The Sun Daily 01 January 2014

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Happy New Year 2014

JANUARY 1, 2014

Price cushion K Najib pledges to minimise impact of rising costs

UALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak yesterday pledged to minimise the impact of the rising cost of living on the people, saying he fully understands and sympathises with them.

“Where necessary, we will fine-tune government programmes so that the effect on household incomes is not too great,” he said in his New Year message on his blog, www.1Malaysia.com.my.

Najib said he believes 2014 will be a year of great opportunity, and the DANIEL CHAN/THESUN

BEAMING WITH JOY ...

Philippine beauty queen Angeli Dioni Gomez reacts on being announced the winner of Miss Tourism International 2013 pageant, beating 59 other contestants at the event’s finale in Putrajaya last night. The first runner-up who also held the Miss Tourism Queen of the Year 2013/2014 title was Sunidporn Srisuwan of Thailand.

The second runner-up who also won the Miss Metropolitan 2013/2014 title was Sarah Czarnuch of Malaysia, while the fourth spot went to Michelle Alexis Torres of Dominican Republic, who also won the Miss Tourism Global International 2013/2014 title. Another Malaysian representative, Thaarah Ganesan, won the fifth place which carried the title Miss Tourism Cosmopolitan International 2013/2014.

INSIDE

PUTTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT Citizen Nades P13

economy, which has weathered the storm of the financial crisis, is predicted to grow by 5.5%.

“Yet, behind these headline figures, I know some people are concerned about 2014, worried that as we seek to balance the national budget, household budgets will come under pressure.

“I understand and sympathise with these concerns. Hard-working people will feel the impact of rising costs. And when the media is full of red numbers and price rises, it can seem as though 2014 will bring pain without gain,” he said.

The prime minister pledged that the government will put in place mechanisms to cushion people from the increase in electricity tariff and toll fares.

But Najib, who is also finance minister, said he is determined to do the right thing for the country and the people.

He said by acting responsibly now, the country’s economy can be strengthened in the long term and the benefits would be more widely felt.

“They may not be popular in the short term, and it would have been easier to keep the status quo. People will say that too many costs are rising and populist policies will seem attractive, but the government has to take action now,” he stressed.

“We will take the difficult decisions needed to keep our borrowing costs low and maintain investor confidence, which is crucial to keep Malaysia’s economy strong and growing,” he said.

However, Najib, gave the assurance that the government will TURN TO PAGE 02 X

A TRIBUTE TO CAROLE KING P19

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NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS theSun ON WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 1, 2014

Govt to ease people’s burden: Muhyiddin > We will review the decisions to rationalise subsidies, says DPM

agencies including the suppliers of utilities and the local authorities to discuss the matter. “(The meeting is being held) so that we can look at it in a holistic and comprehensive manner and how the government and the relevant agencies and bodies can take further measures.

“Our objective is that if we cannot avoid (the increase) in future, we can probably ease the burden of the people in the medium and long-term. This is because the government is concerned about the problems of the people and does not want them to face a greater burden because certain parties may increase prices that may create problems (to the people),” he said. – Bernama

XFROM FRONT PAGE not allow costs to rise without supporting those who need help most, and will not sign off any subsidy cuts or rate rises that are not absolutely necessary.

“But as our population grows and our nation develops, they are no longer sustainable and we need to rationalise subsidies and target them to those in most need,” he said.

“Altogether, next year, the government will spend some RM42 billion on subsidies, almost as much as we spend on development.

“We are also reaffirming our commitment to tackling corruption, cutting government wastage and improving procurement; putting government tenders online to make them more transparent and working to better realise the value of government assets.”

Najib had on Monday announced 11 measures to reduce public sector expenditure in the new year, including cutting entertainment allowances for ministers and senior civil servants.

BERNAMAPIX

KUANTAN: The government is aware of the current issues concerning the rising cost of living and would do its level best to ease the burden of the people.

In line with this, the government will review the decisions to rationalise subsidies so that it can truly ease the burden of the target group, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (pix).

He said the government subsidy must be looked at in a more holistic manner in efforts to reduce the burden of the people, especially the target group.

“(The move to) review several decisions that we took to rationalise subsidy could reduce the burden of the target group.

“We (the government) rationalised the subsidy so that it will not be utilised by those who are not really eligible, those who are bearing the burden are earning a small income and must be given considerable aid,” he said.

He said this after handing out schooling paraphernalia contributed by the Yayasan Sukarelawan Siswa (YSS) at Sekolah Kebangsaan Permatang Badak yesterday.

Muhyiddin, who is also education minister, said as chairman of the Special Committee on Tackling the Cost of Living, he will hold a meeting shortly with ministers, deputy ministers and the relevant

Aid for the needy

HELLO 2014 ... Fireworks explode near

REUTERSPIX

the Petronas Twin Towers (left) and a graffiti light writing appears against the backdrop of Kuala Lumpur Tower to usher in the New Year last night.

High Court strikes out assault suit against Ahmad Zahid PUTRAJAYA: The High Court has struck out a businessman’s suit against Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, bringing an end to an assault case which had dogged the home minister for the last seven years, The Malaysian Insider reported.

Judge Vernon Ong made the order in his chambers yesterday after lawyer Zaleha alHayat informed the court that her client, businessman Amir Bazli Abdullah, could not be present during the session.

Zaleha, from legal firm Karpal Singh & Co, then withdrew the suit filed in 2007 against Ahamd Zahid.

Lawyer Datuk Shashi Menon, who appeared for Ahmad Zahid, also withdrew the minister’s counterclaim against Amir Bazli.

Shashi said the application to revive the suit following a mediation exercise last July was frivolous and an abuse of the court process.

Amir Bazli was supposed to inform Ong

on the purported terms of settlement between him and Ahmad Zahid, and what transpired on July 18 when both met mediator Rohani Ismail at the Shah Alam court complex.

After the mediation, both parties emerged and claimed that the issue had been settled but their lawyers were not informed on the terms of settlement.

Rohani had allegedly told both parties to keep the settlement terms confidential.

Last month, lead counsel Karpal Singh wrote to the court to reopen Amir Bazli’s assault suit against Ahmad Zahid as a mediation process took place without the presence of lawyers.

The court had fixed Dec 5 for Amir Bazli to turn up but he was absent, prompting Karpal to request a final adjournment yesterday.

Karpal had earlier sent an acknowledgement received (AR) registered letter through Pos Malaysia and another note

through a courier firm, but he did not get any response from Amir Bazli.

The veteran lawyer said prior to July 18, Amir Bazli was easily contactable through his mobile phone and would come to his legal firm at short notice.

After the mediation exercise, Ahmad Zahid had revealed that Amir Bazli had apologised to him and that he had forgiven the businessman for falsely accusing him.

Amir Bazli filed the suit against Ahmad Zahid in July 2007, alleging that the then deputy minister had punched him in the face at the Country Heights Recreational Club in Kajang, Selangor.

He said that Ahmad Zahid had also threatened to kill him and that he was held in wrongful confinement at the latter’s home in Country Heights.

Ahmad Zahid denied the allegations and said Amir Bazli had concocted the whole story.

Johor royal court respects former JCorp head’s decision PETALING JAYA: The Johor royal court respects the decision of former Johor Corporation (JCorp) president Tan Sri Muhammad Ali Hashim to return his state awards last Friday.

“The royal court respects Tan Sri Ali’s honorable intention,” Johor Royal Council secretary Datuk Abdul Rahim Ramli said in a

press statement yesterday.

“The statutes and ordinances of the order (which) provide a Johor’s Datuk for whatever reasons known to him may resign as a member of the order by returning the insignia to the chancery,” Abdul Rahim said, adding the decision has been conveyed to Sultan Ibrahim Ibni

Almarhum Sultan Iskandar.

The Sultan had also extended his best wishes to Muhammad Ali in his future endeavours.

In an immediate response, Muhammad Ali, in a text message to theSun, said: “I shall only respond upon receiving a formal reply from Johor (Royal Council).”

Geramm denies defaming govt PETALING JAYA: Gerakan Media Marah (Geramm) denied it has any intention to defame the government as claimed by the Home Ministry.

The ministry on Monday released a statement saying “certain quarters” were using the suspension of the English weekly The Heat to tarnish the government’s reputation.

Geramm said in a press statement yesterday it merely wanted the government to: X Lift the The Heat’s suspension; X Reinvestigate the use of violence force by police on media practitioners during the Bersih 3.0 protest; X Abolish publishing permits made mandatory by the PPPA 1984; X Permit all media practitioners to cover all government events in public buildings; and X Apologise to media practitioners for condoning actions that “molest” media freedom and rights.

It also wanted political parties to: X Give full access to all media practitioners to attend their events, activities, and press conferences.

As for media organisations and journalists, Geramm urged them to: X Practise journalism ethics according to world standards in order to give balanced and fair reporting; and X Uphold the spirit of fairness, freedom, and human rights.

theSun ON WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 1, 2014

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NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS theSun ON WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 1, 2014

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> Retail company becomes single biggest donor

BY SOO WERN JUN newsdesk@thesundaily.com

PETALING JAYA: AEON Malaysia became the single biggest donor to theSun Typhoon Haiyan Relief Fund when it contributed RM100,000 yesterday.

After the typhoon hit the Philippines on Nov 8, AEON Malaysia wanted to be part of the cause in channelling financial aid.

Through its own donation campaign, which commenced on Nov 15, AEON successfully raised RM39,000 from the contributions of shoppers, business partners and employees.

Donation boxes were placed at all of its retail outlets, credit service counters and branch offices throughout the country.

In addition to the collection, the company’s charity arm, “With All Our Hearts” Malaysian AEON Foundation, also gave

From left: Ahmad Faezal, Ng, Nur Qamarina, Nakata and Fujita at the cheque presentation.

RM61,000 to the fund.

“We at AEON strongly believe that it is our responsibility to lend a helping hand to those in need. If we all do our part, we can make a big difference together,” said AEON Co (M) Bhd managing director Nur Qamarina Chew Abdullah, who presented the cheque to theSun managing editor Freddie Ng.

“Our charity arm focuses on ad hoc projects such as these unforeseen disasters that hit other countries.

“When there is a need, we will channel funds to these affected countries as it is the best way we can help.

As for local disaster areas... it is more practical for us to donate in kind as we are familiar with local logistics,” she said.

Also present at the cheque presentation were AEON Credit (M) Bhd executive director Kenji Fujita, AEON Big (M) Sdn Bhd director Mitsuru Nakata and Mercy Malaysia executive director Ahmad Faezal Mohamed.

With AEON’s massive boost, theSun Typhoon Haiyan Relief Fund stood at RM760,000 as of yesterday.

Students seeking postgraduate studies may be spoilt for choice in the diverse, globalised and media-saturated environment, but at the same time, choosing the right path to take is no easy task.

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theSun ON WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 1, 2014

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NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS theSun ON WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 1, 2014 www.thesundaily.my

RM39.9m windfall for four Sports Toto punters PETALING JAYA: The New Year will start on a bright note for four Sports Toto punters who won a total of RM39.9 million.

A retired teacher from Selangor, in his 60s, won the Supreme Toto 6/58 Jackpot of RM22.1 million on Dec 28 with the numbers 5, 12, 21, 37, 40 and 56.

The winner’s wife said they have been living a simple life especially after their retirement and with this prize money, “we can spend a bit more and travel a bit more”.

The family is planning to celebrate their New Year by spending some time to bask in the joy of being worry-free about money. “Maybe later, we will seriously think about buying properties to hedge against inflation,” said the winner.

Another newly-minted millionaire, who won the Sports Toto 4D Jackpot of RM12.8 million with the numbers 1081 and 7081, said most of his prize money would be used for property investment and the children’s education, before keeping aside some for house upgrade and annual family holidays.

The Sports Toto 6D first prize of RM5 million was shared by two winners – one from Johor and the other, from Selangor.

NORMAN HIU/THESUN

A group of Turun rally participants in Guy Fawkes masks.

Peaceful affair > No untoward incident during Turun rally at Dataran Merdeka

PETALING JAYA: The Turun Kos Sara Hidup or Turun (Movement to Reduce the Cost of Living) rally at Dataran Merdeka in Kuala Lumpur last night turned out to be a peaceful affair as police maintained order and rally organisers, led by Turun chairman Muhamad Azan Safar, urged protesters to follow instructions from the police.

City deputy police chief Datuk Amar Singh led hundreds of policemen and City

Hall personnel in keeping a watchful eye on the some 5,000 people who turned up for the rally.

The crowd, which had streamed to the square from Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Masjid India and Central Market, was largely peaceful, but several lines of police officers stood between them and revellers who had gathered in the square for the New Year’s Eve countdown.

Initially police did not react when some protesters barged through the barricades around the square and joined the crowd to usher in 2014, but they moved in to stop the concert when bottles were thrown on stage.

Revellers were left disappointed as the annual New Year’s Eve countdown at Dataran Merdeka was cancelled this time.

As of press time, the crowd had started to disperse peacefully.

NORMAN HIU/THESUN

Police personnel keep watch as Turun participants assemble in the square.

Man with home-made bomb held SHAH ALAM: Police nabbed a local man with a home-made bomb in Taman Halaman, Ampang, on Sunday.

Selangor Police deputy chief DCP Datuk Abd Rahim Jaafar said the man was spotted riding a motorcycle in a suspicious manner near the Taman Permai, Ampang traffic lights at 10.25am.

“The 46-year-old suspect, who worked in a shop selling prayer items in Serdang, tried to flee upon seeing the police but was caught when his motorcycle rammed into a car.

“An inspection of his sling bag revealed a bomb made from a PVC pipe, a fuse and firecrackers. The suspect, who was intoxicated, said he learned to make the bomb on the internet,” he told reporters at the Selangor Contingent Police Headquarters yesterday.

Abd Rahim said investigation was being carried out to determine the target of the bomb. He said there was a likelihood the bomb was meant to be used during the scheduled illegal assembly at Dataran Merdeka.

Meanwhile, police seized 56 T-shirts yesterday with provocative messages, presumably intended to be worn for the New Year’s Eve gathering.

Abd Rahim said the T-shirts were seized in a raid at a house in Taman Lestari Perdana, Seri Kembangan, Selangor, after a tip-off at 2am.

“The T-shirts had numerous subversive and provocative messages printed on them.

“Police also recorded a statement from a 37year-old man who is believed to be involved in selling the T-shirts,” he said. – Bernama

No school bus fare hike yet, says SPAD KUALA LUMPUR: The Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) has not approved any new fare and surcharge on school buses as quoted in certain dailies recently.

The commission explained in a statement yesterday that consent had been

reached with representatives from The School Bus Associations of Malaysia and the Malaysian Federation of School Bus Operators that there would be no surchange or price hike in school bus fares until SPAD announces the new school bus fare scheme in March. – Bernama

theSun ON WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 1, 2014

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NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS

YEAR

theSun ON WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 1, 2014

2013 IN REVIEW

Lahad Datu attack a bitter lesson > Murder, gangsterism among cases that also gripped public’s interest

BY CHARLES RAMENDRAN newsdesk@thesundaily.com

RECAPPING the year’s crime cases, no other incident was more trying and bitter for the police than what awakened the sleepy palm oil settlement of Felda Sahabat in the outskirts of Lahad Datu, east of Sabah, on Feb 12.

The incident was Malaysia’s first ever foreign invasion since the Indonesian Confrontation about 50 years ago.

Some 250 armed militants from the defunct Sulu Sultanate in South Philippines sailed and slipped into a coastal hamlet deep in Kampung Tanduo, waging war and laying claim on the sovereignty of Sabah.

Eight policemen including three officers and two soldiers died battling the militants in the two-month incursion. Almost 100 of the intruders sent by the late Sulu chieftain Jamalul Kiram were killed while the rest were captured by security forces.

The use of firearms in at least two dozen murders, including several high-profile killings involving prominent individuals and in a high number of crimes throughout the year, also had the public worried.

X On April 26, Customs Department deputy director-general Datuk Shaharuddin Ibrahim (pix) was shot dead by a gunman riding pillion on a motorcycle near Putrajaya.

Months before his death, Shaharuddin, who was known to be a strict, no-nonsense officer, had put out an order to wipe out the activities of a syndicate specialising in smuggling and evading taxes on duty-free cars. His killer remains at large.

X A land sale deal involving a Chinese temple turned ugly when Arab Malaysian Development bank founder Hussain Ahmad (pix) Najadi was shot dead by a gunman at Lorong Ceylon on July 29.

Although his killer was caught and charged weeks later, the man suspected of putting out the hit on Hussain fled the country and was last reported to be in hiding in China.

Shootings, gangsterism and

The Lahad Datu incursion was a wake-up call for the armed forces. underworld activities, prompted the police to launch a special operation codenamed Ops Cantas Khas in August.

After 49 underworld gangs were identified and banned by the Home Minister, the police went to work.

In the coming months, police personnel in full assault gear and heavy firearms were a common sight across the country.

About 1.1 million people were checked and thousands of underworld gang members, with tattoos depicting symbols and logos of their groups, were hauled up for questioning.

Hundreds of those not caught, including the generals, fled the country.

While the overall crime statistics went down by 7%, ongoing operations lowered crimes involving firearms by more than 80% compared to the earlier month before its launch.

Other wins of the operation were the busting of a notorious gang who was behind 15 cases of robbing patrons at night eateries in the Klang Valley.

Police also came under fire for power abuse especially in the cases of custodial deaths.

X One was the death 32-year-old N. Dhamendran on May 21, 10 days after being held for a shooting case in Cheras by Kuala Lumpur police. Weeks later, a police inspector, a sergeant and two corporals were charged with his murder.

X On June 8, a 33-year-old Japanese man,

who was held for causing public unrest, committed suicide in a lock-up at the USJ 8 police station.

The year also saw a number of cases involving crimes against women and children.

X On Jan 16, six-year-old William Yau Zhen Zhong went missing after his parents left him and his two siblings in their car to make a purchase at a electrical shop near their home in Putra Heights, Subang Jaya.

A massive search for the boy ended on a sad note when his body was found in a river in Klang about 16km away from where he was last seen. His disappearance and death remain a mystery.

X Social activist Ong Ai Sam was stabbed to death by a robber while jogging with her daughter at Bukit Gasing on April 18.

X Twelve-year-old Nur Amyliana Shuhada Mohd Noor, a Year Six pupil, was abducted, raped and murdered before her assailants dumped her body at a playground in Bandar Bukit Tinggi 1 on May 8. Two men were arrested and charged with the crime.

X Dr Delaila Ahmad, a gynaecologist in her 50s, had her two fingers severed in a robbery on July 16 after being attacked with a machete by two youths opposite her clinic at SS19, Subang Jaya. She underwent surgery to re-attach her severed fingers. Days later, her assailants were held and charged with the robbery.

X In early July, three male Sukma athletes from a handball team were in the news for the wrong reason. They were held for allegedly raping a female chaperon while in a drunken stupor after a party at the Sukma Village at Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang.

X On Nov 8, 20-month-old British toddler Freddie Joseph was kidnapped from his home in Bangsar. A nationwide alert for the missing boy scared his abductors who freed him the following day at the Titiwangsa lake gardens.

Religious clashes between Muslims and Buddhist groups in Myanmar also spilled over here when a wave of violence left six Myanmar men dead and many severely wounded at areas densely occupied by the foreigners especially in the Klang Valley in June. Police took preventive measures and brought the situation under control by hauling up thousands of Myanmar workers for questioning.

Security guards in the country also came under close scrutiny after a rogue armed guard on duty at an Ambank branch in Subang Jaya shot and killed bank executive officer Norazita Abu Talib, 37, before escaping with RM450,000 on Oct 23. Just days later, another rogue guard at a goldsmith shop in Setapak held up the staff before escaping with a over 100 gold necklaces. Both guards, who are foreigners with fake MyKad, were nabbed by police.

Giving old laws more bite with amendments

BY KAREN ARUKESAMY newsdesk@thesundaily.com

PETALING JAYA: The government came under criticism when several amendments were tabled in Parliament in October; however, it withdrew 11 bills after passing the most controversial amendment to the Prevention of Crime Act 1959 (PCA).

The controversial amendments are on detention without trial, restrictions on judicial reviews, secrecy provisions and recital of Article 149 in the preamble, which the Opposition and human rights groups claimed were inconsistent

with basic human rights guaranteed in the Federal Constitution.

Although the changes made were minor, like adding two more members to the initial three-man Prevention of Crime Board, the government was criticised for reintroducing detention without trial which was similar to the abolished Internal Security Act (ISA) 1960 and Emergency Ordinance (EO) 1969.

According to the government, it is an initiative to crack down on organised crime and that the amendments will result in heavier punishments and provide clearer

provisions to tackle crime.

They included the Penal Code (amendment) Bill 2013, Criminal Procedure Code (amendment) Bill 2013, Evidence (amendment) Bill 2013, Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons (amendment) Bill 2013, Security Offences (Special Measures) (amendment) Bill 2013, Prison (amendment) Bill 2103, Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) (amendment) Bill 2013, Common Gaming Houses (amendment) Bill 2013, Lotteries (amendment) Bill 2013 and Pool Betting (amendment) Bill 2013.

Civil societies and human rights

lawyers have widely said that the amendments have serious ramifications to civil liberties, the criminal justice system and the administration of justice as a whole.

The amended PCA contains provisions that give the authority power to renew the detention period repeatedly, deny the suspects the due process of law, like the right to legal representation and the right to be heard before any adverse direction or decision is made.

The Bar Council was one of the groups that came down hard on the amendment stating that it was not

consulted at all on the amendments to the PCA but was denied by the government.

Another law that was amended was the Legal Profession Act 2012 in September to allow foreign lawyers to practise in Peninsular Malaysia. It now provides that authorised foreign lawyers will be permitted to advice and give consultation on legal matters only relating to international laws, but will still be subject to all rules and regulations of the Bar Council and its disciplinary board.

The government said this is to ensure local law firms will not be negatively affected by the move.

theSun ON WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 1, 2014

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NEWS WITHOUT BORDERS theSun ON WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 1, 2014

‘No more political prisoners’ > Myanmar announces year-end amnesty YANGON: Myanmar yesterday announced there were “no more political prisoners” after issuing a sweeping amnesty order aimed at fulfilling a presidential pledge to free all dissidents by the year end.

