Footballer Safee ties the knot

Footballer Safee ties the knot

Footballer Safee ties the knot

Posted: 28 Dec 2013 08:01 AM PST

29 December 2013| last updated at 11:57PM

Present were his Johor Darul Takzim (JDT) teammates, Aidil Zafuan Abdul Razak, Azmi Muslim and Farizal Marlias and a bus-load of the team's supporters.

Safee, 29, and his wife Fitria Elfina Md Arif, tied the knot in Tanjung Pinang, Riau, Indonesia, on Dec 21.

Speaking after the wedding reception yesterday, the former player for Pelita Jaya from Indonesia said he met Fitria, fondly called Sasha, while training at a gymnasium.

"At that time Sasha, who is a gym instructor, did not know I was a footballer.

"I hope our marriage is blessed and lasts until our last breath."

Safee hopes his second marriage will boost his career and help him give his best to JDT and Malaysia.

The father-of-two was married to Sabarina Yusoff in 2007, but the couple divorced in 2012.

Sasha said she chose Safee as her life partner as he was kind-hearted.

"Honestly, I was not interested in football before. I chose Safee not because he is popular, but because of his kindness."

Safee's father, Mohd Sali Mian, 67, said he was happy with the marriage and hoped his son became a better footballer.

National footballer Safee Sali (left) and Fitria Elfina Md Arif at their wedding reception in Bidor, Perak, yesterday. Pic by Supian Ahmad

'Stay away from illegal rally'

Posted: 28 Dec 2013 08:01 AM PST

29 December 2013| last updated at 12:14AM

 Police yesterday issued a stern warning that individuals or groups would be charged for holding an illegal assembly at Dataran Merdeka this Tuesday.

Kuala Lumpur deputy police chief Datuk Amar Singh Ishar Singh said they would not hesitate to detain parties under the Penal Code and the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) for attempting to spark unrest.

According to a Bernama report, Amar said intelligence found several groups and non-governmental organisations would be involved in the illegal gathering to create chaos.

"Kumpulan Gerakan Turun Kos Sara Hidup (Turun), Jingga 13, Solidariti Anak Muda Malaysia as well as Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia are believed to be involved in the gathering," he told a news conference at the police contingent headquarters, here yesterday.

He said the illegal assembly organisers were expected to set up camps around Dataran Merdeka and would be bringing weapons and gas masks to stir up a commotion.

Amar advised the people not to participate and support the assembly as it was against the law.

He said police had received 588 reports nationwide in protest against the assembly to bring down the government.

On the road closures for Dec 30 and 31, Amar said Jalan Raja would be closed to traffic starting midnight of Dec 30 and Jalan Kinabalu exiting to Jalan Raja's closure would take effect from 6pm on New Year's eve.

He urged the public to avoid using the two roads during the stipulated times.

In Seremban, eight organisations have urged the police to take action against organisers of the proposed rally.

Negri Sembilan Youth Council (MBNS), State Federation of Peninsular Malay Students Associations (GPMS), State Malaysia Youth Council Friends, State Youth assembly, State 4B Youth Movement, Persatuan Belia Dinamik Barat Negri Sembilan, Persatuan Belia Tunggal Negri Sembilan and Malaysian Association of Youth Clubs (Rasah branch) lodged reports at noon at the police headquarters here yesterday.

MBNS deputy president Azizan Saad said the gathering would only escalate tension and chaos in the city.

"It will give a negative image of the country to the world and tarnish Visit Malaysia Year 2014 celebrations.

"I urge the organisers to find proper channels to express dissatisfaction," he said after lodging the report here.

He hoped police would take stern action to ensure the rally did not take place.

State GPMS information chief Khairul Nizam Mohd Soperi urged students not to get involved in the rally.

The rally, he said, would inculcate a negative culture among youth and would leave negative implications on participating students.

In Shah Alam, Shah Alam Umno Youth also filed a police report yesterday against the organisers of the rally.

Its chief, Ahmad Mua'adzam Shah Ya'akop, said the organisers have failed to look at the bigger picture, especially with regard to the security of children who would be present at the venue to celebrate New Year.

"We condemn this sort of action because it does not just pose a security threat to civilians but also creates a negative perception of the country."

