House of M(ahathir)

Frogs, your time has come!
(From "Mahathir: Next Pond")

Magnetic Mahathir. Commenting on Minister Mentor Mr. Lee Kuan Yew as "a big frog in a small pond", I'm just wondering how Dr Mahathir Mohamad thinks of himself. One possibility just jumps out of my mind: Dr Mahathir is "a small frog in a big pond". Oh well...

PS. The title of the post is inspired from Marvel's eight-issue comic book limited series, "House of M".

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“He’s a big frog in a small pond.”

That is what Dr Mahathir Mohamad thinks of Singapore’s founding father, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew.

In the book ‘Doctor M: Operation Malaysia’, the country’s former leader was also quoted describing Mr Lee as someone who is not satisfied with what he has.

But despite being at loggerheads with Mr Lee for more than 20 years, Dr Mahathir had to admit that Lee “will go down in history as a very remarkable intellectual and a politician at the same time, which is not a very often thing.”

On the other hand, Lee graciously acknowledged Mahathir as an “outstanding” prime minister of Malaysia, adding that the latter educated his people and sent many of them abroad on scholarships and who in turn transformed the country.

“During his premiership of over 20 years, he changed Malaysia from an agricultural, placid society into an industrial, dynamic society,” said Mr Lee as quoted in cover leaf of the same book.

As the author of the book, professor Tom Plate, veteran journalist-turned-academic, was in town, I took the opportunity to have a one-on-one interview with him to talk about the two long-time rivals.

In ‘Doctor M: Operation Malaysia’, Mr Plate chronicled the experiences of Malaysia’s fourth and former premier, someone who was infamous for his disdain of the Western media as well as for his controversial and outspoken views on Israel and the Jews.:

Mr Plate had also written a book on Singapore’s own former long-time premier titled ‘Conversations with Lee Kuan Yew’ which was launched in May last year. The book touches on Lee’s views on issues such as his “authoritarianism”, and reveals details of his personal family life.

The book together with that on Mahathir is part of the ‘Giants of Asia’ series which recounts the stories of some of the brightest but yet also controversial leaders in Asia.

Similarities between LKY and Dr Mahathir?

Describing both ‘Giants of Asia’ as two peas in the proverbial pod, Mr Plate pointed out that they actually have much in common despite their sometimes cold relationship.

In his latest book, Mr Plate said they relish making painful decisions, work out almost daily for their health and profess similar social-Darwinian views.

Apart from that, he noted that Lee and Mahathir are Asian evangelists who consistently and stoutly defend Asian values but are also welcoming towards multinational investments.

“They often lecture their countrymen like schoolmarms, prioritize education and champion a sweltering, non-stop work ethic,” Mr Plate said.

In the interview with Yahoo! Singapore, Mr Plate also highlighted the difference in the intensity of the men.

Comparing Lee to that of the dean of academic studies, the author said that he is extremely articulate, has a penetrating mind and is very careful with his language.

“There is just no sloppiness to Lee Kuan Yew. He is very structured and doesn’t easily go off message when discuss about an issue.”

But you might be surprised that as rigid as Lee might appear to be, Mr Plate said that he has a very good sense of humour. Even Lee himself might agree with this assessment. In the book, Lee acknowledged that while he would not call himself “fun-loving” or “light-hearted”, he is not serious all the time.

“Everyone needs to have a good laugh now and then, to see the funny side of things, and to laugh at himself,” Lee said.

On the other hand, Mahathir was described as a slightly “looser” individual who would often crack jokes. But this, Mr Plate said, is not for the better or worse.

“Because of this, it is easier for one to underestimate the intelligence of Mahathir than Lee Kuan Yew because of the differences in style,” he said. “But Mahathir is nobody’s fool, he is still very sharp even at 85.”

The West can learn from LKY

Talking of Singapore’s founding father alone, Mr Plate had also much to say.

“The West can learn a lot from Lee Kuan Yew,” said the author, who also noted that it might not be feasible to transplant the Singapore system which works for about five million people to a country such as the United States.

Still, he gave Lee credit for the country’s impressive meritocratic system and its public service which “America has lost a little bit”.

Describing Lee as a “global geo-political guru”, he said that the Western media generally thinks of him as a “hard authoritarian”. Perhaps this was borne out of the fact that Singapore has consistently been described as a ‘Nanny state’ and also because of the nation’s strict laws such as caning and the ban on chewing gum.

While he admitted that it was a struggle for the American media to move away from that stereotype now, Mr Plate claimed that there has been an “appreciation” of Lee though it “took too long” for the media to recognize the former leader’s achievements.

Going back to a comparison of the two former premiers, Mr Plate said it is hard to gauge the success of governance of one against the other.

Since both men held power almost during the same time, although Mr Lee became prime minister much earlier and Dr Mahathir stepping down a later date, it is easy for others to rush and compare the achievements and legacies of both these heavyweight champions.

While Singapore might be more successful, Malaysia is roughly five times the size and population of Singapore, Mr Plate said.

“So the control environment is messier. But they are both leaders in their parties, and both are what we used the term in America soft authoritarianism to describe their styles”

When asked what he meant by ‘Giants in Asia’, Mr Plate says, “They are larger than life personalities that by looking and talking to them, that they can illuminate their time and their area of the world and how their area will fit in the rest of the globe. That’s really what it’s about. It’s a way of a magical mystery tour through Asia.”

From Yahoo! Fit to Post, "What do MM Lee and Dr Mahathir think of each other?".

Dr Susan Lim: The High Cost of Living ... Unwell

Especially if you're a patient linked to the Brunei palace? You can expect your bill to be as high as $24.8 million!!!

The infamous doctor in this outrageous case (yes, the news has reached as far as New Zealand--and not just Brunei & Singapore) is a surgeon Dr Susan Lim. According to her website, she is the first Singaporean & also the youngest Fellow of Trinity College. Oh, and she has a Wikipedia article about her too! I guess all these may lead to the ridiculously high bill?!?!

And the sad irony is despite all these fantastic amount of money involved, the patient still died of her breast cancer.

With the patient had suffered so much, how credible it is for Dr Susan Lim to claim that "the bill was made with the consent of the victim"? C'mon, the patient was very ill & unlikely to be in her right mind when she agreed to that heart-stopping figures?!?!

PS. The title of this article is inspired from the graphic novel, "Death: The High Cost of Living".

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SURGEON Susan Lim treated a patient linked to the Brunei palace for seven months in 2007. Her bill: $24.8 million.

Singapore's Ministry of Health was upset when it learnt about the amount, and that led to it filing charges against the well-known doctor.

That was the claim her lawyers made in the Supreme Court on Tuesday. They also noted that Dr Lim later reduced the bill twice, although it has yet to be paid.

The bill is at the heart of a case between Dr Lim and the Singapore Medical Council (SMC).

She is fighting the SMC's decision to appoint a second disciplinary committee to investigate an accusation by the Health Ministry that she overcharged the patient.

On Tuesday was the first time that it came out into the open that the patient, who had breast cancer and later died, was linked to the Brunei royal household.

From Straits Times, "Surgeon's $24.8m bill landed her in the soup". (23/02/11)

A senior Brunei health official came to Singapore to ask for a discount on the more than S$20 million medical fees being charged to a patient who had been operated on by Singapore surgeon Susan Lim, a court heard on Tuesday.

This evidence surfaced on the second day of Dr Lim's action against the Singapore Medical Council (SMC), which is seeking to start another move to investigate an accusation by the Ministry of Health (MOH) that she overcharged the patient.

The court heard that in mid-July 2007, the director of medical services of Brunei's health ministry flew to Singapore to meet Professor K Saktu, the director of medical services of MOH, to seek a discount on Dr Lim's fees.

When Professor Saktu learned about the amount, he said the fees were very high and might tarnish the reputation of Singapore, especially the medical community.

He told the director to write in to MOH and he would investigate the matter.

During his visit, the director also met the chief executive of Parkway Holdings to see if the latter could help negotiate a reduction in the fees.

Senior Counsel Lee Eng Beng, Dr Lim's lawyer, also told the court that after the Brunei director wrote in to MOH, Dr Lim's clinic was raided five times and the case notes of the patient were seized.

A complaint against Dr Lim was lodged by MOH to the SMC, which launched disciplinary proceedings against her.

Mr Lee said that as Professor Saktu is also the registrar of the SMC and was involved in the disciplinary proceedings against Dr Lim, there was a clash of interest and "reasonable apprehension of bias".

He added that he took issue with the raids on Dr Lim's office since the complaint against her was of a financial nature and not one of medical malpractice.

