Friday, June 25, 2010

Maya and husband turn up for Syariah Court proceeding

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KUALA LUMPUR: Award-winning actress Maya Karin and her English husband Steven David Shorthose attended a proceeding at a Syariah Court over their marital status, sparking talk about a divorce for the couple.

Although it could not be confirmed what the two-hour proceeding in chambers at the Fede­ral Territory Syariah Lower Court was about, there has been talk that the couple, who married two years ago, have not registered their marriage in this country.

There has been speculation that they might divorce after officially registering their marriage here.

It was reported earlier that Maya, the star of Pontianak Harum Sundal Malam, had acknowledged that her two-year marriage was on the rocks although she had initially denied rumours of a separation.

The couple, who turned up separately for the 2pm proceeding, declined to reveal any details,

Lips sealed: ‘Sorry, no comment,’ says Maya to reporters after attending the Syariah Court proceeding in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. Inset: Shorthose.

Maya, clad in a batik baju kurung and white tudung, arrived before 2pm while her husband, who is a mathematics teacher at an international school in Kuala Lumpur, came at around 2.45pm. The proceeding was heard by Syarie Judge Shaiful Azli Jama­luddin.

Later Maya told reporters: “I’ve been advised not to say anything. I’m sorry.”

Her husband, who was dressed in a black suit and striped tie, denied that the proceeding was pertaining to a divorce application.

Shorthose, whose Muslim name is Muhammad Ali, merely said: “No divorce.”

When pressed further, he said: “You have to ask Maya.”

Maya was represented by Syarie lawyer Norhusniah Husin while her husband was unrepresented.

Two Westerners were also seen attending the proceeding. They were believed to have acted as witnesses.

The couple were married in August 2008 in Italy.

Boat tragedy: Nine more bodies found

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Tragic end: Rescue personnel taking the five bodies to the Port Dickson hospital yesterday.

PORT DICKSON: Rescue teams and fishermen have recovered the bodies of nine Indonesians who drowned after a fishing boat ferrying them to Dumai from Banting capsized in choppy waters near here early Tuesday.

At press time, four bodies had been brought to shore and sent to the Port Dickson Hospital for a post-mortem. Efforts to bring in the remaining bodies, found huddled together by fishermen, are under way.

This brings to 12 the number of bodies found so far. Rescue teams believe five more passengers of the doomed boat are still missing.

Highway users get Star treat and World Cup goodies

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SUBANG JAYA: Motorists using the Subang toll plaza (north bound) had a pleasant surprise when they were handed free copies of The Star and FIFA World Cup 2010 special edition yesterday.

The luckier ones received merchandise like footballs, jerseys, caps and water bottles, compliments from PLUS Expressway Bhd.

World Cup cheer: Khalilah (left) and The Star corporate sponsorship unit senior executive Alvin Liew (second left) handling over The Star FIFA World Cup 2010 special edition and a football to a Plus highway user yesterday.

PLUS sponsored 10,000 copies of the newspaper for its highway users.

Its corporate communications department general manager Khalilah Datuk Mohd Talha, assisted by PLUS employees, distributed the copies of the newspapers and merchandise to motorists from 11am.

“We wanted to share the joy of the World Cup,” said Khalilah who emphasised her support for Brazil by turning up in a Brazil jersey complete with the players’ signatures on it, along with a matching headscarf.

Hip and happening

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Ride the Hallyu with Robinsons’ new Korean labels.

Girlie sexy: Yoon Eun Hye in boat-neck long-sleeve striped top with shorts.

MALAYSIA has been bombarded by a succession of waves from South Korea. First, it was soap operas, which had everyone swooning over the carefully sculpted faces of the actors and actresses (never mind the plot). Then, there were the songs churned out by pretty boy bands and sweet-faced girlie girl singers.

Get ready now for the latest Korean wave (or Hallyu) to hit our nation.

K-Fashion has reached us in a big way courtesy of Robinsons department store, that’s responsible for bringing in three popular Korean labels exclusive to the store. All three are from The Basic House Co Ltd, the biggest fashion company in South Korea.

The company’s first store was opened in 2000. CEO Woo Jong-Wan says its basic premise is freshness, which is the soul of the fashion industry as “fashion is renewed and newly born every day”. Its management principle is also catchy: “Not Big, But Good”.

Among the labels under its stable are Mind Label and The Class, and its eponymous first line, Basic House. Its first foray overseas was into Shanghai in 2004 and since then, they have made their presence felt in in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Russia, the Middle East and the United States as well.

And, how do you differentiate your target consumer and make these Korean labels standout with their own twist on fashion? Easy, just use the faces associated with the K-wave – namely, the popular actors and singers – in the promotions!

Skate around this: Gong Yoo in a threepiece suit.

So, it’s no surprise that you have popular actress Yoon Eun Hye (of Coffee Prince fame) and pop-singer/actor Kim Hyun-Joong (SS501 group and Boys Over Flowers) fronting Basic House. While Mind Bridge seeks out actress Lee Min-Jung (Boys Over Flowers) and dashing pin-up actor Gong Yoo (Coffee Prince), actor Kim Nam Gill (Queen Seon Duk) stands up for The Class.

For Basic House, as the name suggests, it’s all about the basic building blocks for your wardrobe. Expect classic items like cardigans, denims, T-shirts and hoodies, given a trendy spin, with room to explore your own idividual style. Korean styles for both men and women are made easy with mix and match options. It could be as simple as throwing together a basic T combined with a jacket and a pair of jeans, and voila! – you’ve got your own Hallyu thing going. Or, instead of going for a top-to-toe look, you could opt for just a slightly more distinctive T or top with prints or detailing, and come up with your own interpretation. Prices range from RM39 to RM299 for men, and RM49 to RM199 for women.

The Mind Bridge range is targeted at professionals from the ages of 25 to 35. That’s not to say that anyone older or younger can’t pick up some of the pieces from the label! Generally, the line has a smarter look for work and play, offering elegance and sophistication with hints of luxury at modest prices.

Star quality: Kim Hyun- Joong wears jeans and a striped cardigan over shirt and tie.

There are cardies, smartly-cut jackets and formal blazers for the office, which can be thrown off for a more breezy look once you’re out. Thanks to fun prints and flattering silhouettes, and some quirky ties for the guys, the collection has a more vibrant feel. Prices are from RM129 to RM419 for women, and RM119 to RM639 for men.

Last but not least, The Class is for the guys only (sorry gals). If you’re a fan of that hip and happening “fantasy” show about rich spoilt collegians, Gossip Girl, then you have an idea of what to expect. Think Chuck Bass and you have that preppy look all defined. It’s all about suits, ties and bow-ties.

If you’re decked out in a psychedelic-check suit or cable-knit sweater while lounging in spiffy lounge shoes, you’re sure to make a statement. Be ready to dish out anything from RM89 to RM499.

Ethereal feel

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Kate Moss’ latest collaboration with Topshop has resulted in casual summer frocks and show-stopping evening gowns.

THE partnership between British supermodel Kate Moss and high-street label Topshop continues to flourish fashionably.

For her High Summer collection, Moss presents a range of beautiful vintage-inspired signature pieces. An eclectic mix of eras, styles, fabrics and colour palettes reflect Moss’ bohemian take on dressing and cover every occasion for the season ahead.

Dresses dominate the collection varying from casual summer frocks to show-stopping evening gowns. Among the staples are a pretty green floral print cotton sundress with a flattering v-neck, and the Kate Peasant dress with frills and wide billowing arms.

A Kate peasant dress evokes a summer feel.

For elegant daywear, a cream lace angel sleeve dress and soft rose printed chiffon babydoll are ideal options. To epitomise summer chic, there is the buttercup silk sleeveless dress with a floral embroidered sweetheart.

Maxi dresses steal the limelight; a nude silk diamante scattered bias-cut 1920s-inspired maxi is contrasted with a Woodstock-esque floral chiffon design. Meanwhile, there is the aubergine georgette gown with a beaded halterneck to exude glamour, and a pale yellow chiffon tiered dress for a more subtle, feminine look.

Touted as the dress of the season is the contemporary faded ditsy print washed cotton mini dress.

Taking inspiration from the 1970s, a smock style cotton blouse is a cute offering in a sky blue ditsy print named after Kate’s daughter Lila.

The white shirt is given a vintage floral print and corseting panels updating a classic, whilst the cream satin cape adorned with appliquéd oriental orchids will dress up any denim day look.

Tailored shorts in black crepe or black velvet with a cream lace trim are the ultimate in city shorts, and white lace stripe bloomers are a must for beach holidays.

Hard-wearing suede hotpants in khaki and black leggings are softened with floral laser-cut trims.

Denim makes a comeback this season, using a more premium fabric, with a larger selection of shapes and washes.

Love-worn grey super skinnies have a yoke detail stitched on the back inspired by a vintage blouse. Meanwhile, low rise wide leg jeans with hippy-accents are blue or striped, and cheeky hotpants are laced up at the front.

Paying attention to detail is key for Moss this season; the inside of a fitted denim blazer and the jeans’ pockets are lined with a girly floral print.

Harking back to the glamour of the 1920s, underwear and nightwear is luxurious in silks and chiffons with delicate lace panelling.

Beautiful triangle bras in nude or grey chiffon sparkle with silver and bronze bead embellishments and the coral lace design is flirtatious and sexy. A balcony bra in a fresh white faded floral print has ultra thin straps and pretty lace inserts.

