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Koller named as new Austria coach until 2014 Posted: 04 Oct 2011 08:33 AM PDT Newly-appointed Austrian national soccer team coach Marcel Koller (C) from Switzerland wears a tracksuit jacket next to Austrian soccer federation OeFB president Leo Windtner (L) and national soccer team interim coach Willibald Ruttensteiner during a news conference in Oberwart October 4, 2011. – Reuters pic VIENNA, Oct 4 – Swiss Marcel Koller was unveiled as Austria's new coach on Tuesday, replacing the sacked Didi Constantini and given the mandate of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Austria's disappointing Euro 2012 qualifying campaign resulted in Constantini's departure in September. The 50-year-old Koller, a former Swiss international, coached St Gallen to the Swiss championship in 2000 and had a four-year spell until 2009 at German club VfL Bochum. He takes over with the aim of taking Austria to the 2014 World Cup, the Austrian Football Federation said. Koller will not be in charge for the Euro 2012 qualifiers against Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan this week and next week and will officially take over on Nov. 1. "Austria actually play good football. There are many young players who have great potential," Koller told reporters during his official presentation. "I cam convinced we can go down a good path. "I am a coach who wants to win games, who wants to be successful. Bringing in two or three young players, that is not success." Austria are fourth in their Euro 2012 Group A on eight points, six behind second-placed Turkey with Germany already through. They travel to Azerbaijan on Friday before going on to Kazakhstan on Tuesday. Their goalless draw against Turkey in September ended their chances of playing at Euro 2012 and maintained their record of having never reached the tournament finals through the qualifying competition. – Reuters

Nadal charges through in purple haze Posted: 04 Oct 2011 04:43 AM PDT Rafael Nadal of Spain returns the ball to Go Soeda of Japan during the Japan Open tennis championships in Tokyo October 4, 2011. – Reuters pic TOKYO, Oct 4 – Rafa Nadal overpowered qualifier Go Soeda 6-3 6-2 as he began the defence of his Japan Open title in a blur of swashbuckling winners today. The top seed produced some dazzling shot-making under floodlights in Tokyo, taking the first set with a jaw-dropping backhand lob at full stretch with Japanese Soeda marooned at the net. Nadal, sweat dripping from his purple T-shirt, kept his foot on the gas in the second and the Spaniard teed up match point with a superb running forehand down the line. The world number two swiftly ended proceedings, ripping another forehand deep into the corner to trigger a stampede as fans rushed from their seats for the chance of an autograph. "It was important to win but I need to spend more time on court," said Nadal, returning to Japan after helping Spain reach the Davis Cup final. "The balls felt a little bit heavy so it was difficult to hit my top spin," the 10-times grand slam champion told reporters. "But maybe it will get better playing day matches." Nadal next faces big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic who beat Japan's Yuichi Sugita 6-7 6-3 7-6 in his first match since undergoing hip surgery after Wimbledon. "Milos will be a dangerous opponent for me," said Nadal, chasing a 47th career title. "He has one of the best serves on the tour. It's a big advantage for him." Nadal's Davis Cup team mate David Ferrer powered past local hope Kei Nishikori 6-4 6-3 to reach the last 16. Third seed Ferrer lost his only previous meeting with Nishikori at the 2008 US Open but slammed the door quickly on the Japanese number one on a chilly evening by Tokyo Bay. FIERCE PRESSURE Fierce pressure from 2007 Japan Open champion Ferrer took its toll on Nishikori, who dumped a simple backhand into the net from mid-court to surrender the first set. Ferrer, who has won titles in Auckland and Acapulco this year, wrapped up a comfortable win in an hour and 29 minutes with a huge forehand too hot for his opponent to handle. "I feel good," said the Spaniard. "Tokyo is very special for me. I remember a lot of good moments here." Argentina's David Nalbandian looked back to his old street-fighting best in a 6-1 6-1 win over Czech Lukas Rosol. The former world number three, fresh from helping his country knock out holders Serbia to reach the Davis Cup final, needed just 49 minutes to finish the job. Mercilessly punching winners past a deflated Rosol, Nalbandian could afford to let three match points slip before a backhand error gave him victory. "Week after week I'm feeling better and playing better," said Nalbandian whose ranking has slipped to 64th after groin and leg surgery in March. "I played a great match." In other first-round ties, Latvia's Ernests Gulbis beat Pole Lukasz Kubot 6-3 3-6 7-5 while American Alex Bogomolov got the better of Finland's Jarkko Nieminen 6-4 6-4. Bogomolov will play second seed Andy Murray or Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis in the last 16. – Reuters

