News Today

Lying over visit passes: ICA officer charged
AN IMMIGRATION and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officer was charged in court yesterday with two counts of helping two Filipinas get visit passes by lying that they would be staying at his home.Mohammad Radzi Mohd Kassim, 34, is accused of abetting Pauline... [Read more]

Forum on what it means to be moderate Muslims
CONCERNED that extreme views abroad may influence Muslims here, Islamic religious leaders are setting out to explain that being moderate is an essential part of being a good Muslim.The term 'moderate Muslim' has been debated within the community and abroad, with... [Read more]

British teens urged to learn Mandarin, Urdu
LONDON - THE British government has embarked on an initiative to boost the economy through the learning of 'economically useful' languages.These are expected to include Mandarin and Urdu, alongside the traditional favourites of French, German and Spanish. In the first part... [Read more]

S'pore, Manila 'can build on longstanding ties'
MANILA - VISITING President SR Nathan spoke last night of longstanding ties between Singapore and the Philippines, and opportunities to take it forward in areas such as tourism. He also cited the two countries' role as founding Asean members who helped... [Read more]

Walkouts can cause bigger trouble
AFTER 16 years as a player and 33 years as a manager travelling to all corners of the globe, the 65-year-old Alex Ferguson must have seen it all. Then came Tuesday. 'I have never seen anything like that in football,' said... [Read more]

Games of chance in Taiwanese politics
TAIPEI - TAIWAN'S rival political camps yesterday found a 'novel' way to resolve a deadlock over the redrawing of electoral boundaries for the year-end legislative polls - through finger-guessing games and drawing lots.The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the main... [Read more]

Federer ties with Connors
NEW YORK - ROGER Federer is set to break Jimmy Connors' record for consecutive weeks atop the men's tennis rankings. The Swiss took over the world No. 1 spot in the Association of Tennis Professionals Tour rankings on Feb 2, 2004.... [Read more]

'Amazing race' to raise funds for special school
YESTERDAY afternoon, 48 tertiary students started a three-day, two-night challenge styled after the Amazing Race reality show. The youths, just like the TV programme's participants, are aiming for money - but to raise them for charity. The eight teams in the... [Read more]

Sports World
ENGLAND TRIUMPHSYDNEY: England ended a run of nine straight losses to Australia with a 92-run win in a tri-series one-day cricket international yesterday.That kept alive their chances of leap-frogging New Zealand into the best-of-three finals.Ed Joyce belted 107 to help England... [Read more]

Move to prevent 'cheap sale' of state assets
SHANGHAI - CHINA yesterday announced new rules aimed at guaranteeing that state assets identified as key to the nation's economic security are not sold too cheaply to foreigners.Private deals will be strictly controlled and will require approvals from national and provincial... [Read more]

Jakarta bans sand exports, cutting off S'pore's main supply
JAKARTA - INDONESIA has banned the export of some sand and soil products in what it says are efforts to prevent further damage to its environment and to protect its boundaries.The move would cut off the main supply of land sand... [Read more]

Ingredients to make National Education succeed

DR AMY Khor's parliamentary speech on National Education (NE) strikes a chord with me. I believe the NE committee should look into these areas if it wants to rid the programme's 'boring' or 'propaganda' tag: philanthropy, the kampung spirit of selflessness, the thinking of our country's leaders, and globalisation.

The Government's call for more philanthropists can be made more effective if action is taken to educate our young about the need to give back to society through citing the actions of today's philanthropists. This provides reinforcement to families who are already educating their children about it.

Sunday Times columnist Mathew Pereira wrote this month about his Singaporean friend who had second thoughts about coming home as he felt his countrymen do not bother to build bonds with others. What if this thinking exists in a considerable number overseas?

We are known globally for our many achievements. But this will be affected in the long run if our social fabric is weakened eventually - when people build 'walls' between one another.

We need to revisit the kampung spirit of earlier generations where everyone would make an effort to help those around them who are in need, even mere acquaintances. One country to learn from is South Korea. At least two of my friends were impressed by the generosity of Korean companies in sponsoring their country's student community during a student cultural day in a Chinese university, and the strong family spirit felt during a home stay with Koreans while attending a National Youth Council-related event last year.