Lavish nightwear includes a mushroom silk teddy with a provocative lace back panel, a silk and chiffon bed jacket with floral lace trim in soft pistachio and a traditional floral print kimono with matching slip.


Kangaroo Island - Australia’s wildlife paradise

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A SHORT hop off the coast of South Australia, Kangaroo Island is said to be the place to see the best of Australia if you don’t have time to see the whole continent.

Known as ‘KI’ to the locals, the Island is a microcosm of many Australian landscapes – pristine bushland; white sand dunes; and spectacular seascapes where rocky cliffs plunge into the wild ocean.

It’s no wonder that this wildlife-rich paradise has been classified as one of Australia’s National Landscapes, selected for their distinctively Australian natural and cultural significance. The National Landscapes program is a partnership between Tourism Australia and Parks Australia with the aim of better conservation and promotion of these precious areas.

In fact, Kangaroo Island has long been a shining example of how tourism and conservation can work together.

Seal Bay at Kangaroo Island

More than a decade ago, as a result of a dramatic rise in visitors, the community, management agencies and the tourism industry created a model to keep a watch on the long term health of the tourism industry and of the Island.

The Kangaroo Island-developed Tourism Optimisation Management Model (TOMM) was so successful it was presented at the International Conference of Sustainable Tourism Management at Heritage Sites organised by the United Nations and the World Tourism Organisation with a view to being adopted by other tourism destinations globally.

The first thing that strikes you when you arrive on Kangaroo Island is its sheer scale. Only 13 kilometres from the mainland, the Island is seven times larger than Singapore, but the difference is you can drive for a day and barely see anyone else on the road. Half the native bushland remains just as it was when British explorer Matthew Flinders named it in 1802, and more than one-third is protected as a National or Conservation Park.

Separated from the Australian mainland some 9,000 years ago, the Island has somehow managed to escape the introduction of pests such as foxes and rabbits, so its wildlife has flourished, creating a veritable Noah’s Ark of Australian wildlife. Kangaroos and other marsupials far outnumber the Island’s 4400 permanent residents - an eclectic local community of farmers, artists, ecologists, fishermen and adventurers.

One of the best ways to experience the heritage of KI is to stay in one of the Department of Environment and Heritage-run historic lighthouse cottages found along the coastline. These old stone buildings dating back to the 1800s give you a real feeling for the history of the place. The cottages are now equipped with more modern facilities and the revenue from their rental is used to restore and maintain the historic buildings.

At the other end of the scale, Southern Ocean Lodge is the most luxurious accommodation on the Island, with a small number of exclusive cliff-top suites overlooking the sea. Although it has only been open a short time, it has already scored a place on both the US and UK Conde Nast Traveller magazine’s list of the world’s best hotels.

An unexpected highlight is the quality of the cuisine. The lack of large-scale development in this eco-heaven has given rise to a small gourmet food industry with a variety of fresh regional produce such as , freshwater crayfish, native jams, dairy products and wineries that are sure to find a place in food lovers’ hearts.

The Island is also famous for its honey which comes from the only remaining strain of pure Ligurian bees in the world. Stop by the Island Bee hive in Kingscote where you can purchase all sorts of quirky honey-related souvenirs as well as see the bees in production, and don’t miss the famous honey ice-cream at Clifford’s Honey Farm.

Seals at KI

The other surprise is that while kangaroos may be ubiquitous, the Island’s wildlife is far more varied than its name suggests. Many of these species of plants and animals are either threatened or exist nowhere else in Australia. In the space of one day, you may well come across koalas, wallabies, goannas, echidnas and brush-tailed possums, and maybe even the elusive platypus.

You can watch Little Penguins waddling home after a day out at sea, or take a cruise and swim with the Island’s resident pods of dolphins. Bird-lovers will find some 270 species of birds among the diverse range of habitats, including the rare Glossy Black Cockatoo, an endangered species found only on KI.

The Island’s most popular attraction is the long sandy beachfront at the Seal Park Conservation Park, where hundreds of rare Australian Sea-lions gather together. National Park Guides take several guided walks a day, and given it’s one of the only places in the world where you can wander within metres of the animals as they laze on the beach, it’s well worth a visit.

The island also has a fascinating human history. Evidence of stone tools and campsites indicate that Aboriginal people inhabited the Island as early as 16,000 years ago and as recently as 2,000 years ago. Why the Aboriginal people abandoned Kangaroo Island, or when they last lived there, remains a mystery.

The first non-Aboriginal people to live on Kangaroo Island were sealers, escaped convicts and runaway sailors, seeking refuge in the early 1800s, and leading a self-sufficient life trading salt and skins for spirits and tobacco.

A month after Captain Flinders made the first recorded European sighting of the Island, the French ship, Le Geographe, under the command of Nicolas Baudin, also arrived. Baudin mapped much of the rugged south and west coastlines and many of the features along the coastline still bear French names.

Reeves Point became the first formal settlement in South Australia in the mid-1800s. Historic sites include the first European cemetery, post office, early houses, the original jetty remains, and an ancient mulberry tree that grew from a cutting brought out from England.

Remarkable Rocks

KI is a perfect self-drive destination, or alternatively, there are a large range of guided 4WD or coach tours that allow you to sit back and let someone else to do the driving. Biking or hiking can be considered, but as the Island is huge, Australia’s third largest; you’ll need plenty of time and a good level of fitness.

The trip from Adelaide takes an hour and a half, and then it’s simply a matter of driving your car on to the ferry for the 45 minute passage to the town of Penneshaw.

From Penneshaw, take the opportunity to stretch your legs at Pennington Bay, one of the Island’s spectacular beaches, or if you are feeling really energetic, climb the 500 or so steps to Prospect Hill. On clear days, you can see as far as Mount Lofty in the Adelaide Hills. If time permits try sand surfing at Little Sahara sand-dunes or view the myriad birdlife at Murray Lagoon or D’Estrees Bay.

The drive to Western River Cove is beautiful with rolling hills typical of the entire north coast. Don’t miss the hidden beach at Stokes Bay – it’s through the tunnel on the eastern end of the beach.

A whole day could easily be spent exploring Flinders Chase National Park, with its interactive Visitor Centre, justifiably named Remarkable Rocks, awe-inspiring Weirs Cove and stalactite-fringed Admirals Arch. Stay an extra day in this area and enjoy one of the park’s spectacular walks.

There is so much to see and do here one visit might not be enough. Just make sure you hop on over.

The Star Online and In.Tech celebrate anniversary bash

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IT WAS an exciting twin bash as The Star Online and In.Tech celebrated their “techniversaries,” on Tuesday.

The Star’s online news portal, The Star Online turned 15, while its cutting edge technology publication In.Tech, celebrated its silver jubilee at a colourful two-hour birthday bash with invited guests and friends.

The Star group managing director and chief executive officer Datin Linda Ngiam, deputy group chief editor 1 David Yeoh and vice-president of New Media Davin Arul jointly cut the anniversary cake sponsored by KL Hilton.

Turning 15 and 25: The Star Online’s and In.Tech anniversary launch at 1Utama.

The event began with a flash mob dance involving 40 dancers, led by Candi Soo, from the Candi Soo fitness chain.

A flash mob is a group of people called (by e-mail, text message or social media) to a designated location at a specific time to perform a specific action before dispersing.

The routine, called the “Flash Mob Masala Dance’’, was based on a modern Bollywood dance style.

The dancers grooved to a version of the foot-stomping Jai Ho tune by the Pussycat Dolls.

Later, the guests were treated to dinner before being ushered into the cinema to watch the premiere of the movie Knight and Day, starring Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz.

Double happiness: (from left) Yeoh, Ngiam and Arul at The Star Online’s and In.Tech anniversary twin-celebration at 1Utama.

The bash was held at Golden Screens Cinema at 1-Utama shopping centre in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

The Star was the first local newspaper to embrace the Internet age when the paper went online in 1995.

In.Tech started as a computer game review column called Battlezone before evolving into a full-fledged technology pullout.

Team cruise to become champs in futsal meet

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IT may not have been the Cup final fans were hoping to see, nor were there any vuvuzelas to be heard, but there were cheers aplenty when the Samba De Futsal A Ghanaians whitewashed Karang Setra Nigerians 7-0 to claim the Revive-Sports Planet: Ultimate Cham­­­­pions League 2010 Supporters’ Club Cup futsal tournament at Sports Planet Ampang recently.

Samba De Futsal A, which was formed seven months ago, faced almost no resistance from their opponents, who found themselves outplayed for much of the match.

Team manager Razif Ramli has since seen the team emerge victorious in numerous tournaments.

“We’ve been training hard for this, and our strategy to focus on team formation paid off,” he said.

Thumbs-up to futsal: The winners celebrating their win.

Organisers Sports Planet Sdn Bhd and Permanis Sdn Bhd added excitement by classifying the event as a National Team Supporters’ Club Cup.

Samba De Futsal A Ghanaians took home RM1,500 and Revive goodies for their win.

Second-placed Karang Setra Nigerians won RM800 and Revive drinks.

Adigun Italians and A7 United Japanese walked away with RM400 and RM200, respectively, for finishing in third and fourth places.

Twenty-four teams took part, with all the favourites making the semi-finals.

Samba De Futsal A made the finals when they defeated Adigun 2-0, while Karang Setra booked their place with a 3-0 win over A7 United.

Sports Planet executive director Wong Horr Wai said he was pleased with the response as it showed there was tremendous interest in futsal in Malaysia.

