#KTM: Trains To Run For 24 Hours From 8th – 10th Feb In Conjunction With Thaipusam

In conjunction with Thaipusam, which will be happening this week, Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) will commission their fleet of KTM Komuter trains to run for 24 hours, non-stop, for a total of 3 days starting tomorrow (Wednesday, 8th February).

This is because many devotees will be heading to Batu Caves, one of the terminal stations, for the annual ritual. “The train operations will be extended after the current hours. Using additional trains, it will operate from midnight until 5:30am. The service is meant for the public’s usage, especially those observing Thaipusam and tourists who are going to Batu Caves,” continued KTMB’s statement.

The following stations will also be open for the whole duration:

A total of 623 trains will be operating during this period, and to ensure the safety of commuters, 500 KTMB employees, inclusive of operation managers, train drivers, and auxiliary police, will be on duty. For the further convenience of commuters, the KTM trains from Port Klang, Rawang, and Seremban will be also be heading directly to Batu Caves from 10:30pm to 5:30am until 10th February.

In addition, a 20% discount will also be given to those who buy return tickets to Batu Caves from the period of 8th February (Wednesday) until 11th February (Saturday).

To check the schedule and fares of the trains, click here.

For more information, visit KTMB’s website and Facebook page.


Hype’s Exclusive: No Limits, No Holds Barred With Boyce Avenue

We didn’t let on much about this but we did manage to have a quick chat with YouTube sensation Boyce Avenue recently, thanks to our friends from Livescape Asia. Of course, you would’ve already heard by now that the boys are finally going to make their Malaysian debut after making us wait for years on end to see them perform live!

But how excited are they about traveling halfway across the world to see their Malaysian fans? And what can their Malaysian fans expect from their show at KL Live next month?

Hi guys! So glad that the 3 of you are finally coming to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Where are you right now & what are you currently up to?

Right now the 3 of us all live in Sarasota, FL. This is where we have lived for the last 26 years. This is home for us and probably will be for a really long time. We love it here. We are building a brand new recording studio in town and we are always busy recording and filming new videos for our YouTube channel.

We’ve had quite a few YouTube musicians like yourselves come by in the recent years. What have you heard about Malaysia & what are you looking forward to most?

We love traveling and we love learning about new cultures. We can’t wait to meet new people and try new food. We think this is going to be an amazing trip. We can tell from the comments on our social media sites that things are going to be crazy! Good crazy ;)

So your Malaysian fans have been stalking your channel for years now but they’ve always wondered about that thinking process behind picking out songs to cover. Tell us about that.

We really have to love a song to cover it. Doesn’t matter if it it’s a massive hit or just a classic song that inspired us growing up. We have to feel a connection to the song and we have to feel inspired.

What about the creative process involved in songwriting? Since there are 3 of you, who decides what? And who has the final say?

Alejandro is definitely the leader when it comes to original songwriting. He was born with a very powerful musicial gift so we support him and follow his lead. Usually all 3 of us are in the studio contributing. It always helps to have multiple ears in the room giving feedback and suggestions. Some of the songs are written by Fabian and Daniel, but most are written by Alejandro.

Oh, nice! And what’s the best & worst thing about working with or making music with siblings?

The best thing about working with siblings is that we can open up and speak freely to each other. We are always honest with each other and we usually know exactly what the other brother is thinking. We have spent the last 28 years together so we know each other very well. We actually get along very well and almost never fight. If we do, we usually apologise quickly and move on. Sometimes it helps to create a little space though. We are together all the time haha! We work together and we spend personal family time together so sometimes it helps to create space.

Do you have a collaboration wishlist? Who are some of the artistes or YouTubers that the you’d like to someday collaborate with, and why?

We are always open to collaborating with other musicians. Collaborations help us grow as musicians and they are a lot of fun to record. Each musician brings something unique to the table so its inspiring to collab and share creative ideas. Some of our favourite musicians are Chris Martin from Coldplay, Katy Perry, John Mayer, and Ed Sheeran. It would be an incredible honour to collaborate with any of these artistes.

Do you remember your wildest, craziest, and strangest fan moment? Where were you at that time & what went down, exactly?

We are always blown away when fans show us their Boyce Avenue tattoos. Tattoos are such bold artistic statements. It is such an honour that someone would decide to put something about our band on their bodies, knowing it will be there forever! Haha crazy right?!

Sounds pretty darn cray to me! Okay, last one for the road. Tell your Malaysian fans why they should come out to your show/what they can expect from your Malaysian debut :)

We are very proud of our live show! We work very hard to make sure that our fans our happy. We put so much heart and soul into our live show. We hope they come and enjoy an amazing night of live music. We live on the other side of the world so we hope they come out and share this special night with us.

Thanks guys for the chat! See you all soon.

Do all y’all wanna see them too? Boyce Avenue’s Malaysian debut will happen on 12th Feb at KL Live and their show will be supported by local talent Narmi with a special guest appearance by Elizabeth Tan.

General zone tickets goes at RM 188*, The Avenue (VIP) tickets are at RM258* via TicketPro starting 14th Jan 2015. Ticket will also be available at all TicketPro outlets starting 14th Jan as well. Find the list of outlets here.

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

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Driving Licenses, LKM & CDL, Can Be Renewed Online Starting This Month

Road Transport Department Malaysia (JPJ) recently announced that vehicle licenses can be renewed online starting 9th October.

The government has taken the initiative to make renewing licenses easier following the new normal that requires us to avoid large crowds and practice social distancing.

JPJ’s press release has announced that Motor Vehicle License (LKM) can be renewed online through myEG, starting 9th October 2020. For Competent Driving License (CDL) holders, it will be available starting 16th October 2020.

The press release stated, “For now, myEG’s online service is only for renewing LKM for personal vehicles only. During the last MCO, a number of JPJ’s services had been disrupted following the closing of JPJ counters due to the rampant COVID-19 pandemic.”

“Henceforth, through this initiative, JPJ services will be more efficient and sustainable in ensuring the continuity of quality services delivery for the people,” stated the JPJ. The Road Transport Department uploaded the press release on their Facebook page.

We hope more necessary services come online in the future to help curb the spread of COVID-19.


Marvel: Life-Sized “Avengers” Figurines On Display At Mid Valley Megamall

Marvel will release “Avengers: Age of Ultron” real soon and we can’t hide our excitement even if we tried!

The studio has been working diligently on building up anticipation for its upcoming summer blockbuster film through a series of trailers, TV spots, and promo posters. Just recently, they released an extended TV spot, which is said to be the final trailer they’re debuting online.

Written and directed by Joss Whedon, the film stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, James Spader, Samuel L. Jackson, Cobie Smulders, Thomas Kretschmann, Paul Bettany, and Stellan Skarsgard.

In conjunction with its theatrical release on 23rd April and the launch of the 2nd season of Disney XD’s “Avengers Assemble” TV series, a series of activities will be held at Mid Valley Megamall, Kuala Lumpur.

From 8th April (Wednesday) onwards, the life-sized figurines of the Hulk Buster Armour, Captain America, and Hulk will be showcased at the Centre Court of Mid Valley Megamall. The figures will be shown for display until 19th April (Sunday).

In addition, members of public are invited to play exciting “Avengers Assemble” games, win exclusive prizes, and take home free digital prints at the special photo booths.

The details of the showcase are as follows:

Don’t forget! An all-new exclusive 90-second clip will be shown at the 2015 MTV Movie Awards.

For more information about “Avengers: Age of Ultron”, visit the movie’s official website and Facebook page.


Why Shang-Chi & Ms. Marvel Could Secretly Be The Keys to Defeating Kang

The presence of Kang is about to get real very soon. Despite only appearing in “Loki” as a mysterious entity bent on keeping the timelines at bay, his multiple versions will certainly play in the multiversal aspect within the next few years.

Of course, it still is a long way to go before we get Kang vs. the entire might of the Avengers. Regardless, we will most definitely see some of what he can do in next year’s “Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania”, where Jonathan Majors will play Dr. Who the Conquering Lord of Time. This time there will be a dangerous variant, more serious, and far less giddy than the one we saw in “Loki”.

Now, there might actually be some clues as to how Kevin Feige and his cap of destiny are preparing fans for the massive brawl. And we think it might lie in the arms of two new MCU additions: Kamala Khan and Xu Shang-Chi.

Now, in the new “Quantumania” trailer, there is a glimpse of an extradimensional city within the Quantum Realm. While the location isn’t explicitly stated, the shot of Kang in the next few frames could point to this being the Chronopolis. Indeed, it can be noted that there are similar aesthetics between the objects that the two heroes mentioned earlier currently possess and the mega-circular structures of the region.

So, to provide some context, let’s just run through some MCU history. In the case of Ms. Marvel, it is a bracelet. While browsing a box of family heirlooms, Kamala chances upon a bracelet and takes it to a superhero convention where she discovers that she has powers.

Along the way, she stumbles upon the Djinn, who are keen on using it to return home to their original dimension, Noor. Long story short, Kamala doesn’t quite oblige and they decide to hunt her and the bracelet. But we won’t go through all that. Cuz frankly, the whole plot is quite ridiculous if you think about it.

So, six episodes later, Kamala prevails and maintains possession of her bracelet. However, she mysteriously disappears in the credits stinger and Captain Marvel takes her place in her Avengers-fan-convention bedroom. That’s a separate story altogether but we think there might be a thread here. So, stay with us for a minute.

In the case of Shang-Chi, it also pertains to his possession of the bracelets known as the Ten Rings. After the pair return to San Francisco from Ta Lo’, the Sorcerer Supreme, Wong, beckons the new hero and his partner, Katy, to the Sanctum Sanctorum to talk business. Of course, being a master of the mystic arts and protector of Earth’s dimension, the presence of the Ten Rings captures Wong’s curiosity.

Even though Bruce Banner and Captain Marvel, both bonafide experts in their respective fields, ‘Zoom’ in to virtually provide their insights, the results are inconclusive. Carol states that it is not of any alien tech that she has seen. Bruce, on the other hand, notes that it isn’t a Vibranium sourced contraption, ruling out the Wakandans and the Talokan from the equation.

Nonetheless, one thing is for certain. The rings are pulsating like a beacon. It seems as though they are sentient and they are calling out to something… or maybe, someone. What if that someone is… Kang?

