Saturday, November 29, 2014

RM15b Q3 profit

NATIONAL oil company Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) has warned of possible lower dividend next year as its net profit for the third quarter ended September 30 fell 12.3 per cent to RM15 billion on weaker oil prices, liquefied natural gas (LNG) sales and unfavourable foreign exchange.
Revenue for the quarter was down 1.3 per cent to RM80.37 billion from RM81.41 billion in the same period last year, it said.
The lower profit follows plunging oil prices and “unfavourable” US dollar exchange rate, even as output, mainly from its Iraq and Malaysian fields, increased.
Petronas, the country’s only Fortune 500 company, said fourth quarter earnings were also expected to be “considerably lower” amid a further decline in oil prices.
“If the decline persists, it will continue to have an impact on our revenue going forward.
“We have managed to mitigate the impact of low oil price through higher production, but we remain prepared for further impacts and shocks,” said Petronas president and group chief executive officer Tan Sri Shamsul Azhar Abbas at a media briefing on the group’s third quarter financial performance, here, yesterday.
“If we are to maintain the dividend, it will have a significant impact on our growth plans. This is the message we are conveying to the government,” he said.
Shamsul Azhar said if oil stays around US$75 a barrel, payments to the government could be 37 per cent lower next year at RM43 billion, with dividend at RM17 billion, tax at RM17 billion and royalty at RM9 billion.
The projected payment this year is RM68 billion, with dividend at RM29 billion, tax at RM26 billion and royalty at RM13 billion.
Brent crude fell 1.8 per cent to US$71.30 a barrel yesterday after the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries opted not to reduce production to stem a slide in prices.
Every dollar change has a RM1 billion impact on Petronas’ pre-tax profit.
Shamsul Azhar said Petronas would reduce its 2015 capital expenditure (capex) allocation by 15 to 20 per cent on the back of persistent softening of global crude oil prices.
“We will make adjustments of between 15 and 20 per cent for the 2015 capex by reviewing our portfolio and strengthening the balance sheet,” said Shamsul Azhar.
“All servicing companies will be impacted by this. Therefore, it is advisable for more consolidations to take place among the players.”
He also said those projects that had not been awarded final investment decisions (FID) would also be impacted, but stressed that the much-discussed LNG project with Canada’s British Columbia government, of which FID had not been finalised, was progressing positively.

Blooming ‘candles’

Sturdy and tough, the Euphorbia tithymaloides, sometimes referred to as Christmas candles, is a good shrub to grow as a hedge, writes Stephanie Choo
A VERY robust plant, Euphorbia tithymaloides has been a long-time garden favourite and a good shrub to grow as hedge.
Viewed close-up, the plant produces peculiar blooms, leaves and form, hence its many colloquial names. Perhaps also due to its blooms which resemble burning candles, some call it Christmas candle.
PLANT FACT
The plant is also known as redbird cactus, Jacob’s ladder, zig-zag plant, Japanese poinsettia, devil’s backbone, lelipan, penawar lipan and slipper spurge.
Euphorbia tithymaloides is a member of the genus Euphorbia and belongs to the spurge family (Euphorbiaceae). Previously, it was classified under the Pedilanthus genus.
The half-woody succulent spurge is a perennial which grows upright to about 1.5m high. It is native to the subtropical and tropical parts of North America and Central America.
The zigzag fleshy stems, leaves and roots produce milky latex which is considered toxic and irritates eyes. The leaves are alternately arranged, in green or variegated, ovate and about 3.5 to 7.5cm long and 2.5 to 5cm wide.
The cyathia or inflorescences consist of small flowers, enclosed by bright reddish-pink, elf-slipper bracts. These bracts are borne in terminal clusters on short leafless stems. The seed capsules are about 9mm in diameter.
In folk medicine, tea made with the leaves is used to treat cough, asthma and mouth ulcer. The sap is used to heal ear-ache, insect bites, skin cancer, callouses, ring worm and toothache.
VARIETIES
The dwarf form of the plant, E. tithymaloides ssp. smallii ‘Nanus’ has green leaves that are closely laid out in two rows and grow to about 35cm high only. There are other varieties and they differ in leaf arrangements, size (dwarf to medium shrubs that are about 1 to 1.5m tall) and leaf colour cum shape.
The smallii variety has curly leaves while the smallii ‘Albino’ variety possesses white, yellow and green variegated leaves. The smallii ‘Embraceable You’ variety has leaves that are crinkled, cupped, greyish-green with white margin. Meanwhile, the variegated leaves of the smallii ‘Variegatus’ variety is in shades of cream, yellow, green and pink.
USES
All varieties are great for container gardening as well as rock gardens - either in pots or the ground. These clump-forming succulent shrubs tolerate tough conditions and drought well. They can be planted as a standalone bush clump or mixed with other shrubs. The mini type, ‘Nanus’, is a suitable choice for beautifying green roofs as it also flourishes well in shallow media.
Though they can survive without much fuss, if well-tended, the medium-sized and more compact growing E. tithymaloides varieties are great candidates for creating beautiful low trimmed or untrimmed hedges and borders in a landscape.
HOW TO GROW
E. tithymaloides varieties are generally fast growing and well-branched. Prune the young plants regularly for denser growth and to form a well-shaped hedge if they are planted in a row.
They can be grown in partial sun. For best colouration, cultivate the plant in full sun. With more sunlight, the variety ‘Variegatus’ blushes in reddish-pink more prominently.
Use well-draining soil and repot only when the plant has outgrown the original pot. Water it daily if grown in full sun. The plant requires only a little fertiliser to develop. So you can feed the plant occasionally with any balanced fertiliser or even sheep/chicken manure pellets.Prune the plant by half to two-third to prevent unsightly leggy appearance. 