The tournament kicked off on March 28 and offered a total of RM60,000 in prize money.

With five legs played, 11 others are due to be played at Sports Planet venues nationwide and one in Singapore.

The Grand Final will see 96 teams competing in three categories — men, women and under-17, at Sports Planet Ampang on Oct 9.

UMW and Mercy Malaysia renew partnership to help the needy

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UMW Corporation Sdn Bhd has renewed its partnership with Mercy Malaysia, a non-profit organisation that focuses on relief efforts in crisis and non-crisis areas.

The corporation had contributed more than RM1mil in funds and its employees had also volunteered to serve Mercy Malaysia.

UMW and Mercy Malaysia held a simple event at its corporate headquarters in Section 15, in Shah Alam recently where both parties entered a partnership to help the rural and vulnerable communities.

UMW executive director Suseela Menon said the partnership with Mercy Malaysia was important and it must grow and thrive.

Renewing ties: Suseela (in red jacket) helps UMW Group Public Affairs Division staff Siti Maryam Abu Bakar put on the volunteer vest while Faizal (in coat) helps Group Public Affairs staff Hafiz Ariff Hashim with his vest after signing the renewed partnership at UMW’s headquarters in Shah Alam.

“Our partnership is not about giving hand-outs. Its about providing access to basic healthcare services and information for the people in the interiors of Pagalungan in Sabah.

“Medical help is difficult to get and it takes the natives a 30-minute boat ride to the nearest doctor,” she said.

Mercy Malaysia president Datuk Dr Ahmad Faizal Mohd Perdaus said the partnership with UMW had been meaningful as a number of the firm’s employees had become volunteers.

At the event, several employees received their vests as volunteers for attending the Basic Life Support and Basic Mission Training programme held at the police camp in Ipoh.

Young crooners show talent

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AMMIERUL DANEAL EDDY NOOR was crowned the Malay-English category champion at the 3rd Junior Singing Competition at Seremban Parade last Sunday.

A total of 70 children aged between five and 10 years old participated in the competition.

There were 50 singers in the Mandarin category while 20 children took part in the Malay-English category.

Ammierul, who has a charming voice, performed a flawless rendition of the song Baizura to mesmerise the 300 over shoppers who watched the five-hour long competition.

Talented: Participants at the singing competition.

Interestingly, it was the lad’s maiden competition and first ever prize in a song contest.

The second among three boys in his family, his ambition is to become a doctor

The confident nine-year-old pupil of SK Kampong Rinching in Beranang, Selangor said: “For the past month I received one-hour training daily from my mother Rosnani Wahid at home to fine-tune my singing.

“From the age of six I used to watch concerts and fell in love with singing.

“My father Eddy Noor Abd Jalil inspires me since he is a guitarist with a band.”

The second prize went to 10-year-old Lee Xin Yi of SJK(C) Serdang Baru who sang To love you more while Tan Ming Xue,10, of Seremban’s SJK(C) Pei Hua walked away with the third prize for his song Mimpi.

Six-year-old Yap Pei Lin won the Best Stage Performance prize while Siow Yan Yi, eight, walked away with Best Dressed prize.

In the Mandarin category, 10-year-old Suzanne Lay Soke Xin of SJK(C) Pei Hua Seremban, came out top with her rendition of Great river on the mountain.

The second and third prizes were won by two pupils from SJK(C) Kuo Min, Seremban - Loh Yen Siu, eight, for his song Cows go home at sunset and Shanny Hooi Lei Theng, nine, for her song Your small cooling hand.

Two seven-year-old pupils were given special awards. Cheah Xin Yi for the “Best Dressed” category and Cheok Hon Jun for the “Best Stage Performance”.

For each category, the first prize winners won cash and prizes worth RM260, the runners-up received RM230, the third prize winners took home RM200 while the six consolation prize winners each took home prizes worth RM100.

The special prizes worth RM50 were given to the winners of the Best Stage Performance and Best Dressed Singer.

The competition was jointly organised by Seremban Parade and Creative Magic Touch.

Foundation gains from charity drive

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THE Theobroma Chocolate Lounge succeeded in raising RM20,000 for the Pride Foundation through its charity campaign recently.

Throughout the campaign, RM1 from every transaction made at all Theobroma Chocolate Lounge outlets was donated to the foundation.

The company’s executive chairman, Chi Oi Meng, said the event was a corporate social responsibility initiative to gain the public’s support in the fight against breast cancer through awareness and early detection.

For a good cause: Azrene (left) and Chi at the cheque presentation ceremony recently.

Foundation chairman, Datin Azrene Abdullah, said the contributions would help support many of Pride’s activities, campaigns and initiatives to increase awareness on the illness.

“Pride appreciates continuous aid from organisations such as Theobroma Chocolate Lounge, Salina & Associates PR and the public.

“Contributions such as this will continue to support our efforts to educate women on the importance of early detection as well as improving accessibility to breast cancer treatment,” said Azrene.

Rozarifah comes out top in Fruitale contest

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FRUITALE beauty soap range is proud to announce Rozarifah Johari as the winner of the first Fruitale Buah Hatiku jingle contest that was held from May 10th to June 20th this year.

Lady with the voice: Rozarifah was the Fruitale Buah Hatiku Jingle contest grand prize winner.

Five finalists — Rozarifah Johari, Alexander Anthony, Nurul Idayu bt Abdul Ghafar, Hidayat bin Masduki and Kenny Ryos Wan Apoi — were selected from the more than 500 entries received.

Rozarifah Johari, 28 a housewife from Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur, received the RM5,000 grand prize, a generous Fruitale hamper, the unique opportunity to record her composition in a professional studio and the satisfaction of hearing it over the airwaves through Era.fm.

Her 1Malaysia-themed composition was a clear favorite among Era.fm listeners and members of the Fruitale Facebook fan page who voted for it as their top choice. The judges for the contest were in agreement with the popular vote that the lyrics, vocals and performance by Rozarifah stood out from a closely contested field.

On her winning entry, Rozarifah said that she had sent in three sets of lyrics and vocals but found the 1Malaysia-themed lyrics her personal favorite as well.

Champion marchers

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IT was a show of discipline, formation and uniform at the Selangor Mentri Besar March Past Cup and Petaling Jaya Mayor Formation Drill Cup competitions at the Petaling Jaya Stadium on June 19.

A total of 12 teams — Shah Alam City Council (MBSA), Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ), Kuala Terengganu City Council (MBKT), Klang Municipal Council (MPK), Subang Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ), Sepang Municipal Council (MPSp), Selayang Municipal Council (MPS), Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj), Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ), Kuala Langat District Council (MDKL), Hulu Selangor District Council (MDHS) and Selangor Enforcement Training Centre — took part in the competition.

Funny pair: Two bee mascots were buzzing around the PJ Stadium entertaining the audience.

In the formation drill MBSA, MBKT, MPKj, MPSJ, MPSp,MPS and MPAJ took part with MPBJ only performing for the crowd.

Accompanying the enforcement teams were the brass bands from the Royal Malaysian Air Force, Royal Military Regiment and Air Force Training Institute.

The event was launched by Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim and exco members Ronnie Liu and Dr Xavier JeyaKumar as well as Petaling Jaya mayor Datuk Mohamad Roslan Sakiman.

Khalid said the performances were good and set the standard of things to come.

MBPJ stole the show in the opening march past playing Lady Ga Ga’s Bad Romance, which left the audience wanting more.

Another show stealer was MPAJ who spelt out the words M,P,A, and J while MPK displayed some fight moves during the march past.

Striding ahead: The Klang Municipal Council team moving to the beat during the march past.

During the formation drill, the team from each of the council displayed their individuality in the art of marching.

Their formation and steps were well choreographed.

The second in its series, the event was held in conjunction with MBPJ’s fourth anniversary of attaining city status.

MBPJ is aiming to make this an annual event with the hope of attracting more participation from other agencies in the subsequent events.

The objective is to further strengthen the discipline, physical and mental endurance, team spirit as well as to create a stronger bond among all.

Roslan gave a brief history of how far MBPJ has progressed since 58 years ago and its achievements the past fours years as a city.

He said MBPJ has been awarded four-star rating by the Housing and Local Government Ministry, for its free community bus services and formation of the quick response team.

Innovative: The Shah Alam City Council team doing their routine with sticks.

To put the icing on the cake, MBPJ emerged champions in the Mentri Besar March Past Cup with MPAJ and MPK taking the second and third place respectively.

MBSA came out tops in the Petaling Jaya Mayor Formation Drill Cup.

The second and third places went to MPAJ and MPKT respectively. MPK won the special jury award.

Winners for both Cups won prize money, certificate of participation and a Cup.

The winners were picked by a panel of judges from the Malaysian Armed Forces.

There was also a countdown ceremony and fireworks display to celebrate the anniversary.

Bank throws exclusive party for recipients of Visa Signature Credit Card

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AT AN exclusive private event, EON Bank Group wined and dined business partners and pioneering recipients of the ultra select EON Bank Visa Signature Credit Card on mouth-watering Italian cuisine and lovely wines at Sassorosso.

The event saw EON Bank Group cement a milestone as the first in Malaysia to launch this higher- than-platinum card targeted at upscale, time-pressed, service-oriented customers.