Dr Lim's lawyer added that the Brunei director did not allege professional misconduct during his visit to Singapore and was only looking for a commercial resolution.

But Professor Saktu "elevated a commercial remedy/discount to a disciplinary hearing."

The hearing continues on Wednesday.

From Channel NewsAsia, "SMC must explain why no inquiry was launched". (23/02/11)

A SPECIALIST who treated surgeon Susan Lim's patient sent a bill for $400. She marked it up to $211,000 when she billed the Brunei High Commission here.

Another doctor charged $500, but Dr Lim bumped that up to $93,500. Yet another bill for $3,000 was raised to $285,100.

These and several other revelations of how Dr Lim charged her patient - a woman member of Brunei's royal family - for treatment by other doctors were made in the High Court yesterday by Senior Counsel Alvin Yeo.

Representing the Singapore Medical Council (SMC), he cited the allegedly inflated bills to show there was a case for a disciplinary committee to launch an inquiry against the doctor.

Dr Lim is fighting the SMC's decision to appoint a second disciplinary committee to investigate an accusation by the Health Ministry here that she overcharged her Brunei patient, Pengiran Anak Hajah Damit.

The patient, the younger sister of Brunei's Queen and a cousin of the Sultan, had breast cancer and died in August 2007. Dr Lim treated the woman from 2001 until she died.

From Straits Times, "Surgeon inflated $400 bill to $211,000". (24/02/11)

THE deceased younger sister of Her Majesty Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hjh Saleha was the victim of overcharging by prominent Singaporean surgeon Dr Susan Lim, an article from Singaporean daily Straits Times reported.

According to the February 24 issue of the newspaper, Dr Lim was treating the late Pengiran Anak Hajah Damit since 2001 up till her death in 2007, which was caused by breast cancer.

The report said a specialist, who was not named, treated the deceased and sent a bill for $400, which Dr Lim bumped up to $211,000, when she billed the Brunei High Commission. In another instance, another unnamed doctor charged $500 but Dr Lim once again raised the price to $93,500.


Dr Lim also charged the patient for cancelling two conferences, on top of treatment fees, with one bill costing $78,000 and the other up to $180,000.

She also charged between $35,000 and $45,000 a day when her employees accompanied the patient for radiotherapy sessions as the hospital, the newspaper reported.

When the patient was in intensive care for five days in May 2007, she was attended to by the doctors and nurses and for that, Dr Lim charged $450,000 for the first day and $250,000 for the other four days for "monitoring services", according to Straits Times.

The Brunei High Commission, which had by then noticed the irregularities in charges, alerted the Ministry of Health (MoH) and expressed concern over costly medical fees in July 2007.

In the same month, two representatives from MoH came to Singapore and spoke to Dr Lim Cheok Peng, the chief executive of Parkway Holdings, which runs medical centres where Dr Lim holds clinic.

These were allegations that were revealed in Singapore's High Court by Senior Counsel Alvin Yeo, the lawyer representing the Singapore Medical Council (SMC), according to the newspaper.

Yeo also said that the third party specialists who treated the patient would send their bills to Dr Lim and she would then mark up the bills when she sent her invoices to the Brunei High Commission.

In the hearing, Yeo also said that he was not asking the High Court to conclude that Dr Lim was overcharging, but added that a disciplinary committee should look into the matter.

Meanwhile, in August 2007, Dr Lim wrote to MoH to disregard the bills that were for services provided by other doctors and gave a 25 per cent discount on her own bills.

Almost three weeks later, she wrote to MoH apologising for the "inadvertent mistakes" made by her office.

The ministry then requested that Singapore's Health Ministry to intervene, stating that the charges were "unacceptable".

Three months later, Dr Lim once again wrote to MoH, and offered to waive her fees from January to June of 2007, as a gesture of goodwill and suggest that they pay up to $3.25 million only.

Originally, after the patient died, Dr Lim queried the rest of the 2007 bill, which came up to a whopping $24.8 million.

Senior Counsel Lee Eng Beng, Dr Lim's lawyer, told the court that his client had informed the deceased earlier on in their relationship that "the close care and attention she needed" would cost $100,000 to $200,00 a day.

The deceased had also assured Dr Lim that charges were not a problem and quoted that the "Istana is paying."

By January 2009, Dr Lim and her husband went to Brunei and offered to waive all her fees and third party bills if the ministry was prepared to issue a "letter of good standing".

The letter would have stated that the Brunei government would not pursue the matter any further and take no issue with her bills.

Her request was not entertained and claimed that she had a "fee agreement" with her patient.

The lawyer was further quoted in Straits Times as saying that an amendment to a regulation and its subsequent revocation appeared timed to target his client.

The amendment freed the legal adviser of the Singapore Medical Council of the obligation to inform the other party of any advice he gave to a disciplinary committee.

The hearing continues on February 28.

From Asiaone (reprinted from the Brunei Times), "S'pore doctor overcharged Bruneian patient: report". (25/02/11)

A case of medical fraud is making the headlines of leading news papers. A well renowned surgeon of Singapore, Dr. Susan Lim, is accused of over blowing the medical bill of a Bruneian patient.

Reportedly, the victim, late Pengiran Anak Hajah Damit, died of breast cancer after suffering the ordeal for the last seven years. Apparently, the specialist who treated the victim had made a bill of $400, which Dr. Lim pulled up to whopping to $211,000.

Additionally, the doctor had levied cancellation charges of another $2, 58,000 over the stipulated bill. Moreover, she added another $80,000 on account when her staff took her for the CT scan.

Shockingly, when the patient got admitted to the intensive care unit, she asked for $450,000 for the first day and $250,000 for the subsequent four days, in the name of "monitoring services".

With the case, becoming the point of contention for the medical fraternity, the Brunei High Commission sent alarming signals to the Ministry of Health (MoH) to intervene in the matter so that medical practices can be monitored.

In the wake of rising concern over the brewing issue, two MOH representatives visited the medical centers of Dr. Lim Cheok Peng, Chief Executive of Parkway Holdings. Moreover, Singapore's High Court Senior Counsel, Alvin Yeo has made an appeal from the behalf of the Singapore Medical Council (SMC), to conduct t a thorough investigation of the matter so that the perpetrator can be appropriately penalized.

Responding to the allegation, Dr. Lim has refuted all the charges made on her claiming that the bill was made with the consent of the victim.

From Top News New Zealand, "Dr. Lim Embarrassed the Medical Fraternity". (25/02/11)

The Reform Party...deforms?

Napoleon Bonaparte once said, "In politics stupidity is not a handicap.” Is this what we witness now with the Reform Party? The chairman Tan Tee Seng was reported to resign last Friday. And since April 2009, there were other 2 chairmen leaving.

The Reform Party will soon deform? And yet the secretary general, Kenneth Jeyaretnam is quite exuberant & even eyeing "eyeing the West Coast and Chua Chu Kang GRCs and the three single seats of Hong Kah North, Pioneer and Radin Mas and a "possible" addition to that list is single seat ward Yuhua".

Secretary-general of The Reform Party Kenneth Jeyaretnam has confirmed the party's Chairman Tan Tee Seng resigned on Friday.

This follows the departure of nine other members from the party earlier this week.

Mr Tan is a businessman and former ex-ISA detainee arrested by the government in 1987 as part of a group of 22 alleged "Marxist conspirators".

Mr Tan took over the chairmanship of the party from Mr Edmund Ng less than three months ago.

He is the third chairman to leave the party since Mr Jeyaretnam took over as Secretary-general in April 2009.

From Channel NewsAsia, "Reform Party chairman quits".

Reform Party secretary-general Kenneth Jeyaretnam on Friday confirmed chairman Tan Tee Seng's resignation from the Opposition party but did not disclose the reasons. Mr Tan, 51, a businessman, could not be reached by press time.

With his departure, three Central Executive Committee members remain in the party: Mr Jeyaretnam, Mr Mohammed Affendy Abdul Rahim and Mr Andy Zhu. The party's constitution allows for up to 12 CEC members.

Mr Jeyaretnam acknowledged that it was probably his "error" that RP expanded "too quickly". "But those who don't share our vision of forming an alternative government have left. We're stronger and more focused now," he said. Earlier this week, RP said it had "over 110 members".

Mr Tan, who was arrested in 1987 under the Internal Security Act as part of an alleged Marxist conspiracy, is the third chairman to resign since Mr Jeyaretnam took over in April 2009 as the party's secretary-general.

First, veteran Opposition politician Ng Teck Siong resigned, as he felt the fledgling party had strayed from the ideals of its founder, the late J B Jeyaretnam. Mr Edmund Ng, who took over, then resigned last December, after citing overseas business commitments.

