#ElectricRunMY: Race Pack Collection Dates Announced

The world’s popular night-time fun run, the Electric Run Malaysia 2016 presented by Shell FuelSave is set to light up Malaysia again for the 2nd year in a row on 7th May at the Selangor Turf Club.

The Livescape Group announced that participants can collect their race pack prior to the race on Saturday, 30th April and Sunday, 1st May at Celebrity Fitness, the “Official Fitness Centre Partner” at Mid Valley from 11am – 9pm.

Alternatively, GoGet, its Official Convenience Providers, will also be offering the first 1,500 registrants to claim a free delivery of their race packs to anywhere within the Klang Valley. For more information about this promotion by GoGet, go here.

Each Electric Run Malaysia 2016 race pack will consist of a numbered bib, a limited edition official Shell FuelSave Electric Run™ Malaysia 2016 race tee, a drawstring bag, a temporary Shell FuelSave Electric Run UV sticker tattoo, 2 glow sticks, and a pair of LED glasses. The numbered bibs are unique to each participant and must be worn at all times throughout the race as the bib is used to identify each runner.

Participants are also entitled to a special Shell FuelSave enhanced race kit when they purchase a minimum of RM40 of Shell FuelSave 95 or Shell FuelSave Diesel fuel in a single receipt from 26th April to 6th May 2016. The enhanced race kit will include a variety of additional premiums for runners and is available while stocks last. Participants will be able to redeem the enhanced race kits at Celebrity Fitness, Mid Valley when collecting their Electric Run Malaysia 2016 race packs.

Participants are required to present proof of participation in the race by bringing a printed copy of their Electric Run Malaysia 2016 confirmation email or e-ticket on any device, as well as their IC/passport to be eligible to collect the race pack. Those who are collecting their Shell FuelSave enhanced race kits are required to show a Shell FuelSave fuel receipt amounting to at least RM40 for eligibility.

Participants may appoint a representative to collect their race pack but the representative must provide 3 important documents, which are a printed copy of the runner’s confirmation email or e-ticket, a photocopy of the participant’s IC/passport, and an authorisation letter signed by the participant that can be downloaded here.

We’ll leave you now with the official aftermovie from last year’s Electric Run Malaysia. Enjoy:

Meanwhile, here are some fun ways to prep for Electric Run Malaysia 2016.

For more information, hit up their Facebook page or follow them onTwitter and Instagram.


“Nikki & Suki Were Robbed”: Netizens Not Happy With Aliff Aziz Winning GV8?

The finale of “Gegar Vaganza” season 8 (GV8) took place last night (Sunday, 23rd January). Much to the dismay of some fans, Aliff Aziz was crowned the winner of the reality-singing competition.

Despite that, local netizens took to social media to express their disappointment towards the overall results. Some even argued that other finalists, namely Suki Low and Nikki Palikat, were more deserving of being the champion of the local singing show.

A post shared by Astro Gempak (@astrogempak)

With the victory, the Singaporean celeb managed to bring home a cash prize of RM100,000 along with a trophy. Meanwhile, Nikki came in second, and the “One In A Million” winner came in third place, where the duo took home RM50,000 and RM20,000 cash (and a trophy) respectively.

Of course, bitter netizens wanted to vent about the final results. Many pointed out that Aliff’s victory in “GV8” doesn’t seem to be approved by Malaysian fans. On top of that, there were also some who claimed that the local TV show was completely rigged. “Obviously the show is rigged. Astro is more or less the same as Mnet; Rigged,” user @kithvrr remarked.

Another Twitter user known as @nas_addina chimed in by writing, “I can’t believe Suki and Nikki didn’t win and Aweera got last (place). This is nighttime robbery.” At the time of writing (Monday, 24th January), the two talented songbirds are still trending on social media. Read what they said here:

In related news, Aliff’s wife, Bella Astillah, has gone viral recently for her genuine reaction to her beloved spouse’s victory in “GV8”. In the video, the Sabahan singer-actress was unable to hold back her tears the moment when her hubby was announced as the top winner.

This also caught the attention of Jasmin Hamid. As reported by Murai, the seasoned actress uploaded a video capturing the tearjerking moment, accompanied with some heartwarming congratulatory message specifically for the sweet couple.

“A wife’s prayer is ‘Mustajab’ (quickly granted by God). Happy tears of a wife who is always a motivator for the husband to keep moving forward. Although at one time, many looked down on her husband because of her husband’s mistakes, but she was never discouraged and remained patient.”

The “Cukup Derita Itu” actress added by writing, “But she still gave her husband another chance to improve himself and also their marriage. This is the reward from God for her patience, sacrifice and loyalty to her beloved husband.”

A post shared by jasminhamid (@jasminhamidjh)

All criticisms aside, we would like to congratulate Aliff for his win in “Gegar Vaganza 8”. Hopefully we can expect our favourite contestants to release some new music soon ;)

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Top 10 Movies To Look Out For (Part II)

Yesterday, we featured the first part of our “Top 10 Movies To Look Out For” for this year, where we featured five movies. As promised, here’s the second part, featuring more movies that we simply can’t wait to watch!

Directed by the visionary Baz Luhrmann, “The Great Gatsby” is an upcoming cinematic adaption of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel of the same name. It follows the life and times of millionaire Jay Gatsby (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) and his neighbor Nick Carraway (played by Tobey Maguire). Nick Carraway find himself fascinated by the mysterious past and lavish lifestyle of Jay Gatsby at the height of the Roaring Twenties. But the more he gets drawn into Jay Gatsby’s circle, the more he discovers obsessions of sorts and ultimately, a tragedy.

Not sure why anyone needs an introduction to this one but here goes – directed by Zack Snyder and producer by Christopher Nola, “Man of Steel” is based on the DC Comics character, “Superman”. Yes, you know the one, that alien infant who was raised on Earth as Clark Kent and who has superhuman abilities. The same one who jets around with a red cape. But this is no ordinary “Superman” tale; the film will be a reboot of the “Superman” film series, portraying the character’s origin story. Henry Cavill plays Clark Kent aka “Superman” whereas Amy Adams plays Lois Lane. And we can’t wait to watch it in IMAX.

Exciting times ahead as the minions get their own movie! “Despicable Me 2” is all set to be one of this year’s most highly anticipated 3D computer animated comedy film, also the sequel to 2010’s “Despicable Me”. Part two will be directed by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud, with voiceovers by the crazily hilarious team of Hollywood icons such as Steve Carell, Russell Brand, Kristen Wiig, and Al Pacino. We hear that there will also be a host of new characters. Like we said, exciting times ahead!

“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” is the second installment in “The Hunger Games” trilogy and film series. Directed by Francis Lawrence, the science-fiction adventure film based on Suzanne Collins’ novel sees the continuation adventures of Katniss Everdeen (played by Jennifer Lawrence). She safely returns home after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games along with fellow tribute, Peeta Mellark (played by Josh Hutcherson). But a rebellion is simmering and now, another challenge arises (75th Annual Hunger Games aka “Quarter Quell) which could change Panem forever. Prepare to immerse in the futuristic dystopian world once again come 21sr November 2013.

Directed and co-written and produced by filmmaker extraordinaire Peter Jackson, “The Hobbit” is a series of three epic fantasy adventure films based on J. R. R. Tolkien’s 1937 fantasy novel of the same name. The “Lord of the Rings” (LotR) is originally a sequel to the novel, thus the “The Hobbit” series acts as a prequel to Peter Jackson’s film trilogy. In the “The Hobbit” film series, actors such as Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis, Ian Holm, Hugo Weaving reprise their roles from LotR whereas Cate Blanchett, Christopher Lee, Elijah Wood, and Orlando Bloom will make cameo appearances. “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” revisits Middle-earth as Bilbo Baggins (played by Martin Freedom) accompany 13 dwarves on a quest to reclaim the Lonely Mountain from the dragon Smaug.

And there you have it, our top 10 movies of 2013 that we all need to keep tabs on. Can’t wait to watch ’em all!


CONTEST: Katy Perry 3D Movie Screening

Lucky you, and right before you go off for your Raya break, we’ve decided to end our August with a great big bang. We know, we know, it was a long month of movies but we saved the best for last.

Most of you would’ve seen our post on Katy Perry’s “Part of Me” in May. The movie, based on Katy Perry’s life and her rise to success was released in July all across the United States. So we can imagine how anxiously you’ve been waiting to catch the flick. We were anxious too!

[youtube id=”wCgQeNetJgA” width=”600″ height=”350″]

Thanks to our friends from United International Pictures Malaysia, we have 15 PAIRS of exclusive Katy Perry Part of Me in 3D movie screening tickets to give out to our lucky readers.

Want in? Want to catch the movie with us before anyone else?

For more information, visit the movie’s official website.


Hype’s Exclusive: Getting The Perfect Pitch With Pentatonix

Formed in 2011, Pentatonix comprises of 5 a capella vocalists; Scott Hoying, Mitch Grassi, Kirstie Maldonado, Avi Kaplan and Kevin Olusola. The a capella group originally from Arlington, Texas, have won over fans from across the globe with their covers of existing pop songs and original work.

Known for their musical arrangements, strong presence of low bass vocals, and incredible range of vocal percussions, Pentatonix’s Christmas album “That’s Christmas To Me” was certified platinum in USA in December 2014. The album also become the highest-charting holiday album by a group since 1962.

Currently gearing up for their first ever show here in Kuala Lumpur, we had a quick chat with Mitch of Pentatonix to get to know the group a little better.

Having come a long way from when you first started in 2011, how different would you say Pentatonix is now from back then?

We’ve changed pretty drastically, actually. Our musical style has matured and become less about “special effects”. We’ve matured as musicians and as a musical entity. We’ve also really come into our own, as individuals. I think we’re starting to get to know ourselves a lot better. And each other!

Has your chemistry changed in the past few years?

Most definitely. We’ve become more of a work force. We still love and support each other like a family, but our work ethic has grown stronger over the years.

What can fans expect from your show here in Malaysia?

An incredibly fun experience! We love performing for our fans. It’s also a bit interactive, which I think the fans are going to enjoy.

What is the one song that never fails to drive the crowd crazy?

I would say Daft Punk. It’s our most viral YouTube video, and one of my personal favorites.

What else is Pentatonix working on right now – more covers/ originals?

Mostly originals for our upcoming full length album. But we probably will never stop doing covers.