Members of several non-governmental organisations holding a peaceful rally yesterday outside the Kemaman police headquarters in Terengganu, protesting against the proposed New Year's eve gathering. Pic by Shamsudin Husin

A proud tradition of broadcasting

Posted: 28 Dec 2013 08:01 AM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: THOSE on the frontline and backstage recall with fondness their involvement in the early years of national television.

The nation's first public television station was launched on Dec 28, 1963. TV Malaysia later merged with Radio Malaysia under the Department of Radio and Television Malaysia in 1969.

One of its pioneer personalities, Datuk Rahim Razali, recalled the good times he spent at RTM as its sports commentator.

In the stage and movie personality's career spanning over five decades, he had the distinct honour of covering five Olympic Games and World Cup competitions, his last being the 2006 Football World Cup in Germany.

Rahim recalled the 1967 Thomas Cup, which Malaysia won against arch-rival Indonesia, in what was described by many as the "fiercest fought tournament ever".

"I had to do a live commentary (of the match) and it was a challenging moment, as the crowd suddenly went wild in a sort of uprising.

"There were thousands in the Senayan Stadium and even more outside," he said, recalling the riot which took place after the match.

Another was the World Heavyweight boxing championship between Muhammad Ali and Joe Bugner, in Kuala Lumpur in 1975.

"The fight stood out in my mind because I was seated very close to the ring.

"At one point, Muhammad Ali was hanging onto the ropes just above me. He looked at me and then winked. I laughed," he said as he recalled the incident.

Those who followed the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games would recall his live commentary for events over the 16-day "live" telecast for RTM.

Rahim hosted the weekly Arena Sukan (later Dunia Sukan) on RTM 1 and covered many other major sporting events over the years, including the Fifa World Cup in 2002 and 2006.

He hopes the station would remain as the national broadcaster in the future and continue to channel information for the benefit of the people.

One of its best-known presenters, Harjit Singh Hullon, who has been a part of the station's evolution since the early 70s, said he had spent more than 40 years with the station.

However, one assignment stood out -- the Highland Towers tragedy on Dec 11, 1983.

The assignment saw him camping at the site of the tragedy for two weeks.

"I literally had to camp there because I was supposed to do an hourly report alternately in both Bahasa Malaysia and English.

"After the first block collapsed, the public were concerned that the second and third might collapse as well. Therefore, we had to provide people with updates."

Harjit, who was also the news anchor for RTM, said he learned much despite sitting in front of the camera.

"It is easier said than done. It was a challenge to maintain a high standard of presentation and delivery."

Harjit's excellent command of both Bahasa Malaysia and English undoubtedly made him a sought-after news presenter.

Despite lucrative offers from the private sector, Harjit, now 59, remained "setia" (loyal) with the public broadcasting station.

He said he was proud to be part of the RTM family and that the station had improved gradually, including its equipment and presentation, to keep it in line with other private channels.

Those behind the scenes also fondly remember their times with RTM. Former audio man, Rajahdin Abdullah, 66, recalled his first day of work at the RTM studio on Feb 28, 1969, which, he said, could best be described as "Rusa masuk kampung" (Fish out of water).

"I came all the way from Malacca to Kuala Lumpur. I was based at the RTM studio in Jalan Ampang, which was a totally new environment for me," he said, adding he was among the first batch of sound recordists in RTM who received training from the late Mustafa Kamal, Head of Sound at Filem Negara Malaysia.

Recalling one of his assignments, Rajahdin said he almost fell into a drain while covering former deputy prime minister Tun Musa Hitam in Teluk Intan, Perak.

"My equipment was connected through a cable with the camera, which means both the cameraman and I should walk together. I was too scared to follow after the cameraman as he jumped over a drain.

"Luckily, I managed to hold on to my equipment."

He said the technology then presented its own unique challenges to cameramen as well as audio men.

"We used to record using film cameras, which we then had to take back to the studio and process before viewing.

"Now, using tape cameras, we can play back our recordings to check for quality as soon as it is done.

Jamali Abdul Hamid, 65, also a former audio man, said the equipment used then was very heavy and needed more than two people to support it.

"I still remember using the Auricon film camera. Sometimes, the drivers had to help us hold some of the heavy equipment."

Another alumni, Doreen Chia, who was an entertainment producer and director in RTM, said the fact that she worked there for more than 30 years showed how much she enjoyed her work.

Sharing in the memories was a member of its loyal audience, Baldev Singh Harchand Singh, 62, who associated the station with its famous news reader personalties.