What is needed lastly is up-to-date literature: readings about our leaders and their thinking, and influential writers such as Thomas Friedman. Our young are just a click away from the Internet. They can read and hear almost anything - even the utterly baseless. Political opponents may disagree, but no one can deny that we got to where we are because of the minds of leaders such as Messrs Lee Kuan Yew, S. Rajaratnam and Goh Keng Swee.

I reckon half the students here do not even know who the last is. More importantly, what students need to know to survive is the globalisation system that we live in - where cruel competition comes not only from within, but from the world.

The road is long but I believe NE can eventually be a success.



Daniel Ong Kian Hong

Mardan poised to challenge for lead

THE Clariden Leu Singapore Masters' field is stronger and defending champion Mardan Mamat has been in poor form.

But the message after Day 1 is clear: write the Republic's No 1 golfer off at your own peril.

Staring at the Laguna Masters Course's second green in ankle-high rough yesterday, his title defence seemed bound for an early bogey.

But Mardan bailed himself out.

He sent his wedge shot to 20 feet of the par-five hole before two-putting to save par.

Said the 39-year-old: 'That was a tricky but crucial save. It gave me the momentum to do well.'

Four birdies in a blemish-free 68 opening round at the tougher Masters Course ensured he is tied-15th among the record 204-man field.

He is four strokes adrift of joint-leaders Liang Wenchong of China and Marcus Fraser of Australia. Both managed 64 at the Classic Course.

One stroke behind the leading duo are Japan's Shingo Katayama, India's Jyoti Randhawa and Scotland's Barry Hume, who all played at the Classic Course.

Top names such as England's David Howell (71), Wales' Ian Woosnam (73) and Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke (74) failed to impress.

This leaves Mardan well-poised to make a charge up the leaderboard of the US$1.1 million (S$1.7 million) event today, when he tees off at the easier Classic Course.

His four-under 68 was the day's lowest at the Masters Course.

He said: 'I kept calm, was patient and did not try too hard.'

Then there was the yellow shirt.

That was the same colour he wore when he became the first Singaporean to win a European Tour event last year.

He said: 'That's my lucky colour.'

Accurate approach shots and calm putting from the visibly relaxed Singaporean saw him picking up birdies at the fourth, eighth, 11th and 16th.

Said Thai Thongchai Jaidee, who carded a 69: 'It's his home course, he knows all the greens inside out.

'He's the favourite.'

However, that did not seem the case before the tournament.

Since Mardan's historic win a year ago, he has made only one top-10 finish.

He missed the cut in eight of the other 15 events, including last week's Johnnie Walker Classic in Phuket.

But he answered his critics yesterday when he was the only Singaporean in the top 150.

He continued his fine form on the Masters Course, which saw him clinching the crown last year after leading from start to finish.

In his last five rounds, he has managed to go 16 under par.

His best score at the Classic is a 67, which he shot in 2000 at the Mandarin Oriental Open.

China's Liang made the most of the Classic's wider fairways, notching eight birdies between the fifth and 15th holes.

His red-hot form made up for the withdrawal of compatriot Zhang Lianwei, who was forced out by an eye infection.

The 2003 winner was joined on the sidelines by Australia's Tony Carolan (personal reasons), Japan's Tadahiro Takayama (flu) and Australia's Matthew Millar (wrist).

Despite their absence, some 4,000 spectators were still treated to a flurry of action at the two Laguna courses yesterday.

They included ex-Liverpool star striker Ian Rush, who is here as an ESPN Star Sports guest presenter.

alfoo@sph.com.sg

Singapore Masters, Day 2
Live, Ch5 and Ch24, 2.30pm

Poly route shut for average students

AVERAGE O-level students with an aggregate score between 18 and 20 points are finding it harder to get places in the polytechnics despite having passed all six subjects.

In the past, polytechnics had been an avenue for these students to build on their education.

As my daughter, who had an aggregate score of 20 points, was eligible for many courses listed on the results slip, we put down nine out of the 12 choices given because she was interested in those courses.

However, she got none of the nine choices. She was informed by the Ministry of Education that this was because the courses she selected had a low cutoff aggregate point. This fact was not made known on the registration booklet or form.

She was also told that students with points as low as 11 or 12 were now applying to the polytechnics instead of the junior colleges.

If this becomes a trend, then it is an issue to be looked into, and the enrolment at polytechnics should be increased.

Average students who fail to make it to courses of their choice have to settle for courses for which they have no interest, or go overseas if the parents can afford the expense.