If you could work with a Top 40 artiste, who would it be?

I would love to work with Beyoncé. I think we could maybe do something throwback-y.

What else is in the pipeline for Pentatonix this 2015?

Well, aside from the months of touring alongside Kelly Clarkson, we’re working on our first full length album. And more YouTube videos as well. We’re all really stoked, and we hope the fans are, too.

Pentatonix will be making their way to Kuala Lumpur for a one-night only concert on 30th May. Concert and ticketing details here. Big thanks to our buddies at Sony Music Malaysia for giving us this interview opportunity.

We leave you today with “Mary, Did You Know?” by Pentatonix. Enjoy!

For more information, visit Pentatonix’s Facebook page.

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Hype’s Now Playing: Calvin Harris & Disciples – How Deep Is Your Love

After much anticipation and teasing through Instagram and Twitter, the Scottish DJ has finally released his latest song “How Deep Is Your Love”. The track which is a collaboration with electronic trio Disciples takes on a slightly different approach from his previous radio-friendly works.

Instead of working the pummelling build-ups and synthesiser onslaughts like his previous tracks, Harris’ dives straight into the deep end of the pool and opts for some slow-burning house with “How Deep Is Your Love”. While some may feel that this new approach won’t reach the same mainstream success such as previous hits like “We Found Love”, “Summer”, “Blame” and “Sweet Nothing” has, it’s really hard to imagine any of Harris’ song performing poorly on the charts.

Personally, we love this new approach for it’s something new and fresh from Harris. Listen to “How Deep Is Your Love” below and let us know what you think of it by sounding off in the comments box.

“How Deep Is Your Love” is also available for purchase on iTunes.


#F1: SNSD Girls’ Generation To Perform At The Post-Race Concert In Sepang

Sepang International Circuit (SIC) today announced that one of South Korea’s hottest pop groups, SNSD Girls’ Generation will be performing at the post-race concert for the 2015 Formula 1 PETRONAS Malaysia Grand Prix on 29th March 2015. This follows the announcement by American rocker Lenny Kravitz who recently cancelled his tour in Asia, including the scheduled performance in Sepang.

The concert, to be held at the Helipad in the Sepang Circuit has also been brought forward to an earlier time slot. Gates will now open at 4:30pm, with the main act set to perform at 5:30pm and concert ending at 8pm.

Upon the announcement, Sepang International Circuit CEO Dato’ Razlan Razali said:

We are very pleased to secure an act like Girls’ Generation for the concert, following our recent disappointment. Indeed, we are still working on securing another world-class performer for the concert, but we just had to share the good news on Girls’ Generation as soon as possible. Having this hugely popular group performing right here in Sepang makes the post-race concert a very special occasion, so we hope their fans will take the opportunity to see them, from only RM80 onwards, besides also watching the Malaysian F1 Grand Prix. With their large fan base here in Malaysia and wide appeal – from youths to families of all ages, it is good for us to create opportunities to introduce the experience of watching the F1 race live to these fans that may not have been to a race weekend at Sepang.

On behalf of the SIC team, I thank the relevant authorities including the Central Agency for Foreign Artists’ Filming and Performance Application (PUSPAL) for their support in accepting and processing all the required documentation and paperwork for the replacement artistes. We have worked hard to secure the artistes but it is the support from these authorities that will make the post-race concert possible.

SNSD Girls’ Generation is an 8-member girl group created by SM Entertainment, a prominent South Korean entertainment company. This popular group debuted in 2007 and became one of South Korea’s most popular musical acts after the success of their 2009 song, “Gee”.

Their popularity transcends borders – proven by their large international fan base comprising men and women from various cultures.

Tickets purchased for the Formula 1 PETRONAS Malaysia Grand Prix allow ticketholders entrance to the after-race concert plus the F1 Carnival and other selected activities at no extra cost, besides also rewarding them with One Ticket Unlimited benefits, including discounts and promotions from various retail outlets and brands in Kuala Lumpur.

Ticket prices begin from RM80 – with tickets ranging from RM340 to RM1,770 for seats in the Main Grandstand, RM440 for the Tower, RM280 to RM660 for Grandstands F and K1, and RM80 to RM160 for Hillstand tickets.


M’sian Entrepreneur Accused Of Another Scam Following Laguna Redang Incident

While many of us are happy about all the deals we scored during this year’s 11.11 sales, we unfortunately can’t say the same for those who were scammed under the fake Laguna Redang Island Resort holiday package.

Now it has been revealed that the individual suspected to be involved in this scam is a Malaysian entrepreneur named Umance. Umance, who usually sells seafood on Facebook, promoted an all-inclusive 3 Days 2 Nights deal at the Laguna Redang Island Resort for a price of RM399.

The promotion was marketed on a now deleted Facebook live stream video, where Umance additionally claimed that two lucky buyers of the holiday package would stand the chance to win a Proton X50 SUV. This deal was so good that it sold over 8,000 holiday packages within two hours, amounting to a total of RM3.5 million!

However, the Laguna Redang Island Resort later confirmed that they did not endorse any such promotion. On 11th November itself, the resort released an official statement warning the public to be aware of these scams and urged consumers who had bought the fake packages to file police reports immediately.

However, Umance took to his Facebook live stream again on 14th November to point out that the holiday package was not a scam after all. In the live video, Umance claimed that due to a “technical error” all the Laguna Redang Island Resort packages would either have to be refunded or replaced with a 3 Days 2 Nights trip at the Tanjung Rhu Resort in Langkawi instead.

The young man also visited Langkawi to share that the Tanjung Rhu 3D2N holiday package will be managed by Fantastic Tour Services. The package will include a Tanjung Rhu Resort room on a twin-sharing basis, 1 day Langkawi road tour, 3 meals for 2 days, and a free luggage bag with every 2 tickets.

However, netizens are speculating if this is another scam on its own, as Fantastic Tour itself is offering a much better deal at only RM244 per person for a holiday at the Tanjung Rhu Resort.

While directly purchasing from Fantastic Tour does not include the free meals and extra goodies, holiday-goers can still save a considerable amount using their promo. This has got us wondering, is Umance using the bait-and-switch scheme?

As explained by Tech ARP, bait and switch scams initially provide customers with an incredibly good offer, which is the “bait”. Later they will discover that their purchases are no longer available. At this point scammers will make a “switch”, where you are persuaded to accept a cheaper replacement instead of a refund or a more expensive alternative.

So, did Umance actually encounter a “technical error” or is this a bait and switch scam? From the way the whole RM399 Laguna Redang Island Resort holiday package played out, it sure seems like what happened was indeed a scam.

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Hype Picks: Best Things To Do In The Klang Valley This Week (4th July – 10th July)

Wait… It’s July already?? So that means… WE’RE ALREADY MORE THAN HALFWAY THROUGH THE YEAR!! Wow. We honestly can’t believe it but here we are preparing even more events for you to go to during this first week of July. You’ve come this far into the year, so it’s time to reward yourself and go have some fun!

This week we have events for basically any occasion. Need new furniture? We gotchu. Want to get a health check up? It’s number 3 on the list. Want to just let go and jump up and down to amazing live musical performances? It’s on the list. We even have two brand new product launches that you might be interested in. Okay enough of us, you can find everything here:

1. Southeast Asia’s Largest Furniture Fair

Time:  9:30am – 6:00pm  (6th-8th July) & 9:30am – 5:00pm (9th July)

Location: Malaysia International Trade & Exhibition Centre (MITEC) & World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL)

Southeast Asia’s Largest Furniture Fair – the Malaysian International Furniture Fair (MIFF) is back.
On top of face-to-face gathering at show floor, the upcoming exhibition will also be leveraging on the MIFF Furniverse platform in expanding the outreach to a greater audience in serving the sourcing needs of the global furniture community. Skip the queue, register here!

Location: Ground floor of Atria Shopping Gallery

Tanabata, also known as the ‘Star Festival’, is a Japanese celebration which takes place on the seventh day of the seventh month. This year, there will be a Tanabata Festival right here in Malaysia! Their programs include a Japanese Baazar, Japanese Traditional Games, Stage Performances such as Folk Dance, Koto Music, Anime music etc. and SO MUCH more!

Location: Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre

The most lively health event of the year in the city. CVSKL team will provide free heart examination on the day and if you are lucky, you can meet their dietitian on the spot to consult about your heart and diet health. Besides that, you can even enjoy an exclusive discount when you sign up for the Health Screening Package at the site!

Location: Mid Valley Exhibition Centre (MVEC), Hall 2 (B069 – B072)

Planning a trip overseas? Visit the MITM Travel Fair to survey and purchase the best tour packages from trustworthy travel agents, flight tickets, and accommodation deals. Admission is FREE, with plenty of lucky draw prizes up for grabs for those who come, including Legoland tickets, free 5-star resorts stays in Port Dickson, and superb hotel stays in Thailand. And if you do spend RM500 and above at the fair, RM100k worth of buyers’ contest await you!

Location: Cheras Leisure Mall (Main Concourse)

Summer Music Fest 2022 is a musical event initiated by Mega Music World with the support by Cheras Leisure Mall. The objective is to create a platform for young musician to strive in music study by executing their performance on public stage. Found out more here.

A post shared by Central Market Kuala Lumpur (@centralmarketkualalumpur)

The exhibition is held in conjunction with the Kuala Lumpur Architecture Festival 2022. The exhibition aims to communicate messages through the imaginary, colours and visual displays. This exhibition focuses on printed media, and its importance and relevance as a medium in this digital age.

Location: Main Concourse, Ground Floor, Sunway Putra Mall

The yellow fever has fell upon Sunway Putra Mall as they bring shoppers the Minions: The Rise of Gru movie activation event in conjunction with the new movie! Shoppers are in for a vibrant yellow adventure, from taking a lot of cute and Insta-worthy photos with family and friends at the numerous movie-themed displays to fun activities.

A post shared by FamilyMart Malaysia (@familymartmy)

Location: Caltex Puncak Alam (PT 42663, Jalan Persiaran Puncak Alam 6, 42300 Bandar Puncak Alam, Selangor)

FamilyMart just opened its 300th in Malaysia at Caltex Puncak Alam! In conjunction with this milestone, there will be exciting weekly promotions at ALL outlets nationwide. You can refer to their Instagram post from above to check out the respective weekly promotions. The promotions above are available for all in-store purchases, except KLIA2 and Genting (not applicable for online orders either).