The event saw the presence of EON Bank Group’s top management including Group CEO Michael Lor, Group CFO Amarjeet Kaur, and head of Cards and Unsecured Lending Aaron Tan, and partners including VISA International country manager for Malaysia, Stuart Tomlinson; Golden Screen Cinemas Sdn Bhd Chairman, Tan Sri Ghazali Seth; and Golden Screen Cinemas Sdn Bhd general manager; Irving Chee, as well as many of the pioneering batch of card recipients who came to enjoy the cordial atmosphere.

Exclusive: Tomlinson (left) and Lor with the new EON Bank VISA Signature Credit Card.

The EON Bank Visa Signature Credit Card offers cardholders a wide range of features and benefits, in addition to a large number of rewards programmes offered by partners, such as airline, hotel and cash back programmes.

EON Bank Visa Signature Cardholders will also enjoy access to a host of benefits, such as complimentary concierge services, as well as special offers focused on cardholder passions, such as travel, wine and food, sports as well as entertainment.

EON Bank will also reward their Visa Signature Cardholders with features such as; up to double bonus plus points for retail spending locally and overseas; a one percent cash rebate for overseas spending; complimentary priority pass membership that gives access to over 600 VIP lounges in more than 100 countries and 300 cities worldwide; up to 100% of advance cash on available credit limit; rewards for share trading; and exclusive premium insurance coverage for personal protection as well as for travel accidents and inconveniences.

EON Bank Group are currently running a Visa Signature promotional sign-up period between now and September 2010.

During this period, the first 1,000 cardholders who spend RM3,000 in cumulative receipts within the three months will receive an exclusive high-end Samsonite luggage.

Among those eligible to apply for a Visa Signature Card are EON Bank Group’s Prestige Banking customers and individuals with an annual income not less than RM180,000 or a current platinum cardholder with a minimum credit limit of RM40,000.

For details on the EON Bank Visa Signature Credit Card and other cards, log on to www.eonbank.com.my, call 03-2616 1133 or visit any EON Bank branches or service centres nationwide.

ISKL International Club donates RM78,000 to Shelter

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International School of Kuala Lumpur presented a cheque for RM78,000 to Shelter home for children recently.

The money was raised during the Walk for the Children: 1Malaysia 2010 held at Taman Tasik Perdana in Kuala Lumpur last month.

Education Ministry deputy director (Private Sector) Mohamad Azmi Istamat presented the cheque to Shelter Home executive director James Nayagam on behalf of the international school.

Also present at the presentation ceremony, held at the school’s the Robert B. Gaw Theatre, was its International Club president Michael George, a senior and recently-accepted Harvard student.

Uniting youth: Participants of ISKL’s Walk for the Children held at Taman Tasik Perdana last month.

Appreciation plaques from ISKL were also presented to Dell’s representative Lee Kok Leong, Rhonda Scott from Allied Pickfords, Arjan Singh Ranjit Singh of Malayan Banking Berhad, deputy managing director of Century Total Logistics Sdn Bhd Dr Mohamad Amin Kassin, Loise Kam of HSBC Malaysia, and Sam Coleman, executive editor of Expatriate Lifestyle magazine, Mongoose Publishing Sdn Bhd.

The International Club is a student-led and student-run organisation at the International School of Kuala Lumpur (ISKL).

The Walk for the Children: 1Malaysia 2010 was its first fund-raising event for the Shelter Home (www.shelterhome.org), a registered, voluntary welfare organisation for children and teenagers who have been abandoned, neglected, orphaned or abused.

The walkathon was organised with the hope of uniting youth of all ages behind one banner to support a very worthy cause — the lives of disadvantaged youth in Malaysia.

George also said the Walk for the Children: 1Malaysia 2010, was the first fundraising event for the children by the children.

They are already preparing for next year’s event to be bigger with more collaboration from corporations, international and local schools nationwide.

Murugan off to Hanoi for grand finals

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K. MURUGAN won the gross title in the 10th round of the Prudential Astro Masters golf championships at the Bukit Jawi Golf and Country Club in Penang recently.

Murugan turned in a fine round of five-over 77 to win the title by two strokes from Hanef Saad.

Murugan won an LG DVD player and a trip to Hanoi, Vietnam for the grand finals in September.

Perfect timing: Selvadoray (left) receiving his prize from Bukit Jawi GCC director Khor Kim Tong.

He will be joined by 15-handicapper Ng Say Eong who won the nett categoryon countback.

In the lucky draw, T. Selva-doray took home a Titoni watch worth RM1,800.

Financial aid for tourney winners

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THE winners of the boys’ and girls’ category of the Tan Sri Muhyiddin Golf Challenge at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club in Shah Alam today, stand to win RM50,000 each as financial assistance to enhance their golfing careers.

The tournament will see about 100 players, under the age of 21, competing for the two top prizes which will allow them to undergo specialised training and compete in more sanctioned competitions.

The competitors are invited based on their performance in local and regional tournaments. Gavin Kyle Green and Ainil Johani Abu Bakar will be defending their titles.

In form: Kelly Tan, the recent Sukma gold medallist, will take part.

CIMB is contributing the RM100,000 financial package to the two winners while TSM Charity Golf will contribute RM34,500 to other top finishers.

Besides Gavin and Ainil Johani, the other players in the fray include Mohamad Iszaini Ismail, Mohd Hisyam Abdul Majid, Abel Tam, Alex Tiong Wei Zen, Chan Tuck Soon, Kenneth de Silva, Jeremiah Kim, Low Khai Loon, Mohamad Arie Irawan, Kelly Tan Guat Che, Vivien Chin Ven Yi, Nur Durriyah Daiman and Isza Fariza Ismail.

Tuck Soon and Kelly were the men’s and women’s gold medallist in the recent Malaysia Games (Sukma) in Malacca.

Ideal venue for racing dragons

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Foreign participants in the 1Malaysia International Dragon Boat Festival 2010 (1MIDBF 2010) were simply awed by the facilities available for the sport at the Putrajaya Water Sports Complex .

Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin made this observation during the launching ceremony held on the second day of the event.

“We have created a hub in the region by promoting Dragon Boat Racing.

Here we go: The Pink Ladies warming up for their race.

“The 650ha lake has truly proven itself to be a world-class venue ideal to host international events such as the IMIDBF,’’ he said to deafening applause.

Nong Chik said the organisers, Mega Events Sdn Bhd had taken the event to a whole new level this year by reaching out to larger audiences, fostering multicultural integration in this world-class event.

A total of 1,650 participants from more than 60 teams coming from Canada, Australia, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia and other neighbouring countries congregated in Putrajaya from June 18-20 to test their skills, teamwork and the spirit of unity on water.

Although this is the second time the country is playing host to the Dragon Boat event, this year is the first 1Malaysia event in line with the Prime Minister’s vision of 1Malaysia in a global sporting event in Putrajaya.

“1Malaysia is the right formula not only for national harmony but also regionally and globally in the field of sporting events such as this.

“The event has placed Putrajaya on the world sporting map as the home for dragon boat racing internationally,’’ said Nong Chik.

Iconic: A dragon head watches as teams prepare for the race.

This time around, the event reached out to a worthy cause with the Breast Cancer Welfare Association (BCWA) by championing the “1Malaysia 1 Community - We Care” charity drive organised by 1MIDBF with celebrities including ambassador Sarimah Ibrahim, celebrity chef Anis Nabillah and Miss Tourism International 2010, Cassandra Patrick.

A total of RM80,000 was presented to BCWA patron, Puan Sri Akmal Abdul Salam.

The 1MIDBF was divided into two main categories — International teams and Malaysian teams with each category further divided into sub-categories — Open, Mixed, Women and Junior (below 23 years) for the international events and club, corporate and inter-governmental department participation for the Malaysian event.

All the way: It takes a lot of effort, muscles and team work to paddle the boat in the race.

Feng Shui: The Klang Valley and Parliament

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As mentioned in our previous articles, Sri Petaling has benefited tremendously from the construction of the National Sports Complex, closure of the rubbish landfill, Light Rapid Transit (LRT) station, the Kesas Highway and Endah Parade shopping mall. (For Google map reference, please log on to http://maps.google.co.uk/ and search for “Kuala Lumpur”.)

We have also covered a few of the condominiums, apartments and low-cost flats in the vicinity. Within section 149b (roads with the suffix 149b), there are the Endah Villa Condominium, Sri Endah Apartment and 14 blocks of flats. Two schools - primary and secondary – and a community hall are also found here. To the west, there are rows of houses along roads with the suffix 149d.

The terrain in this roughly rectangular area is quite flat. The hills and highland are found further north, east and south (beyond the Kesas Highway). The west is also raised, thanks to the KL-Putrajaya Highway. Thus, we find a small bowl-like valley here that can collect earth energy.

There is a big monsoon drain at the south, parallel to Jalan 4/149b, just before the Kesas Highway. It eventually joins the Kuyoh River and move on to Klang. Smaller monsoon drains channel rain water perpendicularly into it from the north.

Modern-day rivers
Monsoon drains or similar large drainage systems can be considered rivers in this day and age. Gone are natural rivers which carve their own paths to the oceans. Property developers in this country tend to change the entire landform to suit their needs.

This is the most straightforward way to develop land and maximise its utility. It is much harder and less profitable to design towns and properties that suit the land’s natural forms. Only very high-end and expensive developments offer this luxury.

Rivers and mountains play important roles in environology. Earth energy emanates from the top of mountains and flows downhill to valleys, plains, rivers and eventually, the ocean. In the big picture, the central focus from which earth energy comes is Mount Everest.