Being a Singaporean, I believe that students should be given the opportunity to pursue further education here, rather than elsewhere.

Could the authorities please look into this matter?

K. Mathiyazhaki (Ms)

Other AWOL cases

Masrezwan Masturi (2000)

He was the first player to be sacked by then-national coach Jan Poulsen for indiscipline.

He skipped Tiger Cup training sessions, claiming an ankle injury, but did not attend physiotherapy sessions.

Ahmad Latiff Khamarudin (2004)

Winger was axed from national team after missing three of six training sessions for a World Cup qualifier against Oman.

In 1999, he was punished with a five-day stay at the SAF detention barracks, after skipping national pre-Olympic training and failing to show up for an SAFFC photo shoot.

Itimi Dickson (2006)

The Nigerian-born midfielder was slapped with a hefty six-month suspension from the national team, after missing two weeks of training for the Asian Cup qualifiers. He returned to the team after the ban.

Clariden Leu Singapore Masters

Dates: Thursday to Sunday

Venue: Laguna National Golf and Country Club

Thursday and Friday: Masters and Classic courses

Saturday and Sunday: Masters course only

Tee-off: 7.40am

Tickets (through Sistic):

Thursday and Friday: $15 per day; Saturday and Sunday: $40 per day

Season pass: $80

Under-16s: free

Under-21s and seniors (over 60): Thursday and Friday free

Ladies: Friday free

Transport: From Singapore Expo MRT and car park J to Laguna National, 7.30am to 6.30pm

Thursday and Friday: Every 15 minutes

Saturday and Sunday: Every 10 minutes

News Today

65 and feeling useless? That's depressingly ageist
I am a primary health-care doctor involved in the care of 'older' people in the community. In geriatrics, a person aged between 65 and 75 is considered 'young', that is, physiologically not much different from younger people. Hence, it was with... [Read more]

Gascoigne to act in sci-fi horror movie
LONDON - HIS life has often seemed like a horror movie, and now Paul Gascoigne is going to star in one with a sci-fi twist.The former England international, who has fought alcohol and drug problems, will make his acting debut in... [Read more]

An Asian triangle to watch out for
THE foreign ministers of Russia, India and China have met this week in Delhi. Their talks did not last long and nothing much transpired. But other governments watched the meeting with great care. For, if Russia, China and India - representing... [Read more]

Video game maker raided for using illegal software
A COMPANY that develops video games was raided on Thursday morning - allegedly for using illegal software. The case has more than a touch of irony, considering the company is part of an industry that has always railed against the impact... [Read more]

Equal prize money for women
LONDON - AFTER years of holding out against equal prize money, Wimbledon bowed to public pressure yesterday and agreed to pay women players as much men. 'Tennis is one of the few sports in which women and men compete in the... [Read more]

China's role as go-between no longer crucial
BEIJING - THE current six-nation negotiations on North Korea's nuclear programme are in effect just 'two-party talks' as Washington and Pyongyang have already sewn up a deal, according to analysts. Should the present round of six-party talks produce a watershed agreement... [Read more]

Bouquets
CELLPHONE FOUND, THANKS TO STAFF OF FAST-FOOD OUTLETON FEB 2, I left my mobile phone at McDonald's at Centrepoint after having breakfast there. I only realised this later, at the National University of Singapore campus, and had to get my husband... [Read more]

OCBC to buy Indonesian debt underwriter
JAKARTA - OCBC Bank has agreed to buy a 29.5 per cent stake in Trimegah Securities, Indonesia's third-biggest debt underwriter, for 172.52 billion rupiah (S$29.16 million).OCBC, the smallest of Singapore's three banks, separately said its wholly-owned unit, Excel Holdings, has reached... [Read more]

Manufacturing attracts record $9b investments
KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIA drew a record RM20.2 billion (S$9 billion) in foreign investments in its manufacturing sector last year, but is facing more competition for funds. All in, 1,077 manufacturing projects worth RM46 billion were approved last year, far exceeding... [Read more]

$89,000 village for the poor in wife's name
FILIPINO stock trader Rudy Abad's story has been one of tragedy and triumph, riches and rags, love lost and hope discovered. These are imbued in the Maria Rose Abad Village, a settlement on Manila's outskirts which the 60-year-old helped build in... [Read more]

Tsang envisions HK as China's key financial hub
HONG Kong must continue to thrive as a financial hub and at the same time take steps to ensure that the rich-poor wealth gap does not worsen.These were among the key goals for the city's Chief Executive Donald Tsang, who launched... [Read more]

Tackling the Taleban terror

ISLAMABAD - PAKISTANI security forces captured one of the Taleban's three most senior leaders just hours after US Vice-President Dick Cheney made an unannounced visit to the country earlier this week.

