MyCen PR

We Won! - Press Statement By Anwar Ibrahim

We won! And our victory is decisive and overwhelming.

I share in the joy felt by all Malaysians on this historic day. This is a victory for the people. And it’s great to be back!

On March 8th Malaysians voted for a New Dawn. Today, on the eve of our independence day, we have reasserted that call. We celebrate our nation’s independence in the spirit that our founding fathers intended - a nation of one and a people united.

In the face of the greatest adversity, our campaign focused on the issues that matter to Malaysians. Our calls for national unity, good governance and a vibrant democracy have silenced the voices of racist chanting, those who profit from the abuse of power and exploit the politics of fear and deceit.

We have promised a New Dawn for Malaysia and we will deliver on our promise. We will forge ahead on our Malaysian Economic Agenda to revive the economy, and to uplift the poor and the marginalized of all races. We will restore the integrity of the judiciary, fight corruption and build a truly unified nation.

We will be a government that is totally committed to realizing the people’s aspirations.

With the success of the eight of March and tonight’s resounding victory, I daresay we are indeed ready to face the challenges of the future, together.

We could not have won without the firm, unwavering support of our friends in the Pakatan Rakyat and the tens of thousands of Malaysians – Malays, Chinese, Indians, Ibans, Kadhazans - who have come to Permatang Pauh to work hard for this victory. I truly appreciate your courage, conviction and valour; and congratulate your commitment to our shared principles of freedom, justice and democracy.

This may be one small step for Permatang Pauh but one giant leap for the people of Malaysia.

ANWAR IBRAHIM

GoMobile 2008 – The Ultimate Mobile Lifestyle Event of the Year

Kuala Lumpur, 13 August 2008: GoMobile 2008, Malaysia’s first and most comprehensive mobile lifestyle event encompassing the GoMobile Expo (consumer exhibition), the 2nd Asia Pacific M-Learning and Edutainment Conference 2008 and the Mobile World Star Awards and Gala Dinner; today announced its official launch and unveiled Maxis Communications Bhd (Maxis) as Pinnacle Sponsor and Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) Malaysia and Open University of Malaysia (OUM) as key strategic partners.

The event, organized by LTT Global Communications Sdn Bhd in partnership with Mobile World magazine, will take place on November 20 to 23, 2008 at the Putra World Trade Center (PWTC) Kuala Lumpur.

''We are very excited and proud to be able to create a space for the mobile industry to come together in offering its services and products as well as forging ahead with innovative ideas and we believe it will act as a catalyst for the entire mobile ecosystem to move forward, benefitting everyone from consumers to developers and vendors alike,'' said Mr. Wemel Cumavoo, CEO of LTT Global Communications Sdn Bhd.

''Events such as GoMobile is in line with MSC Malaysia’s strategic intent to spur the ICT industry particularly for the content development cluster. This is certainly an avenue for our local talents and companies to seek the opportunities and possibilities in the robust Malaysian mobile industry.'' said En. Kamil Othman, Vice-President, Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) - the organization responsible to drive MSC Malaysia.

''We are pleased to be the Pinnacle Sponsor of GoMobile 2008,” said Maxis Head of Strategy and Head of New Businesses, Dr. Nikolai Dobberstein at the launch event. “Maxis has consistently set the pace for mobile innovation in Malaysia. Many of our products and services have been global, regional and national ‘Firsts’. At this event, we look forward to sharing our pioneering mobile services with the Malaysian public.''

''Malaysians rank amongst the most advanced mobile consumers in the world today. Over 33 percent of Maxis’ subscribers are active mobile Internet users. They are using their phones to browse the internet on the go for information, social networking and entertainment. As such, the GoMobile expo comes at the right time for Malaysian mobile users,'' he added.

Kashminder Singh, the Managing Editor of Mobile World believes that GoMobile 2008 is the perfect place for Malaysians to see what the future mobile lifestyle will be like. ''The mobile revolution is transforming the world. New services and innovations are emerging daily but consumers have largely been unaware of the exciting possibilities of an increasingly mobile world. At GoMobile 2008, they will see firsthand how much more these new mobile technologies can add to their lives''.

As the Pinnacle Sponsor of the event, Maxis will demonstrate the latest in mobile data services such as mobile internet browsing and mobile services developed locally through the Maxis Developer Programme. Visitors to the expo can also experience new technologies such as mobile payment using Near Field Communications (NFC) and a range of Maxis Broadband products. Mobile learning services will also be on display by Maxis Academy, Maxis’ in-house learning centre.

GoMobile 2008 is partnered and endorsed by the Ministry of Energy, Water and Communications (KTAK), Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (SKMM), Open University of Malaysia (OUM), Tourism Malaysia and the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

To date, Mobile Wallet and NOKIA are Gold Sponsors of GoMobile 2008 and XiMAX, MicXon and Money Tree International have come on board as Silver Sponsors.

The GoMobile 2008 Expo – with space for up to 224 booths - will see an exciting lineup of exhibitors offering products ranging from mobile phones and accessories to notebooks and UMPCs as well as mobile services and solutions. It is expected to draw in a crowd of 100,000 to the three-day expo, running from November 21 – 23, 2008.

Four unique zones – Devices and Accessories, Innovation, Learning and Entertainment will be set up. Visitors can find the hottest in mobility-themed products at the Devices and Accessories Zone; the latest mobile technology solutions at the Innovation Zone; learning and education through mobile devices at the Learning Zone and the most trendy mobiles games, music and entertainment in the Entertainment Zone.

Apart from being the most comprehensive showcase of mobile devices and solutions, visitors can also expect fantastic deals from exhibitors. Lots of fun and enjoyable programmes are also lined up to further enhance visitors’ experience to GoMobile 2008 Expo.

The 2nd Asia Pacific M-Learning and Edutainment Conference, taking place on November 20 and 21, 2008 (a day earlier from the GoMobile Expo) at PWTC, will lend its share in making GoMobile 2008 a total mobile lifestyle experience of the year.

The two-day event will feature high-powered keynote addresses from leading lights in the mobile industry in Malaysia and other countries. Sessions will cover issues of content creation and innovation, opportunities and challenges for the global mobile content industry, the fusion of edutainment in television, music and games development and many more.

The conference is aimed at driving mobile learning adoption and innovation, making it an important networking venue for experts, practitioners and newcomers from all over the world and at the same time enabling participants to develop multinational and cross-industry contacts and partnerships, as well as to enhance their knowledge, expertise, and abilities.

“Last year’s conference was a huge success with participants from 13 countries. We received very positive feedback from the participants. This year the conference and workshop plan is more exciting and we are expecting 1000 delegates from all over the world including the United States of America, Hong Kong, United Kingdom, South Africa and Australia,” said Wemel.

The Mobile World Star Awards and Gala Dinner complete the total mobile lifestyle concept of GoMobile 2008; recognizing and celebrating the outstanding achievements, contributions and innovations in the mobile industry. The celebratory dinner which promises exciting performances and entertainment will be attended by the movers and shakers of the mobile industry.

About GoMobile:

GoMobile is Malaysia’s first mobile lifestyle event which consists of three components; the GoMobile Expo – a trade and sales exhibition; the Asia Pacific M-Learning and Edutainment Global Summit; and the Mobile World Star Awards and Gala Dinner.

Organized by LTT Global Communications Sdn Bhd and in partnership with Mobile World magazine, the event is jointly endorsed by MSC Malaysia and OUM.

For media enquiries, please contact:

Name: Simon Yap

Tel: +603-7877 7023

Mobile: +6012-65 666 15

Email: simon@gomobile.my

For exhibitors / visitors’ enquiries, please contact:

The Secretariat: +603-7877 7023

Email: info@gomobile.my

URL: www.GoMobile.my

SIS statement against the disruption of Bar Council Forum

Sisters in Islam (SIS) strongly protests the extreme actions by Muslim NGOs and political parties in halting the Bar Council Forum on "Conversion to Islam : Article 121 (1A) of the Federal Constitution: Subashini and Shamala Revisited" held on 9 August 2008.

