Selasa, 22 Januari 2013

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Posted: 22 Jan 2013 06:20 PM PST

Tune Ins Holdings Bhd, an insurance products manager, is raising RM222.2 million from its initial public offering (IPO) pursuant to its listing on the Bursa Malaysia Securities Main Board.

The company is an insurance product manager for its on-line partners which are currently AirAsia, Tune Hotels and AirAsia Expedia.

Tune Ins Holdings, among others, designs and manages insurance products that will be sold to customers of on-line insurance partners.

Under the IPO, Tune Ins Holdings will offer up to 210,224,900 ordinary shares to Malaysian and selected institutional investors and Bumiputera investors approved by the Finance Ministry, Malaysian retail investors and foreign institutional investors, the company said in a statement.

The retail portion of the IPO will consists of up to 41,346,800 public issue shares while the institutional portion will comprise up to 102,028,100 public issue shares and up to 66,850,000 offer shares.

The retail portion of the shares will be offered at RM1.55 while the institutional price will be determined by way of a book building process.

According to the prospectus, proceeds of the IPO exercise will be used for the repayment of bank borrowings (59.86 per cent), working capital (12.24 per cent), strategic investments (22.50 per cent) and payment of listing expenses. -- Bernama

Smartphone sales surge on new ruling

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 06:17 PM PST

Now that the government has decided to allow the RM200 rebate for all types of smartphones, local phone distributors and telecommunication providers are now experiencing a big jump in sales.

For some, problems have even cropped up: they do not have enough phones to sell because of the surge in demand.

The government's move to remove the limit to smartphones costing RM500 each or less is expected to benefit about one million youths between 21 and 30 years earning less than RM3,000 a month.

Jason Lo, Chief Executive Officer of Tune Talk Sdn Bhd, said since the announcement, demand for its smartphones has risen by over 50 per cent.

Tune Talk is one the service providers for the package under the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

"The announcement was a good move by the government. We receive around 10 to 15 new applications for the rebate daily and the number is rising," Lo told Bernama.

The government's pro-active move also benefited Tune Talk's 800 dealers nationwide, he said.

"We do not have a problem in terms of smartphones stocks as our policy is to order only when there is a demand. Currently, demand is still under control," Lo said.

Eddy Tay, Head of Sales at NineTology Malaysia Sdn Bhd, said youths were benefiting from the government effort to equip them with smartphones as they have more models now to choose from.

"Youths these days not only purchase smartphones to communicate but also for Internet data," he said.

With the latest announcement, Tay said demand from his distributors had increased.

Meanwhile, ZTE Malaysia Director of Terminal Division, Jeremy Zhao, hoped that the government could extend the campaign to not only smartphones but also to the entire list of mobile broadband products to help enrich end-user options and increase mobile broadband penetration in Malaysia.

"Initially, 23 models were shortlisted, but now all smartphone vendors stand to benefit," he said, adding that his company was also experiencing an increase in sales. -- Bernama

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Biden not shying away from 2016 speculation - NBCNews.com

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 08:57 AM PST

By Michael O'Brien, NBC News

Vice President Joe Biden has barely hidden his possible interest in running for president in 2016, and now, the loquacious former senator has begun to lay the groundwork for a potential campaign to succeed President Barack Obama.

"In a couple years, I think he's going to take a hard look at it," Beau Biden, the vice president's son and the attorney general of Delaware, said on MSNBC. "I hope he does."

Attorney General Beau Biden, D-Del., joins The Daily Rundown to discuss the proposal and whether the nation's lawmakers can reach a broader agreement on the issue.

A potential Biden bid for the presidency will come as little surprise to observers of the vice president over the past few years; Biden has often dropped hints of his interest in running as Democrats' nominee in 2016, and has repeatedly refused to rule out running in 2016 when asked.

Biden further stoked speculation this inaugural weekend, when he stopped by the Iowa State Society's inaugural ball, and invited top New Hampshire Democrats to his formal swearing-in ceremony on Sunday. Both Iowa and New Hampshire traditionally host the first two nominating contests of a presidential cycle.

