X A highly focused and relaxed state of
mind and body;
X Enhanced energy levels that enable one
to glide through a rigorous workday;
X Help in the creation of an inner space

that remains untouched by the
turbulences of external situations;
X Strengthens and deepens relationships;
and
X Functions as a preventive health measure,
helping in finding relief from chronic
diseases.
your whole perception of life is limited to

your five senses. When you enhance your
perception, your body, mind, emotion and
energy correspond with the life you want
to create.
The Isha Foundation is an international non-profit
service organisation that is dedicated to human
wellbeing. It promotes self-discovery, inner
transformation and empowerment of individuals to
reach their full potential. For more information, log
on to www.malaysia.ishayoga.org.
Ultimately, Sadhguru reveals that inner

engineering enhances perception. Right now
MEDICAL RESEARCH FINDINGS (BASED ON A TOTAL OF 536 PARTICIPANTS)

AILMENT
NO. OF INDIVIDUALS
SUFFERING FROM AILMENT
IMPROVED
SAME AS BEFORE
WORSENED
NO ANSWER
Anxiety
107
86%
8%
1%
5%
Depression
89
87%
4%
0%
9%
Obesity
44
41%
27%
11%
21%
Insomnia
56
73%
11%
4%
12%
Hypertension
57
63%
27%
5%
5%
Poor resistance to
cold and flu
93
86%
5%
1%
8%
Headache
73
88%
8%
1%
3%
Back or neck pain
126
68%
20%
4%
8%
PARAMETERS
IMPROVED
SAME
WORSENED
NO ANSWER
Concentration
70%
21%
0%
9%
Mental clarity
80%
13%
1%
6%
Emotional balance
87%
7%
1%
5%
Energy level
79%
15%
0%
6%
Productivity
70%
20%
1%
9%
Self confidence
74%
16%
1%
9%

21
Curbing anxiety
ANXIETY which elicits a feeling of worry,
nervousness or unease, when faced with
imminent events or uncertain outcomes, is in
reality quite normal. In fact, it is said that
anxiety is a necessary signal, warning one of
dangerous or difficult situations. It helps with
anticipating difficulties ahead, preparing a
person for them.
Anxiety becomes a disorder when
symptoms are chronic or if they interfere
with our daily lives and our ability to function.
Some of the symptoms of chronic anxiety are
constant worry, palpitations, inability to
relax, feeling out of control and such.
Studies have shown that psychological
treatment such as anti-anxiety psychotherapy
is an effective way to overcome anxiety. As
anxiety is linked to negative thoughts,
psychotherapy treatment can be effective as it
challenges irrational and harmful thoughts in
ones mind.
At PsyCareTM , Centre for Personal
Psychology and a division of the International
Psychology Centre, psychologists will help
the patient with self-enquiry using effective

anti-anxiety psychotherapy thinking skills.
Patients will learn to ask themselves what
might be other peoples perspectives in their
situation. As an example, they would ask:
Before one gets worried, how would one
view this situation? Or Does it give you
support or limitation in reaching your goal?
and if so, how? What would happen if you
view something in a less negative way?
However, as anxiety can stem from both
biochemical and psychological factors,
psycho-laboratory tests such as the
neurotransmitter test will be prescribed.
Neurotransmitters are brain chemicals that
influence how we feel, including whether we
are anxious or not. There are many different
neurotransmitters, such as adrenaline, which
is the primary cause of anxiety. The
neurotransmitter test identifies whether the
patient has high adrenaline levels. If they do,
then appropriate psycho-nutritional
supplements can be recommended to
decrease cortisol naturally without any side
Accurate
and efficient
thermometers
ROSSMAX is a leader in the global
healthcare market in pioneering,
developing and supplying premium
diagnostic products. Focused on the
area of prevention, monitoring and
therapy, the companys portfolio
consists of diagnostic products for
fitness, obesity, hypertension, inhalation,
fever and hot & pain therapy.
It is the only company in the industry,
to own a fully-integrated factory,
equipped with world class
manufacturing capabilities. These
benefit Rossmax as end-to-end process
controls ensure the quality of its
products that are uncompromised every
step of the way. All Rossmax products
are CE-certified, vigorously tested and
clinically
validated before it is
delivered to
customers
across more
than 50
countries.
Under its
gleaming portfolio of
diagnostic products is
the Rossmax Infrared
Ear Thermometer,
which is a testament to
the companys
dedication in creating
the worlds best
diagnostic products.
Carefully developed for
accurate, safe and fast
temperature
measurements, it is noninvasive to the ear, using an
infrared detector to measure
body temperature from the
auditory canal for both adults
and children. Other
unparalleled features include:
CONTINUOUS SCANNING
MODE
Views the entire ear canal and
looks for the highest
temperature that can be
detected. The scanning mode
is recommended when one
continuously obtains different
results using the one second mode.
Simply press and hold
the start button for three seconds, then
gently rotate the probe inside the ear
canal in a
circular manner
to get the most
accurate
reading.
SELFDIAGNOSIS FOR
MALFUNCTION
When the device
shows EE, it
means that the
circuit system is
not functioning
properly. The user
simply has to unload
the battery, wait for
one minute and re-start
the thermometer. If
the
error message still shows, the user
should contact the retailer for further
assistance.
TEMPERATURE SENSOR
The ambient temperature for the
device to function normally should
be between 10oC and 40oC (50oF and
104oF). The temperature sensor can
detect the environmental
temperature, making sure the
device functions under adequate
environments.
CLINICALLY ACCURATE
The product
has been clinically tested in
several significant teaching
hospitals, based
on the regulations of the
EN 12470-5:2003 standards.
In addition, Rossmax has
also developed the Rossmax
Thermo Cal which is a
portable and convenient
device, which allows users
to check the accuracy of a
thermometer in just a few
seconds. The innovative
design of the adjustable
blackbody cavity can be
applied to all three types of
Rossmax thermometers
pen type, ear and forehead
thermometers. Users can
also send their thermometer
to Rossmax for
accuracy checks.
effects.
Through a
combination of
psycho-laboratory
testing and
psychonutritional
therapy, any
neurotransmitter
imbalance can be
rectified and
anxiousness can
be reduced to
motivate patients
towards recovery.
Hence, by
determining the
cause of the
anxiety disorder
and subsequently
teaching a person to handle problems
effectively, anxiety can be overcome, even
prevented from recurring. For more
information, contact or log on to the official
website of the International Psychology

Center.
Disclaimer: The content of this article was provided
by the International Psychology Center and solely
reflects its practice.
22

More than a beauty asset

COLLAGEN is a natural product of the body
which connects and supports the tissues in
the body. However, upon reaching the age
of 30, not only does collagen production slow
down but we begin losing 1% of our bodys
collagen each year. People often seek for
collagen substitutes to make up for this loss,
such as collagen from animal skin. The
downside is it contains high amounts of fat
and cholesterol. It is therefore crucial to
research the source, features and
characteristics of collagen substitutes before
ingesting it.
Peptan collagen belongs to the group of
type 1 collagen, the same collagen that is
found in human skin. It is made of more than
97% amino acids (on a dry weight basis)
supplied in a form that can be easily digested
and used by the human body.
Cutting-edge technology is employed in
the production of Peptan collagen in France
and involves moderate and meticulous
hydrolysis, carried out with the conjugated
effect of temperature and natural enzymes.
Thus, it is able to produce collagen peptides
that stimulate the skins natural production
of collagen. For optimum results, researchers
from Japan recommend an intake of 200mg
of collagen per kilo of body weight each day.
WONDER INGREDIENT
There are many benefits of Peptan collagen.
It is scientifically proven to be a powerful
anti-ageing ingredient, promoting skin
elasticity, suppleness and hydration. A recent
French clinical study showed that Peptan
collagen promoted collagen formation in the
deeper layers of the dermis which improve
the skins collagen network from within.
Other benefits include:
1. Healthy joints
It prevents osteoarthritis, which is caused by
degeneration of the cartilage. Collagen fibres
make up 70-95% of cartilage and are
responsible for its structure and strength,
while aggrecan helps to lubricate the joints.
Peptan collagen has been proven to stimulate
chondrocytes to produce more collagen
and aggrecan. It essentially promotes joint
health by reducing joint pain and discomfort,
improving mobility and flexibility and
supporting the strength of ligaments
and tendons.
2. Bone strength
Representing around 90% of bone mass,
collagen provides the structural framework
on which calcium and other minerals are
anchored. Collagen fibres also provide bone

flexibility. Peptan collagen has been shown
to stimulate the bone cells responsible for
bone formation compared to cells involved in
bone resorption, triggering an increase in
bone formation.
3. Sports and fitness nutrition
A source of protein, Peptan collagen is a
suitable nutrition that helps with building
muscle mass and post-exercise recovery.
KORDELS LA BEAUTE
Kordels La Beaute is a Beauty from Within
nutricosmetic that contains 8000mg of
Peptan marine collagen from France,
patented rose petal extract, royal jelly from
Japan, and patented amla
juice (Amlamax) from
the US.
Rose extract has been
found to reduce the
activity of tyrosinase and
free radicals and helps
reduce skin pigmentation
and dark spots. The active
ingredients in royal jelly
namely free amino acids,
HDA, enzymes and
glycolic acid induce fibroblast cells to

produce growth factors for collagen
production. Royal jelly also increases
hyaluronic acid levels which improves water
retention and encourages skin hydration.
Meanwhile, Amla contains beta-glucogallin,
superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione,
ellagic acid and vitamin C which help reduce
melanin formation and prevent damage to
fibroblast cells after UV exposure.
Besides its beauty benefits, Kordels La
Beaute helps reduce joint pain and the risk of
injury caused by high impact movement,
improves bone mineral density, increases
bone size and solidity, builds muscle mass
and supports recovery.
Dangers of
acid reflux
ACID reflux is a condition where
acid content from the stomach
are pushed back up into the
oesophagus causing symptoms
described commonly as
heartburn. One of the largest
studies conducted in Norway on
the condition, revealed that
incidents of acid reflux has risen
by nearly 50% over the
last decade. In Malaysia, the
statistics have gone up by 16%,
said to be driven by obesity
and smoking.
Symptoms of acid reflux
include abdominal discomfort,
indigestion, bloating, gas and
upper abdominal pain. If the
acidic contents from the
stomach makes its way up to the
back of the throat, it leads to
reflux cough (especially at
night), breathing difficulties,
hoarseness, bad breath,
excessive phlegm, throat
irritation and dryness, frequent
throat clearing and difficulty
in swallowing.
stomach for good reason. It

