We’re about to bid farewell to another year. It has been a pretty decent 2011 games-wise, which is not bad considering how little I expected it to deliver on most counts.

Viva la crowdsourcing!

In terms of innovation, this year’s “Startup Fever” has certainly taken the scene by storm. The boardgame cleverly applies gamer-based crowdsourcing as its key tenet, by allowing people to chip in with their own donations, in order to fund the game.

The higher the donations, the more customised and unique your boardgame copy became. And, the game did not get produced until a minimum quantity was ordered by Netizens. This formula looks like one of the year’s new boardgame fads, as I’ve seen it repeated in a number of newer boardgames.

This is a solid concept that is likely to see more traction in the coming year.
The larger game companies continue to beat the electronic and digital mortar-and-pestle, in coming up with the more technologically-inclined “innovations” (sic). Hasbro’s Monopoly Live boasts a 10-inch electronic tower that “rolls” virtual dice, keeps track of player turns and money, as well as rentals.

Pretty nifty, but I guess I still like my old-school Monopoly – paper bank notes, real dice, et al. Still, do check these ones out if you need an RM200 stocking filler.

Cheating spectacular

The collectible and trading card game (TCG) game market saw their flagbearers continue their fine run, with both Magic: the Gathering (MTG) and World of Warcraft (WoW) TCG clocking in awesome products of the year.
MTG’s Gothic and classic horror-themed Innistrad expansion was a clear hit, while WoW’s new Worldbreaker block expansions, Twilight Of The Dragons and Throne Of Tides were resounding sellouts.

Special sets that make it easier for players to “play” (that is, products that are playable straight out of the box) continue to be crowd favorites, too.

But what truly has my vote as the most impressive game of the year has to be Blood Bowl: Team Manager – The Card Game. An eagerly-awaited adaptation of the classic 1980s miniatures fantasy football – not the online kind, but real-deal Orcs-and-Elves kind of fantasy – done up by Fantasy Flight Games (FFG), the stand-alone card-based boardgame is deceptively simple, yet awesome especially since it’s easy to run a real-deal football league off it.

The rules might alienate miniature purists, but the FFG version does what it’s supposed to do: give casual gamers a chance to have frequent kick-a-bouts between Dwarves, Orcs, Wood Elves, Chaos, Skaven and Humans.

Blood Bowl Team Manager

“Match-ups” are swift and resolved almost instantaneously, player downtime virtually non-existent and the action pretty fast. The aesthetics on this FFG is typical of the game company’s products – beautiful, stunning and simply gorgeous.

My only question to FFG is: When are we getting the other races? Last year’s video game adaptation had 20 races, so …

The Force is strong

Speaking of FFG, they scored a coup of sorts by scoring the right to make Star Wars games, namely Star Wars: The Card Game, which is a Living Card Game (LCG). FFG’s website describes the game as cooperative, with players controlling characters from the original trilogy including Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Leia Organa, as they battle Imperial forces.

LCGs are similar to TCGs, except that instead of expansions with randomly-packaged cards, the card expansions come in fixed assortments, making it less “expensive.” Though I’m personally wary of LCGs, seeing how they are ending up as not much different from TCGs, let’s see what FFG does with one of the more revered fan franchises. Let’s see if the Force is strong with this one?

FFG actually has another Star Wars game lined up next year called X-Wing, a pre-painted miniatures game that should excite both casual miniatures fans and sci-fi gamers.

World domination

As for other stuff that I’m looking forward to in 2012, surprisingly it’ll have to be one boardgame that I played less of, having preferred its “meatier” cousins such as Axis and Allies. Yup, I’m talking about Risk!

Having seen many variants and quite a few makeovers over the decades, get ready for a brand new Risk, called Risk Legacy.

Risk Legacy - board and components fully set up

The concept behind the game is simple – players get to remove and eliminate existing components, and then come up with their own enhancements and builds to Risk Legacy, making it a “living” boardgame of sorts.

