Police on alert despite street rally cancellation

Wednesday July 6, 2011
Police on alert despite street rally cancellation

KUALA LUMPUR: Police will remain on stand-by although the July 9 street rally has been called off.

“We will still be ready for all possibilities to maintain public safety,” said Acting City police chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk Amar Singh.

Internal Security and Public Order Director Datuk Salleh Mat Rasid said there was also the possibility of enlisting the help of the Armed Forces.

“We will have to look at the situation and decide on the proper action required,” he said at a Bersatu Aman police and Armed Forces joint exercise.

The exercise showed the capabilities of the authorities to deal with demonstrations through the use of tear gas and water cannon for crowd control.

Salleh said although it was not in response to the earlier proposed illegal march, the exercise showed that police and the Armed Forces were well equipped to handle any situation.

In KOTA KINABALU, police said they were prepared to maintain peace and security ahead of two planned gatherings on Saturday.

Sabah Commissioner of Police Datuk Hamza Taib warned the public not to take part in any illegal gathering.

“We will use every law that we can from the Societies Act to Section 108 of the Penal Code (for abetment) and the Police Act.

“We may even consider using the Emergency Ordinance or the Internal Security Act,” he said.

He said 135 police reports had been lodged opposing the Bersih 2.0 rally in Sabah.

Hamza said police received word that Bersih 2.0 supporters would gather at two locations at the historic Padang Merdeka and an open space area near the sea fronting Anjung Selera.

Police, he said, would hold a 12-hour public order exercise tomorrow even though the street demonstrations had been called off.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/7/6/nation/9034494&sec=nation

Kampung Baru Malays missing out on Warisan project, says FT delegate

Kampung Baru Malays missing out on Warisan project, says FT delegate
Saturday October 23, 2010

THE Malays in Kuala Lumpur missed a golden opportunity to get directly involved in the RM5bil Warisan Merdeka project when the Govern-ment decided to build it near Stadium Merdeka.

They missed out because not many Malays owned land near the stadium, said Federal Territories delegate Johari Abdul Ghani.

He felt that Kampung Baru would have been a better location for the huge project as nearly 60ha of land there would have been owned by Malays.

“I am quite sure the Kampung Baru residents would have been happy to take part in such a development project as it offers numerous benefits, including better land appreciation,” he said, when debating the motion on economy at the Umno assembly.

The Warisan Merdeka project is a massive urbanisation project centred on a 100-storey building to be developed by national investment corporation, Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) and close to a heritage enclave that include Stadium Merdeka and Stadium Negara.

Johari regretted that PNB had overlooked the prospect of getting the direct involvement of the Malays by not considering Kampung Baru as the project site.

Pahang representative Suhaimi Sulong raised the issue of providing graduates with relevant skills for the country’s future needs and urged the Government to review the current education system.

He claimed more than half of local university graduates were jobless as they only had paper qualifications while most employers prefered those with skills.

Johor delegate Ayub Jamil reminded the Government to follow up with affirmative action on all “transformation” initiatives that it had announced.

“There had been far too many plans and debates in the past – but the implementation had been disappointing.

“Only with real action can we succeed,” he said.

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/10/23/nation/7286002&sec=nation

Untold Story about BTN-A Participant's Perspective Of Kursus Kenegaraan(BTN

Untold Story about BTN

To The Editor, The Star

Dear Sir,
A Participant's Perspective Of Kursus Kenegaraan(BTN)

It amuses me to note the rapacious back and forth regarding the Kursus
Kenegaraan organised by the Biro Tatanegara. However, i notice that
remarks defending the program have so far been based on perspectives
of certain Government officials, who may or may not have been
subjected to the charms of the program. As a serving Government
professional of non-Bumiputera descent, I feel it is pertinent that I
share my experience of this program, so that some objectivity may be
achieved in understanding the isssue at hand.