primarily helps break down
food, absorbs vitamins as well
as minerals and acts as a first
line defence against harmful
bacteria. So when acid is
suppressed, over time the
bodys microbial flora in the
gastrointestinal tract and lungs
are compromised leading
to a breakdown in its
nutritional state and usual
immune defence.
Additionally, PPIs merely
relieve symptoms as former
president of the American
College of Physicians Dr Joseph
Stubbs attested, When people
take PPIs, they havent cured
the problem of reflux, theyve
just controlled the symptoms.
NATURAL THERAPIES
Besides practising a healthy
lifestyle, there is a clinically
researched pine needle extract
that is know to be able to tackle
the root of the problem. It has
demonstrated significant results
SERIOUS HEALTH RISK
in suppressing chronic
When these conditions are left
inflammation in the stomach
untreated, it can lead to serious
lining besides aiding in the
health complications. This is due healing of injured cells in the
to repeated contact of stomach
gastro-oesophageal tract.
acid with the lining of the
In addition to keeping a
oesophagus that results in injury healthy weight to prevent
such as erosion or ulcer. The
increased pressure on the
situation further worsens when
stomach and quitting smoking,
the lining of the esophagus is
here are some practical ways to
damaged, as it becomes a
avoid acid reflux.
breeding ground for cancer.
Relax and eat food slowly.
SYMPTOMS RELIEF
Limit beverages during
Most medications available to
meals.
tackle acid reflux issues act as
Avoid high fat meals and
acid suppressors. Known as
choose instead lean proteins.
proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs)
Watch out for potential
or acid blockers, these include
trigger foods like fried, fatty
pantoprazole, omeprazole and
or spicy foods, alcohol,
esomeprazole which are
caffeine, mint-flavoured items,
commonly administered for
citrus juices, onions, garlic,
upper gastrointestinal disorders, and carbonated beverages.
including GERD, dyspepsia and Do not lie flat for a minimum
peptic ulcer disease.
of two hours after you have
The fact is acid exists in the
eaten a meal or a snack.
ENTERTAINMENT
23
Games of Thrones William Simpson
(right) Simpson
working on the
Game of Thrones for
the past six years.
(left) Daenerys as
conceived by him.
(below) His
drawings of some of
the weapons used in
the series.
Storyboard fame
> Things have certainly changed for artist William Simpson
since his work on the Game of Thrones series
BY S. INDRA SATHIABALAN
TORYBOARD artist
William Simpson is in the
enviable position of
knowing how the latest
season of the hit HBO series,
Game of Thrones, is going to turn
out.
At the time of this interview,
he had already finished doing the
storyboard for the just-filmed
fifth season of this series based on
George R.R. Martins Songs of Ice
and Fire series. He has been
working on the show since 2011,
and his drawings are highly
sought-after by fans.
Simpson, who is a partner in the Belfastbased animation company Rogue Rocket,
started out drawing British comics such as
Warrior and 2000 AD. From there, he worked
on comics like Batman, Judge Dredd and John
Constantine.
In 2000, he started doing storyboard work
for minor films, later working on big-budget
productions Reign of Fire (2002) and City of
Ember (2008).
In a recent teleconference interview,
Simson described his start in storyboarding
as a fluke.
He recalled: A friend asked me if I
wanted to do storyboarding for a lowbudget film, a little movie called 24 Hours in
London. It was slightly futuristic. What was
interesting was that it was something I got
because Id worked on 2000 AD.
I had never storyboarded before but I
thought how difficult can it be, you know? In
the end, it was pretty much what I do with
comic strips but to a different frame size.
Things like camera movements and angles
were stuff he had picked up when he started
shooting commercials in Ireland.
It is a different medium and you have
different tools to play with even if it is all
MOVIE REVIEW
drawings, said Simpson, referring to the fact

that one needs to know about camera angles
and such when drawing storyboards.
On one hand, you have diehard fans who
have this image of how each character is
supposed to look while the director has his
own vision. So how does he balance it all out?
In one way, I was lucky. They had already
cast a few of the actors. I sort of knew how
some characters would look like.
He was doing concept work during the
initial stages of production and was tasked
with drawing the weapons.
In order to get the weapon right like when
I did the Dothraki weapons, I had a vision of
Khal Drogo (played by Jason Mamoa) in my
head. I had placed the weapons in the
characters hand I could not just draw them
cold and so I just drew my vision of Khal.
When I drew Ice first, it was with Sean
Bean (who played Edd Stark) holding it. It
was to get a sense of scale. At that stage, the
costume departments started to define some
of the looks.
He pointed out that the weapons and
armour that he drew had to be functional.
Simpson has only recently started reading
the books that the series is based on.
However, he has yet to finish reading them as

each time he tries, a new project would come
up.
By the time he gets back to work on Game
of Thrones, he has to spend time reading the
scripts. That (the scripts) is what I had to
base my drawings on and not the books.
His favourite character in Game of Thrones
is Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklege) while the
character he likes to draw the most is
Daenerys. Apparently, she is the most
requested characters for him to draw at
conventions.
He also entertains a lot of requests to draw
dragons which are always crowd favourites.
The hardest drawing I ever had to do was
Sean Bean. He is a difficult bugger to draw!
he said.
Although Beans face is simple, it is difficult
to capture him unless he sits down for a
drawing. People like Tyrion, Daenerys and
Jon Snow are easier because people can easily
recognise who they are. I have a shorthand
way of drawing them.
Simpson still keeps a lot of his old
storyboards. So far, no one has made him a
good enough offer to part with them.
Things have changed for the artist
because of his artworks on Game of
Thrones, which have been exhibited at
events all over the world when promoting
the series.
There is this myth built up around me
which is more interesting than my real life. I
like the fact that the job takes me to different
places. I got to go to places I always wanted to
go but never did, like Malaysia.
It has altered a lot of my life and also given
me six years of solid work, after years of
freelancing.
Game of Thrones Season 5 will premiere on
HBO/HBO HD (Astro Channel 411/431) on
April 13 at 9am, the same time as the US, with a
same day encore at 9pm.
BY EE KWANG
Home
AN ALIEN race called the Boovs,
led by Captain Smek (Martin),
escape to Earth from their
enemies, the Gorgs.
The Boovs, who are known for
their lack of courage, use their
technology to take over the cities
of the world (except in Antarctica)
by itransferring the human
population into glass domes.
Oh (Parsons) is a Boov hated
by his own kind because he has
accidentally sent out an invitation
to everyone to come to his party,
including the Gorgs!
If the Gorgs receive the
invitation, that will alert them to
the Boovs presence on Earth.
Oh becomes a fugitive. While
trying to retrieve the invitation
to the Gorgs and avoiding the
Boovs authorities, he meets
human girl Gratuity Tip Tucci
(Rihanna), the only one not
X Voices: Jim
Parsons,
Rihanna and
Steve Martin
X Director: Tim
Johnson
X E-Value: 6
X Acting: 6
X Plot: 6
placed in a glass dome.

Oh forms an unlikely alliance
with Tip and her pet cat Pig and,
together, they travel to Paris to
locate her mother as well as stop
the invitation from reaching the
Gorg.
Oh soon comes to understand
more about the humans and

learns the valuable lesson of
team work and not to judge
people by their looks.
In the process, he also realises
that the Boovs have to change
too.
Adapted from the 2007
childrens book,
The True Meaning
of Smekday, this
movie is suitable
for children as it
contains
some
valuable moral lessons.
Voice actors like Rihanna have
also done a good job giving life
to their characters.
Overall, this movie may not
have the best animation but it is
still enjoyable for the many
laughs.
SCREEN SHORTS
DEPENDABLE STEPDAD
KATE HUDSON, 35, heaped praise
on step-father Kurt
Russell recently on
his 64th birthday.
The actress wrote
on her Instagram
account: Happy
Birthday to the most
dependable, strong,
authentic, loving
and fun Dad!
We felt the purity of that our
whole childhood and my gratitude
for his love is immeasurable. Happy
Birthday Pa (sic).
BIG BIKINI BIRTHDAY

KATE WINSLET, 39, says she wants
to spend her 40th
birthday in October
in a bikini.
The star said: I
have this strange
notion that Im
going to spend the
day in a bikini.
I dont know
why I sort of decided
that but I just want to feel great and
vital, and all the things I do actually
feel and so Im looking forward to
it.
FATHER FIGURE
NAOMI WATTS, 46, sees husband
Liev Schreiber as a
wonderful father
figure to her and
their two children.
Watts mother
Myfanwy Edwards
told the Daily Mail
Australia: [Liev is] a
great, intelligent,
wonderful guy and
great father. He makes magic for the
children on a daily basis. Hes got
stories and fires their imagination.
Hes solid, hes a great guy, a real
New Yorker who has a lot of integrity.
Hes definitely a strong father figure
for her (Naomi).
SHARING THE LIMELIGHT