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Michelle Yeoh as ‘The Lady’ Posted: 04 Oct 2011 08:12 AM PDT LOS ANGELES, Oct 4 – The first trailer for Luc Besson's biopic The Lady was released October 3, starring Michelle Yeoh as Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese pro-democracy activist who was under house arrest for more than a decade. The footage shows Suu Kyi being asked to lead the movement to finish her father's work, the 1988 political protests and response by authorities, her address to throngs of supporters and her imprisonment – preventing her from receiving her Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. The Lady is also a love story, following Suu Kyi's relationship, marked by separations, distance and danger amidst the country's political turmoil. It costars David Thewlis (Harry Potter) as her husband, writer Michael Aris. Directed by Luc Besson, this political drama is seen as a departure from the director's action-oriented films such as The Fifth Element. Aung San Suu Kyi's life was reconstructed by screenwriter Rebecca Frayn, including interviews with key figures. The Lady premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and screens at the Pusan International Film Festival October 12. It opens in France on November 30, in Greece and the Netherlands in December, in Germany in March, and in the US before the end of 2011 to be eligible for the Oscars. Trailer: http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1810192292/video/26811069  – AFP

Jessica Lange’s fright-fest in ‘American Horror Story’ Posted: 04 Oct 2011 03:52 AM PDT NEW YORK, Oct 4 – Veteran actress Jessica Lange will make her television series debut in "Glee" creator Ryan Murphy's latest project, "American Horror Story." Lange, 62, will play the role of nosy neighbour Constance, a Southern belle with a mysterious past in "American Horror Story," premiering tomorrow on the FX network. Reuters spoke with the Oscar and Emmy winning actress (picture) about her upcoming series, haunted houses and her passion for photography. Q: This is your first television series. Was this something you've thought about doing? A: "No, I hadn't thought about it, although when Ryan Murphy called initially to discuss the project, I have to say he was extremely seductive. He made more promises than any man I've ever met. And what he has given me so far has been really great. The language is great, the moments are great, and as the episodes become much more emotional, we're into the realm of high drama and tragedy. It's been really exhilarating." Q: So how did you prepare to play the role of a meddling neighbor shrouded in secrecy? A: "It's really been an exercise in just allowing the imagination to take flight. Like when a child plays, where their commitment to the moment is just total, but they're making it up as they go along... I think she's really a throwback to another age. Like a kind of hard-boiled dame from the 30's, 40's; that plain spoken character who has no sense of political correctness or how they're going to be perceived and received, but just someone who is sometimes painfully honest, sometimes stupidly honest, but not concerned with all the things that affect our speech and behavior today." Q: Do you believe in haunted houses? A: "I've lived in my share of haunted houses, so I believe they exist. Most of them have been fairly benevolent, but some have been troublesome. Glad to say I've never lived in one like this." Q: How is the house considered a character in the show? A: "It is like a breathing living entity that holds all these secrets and sorrows and violence and betrayals and all of these enormous human emotions that are often too much for one character. But the house embodies them, the house holds them all." Q: The scarcity of decent roles for women in Hollywood has been well-documented. How do you deal with this issue? A: "It's tough...The parts are few and far between. I think the interest in women in film isn't where it was. When I was in my so-called heyday, we were all making great movies about women. I don't see that as much now. Not even in the younger generation. I regret that they're not going to have that same opportunity that we had when we were their age. And then when you're over 30, over 40, 50, then over 60, the fall off rate is fairly precipitous. But that's OK, because in some odd way, when you do have a part like Edith Beale in 'Grey Gardens,' maybe your work is better." Q: You've recently taken on a different role on the other side of the camera, in 2008, publishing a collection of black and white pictures. What draws you to photography? A: "I've been photographing for about 15 years...It's great exercise for me, and to a certain degree the exact opposite of acting. You are unobserved, you are solitary, and it's incredibly private, the opposite of when you're performing in front of a camera or on stage. The anonymity of photographing is one of the things I absolutely love most. I can wander the streets for hours and just see the world." Q: If you weren't an actor, you'd be...? A: "I think I would be a gardener or I would have started photography much, much earlier and done it much more completely." – Reuters