It is compulsory for all Govt. servants to attend this course once
during service. I attended the program in 2006, in a group of 80-odd
Malays and 9 non-Malays. We were a mix of doctors, dentists,
pharmacists and teachers. On the first day, we had to listen to a
series of 4 lectures, all delivered by lecturers from the local MARA
University campus. I vividly remember the 1st lecture on Kerakyatan,
for it was delivered with such fervour by an obviously inspired
lecturer. At times he seemed to go off his script and made several
references to 'other' races being 'pendatangs' and forgetting their
'place' in society, and not being grateful for the citizenship
'awarded' to them, and other remarks of a similar vein.

However what shocked me was when this lecturer, in a frenzied fit of
rage, asked the audience whether they knew that ALL Indians who
migrated here were from the PARIAH caste, and similarly all Chinese
who came here were also from the lower classes in their country of
origin. I was livid with rage that this supposed university lecturer
had the unabashed temerity to tar all Indians and Chinese with the
same brush, and make such an unsubstantiated sweeping statement that
may have been lapped up by the ill-informed as the gospel truth. From
that moment I was mentally tuned off from listening to further garbage
being spewed by this obvious racist. After ranting and raving for a
good forty minutes more, he mercifully concluded and invited questions
from the floor.

I immediately got up and proceeded to enquire on what basis the
lecturer made his sweeping statements, and if he was aware that aside
from indentured labourers, the British had brought educated Indians
and Ceylonese Tamils to serve in the civil service in pre-independence
Malaya. I then informed him that I was a 3rd generation civil servant,
and the last time I checked, I wasn't a PARIAH. By this time the
lecturer was squirming in discomfort, especially as the crowd
assembled there started to cheer me on. I sternly told the lecturer to
check his facts before he confuses others with blatant untruths.

The Chinese dentist that stood up after me was in no conciliatory mood
however. She blasted the lecturer outright by saying 'Saya berasa amat
tersinggung dengan apa yang dikatakan oleh penceramah tadi (I am
offended by the remarks made by the lecturer); ianya sangat tidak adil
dan amat mengelirukan para hadirin di sini (it is an unfair statement
and can confuse the others assembled here).' Probably stung by the
truth of those comments, the lecturer tried to weasel out of the messy
situation by defending his statement which was made in a particular
context. But none of us were fooled, and we realised that this course
was an attempt to stereotype and racially profile the citizenry for
the benefit of a certain group to assert its 'ketuanan' on others.

Suffice to say, i was least interested in the ensuing activities,
especially the drill parade where we were forced to pray with arms
outstretched to maintain 'conformity', despite my usual method being
the traditional hands clasped in supplication.

Ultimately, the course made me despise the way the non-bumis were
treated, and served to reinforce the belief shared by many that it is
a brainwashing and indoctrination exercise to target the ill-informed
and the gullible. I am sure my Malay friends would (mostly) have
cringed in shame at the way their fellow citizens were humiliated and
made a mockery of.

Bottom line is, stay away from this course. It does no good and can
serve to divide the population.

Yours sincerely,

A Disappointed Civil Servant

Malaysia: Tax policy plays major role in fiscal stimulus

Study: Tax measures represent 56% of the net effect

GOVERNMENTS around the world have introduced fiscal stimulus to counter the worldwide slowdown in growth.

The recent International Monetary Fund’s March 2009 World Economic Outlook (WEO) report has revised its projected world economic growth from 0.5% (January 2009 WEO update) to -1.3% for 2009, despite the determined and seemingly synchronised policy actions taken by governments around the world since the end of 2008.

In Malaysia, the Government has already announced two stimulus packages worth about RM67bil in November 2008 and in March 2009, on top of the National Budget 2009 allocation of RM206bil, announced in August 2008.

Most observers agree that these are not the last of the stimulus efforts that we will see before the global economy again finds firm footing.

Yet, many governments are already contending with increasing deficits as they launch these spending measures.

Inevitably governments will need to consider appropriate unwinding strategies to ensure a sustainable recovery over the long term.

