AsiaNews July30-Aug12

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J ULY 30 -AUGU ST 12, 2010
BUSINESS:
The new New Delhi
CHANGING ASIA:
Comeback stars
POPDOM:
Asias Coffee Culture

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Coffee Culture
odays generation may be more familiar with gourmet coffee but the region has a rich coffee culture that originated from the home to the small shops that still dot some cities to this day. In some small villages in Indonesia, these coffee shops even function as an information centre where the locals discuss the latest over a cup of coffee. Such is the charm of these small shops that in cities like Vientiane and Luang Prabang, and even cosmopolitan Singapore, humble coffee shops still make good business. As a matter of fact, in Singapore, the kopi and kaya toast trade is seeing a resurgence with cafs specialising in local coffee making big business. Of course Singapore and Malaysia have popularised kopi tiams where one can have a hearty traditional breakfast, accompanied by coffee. In the Philippines, with its rich Spanish legacy, the coffee trade is finally perking up after years of simmering on the back burner. This is evidenced in renewed interest in the cash crop by both public and private sectors. Aceh coffee, meanwhile, is an icon of the province and there is an emerging trend among the younger generation to hang out in coffee shops while surfing the Internet. Western cafs and their gourmet coffee may offer a more sophisticated experience of coffee-drinking but there is nothing like locally brewed coffee, enjoyed in the comfort and charm of the neighbourhood shop where you can be yourself in familiar surroundings.
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JULY 30-A UG US T 1 2 , 2 01 0 V o l 5 No 1 5
PH OTO BY TH E NATI ON (TH AI LAND )
COVER STORY
Asias Coffee Culture P8
SPECIAL REPORT P16
CHANGING ASIA P24
ARTS & CULTURE P42
From kopi tiam to Internet cafs, the region cant get enough of the black brew
Horror Of Honour Killings It boils down to tradition vs modernity
Brand New City New Delhi has changed its face in more than a decade
F E AT U R E S
Pursuing Art Tourism Malaysia introduces a new kind of travel

EXPLORE P48
P HOTO BY AF P
LIFESTYLE P26
Inside Mongolia An unforgettable day with the Buryat tribe
BUSINESS P20
Chinas Sex Revolution The Middle Kingdom is taking a new attitude towards a taboo subject
POPDOM P34
ENTERTAINMENT P36
PHOTO BY CH INA DAI LY
Across Airports Taiwans disgrace to New Delhis showpiece
The Comeback Challenge Can stars who laid low still reclaim their fame?
Bollywoods Saleable Lovers Introducing interesting types of lovers on the silver screen
COVE R IM AG E | P H OTO BY THE NAT IO N (T HAIL AND)/DE S IGN BY N IBHO N APPAkARN/ASI A NEWS NET WORk
Copyright 2006 of Asia News Network. All rights reserved. AsiaNews (ISSN 1905-2650) is a weekly magazine. Printed by WPS (Thailand) Co, Ltd Subsidiary of Nation Multimedia Group Plc.
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The View
By Kavi ChongKittavorn
The Nation (Thailand)
US-China Rivalry In Asean

v Bangkok
The groupings latest decision to expand EAS and include US and Russia has received a lukewarm response from China
oreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) tried to stomach the response by Chinese foreign minister Yang Jiechi last week when he noted with an open attitude Aseans latest decision to expand the leaders forum, the East Asia Summit (EAS). He then proceeded to say that China looks forward for further consultations and would abide by Aseans decision. On the same day in Beijing, the foreign ministrys spokesman said China respects the Asean consensus on EAS. All said, this is Chinas new sentiment towards Asean. What surprised Asean leaders this time was Beijings lukewarm supportit was no longer the usual thumbs-up as before on any proposed Asean plan. Other East Asia foreign ministers and their representatives from Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and India were more forthcoming and all welcomed the decision by Asean to include the US and Russia. Chinas latest posture is obviously linked to the ongoing discussion over efforts to implement the 2002 agreement on peaceful cooperation in the South China Sea (SCS) between China and Asean. Brunei, Malaysia, Viet Nam and the Philippines are the Asean claimants. A recent working group meeting in Viet Nam on this issue between the two sides did not yield progress. So far China has been successful in confining the discussion within the bilateral Asean framework since the Mischief Reefs debacle in 1995. Beijing is explicit that the South China Sea disputes must be settled bilaterally among the concerned Asean claimants only. Other parties should not interfere. At the 27-nation Asean Regional Forum (ARF) last
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week, Chinese foreign minister Yang Jiechi explained at length its position on the South China Sea. At least six members raised this issue. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wisely focused on the 2002 document and issues related to freedom of navigation, flights over the SCS and international norms. Indeed, its this multilateralised dimension that non-Asean claimants are pushing forward that greatly worries China. It could backfire if China views the whole debate as a set-up. Beijing does not want the dispute under any international radar screen. Now, the possibility is high that the expanded EAS could discuss this sensitive topic in the future. Under the current Asean chair, Viet Nam has been walking a tightrope as it is also a party to the conflict. Ha Noi did not touch on the problem directly but discreetly reminded all claimants of its concerns. While Asean wishes for some tangible progress emanating from the agreement signed eight years ago, the grouping is also mindful of Chinas growing frustration with its collective assertiveness. Both sides are now stuck with the guideline signed by Asean and China. It states that Asean nations would meet first among themselves before the Asean claimants spoke with Chinaa procedure which the latter strongly objected to. A compromise way out is unlikely this year under the Vietnamese chair because Beijing does not trust Ha Noi, believing it to be mobilising others to raise concerns at the ARF. When Indonesia takes up the Asean chair next January, a solution must be found before the US and Russia join the EAS, otherwise it could seriously undermine AseanChina relations. Like China, other non-Asean EAS leaders have called for more consultations between them and Asean
members in regard to the future of this strategic dialogue. In fact, the grouping can no longer take these members for granted by imposing its decision verbatim as before, without prior consultations. For instance, in regard to a modality of expanded EAS, all would have to be involved in the consultations. As such, the newly defined East Asian region, which extends from South Asia to the Southern Reefs to both sides of the Bering Sea, is akin to the 18th centurys Great Game. The difference in the 21st Century, its the US and China rivalry playing out in Asean and through invitation only! With the US and Russian commitment to contribute to the EAS as an evolving regional architecture, Asean inevitably has to do more homework such as identifying new strategic trends, especially in non-traditional areas and further consolidate their common positions on key strategic issues. At the G-20 forum, the envisaged 18-member EAS block will comprise all global players. Asean economic performance and governance would be key to gaining membership. At the Washington meeting on July 15, Kurt Campbell, Assistant US Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs, told Asean envoys the US would like the EAS, as a strategic forum, to discuss political and security issues. In Ha Noi, Clinton said US wants EAS to be a fundamental political and security institution in Asia in this century. Future clarification is needed from the US whether it would discuss other matters as EAS also touches on economic and social issues. Obviously, Washington wants to distinguish the EAS from the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, which deals mainly with economic matters. US President Barack Obama will have a chance to do that with the Asean leaders, who have
July 30-August 12, 2010
AFP PH OTO / MAND EL NG AN
RESERVATIONS: US President Barack Obama shakes hands with Chinese President Hu Jintao during a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Nov 17, 2009. China is worried that an expanded EAS would put the South China Sea disputes in the international radar screen.
been invited to Washington DC immediately after their meeting with European leaders in Brussels, on October 4-5. After the tragedy of September 2001, the US under the Bush Administration put security-related matters high on the APEC economic agenda during its two terms. In the case of Russia, there is no pre-condition attached in joining the leaders forum. Moscow is ready to take part in all topics. Next year the US will host the APEC meeting in Hawaii. With such a rapid changing strategic environment, Asean has to ascertain it still has the capacity to control the agenda and discussion as well as possessing value added for the members to play active roles in the ongoing regional community building process. Otherwise, the groups priorities
could easily be gobbled up by the major powers agenda and interests. Asean cannot rest on its laurels from the past five years, even though it has served as forum anchor. It is interesting to note how easily Asean forgot the Asean plus eight proposal put forward by Singapore in April, once the US revealed its preference. Earlier on, Singapore was very confident its proposal, which sought to guarantee the US Presidents attendance and serve as a new jumpstart for Asean and key dialogue partners, would prevail because the island republic had closely consulted with Washington. Within hours, Singapore recognised the changing circumstances and accepted an expanded EAS would be the framework. To slow down the EAS process, at the informal EAS foreign ministers
meeting, some have called for a moratorium on membership rights after next year. Both the EU and Canada have expressed keen interest in joining EAS, which would take some time. But during that time one can expect additional criteria. Others called for the institutionalisation of this foreign ministerial forum, similar to those convened by the East Asia Energy Ministers, East Asia Financial Ministers, et. al. They decided to maintain the current format as the EAS is a strategic dialogue group, it should not have any bloated mechanism. Ideas and initiatives from their discussions could be put into good use in other frameworks within Asean. Some initiatives from the Asean Regional Forum or the Asean Defence Ministerial Meeting could be discussed.
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PHOTO BY MA NDE L NG AN/A F P
COVER STORY ASIAS COFFEE CULTURE
Lim Eng Lam, owner of Nanyang Old Coffee, has a mini museum in his shop in Singapores South Bridge Road.
Kopi Cats
ong before Starbucks invaded the world, coffee has been a staple in many Asian countries. Before the era of instant coffee, the brew was carefully handmade in small coffee shops, just around the corner. The advent of multinational caf franchises may have dampened Asias taste for homebrewed coffee and switched to more expensive and chic gourmet coffee but not all is lost. In places like Paksong and Luang Prabang in Laos, Chiang Mai in Thailand, Batangas in the Philippines, Georgetown and Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia, Aceh in Indonesia and in cosmopolitan Singapore, people still congregate over cups of home-made brew. There is, in fact, a strong sense of affinity for local kopi tiam (coffee shops) in Malaysia and Singapore, while it would be impossible for Starbucks to tumble the strong and potent brew in Aceh.
By Huang Lijie The Straits Times
ig business is brewing in the kopi and kaya toast trade. Cafs specialising in local coffee, or kopi (coffee) and traditional kaya (coconut jam) toast started flourishing in 2006 and the scene is fast heating up. The growth of these cafs, including the popular chains Ya Kun Kaya Toast and Toast Box, is fuelled by Singaporeans craving for their daily dose of caffeine at affordable prices. A cup of kopi at Ya Kun Kaya Toast costs S$1.30 (94 US cents), barely half the price of a cup of daily brew at American coffee chain Starbucks, where it costs S$3.50 (US$2.50). Its price is also competitive to a cup of coffee sold at a coffee shop or hawker centre, which costs about S$1 (72 US cents). Sweetening the deal for consumers is the cheap nosh at these homegrown cafs: oozy soft-boiled eggs
v Singapore
and kaya toast with slices of butter cost less than S$2 each (US$1.45). Since January, no fewer than 24 such cafs have sprung up, bringing the number of coffee-and-toast shops in Singapore to at least 178. Another 21 stores are in the pipeline, due to open by the end of the year. These upcoming joints will be rolled out by new players and established brands. Toast@Work, which opened in December last year, now boasts six outlets and will add three more this year. The chain is run by food court operator Food Junction. Likewise, Wang Caf, set up in 1953 with shops in Suntec City Mall and 313@Somerset, is growing from 23 to 30 outlets by December. Beautician Agnes Whang, 40, who drinks one to two cups of coffee a day, says: If I drink coffee from Western chains such as Starbucks, my caffeine habit will become too
PH OTO BY L AU FO O k kO NG/ TH E ST RA ITS T IME S
expensive, so I stick to drinking kopi from cafs such as Toast Box. These comfortable, air-conditioned cafs are a popular venue for casual business meetings, too. Stephen Lim, 47, the chief executive officer of a travel agency, visits Good Morning Nanyang Caf at Chinatown Point two to three times a day, for business and for a breather from work. He says: I like meeting clients at the caf because it is sometimes easier to talk business over coffee. A good cup of coffee helps to put one in a better mood, the conversation flows and it is easier to ink deals. Soft-boiled eggs spilling runny yolks, crispy kaya toast and a heady brew of kopi have been the quintessential breakfast for generations of Singaporeans.
The low entry barrier of this business has helped stimulate the proliferation of kopi-kaya toast brands. Byron Shoh, 45, a former business analyst who quit his job to start Good Morning Nanyang Caf in 2005, was no expert at making coffee or kaya toast initially. But he picked up the basics from his coffee and bread suppliers, who were willing to teach him the ropes. Even food court operators such as Koufu and Banquet have diversified into the kopi-kaya toast business. Koufu owns six Pick & Bite outlets while Banquet has about 30 Ah Mei Caf shops. Owners of many of the local cafs say the economic slowdown in the last two years did not affect sales significantly because their products are a dietary staple. To boost sales
But with so many outlets flooding the market, is this business toast? Adrin Loi, 55, executive chairman of Ya Kun International, which runs Ya Kun Kaya Toast, says the kopikaya toast scene here has grown exponentially in recent years, but he feels that demand for its coffee and toast remains strong enough for the company to have branches in adjacent shopping malls, Orchard Central and 313@Somerset.
Taste Test
Diners in Singapore are spoilt for choice with so many kopi and kaya toast outlets dotting the island. But consistency is a problem. The Straits Times did a taste test of the standard kaya toast set, which comes with
Coffee & Toast
Daily Toast
Ah Mei Caf
So many diners, including 56-yearold safety training manager Eric Chin, return frequently to such local cafs for the taste of comfort. Indeed, this burgeoning demand for traditional kopi and toast was what prompted Jack Poon, 32, to quit his cushy business analyst job and start Coffee & Toast in 2005. He says: When my former colleagues and I went for tea breaks near our workplace in Raffles Place, we would always lament that there werent enough of such local cafs and that made me think of starting one. He opened his first shop at Raffles XChange, the retail enclave at Raffles MRT station, and the business gradually grew to nine stores, including a halal outlet, Kaffe & Toast, which opened in January at the Singapore General Hospital.
though, many of them have taken to attracting customers with innovative concoctions. The traditional kaya toast, for example, has been re-invented with Toast@Work launching a baguette kaya toast and Good Morning Nanyang Caf rolling out its Italian ciabatta kaya toast. Proper meals such as curry chicken and laksa (spicy noodle soup with coconut milk) are also on the menu at Toast Box by the BreadTalk Group. Woon Tek Seng, 62, director of the Killiney Kopitiam chain, says: The variety in our menu, from coffee and toast to mee siam (Thai noodles) and mee rebus (boiled noodles), has helped boost sales. Customers can now patronise Killiney several times a day for breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner.
a serving of kaya toast, kopi and soft-boiled eggs. The judging criteria: the bread had to be properly toasted and paired with good kaya; the coffee had to be strong, aromatic and its flavour not masked by the milk or sugar; and the eggs had to have uniformly runny yolks with its whites cooked, but still wet and soft.
Wang Caf
Where: 23 outlets, including 313 Somerset Road, B3-45, 313@Somerset, tel: 6733-3956, open: 8am to 10:30pm daily, www.wangcafe.com Price: S$4.00 (US$2.91) Verdict: The orangey-yellow yolks ooze sunshine and the wobbly whites are properly cooked. The crispy brown toast is just a little dry although the kaya has a coconutty fra9
grance. The coffee is smooth and of the right degree of sweetness.
thin and could do with more toasting. Where: 23 outlets, including 6 Raffles Boulevard, 02-230A, Marina Square, open: 7:30am-10pm weekdays, 7:30am-11pm Saturdays, 8.30am-10pm Sundays, www.killiney-kopitiam.com Price: $4.20 (US$3.06) Verdict: The coffee is wellbalanced and the eggs pass muster. The toast is lightly crisped with a soft, fluffy bite and the kaya has a nice eggy taste.
Pick & Bite
Oldtown White Coffee
Killeney Kopitiam
Where: Seven outlets, including 8 Gra ng e R oa d , 0 1 - 04, C a th a y Cineleisure, tel: 6737-4404, open: 9-2am Sundays to Thursdays, 9-4am Fridays and Saturdays, www.oldtown.com.my Price: S$4.20 (US$3.05) set available only on weekdays from opening till 11am Verdict: The coffee at this outlet comes with a lovely head of foam. It is milky and smooth but a deep roasted flavour shines through and the aroma lingers in the mouth. The crispy toast is a little dry and the kaya is sweet. Parts of the egg white are not cooked. Where: Two outlets, including 108 Robinson Road, level 1, open: 7:30am-7pm weekdays, 7:30am2:30pm Saturdays, closed Sundays Price: $3.90 (US$2.83) Verdict: The brown toast is crisp and airy. It bucks the trend of sandwiching slices of butter between the toast and instead, spreads it evenly over the bread. But what clinches the deal is its fragrant kaya with a delightfully jammy consistency. The eggs are cooked just right and the milky coffee is smooth.
Good Morning Nanyang Caf
Verdict: The coffee has a smooth and nice foamy top and the eggs pass muster. The white bread is fluffy, evenly toasted and comes with a generous amount of butter.
Coffee & Toast
Pick & Bite
Where: Six outlets, including 6 Raffles Boulevard, 01-07, Marina Square, open: 7am-9:15pm daily, www.koufu.com.sg Price: $3.30 (US$2.40) Verdict: The bread for the toast is addictive, crisp on the outside and thick enough to be fluffy to the bite. The kaya though, does not stand out. The yolk of one of the two eggs is more viscous than runny and the coffee is too watered down. Where: 30 outlets including 290 Orchard Road, B1-37, Paragon, open: 10am-10pm daily, www. banquet.com.sg Price: $3.20 (US$2.32) Verdict: The crispy brown toast can do with a little more of the fragrant kaya and one egg has parts of its whites a little undercooked. But the flavour of the coffee is rounded. Where: 1 Esplanade Drive, 01-01, Esplanade Theatres on the Bay tel: 6884-5658, open: 10am-9pm daily Price: $3.30 (US$2.40) Verdict: The coffee is fine. The yolk of one of the two eggs is a little too viscous. The bread is a tad too
Where: Nine outlets, including 1 Raffles Link, B1-40, City Link Mall, open: 7am-10pm daily Price: $3.70 (US$2.69) Verdict: The coffee has a measured sweetness and a whiff of bitter aroma. The brown toast is crispy but not dry and the kaya is tasty. The eggs are largely properly cooked, although the edges of one yolk are more viscous than runny. Where: 35 outlets including 18 China Street, 01-01, tel: 6438-3638, open: 7:30am-7pm weekdays, 8am6pm weekends, www.yakun.com Price: $3.70 (US$2.69) Verdict: Its China Street outlet is the only branch that still grills the brown toast using charcoal; pay attention and you can pick up the faint smokiness in the crisp toast. The coffee is well balanced and the eggs are properly cooked. Where: 65 Killiney Road, tel 62350065, open: 7am-7pm daily Price: $2.90 (US$2.11) Verdict: The eggs and coffee are fine, the toast could be crispier. Where: Six outlets, including 252 North Bridge Road, 03-15, Raffles City Shopping Centre, open: 8am9:30pm daily, www.foodjunction. com Price: $3.70 (US$2.69)
Ya Kun Kaya Toast
Nanyang Old Coffee
Where: Four outlets, including 268 South Bridge Road, tel: 61003450, open: 7am-6pm daily, www. nanyangoldcoffee.com Price: $2.80 (US$2.03) Verdict: The flavour of the coffee is not masked by the milk or sugar. It has a gentle bitter aroma and a clean finish on the palate. The eggs are properly cooked and the white bread is evenly toasted. Where: 26 outlets including 2 Orchard Link, 02-40, *Scape, open: 7:30am-11pm weekdays, 7:30-2am weekends, www.breadtalk.com/ toastbox Price: $4.20 (US$3.05)
Ah Mei Caf
Daily Toast
Toast Box
Kopi-O
Toast@Work
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Aceh, Sharia & Coffee Shops
By Hotli Simanjuntak The Jakarta Post
UP-TO-DATE: NGO activists surf the Internet in a coffee shop in Banda Aceh.
Gathering and talking about everygroup of men relaxes in a thing in a coffee shop are part of the coffee shop in Lamkabeu daily routines of men in the Indonevillage, Aceh Besar, sian island of Aceh, consuming alchatting about the most half of the day. Theres nothing breaking news on terrorism in their village. Almost all coffee shops here provide free Wi-Fi and national and international TV programmes via satellite antenna. Mulyadi, the stall owner, busily prepares dozens of glasses of black coffee for his customers. Since dawn, he FIRED UP: Trader Nyak Bit roasts coffee beans and his small caf had been in the traditional way using a drum in a fire. set to welcome the male guests with their favourite drink to le ft untouched, from KEEPING TRADITION: A woman pounds coffee using trastart the day. household matters to cur- ditional equipment in Lamkabeu village, Aceh Besar regency. After dawn prayers, the men of rent international issues. this village will come straight here to A coffee shop is virtually a communi- Banda Aceh, they provide not only sip coffee, said Mulyadi. Waiting on cation centre for villagers, said Lam- satellite television but also free Wi-Fi the table were glasses of hot coffee kabeu village head Maimun. facilities. Almost every coffee shop in and heaps of traditional cakes. CigaMany believe the coffee-drinking such cities in Aceh now offer free Inrette smoke formed a thin mist in tradition dates back to Arab traders ternet facilities for 24 hours. the shop. who came to the province in the past. Despite the physical difference,
11
v Banda Aceh
But during the period of conflict in Aceh in the 1980s and 1990s, coffee shops served as a neutral zone for all circles to meet in a relaxed way. It was widely heard about accidental encounters between conflicting parties, from the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) as well as the Indonesian military, in coffee shops. Anybody could enjoy coffee openly without fear, added Maimun. He explained that when the conflict was intense, nearly all residents, especially men, were suspected by the military of joining GAM and hiding in village homes. Male family members frequented coffee shops to avoid being suspected by soldiers, who were hunting GAM followers in their villages. Coffee shops now also function as a main information centre for village communities. They are the only type of village business kiosks subscribing to newspapers. Visitors gather to get the latest information. Still, TV programmes via satellite service offer another attraction to the rural customers. Though television is not a rarity in villages, not all villagers can afford to buy antennas to receive both domestic and overseas broadcasts. Some striking differences can be noticed between traditional village and city coffee shops. In big cities like
PH OTO S BY H OTL I SI MAN j UNTAk / THE jA kA RTA P O ST
village and city coffee shops mostly present their coffee in the same way and with almost the same taste, except in certain places, said Hasbi Azhar, an Aceh coffee buff. In Banda Aceh, coffee shops have their regular customers. Automotive enthusiasts choose to gather in Black Jack, civil servants prefer Taufiks shop, activists and government officials enjoy drinking at Jasa Ayah Solong, while teenagers favourite hangout is Chek Yuke. Coffee shops are practically informal offices for these people. Usually their discussions are held in an apparently informal way. Yet many talks starting in coffee shops have served as the basis for major projects undertaken in Aceh, added Hasbi. Normally, coffee shops in Aceh, the only one among 33 provinces in the country to apply Islamic Sharia law, open from 6am to midnight, but some serve their customers around the clock, seven days a week. The enforcement of Sharia banning the opening of entertainment houses such as discotheques prompts the public to accept the only choice of going to coffee shops to forget the burden of daily routines for a while. After the tsunami hit Aceh, many NGO workers from various parts of the world also found some comfort in visiting these shops. The NGO volunteers even penetrated the menonly visitor culture to these shops. For the Aceh community, coffee shops were originally meant for men, as it was uncommon for women to hang around there. But since the presence of NGO workers, the discrimination between males and females seems no long apparent, noted Hasbi. Now coffee shops in Aceh cities are no longer men-only zone. Many female customers ranging from housewives to teenagers frequent the shops for relaxation. Parents even bring along their children just to enjoy the shops cheerful atmosphere, as the coffee tradition continues.
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LET IT FLOW: Could there be something more in strong taste and aroma of Aceh coffee?
Is There A Secret Ingredient in Acehs Brew?