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Cigarette vending machines banned in England Posted: 04 Oct 2011 04:20 AM PDT A cigarette vending machine in Berlin in 2008. The British Heart Foundation charity said that around 200,000 youngsters start smoking regularly in England each year, with around 11 per cent of regular smokers aged 11 to 15 getting their cigarettes from vending machines. — AFP pic LONDON, Oct 4 — Cigarette vending machines were banned in England on Saturday, a move the government hopes will cut the numbers of children smoking. Anyone caught selling cigarettes from the machines, usually found in pubs and clubs, could face a fine of £2,500 (RM12,400). Pubs will still be able to sell cigarretes from behind the bar. Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: "Smoking is one of the biggest and most stubborn challenges in public health. Over eight million people (around 15 per cent) in England still smoke and it causes more than 80,000 deaths each year. "Cigarette vending machines are often unsupervised, making it easy for children to purchase cigarettes from them. "The ban on cigarette sales from vending machines will protect children by making cigarettes less accessible to them — we want to do everything we can to encourage young people not to start smoking in the first place." The British Heart Foundation charity said that around 200,000 youngsters start smoking regularly in England each year, with around 11 per cent of regular smokers aged 11 to 15 getting their cigarettes from vending machines. It is illegal to sell tobacco in Britain to anyone under the age of 18. Elsewhere in the United Kingdom, cigarrete vending machines are to be banned in Northern Ireland in February, while Scotland and Wales are committed to introducing a ban. Meanwhile, in April 2012, all large retailers in England and Scotland will have to take all tobacco off display, with small shops having until April 2015 to comply. The government is due to launch a public consultation on whether cigarettes should be sold in plain packaging with no logos or branding. Smoking in enclosed public places was banned in England in July 2007. — AFP-Relaxnews

Workplace fitness is good for business Posted: 04 Oct 2011 03:09 AM PDT Employees work at a company office in Tokyo on June 30, 2011. — Reuters pic NEW YORK, Oct 4 — Stuck on a problem at work? The best way to solve it could be to get moving and take a walk. Fitness experts thinking outside the cubicle are hoping to see the sedentary corporate culture of marathon meetings and vast stretches of unbroken computer time go the way of the typewriter. "Forty years ago athletes were told if you drink water it's a sign of weakness. We are still living in an old-think culture in business," said Dr. Jack Groppel, an exercise physiologist. "We're not active, we're not moving and we need to change this paradigm." Groppel, co-founder of the Human Performance Institute, based in Orlando, Florida, said that building even small breaks into the workday every 20 minutes or so will not only cut down on healthcare costs but improve performance. "If there's more oxygen getting to the brain, you solve problems more readily," he said. "We understand it intellectually but we do nothing about it behaviorally." Groppel likens the changing role of physical activity in organisations to the concept of going green. "It has to become a crisis," he explained. With US obesity rates over 30 per cent, some companies are listening. Last year 25 of the Fortune 100 companies participated in his company's Corporate Athlete training program, which includes lessons in interval, resistance and flexibility training. Groppel said tactical initiatives to get workers moving, such as walking groups and discounted gym memberships, will have only limited success until the workforce is given permission to move about. "The boss has to role-model this," he said. "The story in business is still, 'If we've got to solve a problem, we'll stay in this room until we solve it, when, in fact, we have our best ideas when we're in a mode of recovery. We have our best ideas in the shower." Shirley Archer, author of the book "Fitness 9 to 5," was a corporate lawyer until chronic fatigue syndrome led her to reinvent herself as a Florida-based fitness instructor. She believes companies are becoming more amenable to workplace fitness. "Studies are showing that for every dollar they spend on workplace wellness they get three dollars back," Archer said. "Anyone who sits at a computer all day is going to have issues over time." In her book she lays out a cornucopia of small-scale movements, such as chair squats, lunges, mini-back bends and stretches, tailored to a day at the office. "It adds up," she said. "Even taking a minute each hour to stretch can make a difference." Other practical tips include keeping light dumbbells in your drawer, tracking your activity with a pedometer, taking the stairs or parking at the far end of the lot. "And we don't have to have sitting meetings," she said. "Why can't we have walking meetings? Just standing doubles your calorie expenditure." That would go a way toward dispelling what Groppel calls the "myth of face time." "Research shows that if we exercise at 6:30am every day, then go into the workplace and sit in meetings all day long, the brain starts slowing down," he said. "The human body is business relevant." — Reuters

