Actress Emma Watson shared that she prefers to call herself “self-partnered” rather than single as she approaches her 30th birthday.
29-year-old Watson who rose to stardom as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films, adopted the term in an interview with British Vogue in which she discussed the pressures of turning 30.
The actress and activist whose birthday is in April revealed that she initially did not get the “fuss” that surrounded the milestone.
Watson admitted to feeling “stressed and anxious” about her upcoming birthday.
She shared with British Vogue that if you have not built a home, not have a husband nor a baby and turning 30…not in “some incredibly secure stable place in your career, or you’re still figuring things out… There’s just this incredible amount of anxiety.”
Watson shared that she has never believed the “‘I’m happy single’ spiel,” and she added: “It took me a long time, but I’m very happy [being single]. I call it being self-partnered.”
This term is similar to the one actress Gwyneth Paltrow used, which is ‘conscious uncoupling’ when she divorced Coldplay singer Chris Martin in 2014.
Watson is returning to the screen later this year to play Margaret “Meg” March in “Little Women” alongside Laura Dern and Meryl Streep — both of whom she knew previously through their activism.
Photo: Screengrab from Instagram
The full interview will appear in the December issue of British Vogue and will be available from 8 November.
Born Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson on 15 April 1990 in Paris, Watson is an actress, model and activist.
She was brought up in Oxfordshire where she attended the Dragon School and trained as an actress at the Oxford branch of Stagecoach Theatre Arts.
She used to act in school plays and she rose to fame after landing her first professional acting role as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film series. /TISG
A leader of the Pakatan Harapan government asked the population to give the new government five years before judging it on its performance.
To achieve its goals, the PH government should be given the time to fulfil its promises to the people, says Democratic Action Party secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.
Lim who is also the finance minister in the government of Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad says time is needed to implement the various programmes that would benefit the entire country.
“We hope people can have patience. We have been elected by the people, we have five years…give us time to fulfil all the promises,” he said at a discussion forum.
The government is facing an uphill battle to implement its reform agenda, unable to replace some laws and bring in new ones that will allow for speedy reforms.
It claims it does not have a sufficient majority in Parliament to pass or revoke some laws, despite several opposition MPs crossing over mostly to Dr Mahathir’s party, the Bersatu.
The PH regime has insisted it inherited a lot of problems that it has to solve from the previous government of ex-PM Najib Razak.
Najib is facing trial in the 1MDB and its related scandals, a trial that has stretched over months much to the displeasure of those who want to see him behind bars.
Instead, Najib was free to campaign for the Barisan Nasional in by-elections and contributed in defeating the Pakatan’s candidates in several bouts.
The PH is also fighting it out desperately in the Tanjong Piai, Johor by-elections to be held on Nov 16. The united and resurgent opposition in a pact between Umno and the Islamists PAS is given as hot favourite to snatch the seat from Pakatan. /TISG
During a live broadcast recently, a Sphinx cat was spotted with Super Junior’s Heechul.
The Sphinx cat was spotted peeking his face out when Heechul held a live broadcast on YouTube to celebrate Super Junior’s 14th anniversary on 6 Nov.
It is believed that the Sphinx cat belongs to the late Sulli and that Heechul and Sulli had a close relationship that’s why the cat is now being taken care of by him.
On 14 Oct, Sulli took her own life in her residence and was believed to be pressured by cyber bullying.
The 25-year-old former f(x) member’s death was classified as suicide by the authorities.
In South Korea, suicide is the fourth leading cause of death. The suicide rate in the country is at the highest level (10), according to the World Health Organisation.
South Korea also lead the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) with the highest rate of people who commit suicide.
It is reported that lawmakers of South Korea are proposing an act called the ‘Sulli Act’. It is proposed by nine members of the National Assembly and it will tackle the issue of cyber bullying.
Photo: Screengrab from Instagram
36-year-old Heechul, whose real name is Kim Hee-chul is a South Korean singer, songwriter and presenter.
Heechul is part of South Korean boy group Super Junior and is also part of subgroup, Super Junior-T and Universe Cowards with Min Kyung-hoon.
Previously he was part of Kim Heechul & Kim Jungmo.
Heechul debuted his acting career in 2005, acting in the second season of Sharp 2.
He hosted his first music show Show! Music Tank and appeared in commercials and host radio shows.