It’s a pretty radical concept that’s generating lots of buzz online, so I can’t personally try this one out myself.

See you all next year – have a great year-end break, and a Merry Christmas in the meantime!

q CHEE YIH YANG needs to overcome his recent his team’s recent slump in form, in the Damansara Blood Bowl League. E-mail the esoteric gaming nut at yihyang@gmail.com if you have comments, questions, hot gaming news and tips, and trading lists and deck ideas, for both Magic and World of Warcraft. Check out his blog at http://blog.rage.com.my/category/cards-and-boards, and follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/arcturus_mengsk.

The introduction of digital cameras more than a decade ago has revolutionised the way we take photographs. Cost of photography is significantly reduced as users are no longer required to buy rolls after rolls of films and developing them at a photo shop.

Instant preview, intelligent guide mode and other built-in camera features are encouraging users to take more pictures and worry less about the technical aspect of photography.

Gone are the days when photographers had to go through millions of things in their heads before pressing the shutter button.

Thanks to the wonders of technology and cheaper price tag, everyone has a camera these days – be it top-of-the-line digital single lens reflex (DSLR) cameras, mid-range compact cameras or even a phone camera.

Photography is fast becoming, or perhaps already is, part of our lifestyle.

Shoot anywhere, everywhere

With a camera in hand at all times, you can practice and improve your photography skill anytime, anywhere and on almost any subject. Everything is worth capturing – be it your plate of fried chicken or that beautiful iconic structure in a foreign land.

These (idle moments) are the best times for you to play with and understand your camera – which you ideally shouldn’t do at paid assignments such as weddings or events when every second counts.

You can learn about the settings, buttons, functions, menu placements and features available on your camera and take your time to compose, make mistakes and take your own sweet time to snap the picture you want.

By practicing photography on a daily basis, you are also improving consistently. Your ability to determine the right settings (for a photograph) will also get better, which is crucial during a paid assignment.

Most importantly, you will never again encounter that situation during which you wish you had your camera to capture a certain precious moment.

It’s just a tool

There is a saying that goes, “the best camera is the one in your hand” and I could not agree anymore. The camera is merely a tool, nothing more and nothing less, and it is entirely up to the person behind the camera to work his or her magic.

A good camera body or professional grade lenses and equipments do not transform you into a professional photographer overnight.

It is the photographer’s vision, understanding of light and other skills that makes him stand out from the rest – not forgetting the experience he has gained from years of practising and perfecting his their craft.

The last time I checked, Apple’s iPhone 4 was still the most used photo-capturing device in popular photo sharing site, Flickr The pictures, taken with the smartphone, are as beautiful as those taken using professional grade DSLRs like Canon EOS 5D Mark II or Nikon D90.

It is really important to understand what the camera you already own can do and deliver instead of always yearning over newer model or higher grade lenses. New gear may seem to improve your photos’ quality, but they will not take you far or even to the next level.

Express yourself

Photography is a form of expression. Stories, emotions, feelings and ideas can be expressed through pictures. It is certainly not an easy task, especially for new and inexperienced photographers but through practice, it is possible. It is more important that a photographer learns to shoot for himself and not for others.

There will always be people who will criticise your pictures. Stand firm on your ground and do not be disheartened easily. If you know what you are doing, there is no reason to be afraid of negative comments. Instead, use them to learn and improve your photography skills.

As a photographer, it is important to learn to see the beauty in lesser things.
Mundane objects lying around the house or street like an empty cup, broken toys, flowers, or broken glasses are worth photographing if you are able to see the beauty beyond the obvious.

It is entirely up to the photographer’s imagination and creativity to turn something uninteresting into a beautiful photo or piece of art.

Beauty is only skin deep and as a photographer, it is important to bring out the best of our subjects with the resources we have.

Use your resources

More often than not, I have heard of photographers complaining about not having that F2.8 telephoto lens (for close-up shots) or the sky wasn’t blue enough (for perfect lighting) or the model was not drop dead gorgeous.