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World figures pay tribute to S.Africa’s Tutu in new book Posted: 03 Oct 2011 05:58 PM PDT "Tutu: The Authorised Portrait" was released yesterday ahead of Desmond Tutu's 80th birthday, with first-hand perspectives on the South African anti-apartheid hero. — AFP/Relaxnews pic CAPE TOWN, Oct 4 — A new Desmond Tutu biography to mark his 80th birthday Friday celebrates the South African icon as a tireless activist and playful inspiration in tributes from world leaders to rock stars. The book "Tutu: The Authorised Portrait" released yesterday contains intimate accounts from the diverse collection of friends won over in his globe-trotting campaigns to end apartheid rule and then for peace. "I believe that God is waiting for the archbishop. He is waiting to welcome Desmond Tutu with open arms," said South Africa's first democratic president and fellow Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nelson Mandela. "If Desmond gets to heaven and is denied entry, then none of the rest of us will get in!" The insights offer a glimpse behind the activist whose transformation from a clergyman to a global icon is traced alongside family snapshots and pictures of apartheid brutality. "Emotionally and mentally, Bishop Tutu and I are very close. I call him my spiritual older brother," said Tibet's Dalai Lama. Copies of letters to apartheid rulers and handwritten extracts of his notes reveal his relentless fight for democracy and his instinctive humanity. A 1985 missive to FW de Klerk, who would become apartheid's last ruler, demands a passport to replace a document listing Tutu's nationality as "undeterminable at present". The archbishop then goes on to blast the "policy of apartheid as utterly evil, unChristian and immoral" before signing off with "God bless you". "I developed tremendous respect for his fearlessness. It wasn't fearlessness of a wild kind. It was fearlessness anchored in his deep faith in God," De Klerk said in the book. Tutu's trademark playfulness is dotted throughout the book by his youngest daughter Mpho and veteran journalist Allister Sparks. Mogul Richard Branson recalls teaching him how to swim, Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi calls him a "sort of giggle-maker". The book also recalls his needless asking for directions in 1960s Britain, just to be called "sir" by a white policeman. Irish rocker Bono describes the archbishop leading his unsuspecting band on their first meeting from his Cape Town office to a packed hall before smiling and telling the crowd "Here are U2 to sing for you". Intimate peeks are offered in moments like a tender airport hug with beloved wife Leah, the "Arch" outstretched on the floor taking a nap, and the couple kneeling to be blessed on their 25th wedding anniversary. "When I was in high school, I thought he looked smashing! I don't know whether he looked smashing because he was the headmaster's son or whether it was really a crush," said Leah. Yet, there is also a bluntness about the realities of Tutu's personal life. "It's a challenge," said Leah, who admits to throwing clods of earth and fruit at tourist buses gawking over her fence in Soweto. "Yes, there's definitely a challenge living with Desmond." Bob Geldof calls him a showman and the "smallest giant I've ever met". "For those in power, Arch is a complete pain in the arse," he says. "He calls it as he sees it and he never shuts up." One of the most personal accounts is from Mandela's current wife Graca Machel, who speaks of sometimes becoming "overwhelmed" with her responsibilities, especially to her famous husband. "Sometimes I feel like I'm too small to know how to do the right thing. At these times, I will approach the Arch and he will give me the guidance I need to make me feel that everything is fine. So he has a very special — a very very special — place in my life." — AFP/Relaxnews

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Truth and deception, the EPL way Posted: 03 Oct 2011 04:45 PM PDT OCT 4 — There is a very simple explanation for why English Premier League (EPL) leaders Manchester United did not play well on the weekend. Would you believe me when I say that Norwich City actually played extremely well? Well, that is the answer, no more no less. The Canaries were well-organised and played as a very compact unit. There was also a good defensive discipline about them. Unfortunately, they tired towards the end and that is not a surprise when you play in the EPL. It is bound to happen. This was a very mentally and physically taxing game for the Norwich players and their missed chances, too, is more a sign of lack of confidence and temperament rather than any perceived lack of ability. The top, and more experienced, players get calmer nearer the goal while the rest just hit and hope. You would hope that most pundits and millions of Red Devil fans can read the game in this way too. But, nah, for them it sounds better to say Man Utd were just not their usual selves! On a different scale, the