In 2006, after his Super Junior debut, he was in a car accident where he fractured his left leg so he couldn’t perform in the group’s strenuous dances but focus on singing only. /TISG
Over the week, the two main conversation topics among Singaporeans are the e-scooter ban and Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat’s poor performance in Parliament. I shall skip the personal mobility device ban issue. That ban is, I think, well supported by most Singaporeans concerned about safety on roads and shared pathways. I support it. But the livelihoods of 7,000 food delivery workers are at stake and, I hope, all goes well for them in the dialogue between them and relevant authorities.
Somehow, however, the mainstream media seemed all too eager to play up the e-scooter ban. They went to town with maximum coverage. We get big media pictures of PAP MPs in earnest conversations with affected delivery workers. The fact is: It was the government which was behind the curve in coping with the new transport devices and had allowed their proliferation all over the landscape. Only now has it stepped in to deal with the situation.
Not much, relatively speaking, has been published or written in MSM about DPM Heng’s performance. Not the la dee da about the need for the motion but Heng’s outright fumble. Why? Here, I quote a Malay phrase: Tau sama tau (You know, I know). Interpretation: Underplay the exchanges between Heng and Lim and move on, perhaps the public will forget all this very quickly. And yet, in the coffeeshops, millennial eateries and offices, that was all that Singaporeans were talking about and will talk about in the impending general elections.
There were a number of points to-ing and fro-ing between Heng and Lim over the recusal motion. In case you have forgotten. The motion called on the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council to discharge its responsibilities to its residents by requiring Sylvia Lim and Low Thia Khiang to recuse themselves from all matters relating to, and oversight over, financial matters.
Points raised included: Heng’s remarks about “hidden documents” and “millions lost” plus whether it was proper for such a motion to be tabled even before the appeal against the High Court judgement has been filed and properly heard.
Heng clarified that the exact words he had used was that “millions of dollars in public funds are involved” not that “millions have been lost”. Then, all of sudden, the debate was passed on to Senior Minister of State (Law) Edwin Tong. Whatever Tong actually said became almost irrelevant as, clearly, the public may have already seen enough to make up their minds about both what was said and what they saw on TV or YouTube.
Images make or break leaders. They can also undo the best of strategies practised by those who think politics of dominance can allow them to get away with anything such as foisting any kind of leader on an increasingly sophisticated population.
Over the decades, I have seen how People’s Action Party leaders have tried to intimidate political opponents. They have always believed in the so-called robust counterpunch: No challengeable act shall be unchallenged. Often they get caught in overkill and, as a result, unravel whatever good they may have done. That was how the late political dissident Francis Seow, his alleged personal defects notwithstanding, became a formidable foe for the PAP till his last days.
In a live telecast of the hearings of the select committee on the need to restructure the Law Society in the 1980s, the public saw the redoubtable Lee Kuan Yew dominating the proceedings, as expected. In his effort to engage Seow, who was a former Solicitor-General and former President of the Law Society, over some point, he practically pushed him into a corner. The late dissident, who exiled himself to Harvard University no less, had been quite respectful of LKY. He was calm. But, given no escape route, he fought back. The erudite Seow, whose command of English and laws was as pukka sahib as anyone else’s, answered back in a silky sarcastic voice: “Mister Prime Minister….” It did not matter what else he said, it was the way he said it that, according to many, had him one up over LKY in the public eye. Debatably perhaps but the advice of Sun Tzu on the Art of War must have been lost on LKY:
“When you surround the enemy
Always allow them an escape route.
They must see that there is
An alternative to death.”
Heng apparently has not learnt anything from this pivotal incident. In fact, he had also not learnt from his own experience when he was Finance Minister. In 2018, he tried to corner Lim over her alleging that the government was floating a trial balloon for an impending GST hike. Heng denied this and was joined by Law Minister K Shanmugam (yet another Law Minister coming to his rescue).
Then he was Finance Minister. But last week, he was Deputy PM and PM-designate. No one should have to come to his help. It was expected that he would have to prep himself for the occasion, a great opportunity to prove he was in charge and more than capable of handling Opposition members in Parliament. Apart from the obvious fumble, what the camera silently captured was even more revealing.
Heng called for an adjournment to consider Sylvia Lim’s assertion that it was not proper for him to raise the motion. On resumption of the debate, he was about to go to the rostrum to resume his speech when PM Lee Hsien Loong could be seen stopping him and signalling to let Edwin Tong take the floor.