Call for visa centre to be relocated

PARKING issues are driving visitors to the Indian visa centre at the Wisma Straits Trading in Jalan Leboh Pasar Besar to park in the no-parking zone along the building, causing congestion in the area.
Our checks around 10am recently found some vehicles double parked along one side of the street causing inconvenience to other road users.
As the building is situated right after a junction, we noticed bigger vehicles, such as buses, finding it difficult to negotiate a bend at the junction.
These buses also had to deal with the congestion as other vehicles were seen manoeuvring their way out to avoid the illegally parked vehicles.
As there was no sign near the building to inform visitors of parking space or to direct vehicles to the nearest parking lot, many visitors simply parked their vehicles by the roadside.
Even we had to drive around the area for a while before we found a legal parking spot.
The nearest parking spot is at Kompleks Dayabumi, opposite the visa centre but there was no sign to direct motorists to the parking area. Most visitors we spoke to were not aware that they could park at Kompleks Dayabumi.
Our checks also revealed that a yellow box was necessary here in Jalan Lebuh Pasar Besar to allow the vehicles to turn safely into Kompleks Dayabumi.
V. Shegar said he had seen motorcyclists and cars getting hit when they tried to make a quick turn near Agro Bank to enter Kompleks Dayabumi.
“A yellow box is needed for motorists to turn safely into Dayabumi. I’m sure many reports have been made on accidents at this particular spot,” he said.
About 30 minutes into our observation, we saw City Hall’s tow trucks towing away illegally parked vehicles.
Besides City Hall’s enforcement officers, a traffic policeman was also seen issuing summonses.
However, about 45 minutes later, more cars were parking along same stretch.
Another visitor to the centre, who wanted to be known as Raju, said motorists were not afraid of tow trucks.
“They still park their cars here, even though they know that their cars could get towed away.
“I think the visa centre should inform visitors that there’s parking across the road in Dayabumi.
“To make matters worse, we often have to make several trips to the centre as its computer system is often down.”
Noorullah Khan Abdul Salam, 42, who parked his car by the roadside nearby, said he did know where else to park.
“Many people come from as far as Rawang to apply for their visa. They are not familiar with the city and do not know where to park.
“Those who are unfamiliar with this area have no choice but to park by the roadside.”
Asked if he was aware there were parking lots at the Dayabumi, he said he wasn’t.
Noorullah said the visa centre should be relocated to a building with ample parking space.
Another visitor who declined to be named said: “Parking is a major problem for visitors to the centre.”
“There used to be open car parks nearby but most have closed.
“The centre should either make parking arrangements with nearby buildings or move to a better location.”
He said at least five City Hall tow trucks come daily. In an incident recently, he said, a car was towed with the passengers inside.
“The visa centre’s biometric fingerprint system requires applicants to be physically present. So the number of visitors has grown tremendously,” he added.
The 50-year-old said that at least 1,000 people come to the centre every day.
Another visitor said the centre’s previous location in Jalan Ampang had an open car park nearby and that it should not have moved here.
Meanwhile, N. Kaviarasu, 33, said he parked at Kompleks Dayabumi because he knew of the parking space there after a search on the Internet before coming to the centre.
He too concurred that the centre should be relocated to a building with parking facilities.
“Perhaps a traffic police beat base can be set up here to prevent people from keep parking by the roadside.”
A. Surendran, 39, whose car was towed away in Jalan Lebuh Pasar Besar said the Indian Embassy should find a solution to the parking woes.
While lauding City Hall for its enforcement, he said the onus was on the centre’s management to provide parking facilities for its visitors.
He said an employee at the visa application centre told him that the problem had been brought to the attention of its headquarters but to no avail.
Surendran also complained about the frequent system failure at the centre. He said visitors either had to wait a long time or return another day.
This, he said aggravated to the parking problem.

Friday, November 28, 2014

Competing for glory

ntv7 & 8TV garner recognition from the Zoom Festival and 19th Asian TV Awards
Ntv7 and 8TV clinched three nominations in the 19th Asian TV Awards and one in Zoom Festival.
The second instalment of ntv7’s popular reality drama The Game 2 has been selected to compete in the 12th edition of the Zoom Festival in Spain, an event devoted to made-for -TV films.
The Game 2 which stars local stars such as Wayne Chua, Jeffrey Cheng, Ong Ai Leng, Lim Ching Miau and Mers Sia, will go up against two films — The Chosen Ones and Talk To The Tree — for Best TV Film and Best Director titles.
The Chosen Ones is a 2014 German production based on real events of sexual abuse in a German school during the 1970s while Talk To The Tree is produced by Hakka TV (Taiwan) and tells of an old lady who lives by herself in the countryside and believes that plants have emotions and feelings.
“We are honoured to receive recognition for The Game 2 from an international event such as the Zoom Festival. This two-hour drama took the local Chinese entertainment industry by storm last year with its mind-blowing concept and remarkable ratings with a viewership of close to 600,000,” said Airin Zainul, group general manager, ntv7 and 8TV.
The Zoom Festival is taking place until Sunday in Igualada, Barcelona. The event is a showcase for premieres of the best telefilm productions, a platform for film producers worldwide as well as a meeting point for professionals in the industry. This year, with its most international focus to date, will see new productions from around the world joining established works from Europe.
CELEBRATING ASIA’S BRIGHTEST
The Asian TV Awards, which celebrates Asia’s brightest TV professionals, content makers and broadcasters, is back with its 19th edition on Dec 11 at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.
Some 239 nominees across 38 categories and 13 countries will compete for glory.
ntv7’s Aunty Must Go Crazy Season 3 is nominated for Best Game Or Quiz Programme, going up against strong contenders from China (The Cube Season 2 and Still Standing), Japan (Giant Killing), and Thailand (True Innovation Awards: The New Era).
The third season of this game show is hosted by internationally acclaimed actress Yeo Yann Yann (Best Supporting Actress, 50th Golden Horse Awards) and award-winning actor Coby Chong (Best Actor, Golden Awards 2012).
Both ntv7 and 8TV have received nominations under the Best Theme Song category for their dramas — The Undercover (Black And White by Adrian Tan and Will Ng) and Justice Bao, Jr (Dream by Fong Shelhiel) respectively — going up against five contenders from Singapore.
“ntv7 and 8TV hit yet another significant milestone this year with nominations in the prestigious annual Asian TV Awards.
“We have got our faithful viewers and our partners to thank for this remarkable success. We will continue to provide world-class entertainment for our viewers,” said Airin.