Now, here’s the thing. What if Kang’s Quantum Kingdom was actually the source of both the Ten Rings and Ms. Marvel’s bracelet? The Ten Rings and Ms. Marvel’s bracelet have both been wildly useful in combat but what if there was more to them as extradimensional tools?

Back to the point we were talking about earlier, Carol Danvers could also prove to be just as important as she is the only other person who would be having knowledge of both items. Such knowledge could prompt her to investigate the source of such and lead her to preemptively learn about the ties to the Chronopolis and Kang. In this way, she could lead Kamala to learn how to draw powers from the bracelet.

On a related side note, the hiring of Destin Daniel Cretton to helm the 5th installment in the “Avengers” franchise could also be another sign of things to come. As he helped bring Shang-Chi into this cinematic universe, we think that he and Kevin Feige had discussed the potential of such from the start.

Needless to say, Ms. Marvel and Shang-Chi’s ties to the objects empowering them could prove to be important in the Avengers’ fight against Kang. If Shang-Chi and Ms. Marvel could fully harness and master the Quantum powers of the bracelet and rings, it could possibly give Earth’s Mightiest heroes the upper hand. If there was any way to weaken, incapacitate, or trap the looming threat, it could be right in their arms.

Or, who knows…  there could be a brutal twist whereby Shang-Chi and Ms. Marvel’s powerful accessories turn out to be their downfall as Kang unlocks their unknown powers and use them against the Avengers. Either way, these heroes will turn out to be important to the future of the MCU and we’re all here for it!

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Say It Isn’t So! Katy Perry Is Ready To Step Down From Music

Katy Perry released her 5th studio album, “Witness” in June last year. The pop star has enjoyed some success with the latest record, but it was overshadowed by her previous feud with Taylor Swift and her involvement in the Kesha/Dr Luke legal battle.

Understandably, the 33-year-old singer plans to take a step away from the industry once she completes her “Witness: The Tour”. In speaking with Footwear News, Perry talks about her plans for the future.

“I’ve been on the road for like 10 years, so I’m just going to chill. I’m not going to go straight into making another record. I feel like I’ve done a lot. I feel like I’ve rung the bell of being a pop star very loudly, and I’m very grateful for that,” she told the publication.

When asked about why she felt now was the right time to take a break, Perry answered, “Well, I knew what I wanted to do when I was 9 years old, so everything else became secondary to that. I didn’t really pay attention to anything besides my craft — which is great, and I love it. I love making music, I love writing. But I don’t feel like I’m a part of a game anymore; I just feel like I’m an artist. I don’t feel like I have to prove anything, which is a freeing feeling.”

A post shared by KATY PERRY (@katyperry)

A post shared by Footwear News (@footwearnews)

There are recent rumours that claim 41-year-old Orlando Bloom is planning to pop the question. Is marriage in the plans? “Orlando doesn’t have a ring yet but has been talking about the future. Everyone would be excited if they got engaged. Katy is wonderful! He always said he would absolutely get married again, and it seems Katy could be it. They both seem very happy,” an insider shared.

You can check out the full interview here.


#IMAGINE: Upin & Ipin Featured In Unicef Video Alongside John Lennon, Choi Siwon, Neymar Jr., & More

We never thought that we would see the day where Upin and Ipin stand shoulder to shoulder with mega stars such as John Lennon, Adam Lambert, and Neymar Jr.

But the Malaysian cartoon characters proved us wrong, as they were featured in Unicef’s (The United Nations Children’s Fund) world version of John Lennon’s 1971 hit, “Imagine”.

The video was released on Friday (23rd September) and enlisted the help of artistes such as Katy Perry, David Guetta, Super Junior’s Choi Siwon, SHINee’s Choi Minho, Black Eyed Peas’ will.i.am, Idris Elba, and Shakira. Against the background of the famed John Lennon song, Unicef highlighted the plight of the millions of refugee and migrant children worldwide.

However, what endeared us to the video wasn’t the celebrities behind it, but rather, the hundreds of refugees and non-celebrities that took part in the project. They lent their vocals and offered their faces to the video, further empowering the song.

Also, don’t forget to check out Upin and Ipin, who appear around the 2:32 mark. They were not only the sole Malaysian representative, but were also the one and only animated characters in the 3-minute long video.

Unicef was founded in 1946, and is an association focusing on providing humanitarian aid and developmental assistance to children and mothers in developing countries. Upin and Ipin were chosen to represent Malaysia as UNICEF Ambassadors in March 2013.


#TombRaider Debuts First Poster & Teaser Trailer

Ready to be re-introduced to the Tomb Raider, Lara Croft, before started raiding all those tombs?

The “Tomb Raider” reboot comes 15 years after Angelina Jolie brought the popular video game adventure to the big screen. The new version, however, sees Alicia Vikander as an ordinary 21-year-old living in London.

This is not the you know. For one thing, it’s her weapon of choice. The climbing ax in the poster, which can be used as a weapon when necessary, is a subtle Easter egg tease to the 2013 “Tomb Raider” game that rebooted the franchise. Also, Vikander’s neck is exceptionally long here.

We see the heroine looking over her shoulder with an emotion of somewhere between mild frustration and grim determination. Dressed in a sleeveless top and jeans, her right cheek is slashed and bleeding while her long brunette hair is in a tangled mess. Another thing we noticed is that “Tomb Raider” logo has an arrow across it, because you know, Lara Croft is all about old-fashioned weaponry.

“Tomb Raider” finds Lara Croft haunted by the death of her archaeologist father (played by Dominic West), but she soon sets out on a dangerous mission to find him. “She has all the fierce, tough, curious, intelligent traits, but we’ve stripped away all of her experience. She hasn’t gone on an adventure just yet. She thought (her father) was a stuck up businessperson living in the modern youth culture of suburban London, but then this whole box of information. This is the beginning,” the Oscar-winning actress told Entertainment Weekly.

Warner Bros. Pictures has released a teaser for the trailer (which will debut tomorrow), because that’s how Hollywood do things these days. We’ll update the film’s first trailer when it premieres, but for now, enjoy the 15-second clip here:

The #TombRaider movie trailer drops tomorrow, in theaters March 2018. @tombraidermovie pic.twitter.com/EQBknf9Cla

— Tomb Raider (@tombraider) September 18, 2017

As promised, the first full trailer for “Tomb Raider” here.

The 2-minute clip looks solid as we get to see Lara Croft jumping, falling, and swinging, along with the usual kick ass. Once her mission is set in motion by a puzzle, a key, and a video message by her father about a tomb called the Mother of Death, it doesn’t take long before Croft becomes the iconic character we know and love.

“Tomb Raider” is set to open on 16th March 2018.

Sources: Entertainment Weekly, The Hollywood Reporter/ Featured image: Warner Bros.

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Hype’s Now Playing: iKON – Apology (지못미)

YG Entertainment‘s latest boy group iKON (아이콘) is truly a multi-talented group.

Not only do they know how to get us turnt up to their party “anthem“, they also leave us feeling rather emotional with “Apology (지못미)”, the 2nd title track of their double-track single.

Unlike their powerful debut single “Rhythm Ta“, this new song sees the group going for a raw and acoustic sound with subtle hints of hip-hop.

In a way, it is somewhat similar to their single “Airplane” as both songs are slow-tempo hip-hop tracks that tell some pretty sad stories. According to Soompi, the song “describes the emotions of a bad boy going through a breakup”.

Before its release, fans managed to listen to a sneak peek of “Apology” while interacting with the group at the “iKON Night Countdown Live” event through Naver’s official V app.

Many have praised its beautiful piano melody that made it into an ideal track for fall season. The song also showcases the boy’s amazing vocal talent, which we are absolutely in love with.

You can listen to the piano-driver acoustic track and watch its emotional music video below:

Titled “Welcome Back” iKON’s debut album was originally slated for release on 1st November. It was later pushed back to 14th December instead.

For more information, hit up iKON’s Facebook page.


#Travel: 10 Best Places To Watch Sunrises & Sunsets In Klang Valley

Sometimes, being present during the golden hour is all you need to rejuvenate your soul. What’s the golden hour you asked? It is that magical period shortly after sunrise or before sunset.

In case you’re wondering, the morning golden hour in East Malaysia is usually 6am (7am for West Malaysia), while the evening golden hour mostly occurs at 6pm (7pm for West Malaysia).

To all sunrise/sunset-chasing adventurers, here are some helpful tips to take note. The best lighting often takes place 10 minutes before and 15 minutes after sunrise/sunset. Keeping that in mind, do arrive early so you’d have ample time to select the best spot to prepare.

The early bird catches the worm – or this case, the perfect sunrise. Whether you’re watching it from on top of a hill, in a garden, or in the city, stop what you’re doing, relax, take a deep breath and soak up the golden scene that we often take for granted.

Here are some trails in the Klang Valley to watch the sunrise and sunset:

Located between Taman Melawati and UIA Gombak, Bukit Tabur is a popular spot among hikers due to its scenic view overlooking the Klang Gate Dam and the Kuala Lumpur skyline. There are various trails that lead up to different peaks at Bukit Tabur. The most common and longest route is situated behind Zoo Negara, at a clearing along Jalan Taman Zooview. The hike is approximately 3 hours, so start early and you’ll be rewarded with a nice sunrise.

Famed for its panoramic view, Broga Hill is another sought-after landmark for those near and far who travel to this place for the breathtaking view. Unlike Bukit Tabur, there is only 1 route up and down Broga Hill, with 3 viewing points – at 880 feet, 1150 feet, and at the top at 1312 feet – marked by RHB signs. The hike will take between 40-60 minutes, depending on your fitness level. After descending from Broga, you can enjoy a refreshing drink at the nearby coconut stall.

Batu Caves is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Malaysia. Thousands of people gather at this Hindu shrine to celebrate Thaipusam every year. Even from afar, you’d be able to notice giant Hindu god statue of Murugan. Whenever you visit, allocate time to tour the Temple Cave. In order to view the stunning skyline of the city centre, you’d have to climb a cardiac stress test of 272 steps. We assure you, the pay off is worth it.

P/S: Monkeys are known to frolic Batu Caves, so be on the lookout for them.

We’ve gotten mix reactions in regards to Taman Tasik Ampang Hilir. Morning birds would naturally prefer to catch the sunrise when a colour combo of pink, purple, orange, and red is reflected on the water. Having said that, others would argue that the lake reflection past sunset is stunning – especially when the city lights come alive.