Instead of spending time whining, it is better to improve your skills and to make use of whatever resources you have to deliver the best result.

The sky will not always be blue on the day of your paid wedding job (in fact, it might even rain heavily) and you may not have a telephoto lens. But you can always fiddle with your camera to capture any available light and always get closer to your subject to take the shot.

As you improve your photography skills, you will also improve yourself as an individual. A good photographer is always prepared for the next moment, will think ahead, expect the unexpected, be organised, be punctual for assignments, learn to take constructive criticism and know what he or she is doing.

There is more to photography than just taking pictures. It is a huge world and you’re on a never ending journey.

With a camera in hand and the right mindset and skill, you will never know where your camera will and can take you. You’ll be surprised.

Jason Lioh is an avid photographer and (formerly) a popular blogger. He blogs at http://jasonmumbles.com; you can also find him on Twitter (@jasonmumbles). He hasn’t been taking photographs consistently but will be doing so real soon – after his exams, that is. The pictures in this month’s Snap Shots were all taken by Jason, Jason Goh (@smashpop) and Robin Wong.

Initially I refused because I am a shy girl. After getting many calls from him I decided to just give him a chance.

However, after we went on our date, he began to avoid me. He even rejected my love saying that I’m “dark” and not rich.

Later on, he gave my phone number to his new girlfriend. She called me up to tease me and then passed the phone over to a few guys who kept disturbing me until I couldn’t stand it.

And then, the guy’s sister also started calling and scolding me for no reason at all. She said something to me which hurt me badly and I have no idea why she did it. Still, I apologised for whatever it was she thought I did even though she was very rude to me.

A few days later I found out from a student of his that he had been saying bad things about me to everyone! I was shocked. Is it so wrong to fall in love with an older man? — Brokenheart Girl

Rusyan

Remember this episode as one that redefines what love means. You gave it a try, but what happened wasn’t and should never be referred to as “love”. That’s a powerful feeling that goes both ways. It isn’t love if your partner insults you.

You’ve been treated badly not because he’s an older man, but because he isn’t a good person. This looks like a twisted game of manipulation. You shouldn’t apologise to those people because you did nothing wrong.

Save the numbers of the people who bother you and avoid their calls. If it gets worse, change phone numbers or file a police report for harassment.
It’s difficult when your private life becomes sensationalised in public, but you’ve got to be strong. What people are saying isn’t the truth so look at this as a test of your patience and strength in difficult times.

This is also a time to be with your friends and people who you really trust. Surround yourself with good people and you’ll be able to withstand the storm. Lean on them for support. Build memories of how supportive and strong friendships can be during tough times.

Su Ann

While a large age gap certainly presents complications, do not allow the age difference to be the defining characteristic of the relationship. It is not wrong to fall in love with an older person as long as the relationship functions well and is built on mutual respect, kindness and chemistry.

In your case, the older man doesn’t seem very kind or respectful. His comments on your skin colour and your finances are superficial and undeserved – you do not have to put up with that from anyone, especially someone you are in a relationship with.

You also do not have to accept any heckling from his sister, new girlfriend and her friends. The next time they call you again, tell them you will report them to the police with all the information you have, and then hang up.

If they bother you even more, lodge a police report or even an official complaint at the school where he teaches. This guy seems like he was bad news from the beginning.

Don’t let men pressure you into dating them. Only disrespectful or immature people cannot back off when refused, and you can see that to be true through his puerile and invasive actions after you agreed to date him.

Compartmentalise this guy and his cohort away from your life and move on. Don’t worry too much about his bad-mouthing you – it reflects badly on him as an adult and certainly his students can see that.

He is not worth your time and emotions. Think of the time you spent with him as sunk cost, and a lesson towards evaluating who you can trust in the future.

Young people often claim that their voices go unheard by adults, the people in charge, the Government, parents, teachers, peers and so on.
Two weeks ago, some of these youths had the opportunity to be heard. Loud and clear.