Earlier this week, media reports cited at least 10 other members who had left RP.

Career counsellor Gilbert Goh, one of those who left, wrote on his blog: "Kenneth seems to be the main man in the party, and despite repeated denials, one couldn't help but believe that, ultimately, he'll call the shots. The fear that this is yet another one-man party is undeniably strong,"

Asked about Mr Goh's comments, Mr Jeyaretnam would only say the former had applied for membership, but it was "never made official".

From Today, "Reform Party chairman quits".

With or without an alliance with the Singapore People's Party - which is helmed by veteran Opposition leader Chiam See Tong - the Reform Party (RP) is going ahead with its plans to contest several constituencies in the western part of the island.

RP secretary-general Kenneth Jeyaretnam, said the new electoral boundaries "overlap precisely" with where the party has been conducting outreach activities since 2009, "so residents generally know us very well".

According to Mr Jeyaretnam, 51, his party is eyeing the West Coast and Chua Chu Kang GRCs and the three single seats of Hong Kah North, Pioneer and Radin Mas. A "possible" addition to that list is single seat ward Yuhua, he added.

Mr Jeyaretnam said: "We're still talking with Mr Chiam but our preparations are going forward, and we're focused on the election."

Party member Alec Tok, 45, who identified himself as a "prospective" candidate when he met the media yesterday with Mr Jeyaretnam, added that "we don't actually have a need to work with other political parties because we have enough candidates".

Mr Tok, a theatre director, said the party was "in principle very willing" to work with Mr Chiam, either in West Coast GRC or Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.

Mr Jeyaretnam predicted that elections would probably be held in April or May.

Referring to the party's targeted wards, he added: "I don't think we can ever be adequately prepared, given the ... limited amount of time we have. But we're making headway in these areas."

As for the recent mass resignations from the party, Mr Jeyaretnam said he was not worried about the impact. "We're talking to a lot of other candidates," said Mr Jeyaretnam, who added that nine new members were approved last night during the party's open house at its office.

From Today, "Reform Party looks West".

Perennial China Retail Trust IPO

Perennial. The best 2 words to define 'perennial' are persistent & enduring. Okay, I like...Shall try my luck to subscribe this IPO. Heh. (yes, sometimes I myself can't tell whether I'm being seriously sarcastic or not.)

PERENNIAl Real Estate, led by former CapitaLand Retail chief Pua Seck Guan, has set an indicative price of $1 per unit for the listing of its business trust that is estimated to raise $1.1 billion in gross proceeds.

It is offering 1.09 billion units comprising an international placement of 610.2 million units, a public tranche of 50 million units, and cornerstone units of 432 million units for Perennial China Retail Trust (PCRT).

The cornerstone investors, which will snap up about 40 per cent of the offering, are Nan Fung Group, AEW Capital Management, AIA, CBRE, Henderson Global Investors, Lion Global, and Prudential.

According to a term sheet seen by BT, the IPO price represents a 22 per cent discount to analysts' consensus net asset value (NAV) per unit of $1.29, based on three banks' pre-deal research reports.

Perennial is wholly owned by Pua Seck Guan, the former CEO of the manager of CapitaMall Trust, Singapore's first real estate investment trust (Reit).

With a projected market cap of $1.11 billion at listing, PCRT will have an initial portfolio size of $1.1 billion covering four properties in China. The IPO proceeds will be mainly used to finance the acquisition of these properties.

One is a 50 per cent stake in retail mall Shenyang Red Star Macalline Furniture Mall and the other is a 50 per cent stake in Shenyang Longemont, a retail cum office development.

Perennial also has the contractual rights to acquire a 100 per cent stake in two other retail malls - Foshan Yicui Shijia Shopping Mall and Chengdu Qingyang Guanghua Shopping Mall.

The business trust is projected to have a distribution yield of 3.02 per cent for fiscal 2011 and 3.08 per cent for fiscal 2012, according to the prospectus lodged with the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

Perennial said in a term sheet to potential investors that PCRT offers attractive total returns (yield plus NAV growth) and hence 'it should not be compared with the pure yield-play vehicles'.

It explained that the estimated yields are lower than comparable Reits' or business trusts', primarily because Red Star Macalline Furniture Mall is the only completed and leased-out property at IPO, while the rest are in pre-leasing stage or under development and due for completion between 2012 to 2014.

'The property yields of the underlying properties are expected to increase to approximately 6.5 per cent as rents stabilise,' it said. 'Accordingly, the DPU yield is expected to potentially increase. Valuer CBRE expects NPI (net property income) yield on purchase price at full maturity to be at approximately 7.8 per cent.'

While a business trust typically has no restrictions on distribution payout or leverage, Perennial has pledged, in the prospectus, to distribute at least 90 per cent of PCRT's distributable income to unitholders and pegged its leverage limit at up to 60 per cent of the value of PCRT's properties as set out in the trust deed.

Separate from the offering, the sponsor will subscribe to 10 million units in PCRT and has agreed to a lock-up period of six months for all the units and a 12-month lock-up for 50 per cent of those units.

DBS is the sole financial adviser for the IPO. It and Goldman Sachs and Standard Chartered are the joint global coordinators, bookrunners, issue managers and underwriters for the IPO.

Bookbuilding for the IPO has begun. The roadshow started on Thursday and will end on March 4. The public offer is expected to open on March 8 and close on March 14 and trading of the business units is expected to begin on March 16.

From Business Times, "Perennial trust units at $1 each".

Daphne "Dahlia" Iking

Daphne Iking makes the headlines again! No, not another silly enticement case, mind you. This time it's reported that she'll marry (for the second time--not that it's wrong!) to one Azmi Abdul Rahman (who migh as well claims his Operation Enticement successful...and legal!)

Oh, by the way she adopted the Muslim name of Dahlia when she converted in January. So will it be Daphne Dahlia Iking or Dahlia Daphne Iking or Dahlia Iking?

CELEBRITY Daphne Iking has made the headlines again, this time for a much happier reason - she has married for a second time. The lucky guy is her one-time business partner Azmi Abdul Rahman.

Ms Daphne, 31, who adopted the Muslim name of Dahlia when she converted in January, said she and her husband, who is also known to their friends as Joe, dated for more than a year before deciding to tie the knot.

They got married on Jan 8 in a simple akad nikah ceremony at her hometown in Penampang, Sabah, witnessed by family members and friends.

The couple started off as business partners, working on projects like 2REDchairs (www.2redchairs.tumblr.com), a street discussion on so-called taboo subjects, like religion, transgender and homosexuality.

They broke up before - for a while - as she was not sure if their relationship would work.

'I told him 'let's just stick to being business partners'. But he is really my jodoh (perfect match).

From Straits Times, "Celebrity Daphne Iking marries again".

When news broke that Daphne Iking has remarried, jaws dropped. Not just because the top Malaysian TV host is still entangled in a nasty court battle with her ex-husband, Ryan Chong, but her new husband is a powerful Malay businessman - Azmi Abdul Rahman, or fondly known as Joe - whose vast business interests included Redberry, The Malay Mail, Bernama TV and The Malaysian Reserve.

And it took a lot of pursuasion from a mutual close friend to finally have the newly weds open up about their secret nuptials on Jan 8.

"I don't care about her past," Joe told The Daily Chilli in an exclusive chat, hours after the power couple returned from their AIDSAware Campaign in The Gardens Mall in Mid Valley City.

They solemnised their union (akad nikah) in her hometown of Penampang, Sabah - witnessed by their close family members and friends. And no, they will not hold a grand wedding reception - just a private do with orphans and close friends in Kuala Lumpur.

A fiercely private person, Joe said it's his duty to protect his famous wife.

"In Islam, it's my duty as a husband to guide, to protect and to take good care of her. We nikah (legally married) to avoid fitnah (false accusations)."

Sure, he was the one who introduced her to Islam. But the controversial Daphne insists she would only have converted out of her free will.

"Islam is a beautiful religion. I've been studying it, especially after all the trials and turbulence in my life."

Her decision to embrace Islam and subsequently, marry Joe came in December last year, as she visited the Taj Mahal in India.

Its sorrowful sight, alongside passages of the Al-Quran, which decorated the majestic Islamic architecture, really moved her. The calligraphy on the Great Gate read: "O Soul, thou art at rest. Return to the Lord at peace with Him, and He at peace with you."

"I was spiritually enlightened. I told Joe I wanted to become a Muslim and be his wife. He was shocked," Daphne recollected.

The discreet couple, who dated for "a year plus", met via mutual friends.