Known to commoners as the floating mosque, Masjid As-Salam is unique for its architecture design and construction at the lake. The building has 2 1/2 levels and a capacity to house as many as 4,000 people. Whether you’re here during the blue hours of twilight or in the evening, the moment when the sunlight touches the mosque is just spectacular.

Facing the scenic Putrajaya Lake, the Putra Mosque – or the Pink Mosque – is one of Putrajaya’s most distinctive landmarks. The modern mosque is fashioned after Persian Islamic architecture that blends traditional designs and local craftsmanship. Looking at the mesmerising mosque is really breathtaking, but it’s even more splendid to witness its beauty during sunset.

If you happen to be looking for a holiday/day trip that doesn’t require flying or driving a long distance, then you should include Tadom on your list. Take part in Tarzan-swinging and platform-jumping at the tranquil turquoise lake with a limestone hill as backdrop. As you wind down from a day’s worth of activities, climb up the treehouse and admire the golden sun as it vanishes beyond the horizon.

This may just be the perfect place for some dolce far niente (the Italian phrase for a pleasant relaxation in carefree idleness). Many have called AVANI Sepang Goldcoast Resort the Malaysian version of Maldives. Thanks to this cheap getaway, KL-ites don’t have to travel far to enjoy some peace, sunshine, and glimmering sea breeze.

Tip: Request a room that faces the west if you’re a sunset lover. But if you prefer seeing the sunrise every morning, go for the rooms on the east side.

KLCC Park may not be your first choice when looking for a quiet spot, but watching the dancing fountains at dusk as the sun sets can be one of the most therapeutic experiences. It can’t get any better for those who work and live in the hustle and bustle of the city. Popular spots here include the jogging track, excellent playground, and swimming pool for kids.

You can’t beat the experience of sipping on your favourite drink while perched on a helipad. Situated on top of Menara KH, Heli Lounge Bar offers visitors a stunning 360-degree view of KL city. It’s even more gratifying when you’re able to snap a few fantastic photos of the sunset and post it up on Instagram without using any filters.

For those into bar hopping, feel free to check out our list of rooftop bars that offer the best views of KL’s cityscape.

Sources: i Shafizan, Kian’s Photography, Malaysia Traveller.

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#JanetJackson: “Unbreakable” Track List Revealed, Missy Elliot Collab Confirmed

Prepare the way, rhythm nation: Janet Jackson’s comeback is all the more official.

A video of the opening number from her newly launched world tour appeared online on Tuesday (2nd September), showing Missy Elliott projected onto the stage’s screens. Now, the tracklist for the singer’s new album, “Unbreakable”, has been released, and it confirms that the duo do indeed have a collab.

🔥🔥🔥can't front that new @JanetJackson is a clubbangger @flytetymejam & terry merked dat beat🙌🏾 https://t.co/FK6cAcKwnk

— Missy Elliott (@MissyElliott) September 1, 2015

They previously teamed up for a gritty remix of the 2001 song “Son of a Gun,” featuring Carly Simon.

Produced and co-written by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who have worked with Jackson since 1986’s “Control” album, “Unbreakable” is a 17-track collection with a J. Cole cameo and a few titles that boast creative spellings – one of which being “No Sleeep“, the single she released to promote the fresh material.

And now, without further ado, here’s the full track list for Janet Jackson’s comeback album, “Unbreakable”:

“Unbreakable” drops 2nd October, but pre-orders have already kicked off on iTunes here. Gotta get get!

For more information, visit Janet Jackson’s website or Facebook page.

Sources: Rolling Stone, Access Hollywood, HuffPost Ent, The A.V. Club.


Concert Review: A Perfect Sunday Night With WeiBird & His Biggest Hits

Last night, Taiwanese singer-songwriter William Wei Li-An – better known as WeiBird (韦礼安) – held his “Just Stay With Me” concert at Mega Star Arena in Viva Mall. Fans were definitely excited to see WeiBird as many of them were supposed to see him in 2020 for a different tour – but that event was cancelled due to Covid-19.

The show started off on a high note with “Girl” (女孩) and a funky number from his English album, “See You On Monday”. We were pleasantly surprised with how well his voice echoed through the hall.

Don’t get us wrong, WeiBird has a great voice. It’s the kind that calms and soothes the listeners. But when we found out that the concert was going to be held in a smaller venue in Viva Home, we were careful to manage our expectations as most live concerts are usually held in large venues like Axiata Arena Bukit Jalil. But once he started belting his first number, a smaller, cosier venue made it a much more intimate affair.

WeiBird has a great sense of humour and he uses that ability to make his show as interactive as possible. Most singer-songwriters like him tend to rely on their music as their concert’s “selling-point”. There was no need for fancy costumes or a large group of back-up dancers. So fans had a lot of fun when WeiBird invited everyone to sing-along when he belted out his popular numbers like “I Wrote A Song For You” and “Because of Love” (因为爱).

During WeiBird’s halftime break, Singapore vocalist Qiaohan was invited on stage. As a fresh face to Malaysian fans, she sang 2 numbers – “同花顺“ and “没有目标的目标”. After that, WeiBird came back on stage and started the second half with my personal favourite “emo” song of his – “有没有“. He also sang “忽然” – a tune where he performed on Chinese popular singing competitions “SING! China”. I felt the second half was very musical-like as they were more dramatic and emotional.

Last but not least, he ended the show with his “如果可以“. I got to say, me and the rest of the fans were waiting for this song the whole night! This song was released as the theme song for “Till We Meet Again”, a Taiwanese romance movie based on a well-known novel. It was the perfect ending and everyone left feeling satisfied.

If you can’t get enough of WeiBird, feel free to check out our recent interview with the singer-songwriter here.

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#Contest: Win Invites To Play Club’s Grand Launch Party ft. Sky Blu From LMFAO

Party rocker Skyler Austen Gordy better known as Sky Blu from LMFAO is making his way to Kuala Lumpur this November. In conjunction with the Grand Launch of Play Club @ The Roof, Sky Blu will put on a special DJ set apart from performing some of the duo’s most massive hits including “Party Rock Anthem”, “Sexy & I Know It”, “Sorry For Party Rocking” and “Shots”.

Presented by Tune Studios, the one half of the LMFAO duo’s appearance at Play Club @ The Roof, will mark his first show in Malaysia. Happening on November 6th (Thursday), fans can expect to party rock with Sky Blu, his dancers, DJ and Big Bad Crew at the event.

Details to the Grand Launch of Play Club @ The Roof are as follows:

Venue: Play Club @ The Roof, First Avenue

Dress code: Strictly RED. Those not in red will be denied entry.

Tickets: RM75 (pre-sale), RM100 (Door sale)

For bottle purchase and table RSVP contact: 013 652 5747.

Now, with special thanks from our buddies at Play Club @ The Roof, we’ve got THREE pairs of meet and greet passes to give away. So if you want to party rock as well as meet Sky Blu, here’s what you’ve got to do:

Email your answers to the questions above, along with your personal details (Full name, IC number, phone number) to submit@hype.my by 3pm on November 4th, 2014 (Tuesday). Winners will be notified via email by 5pm on November 4th (Tuesday).


Hype’s Now Playing: Top 10 EDM Artistes Streamed On Spotify Malaysia (2014)

Thanks to our friends from Spotify Malaysia, we’ve got the list of some of the most frequently streamed electronic dance music (EDM) artistes. And not just streamed by random people elsewhere in the world, but by Malaysians. Yes, that means you. So, if you’ve ever wondered which tracks have received the most plays in the past year by your fellow #trancefamily or EDM fanboys/fangirls, wonder no more!

Disclosure are an English electronic music duo, consisting of brothers Guy (born 25 May 1991) and Howard Lawrence (born 11 May 1994). They first picked up their first significant national radio support upon the release of the “Tenderly”/”Flow” single in January 2012. The single led to significant interest in the subsequent June 2012 EP, “The Face”, released on Greco-Roman. Disclosure had their first UK hit in October 2012, with “Latch” (with the vocals from Sam Smith) which peaked at number 11 in the UK Singles Chart. In June 2013, they released their full debut album, “Settle”, on PMR Records and was met with commercial and critical success, debuting at number one on the UK Albums Chart, as well as charting in many countries across Europe and Australia. “Settle” was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Dance Album.

Clean Bandit is an English electronic group founded in England in 2009, consisting of members Jack Patterson, Luke Patterson, Grace Chatto, and Milan Neil Amin-Smith. Their music has been described as “fusion” music, mixing electronic music with classical and deep-house elements. Most of their music intertwines classical compositions, such as those from Beethoven, Dvorak, etc. (most typically, Mozart for their song “Mozart’s House”). Some of their music also involves tongue in cheek humour. Speaking of humour, the band’s name, Clean Bandit, comes from a translation of a Russian phrase (Chatto and Patterson lived in Russia for a period); the meaning is similar to the English phrase “complete bastard”. Yup.

Daft Punk is a French electronic music duo consisting of musicians Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter. Daft Punk reached significant popularity in the late 90s house movement in France and met with continued success in the years following, combining elements of house with synthpop. So much so that Daft Punks’s songs are considered essential in the French house scene. They’re known for emphasising using visual and story components associated with their musical productions, and for using disguises while in public and/or performing; specifically ornate helmets and gloves to assume robot personas in most of their public appearances since 2001. But you already know that ;)

Dutch DJ/producer Tiësto (real name Tijs Michiel Verwest) actually began releasing music from as early as 1994, but it wasn’t until sometime in the late 90s that he quickly gained recognition and shot to fame. And that’s not to say that he’s no longer popular now amongst EDM fans – in fact, the momentum in which is fame grew never quite did see a pause. To date, Tiësto has achieved many things a DJ/producer can only ever dream of achieving e.g. play live on stage at the Olympics for 90 whole minutes, draw a strong crowd and pack whichever stadium to the brim with people, seamlessly switch genres and still produce hits/bangers, have a wax sculpture placed behind a turntable at Madame Tussauds in Amsterdam, start up 2 music labels in his lifetime (Black Hole Recordings, Musical Freedom), successfully wrap up multiple solo tours around the world, need we go on?

