Sunday, August 30, 2015

Beauties: We love Malaysia



We are one: (From left) Vung, Dayana Gilbert, Lady Thatany, Valencia Ann, Cheryllynn, Shirley and Rachel Alliun wearing the wristbands in Kota Kinabalu in support of the unity campaign AnakAnakMalaysia, jointly organised by Eco World Development Group Bhd (EcoWorld) and Star Media Group Bhd in conjunction with the National Day and Malaysia Day celebrations. — NORMIMIE DIUN/The Star
We are one: (From left) Vung, Dayana Gilbert, Lady Thatany, Valencia Ann, Cheryllynn, Shirley and Rachel Alliun wearing the wristbands in Kota Kinabalu in support of the unity campaign AnakAnakMalaysia, jointly organised by Eco World Development Group Bhd (EcoWorld) and Star Media Group Bhd in conjunction with the National Day and Malaysia Day celebrations. 
KOTA KINABALU: They are beauties with an even more beautiful message – that being Malaysian is to be part of an extended family of mixed ethnicities.
Seven past contestants of Unduk Ngadau or Harvest Queen pageant got together to make known Malaysia’s diversity.
Kimberly Vung, 21, a contestant of the May 31 Unduk Ngadau held during the Kaamatan or Harvest Festival, said she grew up with Indian, Bajau, Chinese, Malay, Pakistani and Filipino relatives.
“Somehow, I never thought of them as being different.
“They are my uncles, aunties and cousins. So they are family.
“This is the great thing about being Malaysian,” said Vung who grew up in Penampang, but represented Likas at the pageant.
Lady Thatany Tony, who represented Kinabatangan, recalled how she spent two years growing up with her mother’s sister who was married to an Indian.
“I learnt about vegetarian food. It is still my preference,” said Lady Thatany, 25, who along with Vung and five other Unduk Ngadau contestants visited the Sabah Museum on Friday for the opening of its “Women in History” exhibition.
As for Valencia Ann Primus, who represented Kota Kinabalu in the contest, being Malaysian was also being naturally multi-lingual.
With her mother being an Iban and father a Kadazandusun, the 21-year-old administrative assistant grew up speaking both ethnic languages apart from Bahasa Malaysia and English.
“I also have Murut relatives.
“So I grew up with all these different languages being spoken around me. It’s great,” said Valencia Ann.
Similarly, Shirley Anthony, who took the first runner-up title in this year’s pageant when representing Tambunan, said being a Malaysian was to have the opportunity to learn other languages other than Kadazandusun and Bahasa Malay­sia that were ­spoken at home.
“My parents sent me to a Chinese school. As a result, I can converse in Mandarin and write in Chinese.
“This helps me in my work,” said Shirley, who has ventured into the health and beauty business.
Cheryllynn Pinsius, 22, who won last year’s Unduk Ngadau title, said the different ethnic food in the country reflected Malaysia’s diversity.
“The choice is seemingly endless. That is among the reasons to celebrate being a Malaysian,” said Cheryllynn of Kampung Bantayan at Inanam near here.
Cheryllynn said that it was a pleasure to introduce her friends to her favourite food such as bambangan or wild mango pickles as well as hinava (raw fish cooked in lime juice).

1,500 Armed Forces officers in opening performance



Armed to the teeth: Armed Forces personnel wearing their camouflage or ghillie suit participating in the parade.
Armed to the teeth: Armed Forces personnel wearing their camouflage or ghillie suit participating in the parade.
KUALA LUMPUR: For the first time, the Malaysian Armed Forces (ATM) will entertain spectators witnessing the National Day 2015 celebration with a field band performance called Rentak Sederap Gabungan ATM.
ATM Staff Officer 1 Lt-Col Md Yusof Sebli said 1,500 personnel from the army, air force and navy would be involved in the performance.
“We are given the opportunity to do the opening performance. It will be held specifically for the National Day and incorporates the elements of unity for Malaysians,” Lt-Col Md Yusof said.
He added that all the members involved in the parade had been undergoing continuous training since Aug 18.
Overall, he said 30 army and 30 air force assets and 30 horses belonging to the army would be involved in the parade.
It is being jointly carried out by the Prime Minister’s Department, Kuala Lumpur City Hall, Communi­cations and Multimedia Ministry and the National Culture and Arts Department.
The event would also be enlivened by more than 10,000 participants from government and private agencies who would be involved in various performances such as the parade, rhythmic marching and anti-terrorist demonstration.