The energy radiates outward and downward through the mountain ranges. One of these ranges extends into the Malay Peninsula. We call this the Main Range or Titiwangsa. At Bukit Tinggi, two smaller ranges branch out and form a claw that embraces what we now call the Klang Valley.

This is a very conducive formation and is likely to explain why the Klang Valley is the most prosperous area in the whole country. Yes, you can say that the state of Selangor is the most prosperous but if you look carefully, most of this prosperity is centred in the Klang Valley.

Klang Valley prosperity

The powers-that-be should consider environology factors if they are thinking of moving the seat of government to the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC).
You could say tin played an important role in spurring the Klang Valley’s growth but Ipoh and the Kinta Valley were similarly rich in tin. In fact, Ipoh was the first administrative centre in Malaya for the British, having established a beachhead there during the Residency days. J.W.W. Birch, the first resident in Malaya, was assigned to Perak, not Selangor.

The centre of administration, business and finance eventually shifted to the Klang Valley because, in our opinion, of the attractive energy pool created within the Klang Valley.

This also suggests that our nation’s capital – be it financial, economic or political – should remain within the Klang Valley. Relocating it outside the valley could lead to a decline in our country’s affairs.

Sometime ago, we covered Parliament House in our tour and noted how our nation’s history very closely followed a series of changes predicted by the I-Ching’s hexagrams. If Parliament House is relocated, the powers-that-be must carefully consider the environology factors instead of just cost, logistics and convenience.

The seat of government should always be on higher ground. This is a position of authority. The present Parliament House fits this criterion. The proposed new site – the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC) – also sits on high ground and therefore fulfils the criterion, too.

Seat of power

The seat of power should also be located at the north-west sector of the city, which represents the patriarch or master. In this regard, neither the present nor the proposed location fits the bill. This could explain the difficulty Tunku Abdul Rahman had in keeping Malaysia together. Singapore seceded soon after and Tunku left office following the May 13 tragedy.

In any case, we urge caution about the PICC. Putrajaya is not located within the Klang Valley and therefore does not enjoy the same pool of conducive earth energy found in the latter. Even within the township, the PICC is not in the north-west sector. It is found in the south.

The fact that the PICC is under-utilised, as reported in the press, should be a warning sign. Of course, one can assign many “obvious” reasons for that. Putrajaya is too far away from Kuala Lumpur. The management company was not aggressive or creative enough to attract events.

Putrajaya is the nation’s administrative capital and with that comes plenty of clout. It is also next door to Cyberjaya, the centre of the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC). Surely something can be done to increase its usefulness and usage.

Perhaps then, there is another reason for the PICC’s situation. Perhaps it is not conducive from an environological point of view. If that is so, relocating Parliament to this complex may also create more woes for our nation’s lawmakers, and by extension, our country itself. Interesting food for thought, is it not?

Earth, wind, water
But we digress. We were saying rivers and mountains could affect earth energy. Water has a different rigidity from solid ground. Earth energy cannot penetrate water. Thus, when it flows down from the peak of a mountain or hill, it is deflected and reflected by the river. This reflected energy is gentle and homogenous, which are desirable traits.

When a river is curved to embrace the land, the rebounding energy is concentrated like a parabolic dish. Properties built to face this pool are likely to do well. If a river forms an outer elbow, the angle of deflection is such that the energy is dispersed, and properties here tend to do poorly.

The condos, apartments and flats in 149b of Sri Petaling are sitting in a bowl-like valley where earth energy tends to accumulate. This is attractive to life. However, this is also often associated with vice activities: gambling, protection racket, gangsterism and prostitution.

Roads with suffixes 149d and 149j are very close to the elevated KL-Putrajaya Highway. This poses a slight challenge as the highway becomes an artificial mountain that impacts the earth energy pattern. Furthermore, wind turbulence from the highway’s traffic can disperse the energy. Thus, properties which are too close to the highway are likely to do more poorly than those further away on the other end of each row. This will happen naturally anyway, due to higher amounts of noise and air pollution.

There are two rows of shophouses here - one along Jalan 1/149d and the other along Jalan 1/149j. The land is mostly flat but there is actually a gentle slope from north to south. Furthermore, there is a river running in a north-south direction to the east.

All these point to one thing - the best direction to face is south. This follows the slope and is also parallel to the river’s direction. Since the shophouses here have been operating for a few years now, the effect is quite apparent. Those along 1/149d seem to do better than 1/149j. Of course, a logical explanation could also be that 1/149d has a higher visibility from the main roads than the other. We leave it to you to decide.

Selangor losing half a million ringgit per day to sand thieves

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SELANGOR can be considered the hotbed for illegal sand mining in the country with the state said to be losing about RM500,000 a day from sand stealers.

The issue of sand mining has been a hot issue in Selangor over the last 10 years with certain quarters alleging that millions of ringgit are being raked in by syndicates.

On the move: Rampant movement of heavy machinery and vehicles spotted in Rawang.

State exco for modern agriculture, natural resources and entrepreneur development Yaakob Sapari had said previously that the state government was losing RM100mil annually from syndicates mining sand illegally.

Among the sand theft hotspots are Serendah in Hulu Selangor, Dengkil in Sepang, Jenderam in Sepang, Kundang, Kuang, Rawang, Kajang, Bestari Jaya in Kuala Selangor, Banting and Bukit Beruntung.

When Pakatan Rakyat took over Selangor in March 2008, it pledged to resolve the sand mining theft problem by setting up a consortium — Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd (KSSB) — to look into streamlining all sand mining activity in the state.

Ironically, the setting up of the consortium has also sparked controversy involving the Selangor Government with some quarters claiming that the consortium was not effective in curbing the illegal activity.

A tonne of sand from the illegal quarry costs about RM40.

There were also allegations that government officials including from the state, district land offices and enforcement personnel from various other departments were working with the syndicates.

Kapar MP S. Manikavasagam had last month lodged a police report accusing KSSB of being embroiled in graft. He tendered a statutory declaration made by sand mining contractor Cheong Hoong Wooi alleging that he was asked to pay more than the stipulated price for sand and was also asked to pay a commission.

Cheong also alleged that KSSB marketing manager Wong Swee Leong had told him over drinks one night that he would have to pay RM1 per metric tonne in commission for future purchases.

He added that he was first offered a price of RM12.50 per metric tonne but it was revised to RM14 on KSSB executive director Ramli Abd Majed’s instructions.

However, the Selangor Select Committee on Competency, Accountability and Transparency (Selcat) found insufficient evidence of corruption in the state government’s sand mining company Kumpulan Semesta Sdn Bhd (KSSB).

Fresh tracks: Excavator tyre marks where the machine had dug the sand in its illegal sand mining activity in Kuala Langat.

Over the past few months, StarMetro had highlighted sand theft taking place at various loactions in Selangor such as Dengkil and Jenderam in Sepang, Sungai Kuang in Kundang, Kuala Garing in Rawang, Kampung Rinching in Semenyih and Banting in Kuala Langat.

When contacted, state local government commmittee chairman Ronnie Liu said that the state had appointed Selangor State Secretary Datuk Ramli Mahmud as the person in charge of monitoring sand thefts.

Ongoing: An excavator is seen in the bushes stealing sand in Bukit Beruntung.

He said he was responsible to oversee the enforcement operation conducted by the various district land offices.

“Kumpulan Semesta was only responsible for the sale of sand while it is the duty of the land offices to check illegal sand mining activities. The state secretary will be monitoring the the land offices,’’ he said, adding that the state had made more than RM10mil from the sale of sand for the first six months of this year.

Interchange to be built in Section 7

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THE Selangor state government will build an interchange that will provide direct access from the Federal Highway to Section 7, Shah Alam, at the Sg Rasau Toll Plaza area.

State local government, study and research committee chairman Ronnie Liu said the new interchange would provide better traffic dispersal and an alternative access into Shah Alam, thus facilitating better access to i-City, UiTM, Unisel, a hospital that is being built, as well as factories and residential areas.

“The state government will fork out about RM50mil to build the interchange.

Plugging in: Ng (centre) launching the Hibiscus in the sky as Eu (right) and I-Berhad deputy executive chairman Datuk Lim Kim Hong look on.

“Construction is expected to begin in a year’s time, and will take two to three years to complete,” he said, adding that bidding for the project would be done through open tenders.

Liu said the state government would use money from the state budget to fast-track the construction and apply for federal funding later.

“LLM (Malaysian Highway Authority) has already approved the interchange concept.

“It will initially be owned by the state government and if the Federal Government provides the funding later, the interchange will be handed to them through the JKR (Public Works Department),” he said.

It is hoped that the interchange will be an impetus to improve the public transport system in Section 7 and increase economic activities in the city.

“The residents will benefit in terms of better accessibility and an increase in property value,” Liu said.

He hoped that the construction of the interchange would be approved at the mid-term review of the 2010 state budget at the next state assembly.

According to him, the interchange is among the state government’s efforts to provide better public facilities and infrastructure in ensuring that Shah Alam becomes a centre of a new economy.

There are now three interchanges from the Federal Highway into Shah Alam — Batu Tiga, Bulatan Melawati and Bulatan Bunga Lawang.

“The new interchange is needed in light of the expected increase in traffic and would be helpful in directing visitors to i-City,” said Liu.

He also announced that the state government had approved the gated concept for i-City.

“We will help where we can to make i-City become an international hub.

“This includes having more activities in i-City, thus adding to the vitality of Shah Alam,” said Liu.

