Why TikTok Should Be Banned (Shots Fired!)

Lawmakers across the United States, Europe and Canada recently doubled their efforts to restrict TikTok across their respective nations. Not long ago, TikTok’s CEO, Shou Zi Chew, was in hot water with the United States Congress due to the controversy surrounding his app. Many lawmakers called out the popular short-form video media app’s link to a Chinese company, ByteDance, but also its association with many deaths and thefts.

The United States has taken action against this threat, with or without Congress’ support, as two dozen states have already banned the app. But were these moves really necessary for the app? Should an app be banned? Well, here are a few reasons why it deserves the hammer and how Congress isn’t really jumping the gun on their decision.

Big companies are no strangers to fines, especially when some lines are crossed. These fines are meant to deter companies from repeating their transgressions, and to protect users of the platform from the company they are putting their trust in. However, TikTok has been misusing the personal information of children. The app has been caught red-handed in the UK and has been fined US$16 million.

Challenges That Led To Widespread Property Damage, Theft & Death

Kids are very impressionable; they will often follow trends or activities that are popular with the people around them. As they say, “Monkey see, monkey do”. However, just because they saw someone do it, they would often disregard their own safety in the name of clout. America has a reason to be scared, as several challenges have led to irresponsible damage to property and loss of life.

The most notable challenges relate to the Kia Challenge, whose namesake is the car brand, where they targeted a design flaw in the car that led to a series of motor vehicle thefts. Another is the Blackout Challenge, where the goal is to restrict someone’s breathing for a period of time; oftentimes, this results in people fainting and, in some cases, dying. Another would be the Penny Outlet Challenge, where a person plugs a phone charger halfway through an outlet, then drops a penny on to the exposed prongs, causing sparks and electrical damage.

— leandream (@caleliminator) October 12, 2021

When you browse through the app, you might be wondering, “How is the app able to send me videos I like?” Well, that is done through algorithms – a set of rules and codes that filter videos you’d be interested in to the top for you to easily notice. This process, of course, takes time and you must learn what you’re interested in. However, TikTok’s algorithm for newcomers is dangerous.

Research by an advocacy group called SumOfUs identified at least 22 pro-eating-disorder groups. More often than not, because of the system’s filters and trending system, these channels and their respective videos are often filtered to the top. A spokesperson from TikTok stated that they had difficulty filtering what content is harmful, as they believe some tags that promote these can be used for educational purposes.

You might be wondering, “Isn’t there supposed to be something barring children from accessing these dangerous challenges and trends?” Unfortunately, there is none; though the minimum age of use is 13, there is nothing stopping children under 12 from bypassing this minor restriction. On the flipside, however, TikTok has taken some steps to mitigate this problem.

TikTok’s Head of Trust and Safety, Cormac Keenan, announced that those under the age of 18 will only have 60 minutes of daily screen time on the app. Direct messaging is only available to those aged 16 and older. Those younger, around the ages of 13 to 15, will have their account set to private by default, enabling them to make informed choices on what they choose to share, when, and with whom.

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers on what TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew would say before Congress on March 23.Hashtag: #TikTok #ShouZiChew #CathyMcMorrisRodgers #Congresshearing #周受资 #datathreat #Chinesesurveillance #TikTokCEO #China #dataprivacy pic.twitter.com/8BRmMsV2H3

— Spotlight on China (@spotlightoncn) March 24, 2023

Okay, let’s get down to the major reasons why the US Congress wants this app under their control, or out of their country. Legislators noted that their main concern with TikTok and ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, is their association with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). As pointed out time and time again, if the CCP chooses to access the accounts and information of millions of users through TikTok, ByteDance has to comply, as the Chinese government recently passed a law that targets tech companies.

As mentioned above, TikTok was caught mishandling children’s personal data, which led to its later ban on UK government phones. Since news of data tampering broke out, government officials and bodies across the globe have kept an eye on the app ever since, and their concerns are not unfounded, as the app can potentially leak information back to the CCP.

Sources: Pixabay, The Guardian [1], [2], Reuters, TikTok

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#TheXFiles: Fox Confirms Reboot Talks, Hopes To Have Original Cast Onboard

Fox’s new agenda sure is looking a lot like their old one.

Confirming some prior reports, the network’s leadership says they are seriously chasing a reboot of “The X-Files” and are possibly interested in bringing back “Prison Break” too (along with yet another edition of “24” as well — but that’s another story).

On “The X-Files” front, Fox chairman and CEOs Dana Walden and Gary Newman say they have been in talks with series creator Chris Carter about reviving the supernatural procedural, which was a major hit for the network from 1993 to 2002. The executives also revealed they hope to have original series stars David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson reprise their roles on the show.

“The X-Files” is an American science fiction horror drama television series created by Chris Carter. The program originally aired from 1993 – 2002 on Fox, spanning 9 whole seasons and 202 episodes. The series revolves around FBI Special Agents Fox Mulder (played by David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (played by Gillian Anderson) investigating X-Files: marginalised, unsolved cases involving paranormal phenomena.

Mulder believes in the existence of aliens and the paranormal while Scully, a skeptic, is assigned to make scientific analyses of Mulder’s discoveries to debunk his work and thus return him to mainstream cases. Early in the series, both agents become pawns in a larger conflict and come to trust only each other. They develop a close relationship, which begins as a platonic friendship, but becomes a romance by series end.

One thing all 3 (“The X-Files”, “Prison Break”, “24”) titles have in common is they’re properties of 20th Century Fox Television, which Walden and Newman ran prior to adding the Fox broadcast network to their plate last year.

Note: Kiefer Sutherland recently returned to “24” for a 12-episode special titled, “Live Another Day” (also known as S9 or “Day 9”, which was set 4 years after the events of S8 (also known as “Day 8”).

“It’s true that we’ve had some conversations on X-Files,” Newman said. “We’re hopeful of being able to bring that back at some point.”

Gary and I both worked [at 20th Century Fox Television] through the entire run of The X Files. It was a great experience. We’ve maintained good relationships with Chris, David and Gillian. We’re very hopeful, but it’s hard. The actors are very busy. They have a lot going on. Chris has a lot on his plate, so it’s just trying to carve out the time.

Amazon recently declined to make Carter’s new post-apocalyptic series project “The After”, so the writer-producer may be more open to revisiting his past. More problematic is that David Duchovny has an upcoming NBC event series, Aquarius, while Gillian Anderson has a recurring role on NBC’s “Hannibal“.

Both actors would presumably have to get contractually clear of their commitments to Fox’s rival before signing onto an X-Files relaunch.

As for “Prison Break”, the team sounded more skeptical of a reboot coming together, but also very interested.

“There is some speculation in the press about Prison Break, which honestly was slightly news to us,” Newman said. “Although we’ve made it clear over the years to the studio that we would bring Prison Break back in a heartbeat. It’s probably the perfect event series. If our old partners in that show are interested, that would be great.”

It wasn’t clear if the executives planned to do “Prison Break” with a new cast or not, but the show’s stars Dominic Purcell and Wentworth Miller are currently recurring as villains on The CW’s “The Flash“.


#GDA Artiste Profile: Super Junior aka SuJu

There’s one K-Pop idol group that’s so huge, it’s impossible to ignore. The sheer number of members in the group, their undying popularity, and the total number of awards that they’ve won in their musical career. In fact, this SM Entertainment idol group is so huge, we don’t really know where to begin profiling its 13 members – at least we know for a fact that at their peak, they had 13 members.

Super Junior originally debuted in 2005 with 12 members consisting of leader Leeteuk, Heechul, Han Geng, Yesung, Kangin, Shindong, Sungmin, Eunhyuk, Siwon, Donghae, Ryeowook, and Kibum. In 2006, Kyunhyun joined the group. It was said that Super Junior, unlike most K-Pop idol groups, would experience line-up changes off and on again, with new members replacing selected members every year to keep the group “fresh”. Hence the rotations that followed suit over the years.

The boys first appeared on Inkigayo in November 2005 but it wasn’t until the release of “Sorry, Sorry” that Super Junior received international recognition. “Sorry, Sorry” was their best-selling single all throughout 2009 and eventually made them the best-selling K-Pop artistes for three years in a row. In addition to that, the group earned a whopping total of 11 Mnet Asian Music Awards trophies and 12 from the Golden Disk Awards. Just this year, Super Junior was nominated for MTV Europe Music Awards’ “Best Asian Act”. Ace!

Since then, Super Junior has gone through major changes e.g. divided into smaller subgroups to target different music industries and audiences, dealing with the departure/hiatus of some of their members. And to date, Super Junior has nine active members, Yesung, Kangin, Shindong, Sungmin, Eunhyuk, Siwon, Donghae, Ryeowook, and Kyuhyun. In June 2012, the super group released sixth album, “Sexy, Free & Single”, with a title track of the same name:

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The album debuted at first place on the Gaon Chart and it stayed there for three weeks in a row. In two months, “Sexy, Free & Single” sold about 459,182 copies. It came as no surprise when we heard that Super Junior is currently in the running to bag the “Disk Album of The Year” award for “Sexy, Free & Single” at “Samsung GALAXY The 27th Golden Disk Awards in Kuala Lumpur”!

Other facts about Super Junior as follows:

Here’s another fact: Super Junior is slated to make an appearance at “Samsung GALAXY The 27th Golden Disk Awards in Kuala Lumpur” (GDA).

To purchase tickets, hit up TicketPro or any of their participating outlets right now! Tickets are priced at RM999 (Samsung GALAXY Zone) and RM688 (Rockpit). We hear that tickets are going to go fast so hurry!

For more information, visit their official website.

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Dato Seri Vida Gives Out Fake Jewelleries As Prize?

Cosmetic millionaire Dato Seri Vida often shows off her wealth on her social media. From her fancy bungalow to her unused pink Lamborghini, branded hand bags, expensive shoes and more.

With her financial status, you would expect that money is never an issue for the businesswoman who was one of the sponsors for singing competition “Gegar Vaganza 4” where singer Aishah emerged as the winner.

A post shared by Wan Aishah Wan Ariffin (@aishahjmm)

As the champion of the competition, Aishah was given several prizes including RM100k cash, a piece of a bungalow unit land courtesy of Bina Megan Empire, an Eastern Europe holiday package and a set of jewellers worth RM80k from DSV Gold and Jewelry.