At the Iowa ball, he mistakenly referred to himself as president, before correcting himself. "I'm proud to be president of the United States," he said before pausing to rephrase. "I'm proud to be vice president of the United States but I am prouder to be Barack Obama, President Barack Obama's vice president."

And on Monday, during the inaugural parade, he glad-handed his way down Pennsylvania Avenue. Biden waved and pointed at parade-goers on the sidelines, and even ran over to shake the hand of NBC's Al Roker, positioned behind a security barricade.

Moments after speaking with President Obama, NBC's Al Roker gets an impromptu handshake from Vice President Biden along the inaugural parade route.

When he ran into a Republican voter in Florida during the closing days of the campaign, Biden cautioned the Obama administration's health reform law would be a chit in his column during the next presidential campaign. "After it's all over when your insurance rates go down, then you'll vote for me in 2016," he said, employing a quip that quickly drew attention for its electoral implications.

Biden has twice run for president before, in 1988 and 2008. And each time, his candidacy flamed out. In the '88 campaign, Biden withdrew before the first nominating contest following allegations that he had plagiarized portions of speeches.

Biden survived through the Iowa caucus in 2008, but ended his campaign following a fifth place finish in the contest. The then-Delaware senator committed some trademark gaffes during that campaign, too. Biden joked, for instance, about how "you cannot go to a 7-Eleven or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent." He also memorably referred to Obama, his future boss, as "the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean."

But Biden, who served in the Senate from 1973 to 2009 and established himself as an expert on matters of foreign policy, now finds himself arguably at the apex of his political strength. Forty-one percent of Americans said they have a positive impression of the vice president in the most recent NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll, versus 37 percent who have a negative impression of Biden. Those aren't blockbuster numbers, but they're among Biden's best in the history of the poll.

But a successful run in 2016 would make Biden the nation's oldest inaugurated president. He turns 74 in 2016, a year older than Ronald Reagan when he took the oath at his second inaugural.

Biden emerged during the 2012 Obama campaign as a key asset of the president's, stumping repeatedly in key blue collar corners of swing states like Ohio and Wisconsin. During those stops, the vice president offered some of the sharpest criticism of Republican nominee Mitt Romney's policies in a direct appeal to middle class voters.

Brian Snyder / Reuters

Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, dance at the Commander-in-Chief's Ball in Washington, Jan. 21, 2013.

Biden acted as a key player during the president's first term on matters ranging from foreign policy to domestic. Biden was tasked with implementing the 2009 economic stimulus, and Obama asked him more recently to lead the task force that developed recommendations to curb instances of gun violence.

Obama has also repeatedly turned to Biden to lean on his long-standing relationships in the Senate to help forge deals with Republicans. When talks to avert the "fiscal cliff" reached an impasse late this past December, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., reached out to Biden, who won some of the credit for the last-minute deal.

Still, Biden has also become a favorite target of conservatives during the last four years, not least of which because of his not-infrequent gaffes. Conservative media outlets enjoyed stoking speculation, for instance, that Obama might bump Biden off of the ticket in favor of Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton -- suggesting that Biden had become too big of a liability to the president's re-election campaign.

And indeed, there were moments during the 2012 campaign where Biden veered badly off script. When he expressed his personal support for same-sex marriage during a May 6 appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press," he preempted Obama's own anticipated endorsement of gay and lesbian marriage rights. Obama was forced to hastily follow in the footsteps of his vice president.

Biden also won the enmity of the Romney campaign when he told a predominantly African-American audience that the GOP ticket's economic policies would "put y'all back in chains."

But despite Biden's propensity to fall off-message on occasion, he still enjoys a champion in one key ally: Obama.

"One decision I know was absolutely correct -- absolutely spot on -- was my choice of vice president," Obama said Sunday at an inaugural reception. "I could not have a better partner than Joe Biden."

That's a line that Biden would no doubt love to feature in a campaign ad in just a few years. He might not be the only Democrat in the race -- many in the party hope that Clinton will seek the nomination again -- though the vice president's door to running is open than ever.

