The Malaysian Insider :: ALL

Renesas aims to sell chip plant, shed 12,000 jobs: Source

Sat, 26 May 2012 15:57:21 GMT

TOKYO, May 26 – Japanese chipmaker Renesas Electronics Corp plans to sell off loss-making operations and cut its payroll by at least 12,000, a source close to the matter said today, as the company battles high costs and nimbler foreign rivals. Sources also confirmed that Renesas, the world’s largest maker of microcontroller chips for cars, aims to ...

Fast food meals are four times bigger now than 60 years ago, says CDC

Sat, 26 May 2012 15:30:32 GMT

NEW YORK, May 26 — Before you go ahead and supersize your burger meal, chew on this: the average restaurant meal today is more than four times larger than in the 1950s. That's according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, which examined the average size of a fast food meal and found that the hamburger, for instance, has grown ...

Canada’s RIM to cut at least 2000 jobs

Sat, 26 May 2012 15:21:46 GMT

TORONTO, May 26 – Research In Motion Ltd is preparing for a major restructuring beginning in the next couple of weeks that will see it eliminate at least 2,000 jobs worldwide, the Globe and Mail reported today, citing unnamed sources. The Canadian newspaper, citing several people close to the company, reported that the next round is layoffs is ...

Brother of blind Chinese activist goes missing: Lawyer

Sat, 26 May 2012 15:09:38 GMT

BEIJING, May 26 – The brother of blind activist Chen Guangcheng has gone missing, a lawyer said today, days after he fled his village in northeastern China to seek help for his son who has been detained in a case that has become a rallying point among rights activists. Chen Guangfu, the eldest brother of Chen Guangcheng, fled his home in Shandong ...

Astronauts float inside SpaceX Dragon capsule

Sat, 26 May 2012 15:00:46 GMT

CAPE CANAVERAL, May 26 – Astronauts aboard the International Space Station opened the hatch and floated inside a Space Exploration Technologies’ Dragon capsule today, the first privately owned spaceship to reach the orbital outpost, NASA said. Running ahead of schedule, station commander Oleg Kononenko and flight engineer Don Pettit opened the ...

Cannes’ Middle East films show Arab Spring unfurl

Sat, 26 May 2012 14:45:06 GMT

CANNES, May 26 – The “Arab Spring” is the focus of two movies at Cannes this year as film makers present tentative steps towards democracy on the big screen, one year after political upheaval in Libya and Egypt. While both films deal with contemporary events in the Middle East, “The Oath of Tobruk” (“Le Serment de Tobrouk”) is a French-language ...

Schumacher hands Monaco pole to Webber

Sat, 26 May 2012 14:30:00 GMT

MONACO, May 26 – Michael Schumacher rolled back the years in electrifying fashion to qualify fastest for the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix today, only to be deprived of a sensational pole position by a five place grid penalty. Red Bull’s Australian Mark Webber, who was second, inherited the top slot – which will make it the second time in two ...

Bersih to tour nationwide, focus on voting awareness

Sat, 26 May 2012 14:27:15 GMT

KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 — Bersih will embark on a nationwide campaign to spread voting awareness among Malaysians, a month after its highly publicised rally which critics say affected the group's credibility. The nationwide tour will focus on educating Malaysians on the need to vote ahead of an expected general election. The campaign, titled "Come ...

Seorang lagi peserta perhimpunan ditahan

Sat, 26 May 2012 14:17:50 GMT

KUALA LUMPUR, 26 Mei – Seorang lagi peserta perhimpunan Bersih 3.0 yang dikehendaki polis ditahan semalam, menjadikan jumlah keseluruhan yang ditahan setakat ini seramai 29 orang. Ketua Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Kuala Lumpur Datuk Ku Chin Wah berkata kontraktor korek pasir berusia 36 tahun itu ditahan di Ibu Pejabat Polis Kuala Lumpur di sini pada ...

Nazri Aziz: Anwar has the right to hire former S-G

Sat, 26 May 2012 14:15:25 GMT

KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 — Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has every right to hire Datuk Yusof Zainal Abiden as his lawyer as the latter resigned from his Solicitor-General II position in February, de facto law minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said today. "...I understand that Anwar called him (Yusof) to supposedly strengthen (Anwar's) case and ...