However, the veteran singer revealed on her social media that the jewelleries she received have no value as they are not genuine diamonds and gold. “It is sad that the local artists are treated this way… Even if it is an additional prize, it doesn’t mean that you can dupe us like this!”

That’s not all, the 53-year-old songstress also said that she has yet to receive her promised bungalow lot until now. Astro representative explained to the singer that the developer requested for a bit more time to settle some matters before they officially give her the lot.

Meanwhile, Dato Seri Vida has asked Aishah to return the alleged fake jewellries in exchange for Lavida Coin, the entrepreneur’s very own cryptocurrency. “Aishah probably doesn’t understand that the necklace value will rise and drop. It’s okay, she can return it to me if she doesn’t want them,” Vida said.

Aishah responded to her statement saying that she understand the concept of price drop, but the jewelleries she get are synthetic and fake stones which means that it doesn’t have any value in the 1st place.

DSV also said that Aishah’s posts on social media have ruined her reputation as a business person. “I’ve been accused as a liar by many people and it made me very sad as I was only trying to help those in the entertainment industry.”

Vida is considering whether she wants to continue as a sponsor for the future “Gegar Vaganza” programme.


Sony PS4 Revealed!

Sony on Monday provided the world the first look at its new PlayStation 4 console, promising to combine its film, music, television and game strengths in a powerhouse home entertainment box. Sony Computer Entertainment president Andrew House touted the next-generation videogame consoles as being built for the future while, at the same time, saying the company was remaining true to the new console’s predecessor, the PlayStation 3.

“This is a completely new platform and, in many ways, represents a completely new PlayStation. We are more than ever capitalising on the vast network of Sony divisions and the reputation of one of the biggest and most powerful entertainment brands in the world”, House said during a press event here on the eve of the premier E3 videogame expo.

The PS4 will launch with beefed up offerings at the Sony Unlimited cloud-based movie and music services, as the console moves to expand into a complete home entertainment centre while remaining true to hardcore gamers.

House said that PS4 will be available in the United States and Europe by the year-end holiday season for a price of US$399, £349 in Britain, and 399 euros in Europe.

Microsoft will be hitting the market with a rival Xbox One console about the same time, but it will be priced higher at US$499 in the United States, £429 in Britain and 499 euros in Europe.

Sony will use the technology of recently acquired cloud gaming company Gaikai to launch a service next year that lets people use PS3 or PS4 consoles to play blockbuster games in the Internet “cloud” in real time. “That means game play access to console quality content available across a range of devices”, House said, noting that the goal was to put PS4 at the heart of a gaming ‘ecosystem’ that includes popular mobile devices.

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Action-packed, cinematic game trailers showed on colossal screens during the Sony event included “Batman: Arkham Origins” featuring the Dark Knight of comic book fame, and an “Assassin’s Creed” sequel starring a seafaring pirate. More than 140 games are in development for the PS4, with at least 100 of the titles due out in the year following the consoles release, according to Sony Computer Entertainment of America president Jack Tretton

“It is clear that the best studios in the world are creating games for the PlayStation 4”, Tretton said.

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Paris Hilton Pulls A Katy Perry

Quite frankly, we were not surprised when we heard that Paris Hilton made out with another chick while partying in the Las Vegas nightclub XS.

River Viiperi, Paris’ new 21-year-old boyfriend, was so jealous and gross out at his girlfriend’s showcase that he ended up punching the other girl’s boyfriend, a 21-year-old male model, in the nose, resulting in paramedics being called. (Source)

The brawl happened at the nightclub, inside the Encore hotel, around 2:30AM Monday morning. The victim filed a report with the Las Vegas Metro Police department, claiming that he needed medical attention for his injuries. Police arrested Viiperi, cited him, then released him without hauling him into the clink. (Source)

The wounded man seeks for help from the hotel security soon after being attack and said that he wanted to press charges against River. When police turn up on the scene, River was already arrested for a minor wrong doing. The case is still under investigation.

Hilton was not accused of anything, as she was not involved in the argument and left the scene before officers arrived.

The alleged incident comes after Hilton was caught on tape calling gay men disgusting and suggesting they all probably have AIDs.


8 Funniest Moments At The World Cup Opening Ceremony

Olé, olé, olé, the World Cup has started!

Brazil marked the starting of its football festivities early this morning with a quirky grand opening ceremony that we think could have confused most viewers but definitely gave us a ball of ideas for our next Halloween costumes.

From dancing trees to running flowers and human footballs, the opening ceremony also saw Jennifer Lopez and Pitbull singing live. Here’s a list of some of the funniest moment during the Opening Ceremony:

1. The disco ball globe. Party or what, huh huh?

2. The epic football-human hybrid that is such an endangered species, it can only be found in Brazil. True story.

6. This guy who rowed into the ceremony on people with a seatbelt on.

7. Brazilian singer Claudia Leitte, Jennifer Lopez, and rapper Pitbull performing on an elaborate stage that resembled a peeled melon. Yup. A. Peeled. Melon. We’re definitely in a musical.

8. Lastly and probably the funniest of it all – Pitbull’s pants! What. Why? That is all.

Though there were some funny moments, the World Cup’s opening ceremony was definitely colourful and bright! If you missed the opening performance of the official FIFA World Cup 2014 in Brazil theme song, here:

Share with us your thoughts on the opening ceremony by sounding off in the comments!

Meanwhile, don’t forget to check out some of the other football “funnies” e.g. the strangest football rituals, 15 funniest names in football history.

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#AirAsiaX: Kuala Lumpur To Wuhan Direct Route Launched; Promo Fares Announced

AirAsia X, AirAsia Group’s long-haul, low-cost affiliate carrier, has announced that they’ll be flying 4 times weekly direct to Wuhan, China from Kuala Lumpur. The maiden flight is scheduled for 22nd March 2017.

Currently, AirAsia operates daily flights to Wuhan only from Kota Kinabalu.

Chief executive officer Benyamin Ismail said the company is the largest foreign carrier into China and the destination is set to receive 32 weekly flights from Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, Bangkok, and Phuket.

“China is a segment that continues to record encouraging progressive performance annually and remains the focus of AirAsia X’s network expansion strategy. Wuhan will soon be a virtual hub for the AirAsia and AirAsia X Groups. We are committed to maintaining growth, while developing innovative products and services,” he said in a statement on today (Monday, 16th January).

For the uninitiated, Wuhan (武汉) is the capital of Hubei province in China and the most populous city in Central China. A major transportation hub with dozens of railways, roads, and expressways passing through the city and connecting to other major cities in the country, Wuhan is sometimes referred to as the “Chicago of China”.

Wuhan is divided by the Yangtze and Han rivers, and contains many lakes and parks, including the expansive, picturesque East Lake. Nearby, the Hubei Provincial Museum displays relics from the Warring States period, including the Marquis Yi of Zeng’s coffin and bronze musical bells from his 5th-century B.C. tomb.

The AirAsia Group currently operates 409 weekly flights from various Asean cities across 45 routes to 17 destinations in China. As part of the Wuhan route announcement, AirAsia X is offering one-way promotional fares from as low as RM199. Hit up http://bit.ly/ViSitWuhan to book your flight!

Source: Bernama via The Star Online, AirAsia / Featured image: Presidential Aviation.


Wang Leehom Announces Malaysian Date For “Descendants Of The Dragon 2060” Tour

Chinese-American superstar Wang Leehom (王力宏) has announced that he will be coming to Malaysia next year, on 16th March 2019 in Kuala Lumpur, as part of his “Descendants of the Dragon 2060” (龙的传人 2060) world tour.

The announcement was made yesterday when the 42-year-old made a special video to wish his Malaysian fans AKA the Homaniacs a Happy 19th Birthday!

In the video, Leehom slips in 2 Malay phrases including “Terima Kasih” and “Saya Cinta Padamu”, and said that he can’t wait to see his fans in person during his upcoming concert in Malaysia.

Leehom’s last concert in Malaysia was 5 years ago back in 2014, but the Mandapop singer also visited the country 2 years ago to shoot a series of commercials for Nescafe Gold.

A post shared by 王力宏 Wang Leehom (@wangleehom)

Details of the Malaysian leg are still scarce, stay tuned on this space for more updates.


Hump Day Fun With Jay Sean At Play Club @ The Roof

Kamaljit Singh Jhooti, better known as Jay Sean first made it the fame in 2003 with his debut single “Dance With You.” The British singer-songwriter and rapper who is currently signed to Cash Money Records, made his American debut in 2009 with his single “Down” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The dreamy eyed 33-year-old is set to make his way back to Malaysia this August as part of his AustralAsia Tour 2014 for a one night only show. Set to perform at Play Club @ The Roof on August 6th (Wednesday), fans will get to sing and dance along to his greatest hits including “Do You Remember”, “Hit The Lights”, “Eyes On You” and more.

Admission: RM60.00 (Early Bird) & RM75.00 (Pre-Sale)

For more information check Play Club @ The Roof on Facebook.

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(UPDATE) Hype’s Now Playing: Katy Perry Ft. Skip Marley – Chained To The Rhythm

After teasing fans about her comeback single for the past week, Katy Perry has delivered a new track as promised.

The brand new song titled, “Chained to the Rhythm”, sees the singer teaming up with her longtime collaborator Swedish producer Max Martin and Sia (who previously proposed “Elastic Heart” and “Chandelier” to Perry but ended releasing both hits herself).

Although Perry has taken time off the music scene, the 32-year-old singer has been on the road actively campaigning for Hillary Clinton during the Presidential Election (she even stripped naked for Funny or Die’s Everyone Votes campaign) and also released an inspirational Olympics anthem, “Rise”, last year.

Instead of dropping the official music video for “Chained to the Rhythm”, we are treated to a surreal lyric video of people cooking tiny meals in miniature homes. In the visual, a pair of hands are shown preparing tiny, tasty-looking dishes (gourmet hamburger, classic spaghetti, and meatballs) on a miniature stove. Spoiler alert: these micro-meals are then fed to a hamster.

Although it’s super weird to watch this unusual videoclip playing over Perry’s catchy tune, perhaps it’ll make more sense once you consider the lyrics:

“Are we crazy? Living our lives through a lens/ Trapped in our white-picket fence/ Like ornaments/ So comfortable, we live in a bubble/ So comfortable, we cannot see the trouble/ trouble/ Aren’t you lonely/ Up there in utopia/ Where nothing will ever be enough?/ Happily numb.”