SIS also strongly condemns the violent actions of throwing Molotov cocktails at the former residence of the President of the Bar Council, now the residence of Dato' Seri Shahrizat Jalil's family, and for the planting of two kerosene bombs in front of the Bar Council office.

Such violent acts only give a bad image of Muslims and Malaysian society surely does not tolerate these extremist or terrorist actions.

Government leaders should have helped to allay the fears of Muslims by giving proper explanations to the public. If the government anticipated any untoward incidents, the government should have taken the necessary measures to ensure the forum could proceed smoothly without any disruptions.

The police should not have bowed to the aggressive tactics that forced for the abrupt termination of a peaceful and mature dialogue.

The Muslim NGOs and political parties that caused the cancellation of the forum should realize that there were many Muslim lawyers and Muslim participants who supported the dialogue and did not regard the forum as insulting or challenging Islam.

The Malaysian Bar Council has duly informed several religious bodies about the forum. In fact, two religious officers – Tuan Dr. Haji Naim Haji Mokhtar (Syarie Prosecutor for federal territory's Islamic Affairs Department & former Syariah High Court judge) and Dr. Wan Azhar Wan Ahmad (Director of the Syariah Law and Political Science Centre / Senior Fellow of the Institute for Islamic Understanding of Malaysia (IKIM)) have initially agreed to be the panelists for the said forum. It was unfortunate that both pulled out at the eleventh hour.

The fact was that based on the programme, three of the five panelists were Muslims.

SIS is of the position that Malaysian citizens have every right to discuss any national laws and policies that affect the rights of the people. In view that the Shamala and Subashini cases impact on the rights of non-Muslim spouses, non-Muslims have every right to discuss how to deal with conflicts in matrimonial and family matters such as divorce, alimony, custody and maintenance.

At the same time, the media reported an inter-faith dialogue organized in Universiti Malaya at the end of July 2008, amongst the government religious agencies, academicians, the Allied Coordinating Committee of Islamic NGOs (ACCIN) and the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity,Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST). Amongst the resolutions was for more dialogues to be held in discussing inter-religious issues in Malaysia including apostasy, conversion to Islam and its impact on matrimonial and family matters such as divorce, alimony, custody and maintenance.

SIS thus is at a loss at to why the government, political parties and the Muslim NGOs did not support the dialogue organized by the Bar Council.

SIS is disappointed that political parties which have been championing human rights, the voice of the people and citizens' rights in airing their opinions etc, have obviously failed in practicing what they preach; in fact, they have acted against their own manifesto promised to the people in the last General Elections.

SIS hopes for all parties to respect the rights of all Malaysians in airing their views on issues that affect citizens' rights.

Sisters in Islam (SIS)

Learn The Right Response To An Emergency

The Citizen’s Action in Response to Emergencies (CARE), will host a free training session on Wednesday, August 23, 2008 @ 2.30 p.m. on how to deliver first aid and take appropriate measures during emergency situations.

Organized by the Federation of Private Medical Practitioners’ Association of Malaysia (FPMPAM) and St. John’s Ambulance Malaysia (SJAM) in conjunction with its 100th Anniversary, the session will also give special emphasis on managing various situations that require emergency intervention like a person who is choking, unconscious, bleeding and in shock.

ADMISSION IS FREE

VENUE: Marriot Hotel; Putra Jaya

DATE: Saturday, August 23, 2008

TIME: 2:30 p.m.

To participate, the public can contact The Care Program Secretariat at 03 - 2093 0100/0200.

Federation of Private Medical Practitioners’ Association of Malaysia (FPMPAM) & St John’s Ambulance Malaysia (SJAM)

Pakatan Rakyat will secure fundamental liberties

08.08.08 PRESS STATEMENT by Anwar Ibrahim:

I promise that under a Pakatan Rakyat government Malaysians will never again be subjected to such gross abuse of executive power as we are again witnessing today. Arbitrary arrest and detention, frivolous investigation and malicious prosecutions shall be a thing of the past. Police officers and prosecutors who launch conspiracies to defame and humiliate the innocent will be severely punished. The use of police powers as well the office of the Attorney General to persecute political opponents will be criminalized so as to ensure a healthy and vibrant democracy where dissent is not only tolerated but nurtured.

In this regard every Malaysian’s fundamental liberties will be treated as sacrosanct and safeguarded by a truly independent judiciary guided by principles of utmost integrity and an adherence to the spirit of the federal constitution.

The politically motivated trial launched against me will, Insha’Allah, be the last of its kind. No Malaysian will suffer from this cruel injustice ever again.

Yesterday’s events confirm my innocence from the charges that recently surfaced. The medical report and statutory declaration by Dr. Osman Abdul Hamid of the Pusrawi Hospital that surfaced on Thursday shatter lingering doubts as to whether the alleged act ever took place. Dr. Osman’s statement also confirms what we have already stated regarding deplorable actions by the police to fabricate evidence in a manner identical to the manipulation of my case in 1998. Anything short of a thorough investigation into the mishandling of this investigation would further tarnish the credibility of the police.

The doctor’s personal safety is a matter of deep concern to us. Material witnesses in high-profile cases in Malaysia have gone missing in the past such as the PI Balasubramanian. I applaud those brave individuals who have demonstrated their commitment to freedom and justice by coming forward with important evidence, and call upon the authorities to ensure their protection.

Yesterday in court we learned that the prosecution’s case has, in a manner similar to the botched trials of 1998, shape-shifted from a charge of assault to one of a consensual act. The conspiracy launched against me in the final week of June 2008 is falling apart. There is a hasty attempt by some to patch up glaring holes in the complainant’s testimony. This will certainly fail given the preponderance of evidence confirming my innocence.

The Prime Minister has actively involved himself in this matter in an attempt to derail the process of transformational change in Malaysia and stave off his own political demise. But in soiling his hands with this sordid matter he has deepened the crisis within his own administration. His most ardent supporters among the Malays have also expressed their disgust with the matter. Furthermore Prime Minister Badawi now faces investigation by the Anti Corruption Agency for his involvement in corruption and money politics.

The shadow of corruption and mismanagement of the economy darkens the legacy of his Premiership. Prime Minister Badawi has still offered no convincing explanation over the huge profits reaped by his family in the Oil For Food scandal at the expense of dying Iraqis.

I advise those around him to leave the sinking ship of his leadership while there is still a chance to do so.

Pakatan Rakyat’s reform agenda is firmly back on track and the New Dawn for Malaysia is well within reach. We will mount a unified campaign to win in Permatang Pauh with a solid majority encompassing that constituency’s diverse population. I look forward to entering Parliament on August 27th with the support of my friends in the coalition.

ANWAR IBRAHIM

Launch of HONDA New 3S Centre, Macinda Auto S/B

Kuantan, 8 August 2008: Honda Malaysia officially unveiled the Macinda Auto Honda 3S Centre here today, operated by its 54th authorised dealer in Malaysia. The move is part of its expansion drive to extend its nationwide dealership network, so as to cater to increasing demand for Honda products and services throughout the country.

Mr. Atsushi Fujimoto, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Honda Malaysia said at the launch ceremony: “We have recently increased our sales target from 33,000 to 35,000 units for 2008, in view of positive performance in the first half of this year. In total, the number of units sold during the first six months stood at 16,769, against 14,177 units sold during the same period last year, representing an 18% increase.”

He continued: “With the fuel price hike in the first half of 2008, consumers in Malaysia are currently looking for cars that offer fuel efficient technology -- a feature that is well-associated with Honda cars.”

“As such, we believe Honda is in a strong position to cater to consumers’ current needs. With the support of our expanding dealership network, we are optimistic that we will meet our increased target for the year,” he added.

According to Mr. Fujimoto, the overall sales of Honda cars in Pahang have increased by 75% within the last 5 years. “We believe this growing trend will continue in the future, thereby the reason for Honda to set up another dealership to cater to the increasing number of Honda customers in Pahang”.

The opening of a new 3S Centre is an indicator of Honda Malaysia’s commitment to achieve No. 1 in Customer Satisfaction. Honda customers in Kuantan now have more access to efficient and prompt after-sales services with a 3S Centre that provides sales, service and spare parts under one roof for their convenience.

At the inaugural launch ceremony, Macinda Auto’s Managing Director, Jonathan Kok Keng Fai, (the newly appointed Authorised Honda Dealer), acknowledged Honda Malaysia for realising its dream of diversifying to a solid and sustainable business by appointing Macinda Auto to be the latest Honda authorised dealer in Malaysia.

“With Honda Malaysia’s guidance, support and leadership, we will strive to provide the best sales and service for Honda products of the highest quality, yet at a reasonable price to ensure the highest satisfaction for our customers,” said Kok.

“We are committed to sell you not only a Honda car, but also happiness. Your joy of buying will be our joy of selling. We are also committed to service all Honda cars to the most efficient standards. Your joy of ownership of a Honda car will be our service priority,” he added.

The 3S concept is a constituent of Honda Malaysia's policy of prioritising customer satisfaction while creating an enjoyable customer experience. Honda believes that on purchase of a car, a life-long relationship with the customer is forged and therefore building an on-going relationship through after-sales services deserves utmost importance.

Since its establishment, Honda Malaysia has been equipping and training its dealers to acquire the 3S status so as to provide a total package of service and convenience to customers nationwide.

To date there are a total of 54 Honda Dealers, of which 51 of them operate Honda 3S Centres nationwide. Honda Malaysia’s plan is to increase this number to 60 dealerships by 2010. To this end, the opening of the 3S Centre in Kuantan will be closely followed by new dealerships in Perak, Penang and Sarawak this year.

For further information, please contact:

Ms. Monique Low
Public Relations Executive
Honda Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.
Tel : 03-7718 9232
Fax: 03-7957 4301
Email : monique.low.tt@honda.net.my
Website: www.honda.com.my

KeADILan Kecam Keganasan Terhadap Petugas Media

Kenyataan Media
5 Ogos 2008

KeADILan Kecam Keganasan Terhadap Petugas Media

Parti Keadilan Rakyat (KeADILan) mengesali keganasan membabitkan seorang petugas media dan orang awam di ceramah Ketua Umum KeADILAn Anwar Ibrahim di Seberang Jaya, Pulau Pinang pada 3 Ogos 2008.

Dalam kejadian tersebut, seorang jurugambar wanita, Loh Hooi Hoon, dari akhbar Guang Ming Daily, dipukul oleh seorang lelaki yang tidak dikenali sedang beliau membuat liputan di ceramah berkenaan.

KeADILan mengecam keganasan tersebut, yang berlaku di saat-saat Anwar Ibrahim menggerakkan kempen "Pakatan Rakyat Menuju Ke Putrajaya" menjelang pilihanraya kecil Permatang Pauh.

KeADILan telah menjalankan siasatan keatas hal ini dan mendapati bahawa lelaki yang mengasari Loh bukan anggota Skuad Keselamatan. Ketua Skuad Keselamatan KeADILan di Permatang Pauh, Mazlan Mohd Zaid, mengesahkan perkara tersebut.

Mazlan adalah saksi kejadian tersebut, dan membantu menyelamatkan Loh Hooi Hoon dari serangan lelaki misteri itu.

Kamu mengutuk keras serangan tersebut, yang mungkin dirancang oleh pihak tertentu bagi menimbulkan kekecohan dalam perhimpunan yang dihadiri lebih 30 ribu orang malam itu. KeADILan dan Skuad Keselamatan bersedia bekerjasama dengan pihak polis dalam siasatan berkenaan peristiwa ini.

Kami percaya kejadian seperti ini tidak dilakukan oleh petugas KeADILan, yang sentiasa mengalu-alukan kehadiran wakil media. Sesungguhnya kami berterima kasih kepada pihak media yang memberi liputan yang setimpal kepada KeADILan selama ini.

KeADILan tetap komited kepada kempen yang aman, dan menggerakkan segala sumber parti bagi memastikan keselamatan orang awam, dan wakil media khususnya, supaya kejadian yang sama tidak berulang-lagi. KeADILan juga mengalu-alukan cadangan dan teguran agar segala kelemahan dapat diatasi.

Pagi tadi (5 Ogos), Presiden KeADILan Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail telah membuat panggilan kepada Loh bagi merakamkan kekesalan atas apa yang berlaku. Beliau berjanji perkara ini tidak akan berulangan.

Exco Kerajaan Pulau Pinang Law Choo Kiang (Timbalan Pengerusi KeADILan Pulau Pinang), Abdul Malik Abul Kassim (Setiausaha KeADIKan Pulau Pinang) bersama dengan Mazlan bin Mohd Zain juga telah melawat ke Guang Ming Daily tengahari tadi (5 Ogos).

TIAN CHUA
Ketua Penerangan Parti Keadilan Rakyat
Ahli Parlimen Batu, Wilayah Persekutuan

Courts: More Sales despite fuel price hike

60-month credit plan for festive season sees success

Kuala Lumpur, 5 August 2008 – The recent fuel price hikes may have caused many to think twice to adorn their homes this coming Hari Raya and that’s why Courts Mammoth (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd (“Courts”) the country’s largest consumer electronics and furniture retailer launches a credit plan never offered by any other retailer in the country to help you own the products of your dream!

Launched on July 25th, this is the first time courts launched its Hari Raya Sales 36 weeks prior to Ramadhan. “Customers are flocking to the stores and we have seen an amazing double digit increase in sales. Courts is a leader in offering easy payments and Options Plus is an innovation in credit offer as no other retailer has ever offered a 60 month stretch credit plan similar to this” says Mr. Chris Yong, Commercial Director of Courts. “This will truly help or customers own the products of their choice for festive season” says Mr. Yong giving an example, he says one would usually pay RM37.85 weekly to own an LCD TV worth RM1999 under Options Bronze Plan which offers 24 months credit inclusive of Extended Warranty but under Options Plus 60 months credit, it would only cost RM11.49 weekly. “That’s a 70% discount on weekly installments and extremely affordable” he says.

The most comprehensive credit plan, Options Plus offers a total peace of mind covering against life’s uncertainties like Accidents, Loss of property due to fire, floods or theft, Hospitalisation and even retrenchment. All remaining monthly installments are automatically waived in the event of such incidences.

Current credit plans available at Courts are Courts Options Gold offering 48 months, Courts Silver Options offering 36 months and Courts Bronze Options offering 24 months.

Options Plus is available for a limited time only. To add joy this festive season, Courts is giving away free Motorola mobile phones every take up of the Options Plus plan upon settlement of First Four (4) months installment.

About Courts Malaysia

Courts is the largest consumer electronics and furniture retailer in Malaysia with a network of over 50 stores nationwide and a staff strength of over 1,700. Incorporated on July 1986, Courts has been serving customers in Malaysia for 20 years and more. Courts’ company mission is to “To be the most customer orientated, profit focused retailer making aspirational home products easily affordable.” For more information please visit www.courts.com.my

For further information contact:

Jess Kaur

Communications Manager

Tel : -012 657 2994

Email : jkaur@courts.com.my

A1GP Powered by Ferrari car completes wind tunnel testing

London, Great Britain – Wind tunnel testing has been a key element in the development of the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport Powered by Ferrari car for season four. The car that had its first public running at the Mugello circuit was the product of many hours spent by the A1GP technical team in wind tunnels at the University of Southampton’s School of Engineering Sciences.

John Travis, A1GP Technical Director: “To ensure we continue the A1GP tradition of strong racing, coupled with lots of overtaking, the effort of the design team has been to provide a chassis that has a good level of down force, but without the normal penalties. This will make for much closer racing particularly in the corners as cars will be able to run together. We have spent in excess of 300 hours in the wind tunnel and have tried hundreds of different aerodynamic variations to ensure the close, exciting racing the series is famous for not only continues but gets better.”

The University of Southampton’s School of Engineering Sciences has a variety of wind tunnels which have been used extensively by Formula One, Indy Racing League and CART racing teams over the years. A 40 per cent scale model of the A1GP Powered by Ferrari car was tested at the facility and performed just as expected giving the development team a good set of aerodynamic data to work with as they continue the on track testing programme in Europe.

The testing has been continuing in France with Andrea Bertolini in the car for three days at Paul Ricard near Marseille with 400-kilometres covered on one day alone. Testing then moved to Magny-Cours, with Patrick Friesacher at the wheel last week increasing the total distance covered by the new A1GP car to 5,667 kilometres.

The A1GP World Cup of Motorsport 2008-09 season will officially get underway later this year with A1GP Mugello, Italy, 19 – 21 September 2008.

For further information please contact:
Ann Bradshaw
Head of Motorsport Media
M: +44 (0) 7713 317 006, E: Annie@A1GP.com

Jo Crosby
Communications Manager
M: +44 (0) 7920 202 638, E: Jo.Crosby@A1GP.com

Sophie Ogg
Media & Communications Officer
M: +44 (0) 7785 444 970, E: Sophie.Ogg@A1GP.com

Press Statement by Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail

--- PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ---
31 JULY 2008, PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA

After deliberating with my family, the Keadilan party leadership and our partners in the Pakatan Rakyat, I have officially submitted my resignation as Member of Parliament of Permatang Pauh to the Speaker of Parliament YB Tan Sri Datuk Pandikar Amin Bin Hj. Mulia today to make way for my husband, Anwar Ibrahim, to contest as a candidate for Pakatan Rakyat in a by-election as soon as possible.

This is consistent with our goals towards securing a Parliamentary majority and forming a new government within this year.

This decision is the right decision for Malaysia.

The nation now faces some of the greatest challenges it has encountered since gaining independence. The UMNO-led Barisan Nasional government has mismanaged the economy and steered the nation towards a catastrophe. It has allowed the integrity of the justice system to fall into deeper infamy. It has stroked the flames of racism and driven a wedge of mistrust between Malays, Chinese and Indians, while thoroughly neglecting the needs of the indigenous peoples of
Sabah and Sarawak.

Anwar Ibrahim has articulated a vision for Malaysia that has brought hope to the people. He has the experience and intelligence to reinvigorate our economy, and the charisma and integrity to unite the Malaysian people and restore credibility to our institutions of governance.

I will continue to serve as president of Parti Keadilan Rakyat and as chairperson of the Yayasan Aman (Peace Foundation).

I whole-heartedly thank my supporters in Permatang Pauh who have stood by me in the most difficult of times since September 1998 and have shared in the joy of victory we all experienced on March 8th. The future of our nation lies in the dedication and commitment to justice and freedom that I have experienced as your representative in Parliament and I look forward to many more years of serving you with sincerity and with humility.

DATUK SERI WAN AZIZAH WAN ISMAIL
President Parti Keadilan Rakyat

Appointment of New DG and Deputy DG of Immigration - Media Statement from Chief Secretary

Kenyataan Akhbar Oleh Y.Bhg. Ketua Setiausaha Negara

Pelantikan Ketua Pengarah Dan Timbalan Ketua Pengarah
Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia

Sebagaimana termaklum, Y.Bhg. Dato’ Wahid bin Don, bekas
Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia dan Encik Yusof
bin Abu Bakar, bekas Timbalan Ketua Pengarah Jabatan
Imigresen Malaysia telah ditahan oleh Badan Pencegah Rasuah
(BPR) berhubung kes rasuah. Selaras dengan amalan dan
prosedur semasa demi memelihara kepentingan awam, keduadua
pegawai telah ditukarkan ke Jawatan Kumpulan,
Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA) mulai 14 Julai 2008.

2. Sukacita saya memaklumkan pelantikan Y.Bhg. Datuk
Mahmood bin Adam, Timbalan Ketua Setiausaha
(Pengurusan), Kementerian Pertahanan, P.T.D. Gred Utama B
sebagai Ketua Pengarah, P.T.D. Gred Utama B, Jabatan
Imigresen Malaysia, Kementerian Dalam Negeri mulai 21
Julai 2008 sebagai menggantikan Y.Bhg. Dato’ Wahid bin Md
Don.

3. Y.Bhg Datuk Mahmood bin Adam, 55 tahun, berkelulusan
Ijazah Sarjana Muda dalam bidang Hubungan Antarabangsa dari
Universiti Malaya. Beliau memulakan kerjaya dalam
Perkhidmatan Awam pada 5 Mei 1981 sebagai Pegawai Tadbir
dan Diplomatik. Pengalaman kerjaya Y.Bhg. Datuk Mahmood
bin Adam adalah seperti berikut:
• Penolong Setiausaha, Cawangan Perancangan dan
Penyelidikan, Bahagian Dasar, Kementerian Pertahanan
(1981-1986);
• Ketua Penolong Pengarah, Bahagian Perundingan, Jabatan
perkhidmatan Awam (1986-1992);
• Ketua Penolong Pengarah, Bahagian Kabinet, Jabatan
Perdana Menteri (1992-1996);
• Ketua Penolong Setiausaha Pentadbiran, Perhubungan dan
Keselamatan, Kementerian Luar Negeri (1996-2003);
• Ketua Pegawai Keselamatan Kerajaan, Jabatan Perdana
Menteri (2003-2006);
• Setiausaha Dewan Rakyat, Parlimen Malaysia (2006-2007);
dan
• Timbalan Ketua Setiausaha (Pengurusan), Kementerian
Pertahanan mulai 10 Disember 2007.

4. Saya juga ingin memaklumkan pelantikan Encik Abdul
Rahman bin Othman, Pengarah, Bahagian Pekerja Asing,
Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia, Kementerian Dalam Negeri, P.T.D
Gred M54, sebagai Timbalan Ketua Pengarah
(Pengurusan), Jabatan Imigresen, Kementerian Dalam
Negeri, P.T.D Gred Utama C mulai 21 Julai 2008 sebagai
menggantikan Encik Yusof bin Abu Bakar.

5. Encik Abdul Rahman bin Othman, 50 tahun, berkelulusan
Ijazah Sarjana dalam bidang Pengajian Keselamatan dari
University of Hull, United Kingdom serta Ijazah Sarjana Muda
Undang-Undang dari Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM). Beliau
memulakan kerjaya dalam Perkhidmatan Awam sebagai Pegawai
Tadbir dan Diplomatik pada 13 Januari 1986. Pengalaman
kerjaya Encik Abdul Rahman bin Othman adalah seperti berikut:
• Penolong Setiausaha, Bahagian Kabinet, Jabatan Perdana
Menteri (1986-1990);
• Penolong Setiausaha, Bahagian E, Kementerian Dalam
Negeri (1991-1994);
• Penolong Setiausaha, Bahagian Latihan, Jabatan
Imigresen, Kementerian Dalam Negeri (1995-1999);
• Ketua Penolong Pengarah, Cawangan Pengurusan
Pembangunan, Bahagian Perkhidmatan, Jabatan
Perkhidmatan Awam (1999-2000);
• Setiausaha Sulit Kanan kepada Y.B. Menteri Pendidikan,
Kementerian Pendidikan (2000-2004);
• Setiausaha Sulit Kanan kepada Y.B. Menteri Belia dan
Sukan, Kementerian Belia dan Sukan (2004-2005);
• Ketua Penolong Setiausaha, Bahagian Pengurusan Sumber
Manusia, Kementerian Pertahanan (2005-2006); dan
• Pengarah, Bahagian Pekerja Asing, Jabatan Imigresen,
Kementerian Dalam Negeri mulai 1 Disember 2006.

6. Semasa pertemuan saya dengan Y.Bhg. Datuk Mahmood
bin Adam, saya telah memberikan amanat supaya
kepimpinan Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia yang baru
mengembalikan keyakinan, kepercayaan dan rasa
hormat orang ramai terhadap kewibawaan Jabatan Imigresen
Malaysia. Dalam hubungan ini, selain mengekalkan tahap
integriti diri sendiri, beliau perlu menerapkan dan
membudayakan integriti di kalangan pegawai dan kakitangan
Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia melalui penghayatan dan
amalan sepanjang masa. Y.Bhg. Dato’ Mahmood bin Adam
telah memberi komitmen untuk memastikan semua warga
Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia memiliki tahap integriti yang tinggi
dan tidak akan bertolak ansur ke atas sebarang
penyelewengan dan salah guna kuasa yang mencemarkan
integriti Jabatan.

