Achieve Your K-Pop Stardom Dreams!

Malaysia is so rich with talents and yet, most of these musically gifted aspiring artistes remain undiscovered. What a waste! In the past few months, we’ve come across and approached some of these talents and asked if they often face problems with getting themselves “out there”. And they’ve all said the same thing – that there’s a lack of platforms/”spring boards”.

All of those worries can come to a halt now because yesterday, tvN (HyppTV Channel 142) announced that they’ll be teaming up with CJ E&M (Korea’s No.1 Media and Entertainment Company) and CUBE Entertainment (the most promising entertainment management company in Asia) to select the most outstanding contestants from Malaysia and across eight other territories in South East Asia to be the next K-Pop Star!

The audition for Malaysia will take place in September this year (that’s only two months away!) and the panel of judges will consisted of representatives from TM, CJ E&M, CUBE Entertainment, and tvN.

When asked, Jeremy Kung (Executive Vice President of New Media, TM) said, “The Korean Pop culture has been a great influence in Malaysia and the fan base here is immense. We look forward to finding a star in Malaysia who embodies all the qualities of a superstar to represent the nation on an international level!”

“TM has always been an enabler in the business and telecommunications segment and now, we will continue to play the role in opening up the possibilities for a local star to shine in the entertainment scene”, he added.

The winner for this talent search will receive an exclusive trainee contract from CJ E&M and CUBE Entertainment together with an official album release and a debut stage performance at Korea’s leading international music award show, the 2013 MAMA. So if you’ve dreamt of being the next big star in the Korean music scene, hurry up and start uploading video submissions of your best K-Pop sing and/or dance routines as the search for the next tvN K-Pop Star Hunt has officially begun!

Think about it – you could be the next Hyuna or JS:

[youtube id=”s-zRAQmKUkI” width=”600″ height=”350″]

All you need to do is practice, practice, practice and then start filming! Then, upload your video submissions to the official website. And wait! The search is open to K-Pop fans of any age and aspiring K-Pop stars will have until 31st August 2012 (Friday) to upload their video submissions.

For more information, visit HyppTV’s official website or hit up their Facebook page.

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Young Man Spends RM70K On Plastic Surgery After Getting Ridiculed

A young man claimed to have undergone plastic surgery on his face, after being poked fun at during a job interview because of his unattractive looks!

The Vietnamese native, Đỗ Quyền, 26, became the talk of the town after he shared a video of his striking “transformation” before and after the surgical procedure on his TikTok account.

According to Oddity Central, Đỗ Quyền told his TikTok followers that he spent an estimated 400 million dong (RM70,403) on nine major plastic surgeries. This include rhinoplasty, chin implants, porcelain veneers, lip reshaping, double eyelid surgery and lip implants.

In clearing the air on the reason why he went under the knife, the makeup artist shared that his “original” looks made it difficult for him to land a job. He reached a point to make a change after he found himself receiving hurtful comments by a potential employer during a job interview.

After seeing the dramatic change, many expressed their uttermost shock and found it hard to believe it was him, as he looks like a completely different person! Even his family members felt the same as well. “The first time I came home after plastic surgery, my parents didn’t recognise me. I expected as much, but I still could not hold back my tears,” Đỗ Quyền said.

Although he often gets criticised by netizens, Đỗ Quyền assured everyone that he never regretted his decision. Instead, he advised his followers that they should do whatever that makes them feel comfortable.

“Always be strong and find the beauty that you are most confident in. The standard of beauty for me is that when you look at yourself in the mirror and you feel satisfied and confident,” he was quoted as saying.


Syed Saddiq To Reportedly Donate His Salary As MP To Fight Covid-19

Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman is gaining praise for his generous effort to help others amidst the Covid-19 outbreak.

According to BFM News, the young politician is reportedly donating his one-month salary as a member of parliament for the town, in order to give financial aid to a number of constituents affected by the disastrous pandemic.

Muar MP Syed Saddiq will donate his one months’ salary to aid constituents financially affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. The former Youth and Sports Minister claims he has not yet received his yearly MP’s allocation.

This donation will amount to roughly RM 16,000. pic.twitter.com/vWWREbf1qI

Despite the claims that he hasn’t received his annual MP’s allocation, word has it that the donation will amount to approximately RM 16,000. Though Saddiq hasn’t come out with a statement to address the reports, the news has received massive reactions from local netizens.

In this case, most of them have been showering the former Youths and Sports Minister with positive remarks for his kind action amidst the challenging time as many Malaysians are suffering at the moment. Some even named him as a suitable candidate in the running for the next PM.

As of today (Saturday, 21st March), four deaths have been reported. Two of the cases were in Kuching, while one each in Kuala Lumpur and Kelantan.


Loan Sharks Have Been Distributing Leaflets That Look Like MBPJ Summons

Lately, leaflets advertising money loan have been making waves around Petaling Jaya (specifically Section 52).

The interesting thing is, these “Ah Longs” (or loan sharks) having been distributing flyers that look quite similar to the traffic summons issued by Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ). The group, who calls themselves “Malaysia Pinjaman Berlesen Agency (MPBA)”, had place the leaflets on various vehicle’s windshield and door handle.

To echo writer John Lim’s observation, not only does the logo looks almost alike to MBPJ but the colour scheme as well. Yesterday afternoon (Tuesday, 2nd January), MBPJ took to their official Facebook page to warn the public against falling for such schemes.

Do note that the group that issued the aforementioned fake compounds, which details interest rates for loan amounts and repayment schemes, does not have legitimate licence for any businesses nor promotions.

The statement from the city council reads:

“We would like the public to be cautious against the abuse of logo in a leaflet that appears almost like the Council’s logo which is being misused. We have been alerted of such leaflets being circulated around Section 52, Petaling Jaya. Not just the logo, but even the design of the leaflet looks like the compound issued by MBPJ.”

A police report has since been filed against MPBA.

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“No, Seriously, Where’s The Party?”

Every year, partygoers are hounded by just that one burning question, “Where’s The Party?”. Of course, they’re referring to Carlsberg’s epic mystery event that hones in on consumers’ natural fascination with the unknown and challenges the curiosity of everyone who constantly craves excitement.

It’s a global phenomenon that has gained traction amongst music buffs that love a good party but have no clue where it is happening, who is performing, or what to expect.

This round, Carlsberg Malaysia plays host to the  unconventional, unique, and ambiguous third installment of “Where’s The Party”, featuring cutting edge staging, infectious vibe all with a Carlsberg twist.

The massive showcase presents a mega line-up of acts specially assembled and consisting of local heroes to fantastic music gurus from around the world and fans are encouraged to step-up and discover their adventurous streak as they venture towards the unknown.

Again, no one knows where or who or how. And the only way to find out is to get on the Carlsberg “Where’s The Party” coveted guest list. After which, A designated meeting point assembles the eager adventurers and they are then transported to party central. Gosh! The suspense is killing us.

Geared to knock punters off their feet, Carlsberg’s “Where’s The Party” series will see its best adventure yet and consumers can track the thrilling escapade by logging onto Carlsberg’s Facebook page.


#MTVMusicEvo: Award-Winning Artistes YG & DJ Mustard Join The Line-Up

West Coast hip hop acts YG and DJ Mustard are ready to drop some sick beats in Philippines as MTV, a unit of Viacom Inc., announced that they are joining the 2015 MTV Music Evolution’s artiste line-up, which currently includes Naughty by Nature, Gloc-9, and Abra. They are ready to bring some of the hottest new sounds to the hip hop scene with their West Coast flavour.

YG and DJ Mustard (born Dijon McFarlane) are no strangers to each other, as the latter is YG‘s main producer and has executive produced his debut album, “My Krazy Life”. Drake, Lil Wayne, Kendrick Lamar, Meek Mill, and Nicki Minaj were featured on the album, which was listed as the best rap album of 2014 by Billboard and peaked #2 on Billboard 200, #1 R&B/Hip-Hop,  and #1 Rap charts.

Since then, he made a steady rise from an upstart Compton rapper with star potential to a bonafide star. The 25-year-old Compton-born rapper now has his own record label and is currently also co-signed to Young Jeezy’s CTE World.

At the 2014 BET Hip Hop Awards, YG won “Best Collab, Duo or Group” while DJ Mustard was named “DJ of the Year”, “Producer of the Year” and “MVP of the Year”. YG’s “My Hitta”, which Mustard produced, also won “Track of the Year”.

DJ Mustard is one of the most sought after producers with a litany of hit records under his belt. His array of beats has been said to be creating resurgence of gangsta rap in West Coast Hip-Hop. His debut album, “10 Summers”, peaked at #14 on Billboard Rap chart and #20 on Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart upon its release. It was also the most downloaded album during the summer of 2014 on Google Play. Big Sean’s Mustard-produced track “IDFWU” also peaked at #1 on both US R&B and Rap chart in 2014.

Some of the biggest names in the industry have approached him for beat-making as he took over the airwaves with a peak of 7 songs hitting the Billboard Hot 100 chart at the same time in 2014. So far, he has nabbed collaborations with Fergie, Jennifer Lopez, B.o.B., Ludacris, T-pain, Wiz Khalifa, Trey Songz, and more. He has also performed to sold-out crowds and performed at major music festivals.

YG and DJ Mustard will perform for the first time in Asia through the first edition of MTV Music Evolution. Recorded live for global telecast under the MTV World Stage global series to an international audience of more than 3-quarters of a billion households in over 160 countries, the free-entry music event is set to take place at the historic Quirino Grandstand, Rizal Park in Manila on 17th May 2015 (Sunday).

It will open its doors at 3pm, with the event commencing at 7pm. The entry wristbands are not for sale and may be won by fans through a series of activities hosted via MTV Music Evolution website and MTV’s social media activations (e.g. Hip Hop Selfie). Free entry can also be obtained at the MTV Music Evolution roadshow from 8th to 9th May at Robinsons Place Manila, Ermita and through activities organised by MTV’s partners.

Additionally, MTV announced that Manila-based graffiti artists, Chichi Monster, Nick Automatic, Egg Fiasco,and Chill will share their interpretation of music and street culture in the form of 4 giant 3D MTV logo structures on 24th April 2015 (Friday) at Eastwood Mall, Quezon City.

The showcase will also feature turntablists on deck, hip hop, and street dance sets. The completed 3D MTV logo art installations will pop up across different city hotspots in Manila, such as The Collective, Glorietta 4, and Quezon City Circle as part of the build up to the MTV Music Evolution 2015, before making its final display at the MTV Music Evolution event. One of these art pieces will be roaming the streets of Manila on the back of a truck.