Top Picks: The kick in kung fu

Kung fu biopic Rise Of The Legend starring Eddie Peng and Sammo Hung opened yesterday. Loong Wai Ting looks at some of the best martial arts films to date.
Yojimbo (1961)
1 - One of the best-known works by Japanese director Akira Kurosawa, it tells of a man who arrives in a small town where crime lords are constantly at each other’s throats. Things take a deadly turn when the crime bosses try to recruit the man as bodyguard. The film was well-received in both Japan and the West, with Italian director Sergio Leone remaking a western version in 1964 titled A Fistful Of Dollars starring Clint Eastwood.
Come Drink With Me (1966)
2 - Considered one of the best martial arts films ever made, Come Drink With Me starring Cheng Pei-pei and Yueh Hua is about Golden Swallow who has to rescue her brother after he is taken hostage by bandits. The classic film was selected as the official entry by Hong Kong for the Best Foreign Film category at the 39th Academy Awards. However, it failed to secure a nomination. Rumour had it that maverick director Quentin Tarantino acquired the film’s rights for a remake.
Enter The Dragon (1973)
3 - The film marks Bruce Lee’s last film appearance and was released six days after his death in 1973. It was selected for preservation by the National Film Registry. Among the stuntmen were Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao who have become prominent action stars themselves. Set largely in Hong Kong, it is about a martial artist who is approached by a British intelligence agent to help in an undercover mission.
The Karate Kid (1984)
4 - A commercial success, this American film is about Daniel LaRusso, a high school student who forms an unlikely friendship with the eccentric but kind handyman, Miyagi. The success of the film helped launch Ralph Macchio’s acting career as well as Pat Morita’s, who went on to appear in three subsequent sequels. The 1994 version stars Hilary Swank who plays Miyagi’s new student, Julie Pierce.
Police Story (1985)
5 - The first of the six Police Story film franchise (seven, if you count the 1993 spin-off Police Story 3: Supercop, Once A Cop), the film marks a new beginning for Hong Kong cinemas, particularly for the martial arts genre. Written and directed by Jackie Chan, who also starred in the film, it tells of cop Chan Ka-kui who is tasked to take down Chu Tao, a notorious mafia boss.
Bloodsport (1988)
6 - Based partly on claims made by martial artist Frank Dux, it stars Jean-Claude Van Damme as Dux, who spends his life training and mastering the art of Ninjutsu under Master Tanaka. He has only one goal in mind: To participate in Kumite, the ultimate martial arts tournament. A remake of the film is said to be underway with James McTeigue (V For Vendetta) as director.
Once Upon A Time In China (1991)
7 - The first of the Once Upon A Time In China film franchise, martial arts practitioner-turned-actor Jet Li plays Chinese folk hero, Wong Fei Hung. The film was a major success and was considered a revival of period kung fu films which dominated Hong Kong cinemas in the early 1960s. It won the award for Best Director (Tsui Hark) at the 11th Hong Kong Film Award. Other awards include Best Film Editing by Marco Mak, Best Action Choreography and Best Music.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden
Dragon (2000)
8 - Based on the fourth novel by wuxia novelist, Wang Du Lu, the film is set during the Qing dynasty where Li Mu Bai is a master swordsman. Li, who intends to retire from the kung fu world, instructs Shu Lien to transport his sword known as Green Destiny to be offered to the former’s good friend, Sir Te. The film made wuxia films popular among Western audiences. Its sequel, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Green Destiny is currently in post-production, scheduled for release next year.
Ip Man (2008)
9 - Directed by Wilson Yip, it is based on the life of Wing Chun grandmaster, Yip Man, who was also the late Bruce Lee’s mentor. The film re-ignites interest in kung fu biopics. But making the film was not without controversy. During its production, Chinese director Wong Kar Wai announced plans to make a similar film. Kar Wai planned to call his film The Great Master while Yip’s version was to be titled Grandmaster Ip Man. Both parties eventually settled their dispute with Yip shortening his version to Ip Man while Kar Wai’s version is called The Grandmaster.
The Grandmaster (2013)
10 - The Grandmaster opened to great reaction from fans, with critics pointing out Kar Wai’s over-the-top artistic approach. It opened at the 63rd Berlin International Film Festival, exceeding audience expectations. There are three versions of the film, including the “Chinese cut” with a 130-minute runtime and a more linear version that includes explanatory text for American audiences who might be less familiar with the historical aspect of the film.

Stand-out artistes

SLUMBERJACK are a duo from Perth, Australia, who get the listeners’ attention with their latest EP, Slumberjack. Comprising Morgan Then and Fletcher Ehlers, the album packs more punch than the singles that preceded its release — the electronic-fused tracks What So Not and Felon.
The project took a while but it was worth the wait. The album features previously released tracks with better instrumentations for a more mature sound.
Giving new sounds to their music, the members also write and produce the tracks, making the album stand out in a market saturated with similar tunes.
The EP has all the right ingredients for listeners who are into electronics, hip-hop and experimental music. Drawing influences from Timbaland and Skrillex, it’s easy to draw comparison between Slumberjack and the more established artistes.
The four-track album comprises Body Cry featuring Father Dude, an enjoyable listen with its anthem-like beat and groovy vocals. The slightly upbeat Felon is an energetic dubstep that is easy to enjoy. The other tracks are Horus and The Others (feat. KLP).