The #R.AGEchat: Youth Inter-Generational Dialogue between youth and adults took place at the launch of UNICEF’s 2011 flagship report, The State Of The World’s Children (SOWC), Adolescence: An Age Of Opportunity.

* The panelists *

Six young Malaysians sat on the panel representing Malaysian youths, and were given the opportunity to talk about their hopes and dreams and what they are doing to make them happen.

One of the key findings in the SOWC report showed that “entrenched practices and attitudes, as well as political and economic barriers, continue to impede adolescents’ right to be heard – especially for those who may have difficulties expressing themselves, including adolescents with disabilities and minority, indigenous and migrant children.”

The #RAGEchat: Youth gave Faezlan Angah, 16, (from the Department of Orang Asli Development Malaysia); Hazrul Syafiq, 18, (Asian Football Confederation); Jayasamint Savinder Singh, 20, (special Olympics); Noor Diyana Sharifudin, 16, and Qistina Danisyah, 13, (KL Krash Pad); and Sofia Ong (Petaling Jaya Child Council) an opportunity to use their voices.

The adult panel consisted of Senator Datuk Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil (Women, Family and Community minister); Hans Olsen (UNICEF representative to Malaysia); Hanim Hassan (excecutive committe member, Community Social Network Selangor); Muhammad Zarif (Assunta Primary School Petaling Jaya Parent Teacher Association president) and Anant Kaur Hardyal Singh (Assunta Primary School Petaling Jaya Pupils Affair senior assistant).

The panelists discussed Youth And Adults: A Collaboration Of Forces For A Better World and the discussion did not only stay within the four walls at the Annexe Gallery in Central Market, Kuala Lumpur.

Young people took to Twitter to share their opinions and give their point of views as well.

Adult panel
If young people want to be heard, they need to speak up! Communicate in order to be heard.
@cuddyjah: There really should be a youth parliament. At least we’d have a say as well. We are the future leaders after all

@danesh9: Schools should not be exam based. Instead, more debates and other activities should be organised to encourage youth

Youth panel
Most of the decisions made for young people are made without consulting them.
@cikxai: parent shud allow youth to have mind of their own, makin their own choice in university for eg. Sum parent just dont trust kid
@deheroo: adults have experience,whilst youths have fresh brain n spirit.Bring us along, n we’ll be a greater nation.

Adult panel
Children today are given so many opportunities. Today’s lifestyle is all abt laptops and computers. We didn’t have that before.
@Archuroxx: Times change, we can’t be living backwards all the time. Without laptops and computers, we can’t even be tweeting right now.
@tania_ravin: Because we’re given with all this. We’re presumed to be arrogant & imprudent. But yet again, not all youths are the same.

Youth panel
We are often stereotyped as spoiled. When we consult adults, they don’t think our opinions are valid. They don’t listen to us.
@NathalieTXL: We don’t speak, they think we have no opinion. We speak, they complain that we’re rude. Where’s the sense in that?

Youth panel
When young people speak up, the adults claim that we are “Kurang ajar.”
@AbigailChhabra: Adults always perceive us as rude, but talk abt pot calling the kettle black!
@zhexue11: I agree with this, cause some parents don’t think that kids seen enough to give comments
@SpiderSofia: thats what they say, no matter how polite we point their mistake out,most of them say that we are rude to them

Adult panel
If you can get your voices heard, do it. Get the rest of the youths to join you to make your voice louder.
@sapp1600: What’s saddening, is that our little voices are never interpreted into actions. Loud isn’t the point.
@aimansjaafar: in rgrds to community involvement, youth should not always look to adults for answer, they should be the solution themselves.
@manokzunlimited: because if we dont get involved now, we won’t be better adults or improved adults compared to before.
@inbarajs: it’s a choice we have to make. Not all youth can afford to be an “agent of change”

IN the movie DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story (which was not based on any actual team), one of its characters, dodgeball coach Patches O’ Houlihan says: “If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball.”