If fans are able to take a selfie or wefie with any one of the four MTV logos with the hashtag #mtvmusicevo, they stand a chance of winning free entry to the show.

MTV Music Evolution 2015 is sponsored by the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) of the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT), supported by media partners WhenInManila.com, Circuit Magazine and Play FM, and audio partner, Dolby.

Hosted by MTV Asia VJs Alan Wong and Hanli Hoefer, the main show premieres on-air on 30th May (Saturday) at 6pm (TH/WIB), 7pm (SG/PH), 8pm (MY). Viewers are advised to check local listings in other markets.

For more information, visit MTV Asia’s official Facebook page, Instagram, and Twitter.

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Tony Fernandes & Chloe’s Lavish Wedding Video Leaked Online

Most of us were taken by surprised when wedding photos of Tony Fernandes and new bride, Chloe, went viral on the Internet.

Although the identity of Chloe is still a mystery, a short wedding video from the ceremony has leaked online. In the clip, the 53-year-old AirAsia Group chief executive officer and his South Korean bride can be seen walking hand-in-hand into the banquet hall.

Fernandes is clad in a sharp black tuxedo while his wife looked ravishing in a glittering evening gown. Guests were seen standing up and applauding the newlyweds. You may also recognise American R&B singer Eric Benet performing his song, “The Last Time”, in the background as Fernandes and his leading lady made their entrance.

In addition, photos of Chloe dressed as an AirAsiaX cabin crew have also been circulating on social media. Although there are speculations that she may be a publicity model or a flight attendant with AirAsia, no official confirmation has been made yet.

If you haven’t seen Fernandes and Chloe’s wedding photos, you can check them out here.

Sources: Asia One, NST/ Featured image: The Straits Times.


Hype Style: This Week’s Beauty Drops That Totes Give Us LIFE!

While some are busy with spring cleaning for the Lunar New Year, others are gearing up to look extra fabulous and totally floor their relatives. If you’re part of the latter, then you might already have your fits ready for next week. But your CNY look will never be complete without decking your face with dope beauty products.

Don’t fret though, because we have all the deets on exclusive, dope releases that are heading our way this festive period. From skincare that gives your face a dazzling glow, to an array of lip products that’ll plump up your pouters – here are 8 items to help you glam up this Chinese New Year:

Ushering in the new year with excellent skin is a terrific way to kick things off – and Fenty Skin offers two new products to prep you for healthy, glowing skin.

Fenty Skin introduces a new lip mask that delivers instant nourishment that will last all day and night. Meet Plush Puddin’ Intensive Recovery Lip Mask, your new lip product bestie that’ll keep your pouters hydrated and nourished with all-star ingredients, including coconut, castor oils, and Barbados cherry extract. Say goodbye to dry and flaky lips and hello to glossy and kissable lips.

If you have trouble getting rid of stubborn dark spots, never fear, as Fenty Skin’s Watch Ya Tone 5% Niacinamide Dark Spot Serum With Vitamin C is here! This serum rapidly increases brightness, eliminates the appearance of dark spots and discoloration, and evens out skin’s tone and texture thanks to its gold-standard composition of 5% Niacinamide, Vitamin C, Licorice Root Extract, and Barbados Cherry. Before you know it, you’ll have bright, healthy-looking, and silky-soft skin, the ideal look for the Lunar New Year.

Fenty Skin’s Plush Puddin’ Intensive Recovery Lip Mask With Pomegranate Sterols + Vitamin E and Watch Ya Tone 5% Niacinamide Dark Spot Serum With Vitamin C are now available at Sephora’s website and in-stores nationwide!

Nothing says Chinese New Year more than RED. To complete your all-red CNY lewk, from top to bottom, the perfect shade of red lip should be the pièce de résistance. Thankfully, Huda Beauty has got you covered with their new lip releases.

Cult-favourite Liquid Matte Ultra-Comfort Transfer-Proof Lipstick has 16 new members in its collection, all with a stunning hue range, ideal for all skin tones. Given how well-liked this lip line is in the beauty industry, it’s not a surprise that its formulation is to die for. However, Huda Beauty made their OG liquid lippies by releasing a unique vegan-friendly formulation that provides an immediate colour payoff for 8 hours with ultimate comfort. This means that the new product will keep your lips soft and moisturized while also being transfer-, flake-, streak-, and smudge-proof.

Huda Beauty wants to pair your liquid lipsticks with their brand-new Lip Contour 2.0 Automatic Matte Lip Pencil, which glides on like butter. You can contour, fill, and line your lips to perfection with 12 bright colours. Not to mention that these lip liners are exceptionally long-lasting and water-resistant, lasting up to 6 hours.

Huda Beauty’s Liquid Matte Ultra-Comfort Transfer-Proof Lipstick and Lip Contour 2.0 Automatic Matte Lip Pencil are now available at Sephora’s website and in-stores nationwide!

Enthusiastically welcoming the Lunar New Year, Bobbi Brown is unveiling an exclusive, limited-edition collection called Struck By Luxe, filled with fabulous products – from skin essentials to must-have lipsticks. With an elegant peony-inspired design, Bobbi Browns wants you to celebrate the festivities with renewed skin and a fabulous look. You have everything that you’ll ever need from this collection – from primer and serum to eyeshadow palette and lipstick – to achieve the Chinese New Year look of your dreams.

Bobbi Brown’s Struck By Luxe collection is now available at Bobbi Brown’s boutiques and official store on Lazada.

High-end luxurious brand Hermès is pulling out all the stops for men to make you not only look good, but smell good, too! Hermès unveils its latest eau de parfum that oozes depth and sensuality, with vibrant notes such as sage, rosewood, narcissus and sclarene. Designed by Christine Nage, the H24 Eau de Parfum has richness that exudes the ideal form of masculinity, with a contemporary twist – perfect for modern day men.

Hermès is also offering an entire line of men’s products, from body wash to face mist! This line is appropriate for all skin types and is designed with high-tech ingredients to get the finest looking skin for everyday lads. The Hydrating and Energizing Face Moisturizer shields the face from external aggressors, while the Anti-Pollution Energizing Face Mist includes natural moss to form a barrier that allows the skin to adapt to changes in the environment. Finally, the Face, Body, and Hair Cleansing Bar contains sweet almond oil and washes the skin without drying it out, leaving it soft and revitalised.

Hermès H24 Eau de Parfum and skincare are available at selected Hermès retail outlets in Malaysia.

In conjunction with the Chinese New Year, Sekkisei, one of Japan’s finest skincare lines, introduces a limited-edition, repackaged version of its famous Vitalizing Serum. While the new packaging is lovely on its own, the product is the true star of the show. The Vitalizing Serum is composed of 87% natural components, including the Black Yeast Probiotic, to provide you with the daily amount of skin probiotics required to create flawless skin. Within a week of consistent application, the serum is predicted to improve skin immunity and plumpness. The perfect product in a perfect bottle to have for this Chinese New Year!

The limited edition CNY packaging of Sekkisei Vitalizing Serum is now available at Kose Malaysia’s website!

M.A.C Cosmetics is celebrating the Lunar New Year with a collection honouring the rabbit, the luckiest zodiac sign! The collection comprises the brand’s best-selling products in fresh and classic colours. The historic and traditional colour of Lunar New Year, red, is reimagined by M.A.C Cosmetics – from the cult-favorite red lipstick in Chilli and Russian; to its dazzling Extra Dimension Skinfinish embellished with beautiful zodiac symbology, these best-selling MAC items are a must-have!

M·A·C Cosmetics’ New Year Shine Collection is now available at M·A·C Cosmetics’ official website and selected M·A·C boutiques (1 Utama, Gurney Plaza, Imago, KLCC, Mid Valley, Pavilion KL, Quensbay Mall, The Spring, Sunway Pyramid, Sunway Velocity, Tebrau, Mahkota Parade, IOI City Mall and Pavilion Bukit Jalil).

Melano CC, Japan’s No. 1 whitening essence brand, is offering a product you won’t want to miss out on trying. The Vitamin C Brightening Enzyme Face Wash cleanses your face thoroughly, while preserving skin’s natural moisture. Formulated with Vitamin C and protease enzymes, the cleanser gently eliminates blackheads, dead skin cells, and pollutants to revive dull skin, leaving you with a clean, clear, and luminous complexion.

Melano CC’s Vitamin C Brightening Enzyme Face Wash is now available at Melano CC’s official online store and at Watsons outlets nationwide.

If you’re not keen on a red lip, you won’t go wrong with nudes. In fact, the nudier, the better – and Make Up For Ever has launched a collection of nude lippies that are both creamy and pigmented. The Rouge Artist Velvet Nude collection includes seven gorgeous colours that melt onto the lips like butter. These lipsticks are made with the best ingredients, and developed to provide a smooth matte finish with just one swipe. They’re also fortified with hyaluronic acid to increase hydration of the lips for all-day use.

Make Up For Ever’s Rouge Artist Velvet Nude collection is now available at Make Up For Ever’s boutique at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, its official online store, in the Sephora’s website and in-stores nationwide!

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Hype OnSite: On A Mysterious Journey To Sound

Mysterious World – a rave like no other.

The weekend of September 5th and 6th, 2014 (Friday and Saturday) was one of the most exhausting but most worthy and fun-filled weekends we’ve had in what feels like forever. Thanks to the good people of Mysterious Asia, we had the pleasure of raving our butts off at Mysterious World held at the Sarawak Cultural Village in Kuching.

Featuring a crazy lineup that included international acts like Ran-D, Headhunterz, Dvbbs, Coone, Jochen Miller, Mark Sixma, Frontliner, Emma Hewitt as well as local acts such as Daniel Ang, Hana K, Bass Agents and more, the 2-day rave was everything we had expected it to be.

From going on a hunt with Ran-D to losing our heads with Headhunterz to getting down and dirty with Coone before having a smashing time with DVBBS, Jochen Miller, David Gravell and singing our lungs out to Emma Hewitt on the second day, Mysterious Asia stayed true to its theme and took ravers on a journey to the sound at Mysterious World.

On day one (Friday), revellers were treated to a hardstyle rave. With local heroine Hana K. turning things up on the decks at Arena A, the night was pumped up even more by local heroes Bass Agents as they prepped ravers for Coone, the first international act of the night.

Known to live and breathe hardstyle, the Belgian DJ/producer gave fans just exactly what they wanted and more. From dropping hard hitting beats to playing some of his popular hits, Coone had ravers going into full on madness with his set.

