Tuesday 17 December 2013

Al fatihah buat primadona


Semoga Allah mengampunkan dosa-dosa arwah dan menempatkan beliau di kalangan hamba-hamba yang diredhai-Nya.

Takziah buat ahli keluarga Azean Irdawaty. Moga tabah dan redha dengan dugaan-Nya ini. Sesungguhnya Allah lebih menyayangi arwah.

Dan satu kehilangan besar buat industri seni tanahair khususnya, dan Malaysia amnya.

Al fatihah.

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Friday 13 December 2013

Warisan and Riwayat Petani by Simfoni Kijang



This is the second time Simfoni Kijang, a choir of Bank Negara Malaysia competed at Pertandingan Koir Kementerian Kewangan Malaysia, which was held on 10 December 2013 in conjunction with the Hari Innovasi.

Last year, the team got 3rd place.

This time, the choir was declared as the winner after beating 7 other teams, including the two-time defending champion, Suara Hasil of Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negara.

The team sang Fauziah Ahmad Daud's Riwayat Petani, besides the compulsory song i.e. Warisan which was made popular by the late Sudirman Haji Arshad.

The team was coached and conducted by AF Alumni, Bob Yusof.

The team from Jabatan Penilaian dan Perkhidmatan Harta, Simfoni JPPH got 2nd place and last year's first runner, The Vocalist from the Ministry of Finance got 3rd place.

Wednesday 25 September 2013

Pantun buat Encik Merdi Jaya Putera Simon

Dari Sebatu ke Tanjung Tuan
Bawa jerami menutup berangan
Doa dan restu mengiringi tuan
Ditinggal kami dilupa jangan.

Pancang galah sorong papan
Digali sumur di awal pagi
Silap dan salah  jangan disimpan
Panjang umur berjumpa lagi.

Anak kedidi menggigit berudu
Dibuang tauhu berasam gelugur
Encik Merdi bakal dirindu
Berlanggar bahu jangan tak tegur.

Selamat bersara kepada Encik Merdi Jaya Putera Simon. And all the best in your future undertakings. I'm sorry that I can't attend your farewell party but I hope Pengarah will read out the above pantuns :)

Monday 23 September 2013

15% of population diabetic

The article was first published on Free Malaysia Today.

Reducing sugar subsidies will help bring down consumption, said Health Minister Dr S Subramanian
SEGAMAT: The government has been urged to reduce subsidy for sugar as a means to discourage people from using sugar in their food and drinks daily, thus reducing the danger of diabetes among Malaysians.
Health Minister Dr S. Subramaniam said a reduction in subsidy for sugar, in stages, can reduce the consumption of sugar in their daily meals.
“The number of diabetic patients in the country has increased to 2.6 million or 15 percent of the total population.
“This is partly due to lack of control in the intake of sugar,” he told reporters after opening a diabetes awareness campaign in the Segamat Parliamentary constituency at the Buloh Kasap Multi-purpose hall, here, yesterday.
He added that the figure (2.6 million) was not including about two million people who have not undergone medical checkup at government hospitals and clinics.
Dr Subramaniam said diabetic patients were also vulnerable to other diseases, including kidney ailments and eye sight.
He said based on statistics, there were 16,000 kidney patients in the waiting list for kidney transplant because there are only 40 to 50 organ donors a year.

Monday 16 September 2013

HARI MALAYSIA - "KEMBARA" [Pete Teo]

Adakah kau bersamaku?

Happy birthday Malaysia.

Take a look at this video on YouTube:

http://youtu.be/huXCjuv5tEM


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Saturday 14 September 2013

Tahniah Osman...

Selamat pengantin baru.
Semoga berbahagia santak akhir hayat.
Sorry that I can't make it to the akad nikah, but in shaa Allah will be coming to your reception.

Get WhatsApp for your iPhone, Android, Nokia, BlackBerry or Windows Phone today: http://www.whatsapp.com/download/




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Friday 13 September 2013

Bank Negara Malaysia will not review repayment period

Bank Negara Malaysia will not review repayment period
KUALA LUMPUR: Bank Negara Malaysia will not review its 10-year repayment period for personal loans as suggested by certain quarters.

Governor Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz was responding to appeals by Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) and the National Cooperative Organisation of Malaysia’s (Angkasa) to consider reviewing Bank Negara’s 10-year repayment period.

“In the world, 10 years for a personal loan (to be repaid) is the highest. It is usually about six years in other countries,” Zeti said on sidelines of the 5th Annual Global Policy Forum by the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI).