Location: Level G, 1 Utama Shopping Centre (New Wing)

Malaysia’s leading Mercedes-Benz dealership Cycle & Carriage offers the public an up-close and personal experience with the brand for the first time ever at its debut lifestyle concept store.

The new store will include curated exhibitions in collaboration with local and international brands, workshops and seminars to better experience Mercedes-Benz cars and displays of newly launched and highly-anticipated Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

The campaign tells the story of five aspirational characters, friends with their own look and personality, but united by their attitude, lifestyle and choice of the new PRX 35mm. The scene is classic pop culture. Last year’s revived PRX had a 40mm case and a quartz or automatic movement.

This year, Tissot has added a unisex 35mm case, with a choice of satin-brushed steel models with either blue, green, light blue or silver sunburst dials, and a further model with a yellow-gold PVD-coated case and dial.

You can find out more about the Tissot PRX Collection here. Watch and enjoy the campaign video:

The new Mentholatum’s LipIce now comes in a limited edition Minions collection. Collect all your favourite Minions characters featured on the product packaging when you purchase the Tinted LipIce Lip Balm and the Fruity LipIce Lip Balm. Available for a limited time only, the cute-looking packaging coupled with new refreshing flavours and amazing soft colours are up for grabs at leading pharmacies for only RM14.90 per piece.

The ASICS GEL-NIMBUS 9 has come a long way since its first original release in 2007. Thanks to its recent reintroduction, runners around the globe will find that the kicks are shaped in a similar fashion to the GEL-NIMBUS 9. The newest design by the Kiko Kostadinov studio – UBS-S GEL-NIMBUS 9 – is available in Piedmont Grey/Aruba Blue, Rum Raisin/Green Sheen, Abbey Stone/Champagne, Stonewash/Lint, and retails at RM629.

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Public Catches Hit & Run Myvi Driver; Turns Him Over To The Police

Nobody likes a hit and run. So, it didn’t come as a surprise when the public involved themselves in catching the culprit of this particular accident.

A 26-year-old local man in a Myvi was speeding when he crashed into a Proton Waja and a van. The accident happened on 22nd February at Bandar Kinrara, Puchong. The Myvi rammed into the back of the van and collided with the other car, leaving debris scattered across the road. The culprit then tried to escape on foot.

Selangor Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department chief Supt Azman Shari’ stated at about 2.40pm, they received a report about the incident. The public had apparently approached a nearby police officer and informed him of the crash. They also told the police officer they had surrounded the driver who had tried to escape. The man was arrested and investigated for the case under Section 42 (1) of the Road Transport Act 1987.

According to Azman, the van driver was seriously injured in the crash and was being treated in Serdang Hospital’s emergency ward. He also revealed that the front of the Myvi was squashed, the van was badly damaged and the Proton Waja’s rear end had been totalled. Thankfully, the other victims of the crash only suffered minor injuries and have been discharged from the hospital. “The driver of the Myvi who caused the accident has been escorted by the police to the court today (23rd February),” he said. The suspect is currently facing a two-day detention order.

The suspect tested negative for drugs and alcohol. The police also found he has no prior criminal record. They have sent the Myvi to be inspected and are urging other members of the public who filmed the accident to come forward to assist in the investigation.

Thanks to those who helped stop the culprit from escaping, justice is served.

Sources: China Press, The Star, Twitter, Facebook


(UPDATE) #SabahQuake: Number Of Victims Revised To 18; List Of Names Released

According to The Star Online, the number of casualties on Mount Kinabalu following Friday’s earthquake has been revised to 18, of whom 16 are confirmed dead while 2 remain missing and presumed dead.

Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said a Malaysian, earlier listed as missing, was among the first batch climbers who arrived at the base of the mountain but his name was not recorded. He identified the climber as Kuala Lumpur-based travel agent Mohd Khairuladzuan Abdul Khalid, 39.

On Friday (5th June), an early morning earthquake a magnitude 5.9 earthquake hit near Ranau district, leaving the residents of most places in Sabah, including Ranau, Tambun, Tuaran, Pedalaman, Kota Kinabalu, and Kota Belud shaken. At that time, immediate damages caused by the earthquake could not be immediately ascertained, but there were climbers at Mount Kinabalu, Malaysia’s highest peak.

Amongst the hundreds of climbers were some Malaysians, as well as 29 students and 8 teachers from Tanjong Katong Primary School in Singapore.

According to the director of northern Malaysia’s Sabah Parks convervation area Jamili Nais, the tremor triggered crushing rockslides and knocked over boulders that killed those hiking on Kinabalu’s trails.

Many of the Singaporean students were attempting the popular Via Ferrata trail when the quake struck – a problem-free route but it has no vegetation on the rock face. Hence, when the quake struck, there was no shelter from the boulders crashing towards the climbers.

As of late yesterday (Sunday, 7th June) Masidi Manjun confirmed that Malaysian search and rescue personnel as well as Kinabalu Park guides found 5 more bodies on the mountain. He said the 2 missing climbers were a teacher and student from Singapore, and that they were still listed them as missing although it was possible that their remains were among the body parts rescuers had recovered so far.

“We hope the identification process can be concluded over the next few days,” he added.

Deepest condolence to #ROBBISAPINGGI #mountainguides . .. may your soul RIP @MasidiM @DarellLeiking @PhilipGolingai pic.twitter.com/ODJnFI787A

— Hansanondiozu (@hansanondiozu) June 7, 2015

A full list of 18 deceased victims of the Mount Kinabalu earthquake has been posted in the search and rescue operations room.

Malaysia
Lim Choon Seong, 45 (male)
Muhammad Logman Abd Karim, 22 (male)
Valerian Joannes, Mt Torq staff (male)
Ricky Masarin, Mt Torq staff (male)
Joseph Solugin, mountain guide (male)
Robbie Sapinggi, 30, mountain trainer (male, body recovered on Friday)

Singapore
Rachel Ho Yann Shilin, 12, (female)
Sonia Jhala, 12, (female)
Emilie Giovanna Ramu, 12, (female)
Ameer Ryyan bin Mohd Aded, 12, (male)
Navdeep Singh Jayral s/o Raj Kumar, 13 (male)
Mohammad Ghazi b Mohamed, 35, (male)
Loo Jian Liang Terrence, 29 (male)
Muhammad Daanish b Amran, 22 (male)
Wee Ying Ping Peony, 12 (female, body recovered Friday)

Philippines
Karyl Mitzi Higuit Matahom, 12, (female)

Masidi Manjun, who has been frequently updating his Twitter with information from the SAR operations, has also declared today (Monday, 8th June) a day of mourning in Sabah. The authorities, meanwhile, have decided to shut down Mount Kinabalu to climbers for at least 3 weeks.

Our thoughts and prayers are with those who were affected by the tragedy.

As a result of the quake, which caused the death of 7 children, the government of Sabah is considering the possibility of only allowing climbers above the age of 15 to trek Mount Kinabalu. Datuk Jame Alip, the Education Director of Sabah, said that he had discussed the matter with Datuk Masidi Manjun, the Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister and the issue will be brought up in their next official meeting. “We will bring it up in our next meeting. For me, 15 years seems like a more reasonable age,” he said.

Though the official Mount Kinabalu website encourages climbers to be at least 10 years old, Alip said that he didn’t know about it and was shocked to find out that the victims of the quake included primary school students:

We were not told about it. The slopes are steep and dangerous. I would not encourage children below 15 to climb the mountain.

In the same statement, Alip advised the Education Ministry to not only conduct fire drills for students, but to also introduce earthquake drills:

Students are generally taught that in an emergency situation, they should drop everything and run down the fire escape. But that only applies during fires. When an earthquake strikes, you do the opposite — you drop to the ground, take cover and hold on. The children must know this.

Sources: The Star Online, The Malay Mail Online / Featured image from ABC Australia.

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17 Malaysian Beauties Raise Funds For “Be The Difference”

Groupon Malaysia, Miss Universe Malaysia Organisation (MUMO), and GRIM FILM today announced a collaborative effort to bring to life the “Be the Difference” fundraising campaign, which encourages Malaysians to help charitable causes.

“With ‘Be the Difference’ campaign we wished to demonstrate to society that with greater awareness, simplicity of modern technology and a little bit of generosity, a lot can be achieved in improving the lives and wellbeing of those less fortunate than ourselves. Through these collaborations with Miss Universe Malaysia Organisation and GRIM FILM we hope to further demonstrate the potential of group buying power, beyond that of personal or financial gain. It is a phenomenon that can and has made a difference in the lives of individuals and more and more Malaysians will come to appreciate the potential of what can be achieved when we all come together”, said Joel Neoh (Vice President and General Manager of Groupon Southeast Asia and India).

He further added that with the tremendous popularity of group-buying in Malaysia, the team at Groupon felt compelled to support those in need as a community service as the platform had proven itself extremely effective:

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Through a special microsite hosted by Groupon, Malaysians will have over 300 hours to contribute to 17 separate causes which were chosen by the 17 finalists of the next Miss Universe Malaysia 2013. The full proceeds generated by “Be the Difference” campaign will then be channeled directly to these charitable organisations. The 17 organisations selected by the next Miss Universe Malaysia 2013 finalists are:

The “Be the Difference” microsite will be featuring these 17 different causes on Groupon from 29th October to 11th Nov 2012. For further details and to contribute to the campaign, visit the microsite.


Titanic Replica To Sail In 2016

An Australian billionaire, Clive Palmer recently unveiled blueprints for a successor ship to the doomed British passenger liner that sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15th April 1912. The blueprints in which he revealed showed an ocean liner which looks like the Titanic.

Jovial and brash mining tycoon, who likes to style himself “Professor”, said that his ambitious plans to launch a copy of the Titanic and sail her across the Atlantic would be a tribute to those who built and backed the original. At a press conference in New York, he announced, “We will complete the journey. We will sail into New York on the ship they designed”.

The outline of Titanic II is an almost exact match to the original ship, which struck an iceberg and sank on her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York in 1912. That means its silhouette as it travels across the waves will be virtually indistinguishable from the first ship, complete with four rear-slanted funnels.

But he has cautiously avoided dodged some serious questions about icebergs and whether or not this new ship would be “unsinkable” by responding, “Anything will sink if you put a hole in it. Also, due to global warming, the risk of traveling through the water near the Arctic Circle has lessened considerably. There are not so many icebergs in the North Atlantic these days”.

