Hype’s Top 20 EDM Tracks of 2013

2013 has been a crazy, crazy year for electronic dance music.

Just in Malaysia alone we’ve had festivals like Future Music Asia, Wicked Music Festival, We Love Asia Presents Avicii Live in Malaysia, Tiesto Live in Malaysia, Thirst 2013 and we’ve been lucky enough to have names like Zedd, Axwell, Swedish House Mafia, Afrojack, David Guetta, Bassjackers, Congorock, Sidney Samson, Nervo, W&W, Swanky Tunes, DJ Chuckie and many more grace our shores this 2013.

This year, we also see a new face as the number one DJ in the world, Hardwell proving it’s epic rise to fame and importance with an ever-expanding growth on a worldwide level, 2013 can be dubbed as the year of EDM. In celebration of 2013 being the year of EDM, it’s time to count down the top 20 EDM tracks of 2013. The list below is in order from 20 to 1, and is of course open for discussion! What are you favourite tracks this year?

20. Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, DVBBS, Borgeous — Stampede

19. Martin Garrix & Jay Hardway — Wizard

18. Miley Cyrus — Wrecking Ball (Afrojack Remix)

16. Alesso & Calvin Harris — Under Control (Original Mix)

14. Alesso vs One Republic — If I Lose Myself (Alesso Remix)

13. Armin van Buuren feat Trevor Guthrie — This Is What It Feels Like (W&W Remix)

8. Hardwell — Spaceman (Carnage Festival Trap Remix)

7. Empire Of The Sun — Alive (Zedd Remix)

5. Disclosure feat Aluna George — White Noise

3. Cedric Gervais vs Lana del Rey — Summertime Sadness

2. Fatboy Slim, Riva Starr & Beardymann — Eat, Sleep, Rave, Repeat (Calvin Harris Remix)

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Felixia Yeap: New Religion, New Name, & New Boyfriend?

Today marks the day that ex-Playboy bunny Felixia Yeap officially embraces Islam. While the news initially spurred mixed reactions from the Muslim as well as the non-Muslim community, with some labelling it as a “publicity stunt”, the 28-year-old former model is adamant that her decision was made with pure and good intentions.

Believe it or not, she wasn’t always the sex symbol that people are still criticising her for being. Felixia was a kindergarten teacher before she started her career in modelling in 2005. Her first exposure to the scene was when she entered the Dewi Remaja contest organised by a magazine and became one of its finalists. This achievement was soon followed by her entries into many other beauty pageants, including:

At the peak of her career, she was invited to be a Playboy bunny and worked as its club in Macau. Her short stint in the Playboy club is still earning her negative comments until today but she said, “There was no intention of working there for a long time. Yes, it was fun and I learnt many things but modelling is where my heart is, not working at the club”.

Felixia was only there for a month before she decided to return home.

According to this interview, Felixia had always wanted to wear the hijab, she has always loved the baju kurung, and was intrigued by the Malay-Muslim traditions.

Last year, she fell in love with the hijab after she was offered to parade in the hijab for a Celcom television commercial casting for the Hari Raya celebration. “It was a blue hijab and I fell in love with it. Then, I had another chance to wear the hijab again when I was hired as a model for a Muslim boutique in a fashion show during the Hari Raya season,” she said.

Even that was heavily criticised with people saying that she should’ve removed the pictures of her in a Playboy bunny outfit and also others which showed her in sexy poses and revealing attire before she donned the hijab.

After her first experience with the hijab, she was clearer than ever that she wanted to “cover up” and was convinced that she feels better when she does.

“People are not looking at you because of the size of your breasts or your body shape, instead, people look at you because of your intelligence and your character. I don’t deny that I had cried after several modelling jobs recently. I love to cover myself up, so when I have to give in to the demands of my work which required me to be sexy, I felt exploited,” she said.

Heavy scepticism and criticism ensued in the months that followed as Muslims as well as non-Muslims claimed that she was being “disrespectful” towards Islam for wearing a hijab. Over 148,800 Facebook and blog fans called this out to be publicity stunt to gain more popularity and fame. Some even unfollowed/unliked her social media sites after that.

Her defence? Felixia said, “I won’t blame them. People, who don’t know me, do not read what I write, will get confused. My past photoshoots and modelling gigs which I have on my Facebook and blog, those are my achievements. I want people to know, if I can stop being sexy, cover myself up, be a better person, a respected woman, why can’t they understand the story and moral behind it? Let it be a story to inspire people”.

While her mother has been fully supportive of her decision, friends haven’t been the friends they were supposed to be. According to Felixia, some of her real-life friends have shunned her and have avoided her. Other people, on the other hand, claim that she did this to attract “a rich Malay Datuk”.

“They say I did this to find a rich Malay Datuk to marry. If I wanted to find a rich man, I would have done it a long time ago when I was still actively modelling in sexy poses. Their criticisms defy logic. All I wanted to do was to cover up more and do more decent modelling,” she said.

Rumours have been rife that she is currently dating Raja Zainal Badri and the main reason behind her wanting to convert to Islam. Netizens who “exposed” the couple via Facebook have been circulating the below screenshots of pictures of the two together recently. Some have even taken to insulting the way he looks as well as his family background/ties, while others are calling Felixia a traitor (just like Leng Yein? not sure how that’s relevant):

In December 2013, she was asked if she would be wearing the hijab permanently, to which she confessed, “I want to be a better person, a better woman. The year 2014 will be the beginning of something beautiful”. But she was adamant back then that she was still a free-thinker, denying rumours of her plans to convert to Islam.

A few days ago, Felixia announced that she would officially recite the Muslim declaration of faith on 3rd July, which is her birthday, adding that the fifth day of Ramadan was Prophet Muhammad’s favourite date. That having said, it was not known where she would recite the shahadah or oath taken by a new Muslim as she preferred not to reveal the place. However, Felixia made the official announcement early this morning via her Facebook page when she changed her cover photo:

As at time of writing, the update has been shared over a hundred times and liked by more than 18,000 people in just a span of 2 hours. But perhaps people are more curious about her Muslim name? It was officially announced that Felixia Yeap’s Muslim name is Raisyyah Rania Yeap.

Congratulations, Rania, on your new journey. As always, we wish you all the best.

What do you guys think about her new name? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.

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10 Questions I’m Tired Of Hearing As An Unmarried Indian Girl

Yes, you guessed it – most of them come from relatives.

For the most part of my life, I have always felt like being single is a blessing. I don’t have to deal with all the relationship drama. I can sleep peacefully at night knowing no one is cheating on me, I don’t have to text someone every hour updating my whereabouts, I don’t need anyone’s permission to do the things I want to do, and I am the master of my sea.

But when I do go back to my hometown, I realise that being single is very much like being an expired can of tuna – everyone is looking for ways to get rid of you. The fact that I’m 27, living completely by myself in a new city with a fulfilling job – go completely unnoticed. The fact that I’m 27 and not married is all anyone cares about.

And every single time I go home, I have to deal with being pelted with some REAAAAALLY annoying questions, like these:

Gee, I didn’t realise that all my friends being married was an indication that it’s my turn. I was under the impression that I had to wait until I met the right person or something…

2. You know that you’re already 27 right?

Awww, I knew I could always count on you guys to remind me of my age in case my memory fails me. On a more serious note, yes, I’m 27 and that does not immediately mean that I have to stick my neck out to some random Tom, Dick, or Harry. Or in my case, any Raju, Muthu, or Navin.

3. Wait? What you mean wait first? What are you waiting for?

I don’t know, perhaps wait until I am both emotionally and financially ready – instead of getting married because societal norms indicate that I should be married by now or risk being the crazy cat lady.

4. Random aunty: When I was 27, I already had 3 kids

5. You know it’s going to be difficult to have a baby after 30 right?

Okay fine, I’ve read a lot of articles stating that getting pregnant after 30 could take longer and the process gets more complicated. But I also find it absolutely ludicrous that I have to marry the very next guy I meet just so I can have a baby before 30. Marriage is scary enough, I don’t and can’t even think of babies at this point.

6. You poor thing. Do you want me to find someone for you?

Wow, this single-by-choice concept is really foreign to a lot of people huh? Thanks, aunty, but I do have options, I just don’t want to rush into anything. Also, I’m kinda in a serious relationship with Eminem songs. #palmsaresweaty

7. Actually, I know just the right boy for you. He’s an engineer, how?

Engineer? That’s all you got? That’s the only piece of information you’re giving me before I make a life-long commitment to someone?

Yes! I’ve been following Jamie Oliver’s cooking shows diligently since I was 11, and I can make a mean bacon sandwich. I mean chicken – chicken sandwich.

9. You want to continue studies? For what? You’re 27!

Yeah, maybe I have other plans for my life. Why does the ultimate goal always have to be marriage?

10. Do you have any photo of you looking a bit fairer? My friend’s husband’s sister’s cousin’s nephew is asking.

Asking for my photo is bad enough, because you’re intruding my privacy and making life decisions for me. And then you insult my skin colour while you’re at it? Wow.

Do you get asked all these questions too? How do you deal with them? Let us know in the comments below.

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#IMSAsiaPacific: Universal Music (SEA) President Sandy Monteiro Powers Summit

The inaugural International Music Summit (IMS) Asia-Pacific kicked off on 11th Dec 2014 at the beautiful W Singapore Sentosa Cove, featuring the crème de la crème of the music industry. Particularly, the dance music industry.

IMS, which began life in Ibiza, was created in 2007 and is now revered as one of the world’s most important music industry gatherings in the world. It’s also a platform for labels, agents, managers and brands to debate, announce and explain new initiatives and strategies music to the industry.

Presented by BBC Radio One’s Pete Tong, IMS is regarded as the premier platform for the thought leaders in electronic music is where announcements for the season ahead are made and deals are confirmed. With talks by some of electronic dance music’s foremost DJs, their managers, and owners of the most significant brands in dance music, it is a place for everyone who is anyone in the dance music industry to network and create important business relationships.

The first IMS Asia Pacific saw the attendance of specially invited guests, key opinion leaders from the scene, members of the media, as well as speakers such as Pete Tong, Paul Oakenfold, Steve Angello, NERVO, Stereosonic’s Frank Cotela, and Life in Color’s JC Ahn. Also, Sandy Monteiro, who is the President of Universal Music South East Asia.

During his keynote, Sandy comprehensively answered the big question from the floor – “Why do you have a guy from a record label leading a futuristic music conference?”. By deftly weaving historical facts, current statistics and key performance indicating patterns; he neatly demonstrates that the business everyone thought was dead is actually in a rude state of health and may well be on the verge of its biggest boom in two decades.