Well, they started off as business partners, doing projects like 2REDchairs (www.2redchairs.tumblr.com), a street talk on taboo subjects in Malaysia like religions, transgender and homosexuality.

"But I wasn't sure if our relationship was going to work out. We broke up before," Daphne revealed. I told him 'Let's just stick to being business partners'. But he is really my jodoh (perfect match). He's been my rock since the failure of my first marriage became a public issue."

Oh yes, the partners in life and business get all emotional at the mention of Ryan as well as Darren Choy - the two lead stars of the real-life soap opera.

Ryan is suing Darren under Section 498 of the Penal Code for "enticing or taking away or detaining with a criminal intent a married woman (Daphne)."

From Asiaone, "Daphne Iking weds again and embraces Islam".

Celebrity Daphne Iking has made the headlines again, this time for a much happier reason – she has married for a second time. The lucky guy is her one-time business partner Azmi Abdul Rahman.

Daphne, 31, who adopted the Muslim name of Dahlia when she converted in January, said she and her husband, who is also known to their friends as Joe, dated for more than a year before deciding to tie the knot.

They got married on Jan 8 in a simple akad nikah ceremony at her hometown in Penampang, Sabah, witnessed by family members and friends.

The couple started off as business partners, working on projects like 2REDchairs (www.2redchairs.tumblr.com), a street discussion on so-called taboo subjects, like religion, transgender and homosexuality.

They broke up before – for a while – as she was not sure if their relationship would work.

“I told him ‘let’s just stick to being business partners’. But he is really my jodoh (perfect match).

“He’s been my rock after the failure of my first marriage became a public issue,” she told the Daily Chilli, the news portal of The Star.

Speaking on her conversion to Islam, the TV personality who was recently seen as one of the show hosts of the Seri Angkasa Awards, said: “Islam is a beautiful religion. I’ve been studying it, especially after all the trials and turbulence in my life.”

Daphne was embroiled in a controversy over a suit brought by her first husband, Ryan Chong, against businessman Darren Choy for seducing her, with the intention of having sexual intercourse between July 2007 and September 2008.

Daphne and Ryan married on Jan 27, 2007 in Bali and she has a daughter, Isobel Daniella Iking-Chong. They divorced in 2009.

Joe, in his 30s, told the portal he is not concerned about his wife’s past.

“In Islam, it’s my duty, as a husband, to guide, protect and take good care of my wife.

“We married to avoid fitnah (slander),” he said.

From The Star Online, "Daphne is Dahlia with a new darling".

Daphne Eleanor Iking- lately the centre of controversy in Malaysia's first known case of enticing - has confirmed Internet rumours that she has converted to Islam and married businessman Azmi Abdul Rahman.

"We were introduced through mutual friends and we are business partners," she said, while reluctant to divulge more details.

"He is a businessman and keeps a low profile, so he prefers not to be interviewed or to be in the spotlight," she said.

"When we decided to get married, naturally, conversion was a big issue.

It took me some time because I did not want to convert simply for the sake of marriage alone."

Daphne felt she was ready to take the plunge last December and embraced Islam. Both this and the solemnisation ceremony, or akad nikah, were held on Jan. 8.

"A small celebration was held after the nikah with my family in my hometown with my nearest and dearest."

Daphne, 32, was a party in a court case in which her former husband, Ryan Chong Yiing Yih, 33, filed a private summons against corporate figure Darren Choy Khin Ming, 46, under Section 498 of the Penal Code for "enticing or taking away or detaining with a criminal intent a married woman".

She has a child, four-year-old Isobel Daniella Iking.

"My extended family in the ntv7 production team and fellow actresses were in the know."

Being her second attempt at marriage, Daphne said she thought the actual marriage was more important than the wedding itself.

From Daily Express, "Daphne converts to Islam and remarries".

Movie posters of Best Picture Oscars nominees - and the winner is...

I know this is shallow, but if the selection of the Best Picture of the Oscars is based on the artwork of the movie poster, I'd say the winner goes to...Black Swan because it's just so simplistic with its dominant use of black (feathers) and white (background) and a deceptive red bloody hand promising a deadly secret.

The Oscars nominees for BEST PICTURE:

- Black Swan


- The Fighter


- Inception


- The Kids Are All Right


- The King's Speech


- 127 Hours

- The Social Network


- Toy Story 3


- True Grit


- Winter's Bone

Vonnie Lui Hoi-Yan lost her iPhone4 & 100 explicit photos

Lui Hoi-Yan in SgForums

At least that's what she claims. This Hong Kong porn star Vonnie Lui Hoi-Yan, who starred in "3D Sex & Zen: Extreme Ecstasy" (the RA trailer is here. YouTube, I'm shocked! Heh), can be that careless, huh?

3D "Sex and Zen" Extreme Ecstasy

Busty Hong Kong porn star Vonnie Lui Hoi-Yan claims she has lost her iPhone 4 and about 100 explicit photos that were in it, all of which are being forwarded around the world on the Internet, according to Sohu and Apple Daily.

The AV model recently completed shooting "3D Sex & Zen: Extreme Ecstasy" which is widely touted as the world's first 3D porno movie when it is released come April 2011. She plays the Elder of Bliss in the Category III flick, also starring Japanese pornstars Yukiko Suo and Saori Hara.

Some media reports have exaggerated the photo leak as a sex scandal of Edison Chen proportions but whatever the truth is, clearly the revelation is helping to market the film, if not the popular Apple mobile make.

Earlier in the month, the 27-year-old "Slim Till Dead" and "Love Education" starlet was involved in an eye-popping promotion for the new 3D porno - she was at an event which sold peculiar mouse pads featuring her image and also tangible 2D pop-up breasts, fashioned in her likeness.

She also gave away autographed posters, it was reported.

From Yahoo!, "Pornstar Vonnie Lui loses iPhone4 pics".

Insextion or breaking into a person's WET dream?!?!

You saw the spectacular, mind-boggling movie, "Inception". You've seen the parody of the trailer, "Inebriation". Now you shall see yet another parody, "Insextion" (aptly defined as 'breaking into a person's WET dream'. LOL!!)

Revisiting "House of the Rising Sun"

The Animals performing House of the Rising Sun
Many years later, Eric Burdon of The Animals performing the song

Wandering aimlessly in the world of YouTube, and chanced upon this oldies, "The House of The Rising Sun". The lyric is deceivingly simple & (not truly) straight to the point, but enchanting (Now the only thing a gambler needs | Is a suitcase and trunk | And the only time he's satisfied | Is when he's on a drunk) Real nice. Heh.

According to Wikipedia on the song:

The phrase "House of the Rising Sun" is often understood as a euphemism for a brothel, but it is not known whether or not the house described in the lyrics was an actual or fictitious place.

One theory speculated the song is about a daughter who killed her father, an alcoholic gambler who had beaten his wife. Therefore, the House of the Rising Sun may be a jail-house, from which one would be the first person to see the sun rise (an idea supported by the lyric mentioning "a ball and chain," though that phrase has been used as slang to describe marital relationships for at least as long as the song has been in print).

Because the song was often sung by women, another theory is that the House of the Rising Sun was where prostitutes were detained while they were treated for syphilis. Since cures with mercury were ineffective, going back was very likely.

Intriguing.

Agnes Kharisma murdered & raped - a Singaporean involved?

Agnes Kharisma | Source: kaskus

That's what Jakarta Globe mentioned. Indonesian police plan to interrogate two foreign nationals--an American national and the other is a Singaporean national--in connection with the rape and killing of a 19-year-old girl, Agnes Kharisma. (In the similar news from Straits Times, however, it stated the 2 foreigners are an American national and a Korean national.)

Which one is correct? Who knows? What matters most is how soon the culprit(s) caught & justice served.

THE Indonesian police said on Saturday they would interrogate a US and a Korean national in connection with the rape and killing of a 19-year-old girl.

The police said the Indonesian teenager's body was found semi-naked in a gutter in Jakarta on Feb 13.

'We are still in the process of investigating the case further. We plan to interrogate her friends, one a US national and the other a Korean national,' Jagakarsa police detective chief Rusdi Dalbi said.

Mr Dalbi said he was unsure whether the person was a South or North Korean national.

The family of the victim, identified as Agnes Kharisma, said that they saw her for the last time when she was being picked up by the driver of her friend, reportedly an American, Mr Dalbi said.

From Straits Times, "Indonesian police to probe foreigners over murder".

Jagakarsa Police in South Jakarta have confirmed plans to interrogate two foreign nationals in connection with the rape and killing of a 19-year-old girl whose body was found dumped in a gutter.