It prompted the main designer of the ship Markku Kanerva, to respond, “I can assure you, from the safety point of view, it will be absolutely the most safe cruise ship in the world when it is launched”.

Perhaps nervous about the idea of reminding people of the suffering and agony of the world’s most famous maritime disaster, Chris was careful to bring out a descendant of a Titanic survivor to endorse the project. Helen Benziger, granddaughter of Molly Brown (a socialite) who became famous for persuading a lifeboat to turn around and search for survivors. She heartily backed the new venture, saying, “Bringing this ship back? I don’t know the words. It is a chance to go back in time”.

Titanic II (what it has been called) is set for a 2016 launch and will mostly mimic the same route from Europe to America. As we speak, applications are already pouring in to be part of the maiden voyage. As of time of writing, there have been about 40,000 applications.


#GotGVol2: Sylvester Stallone Confirmed As Starhawk

For the longest time, details about Sylvester Stallone’s mystery role in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” have been scarce.

However, thanks to a few selected people who got to watch the film ahead of its premiere, it’s been confirmed that the 70-year-old will appear as a character called Stakar, better known as Starhawk.

Director James Gunn previously teased that although Stallone’s cameo “is not a huge role”, the character will play “a very, very key, important role”. Created by Steve Gerber and Sal Buscema, Starhawk – who is the son of intergalactic heroes, Quasar and Kismet – was first introduced to comic book fans in 1975’s “The Defenders #27”.

An official description from the production notes detailing the history between Stakar/Starhawk and Yondu reads:

“A lifelong respected Ravager, Stakar isn’t fond of Yondu. Sylvester Stallone offers the character’s back story: “Stakar has banished Yondu many years earlier for doing something wrong and he finally sees him almost 20 years later at this particular establishment called Iron Lotus where all of the Ravagers go to blow off steam. And then we have a confrontation which is pretty intense and it’s kind of a father/son type thing and now he’s going to have to pay the piper. His karma has come back 10-fold.”

With Starhawk stepping in, it does result in Yondu’s sudden change of fate. However, fans are curious about the nature of Starhawk’s powers and if he’s destined to team up with the Guardians.

We’ll see how his appearance affects the storyline when “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” opens in cinemas on 27th April.

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What To Expect From Star Wars Identities: The Exhibition In Singapore

Star Wars Identities: The Exhibition is ending their last stop in Singapore from 30th January to 13th June 2021 as fans can get an up close and personal look with over a display of 200 artifacts found in the “Star Wars” universe at the ArtScience Museum. In other words for “Star Wars” nerds, these artifacts were discovered “in a galaxy far, far away“.

Furthermore, these 200 original items came from the extensive Lucas Museum of Narrative art archive for people to explore the science of identity through the “Star Wars” characters and embark on the same journey taken by the key main characters of the franchise, Luke and Anakin Skywalker.

Guests will go through a customised, interactive identity quest to obtain a new perception of the characters of “Star Wars” while finding out their own identities at the conclusion of the quest. This is aimed at allowing them to figure out a simple yet wise question: What force shapes you?

“Star Wars” geeks will go crazy in the otherworldly interactive exhibition with all the joy and excitement they will get seeing the real costumes, concepts, and props and of course, an interactive experience that will absorb anyone into the universe of the beloved franchise.

The creator of “Star Wars” himself, George Lucas has this to say about the exhibition, “Through the exploration of the characters and worlds of Star Wars, this interactive exhibition connects us with themes that can resonate with our own sense of self, familial identity and shared experience. In Singapore, the exhibition will engage that connection…fantasy meets reality, with a dash of reflection and adventure“.

General Manager of Pico Pro, Barnabas Chia exclaimed “We are very excited to be working with X3 Productions and ArtScience Museum to bring the exhibition to Singapore. ‘Star Wars’ has a strong following in this part of the world and we saw an opportunity for fans in this region to see the original ‘Star Wars’ artefacts before they are returned to the archives“.

Honor Harger, the Executive Director of ArtScience Museum, Marina Bay Sands also weighed in saying “Star Wars Identities uses original artwork from the epic space saga to explore human identity in an innovative way. As visitors embark on a voyage of discovery in the exhibition, we encourage them to ponder the motivation and forces that shape who we are as individuals“.

Based on the original “Star Wars” canon, ranging from the classic original trilogy (1977 – 1983) and prequel trilogy (1999-2005), the animated “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”, with the addition of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, the rich collection spans from all of the above. Such iconic characters that will make its presence known such as R2-D2, Darth Vader, Chewbacca, Yoda, Boba Fett, and even spaceships like the Millennium Falcon and many more. All of these will be put on display. Moreover, fans can witness highlights such as the creative process of filmmaking from storyboarding, concept drawings, model making, such as puppetry alongside costume design.

Star Wars Identities features a study of human identity divided into three major exhibition themes, including Origins, Influences, and Choices. 10 human identity components are explored within these three themes:

All of these three components together create a backbone of the exhibition which explores the complex idea of identity both in reality and creative fiction. Original content all through the exhibition will clarify each of the components of identity. Additionally, “making-of” featurettes will be showcased at the exhibition as guests can experience the stories behind the creation of iconic characters from “Star Wars”, giving an explanation on how they became who they are, and manifesting how alternative creative choices could have made these characters different.

Also, here are some of the 10 things guests can look forward to at the “Star Wars Identities: The Exhibition” before going through the tour:

Guests would be given a wristband at the beginning of the exhibition. It acts as a gateway to gaining knowledge about one’s true identity and a golden ticket to partake at various checkpoints. All the guests have to do is tap it alongside their choice and it will be recorded.

Each checkpoint is a formation of your identity, starting from picking what kind of species from “Star Wars” you are, the natural abilities you have, the planet of your birthplace, your personality, who your mentor is, your childhood, the culture you’re part of, your career, and also, whether you’re on the light or the dark side.

Every Stormtrooper design from “A New Hope” until “The Force Awakens” are all displayed under a gold light showing every single detail seen on their costumes. This includes the franchise’s famous bounty hunter, Boba Fett. Too bad there aren’t any Clone troopers though.

Witnessing one of the few iconic scenes in “Star Wars”, this carbonite of Han Solo is actually sculpted after the actor, Harrison Ford. Poor guy had to stick almost every part of his body to make the mould perfectly.

Some of “Star Wars” best characters were all sketched on a piece of paper. One example is Yoda who looked like your typical garden gnome but ended up looking more iconic when altering the designs.

We may have Baby Yoda (Grogu) but we all know that Yoda came first into the “Star Wars” universe where the world was in awe with such an amazing character. This is actually the real prop model used in the films.

The most iconic moments in “Star Wars” are the space scenes. Doesn’t matter if it’s dogfight scenes or just ships traveling in outer space, it made us imagine how space-traveling would be like.

Go into a display area and you’ll see a hanging bulb nearby it. Guests will hear an audio clip from specific scenes from underneath the bulb or a narration guiding them.

Our beloved and friendly Wookie, Chewbacca will have the costume gentle furry creature displayed. You can also witness the original Chewbacca costume from “Revenge of the Sith”.

Almost everyone who watches “Star Wars” would surely at one time wish to become such a powerful being, filled with a sense of loyalty, heroism, and discipline. A Jedi costume display also includes everyone’s favourite Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi.

One of our main highlights is none other than the most iconic villain of all time, Darth Vader. His display resonates such a powerful evil presence, and even leaning closer, you can hear him breathing too, giving guests satisfying goosebumps. Such a menacing presence to behold.

All Marina Bay Sands box offices and the website offers tickets for purchase. Guests can also redeem the SingapoRediscovers vouchers for any visits to any of the ArtScience Museum’s exhibitions.

Beginning from 10am, admission times will be every 15 minutes. The average time spent at the exhibition is predicted to be at least 1.5 hours. Admission times will be every 15 minutes starting from 10am, and average time spent at the exhibition is expected to be 1.5 hours. Be sure to devote enough time for yourselves in the exhibits!

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5 Actors Who Could Replace Johnny Depp In The “Fantastic Beasts” Film Series

Truly, 2021 is the year that keeps on giving…in the worst way possible. After a failed libel case against his wife Amber Heard, actor Johnny Depp has announced his departure from Warner Bros’ “Fantastic Beasts” film series. Deep played a crucial role in the series as its supposed main antagonist, Gellert Grindelwald. The original leader of the Dark Wizards, long before Voldermort appear on the scene.

Regardless of how you feel about Depp’s personal life, one thing’s for sure. The “Fantastic Beasts” saga will not be the same without Depp’s deliciously sinister charisma as Grindelwald.

Rest assured, that a sequel to “Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald” is still happening. Due to an unfortunate turn of events though, the film is set to be pushed back from its initial release date on 21st November 2021 to some time in 2022.

Warner Bros will also be recasting the role of Gellert Grindelwald to another actor. And as much as we’ll miss Depp, we’ve got some great candidates in mind to play the nefarious Grindelwald.

Our first and most obvious choice would be Jamie Campbell Bower. Before Depp became the face of Grindelwald, Bower has been depicting the character as far back as 2010’s “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows- Part 1”. He even made an appearance in 2018’s “Crimes of Grindelwald” as a younger version of the character. It’s safe to say that he is the official face of young Grindelwald. Perhaps there’s a way Bower could transition over to playing a much older Grindelwald.

Grindelwald is able to change his form using a Human Transfiguration spell as seen in the first “Fantastic Beasts” film. He had stolen the identity of Colin Farrell’s Percival Graves. It’s completely possible that Bower’s character could have simply used the appearance of Depp’s Grindelwald as a ruse. When in reality, the real face of Grindelwald looked like an older version of Bower’s appearance. Sure it’s a little contrived but it would avoid the need for casting a whole new actor to play the character. Bower’s already playing a version of the Grindelwald, so it would make sense for him to take over from Depp.

If there’s one thing we’ve come to know and love about Depp’s Grindelwald, it’s his almost flamboyant charm. His portrayal of the character can be likened to if the musician Prince and Hitler had a Wizard baby. The point is, the person playing Grindelwald can’t be some stiff European baddie. He needs to have some charisma and wit about him. He needs to be larger than life. Which is exactly why we believe actor Michael Sheen would be perfect for the role of Grindelwald.