The highlights of Sandy’s session include finding reasons for optimism in a graph of doom, persuading his peers to wind back the clock, the eye-opening top 5 countries in the region by market share and making the case for the industry being on the tipping point of the biggest growth it has ever known.

How to create a value proposition to leverage a brand’s interest in music, retaining the value long after a campaign is over, and just what is the “elephant in the room” that has the potential to bring the entire industry to its knees?

And if you’re kicking yourself for missing the first edition of IMS Asia Pacific, fret not! We hear that the summit will be making a return this year for 2 whole days ;)

For more information, visit IMS’ website or Facebook page.


#Oscars2016: Watch Lady Gaga’s Emotional Performance Of “Til It Happens To You”

“Too many women and men on and off of college campuses are still victims of abuse.”

Last year, Lady Gaga blew us all away with her outstanding “The Sound of Music” medley at the 87th Annual Academy Awards aka Oscars 2015. Then, just a couple of weeks ago, the 29-year-old singer-songwriter took our breaths away once again with an awe-inspiring 2016 Grammy Awards tribute performance to the late David Bowie.

We knew that there would be no stopping her for the 88th Annual Academy Awards aka Oscars 2016, which took place early this morning at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

Lady Gaga took the stage to perform “Til It Happens To You”, the original song off “The Hunting Ground”, a documentary about a series of sexual assaults on American college campuses. At the time of her performance, “Til It Happens To You” was still in the running for “Best Original Song“. She later lost the golden statuette to Sam Smith and Jimmy Napes’ “Writing’s On The Wall“.

Joining her onstage for her emotional performance of the powerful song was a group of sexual assault survivors with the words “Not Your Fault”, “Survivor”, and “Unbreakable” written on their arms. Towards the end of the song, they surrounded Lady Gaga at the piano before clasping their hands for a dramatic finale. The climatic end received a standing ovation from the attendees of the awards.

Watch Lady Gaga perform Til It Happens to you at the #Oscars here https://t.co/ptBYEAIKqq

— Lady Gaga Facts (@LGMonsterFacts) February 29, 2016

It’s no secret that Lady Gaga is also a survivor of sexual assault. She was assaulted at age 19 by a man 20 years her senior but she never confronted him.

Lady Gaga is currently working on her yet-to-be-titled 5th studio album.

To find out who won what at the 88th Annual Academy Awards, head on over here. The 88th Annual Academy Awards broadcasted live exclusively on HBO / HBO HD (Astro Ch 411 / 431) at 9:30am this morning. In case you missed it, catch the same night primetime encore at 8pm.

Sources: Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, PEOPLE.

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Dark Skies Ahead

From the producer of “Paranormal Activity”, “Insidious”, and “Sinister” comes the upcoming American science fiction horror film, “Dark Skies”.

Directed by Scott Stewart and producer by Jason Blum, the supernatural thriller follows a young Barret family in the suburbs. But as husband and wife Daniel and Lacey Barret (played by Josh Hamilton and Keri Russell respectively) witness an escalating series of disturbing events involving their family, their safe and peaceful home quickly unravels. Their suburban lives? Rocked and turned upside down.

[youtube id=”w0FzdInI75c” width=”600″ height=”350″]

Before long, they come to learn that a terrifying and deadly force is after them. Daniel and Lacey then take matters in their own hands to solve the mystery of what is after their family.

Find out what it is when the movie is released in our cinemas on 28th February 2013 (Thursday).

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


Astro’s Cha Eun-woo Coming To Malaysia For 1st Fan Meeting

Member of South Korean boy band Astro, Cha Eun-woo (이동민) will be going on his maiden solo fan meet tour in Asia this October.

The 22-year-old Korean heartthrob will stop by 5 different cities including Hong Kong, Taipei, Bangkok, Manila, and Kuala Lumpur.

His tour is called “Just One 10 Minute”, a reference to the name of the Naver V Live broadcasts through which he has regularly communicated with his fans since his debut.

Cha Eun-Woo starred in various web drama and drama such as “To Be Continued”, “Sweet Revenge’”and “Hit The Top” by KBS 2TV.

Cha Eun-woo is most known for the romantic comedy series “My ID is Gangnam Beauty”, his first leading role on television, which skyrocketed his popularity. He even took home the Rookie Actor Award and Hallyu Star Award on the 11th Korea Drama Awards for that role.

He now stars in the historical drama “Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung” alongside Shin Se-kyung. The Korean drama is available on Netflix for streaming.

The details for Cha Eun-woo’s “Just One 10 Minute” fan meeting tour in Malaysia are as follows:

According to the official press release, the HITS plan will allow fans to unlock four (4) Cha Eun-Woo fan meeting tickets with conditional discounts. Their 1st ticket will come with a 30% off deal and three additional tickets can be purchased with a 10% off deal; all HITS Deal tickets are limited to the Red Zone (RM543) with guaranteed entry. Existing Mcalls fans can also upgrade to a HITS plan and enjoy this HITS Deal.

This HITS plan can be purchased offline from the 3rd and 4th of August 2019 at any Mcalls DLS (Digital Lifestyle Store) as well as the MMspot Experimental Expo, Hall 3, in the Mid Valley Exhibition Centre.

For more info, visit mcalls.asia or call 03-277882233.

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Liberty Ross Files For Divorce

While Rob Pattinson has clearly forgiven his other half, Kristen Stewart for her “Snow White and the Huntsman” scandal, Liberty Ross found the situation just a little harder to swallow. The British model and actress, also mother to the “Snow White and the Huntsman” director’s children, has reportedly filed for divorce. And yes, obviously it’s due to Rupert and Kristen “gallivanting” out in the open during the course of their not-so-secret-anymore relationship.

42-year-old Rupert Sanders even publicly apologized mere days after his scandal blew up all over the media by saying, “I am utterly distraught about the pain I have caused my family. My beautiful wife and heavenly children are all I have in this world. I love them with all my heart. I am praying that we can get through this together.”

Huh, really now, Rupert? It seems like you’ve clearly just lost all that you have in this world. In papers filed on Friday in L.A. Superior Court, Liberty Ross is asking for joint custody of their children (five-year-old Tennyson and seven-year-old Skyla), spousal support, and attorney’s fees. What a price to pay – on top of spousal support in years to come.

We can’t say that we didn’t see this one coming. Especially since she was seen barely a month after the news of her (soon to be ex) husband’s betrayal without her wedding ring.


Indian Man Claims He Converted His Muslim Wife; Woman Asks For Forgiveness

Intercultural marriage is not uncommon in Malaysia. However, it can get messy, when involving religion.

An Indian man posted a video on social media, claiming he had convinced his Muslim wife to convert to Hinduism. The video quickly went viral, triggering many and leading to a raid at his house.

Johor police chief Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay stated that the police identified the man and were alerted to the raid. They checked the house around 9:50pm on 19th February. A group of people waiting outside the house in Bandar Dato’ Onn, suspected the 29-year-old Indian man was inside. “We were able to control the situation,” he said. “However, the man was not found in the house. Only his father and sister were in the house.” He also added that no arrests were made and no items were seized during the incident.

According to the police chief, Bukit Aman’s Classified Criminal Investigation Department (USJT) investigated the video when it went viral. The case was investigated under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act 1948, Section 298 and Section 505(c) of the Penal Code, as well as Section 233 of the Communication and Multimedia Act 1998. He urged the public to not take matters into their own hands and to inform the police if they had any information. This was to avoid disharmony and to ensure public safety.

Jakim’s Director-General Datuk Abdul Aziz Jusoh also requested the public allow the issue to be handled by the relevant authorities. “Jakim has been made to understand that the issue is under the attention of the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) after receiving several complaints from several parties,” he explained. He also stressed that Muslims renouncing Islam can be prosecuted under the Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment, which is enforced in several states. He then advised all Muslims to focus on “strengthening the institution of Islamic families” and caring for one another.

A second video was released shortly after by the woman. She claimed to be from Indonesia and stated she had renounced Islam while in her country. She stated that the previous video was a mistake and stated she and her husband have apologised to the Malaysian ministers and citizens.

Additionally, she asked for forgiveness, saying “Please forgive my husband, we still have a child. The child is young and needs his father very much.” She acknowledged that not everyone will forgive them, but they have promised not to record videos related to religion.

Sources: China Press, Utusan Malaysia, The Star


#MagicForAll: Dreams Come True At Uniqlo’s Global Flagship Store In Shanghai

It wasn’t too long ago that Japanese retail giant Uniqlo opened its largest global flagship store in Shanghai. It was at a time in 2013, when Uniqlo already had more than 189 retail locations throughout mainland China.

The difference between a standard Uniqlo store and a Uniqlo flagship store is easily distinguishable – from its size to the colourful rows upon rows of items that it has to offer. A world of its own, the choices are inexhaustible!

And now, about a year after the store launch and another year’s worth of renovations, the Uniqlo flagship store in Shanghai has added yet another feather to its cap – the opening of the “Magic For All” concept store, a world first.

Over the weekend, we were invited by our friends from Uniqlo Malaysia for a press preview in Shanghai. Here are some things that we found exceptional about the Uniqlo flagship store in Shanghai:

Located on Huaihai Road M, right outside Shanghai Metro Line 1’s Shaanxi Road Station, the Uniqlo global flagship store in Shanghai boasts about 6,600 square meters of floor space. The store took over the former site of the Yongxin Department Store, on the major commercial street in the heart of Shanghai. It’s so large that it spans 5 floors upwards complete with its own escalators, offering highly coveted Uniqlo items in every category, colour, shade, and size.

If you’ve been following our Instagram account closely over the past couple of days, you would’ve seen this short clip of the revolving mannequins at the Uniqlo global flagship store in Shanghai. Much like the Uniqlo store in Ginza, Tokyo, each mannequin spins slowly on a central axis, powered by a moving base. Coupled with fun “pick, choose, and put together” thematic stylings, it gives shoppers a better 360 look at what Uniqlo has to offer.

After a year’s worth of renovations, Uniqlo finally opened its “Magic For All” concept store on the topmost floor of the Uniqlo Shanghai flagship store on 27th September (Sunday). The “Magic For All” collaboration is part of a global partnership with animation juggernaut Disney, aiming to bring Disney fans’ childhood dreams to life in product. On the 5th floor of the Uniqlo flagship store in Shanghai is an interactive, immersive, and exciting Disney experience like no other.

A 180-centimeter-tall Mickey Mouse statue and 100 Mickey Mouse figurines (Mickey 100 Series) greet customers at the main entrance of the “Magic For All” concept store. The inspiration for the iconic Mickey 100 Series was taken from 100 exclusive new designs for Mickey Mouse, which will be on display for the first time in Shanghai. 15 of the designs were reproduced on colorful UTs (Uniqlo T-shirts), including 5 designs for children.