Elena Jane “Ellie” Goulding is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and actress from Lyonshall, Herefordshire, England. Her career began when she met record producer Starsmith and Frankmusik, and she was later spotted by Jamie Lillywhite, who later became her manager and A&R. After signing to Polydor Records in July 2009, she released her debut EP, “An Introduction to Ellie Goulding”, later that year. However, she only really made waves when she released her debut studio album, “Lights, in 2010”. The album debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and has sold over 850,000 copies in the UK. In 29 April 2011, she performed at the wedding reception of Prince William and Catherine Middleton at Buckingham Palace. By the end of 2013, she has sold an estimated 4 million albums and 15 million singles worldwide.

And now, we know what you’re thinking, who are the top 5 artistes streamed on Spotify Malaysia? Is Calvin Harris on it, having achieved one billion streams? What about David Guetta, considering the fact that he’s wildly popular on radio? Or EDM darling Avicii, for that matter, since he only very recently cinched a top 10 spot in DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs poll 2014/2015?

Find out via Malaysian DJs/producers Simon Lee & Alvin recent Fly Five-O radio show episode 355, featuring the top 10 streamed EDM artistes in Malaysia! Enjoy:

Simon Lee & Alvin – #FlyFiveO 355 (26.10.14) (Top 10 Streamed EDM Artistes In Malaysia) by Fly Five-O on  Mixcloud

For more updates on Spotify Malaysia, follow them on Twitter. Simon Lee & Alvin are also on Twitter, if you wanna stalk them. No pressure or anything ;)

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Shedding Light On Why The Malaysian Passport Prohibits Visitations To Israel

When people speak of travelling overseas, the first thing that comes to mind is, of course, your passport. It’s an essential document that will let you enter other countries and allows you to enjoy your holiday without worries.

While Malaysian passports are the key to many different countries, there is one that it doesn’t ‘unlock’. Apparently, Malaysian passports do not grant access to Israel. Ever wondered why? Wonder no more.

When you open your passport, there’s a statement written underneath the crest. “This passport is valid for all countries except for Israel“, it reads. While good to know, the passport doesn’t explain why. For that, you’ll need some historical and political knowledge. Israel and Palestine have been locked in conflict for many years now. As Malaysia supports the establishment of a Palestinian state and does not recognise Israel, Malaysians are prohibited from entering Israel. Additionally, Malaysia has not formed diplomatic relations with Israel due to political and religious reasons.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that Malaysians have never been to Israel. Prior to 2009, Malaysian Christians were allowed into the country as pilgrims. However, they were only able to do so via a tour group and they were not allowed to stay longer than two weeks. In 2009, the Malaysian government banned trips to Israel as the Israel-Palestine conflict worsened. The ban was later lifted in 2011 and in 2012, the stays were extended to 21 days.

If you are thinking of visiting Israel, what do you need to know? Well, first of all, you cannot travel to Israel via private means. Of course, this means backpacking is off the table. If you do wish to make the trip, you will need to go through a Christian organisation and join their pilgrimage group or find specific business seminars. As mentioned, the stay cannot exceed 21 days and you must be over 18 years old to make the journey.

So, while your passport may not allow you to enter Israel, there are other means. If you do want to visit Israel, at least you know how to now!


OSIM Ambassador Lee Min-Ho Is Coming To Malaysia

Make way, make way, South Korean superstar coming through!

On 28th September, OSIM (M) Sdn Bhd will be bringing Lee Min-ho to Malaysia as the newest ambassador for their latest lifestyle product – OSIM uDiva. One of the top 20 hottest South Korean Male Celebrities, Lee Min-ho rose to fame with his roles in popular South Korean TV series/dramas such as “Boys Over Flowers”, “City Hunter”, and “The Heirs”.

He was also a recipient to prestigious awards such as the Most Popular Star Award in the SBS Drama Awards and the Best Actor Award at the Korea Drama Festival.

He was last here in June 2013 and if you missed the opportunity to see him, you can stand a once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet Lee Min-ho when he comes to Malaysia and be completely star struck, thanks to OSIM! The OSIM uDiva Love Confessions Contest will provide lucky fans a chance to meet and interact with Lee Min-ho in person. How to participate? Fans and consumers can find out more at OSIM outlets across the nation.

For more information, visit OSIM’s Facebook page.


f(x)’s Amber To Make A Solo Debut In February

Although f(x)‘s Amber is best known for her rapping skills, she passed the SM auditions due to her singing skills. She is also known for being extremely talented in music because of her abilities to play various musical instruments and compose music.

And now, it seems like she is ready to show off her vocal abilities as she will be making a solo debut soon!

According to various Korean media outlets, f(x)’s Amber will be making her solo debut during the 2nd week of February. Having often featured as rappers in tracks, the solo debut will mark her first time performing as a solo singer. As her other members are busy with individual acting careers, she will be the first-ever f(x) member to make a solo debut.

Due to Amber’s talent in music, her solo debut is highly anticipated by the fans. She gained a huge international fan base because of her ability to speak fluently in more than 3 languages (English, Korean, Mandarin, Japanese). Most recently, the Taiwanese American member was seen appearing as a host for KBS 2TV’s “Global Request Show: A Song For You” and performing on stage with Super Junior-M’s Zhoumi for his “Rewind” performances. She is currently on MBC’s variety programme “Real Men – Female Soldier Special”.

While SM Entertainment kept everything about her solo debut under wraps, the company is said to be on the standby mode for Amber’s solo debut as they are currently wrapping up the song recordings and music video filming.

So, what do you think her solo debut will look like? Share your thoughts in the comments box below!

Earlier today, SM Entertainment updated their social media platforms with a mysterious picture of a broken fortune cookie. The word “beautiful” was written on the fortune paper but the picture was uploaded without a caption.

— SMTOWN (@SMTOWNGLOBAL) February 4, 2015

Many fans speculated that the word “beautiful” is the album name for SM’s upcoming solo artiste and now, it has been confirmed that f(x)’s Amber will be releasing he first solo album.

Though there’s no further details about Amber’s solo debut, it was reported that she will be showing a new side of her through her first mini-album. The agency further revealed that the singer had direct involvement in the album as she has taken part in writing the lyrics for the songs featured.

It has been reported that Girls’ Generation’s Taeyeon is involved in Amber’s solo album as she is the featured artiste for her upcoming title track.

f(x)’s Amber is expected to drop her first solo mini-album “Beautiful” on February 16

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5 Reasons Why Garfield & Friends Campaign In Lost World Of Tambun Are Pawsome!

Get ready for the purr-fect getaway this coming school holiday as Sunway Lost World of Tambun brings the iconic lasagna-loving Tabby Cat to Malaysia!

That’s right, come and enjoy every fun mewment with Garfield & Friends as they make their way to the park to surprise visitors with their special appearance during the school holidays!

A post shared by Lost World Of Tambun (@sunwaylostworldoftambun)

“Everyone has probably heard, read, or watched Garfield at least once in their lifetime which makes this event such an iconic one for us here at LWOT. The team has put in extra effort to ensure that the celebration with the iconic cartoon figure would stick in the minds of our visitors for a very long time as they spend their time with their loved ones while reminiscing the classic characters that are brought to life here at LWOT,” said Nurul Nuzairi Bin Mohd Azahari, General Manager of Lost World Of Tambun.

Taking place at Lost World of Tambun in Ipoh from 24th November 2018 to 1st January 2019, here are 5 reasons why you should definitely bring your loved ones to the pawsome Garfield & Friends campaign!

You read that right! The lazy and sarcastic cat has recently turned 40 this year, but he is still the same as ever. Started off as a comic strip in 1978 by Jim Davis, Garfield today has turned into an iconic character known throughout the world and all generations. The cat with an attitude – the catitude, to be precise – held the Guinness World Record for being the world’s most widely syndicated comic strip which is ready by 200 million people daily!

Every school holiday, LWOT will bring in various famous cartoon characters to their park for some special events and campaigns. Last year, the park featured the Powerpuff Girls and Ben 10, and earlier this year, they had Winx Club during the March school holiday. Come November, LWOT will bring Garfield & Friends to Malaysia for the 1st time ever. Yes, this will be the first and only place in Malaysia to feature Garfield-themed event.

Enjoy a plethora of fun-filled activities from performances to challenging stations as well as a dance fiesta with Garfield at the Awesome Pool Party! Be sure to collect stickers with the exclusive Garfield passport at each Garfield-themed station games, and remember to also join Garfield and his friends during their meet and greet session at the House Of Garfield every Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

As a theme park that focuses more on the wonders of nature, bringing the Garfield & Friends over to LWOT is definitely a good call as the character is in line with the theme park’s very own Catopia, a kitty galore home with diverse types of rare feline breeds. During the campaign, Catopia will be having a special Garfield event where kids can participate and learn about breeds of cats that are closest to Garfield.

Some special and limited Garfield merchandise and goods will be available during the campaign period. Furthermore, in celebration with Garfield’s 40th anniversary, December babies will get a free cupcake on every weekend throughout the month of December just by showing their MyKid or MyKad to the LWOT team. Don’t forget to check out LWOT social media platforms for some special promotions and contest!

Speaking of contest, Hype Malaysia is also giving away a pair of tickets to Lost World of Tambun to 20 lucky winners. The contest will run until 14th November 2018, so join now!


Apple Malaysia Announces iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro & iPhone 11 Pro Max Release Date & Pricing

It’s official guys! Apple Malaysia will be debuting iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max on 27th September (Friday).

According to reports, the official release date for the brand new iPhone series came earlier than expected. Apple is slated to release iPhone 11 as well as iPhone 11 Pro series (including iPhone 11 Pro Max) in local stores just 1 week after their release in other countries including US, UK and also Singapore.

As of today (11th September 2019), Apple hasn’t release any statement regarding pre-orders for all 3 of the smartphones. But it is believed that users can already start pre-ordering the latest models 1 week earlier than the official release, which is 20th September (next Friday).

The iPhone 11 is available in 3 storage options – 64GB, 128GB and 256GB. For iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone Pro Max, the smartphones can contain storage from 64GB, 256GB and up until 512GB.

In addition, Apple Malaysia unveiled pricing details for all 3 of the smartphones. The details on the price of iPhone 11 series are as follows:

The all-new iPhone 11 smartphone is available in 6 colours – Black, White, Purple, Green, Yellow and Red. Meanwhile, both iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max are available in 4 colours – Silver, Gold, Space Grey and Midnight Green.

