Wednesday, May 31, 2017
Review: Wonder Woman - Guess we had to wait until it was “fourth time’s the charm” for the DC Extended Universe.
After the uninspiring Man Of Steel, the overblown Batman V Superman (BVS) and the inane Suicide Squad, the DCEU finally has its beacon of hope, its rallying figure. And it’s not Emo Superman, but the best aspect of BVS.
Wonder Woman, its title character portrayed … wonderfully, and sometimes on an almost sublime level by the perfectly-cast Gal Gadot, is both a welcome win for the struggling DCEU and a rather wizard work by Patty Jenkins (Monster).
It’s not devoid of corny moments, however, and there is the occasional lapse of logic and continuity. And that borderline-dreadful theme used for Wonder Woman in BVS (it’s like the Doof Warrior from Mad Max: Fury Road is trailing after her, practising his guitar chords) is also present, though not in lethal doses.
But by Zeus, the film works – and not just because there’s more sunlight in it than the previous three DCEU films put together.
It succeeds because it has, like Bruce Lee insisted to that baffled kung fu student in Enter The Dragon, real emotional content.
And I mean convincingly depicted (and felt) emotions, not anger, which is what BVS seemed to be full of.
Nor is it an exhibition of Easter eggs, fan service moments and scenes that seem more like “motion paintings” than parts of a story.
And maybe that’s why the film works so well: it doesn’t feel obliged to pander.
Both Marvel and DC could take notes from this example, and make their respective cinematic universes that much better from the lesson.
I wondered about the decision to set the film at the end of World War I, thinking the period setting would turn off audiences.
But it also happens to be just before a turning point in history for women’s rights, at a time when boys’ clubs still held sway, as illustrated pointedly but not excessively in the course of the movie.
So the period setting is appropriate, after all.
Wonder Woman follows the journey of Diana (Gadot), Princess of Themyscira – a hidden isle populated by the Amazons, women created by Zeus to be the bridge between humanity and the gods.
Into this world, quite by accident, comes Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), an Allied spy with information vital to the peace process.
Naturally, he is followed by boatloads of pursuing German soldiers, bringing war to the idyllic island. Long story short, to keep this as spoiler-free as I can, Diana follows him back to the World of Man, determined to fulfil her destiny.
While it seems as though the numerous trailers and TV promo spots have given the entire film away, I was pleased to find that they haven’t.
There is a lot more to the story, and more importantly, a great deal more to the Diana-Steve Trevor relationship to be enjoyed as it unfolds.
Credit must go to Pine, playing it both a little for laughs (as he struggles to maintain his manly-manliness when faced with all of Diana’s Amazonian awesomeness) and also square-jawed and stoic (in a very emotional moment – you’ll know when), for helping to make this one of the best screen couples in a superhero film ever.
And of course, it just wouldn’t be as impactful if there had been some major missteps with its title character. Good news, though – sorry if this has been overused – what a Gal she’s turned out to be.
Near-beatific in expressing Diana’s innocence upon stepping into our world, fiercely determined in Diana’s drive to be an exemplary Amazon in her own world, and consumed by the character’s passion to be the bridge between the two by ending war for good, Gadot turns in a strong and well-rounded performance on both the physical and emotive fronts.
Watching this, I couldn’t help but wish for a symbol like her for our own world, tossed and sundered as it is by constant reminders of the things that make us different rather than thriving through common ground. Like the cheesy but apt lyrics to the Lynda Carter Wonder Woman TV theme song go, “Get us out from under, Wonder Woman.”
This Wonder Woman is not about perfect figures imposing their ideals on a broken world; it’s about how we can rise above our flaws and doubts to bring out the best in ourselves, and in each other. And in its own earnest, Doof-Warrior-soundtracked way, the film does remind us that humanity has not been short of rallying symbols; we’re just largely deaf to their messages.
