Posts Tagged ‘Funds’

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Higher pay, better life abroad

August 27th, 2007
|  Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email


i suppose the results will be same for many other professions – teachers, doctors, researchers, taxi drivers, plumbers, cooks, pilots etc.
 
basically the salary in our country has not improved in tandem with the cost of living for all kinds of jobs.
 
Higher pay, better life abroad

By K. KASTURI DEWI and ROYCE CHEAH

PENANG: By the time Malaysia achieves its expected developed nation status by 2020, the country may have a shortage of 60,000 accountants. 

The accounting industry is already feeling the pinch as several countries are luring Malaysian accountants with salary offers of four times their earnings here. 

Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) Penang branch chairman Adelena Lestari Chong said the industry faces the big challenge to retain these accountants.  

“Other than higher salaries, Malaysian accountants are also drawn to the quality of life in countries such as Australia and Britain,” she told The Star. 

She said China has the most number of Malaysian accountants working there, adding that other countries pinching these professionals include Singapore and the Middle East countries. 

“This is making it difficult for local companies to employ qualified accountants. 

“If the trend continues, the country would be short of 60,000 accountants by 2020,” said Chong. 

Ernst & Young Malaysia partner Simon Kua said the phenomenon was due to globalisation and that it was not just Malaysia losing its accountants. 

“For example, Singapore loses its accountants to China and the rest of the world. So, our accountants end up going to Singapore to fill the gap there.” 

Accounting firm KPMG partner Ooi Kok Seng said a ccountants from Malaysia were sought because their qualifications conform with the globally-recognised International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). 

“Being multi-lingual, our accountants also have the advantage,” he said.  

Malaysian accountant Kelvin Yap, who now works in Britain, said while the higher salary was enticing; it was more the international exposure and greater opportunities that took him there. 

Long-term success, measured by wealth or professional recognition, made the offer by a British recruiter three years ago irresistible, he said in an e-mail interview. 

He used to work with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Kuala Lumpur for three years before moving to London, saying that the job progression is good despite people thinking there would be a glass ceiling for non-English professionals. 

Yap, 26, from Petaling Jaya, now works as an investment professional in HarbourVest Partners, a global private equity of funds.

Comments Off on Higher pay, better life abroad »

Posted in BornInMalaysia

Tags:

Not every Chinese is rich

August 24th, 2007
|  Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email


The MCA is fed up with the thinking that all chinese are rich and being made scapegoat by others. Even though the chinese have higher income levels in the country, not all are rich or well off. And to think that MIC says " indians are well off" 🙂
 
But i respect the effort by the people interviewed below – taking insurance policy, focused on education ofr children, and doing extra work to supplement income. i'm sure many of us regardless of race try to do the same…only that it is made easier for some than others.
 
 
Not every Chinese is rich

KUALA LUMPUR: Ledang MCA division delegate Tee Kin Boon clapped earnestly when party president Datuk Seri Ong Ka Ting – in a heartfelt off-the-cuff moment during the opening speech – mentioned to the Prime Minister that it was not true to assume that the Chinese were a rich lot. “People keep on assuming the Chinese are financially well off compared to other races. “I also wish it was true, I really want to be rich. But, there are many folks out there struggling to make a decent living,” said Tee, 31. 

The father of four earns about RM1,200 as a general clerk for the Ledang division. His wife brings home another RM1,000. A big chunk of RM650 goes to his parents to take care of his four children, aged between four and one. Life insurance premium and car loan repayments take up another RM300 each. “Luckily, we stay with my parents. We have no money to buy a house,” said Tee. He supplements his monthly income by working part-time as a trumpet player in funeral bands and is paid RM80 per session. Tee says there is no cash left for emergency funds or even for the children’s higher education. “I hope providence will be kind by giving me a financial break. I am only a secondary three graduate from a Chinese independent school. “I will make sure my children stay in school until they enter university. I believe higher education is the way to a better life,” said Tee. 