onflict, peace, the tsunami and Islamic sharia law are the main icons of Aceh that most outsiders are familiar with. But coffee and coffee shops constitute yet another icon some visitors to the region wont want to miss. Relaxing in coffee shops and surfing the Internet have set a new trend among Aceh youths. Drinking coffee is not complete without being accompanied by a laptop, said Andi Madusila, an Acehnese man. The difference between Starbucks franchises and Aceh-style coffee shops lies in the taste and price of coffee per glass. Aceh coffee costs only 4,000 rupiah (about 50 US cents) a glass. Its taste is competitive with hotel-made or Starbucks coffee. Only the kinds and variations of-
fered may not be the same. Aceh shops have no caff latte or mocha, Andi said. Aceh coffee indeed has a different flavour compared with coffee from other regions in Indonesia, with its moderate bitterness and strong aroma. The way Aceh coffee is prepared is not the same as that commonly found in other parts of the country. Coffee is first sieved through tight cloth with boiled water to produce its typical aroma. Water is poured several times into the cloth sieve and the filtered coffee is contained in a bowl. When the quantity is enough, it is dispensed into glasses from a high level to produce froth and enhance its aroma. Apart from the strong aroma, Aceh coffee is not too black as its tightly sieved to separate its residue, said Andi. The caf business is now being eyed by local entrepreneurs for promising big profits. This is supported by Aceh peoples coffee drinking habit. Rumours have it that the strong taste and aroma of Aceh coffee is because it is blended with marijuana leaves, and the province is widely known for the illegal drug, which is also used as a flavour enhancer in local cuisine. While some shop owners said the special blend was made based on an individual customers request, others rejected the rumours. Coffee beans for the shops are derived from several areas in Aceh, such as Takengon, Central Aceh, and Lamno, Aceh Jaya. Aceh also export its coffee products to European countries. One of its famous products is Gayo coffee from Central Acehs highlands.
HOTLI SIMANJUNTAK/THE JAKARTA POST
PH OTO BY H OTL I S IMA Nj UNTA k/ THE jA kA RTA P O ST
By Tina Arceo-Dumlao Philippine Daily Inquirer
Investing in Coffee Futures
S
v Manila
In that company, Torrejon learned pains legacy to the the ropes of coffee trading and exPhilippines goes beyond porting the local crop to the Amerithe fiesta (feast), the siesta can market. Then he learned about (nap) and the Catholic roasting and processing, and eventufaith. ally, retailing. Along with more than 300 years of Through all these experiences, I colonial rule, it also literally planted the learned to love and embrace coffee. seeds of a coffee industry that is finally Then, the passion started to kick in, perking up after years of simmering on Torrejon says. the back burner. It is that passion that pushes TorreThe revival of govjon to spend considerernment and private able time away from sector interest in the his own coffee roasting cash crop, first plantand consulting busied in 1741, can be atness to implement the tributed largely to the programmes of the efforts of the PhilipPhilippine Coffee pine Coffee Board, a Board, which is worknon-profit, private ing to bring back at sector-led organisaleast some of the coffee tion dedicated to insectors good old days. creasing local proOne does not have duction of Philippine to look farther than coffee, and promotthe palatial homes ing market appreciaand the imposing POTENT: This strong coffee is tion for it. churches of Lipa in a signature brew of Batangas in O n e o f t h e Batangas province to the Philippines. boards indefatigarealise how big an imble champions is pact the worlds most 51-year-old Manny Torrejon, a popular beverage had on Philippine coffee roaster by profession and society in the 1800s. a coffee lover by passion. At that time, the Philippines was Early on, I was intrigued by the the worlds fourth largest exporter of coffee world and I wanted to be a cof- coffee. Its primary export to Spain fee maven, Torrejon recounts. At was high grade Arabica, which came first, the mystique of coffee lured me mainly from Lipa, Batangas, then the into learning more about it through nerve centre of the booming coffee books, travels and acquaintances in sector that eventually spread to other the coffee world. I was lucky to have provinces like Benguet in the north, worked in a company that afforded Negros Occidental in the Visayas and me the opportunity to learn more Bukidnon in Mindanao. about coffee. The more I journeyed Lipa was booming, and it was acthrough the coffee world, the more I tually called Villa de Lipa. Most of the thirsted for the product. rich Lipenos had coffee farms, so the
wealth was coming from the coffee harvests. Most of the old houses in Lipa were built from the proceeds of a thriving coffee industry. That was how important coffee was to Lipas development, Torrejon says. Those heady days came to an abrupt end when coffee rust disease hit the plantations and income from the blighted harvests started to decline. After World War II, the farmers replaced the more expensive but vulnerable Arabica variety with the cheaper but hardier Robusta, the primary bean used in making instant coffee. The coffee sector was never the same again. As decades passed, the Philippines was transformed from a coffee exporting country to a big coffee importer, especially with the local demand for coffee growing on the heels of a burgeoning caf culture. Torrejon, however, is optimistic that the Philippines still has what it takes to become a major player in the coffee business once more. Well maybe not at the same level as it was during the Spanish occupation, but at least to a point where it will be able to produce all the coffee that the local market needs. The Philippines today consumes about 65,000 tons of coffee a year but is only able to produce a maximum of 30,000 tons, providing a huge market opportunity to coffee farmers. For one thing, the Philippines is one of only a handful of countries where all the four main commercial varieties are availableArabica, Robusta, Excelsa and Liberica, or the Barako bean. And that means that the Philippines can indeed be self-sufficient. So far, we have been successful in a limited way. But we will get there and build a niche market for high quality Philippine Arabica coffee beans, Torrejon says. And that market should be the Filipinos themselves. After all, Torrejon says, Filipinos deserve more than just instant, 3-in-1 coffee.
14 July 30-August 12, 2010
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A new regional model of climate-compatible architecture.
Ashok B. Lall, Architect, Professor at the GGSIU in New Delhi and Head of the Holcim Awards jury 2008 for Asia Pacific, on the prize-winning Energy-efficient office complex, Hyderabad, India.
Develop new perspectives for our future: 3 rd International Holcim Awards competition for projects in sustainable construction. Prize money totals USD 2 million. www.holcimawards.org
In partnership with the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), Switzerland; the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, USA; Tongji University, Shanghai, China; Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City; and the Ecole Suprieure dArchitecture de Casablanca, Morocco. The universities lead the independent juries in five regions of the world. Entries at www.holcimawards.org close March 23, 2011. The Holcim Awards competition is an initiative of the Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction. Based in Switzerland, the foundation is supported by Holcim Ltd and its Group companies and affiliates in more than 70 countries. Holcim is one of the worlds leading suppliers of cement and aggregates as well as further activities such as ready-mix concrete and asphalt including services.
SPECIAL REPORT
By Coomi Kapoor The Star
The Horror Of Honour Killings