Gunners too face a lot of flak after the derby defeat at White Hart Lane and we hear of the names of former captains Tony Adams and Patrick Vieira being brought up. There is a transitional period going on at Arsenal with experienced players being brought in and it will need time before the Gunners can start being consistent again. Yes, I know, "that old excuse again." But this time, I am not talking about a transition of the young players that has been going on over the past five or six years. That is, with them maturing and getting stronger. Instead, I am referring to the team's transition for this season in itself. The new players brought in during the last transfer window have yet to settle in. Besides that, the new younger players have to settle in too. On a positive note, however, for the first time since the departure of Jens Lehmann, it looks like The Arsenal has a world-class goalkeeper in the making. Regarding the game on Sunday, to be fair, it was a very good performance from Tottenham Hotspur and finally, Harry Redknapp seems to have actually "watched" the match from the sidelines and reacted positively. His tactical substitutions were spot on and Kyle Walker scored the kind of goal every fullback scores once in a lifetime. Nah, it still sounds better to say Arsenal need Frank McLintock and Liam Brady. Now, on to the other local derby highlight of the weekend, played on Saturday night, between Merseyside rivals Liverpool and Everton at Goodison Park. The referee got it totally wrong with the Jack Rodwell red card as it was firstly, a good tackle to win the ball, and more importantly, there was only minimal contact with Luis Suarez. Rodwell's momentum stopped at the feet of Suarez but the latter, famous for his blatant handball to save Uruguay in the World Cup 2010 quarterfinal at the expense of Ghana, acted as if he had been shot. The bait was set and the referee bought the dive and cry, hook, line and sinker. Maybe the referee should have first assessed the perceived damage to Suarez's ankle before reacting. He would have probably noticed that there was hardly a scratch. Alternatively, he could have reserved judgment on the red, just showing a yellow, and then allow Rodwell little mercy for any further fouls. After all, he could then have observed, too, how Suarez played out the remaining 67 minutes at full pelt. Nah, it always looks better to flash a red card!

‘Disgusting’ chants reflect society Posted: 03 Oct 2011 04:44 PM PDT OCT 4 — Harry's not happy. Despite the warm glow of seeing his side continue their strong start to the Premier League season with a 2-1 victory over North London neighbours Arsenal, one element of the afternoon's proceedings drew the ire of Harry Redknapp. "Disgusting," was the Tottenham manager's description of the chants aimed by Arsenal fans at Spurs striker Emmanuel Adebayor, adding: "How do you chant something like that at someone? You can't be right mentally. You need help." Considering the fact that the chants in question mocked the fatal gun ambush on Adebayor and his Togo teammates during last year's African Cup of Nations, which killed three people, it's difficult to dispute Redknapp's viewpoint. However, Tottenham fans were hardly blameless, having spent a large portion of the afternoon directing similarly unpleasant chants towards Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. Tottenham's players might have won the match on the pitch, but on the terraces their supporters shared the spoils in a dishonourable draw with their Arsenal counterparts. On the one hand, it's a shame that such an unpleasant periphery matter diverts attention away from what had been a pulsating game of football, which demonstrated once again that Tottenham's playing capabilities have now overtaken those of their local rivals. But on the other hand, examining the venomous terrace tirades of abuse is an interesting exercise, allowing us to understand a little bit more about how and why we watch football. Firstly, it should be stated there was nothing new in the chants at White Hart Lane on Sunday afternoon. Adebayor had already been on the receiving end of abuse from Arsenal fans during his time with Manchester City, while Wenger is forced to sustain pretty nasty verbal attacks every time he visits Old Trafford to take on Manchester United. Vicious, vindictive and vulgar terrace chants are a fact of modern British football. The invention of football songs, something that used to be an amusing and light-hearted pursuit, has mutated into horribly aggressive, personal and deliberately spiteful abuse that would result in arrest if it took place anywhere outside a football stadium.  