Word 'Allah' Can Be Used In Herald

Herald allowed to use the word ‘Allah’

KUALA LUMPUR: The Catholic Herald magazine is permitted to use the word Allah provided the publication clearly states the words “For Christians only” in its masthead.

Herald editor Father Lawrence Andrew said this was stated in the recently gazetted Internal Security Act signed by the Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar on Feb 16.

“The next edition of the Herald will contain the word Allah, and we will print the words “For Christians only” on the masthead so as not to contravene the Act,” he said....

Read report here http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/2/27/nation/3361527&sec=nation

Wikipedia on 'Allah'

Latter Rain Church PodCast

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Latter Rain on iTunes

More Burden For Malaysians On March 1

No tolls at 2 highways but increased toll in others.

Salak Jaya toll plaza closed
PEOPLE using the Sungai Besi Highway will be able to link up to the Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2) upon the completion of the highway’s 12.3km extension, which will be constructed at a cost of RM649mil.

The announcement was made by Works Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Zin Mohamad after he announced that the Salak Jaya toll plaza on the same highway would be closed, saving motorists RM1.30 in toll in each direction.

The extension of the highway, dubbed the Besraya Elevated Expressway (BEE), will, however, have one toll plaza...

Toll at PJS2 plaza abolished
PETALING JAYA: Toll collection at the Kuala Lumpur-bound toll plaza at PJS2 on the New Pantai Expressway (NPE) has been abolished from midnight last night.

The Cabinet decided to do away with the RM1.60 toll last week, said Works Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Zin Mohamed yesterday....


Toll hike for 5 highways on Sunday
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/99109

The toll rates for five major highways - North-South Expressway, Sprint Highway, Ampang Elevated Highway, Sungai Besi Highway, New Pantai Expressway - will increase this Sunday by up to 33 percent.

North-South Expressway - extra 0.86 sen per kilometre (increase about 5%)

Sprint Highway
. Pantai toll plaza - up 50 sen from RM1.50 to RM2 (increase of 33%)
. Damansara toll plaza - up 30 sen from RM1 to RM1.30 (increase of 30%)

Ampang Elevated Highway
. Up 50 sen from RM1.50 to RM2 (increase of 33%)

Sungai Besi Highway
. Up 10 sen from RM1.30 to RM1.40 (increase of 7.7%)

New Pantai Expressway (NPE)
. Up 40 sen from RM1.60 to RM2 (increase of 25%)

The Star: Your tax queries answered (Sunday March 22, 2009)

Yes to golf balls and shuttlecocks but no to swimsuits and sports shoes. These are among many specifications related to tax exemption. What makes the cut and what doesn’t, who qualifies and who doesn’t are among the many questions from our readers in response to Sunday Star’s stories last week on how to maximise one’s claims when filing tax returns.

From The Star http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/3/22/focus/3527810&sec=focus

THANKS to the assistance of tax consultant company PremierOne, our readers’ questions have been answered. Below are some of the e-mailed questions. Due to space constraints, the rest will be answered next week.

Q. I AM really confused as to what type of insurance premiums are deductible for life insurance and medical insurance reliefs. I noticed that insurance policies nowadays have both life insurance and medical rolled into one. What is the Inland Revenue Board’s (IRB) new guidelines dated June 6, 2005, on this matter? Where can I get these guidelines? – JOHN LIM

A. THE total tax deduction for life insurance premiums and contribution to an approved pension/employees provident fund is up to a maximum of RM6,000. The total tax deduction for insurance premium for education and medical benefits is up to a maximum of RM3,000.

If you are holding a policy that provides both life insurance and medical coverage, you can request from your insurance company (through the agent that services you) a statement that will show a breakdown of the premium paid in respect of each of the coverage. From these breakdown amount, you may claim a tax deduction for the life insurance premium (together with your EPF contribution) up to a maximum of RM6,000. The medical premium may be claimed (together with the education policy premium, if any) as a tax deduction up to a maximum of RM3,000.