For more info and updates on the all new iPhone series smartphones, visit Apple’s Malaysian website.

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“Resident Evil: Welcome To Raccoon City” Review: An Awful Horror Film But A Decent Bit Of Brain-Dead Fun

Over half a decade ago, we said farewell to one of cinema’s loudest film franchise. Second only to perhaps Michael Bay’s teeth-shatteringly dumb “Transformers” pentology. In any case, we honestly thought “Resident Evil: The Final Chapter” would indeed be the last time we would see or hear of a live-action version of the popular video game franchise. But much like the flesh-eating T-virus infected, the franchise has roared back to life with a reboot which promises to be more faithful to its original source material. Enter “Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City”.

To be fair, the “Resident Evil” game franchise has proven to be just as tonally inconsistent as the films. Oscillating from the quiet, claustrophobic tension of the first “Resident Evil” to shooting rockets at zombie kaijus in “Resident Evil 5”. Director Johannes Roberts assures that this is indeed a return to its corridor-shooter, horror roots. So will “Raccoon City” do right by fans or will it be yet another, brainless cashgrab? Let’s find out.

Beyond perhaps the inclusion of the Umbrella Corporation and a handful of characters from the original games, there’s little in “Raccoon City” that separates it from its other zombie-flick cousins. There are intersecting stories of corporate conspiracy, the Redfield siblings and a washed-up cop, Leon S. Kennedy. It doesn’t last long though for all that context to be thrown out of the window. The plot soon devolves into a race against time to get out of Raccoon City before the Umbrella Corporation blows it all to kingdom come.

Call us crazy but that sounds an awful like the plot to Zack Snyder’s “Army of the Dead” doesn’t it? That being said, “Raccoon City” does have a fun mad scientist angle going for it. Things really ramp up when the STARS team enters the Spencer mansion. From then on, the film proceeds to burst from its thinly veiled small-town horror antics to the usual sci-fi monster shenanigans fans of the previous “Resident Evil” franchise have come to know and love. As a video game film, it has enough homages and visual Easter eggs to keep fans engaged throughout its latter half.

For the rest of us, the film feels like a wet bag of expository guts waiting to explode all over our faces. The film can barely contain its excitement in wheeling the audience through one loud, jump-scare infested sequence after the next. Which is both the film’s strength and its weakness. On one hand, you never quite have enough time to soak in how mediocre and uninspiring it all is. The trade-off is that the characters barely have any time to be developed beyond occasional flashbacks and very loud expository dialogue. It wears you down till you finally accept the plain and simple fact: this film is objectively not good.

Once that fact has sunk in, that’s when you can truly begin to enjoy “Raccoon City” as a hilarious, high-budget parody of what the first two video games were. Solid horror games built on the eerie, atmospheric tension of unnerving stillness shattered by the sudden but slow shambles of the infected. Over time, a distinct sense of paranoia creeps over you. None of that is present here, what you get is an R-rated cartoon full of cardboard characters waiting to either die, shoot out a cheesy one-liner or get turned into a horrible monster.

Speaking of horrible monsters, there are moments in “Raccoon City” when it feels like the audience is transported back in time to the early 2000s. The creature design for the human zombies are woefully pathetic. It looked as if someone gave them black-contact lenses and threw some Halloween decorations on them before sending them on set. The moment a licker showed up on screen, we took a moment to marvel at how remarkably awful it looked. In our mind’s eye, we could see the PS2 boot-up sequence.

The film’s bombastic loud-and-proud approach certainly doesn’t add any creep factor to them. Instead of instilling us with dread, they only serve to highlight the film’s low production budget. Which by the way is somehow lower that the first film in the original series! If films like “It Follows”, “Don’t Breathe” and “Get Out” have taught us anything is that great horror films are not defined by how much money they can throw at the screen. Rather, it’s reliant on the vision of the director, strong performances and clever use of camerawork and editing. “Raccoon City” has neither going for it.

On the upside, it looks like the actors are having the time of their lives. Chewing through scenery faster than termites in a woodshop. Kaya Scodelario and Robbie Amell as Claire and Chris Redfield’s familial struggle feels more suited for a fan-film or an after-hours soap opera pilot than a film with the legitimate rights to the “Resident Evil” property. Avan Jogia’s Leon S. Kennedy is an interesting take on the character. The Leon we see here is a far more inexperienced version of the character than his video game counterpart. We just wish every character interaction we’ve seen with Leon wouldn’t involve other people just bringing past transgressions. Seriously, who does that?

Hannah John-Kamen’s Jill Valentine breaks up the penny-dime melancholy with her chipper, hyper-competent disposition. Delivering light-hearted jabs and quips whenever the plot requires some comic relief. The film’s portrayal of the enigmatic and deadly double-agent Albert Wesker with Tom Hopper’s stereotypical military-man bravado is disappointing to say the least. Say what you want about the Wesker we saw in “Resident Evil: Afterlife” but at least he had those shades on.

Johannes Roberts’ “Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City” is more a return to Paul W.S. Anderson and Milla Jovovich’s rendition of the film franchise than the original game’s creative roots. In spite of its deliberate use of characters and locations, the film does little to distinguish itself from any other undead horror flick post 2000s. Whatever attempt at character development or competent horror is very quickly drown out by a hail of obnoxious gunfire, the grunting undead and laughable dialogue. You don’t have to be brain-dead to enjoy it but it certainly helps.

You can now catch “Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City” in theaters today!

Johannes Roberts' "Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City" is more a return to Paul W.S. Anderson and Milla Jovovich's rendition of the film franchise than the original game's creative roots. In spite of its deliberate use of characters and locations, the film does little to distinguish itself from any other undead horror flick post 2000s. Whatever attempt at character development or competent horror is very quickly drown out by a hail of obnoxious gunfire, the grunting undead and laughable dialogue.


#FantasticBeasts2: David Yates To Helm Sequel; Scheduled For November 2018 Release

The adventure in the wizarding world continues.

Warner Bros. has officially confirmed that the sequel of “Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them” will be released in November 2018! The news came after British author J.K. Rowling finished writing the script for the 2nd movie.

Warner Bros. has also confirmed that David Yates will return to direct the sequel. No plot details for the film have been confirmed yet, but the studio did give us a small description:

“The 2nd ‘Fantastic Beasts’ movie moves deeper into an increasingly dark time for the wizarding world, where Newt Scamander and our other heroes have to decide on their allegiances.”

“Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them” is based on J.K. Rowling’s original script and it is set in New York City during the 1920s, which is about 70 years before the events of “Harry Potter” aka “The Boy Who Lived”. The story follows the adventures of a distinguished Magiczoologist known as Newt Scamander (played by Eddie Redmayme) and it features the wizarding community in the US.

The sequel is slated for release on 16th November 2018 while the first “Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them” will premiere on 18th November 2016.

Meanwhile, the script book for “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”, which was dropped a few days ago (Sunday, 31st July), should be enough to keep you excited until then.

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(UPDATE) #JoshSundquist: Amputee Motivational Speaker Claims Zouk KL Bouncers Stole His Crutches

Paralympic ski-racer, bestselling author, and motivational speaker Josh Sundquist was in Malaysia recently to attend the 4th iM4U Reach Out Convention & Celebration in 1M4U Sentral Puchong. He was part of the speaker line-up which consisted of awe-inspiring international speakers such as David Edward Garcia, Shane Feldman, A’ric Jackson, and Joe Beckman.

In case you didn’t know, Josh’s story centres on losing his left leg to Ewing’s sarcoma at 9 years old. However, 6 years after surviving the battle with cancer and losing his leg, he began ski racing and later became a Paralympic ski-racer.

He was only 16 years old when he gave his first motivational talk and has been speaking to groups ever since, eventually becoming a nationally recognised speaker in the US. His public appearances often included the sharing of experiences and his story, and spreading positivity.

Alas, a strange turn of events in Kuala Lumpur crushed what’s left of his self-esteem and doubting the very core of his motivational talks.

Josh headed out to the city about 12 hours after his iM4U appearance to paint the town red with his friends. Together, they hit up Zouk Club Kuala Lumpur at Jalan Tun Razak for a night of fun. Some point in the night, Josh decided to get on the “platform” (read: podium) to dance for a bit, only to be chased down by some “security guards” (read: bouncers).

According to Josh, they pulled his crutches away, leaving him standing there (probably in shock) without support, and unable to move or walk.

April is actually amputee awareness month. It seems these bouncers have (inadvertently) helped raise a lot of awareness here on the internet

— Josh Sundquist (@JoshSundquist) April 13, 2016

In his video testimony, filmed after the incident, he said, “I don’t know why, like I don’t know if it’s..you know how some clubs have this..you know this thing where they’re like, ‘Oh only girls can dance on the 2-foot platform’ or even worse, you know, ‘People with disabilities, we don’t let them..we don’t let people see people with disabilities at our club. Only beautiful people can be on our platform. God forbid someone who looks different is in the centre of our club’.”

Josh also mentioned that no explanations were offered to him or his friends by the club’s management after the incident but as soon as he got off the platform and got his crutches back from bouncers, he and his friends left Zouk KL.

What do you guys think though? Did the bouncers really single Josh Sundquist out just because he’s physically impaired? Or were they just doing their job to ensure that no men were on the podium, as per Zouk Club Kuala Lumpur rules? How do you think either party could’ve handled this situation better? Feel free to discuss this in the comments box below.

Zouk KL just celebrated its 12th anniversary a few weeks ago and unveiled its new status as the #26 club in the world. The club hasn’t released an official statement with regards to the above matter but we’ll update this post with more information as soon as we have the details.

Zouk KL has come forward to address the above matter. In their official statement, the club’s management explained that they have reviewed the CCTV footage on Saturday night/Sunday morning (9th – 10th April), during which Josh Sundquist was at the venue. And after some investigation, found discrepancies between Josh Sundquist’s account and what was seen in the CCTV footage.

“Zouk KL has reviewed the CCTV footage on Saturday night/Sunday morning (April 9-10), during which a patron with crutches was escorted off the dance podium. Following our investigations – and in response to Mr Josh Sundquist’s YouTube post on April 12 – we would like to clarify that Zouk KL does not discriminate against persons with disabilities, a policy it has held since its inception in 2004. Zouk also has patrons who are wheelchair bound or who require the use of crutches, some of whom are amputees. We continue to welcome them and provide assistance so they have easy access to the various rooms in the venue.