7. Saya berkeyakinan penuh pengalaman luas dan ciri-ciri
integriti yang dimiliki oleh kedua-dua pegawai itu akan
membolehkan mereka memperkukuhkan dan meningkatkan
tahap kecekapan, ketelusan dan keberkesanan sistem
penyampaian Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia dengan penuh
integriti sejajar dengan kehendak, harapan dan kepentingan
rakyat serta negara.

8. Sehubungan itu saya ingin menekankan bahawa tindakan
tegas tetap akan diambil terhadap mana-mana pegawai
Perkhidmatan Awam yang menyalahgunakan kuasa. Dalam
pertemuan saya dengan anggota-anggota Perkhidmatan
Awam sama ada di kalangan ketua-ketua jabatan, pegawai6
pegawai kanan mahupun pegawai-pegawai yang baru menyertai
Perkhidmatan Awam, saya sentiasa menekan prinsip-prinsip
berikut untuk dijadikan amalan dan pedoman dalam
melaksanakan tugas seharian, iaitu:
• Kita mesti menyampaikan (melaksanakan tugas)
(we must deliver);
• Kita mesti menyampaikan dengan penuh integriti
(we must deliver with integrity); dan
• Melainkan kita menyampaikannya dengan penuh
integriti, orang lain akan menyampaikannya bagi
pihak kita (unless we deliver with integrity, someone else
will do it for us).

9. Dalam erti kata yang lain, adalah amat penting anggota
Perkhidmatan Awam di semua peringkat melaksanakan tugas
masing-masing dengan berwibawa, amanah dan
berintegriti.

10. Saya tidak akan bertolak ansur berhubung aspek
integriti. Integriti bukan sekadar bermaksud menghindari dari
perlakuan rasuah dan salah guna kuasa yang melibatkan wang
ringgit. Integriti merangkumi skop yang lebih luas seperti
integriti dalam pengurusan masa, integriti dalam memberikan
perkhidmatan yang terbaik, integriti dalam menyampaikan
maklumat dan sebagainya. Saya percaya sekiranya anggota
Perkhidmatan Awam melaksanakan tugas dengan jujur, ikhlas
dan beramanah, mereka akan beroleh keberkatan dan
mendapat kepuasan bekerja yang sebenarnya.

11. Saya juga ingin menjelaskan di sini bahawa sebenarnya
terdapat lebih ramai penjawat awam yang berdedikasi dan
komited dengan tugas mereka walaupun wujud salah laku
negatif yang dilakukan oleh segelintir penjawat awam. Situasi
yang serupa terdapat di Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia di
mana jabatan tersebut sebenarnya telah menunjukkan satu
anjakan prestasi yang cemerlang dalam sistem
penyampaian perkhidmatannya.

12. Sebagai Pengerusi Bersama Pasukan Petugas Khas
Pemudahcara Perniagaan (PEMUDAH), saya memperolehi
maklum balas dan statistik daripada sektor swasta dan
orang awam yang menganggap Jabatan Imigresen
Malaysia sebagai contoh jabatan Kerajaan yang telah
berjaya melaksanakan transformasi dari segi dasar dan
tindakan ke arah mewujudkan persekitaran amalan perniagaan
yang memberangsangkan di Malaysia. Ini terbukti menerusi
tindakan penambahbaikan yang diambil oleh Jabatan
Imigresen Malaysia bagi mempermudahkan dan
mempercepatkan proses permohonan pas pekerja untuk
golongan ekspatriat dan keluarga mereka. Satu lagi contoh
kejayaan yang membanggakan dan menjadi benchmark kepada
lain-lain jabatan adalah pemprosesan permohonan pasport
antarabangsa yang kini boleh diperolehi oleh rakyat Malaysia
dalam tempoh 2 jam sahaja.

(TAN SRI SIDEK HASSAN )
Ketua Setiausaha Negara
19 Julai 2008

TNB Responds to YB Gan Pei Nei on CAR Project

Siaran Akhbar - Press Statement from TNB

Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) is requesting the Kg Sg Terentang residents in Rawang to wait for the state government's official decision before making any conclusion on the future of the Central Area Reinforcement (CAR) project.

This is in response to the statement by Rawang state assemblyman YB Gan Pei Nei, as reported in The Star on 16 July 2008. TNB wishes to clarify that the seven (7) km alternative system proposed by the Kg Sg Terentang resident-appointed technical consultant involves a stretch that will cross the existing National Grid system at two points. This makes the route not feasible and not recommended.

One of the options proposed by the consultant requires new transmission lines to be stretched across and over the existing lines connected to the National Grid. A 50 metre tower will have to be built to provide enough clearance above the existing National Grid. On top of that, to build this overhead system, it is necessary to shut down the existing stretch on the National Grid lines.

Obviously this is not possible as a shutdown at any point on the National Grid will cause disruption to the national power supply for the Klang Valley. The other option proposed by the consultant is to build an underground transmission system on the stretch that crosses the National Grid. However, any system that combines both underground and above ground transmission lines has been proven to be unreliable. Underground cables more complex to maintain as it is difficult to acquire an exact location of any fault that may occur on the transmission line. Typically, underground systems also require longer maintenance and restoration times.

On that note, TNB wishes to inform that public that we have invited the technical consultant representing the Kg Sg Terentang villagers for discussion on any other technical alternatives. However, for some reason, the consultant has never responded to TNB’s invitation. Neither has this consultant been present at any of our meetings. We have sent out invitations to the consultant on several occasions.

TNB wishes to reiterate our stand that we be allowed to complete the CAR project based on the existing plan. This plan requires only four (4) new towers to be built. To ensure minimal disruption, TNB proposes to build monopole towers in place of the more common galvanized steel lattice structure.

All TNB’s transmission systems require a compulsory rentice of 20 meters wide. This means that TNB does not allow any construction under its transmission lines. This rule is applicable across the nearly 18, 000 km stretch of TNB transmission lines and is enforced for public safety as well as for maintenance work to be carried out from time to time. TNB’s towers are designed to withstand earthquakes, floods and other natural disasters.

However, we cannot discount the possibility of a tower collapse, and therefore the rentice width is necessary. For this purpose, under the Akta Bekalan Elektrik Seksyen 37, no one is allowed to construct any permanent structure under transmission lines without permission from TNB. However agriculture activities are allowed as long as the height of the tallest plant is less than six feet.

TNB wishes to state that the CAR Project is a plan for upgrading of the 33 kV transmission grid systems. The approved rentice area for the upgrade plan has been in existence since the 1960s. The Kg Sg Terentang villagers acquired rights to land titles in the 1980s. Nonetheless, as a national utility provider, TNB wishes to emphasize that the CAR Project needs to be resumed as soon as possible to ensure the security and reliability of power supply to the Klang Valley.

Released on 17 July 2008 in Kuala Lumpur

Background of CAR Project
The Central Areal Reinforcement (CAR) transmission system upgrading project has been on the country’s development plans for over a decade. Upon completion, the new transmission system is expected to be able to provide an additional transmission capacity of 1000 MVA at voltage 275kV to Klang Valley.

Since 13 January 2005 blackout in Klang Valley, the Government decided to improve the country’s transmissions grid system to ensure reliability, safety and increasing demand of electricity supply in the country, especially within the Klang Valley.
The approved route line from the Selangor State Government and relevant government agencies would weaves through villages, housing areas, forest reserves and several inner cities. It starts off at Bukit Tarek, Rawang and ends in the final leg of Kg Chubadak in Sentul, Kuala Lumpur.

The project involves the construction of 275kV towers and transmission lines stretching for 60 kilometers which would serve the busy city centres in Klang Valley area including Shah Alam, Petaling Jaya, Selayang, Rawang and Kuala Lumpur. At present, Klang Valley has the higher power consumption in the entire country. The increasing power demand in the Valley has resulted in more complexities in providing satisfactory power supply. This is the reason why the CAR project needs to be resumed immediately.