Tiger Woods 'Asleep At The Wheel' Of Stopped Car Before DUI Arrest - Police - Tiger Woods was asleep at the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz stopped on a Florida road and did not know where he was, said a police report released on Tuesday, a day after the former world No. 1 golfer was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence. Woods, 41, blamed the incident on medications.
Woods had "extremely slow and slurred speech" after being awakened by a Jupiter police officer, who found the car the golfer was driving stopped in the right lane of the roadway and still running with the right blinker light flashing, the report said.
Woods was heading south, away from his Jupiter Island home, before his arrest at about 3 a.m. (0700 GMT) on Monday, according to the report. It said Woods was cooperative but had a hard time walking and keeping his eyes open.
The police report said that during his interaction with the arresting officer, Woods "changed his story of where he was going and where he was coming from." At one point he indicated he was returning from a golf trip in Los Angeles, the report said.
The athlete, currently sidelined from competition after his fourth back surgery in April, said on Monday that an unexpected reaction to legal drugs led to his arrest on the DUI charge.
He also was cited for improper parking. Two breath tests showed Woods' blood alcohol content to be zero, according to the report, which added he performed several field sobriety tests incorrectly.
"I want the public to know that alcohol was not involved," Woods said in a statement. "What happened was an unexpected reaction to prescribed medications. I didn’t realise the mix of medications had affected me so strongly."
Woods apologised, saying, "I will do everything in my power to ensure this never happens again."
Woods, who is second on the all-time list with 14 major titles, was released from jail on his own recognizance and is due in court on July 5, records show.
This was not Woods' first run-in with Florida police. A bizarre early morning car crash outside his then-home in 2009 rapidly ballooned into a sex scandal involving allegations of extramarital affairs with several women.
His previously unblemished life and career were turned upside down as he lost both his marriage and some lucrative endorsement deals.
Woods' current sponsors, including Nike Inc , Bridgestone Corp <5108.T>, Hero, Kowa, TaylorMade and Monster Energy, did not immediately comment on Tuesday.
The Palace Museum In China Has A New Virtual City App - It looks like a life simulation computer game, but this new online community is more than just entertainment.
Netizens are able to construct their houses in a virtual ancient Chinese city with a royal aura, as the Palace Museum in Beijing, China’s former imperial palace, also known as the Forbidden City, combines its digital approaches for users.
The app, The Palace Museum Community, builds up a virtual city with traditional Chinese architecture as an online social network platform.
Users can win bonuses by completing missions on the network, therefore advancing their levels and refurnishing their manors. A major mission is to read, share and post articles about the museum and other contents on traditional culture.
According to Yu Zhuang, head of the new media team in the Palace Museum, the app also serves as a hub to connect nine apps and other digital platforms that were previously released by the museum. Activities such as exhibition information, tour guidance, digital display of collections in warehouses and academic research results are also mixed into the interactive game.
“For many people, the Palace Museum experience can be enhanced as they use our apps,” said Yu.
“The Internet has provided us with more channels to expand museum influences to more corners in people’s everyday lives.”
For example, 365 Days of Masterpieces, which was released by the museum in 2015, is a calendar app to introduce one piece each day of a highlighted collection plus cultural background.
Yu also announced that high-resolution images of 100 artefacts in the museum went online on Google Arts and Culture, which features virtual artwork collections from around the world photographed in high resolution.
In 2014, after releasing a series of mobile apps, Shan Jixiang, director of the museum, said the institution planned to build a comprehensive digital community within three years.
He said last week that The Palace Museum Community is a crucial step to fulfilling that goal.
“While those previous products have hooked many fans, I hope the new community will gather them together,” he said.
Shan believes digitisation is a way to expose treasures to the public. Therefore, the museum opened a digital exhibition hall in its Duanmen Gallery last year.
Today Is The Best Day To Quit Smoking, These Tips Will Give You A Head Start - Today, May 31, is the World Health Organization’s (WHO) annual World No Tobacco Day. Pick this day to quit smoking.
We’ve rounded up eight top tips from the WHO to make 2017 the year you successfully kick the habit.