Far from feeling remorse at the gruesome killings, the family elders are defiant, justifying that killings of young boys and girls marrying against their wishes are necessary for the society at large
LOVE BINDS: An unidentified Indian visually impaired couple hold hands during a mass marriage Ahmedabad, India. The Indian society holds high the value of marriage but the practice of marrying outside ones caste is still prohibited by many families.
U
PH OTO BY SAM PA NTH Ak Y/A FP
v New Delhi
ltimately, it boils down to tradition versus modernity, doesnt it? The unending series of murders of young boys and girls marrying against the wishes of their parents has become a huge headache for the authorities as well as lawmakers. Even as liberal, urban-bred people wince with disgust at the cold-blooded killings of newly married couples by their own brothers or fathers, such acts continue to enjoy popular support in the caste-based village communities. Honour killings is what the traditionalists dub it, justifying these heinous cold-blooded murders as the inevitable price for marrying within ones own caste. The modernists call it horror killings, excoriating its perpetrators for seeking to perpetuate a medieval custom which can have no place in 21st century India.
A case of triple murder in the heart of New Delhi has yet again shaken the conscience of modern India, spotlighting the grotesque practice of bloody reprisals against those defying the strict code about who one can marry. Three bodies were found by the police in a span of two days in July, all had been shot in the head. They were soon identified as Monica Singh, 24, a Gurjar who had married her childhood friend Kuldeep Singh, 26, a Rajput, against the wishes of their families. Kuldeep was shot dead in his car while he was returning home. Monica was shot dead while she was asleep in her bedroom. A day later, Monicas cousin, Shubha, 20, was found with a bullet in her head in a small car parked barely a few hundred yards from the local police station. Shubha had fled home in June to
facilitate the elopement of her elder sister, Khushboo, with her Kashmiri boyfriend a couple of weeks later. Kuldeep, a computer technician, married Monica back in 2006 after quietly fleeing their village. When her younger cousin Shubha too followed in Monicas footsteps, their families decided to act against all three. They held Monica responsible for setting a bad example and bringing a bad name to the family. Shubha, too, had a Bihari boyfriend who did not belong to her caste. She had eloped to help her elder sister, Khusboo, marry her Kashmiri boyfriend. The police suspect that Khusboo was also a target. Monicas brother, Ankit, Shubas brother, Mandeep, and their friend,
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Nakul, are wanted by the police for the triple murder. All three disappeared and the police have declared an award of US$1,100 for anyone providing information leading to their arrest. Meanwhile, as is the normal police practice, they detained without any formal warrant a number of elders from the families of the suspects to browbeat them into providing information about their whereabouts. Far from feeling remorse at the gruesome killings, the family elders were defiant. A paternal uncle of Shubha was quoted by television channels justifying the crime. Praising his nephew and Shubhas brother Mandeep, Dharamveer
Nagar, 45, said these killings were necessary for the society at large even if some individuals consider them as wrong. While the triple murder in north Delhi has evoked an outcry in the national media, within the week, there were reports from Haryana about the murders of Asha Saini, 19, and Yogesh Kumar, also 19. They were killed by Ashas father and the latters brother for having brought shame to the family. The two had eloped against the wishes of their parents and married in a local temple. Following their arrest, both her father and uncle justified the killings, arguing that it was the only way to salvage the family honour.
Quite clearly, there is a gross contradiction between modern marriage laws and tradition. Village elders were heard echoing only one sentiment: you cannot marry within your caste and that boys and girls from the same village are like brothers and sisters. For 400 years, no one has married a girl from the same village. This is incest. Tradition does not sanction it. And if it happens in my family, I too would kill.., said a village elder. Sociologists reckon that fast urbanisation of the hinterland and the exposure to Bollywood films, satellite television channels, modern education for girls, growing incomes in the post-liberalisation era are some of the factors for the conflict between traditional mores and modern influences on youth behaviour. In a clear sign of the urban/rural divide, a recent survey revealed that in Haryana, the epicentre of honour killings, 81 per cent of the people did not support same-caste marriages while 69 per cent wanted a legal ban against them. Indeed, 2 per cent openly justified the death sentence pronounced by village councils against the eloping couples. In urban areas, on the other hand, there was little or no support for a legal ban on same-caste marriages while no one approved the killings of young couples. Meanwhile, thanks to media pressure, union law minister Veerappa Moily has promised to enact a law against honour killings in the coming session of parliament. Also, concerned over the growing number of honour killings, the Supreme Court recently issued notice to eight state governments, including Haryana, asking them to detail the steps they had taken to prevent such killings. Barring those dependent on votes of these traditional-bound villages, at least a majority of lawmakers are no longer looking the other way when village elders issue edicts for murder of young boys and girls. That is a hopeful sign.
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POLITICS
By Ravi Velloor The Straits Times
Doubts, Distrust Vex India-Pakistan Ties
TALK IS CHEAP: Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi (R) and his Indian counterpart S.M. Krishna (L) leave after their joint press conference in Islamabad on July 15.
DIALOGUE FAILS TO REACH CONSENSUS AS EACH SIDE PURSUES SEPARATE AGENDA
n Indian foreign minister with a limited mandate in discussions with his countrys most important neighbour and his Pakistani counterpart playing to a gallery of watchful generals at home have left the latest bridge-building attempt between the two hostile South Asian states in a mess. Pakistani foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi called a press conference to pour scorn on his Indian counterpart S.M. Krishna even before his plane had left Pakistani airspace last week. During the six hours of talks in Islamabad last week, it seemed India was fixated on the issue of terrorism, while Pakistan wanted a broader dialogue involving other matters such as shared water and the human rights situation in Kashmir.
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v New Delhi
Moreover, Pakistan said Krishna did not seem to have a full mandate, with the team repeatedly on the phone to New Delhi, taking instructions. On its part, the Indian foreign office said it was fully within its right to highlight the terror theme even while stressing that Krishna suffered from no limitation of authority. We have a dialogue that we are seeking to restore with Pakistan but we also have very real core concerns about terrorism and the trauma of Mumbai, the aftermath of Mumbai and the action Pakistan needs to take on the basis of very credible evidence on the involvement of Pakistani agencies, Indian foreign secretary Nirupama Rao said. The continued absence of common ground between the two nations is so severe that they are unable to appreciate or accommodate each others
core concerns. India suspended a composite dialogue process following the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks which killed 166 people. Indias home secretary said just before Krishnas visit that interrogation of a Pakistani-American who helped plan the attacks had revealed that Pakistans spy agencies were directly involved. Some analysts thought the remarks were deliberately made to pressure Pakistan on the eve of talks. That raised hackles within the Pakistani establishment. Besides, according to Pakistani scholar Ayesha Siddiqa, the looming pullout of Western troops from Afghanistan is a factor that plays decisively to Pakistans advantage in the battle for influence in Kabul. Qureshi was not keen to be viewed by the military establishment as being soft on India,
PH OTO BY B E H ROUZ ME HR I/AF P
By Kaswar Klasra The Nation (Pakistan)
The Other Side

day after peace talks collapsed, Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi took a dig at his Indian counterpart, stating that the latter was receiving foreign policy directions from New Delhi repeatedly during their meeting held on July 15. Qureshis criticism came hours after Indian external affairs minister S. M. Krishna told the media in Islamabad that he was satisfied with talks, and that India would take the process forward during Qureshis New Delhi visit later this year. Talking to media men in the premises of the foreign office on July 16, the foreign minister, in a subtle move to put blame on India for the apparent failure of the Indo-Pak talks, said that India was not fully prepared for the talks. Let me tell you gentlemen, Indians were ill-prepared for talks and that it was one of the main factors that kept us away from reaching any conclusion, Qureshi told journalists. Qureshi failed to give a satisfactory reply when reporters asked him why he did not disclose that during their joint press conference. Qureshi told media men during the press conference that was called on a short notice that Pakistan had its own interests and India should not ignore that. If we focus more only on those issues which India gives importance to and ignore those considered important by Pakistan, then I must say talks cannot move forward, said Qureshi. Accusing the Indian side of narrowing the talks, Qureshi said Pakistan insisted Indians resume the Composite Dialogue and added that India had to understand Pak concerns. India was narrowing the dialogue and we said you cannot be selective, Qureshi said. We understand Indias concerns and want to address them. But Pakistan also has its concerns and core issues which should be understood by India, added Qureshi. He told the reporters that Indians were conveyed that Pakistan wanted a roadmap for the future but they (Pakistani side) felt they (Indian) did not have the mandate to commit to a roadmap. Qureshi further said that India was not ready to discuss specifics related to bilateral issues bedevilling ties between the two countries, and added that Islamabad was in no hurry to engage New Delhi again unless the dialogue is result oriented. Pakistan is ready for talks but dialogue should be substantive, meaningful and result-oriented. Pakistans people and Kashmiris cannot be de-linked from the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, Qureshi said.
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wrote Siddiqa. Conscious of his cordial relations with the military, he did not want to be seen to budge on any issue, she added. More evidence of mutual suspicions was later seen as Pakistan and Afghanistan inked a trade and transit treaty. While Afghan produce is allowed to pass through Pakistani territory on its way to India, the reverse flow is blocked. The latest developments are being watched closely by Washington, which needs the cooperation of both Islamabad and New Delhi to effect a successful pullout of troops from Afghanistan before the next US presidential election campaign. US President Barack Obama is due to visit India in November and is fully aware that a good visit would help improve his dipping popularity ratings at home. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in Islamabadweeks ago for talks, called Krishna to request that the two neighbours do not give up their dialogue.
BUSINESS
ASIAN AIRPORTS
LOSING ITS LUSTRE: An Airbus A380 superjumbo taxies at the Taoyuan International Airport, which has fallen from being one of the top airports in the region to a laggard in the industry.
By Ho Ai Li The Straits Times
From Showpiece To Disgrace

TAIWANS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT HAS BEEN HIT BY SEVERAL CONTROVERSIES
PH OTO BY SAM Y E H/A FP
t was one of Asias top airports when it was unveiled 31 years ago, but Taiwans Taoyuan International Airport has since become what many see as a symbol of a lagging economy. Long criticised for its ageing facade and infrastructure, Taiwans main international airport came in for more brickbats recently after it was hit by a series of mishaps and scandals, including the collapse of an air bridge in June. A lawmaker from the ruling Kuomintang has revealed that Lee Chien-ming, a supervisor at the airports central control centre, al-
v Taipei
legedly drank and partied at work and sexually harassed four female contract employees. He has since been suspended. The whistle-blowing Lo Shu-lei, an outspoken critic of her own party, had also earlier lambasted the airports management for not dealing with illegal peddlers at the airport. With peddlers selling lunch boxes and clothing round the clock inside the airport, and Lee Chienming drinking and flirting with female workers while on duty, the airport has looked more like a night market or nightclub than a major gateway, mocked the Apple Daily in an editorial.
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The slew of bad publicity has not only led to the resignation of Taiwans top civil aviation official, Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) director-general Lee Long-wen, but also prompted the government to make the unprecedented move of stationing a deputy minister at Taoyuan airport. Yeh Kuang-shih, deputy minister of transportation and communications, had announced the setting up of a task force to assess the management of the airport. The scandals emerged as a long list of complaints about the air-
ping over the years. Last year, it was ranked 27th by the Airports Council International, a further fall from the 18th position it held two years ago. Local media say the latest scandals underline the governments long-time neglect of the airport and cover-up of bureaucrats behaviour. Lo told the Taiwan media that she was brushed aside when she first approached the CAA with her complaints. Aware of the problems, the government has put up ambitious plans to overhaul the running of the airport by
Slew of bad publicity

Bland beef noodles
Taiwan food critic Lucille Han famously groused about Taoyuan airports lack of savoury fare in a column in the United News Daily in March last year. For instance, beef noodles cost an exorbitant NT$250 (US$7.80) a bowl and tasted as if they came straight out of a packet, she wrote.
Lousy trolleys
The difficulty of finding a trolley was one of the problems that led travellers to rank the airport poorly in a survey by the Airports Council International last year. Other complaints included trolleys with broken wheels and those with wheels that screeched. In February this year, the government announced it would add 5,200 new trolleys.
Night market
In June, Kuomintang lawmaker Lo Shu-lei showed reporters photographs of illegal hawkers selling breakfast and lunch boxes from vans parked at the airport. Others illegally peddled clothes, turning the airport into a night market, she said.
ON ARRIVAL: A passerby walks past a huge billboard welcoming tourists at Taoyuan airport.
portsuch as the small number of restaurants, high food prices, badly maintained trolleys and leaky ceilingscontinued to grow. They also come at a time when Taiwan is hoping to reignite plans of becoming a transport hub in the region, as it forges more transport links with China against the backdrop of improving cross-strait ties. About 5.5 million passengers passed through Taoyuan airport in the first three months of the year 22.9 per cent more than in the same period last yearand the government has projected passenger numbers to hit 24.12 million by year end. This would be a record for the airport since it opened its doors. But some say the airports management has not caught up. Taoyuan airports ranking has been slipJuly 30-August 12, 2010
privatising its management, adding a third terminal and extending the Taipei subway line to Taoyuan. It also announced the appointment of a chief executive officer for the new Taoyuan International Airport Company, the corporatised airport administration that is due to be launched in November. The new man, Samuel Lin, a former executive with the Evergreen Group and Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation, has been roped in for the task force on airport management. So, too, have critics of the airport such as renowned TV producer Wang Wei-chung and Lo. The task force has set the goal of making Taoyuan airport one of the worlds top 10 within three years, its head Chang Yu-hern told reporters.
Air bridge collapse

On June 28, an air bridge, which links a plane to the airport and is used by disembarking passengers, collapsed while airport staff were preparing to receive business-class passengers arriving from Singapore on a Singapore Airlines flight. No one was injured.
Partying during office hours