This was when I felt great sympathy for DPM Heng. Where would he go from here after having been so exposed in the harsh light of the public arena – away from the controlled conversations, choreographed forums and talks and over-sanitised environment of our allegedly intellectual circles?
And to put the whole thing in even better perspective, Singapore’s Opposition is getting better. Maybe it is because the ruling party has been getting lazy and taking everything for granted, so caught up in their own cocooned world and self-belief that they have a right to rule forever, whatever the quality of their leadership. No pressure to perform.
Also, Opposition parties have been attracting better members and talents. They have been knocking at the door for a long time. Those who are already in Parliament have, at the same time, been getting better. Everyone in Opposition have to work harder, they do not carry a card of perpetual self-entitlement. Most WP MPs have improved in their public speaking. Low Thia Khiang has become almost Jedi-like. Sylvia is untouchable in the polls, I think. Pritam Singh has been more vocal. Not far behind are Leon Perera, Gerald Giam, Yee Jenn Jong and Faisal Manap.
If Heng cannot even handle these people, who are by no means rabble-rousers, he would be dead meat to the more seasoned, highly political and articulate leaders in neighbouring Malaysia.
Two rescue jobs so far. And counting. Singapore’s PM-in-waiting has to do much better than this.
Tan Bah Bah is a former senior leader writer with The Straits Times. He was also managing editor of a local magazine publishing company.
Hangeng, formerly from Super Junior and Celina Jade, a Hong Kong actress is rumoured to be getting married.
Allkpop quoted Chinese media outlet Sina on 8 Nov as saying that Hangeng and Celina Jade have began sending out wedding invitations to family and friends.
In June last year, Hangeng and Celina Jade have registered their marriage and at that time both their managements responded, “Thank you for the interest. We’ll let you know if there’s good news.”
So far, both managements are not answering questions about the upcoming wedding.
In February 2018, Hangeng and Celina Jade went public with their relationship after meeting at an award ceremony in 2017.
Photo: Screengrab from YouTube
Hangeng, 35 is a Chinese Mandopop singer and actor.
In 2001, he began his career and he was picked by S.M. Entertainment to be part of South Korean boy band Super Junior which debuted in 2005.
In 2008, Hangeng was part of the sub-group Super Junior-M.
Hangeng filed a lawsuit against SME to terminate his contract on 21 December, 2009.
He then returned to China to start his solo career.
Both parties came to a mutual agreement on 27 September 2011 and Hangeng’s departure from S.M. Entertainment became official.
Celina Jade, who was born as Celina Horan on 10 June 1985 is a Hong Kong actress, singer-songwriter, model and martial artist.
Globally, she is known as her role as Shado (and Mei) in the 2010s CW series Arrow.
She is known for her role in 2017 blockbuster Wolf Warrior 2 in China which is the highest-grossing Chinese film ever.
Celina Jade is of mixed parentage, her father is American kung fu star Roy Horan and her mother is a Chinese woman named Christina Hui.
Fluent in Cantonese, Mandarin and English, Celina was studying in a local Chinese school from kindergarten till high school.
In 2007, Celina debuted her acting career in Hong Kong and China.
She played the leading role in her first film Legendary Assassin together with Wu Jing. /TISG
Photo: Facebook screen grab from Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad
@TunDrMahathir
“Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
– WB Yeats
Dictators, despots, and crackpots throughout history have attempted to legitimise their oppression by the use of harsh and inhumane laws to stamp their corrupt authority and to cling to power. Few succeed.
As part of its wide-ranging manifesto of reforms promised prior to GE14, Malaysia’s Pakatan Harapan (PH) government said that draconian and outdated laws like the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma) would be repealed.
These laws and enactments were used liberally to silence the growing dissatisfaction at the way things were done and to cover rampant systemic corruption.
But, after 18 months, not only were these laws not repealed, but they were even used on members of the ruling coalition with apparent abandon, sending shock waves among the DAP members and much of the nation.
Former Prime Minister Najib Razak used these of oppressive laws, including the Sedition Act of 1948 and Sosma to quell the increasing voices of dissent during his tenure as PM.
Over the last month or so, several members of DAP were caught in a dragnet for allegedly supporting the now defunct Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) movement.
Nothing apparently had changed with the new government in Malaysia. The laws remained and the excuse given was that the ruling coalition lacked the two thirds majority to repeal the Acts.