Set a quit date
Set a quit date for as soon as possible to help keep you focused and motivated on achieving your goal. It could be a date that is meaningful to you, such as a birthday, it could be World No Tobacco Day, or it could be today!
Tell your friends, family, and coworkers
Telling those around you that you intend to quit is a good way to surround yourself with support from others, and could even inspire others around you to do the same. Pairing up with a “quit buddy” will make both of you accountable and you can support each other.
Be prepared for challenges
Quitting smoking isn’t easy. Remember there will be challenges along the way, especially during the critical first few weeks. This is the hardest phase due to the nicotine withdrawal symptoms you will experience while you try to give up smoking.
Remove tobacco products from your home and environment
If you remove smoking products from your environment, you will be less tempted to pick them up and start again. Make your home smoke-free, avoid smoking areas, and ask friends and family not to smoke around you.
Try cognitive-behavioural therapies
Cognitive-behavioural therapies can help you with some of the withdrawal symptoms that you will experience. Getting enough sleep, eating well, exercise, and drinking plenty of water can help with symptoms such as headaches, coughing, weight gain, and restlessness. Positive thinking, yoga, meditation can help deal with mood changes, insomnia and difficulty concentrating.
Try medication
Nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs) such as nicotine gum and patches are available over the counter and can help tide you over the first few weeks. Non-nicotine replacement therapies such as the medications Bupropion and Varenicline are available on prescription. Be sure to ask a health practitioner about recommended dosage, usage, and potential side effects.
Break the habit
Smoking is tied very closely with other everyday activities and habits such as eating, socializing with friends, or watching television. Try to break these connections to help you stick to your goal.
Don’t let a relapse discourage you
Don’t worry if you can’t quit on the first go. It might take multiple attempts to kick the habit of smoking, but every time you try is a step in the right direction. Don’t let a relapse knock your confidence — use it to learn from your mistakes and help make your next attempt a success.
Belgian PM Suffers Partial Hearing Loss After Princess Fires Royal Starting Gun At Running Race - Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel has suffered partial hearing loss after Princess Astrid fired the starting pistol for a running race next to his ear, his spokesman said on Tuesday.
Michel can be seen grimacing with pain in a picture taken as Astrid, the younger sister of Belgium's King Philippe, fired the blank next to his left ear at a 20km race in Brussels on Sunday.
The French-speaking prime minister had to postpone an appearance in parliament to present a national investment plan on Tuesday to undergo tests, his office said.
Michel was suffering from "partial deafness" and "tinnitus", or ringing in the ears, his spokesman Frederic Cauderlier told AFP, declining to give further details to "maintain his privacy".
Michel underwent extensive medical tests on Monday and Tuesday morning in a bid to treat the problem "as soon as possible after the incident," Cauderlier said.
He would resume his schedule later today, he added.
The incident comes a week after Michel hosted US President Donald Trump, who met him and the king before attending summits with the European Union and Nato.
Trump used the visit to give Nato allies an ear-bashing for not paying their fair share for defence costs.
Woman With Sushi Displayed On Her Body Says Customer Molested Her - A woman who was employed to have sushi served off her body at a restaurant in northern China hit one of its customers after she accused him of molesting her, according to a newspaper report.
The incident happened as the woman was working at the eatery in Taiyuan in Shanxi province, the China Youth Daily reported.
Video posted online last Friday shows the woman lying on a table in a top and shorts, with sushi displayed on her body.
The woman accused a customer of doing “unspeakable” things to her when taking sushi from her body with his chopsticks. She then argued with him and struck out.
The woman at first thought his actions were unintentional, but later decided he was taking advantage of her, the report said.
The practice of displaying sushi on a woman’s body originates in Japan where it is called nyotaimori.
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
Actor Nazim Othman On Life After Brain Surgery - Back in 2014, actor Nazim Othman was suffering from an excruciating headache. In an appearance on talk show Apa Kata Malaysia? hosted by Datuk Aznil Nawawi, he described what the pain was like.