The country has released scores of prisoners of conscience as part of dramatic reforms, implemented since the end of outright military rule in 2011, that have ended the country’s international isolation and seen most western sanctions disbanded.

It was not immediately clear whether the amnesty would affect all of the approximately 40 political prisoners listed by campaigners, as well as a further 200 people awaiting trial, mainly for protesting without permission.

Myanmar late on Monday said it would pardon those imprisoned under controversial legislation, including the Emergency Act used by the junta to imprison opponents as well as laws governing freedom of assembly and the right to protest.

Presidential spokesman Ye Htut said the amnesty, along with a separate pardon for five additional inmates jailed under other

legislation, meant “there are no more political prisoners”.

“I would like to say that the president has fulfilled his promise given to the people, because there will be no political prisoners at all at the end of 2013,” he said in a post on his Facebook page, without giving further details of the release, which began yesterday.

Former general Thein Sein, who has won international plaudits for overseeing new political and civil freedoms since becoming president nearly three years ago, had vowed to free all detained activists by the end of the year.

But campaigners sounded a

note of caution over the announcement.

David Mathieson, a researcher with New York-based Human Rights Watch, said the claims could be “bluster” to try to meet the selfimposed release deadline.

“They can claim a technical fulfilment of the presidential pledge at best,” he said, adding the government would need to demonstrate it had resolved the cases of the dozens of people facing trial.

He also called on Myanmar to repeal the controversial laws, with campaigners fearing authorities could continue to arrest critics in

the future, potentially creating more political prisoners.

Dozens of relatives and friends gathered outside Yangon’s notorious Insein prison early yesterday awaiting news of their loved ones.

Peace activists Yan Naing Tun and Aung Min Oo, who were sentenced in recent weeks to eight months in prison for marching to the rebel town of Laiza in strifetorn northern Kachin state, were greeted by jubilant supporters as they walked free from the jail.

“I respect the president for keeping his promise,” Yan Naing Tun said. – AFP

B R I E F S OFFICIAL CHARGED OVER AIRPORT BLOCKADE

REUTERSPIX

JAKARTA: Police said yesterday they had charged an Indonesian official who allegedly prevented a passenger plane from landing by blocking an airport after he was refused a seat on the flight. Ngada district chief Marianus Sae had ordered his security officials to put their cars on the runway to force a plane to return to the capital of East Nusa Tenggara province, police said. “The district chief has been named a suspect,” a police offical said. Sae was charged with abuse of power. – dpa

PRINCE WILLIAM GOES BACK TO COLLEGE

WELCOME 2014 ... Fireworks

explode over Sydney Harbour at midnight, ushering in the New Year.

Oil train collision forces evacuation of town WASHINGTON: Residents of a small town in the US state of North Dakota were urged to evacuate after a train carrying crude oil collided with another train on Monday, setting off a series of explosions and fires, the latest in a string of incidents that have raised alarms over growing oilby-rail traffic.

Local residents heard five powerful explosions just a mile outside of the town of Casselton after a westbound 112-car train carrying soybeans derailed. An eastbound 106-car train hauling crude oil ran into it just after 2pm (10am in Malaysia), local officials said. There were no injuries in the collision that left 21 rail cars on fire, train operator BNSF Railway Co said.

Residents within 8km of Casselton were urged to evacuate to avoid contact with the smoke.

Residents within 16km were asked to remain indoors.

Casselton resident Jolie Fiedler and her husband gathered their two dogs and left their home.

“It’s better safe than sorry – just get out of town and dodge the smoke, I guess,” she said. “I’m hoping that I can go home tomorrow, but who knows.”

Casselton City auditor Sheila Klevgard said crews are pushing snow to contain the oil before it reaches a nearby creek.

Half of the oil cars have been separated from the train, but another 56 cars remain in danger, said Cecily Fong, the public information officer with the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services.

The collision destroyed both engines on the oil train. Both trains were operated

by BNSF.

The incident will likely stoke concerns about the safety of shipping increasing volumes of crude oil by rail, a trend that emerged from the unexpected burst of shale oil production out of North Dakota’s Bakken fields.

Over two-thirds of the state’s oil production is currently shipped by rail.

Initial reports from the scene of the accident did not point to a malfunction on the oil-carrying train.

Still, videos of the exploding rail cars are likely to add to the ongoing debate on what fixes are needed as older train cars carry flammable fuels such as oil.

The derailment occurred about a mile west of Casselton, a town of about 2,300 just west of Fargo, between an ethanol plant and the Casselton Reservoir, Fong said. – Reuters

Schumacher slightly better but not out of danger: Hospital PARIS: Formula One legend Michael Schumacher’s condition has shown a slight improvement after a second operation following his weekend ski accident but he is not out of danger, doctors said yesterday.

“We are surprised by the improvement,” one doctor said at a press conference, adding that the medical team had “gained some time”.

The second operation was performed to remove a blood clot in the brain but the seven-time world champion is still critical and his condition is fragile, Grenoble university hospital’s medical team said.

Schumacher is still being kept in a medically-induced coma after the accident in the French Alps on Sunday.

Schumacher, who retired from the sport for a second time last year, fell and hit his head on a rock while skiing off-piste with his son at the Meribel resort Sunday.

He was transported by helicopter to a hospital in Moutiers before being transferred to Grenoble.

German newspaper Bild reported that his helmet broke in the accident.

“When we arrived at the scene of the accident, his helmet was split,” it quoted a rescuer as saying.

“We think his helmet, with the violence with which his head hit the ground, obviously helped him,” one of the doctors treating him in Grenoble said. “Without the helmet he wouldn’t be here.”

“He had some lesions in his brain when he came in” and we “had to operate him urgently to release some pressure”, he said.

The doctors declined to speculate on Schumacher’s chances of survival.

The outpouring of support for Schumacher on Twitter continued.

“Thinking today of Michael Schumacher and grateful for all he’s done,” former US president Bill Clinton tweeted, referring to his support of the Clinton Foundation and others.

“My prayers are with him and his family.”

FC Barcelona footballer Cesc Fabregas tweeted: “All the strength for Schumacher.

We are all with you.” – Agencies

LONDON: Britain’s Prince William is to become a full-time student of agricultural management for 10 weeks as he forges a life after the military, the royal family said Monday. William will learn about the issues facing rural communities and the farming industry in Britain during the course, which begins next week at Cambridge University.

The course will help the prince in his future role running the Duchy of Cornwall, a portfolio of land, property and investments he will inherit. – AFP

PAEDOPHILE CONVICTION QUASHED BECAUSE OF ‘LOVE’ ROME: Italy’s highest court has overturned the conviction of a 60-year-old man for having sex with an 11-year-old girl, because the verdict failed to take into account their “amorous relationship”.

Pietro Lamberti, a social services worker, was convicted in February 2011 and sentenced to five years in prison for sexual acts with a minor. But the Supreme Court ruled that the verdict did not consider “the ‘consensus’, the existence of an amorous relationship, the absence of physical force, the girl’s feelings of love”. – AFP

ROYAL BABY BIRTH DOCTOR RECEIVES KNIGHTHOOD LONDON: Gynaecologist Marcus Setchell, 70, who helped deliver the first child of Prince William and his wife Kate, was given knighthood and veteran actress Angela Lansbury was made a dame in Britain’s New Year Honours List released yesterday.

For the first time since the list was founded in 1917 there were more women (51%) named than men – and two star sportsmen, Andy Murray and David Beckham, were notably absent. – AFP

CHILDREN BEHEADED IN CAR FIGHTING: UNICEF BANGUI: At least two children have been beheaded in the fighting in the Central African Republic (CAR), Unicef said Monday, adding “unprecedented” levels of violence were being committed against youngsters. Unicef said that of the two children beheaded, one had also been mutilated. It also said it could verify the deaths of at least 16 children and 60 injured since fighting began in December. – AFP

YEAR

NEWS

2013 IN REVIEW

WITHOUT BORDERS

11

theSun ON WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 1, 2014

Final farewells 1. Margaret Thatcher, Britain’s first woman prime minister, died of a stroke in London on April 8, at the age of 87. She was the longest-serving British prime minister of the 20th century, in office from 1979 to 1990. A Soviet journalist called her the “Iron Lady”, which summed up her uncompromising politics and leadership style.

Public reactions to her death were mixed, ranging from tributes praising her as Britain’s greatest-ever peacetime prime minister to expressions of deep vitriol from those who suffered as a result of her policies.

first novel, The Grass is Singing, drew on life in colonial South Africa where she grew up, was married and divorced twice, and had three children, before leaving to start a new life in England in the 1950s. Her 1962 novel, The Golden Notebook, was championed by the feminist movement, though Lessing rejected the association.

7. American actor Paul Walker, best known for his role as Brian

Nobel Prize for Literature in 1995, “for works of lyrical beauty and ethical depth, which exalt everyday miracles and the living past”. In a distinguished academic career he held professorships at both Harvard and Oxford, and in 1996 was made a Commandeur de l’Ordre des Arts et Lettres in France.

9. British physiologist Sir Robert Edwards, whose pioneering IVF technique helped bring more

the base sequences of nucleic acids saw him share the 1980 prize. He turned down a knighthood, saying he didn’t want to be “different” and described himself as “just a chap who messed about in a lab”.

11. Veteran British broadcaster Sir David Frost died on Aug 30, aged 74, after suffering a heart attack while on a cruise ship where he was due to give a speech. After graduating from

2. Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first black president and antiapartheid icon, died at his home in Johannesburg from a lung infection on Dec 5, at the age of 95. Mandela led the country’s transition from white-minority rule in the 1990s, after spending 27 years in prison for his political activities. At a memorial service attended by more than 90 world leaders, US President Barack Obama praised Mandela as the last great liberator of the 20th century, and urged the world to carry on his legacy by fighting inequality, poverty and discrimination.

15. James Gandolfini, the US actor best known for his role as a therapy-seeking mob boss in The Sopranos, died from a heart attack on June 19, while on holiday in Italy. He was 51. He won three Emmy awards for his role as Tony Soprano, a mafia boss struggling to balance his criminal career and family life.

16. Renowned Nigerian author Chinua Achebe died on March 21, aged 82. One of Africa’s best known authors, his 1958 debut novel Things Fall Apart, which dealt with the impact of colonialism in Africa, sold over 10 million copies and is the most widely read book in modern African literature. In 2007 he was awarded the Man Booker International Prize in honour of his literary career.

4. Prince Johan Friso, second son of the former Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, died on Aug 21 after 18 months in a coma following a skiing accident. He was 44. He was hit by an avalanche while skiing in Austria, in February 2012, and was buried under snow for around 15 minutes before being rescued and resuscitated. He never regained more than minimal consciousness. He was moved from hospital in London back home in July 2013, but had further complications.

6. British novelist Doris Lessing died in London on Nov 17, aged 94. The oldest person to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature – in 2007 when she was 88 – her subjects ranged from politics and race to science fiction. Her

13. US singer and former Velvet Underground frontman Lou Reed died from liver disease at the age of 71, on Oct 27. Reed was considered one of the most influential singers and songwriters in rock music, whose bestknown songs included Perfect Day and Walk on the Wild Side.

The Velvet Underground was renowned for its fusion of art and music and collaboration with Andy Warhol.

14. Joan Fontaine, one of the most successful film actresses of the 1940s and 50s, died in California on Dec 16 at age 96. Fontaine, the younger sister of fellow star Olivia de Havilland, was cast as the lead in Alfred Hitchcock’s first Hollywood film, Rebecca, before winning an Oscar as a vulnerable wife in the movie Suspicion in 1942. Her sister was also nominated the same year and the fact that Fontaine scooped the honour first contributed to a lifelong antipathy and rivalry between the pair.

3. Irish actor Peter O’Toole, star of the 1962 film classic Lawrence of Arabia, died on Dec 14, aged 81. The role earned him the first of eight Oscar nominations, while the most recent was for Venus, in 2006.

He received an honorary Oscar in 2003, although was initially reluctant to accept the award, asking for it delayed until he was 80, saying he was “still in the game and might win outright”. Along with close friends Richard Harris and Richard Burton, O’Toole had a reputation as a hellraiser.

5. Jorge Rafael Videla, de facto President of Argentina from 1976-81, died in jail on May 17, aged 87. A senior army commander, he came to power in a military coup. In 1985, Videla was convicted of homicides, kidnapping, torture, and other crimes committed during the dictatorship, in which up to 30,000 dissidents were killed.

He was pardoned by president Carlos Menem in 1990, but jailed for 50 years in 2012 for systematic kidnapping of newborn babies during his rule.

1954, an unlikely victory that led to Vietnam’s independence and hastened the collapse of colonialism across Indochina. Giap then defeated the US-backed South Vietnam in April 1975.

O’Conner in the action movie franchise, The Fast and The Furious, died in a high-speed car accident in Los Angeles on Nov 30, shortly after attending a charity event for Typhoon Haiyan victims. He was 40. A child star, Walker had appeared in commercials, game shows and soap operas from the age of two. His big break came in 2001 when he played in the first Fast and Furious film. He was working on the seventh in the series at the time of his death.

8. Seamus Heaney, acclaimed by many as the best Irish poet since W.B. Yeats, died in Dublin on Aug 30, following a short illness.

He was 74. He was awarded the

than five million children into the world, died on April 10, aged 87. Along with surgeon Patrick Steptoe, Edwards successfully developed the technique of in-vitro fertilisation, which led to the birth of the world’s first testtube baby, Louise Brown, in England in July 1978, an event that completely changed the prospects for couples previously unable to have children.

10. British biochemist Frederick Sanger, the only person to have won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry twice, died in hospital in Cambridge, aged 95, on Nov 19.

His work on the structure of the protein insulin led to his 1958 award, while later research into

Cambridge, Frost rose to prominence in the UK in 1962 as the host of a new satirical programme, That Was the Week That Was. This led to success in the US, where he interviewed senior political figures, notably former president Richard Nixon in 1977, in which Nixon finally apologised for his role in the Watergate scandal.

12. Vo Nguyen Giap, the brilliant and ruthless general who led the outgunned Vietnamese to victory first over the French and then the Americans, died in Hanoi on Oct 4, aged 102. A national hero, Giap’s guerrilla army encircled and crushed the French army at Dien Bien Phu in

17. Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez died on March 5, aged 58, following a two-year battle with cancer. The former paratroop commander waged a continual struggle for his socialist ideals, defeating a coup attempt, winning re-election three times and using his country’s vast oil wealth to his political advantage. A self-described “subversive”, Chavez modelled himself on 19th century independence leader Simon Bolivar.

He thrived on confrontation with the US, on one occasion referring to president George W. Bush as a “donkey”.

18. Reeva Steenkamp, a well-known South African model and girlfriend of Paralympic gold medallist Oscar Pistorius, was shot dead in the bathroom of Pistorius’s apartment in a gated housing complex in Pretoria in the early hours of Feb 14, Valentine’s Day. She was 29 years old. Pistorius claimed he had mistaken Reeva for an intruder and shot her accidentally, but he was subsequently charged with murder and is due to go on trial in March 2014.

12

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SPEAK UP theSun ON WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 1, 2014

Let’s get our numbers right This letter is worth revisiting because it location is safer than it actually is. Residents hits the nail on its head, addressing the core are not put on the alert they ought to be. of what truly afflicts crime management Worse, when reality hits based on personal today: Political interference. experiences, there is a growing sense of Take, for example, the claim that there distrust of the authorities. were cases where foreigners with work Now, I cannot begin to understand the HE last week of the year is meant to be permits were being arrested just to increase complexities of managing a police force in a peaceful, reflective one. Mine was statistics, and where suspects in other cases any comprehensive way. But this one anything but. For the second time in would be shifted around just to “close” a case. example shows that, perhaps, politicians are 2013, I contributed to the country’s This reminds me of what I making use of “indexed crime” crime statistics by having my personal consider to be the most and statistics in a way that Having clearly belongings taken from me (this time, in the brilliant television series to disincentivises performance in not-so-sleepy-town of Malacca). date, The Wire (Season 3), a real and meaningful way. broken-down Anyone who has been a victim of crime which presents an accurate Perhaps, ironically enough, it is data as to would go through the normal steps of feeling picture of that sometimes due to the incessant need to specific shocked, angry and then eventually murky relationship between deliver numbers that has disappointed with the system that one politics and the city police in eroded the police force’s ability locations in imagines is meant to protect, and not harm.

America’s drug-ridden to truly tackle crime in a more which crimes My experiences have been no different; and it Baltimore. concerted and effective are taking is certainly easy to poke at why the In one episode, the police manner. place, and at administration has failed to combat crime commissioner is under And this is where residents when these incidents become personal stories pressure from the city’s what time of the like you and me come in. As that are shared widely on social networks. mayor to reduce crime rates, day, would help people who would be the direct Official government statistics, however, in light of an impending beneficiaries of an improved us be on the seem to indicate a lowering of reported crime. election, and instructs his system, we ought to first alert.

Indexed crime reportedly fell from more than subordinate to lower the demand for transparency in 76,000 cases in the first half of 2012 to over felony rate, with a blatant, “I information. Having clearly 74,000 cases in the same period of 2013. don’t care how you do it”. broken-down data as to specific But violent crime itself has risen, which The weary police major responds by saying locations in which crimes are taking place, includes robbery. there are “processes” he could employ to and at what time of the day, would help us be Of course, the real question is how reliable “reclassify” cases. on the alert. This ought to be regularly these figures are. Malaysia has stopped This is a fictitious rendition of a city in a updated and publicly accessible. providing crime data to the United Nations different part of the world, but the game-play This sort of data is controversial because Office on Drugs and Crime. Critics would be between this politician seeking a popular it highlights hotspot areas, which may in turn quick to point out that statistics can be easily mandate and the public administration that place black marks on selected police stations. manipulated to suit political needs. Recall, for does his bidding out of sheer coercion can be But this is the best possible way of ensuring instance, the startling revelation last year in easily transplanted into any context, ours accountability. In fact, William J. Bratton (the which a veteran police officer wrote a letter included. famed police commissioner of New York claiming there was a systematic attempt to What politicians may not realise is that City) went on to successfully transform the lower crime statistics by tampering with how massaging these crime figures can have Los Angeles police department by crime cases are classified whenever a police serious consequences. Falsely depressing establishing personal relationships between report is lodged. numbers gives the impression that a certain police officers and residents, and introducing

T

new statistical models to track crime.

There are numerous other factors that contribute to a rising crime rate, chief of which being socio-economic conditions and poor educational backgrounds. These are macroeconomic factors beyond the control of a police force, but which do fall under the mandate of a government. These must be consistently examined, and the results of Malaysia’s dismal standing in the international PISA rankings are not encouraging either.

But even without elaborating upon the root causes of crime, it is clear that much can and should be done in the way the police force as an institution itself can be better managed. Much has already been written about the recommendation to implement the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission. This is not likely to be revisited, given past vehement opposition.

The most basic and practical thing to do is for political leaders to show leadership by publishing accurate data on crime, regardless of whether the numbers have risen or not.

The police force ought to also co-operate on this count, which would display goodwill on their part.

Finally, a lot more effort must be put into police-community interactions, either with the help of local councils, neighbourhood committees, Rukun Tetangga, religious groups or otherwise. Armed with the right information, these multi-stakeholder interest groups can then collaborate in the collective effort of managing crime together.

Tricia Yeoh is the chief operating officer of a local, independent think-tank. She wishes everyone a happy and crime-free 2014.

Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

CHINESE NEW YEAR 2014 YEAR OF THE GREEN WOOD HORSE: PROSPERITY AND ENERGETIC GROWTH In the Chinese ethos and astrology, the HORSE is associated with intelligent use of high energy and uncompromising efforts to improve ourselves towards obtaining better fortune and financial results.

Driven by the yang energy of the Green Wood Horse – ambitious, capable people are likely to attain further, dynamic growth in 2014.

Building and consolidating on the steady progress generated during the previous year of the black water snake.

Supplement

informative features published in the theSun Chinese New Year Supplement t Predictions for the Year of the Wood Horse for each of the 12 Chinese zodiac signs t Insights how luck and fortune can be maximized in the year of the horse t Preparations by Shopping Malls in the lead up to the New year t New Year’s fashion, tips and trends

Enhance your celebrations, festive spirits and luck and fortunes in the ensuing Year of the Wood Horse by imbibing the insights, predictions, shopping tips and

t Reunion dinners, featuring traditional CNY dishes and interesting dining places t Valuable tips on enhancing the festive ambience at home

Contact theSun’s marketing team to book your advertising space

Head Office : 03-7784 6688 Penang Office : 04-2627 598 Edition : National PUBLICATION DATE

BOOKING & STORY DEADLINE

MATERIAL DEADLINE

Thursday, 16 January 2014

Friday, 3 January 2014

Wednesday, 15 January 2014

SPEAK UP

13

theSun ON WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 1, 2014

RUKUN NEGARA: THE PRINCIPLES LOYALTY TO KING AND COUNTRY

BELIEF IN GOD THE SUPREMACY OF THE CONSTITUTION

THE RULE OF LAW

THE OBJECTIVES TO achieve greater unity among Malaysians

COURTESY AND MORALITY

TO maintain a democratic way of life

TO ensure a liberal approach to her rich and diverse cultural traditions

TO create a just society in which the wealth of the nation shall be equitably shared TO build a progressive society which shall be oriented to modern science and technology

Putting the record straight L

EAVING our shores three weeks ago in high spirits and returning in the New Year, there was no reason to believe that there would be little need for adverse comments as the year comes to a close. The dawn of the New Year has always been looking at the past and charting the year ahead.

As this column is being written, the sound of the howling wintery winds echo in the background, but the news reports that I had been reading on the events in Malaysia in the interim period have created more concern than the bleak weather.

Over the past weeks, there had been plenty of reading on Malaysian affairs of the past as part of a research and in these challenging times for the media, I came across this gem in a column I had written more than six years ago.

“Newspapers can criticise, but it must be made responsibly and aimed at correcting things. This will help the party criticised to accept them (criticisms) positively.