5. ..you’re so fine you blow our minds, hey MICKEY!

Interestingly, the “Magic For All” concept store also features, “Shout Mickey”, a special area that captures joyful moments. How does this interactive wonder work? When a customer shouts “Mickey!” toward the lens of the digital camera embedded in a wall, the moment is captured. The image can be sent to the customer’s smart phone as a memento of the visit. True blue Disney fans would find this the perfect way to boost their social media cred ;)

Beware, for you may get distracted. The “Magic For All” concept store is also dotted with wonderful Disney-themed realms to give shoppers an immersive Disney experience, much like walking through a mini theme park. Everything is carefully “plucked” from Disney titles such as Frozen, Alice in Wonderland, and Minnie Mouse, with focus on Uniqlo items. There were also “The Art of Disney Animation Studios” items especially curated by both Uniqlo and Disney on display, featuring popular timeless classics such as “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”, “Bambi“, “Winnie the Pooh“, and more.

6. Get crafty at the UTme! creative area

With unique and innovative being central to the overall shopping experience, the store is the first in China to offer “Magic For All” options for UTme!, a custom T-shirt design service, and for MY UNIQLO, which enables customers to add special touches to items of clothing. In short, the UTme! creative area allows shoppers to get crafty and personalise or “pimp” their clothes up with exclusive Uniqlo accessories such as cute iron-on patches.

What’s a “Magic For All” Uniqlo x Disney store if it doesn’t have a futuristic display corner dedicated to Lucasfilm’s “Star Wars”? The Uniqlo global flagship store in Shanghai also features a “Future” zone to showcase Uniqlo’s UT range of fashions. It boasts large scrolling LED displays as well as several revolving Stormtroopers straight out of “Star Wars” oh, you know, just casually lurking around while you shop. The chrome shelves and glass boxes also adds to the overall “polished” look and feel of the area.

For more pictures from the “Magic For All” launch in Shanghai, check out the gallery below:

To date, Uniqlo has a total of more than 1,600 stores in 16 markets worldwide including Japan, Australia, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia (yay, that’s us!), Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, UK, and the US.

When will a Uniqlo flagship store, with wonderful features and immersive experience in tow, open in Kuala Lumpur too?

Well, your guess is as good as ours. Somewhere in the near future, we hope. Fingers crossed! ;)

Meanwhile, don’t forget to check out our interview with Mr. Tadashi Yanai aka Mr. Yanai-san, the founder of Uniqlo, as well as Mr. Josh Silverman, Disney Consumer Products’ executive vice president of Global Licensing here, and also go behind-the-scenes with Uniqlo’s and Disney’s power creatives John C Jay and Allen Au-Yeung here.

The Uniqlo x Disney #MagicForAll collaboration* has been made available in phases starting Monday (28th September) at a Uniqlo outlet near you!

For more information, visit Uniqlo Malaysia’s website or Facebook page. Uniqlo Malaysia is also on Instagram, if you want to get first dibs information on their collections :)

*Availability of “Magic For All” items will vary from store to store with the large stores (One Utama, Midvalley Megamall, Fahrenheit 88, and IOI City Mall) carrying the most variety.

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“MasterChef Selebriti Malaysia 2” Host Aznil Nawawi Quits Show

TV host Datuk Aznil Nawawi has quit the “MasterChef Selebriti Malaysia 2” competition, saying that he has to take care of his 88-year-old mother.

Aznil said he could not focus on the contest as his mind was preoccupied with the well-being of his mother, who goes the hospital for treatment regularly.

His decision came as a surprise to his fans, the production team and fellow competitors as the show had reached its 13th episode:

Apart from filming the programme, I still have a full time job with Astro. Thus I can only spend some time with my mother on Sundays. Since late last year, my mother is always ill. Even a cough could land her in the hospital for a week.

Although his siblings had been very understanding about his busy schedule, Aznil said he felt guilty of not taking enough responsibility. “As her children, we have to take more care of her”, he added.


Hans Isaac Appointed As The New Chairman Of FINAS

Datuk Hans Isaac has been appointed as the new chairman of FINAS (National Film Development Corporation Malaysia).

The 47-year-old filmmaker shared the news on his social media, saying that he is humbled to receive the position by the Minister of Communication and Multimedia.

A post shared by Hans Isaac (@hansisaac)

“I have always been passionate about the wellbeing of my fellow industry practitioners and raising the quality of our films, and my hope has always been for Finas to be a transparent, non-political, professionally run entity, so that it becomes sustainable and benefits everyone in the industry.”

“I am extremely excited to take on this new challenge, and look forward to working hand in hand with the newly appointed CEO En. Ahmad Idham and the current Board of Directors,” he wrote.

Hans’ appointment comes a month after Ahmad Idham was announced as the new CEO of FINAS. He will be serving the chairman position for 2 years from 8th April 2019 onward, taking over from Datuk Samsuni Mohd Nor, who was the Finas acting chairman for 4 months.

A post shared by FINAS Malaysia (@finasmalaysia)

Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo said in a statement, “Datuk Gerald Hans Isaac has extensive experience in film and television and is known as an actor, publisher and film director. He has received various awards in the local film industry.”

“He has been a member of Finas’ board of advisors and a member of the Malaysian Film Publisher Association in 2012. I also hope that Finas members will give their full cooperation to Hans in implementing reforms based on the government’s direction,” he added.


Disney’s Star Wars: Visions Review – The Force Is Strong With This Anime Series

Well hot damn, seems like the future of animation is anime! So much so that even American studios and networks want a piece of the pie. Netflix has seen their anime audience growing twice as large since 2020. The streaming service has capitalised off this success by launching a ton of anime related projects of their own. Some like Warren Ellis and Adi Shankar’s “Castlevania” have proven to be truly groundbreaking, beautifully marrying eastern artstyles and western sensibilities. It was only a matter of time before Disney got in on the action and here it is! An anime anthology series based within the Star Wars universe.

Yes indeed, Disney has come to play and they are not messing about. “Star Wars: Vision” sees Japanese anime studios putting their own creative spin on the space fantasy’s mythos. Prominent studios like Production I.G. and Science Saru have even contributed to the line-up. So, will this collaboration prove to be an epic, light-sabering igniting success? Or another cautionary tale of companies chasing fads and failing? Let’s break it down!

Unlike “Star Wars: Rebels” or “The Bad Batch”, “Visions” isn’t constrained to the established canon of the franchise’s films. Meaning that creators have a blank canvas to reimagine the world of Star Wars in whatever way they choose. So yes, you’ll hear little to no talk regarding Skywalkers which is exactly what the franchise needs at this point! To let the past die and to explore new stories and worlds set within the galaxy far, far away. Think of it as a sort of “What If…?”, except for Star Wars and with much better production quality!

The series is an anthology, which provides each studio with an opportunity to tell you a different tale with their own distinct artstyle. It is no hyperbole when we say that the episodes in the series have given us some of the best Star Wars stories we’ve seen in a long time. Episodes like “The Ninth Jedi” and “The Village Bride” are wonderful examples of the creators’ clear love for the property. “The Ninth Jedi” follows the story of a young woman rekindling the Jedi order in a galaxy ruled by the Sith. Something that we’ve never seen before outside of Bioware’s “Knights of the Old Republic” games.

While “The Village Bride” is less concerned about the high-flying antics of Force users than it is on human stories. We found its juxaposition between Japan’s naturalistic Shinto motifs with Star Wars’ spiritual view of the Force to be particularly fascinating. Never needing to rush its narrative along but rather methodically creating memorable characters living in times of conflict. Punctuated by an amazing soundtrack that wouldn’t feel out of place in a Studio Ghibli film.

By far though, our favourite episode has got to be “The Twins”. It recounts the story of two secret Dark Side twins looking to destroy both the Empire and Republic. That is until one of the pair has a change of heart. It captures all the emotional weight and scale of the original trilogy. While also recontextualising the conflict away from the Oedipal struggle to one of sibling rivalry. Also, one of them is wielding six friggin lightsabers at the same time! Eat your heart General Griveous. We would love nothing more than to see that turned into a full-scale animated series.

As fans of the series, we’ve long been frustrated with Disney’s approach of rehashing old plot threads due to their fears of isolating fans. This is especially true when it comes to their sequel trilogy. “Star Wars: Visions” is a proof of concept that fans are hungry for something new. That there are new exciting ways to recreate the magic of the old films without having to resort to cheap callbacks or cameos. This is what happens when you simply allow writers and creators to build upon what works while discading what doesn’t.

That being said, there are obviously entries in the series that don’t quite meet the high watermark of the aforementioned episodes. They’re not so much well-rounded contained animated novellas as they are fantastic visual showcases or homages to the franchise. An episode entitled “The Duel” is essentially a black-and-white Kurosawa samurai flick with thinly veiled by Star Wars aesthetics. Ultimately culminating in an intense showdown set to John William’s iconic “Duel of the Fates” soundtrack. Fans of “Samurai Champloo” will definitely get a kick out of “The Elder”. A brief episode chronicling a pair of Jedi hunting for a Sith on a rural planet that resembles the forests of Kyoto. We came for flashy blaster shootouts and lightsaber duels and we left satisfied.

Disney being Disney, not every episode in “Star Wars: Visions” is going to be as dramatically weighty or as battle heavy throughout. Episodes like “Tatooine Rhapsody” is an adorable little romp that follows a mini-Boba Fett chasing after a musical band. “To-B1” is the answer to the question of: What if Astro Boy wanted to be a Jedi? They’re not terrible per se but in an anime series chalked full of jaw-dropping spectacle, compelling stories and badass characters, they don’t quite stand out. If anything, they’re visual appetisers before digging into the main course. If you’re a completionist, then there’s some cutesy fun to be had. Those looking to skip the filler, should feel free to do so.

“Star Wars: Visions” is a solid testament to the power of creative autonomy. A thoroughly entertaining anime anthology series that sets a new standard for what fans of the franchise should expect. All brought to life by incredibly talented anime studios. If this is a sign of what’s to come, then the future of the franchise is looking bright. If Disney was trying to win over the otaku crowd with this one, then they’ve certainly done it! You can now catch “Star Wars: Visions” on Disney Hotsar today.

So what did you think of Disney’s “Star Wars: Visions”? What’s your favourite episode? Be sure to leave us a comment and give a reaction down below!

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"Star Wars: Visions" is a solid testament to the power of creative autonomy. A thoroughly entertaining anime anthology series that sets a new standard for what fans of the franchise should expect. All brought to life by incredibly talented anime studios. If this is a sign of what's to come, then the future of the franchise is looking bright.