The capture of Mullah Obaidullah Akhund marked the first Pakistan arrest of a senior leader of the Islamist militia since it was driven from power in Afghanistan in 2001, and thousands of its fighters fled into Pakistan.

Sources said that Akhund, the third most senior member of the Taleban's 10-member leadership council, was arrested late on Monday in the south-west city of Quetta.

Besides being on the leadership council headed by Mullah Mohammad Omar, Akhund was also defence minister in the Taleban government before it fell.

The arrest comes at a time when the Bush administration is facing a welter of scepticism from Democrats, the American media and several think-tanks over Pakistan's role as an ally in the war on terrorism.

Mr Cheney had asked Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to do more to stop Al-Qaeda rebuilding safe havens in Pakistani tribal lands and step up efforts to thwart a new offensive by the Taleban against Afghan and Nato troops.

As defence minister, Akhund was believed to have liaised closely with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence during the years when the Taleban was in power in Kabul and could count on Pakistani support.

A Pakistani security official said Akhund's arrest was the culmination of a planned operation and not a result of Mr Cheney's visit.

Taleban sources said Akhund was caught at the home of one of his relatives at the Baluchistan provincial capital. They said two other Taleban leaders had been arrested in Quetta this week, but the Pakistani security official could not confirm this.

But even as details of the capture were released, a top Pakistani official said US pressure, including congressional threats to cut or put conditions on billions of dollars in aid, could destabilise the country and may even bring down President Musharraf.

In an interview with Reuters, Mr Mahmud Ali Durrani, Islamabad's envoy to Washington, expressed concern that anti-terrorism cooperation between the United States, Afghanistan and Pakistan was eroding. He also rejected what he said were attempts to unfairly blame Islamabad for an upsurge in cross-border violence.

Tampering with US aid levels will fan anti-Americanism, strengthen the extreme right and Taleban supporters, be counterproductive and 'create problems for Musharraf to be able to continue the way he is', Mr Durrani said.

Asked if it might trigger President Musharraf's ouster, he replied: 'I do not know. Possibly it could bring him down. It could destabilise the whole country.'

His comments came after top American intelligence officials said the front-line US ally in the war on terrorism had allowed a resurgence of Al-Qaeda and Taleban forces and training camps in Pakistani tribal areas that could someday lead to another 9/11-type attack on the US.

A recent report by experts at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies questioned whether the US alliance with Mr Musharraf has 'run its course', while acknowledging there is no obvious successor to lead nuclear-armed Pakistan as a moderate Muslim state.

Mr Durrani argued that the US, 'distracted' by Iraq, failed to finish the job in Afghanistan and is now looking for someone to blame.

He acknowledged problems in Pakistani tribal areas, including 'a possibility of some presence of Al-Qaeda, definitely some presence of Taleban', but he insisted 90 per cent of the violence stems from Afghanistan.

REUTERS

Aussie jockey in HK gets jail for selling tips

HONG KONG - AUSTRALIAN champion jockey Chris Munce was sentenced to 21/2 years' imprisonment yesterday for taking bribes for racing tips in a landmark Hong Kong case.

The case cast a shadow over his illustrious career, highlighted by a 1998 Melbourne Cup victory.

His wife, Cathy, broke down in tears after District Judge Kevin Browne announced the sentence and her husband was taken into custody.

She yelled, 'you'll never get anyone here again,' as she left the courtroom, apparently warning that the conviction would scare off foreign jockeys from competing in Hong Kong.

The stocky Munce, who wore a black suit, blue shirt and pink tie, kept his composure.

After being convicted in the morning, he returned to court to hear his sentence without a tie.

The judge said Munce 'undermined the integrity of racing,' adding that 'iconic' jockeys such as the Australian had a huge following and are seen as role models by younger jockeys.

'For an offence of this kind, an immediate custodial sentence is inevitable,' he said.

