DPM: Child conversion bill based on constitution

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin speaks to the media after chairing the Cabinet Committee meeting on Foreign Workers, July 1, 2013. BERNAMA

KUALA LUMPUR (July 1, 2013): The proposal to allow just one parent to convert children to Islam is based on a Federal Court ruling and provisions in the constitution, said Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

He said the government was aware of complaints against the Administration of Islam (Federal Territories) Bill 2013, which had been tabled for a first reading in the Dewan Rakyat.

"The government is aware, and is taking into account all the views. We are looking into the matter.

"The Cabinet has discussed this matter thoroughly, and we realise there is a need for a fair solution to the matter," he told reporters after chairing the Cabinet Committee on Foreign Workers and Illegal Immigrants meeting at Parliament here today.

Muhyiddin was commenting on whether the proposed amendment to Section 107(b) of Administration of Islam (Federal Territories) Bill 2013 contravened the 2009 Cabinet decision not to allow unilateral conversions.

He said the concerns of Barisan Nasional component parties which had raised objections would also be considered.

Without elaborating, Muhyiddin said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom would make the relevant announcements before or during the tabling of the Bill.

Asked if this was inconsistent with the 2009 Cabinet decision against the unilateral conversion of minors, he said: "This is according to the court ruling, according to the federal constitution. This is the current scope." 

Snowden's options appear to narrow in bid to evade U.S. arrest

WASHINGTON/MOSCOW (Reuters) - Nearly a month after Edward Snowden exposed top secret U.S. surveillance programs, the former spy agency contractor looks no closer to winning asylum to evade prosecution at home - and his options appear to be narrowing.

A television screen shows former U.S. spy agency contractor Edward Snowden during a news bulletin at a cafe at Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport June 26, 2013. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin

Stuck in legal limbo in a Moscow airport transit area and facing uncertainty over whether any of the destinations he is said to be contemplating - Ecuador, Venezuela and Cuba - will let him in, Snowden seems to be at the mercy of geopolitical forces beyond his control.

Unseen in public since arriving in Moscow last weekend, much remains unclear about Snowden's overtures to various countries and how they have responded behind the scenes.

Russia may no longer have sufficient reason to continue harbouring Snowden if, as is widely believed, its intelligence services have already questioned him about the classified documents that he has admitted to taking from the National Security Agency.

The leftist government of Ecuador, already sheltering WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at its London embassy, is reviewing Snowden's asylum request, though officials have sent mixed signals, suggesting the process could drag on for weeks.

Venezuela's new president, Nicolas Maduro, has spoken favourably of granting refuge to Snowden but has taken no action, and he may think twice about risking a setback in tentative steps toward post-Chavez rapprochement with Washington.

And even if Ecuador or Venezuela decide to take Snowden, there is no guarantee that communist Cuba, the likely transit point for any flight from Moscow to those South American countries, would let him pass through and further complicate its own thorny relations with the United States.

Adding to Snowden's troubles, the Obama administration, embarrassed by his disclosures on U.S. surveillance programs and his ability to dodge extradition when he fled Hong Kong last Sunday, is bringing heavy pressure to bear on any country that might consider accepting him, diplomats say.

"Thus far, he has chosen his destinations carefully," said Carl Meacham, a foreign policy expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. "His time, even in those countries, however, may be running out."

Another potential complication is the role of anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks, whose alliance with Snowden further politicizes his case. British legal researcher Sarah Harrison, a top WikiLeaks lieutenant and Assange confidante, escorted Snowden on the flight from Hong Kong to Moscow and is believed to have remained with him.

FOCUS ON RUSSIA

Russia remains the chief focus of the diplomatic scramble, and while President Vladimir Putin has clearly delighted in the chance to tweak Washington, there are questions whether he wants a prolonged saga that threatens deeper damage to already-chilly U.S.-Russia relations.

The former NSA contractor's trek took him to Moscow because he had little choice of any other route that would keep him relatively safe from his American pursuers, former Russian intelligence officers and political and security analysts said.