PM akan lancer prospectus penyenaraian FGVH Khamis depan

Sat, 26 May 2012 14:12:46 GMT

DUNGUN, 26 Mei – Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak akan melancarkan prospektus penyenaraian Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd (FGVH) di Kuala Lumpur Khamis depan. Menyatakan demikian, Pengerusi Felda Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad berkata, pelancaran itu bagi membolehkan FGVH disenaraikan ke Bursa Malaysia. “Cuma tinggal beberapa hari saja ...

Peluang pelaburan RM20 juta terlepas kerana perhimpunan

Sat, 26 May 2012 13:57:21 GMT

PUTRAJAYA, 26 Mei – Kuala Lumpur terlepas peluang pelaburan RM20 juta selepas pelabur Korea Selatan menangguhkan hasratnya itu berikutan kekecohan perhimpunan Bersih 3.0 pada 28 April lepas, kata Menteri Wilayah Persekutuan dan Kesejahteraan Bandar, Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin. Beliau berkata ahli perniagaan Korea Selatan itu ...

Bersih akan merantau seluruh negara untuk kempen ‘keluar mengundi, lawan penipuan’

Sat, 26 May 2012 13:37:57 GMT

KUALA LUMPUR, 26 Mei — Bersih akan kembali kepada fokus utama mereka menuntut pilihan raya adil bersih, kali ini dengan merantau ke seluruh pelusuk tanah air bagi kempen mengajak pengundi berdaftar keluar mengundi ketika pilihan raya umum ke-13 (PRU13) yang dijangka tidak lama lagi. Badan pemerhati pilihan raya itu akan memulakan kempen "Keluar ...

PM will launch FGVH prospectus on Thursday

Sat, 26 May 2012 13:34:43 GMT

DUNGUN, May 26 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak will launch the prospectus of Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd (FGVH) in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday. Felda chairman Tan Sri Mohd Isa Abdul Samad said the launching would enable FGVH to be subsequently listed on Bursa Malaysia. "Only several days are left for Datuk Seri Najib to launch the ...

KL lost RM20 million investment due to Bersih ruckus

Sat, 26 May 2012 13:08:38 GMT

PUTRAJAYA, May 26 — Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Minister Datuk Raja Nong Chik Raja Zainal Abidin says the Bersih rally on April 28 cost Kuala Lumpur a RM20 million investment from South Korea. "After Bersih, I contacted the South Korean businessman and asked about the investment but the answer was 'Not For Now' after seeing the ruckus ...

Trader denies profiting from ‘Bersih 4.0’, claims Lamborghini gesture of thanks

Sat, 26 May 2012 13:00:55 GMT

KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 - Restaurant owner Datuk Jamal Md Yunos today dismissed claims he would profit from the coming 'Bersih 4.0' gathering, insisting instead that the luxury cars offered as lucky draw giveaways were merely his way of "thanking" the public for supporting his "peace-loving" cause.Earlier today, DAP leaders had claimed the trader ...

Rooftop gunman kills two in Finland

Sat, 26 May 2012 12:26:52 GMT

HELSINKI, May 26 – A gunman opened fire from a rooftop in a Finnish town centre in the early hours today, killing two people and wounding several others, police said. An 18-year-old man wearing camouflage clothing was arrested after the shooting in Hyvinkaa, a small town 56km north of the capital Helsinki. The motive for the shooting was unclear. ...

Undi BN untuk masa depan Malaysia, kata Najib

Sat, 26 May 2012 11:28:58 GMT

PUTRAJAYA, 26 Mei – Hanya kerajaan Barisan Nasional (BN) yang mampu menjamin masa depan yang lebih baik dan stabil untuk rakyat Malaysia, kata perdana menteri kepada belia hari ini memandangkan pilihan raya akan menjelma. Datuk Seri Najib Razak (gambar) berkata kepada ribuan belia yang berkumpul di sini adalah penting mereka membuat pilihan yang ...

Kit Siang: Dr M ‘terdesak’ untuk kekalkan BN berkuasa

Sat, 26 May 2012 11:06:52 GMT

KUALA LUMPUR, 26 Mei – Lim Kit Siang hari ini menafikan dakwaan Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad yang menyatakan keganasan akan sentiasa berlaku jika Pakatan Rakyat kalah dalam pilihan raya akan datang, beliau turut menambah bahawa kenyataan itu menunjukkan bekas perdana menteri itu berada dalam “keadaan terdesak” untuk meletakkan Barisan Nasional (BN) ...