Yellow boots to the fore

There is more to CSR programmes than fulfilling a company’s annual target, writes Aznim Ruhana Md Yusup
IT was nearly midday when I finally found Kampung Orang Asli Sungai Pinang Tambahan in Pulau Indah, Selangor. The village is not too far from Klang, but with ongoing road works and confusing directions from Waze and Google Maps, it took me awhile to get there.
Once I arrived, I saw dozens of Timberland employees in their green T-shirts. Some were painting the community hall — elephants, trees and dragonflies on the outer walls and crabs, corals and dolphins inside.
Others were helping out with the relay games on the badminton court. The Orang Asli children, along with their teachers from SK Pulau Indah, seemed to be having a blast: Loud music from the speakers failed to drown their squeals of delight.
The village is home to about 65 families. Both parents typically work the sea or coast, and given the challenges to make a living, the children would help out whenever they can, leaving them with little time or motivation for school work.
SK Pulau Indah is the nearest school to the village. It has around 1,500 pupils, with only about 50 from the Orang Asli community.
They’re not doing well though: I was informed by one of the teachers that no Orang Asli has passed the UPSR there in 20 years.
ENCOURAGING LEARNING
Timberland is hoping to change that by upgrading the community hall into a resource and reading centre. The kids can go there and read, particularly those in the afternoon session — it is not unusual to miss school because they were dirty from playing (or working) all morning.
There will be activities throughout the year at the centre, organised by the teaching staff at SK Pulau Indah. Meanwhile, Timberland volunteers will assist in these programmes, so it’s a serious commitment for the company.
The kids will get to take part in learning-related contests, which come with prizes like rice, oil and essential foodstuff. It is hoped that when the parents see the benefits of their kids doing well academically, it will encourage them to take education more seriously.
“Education is the key to eradicate poverty,” says Timberland’s assistant marketing manager Karen Ong. “Transforming part of the community hall into a library to encourage the Orang Asli children and help them understand the importance of education is definitely a meaningful act.”
Timberland says it organises two global service events every year. Earth Day in April and Serv-a-palooza like this one in September. Away from the office, but still on company time, the employees pull out their yellow boots to serve the community.
“Being a part of Timberland brand is not always about work,” says Billy Low, a retail controller.
“Through Serv-a-palooza, we give back to the community and this makes our jobs more meaningful. I had a great experience and enjoyed the teamwork among my peers.”
REACH OUT
For the programme in Pulau Indah, Timberland partnered with Reach Out Malaysia. Set up in 2008, the NGO runs a number of aid programmes including daily soup kitchens in central Kuala Lumpur.
Its president Peter Nicoll tells me they have been working with another rural community in Klang for several years. They started by giving the children breakfast, which helped to improve their grades in school.
Providing food alone will create a dependency, he says. “(But) the food is actually a tool. It allows us to get to know who they are.”
So what follows is a dialogue, and when they have a rapport it is much easier to understand the issues faced by the community and how best to resolve them, regardless of whether it is an urban or rural setting.
Meanwhile, Timberland isn’t the only corporation with a Corporate Social Responsibility target, where employees are required to serve a number of hours each year to help out in company-sponsored or sanctioned events.
The initiative has noble intentions but cynics may also view it as a superficial PR exercise. Here, you have a situation where people are essentially forced to do volunteer work, and so it’s not something that Nicoll feels entirely comfortable about.
The way around it, Nicoll tells me, is to make the employees fully understand the significance of the community work that they will be doing.
For Reach Out’s soup kitchen programmes, he limits the CSR participation to a maximum of 15 employees. This way, he can interact with each individual. And the small number means the “volunteers” have no choice but to help out in the operations alongside the regulars.
“It isn’t about turning up at 11 o’clock on a Monday night, distributing 50 packets of food, get the tick and go home. We find that about 50 per cent of the volunteers who come on a CSR programme come back as regular volunteers.”