The madness continued as heartthrob DJ/Producer Headhunterz took to the decks after Coone’s set.

Apart from his good looks (which got us even more excited than it should have), Headhunterz’s set was beyond insane! Insanely awesome, the veteran in electronic dance music festivals made every hardstyle fan’s dream come true at Mysterious World. From his sick beats to major LED lighting, the 29-year-old Dutch superstar DJ/Producer took ravers right into hardstyle heaven. Because, just look at his face (picture below), gorgeous no?! :D

The night then continued with hardstyle guru Frontliner who bestowed some hardstyle anthems upon ravers at Mysterious World before Ran-D took ravers on a hunt with him through his music, ending the first day of Mysterious World on a perfect note.

After a night filled with the glorious sounds of hardstyle by some of the industry’s finest, ravers recuperated before coming back for more on the second day.

The party kicked started on day two (Saturday) with none other than DVBBS! Having brought the “Tsunami” with them to Kuching, it poured cats and dogs almost all night long but it sure as heck didn’t stop the party from going on. Personally, we love raving in the rain and from what we saw at Mysterious World, everyone else sure did too.

Putting on the crazy show that they’re known for, DVBBS even had ravers getting down on their knees before jumping back up when the beat dropped! Despite the heavy rain and muddy grounds, ravers had a fantastic time getting dirty as DVBBS brought them gold skies.

The night continued with Jochen Miller as he took the decks after DVBBS.

Taking ravers into a world of trance, Miller had everyone feeling like they were on a great escape with his beautiful set. After Miller, fans continued partying with Mark Sixma. Hailing from The Netherlands, Sixma is the latest production maestro who has graced the world of dance music with his talent and had trance fans at Mysterious World crushing all over him and his music.

Emma Hewitt was up after Sixma and she blew everyone away with her beautiful and powerful vocals!

Known for her haunting voice, Hewitt definitely had fans falling even more in love with her at Mysterious World as she not only put on a fantastic show but also interacted highly with the crowd. Her energy on stage accompanied by her superb vocals had fans singing along to her in the rain, making it a night to remember.

The night continued as the last act, David Gravell took to the decks. As he busted out one solid drop after another and put on a spectacular show by playing some of his best known bangers. Apart from the international acts, the local acts also inspired ravers with their respective fabulous sets.

Mysterious World gave ravers exactly what they wanted and needed with this 2-day journey to the sound and boy, we must admit that we’re having withdrawals already. As we look forward to the next one, check out the photo gallery below to relieve that amazing weekend:

For more information, visit Mysterious’ Facebook page.

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Joggers Upset Public By Using Batu Caves Stairs As Exercise Area

Malaysia is a melting pot of races and religions. While most would boast being tolerant of one other, it can’t be denied that toes do get stepped on occasionally.

The temple at Batu Caves is a venerated area, especially during Thaipusam. However, when it isn’t Thaipusam, the temple will often have visitors like tourists and worshipers. Recently, a temple goer took offence to their temple stairs being treated like an exercise area.

Batu Caves is a fairly famous tourist spot in Malaysia. Known for the tall, golden statue of Lord Murugan and having to climb 272 steps to reach the temple, it is a popular area to drop by at, even if it’s not to pray. However, yesterday (13th February), a netizen took to her Facebook to make a complaint about some visitors.

According to the netizen, she is a frequent temple goer who visits every Sunday morning. However, she often sees visitors using the grand flight of stairs as a training area. She hit her breaking point yesterday when she witnessed people jogging and hiking the stairs.

“I went to the counter next to the steps and spoke to a lady sitting behind the counter,” she wrote. “I asked her why they were jogging here and no action (was being taken as) this is a temple…” The lady supposedly explained they had tried asking visitors not to. They also had a sign board saying not to exercise here previously, but had yet to be replaced after the area was renovated. “(I) hope this will stop as soon as possible and (I) hope to see the signboard again in upcoming days,” she ended. “Don’t forget, this is our temple and is (here) for us to pray (at).”

Netizens have had mixed feeling about the whole issue. Some agree with the original poster’s point of view. “Batu Caves temple, (from the stairs to) the cave is still a temple,” one opined. Another stated that the temple is a place of worship and should be respected. “(There are) many other places to exercise,” they pointed out, with someone else adding that the Putrajaya steps would do just as well.

However, others claimed they had been using the steps as a jogging area previously and there hadn’t been any problems. “Sometimes the priests (weren’t keen to) go up, they (would) ask me to help bring (things) up to the temple, like flour, milk etc.” one shared. Another incredulously asked if temple goers pray on the stairs.

This isn’t the first time there has been a problem with joggers at Batu Caves. Previously, a ban was created on the activity in 2016. At that time, there had been plenty of opposing views regarding the issue as well.

Well, we can certainly understand the netizen’s request. After all, it must be irritating to have your place of worship treated like a gym. However, it can also be argued that the joggers aren’t purposefully disturbing worshipers with their activity. Hopefully authorities can come up with a resolution soon.


(Video) We Chilled Out At RESORTS WORLD LANGKAWI And It Was A Blast!

Langkawi is known for its idyllic islands surrounded by beautiful blue seas; a tropical paradise perfect for an exciting getaway with family and friends. The lush jungles, sandy beaches, and of course, the duty-free shopping are just some of the things to look forward to. Last week, we stayed at Resorts World Langkawi, a perfect place for some rest and relaxation.

Upon arriving at the resort, we were greeted with some fresh coconut water which quenched our thirst after a long day of travelling. Our first impression of the resort was that it was spacious and serene, with hidden gems that we got to explore after our tea break at the Seagull Coffee House. We rode around on bikes and got to feel the warm breeze of the island while taking in the stunning view of the environment.

The distinct designs of the structures immersed us in the environment (transporting us to a faraway tropical resort) while preserving its Malaysian flair. To make things light and breezy for you, we’ll talk about our trip in different segments. So sit back, relax, and join us as we bring you through everything we experienced in our short trip to the charming tropical getaway.

The accommodation was one of the highlights of our trip because we were able to stay in their Premier room, which has two queen size beds and a stunning view of the sea. The rooms were spacious yet cosy, making it an ideal place to unwind after a long day of activities. But of course, due to the hot weather in Malaysia, we blasted the air-conditioning in the rooms. If you’re going with a group of friends, you can also request for an extra bed, with separate charges applicable. Depending of what room you choose, they also provide surprisingly big balconies where you can chill and watch the sunset, since most of them have a seaview. And we gotta give some props to the room service, as the staff there were friendly and did not hesitate to assist us when we needed it.

In addition, we were able to tour their Signature suite, which featured two large bedrooms, each with its own balcony overlooking the resort. The best part? The suite includes a spa room where you can get massages for yourself or with your partner. The Signature suite has two separate bathrooms as well as plenty of living space, making it ideal for large groups of friends, families, or even couples. Walking around the suite gave us the impression that we were staying in a comfortable beach house great for large gatherings, without sacrificing too much personal space.

The best part about their facilities is undoubtedly their free shuttle to Cenang, which operates 5 times daily. For us, we had an entire day to do some fun activities around the resort, but we also got to take the shuttle bus to Cenang for some duty-free shopping! Did you really go to Langkawi if you didn’t go duty-free?

We did not hesitate to take a dip in their infinity pool, which was located right below our rooms. The pool provided us with a close-up view of the ocean, and we were able to watch the sunset while sipping some refreshing juice from the bar. Overall, the rooms were comfortably spacious, and they provided us with an unrivalled view of the island. If you’re bringing children, they also have a kids pool with a built-in playground, so you and your children can relax in this tropical paradise.

Day two began with island hopping, during which we visited two different islands. Pulau Dayang Bunting, the second-largest island in the Langkawi archipelago, was our first stop. The lake known as the Lake of the Pregnant Maiden is the island’s most famous feature. To get to the lake, however, we had to walk for 15 minutes up and down 289 steps stretching 300 metres to reach the lake surrounded by mountain peaks. Visitors can swim in the cool water or paddle around in a kayak or paddleboat.

After that, we jumped back on the boat and got to experience eagle feeding. Yes, you read that right! There are a ton of sea eagles in Langkawi and the main feeding areas were located at the Kilim River as well as the water area near Pulau Singa Besar. We got to see eagles catching fish in a split second right in front of our eyes. If you’re afraid of birds, don’t worry; the seafarer will ensure that the boats keep a safe distance from the majestic animals!

One of the best parts of our trip would have to be the sunset cruise, hands down! We were pleasantly surprised by how stable the entire ride was, despite the choppy waters. We didn’t waste any time snapping Instagram-worthy photos and videos of the breathtaking sunset and ocean view while relaxing in the warm sea breeze and soothing sounds of the waves lapping against the boat. It was truly something that everyone should experience at least once in their lives.

When we got further into the sea, it was time for us to experience their salt water jacuzzi! And no, it’s not the usual hot tub on a boat, and it comes with an exciting twist. Basically, the seafarers would cast a net across the water, creating a jacuzzi-like effect. We got to bask in seawater while feeling the jets against our skin, getting a full body massage after a full day of activities!

After that, we were served a gourmet barbeque feast, with a variety of western and local dishes on our plates. We jammed to music as the evening came to an end and we sailed back to the resort.

When you’re at a resort, you can’t miss out on the water sports they offer! Aside from the sunset cruise and island hopping, Resorts World Langkawi provides a variety of water sports at the resort, such as jet-skiing, boat joy rides, and kayaking. Due to the high tides, we could only go for kayaking, nonetheless, it was still a fun time. But, as the clichéd saying goes, “time flies when you’re having fun”. That was the last activity we did before we bid goodbye to the resort.

Overall, the resort was a peaceful getaway that gave us a much-needed recharge. It’s certainly a destination worth checking out, as there would be more exciting activities and offerings to come. If you’re planning a trip to Resorts World Langkawi during Ramadhan, don’t miss out on their Ramadhan Special Promotion:

Citra-Rasa Porto Malai (buffet)
From 25th March 2023 to 20th April 2023
On Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday only
Time: 6:00PM to 10:00PM
Prices: RM59 (Adult), RM29 (Child) & RM39 (Senior Citizen); Early Bird, Hotelier and Group (Min. 20pax) rates: RM50 (Adult) & RM25 (Child)

Tasty Iftar Family Set Menu (Dinner only)
Daily from 25th March – 20th April 2023
Time: 6:00PM to 10:00PM
Prices: RM80 (4pax); RM150 (8pax); Additional pax @ RM25 per person

For reservation enquiries, contact customercare@rwgenting.com. You can also head to their Resorts World Genting’s official website for more information.