While he is not the most famous Hollywood star, he’s best known for playing unhinged and eccentric characters. Whether its Lucian from the “Underworld” films or the vampiric lord Aro in the “Twilight Saga”. He made a particular impression on us in some of his more obscure roles. In a BBC documentary, he brilliantly played the part of the mad Roman Emperor Nero. He’s also shown to have great comedic timing in Amazon Prime’s “Good Omens” as the angel Aziraphale. He’s never really had a chance to show off his true dramatic chops and we believe “Fantastic Beasts” could be the big break he needs.

Grindelwald’s not just some Mad-Hatter, though. Beneath his outlandish appearance is a quiet authority and hidden rage waiting to be unleashed. He’s a fiery revolutionary who truly does believe he’s on the right side of Wizarding history. Therefore, he deserves a thespian who can portray his ethos and ideology with both stoic clarity and passionate gusto. If Warner Bros is looking for an actor to play a ruthless, and yet self-righteous ideologue, then look no further than James McAvoy.

McAvoy has more than proven himself to be an exceptional dramatic actor. Most people would probably recognise him as Professor Charles Xavier from Fox’s latter “X-Men” films. Those in the cinematic may know him from his phenomenal role as Kevin Wendell Crumb, or the Beast, in M. Night Shymalan’s “Split” and “Glass”. He’s also playing a ruthless heretic looking to destroy God in HBO’s “His Dark Materials” series. Needless to say, McAvoy is more than capable of filling Depp’s shoes as the Dark Wizard with a dream.

Next to perhaps Voldermort, Grindelwald is considered the most powerful Dark Wizard in the Wizarding World. Unmatched in his genius, brutality and power. It goes without saying, Grindelwald is certainly an intimidating figure. Depp’s version brought a unique ferocity to the character. Making him simultaneously imposing and yet magnetic in personality. It’s a tough tight-rope act to follow but not an impossible one. And we believe “Hannibal” actor Mads Mikkelsen is just the man for the job.

On the show, Mikkelsen’s performance as the serial killer Hannibal was nothing short of masterful. He superbly nails the character’s superficial charm with a dark side hidden beneath the surface. His most prominent cinematic role would be the villain Le Chiffre in “Casino Royale”. There he too plays a sadistic and yet graceful monster capable of unspeakable acts of cruelty. Mikkelsen has had plenty of experience playing dangerous, yet captivating, villains. What’s one more on the resume?

In many ways, Grindelwald is a complex character. He’s not just some irredeemable monster trying to destroy the world. He’s more akin to a misguided, if not misunderstood idealist trying to make the world a better place. There’s a lot of depth to the character and his motivations are far more complicated than being “Magic Hitler”. In fact, Grindelwald showed remorse in the latter half of his life. Refusing to aid Voldermort in his quest for the Elder Wand. Why not cast the actor who played original shape-shifting trickster with a heart-of-gold? We’re talking about Tom Hiddleston.

Throughout his tenure as Loki, he’s done a remarkable job of humanising the Norse Trickster God. He’s given so much nuance and humanity to the character of Loki. Making him both a tragic and sympathetic figure, without ever comprising on his morally duplicitous tendencies. If Hiddleston can work his magic on Loki, we’re fairly certain he can give a rousing performance as Grindelwald.

So what do you think about our picks for Gellert Grindelwald? Do you agree with them? Do you have other suggestions on who should replace Johnny Depp as Grindelwald? Be sure to let us know in the comments down below!


KL Jamm: NCT Dream Joins Local Artists In Line-Up For Music Festival In KL

NCT Dream (엔씨티 Dream) has just been announced as 1 of the 2 South Korean acts to perform at the KL Jamm “Live for Music” festival.

For that don’t know, NCT Dream is the 3rd sub-unit from NCT. The 6-member group consists of Renjun, Jeno, Haechan, Chen Le, Jisung, and Jaemin. The K-pop singers will be joined by the beautiful DJ Sura.

Besides NCT Dream and DJ Sura, the other international artist in the line-up is Hong Kong actress and singer J. Arie (雷深如). The 29-year-old was last seen on the big screen in 2017’s “77 Heartbreaks”. She also has 2 albums under her name – EP “Soliloquy” and “Psyche Voice”.

The festival, which gathers international, regional and local artistes, as well as music industry professionals and fans under one roof, will see performers from various genres celebrating what we all love: music.

Earlier in January, organisers for KL Jamm had already announced a few respected local singers that have signed on to come onboard. They are Datuk Ramli Sarip, Datuk Zainal Abidin, Datuk Sheila Majid, Datuk Afdlin Shauki, Zamani, Amelina, Radhi OAG, Dr Burn, Santesh, Rabbit Mac dan Sheezy.

The 3-day music event will also see several groups (Bunkface, Ruffedge, Pot Innuendo) gracing the stage as well as the artists signed under music label Kartel (Joe Flizzow, Sona One, Ila Damia, Yung Raja, Faris Jabba and Abu Bakarxli).

The details for KL Jamm “Live for Music” 2019 are as follows:

For K-pop fans who only wish to attend NCT Dream’s show during KL Jamm Music Festival’s Hallyu-Jamm, check out the details below:

For more info, visit the official website here.

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BREAKING: K-Pop Group “Secret” Involved In Crash

K-Pop girl group “Secret”, who has only recently started promotions for their song, “Talk That”, has been reported to have been in a serious car accident!

On December 11th, at around 2am (KST), the van the girls were traveling in was going down the Olympic Highway from Seoul to Jamsil when the accident occurred. The van supposedly hit the guardrail, broke through it, flipped over, and fell into a ditch below. It apparently hit an icy patch and lost control due to the weather conditions.

All the members were immediately transferred to the emergency room at a nearby hospital.

A black box video containing footage of the accident has been revealed, supporting the above reports. It looks just as bad as it sounds:

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Secret’s talent company, TS Entertainment has confirmed that one of the group’s members, Zinger, was seriously injured. She suffered fractured ribs and a bruised lung. The rest of the members and their manager suffered minor injuries and were released from the hospital.

As of now, all of Secret’s activities will be altered according to the members’ health conditions.

Meanwhile, the Korean police is currently looking into the matter through witnesses.

Oh dear. Get well soon, Zinger. Fighting!


#XMen: Patrick Stewart Says Old Prof X & Magneto May Return

What a time to be alive. Comic book fans could only wish that all the major movie studios will return them a favour by giving them a better cinematic universe of their favourite comic books. After Marvel announced that Spider-Man will return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (Welcome home, Spidey!), “X-Men” franchise star Patrick Stewart hinted that the older versions of Professor X and Magneto will return to the X-Men Universe through the new “Wolverine” solo movie and “X-Men: Apocalypse” respectively.

That’s an exciting piece of news, considering how the timeline has already been reset in “X-Men: Days of Future Past” for James McAvoy’s young Professor X and Michael Fassbender’s young Magneto to create a new future.

Earlier in January, Patrick Stewart revealed that both Ian McKellen and himself will not return to “X-Men: Apocalypse” as the storyline will focus on the earlier lives of all the major characters. But now, the “X-Men” franchise star dropped hints that both of them may return to the “X-Men” Universe during an interview with Oregon Live.

At that time, Oregon Live asked if he will return as Charles Xavier in “X-Men: Apocalypse”, to which he replied:

Yes, I understand that it seems to be very unlikely that I will be in the next “X-Men” movie, which is almost getting ready to start shooting in Montreal.

But Magneto, Ian McKellen, is certainly going to be in it. And what I’m very excited about is that we have been talking about a Wolverine movie, which would team Hugh Jackman and myself together. Wolverine and Professor Xavier. That would be a very different sort of “X-Men” from the four movies that I’ve already done.

[MILD SPOILER] Now, we do know that Patrick Stewart’s Xavier met Hugh Jackman‘s Wolverine by the end of “X-Men: Days of Future Past” but since the new “Wolverine” movie is going to be a standalone movie, does that means it is a continuation from the “X-Men” sequel? Will it take place right after “X-Men: Apocalypse” instead?

The new “Wolverine” solo film has been in development since 2013 and it is slated for release on 3rd March 2017. No one knows the storyline yet but Hugh Jackman mentioned that “there are some very exciting things about integrating the whole X-Men world, including the Wolverine movie.”

Until Bryan Singer or 20th Century Fox chimes in, we can only speculate how Fox is planning the X-Men Cinematic Universe. According to ScreenRant, “X-Men: Apocalypse” may end with a lead-in to the story from Marvel’s “Age of Apocalypse”. The story centres on Professor X’s son, Legion, who accidentally kills his own father when he heads into the past to kill Magneto. Thus, the timeline has been altered. Apocalypse conquers Earth in the name of mutant supremacy and Cyclops rises as a villain instead. Magneto becomes a hero in honour of his late friend Charles Xavier.

And of course, this is all just a speculation and we certainly don’t know about anything. Yet.

Speaking of  “X-Men: Apocalypse,” director Bryan Singer recently offered us a sneak peak of the movie through a new post on his Instagram.

If you have seen the previous “X-Men” films, you would’ve recognise this “old door”. That’s right, it’s the door to Cerebro in the X-Mansion.

However, he also offered a crucial detail about this particular door as he said “there’ll be something new behind it”. We don’t want to jump into conclusions but what do you think about Singer’s tease? Is there someone else controlling the Cerebro? Also, who do you think should appear in the “Wolverine” solo film ? Share your thoughts in the comment box below.

“X-Men: Apocalypse” is set to be released on 27th May 2016 while the spin-off films, “Deadpool and “Gambit” will be released on 12th Feb 2016 and 7th Oct 2016 respectively.

(Source: Oregon Live via Coming Soon / Image source)

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#Avengers: “Infinity War” Films To Be Shot Entirely With IMAX Cameras

Marvel sure is fast tracking efforts to create an entire ecosystem for its cinematic universe. Not only does the studio already have about a tonne of movies lined up through 2019, it appears that Marvel is also taking things up a notch in terms of the production for its movies.

We hear that Marvel is pulling out all the stops for its last big team-up because “Avengers: Infinity War Part I and Part 2” are both being filmed using IMAX cameras exclusively, according to Variety.

You know what this means though, right? This would mark the first Marvel films crafted entirely for IMAX screens.

The Russos are going to spend the next 15 months or so designing the making of the Avengers films with these cameras in mind. They’re not looking at this a week before they start filming or only focusing on an important section of the film. This is something that’s never happened before.