The IRB has issued two Public Rulings and two addenda on the computation of income tax for individuals, including the one you mentioned dated June 6, 2005 (Public Ruling no. 2/2005). The public rulings set out the IRB director-general’s interpretation on the particular tax matters and are issued to provide guidance for the public and IRB officers. All the public rulings can be found and downloaded from the IRB website at www.hasil.org.my under Law and Regulations/Public Rulings.

MY wife and I each bought a personal computer last year and would like to claim the RM3,000 rebate for each computer under our individual names.

However, we were told that we are only allowed to claim one personal computer as the rebate is based on family usage and not individual usage.

Can you please clarify this point?

Are my wife and I allowed to claim the rebate totalling RM6,000 for both of us as we each bought a new personal computer last year? Our taxes are filed separately. – FAN TEN YAU

THE current tax deduction for the purchase of a personal computer for non-business use of up to a maximum of RM3,000 is given on an individual basis once in every three years of assessment.

It is important to note that the RM3,000 maximum claim is for a tax deduction (i.e. to be deducted against your total income to arrive at your chargeable income) and not a rebate (i.e. a rebate is deducted from your income tax charge to arrive at your tax payable). Prior to year of assessment 2007, the relief given was a RM500 rebate given on a household basis once every five years.

In your case, where you and your wife elect for a separate assessment, each of you are eligible to claim a maximum deduction of RM3,000 for your respective purchase to be evidenced by a receipt for the respective claim.

DUE to the increase in petrol/diesel price, other things also increase in price. In order to lighten our expenses, our company pays a monthly allowance, called child transport allowance, for those who have school-going children. This allowance varies depending on the number of children going to school.

Can we claim tax exemption on this allowance? – JENNY

PURSUANT to the Budget 2009 announcement last year, allowance or subsidies received by employees from their employer for childcare in respect of children will be exempted from income tax with effect from year of assessment 2008. The exemption is restricted to RM2,400 per annum.

Although the relevant statutory order on the allowance is yet to be gazetted to date, the IRB has issued a second addendum to Public Ruling no. 1/2006 (dealing with perquisites from employment) which states that the child must be 12 years of age and below and must be a legitimate child, stepchild or legally adopted child.

The examples given in the ruling sets out situations where the allowance was given to employees for childcare centre, hiring a helper and employing a household domestic maid. Whilst the examples given may not be exhaustive, it is uncertain whether an allowance for child transportation would qualify, until further clarifications from the IRB.

EFFECTIVE from year of assessment 2008, taxpayers are given a relief of up to RM300 yearly for the purchase of sports equipment.

Equipment that are entitled to this relief are those used for sporting activities as defined under the Sports Development Act 1997. I would be pleased if you could provide some examples of the sports equipment that will be entitled to this relief.

It is interesting to note that in the guidebook for the year of assessment 2008 (Buku Panduan Borang B 2008 – pdf version), it is mentioned that sports shoes are excluded.

This may seem as an anomaly as a pair of running shoes may be a major “equipment” used in athletics, a sport defined under the Sports Development Act 1997. – FOOK

A TAX deduction is allowed for an amount limited to a maximum of RM300 in respect of expenses expended for the purchase of sports equipment for any sports activity as defined under the Sports Development Act 1997, as evidenced by receipts issued.

The term sports activity is listed in the First Schedule of the Sports Development Act 1997 and ranges from athletics, badminton, canoeing, fencing, golf, recreational, sepak takraw, table tennis to watersport, etc.

You are correct to point out that whilst equipment with short lifespan e.g. golf balls and shuttlecocks have been accepted by the IRB in the Buku Panduan, certain sports attire have specifically been excluded e.g. swimsuits and sports shoes.

MY company, X Sdn Bhd, was formed some time in mid-2006. There are only two directors in the company with equal sharing of the company shares. No profit was made in 2006. However, there was profit at the end of financial year 2007 and dividend was declared and distributed to the shareholders in July 2008.

I would like to know if I am eligible to claim for the difference in the taxed amount as my personal marginal tax is lower than the company tax, which is 20%. Or is it that the dividend distributed is under single-tier tax system of which I don’t even need to declare in the EA and BE form?