The 8 and One Half Things You Should Have Seen at Inauguration - ABC News (blog)

Posted: 22 Jan 2013 08:58 AM PST

Update: To avoid replicating the title born by a standing feature at Huffington Post, we have added a thing. This post originally listed 7 1/2 things; it now lists 8 1/2. The numerical duplication was unintentional.

A presidential inauguration is a big, long event that lasts all day and into the night–and who has time to really watch it? People have jobs, ones that don't let you off for a federal holiday.

Everyone (or, at least, some) will be talking about it, which means potential embarrassment for anyone who doesn't know what happened. Thankfully, ABC employs news professionals stationed in Washington, D.C., to pay attention to these kinds of things and boil off some of the less noteworthy or interesting stuff, presenting you with short videos of everything that really mattered. Or at least the things a lot of people were talking about.

A full day of paying attention to President Obama's second Inauguration leads one of those professionals to offer these 8 /2 things:

1. Beyonce Sang the National Anthem

Boy, howdy! Did she ever? Beyonce has essentially become the Obama's go-to female performer: She recorded a music video for Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" initiative in 2011, and she performed at the president's last inauguration in 2009. Her velvety, soulful "Star Spangled Banner" is getting good reviews.

2. Kelly Clarkson Also Sang

Kelly Clarkson is not as "in" with the First Couple as Beyonce seems to be, but they let her sing "My Country 'Tis of Thee," and she did a pretty good job with it. This was kind of weird, though, because at one point she said she loved Ron Paul, although she later said she would vote for Obama.

3. Obama Talked About Gay Rights

This may not seem shocking since more than half the country, including President Obama, supports gay marriage. But the president made a point of mentioning gay rights during his speech, equating the struggles of the LGBT community with those of past civil rights movements, and in doing so made history.

He name-checked Stonewall, the New York City bar that was raided by police in 1969 sparking riots to protest the anti-gay crackdown. And he actually used the word "gay": "Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law – for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well," Obama said in his address.

Plenty of inaugural addresses have been chock full of rhetoric about freedom and equality, but in the last four years, the political culture surrounding gay rights has changed significantly, as more states legalized same-sex marriage and as broad swaths of the country got more comfortable with homosexuality in general. Obama's "evolution" on gay marriage, and now his inaugural address, have helped signify that change.

4. Joe Biden Made Jokes and Shook Hands With People

Could we expect anything less?

Here's how the Vice President toasting Sen. Chuck Schumer instead of President Obama at the big luncheon: "I raise my glass to a man who never, never, never operates out of fear, only operates out of confidence, and a guy–I'm toasting you, Chuck." Watch it:

And here he is, scurrying around and jovially shaking hands with people along the parade route:

5. Richard Blanco Read a Poem That Was Sort of Whitman-esque, But Not Entirely

Spanish-born Richard Blanco became America's first openly gay, Latino Inauguration poet. He read a nine-stanza poem entitled "One Today," which set a kind of unifying American tableau scene.

6. Obama and Michelle Walked Around Outside The Limo

President Obama walked part of the parade route, from the Capitol to the White House, with Michelle. They waved to people. It is not entirely abnormal for a president to do this at an inaugural parade. But they walked quite a ways.

7. John Boehner: 'Godspeed'

The speaker of the House presented American flags to Obama and Biden, telling them: "To you gentlemen, I say congratulations and Godspeed."

8. Sasha and Malia Were There.

Obama's daughters, Sasha and Malia, were there. They didn't really do much, but they did wear coats of different shades of purple that got a lot of attention on Twitter.

Reports of the daughters looking at smartphones and applying lip gloss highlighted their day. As did this .gif of Sasha yawning.

8 1/2. Alito Sleeping/Disgusted?

When it came time to stand for the inaugural oaths, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, wearing sunglasses, appeared perhaps either to have nodded off or to be dissatisfied with being asked to physically move. Video is inconclusive.