"He has almost nowhere to go. He does not have much of a choice," said Fyodor Lukyanov, editor of the journal Russia in Global Affairs and a member of an influential foreign policy council.

"Considering that he came out with a serious statement that is seen by the United States as treasonous, he needs to lay out an itinerary through countries where he can feel more or less certain that he will not be handed over."

Despite Putin's insistence that Russian intelligence agencies had not been "working with" Snowden, a Russian security service source said they would certainly have interviewed him.

U.S. authorities are already operating on a "worst case" assumption that all of the classified material in Snowden's possession has made its way to one or more adversary intelligence services, U.S. national security sources said.

While top U.S. officials have warned of serious damage to national security interests from Snowden's leaks, Lukyanov suggested that in intelligence terms he was probably not a very valuable prize. "He is not some kind of special agent," he said.

Putin has built his return to the presidency on strident nationalism. If he hands Snowden back to the United States, he could face a backlash from Russians who see the American as a whistle-blowing hero.

"No matter what, we should not give him back. Let him go somewhere, or even stay in Russia - we are a big country and we have room for him as well as (French actor Gerard) Depardieu," said Viktor, a pensioner who was at Sheremetyevo airport on Friday for a vacation flight to Ukraine.

CONFUSION OVER ECUADOR

However, Snowden's protracted stay at the Moscow airport may have more to do with his problems reaching a deal with Ecuador than with any Russian desire to keep the American fugitive from moving on, the Russian security source said.

Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa has inserted his small Andean nation into the saga by offering asylum to Snowden, whom he has praised for exposing U.S. espionage efforts. However, he may also be trying to fill the void left by the death of Venezuelan socialist President Hugo Chavez - for a decade Washington's most vocal adversary in the region.

While Ecuador seems like Snowden's best bet as a place of refuge, its intentions are unclear.

Assange said earlier that Ecuadorean diplomats in London had issued a temporary travel document intended for Snowden, whose U.S. passport had been revoked. But the Quito government denied this.

In the meantime, Correa has said Ecuador cannot move forward with the asylum request until Snowden is in the country or makes his way to one of its embassies. Correa has indicated he is not planning to arrange transit for Snowden.

Returning to Quito on Friday from a tour of Asia, Ecuadorean Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said his government had been involved in talks with the Russian government about Snowden's fate, but without any result.

For now, Venezuela also was not looking promising for Snowden. Maduro has made clear several times that he would take a positive view of an asylum request, though he said on Thursday that "no one has asked us for humanitarian refuge."

Since taking office in April, Maduro has at times used thunderous, Chavez-style, anti-U.S. rhetoric but he has also expressed interest in better relations with Washington.

Without help from a sympathetic government, Snowden's ability to travel is limited. The increasingly grim predicament may explain why his father on Friday said he is reasonably confident the 30-year-old Snowden would return if certain conditions were met.

Those conditions include not detaining Snowden before trial, not subjecting him to a gag order and letting him choose the location of his trial, according to a letter that Lonnie Snowden's lawyer, Bruce Fein, sent to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder.

(Additional reporting by Steve Gutterman and Alexei Anishchuk in Moscow, Jeff Franks in Havana, Brian Ellsworth in Quito, and Susan Heavey in Washington; Editing by Alistair Bell, Tiffany Wu and Eric Beech)

Member of Johor royal family jailed for assaulting national boxer

Arif (front), Foo (right) and Tunku Nick Tazuddin (in purple) being escorted by a policeman at the Johor Baru Sessions Court.

JOHOR BARU: A member of the Johor royal family was among three men sentenced to four years’ jail by a Sessions Court here for assaulting national boxer Muhamad Farkhan Haron.

Tunku Nick Tazuddin Izwan Syah Tunku Qadir, 27, Arif Husin, 35, and Alex Foo Hee Wee, 41, were found guilty of the offence committed in Taman Molek here between 4.30am and 7am on May 6 last year.

They were accused of hurting the 25-year-old boxer with a blunt object and charged under Section 325 of the Penal Code.