Budget hotels fully booked



KUALA LUMPUR: Budget hotels in Chinatown, which is one of the closest to Dataran Merdeka, are a hit with Bersih 4 protesters. Many were fully booked.
Didi, a receptionist at Bunc @ Radius Chinatown said all 20 of the hotel’s rooms, which cost RM80 and above, had been booked.
“But there are still beds available in the dormitories,” he said.
A worker at nearby Lantern Inn said all the rooms in the budget hotel were also booked for the weekend.
“We had to turn away some people,” he said, adding that most of those who walked in to ask for a room were Bersih participants.
Terrence Woo, manager of Hotel Seven Nite, said 90% of its rooms had been booked for the weekend.
“Some came in early Saturday morning to reserve a room,” said Woo, adding that he allowed Bersih protesters to use the hotel’s washroom.
“We are located near Dataran Merdeka and many protesters pass our place,” he said.
Arena Star hotel manager Vivian Lee said rally participants took up more than 70% of the rooms.
The hotel is a five-minute walk from Masjid Jamek LRT, one of the meeting points.
Lee said the rally was “not an inconvenience” to her business, saying that it was part and parcel of being Malaysian.
“Some tour agents, however, skipped our hotel because it is hard to go in and out due to the road closures,” she said.
Hotel Arena Mountbatten, located along Jalan Tun Perak, was fully booked for the weekend but this was due to the long holiday, said its director Anwar Abu Bakar.
He said protesters only made up about 5% of those staying there.
The hotel, he said, also had to close its doors in the afternoon as protesters tried to cool themselves in the hotel’s lobby.
“We told them that they could not be there and they left,” he said.
Anwar said their presence was an inconvenience to guests who wanted to rush to the airport.
“We had to take them somewhere else so they could get a taxi to the airport,” he said, adding that there were delays for those checking in as well because the roads were blocked.

A busy time for vuvuzela and cold drinks sellers




KUALA LUMPUR: There was a carnival-like atmosphere as crowds gathered around the city before making their way outside the vicinity of Dataran Merdeka.
The whole area was deafening with the jarring sounds of the vuvuzela, whistles and the sporadic beating of drums.
Vuvuzela seller Che Mohd Nizam Jamal, 34, from Gombak was smiling from ear to ear as he described the brisk sales of the horn which he sold at RM5 each.
“I’m almost sold out! I hope to be able to leave soon,” said Nizam who also sold balloons.
Another vuvuzela seller, who only wanted to be known as Adi, managed to sell 10 in half-an-hour.
“I came quite late. If I had come a bit earlier, maybe I could have gone home by now,” he said.
Although some retailers closed their shutters early, the rally was also a boon for restaurants and street hawkers.
Kamal Mohd Dan, who sells cold drinks, said he had made twice as much as he usually did.
The 40-year-old from Kajang usually sells his goods from his motorcycle sidecar. He said he made more money at rallies compared to other public events or even football matches.

Say goodbye to yesterday’s iffy dental implants



Say goodbye to yesterday’s iffy dental implants
A crown is affixed to the dental implant, usually made of titanium or a titanium alloy
An apple a day may keep the doctor away for most people, but for Jolanta Garbarz, one bite of an apple used to send her straight to her dentist’s chair.
“My teeth would break,” Garbarz said.
So a few years ago, she forked over more than US$30,000 (RM126,000) and asked her dentist to replace the top teeth in her mouth with implants, so she could finally eat apples, pears – all the fruit she desired.
“Now I bite on anything and everything,” Garbarz said. “It’s life changing, I don’t have to be embarrassed when I smile.”
Dental implants have been around for hundreds of years. But today’s implants aren’t your grandma’s implants, which is why millions of people are choosing them now and why more general dentists are being trained to insert implants.
“The change was gradual; it wasn’t an overnight thing,” said Sivan Finkel, a dentist with The Dental Parlour in New York. “It used to be strictly the domain of the surgeons, but about 10 years ago, it has started to be commonplace for general dentists to be putting them in.”
Dental implants, the artificial roots that dentists use to replace missing teeth, traditionally are made from titanium or an alloy of titanium, explained Stuart Froum, immediate past president of the American Academy of Periodontology and director of Periodontology and Implant Dentistry at New York University.
The metal is strong, it doesn’t rust or bend, and it can support the bite when chewing or speaking.
It bonds with the jawbone where the tooth is missing, and it provides support for a prosthetic crown.
“Implants are used because they avoid removable dentures or having to cut down sound teeth to support a false tooth as part of a fixed bridge,” Froum said.
The average cost of a dental implant and crown is around US$4,500 (RM18,900), said Kyle Stanley, a dentist in Beverly Hills who specialises in implant dentistry.
And while insurance plans used to treat dental implants as experimental treatments, Stanley said, about half of insurance plans cover the implants today.
“Dental insurance is often slow to implement new treatments, but dental implants have been around for a very long time and have a proven track record with over a 94% success rate,” Stanley said.
The success rate is high today, but this wasn’t the case just a few years ago, said Joseph Orrico, owner of Illinois Implant Dentistry and past president of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. He has been doing dental implants since 1979 and currently does about 800 annually.
“The types of implants that are available today have a higher predictability now, and they’re a lot easier to restore,” Orrico said. “Back when I started, they were a little more technique-sensitive.”
Dentists had to prepare the patient’s bone to fit a given implant, which was a two-stage technique that could take up to a month.
“It was very involved,” Orrico said. “Now you see people who are having their teeth done in an hour.”
Now that the process is relatively simple, more dentists are starting to offer it in their offices, Orrico said.
This is good and bad, because some of the dentists doing implants aren’t trained to do them properly, Finkel said.
Although most dental schools require dentists to place an implant to graduate, it’s important to make sure that the dentist you’re seeing also is credentialed, Orrico said.
“You don’t have to see a specialist, but you want to make sure that they took more than a weekend course,” he said. “There are people out there that market courses to us, and they say, ‘Come down to our facility, pay us US$10,000 (RM42,000) and you can get certified in the end.’”
That’s not the dentist you want for your implant. Instead, look for one who went to a long-term implant school, Finkel suggested.
The American Academy of Implant Dentistry offers its own accreditation programme, and its credentialed dentists complete at least 300 hours of continuing education related to implant dentistry, in addition to practising implant dentistry for at least a year.
They also pass an in-depth written and oral exam in implant dentistry.
In line with the dental implant trend, the academy has 1,000 accredited members today, compared with 800 in 2010 and 650 in 2005.
It’s also important that implant dentists continue to attend seminars and to read studies about their field, as changes in implant dentistry occur daily thanks to technology, Froum said.
“Computer-generated crowns are now being made, but relative to the changes and improvements in computers that have occurred over the last decade, we can expect that, over the next 10 years, applications in the dental-implant field will greatly improve the predictability, durability, aesthetics and function of dental implants,” Froum said.