“There is a need to turn i-City into a gated campus because of security issues.

“It is an international park with MSC status, and there are a lot of foreign companies that will be operating their businesses there round the clock.”

I-Berhad CEO Eu Hong Chew, whose company is the developer of i-City, said the concept for a gated but open community was to beef up the security in the City of Digital Lights.

“Our focus is to take care of the township services like landscaping, rubbish collection and traffic management.

“The gated concept for i-City will cover 29ha,” he said.

Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen recently launched i-City’s latest unique offering — the dazzling Hibiscus in the Sky.

The light show features laser LED beams shooting through the night sky, creating different shapes and sizes with the central theme being based on the national flower, the hibiscus.

Ng described the vibrant music and creative light show as a digital display of a heavenly garden.

“Families should bring their children and friends to experience the light show, which is also a great photo opportunity,” she said.

She added that i-City had taken a bold step to invest millions of ringgit to create a new tourism product using technology and talent.

New building in Kampung Baru Damansara to be operations centre

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VILLAGERS in Kampung Baru Damansara in Petaling Jaya have a reason to smile. They now have a community hall of their own.

Selangor New Village Development and Illegal Factory Task Force Committee chairman Ean Yong Hian Wah said although the new village was established about 60 years ago, the construction of the hall had been delayed due to technical issues with Syabas and Tenaga Nasional Bhd.

For the community: Villagers from Kampung Baru Damansara in Petaling Jaya finally have a community hall of their own.

“The RM34,000 contract was awarded in February, and the project was completed last month,” Ean said after witnessing the key handover ceremony.

The hall will be used as an operations centre and also to hold meetings by the village development and security committee (JKKK).

Ean Yong said the hall could also be rented out to non-governmental organisations.

The new village has a population of about 1,300.

Ean Yong also said work to extend Jalan 17A/12 to connect to Jalan 17A/10 and Jalan 17/28 had been completed.

Kampung Baru Damansara JKKK chairman Chin Keh Kong said the project was long overdue because Alam Flora trucks could not collect rubbish from certain parts of the village due to the narrow road and uncompleted stretch of Jalan 17A/12.

Ean Yong said the stretch where the road extension was carried out was a road reserve in the original masterplan for the village but was not fully completed until now.

“The road project cost RM117,000, which included clearing some rubble and constructing the road and drains,” he said.

“It took a month to complete the project, and has been open to the public for the past five months.”

Ean Yong said the funds for both the community hall and road projects came from the state government.

Meanwhile, Chin said the JKKK had helped a family in the village to apply for a grant under the state’s “Caring Government Programme” (Program Kerajaan Prihatin) to help them rebuild their home.

“The elderly couple and their son had been staying in a dilapidated shack for the past few decades.

“The JKKK helped them to apply for the funds after finding out about the programme last year,” said Chin.

Ean Yong said the programme offered allocations for the hardcore poor to build a home, and the family in Kampung Baru Damansara was the first in a new village to apply for the funds.

“In addition to family income and dependants, one of the requirements is that the family has to own the land title where their house sits,” he said.

“This particular house has three rooms and cost RM30,000 to construct.

“The construction took two months, and was completed just before Chinese New Year this year.”

New NIPPON ODOUR-LESS AIRCARE improves indoor air quality

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Nippon Paint (M) Sdn Bhd managing director Yaw Seng Heng and general manager Gladys Goh with the newly launched NIPPON ODOUR-LESS AIR CARE

Nippon Paint, the leading paint brand in Malaysia, has launched its next generation of paint, NIPPON ODOUR-LESS AIRCARE. Endorsed by Green Label Singapore, it has also been granted the SIRIM Eco Label for its compliance with SIRIM Standard 019 criteria for paints. It is the first paint innovation in the country that uses green technology which cleanses the air by absorbing the indoor air pollutant called formaldehyde.

Nippon Paint (M) Sdn Bhd managing director Yaw Seng Heng said, “Nippon Paint Malaysia has been supporting initiatives to encourage environmental sustainability and to protect the world we live in. We have pro-actively started the ball rolling in the paint industry in 2006 by being the first to launch odourless paint, our Nippon Odour-less Premium All-in-1, which has almost no paint odour, and is near-zero volatile organic compounds (VOC). VOC is an air pollutant which is harmful to both the environment and our health. Since then, all our new innovations are ultra-low VOC. I am happy to say that Nippon Paint Malaysia offers a complete range of eco-friendly and low VOC coatings for concrete, wood, and metals. Our Green Choice Range is both eco- and health-friendly.”

NIPPON ODOUR-LESS AIRCARE reaffirms the company’s leadership in research and development (R&D) and innovation. As the leading paint brand in Malaysia, Nippon Paint is the pioneer in developing products that are almost zero VOC, which now has become the industry standard. Raising the benchmark even further, NIPPON ODOUR-LESS AIRCARE is one of the most advanced technological innovations to date that can help improve indoor air quality.

The NIPPON ODOUR-LESS AIRCARE contains a special formula with active carbon technology. When applied to the surface, the paint absorbs the harmful formaldehyde, and converts it into water vapour while at the same time strengthening the paint film. It then releases the water vapour back into the atmosphere, thus refreshing the air. Hence the indoor air is cleaner and a healthier living environment is created.
At the launch of NIPPON ODOUR-LESS AIRCARE.
L-R: Nippon Paint Malaysia general manager Gladys Goh, Nippon Paint Malaysia managing director Yaw Seng Heng and industrial hygienist & occupational health consultant for Universiti Putra Malaysia Syazwan Aizat Ismail

Formaldehyde is a very common indoor air pollutant which can be found in virtually all homes and buildings. It is emitted into the air from sources such furniture, carpeting, flooring, cabinets and wallpaper. Regular exposure to formaldehyde may cause skin and nasal irritations, asthma, and other respiratory problems. According to the Department of Occupational Safety and Health Malaysia (DOSH), the maximum limit of formaldehyde in a living space is 0.1 ppm (part per million) or 0.12mg/m3. Any higher concentration of formaldehyde could cause harmful effects to health.

In addition, NIPPON ODOUR-LESS AIRCARE is designed for protection and high performance as it is fungus resistant, strong scrub resistance (more than 10,000 scrubs), washable against household stains and gives a beautiful eggshell finishing with superior coverage. The new product is also anti-bacterial and free from heavy metal and ammonia, which makes it suitable for consumers who want paint that is safe for their health and the environment.

“NIPPON ODOUR-LESS AIRCARE draws on the strength of Nippon Paint’s pioneering experience. It caters to the increasingly sophisticated needs of today’s savvy consumers, as well as offers protection against harmful indoor pollutants and protects the surrounding. We aim to create a sustainable environment and to promote improved quality of life,” added Yaw.

The new NIPPON ODOUR-LESS AIRCARE is available at all authorised Nippon Paint Malaysia’s dealers, hardware shops and DIY (Do-It-Yourself) chains. The recommended retail price for each 5-litre can is RM 133. It is also available in all Nippon Paint Malaysia’s Colour Creation Centers.

Nippon Paint has been awarded the prestigious Green Excellence Award by Frost & Sullivan in recognition of its achievement in promoting and improving environment sustainability within the paint industry.

Twitter settles over data security lapses

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SETTLED: Twitter has agreed to settle charges by The Federal Trade Commission that it failed to protect its users data from security lapses last year that let hackers access their accounts.

WASHINGTON: Twitter has agreed to settle charges by federal regulators that it put the privacy of its users at risk by failing to protect them from data security lapses last year that let hackers access their accounts.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said the settlement bars Twitter from misleading consumers about its security and privacy practices and requires the startup to establish a comprehensive information security programme.

No monetary damages were assessed.

The FTC complaint said the breaches allowed hackers to gain administrative control over the online service, which lets users send brief messages called tweets to each other.

Hackers were able to view e-mail addresses and other private user information, gain access to user messages, reset user passwords and send phony tweets from user accounts.

At least one phony tweet was sent from the account of Fox News and another phony tweet was sent from the account of then-President-elect Barack Obama offering more than 150,000 followers a chance to win US$500 (RM1,700) in free petrol, the FTC said.

The agency charges the incidents deceived users because Twitter's privacy policy pledged to "employ administrative, physical, and electronic measures designed to protect your information from unauthorised access."

"When a company promises consumers that their personal information is secure, it must live up to that promise," David Vladeck, head of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection, said in a statement.

One breach occurred in January 2009 after a hacker used an automated password-guessing tool to gain control of Twitter. The second breach occurred in April 2009 after a hacker broke into a Twitter employee's personal e-mail account, which stored two passwords that were very similar to the employee's administrative password for Twitter.

The FTC said Twitter was vulnerable to these attacks because it used weak, lower case common dictionary words as administrative passwords and failed to take reasonable steps to prevent unauthorised access to its system.

Such steps include prohibiting employees from storing administrative passwords in plain text in their e-mail accounts, periodically changing administrative passwords and restricting access to administrative controls.

In a blog post, Twitter General Counsel Alexander Macgillivray said that even before the company reached the agreement with the FTC, it had already implemented many of the security practices highlighted by the agency.

He added that the company quickly closed the security holes, notified affected users and disclosed what had happened in blog posts following both incidents.

Macgillivray also noted that Twitter employed fewer than 50 people when the breaches occurred.

"At the time of the incidents, we were ... in the midst of perhaps unprecedented user growth for an Internet company; and didn't employ the security methods that we use today," the company said yesterday.