Early this month, Lo called a press conference to show photos and a video clip of airport staff allegedly drinking and partying while on duty.
PH OTO BY SAM Y E H/A FP
Sexual harassment
Lo followed up with another press conference appearing with four female airport contract workers who accused an airport official of sexually harassing them. The official was later suspended.
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BUSINESS
ASIAN AIRPORTS
By B.K. Sidhu The Star
BIGGER & BETTER: Passengers pass through immigration counters at terminal T-3 of the new Indira Gandhi International airport in New Delhi on July 14. An Air India plane carrying more than 200 passengers from New York became the first commercial flight to land at New Delhis new US$2.7-billion airport terminal.
New Pride
s the new Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) in New Delhi was expected to officially open on July 28, passengers were in for a big surprise. Seeing is believing. This airport is twice the size of Malaysias KL International Airport, and the current terminal in Delhi pales in comparison with the new airport. The new shiny glass and steel Terminal 3 (T3) not only gives Delhi a new landmark, it has become a symbol of the countrys aspirations as an emerging global power. T3 sprawls over 4 sq km, has 78 aerobridges (four of which will be used for the A380), has 168 check-in counters, 95 immigration counters, 63 elevators and 35 escalators. There are 97 automated walkways but you will still have to walk a distance to reach your gate. Parking has been a sore point at the airport but all will change with the opening of the new multi-level parking complex that can house 4,300 cars and this is also the largest multi-level car parking facility in India. T3 can handle 34 million passengers per year and there is enough
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v Kuala Lumpur
land to expand the airport to cater up to 100 million passengers. About 30,000 people were hired to build the airport. You will be spoilt for choices in terms of duty free and eateries, child care area is available and you can even catch a glimpse of the works of famous Indian artist displayed all over the airport. What catches the eye is the larger than life pictures of people in their traditional garb from the various states and these are used as signages for the washrooms so that you do not miss a beat. Built in record 37 months at a cost of US$2.6 billion, a Malaysian company, Malaysian Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB), is part of this mamonth development via a consortium. The other members of the consortium are Indias infrastructure group GMR (with 56 per cent stake), Airport Authority of India (24 per cent), and both MAHB and Germanys Fraport have 10 per cent each. They will manage the airport for 30 years. In India you cut the ribbon before you start operations, unlike in Malaysia where we start operations and later call in a VIP. So on July 3, Indias Prime Minister Manmohan Singh inaugurated the airport so that it can open its doors to passengers on July 28. The airport is among the 10 biggest in the world. Manmohan is hoping it would be top
5 soon, but warned that safety and maintenance should be the key focus. The maintenance bids will be out soon and Faber Group Bhd. is hoping to bid for that. Currently, the domestic airport is a distance away from the international airport, but all that will change as both domestic and international are going to be in T3, which has four piers, two each for domestic and international. Hence, travellers will not have to worry about walking to the aircraft in the hot summers and cold winters. Connecting the airport to the city is Delhi Metro, and the plan is to complete it before the Commonwealth Games in October. There will also be a 1,000-room transit hotel on top of the airport. It is an incredible idea given the fact that international arrivals peak at night when domestic flights are scarce. International passengers wanting to fly domestic have to spend a night in Delhi or at the airport. Now there is a choice with the hotel and the Metro. But whoever that is going to manage the transit hotel should be mindful that there are budget travellers too landing at IGI and should price the rooms accordingly. Also travellers have found that most duty-free shops at the airport only accept US dollars, hence the need for the option to pay in Indian rupees.
PH OTO BY P RAk AS H S ING H/A FP
By Liam OBrien The Straits Times
gleaming marble surfaces is so pervasive it makes you feel slightly apprehensive if you have just emerged from somewhere with a takeout. Before you have taken your first slurp of coffee or bite of chocolate brownie, you are thinking to yourself: Where am I going to dispose v Singapore of the waste packaging that Ill end here arent many internaup with? tional airports that are as You even feel slightly guilty walkagreeable as Changi Airing around with what will eventually port. I have been turn into a potential litter through a fair numproblem. ber of them over the years and The experience of being can say, hand on heart, that it there is so good that people tops my list any day. go to Changi for recreation. The airport experience that They have no plane to catch prevails elsewhere these or guests to meet at arrivals, daysand the one I had they are there purely to take grown to expectis not a in the grandeur of the place. particularly great one. There arent many airIf you are unfortunate enough por ts where you will see to travel though the likes of Lonparties of school children, dons Heathrow, Paris Charles notebooks in hand, obvide Gaulle, New Yorks JFK, Delously on a school outing. hi, Manila, Doha and others, you My wife and I, together will understand where I am with our young son, have coming from. even succumbed to its allure In such places you quickly and have taken trips out come to understand that, as a there, to enjoy the sights from passenger, you count for very the viewing deck at T3 where little in the overall scheme of the A-380s come and go. things. Once past passport control Your experience, positive at T3, things get even better. or otherwise, does not Play areas for the kids, dozamount to much in the airens of shops (if you like that ports march to funnel ever sort of thing), exhibits, no larger numbers of people and queues (anywhere), nice resplanes through creaking fataurants...there is even a telecilities. vision lounge complete with Infrastructure is often comfortable chairs, where dirty, staff unhelpful, security most times you have a TV needlessly discourteous, WORLD OF ITS OWN: A general view of the transit hall of screen all to yourself. routes to and from the termi- Changi International Airport Terminal 3 in Singapore. But perhaps the highest nal hopelessly inadequate, compliment that can be paid queues long, and so on. airport standards)...everything is ex- to Changi, and T3 in particular, is You get the picture. actly as it should be. that you almost feel reluctant to leave Against this unappealing backIt easily rates a nine out of 10. it when you are called to your depardrop, Changi stands out. And, although Terminals 1 and 2 ture gate, where you know your noneA blessed oasis in a sea of flotsam are looking slightly tired in compari- too-comfortable seat in economy is and jetsam. son, they are not far behind and can waiting for you. Getting off your aeroplane and still hold their heads high. transiting through Terminal 3, Hell, even the Budget Terminal (The writer, who is English, is a you could be forgiven for thinking would put some international air- Straits Times sub-editor. He has lived you had entered into some sort of ports to shame. in Singapore for the past two years dream state. The lack of litter on Changis with his wife and three-year-old son.)
Aviation Paradise
A sort of aeronautical paradise on earth. Making your progress through the terminal is about as good an airport experience as you can hope for this side of heaven. Queues are short, staff (including security) polite, courteous and helpful, facilities immaculately clean, toilets sparkling, baggage control swift, passport queues short, parking easy and relatively cheap (by international
PHOTO BY A FP
23
CHANGING ASIA
By Rupak D Sharma Asia News Network
The New New Delhi

Indias capital is singing a totally different tune
COFFEE TIME: People at a coffee shop in Select City Walk shopping mall in Saket, New Delhi.
barrage of heat hit me as I came out of the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi. The temperature was around 42 degree Celcius. Wiping the beads of sweat that had formed on my forehead, I looked around. I was expecting some change as I arrived in the Indian capital after almost 13 years. At first sight, everything looked the same: The countrys trademark Ambassador taxis hadnt become obsolete yet; the paintings were coming off the walls and looked dirty as in the past; and potholes, as always, had turned into puddles, where cigarette butts were floating. One thing that I didnt notice though was groups of people swarming all over, grabbing my luggage and playing tug-of-war with me. I always loathed these people who were there to rip you off in the name of helping you carry luggage and find a taxi or a hotel. Thank god, they have become
24
v New Delhi
history, at least at the airport. Feeling much relieved about extinction of the airport nightmares, I went to a kiosk nearby to book a pre-paid taxi. How much for Jangpura Extension, I asked. 350 rupees (US$7.5), the man inside replied and gave me a receipt. The taxi waiting for me was an old, beat-up Maruti van. The first thing that I checked soon after boarding the vehicle was air conditioner as sweat was flowing down my chest and back like water. But as I had expected there was none. In fact, the dashboard of the vehicle didnt have anythingnot even a radioexcept for the steering wheel. Hey, how do you survive this blistering heat, I asked the driver preparing myself for a roasting trip in that metal box. Just like this. Were used to it, he replied switching on the ignition. Wow, I said. Looks like lots of work is going on around here, I said looking at
the construction work going all over the place. Yes and its the same all over Delhi, he said, with eyes fixed on the road. Far off in one corner, I noticed a long structure. Is that the new terminal? I asked him. Yes, he replied. That was Terminal 3 of New Delhis international airport, which was built at a cost of $2 billion. Opening of this new terminal has turned the citys airport into one of the six largest in the world. Now, that was a change! More changes were visible as we drove into the city. The first thing I noticed was the network of flyovers that were intersecting almost everywhere. There were none of these when I was here 13 years ago. And these roads were filled with cars, cars and more cars. So where did all the motorcycles go? I was curious as I was used to seeing the two-wheelers piling up on the streets whenever the traffic lights turned red. I later came to
PH OTO S BY RU PA k D S HA R MA /A SI A NEWS NE T WO R k
know that many of the people of New Delhi that I was talking about had upgraded to four-wheelersor carsin all these years. These days, people immediately purchase cars once they save some money, professor N Sridharan of School of Planning and Architecture told me. It has become Delhiites number one priority, he said. It is said once Tata makes its worlds cheapest car ($2,500), Nano, widely available to the public this September, more people riding motorbikes will shift gears to automobile. To cater to this seg-
The only way to get this freedom is moving to a new house or apartment. It is said high-rise buildings with 1,500 units of apartments, or 3.41 million square feet of space, will be added in Delhi by the end of 2011. But these units will bring in only 10-15 per cent of the supply into New Delhis residential market. So you can imagine the number of housing projects that the Indian capital will see in the next few years. One may wonder how people can afford to buy cars and apartments in a country, where the annual per
Rajasthan state. I also visit a beauty parlor at least twice a month which I hardly used to in the past, she said. And she has also developed a habit of eating outside every now and then whenever she is free. People like Arora are also generally known for their conspicuous consumption. They do not mind blowing away close to 200 rupees ($4) on every 330ml bottle of beer at upscale bars like Caf Morrison, Moets or Hard Rock. They also like to hang around coffee houses like Caf Coffee Day or Mocha where each cup of
COZY: People at Morrison Bar in South Extension, New Delhi.
SHOPPING: Khan Market, an upscale marketplace, in New Delhi.
ment another carmaker RennaultNissan recently forged partnership with Bajaj to produce ultra low-cost cars. Looks like finding motorcycles on the streets of New Delhi will be even more difficult in the next five to 10 years time. Just like cars, home demand is also increasing in New Delhi. The main reason for this is splitting up of joint families into nuclear. Earlier, Indians preferred to live in bungalows with mum, dad, grandfather, grandmother, uncles, aunts and their children and grandchildren crammed up in a limited space. But in a rapidly changing society, more and more people are seeking personal space.
capita income is about $1,000 and where around 800 million people live on less than $2 a day. But this is New Delhi which is filled with nouveau riche and young professionals who earn more in a couple of years than what their parents did in their entire lifetime. Karishma Arora, an in-flight manager in Indigo budget airlines, told me her income has risen from 10,500 rupees ($223 as per current exchange rate) to 40,000 rupees ($852) in the last three and half yearsthats an increment of 280 per cent. The 25-year-old still doesnt own a car but she does not take buses either like before when she had just arrived from her hometown in
cappuccino or mocha costs nearly 100 rupees ($2). And they go for shopping at swanky places like Select City Walk, Vasant Vihar and Connaught Place which have an array of branded goods on display. These people are not as frugal as their parents, professor Sridharan said. This is why they are dictating the consumption and lifestyle pattern in metropolitan cities (like New Delhi). They are the creators of demand for everything from white goods and automobile to residential complexes and even bigger roads, he said. The professors comments left me wondering what surprises would I come across if I visit the city in, say, another 10 years.
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LIFESTYLE
By Lian Mo China Daily
CHINA
Chinas Sex Revolution

Quiet but steady change in attitude takes place in the Middle kingdoM towards adult-related products
t is almost 11pm and a side street in Beijing is close to being deserted. The only remaining illumination comes from street lamps and dimly lit front doors of adult shops or sex shops. A woman stands in front of one, hesitates for a minute or so, turns around as though to leave but eventually turns back and goes inside. Indoors, she asks for the article she wants, saying little and not even haggling over the price. The woman, who is in her mid-30s, refuses to say what she bought and declines to disclose her name or any personal information except this: I need to add a little flavour to the life between my husband and me. Then she quickly walks out and disappears into the dark street.
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She is not alone and is indeed part of a growing group, women who are venturing into these shops to buy sex toys and other adult products. And the proportion of female customers has been growing, said Li Fang, CEO of Juse, one of the biggest sex shop chains in China, with more than 500 stores nationwide and an online outlet. We now have equal number of male and female purchasers in Beijing. Our sales have kept increasing, with an annual increase of 30 per cent over the past decade. It is estimated that there are 200,000 sex shops throughout China chalking up annual sales, excluding oral aphrodisiacs and contraceptives, of at least 10 billion yuan (US$1.47 billion). Over the past five years, thousands of online businesses have opened, with many sex shops adding online
outlets to their portfolio, said Lin Degang, a council member of China Sexology Association and owner of sex product chain Chunshuitang, based in Beijing. Wen Jingfeng, who opened the mainlands first adult shop 17 years ago and has been operating his Adam & Eve Health Centre chain in Beijing since then, said that without any online outlet, his sales have declined slightly over the past five years. One reason for the boom is that more Chinese are beginning to treat sex products as normal and natural. Several years ago, people would feel very embarrassed to come into our shop and would even leave their change after buying something as they wanted to get out quickly, Wen said. But things have changed, many customers will now bargain with us over the price.
Li said more customers are starting to have conversations with our sales staff , but most still avoid talking. Women actually spend more than men at our shop, said Yang Zi, who has managed a high-end sex shop Tuaoin Beijing for more than a year. Her best sellers are vibrators and S&M sex toys. Wen said: About 60 per cent of the products sold in my shops are used by women, but in many cases men come to buy for their partners. At Lin Degangs shop, this proportion is even higher. Li Fang said that although her business is growing, it is always hard to recruit and keep staff because the job is related to sex, which is still regarded as taboo in China. Promotion is another problem. We cannot advertise on TV, in newspapers or in most other
media, she said. It is not officially listed in media regulations, but we face underlying rules. The government is also trying to eliminate online vulgar culture and has obviously categorised us as this. Driving this is the apparently more open attitude women have towards sex. Surveys conducted by Renmin University of China in Beijing in 2000 and 2006 showed a dramatic change in attitudes towards sexual behaviour, including aspects such as lovemaking positions and details about their partners. Du Juan, who was then a PhD student at the universitys Institute for Research on Sexuality and Gender Research, conducted the survey, which involved more than 6,000 participants. The change among Chinese women in attitude toward sex and
sex products means they have more sexual power and awareness. They have the ability to control their own sex lives, Du said. A tourist guide in her early 30s, who was too embarrassed to give her name, is typical of the new influx of female customers. She went into a Tuao store, saying she had never bought a sex toy before. There is a small sex shop near my apartment but I feel embarrassed to enter it. I only went a few times to buy condoms with my boyfriend, she said. This shop is not an obvious sex shop, so I thought I would come in and have a look. Chen Fang, a professor of Womens Studies at China Womens University in Beijing, said it is not surprising that more Chinese women are becoming more open and independent about their sex lives. It means many women are not putting themselves in a passive position and allowing themselves to be judged. They have a stronger consciousness that they have equal sexual rights to men. Consequently, they are more able to make their own decisions about childbearing, relationships and life, she said. But there is also a negative effect. Young girls may have incorrect attitudes towards sex and some behaviour could damage their health. Sex shop proprietors said their biggest consumer group is people in their 30s and 40s. They have more purchasing power and a more mature attitude toward sex toys. People from this age group are likely to have a lot of career pressure and low levels of sexual satisfaction, Li Fang said. An online survey in March, jointly conducted by the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences and the China Population Communication Centre, showed that more than a quarter of husbands and 52 percent of wives considered their sex lives unsatisfactory; about a third of middle-aged couples described their marriages as facing crisis.
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LIFESTYLE
By Lu Chang China Daily
CHINA
Worlds Biggest Sex-toy Producer