Bersih 4: Participants promise not to enter Dataran Merdeka



KUALA LUMPUR: The Bersih 4 rally organisers have assured Suhakam that they would not enter Dataran Merdeka.
Suhakam commissioner James Nayagam said the Bersih marshals were also doing a good job by controlling the crowd and stopping the protesters from crossing the line.
He said the commission was acting as mediator for Bersih and the police, speaking to reporters after exchanging words with  Dang Wangi OCPD Asst Comm Zainol Samah.
James said police had also given the assurance that they would not take action if the protesters did not break the law.
He added they also had their observers at various meeting points in the city, where the people meet up before marching to Dataran Merdeka.

Bersih 4: Entertainment tonight



3,942 views
As the clock ticked towards midnight, Bersih 4.0 organisers threw a moonlit party for night owls who couldn't sleep.

Dong Zong’s ugly show must end now



By any means: A group of people gate-crashing the Dong Zong building before an extraordinary general meeting on Aug 23 to elect a new leadership took place.
By any means: A group of people gate-crashing the Dong Zong building before an extraordinary general meeting on Aug 23 to elect a new leadership took place.
IT is a relief to see Dong Zong successfully convening an anticipated extraordinary general meeting (EGM) last Sunday to oust its feuding leaders and elect a new central committee to put an end to its 20-month crisis, despite violent protests held outside its office to stop the EGM.
It is also heartening to note that the newly elected president, Vincent Lau Lee Ming from Sarawak, is someone who has stayed above the fray of the power struggle between two rival camps in Dong Zong (United Chinese School Committees Association).
But to the dismay of many, the new committee also comprises controversial characters such as Poh Chin Chuan, who is one of the key persons responsible for contributing to the current crisis in Dong Zong and splitting this Chinese education group.
Poh, the immediate past secretary-general (sec-gen) of Dong Zong, is retained as sec-gen in the new committee. He had led past committee members to oppose the leadership of immediate past president Dr Yap Sin Tian for the past one and a half years.
But even so, there is no compelling reason for Yap or any disgruntled group to challenge the legality of the EGM and its outcome. This is because the holding of this EGM appeared to have complied with the Constitution of Dong Zong, obtained the sanction of the court and guidance from the state Registrar of Society (RoS) of Selangor.
Hence, Yap should stop finding legal avenues to challenge this EGM and the new leadership line-up.
For someone who has a track record of defending Chinese education for 20 years, there is expectation for him to show his love for Dong Zong. Dragging Dong Zong into another protracted legal battle, like what had happened in the last 20 months, will deal another damaging blow to this Chinese education movement.
Yap is expected to accept the outcome of the EGM in a gentlemanly manner, as prior to the Aug 23 EGM, he had failed to obtain a court injunction to stop the EGM from being held. It would be contempt of court if those who had gate-crashed Dong Zong on Aug 23 were instigated by him.
Logically, Yap should have been allowed to serve his full four-year term as elected president until mid-2017 if there was no issue with him. But since 10 out of 13 state affiliates of Dong Zong lost confidence in his leadership and requisitioned for an EGM to remove him in accordance with the provisions in Dong Zong’s Constitution, he should pass the reins to his successor.
In planning to challenge the legality of the EGM, Yap may want to give some consideration to the feelings of the Chinese community which now only wants to see an end to the Dong Zong’s crisis.
It really does not matter to them who is in the right or wrong. It matters to them that the crisis ends as soon as possible so that serious work, such as the holding of the UEC examination for more than 25,000 students in 60 Chinese high schools in October, can proceed smoothly.
It also matters to the Chinese community that the National RoS will not deregister Dong Zong. The National RoS has given an ultimatum to Dong Zong’s two factions to come to a settlement by Sept 7.
It is clear to Yap and his staunch supporters that even if Yap managed to nullify the Aug 23 EGM, he could not function as an effective leader. Not only has he lost the support of his committee, he has also lost control of the huge Dong Zong secreta­riat and sympathy of the mass media.
And due to his mishandling of many issues, his advisers and long-time “comrades” in Chinese education have abandoned him. Some are even giving advice to his rivals.
In fact, public opinion is overwhelmingly against Yap since the EGM. Most commentaries in the Chinese media condemned the rogue behaviour of Yap’s supporters and questioned the logic of engaging violence to stop a court-sanctioned EGM.
Now that the EGM had voted in a new committee headed by Lau, the shattered Dong Zong should be allowed to pick up the pieces and move forward, they commented.
As the new leader is a prominent businessman and a politician within the ruling Barisan Nasional in Sarawak, there are high expectations.
Lau is a son of the owner of the hugely diversified KTS Group in Sibu, with businesses ranging from timber and timber-related sectors to plantation, media, oil palm, prawn farming, shipbuilding, food and glass sand making.
In its media segment, KTS owns peninsula-based Chinese newspaper Oriental Daily.
Lau, who is the deputy managing director of KTS, contested the Sibu Parliamentary seat in the May 2013 general election on a SUPP ticket, but lost it to DAP. SUPP is a component party of Barisan.
The 58-year-old Australia-trained economist said in an interview that he was under no illusion that issues plaguing Dong Zong would go away easily. However, he promised to chart a course to bring Dong Zong back on its feet again.
He said Dong Zong could not continue to be split, as this would have far-reaching consequences for Chinese education in Malaysia.
Dong Zong, which has been championing Chinese education for over 60 years, has played a key role in the development of Chinese schools. Many prominent politicians, professionals and businessmen have had their early start in Chinese primary schools.
Lau told Sin Chew Daily that the first task for him as president was to persuade the Sarawak state government to grant official recognition to the UEC certificate awarded by Dong Zong to students sitting for its UEC exams.
Giving official recognition would mean Chinese secondary school leavers with UEC certificates could work in the civil service. This has been the aspiration of the Chinese community for decades.
But Nanyang Siang Pau, in its editorial, advised Dong Zong to eventually retire all controversial figures so that the organisation could win back support from Yap’s supporters and move forward as a united body.
Hopefully, Yap will inform the National RoS on Sept 7 that he accepts the new leadership line-up so that Dong Zong can close a dark chapter of its history.
Without a doubt, a deregistration of Dong Zong will cause an uproar in the Chinese community. Inevitably, fingers will point at Yap and Poh and their collaborators for forcing Dong Zong into this sad and embarrassing state of affairs.