Judge Zamri Bakar sentenced all three men to four years’ jail each from the date of conviction.

DPP was Dzul Iswari Mohd Jaafar while Norman Fernandez, Mohd Abdul Kadir, Zamri Idros and Mazri Muhamad represented the three accused.

It was reported that Muhamad Farkhan, a gold medallist at the 2009 SEA Games in Laos, suffered a broken cheekbone and other injuries after being beaten up by a group of men.

Muhamad Farkhan, who took up boxing at the age of 13, was nominated for a National Sports Council award in 2011.

Meanwhile, in a separate court, a lorry driver was sentenced to four years’ jail after he was found guilty of reckless driving that caused a couple’s death here on Jan 17 last year.

Ng Kin Khin, 41, was charged with causing the death of M. Vijayakumar, 34, and his wife S. Hemalatha, 28, at around 9.45am at KM21 of Jalan Johor Baru-Pontian.

Magistrate Farhana Sharif slapped Ng with a fine of RM10,000 in default 10 months’ jail.

Farhana also ordered him to compensate the family of the victims RM30,000 within three months from July 1.

Ng’s lawyer Lom Chon Sin asked the court to grant a stay of appeal for the jail term. This was granted with a bail of RM15,000.

At press time, Ng had neither posted bail nor settled the fine.

Labourer gets death for Dirang's murder

For the brutal murder of four-year-old Nurul Nadirah Abdullah (inset), better known as Dirang, odd job worker Muidin Maidin yesterday received the death sentence.

JOHOR BARU: Odd-job worker Muidin Maidin was brought out of court crying and kicking in anger at photographers after he was sentenced to death for the murder of Nurul Nadirah Abdullah, better known as Dirang.

High Court judge Datuk Abdul Halim Aman meted out the maximum sentence yesterday after ruling that the prosecution had proved the case beyond reasonable doubt.

But not before raising a string of questions over the circumstances leading to the death of the four-year-old.

The judge drew attention to the combination of factors which played roles in Dirang's death public apathy during the girl's abduction, irresponsible parenting as well as the characteristics of the killer.

“The court visited Flat Delima in Seri Alam where the victim resided and observed there are many residents there.

“I refuse to believe no one saw or heard the victim screaming, struggling, crying and shouting for help as she was dragged away forcefully during the incident which occurred between 11.30am on March 1 last year and midnight the following day,” he said.

Justice Abdul Halim added that the child was lured with a strawberry-flavoured sweet and the whole incident could have been averted had the community taken notice of what was happening around them.

“Maybe people just do not want to get involved, are scared to get involved or just do not care,” he said.

The judge also questioned why a child was allowed to leave her home unattended on the day of the incident.

“A child of that age should have been accompanied by her parents and not given a piece of paper with items scribbled on it, and allowed to walk to a nearby shop to purchase the items on her own,” he said, adding that it was obvious that her parents were irresponsible.

He said Dirang's death had caused a nationwide stir and brought about thousands of questions and regrets.

Justice Abdul Halim described Muidin as “cruel and heartless” for committing such an act.

“I believe the accused has animalistic lust and will do anything to satisfy it,” he said, adding that the accused had suffocated the victim by cupping her mouth and nose tightly, molested her and then eventually burnt her body at a separate location.

“Did you think that you were so smart? Would you have done the same thing if it was your own family member?” questioned Abdul Halim.

He said several factors pointed towards Muidin's guilt and these included his DNA found in the victim's vagina and anus.

“Other reasons include matching soil samples taken from the accused's motorcycle and the crime scene, besides the discovery of a piece of sarong belonging to the accused found on the victim's remains,” he said.

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Bukit Aman kesan penipuan sijil insurans

Kuala Lumpur: Bukit Aman mengesan kes penipuan insurans membabitkan kerugian RM1.5 juta tahun lalu, yang didalangi ejen atau pekerja syarikat insurans yang dipercayai memperdaya pelanggan dengan memalsukan sijil premium insurans.