And judging from the action at MAD Campus Dodgeball League 2011 (Season 3) last weekend, most, if not all, of the players are able to dodge a wrench – if one was ever thrown in their direction.

Ten dodgeball clubs from local and international colleges/universities participated in the final league held at Subang Avenue, Subang Jaya, Selangor, and the USCI University’s teams showed that they were the ones to beat.

The players were swift to dodge and quick on their feet and they definitely provided many nail-biting moments throughout the competition.

The teams from USCI – Devil’s Dukes and Red Legion – proved that they are forces to be reckoned with when they took home the gold and bronze medals respectively.

*Sina*

“I am extremely proud of my players and everyone else in the team. We have worked hard and it all paid off. We earned this victory,” said team captain Sina Delavari, 21.

This is the second time a team from USCI has won the championship trophy, which Sina hopes will become a tradition of some sort for the university’s dodgeball club.

“It’s my last year playing for this dodgeball club and we have won the championship trophy. I hope that whoever becomes the next captain will not break the streak. I hope that they would keep the championship trophy in USCI,” said Sina.

Devil’s Dukes’ sister team, Red Legions, were awarded the third spot after beating KDU College’s KDU Ronins in a tough match.

Coming in second, but not without giving the Devil’s Dukes a tough fight in the finals, were Taylor’s University College Lakeside Campus’ team, Taylors Storm. The players didn’t not go down without a fight and though disappointment was apparent on their faces, they were still proud of their performance that day.

*Andrea*

“We played well, but nevertheless, it’s not our time to lift the championship trophy this season. There’s always next year,” said Andrea Low, 19.

She was also voted as the Most Valuable Female Player in the competition, while Simon Quah, 20, of KDU Ronins was named Most Valuable Male Player.

*Simon*

“I didn’t expect this win at all,” said Andrea. She started playing dodgeball since March last year and only joined because the game was very team-oriented.

“That was the only reason I took up dodgeball. It encourages team spirit and we all get to work together to achieve a common goal,” she revealed.

The MAD Campus Dodgeball League 2011 (Season 3) was indeed a team affair. Not only did the participants played in the tournament, they were also provided the entertainment factor.

Each participating college and university had to send a team of “Dodgettes” (a support team) that put on performances between games and supported their respective teams throughout the competition.

The teams also had to provide their own sportcasters to go against the commentators from the opposing team during matches.

Taylors Storm won the title of Most Energetic Dodgettes and put on an encore performance during the prize giving ceremony, attended by Information, Communications and Culture Ministry deputy minister Senator Datuk Manglin Dennis D’Cruz.

Koh Hui Fang

The owner is Koh Hui Fang, 55, who opened the shop in August last year. Although the business is doing fairly well these days, Koh shared that she had to struggle for a little bit in the beginning, citing the lack of awareness in the benefits of handmade soaps as one of the reasons.

Her daughter, Teo Ee Yin, 28, hopes to change all this by giving lessons on how to make handmade soaps to the public.

Ee Yin in the midst of making soaps

Every two to three months, Ee Yin and her family try to come up with new fragrances for their soaps. They take into account the local flavours when experimenting with new smells.

One of their soaps is actually inspired by the aroma of gula melaka! Koh’s son, Ee Shuian, 26, even said that they might even come up with a durian-scented soap!

The soaps, which do not contain chemicals, are sold in many kinds of shapes and sizes. Some of them don’t even look like regular soaps but more like candy and even cakes.

Some of the soaps available at the shop

Koh is fond of creating new designs for her soaps, like in shapes of ice cream cones, cocktail drinks, cookies and butterflies.

Koh and her family hope to expalnd their business to Kuala Lumpur one day and spread their knowledge on traditional soap-making.

First established by the Ee family in 1936 during the British Occupation, The Royal Press used to be the place individuals and businesses flocked to print greeting cards and catalogues.