On April 9, Mr Sundquist, an amputee who walks with the aid of crutches, arrived at Zouk KL at 11:10pm with a group of friends. They entered the premises at 11:12pm, whereupon they ordered several bottles of drinks at Zouk Main Room.

Two hours later, at 1:16am, Mr Sundquist and his female companion ascended the female-only 2-ft high dance podium at Zouk Main Room. Within a minute, a member of the security staff approached Mr Sundquist to ask him to come down from the podium, explaining to him that the podium was for women.

Mr Sundquist appeared to ignore him and continued dancing on the podium. His female companion moved off the podium to the dance floor, and gestured to him to come down, too. Mr Sundquist continued dancing, while another female customer went up the podium to dance.

Moments later, a second security staff member approached Mr Sundquist to request that he come down from the podium and also explained to him that the podium was for women. The security member placed his hand on Mr Sundquist’s back to guide him down. Mr Sundquist resisted, and raised his right hand, crutch hanging at his elbow. The security member held the flailing crutch and managed to get a firm grip on Mr Sundquist’s right arm and pulled him to safety, while the other security member supported his left forearm. At that point, Mr Sundquist was dancing close to the corner of the podium and he appeared to be increasingly unsteady, as shown on the CCTV footage. The two aided Mr Sundquist to keep his balance on either side of him. They then guided him off the podium. During this time, Mr Sundquist’s female companion had remained on the dance floor next to the podium.

The two security staff members promptly returned the crutches to Mr Sundquist once they were on the dance floor, and left him in the company of his friends. The title of Mr Sundquist’s video, “Security” gang stole my crutches, is thus inaccurate.

Mr Sundquist alleges that he was helpless when security took his crutches. He says in his YouTube video: “I’m standing there, in the middle of a dance club, without my crutches… and as a person without a leg, that means, I’m immobile, you know, I can’t move! I can’t walk!” — This is inaccurate. One security staff member held on to Mr Sundquist’s right arm, while the other security member supported his left forearm, providing support on either side. His crutches were returned to him promptly when Mr Sundquist was on the dance floor. It also did not appear on the CCTV footage that he could not move.

Mr Sundquist alleges that only beautiful people can get on the podium, and that the club would not allow people with disabilities on it. “We don’t let people see people with disabilities at our club,” he says in his video on YouTube. This is inaccurate. We would like to clarify that the podium on which Mr Sundquist had been dancing on has been traditionally a place where only female patrons are allowed. Male patrons have occasionally clambered onto the podium but they gallantly make way for female patrons, when informed by the staff.

Mr Sundquist alleges that he did not know why he was asked to leave the stage. We have interviewed the security staff who aided Mr Sundquist off the podium. Both said they explained to Mr Sundquist that the podium is for female patrons.

We apologise that perhaps the manner in which our security members had conveyed their intentions could have been misunderstood by Mr Sundquist. Their actions were out of professional obligations as well as concern for Mr Sundquist, when he also danced unsteadily near the edge of the podium.

Numerous requests were made to Mr Sundquist to come down from the podium by the security staff members. During the course of it, they had been polite. At no point were they hostile or aggressive. All these were captured on our CCTV footage.

We would like to thank Mr Sundquist for his patronage at Zouk KL. We will be contacting him on the matter, should he require further clarification.”

Sources: Josh Sundquist’s YouTube channel, Josh Sundquist’s Twitter, The Sun Daily.

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#PLAYDayOut: 7 Must-Knows If You Want To Party At ULTRA Beach Bali Next Year

ULTRA Music Festival is one brand that every EDM fan knows by heart and thanks to its worldwide expansions, many international fans were able to experience the epic outdoor event without flying to Miami.

With thousands of revellers from all around the world over the 2-day festival (14th – 15th September), the sold-out 2nd edition of ULTRA Beach Bali, which was held at Potato Head Beach Club in Bali, Indonesia, featured some of the biggest names in the industry including Afrojack, deadmau5, Dubfire, Martin Garrix, Galantis, Gryffin, Jauz, marshmello, and more.

But attending a music festival overseas requires a lot of planning, especially if it’s your first time. So we thought we’d compile a list of things that you need to know if you’re interested in attending ULTRA at the Island of Gods next year.

From buying festival tickets to things to do at Bali, we’ve got you covered. You can thank us later ;)

1. Tickets are available at various ticketing sites

A post shared by Ultra Beach Bali (@ultrabali)

The official website is congested and you don’t know where else to get tickets? Fret not because tickets can also be bought at various well-known ULTRA-approved ticketing websites such as viagogo, Go Tix, and Tiket.com. Prices and ticket availability may vary depending on the website, so make sure to get your tickets early.

Note: Remember to bring your e-vouchers and passport along when you redeem your ticket, which comes in the form of a wristband, at the designated ticket box.

2. Book your accommodation a walking distance away

The traffic condition in Bali is known to be very bad, no thanks to its narrow roads and overwhelming amount of cars, of course. So to ensure that you don’t spend most of your trip in a cab, make sure your accommodation is walking distance from Potato Head Beach Club, which is located at Seminyak.

If you plan your trip early, booking a snazzy hotel or private villa at a reasonable price shouldn’t be a problem as the beach resort area is filled with decent accommodation options. Though highly-concentrated with uniquely-themed cafes and fashion boutiques, the beaches in Seminyak are quiet and relaxing, making it the perfect place to chill and rejuvenate your tired body after a whole night of partying.

3. Check out the list of prohibited items before going

You’d be surprised at how strict security checks are at ULTRA Beach Bali. Before the festival, organisers will release a reminder of the event’s prohibited items via Facebook and Instagram to ensure the safety of festival goers. The list (refer to the image above) includes backpacks larger than 33 x 44 cm, weapons, drugs, and animals.

When we were queuing to get into the venue, the security guards found a pill hidden deep inside a man’s wallet. True story! Though we don’t know what kind of pill it was (the man said it was an aspirin), we’re still amazed at the guards’ thoroughgoing manner.

4. Wear whatever you want, but slippers are not recommended

The sky’s the limit when it comes to fashion and style at a music festival, especially outdoor beach parties.

If you’re tired of wearing the same old shorts-and-tee combo, then why not spice things up a little with a cute character headpiece or even better, matching swimwear with your #UltraBali squad! Beause it’s always fun to do crazy things with your friends, no?

P/S: To avoid any foot-related injuries, make sure you wear comfy covered shoes or sneakers. We had to learn that the hard way. Ouch!

Many of our friends asked us, “How much did you bring to Ultra Bali?” Not gonna lie, food and drinks in the event cost a bomb.

ULTRA Beach Bali featured a cashless payment system whereby partygoers are required to make payment for food and beverages via tokens. These tokens can be bought at specific counters scattered around the venue and 1 green token costs 100,000 rupiah (approximately RM31). Just in case you’re wondering, drinks are priced from 1/2 (non-alcoholic) to 2 green tokens (alcoholic) while food costs 1 to 2 green tokens. The menu this year included pork belly sate (satay), grilled cheese sandwich, hamburger, mie (mee) goreng, and more.

Note: Alcoholic drinks are only sold to revellers who are 21 and over. Once you’ve verified your age at the token counter, a special wristband will be given to you.

6. Want to party more? Head down to a local nightclub!

Though Bali is also known as the Island of Peace, it has long been a centre for partying and clubbing. The island has no enforced opening and closing times for clubs, making it easy for ULTRA-nauts to plan their after parties. Depending on your preferences, certain types of crowds and music are found in specific areas. Kuta attracts a younger, rowdier crowd with its large-scale clubs and super cheap drinks while Seminyak has better sounds, customised drinks made by skilled bartenders, and it tends to pull in a more refined group of revellers.

And who knows, you might be able to meet your favourite DJs too ;) Our friends at Sky Garden Bali, a prominent club located at Jalan Legian, told us that Swedish electronic music duo Galantis partied at theirs on the festival’s first night. We’re so jealous!

Voted as one of Asia’s best beaches on Lonely Planet, Bali is a very, very beautiful place. Its rich and diverse culture has captivated the hearts of many tourists, leaving them in awe.

The Indonesian island has so much to offer: You can surf wild beaches in Nusa Lembongan; savour a luxurious getaway at Bukit Peninsula; enjoy a delicious meal while looking at the most beautiful rice fields in Ubud; or take a spiritual adventure at Pura Luhur Batukau, one of the island’s estimated 10,000 temples. Truth be told, we think that everyone should visit Bali at least once in their life.

PLAY Club KL’s latest party movement, Play Day Out (PDO), allows you to experience concerts and music festivals like never before. To be eligible for PDO, all you need to do is purchase the selected twin bottle packages, as each purchase entitles one lucky draw coupon to be dropped at the dedicated box located at PLAY’s entrance for a draw during the respective closing parties.

Stay tuned to The Roof’s website and Facebook. For reservations and further inquiries, please call 013 – 2703 111 or 03 – 8605 3388.

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Jackie Chan Joins Jason Momoa & Shah Rukh Khan In Saudi Arabia For Joy Forum

Hong Kong icon Jackie Chan took to the stage last weekend to announce that he wants to shoot a movie in Saudi Arabia.

Joined by other film icons such as Shah Rukh Khan, Jason Momoa and Jean-Claude Van Damme. The 65-years-old star, visited the kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the first time as he was set to be honoured with the Joy Excellence award, in the kingdom’s Joy Entertainment Forum in Riyadh.

The “Rush Hour” actor took to the stage to thank the kingdom for their invitation, as he was handed the award by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Entertainment Authority.

“All those years, I made action comedy because I like to make joy and make people laugh but besides that we have a message (in the movie) and it’s about love, love your people, love your country, love the world and also bring the peace around the world,” he said.

He later revealed that after a few hours he has already found some places for action scenes, and his intention for returning back to the kingdom with his film crew.

“It’s my first time in Saudi, and I know it’s a big country. After only a few hours (travelling) here and looking at locations I know there’s a good place for car chasing, explosions, action; so, next time, I hope to come back with my crew,” the star added.

The 2-day festival was held in the luxurious Ritz-Carlton hotel, as the event was made in order to help development the kingdom’s entertainment sector, which they hope will allow them to become the leading movie and television hub of the region.