So why does it happen, and why is it getting worse? I believe it's because sport mirrors society, and the last 30 years – since the advent of Thatcherism/Reaganomics , the growth of personal liberties and rights, the expansion of lowbrow mass media and the cult of celebrity, the lessening of community spirit and the diminution of the moral authority exerted by establishments such as the government and the church – have resulted in a marked increase in the vulgarity and aggression of society, and a connected dramatic rise in the importance attached to sport. In the past, people were generally less outspoken due to a higher level of respect for and fear of authority, and we were less inclined to treat famous people, whether sportsmen or television stars, as separate cases. Now, we feel we can say what we like, when we like and how we like – and our obsession with celebrity has made famous people particularly vulnerable targets for outbursts of vicious jealousy. It happens in society and so – as is the case in many aspects of life – its effects are reflected and magnified by sport. Essentially, vulgar chants are a response to a perceived attack on self-identity, which is becoming more and more closely associated to our favourite sporting teams and players. With the loss of a true community spirit and the downgrading of moral authority exerted by external organisations such as the state or religion, we have developed an even greater sense of affinity with our sports stars. Football teams fill the gap that was previously occupied by God and the Queen. Hence, Wayne Rooney was more than just an Everton player; in the eyes of supporters, he was Everton; he epitomised and personified the spirit and personality of the club and their supporters. So when he rejected that status by joining the hated Manchester United, it was regarded as the ultimate betrayal, undermining everything the fans believed in and cared about, unconsciously challenging their internal sense of identity. The feelings of betrayal are intensified when the rejection is carried out in a callous and uncaring manner, giving fans cause to think that the player never really cared about his club in the first place. That's certainly the case with Adebayor, who has become a particular hate figure for Arsenal fans due to the suspicion that he is primarily motivated by money (he left the club after reportedly demanding a huge pay rise). And so, roughly stated, the combination of a greater attachment to sports stars and a new interpretation of the right to "freedom of speech", has led to the unpleasant scenes witnessed at White Hart Lane (and elsewhere) this weekend. Of course, everything I've described is a particularly British condition and may not be replicated in other societies. Or is it? I'd be interested to know what Malaysian fans of the Premier League think about these terrace chants. Do you like them because they demonstrate the passion, commitment and (sometimes) humour of the fans; or do you dislike the vulgarity and aggression of new-style terrace "banter" and have a lower opinion of English football as a result? We know what Harry thinks.

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Putrajaya: Hayat CCF MAS-AirAsia lima tahun, boleh dilanjut Posted: 04 Oct 2011 03:44 AM PDT KUALA LUMPUR, 4 Okt — Rangka Kerja Kolaborasi Komprehensif (CCF) yang disertai Malaysia Airlines (MAS) dan Kumpulan AirAsia merupakan sebahagian daripada rancangan pemulihan MAS. Timbalan Menteri Kewangan Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussin berkata MAS akan terus menumpukan usaha untuk memperbaiki operasi dan memperkukuh kewangannya dalam usaha menjadi syarikat penerbangan yang berdaya maju. "MAS telah pun memulakan perbincangan dengan kesatuan sekerja untuk menjelaskan CCF secara terperinci. "CCF dijangka memberi manfaat kepada tiga kumpulan iaitu pemegang saham, orang ramai dan kakitangan," katanya ketika menjawab soalan Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (PKR-Machang) di Dewan Rakyat hari ini. Sabtu lalu, lapan persatuan dan kesatuan pekerja MAS menggesa kerajaan membatalkan kerjasama antara MAS dan Kumpulan AirAsia atas alasan ia merugikan syarikat penerbangan nasional itu. Saifuddin ingin tahu perihal perjanjian pertukaran saham MAS-AirAsia dan kesannya terhadap masa depan industri pengangkutan udara negara. Awang Adek berkata CCF merupakan rangka kerja yang menggariskan prinsip-prinsip panduan yang mesti diikuti ketiga-tiga pihak dan melibatkan tiga perkara utama iaitu perjanjian kerjasama, perjanjian pemegang saham dan pengawasan. Beliau berkata tempoh CCF adalah lima tahun dengan pilihan untuk melanjutkan tempoh perjanjian selama lima tahun lagi. "Tempoh ini adalah bagi memberikan masa yang secukupnya untuk semua pihak memperoleh manfaat yang ketara hasil jalinan bersama," katanya dipetik Bernama Online. Beliau berkata secara rasionalnya CCF dapat membantu meningkatkan mutu produk dan perkhidmatan kepada pelanggan serta mengukuhkan persekitaran industri penerbangan negara selain meneroka bidang-bidang kerjasama yang berpotensi termasuk pembelian pesawat, kejuruteraan, perkhidmatan darat dan sokongan, perkhidmatan kargo, katering dan latihan. Mengulas mengenai pertukaran saham itu, Awang Adek berkata sehingga 20 September, para pemegang saham utama MAS adalah Khazanah Nasional Bhd sebanyak 48.87 peratus, Tune Air Sdn Bhd (20.5 peratus) dan Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja (KWSP) (10.54 peratus). Para pemegang saham utama AirAsia setakat 23 September adalah Tune Air Sdn Bhd 13.1 peratus, KWSP (10.35 peratus), Khazanah Nasional Bhd (10 peratus), Genesis Smaller Companies (5.43 peratus) dan Wellington Management Company (5.04 peratus), katanya.