Jagakarsa Police Chief of detectives First Insp. Rusdi Dalbi said on Friday that before investigating the two foreigners, his office would first send letters to coordinate with the foreigners’ respective embassies.

“One is an American national and the other is a Singaporean national,” Rusdi said, without elaborating further on their identities.

The girl, identified as Agnes Kharisma, was found dead and semi-naked in a gutter on Jalan Joe in Jagakarsa on Feb. 13. She had marks around her neck.

An autopsy revealed she had been raped and strangled three days before the discovery of her body. She had also reportedly been robbed of Rp 1 million ($113).

Rusdi said the last time Agnes’s family members saw her alive was when she was picked up from her home in Lenteng Agung by the driver of her boyfriend, reportedly an American.

The American’s driver had reportedly picked Agnes up from her home on a number of previous occasions.

“To get to know who this driver is, we need to first ascertain some facts about his employer,” Rusdi said.

“We are investigating every possibility, including that the driver might have been involved in the murder.

“We are going to look more closely at how the pair are connected to the victim.

“It looks like both men are located in the Greater Jakarta Area,” he added.

“We have interrogated the victim’s friends, who she worked with at a hotel nightclub. One of her friends said she had not seen Agnes since February 2.”

Police said they have yet to uncover any strong leads in relation to the case.

From Jakarta Globe, "Hunt for American, Singaporean Over Murder of Teen". (19/02/11)

Jakarta Police are expected to question a number of expatriates as they investigate the death a teenage girl whose body was found dumped in a gutter in South Jakarta on Sunday.

The victim has been identified as Agnes Kharisma. She was 19.

Jagakarsa Police chief of detectives First Insp. Rusdi Dalbi was quoted by Poskota.com as saying that an autopsy showed Agnes had been strangled to death three days before her body was found.

Rusdi Dalbi said the killer or killers also raped and robbed her.

“Her family said that she had around Rp 1 million with her,” Dalbi said.

Jagakarsa Police Chief Comr. Sianturi, also quoted by Poskota, said he would question a number of foreigners known to be friends with the deceased.

The news portal quoted Agnes’ mother, Melly, as saying they last saw their daughter on Feb. 8. when she was about to leave the family home in Lenteng Agung, South Jakarta, to meet her boyfriend, a 50-year-old American man known to the family as “Clark.”

“My daughter was alone with the driver. She sat in the backseat,” Melly was quoted by Poskota.com as saying. “The driver was a young man. It was the first time I had seen him,” she said.

Melly said the family had never met Clark.

“He always sent his driver to pick Risma up so we never meet him,” she said, adding they had sent his contact details to police.

Agnes told her mother that she would return to Jakarta on Thursday or Friday but she never came home and calls to her cellphone went unanswered.

Melly said Agnes had a number of friends, including a number of foreign men.

Before Clark, she was dating a Singaporean man named Candy, she said.

Her brother, Erlangga, said her sister was a very kind person.

“She always donated money to an orphanage because she already earned her own money,” he said, refusing to say what her sister did for a living.

“She’s a freelance, that’s all,” he said.

From Jakarta Globe, "Mystery Surrounds Death of South Jakarta Teenager". (17/02/11)

Life's Precious (yes, including yours!)

Saw this excerpt from today Straits Times, "Young suicides spark concern in Malaysia". The article was written by Teo Cheng Wee, Regional Correspondent. I would have to applaud at the creativity of the prose (can be easily seen as a poem too!) of "Life's Precious".

LIFE'S PRECIOUS

1. Jumping from the 11th floor...

2. I see the loving couple on the 10th floor fighting with each other...

3. I see Peter on the 9th floor, who is usually strong, weeping in secret...

4. Ms Y on the 8th floor finding her fiance in bed with her good friend...

5. Dan Dan on the 7th floor taking antidepressants...

6. Unemployed Ah Xin on the 6th floor going through seven papers a day for a job...

7. Revered teacher Wang on the 5th floor wearing his wife's undies...

8. Rose on the 4th floor in another break-up...

9. Uncle Y on the 3rd floor yearning for visitors daily...

10. Lily on the 2nd floor looking at a photo of her husband, who vanished soon after their marriage...

11. Before I jumped, I thought I was the unluckiest person in the world...

12. Now I realise everyone has problems others don't know about...

13. After seeing them, I deeply realise I was actually doing okay...

14. All the people I saw are now looking at me...

15. And perhaps after observing me, they will think they're okay after all...

Joanne Peh is Rose Chan!

Despite the much anticipated Christy Yow to play the legendary striptease dancer Rose Chan, in April last year the busty Christy pulled out of Eric Khoo film.

So has the film gone bust then?

Fret not, Joanne Peh to the rescue! By the way, one may be forgiven to remember her due to she wearing a halter dress with a plunging neckline on a Channel 8 cooking show in March 2009. Possibly the inspiration for Flora Cheung, the Naked Chef!

Joanne Peh from SGClub Portal

The latest news has Joanne stated her intention to play striptease dancer Rose Chan & that she's ready to do the full monty, to strip herself bare if she has to, to play the role.

Very eager, yes? For someone who once won titles of Miss Elegant and Miss Personality in Miss Singapore Universe 2002, Joanne Peh surely has transformed over the years.

None of us complained, mind you.

JOANNE Peh wants to play striptease dancer Rose Chan.

She says she's ready to do the full monty, to strip herself bare if she has to, to play the role.

The MediaCorp star told The New Paper she has no qualms baring all to play the controversial Chan in Eric Khoo's upcoming big-screen movie The Charming Rose.

The movie role of the late 1950s striptease dancer - who achieved notoriety as the Queen of Strippers - has gone through several rounds of casting musical chairs.

Other well-known personalities who have been linked to the role are actress-singer Celest Chong and buxom Malaysian model Christy Yow.

Chong had expressed interest in the initial stages, but eventually dropped out of the picture, while Yow gave up the role to start a family.

Peh said she's excited about the opportunity because of the 'challenge it presents' and also because she wants to 'experience the life of Rose Chan'.

Chan, who died of cancer in 1987, was possibly the most famous stripper in Singapore and Malaysia in the 1950s and 1960s. One of her most famous acts was wrestling with live pythons on stage.

Explaining her willingness to bare, Peh, 28, said that every part of her body is a tool in acting.

The actress said: 'I don't belittle my body but it doesn't really mean anything. What matters is our soul and what's inside of us, not this outer shell.

'It doesn't matter that people see it all. Deep inside is what people will never be able to see. (They may say) 'I can see your breasts or pubic hair', but they may not know what kind of a person I am.

'That is what's valuable to me, rather than my physical body. When I entered this industry, (my body) is something I have to give up. I have to let my co-stars or strangers touch or kiss me.'

At the end of the day, physical intimacy and nudity is nothing more than just part of the job, she concluded.

Boyfriend doesn't mind her kissing scenes

With such an outlook, it's no wonder Peh won this paper's Flasher Of The Year title at our Flame Awards last year, for wearing a strategically-cut Gucci gown that revealed the side of her breasts in last year's StarAwards.

While there certainly will be some nudity involved and striptease performances will be required for the Rose role, Khoo said he hasn't decided if there will be full frontal nudity.

He had received more than 200 applications and auditioned around 20 actresses since he first launched a casting call in 2008 for his film.

Khoo, 45, said he has yet to cast his leading lady but admitted he is considering Peh.

Both met once for a preliminary chat last November, but did not discuss the script.

Still, he is full of praise for Peh.

'She has great presence and is very smart. It's always easier to work with smart people. She's a very, very good actress and also strikingly tall (1.73m). I feel like a midget next to her.

'Joanne is more of the Rose Chan that I'm looking for compared to Christy Yow,' Khoo raved.

The director is now working on the animated feature Tatsumi, a tribute to acclaimed Japanese comics artist Yoshihiro Tatsumi, and has shelved The Charming Rose until the end of the year.

The svelte 54kg Peh also may also not need to pile on the weight to mimic Chan's hour-glass figure.

Said Khoo: 'I don't want the actress to put on weight unnecessarily. What's more important is that the actress can portray her strong and feisty character.'

Those same words can be used to describe Peh.

She is increasingly making a name for herself as one of the more outspoken showbiz personalities here.

In her new drama A Tale Of 2 Cities, currently showing over Channel 8 on weekdays at 9pm, she breaks out of her wholesome mould to play Pan Leyao, a well-known model and gold-digger.

In one seduction scene, Peh strips down to a low-cut nightie to hook the wealthy Yin Zhengkai (played by Zhang Zhenhuan).