This post has been updated. It inaccurately identified Richard Blanco as having been born in Cuba–his parents emigrated from Cuba to Spain shortly before his birth. The error has been corrected.

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Isnin, 21 Januari 2013

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KL shares lower at mid-morning

Posted: 21 Jan 2013 06:14 PM PST

Share prices on Bursa Malaysia remained in negative territory at mid-morning amid mixed regional stock markets, with losses mostly seen in banking counters, dealers said.

As at 11.10 am, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) lost 16.05 points to 1,619.58 after opening 8.63 points weaker at 1,627.

Hong Leong Bank and Public Bank went down 30 sen each to RM14.10 and RM15.50 respectively, while Hong Leong Financial Group slipped 22 sen to RM13.68.

The Finance Index was dragged down by 187.75 points to 14,746.2, the Industrial Index slipped 29.64 points to 2,700.62 and the Plantation Index declined 73.69 points to 7,912.09.

The FBM Emas Index dropped 107.74 points to 11,011.26, the FBMT100 dipped 107.6 points to 10,863.05, the FBM Mid 70 Index gave up 118.32 points to 11,968.29 and the FBM Ace Index shed 59.23 points to 4,083.16.

Losers led gainers by 564 to 99 with 234 counters unchanged, 762 untraded and 23 others suspended. Volume stood at 460.95 million shares worth RM621.17 million.

Among actives, Compugates Holdings and Patimas Computers were flat at 8.5 sen and 12.5 sen respectively, while Daya Materials and Scomi Group eased half a sen each to 22 sen and 35 sen respectively.

As for heavyweights, Maybank slipped six sen to RM8.80, CIMB fell five sen to RM7.19, Axiata was flat at RM6.30 but Sime Darby earned one sen to RM9.23. -- Bernama

Jobs @ BUSINESS TIMES

Posted: 21 Jan 2013 06:18 PM PST

BUSINESS TIMES is looking for journalists with the following criteria:

1. Not more than 35 years old
2. A degree holder or with relevant experience
3. Willing to work long hours

Please email application letter/curriculum vitae (CV) with photograph to:

Khaidir A Majid
Chief News Editor, Business Times
qidir at nstp.com.my

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Obama Renews Oath for 2nd Term - New York Times

Posted: 21 Jan 2013 09:02 AM PST

By MICHAEL D. SHEAR

Published: January 21, 2013

WASHINGTON — Barack Hussein Obama renewed his oath of office at midday Monday, ceremonially marking the beginning of another four years in the White House and calling for "fidelity to our founding principles" while also embracing "new responses to new challenges."

Crowds that were expected to reach about 600,000 people assembled on the National Mall in front of the Capitol, eager to witness the start of the president's second term. Mr. Obama, 51, was formally sworn in during a small private ceremony at the White House residence on Sunday, the date constitutionally mandated for inauguration.

Mr. Obama declared that the country was "made for this moment," but said that the nation must confront the needs of a rising middle class. And he acknowledged that the often divisive and combative politics of today have sometimes fallen short of the size of the country's problems.

"For now decisions are upon us, and we cannot afford delay. We cannot mistake absolutism for principle, or substitute spectacle for politics, or treat name-calling as reasoned debate," Mr. Obama said. "We must act, knowing that our work will be imperfect."

Security in Washington was tight as Mr. Obama, the nation's first black president, delivered his second Inaugural Address from the Capitol just after noon. Speaking on the day the nation sets aside to honor the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Mr. Obama took his oath with his hand on two Bibles: one once owned by Dr. King and another once owned by Abraham Lincoln.

The president and Michelle Obama started the morning at a church service at St. John's Episcopal Church, just across Lafayette Square from the White House. Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and his wife, Jill Biden, joined the first couple at the service.

During the service, the Rev. Andy Stanley of North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Ga., said Mr. Obama should be called "pastor in chief" for his role in soothing the nation after the school shooting in Newtown, Conn. He also talked about what people should do in a position of power.

"You leverage that power for the benefit of other people in the room," Mr. Stanley said, adding that he prayed that Mr. Obama would "continue to leverage this influence for the sake of our nation and the sake of the world."

