STORY TO BE TOLD

Pandelela: She targets to win at least a medal at next month’s Asian Games.

Sarawak lass heads for the Asian Games in Guangzhou next month
Story and photo by KERNI PUAH
sarawakstar@thestar.com.my

AFTER her superb performance at the just-concluded New Delhi Commonwealth Games, diver Pandelela Rinong Pamg, who has been dubbed Lulu Dolphine by her supporters, is setting her eyes on at least one medal at the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, next month.

It will be her first appearance at the Asian Games after participating in the Beijing Olympic Games and New Delhi Commonwealth Games.

“As it will be my first time in the Asian Games, I want to win medals to add to my collection. The colour does not matter but I need to win,” said the 17-year-old Bidayuh from Kampung Jugan in Bau.

However, it will not be a walk in the park for her as she will have to compete against Chinese Olympic gold medallist Liu Jaio.

Liu also took the gold at the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in August in the 10m platform event.

“I’m aware that it will be tougher in the Asian Games as I will compete with divers from China, Japan and South Korea, and all of them are good divers.

“However, I will do my best and hope to spring some surprises,” said Pandelela in a telephone interview from her school in Bukit Jalil.

Prior to the Asian Games in Guangzhou, Pandelela will fly to Yunan in China on Oct 22 for an intensive training under coach Huang Qiang.

At the Youth Olympic Games, Pandelela bagged silver medals in the 3m springboard and 10m platform.

She received a reward of RM20,000 from the National Sports Council for her feat.

She also won a gold and a silver at the Commonwealth Games.

At the Asian Games, besides her pet individual and synchronised 10m platform events, Pandelela will compete in the 3m springboard discipline as well.

More on: http://thestar.com.my/

Credits to and source taken from: http://thestar.com.my/

Shrinking Rajang: The water level at the mighty Sungai Rajang is dropping fast as the dry spell hits Sarawak and water is being diverted into the Bakun dam. The edge of the river, which had about 2m of water (inset) is now little more than a muddy bank.

Rajang River is drying up
By PHILIP HII
philiphii@thestar.com.my

SIBU: Less than two weeks after the logjam disaster in Rajang River, the country’s longest river is again a cause for concern for people living along its banks.

Express boats have not been able to ply the Sibu-Belaga-Sibu routes since Friday as the river is drying up due to the current dry spell. The only option left for travellers is the gruelling journey on the 190km Bintulu-Bakun road.

Floating pontoons at the Kapit Express Boat Wharf along Khoo Peng Loong Road here are now resting on a muddy river bed.

“This time the water level went down really fast. Just 10 days ago, it almost reached the road level, a drop of more than 2m,” boat skipper Lau Ah Kuok said.

Lau said he believed the drastic change in the water level was partly due to the impoundment of the 205m-high Bakun Dam which began last Wednesday.

The flooding of the dam, which is South-East Asia’s largest, is estimated to take seven months and in the process, would flood 69,000ha of land.

Social activist Wong Meng Chuo, who has a masters degree in Environmental Management from the Imperial College in London, said he was worried that a prolonged drought would pose severe environmental and ecological consequences below Bakun Dam.

Wong said the Rajang River was denied one-third of the water source with the impoundment of the dam.

“Firstly, river navigation in some areas will stop due to low water. Secondly, salty water from the ocean would come up to as far as Sibu. Thirdly, marine and river life will be affected,” Wong pointed out.

He explained that with less water in the river, there would be less oxygen which could cause some species of fish to die. Wong added there could also be more landslides along the riverbanks as the soil structure would be different.

He said it was unlikely that the impoundment of the dam would stop because it would incur a loss of RM330,000 per day to do so.

The low water level is also a cause for concern for the RV Orient Pandaw, the only cruise ship here.

“If the dry weather continues, I am worried our ship would have difficulties navigating near the Pelagus rapids,” the ship’s purser Neville Joseph said, adding that October to December were peak seasons with an average of 40 passengers per trip.