Though still functioning, The Royal Press these days only prints cash and invoice books on a smaller scale, owing to the fact that their machinery is, well, outdated.

In 1942, The Royal Press was forced to close down due to the Japanese oppressive rule but it reopened its doors to the public after Malaya gained independence from the British. The shop has been operating since.

However, a staff that used to consist of 50 workers, has now been reduced to just two, and they handle everything from manually operating the machines to scouring the shelves for the right printing blocks.

Despite its lack of employees, The Royal Press has retained its traditional and old-fashioned methods of printing.

Most would question the profitability of the company but Tan Boon Kian, 50, operations manager of the printing press, explains that the main reason The Royal Press is still standing today is not for financial gain, but as a means to preserve the old ways of printing for the benefit of generations to come.

“We’re at that stage where we only have two options: Close down or continue. If we wish to continue commercially, it will not run at a profit. So we’ve decided to preserve it. Most of what you see here at The Royal Press are truly rare sights as most of our machines are no longer in the market and its methods dead and gone due to modern technology.”

Indeed, there are no computerised beeps or electronically-operated equipment in The Royal Press. However, there are rusty machines that are still in use but are no longer as busy as they used to be.

Some of them are also quite hazardous as Tan talks about a former employee who lost his fingers to one of the typewriting machines.

These antique machines don’t just come as a risk, they are also difficult to master.

“In order to run the machines, one needs skills, technique and patience. We’re now facing a problem finding these workers and even if we do, are they capable of doing it?” asked Tan who has been working at the printing company for almost 30 years.

Nevertheless, Tan emphasised the fact that preserving The Royal Press is essential. “You can get modern printing technology everywhere, so we don’t plan on changing the ways of the printing process but we are, however, thinking of converting some of the machines to be powered by motors. Handling them manually wouldn’t be such a challenge then.
“Ultimately, our main idea is to preserve and keep The Royal Press as the rich, historical place it is,” Tan said.

Low

It is yet another regular day for the owner, Low Kim Piow, 44, who has been manning the shop since inheriting the business from his parents 30 years ago.

Like most businesses, Low started small, operating from rented shops all over Malacca, then expanding to his very own shop lot on Jonker Street.

He learnt the art of pastry-making when he was in Taiwan and is no stranger to the baking field. His family is also involved in the making of the company’s baked goods.

Some days, upon walking into the shop, customers are greeted by the heart-warming sight of Low’s eight-year-old son packing biscuits, while his wife ensures that the freshly-baked pastries are properly displayed.

With the mooncake festival on the horizon, throngs of customers have been flocking to Mei Zhong Yuen Confectionary these days. Their mooncakes are high in demand and are not only enjoyed by the Chinese community but also that of other races.

The confectionery bakes a range of mooncakes with traditional flavours such as red bean and lotus paste.

“I’ve stayed true to my forefathers’ mooncake recipe. I’m not too keen on modifying the recipes because the classic flavours are more favoured by my customers. Also, new flavours are merely seasonal and the novelty of it dies out eventually.”

Customers can choose from an assortment of delectable pastries from the shop. Among Low’s specialities is the lotus biscuit, which is also one of the confectionery’s best sellers.

Lotus paste biscuits

Low said, “Our lotus biscuits are special because the ingredients are natural and we don’t preservatives. This means that the biscuits have a short shelf life (so they must be eaten fresh). I’ve had many tourists visit the shop and buying the biscuits. Some even pre-book them!”

It isn’t all hard work for Low at the confectionary, because he does his job purely out of passion. “I’m always happy when customers call me back to praise my products. Once, a tourist from Brunei rang me up and came all the way from Brunei just to collect the pastries! Little things like that make me feel really glad,” shared Low.

However, he does admit that the business is failing to attract today’s youngsters.

With most youth now preferring fast food, delicacies like the mooncake and lotus biscuits are slowly taking a backseat.

Many find maintaining businesses that sell traditional products hold an unpromising future.