Watch our Langkawi Trip Highlights reel here:

A post shared by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy)

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Once In A Lifetime Dining Experience, Lounge In The Sky, Debuts In KL

If you’ve experience Dining In The Sky, then you’ll probably love Lounge In The Sky. After all who doesn’t like to enjoy some food with a wonderful view and no borders to keep you down.

Be among the first in Asia to experience this unique dining atmosphere, as you and your friends will be hoisted up 150 feet in the air. This will give you an amazing bird-eye view of Kuala Lumpur whilst enjoying a specially-made canapes menu just for you.

The event will serve incredible dishes from Element’s executive chef, Steve Ariffin. And will also offer exclusive drinks from the winner of World Class Bartender 2016, Osmund Bernard.

The experience will be on a platform with an interesting design that allow for groups up to four pax, with a large hosting capacity of 32 pax per session. The platform also has an add-on-stage feature where live performances, presentations and events can take place.

This wonderful attraction is brought to you by TwoSpicy Entertainment, who specialises in creating unique experiences, in collaborated with Elements Kuala Lumpur. They bring this Belgian once in a lifetime experience to Elements Kuala Lumpur at TREC, Jalan Tun Razak.

“It was such a great and exclusive experience where four people would be able to seat together during their session while enjoying the view of KLCC. It is also recommended, and everyone should definitely give a try to feel the actual ambience of being lifted 50 meters up in the sky,” National gymnast Farah Ann expressed after experiencing it at the launch.

The launch of Lounge In The Sky will begin from 13th November 2019 onwards. The price for the tickets are as follows:

The operation of the attraction will be from Tuesdays to Sundays with it being close on Mondays. The time for each session can be found below:

The lounge will also provide customisation for private events and celebrations, and special corporate. For more information about Lounge In The Sky please visit their website here.


Tom Walker To Make Debut Show In Kuala Lumpur In March 2020

Tom Walker will be making his debut show in Malaysia on 27th March 2020.

The Manchester-bread singer-songwriter rose to fame last year when smash hit “Leave a Light On” peaked at #7 on the UK Singles Chart. If you’ve been following his career, get ready to experience him live.

His debut album “What A Time To Be Alive” was titled as such “because we’ve come so far, the human race, but also, I think we keep making the same mistakes over and over again, and not learning sometimes. It’s a thought provoking title, that’s why I like it.”

Tom Walker has already been cemented as one of UK’s breakout global stars. To date, the Scottish performer has already accumulated 1.5 billion streams worldwide. Come next March, fans can also expect to hear other favourites such as “Just You and I” and “Better Half of Me” live.

It's my birthday today 🎂 aaaand tickets for the Kuala Lumpur date of my 2020 Asia tour are on sale now! Go go go > https://t.co/MyP8H1TBn3 pic.twitter.com/v9r6wlU3Rj

— Tom Walker (@IamTomWalker) December 17, 2019

The details for Tom Walker’s Malaysian tour are as follows:

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Netflix’s Alien Worlds: The First Real Docuseries To Tackle Alien Biology & Evolution

Are we alone in the universe? A thought-provoking question that has found expression in many forms over the years. Cinema has both approached the subject with dreadful fear with Spielberg’s “War of the Worlds” and with cautious optimism with Denis Villeneuve’s “Arrival”. TV series like “The X-Files” have done a phenomenal job of exploring the themes of extraterrestrial life and the Fermi Paradox with textured characters, scientific nuance and emotional resonance. As for documentaries, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Sometimes, you get winners like Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s awe-inspiring exploration of the universe in “Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey”. Other times, you see stupid shit like “Ancient Aliens” on the History Channel.

The subject of life on other worlds has always been a difficult one to address from the perspective of a docuseries. Get too bogged down in the finer details on the conditions necessary for life and you’ll fail to excite the viewer’s imagination. Lean too heavily into the realm of speculation and CGI simulation and you run the risk of losing legitimacy. As of today, we’ve yet to encounter a documentary that strikes a fine balance of the two.

Now, however, Netflix has dared to throw their hat into the ring. To boldly go where no alien-centred docuseries has gone before. Boasting cutting edge CGI-simulations and hard science, Netflix’s “Alien Worlds” isn’t merely trying to explain the possibility of life on other worlds. It will attempt to realistically recreate how life could arise and evolve in other worlds! So does Netflix’s bold sci-fi nature docuseries stick the landing? Or will it crash and burn? Let’s find out.

The docuseries is a 4-episode long affair that tackles four different worlds, or exoplanets and the possibility of life on them. The opening episode, “Atlas” asserts its premise with a strong appeal to probability. With Nobel-Prize winning astronomer, Didier Queloz sharing his groundbreaking discovery. The first planet to be discovered outside of our local solar system, an exoplanet. After that brief but informative segment is where Netflix’s “Alien Worlds” begin to take off into the realm of speculative science. An important crossroad that will no doubt be polarising to viewers.

The many exoplanets discussed within the episodes are unfortunately not actual, identifiable planets. Rather, they’re very educated guesses about what the environment and ecosystem of various exoplanets might be like. Hardline objectivists may be turned off by the notion of exploring hypothetical worlds. Those with a far more imaginative and curious disposition, though, will no doubt welcome it with open arms. There’s a ton of wonder to behold here!

With impressive CGI work, “Alien Worlds” theorises how life may have arrived from different worlds. The episode “Atlas” talks about a planet with higher gravity compared to earth. It examines everything from the adaptation of local flora to weather patterns that may emerge from such a world. Then there’s the fauna, the main attraction of the circus! A good chunk of the episode is dedicated to exploring a particular species of the planet, the Skygrazzers. And boy, does it go the distance.

The episode goes into painstaking details to explain the physiology, behaviour and biological processes of these hypothetical creatures. It’s amazing how one scientific proposition can cascade into this vibrant discourse about something that may or may not exists. All this is, of course, is backed up by real-life fauna found on our planet. There’s one horrifying race of creatures known as the Generalists that envelope their prey by rolling them. No doubt the stuff of nightmares right there.

What keeps each episode from growing stale, is its unique ability to weave narrative threads into chapters. To be fair, it all feels like your standard circle-of-life story following an alien creature from infancy to adulthood and eventually to death. The same natural drama is played out throughout the second and third episode. As standalone features, they’re fine. However, they do tend to feel a tad repetitive when watched back-to-back. We recommend spacing each episode out, in days or even weeks. Just so you come in each time with fresh eyes and an appetite for wondrous new life and worlds.

Interestingly enough, the last episode of the series turns its attention to us, humanity. Conceptually, it was the episode we found the most intriguing. The number of high-concept speculative science fiction ideas tackled left us giddy with excitement. It’s one thing to see people reference theories like Dyson Spheres, terraforming technology and interstellar space travel. Getting a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the experimental technology to come drew us further down the rabbit hole. In a sense, it validated all the CGI simulations that were used so heavily in the previous episodes.

Right, let’s talk about the animation work on display. The creature design and environmental renderings are simply spectacular. The third episode, “Eden”, is by far the most visually impressive out of the lot. There were moments in which the line between fiction and reality was blurred. You’d honestly believe you were watching a different Earth animal scampering on screen. It’s also the most cinematic one as well, which again, could be a point of contention. It’ll either add to the immersive factor or break your focus. We’re fans of this approach and presentation, though.

Netflix’s “Alien Worlds” is a sci-fi fan’s dream come true! A magical experience that incorporates engaging storytelling, photorealistic CGI and strong scientific evidence in an effort to ignite the collective imagination. Its cinematic approach and speculative nature may be a drawback for some. For all you stargazers and wide-eyed explorers though, it demands your attention.

We sincerely hope that Netflix greenlights a second season. There is a myriad of interesting theories worth exploring. We’d definitely pay to watch a season dedicated to theorising what alien civilisations may look like in other worlds. Now, that would be a challenge to see how the series tackles the subject in a tangible way.

You can now catch the first season of “Alien Worlds” on Netflix today. Be sure to tell us your favourite episode and creature in the comments down below!


2NE1’s #AONMalaysia Concert Leaves Fans in Awe

From as early as noon, Malaysian Blackjacks flocked to Stadium Negara in Kuala Lumpur for the long awaited concert of their favourite K-Pop idol girl group, 2NE1. For many, it was a dream come true as they’ve been waiting for five years since 2NE1’s debut, two years since 2NE1’s previously cancelled concert, and one whole year since 2NE1 last set foot on Malaysian soil.

The 2NE1 girls (CL, Dara, Bom, Minzy) have always been known to give high energy performances accompanied with their catchy, uptempo songs. In fact, the only “breathing space” given to their fans throughout the “2NE1 2014 World Tour All or Nothing in Malaysia” aka #AONMalaysia concert was when the girls sang their heart wrenching ballads such as “Ugly”, “Lonely”, and their recent chart-topping single, “Missing You”.

May we also add that we were super impressed with the concert production. Especially during the “Missing You” stage.

The girls’ “juniors”, an up-and-coming K-Pop idol boy group under YG Entertainment named WINNER also made a special guest appearance during the “intermission”. WINNER sang two songs and interacted with their Malaysian fans while 2NE1 ran backstage to prepare for their “I Love You” performance. WINNER’s short but memorable appearance officially marked their Malaysian debut. Aside from that, CL also performed a mash up of her solo singles, “The Baddest Female” and  “MBTD”, exuding her swagger all over the stage.

With more than 20 songs in their discography as well as on the concert’s song list, there was never a dull moment. Malaysian Blackjacks were kept entertained throughout the entire two hours before shuffling out of the stadium in awe. For some attendees, like us, we felt like it was over too soon and that it wasn’t enough! Hence, we resorted to listening to their new album, “Crush”, all the way home.

Our honest opinion? Like CL said (during the concert), we don’t know why they took so long to get here!

For more pictures from 2NE1’s #AONMalaysia concert, check out the gallery below:

We also posted live updates from the concert on our Instagram and Twitter so hit us up (and follow us) there!

Special thanks to our friends from IME Productions for making this happen.

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2012 SBS Gayo Daejun Exclusively On ONE HD

The SBS Gayo Daejun is a mega celebration of K-Pop music that’s held at the end of every year. And every year, the festival will feature performances by K-Pop’s trendsetters, top idol groups, and solo artistes across all genres from the Korean music industry. What makes this festival different from others and ever so highly anticipated is the fact that K-Pop fans are usually treated to unique collaborative performances between artistes as well as special dance and song battles.