A class above the rest

Tun Nadia Aminuddin faces her fears and emerges as the winner for Hot FM’s Projek Radio, writes Faisal Asyraf
PROJEK Radio, a four-week programme by Hot FM to search for a talent to join its line-up for radio DJs, announced its winner recently.
Former Nasional FM and KL FM radio announcer Tun Nadia Aminuddin, 29, triumphed as the winner. She beat five finalists on the last day of the programme, aired live on 8TV from Sri Pentas, Bandar Utama.
Tun Nadia received RM10,000 and a contract to work at Hot FM.
Syarifah Nur Farhana Syed Talib, 23, and Mohd Falyq Hikyle Mohd Fuad, 25, who are the first and second runners-up, took home RM5,000 and RM3,000 respectively.
Other finalists are Mohd Sufianuramri Abdul Rahman, 25, Puteri Nadia Muhammad Zakli, 19, and Muhammad Farid Mohd Johari, 23.
Harian Metro entertainment editor Roslen Fadzil, actress Yana Samsudin and Media Prima TV Networks chief operating officer Seelan Paul were the judges.
For the final task, finalists were required to do a 30-second mock talk for Hot FM segments, namely Hot 30, Throwbackand Sarang Kpop. They also had to answer a few questions posed by the jury. Winners were determined by votes from fans via the Hot FM website, jury and Hot FM management.
SURPRISE WIN
Nadia said that the finalists endured hectic schedules throughout the four weeks. “Today, I feel all the hard work has paid off,” she said, adding that the win marks a turning point in her life.
“Everyone must believe and work on his or her dream. Just go for it. I had to come out from my comfort zone and face my fears,” she said.
THE AUDITION
Last month, some 1,400 hopefuls auditioned for Projek Radio at PNB Darby Park Executive Suites Hotel, KL.
Only 10 were selected to participate in the programme where a contestant was eliminated per week except for the third which saw two participants booted out.
The contestants attended theory and practical classes, which covered voice control, grooming, on-air sessions and a visit to Media Prima.
Their activities were featured on Hot FM’s website,www.hotfm.com.my.
Every other day, guest artistes paid them a visit, sharing tips and words of wisdom.
Among them were composer and musician AG Coco, actors Farid Kamil and Nora Danish as well as Indonesian songstress Kris Dayanti.
“Time flew after the audition. It’s hard to imagine four weeks have passed by. The activities and tasks were interesting and we learnt valuablee lessons in the making of a radio announcer,” said Tun Nadia, who named Hot FM deejay AG as her role model.
Tun Nadia will always remember Kris’ advice to face failure as there is no short cut to success. “It has always been my dream to become a Hot FM radio announcer. This is an exciting radio station!”
Now that her dream has come true, she looks forward to being part of Hot FM’s family, whose members include Fara Fauzana, Ikhwan, Kieran, Leya, Chadand Haziq.
“My aim is to bring listeners closer to Hot FM. They are not merely listeners but friends,” said Tun Nadia, who was with KL FM for six years, with a year’s stint at Nasional FM.
She plans to spend her prize money on “a short escapade outside the city”, with a huge portion to help cover her mother’s pilgrimage to Mecca.
Meanwhile, Syarifah Nur Farhana, or Ann, is grateful for being first runner-up. A broadcast journalist at Primeworks, she admitted that the competition was tough and never thought she could even win one of the top three spots.
Should she be offered a contract with Hot FM, she plans to incorporate fashion in one of the radio segments. “Youth love fashion. By introducing a fashion segment, Hot FM will be able to garner new listeners.”
For Falyq, Projek Radio is his first major competition.
Even though he has some experience working at a private radio station, he felt nervous at the finals.
“I was sweating buckets. I am so thankful that I made it to the top three.”
Both Ann and Falyq agreed that Tun Nadia deserved the win. “She has been enthusiastic from day one. She is ever so excited about the tasks assigned by the management. She may have the experience as a radio announcer, but it’s her passion for this field that makes her a class above the rest,” added Ann.
Media Prima Radio Networks group general manager Anida Mohamad Tahrim said Tun Nadia ticked all the boxes.
“She has been consistent from the beginning and her strength lies in her delivery. Personality-wise, she is joyful and confident. She has proven her worth right till the final stage.
“Overall, the competition was tough. The other contestants were good and I’m sure all of them will be successful in the broadcasting industry, even if they are not with Hot FM.”

Stand up and be counted

“IF we burn, you burn with us!”
These words uttered by Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) in defiance of the tyrannical President Snow (Donald Sutherland) serve as a social mantra in the third of the Hunger Games franchise, Mockingjay Part 1.
As the brave and smart heroine of Panem, Katniss is furious. Gathering her strength after surviving the recent death-defying game, she is ready to fight back.
Katniss has experienced a tumultuous ride in the first two films — The Hunger Games and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire.
In the previous instalments, we learnt that District 12’s Katniss was chosen as one of the 24 “tributes” for the 74th Hunger Games, in which the contestants must fight to the death until there is only one standing.
She and fellow District 12 “tribute” Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) get to the finishing line only to break the laws set by the Capitol (Panem’s official government) for the Hunger Games: Two victors or none at all. The Capitol allows the two to be co-champions, but will not let them get away with such an act of defiance easily.
The sadistic and cold-blooded President Snow then calls for previous victors, including Katniss and Peeta, to participate in a special edition of the Hunger Games, the Third Quarter Quell. Again, Katniss goes against the rules and shatters the Games forever.
The third of the four films in the series, Mockingjay Part 1 takes on a more subdued approach as 17-year-old Katniss emotionally deals with the aftermath of the last Games.
She finds herself in District 13, believed to have been destroyed during the first rebellion against the Capitol. It turns out that its people have been taken to live underground under the leadership of President Coin (Julianne Moore).
Katniss is approached by Coin and Plutarch Heavensbee (Philip Seymour Hoffman), head gamemaker for the Quarter Quell to be the face of the rebellion. Fuelled by the anger from learning that Peeta is now held captive by the Capitol, which has also destroyed her home District 12, Katniss agrees but she has her doubts.
She struggles with guilt stemming from her defiance, which has caused major devastation among the people of Panem.
Mockingjay Part 1 is all about Katniss coming to terms with the repercussions of her actions and how she learns to accept her role and responsibility in leading the rebels, as the symbolic “Mockingjay”.
Based on the last book of the Hunger Games novel trilogy by Suzanne Collins (divided into two parts), this film adaptation tries to stay faithful to the source material by taking things slow, simmering the suspense that will only be unleashed in the final film.
The level of action is almost non-existent to focus on Katniss’ emotional mess. In her words, she only wanted to save her sister Prim (by volunteering in her place for the Games) and to keep Peeta alive (events in the second movie).
When she agrees to be the “Mockingjay” — the face of the rebellion against the Capitol — she finds herself facing more emotional crisis. Her continuous sombre mood results in the film’s dark and quite depressing feel.
The film is slow-moving, making it a yawn-inducer. It is only when viewers see the degree of President Snow’s sadism that Katniss’ self-pitying, woe-me emotional mess seems balanced out.
Sutherland’s portrayal of the heartless dictator is spot-on. He doesn’t necessarily show anger in his facial expressions but there is evil in his eyes.
For those who have not read the book Mockingjay, the mystery of how far Snow will go to provoke Katniss is interesting to learn.
On the other hand, President Coin seems like a capable leader, spewing strong and inspiring words of encouragement to her people. However, Coin’s true personality isn’t explored enough to suggest that she’s an ally. Maybe there’s more to her in the final film.
The star of the film is Lawrence, for her remarkable portrayal of the young heroine. As the Mockingjay, Katniss is required to film several propaganda footage in order to invite the people of Panem to join in the cause.
In these scenes, Lawrence displays strength and conviction in her speech. Katniss’ anguish, hopelessness and fury are also extremely well-translated.
Other characters from the previous films also make an appearance, including Haymitch (Woody Harrelson) and the fashionable Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks), who now seeks refuge in District 13 following the event in the last film.
Mockingjay Part 1 sets the tone for the final film to be released next year, serving its role in pushing the level of anticipation among fans.
The message is now clear. “Join the Mockingjay. Join the fight.”
NOW SHOWING
THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY PART 1
Directed by Francis Lawrence
Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson, Julianne Moore, Donald Sutherland, Philip Seymour Hoffman
Duration: 123 mins
Rating: 18