But here is Low, unfazed by the challenges that the 21st century present and believing in his products and the age-old charm they possess.

Four local talents – Altimet, DJ Fuzz, Rabbit Mac and Point Blanc – were given the task to come up with a song about “a simple Malaysian boy”, sort of a local version of British singer Estelle’s American Boy.

Clockwise from left: Rabbit, Altimet, DJ Fuzz and Point Blanc.

Simply titled Malaysian Boy, the song was written and recorded in just about one week, which surprised even the collaborators themselves.

“The people at Astro contacted us, asking if we could work on this song together. They want this song to be performed at the upcoming Suara Kami 2011 concert,” said Altimet.

The four guys, who have never collaborated in music before, jumped at the proposal and started working on the song earlier this month.

It didn’t take long for them to sync as a group and produce Malaysian Boy, which they say is just about a regular Malaysian “dude”.

“The song talks about an every day Malaysian boy – about how we hustle, kacau the girls, appreciate where we’re from and so on,” explained Rabbit Mac.

They added that Malaysian Boy is also a chill-out, entertaining “patriotic” song as opposed to the more official-sounding tracks one is used to hearing on national television and radio.

“Everyone will enjoy listening to this song,” said DJ Fuzz, who also produced the track.

Malaysian Boy is written in Bahasa Malaysia, Cantonese, Tamil and English – which the collaborators say best represent a Malaysian who grew up listening to all those languages.

The boys working on the video

“We each wrote our own verses, and they all just worked well when put together,” said Point Blanc, who performs the Cantonese parts of the song.

They spent about five days working in the studio to record Malaysian Boy and had recently completed a video for the song. They also managed to get singer Ila to sing a few lines in the track.

This song, according to the foursome, is to represent the patriotism among young people nowadays.

“I was at Stadium Merdeka working on the video and there were a few teenagers who were discussing the significance of the arena. The patriotism is there. The love for our country is there among young people,” Altimet stressed.

Rabbit shared: “This song is all about that. How the love and unity is already there. The song is not a propaganda, and it’s not in your face. It just tells the Malaysian story as it is.”

Patriotic boys

You can take a boy out of Malaysia, but you cannot take the Malaysian out of him. Altimet, DJ Fuzz, Rabbit Mac and Point Blanc tell R.AGE what exactly they love about Malaysia and being Malaysians.

What makes you proud to be a Malaysian?
DJ Fuzz: It’s a safe country.

Rabbit Mac: If I was born in India … I would’ve just been another Indian boy. Here, I grew up in a racially diverse country and know three languages.

Point Blanc: It has helped me understand and relate to different cultures.

Altimet: We are doing alright. It’s not the best country – it can be better, but it can also be a lot worse.

What do you appreciate most about Malaysia?

DJ Fuzz: Pasar malam. Everybody enjoys the pasar malam. From the rich folks, to poor people and even the tourists. They love pasar malam.

Rabbit: Food. Since I’m from Penang, I have to say the food.

Point Blanc: It’s a food heaven. The 24-hour mamak food.

Altimet: I appreciate the tolerance and co-operation among the people. We gel naturally and it is not forced.

Who is your favourite Malaysian icon/public figure?

DJ Fuzz: Datuk Ahmad Nawab, the music composer. He is the funk!

Rabbit: Tan Sri P. Ramlee. He was my dad’s close friend and I’ve been to his house many times before. I hope that I can sample some of his songs someday.

Point Blanc: Tan Sri Tony Fernandes. His entrepreneurial skills are amazing and he’s taken Malaysia to the forefront.

Altimet: Tunku Abdul Rahman. There wasn’t any bloodshed when he helped get independence for this country.

What’s your proudest Malaysian moment?

DJ Fuzz: Whenever I take a photo and KLCC is in the background. Some people react to it like if I’m in heaven.

Rabbit: Whenever I see Datuk Nicol David play in tournaments. She’s from Penang and we are all proud of her.