For some, “Chained to the Rhythm” may require a few repeats before you warm up to the song. The upbeat pop song, where Perry sings about living selfishly in comfort and complacency, is infused with reggae thanks to the featured artist, Skip Marley.

It has already been confirmed that Perry will be performing at the 2017 Grammy Awards. Would you like to see her belt out “Chained to the Rhythm”?

The “Chained to the Rhythm” music video is finally here and it takes place in a pastel-hued dystopia.

Set in a futuristic theme park call Oblivia, Katy Perry portrays a woman named Rose, who arrives in a Jetsons-style white dress. Although everyone is all smiles, she soon realises that nothing is as wonderful as it seems. Clearly, everyone is disillusioned with the American dream.

We see people running on hamster wheels to the point of exhaustion, but that doesn’t stop them from walking in the same monotonous step and waiting in the long cue to get on the wheel. The message? They are all clueless on the fact that they are all on the same road to nowhere.

Sticking to her new mantra of “purposeful pop”, Perry is being political without critiquing. Watch the colourful visual here:

Sources: ET Online, Entertainment Weekly, E! News, BBC, The Fix.


5 Exciting Reasons To Visit Klook Travel Fest 2019 This Month

Here comes the Klook Travel Fest! You may ask yourself what is Klook? Klook, which stands for “Keep Looking”, is a one-stop-shop for travellers to explore and book a curated selection of fun things to do! Sounds amazing? Wait till you see what’s coming next.

Klook is organising a travel fest but it’s not like any other regular travel fairs. This one-of-a-kind travel fest houses fun, travel and community-building all under one roof. From interactive experiences to beneficial workshops from experts in the industry, let’s dive deeper into the juicy details and see what you can expect from the fest.

The highlight of the event has got to be the event-exclusive mind-blowing deals that you won’t be able to get anywhere for your upcoming vacation plans. There will also be buy 1 Free 1 promos, flash deals to top attractions like Hong Kong Disneyland and Universal Studios Japan, event-exclusive site-wide discounts, and so much more!

Besides the jaw-dropping deals to some of the top theme parks around the world, prepare yourself for the immersive and Insta-worthy booths, games and activities!

As for globetrotting parents who are looking to spend the weekend with their kids, we’ve got great news for you! There will be a kids’ corner organised by Kidzania, where children will definitely be occupied with interesting activities!

Booths that represent Klook’s partners such as Hong Kong Disneyland, Universal Studios Japan, Ocean Park Hong Kong, Sunway Lagoon, Harukas 300, Malaysia Airlines, JR West, and HSBC will also be on-site.

On top of that, Klook Travel Fest goers also stand an opportunity to get insider tips from some of our favourite travel icons and influencers, all while jamming to live music!
Some of our celebrity speakers panel include Malaysian TV personality Sazzy Falak, travel vlogger Daphne King and local food and travel vlogger Wei Zhi.

This travel fest will also be showcasing a Mandarin language based panel which is hosted by Joe Chang and Mia Chai who are best known to be the young, family-oriented duo that regularly share tips and tricks of travelling as a family unit.

Live music performances are headlined by the Pong Pong Siblings, Wadaiko Syo and Kueendom Kingsman. From local singer siblings to Japanese drum performances and a K-pop dance cover group, Klook travel Fest has a wholesome musical experience in store for you. Now, that is what we call a world-class event!

If you need help with suggestions on how to plan your holiday, there will be “Ask Klook” booths to help travellers, both fresh and seasoned, to plan their holidays in the most effective way! The staff on-site will be more than happy to offer tips and how to navigate the Klook app effectively.

What if we told you that this entire fun-filled travel fest is completely free of charge! A travel fest that equips you with strategic holiday-planning tips and entertains you at the same time – that is why it’s called a festival.

The best part is you’ll get to walk away with up to RM100,000 worth of merchandises and prizes that includes roundtrip air flight tickets, Dyson hair dryers, Samsonite luggages and so much more!

Details for Klook Travel Fest 2019 are as follows:

How to be a part of this amazing travel bonanza? It’s so simple! Get on the Klook app and redeem your free admission e-voucher for the #KlookTravelFest2019! RSVP now as each e-voucher will entitle you to a lucky draw.

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#MalaysiaDay: Google Malaysia Features Doodle By 16-Year-Old

Now, whoever said that Malaysia ain’t got no talent, hmm?

In conjunction with our Malaysia Day, Google Malaysia organised a “Doodle 4 Google” competition which encouraged students to submit their most creative Google doodle with elements best associated with Malaysia.

The entries were judged on 3 aspects, one of which was artistic merit whereby the panel of judges, including Google staff and the public, evaluated the quality and skill demonstrated in the doodle, considering each contestant’s age group.

The “Doodle 4 Google” judging criteria included:

16-year-old Lee Yee Run of SMJK(C) Yoke Kuan in Sekinchan, Selangor emerged the grand winner of the competition with his artwork entitled, “Beauty of Malaysia”. You might’ve seen it on the Google Malaysia homepage today:

His doodle featured a colourful rendition of the Kuala Lumpur Tower, Petronas Twin Towers, and Penang Bridge along with the national flower Hibiscus, Jalur Gemilang national flag, and a beach scene.

“Many of us may have been caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, missing out the beauty of our country. Let’s step out of the box, travel to attractive spots, discover and embrace the true and unique colours of Malaysia. Malaysia to me and you is surely a beautiful place to stay,” he said in a short message, which accompanied his winning entry.

Beautifully drawn and beautifully said too!

A total of 20 “Doodle 4 Google” entries were shortlisted as finalists. Besides the 16-17 years-old category, the competition also comprised 3 other categories for ages 7-9, 10-12, and 13-15.

Vaisnawi Harulnathan of SJK(T) Vallambrosa, Klang, topped the ages 7-9 category:

While Chin Joe Yi of SJK(C) Kwang Hwa, Penang, aced the ages 10-12 category:

And Mohammed Anoof Ibrahim from Mutiara International Grammar School, Ampang, had the best entry in the ages 13-15 category:

With the theme “Malaysia to me is…”, the “Doodle 4 Google” competition was launched back in April in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2014.

For more information, visit their website.


SM Entertainment’s Official Statement Regarding SNSD Girls’ Generation’s Jessica

Regarding the rumours of Jessica Jung being kicked out of SNSD, SM Entertainment released an official statement to confirm that SNSD Girls’ Generation will be promoting as 8 members with Jessica leaving the group.

On 30th September, SM Entertainment made an official statement regarding Jessica′s leave from the K-Pop idol girl group:

This spring, Jessica told the company that due to a personal situation, she will be stopping team promotions after the end of one more album’s promotions. Despite Jessica′s sudden announcement, the company and then SNSD members persistently worked hard and pondered on how to continue promotions in a good direction for SNSD.

However, before agreements could be made on rising conflicts regarding the priority and interests of SNSD promotions, Jessica began her fashion-related business, and a situation arose where it became difficult to continue as a team despite continuous discussions.

With this, the company decided it had to promote SNSD with eight members sooner than expected, and while it was discussing when to announce the news, Jessica posted her own perspective in the early morning.

From this point onwards, the company will unchangingly support and manage SNSD with eight members as well as Jessica′s personal activities.

In case you missed it, earlier today, Jessica posted on her Weibo, “I was excited about our upcoming fan events only to shockingly be informed by my company and 8 others that as of today, I′m no longer a member. I′m devastated – my priority and love is to serve as a member of GG, but for no justifiable reason, I am being forced out.”

At first, the above post made fans and netizens wonder if Jessica′s SNS account was hacked, as speculations rose on the issue. But havoc continued to ensue when the SNSD Girls’ Generation members were spotted upon arrival at the airport in China without Jessica. Furthermore, Dispatch later released a picture of Jessica arriving at Incheon airport, supposedly from New York, with rumoured boyfriend Tyler Kwon following closely behind.

The last time such catastrophe ripped through the K-Pop industry and caused a shitstorm of sorts was when Kris abruptly left EXO back in May. The difference is that Kris’ case was pretty black and white as he cited restrictions in terms of personal development plus the unfair distribution of wages.

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#GE14: Malaysia’s 14th General Election May Be Held In May 2018

Here’s a heads up for all you Malaysian registered voters, the next general election may be sooner than you think.

PAS vice-president Iskandar Samad believes the country’s 14th general election will most likely be held in May next year, based on the implementation of projects by government agencies.

“This conclusion was drawn due to the implementation of several federal government projects that would typically be seen during election seasons. The Election Commission also appears to have issued briefing schedules for its election staff,” Iskandar told MalaysiaKini.

He speculates that the Parliament will be dissolved either in late March or early April, to make way for an election within 60 days. “Do not be surprised if the Parliament will be dissolved around that time in order to disrupt PAS’ preparations for the elections,” he continued, adding that the timing of the poll will probably conflict with PAS’ muktamar (general assembly).

Besides that, the Selangor state executive councillor also thinks that the political internal struggles and the weakening of the ringgit are huge factors as to why GE14 will be held in mid 2018.


“Fast X” Review: A Rather Honourable Effort To Closing Up The “Fast” Franchise

Remember when the series was about stealing DVD players and racing fast cars? Well, they’ve come a long way since then and it’s now the end of the road. “Fast X” is the latest instalment to the much-beloved (and equally much-criticised) “Fast and Furious” franchise. Regarded as one of the most anticipated blockbusters of the year, the movie also serves as the finale of the main “Fast” franchise. Well, at least just the first part because yup, you’ve guessed it: they went the multi-part finale route. But hey, a movie franchise this big obviously needs to end on a big note.

The movie is the sequel to 2021’s “F9” and follows the lead, Dominic Toretto, and his efforts to protect his family and crew from a revenge-seeking threat who wants to destroy and break apart Dominic’s family. As the highly-anticipated finale to the franchise, we look forward to seeing what the star-studded cast brings to the table and seeing how the movie will pay homage to the franchise. Will the movie ride in glory or crash and burn? Read on to find out!

We’re going to preface this review by saying this: we went into the screening knowing little about the franchise because while we are familiar with it, we haven’t been following the series too closely. We don’t even remember what happened in the previous few instalments and only got a quick refresher before seeing this one. Basically, we only went in for fun and not necessarily as a fan so we can’t speak for those who have dedicated years to following this franchise.