My accountant informed me that since the company is new, it should directly be under the new tax system. Is this true? – DARREN

IT is not correct to say that since the company is “new”, it would automatically be under the single-tier system.

The single-tier system took effect from year of assessment 2008 onwards. Under this system, there is no need for the company to deduct tax when paying dividends and any dividends distributed by the company will be exempt from tax in the hands of the shareholders.

However, transitional provisions in the tax legislation allow two options for companies with a credit balance in their section 108 accounts as at Dec 31, 2007 when they want to pay dividends to shareholders:

The company can continue to use such credits in the section 108 account to pay franked dividends to shareholders up to Dec 31, 2013 or until the section 108 credits are exhausted whichever comes earlier (subject to certain conditions e.g. dividends must be paid in cash and in respect of ordinary shares.) For small and medium companies, the tax on dividends paid to the shareholders is deducted from the section 108 credit balance based on the highest tax rate for the year of assessment (e.g. 27% for year of assessment 2007).

Alternatively, the company may at any time make an irrevocable election to forgo the right to distribute franked dividends by filing a Form R50 to the IRB and pay dividends under the single-tier system.

Since your personal marginal tax bracket rate is lower than the company tax rate, provided you have sufficient tax credits in the company section 108 accounts, it is more beneficial for the company to declare and pay franked dividends under the transitional provisions, instead of paying single-tier exempt dividend.

Please note that the company, upon paying the dividend, is required to furnish the shareholders with a certificate stating the gross dividend, tax deducted from the dividend and net dividend paid out.

I SEEK further clarification on my following concerns:

i) Travel allowance from home to work place of up to RM2,400: Does this apply to all employees who drive to work daily or only to those provided with such an allowance by the company? If I drive a company car, am I entitled to this exemption?

ii) Telephone and mobile usage: Does this again apply to all who use their mobile phone for company business? Totally or partly?

iii) I drive a company car and use company registered mobile phone. These are translated into income of RM3,000 and RM600 respectively as taxable income. Am I entitled to these extra exemptions? – C.C. YAP

THE tax exemption for travel allowance of up to RM2,400 a year is only applicable if you receive such travel allowance from your employer i.e. if your employer provides you such travel allowance, the allowance is not taxable to you. It does not apply to employees where no travel allowance is provided by their employers, though they drive to work.

Similarly, the tax exemption applies where your employer provides you the telephone and mobile phone or pays the bills for the telephone or mobile phone registered in the name of the employee or employer.

You are entitled to the tax exemption on the RM600 mobile phone benefits provided by your employer.

In relation to the company car, we understand that the IRB is currently considering whether to include the benefit value of motor vehicle (in your case the RM3,000) as part of the exempt allowance of up to a maximum of RM2,400 per annum. We anticipate the IRB to issue further guidelines on this.

I WOULD like to know which column in E-filing to fill in details of parking allowance, purchase of own company goods at discounted price and handphone/Internet/phone bills. Are those exempted from tax in YA2008? If so, where do I fill them in as I can’t seem to find an appropriate column to put those in? – ERIC

WITH effect from year of assessment 2008 parking allowance, telephone and mobile phone bills, and Internet subscription paid by employers are exempted from income tax.

The purchase of the company’s own goods at discounted price is also an exempted benefit-in-kind, up to a maximum of RM1,000 per year.

Such exempted allowances and benefits-in-kind are not required to be reported in your Form BE or under e- Filing.

Please note that Part G of the Form EA for year ended Dec 31, 2008 provided by your employer would specify the total amount of such exempted allowances/benefits-in-kind/ perquisites.

HOW could we in the private sector cut on our taxes as we fall in the maximum taxable bracket as compared to our peers in the government sector who earn the same and pay less tax as lots of the allowances are non taxable?

PURSUANT to the 2009 Budget announcement, with effect from year of assessment 2008, the Government has allowed tax exemptions on various allowances and benefits provided by employers to their employees.