JENNIFER GARNER, 42, broke
down in tears during
a recent TV interview
when discussing a
photoshoot
for
Southern
Living
magazine with her
mother Patricia and
sisters Melissa and
Susannah.
Wiping
away
tears, she told Today host Savannah
Guthrie: Theres nothing like sharing
the spotlight with your sisters and
your mum.
Its always fun for me to get my
sisters dolled up and my mum.
Bang Media
24
WHAT2EAT
Pretty tasty treat
MUMS KITCHEN
BY THE SIMPLE HOUSEWIFE
N MY early days of baking, when I first

discovered the pineapple upside-down
cake, I marvelled at how something
prepared upside-down could turn out to
look so pretty. Since then, I have made quite a
few pineapple upside-down cakes to feed my
family.
Recently, I had wanted to make a
pineapple upside-down cake again, but
discovered that I didnt have any canned
pineapples in my larder.
It occurred to me then that I didnt have to
always use pineapples; other fruits could just
make the cake taste as nice and look as
pretty.
Incidentally, I had some pears and apples
in the fridge so I chose pears as I figured that
they were softer than apples and would
blend well with the cake in terms of texture.
As canned pineapples are soaked in
syrup, they would be sweetened and remain
moist after baking. With fresh pears, one
would need to ensure they do not get too
dehydrated during baking.
Coating them with sugar or caramelising
them before baking would ensure they are
adequately sweetened and remain moist.
I thought I have given the pineapple
upside-down cake a new twist.
However, after I had baked the pear
upside-down cake, I discovered that it is
quite common to use other fruits for this
cake with so many recipes available when I
searched online.
PEAR UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Ingredients (for one 8in round cake)
X 180g plain flour
X 1 tsp baking powder
X 200g fine brown sugar (put aside some
extra tablespoons of sugar for sprinkling
on pear slices)
X 180g butter, softened
> Heres a twist to the pineapple upside-down cake using pears

or any other fruits for the matter
X 2 eggs
X 1-2 medium or large pears of any kind
X 1 tsp vanilla essence
4.
X Method
1. Skin pears, core and slice into cm thick
slices.
2. Sprinkle a few tablespoonfuls of brown
sugar over the pear slices and toss them
gently.
3. Line the cake tin with grease-proof paper.
Grease the paper. (It is best not to use a
5.
6.
7.
8.
springform pan as the melted sugar may

leak out during baking.)
Arrange the pear slices in a circular shape
along the edge of the cake tin, overlapping
them slightly.
Additional slices can be placed in the centre
of the tin to fill up the gaps.
Sift flour and baking powder and set aside.
Cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy.
Add in eggs and beat until well combined.
Fold in sifted flour and baking powder. Add
vanilla essence.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Healthy all-in-one meal
Dark chocolate
just as fattening
TUCKING into a little dark chocolate
instead of the infamously fattening
full-milk variant might seem a valid
compromise for slimmers with a
craving.
Not so, warns Helga Strube of the
German Nutrition Society (DGE).
The higher cocoa content means
dark chocolate contains even more
cocoa fat than regular milk chocolate,
even though less sugar has been added
to
the
confection.
There is no
balm here for
figure
and
conscience.
In
total,
there
are
slightly more
calories in a
bar of dark
chocolate
than in sweet chocolate.
Thats because cocoa fat is packed
with more energy, gramme for
gramme, than sugar is.
But while the slimming assumptions
may be wrong, dark is still the healthier
choice for chocolate lovers, since it is
high in phytochemicals called
flavonoids, which are also found in
fruits and vegetables such as apples,
grapes or red cabbage.
A small bar of dark chocolate is
kinder to blood vessels and reduces
the risk of cardiovascular diseases and
strokes, as evidenced by a study by
the German Institute of Human
Nutrition.
Eating large amounts of either sort
of chocolate is both unhealthy and
fattening.
But you dont have to feel guilty if
you eat a bar of dark chocolate a day,
says Strube. dpa
9. Spoon batter onto pears inside cake tin and

spread evenly. Be careful not to disturb the
pears in order to retain their positions when
the cake is ready to be overturned.
10. Bake in a preheated oven at 175C for 45
minutes.
11. Remove cake from oven and leave to cool
for a while.
12. To serve, run a knife along the side of the
cake tin. Place the serving dish upside down
over the cake tin to cover it. Invert the cake
onto the dish. Cool and serve.
HERES a quick but wholesome,

anytime lunch for busy people on
the go.
KFC Malaysia has added rice,
Malaysians staple, into its Zinger
Wrap, to come out with the
scrumptious filling new KFC Zinger
Rice Wrap.
Launched recently, this new
Zinger Rice Wrap bears a close
resemblance to a Mexican
burrito.
Wrapped inside the 9in warm
toasted tortilla bread is the all-time
favourite Zinger chicken fillet,
tomatoes, onions, cucumber, and
the Colonel rice with a mayo-lime
dressing.
When you sink your teeth into
it, it is like eating chicken rice and
a burrito combined.
The juicy Zinger chicken fillet
goes well with the crunchy
cucumber and fresh tomato slices
with the mayo-lime dressing giving
the combination a zesty taste to it,
while the rice adds a nice fullness
to the meal.
Priced at RM4.90+ a la carte,
the Zinger Rice Wrap is a
convenient fast meal on the go
and without breaking your food
budget.
For an even more filling meal,
why not get the Zinger Rice Wrap
combo that comes with a regular
serving of fries and a Mountain
Dew drink for only RM7.80+.
Note that prices may vary at
different locations.
Kiss-worthy Krispy Kreme
Master chefs on a cause
KRISPY KREME Malaysia has added

even more sweetness to its
doughnuts.
The brand has recently partnered with
international chocolate brand Hersheys
to come out with three new kiss-worthy
limited editions of its doughnuts.
The first is Kisses with Almond, a
doughnut with white chocolate topping
and a chocolate sauce drizzle rounded
up with a whole piece of Hersheys Kisses
Almond.
Meanwhile, the Kisses Cookies and
Cream doughnut comes with dark
chocolate topping sprinkled with
chipped Hersheys Kisses cookies and
cream.
The third doughnut is Chocolate
Chips which has a white chocolate
topping with a chocolate sauce drizzle
and mini chocolate chips.
The Krispy Kreme doughnuts made
with Hersheys promotion is available
until April 26 at all its nine stores, while
stocks last. Ee Kwang
ADVOCACY group Oceanas

Save the Oceans: Feed the World
campaign is a global initiative
that aims to save the oceans and
boost food security.
It is pitched as a doublepronged approach to the worlds
potential food crisis.
According to the UNs Food
and Agriculture Organisation,
the world will need to churn out
70% more food to feed the
projected nine billion population
by 2050.
But Oceana claims cleaning
up our oceans and implementing
responsible fishing practices
could help increase the global
fish catch by up to 40% from
current levels and feed a billion
people sustainably every day.
Enter master chefs like Ferran
Adria, Massimo Bottura, Daniel
Humm, Grant Achatz, Brett
Graham, Normand Laprise, Brett
Graham and Alex Atala in support

of the initiative.
Chefs feel passionately about
the importance of wild seafood,
not just on the small scale and
what it brings to our kitchens, but
also because of its importance
to the planet, said campaign
co-host Spanish chef Andoni Luis
Aduriz in a statement.
I think we all just deeply feel
the need to support this
campaign and help make the
oceans abundant again.
In a show of support for
responsible consumption, these
chefs have contributed recipes
featuring sustainable seafood
choices such as Pacific halibut
and cod, farmed Arctic char and
rainbow trout to a special digital
edition of The Perfect Protein
which has also been translated
into Spanish, Portuguese and
German. AFP-Relaxnews
YOUTH
EDITOR: Peter Yap E-MAIL: peteryap@thesundaily.com
25
> Aircraft engineer Ewin Ee is adept at

executing jaw-dropping yo-yo routines
BY YEO CHIA HUI
T 27, one is largely viewed

as an adult someone who
goes to work, earns a living,
pays bills and whatnot. But
more importantly, adults
are expected to keep their toys, along
with their younger days, behind them.
This, however, is not the case with
Ewin Ee. He may be a licensed aircraft
engineer but you'd see him with his
yo-yo as often as you'd see him in his
uniform.This six-time national yo-yo
champion (2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013,
2014) proved that adulthood is not just
about surviving, but living too.
Ee, who is also the 2012 Bali
International Yo-yo champion and
2008 China Asia Championship
runner-up, has performed more than
100 times both locally and abroad in
China, Singapore, Vietnam, and
Indonesia. And if those
accolades aren't enough
of an accomplishment,
this professional yo-yo
demonstrator is also the
co-founder of
kedaiyoyo.com, an avid
traveller, and a blogger at
www.ewinee.com.
How did you

find out about
yo-yo?
It started off
about 15 years ago
when there was a
yo-yo craze in
Malaysia. The
world champion
came here to promote
the game and from
there on I started to
play and joined a few
competitions.
Surprisingly, I won
many of those
competitions and my interest just grew

from there.
Where did you learn your tricks

from?
I first learned it from a world
champion, Yohans (Hans Van Dan
Elzen ), when he was in Kuala Lumpur
for a tour. After that, I started to come
up with my own tricks and combos
with inspiration from world
champions. I also made friends with
people who were interested whereby
we then shared tricks during weekly
meetings.
How many hours per day do you

practise?
At least two hours a day, and if it gets
closer to competition then maybe
three to four hours to make sure that
everything goes smoothly. During my
free time when I'm not working, and
even in my teenage years, I will bring
my yo-yo with me everywhere to
practise.
What is the most

challenging part of
playing yo-yo?
Facing a huge crowd
during competition is
very challenging. In
big competitions such
as the Asia Pacific YoYo Championships
(AP) where crowds can
go up to around 10,000
people, stage fright is very
hard to overcome. Originality
is also something that yo-yo
players always have to worry
about. We want to do our own
tricks and stay original
without copying somebody
else, whether it's intentional
or not. Besides that,
choreographing isn't easy
as well. We will need to
TRIVIA
Current ranking: No.1 in Malaysia and No.11 in
Asia (2014/2015)
Number of yo-yo: Over 1,500 yo-yos
Most expensive yo-yo: About RM2,000
Look up to: Takahiko Hasegawa and Rei Iwakura
(World champions from Japan)
Favourite country: Japan
Ee proudly
shows off
some of
the yo-yos
in his
collection.
Playing yo-yo is not as

easy as it seems, says
this yo-yo champion.
choreograph the music so that it is in