For the upcoming 2012 SBS Gayo Daejun, it was announced that IU, Suzy (from girl group “miss A”), and actor Jung Kyeo Woon will play hosts while some of South Korea’s best idol groups will be forming team with each other to compete at the year-end festival.

Titled the “Color of K-Pop” project, 20 idols were picked to be divided into four groups by fans votes. They are:

The groups were divided into “Dynamic Black” (with Shinsadong Tiger), “Dramatic Blue” (with Sweet Tune), “Dazzling Red” (with Brave Brothers), and “Mystic White” (with Kim Do Hoon).

As a result of the fan voting, the respective idols are now in the following groups:

In addition to the above list of collaborative groups, other idol groups are also set to perform their own unique Christmas stages. The complete list of attendees has yet to be released.

The 2012 SBS Gayo Daejun premieres first and exclusively on 12th January 2013 (Saturday) at 9am (Part 1) and 11:15pm (Part 2) on ONE HD (Astro B.yond Ch393). It will then re-run on 10th February 2013 (Sunday) at 12:45pm.

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So clear your schedule(s)! Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

For more information, visit their official website.


(UPDATED) Man Commits Suicide In #BSC After An Argument

About an hour ago, news surfaced on the Internet about a suicide at Bangsar Shopping Centre (BSC).Rumours on social networking site Twitter says the victim committed suicide after an argument with his mother. The deceased is believed to have jumped from the 4th floor of Bangsar Shopping Centre and fell in front of Morelli Gelato at approximately 2:30pm.

We don’t know how much of what was said on social media is true, but we’re waiting for more developments regarding this story.

According to Harian Metro, an unnamed BSC spokesperson confirmed that the 26-year-old man (now identified as Alif Alexandre Faizal Weber) went up to the 4th floor on his own before deciding to jump. He said that there was word that somebody was about to commit suicide but when they arrived at the scene, the man had already jumped. It was also said that the man died on the spot due to head trauma before his body was taken to Pusat Perubatan Universiti Malaya (PPUM).

The Star has also reported on the case, writing that the man was having lunch with his mother at the food court located on the 4th floor prior to the incident. They also said that when contacted, Brickfields OCPD Asst Comm Muhammad Azlee Abdullah said the case has been classified as Sudden Death. “Initial investigations revealed that there was no elements of foul play in his death,” he added.

ACP Muhammad Azlee said said the man was suffering from depression, but declined to associate his death with the affliction.

In another development, Jaclyn Low, the communications manager for the shopping centre, said they are working with the police to ascertain the sequence of events leading to the man’s death.

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Meet Simon Yin, Host Of “Hidden Cities: Extreme”!

Last week, Simon Yin, the host of HISTORY channel’s new adrenaline-laced programme, “Hidden Cities: Extreme” was in town for a little rendezvous with us. Hah! We saw it as a golden opportunity to put him through some hardcore interrogation about the half hour six-series that will be premiering on Malaysian television soon.

So tell us, before you hit up those places in “Hidden Cities: Extreme”, are you required to do any research on your own? Or do you just jump into the dangers that may be?

“Uh well, they kinda hand me a script and a fact sheet before I arrive at the locations. So I get to look over what I’m going to be doing. But if I need more research I hit up Wikipedia and Google historical facts. The fact sheet they provide me with is usually quite thorough – it’s kinda all I usually need to wrap my head around what I’m going to be doing.”

Hold up – when did you wrap up the shooting for “Hidden Cities: Extreme” and how long were you in Malaysia for?

“We wrapped up at the end of September and I was in Malaysia for a week. Wait, it was only six days, actually! Not even a week.”

Talk about super crunch time! What surprised you most about Malaysia?

“I think..the great rich culture and the people. And what they’re so passionate about. With Malaysia it’s really all about the people and how passionate they are about what they’re doing. It was like that fishing guy that I met – he was just so..it’s like it’s what he genuinely loved to do. Fishing was, for him, a hobby turned career and he loved every single moment of it. Also, everybody in Malaysia is so nice!”

We are, huh! What was the craziest thing that you were made to do and not necessarily Malaysia-centric. The craziest thing ever in the production of “Hidden Cities: Extreme”?

“The craziest thing..in the Philippines, I was made to climb a coconut tree that was 25 feet tall. It was only my second shoot in the entire show and I thought that it was gonna be quite dangerous because it had to be done without a safety net or a harness or whatever – but I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want to chicken out so early in the production. So I’m just like, okay I’ll climb up so it’s like climb, climb, climb, I got up there, and you know..the coconut tree leaves are like a maze. I’m up there, I’m frozen, and there were ants all over me. I think even the camera was shaking because the cameraman was laughing at me. But I did it, nevertheless. I collected the sap from the coconut and I got back down safe and sound.”

If you’re afraid of heights, well, that must’ve been like fighting fire with fire or something..

“Yeah! I got to face a lot of my fears and challenges – and I manage to overcome them. I mean, right now, I could probably walk by the same tree & go hey I could totally climb that!”

In situations that are, for lack of better word..extreme, how did you prepare yourself?

“When the first told me that I was going to be doing this, I thought oh..this is all going to be very physical. So I went running every day, I did pushups in the morning, but most importantly it was the mental preparation. I had to get into my head and tell myself to just be open to whatever that was going to happen without psyching myself out.”

Last one for the road – you’re an American born Chinese, right? Has being in Asia changed helped you reconnect with your roots?

“I’ve been in Asia for about five years now and yes, it has definitely helped me reconnect with my roots. Coming here is like, wow, there’s so much more to this world than just America and barbeque. Doing the show has definitely reaffirmed that, you know? I got to witness firsthand how people here still hold on so tightly to their culture and traditions. I love it!”

Aww. That’s a proud Asian boy right there. Thank you for speaking to us, Simon.

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“Hidden Cities: Extreme” premieres on HISTORY (Astro Channel 555/Beyond Package 575), 29th October 2012 (Monday) at 9:30pm, and it airs every Monday after at 9:30pm.

For more information, visit HISTORY Channel’s website or hit up their Facebook page.

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Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur Debuts Highest Hotel Rooftop Bar, Vertigo

Bored of going to the same bar again? Perhaps Vertigo will offer a fresh change of scenery.

Vertigo (not to be confused with club in the Gardens Mall between 2011- 2014) recently opened its doors to the public. Perched on the 59th floor of Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur, Vertigo offers stunning views of the cityscape.

“While Kuala Lumpur has been known for its vibrant nightlife, I would like to think no one has seen anything quite like Vertigo with a direct, unobstructed view of the city scape from the 59th floor! Guests at Vertigo can revel in a distinct offering that is unique only to us – this is Banyan Tree signature experience,” shared GM Anders Dimblad.

At this stylish rooftop bar, mixologists are on hand to offer personalised drinks. Southeast Asian-inspired tapas and some DJ music will certainly help to create an unforgettable night. In addition, Vertigo also has a 270 degree wide-open setting that allows patrons to drink in some of the city’s finest architecture including KL Tower and KLCC.

The details to Vertigo KL are as follows:

For more information, visit their official website here.


Lane 8 Announces Debut Album, “Rise” Release Date

In more ways than one, Lane 8 has become new poster child for the rise of Anjunadeep. From playing a massive set at Coachella to officially remixing Odesza’s “Boom”, the fast rising Lane 8 who is also known for his classy gem “Diamonds” featuring Solomon Grey has revealed the release date of his upcoming debut album “Rise”.

Slated for a July 17th release via Above & Beyond‘s Anjunadeep, “Rise” consists of 11 tracks including singles “Diamonds” and “Ghost”, which was recently release on Lane 8’s SoundCloud account. The album will also include a bonus live version of “Diamonds” and includes collaborations with Patrick Barker, Matthew Dear and Ara Scott.

The DJ/producer’s latest single “Ghost” will be available as an instant grat download alongside the “Rise” pre-order which is available now via iTunes.

For now, we’ll leave you with “Ghost” by Lane 8.

For more on the man, hit up his social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.


Food Bites II: Curbside Gourmet Done With A Splash Of Yellow

“Food Bites”,  the food market dedicated to bring gourmet treats to the curb-side, is returning to the quarterly curated bazaar “Markets@Jaya One”; this time with epicurean treats made from ingredients in shades of yellow.

Its debut in May this year featured ten vendors selling various gourmet styled street food such as ice cream potong, alcohol infused fudge brownies, hot dogs served with a Korean twist plus duck tacos with mango salsa. The overwhelming positive response left punters hungry for more.

For the second installation of the food market, Food Bites’ carefully curated vendors made up of gourmands established food outlets and small food businesses as well as passionate food hobbyists and home cooks will be serving up delectable dishes made of mangoes, whole grain mustard or yellow bell peppers and other ingredients the shade of sunshine.

Proving that gourmet food isn’t necessarily expensive, dishes will be sold at curb side prices ranging from RM 5 to RM15. But that’s not the best part.

The best part is, admission is free! Yay!

Food Bites curator Jenifer Kuah said, “Gourmet food doesn’t have to be pricey. There’s plenty you could do with a comb of bananas and it wouldn’t cost a bomb. At the same time, we want to serve the public with good quality food.”

Venue: Jaya One, Section 13, No.72A, Jalan Universiti, 46200, Petaling Jaya, Selangor

For more information the second round of Food Bites, email info@asianageholdings.com or hit up Jaya One’s website. Don’t forget to “LIKE” Food Bites’ Facebook page!

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8 Upcoming Non-Disney Marvel Films Fans Can Look Forward To

With Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox’s Fantastic Four and X-Men properties, the House of Mouse moves ever closer to consolidating all Marvel assets. However, there are some assets that have escaped their grasp. As of now, Sony officially owns the film rights of up to 900 Marvel characters. Which is utterly insane! Sony has been awfully mum about its creative properties though. Beyond a few entries into their ever-growing cinematic universe, we’ve yet to uncover the full breadth of Sony’s Marvel catalogue. Their latest entries include 2018’s “Venom” and “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”.

That being said, there’s plenty more on the way. Some of these characters are household names you’ve known for years. Others are a little more obscure, if not downright esoteric. In any case, we’re doing a rundown of some of the most intriguing non-Disney Marvel films that fans can expect to see in the future.

In a post-credits scene at the end of 2018’s “Venom”, we see Eddie Brock interviewing serial killer Cletus Kasady played by Woody Harrelson. During the scene, we hear Kasady make a chilling threat that when he escapes from prison “there’s going to be carnage”. In the comics, Kasady bonds with an offspring of Venom’s symbiote to form a terrible new identity. A crimson monster aptly named Carnage. A villain who has been a thorn in Venom and Spider-Man’s sides for years.