Vote BN to guarantee Malaysia’s future, Najib tells youths

Sat, 26 May 2012 10:57:01 GMT

PUTRAJAYA, May 26 — Only the Barisan Nasional (BN) government can guarantee a stable and better future for all Malaysians, the prime minister told youths today ahead of an expected general election. A jovial Datuk Seri Najib Razak told the tens of thousands youths gathered at the Himpunan Sejuta Belia (Millions of Youth Gathering) in Putrajaya ...

Direct yuan-yen trading could start in June: Media

Sat, 26 May 2012 10:51:31 GMT

TOKYO, May 26 – Japan and China plan to start direct trading of the yen and yuan as early as June, aiming to make trade and financial transactions between the countries easier, Japanese media reported today. The step follows an agreement between the leaders of Asia’s two largest economies in December to promote direct trading of their currencies ...

Maldonado crashes in final Monaco practice

Sat, 26 May 2012 10:44:21 GMT

MONACO, May 26 – Pastor Maldonado created work for his Williams mechanics by crashing in final practice for the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix today. While long-term Monaco resident Nico Rosberg lapped fastest for Mercedes, ahead of Ferrari’s Felipe Massa and Red Bull’s world champion Sebastian Vettel, the focus was on the Venezuelan. The winner of ...

Prost pessimistic on French GP future

Sat, 26 May 2012 10:10:14 GMT

MONACO, May 26 – France’s sole Formula One champion Alain Prost fears the chances of the country hosting a grand prix again in the near future have receded. “I am not optimistic,” Prost (picture) told reporters at the Monaco Grand Prix, where Lotus driver Romain Grosjean has a real shot at becoming the first French winner since Olivier Panis in ...

IFC plans to invest in Malaysia’s Khazanah healthcare arm

Sat, 26 May 2012 09:37:33 GMT

KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 – International Financial Corp (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, is planning to take part in the planned US$1.5 billion (RM4.73 billion) listing of Malaysia’s Integrated Healthcare Holdings (IHH) in a move to help validate IHH’s emerging markets strategy, according to IFC’s official website. The largest global ...

Kit Siang: Dr M ‘desperate’ to keep BN in power

Sat, 26 May 2012 09:05:21 GMT

KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 — Lim Kit Siang today denied Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s warning that violence would rule the streets should Pakatan Rakyat (PR) lose in the coming polls, adding that such allegations reflected the former prime minister’s “desperation” to keep Barisan Nasional (BN) in power. Yesterday, Dr Mahathir warned in a blog posting that ...

Court final arrbiter on suit against Ambiga, nine others, says Nazri

Sat, 26 May 2012 09:02:46 GMT

KUALA KANGSAR, May 26 — Only the court can decide if the suit filed by the Malaysian Government against Bersih 3.0 chairman Datuk S. Ambiga and her nine committee members, has legal basis or not, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz. He said this when asked to comment on the statement by the ...

Iran has enough uranium for 5 bombs: Expert

Sat, 26 May 2012 09:02:18 GMT

VIENNA, May 26 – Iran has significantly stepped up its output of low-enriched uranium and total production in the last five years would be enough for at least five nuclear weapons if refined much further, a US security institute said. The Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), a think-tank which closely tracks Iran’s nuclear ...

Complete overhaul or die — Tay Tian Yan

Sat, 26 May 2012 08:56:39 GMT

MAY 25 — Malaysia Airlines chairman Tan Sri Md Nor Yusof is a very humble gentleman. I travelled with him before, seeing him drag his own luggage along and get the procedures done. Nothing like a big boss. He told me sometimes he had to travel alone, and he would go to the airport by himself, watch closely the check-in and cabin services. He said ...

Asia’s richest man cleverly sidesteps possibility of family feud

Sat, 26 May 2012 08:48:51 GMT

HONG KONG, May 26 – Octogenarian Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing mapped out a succession plan for one of Asia’s biggest family empires, ensuring a smoother transition for the Cheung Kong group than that of real estate rival Sun Hung Kai Properties. Li told investors that while he had no plans to retire, elder son Victor would eventually take ...

PKR akan kemuka bukti Umno dalang keganasan di Lembah Pantai

Sat, 26 May 2012 08:17:11 GMT

KUALA LUMPUR, 26 Mei — PKR akan mengemukakan bukti ahli Umno adalah dalang disebalik keganasan yang berlaku di ceramah pembangkang di Lembah Pantai Khamis lalu. Pemimpin Umno hari ini menuduh Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim memulakan provokasi ketika ceramah tersebut dan beliau perlu bertanggungjawab terhadap insiden keganasan tersebut. Anwar telah ...