Bersih 4: All calm in Kota Kinabalu



KOTA KINABALU: Key Sabah Bersih leaders were seen wearing the banned Bersih 4 T-shirts as they began gathering at five main assembly points along Likas Bay here.
Participants were seen arriving at various points in small groups amidst visible police presence, with organisers expecting numbers to grow before the walk to the main gathering point at Likas Bay Park 2 begins at 2pm.
Approximately 20 people, mainly organisers were seen at the Likas Trade Centre parking lot area at about noon, while smaller numbers were seen at the other four gathering points.
Parts of the Likas Bay Park 2 area have been cordoned off by police; however the atmosphere in Kota Kinabalu remains relaxed. 

Bersih 4: More than 5,000 participants expected for rally



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The organisers of the Bersih 4 rally in Kuching say the turnout is more than expected.

Ghostly tale: Condo for sale, comes with permanent roommate




A decade ago, project manager Gerard Raj, then in his 20s, bought a second-hand condo in Kelana Jaya, Petaling Jaya, and thought he had made a sweet deal. But the unit came with an occupant.
Gerard stayed there for a week at first, and nothing happened. It was only after he moved in a month and a half later that the unnerving disturbances started.
“While watching TV, it would be tuned to a Chinese channel. The lights in the master bedroom and toilet could not be switched off. Once, I heard the toilet door creak while I was sleeping,” he recalled.
After his shower one day, he noticed the master bedroom door was open although he had shut it earlier.
There was another time after he had gone to bed when he heard someone running from the toilet to the hall. The room light, which could not be switched off, suddenly went out!
“It freaked me out,” he said, adding that he could always feel someone staring at him from the doorway.
“That night, I prayed very hard and barely slept. When my phone alarm went off at 5am, I quickly changed and left for work without even showering.”
That night, he returned to his new condo with his father, whom he invited to stay the night.
Both father and son sat down to watch TV. His father smoked, and could make out the outline of a figure in the exhaled smoke. “My father grabbed my hand and dragged me out to eat. We left without switching off the TV and never returned home,“ he said. The next day, he moved back in with his father.
The condo was vacant for five months before Gerard found a tenant. After the first month, the tenant – who had two young children – made the same complaint about the master bedroom light. The family stayed for six months before vacating the place.
Apparently, the tenant called in an imam when he noticed his three-year-old talking to the wall in the master bedroom. The imam advised the family to move out as the condo has “bad energy”. The tenant did not mind forfeiting his deposit for breaching the tenancy agreement, saying his family’s lives were more important.
The next tenant, a foreigner, rented the condo five months after the previous one moved out.
“For a year, he did not complain. When I visited him, I found that he travelled regularly for work,” Gerard said. The second year, the tenant travelled less and that’s when he started to complain about the latch on the toilet door which opened by itself, and being unable to change the channel on the television.
The tenant eventually bought the unit, as he did not believe in paranormal activity, dismissing it as “wonky superstitions”. Eight months later, he called Gerard to help him find an exorcist.
“He had the creepy feeling that someone was watching him. His girlfriend also complained about someone trying to touch her in bed and staring at her while she was in the shower,” he said. The disturbances would start at about 11pm and continue until 3am.
A Christian priest came to cleanse the house. Two months after that, the owner put the unit up for sale, and that was the last Gerard ever heard about his haunted condo.