Even so, some parts of the movie definitely triggered the nostalgia. Even we couldn’t help but smile at some of the easter eggs that were added to the movie because it’s nice to see how this finale is tying back the entire series. That being said, there were tons of twists throughout the movie so you should prepare yourself for some flashbacks with new perspectives.

In terms of action, this movie is filled with it from the get-go and it gets the adrenaline pumping with all of its fast-paced scenes. If you’re a fan of action, you won’t be disappointed by the film but try not to go into them too logically or else you will find yourself going, “Now that’s just not possible!”.

Vin Diesel’s Dominic Toretto is ever fearless but his actions from the past films have caught up with him and Jason Momoa’s Dante Reyes is out to seek revenge, putting Dominic’s beloved family in danger. We’re just gonna go ahead and say that like many others, we were very entertained by Jason’s portrayal of this instalment’s villain. He is flamboyant, he is fluid and he is one fun villain. He knows what he wants and how to get it and we think that the actor brings a rather refreshing (but still kinda psychotic) vibe to what would typically be a stoic character.

The rest of the cast did great in their roles but we can’t help but feel that there were too many characters, making it a bit hard to keep up with what everyone is doing during the movie. However, we still enjoyed the introduction to the new faces but don’t be mistaken – they’re no strangers and the movie did a pretty good job to make sure you know who’s who. Let’s just say that Dom’s family is bigger than you think.

And of course, we can’t forget about the other cast: the cars, because no “Fast” movie would be complete without them. Dominic’s 1970 Dodge Charger will once again make an appearance (in a role that is bigger than you first realise) and if you love yourself some fancy fast ones, you’ll also be delighted by the appearances of other amazing supercars – including an absurdly shiny gold Lamborghini Gallardo.

While the rest of the film was decent, we found the ending to be just okay. Not great because it felt kinda rushed but we also know that this is only the first part of the finale so obviously it would end that way. Since they have another movie coming up, surely they’ll stretch out this scene when that one comes out. Oh, by the way, you’ll want to stay tuned for the post-credit scenes because maybe, just maybe, the fan theories are true.

To close off, we’re going to honestly say that this is not at all a perfect movie, and surely not to those already highly critical of the series. Yes, some parts were questionable (and maybe even downright illogical) but there’s nothing wrong with some ridiculousness, especially when the movie is still an entertaining visual spectacle. And whether you’re a fan of fast action or the “Fast” franchise, you wouldn’t want to miss out on “Fast X” so catch it in a cinema near you!

The latest instalment to the "Fast" franchise, "Fast X" brought tons of adrenaline-pumping action with some heartwarming and comedic moments nicely sprinkled throughout the film. There are a lot of cars, a lot of fighting and a lot of mention of family. And while it may not be the most perfect of movies, its efforts to honour the much-beloved franchise as the first part of the finale is one that we think still deserves praise.


Marvel: 4 New Villains Revealed For Upcoming “Shang-Chi” Movie

Every announcement Marvel films have become an experience, and that is no less true when “Shang-Chi and The Legends Of The 10 Rings” was first announced. Many questions were raised about Marvel’s first Asian lead movie. The most important of which was the villain. Marvel then gave us one name, Mandarin, not the Iron Man 3’s Mandarin, but a comic book faithful one.

The villain by himself might be an entertaining watch but Marvel has other plans as they recently introduced 4 more villains to join the Stan Lee character in the upcoming film. So while we wait for the film to come out, lets check out the history behind each of the new villains.

Moving Shadow is the half-brother of Shang-Chi, whom they both share the same father, Fu Manchu. While his brother betrayed and walked out on their father’s plans of world domination, Moving Shadow embraced his father’s teachings. So when he was eventually ordered to kill his half-brother, he had no problem with following these orders as he wants to prove his superiority over Shang-Chi.

Depending on which version or how the story is set, Razor-Fist is actually two brothers, named Douglas and William Scott. The brothers were brilliant martial artists, earning the name Razor-Fist because of their fast punches before becoming mercenaries. The brothers then took the same title and decided to pretend to be one person. They also lost their hand in a car accident and replaced their missing hand with a blade. They were then hired to hunt down Shang-Chi.

Key note: William Scott was later revealed with both blades on each of his hands when his brother got killed in the comic books.

Ghost Maker (real name Grigori Sovchenko) is the son of a high-ranking Soviet Union’s KGB member, who trained Ghost Maker martial art for the first 15 years of his life. His training was completed when he killed 10 western spies and came in conflict with Shang-Chi while attacking a military camp. Ghost Maker was later killed when he got expose to a deadly raindrop, but was then resurrected by a cult name Snakeroot to fight under their command.

Steel-Claw never appeared in the comic but has been linked to another character named Tiger-Claw. Tiger-Claw was a martial artist who confronted Shang-Chi father, Fu Manchu, where he demanded to be the master of Si-Fan, an ancient secret society. He was granted the position by Fu Manchu, after he killed several of the Si-Fan’s masters. Since then, he became an occurring villain in the Shang-Chi comics.

Fun fact: “The Dead Lands” actor Te Kohe Tuhaka reportedly auditioned for the role.

Source: Jaynestars. Featured Image: Geek Tyrant.

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Rapper Beenzino’s Past Lyrics About Declining To Join BTS Resurface

Recently, netizens took to an online community forum to talk about an old song by the Korean hip-hop artiste Beenzino (빈지노) which appeared to have taken the jab at the founder of BTS‘ home label Big Hit Entertainment, Bang Si Hyuk (방시혁).

In the post titled, “Big Hit is also a company that makes you get plastic surgery”, the netizen shared a screenshot of a WikiTree article from last year that brought to light Beenzino (real name Im Seong Bin, 임성빈)’s lyrics about turning down an offer from a producer.

In this case, the portal suggested that Beenzino had declined the offer after the producer asked him to “shave his jaw” through cosmetic procedures. The website’s article is titled, ” ‘Just shave your jaw a little’…Beenzino, the lyrics that contain the story of when he almost became a member of BTS receives spotlight once again”.

For those curious, the particular song lyrics that are currently regaining attention from netizens are taken from his featured rap in a track called “Hallelujah”. The translation are read as follows:

“During my underground days [as a rapper], this producer said this to me
If I [work] with him, no matter what I do. everything will work out
The last thing is the punch line
He said [everything] would work if I shaved my jaw a little
I don’t need your bullet proof
Just like that, to the offer of being his ‘sonyeon’ (boy)
I declined…”

A lot of fans believe that Beenzino was actually referring to BTS through his choices of words he used in the lyrics, such as “Bullet Proof” and also “Sonyeon”. Due to this glaring reference to the popular group, many also speculated that the “producer” mentioned in the track is Bang Si Hyuk, who everyone refers to as the “Father of BTS”.

Following this revelation, netizens soon engaged themselves in a serious debate online in regards to whether the idols signed under Big Hit Entertainment were also encouraged to go under the knife. Check out some of the highlighted ones below:


#Grab: Ride-Hailing Service Ups Safety Efforts With In-Car CCTV Camera

Vehicle accidents are one of the most regular casualties especially when you’re driving in the city. There are just too many irresponsible drivers on the road.

In trying to curb the growing concern on road safety, Grab is upping the ante by introducing 2 safety features: the in-car CCTV cameras in GrabCars in Malaysia as well as the introduction of its new insurance policy in Southeast Asia. The policy is reportedly the largest in terms of coverage.

In launching Grab’s pilot programme, the in-car CCTV cameras will be installed in vehicles driven by female drivers as an added protection for both drivers and passengers. This move will also help solve potential disputes between drivers and passengers. The first round of women drivers were chosen based on their active performance and ratings from passengers.

“The CCTV cameras which are installed progressively in 100 selected cars is aimed to ensure on-the-job safety for our female drivers and also in the event of any disputes by either driver or passenger. To-date, we have not received any negative feedback from either drivers and passengers, in fact drivers laud the initiative as it makes them feel safer on the road,” said Jaygan Fu, Country Manager of Grab Malaysia.

Also applicable for all GrabCar passengers and drivers is the new PAI (personal accident insurance), which is free to either party. The policy coverage includes accidental death, permanent dismemberment and bodily injuries in the event of road accidents for drivers and passengers.

The amount insured is up to RM64,200 per person in Malaysia and varies across the other 6 countries that Grab operates in as each incident will be evaluated individually by the insurance providers. These steps are in addition to Grab’s current safety features which includes stringent background screening and the PDRM button which connects drivers to the nearest police station.

For more information, visit Grab’s website.


A&W Seremban Becomes First Malaysian Outlet To Include Jamaica Blue

The A&W Seremban Drive-Thru outlet has just gotten a “retro” makeover that features a modern take on chic retro design for the iconic eatery. It’s been a long time coming, especially since A&W became the first fast food restaurant to be established in Malaysia.

In celebration of this momentous occasion, Menteri Besar of Negeri Sembilan, YAB Dato’ Seri Haji Aminuddin Bin Harun showed up for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “I truly congratulate the management for their entrepreneurial and innovative spirit to constantly deliver inventive new offerings and concepts to consumers,” he said.

As an extra bonus for Seremban folks, this newly refurbished restaurant – which overlooks the beautiful Seremban Lake Garden – is also hoping to attract a new generation of discerning consumers with the inclusion of Jamaica Blue. Owned by Inter Mark Resources, A&W Seremban is the first outlet in Malaysia to have the new world famous coffee brand Jamaica Blue.

“Together with the incorporation of Jamaica Blue, A&W Seremban Drive-Thru will bring something totally new, unique and refreshing to residents here. Ultimately, our aim is to create the perfect setting and atmosphere for the community here to truly enjoy and call their own, building on an already iconic landmark in Seremban,” said Sophia Ch’ng, Director of A&W Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.

The next time you visit A&W Seremban Drive-Thru, be sure to treat yourself with the outlet’s own specialised selection of coffee beverages.

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South Korean Actresses Accused Of Propofol Abuse

South Korean actresses Park Si Yeon and Hyun Young, amongst others, are currently being investigated for propofol abuse. According to the prosecutors, the female celebrities had been continuously been administered propofol at various plastic surgeons and dermatologists. Apparently, a few of the celebrities were even seen borrowing their sister’s or their family member’s names to administer propofol and visited many hospitals in one day for it.

The actresses of course denied the allegations. But let’s take a look at what propofol is.