Sure enough, a sequel to the 2018 film has been announced, “Venom: Let There Be Carnage”. Who will come out on top here? Everyone’s favourite black bruiser? Or his psychopathic counterpart?

Are you ready for yet another dark anti-hero with a pension for feeding on his victims? Well, then meet Morbius the Living Vampire played by Jared Leto. In an attempt to cure his blood disease, scientist Michael Morbius instead becomes a bloodsucking vampire of the night. His vampirism grants him extraordinary super-strength along with a whole suite of other amazing abilities.

Now Morbius must decide whether he’ll use his otherworldly powers for good or succumb to his monstrous urges. It’ll be interesting to see Sony’s superhero take on the classic Dracula story. Hopefully, we’ll get to see some “Blade” level action and gore.

“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” was one the best films of 2018. A gorgeously animated tale of self-discovery and heroism through the eyes of Miles Morales’ Spider-Man. If you thought Miles’ multiversal adventures have come to an end, then think again! We are indeed getting a sequel to “Into the Spider-Verse”.

The plot of the film will further develop the romantic relationship between Miles and Gwen Stacy. One that was originally supposed to be in the first film. The ending of “Spider-Verse” did a fair amount of teasing so we’re definitely excited to see some Spider-love in the next film. Fingers crossed, we get to see more Spider-Man 2099 as well.

We’re not quite done with the Spider-Verse news just yet. Sony Producer Amy Pascal has confirmed that an all-female spinoff film based on “Into the Spider-Verse” is in the works. Alongside established characters like Gwen Stacy, the film will also feature some new faces as well. Two characters set to appear in the spin-off are Cindy Moon as Silk, a Korean girl who gains the powers of Spider-Man, and Jessica Drew as Spider-Woman.

In the comics, Stacy, Moon and Drew actually do team up to form a group in the 2016 event “Spider-Women”. Together they battle against an alternate evil version of Cindy Moon who runs a terrorist organization. While we can’t confirm when exactly this all-female spinoff will debut, it’s safe to deduce that it’ll be released after the “Into the Spider-Verse” sequel.

After the success of 2018’s “Venom”, Pascal expressed a renewed interest in developing a “Sinister Six” film. One set to be directed by Drew Goddard, the man who wrote and directed “Bad Times at the El Royale”. Pascal stated that she’s simply waiting for Goddard to initiate the project. The project was initially cancelled to make way for the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) reboot of the character.

Now, though, it seems the project is back on tracks. Director Drew Goddard has also expressed interest in making the film reality given the opportunity. Well, the stars are aligned and it’s only a matter of time before Goddard makes an announcement.

If you aren’t an avid fan of Marvel comics, chances are you’ve never heard of Jackpot. Originally, Jackpot was a registered superhero whose secret identity was Sara Ehret. Over time, Ehret grew tired of being a hero. More than anything, she wanted to settle down and raise her child. Weirdly enough, some lady named Alana Jacobson bought Ehret’s license and identity. Ehret agreed and through a mixture of dangerous experimental drugs, Jacobson took up the mantle of Jackpot.

This premise sounds absolutely bonkers and fun if we’re being honest! Sony has already brought on Arrowverse co-creator Marc Guggenheim to write the film. When we’ll precisely see this wannabe hero is unknown but rest assured it’s on the way!

For real, what is up with Sony Pictures’ obsession of giving villains their own film? Sony is busy at work developing a “Kraven the Hunter” film. They even have a director in mind. In Marvel comics, Kraven is considered to be one of Spider-Man’s most deadly adversary. A man who is driven by the hunt. He will stop at nothing until he catches his prey. He’s not a complete monster, though. He honours the code of the hunt and will not harm the innocent. There have been times Kraven also served as an anti-hero. It’ll certainly be interesting to see how Sony will depict the hunter on the big screen. When the studio plans to takes its shot, though, has yet to be confirmed.

The final pick on our list is a particularly curious one. You ever wondered how Peter Parker’s Spidey-sense works? Turns out the answer is more metaphysical than you think. Throughout the multiverse, all Spider-people are linked to a mystical force called the Web of Life and Destiny. That’s where they derive their eerie sixth sense from. Only one person, though, is able to see the Web in its totality, a blind psychic named Madame Web.

Sony is currently working on a standalone “Madame Web” film with director S.J. Clarkson. While the character in the comics was an elderly woman, it seems Sony plans on tweaking the character a bit. Some of the names being floated to play the character are Charlize Theron and Amy Adams. We’d be more than happy to see any of these fine actresses inhabit the role of the enigmatic Madame Web.

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Zayn Malik Copies Taylor Swift By Deleting His Entire Instagram

If it worked for another famous artist, why not try it? It looks like Zayn Malik has pulled a Taylor Swift ahead of his upcoming album release.

This past weekend, fans were shock to find out that the former One Direction member had purge his Instagram of all previous photos and videos – wiping his account clean. Fans immediately suspected that he was up to something.

Last month, both Malik and Gigi Hadid released heartfelt statements on their social media accounts announcing their break up. Since then, the half British-half Pakistani star has been posting quite a number of moody selfies of his new tattoo and hairstyle. So why delete everything all of a sudden?

Last year, Tay Tay deleted everything from her Instagram and Twitter feed to make way for new music, evidently her “Reputation” record. It looks like the 25-year-old singer is now following the same pattern by wiping his slate clean. After teasing fans, Malik released a snippet yesterday (Sunday, 8th April) – confirming that new music is indeed dropping very soon.

The 15-second clip was simply captioned, “04.12.18.” We presume the pop star will be dropping his new single and music video this Thursday.


Uh Oh, Billy Joe!

The all-star two-day iHeartRadio Music Festival in Las Vegas was tarnished this year when the frontman of the Grammy-winning band, “Green Day”, reportedly had a meltdown. A meltdown on stage and in front of the audience, to be precise.

Just as the band was wrapping up their performance, 40-year-old Billy Joe Armstrong decides to let loose with his vocals, for all the wrong reasons. It was said that he was profusely complaining out in the open that Green Day’s gig was cut short:

One minute left, one minute (expletive) left. You’re gonna give me (expletive) one minute? … I’m not (expletive) Justin Bieber, you (expletives)!” he yelled (although Bieber was not part of the night’s festivities).

He then promptly smashed his guitar before walking off stage. Like, oh you know, no big deal. How mature, for one of the world’s top rock acts.

Following Billy Joe’s public disgrace, Green Day has released a statement to The Associated Press, apologizing to those they offended at the iHeartRadio Festival and said that their set was not cut short by Clear Channel (the event organizer).

As for Billy Joe? He is headed to treatment for substance abuse. That explains everything.


Adele Signed On For More Bond Songs!

Adele’s single for Skyfall was such a huge success, winning an Oscar plus a Golden Globe plus a Brit Award that the “James Bond” film franchise producers are engaging her for more projects. Following the critical and commercial success, they’ve signed the soulful Brit artiste to provide the theme tune for the next “James Bond” film!

Upon the announcement, a source told the Sun, “Producers are thrilled by how well the song has been received and hope Adele’s presence on the next film will replicate that success. They want her to become as synonymous with Bond as Dame Shirley”.

Dame Shirley aka Shirley Bassey was the singer responsible for singing many famous “James Bond” hits in the past such as “Diamond Are Forever”, “Mooraker”, and “Goldfinger”. To liken Adele to Dame Shirley is, wow?

Meanwhile, with regards to whether or not Adele will be releasing a new album anytime soon, she said that she will only release a new album when she has “something to sing about”. It’s alright, Adele! Playing Mama can’t be easy, after all.

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

And she can keep making “James Bond” theme songs, we ain’t complaining!

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Sarawakians Live The Longest In Malaysia, According To Statistics Dept

The Department of Statistics Malaysia has revealed that Sarawak has the highest life expectancy in Malaysia.

According to the statistics, the average life expectancy for Sarakwakian men is 75.1 years while the state’s women could live up to 78.6 years. Meanwhile, Terengganu recorded the lowest life expectancy at birth for both male and female.

The statistics show that Malaysians can expect to live up to 74.8 years in 2017, compared with 74.3 years in 2011 (wow, that’s an increase of 0.5 years!). And that’s not all, Malaysian-Chinese are living longer than bumiputeras and Indians.

It was reported that Chinese men live up to 75 years whereas Chinese women live up to 80.2 years. Furthermore, the life expectancy for bumiputeras is 71.4 years and 76.2 years for male and female respectively; while Indian men and women can expect to live up to 67.8 years and 76.3 years respectively.

For the full statistics, you can refer to the chart below:

In other news, the people of Hong Kong have the highest life expectancy in the world, surpassing Japan’s men and women for the 2nd consecutive year.

Sources: Sinchew, The Edge Markets / Featured image: The Star.


2020 On Netflix: What Malaysians Watched & Enjoyed This Year

This year, more than ever, how we watched has been a barometer of the full spectrum of moods and emotions we’ve experienced – from ? to a solid amount of ?, a generous dose of ?, not forgetting ? and more.

Here’s a look at the Malaysia viewing trends on Netflix in 2020, the ‘Year of Many Moods’.

A post shared by Netflix Malaysia (@netflixmy)

We stayed up all night thinking about all the oppas that have won over our hearts in “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay”, “Was It Love?” and “Record of Youth”. “It’s Okay not to be Okay” stayed in the top 10 for over 100 days in Malaysia. “Start-Up” had us down with a serious case of second-lead syndrome thanks to #TeamJiPyeong. We also contemplated reaching out to Sima Aunty to find us a suitable match after watching her tell it like it is on “Indian Matchmaking”.

The excitement of racing through the streets of Dhaka with Chris Hemsworth made “Extraction” one of the most popular action films in Malaysia in 2020 along with “Project Power”, “Spenser Confidential”, “Sangkar” and “Wira”. We also found that Malaysians fell in love with all the leading ladies with strong characters such as Charlize Theron in “The Old Guard”, and “Enola Holmes”.

Despite not being able to travel in 2020 due to the pandemic, our Malaysian members found new ways to travel across magical worlds with various Korean content as well as Kids and Family content. Lee Min-Ho’s long-awaited comeback, “The King: Eternal Monarch”, “Mystic Pop-up Bar”, “The School Nurse Files” are some of the most popular K-Drama that Malaysians loved in 2020.