Leaders are only human and if there is nobody to criticise us, then we may be carried away by our positions. In a democratic system, our fate lies in the hands of the people, as such,

it is best to be corrected early rather than be rejected by the people later.

– Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak when launching the Pahang edition of the Bahasa Malaysia tabloid, Kosmo!, November 2006 To put it bluntly, this newspaper and especially this columnist have lived up to Najib’s credo. My criticisms have been responsive and responsible; accountable and answerable with the one aim – correcting the state of affairs in the various systems and bringing about a better quality of life for every citizen. We have never veered nor is there any agenda, as some critics view them.

What has made Najib change his attitude towards the media in the preceding years or are his ministers acting on their own volition without engaging their brains in gear?

In October, the home minister went into a frenzy, threatening to close down newspapers if his racist-laden speech and its unacceptable comments to his party members are reported. He also made a shocking endorsement of a group which had been classified as a “secret society” by the police.

The latest to join the foot-in-the-mouth saga is Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Hasan Malek who said that people are supporting the increase in price of consumer goods arguing that the ministry had not received any complaints.

He was quoted as saying: “We haven’t received any complaints. My enforcement teams are on the ground engaging with the people to see if any goods are going up unfairly. We aim to work with other agencies such as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), the Road Transport Department and so on to ensure action is taken if businesses raise prices unfairly.”

It has been repeatedly said in this column and elsewhere that nothing can be done if the neighbourhood hawker decides to charge RM10 for teh tarik as long as there is a price list. By the way, what has MACC got to do with increases? Is selling roti canai at RM15 each an act of corruption?

After becoming a butt of jokes for such callous remarks, his ministry chooses to attack the media. The hound dogs were let loose. Instead of facing the media and explaining the situation, the ministry used Facebook to go on a tirade: “… we also believe that such sensationalisation of news and eyecatching headlines should not be at the expense of misinformation that may create the wrong perspective,” the ministry said in the posting.

So, blame the media for everything without looking at themselves in the mirror!

The latest to join this “elite” group was Kuala Lumpur deputy police chief Datuk Amar Singh who said that the illegal assembly organisers (on New Year’s Eve) would also be setting up camps around

Sports in schools will pay off

BY DANIEL CHANDRANAYAGAM

LET’S begin the year by expressing gratitude. Browsing through the news headlines recently, I found this task a little bit daunting, but then I came across a little piece that stated that schools have been told to give priority Freespace to sports.

Where young views rule That is something we can be thankful for. Perhaps some parents, PTAs, teachers and other “concerned” parties might not agree, but I am sure most discerning adults would.

Why? Aside from the health and fitness benefits this would bring to Malaysia’s youth, you mean? Well, let’s start: A review of multiple studies has indicated that concentration levels of students increased with some level of physical activity, both in terms of duration and intensity of concentration. Howell Wechsler, director of the Division of Adolescent and School Health for the Centres for Disease Control in the US, also found in his review of 50 studies that there was no negative association with physical activity during school hours.

In addition, a study by the American College of Sports Medicine discovered that middle-school students who performed best on fitness tests, measuring aerobic capacity, strength, endurance and body composition, also performed better academically.

Sports psychologist Marianne Engle finds that children derive important psychological benefits. Engle, also a clinical assistant professor with the New York University Child Study Centre, states that children playing sports may have reduced anxiety and depression, as well as receive self-esteem boosts, which may improve confidence and school performance.

growing adolescents.

So from this, we can already see many factors coming into play. Passionate and creative teachers who know how to make a curriculum interesting; hopefully an interesting curriculum; parents and teachers who might see the value of such an endeavour and try to impart this to the students; good collaboration between the Youth and sports ministry and Education Ministry; the list seems to be endless.

Interestingly, a news item earlier in the year says that sports may be a subject within the school timetable.

According to the education minister in March, he hoped Fit and bright ... Students who do well on fitness tests that primary schools will also do well academically. have an additional 60 minutes of sports, and Prioritising sports could be just the thing secondary schools 90 minutes, in addition to help both the sports and education to PE. However, since March, nothing sectors. What I found disconcerting is how much else seems to be said about this so physical education is generally sidelined in maybe the outlook isn’t looking so good, most schools, whether private or public. PE although now apparently we might have a sessions are cancelled and used to make up Sports University. hours of teaching of other subjects, for At a time when more and more example. Or how some private schools businesses are looking for athletic qualities don’t include PE in their general fees but in their employees, perhaps this timely have an additional fund for it outside the development is praiseworthy. According semester dues. to forbes.com, the qualities businesses now I admit, I didn’t really enjoy PE or sports seek, which they find mostly in athletes, when I was in school (except taekwondo, are drive to practise a task relentlessly which was extra-curricular). Many of my until they succeed, the desire to develop friends and I used to dread PE days, new skills, entrepreneurial skills, the knowing how the teacher would just throw attempt to balance work-life and the ability three balls among the whole class and say, to work well with partners and in teams, to “Go play football!” or “Run 10 laps round name just a few. And all just from doing a the field!” and head back to the staff room. little bit of sports.

So it would either be boring or it would be even more boring. None of us were taught how to coordinate movement or Daniel freelances in writing and fitness understand why we were told to do the training, and has a deep passion for things we did. Running around the school health, fitness, sleep and travel. field wasn’t the epitome of exciting for Comments: letters@thesundaily.com

Dataran Merdeka and would be bringing various weapons, including grenades and gas masks to stir up a commotion.

When his claims were ridiculed and challenged, the inevitable had to take place – a denial. Amar Singh claimed he had been misquoted, a phrase that has been entrenched in our system of government.

“My statement about bomb threats and dangerous weapons was not directed at the NGOs involved but was based on a statement by an individual on Facebook before this,” he was quoted as saying. Why didn’t he say so at the press conference?

For the many who falter, trip over and waver (sometimes making fools of themselves), the media has become a convenient whipping boy. Instead of admitting to their follies, they choose to defend the indefensible.

So, what does the New Year hold for journalists? Are they going to continue to being scapegoats for the gaffes which our politicians, law enforcers and law makers make? Are they going to make a concerted effort to face them and make a stand?

R. Nadeswaran hopes the New Year will bode well for those involved in the dissemination of information to ensure corrective measures can be taken as propagated by the prime minister himself. Comments: citizen-nades@thesundaily.com

LETTERS

letters@thesundaily.com

Reduce fines for minor offences WITH prices of goods and services going up for the new year, the government should find ways to reduce the financial burden of the people. Fines and compounds for small offences should be reduced during these difficult times.

The fine for not putting coins into the metered parking bay in Seremban town by the town council is far fetched.

If a car is parked in a metered parking bay without any credit, the compound fine is RM10. Though the car could have only been in the metered bay for 10 minutes without credit, the fine is still RM10. If the RM10 fine is not paid within a week, the fine is increased to RM50.

The RM10 fine seems to be a hefty sum for a rather small offence. It is an offence but charging RM10 for 10 minutes is ludicrous.

The normal charge for 10 minutes in a metered parking bay is 10 cents. But the fine for 10 minutes is RM10. The fine has been charged 100 times over for a small offence. It is not commensurate with the offence committed.

The town council should have a system whereby it is able to monitor the parking bays on a regular basis. In this way, cars parked in the metered parking bay without any coins should be issued tickets every 30 minutes.

And the fine for the first 10 minutes should be RM1 and so forth. RM1 fine for a 10 sen offence seems justifiable especially during hard times.

The town council and the traffic police should instead slap heavy fines on drivers who park their vehicles indiscriminately along busy road junctions and intersections during peak hours causing massive bootlenecks.

These drivers leave their cars on the road to attend to their business. The cars not only cause congestion but also minor mishaps and inconvenience to other road users.

Samuel Yesuiah Seremban

14

media & marketing

theSun on wednesday | JANUARY 1, 2014

Lifestyle without limits > Magnificent edifice above Penang Times Square The Central (Phase 3) and The Wave (Phase 4) are two recent high-rise developments which will henceforth, stand tall and stately, offering breathtaking views and commanding attention in Penang Times Square.

Some buildings, like The Wave, generate an alluring aura and buzz.

It caught the attention of many even before construction work began.

The project blueprint showcases an extraordinary façade highlighting a wavelike design, rhythmically corrugated around each floor of the structure. This gives protection from the sun and at different angles during various times of the day. The reflection of light gives these wavy panels a spectrum of colours, creating an illusion of the amazing sea and its magnificent corals.

Offering 312 suites in four different designs, corner, intermediate, duplex and penthouses, the units are spaciously spread out across 27 floors and sit on 11-storeys of commercial components, complete with car parks and other enticing facilities.

The Wave also offers the feel of luxury and exclusivity. Like a gem in the ocean, each unit gives the feeling of owning a limited edition masterpiece.

As luxury is also about having choices, one has the option of enjoying resortstyle amenities and

facilities that reflect the luxury-meetsbusiness ideology at The Central.

This other new high-rise property development is also located at Penang Times Square and boasts “finishes and fittings of the highest standards”. Each unit comes with views that mesmerise. Solid wooden decking and careful landscaping bring out the natural aesthetics of this development offering smalloffice-home-office (SOHO) units and commercial suites.

True to its name, The Central is set to become the pulse of the city, a new landmark in George Town, with its iconic giant red frame that gives it a bold identity. Standing 500-ft tall, The Central prides on having the highest state-of-the-art rooftop facilities, which includes a restaurant with a 360° view of George Town and its UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Enjoy the panoramic view as you ride up the bubble lifts and simply be awed by the breathtaking sights that complement a life without limits.

Let wedding bells ring!

The 17th edition of Kuala Lumpur’s most comprehensive bridal event is back – KL Wedding Expo 2014. In keeping with tradition, the event promises to postulate bold and beautiful ideas to amaze even the most discerning bride.

Connecting brides-to-be with the country’s leading wedding experts, the expo will showcase information on all aspects of a more fashionable wedding including the reception and banquet venues.

There will also be a fabulous bridal fashion runway show by famous local designer Keith Kee, who will display his

A private preview of The Central is being organised currently at Gurney Plaza Central Atrium from Jan 1 to Jan 5, 2014 (10am to 10pm).

For further enquiries on The Wave or The Central, drop by the new Ivory sales gallery at Ivory Tower @ Penang Times Square at 81-11-1, Jalan Datuk Keramat.

latest and most glamorous bridal designs.

For those who want to sit back and relax, enjoy the daily performances of a live wedding band, presented by J-REVOLUTION Entertainment.

Visitors who make purchases from any exhibitor at the expo will be eligible to participate in the Grand Lucky Draw session and stand a chance to win fabulous prizes.

The KL Wedding Expo 2014, will be held from Jan 3 to 5, 2014 from 10.30am to 9pm at the Mid Valley Exhibition Centre (Hall 1) in Kuala Lumpur.

Top: Staff of Kenny Rogers ROASTERS, together with those from Sports Toto Fitness Centre, brought joy to 50 children from Yayasan Sunbeams Home in conjunction with the 9th annual KRR Wishing Tree campaign.

Even the KRR mascot came to join in the fun!

More wishes come true

Charitable Christmas cheer In the spirit of Christmas, Sunway Lagoon played host to a thousand children and their caretakers from over 20 charity homes. The entourage was given the chance to watch the iconic classic fairytale, Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs – The Musical. The charity viewings took place throughout the month of December.

Directed by Chris Colby and choreographed by David Kort, Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs - The Musical, is the sixth musical Sunway Lagoon has hosted. Featuring up and coming actors from London’s West End and veteran professional dancers

from around the world, the talented cast and ensemble put on an unforgettable performance that kept audiences mesmerised.

“Since 2010, we have taken much pleasure and joy hosting underprivileged children to wonderful shows and helping them learn the message it conveys. It is heart warming to see the children with big smiles on their faces, enjoying the show.

Treating the kids to a great musical with high production values will help to spread cheer we believe, as well as inspire them creatively,” said Bill Holman, consultant director of Sunway Lagoon.

As a partner of the Kenny Rogers Roaster’s (KRR) 9th annual Wishing Tree event, Sports Toto Fitness Centre did its bit in the name of charity.

Fifty children from Yayasan Sunbeams Home were all smiles and laughter, given the chance to be treated to an energetic, vibrant and unique kind of party experience.

The event witnessed Sports Toto Fitness Centre instructors join in the fun as they demonstrated healthy moves and fitness routines at the Sunbeams Home compound. Not only did the little ones have the opportunity to learn the importance of fitness, they had fun in doing so, with “routines” that included fun-filled exercises and games like “Pass My Muffin”.

“Over the years, the Wishing Tree campaign (espoused by KRR) has received tremendous support from the public, towards

responding to the wishes of underprivileged children.

This year alone, we managed to grant over 2,300 wishes.

On behalf of the children, we thank everyone for their contributions and effort, to have brought joy to these kids throughout the years,” said Christina Thong, marketing manager of Berjaya Roasters (M) Sdn Bhd. The KRR Wishing Tree campaign has witnessed meaningful progress this year, with increasing public participation in this opportunity to serve the community. Every year, more and more people have come forward to show their love and concern for the underprivileged by making more KRR Wishing Tree wishes come true.

The KRR wishing Tree campaign is one of many CSR initiatives by this Berjaya Group company under its KRR Community Chest programme.

ON WEDNESDAY

Business Editor Kang Siew Li Tel (Editorial) 03-7784 6688 Fax 03-7785 2624/5 Email sunbiz@thesundaily.com Tel (Advertising) 03-7784 8888 Fax 03-7784 4424 Email advertise@thesundaily.com

JANUARY 1, 2014 KLCI

1,866.96

5.56

STI

3,167.43

14.14

Hang Seng 23,306.39

61.52

Nikkei

CLOSED

SCI

18.45

TSEC

8,611.51

2,115.98

KOSPI 11.92

CLOSED

S&P/ASX200 5,352.20

4.60

‘Reforms, Cabinet reshuffle required’ > Structural changes necessary to sustain economic growth and prevent Malaysia from stumbling and falling, says Ramon Navaratnam

10 MOST ACTIVES

BY LIEW JIA TENG

DECEMBER 31, 2013 STOCK TMS GLOTEC TIGER-WB TALAMT TIGER HUBLINE XDL-WA BENALEC SOLUTN CHHB

VOL 126,055,800 71,563,800 61,842,100 39,197,700 30,921,900 29,345,500 28,880,700 28,629,900 24,838,100 24,455,400

CLSG (sen) +/- (sen) 7 7.5 5.5 6.5 14 5.5 19 85 34.5 131

UNCH +1.5 +5.5 -0.5 +0.5 UNCH +0.5 -1.5 +0.5 +27

KL MARKET SUMMARY DECEMBER 31, 2013 INDICES FBMEMAS FBMKLCI INDUSTRIAL CONSUMER PROD INDUSTRIAL PROD CONSTRUCTION TRADING SERVICES FINANCE PROPERTIES PLANTATIONS MINING FBMSHA FBMACE TECHNOLOGY

CHANGE 12,853.63 1,866.96 3,188.47 591.32 141.07 277.23 241.16 16,955.60 1,293.35 8,945.74 478.24 13,051.60 5,675.79 15.12

30.29 -5.56 -13.97 -0.38 -0.64 -0.12 -1.05 -10.98 +1.88 -5.36 UNCH -42.17 +15.79 +0.09

TURNOVER

VALUE

1.499 bil

RM1.671 bil

FBM KLCI slips back after hitting new high THE FBM KLCI touched an all-time high of 1,882.2 points on the last day of trading for 2013 in a quiet market but eased back to end in the red at 1,866.96, down 5.56 points or 0.29%, from Monday.

Market breadth, however, was positive as gainers led losers 416 to 388, with 306 counters unchanged, 456 untraded and 33 others suspended.

“The FBM KLCI is quite high on the last trading day for the year,” Mercury Securities head of research Edmund Tham said. However, volume was thin as many people were still away on holiday except for those wanting to take a profit, he added.

Hong Leong Investment Bank said it is optimistic of a further upside for the benchmark index in the medium to long term. The positive catalysts include diminishing macro risks amid more synchronised growth among major economies with a low interest rate environment to prevail, it said in a note.

Other catalysts are Bursa Malaysia’s safe haven status and defensive appeal amid volatility due to tapering of the US bond-buying programme, strong domestic liquidity and improving domestic economic fundamentals given the government’s budgetary reforms and fiscal discipline. – Bernama

Rubberex scraps plan to buy Alliance Rubber’s glove biz, assets PETALING JAYA: Rubberex Corp (M) Bhd has aborted a plan to buy Alliance Rubber Products Sdn Bhd’s glove business and entire production facilities for the manufacture of nitrile and latex disposable gloves for RM113 million.

The company said the deal was aborted by mutual consent. No reason was given for the decision.

Alliance Rubber has refunded the RM100,000 deposit paid by Rubberex.

“The board will continue to explore opportunities to grow and develop our businesses to enhance our earnings in the future,” it said in its filing with Bursa Malaysia Bhd yesterday.

sunbiz@thesundaily.com

PETALING JAYA: Structural changes and reforms are necessary for the sustainable growth of Malaysia’s economy, but a reshuffle of the Cabinet in 2014 is even more important to stop the country from stumbling and falling, said Asian Strategy & Leadership Institute director and the Centre for Public Policy Studies chairman Tan Sri Dr. Ramon V. Navaratnam (pix).

“We are already stumbling as we are not doing as good as we should, given the fact that Malaysia is a blessed land with plenty of resources and we had a good head start after Merdeka Day. Neighbouring countries are moving at a faster pace. The world is running, and we are just walking,” he told SunBiz in an interview recently.

Ramon, who has held several key positions in government including the posts of deputy secretary general of the Treasury and the secretary general of the Transport Ministry in his 30-year tenure before retiring in 1989, attributes the current state of affairs to “selfish, selfcentred and greedy” politicians who encourage cronyism and money politics.

“The time has come, now that General Election 2013, Umno’s party elections and its general assembly are over. This year, I hope the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak) will be able to move strongly and bravely with greater determination to fight corruption and bring back national unity so that we get our

economy back on track and grow at a faster pace,” said Ramon.

He opined that Najib must reshuffle the Cabinet this year, with the aim of going for leaders with quality and integrity to serve the country inclusively, and not exclusively. “They need not be politicians, but they need to have political appreciation, and we need more technocrats,” he added.

Ramon urged the government to also introduce more structural reforms, by adopting the the New Economic Model (NEM) and phasing out the New Economic Policy (NEP).

“We have been pushing the NEP too far, it was not meant to be that way.

(Instead), it was meant to promote growth and income distribution. But we seem to be adapting policy and principles of what I call ‘raceconomics’.

“I was one of the officials drafting and dealing with the NEP when I was in the Treasury. We never envisaged it would go this way. There has been a distortion and departure from the basic thinking of the former prime minister (Tun Abdul Razak Hussein),” he said.

For example, Ramon said, while the recently announced series of subsidy rationalisation is bound to lead to a higher inflation rate, most people never ask, “Why is there inflation and how can we counter the inflation?”

He believes prices can be stabilised if there are more products available in the market, meaning that the country will have to do away with policies that restrict supply. To counter inflation, Ramon said, the level of competition must be increased, while cronyism and corruption need to be eradicated.

“Less competition, less quality, less production, less discipline, more corruption and wastage cause price

increase. These factors must be controlled, this is why I said there is a need for structural reform,” he reiterated.

“If somebody is good, give them the licence. Don’t give it to your friend. The world does not owe us a living. We must give them not only the fish, but also the rod,” he added.

Ramon said the announcement of the Bumiputra Economic Empowerment Plan (BEEP) which grants bumiputras access to over RM30 billion in funding and contracts, is one such example.

He said BEEP should have been fairly applied to all Malaysian entrepreneurs, with perhaps a preference to bumiputras, making it a more acceptable and productive policy.

This is not say, however, that Ramon believes in sidelining the majority Malays. He acknowledges that Malaysia’s growth very much depends on the enlightenment of the Malays.

Only the Malays, he said, as the majority race, can put the record straight and provide leadership that is fair to all.

“If there is no fair play and inclusiveness in the country, then what can the minorities do? They will feel a sense of hopelessness and lack of belonging. I hope people will realise the mistake and recognise that they are cutting off their nose to spite the face,” he said.

Ramon highlighted the need to upgrade education standards to root out corruption in the country. “It takes time (to start from education), but we should do it now. One should follow principles of religion and must be trained and educated at home as well as at school.

“More importantly, we should fear it (corruption). Why doesn’t a poor man rob a bank? Because he is afraid that he might be caught, besides knowing that it is a bad thing,” he said.

Bina Goodyear targets PN17 exit by year-end

BY EE ANN NEE sunbiz@thesundaily.com

KUALA LUMPUR: Bina Goodyear Bhd, which hopes to return to the black in 2014, aims to exit its Practice Note 17 (PN17) status by the end of this year on the back of its regularisation plan.

“We are targeting 2014-2015 to get back in to the black, which we need to, in order to get out of PN17. The requirement is two consecutive quarters of profit,” its executive director Eng Kim Leng (pix, right) told reporters after the company’s AGM here yesterday.

Bina Goodyear has been registering losses for the past five years since the financial year ended June 30, 2009. It has been a PN17 company since Nov 19, 2012.

Managing director Moo Hean Chong (pix, left) said the company is still finalising its regularisation plan to address its PN17 status and intends to submit it by early February 2014 to Bursa Malaysia for approval.

Bina Goodyear has until March 17, 2014 to submit a regularisation plan to the regulator.

“We’re confident of the (regularisation) plan as per our announcements,” said Moo, who is optimistic of obtaining Bursa Malaysia’s approval.

The proposed restructuring scheme

involves a proposed capital restructuring, proposed renounceable rights issue of up to 254.39 million new shares, proposed offer for subscription of up to 48.28 million new shares, proposed private placement of 50 million new shares and proposed scheme of arrangement.

It includes the proposed acquisition of the construction business of Astinas Construction & Development Sdn Bhd (ACD) for RM10 million cash and proposed acquisition of 28% interest in Ontime Privilege Sdn Bhd (OPSB) together with the assignment of advances of the vendors to Bina Goodyear for RM9.62 million to be satisfied via the issuance of 96.28 million new Bina Goodyear shares.