WHATS ON SALE? A customer walks into a sex toy shop in Beijing.
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v Beijing
he next time you walk into a sex shop in the United States, take a look at the wide range of toys and products on the shelves. Aside from the pornographic material, chances are that most of the vibrators, dildos and lingerie carry the made in China label. Nothing unusual about that, you might think, but the irony is that China is a very conservative country where porn magazines, DVDs and websites are strictly prohibited, and where sex is still a taboo subject. Yet, the country produces about 70 per cent of sex toys for the world, a Chinese sex toy manufacturer, Romeo Jiang, said. China is the world leader in labour-intensive manufacturing and sex toy production is part of the manufacturing industry, so it is quite normal that China accounts for a high percentage, said Ma Xiaonian,
a sexologist and the deputy director of China Sexology Association. Nearly all the sex toys exported come from factories in Guangdong, in southern China, and Zhejiang, in the countrys east, said Jiang, general manager of Bestgreen, a Chinese sex toy manufacturer from Shenzhen in Guangdong province. Fifty per cent of our customers are from the US and 30 per cent are from Europe, said Jiang, who entered the sex-toy industry in 2003. Last year, Bestgreens turnover was between US$2 million and $3 million. We were originally a trade company before we started the adult-product business, so when we got requests to make vibrators from an American customer, we decided to enter the market. Jiangs factory produces different types of sex toys, including vibrators, dildos and fetish clothes. They are exported at prices ranging from 50 cents to $100. Vibrators, for
example, are sold to dealers at about $1 and end up retailing in the US for anything from $10 upwards. Most of the profit goes to the dealer and importers. Our profit margin is only around 7 per cent, Jiang said. The sex toy industry in China, with more than 1,000 manufacturers, has been worth about $2 billion a year for the past few years. A report released by China Market Research Centre said in just the first five months of this year, revenue reached $940 million. South Africa takes almost 20 per cent of the export market, with South Korea and Russia ranking second and third. Unusually, the US takes up about 2 per cent of the market. And the best-selling item: products to enhance sexual arousal such as stimulus condoms, which account for 21.5 per cent of the market, the report said.
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By Lu Chang China Daily
Growing Market
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v Beijing
It is very different from the past when adult products, including condoms, were not even allowed to be imported into China, said Ma. Now China produces most of the global adult toys and the Chinese sex-toy industr y has been booming in recent years, she added. Now, the trend is to make sex toys more functional using physiological characteristics, which means a product should have more stimulus to arouse sexual sensations. Ma said that in terms of sexual culture, China has also come a long way, since the mainlands first sex shop opened its doors in Beijing in 1993. Sex toys as an aid are very helpful to single-parent families, married couples and singles to live a healthy way. Using these can help couples maintain their marriage and perhaps even make it more satisfactory.
ex toys and products are just a click away in China as the countrys 10 billion yuan (US$1.47 billion) industry moves to expand through online outlets. So far, it is estimated that sales through online shops account for only about 10 per cent of the turnover. Lin Degang, a council member of the China Sexology Association, said the number of online stores is increasing at a rate of about 60 per cent a year. Lin, who also owns retail and online sex shops, said the percentage of online outlets is bound to increase over the next few years. Many Chinese want to buy sex toys but cringe at the thought of entering sex shops, said Li Yinhe, a sociologist and sexologist with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Online sex-toy shopping can avoid such problems since consumers dont have to reveal their real names. Taobao.com, Chinas largest online shopping destination with 170 million registered users and part of the Alibaba Group of online-based businesses, has about 4,500 sex shops registered, compared with a few hundred when it was established in 2003. Tao Ran, the public relations manager of taobao.com, said it recorded about 60 million yuan in transactions of adult products in June, with condoms, sex toys and skimpy lingerie proving very popular, and with the numbers still going up. Since the sex toy market has grown into a highly profitable industry, more and more shops
are registering online, said Tao. And the profit margins are huge. Sex toys, especially blow-up dolls which cost a store 10,000 yuan, can sell for 40,000 yuan, Tao said. Condoms account for more than 50 per cent of the online sales, with Durex and Okamoto the top brands, a report released by taobao.com said. Julian Cui, a 27-year-old Chinese consumer, said he found sex toys online more risque than those in a retail store. Blow-up dolls, dildos, dancing eggs and rare toys can all be found online, said Cui. With so many options and a rather low price, who wants to go to a store? Wang, a sex-shop owner on taobao.com, is finding that her business has been growing rapidly. I can sell at least 300 items of sexual lingerie a day, shipping them all over China, with a total revenue of 6,000 yuan, but things were not so good at the beginning, said Wang who has only two years experience in running a sex shop. The adult products market is really good now. Though buying online has advantages over shopping in a sex store, some shoppers still prefer the real thing. I never shop online, especially for something like adult toys, because I dont think all the products would pass quality control, said a consumer at a sex shop in Sanlitun, one of Beijings busiest areas. Li Yinhe said thousands of online shops have sprung up since 2000 when the first sex shop appeared online, which is very different from the past when sex used to be a taboo in Chinese culture. The Chinese are now more open-minded in using adult products because of the development of society, and it is a healthy way to get satisfied sexually, Li said.
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LIFESTYLE
INDONESIA
By Dian Kuswandini The Jakarta Post
Never Too Young For A Little Pampering

todays childrens world does not only revolve around chic clothing and expensive toys. it has becoMe More sophisticated
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PH OTO S BY TH E jA kA RTA P O ST
sign read: Spa Baby. Furbished with soft-coloured decorations, the mall was full of children that weekend. The young customers lounged, staring at mini laptops on cozy sofas. Some were having their nails done. Others had their faces covered with edible yogurt masks. Next to the beauty outlet, located at Plaza Indonesia, Jakarta, a g y m had opened to welcome other young customers. A sign there read: I Like Gym. There, kids happily exercised with instructors (some with their parents), using mats, balancing bars, monkeyrings, trampolines and a wall-climbing pad painted in kid-friendly colours. Todays childrens world doesnt only revolve around chic clothing and expensive toys. It has become more interesting, more fashionable, and more beautiful, partially thanks to gyms, salons and spa services. Even young children deserve to
look and feel good, says 27-year-old parent Marita Eka, who often takes her five-year-old daughter for creambath and hairstyling sessions. I sense that she was more excited about getting her hair than getting a new doll. She tells her friends, my hair is clean and smells nice. It is more than just business when dealing with children. Knowing both children and parents is key. For Ivonne Wahjudi and her friends, including teacher Susan Bachtiar, Dini Sembiring, Mitzy and Cindy Christina who run Spa Baby and I Like Gym, its part of daily life. Some of us are mothers too, so we know the childrens world very well, says marketing director Ivonne. We have long been interested in this world, and we have been searching for fresh ideas (for parents), she says. So in 2009, they opened the first Spa Baby outlet in Dharmawangsa Square City Walk, South Jakarta. After receiving a positive response, Spa Baby opened their second outlet in Plaza Indonesia.
Earlier last m o n t h , Iv o n n e stepped into a new businessa childrens gym centre. The centre, I Like Gym, is said to be the first of its kind in Indonesia, bringing together children aged from six months to 12 years to enjoy various types of exercise. The gym is more than just a place to play. Its a centre for child development, explains Ivonne. We dont just instruct classes. We design curriculums based on the USA Gymnastics Jr. Olympic programme. We have instructors with years of experience. One satisfied parent is fashion model Koming, who enrolled her children in the centres unique classes. Some parents think it is all right for children to watch TV and play videos games and browse the Internet all day, Koming said. But for me, this is a problem because these activities have negative side-effects like childhood obesity.
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THERAPY: This handout photo provided by Baby Spa shows a child undergoing hydrotherapy which claims to stimulate babies motor skills.
Similar to I Like Gym, Spa Baby also introduces parents and children to activities and programmes that combine both health and fun. Although salon and spa services might sound superfic ial, espec ial ly when targeting kids, Ivo n n e a n d h e r friends underline that such activities introduce y o u n g children to the importance of taking care of themselves. Because it deals with children, Spa Baby seeks out childfriendly, organic products. Baby Spa services do have a price. The facial mask service, for example, costs 225,000 rupiah (about US$23), and the creambath and manicurepedicure cost 80,000 rupiah ($8.8) each. Hair cuts, colouring and perm services range between 65,000 rupiah ($7) and 100,000 rupiah ($11). Those interested in the basic Aqua Swim or Organic Oil Massage services should expect to pay 200,000 rupiah ($22) per session. Like Ivonne and her friends entering the childrens salon business, Sarah Darmawan, Lisa Samadikun and Andha Soekrisno started D-Katz in Kemang, South
Jakarta, in 2000. At that time the salon business for children hadnt blossomed to where it is today. As mothers, they had difficulties taking kids to hairdressers, as most children didnt really like to have a hair cut, says D-Katz operational manager Yus. They then tried to find salons that are child-friendly, but failed to find one. So, based on this experience, Yus says, these women opened a childrens salon. According to Yus, setting up a childrens salon isnt as easy as people may think, because it takes more than just decorations to keep children sitting still. It takes more than just colourful chairs and walls. We have to provide mini monitors, toys, and good meals, Yus said. For us, it takes extra patience to work with little customers. I myself am a stylist, and always have to make sure kids are comfortable before I can
YUMMY TREATMENT: This handout photo provided by Baby Spa shows a child enjoying beauty treatment in Jakarta. Children in Indonesia can now enjoy beauty treatments such as facial masks, manicure, pedicures, hair-cream baths and hair-colouring.
WORKING OUT: Health-savvy parents take their children to the I Like Gym centre in Plaza Indonesia, Jakarta, where a number of fitness courses have been tailored to meet the needs of children aged six months to 12 years.
start cutting their hair. A package including shampoo, haircut, blow dry, a kids meal and a computer game with juice and a snack, as well as a toy and take-home hair accessories costs 55,000 rupiah ($6). While D-Katz is a childrens salon, Yus says some parents also request beauty sessions for themselves. More and more parents also come here to be treated, said Yus. This is like a family salon now.
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LIFESTYLE
By John Jay Cuay Philippine Daily Inquirer
The Baby Workout

how early should your child start working out?
Day 1 to 3 months:
Give babies all the room they need for the movement of their arms and legs. The freer they are to stretch and thrash their limbs about, the more they will come to love it. Use colourful crib toys to stimulate their senses and lead them to initiate movements (such as grabbing at a toy), thus engaging their motor skills. Dance and play with them. There are no rules on this; it depends on the parents intuition and imagination. But generally, keep the play and dance session short and enjoyable. If you want to develop a new skill in your baby, break it down to smaller moves that will steer him or her to acquire new skills. Take note of all the salient skills that your children demonstrate because these could be a good indication of what they want to be doing as they grow older. For example, if they consistently show good balance and superb flexibility, then they might be good in gymnastics. If you see early signs of good eye-hand coordination, an important trait of a good soccer player, you may be cuddling the future World Cup star.
PH OTO S BY THE NATIO N (THA IL AN D)
hats the right age to start your child on the fitness path? In my book, thats just like asking when you want a child to start being healthy, happy and fully prepared to deal with life. You know what they say about the good things youd want to teach or give your kids: its never too early to start. Tune them in to physical fitness from Day 1and that means the first day of life. One of the paramount factors to consider if you want to get any child on the fitness trackor any life track for that matteris to make the encounter fun. Create an overall environment in your home that will interest your child from birth onwards. Emphasise joyful and efficient movements at home and make your children part of that joy. Heres a loose guide to help you track what your child can do at a certain age and level, and what activities you can introduce to help your little one become a fitness buff in-training:
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Between ages 1 and 2:
3 to 6 months:
Introduce babies to pull-ups, have them grasp your hands as you pull them up from a lying position. Also, start doing leg movements like cycling moves. At this stage, a baby can start using hand-and-eye coordination, so you can play reach with colourful toys.
9 to 12 months:
Once baby can sit with support, usually at nine months, emphasise trunk control. At 12 months, the average child can crawl on his/her hands, stand briefly without support, and can start walking by holding on to furniture. Now you can plan an array of movements that will improve the strength and endurance of the child.
This is a crucial time for developing hand-eye coordination, so give your child plenty of toys like easy jigsaw puzzles, blocks, batting rolled balls and many others The more running, climbing, sliding, hopping and skipping you get to do with your toddler the betterfor him/her and you. Once your child has started walking, it is a good idea to give him or her a play area. The primary sports-related activity skills at this stage are catching, throwing, striking and kicking. Whatever you decide to introduce to your children or whatever activities you want to engage in with them, it is important for kids to be a part of the decision-making. Here are some suggestions on how you can help your child develop good exercise habits: Encourage and help them fit their regular physical activity to their schedule. Incorporate physical activities in their daily tasks, such as walking from the parking lot to the mall or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Keep exercises fun, so that they will continue doing them. Set an example in a healthy lifestyle through exercise and a balanced diet.
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POPDOM
By Yasmin Lee Arpon Asia News Network
The Comeback Kids

Stars disappear from the limelight for various reasons and not all can successfully reclaim the fame they once enjoyed
v Bangkok
Faye Wong
ello, Edison Chen. That was how a friend greeted the Hong Kong celebrity when she saw him in downtown L.A. a few months ago. The actor-singer returned the greeting with a smile and a hello back. Now, Chen (known as Chen Guan Xi in Chinese) is saying hello to the entertainment industry once more after laying low the past two years and staying mostly in the United States to avoid the backlash following his sex scandal in 2008. Comebacks are of course for stars who had to abandon their careers in films, music or TV for varying reasons: military service, health, marriage, pregnancy or to cool their heels after a scandal. Two years ago, Chen self-exiled himself to the US but was quick to point out recently that he did not really plan on quitting the business forever. Now, he is making another bid but has limited his appearances to Taiwan and Singapore, more than Hong Kong whereas he recalled in his first post-scandal interview with CNN in June last yearhe used to travel around in the boot of a taxi soon after intimate photos of him and some female Hong Kong
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celebrities were stolen from his broken laptop. Also, Chens appearances so far have been connected with his CLOT fashion company. But this month, he expressed interest in collaborating with Taiwanese superstar Jay Chou (Chou Jie Lun) for a new album. The two costarred in Initial D a few years back. While Chen is slowly inching his way back to the limelight, the women that were involved in the scandal cannot be far behind. Cecilia Cheung (Cheung Pak Chi) has announced that she will be appearing in a movie by Hong Kong director Yee Tung-shing. She has already made a comeback of sorts by singing the theme song of the movie CJ7: The Cartoon with her son Lucas. Cheung has not really been out of the limelight. Her marriage to Hong Kong star Nicholas Tse (Tse Ting Fung) has been heavily scrutinised following the publication of her intimate photos from Chens private photo collection. In 2007, a year before the scandal broke out, she gave birth to Lucas; last May, she gave birth to another son, Quintus. Over a span of two years, Cheung has re-fashioned herself into a loving wife and doting mother, whose public appearances were usually made with her family. This could
have been a conscious effort to veer away from the sex scandal and thaw the publics cold attitude towards those involved in it. And she has her adorable son Lucaswho has been dubbed as a star in the makingto thank for the publics warming response towards her. Compared to Cheung, Gillian Chung (Chung Yan Tung)another actress that was involved in the scandalhas not been having an easy time, however. Last year, she made a comeback by doing an advertisement for Tough Jeans, that was meant to ride on the aftermath of the scandal and re-introduce her as a tougher person compared to her previous sweet and pure image. But fans and the audience alike have not totally warmed up to Chung, who cried buckets of tears in 2006 when a Hong Kong paparazzi secretly took her photos while changing for a concert in Genting, Malaysia. Hong Kong celebrities rallied behind Chung then, denouncing the magazine that published the photos. Chung cried that she was violated with the publication of the photos. Imagine the fans shock when, two years later, photos of her and Chen surfaced on the Internet showing that their idol was not
Jay Park
Tang Wei
pure and innocent after all. And in an industry that puts premium on the image of a star, even going at all costs to cover up the truth, Chung found herself without a career and forced to lay low. The screening of her movie, The Fantastic Water Babes, was pushed back and was only released this July to tepid response. And as proof that fans have not quite forgottennor forgiven Chung, a disillusioned male fan slipped adult DVDs with photos of Chung in magazines at a convenience store in Hong Kong in July. Customers have complained of getting the DVDs, with some saying that none of them contained anything about Chung. It was only three months ago when things seemed to have been looking up for Chung upon reuniting with her Twins partner Charlene Choi (Choi Cheuk Yin) for a successful two-night concert at the Hong Kong Coliseum. But things grew sour again when Chois secret marriage was revealed shortly after. And now, Chung appears to be back to step one. In contrast, Chinese actress Tang Wei has made a successful comeback through a Hong Kong romantic flick Crossing Hennessy that was a far cry from her 2007 controversial film Lust, Caution.
The latter prompted Beijing authorities to impose a ban on her partly because of the sex scenes but mostly because the movie was seen as glorifying unpatriotic behaviour. In Lust, Caution, Tang played a student activist who seduces a Japanese-allied Chinese intelligence chief in World War II-era Shanghai. Crossing Hennessy may have failed to win critics but at least it was safe territory for Tangs comeback bid. The actress is currently filming Late Autumn with a Korean cast. Speaking of Korea, a singer is on the comeback trail a year after criticisms about Korea he posted on MySpace earned him the publics ire. Jay Park, formerly known as Park Jae-beom and ex-leader of Korean pop group 2PM, will be appearing in a summer music festival in August. Korean media has noted that Parks return seems to be going smoothly, unlike other Korean celebrities embroiled in scandals. Park has not been exactly idle during his US exile; he was cast in Hype Nation, an upcoming Hollywood film, and his comeback album sold 26,000 copies in its first two days of release. That may pale in comparison though to the much-anticipated comeback of Chinese diva Faye
Wong (Wong Fei) whose cheapest tickets (costing 300 yuan and 2,500 yuan or US$44 and $370) to a five-night concert in Beijing and one night in Shanghai were sold out in 10 minutes. This will be Wongs first concert after a five-year hiatus. Wongs absence from the entertainment scene was not due to any scandal, however. She laid low after the birth of her second child and seldom made public appearances, seemingly contented to live her life away from the limelight. In a pre-concert press conference recently, Wong kept a crowd of about 300 journalists waiting for 40 minutes. In the end, she only stayed for 10 minutes and uttered no more than three sentences. But who cares? Wongs concert has reportedly sold 18.88 million yuan ($2.8 million)worth of tickets in just 10 days. In fact, the organisers clarified that the figure was just for auspicious reasons and that there were more concert tickets sold as well as a growing demand for a bigger venue. In Wongs case, it would seem that absence indeed makes the heart grow fonder. And thats what marks a successful comeback. asianpopdom@gmail.com
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ENTERTAINMENT
By Devraj Singh Kalsi The Statesman
INDIA
Bollywoods Typical Lovers