Sejak Januari hingga Mei lalu, kerugian akibat penipuan itu bernilai RM777,125. 

Pengarah Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Komersial Bukit Aman, Datuk Seri Syed Ismail Syed Azizan, berkata kebanyakan kes dilaporkan membabitkan jenayah pecah amanah oleh ejen atau pekerja syarikat insurans yang mengambil wang diterima daripada pelanggan dan tanpa pengetahuan pelanggan, wang itu tidak diserahkan kepada syarikat insurans. 

Ada juga kes penipuan tuntutan palsu insurans kemalangan dengan mengemukakan dokumen sokongan palsu dan ada juga jenayah pecah amanah pekerja syarikat insurans dengan menggunakan wang syarikat bagi kepentingan sendiri,” Datuk Seri Syed Ismail Syed Azizan,Pengarah Jabatan Siasatan Jenayah Komersial Bukit Aman

Modus operandi ejen ialah memperdaya mangsa untuk menyertai skim simpanan atau pelaburan dengan syarikat insurans yang dikatakan boleh memberi pulangan lumayan dan dikeluarkan selepas satu hingga lima tahun pelaburan dibuat.

Polisi insurans nyawa

Bagaimanapun, ejen mendaftarkan pakej yang dibeli mangsa dengan pembelian polisi insurans nyawa. 

Wang yang diterima daripada pelanggan tidak diserahkan kepada syarikat insurans, sebaliknya diseleweng untuk kegunaan peribadi. 
Kemuka dokumen palsu

“Ada juga kes penipuan tuntutan palsu insurans kemalangan dengan mengemukakan dokumen sokongan palsu dan ada juga jenayah pecah amanah pekerja syarikat insurans dengan menggunakan wang syarikat bagi kepentingan sendiri,” katanya kepada BH, semalam.

Syed Ismail berkata, perlakuan jenayah insurans boleh berlaku di mana-mana selagi ada permintaan dan penawaran perlindungan insurans.

Bagaimanapun, katanya, kebanyakan kes dilaporkan tertumpu di pusat bandar berikutan permintaan tinggi warga kota terhadap perlindungan insurans.

“Setakat ini, tiada sindiket dikesan terbabit dalam kes jenayah insurans. 

“Kegiatan itu dilakukan oleh individu iaitu ejen insurans, pekerja syarikat insurans dan pemegang polisi insuran.

“Kebanyakan mangsa terpedaya kerana mendapat resit pembayaran melalui pembayaran secara manual,” katanya.

Info: Langkah cegah penipuan insurans

* Kenal pasti ejen atau wakil syarikat insurans yang sah atau berlesen sebelum membuat urusan perkhidmatan insurans dan pembelian polisi insurans bagi mengelakkan ditipu.

* Semak butiran dalam resit pembayaran berkaitan insurans seperti jumlah bayaran yang dibuat bagi mengelakkan penyelewengan ke atas wang terbabit oleh ejen atau wakil syarikat insurans.

* Jika membuat pembelian insurans, pastikan segala dokumen ditulis, dibaca dan difahami seperti terma dan syarat dalam polisi insurans yang diterima.

* Berhati-hati dengan salinan dokumen yang diserahkan kepada ejen atau wakil syarikat insurans bagi mengelakkan dokumen disalah guna, antaranya identiti digunakan bagi tujuan pembelian polisi insurans lain atau membuat tuntutan tanpa pengetahuan pemilik sebenar.

* Jangan mudah terpedaya dengan pelbagai pelan pelaburan ditawarkan ejen atau wakil syarikat insurans kononnya boleh untung dalam tempoh singkat.

* Buat semakan terus dengan syarikat insurans jika membuat pembayaran melalui ejen bagi mengelakkan penyelewengan ke atas pembayaran terbabit serta bagi semakan sama ada polisi didaftarkan atau tidak.

Jonker Walk: Small protests but business as usual at tourist spot

MALACCA: It was business as usual Friday night at the iconic Jonker Walk night market despite the new ruling to allow cars in.