Hype’s Now Playing: Razlan Shah feat. Austin Shupe — Sister’s Eyes

Razlan Shah recently released his latest single featuring Austin Shupe — ‘Sister’s Eyes’. Guaranteed to do just as well as his first single ‘Flowers‘ did, Razlan Shah’s latest single is beautifully written with powerful lyrics. Taking on a slightly different note from his first single, ‘Sister’s Eyes’ is a folk acoustic single that allows for fans and listeners to enjoy Razlan’s deep voice as it blends perfectly with the guitar strumming for a perfect harmony!


Twitter Users Receive Unsolicited Text From Perverted Roadblock Police Officer

A Twitter user, known as Azie (@nnnadzifah) detailed an uncomfortable experience she encountered with a police officer on her page last night (Thursday, 11th February).

According to the girl, it all started after she was pulled over by an officer on duty at a roadblock while she was running some errands recently.

In the Twitter post, Azie shared that the police asked her to stop at a corner for awhile during the usual roadblock inspection. She further revealed that the cop had “jotted down all of my information. This include my IC number, phone number, and also my license.”

Azie also accompanied her post with a screenshot of her WhatsApp text she received from the guy. In the photo, the sender introduced himself as the officer whom she met at the roadblock earlier. When asked about why he contacted her, the perverted policeman clarified that he “just wanted to get to know” Azie.

Following Azie’s revelation, which has gained over 11.4k retweets at the time of writing, netizens are calling out the policeman on his unethical behaviour. Some also flooded the replies space by revealing that they had similar frightening encounters in the past as well. Check out their reactions below:

Another woman by the name of Nur Dini Syazwani (@dineywanie Twitter handle) also shared a screenshot of a similar encounter. A police officer named Azam had reached out to her via Whatsapp cause he wanted “to be friends”.

Despite telling the officer that she’s already engaged and her fiancé wouldn’t be pleased about this exchange, Azam insisted that this was just harmless exchange. Check out their conversation in the screenshot below:

Just last month, another female Twitter user detailed her daunting experience when she received a text message from a food delivery rider. Get the full scope here.


Malaysia’s Largest Indoor Entertainment City Is Set To Open In Resorts World Genting

You’d think the newly-opened outdoor theme park or the countless number of famous retail outlets will be your ultimate reason to never leave the pleasure-filled entertainment hub that is, Genting Highlands. We would disagree, now that we have an announcement that is sure to delight you all.

Malaysians went AWOL after the opening of the much-anticipated Genting Skyworlds Theme Park earlier this year, leaving everyone shaking with excitement. Currently, the world-renowned tourist destination has bigger plans for the future after revealing their upcoming brand-new development project called Tropicana Windcity.

In partnership with Powerchina International Group Limited (“PowerChina”), Tropicana Corporation Berhad intends to develop the futuristic-like Tropicana Paradise—Malaysia’s largest indoor entertainment city—right here in South East Asia’s most popular tourist hotspot, covering up to 596 acres of indoor fun.

Visitors can come to expect a variety of joyous activities such as indoor water theme parks, ski resorts, aquarium restaurants, roller-coasters, go-karts and much more for all to enjoy! Additionally, the natural landscape will be protected and utilised as a means for jungle trekking and other outdoor experiences, however with a modern twist to it by installing dancing fountains and giant LED screens.

Of course, when it comes to any development plan, one must head towards promoting sustainability and a greener future. Fortunately, Tropicana Corporation promises sustainable infrastructure and transportation facilities, which includes a cable car system, electric tram system, elevated pedestrian walkways (disabled-friendly) and bicycle and wheels tracks for scooters, skateboards and the like.

Can’t wait for it to be completed? Neither, can we! If you would like to know more, check out their website and get a glimpse of the magnificent utopia that is coming your way soon.

Neetashini Kanendran contributed to this article

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#BSB: Backstreet Boys To Try Out Las Vegas Residency; Teases New Album

We’ve got some exciting news for all you Backstreet Boys fans out there. Entertainment Tonight recently met up with Nick Carter as well as Kevin Richardson and the BSB members confirmed 2 things.

The 1st is something you probably already know, which is the fact that the group have been in the studio recording their new album that is expected to be released later this year. The 2nd piece of information is that the Backstreet Boys have signed on to do a 9-show deal for a trial run residency in Las Vegas.

“We have a deal with Live Nation, which is the touring company, and we just signed a nine-show deal to do sort of like a test run in Vegas with the residency. So that’s definitely going to happen, but we’re going to do a trial run first,” Carter told ET.

This is still in the very early stages and the trial run is essentially to test the waters for a long term residency, joining the likes of mega pop stars Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez. “It would definitely have to be a very big and spectacular show. Thankfully, we have a good catalog so we can perform all of our hits. That could take up a lot of the show,” added the “19 in 99” singer.

So which band members are coming back for the show? Rest assured that all 5 original members of the Backstreet Boys are on board and retuning for the new shows. It wouldn’t be the same without having Carter, Richardson, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell and A.J. McLean together onstage.

Richardson also spoke about the residency, mentioning that it’s pretty ideal for them all since they have families. “It seemed really convenient for the family! A Vegas residency, now that we’re all fathers, could be very convenient for us … We won’t have to travel so much,” said the 44-year-old singer.

This couldn’t be better for Carter, whose first child (it’s a baby boy!) with wife Lauren Kitt is due anytime now.

This isn’t the only Backstreet Boys project though. As aforementioned, Carter shared that they are working with “young, hot producers that can give us a fresh new sound”. The group is eyeing to release a single towards the end of the year, with the album and tour to follow.

“When it comes to the music, we want to make sure we have hits,” said Carter. “We appreciate [the fans] so much for giving us such a great life. And, hopefully, we can do the same thing back by continuing to entertain you.”

So, is anyone booking a flight to Sin City soon?


Green Day: Soon An Epic Trilogy

They said, “We are at the most prolific and creative time in our lives. This is the best music we’ve ever written, and the songs just keep coming. Instead of making one album, we are making a three album trilogy. Every song has the power and energy that represents Green Day on all emotional levels. We just can’t help ourselves… We are going epic as fuck!”

Who is “they”, you ask? It’s none other than vocalist/guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tré Cool.

In 2009, they released “21st Century Breakdown“, which won a 2010 Grammy Award for Best Rock Album. It spawned two hit singles: the gold “Know Your Enemy,” which was the first song ever to top Billboard’s Rock, Alternative, and Mainstream Rock charts simultaneously, and the double-platinum “21 Guns,” which earned them three 2009 MTV Video Music Awards including “Best Rock Video”. Green Day also took home an American Music Award for “Favorite Alternative Rock Music Artist”.

Over the years, Green Day continued to top the charts with the subsequent studio albums “Insomniac”, “Nimrod”, and “Warning”, while entertaining millions of fans with their frenetic live shows. But it was their landmark 2004 album “American Idiot” that launched Green Day into the stratosphere. American Idiot debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard chart, spawned five hit singles, earned seven Grammy nominations (winning two, including Best Rock Album), and raised the bar for modern rock and roll.

And today, the band announced that they’re currently set to release three albums – a trilogy entitled “¡Uno!”, “¡Dos!”, and “¡Tré!” – that will be released by Reprise Records on Tuesday, September 25th 2012; Tuesday, November 13th 2012, and Tuesday, January 15th 2013 respectively.

Check out “Oh Love“, the first single off  “¡Uno!”:

[youtube id=”H_05XAPR8q8″ width=”600″ height=”350”]

“¡Uno!”, “¡Dos!”, and “¡Tré!” are being recorded in their hometown of Oakland, CA.

For more information, visit their official website.

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#MalaysiaDay: Malaysia’s National Animal Fighting To Exist In Our World

Our heart aches at news of the Malayan tiger is being being pushed to the point of extinction.

The Malayan tiger is also known as Malaysia’s national animal and it has appeared in various heraldry of Malaysian institutions such as Royal Malaysian Police, Maybank, Proton, and Football Association of Malaysia. If you paid close attention, you’d also notice that 2 tigers are depicted as supporters in the coat of arms of Malaysia. It symbolises bravery and strength to Malaysians.

Of course, who can forget that it’s also the nickname for the Malaysian national football team aka “Harimau Malaya”.

According to a report from The Star, current estimates have pegged Malaysia’s tiger population at as little as 250 to 340 tigers in Peninsular forests, nearly half of the previous estimate of 500 tigers.

“Despite all efforts, including the strengthening of legislation and increased patrolling, tiger conservation across the vast tropical forest landscape continue to face challenges. Poaching for illegal commercial trade is the greatest and most urgent threat to tigers in Malaysia, followed by loss and fragmentation of forests,” said a joint statement by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (Perhilitan) and the Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers (Mycat).

Commercial poaching has always been a problem and it occurs at varying levels in all tiger range states. In Malaysia, there is a substantial domestic market in recent years for tiger meat, manufactured tiger bone medicines, and other products.

It was added that the new estimates were made from studies conducted between 2010 to 2013 using camera traps under a standardised protocol at sites across 3 major tiger landscapes in Peninsular Malaysia. Though it said that more sites needed to be surveyed to determine a more robust tiger population estimate here, it added that the Malayan tiger now met the IUCN Red List criteria of “Critically Endangered”.

It previously classified as “Endangered” in 2008.

Previous moves to increase Malaysia’s tiger population to 1,000 by 2020, such as specified in the National Tiger Conservation Action Plan, were now considered “unachievable” :(


BIGBANG Alive GALAXY Tour 2012 In Malaysia!

They came, they sang and danced (and therefore, saw how loved they are by Malaysian VIPs), they conquered, and they left their fans breathless. Only one K-pop super group can have such affect on our country and they’re none other than G-Dragon, Taeyang, T.O.P, Daesung, and Seungri.

Malaysians first got word that the South Korean boys were coming to town for the very first time as part of their “Alive GALAXY Tour 2012” in July. The one-night concert with a production cost of over RM4 million was sponsored by Samsung Galaxy and presented by YG Entertainment and Live Nation Entertainment, and organised by Running Into The Sun with official partner PMP.As soon as the tickets went on sale, they were snapped up by fan girls and boys, gone without a trace.

Some hardcore fans even camped out outside Fahrenheit 88 from the night before the tickets release. Imagine that!

But after all that adrenaline rush from ensuring that they could get their hands on a ticket or two, comes the next rush – the long wait for 27th October 2012 to finally arrive.

From as early as 12 noon, BIGBANG’s fans flocked to Stadium Merdeka to queue up at the designated gates. A few hours later, it started pouring – but that didn’t stop the fans. As the hours passed, more and more fans arrived at the stadium, living proofs to the true definition of “come rain or shine”.

