the inkSlingers
Monday, 28 March 2011 • IS#1:280311(1)
Carpooling mooted
to solve
parking
woes
> Page 5
Taylor’s the leading
education brand
Professor Dr. Hassan (center) with the Taylor’s Education Group Team. And the
Putra Brand Gold Award on the right.
By Thomas Yap
T
aylor’s University is once again
the people’s choice when it comes
to the most preferred education
No access cards for Taylor’s residents yet
By Nurul Ain Jamaluddin
A
s a result of prior agreement
with Bandar Sunway Residents
Association (BSRA) and Subang
Jaya Municipal Council (MPSJ), Taylor’s will
not issue access cards to students staying at
the Lakeside Campus’ hostel for now.
COO of Taylor’s Education Group
Facilities Management Sheena Angelina
said, “When we were negotiating, MPSJ
had said no to hostel students [holding
access cards].”
MPSJ has since allowed a three-month
trial run of pedestrian gate usage to
• For internal circulation only
“It wasn’t my fight
to fight”
An exclusive
interview
> Page 10
brand.
The University won the gold in the
Prestigious Putra Brand Awards for the
second consecutive time, since its inception
Other institutions in the category were
KDU, HELP and UniTAR.
members of the Taylor’s community who
are PJS7 residents and RapidKL bus users.
Students living with their families are also
eligible.
During these three months, MPSJ will
do random checks to make sure there is
no violating of the agreement. They can
revoke their approval if they find any kind
of infringement.
“If everything is okay, you never know,
we might make an appeal [for students
living in the hostel] later,” Sheena said.
A student who declined to be named said
he was concerned that students living at the
When does the
violence
begin?
> Page 6
The award, introduced in 2010 by the
Association of Accredited Advertising
Agents (4As) with the Malaysia’s Most
Valuable Brands (MMVB), recognizes
Continued on page 2
hostel could not just walk out of campus
using the pedestrian gate to go to shops or
the RapidKL bus stop in PJS7, instead, they
had to take taxi.
Another student staying at the hostel,
School of Design student Aseel Omar said,
“I was asked to walk on the LDP highway
which is ridiculously dangerous especially
for girls.”
Student Central Manager Saw Bee Lian
said Taylor’s had noted hostel residents’
concerns and would do the necessary to
ensure their needs are met.
New Chancellor
appointed for
Taylor’s University
Prof.Dr.Syed Jalaludin (left)
By Syakirah Hamad
T aylor’s University welcomed its
new chancellor Tan Sri Prof Dr
Syed Jalaludin Syed Salim at the
recent graduation ceremony held last
month.
The former Universiti Putra Malaysia
Chancellor and former Bank Rakyat
chairman obtained his PhD from
London University and has five more
honorary doctorates to his name.
Speaking to the 624 graduates from
various schools, Prof Dr Syed advised
them to observe and emulate previous
graduates who are shining in their
respective fields.
“Each of you can emerge as leaders,
shortcuts do not work,” he said.
He added that graduates should
weigh their options before making
decisions, saying this would help them
secure jobs in the future.
Also speaking at the ceremony,
Taylor’s University Council chairman
Datuk Loy Teik Ngan said the University
is growing from strength to strength.
“We see positive changes and we are
well on our way to being the leader (in
the education field) in the country and
the region,” he added.
A total of 65,000 students have
graduated from Taylor’s since it was
opened in 1969 from its various
programs.
 Monday, 28 March 2011
2
NE WS

AdventuRace a Macho success

from page 1
brand building as an integral part of
business investment.
It was determined through a
consumer research polling system
developed by Pulse Group on a sample By Michelle Chun

size of 6,000 Malaysian consumers.
“Even employers prefer students
from Taylor’s as we deliver an excellent
education experience,” said Taylor’s
Chief Marketing Officer Lydia Wang
The university’s brand advocacy
is based on its strong heritage and
household name.
“With over 65,000 alumni’s since
1969, the education group has
equipped many successful leaders who
recommend this brand to others by
the word of mouth,” added Wang.
The Putra Brand Awards
recognition provides the Malaysian
brands and Small and Medium-sized
Enterprises (SME’s) with a platform
to position their brands effectively to
eventually become a global brand.
The award is the only brand
award in the country endorsed by
MATRADE and supported by the
Branding Association of Malaysia
(BAM), the Malaysian Advertisers
Association (MAA), and the Media
Specialists Association (MSA).
The award ceremony was held at
the One World Hotel on 11 March
with Taylors represented by Vice
Chancellor Prof.Dr.Hassan and the
Taylors education team.
T
eam Macho fnished strong to take
first place in a race of the fittest and
the smartest.
AdventuRace, organised by Taylor’s Sky
Adventure Club Subang Jaya, was based on
the concept of popular reality series ‘The
Amazing Race’, sending participants to
various places as far as Kajang and Seremban.
The tasks before the competitors ranged
from eating satay to abseilling, kite-flying
and even peeling 100 onions with their
bare hands.
Puzzles and mind-boggling clues also
riddled the path to the finish line in true
Amazing Race fashion.
The Sky Adventure Club also extended
an arm into charity for this event, collecting
donations and products for Rumah Keluarga
Teams at the starting line in Taylor’s Subang campus
Kami, a children’s home in Klang.
Electrical items, kites and monetary Subang Parade was the final pit-stop and The podium teams won a month’s
donations collected from students and the closing ceremony was also held there. membership at Celebrity Fitness and two
teachers were given to the home. Team Macho – Joanne Chin Pui Shan personal training sessions each, Beryl’s
“The donations will be used to buy tables and Tay Huey Yuin of Taylor’s – came in Chocolates, Domino’s Pizza vouchers,
and chairs for the children as well as to fund strong to take first place, with Team Amazing Famous Amos Hampers and trophies.
them in building their ‘Dream House’ for a Drumsticks and Team Bro finishing second The Sky Adventure Club TCSJ is happy
more conducive environment,” Sheryl Hoe and third respectively. with the success of AdventuRace 2011.
Kye Li, Assisting Organizing Chairperson “We were really shocked when we found “It would definitely be one of those
of AdventuRace, said. out. We had been known as the ‘walking memories never forgotten by the members
Teams had to bring goody-bags to the team’ because we didn’t like to run. of Sky Adventure Club TCSJ,” Hoe said
children there as one of their challenges. We brisk walked!,” Tan said. with a smile.

the ink Editorial

Slingers
Editor-in-Chief As the world remains shell-shocked from
Michelle Chun the devastating 8.9 magnitude earthquake
and tsunami hitting Japan, the scenes that
Sub-Editors explode in the news speak of despair, de-
Mizna Mohamed struction and desperate hope.
Marie Erin Pereira Thousands have lost their lives, with many
more still missing. And the nuclear crisis
Layout Editors has allowed the world to see the true depth
Max Choong of Japan’s determination.
Dina Melda Matius At the same time, nation after nation in
Nur Affizza Binti Azmi the Middle East teeter precariously on the
edge of a mass revolution.
Distribution Thousands of people find their voice
Nurul Ain Jamaluddin against the iron fist of tyranny, corruption
and the aching realisation of generations
Online Edition lost. The Allies have joined forces against
Alia Ali Libya as Col. Gaddafi promises no mercy.
Bomber planes hover over the war-torn
areas as people hope and pray for change. The aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan
Writers/Contribution
Joyce Ling There is always something new, a hurting unshaken. felt the hopelessness of watching our
Thomas Yap loss or flicker of hope, each day.We some- It’s rather ironic how we pride ourselves entire nation drown in unforgiving wa-
Florence Song times really are not very in touch with our in being global citizens yet remain bliss- ters or seen the g round shake in furi-
world. fully unconcerned with the horrific events ous anger.
Write to us at If we don’t read the papers, watch the that occur around us. There needs to be a Our generation has never had to stay in
inkslingers2011@gmail.com news channels or click onto news online, change of mindset. The world we live in, our homes under curfew and watch the si-
we don’t see the shrivelled, old man in dire this planet called Earth, is our world, not lent streets shout an impending change. We
Printer agony, hoping beyond hope that his chil- just the cradle of comfort we create. have always risen, wiped the dust off our
C&T Graphics dren are alive. We don’t see the grimy child We need to stop stripping our planet of trousers and moved on.But all this could
Mr. Ng Hock Swee clinging to a rescuer with painful fear in her its resources or let lives be lost to feed the change. It all comes down to what we want,
AS 82 (1st Floor) eyes. power-hungry. not just for ourselves, but for the genera-
Jalan Hang Tuah 4 We don’t hear the prayers lifted every day There is only so much Earth can give at a tions after.
Salak South Garden by the wife of a worker risking his life at the time - selfishness, greed and the obsession This, all of this, is the cost of change,
57100, Kuala Lumpur nuclear plant, or the 17-year-old boy forced for more has gotten the better of us. Rights and it is inevitable. We must hope and pray
to dress in military uniform talking about come with responsibilities; there needs to that we will be blessed with the gift of fur-
Contact Number his seven-year-old friend killed and dumped be a balance, ensuring there is give and take. ther sight, so that we will choose that which
+603 7981 2250 in a football field.We can go about our day Malaysia has been blessed – blessed is of true worth.
016 277 8201 in all its monotony just as long as we stay beyond comprehension. We have never
Monday, 28 March 2011

NE WS
3

Taylor’s at a glance Treasure hunt promotes

Healthy Taylorians, throughout the year, as it will help students
make new friends and know more about English learning
Happy Taylorians the university.