Some examples include subsidised interest given by employers for housing, education or car loan up to RM300,000; travel and petrol allowance for travelling from work to home of up to RM2,400 per year; travel and petrol allowance and toll rate for official duties of up to RM6,000 per year; and allowance for meal, parking and childcare, etc.

I WISH to know whether I can claim on the following:

i) I spent a total of RM7,820.50 for both check-ups and delivery at a hospital for the birth of my son under Section D7 up to maximum RM5,000; and

ii) Cukai Seksyen 110 (lain-lain) dividend received from public listed shares. – CHONG SAU CHAN

THE deduction claim under Part D7 is in relation to expenses expended for a complete medical examination which is up to a maximum of RM500. The total deduction for medical expenses on serious diseases under Part D6 is limited to a maximum of RM5,000 and this includes the RM500 for complete medical examination (under Part D7).

The expenses you incurred for check-ups relating to your pregnancy and delivery of your son is not claimable since it does not fall within the two categories of expenses.

If the dividend warrant that you received from the public listed shares shows a gross dividend amount, tax deducted from the dividend and net dividend paid out, it means that the company has to opt to continue using its section 108 tax credits balance to pay franked dividends under the transitional provisions instead of electing to pay exempt dividends under the single-tier system.

Therefore, you should declare the dividend at gross in your tax return: for example, if in 2008 you received net dividend of RM74, you should declare RM100 (and not RM74) as dividend income in your return. However, you can deduct the section 110 tax credits of RM26 against your total tax. Any excess credit will be refunded to you.

I RETIRED in 2007. I have no employment income for YA 2008. My wife is still working. I have a child currently receiving college education. My questions are:

i) Since I have no income for YA 2008, can I elect for combined assessment so that my spouse can claim additional RM3,000 personal relief? Do I have to file separate forms officially to inform the IRB?

ii) Can my spouse claim the child relief as well as all the insurance premiums paid for life and medical policies?

iii) I understand that retirement gratuities received due to medical reason is exempted from income tax. Where do we disclose the amount received as there is no mention in the Borang BE?

iv) Will the retirement gratuities received due to medical reason be taxed if the person later decides to take up a new employment or start a business? – FRANCIS

SINCE you have retired and have no income for year of assessment 2008 and if you have received your tax return Form BE from the IRB, you should complete and file a “Nil” return to the IRB, together with a cover letter stating that you have no income for 2008. Your wife should fill code 4 = “Diri sendiri, suami tiada punca pendapatan” under Part A5 – “Jenis Taksiran” in her tax return. Your wife can claim the additional RM3,000 relief for you (as husband).

ii) Yes, your wife can elect to claim the child relief. Your wife is also entitled to a claim up to a maximum of RM3,000 for insurance premium paid for her and/or your medical policies as well as a claim up to a maximum of RM6,000 (together with her EPF contributions) for insurance premium paid for her and/ or your life policies.

iii) Sum received by way of gratuities on retirement from an employment, if the director-general of the IRB is satisfied that the retirement is due to ill-health, is exempted from income tax. In practice, your employer would have issued you a Form CP22A (notification of cessation of employment) and you should have obtained a tax clearance from the IRB before your employer released the gratuity sum to you.

There is no requirement to declare the exempted gratuity amount in your Form BE.

iv) There is no specific provision in the tax legislation to cover this position. However, the legislation clearly provides that the director-general of the IRB must be satisfied that the retirement is due to ill-health. Where this criterion has been met, the gratuity would not be taxable. Whether the subsequent taking up of another employment or starting a business may lead to a review by the IRB will depend on the prevailing facts and circumstances.

MY company is giving fuel card worth RM300 per month and mobile phone benefit of RM120 per month. This will not be included in the salary slip, so how do I fill up the EA form?

Also, how do I fill up for goods that I buy at discounted value for RM1,000?

And what is the tax relief for EPF Annuities scheme? – ANG

i) The fuel card of RM300 per month and mobile phone of RM120 per month provided by your company is exempted from income tax with effect from year of assessment 2008. There is no requirement to declare the exempt income in the Form EA or the Form BE.

ii) The purchase of company goods at discounted value up to a maximum of RM1,000 is exempted and not required to be disclosed in the Form EA or Form BE.

iii) The tax relief for EPF Annuities scheme is up to a maximum of RM1,000 per annum.

