Latest news with #JasmineTan
Borneo Post
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Borneo Post
Borneo Idol Dance Arts Competition showcases talent, cultural exchange
Officials and participants of the 2025 Borneo Idol Dance Arts Competition gather for a group photo. KUCHING (July 15): The Oriental Dance Arts Association of Kuching (ODAAK) successfully organised the 2025 Borneo Idol Dance Arts Competition on July 12 at the Kuching South City Council (MBKS) Auditorium, thanks to a grant from the Sarawak Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts. According to ODAAK president Jasmine Tan, the event featured a total of 57 competition categories and attracted 86 participants. 'We are honoured to receive this grant, which marks another milestone in our efforts to promote performing arts,' she said in a statement issued by the ministry today. 'It reflects our team's dedication to promoting dance culture and developing the dance arts industry in Sarawak and across Malaysia.' This year's competition was jointly organised by ODAAK, Just Dance Studio Bintulu, and The S Belly Dance Troupe, in collaboration with IntellArt Tuition & Talents Centre Kota Kinabalu, marking the second edition of their collaborative effort. The top three contestants from each category in Kuching and Kota Kinabalu will advance to the grand finale, scheduled to be held in Bintulu on Sept 12. To raise the competitive bar, ODAAK invited a panel of judges from across Malaysia, including representatives from Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Pahang, Kedah, Sarawak, and Sabah. In addition to strong local participation, the event also drew international dancers from Nanning and Zhejiang, China, further elevating the competition's international profile. 'The competition spanned various age groups, with categories like junior solo, teenage solo, adult solo, and troupe performances. The dance genres ranged from Oriental dance and Chinese-style to Bollywood, K-Pop, and choreographed dance,' read the statement. Tan expressed gratitude for the ministry's support, noting that the grant reflects confidence in the association's long-term vision and event-planning efforts. ODAAK, a non-profit organisation registered since 2012, has long been dedicated to cultivating appreciation for dance among youth while striving to elevate dance as a recognised art form both locally and internationally. For more information, visit its official Facebook page at
Malay Mail
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
Walao eh, it's Chow Yun-fat! HK icon on why he hearts Singapore hawker food and Singlish catchphrases
SINGAPORE, July 7 — When Hong Kong screen legend Chow Yun-fat says he's a 'hawker centre kind of guy', he really means it — no need to act, okay? The 70-year-old superstar, in Singapore for Mediacorp's Star Awards yesterday, left Singaporeans in a frenzy of 'walao eh's and 'paiseh'-faced selfies after showing up to present the Top 10 Most Popular Artiste awards. But it's what he did off the glitzy stage that really won hearts. In a candid chat with CNA Lifestyle, the Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon star revealed his true Singapore obsessions: chicken rice, Teochew kueh and the humble hawker centre. 'Singapore — what places can I go to? I just sleep and go to the markets and eat,' he said, with that famously cheeky grin. His hawker hit-list includes crowd favourites like Old Airport Road, Newton, Maxwell and Lau Pa Sat. And before you ask — yes, he does have a favourite dish. 'Chicken rice,' he said without missing a beat. 'My favourite is the one at Maxwell Food Centre.' And don't think he's just popping by for a quick meal. Chow goes full makan warrior mode: 'Sometimes I go to seven, eight hawker centres and eat a bit at every one,' he told CNA Lifestyle. Respect, lah. The veteran actor, known worldwide for roles in A Better Tomorrow and The Killer, also has a sweet (and savoury) spot for Teochew kueh from Cairnhill. 'Every hawker centre has their specialty,' he added. It helps that Chow has some insider connections — he's married to Singaporean Jasmine Tan. So it's no surprise he's picked up a bit of Singlish along the way. His top picks? The iconic 'walao eh' ('can use for anything,' basically), the humble 'paiseh' (when you're a bit shy shy), and the ultimate go-with-the-flow 'chin chai' (because sometimes anything goes, hor?). While he may be a cinematic giant with over 100 productions under his belt, Chow's love for Singapore's food and local lingo shows he's as down-to-earth as they come. Shopping malls? 'I don't go to any of the shopping centres,' he told CNA Lifestyle. 'I just go to the hawker centres.' Now that's a superstar move.
CNA
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CNA
Hong Kong star Chow Yun Fat to headline Star Awards 2025
Hong Kong screen legend Chow Yun Fat will be headlining this year's Star Awards on Jul 6 as an award presenter for the annual event's 30th anniversary. This will mark three decades since his first appearance at its inaugural ceremony in 1994. Chow has headlined over 100 productions and helped define entire genres with global classics such as A Better Tomorrow (1986) and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000). His iconic performances are accompanied by top honours, including two Golden Horse Awards, three Hong Kong Film Awards for Best Actor and the Asian Filmmaker of the Year accolade at the 28th Busan International Film Festival, awarded in recognition of his 'significant contributions to the advancement of the Asian film industry and culture'. Chow, 70, who is married to Singaporean Jasmine Tan, 65, recently starred in titles such as Project Gutenberg (2018) and One More Chance (2023).