Interesting types of lovers who have endeared Indian viewers
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v Kolkata
hat thing called love continues to be a major driving force in Bollywood where love yarnsfreshly packaged to suit the tastes and sensibilities of the new generationare rolled out every month. Ways and methods of expressing love and wooing the sweetheart have undergone a drastic change. It is no longer about running around trees. The essence of love, however, retains its original flavour. Archetypal loverswho bloomed in the industry over the decades have created a niche. As a result, directors continue to flesh out characters based on these common and popular types, adding a new dimension wherever possible. Heres a compilation of the sort of lovers endearing the masses in India:
Shah Rukh Khan interacts and shows all his virtues to the family of the woman he loves in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge. He is the epitome of an obedient lover. Shahid Kapur sets his mind on his career first before love in Kismat Konnection. Ranbir Kapoor (right) plays a sacrificing lover of Katrina Kaif in Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani.
Resurrected lover
He met with a fatal accident. His car fell into a deep gorge. Combing operations yielded no result. Presumed dead. His loveror wifewept inconsolably in front of his garlanded photograph. Her family could not bear her heartache and suggested finding a new partner because one cannot live alone forever. As she recovered from the traumatic experience and her life limped back to normal, she came across a decent guy who showed interest in her. But she
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was steadfast in her decision and therefore spurned his advances. Gradually, she liked his company and shared her harrowing past, with both the families ready to forge an alliance. All hell broke loose on the day of marriage. The guy presumed dead arrives on the scene. The girl is in a dilemma. To marry or not to marry. The second entrant understood their profound love and united the two. Bollywoods fascination for resurrection has been captured on the silver screen in many films. Chandni explored this predicament. Vinod Khanna had to back out in order to unite Rishi Kapoor and Sridevi.
friend of hers, she was more than willing to withdraw. Silently sacrifice her feelings, leave the place and settle elsewhere to begin life afresh. If the guy found that the girlhis good friendloved another guy, he was ready to conceal his feelings. He did something positive so that he ultimately won her love. Like Ranbir Kapoor tried his best in Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani.
Jilted lover
Sacrificing lover
If you truly love someone, you should be ready to sacrifice. The good girl was willing to sacrifice her love in case her family demanded so. Or, if the guy was attracted to another
Terrible character to conceive. Tipsy. Violent. Angry. Abusive. The world is his enemy. All women devils. Unworthy of love. A rejected lover reacted in various ways. Lost faith in love. Unable to forget his love. Unwilling to realise that she did not love him. Sad songs on his parched lips. This depressed wreck tried slashing his veins. The setback took a toll on his mental condition. Ended up in an
asylum in extreme cases. Unrequited love quite a delight to watch and empathise. The female character either swallowed the rejection or tried her best to make sure that her love interest lost his love and ultimately came to her bosom for solace. Since all is fair in love and war, do not shy away from going the whole hog to destroy what could not be yours.
stacles to overcome. The mustachioed father finally relented and let him marry his daughter. Convinced that there cannot be a man to love her more than this guy, not another guy to take better care of her. Shah Rukh Khan in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge did just that. And won kudos. The rest is history.
Career-minded lover
Rebellious lover
The hero, Sunny Deol, failed to create much impact. Possessive lover was fine but here was obsession bordering on madness that found a strange connect with the masses. Quite a mystery why the emotionally disturbed character got approval. Heralded a new category of loverone who went to any length to win his love even if he lost in the end.
Youngsters fell in love while studying in college. Financially dependent on their families. Quite an insult to spend dads hard-earned money to buy flowers and chocolates for girl-
Obstinate young turks. Non-conformist to the hilt. Ready to leave everything for the sake of love. Families did not agree to the match for differences. Religion no bar, caste no bar, community no bar. They ran away
Lethal lover
Love can kill. Push her off the balcony. All for vengeance. With a cause to justify his sinister act, he went about doing the job without remorse. Killing a lover to settle old scores or use any such justification for the heinous act. Absolutely no compunctions. Behind those innocent looks and a smiling face lurked a cold-blooded killer. Once again the anti-hero amazed the audiences. Baazigar made Shah Rukh Khan immensely popular, something which the character of a conventional hero would not enable him to achieve.
friend. Time to be self-reliant. No relationship is going to work without big bucks. Lovers got this strong message. Delivered first in the late eighties in f licks like Maine Pyar Kiya and Aashiqui. Realised the need to build a promising career first. Understand the importance and value of money. Mere declarations of love is futile. Working couple able to survive on their own even if the families throw them out.
Obedient lover
Sensible guy who never talked of elopement. Disliked by her family. Never mind. Change their outlook, win their love, melt their hearts. Not an easy job. The confident guy stayed put. Interacted and showed all his virtues. Never the one to take undue advantage, he paid respect to all elders. He worked pretty hard to acquire their blessings. The process was gradual and elaborate, with many obJuly 30-August 12, 2010
from home, hopped onto a truck loaded with hay, sang a love song and finally arrived in the countryside to breathe free. Good times came to a premature end as their families traced them with the help of henchmen. If the world denied them the space to build their love nest, jump off a cliff, jump into a river, drink poison. Revolt against the system, against the family, against the society always a raging hit in films. Aamir Khan and Juhi Chawla did that in QSQT. A landmark film remembered because of their intense but tragic love.
Passionate lover
Obsessive lover
Obsession was a negative trait associated with the antagonist. The hero was not the one to stalk the heroine, only the villain did so. This arrangement was reversed when Shah Rukh Khan won millions of hearts with his stammering Kiiirrran in Darr.
Celebrate intimacy and love. Romp in bed, smother her with kisses. The passionate hunk made no difference between love and sex. To hell with the idea that love is pure and sex is vulgar. On the contrary, it is a celebration of love. The horny lover satisfied her urges and is loved all the more bec ause he demonstrated, grabbed and held her tight. Ignited her passion. Rishi Kapoor and Dimple Kapadia in Saagar. Vinod Khanna with Madhuri Dixit in Dayavan. Anil Kapoor w ith Madhuri D ixit in Parinda. Bipasha Basu in Jism. Mallika Sherawat in Murder. As times evolve, there is looking forward to more interesting types of lovers being introduced to enrich the existing list of lovers who have made a big impact in Bollywood. Think hard to generate a few myth-busting and unconventional ones.
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ENTERTAINMENT
By Jean Oh The Korea Herald
SOUTH KOREA
Inside 63Citys Wax Museum
Korean Horror Back In Season

From movies to attractions in theme parks, Korea has mastered the art of scaring the audience
n Korea, when summer sweeps around the bend, it means horror is afoot. Blood-curdling tales of restless specters and trips to haunted house-attractions send chills down the spine and bring out the goose bumps; a more than welcome reaction to a hot, stick y day. So where should one go for some bone-chilling fun? Heres a look at the latest thrills, along with new small screen twists to the classic genre and an exploration of why Korean ghosts tend to be single women.
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v Seoul
In-your-face chillers
An increasingly tech-savvy audience demands a new spin on the haunted house-concept. Yeouidos 63City and amusement park goliaths Seoulland and Lotte World rose to the occasion with their 5-D and 3-D attractions. While Lotte Worlds Ghost House caters to children with its mini 3-D film-experience, both 63City and Seoulland brought in a state-of-the-art system from Japan to give thrill-seeking adolescent and adult viewers a scream-inducing jolt. At 63Citys Wax Museum, where the 5-D theatre is located, and Seoul-
land, the viewer enters a circular room and picks one of the stools in the middle. The door shuts, leaving the audience enveloped by a wraparound, c e i l i ng - l e ng t h , s e a m l e ss screen. Stools rotate, encouraging viewers to catch the action from every angle, but they come in handy, in fact, for ducking and evading. Glassesdesigned to curve around your face so you can have a 3-D experience even when looking sideways go on, lights dim. Mosquitoes come at you, kicking off the Japanese-produced horror short, The Room, and building up tension. What happens next cannot be fully revealed, but it involves dismembered body parts, blood, gore, fangs and a little girl, who, quite possibly, is the scariest part of the whole experience. Though the film lasts no more than six or seven minutes and has zero dialogue, it feels a lot longer, thanks to the excessive sweating and the constant flinching or screaming it induces. Needless to say, the technology is so off-the-charts it feels like everything is either touching you or, even worse, passing through you; an effect, which, according to Seoulland Park operation team manager Lee Jeom-soo, is made possible by the 360-degree, wraparound screen. For lack of a better word, the sensation is uncanny, and, well, kind of awesome. For those who want to bring kids along for the rideonly adolescents and adults can watch The Roomcheck out Lotte Worlds Ghost House. A considerably milder take on the 3-D-style experience, the place, done up like a gothic castle, invoked a standard haunted house with a spooky trip to the theatre entrance, and an even more thrill-rigged exit out. No need to fear, though; costumed employees did not pop out at visitors. Everything seemed age appropriate. The theatre itself has a standard viewing space, with rows of wooden, cathedral-like seating facing a huge screen. Ashen walls and candelabratype fixtures promised to heighten the film experience, which features a cats
foray into a haunted house filled with dolls and dog zombies. It is family-oriented, said Lotte World employee Yi Ho-young.
Female-heavy horror
Name any standard K-horror flick, drama or tale and it will most likely centre on a female ghost looking for resolution and peace of mind. In fact, the white-garbed, longtressed specter has become something of a horror icon in Korea. So where did she first make her appearance? The Korean girl specter goes as far back as the Three Kingdoms period, says Female Ghosts author Choe Keysook, from which a tale detailing a romance between a living man and two female ghosts supposedly originates. By the 15th century, says Choe, a series of novellas were featuring strong-minded, individualistic female
KBS GRUDGE: The Revolt of Gumiho
male ghosts were also cast in these yadamjip of yore. These male spirits, however, harboured no sense of resentment and took on authoritative roles, says Choe. In some stories, they demand sexual relations from their wives or teach their children to write. If that is the case, then, it should come as no surprise as to why these traditional male ghosts have faded into the background. A wronged ghost with unfinished business makes for a better horror film or drama than a spirit with no problems or issues.
63Wax Museum
The Room plays every hour, on the hour on weekdays, and at the half-hour mark on weekends. Only viewers aged 12 and over can watch. Tickets cost 1,000 won in addition to a wax museum entrance fee that costs 14,000 won for adults and 13,000 won for adolescents. Opening hours are from 10am to 10pm. The 63Wax Museum is located on the third basement floor of 63City in Yeouido. For more information call (02) 789-5663 or visit 63waxmuseum.com
Nine-tailed fox revamped
spirits who fall in love with ostracised male intellectuals. The question remains, however, as to why female ghosts were portrayed as resentful beings with unresolved issues. First, one must focus on who wrote ghost stories in Korea, she explained. According to Choe, male intellectuals created wronged female ghosts as a vehicle for the true protagonist of these tales: the heroic male government official. The official, once approached by the specter, would successfully uncover the injustice done upon her and clear her name. While female ghosts receive most of the spotlight, appearing in cult classics like A Public Cemetery of Wolha (1967) and KBS Korean Ghost Stories,
The realm of Korean horror is not restricted to ghosts. Every culture seems to have its own version of a femme fatale. In Korea, it would have to be the ninetailed fox. Called gumiho, the nine-tailed fox is often depicted as a sly animal that transforms into a beautiful woman, seduces men and consumes their livers. Sound familiar? Yes, she is a man-eater. While Holly wood may have upped the gore-ante on the prototype with Karyn Kusamas Jennifers Body (2009)-a bloody flick about a maneating demon (played by Megan Fox); Korean television is going in the opposite direction with their femme fatale icon. KBS Grudge: The Revolt of Gumiho centres on a nine-tailed fox who is intent on protecting her half-human, half-fox offspring from harm. The most important theme of the drama is a mothers instinctive love for her daughter, Grudge actress Han Eun-jeong, who is playing Gumiho, said. SBS is taking it a step further with their upcoming drama My Girlfriend is a Gumiho, where Brilliant Legacy actor Lee Seung-gi plays a wealthy hero who falls in love with a nine-tailed fox (played by The Naked Kitchen actress Shin Min-a). The series promises to be more of a romantic comedy than a tale of horror.
Seoulland
Seoulland is located near the Seoul Grand Park Subway Station Line 4, Exit 2. Admission into the park costs 15,000 won for adults and 12,000 won for adolescents. Ticket prices for The Room at Time Machine 5D 360 cost 4,000 won for adults, 3,500 won for adolescents and plays at 10am, 2pm and 6pm. Only viewers aged 15 and over can watch. For more information call (02) 509-6000 or visit eng. seoulland.co.kr
Lotte World
Lotte World is located at Jamsil Subway Station Line 2. The Ghost House is located in Magic Island of Lotte World and plays every 30 minutes. Viewers aged four and over can watch. Passport tickets (which allows free use of most attractions) costs 37,000 won for adults, 32,000 won for adolescents and 28,000 won for children. For more information call (02) 411-2000 or visit www. lotteworld.com
Exchange rate: 1,215 won: US$1
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Arts
By Phyllis Zhu China Daily
Wang Gongxin is one of the earliest Chinese artists to use video as a medium.
New Medium, Old Ideas