Bina Goodyear had on Dec 4, 2013 entered into a business acquisition agreement with ACD for the proposed acquisition of the construction projects amounting to an order book of RM250

million. The purchase price of RM10 million is to be financed by the funds to be raised in to the proposed regularisation plan.

The RM250 million order book will be able to last it for two years, with projects predominantly in Johor.

“The RM250 million order book is a start and we’ll proceed from there and get additional contracts. We’ll keep replenishing the order book,” said Moo. He said construction remains a mainstay of the company, even though it is acquiring a 28% stake in OPSB, a property development company.

Eng said once the company is in a good financial position, it can bid for more projects, as its difficulty lies in its current balance sheet.

“We’ll start bidding right away once we’re in a financial position to do so. If you look at our track record, our projects were fairly prestigious, including the Palace of Justice, Subang Parade, Shah Alam mosque, various buildings in KL Sentral and Mont Kiara,” said Eng, adding that the company’s focus is in Klang Valley and Johor.

He added that Bina Goodyear, with its strength in high-rise construction, will opt for projects with a minimum of “a few hundred million”, as anything with an order book of under RM300 million is considered small.

16

SUNBIZ theSun ON WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 1, 2014

MARC sees decent 2014 GDP growth for Malaysia > Economy will expand by a respectable 5%, albeit in the lower range of the government’s forecast PETALING JAYA: Malaysian Rating Corp Bhd (MARC) is of the view that Malaysia’s headline gross domestic product (GDP) will be respectable at 5.0% in 2014, although it will likely be in the lower range of the government’s forecast.

It said this is due to numerous challenges ranging from softer consumer spending in the wake of rising prices partly attributed to the rationalisation of subsidies as well as stricter lending measures by financial institutions following the increased level of impaired loans, and measures imposed by Bank Negara Malaysia to cap rising household debt.

“We also think that a meaningful recovery of global trade is the key to Malaysia’s ability to maintain a decent 5% growth in 2014,” the rating firm said in a statement here yesterday.

It pointed that domestic demand is also crucial to achieving the 5.0% headline GDP growth in 2014.

MARC said positive contribution from private investments may prove to be the saviour for the economy in 2014 as the pace of private consumption may moderate due to the knock-on effects from

rising consumer prices. With a more meaningful recovery expected to take place in 2014, it said, the momentum in investments is likely to be sustained at a relatively strong level.

MARC said stronger trade performance stemming from firmer global demand for electronic and commodity products and a pick-up in major commodity prices will augur well for the economy despite moderating domestic demand this year.

It acknowledges that pressure from rising consumer prices and measures to reduce the government and household debt will somewhat temper the growth momentum in the domestic economy.

MARC also said that inflation is a key concern in 2014. It said all eyes are now glued on monthly consumer prices which are expected to ascend in the next one year.

“We believe the Consumer Price Index will spike up by more than one percentage point from its average level in 2013 due to several developments which have taken place or are likely to happen in the near term.”

These include the tariff hike for electricity starting January 2014, further reduction in fuel subsidy expected in the second half of the year and pre-Goods and Services Tax price increases due to rising demand and increasing speculation; and possible hike in toll charges.

“We foresee a high probability that the latter three events will happen based on

recent developments, the tone set in Budget 2014 and the rhetoric among the officials.

We have penciled in a 3.5% rate of inflation for 2014.”

However, MARC believes that a recovery in the external sector, especially in palm oil prices, resilient investment momentum and a stable labour market will support headline growth in 2014.

It said macro imbalances such as budget deficits and the narrowing of current account surplus will slowly improve as the government continues its efforts to strengthen the economic foundation.

“The Malaysian economy has performed slightly below our expectations in 2013 as abysmal trade performance continued to drag headline growth (our June forecast for 2013: 5.0%, latest 4.7%),” it said.

In the first three quarters of 2013, it said GDP growth averaged 4.5%, making it unlikely to register an overall expansion of more than 5.0%.

As for the ringgit’s performance against the US dollar, MARC said it will average between RM3.20 and RM3.30 in 2014 compared to an estimated average of RM3.19 per US dollar in 2013.

“Going forward, we do not discount a further weakening of the ringgit as asset managers continue to re-focus on diverting their investments into dollar-denominated assets following expectations of a stronger greenback on the back of a sustained recovery of the US economy,” it added.

Management changes at Felda Global Ventures PETALING JAYA: Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd (FGV) will undertake a series of management changes effective today, involving eight management personnel from various departments, including the group’s plantation, downstream, and Southeast Asia and Oceania operations.

The new appointments include Daniel Lee V’nn Ckh’ng as the acting vice president and chief information officer of FGV, Fairuz Ismail as the executive vice president of FGV’s transformation management office and Abdul Halim Ahmad as executive vice president and CEO of Felda Global Ventures Plantation (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (FGVPM) and head of the plantation cluster.

Denys Colin Munang, the former vice president of FGVPM, will be the group CEO of recently-acquired Pontian United Plantations Bhd. Farisan Mokhtar will be the senior vice president of business development for the downstream cluster, Datuk Abd Halim Hamid the senior vice president and head of Southeast Asia and Oceania desk of FGV and Zakaria Arshad the senior vice president and acting head of the downstream cluster. Soh Kim Yaw is now vice president of FGVPM. In a statement yesterday, FGV president and CEO Mohd Emir Mavani Abdullah said the group has embarked on a serious soulsearching process with a view of intensifying operational efficiencies and improving internal Key Performance Indicators .

“With the new line-up in the revitalised management team, we are confident that our focus on operational improvement, reinforcing high performance and portfolio optimisation will be achieved,” he added.

EVERY FRIDAY theSun’s vibrant Property section captures all the vibes of modern living and showcases the vibrancy of the Malaysian property development market.

The prime driver of the country’s economic thrust, the sector looks set to experience further robust growth never mind the state of global economy.

Discerning urbanites keen to keep DEUHDVW ZLWK WKH ODWHVW LQ WKH ÀHOG would want enlightening and entertaining news. What’s new in the property market and what interior design trends on the home front?

All these and more are captured in this section. We bring you news that is current and relevant to keep you in the loop, and there will be pages devoted to market analysis, property launches and the like.

We invite you to participate in the supplement and be part of an exciting lifestyle-based property section.

Contact theSun’s Marketing team to book your advertising space. +HDG 2IÀFH 03-7784 6688

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SUNBIZ

17

theSun ON WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 1, 2014

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OUTLOOK FOR 2014 - PROPERTY

It will be a challenging year > Ban on Developer Interest Bearing Schemes, increase in gains tax come into effect

UEM SUNRISE BERHAD

HUA YANG BERHAD

BY EVA YEONG sunbiz@thesundaily.com

PETALING JAYA: The property development sector will face some challenges this year with new measures coming into effect but the volume of transactions is likely to be adequate in ensuring stability in the market, said Etiqa Insurance & Takaful head of research Chris Eng (pix below).

“Looking at fundamentals, the property market will still be okay this year, especially for landed properties. There have been measures to remove speculation but these do not really affect landed properties,” he told SunBiz in an interview.

Some of the measures announced in Budget 2014 include the banning of Developer Interest Bearing Scheme (DIBS), increase in real property gains tax (RPGT) and the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in April 2015.

Effective today, property developers will no longer be able to offer DIBS to buyers and the RPGT rate will be 30% for gains on properties sold within the first three years while disposals in the fourth and fifth years will be 20% and 15% each respectively.

Although no RPGT is imposed on Malaysians selling properties in the sixth year onwards, companies will be taxed at 5%.

For foreigners, the RPGT rate is 30% for properties sold within five years and 5% for disposals in the sixth and subsequent years.

In addition, the minimum amount for property purchases by foreigners will be increased to RM1 million, with the exception of properties in the Medini zone of Iskandar Malaysia in Johor.

“Volume of transactions should be reasonable as people buy properties ahead of the GST implementation. The market may not be that great but there will be enough volume to ensure stability next year,” said Eng. Eng’s top picks of property stocks in 2013 are IJM Land Bhd and Sunway Bhd from a fundamental point of view and UEM Sunrise Bhd from a trading point of view.

“IJM Land is very diversified, with projects in Penang, the Klang Valley and Johor. In the Klang Valley and Johor, its projects are mostly landed residential properties which will be able to withstand the various tightening measures introduced

by the government and Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM),” he said.

“For Sunway, they have a big landbank including in Medini, which is exempted from some of the tightening measures. This should still give reasonable exposure to the group. Its construction arm is also doing well,” he added.

As for UEM Sunrise, Eng expects a rebound in the first quarter of this year.

For 2014, he remains bullish on IJM Land and Sunway. He is also keeping an eye on Focal Aims Holdings Bhd and SBC Corp Bhd. Focal Aims Holdings is now controlled by Eco World Development Holdings Bhd and Liew Tian Xiong, eldest son SP Setia Bhd’s Tan Sri Liew Kee Sin while SBC Corp has partnered Suria Capital Holdings Bhd to develop a RM1.8 billion commercial centre in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

“We are comfortable with Focal Aims Holdings because they have a good team and it seems promising. They just need to work on their numbers, as they have not really gone out to meet investors yet.

“We are also looking at SBC Corp, which has partnered Suria Capital Holdings to

PJ Development to dispose of Menara PJD PETALING JAYA: PJ Development Holdings Bhd plans to dispose of Menara PJD for RM220 million.

In a filing with Bursa Malaysia yesterday, PJ Development said it has, through wholly-owned subsidiary PJD Land Sdn Bhd, signed a sale and purchase agreement with Able Starship Sdn Bhd to dispose of Menara PJD, a 28-storey commercial and office tower in Kuala Lumpur.

PJ Development’s original cost of investment in Menara PJD was RM129.21 million back in November 2006, the company said. The building had an audited net book value of RM116.21 million as at June 30, 2013.

As a result of the net gain of about RM101 million arising from the disposal, PJ Development’s earning per share and net assets per share will increase by about 22 sen, the company said.

PJ Development said the disposal is timely as it allows the group to unlock the value of the property in view of the prevailing favourable market. Further to that, the disposal, which is expected to be completed by the first half of 2014, will enhance the company’s financial position, it added.

Proceeds from the disposal will be channelled towards working capital and repayment of bank borrowings.

develop a project in Sabah. SBC has been around for some time but they have remained low-key,” he said.

Meanwhile, Inter-Pacific Research Sdn Bhd head of research Pong Teng Siew (pix, right) is more cautious on the property market and believes that the sector will face a tough year with many of the new measures coming into effect.

“The property market had a great run but it is always cyclical in nature. I’m cautious on the property sector and the government is aware of any political consequences of not doing enough,” he said.

Pong said while private companies would look at profits and margins, it is no longer possible to do so on high volume thus the focus is on developments with higher margins. In addition, banks have tightened lending requirements.

“Thus, I prefer niche and small developers rather than those with huge landbanks and townships which is not so sustainable. Niche and small developers who can sell 10 units here and 20 units there, the market can absorb that,” he added.

“Property developers with bigger scale developments and have reached a certain size will find it difficult to maintain the growth. Smaller developers on the other hand, can build up margins, they have room to grow into the high-end projects and maintain profit margins,” said Pong.

His top picks for 2013 are Seremban-based Matrix Concept Holdings Bhd and Hua Yang Bhd, whose focus is on the affordable housing segment.

“One stock that I like Matrix Concept Holdings because their balance sheet has a lot of properties acquired at very low valuations before. Regardless whether their sales is fabulous or soso, profit margins are still high.

“Another one is Hua Yang, they had a great run. If you’re talking about developers who made a big impact on the market in the last one to one-and-a-half years, it is Hua Yang. I prefer the affordable segment because although high-end projects are doing well, it is difficult to sustain,” said Pong.

Commenting on companies diversifying into the property segment, he said these companies are latecomers and have entered the segment at the wrong time of the property cycle, especially with the many measures introduced by the government coming into effect this year.

“I would not recommend investors to look at these stocks as they have come in late in the property cycle. We saw a lot of newcomers last year, probably because other business segments have slowed down and these companies saw property as a comfortable business segment to enter or a quick way to raise profits,” he said.

Furniweb plans RM560m maiden property project PETALING JAYA: Furniweb Industrial Products Bhd (FIPB) has signed a joint venture (JV) agreement with Almaharta Sdn Bhd to develop a 15,294 sq m area in the heart of Kuala Lumpur as part of its plans to diversify into property development.

FIPB currently manufactures and sells upholstery webbings, yarn, and metal components for the furniture industry.

The project will entail the construction and development of two blocks of condominium comprising, among others, a 38-storey block with 270 units, another 38-storey block with 202

units and four levels of parking space for 1,011 cars in total.

The project is located within a 2km radius from the Petronas Twin Towers and is expected to be launched by the third quarter of 2014 with a development period of four years.

The estimated gross development value for the project is about RM560 million, while the gross development cost is expected to be about RM380 million, allowing for an expected gross development profit of RM180 million which FIPB’s subsidiary, Premier Gesture Sdn Bhd, is entitled to 60%.

The property development business

is expected to contribute more than 25% of net profit for the group in the future, it said in its filing with Bursa Malaysia.

FIPB said its board believes that the diversification of the group’s business into property development will enhance the group’s future prospects.

Save for the project, the FIPB group currently does not have other landbank for property development in the future, it said.

The proposed diversification is expected to reduce the group’s reliance on its existing businesses and potentially provide the group with a diverse stream of income, it added.

Sugar producer MSM appoints Sheikh Awab CEO PETALING JAYA: MSM Malaysia Holdings Bhd (MSM) has appointed Datuk Sheikh Awab Sheikh Abod CEO of the sugar-producing company.

His appointment, which takes effect today, follows the retirement of Chua

Say Sin, who was appointed MSM CEO in March 2011.

Sheikh Awab brings with him more than 20 years of experience in corporate finance. He was previously president and CEO of Affin Investment Bank Bhd.

Prior to that, he was the acting CEO of Malaysian International Merchant Bank. He was also the general manager at EON Bank Bhd and the vice president (head of retail banking) at Bank Utama (M) Bhd.

18

SUNBIZ

YEAR

theSun ON WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 1, 2014

A memorable year of challenges JANUARY

X The Securities Commission (SC) releases business trust guidelines, a new avenue for stable cash generating companies looking to raise funds and a new asset class to woo investors, as part of the broader Capital Markets and Services (Amendment) Act 2012.

FEBRUARY

X The Selangor Government offers RM9.56 billion for four water concessionaires in the state.

X Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) offers to take MISC Bhd private in RM8.8 billion deal.

Malindo Air’s inaugural flight took off on March 22 from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu.

MARCH

X Malindo Air’s inaugural flight took place on March 22 from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Kinabalu. The new low-cost budget airline starts operation in mid March. It is 48.99% owned by Lion Airways while the remaining 50.99% is held by Malaysia’s National Aerospace and Defence Industries.

APRIL

X Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera (LTAT) wins a RM2.1 billion contract from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) to develop eight relocation sites for the current military and police installations at the Sungai Besi airport in Kuala Lumpur, which will make way for the proposed Bandar Malaysia mixed development.

X Petronas fails to privatise MISC Bhd even after revising offer.

MAY

X GE13 - BN wins on parliamentary seat majority but loses popular vote.

X The government announces the appointment of then Malayan Banking Bhd (Maybank) president and CEO Datuk Seri Abdul Wahid Omar as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in new cabinet line-up.

JUNE

X Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) announces that the opening of the new low-cost carrier terminal in Sepang, KLIA2 (pix, right) will be pushed back yet again, to May 2, 2014. Recent reports have again raised doubts on whether MAHB would be able to meet the May 2, 2014 deadline.

X Petronas pushes operational timeline for the Rapid project to 2017.

JULY

X The Financial Services Act 2013 and the Islamic Financial Services Act 2013 come into force.

X The Securities Commission instructs Ranhill Energy and Resources Bhd to halt its planned listing on Bursa Malaysia, originally slated for July 31, pending a review of its initial public offering (IPO) by the regulators.

Ranhill Energy failed to disclose that Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) had on July 17, 2013 suspended the licence of its affiliate company Perunding Ranhill Worley Sdn Bhd (PRW) for an indefinite period.

In the prospectus dated July 4, Ranhill said a “significant portion” of its oil and gas business in Malaysia is derived through PRW from projects secured from Petronas group of companies.

AUGUST

X Datuk Abdul Farid Alias (pix) promoted as president and CEO of the country’s largest bank, Maybank, effective Aug 2, 2013.

Farid, 45, replaces Datuk

Seri Abdul Wahid Omar, who resigned on June 4 to take up the post as Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of financial affairs.

EXCHANGE RATES Foreign currency 1 US Dollar 1 Australian Dollar 1 Brunei Dollar 1 Canadian Dollar 1 Euro 1 New Zealand Dollar 1 Papua N Guinea Kina 1 Singapore Dollar 1 Sterling Pound 1 Swiss Franc 100 UAE Dirham 100 Bangladesh Taka 100 Chinese Renminbi 100 Danish Krone 100 Hongkong Dollar 100 Indian Rupee 100 Indonesian Rupiah 100 Japanese Yen 100 New Taiwan Dollar 100 Norwegian Krone 100 Pakistan Rupee 100 Philippine Peso 100 Qatar Riyal 100 Saudi Riyal 100 South Africa Rand 100 Sri Lanka Rupee 100 Swedish Krona 100 Thai Baht

X Prices of RON95 and diesel are increased by 20 sen each.

X Datuk Charon Wardini Mokhzani resigns as CIMB Group deputy CEO to join Khazanah Nasional Bhd. Khazanah later announces that Charon will lead newly established Khazanah Research Institute.

NOVEMBER

Bank sell Bank buy Bank buy TT/OD TT OD 3.3280 3.2490 3.2390 2.9690 2.8940 2.8780 2.6280 2.5630 2.5550 3.1220 3.0550 3.0430 4.5960 4.4830 4.4630 2.7490 2.6520 2.6360 1.4870 1.1620 1.1460 2.6275 2.5630 2.5550 5.4770 5.3630 5.3480 3.7460 3.6670 3.6520 91.8100 87.2500 87.0500 4.3690 4.1260 3.9260 54.9000 52.8000 0.0000 63.3500 58.3700 58.1700 43.4900 41.3300 41.1300 5.4470 5.1700 4.9700 0.0282 0.0257 0.0207 3.1770 3.0920 3.0820 NA NA 0.0000 56.3600 51.9200 51.7200 3.2100 3.0200 2.8200 7.6200 7.1900 6.9900 92.5600 88.0500 87.8500 89.9600 85.4000 85.2000 32.9700 30.2800 30.0800 2.6200 2.4100 2.2100 53.5700 48.9000 48.7000 10.8300 9.2100 8.8100

revised National Automotive Policy (NAP) will be unveiled in midJanuary 2014.

X The SC enforces new guidelines for shariah compliance, releases new list of shariah-compliant stocks on the local stock exchange.

OCTOBER

X The Securities Commission (SC) fines Ranhill Energy Bhd president and CEO Tan Sri Hamdan for non-disclosure of material change to its IPO. X UMW Oil & Gas Corp Bhd gets listed on the local stock exchange, making it the biggest IPO of the year raising RM2.36 billion.

X The government announces that the

DEC 31, 2013

Source: Malayan Banking Berhad/Bernama

SEPTEMBER

X Budget 2014 announces implementation of GST in April 2015.

X Government abolishes sugar subsidy of 34 sen.

X Tun Ling Liong Sik acquitted of cheating charges for Port Klang Free Trade Zone scandal.

X Westports Holdings Bhd made its debut on Bursa Malaysia at RM2.70, a 20 sen premium to its RM2.50 issue price.

X The US governments starts shutdown early in the month and aborts at the eleventh hour.

2013 IN REVIEW

DECEMBER

X The Ministry of Energy and Green technology announces average electricity tariff hike of 15% in 2014.

X Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad steps down as adviser to Petronas citing health issues.

X China-based developer Guangzhou R&F Properties Co Ltd announces RM5.4 billion purchase of six plots of land in Johor Baru for RM4.5 billion from the Tun Dr Mahathir Sultan of Johor.

Mohamad X 1MDB Real Estate Sdn Bhd (1MDB RE) invites qualified investors to submit proposals for Stage 1 of The Tun Razak Exchange (TRX).

X The US announces gradual tapering of QE3.

Datuk Charon Wardini Mokhzani

ENTERTAINMENT

19

theSun ON WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 1, 2014

A tribute to

MUSIC CHARTS billboard

Carole King

1.

The Monster – Eminem, featuring Rihanna 2. Timber – Pitbull, featuring Ke$ha 3. Counting Stars – OneRepublic 4. Royals – Lorde 5. Wrecking Ball – Miley Cyrus 6. Wake Me Up! – Avicci 7. Demons – Imagine Dragons 8. Say Something – Great Big World, featuring Christina Aguilera 9. Let Her Go – Passenger 10. Hold on, We’re Going Home – Drake, featuring Majid Jordan

> A new musical brings the songwriter/singer’s life and music to the Broadway stage

BY PATRICIA REANEY

W

HILE most teenagers in the early 1960s were swooning over the pop stars, Carole King (inset) was busy writing songs for her idols that would send them to the top of the music charts.

From Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow for The Shirelles and Take Good Care of My Baby for Bobby Vee to The Loco-Motion for Little Eva, King and her first husband, Gerry Goffin, penned a string of hits before she launched a solo career and produced her 1971 multiple Grammy Award-winning second album Tapestry.

Beautiful – The Carole King Musical, a new play that opens on Jan 12 on Broadway, will chart the rise of the songwriter, born Carol Klein in Brooklyn, from her early days as a teenager working with Goffin and songwriters Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil in New York’s songwriting hub at 1650 Broadway through her divorce and later her move to California.

“It’s an embarrassment of riches,” director Marc Bruni said in an interview about the catalogue of music King, 71, produced.

The songs, including So Far Away, It’s Too Late, Up on the Roof and I Feel the Earth Move, and the story of how she wrote her first hit at 17 and went on to become a charttopping music legend, were an irresistible combination for Bruni.

Actress Jessie Mueller (pix, right), who earned a Tony nomination for her role opposite Harry Connick Jr in 2011’s On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, plays King, while Jake Epstein is Goffin.