BIGBANG’s Alive GALAXY Tour 2012 Malaysia finally opened with a video clip on a giant screen:

[youtube id=”fOBhl5-QjwE” width=”600″ height=”350″]

At this point, the deafening screams from BIGBANG’s 15,000 fans started – and it would last right up until the last encore. The South Korean boys’ opening was accompanied by the title song of their latest album, “Alive”.

As soon as that was over, G-Dragon, Taeyang, T.O.P, Daesung, and Seungri, the faces that the VIPs have memorized by heart, stepped out of their futuristic capsules (as seen in the video above) and greeted their fans enthusiastically.

They then sang “Tonight” and “Hands Up”, before going on to performed their current hit song “Fantastic Baby”, “Stupid Liar”, “Café”, “Monster”, the melancholic “Blue”, “Gara Gara Go”, their ever so popular trademark slow songs “Lies” and “Haru Haru”.

For almost three whole hours after, fans were wholly entertained with BIGBANG’s high energy performances of more than 20 songs, consisting of their songs as a group plus solo performances. Taeyang sang “Wedding Dress“, Daesung performed “Wings“, and BIGBANG’s leader G-Dragon even previewed beatboxing versions of “Crayon” followed by “One of a Kind“.

You could say it left no time for Malaysian VIPs to catch their breaths!

The night then ended with not one, not two, but four encores from the boys, knowing that their fans would leave with heavy hearts. BIGBANG Alive GALAXY Tour 2012 in Malaysia closed with “Bad Boy”, “Feeling”, “Hand Up”, and “Fantastic Baby”.

I have a show every day and every night, but tonight will be the concert that I will remember for the rest of my life. Thank you.

No, thank YOU, BIGBANG. This will be the concert that we’ll remember for the rest of our lives too.

For more information, visit YG Entertainment’s official website. BIGBANG is also on Facebook so don’t forget to LIKE them!

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Sam Tsui’s The Gold Jacket Tour To Include Malaysia & Singapore

Good news music lovers! Sam Tsui is returning to Southeast Asia.

The 30-year-old singer-songwriter will be embarking on the “Gold Jacket Tour” to 10 cities in Asia this year. Tsui was initially slated to perform at OMNI Waves 2019 but the event got cancelled. Thankfully, fans are getting another chance to see him live!

“To date, his videos, including covers, medleys, and mashups, have amassed over 500 million hits on Youtube alone, with each new release, including his debut original album ‘Make It Up’, and his brand new 2018 album ‘Trust’ contributing to his ever-expanding worldwide fanbase.”

The internet singing sensation’s 10 cities tour include:

Stay tuned to this space for ticketing details.


“Angry Birds” Theme Park To Open In Johor!

Angry Birds are coming to town with the opening of the Angry Birds Activity Park here in May next year. The first Angry Birds Activity Park to open in South-East Asia, the 26,000 sq ft indoor theme park will be located at Komtar JBCC in downtown Johor Baru.

“Our goal is to delight the fans, both adults and children and create an exciting experience for the whole family”, said the Finland-based Rovio Entertainment Ltd chief operations officer Harri Koponen. He said this after the signing ceremony between Johor Corp’s subsidiary Damansara Assets Sdn Bhd presented by its executive director Yusaini Sidek yesterday.

Witnessing the event were JCorp president and chief executive officer Datuk Kamaruzzaman Abu Kassim and Rovio Asia senior-vice president Henri Holm.

Under the 10-year licensing agreement between both parties, Damansara Asset has been given the rights to feature Angry Birds characters at the indoor theme park. Koponen said other components in the indoor theme park would include activity area, retail shop, restaurant and party room.

He said the company’s decision to set up a park in Johor Baru was largely prompted by the exciting developments to take place in around the city under its transformation plan. “Many countries in the region has approached us, asking us to set up the indoor theme park but we decided to come to Johor Baru”, added Koponen.


Onitsuka Tiger Launches Second Concept Store Here In Malaysia

Onitsuka Tiger roars its way to Sunway Pyramid.

Onitsuka Tiger has officially open its second concept store in Malaysia. Located at Sunway Pyramid, the new store takes up a total of 1,650 square feet and is designed to meet the demands of Onitsuka Tiger fans in Malaysia.

Following the success of its first store in Kuala Lumpur which opened 2 years ago in Pavilion, the second store in Sunway Pyramid looks to cater to shoppers within the neighbouring cities such as the Klang Valley area, Selangor and Petaling Jaya.

Located within proximity of key landmarks such as Sunway Hotel, Sunway University and Sunway Lagoon Theme Park, the Onitsuka Tiger store in Sunway Pyramid allows for the brand to reach to an audience of all ages. Open from 10am to 10pm on a daily basis, the Onitsuka Tiger store in Sunway Pyramid is located at G1.98.

Take a look at the gallery below for more images from the Onitsuka Tiger store launch in Sunway Pyramid.


#Gambit: X-Men Spin-Off Film Lands Director Rupert Wyatt

At this rate, 20th Century Fox may just take over 2016 with its impressive movie slate!

While Bryan Singer is working hard on filming “X-Men: Apocalypse” for Fox, the studio, on the other hand, has been searching for a helmer for its upcoming “X-Men” spin-off film, “Gambit“. And now, it seemed like the search is over because EW exclusively revealed that director Rupert Wyatt will helm Fox’s “Gambit”, with “Magic Mike XXL” star Channing Tatum starring in the titular mutant role.

Gambit is a fictional character created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Jim Lee for Marvel Comics. The mutant was abandoned at birth due to his burning red eyes. He grew up as a pickpocket on the streets after being kidnapped from the hospital ward by members of the New Orleans Thieves’ Guild. When he was 10-year-old, he was adopted by Jean-Luc LeBeau, the then-patriarch of the Thieves’ Guild, after a failed attempt to steal from him.

He was described as an incredibly knowledgeable mutant with the ability to mentally create, control, and manipulate pure kinetic energy to his every whim and desire. He often uses a bō for hand-to-hand combat and throw cards to track down his enemies. Having appeared in a number of TV and video games, the character was brought to life by Taylor Kitsch in 2009’s “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”.

The success of bringing the character to the big screen prompted Fox to develop a solo film based on Gambit.

Wyatt, who was the director of Fox’s “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”, will direct the movie based on a script written by Josh Zetumer. Tatum will not only star in the film, but also produce it alongside Lauren Shuler Donner, Simon Kinberg, and Reid Carolin.

No further information regarding the movie was released, but Tatum confirmed in a recent interview with Empire Magazine that it will tell the origin story of the Cajun mutant.

The Gambit-origin film is currently slated for cinematic release on 7th October 2016.

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#IKEA: Johor Bahru Outlet To Open In 2017; Hiring Now For Over 50 Positions

Hot on the heels of opening its store in Cheras just a couple of months ago, IKEA Malaysia has announced that it will open its new store in Johor Bahru.

Located near Jalan Desa Tebrau, Johor Bahru, this will be the 1st store in the southern region of Malaysia.

In line with this, IKEA is embarking on the 1st phase of recruitment for over 50 positions, including those for the store’s management team. Openings include positions for the Store Manager as well as managers and assistant managers for Sales, Communication and Interior Design, Human Resource, Sustainability, Restaurant, Logistics Department, and more.

“This store is part of our overall ambition to expand in Southeast Asia and commitment to provide more Malaysians with affordable, functional and well-designed Swedish home furnishings. As we prepare its development, we invite Malaysians to join our team to pioneer the setup of our new store,” said Mike King, Retail Director, IKEA Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

IKEA offers a competitive package of rewards including an incentive plan, medical benefits, employee discounts, and opportunities to learn and develop.

“We believe that growing our business and people goes hand-in-hand. We want to work with down-to-earth and straightforward individuals who share the same passion towards creating a better everyday life for the many people,” Mike added.

To apply or find out more about job openings now available for the new IKEA store in Johor Bahru, please visit IKEA.my/jobs.

IKEA Malaysia’s Johor Bahru store is slated to open by end 2017. IKEA is also slated to open a store in Penang by the 3rd quarter of 2018.


#AirAsia: Flights To 7 China Destinations Cancelled Due To Typhoon NIDA

Low-cost carrier AirAsia has announced via a Facebook post that flights operating in Southern China from Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, and Johor Bahru for 1st and 2nd August 2016 (Monday and Tuesday) have been cancelled due to Severe Tropical Storm NIDA/Typhoon NIDA.

“All affected guests will be notified by AirAsia via email and SMS,” the airline said, adding that guests are strongly encouraged to update their contact details at airasia.com to ensure that they are notified of any updates to their flights.

Kuala Lumpur – Guangzhou – AK118
Kota Kinabalu – Guangzhou – AK1531
Kuala Lumpur – Shenzhen – AK128
Kuala Lumpur – Changsha – AK174
Changsha – Kuala Lumpur – AK175
Johor Bahru – Guangzhou – AK1394
Kota Kinabalu – Hangzhou – AK1574
Hangzhou – Kota Kinabalu – AK1575
Kota Kinabalu – Wuhan – AK2138
Wuhan – Kota Kinabalu -AK2139

Kuala Lumpur – Guangzhou – AK112
Guangzhou – Kuala Lumpur – AK113
Guangzhou – Kuala Lumpur – AK 119
Shenzhen – Kuala Lumpur – AK129
Guangzhou – Johor Bahru – AK1395
Guangzhou – Kota Kinabalu – AK1530
Kuala Lumpur – Macau – AK182
Macau – Kuala Lumpur – AK183
Kuala Lumpur – Shenzhen – AK126
Shenzhen – Kuala Lumpur – AK127
Kuala Lumpur – Hong Kong – AK138 and AK134
Hong Kong – Kuala Lumpur – AK139 and AK135
Kota Kinabalu – Hong Kong – AK237
Hong Kong – Kota Kinabalu – AK236
Kota Kinabalu – Shenzhen – AK1520
Shenzhen – Kota Kinabalu – AK1521

AirAsia isn’t the only airline to cancel flights due to the storm.

According to CNN in a report dated 1st August, over 120 flights to and from Hong Kong have been cancelled as NIDA barrels toward the city and Southern China. Hong Kong International Airport also confirmed that 181 flights scheduled to depart or arrive Hong Kong between Monday and Tuesday have been canceled. All Cathay Pacific Airways and Dragonair flights scheduled to go through Hong Kong between 10pm local time on Monday until 2pm the next day will be suspended.

NIDA is generating winds up to 150 kilometres per hour as it moves northwest towards southwest China.