CNA
23-05-2025
- CNA
CCTVs, knocking on doors: What else will it take to nab community cat abusers?
In May 2023, the lifeless and bloodied body of a young tuxedo tabby cat named Tuxy was found at the open-air carpark next to a block of flats in Hougang. The gruesome find shocked volunteer feeders in the area who immediately sprung into action to gather information to catch the abuser. 'We went door-to-door personally to visit each unit and requested video footage from those with a camera facing the corridors,' said Ms Jasmine Tan, 30, a cat feeder in the area. Out of the footage they received was one video showing what is believed to be Tuxy thrown from heights. The group sent this in to the National Parks Board (NParks) but two years on have not heard back if the abuser was nabbed. CNA TODAY has reached out to NParks to ask about the status of this case. While waiting for closure from this case, more instances of abuse involving community cats have surfaced. Just earlier this month, in an act described as "appalling cruelty" by Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam, a community cat in Yishun called King Kong was found with severe injuries including its eyes gouged out and organs split. Within days another cat called Shere Khan was found at a car park in Punggol with severe injuries and both eye globes protruded significantly from their sockets. It had to be subsequently euthanised. While the Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS), which is the body under NParks which investigates such cases, said that Shere Khan's injuries were "likely" due to a vehicular accident, the Cat Welfare Society (CWS) said it stands by its statement that the "nature of his injuries points strongly to deliberate abuse" and it was 'one of the most brutal cases' it has encountered. 'Based on the information available to us, we do not believe this was a road traffic accident. We are concerned that the possibility of a non-accidental injury cannot be ruled out,' said the group's co-founder Nina Astolfi. At the same time, some community cat abuses are being dealt with by the judicial system. On Friday, a 20-year-old man pleaded guilty to performing an indecent act on a cat after being caught on a neighbour's closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera. In February, a man was sentenced to 14 months' jail for abusing five cats in Ang Mo Kio, killing two of them by throwing them off public housing blocks between 2019 and 2021. The prosecution is appealing for a higher sentence. That same month, another man was charged in court for allegedly killing a cat and abusing four others in Toa Payoh, in September and October 2024. But such instances are cold comfort for animal lovers, as the number of abusers brought before the court of law – though increased through the years – is miniscule compared to hundreds of cats that die from alleged abuse. NParks investigated an average of about 1,200 cases of alleged animal cruelty and welfare cases annually from 2017 to 2020, according to the Ministry of National Development in September 2021. From 2017 to 2021, 40 persons have been sentenced in court and fined, and 23 persons have been sentenced in court and jailed. In 2024, NParks received around 60 cases of alleged animal cruelty involving community cats specifically, it told CNA TODAY on Friday. Of these cases, evidence of animal cruelty were found for five of these cases upon investigation. "In those cases, which were substantiated with evidence, enforcement action was taken against the offender, such as issuing a warning letter or a composition fine. For cases that were egregious in nature, offenders were prosecuted in court," NParks said. This has led some volunteers to feel despondent, with some telling CNA TODAY that they no longer bother to report the death of community cats they encounter to authorities because more often than not it does not lead to the abuser being caught. 'We have been through so many cases ... Each time an exceedingly cruel case happens there is some media attention and then it proceeds to die down until the next abhorrent case happens,' said Ms Tan, Tuxy's feeder.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Chow Yun Fat goes on a run on 70th birthday
21 May - Chow Yun Fat recently turned 70 and he celebrated it by doing what he loves best; going on a run with his celebrity friends. On 19 May, actor Michael Miu posted a photo of him, wife Jaime Chik and Chow with the background showing a hill view of Hong Kong, and wrote, "No matter what you do, you are my role model. Happy 70th birthday to my most respected senior brother." "Live a carefree life, happy and comfortable," he added. Meanwhile, Calvin Choy also posted a photo of him with the veteran star on the same day, writing, "Happy 70th to my super idol." He added several hashtags that read, "Happy birthday to Fat Gor", "Wishing you good health", "Keep running strong", "Run past 100 years old" and "May every day be smooth and happy". Following his fitness routine, Chow was revealed to have celebrated his birthday with wife Jasmine Tan and their newly adopted dog. The party was also attended by family and friends. (Photo Source: Michael Miu IG, Calvin Choy IG, Wenweipo)