It is therefore vital that businesses and tax functions actively assess and prepare for the changes that are taking place in these times.

As tax is one of the largest items on the income statement, stimulus policy measures or changes can present significant opportunities for cashflow improvement and enhanced earnings per share (EPS).

How well each company manages the challenges and opportunities in this volatile environment will undoubtedly shape its future direction and performance.

Ernst & Young recently completed a study entitled Worldwide fiscal stimulus – tax policy plays a major role: A guide to understanding opportunities and challenges in 24 key jurisdictions on the types of tax measures that have been implemented in 24 countries.

The study found strong emerging themes in the types of tax measures that have been used by various governments, for example there is an increasing use of accelerated tax depreciation programmes, carry-back provisions for losses, adjustments to tax rates, indirect tax changes and tax breaks for individuals. Tax measures play an important role in fiscal policies and, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) Economic Outlook – Interim Report of March 31, 2009, tax measures represent 56% of the net effect fiscal stimulus on average among the OECD countries.

The recent tax measures, estimated at about RM3bil, adopted by the Malaysian Government under the second stimulus package, in March 2009 are consistent with this trend. The tax measures represented about 5% of the total RM60bil package, and included several non-conventional tax measures:

·The introduction of a broad-based carry-back of losses for 2009 and 2010, limited to RM100,000. This would potentially result in a reduced tax liability or a tax refund and would make cash available to businesses. This measure is appealing to governments because it focuses benefits on companies that have had a history of profitability.

· Accelerated capital allowance (full claim within two years) for plant and machinery and renovation and refurbishment expenditure incurred between March 10, 2009 and Dec 31, 2010. Although the renovation and refurbishment claim is capped at RM100,000, this is notable since such expenditure does not usually qualify.

· Double deduction for employers for remuneration paid to retrenched workers hired between March 10, 2009 and Dec 31, 2010, and limited to 12 months remuneration per employee.

· For individuals, a tax deduction on interest expenses on housing loans of up to RM10,000 for three years, and increasing the tax exemption on retrenchment benefits from RM6,000 to RM10,000 per year of service. These are in addition to the various tax reliefs for benefits-in-kind and perquisites promised in Budget 2009.

· Exemption of levy payments to the Human Resource Development Fund for six months for employers in the textile, electrical and electronics industries from Feb 1, 2009, and reduction of the levy payment rate from 1% to 0.5% for all employers for two years from April 1, 2009.

· Increase in the levy threshold of the windfall profit levy on oil palm fruit to RM2,500 per tonne for Peninsular Malaysia and RM3,000 per tonne for Sabah and Sarawak.

The Government also recently announced the deferral of the thin capitalisation rules which was introduced from Jan 1, 2009. This a positive move consistent with the trend of helping businesses ease their tax burden in these difficult times.

The Ernst & Young study found that governments use tax measures to benefit targeted groups. Likewise in Malaysia, the measures have targeted particular sectors, for example, housing, manufacturing and oil palm industries. The study also found that governments impose limitations in order to control the cost of the stimulus package, especially in the current environment of falling tax revenues. For example, in Britain, the carry-back period was extended from one year to three years but subject to a cap of £50,000, and in the United States and Japan the carry-back incentive was targeted at small and medium-scale enterprises. Similarly, the Malaysian measures also contain conditions.

Malaysia has not cut corporate tax rates, but perhaps this is understandable; rates have already dropped from 28% to 25% over the last three years. More importantly, there is a need to balance this with the Government’s ability to fund such a broad-based measure. It is estimated that a 1% reduction would cost about RM1bil, and unless the Government finds an alternative source of revenue, such as the goods and services tax at some appropriate time, the tax cut may not be entirely feasible.

Kenneth Lim

The writer is the National Director of Tax, Ernst & Young Tax Consultants Sdn. Bhd. The views expressed above are his own and do not necessarily represent the views of Ernst & Young.

Source: The Star Online June 24, 2009