Meanwhile, AirAsia is closely monitoring the potential impact of this storm and will continue to update guests in a timely manner on any changes due to Severe Tropical Storm NIDA. All guests travelling to and from Southern China are also advised to check their flight statuses on the airline’s website.

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#Ubisoft: Video Game Theme Park To Open In Kuala Lumpur

Today, Ubisoft announced that it is developing a next-generation theme park.

Just in case you’re not familiar with Ubisoft, it’s a French multinational video game developer and publisher known for developing games for several acclaimed video game franchises including Far Cry, Ghost Recon, Just Dance, Rainbow Six, Prince Of Persia, Rayman, Splinter Cell, and Assassin’s Creed.

Combining a rich portfolio of world-renowned brands and an expertise in designing highly interactive gaming experiences, Ubisoft aims to revolutionise guests’ journeys

The project is being led by Ubisoft Motion Pictures, who has a successful track record of expanding Ubisoft’s game brands to theme parks with the launch of the award-winning* Rabbids Dark Ride at French park Futuroscope.

For its first next-generation theme park, Ubisoft Motion Pictures is partnering with RSG, co-owner and co-developer of Movie Animation Park Studios (MAPS).

The planned 10,000 square meter indoor development will be located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – second most visited country in Asia** – and will feature innovative rides, attractions, and shows inspired by some of Ubisoft’s biggest franchises, such as Assassin’s Creed, Just Dance, and Rabbids.

Excited yet? The Ubisoft theme park is expected to start construction in 2017 and is scheduled to open in 2020. We be adding this to our list of top theme parks to visit in Asia!

**2014 Themed Entertainment Association Award (TEA) for Outstanding Achievement
 **Source: 2014 Tourism Highlights Report by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)

Additional information about Ubisoft can be found here whereas additional information about RSG can be found on their website.


#GE13: Malaysians Stage Protest Across Malls Via “The Silent Walk”

Following the results of the 13th Malaysian general election, citizens of the country have gotten busy protesting the outcome. Some have taken the step to send in a petition to the White House with the hopes of being heard, while others have decided to give it a silent treatment. And by that, we mean literally.

Yesterday, on 6th May 2013 (Monday), from 3pm till 6pm, Malaysians from all walks of life, regardless of age or race or gender donned black shirts and plastered masking tapes across their mouths and walked in every mall in Malaysia.

The movement, dubbed “The Silent Walk” was a peaceful protest against the alleged corrupted election process.

In Mid Valley Megamall, Kuala Lumpur, the crowd stood in silence at the East Atrium of the mall at 5:00pm, attracting attention from shoppers as well as the people who happen to be working in the area. The silent walkers were present at The Gardens Mall, Kuala Lumpur too. Let’s not forget Queensbay Mall in Penang, where a small but prominent group also took it upon themselves to support the notion:

Those that were present for “The Silent Walk” neither shouted nor cried, nor did they hold any signage. It was as silent as you would expect, signifying that Malaysians have been pressed into a silence of deep grief, having stripped off their right as citizens.

Needless to say, news of the movement gained traction when onlookers took pictures and shared it cross social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter. So, did you happen chance upon any of these silent walkers? Share your pictures with us via Twitter (@HypeMY), we’d love to see them!


#InfiniteH: A Comeback In 2015; Posible Collaboration With Famous Producers

Well, it looks like EXO isn’t the only group that is looking forward to have a fresh start in 2015 as INFINITE’s sub-unit, INFINITE H is set to make a comeback next year as well!

Dongwoo and Hoya, the rapper duo from Woollim Entertainment’s INFINITE emerged as the first sub-unit group out of 7-member idol group and the first-ever hip-hop unit under their talent agency. The sub-unit group made their debut with a mini album titled “Fly High” earlier in January last year.

Most of the songs from their mini album, “Fly High” have topped various major music charts after the album was released and the album has even earned them the “Best Unit” award at 2013 SBS MTV Best of Best.

However, the group has never revealed their intention to make a comeback until last year during an interview with EDaliy, when the duo revealed that the comeback might happen in the first half of 2014 and that they are working on the recording of their new release. The group also surprised fans by performing a self-written song, “Alone” during INFINITE’s encore concert, “One Great Step Returns” in March 2014.

As the sub-unit group will be attending the “Brand New Music family concert” on December 7th, a spokesperson from the agency told Korean media outlet MBN Star that the group will be revealing their plans for their new album during the concert.

Another Korean media outlet OSEN also exclusively reported that the group is expected to make a comeback in January and will collaborate with famous producers or artistes from Korean record label Brand New Music. Artistes such as Zion.T, Bumkey, Paloalto, Beenzino, Dynamic Duo’s Gaeko are expected to collaborate with them in their new album.

Woollim Entertainment has not responded to the rumour but we are pleased that INFINITE H is finally making a comeback soon! We’ll leave you with our favourite song from their mini album here:

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Justin & Selena Back Together?

Over the weekend, Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez were spotted out and about, sparking reunion rumours. Selena attended up-and-coming girl group YLA’s private concert at Soho House in West Hollywood on Saturday night. She has good enough reasons to be there because not only is she friends with the five YLA girls, their producers are also Selena’s longtime musical collaborators, Rock Mafia. Also, Rock Mafia is currently working on Selena’s new album.

But uh, somewhere along the night, Justin Bieber decides to join her.

Selena arrived first, then Bieber showed up later on in the evening in his usual jeans and backwards baseball cap. Did we say usual jeans? We meant usual super dangerously low hung jeans. There haven’t been any pictures of the duo but an YLA member, Brooke Adams did confirm Justin’s and Selena’s attendance when she tweeted:

According to E! Online, although Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez spent the night next to each other, the pair did not show any PDA – no holding hands, hugging, kissing, or even the touching of their fingertips. You get the picture.

Still, this piece of news has been driving their fans nuts for days! Are they or are they not back together? Maybe there’s really “nothing like” them, huh?


Congratulations, Thor aka Chris Hemsworth!

While “The Avengers” continues to dominate the box office, Australian actor Chris Hemsworth is dominating the entertainment news today – for entirely different reasons!

It has been reported that “The Avengers” star and his Spanish wife, Elsa Pataky, is the entertainment world’s newest parents! They couple welcomed their baby girl (also first child), India Rose. Aww. What a sweet name!

The drop dead gorgeous husband and wife met only two years ago and quickly tied the knot three months into the relationship. In January this year, Elsa confirmed that she was, in fact, pregnant with the Australian heartthrob’s child. Speaking to the press, Elsa said, “Having the person that you love by your side, and starting a family with them, is the best thing that can happen to you in this life. You can’t ask for more.”

Sigh. That’s one proud daddy and mommy. Best “circa Mother’s Day” news ever!


#DCComics: Meet The New Chinese Superman, Kenan Kong

A new Superman is flying into town. And he’s an Asian!

There is a massive shakeup in DC’s “Rebirth” story arc. The former Superman is dying and it looks like his superpowers will be split among a whole new host of people, thus forming new Supermen all over the globe. And one of them happens to be a Chinese 17-year-old teenager from Shanghai named Kenan Kong (孔克南).

Written by American-Chinese scribe Gene Luen Yang, the new Superman story will follow Kenan as he’s being shunned by his peers after obtaining his superpowers. According to Yang, the most challenging task was actually choosing a Chinese civilian name for the Man of Steel.

In a blog post on DC’s official website, the series writer revealed that he initially chose Kenji Kong but decided to change it to Kenan Kong to avoid readers assuming he’s Japanese. “There was a problem, of course. Kenji is a common Japanese name and this would probably cause some confusion. I was only thinking about how I’d make this character and his name work in the particular story I was going to write,” Yang wrote.

Yang eventually settled on Kenan after consulting his editors, comic creators and his parents. “Ke means ‘to overcome.’ What could be more Super-Man than ‘to overcome’? Nan means ‘south.’ Appropriate for a kid from Shanghai, since folks from Beijing like to call folks from Shanghai ‘Southerners’,” the writer explained.

Most DC Comics fans were pleased to see a character of a different ethnicity take on the mantle of Superman. In the meantime, you can get to know Kenan a little better when “The New Super-Man” hits the shelves this coming July.

Yang is hoping Kenan will be a fixture in the larger DC Universe. “He’s going into an 80-year-old toy box. Hopefully, my book won’t be the only place where he shows up. Hopefully, other DC Comics writers and artists will want to play with him,” he said.

Sources: The New Paper, News Arama, Fusion, Gizmodo.

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Interview: 8 Things About Bella Rahim’s “Train To Busan: Peninsula” Experience

Malaysian actress Bella Rahim sent fans into a frenzy following her appearance in “Train To Busan: Peninsula”. Spoiler alert: She plays the character Major Jane, the leader of the United Nations (UN) in charge of rescuing the victims from the zombie attack.

Speaking to us recently, the chatty starlet was all smiles as she answered a series of questions regarding her experience working in the Korean blockbuster. For those interested, check out the full interview here:

1. Tell us about the audition process. How did you land this role?

So basically I got a call from my agent sometime around May last year. She told me, ‘Do you want to try for this film directed by Yeon Sang Ho?’ I said ‘Sure! Why not?’ Then I was like ‘Hang on. The name sounds familiar.’ So I searched his name on Google and found out that he is actually the director of “Train To Busan”.

So I went for the casting but I didn’t hear anything from them for about a month. So I assumed that I didn’t get the role. However, one day, while I was having a meal at a mamak stall, I received a text from my agent asking me for my clothes measurements. And from there, I got to know that I was shortlisted.

A couple of weeks after that I didn’t hear anything from them – until I received another text in June asking for my schedule. That’s when I knew that I had the role.

Perkenalkan @therealbellarahim , seorang pelakon teater Malaysia yg menjadi watak cameo di dalam filem blockbuster Korea Selatan, PENINSULA! pic.twitter.com/0fnUUSFhPv

During the casting, I was given a dialogue. I read it through with my agent and made it into a file. The director was off-camera at that time. That file was sent online to the agency in Korea.

3. How long did it take for you to finish your scene in South Korea?

It actually took only 2 days to film the scene. I was there for less than a week.

SEPTEMBER 2019 _#throwback2019 Korang tahu tak bertapa TERKEJUT Dan TERUJANYA Bella bila memakai uniform yg ada Lambang Bendera Malaysia ni ?! Terus Bella cakap “FASTER TAKE PICTURE!!” kat ejen Korea Bella I was SHOCKED and ECSTATIC when I donned the army uniform with Malaysian Logo on it. Without hesitation, the Manglish slang came out and I said to my Korean agent “FASTER TAKE PICTURE!!” #sayaanakmalaysia #bangga #bellarahim #malaysianactress #traintobusanpresentspeninsula #traintobusan2 #peninsulamovie

A post shared by  Bella Rahim (@therealbellarahim) on Jul 20, 2020 at 1:32am PDT

4. What was the moment like when you wore the uniform in the movie for the first time?

Actually, it was the first time that I had to go through a fitting process where I was given an outfit. I went into the changing room and before I changed into my uniform there was someone knocking on the door.