It was assumed that while the laws existed, they would never be used again to suppress the people.
Time and again, the PH government has confounded its own supporters by mimicking the policies and tactics of the previous regime and punishing the very people who voted them in.
Now, suddenly, when faced by an embarrassing defeat in an upcoming by-election in Johor’s Tanjung Piai, the Home Minister announces that there would be possible changes to Sosma.
Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said that the Act would be amended but not repealed with a change in the length of detention and provisions relating to economic sabotage under proposed amendments.
Currently, the Act allows for detention without charges preferred for 28 days with option of renewing the detention.
In statement, he said “the 28-day remand, (may be) too long and should be shortened, but enforcement agencies such as the police say they need more time to investigate when it involves issues of terrorism so this needs to be studied before the right decision is made.”
But the Act allows for abuse by the authorities as it can be used to detain anyone who is deemed a threat to national security by merely possessing books or video clips or even making a speech that vaguely refers to outlawed groups.
Over the past 48 hours, the PH Presidential Council met to discuss various matters of importance relating to the governance of the country.
Speculation is rife that a strong protest was registered by the DAP and PKR during the meeting at the arrest of its members under Sosma.
However, instead of repealing the law, the government has decided to make cosmetic changes that seemingly de-fang the Act.
Muhyiddin said that the provision was “misused to detained Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s former political secretary Matthias Chang for political reasons” by the Najib Administration.
But these sort of amendments merely give the Act a more palatable look and nothing more. It is still a very useful tool to keep friends and foe in check.
So tight are the provisions that offenses under Sosma are non-bailable and the detainees could be separated from their families for a minimum of 28 days.
PH came in on a wave of promises that included the repeal of such Acts that were used liberally by the previous regime.
With the impending by-elections in Johor scheduled for November 16, and with many touting the results as a referendum on Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s leadership, the changes to the Sosma Act are a little too late.
Whatever the outcome of the Tanjung Piai results, what is clear is that Dr Mahathir has an iron grip on the nation and is free to do as he wishes.
Fear, seems to be the key, once again, in getting things done. PH seems to have lost the plot so early in the game.
"Heal-dying", the process of simulating your own death in order to improve your life. Offered by Hyowon Healing Center in South Korea. Photo: Facebook
When in need of rejuvenation and renewal, it is not uncommon to hit the spa, seek time in nature or perhaps go on some soul-searching travels. In South Korea, it has become a trend in recent years to experience your own “fake” funeral service as a way of gaining new perspectives on life.
The Hyowon Healing Center in South Korea has been offering mass “living funeral” services to people since it opened in 2012. Since then, more than 25,000 people have taken part in simulating their deaths in order to better appreciate life.
While the Hyowon Healing Center is a funeral home conducting real funerals, they began adding to their services by offering “living funerals” in response to the growing problem of mental health issues and suicide in South Korea.
People participate in “living funerals” in Hyowon Healing Center, South Korea. Photo: Facebook
Data from the World Health Organization shows that South Korea has one of the highest suicide rates in the world, with 29.6 deaths per 100,000 people in 2016. While the rate decreased slightly from the previous year, it is still much higher than Hungary, which has the second-highest suicide rate with 19.4 per 100,000 people.
In the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Better Life Index, South Korea ranked 33 out of 40 countries surveyed.
Suicide has become one of the leading causes of death in the country, particularly among those aged under 40. Many younger South Koreans are facing a crisis of increased pressures to do well in school, university and eventually work. A lagging economy and increasing unemployment rates only make things more difficult.
For younger and older South Koreans alike, the stress of making ends meet, earning and maintaining a career in order to provide for family and life have become overwhelming, spawning higher rates of depression and a culture of overwork similar to Japan.
Hyowon’s “living funeral” services are meant to combat stresses and give the participant a new lease on life, so to speak.
“Once you become conscious of death, and experience it, you undertake a new approach to life,” said 75-year-old Cho Jae-hee, who took part in a living funeral as part of a “dying well” program sponsored by her senior welfare centre.
Officials at Hyowon say the simulated death ceremonies are meant to give the participant a truthful sense of their lives, inspire gratitude, and aid in forgiveness and reconnection among family and friends.
Many have taken part in the event to find new perspectives on life, including young people in their teens. For the elderly and the terminally ill, participation in living funerals can help them prepare for death in a kind of “rehearsal.”