Friday, August 28, 2015

Weaker ringgit a windfall for VS Industry



Gan:'The company gains on export activities'
Gan:'The company gains on export activities'
Company MD says 90% of its products are exported
SENAI: For VS Industry Bhd, one of the top 50 electronics manufacturing service providers in the world, the weakening of the ringgit against the greenback is a windfall as it gains on export activities.
Managing director Datuk Gan Sem Yam said that 90% of the company products were exported to the United States, Australia, Japan and European countries with business transactions done in US dollars.
“Our economic fundamentals are strong and Malaysia is fully prepared, so are our local exporters,” Gan told reporters after the company’s EGM.
At the EGM, shareholders approved the one-to-five share split that will increase the number of shares from 229.86 million shares of RM1 each to 1,148.30 million shares of RM0.20 each.
Shareholders will hold five common shares for each existing share held.
He said the weakening ringgit since the last-quarter of 2014, had made the country’s manufacturing sector more competitive, especially for the export-oriented companies.
“Export-oriented manufacturers like us are allowed by Bank Negara to buy our raw materials in the US dollar and we source half of our raw materials from overseas with the rest from domestic suppliers,” said Gan.
Meanwhile, executive director Ng Yong Kang said although the weakening ringgit was a blessing for companies like VS Industry, the feel good factor would not last too long.
He said if ringgit took a long time to rebound against major currencies, it would send the wrong signal to foreign investors and fund managers that the country’s economy was in a bad shape.
Separately, Ng said the company was currently negotiating with three US-based multinationals (MNCs) to produce niche electrical products for export.
He said the company would focus on niche products in view of the competitive business environment.
“Our proven track record and good delivery system in undertaking jobs with existing local and foreign MNCs will help us to secure more new clients,” he said.
He pointed out that it had built a reputation with MNCs from Japan, Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States over the last four decades.

Hard life sent brothers in search of greener pastures



Facing the gallows: (from left) Brothers Luis Alfonso, Simon and Jose Regino arriving at a courtroom in Kuala Lumpur.  — Reuters
Facing the gallows: (from left) Brothers Luis Alfonso, Simon and Jose Regino arriving at a courtroom in Kuala Lumpur.  
WHEN an international flight touches down in Malaysia, an announcement is made warning or reminding passengers of the death penalty for drug trafficking under local laws.
Three Mexican brothers who can’t speak a word of English – and never finished high school – probably never understood any of it.
They said they had come to seek greener pastures and employment, along with two fellow Mexicans. But just two weeks in, they ended up in the Ayer Molek prison in Johor Baru.
The impoverished family – parents, wives and children – they left behind had no clue what had happened to them.
The brothers come from a generation of bricklayers in the north-western state of Sinaloa in Mexico, an area notorious for being one of the world’s drug trafficking hubs and home to the infamous Sinaloa Cartel.
Journalist Victor Hugo Michel (pic), who visited the family home, described chickens running around mud floors, children walking barefoot and men making bricks outside.
It’s a hard life for the Gonzalez Villareal family, far from the drug barons’ glamorous world of cigars, women, jacuzzi and Ferraris portrayed in the movies.
Here are three men, frightened and unsure what mess they had got themselves into in a distant and unfamiliar land, one which has an annual trade of US$5mil with their country.
Until Michel met Luis Alfonso Gonzalez Villareal and his brothers Simon and Jose Regino, their story was unknown to anyone back home.
Simon’s wife was pregnant when he left. He has never met his daughter. It was only when Michel came to Malaysia for the second time that he brought photos of the baby to show Simon. That day, Simon cried in court.
What the brothers want now is a chance to live, even if it is behind bars.
“We still have faith and hope. Every day a neighbour comes to our house to pray with our mother,” said Luis’ wife Alejandrina in a phone interview from Mexico.
Front-page news: A daily in Mexico reporting on the Gonzalez Villareal brothers’ case in Malaysia.The headline reads: ‘Only a miracle’, while the left standfirst reads: ‘Mexico will ask for clemency from the Sultan of Johor in Malaysia, as a last resort, says the SRE (Secretariat of Foreign Affairs). Theright standfirst reads: ‘Only pardon can save the lives of brothers Luis, Simon and Regino, their death sentence for drug trafficking was confirmed’.
Front-page news: A daily in Mexico reporting on the Gonzalez Villareal brothers’ case in Malaysia .The headline reads: ‘Only a miracle’, while the left standfirst reads: ‘Mexico will ask for clemency from the Sultan of Johor in Malaysia, as a last resort, says the SRE (Secretariat of Foreign Affairs). Theright standfirst reads: ‘Only pardon can save the lives of brothers Luis, Simon and Regino, their death sentence for drug trafficking was confirmed’.
Their mother had her leg amputated a few months ago due to diabetes and their father suffers from heart problems.
“All the family wants is to see them again,” Alejandrina said.