Moreover, the event was also part of the Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s modernisation efforts, which also had the long standing ban on cinema lifted just last year.


Twicelights: TWICE KL Seating Plan, Ticketing Details & Fan Benefits Revealed

After last year’s cancellation, it looks like TWICE (트와이스)’s “Twicelights” concert in Malaysia is set to deliver.

17th August 2019 is a special date for many ONCEs as TWICE’s long-awaited concert will be taking place in Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil.

South Korea’s “Nation’s Girl Group” & “Asia One Top Girl Group” Twice consists of 9 beauties – Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu, who debuted under JYP Entertainment in October 2015.

Famous of their catchy, bubble-pop songs, we know that all you K-pop fans are already looking forward to sing their biggest hits with them. “Like Ooh-Ahh”, “Cheer Up”, “TT”, “Knock Knock”, “Signal”, “Likey”, “Heart Shaker”, “What is Love?”, and “Dance The Night Away” are just some example.

Brought to you by iMe Malaysia, the details to “TWICE World Tour 2019 ‘TWICELIGHTS’ In Kuala Lumpur”:

Concert tickets will go on sale from 15th June 2019 starting from 10am onwards at Atria Shopping Gallery while the online sales will begin at 7pm. Pre-sale details reads:

For those interested in fan benefits, take a look at the poster below:

Tickets will be available here. For more info, call +603 9222 8811.

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#CNY2017: Controversial Mercedes-Benz Ads Cause Stir Among Netizens

It’s the festive season, and that means it’s time for touching advertisements to dominate social media.

Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has also capitalised on the upcoming Chinese New Year and has released 2 videos on their social media. However, it seems like the response they garnered wasn’t what they expected.

The first video was made public on 6th January (Friday) and it immediately went viral for the shoddy story line, bad acting, and halfhearted camerawork. It showed a woman and a man in a car, with the pair talking about the man’s elder brother. Apparently, the man isn’t on good terms with his elder brother, and the woman is persuading him to invite his brother to their reunion dinner.

It seems like a normal enough Chinese New Year-themed story, until Mercedes-Benz tried too hard to hard sell their “active parking assist” feature. We thought the scene was cringe-worthy, but the ending disappointed us further.

Known as a premium brand, customers naturally had high expectations for them, and it seems like majority of the netizens were quite critical of the video.

Negative comments flooded their Facebook page, with Facebook user Omar Michael saying, “Merc Benz is supposed to stand for excellence. And this ad totally destroys that credibility. How on earth was it approved? Who is your agency? Who in your marcomm department approved this trainwreck?”

His sentiment was also echoed by other netizens, who commented:

Just yesterday (Monday, 9th January), the car brand released another video clip from the same series, and as expected, the response it received was equally as bad. The 2nd video focused on a husband-and-wife duo who are on their way to their family reunion dinner. Like the first video, it featured cringe-worthy acting and a less than engaging story line.

This was followed by disappointing comments from netizens, who urged Mercedes-Benz to hire better videographers as well as actors, and to not save on their advertising budget.

However, while speaking to Marketing Interactive Malaysia, Mark Raine, vice president of Mercedes-Benz’ Sales and Marketing Passenger Cars department, said, “(The social media clips) compliments the overall campaign taking on a different angle with a humorous and light-hearted twist. In general, we intend to create awareness for our brand, products, and services taking different and fresh approaches.”

He also explained that they decided on this approach as they wanted to engage with a wider audience using “using material with a more real-life touch and feel” rather than filming a full-fledged television commercial.

We’re not sure if it Mercedes-Benz intended to garner views this way, but one thing’s for sure, with more than 100k views and around 1000 shares, it has sparked the attention of the online community. As they say, there is no such thing as bad publicity.

Do you think the ads were deserving of the criticism? Or do you think Mercedes-Benz did a commendable job for it? Tell us what you think in the comments box below!


The One Where Tom Cruise Wears Eyeliner

For someone his age, he really shouldn’t be posing for magazines this-a-way.

We hear that the cover shoot is meant to generate buzz for Tom Cruise’s latest film, “Rock of Ages”, in which he plays “Stacee Jaxx”. His role in the film involves, uh, being an arrogant 80s rocker who loves commanding an audience with big power chords, and quite possibly signs breasts backstage.

This also means that his character will most likely be going out of his way to hump everything that moves and soak in all the attention from his groupies – in true rock star style.

So it comes as no surprise that the cover of the upcoming W magazine is skewed in that way.

Did we also mention that “Rock of Ages” is a musical? Yes. Makes you feel just a bit sick, doesn’t it? It’s okay. You’re allowed to throw up:

[youtube id=”D7f0irytmqQ” width=”600″ height=”350″]

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Contest: Share Your “Gymfie” With Us & Win A Jabra Sport Pulse Wireless Headset

Hey, fitspo fanatics and healthy living freaks! Thanks to our friends from Jabra, we’ve got an irresistible “workout friend” to giveaway to one lucky winner. Yes, just one.

If you’ve ever wanted to take your training to the next level and get the ultimate wireless workout, now you can. Jabra has a world’s first all-in-one training solution which combines an in-ear biometric heart rate monitor, immersive Dolby® sound, and real-time voice coaching, to inspire you to achieve the impossible!

The storm and sweat-proof earbuds allow you to listen to your favourite songs the way you want to hear them with a customisable and powerful Dolby® enhanced sound experience that delivers world-class wireless music performance. On top of that, a personalised audio coaching also provides feedback on your workout every step of the way, letting you control your music and your training within a single app.

Also, Jabra’s intelligent Sport Life App ensures you get the most out of your Sport Pulse Wireless earbuds with an integrated heart rate monitor, which helps you to plan, track, and evaluate your workout. Test your fitness level and aerobic capacity; adjust your heart rate zone to optimise your training and set goals based on distance, time, or calories burnt.

No prizes for guessing why we’re inclined to call it an irresistible “workout friend” now, eh?

Of course, something so versatile comes with a price. In fact, we hear that the Jabra Sport Pulse Wireless costs RM799 per pop.

But! Fortunately, we’re giving one away ;)

Want it? Here’s what you gotta do to win it:

Oh, and if you’re the winning entry, we will like and comment on your Instagram post after submissions for the contest have closed ;)

For more information, visit the Jabra Sport Pulse Wireless microsite.


A Sneak Peek At How Tsutaya Books In Pavilion Bukit Jalil Might Look Like

Last week we reported that Japan’s largest and most acclaimed lifestyle bookstore chains – Tsutaya Books – will be launching its first store in Southeast Asia right here in Klang Valley.

The first Malaysian outlet will be opening in the brand new Pavilion Bukit Jalil shopping mall, sometime in April this year. As “one of the world’s most beautiful bookstores” around, Malaysia’s Tsutaya Book will adopt a concept of “Cultivate Culture & Lifestyle” – a conducive environment where people can foster relationships and strengthen community bonds.

As aforementioned, Tsutaya Book is no ordinary bookstore. The brand of Tsutaya epitomises a unique concept where no two stores are alike. With that in mind, it’s probably important to note that the Pavilion Bukit Jalil version (with 31,000 square feet of space) won’t look like the stores  overseas.

Besides the main bookstore, this lifestyle destination will provide an immersive and relaxing space that include a café for your beverages and pastries fix, specialised merchandise, activity areas (small playground), and more. Think more of having a concept of a popular café in a bookstore,  one familiar example is the Starbucks at Borders, The Curve.  Indulging in great coffee with a book, well, that’s a treat!

Take a look at the design concepts here:

What do you think of the teasers so far?

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#TapiTapir: Local Endangered Species Garners Attention At #1600PandasMY Tour

A Malayan tapir is doing just fine and bringing us more adorable baby tapirs in the world right now, if anyone cared. If you don’t, you would have known that what we stated just now is a lie.

So, why would we even say that? Well, a papier mache tapir recently garnered the attention from the public on the last day of the “1,600 Pandas” world tour exhibition in Publika Shopping Gallery.

Since December last year, the public became aware of the panda conversation through “1,600 Pandas” world tour exhibition in Malaysia. The exhibition made its last stop at Publika Shopping Gallery for about 2 weeks before it ended on 25th Jan 2015. It was the government’s latest effort to raise awareness and educate the public on the panda conservation after China loaned Malaysia the two star pandas, Fu Wa & Feng Yi, as a symbol of the 40 years diplomatic relationship between 2 countries.

Although the zoo officials including Junaidi Bin Omar and Shahril Shariff had expressed their excitement about the panda’s arrival, they reminded us our local endangered species that everyone might have forgotten about – the Malayan tapir.

Pandas are unique animals that symbolise peace because they represent the Yin and Yang. But our Malayan tapir is also black and white, is like our Malaysian panda. I hope that with the pandas’ arrival, people will learn more about the tapir as well.

The negligence of the tapir was further proven at the exhibition as most people were unaware of the presence of the papier mache tapir in the sea of the papier mache pandas.

Its appearance at the exhibition was supposed to serve as a kind reminder that our local tapirs that share the same colour scheme as these pandas are in the danger of extinction too. Despite being a protected animal in several regions including Malaysia, the number of tapirs have decreased over the recent years and according to our research, there are fewer than 2,000 tapirs left in the world.

The Malayan tapir mainly resides in the tropical lowland rainforest of Southeast Asia, including Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, and Vietnam. They have lesser natural predators but human activities poses a fundamental threat to them. In some regions of Southeast Asia, the tapirs are hunted for sport or shot accidentally by then hunters. Although multiple governmental and non-governmental organisations have started a number of conservation projects to save the tapir, the tapirs continue to be threatened by the habitat loss due to the lack of awareness campaigns.

The Sungai Dusun Wildlife Conservation Centre was the home of 34 tapirs when they first started the tapir conservation project in 2007. But as of 2011, the centre was left with 7 tapirs. There are a total of 12 tapirs (5 males and 7 females) residing at the Malay Tapir Conversation Centre (MTCC), and the number of tapirs in the centre is said to be half of the captive population in Malaysia. While keeping the tapirs healthy and disease free, the centre also tries to maintain the tapir population by pairing up males and females at the right time for breeding.

The MTCC offers ideal facilities for visiting researchers and students but due to the lack of awareness campaigns, the tapir conservation received less attention from the public.