There was this girl who asked, ‘May I come in?’ She offered to change the clothes for me, to which I rejected. She responded, ‘It’s okay, it’s my job.’ (The girl in question apparently works as a stylist). The Koreans are very serious. They’re very precise in doing that stuff. So, when that person was given the duty to do that, they will insist on doing it.

And then, the jacket came in. After I put it on, I turned around and that’s when I saw the Malaysian flag logo. I was thrilled after coming across that. I even asked my Korean agent to snap a photo of it.

5. We’re sure it feels surreal when you saw your name during the ending credits. What was that like?

I couldn’t stop screaming in the cinema! Yeah, I couldn’t believe it. It’s so surreal even till now.

6. How has your appearance in “Train To Busan: Peninsula” impacted you and your career?

I don’t know. I’m actually not used to with all the treatment and spotlight. I’m a very shy person. So, it’s quite difficult to adapt to this situation.

7. Why should movie-goers check out “Train To Busan: Peninsula”?

If you don’t know much about the first movie “Train To Busan”, it was the highest box-office in Malaysia in 2016. Not only that, this movie has also opened the door for Korean movies to the world! So that’s one point. The second point is, the sequel has a lot more zombies and a lot more actions. And last but not least, there’s a Malaysian representative in the movie and that’s me! I feel so blessed and grateful for this opportunity.

8. What are your goals or hopes moving forward?

I wish that I can continue working. Be it in Hollywood or even small theatres, I want to gain knowledge in any production or projects that I’m in. That’s what I’m striving for.

“Train To Busan: Peninsula” is currently screening in cinemas nationwide.

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#RedHongYi: Malaysian Artist Creates Masterpiece Out Of 20,000 Tea Bags

Look, ma, we’re not always in the news for “all the wrong reasons” ;)

On 23rd January, in conjunction with the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Malaysian artist Hong Yi aka Red Hong Yi created a work of art out of something that most Malaysians can easily relate to, to depict an everyday scene in Malaysia. It took her two whole months to make it, and a whole lot of work.

*Screenshots from Red Hong Yi’s Instagram account.

The installation was called, “Teh Tarik Man”, a 10-foot by 7-foot masterpiece which used 20,000 teabags, weighing more than 440 pounds. The process included needing to stain the teabags in 10 different shades of brown, a variation Red Hong Yi achieved by steeping them in an assortment of water temperatures for different amounts of time. She then added brown food dye for the darkest tones.

In her YouTube video’s description, she explained:

I wanted to create a piece that reflected an everyday scene in Malaysia that reminds me of home. Teh Tarik (which means “pulled-tea” in Malay) is a drink served in local coffeeshops (or kopitiams) that is sweet, frothy and milky, and is frothed up when tea is poured between two containers. Perhaps more important than the drink itself is the underlying culture. Locals gather in kopitiams and mamaks, and here they talk about where to buy the best durians, the traffic, politics, weather, soccer… It is a drink that brings people together and I hope that I get to share a bit of my country through this piece!

I used 20,000 teabags to illustrate a man preparing teh tarik in the background, with soft drink cans and an ice-kacang (shaved ice) machine as props in front of him hung in the foreground. The piece was 3.2×2.2meters…and weighed 200kgs! The teabags are stained in 10 different shades of brown. The teabags were stained by steeping the bags in hot water – the lesser and hotter the water, the more they were stained – and the darker tones were stained with brown food dye. All these bags were stapled and attached onto tiles of wiremesh, then hung off a wooden frame. I spent about two months planning, sourcing, creating and filming this piece.

Just to be clear, she only drank 1 – 2 cups of tea a day while creating the piece ;)

Her work has since made waves around the globe, having been featured on TIME as well as Huffington Post, just to name a few. Malaysia boleh, indeed!

For more information, visit her Facebook page and see more of her amazing work on her Instagram.


(UPDATE) Zouk Club Kuala Lumpur Presents Hardwell

OMG OMG OMG! This just in – World No. 1 DJ, Hardwell is making his way back to KL!

Hardwell who’s currently still number one on DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs poll, will be making his way to Zouk Club Kuala Lumpur. Happening on September 30th, (Tuesday) Kill The Buzz and Malaysia’s very own DJ duo Goldfish and Blink will be opening the night. EDM fans be sure to mark your calendars!

Pre sale tickets and table reservations will be announced soon so we will update this post when we get the deets!

Deets for Zouk KL presents Hardwell are as follows:

Ticket Entry: RM200 (Men/Ladies) (inclusive of 1 drink)

Bottle Entry: Please call reservation line for bottle packages

Reservations: Please call 03-2171 1997 (12pm – 6pm) or 0163323191 (after 6pm) or email rsvn@zoukclub.com.my

For more information, visit Zouk Club KL on Facebook.

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WINNER’s Album Debut + Launch Dates Announced

Having pulled through YG Entertainment’s reality-survival program, “WIN: WHO IS NEXT”, the 5-member WINNER will now get what the deserve – a release date.

After almost two months’ worth of teasers and several appearances in their sunbae’s (seniors’) shows, including 2NE1’s #AONMalaysia concert, YG Entertainment’s newest boy group is ready to meet the world officially for the very first time. According to this YG-LIFE blog post, the boys’ debut album will be released online on 12th August at midnight. This digital release will be followed by a physical release on 14th August.

As stated in the image above, there will also be a special launch event for fans on 6th August. The event will be held at Conrad Seoul, the same place the press conference was held one year ago for “WIN: WHO IS NEXT”.

Sadly, we can’t be there. But based on the “2014 S/S GRAND LAUNCH” teasers, we’d imagine it to look like something classy, something like this:

YG Entertainment has released the track list for WINNER’s debut album. Trust YG to be full of (good) tricks because not only will the album come packed with 10 songs, they just surprised fans with the some unexpected details for one of WINNER’s title track.

Named, “Empty”, the track appears to have been composed by B.I., with lyrics written by both B.I. and Bobby. Yes, of Team B. On top of that, Minho will have his own solo song (for “He’s Strong”), as well as Taehyun (for “I’m Confessing). Yay!

And yes, you guys better be ready for WINNER!

Meanwhile, here are 10 interesting facts about the group:

For more information, visit WINNER’s Facebook page.


People Wants Takahara Suiko To Create Jingles For Each MRT Stop

If you remember, during the whole Janna Nick birthday service fiasco, an Indie artist by the name of Takahara Suiko (not her real name) or better known as Taka has offered to create personalised jingles for RM50.

She offered such service because she couldn’t stand seeing people wasting their money away for something so simple, but that is before she knew that Janna Nick actually uses the money she earned from the service for charity.

Anyway, Taka’s birthday jingle service was a huge hit and she has received a lot of requests – so much so that she had to increase the price of the service to RM70 (that’s the last time that we heard, not sure if the price is different now).

Most of the people who use her service are content with the result, and now people are having this crazy idea to let her create jingles for Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) – and she’s totally in!

It all started when a Twitter user tweeted about MRT’s annoying ad tune which was played repeatedly throughout the ride, so he suggested that the transit should have a playlist.

Many netizens including Taka agree with the user, so she volunteered to make specialised jingles for each MRT stop, similar to the trains in Japan, where each station has its own little jingle.

Taka even said that she’s willing to do extensive research and bring the team from her band, Venopian Solitude, to help out as well.

A lot of people are loving the idea of having Taka designing tunes for each MRT station, and some even said that she should do it for LRT (Light Rapid Transit), KTM (Malayan Railways Limited) and public buses as well.

I like this idea.Jom Malaysia, kita RETWEET reramai so that MRT/Rapid notices this 🚅.@MyRapidKL @AskRapidKL @CareerPrasarana @MRTMalaysia @twt_malaysia https://t.co/7Jwconvvli

— ~ Lily Travelholic ~ (@lilyriani) October 23, 2018

Many have started to tag and hashtag Rapid KL and MRT, but for now, the public transport team has yet to reply the tweets.

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#SingaporeMath: Primary 5 Math/Logic Question Goes Viral, Stumps Even Adults

Okay, so, forget about #TheDress or #CatGate, this next one is bound to stump both young and old.

A primary school mathematics question has been making the rounds on Facebook and stirring up debate. Well, not so much mathematics but logic, probably. Uh, we think?

First shared by Singaporean TV presented Kenneth Kong via his Facebook page, the “logic” question has been shared more than 3,000 times since it first surfaced on Saturday (11th April). And counting. Kenneth Kong captioned the post, “This question causes a debate with my wife… and it’s a P5 question.”

Needless to say, the post quickly the attention of people beyond just Singapore, where it originated from. The Australian Federation of International Students shared it on its Facebook page, and it was posted on reddit and Philosophy Forums.

But someone somewhere has come up with a plausible answer for the above, uh, riddle. And we take it that it wasn’t from a primary 5 student.

According to The Straits Times, Singapore’s maths syllabus – which has a strong focus on problem solving and using model drawings – has been adopted in a number of South-east Asian countries, the US, and even South America.

However, Singapore parents have raised concerns at times that pupils are being placed under tremendous stress in school.

Do you have an alternative answer? Could you have solved the problem if you were a primary 5 student? Feel free to discuss this in the comments box below!

Sources: Kenneth Kong’s Facebook page, The Straits Times.


(UPDATE) #EXO: #Lay Supports #Luhan’s Decision & Hopes To Perform With Him Soon

Following the news of EXO’s Luhan filing a lawsuit against SM, his group mate Lay came online and updated his Weibo account with a new post. He is one of the first members to respond to the news of Luhan’s decision to leave the group.

On October 10th, Lay posted the following to support Luhan’s decision:

Goodbye, bro. If we get the chance, let’s stand on the stage together again. As your bro, I support your every decision. Good luck.

While it’s difficult to say goodbye, Lay seems to understands that Luhan will be leaving due to his growing health concerns.

In fact, other members seem to be aware of what has happened to Luhan as Lay mentioned in a fan chat session that Luhan was doing well and resting.

According to Koreaboo, Sina the Chinese media outlet also reported that Luhan has expressed concern about the group and revealed:

It is a working environment where it feels like [we are] robots in a factory.

In the past few months, Luhan has taken breaks from both EXO’s “The Lost Planet” concert tour as well as the SMTOWN concert in Tokyo. Although he felt apologetic towards his fans, Luhan decided to file a lawsuit against SM Entertainment for its invalid contract. Similar to former member Kris’ situation, it seems like both members have troubles with SM’s problematic contract. Jessica from Girls’ Generation had a problem with the company too after being kicked out from Girls’ Generation without her knowing.