A little bit of wolf in Cumberbatch

The actor channels James Bond to give voice to a super agent in Penguins Of Madagascar, 
WITH a cumbersome name as Benedict Cumberbatch, it’s ironically on the tip of so many fans.
The London-born actor is having a moment — or six — finding himself the go-to guy for blockbusters, indies, Oscar-bait, live theatre and voice work.
Recently he was an animation voiceover artiste, adapting his distinct delivery to play the Bond-like wolf, Agent Classified, in DreamWorks Animation’s Penguins Of Madagascar, opening in cinemas today.
“I’ve never done this type of work so I wanted to see if it was enjoyable,” he says, adding that the project seemed very appealing to him.
This 3D, computer-animated feature is a spin-off of the studio’s enormously successful Madagascar series, which has earned close to US$2 billion (RM6 billion) since its debut in 2005.
Penguins Of Madagascar capitalises on the enormous popularity of the Polar foursome, Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private.
“I thought the penguins were richly comic characters from the Madagascar films, and this Agent Classified character sounded intriguing as a spoof of Bond,” says Cumberbatch.
In the film, the penguins join forces with animal welfare task force North Wind, led by wolf-turned super-spy Agent Classified, to capture his slippery adversary, Dr Octavius Brine (voiced by the legendary John Malkovich) and stop him from destroying the world.
Commenting on the film, Cumberbatch says: “There’s a great deal of sophistication, slapstick and great capers that will appeal to kids.
“(The penguins are) very lovable, cute, accidental heroes, yet there’s a human element to both them and North Wind.”
Cumberbatch’s agent is a cool, serious, level-headed professional using hi-tech gadgetry but, as Cumberbatch says, Agent Classified soon finds out that “you have to be a little bit penguin in life” to really find success.
He reveals more about Agent Classified and his experience working on Penguins Of Madagascar.
Why did you choose this as your debut movie?
I have friends who have children — one is my godson, who’s going to be about the right age to enjoy the film — so I thought I’d give it a go.
I hope I’ve done a good enough job to get a gig again. It was fun.
It pains me to see this movie sometimes because I want to do more than they’ve asked me to do — maybe this is a way into doing more. But yeah, I love those characters — they’re very funny.
Who is Agent Classified, and how did you develop the character?
He takes himself incredibly seriously — as he should, because he’s the head of The North Wind, which is this elite task force that looks after animal welfare around the world.
The fantastic metaphor in the film is that he’s a well-organised, slick professional, but through clashing heads with his polar opposite penguins — no pun intended — he learns that you have to be a little bit penguin in life.
You have to sometimes just run with the problem rather than try to solve it with hi-tech wizardry and lots of planning.
He seems quite Bond-like.
In his mind, and also in his voice, which was part of the development, that suave, English delivery.
There is some seduction, there is definitely gadgetry, there’s a lot of action and he’s quite adept at what he does.
He’s commanding but then he can also be a complete and utter pillock as well. That’s a counter-intuitive version of Bond, which I found quite funny.
Why do you think the filmmakers thought you’d make a great Agent Classified?
I guess in the way that John Malkovich has played villains, I’ve played many slightly arrogant anti-heroes.
Initially, I thought it was an amalgamation of things I’d done but I wanted to find a way to make it original.
I started putting in my two cents worth and they were really thrilled by that. I try to make them laugh with improvisations every time. I try to shape it so that it’s not me doing something expected.
How was it for you to remove yourself physically from the process — freeing or frustrating?
It’s frustrating and difficult, because of that disconnect. You’re not with the other players, and you’re not even with your own performance — you’re doing it to a blank screen.
You’re not following an image and you’re not doing it with a movement that is extrapolated into something that resembles that movement.
The movement you do is recorded, but it’s usually just so you can vocalise the character as you need.
You have to lose your sanity and inhibitions, and any kind of dignity and just throw yourself around a bit.
You voiced the animated dragon Smaug in The Hobbit. For that you went to the zoo to watch and study lizards. Did you do the same for Agent Classified?
Did I observe dogs? No. This dog stands on its hind legs and drinks espressos, and lifts its little pinky up on its paw! It’s beyond anthropomorphic; it’s a very surreal, alternate world of animals.
Can you see any of yourself in Agent Classified?
Hopefully a little bit, yes. Mainly the sort of hangdog expression, and some of the raised eyebrows and cup-of-tea moments.
He’s always got his little finger up - not that I do that in real life, but I did that in the sessions to try and influence the animation.
Madagascar capitalised on everyone’s love of penguins, and it seems that this movie alludes to that love.
It does. The overriding theme is “aren’t penguins cute”, and there you have a reason for an arch villain and all the other hell that ensues.
So yes, it’s a very smart inversion of the stereotype about penguins. You mix their cuteness with human foibles and characteristics, and you’ve got a very potent combination.
They’ve created a really strong dynamic — the speechless but brilliant and eating-everything Rico, the innocence of Private, Skipper’s incredible delivery that’s somewhere between John Wayne and James Mason... it’s brilliant.
Why do people love the penguins?
They’re just brilliantly realised characters — their human dynamic is intoxicatingly funny and recognisable.
They’re hapless heroes, accidentally running into the right solution, often by idiocy, but you love them for it because they really believe in what they’re doing.
They believe they really are that brilliant. They don’t realise how much is accidental.
What makes a good animated movie?
Being able to balance adult and knowing in-jokes and also just out and out funny things that make people laugh.
The idea that it’s something that will appeal to a family, that’s the trick.
Beyond that, it’s great to get in subversive messages about morality and how to make a slightly better life for yourself and others, and the world.
If you can do that without too much syrup coating, all the better. Animations are really powerful for that — it’s not just entertainment. It’s a very cunning way to get good ideas across.