Although the idea is not new, Wangs open studio exhibition greatly facilitates collaboration and conversation among Beijings artistic circle
hen Beijing artist Wang Gongxin left his second home in New York in 1995, he took a little piece of Brooklyn with him back to his hometown. Wang dug a threemetre-deep hole in his backyard in downtown Beijing and placed in it a television monitor playing a video of the Brooklyn sky from his apartment rooftop. Thus, Wangs first piece of video artThe Sky of Brooklynwas born. As one of the earliest contemporary Chinese artists to use video as a medium, Wang began with this simple yet innovative work and has embraced new technology in what he describes as his most hitech exhibition yet. Video art is popular in Western countries but few Chinese people know about it. I hope to introduce Beijing art lovers to this fresh category of avant-garde art, he said. Relating, a four-part series that uses LCD screens and mp4s, is being shown at the Platform China Contemporary Art In40
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v Beijing
PHOTOS BY CH INA DA ILY
stitute, a local gallery famous for its promotion of Chinas contemporary art. The installation, Relating- Its about Ya, presents various sequences of images and sounds that are derived from the sound, ya, which Wang said is inspired by the sound of Peking Opera. Wang says that the concept behind the piece is analogous to humans experience with the Internet and in particular, with Wikipedia searches. Today you log on to the computer and start with one concept that youre interested inwhether its news or a new movieand then your search leads you to something else, then something else, he explained. At the end, when you can remember the last thing you searched and compare it with the first thing you sought, you will find they are totally different things. The other video installation in the series, Its about Dream, features 200 colourful mp4 screens depicting sleeping faces, landscapes and objects, and an eerie hum of snoring pervades the room. The work
plays on the slogan of the 2008 OlympicsOne World, One Dream. During the Olympics, the slogan was everywhere, and when I saw that I thought, Can you imagine if your dreams and my dreams were the same? The slogan isnt really about that but I tried to show that all have their own dreams; even rocks and trees have their own dreams, he said.They dont have the same dream, but they dream together. A native of Beijing, Wang graduated from Capital Normal University in 1982 with a bachelor of art degree in oil painting. After teaching oil painting at the university for five years, Wang moved to the United States as a visiting scholar at WANGS WORK: Its about Dream. the State University of New York in Cortland. It was during his seven years in New York, experimenting with various art forms and he invited a small circle of close friends to see his work drawing from what he calls the creative energyof the in what is known as an open studio. Unlike a gallery city, that Wang discovered video. setting, open studios are independent and spontaneous At that time, in China the only art we learned was gatherings and invitations are often sent by postcard. putting brush to paper. When I went to New York, I Although the idea of transforming a private space into learned that there were all kinds of possibilities and ma- a gathering place for intellectuals is not newit can be terials to work traced to 17th century Parisian salons and beforeWangs with, he said. open studio exhibition greatly facilitated collaboration For many years and conversation among Beijings artistic circle. I tried different While the perception of contemporar y art and mediums, but then the technology used to make it have changed in the I found video and past two decades, Wang says that his motive for loved it. It actually making art has not. took about three Even though it was hard to make art in New York (for or four years for a living), we didnt think of selling art for money at the me to switch to time. We were doing other things, like designing, but we video art, he said. never forgot to make pure art, he said. Wang and his Wangs earlier works carry a sense of nostalgia wife Lin Tianmi- and include personal elements. In The Old Bench WANGS WORK: Relating - Its about Ya ao, who is also an (1997), for example, the artist replaced a section of artist, are two of a wooden bench that he found in his home with a the leading figures in what is known as apartment art, monitor displaying a black and white image of the a movement in which experimental and avant-garde missing piece. In another, Baby Talk (1996), Wang groups seek alternative spaces for exhibiting their art. projected a video of family members making faces Today contemporar y art is more popular and at his newborn son onto a pool of milk. Wang inaccepted compared to even five years ago, but in sists that the subjectivity of his works, however, the mid-1990s when my wife and I moved back form does not hinder their accessibility. Instead, he New York, contemporar y art in China was still claims, his work is merely a starting point for underground. Performance artists, such as Zhuang viewers own creative process. Huan, were making the news and drawing negative Every image, every colour in Its About Ya and the attention (to nontraditional art), he said. way they relate to each other are my own associations, The government didnt allow our works to be but they are all open to interpretation. Im only offering shown in public galleries, so the young artists of the audience a system of linking, he said. the time were looking for a private space to transOnce I finish a work, I take a step back and re-expeform into a contemporary space. rience it as a visitor rather than as the artist. It no longer When Wang created the site-specific Sky of Brooklyn, belongs to me, said Wang.
July 30-August 12, 2010 41
ARTS & CULTURE

By Dian Kuswandini The Jakarta Post
M A L AY S I A
In Pursuit Of Art Tourism

tourisM can be a positive force to bring art to the forefront
ART-TRACTION: Tourists check out paintings at Atma Alam Batik Art Village in Langkawi.
v Kuala Lumpur
ou actually dont want to make art as a commercial thingbecause ever ything about art comes from the heart. But making it a tourism product, yes, you would want to do thatbecause its a positive thing. So acknowledged famous Malaysian artist Suhaimi Fadzir of his enthusiasm in the wave of art tourism, which has just started to roll in his homeland. Positive like he said, the new and innovative tourism campaign embraced by the Malaysian government was more than just attracting touristsit also opens the eyes of both local and international citizens to the richness of Malaysian art. The people here are not aware of and appreciate their own local arts, Suhaimi said. Love of art doesnt start from early education here. Were introduced to art a little bit late. SOCCER SNAPSHOTS: A visitor takes a close look at works of the Residency Thus, Suhaimi said, such Artist Ada Lama Kini at the Underwater a government campaign Gallery in Langkawi, Malaysia. The artists would be the first step to attempt to convey World Cup Fever. bringing art to the forefront. If it means a good thing for
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artists like him, it may also be for the Malaysian government, who is now thriving to offer travellers with more than just lovely scenery, vibrant traditions and palate-pleasing cuisine. In the wake of art tourism, where the artistic energy of art enhances one countrys global appeal, Malaysia does not want to be left behind. While Singapore has already announced it wanted to make the country Southeast Asias centre for arts, Malaysia now is embracing the same desire. This desire to mold the country as a melting pot for art aficionados, gallery owners, artists and a new generation of collectors from across the globe, has now located art in the heart of Malaysias tourism scene. The global traveller today is not looking for destinations but experiences, said Muhyiddin Yassin, Malaysian deputy prime minister. A strong art tourism scene, he continued, would enhance our global appeal and keep our tourism offering fresh, new and exciting. At first, Yassin admitted, it might seem that art and tourism were two separate things. However, closer observation reveals that they both indeed strive for the same things. Tourism and art open the eyes of the world to a societys culture, social structure and history, he said during the launch of the Malaysia Contemporary Art Tourism (MCAT) Festival early this month. Both encapsulate the life, spirit, culture and heritage of a country and its society, he added. Besides, as revealed by Malaysian tourism minJuly 30-August 12, 2010
ister Ng Yen Yen, it was through art I have checked and been informed last two years, many major art exhibithat the beauty and identity of Malay- that Malaysia has thriving clusters of tions by Malaysian artists have been sia could be spread across the world. contemporary art segments, Ng said. sold out. Malaysian artists are winMalaysian art is the canvas upon A check on the Internet shows web- ning more commissions from Japawhich our culture, our lifestyle, our sites such as arterimalaysia.com, nese and European museums and are landscape and people are featured, which blogs about contemporary art being invited to prestigious biennales Ng said. It is an importantand and culture around Malaysia and around the world. beautifuldocumentation of Malaysia, Southeast Asia. Thus, the MCAT, which will be the state of our country, the feelings Ng revealed that with around 400 held from July to September this year, of our people, the sense of nation- contemporary artists that Malaysia serves as a launching pad for the enhood, she added. hasand the big potential they have try of Malaysia as a serious player in The wave of art tourism has actu- for the international market, the suc- the regional art scene. The festival, Ng ally been pulsating across European cess of the countrys contemporary art said, would place her country alongcountries, with people keen to fly scene was like fruit ready to be side art exhibitions around the world, across the seas just to see the pieces of picked. such as the Beijing Contemporary Art Vincent van Gogh, Leonardo da Vinci, I was made to understand that Fair, the Dubai Contemporary Art Pablo Picasso and Rembrandt van Malaysia contemporary art pieces are Fair, Vienna Art Fair and Hong Kong Rijn, or splurge thousands or even set to fetch very good prices ranging Art and Antiques Fair. millions of dollars to own a With the tourism industry painting. Malaysia recognises being the second highest inthis would stimulate the travcome earner for Malaysias el industr y, so when it economy after manufacturing, launched the MCAT, its goal the country is making new was clear: To attract unique initiatives to draw foreign tourand distinctive travellers ists. The Malaysian governthose high-yield tourists ment recorded more than 23 who can afford the finer million tourist arrivals in the things in life. The Malaysian country in 2009, an increase governments reference for from around 22 million the success, according to Ng, was previous year. the 2009 Singapore Biennale, Singapore, Indonesia and wh i c h a t t ra c t e d a ro u n d Thailand are the top-three 500,000 interested tourists. countries contributing to the I have no doubt that figure. By creating new and in(through art) the tourism innovative tourism products such FOR ART AND MONEY: Malaysian artist Suhaimi Fadzir dustry will be able to attract a as the MCAT, the nations proposes in front of an example of his work. The Malaysian government has confidence in the industry an artist like Suhaimi is greater number of high netfile could be boosted as a top able to sell a work for more than US$10,000. worth tourists willing to pay tourist destination, and simultaa premium price for a firstneously, contribute toward its rate experience, said Yassin during from 4,000 ringgit ($1,250) to 400,000 economic growth, Yassin said. the MCATs launching. ringgit ($12,500) with the introduction The MCAT will be held in Kuala So, why contemporary art? by Henry Butcher auction, she said. Lumpur, Penang, Malacca and Johor. Contemporary art is a passion that This will contribute to the economic The festival is showcasing what Ng unites discerning travellers and tourists spin-off and tourism revenue when called the most explosive, dynamic alike from all corners of the world, tourists purchase items. and provocative artworks by internareasoned Ng. (It) has always attracted Sharing similar optimism with Ng, tionally acclaimed Malaysian artists, as international attention globally. Yassin is confident that Malaysian well as upcoming contemporary artContemporary art, the way the contemporary artworks will find a ists from all over the country. Among campaign defines it, is artistic expres- new niche in the tourism industry, the artists are Malaysias leading consion of the here and nowbroadly I am told that since 2006, prices for temporary sculptor Abdul Muthalib spanning a 10-year period. In the con- the better-known Malaysian modern Musa, Fauzan Omar, Annuar Rashid, text of a modern Malaysian art move- artists have soared100 fold in ex- Yusoff Ghani, Eng Hwee Chu, A. ment, the contemporary art scene treme cases such as the internationally Jegadeva and Dhavinder Gill. mainly profiles seminal artworks and known Ahmad Zakii Anwaras the Who knows, the next Picasso or artists that are prolific and innovative general demand for Asian works have Andy Warhol of Malaysia will be disin the here and nowthe thread of reached international markets, recovered by a world audience via art which spans in the last 10 years. vealed Yassin. Moreover, over the lovers, Yassin said.
July 30-August 12, 2010 43
P HOTO S BY DIA N kUSWA ND INI / THE jAk ARTA P O ST
TRAVEL
By Cheryl Tan The Straits Times
Is BudgeT BeTTer?
Theyre cheap but sometimes you end up paying an even stiffer price
v Singapore
A F P PHOTO F ILE S
bout six years after budget airlines made regional air travel more accessible to the masses, they are looking to shake things up again. The likes of Tiger Airways, Jetstar Asia and AirAsia are no longer satisfied with plying regional routes to destinations up to four hours away. They are challenging full-service airlines by offering lower fares to destinations even farther away on fares that are at least 40 per cent cheaper. Malaysian-owned budget airline Air Asia paved the way in March last year when it launched AirAsia X, which flies to Londons Stansted airport and also to India. In April, Tiger Airways announced plans to f ly to two more destinations, Tiruchirappalli and Trivandrum, in India, in addition to its current f lights to Chennai and Bangalore. Air-ticket sales have already started for the two additional flights that will start in November. Recently, Jetstar Asia launched three new routes to Osaka, Melbourne and Auckland, its first long-haul routes out of Singapore. Pay less, travel fartherwhat great news for travellers across all demographics. Or is it, really?
Some people are finding that when it comes to travelling, cheaper is not always better. The cheap no-frills fares offered by Jetstar Asia made it possible for recent graduate Wong Jingwei to afford a community service trip to a village in Cambodia in May, followed by a graduation holiday to Viet Nam, Thailand and Taiwan right after that. But the 25-year-old and his group of 33 friends were told only upon reaching Changi airport before dawn that their 6:45am flight to Phnom Penh had been cancelled due to a technical glitch. Instead they flew more than 12 hours later at 7:55pm. After the community service trip, he was again unlucky to find himself twiddling his thumbs in an airport for eight hours. His AirAsia flight from Viet Nam to Thailand was delayed. His graduation holiday sure got off to a bad start. When contacted to verify Wongs case, Jetstar Asia said the cancellation was a planned schedule change that had been made in March. It explained that while other passengers on the plane were contacted about the change in flight details via a combination of e-mail, SMS and phone calls, Wongs group was inadvertently left out. According to the Jetstars Charter, if the carrier breaches its commit-
ments to its passengers, it will provide customers with travel vouchers of up to S$100 (US$73). Wong is not alone with his complaint about low-fare carriers. The Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) received 238 complaints about budget airlines last year, up from 168 cases in 2008. The complaints were related to f light delays and terminations without notice, as well as unsatisfactory service relating to luggage claims and refunds. Tiger Airways received the most number of complaints, with 122 cases last year. Jetstar Asia had 73 and Air Asia, 35. Cases executive director Seah Seng Choon says the spike in the number of complaints is due to an increase in demand for budget travel. At the Changi Airline Awards announced in July, budget airlines Tiger Airways, Jetstar Asia and AirAsia made it into the top 10 list of airlines carrying the most number of passengers flying in and out of Singapore last year. It was the first time AirAsia made the list, edging out full-service airline Thai Airways, and also the first time three budget carriers have made the list. Other carriers that made the top 10 were Singapore Airlines, SilkAir, Emirates, Qantas Airways and Cathay Pacific.
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Tiger Airways also beat full-service airlines in the region to emerge as the airline with the highest growth in passenger numbers among Singapore-based carriers. Its spokesman Charles Sng said passenger numbers grew by 53.8 per cent from 3.2 million to 4.9 million in the airlines previous financial year, which ended on March 31. According to Gary Ho, a lecturer in aviation management and services at Temasek Polytechnic, the more affordable prices now offered by full-service airlines are the result of competition from low-cost carriers. Qantas, which co-owns Jetstar, noted that the success of low-cost carriers has stressed the need for all carriers to really focus on their costs to ensure they remain competitive. Travel agents such as CTC Holidays and Chan Brothers Travel are also leveraging on the cheap fares by bundling up low-cost package deals for travellers. CTC said at least 20 per cent of its travel packages are partnered with budget airlines. Its spokesman Alicia Seah said: Budget carriers are growing stronger day by day and will be a threat to the incumbent carriers. Aviation expert Ho explained that budget airlines are able to offer low fares because of their frugality and cost-conscious methods. For example, they might cancel a flight rather than fly with a near-empty plane, resulting in sudden flight changes, he said. Low-cost carriers also maximise the lifespan of the aircraft by loading it up with passengers for a return trip as soon as they finish with disembarking arriving passengers. Ho said: If theres a delay of just five minutes for every f light, it tends to snowball and affect the punctuality of the airlines f lights for the rest of the day. Slower and poorer service may be inevitable as budget airlines have less resources to hire more call-centre employees. But budget airlines are working
hard to improve their service. In January, Tiger Airways started sending its cabin crew for service excellence courses. It also appointed a new call-centre service provider in April in an attempt to reduce call waiting time to 20 seconds. Jetstar Asia recently invested in a new Jetstar Way training programme for 400 of its call-centre staff at its telephone reservation centre, which is now equipped to handle inquiries 24 hours a day, every day. It also introduced the Jetstar Customer Guarantee that ensures customers are informed of delays and cancellations as early as possible, and provided with alternative arrangements when their flights are no longer available.
If budget airlines are offering longer and cheaper flights as well as better service, do full-service carriers have to worry? Not necessarily. Chan Brothers Travel spokesman Jane Chang said 95 per cent of its travellers still opt for full-service carriers over budget carriers, unless there is no better alternative flight to the destination of their choice. She is referring to the recent launch of budget airlines flying to Macau, Shantou and Shenzhen, destinations which most full-service airlines do not fly to. Moreover, she pointed out that
travellers do not mind paying slightly more for a full-service experience, especially if the budget carrier fares differ only marginally during peak periods. Singapore Airlines vice-president Nicholas Ionides is confident that the brands long time emphasis on service, innovation and network will continue to help differentiate it from the competition. At the same time, he said: We keep a very keen eye on our operating costs as we always have and are constantly identifying ways to trim our cost base without compromising on the products and services offered to our customers. A British Airways spokesman said flying with a full service and paying all-inclusive fares means you dont get hit with any additional costs for checking in at the airport, food and drink onboard or baggage allowance. Although the lead-in price for some budget airlines is sometimes lower than ours, they often only offer a limited number of seats at that price, she added. And flying with a budget airline on short notice can become more expensive than flying with a full-service carrier. Nevertheless, it seems budget airlines are here to stay, whether full-service airlines welcome the competition or not. HR consultant M.L. Seah said she enjoys travelling on budget airlines when she flies three to four times a month for work. The 48-year-old travels frequently to Hong Kong, Macau and Bangkok for business on Tiger Airways and said she usually pays S$30 more for a seat with legroom at the front. If you book too late on full-service airlines, you get the perks but you get squashed somewhere and may not get the seat that you want, she said. You also dont feel you have to eat onboard because youre paying so much. But she admitted her expectations are lowered the moment she books a budget flight.
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EXPLORE
TIBET
By Manote Tripathi The Nation (Thailand)
The Temple On Everests Toe
wild blue sheep once paid friendly visits to rongphu Monastery while the head laMa Moved into a freezing cave
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e finally reach Shigatseand promptly put it on hold. The Tashilunpo Monastery, home to the worlds biggest gilded-bronze Buddha statue, is the main attraction for us in Tibets second-largest city, but a tour will take at least three hours. We just dont have that much time, so it will wait until we return from the Rongphu Temple and Mount Everest. Our climb is by way of Old Tingri. Its another overnight stop, but our guide warns us theres nothing to seefor most people, the town is just a place to rest en route to Kathmandu. Still, it has the Tibet-Nepal Highway running through itleading to Zhangmu on the Nepal border and a view of Mount Everest too.
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v Tibet
In fact, the scenery on both sides of the Tibet-Nepal Friendship Highway is absolutely stunning: pastoral with rustic farmsteads and grazing sheep and yaks, massive hills in unremitting brown hunkered around sprawling desolate fields. Some of the peaks are like hand-carved spires. The road winds around these natural fortresses, past classic Tibetan brick houses f lying Chinas f lag. In some places, though, theres nothing to see but the hills, the highway and the kilometre markers. We make a stop in the middle of nowhere and, with the car engine switched off, marvel at the absolute silence. The contrast to Bangkok and Copenhagen, where my companions live, could not be more dramatic. Its a silence that pierces, paradoxically demanding your attention with the sheer
PH OTO S BY MA NOTE TR IPATHI /T HE NATIO N (THA ILA ND )
absence of sound. Surely, we think, this remote corner must have been spared the ravages of the Cultural Revolution. Its more than 5,000km from Beijing, but distance from the capital saved few other places in Tibet. Old Tingri has a post-apocalyptic air. Its dry and dusty. Mothers and their children have hair that looks fossilised. We three are the only things that look new, so we stick out like clean thumbs as we scout out that first glimpse of Everest. I find the viewpoint, once the clouds lift, just off the main road, with seats seemingly set out for tourists. We sit, sip tea and stare at the mighty monarch of all mountains. At 5:30 the next morning we drive into a barren land of rocky slopesa shortcut off the highway to Rongphu. Snow coats the mountains, the
The Rongbuk area became a site of religious importance around 300 years ago, when the first gompaa monastery, or hermitagewas built there. A Buddhist nunnery was established about 100 years later. By the end of the 19th century, however, there were just a few hermits living below the glacier, and this is the site of Everest Base Camp. The present monastery was founded in 1902 by the great religious leader Dzatrul Rinpoche, described in one old British account as a large man full of dignity with a most intelligent and wise face and an extraordinarily attractive smile. Dzatrul was also instrumental in the founding, in 1916, of the Thyangboche Monastery on the south side of Everest. When the British Everest reconnaissance expedition arrived at Rongbuk in 1921, the monastery
serpentine fields and the dilapidated makeshift bridges. In a matter of minutes we ascend from 4,800 to 5,300 metres above sea level, in a hurry to see the clear blue sky of the early morning, supposedly the best time to contemplate Everest. We arrive dizzy at Rongphu Monastery, otherwise known as Rongbuk, after the nearby glacier. Also draped in white powder, its humble in size, but its claim to fame is being the worlds highest monastery, at 5,100 metres. The snow keeps falling throughout our visit, but yak-butter lanterns offer some warmth inside as we admire the bright, colourful murals.
supported some 20 lamas, while several hundred lay monks stayed for varying lengths of time. Rongbuk was a place for meditation. More hermits lived in caves and cells higher up the valley. The British didnt meet the head lama because he was ensconced in a cave, subsisting, as was the custom, on a daily delivery of water and barley. Rongbuk is also a sanctuary for birds, with a strict ban on killing animals still in place. The British survey team found the wildlife quite tame, in fact, with blue sheep often visiting the monastery. When the Chinese invaded in 1950, the monastery had almost 250
residents, most of them nuns. The Red Guards destroyed the temple in the decade that followed, commanding the Tibetans to strip the buildings of raw materials, especially the wood beams. The stupa was split open and ransacked of its treasures. The abbot f led over the Himalayas and established a new monastery at Junbesi in Nepal. Photojournalist Galen Rowell found the place without a ceiling when he visited in 1983, just broken walls stretching a hundred yards up a hillside devoid of life, where hundreds of pilgrims and lamas once worshiped. The subsequent rebuilding ensured that Dzatrul Rinpoche was not forgotten. Theres an image of him in the lhakang, the chapel. The monastery retains its unusual mix of monks and nuns. We spend a few hours inside appreciating the surviving murals, and watch 15 young monks read scriptures. We emerge excitedly, hoping for a magnificent view of Everestbut it still hasnt stopped snowing! Evidently the prayers we offered inside have gone unanswered, at least so far today.
47
EXPLORE
By By Mu Qian China Daily
CHINA
Mutton and snacks in dishes are lined up in the courtyard for the wedding banquet.
Chance Encounters
An impromptu desire to visit the Buryat tribe of Mongolia results in an unforgetabble day
got off the bus at Menggenchulu, a place somewhere in Hulunbuir in north Chinas Inner Mongolia autonomous region that couldnt be found on any map. The few people in the village that I saw gave me surprised looks, as if they were wondering why I was here. Actually I was beginning to wonder too. Although I was staying in Hulunbuir for several days, I never planned to come to this remote place, until the previous morning, when I went to a ritual sacrifice on an organised trip. It was an annual festival when the local Ewenki people gather at a cairn to offer food and milk to the spirits and circle the cairn three times, to gain blessings for a good year to come. A group of lamas were invited to chant sutras at the ritual. In ethnically rich Hulunbuir, one
48
v Hulunbuir
of the most common questions people ask is: Which ethnic group are you from? When I asked this question to one of the lamas, he replied Buryat. Buryat. It sounded a little familiar. I had heard of this tribe of the Mongolian people who live in both Russia and China. They have a distinct culture, though their population in China numbers just a few thousands. The lama also told me he was from Xinihe, a township in the southeast of the Ewenki autonomous banner of Inner Mongolia. Then he disappeared before I was able to ask him more questions. The image of a distant place with people following a traditional lifestyle triggered my interest. I gave up my original plan to go to the China-Russia border, which is more popular among tourists and went to the bus station to buy a
ticket for Xinihe. However, the ticket seller didnt know where I was going after I said Xinihe. Another passenger came to help, and after listening to my plan he told the ticket seller that I should be going to Menggenchulu, the nearest bus stop to access the area of the Buryat people. Place names are a problem for travellers in this area, since there are official names (known to outsiders) and local names (known to the locals), Mongolian and Chinese names for almost every place. To further complicate matters, recent redistricting measures have created many new names for towns scattered in the area. The helpful passenger, an Ewenki man, went on to call a friend of his in Menggenchulu to ask what I could see there. His friend said that there would be a Buryat wedding the next day that he could take me to.
PH OTO S BY MUQ I AN/C HI NA DAI LY
T his re al ly e xc ited me. I treated to milk tea. there, they said they felt it better to thanked him and boarded a I took some photos for them in be living in China where they could bus for Meng genchulu. return, and promised to send back make pretty good money by herding. Meng Jinshan, the Ewenki mans the developed pictures. The boy of The bride and her best friends friend, was out of town when I the family felt very happy about the were in another room, drinking arrived and wouldnt be back until photo session. Having donned his and singing songs, many of very late. I checked into a small inn, best gown and climbed onto his which were pop songs from Ulan where the only other guest was horse, he posed for a picture that he Bator and Chinese pop songs someone from the local surveying could hang on the wall. with Mongolian lyrics. and mapping bureau, who spent the The next morning, Meng called to After snacks and milk tea, we better part of a year wandering say that he couldnt make it to the headed for the bridegrooms family. around the vast steppes on a motorwedding as he had some other A few buses had been hired to cycle to check details of the places. errands to do, but he had asked transport people, but I stayed in the We chatted for a while, during some relatives who were going to car with Mengs relatives. which he pointed out that the Xinihe give me a ride. It took another hour to go to Monastery was marked at a wrong We first went to the village of the the bridegrooms village. Now location in my map. That was very brides family, where all the villagers we were deep inside the prairie. helpful, for I was planning to go to were gathering at the community T he bridegrooms family were the monastery, where the lama I met room to prepare for the wedding. outside their house to welcome said he was from. Most women joined in the work of the bride and guests. The boss of the inn told me that preparing food, while most of the In the old days, when the few Buryat people lived in this men were smoking and chatting. procession to escort the bride was village, but some of them on horses, people circled lived around the monastery. the house three times before When I asked him where I dismounting. Now the rite could find people who had been simplified as we could sing Buryat folk only circled the house once songs, he said: With by car. alcohol, even I could. Incredible amounts of food Outside the inn, I found an had been prepared, mostly unlicensed taxi that was mutton, but also desserts. All willing to take me to the the people formed a circle in a monastery, some 20km into big courtyard, with tables of the prairie. It was already food before them. An anchordusk, and the golden-colour woman was in the middle of The bride (second from left) and her friends at the banquet. that the monastery was the circle to preside over the reflecting in the sunset could ceremony. be seen from afar. Children were playing and screaming. Some girls from an art school were Xinihe is the name of the town we A few people, who now lived in the invited to perform songs for the were in, and also that of the river we cities, had returned for the wedding, guests, accompanied by a keyboardwere crossing now. A shepherd on but the majority of the Buryat people ist, who would produce funny horseback was also crossing the river seemed to be continuing their sounds with his synthesizer to make with his flock. He had the traditional forefathers lifestyles as herders. people laugh. conical hat of the Buryat people that I talked to a somber young man The new couple were standing in I had seen in photos. who was sitting beside me. He said the centre to receive words of A temple fair is held around the he had studied for many years in blessing from their kin and friends, monastery on the 15th day of every Hohhot, capital city of Inner Mongo- including the somber wrestler, who first and eighth lunar month, when lia, but he came back home to be a looked happier now. all the local Buryat people come to herder because he couldnt find a I had to go back before it got dark, trade their goods and have fun, but proper job. and ended my brief but happy time the area was almost empty when we I found out the reason why it was with the Buryat people. Everybody arrived. The monastery was still difficult for him to find a job after he had treated me so well, especially being renovated. There was no lama, told me what he studiedwrestling. when they learned that I was a only a few construction workers. Many people told me that they friend of Meng, and I thanked this While there are still some Buryat had been to the Buryat Republic in friend I had never met. I should also who live in tents, most of them have Russia, where the majority of the thank the Ewenki passenger, the settled in houses. We stopped by a Buryat people live. While having a lama, and everybody in this land for Buryat family nearby and were sense of closeness to the people giving me this wonderful experience.
July 30-August 12, 2010 49
DATEBOOK
BAN G KO K
ART ExHIBIT
Number1 Gallery presents Identity without the merge by Daeng Buasand. The artist notes that life is like a reflection of both the dark and the beautiful and that night and day are separated by rotation. When: August 5-28, Mondays-Saturdays 10am-7pm Where: Number1 Gallery, Floor B1, Silom Galleria Building Info: www.number1gallery.com
HUA HI N
REGATTA 2009
At the end of each July, sailors gather for the annual Hua Hin Regatta that will test their skills over three days of competition. The coveted trophies are the Royal Vega Rudder trophy of His Majesty the King, Super Mod National Championship trophy from HM the King, OK Dinghy National Championship
trophy from HM the Queen, and Princess Cup for Optimist Championship of the late HRH Princess Galyani Vadhana. Hua Hin is considered the traditional home of the Thailand sailing community, due to HM the Kings keen interest in the sport. When: August 3-8 Where: Hua Hin Info: www.yrat.or.th/en/index.php
H O NG KO NG
KAN DY, SRI LAN KA
ASIAN YOUTH ORCHESTRA

Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the 108-member Asian Youth Orchestra has embarked on an ambitious 9-city, 16-concert tour. They will be joined by the orchestras founder, Richard Pontzious, principal conductor James Judd and cello soloist Alban Gerhardt. The repertoire will include works by Richard Strausss Don Juan, Don Quixote, the Suite from Der Rosenkavalier, Mahlers Symphony No.5 and Schumanns Cello Concerto. When: August 11-13; 8pm Where: Concert Hall, Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Tsim Sha Tsui; Hong Kong Coliseum, Hung Hom Info: www.asianyouthorchestra.com, +852 2866 1623 50
KANDY PERAHERA (ESALA PERAHERA)

As the August moon waxes in the Buddhist month of Esala, a pageant takes over Kandy, Sri Lanka. Men fulfil vows to Hindu god Skanda by walking in harness with spikes in their backs, accompanied by a fabulous procession. The procession includes fire-juggling acrobats, 100 sumptuously decorated elephants, traditional dancers, oboetooting musicians, banners, palanquins, whip crackers, torch bearers and thousands of barefoot pilgrims and swordsmen. To top it off, all this has happened every year since about 300 AD. When: August 15-24 (annual) Where: Kandy, Sri Lanka Info: www.daladamaligawa.org/esala. perahera4.htm
H O N G KO N G
FOOD ExPO 2010

This annual gastronomic extravaganza provides visitors with a unique chance to sample international delights. The Food Expo will include a series of sharing sessions by food experts, cooking demonstrations by well-known celebrity chefs and more. When: August 12-16 Where: Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai Info: www.hktdc.com/hkfoodexpo, +852 1830 668 July 30-August 12, 2010
HGRS_AsiaNewsAdvtv2_080807.qxp:Layout 1 Teaser 197x121 7:Layout 1 28.6.2010 9:14 Uhr 8/31/07 1 9:29 AM Seite Teaser 197x121 4.6.09:Layout 1 4.6.2009 11:22 Uhr Seite 1
Page 1
Global competition 2009: Building Asia together. Rewarding Two Holcim Awards for Asia
construction in Asia
Holcim Awards 2009. Find out more on page 15.
Whether youre building or investing in factories, homes, bridges, schoolhouses or shopping malls were the perfect partner to make for sustainable construction The Holcim Awards competition projects and materials in your project happen. As the No. 1 supplier of buildingvisions attracted almost 5,000 entries from Asia we can deliver the right solutions when121 countries the counts. and where it most outstanding were honored with Global
The Holcim Awards are supported by Holcim Ltd one the The Holcim Foundation is supported by Holcim Ltd one ofof the The Holcim Awards competition celebrates innovative, futureHolcim in Asia-Pacific: worlds leading suppliers of cement and aggregates and its worlds leading suppliers of cement and aggregates and its oriented and tangible sustainable construction projects and Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, New Caledonia, Group companies in more than 70 countries including Australia, visions and New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, three-year provides prize money of USD 2 million per Thailand, Vietnam Group companies in more than 70 countries including Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Laos, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Laos, cycle. The 3rd International Holcim Awards competition is open Malaysia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, for entries until March 23, 2011. Find out more on page 15. Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam. www.holcim.com Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam.
www.holcimawards.org www.holcimawards.org
Strength. Performance. Passion.

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J ULY 30 -AUGU ST 12, 2010

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Worlds Biggest Sex-toy Producer

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