Propofol is a sedative that is usually administered to patients who are undergoing surgery or another medical procedure. It is a fast-acting drug, with most patients receiving it losing consciousness within a matter of seconds. The potency of propofol as an anesthetic is so widely known, in fact, that in anesthesiology circles, the drug, a white liquid, is nicknamed “milk of amnesia”.

While propofol is most often used to sedate patients before a medical procedure, it is also one that palliative care workers have been known to administer to terminal patients who are in pain or who have weeks or days to live.

Michael Jackson reportedly used propofol regularly, which he called his “milk”, as a sleep aid. In 2009, the late “King of Pop” Michael Jackson was given a lethal dose of propofol. After which, he went to sleep. And never woke up.

Back to the accused. Following the allegations, Park Si Yeon’s agency, EYAGI Entertainment released an official statement which said:

During the filming for films “Marine Boy” and “Dachimawa Lee” in 2008, Park Si Yeon underwent continuous action scenes and suffered a hip injury. From then on, Park Si Yeon who was suffering continuous hip pain was advised by a doctor for surgery and managed to endure it through painkillers to continue her activities. In the end, the pain became severe and Park Si Yeon decided to quit being the fixed guest for variety show “Family Outing” in 2009. Afterwards, Park Si Yeon was afraid of any potential damages to her image as an actress and didn’t notify the press and quietly received hip surgery.

It is true that Park Si Yeon continued to receive treatments for her hip pain and it was a treatment process prescribed by the doctor and we were not aware at the time whether she used propofol for treatment or not. According to the official records regarding Park Si Yeon, among the treatments that Park Si Yeon received at the time, propofol was administered, and Park Si Yeon will faithfully adhere to the police requests and complete the investigation. The allegation that Park Si Yeon habitually used propofol is totally false and the truth will be revealed.

Hyun Young’s agency also denied the propofol abused when they stated:

As you probably learned through reports, Hyun Young, as well as other celebrities, are being investigated for propofol use. First we want to make it clear that this investigation also includes digging into whether doctors are prescribing propofol in aims of pocketing more money, and whether propofol is being used in illegal ways.

As a female celebrity, one cannot be not concerned about her appearance, and it is true that she has visited the clinic several times for treatment. However, after realizing that she was pregnant in 2011, she never visited the clinic with the purpose of plastic surgery since then. Our hearts are heavy that Hyun Young, who has openly admitted to plastic surgery since the past, is being looked on with a negative mind set due to this investigation.


ASICS Launches New ART IN MOTION Collection Featuring Local Graffiti Artist, Kenji Chai

From their Modern Tokyo Pack design to newer releases such as their Beauty of Imperfection shoes, we’ve seen countless innovative and unique iterations of the classic ASICS GEL-LYTE III as the years have gone by. This time is no different.

In celebration of their 30th anniversary of the GEL-LYTE III, ASICS has launched their new Art In Motion collection in collaboration with three creatives from Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand respectively. Namely, our own beloved Malaysian graffiti artist, Kenji Chai, was one of the talented few who participated in this collaboration, putting his own creative spin on the brand’s iconic shoe!

A post shared by Kenji Chai (@mr_kenjichai)

Drawing inspiration from his iconic Chaigo alter ego and graffiti background, Kenji’s design, ASICS GEL-1130, sports a vibrant blue and green colourway and camouflage pattern that definitely stands out from the rest. Speaking with Kenji himself, we were able to understand the inspiration and story behind his design.

Having originally worked in a magazine company as a graphic designer, Kenji found corporate work too restricting on his own creative expression. “For example, I can’t change the corporate colours from yellow to red or red to yellow,” he explained. “I was working in a box.”

A post shared by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy)

It was then he began exploring graffiti art to regain his childlike love for art, spray painting on walls and feeling proud of what he created. In this way, he forged a new path for his passion and wanted to share that fighting spirit in the ASICS GEL-1130.

“You can see the camouflage design, it represents the fighting spirit like a soldier,” he told us. “Not just in art, but in everything we do to chase our dreams, it’s really a long path. I hope that my fans or people who really look into Chaigo can wear (these shoes) and keep on fighting until their dreams realise.”

If you love these shoes just as much as we do, you’ll be stoked to hear that you can pre-order them now via the link, here! Not only that, if you pre-order the shoes now, you’ll also gain an exclusive chance to meet Kenji Chai in person. Just RSVP and Register for the event happening on the 13th May, here.

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#ArenaofStars: HITMAN David Foster & Friends Asia Tour 2015

Get ready for one of the most exciting concerts of the year brought to you by Resorts World Genting in conjunction with Genting’s 50th anniversary celebrations. David Foster has been invited to perform with his friends, namely Peter Cetera, Natalie Cole, Boyz II Men, Ruben Studdard and Jackie Evancho in his upcoming tour titled, “HITMAN David Foster & Friends Asia Tour 2015″ on 14th August 2015 at Arena of Stars, Resorts World Genting from 9pm onwards.

David Foster is a musician, songwriter, composer, music arranger, producer, and recording artiste for more than 4 decades. His portfolio includes the biggest names in pop music. He has played a key role in the discovery and career launches of Celine Dion, Josh Groban, Michael Bublé and many more. With his passion and effort in producing some of the biggest songs in history, he has since won 16 Grammy Awards and racked up 3 Oscar nominations for “Best Original Song”.

Not too long ago, Foster moved to front stage by producing his own concerts namely “David Foster and Friends” featuring live performances by Foster and some top performers in the music industry.

Amongst the top artistes is the popular R&B singer of all time Ruben Studdard. He rose to fame as the winner of the second season of American Idol in 2003. The song “Superstar” in his platinum-selling debut album “Soulful” received Grammy Award nomination for “Best Male R&B Vocal Performance” and his latest album “Unconditional Love” with David Foster.

Together they have received overwhelming feedback from the public for Ruben’s soulful vocal.

Another popular artiste and all-time favourite who will be at the concert is the multiple Grammy Awards winner Natalie Cole. She rocketed to stardom in 1975 with her debut album “Inseparable” that won her “Best New Artist” and “Best Female R&B Vocal Performance” at the Grammy Awards with the song “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)”.

This concert also sees Peter Cetera, best known for being the lead singer of rock band Chicago in the 70s. Peter an American singer-songwriter, bassist and producer first solo single, “Glory of Love” was a big hit when it was made the theme song for “The Karate Kid, Part II”. It became US #1song in 1986 and was nominated for both Oscars and Golden Globes in the category of “Best Original Song”, as well as Grammy Award for “Best Pop Vocal Performance by Male Artiste”.

At this upcoming concert with David Foster, Peter will be singing some of the songs he had collaborated and produced with David.

Most iconic R&B group in music history, Boyz II Men will also be joining Foster. The group is also another Grammy Award-winner that is best known for love ballads and a cappella harmonies. Throughout their 20 year of singing career, they have won fans from around the world with their famous hits like “End of the Road”, “I’ll Make Love to You”, “One Sweet Day”, and “Motownphilly”.

Another phenomenal singer Jackie Evancho gained worldwide recognition when she was just 10 years old with her natural talents in singing during America’s Got Talent competition. Her talent caught Foster’s attention and he had included her in his concerts in 2009. Jackie’s latest album “Awakening” which was debuted in 2014, was listed as number one on the Billboard’s classical charts soon after it was released.

Be sure to witness David Foster and Friends’ superb performance at Genting!

Ticket sales will be available from 15th April onwards. A 10% discount will be extended to all Genting Rewards Members, applicable only to VVIP and VIP price scales. Be a Genting Rewards member now and enjoy exclusive discounts on our shows. Registration is easy and it’s FREE!

For more information, please call 03-2718 1118 or visit their website.


Tritonians, You Are Not Ready For This!

After only three short years of united production, progressive trance duo Tritonal has gone from unknown newcomers to one of the top names in the international electronic dance music scene. Currently standing at #83 on DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs List, Tritonal continues to launch track after track up the Beatport charts and into the sets of some of the most renowned and respected DJs in the world.

Their debut artiste album, “Piercing the Quiet” produced six top 20 Beatport singles, including two that held the #1 position on the trance chart for almost three weeks – “Lifted” and the “Still With Me” Club Mix.

Such a rapid ascent into the forefront of an ever-changing dance music scene might intimidate even the most seasoned musicians, but the duo who “complete each other’s musical sentences” have captured the hearts and ears of fans and DJs alike. Chad Cisneros and Dave Reed formed this dynamic musical partnership from opposite ends of the United States after meeting online in a sound production forum.

Within a year of collaboration, their first smash hit “Piercing Quiet” was voted best track by listeners of Armin van Buuren’s “A State of Trance” radio show and the pair was on the fast track to becoming one of the US’ (and the world’s) most exciting and innovative acts to watch.

In 2011, Tritonal embarked on a nonstop, worldwide tour, performing at the best dance music events in North America, Russia, Asia, UK, and Australia. They managed to stand out on the festival circuit, winning over legions of EDM fans at massive gatherings such as “Electric Daisy Carnival’, “Escape From Wonderland”, “Ultra Music Festival”, and “Nocturnal”.

Incredibly, they also managed to find time to launch their own record label, “Air Up There Recordings”, provide a guest mix for Trance Around the World with Above & Beyond, become the resident DJs on Sirius XM’s Electric Area, and syndicate their popular Air Up There radio show throughout five continents:

[youtube id=”tTOyzOuF-jI)” width=”600″ height=”350″]

With a fan base of dedicated Tritonians expanding rapidly around the world and a truly memorable, vivacious stage presence which must be seen to be believed, Tritonal continues to shower music lovers with their uplifting, original material and electrifying remixes of some of the best dance music today.

So, the question is, are you ready to catch the Tritonal boys when they rock Zouk Club Kuala Lumpur next month?

Ticket Entry: RM35 Ladies / RM45 Men (inc 1 drink)

Bottle Entry: RM351 / 4pax (Before 11pm)

Reservations*: Please call 03-2171 2075 (12pm – 6pm) or 0163323191 (after 6pm) or email rsvn@zoukclub.com.my

For more information, hit up Zouk Club Kuala Lumpur’s Facebook page. To watch more Tritonal videos, check out their YouTube channel.

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Hype’s Must Watch: Pizza – A Short Film by Dick Chua

Presented by BMW Shorties, BMW Group Malaysia proudly announces the upcoming online premiere of Pizza, a short film produced by Dick Chua, the Grand Prize winner of BMW Shorties 2012.