Mammoth sales

THE much-awaited year end means different things to different people — long school break, family holiday, Christmas and the monsoon season. For shopaholics, it simply means the country’s grandest sale — the 1Malaysia Year-End Sales (1MYES), from now until Jan 4.
As the curtain closes on the Visit Malaysia Year 2014 campaign, the year-end shopping fiesta becomes a prelude to the Malaysia Year of Festivals (MyFEST) 2015.
The nationwide sale offers in-store surprises, redemptions and gifts, deals and discounts, and year-end school holiday specials for the family, as well as Christmas and New Year sales.
This is also a good time to enjoy gastronomical delights.
The event was officially launched recently by Tourism Malaysia deputy chairman Datuk Maznah Mazlan and was attended by guests, including industry players and 277 participants from 26 countries.
Mega Fam participants earlier attended a Destination Seminar where they were briefed on local attractions and resorts, the Kuala Lumpur City Hall and Express Rail Link.
They also enjoyed Kuala Lumpur’s shopping trail — the Bukit Bintang- KLCC walk as well as musical production Mud: Our Story of Kuala Lumpur at Panggung Bandaraya and Licence to Thrill: a Bond Concert at Istana Budaya, both in Kuala Lumpur.
The 1MYES is one of three major sale campaigns in Malaysia, besides the 1Malaysia Grand Prix Sale in March and the 1Malaysia Mega Sale Carnival, from June to September. These campaigns have helped boost tourist expenditure and bring numerous benefits to local retailers.
MyFEST is expected to help Malaysia achieve its target of 29.4 million tourist arrivals and RM89 billion in tourist receipts for 2015.
Along with Visit Malaysia Year 2014, these tourism campaigns are the key drivers towards achieving the country’s target of 36 million arrivals, with RM168 billion in tourist receipts by 2020, based on the Malaysia Tourism Transformation Plan.

