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ASTRO AWANI IN DEPTH COVERAGE ON BELLWETHER ELECTIONS : KUALA TERENGGANU ON JANUARY 17, 2009

Kuala Lumpur, 15 January 2009 – Long in history and beaches, the east coast state of Terengganu hits Malaysian TV screens in the first political salvo of 2009, when Kuala Terengganu, its fast-growing capital, goes to the polls on January 17.

BN candidate Datuk Wan Farid Ahmad Wan Salleh out for votes

With more than 60 per cent of the electorate below 40 years old, some political observers reckon that the candidate who responds satisfactorily to the key concerns of job creation, education and economic opportunities will be the winner.

PAS chief Dato’ Seri Haji Hadi Awang addresses the faithful

Astro AWANI’s General Manager, Rozina Aziz says, “We will focus on matters close to people’s hearts in covering the Kuala Terengganu bi-elections this weekend. We will analyse the facts and report on how the voters see the future ahead of them, especially given the gloomy economic outlook.”

Adds Rozina, “Astro AWANI has been monitoring and reporting developments in the state capital closely since the untimely demise of Datuk Razali Ismail. We have received encouraging feedback from our loyal viewers, and we hope they will stay glued to the channel on Saturday January 17 as we bring to you commentary, analyses, interviews and reports LIVE from the battleground with experienced news anchor Suhaimi Sulaiman and senior journalist Rohaida Mohamad throughout the day.”

Senior Astro AWANI anchor Suhaimi Sulaiman

As the polls close, our signature talk show, Analisis AWANI ratchets up our coverage with in-depth analyses and discussions with distinguished guests in our studios as well as on location in Kuala Terengganu.

Astro AWANI’s line-up of programmes of the Kuala Terengganu By-Elections shapes up as follows:

Time

Programme
8:00am to 5:30pm
News, interviews and analyses LIVE at the top of the hour on the AWANI Global and Atma Asia bulletins

5:30pm to 6:00pm
Analisis AWANI LIVE with Kamarul Bahrin Haron and Nazri Kahar from the newsroom and Suhaimi Sulaiman from Kuala Terengganu

6:00pm to 6:30pm
AWANI Global LIVE

6:30pm to 7:00pm
Analisis AWANI (return screening)

7:00pm to 7:45pm
Atma Asia LIVE

7:45pm to 8:30pm
AWANI Global LIVE

8:30pm to 9:00pm
Analisis AWANI LIVE with Kamarul Bahrin Haron and Nazri Kahar from the newsroom and Suhaimi Sulaiman from Kuala Terengganu

9:00pm to 10:00pm
AWANI Global LIVE

10:00pm to 11:00pm
Analisis AWANI LIVE with Kamarul Bahrin Haron and Nazri Kahar from the newsroom and Suhaimi Sulaiman from Kuala Terengganu

11:00pm to 11:30pm
Atma Asia LIVE

11:30pm to 12 midnight
Analisis Awani (return screening)

12:00 midnight to 1:00am
AWANI Global LIVE
For the latest reports and in-depth analyses on the Kuala Terengganu By-Elections, make Astro AWANI (Channel 501) your channel of choice. Stay tuned all day beginning 8.00 am to Your Gateway to the World.

MALAYSIA, January 16 2009 – HBO (Astro Channel 411) is televising WE ARE ONE:  THE OBAMA INAUGURAL CELEBRATION AT THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL, the Opening Celebration for the 56th United States Presidential Inauguration, on 20 January 2009 (Tuesday) at 7pm, and encore on January 21 (Wednesday) at 1am.

Just for this event, Astro and HBO will be making this special concert available to all Astro Residential Customers* during the telecasts so that everyone can witness this historic experience which will combine historical readings by prominent actors with music from an array of the greatest stars of today. Astro and HBO are honoured to be broadcasting an event of this significance featuring some of the leading talent from the music and entertainment industry exclusively to viewers in Malaysia.
*Not applicable to hotel and commercial establishments that subscribe to Astro

Featuring some of the biggest acts in the world of entertainment, some of the performers scheduled for the event include Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Bono, Garth Brooks, Sheryl Crow, Renee Fleming, Josh Groban, Herbie Hancock, Heather Headley, Bettye LaVette, John Legend, Jennifer Nettles, John Mellencamp, Usher Raymond IV, Pete Seeger, Shakira, Bruce Springsteen, James Taylor, will.i.am and Stevie Wonder. Among those reading historical passages will be Jack Black, Steve Carell, Rosario Dawson, Jamie Foxx, Tom Hanks, Martin Luther King III, Queen Latifah, Laura Linney and Denzel Washington. The Rt. Reverend V. Gene Robinson will give the invocation, while Emmy®-nominated producer Rob Mathes will be the music director and arranger for the backing band which will support all of the artists. Additional performers will be announced as they are confirmed.

The special will be executive produced by George Stevens, Jr. (The Kennedy Center Honors), and produced by Don Mischer (Olympic ceremonies), who will also direct the special, and Michael Stevens (The American Film Institute Salutes), who is also writing the special.

WE ARE ONE:  THE OBAMA INAUGURAL CELEBRATION AT THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL will be the only event that President-elect Obama will speak at before his official Inauguration Ceremony. Don’t miss the premiere on 20 January 2009 (Tuesday) at 7pm on HBO (Astro Ch 411). The special will encore on 21 January (Wednesday) at 1am.

IN-DEPTH COVERAGE INAUGURATION OF THE 44TH US PRESIDENT ON ASTRO AWANI

Last November, Barack Obama won the right to become arguably the most powerful man in the world. On January 20, he will take the oath of office as the 44th President of the United States.

Obama’s ride to the White House has been likened to the second coming of Camelot, and indeed, he was endorsed by the family of the assassinated President John F. Kennedy during his historic campaign last year.