The short film, is a triller based on true stories which has taken place a few years back. Produced with the RM75,000 production grant provided by BMW Group Malaysia, Dick Chua did not only produce Pizza, he has also established himself as the Malaysian master of the thriller genre.

Short film fans and enthusiasts are invited to watch Pizza via BMW Shorties Official Facebook page on January 22nd, 2014 (Wednesday).


7 Former Athletes Who Caught The Acting Bug & Never Looked Back

Having already had to deal with eyes on their every move on the pitch (or in the stadium), it almost feels natural for some athletes to put on convincing – and even award-winning – performances when dipping their toes into the entertainment industry.

While some actors’ athletic histories are known to many (think Dwayne Johnson and John Cena’s wrestling careers), you’d be surprised by how many of them actually started their professional careers on the pitch.

Do you smelllll what The Rock is cookin’?!

We were all introduced to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as the WWF superstar whose’s right eyebrow had a life of its own, but did you know that he briefly pursued a career in professional American football? A young Johnson played for the Miami Hurricanes in college and won a national championship as part of the 1991 lineup.

His dream, however, was cut short when he was let go from the Canadian Football League’s Calgary Stampeders in his first season. Following in his father and grandfather’s footsteps, he decided to pursue a career in professional wrestling instead and signed on to the WWE (then known as WWF) in 1996.

Johnson made his acting debut in 1999 playing his father Rocky Johnson in “That ‘70s Show” before making his theatrical debut in 2001’s “The Mummy Returns”. He has since starred in countless movies and even co-founded production company Seven Bucks Productions in 2012, which has churned out films like “Baywatch“, “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle“, “Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw”, and upcoming heist comedy “Red Notice” starring Johnson himself alongside Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot.

To wrestling fans, he will always be ‘Batista’.

Known for his hulking muscular frame, Bautista began his professional wrestling career in 1999 and signed with the WWF the next year. He quickly rose to fame under the aforementioned ring name and would go on to become a six-time world champion, winning the World Heavyweight Championship four times and the WWE Championship twice.

Bautista’s early filmography consisted of guest appearances and cameos as himself in TV shows like “Smallville” and “Chuck”. In 2014, he played Drax the Destroyer in “Guardians of the Galaxy”, paving the way for more appearances in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well as starring roles in major blockbusters such as “Spectre”, “Blade Runner 2049”, Zack Snyder’s “Army of the Dead“, and most recently, “Dune“.

Despite making his first ever on-screen appearance at the tender age of seven in Spike Lee’s “Malcolm X”, which starred his father Denzel Washington in the titular role, John David Washington did not immediately follow in the latter’s footsteps when it came to pursuing an acting career.

Having excelled in football, basketball, and track in high school, Washington continued playing football at Morehouse College and signed with the St. Louis Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2006. For four years, he served as the running back for the United Football League’s Sacramento Mountain Lions until the league ceased operations in October 2012.

Washington scored his first major role when he was cast in HBO drama series “Ballers”, which he starred in until 2019. He was also cast in lead roles for Spike Lee’s “BlacKkKlansman” and Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet”, and played the titular characters in “Malcolm & Marie” and “Beckett”.

As a child, the Emmy award winning actress dabbled in competitive figure skating. “The Orange Is the New Black” star also won a track scholarship to Boston University where she became one of its top sprinters and even holds the record for sprinting there.

Fast forward to the present day, Aduba continues to flex her endurance muscles amid acting projects, having participated in the Boston Marathon and the New York City Marathon.

If you can’t see him then, you sure can see him now!

Before his days of spouting witty one-liners and flexing his muscles on the big screen, John Cena was spitting rhymes and winning championship belts in the WWE. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, tying with former pro wrestler Ric Flair for the most world championship reigns in professional wrestling history.

Cena’s acting career began with starring roles in “The Marine”, “12 Rounds”, and “Legendary” — all three of which were produced by WWE Studios, the motion pictures arm of the WWE. Since then, he has brought his charismatic presence to comedies such as “Trainwreck” and “Blockers”, as well as high-profile blockbusters like “Bumblebee” and “The Suicide Squad”.

In the days before Jason Statham stopped growing out his hair, the action superstar was part of Britain’s national diving team, which he was a member of for 12 years and even competed in the 1990 Commonwealth Games. He was also an avid footballer and practiced Chinese martial arts, kickboxing, and karate in his youth.

After making his film debut in Guy Ritchie’s “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” in 1998, Statham broke into Hollywood at the turn of the millennium with notable action movies such as “Snatch” and “The Transporter”. In the years that followed, he carved a niche for himself playing stoic, tough characters in films like “Mechanic: Resurrection” and even teamed up with some of the world’s most iconic action stars in the “Expendables” films and the “Fast and Furious” franchise.

That’s not to say he doesn’t have range; he did, after all, flex his comedic chops as a debonair yet incompetent spy in “Spy” alongside Melissa McCarthy, Jude Law, and Rose Byrne.

Way before ‘A Thousand Miles’ was anyone’s jam, Terry Crews played football in college and even went on to pursue a professional football career. His time in the NFL included stints with the Los Angeles Rams, the Green Bay Packers, the San Diego Chargers, the then-Washington Redskins, and the Philadelphia Eagles before he retired in 1997 and moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting.

Nowadays, he is mostly known for his memorable rendition of “A Thousand Miles”, “White Chicks”, Old Spice commercials, and as yoghurt-loving Sergeant Terry Jeffords in “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”.

Brazilian footballer Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior had dabbled into acting when he did a double take after briefly appearing in two episodes of “Money Heist Part 3“. In the show, Neymar played João, a monk at the Italian monastery where Berlin and Palermo plotted their Bank of Spain heist.

It doesn’t seem like he’s about to quit football anytime soon though, having just extended his contract with Paris Saint-Germain F.C.

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The Official Trailer For The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Let your imagination run wild this Christmas with The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Directed and stared by Ben Stiller, the movie written by Steve Conrad and James Thurber is a classic tale of a day dreamer who escapes to live a whole other life in a fantasy world. In his fantasy life, the day-dreamer gets to not only live an adventurous life, he also romances his co-worker.

However, things take a turn for the worst and he is set off on a global journey to fix things when both of their jobs at are stake. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is an heartwarming yet hilarious movie that will be the perfect end to your year.


“Pitch Perfect 2” Officially In The Pipeline

Following its theatrical release in October, “Pitch Perfect” has grossed more than USD113 million worldwide, while its soundtrack has spent the last 23 weeks on the Billboard charts. In fact, due to popular demand, Anna Kendrick has recently released a brand new music video for her song, “Cups”.

Since late last year, rumours had been circulating about the possibilities of Universal Pictures producing a sequel to the award-winning “Pitch Perfect”. And now, just days after the 2013 MTV Movie Awards, the studio confirmed at CinemaCon that “Pitch Perfect 2” will hit theaters sometime in 2015, with writer Kay Cannon attached.

It’s not known yet whether Anna Kendrick or Rebel Wilson will return to their roles.

Nevertheless, we’re excited. Time to warm up those vocal cords and prepare to sing along, peeps.


#ProjectDelirium: Jennifer Lawrence May Make Directorial Debut With Dark Comedy

Since her reign as Katniss Everdeen in “The Hunger Games” series is coming to an end, Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence is finally ready to prove that she is capable of doing much more than just acting.

The Hollywood A-lister was apparently bitten by the directing bug as she told Entertainment Weekly that she has signed on to helm “Project Delirium”, a dark comedy based on actual events.

Lawrence revealed her desire to become a director when speaking with EW for their “Entertainer of the Year” cover feature.

I have wanted to direct as long as I’ve wanted to act. I just don’t talk about it because I’d rather just do it.

She’s not lying at all, as she later told EW that she has signed on to direct “Project Delirium”. The movie is said to be based on an article about “mental warfare in the 60s, like an acid experiment gone terribly wrong”.

The article she’s referring to is the 2012 New Yorker article titled “Operation Delirium” by Raffi Khatchadourian. It focuses on a series of chemical warfare experiments conducted by Colonel James S. Ketchum at the Edgewood military facility in Maryland from 1960 to 1969.

The purpose was to evaluate the impact of low-dose chemical warfare agents on military personnel and to test protective clothing, pharmaceuticals, and vaccines. Over 7,000 volunteer US soldiers were tested with dangerous “incapacitating agents” including LSD, BZ and marijuana. However, most of the Edgewood test subjects were not checked in on in the following years for lasting mental damage caused by the experiments.

Regarding her intentions to direct, she said:

It’s funny, I’ve wanted to direct since I was 16 and always thought I should start making steps towards that. If I had tried to do it earlier, I wouldn’t have been ready. Now I actually feel ready.

Lawrence is currently filming sci-fi romance “Passengers” with Chris Pratt. She will reprise her role as Mystique in next summer’s “X-Men: Apocalypse” and continue her fruitful relationship with director David O. Russell in “Joy”. She has also projects for Darren Aronofsky and Steven Spielberg lined up.

No word on when “Project Delirium” will be released, but do you think Lawrence will make a great director? Share your thoughts in the comments box below.

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#2015MAMA: Full Winners List From This Year’s Star-Studded Event

Did all y’all managed to sit through the entire 2015 Mnet Asian Music Awards (2015 MAMA)? Despite the hiccups and controversies that shrouded this year’s awards show, the night didn’t disappoint. It was a star-studded night filled with top-notch performances by some of your favourite idols as well as a few surprises in tow.

We don’t know about you but it sure made up for all the rumours of artistes being excluded and fan boycott :)

While we wait for the official performance videos to be uploaded onto Mnet’s YouTube channel, check out the full list of 2015 MAMA winners below.

Which one of these groups/idols/biases were you rooting for?:

We’ll leave you now with the single most important and surprising event of the 2015 MAMA, CL’s stage featuring a surprise comeback performance from 2NE1. So much so that it made #2NE1ISBACK trend worldwide on Twitter!

For more information on the Mnet Asian Music Awards, hit up its website.


“Angry Steering Lock Chinese Lady” Video Incident Now A Police Case

If you have yet to see the viral video which features a raging Chinese lady threatening a MPSJ officer with a steering lock, then allow us to fill you in on what happened.

First uploaded by Facebook page PublicNews, the 1-minute 30-second odd clip shows said Chinese lady shouting at the officer after he clamped her car for parking illegally in front of a restaurant. According to what little we can make out from the argument, the lady had parked at the spot meant for disabled drivers/people as there weren’t any parking spaces available.