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak graced the closing ceremony of the forum.

“When a person borrows to either pay for a television or a wedding, that is squandered within a few days,” she said, “(If the repayment period is longer) he or she will then have the misery of owning that loan for 15, 20 or 25 years for what they spent in a few days.”

Zeti pointed out that personal loans are different from housing loans, where applicants eventually own an asset after repaying the loan.

Both Cuepacs and Angkasa opined that the repayment cap should be extended to 15 years.

On higher inflation as a result from higher fuel costs, Zeti said there was no such scenario currently.

“We do not see that happening because the global economy is still having a very modest growth and certainly from the demand side, it is not going to precipitate higher prices,” she said, adding that any Government that tried to contain price increases through subsidies would experience a financial burden that is not sustainable.
“However, if there is a disruption in supply due to events that is beyond anyone’s control, then of course it could cause prices to go up throughout the world,” she said.

The forum ended with AFI declaring the Sasana Accord to help people in developing countries to have some form of financial services.

Malaysia still tops in access to credit


Malaysia still tops in access to credit

KUALA LUMPUR: The World Bank has given Malaysia No. 1 rating in terms of access to financing for three consecutive years, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.

Congratulating Bank Negara on the achievement, the Prime Minister said although Malaysia had achieved significant progress in terms of access to credit and financial literacy, efforts needed to be intensified.
“Our vision is to equip all Malaysians with essential understanding of sound financial management, and provide them with means and opportunities to improve their financial position,” he said when closing the Alliance for Financial Inclusion 5th Annual Global Policy Forum at Bank Negara’s Sasana Kijang building here yesterday.

Najib, who is the Finance Minister, said promoting sound financial management was crucial because there were those who tended to live beyond their means.

“Having taken the necessary steps to strengthen our economy after the 1997 financial crisis, we were that much prepared for the 2007 (global financial crisis),” Najib said.

He said the 10th Malaysia Plan placed priority on the 2.4 million vulnerable households in Malaysia with particular focus on women, youth and indigenous communities.

“Women are in fact doing much better than men at tertiary level, as 68% of tertiary level students are female,” he said.

Earlier, opening the Hospital Engineering International Confe-rence and Exhibition 2013, the Prime Minister said privatisation had successfully improved the quality of support services in public hospitals.
“The high quality of service provided in public hospitals has also set a benchmark for the private sector to emulate,” he said.

The areas of privatisation of services included facility engineering maintenance, bio-medical engineering maintenance, linen and laundry services, clinical waste management services and cleansing services.
Najib said Malaysia had progressively undertaken various initiatives and programmes to improve its healthcare facilities and engineering services.

Thursday 12 September 2013

Yuna - I Wanna Go

I personally think Yuna has realised that she has to remain herself and I Wanna Go reflects it all.



He's one in a million
I don't know when I'll be seeing him again
He wants to live in a city
Move out there when he was just seventeen, just seventeen

No I'm not prepared, no I'm not prepared
My heart's beating really fast, really fast
But I wanna go there, but I wanna go there
Lets walk a little further, you know I wanna be there

I wanna go wherever, whenever you wanna go wherever you wanna
I wanna go with you
I wanna go wherever, whenever you wanna go wherever you wanna
Can I go with you

He stares so politely
Best behaviour when he's walking with me, walking with me
He likes taking photos in black and white
They're upon his walls, on his walls

No I'm not prepared, no I'm not prepared
My heart's beating really fast, really fast
But I wanna go there, but I wanna go there
Lets walk a little further, you know I wanna be there

I wanna go wherever, whenever you wanna go wherever you wanna
I wanna go with you
I wanna go wherever, whenever you wanna go wherever you wanna
Can I go with you

I wanna go wherever, whenever you wanna go wherever you wanna
I wanna go with you
I wanna go wherever, whenever you wanna go wherever you wanna
Can I go with you

Wednesday 11 September 2013

A-must-see film for 2013

Meryl Streep.
Julia Roberts.
Ewan McGregor.

It tells a story about family, a subject that is very close to my heart.

Friday 30 August 2013

Goodbye My Dear Friend

I still cannot believe that you're no longer here with all of us,

Ku pasti kau berbahagia
Duduk di samping-Nya
Mendengar cerita segala rahsia.

Sham...kau ...terlalu istimewa.

May Allah forgive all your wrongdoings and sins and place you amongst His believers.

Sunday 25 August 2013

Bila Gambar Berbicara 4

Gambar ini diperolehi dari koleksi peribadi Ayah Tunggal.