Motorists were diverted from entering the tourist spot at 5pm by traffic policemen and officers from the Malacca Historic City Council.

Other motorists were turned away by a small protests staged by the MCA and DAP, with some shouting “Save Jonker Walk” and holding placards.

Traders and hawkers opened their stalls as usual. Others formed a human barricade to prevent motorists from using the pedestrian mall.

The council's officers also refrained from taking action against the traders and kept watch from a distance.

A brief stand-off came as leaders from the political parties claimed credit of trying to save Jonker Walk.

“Where was DAP 13 years ago, you're the first to oppose when Jonker made its debut,” shouted an MCA leader.

A pandemonium was triggered when several traders shouted at motorists who had parked their vehicles during operating hours.

The situation eased when Kota Melaka MCA Youth deputy chief Dr Yee Kok Wah was seen directing cars out of the area.

DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang delivered a speech at a makeshift stage.

State MCA chief and Jonker Walk committee deputy chairman Datuk Gan Tian Loo said he would meet the chief minister again to resolve the issue.

“Jonker Walk has contributed immensely to the state's tourism. In fact, it has also made us proud when it was included in the Unesco World Heritage Site in 2008.

"By opening the place to traffic it could derail plans to promote Jonker Walk as a holistic tourism product," he told The Star.

Gan noted that the protest by traders has nothing to do with politics as they were voicing out their grievances.

“The committee will attempt to meet him (chief minister) again to ask him to look into the predicament faced by the traders,” he said.

Haze: Sime Darby calls for proactive measures to fight haze

PETALING JAYA: Sime Darby Plantations says haze-causing fires in Sumatra were not from areas planted by its subsidiary.

It said in a statement Friday that between June 11 and 19, five hot spots were found on land within the concession area of PT Bhumireksa Nusa Sejati (PT BNS), a company owned by PT Minamas Gemilang, a subsidiary of Sime Darby Plantation.

However, examination of satellite data and on ground assessment teams established that these fires were not in areas planted by the company.

Sime Darby Plantation managing director Datuk Franki Anthony Dasssaid to address the current issue of haze from fires in Riau Province in Sumatra, Indonesia, and its causes, PT Minamas Gemilang called on all other stakeholders to enter into constructive dialogue to find a sustainable solution to the problem.

“It is time for all stakeholders to work together to find a way to address what has become an annual problem of the haze, and the tremendous toll it takes on the environment and the health of affected communities on both sides of the Straits of Malacca,” he said.

“On our part, PT Minamas would be happy to assist and participate in any constructive discussion on this matter.

"Local communities, civil society groups, academics and other companies operating in affected areas should offer technical assistance and support to the Government of Indonesia to study the issues and address the root causes of the problem,” Dass added.

Sime Darby said among the issues that would need to be addressed include:

(1) the responsibilities of different stakeholders;

(2) how various stakeholder groups can work together to prevent future occurrences;

(3) legal issues pertaining to land use and occupation;

(4) best agricultural management practices.

The statement said fires in the Riau Province have resulted in a hazardous smog blanketing Singapore, parts of Malaysia and southern Thailand and the Indonesian authorities have long sought a solution to this annual problem.

Local communities plant a variety of cash crops such as corn and sugar cane, the statement said.

Under current regulations and conventions dealing with local communities and the preservation of traditional farming methods, concession holders are unable to control or influence the practices and activities of these communities.

“PT Minamas has conducted awareness programmes on the negative impact of slash and burn activities on local communities in the peat areas.

"It intends to intensify this awareness programme together with other plantation companies and local authorities,” Dass said.

Sime Darby Plantation, the world's largest producer of certified sustainable palm oil, has had a zero burning policy since 1985.

In Indonesia, 20 of the company's 25 mills under PT Minamas have been certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).

The RSPO is a voluntary certification body, whose members include civil society groups and players along the entire palm oil value chain.

“There are several companies within the palm oil industry who observe high agricultural standards.

"As an industry, we could contribute significantly to discussions on how to solve this problem,” Dass said.