In the video, she can be heard screaming at the top of her lungs, “Saya beli makanan untuk OKU (disabled person), salah tak? Salah tak?! You beritahu saya, salah tak?” (Translation: I’m buying a meal for a disabled person, is that wrong? Is that wrong?! You tell me, is that wrong?) To which the officer calmly replied, despite having a steering lock waved in his face, “Tak salah, you beli makan OKU tak salah. You parking kereta salah.” (Translation: It’s not wrong to buy a meal for a disabled person. But you parked at the wrong spot.)

She continued arguing that she’s helping a disabled person, in an attempt to justify her actions. “Are you disabled?” the officer asked, which enraged the lady even more, and her angry tirade continued. It is not known how the fiasco concluded as the video ended abruptly. But it has since garnered over 13k shares and 819k views, all in under 24 hours.

Netizens swarmed the comments section and condemned the woman’s behaviour.

“OKU parking is only for OKU people. If you are buying something for OKU person, it doesn’t mean you can park at OKU spot. And to be screaming at someone who is clearly doing his job is not going to change wrong to right. So embarrassed for you lady,” wrote one Facebook user. “Lady, if you saw the poor and you wanna help them, then you go rob the bank and give the money to them, you salah kah tidak? Helping people is not an excuse for running against the law, paham?” said another.

For the most part, the people praised the officer for his conduct and patience. “I like how the officer kept his integrity and even put his hands behind his back, not at all even showing threatening physical signs to the lady. He did his job very well, despite the lady shoving a metal stick practically up his nose,” one netizen commented.

Meanwhile, Serdang district police chief assistant Commissioner Megat Mohd Aminuddin Megat Alias confirmed that the MPSJ officer lodged a police report at about 7pm. The case will be investigated under Section 506 of the Penal Code for criminal intimidation, a section carries a maximum 2 years’ jail or fine or both, if convicted.

Sources: PublicNews, NST / Featured image: Video screenshot.


Hype’s Movie Review: #ProjectAlmanac Plays Safe With The Time Travel Theme

It’s always a little worrying when a feature film is going to be helmed by someone who is at the beginning of his/her career. It’s even worse when the first-time director is going to direct a found footage film because it definitely isn’t easy to deliver a successful found footage film that will capture viewers’ attention. Just look at 2014’s “Into the Storm“, a disaster film that was filmed in found footage style but ultimately failed to adhere to the simple found footage rules. However, that is not the case for Paramount’s upcoming found footage time travel movie, “Project Almanac“.

After many years of working behind-the-scenes, Dean Israelite was finally given a chance to direct his first-ever feature film with “Project Almanac”. Is it risky to hand over a time travel movie to a new, young director? Yes, it is but boy, were we glad that Dean Israelite has managed to make this fun and enjoyable found footage film. We must say though, this could’ve been pretty mediocre if the found footage style was taken away from “Project Almanac” but the combination turns it into a pretty well-executed found footage sci-fi movie.

The film starts off by introducing David Raskin (played by Jonny Weston), the nerdy average joe who asks his sister, Christina (played by Virginia Gardner) to record down an application video he is submitting to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Even though he acts a little awkward in front of the camera, it’s clear that he is a genius as he shows us how he controls a small drone using the sensors on his fingers instead of the remote control, albeit unsuccessful when there’s signal interruption. Eventually he gets accepted into MIT but since the experiment is a little unsuccessful, he wasn’t able to receive the scholarship.

Obviously, David becomes even more devastated when his mother decides to sell their current house for the sake of his education. Now, you may think that the film will go on and on about how devastated David is but then this is where you’re wrong. The director wastes no time in jumping into the time travel concept with David’s desperate attempt to get a large sum of money for his education. He decides to look through the stuff that was left behind by his late father in the antic when suddenly his sister comes in (while filming her brother) and discovers an old camcoder.

Perhaps it’s a camcoder that should’ve never been found because what David discovers in a video of his 7th birthday party changes his life forever. We’re talking about a video that features his current self walking in the background on his 7th birthday party, which is impossible unless he could travel back in time. After reassuring his equally smart but nerdy best friends, Adam and Quinn (played by Allen Evangelista and Sam Lerner), that he is indeed in the video, they started to believe that they can actually build a time machine with the prototype that David found in his late father’s secret basement.

Here comes the interesting part: They managed to build a time machine with the prototype that was left behind by David’s dead father. How they built it? I will not go into details about that but I will just say it’s interesting to see how they managed to build it with very limited resources while keeping this project a secret. Though they were able to prove that the time machine works fine, it has limited power and clearly requires more modifications. However, with a little push/persuasion from David’s crush, Jessie (played by Sofia Black-D’Elia), David decides to give it a try with the gang. Sure, it’s risky to travel back in time but who wouldn’t want to experience time travel at least once in their lives?

They’ll go back a couple of days or weeks before to win the lottery, to get the revenge they think they deserve, and to celebrate good times at a music festival that they’ve missed in the past. They would do it as much as they want so that they can fix the past mistakes.

The time travel footage in the movie is very “raw and grounded” because the gang didn’t even consider creating a portal to travel back in time. As expected, some shaky camera works were shown in the time travel scenes but they were all very well-executed. The director paid a lot attention to the details of these scenes as they were mostly filmed in slow-mo style and paired with dramatic musical score.

These raw time travel scenes are strangely enjoyable and it’s funny to see how they call them “experiments” instead when they are already changing the world with the time machine. That’s right. You may be glad that they are finally having a good time but what follows after is a series of dire consequences from their actions.

What they have been doing causes a ripple effect to the world and subsequently alters the timeline. David’s mental breakdown certainly doesn’t help to stop the ripple effect and the temporal paradox that might wipe out a certain character from the timeline.

So, what happens to David and the gang by the end of the film? Will things go back to normal again? That’s for you to find out when you watch the film.

I must say, “Project Almanac” is very well-balanced and has the right mix of all the elements. I wouldn’t mind watching a prequel or a sequel for this movie, in which the prequel focuses on David’s father’s past and the sequel focuses on David’s future. The director could even work on a spin-off movie that goes deeper into the time travel logic.

Originally planned for release in early 2014, “Project Almanac” is officially slated for release on 30th Jan 2015. However, it will be released in Malaysia on 29th Jan 2015.

For more information, visit Project Almanac’s official website or follow them on Facebook and Twitter for more updates.

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Scooter & Carly Jumps To Justin’s Defence

It’s safe to say that Justin Bieber has been going through a lot as of late – break up of the decade, bad birthday, collapsing on stage, losing his sh*t at a paparazzi, the works. Such are the pains of being young, rich, and popular. But before y’all attempt to cut yourselves for whatever reason again, chill out!

According to the people closest to him, Justin is doing “good”.

His longtime manager, Scooter Braun was the second person to jump to his defense, telling E! News, “There’s nothing wrong with him. He’s in a great place. Tell everyone Justin is good, really good”.

Who was the first person, you ask? Why, it’s his “Believe” tourmate, and the artiste whom he personally discovered, Carly Rae Jepsen.  MTV News chatted with Carly, who shared that Justin has been a “trooper” throughout his recent struggles:

If there’s anybody who I think can pull off what it means to be a professional performer, it’s Justin because, yeah, it was chaotic week, but he sang even when he was feeling kind of like light of breath and showed us that old saying, “The show must go on” is really true. So, I’m proud of him.


4 Highlights About GSC’s Aurum Theatre In The Gardens Mall

Aurum Theatre recently made its Malaysian debut in The Mall, Mid Valley Southkey. But instead of travelling all the way to Johor Bahru, locals in the Klang Valley now have easy access to it.

Last week, Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC) held the media preview for the brand-new, ultra-luxe boutique cinema. For the initiated, Aurum takes after the Latin word and chemical element that represents gold. So what makes it a true cinematic luxury? It features opulent halls, contemporary continental, dining from Jin Gastrobar, plus bespoke hospitality at your service.

Exclusively crafted by famed Italian architect, Marco Fumagalli, one of the highlights are the Getha Lux Suites that comes with “two-motor luxury recliners made with the company’s trademark 100% pure natural latex foam cushioning” and “nano-silver antibacterial covers, plush pillows that deliver excellent support, and a silky fleece blanket to snuggle under for absolute comfort“.

In addition to the Getha Lux Suites, Aurum Theatre also has 2 other options that are equally luxurious and expensive. You could consider either the classic Gold Class ambience (2 Comfort Cabin halls available) that has a more cinematic journey feel, while the Escape Studios (3 themed halls available) have a more adventurous, unique, and fun setting.

If you’re looking to rent a smaller venue for closed screenings, business functions, or
family gatherings, Aurum Theatre’s Private Screen room is available for renting. It can host up to 20 pax for “an intimate movie night in true sophistication, complete with food and
drink served from a standalone bar with a dedicated host“.

A golden ticket to Aurum Theatre entitles the movie-goer entry to Jin Gastrobar where you’ll get to choose from curated meal platters with vegetarian options and ala carte dishes. Aurum Pass holders are advised to show up at Jin Gastrobar 45 minutes before the movie starts in order to enjoy one’s gastronomical journey.

Alternatively, customers can also order an assortment of food directly from their seats – as aforementioned, the call button is at your service.

For more information, log on to www.gsc.com.my.


Kylie Toys With Retirement Idea

Is this a trend now or what? First, James Blunt and now Kylie joins the clan. It’s been 25 years that she’s been in the music industry, Aussie singer, 44-year-old Kylie Minogue is thinking to take a break from the show business.

She reportedly told British magazine Closer, “I think about retiring all the time! I pictured my retirement and I’m in a big house and doing lots of cooking and ordinary things in tracksuit bottoms.”

“My hair is in a topknot and there’s not a false eyelash in sight. I look pretty terrible in the fantasy! I envision a big garden and dogs. Maybe even a family”, she added.

That’s one huge fantasy though, huh? She considers having children too. With who you ask? One of the hottest models out there, 34-year-old Andres Velencoso Segura. Kylie fought with cancer in 2005 and it might have jeopardized her fertility, so she tries to keep it cool about it.

“I still think a family would be lovely. If it’s not meant to be, then it’s not meant to be”, she said.  The “Timebomb” singer has three nephews, including two-year-old Ethan who is her singer/sister Dannii Minogue’s son.