"I still remember the old timers, such as Harjit Singh Hullon, Datuk Faridah Merican and Bosco De Cruz, who could read news fluently in Bahasa Malaysia and English.

"Among my favourite television series was the Flintstones cartoon and The Fugitive, which were broadcast in black and white."

Lim Say Tee, 55, recalled the old days when RTM was the leading channel for sports coverage.

"As a sports enthusiast, I would always tune to RTM for sports updates, especially football."

He hoped the station would continue broadcasting live coverage of sports so that those who did not have satellite television could enjoy them.

Nevertheless, he said, it was a memorable and exciting moment when RTM channels were upgraded to broadcast in full colour.

"Kudos to RTM. It was fun then, because I could watch my favourite Tan Sri P. Ramlee movies in colour."

Datuk Rahim Razali says he has many memorable moments with the national television station

Strange carcass washes ashore

Posted: 28 Dec 2013 08:01 AM PST

29 December 2013| last updated at 12:04AM
By ESTHER LANDAU | news@nst.com.my

SANTUBONG:  THE remains of an unidentified sea creature were  found washed ashore at Pantai Pasir Pandak here yesterday morning.

Villager Hamzah Pelita, 45, said he found the remains at 7.50am.

"The 3m-long carcass was found about 50m from the sea.

"This is the first time I have seen such a creature. I am not sure what it is," he said, adding that he informed the police station here at 8am.

The authorities were unsure whether it was a baby whale or dolphin as the remains were decomposed.

Pasir Pandak Village headman Hadli Piee, 57, said he was surprised by the find.

"I was informed (of the carcass) at 8am yesterday by the villagers and rushed to the scene. It looked like the carcass of a baby whale.

"Although most of the body was decomposed, the head was intact. It looked like that of a whale," he said.

Hadli said a team from the Sarawak Museum and the Kuching Zoology Department visited the scene and took bone samples for research.

People taking pictures of the remains that washed ashore at Pantai Pasir Pandak in Santubong, yesterday morning. Pic by Mas Adib Saie

A volatile year with romance in the air

Posted: 28 Dec 2013 08:01 AM PST

The numbers in the year 2014, when added together, is 7 and this, in the tarot system, represents the Chariot card -- two strong, feisty horses pulling a chariot forward.

For energy healer and tarot card reader, Sherwin Ng, that means it's not going to be a peaceful year.

"It'll be a year of people fighting for something... a year of changes. It's going to be a fiery and volatile year."

The Chariot also brings with it vehicular accidents, particularly in the first half of the year.

It also heralds possible positive changes in the automobile industry -- how they make cars or how their offerings are viewed by the people at large. There would be a renewed focus on hybrid cars.

However, these changes would not translate to immediate financial gains, but rather a new way of doing things and new inventions.

"It may not be immediately profitable because people will have to adapt to it first."

While the Chariot is at the heart of the year, the three other cards of influence for the year are the Empress, the Temperance and the Hermit.

"The Empress' influence came in from 2010 onwards. She represents Mother Earth, so we see issues like genetically modified food and organic farming coming into play these 10 years," said Ng.

With the Empress' prevalent influence, and with the Chariot coming in this year, there will be a stronger fight against "unnatural things".

The new year will also be the 14th year since the turn of the new millennium, which also makes it the 14th year of the first century. This 14 is governed by the card Temperance, which depicts an angel pouring water from one cup to another.

"I always call this the teh tarik card and it's all about balancing. So this normally means new discoveries, inventions and thoughts and trying to balance the modern with ancient wisdom."

The Chariot also brings with it a hidden card, the Tower.

"That's one of the most disastrous and explosive cards ever. So, we're talking about volcanoes, literal explosions and earthquakes.

"The year before was wind-related, that brought tornadoes and typhoons. The coming year will be earthquakes. I'd say the earth is correcting itself."

Ng said many psychological problems will also surface.

"We will see drugs become useless as people start becoming immune to them. There will be a realisation that such drugs are not long-term cures and they bring a lot of side effects, which will be revealed next year. So, the medical industry will be shaken up a bit."

The flow of energies in the new year will also mean that people will not be unduly worried over the money aspect in their lives. Rather, they would be more into questioning their existential purpose, their emotional and spiritual wellbeing, and doing things to better themselves.

"Money-wise, there'll be a change in trend of how people earn money. They will be looking for more freedom in how they can earn their money.

"The focus will not be so much on stable jobs, but more on having comfortable work environments, on freelancing, and working from home. And the industries will be more receptive to this."

Lastly, the Chariot year is also a challenging year for governments and people in positions of authority.

"Your way of doing things must be justified. Otherwise, you will be immediately challenged."

In terms of Chinese feng shui and astrology, the new year proper will start only on Feb 4, 2014, at 6.03am, according to feng shui master Kenny Hoo.

The new year carries the Wood element in its heavenly stem and the Fire element in its early branch, hence its moniker, Wooden Horse.

"There'll be frequent incidents of ferocious, downpours, and storms and hurricanes, especially in countries in the East and Northwest regions. These will result in floods, earthquakes and landslides."

Regions in the East should be on high alert against outbreaks of diseases, as the Sickness Star arrives in this region.

The Northeast region could be prone to riots, while the Southeast region is likely to see disputes and legal embattlements.

The year will be especially unfavourable to Earth-related industries like property and construction, and Wood-related industries like timber, furniture and publication.

But, the year also brings with it the Wealth and Nobleman Stars, indicating that with more efforts and better management skills, one can still benefit from the year.

"As the saying goes, 'in order to get the best performance out of a horse, one needs to look for Bo Le, the legendary expert horse trainer'. Hence, to really make good profits in the Horse Year of 2014, one must identify and choose high-quality partners with good acumen, or find the Nobleman in one's birth sign for support," said Hoo.

Still, the first half of the year will bring with it potential wealth losses, especially with agricultural land, properties, estates, and high-rise units undergoing price adjustments.

"However, it may be beneficial to those who had previously wanted to buy but were unable to due to rising property prices. Now, there will be ample options, especially with the continued profusion of high-rise units in the market."

But, there might be some roadblocks with banks imposing stricter lending guidelines, so there will be a general sense of unease.

While certain regions may experience unstable climates such as flood, storm or drought, on the whole, it will be a better harvest year than most.

That said, those involved in Wood- and Fire-related industries, such as plantation, oil palm, rubber, glove, education, tyre, petroleum, electrical, energy, entertainment, and restaurant, "will have greater business opportunities, with more aggressive and active business plans that will lead to greater harvests".

The new year is also a major Peach Blossom year so many singles will meet their match while most unmarried couples will be tying the knot and having babies, and there will be more people moving into new homes and such.

These should be especially prevalent during the middle of the year, said Hoo.

However, the Wealth Loss Star is also present at the same time of the year and its appearance should serve as a reminder to guard against any careless or excessive spending.

Care should also be taken to avoid the downside of the Peach Blossom effect as those married would tend to have extramarital affairs.

"Politicians and businessmen could lose their positions and wealth due to love affairs, which could even lead to scandals."

Due to the overwhelming influence of the Wood and Fire elements next year, most people will pay more attention to health and wellness. Those with sensitive skin, weaknesses in the liver, gallbladder, or stomach, nervous system disorders, and strained eyesight should take extra care as the year's Qi is unfavourable to the human organs related to these parts.

 

Brothers hurt while running from dogs

Posted: 28 Dec 2013 08:01 AM PST

29 December 2013| last updated at 12:08AM
By PREDEEP NAMBIAR | news@nst.com.my

GEORGE TOWN: TWO brothers sustained multiple injuries after a pack of stray dogs chased them, causing them to fall into a ditch.

The incident happened at a playground near their home in Permatang Pauh, Seberang Prai, at 3pm on Wednesday.

Suhail Zolkifly, 14, and Omar, 11, fell near the Taman Cermai playground while running away from the mongrels. Suhail received three stitches on the head and had cuts on the face, while Omar suffered a crack on the skull and a cut on the lip.

Their father, Zolkifly Md Lazim, 50, said: "I am grateful my sons are recovering."

The brothers could not recall much about the incident.

"We were walking when the dogs started barking at us. We ran to get away from them, " said Suhail, a Form Two student of SMK Tun Syed Sheh Shahabudin Bukit Mertajam.

Omar, a Year Five student of SK Permatang Pauh, did not say much as he was still traumatised.

Zolkifly said his sons did not slip into a coma as reported and they were not bitten by the dogs.

"Doctors did not find any dog bites on their bodies. They were unconscious for about an hour after the incident."

Suhail Zolkifly received three stitches on the head. Pix by Muhammad Mikail Ong