Twitter said 45 accounts were accessed in the first incident and 10 accounts in the second incident.

Sabah gets RM383mil to bridge 'digital divide'

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ANYWHERE BUT HOME: Most Malaysians prefer to use the Internet in their offices, cybercafes, schools, libraries, community centres and other places, rather than subscribing to it at home, says the SKMM.

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah has been allocated RM383mil under the Universal Service Provider (USP) programme to bridge the "digital divide," that gap between technology haves and have nots.

The programme is being implemented over five years from this year. It will also see the investment spread among targeted underserved groups (RM8mil), community broadband centres (RM55mil) and 14 broadband libraries (RM22mil).

The remaining amount goes to the construction of 212 towers for expansion of cellular coverage, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (SKMM) said.

"From February this year, 60 towers are being built in order to widen the cellular coverage which extends to only 75% of the inhabited areas in the state.

"It will ensure more people in the rural areas are able to enjoy cellular phone services," the SKMM said in a written response to Bernama.

The Commission is also confident that Sabah will reach the 30% broadband household penetration rate target by year end, while the country is on track to meet the National Broadband Initiative (NBI) of 50% household penetration at the same time.

"The target for Sabah was set lower due to the poor broadband performance but the household penetration rate has been increasing and was at 17.1% as of June 9.

"The target of 30.1% broadband household penetration by the end of the year is achievable for Sabah. The current penetration rate for the country is at 37%," the SKMM said.

On target

State Resource Development and Information Technology Minister Datuk Dr Yee Moh Chai when contacted, echoed the same positive sentiment, saying that barring unforeseen circumstances, Sabah will be able to achieve the target.

"Moving forward, we will continue with the present programme, which is to build more facilities with broadband service providers.

"This to ensure broadband penetration at least in most major towns, and hopefully in the rural areas with a higher concetration of population," he told Bernama.

According to the SKMM, there are more challenges in east Malaysia for broadband expansion because Sabah and Sarawak are amongst the largest states in the country, with a massive demand and need for widely available broadband access.

"Current broadband technologies cannot cope with the scattered population pattern and diverse geographical conditions prevalent in both states.

"Service providers are facing challenges in terms of diverse demographics and high capital costs to roll out initiatives.

"Cost competitive access infrastructure is the key to bridge the information divide, and services providers have been working hard to explore various technology options," the SKMM pointed out.

Besides these challenges, the SKMM said, other factors are low earning capacity, lack of human capital, high operating costs, fast moving technology and need for strong community support.

Internet centres

In a related development, the SKMM said the Government has provided additional incentives in the 2010 Budget to expedite broadband development in the country.

"Among the initiatives the Government is committed to implement is the opening of community broadband centres in housing areas. This is intended to benefit 615,000 Malaysians in 246 locations nationwide and RM60mil has been allocated to ensure its success.

"Some 121 offices of the Information Department will provide the people's Internet centres to enable broadband access to 400,000 users all over Malaysia, while 873 new telecommunications towers will be built to expand cellular coverage nationwide," it said.

Another initiative is to distribute one million netbooks to needy students throughout the country and RM1bil has been allocated in a move to embrace the lower-income group.

"A RM500 tax relief is also provided in the Budget 2010 for the purchase of such tools, which is an additional motivator," the SKMM said.

Web oriented

Regionally, the SLMM said, the measurement of broadband penetration varies with each country. It explained that the current indicator of household broadband penetration being used does not fully reflect the real achievement of broadband in Malaysia.

"Other aspects such as PC ownership, IT literacy and skills should be considered to analyse the real achievement.

"The International Telecommunications Union has introduced the ICT Development Index as an indicator for information and communications technology, and broadband achievement.

"Out of the 154 member countries, Malaysia was ranked 52nd in 2007," said the SKMM.

Also, according to the Internet World Stats in September last year, Malaysia was in sixth spot among Asian countries, based on number of Internet users (65.7%).

"We have about 16 million Internet users and one of the highest number of users on Yahoo!, Facebook and Friendster.

"Also, most Malaysians prefer to use the Internet in their offices, cybercafes, schools, libraries, community centres and other places, rather than subscribing to it at home," the SKMM added.

Apple delays white iPhone 4

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DELAY: The white model of the new iPhone would not be available in the United States for a month, says Apple.

WASHINGTON: Apple said on the eve of the launch of the new iPhone in the United States that the white model would not be available for a month.

The white version of the iPhone 4, which also comes in black, was being delayed because of unspecified manufacturing difficulties.

White and black model iPhones had been scheduled to go on sale in stores in Britain, France, Germany, Japan and the United States tomorrow and Apple fans are already queuing up to buy the latest generation of the popular device.

But Apple said customers who want the iPhone with the white case will have to wait.

"White models of Apple's new iPhone 4 have proven more challenging to manufacture than expected, and as a result they will not be available until the second half of July," the Cupertino, California-based company said.

"The availability of the more popular iPhone 4 black models is not affected," Apple said in a brief statement.

There was no immediate reply from Apple to a request for details about the problems with the white model.

The delivery delay for the white iPhone 4 comes two months after Apple was forced to put back the international release of its new touchscreen tablet computer, the iPad.

Citing demand in the United States that was "far higher than we predicted," Apple in April delayed the release of the iPad outside the United States for a month.

Apple chief executive officer Steve Jobs said at the time that Apple was "making (iPads) as fast as we can" but "evidently we can't make enough of them yet."

Apple said this week that it has sold three million iPads since the tablet computer went on sale in the United States on April 3 and nine other countries in late May.

The release of the iPhone 4 has been particularly turbulent for Apple due to a troubled preordering process and a sneak preview of the device on the Internet after it was obtained by technology blog Gizmodo.

Apple and its wireless carrier AT&T were forced to suspend preordering of the iPhone 4 last week amid heavy demand.

It had received a single-day record 600,000 orders for the new iPhone, which features video chat, can shoot and edit high-definition videos, and has a crisper resolution screen than previous models.

AT&T, the exclusive carrier for the iPhone in the United States, said preorder sales for the iPhone 4 were "10-times higher than the first day of preordering for the iPhone 3GS last year."

AT&T said meanwhile that it would be able to deliver iPhones on Thursday to customers who preordered the device but they would not be available for sale in AT&T stores until next week.

Apple has sold more than 50 million iPhones since it launched the device in 2007.

Alienware M11X: A netbook built for games

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Gaming notebooks are generally bulky and weigh a ton but not so with the Alienware M11X.

ANNOUNCED earlier this year at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Dell's Alienware M11X netbook is certainly an impressive piece of hardware packed in a small form factor.

Indeed the M11X is a small gaming netbook that packs a powerful punch when it comes down to performance, capable of running modern games while keeping things nice and light for easy transport.

On the outside, the M11X is a stylish netbook that feels very well built. Its compact form factor allows the netbook to easily slip into your travel bag when you need to hit the road.

Though it weighs more than your average netbook, it still feels light enough to be carried around.

It's hard not to notice the M11X's trademark Alienware design - it comes complete with glowing LED lights for the keyboard, alien head logo on the outside and external "vents" on the sides that you can customise to any colour of your choosing.

I have to say the backlit keyboard is a nice touch that comes in useful when typing in the dark; the lights weren't too bright that it draws your attention away from the screen either.

The honeycomb pattern trackpad feels nice to use and provides sufficient coverage to scroll from one screen to another. Disappointingly, the trackpad doesn't feature multi-touch capabilities, which is a severe handicap that makes the netbook less enjoyable to use without a mouse.

COOL: The M11X's keyboard is comfortable to type on and even features backlit keys for easy typing in the dark.

Take a closer look at the M11X and you'll see that it's quite well decked out with three USB ports, multi-card reader and an Ethernet port thrown in for good measure.

If the M11X's 11in screen isn't big enough, you can consider blowing your up your images using the VGA or HDMI-out on to a larger screen or projector.

We hooked the M11X up to a 1080p monitor and the netbook generally proved it could handle the higher resolution both in games and movies.

Considering this is a gaming-centric netbook, the lack of an optical drive serves as a hindrance if you want to install games or software from physical discs. Gamers however can still puchase and download games from online game distribution services like Steam, which comes pre-installed on the M11X.

Performance

It's amazing how Dell managed to pack so much power into this small 11in netbook. I would dare say the M11X can go toe-to-toe with some notebooks twice its size.

The M11X comes standard with Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) and runs it marvellously well - the operating system managed to boot up in less than a minute.

Under the hood, the review unit provided was powered by a very capable Intel Core 2 Duo (1.3GHz) processor, a step up from the usual Intel Atom processors gracing most netbooks.

Dell has since upgraded the M11X with Core i3, i5 and i7 processors.

MOBILE GAMER: The M11X is a small and lightweight enough for you to take along on your travels.

While most netbooks are typically designed primarily for web browsing and light computing tasks, the M11X can do much more than that.

We put the M11X through its paces under a variety of circumstances and it held up very well in most cases.

We played a HD movie using KMPlayer, listened to music on Windows Media Player, surfed the Web on Firefox with seven tabs open and even did some photo-editing on Photoshop all at once without experiencing any slowdown.

Aside from games, the M11X makes for a great entertainment netbook for playing HD movies. We played a couple of 720p videos and despite the smaller screen, things looked great as videos were silky smooth even during fast-moving action scenes.

The only time the netbook strained under pressure was when we attempted to play two 720p HD videos side by side. While one was playing smoothly the other struggled to keep up.