Durin vegetable farmer Kong Chiek Wak is worried the prolonged dry weather will seriously affect his vegetables.

“We only have a small water pump. It would be difficult to pump water from the Rajang for farm use if the water level is too low,” Kong explained.

The low water level will also affect the transportation of logs by barges and cargo boats from Kapit-Baleh areas to the sawmills in Sibu or for export through Tanjung Manis.

Sibu Water Board general manager Daniel Wong said he was monitoring the situation closely.

“The water supply in Sibu is normal and there is no cause for alarm now,” he said.

At about 4.30pm yesterday, heavy rain fell for about an hour on Sibu after a dry week.

More on: http://thestar.com.my/news/

Credits to and source taken from: http://thestar.com.my/news/

Kerala Vegetable Kurma

By Chef Nermala Dass
Photo by Nicholas Khoo

Ingredients

o 3 potatoes, skinned and cut into four
o 1 large carrot, sliced
o 200g cauliflower
o 1 big tomato, cut into four
o 3 green chillies, cut
o ½ tsp turmeric powder
o 3 tbsp kurma powder
o 1 tbsp kas- kas powder
o 2 cups diluted coconut milk
o 1 cup thick coconut milk
o 1 cup oil
o 2 cinnamon
o 4 clove, cardamom
o 1 tsp black pepper
o Salt to taste
o Mint leave

Blend till smooth
o 2 big onions
o 3in ginger
o 1 whole garlic
o 3 green chillies
o A handful of grated coconut

Method

Mix kas-kas powder with 2 tbsp water.

Heat oil, then add cinnamon, clove and cardamom.

Add blended ingredients and turmeric powder, cook till it is almost dry.

Stir in kurma powder, add potato and thin coconut milk. Let it simmer until potatoes are 3/4 cooked.

Add in cauliflower, carrot, tomato and green chillies.

Bring to a boil, then add salt, pepper and kas-kas.

Lastly, add thick coconut milk and mint leaves. Serve with Bombay Chicken Briyani.

Credits to and source taken from: http://kuali.com/recipes

Bombay Chicken Briyani

By Chef Nermala Dass
Photo by Nicholas Khoo
Ingredients

o 1.3kg chicken, cleaned and cut to 18pcs
o 500g onion, chopped
o 500g chicken, chopped
o 100g garlic, chopped
o 100g ginger, chopped
o 4 tbsp chicken curry powder
o 1 tsp garam masala
o 1 cup oil
o 3 cinnamon stick
o 6 clove
o 6 cardamom
o 6 star anise
o Salt to taste
o 500gm basmathi rice, washed, soaked for 20 mins

Garnishing
o Coriander leaves-chop
o Fried shallot

To sprinkle
o 100ml milk
o 1 tsp garam masala
(Mix together)

Method

Cook rice with seven cups of water and two tsp salt.

Heat oil, add cinnamon, anise, clove, and cardamom and stir for a while.

Add onion and fry until golden brown. Then add ginger and garlic, sauté gently until tender. Add salt to taste.

Then, add tomato and stir until it is soft. Add chicken, stir until chicken is almost cooked.

Add curry powder and garam masala. Stir to combine (if it is thick add 1/2cup water).

Simmer until chicken is cooked, keep stirring all the time.

Layer the cooked rice with the chicken, sprinkle coriander leaves and fried shallot, and with each layer sprinkle with the milk mixture. Repeat 2-3 layers.

Credits to and source taken from: http://kuali.com/recipes/

3D movies for only RM5 each

MOVIE buffs who love 3-D films can look forward to watching those with asterisks at only RM5 each if they sign up early for Penang Starwalk 2010.

GSC Gurney Plaza marketing executive Kevin Choe Wei Men said Starwalk early birds who receive the free tickets could use them to catch movies (with asterisks) or pay RM5 to watch 3-D films (with asterisks).

He said GSC was sponsoring 300 movie tickets worth RM3,000 for early birds who sign up for the walk.