Two men charged over IS links



Charged: Rohaimi (second left) and Mohamad Fauzi (second right) leaving the court.
Charged: Rohaimi (second left) and Mohamad Fauzi (second right) leaving the court.
KUALA LUMPUR: A chef and a financial consultant were jointly charged in the magistrates court with arranging to facilitate acquisition and control of property for Islamic State terrorists.
Mohamad Fauzi Misrak, 35, who worked as a chef in Singapore, and Rohaimi Abd Rahim, 38, were said to have committed the offence at the Subang Jaya Maybank branch between December 2013 and July 2014.
The charge under Section 130P of the Penal Code, read with Section 34 of the same Act, carries the death sentence or up to 30 years’ jail and a fine upon conviction.
Both men nodded to indicate they understood the charge before magistrate Erry Shahriman Nor Aripin.
No plea was recorded, pending a transfer of the case to the High Court.
Earlier, DPP Mohd Farez Rahman told the court that both accused were also facing charges under Section 130G(c) of the Act.
On Nov 11 last year, Rohaimi was charged with soliciting for property for IS militants through a blog Revolusi Islam.com.
Mohamad Fauzi was charged with conspiring with Rohaimi by allegedly allowing his Maybank account to be used.

Stunning run in Teheran by junior squash players



Mohd Amir won the boys' Under-13 title after defeating Navaneeth Prabhu of India 7-11, 11-5, 11-8, 12-10.
Mohd Amir won the boys' Under-13 title after defeating Navaneeth Prabhu of India 7-11, 11-5, 11-8, 12-10.
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia came close to making it seven out of seven in the Asian Junior Squash Championships in Teheran, Iran.
In the end, they had to be satisfied with winning six of the seven finals they competed in when three-time British Junior Open champion Ng Eain Yow came up short in the boys’ Under-19 final against Pakistan’s Israr Ahmed.
But kudos to the other Malaysians for winning six titles out of the eight at stake. This is the best ever finish by Malaysian players, eclipsing the five-title effort two years ago.
The six who won on Thursday were Mohd Amir Amirul (boys’ Under-13), Siow Yee Xian (boys’ Under-15), M. Kiroshanna (girls’ Under-13), Aifa Azman (girls’ Under-15), S. Sivasangari (girls’ Under-17) and Andrea Lee (girls’ Under-19).
Twelve-year-old Mohd Amir got the ball rolling by defeating Navaneeth Prabhu of India 7-11, 11-5, 11-8, 12-10 for the boys’ Under-13 title.
Yee Xian then made it two wins out of two by beating team-mate Mohd Hafiz Zhafri in the boys’ Under-15 category.
Then the girls took over, with Kiroshanna taking the Under-13 title by beating team-mate Wong Heng Wai and Aifa downing defending champion Lui Hiu Lam of Hong Kong for the Under-15 crown.
It was sweet revenge for the 13-year-old Aifa, who lost 3-0 to Hiu Lam in the Hong Kong Junior Open final last week.
Sivasangari then earned her third Asian Junior title after a hard-fought win over team-mate Zoe Foo in the Under-17 category.
Sivasangari had won the Under-13 title in 2011 and the Under-15 crown in 2012. For Zoe, it was yet another heartbreak as she has now lost in the final for the fourth straight year.
Andrea completed the Malaysian domination when she held off a strong challenge from Hong Kong’s Choi Uen Shan to claim the girls’ Under-19 title.
The 17-year-old Andrea, who bagged the Under-15 title in 2013 and the Under-17 crown last year, held on to beat Uen Shan in five sets.
With six titles already in the bag, the stage was set for Eain Yow to claim his fourth Asian Junior crown. But Israr beat him 7-11, 11-7, 13-11, 8-11, 11-6. 
Results
All final
Boys
Under-13: Mohd Amir Amirul (Mas) bt Navaneeth Prahbu (Ind) 11-9, 6-11, 11-4, 12-10.
Under-15: Siow Yee Xian (Mas) bt Mohd Hafiz Zhafri (Mas) 11-8, 11-0, 6-11, 11-8.
Under-17: Mohammad Alsarraj (Jor) bt Chan Wui Ki (Hkg) 11-5, 11-7, 11-3.
Under-19: Israr Ahmed (Pak) bt Ng Eain Yow (Mas) 7-11, 11-7, 13-11, 8-11, 11-6.
Girls
Under-13: M. Kiroshanna (Mas) bt Wong Heng Wai (Mas) 11-7, 8-11, 12-10, 14-12.
Under-15: Aifa Azman (Mas) bt Lui Hiu Lam (Hkg) 11-4, 11-6, 9-11, 10-12, 11-9.
Under-17: S. Sivasangari (Mas) bt Zoe Foo (Mas) 11-8, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9.
Under-19: Andrea Lee (Mas) bt Choi Uen Shan (Hkg) 4-11, 11-5, 11-9; 7-11, 12-10.

Maybank posts higher Q2 earnings, div 24 sen



 Malayan Banking Berhad Group President & Chief Executive Officer Datuk Abdul Farid Alias
Malayan Banking Berhad Group President & Chief Executive Officer Datuk Abdul Farid Alias
KUALA LUMPUR: Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank) posted slightly higher earnings of RM1.584bil in the second quarter ended June 30, 2015.