Munce's lawyer, John McNamara, declined to say if his client planned to appeal.

Prosecutor John Dunn said he expected Munce to appeal and to apply for bail, although he said it was difficult to obtain because he needed to prove the likelihood of a successful challenge.

He said Munce's jail term could be reduced to 20 months, if he behaves well in prison.

Dunn said Munce's case is the first time a jockey has been convicted for accepting bribes in return for tips in Hong Kong.

Earlier, Munce's lawyer challenged the conviction in an animated argument with the judge.

He said Munce broke Hong Kong racing rules that ban jockeys from betting, but that he did not commit a criminal offence and that the matter should be handled by local racing officials, not a court of law.

The judge replied: 'He's selling secret information by virtue of giving tips. That's the criminality I find.'

McNamara also argued that no one suffered financially from Munce's scheme, calling it a 'victimless crime'.

Judge Browne said: 'What about the reputation of racing? It attracts huge public interest.'

Prosecutors said during the trial that Munce provided tips to Hong Kong businessman Andy Lau 17 times, covering races involving 29 horses from December 2005 to May 2006.

They said Lau betted for Munce and relayed the winnings to him through a middleman.

The tips allegedly covered races that Munce raced in.

He was found carrying a betting slip and HK$250,000 (S$50,000) in cash when he was arrested on July 3, 2006, after meeting Lau at a hotel, prosecutors said.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Three reveal plans for Sports Hub

THE three consortia bidding for the Sports Hub project delivered their proposals to the Singapore Sports Council yesterday.

And the trio - Singapore Gold, Singapore Sports Hub and Alpine Mayreder - each revealed different facets of their bids that they felt would give them an edge.

Singapore Gold is banking on the reputation of its partner companies, and its design will boast 'stunning waterways'.

Singapore Sports Hub is relying on its companies' wealth of experience in the region and Singapore.

Alpine Mayreder is hoping to land the project with its environmentally-friendly design.

Expected to cost between $600million and $800 million, work on the 35-hectare site in Kallang will begin when the National Stadium is torn down later in the year.

When completed in mid-2011, the hub will include a new 55,000-capacity National Stadium with a retractable roof, a 6,000-capacity indoor aquatic centre and a 3,000-seater multi-purpose arena.

Yesterday, Singapore Gold's officials were the first to arrive at the National Stadium's West entrance at 1.15pm. In blazers, pressed shirts and ties, the group came in taxis.

Executive director Neil Arora, of Macquarie Securities (Asia), said their design would make use of stunning waterways and let people 'picture Singapore's city skyline every day'.

'It will be a design never seen before in the world,' he added.

Macquarie is the leader for the Singapore Gold consortium.

It consulted former Olympic swimmer Ang Peng Siong and paralympian Theresa Goh over the hub's design.

Arora also cited Macquarie's partnership with funding partner John Laing Infrastructure as a strong point.

The firm has developed over 50 public-private partnerships (PPPs) across Europe.

The PPP scheme is one where the private sector designs, builds, finances and operates facilities.

The Sports Hub is the world's first and largest sports facility infrastructure PPP. Under the scheme, the SSC will pay the developer monthly payments for the site's 25-year lease.

Gold's lead architect, HOK Sport, also boasts an impressive resume. This includes London's Wembley Stadium and Sydney's Telstra Stadium.

Premier event company IMG & Ogden IFC are the consortium's event management firm.

'They represent and have the ability to bring in world-class events to Singapore. These include pop concerts, classical concerts and sports events,' said Arora.

The second group, Singapore Sports Hub, made an impact just by their sheer number. About 50 people - all in red polo shirts to display 'Singapore's vibrancy and life' - arrived at 2.30pm.

They hailed from companies such as World Sport Group (WSG), United Premas, HSBC Singapore and lead architect Arup Sports.

Seamus O'Brien, president and chief executive officer of WSG, pointed out that its wealth of experience in the region and locally was his consortium's key advantage.

WSG is the consortium's event promoter, and has its head office here.

Said Anthony Seah, chief executive officer of United Premas: 'Our winning edge is we know what the SSC wants, and we'll deliver that,'

The firm, whose headquarters are in Singapore, is the consortium's facility management company.

Other local firms such as law company Rajah and Tann, are also behind Singapore Sports Hub's bid, together with DP Architects.