For its part, Sime Darby Plantation and PT Minamas would bring to the table, more than 100 years of expertise in best agricultural practices backed by cutting edge R&D capabilities, experience in establishing responsible and successful outgrowers' schemes and experience in the management of land, on both peat and non-peat soil.

Sime Darby Plantation has studied two other areas, one where the company is managing an area cultivated on peat land by local communities under the plasma, or outgrowers' scheme, and another where it had acquired a plantation established on peat soil.

In the first area in Jambi, South Sumatra, local farmers, under the plasma scheme, plant oil palm but are exposed to and educated in the company's best agricultural policies.

In the other area in Lavang, Sarawak, Malaysia, Sime Darby Plantation manages a small estate in which no fires have been recorded since the inception of planting in the mid 1990s as a result of efficient water table management, encouraging beneficial vegetation to protect the soil and strict adherence to the company's policies.

“Out in Riau, our officials and fire fighting teams are already assisting the local authorities and communities to spot and put out fires,” Dass said.

“However, for the longer term, sustainable solutions that do not undermine the rights of local communities and traditional farming methods need to be found. For this to be effective, we need multi-stakeholder discussions.”

In 2008, Sime Darby Plantation implemented a strict policy prohibiting the clearing of peat areas. Existing areas that were cleared before the implementation of policy are carefully managed to ensure that there is minimal environmental impact.

Sarawak blackout: Power down in Petra Jaya after substation fire

KUCHING: Another blackout the city Friday evening after a substation caught fire in Taman Hijrah in Petra Jaya.

A Sarawak Energy Bhd spokesman said they were now assessing to what extent and area affected by the power failure.

Taman Hijrah is a densely populated residential area.

On Thursday, tripped circuits caused a statewide blackout which lasted for several hours.

Obama heads to South Africa with Mandela on his mind

DAKAR (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama heads to South Africa on Friday hoping to see ailing icon Nelson Mandela, after wrapping up a visit to Senegal that focused on improving food security and promoting democratic institutions.

U.S. President Barack Obama meets with African drummers on Goree Island near Dakar, Senegal, June 27, 2013. Obama visited the island on Thursday where African slaves in past centuries were shipped west. REUTERS/Jason Reed

Obama is in the middle of a three-country tour of Africa that the White House hopes will compensate for what some view as years of neglect by the administration of America's first black president.

Before departing Dakar, Obama was scheduled to meet with farmers and local entrepreneurs to discuss new technologies that are helping farmers and their families in West Africa, one of the world's poorest and most drought-prone regions.

But it was Mandela, the 94-year-old former South African president who is clinging to life in a Pretoria hospital, who will dominate the president's day even before he arrives in Johannesburg.

Asked on Thursday whether Obama would be able to pay Mandela a visit, the White House said that was up to the family.

"We are going to completely defer to the wishes of the Mandela family and work with the South African government as relates to our visit," deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes told reporters in Senegal.

"Whatever the Mandela family deems appropriate, that's what we're focused on doing in terms of our interaction with them."

Obama sees Mandela, also known as Madiba, as a hero. Whether they are able to meet or not, officials said his trip would serve largely as a tribute to the anti-apartheid leader.

"I've had the privilege of meeting Madiba and speaking to him. And he's a personal hero, but I don't think I'm unique in that regard," Obama said on Thursday. "If and when he passes from this place, one thing I think we'll all know is that his legacy is one that will linger on throughout the ages."

The president arrives in South Africa Friday evening and has no public events scheduled. He could go to the hospital then.

Obama is scheduled to visit Robben Island, where Mandela spent years in prison, later during his trip.

On Friday morning, Obama will take part in a "Feed the Future" event on food security. That issue, along with anti-corruption measures and trade opportunities for U.S. companies, are topics the White House wants to highlight on Obama's tour.

Obama, who has been in office since 2009, has only visited Africa once in his presidential tenure: a short trip to Ghana at the beginning of his first term.