MYMEX Returns to Johor Bahru for the 2nd Year

15 July 2008, Kuala Lumpur – The machine tools and metalworking manufacturers and supplies industry players will once again gather at the MYMEX 2008 to promote the latest technologies and solutions for the manufacturing industry. MYMEX 2008 is organised by Premier Exhibition Services Sdn Bhd and will be held from 25-27 July 2008 at the Persada Johor International Convention Centre, Johor Bahru.

MYMEX is billed as the largest Southern Malaysia specialised machine tool and metalworking exhibition, endorsed by the SME Association of South Johor and supported by Johor State Government and the Johor State Investment Centre (JSIC).

Albert Lai, Managing Director of Premier Exhibition Services, said ''MYMEX is an extension of the country’s largest and most successful metalworking exhibition - MetalTech Malaysia which has been held yearly in Kuala Lumpur since 1994. We inaugurated MYMEX in the Iskandar Malaysia region last year to support a main pillar of business activities and meet the growing demand from the manufacturing sector in Southern Malaysian. The locale is also strategically located within the Malaysia–Indonesia–Singapore Growth Triangle, with logistic-centric facilities to support the export market of machine tools and metalworking equipments.''

''With the strong support from industry players around the region, MYMEX has become a pivotal event for the manufacturing sector in the Southern territory,'' Lai added.

President of SME Association of South Johor, Teh Kee Sin said, ''The objectives of SME Association of South Johor are to advocate the interests and needs, as well as help promote and develop the small and medium scale enterprises in South Johor. MYMEX is an excellent platform to promote our members’ business as it provides an opportunity for SMEs to be exposed to the regional market and help them expand their business horizon.''

Malaysia’s manufacturing sector is identified as one of Malaysia’s key growth areas, with 30.2% accounted for the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2007.

The Third Industrial Master Plan (IMP3) has been charted to ensure that the manufacturing and services sectors continue to play a pivotal role for the Malaysian economy and remain globally competitive. From January to April 2008, MIDA has reported 19 projects with proposed investments of more than RM 377 million approved for the machinery and equipments sector. Foreign investments amounted to RM 115 million (30.5%) while domestic investments totalled RM 262 million (69.5%).

This year’s presentation of MYMEX will expect more than 300 exhibiting companies covering an estimated exhibition area of 4,000 gross square meters. Exhibits will include a comprehensive range of machineries, equipment, tools and robotics for metalworking and manufacturing automation such as machine tools for cutting, splitting and milling; sheet metal, wire and tube working machines; metal forming machine tools; precision tools, diamond tools, measuring tools; CAD/CAM; automation solutions, technologies and components; material handling and storage technology; software for entire manufacturing technology area; surface finishing technology; control systems; machine and systems for mould and dies, rapid prototyping, model construction; instrumentation and control technology; welding, cutting, hardening and heating; mechanical, hydraulic, electrical and electronic accessories for manufacturing processes; coolants, lubricants as well as pump and valve, all under one roof.

MYMEX 2008 is poised to be a dynamic platform for industry players to network and trade, and it is expecting to showcase over RM30 million of exhibits. MYMEX 2008 also incorporates AutoMEX 2008, Malaysia’s Automation Technology Exhibition.

For more information about MYMEX 2008, please contact Albert Lai or Eric Chan at telephone number 03-5635 6086 or log on to www.tradelink.com.my/mymex

Event Information

MYMEX 2008

The 2nd Malaysia’s Machine Tool & Metalworking Exhibition; incorporating

AUTOMEX 2008

The 2nd Malaysia’s Automation Technology Exhibition

Date : 25-27 July 2008

Time : 10.30am – 6.30pm daily

Venue : Persada Johor International Convention Centre, Johor Bahru

Press Release is issued for and on behalf of Premier Exhibition Services Sdn Bhd for MYMEX 2008, by Sanns Communications Sdn Bhd

For further information, please contact:

Ms. Aw Li-Ann
Sanns Communications Sdn Bhd
Suite D-05-05, 5th Floor, Block D
Plaza Mont’ Kiara
50490 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: +603 6201 9877, Fax: +603 6201 9887, E-mail: li-ann@sannscom.com

Press Statement from Office Of Anwar Ibrahim

--- PRESS STATEMENT – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ---

KUALA LUMPUR, July 16, 2008 3:30 PM

This afternoon at 1:05 PM Anwar Ibrahim, former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, was arrested outside of his home in Kuala Lumpur. He was due to issue a statement at IPK KL (Kuala Lumpur Police Contingent Headquarters) at 2:00 PM based on an agreement reached with the police on Tuesday.

Anwar Ibrahim was returning from the Anti Corruption Agency to his home after giving a statement pertaining to the police report that has been filed regarding suppression of material facts in the case involving him in 1998. He was accompanied by his senior legal team, staff, and security.

As he entered the neighborhood of his home, a contingent of ten police cars, half unmarked and half patrol, forced the two cars in Anwar Ibrahim’s entourage to stop. There was a contingent of 20 balaklava-clad masked commandos (UTK) who accosted him, reminiscent of the forces sent to arrest Anwar Ibrahim at his home in September 1998.

An officer approached Anwar Ibrahim and demanded that he accompany the police in an unmarked vehicle to the Kuala Lumpur Police Contingent Headquarters. His lawyers were not permitted to travel with him to the police station.

This arrest has taken place less than fifteen hours after Anwar Ibrahim appeared live on Malaysian television for the first time since 1998, and announced to millions of viewers his intention to stand for election, and upon the formation of a new government, to lower the domestic price of fuel by 50 sen. The overwhelming majority of Malaysians expressed their support of his televised statement.

These events are deeply disturbing to us and indicate that this entire episode is a repeat of the actions taken against Anwar Ibrahim in 1998. During the last few weeks the government owned mainstream media has demonized and vilified him. His staff has been harassed and we see a conspiracy being hatched to thwart the political change that is imminent in Malaysia.

Under no circumstances will the people of Malaysia and the international community tolerate any harm coming to Anwar Ibrahim. We remind Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi of the promise he made to ensure Anwar Ibrahim’s protection.

We have been able to communicate with Anwar Ibrahim, who calls upon his supporters and the people of Malaysia to remain calm and to reject any attempts at provocation, which will give a pretext for an emergency situation to be declared.

OFFICE OF ANWAR IBRAHIM
CONTACT PRESS@AICASSOCIATES.COM

SAS launches first ever Sustainability Management Solution

SAS Sustainability Management to make going 'green' easier

Kuala Lumpur (July 15, 2008) – Leading business intelligence provider SAS Malaysia, today launched its Sustainability Management Scorecard, the first in the Sustainability Management Solution suite designed to help organizations accurately measure, manage and improve the impact of their operations on the environment.

The SAS Sustainability Management Scorecard launch is in conjunction with the 2008 SAS Forum Malaysia themed “Intelligently Green” with the participation of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Malaysia and the Environmental Envoy for Malaysia, Maya Karin.

The SAS Sustainability Management Solution is an industry breakthrough as it is the first ever decision-support software that enables organizations to proactively identify innovative strategies that address complex environmental, social and economic situations while achieving stakeholder objectives.

Thomas Spiller, SAS Senior Director of International Programs says that while most executives support ‘green’ business strategies, few actually know how to prioritize and incorporate the strategies into their business operations.

“Many organizations are struggling to understand the complex business-social situation that requires them to balance between good environmental practices whilst concurrently pursuing profitable economic situations. At the same time, they lack tools that can enable them to properly measure the actual benefit and impact of their business strategies on the environment, in a manner that is accountable and reportable.”

“With SAS Sustainability Management Scorecard, organizations can now manage holistic strategies for sustainability that take into consideration the interrelationship between social and environmental programs. It enables effective execution of these strategies as well of reinvestment of savings from here into other areas of the business”, explained Spiller.