I HAVE two questions. Can I claim maternity expenses in 2008 if the expenses were borne by myself and not by my company? I have a parent in a nursing home. Can I claim the nursing home expenses borne by myself? It is the monthly sum paid to the nursing home for the care of my parent – LINDA

TAX deduction for medical expenses expended on own self, spouse or child of up to a maximum of RM5,000 is available only if it is in respect of treatment of serious diseases (see box for definition).

Since maternity expenses do not fall within this definition, it is not claimable as a tax deduction.

For your second question, tax deduction for medical expenses expended for own parents is up to a maximum of RM5,000.

Medical expenses that qualify for deduction would include medical care and treatment provided by a nursing home for your parents. You must keep the receipt(s) from the nursing home certifying that nursing home care was provided to your parents as evidence for your claim.

ONE of the points you highlighted in your article “How to pay Less Tax” (Sunday Star, March 15) was that medical benefits exempted from tax include expenses on traditional medicines such as ayurvedic and accupunture. And you mentioned that it is for the year of assesment 2008.

I would appreciate it if you could elaborate on this a little more. As I am taking my son for ayurvedic treatment, can I put it in?

My husband and I are paying for the treatment from our own savings and we are not asking our employer to cover it as a benefit. So, can we put it in our income tax form? What is the maximum amount we can claim and where do we put it? – TAX QUERY CITIZEN

MEDICAL benefits which include expenses on traditional medicines such as ayurvedic and acupuncture that are exempted from tax for employees applies only where such benefits are provided by employers.

In your case, since you (and not your employer) are paying for your son’s ayurvedic treatment, this exemption is not applicable to you.

In order to claim the tax relief for medical expenses for your son of up to a maximum of RM5,000, the expenses have to be expended on “serious diseases” (see definition in box). In addition, you are required to obtain a receipt or certificate from a medical practitioner who is registered with the Malaysian Medical Council.

Unless your son’s ayurvedic treatment is for a serious disease and the ayurvedic practitioner is registered with the Malaysian Medical Council, the expenses will not be deductible.

---

PremierOne is a tax consultant firm that offers a high level of personal attention and service. Together, the group of partners, originally from one of the biggest international accounting firms, has many years of experience and expertise.The executive directors of PremierOne Tax Consultants Sdn Bhd are Elizabeth Peter of Human Capital Services, Lim Kean Teong of Corporate Services and Antony Tong of Advisory Services. For professional consultation, e-mail info@premierone.com.my

Italy Photos

Some photos of me taken in Italy.

Florence (10/2/2009)






Milan (11 - 12/2/2009)

Duomo Cathedral










San Siro Stadium



Rome (13 -14/2/2009)



Trevi Fountain














Saint Peter's Square (Vatican)


Posting some postcards at the Vatican city post office.


Colosseum


Colosseum, selfshot













*My Photographer Bryan (my travelling companion), others self shots.

Update On My Italy Trip: 9 - 10/2/2009

Just a summary of my trip to Italy with my colleague and friend Bryan. Will update the blog with pictures if I have internet access while on my trip.

My itinerary

9/2/2009 (Mon) - 10/2/2009 (Tue)
11:40PM (MY time) - Rome at 5:30 AM (IT time)

Flight from KLIA to Rome - Fiumicino.
Took a direct from KLIA to Rome. The flight was not full, more like a quarter filled mainly by Italians.

Salted peanut snack.

I could not sleep in the plane, more than 12 hours awake on board. Dinner was around 6pm (IT time) was fish and potato, which was not bad.

Dinner

Lights off after dinner, but I could not sleep, was wide awake I just can't sleep well while traveling, be it in a car, bus or train. While I was awake, I watched 10 episodes of Heroes (Season 2) on the flight's on board entertainment system.

Heroes, season 2.


Early morning snacks.

Breakfast 3:50am (IT time) was omelate (not so good). The dessert banana smoothie and fruits was to my dislike. The only good thing about the breakfast was the croissant.

