Matthias Chang predicted,

I am willing to take on anyone from the Badawi regime and Bank Negara that by H1 of 2009, the KLCI will drop below 700. If I am wrong in my analysis, I will pay the first five individuals from the said Badawi regime and or Bank Negara the sum of RM5,000. These five individuals must within a week register at my website that they are willing to take me on in this challenge.

(more…)

EPF down from 11% to 8%

PETALING JAYA: Employees can choose to reduce their EPF contributions to increase their disposable income next year. The Government has allowed employees to reduce their contributions by three percentage points from 2009 to 2011. Presently, the employer’s EPF contribution is 12% while employees contribute 11%.

“With the reduction, the total contribution is still at a reasonable rate of 20%, which is 12% from the employer and 8% from employee,” said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

Najib, who is also Finance Minister, said if all contributors chose to reduce their contributions, it would come up to RM4.8bil annually.

“Assuming that only 50% of contributors take up the option, private spending is expected to go up by RM2.4bil,” he said.

“A person earning RM2,000 could gain an extra disposable income of RM60 monthly, while one earning RM6,000 will have an extra RM180 to spend.” [......]

(more…)

At first, I said to myself “Finally, they did it….”. However, when I read further, I ……

No more secret
by R. Nadeswaran and Terence Fernandez

KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 17, 2008): The government has declassified toll concession agreements. This means the contents of the contracts, which have for long been speculated as one-sided agreements benefiting toll concessionaires, will no longer be classified as official secrets. [......]

(more…)

The petrol and diesel prices cut effectively midnight today. Finally, the prices cut despite the international crude oil price already decrease for weeks. (more…)

Petrol prices cut by 10 sen
Sep 24, 08 2:08pm

The cut is the second in two months after hiking pump prices by as much as 78 cents in June. The hike had gone down badly with the public, sparking an outcry and even street protests.

Abdullah said in a statement the price of RON97 will be lowered by 10 sen to RM2.45 per litre, RON92 by 10 sen to RM2.30, while diesel would also be reduced by 10 sen to RM2.40 per litre.

The prime minister said the recent fall in world oil prices plus the weakening of the ringgit gave the government a window of opportunity to lower local pump prices.[.......]

(more…)

Govt To Announce New Fuel Price On Aug 31, To Take Effect Sept 1

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 20 (Bernama) — The government will announce the new fuel prices on Aug 31, which will take effect on Sept 1, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Wednesday.

He said the new price would be based on the average fuel prices throughout the month of August and after deducting the 30-sen subsidy per litre.

“We are now monitoring the fuel price (in the international market) and I hope it will continue its downward trend,” he said after chairing the 4th National Water Resources Council meeting at the parliament house Wednesday.[......]

After a long wait, finally the Government is going to announce the new fuel price on 31st August 2008. Why took them so long to decide? (more…)

The price of crude oil is dropping now, why the Government doesn’t lower the fuel price? During the historic debate, the Minister said the Government will lets the fuel price goes according to the market. Why not adjust the fuel price now but allow the bus fares to go up.

What kind of solution they are proposing in order to overcome the high inflation rate 7.7%? Oh, ya, increase the fares seems one of their solution! This is not helping the market, in fact, people will cut down their expenses more. The market will becomes slow and slow…… (more…)

Another new and shaking news for the current famous “sodomy drama” in Malaysia.

From Malaysia today,

DOCTOR ON THE RUN: POLICE WANT HIM TO FABRICATE EVIDENCE AGAINST ANWAR
The doctor’s report says it very clearly. Saiful was never sodomised, either by Anwar or anyone else. Why is the government still pursuing the case against Anwar? And why are they looking for the doctor who has now gone underground with his whole family?

From Malaysiakini,

Doctor: No evidence of sodomy
Beh Lih Yi and P Tarani | Jul 28, 08 1:36pm

There is no evidence that Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan was sodomised, according to the doctor who examined him four hours before he lodged a police report alleging he was sexually assaulted by PKR leader Anwar Ibrahim.

(more…)

Raja Petra Kamarudin in his latest article, An evening with an ‘accomplice’ on Malaysia-today.net

I am now facing one sedition charge and three criminal defamation charges. They say Muslims are allowed four and I have just reached my limit of four. Nevertheless, my great-grandfather, Sultan Ala’eddin Suleiman Shah, the Fifth Sultan of Selangor, had ten wives. He also had 44 children from these ten wives, my grandmother, Tengku Badariah, being one of those 44. Needless to say, with the track record set by my great-grandfather, would I be satisfied with stopping at just four? Certainly not! And, today, I am going to chalk up my fifth ‘criminal charge’, whatever that charge is going to be. [......]

(more…)

This is what the Minister said during this interview,

Zakaria said the ministry did not have the power to stop price increases at food outlets unless it involved controlled items. He urged consumers to stop patronising shops and restaurants that continued to impose higher charges without reason.

He also said,

“The price of fuel has stabilised. There are no more increases in petrol or diesel prices, so transportation charges have stabilised. Therefore, prices of foodstuff should not keep increasing. However, it seems that some meat sellers, coffeeshops and restaurant operators continue to raise prices at will. They have no valid reason to keep charging higher and higher. This increase will encourage other businesses and service providers to raise charges,”

(more…)