For the drama, she revealed that she even suggested adding more than five kissing scenes with actor Zhang Yaodong to make the script more realistic. Zhang plays her childhood friend and later, her boyfriend.

Did she have to ask real-life boyfriend and actor Bobby Tonelli for permission?

No, Peh replied, he doesn't mind.

She added: 'Some time back, I showed Bobby a video clip of a kissing scene I did with Pierre Png for another drama Your Hand In Mine.

'He laughed out loud and asked if I was playing Hello Kitty. He meant the cartoon cat cannot kiss because it doesn't have a mouth.

'Bobby even said he would call Pierre and tell him how to kiss his girlfriend right.'

Peh's relaxed attitude extends even to the way she handles jealous backbiting and industry rumours that have swirled around her ever since she hit the big time.

Latest gossip

The latest word on the Caldecott Hill grapevine is that she's related to someone senior in MediaCorp and that it may have helped her in her career.

Peh has acted in more than 20 productions, including two local movies, 2004's The Best Bet and this year's It's A Great Great World.

She won Most Popular Newcomer at Star Awards 2004 and won Best Actress in Star Awards 2009 for her role in The Little Nyonya.

She was one of the Top 10 Most Popular Female Artistes in the annual awards show four times.

This year, she is up for Best Actress again for the drama Your Hand In Mine and Best Info-ed Programme Host for The Activist's Journey.

She also has had at least eight endorsements, from Jetstar Airways to Laurier, in her pocket.

Instead of being outraged or reacting defensively, Peh laughed uproariously at the latest speculation.

'Oh, don't they just love a good scandal like that! I love it too,' she burst out in amusement, claiming that she has never heard it before.

'When you see someone doing well, it's because this person is related to someone, or sleeping with someone.

'But sorry to disappoint, there is no conspiracy theory. I'm not related to this person.

'Where I am today is a result of a lot of hard work. I fell hard too and had to pick myself up... I paid my dues.'

From The New Paper, "STRIP? PLEASE". (19/02/11)

Singapore film director Eric Khoo has managed to find a replacement to play Rose Chan in his upcoming biopic "The Charming Rose" on the famous 50s stripper, after Malaysian actress Christy Yow pulled out two weeks ago, reported the Straits Times.

Khoo, 43, briefly described the replacement but refused to discuss details of her identity as he might change his mind.

"The new girl is 22 years old, has a high IQ and is a local Chinese student. Even though the role had been cast at the time, she contacted our scriptwriter and said she had dreams about Rose Chan and wanted to share her ideas with us.

"She came down for the auditions and I was very impressed with her," said Khoo.

The director had been auditioning actresses to play Chan for almost one and a half years before picking Yow for the role, but it was not to be.

Yow's 29-year-old businessman boyfriend, Taiwanese Alansk Wang, had proposed to her on Christmas Eve, just 10 months after meeting her at an acting class in Taiwan.

The 24-year-old actress, who is currently in Hong Kong visiting her prospective in-laws, told reporters that she pulled out of the film because she did not want to upset her beau and his family. The film required her to appear in some nude scenes and might set tongues wagging.

She insisted that she was not pressured into giving up her role but simply wanted to make her fiance and his family more comfortable with her, though she admits it was indeed a sacrifice.

Said Yow, "This had been my most difficult decision but it is not an impulsive decision. I have discussed it at length with my family members and my manager and they have given me their blessings."

Khoo also gave her his blessing. The director took the news of Yow's departure quite well and even hugged her when he learned of her decision, even though production was slated to begin in just a few months.

He believed that Yow was doing the right thing and fully supported her decision.

Yow, a buxomy model from Ipoh, became a household name after landing the lead role in "The Charming Rose". She also stars as a breast cancer victim in local movie "Love Cuts" which is scheduled to open in October.

From Channel NewsAsia, "Actress Christy Yow pulls out of Eric Khoo film". (14/04/10)

A HALTER dress with a plunging neckline is not something you would wear on a Channel 8 cooking show.

At least, that’s what some viewers thought after watching Joanne Peh, 26, whip up her favourite dishes in an episode of 3-Plus-1 recently.

MediaCorp forums were abuzz after the show, with one netizen, Bezxzer, commenting: “Seriously, it was the dress that was making people drool... not the food.”

Another netizen, Bond, felt Joanne’s outfit was “so distracting”.

Lianhe Wanbao quoted one netizen saying: “This is a cooking show, not some swimsuit pageant for her to show off her figure.

“She may have a great body, but her dressing was just very inappropriate.”

In the culinary programme, which started in December last year, artistes are given $20 to prepare three dishes and a soup for their loved ones.

Every episode pits two celebrities against each other, and three judges will decide whose food tastes better.

In one particular episode, which aired on 24 Feb, Joanne, dressed in a low-cut halter-neck print dress, won in the cooking battle against actress Dawn Yeoh.

In an e-mail interview with The New Paper, Joanne defended her choice of wardrobe.

She said: “As it would have been hot during cooking, I wanted to wear something feminine and casual.

“I also didn’t want my outfit to obstruct or cause discomfort during cooking.”

But she denied that what she was wearing was a bikini top, adding that she would have been “out of my mind” to wear something like that on a cooking show.

She said she was surprised when told of the public backlash because the production team on set had complimented her on her outfit.

If the team felt that her dress was “lewd”, she said that they would have asked her to change it.

Wrong apron?

She also pointed out that she was expected to be given a “full frontal apron”, not the half apron that she ended up with on the show.

Full-length apron or not, she insisted that she wasn’t “flashing any inappropriate part of my body” or “flaunting or exposing myself”.

“It is common for the public to have a personal stake in the way we look and I apologise if the outfit offended anyone,” she said.

Friends and family also agreed that she looked good in the dress.

Joanne, who is known as one of Caldecott Hill’s seven princesses, first made the news over her ample assets in last year’s hit volleyball drama, Beach.Ball.Babes.

She stunned onlookers at Tiong Bahru Market – with her noticeably bumped-up assets – when she was there to film the series last May, together with co-stars Jesseca Liu and Jade Seah.

In that episode, the girls, who are part of a volleyball team, lose a bet and are made to strip to their bikinis outside a wet market as a forfeit.

Her cleavage got viewers wondering if the slim actress had gone under the knife.

This speculation was a big change for Joanne, whose image is often labelled as fresh and sweet.

The sex kitten label was often given to actresses like Fiona Xie and AnnKok.

Joanne was even once voted by netizens as the flattest of them all among MediaCorp actresses.

When asked about her chest size then, Joanne told The New Paper it was because of hormones. “Have your period, lor!” she said.

She claimed her breasts always swell up one cup size bigger when it’s “that time of the month for me”.

She also denied that she had done breast implants.

“It’s something I can’t accept and I feel I don’t need,” she said.

When asked this same question again in this interview, she stood by her claim.

She even joked: “Given the number of hours I put in for work throughout the year, the doctor will have to perform the surgery at my house while I am sleeping.

“For all that money and pain, I would want to have them much much bigger!”

Chameleon

Jokes aside, she expressed her desire to be versatile with her image.

Like a chameleon, she believes she can be “sporty, boyish, girl-next-door, womanly or sexy”.

However, she confessed that she is currently moving onto a different stage in her life.

She said: “I’m getting in touch with my femininity and am really just a girl slowly stepping into womanhood.”

But she accepts that “such comments” are part and parcel of a celebrity’s life.

She explained: “People will have something to say on just about everything from our physical appearances to our personal lives, to the work thatweproduce.

“I believe some viewers have different obsessions for reasons they themselves might not even know. Unfortunately, we can’t please everyone.”

From Diva Asia, "Too revealing?" (15/03/09)

UECL IPO

I'll choose to give this IPO of UECL a miss. There would be 10 million shares offered to public out of total 70 million shares. Not attractive.

After almost 30 years in industry, mechanical, electrical, and construction company UECL, a subsidiary of SGX mainboard-listed United Engineers, announced its initial public offering (IPO) on Tuesday.

Priced at 48 cents a share, the S$33.6 million IPO on the SGX mainboard will enable the firm to drive its domestic growth in public works projects, as well as regional growth in infrastructure investments.

The offering comprises 70 million shares representing approximately 25.9 per cent of UECL's enlarged post-offering share capital of 270 million shares.

Some 10 million shares will be offered to the public, while the remaining 60 million shares are allocated for placement.

In a statement, UECL said it has granted OCBC Bank an over-allotment option of up to an aggregate of 10.5 million additional new shares, representing 15 per cent of the total number of offering shares.

The IPO will open at 9am on February 16 and close at noon on February 22.

Shares are expected to commence trading on February 25.