MAS terima akta baru Kg Baru ‘dengan terbuka’ Posted: 04 Oct 2011 03:28 AM PDT KUALA LUMPUR, 4 Okt ─ Lembaga Pentadbir Penempatan Pertanian Melayu (MAS) menerima Rang Undang-undang Perbadanan Pembangunan Kampong Baru 2011 ─ yang baru ─ yang dibentangkan di Dewan Rakyat semalam dengan sikap positif dan terbuka. Setiausaha Kehormatnya Shamsuri Suradi berkata, Rang Undang-undang Perbadanan Pembangunan Kampong Baru 2011 yang menggantikan Rang Undang-undang Perbadanan Pembangunan Kampong Baru 2010 mengambil kira bantahan disuarakan oleh pemilik tanah dan pewaris kawasan penempatan eksklusif orang Melayu itu. "Kami amat bersetuju dengan rang undang-undang yang dibentangkan kali ini kerana ia mengambil kira bantahan dan pendapat kami tentang pentingnya MAS, sebagai badan penjaga kepada Kampung Baru, dimasukkan juga kedalam perbadanan ini," kata beliau kepada The Malaysian Insider. Rang Undang-undang Perbadanan Pembangunan Kampong Baru 2010 yang dibentangkan kali pertama pada 14 Disember lalu ditarik balik semalam. Pada hari yang sama, Rang Undang-undang Perbadanan Pembangunan Kampong Baru 2011 dibawa ke Parlimen. Tindakan Putrajaya itu menerima reaksi berbelah bahagi. Rang Undang-undang Perbadanan Pembangunan Kampong Baru 2010 mendapat kecaman dan tentangan keras penduduk Kampung Baru dan MAS sendiri. Ditanya apa pendapat beliau terhadap Rang Undang-undang Perbadanan Pembangunan Kampong Baru 2010 yang ditarik balik, Shamsuri berkata, ia adalah disebabkan faktor masa. Ini kerana katanya, penggubalan dilakukan dengan tergesa-gesa dan tidak mengambil kira pandangan dan pendapat masyarakat di Kampung Baru. Bagaimanapun beliau menafikan ia ditarik balik kerana dakwaan sambutan dingin referendum sebelum ini. Mengulas mengenai isu adakah bahawa MAS telah dimaklumkan lebih awal tentang penarikan balik Rang Undang-undang Perbadanan Pembangunan Kampong Baru 2010, Shamsuri berkata: "ya,  tiga parti yang berkepentingan dalam isu ini telah dimaklumkan tentang rang undang undang baru." Selain MAS, dua pihak lain ialah Persatuan Anak-anak Kampung Bharu (PAKAM) dan Persatuan Pembangunan Kampung Baru. Mengenai isu pengambilan tanah, Shamsuri berkata, "kita memang telah dimaklumkan bahawa akta itu tidak akan ada dalam rang undang undang baru ini." "Walaupun pejabat tanah boleh menggunakannya untuk kepentingan umum, ia tidak akan menjejaskan kepentingan penduduk di sini kerana perbadanan akan juga merangkumi wakil-wakil penduduk di kampung ini," kata beliau. Mengenai peranan MAS selepas ini, beliau berkata, "kita akan melihat dan mengkaji apakah peruntukan dalam enakmen ini yang tidak boleh diguna pakai lagi seperti peruntukan buangan." "Dan, kita juga akan menggalakkan pembangunan di kawasan ini mengikut identiti dan cita rasa unik setiap kampung, di dalam perbadanan pembangunan nanti," katanya lagi. Kata beliau, MAS berharap peranan badan itu tidak diketepikan menerusi kandungan rang undang-undang baru.

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