“We have been sponsoring movie tickets for Penang Starwalk every year,” he said after presenting the tickets to The Star advertisement sales representative Kenneth Kee at GSC Gurney Plaza yesterday. Movies with asterisks are usually released after two weeks.

Choe said the free tickets were valid until Dec 31 and would entitle the holders to watch movies like Narnia (releasing on Dec 9 and Faster starring Dwane Johnson who is more popularly known as The Rock (releasing on Dec 2).

“Harry Potter fans can also catch the Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part I that will be released on Nov 18 or cartoon movies Rapunzel and Megamind on Nov 25 and Nov 4 respectively,” he said.

The tickets are only valid at GSC Gurney Plaza.

Entries for Penang Starwalk open on Monday and the first 300 participants who submit their entries personally will be eligible for the free tickets on a first come first served basis.

A total of 150 tickets will be available at Star Northern Hub at 202, Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah in Bayan Lepas and another 150 at the newspaper’s George Town office at 15, Jalan Mesjid Kapitan Keling.

The walk will be flagged off from the Penang International Sports Arena (PISA) in Relau at 7am on Dec 12.

Registration fee is RM8 for non-competition walkers and RM12 for competition walkers. All participants will each receive a T-shirt and a goodie bag.

Participants who complete the walk within two hours will be eligible for a lucky contest that offers attractive prizes as well as a participation certificate each.

The top three schools which register the most number of students will also enjoy special incentives.

Entry forms will be available from Monday, online at http://thestar.com.my/starwalk/ and will also be printed in The Star national edition every Monday and in StarMetro on Wednesdays and Fridays.

For enquiries, call Nazri at 012-473 2969 or Parameswari at 012-5861674.

Credits to and source taken from: http://thestar.com.my/starwalk/

Afterworld wedding for crash victims

BUTTERWORTH: Their love will continue.

A woman who was rescued from a van in a road accident on Sunday here has succumbed to her injuries, and there are plans to bury her next to her boyfriend who died in the same tragedy.

Market trader Loh Gaik Ting, 25, died at 2am yesterday at the Seberang Jaya Hospital due to excessive damage to internal organs.

Her boyfriend Lim Kui Tiang, 25, was burnt to death in the accident that occurred along Jalan Bagan Lallang here. Loh’s death brings the number of fatalities to three.

The couple were travelling in the van that collided head-on with another vehicle during the 6.40am incident. The driver of the other vehicle, A. Mohan, 26, died on the spot.

Loh’s brother Fook Ngen, 29, said there was a plan for Loh and Lim to be buried here.

“I have spoken to Lim’s family and they seemed receptive to the idea.

“Since my sister and Lim already had plans to get married next year, we might even consider a wedding for them in the afterworld,” he said at the hospital mortuary here.

Loh’s body will be taken back to her hometown in Kaki Bukit, Perlis, where a three-day wake would be held before the body is brought back here on Oct 20 for burial a day later.

On another matter, Fook Ngen appealed to the public to return his sister’s pouch containing her handphone and documents.

“I do not know whether the pouch had been burnt or stolen. I have asked the police but they said they have not seen it.

“Without my sister’s identity card, we will face difficulty securing her death certificate and name transfer for her car,” he said.

Those who have seen the wallet can contact Fook Ngen at 012-4876987.


Credits to and source taken from: http://thestar.com.my/news/
More on: http://thestar.com.my/news/

Malaysian is top law student at Cambridge University
By WONG PEK MEI
pekmei@thestar.com.my

PETALING JAYA: A 23-year-old Malaysian has emerged as the top student in his final-year law examinations at Cambridge University.

Tan Zhongshan obtained a first-class honours in the Bachelor of Arts (Law) in June this year at Queens’ College, which is part of the university, one of England’s oldest and most prestigious.

He even scored the “Slaughter and May” prize given by the university’s Law Faculty – an award given to those who achieve the best overall performance in the final-year law examinations.

Other coveted prizes he bagged include The Norton Rose Prize for Commercial Law, the Clifford Chance Prize for European Union Law and the Herbert Smith Prize for Conflict of Laws.