The joint efforts of Taylor’s Counseling

and Psychological Services Centre and Tay-
lor’s Health Services Centre resulted in the
successful conclusion of the Health and
Wellness Campaign with almost 200 staff
and students of Taylor’s attending the
event.
Held on 3 March, the event saw partici-
pants being given the opportunity to have
free health screening including free bone
and eye screening.
Some eager participants donated blood
while others generously pledged to have
their organs donated in case the need arises
in the future.
According to Taylor’s Health Services
Taylorians win
big in design
competition
Two design entries from Taylor’s stu-
dents won first and third place respectively
in the recent Eco Retreat Student Ideas
Competition organized by Pertubuhan Ak-
itek Malaysia (PAM) and Green Building Teams hard at work solving puzzles
Index.
Lee Car Rol of Taylor’s University struck
gold with her entry with her innovative and By Michelle Chun According to Dr. Ratna Malar, Head

Centre, a subsequent campaign would be
held in the second part of the year.
La Fiesta indeed
A slight downpour did not seem to
dampen the spirits of 200 Taylor’s students
who turned up for a successful orientation
party held for the February 2011 intake.
Organized by the Taylor’s University
Student Council (TUSC), the event was
held on 24 February and saw live perfor-
mances by current as well former students
of Taylor’s.
Performances included dances, magic
shows and beat boxing while the dance
floor was opened to all participants.
The organizers also planned ice-breaking
games as well as more challenging games
for the participants.
TUSC urged new students to attend such
events, which will be held for each intake
unique design.
Lim Ker Chwing, Koh Hern Lit, Chok
Kwan Kin and Teoh Jin Yong also collec-
tively bagged third place.
The competition, which was open to all
university students, asked students to de-
sign an eco-friendly retreat centre within
the Penang National Park at Teluk Bahang,
Penang.
Emphasis was placed on innovative ar-
chitectural design, efficiency of resources
and the least impact on the environment.
PAM and Green Building Index seek to
promote eco-conscious design among ar-
chitectural students in Malaysia, and this
competition was a means of achieving this.
Senior Lecturer at Taylor’s School of Ar-
chitecture, Building and Design Nor Hay-
ati Hussain is very proud of the students’
achievements.
“It shows that our students are quite
competitive and competent. They are able
to produce highly innovative and creative
design solutions,” she said.
S
tudents ran throughout the campus
in a flurry of activity, all in an effort
to understand English better.
For 140 students in the Intensive
English Programme (IEN) who
participated in Taylor’s Language Centre’s
(TLC) treasure hunt, it was a day of
putting their knowledge of the English
language to the test.
TLC lecturer Chin Yen Looi organized
the hunt, held on 8 February, which
showcased an admirable 13 pit-stops and
five barrier challenges – amounting to
four hours of non-stop action.
“We decided on a treasure hunt
because it can promote purposeful use
of the English language in an authentic
setting,” Chin said.
Besides the English language, the hunt
tested the students in communication and
leadership skills, as well as teamwork and
cohesiveness.
of TLC, the students’ efforts were
commendable and demonstrated their
ability to think critically throughout
the race, solving the puzzles and clues
before them.
Li Zong Yi, a student from China,
felt the hunt united students and helped
them to understand the language better.
“It improved my methods of learning
English, helped me find better ways to
do so and increased my interest and
motivation to learn English,” he said.
After four hours of thinking, running
and more thinking, three teams emerged
as winners and received cash prizes,
dictionaries and course books.
Taylor’s notepads were also given as
consolation prizes.
“The Treasure Hunt has indeed
provided a platform for our IEN students
to showcase their English proficiency
in an authentic environment,” said Dr.
Ratna.

Smoking allowed at Recezz

food court in commercial block
“It is quite hard for me to breathe when
By Nurul Ain Jamaluddin people smoke near me. I also hate it when

S
moking is allowed at Taylor’s Lakeside
Campus’ commercial block because it
is not campus area, COO of Taylor’s
Facilities Management Sheena Angelina
said.
Therefore, the Recezz food court which
is now located at the commercial building is
also considered beyond campus area.
“There is a boundary between campus
and the non-campus area … from the
roundabout where parents drop off their
kids at Block A to half of the lake. That is
why you will not see the no-smoking signs
at the second half of the lake [facing the
commercial building],” Sheena said.
Recently, some students have been
complaining about people smoking at the
food court.
Student Siti Nur said she was
uncomfortable eating around those who
Recezz at The Boardwalk now has a designated smoking zone smoke.
the unpleasant cigarette smell stays on my
clothes afterwards,” she said.
Meanwhile, smokers are relishing the
prospect of getting to smoke openly at the
area.
Student Shaheera Amelia said, “I
love that we are allowed to smoke at the
commercial building. At least now we have
a place to smoke comfortably.”
Another student Tun Syed Hisham said
he was happy that smokers could now
freely smoke at the commercial block, but
he felt it was unfair for non-smokers to be
exposed to secondhand smoke.
He added that Taylor’s should provide an
area strictly for smoking as a solution to the
problem.
Sheena said the University has no
jurisdiction to dictate the rules at the
Boardwalk and that the management of
the food court has already designated non-
smoking sections.