The M11X is also great for travel with a battery life of over five hours on average when used purely for web surfing or doing light work.

The netbook offers you the option to switch between its discrete and integrated graphics solutions to prolong the number of hours you can get out of the notebook.

Naturally, battery life is shortened significantly when playing games unplugged from a power source. Still, you can get a good solid hour or two of gaming on the go though your mileage will vary depending on what type of graphics settings and game you choose.

Great for games

Obviously, the main reason you would want an Alienware machine is to play games and the M11X certainly delivers. This is a fairly solid machine that can run a good number of modern PC games on the market.

The M11X's Nvidia GeForce GT 335M graphics card is a powerful piece of hardware that is well suited for games. Granted the graphics on the 1,365 x 768-pixel resolution screen aren't going to blow your mind but it is still pretty impressive.

Left 4 Dead 2 ran really well even with the graphics setting maxed out. The game ran at full speed with a smooth frame rate while looking exceptionally good. The netbook didn't show any signs of slowdown even as the game threw dozens of zombies in our path.

For some chaotic and open-world action, we also fired up Just Cause 2 on the M11X. Depending on the situation and terrain that you are exploring in the game, the frame rate will vary.

We set the game at above-average settings with tuned down anti-aliasing and it typically ran at an average of 20 frames per second (fps) in most situations.While this wasn't as smooth as we would have liked, the game was still very much playable.

However, the frame rate took a nose dive to about 15fps once we started to move into dense urban environments with large towering skyscrapers.

Still, the game ran well enough that it was still playable and was great fun when we needed to play on the road.

Conclusion

All in all, the Alienware M11X makes for a great gaming netbook as well as a competent one for normal-to-heavy everyday tasks like photo-editing on Photoshop.

On the road it is a pretty efficient machine that can last for at least five hours when it's running on integrated graphics.

It's also a very good entertainment machine that will come in handy during your travels.

There's very little not to like about the current M11X. Perhaps the only drawback is the device's high asking price.

Pros: Great multitasking capabilities; fast performance; capable of playing modern PC games; extremely portable; good battery life.

Cons: High asking price; can't run certain games at highest settings.

QUICK SPECS
Editor's Rating
ManufacturerDell
ClassGaming netbook
Other FeaturesBuilt-in webcam, backlit keyboard, built-in front speakers
Dimensions(W x D x H): 28.6 x 23.3 x 3.3cm
Weight2kg
PriceStarts from RM3,999
Operating SystemWindows 7 Home Premium
ProcessorIntel Core 2 Duo SU7300 (1.3GHz)
Memory8GB DDR3 RAM
GraphicsnVidia GeForce GT335M 1GB
Display11.6in LCD (1,366 x 768-pixels)
Storage250GB
ConnectivityWiFi 802.11n, 10/100 Ethernet port, Bluetooth 2.1
Optical DrivesNone
I/O PortsThree USB ports, 3-in-1 card reader, HDMI video output, 2x audio-out connectors, audio-in/ microphone jack
Battery8-cell
ContactReview unit courtesy of Dell Malaysia, 1-800-88-0301

Acer 4820TG: The slim, speedy TimelineX

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The Acer TimelineX is a fast and powerful notebook without the added bulk.

I HAVE been using an Acer Timeline 3810TG for the past five months now and have been impressed with the whole package.

The notebook is sturdy and light, performs quite well with great battery life, and to top it off it looks quite handsome with its brushed aluminium lid and slim form factor.

Now about a year after Acer's first stab at making the razor thin and long-lasting Timeline notebook series, it has returned with an updated model - the TimelineX.

First out in the market is the 14in model (which is what we have today) with a 13in and 15in model on the way shortly.

First impressions

At first glance, the TimelineX bears a resemblance to its predecessor.

It has the same brushed ­aluminium lid albeit now in a ­darker shade of grey, almost black come to think of it.

Lifting the lid reveals a glossy 14in screen with an impressive viewing angle that is great for watching movies as well as typing out a text document and surfing the Web.

NEW SHADE: The new TimelineX now comes in a darker shade of grey that's almost black.

The sides of the keyboard area is now black as opposed to grey on the first Timeline model. The keyboard itself has a textured matte surface as compared to the smooth glossy sheen on the earlier model.

I like this use of texture for the keys as it adds some traction and I found it more enjoyable to type on.

What is missing though is the row of touch-sensitive buttons just under the screen that could be used to toggle the WiFi connectivity, ­backup manager and power saving options that were on the ­earlier model.

Instead what is in place now is a rather utilitarian-looking row which houses the power button and hard disk activity indicator on the left and a button for the PowerSmart function as well as the optical drive eject button on the right.

These buttons sit at the sides of the speaker grills which is nestled right in the middle under the screen.

Being a 14in model, the ­palmrest area is quite spacious and ­comfortable but I noticed that they do tend to get a bit warm with prolonged usage.

Making a comeback is the ­multitouch touchpad with which you can pinch to zoom in and out of documents as well as a circular motion for scrolling.

Gone, however, is the dedicated button to disable the touchpad - that is now handled by pressing the Function + F7 key combination.

There are a variety of ports around the notebook and I ­especially appreciated the four USB 2.0 ports as I didn't have to plug in a USB hub to connect my extra ­devices (chief of which is a USB-powered fan to deal with the current heatwave we are experiencing!).

Other useful options are the memory card reader at the front and the HDMI-out port.

Updated specs

While the original Timeline series made use of Intel's ultra-low ­voltage SU processors, the TimelineX goes with the meatier Core i5 processor so performance is improved (naturally) across the board.

In the graphics department, the notebook comes with an Intel GMA HD graphics chip as well as an ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5470 graphics processor.

GOOD TRACTION: The 4820TG's keyboard has a textured matte surface which adds some traction and is more enjoyable to type on.

The notebook will automatically switch from the more powerful Radeon to the power efficient Intel graphics chip to save power.

For instance, the notebook will switch to the Intel graphics chip whenever you unplug it from the power outlet to conserve power.

However the switch over is ­hardly a smooth affair as the screen will flicker and turn black for a moment, which can be a little disconcerting if you are unaware of what is happening.

Generally switching from one power mode to another will also determine the use of the Radeon graphics chip and you can pick the high performance setting to use it even if the notebook is on battery power.

The great thing about having the Radeon HD 5470 chip is, of course, better gaming.

Since I'm not much of a gamer I left it to my husband to install a couple of games that were lying around the house at the time of this review: The hack-and-slash Torchlight and first-person shooter Medal of Honor: Airborne.

Both ran very smoothly at the screen's native resolution and there are even reports that newer games like Modern Warfare 2 can run on the notebook admirably.

More performance

Coupled with the 2.26GHz Core i5 processor and 2GB RAM, ­viewing high ­definition content was also not a problem - we tried watching HD movie trailers as well as recorded HD videos, and came away impressed.

You can even watch movies ­without having to resort to plugging in external speakers or headphones as the built-in speakers with virtual surrround sound were pretty good.

The volume was loud enough with commendable depth and bass but the sound did break up a little at maximum volume, especially if you are watching an action-packed movie.

As far as productivity applications go, this notebook will hardly flinch at whatever you throw at it. The drawback to this is, of course, the heat that it produces, which is certainly quite a difference from the 3810T that I have been using.

As mentioned earlier, the palmrest and the heat vents tended to get very warm with prolonged usage.

Battery life is quite decent for a notebook of this size. I managed to squeeze about five hours out of the six-cell battery with WiFi on while working on a report and surfing the Web.

Of course, battery life will be dependent on the type of tasks you are doing and turning most features off and dimming the screen will probably make the battery last longer.

Other notable features that I like include the roomy 500GB hard disk and built-in DVD burner.

Conclusion

Overall, Acer has done well with its TimelineX series. It manages to keep to its successful ultra-thin and elegant design but with better components thrown in.

Battery life is commendable but I reckon, it would be a real stretch to say that it can hit the advertised eight hour mark on the standard six-cell battery.

There are some design updates that I didn't like such as the rather unrefined PowerSave toggle button which is a far cry from the cool touch-sensitive one found on the first Timeline series. Then there is also the heat to contend with.

However, these are not real deal breakers as there are many other features that more than make up for these small drawbacks.

The general performance is great, the screen is ideal for both work as well as entertainment and the ­speakers are surprisingly quite decent. Plus it's also very ­streamlined and quite easy on the shoulders.

Pros: Nice ultra-thin design; good performance; loud speakers.

Cons: Runs a bit hot.

QUICK SPECS
Editor's Rating
ManufacturerAcer Inc
ClassNotebook PC
Other FeaturesWebcam, Dolby Home Theater sound, multitouch touchpad, card reader
Dimensions(W x D x H): 342 x 245 x 24/25.4mm
Weight2.2kg
PriceRM2,999
Operating SystemWindows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
ProcessorIntel Core i5 430M (2.26GHz, 3MB L3 cache)
Memory2GB DDR3 RAM
GraphicsATI Mobility Radeon HD5470
Display14in LCD (1,366 x 768-pixels) with LED backlight
Storage500GB hard disk, DVD Super-Multi DL drive
ConnectivityWiFi 802.11b/g/n, Ethernet LAN, Bluetooth
I/O PortsFour USB 2.0 ports, HDMI-out, VGA-out, microphone and headphone jack
Battery6,000mAh lithium-ion
ContactReview unit courtesy of Acer Sales and Services Malaysia, 1-800-88-1288