Chew Lee Goh, the delegate from Serdang division, said Ong’s situation was quite common. “I am from the Women and Children Aid Unit of Selangor Wanita MCA. We provide counselling and legal aid to poor folks but everyday, we will get many single mothers, old people, struggling families pleading for us to give them financial help.  “Poverty is real for many people, Chinese, Malay, Indian or Eurasian. It is not true to say one race is richer than another,” said Chew. She agreed with Ong that poverty eradication measures should target the poor regardless of race. Chew added that many young parents also did not dare have more than two children because they worry about the financial burden of raising the kids. 

Lumut division delegate Yew Hin Hiong, 80, said Ong empathised with the poor because he was born into poverty. “The family was from a new village in Perak. Many new villagers are struggling to survive. “I have four grown-up children. I do not force them to give me monthly allowances because I know money is so ‘small’ nowadays. “Instead, I tell my children to save for my grandchildren’s education. But my children are lovely, they still give me pocket money when they visit,” said Yew.

Comments Off on Not every Chinese is rich »

Posted in BornInMalaysia

Tags:

SJKT Rajaji is just 300 square metres big

August 13th, 2007
|  Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email


 
well, they can always occupied a shoplot like in negeri sembilan!

Small school in dire straits

source

By ANTHONY TAN

Ever heard of a school occupying a building smaller than most bungalow lots? 

SJKT Rajaji in Air Itam, Penang, is one such school. It sits on a plot, about 300 square metres, which belongs to the committee of an adjacent Hindu temple. 

The 65-year-old school, which has six classrooms, is in dire need of new premises. 

Air Putih assemblyman Datuk Lye Siew Weng said the building was not suitable any more for the school which has an enrolment of 115, including 13 kindergarten pupils. 

He said the school also carried the distinction of being the only school in the Air Putih state constituency. 

Cramped:SJKT Rajali has an enrolment of 115.

“The area is too small and the school doesn't have a field,” he said after presenting about RM1,000 worth of educational toys and mini Malaysian flags to the school's pupils recently. 

The items, sponsored by Lye's service centre and businessman M. Muthu and his wife L. Sharmila, were given in conjunction with the 50th National Day. 

Lye appealed to the state government to provide a plot of land for the school's relocation. 

“The students deserve to study in a bigger building and better environment,” he said. 

In its desperate need to have bigger premises, the school is eyeing an adjacent privately-owned tiny plot where its Parent-Teacher Association chairman P. Muniandy said a four-storey building could be built. 

“We have begun to look for funds to buy the plot,” he said. 

The school's senior assistant R. Muniandy thanked Lye, Muthu and Sharmila for the gift of toys and flags. 

He said it would help instil patriotism among the pupils. 

Seeing that the school did not have a PA system to conduct the presentation, Lye pledged to contribute a system next year. 

In March last year, state Health, Welfare and Caring Society Committee chairman P.K. Subbaiyah named SJKT Rajaji as among seven Tamil primary schools in Penang which were in “dire straits” as the owners of the land they are on want their property back for development purposes.

Comments Off on SJKT Rajaji is just 300 square metres big »

Posted in Tamil-Schools

Tags:

St Anne feast

July 30th, 2007
|  Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email


Thousands pay tribute to St Anne

By DERRICK VINESH, with Photos by ASRI ABDUL GHANI

Seeking blessings: Pilgrims seeeking help from St Anne and the Blessed Virgin Mary at the Shrine of St Anne in Bukit Mertajam on Saturday night.
Ng: Recovered after being in coma for 10 days.

IN July 1998, Charles Ng Chin Teong from Bukit Mertajam was diagnosed with septicaemia that left him in a coma. 

His wife Irene Giam and children Nicholas, Jennifer and Christine sought the help of St Anne, the maternal grandmother of Jesus Christ, to intercede with God to save his life.  

Grand procession: Volunteers carrying the statues of St Anne and Blessed Virgin Mary in the candlelight procession.

Ng recovered after being in a coma for 10 days. Since then, the family has been attending masses regularly at the St Anne’s Church in Bukit Mertajam. 