Breakfast

The plane landed around 5:30AM. Once I stepped out of the plane, I was hit by the Rome cool air which was around 8°C. We boarded a bus (yup, no sky bridge) to gate C. Went though immigration and collected our bags.


Fumicino airport to Termini Station (Rome)
We took the non stop train the Leonardo Express (Trenitalia) from the airport to Termini railway station in Rome. Cost EUR 11. Have to stamp the ticket to validate the time which is valid for 90 minutes from the time the ticket is validated to your destination. We heard from a local lady that if you don't validate the ticket, you could be fined heavily.

Nothing to see out the window as the sun has not yet risen.

Bryan and me outside the station.


Photo taken from outside the station.

Termini (Rome) to Firenze Santa Maria Novella railway station (Florence)
Once we reached Termini station on platform I think 26 after 7AM and we headed to platform 7 where the scheduled timetable said the train from Rome to Florence would depart from. It was a long walk.

The weather was cloudy, cold and windy. Could not change our departure time to an earlier train, so we were stuck with the 8:50am train. Just around 8:30AM, we found out that the train to Florence was to depart from Platform 4.

Our Train (Trainitalia) from Rome to Florence
. Cost EUR 57,80.
. Travel time 8:50AM to 10:27AM
. Our carriage 11 and seats 61-62.
. There are toilets on board the speed train too.

Nice scenery on the way from Rome to Florence. The trip took around 1 1/2 hours. Did not take many photos as I was sleepy and nodding off in the train.


Florence
Stayed in Town House Suite Casa Dolce Casa - Florence
. Address Via San Zanobi 27 - 50100 Florence.
. Cost EUR 32

It is a small town house, located around 5-10 minutes walk from the train station. We took around 1/2 hour to find the place, walking around the streets of Florence with the help of a printed Google map.

Met Vito who checked us in. Showed us around the town house, gave us a map of Florence and informed us where to visit. All the places to see is within walking distance.

We stayed a night in a twin bedded room. The twin room, kitchen and bathrooms and areas within the town house is clean, that is very important. There is free internet access, a very very important necessity for me... to update my blog :-D

The toilet has hot water, which is even more important.

Just a night, as Florence is a small city, and most of the tourist spots are within walking distance.


Florence Sight-Seeing
We walked in Florence for around 5 hours. It was still cold 5°C, windy and wet, as it rained nearly the whole day. The rain is not like the torrential rain we have in Malaysia, but it was like a drizzle.

Will update the blog later with some photos and places we visited. Most of the photos of myself was taken my me :-P

Lunch at IL Bottlegone on Via Martelli. I had spaghetti with meat balls (Secondi Cont) and a bottle of mineral water. Cost Eur 9.50 (Eur 8 for the spaghetti). Bryan had lasagna and coke. Things here are expensive for us Malaysians after converting our little RM to EURO.

I was dead tired, and we walked back to Casa Dolce Casa, had our baths and rested before our dinner. That was around 6:30pm, but by 7pm we slept and was too lazy to go out in the freezing cold for dinner. Yup no dinner, I just had a small bar of chocolate.

I was shivering, and I had to put on my thermal wear to keep myself warm.

The other guests came back later that night, and this place is not sound proof. It was NOISY.


End of day 1 in Italy
. KLIA - Rome - Florence

Check Your Immigration Travel Blacklist Online

Immigration puts travel blacklist online
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/2/5/nation/3194875&sec=nation

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysians can now go online at www.imi.gov.my to check whether they have been barred by the Immigration Department from leaving the country.

The department has set a target to upload the names within an hour of receiving updates from other government agencies.

Those barred can also contact the department to find out which government agency had issued the order. They can also seek advice on what to do to get their names removed from the blacklist.

Director-general Datuk Mahmood Adam Mahmood said the department was offering the service to save travellers the embarrassment of finding out about the ban at airports....



Click on link to check your status http://www.imi.gov.my/semak.aspx

Latest link http://imi2.imi.gov.my/sspi/ . The one above is not valid.

