Welcome to Malaysia’s very own professional badmintonl league - the Malaysia Purple League (MPL). It will start this year, run from September to to February, at the Lee Chong Wei Sports Arena and promises a total prize of RM2mil.

Malaysian badminton entering the big leagues

BY RAJES PAUL

Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin (centre) receiving a memento from Lee Chong Wei (right) as Looi Badminton Academy managing director Datuk Jack Koh looks on during the launch of the Malaysia Purple League. - S.S. KANESAN/ The Star

   

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KUALA LUMPUR: An impressive league with big names and big money.

Welcome to Malaysia’s very own professional league - the Malaysia Purple League (MPL).

It will start this year, run from September to February, at the Lee Chong Wei Sports Arena and promises a total prize of RM2mil.

For a start, Malaysia’s superstar Lee Chong Wei and five-time world champion Lin Dan of China are set to be the main crowd pullers – with many more expected to grace the league like four-time world champions Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng of China, South Korea’s Lee Yong-dae and Indonesia’s Markis Kido.

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A total of 12 clubs will battle it out with each club handled by Malaysia’s former greats like Lee Wan Wah, Datuk Misbun Sidek, Jalani Sidek, Ong Ewe Hock, Foo Kok Keong, Lim Pek Siah and Chor Hooi Yee. All the matches will be telecast live on Astro Arena (Channel 801), possibly reaching 3.9 million homes in Malaysia.

Each club can include up to four foreign players in a season and an auction of these players will be held later. A club can only bid on a maximum of two players in the top 32 bracket – to ensure the richer clubs do not monopolise the best players.

The format of play is different – each match in a tie will be played on a best of 11 points in three games.

What makes this league different from the ones in China, Indonesia and India is its emphasis on development.

Next year, the league will also concurrently host a league for players aged 19 and younger – creating a large pool of players with the hope of finding new talents.

The MPL was launched on Tuesday in the presence of Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin and world No. 1 Chong Wei.

Looi Badminton Academy’s managing director Datuk Jack Koh, who came up with the idea for the league, was happy to see his dream of Malaysia’s own league finally taking off.

“The development of sports is not just the duty of the Youth and Sports Ministry or Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) but that of every individual and the private sector. I am glad to initiate this,” said the former World Junior runner-up, who is currently the owner of Purple League (M) Sdn Bhd.

“We have received overwhelming response and for the next one month, we will be finalising the 12 clubs. I have also spoken to China’s chief coach Li Yongbo, Rexy Mainaky of Indonesia, and Park Joo-bong of Japan and they have been very supportive.”

Khairy gave the thumbs up to the initiative by the private sector to help find new Chong Weis.

“From the legendary Datuk Punch Gunalan and Datuk Eddy Choong to Chong Wei, we as a nation have done consistently well in this sport. While our past achievements in the game should be a source of great pride, we should not simply rest on our laurels. We should work harder than ever to produce players,” he said.

“This is not just an ambitious project but one that will hopefully create a pipeline to ensure that Malaysia will always have badminton heroes to look up to in every generation.”

Chong Wei expressed happiness with the new league, saying: “I have competed in many leagues but this will be special because it will be held at home for the first time. I am looking forward to a quality showing from all clubs.”

OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE LEAGUE

1. A club will have a maximum of 20 players.
2. Foreign players are allowed to play a maximum of one match per tie.
3. Player transfer will be established.
4. Points awarded: win (4 pts), draw (2 pts), loss (1 pt).
5. Composition of the tie (two men’s singles, two men’s doubles, one women’s singles and one mixed doubles).

Ana Dahlia Kesal Gambar Instagram Disebar

Gua.com.my – 10 hours ago

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Beberapa minggu lalu, gambar Ana Dahlia dengan seorang jejaka yang dipercayai teman lelakinya bercuti di Bangkok, Thailand tersebar di laman sosial. Ana dikhabarkan ke Bangkok bersama teman lelakinya itu dan sama-sama merasakan kemeriahan perayaan Songkran yang disambut di sana.

Ketika itu, GUA cuba menghubungi Ana, namun usaha GUA gagal. Baru-baru ini, GUA berjaya menghubungi Ana, lantas memintanya berkongsi cerita.

“Saya rasa saya tidak perlu cerita apa-apa lagi. Saya letakkan satu sahaja gambar saya bersama lelaki tersebut dalam Instagram saya, gambar-gambar lain, saya tidak tahu macam mana boleh tersiar. Kami bukannya pergi berdua ke sana, kami ke sana berama-ramai.

Mengenai acara Songkran, saya tidak tahu pun acara itu akan disambut ketika saya ke sana. Kawan-kawan saya mengajak saya bercuti ke sana, jadi saya hanya mengikut mereka sahaja dan itu cuma kebetulan. Saya tidak mahu komen apa-apa lagi mengenai perkara ini,” ujar Ana yang turut mengunci mulut mengenai identiti jejaka terbabit.

Ana juga kesal kerana aktiviti-aktiviti yang dikongsikan olehnya bersama untuk tatapan peminat-peminatnya menjadi satu isu yang diperbesarkan.

“Saya selalu berkongsi mengenai aktiviti dan rutin harian saya di Instagram untuk tatapan peminat. Bukan sahaja ketika di Bangkok, tempat lain juga saya kongsi, ketika saya menjalani penggambaran, beriadah dan sebagainya. Saya tidak faham kenapa perkara ini boleh menjadi masalah besar. Saya rasakan tidak baik untuk mengambil gambar di Instagram tanpa bertanya kepada saya terlebih dahulu. Sebelum siarkan sebarang cerita ataupun gambar, apa salahnya jika bertanya dahulu,” luah Ana lagi.