Later, the president's personal Twitter account sent out a message from Mr. Obama: "I'm honored and grateful that we have a chance to finish what we started. Our work begins today. Let's go. -bo."

When the presidential limousines returned to the White House from the church service, Malia Obama, 14, sneaked up to surprise her father, shouting "Boo!" as he emerged. "You scared me!" he told her, according to reporters who witnessed the exchange.

Mr. Obama's motorcade rolled slowly along Pennsylvania Avenue toward the Capitol just before 11 a.m., prompting cheers of "Obama!" from crowds lined up along the road. At the same time, members of Mr. Obama's cabinet began assembling in the bleachers behind the president's lectern.

Later in the day, the Obamas will lead the traditional parade down Pennsylvania Avenue toward an elaborate reviewing stand constructed in front of the White House. Celebrations are scheduled to continue late into the night at two official inaugural balls in Washington's sprawling convention center, with performances by musical stars like Alicia Keys, Brad Paisley, Katy Perry, Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder. Beyoncé will sing the national anthem on Monday afternoon.

As people started gathering for the inauguration, some chose to start the day at the monument to Dr. King.

"It's not a novelty this time," said Holly Wieland, 57, of Reston, Va., who also attended President Obama's first inauguration. "It's like the first time you say 'maybe it's an aberration.' But it's for real now."

Sheryl Gay Stolberg contributed reporting.

Canadian 'co-ordinated' terrorist attack, says Algerian PM – live updates - The Guardian

Posted: 21 Jan 2013 09:00 AM PST

Paul Owen

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Ahad, 20 Januari 2013

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Ranhill Energy said to list by Q2

Posted: 20 Jan 2013 06:42 PM PST

Ranhill Energy and Resources Bhd, a Malaysian energy and water company, is expected to list on the local stock exchange by the second quarter of this year in a deal that will likely raise more than RM1 billion, two sources close to the deal told Reuters.

The initial public offering could be among the first after a general election that Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak must call by the end of April. The IPO pipeline in the Southeast Asian country has slowed ahead of the election because of concerns about market volatility, analysts and investment bankers have said.

"Second quarter at the latest, but it depends on the elections," said one of the sources, who declined to be named because the matter was private. Ranhill Energy officials were not immediately available to comment.

Ranhill Energy, which counts its president and chief executive, Hamdan Mohamad, and regional investment fund Cheval Infrastructure Fund LP among its shareholders, provides engineering services for the onshore and offshore oil and gas, refinery and petrochemical industries.

It also owns and operates two 190-megawatt combined-cycle gas fired turbine power plants in the west Malaysian state of Sabah, and was awarded an exclusive licence by the government to provide source-to-tap water supply services in Johor, the second most populous state in the country.

Ranhill Energy will use about 70 per cent of the IPO proceeds to redeem Islamic notes and bonds, 19.1 per cent to pay off company acquisitions, 7.1 per cent to expand its water business in China, and the rest for listing expenses, according to a draft prospectus filed on Jan. 13.

The company has given no information on the amount of shares to be offered, the pricing, or a timeframe for the IPO. Ranhill Energy is part of Ranhill Bhd, which was bought out by its management in 2011 for 90 sen per share, valuing the company's equity at RM538 million.

Maybank Investment Bank is the principal adviser for the IPO. CIMB Investment Bank and Maybank Investment Bank are the joint global coordinators and bookrunners. They are also the underwriters for the deal. -- Reuters

MARC affirms its rating on PLUSBHD

Posted: 20 Jan 2013 06:39 PM PST

Malaysian Rating Corporation Berhad (MARC) has affirmed its AAAIS rating on Projek Lebuhraya Usahasama Berhad's (PLUS Berhad) RM23.35 billion Sukuk Musharakah Programme.

The rating outlook is stable. PLUS Berhad holds a portfolio of tolled expressways, of which the North-South Expressway (NSE) is its largest revenue source.

The affirmed rating continues to incorporate a two-notch rating uplift from PLUS Berhad's standalone rating of AA based on MARC's assumption of full and timely government support with respect to the programme.

Factors that support this assumption include the government's support and golden share in the concession company, the interdependence between default events for the rated sukuk and RM11.0 billion government-guaranteed sukuk (GG Sukuk) which matures after the Sukuk Musharakah Programme and NSE's function as a critical national transportation link. Accordingly, any signs of weakening support may have an adverse impact on the rating.

PLUS Berhad's standalone rating reflects the strong traffic performance of its toll concession portfolio and the company's sizeable liquidity position. The rating is moderated by PLUS Berhad's high gearing level, potential traffic diversion towards new competing toll roads and inherent traffic vulnerability to the country's economic performance.

Owned by UEM Group Berhad and Employees Provident Fund Board via PLUS Malaysia Berhad, PLUS Berhad was incorporated to facilitate the purchase of all toll concessions previously held by the then-listed PLUS Expressways Berhad. The portfolio consists of five toll concessions, of which the key concession, the 772km NSE, is projected to generate over 80 perbcent of PLUS Berhad's revenue over the tenure of the programme.

Traffic volume on the NSE in the nine-month period ended September 30, 2012 (9M2012) stood at 10.89 billion passenger car unit-kilometre (PCU-km), registered an annualised growth rate of 4.7 per cent, while traffic of the remaining toll concessions recorded an annualised growth rate of between 1.1 per cent and 6.2 per cent in the same period. The traffic growth rates were in line with projections.

In 9M2012, PLUS Berhad recorded revenue of RM2.20 billion against full-year projections of RM3.00 billion. On an annualised basis, actual revenue was marginally lower than projected due to the shorter operating period as the concession assets were acquired on January 12, 2012.

Pre-tax losses during the period stood at RM93.6 million against projected full-year pre-tax losses of RM655.9 million due to lower operating expenses and higher toll collection from the higher-than-projected traffic growth of the portfolio of toll roads.

The company also recorded better-than-expected cash balance which would help raise PLUS Berhad's projected minimum and average finance service cover ratio (FSCR) above the originally projected 1.99 times and 4.85 times. The higher FSCR allowed PLUS Berhad to distribute RM335.0 million in RCULS coupons in October 2012 and the company may make future distributions going forward, subject to the covenants of the programme.

The stable outlook reflects MARC's expectations that PLUS Berhad should continue to meet its obligations comfortably and the on-going financial support from the government. -- Reuters

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Obama officially begins his second term with oath - Washington Post

Posted: 20 Jan 2013 08:59 AM PST

Barack Hussein Obama officially began his second term as the nation's 44th president Sunday, taking the oath of office in a low-key ceremony at the White House.

Chief Justice John G. Roberts administered the oath, and the two will repeat the process again Monday in a public celebration at the Capitol. The Constitution mandates that presidential terms begin on Jan. 20, and it is traditional when the day falls on a Sunday that the public ceremony take place the next day.

Obama took the oath in the Blue Room of the White House, with his family looking on.

The ceremony followed a morning where the president took part in a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery and worshipped at a historic African-American church.

Vice President Biden got a jump on the president by taking his oath at an early-morning ceremony at his residence at the Naval Observatory. Justice Sonia Sotomayor delivered the oath, becoming the fourth woman and the first Hispanic to administer the oath to the president or vice president.

Biden was sworn in before a crowd of 120 people, surrounded by his family on a makeshift stage in an alcove.

After the oath was completed, Biden kissed Sotomayor and then hugged and kissed his wife, Jill Biden, who held a massive Biden family Bible.

"Madame Justice, these are some of my friends, and family," Biden said, grasping Sotomayor's hand.

The 8:21 a.m. event apparently was prompted by Sotomayor's need to be at a Barnes and Noble in New York for an afternoon address and signing event for her new memoir, "My Beloved World."

Biden didn't get into specifics, but told the crowd: "I want to explain to you what a wonderful honor it was, and how much out of her way the justice had to go. She is due in New York. She has to leave right now. . .so she can catch a train — I hope I haven't caused her to miss."