4 NE WS
Public speaking trainer International News
wows audience From universities around the world
Venezuelan
By Vasenta Selvanayagam
U seful tips on public
speaking and over-
coming stage fright
were shared at the recent Expert
Forum entitled “The WOW Fac-
tor”.
The forum, held on 14 March,
featured Low Ngai Yuen, Head
of Kakiseni Sdn Bhd, a centre of
performing arts.
Low, a prominent figure in the
Malaysian media circle and former
host of 3R, said that one of the
main reasons students face stage
fright is due to their lack of con-
fidence.
She added that students should
focus on the goals that they wish
to achieve through their presenta-
tion and make it clear to their
audiences the stand they wish to
DREaM summer program starts
By Mizna Mohamed
T he 3rd DREaM Interna-
tional Students Summer
Program has returned,
with student applications closing
on 1 April 2011.
Organized by the office of In-
ternational Affairs of Universitas
Gadjah Mada (UGM), Indonesia,
the program gives international
students a chance to visit Indo-
nesia and be involved in a series
of socially and culturally enriching
activities.
This year the program is sched-
uled to take place from 26 June to
6 July 2011 in Yogyakarta, Indo-
nesia.
DREaM began in 2009 as an
acronym for Disaster Research,
Films and filmmaking encouraged for eco awareness
By Dina Melda Matius
T
he Eco Film Fest 2011’s
roadshow kicked off at
Taylor’s Lakeside campus
with the screening of two award-
winning environmental films.
The roadshow, going to vari-
ous institutions around the coun-
try, aims to evoke environmen-
tal awareness among youths by
screening thought provoking
films and encouraging young Ma-
laysians to make such film.
EcoKnights Founder and Pres-
ident Yasmin Rasyid threw some
ideas to the audience to start ex-
ploring green issues.
“This is a green competition
and the topic is all about environ-
ment,” she said.
take regarding the issue.
This requires a lot of practice
and only when one is comfortable
with their surroundings can one
perform well.
“If you want to overcome stage
fright, you need to be on the stage
always. Only then will you become
familiar with your surroundings
and will feel comfortable,” said
Low.
One should engage with their
audience by greeting them and
having small conversations before
the presentation.
Nevertheless, one should al-
ways remember that the most im-
portant part of presentation is the
accuracy of the content itself.
“But the biggest fear we have is
the perception that we will not be
Empowering Community and
Microeconomics. It has since ex-
tended into other areas revolving
around the creation of mutual un-
derstanding among youths.
According to Dini Nur Latifah,
Secretary and Participant Coordi-
nator for the program, 100 par-
ticipants from several countries
around the world will join this 11-
day program.
“Some of the foreign embas-
sies are willing to send delegations
under their scholarship to join
DREaM. The Indonesian embas-
sies in Algeria, Ukraine, and An-
tananarivo have confirmed their
involvement. Meanwhile, the Aus-
trian Embassy will also send del-
She said that they were seek-
ing talented youngsters who could
tackle the issue and able to present
the message and deliver it well
through short film.
Eco Film Fest 2011 offers stu-
dents a chance to win grand prizes
up to RM 3000 with a trophy.
There are few distinct catego-
ries which are the Best Film, Best
Malaysian Film, Best Young Film-
maker and the Best Audience Re-
action Award.
A 2008 Eco Film Fest winning-
film, “Plant a Tree”, made by a
final year student of ASWARA,
Audrie Yeo Sui Wan was screened
during the 2-hour roadshow.
When talking about her past ex-
perience of filmmaking, she urged
students to join the Eco Film Fest
able to satisfy our audience,” said
student Bryna Kaur.
Students should learn that if
they feel uncomfortable, it means
that they are challenging their
fears, Low stressed.
More than 200 people attended
the event, and many found the
talk beneficial.
“I really hope that there will be
more talks like this to boost our
confidence and to teach us how
to carry ourselves properly in the
future,” communication student
Pann Soo Hui said.
In conjunction with the In-
ternational Woman’s Day 100th
anniversary, Kakiseni.com will
be screening 100 hours of per-
forming arts in various locations
around Kuala Lumpur.
egations from Austria as they did
last year,” she added.
This year, the program will
highlight ‘Social Entrepreneur-
ship’, focusing on identifying and
solving social issues that gradually
bring about social changes.
Participants will get a chance to
do community services, join lec-
tures and talks on the broad topic
of ‘Social Entrepreneurship’, at-
tend social events and also en-
joy internship opportunities that
might come their way.
Those interested are welcomed
to visit the DREaM 2011 website,
http://oia.ugm.ac.id/dream/for
more information regarding the
summer program.
Filmmaker Audrie Yeo speaking about her experience
2011 contest.
“Don’t be afraid to dream,
don’t be afraid to throw out ideas
because any crazy idea can turns
into a brilliant one.
“The most important thing is,
don’t fall in love with your first
idea. Try to give time for it to
student hunger
strike ends
VENEZUELA: A group of
Venezuelan students dispersed
after 24 days of protest during
which they consumed only water
and saline solution.
The strike, which began on
31st January, was organized by
an opposition youth group called
Active Youth, Venezuela United
(JAVU). Initially, only 9 students
participated but it soon increased
to more than 80 people being in-
volved in the hunger strike.
The protests were held in the
country’s capital, Caracas, and also
in several other cities.
The protesters were calling for
the release of what they claimed
as 27 ‘political prisoners’. They
also wanted the Secretary General
of the Organization of American
States (OAS) José Miguel, to be al-
lowed to enter into the country, so
that he could evaluate the human
rights situation in Venezuela.
The Venezuelan government
has so far agreed to some of the
protesters’ terms by releasing one
prisoner and promising the release
of some of the others.
Ancient university
edges closer to
restoration
INDIA: After sitting in ruins for
nearly 800 years, the Nalanda
University in India, founded in
the third century, has come a step
closer to being restored to its for-
mer glory.
The University’s board of gov-
er nors met last month and
grow; as you enhance it and de-
velop it will come out mature and
it will be much better,” she said.
The Eco Film Fest 2011 crews
have been travelling throughout
the country with stops to Univer-
sity Malaya and ASWARA still to
come.
Monday, 28 March 2011
announced that the university
would be opened by 2013. They
further added that the construc-
tion work is being undertaken by
5 countries including Japan,
Singapore, Thailand, China and
India as well.
The initial focus of the
university will be on postgradu-
ate education as well as research
in humanities.
“There has been immense
interest from the international
community. Scholars not just
from East Asia, but from the
West as well, have expressed inter-
est in collaborating with the pro-
ject,” said newly appointed Vice-
Chancellor Gopa Sabharwal.
According to Sabharwal, a
global competition to choose the
university’s architecture will be
launched soon.
Historians have suggested that
the university had once accom-
modated 10, 000 students and
scholars from all over Asia and
had studied a variety of subjects
that focused on science, philoso-
phy, literature and mathematics.
China clamps
down on low
quality journals
CHINA: Chinese authorities have
ordered the publications of sev-
eral academic journals and maga-
zines to be stopped in an attempt
to reduce the number of sub-
standard academic journals in the
country.
Beginning mid-February, the
Chinese General Administration
of Press and Publication (GAPP),
in charge of regulating overseas
news and other publications, or-
dered the cessation of 6 journals
while publishers of 8 others were
to be punished on the basis of
low quality publication.
GAPP has found that certain
publications were incapable of
maintaining the quality of the aca-
demic papers and that one such
journal had published nearly 200
papers in one issue.
China has recently come under
international criticism for their
lack of supervision on peer evalu-
ation when it comes to academic
journals. Thus the Chinese gov-
ernment is determined to put a
stop to such criticism.
It is estimated that around
8,000 journals are published in
China with 4,600 of the journals
relating to the scientific field and
more than half of the articles
published are seldom cited.
Source: University World News
Monday, 28 March 2011

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5

ProPassion promises a
glamorous night
By Michelle Chun

I t will be a night of glitz

and glitter as ProPassion
Communications rolls out
the red carpet in honour of the
glam.
Happening in April, Glam
Tour is promising to be a star-
studded night of fun, laughter,
and unprecedented glamour.
ProPassion Communications,
a consultancy managed by the
Sem 6 Diploma in Communications
students, is hosting the event
in partnership with external
company MyPartners.
“It will be a sensational and
fun event whereby youths will
be able to enjoy sophistication
for a night of absolute sizzle
and style,” Eric Chan Mun Ho,
ProPassion Operations Director said.
This event is to coincide with the
newly-launched YUBERACTIVE,
an online platform for youths to
connect with global leading brands.
Through this portal, young
people will gain experience and
also be rewarded for their efforts
in introducing and connecting
their peers to the brands.
Launched on 1 March 2011,
YUBERACTIVE is managed by
ProPassion client MyPartners,
Malaysia’s leading youth marketing
and communications agency.
Two world brands are already
connected to YUBERACTIVE,
namely StarAsia, a prominent
distributor of notable fragrance
and cosmetic brands, and 20th
Century Fox.
Glam Tour will be part of
ProPassion’s efforts to create further
awareness on YUBERACTIVE and
to reach the desired objective of
10,000 sign-ups on the portal.
In the meantime, there will be
a contest for the title of ‘Most
Glamorous’ person in Taylor’s.
Known as Glam Hunt, it will
begin with the ‘Glam Squad’
on the lookout for potentially
glamorous people.
The shortlisted people will
then battle it out during Glam
Tour for the title, where public
voting will take place.
ProPassion’s Marketing and
Communications Department
Head Abigail Ngai Su Yeen
promises a night not to be
forgotten by all.
“Besides glamour, come and
see performances from bands,
meet new people and decide who
should be crowned the winner
of the Glam Hunt,” she said.
Tickets are priced at RM10
and are on sale now. A Rimmel make up artist at work with a Glam hunt contestant

Carpooling mooted to solve parking woes

said it was difficult for students “It is very frustrating to not be
to carpool. able to park at Zone G. Some-
“Students live at different times while I am driving around
places and have different campus tr ying to find a park-
timetables so it is not ing spot, I can see
easy for us to carpool empty parking
as much as we would “Students are spaces there.”
like to,” she said. urged to be Sheena said
Taylor’s University there would be
provides 2000 park- mindful of empty parking
ing spots for students others when spots at Zone G
(plus an additional 500 throughout the
spots for staff), at a they park.” day because staff
ratio of one parking Taylor’s Student Council could have either
spot per five students, gone out for ap-
which, according to pointments or
Sheena, is the most among other come in at later times.
private institutions. Nowadays, students have been
However, this does not appear spotted parking their cars along
A trailer stuck between two illegally parked cars causes massive jam on Jalan Taylor’s to be enough as finding an empty the side of the road as a last re-
parking place has been a major sort.
problem since the opening of Earlier this month, a massive
By Nurul Ain Jamaluddin

S
tudents are encouraged to
carpool to ease the prob-
lem of inadequate park-
ing spots at Taylor’s Lakeside
Campus.
“Students have to cultivate
the culture of carpooling,”
COO of Taylor’s Education
Group Facilities Management
Sheena Angelina said.
She added that it would be
impossible to cater one parking
space to each of the 10,000
students in Taylor’s.
However, Taylorian Alia Ali
the campus. traffic jam occurred inside the
This problem has only been campus area.
escalating since the Zone G park- A construction lorry was
ing lot was recently restricted to trapped between two cars parked
staff only. at both sides of the road near
Student Raidatul Husna said, Taylor’s exit.