Update 11.06.2010. Seems like the above link is also not valid.

Please check the Immigration Department of Malaysia's website for updates http://www.imi.gov.my/

The Jumping Assemblyman

Can you trust a "double agent" Bota assemblyman Datuk Nasaruddin Hashim?

PKR's new rep redefects to Umno
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/97573
He was a PKR member for 10 days and now he back to his old party - Bota state assemblyperson Nasarudin Hashim, who joined PKR on Jan 25, has returned to Umno's folds....

BN Takes Perak

Perak gov't collapses - BN claims power

5.08pm: PERAK GOVERNMENT FALLS. Najib said at his press conference that the Barisan Nasional has the support of the four former Pakatan Perak assemblypersons - three will be "BN-friendly" Independents, while Nasarudin will rejoin Umno.
...
4.28pm: Bota representative Nasarudin Hashim is also learnt to be at the DPM's office, waiting to be introduced to the media by Najib.

With Nasarudin's re-defection, BN and its independent allies now have 31 seats against Pakatan Rakyat's 28.

4.25pm Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi, Osman Jailu and Hee Yit Foong are present at the DPM's office. It is believed that Najib will announce their entry into BN at his press conference. ...

Read report at http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/97547, so far it is free.


Perak govt falls, BN claims majority

Newsflash (5:15pm): Barisan Nasional now commands the majority to form the state government in Perak with the return of Bota assemblyman Datuk Nasaruddin Hashim and the support of three independents -- Behrang assemblyman Jamaluddin Mohd Radzi, Changkat Jering assemblyman Mohd Osman Mohd Jailu, DAP’s Jelapang assemblyman and Perak state assembly deputy speaker Hee Yit Foong: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak....

Read report at http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/2/4/nation/20090204131514&sec=nation


Bloggers' take on the Perak crisis
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/97574


Dr M blasts Umno for accepting tainted reps
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/97596
Dr Mahathir Mohamad has blasted the Umno leadership for 'stooping low' in accepting two former PKR assemblypersons who have been charged with corruption.

Mahathir, who led the party for more than two decades, said Umno was already plagued by a corruption problem.

"With the recent defection of the two, it would further hurt Umno's image which is already tainted now. Abdullah (Ahmad Badawi) as Umno president should rethink before accepting people like this," added the 82-year-old former premier in his blog posting.

Mahathir was responding to reports that former PKR assemblypersons Jamaluddin Mat Radzi (Behrang) and Osman Jailu (Changkat Jering) have quit....

Some MalaysiaKini News On Najib

Najib promised RM50mil for defections
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/97401

PKR Ipoh Barat division head Fauzi Muda has leveled the damning claim that Umno deputy president Najib Abdul Razak had tried last year to induce him to secure the crossover of two Pakatan Rakyat representatives in Perak.

Fauzi said he had been offered a total of RM50 million for his services and to pay off those he managed to convince, but that he had remained non-committal....


Suspend Najib immediately
http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/97497
Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak must be suspended immediately to facilitate investigations by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) into his alleged involvement in buying over two assemblypersons in Perak.

PKR Youth Wing chief Shamsul Iskandar Mohammad Akin, speaking to newsmen at the MACC building this afternoon, said, "We strongly urge Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to utilise his executive powers to discharge Najib from all his formal duties so that the MACC will have conducive space in which to investigate Najib....


Free Read on MalaysiaKini...
'The baggage-carrying, Altantuya-haunted Najib'
Read further at http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/97483

‘BN should remember this - just because Najib is seemingly popular in Umno does not mean he will become a good leader.'

On Pak Lah more popular than Najib
Anonymous: It is amazing how pathetically blind Pak Lah is to capitalise on recent statements by the premier aspirant - the baggage-carrying, Altantuya-haunted Najib Razak....

Francis Rozario: Najib should stop trying to bite off more than he can chew. Firstly, he has to come out and decisively clear his name from any involvement in the Altantuya case....

Pro-Bapa Malaysia: The Umno led Government has lost its credibility in running this multi-racial country. They have been committing blunder after blunder day after day in dealing with even minor problems....