Biden's ceremony led to speculation about his political future--a wide range of Democratic officials, early primary state officeholders and party strategists were on hand. Among the invited were former White House chief of staff William Daley, Obama's longtime political strategist David Axelrod, New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan, House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi and Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

"Of course we can always start the political calculations in terms of the number of delegates needed to secure a nomination," said longtime Democratic strategist Donna Brazile, who was also in the crowd. "But let's just say I see a number of superdelegates here as well."

The Obamas sat at the front of the District's historic Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church-- known as the "national cathedral of African Methodism"--where the crowd sang Happy Birthday to Michelle Obama and the sermon featured the slogan of the president's reelection campaign--"forward."

The Obamas have worshipped there before in advance of Martin Luther King Day, and the church has hosted inaugural prayer services for President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore.

10 inaugural moments that mattered - CNN

Posted: 20 Jan 2013 08:38 AM PST

Barack Obama is sworn in as the first African-American president of the United States on January 20, 2009.

HIDE CAPTION

Presidential inaugurations and oaths

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

2009: "(It was) as if the whole history of our country was coming full circle"
FDR and Reagan disagreed on the role of government, but believed America could do great things
JFK's address promised action and a new energy in Washington
Lincoln: "With malice toward none and charity toward all"

Watch CNN's comprehensive coverage of President Barack Obama's second inauguration this weekend on CNN TV and follow online at CNN.com or via CNN's apps for iPhone, iPad and Android. Then, on Monday, follow our real-time Inauguration Day live blog at cnn.com/conversation. Need other reasons to watch inauguration coverage on CNN's platforms? Click here for our list.

Washington (CNN) -- Pulitzer Prize-winning presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin notes each inauguration is moving in its own way, but only a few produce moments that are truly memorable.

"It depends upon the person and the occasion to really produce a historic inaugural speech," Goodwin said. "But the ceremony itself ... is a real tribute to the country, that a person who was the president can go out and become a private citizen (while) a new private citizen is becoming the president."

"It's peaceful," she says, and "that's an extraordinary thing in the history of our world."

Here are 10 inaugural moments that Goodwin says have stood the test of time:

2009: Obama makes history

There was a magic to the inaugural day for President Barack Obama. ... (It was) as if the whole history of our country was coming full circle -- the ending of slavery and now the first African-American president. So the crowds were reveling in that spirit -- 1.8 million (people), more than had ever been there before.

The great reset: Will Obama's second inauguration let America turn the page?

Just the idea that we had come this far as a nation. There was a sense of unity and a sense of pride, I think, in our country that this was finally happening.

1981: Reagan's optimistic first inaugural speech

What was so impressive about Ronald Reagan's inaugural speech, I think, was the optimism that it suggested after a period when America was feeling like we might have been in decline. Even though he had the exact opposite message as Franklin Roosevelt, where he was talking about government as the problem rather than the solution, both Reagan and FDR shared that American sense that we can do things.

Inauguration viewer's guide

In a certain sense, the optimism of the speech was symbolized by (Reagan's) transferring the inaugural to the West Front of the Capitol, which made a much grander spectacle.

More people could watch it, so it was a big occasion.

1977: Carter's long walk

Jimmy Carter made the decision evidently just three weeks before the inauguration that he would walk after his inauguration back to the White House. And it really was an extraordinary moment. ... There was a feeling with Carter that he was being a people's president, as opposed to the imperial guard that had surrounded Nixon. And so he's walking, (and first daughter) Amy is running around next to him. There's a sense of exuberance, and a sense that something special is happening.

Why Sunday? Obama's dual inauguration ceremonies honor tradition and law

1961: JFK's stirring address

What is so memorable about John F. Kennedy saying that the torch is being passed to a new generation is that he himself represented a new generation. (He was) 22 years younger than Dwight Eisenhower, and what the speech promised was action, movement, (and) a new energy coming into the government and into the country.