Dalam gambar ini ada Tok Jenal dan Nek Chu kira-kira 36 atau 37 tahun yang lalu. Al-fatihah buat kedua-dua arwah. Semoga Allah ampunkan segala dosa mereka dan tempatkan mereka berdua di kalangan orang-orang yang diredhai-Nya.

Thursday 22 August 2013

Melaka tram project to cover whole state

The article was first published on Free Malaysia Today.
 
Eddie Beck | August 22, 2013 
 
Tram expansion project in Malacca will cover the whole state and serve 11 tourist destinations.
MALACCA: The Economic Planning Unit (EPU) has identified five additional corridors for the tram expansion project in Malacca.

In November 2010, Perunding Zaaba has been commissioned by EPU to undertake feasibility study in Alor Gajah, Merlimau, Jasin, Durian Tunggal and Masjid Tanah.

Given the ridership figures and sustainability, the study indicates that the tram network could be extended to cover these areas.

If the EPU gives the go-ahead for the extension project, effectively the tram will cover whole state.
“We will be happy to carry out the tram extension if granted the concession,” a director of MRails International Sdn Bhd, Charles James told FMT.

MRails Tram (Malacca) Sdn Bhd, a subsdiary of MRails International, has been given a 25-year concession in collaboration with Chief Minister Incorporated (CMI) to design, build and manage the RM272mil Malacca tram project running from Air Keroh to Bandar Melaka, covering a distance 40km with 52 stops.
It serves 11 of 14 major tourist destinations. MRails Tram (Malacca) holds 65% equity while CMI holds the rest.

“We have also been invited by the Johor, Kedah and Penang state governments as they have shown keen interest in tram as the mode of choice for public transport. We have conducted a feasibility study in Langkawi.

“Since public transport in Langkawi is inefficient and fares for taxis and pirate taxis are expensive, tram is a viable option.” said James.

Currently, the tram project in Malacca, the first of its kind in the country is awaiting approvals from the relevant authorities before work can commence.

“We are waiting approvals from SPAD’s legal department, AG Chambers, Public Works Department, Majlis Perbandaran Hang Tuah Jaya and Majlis Bandaraya Melaka Bersejarah,” he added.

“We want to ensure that there are no hiccups when the project in implemented. A major concern is the safety aspects of road users.” Once the approvals are in place, it takes only 12-15 months for the tram to be operational.

The speed of construction, as compared with LRT or MRT, is due to their tracks are partly or wholly laid on roads which they share to a greater or lesser extent with other road traffic. A tram car is a rail-borne vehicle, lighter than a conventional train.

The tram enables virtually complete integration with other forms of transport. The company is working with CNR Tangshan Railway Vehicles Co Ltd, a China-based locomotive manufacturer for the building of coaches.

Run on liquefied natural gas to keep operational costs low and being environmentally-friendly, the tram is expected to ferry 24,000 passengers a day, chugging along at 40km per hour. The two-car tram’s maximum capacity is 120 passengers.

While schoolchildren in uniform and handicapped people ride for free, each hop-in and hop-off passenger pays RM2 fare. For those who opt for unlimited ride per day pay RM5.

What a name!

Aiyo, betul ke ada restoran dengan nama ini?

Ada sesiapa yang pernah berjamu di restoran ini? Best tak?

:)


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Wednesday 21 August 2013

Get Well Soon, Wawa

A friend and also a colleague of mine is currently admitted at Pantai Medical Centre for a surgery. I wish her for a speedy recovery.



Sent from my iPhone

Get Well Soon, Erwan

Din, Norah and I visited our colleague Erwan who is admitted at Darul Ehsan Medical Centre due to a knee surgery.

He will be on medical leave for a period of time.

I wish him for speedy recovery.



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Friday 16 August 2013

Melaka Moving To Draw More Investments To Spur Economic Growth

Melaka Moving To Draw More Investments To Spur Economic Growth
By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar

MELAKA, Aug 15 - Melaka, fondly called "The Venice of the East" by the Westerners, is working on ambitious investment plants to continue receiving investments from local and foreign investors, particularly in the automotive, pharmaceuticals and green technology sectors.

Chief Minister Datuk Idris Haron said the plan by the Honda company in Japan to increase its investments by three fold will have a huge impact on Melaka.

"When I visited the Honda plant in Japan, I was told that the plant will increase its production capacity. Honda's plan will directly or indirectly have a positive impact on its assembling plant in Alor Gajah," he told Bernama.