sync with our moves, and if there is
any mess up in between we will have
to quickly get back into the routine.
Playing yo-yo is not as easy as it
seems (laughs).
Any memorable
experience?
I have my own yo-yo that I
designed myself and they are
"sWINg" and "Stage1". I
actually wanted to make
something of my own, so I
thought about it and talked to a
friend of mine who also owns a
yo-yo company here. We began to
research, then we tried it out with
some prototypes. After that we started
selling them online and the response
was not too bad. So this is something
memorable to me.
Is your family supportive of

your hobby?
Yes, even when I started out they have
always supported me. I still
remember there was this one time
where my mother joined a competition

with me under the parent-child
category and it was
funny, but it
also showed
me that I
have their
support.
Next Gen
Winning moves
ASYRAF RASID/THESUN
theSun ON THURSDAY | MARCH 26 , 2015
26
FEATURE
www.thesundaily.my
HOROSCOPE
March 20 April 19
ORDINARILY, youre the first to
explore, if not embrace, new
ideas. Yet, what appears over the
next few days is likely to make you grumpy. This
is no surprise. While much of whats taken place
recently will ultimately prove beneficial, youve
faced so many changes that youre bound to
be short-tempered.
April 20 May 20
THERES a difference between
an out-and-out clash, of which
youve had a few recently, and
the more subtle issues youre currently facing.
Ironically, the latter seems more complex, mostly
because often you cant say exactly whats on
your mind. But, if youre to get anywhere, you
must be extremely diplomatic.
May 21 June 20
OVER the past few days, youve
been organising plans. While,
mostly, its been easy, youve
encountered a few glitches with certain rather
tricky situations or individuals. You managed to
find a way around those difficulties then. But
dont imagine theyve vanished. Youll have to
deal with them, now or in the future.
June 21 July 22
ITS surprising how many people
complain about changes without
really thinking about it. This variety of negative
thinking can suck the life out of the most thrilling
of opportunities. If youre around an individual
who does this, be cautious about allowing the
persons negative attitude to influence your
thinking or decisions.
July 23 Aug 22
AS a fire sign, your impatience
can be one of your greatest
assets. Its behind many of your
accomplishments. However, youre being urged
to take it slowly, at least, between now and late
June when fortunate Jupiter, which is in Leo,
forms the last of its powerful alliances with
inventive Uranus.
Aug 23 Sept 22
DONT let anybody bully you into
talking over matters youre not
ready to discuss. Theyre eager
because tackling these now suits them. And
theyre trying to make you feel guilty because
youre short of facts. Acquiring these takes time.
Explain that, and then tell them theyll just have
to wait.
Sept 23 Oct 22
ALTHOUGH most problems yield
to analysis, several of those youre
currently facing are more complex. So much so
that, bizarrely, the shakeups triggered by the
current eclipse are likely to reveal solutions as
unexpected as they are suitable. The next step
is mustering the courage necessary to put them
into action.
Oct 23 Nov 21
YOUR ruler, the uncompromising
Pluto, makes you revere facts.
Youre puzzled by those whore
happy to speak in or deal with half-truths. Yet,
if youre to reach an accord in an especiallychallenging situation, you may need to stretch
your perspective to accommodate the very
different truths of others.
Nov 22 Dec 21
DESPITE your efforts to be
easygoing about it, when others
are given the power to make decisions about
crucial elements of your life, you get uptight.
This runs counter to your instinctive and
ferocious, independent streak. Still, those
whove been put in charge have good ideas,
ones that are worth at least listening to.
TV1
10am
12.30pm
2pm
3.30pm
4.05pm
6.20pm
7.05pm
7.30pm
9pm
Langsung Dari Parlimen

Orang Kita
National Geographic
Planet R
Jalak
Tilawah Interaktif
Galeri Nasional
Alfa
Forum Perdana Ehwal
Islam
10.30pm Parlimen 13
11.05pm Gerimis Salju Naminara
ADIB RAWI/THESUN
TV2
(from left)
Lee and U
Mobile chief
executive
officer Wong
Heang Tuck
at the launch
of U Mobile
iPlan bundles
for the iPhone
6 and iPhone
6 Plus.
10am
1pm
2pm
2.30pm
3pm
6pm
7pm
9pm
10pm
12am
1am
2am
TV3
BY YEEVON ONG
F YOU are eager to own an

iPhone 6, take note. U
Mobile is now offering the
highly-coveted device, both
old and new models, at a
subsidised price to both its
prepaid and postpaid subscribers
via its brandnew bundled
instalment programme.
The U MicroCredit is a
innovative device-financing
programme, which offers
subscribers the iPhone 6 with its
bundled plans starting as low as
RM98.
The plans come with a
flexible repayment period of up
to 33 months, at low and
affordable interest rates from
0.84%. Subscribers can register
at any U Mobile stores or even
apply online.
Held in partnership with
Berjaya Credit, U MicroCredit
does not require subscribers to
produce a credit card, upfront
payment or collateral upon
registration.
In both cases, the only
required documents are their
MY Kad, two months pay slips,
and two referees.
Next, they just pick their
preferred iPlan to accompany
the iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus, as
well as the repayment tenure,
and the phone is theirs.
Besides that, U Mobile also
does not require prepaid
customers to make an upfront
payment although an initial topup of RM150 (which will be
credited to their account with
200 days of validity) is required
to ensure there is sufficient
credit balance for plan
Flying McCoy
Flexi-plans
for iPhone 6
> U Mobile is offering this Apple device for

as low as RM98 through its U MicroCredit
activation.
On the other hand, customers
who purchase the iPhone using
a credit card with auto-debit for
monthly fees will enjoy the no
upfront payment benefit for the
new handset as well as contract
freedom.
That means they can change
their mind within the contract
period without incurring any
penalty. However, should they
opt for early termination, they
would only need to pay the prorated subsidised phone price.
For those who sign up by
June 30, subscribers of the i60 or
i90 plan will get to enjoy truly
unlimited high-speed internet
till the end of July whereas i130
subscribers will get to enjoy this
benefit until Sept 30.
Upon expiry of the unlimited
internet promotion, iPlan
customers will still enjoy U
Mobiles high-speed 3G and 4G
LTE connectivity (with the fair
usage policy applied).
We planned for a gamechanging approach to our
product design especially for the
iPhone, said Jasmine Lee, U
Mobile chief marketing officer,
at the event launch held
recently.
Our brandnew iPhone 6 and
iPhone 6 Plus iPlans again
demonstrate U Mobiles product
leadership.
We offer bundled plans with
the best subsidised device rate
for prepaid customers who are
very often not offered the
opportunity to enjoy a low
device rate compared to
postpaid customers.
Our contract freedom
benefit challenges the industry
practice of locking postpaid
customers down with high
penalty fee for terminating their
contract early.
We are confident enough to
allow our postpaid customers to
change their mind as we believe
they will stick with us because of
the great value we offer and the
best network speed and quality
we have demonstrated which is
being recognised by the
industry.
Lee added that the micro
credit service will become a
standard offering from U Mobile
to make other devices affordable
for its subscribers, especially
first jobbers and the young.
For more, go to u.com.my.
1pm
2pm
3pm
4pm
5pm
5.35pm
6.30pm
6.55pm
9pm
10pm
11pm
NTV7
Noon
1.30pm
2.30pm
3.32pm
4.30pm
6pm
7.30pm
8.30pm
9.30pm
11pm
Malaysia James Bond

Aisya Azura
Kembara Anding
Oh! Bama
Ethirkaalam
Attorney Song & Ji
X-Men! Evolution
Cinta Berkalung Duri
The Twin Dragon
Covert Affairs
Revolution
Running Man
Jom Singgah
Aisyah
Akin Pa Rin Ang Bukas
Dendam Semalam
Ema Emyliana
Totally Spies
Suami Sebelah Rumah
Teman Lelaki Upahan
Ajaibnya Cinta
Tabir Zulaikha
WWE International
Smackdown
Time Slip Dr Jin

Melodies of Our Time
Earth God and Earth
Grandmother
Arbiter of Loyalty Unto
Death
Untold Secret
Divorce Lawyer
Captain Biceps
Once Upon a Time
The Precedents
Show Hand
8TV
2pm
3pm
4pm
5pm
6pm
7pm
8.30pm
9.30pm
Battle of Voices
The Stand-In
8 E-News 2015
Tale of Ancient Sword
Heart of a Woman
A Great Way to Care II
My Love from the Star
Welcome to Railworld
Japan
10pm
Punkd
10.30pm Sing Again Hera Gu (New)
12.15am The Face (Season 2)
TV9
12.30pm Cinta 7 Susun

1.30pm Got to Believe
4.30pm Teenage Mutant Ninja
Turtles
5pm
SpongeBob SquarePants
5.35pm Yang Muda Yang Bercinta
6.35pm Emergency Couple
7.35pm Shoutul Quran
8.30pm Nasuha
9.30pm Apa Saja FBI
10.30pm 9 Soalan
11pm
Mad Market
Real Life Adventures
Dec 22 Jan 19
THROUGHOUT history, eclipses
have roused feelings of anxiety
if not fear. But actually, theyre turning points,
in the world and in the lives of individuals. The
current pair, last week and on April 4, are doing
exactly that. Theyre ushering in changes that
are unsettling but, ultimately, will prove timely
in the long run.
Jan 20 Feb 17
ONLY days ago, youd have
refused even to consider certain
changes. Youve been there before and didnt
enjoy the experience. Since then, however, the
actual circumstances in question have changed
and, more importantly, so have you. Reverse
that refusal. Everybody else will be relieved and,
ultimately, youll be glad you did.
Feb 18 March 19
THE Suns move to accent the
practical side of your life last
week, began a period during
which youll be wrestling with various plans that
once made sense, but no longer do. While in
some cases, the necessary alterations will be
easily accomplished, a few will require creativity
and considerable persistence.
Some Velvet
Morning
HBO, 11PM: Several years after
they parted ways, a man shows up
at the doorstep of his former
mistress and tells her that he has
left his wife and wants to rekindle
their relationship. She tries to tell
him that she has since moved on
but his persistence soon evolves
into an obsession. Starring Stanley
Tucci and Alice Eve.
27
theSun | THURSDAY MARCH 26 2015
020
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Notices
28
SPORTS AHEAD OF THE GAME