You might have already heard by now that the Avengers 2-parter will be written and directed by the team behind “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” the Russo brothers (Anthony and Joe Russo).

And as we speak, they’re carefully designing the films for that format, which are set to be mind-blowing, of course.

Other major films have used IMAX cameras for key action scenes such as the upcoming “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”, and last year’s “Interstellar”, which set a record by shooting more than an hour of footage with the technology.

Meanwhile, next year’s “Captain America: Civil War” will feature a 15-minute scene shot with a brand new 2D camera designed by IMAX and movie equipment company Arri. Marvel films are quickly becoming benchmarks for filmmaking technology.

What about the rest of the highly anticipated upcoming Marvel films? The full amended movie slate is as follows:


#Langkawi: Tourism Group Objects The Removal Of Iconic Eagle Statue

Last week, Perak deputy mufti Zamri Hashim called for the demolition for the iconic Eagle statue in Eagle Square (Dataran Helang), Langkawi as it was “haram (forbidden by Allah)”.

However, his request was met with backlash, as a tourism group in Langkawi has objected to his suggestion.

Langkawi Tourism Association (LTA) president Zainuddin Kadir, who represents some 8,000 LTA members, explained that the statue has become a “key tourist attraction” for the past 20 years, and is not a “place of worship or for activities that are contrary to Islam”. Zainuddin has also written to Zamri and hopes to have a conversation with him regarding the 12-metre statue.

Minister of Transport Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai also said that the statue was “symbolic of Langkawi as well as being a tourist attraction”. He continued, “Let us be more open about this – embrace that Malaysia is a multi-racial society and be inclusive about this.”

The controversy began when Zamri wrote in his Berita Harian column on Friday (2nd September) that full-bodied statues of living creatures such as humans or animals are not allowed in the teachings of Islam. He also cited Muslim scholars from all Sunni schools of jurisprudence.

However, Kedah deputy mufti Syeikh Marwazi Dziyauddin acknowledged that this wasn’t the first time that the issue has been raised. He also explained that when the statue was first constructed, it might have missed the eye of the Kedah Islamic Religious Department.

The call for demolition was supported by the Ipoh chief of Islamist group Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma), who said that if the aforementioned statues have been built, it is “wajib (compulsory)” for it to be demolished.

Perak mufti Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria also justified his deputy’s statement. Speaking to Astro Awani, he explained, “Any living creatures, except for trees, cannot be built as a replica or monument if it is done in a condition with all limbs complete.” However, he refused to comment on the call for demolition of the statue, with only a vague statement saying, “What has to be understood is, what is forbidden remains forbidden.”

Meanwhile, Datuk Mohd Rawi Abd Hamid, Kedah’s exco in charge of religious affairs, suggested that this issue be discussed with the mufti department of every state in Malaysia, as Terengganu has a turtle replica; Kuching has a cat replica; and so on.

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Contest: 10 Pairs of Tix To Sam Tsui & Kurt Schneider Live in Malaysia

Sam and Kurt fans, you’re in luck! Thanks to our friends from Livescape Asia, we’ve got some tickets to giveaway to their show at KL Live, 21st June (Saturday). Want those tickets?

A little introduction to the YouTube sensation duo first!

This will be Sam Tsui and Kurt Hugo Schneider’s first ever appearance in Malaysia and it’s all part of their Asia Tour. The one-night-only show is set to attract over 2,000 fans. Known to be among the first few internet celebrities to create music-focused channels on YouTube, you can be sure that both Sam and Kurt will perform some of their best covers of popular pop songs, medleys and mash-ups live!

Sounds like something you definitely don’t want to miss? Here’s what you’ve got to win a pair (out of 10 pairs) of tickets:

For more information, visit Livescape Asia’s Facebook page.


Takuya Kimura’s Daughter Makes Her Modelling Debut In ELLE

The youngest daughter of Japan’s famous actor-singer Takuya Kimura, Mitsuki is making her modelling debut under the stage name ‘Koki’.

The 15-year-old will be featured as the July 2018 cover girl for fashion magazine ELLE JAPON, the Japanese edition of Elle magazine.

Daughter of Japan’s power couple Kimura (45) and Shizuka Kudo (48), Koki is 170cm tall and is said to bear a striking resemblance to her father with certain features from her mother.

This marks Koki’s first public appearance. Her new Instragram account has garnered over 300 thousands followers in only four days.

Koki attends an international school in Tokyo and is multilingual. Beside Japanese, the young model also speaks English, French and is currently learning Spanish.

Like her older sister, Kokomi Kimura, 17, Koki possesses musical talents and is very well-versed in instruments like the flute and piano.

She helped her mother co-wrote three songs for her 30th anniversary album “Rin”, and has also written a song for pop idol Mika Nakashima.

Kimura was a former member of popular J-pop group SMAP which also consisted of Masahiro Nakai, Shingo Katori, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, and Goro Inagaki.

The group was the most successful boy band in Japanese history and the bestselling band in Asia, often referred to as a “national treasure”  in Japan.

In 31st December 2016, SMAP officially disbanded, ending their 25 years of music career.


Japanese Film Festival: 13 Japanese Movies To Watch At GSC

After a year-long hiatus, the anticipated Japanese Film Festival (JFF) is finally returning in January with some of the best Japanese films to be screened at selected Golden Screen Cinemas nationwide, from 6th to 23rd January 2022.

From family and drama to animation and comedy, the latest Japanese film screening will surely satisfy the cinematic cravings of movie-goers and and welcome newcomers to experience the charms of the Japanese cinema. The selected 13 Japanese films are presented in Japanese with English subtitles. Find out more here:

Sakuta Minami is a second grader who swims for the school team. During her backstroke practice one day, she sees a picture of “Koteko”, the protagonist of a cult TV anime series, “Buffalo Koteko is the Magical Plasterer” which she is a big fan of being drawn by Moji Shohei, another second grader and the youngest son of a calligraphy instructor who is also an avid fan. One day during their summer vacation, she unexpectedly starts a journey to find her missing father with Shohei joining her along the way.

“STEP” (ステップ)

After 30-year-old Takeda Kenichi’s wife Tomoko who passed away, he decides to raise his 2-year old daughter, Miki by himself. He encounters various problems and obstacles but with the kind support from the people around them and the spirit of Tomoko, which he believes still stays in the house, Kenichi strives to get over the problems that come his way.

Sometani Shuntaro is a young man who dreams of becoming a benshi (performer who provides live narration to silent films). 10 years later, Shuntaro is now serving a roving band of thieves as a fake benshi. When his boss is captured, he escapes and finds refuge in a provincial theater, the Aokikan. There, he proves his skills as a benshi but his rapid rise has made a rival benshi envious. He also meets his childhood crush once again but then finds himself on the run once again…

As his nickname implies, the Fable is an enigmatic assassin who terrorizes the underworld. When he gets an order from his boss to live the life of a normal man for one year, the Fable adopts a new name, “Sato Akira” while his partner is “Yoko”. They start their new lives as a regular brother and sister with a pet parakeet and part-time work. He begins to enjoy a normal life but trouble soon comes looking for him. The Fable must survive a life or-death situation without killing anyone. Can he ever get his peaceful life back?

“We Make Antiques! Kyoto Rendezvous” (嘘八百 京町ロワイヤル)

They have an eye for antiques. They’re competent. And their hearts are (more or less) in the right place. Koike Norio, an antique dealer, and Noda Sasuke, a potter, are reunited in Kyoto for some reason. This “antiques duo” become infatuated with a tragic kimono beauty whose father’s keepsake was swindled from her, and in order to help the damsel in distress, they plan a one-shot, comeback con game on a big shot antiques dealer.

Barefoot is a high-school girl who adores samurai movies and Japanese costume drama. But she doesn’t stand a chance of making a samurai movie at school, as all the film club members prefer romantic dramas. One day Barefoot meets Rintaro, an ideal actor for the lead samurai role in a movie she wrote. Together with her two best friends, Kickboard and Blue Hawaii, she persuades Rintaro to star in the movie. However, during production, Barefoot finds out that Rintaro is a time-traveller from the future!

After a catastrophic flood, a young girl Miho, leaves her hometown of Osaka to work in a restaurant in Edo. She is blessed with great talent, but is troubled by the difference in taste between Osaka and Edo, and toils to find a solution. Meanwhile, she learns that her best friend, Noe, is in Edo but she is rarely allowed to see her because of her lowly status.

Set in Japan about 200 years ago, this entertaining period drama refreshingly portrays the bond between Miho, who stakes her life on cooking, and Noe, who has become a courtesan (high-class geisha) in Yoshiwara, Japan’s largest red-light district. The Edo period (that spanned 200 years from 17th to 19th century) was a time of relative peace and cultural maturity in Japan, and the meticulously prepared dishes in the film seem to represent the “iki” spirit of Japanese culture. It is also said it was not easy back then for even a lord to meet a courtesan of the highest caliber.

Hayami, a doctor, takes a midnight shift at a hospital he works at for the first time. Suddenly, a supermarket robber brings in a woman he shot during his getaway. The robber holes himself up in the hospital and prowls inside the building. Hayami tries to find out what the robber wants, but there’s something suspicious about the hospital itself and the director and nurses do not feel trustworthy—it is as if everybody is operating behind a mask. Hiding from the robber, Hayami begins to investigate the hospital and discovers patients that are not on the records and an operating room that should not exist. The revelations eventually lead him to a surprising truth.

A tense mystery film set in the eerie confines of a hospital, where a chilling psychological battle unfolds and eventually leads into a chain of surprising twists. The film is an adaptation of a bestselling book written by a real-life doctor, and features two of Japan’s leading young actors, SAKAGUCHI Kentaro and NAGANO Mei.

“Liar x Liar” (ライアー×ライアー)

Minato is a university student and isn’t interested in looking pretty. She lives with her stepbrother Toru, who is handsome and a player. Minato is uncomfortable with Toru’s ways with women and they have an agreement where they will not approach each when they are outside. One day, Minato puts on make-up and wears her friend’s high school uniform and happens to meet Toru. She lies to him about her identity, but Toru falls in love with her at first sight.