Well, a community of kind-hearted people who have been part of the conservations around the world has recently started the #TapiTapir awareness campaign to educate public on the tapir conservation. According to their Facebook page, we are now left with approximately 369 tapirs in Malaysia and the numbers will continue to decrease if we aren’t doing anything to save them. Their first awareness campaign was held on the last day of the panda exhibition, where they placed a papier mache tapir and a board with the hashtag #TapiTapir near the papier mache pandas.

Most people seemed to be unaware of its presence but for those who were, they’ve expressed their interests in the tapir conservation. Local merchandising marketplace Threes & Tees was among the first to spread the awareness by creating the #TapiTapir T-shirt and donating 50% of the proceeds of the merchandise to the Tapir Conservation in Malaysia.

MYCAT, which is an alliance of the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS), TRAFFIC Southeast Asia (TSEA), Wildlife Conservation Society-Malaysia Programme (WCS-Malaysia) and WWF-Malaysia, has also spread the awareness by informing the public about the poachers’ snares on the endangered species. The organisation urged everyone to put in effort to save the endangered species (including Malayan Tiger) and support Jabatan Perhilitan Semenanjung Malaysia’s anti-poaching efforts.

Although the World Tapir Day is held each year on 27th April, there are many ways for us support the tapir conservation projects. You may visit the following websites for more information:

We are not affiliated with, endorsed, or sponsored by Tapi Tapir but this is our simple act of spreading awareness and showing support to this community of kind-hearted people. If you’d like to, support the tapir conservation projects and remember to use the hashtag #TapiTapir so that your efforts can be seen.

You can follow them on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates on the tapir conservation projects in Malaysia too.

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#RIPAdenanSatem: Sarawak Chief Minister Passes Away At 72

Oh dear, Tan Sri Adenan Satem has passed away :(

Reports say that Sarawak Chief Minister died just a few hours ago, approximately 1:20pm, at the Sarawak General Hospital Heart Centre in Kota Samarahan.

The Star reported that Adenan, who lead the Barisan Nasional (BN) to a resounding victory in the last Sarawak election – winning 72 state seats, died of a heart attack.

The respected leader had previously spoken about his close encounter with death due to a heart ailment 4 years ago. “3 years ago I was very sick. I was at the National Heart Institute (IJN in Kuala Lumpur) and in Singapore. And there was a time I thought I was going. I called all my relatives, my children and grandchildren,” he told Bernama.

He would have turned 73 on 27th January 2017.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends, and loved ones. May you rest in peace Tan Sri Adenan Satem.

Sources: Malaysiakini, Free Malaysia Today, The Star.


2013 #GRAMMYs #FTWs (Winners List)

Wow. It came as quickly as it went, the 55th Annual Grammy Awards. With tens of thousands of people watching the star-studded gala event live from all over the world and top class performances by some of your (and our) favourite artistes, there’s no reason not to believe that this is truly the most highly anticipated music awards show of the year!

Much more so when the list of nominees was released in December 2012 and when we heard that Justin Timberlake was going to give a comeback performance featuring songs off his upcoming album. What we didn’t expect was for Taylor Swift to open for the Grammys looking all “Alice in Wonderland”-ish like this:

[youtube id=”2fAvexRbh0s” width=”600″ height=”350″]

“So he calls me up and he’s like, ‘I still love you,’ and I’m like, ‘I’m sorry, I’m busy opening up the Grammys!”

Gold. Let’s not forget the real swag that is JT all up in our faces just hours ago. Introducing, “Suit & Tie” and “Pusher Love Girl” :

[youtube id=”sIu8vdAcOQQ” width=”600″ height=”350″]

On a more serious note, fun. and Gotye wins big when they took home honourable mentions for “Song of the Year” and “Record of the Year” respectively. Whereas Skrillex went on the prove that electronic dance music (EDM) truly is king when he single-handedly swept not one, not two, but three Grammys for “Best Dance Recording”, “Best Dance/Electronica” Album”, and “Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical”. Jay-Z and Kanye West aren’t forgotten too – the duo took home awards for their, uh, “N (asterisk) (asterisk)(asterisk) (asterisk)s in Paris” song.

And without further ado, here’s the list of the 55th Annual Grammy Awards winners:

Album of the Year – “Babel”, Mumford & Sons

Record of the Year – “Somebody That I Used to Know”, Gotye featuring Kimbra

Pop Vocal Album – “Stronger”, Kelly Clarkson

Dance/electronica Album – “Bangarang”, Skrillex

Rock Album – “El Camino”, The Black Keys

Alternative Album – “Making Mirrors”, Gotye

R&B Album – “Black Radio”, Robert Glasper Experiment

Country Album – “Uncaged”, Zac Brown Band

Americana Album – “Slipstream”, Bonnie Raitt

Pop Solo Performance – “Set Fire to the Rain (Live)”, Adele

Pop Duo/Group Performance – “Somebody That I Used to Know”, Gotye featuring Kimbra

Dance Recording – “Bangarang”, Skrillex featuring Sirah

Traditional Pop Vocal Album – “Kisses on the Bottom”, Paul McCartney

Rock performance – “Lonely Boy”, The Black Keys

Hard Rock/Metal Performance – “Love Bites (So Do I)”, Halestorm

Rock Song – “Lonely Boy”, The Black Keys

Traditional R&B Performance – “Love on Top”, Beyoncé

Urban Contemporary Album – “Channel Orange”, Frank Ocean

Rap Performance – “N****s In Paris”, Jay-Z and Kanye West

Rap/Sung Collaboration – “No Church in the Wild”, Jay-Z & Kanye West featuring Frank Ocean and The-Dream

Rap Song – “N****s In Paris”, Jay-Z and Kanye West

Country Solo Performance – “Blown Away”, Carrie Underwood

Country Duo/Group Performance – “Pontoon”, Little Big Town

Country Song – “Blown Away”, Carrie Underwood

World Music Album – “The Living Room Sessions Part 1”, Ravi Shankar

Producer of the Year (Non-classical) – Dan Auerbach

Producer of the Year (Classical) – Blanton Alspaugh

Short-form Music Video – “We Found Love”, Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris.

Long-form Music Video – “Big Easy Express”, Mumford & Sons.

For more information, visit their official website.

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Concert Review: Lay Zhang “LIT” Up The Night At Resorts World Genting

The wind comes from the east as Lay Zhang or Zhang Yixing (레이/ 张艺兴) officially set sail on his “Zhang Yixing GRAND LINE II: INFINITE LANDS” world tour with his first stop being Malaysia last night! The EXO member took the stage at the Arena of Stars at Resorts World Genting at 8:30pm and he was definitely the brightest star among the sea of lights.

The 30-year-old performed a total of 25 songs to a full house and it was nothing short of exciting. XBACKS showed nothing but love for the Chinese artist and there’s certainly a lot to be said about the amazing opening of his world tour last night.

As soon as the lights went out, the audience were introduced to the story of the “INFINITE LANDS” through a video projected on the screen. Inviting us to set sail along with him, Captain Lay Zhang’s video introduction made us feel as if we were watching a movie; fully immersing ourselves in the story that we were excited to see what happens next.

Finally, cheers and screams can be heard from all corners of the arena as Lay Zhang appeared on stage to give us a GRAND opening to his concert with “中国船” (Chinese ships) and “炎黄子孙” (Descendants). The singer then introduced himself in Malay saying “Nama saya Lay Zhang, saya cinta pada mu!” much to the audience’s excitement. With the stage personally designed by the artist himself, he gave visually spectacular performances throughout the night.

If fans didn’t feel the heat earlier during “MASK” or “Joker” then they would have been frantically fanning themselves after Lay took off his shirt to perform “Lay U Down”. The dim-lighted performance was more than just a tease for his fans to ogle at his hot body. The sexy number also gave mesmerizing floorwork choreography and visually stunning camera angles that would make anyone hyperventilate.

One of the highlights at the “GRAND LINE II: INFINITE LANDS” concert was the incorporation of Peking Opera for songs like “Jade” and “LIT” which definitely blew our minds and left us wanting more. Of course, it wouldn’t be a proper concert without some ballads. After several performances with heavy choreography, the Chinese K-pop artist slowed things down with an acoustic version of “Call My Name” while playing the electric guitar.

Lay further showed off his musical talents by playing the grand piano for songs like “Stay With Me”, which was accompanied by a live string ensemble, and a ballad version of “Boom”. He also teased fans by singing an impromptu original song with “Satay Sedap” as the lyrics at the beginning of the acoustic/ballad set. Another favourite moment of ours is when he told his life story through “Mama” with dancers portraying his younger selves and his mother.

Yixing come closer to fans with 3 wishes 💜 #GRANDLINE2SetSail #GRANDLINEinMY #LAY #CAPTAINLAY #LAYZHANG #张艺兴 #YIXING #ZHANGYIXING #GRANDLINE2inMALAYSIA #GRANDLINE2 #GRANDLINE2_MALAYSIA pic.twitter.com/Z4pnjTj034

— MyKpopHuntress (@MyKpopHuntress) October 15, 2022

Those in the front seats were very lucky when the EXO member walked down to the crowd during “3 Wishes” before going back on stage to perform “I Don’t Care” and his new song “Veil” live for the very first time which was also accompanied by fanchants by XBACKS in the audience thanks to a guide provided in everyone’s goodie bags.

Alas, all good things must come to an end sadly. Just when fans thought it was over after the remix version of “NAMANANA”, the screens projected another video intermission of the ending of the “INFINITE LANDS” story as well as behind-the-scenes clips of filming the scenes for the concert. Lay Zhang returned to the stage one last time to perform “Honey” and “The Shepherd Boy”.

Ending the show with shepherd boy, grandline2 in malaysia come to the end #GRANDLINE2SetSail #GRANDLINEinMY #LAY #CAPTAINLAY #LAYZHANG #张艺兴 #YIXING #ZHANGYIXING #GRANDLINE2inMALAYSIA #GRANDLINE2 #GRANDLINE2_MALAYSIA pic.twitter.com/d8d4Ox5W6O

The wind definitely came from the east as the concert incorporated traditional Chinese musical instruments (Hulusi and Erhu), Peking Opera, and Changsha dialect presentation. All cultural and traditional elements were presented in a way that thrilled the younger audience.

There’s so much more to write about that we couldn’t possibly fit into this review but rest assured that Lay Zhang fulfilled his promise in giving us a memorable concert. We certainly had a blast.