INSIDE EDGE
BLACK CAPS PLAY FOR VETTORI
BRENDON MCCULLUM yesterday conceded
Daniel Vettori had probably played his last international innings on home soil, saying New Zealand
were intent on giving the veteran a fairytale sendoff in the World Cup final. Last night with him
out there at the end, thats a memory hell never
forget, McCullum told reporters. Hopefully
weve got one more game, one more big fairytale
finish for him and then well have a few beers.
Hes a tough customer and hes been an amazing
servant for New Zealand cricket.
... AS KIWIS DARE TO DREAM

NEW ZEALANDERS hailed the Black Caps
cliffhanger World Cup semifinal win over South
Africa as one of the countrys top sporting moments yesterday and finally began dreaming of
even greater glory in the tournament decider
on Sunday. One to go, trumpeted the front
page of the New Zealand Herald, while the
Dominion Posts back page headline described
victory over the Proteas at Eden Park as The
stuff that dreams are made of. Dare to dream,
New Zealand advised Fairfax cricket writer Fred
Woodcock, adding: If you didnt think these
Black Caps had the mental strength to go the
whole way, you should now, because they stood
up under the pressure that defines teams.
History against India

D
EFENDING CHAMPIONS
India will hope the law of
averages does not catch
up with them when they clash
with hosts Australia in a
widely-anticipated World Cup
semifinal in Sydney today.
India have beaten Australia
just once in 35 years in a oneday international at the Sydney
Cricket Ground when a Sachin
Tendulkar century helped them
win the first of the three-match
tri-series final in 2008.

But Mahendra Singh Dhonis
men have confounded critics by
recovering from a winless
bilateral tour of Australia
before the World Cup to brush
aside all-comers in the
tournament.
Starting with two wins
against Pakistan and South
Africa, India won all six group
matches to top Pool B and then
downed spirited Bangladesh by
Indias captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni bats during a

practice session in Sydney yesterday. AFPPIX
PROTEAS COMEDY OF ERRORS

NO LAUGHING MATTER
ANOTHER World Cup semifinal but another failure
to get to the final has left many South Africa fans
questioning what their side must do to reach oneday international crickets showpiece match.
Tuesdays dramatic four-wicket defeat by New
Zealand in a rain-affected clash at Aucklands Eden
Park was the fourth time the Proteas had made it
to the last four and the fourth time they hadnt
reached the final. The Proteas may well have made
a 350-plus score had not rain intervened, but a
total of 281 for five, which left New Zealand needing a revised 298 in 43 overs, looked enough when
the Black Caps were 149 for four. Yet it was from
then on that the worth of England 2003 Rugby
World Cup-winning coach Clive Woodwards oftrepeated phrase of T-CUP (Thinking Clearly
Under Pressure) became apparent, with captain
AB de Villiers fumbling a run-out of Corey Anderson
and Grant Elliott benefitting from another failed
run out attempt and a dropped catch.
109 runs in the quarterfinals.

India now confront a side
that has won seven of their 10
World Cup meetings against
them, although Dhonis men
secured a five-wicket win in the
quarterfinal at home in
Ahmedabad four years ago.
Four-time champions
Australia have won all six
semifinals they have appeared
in since the inaugural event in
1975, but India will consider the
SCG as the best venue to halt
that record.
Groundsman Tom Parker
has kept both teams guessing
on the nature of the pitch he
will unveil for the semifinal, but
the wear and tear at the end of a
long season indicates spinfriendly conditions.
South African spinners
Imran Tahir and JP Duminy
shared seven wickets to bowl
out Sri Lanka for 133 in the
quarterfinal at the SCG last
week, setting up a nine-wicket
win for the Proteas.
But the bat dominated the
ball in previous World Cup
games at the venue, with
Australia piling up 376 for nine
against Sri Lanka and South
Africa smashing 408 for five off
the West Indies attack.
Australian coach Darren
Lehmann felt that constant
meetings with India over the
summer would add an extra
element to what already looms
as an enthralling contest.
India are really starting to
gain some confidence on the
back of some good
performances since the
> One win

in 35 years
in ODIs at
the SCG a
worry
tournament began, but we

know them inside out just as
they do us.
Everyone in the Australia
squad is excited that weve
reached the final week of the
World Cup and are now within
striking distance of a goal that
we set ourselves more than a
year ago.
With organisers estimating
that 70% of the tickets have
been picked up by Indian fans,
Australia would feel as if they
were playing an away game on
their own soil.
India will once again bank on
a sound start from openers
Shikhar Dhawan, who has 367
runs in the tournament with
two centuries, and Rohit
Sharma, who hit 137 against
Bangladesh.
But it will be Virat Kohli the
Australians will be wary of after
the elegant right-hander hit
four centuries in the preceding
four-Test series, including 147
and 46 at the SCG.
Kohlis form dipped after a
match-winning century against
Pakistan, but Dhoni was
confident of his star batsman
coming good when it mattered.
A big one is just around the
corner because big players
always score in big games,
Dhoni said of Kohli.
Indias pace trio of
Mohammad Shami, Umesh
Yadav and Mohit Sharma have
claimed 42 wickets between
them, but it will be the off-spin
of Ravichandran Ashwin that
Dhoni will turn to if the pitch
takes turn. AFP
Clarke backs Warner to behave as Johnson leads battle cry
South Africas Farhaan Behardien and JP

Duminy (front) fail to take a catch during
their World Cup semifinal match against
New Zealand in Auckland. REUTERSPIX
Sharma confident of
passing Sydney test
INDIA will go into todays World Cup semifinal against Australia in Sydney confident of
success irrespective of whether the wicket
takes turn or assisted fast bowlers, opener
Rohit Sharma said.
The wear and tear at the end of a long
season was evident when the covers were
removed at the Sydney Cricket ground yesterday, revealing a dry, brown pitch that
would gladden India more than their rivals.
Australian coach Darren Lehmann has
predicted a high-scoring game, but Sharma
said India were not sweating over the nature
of the wicket.
It does not worry us what sort of wicket
we get because we are confident of doing
well on any surface, said Sharma.
We have taken 70 wickets in seven
matches, bowled out the opposition every
time, so we know what we need to do.
Our seamers have done well and so have
the spinners. We are ready for anything that
we get.
AUSTRALIA captain Michael

Clarke expects temperamental
opener David Warner to be on
his best behaviour in todays
World Cup semifinal against
India, but Mitchell Johnson is
ready to step up the sledging
war.
Warner, who has already
been warned twice for on-field
verbal sledges, faces suspension
from the final, should Australia
qualify, if he is found guilty of
another misdemeanour at the
Sydney Cricket ground.
David will be fine, Clarke
told reporters yesterday. He
knows the rules, as we all do,
and his rules are no different
than the rest of ours.
But fast bowler Johnson said
he did not expect any let up in
Australias aggressive approach,
and was even willing to take the
lead if Warner did not sledge.
I heard Davey (Warner) say
he was not going to get involved
in all that stuff, Johnson told
Fox Sports. Someone has got to
do it and I think I might put my
hand up. Its part of the game.
The two teams have shared a
tumultuous relationship both
on and off the field in recent
years and another flare-up
cannot be ruled out in a
potentially explosive semifinal.
The bad blood showed up
during Indias Test and one-day
series in Australia prior to the
World Cup when heated onfield exchanges led to several
players being penalised.
Meanwhile, Clarke did not
expect the SCG wicket to throw

up any surprises, saying it will
prove to be a good cricketing
pitch.
There is growing speculation
that the dry, brown wicket will
suit India more than the home
teams fast bowlers, but Clarke
appeared unconcerned by the
pre-match talk.
I think the SCG in general is
a really good wicket for both
both batting and bowling, the
Australian skipper said.
The fast bowlers will
hopefully get a little swing and a
little bounce out of that wicket
and then as always spin will
play a part.
But the SCG is as good a
place to bat as anywhere in the
world. I am confident this game
will be no different.
Clarke also rubbished
suggestions that the toss will
prove crucial since batting first
could be an advantage on the
wearing end-of-the-season
pitch.
Whatever you do first, you
have to do it well, he said. I
dont think it (the toss) matters
too much in a one-day game.
Sometimes wickets in
Australia can be better to bat on
second, because you get a little
bit of dew, and the wicket and
the outfield quicken up.
Then there is the other side
that people always talk about
runs on the board in big games.
We are going to do both at some
stage, we just have to do them
well.
Australias
David
Warner
bats in the
nets during
a training
session at
the SCG
ahead
of their
World Cup
semifinal
match
against
India.
AFPPIX
Australia will start as

favourites, but Clarke insisted
the expectations from home
fans will not put undue pressure
on his side.
Expectations will be there
because we are the No. 1 oneday team in the world, he said.
The reason you have that
expectation on you is because
youve performed.
Asked if there will be more
Indian fans at the ground,

Clarke said: Thats a nobrainer. I think we know they
will.
But thats fine. We have
played in India a number of
times and they out-support us
there as well.
Its a fantastic feeling to
have the opportunity to play in
your own backyard and to play
in Australia. AFP
29
Return of the king

> Alonso fit for Malaysian GP after recovering from mysterious crash
ERNANDO ALONSOS return from his

mysterious crash and concussion will give
struggling McLaren a boost as the Formula
One field strives to rein in Mercedes at the
Malaysian Grand Prix.
The season is only one race old but warnings
are already flashing that Mercedes could
dominate this year like few before it after world
champion Lewis Hamilton led an untroubled
one-two finish in Australia.
McLarens Jenson Button is convinced the
celebrated marque can figure in 2015, but they
have a long road ahead after the Briton trailed
home 11th and last at the season-opener in