While acknowledging that Obama has not spent as much time in Africa as people hoped, the administration is eager to highlight what it has done, in part to end unflattering comparisons to accomplishments of predecessors George W. Bush and Bill Clinton.

Food security and public aid are two of the issues the Obama team believes are success stories.

"Africa has seen a steady and consistent increase in our overall resource investment each year that we've been in office," said Raj Shah, head of USAID. "And sustaining that in this political climate has required real trade-offs to be made in other areas, but we've done that."

Japan PM Abe hops and flips in voter-wooing game app

TOKYO (Reuters) - It's a bird, it's a plane ... It's a cartoon version of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, hopping and somersaulting his way through the sky in a smartphone game app his party hopes will lure young voters ahead of a July 21 election.

A growing number of Japanese politicians are venturing into the cyber world after a legal change allowed the use of social media in campaigns, setting up Facebook pages and twitter accounts to woo voters before a July upper house election.

Takuya Hirai, Director of Internet Media Division of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), poses with an iPad displaying "Abe Pyon", LDP's official game application programme featuring Shinzo Abe, Japan's Prime minister and LDP's leader, at the LDP headquarters in Tokyo June 27, 2013. It's a bird, it's a plane ... It's a cartoon version of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, hopping and somersaulting his way through the sky in a smartphone game app his party hopes will lure young voters ahead of a July 21 election. Picture taken June 27, 2013. REUTERS/Toru Hanai

But the app, which has the imprimatur of Abe's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), goes further in its effort to court tech-savvy youngsters, who tend to be apathetic about politics and put off by traditional campaigns featuring white-gloved politicians blaring their names and slogans over loudspeakers.

"There were worries that some young people thought the LDP was distant, that we lacked intimacy ... that they didn't know anything about us," Takuya Hirai, a lawmaker and head of the LDP's internet strategy team, told Reuters.

"We're hoping the game will get people interested in politics in a way they never were before," Hirai said.

In the game, called "Abe Pyon" - "Abe Hops" - using a cutesy word most often applied to rabbits - a business suit-clad Abe avatar bounds high into the clouds via floating platforms. Missing a platform causes him to plunge to his "death".

As he soars higher, players rack up points, gaining access to facts about Abe and information about the LDP. High scores also allow the avatar to change clothes, whisking him from his grey suit and into jeans or gym wear.

The ultimate prize is a bouncing Abe in a superhero cape.

Abe's app is a rare venture for a world leader. Tech-savvy U.S. President Barack Obama featured in a superhero game in 2009, but it wasn't officially endorsed.

Some voters said they felt fonder of Abe after playing.

"It really gets you thinking about politics. It makes me think I should vote for him," said Emi Yamada, a 22-year-old student.

Others were sceptical. "I reckon it's just a bit of fun and nothing more," said Mizuki Kimura.

Abe, an avid Facebook user who rebounded to power for a rare second term in December after his party's big win, is widely tipped to lead the ruling bloc to victory in the election.

(Reporting by Ruairidh Villar, Writing by Elaine Lies; Editing by Linda Sieg)

Sarawak blackout may have been triggered by Bakun plant, says Sarawak Energy CEO

KUCHING: The blackout in Sarawak may have been triggered by a frequency drop originating from the Bakun hydro-electric plant, said Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB)chief executive officer Torstein Dale Sjotveit.

He said the system trip led to a total failure of SEB's system and all its power stations were down, including at Sejingkat in Kuching, Batang Ai, the Mukah coal plant as well as the Bintulu and Miri gas plants.

"The reasons for the incident that started at 5.36 pm yesterday are still not fully known, but with the facts retrievable as of now it looks like the frequency drop may have originated from the Bakun hydro-electric plant," he said in a press statement.

Over two million people in Sarawak were affected by the statewide blackout caused by tripped circuits at the Kemena-Bintulu transmission lines at 5.40pm.

However, the operator of the Bakun Dam said Thursday that said the source of the electricity disruption was not from the dam.

Bakun Dam chief engineer Zulkifle Osman, when contacted by The Star, said there was no serious technical breakdown of the dam's machines.