“It felt like my head was going to break. I was scared. I couldn’t get up. Eventually, I had to call an ambulance in the middle of the night because I didn’t want to be a burden to anyone else,” he shared.
The pain was caused by a tumour growing in between his right eye and nose. During an interview in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Nazim reflected on the moment he thought that he was going to die.
“I was diagnosed with a tumour inside my brain. It had to be removed with surgery. At that time, I was feeling down. I didn’t know what to expect from the surgery. I thought I was going to be physically impaired or die.”
The surgery was performed in 2015, and the 32-year-old actor and former flight attendant has since recovered from his real-life nightmare. Today, he feels like a new man taking on life with a different outlook. Oh, he also recently fulfilled a lifelong dream to become a singer.
1. How is Nazim Othman the man today different from the person he was before the surgery?
Looking at how I was before; I was someone who got stressed easily. I paid attention to a lot of minor details, and was more egotistical. I thought that I was someone who could do everything on my own. I was wrong. After I recovered, I started to learn to be more open and accept things as they come.
2. You recently released a new single Kerana Cinta. What can you tell us about it?
Raksasa Record approached me last year to with an offer to be a recording artiste. They even had a song ready for me. I listened to it, then I asked the songwriter Hael Husaini what it is about – is it about me and what I went through with the brain tumour? He told me to look at the lyrics, and said that the song is for me. I was really touched. I felt that the song was perfect.
I believe the song was also inspired by my wife (actress Bella Dally). When I was in the hospital, we were not married yet, but she was always there by my side. She has heard the song and she loves it.
3. I believe this is not your first attempt at becoming a singer. What happened to the previous singles?
My first attempt was back in 2009. I released a song called Cinta followed by Langit Menangis. Then I was working on a single called Destinasi, which has a dance music feel. I even shot a music video for it. I guess at that time the sound was trendy. People around me were trying to convince me that it would work.
Over time, I felt that the song didn’t fit me anymore, so I decided not to release it. I didn’t want to be associated with failure – I would rather start again. When I feel that something isn’t right, I just feel that it’s not worth presenting it to the public.
4. How do you feel now, with Kerana Cinta out?
It’s a dream come true, as I’ve always wanted to be a singer. I’ve heard some good feedback for the song. But I can’t be too comfortable. I consider being comfortable as an enemy to my career. If I choose to be content and satisfied for now, then I’m going to block my own path to success. I believe there is always something I can do to improve myself.
5. You performed the song live for the first time as well, at a recent Warner Music event. Did you feel nervous?
Yes, I was nervous. I won’t deny that. It’s a healthy feeling to have. I’m aware that I’m only human. My feet are still on the ground. You can’t be too confident, especially when you’re someone like me, who is just starting out.
BWF Deputy President On The Run - Badminton World Federation (BWF) deputy president Gustavo Salazar Delgado (pic) is believed to be on the run over an alleged bribery scandal in his native Peru.
Delgado, a winner of 19 Peruvian singles and doubles titles in the 1980s, attended the recent Sudirman Cup in Gold Coast, Australia, last week. But he failed to turn up for the BWF’s annual general meeting (AGM), which was also held there.
The 52-year-old businessman is reported to be involved in a large-scale corruption and money laundering scandal in the construction sector in Peru.
Delgado joined the BWF council in 2007 before he was elected as the No. 2 to president Poul-Erik Hoyer of Denmark in 2013.
He won the deputy president post unopposed on May 20 for a four-year term.
Warning: Thailand’s National Parks Closed During Rainy Season - In a renewed commitment to the environment, Thailand will not let tourists access several of its 61 national parks for at least five months.
During the annual monsoon period, which is when the largest numbers of tourists head for Thailand’s beaches, 61 out of the country’s 154 national parks will be closed. This closure applies to some very well-known sites around Phuket, such as the Koh Phi Phi islands. Maya Bay, made famous by the Leonardo DiCaprio movie The Beach, will remain open this year despite damage to the reefs, AsiaOne reported.