On Najib promised RM50mil for defections
Peter Ooi: Once again Najib is embroiled in another controversy. No sooner had the Saiful Bukhari episode died down, he is again faced with another accusation, a rather serious one....

No KLIA-East @ Labu

Flying back to original LCCT plan

The original plan for the second Low- Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) proposed by Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) two years ago may be revived.

Transport Minister Datuk Ong Tee Keat said he supports the revival of the proposal following the Federal government’s rejection last Friday of the controversial RM1.6 billion KLIA-East@ Labu project in Negri Sembilan....



Read report at http://www.mmail.com.my/Flying_back_to_original_LCCT_plan.aspx

Who Is More Popular Now?

Low approval for Najib, Pak Lah in new poll as power transfer looms

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 2 - Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his successor Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak have one thing in common: the majority of Malaysians are ambivalent about them.

Abdullah will leave office with only 46 per cent of Malaysians satisfied with his performance as prime minister while Najib will take over as the country’s top leader with some 41 per cent of Malaysians believing that he will do well in the top job....


To view Merdeka Center survey - Dec 26 and Jan 2, click here.

Will Sabah Reduce The Cost To Climb Mount Kinabalu?

Talks on reducing cost to climb Mt Kinabalu
KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is taking steps to make climbing up Mount Kinabalu affordable following an outcry over spiralling cost.

State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said they were in discussions with Sutera Sanctuary Lodges (SSL), which provides accommodation at Kinabalu Park, for the firm to offer cheaper packages.

...SSL had been told not to force climbers to take the package and to revise their rates....

Read report on http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/2/2/nation/3173718&sec=nation
Is it getting costlier to climb Mount Kinabalu? http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/97486

Why Climbing Mount Kinabalu Is Expensive

News from The Star Online on expensive stay at Mount Kinabalu...

Highly unreachable
Since 2008, the cost of climbing Mt Kinabalu has skyrocketed, and if you’re lucky, you may get a confirmed booking . . . five months down the line. What’s the deal with Malaysia’s iconic mountain?

Here’s the irony — climbing Sabah’s Mt Kinabalu, whose majestic peak tops out at 4,085m, is relatively easy; trying to wrangle a spot to climb, however, requires a fair bit of doggedness, an open schedule and, yes, money.

In the past year, regular climbers and tourists, both foreign and local, have been flooding the blogosphere, travel forums and media with complaints. Their main gripes are that the climbing cost is astronomical, the waiting list long and the service and infrastructure, substandard.
...
In 1998, Sabah privatised the management of the properties, and in 2002, private company Sutera Harbour Resort was appointed to co-manage under the name Sutera Sanctuary Lodges (SSL), with Sabah Parks handling the park administration and collection of fees for conservation, guide, porter and climbing.

To prevent the mountain from being overrun, Sabah Parks limits the number of climbers to 192 people a day. Plus, park rangers enforce the rules on the mountain.
...
The problem is the cost of climbing has now increased dramatically. In 2007, a dorm bed in Laban Rata cost only RM30, but in January 2008, the cost with meals included (a packed box, buffet lunch, dinner and breakfast) jumped to RM188, an increase of some 500%.
...
David Tan of Puchong, Selangor, used to pay about RM250 for a three-day/two-night trip to Kinabalu, covering return air ticket, transportation to Kinabalu Park, climbing fees, guide, certificate and insurance.

“AirAsia has made it so affordable for us to fly to KK. But now the cost of climbing the mountain has risen so much that it makes better sense to travel to other countries for a holiday,” writes Tan, who has climbed Kinabalu four times.
...

Read further at http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2009/1/31/lifetravel/3107154&sec=lifetravel


Take it or leave it
http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2009/1/31/lifetravel/3152872&sec=lifetravel
...it looks like the changes are here to stay and climbing Kinabalu is a take-it-or-leave-it option. Either you save up and plan your climb way in advance or drop all your plans and go elsewhere.


SSL (Sutera Sanctuary Lodges) says
http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2009/1/31/lifetravel/3152869&sec=lifetravel



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