Melbourne.
Alonsos second stint at McLaren will get off
to a delayed start at the Sepang circuit, subject
to final medical clearance today, with questions
still hovering about his crash in testing on Feb 22.
The MP4-30 of Alonso, who suffered
temporary memory loss in the accident, will be
fitted with an extra sensor after he recalled
heavy steering before the crash on an
innocuous stretch of Barcelonas Circuit de
Catalunya, McLaren said.
Although McLarens expectations will be
talking points for

the Malaysian GP
Can Rosberg catch Hamilton?
It is early days but the 2015 title race may

well boil down to Mercedes rivals Lewis
Hamilton and Nico Rosberg after they left
the other teams trailing in Melbourne. Although he finished well clear of the chasing
pack, second-placed Rosberg cut a reflective
figure after being comprehensively out-run
in both qualifying and the race by his British
stablemate. He drove like a world champion all weekend, admitted the German.
Neutrals will hope Rosberg can find a way
of reeling in the reigning world champion
and puncturing a confidence which currently looks unassailable.
Red Bull need to find their roar
Considering their recent dominance of

F1, Red Bulls call for measures to help teams
catch up with Mercedes raised a few eyebrows after the season-opener in Australia.
Hints at quitting the sport upped the ante
but regardless of any moves by Formula
Ones regulators, Red Bull first need to get
their own house in order. Problems with their
Renault engine prevented Daniil Kvyat from
starting the race, while Daniel Ricciardo came
in sixth out of 11 finishers. A more credible
showing in Malaysia would not hurt their
campaign for new regulations to slow Mercedes.
Alonso boost for McLaren
The early part of the year has not been

kind to McLaren but their season can get
under way in earnest with the return of
Fernando Alonso after his February crash in
testing. The two-time world champion impressed in an underwhelming Ferrari car last
season and he is well qualified to lead a resurgence by the British team. McLaren
started from the back of the grid in Melbourne and Jenson Button trailed in last, but
there is quiet optimism around the team that
they can make up significant ground this
year.
Nasr leads the new kids
Max Verstappens outing at the recordbreaking age of 17 years and 166 days in
Melbourne put the focus on youth in F1, but
it was Felipe Nasr who led the way for
Generation Next with a superlative drive on
debut. The 22-year-old Brazilian made light
of legal challenges surrounding Saubers
line-up to finish fifth, the best debut by a
Brazilian driver outstripping even the late,
great Ayrton Senna. Several million Brazilian
eyes will be on the young hopeful to see if
he can add more points in race number
two.
Can Malaysia top the

Terminator?
Ricciardo slammed the Australian Grand

Prix as boring but the podium ceremony
was anything but. After a processional win
for Hamilton and Mercedes, the biggest
cheer of the day was reserved for Hollywoods Arnold Schwarzenegger appearing
on the victory podium to interview the winners. With stars of stage and screen often
to be seen in the F1 paddock, Malaysian
organisers may also consider collaring one
of them to pep up the post-race proceedings
before the champagne lets fly. It makes a
welcome change from talk of hybrid technology and double diffusers.
Djokovic takes aim at March title double

WORLD NO.1 Novak
Djokovic will try to put extra
distance between himself
and the chasing pack, taking confidence from his
weekend title in California
into the Miami Open.
Djokovic won the Indian
Wells trophy for a second
consecutive year by beating
Roger Federer 6-3, 6-7
(5/7), 6-2 and will try to repeat his March trophy
double from last year at the
ATP and WTA hardcourt
event.
With Federer not playing Miami by choice and
instead taking his family
skiing before a fortnights
training back home in
Switzerland, the way is
open for Djokovic, second
seed Rafael Nadal and No.3
Andy Murray to add ranking points before the switch
to European clay next
month.
With more than half a
decade of rivalry between
the Big Four, any edge is
welcome in the heated

competition among the
elite.
We still keep on pushing and moving the borders, said Djokovic, winner
of eight Grand Slam titles
to 17 for Federer, 13 for
Nadal and two for Murray.
We still keep on improving, all of us.
We are playing better
than we did a few years
ago, and its because of
these rivalries. Thats
something that is special in
our sport.
The Serb will be pleased
to meet up again with
coach Boris Becker and will
make sure he lets his German mentor know that he
has now won 50 career titles
to Beckers 49.
Ive got to look forward
to get to Miami and have a
dinner with Boris. I think its
on him this time. I surpassed
his 49th title, so that gives
a little bit of special spice
to this title. AFP
McLarens Fernando Alonso received medical assistance

after crashing during day four of Formula One winter
testingand was transferred to the medical centre by
helicopter in Barcelona.
modest, Alonso was bullish as he tweeted about
the three wins at Sepang which have made him
one of the races most successful drivers.
Three victories with three teams, the
two-time world champion posted in Spanish,
highlighting his 2005, 2007 and 2012 triumphs
for Renault, McLaren and Ferrari
respectively.
World body FIAs medical staff will be busy
today with Williams Valtteri Bottas also
seeking clearance from a back problem which
ruled him out in Australia.
And Manor are expected to make a delayed
debut after the new team, built from the
detritus of failed outfit Marussia, were unable
even to leave their garage in Australia.
Manors woes, plus Bottass injury, Alonsos
absence on medical advice and mechanical
problems for McLaren and Red Bull combined
to leave just 15 cars on the Melbourne grid, the
lowest number at a season-opener since 1963.
With Mercedes dominance prompting

Red Bull to hint at quitting F1, it was far from a
smooth start even for a sport which is well
used to crisis and controversy.
Inherent financial difficulties were
underlined when Germany later announced it
was unable to host a grand prix this year,
ending a run of 54 consecutive races.
On the more positive side, Brazils Felipe
Nasr, 22, shrugged off legal challenges over
Saubers driver line-up to finish fifth in
Australia on his Formula One debut.
And Max Verstappen, 17, will also hope to
build on an encouraging start when the sports
youngest ever driver drove solidly before he
suffered a mechanical failure.
But calls for change will only grow louder if
Mercedes repeat their crushing performance
in Melbourne, when Hamilton and teammate
Nico Rosberg outstripped their rivals by more
than 30 seconds. AFP
30

Blatter rivals slam FIFA leadership

S
EPP BLATTER yesterday listened as his rivals

for the FIFA presidency accused his
leadership of being authoritarian, not
spending enough of its wealth and tarnishing the
world bodys image.
Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, a FIFA vice president
from Jordan, former Portugal star Luis Figo and
Dutch federation chief Michel van Praag made
their first face-to-face statements to the 79-yearold Blatter in a special debate at the UEFA
congress.
Blatter refused to take part, but listened in the
front row of the congress. Despite the opposition
in Europe, Blatter is still favourite to win reelection
on May 29.
We need a change of culture and a departure
from FIFAs authoritarian approach to strategy,
said the 39-year-old prince.
We are in a crucial time for football, he told
4213/2015
25/03/15 (WED)
the congress. Both inside and outside the

football family, people have expressed
concern about the way football is run.
Figo said he would not get involved in a
personal campaign against Blatter.
But he said: FIFA should not be
dependent on a president. That is not
healthy in any organisation or company.
You all need to be more present in
FIFA life, Figo said to the leaders of the 54
European federations at the meeting.
Figo said FIFAs minimum annual
payment to the 209 member federations
should be increased from US$300,000 to
US$3 million (RM10.5m).
FIFA reported revenue of more than
US$5 billion (RM17.5b) over the past four
years. But it has been drawn into a storm
of controversy over the award of the 2022
World Cup to Qatar.
The beautiful heritage of international
football has been tarnished by ever

continuing accusations of corruption,
bribery, nepotism and waste of money,
said van Praag.
The current state of disarray asks for a
change of leadership, added the
Dutchman, who said he would only serve
one four-year term as a transitional leader.
I simply cannot accept that we leave
FIFA in its current shape for the next
generation, said van Praag.
Blatter spoke to the UEFA congress
only at the start of the meeting in the
traditional speech as FIFA president. He
made an appeal for unity without
mentioning the looming election.
He called on the presidents of the
European, Asian, North American and
South American confederations, who
were at the meeting, to show the unity
and this solidarity which exists as the
Newly re-elected UEFA president

Michel Platini (2nd right) receives
congratulations from Peter Gillireon
(left), Michael van Praag (2nd left)
and Frantisek Laurinec (right) at the
Ordinary UEFA Congress in Vienna,
Austria on Tuesday. AFPPIX
foundations of football.
Together with Europe, we need to build
this unity on the inside and on the outside of
your respective organisations, Blatter said.
UEFA boss Michel Platini, who has
pointedly called for Blatter not to seek a new
term, also sought to win over the
confederation bosses.
Without naming anyone, Platini said:
Certain people are perhaps trying to turn us
against each other, seeking to divide and rule.
They are trying to isolate the supposedly
arrogant and selfish Europeans.
Do not believe everything that you hear,
said Platini.
Platini also made a dig at Blatters expense
in a speech to the Congress.
I regard myself as a simple teammate at
most your captain. But not the captain of a
ship that is being battered by a storm, clinging
to the helm for dear life, he said.
In 2011, Blatter said in a key speech that
FIFA was in troubled waters and as its
captain it is his duty to steer the ship back
on course. AFP
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England may bid for 2026 WC

but only if current president goes
ENGLAND could bid to host the 2026
World Cup, according to the Football
Association chairman, Greg Dyke, following the appointment of Englishman David
Gill on to the FIFA executive committee.
Dyke added any such move would
depend upon whether Sepp Blatter (caricature) was still president of FIFA during
the process, among other factors.
He said Gills new standing at the governing
body could prove
helpful. If David can
assure us theres a
proper system and
its fair then we
could be persuaded, Dyke said.
But at the moment
the policy is straightforward: we dont bid
while Mr Blatters
there.
England lost out to
Russia for the right to host
the 2018 World Cup in
2010. They came fourth in
the bidding process, winning only two votes, and
an investigation into alleged corruption in the
bidding for the 2018
and 2022 World Cups
was conducted, though
it cleared hosts Russia and
Qatar of any wrongdoing.
FIFAs secretary general Jrome Valcke
promised transparency from the first
minute of the process ahead of the 2026
tournament, for which it is thought that
the United States will submit a bid. The
process will take place in 2017.
Dyke added: It depends on the timetable, really. It depends on how quickly it
has to be done. But remember, you have
to get an awful lot of people onside and
thats not going to be easy in England now
because a lot of people got badly scarred
in the process last time.
To make a bid youve got to get
whoever is the government onside, and
we dont know who that is yet because
they have to underwrite it. Also, theres a