Mengulas mengenai perkembangan kerjaya, Ana bakal memasuki set penggambaran untuk satu siri drama yang bakal disiarkan di RTM. Mengakui yang dirinya hanya mengambil satu tawaran dalam satu masa, dia mahu fokus dalam menjayakan sesuatu tawaran.

“Saya hanya ambil satu tawaran pada satu masa sahaja. Saya tidak mahu rasa kelam kabut. Jika mengambil dua tawaran atau sebagainya, saya takut masa saya tidak boleh terbahagi dengan baik,” kata Ana lagi.

Dalam perkembangan lain, drama lakonan Ana, 'Mat Cepat' kini disiarkan di saluran TVi. Ana baru sahaja selesai menjalani penggambaran drama bertajuk 'Walau Sedetik Cuma'. Drama terbitan Zeel Production itu bakal bersiaran di saluran TV Al Hijrah.

All new taxis to be brown Proton Exora starting Nov 1

BY PATRICK LEE

Some of the first Proton Taxi Exora taxis waiting to hit the streets.

   

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KUALA LUMPUR: All budget and executive taxi operators with permits expiring by Oct 31 this year must change their car types to a brown Proton Exora.

The move, which comes under a taxi migration scheme by the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) will see 2,604 drivers in Malaysia using the brown Exora by the end of the year.

SPAD chairman Tan Sri Syed Hamid Albar said those with permits expiring between May 1 and Oct 31 would be allowed to keep on using whatever car they had until November.

"As of May 1, those who have to change are given six months to migrate to the new taxi... we'll give an extension. We hope they will (change their taxis)," he told reporters at SPAD headquarters Wednesday.

He added that drivers whose permits expired between May 1 and Oct 31 this year were welcome to switch to the Exora.

The move is expected to affect 42,642 budget and executive taxi drivers across Peninsular Malaysia.

Given that taxi permits have a 10-year lifespan, the last non-Proton Exora taxi is expected to disappear from Malaysia's streets by the end of 2024.

As of mid-April, there were 539 people driving the brown Exora, which was launched under the Teksi 1 Malaysia (Teks1m) initiative last year.

In 2013, SPAD announced that the brown Proton Exora - a 1.6-litre MPV model - would eventually become Malaysia's flagship taxi, replacing all other city taxi types.

Drivers here, especially in the Klang Valley, have been known to use nearly a dozen taxi colours and half as many car models, which SPAD said was confusing to passengers.

Syed Hamid said in five years, nearly half of all those driving a budget or executive taxi today would change their cars to the brown Exora.

As of Apr 24, SPAD recorded a total of 75,550 taxis in the Peninsular, including 39,531 budget, 3,111 executive, 3,132 airport, 996 limousine taxis as well as 11,402 hired/drive and 17,378 hired cars.

The majority of the country's taxis operate in the Klang Valley, with 51,550 taxis recorded here including 32,278 budget taxis. Another 4,922 and 1,126 budget taxis were in the Johor and Penang states respectively.

In another matter, Syed Hamid said a public transport fare structure - covering buses, trains and taxis - would be presented to the Economic Council "in a few days".

He added that a rationalisation of public transport fares also did not mean that fares would go up, though Syed Hamid declined to comment on prices.

When asked when an announcement would be made, SPAD chief executive Mohd Nur Ismal Kamal said "the decision will be soon, but the implementation... we're not sure how long it will take."

Filipino College student dies after hit-and-run

College student dies after hit-and-run

BY KATHLEEN ANN KILI

   

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JOHOR BARU: A college student from the Philippines died after she wa

College student dies after hit-and-run

BY KATHLEEN ANN KILI

   

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JOHOR BARU: A college student from the Philippines died after she was knocked down by a vehicle while crossing the road here.

Johor Baru (South) OCPD Asst Comm Sulaiman Salleh said on Wednesday that the victim, who was identified as Iand Bernales, 27, (pic) was involved in a hit-and-run accident at KM 4.6 Jalan Johor Baru-Kota Tinggi around midnight.

"We believe that a car hit the Olympia College student and sped off without stopping," he said adding that the victim lived at the Tanjung Puteri Condominium in Stulang Laut.

ACP Sulaiman added that the police have successfully tracked the victim's next-of-kin and informed them of the fatal incident.

"We have sent the victim's body to the Hospital Sultan Ismail for a post mortem.

"We also urge those with any information pertaining to the case to contact the police hotline at 07-2212999 or visit the nearest police station," he added.s knocked down by a vehicle while crossing the road here.

Johor Baru (South) OCPD Asst Comm Sulaiman Salleh said on Wednesday that the victim, who was identified as Iand Bernales, 27, (pic) was involved in a hit-and-run accident at KM 4.6 Jalan Johor Baru-Kota Tinggi around midnight.

"We believe that a car hit the Olympia College student and sped off without stopping," he said adding that the victim lived at the Tanjung Puteri Condominium in Stulang Laut.

ACP Sulaiman added that the police have successfully tracked the victim's next-of-kin and informed them of the fatal incident.

"We have sent the victim's body to the Hospital Sultan Ismail for a post mortem.

"We also urge those with any information pertaining to the case to contact the police hotline at 07-2212999 or visit the nearest police station," he added.