'We want to embody the Singaporean culture and nature in our architectural design,' said Teoh Hai Pin, a director of DP Architects.

'Greenery will play a huge role in our design because of Singapore's reputation as a garden city, and we are incorporating large spaces for youth activities.'

Arup Sports is currently working on the Beijing Olympic Stadium, which is due to be completed late this year.

Representatives from Alpine Consortium, whose lead architect Tim Hupe was behind Munich's Allianz Arena, were last to arrive at about 3.30pm.

Woh Hup director Eugene Yong and his team of about five came with huge, rectangular-shaped crates that were unloaded from five lorries. Woh Hup is the construction firm for Alpine.

Said Yong: 'Our design will have a 'green' focus. Some materials used will be recyclable, and certain requirements for reducing energy use in maintenance and running costs of the facility have been factored in.'

The three consortiums will give separate briefings to the SSC next week.

Their proposals will be evaluated, starting this month. The successful consortium is expected to be announced by the middle of the year.

Bids will be evaluated based on four criteria:

Appeal of sports, leisure and entertainment programming (40 per cent)

Functionality and quality design (25 per cent)

Financial and legal appeal (25 per cent)

Facilities management (10 per cent).

limze@sph.com.sg

hpeishan@sph.com.sg

Please show us your fire again, James

WHAT do LeBron James and Britney Spears have in common? Well, money, fame and talent. Oh yes, and the propensity to self-destruct.

Pop star Spears shocked the music fraternity with her head-shaving antics last week. Questions are being asked about the 25-year-old's mental condition.

Is it a question of too much fame too soon? After all, she has been topping the music charts since the age of 16.

The National Basketball Association fraternity is asking similar questions about James.

The NBA's next big thing - that has been the hype surrounding him since he joined the league in 2003 as an 18-year-old.

He is playing far below the giddy heights he achieved last season, when he led the Cleveland Cavaliers almost single-handedly to the Eastern Conference semi-finals.

Then, he averaged 31.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.6 assists a game - a feat unheard of from a player only 21 years old.

He seemed to be Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson rolled into one - an unstoppable scorer who gives his teammates equal chances to score.

He running riot and earning his first championship with the Cavaliers have not happened this season.

He has slipped. He is averaging just 26.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists. Still a respectable performance, but not up to his usual high standard.

It is his on-court demeanour that is more troubling.

After the Feb 11 match with the LA Lakers, Kieran Darcy, editor of ESPN.com's Page 2 section, noted: 'LeBron looked lethargic. He settled for too many fade-away jumpers, many of which were way off.

'It was strange. He didn't score in the second half until there were less than three minutes remaining, and he was very cranky with the refs all game long.'

He does not appear keen to go that extra mile anymore.

Last season, whenever the Cavaliers trailed, he would assume responsibility.

He would score in bunches, drive relentlessly towards the basket for a dunk or pass to unmarked teammates for easy points.

Last Wednesday, against the Toronto Raptors, he even let little-known teammate Sasha Pavlovic take a game-winning shot.

Pavlovic missed, but teammate Anderson Varejao slammed home the rebound for a fortunate 86-85 win.

Yes, the swashbuckling superstar of last season is gone. Now, James wears a scowl more often.

The Cavaliers' 32-24 win-loss record, however, could still take them to the play-offs.

What troubles him? Critics are divided.

Yes, there is the strain of having to carry a sub-par team for years.

Without him, the Cavaliers were awful. They had a big but slow-moving centre (Zydrunas Ilgauskas), an injury-prone scorer (Larry Hughes) and not much else.

So, James had to score, rebound and pass more than any rival to keep the Cavaliers afloat.

The NBA teams will soon be designing defences to stop him. So his work is getting tougher, especially since he is relatively inexperienced and may not work out counter-measures fast enough.

The harsher critics say that he is starting to believe the hype about him.

They point to his sacking his agent after last season, and placing his destiny in the hands of an entourage of relatives - read 'yes men'.

He is also said to be at odds with the Cavaliers' coach.

Mike Brown is a highly-rated young coach, whose speciality is defence - the one weakness that James has.

Sources say he is unhappy with the coach's over-emphasis on defence, which stifles his offensive abilities.

While James could brush off this season as a minor blip, I see his lack of fire as a worrying trend.

He will slide into irrelevance if he is not as driven as Jordan, or even Miami's Dwyane Wade.