Despite his glorious run to Office, it remains to be seen whether Obama can effectively be the most powerful man in the world.

Can he fix the US economy and so restore the economies of the rest of the world? Will he fix Gaza and bring about a lasting peace in the Middle East?

What does Obama’s becoming the US President hold for Malaysia? What can we expect from a man whose media resume claims “straddles different worlds”?

Rozina Aziz, General Manager of Astro AWANI (Channel 501 Astro) says, “We ask this question, and more, with informed guests in our studios as we bring in-depth and hard hitting coverage of Barack Obama’s inauguration on Tuesday, January 20.”

The coverage is part of Astro AWANI’s on-going crusade to report international news from a local perspective for greater relevance to information hungry Malaysian audiences. Adds Rozina, “Whilst the inauguration of Obama is an American national event, the world will have their eyes on him. Expectations are running high, and they differ from nation to nation. Malaysia is certainly no exception.”

With the world facing its biggest challenges yet - from diminishing resources and global warming to poverty, wars and terror attacks - and looking for a leader to make meaningful changes, the heat is on for Obama to fulfil the hope he has kindled in all our hearts.

Last year, Astro AWANI provided local viewers with unrivalled coverage of all the US Presidential Election television debates, with news coverage, special reports and probing analyses presented in a locally relevant manner.

This year, Astro AWANI’s in-house US specialists Syed Farradino Omar and Rizal Zulkapli will once again return to lead a discussion on the 44th Presidentship with a panel of leading experts in the field. The special coverage on the historic event is expected to air around 11.30 pm on “Presiden AS ke 44” on Astro AWANI (Channel 501), Your Gateway to the World.

ARE YOU READY FOR ANOTHER SEASON OF PARANORMAL AND SUPERNATURAL DISCOVERY?
TX Date: 3 January 2009 (Saturday)
Time: 6.00pm – 6.30pm

Local television series, Unveil The Truth is back for its second season after emerging as one of Malaysia’s favourite programmes in the past year.  It premiers on your TV screens on 3rd of January 2009 on 8TV, every Saturday at 6.00pm!

Unveil The Truth is 8TV’s in-house Chinese programme that takes its audience to discover the paranormal, supernatural, ancient mysteries, spiritualism, mythological, historical, science related, strange and unusual stories that will captivate their imagination.

“This is definitely an exceptional television series. Its amazing discoveries combined with its exciting plots make the programme a truly different programme,” says 8TV’s General Manager of Brand Management, Business Development, Marketing and Communication, Ms Lam Swee Kim.

Kim adds “I hope our viewers will be entertained with what we have in store for them this second season.”

Season 2 promises more extraordinary events and discoveries that will leave its viewers in awe. Throughout the episodes, viewers will not only be exposed to the paranormal and supernatural such as exorcisms and cult practices but also will be introduced to ordinary human beings with extraordinary abilities such as mind reading, super human strength and many more. 

The show also showcases Desmond’s journey to different locations that uncover interesting stories including ancient, historical, and from mythological to science, which occur in our universe, earth and ocean.

Viewers at home will definitely be amazed with Unveil The Truth and will be able to share the ultimate experience with Desmond as he explains the unexplainable and travels to unknown places in search for answers.

So, if you still have doubts about the many strange occurrences in our world and want to be exposed to more interesting discoveries, join Desmond in his extraordinary expedition by tuning into 8TV every Saturday at 6.00pm. 8TV is also available via Astro’s channel 708.

Back with new hosts, Ho Chak! offers more delicious and mouth watering treats…

Ho Chak! Season 10
TX DATE: 4 JANUARY 2009 (SUNDAY)
TIME: 6.30 PM – 7.00PM

Attention to all food lovers out there, you are in for a very delicious treat this month because your all time favorite food show Ho Chak! is back with a whole new season! Are you ready because the Ho Chak! crew is going to take you to places where you will not only find good food but at an affordable price too!
Indulge yourself with the all new season of Ho Chak! as they are back with more appetizing and delicious episodes of endless discoveries of delectable local Chinese hawker food and other cuisines.

“Our country is a melting pot of many races and colorful cultures, and so it happens with our cuisines, we have so many different types of yummy cuisines. Our Ho Chak! crew has searched far and wide around the country and located more delicious food for this new season that is bound to make all fans of the show and viewers salivate in front of their TV screen,” explains Ms Lam Swee Kim, General Manager of Brand Management, Business Development, Marketing and Communication.

“Ho Chak! reaches its 10th season this New Year. Being Malaysians, we can never get enough of food and understanding that, we have prepared for you a whole new season of glorious food that is just waiting to be discovered,” added Kim.

“Ho Chak” means tasty in Hokkien and welcoming Ho Chak’s new hosts are Orange and Chris. This season they will guide the viewers to more interesting new places and local dishes that are bound to entice your taste bud.

No matter what cuisine it is, be it Chinese, Nyonya, Malay, Western or Indian, you name it, they have it! Together, they will explore the kitchen of featured restaurants or stalls to discover the secret or story behind every tasty dish and compare prices for a good budget meal.

A specific theme will be brought in for each episode where the hosts will have an animated debate comparing their knowledge of the best food in town. Orange and Chris will explore the featured restaurant or stalls and guide the viewers to the kitchen to learn about the secrets behind the scrumptious food, such as the preparation method, ingredients involved, and even price comparing to entice food lovers. Viewers will be surprised to know that good food is surrounding you, and you will just have to know where to look for it!

Watch as they travel North, South, and Central of Malaysia to hunt for new eatery places and the best in town. So don’t forget to catch Ho Chak! every Sunday at 6.30pm exclusively on 8TV. 8TV is also available at Astro’s Channel 708. Don’t miss it!