Tourism students raise funds to assist children in need

S tudents from the Diplo-
ma in Tourism course
(Batch 34) organised the
first ever charitable effort in con-
junction with a regional trip on
11 March.
‘Clothe a Child & Feed the
Hungry’ raised funds for the
Chres Village School & Orphanage
in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
The event came about as they
were planning a 5-day tour trip to
South East Asia as part of their
final semester project.
“Since we will be visiting
Chres Village, we figured that
we should raise money for them
as well, hence, this project,”
Chairperson Vanessa Tevi said
during the event.
Held outside the Student Life
Centre, it attracted a great turnout,
proving to be the perfect
opportunity for the organisers to
spread awareness and raise funds
for those in need.
Among the various activities
held throughout the event were
pool, arm wrestling, and a ‘Fear
Factor’ competition. Winners
of the pool and ‘Fear Factor’
competition were awarded with a
two-day one- night stay in either
Langkawi or Penang courtesy of
Nantha Travels.
None of the contestants
left empty handed as they were
given vouchers by Sakae Sushi and
T-Bowl. Other sponsors such as
Genxin Charity, Mercedez-Benz
and Explorer Travel pitched in
by donating directly to the Chres
Village School and Orphanage.
The orphanage, which was
established in 2006 through the
Sustainable Organization for
Community Peasant Labourer
Student Development and
Orphans, is a non-profit and
non-governmental association.

6 NE WS / FE AT U R E
Taylor’s to improve
facilities for people with
disabilities
By Nurul Ain Jamaluddin
Parking spaces for the disabled placed near a ramp
M
ore ramps are going
to be installed around
Taylor’s Lakeside
Campus to enable students and
staff with disabilities to access all
areas around the campus.
COO of Taylor’s Education
Group Facilities Management
Sheena Angelina said, “We are
now moving into stage two [of
our plan] where we are going
to set up more ramps and make
this campus a handicap-friendly
campus.”
During stage one, Taylor’s
made sure each block had parking
spots for people with disabilities.
Visitors with disabilities were also
given parking spots near the bus
stop.
In addition, ramps were made
at the bus stop to make sure
visitors with disabilities were able
to move easily from the car park
Radio stations help our
grads in recruitment
By Cheryl Lee Sze Huey
T
hree local radio stations
have joined hands to help
unemployed graduates
find jobs through a newly
launched Resume Bank.
As part of the L.O.L (Live
Out Loud) campaign organized
by Media Prima Radio Networks
(MPRN), the Resume Bank,
accessible through their respective
websites (lol.hotfm.com.my, lol.
flyfm.com.my, lol.onefm.com.
my), allow students to submit
their applications for internship
or jobs online.
Chief Operating Officer of
MPRN, Seelan Paul said the
respective radio stations would
look through their resumes and
provide proper guidance to help
students find jobs or internships.
“Education has always been
to the first level of Block B.
Taylor’s lecturer Abdul Razak
Mohd Kassim, who has had to
use the wheelchair since he was
a child, said he was happy with
the facilities provided at Lakeside
Campus.
“So far so good, but I’m sure
a lot of things can be done to
cater the needs of people with
disabilities,” he said.
However, some students with
disabilities still find it difficult
to move around the campus,
especially from classes in Blocks
C, D and E to the food court at
commercial block.
IT student Kent Gowiko,
who had to recently start using
crutches, said, “It is very tiring to
go to commercial block so I just
ask my friends to buy food for me
and bring it here [to Block E].”
in our minds and this is part of
our efforts to help propel young
individuals step into the job
industry,” he said.
“Students will be able to plaster
the LOL site’s bulletin board with
any upcoming events happening
in their respective schools or
campuses,” he added.
L.O.L is an ongoing campaign
by MPRN comprising Fly FM,
Hot FM and One FM focusing on
students and graduates.
Paul added that MPRN plans
to visit secondary schools at least
three times a year starting in April
and also host talks six times a year
at selected universities around the
country.
The talks will touch on
career topics, such as broadcast
engineering, marketing, brand and
promotions, and even tricks of
becoming a radio announcer.
Twitter: My daily news source
By Neha Naresh
I
know the topic of social net-
working websites has been
completely exhausted. But
here I am giving my slightly dif-
ferent take on such a website:
Twitter.
While not as famous as its
nemesis, Facebook, Twitter has
been rapidly gaining popularity.
It is a micro-blogging website
that is used worldwide. Twitter is
all about sharing your thoughts;
it could be anything from a minute
detail about your life to your
thoughts on a current world affair.
Basically, you can use Twitter to
talk about anything!
A lot of celebrities, politicians
and other prominent members
of society use Twitter as well; be
it the King of Bollywood, Shah
Rukh Khan to our very
own Prime Minister,
Datuk Seri Najib Tun
Razak.
It is a vast platform
for public figures to
share their opinions and
to also let people know
what is going on in their
lives.
To be completely
honest, when I first
heard about Twitter,
I was not enthusiastic
about it. I just sighed
and said, “Not anoth-
er one!”
A few months later,
however, I was surf-
ing the net and came
across the Twitter page
of Lady Gaga and start-
ed reading her tweets.
Let’s get craic-ing
By Aizuddin Arshad
I
have been fortunate
enough to visit the home-
land of the Leprechauns
recently. The weather there
was typically Irish – unpredict-
able – and the winter was frigid
and cold.
But the sights were truly
magnificent. That is not, howev-
er, what intrigued me the most.
It’s not St. Patrick’s Day, if
that’s what you think. It is the
craic that was most noteworthy
as it is quintessentially Irish.
Pronounced as crack, the
term does not correspond to
any specific translation or defi-
nition.
But it can be roughly captured
as ‘fun’ or ‘general enjoyment’.
There can be great craic go-
ing on, especially in pubs, or you
I was hooked! From her profile
I jumped to another and soon
enough I was stuck in front of my
laptop.
Then one day, a friend of mine
mentioned that she had created a
Twitter account and after hearing
that, it stuck with me. I decided to
create one and set about ‘follow-
ing’ all sorts of people.
At first I wasn’t too active on
Twitter as I was still hooked on
Facebook. Comparatively, Face-
book seemed infinitely more in-
teresting.
Some time ago, I was check-
ing Twitter and I saw everyone
discussing the earthquake that
hit Christchurch in New Zea-
land. That’s when I said to myself,
“Why should I watch CNN, when
I can just follow CNN on Twitter!
This opened up a whole new
could be a craic yourself by be-
ing good company.
Besides social settings, the
merry culture of the craic
can be seen in other aspects
of Irish society.
To go along with the craic,
one needs a more easy-going at-
titude.
As such, the intense “over
time” working lifestyle com-
mon in Asia is unheard of in
that part of the world.
They work efficiently during
working hours and come 5p.m.,
they bolt out the door to un-
wind.
And the politicians too are
a lot more casual in carrying