The hip, happening outdoors Fancy going

quad-biking on the dunes or swimming with dolphins? There’s more to Sydney than the breathtaking scenery and retail therapy, writes Faridul Anwar Farinordin
SHORTLY after landing at Sydney International Airport, we are told that it’s time for quad-biking.
Most of us are still sluggish from the overnight flight so the thought of operating heavy machinery with revved up engines across sand dunes and coastal wilderness has either sent an exciting buzz or frightful thoughts for our entourage that comprises journalists, AirAsia X officials, celebrity Tasha Shilla and her mum Rosnah Suratman.
Our host, the ever-accommodating Duglass Hocking, surely knows how to sweeten the deal. A selection of delectable pastries (the divine creme brulee pastry is literally to die for) from a famous bakery in Sydney’s Surrey Hills surely gets the adrenaline juices going. Some cups of organic latte later, we are ready for our mission.
The journey to Port Stephens, 16km northeast of Sydney, takes roughly 2½ hours. One of Australia’s reputed marine playground, it is also home to Worimi Conservation Lands, which boasts scenic and enormous dunes (from 12 metres to 30.5 metres high) with wondrous cultural significance.
SPECTACULAR SAND DUNES
Worimi Conservation Lands is a cluster of aborigine-owned parks co-managed by the Worimi Traditional Owners and the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Formed more than 100,000 years ago, it comprises a 32km-long coastline (including Stockton Beach), dunes and forest that are made even more special with many aboriginal ancient relics such as middens, campsites and burial sites.
“The dunes are constantly moving and the landscape is always changing, so always follow your group leader during the quad-biking ride so as not to get lost,” we were reminded prior to the adventure.
On arrival, it instantly takes our breath away with its sheer vastness and unspoilt natural wonders.
Lead tour guide Andrew Smith from Sand Dune Adventures (www.sandduneadventures.com.au) gives a quick safety demonstration on the all-terrain vehicle: “Use the brakes softly. If you’re riding along and hit the brakes too hard, you’ll go whoaaaahhh (doing a funny impression of flying out of the seat. Please see the accompanying video)!”
A few of us are given the option to ride with the guides, one of whom is the ever-smiling Worimi native, John.
A helmet and a bright orange vest complete the whole hot biker look, and soon we are ready to explore a different kind of Australian “wilderness”, dubbed “the largest moving coastal sand dunes in the Southern Hemisphere.”
It doesn’t take long before the journey gets immensely exciting. The breath-taking views, with 360 degrees of nature’s wonder as we stand atop a vantage point high on the dunes, is simply one of the highlights of the entire trip. The view of the sea, sand and shrubberies form a picture-perfect postcard.
Also included in the two-hour sand dune activity is sandboarding. It seems scary at first, what with the steep slopes of some of the largest dunes in the area. But if Tasha Shilla and her mother could do it with calm and confidence, so could I. Safety tip: Push your hand down into the powdery sand to control your speed.
In case you’re wondering, I make it to the bottom of the dunes following a loud, high-pitched scream that reverberates through the land.
SEA ADVENTURES
Our accommodation for the first night is at Ramada Resort Shoal Bay, comprising beachfront rooms overlooking the white sand shores and unspoilt national parklands. This small, tranquil and charming coastal suburb, known for its stunning natural beauty, is named after the numerous sand shoals which are scattered around the area.
Interestingly, Port Stephens is home to two of Australia’s most extraordinary marine playgrounds, Great Lakes Marine Park and Tomaree National Park. Popular among local tourists during summer, it offers many water-based activities including fishing trips, scenic tours, dolphin watching cruises, whale watching cruises and water sports.
Imagine our excitement when parasailing is listed as the first activity the following morning.
Organised by Port Stephens Watersports (www.pswatersports.com.au), the activity sends visitors soaring 150m high above the water as the parachute is winched into the air from the speed boat. You wouldn’t get wet, as take off and landing are from the boat.
As I glide gleefully high above the water of Shoal Bay that morning, an amazing bird’s eye view of Port Stephens and its clear blue waters take my breath away. We were earlier told that we could spot bottlenose dolphins from this vantage point, so that surely adds to the excitement.
Unfortunately, there is no dolphin that morning — even though I am strapped to the sail and hoisted into the air twice (a member of the entourage is scared of heights, so I happily take his place). Luckily, dolphin-watching is next in the programme.
Departing from Nelson Bay with Tamboi Queen Cruises (www.tamboiqueencruises.com), our vessel is a 19.8m MV Surprise with two-level viewing decks and equipped with boom net rides to allow visitors to get close to the mammals.
The trip, which takes close to two hours to complete, is worth every minute — the anticipation of seeing the dolphins builds to a satisfying finish the moment we spot them swimming playfully around the boat. There are screams of delight by the passengers, some of whom quickly get into their swimsuits and jump into the net rides for a much closer encounter.
“Port Stephens is reputed as one of the best places in the world to see dolphins in the wild, with a population of over 160 bottlenose dolphins living in the port,” says Tamboi Queen Cruises manager, Sharon Aldrich, whose Twitter account (@sharon_aldrich) allows her followers to join her at sea with these majestic creatures.
From May to mid-November, visitors also have the opportunity to witness the annual migration of over 12,000 whales — mostly Humpbacks, along the coastal region to get to the warm waters of the Great Barrier Reef where they mate and calve.
On our way back to Sydney, we make a stop at Tailor Made Fish Farms (www.tailormadefishfarms.com.au), a leading barramundi farm in New South Wales. The guided tour takes us through the fish production sheds and nursery to see “barra babies” and the giant “Big Barry” that weighs over 22kg and almost 1m in length!
Its guide Graeme Rolston, who has over 15 years of experience in the industry, also takes us on a walk through the hydroponic vegetable beds to see the lush green and red lettuces, spinach, basil and parsley that are produced from the barramundi waste water — which actually tastes good.
Some members of the entourage feel that our trip would not be complete without koalas and kangaroos, so it is only fair that we make a stop (not in the original itinerary) at Oakvale Farm and Fauna World, in Salt Ash some 30km away from Shoal Bay. Opened in 1979, the facility feels more like an animal farm than a zoo as it allows visitors to enjoy a hands-on experience with Australian native and domestic farm animals that also include koalas, kangaroos, wombats, emus, dingoes and ostriches (www.oakvalefarm.com.au).
BIKER COOL IN BONDI
We spend the night at the heritage-listed art deco building of The Grace Hotel (www.gracehotel.com.au) in the heart of Sydney. Built in 1930, the majestic hotel is conveniently located and is only a short walk away to the attractions of Darling Harbour, Cockle Bay and King Street Wharf.
The next day, after obligatory retail therapy at Sydney’s largest outlet centre the Birkenhead Point Outlet Centre Drummoyne in the morning, we are surprised to find a group of leather-clad, scruffy-looking bikers greeting us at the beachfront promenade of Sydney’s popular Bondi Beach.
This is actually the “surprise” element of the trip — to be specific, the rides on attention-grabbing trikes and Harley Davidson cruisers. This is made possible with Troll Tours (www.trolltours.com.au), a motorbike tour company that offers visitors a more fascinating — and not to mention ultra-glamorous — way of exploring Sydney and its surroundings.
I pick the 2006 Harley Electra Glide with Greg Nomchong, clad in fetching black leather jacket adorned by interesting pins and insignias. His face is covered with a silver-painted Skeletor mask (the villain in He-Man and the Masters of the Universe) throughout the journey, which adds to a wonderful sense of mystery and excitement.
But there’s nothing mysterious about our travelling route, other than being fun. The one-hour ride takes us to the affluent harbour-side of Point Piper and finished at The Gap, an ocean cliff on the south head peninsula in eastern Sydney. The Gap looks over the Tasman Sea and offers breath-taking view, which unfortunately is ill-famed for being a suicide spot.
VIP Water Taxis (www.vipwatertaxis.com.au) later takes us in style from Watsons Bay Wharf to Circular Quay for a scheduled backstage tour of the Sydney Opera House. Our journey continues on board of the funky “water limos”, with the Abba’s popular song Dancing Queen blasting on the speakers, as we head to King Street Wharf with the sun gloriously setting in the horizon.