“Poupelle of Chimney Town” (映画えんとつ町のプペル)

“Poupelle of Chimney Town” is the breathtaking story of young Lubicchi and a man made of garbage, Poupelle. Living among the thick smoke from the chimneys of his isolated town, Lubicchi yearns to see the “stars” — to know the truth — his father always told him about. Spectacularly beautiful, Poupelle of Chimney Town is filled with inspiring performances and splendid music and sound effects and produced at Tokyo’s famed Studio 4ºC.

“The Night Beyond The Tricornered Window” (さんかく窓の外側は夜)

At first glance, bookstore employee MIKADO Kosuke appears to be an ordinary young man, but he has in fact been plagued from an early age with the unique ability to see the spirits of the dead. One day, he is visited at work by exorcist HIYAKAWA Rihito, who tells him: “When you’re with me, there’s nothing to fear.”

Mikado and Hiyakawa begin working together as exorcists for hire. They are soon contacted by police detective Hanzawa, who enlists their help in investigating a spate of serial murders from the year before. Their search eventually leads them to a missing body, which turns out to be cursed. As they delve further into the mystery, they hear the voice of the dead murderer time and time again, who reveals a vital clue: “I was tricked…by HIURA Erika …” Hiyakawa has heard this name several times before during previous exorcisms. Who on earth is this woman? What is she trying to achieve? Can Mikado and Hiyakawa solve this case…?
When the occult detective duo eventually cross paths with Erika, their three destinies are set in motion…

Banana Yoshimoto’s “Moonlight Shadow”, which has been translated in more than 30 countries around the world, has been adapted for the screen by Malaysian director, Edmund Yeo. The film depicts how a woman, who suddenly lost her loved one, overcomes her grief and moves on to the future when she learns about the mysterious phenomenon that she may be able to see the dead again.

The film tells a story about Nagata, a clumsy unsellable theater director and his brave lover Saki who purely loves him. Their romance began when Nagata spoke to Saki and noticed that he wore the same sneakers as her. Saki dreams of being an actress, makes her move to Tokyo and pursues a fashion degree. Nagata has no money and decides to live with Saki. Nagata cherishes Saki but devotes himself in theaters to fill the gaps between his ideals and reality leading to Saki’s loneliness.

**Due to the current situation, JFF 2021 will be adhering to the SOPs during its entire run in Malaysia.

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#CL: Is The Idol Rapper Filming A New Music Video?

Well, if her recent photos and video on Instagram are any indication, we have a feeling that we’ll be witnessing a music video drop anytime soon.

A video posted by CL (@chaelincl) on Dec 20, 2016 at 1:43am PST

The former 2NE1 member uploaded several photos yesterday (20th December), and it seems like she was at the music video shooting site. While the photos are definitely not a sure sign of anything, fans are going crazy over a newly-released short clip. The clip was slightly longer than 3 seconds, and it showed the rapper being recorded by a camera.

It looks like a music video filming, but the real question on our mind is: Will it be another English single? Or will it be a Korean track this time round?

In other news, CL will also be having a collaboration stage with G-Dragon in the upcoming year-end music show, SBS’ “2016 SAF Gayo Daejun”. 2 other rappers will also be joining them in on the fun, and while we’re not sure who it will be, word on the street is that “Show Me The Money 5” winner BewhY and popular underground rapper Okasian will be performing with them.

For updates on CL, don’t forget to check out her Instagram.


Eating With Korean Celebrity Chef Ed!

Yesterday, Life Inspired and Maybank launched a brand new television series featuring a Korean celebrity chef who packs up his charm and culinary skill in a single backpack for a trip of a lifetime around Asia.

But first things first, who is this Korean celebrity chef, Chef Edward Kwon?

Oh, he is only the former hotel head chef of the Burj al-Arab Hotel in Dubai (the world’s only seven star hotel). And singer Barbra Streisand once offered him a job as her personal chef, while former US president George W Bush went into the kitchen to personally shake his hand. Previously, he has also cooked for the likes of Madonna, Pierce Brosnan, Maria Sharapova, George Clooney, and Tiger Woods. Phew!

What? You didn’t think that chefs like him would travel the world to savour delicacies and culinary delights like one of ’em foodies too? They ain’t chefs for nothing.

The 13-episode series is a result of a partnership with Maybank as the presenting sponsor and in collaboration with Star Publications. Aptly titled, “EdVentures In Asia“, the series began airing a week ago on the 27th of May 2012 and will continue to air every Sunday at 9pm (MY/HK) for almost three months.

“EdVentures In Asia” follows Chef Edward Kwon as he embarks on a gastronomic adventures across Asia (namely the Philippines, Singapore, Jeonju in Korea, Nha Trang in Vietnam, Osaka in Japan, Hong Kong, Macau, Ulan Bator in Mongolia, Beijing in China, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Bangkok in Thailand, Jakarta in Indonesia, and Delhi in India) for one purpose: to globalize Korean cuisine by creating new dishes consisting of local fare infused with Korean elements.

He will visit chefs from around the continent and experience the myriad of tastes that they offer. This means getting down and dirty, and hands dirty.

From making stock out of a lamb’s had with Mongolian nomads to catching mud crabs with his bare hands in Manila, he will hit locales from the well-known to those off the beaten path and points in between. The adventurous chef will then use what he’s seen and learnt to experiment with age-old recipes.

In an exclusive media luncheon held at The Hilton Kuala Lumpur to mark Chef Kwon’s visit to Malaysia, we witnessed him demonstrating Galbi Jim, a unique dish featured in the programme that consists of soy braised Wagyu short rib, pomme puree, apply chili salad, and root vegetables.

We were also, of course, treated to an absolutely delicious lunch, which served up only the best creations from Chef Edward Kwon himself. Yes, yummy Korean-infused and Korean-inspired dishes. Think foei gras with Korean bean paste, soy braised Wagyu short rib, and (the super heavenly) bokbunja sorbet.

For more pictures from the event, click!

At the launch, Anne Chan (General Manager of Life Inspired) said, “EdVentures in Asia is a charming show featuring Chef Edward Kwon, a unique personality with a strong passion for making good Korean food accessible to everyone. Chef Kwon’s previous programmes such as Edward’s Live Kitchen and Yes, Chef! enjoyed high ratings on our channel and I’m confident that Chef Kwon will continue to connect well with our discerning viewers.”

Don’t forget to catch EdVentures in Asia every Sunday at 9pm on Astro Channel 706.

For more information on Chef Edward Kwon’s “EdVentures in Asia”, hit up the website.

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18-Year-Old Girl Beheads Father After He Rapes Her

An 18-year-old girl beheaded her father with a bush knife after he raped her last Tuesday night in their village in the poverty-stricken Pacific nation’s Western Highlands. The report cited a pastor as saying the father, in his mid-40s, had three other children and raped his daughter when they were alone in the house after the mother and the other siblings visited relatives.

Pastor Lucas Kumi said the man went to his daughter’s room in the night and raped her repeatedly:

The father wanted to rape his daughter again in the morning inside the house and that was when the young girl picked up the bush knife and chopped her father’s head off. The people and leaders in our area went and saw the headless body of the father after the girl reported the incident to the leaders and the people and told her story of why she had killed her father. The daughter did what she did because of the trauma and the evil actions of her father so that is why we have all agreed that she remains in the community.

Community leaders are now refusing to hand the girl over to police, vowing to protect her.

Violent crime, as well as witchcraft, is rife in Papua New Guinea with the government last month voting to revive the death penalty in a bid to deter offenders after a series of high-profile grisly incidents. Brutality against women, including domestic violence and rape, is also endemic in the country.


#JOOX: Music Streaming Service Now Available In Malaysia

New player, Joox, joins in the already crowded marketplace, making the streaming world a whole lot more competitive. What is Joox you ask? Much like Spotify, Raku, rara.com and Deezer, Joox is the latest addition to the world of music streaming.

Offering a unique twist in digital music subscription, Joox, is a free, multi-cultural language music streaming app that connects music lovers with current trends, issues and cultures with customised playlist in a bid to offer localised and relevant contents that are closer to home.

Available in three user interfaces and content selections; Melayu Hits, Chinese Hits and International, Joox offers an extensive library of local and global music from your favourite artistes across Malaysia, Asia and International markets, providing users with endless entertainment through a user-friendly app. Setting itself apart from other music streaming services, Joox, offers a distinct local flavour with a stream of recommended playlists that are specifically handpicked by the local music curators based on Malaysian trends and activities as well as latest music releases.

Joox’s free features includes 24-hour of music pleasures, an extensive music library and it allows users to connect their tunes with their social circle. The premium subscription on the other hand will include benefits such as being able to download songs for offline usage, ad-free music streaming and access to high definition quality soundtracks.

“With our many years of innovation in pioneering user-friendly mobile social applications, Joox’s simple and sleek interface will definitely further enrich and amplify Malaysians’ music experience. The most unique feature about Joox is its locally curated music content, that are exclusively created to cater music enthusiasts instead of a one-size-fit all service offerings”, said Poshu Yeung, Vice President, International Business Group at Tencent, the company behind Joox free music application.

During JOOX’s launch in Malaysia, the largest music industry recording companies, Sony Music, OSM, Universal Music and Warner Music, were also on deck to welcome Joox as its official partner in Malaysia.

Joox, the latest music application developed by Tencent, the leading global Internet company and creator of WeChat is now available to download for free on both iOS and Android devices with an optional RM14.90 monthly fee to access its VIP subscription. First time users who sign-up will each get free VIP service for 30 days before moving back to the standard free-tier.

To learn more about JOOX, please visit its official website.


In Other News, Snoopy Is A Dog. Confirmed!

Were you one of the many people around the globe to panic upon hearing that the world’s most iconic cat, Hello Kitty, was in fact not a “cat” per se all along? Did it make you start Googling all your favourite cartoon characters to verify their origins? It did for us.

Because let’s face it, it came as a shock to even non Hello Kitty fans, especially if you consider the fact that she’s going into her 40th anniversary this year.

Luckily, we can rest our worries about one other world famous cartoon animal, Snoopy. Yes, he’s known as the world’s oldest living beagle and he is indeed a dog. And he is exactly who or what you think he is.