Idris said Melaka also has the potential to emerge as a "park" for the pharmaceutical industry for the southern region when Malaysian Biotechnology Corp Sdn Bhd developed a pharmaceutical park in Alor Gajah next year.

He said this project will gradually bring in RM1 billion investment.

"We've received a request from a Microsoft company which is looking for a piece of land to build a factory that produces main frames.

"A local businessman is also planning to invest RM100 million to produce diesel from used tyres using green technology," he said.

Idris said the company will collect used tyres in Melaka, estimated at 10 tonnes a day, to be processed using the technology from South Korea and China.

He said the plant is expected to start operations soon.

"I've identified all these as investments with very viable potential and have placed them on Melaka's investment radar.

"These projects do not include other companies expanding their businesses at a rapid pace in and around Melaka," he said.

Idris said the construction of Guardian Industries Malaysia Sdn Bhd's glass production plant in Lipat Kajang, costing RM800 million, will start after several issues, including land matter, are resolved.

The glass manufacturing plant, pharmaceutical park and Honda's expansion programme are expected to create 3,000 jobs, he said.

In a move to bolster economic activities in existing industrial areas, Idris said their managements would adopt a dual-pronged approach -- value add and increase production capacity of existing plants, upgrade quality of their products and services as well as increase utilisation of the land area like in Lipat Kajang, Teluk Gong and several other industrial areas around Alor Gajah and Jasin districts.

"I'm confident Melaka will re-emerge as a bustling economic hub as it used to be before (during the Melaka Sultanate). (We can realise this vision and mission) with the cooperation of all the administrators in the state.

"All of us should work as one united team to bring back Melaka's glorious era.

"I've reminded the state executive councillors and the workforce in Melaka to become the best "salesman" to the extent of selling sand to the Arabs and refrigerators to the Eskimos.

"If we have such a mentality to promote Melaka, I believe investors will have the trust and confidence to come to Melaka," he added.

Source: BERNAMA

Thursday 15 August 2013

Semoga murah rezeki, berkat usia



Gembira beraya makan ketupat,
Rendang dimasak bersama kari,
DD Kameel orangnya hebat,
Pandangan diulas ikhlas diberi.

Anak-anak gembira berlari,
Si dara jelita berpakaian ayu,
Hari dirai setahun sekali,
Kami mengucapkan HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!

(Pantun courtesy of Myn)

Saturday 10 August 2013

Aidfitri 1434

Semoga ramdhan dan syawal tahun ini mendatangkan lebih banyak rahmat dan berkat dari Allah taala buat kita semua.

Berayalah dengan penuh kesederhanaan.

Terima kasih kepada rombongan dari Kuala Lumpur iaitu Ieka Kassim, Fay and isteri, Izal dan Dollah yang sudi turun beraya di Melaka.

Tahun ini, kami cuma sempat ziarah empat buat rumah sahaja iaitu Fendy, Nazri, Ejarn dan HB Hamdan.

Jangan serik tau untuk turun lagi tahun hadapan, boleh kita boleh konsert lagi.

Wednesday 7 August 2013

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri

Tahun ini aku sekali lagi bekerja pada petang Hari Raya. Harap-harap tahun depan tidak lagi.

Di kesempatan ini, aku ingin menyusun sepuluh jari sempena hari baik bulan baik ini untuk meminta maaf atas segala salah silap sama ada disengajakan ataupun tidak. Minta dihalalkan makan dan minum juga.

Kepada yang memandu, pandulah kenderaan dengan berhati-hati. Have a safe and pleasant trip guys.

Eid Mubarak. Maaf zahir dan batin.

OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO: SYUKUR

Biar cantik, ceria dan berseri menyambut Aidilfitri...

Catchy tak lagu Raya ciptaan Faizal Tahir, commissioned by Watsons Malaysia. Suka juga melodinya. Apa-apa pun, dengarlah sendiri okey...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp4aLb3hqn0&sns=em