themselves in public, lest be
deemed snobs and not embrac-
ing the craic, which could cost
them the election.
This culture is something
that would be beneficial if it
Monday, 28 March 2011
vista of opportunities for me.
Soon enough, I found myself
turning to Twitter for current af-
fairs.
Now, I had a way of keeping
in touch with what was going on
in Malaysia and around the world!
How convenient it was, I mar-
velled to myself.
That’s when it occurred to me
that websites such as Twitter don’t
only serve the singular purpose
of allowing one to socialise with
one’s peers.
It also allows one to keep up
with what is going on in the world.
So what are you waiting for?
Go check out Twitter today and if
it meets your liking then get your-
self an account.
You will definitely enjoy the ex-
perience. I know I am!
was acculturated into our own.
We are a serious, protocol-
conscious, and high-strung
group of people.
Couple that with our cho-
lesterol-laden diet of daily
nasi lemak and roti canai, it’s
a recipe for the ultimate heart
attack.
Or at the very least an anxi-
ety attack. So why not try to
loosen up a bit and take more
time to enjoy life? We start
small, with ourselves and
those in our charge – family
and employees.
Then maybe we can get this
thing viral and create something
like the Facebook mania.It is
going to be a long way before
the entire society can get on
with this culture, so we better
get craic-ing now!
Monday, 28 March 2011
FE AT U R E
Caring for the elderly
Caring for the elderly in our lives should be practised
ally challenging process for all the matters. Asian values, however,
By Nur Affizza Binti Azmi
T
parties involved. The caregivers, highlight our duty to care for par-
who are mostly children caring ents as they once did for us. Most
here is an old adage
for their aged parents, must freely of us are willing to do this but are
which says that as we
forgive the latter’s shortcomings unsure of how to provide good
become senior citizens,
and ensure the best care for them. care for the aged while manag-
our characters become
In today’s fast-moving world, ing our own lives. Therefore, here
similar to those of childre n: stub-
adults are increasingly caught up are some tips on eldercare for the
born, sensitive and attention-crav-
in their work and surrounding concerned younger generation.
ing. Elderly care is an emotion-
Classifields Aren’t Taylorians sporting enough?
Space For Sale
Are you interested in buying an ad space? From looking for a room- By Nurul Ain Jamaluddin
S
mate to selling your old toys, this is the place to advertise your needs.
Please send your request to inkslingers2011@gmail.com with your ports clubs at Taylor’s
contact details are facing difficulties
in recruiting dedicated
members, reflected during the
This space for recent Clubs and Societies Day
held earlier this month.
RM 5 President of Taylor’s
maximum of 40 words
This space for University Anime Society
Edwin bin Sabturani said more
RM 10 students join non-sports clubs
maximum of 100 words because they view these clubs
as physically less demanding.
This space for “By joining non-sports clubs,
students expect the activities to
RM 5 be held indoors. They prefer to
maximum of 40 words just attend meetings.
It is much more convenient
compared to joining a sports
club which requires outdoor
activities,” he said.
Tabitha Ujang, a member of
Taylor’s Book Club, said many
This space for RM 15 Taylorians have hectic lifestyles
maximum of 150 words as university students.
“We students are too busy
with our studies and assignments.
Most of us cannot commit to
the demanding activities of a
We’re all in this together
As soon as an elder shows signs
of needing care, gather all fam-
ily members together and discuss
about eldercare. Make a list of
responsibilities and divide them
among all members. Some of
your family members may not be
very pleased with the thought of
looking after an aged person, but
remind them that being a family
means caring for one another: -
something they would also require
in their old age. When each fam-
ily member plays a part, the aging
will feel loved and cared for.
Happy (nutritious) meal
Elderly people in general
should avoid salty and spicy food.
If you are not cooking for your
family, team up with the cook and
prepare a weekly menu of nutri-
tious food for them. Talk to your
grandmother to find out her fa-
vourite foods and try to incorpo-
rate them into the menu.
Outdoor moments
A simple walk in the park is
enough to give a person a healthy
feel as spending time indoors
would not be beneficial to their
health. Take time to bring them
out. Change that Sunday lunch
to a picnic by the waterfall or a
weekend outing with the family.
Not only does going outdoors
make your loved ones feel happy
sports club,” she said.
Meanwhile, Nurul Syahirah, a
Foundation in Science student,
mentioned that some students
who were interested in joining
sports clubs during Clubs and
Societies Day failed to do so
because there was no one at
the booths.
“I actually wanted to join the
Athletics Club but there wasn’t
anyone,” she explained.
Edwin also pointed out the
inconsistency of sports clubs’
activities as another contributing
factor to the students’ lack of interest.
“Personally, I was planning to
join the basketball club but I heard
that practices are inconsistent.
If the club is inactive for three
months, students would start
to think the club does not exist
anymore,” he said.
Taylor’s Women’s Futsal Club
experienced this exact situation
when the club was inactive for
two months recently.
“Our last futsal practise was in
December last year. We will start
training regularly again beginning
this March with new members
7
and rejuvenated, you also get to
strengthen family ties. Senior citi-
zen Hasimah Kasah said, “I really
enjoy doing outdoors activities
with my children and grandchil-
dren. It makes me feel so happy.”
Bridging the gap
Those who are bedridden are
much more difficult to entertain
since bringing them outdoors is
practically impossible. A simple
solution is to bring children to
meet the elderly since they like to
interact with kids. The upbringing
of children should include regular
time spent with the aged ones in
the family.
Expert assistance
Don’t be afraid to seek expert
assistance if you are not sure
about how to care for the elderly,
especially when caring for senior
citizens with mental health issues
or terminal diseases. “I take my
parents for medical check up at
least once in three months in or-
der to monitor their health,” said
Mohd Idzham Baharudin, 25, an
accountant with Telekom Malay-
sia Berhad. In Malaysia, the Na-
tional Council of Senior Citizens
is available for consultation, as
are medical personnel throughout
the country. Keep things positive
when speaking with your loved
ones. Always provide the assur-
ance that you are there for them
in times of need.
already signed up,” said Aseel
Omar, captain of Women’s
Futsal Club.
Meanwhile, Swimming Club
president Jillian Ng said the club
had not been active because
nobody was running it previously.
Student Event Advisor
J.B. Aravind said Taylor’s
management had activities
planned for sports clubs last year
but students in charge did not
execute them.
“However, there are clubs
who are consistently active, like
the Muay Thai and Ping Pong
clubs,” he said.
Aravind added that Taylor’s
was looking to change the
situation this year.