The Koh Ha islets to the west of Koh Lanta Island will be inaccessible to tourists until Oct 15. And in the Andaman Sea, the remote Similan Islands that tourists generally reach from Khao Lak, will also be out of bounds.
This means that numerous locations that are popular with divers will be closed. This drastic decision, which has been taken for the fourth consecutive year, aims to give marine wildlife time to recover from the effects of mass tourism. Between May and October, nine million tourists visit Thailand’s national parks. The wet season is the ideal time for marine wildlife to regenerate.
This drastic decision aims to give marine wildlife time to recover from the effects of mass tourism.
Filters Of Light Cigarettes May Give You A Specific Type Of Cancer - So-called light cigarettes with holes in the filter could be the reason why a specific kind of lung cancer.
Researchers say that this cancer has been on the rise in recent decades.
Adenocarcinoma is the most common form of lung cancer and occurs deep in the lungs.
While other kinds of lung cancer have declined along with diminishing numbers of smokers in the past 50 years, cases of lung adenocarcinoma have climbed.
Researchers believe that the higher rates of lung adenocarcinoma are due to filter ventilation holes, “which allow smokers to inhale more smoke that also has higher levels of carcinogens, mutagens and other toxins,” said the report in the Journal Of The National Cancer Institute.
“The filter ventilation holes change how the tobacco is burned, producing more carcinogens, which then also allows the smoke to reach the deeper parts of the lung where adenocarcinomas more frequently occur,” said lead author Peter Shields, deputy director of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center.
“Our data suggests a clear relationship between the addition of ventilation holes to cigarettes and increasing rates of lung adenocarcinoma seen over the past 20 years,” he said.
“What is especially concerning is that these holes are still added to virtually all cigarettes that are smoked today,” he added, calling on US regulators to ban the practice.
Manufacturers began issuing cigarette filters with holes in them some 50 years ago, marketing them as “light” and claiming these were “low-tar.”
“This was done to fool smokers and the public health community into thinking that they actually were safer,” said Shields.
Instead, the current study confirms previous research showing that light cigarettes are actually not better for the health than stronger varieties, said the report.
More harm than good
“These cigarettes have actually caused more harm,” it said.
The study was based on an analysis of existing literature, including chemistry and toxicology studies, human clinical trials and epidemiological studies.
North Korea Leader Kim Supervises Missile Test Of New Guidance System - KCNA - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised the test of a new ballistic missile controlled by a precision guidance system and ordered the development of more powerful strategic weapons, the North's official KCNA news agency reported on Tuesday.
The missile launched on Monday was equipped with an advanced automated pre-launch sequence compared with previous versions of the "Hwasong" rockets, North Korea's name for its Scud-class missiles, KCNA said. That indicated the North had launched a modified Scud-class missile, as South Korea's military has said.
The North's test launch of a short-range ballistic missile landed in the sea off its east coast and was the latest in a fast-paced series of missile tests defying international pressure and threats of more sanctions.
Kim said the reclusive state would develop more powerful weapons in multiple phases in accordance with its timetable to defend North Korea against the United States.
"He expressed the conviction that it would make a greater leap forward in this spirit to send a bigger 'gift package' to the Yankees" in retaliation for American military provocation, KCNA quoted Kim as saying.
South Korea said it had conducted a joint drill with a U.S. supersonic B-1B Lancer bomber on Monday. North Korea's state media earlier accused the United States of staging a drill to practise dropping nuclear bombs on the Korean peninsula.
The U.S. Navy said its aircraft carrier strike group, led by the USS Carl Vinson, also planned a drill with another U.S. nuclear carrier, the USS Ronald Reagan, in waters near the Korean peninsula.
A U.S. Navy spokesman in South Korea did not give specific timing for the strike group's planned drill.
North Korea calls such drills a preparation for war.