Jordan wanted to be better than any player, a singular drive which led him to six NBA championships.

Similarly, Wade's never-say-die attitude reaped a title ring last year.

James has a long career ahead. If he keeps stoking that fire of obsession in his soul, he could well be another Jordan.

If he turns lukewarm, he will be the biggest waste the NBA has seen in decades.

hankeong@sph.com.sg

News Today

What it should have been
In our Feb 9 reports, 'Richard Yong may end up paying the most' and 'Matilda 'thought of settling from 3rd day of suit', we said that Mr Kweh Soon Han had applied to get Mr T.T. Durai and Ms Matilda Chua... [Read more]

The blame game begins
JAKARTA - POLITICIANS and the media have already begun pointing fingers over who is to blame for floods in the Indonesian capital. The media put the blame squarely on the city's authorities. 'Flood disasters are Sutiyoso's unacceptable legacy' said the headline... [Read more]

'We're gangsters. Both are gangsters'
IN A testimony peppered with glimpses of underworld dealings, accused gunman Tan Chor Jin yesterday gave his side of the story in the fatal shooting of his long-time friend, nightclub boss Lim Hock Soon. Tan, dubbed the 'One-eyed Dragon', told of... [Read more]

The Rupert Murdoch of Chinese media world
KUALA LUMPUR - HE HAS been dubbed the 'Rupert Murdoch' of the Chinese media world, but Malaysia's Tan Sri Tiong Hiew King is an incredibly publicity-shy individual. The Sarawakian tycoon has rarely given an interview - not even to newspapers in... [Read more]

NKF suit: Ex-directors give in
ONE phone call - and one more battle in the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) saga was over. Senior Counsel K. Shanmugam rang lawyer Peter Low on Monday suggesting that his clients in the old NKF regime put up the white flag... [Read more]

Good chance for Barca to increase league lead
MADRID - BARCELONA'S coach Frank Rijkaard refuses to see his team as the Primera Liga title favourites.He is adamant, despite history showing that the leaders at the half-way point have gone on to win the Spanish championship in 10 of the... [Read more]

Contracts for shipping sector firms steam ahead
TRADING of covered warrants issued on companies in the shipping sector is steaming ahead of that for their counterparts in other sectors.In the past trading week, turnover for shipping sector warrants cruised past that for traditionally more popular sectors such as... [Read more]

Who's who
James Lawton, chief sports writer and columnist for The Independent, an English dailyGordon Farquhar, BBC sports news correspondentBarry Whitbread, former Singapore coach and current Liverpool FC director of recruitmentRobert Alberts, Football Association of Malaysia technical directorSpencer Robinson, British-born sports writer based... [Read more]

TV times
BASKETBALL: Atlantic Coast Conference: Duke v Boston College (Live, Ch23, 10am).GOLF: Asian Tour Indonesian Open: Day 1 (Live, Ch24, 3.30pm). Nissan Open: Day 1 (Live, Ch22, tomorrow, 4am).... [Read more]

Iran still defiant over nuclear push
TEHERAN - IRANIAN President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad yesterday defiantly vowed to continue his country's nuclear programme in the face of international condemnation. But he also said his country was prepared to enter negotiations on the issue if conditions for talks imposed by... [Read more]

US troops told: Kill or nab Iranian spies in Iraq
WASHINGTON - THE Bush administration has authorised the US military to kill or capture Iranian operatives inside Iraq in an aggressive new strategy to weaken Teheran's influence across the Middle East and compel it to give up its nuclear programme.This was... [Read more]

News Today

Industry snapshot
ENVIRONMENT ENGINEERING SERVICES INDUSTRYEmployment: About 43,000 people in 2003Sectors: Industry covers environmental services, process control and instrumentation, and engineering services.Value-add: This industry's value-add contribution is high at $2.5 billion. Value-add is the value created by a company through its production process... [Read more]

Lack of play shows in Baihakki's performance
IT WAS a chance for him to distinguish himself, but it seemed Baihakki Khaizan found Aide Iskandar's boots too large to fill. The 22-year-old stood in for the suspended Singapore captain in the Asean Championship semi-final second-leg victory over Malaysia.But, instead... [Read more]