Anika Larsen (Avenue Q)and Jarrod Spector (Jersey Boys) portray

JUKE BOX

their best friends, Weil and Mann.

Like writer Douglas McGrath, who was initially reluctant to write a play about four living people, Mueller admitted she was intimidated about portraying King, whose more than 400 compositions have been recorded by over 1,000 artistes.

“With any role, you have to find your way in. In the beginning. it was: ‘Oh my God. I’m playing a real person and a living legend. It’s Carole King’,” Mueller said.

“There is a fear behind that but eventually, you have to find your way. She is such an authentic performer that at the end of the day, it’s like I have to bring enough of myself to it so it comes across authentic to an audience.”

With the show’s focus on King’s early music with Goffin, audiences are given a look into the songwriting process and how they produced hits for other people.

“You see how that structure followed her. She rode the wave of music and she became a singer/ songwriter,” said Mueller. “A lot of the people who started with her didn’t go that way, or weren’t able to make that leap, but she did.”

King had reservations about a musical based on her life but was convinced to go ahead with the project by her daughter and manager, Sherry Goffin Kondor, who is a producer of the musical.

“I’m actually not going to see it,” King said in an interview with cable news network MSNBC. “I saw an early reading and realised it was too hard for me to watch very emotional moments of my life on stage.”

Bruni described the show as a play with songs because of the way the music is tightly integrated into the script and an essential part of

hitz.fm 1.

The Monster – Eminem, featuring Rihanna 2. Demons – Imagine Dragons 3. Counting Stars – OneRepublic 4. Timber – Pitbull, featuring Ke$ha 5. Wake Me Up! – Avicii 6. Wrecking Ball – Miley Cyrus 7. Stay the Nights – Zedd, featuring H. Williams 8. Royals – Lorde 9. Unconditionally – Katy Perry 10. Hold on, We’re Going Home – Drake, featuring Majid Jordan

MIX.fm 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Demons – Imagine Dragons Counting Stars – OneRepublic Wake Me Up! – Avicii Wrecking Ball – Miley Cyrus Roar – Katy Perry Brave – Sara Bareilles Love Don’t Die – The Fray Waiting for Superman – Chris Daughtry 9. Hold on, We’re Going Home – Drake, featuring Majid Jordan 10. Still into You – Paramore

the story.

“We tried very hard to make it feel like a coherent theatrical piece in its own right, detailing a very clear story without feeling like we were just capitalising on the previous fame of the songs,” he explained.

“We wanted to give people a window into how they were written, why they were written, what the circumstances were and the struggles of the writers.” – Reuters

REVIEWS BY S. INDRA SATHIABALAN

New Paul McCartney Universal Music MCCAARTNEY is still making music he loves although most of us prefer his work from his Beatles and Wings days.

Still, fans will enjoy the influences of his music from his years with both bands on tracks such as Save Us,

The Best of Alligator, On My Way to Work, Early Days, New and Looking at Her. If you ever wondered how the Beatles would have sounded if they were still around, this album might give you an idea.

Overall, this is pretty good but McCartney’s fans are the ones who would really appreciate it.

Artpop Lady Gaga Universal Music AFTER the stupendous success of her first album The Fame, followed by Born This Way, Gaga is experimenting more with her music in this third album.

The single, Applause, is enjoying good rotation on radio.

Other tracks that will grow on you are Aura, Venus, Manicure,

Artpop, Donatella and Gypsy.

However, I must warn you that at first listen, there is nothing really that stands out immediately.

In fact, at first Applause sounds like something she has done in the past.

If you loved her last two albums, you might not really warm up to this one.

Keane Universal Music IF THE only song you know of this British piano-rock band is Somewhere Only We Know, then I suggest you get your hands on this compilation of its biggest hits from its almost decadelong existence.

It’s also an introduction to this band that stood out from the crowd of r o c k bands w h i c h almost all sounded the same.

T h e highlights are Everybody Changes, Somewhere Only We Know, Is It Any Wonder, Crystal Ball, My Shadow and Perfect Symmetry.

This album is essentially a chronicle of its 10 years in the music business as a band, starting with its debut album, Hopes and Fears, released in 2004.

This is recommended for fans and those who have enjoyed one of Keane’s hits and want more.

20

ENTERTAINMENT theSun ON WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 1, 2014

An unforgettable role > Poppy Montgomery steps into the mind of a cop with a photographic memory and emotional baggage

BY S. INDRA SATHIABALAN

A

USTRALIAN-BORN actress Poppy Montgomery is perhaps best known to television viewers as FBI agent Samantha Spade on the hit series Without a Trace and the recent TV movie based on Harry Potter J.K Rowling called Magic Beyond Words.

She has come a long way since 2001 when she got her first big break in the mini-series Blonde, where Montgomery portrayed Marilyn Monroe.

While the actress has played a variety of roles over the years, she is still best known for playing cops.

In the hit series Unforgettable, which just finished its first season on Lifetime Channel, Montgomery plays Carrie Wells, a cop who has hyperthymesia, a rare medical condition that enables her to visually remember everything.

However in the series, the only thing that Wells can’t remember are the events leading up to her sister’s death.

In the first season of Unforgettable, we first meet Wells working in a nursing home and impressing her patients with her photographic memory.

When her former lover and partner, Lt Al Burns (Dylan Walsh), seeks her help in solving a case, she is amazed by her own ability.

This eventually compels Wells to try to solve her sister’s

MOVIE REVIEW

murder, and she joins the New York City Police Department’s Queens homicide unit.

In season two, which premieres on Jan 6, Wells and Burns are transferred to the NYPD’s Major Crimes Division.

The only other supporting cast from season one joining them in season two is coroner Dr Joanne Webster (Jane Curtin).

During a teleconference interview with Montgomery who is in Los Angeles, she said there will be notable changes in the second season.

“Now, we have Manhattan as a backdrop. Instead of just working with homicide and murder, we actually get to investigate all types of crimes.

“In season two, there is a bank robbery where Wells goes undercover; there is also an assassin on the loose, and there is also a case with an art theft. You have a bunch of different things this time around.”

Montgomery said that season two is a lot lighter than the previous one. “It has more comedy and action. So other than a great memory, we also have a very athletic Wells.”

To get under the skin of her character, Montogomery spoke to actress and series consultant Marilu Henner (Taxi) who has hyperthymesia herself.

YOU must never take your freedom for granted. This message was dancing in my heart after watching this film.

Based on a true story, 12 Years a Slave takes place before the American Civil War. It centres on a musician, Solomon Northup (Ejiofor), a free black man from New York who is abducted and sold into slavery.

This movie depicts the misery he faces as a slave. It is only after 12 years that he finally gets his freedom back and is reunited with his family.

I don’t want to reveal too much of the plot as it will only spoil your enjoyment of the film. All I can say is that this brilliant movie has many

ROBBIE WILLIAMS (pix), is planning to undergo a variety of plastic surgery procedures after he turns 40 on Feb 13 next year.

He said: “I am going to have everything done. I am going to have a facelift, the chin can go, liposuction.

The mid-life crises theory has been creeping up on me for some time.”

MARIAH CAREY (pix) had such a difficult pregnancy with her twins she wouldn’t want to put herself through that experience again.

On US talk show Watch What Happens Live, she said: “I had preeclampsia, I had gestational diabetes … and I was alone most of the time ... we love [husband] Nick [Cannon], but he was working! He’s the hardest working man in showbusiness.”

Henner made a guest appearance as Wells’ aunt suffering from early onset Alzheimer’s in season one.

Montgomery believes that people do identify with Wells and her ability. “They are intrigued that her memory ability is a real thing. It is like a real-life superwoman.”

The actress said that her memory is great when it comes to remembering her lines but sometimes, she would go looking for her sunglasses when it is actually perched on her head!

Season one of Unforgettable was almost cancelled mid-season but fans rallied together and demanded for the series to return. That got the network (CBS) to not only continue with the series but also renew it for season two.

Montgomery said that she was pregnant mid-way through season one and when she heard about the cancellation, she just took it in her stride.

“I don’t worry about things like that too much. I react to it philosophically. What is meant to be, will be. If it is meant to be on, it will be on. I was happy that my fans were enthusiastic in bringing back the show.”

When asked if she runs the risk of being stereotyped for playing cops, Montgomery said: “Before I did Without a Trace, I played Marilyn Monroe in Blonde and after Without a Trace, I played J.K Rowling.

“So I am not too worried that

much because everything I do in between is so different. I like doing action and stunts and in order to do that kind of roles, I have to be playing a cop or someone who fights bad guys.”

Season three will start shooting in March, 2014 and this time, Montgomery will not only be the star but the executive producer as well.

She said she has no desire to direct and is content acting and producing.

Wells and Burns have this chemistry going and the fans of the series would like to see them get back together.

“They always play with the idea of getting back together but then it will be a little like Moonlighting. They almost get together but didn’t. We will never see them get together until the end.”

When asked if she imagines what it would be like to live or work with someone who remembers everything, Montgomery laughed and said: “I think it would be awful! Can you imagine? Everything bad you did, they would remember as though it happened five minutes ago.

“I think that is why it is hard for Wells to be in a relationship.

People know that she can’t forget anything and she probably holds that against them, a lot. “ The second season of Unforgettable premieres on Jan 6, at 9pm over on Lifetime.

PETA’S CHOICE RICKY GERVAIS (pix) has been named Peta’s person of the year.

The animal rights group has bestowed its annual honour upon the British comedian for his staunch support of animal welfare on his humorous Twitter account, which is followed by over five million loyal fans.

EYEING BIGGER BREASTS ZOE SALDANA (pix), 35, is considering getting breast implants as she isn’t particularly happy with the size of her cleavage.

She told America’s Lucky Magazine: “My whole life I’ve been obsessed with breasts. I love them. I don’t like fake things, but I wouldn’t mind buying myself a pair before I die.”

TOO BUSY FOR HOUDINI HUGH JACKMAN (pix), 45, has dropped out of the upcoming Broadway production Houdini.

The Australian actor was due to take on the leading role as the legendary escape artist, Harry Houdini, in the eagerlyanticipated show in New York City next year but will not longer be taking to the stage because of his busy schedule.

A STEP AT A TIME TAYLOR SWIFT (pix) insists she doesn’t look into the future because she’d rather take each step as it comes.

She told Entertainment Weekly: “I try to have a very steppingstone mentality about this whole thing, where as soon as you make one step you visualise the next step, not five steps ahead.”

X Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, and Lupita Nyong X Director: Steve McQueen X E-Value: 8 X Acting: 8 X Plot: 8

disturbing moments that will break your heart and leave you feeling helpless.

The cast all put their best foot forward and churned out fantastic performances.

Ejiofor and Lupito Nyong gave convincing performances as suffering slaves and I would not be surprised if both of them get Oscar nominations.

But I find the actor who really stole the show was Michael

TO LOOK YOUNG

DIFFICULT PREGNANCY

BY BISSME S.

12 Years a Slave

SCREEN SHORTS

CRITICAL SUPPORTERS

Fassbender as the ruthless religious owner who loves torturing his slaves.

This is a movie that’s worth

spending your time. But if you are one of those who want to leave the cinema hall with a huge smile, then this might not be your cup of tea.

WARWICK DAVIS (pix) says his daughter Annabelle, 16, and son Harrison, 10, are his best supporters as they tell him where he needs to improve and what he needs to change.

He said: “My kids tend to be overly-critical actually of my performances, which is a good thing because then I’ll go away and improve on it.” – Bang Media

THE RIGHT READ

21

theSun ON WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 1, 2014

Modern twist to Greek myth

BEST-SELLING BOOKS – Compiled by MPH Bookstores

Fiction 1. THE CUCKOO’S CALLING – Robert Galbraith 2. KL NOIR: WHITE – Various authors 3. THE FIRST PHONE CALL FROM HEAVEN – Mitch Albom 4. ONE HUNDRED NAMES – Cecelia Ahern 5. THE HOBBIT – J.R.R. Tolkien 6. THE RACKETEER – John Grisham 7. THE GHOST BRIDE – Yangsze Choo 8. THE SUM OF ALL KISSES – Julia Quinn 9. THE LONGEST RIDE – Nicholas Sparks 10. HOW TO FALL IN LOVE – Cecelia Ahern

> Scott Turow walks a fine line between writing legal fiction and the actual practice of law

BY ELLEN FREILICH

B

EST-SELLING author Scott Turow (right) turned to Greek mythology for his latest legal thriller, Identical.

The book centres on a contemporary Greek-American family and community headed by a patriarch named Zeus.

The story is loosely based on the myth of the mortal Castor and his immortal brother Pollux, the twin sons of the Greek god Zeus. It includes key elements of Greek tragedy such as love, anger, devotion, deceit and incest.

According to the myth, when Castor was killed, his surviving brother Pollux wanted to share his immortality with him so they would not be separated.

Zeus granted the wish and the twins were transformed into the constellation Gemini.

In Identical, one twin, Cass Giannis, is serving a prison sentence for a murder his brother Paul is sure he didn’t commit.

When Paul runs for mayor, the brother of the murder victim embarks on a television ad campaign to thrust the 25-yearold crime back into the limelight to hurt his candidacy.

Turow talked to Reuters about his writing career, his legal work and how he balances the two.

Why do you think your books

IN A CAPSULE

as so successful?

“I like to think that one reason my books often succeed is that what the reader thinks is the mystery is not really the mystery. One thing that helped in this book is that the memory of the Greek myths we read in school has faded a little so the parallels are not immediately obvious to the reader.”

Are you still a practising lawyer?

“Now I only do criminal law, dealing with accusations of wrong-doing, including lots of cases in front of the attorney registration commission.

“I’m a defence lawyer. So I’m defending attorneys who have been accused of wrong-doing, including judges, lawyers, hearing officers. I sometimes say I started out with a proctologist’s view of the profession.”

I find it curious that lawyers, whose stock and trade is the law, would break it.

“There’s nothing new about a public official making private use of his or her office.

“The motive of a briber, or a person who takes the bribe, though in a community like Chicago that sometimes goes beyond an individual.

“It’s an identity group thing, whether it’s a group of insiders or outsiders. It can have a very, very complex sociology. People can become convinced that this is just the way it’s done.”

Non-Fiction

How do you keep the writing of legal fiction separate from the actual practice of law?

“There are ethical constraints on what I can steal from life for my novels and that’s just as well.

“Even if you try to stick with reality, there will always be something that you don’t really know about people in real life.

“I don’t write about my clients. I don’t write about my cases. It’s much easier to let some small inspiration from reality take wing in a novel.”

How do you structure your day?

“I like to write in the morning and tend to other business in the afternoon. It’s not that exact. I probably write 45 minutes out of every hour.

“Email is a great distraction.

If clients call, I can take care of that and go back to writing.

“Most writers write in the

morning, pretty much as soon as the coffee is out of the way. I think it has something to do with the passageways to dreams not being fully closed.

“I start while I’m on the second cup of coffee.

“While I was writing Identical, I had a criminal case go to trial. That’s real work and doesn’t leave a lot of room for writing or anything else in your life.

“Generally speaking, that pretty much occupied my life for three weeks.”

Is there any difference in the way you feel about your work now as opposed to when you first began writing?

“Yes. I feel like I know what I’m doing. The other side of it is that, of course, since I think I know what I’m doing, I’m always worrying that I’m not pushing myself hard enough.” – Reuters

1. I AM MALALA: THE STORY OF THE GIRL WHO STOOD UP FOR EDUCATION AND WAS SHOT BY THE TALIBAN – Malala Yousafzai 2. ALEX FERGUSON: MY AUTOBIOGRAPHY – Alex Ferguson 3. LONG WALK TO FREEDOM: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF NELSON MANDELA – Nelson Mandela 4. LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS: INSPIRATION FOR A RIDICULOUSLY GOOD LIFE – Nick Vujicic 5. RECLAIM YOUR HEART – Yasmin Mogahed 6. HERO – Rhonda Byrne 7. ONE DIRECTION: WHERE WE ARE: OUR BAND, OUR STORY (100% OFFICIAL) – One Direction 8. DAVID AND GOLIATH: UNDERDOGS, MISFITS AND THE ART OF BATTLING GIANTS – Malcolm Gladwell 9. QUIET: THE POWER OF INTROVERTS IN A WORLD THAT CAN’T STOP TALKING – Susan Cain 10. GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS 2014 – Guinness World Records

REVIEWS BY SHARON WONG

Never Go Back

Seven Wonders: Lost in Babylon

X Author: Lee Child X Publisher: Bantam Press

X Author: Peter Lerangis X Publisher: Harper

I HAVE never actually read a Jack Reacher novel before although I do recall a rather strange book titled Reacher’s Rules, which actually gives a good idea of what kind of man he is.

Well, according to some reviews, he is a tough guy hero that men envy and women adore.

He is a hero with a universal appeal and he doesn’t triumph because he is strong but because he is resourceful, gallant and good.

Impressed and thus armed, I launch into Never Go Back.

While it starts off strangely enough, this novel turns out to be both amusing and entertaining when everything clicks into place.

And as it progress, it becomes fascinating. Or rather, Jack Reacher becomes fascinating.

Just because he liked the voice of Major Susan Turner, the new commanding officer of his old unit – the military police special unit, Reacher makes the

long journey from the snows of South Dakota to Virginia so that he can meet her in person.

But when he finally arrives, he discovers that Turner has been removed from her command and he himself has been accused of a 16-year-old homicide.

Things are about to get heated up but nobody has figured on Reacher’s resourcefulness at getting to the bottom of whatever strikes his fancy.

And finding out about Major Susan Turner is paramount in his mind at the moment, never mind his own problems.

But the more he digs, the more trouble he finds himself in.

H o w e v e r , Reacher is not the kind of guy who backs away from trouble.

On the contrary, he thrives on it.

And when he finds out the truth about what is going on, somebody is going to pay.

This book just gets better with every page. It is definitely an engaging thriller for those with a sense of humour and a yen for the unexpected.

THIS is book two of the Seven Wonders series. To recap, we have four 13-year-olds – Jack, Cass, Ally and Marco – who are descendants of the royal family of Atlantis with an inherited genetic trait that causes them to develop super abilities too fast, which will kill them at age 14.

The only cure is to find the seven stolen Loculi of Atlantis, which are hidden in the seven wonders of the ancient world, while undergoing

certain treatments to hold off their symptoms temporarily.

In book one, the group successfully retrieved their first Loculus but Marco had disappeared with it.

In Lost in Babylon, the other three set out in search of Marco and after a couple of wild goose chase, they discover that he has gone to the lost city of Babylon after the second Loculus.

They quickly follow, and the thrills and adventure continue. But then, betrayal and trickery also rear their

ugly heads and the teens get a taste of the real world.

There are some amusing antics going on in this book in addition to the action, which should keep the young ones turning the pages.

For adults, switch off logic and they can enjoy this journey into the unknown and the bizarre.

Guys Read: Other Worlds X Edited: Jon Scieszka X Publisher: Walden Pond Press THIS is the fourth volume in Jon Scieszka’s Guys Read anthology series for boys which is an attempt to encourage reading among young boys with subjects that they would like.

It began with Guys Read: Funny Business; Guys Read: Thriller; and Guys Read: The Sports Pages.

Guys Read: Other Worlds features 10 new tales of science fiction and fantasy from some of the biggest names in children’s literature, including the late Ray Bradbury.

The stories here vary in length but are chock-full of creativity.

It begins with Percy Jackson and the Singer of Apollo by Rick Riordan, which tells how Apollo assign demigod Percy and his friend Grover to find his missing golden singing robot before his big concert up on Mt Olympus.

Suffice it to say that you would be smirking before you know it.

Then there is the odd tale – a picture tale, actually – about a boy in a snow globe by Shaun Tan and the short but juicy story titled Rise of the RoboShoes by Tom Angleberger, which is a quirky tale about rebelling shoes against lazy humans.

There’s also a touch of the macabre with The Klack Bros Museum by Kenneth Oppel about a weird museum

owner who keeps the ashes of a dead boy on display and whose ghost haunts the ashes, desiring to be free.

There’s an invasion from space tale with a twist and survival of the fittest on a colonisation journey to another star and more.

All in, this is an interesting collection of stories and since they are short and punchy, they should serve to keep the young ones occupied for some time.

22

FASHION & BEAUTY EDITOR: Peter Yap E-MAIL: peteryap@thesundaily.com

FASHION

ADIB RAWI/THESUN

theSun ON WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 1, 2014

Eternal style

TV host and celebrity stylist Jeannie Mai spills her insider fashion tips

BY YEEVON ONG

S

O the late French designer Yves Saint Laurent pointed out that “fashions fade, style is eternal”. But if you choose to be relentlessly fashionable as your style like celebrity stylist and host of the Style Network series How Do I Look?

Jeannie Mai, the ever-changing face of fashion trends is no adversary.

A bona fide style expert on and off the camera, Mai’s fashion tips and advocacies are more often focused on flattering the silhouettes than pressing for the latest trims and prints. Her two-time Emmy nominated television programme How Do I Look? is a proof of that.

More than just a fashion-intervention show, Mai empowers women to discover their true beauty, overcome their insecurities and employ fashion to give them the confidence they need to help achieve their career goals.

Dubbed as a “Wearapist”, Mai has made it her mission to inspire, educate and empower women through her “wearapy” style, a fashion approach where style and wardrobe can have an empowering and healing effect on a woman’s confidence and mood. Rather than focusing on trends or labels, Mai teaches how colours and textures in personal wardrobe choices can dramatically enhance a woman’s selfconfidence and mood, while transforming the environment of situations around her.

We manage to catch up with the fashionista who has just finished shooting The Real, a charttopping summer special talk show, and is currently developing a new show for QVC, at a recent event hosted by NBC Universal for some “wearapy”.

What goes into giving somebody a makeover?

Care. You really have to care about that person like what their goals, their ambitions, where they come from, their daily lifestyle, their insecurities…that’s all of it.

Did you always know how to dress well?

My mum taught me about personal style when I was growing up.

She didn’t speak English when she moved to the US and we didn’t have a lot of money so being creative with our outfits was really important so we would be able to stand out and make people take us seriously. My mum taught me about having a certain identity and having a look so that people remember you wherever you go.