"The funds are for constructions. We will be (in) joint development with some developers, so that we will be doing the construction projects. That is the area we are going to expand our business, and part of it is going to be used by our M&E divisions, maybe for acquisitions, expansion of business in Vietnam and Middle East," said Chua Hock Tong, CEO of UECL.

In recent years, UECL has engaged in property development in the private residential and public housing sectors by taking minority stakes in joint ventures in Singapore.

UECL is currently exploring the possibility of building its green technology capabilities such as the supply and installation of solar panels and the distribution of more hygienic and energy saving air-conditioners.

From Channel NewsAsia, "UECL announces S$33.6m IPO".

---

Update on 26/02: UECL first day trading closed disappointingly at 41.5 cents or 13.5% lower than its offering price of 48 cents. Well, I was glad I did not subscribe to its IPO. Still monitoring, though...

WITH demand less enthusiastic than expected, the share price of UE E&C Ltd (UECL) closed yesterday at 41.5 cents, 13.5 per cent lower than its offer price of 48 cents. The share price hit an intra-day high of 43 cents, however.

UECL, a mechanical and electrical (M&E) engineering and construction services provider, first announced on Feb 15 that it would list on the mainboard of the Singapore Exchange (SGX) with an initial public offering (IPO) of 70 million shares. UECL raised $33.6 million in gross proceeds.

Of the proceeds, $15 million will be used for property development projects, another $8 million for expansion opportunities and $5 million for expansion of its power solution business. The remaining proceeds will fund working capital requirements.

UECL provides a broad range of M&E engineering services, and has successfully completed many projects including ION Orchard, Changi Water Reclamation Plant and Marina Bay Sands.

It also provides a spectrum of integrated construction services through its principal construction subsidiaries - Greatearth Construction Pte Ltd in Singapore, and United Engineers (B) Sdn Bhd in Brunei.

The company is looking into the possibility of building its green technology capabilities.

It also intends to expand its power solution business in China, and grow its M&E presence in Vietnam and the Middle East.

UECL achieved revenues of $394.8 million and a profit of $15.1 million for the half-year ended June 30, 2010.

From Business Times, "UE E&C down 13.5% from offer price".

Tila Tequila: Don't you wish your teacher was hot like me?!

While we're still talking about teachers, do you remember Tila Tequila as a hot teacher 'promoting' education about Myanmar in this clip, "Tila Tequila - Hot for Teacher - Myanmar Burma It Can't Wait".

She is by the way a Singaporean-born American model, singer, rapper, and television personality. And she has a Wikipedia article about her!

Mid-career switch to be teachers: Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach?

Sorry. I couldn't resist to recall the phrase of "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach" when I read about how more are becoming mid-career teachers. The more relevant quote is according to Walt Disney's character Goofy: "Teachers are people". So give them a break, shall we?

MORE are becoming mid-career teachers according figures from the Education Ministry.

One out of five - 21 per cent - in a cohort of 452 newly qualified teachers who graduated on Tuesday from the National Institute of Education (NIE), have a year or more of working experience and at least a degree. Overall, one in four of the teaching force is made up of mid-career entrants. This is up from 15 per cent a decade ago.

Mr Masagos Zulkifli, who was the guest-of-honour at the NIE teachers' investiture ceremony held on Tuesday at the Nanyang Technological University highlighted a graduate, 31-year-old Mr Gin Toh, who had previously worked as a marketing manager at a fast moving consumer goods company. He noted that Mr Toh's previous work experience has prepared him for his new career.

'Gin now markets values instead of products and his customers are parents and his students. His personal slogan is: 'Think like a marketeer, cultivate values like a teacher',' said Mr Masagos.

Mr Toh, a business administration graduate from the National University of Singapore and who now teaches English and elements of business skills at Zhonghua Secondary School, said:'I was doing well in my career.

'But I was thinking about self-actualisation and felt that teaching was a career which will allow me to make an impact on lives and leave a legacy.'

From Straits Times, "More making mid-career switch to become teachers".

An army captain NOT mistaken as a loanshark runner

Kheng Kok Keong. A captain with the Singapore Armed Forces cum a loanshark runner. How the hell did he juggle the demand of those two jobs?!

A CAPTAIN with the Singapore Armed Forces, who moonlighted as a runner for an illegal moneylender, was caught by a debtor whose house he vandalised last October.

Kheng Kok Keong, 34, pleaded guilty in a district court on Monday to four charges of harassment. Seventeen other charges will be taken into consideration by the judge when passing sentence on Thursday.

A district court heard that from June last year, he had scribbled 'O$P$' - shorthand for 'Owe money, pay money' - on walls, splashed paint on flats or used super glue to seal up keyholes to prevent the occupants from unlocking doors or gates, 21 times.

Investigations revealed that Kheng had an outstanding loan with an illegal moneylender known only as Ah Seng, and agreed to harass other debtors in return of $2,000 to be deducted from his debt every month.

His lawyer G. Dinagaran said that his client had racked up losses after visiting the Resorts World casino and was forced to borrow from a loanshark. It was the incessant harassment by Ah Seng's runners that forced Kheng to agree to be a runner too, the lawyer explained.

Kheng, who was last serving as a logistics officer and drawing a monthly salary of $5,000, will also lose his career of 14 years with this conviction, Mr Dinagaran added.

From Straits Times, "Army captain pleads guilty to being a loanshark runner".

---

Update on 18/02: the verdict is out--he was slapped with a 2-year jail term & caning 12 times.

WHEN army captain Kheng Kok Keong went to the casino at Resorts World Sentosa last year, that first visit got him hooked and he returned again and again.

In the next few months, he went on to lose a small fortune exceeding 'five figures' and, later, his family when his wife left with their two children.

On Thursday, he also lost his freedom.

A judge at the Subordinate Court jailed him for two years and ordered him to be caned 12 times for working as a loan-shark runner to clear his own debts.

Kheng, 34, had pleaded guilty on Monday to four charges of harassment. Seventeen other charges were taken into consideration by the judge in sentencing.

Speaking to The Straits Times on Thursday before court proceedings, Kheng said: 'I went to the casino to check out the place out of curiosity but things started (to get out of control) from there and I just couldn't stop.'

From Straits Times, "Ex-captain gets jail, cane for loan-shark acts".

A banker mistaken as a loanshark runner

Poor Mr. Lee Jing Chong. A bank manager who was somehow mistaken as--guess, what?!--a loanshark runner!! He was beaten not by one, not by two, but by THREE vigilantes: Ong Kim Hua with his weapon of a metal rod, his uncle (Ong's, not Lee's) Teo Ho Seng prefers the punching & slapping style of attacking, and Ong's mother Teo Suan Kee with her straight forward "smack to the head" palm attack.

Consecutively, they were thrown to jail for 1 year, 3 months and 1 month.

The poor victim however was only compensated a total of $3,000 even though he lost his job due to suffering frequent heacaches and pain in a knee.

Mr. Lee Jing Chong should have appealed for harsher penalty!!

THREE members of a family that called the police after apprehending what they thought was a loanshark runner were jailed for assault on Monday. The man they beat up in 2009 turned out to be a bank manager visiting a friend living in the same block of flats in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1.

Ong Kim Hua, 32, a part-time salesman, was jailed a year for hitting Mr Lee Jing Chong, 31, with a metal rod and threatening to break Mr Lee's legs. Ong's uncle Teo Ho Seng, 47, a delivery man, was sentenced to three months in jail for punching and slapping the bank manager while Ong's mother Teo Suan Kee, 57, a housewife, was jailed a month for smacking Mr Lee's head several times. The attackers were also ordered to pay $1,000 each in compensation to Mr Lee.

District Judge Lee Poh Choo said that the trio, who had pleaded guilty last month, had taken the law in their own hands to mete out their own brand of justice, adding: 'Illegal money-lending activities are rife and there will be chaos if people are allowed to assault those they suspect,' said the judge.

Defence counsel Kertar Singh, described the incident as a 'genuine mistake' and asked the court to be lenient. But Deputy Public Prosecutor Ruth Wong said Mr Lee had to be warded for five days in Tan Tock Seng Hospital for treatment of a haemorrhage in the right eye and cuts and bruises all over his body.

The bank manager, who now suffers frequent headaches and pain in a knee, also had to quit his job as he was unable to perform his duties, the prosecutor added.

Ong had stood as a guarantor for a friend who borrowed from an unlicensed moneylender. The friend defaulted on the debt and, to 'catch' the loan-shark runners that had come to vandalise the flat, Ong kept two metal rods. The door of the trio's three-room flat was vandalised with paint at about 3am on March 15, 2009. At 6am, Ong was repainting the affected areas when he spotted Mr Lee and demanded to know what he was up to.