8 FE AT U R E S
International Women’s Day
Celebrating women as they continue to march forward
By Marie Erin Pereira
A
century ago, the world began to
recognise the contribution of
women to society.
The International Women’s Day (IWD)
is celebrated each year on 8 March in their
honour.
It is a major day of global celebration
whereby women are acknowledged for their
achievements regardless of divisions such
as nationality, ethnicity, linguistic, culture,
economic status or political leanings.
Numerous events are lined up not just
on this day but throughout the month of
March to celebrate women and appreciate
their contributions to society all these years.
Besides serving as an occasion to recall
past hardships and triumphs, it also gives us
the chance to look forward to the untapped
potentials and opportunities that await the
future generations of women.
This year marks the 100th anniversary
of International Women’s Day, with the
global theme selected by United Nations as
“Equal Access to Education, Training and
Science and Technology: Pathway to Decent
Work for Women.”
For women across the globe, the
symbolism of IWD holds a deeper meaning
in their hearts. It offers them a chance to
look back and see how far they’ve come in
When does the violence begin?
By Alia Ali
Y
ou know your neighbor sees
red easily, you have seen the
tell-tale bruises his wife tries so
desperately to hide and you have heard her
muffled screams in the dead of the night.
You ask yourself, “When does the violence
stop?”
Stop Motion Project founders Temme
Lee, Ong Jo-Lene and Lim Kar Mern are
instead asking, “When does the violence
begin?”
Funded by a grant from Association
of Progressive Communications’s (APC)
initiative for ICT use in ending violence
against women,
this project is
organized
in Malaysia
by Pusat
Kesedaran
Komuniti
Selangor
(EMPOWER).
This video
campaign is
being carried out
in three phases over six weeks, using
creative storytelling through stop-motion
animation to promote awareness on the
issue of violence against women. Short
and simple, each video displays social
scenarios relatable to many Malaysians,
source: http://topuspost.com
“I want to challenge people to be
more concerned with “When does
the violence begin?” instead of
picking up the pieces in the after-
math of abuse. Prevention is cure,”
- Michelle Tam
their never-ending struggle for equality,
peace and development.
Not only that, it also serves as a platform
to unite, network and mobilise meaningful
change.
Here in Malaysia, IWD has been celebrated
by fighting violence against women.
ending with the tagline of “When does
the violence begin?”
By asking this question, Stop Motion
Project hopes to encourage discussion.
It also aims to help the public identify
which situations come under the term
“violence against women” - whether that
person is the victim, the perpetrator or the
bystander - and to rectify the prevailing
local attitudes towards the problem.
Ong Jo-Lene herself came to Taylor’s
to speak about the project and facilitate
discussions. Participants opened up,
sharing personal experiences about their
own brushes with discrimination
and violence against
women. Even
though time
was limited,
the discussion
brought
to light
questionable
situations that
many women
find themselves
in, and how it affected
them in the long run.
Estimates by the Women’s Aid
Organization reveal that up to 93% of
domestic violence cases are only reported
after years of the victims suffering in
silence. This happens for many reasons,
though the many campaigns held through
Seminars, exhibitions, and campaigns
are among the few initiatives that have
been carried out to raise awareness and to
allow women to express their dissatisfactions
against gender violence.
Consequently, two noteworthy legal
achievements have been made: one, the
implementation of the Domestic Violence
Act in 1996 - Malaysia being the first
country to recognize domestic violence
as a crime; and two, the reforming of laws
with regards to rape.
One of the events held this year in
conjunction with IWD was the Stop
Motion Project.
Running by the tagline, “When does the
violence begin?”, the project aims to end
violence against women.
This KL-based project also sees the
participation of Michelle Tam, 22, a final
year student of Communication and Media
Management (CMM) at Taylor’s University.
She mentioned that she’s always felt
strongly about violence against women
and is glad to finally be able to contribute
towards ending, or at least reducing the
severity of the problem.
“I want to challenge people to be more
concerned with “When does the violence
begin?” instead of picking up the pieces in
the aftermath of abuse. Prevention is cure,”
she stated
Stop motion animation on violence against women
the years have helped some.
Maria Chin Abdullah of EMPOWER
notes on the Stop Motion Project
website that “The project will add on to
the work of many groups working on
violence against women, which opens up
possibilities to redefine violence against
women and creating spaces for discussions
in an interactive manner.”
“I felt honoured when the core team
invited me on as a member,” said Michelle
Tam, one of our own Taylor’s University
students who was directly involved with
the project.
Her favourite experience was while
working as the makeup artist for
Monday, 28 March 2011
The new millennium has witnessed a
significant shift in both women’s and
society’s perception regarding equal
opportunity for women.
Women nowadays have their own
opinions and are eager to speak their minds,
demanding to be heard.
They want to be at the forefront, together
with men, striving for more success and
leading their nations to be more progressive.
But the sad truth is that women aren’t
treated as their male counterparts in many
parts of the world; they are not equally
represented in business or politics, and
internationally, women’s education and
health are of poorer quality than that of
men.
The continued violence against them still
has not seen an end to it.
Nonetheless, improvements have taken
place. We now have female astronauts and
prime ministers, school girls being accepted
into universities, women securing better job
positions while having a family, and many
more.
Even if the situation seems to be getting
better, there is still much more that needs
to be done to uplift women’s standard in
society.
Each individual out there has to play his
or her respective role in ensuring that the
future for women is bright, equal and safe.
“Segregate the Zombies”, which highlights
gender segregation and sexual harrasment.
“Transforming three good looking
guys into the undead and making batches
of realistic fake blood using dark blue
paint, deep red food dye, and a dash
of cornflakes for ‘guts’ - with no prior
experience whatsoever - is something I’ll
always be proud of.”
Online partners of the campaign
include the video channel PopTeeVee.net,
legal community blog LoyarBurok.com
and supported by ChicYamada.com.
It will also be featured at the
Women:100 festival organized by KakiSeni.
Monday, 28 March 2011
The Red Carpet verdict - from the OSCARS 2011
By Florence Song
O
n one spectrum of the globe,
fashion juggernauts and industry
darlings alike pound the pavements
by the Italian palazzos in their red-soled
Louboutins – speculating what the next
fashion maison might send storming down
the runway.
From Missoni’s signature tweeds dyed in
a magpie mix of popsicle hues, to Cavalli’s
armour-like bodices; fashion week’s Autumn-
Winter offerings were the only talk of
Milano town.
Au contraire, on the sunnier side of
downtown LA, lays a sartorial spectacle of
its own.
It was once again the time of the
year for Hollywood Boulevard to dazzle
under the spotlight (and sometimes, unforgiving
scrutiny) cast by fashion pundits, as
the 83rd Annual Academy Awards rolled
round.
Though some may beg to differ, the
defining Oscars moment is when a celebrity
saunters down the iconic crimson runway
in her sartorial best.
Why else would millions so willingly
subscribe to the pre-show dress coverage?
Surely that lies with the guilty pleasure of
marvelling at the fashion triumphs and
mishaps of Hollywood’s finest.
Esteemed to be ‘The Holy Grail’ of all
red carpets, Tinseltown’s A-listers know
full-well that scoring praise for their red
carpet ensemble is almost as elusive, if not
more so, than clinching one of the coveted
The season of Davids slaying Goliath after Goliath
By Mizna Mohamed
I
t was a typical Saturday evening and
I was flopped in front of the TV.
Newcastle was hosting Arsenal and I
was curious to see how the Toons fared
after losing their star man, Andy Carroll to
Liverpool.
The match started and it looked like it
was over with 26 minutes on the clock as
Arsenal eased into a comfortable 4-0 lead.
Feeling a bit sorry for the Toons, I was
overly grateful for the halftime whistle.
The first few minutes of the second
half was again painful for the Toon fans
as their team struggled, then suddenly it all
changed.
A fourth goal of the season for Leon
Best, sandwiched between two Joey Barton
penalties made me sit up straight and smile
in anticipation.
The Arsenal defense crumbled under
the intense pressure from the home team,
urged on by the intensifying roar of their
fans.
The rest they say is history but Cheik
Tiote’s first goal in English football
completed the greatest comeback of all
time.
This season of the Barclay’s English
Premier League (EPL) has been one roll-
ercoaster of a ride for every team. The hun-
gry Wolves breaking the illusion of invin-
cibility surrounding Manchester United, a
disciplined Sunderland side dismantling
FE AT U R E S
Jennifer Lawrence in figure-hugging, bright
red Calvin Klein dress
golden statuettes.
Consequences are dire – you’re either
elevated to fashion icon status or immediately
typecast as a passé. Here you’ll find seasoned
red carpet guests pulling out all the stops
- glitz and glam amped up to the ninth
degree.
It seems that most got the memo dictating
sensual siren reds to be the look du jour of
this year’s Academy Awards.
Vivacious rogue colours ranging from
high-wattage tomato hues to tangerine
brights studded the red carpet.
Jennifer Lawrence in particular ravished
as the seductive femme fatale (Jessica
Newcastle Midfielder Cheik Tiote celebrates after his equalizing goal against Arsenal
champions Chelsea at Stamford Bridge
and a determined West Brom side thrashing
Arsenal. One thing is clear though, English
football is changing.
Gone are the days when teams like
Bolton, Wolverhampton and Sunderland
succumb to the pressures of playing against
the big names of English football.
Instead, the game has become attack-
minded, raging with flair with fancy back
heels and outrageously exceptional goals.
(Wayne Rooney’s match-winning volley
Rabbit anyone?) in a basic figure-hugging,
bright red Calvin Klein dress.
Some opted for the embellished route
with trains and frills as Sandra Bullock – a
classic purist – donned a strapless red Vera
Wang while Anne Hathaway oozed old
school Hollywood charm in a vintage red
taffeta gown by Valentino Haute Couture.
Jennifer Hudson showed off her
new-found svelte figure in a vibrant
tangerine piece by Versace alongside
Penelope Cruz who flaunted her amazing
post-baby figure in a bold L’Wren Scott
sequinned gown.
Fiery reds aside, others explored calmer
waters with gowns in metallic and neutral
palates.
Gwyneth Paltrow – the queen of subtle
elegance - shone in a liquid Calvin Klein
molten gunmetal gown proving yet again
that clean aesthetics were her forte while
‘Blue Valentine’ star Michelle Williams
played up her gamine appeal in a pearly
white Chanel gown that was devoid of any
frippery.
Hilary Swank was yet another red carpet
stunner who capitalized on understated
evening glam with her silver Gucci feath-
ered gown.
While others played safe, Cate Blanchett
delighted in a lavender-hued, avant-garde
Givenchy crafted couture piece which gar-
nered surprisingly mixed reviews.
They say that only the bravest few dare
to stray, but whether you’re making a statement
in a provocative Galliano gown crafted for
the fashion daredevil, or wowing in an Elie
against City is worth a mention here).
There is a belief among teams that with
proper discipline and tremendous hard
work, they can have a go at any team in the
league; be it away or on their own turf.
This amounts to one of the reasons why
the league table is so tight at both ends this
season. Teams are finding it difficult to
string a decent run of games.
Every match is hard work and no team
has the luxury of taking their eyes off the
ball, be it those fighting against relegation,
9
Saab sequinned sizzler fit for the vixen-
ish starlet, remember, there’s nothing
duller and more forgettable than being
formulaically safe.
Cate Blanchett in a lavender-hued, avant-
garde Givenchy
No one remembers a mediocre dress,
but a statement dress? Now that will burn
a lasting impression into people’s minds
for years to come.
Case in point? Bjork’s notorious
Marjan Pejoski swan dress – complete
with giant egg no less – back in 2001’s
Academy Awards.
Mentioned to death? Perhaps. Forgotten?
Never.
challenging for the title or competing for
coveted European spots.
However, many believe the quality of
English football has gone down and that
although teams are scoring goals, they are
letting goals in as well. So far this season,
797 goals have been scored and conceded.
Last season, with 38 rounds of
matches played, 964 goals were scored
and conceded.
With 11 rounds of matches still to be
played, it is highly likely that the teams will
surpass this number by a margin.
I do agree that as a fan (even of Liverpool)
it has become extremely difficult to predict
in which games your team will drop points.
But as a fan of football, this season has
been the most exciting season of recent
times. Seeing newcomers Blackpool play
such attractive football and witnessing the
change in Bolton’s game makes me feel
proud to be a fan of the beautiful game.
And come May, no matter who wins the
title or who relegates, this would be written
down as a season of Davids slaying Goliath
after Goliath.
Dimitar Berbatov might have scored six
goals in one match and Fernando Tor res
may be the most expensive player in
English football.
But the names of Charlie Adam of
Blackpool, Demba Ba of West Ham and
Peter Odemwinge of West Brom would
certainly leave a greater mark on the minds
of EPL watchers around the world.
 Monday, 28 March 2011
10
FE AT U R E S