So what look was that?

It depends. That’s why I talk about ‘wearapy’ today. It is about channeling a certain energy so that people see you for who you are. It’s about having therapy

through your clothing. So if you are feeling really low in confidence, I ask you to wear citrusy colours like oranges and yellows because they’re very intelligent and intellectual colours. Also, they’re very therapeutic to your soul.

If you want to feel romantic and inviting, like going on a first date, then wear warm textures like velvet, fur, faux fur, magenta, blush pink or nudes to show a man you’re open and ready for anything. It’s all about choosing the right type of colours to channel your mood.

What’s your trick in dressing well?

The trick is in asking myself what message I want to convey then pick my clothes base on that. If I want to have a romantic night with my husband then I’ll wear soft, flowy textures and soft colours [and] not leather.

If I’m going for a job interview and I want to make sure my boss pays me what I’m worth and recognise me in a big room of people, I would wear a bright yellow or orange and high heels that are high but not too high that doesn’t look like I’m not there to work. I would also wear something with shoulders because it makes you look prominent and authoritative.

So what’s your message today?

Today, I wanted to celebrate the NBC Universal family. I’m so proud of Diva and how all the shows communicate to women that you can achieve anything and you can celebrate every day. Even if it’s a Thursday afternoon at 3pm, it’s worth celebrating because you’re a woman.

It’s our age, it’s our time right now so today I wanted to celebrate with fun colours and textures and give everybody a feeling of getting comfortable. We are not in evening gowns; we’re just here to celebrate women.

What’s the major mistake most women make when it comes to dressing up?

The biggest mistake is when women don’t have the right fit. If you don’t have the right fit you don’t have fashion. When you wear a shirt that is oversized or too tight for your body, it looks unprofessional and it doesn’t look well.

It could be an Hermes top or something from Gucci but if it doesn’t fit you well, it looks like garbage.

What’s a fashion no-no?

For me, I don’t like bodyhugging dresses. I don’t have a curvy body like a Kim Kardashian so I don’t like things that hug my figure. I like texture and volume. For most Jeannie Mai. women, everybody’s so different so I can’t say what one fashion no-no is. But walking out of the house without trying or giving your outfits an effort, that’s a fashion no-no.

Timely collaboration THE epitome of urban cool, popular film actor Tony Yang has been appointed the brand ambassador for ALBA, the maker of innovative watches. A talented and prolific actor, Taiwan-born Yang personifies the vibrant, smart and positive image of ALBA with natural ease. He brings his unique brand of charm and sense of style to the screen and in real life as he “lives the moment” with flair and vigour.

Always taking on varied and challenging roles, Yang represents the youthful energy and trendsetting innovation of ALBA that is so loved by the younger generation.

Nominated for Best Actor in the 41st Golden Bell Award (2006) for the movie “Holy Ridge” and the winner of the Best Newcomer Award (2004) for the movie, “Formula 17”, Yang has amassed a wide body of film work since his debut film role in 2004.

His latest endeavours include the recent Taiwanese blockbuster gangster comedy “David Loman” as well as the upcoming, “The Crossing”.

ALBA, together with Yang, recently launched the ALBA latest collection of timepieces spearheaded by the iconic Sign A series and featuring the coveted “Pilot Watch”.

A victorious combination of style and functionality, the pilot watch is an immaculate timepiece inspired by the passion for adventure and the pioneering spirit of those early aviation years.

Crafted in the tradition of the classic aviation watch, the Sign A Pilot

Watch is incorporated with rapid calculation, conversion and chronograph functions necessary for pilots of yore.

It is also power-packed with enough advanced features to make this watch a state-of-the-art must-have for all. Its single-time alarm function can be set to ring once at a designated time within the next 12 hours. Featuring a 1/5-second chronograph that measures up to 60 minutes in 1/5- second increments while split time measurement is also made possible.

High on the aesthetic stakes, the pilot watch is enhanced with a precisive rotating bezel covered with a clear acrylic glass featuring two functions – the calculating function and rotating function.

A defining pusher in an eye-catching colour completes the beauty and functionality of this unique watch. Available in nine elegant models, there is a Sign A pilot watch to match your individual taste and lifestyle. – Tom Fong Alba's Sign A pilot watch collection.

Tony Yang is Alba's new brand ambassador.

BEAUTY

23

theSun ON WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 1, 2014

Look gorgeous > Make a good impression with this collection from Benefit Cosmetics GROOVY KIND-A-LOVE! YOU'LL find more to adore in the complete kit for eyes, lips, cheeks and face. Just follow the easy tips and tricks to bring out the flower child in you. Set includes the POREfessional mini, they're real! mini, benetint, dandelion and gimme fever cheek powder duo with brush, four-shade eyeshadow palette and double ended sponge applicator.

LUV IT UP! Look what just marched in with a nude attitude! This soft and flattering make-up kit helps you look your best "in the buff". Easy tips and tricks show you how to layer creaseless cream and powder eyeshadows and create the perfect pearly pink pout. Set includes three longwear powder shadows in call my buff, nude swings and thanks a latte, creaseless cream shadow mini in rsvp and ultra plush lip gloss mini in dandelion.

CRESCENT ROW GET carried away with this limited edition fragrance set.

With four deluxe mini bottles of Benefit's most irresistible Crescent Row eau de toilettes, this gift is hot to trot! Set includes under my spell Noelle, ring my Bella, laugh with me LeeLee and my place or yours Gina.

LOVE AT FIRST SHINE Benefit's new mini gloss set features six sexy shades of ultra plush lip gloss that drench your lips in smooth and luscious colour. Glide 'em on and get ready for some public displays of attention. Set includes A-Lister (bubblegum pink), kiss you (fuchsia), icebreaker (clear), lollibop (hot pink), poutrageous (bright pink coral) and fauxmance (soft berry).

COUNTDOWN TO LOVE! Twenty four days ... 24 flattering beauty treats. Benefit's one-of-akind advent calendar is filled with fun! This coveted set of 24 has all you need to look gorgeous this holiday. Set includes "that gal", the POREfessional, high beam, sun beam, benetint, chachatint, posietint, ultra plush lip gloss in dandelion, sugarbomb, CORALista, hoola, dandelion, CORALista, ultra plush lip gloss in A-lister, BADgal lash, stay don't stray in light/medium, BADgal liner waterproof, it's potent eye cream, girl meets pearl, total moisture facial cream, ooh la lift, bracelet, necklace and barette.

LOVE ME B. RIGHT! COFFEE, tea or deep hydration?

Have it all with three of Benefit's best-selling skincare products and the POREfessional primer!

This brilliant gift in a collectible tint will you a practically poreless complexion. Set includes it's potent eye cream, triple performing facial emulsion, total moisture facial cream mini and the POREfessional mini. – Suzy Ming

Virtual shopping

Melvita Argan Oil.

FOR 30 years, Melvita has been a pioneer in the field of organic beauty products.

What started as a beekeeper (Melvita founder Bernard Chevilliant) paying tribute to his beloved hillsides has grown into one of France's leading purveyors of organic skin care products.

Last month, Melvita Malaysia launched its full-service e-commerce site, which offers customers the convenience to purchase Melvita products online.

For customers that do not live within the vicinity of shopping malls, shopping online with Melvita is the most

comfortable with clear instructions, option. descriptions and tips.

Organic living The website can loyalists will be viewed at http:// fall in love with www.melvita.com.my Melvita's lines of – Tom Fong indulgent face care, body care and hair care products. Besides being extremely easy to navigate, there are so many reasons to love this e-store.

Products' authencities are guaranteed; reliable courier services are used to ensure the safe delivery of packages; specials and promos are often available for online purchase.

What's more, most of the Extraordinary water and Damask Rose floral water. products come

Expert advice BLAKE Lively (pix) rarely looks online for beauty inspiration and instead seeks advice from hair and make-up artists on photoshoots.

The Gossip Girl actress prefers to style herself for red carpet events and stays in the loop about hair and beauty trends by getting advice from professional stylists rather than searching online.

She told The Cut magazine: "I like doing my own makeup and hair for events.

I think it's fun. I didn't know they did [make-up] on YouTube. But I'm luckily through doing photoshoots, I get to work with so many amazing hair and make-up artists.

"That's my version of YouTube.

How do you do Veronica Lake hair?

And like, today, with Serge Normant, I get to ask him, 'How do you do that? What did you do?'"

The 26-year-old blonde claims Gucci Premiere has become her signature fragrance because it feels appropriate for every occasion.

Blake said: "I really do wear Gucci Premiere every day ... When you switch up fragrances, what's missing is that power. That potion power.

That special power. Like when I smell my mom. Or when I smell my sister ... it's a superpower! Or a love potion.

"I didn't have that signature fragrance because I was changing the fragrance depending upon the time and place. But having a fragrance that feels appropriate in all those settings. – Bang Media

Precious gems JAPANESE cosmetics brand Shu Uemura is once again reaffirming its ties with the world of fashion and accessories through the launch of a make-up collection inspired by the precious gems found in haute couture and jewellery.

Created for the Spring/Summer 2014 season, Shu Uemura's Bijoux collection draws inspiration from the colours of precious gems including amethyst, opal, morganite, quartz and topaz.

"With the Bijoux collection, I sought to reveal the exterior beauty and inner radiance of each woman.

“By playing with the reflective power of light and with pastel colours which soften the features, we obtain a make-up look that is both natural and luminous," explains Kakuyasu Uchiide, international creative director at Shu Uemura.

The collection suggests that nude tones will once again be in vogue next season, along with shimmer and sparkle, particularly around the eyes. – AFP Relaxnews Shu Uemura spring/ summer 2014 look.

24

LIFESTYLE theSun ON WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 1, 2014

Art of vaastu & feng shui

BY S.BS. SURENDRAN

F

ENG SHUI, in its simplest form, is the practice of placing or arranging objects within a space so that they are in harmony both with the surroundings and with the homeowner, and naturally support the owner within the context of that space.

While architecture and interior design concern themselves with structure, function and visual impact, feng shui takes into consideration the conscious and unconscious associations you may have with the space and the objects as well as their placements within it.

Feng shui accomplishes this by combining an ancient divination tool with simple psychology.

An artful combination of the two is where the real work of the feng shui practitioner comes in.

The result should be a house, an apartment or even just a room that reflects your own values and aesthetics that support your personal ambitions and remind you of your dreams.

Indeed, by employing the principles of feng shui, your ‘castle’ should become your own in the most intimate detail, profoundly affecting the way you think about yourself and the world.

We should apply the art of feng shui in designing our premises to promote success in life, health, wealth, happiness and harmonic relationships.

We should also get the office

Homing on harmony > Our home should reflect our own values and aesthetics that support our personal ambitions and dreams

building analysed and blessed for the placement and location of the auspicious entrance.

We need to look into the “cause and effect” prior to changing the orientation, layout, colours or going about doing any changes based on feng shui.

Most homes are often scattered with old newspapers and magazines, uncleared ash trays and used cups, wilted and withered plants, dried flowers, disorganised cushions and furniture strewn all around.

The appearance of such clutter

is not only embarrassing when you have guests but also bad in terms of feng shui perspective.

A living room should logically be neat, clean and tidy to attract the good qi or positive energy into the area.

If you have a room large enough,

then you can divide it between sitting area and television-viewing area. The seating area should preferably be a place for the family or social gathering.

Arrange the seating in either a “U” or a circle shape although the preferred seating arrangement should be an imaginary octagon by combining sofa and side tables.

Such seatings are recommended to ensure that energy swirls around and is not pushed against the walls by the furniture.

Avoid open shelves cutting into the seating area. Instead, use bushy and round-leaved plants to cover all the sharp corners.

Alternatively, use low shelves instead of high ones to avoid the feeling of shelves “tumbling down” onto you.

To further enhance the feel of the space and usher in a sense of serenity, you can place some healthy green plants inside the house.

For corners, use plants with slightly pointed leaves to combat any stagnation of qi. And for protruding corners, use plants with round leaves or thick foliage.

Feng shui can be fascinating when its principles are followed correctly.

You will feel the change in your place of dwelling and benefit from the good qi flowing in the house.

In time, it will contribute to the overall improvement of the quality of your life.

S.BS.Surendran is an accredited master feng shui consultant, bioenergetician and traditional vaastu practitioner. Readers can contact him at lifestyle.fengshui@ thesundaily.com.

Emotional over beautiful cars A SCIENTIFIC study suggests that men experience more emotion when looking at images of car design than they do when looking at images of children.

The results of the research that monitored the brainwave activity of men and women when shown a series of images chosen to elicit an emotional response, show that, for men at least, car design is capable of evoking feelings on a par with the most basic of human emotions.

Participants were asked to rate a series of images including happy and crying babies, men and women considered to be beautiful and pictures of modern and outdated cars while wearing a dry sensor EEG headset.

As well as showing a greater emotional response to car design than to children, 75% of men involved in the experiment also demonstrated more emotion when shown a beautiful car than when shown a beautiful woman.

For women, only one-third of them rated images of car design higher than an image of an attractive man.

A parallel survey conducted by OnePoll of 2,000 participants revealed that 43% of men said that they found the car shape and design to be the most appealing aspect, over the interior, gadgets, wheels and engine.

Almost three-quarters (74%) of men said that good design made them feel positive, and 60% of them also said that driving a car they perceive as beautiful made them feel both confident and empowered.

When asked about the most

important aspects of a car, from a design perspective, 43% of men put the car’s overall exterior shape above engine size, interior, specifications or wheel design.

Of the results, Dr David Lewis, a UK leader in the neuroscience of consumerism and communications. stated: “Appreciating an aestheticallypleasing design is an experience which combines understanding and emotions.

“Aesthetic experience involves a unity of sensuous delight, meaningful interpretation, and emotional involvement.” – AFPRelaxnews

Home the place to watch videos

Using light as a morning wake-up call A WAKE-UP-LIGHT alarm clock can provide a gentle and effective way to get out of bed faster in the morning.

The clock works by turning the dimmed light on 30 minutes before the alarm is due to go off and then making it steadily brighter.

It's a little like having the rising sun in your bedroom.

As the light gets brighter, the body

prepares itself to be woken up.

A wake-up-light alarm can also be used as a bedside reading

lamp.

It's also a good idea to use a light in the bathroom that makes you alert faster. A cool, white light is a good one to choose.

But in the evening, you should have a warm, white gentle light to help your body relax.

Adding a dimmer switch to both sets of lights will allow you to set them at the optimal brightness level. – dpa

CONSUMERS might be turning to mobile devices to watch video, but they still prefer to do it in the comfort of their own homes.

US video streaming service Hulu has published its end-of-year results and what’s striking is how many of its five million premium subscribers access the company’s range of TV shows uniquely from a ‘device’ – be it a tablet, smartphone, set-top box (like the Roku or Apple TV) or a games console – rather than the desktop.

Although Hulu first launched as a website back in 2007, the company claims that ‘roughly’ 50% of its subscribers no longer turn to their desktops to catch up on the latest programmes – they are device-only consumers.

Even more striking is that despite this huge surge in mobile device use, over half of all content streamed is streamed to the users’ living rooms.

Consumers aren’t using apps to catch videos on the go as they do with pretty much everything else.

Rather they’re sitting down in front of the television, though not necessarily watching it.

All of which suggests that these ‘second screen’ devices are, for many people, becoming their first screens.

Research published by Netflix, one of Hulu’s biggest competitors, earlier in December highlights that being able to access entire seasons of TV shows is creating a culture of ‘binge watching’, where viewers sit through between two and six episodes of a favourite show in one go.

But rather than doing it alone, or hunched over a notebook or desktop monitor, the activity is proving to be increasingly social and acceptable.

Some 51% of those polled said that streaming is more fun with at least one other person watching.

Over one-third (39%) of the 1,000 plus US adults surveyed also said that they save up shows and watch them at a later date when a friend or partner is free to join them. – AFPRelaxnews

FEATURE

25

theSun ON WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 1, 2014 www.thesundaily.my

HOROSCOPE

TV1

Dec 21 – Jan 19 SOMETIMES heated exchanges are more about blowing off steam than any serious differences. Yet, judging by this week’s powerful planetary activity, not only will the accompanying feelings be intense, the differences between others and your own issues with those individuals must be taken seriously and dealt with swiftly.

Eu (centre, back) with Eu Yan Sang’s general manager Wong Kah Cane (far left) and managing director Eric Chiu with the children from the home showing off the angel wings.

Jan 20 – Feb 17 ONE particular individual has a lot to say, and it involves matters far too personal and far more complex than you care to hear about. Yet, the person is determined to include you in discussions. Listen intently, say little and never mention it again. The individual in question will be happy and you can move on to other things.

Feb 18 – March 19 EVERYBODY complains from time to time. The problem is that you’ve taken the complaints of some people more seriously than they were intended. You have the impression they were asking for your help when, in fact, they were doing no more than chatting about various elements of their life they find aggravating.

March 20 – April 19 WHILE you’ve good reason to be seriously annoyed with one individual, you’re urged to ask a few questions first. What seems selfish, if not provocative, behaviour will make sense if you understand what or who the person is dealing with. Instead of being angry you might, in fact, want to offer the person your support.

April 20 – May 20 WHEN you first heard of certain ideas, you regarded them as nothing more than intriguing possibilities. Since then, it’s become clear they’re not only likely to become a part of your life, they could benefit you in wonderful, if unexpected, ways. Risky as plunging into these may seem, it could also be your best option.

May 21 – June 20 YOU’VE heard others assess which matters are theirs to deal with and be responsible for.

With what you’ve been dealing with recently, you now understand why this is sometimes wise. At the moment, it’s not only a good idea, it will ensure that you avoid long, drawn-out or costly dramas.

June 21 – July 21 WASTE no time trying to figure out why simple arrangements are suddenly coming undone. Because the current intense planetary setup is influencing everybody in some way, everybody’s experiencing serious disarray. Unsettling as this is, these developments will lead to remarkably profitable, if unanticipated, breakthroughs.

July 22 – Aug 22 THINK twice before you exchange sharp words with certain individuals. While you may have a right to be irritated, those who appear to be behind these changes aren’t necessarily responsible. Dig deep and what you learn could help undo these arrangements and, better yet, free the individuals in question.

Aug 23 – Sept 22 FOR ages, you’ve wanted to alter longstanding plans that once made sense but which are now increasingly unworkable. While others agreed this was wise, they rejected your ideas and suggestions. Now, events force their hand.

While the resulting changes may not be what you’d have preferred, at least it’s a start.

Sept 23 – Oct 22 OFTEN, what you don’t say in the moment is swiftly forgotten.

But now, certain complex issues need to at least be acknowledged, if not discussed. True, you may not have any idea what to say. However, others are as anxious about these as you are.

Raise them and you’ll earn others’ eternal gratitude.

Oct 23 – Nov 21 IT may seem those who’re making decisions that will influence the circumstances of others are being heavy-handed.

Yet, the New Moon is all about adopting exactly this variety of innovative approach. Begin to ask a few questions. The more you learn, the more enthusiastic you’ll become.

Nov 22 – Dec 20 UNDERSTANDABLY, others want to iron out issues before exciting ideas are turned into solid plans. But judging by this week’s contentious planetary activity, even simple arrangements are likely to go through several versions before anything lasting is organised. You’d be wise to regard all plans, small and large, as subject to change.

Touching hearts

> Eu Yan Sang continues to make a difference in the lives of the needy with its Bucket of Gold charity fund-raising endeavour

BY S. INDRA SATHIABALAN

E

U YAN SANG Malaysia chairman Datuk Anne Eu (right) believes that life is not measured by how much wealth we have or the many years we have lived.

“It is measured by the hearts we touch and the difference we made to the lives of the needy,” she said.

It is this philosophy that underlined the creation of the Eu Yan Sang Bucket of Gold charity fund-raising project which is now into its 11th year.

The Eu Yan Sang Bucket of Gold charity project involves the sale of buckets of mandarin oranges where for every bucket sold, RM1 will be donated to a charity home chosen by the company for that year.

There will also be donation boxes placed at the counters of Eu Yan Sang stores for customers who wish to donate more to the selected charity home.

This year, Eu Yan Sang has decided to help a former recipient – the Taman Megah Handicapped and Disabled Children’s Home.

“In 2009, we assisted the home in acquiring a piece of land for its building,” said Eu. “Ever since then, the number of special needs children at the

Flying McCoy

home has grown and the current premises no longer has sufficient space to serve the needs of the 138 children who require care, attention and rehabilitation.”

This year, the home hopes to raise funds for the construction of a new building that will cost RM11 million.

So far, it has managed to raise RM7 million and needs another RM4 million.

“This year’s Bucket of Gold campaign is aptly named Angel,” said Eu. “This is because every

child is an angel, a gift sent to us from the heaven.

“Children who are handicapped may have disabilities in learning and taking care of themselves but their soul is complete, just like you and me.

“They can’t express themselves but they are pure and innocent. They crave for our love and care.”

Eu added that this yearly charity fundraising is part of the company’s CSR project to help the community and the underprivileged.

At the launch of Bucket of Gold 2014 campaign at the Eu Yan Sang store in Shaw Parade Kuala Lumpur recently, some of the children from the Taman Megah Handicapped and Disabled Children’s Home sang a poignant Chinese song, Dull Ice Flower, and also gave to the guests origami angel wings which they made.

There wasn’t a dry eye left in the room after that.

For those who wish to donate, head to a Eu Yan Sang store nearest to you. For more, go to the company’s website.

