Well-known blogger, Jeff Ooi, who blogs in Screenshots, is set to join Democratic Action Party (DAP). A welcoming ceremony has been planned for Tuesday to welcome him into politics, according to a report in Sunday Star. He is also being strongly considered to contest under the DAP ticket in the coming general election, with the Puchong parliamentary seat and Kinrara state assembly seat of Selangor being likely ones.
Earlier this year, Jeff was sued by New Straits Times Press over an alleged defamation in one of his blog post. And what surprised me later on was, some people have mistaken me being the blogger who got sued for his blog. Does my name sound similar? James Ooi vs. Jeff Ooi?
11 November 2007 marks the 10th anniversary of JOLmy. Beginning today, the JOLmy 10th Anniversary logo will be displayed in James Ooi Online and The J Blog until 29 February 2008.
The J Blog will highlight some interesting facts about JOLmy from now till 29 February 2008.
Mikhail Raj Abdullah
Bernama
SHAH ALAM, July 23 - Who is this “tai kor”, or big brother in Cantonese, featured in DiGi’s latest commercial in cinemas nationwide, the irritant who talks loudly into his handphone without any regard for other cinema-goers?
You can’t help but hate him as pleas by DiGi’s lovable “yellow coverage fellow” to stop are nonchalantly dismissed as the arrogant and thuggish “tai kor” continues his rude behaviour, much to the chagrin of the others.
You almost want to clobber this guy.
But before we go off the handle and debate on the merits and demerits of using a handphone during a movie, who really is this “tai kor” or make-believe “thug”?
He is none other than Jimmy Yoong Swen Zhen, a chubby 19-year-old with a sweet disposition, who in real life, is a far cry from the character he portrays in DiGi’s “please switch off handphones” commercial.
Jimmy, who is more at ease conversing in Mandarin and Bahasa Malaysia than in English, believes in being “sopan” (polite), especially in public places and detests movie-goers who exemplify his uncouth “tai kor” behaviour.
But ever since the commercial was screened some months back, he says his friends tend to “ejek” (tease) him everytime the DiGi “tai kor” commercial is shown when they watch movies with him.
Incidentally, watching movies is a favourite pastime for Jimmy, who was born on Oct 19 and that makes him a Libra. He also lists swimming, basketball and drawing as among his other hobbies, and Korean cuisine as his favourite food.
A freelance talent in advertising, he is still single and available as he claims not to have a girlfriend yet, but admits to “making heads turn” whenever people recognise him.
Having appeared in milk and bed commercials about 10 years ago, the “tai kor” commercial screened since February this year is now literally opening doors for him, he told Bernama in an interview.
He related an incident in which someone opened the door for him at a shopping complex in Kuala Lumpur after recognising the hotshot “tai kor” from the DiGi commercial.
Even elderly ladies, or “aunties” as he describes them, have come over to ask for autographs whenever he was spotted.
As the interview progressed, it was evident that there is some potential in this quiet and unassuming guy. Many famous actors and actresses got their initial break in acting by appearing in commercials, so why not Jimmy.
“If I have the chance, I want to act in dramas or movies. I want to be a great actor in Chinese movies,” he says.
There were several hopefuls when auditions were held to find someone to fit the bill of “tai kor.”
“I was the youngest to audition,” says Jimmy, who obliged with the “tai kor” look when requested at the interview.
It took 12 hours to shoot the entire commercial.
He says that his father, a photojournalist with an international news agency, and his housewife mum have been very supportive of his “acting” pursuits.
He has an elder brother and a younger sister.
The unique commercial itself carries two messages — asking people to switch off their handphones when watching movies and secondly, that the “yellow coverage fellow” signifies that DiGi’s coverage is everywhere.
The commercial epitomises what most Malaysians dread when watching movies — sitting next to people using handphones with no regard for others.
Sitting next to such unsavoury characters can spoil what should have been an entertaining and enjoyable outing.
“We didn’t want to go the conventional route, yet wanted something relevant,” says Steven Mak, Principal Brand Consultant at DiGi.
Rather than employing cold technology, “we came out with an alien entity in the human form, someone who exuberates a warmer and softer disposition and who is with you all the time,” he said.
Incidentally, the “yellow coverage fellow” featured with Jimmy, the “tai kor”, is none other than his brother, Sam.
The Star
PETALING JAYA: Moderate and occasionally heavy rains are expected to hit a majority of areas in Peninsular Malaysia and continue until the weekend, resulting from unstable atmospheric conditions.
A statement from the Meteorological Department said that the unstable conditions, coupled with intensified cloud groupings have been traced around the Straits of Malacca and the South China Sea.
It stated that Kedah, Penang, Perak, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Johor, Pahang and Terengganu, were especially prone to the these conditions.
The condition is expected to continue until this Saturday, primarily during afternoons and nights.
In Sarawak, similar weather conditions are expected in Bintulu, Mukah, Sibu, Sarikei, Betong, Sri Aman, Samarahan and Kuching until Thursday.
The Department has warned that flash floods could occur in low areas and riverbanks as a result of this