Lembah Pantai Umno Youth denies starting ruckus at PKR rally

Sat, 26 May 2012 08:14:03 GMT

KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 — Lembah Pantai Umno Youth has denied allegations that it started a ruckus at a Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) rally in Pantai Dalam on Thursday. Its Umno Youth chief Datuk Mohamad Sazali Kamilan said the ruckus occurred after PKR adviser Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim gave a provocative speech against Umno Youth. "Anybody can make ...

F1 chairman puts brake on IPO talk

Sat, 26 May 2012 07:49:57 GMT

MONACO, May 26 — Businessman Peter Brabeck, celebrating his appointment as Formula One chairman yesterday, said the motor racing series had not made a decision on whether to proceed with a much discussed US$10 billion (RM31.5 billion) listing on the stock market in Singapore. Speaking to Reuters over a trackside lunch with Formula One commercial ...

Wheldon’s death lingers over Indy 500

Sat, 26 May 2012 07:31:05 GMT

INDIANAPOLIS, May 26 — The Indianapolis 500 will roar into its second century tomorrow with one eye on the future and another on the past. The emergence of a new and exotic crop of thrill-seeking drivers, representing the increasing globalisation of America’s greatest race, offers a tantalising glimpse at the road ahead for a race that began 101 ...

Hisham: Umno, BN still open to ‘muzakarah’

Sat, 26 May 2012 07:00:41 GMT

PUTRAJAYA, June 26 — Umno and its partners in the Barisan Nasional have always adopted an open-door policy on “muzakarah” (dialogues) on matters of national interest, said Umno vice-president Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein. Commenting on PAS’s reported reversal on holding such talks with Umno, Hishammuddin, who is also home minister, said it came ...

EU says China, US, Japan also have economic work to do

Sat, 26 May 2012 06:57:20 GMT

BRUSSELS, May 26 — The United States and Japan must tackle their tax issues and China must relax restrictions on the yuan, as they share responsibility with Europe for restoring global economic health, EU leaders said ahead of a June summit of the G20 leading economies. In a letter addressed to all 27 European Union nations, European Commission ...

BN not sidelining minorities, says Adnan Yaakob

Sat, 26 May 2012 06:55:25 GMT

BENTONG, May 26 — Minority groups in the country will not be deprived of aid because the government does not practise discrimination in providing assistance to the people, said Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob. He said this was proven recently when the government approved RM200 million in economic and education support for the Indian ...

Nurul Izzah says video will show Umno behind rally violence

Sat, 26 May 2012 06:29:00 GMT

KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 — PKR vice president Nurul Izzah Anwar today said her party has evidence that Umno members were behind the violence during an opposition rally in Lembah Pantai on Thursday. Earlier today, Umno leaders accused PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of provoking Thursday night’s violence at the PKR rally, and denied ...

Umno dakwa Anwar punca keganasan

Sat, 26 May 2012 06:06:29 GMT

KUALA LUMPUR, 26 Mei — Umno mendakwa Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim memulakan insiden keganasan malam Khamis lalu ketika ceramah PKR di Lembah Pantai dan mendakwa mereka tidak harus dipersalahkan atas insiden tersebut. PKR semalam menuduh Umno “menggunakan politik ganas” apabila melempar batu, botol air, dan telur ke arah peserta ceramah PKR dan ...

Trader profiting from ‘Bersih 4.0’?

Sat, 26 May 2012 05:28:19 GMT

KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 — Datuk Jamal Md Yunos could rake in millions of ringgit through the lucky draw he will hold during the “Bersih 4.0” gathering next month, a DAP official said today, suggesting the anti-Bersih trader was exploiting the group for his own gains. Jamal, who leads the group calling itself “Bersih 4.0”, told reporters on Wednesday ...

Making France’s ‘Intouchables’ bankable in the US

Sat, 26 May 2012 05:20:02 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 26 — Last year around this time of France’s Cannes film festival, movie producer Harvey Weinstein pondered how to turn a silent black-and-white film, “The Artist”, into Oscar gold. His answer was to charm the socks off audiences with a simple tale of old Hollywood romance. This year, his Weinstein Co has a different French movie ...

Umno leaders point finger at Anwar for rally ruckus

Sat, 26 May 2012 04:53:38 GMT

KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 — Umno leaders have accused Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim of provoking Thursday night’s violence during a PKR rally in Lembah Pantai, and said it should not be held responsible for the incident. Yesterday, PKR accused Umno of “escalating political violence” after the said function was pelted with stones, eggs and water bottles, ...

Heat coach Spoelstra fined for criticising officials

Sat, 26 May 2012 04:45:16 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 26 — Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra has been fined US$25,000 (RM78,800) for publicly criticising the officiating during his team’s playoff series against the Indiana Pacers, the National Basketball Association said yesterday. Spoelstra made his comments to the media after Miami’s shootaround on Thursday, before they beat ...

Sizzling Dufner takes control at Colonial

Sat, 26 May 2012 04:33:06 GMT

LOS ANGELES, May 26 — Red-hot Jason Dufner remained on track for a third PGA Tour victory in just four weeks by surging into a two-shot lead in yesterday’s second round of the Colonial Invitational in Fort Worth, Texas. The laid-back American, who won his second title on the US circuit at the Byron Nelson Championship on Sunday, fired a flawless ...

UN inspectors find high-grade uranium traces in Iran

Sat, 26 May 2012 04:19:33 GMT

VIENNA, May 26 — United Nations nuclear inspectors have found uranium particles refined to a higher-than-expected level at an underground site where Iran has installed more than 50 per cent more enrichment centrifuges, a UN watchdog report said yesterday. It said Tehran had told the UN agency that the presence of traces of highly refined uranium — ...

Games giving ‘Brand Britain’ an Asian boost

Sat, 26 May 2012 04:04:53 GMT

LONDON, May 26 — The London Olympics are giving “brand Britain” a fillip in China and India, a survey indicated today, boosting the government’s ambition of attracting an extra £1 billion (RM4.9 billion) of inward investment and trade. Publicity surrounding the Games had resulted in nearly 80 per cent of those Chinese and Indians questioned saying ...

Getting the job done in Indonesia — A. Lin Neuman

Sat, 26 May 2012 04:04:30 GMT

MAY 26 — Roosie Setiawan, Nila Tanzil, Dan Roberts and Sigit Kusumawijaya. Chances are you have never heard of these people. They are not headline-grabbing politicians, government officials, celebrities or wealthy tycoons. They are just people who are making a small difference in this country, but the way they go about it is instructive. In the ...

The sure thing in European politics is now anybody’s guess — Alistair Burnett

Sat, 26 May 2012 04:01:04 GMT

MAY 26 — French and Greek voters have spoken loudly on austerity measures, but perhaps not so decisively. In Greece’s case, the message was so unclear that its citizens return to the polls on June 17. Chances are that no matter how they vote, the tension between the market and democracy is here to stay. This month’s election results can be ...

Daripada pendakwa kepada pembela — A. Kadir Jasin

Sat, 26 May 2012 03:57:26 GMT

26 MEI — Mengenai isu pula, saya hendak sebut sikit berkenaan bekas Peguamcara Kanan II Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden yang gagal dalam pendakwaan liwat kedua Anwar Ibrahim menyertai pasukan yang akan membela beliau dalam kes langgar perintah mahkamah berkaitan demonstrasi Bersih 3.0 pada 28 April lalu. Ketua Pembangkang Parlimen itu menyifatkan ...

Berjuang untuk perubahan memang susah — Aspan Alias

Sat, 26 May 2012 03:54:17 GMT

26 MEI — Memperjuangkan yang benar itu amat susah dan tidak ada jalan yang senang dan mudah. Sebaik sahaja manusia itu ingin perubahan untuk kebaikan ia akan tetap mendapat reaksi serta merta. Bak kata seorang ulamak yang muktabar, “jalan ke syurga itu berduri-duri dan beronak, jalan ke neraka itu penuh dengan roti dan keju”. Pejuang yang berniat ...

Rais buta antara aset kerajaan dan harta Umno — Ahmad Lutfi Othman

Sat, 26 May 2012 03:49:11 GMT

26 MEI — Ketika PAS dimomokkan sebagai Parti Islam yang ghairah mengejar kuasa sehingga melupakan dasar perjuangan sucinya, namun dalam masa sama berbondong-bondong orang ramai memohon keahlian, termasuk tokoh-tokoh terkemuka dan selebriti terkenal. Semasa aktivis dan penyokong Pakatan Rakyat — tidak terkecuali PAS — ditohmah sebagai perusuh dalam ...