10.05am PM’s New Year Message 10.15am Pertandingan Akhir Bintang Nostalgia Klasik 11.30am Syurga Di Wajahmu 12.30pm Wira-Wira Negara: Tan Sri Razali Ismail 2pm Flightmares 3.05pm Lady Antebellum Own the Night 6pm 50 Tahun TV Malaysia 9pm Melting Lands 10.05pm Dialog 11.30pm Podium Gemilang

TV2 9am 10am 2pm 4pm 6pm 7pm 9pm 10pm 1am 2am

TV3

11.30am Noon 1pm 3pm 4pm 5pm 6pm 6.30pm 7pm 9pm 11pm 12.30am

Aquarion Evol Chicken Little Micheal Jackson’s This is It Apa Kata Hati Rain Forest World Music Festival Star Wars: The Clone Wars Antara Laut China Selatan Don Hawaii Five O Yesterday Once More

Dapur Panas Wanita Hari Ini Setia Hujung Nyawa Be Careful With My Heart Kalimah Jiwa Diari Impian Larva Pemanduki Jutawan Ariana Rose Stardust Tunggu Sekejap Adamaya

NTV7 8am 9.30am

11am Noon 1.30pm 4.30pm 6pm 7.30pm 8.30pm 9.30pm 11pm 12.30am

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Nur Di Nippon Dua Hati Rocko’s Modern Life Jimmy Timmy Power Hour SpongeBob SquarePants Ammara Batrisya 7th Grade Civil Servant World’s Most Amazing Videos Totally Outrageous Behaviour

Real Life Adventures

Rebuilding Titanic: Raising the Bow NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL, 9PM: Welder Dave Wilkes, engineer Brendan Walker, design engineer Yewande Akinola and traditional metalworker and industrial artist Luke Perry take on the task of reproducing a section of the steel bow to scale and erecting it at the dock from where RMS Titanic was completed as a gift to the people of Belfast and a lasting tribute to the shipbuilders who made her.

26

SPORTS – AHEAD OF THE GAME theSun ON WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 1, 2014

Smith hails “incredible win” over India 020

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SOUTH AFRICAN captain Graeme Smith hailed “an incredible win” for his team after they clinched an emphatic 10-wicket victory on the fifth day of the second and final Test against India at Kingsmead yesterday.

The win, in Jacques Kallis’ final Test match, clinched the two-match series for South Africa after the first Test in Johannesburg was drawn.

It also confirmed South Africa’s ranking as the world’s No. 1 Test team and increased their gap over secondranked India.

Smith said South Africa had to fight their way out of some tough situations.

“We fought our way out of that and we knew we had to play well in Durban, said Smith.

“We wanted the win as a fitting

tribute to Jacques but the weather and the pitch made life a little more difficult,” said Smith.

“We had to work hard after we lost so much time in the game. India played so well on day one, so to have the ability to turn it around like we did was a huge achievement. It was an incredible win.”

Man of the match Dale Steyn said Kallis had inspired the bowlers.

“After day one he sat us down and said he didn’t want this match to fizzle out in a draw. He asked the bowlers to step up and I think everyone did.”

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said India had lost the match in an extended final morning’s play, during which they lost five wickets for 105 runs.

“There were a couple of bad decisions, tough decisions, and a couple

of bad shots.”

But he said he believed India’s young players had taken a big step forward during the series. “Not many of our batsmen had played in more than five Tests outside India. It was very good experience for them” Ajinkya Rahane provided the only sustained resistance for India in their second innings, making 96 before he was last man out.

Rahane batted for 219 minutes, faced 157 balls and hit 11 fours and two sixes.

Kallis was chaired on to the field by his teammates after the match and they accompanied him on a farewell lap of the field.

He did not need to bat again after his first innings of 115 built the platform for South Africa to take a crucial 166-run first innings lead. – AFP

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SOMEONE should sit at Michael Schumacher’s hospital bedside reading a sample of the Twitter love flooding timelines.

If overwhelming positivity is subliminally communicated it can’t hurt, though he might struggle to reconcile the ethereal characterisation with the caricature many in Formula One loved to hate when he was winning title after title.

Schumacher had an almost pathological desire to win, which blurred ethical lines more than once in his career. He also had a gene defect which denied him any possibility of sensing the dangers associated with speed.

Anyone who has stood at the corner of the swimming pool section at Monaco and watched the cars twitch through the entry, almost skimming the concrete walls at the apex, or observed them passing through the compression chamber that is Eau Rouge in Spa, will understand that there is no extreme sport on earth that thrills quite like a 320kph dance on four wheels.

Schumacher was not unique in his attachment to danger or in demonstrating a variable moral compass in the mad chase for glory.

But that does not tell the whole story.

He was a different character in repose, surprisingly shy and

unfailingly polite.

I was privileged in my early years as a F1 correspondent to attend Ferrari’s winter ski weeks in the Dolomites. This was an invite-only

Schumacher and Garside affair principally a matter for Italian and German journalists. As the only representative from English national newspapers I was in an enviable position but the real value was the exposure the week afforded to Schumacher the man, not the racer.

The Ferrari high command loved him. Why wouldn’t they? From 1999 he drove them to six consecutive constructors’ championships and five drivers’ titles on the spin ending a period of nothingness that lasted two decades.

In the evenings in Madonna di Campiglio Ferrari would

commandeer a restaurant high up the mountain, for which a ski lift would open especially to transport the media party.

The team’s general manager and second in command to president Luca di Montezemolo, Jean Todt, would always seat himself next to Schumacher, whom he treated like a son, at the top table under an eave and the vino would flow.

Schumacher was surprisingly at ease, talking freely to the German journalists who had followed his career from karts to F1 supremacy. Evenings would frequently end in the bar at the Golf Hotel, where Schumacher was housed in a suite, and he would mingle with the invited guests long into the night, posing happily for pictures.

Mrs Garside is no devotee of sport and had no real comprehension of celebrity scale on the occasion she was invited along. This allowed her to approach Schumi as if he were just another bloke in the bar.

We have kids exactly the same age, a gentle talking point and always a winner when you are seeking that special snap. “Sorry Michael. Would you mind standing in the middle?” she asked. “Sure, no problem,” he said. – The Independent

Nadal tries new treatment WORLD NO.1 Rafael Nadal (caricature) has had new treatment on his troublesome knees which could help him complete a full season on the ATP Tour for the first time since 2011.

The 27-year-old Spaniard also believes that it may prolong his career, but admits that the delay in restarting work during the off season has reduced his chances of regaining the Australian Open title in two weeks time.

Nadal missed all of the second half of 2012 as well as the first Grand Slam of 2013, in Australia, prompting many predictions that he would never be a world-beater again.

Though he proved these wrong, previous treatments have brought only temporary improvements, and Nadal is mindful that he has reached a crucial phase of his career if he is to fulfil his talent completely.

“It is true that (in 2013) I played a lot of days with anti-inflammatories.

But I was able to compete very well once I started. That was my goal and so I was very happy about everything.”

However, in 2014 Nadal is hoping anti-inflammatories won’t be needed so much. In previous off-seasons he had plasma-rich platelets injected into his knees, but it seems likely that now he has had different kinds of injections.

Even now, though, limitations remain.

Though Nadal claims he can comfortably kick a football, he admits he will not play a football

match, one of his great loves.

All this has left Nadal short of court time. Not till two and a half weeks ago did he start hitting tennis balls again, something which may influence what happens in the first Grand Slam of the season.

That places in perspective his straight sets loss to his friend David Ferrer, the world No. 3 from Spain, in an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi three days ago.

It also raised questions about Nadal’s ability to win the Qatar Open title for the first time here this week and his capacity to be ready for the Australian Open in Melbourne in less than two weeks time.

“I am going to try to be competitive from the beginning,” he said. – AFP

SPORTS – AHEAD OF THE GAME

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theSun ON WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 1, 2014

Everton will not let Barkley go the same way as Rooney

Moyes facing up to prospect of missing out on Baines again MANCHESTER UNITED manager David Moyes fears that his hopes of reinforcing in the crucial leftback slot, which he considers one of the squad’s weak spots, will be dashed again this January.

Moyes’ attempts to prise Leighton Baines from Everton this summer have left him deeply unconvinced that his former chairman, Bill Kenwright, will be willing to consider another offer next month, as United attempt to strengthen their squad to preserve their Champions League status.

Neither does Moyes believe that Southampton will be willing to sell 18-year-old Luke Shaw next month.

In part, Moyes’ pessimism is based on Everton’s determination to hold on to Baines, despite the impressive contribution of Bryan Oviedo during the England international’s absence with a broken toe. But the United manager also knows that it is not in Baines’ character to make demands to leave.

Though Baines did tell his manager Roberto Martinez last summer that he wanted Everton to accept United’s bid for his services, Moyes

knows that the 29-year-old does not have the same force of personality that led Marouane Fellaini to push to leave during the same period.

Moyes may go back for Baines n e x t s u m m e r , when the player’s contract will have only 12 months left to run.

That would mean another six months of dependency on Patrice Evra, who has impressed Moyes behind t h e scenes,

following a deadline day which threatened to drive a wedge between manager and player.

The club’s prime requirement is a midfield reinforcement, though the prospect of Moyes going to Everton for another of his former players, Ross Barkley, is thought unlikely as Martinez has indicated that he is not willing to sell Barkley .

Moyes has watched the Atletico Madrid midfielder Koke, who is valued at £30million (RM162.37m), though the player is cuptied for the Champions League and it is thought unlikely that he would be brought in next month, despite United’s need to burst back into the Premier League top four. – The Independent

EVERTON would not sell midfielder Ross Barkley, even if they received a “Gareth Bale-sized valuation” next month.

Manager Roberto Martinez is aware of the comparisons between the 20-year-old and Wayne Rooney, who was sold to Manchester United in 2004 before Goodison Park felt the true benefits of his talent.

Martinez is confident that this time Everton will hold on to their crown jewel – at least in the short term.

“We are probably in the strongest financial position we have been for a long, long time,” he said. “Even if we got a Gareth Balesized valuation, we would never, ever consider it in January.

“We are in the middle of a season where we would never, ever consider disrupting what we have got in our squad now.”

The summer may be a different story, when a “Bale-sized bid” would represent a greater sum than the annual turnover of £80.5million (RM435.68m) Everton declared in January.

Martinez believed the club

would be able to dictate the terms of any transfer.

“You cannot fight against the trend of the modern game,” he said.

“You saw it with Bale, with Cristiano Ronaldo. What is important is if anything happens, it is our club that dictates how and when.

“If we were going to lose a player, it would be to end up with three or four replacements and in a stronger position.”

The former Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini, now with Manchester United, will be out of action for up to six weeks following wrist surgery.

Fellaini, who had already been out since December 4 with a back problem, had the operation on Saturday and is set to miss seven Premier League games, the third round of the FA Cup and the semifinals of the League Cup. United’s manager, David Moyes, said: “We couldn’t get him recovered from his back.

“We thought it would be OK after 10 days. So we made a quick decision to get the wrist done.” – The Independent

Liverpool - January transfer targets >LIVERPOOL have shocked many with their impressive start to the season that sees them actually in the contest for the Champions League places. However, if they want to secure fourth place - or perhaps (in the minds of their more optimistic fans) the title - then a few more decent reinforcements are needed in January. Here are some of the players who have been linked with a switch to Anfield...<

• JAVIER PASTORE

• MICHU

Very impressive and highly rated as a youngster, the Argentine international’s career has stalled slightly since his £40m (RM216.49m) move to PSG. With the French club pursuing Juan Mata, a move to Liverpool could help Pastore get his career back on track and secure his World Cup place.

For Liverpool it looks like they could secure some top quality reinforcement fairly reasonably.

Last season’s sensation has suffered slightly from second season syndrome but nevertheless he remains an excellent player.

The Spaniard recently expressed an interest in playing at a higher level, could his signing help Liverpool secure a precious Champions League spot?

• WILL HUGHES Derby’s teenage midfielder has been consistently linked with a move to Anfield. However despite Brendan Rodgers’ penchant for nurturing young talent, the Liverpool manager has so far denied he will be making a move.

team action might now have changed his mind.

• HAKAN CALHANOGLU Hamburg’s young star has also attracted the attention of Arsenal but with the London side packed with a surfeit of high-profile attacking midfielders, Liverpool might prove an easier place for the Turk to establish himself.

• JOHN GUIDETTI On his way out of Manchester City in January, the promising youngster is a target of Rodgers and could flourish at Liverpool.

• RYAN BERTRAND Leftback has been a slight problem for Liverpool this season so Bertrand could be a good option for them.

The Chelsea man has slipped down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge and after turning down a move to Anfield in the summer, a lack of first

recoup some money, Liverpool could swoop to pick up a classy long term alternative for Gerrard.

• JORGINHO With Liverpool wanting to ease the strain on ageing skipper Steven Gerrard, Verona’s Brazilian Jorginho could be the man to make the move to Anfield with a rumoured £15m (RM54.12m) transfer.

• KONSTANINOS MITROGLOU

• DANNY INGS With Rodgers looking to reinforce his SAS strike partnership, England U21 international Ings could be in line for a January move.

The Burnley hitman has 12 league goals so far this season.

• CLAUDIO MARCHISIO With Juventus’ early Champions League exit meaning the midfielder could be on his way out in order to

The Olympiakos striker’s exploits this season have alerted not only Arsenal but also Liverpool to a possible January move. Would help take the strain off Suarez.

• VAN RAKITIC The Sevilla man may have a rather off-putting €40m (RM216.49m) release clause but that allegedly hasn’t put off Liverpool who are still keen on the Croatian.

• SALOMON RONDON Reportedly a Liverpool target when Suarez’s exit from the club seemed inevitable, Rondon could be on his way out at Rubin Kazan and Liverpool may well renew their interest in the forward.

• MOHAMED SALAH Scored home and away against Chelsea in the Champions League, the ‘Egyptian Messi’ is certainly on Liverpool’s radar. A £12m (RM64.95m) bid is rumoured to be in the offing.

• OLA TOIVONEN The Swede is available on a free in the summer but Rodgers is said to be hopeful of taking him on loan before then. His versatility could prove handy at Anfield.

• KEVIN VOLLAND Liverpool are said to be one of five Premier League clubs after the young winger whose performances in the Bundesliga have impressed.

Pastore

Bertrand

Calhanoglu

The Independent

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SPORTS – AHEAD OF THE GAME theSun ON WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 1, 2014

BY BOB HOLMES

ASHES: Seldom can cricket’s supreme contest have been such a game of two halves. At the start of the back-to-back series, the Aussies were so bad some thought England would win 10-0. But after winning at home 3-0, the old guard found it a series too far and collapsed like a punch-drunk boxer.

Now it’s 4-3 overall but going on a series whitewash as England have already thrown in the towel.

Team Australia

BALE, GARETH: The world’s most expensive player had a dodgy start when he went to Real Madrid, being compared to Forrest Gump by one Spanish newspaper. But after nine goals and six assists in his next 13 games the same rag was calling him ‘the Prince of Wales’.

BARCELONA: It’s the ultimate statement of the obvious but they are missing Messi. Last season when he got injured and the past few weeks. Say what you like about your Xavis and Iniestas, but Barca are just not the same without their little Argentine genius.

BAYERN MUNICH: Not content with thrashing Barcelona 7-0, the Bavarians have succeeded the Catalans as kings of Europe, stolen their manager and their style of play.

Treble winners in Germany, they now look set to rule for years under Pep Guardiola.

CHELSEA: If the Blues were parking the bus under Rafa, the crowd would be screaming for his head. But Rafa won the Europa League and left with his head held high only for the Special One to return and morph into the Happy One but without the same old magic. But they are well-placed and against Liverpool finally began to look like a Mourinho side.

Squash queen

Murray

DAVID, NICOL: After a blip when she went three tournaments without winning early in the year, the Malaysian squash queen made it business as usual with six victories in the second half. Not even the disappointment of her sport not making it into the Olympics can deter her – she’s going to play on until 2020.

Messi

EVERTON: Reinvented under Roberto Martinez, the Toffees are rubbing salt in David Moyes’ wounds. Released from the Scot’s shackles and aided by astute loan signings, they are looking like genuine challengers for a Champions League place. Could there ever be a richer irony if they were to beat MU to it?

I bite other players

The boring boxer

Gareth Bale a.k.a.

Forrest Gump

FERGUSON, ALEX: Has there ever been a farewell like it? Bowing out was always going to be tricky but after messing up in 2002, he got it spot-on this time. Winning the title, lauded to the heavens, statues, streets named after him, lectures at Harvard and a best-seller biography. Not bad for a former tool-fitter.

And he also quit while he was ahead.

GUARDIOLA, PEP: As if 14 trophies in four years at Barcelona were not enough, he now has two more in six months at Bayern and shows no sign of slacking. Favourites for the Bundesliga and Champions League, he’s on course to surpass Fergie’s haul – and in half the time.

HULL CITY: or whatever they’re called. Their return to the Premier League has been accompanied by a massive row between owner and fans about the name. Looks like being a test case in the battle between rebranding and tradition.

IBRAHIMOVIC, ZLATAN: The shy, retiring Swede couldn’t quite carry his country to Brazil but confirmed his status as one of the world’s best players for PSG as well as one of the world’s biggest egos. After losing to Portugal in the playoff, he declared: “A World Cup without me is nothing to watch.”

I am a former tool-fitter

Januzaj

JANUZAJ, ADNAN: One of the few bright spots for David Moyes, the kid of Kosovar-Albanian parents, born in Brussels but very much a resident of Manchester, has been billed as the next big thing. Hugely talented, he has a big decision to make about his future as it seems he could play for about six countries. He has a dilemma as the one he wants to represent – Kosovo – is not recognised by Fifa.

KLITSCHKO, VITALI: The long-time world heavyweight champion was just too big and too boring to be remembered as one of the fabled heavyweight champions. But

Moyes

I am the ‘Happy One’ now!

now the giant Ukrainian has decided to retire and throw his hat into a bigger ring – politics – where, without the Queensberry rules to protect him, he may finally meet his match.

LIVERPOOL: Knocked off their perch for 24 years by Fergie, the Reds are coming back and have hung on to Suarez – for now. Top at Christmas, they are fifth at New Year. Need to bolster a thin squad to maintain momentum.

MOYES, DAVID: The colour drained from David Moyes’ face when Fergie told him he’d be his successor.

And no wonder. Huge shoes to fill,

impossible act to follow etc. but he could have refused. That he didn’t and that United fans are still behind him after a less-than-stellar start suggests he’ll be given the time he needs. Fergie he ain’t, but a Fergie lite wouldn’t be bad.

MURRAY, ANDY: The world was a very different place the last time a British man won Wimbledon. Hitler was just getting into his menacing stride while men played tennis in long trousers. It was 1936 when Fred Perry won the men’s singles title and started one of the longest waits in all sport. So when Murray ended it by beating Novak Djokovic in July it could well have been shown on the History Channel.

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theSun ON WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 1, 2014

time.

Back then his goals were so rare that whenever he did score someone famous died. Osama bin Laden, Col. Gadaafi, Whitney Houston and Steve Jobs all ended their days after the Welshman’s goals so it became known as Ramsey’s curse.

But this season it must have been lifted or celebs would have been dropping like flies.

Tiger Woods and Lindsey Vonn

SCOTT, ADAM: The talented Aussie golfer finally quit the ‘Best Players Never to win a Major’ club by winning the Masters. And ceased to be called a choker too.

SUAREZ, LUIS: There’s never been any doubt about his ability but he was in danger of being remembered as much for his controversies as his goals – and his snarling, diving, biting.

But he seems to have mellowed as well as reaching a new level and just has to be the third best player in the world after Messi and Ronaldo.

As Brendan Rodgers put it after his 4 goals and assist against Norwich: “He must be worth £40m and two pounds now.”

TENDULKAR, SACHIN: Now we know what happens when ‘God’ retires. Only Nelson Mandela received more eulogies than the Little Master when he announced he’d played his final innings.

The greatest batsman of the modern era and perhaps second only to Don Bradman in history, the diminutive Indian right-hander called it quits at the age of 40 with most batting records to his name.

And nothing befitted the modest maestro more than the manner of his going – humble and dignified.

Ramsey

URUGUAY: A former national coach once said: “Other countries have their history; Uruguay has its football.” Nothing much has happened in the tiny (3.4m pop.) nation except they have won the World Cup twice and are dark horses to do so again.

Nadal

The greatest woman tennis player of all time

VETTEL, SEBASTIAN: Michael Schumacher used to barge rivals off the track and didn’t get booed like Vettel.

But there’s no greater tribute to a sportsman than when the governing body changes the rules to give the rest a chance – as F1 has done with their double points for the last race next season.

WILLIAMS, SERENA: Just two Grand Slams this year but enough to call her the greatest woman tennis player of all time.

In 2013 she won no less than 78 matches against four defeats and now has 17 Grand Slam titles in all.

Moyes, I did not sleep with your daughter!

Scott

XAVI, HERNANDEZ: Only in because of the X-factor, he’s showing signs of age. The pass master is down below 100 per game – still what would David Moyes give for him?

Tendulkar

NADAL, RAFAEL: A year ago, he was a cripple, wondering if his career was over. Now he’s world No.1 again with two more Grand Slams and a clutch of other trophies in the bag.

What he called the best season of his career has put him on course to overtake Roger Federer’s 17 Slam titles and be hailed as the greatest ever. If his knees hold up.

OZIL, MESUT: Best known for making a monkey out of Gareth Barry in Bloemfontein, the little German midfielder changed Arsenal’s season – and maybe their history – before

WOODS, TIGER: World No.1 and five wins but none in majors. He’s been playing well and found a new blonde girlfriend, but the one thing he still can’t get back is his aura.

he’d even played.

The mere fact that Arsene Wenger had spent over £40m and one pound on anybody was enough to send Gooners into fevered anticipation. And he hasn’t let them down. If only Wenger had done this earlier…

PORTSMOUTH: After being passed between foreign owners like a hand grenade and taken to the brink of closure, the historic, well-supported club was finally bought by the fans last season.

Thought things would be different? Still burdened by old debts, they’re struggling in League 2 and recently sacked their manager.

Vettel QPR: The Malaysian-owned club have squatters’ rights on this spot but at least they keep moving – either up or down. Last season it was down as they, unlike their sponsors, were carrying a lot of excess baggage.

Now they’re among the favourites to go straight back up. A quick turnaround – just like AirAsia.

RAMSEY, AARON: Early pace-setter for Player of the Year with electrifying form for Arsenal.

Many thought his fledgling career might not have taken off after his horror injury in 2010 but he just needed

YOUNG, ASHLEY: Too bad the Olympics were last year or Young’s thespian efforts may have been worthy of a medal.