Anger boils over civilian killings for reward
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North Korea agrees to shut down nuke reactor
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Thousands march in US against Iraq war
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Sex-change patient just 14
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Results
BASKETBALLNBA: Washington 104 Detroit 99, Cleveland 124 Golden State 97, Indiana 103 Boston 96, NY Knicks 99 LA Lakers 94, Miami 110 Milwaukee 80, Dallas 122 Seattle 102.CRICKETTri-series one-day international in Perth: New Zealand 318-7 in 50 overs (L.Vincent 76, R.Taylor... [Read more]

Cigarette smugglers using illegals as 'mules'
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Roma's hopes rest on an improved performance
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Bellamy and Riise swing it Reds' way

IT IS part of the beauty of sport that it produces scripts so remarkable that, were they submitted as fiction, they would be rejected for their sheer implausibility.

Liverpool know it full well. Few could credit their comeback win over AC Milan in the 2005 Champions League final, let alone the manner of it.

The 2-1 victory at reigning champions Barcelona was almost as unlikely, and not just for the identity of their two lead actors.

Craig Bellamy and John Arne Riise combined to inflict the first home loss Barcelona have suffered to English opposition since 1976.

'It was destined for both of us,' said Riise. Bellamy had confronted him after a row during their training camp in Portugal last week.

Liverpool's away record in the Premier League suggests that when the opposition score first, they win.

Indeed, they last mounted a comeback of any sort in May's FA Cup final.

On Wednesday, trailing to Deco's early goal, they emerged unexpectedly triumphant at the Nou Camp.

Jamie Carragher defended doggedly, Momo Sissoko hassled and harried hard, Dirk Kuyt toiled tirelessly.

But the greatest contribution came from a man whose sober expression on the final whistle hardly indicated the scale of his achievement: Rafael Benitez, the Madridista who conquered Barcelona.

In the football-mad city of Liverpool, predicting his first XI is the second sport, after football. That Benitez can confound is nothing new.

Few decisions have provoked greater surprise than the inclusion of Bellamy; obituaries of his Anfield career had already been written.

Scepticism greeted the teamsheet.

Steven Gerrard in his less-favoured right midfield role? Right-back Alvaro Arbeloa making his full debut on the left?

And Bellamy?

The loquacious Welshman made sure he was heard in the presence of 90,000 Catalonians.

Debited £80,000 (S$240,000) after being fined earlier in the week, he is now in credit to the tune of a goal and a pass.

He insisted: 'Our gaffer's strict. If there was a problem, I wouldn't have been playing.'

After the build-up was dominated by talk of naughtiness, Barcelona's on-field indiscipline brought Liverpool an invaluable equaliser.

It was not behaviour to trouble the referee, but it should worry Frank Rijkaard.

First, Ronaldinho failed to track Steve Finnan.

Then, Juliano Belletti's lax marking allowed Bellamy a free header from the right-back's cross.

Finally, goalkeeper Victor Valdes erred in allowing it to cross the line just two minutes before the break.

Kuyt smashed it in to be certain, but it was Bellamy's goal, celebrated by brandishing an imaginary golf club.

Tact was never his forte.

But he has other merits, and they include the awareness to supply the unmarked Riise for the winner.

'You can't make it up, but you can't make my career up. This can only happen to me,' said Bellamy.

The Norwegian thumped it in, unusually with his right foot.

It was a triumph of teamwork. Barcelona defended with, at most, seven outfield players, Liverpool with all 10.

Endeavour was accompanied by acumen.

'The boss, tactically, is one of the best managers in the world,' Riise explained.

Rijkaard added: 'They were very well organised.'

Modestly, Benitez deflected the praise, saying: 'The players have done a really good job.

'The job is not done. We need to be careful.'

Amid the sense of euphoria, his caution was sensible: The quarter-final spot is not secured.

There is vast scope for improvement and, with Deco striking the post with a late free kick, a warning of Barcelona's potential.

The Spaniards' ability to surprise was evident - a diminutive team scoring first via a header.

Deco normally uses his head to conceive exquisite passes, not to convert Gianluca Zambrotta's crosses.

Searching for a winner, Rijkaard overloaded his side with attacking options, but he was without his most potent scorer.

Samuel Eto'o, a spectator on Wednesday, should be fit and, as Bellamy has showed, the journey from villain to hero can be brief, dramatic and utterly improbable.

stsports@sph.com.sg

Tonight's Headlines

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