When we think of those famous words -- "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for the country" -- it was followed up by thousands of people wanting to join the Peace Corps, and the Civil Rights movement was already out there. There was a sense of working on poverty, so the words projected action, and that's what makes them memorable.

iReport: I hope Obama will...

What always strikes me about JFK's inaugural (address), however, is that he said in the course of it ... that all this would not be accomplished in 1,000 days, meaning the programs that he had outlined. Originally in the draft of it, he had said all of this would not be accomplished in 100 days, but he slashed it out because he did not want to be compared to FDR's 100 days. But little would he ever imagine that 1,000 days would mark the end of his life, and that that would be his presidency.

1945: FDR's abbreviated wartime ceremony

Roosevelt decided in 1945, when the war was still ongoing, to dispense with the traditional parade. Who is there to parade, he said, and so he made it a very simple ceremony (at the White House).

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He himself was suffering from heart failure at that time, so it was a five-minute speech and he needed to fortify himself with whiskey in order to get through the pain that he was feeling. So sadly, the physical state of FDR matched the mood at that time.

1933: FDR's dramatic first inaugural speech

We all remember the phrase "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself," but even more important than the phrase was the attitude that FDR had. He projected optimism, he projected forward movement, and people felt -- that's the mystery of leadership -- that somehow the (Great) Depression they were suffering (through), they weren't going to be in it alone anymore. ... They had a leader who was going to take care of it.

Hoover, however, was very upset during the transition about what FDR did not do. He was hoping some action would be taking place while he was still president, but FDR wanted to wait (and) have a clean slate while he was president. ... Hoover was very angry about that, and there was lots of tension between the two.

1905: TR's eclectic parade

What's interesting about Theodore Roosevelt's inaugural parade is that it symbolized the many-sided character that TR was.

So there you have Harvard alums marching side by side with Indians, marching side by side with cowboys, with Rough Riders. ... And Chief Geronimo was there. There was a sense in which TR had so many interests.

There were different sides of him, and the parade symbolized that. It just seemed like this incredibly eclectic parade.

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1865: Lincoln strives to unite North and South

What's so extraordinary about Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural is that here the North is finally on the eve of winning this long Civil War, but no triumphal message does he deliver. ... He talks about the fact that the sin of slavery was shared by both sides. Both sides read the same Bible. Both prayed to same God.

Of course the words we remember -- with malice toward none and charity for all. Lincoln knew that inaugural spoke words that would be remembered. He wasn't as sure about some of his other speeches, but he knew that.

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When he went into the party after the inaugural, the one person who he wanted to know and get his approval from was Frederick Douglas, the abolitionist. And Douglas came over to him and said, 'Mr. President, it's a sacred effort.'

1841: The tragedy of William Henry Harrison

It's so sad that what we remember William Henry Harrison for is not (his) military service before the presidency, but the fact that he gave the longest inaugural (speech) and had the shortest presidency.

He insisted on not wearing a coat (during the ceremony). It was freezing out, he developed pneumonia, and he died. That is the memory of William Henry Harrison. I'm sure it's not the way he would hope to be remembered.

They finally learned from Harrison's inaugural. ... When it was freezing weather during Ronald Reagan's (second) inaugural they moved it inside and canceled the parade. It's one of the dangers of having these inaugurations in January or even in March in the old days.

Sword by his side, George Washington takes his inaugural oath as the first President of the United States in 1788.

1789: Washington sets the tone

The thing that's so interesting (about) Washington's inaugural is that it set so many precedents. Even in that week before his inaugural, they were debating what to call him.

Some people like John Adams wanted the president to be called his Mightiness or his Highness. Thomas Jefferson said, 'No, it must simply be "Mr. President." ' Adams said, 'That's nothing. He could be president of a garden club. It won't be dignified for the world at large.' But of course (Washington) becomes Mr. President.

Everything was setting a pattern. It was an extraordinary moment.

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Kredit: www.nst.com.my

Selasa, 22 Januari 2013

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Isnin, 21 Januari 2013

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By MICHAEL D. SHEAR

Published: January 21, 2013

Ahad, 20 Januari 2013

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