Monday's launch followed two successful tests of medium-to-long-range missiles in as many weeks by the North, which has been conducting such tests at an unprecedented pace in an effort to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of hitting the mainland United States.
Such launches, and two nuclear tests since January 2016, have been conducted in defiance of U.S. pressure, U.N. resolutions and the threat of more sanctions.
They also pose one of the greatest security challenges for U.S. President Donald Trump, who portrayed the latest missile test as an affront to China.
"North Korea has shown great disrespect for their neighbor, China, by shooting off yet another ballistic missile ... but China is trying hard!" Trump said on Twitter.
PRECISION GUIDANCE
Japan has also urged China to play a bigger role in restraining North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's top national security adviser, Shotaro Yachi, met China's top diplomat, State Councillor Yang Jiechi, for five hours of talks near Tokyo on Monday after the North's latest test.
Yachi told Yang that North Korea's actions had reached a new level of provocation.
"Japan and China need to work together to strongly urge North Korea to avoid further provocative actions and obey things like United Nations resolutions," Yachi was quoted as telling Yang in a statement by Japan's foreign ministry.
A statement from China's foreign ministry after the meeting made no mention of North Korea.
North Korea has claimed major advances with its rapid series of launches, claims that outside experts and officials believe may be at least partially true but are difficult to verify independently.
A South Korean military official said the North fired one missile on Monday, clarifying an earlier assessment that there may have been more than one launch.
The test was aimed at verifying a new type of precision guidance system and the reliability of a new mobile launch vehicle under different operational conditions, KCNA said.
However, South Korea's military and experts questioned the claim because the North had technical constraints, such as a lack of satellites, to operate a terminal-stage missile guidance system properly.
"Whenever news of our valuable victory is broadcast recently, the Yankees would be very much worried about it and the gangsters of the south Korean puppet army would be dispirited more and more," KCNA cited leader Kim as saying.
Man Dies After Causing Ruckus At Condo - Residents of a condominium had a rude awakening when they were greeted by the sight of a bloodied, lifeless man near the condominium’s sundry shop.
Cheras OCPD Asst Comm Chong Kok Sin said an emergency call was made to the Cheras district police headquarters by a member of the public who reported that a man was causing a ruckus at Block C of the condominium at Jalan Pudu Ulu here early yesterday morning.
“The man was bleeding and breaking windows. A few witnesses also told police that he was not a resident at the condominium,” he said, adding that witnesses believed the man was drunk and was not in stable condition.
“At around 6.45am, witnesses said they saw the man lying on the floor, and vomiting at the lobby,” he said.
ACP Chong said another witness tried to calm him down, but was unsuccessful.
The man was later seen staggering to a cellphone shop, about 10m away from the lobby, where he then punched and broke the shop’s glass window, before collapsing.
However, the man later managed to crawl for about 20m more until he reached the sundry shop, where he stopped moving.
Upon seeing this, the security guard called for an ambulance and the police.
ACP Chong said when police arrived, they found the man’s body covered in newspaper, with a deep gash on his right arm.
They also found a trail of blood between the mini market and the cellphone shop.
A post-mortem revealed that the man died of vascular injuries in his right forearm.
The case has been classified as sudden death.
Monday, May 29, 2017
This Bollywood Film Is A Hit In China - A Bollywood film about a father who trains his daughters to become world-class wrestlers has broken a box office record in China, where its focus on feminism and tough love has resonated with audiences.
Dangal has raked in 776 million yuan (US$112mil/RM481.6mil) since it opened on May 5, official data showed. Box office monitoring site mtime.com says this makes it the highest-grossing non-Hollywood foreign film in China.
Universal’s The Fate Of The Furious holds the box office record in China for any film, raking in 2.7 billion yuan in receipts since its debut on April 14.
The Indian movie, directed by Nitesh Tiwari, is based on the true story of wrestling coach Mahavir Singh Phogat, who defies the odds by raising his daughters Geeta and Babita Phogat to become champion wrestlers. Geeta won a gold medal for India at the 2010 Commonwealth Games while her sister topped the podium at the same event in 2014.