lot of money involved, so if you havent
got a chance, dont do it.
Manchester United director Gill was
elected as the UKs FIFA vice-president,
succeeding Northern Irelands Jim Boyce
by beating the Football Association of
Wales president, Trefor Lloyd Hughes, by
43 votes to 10 in the election by UEFAs
54 member nations at their congress in
Vienna.
UEFAs president, Michel
Platini, who persuaded Gill to run
for the post, said: We have to
defend European football
without breaking world football.
A lot people like things as they
are. As I told him, You, the
English, are never happy.
Now at least he will be able to
express it directly in the ExCo
instead of through the
press.
Platini urges tough
action over hooliganism
Platini, who
was yesterday reelected to the
presidency of UEFA
unopposed for a
third term, warned
about a return to the
dark days of hooliganism at the European governing
bodys Congress in Vienna.
He spoke of growing problems with
hooligans and political fanatics taking
control in football stadiums in Europe and
called for tougher stadium bans and a
European-wide sports police force.
Europe is seeing a rise in extremism
the like of which we have not witnessed
for a long time, the Frenchman said.
This insidious trend can also be observed in our stadiums. Our sport is a barometer for the ills of our continent and
that barometer is pointing to some worrying developments. I call for greater
awareness of this issue so that we can avoid
reliving the dark days of a not-so-distant
past. The Independent
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SPORTS
Skrtel to serve
three-game ban
LIVERPOOLS Martin Skrtel will serve a
three-game suspension after losing his
appeal against a charge for standing on
Manchester United goalkeeper David
de Gea, the Football Association announced yesterday.
The Slovakia centreback, 30, was
charged with violent conduct on the
basis of video evidence after referee
Martin Atkinson missed the incident,
which occurred at the end of Uniteds
2-1 win at Anfield on Sunday.
Skrtel appealed against the charge,
reportedly claiming that he had trodden
on De Gea accidentally, but his explanation was rejected.
Liverpools Martin Skrtel will serve
a three-match suspension with immediate effect after a charge of violent conduct against him was found proven,
the FA said in a statement on its website.
The defender had denied the charge
which related to an on-field incident
involving Manchester Uniteds David de
Gea in the 95th minute of Sundays game
which was not seen by the match officials
but caught on video.
However, an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing today found
the charge proven.
He will miss Liverpools Premier
League games at Arsenal and at home
to Newcastle United, as well as their FA
Cup quarterfinal replay away to secondtier Blackburn Rovers on April 8. AFP
Simeone extends contract

ATLETICO MADRIDS Argentine coach Diego
Simeone, who had been linked with a move to
Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain, has
agreed to extend his contract with the Spanish
champions until 2020.
The club is undergoing a period of solid
growth and I chose to stay where I am, Simeone,
who had been under contract with the club until
2017, told a news conference yesterday.
I am convinced that the club will continue to
grow, I see it getting stronger, I see its enthusiasm, the 44-year-old added.
Simeone has had a successful spell at the
Spanish side since he took charge in December
2011.
He led Atletico to the 2012 Europa League
title before his side beat city rivals Real Madrid
in the 2013 Kings Cup final held at Reals
Bernabeu stadium.
Under his watch Atletico won their first La
Liga title in 18 years in 2013-14 and narrowly lost
to Real Madrid in the Champions League final.
It is a pleasure to announce the extension of
our coachs contract until 2020. He knows how
to take full advantage of the teams potential,
Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo
said.
AHEAD OF THE GAME
31
Why Angel wont leave

> Di Maria thas struggled at United, leading to speculation he could make a hasty exit
BY SIMON RICE
NGEL DI MARIA is
reportedly pushing for a
move away from Old
Trafford, just seven months
after joining Manchester
United for a British record
transfer fee of 59.7 million
(RM328m).
The reasoning behind such
claims are multiple and logical.
Di Marias form has been
nowhere near the standards
expected of a player who last
season put in a man of the
match display as Real Madrid
won the Champions League
final, was a consistent
performer alongside Cristiano
Ronaldo in a devastating attack
and did as much as anyone to
take Argentina to the World
Cup final in Brazil.
Some of the blame for Di
Marias poor form, which
declined after a promising start,
has been laid at the feet of
Manchester United manager
Louis van Gaal.
Its been suggested the
Dutchmans propensity to
change his system, formations
and play members of his team
out of position has impacted on
Di Maria.
In addition, there was an
attempted burglary on Di
Marias home which is
understood to have unsettled
the 27-year-olds wife.
However, despite the
difficult circumstances
surrounding the start to Di
Marias Old Trafford career, the
likelihood of him departing just
a year after arriving is low.
With regards to the burglary
incident, Van Gaal has
indicated that he does not think

this will be a factor for the
player.
Despite (the burglary) he is
very pleased to be here at
Manchester United, he said
earlier this month.
Meanwhile with regard to Di
Marias form, despite concerns,
a player does not lose his talent
overnight and there is an
expectancy that he will come
good. How his form is
measured must also be
considered.
Di Marias goalscoring has
always been low something
Manchester United were aware
of when they signed him.
In 45 La Liga and Champions
League appearances for Real
Madrid last season he scored
seven goals. This term, hes
played 21 Premier League
games and scored three.
In terms of chances created
the statistics also read similar to
last season.
In those 45 matches last
term, he registered 22 assists
and created 109 chances. In 21
matches this season hes
created nine and provided 46
chances.
However the chief factor as
to why Di Maria will not be sold
this summer is financial.
Manchester United paid a
British record transfer fee to
bring him to Old Trafford and
moving the player on after a
perceived poor season could
Frustrated
Cech
ready
to say
goodbye
to the
Blues
see them make a hefty loss.

Di Maria is also the type of
marquee player that brings
interest and prestige to a club at
a time when the club are
missing Champions League
football and not guaranteed to
be sitting at Europes top table
next season.
Attracting that kind of
calibre player next season if
United do not finish in the top
four will be difficult.
As a manager, you can
never say no or yes because the
player at the end shall always
decide but I dont think he shall
move, Van Gaal said recently.
With regards to letting Di
Maria leave for personal
reasons, Van Gaal suggested he
is not the type of manager to
stand in a players way
although admitted the
commercial element could
weigh more heavily than the
personal.
Im always like that. When
you see my history thats part
of my philosophy. A player is
not just a man who kicks the
ball from A to B. Also, his
environment is influencing him.
So, I shall always be open
for that conversation but I
know also the commercial
interests of the club and we
have to respect that.
You cannot give a lot of
money for a player and then
next season put him out of your
selection. The Independent
436/15
25-03-2015
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8998
8380
1884
5207
9166
3823
7983
3363
8640
8408
7889
1172
9344
0005
0968
RM 7,635,164.85
Verratti steps in for Pirlo

ITALY coach Antonio Conte has called on
Marco Verratti (right) to take the next step
towards replacing Andrea Pirlo (left) as the
Azzurris midfield orchestrator ahead of this
weekends Euro 2016 qualifier away to Bulgaria.
Verratti has long been considered the heir
to Italy great Pirlo and Saturdays game in
Sofia offers a rare chance for the 22-year-old
to stake his claim.
Both Juventus midfielder Pirlo, who is
recovering from injury, and Roma midfielder
Daniele De Rossi were left out of Contes
squad for Saturday as well as Tuesdays
friendly against England in Turin.
When asked about Pirlo and De Rossi,
Conte told reporters at Italys Coverciano
training base near Florence: Theyre both
great players who still have a lot to offer.
But this is a good opportunity for a
player like Verratti. The time is right for him
to take the reins in midfield.
CHELSEA goalkeeper Petr Cech said

yesterday he might leave the Blues in
the summer ending a highly successful
11 year spell saying he is finding it tough
being second choice to Thibaut
Courtois after years of being the
uncontested No, 1.
I dont want to go on like this for
another season, so its clear, Cech told
reporters in Prague, ahead of
Saturdays Euro 2016 qualifier against
Latvia.
The 32-year-old Czech Republic
keeper has played only four full
Premiership games this season all in
2015 and all with a clean sheet against
25 appearances for Belgian
international Courtois, who is 10 years
younger.
I have to do something about my
situation because I want to play, not sit
on the bench, said Cech, who is under
contract till the summer of 2016.
I was used to playing fifty or sixty
games per season, not fifteen or
twenty, added the keeper.

The only consolation for Cech,
capped over 100 times since making his
international debut in 2002, was
winning this seasons League Cup
beating Spurs 2-0 on March 1 after
getting the nod from Chelsea manager
Jose Mourinho ahead of Courtois.
Its no secret that I would like to
play more. The situation has not
changed. We will deal with it at the end
of the season, said Cech.
When a specific bid comes, I will
consider it. There are bids that you
cant turn down and those that you
consider, added the keeper.
Cech, who has won many trophies
with Chelsea including the 2012
Champions League and 2013 Europa
League as well as three Premier League
crowns, has many admirers including
Premier League duo Arsenal and
Liverpool as well as Serie A highflyers
AS Roma and defending French
champions Paris Saint-Germain. AFP
RM 230,413.15
2 7
2
2
2
2
7
7
7
7
2 9
9 2
1 8
2 7
2 9
1 8
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92
1 8
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All Jackpot amounts stated above are for this Draw. Subject to Terms and Conditions
of the Scheme. Please visit www.magnum4d.com.my for more information.
Results at your fingertips.