“It wasn’t my fight to fight”

An exclusive interview with a student studying in Egypt
By Alia Ali

T
he current wave of Middle East and North African
protests have been making their way steadily
through many countries. The clashes, self-
immolations and death tolls have been
frightening for many of us who have been watching from
afar.
But what of those who were right there when it
happened? The Inkslingers talked to Anis Natrah
Muhammadd Khairulailzaki, one of the many students
studying in Egypt when the revolution happened.

Inkslingers : Where in Egypt were you studying?

Natrah : I’ve been studying medicine at Mansoura
University for the past year and a half.
There’s always some protest going on at
the university, to be honest (laughs).
Inkslingers : When did you realize that something
was wrong?
Natrah : My friends and I heard about what
was happening in Tunisia sometime
in the middle of January. I started
stocking up on food even then, just in
case. Then the protests happened in
Mansoura itself, on the 24th of January.
This time we knew the protests were
serious when we noticed that the police
A burnt car on the street in Alexandria.
were there at the university.

Inkslingers

: How did the communications black
out affect you?
“...there was a directive WCRD 2011
from the Malaysian High
Natrah


: It was a little worrying. Phone lines
in Cairo and Alexandria were cut off.
Thankfully it did not extend to Mansora.
Commission telling us to highlights fair
go out one last time to stock
financial services
Then on the 28th of January onwards,
we could not connect to the Internet. up on food for a month.”
That was really difficult, as the only
real way I could get updates on what
was happening was by contacting my - Anis Natrah Muhammadd
family back here in Malaysia. They would Khairulailzaki By Joyce Ling

W
then relay to me what they knew from the orld Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) observed
news and Internet. on 15 March every year aims to promote the
AirAsia like myself, and others basic rights of all consumers.
Inkslingers : So you had to call your family half on military planes. To be honest I was
the world away to get updates on the The theme this year, “Consumer for Fair Financial Ser-
a little disappointed that I wasn’t on a
country you were in? vices” is most appropriate as consumers continue to battle
military plane! That would have been
Natrah : Yes! It was ironic, to say the least. I difficult economic conditions.
such an interesting experience. We
remember at some point my mother were then housed in the Tabung Haji Citizens should be well-informed and understand the
told me that there was a directive building in Jeddah for about six days. risks of using bank services, as clauses in fine print free
from the Malaysian High Commission It was terribly boring there just waiting, banks from liability most times.
telling us to go out one last time so we managed to get permission to go Banks in Malaysia are known for fast loan approvals,
to stock up on food for a month. out in groups to shop and sightsee. such as the personal loan, housing loan, car loan and
That would have been a scary thing That wasn’t so bad. Later on we were education loan.
to hear, had I not already stocked up flown back to Kuala Lumpur on Malaysians are therefore able to take out loans easily,
food long before that. SriLankan Airlines. We finally arrived ultimately leaving them in debt.
back here on the 12th of February. The Star reported a rapid increase of household debt at
Inkslingers : What happened next? How did you 11.1% per annum from 2004 to 2009 and from RM516.6bil
finally get out? Inkslingers : Now that you’re safely back here in at end 2009, it climbed by 8.4% to RM 560.1bil as of
Natrah : We took the bus out of Mansoura to Malaysia, how do you feel? August 2010.
Alexandria on the 5th of February. Natrah : I’ve been back here for over a Many people are not adequately informed on the terms
There were about 22 buses all in all. month now. It would have been and conditions banks have.
We only stayed in Alexandria for one interesting to be there and part of “I was not aware that banks fined people for bounced
night. Me being me, while we were the rev olution there. But to quote my cheques. Sometimes it’s not even the consumer’s fault, but
there, I wanted to catch at least a uncle, it wasn’t my fight to fight. they get fined anyway,” student Esmee Elissa said.
glimpse of the action so I went out School is starting next week. I’ll be WCRD 2011 aims to educate people on the use of
and managed to get some photos. flying back soon. I hope everything financial services and calls for the financial services
Then from there we were flown to Jed will be stable and safe enough for me industry to stop misleading consumers through their ads
dah. Some went with MAS, some with to continue my classes. and campaigns.
Monday, 28 March 2011
BOOK
Our maestro of
reviews crashes
The Gatecrasher
S W
By Marie Erin Pereira
ophie Kinsella has writ-
ten numerous novels
during the last ten years
and is an international best
selling writer. source: nollybook.com
She is the author of the number one bestsellers Can
You Keep A Secret?, The Undomestic Goddess, Remember Me?,
and Twenties Girl, as well as the immensely popular
Shopaholic novels.
However, as Madeleine Wickham (her real name), she
has written seven bestselling novels.
The Gatecrasher tells the story of Fleur, a gorgeous
yet lazy woman. At forty, she goes around searching for
rich men who are able to provide her and her teenage
daughter a glamorous and comfortable life.
With the help of The Times, she looks through the
funeral and memorial services of the wealthy - where
gatecrashers are less noticeable-and preys on rich men.
She makes her way into their lives, making full use of
their credit cards and then moves on to yet another vic-
tim.
When Richard, himself a wealthy businessman, meets
Fleur at his wife’s memorial service, he was smitten by
her. Gradually, Fleur works her way into Richard’s
family and cashes in on their wealth simultaneously. But
she finds herself staying behind longer than expected.
Personally, Gatecrasher isn’t my favourite book from
Wickham’s collection. But due credit has to be given to
her as she managed to keep me reading straight through.
Wickham gives us a peek into the lives of the British
upper-class with a combination of suspense and wit.
Although I don’t quite fancy the main character, I
found Fleur to be an interesting person. Wickham keeps
me on my toes thanks to Fleur’s antics.
I found myself eager to know who would be her next
victim and what deceitful ways she might use to enjoy
his wealth.
The same can’t be said about the rest of the characters.
Not only did they pale in comparison to the main
character, but I didn’t find any personal growth for any
of them. The story was interesting but kind of
predictable in a way.
Also, I felt that the ending was quite abrupt and dull.
If you are a Sophie Kinsella fan, don’t expect too much
from this book. It pales in comparison to her other
notable works, but makes a good boredom cure.
FOOD
My preferred sandwich
by Dina Melda Matius
I
t was the first week back at college. My friend and I
were strolling around campus while eyeing the fresh-
ly-opened restaurants.
After much contemplation and with a tight grip on my
not-so-heavy wallet, we finally settled for Hoagies Hauz;
I was not expecting anything as the name was unfamiliar
to me.
Boy, was I surprised when minutes after placing our
orders, I found a savouring plate of melted cheesy pasta
and mind-tingling aromatic Italian bread beckoning me to
take a huge bite. After the first mouthful, I knew I had
found the subject of my food review.
The outlet focuses on healthy, wholesome meals.
Hoagies offer 9 various types of sandwiches and 4 different
spaghetti and vegetarian dishes.
As for beverages, there are a few types of drinks
available ranging from brew, refreshment, blended fresh
juices to soda drinks.
The common sandwiches are usually filled with meat
as well as lettuce, tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, topped off
R E V I E WS
MOVIE
The Adjustment Bureau
fails to impress, saved
by good acting
By Marie Erin Pereira
ritten for screen and
directed by George
Nolfi (writer of
Ocean’s Twelve, co-writer of The
Bourne Ultimatum), The Adjustment source: filmofillia.com
Bureau is based on a short story written by Philip K. Dick
(Minority Report and Blade Runner).
Well-known Hollywood actors Matt Damon and Emily
Blunt star in this thriller.
On the verge of winning a seat in the U.S. State Senate,
ambitious politician David Norris (Damon) has a chance
encounter with a beautiful contemporary ballet dancer
Elise Sellas (Blunt) in a restroom.
Just as he realizes he’s beginning to fall in love with her,
a group of mysterious men reveal their plan to keep the
two apart.
David soon finds out he is up against agents of
Fate - men of The Adjustment Bureau - who will do everything
possible to prevent David and Elise from being together
because it isn’t in the ‘plan’.
However, David is willing to take on this group despite
the consequences.
I’d have to say that Nolfi certainly had great ideas
playing in his mind on how to tackle this movie.
However, he falls short of expectations when it comes
to translating Philip’s short story to the big screen.
If only he had come up with a better storyline to
compliment the interesting characters that he had
created (David and Elise). In short, the storyline brought
the movie down.
On the other hand, I have to take my hats off to both
Damon and Blunt for dishing out some genuinely good
acting performances.
Not only that, both actors also shared very good
chemistry on-screen. They brought out the best in their
respective characters and managed to make them look
absolutely believable. Both Damon and Blunt were
definitely on top of their game in this film.
If you are a fan of Matt Damon or Emily Blunt, there’s
a possibility that you might enjoy watching The Adjustment
Bureau.
If only Nolfi had seized the chance to do more with his
storyline, this movie might have been exceptional rather
than ordinary. The Adjustment Bureau had the potential
to be a great movie had it been well thought out, but all
in all failed to impress.
with a dash of ketchup, cheese mustard, mayonnaise, and
BBQ sauce on an Italian roll. You can actually choose dif-
ferent types of bread, salad and sauces that you want to add
into it.
We dove into our meal, a Supreme Sandwich (parmesan
bread) and a plate of Barcelona Cheesy Chicken spaghetti
with a Snowy Mango Blend and fresh watermelon juice. The
parmesan bread was amazingly soft with a bit of crisp on its
edge.
The smoked chicken with ham was well seasoned and ten-
derly moist. It tasted like heaven combined with the fresh
flavours of cucumbers, capsicum, parsley, carrots and toma-
toes.
The snowy Mango Blend boasted milk, ice and mango
juice blended together and then topped off with mango slic-
es and jelly. It is definitely refreshment in a glass and gives a
fruity punch to the tastebuds.
Unlike other food chains, Hoagies Hauz’s pastas are not
too soaked in sauce, making Barcelona Cheesy Chicken ideal
for spaghetti-lovers.The watermelon juice burst with flavour
and colour, a healthy yet delicious choice.
Although the prices are slightly higher than average, you
do get your money’s worth, especially if you are looking for
a healthy meal or an alternative take to sandwiches.
The setting is cosy and comfortable, great for meet-ups
or alone time alike. Supreme Sandwich - Smoked chicken with ham
11
MUSIC
Avril Lavigne hits
the charts with
Goodbye Lullaby
S
By Marie Erin Pereira
k8er Girl is back to
complicate your life with
her latest release, Goodbye
Lullaby. Avril Lavigne’s last album, source: coverlandia.net
The Best Damn Thing, was released back in 2007 and
received much acclaim.
It was certified platinum in the U.S. within several months
and went on to sell over six million copies worldwide.
The following years proved to be tough for this young
starlet as she was embroiled in plagiarism issues and her
marriage to Sum 41’s Deryck Whibley saw the end of the
road.
But she’s put all her woes aside to come up with an
album that is sure to please her hardcore fans, and maybe
even gain some new ones.
I’m not really a fan of Avril Lavigne, but I have to
admit that it’s nice to see her back in the music scene once
again.
The release of Goodbye Lullaby’s lead single, “What
The Hell”, once again showcases Lavigne’s edgy persona
which she has been known for since the start of her
career.
In a way, I found the song somewhat similar to
“Girlfriend” from her previous album. The energy from
this song is also featured in another track titled “Smile”,
which has a pop-heavy appeal to it.
Meanwhile, the lyrics for “Alice” talk about triumphing
over obstacles.
“Black Star” serves as a graceful introductory track for
the album. Tracks such as “Everybody Hurts”, “4 Real”,
“Remember When” and “Goodbye” contain layers of
emotion.
I feel that certain tracks in her album were inspired
by her divorce.
While she’s already known for being a songwriter for
her own music, this new album sees Lavigne being the
sole writer for a couple of songs.
Not only that, she also assumes the role of a producer
for a pair of tracks.
After listening to her album, it became evident that she
tried to incorporate just a hint of her musical style from
the previous album while experimenting with new music.
Goodbye Lullaby will definitely excite all her fans seeing
that she hasn’t put out an album in the last four years.
Avril Lavigne fans are certainly in for a real treat as
their favourite punk princess is back in town.
 the inkSlingers SPORTS
Monday, 28 March 2011 • IS#1:280311(1) • For internal circulation only