According to a McKinsey survey1, environmental issues such as climate change top the agenda in executive suites worldwide. But measuring and managing environmental impact is difficult as it involves massive, intricate work that spans across an organization’s entire operations. Causal relationships connecting issues such as greenhouse gas emissions, use of scarce resources, ethical sourcing and regulatory compliance make it extremely complex to invest in green technology and expand sales of products and services with measurably better environmental performance.

SAS Sustainability Management Scorecard helps establish an integrated, consistent source of quality information where you can bind initiatives to a common sustainability framework, while being able to predict valid sustainability strategies, identify causal relationships and forecast improvement scenarios. The solution is based on the SAS Enterprise Intelligence Platform and uses the Global Reporting Initiative framework to report on Triple Bottom Line indicators.

Jimmy Cheah, Managing Director of SAS Malaysia says “In the emerging landscape of sustainability, it is not enough just to talk green. Organizations need to identify the green-related metrics that apply to the business as well as find the right data to describe and measure those metrics.”

“SAS Business Intelligence and Analytics solutions have long been used to take costs out of business, so it's not much different to take carbon out. With SAS, organizations can optimize business strategies for minimizing risks and costs, developing new lines of business, and improving resource use, environmental or otherwise” he ends.
.
About SAS

SAS is the leader in business intelligence and analytical software and services. Customers at 44,000 sites use SAS software to improve performance through insight from data, resulting in faster, more accurate business decisions; more profitable relationships with customers and suppliers; compliance with governmental regulations; research breakthroughs; and better products and processes. Only SAS offers leading data integration, storage, analytics and business intelligence applications within a comprehensive enterprise intelligence platform. Since 1976, SAS has been giving customers around the world THE POWER TO KNOW®. www.sas.com

A1GP goes HD

London, Great Britain - A1GP World Cup of Motorsport enters a new era as the 2008/09 season approaches, moving to the forefront of technology by becoming one of the first international racing series to offer its World Feed TV Broadcast in High Definition (HD).

A1GP is carried by more than 45 broadcast licensees worldwide, reaching nearly 180 countries and territories around the globe. They will all now be given the option to receive A1GPs host broadcast in HD, while broadcasters without HD channels will still be able to receive the Standard Definition feed.

The World Feed is generated in a state of the art HD Outside Broadcast facility that is transported around the globe to each race event to ensure the series continues to provide top quality television, regardless of its location. From there, pictures from 60 cameras situated around the track, in the pits and on the A1GP cars can be selected for broadcast.

The highly experienced crew consists of 130 production staff and engineers, who are all specialists in their fields. The international broadcast team is dedicated to capturing the essence of A1GP's racing action, along with all the vibrant characters in the paddock and the colour of each competing nation.

As well as offering pictures in HD, there are a number of exciting new developments set to enhance A1GP's TV broadcast next season. A1GP Productions have been working closely with the designers of the new A1GP Powered by Ferrari car since its inception to integrate new and exciting On Board Camera positions. There will also be further telemetry available from the car, alongside more advanced TV graphics to give viewers a greater insight into the efforts of the driver inside the cockpit.

Richard Dorfman, Director of Broadcasting: "It's an extremely exciting time for A1GP as we head into the 2008/09 season with plenty of interesting developments in the pipeline. We are always looking at ways to enhance the television viewers' experience, and we are proud to be at the cutting edge when it comes to quality TV production as A1GP continues to lead the way in motorsport broadcasting."

ABOUT A1GP WORLD CUP OF MOTORSPORT
Pitting nation against nation in the World Cup of Motorsport, A1GP unites 23 countries in a competition where human bravery, skill and excellence determine victory. Racing identical single-seat cars, the deliberately equalised technology allows countries as diverse as the USA, Lebanon, France, China and South Africa to compete on a level playing field.

With three days of on-track action, an A1GP event offers a rare opportunity for fans to interact with teams and drivers. Exclusively inclusive, A1GP brings the thrill of international motorsport to billions of fans across the globe.

Now preparing for its fourth season, A1GP takes in a mix of established world-famous venues plus exciting new state-of-the-art facilities and tight twisty street circuits, delivering high-speed adrenalin fuelled action at every turn.

218-Language Resource To Debut In An Asia-Pacific Library

Subang Jaya, 21 April – At present the best Internet search engines can translate only a handful of major world languages, with less than 30 bilingual combinations available. But a quantum leap ahead is possible when a 218-language resource is put on-line.

This vision is on the brink of realization now that a New Zealand translation company has published a World Languages Dictionary (WLD) compact disk last November, containing electronic dictionaries in all these languages.

Mr Robert Goh, Director of the Auckland-based publisher CEM Translations Ltd, said today that his company had gained full rights to use the project due to an arrangement with a debtor company from a leading western European nation.

''I am now prepared to consider suitable partners who wish to join forces in this commercial venture,'' he said.

The CD contains the same corpus of 8,000 general US/UK English entries translated into 217 languages and dialects from all over the world. Consequently over 40,000 bilingual translation possibilities were there.

Apart from the legal deposit copies in the National Library of New Zealand, the CD is expected to debut at another leading Asia-Pacific national library next month.

Seremban-born Goh graduated from Canterbury University as a Colombo Plan scholar and then worked for the Singapore Government, as a journalist in Malaysia and New Zealand, and as Press Officer with the Australian High Commission.

His bilingual and trilingual dictionaries in Chinese, English and Malay, published by Federal Publications (now Marshall Cavendish) in the mid-1990s, were bestsellers.

Goh is making a stopover in Malaysia/Singapore en route back to Auckland. He had joined the New Zealand delegation to the signing of the historic China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement in Beijing, China on 7 April.

''Discussions are proceeding with two Chinese partners, including a leading translation agency in Beijing, to market the WLD for the 2008 Beijing Olympics which commences in August,'' he added.

For further information, please contact:
Mr Robert Goh (Subang Jaya Tel: 5635 4223 or 012-673 2985)

SAS takes part in WCIT Again

Kuala Lumpur, 21 April 2008, - SAS Institute, the world's leading business intelligence (BI) software provider, today announced that it is participating in the 16th World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT). SAS is the only independent BI vendor sponsor for WCIT 2008 to be held in Kuala Lumpur from May 18 - 22, 2008.

This is also the second time that SAS is taking part in this global IT event of Olympian-stature that is held once every two (2) years.

SAS' involvement in WCIT 2008 flourished from a private meeting between YAB Prime Minister, Dato' Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and SAS CEO Dr Jim Goodnight during his inaugural visit to Malaysia in June 2007; where Dr Goodnight advocated for a greater adoption of BI and Analytics within the Malaysian government to gain competitive edge.

During WCIT 2008, SAS will be represented by Jim Davis, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer who will be speaking on the topic "Information Evolution" during the CIO perspective segment.

SAS Malaysia Managing Director, Jimmy Cheah says, "Asia is seeing an upsurge in BI adoption in various industries, quickly upstaging its western counterparts. Data volumes are predicted to double in quantity every single day in 2010 and corporations that leverage the power of BI and Analytics on their data will be the ones that gain competitive edge for better decision making and management."

"WCIT is a strategic platform for IT corporations to build strategic partnerships and gain insight into global trends and the latest innovations. SAS is proud to be part of this global event to showcase our leading enterprise intelligence and performance management solutions," says Cheah.

Themed "The Global Impact of Information and Communications Technology: Enable Businesses, Empower Societies, Enrich Economies", this five (5) day event is expected to draw more than 2,500 delegates from over 80 countries.

About SAS SAS is the leader in business intelligence and analytical software and services. Customers at more than 44,000 sites use SAS software to improve performance through insight from data, resulting in faster, more accurate business decisions; more profitable relationships with customers and suppliers; compliance with governmental regulations; research breakthroughs; and better products and processes. Only SAS offers leading data integration, storage, analytics and business intelligence applications within a comprehensive enterprise intelligence platform. Since 1976, SAS has been giving customers around the world THE POWER TO KNOW(r). www.sas.com

MetalTech Malaysia 2008 Fortifies the Manufacturing Sector for FDI and Kicks-Off its Welding Competition for the Second Year

18 April 2008, Kuala Lumpur – MetalTech Malaysia 2008 (MTM 2008), the most established and largest metalworking products and engineering technology event in Malaysia, continues to fortify the manufacturing sector with high expectations from the exhibitors for a dynamic platform of business opportunities and a conspectus of the industry.

