theSun | THURSDAY JANUARY 22 2009
news without borders
Press Digest
by Kong See Hoh
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
Slowdown hits Chinese
entrepreneurs hard
THE Associated Chinese Cham-
ber of Commerce and Industry
Malaysia says the economic
slowdown has hit Chinese entre-
preneurs hard.
Figures contained in its Survey
Report on Malaysia’s Economic
Situation for the second half of
2008 showed that orders from
overseas buyers for the survey
period had dropped more than
40% compared with the previous
half year. The situation was so
bad that some manufacturers
did not receive a single order,
the report said.
The chamber’s deputy presi-
dent Datuk Lim Kok Cheng told
Nanyang Siang Pau the sharp
drop had forced manufacturers
to reduce the number of work
days or suspend production to
reduce costs in order to survive.
He said given the slowdown
in exports, manufacturers have
no choice but to extend their
Chinese New Year break to two
to three weeks or longer, if the
situation does not improve in the
near term.
Lim disclosed that the drop
in orders from overseas became
evident last October, with the
situation last month consider-
ably bad.
“Not only was there a drop
in exports, but also in imports.
We believe performance the first
half of this year will not be any
30% of women think looks
matter in a man
better than the second half of
last year.”
He pointed out that the hard-
est hit sectors are the manufac-
turers of apparel, shoes, electri-
cal appliances and furniture.
On a move by manufacturers
to reduce the number of work
days or temporarily suspend
production, Lim said it was bet- Choking
ter than retrenchments. on snob
He said manufacturers who
appeal
cater mainly to domestic con-
sumption fare better as there is pg 12
still local demand.
A chamber source said the
survey also showed that 70%
of Chinese entrepreneurs were
pessimistic about the outlook for
the first half of this year.
Oops, he did it again!
VETERAN Chinese educationist Loot Ting
Yee, who quit as Chinese education move-
ment Dong Jiao Zong and Lim Lean Geok
Foundation adviser a month ago amid alle-
gations of sexual harassment, is at it again.
This time he was caught on film plant-
ing a kiss on a female reporter who went
to his house for an interview, China Press
reported yesterday.
Loot also gave her a bear hug and left a
bite mark on her arm during the interview,
at which he insisted she and another fe-
male reporter address him as lau ba or lau
die (old daddy in Mandarin).
The reporter from Chinese-language
by Kristene Silva Marie
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
KUALA LUMPUR: Do a man’s
looks matter to women? Beauty has
always been typically associated
with women, but according to a
survey of some 10,000 respondents
from 12 nations, male beauty is
important.
The findings of the “What do
women really really want” sur-
vey conducted by Synovate last
October show that about 30% of
magazine Feminine (Feng Cai), who was there
to get an exclusive from Loot on his views
about the allegations against him, described
her experience as “extremely disgusting”.
The magazine published the photos
of her ordeal. Some, taken by a male col-
league at the interview, were reproduced
by China Press.
On Dec 21, Loot, 80, said he had con-
sidered the complaints against him (by a
female reporter in her blog) and decided to
resign, so as not to affect the image of the
organisations with which he was associ-
ated. He also said he wished to spend his
remaining years quietly.
7
Malaysian women think the
best looking men can be
found in:
1. Malaysia (39%)
2. United Kingdom (1%)
3. Italy (2%)
4. USA (5%)
women rate their partner’s looks 5. India (5%)
as being very important. 6. South Korea (5%)
The survey revealed some sur- 7. Japan (2%)
prising facts about how both men
8. Others (14%)
and women perceive male beauty. 9. None (4%)
It also reflected various notions of
10. Don’t know / Declined
what defines a good-looking man. to answer (21%)
The respondents were from
Malaysia, Australia, Brazil, Canada, An absolute requirement
China, France, Greece, Russia, before a man can be
South Africa, Spain, the United described as good-looking:
Kingdom and United States. 1. Carries himself with
Some 21% of Malaysian men confidence (23%)
think self-confidence in a man 2. Good hygiene, fresh
makes him good-looking, while breath (26%)
other criteria include dressing well 3. Dresses well (16%)
(20%) as well as good hygiene and
fresh breath (17%).
According to the survey, 78%
4. Works out / look fit /
defined muscles
5. A tough, macho or
(11%)
of Malaysian men do not consider manly look (7%)
themselves good-looking. In con- 6. Clear skin (7%)
trast, 81% of Greek men consider
7. A great smile (3%)
themselves sexy, with Russians
following closely at 80%.
Malaysian women, however, use a deodorant.
rate local men as better looking The three beauty aids most
than those from other countries. commonly used by Malaysian
Seven out of 10 men said their men are facial wash (57%), hair
main motive in looking good was for products (55%) and whitening
themselves. Globally, the most used toothpaste (54%).
beauty aid by men is deodorant, but The findings also showed that
interestingly, Malaysian men were 67% of Malaysians, both men and
second to China, at 52%, to be the women, think a man’s appearance
least number in the 12 nations to gets better with age.