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ON THURSDAY | MARCH 26, 2015
04-2627598
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04-2627576
I want out
> Falcao prepared to leave Manchester United for regular playing time <
ADAMEL FALCAO has dropped his biggest

hint yet that he will leave Manchester
United at the end of the season.
The Colombian striker has travelled back to
his homeland to represent his national team and
has admitted he will reassess his future at the end
of the season.
Falcao has often found himself on the outside
looking in at Old Trafford after agreeing a seasonlong loan from Monaco over the summer.
And he says that regular playing time will be a
factor in his decision when thinking about what to
do next season.
When the championship finishes, of course I
will sit down, analyse things and decide what is
best for me, he told Colombias Radio Caracol.
Obviously I need to find a place where I have
continuity and where I can play.
I am totally focused on the club. There are
eight games left and anything can happen.
Despite his struggles at Old Trafford this
season, however, Falcao claims he doesnt hold a
grudge against Louis van Gaal.
He added: He has to make decisions like any
other coach. Regardless of whether they are
favourable for me or not, I try to behave in the best
way possible, to be professional at all times and to
take advantage of the time he gives me. Thats it.
I know there has been a lot of talk, but I try to
distance myself from that. People speculate, but I
am good and feeling calm. I just need to play. I
cant let myself get worried, I need to be prepared
to take the opportunity when it comes.
I am happy at the club and with how the fans
and my teammates have treated me. I will keep
fighting until the end at Manchester United.
For all the excitement around the Monaco
players arrival last summer, the Colombian has
been woeful.
Managing to score just four goals for
Manchester United, the 29-year-old can no longer
command a place in the starting XI.
Earlier this month he was even picked to play
in the U-21s, something his former agent claimed
his old client had told him made him feel weird.
A fee of 43.2 million (RM229m) was agreed
between Manchester United and Monaco for the
permanent transfer of the player however that
fee looks increasingly extortionate and few expect
van Gaal to take it up.
So where will Falcao be playing next season?
Numerous clubs have already been linked with
making a move for the former Atletico Madrid
player, including some in the Premier League.
We take a look at the possibilities
> History
against India
X pg28
played just 16 games all season. In addition,

those signed in a bid to compensate for the
Uruguyans move to Barcelona, Rickie Lambert
and Mario Balotelli, have failed to make an
impression.
Due to Falcaos wage demands, any move
will likely be dependent on qualification for the
Champions League.
CHELSEA
With Jose Mourinhos side seemingly on an
unstoppable march to the Premier League title
this season, trying to sign Falcao perhaps seems
unnecessary.
However, as the move for Juan Cuadrado in
January demonstrated, the Blues are not afraid
to strengthen an already formidable squad.
There are also issues in attack.
Diego Costa has an ongoing
hamstring problem whilst it is
not clear if 37-year-old
Didier Drogba will be
offered an extension to
the one-year contract
signed last summer.
That leaves just
Loic Remy as a
recognised striker,
meaning an
additional option
would not be
unwelcome.
There are
certainly the
finances at
Stamford Bridge
to facilitate such
a move and that
Mourinho shares
Falcaos agent,
Jorge Mendes,
cant do any harm
either.
TOTTENHAM
Spurs have also been linked with Falcao
although they may struggle to finance the deal
with Champions League qualification looking
unlikely.
However the need for attacking
reinforcements at White Hart Lane is an issue
the club will be acutely aware of. The
emergence of Harry Kane this season has
papered over the Emmanuel Adebayor and
Roberto Soldado shaped cracks in attack.
Adebayor will have a year to run on his
contract in the summer, but Tottenham are
likely to try and move him on, whilst the same
can be said for Soldado if an acceptable bid
comes in.
With those two on high wages, their
departures could free up the finances required.
JUVENTUS
According to some reports
Juventus have already opened
negotiations with Monaco over a
possible move in the summer.
The Serie A side have a habit of
moving for big-name strikers
and Falcao fits the bill.
With an impressive run in
the Champions League this
season, participation next
campaign all but guaranteed
and reports Carlos Tevez
could return to Argentina
make signing Falcao a real
possibility.
MONACO
Falcao could simply
return and stay at his
parent club. After a major
spending spree, the
Ligue 1 side appeared
to be tightening
their belts with the
exit of Falcao on
loan and the sale
of James
Rodriguez to
Real Madrid.
However a
run to the
quarter-finals
of the
Champions
League has
reportedly
reignited the
interest of the
clubs owners
which could
make them keen
to keep hold of the
Colombian striker.
Express
Newspapers/ The
Independent
LIVERPOOL
> Return of
the king
According to reports, Falcao will be

offered to Liverpool next season.
Brendan Rodgers has been linked with
a move for the Colombian in the past
and with issues in attack, the Reds boss
could return his attention to the striker.
The loss of Luis Suarez last season
has been compounded by injury
problems for Daniel Sturridge, who has
X pg29
> Why Angel

wont leave
X pg31
Dunga looking to exorcise Paris demons

BRAZIL coach Dunga will revisit the site
of one of his greatest disappointments
when he leads out his side against France
at the Stade de France in Paris today.
He was the Brazil captain in 1998
when his side were surpassed by a Zinedine Zidane-inspired France in the
World Cup final.
And as the World Cup winner from
1994 as a player bids now as coach to
reconstruct the team so humiliated on
home soil at last years World Cup, he
will be aiming to banish three sets of
demons.
First will be his own personal anguish
from a final in which Zidanes brace
helped the hosts to a 3-0 victory and
their first World Cup success.
And then there will be the demons
of a country reeling from a 7-1 semifinal

humbling at the hands of eventual
champions Germany, not to mention the
final nail in the coffin as the Netherlands
trumped them 3-0 in the third-place
playoff.
Luis Felipe Scolari who led Brazil to
victory at the 2002 World Cup was
fired following the tournament with
Dunga reinstated to a post hed held
from 2006-2010.
There too is another demon for him
to exorcise as, despite winning the 2007
Copa America, he was dismissed after
Brazils quarterfinal exit to the Netherlands at the World Cup in South Africa.
While all that may be on Dungas
mind, one of his main tasks will be trying
to get the best out of Neymar, widely

seen as Brazils sole world class talent.
He may be the third top scorer in
Spains La Liga behind the incomparable
duo, Barcelona teammate Messi and
Real Madrids Cristiano Ronaldo, but
Neymar has been struggling for goals
these past two months.
He has netted just three in his last
nine games, and that while Barca have
been in free-scoring form on a run of 18
wins from their last 19 matches.
Neymar will likely be glad to join up
with the national team as he has scored
seven goals in his last six Brazil matches
including four in one match against
Japan.
His tally of 42 international goals at
just 23 suggests he could one day
threaten legend Peles mark of 77.

But while he has to share the limelight
at Barca alongside Messi and now Luis
Suarez, with Brazil the whole team is built
around him, making him the focal point
of the attack.
He is also the Selecaos captain,
something Dunga believes will help him
develop as a player.
The more responsibilities he has,
the more he will progress, Dunga said
recently.
Stopping Neymar, though, isnt
France coach Didier Deschampss primary concern as he tries to build a side
to compete for glory on home soil at
next years European Championships.
Deschampss current dilemma is who
to play up front, with Real Madrids
Karim Benzema, Olivier Giroud of Arsenal and Atletico Madrids Antoine

Greizmann all in fine club form.
Not to mention that Lyons Alexandre
Lacazette is top scorer in Ligue 1 while
there are also his clubmate Nabil Fekir,
Marseilles Dimitri Payet and Mathieu
Valbuena of Dynamo Moscow vying for
roles in attacking positions.
Its a nice problem to have but a
plethora of attacking options does not
automatically translate into goals, as
Frances last two friendly results attest:
a 1-1 draw with Albania and 1-0 win over
Sweden.
Even so, with both sides concentrating on their own attacking forces, from
a fans point of view it could make for a
thoroughly entertaining game. AFP

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30 SEN FOR DELIVERY VIA YOUR VENDOR.

No. 6257 PP 2644/12/2012 (031195) www.thesundaily.my

Remembering Lee Kuan Yew

MARCH 26, 2015

Local authorities are EMPOWERED TO APPROVE

A five-member panel chaired by

It is so only if one is denied

The court ruled that guardhouses

It cannot be disputed that

NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS

POTA only to combat

KUALA LUMPUR: The proposed

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk

administered by a competent body and not

PUTRAJAYA: The White House believes that

Poser over RM90m

1MDB task force to be set up

THE government will set up a

KUALA LUMPUR: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC)

No electricity tariff increase

(LNG). "Currently, we are giving subsidy for piped natural

We will also be asking CIMB

Visa waiver can bring in RM8.3b income

2.7 million tourists from China to

KUALA LUMPUR: PKR will act as a mediator

PR1MA homes not affected

theSun ON THURSDAY | MARCH 26, 2015

NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS

XFROM FRONT PAGE

Woman who witnessed murder killed

PETALING JAYA: A murder

in Jalan PJS 8/13, was found dead

Lukmanul at a stairway leading to

It is learnt that police have

No let-up, says IGP

> Were committed to

KUALA LUMPUR: Police have managed to

A special performance during the 208th Police Appreciation Day celebration at

policing. The community needs the police to

Harassed Borders manager seeks

disgrace I faced for three years had

went to court she was called the

theSun ON THURSDAY | MARCH 26, 2015

NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS

Thousands pay respects

Istana inside a tempered glass case atop a

SINGAPORE: The Malay-Muslims of Singapore

theSun ON THURSDAY | MARCH 26, 2015

NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS

ASHRAF SHAMSUL/THE SUN

SHAH ALAM: Irresponsible throwing of

littering and uncleanliness are definitely not

Over 5,000 volunteers roped

KUALA LUMPUR: Cultivating the spirit of

meeting her in person, said Tan, who

KUALA LUMPUR: In the year of 2020,

KUALA LUMPUR: Bernama deputy

theSun ON THURSDAY | MARCH 26, 2015

NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS

Tycoon sues Indonesian govt

Bakrie, the patriarch of the sprawling

last years election, until a verdict was

reshuffle in the next month, but declined to