MTM has been a key major exhibition in the industry’s calendar, attracting local and overseas industry players’ participation looking to gain access into the market as well as to evaluate market response and competition.

MIDA has reported that for the months of January and February 2008, the total capital investment for the overall manufacturing sector has amounted to RM7.488 billion where domestic investment racked up RM5.131 billion while RM2.356 billion comes from foreign investments, naming Japan, Germany, USA, India, Iran, Singapore, China, Netherlands, Australia and Korea as an important source of FDI. A total of RM 50.2 billion of investments has been reported for 2007. Business transactions expected at MTM 2008 will contribute towards a robust manufacturing industry worth RM452.5 billion and accounts for 74.8% of total exports reported for Malaysia in 2007.

Albert Lai, Group Managing Director of Trade-Link Exhibition Services Sdn Bhd, organiser of MTM 2008, said, “Whilst the market demand in the metal industry is certain to meet manufacturing, construction, automotive, furniture and a cross section of industries’ book orders, the question is just how much. With significant investors’ interest in the manufacturing industry and continued confidence in Malaysia as an ideal offshore location, MTM has become an important platform for overseas exhibitors to gauge the region’s market scenario first hand. This has resulted in an expansion of 2 new halls of over 2,000 sqm and an overall exhibition size of 40,000 square meters. MTM is expecting its exhibitors to leverage on this platform to introduce their latest products and innovations into the market.”

The exhibition also incorporates the 2nd MetalTech Malaysia Welding Competition 2008, organised by the Welding Institute Malaysia Bhd and sponsored by Trade-Link Exhibition Services. The competition is organized as a collaboration between government, welding learning institution and private sectors.

The preliminary round has started with the Eastern Region at Institute Kemahiran Mara (IKM) Penang, subsequently the Northern Region on 14 April 2008 at IKM Sungai Petani, Kedah, followed by Southern Region at Akedemi Binaan Malaysia, Johor Bahru on 21st April, and the last preliminary as well as the national finals will be held at MTM 2008 from 7-11 April 2008.

The 2nd MetalTech Malaysia Welding Competition 2008 is opened to all Malaysians above 18 years old, the winners will stand to win a total of RM4,000 and a recognition certificate as the Best Welder in the Country. The organizers are still accepting entries to the competition.

MTM 2008 will also play hosts to seminars with key industry leaders to mindshare on the latest trend and know-how on manufacturing processes and how to optimize productivity. Amongst one of the key topic presented is “Manufacturing Excellence with the MES HYDRA® for Production, Personnel and Quality – Lean Manufacturing in the Metal & Plastic Precision Engineering at its best!” by Mr Shasha Graef, Managing Director of MPDV Asia Pte Ltd, Singapore.

The seminar further affirms the need to stay in control of the internal value-adding manufacturing processes, believed to be the heartbeat of every discrete manufacturing company. The system introduced will provide unmatched information transparency for operational areas of production, personnel and quality management, hence optimising machine / workplace efficiency and effectiveness, improving job scheduling and delivery times, control material movement as well as optimize personnel placement within the outlet.

With more than 1,500 exhibiting companies and an estimated value of RM350 million of exhibits on display, MTM 2008 is poised to draw a targeted 25,000 trade visitors from around the world. MTM 2008 will be held from 7 to 11 May 2008 at the Putra World Trade Center.

For more information about MetalTech Malaysia 2008, please contact Eric Chan at telephone number 03-5635 6086 or log on to www.tradelink.com.my/metaltech

About MTM 2008

Date : 7-11 May 2008

Time : 10.30am – 6.30pm daily

Venue : Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur

MetalTech Malaysia 2007 is organized by Trade-Link Exhibition Services Sdn Bhd, and is the 14th ASEAN international metal working, machine tool, CAD / CAM, metrology, mould & die, surface & heat treatment, sub-contracting, foundry, industrial automation, robotics, precision engineering and welding technology exhibition.

Incorporated into MTM 2008 is the Industrial Automation Exhibition 2008 (IATech 2008), the 8th Malaysian International Industrial Automation Exhibition, and the Welding Technology Exhibition 2008 (Weldtek 2008), the 8th Malaysian International Exhibition on welding Equipments & Technology, Welding Services & Welding Competition.

Co-located with MTM 2008, is MTA Malaysia 2008 (MTA 2008), the 5th Malaysia International Precision Engineering, Machine Tools and Metalworking Exhibition.

Press Release is issued for and on behalf of Trade-Link Exhibition Services Sdn Bhd for

MetalTech Malaysia 2008, by Sanns Communications Sdn Bhd

For further information, please contact:

Ms. Aw Li-Ann

Sanns Communications Sdn Bhd

Suite D-05-05, 5th Floor, Block D

Plaza Mont’ Kiara

2, Jalan Kiara

50480 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: +603 6201 9877 Fax: +603 6201 9887

E-mail: li-ann@sannscom.com

Best Result Of Season For Malaysia

Shanghai, China, 12 April 2008: A1 Team Malaysia produced their best result of the season in today’s Sprint race at the A1GP World Cup of Motorsport, Shanghai, China. A strong fourth place finish preceded a sixth place in the main Feature race for Malaysia with Alex Yoong driving the nation's car.

The customary first lap drama of A1GP began immediately the green flag dropped for the rolling start, with the USA and New Zealand cars clashing on the main straight while Yoong was challenging for position and battling with arch-rival Narain Karthikeyan in the Team India car. A superb move on Karthikeyan put the Malaysian car up to fourth place before the first lap had been completed. From that point onwards Yoong held position, determined to defend from the bulk of the field behind him.

With a strong race pace he comfortably held off the Indian car behind. Portugal, the team ahead of Yoong, had been one of the quickest cars all weekend and was one of the few that Yoong could not match on pace. Although closing on Portugal as the race progressed he was unable to get past him, finishing fourth at the chequered flag.

It was a clean start for the grid off the starting line for the Feature race, with Yoong racing hard to the first corner from his sixth place start. Jostling with the cars around him Yoong maintained his grid slot after the opening lap. With championship contender New Zealand breathing down his neck, Yoong needed all his wits to keep defending his position while also trying to challenge India ahead. With both cars making their first pitstop on the same lap it was a close match in times for the crews to change the tyres, but New Zealand just pipped the Malaysian car to take away sixth place. However Malaysia then took India to reclaim the spot.

As the race headed to mid distance the pace settled with the field strung out and Yoong running a few seconds behind New Zealand. The second stop saw the leading teams pit early in the 'window' for the tyre changes. Yoong was amongst these and the crew gave him a quick change of rubber to put him back on the track without losing position. The remainder of the race passed without incident, with the Malaysia car crossing the line in sixth place.

Yoong said of the races, ''It’s great to have two good finishes. The sprint race was a good start to the day and I’m pleased we were able to make a pass on India to snatch fourth as we were reasonably competitive. The feature race gave us another good result although I was struggling with understeer whereas this morning it had been oversteer, but that just shows the fine balance that is needed to get the best out of the car. After the second pitstop we dropped the tyre pressures and the car was very strong with some very strong lap times, so I was hoping for a safety car to bunch every one up – I think I would have had a good shot at taking another place or two. Overall it has been a good weekend for us.''

Jack Cunningham, Chief Executive of the team, added, ''We’ve seen the results today that have eluded us for much of this season and it’s given us a very big boost as we head to the final round of this season. We had two strong finishes with strong teamwork in the pitstops and great reliability as well. When all the ingredients come together, the results come to us as they have done this weekend. I hope we carry this momentum through to the final round in the UK.''

The final round of the 2007/08 A1GP World Cup of Motorsport, the third season of the Series, takes place at Brands Hatch in Kent, UK, from 2-4 May 2008.