So how does it work?
In a VICE documentary of one of the events, a big group of people can be seen wearing funeral-like robes while seated next to wooden coffins. A man guides them through the process of writing out their last wills and testaments, which they do before getting into their respective coffins.
People participate in “living funerals” in Hyowon Healing Center, South Korea. Photo: Facebook
“Now, sadly, it’s time to go,” the guide says. “Next to you there’s a big wooden box. The box is known as a coffin.”
All participants climb into their coffins, lay down and close their eyes.
“Now, all of you are dying,” says the guide. “Your organs are failing, one by one, and you will eventually take your last breath.”
“Heal-dying”, the process of simulating your own death in order to improve your life. Offered by Hyowon Healing Center in South Korea. Photo: Facebook
The coffins are then closed. After an unspecified amount of the time, sometimes as short as 10 minutes, the coffins are opened while the guide says, “With the top of your coffin, a new life has opened”.
Participants then leave their “old hardships … in the coffin in the other world”, and receive a new lease on life as they climb out.
People participate in “living funerals” in Hyowon Healing Center, South Korea. Photo: Facebook
Jeong Yong-mun, founder and leader of Hyowon Healing Centre, calls the process “heal-dying”.
“That’s why I think this experience is so important—we can apologise and reconcile sooner and live the rest of our lives happily,” Jeong said to Reuters.
Jeong said that while he sees people reconcile at others’ funerals, it saddens him that people wait till someone actually dies to do so.
Interestingly, Jeong said he doesn’t accept every person who wants to participate in one of the simulated funerals, and has also persuaded those considering suicide to choose life instead.
“I picked out those people who have asked themselves whether … they can actually commit suicide, and I reversed their decision,” Jeong said.
According to university student Choi Jin-kyu, the “heal-dying” process allowed him to realise that he needed to change the competitive way he viewed other people. The 28-year-old added that he was inspired to start his own business after graduation.
The living funeral services, which are free, continue to draw a wide age range of participants, from all backgrounds and walks of life. Rather than viewing it as a strange and morbid activity, people who have gone through it consider the ceremony a cleansing, eye-opening experience that brings about a rejuvenated and well-adjusted perspective on life. -/TISG
Producer and music mogul Simon Cowell has caused some backlash when he announced that he wants to create a rival to K-pop with a “UK-pop” group.
K-pop fans were upset at the news with many of them taking to social media to express their dissatisfaction.
Cowell posted a video online to scout for the next stars of his UK-pop group through reality TV series ‘The X Factor’.
In the video, Simon Cowell says, “Right now K-Pop you could argue is ruling the world. Now it’s time for UK-Pop.”
This is embarrassing. Simon Cowell take it from a Brit herself, kpop is incomparable. UK pop will flop hard even before it makes its debut as the new 'kpop' TRUST ME on this one. pic.twitter.com/jsIBPKt2vc
Netizens said that Cowell is whitewashing a cultural phenomenon and is taking away credit from K-Pop groups such as BTS and BLACKPINK for their achievements.
X Factor: The Band is hunting for the ‘best boy group in the world’ or the ‘best girl group in the world.’
Simon Cowell's new UK-Pop group debuts with their song "Make It White"
beatles were uk pop. spice girls were uk pop. take that was uk pop. girls aloud was uk pop. one direction was uk pop. little mix is uk pop. its literally the most overdone music genre out there simon. EVERYONE has seen uk pop.
What saddens me the most, is that cos this new "UKpop" group is gonna be british, speak english, and on UK television, itll probably be a blatant copy of Kpop videos, dance, style, but because its not asian and "foreign" itll be wildly accepted, hyped, recognised and praised
Originating from the United Kingdom, The X Factor is a reality TV series music competition franchise that was created by British producer Simon Cowell and his company SYCOtv.
The X Factor is a replacement for Pop Idol (2001-2003) and it has been adapted in various country.
The meaning of the title refers to “something” about star quality. The winner of X Factor gets a recording contract, publicity in the later stages of the show which is also for other highly ranked contestants, not just the winner.
In Idols, judges comment on the contestants’ performance but on The X Factor, the judges mentors the finalists, guiding them in song selection and styling.
Other reality television music competitions like The Voice and All Together Now are rivals to The X Factor.
Cowell, 60 wears many hats as an English television music and talent show judge, businessman, A&R executive, talent manager, television producer, and entrepreneur.
