Chinese company demands edits to ‘Transformers’

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Competitors taking part in the Colour Me Rad 5km run in Heaton Park, Manchester, northern England, yesterday. Spectators throw coloured powders at the runners during the race producing a colourful spectacle at the finish. — AP

Malaysia’s tiny, strutting fowl gains fans World’s smallest with puffed-out chest

arching imperiously with a puffed-out chest taped to the bird-which is allowed. Oils are applied to and soldier’s ramrod posture, Mohamad enhance the sheen of plumage that can range widely MHatta Yahaya’s tiny strutted its rich in one bird from red to white to black. yellow plumage for a stone-faced judge. A 2004 regional bird-flu outbreak gave breeders a “Yes my hero, puff out your chest!” Mohamad Hatta scare, as the Malaysian government culled hundreds cried out above the din of fellow fowl-owners as his of serama along with other fowl to contain the conta- $10,000 bird pranced to victory in a “beauty contest” gion, though there were no reports of flu-infected for serama chickens outside the capital Kuala Lumpur. serama. “Many owners hid their birds in the jungle, The breed-among the world’s smallest chickens trying to save the species,” said Ahmad Fauzi. with adults weighing less than 500 grammes (17 oz) Subsequent poultry import restrictions in the — has been a favoured pet in its native Malaysia for region have hampered breeding and trade, forcing decades. But its popularity has spread to as far as many enthusiasts to smuggle Malaysian chicks and Europe and America, with enthusiast clubs proliferat- eggs, as the country’s serama are considered high- ing as owners celebrate the decorative breed’s dis- quality, he said. But demand continues to outstrip tinctive characteristics. supply, and champions can fetch up to $10,000. These include attractive and richly coloured “Breeding is difficult and to get good-quality birds is plumage and a unique bearing marked by a protrud- extremely hard,” said Fauzi Osman, a breeder from ing, heart-shaped chest and wings that hang straight northern Malaysia. “So die-hard enthusiasts like those to the ground, giving the pigeon-sized bird the air of from Indonesia will get someone to smuggle a goose-stepping soldier on military parade. baby chicks for about $200 each.” — AFP While the Asian bird-flu outbreaks of recent times A Serama chicken ahead of a beauty contest at Kampung Pandan in Kuala Lumpur. and subsequent poultry restrictions have hamstrung breeding efforts, the serama has been sustained by Many Malaysians eat serama, believing them an Korea and elsewhere. The world federation has a the efforts of ardent enthusiasts who will pay up to aphrodisiac that also fights asthma. But the bird’s membership of 35,000 and is growing by 10 percent several thousand dollars for a prize bird. attractiveness and good-natured, manageable dispo- per year. sition has pushed it up the pecking order of ‘Part of my family’ Malaysian pets. “These beautiful tiny birds gives you Pampered contestants “There are people who want to buy my bird. But I great pleasure to own,” said Norzamini Tukiban, a 54- But Malaysia remains the serama heartland and am not selling it. It is part of my family,” Mohamad year-old banker who heads the district chapter of contests are held almost weekly. About 200 peo- Hatta said. Believed to be a cross between the Malaysia’s serama association. ple turned out at an open-air community hall just Malaysian wild fowl and , the sera- “They are warm and tame and this allows you to outside Kuala Lumpur for a recent contest as driv- ma first emerged decades ago as a decorative pet for hold them, making serama birds adorable household ing tropical rain thundered down outside. Malaysia’s state sultans before gaining a broader pub- pets.” Ahmad Fauzi Mohamed, president of the Lifting the diminutive competitors onto lic following beginning in the 1980s. Malaysia branch of the World Serama Federation, esti- viewing tables, judges scored contestants Its name is thought to derive from “Rama”-a term mates there are about 250,000 serama in Malaysia. on posture, feather quality, colour and referring to Thailand’s royalty. Some believe the breed There are nearly as many overseas, he said, and temperament. Hours of grooming pre- originated as a long-ago gift from a Thai king to a serama clubs have sprouted across Southeast Asia, cede shows, including embellishing Malaysian sultan. the United States, Canada, Belgium, Holland, South plumage with additional feathers

A judge watches as a Serama chicken struts down a judging table In this picture taken on May 17, 2014 Malaysian man Along prepares his In this picture taken on May 17, 2014 a during a beauty contest. — AFP photos prized Serama chicken ‘Tokun’ ahead of a beauty contest at Kampung prized Serama chicken ‘Aramas’ struts Pandan in Kuala Lumpur. Marching imperiously with a puffed-out chest down a judging table during a beauty con- and soldier’s ramrod posture, Mohamad Hatta Yahaya’s tiny chicken test at Kampung Pandan in Kuala Lumpur. strutted its rich yellow plumage for a stone-faced judge.