Posts Tagged ‘Economy’

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Terengganu’s new task force for minorities

September 4th, 2008
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Terengganu BN is following up on its rejuvenation process by setting up a task force to protect and take care of the needs of the minority communities – Chinese, Indians, Siamese, and Orang Asli.

The idea from current Menteri Besar Ahmad Said is being headed by a MCA guy – Datuk Wong Foon Meng.

The task force’s job is among others to:
– provide suggestions and recommendations to the state government on how to lift the standard of living among the
minorities,
– look into any discriminatory policies against minorities
– render education opportunities to all locals.
– look into how more from the community could be absorbed into the state civil service.
– ensure local authorities issue licences to the minority groups without being biased
– ensure that steps be taken to stop possible occurrence of racial slurs in government departments.

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Posted in BornInMalaysia

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How to detect restaurants that charge service tax

August 27th, 2008
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I guess many people still not in the know about Service Tax criteria being raised to annual sales value of RM3 million since last July. This means less restaurants can charge Service Tax of 5%. So, how to check?

Go to Customs Department website and download their list of approved restaurants. From 4800, there’s now only 435 restaurant, and I bet that many of them are in Klang Valley.

So, do spread the news and don’t simply pay 5% extra!

The direct link to the restaurant list (PDF) is here.

According to Customs Department’s boss, there are only few complaints so far. He urged more people to complain instead of highlighting in media (I guess he’s talking about the opinions corner in papers).

To contact Customs Department, you can email them at cd@customs.gov.my or kastam@customs.gov.my

By the way, you don’t have to pay the 5% if no license is displayed. And make sure its a valid license 🙂

Also, you have the right to demand receipt or invoice showing proof of 5% service tax being paid.

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Petrol price down 15 sen as inflations hits 8.5 percent

August 23rd, 2008
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Came back and saw this on Malaysiakini: Gov’t slashes petrol price by 15 sen

Guess what, I just filled my tank with RM70++ worth of petrol 🙁 So stupid of me to trust the statement that said “no reduction in petrol price until 1st Sept”. If I just waited till tomorrow morning, could have saved a few dollars.

Anyway, I should have learned a lesson from the parliament dissolution fiasco months ago. This time, its seems the “The cabinet decided to bring forward the enforcement date for adjustment of the new petrol price,”.

Well, at least its a good news. Now, would ICI reduce their paint price in a month or two’s time. Their new price for paints was released on 18th August. What about other industries? Right, fat chance!

With inflation at an 27 year high (8.5%) in July 2008, this comes as a bit of good news, but not sure if the impact will trickle down. We never heard of prices of goods being reduced all this while. Will there be a difference this time?

Dept of Statistics said that :

…cost of food and non-alcoholic drinks rose 11.2 percent in July compared to a year ago.

Among the contributing factors for (July’s inflation) were the substantial rise in the electricity tariff announced by the government… and the knock-on effect from the price increase of petrol and diesel,” it said in a statement.

The July data showed escalating prices in most categories, including transport which jumped 22.7 percent, and restaurants and hotels which rose 6.7 percent.

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Posted in BornInMalaysia

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MAHA 2008

August 15th, 2008
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Its been a busy week, and will get busier next week as more things get in motion. Nope, nothing about national scenario, but on personal front. Really can’t find time to blog for last 2 days.

Anyway, just a short note – makkals should make an effort to visit MAHA expo being held at Serdang near UPM). Its from 11th till 23rd August 2008. Opens daily from 10am till 7pm, except on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays where it is extended till 9pm (just announced yesterday).

With school holiday around the corner, it will be good to expose kids and youths to world of agriculture business. Try to go early because one day won’t be enough to explore the place. Wear good shoes for a lot of walking. A LOT.

Minnal FM have been airing advertisement on MAHA, so I hope more people will visit it. Drop by all the goverment department booths to get as much info as possible on grants, loans, subsidies, tax incentives, technologies, R&D etc.

Interested in goat-rearing, leech farm, mushroom farm, vermi-compost (learnt that word recently!), aquaculture etc? Get moving to MAHA.

Sad to say that not many makkals are visible there. And no Indian/Chinese-run food stall at the food court in block D (over 50 stalls!). I just had roti bakar (quite OK) for breakfast and skipped lunch due to the huge crowd.

Oh ya, saw Deputy PM Najib yesterday enjoying a cuppa at MADA (or was it KADA?) booth.

My short note looks longer now.

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Posted in I Was Here, Personal

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Housing fund proposal for estate workers

August 4th, 2008
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Human Resources Minister Dr S.Subramaniam proposed yet another fund for estate workers, this time for housing. Earlier, he talked about setting up retirement fund. This new fund is for those who have worked for more than 10 years to help purchase their own homes upon retirement. This is similar to the Felda scheme, where the employer would set aside RM100 monthly for each employee. This can avoid housing problems faced by those retiring. But looking at current increasing house prices, it may need RM200 per month to build a substantial amount.

Let’s see how many plantations will take up this suggestion. Perhaps the government can start the ball rolling by donating RM15 billion, which comes to about RM10,000 for each worker. Hmmm, that sounds like too much. How about RM15 million, which is RM1000 per worker?

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Posted in Indian

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