Taylor’s Hockey team makes 2nd runner up Upcoming

Harmesh Singh (right) of Taylor’s watching his shot go in. Source: The Star
SOCIT
is Champ
The School of Computing & In-
formation Technology (SOCIT)
took first place against American
Degree Program (ADP) in the
Taylor’s Closed Football tour-
Taylor’s University’s hockey team Events
reached the semifinals playoff
of the KL Hockey League after
earning a point against Royal
Orientation
Selangor Club. Party for March
The team grabbed 2nd runner-
up in the KLHA Division 3 2011 intake
by destroying the opponent 8
- 1 in the 3rd placing playoffs in Time and Date: 6:00-
convincing fashion. 8:00pm, 7th April 2011
It missed out on the finals after Venue:Multi-Purpose
losing 1 - 2 to Kg. Pandan Sikhs Hall, Taylor’s University
who scored a golden goal in a
controversial decision during
extra time. Taylor’s
University
Career &
nament on 1 March held at the
Matsushita Sports Complex, Shah Employment Fair
2011
Alam.
It was a well-played tight-knit
match as it ended with a 1-1 draw
at full time. The championship Time and Date: 10am-
then came down to penalties,
where SOCIT prevailed 2-1. 4pm, 14th April 2011
The School of Business & Law Venue: Multi-Purpose
got third place with a 6-0 win over Hall, Taylor’s University
ADP’s second team.

Poor turnout for

practices Malaysian fans welcome legends
By Wong Boon Ken and Akil Yunus

A fter conducting a random survey,

the Inkslingers team found out
that only about half of the stu-
dents who signed up for a number of the
sports clubs turn up during practices.
“Usually we get forty to fifty people
signing up for our Volleyball Club during
registration day but only half of them turn
up during trainings,” Sayaka Hashimoto, sec-
retary of Volleyball Club, said.
The Women’s Futsal Club experiences
the same thing.
“It is very frustrating because we aren’t
able to form a proper futsal team. There
were a lot of girls who joined the club and
then quit. So, there was really no one to play
with,” said Aseel Omar, captain of Wom-
en’s Futsal Club.
When asked why a lot of students skip
practices after joining a sports club, Aseel says
it is probably because they are busy with
their studies.
“The hot weather acts as a factor too. If
the activities could be conducted indoors, it
would be easier for people to play sports,”
she says.
Meanwhile, Sayaka thinks that timing is
the reason why students skip practices.
“Our trainings are usually conducted at
night. So, it is very inconvenient for stu-
dents who live far away from college to
come here just to practise,” she says.
Taylor’s University Manager of Sports
and Recreation Centre P.L. Murali said Tay-
lor’s would send emails to students who
registered for sports clubs to ask them to
come for training.
T he EPL All Stars Masters lifted the
Standard Chartered EPL Masters
Malaysia Cup 2011 with a pulsating
3-2 win over defending champions Man-
chester United Masters in the final played
on 13 March.
Over 4,000 English Premier League
(EPL) fans were treated to a dazzling dis-
play of football as some of the biggest
names in English football were in town for
the tournament held at Putra Indoor Sta-
dium in Bukit Jalil.
The United Masters and EPL All
Stars Masters contested the final after fin-
ishing first and second respectively ahead
of the much-fancied Liverpool Masters and
Malaysia Masters in the round robin group
stages.
Faustino Asprilla, who scored a
hat-trick in the final, claimed the Top Goal
Scorer Award with six goals in the tourna-
ment while United Masters’ Andrew Cole EPL All Stars Masters pose with trophy
was named Player of the Tournament.
Malaysia Masters captain Zainal ment. managed to obtain the winning team’s au-
Abidin Hassan’s string of impressive per- ‘Overall, the matches were enter- tographs.
formances in the group stages earned him taining. I’m happy an underdog team won, Football greats from different clubs in
the Best Malaysian Player of the Tourna- but on the downside, the dance perfor- the EPL graced the pitch, much to the de-
ment award. mances between matches were horrible,’ light of the enthusiastic crowd.
In earlier rounds, a mouth-water- observed Malaysia and West Ham United “It was a day for football fans
ing clash between arch rivals Liverpool and supporter Nurul Ain Jamaluddin. to see their club’s legends here like Andy
Manchester United was one for the fans, as From 12pm onwards the free-en- Cole, Bryan Robson, and Robbie Fowler,”
the former overcame a two-goal deficit to try carnival boasted inflatable games, food, said Matthew Lim, a 20 year-old student.
prevail 4-3. and face painting. There was also a ‘meet This was Malaysia’s third year
Buoyed by home ground advan- and greet’ session with the players. hosting the tournament. The Liverpool
tage, the Malaysia Masters also performed “Seeing them up close and per- Masters won the inaugural competition in
admirably against the EPL big guns, aiding sonal is certainly something I’ll remember,” 2008 while the United Masters prevailed
their cause with six goals in the tourna- said Michelle Chun, a Taylor’s student who in 2009.