It said on Thursday the earnings were up 0.5% from the RM1.575bil a year ago. Revenue was up 2% to RM8.935bil from RM8.759bil.

Earnings per share were 16.76 sen compared with 17.47 sen. It rewarded shareholders with a dividend of 24 sen a share, similar to a year ago.

In the first half, its earnings rose 3.4% to RM3.285bil from RM3.117bil in the previous corresponding period. Revenue was up 5.8% to RM18.120bil from RM17.116bil.

Commenting on the second quarter financial results, it said the group’s net interest income and Islamic Banking income for Q2 FY15 increased by RM430.5mil or 13.4% compared to a year ago, largely due to the growth in the group's gross loans, advances and financing,” it said.

Maybank said the group's other operating income for Q2 FY15 fell by RM169.5mil or 12.4% to RM1.195bil for Q2 FY15 from a year ago.

The decrease was mainly contributed by unrealised mark-to-market loss on revaluation of financial assets at FVTPL and derivatives of RM176.5mil compared to unrealised mark-to-market gain on revaluation of financial assets of FVTPL and derivatives of RM256.9mil in the a year ago.

The decrease was, however, mitigated by net foreign exchange gain in current quarter of RM84.1mil compared to net foreign exchange loss of RM78.7mil a year ago and higher fee income of RM44.2mil.

The group's net insurance benefits and claims incurred, net fee and commission expenses, change in expense liabilities and taxation of life and takaful fund decreased by RM127.2mil to RM1bil compared a year ago. The decrease was mainly attributable to lower net insurance benefits and claims incurred by the Insurance and Takaful subsidiaries of RM157min.The decrease was, however, offset by higher net fee and commission expenses of RM35.2mil.

Maybank said its overhead expenses rose RM332.2mil or 15.9% on-year mainly due to  higher personnel expenses of RM230.6mil and administration and general expenses of RM151.5mil.The increase was, however, mitigated by lower establishment costs and marketing expenses of RM40.6mil and RM9.2mil.

“Group's allowance for impairment losses on loans, advances, financing and other debts for Q2 ended June 30, 2015 increased by RM146.6mil from a year ago. The increase was mainly due to higher net IA made of RM348.3mil.

“The increase was, however, mitigated by writeback of CA of RM51.8mil in current quarter ended June 30, 2015 as compared to CA made of RM183.0mil a year ago,” it said.

The Star shines at Spark Awards



The Star Online journalist Victoria Brown and Chua Chee Beng, The Star Media Group Bhd's general manager for advertising and business development, posing with the awards.
The Star Online journalist Victoria Brown and Chua Chee Beng, The Star Media Group Bhd's general manager for advertising and business development, posing with the awards.
SINGAPORE: The Star once again proved to be among the best media groups in the region after winning two awards at this year's Spark Awards.  
The Star Media Group Berhad won the top awards in the Best Media Solution - print category for its Mountain Dew Neon Edition campaign - beating Summit Media, New Straits Times, Mongoose Publishing and Singapore Press Holdings.  
The Star's winning campaign coincided with the launch of the Mountain Dew Neon Edition in April, where it took over page one for five consecutive days.  
The groundbreaking nationwide print campaign involved a 3D light-up neon bottle, neon-green takeovers on editorial pages, a glow-in-the-dark balloon, a fluorescent-inked poster with a contest gimmick, and naturally, a redemption coupon for a Mountain Dew at RM1. 
The Star Online also received the bronze award for the Best Website by a Media Owner category, defeating Time Out Kuala Lumpur and Singapore Press Holdings.
Both awards were presented to The Star at a gala dinner on Thursday at the Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel. 
BBC Worldwide received the gold award while Timeout Singapore bagged silver for the Best Website category. 
The Star Online editor Philip Golingai said the online team is proud to have been acknowledged in such a competitive market.  
"The Star Online is pleased that it clinched a bronze award as this reaffirms our commitment to offer an awesome website experience to our audience," said Golingai.  
The Star Online incorporates multimedia elements like video, photography and mood meters into its articles to better benefit the reader and elevate user experience. 
It also has many subsites such as Star2.com, StarProperty.my, myStarjob.com and R.AGE that are interlinked on the main site, and are just one click away. 
The Star Online, which is one of the most-read English language news portals in Malaysia, celebrated its 20th anniversary on June 23 this year. 
The Spark Awards recognises top media solutions, products and services from media owners and publishers across South Asia, South-East Asia, Australia and New Zealand. 