On Saturday night, they joined tens of thousands of local and foreign pilgrims in a grand candlelight procession in the church grounds in conjunction with the annual St Anne’s Feast. 

About 100,000 pilgrims converged on the church grounds throughout the 10-day festival that began on July 20. 

The 45-minute long candlelight procession, which was the highlight of the festival, went on smoothly.  

The church bells tolled for about a minute after the statues of St Anne and her daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, were brought to the church foyer to be crowned. 

The statues were placed on a platform that was shouldered by 10 volunteers using two long poles. 

Heading the main procession group were a cross bearer, altar boys, who carried ornamental candles, flag bearers, bunga manggar bearers and flower girls who carried candlesticks and sprinkled flower petals on the ground. 

Penang Catholic church bishop Rev Antony Selvanayagam, who earlier celebrated mass at the church, and several other priests led the pilgrims behind the statue bearers. 

Thanksgiving: Pilgrims offering candles at the Shrine of St Anne.

At the old St Anne’s church, now known as Shrine of St Anne, thousands of pilgrims offered lit candles, flowers, flower garlands and prayers to St Anne. 

They also did the same at the different stations on St Anne’s Hill and collected Holy Water in containers from a water station nearby. 

M. Stella Mary, 31, from Shah Alam, Selangor, said she came with 30 family members in two vans for the festival. 

“About two weeks ago, my family ran into some financial problems. We prayed to St Anne and she interceded to help us overcome it. We plan to donate some food to the poor in thanksgiving,” she said. 

R. Michael Julian, 72, from Kuala Lumpur said his passion for religious articles drove him to sell rosaries, crosses and statues at the festival in the last 25 years. 

The church’s gift shop also sold Vietnam-made woodcarvings of the Holy Family to raise funds for its children’s library and resource centre.  

Comments Off on St Anne feast »

Posted in Religion

Tags:

Tunku on unity

July 29th, 2007
|  Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe to poobalan.com by Email


Merdeka Memoir: Happy people make a happy nation

PRABHAKARAN S. NAIR

Let us take the noisy cracker-firing (during Chinese New Year) in the happy spirit of the occasion, said the Tunku.
Let us take the noisy cracker-firing (during Chinese New Year) in the happy spirit of the occasion, said the Tunku.

The purpose of independence, according to our first prime minister, was the pursuit of happiness, and our success in that pursuit is the ultimate test of our success as a nation, writes PRABHAKARAN S. NAIR

Let us take the noisy cracker-firing (during Chinese New Year) in the happy spirit of the occasion, said the Tunku.

THE concept of happiness was a recurrent theme in many of Tunku Abdul Rahman’s speeches.

Tunku’s aspiration calls to mind the "greatest happiness principle", a subject of intense political discourse in eighteenth and nineteenth century Europe.

We are fortunate in that our nation’s founding father had provided some useful insights into the concept of happiness, which we need to examine as we gauge our success as a nation.

The Reason for Government

Like the enlightened political philosophers of the past, Tunku believed that governments exist to provide for the happiness of the people, and nothing more.

"For us in the Alliance we have no dogmas other than to ensure happiness for the people," said Tunku.

Tunku favoured policies that he believed would bring the greatest happiness to the greatest number of Malay- sians.

"What I gave to one, I also gave to others. In this way, we made everybody happy. This has always been my aim."

Speaking about the policies expected to bring the greatest happiness to the greatest number of Malaysians, Tunku said: "This is the only country in the world that has provided funds for all faiths to prosper, that has provided money for the running of schools of all languages of the peoples of this country.

"And so I am a happy prime minister and I have cause to be so. I can feel the pulse of this nation; I am not the prime minister of this nation, but the father to all the peoples who live here."

We need to be reminded of Tunku’s vision of making Malaysia one of the world’s happiest countries, a goal that he emphasised in 196 0: "With our unity and co-operation, faith and tolerance for one another, with hard work and glad hearts, we can make our young nation one of the happiest in the world.