Queens’ College dean Dr Martin Dixon said Tan definitely stood out among the students there.

“He is probably the best Malaysian student I have seen in the last 10 years,” said Dr Dixon, who taught Tan on Land and Equity for two years.

“He is the most able, dedicated and one of the most likeable students I have taught in more than 20 years at Cambridge.”

Tan, he said, was also a great help to fellow students.

“He works really hard, has great insight and intuition. He is a problem-solver, listens well and learns,” he said.

Tan was modest about his achievements. “It was a pleasant surprise as it is hard to predict the end results,” said the Ipoh-born, who has been in Singapore since August.

On his secret to success, he attributed it to “consistent work and a detailed understanding of the subjects”.

The classical guitar player is not done yet. He will pursue his Bar exams, expected to be completed by end of 2011, in Singapore.

“I will also join the Singapore Legal Service in January,” said Tan, who was awarded an Asean scholarship by Singapore’s Ministry of Education after completing his A-Levels at the Temasek Junior College there.

On his reasons in pursuing a law degree, he said, “Being in the legal line gives you a chance to make changes that have a far-reaching effect.”

Credits to and source taken from: http://thestar.com.my/news/

Amber Chia’s baby boy to follow in mum’s footsteps

KUALA LUMPUR: Supermodel Amber Chia’s son Ashton Wong Jian Way is only a mere three weeks old, but the talent scouts have come a-calling.

His parents have negotiated a deal for Ashton to be the model in an advertising campaign for a milk bottle company.

Ashton will “start work” when he turns three months old for a print ad.

The baby, born in a private hospital here on Sept 27, is a natural and loves to pose.

Whenever there are visitors, he will open his eyes widely and smile, said Chia.

“It’s so easy to take care of him. He only cries when he’s hungry.

“He likes to spend most of his time sleeping or observing the surroundings,” she said at her home off Jalan Klang Lama here

Now, who does Ashton look like?

He’s got a good mix of genes from both parents.

While his features resemble those of his dad, he’s got a pointy chin, long legs and arms like his model mum.

Credits to and source taken from: http://thestar.com.my/

Two killed, one missing in Tatau collision
By STEPHEN THEN
stephenthen@thestar.com.my

MIRI: Two children died after the express boat they were in collided with a tugboat and its timber laden barge at about 2.30pm on Sungai Anap in the central region of Sarawak.

One person is still missing, while 17 other passengers were rescued, Sarawak Marine Operations Force chief ACP Taib Sabot said at about 7pm yesterday.

The identity of the dead and the missing was not immediately available.

There have been conflicting reports about the number of passengers on the express boat due to the location of the mishap.

A survivor, Jackson Ukit, claimed there were at least 30 passengers onboard.

Jackson, 39, from Rumah Ado, managed to swim out of the wreckage after the accident.

“It was chaotic. There was a crash and suddenly we were underwater,” he said when interviewed at the Bintulu Hospital.

The site of the crash, near the Kelubuk timber camp, is very remote and quite far from Tatau Bazaar which is 120km from Bintulu town.

The nearest settlement is Rumah Ado, a Punan longhouse.

According to a source, the boats were moving in the same direction down river when they collided at a sharp bend.

It is learnt that besides villagers, the express boat was also carrying government officers who were carrying out survey work.

Divers from the Marine Operations Force base in Kuching have been deployed for the search and rescue operation.

Personnel from the Fire and Rescue Department, Fisheries Department and various other organisations as well as the local community also sprang into action.

Bintulu police chief Supt Sulaiman Abdul Razak rushed his men, vehicles and equipment to help their counterparts from the Tatau district police station.

Punan Association chairman Calvin Jemarang said some villagers, who travelled down to Bintulu after the incident, reported that the boat had collided with the barge in mid-river.

“It is unclear what actually happened. They said the weather was good at Ulu Tatau. The longhouse folk from the surrounding settlements and the timber camp workers are assisting in the search and rescue operations.”

More on: http://thestar.com.my/news/

Credits to and source taken from: http://thestar.com.my/news/