Malaysians also went “Over The Moon” with Fei Fei, Gobi and Chin as they embraced the Moon Goddess Chang’e and were captivated by the candor and croissants in “Emily In Paris“, so much so that Malaysians showed their appreciation by taking her around the country.

As we look back at the year, we can see that countries in the Asian continent watched 2X (100%) or more anime in 2020 compared to 2019 including Malaysia. We joined Ash and Pikachu on their hunt for the Mythical Pokémon Mew in “Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back – Evolution”. We battled the Olympian gods in “Blood of Zeus”, and lived like a cat in “A Whisker Away”.

2020 was a year of learning and exploration. Viewing for documentaries went up 2X or more in Asia, including Malaysia in 2020, compared to 2019. We were introduced to the world of cool cats and kittens with “Tiger King: Murder”, “Mayhem and Madness”. We waved our lightsticks and learned what it takes to be a K-pop girl group in “Blackpink: Light Up the Sky”.

And staying in the comfort of our homes this year, Malaysians were inspired by their favourite celebrities and Studio McGee to spruce up their humble abode with “Get Organized with The Home Edit” and “Dream Home Makeover”. Also, how can we ever forget the thrill of seeing the G.O.A.T. basketball icon, Michael Jordan, in action in “The Last Dance”?

A post shared by ZonaKorea 🌍 (@zonakorea)

Asian horror had us sleeping with the lights on, from Korean zombies in “Kingdom” and “#Alive”, to screaming in terror alongside Park Shin-hye “The Call”. The Korean zombie film “#Alive” was in the Top 10 list in 90 countries, including Malaysia making it one of the most-loved titles on Netflix in 2020.

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Scalpers Are Reselling Justin Bieber’s Malaysia Concert Tickets For Up To RM10,440!

Justin Bieber is bringing his Justice World Tour to Malaysia later this year and die-hard Beliebers have been on standby to purchase the tickets since the day the concert announcement was made.

Tickets just went on sale earlier today (Thursday, 31st March) and are already sold out within a few hours. While we definitely know Justin has so many fans here, we also have reasons to suspect that not all tickets were bought by just Beliebers alone.

To recap, Justin Bieber will be performing live in Malaysia at Bukit Jalil Stadium on 22nd October. Tickets are priced from RM288 (CAT 7) up to RM1,088 (CAT 1). The VIP tickets are priced at RM1,188 (Hold On VIP), RM1,488 (Peaches VIP), and RM2,088 (Ghost VIP).

We’d be surprised if scalpers didn’t try to get their hands on the tickets just to resell them online. As it turns out, Justin Bieber’s tickets are being sold on Viagogo for up to RM10,440 per ticket! One ticket for the Ghost VIP Package cost half of your student loans!

One scalper even tries to resell the tickets on Shopee for RM988 but for some reason they did not specify on which seats/zone these tickets are for. For all we know those tickets could be the original RM288 which is the furthest you’d be at the concert. Definitely not worth it.

Netizens are also sharing on Twitter after finding more resellers online reselling the concert tickets at ridiculous prices and warning others to not buy them.

The fact that scalpers already got their hands at tickets and selling them at 3rd party website (Viagogo). I thought the tickets cannot be transferred others? #JusticeTourMalaysia pic.twitter.com/YEhUcuU8k3

— Lilyyyy⁷👽🌏 (@Lilyatris31) March 31, 2022

According to GOLIVE, the ticket holder’s name must match the ticket holder’s registered ID/Passport during entry so if you bought a reseller’s tickets, you will most likely not be able to enter the venue. So far, Viagogo or any of the websites mentioned have not released any official statement regarding the reselling issue.


#RobbieWilliams: “Let Me Entertain You” SEA Tour Cancelled; Refund Deets

Robbie Williams has cancelled the Malaysian leg of his “Let Me Entertain You” tour on September 27th at Stadium Merdeka. In fact, the “Angels” singer has cancelled all scheduled  show dates on the South-East Asian Leg of his tour. A release from concert organisers  Galaxy Group (Malaysia) and Midas Promotions (Singapore) states that the cancellation is due to issues outside of the artiste’s control.

Other venues affected by the sudden cancellation include:

“Galaxy Group, Robbie Williams and Midas Promotions wish to apologise for the inconvenience and obvious disappointment that this will cause.”

Fans who have bought tickets need worry not as they can get full refunds. For instructions on how to obtain a refund, head over to BuyTickets or call Galaxy Group on 03–2282 2020.


Join In The National Day Celebration At These Merdeka-Themed Malls

To commemorate Malaysia’s 65th National Day, these malls are more than ready to accommodate your patriotic spirit with incredible new activities, exhibitions, workshops, and performances, all designed to provide you with the best Merdeka experience this year.

You can reminisce about old and once-famous Malaysian icons or be amazed by modern Malaysia through the virtual world. And don’t go alone; bring your family and friends because there’s something for everyone to enjoy!

Fahrenheit88 proudly presents “Warisan Sudir: Tribute to Asia’s No.1 Entertainer, inspired by the Malaysian singer and songwriter—the late Dato’ Sudirman bin Haji Arshad. You will get the chance to browse through authentic Sudirman memorabilia inclusive of his music album posters, comics, performance costumes and other personal artifacts.

Join the Merdeka Fun with various activities like the Merdeka Xplorace, Merdeka Vespa Convoy, Anak-Anak Merdeka Celebration and a series of workshops such as Batik Painting, Nail Art and Face Painting and Comic Drawings. Don’t forget to go full-out at the stores for some Malaysian handicraft, goodies and gifts.

Visit Facebook or Instagram for more information!

2. Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang: Merdeka & Malaysia Day Sale

A post shared by Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang (@mitsuioutletparkkliasepang)

Mitsuit Outlet Park has exciting news! The mall has announced an exclusive sale for their customers to enjoy in conjunction with the Merdeka and Malaysia Day celebrations, which are just around the corner. Don’t miss out on the Cultural Dance and Teh Tarik Performance, as well as the fun Ceper Game Challenge!

You could also participate in the Art and Craft Celebration Workshop and receive a unique custom-made T-shirt. All this by spending on a shopping spree at the mall!

For more Malaysian activities, you can visit Pavilion Bukit Jalil to Raikan Kebanggaan Negaraku with 3 main highlights: You can Raikan Kebanggaan Buatan Malaysia by shopping from a range of Malaysian-inspired, Malaysian-designed, Malaysian-made merchandise. You could Raikan Kebanggaan Rasa Malaysia with some super sedap Malaysian dishes around the mall. Plus, you can Raikan Kebanggaan Seni & Budaya at the Portrait of Heroes Art Showcase on level 2.

4. Intermark Mall: Malaysia Book of Records ‘Biggest Malaysia Map Jigsaw Puzzle’

Inspired by the Merdeka theme, ‘Keluarga Malaysia Teguh Bersama,’ Puzzle Planet, Taylor’s International School Kuala Lumpur, and Intermark Mall came together to celebrate the Malaysia Book of Records recognition of ‘The BIGGEST MALAYSIA JIGSAW PUZZLE MAP.’

The 15ft by 7ft puzzle map is made up of 48,000 blank waterproof jigsaw puzzle canvas pieces, sketched and coloured to perfection by 23 talented students from Taylor’s International School. But wait! There’s more! You can also check out the Happy Dumpy and Batek by Rasta Rashid’s pop-up stalls for handcrafted goods. Visit Facebook for more info!

6. Alamanda Shopping Centre and Mesra Mall: Merdeka Campaign

Date: 31st August – 11th September (Alamanda Shopping Centre), 26th August – 16th September (Mesra Mall)

Suria KLCC Group has created limited edition 65th Merdeka t-shirts with batik patch pockets in collaboration with Komuniti Tukang Jahit (KTJ). Spend a minimum of RM500 in Alamanda Shopping Centre and a maximum of RM350 in Mesra Mall to qualify for an exclusive Merdeka T-shirt.

Together with the school holidays, join in on the kid-friendly activities with exciting competitions such as colouring contests and fashion shows as well as workshops such as Merdeka flag weaving, key chain painting, Merdeka-themed sand art and many more. For more information, visit the official website of Suria KLCC, Alamanda and Mesra Mall!

Are you prepared for a 20-day virtual event full of fun and games in the spirit of Merdeka? Step into the Metaverse for Malaysia’s first-ever virtual Merdeka celebration and witness this historic event as famous icons come to life. Don’t miss the main attractions: Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaysia’s Singing Lawyer, and DJ Raohu. Register here to secure a spot!

Neetashini Kanendran contributed to this article

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#Facebook: Social Media Genius Mark Zuckerberg Confirms Dislike Button Addition

Some of us have been either waiting for this or dreading this for way too long. Finally, after years of back-and-forth and some wild speculation, social media juggernaut Facebook is working on a Dislike button.

As confirmed by CEO Mark Zuckerberg himself!

During a town hall meeting on Tuesday (15th September) at the Facebook HQ in California, Mark said that the feature will be coming soon. But he also stressed that it’d be more of a way for users to express other emotions besides the inferred positivity of the Like button, and not a way for users to “downvote” posts.

People have asked about the “dislike” button for many years, and probably hundreds of people have asked about this, and today is a special day because today is the day that I actually get to say we are working on it, and are very close to shipping a test of it.

Mark added that the company has held off on a Dislike button to avoid becoming a Reddit-style system that encouraged upvoting and downvoting.

“What they really want is the ability to express empathy. Not every moment is a good moment,” he said.

The implementation of a Dislike button is a tricky proposition because it could be very easily abused, but at least it’ll allow for a more appropriate response to certain posts on Facebook.

Who else has been looking forward to a Dislike button for the longest time now?


Contest: Limited Edition “Deliver Us From Evil” Merch Giveaway!

Sure, you can handle horror movies where ghosts are thrown in your faces and you don’t have an issue falling asleep after catching a scary flick but can you handle our “Deliver Us From Evil” movie merchandise contest?

Yes, you could take home some limited edition goodies on top of some preview screening passes. Prizes are as follows:

How to win ’em? All you gotta do is share your scariest real-life experience with us – the scarier the better. E-mail your story to submit@hype.my and we’ll notify you via e-mail if you’ve won.

Don’t forget to catch “Deliver Us From Evil” at a cinema near you! The movie will be released on 3rd July:

For more information, visit the movie’s Facebook page.


#Terengganu: JHEAT To Catch “Indecent” Unmarried Muslim Couples On Motorbikes

The Terengganu Religious Affairs Department (Jabatan Hal Ehwal Agama Terengganu, JHEAT for short) has issued a warning against unmarried Muslim couples who commit indecent acts while riding on motorcycles.