So, do you think Luhan made the right decision to leave the group? Will you support Luhan’s decision, like what Lay did?

EXO’s Lay has updated yet another post on his Instagram:

This time around, the member of EXO updated his post a Korean caption.

Everyone, you must be having a hard time. Please be healthy, make sure to eat, and gain strength! I feel that more than anyone else, our fans are going through the most. Be strong!

Most fans seem to be grateful that Lay is considerate enough to give them strength but on Weibo, some fans were concerned about Luhan’s whereabouts. But before speculation ran wild again, Luhan himself posted a new status on his Weibo account:

On the Weibo post, he wrote “I’m home”, indicating that he has already returned to his hometown in Beijing, China.

On top of that, he posted a new photo that reads: “I just wanna [let] all of you to know that I love you all.” on his Instagram:

Despite Luhan’s departure, we hope you guys will continue to give them a much needed support!

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#Malaysia: Immigration Dept Issues To Last Until Mid-June, Expect Passport Disruptions

If you’re planning to apply for an international passport or get your existing one renewed, well, you may have to wait.

There have been problems with the Immigration Department’s counters’ computer system and it’s causing a delay in issuing passports. As such, it may take a week for Malaysians to get a passport and the situation is expected to get worse over the school holidays.

An unnamed source told MMO that there are “teething problems” with the international Malaysian passports fitted with the polycarbonate chips. On top of that, there’s also the issue of an over-burdened operating system used on the department’s computers.

Apparently, the system used by the department to process passport and visa applications were installed in 1997 and was prone to breakdowns.

“It is old, outdated and incapable of meeting current requirements. In the past, we did not have to handle biometric data at entry points but now we do. The additional data is over-burdening the operating system,” a source said.

The breakdowns affected several immigration counters at the one-stop government service centres known as Urban Transformation Centres (UTC) in the span a week e.g. Johor Bahru, Sentul, Ipoh, Kajang, Seberang Jaya, Alor Star, Sungai Petani, Pahang, and Malacca.

The problems are only expected to be resolved by mid-June at the earliest.

The Immigration Department has been under a lot of pressure as of late after sabotage was suspected in the Malaysian Immigration System (myIMMs) which led to breakdowns at entry and exit points in the country. At that time, Immigration Department director-general Datuk Sakib Kusmi assured, “We have identified the individuals involved but the investigation is still ongoing. The outcome will be announced when the time comes.”

About 100 people, including officials from the Immigration Department and syndicate members, are being investigated by the authorities on suspicion of being involved in sabotaging the implementation of the myIMMs.

Sources: MMO, FMT (1), Borneo Post, The Star Online, FMT (2).


Social Media Influencer Azfar Firdaus Calls Out Former Bully On Live TV

Famous celebrities aren’t the only ones having to deal with body-shaming comments online, even real people have to face netizens’ harsh words about their appearance as well.

Recently, in an interview with “Malaysia Hari Ini”, social media influencer Azfar Firdaus (known online as @Azfarovski) took the opportunity to give his two cents on the ongoing topic about cyber-bullying and also body-shaming.

Azfar, along with 2 other guests – fellow influencer Shazwan Zafran (@IbnuShazwan) and actress-comedian Zulin Aziz – were invited to the local talk show to discuss about the issue called “Body-shaming Tak Kelakar (Body-shaming is not funny)”.

For those who don’t know, Azfar has been receiving constant criticism and made fun of by local trolls for his distinct appearance due to his albinism disease. Shazwan is popular among internet users for posting shirtless selfies and also for his recent viral clip – a 25-seconds video showing his buff body with six-pack abs.

The interesting part of the whole session was when the model-activist revealed that Shazwan had actually made fun of him in the past. In this case, Shazwan posted a tweet back in August last year where he tagged Azfar in a news by Astro Awani about an African albino teenager being slaughtered for ritual purposes.

During the chat, Azfar appeared to have recalled about the post made by the 22-year-old. “So, the thing about body-shaming, most people didn’t realise that they feel like their fingers (typing) are invincible. But we don’t know whether if we will be dealing with those who have bullied us in real life. Just like this case,” said Azfar while referring to his case with Shazwan.

Dia delete tweet ni 😏 pic.twitter.com/e2cwN3CM8E

The 1-minute and 23-seconds clip shared by a user known as @burhan_plays caught the attention of netizens who defended Azfar for standing up for his rights against his former bully. On the other hand, some also criticised him for being unprofessional on live television.

As of today (29th October), the video has received over 1.7 million views on Twitter. Check out some of their reactions below:

I watched the live interview. @Azfarovski was defending himself. Although the truth is bitter to swallow. He must said it to defend other albinos that exists. The guy still cyberbullying him even after the live program. Just see what he tweeted after the interview. unbelievable..

— fynazfynaz (@fynazfynaz) October 28, 2019

Apparently ramai yang kata Azfar bitter for remembering things like that and calling him out,,,,well if someone threatened to cut me up, you bet your ass I will remember your @ until the end of time pic.twitter.com/jNLD9u7oXm

— 𝐭 𝐡 𝐞 𝐨 𝐩 𝐡 𝐚 𝐧 𝐢 𝐚 🌻 #NewMalaysia 🏴 (@chingcheongfun) October 28, 2019

Cakap pasal depression, @Azfarovski la manusia paling bodoh nak malukan @ibnuzafran kat tv. Manusia bodoh. Kalau wan kene depression lepasni memang salah kau la.

— anwarhasaeyo (@NewarAhmad) October 28, 2019

Guys, idc klau you guys nak kata azfar unprofessional ke ape. Tapi this is how you want to attck someone. Face to face, depan depan. Bukan dalam twitter je kemain keyboard warrior tpi depan2 tunjuk baik. Holy shit, i stan @Azfarovski 🤜🏼🤛🏼 https://t.co/Uzzaq4318h

We hope that all the commotion happening between them can be used as a lesson for everyone on how to use social media platforms wisely in the future.

For those who are interested, check out the full clip of the segment here:

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John Wick Director To Make Fast and Furious Spinoff

It looks like the next entry in the “Fast and Furious” franchise, centered around The People’s Champion, Dwayne The Rock Johnson and just-Jason Statham may have found its director.

According to Variety, “John Wick”, “Atomic Blonde” and “Deadpool 2” helmer David Leitch is the top pick to direct the movie. This currently untitled Fast and Furious movie will not be part of the main saga — hallelujah — and will instead be a spinoff. “Hobbs and Shaw: A Fast and Furious Story” maybe?

For the longest time now, Universal has tried to spin-off The Rock’s character, because he’s literally why people still watch these movies. With the arrival of Statham, Universal will not get the chance to make a Hobbs and Shaw team up movie, although it would make absolutely no sense, considering Shaw actually murdered Han (Sung Kang) in the third/sixth installment of the franchise.

But who gives a shit about sense, when we can see The Rock and Jason Statham beat the crap out of bad guys for two hours straight, especially considering the man behind the camera. Say what you want about David Leitch’s storytelling, the man can sure as hell direct action. Here’s to hoping that this Fast and Furious spinoff will consist of 0% family nonsense and 100% ass-kicking.

The Fast and Furious spinoff is set to hit theaters on July 26, 2019.


Genting Malaysia To Cut 3000 Jobs; Resorts World Kijal & Resorts World Langkawi Reopen

Genting Malaysia Bhd is expected to cut up to 3000 jobs this month. The Edge reported that layoffs have already started taking place.

The company had over 20,000 employees back in 2019, but had to implement temporary salary cuts, especially to those in higher ranks. The group had hoped to avoid job losses but clearly the Covid-19 pandemic has taken a huge toll on them.

Although operation for Resorts World Genting is still suspended, 2 out of 4 hotels in Malaysia will be resuming business tomorrow (Thursday, 18th June). They are Resorts World Kijal and Resorts World Langkawi.

Meanwhile, Resorts World Genting and Resorts World Awana will remain close until further notice. Having said that, people have been flocking to Genting Highlands Premium Outlets for the current mega sale on all things fashion.

Resorts World Genting will reopen this Friday (19th June) at 10am. However, entries into SkyCasino at SkyAvenue and Genting Club at Genting Grand Hotel will only be reserved for Genting Rewards members for the time being.

Public entry into the casino will resume in the near future.


Malaysians & Indonesians Argue Over Miss Grand Malaysia’s Wayang Kulit-Inspired Outfit

The cultural clash between neighbouring countries Malaysia and Indonesia has been a sensitive topic.

Recently, our representative for the Miss Grand International, Mel Dequanne Abar wore a wayang kulit-inspired outfit, complete with its significant traditional crown for the promotional shoot for the beauty pageant. However, Indonesians are laying claim that the outfit is a part of their culture.

Based on this post by Miss Grand Malaysia’s official Facebook page, the dress is adapted from the Hindu’s Ramayana (“Hikayat Seri Rama”). The folklore tale is no stranger among the community of Kedah and also Kelantan.

As a result of the cultural clash, there has been some debate going on among netizens. Some even claimed that even the UNESCO has verified that wayang kulit culture is Indonesian.

Twitter user known as Nadia J (@AchuNadia) decided to step in to address the ongoing argument. According to her, the wayang kulit does not belong to one country only, but it’s a part of several cultures and traditions around the world. Check out her tweet here:

However, the tweet has been deleted by Nadia at the time of writing (Thursday 10th October). Despite the dispute, many feel that the issue is not worth fighting over. Since Malaysia and Indonesia are neighbours, it’s normal to share a few aspects when it comes to culture as well as traditions.

Apart from that, some also shared that wayang kulit is not an exclusive property of Malaysians and Indonesians only. Other parts of the country like China, India, Nepal and even Turkey have their own rendition of the way they portray the performance.

Wayang kulit bukan hanya ada di Indonesia.

Di negara China, India, Nepal, Turki, juga ada versinya yang tersendiri.

It doesn't matter originnya dari Indonesia, atau UNESCO certified. Kita ini segara berjiran, jadi semestinya ada persamaan dalam budayanya.

Coba lihat pak gambaran patung pada bajunya,Melambangkan pemakaian zaman dahulu,Pemakaian diraja SENUSANTARA,Patung itu lambang pada kerajaan lama yang merangkumiMalaysiaIndonesiaThailandJadi tiada permasalahan,Indo boleh pakai,Malaysia boleh pakai,Thai boleh pakai.

— UNMATRIX 🏴 (@sirkulangka17) October 8, 2019

There’s really no need to condemn one over the other.

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