From Straits Times, "Trio jailed for hitting banker they mistook for runner". (14/02/11)

THREE members of a family who called the police after apprehending a man they mistook for a loan-shark runner were on Monday jailed for assault.

The man they beat up two years ago was a bank manager who was visiting a friend in the same block of flats in Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1.

Mr Lee Jing Chong, 31, spent five days in hospital for an eye injury, cuts and bruises.

The vigilante attackers were:

# Part-time salesman Ong Kim Hua, 32, who was jailed for a year for hitting Mr Lee with a metal rod and threatening to break his legs;

# Ong's uncle Teo Ho Seng, 47, a delivery man, who was given a three-month jail term for punching and slapping the bank manager;

From Straits Times, "Three relatives jailed for assault". (15/02/11)

"Ah Quan" divorcing his wife for abusing him sexually and psychologically...

A henpecked husband of the worst level. Can hardly believe the article.

A man has filed for divorce from his wife after alleging that she abused him sexually and psychologically.

The 47-year-old bus driver named "Ah Quan" wrote in his divorce application that he had enough of his wife's psychological bullying, He said that his pride had been destroyed by her.

Ah Quan and his wife has been married for 20 years with two sons. They first met when he was a bus driver and she was a hairdresser.

Chinese newspaper Shin Min Daily reported that the first cracks in their marriage appeared when he realised that she was having affairs with other men. However, she did not change her ways and instead tried to control him.

She forced him to do the housework and requested for thousands of dollars for monthly utilities. Ah Quan also said that she took it out on him sexually.

The wife would also ridicule him in public, calling him "useless man" and "impotent" in front of everybody.

Ah Quan said that he was disappointed that she refused to stop tormenting him even after she lost interest in him. She also destroyed his reputation, he said.

Ah Quan left the house six months ago. He has also hired a lawyer to help him with his divorce application.

Had own company

Ah Quan once ran his own transportation company. He had 2 private buses.

However, his wife kept spreading rumours about him until those in the industry lost their trust in him. She sent improper SMSes to his friends and colleagues and also made prank calls.

His business failed in the end. He then ended up working for a female boss as a bus driver.

However, his wife did not let up and started spreading rumours about him and his boss. She even showed his colleagues the boss's picture and told them that they were having an affair.

Asked for at least $5,000 each time

Ah Quan said that he has given his wife at least $200,000 so far.

He said that she would put the money in her own account or invest it. She would insult him whenever he asked for the money and never returned it to him.

She would request for a "bonus" whenever the year ended. He was also expected to give her presents for her birthday and wedding anniversaries. She would ask for $5,000 to $10,000 each time.

The couple would quarrel everytime they spoke and could only communicate using SMS. His relationship with his two sons also took a turn for the worse after they were influenced by their mother.

From Asiaone, "Man seeks divorce after alleged sexual abuse by wife".

Desmond Hua Chung Fook: his (inspiring) story of violence

The latest hero in Singapore: Desmond Hua Chung Fook! He beat up an asshole who kissed his wife. From the story, I have no sympathy at all to the victim, Darryl Oi Weijian (he fell to coma for 32 days - what a weakling...). And how about the wife, Ms Zhang Huiqing? No, don't let me start my ranting against her!!

And I was not alone in my disgust. See the others' opinions in Hardwarezone, "Would you have done the same thing?" and Facebook, "Hubby was given the maximum fine of $2,500 for beating up the man who kissed wife".

AN ENGINEER who beat up a man for smooching with his wife at a staircase near his flat early one morning was given the maximum fine of $2,500 on Friday.

Desmond Hua Chung Fook, 28, originally accused of causing grievous hurt, pleaded guilty to slapping and punching Mr Darryl Oi Weijian, 24, several times on his face and body, causing him to fall and suffer serious injuries. The incident took place at a staircase of a block of flats in Toa Payoh Central on July 2, 2009.

A district court was told that Hua's wife, Ms Zhang Huiqing, 29, had gone drinking with friends, including Mr Oi - an ex-colleague - at St James Power Station the night before. Mr Oi freelances in the IT industry. When Mr Oi took Ms Zhang home, he suggested a smoke at the staircase landing outside her home. She agreed. Eventually, they became intimate and hugged and kissed each other.

They were spotted by Hua who happened to come out for a smoke. Mr Oi took to his heels on seeing him and Hua chased him. He assaulted the victim on the left cheek. In the midst of the tussle, Mr Oi fell down the flight of steps.

He managed to pick himself up and head for the lift lobby where he was again assaulted by Hua. While tussling with the victim, Hua pushed him, causing him to knock himself against the railings. The victim was comatose when admitted to hospital and lost his memory for 32 days.

Hua could have been jailed for up to three months and/or fined for causing hurt on grave and sudden provocation.

From Straits Times, "Hubby fined for beating up man who kissed wife".

InuYasha & its fantastic soulful songs

Currently hooked with the anime, InuYasha and also with its 2nd ending song, "Deep Forest" (by the group, "Do As Infinity") as well as its 4th opening song, "Grip!" (by the group, "Every Little Thing").

Do As Infinity, "Deep Forest" | English translation of the lyric here

Every Little Thing, "Grip!" | English translation of the lyric here

Flora Cheung Ching-sze is the Naked Chef!

Flora Cheung. Photo from this site.

Whatever will they think next? She will be the naked chef preparing Cantonese dishes wearing only a transparent apron.

Oh yes, she is no Jamie Oliver for sure.

Needless to say, she will be as popular (if not, more) as him, The Naked Chef.

A Hong Kong adult channel is set to debut a cooking show headlined by a nude host who will prepare Cantonese dishes wearing a transparent apron -- an apparent bid to encourage more men to cook.

Host Flora Cheung will start each 30-minute show shopping for fresh ingredients in the city's famous wet markets, undressing once she is back in the privacy of her studio kitchen, the South China Morning Post reported.

Cheung, who admits she has never worked in a restaurant kitchen, said she hopes the risque show will draw more men into the kitchen. The first episode is set to air later this month.

"I have always liked cooking and I thought I should share (the) enjoyment with more people," the 26-year-old told the Post.

"Most men don't like to cook, but I want to get them interested... From shopping to cooking -- it's the whole shebang," Cheung added.

The host promised that her tailor-made, transparent apron won't leave much to the imagination.

"It covers pretty much everything but hides nothing," she was quoted as saying.

Producer Jesse Au told the paper that the show may spawn similar offerings with nude hosts cooking up a range of Asian cuisines: "This could be an endless series if it proves popular."

From Yahoo! News, "'Naked chef' to debut on Hong Kong adult channel".

The Naked Chef is coming to town - and it is definitely not Jamie Oliver.

Meet Flora Cheung Ching-sze, the nude host of a new alternative cooking show on pay television.

The nubile model admits she has never worked in a real restaurant kitchen and does not remotely compare her talents with the culinary skills of the celebrated British cook.

But it is her mission to encourage more men to go into the kitchen.

And her presence on the adult channels of Now TV, Hong Kong Broadband Network and TVB (SEHK: 0511) Pay Vision at least promises more eye candy for them. "I have always liked cooking and I thought I should share enjoyment with more people," Cheung, 26, said.

"Most men don't like to cook, but I want to get them interested."

The cooking show is the brainchild of Jesse Au King-wai, who brought naked newsreading to Hong Kong in 2004.

"The guys really liked naked news," said Au, who heads the production company Lemonation that produces programming for the adult Ice/Fire channel on Now and Hong Kong Broadband.

"So I thought maybe they will go for nude cooking."

In each 30-minute show, a fully-clothed Cheung and her cameraman go shopping for fresh ingredients in wet markets. But when she goes back to her private kitchen, she will undress as she gives instructions on preparation and demonstrates with woks and pans.

"From shopping to cooking - it's the whole shebang," she said.

The twice-monthly show will be in Cantonese. But Cheung said even viewers who do not speak it would have no difficulty following her.

In the first programme, which is scheduled to air later this month, she will prepare two of her favourite dishes - fried vermicelli with shredded beef and assorted vegetables, and ox tongue in a red-wine sauce.

But won't all the sizzling and deep-frying hurt her skin?

Cheung said: "I'll be wearing a tailor-made, fully transparent apron especially made for the programme.

"It covers pretty much everything but hides nothing."

Depending on the response in Hong Kong, Au wants to try Korean cuisine next.

"There are many ethnic cuisines around the world," he said. "This could be an endless series if it proves popular."

From South China Morning Post, "Naked chef prepares to cook up a storm".