These acts include hugging, leaning against each other, and putting their hands into the pockets of their partners’ jackets. JHEAT Commissioner Datuk Wan Mohd Wan Ibrahim said that stern actions would be taken against those who violate the teachings of Islam.

Dubbed “Ops Bonceng” (which means Operation Pillion), Datuk Wan Mohd stated that a team of enforcement officers would catch Muslim couples acting indecently on the road, adding that cameras are not needed as eyewitness testimonies were sufficient as proof in court.

“We have a team of enforcement officers who will be watching couples on motorcycles from a distance and recording them before informing another team of officers who are at the roadblocks with Road Transport Department officers,” he explained.

He advised couples to refrain from sitting closely as such acts could lead to sexual intercourse and having children out of wedlock. He continued, “We will advise unmarried Muslim couples to not ride pillion as it doesn’t portray a good image. That is our job and we are doing this because prevention is better than cure.”

On top of that, action would also be taken against unmarried couples seated indecently in cars but the operation has to be conducted differently.

“We cannot just implement (the same method) to those riding in cars together because the enforcers’ eyes cannot see what happens. We cannot punish and assume what they do. Unlike riding motorcycles, it is obvious that they sit together closely,” JHEAT chief assistant commissioner Nik Zulhaiza Ismail told MMO.

What do you think of Ops Bonceng? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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Fun Facts: 10 Things You Gotta Know About Disney’s #Cinderella Live-Action Remake

When we heard that Disney was going to remake one of the oldest fairy tales in the world, honestly, we scrambled to watch it. If the trailer (released back in November 2014) was anything to go by, then you can bet that we had high expectations for the movie. Besides, how does anyone say no to something that made you endlessly dream of someday becoming a Disney princess, powder blue gown and all?

But before you run off to catch it in the cinemas, we’ve rounded up some fun facts about Cinderella as well as the production of the film. If you’ve never schooled yourself on the history of this beloved Disney princess, then there’s no better time to start than now.

There are many versions of the Cinderella tale in European folklore, but Disney chose the one made familiar by French author Charles Perrault in 1697. He’s the author who introduced to the tale the key elements of the fairy godmother, the pumpkin-turned-coach, and the glass slippers. In his version, along with the small creatures turned into Cinderella’s driver and horses, there’s a group of lizards transformed into footmen. Alas, the Disney cartoon leaves the reptiles out – but the new, live-action version does not!

2. Cinderella is not Cinderella’s real name

The title of the original French story was “Cendrillon”, otherwise known as “little ash girl”. It comes from her character being covered by ashes and cinders because as you would know, she did have the messy job of cleaning up after her entire family. Of course, Cinderella would later go on to marry a certain Prince Charming, and become the first Disney princess to marry into a royal family instead of inheriting the throne.

3. Taking “Cinderella” back to the old school

As the biggest hit Disney had enjoyed in 13 years, since “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Cinderella” generated enough cash flow not only to save the studio, but to allow it to create its own distribution company, finance several live-action and animated films, enter the world of television production, and build the Disneyland theme park. The 1950 film was nominated for 3 Academy Awards: “Best Sound”, “Best Original Score”, and “Best Original Song” (“Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo”).

Disney re-released “Cinderella” in theatres 6 times: in 1957, 1965, 1973, 1981, 1987, and 2013. In recent years, Disney has released 2 direct-to-video sequels: “Cinderella II: Dreams Come True” (2002) and “Cinderella III: A Twist in Time” (2007).

Believe it or not, Cinderella’s shoe size is a petite 4½ according to the third instalment of her movie franchise titled, “Cinderella III: A Twist in Time”. So maybe that’s why no one else can fit into her precious glass shoes except her! Also, we suppose being light as a feather is the reason they don’t break.

5. Emma Watson Everyone else vs Lily James

Did you know that for Disney’s live-action remake of “Cinderella”, Lily James almost didn’t get to play the lead role? That’s because Emma Watson was actually the first choice, but she turned down the role, After Emma, the production team considered:

But they ultimately decided on Lily James. Could be the best decision they’ve ever made though! ;)

Meanwhile, Emma Watson will play Belle in the upcoming live-action adaptation of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast”.

6. “Lily James” is not Lily James’ real name

Like Cinderella, 25-year-old actress Lily James spent a large chunk of her life being called something else. Born in Esher, Surrey, her real name is Lily Chloe Ninette Thomson. She took her stage name in honour of her father – British actor and musician James Thompson – who died in 2008 after a cancer diagnosis. And while we’re on the topic of family, her grandmother is the late American-born actress Helen Horton, who is the voice of Mother, the ship computer in Ridley Scott’s “Alien”.

7. The man responsible for the live-action film

Mark Romanek was originally tapped to direct the film, but dropped out due to creative differences. Romanek, who directed “Never Let Me Go” and “One Hour Photo”, also does commercials and music videos – most recently Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off”.

In the end, the film was helmed by 5-time Oscar-nominated director Kenneth Branagh. His most recent directing credits include “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit” and “Thor”, to say the least. In fact, Kenneth Branagh and Helena Bonham Carter (who plays the Fairy Godmother in “Cinderella”) were reunited for this film on a strictly professional working relationship level. The 2 had an affair and a short-live relationship in the 90s that led to an amicable split.

8. Lily James’ exceptionally tiny waist – was it CGI-ed/photoshopped?

when the first images from the movie were released, they spurred controversy and set off a firestorm of speculations that Disney used special effects to make Lily appear slimmer. But as previously discussed, Lily worked hard and even went on a liquid diet to transform her figure in order to suit that of the Disney princess. On top of that, the dress created the perfect illusion because the skirt is quite big and therefore, the proportions made it look smaller than it is. Also, the naturally small-waisted Lily James also revealed that she wore a corset that “pulls” her in during the filming of “Cinderella”.

When we say “pulls” her in, we mean that the corset part of the gown slimmed her down to a 17-inch waist.

9. Oscar red carpet-worthy dresses by Sandy Powell

The 1940s-inspired mixed-period costumes are the work of Oscar-winning costume designer Sandy Powell. Expect sparkly ball gowns and day dresses to steal scenes! Helena Bonham Carter even told the Berlin “Cinderella” press conference of her LED Fairy Godmother dress:

The logistics of going to the ladies… well, you couldn’t locate the toilet. I was a walking lamp with 4,000 LED lights inside my dress so I had to have a 15 pound battery back in my bum and there was a lovely Belgian man who worked for Phillips who had to come and turn me on every night.

Cinderella’s signature slipper, meanwhile, is made of crystal, designed in collaboration with Swarovski, and based upon a shoe from the 1890s that Sandy Powell found in a museum in Northampton.

10. “Cinderella” was supposed to be the first live-action remake trilogy of Disney

The film was announced in May 2010 as the first film of the live-action remake trilogy but was delayed for various reasons. “The Jungle Book” and “Maleficent” are the other two. Due to the movie being pushed from a late 2014 release to the current 13th March 2015 release, Maleficent ultimately ended up being released first.

Well, not that we’re complaining. After all, good things come to those who wait!

Don’t forget to check out our review of Disney’s live-action “Cinderella” here.

Disney’s “Cinderella” will be released in a cinema near you on 13th March 2015.

Sources: Coming Soon, Zimbio, Your Tango, Vogue, Huffington Post, moviefone.

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Janna Nick Reacts To New Catchy Song “Gatal” Going Viral In Russia

Janna Nick couldn’t believe her eyes upon learning that her newly-released single, “Gatal”, has gone viral in Russia.

Not only has her hit song been gaining popularity among TikTok users in Malaysia, it has also apparently caught the attention of netizens abroad! At this point, it’s safe to say that the Sungai Petani-born celeb’s talent is getting recognised worldwide. ;)

A post shared by Janna Nick (@jannanick)

The 27-year-old remarked that she didn’t expect the song to receive massive attention globally, adding that the catchy song has its own strength, which is probably it has resonated with so many listeners abroad. “Alhamdulillah I didn’t expect for ‘Gatal’ to go viral on TikTok, to the point where even overseas people are using the song (in their content),” Janna Nick told mStar.

“For me that’s the power that TikTok and social media hold. I’ve received a lot of comments saying the song is addicting. I consider this a blessing on my part. Alhamdulillah so I am grateful to Aepul (Drama Band frontman) who composed this song,” she added during the chat.

Previously, the “Shakira” star took to her IG to share with her fans a video of Russian social media influencer Aslı Güler using the song “Gatal” on her TikTok account. The video had since gone viral, amassing more than 8 million views online. Meanwhile, you can check out the official MV for the song here:


#HOKL: Ain Farhana’s Inspiring Story About Career Choices Goes Viral

“Opportunities don’t happen, you create them.” – Chris Grosser.

Ain Farhana, who is a young technical assistant for RapidKL, recently shared her story about career choices to Humans of Kuala Lumpur, a Facebook page dedicated to share photographs and stories of those who live in the capital city. As at time of writing, her story has been shared over 12,400 times.

Before she was a technical assistant for RadidKL, Farhana, who holds a diploma in Geomatics in Science (Geographical Information System) from UiTM (Universiti Teknologi MARA) in Seri Iskandar, Perak, worked as a cleaner for the transportation company after her graduation, earning about RM900 a month.

She eventually got a job offer from a company in Damansara as a technical assistant but after working there for a month, she decided to quit the job because it didn’t provide her with any learning opportunities. Although the boss, who wanted her to stay because her birth date matched the Feng Shui of the company, offered to get her a car and any amount of salary she could ask for, she was determined to leave.

“Thing is, there was no mentor for me to learn about the job from. And you will not be ikhlas (sincere) when you do your job if you’re unhappy with the working conditions and demands. So I turned the job down and continued being a cleaner at RapidKL again.”

One day, her mother, who also works as a cleaner for RapidKL, told her that the management wants to offer her a different job. “I went for the interview, and I am lucky and extremely grateful to be a technical assistant, here today,” she said.

This goes to show that no job is too small. In the wise words of Farhana, “Apart from God’s grace, it really falls back onto effort and the willingness to learn. You have to get out of your comfort zone and search. You have to adapt to new situations, environment and people”.

In the comments box, many Facebook users praised the young Malaysian for her dedication and positivity and shared their own success stories as well.

Inspired by Humans of New York, Humans of Kuala Lumpur aims to portray snippets of the people being photographed – and present a personal glimpse of the people living in KL through the eyes of photographers Mushamir Mustafa and Tabinda Shah.

For more inspiring stories, you can check out their Facebook page.

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