"That is my belief, that is what I live for, to ensure peace, happiness and prosperity for our Malaya which we all love so well."

Tunku did not separate personal happiness from the larger happiness of the nation: "Nothing will give me greater pleasure than to see people make merry and take things easy and are happy."

In another instance he said, "I boasted that I was the happiest prime minister in the world, and that was because the people were happy."

Live and Let Live

Tunku’s basic concept of happiness is best expressed in his favourite maxim, "live and let live".

This calls for acceptance of people as they are, although they may have a different way of life.

In his private life he was open about his weaknesses and laughed at himself, but at the same time wanted his friends to accept him for what he was.

Unfortunately, the way our society has developed over the past few decades appears to indicate that it is not the easiest thing in the world to let other people live their own lives.

Tunku applied the maxim in the public domain.

"Foreign visitors have remarked on the happy state of affairs here and attributed this to ‘my wise and able leadership’.

"I said that it was mainly due to the desire of the people themselves, whose outlook in life is one of ‘live and let live’.

"I pray and hope that this happy state of affairs will continue for all times."

In a press statement issued two days before Merdeka,Tunku said: "I believe in allowing the people to have their own way so long as they observe the law and order of the country.

"I believe in allowing them to run their own lives and to enjoy the fruits of their labour.

"Let them wear what they want to wear; let them do what they want to do; let them go where they want to go. I do not think it is right to order their way of life.

"And it follows, therefore, that if they want to have their own clubs for their own particular community, let them run them, because clubs are made by a group or community of people for their social enjoyment.

"Let them have what they want so that they can have happiness and spread happiness in the country."

Tunku combined the "live and let live" philosophy with the larger goal of unity, and there was absolutely no contradiction between the two.

At the end of his press statement, Tunku also expressed his wish to see more clubs which provided for the intermingling of all the races in this country.

He reiterated this in his Chinese New Year message of Feb 9, 1967, when he advised the people to "work together with thoughts for Malaya and not individual or communal advantage or disadvantage".

Our Happiness is Dependent on the Happiness of Others

Tunku recognised that individual happiness is tied up with the collective happiness, and sometimes people would have to willingly sacrifice their own comforts so that people in another community were not deprived of happiness.

This was tied up with the golden rule that we must have respect for others and treat others just as we wish others to treat us.

This golden rule was an important principle in an interdependent, multi-ethnic society such as ours.

In 1967, Malay was declared the main language in the country, an important goal aimed at promoting unity.

To allay non-Malay fears he said: "Do not be frightened about the loss to anybody of his culture, custom or language for we have had them for generations and we are not likely to lose them now."

In a speech on Chinese New Year eve on Feb 8, 1967, Tunku, said: "Tonight, it gives me great pleasure to come before the Malaysian Chinese to wish them Kong Hee Fatt Choy.

"As I speak to you, Chinese families all over the country will be gathered together for their traditional family reunion dinner.

"There will be much firing of crackers as an expression of their joy and those who live in the urban areas will no doubt be disturbed and perhaps lose a few hours of sleep.

"But what does it matter so long as it makes others happy. As I have said before, it is better to lose a little sleep through the firing of crackers than lose many lives through the firing of guns.

"Let everyone, therefore, take this noisy cracker-firing in the happy spirit of the joyous occasion.

"Chinese New Year, like our other great festivals, comes but once a year."

At the same time, he did not think anyone would begrudge the protection afforded to the indigenous people of this country "who know no other country but this as their home".

Said Tunku in the same speech, "Chinese New Year’s eve this year happens to fall on my birthday and it would be a lovely present for me if you would only give some thought and attention to my advice on the need to live together in peace, goodwill and harmony."

The fulfilment of his ideal of happiness is still the "lovely present" that the people of this country can offer in memory of the Tunku on this occasion of our golden anniversary as a nation.

The writer is the director of Pustaka Wira Negara of the National Archives Malaysia

Comments Off on Tunku on unity »

Posted in BornInMalaysia

Tags: