Chong Wei sets sights on sixth Japan Open title

Chong Wei sets sights on sixth Japan Open title
EU seeks stricter controls on WhatsApp, Skype
Grand welcome awaits Paralympians’ homecoming on Sept 22
Aphex Twin confirms first US show in eight years
内阁：发展商发房贷需从长计议
大马菲律宾英语水平亚洲第一

Posted: 14 Sep 2016 05:20 AM PDT

Chong Wei graces the Proton Perdana 2.4L he received. — Bernama picSHAH ALAM, Sept 14 — World number one and five times Japan Open Super Series winner Datuk Lee Chong Wei has set his sights on a sixth title when the tournament starts from September 20-25.

The Rio Olympics silver medal winner has been preparing diligently despite shuttling between training and incentive presentation ceremonies.

"To me this tournament is very important to me... we have slowed down intensive training after the Rio Olympics. However, we will be preparing well before heading for the tournament because it will not be a holiday.

"Furthermore, the Japan Open Super Series will be offering points to qualify for the Dubai World Superseries Finals and only eight players will be listed," he told reporters when met at the presentation of Proton Perdana 2.4L cars to winners of medals at the Rio Olympics at the Proton Excellence Centre, here today.

Chong Wei won the Japan Open in 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014.

Meanwhile, divers Pandelela Rinong and Cheong Jun Hoong received a Proton Suprima S 1.6L Turbo Premium each for winning a silver medal in the women's 10m platform synchronised diving in the Rio Olympics. — Bernama

EU seeks stricter controls on WhatsApp, Skype

Posted: 14 Sep 2016 05:11 AM PDT

In a major victory for traditional phone companies, the European Commission, the executive arm of the 28-nation bloc, recommended tighter privacy and security for services like WhatsApp and Skype. — File picBRUSSELS, Sept 14 — The European Union will subject internet services like WhatsApp and Skype to similar rules that traditional telecommunications firms face, according to major reform proposals unveiled yesterday.

The demand is part of a package of reforms proposed by Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, which includes a promise to provide free wifi in European towns by 2020.

"We propose today to equip every European village and every city with free wireless internet access around the main centres of public life by 2020," Juncker said as he gave his annual State of the Union speech.

The plan also includes a commitment to begin converting Europe to 5G networks as early as 2018 in order to not lose ground to Asia and the United States.

The proposal gives companies that invest in 5G networks longer running licenses to operate mobile services as well as the right to block rivals except in under-served areas.

"It's a small revolution. It's no longer historic operators on one side and new entrants on the other, it's those investing in the future and the others," said Gregoire Verdeaux, head of international policy at Vodafone.

The demands on services such as Skype are unprecedented, but were underplayed by the commission.

But under the proposal, the commission would require companies like WhatsApp or Skype to offer emergency-calling services when customers dial traditional phone numbers as well as obey stricter privacy rules.

"The Commission should use this opportunity to reduce regulation in the hugely competitive market for communications services, rather than adding complexity," said James Waterworth, of the Computer & Communications Industry Association, a lobby group that represents Microsoft, Facebook and Google. — AFP

Grand welcome awaits Paralympians’ homecoming on Sept 22

Posted: 14 Sep 2016 05:02 AM PDT

Mohamad Ridzuan Mohamad Puzi of Malaysia celebrates after winning the Rio Paralympics gold medal in the men's 100m in Rio de Janeiro September 10, 2016. — Reuters picSHAH ALAM, Sept 14 ― A grand welcome awaits the national paralympics contingent's homecoming on September 22.

Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin told a press conference here that the Cabinet meeting today had agreed to accord the contingent a heroes welcome at the Bunga Raya Complex, KL International Airport upon the arrival of their flight.

He said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak was scheduled to join well wishers in welcoming the contingent.

The country's hopes of seeing an end to its gold medal drought in the Paralympic Games became a reality at the ongoing Rio Paralympics when the national paralympians won not one but three gold medals.

Mohamad Ridzuan Mohamad Puzi "broke the ice" in the men's 100m T36 (cerebral palsy) category to deliver Malaysia's first ever gold medal in the Paralympic Games on Saturday.

Hours later Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli won Malaysia's second gold medal in the men's F20 (intellectual disability) shot put event and on Sunday, Abdul Latif Romly bagged the third in the men's T20 (intellectual disability) long jump event.

The victories were all the more sweeter as all the three paralympians set new records. Mohamad Ridzuan set a Games record while Muhammad Ziyad and Abdul Latif world records.

"They (national Paralympics contingent) will then be brought to the Paralympics Excellence Centre in Kampung Pandan in Kuala Lumpur to celebrate their outstanding showing," Khairy said.

Abdul Latif Romly set a new world record of 7.60m and won gold in men's T20 long jump at the 2016 Rio Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro September 11, 2016. — Picture from Twitter.com/ISNMalaysiaHe said their success brought new awareness among Malaysians to give greater recognition to the contributions of people with different abilities.

In a related development, Khairy said that he had instructed the National Sports Council (MSN) to pay a monthly pension of RM2,000 from October to former national Paralympian P. Mariappan.

He stressed that although Mariappan no longer represented the country, the ministry had never forgotten his contributions in winning bronze medals in powerlifting at the 1988 and 1992 Paralympic Games in South Korea and Spain.

Khairy said that MSN was also willing to offer Mariappan a coaching job at the Paralympics Excellence Centre and that it was up to him whether to accept it or not.

"All previous Paralympics medal winners will also receive a monthly pension," he added.

Under the MSN's permanent incentives scheme, national Paralympians who win gold medals will receive a monthly pension of RM5,000; silver (RM3,000) while bronze winners get RM2,000.

Earlier, Khairy had witnessed a ceremony to hand over cars to medal winners at the 2016 Rio Oylmpics at the Proton Excellence Centre here.

Muhammad Ziyad Zolkefli celebrates winning gold and setting a new world mark in the Rio Paralympics men's shot put final in Rio de Janeiro September 10, 2016. — Reuters picNational badminton star Datuk Lee Chong Wei who won a silver in the men's singles, his third consecutive silver in the Olympics since the Beijing Games in 2008, was rewarded a Proton Perdana 2.4L which was presented by DRB-Hicom group managing director and Proton chairman Datuk Seri Syed Faisal Albar.

Silver winning national men's doubles pair, Goh V Shem/Tan Wee Kiong, mixed doubles pair Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying and women's diving pair Pandelela Rinong/Cheong Jun Hoong each received a Proton Suprima S 1.6L Turbo Premium.

National track cyclist "Pocket Rocketman" Azizulhasni Awang who won the bronze in the keirin, was rewarded the latest Proton Persona model but was not present at the ceremony. ― Bernama

Aphex Twin confirms first US show in eight years

Posted: 14 Sep 2016 05:00 AM PDT

Aphex Twin made a cryptic announcement on Twitter about his upcoming performance in Houston. — AFP picNEW YORK, Sept 14 — Aphex Twin will perform in the US for the first time in eight years, reports Billboard, when the electronic artist plays Houston, Texas's Day for Night festival running December 17-18.

This will be the artist's first time playing on US soil since his Coachella performance in 2008. In October 2011, he performed at the Pitchfork Music Festival in Paris, France.

The news comes just after the artist released his most recent EP, Cheetah, in July. The Houston festival is expected to offer more details about concert times tomorrow. — AFP-Relaxnews

内阁：发展商发房贷需从长计议

Posted: 14 Sep 2016 04:58 AM PDT

诺奥马仅以文告回应交代内阁今日谈及发展商房贷计划的讨论结果。-M中文网Choo Choy May-（布城14日讯）房地部长丹斯里诺奥马说，内阁已指示该部研究房地产发展商房贷计划的可行性。

他在一篇文告指出，内阁今日召开会议时，该部门被令进行这项计划的可行性，包括房贷利率及摊还期，以期不会对人民构成负担。

"我们也被令研拟出一份简易明白的指南，供持有放款牌照的房屋发展商及购屋者所用。"

但他强调，其实这项政策已进行中，一些房屋发展商也已获得牌照，以提供过桥贷款给购屋者付房贷头期付款。

诺奥马是在上周突如其来宣布会发牌照给房地发展商来发放房贷，然而反对声音一面倒，狠批此等做法难以为继，而且危险十足，不论是商界、发展商或是民间里的购屋者皆认为行不通。

然而按照大马房屋发展商会主席拿督斯里依斯干达今天的说法，其实那是房贷头期的过桥贷款，而非全额房贷。

大马菲律宾英语水平亚洲第一

Posted: 14 Sep 2016 04:46 AM PDT

IELTS区域经理表示，能在考试中得分6.5已经很不错。-图取自南华早报-（墨尔本14日讯）澳洲IDP教育集团公布"2015年亚洲区IELTS考生水平测试成绩"，马来西亚及菲律宾考生整体测试成绩为6.8分，在10个亚洲国家及地区中并列排名第一。

调查涵盖40个去年最多人报考IELTS的国家及地区，亚洲区占当中10个，以马来西亚及菲律宾考生成绩最高；香港则以6.5分紧随其后，亦高于台湾的6.1分及中国的5.7分。

印尼以6.4分排第4。泰国和越南以6分并排第6。韩国和日本分别排第8和第9。新加坡由于考生数目较少，并未纳入此此调查。

IDP IELTS区域经理（北亚）温家辉指，能在考试中得分6.5已经很不错，因为大部分的考生都是在籍学生，多数外国大学的英语水平最低入学要求也就是6.5分。

他还透露，亚洲地区没有哪一国的英语水平有明显的改变，调查对于地区或国家的英语能力可作参考，但未必有直接关系。

根据IELTS评分标准，考生若得分6到7之间，代表能很好的掌握英语，但偶尔会出现用词不当或语境不当的情况。