Point Blanc: When I watched Datuk Michelle Yeoh in Memoirs Of A Geisha. There she was, a Malaysian – someone from my neighbourhood, Ipoh – in a big Hollywood movie. That was the moment for me.

Altimet: When Malaysia defeated Indonesia and won the AFF Suzuki Cup.

What’s your hope for Malaysia?

DJ Fuzz: That the import tax on cars will be reduced and everyone can afford continental cars.

Rabbit: That they’ll stop piracy and our fans will buy original CDs. They’re just about RM25.

Point Blanc: Progress in the positive way.

Altimet: I hope there will be more equal development in Malaysia.

Suara Kami Konsert/Karnival 2011 will be held on Sept 17 at Stadium Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur. This concert will feature local stars such as Jaclyn Victor, Hujan, Yuna, Faizal Tahir, Pop Shuvit, Psycho Unit, Soul Krazy, Altimet, DJ Fuzz, Man Kidal, Joe Wings, Kit Search, Hilary Ang and more.
To get your tickets, visit www.astro.com.my/suarakami/ and click the “Grab your free Tix Now” link. Watch this space for more information on other ways to get your hands on free tickets.

AS all the MY Challenge finalists slave over their upcoming performances for the Sept 10 grand finals, it seems there’s a lot more on their minds than just staying on pitch or pulling off the perfect dance moves.

The Olympics-inspired inter-school talent competition is no doubt about, well, talent – but their image will also play an important role in their performances.

Their wardrobe choices will be crucial in winning over both the audience and judges.

Some of the finalists from the Modern Dancing and Duet/Group Singing categories have already been considering the impact of their outfit choices when deciding what to wear.

From the Modern Dancing category, Yi Kern from SMK St Gabriel in Kuala Lumpur has confirmed that his group already has an idea, opting for a more casual style of dress similar to every day clothes compared to how they’ve been dressed previously in the competition.

The SMK St Gabriel boys

“It’s not as important as the dance. Our performance is what matters, and we want to show the judges our dance skills as a group rather than standing out as individuals,” he said.

Teh Xin Er from SM Sri KDU in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, whose group is in the finals for Duet/Group Singing, suggested that her group may be placing a greater emphasis on their costume as it will aid them in the competition.

“We’ve been planning for something outstanding. It’s important to stand out because you’ll catch the audience and judge’s attention,” she said.

Since the start of the competition, Xin Er and her team have put in a lot of effort to make sure their outfits helped to complement their performances, and they hope it will continue to work in their favour.

The team has also decided that they will buy the components of their outfit, and put it together themselves as creatively as they can.

The SM Sri KDU girls

Here are some fashion tips that you can follow for the upcoming MY Challenge competition. These tips won’t win you any awards but they will definitely get you noticed on stage.

Comfort first

Yes, Lady Gaga suffers for fashion – quite literally, sometimes – but she also falls down a lot due to her constricting costumes.

With that in mind, don’t wear outfits that would restrict your movements, especially if you’re going to jump, dance and move a lot on stage.

Glitter, glitter, glitter

Girls, Taylor Swift loves glittery things for a reason. They sparkle from near and far and everybody loves to see shiny things. Wear as much glitter as you want but just don’t overdo it. They can also cause dizziness, although this theory is yet to be scientifically proven. Still, why risk it? We need the judges in working condition that day.

Breathable material

Sweaty armpits are a performer’s worst nightmare, as it is for the people around them. Not only do those unsightly wet patches look bad on stage, they also look terrible in photographs! And you know that everybody will be photographing you that day. So make sure your costumes allow your skin to “breathe” and not sweat too much.

Keep it tight

Zip your zippers and button-up those costumes well. Make sure nothing breaks no matter how much you move. We don’t want any wardrobe malfunctions at the MY Challenge finals.

q MY Challenge is endorsed by the Education Ministry and co-presented by The Star and Musicast Productions, supported by R.AGE. Canon is the official camera partners, while Clinique is co-sponsor.