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GO: Our Picks Of Things To Do In The Klang Valley This Week! (30th Jan-5th Feb)

And before you know it, it’s February! When you’re celebrating one of the most auspicious events of the year, time seems to fly by. But don’t let the end of the festive season dampen your spirit, because there’s lots to do! Don’t believe us? Check out this list of super-fun things you can do in the Klang Valley this week:

Let’s continue the excitement for our upcoming Pasar Seloka Preloved with Pasar Seloka Preloved and Plants! You read that correctly! This time, it’s all about the plants at Pasar Seloka Preloved. It’s time to get rid of the phoney plastic plants and replace them with genuine ones at Markas Seloka.

Who’s up for going all lovey-dovey, chilling, and shopping at Love Potion Pop Up? The messy club’s first event of the year, Love Potion Pop-up, celebrates self-love. From apparel to food and beverages, to arts and crafts and workshops, you’ll have a great time concocting your own love potion at this pop-up market.

If you’re a fan of pop-up markets, you’ll be thrilled to hear that the iconic Pasar Gadis is having yet another pop-up at Central Market! Pasar Gadis is a sanctuary for bargain jewellery, souvenirs, cuisines, thrifted items, and even local brands. It’s your one-stop shop for splurging on all the stuff you want.

Location: Ice Gallery @ Pantai Sentral Park

Gong Hei Fat Choi! This Chinese New Year, join Pantai Sentral Park for a magnificent celebration! You’re invited to ‘jump’ back in time to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit at the Time ‘兔’ Travel event! Dress up in traditional cheongsam and samfu and eat authentic Chinese street snacks and meals – a full day of activity awaits! So gather your friends and family and have a great time at Time ‘兔’ Travel!

Location: Mid Valley Exhibition Center (MVEC)

Mommas and Papas are in for a treat because the BIG Baby Expo is back and better than ever, with even more BIG offers! BIG Baby Expo is coming to Mid Valley Kuala Lumpur with everything you need for your baby. BIG Baby Expo, the ultimate shopping destination for all things pregnant, baby, and kids, is bringing you promotions, rewards, prizes, and more.

Location: Watsons outlet (One Main Street, Sunway Pyramid; Loyalty City Mall 2; Queensbay Mall; and Southkey Mall JB)

Watsons Malaysia is holding a free face wash session! There’s also a face treatment to remove blackheads and a 45-minute pampering session. However, in order to participate in this session, you must purchase Eucerin items at Watsons for RM80 or more. Following that, you may schedule an appointment using WhatsApp.

Meido Impact Café has returned with attractive maids ready to serve you! Bringing you an incredible weekend to be pampered and played with, as well as be enchanted by the allure of our lovely maids while you eat on delicacies. Prepare for an unforgettable experience and discover treatment options – from being served foods and free drinks to getting gifts and a picture polaroid with the beautiful maids.

8.兔击检查 / RARE-Beats by FrhythmS Percussions

Time: 3rd Feb at 8:30pm and 4th Feb at 10pm

FrhythmS Percussions, a prominent percussion and drums ensemble, will deliver two performances of 兔击检查 / RARE-Beats, a percussion improvisation performance combined with visual projections and dance that promises to be an amazing experience. This performance will include sound artist Kent Lee, Borneo Sape artist Evan Lee, visual artist Faris Nasir, and a choreographer from India named Nitin.

Wells, Malaysia’s regional subsidiary of the Korean home living and wellness appliance business, has opened a new location in the heart of Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur. The showroom, which is proudly located in the Jalan Maarof neighborhood, is open to the public and welcomes homeowners searching for appliances that will boost their home setup and décor. The 4,000-square-foot flagship bungalow showroom features the brand’s newest premium product, The One smart water dispenser.

Location: 11th Feb at Renaissance Hotel, Johor Bahru; and 25th Feb at The Wembley Hotel, George Town, Penang

LOL ASIA has announced a global tour with Singapore superstar and comedy’s biggest and funniest talent, KUMAR, in the Year of the Rabbit! The comedian’s upcoming local gigs in Malaysia in February 2023, named ‘Rowdy Kumar,’ aim to provide belly-aching hilarity to city fans, demonstrating why Kumar remains one of South Asia’s most successful and famous comedians of his generation. For the time being, KUMAR is headed to Johor Bahru and Penang to make fun of anything controversial. Visit the LOL ASIA website to find out when KUMAR will be in your city next.

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Actress Elfira Loy On Why Hong Kong Holds A Special Place In Her Heart

Elfira Loy recently welcomed her second child – a baby girl – into the world. While the busy mother is currently in confinement, it hasn’t stop her from reminiscing about her travels before the pandemic.

The 28-year-old has been in the Malaysian film industry since she was 12, is also a TV presenter, entrepreneur and social icon. Being a celebrity has afforded her some perks to enjoy leisure activities like selecting family- and Muslim-friendly travel destinations. With social norms returning to normal, Elfira has spent the past month of Raya with family and friends. Now that travel is allowed, the Malaysian sweetheart looks back at her memories in Hong Kong.

Elfira, who is also a Hong Kong super fan, is part of a community initiated by the Hong Kong Tourism Board where social media influencers with a strong passion for Hong Kong are recruited to share their love for the city as part of its post Covid plan. Having been to Hong Kong three times; in 2010, 2013 and 2018, she recalled, “It’s not only my favourite place to visit, every trip I had to Hong Kong was a meaningful travel experience for me.”

“The first trip in 2010 was with my family. I was pretty young then, so I don’t recall specifics, but I remember we walked on the streets and had some halal food my parents found, I remember the best part of the trip was that we spent the entire day at Hong Kong Disneyland. My siblings and I had so much fun! I took my second trip to Hong Kong when I was 19, This was the most meaningful trip for me because it is my first overseas trip alone with only my siblings! The four of us went to Hong Kong for the filming of Destinasi Ria. We were so young, and we are so excited to go to Hong Kong Disneyland again, this time just by ourselves!” she said.

Elfira  shared that they stayed in Hong Kong Disneyland because there were halal facilities provided where they could pray and find halal food. Aside from that, the four siblings also toured around the city at night with the Big Bus Tours. “I still remember how amazing it was to tour around the city and watch the light sparkling from the buildings at Kowloon area. My brothers, sister and I were sucked into the panoramic views of the bright lights and bustling energy of the city,“ the actress was quoted as saying.

As a melting pot of different cultures, Hong Kong’s well-known diversity also made Elfira comfortable as a Muslim tourist. She described it as one of the easiest destinations for her to explore, especially with her needs as a Muslim tourist. “It feels like home away from home, really; we did not feel out of place, and it did not feel like we needed to look hard for halal food or facilities. Locals are really friendly and helpful if we needed help or directions, but there’s also a huge Muslim community there where you can easily ask for assistance if need be.”

With a community of 300,000 Muslims living in the city, Hong Kong is currently home to multiple beautiful mosques, each with its own rich history and significance which are popular tourist landmarks, and has a widespread of options for Halal eateries, shops, and markets. “There’s a lot of Halal food that you can find easily in Hong Kong. One my favourite food place in Hong Kong is Muslim Food in Kowloon City. What to order? Their veal goulash is the BEST!”

Another one of Elfira’s favourite halal eateries in Hong Kong is the Islamic Center Canteen at Masjid al Amar, best-known for their halal dimsum and Cantonese food. “These are the two places I must eat at every time I visit Hong Kong.”

“My last trip to Hong Kong was in 2018. Again, I felt very comfortable there like it was my second home. It was a work trip, but that trip was special because I celebrated my 24th birthday there. I went full-tourist mode – I visited Sky100, took the Star ferry to visit the Jamia Mosque, I visited the largest mosque in Hong Kong, the Kowloon Mosque. I went to The Peak by tram to absorb the breath-taking Hong Kong landscape by day and visited Avenue of Stars in the evening to immerse myself in the Hong Kong night skyline and enjoy the lightshow. Goes without saying, I visited Islam Food and Islamic Center Canteen, and of course, I also did a lot of shopping,” she cheekily added.

As a wife and a mother now, Elfira has to plan for her family’s needs, such as travel itineraries to work around prayer time, eating schedules and activities for everyone’s interest. “This is why I feel that Hong Kong is one of the best places for Muslim travellers. With halal food easily found, iconic mosques for prayers, and surau facilities equipped at theme parks, it really makes it convenient.”

As for interests, whether you like city life or nature, theme parks or museums, street food or premium dining, Hong Kong gives you the best of both worlds as well! “I will definitely return for the fourth time. Especially with our family growing, Hong Kong is a good choice as an international destination but not too far and long in flight.”

Halal tourism has always been one of Hong Kong Tourism Board’s focus and a lot of effort has been put into promoting Hong Kong as a Muslim Friendly travel destination. Plan your halal trip and we hope you love it as much as our Hong Kong super fan, Elfira Loy!

For more info on where to visit, click here.


#TomCruise: #MI5 Actor Goes Head To Head With Jimmy Fallon In Lip Sync Battle

When you go up against agent Ethan Hunt in a mission, you know for sure who will win it, even if it’s a lip sync battle.

Having showed off his singing talent in 2012’s “Rock of Ages” and his smooth dance moves in 2008’s “Tropic Thunder”, Tom Cruise once again proved to us that he’s one multitalented actor through his appearance on the recent episode of “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon“.

The 53-year-old actor, who is starring in the latest instalment of the “Mission Impossible” film series, appeared on “The Tonight Show” for the lip sync battle against Jimmy Fallon.

Titled “Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation“, the movie sees Cruise reprising his role as IMF Agent Ethan Hunt. In an effort to promote the film, he showed that he’s a force to be reckoned with, with his lip-syncing skills on the show. Needless to say, he slayed the TV host with his renditions of The Weeknd’s “Can’t Feel My Face”, Meatloaf’s “Paradise By the Dashboard Light”, and the Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling”.

We must admit, we aren’t surprised that he’s a karaoke champ. The lad practically invented lip-syncing in 1983’s “Ricky Business”. It’s a shame that he didn’t perform “Old Time Rock And Roll” during the battle though.

Cruise’s upcoming espionage film is currently slated for release on 31st July 2015. Don’t forget to check out Viacom’s “Lip Sync Battle” every Thursday on Comedy Central at 7:30pm (TH/WIB), 8:30pm (HK/PH/SG/TW) and 9:30pm (MY).

For more information, visit the show’s official Facebook page and Comedy Central’s official website.

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