MDEC AND AL JAZEERA UNVEIL SALADIN TV SERIES

SINGAPORE, Dec 3 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's long-awaited animated
action-adventure television series, Saladin, was launched here Wednesday for the
Asia market.

Co-produced by Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) and Qatar-based Al
Jazeera Children's Channel (JCC), the television series commenced production in
Malaysia in 2008 using talents from Kuala Lumpur and the Middle East.

The US$8 million venture television series was jointly launched by MDeC
chief executive officer Badlisham Ghazali and JCC's executive general manager
Mahmoud Bouneb on the sidelines of the Asia Television Forum at Suntec.

Badlisham said the television series production, which involved 70 artistes,
was a learning process for MDeC and it would not be the last project for it with
JCC as there could be other collaborations they could venture into.

The first season, consisting of 13 episodes of 26 minutes each, is expected
to be broadcast in the fourth quarter of next year, and the second season of
another 13 episodes will be released in mid-2011.

Saladin is based on the actual 12th century statesman and warrior from
Damascus, Syria, who travelled the world in search of adventure - this is where
the series begins.
-- BERNAMA