He is the principal, founder and chief executive of Syco, a British entertainment company.
Previously Cowell have been a judge for Pop Idol, The X Factor, Britain’s Got Talent, American Idol and America’s Got Talent. /TISG
A study by the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy found that there are one thousand homeless people in Singapore. Assistant Professor Ng Kok Hoe from the university worked with a team of close to 500 volunteer fieldworkers on the study.
They covered all 12,000 blocks of residential flats and other public and commercial spaces over a period of three months. They found and recorded the numbers of individuals who were asleep or going to sleep in public spaces.
The highest counts of homeless persons were reported in the City, Bedok and Kallang districts, the study found. There were more than 50 persons per district.
However, in districts such as Bukit Panjang, Sembawang and Sengkang, there were fewer than 10 persons per district.
Dr Ng Kok Hoe said, “Despite growing public attention in recent years, the size of the homeless population in Singapore has always been unknown. Measuring homelessness in a systematic and transparent way enables us to provide guidance for policy and service planning”.
Forty-seven per cent of the homeless people interviewed cited unemployment, irregular work and low wages as reasons for homelessness. Other main reasons for homelessness include family relationship problems and inadequate or inaccessible housing services.
Following the release of the study, activist Gilbert Goh organised a food drive to distribute blankets and other essential items to the homeless.
On a social media post, he wrote, “Many are hidden from the public eye as they try to sleep out in the rough open. According to the report, half hold jobs but they could not afford to own a place.
“Join us next Saturday on November 16 at 10.30 PM to distribute blanket, goody bags and food pack to the homeless folks along Kallang, Bugis and Arab St.
“We may not be able to get them a home but at least we can show them some love. No one should be left behind”, he added.
Earlier this year, the Secretary-General of the Singapore Democratic Party Dr Chee Soon Juan shared a video showing the vast number of homeless people in Singapore and called out Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong for once stating that no one Singaporean should be left behind.
For sampling, he showed the homeless people in Singapore who resorted to sleeping in McDonald’s outlets.
Dr Chee also referred to a speech PM Lee made last year, where he said that as Singapore progresses, it needs to also ensure the country’s poor are not disadvantaged or left behind. /TISG
Jackie Chan is one of the most popular martial artists. Picture: Instagram
A row regarding Beijing’s expansive claims in the disputed South China Sea has affected martial-arts film star Jackie Chan’s trip to Vietnam for a charity.
The visit which is due 10 November is for the support of Operation Smile, where children with facial disfigurements are given free surgery.
Thousands of angry Facebook users flooded the charity’s official page after Chan’s visit was announced last week, causing the plans to be cancelled.
Netizens accused Chan of supporting China’s historic justification for its territorial claims in the resource-rich sea, China’s so-called nine-dash line.
The martial artist did not confirm or back that claim.
It has been a long source of tension in the region where countries like Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Brunei compete claims in the waterway that overlaps with China.
Operation Smile asserts that their work is “non-political” and it issued a mea culpa today for failing “to predict the reaction” of Vietnamese public.
Photo: Screengrab from Instagram
“We are very sorry… Operation Smile will not organise any activities with (Chan’s) involvement” in Vietnam, they said.
On the flashpoint South China Sea issue, Vietname is one of Beijing’s most vocal critics.
Malay Mail reported AFP as saying that deputy spokesperson Ngo Toan Thang repeated its usual proclamation on the sea citing the country’s “full legal basis and true evidence to affirm Vietnam’s sovereignty.”
In the past, Chan has been accused of choosing China over Hong Kong’s democracy protests, calling the unrest in his hometown “sad and depressing.”
In Hong Kong, the comment sparked outrage while in China, where he has a huge fanbase, it was warmly received.
DreamWorks film Abominable was removed from theatres in Hanoi earlier this month over a scene that shows a map with the nine-dash line.
Based on maps from the 1940s, Beijing claims the majority of the South China Sea through vague delineation – the then Republic of China took over islands from Japanese control.
In Malaysia, Abominable is not being shown either after the distributor did not cut the offensive scene while in Philippines, the country also filed complaints.
This week, Beijing was accused by US of intimidating smaller countries in the South China Sea, a key global fishing route.
For several weeks earlier this year, China sent a survey ship to waters claimed by Vietnam and it also built military installations and manmade islands in the area. /TISG