Even before he started going to ground, Young epitomised the middle-range nobodies occupying Manchester United’s midfield.

Now trying to resurrect a career that took a real nose-dive.

ZAHA, WILFRIED: Fergie’s last signing but inexplicably frozen out by David Moyes.

Rumours abounded that Zaha was sleeping with Moyes’ daughter.

Zaha said they’d never met. Moyes finally gave him a run out.

It was if they were trying to put the rumour to, er, bed…

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SPORTS – AHEAD OF THE GAME theSun ON WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 1, 2014

Ibrahimovic: Messi more than a dream signing SIGNING Lionel Messi would take French champions Paris Saint-Germain to the next level, according to their current star forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Press rumours in France suggest the big-spending Qatari-backed Parisians are in the market for a record bid for the Argentine wizard.

And Ibrahimovic, who failed to strike up a particularly successful partnership with Messi during his one season at Barcelona, believes signing the fourtime Ballon d’Or winner would not just allow PSG to dream of bigger and better, but would make them a whole new force to be reckoned with in European competition.

“If he’s up for sale then the whole world will be after him, not just PSG,” said Ibrahimovic from the French champions’ winter training camp in Doha.

“I don’t know the situation but I think he’s very happy at Barcelona.

“PSG’s project is to dream bigger but if you buy Messi, you don’t dream

bigger, you are bigger.”

Signings such as that of Ibrahimovic, Brazilians Thiago Silva and Lucas and Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani have got many people believing PSG can genuinely challenge for Champions League honours this season.

Last year they reached the quarterfinals where they lost on away goals to Barca, while their best result in the competition remains their semifinal run in 1995.

And although PSG are champions of France and leading the way in Ligue 1 this season too, Ibrahimovic is determined to go further.

“I’m never satisfied, I want to win.

We’ve progressed well and quickly. The team has come on very quickly in the right direction,” he said. “We play very good football, we have the ball, we create chances.

“There’s a high level of collective quality, our mentality is progressing.

Everything’s going in the right direction and I’m delighted.” – AFP

SIDE NETTING BLACK CATS SNARE ALONSO ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE basement dwellers Sunderland have moved quickly to reinforce their frail defence by agreeing a loan move for Fiorentina fullback Marcos Alonso (pix, below) until the end of the season. The 23-year-old former Real Madrid, Bolton Wanderers and Spanish under19 defender will officially complete his move to Wearside as the January transfer window opens today. “Marcos is a player that I have known well for a very long time,” Sunderland head coach Gus Poyet told the club’s website yesterday. “He was desperate to come and play for Sunderland and he is a player I am excited to work with.” Poyet has made new signings a priority in the weeks after taking on the role in October following the dismissal of former boss Paolo Di Canio. The transfer will not be completed in time for today’s home match against out of form Aston Villa but Alonso could make his debut in the FA Cup third round tie against lower league Carlisle United at the Stadium of Light on Sunday.

City of Joy > Citizens’ form gives Pellegrini Christmas cheer

M

ANCHESTER CITY manager Manuel Pellegrini (caricature) believes that his side’s profitable December has set them up to regain the Premier League title in 2014.

City won six of their seven league games in December, only dropping points in a draw at Southampton, and are now just a point off leaders Arsenal heading into their first game of 2014 at Swansea City today.

“I think it was a fantastic month for us,” Pellegrini said.

“In the Premier League, from the last seven we won six. It was very important for us to recover points.

“To recover six points in a month is not easy. We continue in the Capital One (League) Cup and Champions League also, so I think the first six months of the year (season) was very good for us. Now in the second half we try to continue winning.”

Goalkeeper Joe Hart suffered a nasty cut below his eye in City’s 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Saturday, but he will be fit to face Swansea after having six stitches in the wound.

“Joe Hart has a cut beneath his eye, but nothing important,” explained Pellegrini. “It is not dangerous and he can play without any risk.

“I hope of course he will be at his best. He can do it and we hope he will continue in the same way.”

Pablo Zabaleta, Yaya Toure and Alvaro Negredo are all set to return to City’s starting line-up after being rested for the game with Palace, which came soon after their Boxing Day win over Liverpool.

Swansea manager Michael Laudrup is hoping for improvements from his side in the second half of the season after failing to reach his points target for the half-way stage.

The Swans have also had to contend with an energy-sapping Europa League campaign, which has taken its toll on a squad that finished ninth last season.

“I thought we could (reach the) turn on 23 points, so we are a couple short of where I expected to be,” said Laudrup, whose side amassed 21 points in their first 19 games.

“But I think we can do better in the second half of the season and we can end up more or less where we did last year. I said before the season that our target is to consolidate the club as a midtable team.

“If we can do that this season, which has been so complicated with all the European games as well, it would be for me a big success.”

The south Wales club are only five points above the bottom three. – AFP

Wilkins appointed Fulham assistant head coach RAY WILKINS has been appointed as the new assistant head coach of Premier League strugglers Fulham, the club announced yesterday.

The 57-year-old returns for a second stint at Craven Cottage having managed the then-Second Division club between 1997 and 1998 before being replaced

by Kevin Keegan.

“I am delighted that the chairman and the CEO have, again, backed my desire for further experience and support within the backroom staff,” said Dutchman Rene Meulensteen who replaced Martin Jol as manager on December 1.

“Retaining our status of being a Barclays Premier League club next season

is vitally important to our long-term plans, and I know that Ray’s own experience and his knowledge of the game will be a vital component in our success.”

Wilkins’ arrival follows the appointment of Alan Curbishley as first-team technical director last week, and comes days after a 6-0 mauling at the hands of Hull that left the club in the bottom three.

“The addition of Ray, along with that of Alan Curbishley on Christmas Eve, provides the club with the experience and expertise necessary as it aims to secure Barclays Premier League status for a 14th consecutive season,” Fulham said in a statement. – AFP

UNION: 75% TAX ‘PROFOUNDLY UNFAIR FRENCH FOOTBALL CLUBS union UCPF has blasted the new French high-earners tax, describing it as “profoundly unfair”.

France’s top court on Sunday approved plans for a new 75% tax on annual salaries over €1 million (RM4.53m). According to the government of President Francois Hollande, it will affect around 470 companies and about 1,000 employees. “The decision of the Constitutional Council to approve the 75% tax is sad news for French football,” said UCPF in a statement sent to AFP yesterday. “UCPF continues to consider this tax as profoundly unfair and anti-economical.” The law would see high earners such as Paris Saint-Germain’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic, rumoured to be on around €14 million (RM63.37m) a year net, suddenly hit with up to €7 million (RM31.68m) of extra tax to pay.

CISSE SET FOR BASTIA STINT MUCH-TRAVELLED French striker Djibril Cisse is set to return to France after agreeing an 18-month deal with Corsican side Bastia, a source close to the club confirmed yesterday. The 32-year-old international forward has been playing at Kuban Krasnodar in the Russian Premier League since July, but is keen to return to France to better his chances of making the French World Cup squad. Cisse’s previous clubs include Auxerre, Liverpool, Marseille, Sunderland and Queens Park Rangers followed by spells in Qatar and Russia.

Bastia, currently 13th in the French top flight, would be his 10th club as a professional. Cisse, who has played 186 Ligue 1 games scoring 94 goals, returns to France six years after leaving Marseille.

SPORTS – AHEAD OF THE GAME

TOUCHLINES MANCHESTER UNITED manager David Moyes is considering a £20m (RM100m) move for Luke Shaw in the January transfer window even though Southampton have indicated they will resist all offers for the 18-year-old left-back.

‘Reds won’t fail Hull test’ > Liverpool manager Rodgers says there will be no repeat of costly mistakes like the last time

ARSENAL and Chelsea will face competition from Borussia Dortmund for the signature of Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa, 25, who is available for £35m (RM175m).

BARCELONA winger Cristian Tello, 22, is on the verge of joining Liverpool on loan for the remainder of the season after opportunities became limited at the Nou Camp.

MANCHESTER UNITED and Chelsea look set to lose out on 25-year-old Croatian international Ivan Rakitic now that Paris St-Germain have entered the market for the Sevilla midfielder.

B

RENDAN RODGERS insists Liverpool will not repeat the costly mistakes from their last meeting with Hull when they face the Tigers at Anfield today.

Rodgers’s team suffered a surprise 3-1 defeat against Hull at the KC Stadium on Dec 1 after an errorstrewn performance which saw Reds defender Martin Skrtel score an own goal.

But Rodgers remains confident that sloppy display was a one-off and he expects Liverpool to return to winning ways after damaging back-toback defeats against fellow title contenders Manchester City and Chelsea in their last two matches.

“It’s very simple – we are at home and we expect to win,” Rodgers said.

“We were very disappointed in our performance level in the game there.

We were nowhere near the standard we would expect, but you have to give credit to Hull – they exposed that on the day.

“But we aim to make sure that no matter what squad or team we put out, we don’t make the same mistakes again because home games are vitally important for us.

“We know it’s going to be like any other game at this level; a very tough game.

“They’re coming off the back of a 60 victory (against Fulham) that doesn’t happen too often when you’re in the Premier League, especially when it’s 0-0 at half-time. It was a

Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel celebrates scoring the opening goal during Sunday’s English Premier League match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. - AFPpix

ASTON VILLA manager Paul Lambert wants to add more experienced players to his squad in January.

MANCHESTER CITY and Chelsea have been told by Villarreal that centre-back Mateo Musacchio, 23, will not be allowed to leave the club for less than £45m (RM225m).

WEST HAM are weighing up the possibility of selling midfielder Ravel Morrison back to Manchester United.

FULHAM are also interested in the 20-year-old, with head coach Rene Meulensteen hopeful of agreeing a deal for £6m.

ARSENAL have not completely given up hope of signing Spain international striker Alvaro Morata, 21, next month, despite Real Madrid insisting that there will be no mid-season departures either on loan or permanently.

CRYSTAL PALACE manager Tony Pulis plans to raid former club Stoke to sign striker Peter Crouch and winger Matthew Etherington – both 32 – when the transfer window opens.

DERBY hope to sign Chelsea youngster Patrick Bamford on loan. The 20-year-old striker has scored 16 goals in 28 matches this season during a temporary spell at League One club MK Dons.

BELGIUM striker Romelu Lukaku, 20, believes he can finish ahead of parent club Chelsea and win the Premier League title while on loan at Everton.

MANCHESTER CITY boss Manuel Pellegrini says the club have no plans to enter the transfer market in January despite injuries to defenders.

SOUTHAMPTON are hopeful that striker Dani Osvaldo, 27, will be fit to face Chelsea after being ruled out for the last fortnight through illness and injury.

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theSun ON WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 1, 2014

Terry wants Blues to kick on CHELSEA captain John Terry believes that his side will head to Southampton today buoyed by having produced their best performance of the season in the victory over Liverpool.

Blues manager Jose Mourinho has maintained that his team are in a period of transition, playing down their chances of taking the Premier League title.

But Sunday’s 2-1 win at Stamford Bridge, against one of their main rivals at the head of the table, ensured that Mourinho’s side remained two points off the top.

And Terry believes there were signs in the Liverpool win that confirmed there is more to come from the team.

“I think the first half was the best we’ve played all season, actually; the pressing was spot on, as were the tactics from the manager.

“Hopefully we can continue that, as it’s been coming. We’ve been playing OK, but feeling like we’ve got a little bit more to give and I thought we did that in this game,” the centre-back said.

Terry believes Mourinho has succeeded in forging a togetherness within the squad and continues to draw the best out of the defender and the rest of his senior players.

“The manager has been asking for togetherness from everyone,” Terry said.

“Whether you play or you are on the bench, everyone’s got a part to play. When the guys are not playing, it’s important they maintain their fitness and their

terrific result.”

Meanwhile, Hull defender Alex Bruce says in-form teammate Tom Huddlestone deserves a place in England’s World Cup squad.

Huddlestone, 27, ended a two-anda-half-year goal drought in Hull’s 6-0 victory over Fulham on Saturday and the former Tottenham man played a part in three of his side’s other goals.

Huddlestone has four England caps but has not appeared for his country since November 2011.

Bruce believes the midfielder, who has featured in every League game for Hull this season, is worthy of a place in England’s squad.

“If Roy Hodgson had been there against Fulham, then Tom would be on the plane to Brazil,” Bruce said.

“It was a masterclass performance – one of the best I’ve ever seen to be honest. He was unplayable. He was different class.

“If Tom keeps playing like that he has to be in contention – there is not an if, but or maybe about it.

“If he plays like that he must be going because for me, there is no-one better in the country at the minute.

“His goal was unbelievable and then he hits a freekick from 45 yards which creates another goal. Only certain people can do that.”

Hull have doubts over winger Robbie Brady as he continues his recovery from a groin injury, while striker Sone Aluko will definitely miss out with a calf problem. – AFP

SIDENETTING HULL RETURN FOR GERRARD? LIVERPOOL manager Brendan Rodgers has indicated club captain Steven Gerrard could return to action in the New Year’s Day home clash with Hull City.

Gerrard has not played in the Reds’ last four games after sustaining a hamstring problem in a 4-1 Premier League win over West Ham at Anfield on Dec 7.

Asked yesterday if the England skipper might be fit to play in today’s top-flight encounter with Hull, Rodgers said: “We will assess that over the next 24 hours. Steven has rejoined training so we’ll see how he is for Hull.”

Rodgers also revealed that midfielder Joe Allen, who came off in the second half of Sunday’s 2-1 loss at Chelsea, is set to be sidelined for “a few weeks” with an abductor strain, and that he is awaiting news on how long defender Mamadou Sakho’s hamstring strain is likely to sideline him for following his withdrawal towards the end of the Stamford Bridge contest.

“Joe will probably be a few weeks and with Sakho we are just awaiting confirmation,” Rodgers said.

As well as Gerrard, Rodgers has lost the likes of Daniel Sturridge, Jon Flanagan, Jose Enrique to injury in recent weeks.

Chelsea defender John Terry (left) vies with Liverpool striker Luis Suarez during their Premier League match at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. AFPpix sharpness.

“The older boys in the squad have still got a lot to give, too. We see that every week.

“There is new talent coming through the squad and one day it will come to an end but it certainly won’t be for the want of trying from us, trying to keep our place in the team.”

The narrow 2-1 defeat at Everton on Sunday was the latest in a series of frustrations for Mauricio Pochettino’s Southampton, who have continued to deliver impressive performances without

securing positive results.

But James Ward-Prowse, Saints’ highly-rated young midfielder, believes a top-six finish is still there for the taking.

“The beauty of this time of year is that the next game is only around the corner,” he said.

“There will soon be a chance to rectify the result at Everton, starting against Chelsea.

“The manager told us afterwards to keep doing what we’re doing and the philosophy won’t change.

The sky’s the limit for us.” – AFP

HOPE YET FOR CARROLL ANDY CARROLL has returned to full training as he bids to end his injury hell at West Ham. The £15m (RM75m) record signing has yet to kick a ball this season having spent his time in two European rehab centres recovering from a heel problem. But there now appears to be light at the end of the tunnel with the striker’s woes set to end.

The news will come as a major boost for Sam Allardyce, who is pinning his hopes on Carroll to lift his struggling side to safety.

Hammers assistant boss Neil McDonald said: “Andy has done a training session which is encouraging. It is a positive and a good sign that he is in training. Of course it’s good to have him on the training field and joining in with the football with a select group.

“But it’s a slow progress. When you are out for seven months you can’t rush him back. We want him back, but we have to be careful.

“He had a couple of sessions before and it went again so we have to be careful with him.”

ON WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 1, 2014

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> United ready to mount New Year charge in a bid to retain title, says Evra

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ATRICE EVRA believes Manchester United have got their hunger back as the Premier League champions look to make it five League wins in a row against Tottenham today.

United moved up to sixth with a narrow 1-0 win over Norwich on Saturday, marking the halfway point of what has been an inconsistent season for the reigning champions, who are still adapting to life under new manager David Moyes.

They now face Spurs and new boss Tim Sherwood at Old Trafford today as they enter the second half of the campaign eight points adrift of leaders Arsenal and three points behind fourthplaced Everton in the race for Champions League qualification.

But France defender Evra believes his teammates have now recovered their hunger and are looking forward to mounting a charge in 2014 in a bid to retain their title.

“I’m just looking at the present moment in time,” he said. “The team is now playing better, we have that winning mentality and United spirit which was missing at

QUOTE OF THE DAY

““PSG’s project is to dream bigger but if you buy Messi, you don’t dream bigger, you are bigger.”

Hungry Devils

the start of the season.

“I can see that our hunger has come back, so I’m confident, but I don’t want to talk about the title.

“I just want to talk about the next game, Tottenham at home today. We need to make sure that we win and that we keep the momentum going.”

United striker Wayne Rooney missed the win over Norwich with a slight groin strain, while his fellow forward Robin van Persie is nearing a return after missing a number of weeks with a thigh strain, although Moyes remains

coy about the timetable for the Dutchman’s comeback.

“Robin has started some light training and he might not be too far away,” said Moyes.

“We haven’t often had Robin and Wayne as a strike partnership, so I look forward to getting them back together.”

Evra is also desperate to have the pair back and he believes that when they return, United will have the strongest team in the Premier League.

“The squad is strong but it is not only about one player,” he

Granada’s Brahimi (right) scores past Real Madrid goalkeeper Jesus Fernande during the second match of the “Champions for Life” charity game organised by the Professional Football Association and the Spanish UNICEF committee at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid yesterday. – AFPPIX

– Zlatan Ibrahimovic on the possibility of PSG signing Lionel Messi.

STANDINGS ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE P W D L F A Pts Arsenal 19 13 3 3 37 18 42 Man City 19 13 2 4 54 21 41 Chelsea 19 12 4 3 35 19 40 Everton 19 10 7 2 31 18 37 Liverpool 19 11 3 5 44 23 36 Man Utd 19 10 4 5 32 22 34 Tottenham 19 10 4 5 22 24 34 Newcastle 19 10 3 6 29 24 33 S’hampton 19 7 6 6 26 20 27 Hull City 19 6 5 8 22 23 23 Swansea 19 5 6 8 24 25 21 Stoke City 19 5 6 8 18 29 21 Aston Villa 19 5 5 9 18 25 20 Norwich 19 5 4 10 16 32 19 West Brom 19 3 9 7 22 27 18 Cardiff 19 4 6 9 15 30 18 C.Palace 19 5 1 13 12 28 16 Fulham 19 5 1 13 19 41 16 WestHam 19 3 6 10 18 28 15 Sunderland 19 3 5 11 15 32 14

> Liverpool’s Jan transfer targets X pg27

> A to Z of 2013 X pg28&29

> Reds won’t fail Hull test X pg31

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added.

“We were also without Wayne and Robin when we played against Stoke, and when they come back we’ll be even stronger, which is why I’m so happy.

“With them, we are the strongest team in the Premier League, so we have to keep winning – with or without them.”

Tottenham head to Old Trafford unbeaten in three Premier League games since the sacking of Andre Villas-Boas and boosted by a convincing 3-0 victory over Stoke on Sunday.

That brought an end to a disappointing run of results at White Hart Lane and was kickstarted by a penalty from Roberto Soldado, the Spain forward’s first League goal in two months.

“It was a really important win for us because we haven’t won at home for a while,” Soldado said.

“Of course scoring the goal felt good and that started us off for a fantastic win.

“We were really ambitious and went at them from the first minute. That paid off. We pressed and pressed and winning the game meant everything to us.”

Sherwood’s team selections have so far made the most of the attacking options at his disposal and Belgian midfielder Mousa Dembele, who was also on target against Stoke, insists Spurs have no reason to fear the trip to Manchester.

“I am not scared to go there,” Dembele said.

“They are a top team and we have a lot of respect for them of course, but we have a very good team too.

“We can’t have too much respect. We have to play our own game. We can do something there, why not?” – AFP

Gunners title bid on firm ground, says Walcott ARSENAL forward Theo Walcott says that his side’s improved defensive performances have strengthened conviction within the club that Arsene Wenger’s men can clinch the Premier League title this season.

The Gunners saw out 2013 at the head of the table following victory at Newcastle United and will attempt to start the new year in similar fashion when Cardiff City visit the Emirates Stadium today.

Despite being written off by many observers following the opening-day defeat at home to Aston Villa, the first half of the season has confirmed Arsenal’s title credentials.

And England winger Walcott believes the key to their progress lies at the back, where Arsenal have conceded only 18 goals in 19 league games – a record matched

only by Everton in the top flight.

“I think you could see from the (final) 10 games last year that it was coming and that we had it in ourselves,” he told the club website.

“Everyone has been absolutely solid throughout the whole year.”

The 1-0 win at Newcastle followed a 3-1 victory at West Ham United – results that Walcott believes demonstrate the character within the squad.

“It’s been two tough away matches in this period. I think a lot of people doubted that we were going to get results,” he said.

“It just shows that we’ve got great character in that dressing room and we’re getting stronger and stronger every week.

Everyone trusts each other, which is so important. Going into the new year, we’re very excited.

“Every game that goes by that

we win is more belief that we’re going to win the League. But we won’t get ahead our ourselves; we know how crucial every game is.

“We’ve got to make sure we look after ourselves and hopefully teams will start to slip up.

“Just as long as we keep on believing, which everyone is and we’ve been doing from the start of the season.”

The returns of Lukas Podolski, Laurent Koscielny and Tomas Rosicky from injury this week provided Wenger with some welcome good news, although Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil are out.

And with an FA Cup thirdround tie against Tottenham Hotspur looming three days after the visit of struggling Cardiff, the manager is likely to make changes to freshen up his side, with Podolski and Mikel Arteta

potential starters.

Cardiff visit north London still in a state of uncertainty following the dismissal of manager Malky Mackay.

The first game without the Scot in charge ended in an agonising 22 home draw with bottom club Sunderland, who equalised in the final minute of added time.

With the Welsh side sitting two places and two points above the relegation places, club owner Tan Sri Vincent Tan will hope his side stay out of the bottom three while he continues his search for a permanent successor to Mackay.

Cardiff centre-back Ben Turner says that the club must now move on.

“Our task is to stay in the Premier League and I think we have got every chance of doing that at the halfway point,” Turner said. – AFP