Final MH17 crash report due in October - Dutch authority



A man rides his bicycle past the wreckage of the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, near the village of Hrabove (Grabovo) in Donetsk region, in this December 15, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/Files
A man rides his bicycle past the wreckage of the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, near the village of Hrabove (Grabovo) in Donetsk region, in this December 15, 2014 file photo. 
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The final report into the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine last year will be published on Oct. 13, the Dutch Safety Board said on Thursday.
The report is keenly awaited by governments and relatives of victims because it could shed light on who was responsible for the crash last July, in which 298 people travelling from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur were killed.
In a preliminary report last year, the Board blamed the crash on "high energy objects" striking the aircraft. Western governments have said they believe it was downed by a ground-to-air missile fired in error by Moscow-backed separatists.
Russia contests that claim, and has variously attributed the crash to an unidentified Ukrainian fighter aircraft and a Ukrainian-launched anti-aircraft missile. The Netherlands has avoided committing itself to any theory.
Air safety investigations focus on the technical circumstances of crashes and do not attribute criminal blame, but information about the exact nature of the disaster could in this case suggest who was responsible for firing a missile.
Two thirds of the victims were Dutch, and the country is leading the judicial and air safety investigations into the crash, which contributed to bringing relations between Russia and the West to their lowest ebb since the Cold War.
Russia last month vetoed an attempt by the Netherlands, Malaysia and other countries affected by the crash to establish an international tribunal to find and try those responsible for the Boeing 777's downing.
A United Nations-backed tribunal was the countries' preferred option since they believed it would command the legitimacy needed to demand the extradition of alleged perpetrators from any country that was harbouring them.
The Netherlands has since said affected countries are pursuing alternative routes to prosecution.
Relatives of victims would be briefed on the report's conclusions before it was released, the Board said.

Going big on shrimps



Dr Chia (right): ‘The problem with running a marine business is that resources tend to deplete, which is why we are investing in a sustainable marine business such as shrimp farming.’ With him is financial reporting and investor relations head Freddie Yap.
Dr Chia (right): ‘The problem with running a marine business is that resources tend to deplete, which is why we are investing in a sustainable marine business such as shrimp farming.’ With him is financial reporting and investor relations head Freddie Yap.
QL Resources to spend bulk of RM150mil capex on the business
PETALING JAYA: QL Resources Bhd is spending RM150mil in capital expenditure (capex) in these two years, and a big bulk of it is being used to grow its shrimp farming business.
It has even set aside RM15mil to purchase a 900-acre parcel of land in Kota Buruk in Sabah for future aquaculture expansion.
While QL Resources is not ready to expand into the 900-acre project just yet, it is an indication of the company’s intention to ramp up its shrimp farming activities.
“The problem with running a marine business is that resources tend to deplete, which is why we are investing in a sustainable marine business such as shrimp farming,” its group managing director Dr Chia Song Kun said in a press briefing after the company’s annual general meeting in Kuala Lumpur.
The multi national agro-food corporation has in the past year rolled out projects in marine, rolling out a prawn agriculture farm in Kudat, Sabah and continued works in the 300-acre pioneer commercial farming project costing RM40mil.
It also started a downstream processing plant for prawns in Tuaran, Sabah, which took up another RM25mil in capex as well as a further RM25mil to acquire over 60% in Kembang Subur Holdings Bhd, a 10-year-old marine shrimp hatchery business in Kuantan, Pahang.
Currently, the 900-acre parcel is pending transfer approval.
“We will only move on to that 900-acre project once we make ourselves comfortable in the existing phase of our prawn agriculture business,” Chia said.
He said RM150mil in capex was considered a low capex year for QL Resources as it consolidated its businesses.
“After many years of aggressive capex investments in Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia, we slowed down our capex expenditure in 2014 and 2015 as we needed a time of consolidation.
“We will intensify the capex amount for further expansion in the marine and livestock business in 2017 and 2018 as we must continue to expand,” he said.
In 2014, QL Resources’ shrimp farming business yielded about RM200mil profit, which the group hoped to double this year.
CIMB Equities Research noted in its report that QL Resources’ earnings growth from new ventures and capacity expansion in its main businesses were potential re-rating catalysts for the agro-food manufacturer.
The research house maintained its “add” recommendation on QL Resources with an unchanged target price of RM4.93 and retained its position as top pick in the consumer sector.
For the first quarter ended June 30, 2015, QL Resources’ flattish net profit of RM40.9mil, up a mere 1.2% from the same period last year, was in line with CIMB Equity Research’s expectation.
Similarly, revenue was RM655.3mil, a near flatline from last year’s RM653.6mil.
“It accounts for 19% of our full-year forecast and 18% of concensus,” it said.
It was a seasonally weak first quarter performance but the second quarter was picking up, Chia said.
Meanwhile, Chia said the depreciation of the ringgit as well as the depressed commodity prices had impacted different sectors in the agriculture business.
“Because of the “mixed” effect, it had a neutral overall effect on the group performance,” he said.“Ultimately, we only need to reassess the situation if the currency drops much further and CPO prices become much worse.”
“With marine products, it was positive as 60% of our products are for export, so we benefit from the depreciation of the ringgit. For poultry farming, however, our raw materials such as chicken feed is imported so our costs have increased in terms of currency loss,” Chia said.
Meanwhile, QL Resources has written in to Lay Hong Bhd to request a board seat having not been re-elected in the company’s last AGM.
Although QL Resources is the single, largest shareholder with a substantial stake of 38% in Lay Hong, its shareholding is classified as an investment rather than an associate holding since it had no representation on the board, Chia said.
“While we have written in to request a position on the board, we have no plans to launch another hostile takeover at a higher price.
“However, we are open to all possibilities, even selling (the stake),” he said.
He added that the stake in Lay Hong represented only about 2.5% in the group’s portfolio.
“It is nevertheless a strong, profitable asset,” he said. “We just need to sort out the board seat matter.”