Peanuts Worldwide confirmed it today amidst all the Hello Kitty drama via their official Twitter account:

Meanwhile, Hello Kitty is a cat, sorta. Here’s why we think so.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


#LanewaySG: Dates & Venues Announced For Laneway Fest 2015

St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival which turned 10 this year, has announced its 2015 Australasian festival dates and venue details. This 2015, Laneway Festival will return to its iconic locations including Singapore, New Zealand and five Australian cities. Known for its creative collaborations — food markets, local art and more as well as spectacular lineup, Laneway Festival 2014 in Singapore featured Chvrches, Daughter, Frightened Rabbit, Haim, Jagwar Mar and more.

Now, back for its 5th year in Singapore, Laneway Festival is set to return to the spacious pastures of The Meadow, Gardens By The Bay. Slated to happen on January 24th (Saturday) in Singapore, the full festival line-up for all three countries will be announced at 7.00AM Singapore time on October 2nd (Thursday).

The full dates and venues for Laneway Festival 2015 as are as follows:

January 24th (Saturday) – SINGAPORE – The Meadow, Gardens By The BayJanuary 26th (Monday) – AUCKLAND – Silo Park January 31st (Saturday) – BRISBANE – Brisbane Showgrounds, Bowen Hills (16+)February 1st (Sunday) – SYDNEY – Sydney College of the Arts (SCA), Rozelle*
February 6th (Friday) – ADELAIDE – Harts Mill, Port Adelaide (16+)

February 7th (Saturday) – MELBOURNE – Footscray Community Arts Centre (FCAC) and the River’s Edge
February 8th (Sunday) – FREMANTLE – Esplanade Reserve and West End

Stay tuned as we will update this post when the lineup is announced!

For more information on Laneway Festival Singapore, check out the following platforms: Website, Facebook, Twitter.


Mr. Holmes: First Look At Ian McKellen As #Sherlock

Best known for his role as Magneto in the “X-Men“, the veteran actor Ian McKellen is now set to play the infamous fictional detective Sherlock Holmes!

Over 70 actors have previously played Sherlock Holmes. Now he’s 93 years old and it’s my turn. #MrHolmes pic.twitter.com/B9HkUgfkCv

— Ian McKellen (@IanMcKellen) July 9, 2014

On 9th July, Ian McKellen tweeted the first photograph of him as the great detective Sherlock Holmes for Bill Condon’s upcoming film “Mr. Holmes”. With over 70 actors who have previously played Sherlock Holmes, Ian McKellen would be the first of the lot to portray Sherlock Holmes as an elderly. This is because the film is based on Mitch Cullen’s novel “A Slight Trick of the Mind” instead, in which the 93-year-old Sherlock Holmes is obsessed with an unsolved case from 50 years ago.

But here’s the thing: we won’t be seeing Dr Watson by his side anymore and he is an elderly man who is unable to walk without a cane. However, Sherlock would never allow a case to go unsolved so he talks with his housekeeper’s son about the case before his memory fails him.

Sherlock’s housekeeper Ms Munro will be portrayed by American actress Laura Linney who is most well known for her performance in “The Truman Show”. Set to be released in 2015, the new film is currently in pre-production and will be directed by director Bill Condon. Ian McKellen is also set to appear in the final film of  “The Hobbit” trilogy for his iconic role as Gandalf this year.

Meanwhile, the  Sherlock TV series will be back with a Christmas special next year as well with Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes.


Eslite Spectrum: Taiwan’s Mega-Bookstore Chain To Open At The Starhill

Readers rejoice! We finally know the exact location for Taiwan’s Eslite mega bookstore chain, Eslite Spectrum, which was initially set to debut in Kuala Lumpur next year.

The first-ever Eslite branch in Southeast Asia will be a tenant to the upcoming luxury mall, “The Starhill: Home Of The Tastemakers”, and it’ll be bigger in size and purpose.

Now, now. If you’ve never heard of the renowned “eslite spectrum” (誠品生活), take note that it’s more than just a bookstore. It is essentially, “a creative cultural venue with a rich selection of Chinese, English and Malay language books, as well as music, design and hand-made goods, performing arts, themed restaurants and coffee shops, lifestyle brands, and diverse cutting-edge cultural and creative brands.”

The Starhill is proud to welcome “Eslite spectrum” as it’s anchor tenant, which will command the entire Level 1 space with its 70,191 sq ft store along with a street-fronting F&B outlet on the Ground Level. The massive store will also feature a sweeping café terrace overlooking the Starhill Piazza, where creative events and programmes will be staged all year round.

Following the signing of a tenancy agreement between Joseph Yeoh, Vice President of YTL Land & Development Bhd, and Mercy Wu, Chairperson of the Eslite Group, the mega bookstore chain will bring the essence of contemporary Taiwanese culture and creativity to the heart of KL. According to Joseph, the partnership will be in line with The Starhill’s plan to create KL’s ultimate premium social destination for all to celebrate literature, fashion, food, music and more.

Mercy Wu, Chairperson of Eslite Group said, “From Taiwan to the Chinese community and then Asia, we are very excited to establish a new flagship branch, the first store in Southeast Asia, in the capital of Malaysia. Eslite is committed to becoming the most influential, unique, omni-channel, cultural tourism brand and a platform for the cultural and creative industry in the Chinese community and Asia.”

Despite earlier reports stating it would open next year, “Eslite spectrum” is now scheduled to be opening in 2022, which is a year after the luxury mall opens to the public. It is not definitive on how many stores will be operating during The Starhill’s launch next year, but Joseph stated that there will be a collection of 8-9 stores by early 2021, and by the end of the year, most of the tenant space will be occupied.

When asked how The Starhill will differ from other luxury malls, he stated, “We are a boutique mall and that’s our biggest strength. Most of the clientele and tenants that we have here will be first new-to-market stores, such as Tom Ford, Balmain, Phillipp Plein, just to name a few.” He added, “Starhill will offer something unique, and now with Eslite coming in as one of our flagship tenants, they too will offer a unique experience.”

While we wait some time to experience the massive “Eslite” store in Malaysia, you can channel your excitement towards The Starhill Dining which is set to open next month. Read about it here.

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K-Hip Hop: Simon Dominic, Jay Park, Dean & Rad Museum To Perform In KL

What’s up K-pop fans?! Get excited cause the “K-Hip Hop” concert is coming your way later this year.

We’ve got some of the hottest Korean hip-hop acts in the music business that will be performing on our local shores in November. The exciting line-up includes Simon Dominic (정기석), Jay Park (박재범), Dean (권혁) and Rad Museum (Soh Jaehoon). Yep, they’re all on the agenda.

Jay Park may have started out in the boyband 2PM, but has since launched his US solo career with Roc Nation. Expect him to perform songs from his latest EP “Ask Bout Me”, which features 7 tracks.

Simon Dominic recently made headlines when he released the single “Me No Jay Park” after resigning as co-CEO from the label AOMG. Many assumed it was a diss track towards Jay. However, Simon clarified the reason he resigned was because he couldn’t balance the leadership position and music any longer.

Last we heard, Dean has been attempting to break into America. “It is not about following others but it is more like ‘I don’t know who’s that but he is a bit different’. Fortunately, the perception of eastern culture is becoming better, I am thinking of ways/images where oriental vibe can be made used of to communicate.” the 25-year-old R&B singer-songwriter previously told Dazed.

Many of you may not to know who Rad Museum is. Born Soh Jaehoon, he was discovered by Dean and made the decision to switch his name from Camper to Rad Museum when his EP, ‘Scene’, debuted.

Organised by Alive Asia Entertainment, the details to K-Hip Hop “Live in Malaysia” are as follows:


#KFit: Run, Jump, Climb, Stretch, & Pump Wherever/Whenever You Want!

KFit, the fitness and social lifestyle sharing platform has officially launched for Kuala Lumpur!

KFit’s mission statement is to “Build Healthier Cities”, and they are off to a great start having enlisted celebrity fitness enthusiast Patricia Knudsen as their ambassador.

KFit believes that everyone naturally would choose to be more active, but perhaps have not found the right activity yet or does not have the time to research what’s best for them. KFit is a great platform to have a taste of all the activities you’ve always wanted to try.

KFit has developed relationships with more than 400 partners which includes yoga studios, premium gyms, dance academies, martial arts gyms, climbing providers and the list goes on.

More than 7,000 activities are available to each KFit member just this week alone, and all these are categorised by activity type, location and time availability; you can conveniently make the booking of your next activity on your mobile device.

Imagine if you had some time to kill and were stuck in the middle of rush hour central after a meeting and didn’t want to sit in traffic. You can always have your gym bag ready and scroll for a class in a new location.

KFit’s General Manager for Marketing Melissa Lee said at the launch:

Everybody is busy, but we make time for things that matter. Just remember the last time you met someone you were interested in, and suddenly you had time for lunch, dinner, tea, coffee, everything. Getting active should be a priority for everyone!

Newly appointed KFit brand ambassador, Patricia Knudsen also chimed in:

I’m so excited to be part of the KFit family, staying active is my lifestyle, and I know and feel the benefits for myself. I hope everyone gets more active, and what better to explore than with KFit!

It’s not a trick, just sign up for the KFit All-Access membership which gives you unlimited activities per month and access to all venues that are listed on KFit. With a monthly subscription fee of only RM99, you can enjoy the freedom of working out wherever and whenever you want.

This membership is also completely flexible, with no contracts to sign, and no cancellation fees.

KFit promises that it is just a matter of time, and with some exploration, that you will fall in love with at least one of the many activities, don’t forget to #myKFitlove when you do.

Download the KFit app for Android here or iOS here.

For more information, visit their website or Facebook page.

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Hotel Group Refute Claims That 1000 Langkawi Hotel Rooms Were Booked

It was widely reported that yesterday (Sunday, 7th June) that 1000 bookings were made for hotel rooms in Langkawi – in less than 1 hour!

This came shortly after Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin announced that the Recovery Movement Control Order (RMCO) will begin this week. Turns out, the news is not true.

The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) – which represents more than 1000 hotel members in Malaysia – claims that the quote by Langkawi Tourism Association CEO Zainudin Kadir in Astro Awani is questionable. Is the association’s membership and source of data even reliable?

“A quick search on the internet revealed a defunct webpage offering investment and stock exchange, banking and business consulting services – among others. Its Facebook page is also inactive,” MAH was quoted as saying.

MAH Kedah and Perlis MAH chairman Eugene Dass has also released a statement confirming that the 1000 bookings within that short duration did not take place. “Instead, the said news caused much anxiety and concern among hoteliers and their employees as to how such flawed information could spread through reputable news agencies,” Dass added.