The movie stars Aamir Khan, Sakshi Tanwar, Zaira Wasim and Fatima Sana Shaikh.
Dangal is a Hindi word used to describe a wrestling competition. In Chinese the film’s name has been translated into Let’s Wrestle, Dad.
The movie was released in India on Dec 23, 2016 and quickly became the highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time, beating the 2014 science fiction film PK.
Dangal is believed to have made around US$233mil (RM1.002bil) in worldwide box office sales, according to industry estimates.
Gender discrimination and strict parenting are among the themes in the film. The issues appear to have struck an emotional response with Chinese audiences.
Moviegoers praised it on social media site Weibo, highlighting its important lessons on rearing and educating children.
“A parent myself, I got some inspiration and enlightenment on child education after watching the movie,” said one user. “It is also a story that motivates self-improvement for children.”
Another said, “I brought my parents and parents-in-law to watch it for the second time, and once again my cheeks were stained with tears.”
An opinion piece published in the People’s Daily, China’s Communist Party mouthpiece, said the film’s focus on “female rights” had also left a “deep impression on audiences”.
Poor Showing At Sudirman Cup Costs Vivian-Khe Wei Place In World Meet - Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) president Datuk Seri Norza Zakaria is not pleased with the uninspiring show of Woon Khe Wei-Vivian Hoo and Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong at the Sudirman Cup.
As a result, national No. 1 women’s doubles pair Khe Wei-Vivian have been dropped from the national squad for the World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, from Aug 21-27.
As for men’s doubles pair V Shem-Wee Kiong, the Olympic silver medallists have been given the ultimatum to buck up. If they fail to step up in Glasgow, their partnership will be reviewed.
Both pairs lost their matches in Malaysia’s 3-1 loss to Japan in the quarter-finals of the world mixed team championships in Gold Coast, Australia, on Friday.
Vivian-Khe Wei were humiliated 7-21, 14-21 by Olympic champions Misaki Matsutomo-Ayaka Takahashi while V Shem-Wee Kiong went down 17-21, 21-16, 11-21 to Takeshi Kamura-Keigo Sonoda.
Norza said that he had run out of patience with Khe Wei-Vivian and V Shem-Wee Kiong.
“Vivian-Khe Wei hardly gave a fight to the Japanese pair. Even if we lose, we should lose with dignity,” said Norza, who was with the team in Australia.
“We’ve removed Vivian-Khe Wei from the squad for the world meet. They’ll be given a final chance to prove themselves at the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games (Aug 19-30).
“I had expected more from V Shem and Wee Kiong. They’ll go to the world meet but we’ll review their performance after that,” he said,
Malaysia’s team for the world meet will now consist of Lee Chong Wei and Zulfadli Zulkiffli (men’s singles), Yap Rui Chen (women’s singles), V Shem-Wee Kiong and Low Juan Shen-Chooi Kah Ming (men’s doubles) and Tan Kian Meng-Lai Pei Jing (mixed doubles). Women’s doubles pair Lim Yin Loo-Yap Cheng Wen have also been dropped.
On Malaysia’s performance at the Sudirman Cup, Norza admitted that they lacked depth in the squad.
“It’s my first major tournament as the BAM president. I’ve to admit that we are just not good enough,” said Norza, who won the BAM presidency uncontested last month.
“We’re still banking on senior players like Chong Wei and V Shem-Wee Kiong. Teams like Japan, South Korea and China are way ahead of us.
“Our women’s singles and doubles shuttlers are not there yet ... just look at how fit the Japanese women players are.
“Of all our players, women’s doubles pair Chow Mei Kuan-Lee Meng Yean deserved praise. They showed fighting spirit. The mixed doubles players are also doing fine.”
Norza also took the coaches to task.
“We failed in our tactical approach. The coaches were not bold enough to change the line-up,” said Norza, adding that he would make some changes to create a robust training structure in the national team.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