Syukur
Hilang hanya buat sementara
Kembali semula dipersada jiwa
Ku tunggu ku rasa rindu
Sabar ku menunggu setahun berlalu
Selamat hari raya
Biar syukur mengiringi ketawa
Mengingati semua tak kira dimana
Biar syukur mengiringi bahagia
Membawa rasa indah dihari yang mulia
Biar cantik ceria dan berseri
Menyambut Aidilfitri
Silap salah tangan ku hulurkan
Pohon kemaafan penuh keluhuran
Yang miskin usah dilupakan
Kasih diberikan dihari lebaran
Selamat hari raya
Biar syukur mengiringi ketawa
Mengingati semua tak kira dimana
Biar syukur mengiringi bahagia
Membawa rasa indah dihari yang mulia
Biar syukur mengiringi ketawa
Mengingati semua tak kira dimana
Biar syukur mengiringi bahagia
Membawa rasa indah dihari yang mulia
Biar cantik ceria dan berseri
Menyambut Aidilfitri
Biar syukur mengiringi ketawa
Mengingati semua tak kira dimana
Biar syukur mengiringi bahagia
Membawa rasa indah dihari yang mulia
Biar cantik ceria dan berseri
Menyambut Aidilfitri
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Friday 2 August 2013

Housing, car loans cause of rising debt

The article was first published on Free Malaysia Today.


Housing, car loans cause of rising debt’

G Vinod
 | August 2, 2013
Several academics say that high asset prices and low wages are pushing Malaysians into debt.
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s household debt ratio to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) stands at 83%, which is one of the highest in Asia, beating even Japan and Hong Kong.
The government said recently much of the nation’s household debt comprises housing, car and personal loans.
Some economists have said the nation’s high household debt ratio was caused by Malaysians who live beyond their means.
Others disagree with the argument and said the nation’s high household debt ratio was caused by a combination of factors.
“It is a combination of high asset prices and relatively low-income earners,” said Taylor’s University business school economist Subramaniam Pillay.
He said young graduates who were in their first jobs did not earn salaries which could enable them to buy cars and houses.
“Let’s take house prices as an example. In the last 40 years, the gap between salaries and property prices has widened. House prices have soared compared with the rise in salaries.
“So, many of them have no choice but to live by borrowing,” said Subramaniam.
Echoing Subramaniam’s sentiments, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) economist Amir Baharuddin also dismissed arguments saying that the nation’s working adults are spending beyond their means.
“It’s not that they have little money-management skills. The problem is, there is no money to manage,” said Amir.
Citing examples, the USM academic said working adults had no choice but to buy a house, despite its exorbitant price, due to necessity.
“Later they buy car to travel to work because the public transportation system is inefficient. As you know, cars are not cheap. So is there any money left to manage?” he asked.
Excessive government intervention
Institute of Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas) chief executive officer Wan Saiful Wan Jan said the high household debt ratio was caused by excessive government intervention in the economy, causing artificial inflation.
“For example car prices are inflated because of high excise and import duties,” he said.
High house prices is also a factor, but Saiful said it was caused by too much demand.
“I think this is a problem of too much development in the Klang Valley alone. If you spread development to other areas such as Seremban, Ipoh and Kota Baru, you will see a drop in house prices,” he said.
On how we can resolve the high household debt problem, Amir said it was time for the government to get serious about lowering house and car prices.
“Keep tabs on credit card surcharges as well. Currently, many credit card companies impose hidden charges that is becoming a burden to working adults,” he said.
However, Amir said it would not be easy to resolve the matter immediately.
“It is an enormous problem. Even economists may not have a definite solution for this. Maybe it is because we are depending too much on the western financial system,” he said.
Subramaniam, on the other hand, said not all debts were negative in nature, especially when it involved mortgages.
“It’s not a bad situation if you borrow money to buy a house as you are paying for a property,” said Subramaniam.
He added that it was also difficult to give a precise solution to the matter as not much details were provided on the household debt ratio.
“For example, do we know who are the people in debt? Is it the poor or the affluent ones? These are the details we need.” said Subramaniam.
Last month Bank Negara announced that it will cap the housing loan term to 35 years and halted all pre-approved personal financing products in order to address the high household debt issue.

Sunday 21 July 2013

Bila Gambar Berbicara 3

Satu lagi gambar lama yang aku jumpa on Uncle Naguib's Facebook.

Gambar ini diambil oleh Uncle Naguib semasa Angah Midah came back to Malaysia for holiday.

Seingat aku, gambar ini diambil pada tahun 1991.

Di sebelah aku adalah sepupu aku, Mimi. Mimi adalah cucu perempuan sulung arwah Cikgu Jaafar. We were very competitive, back then in our school days. And she was the national youth shooter champion.

Next to her are my two sisters, Mira and Lia.

Behind us is the rumah pusaka Cikgu Jaafar. Well, it was not in its original built from 1960s. It was renovated in 80s to replace its kitchen and to install the tangga batu, three in total.

Can you see the Proton Aeroback? If I'm mistaken it was Kak Ja's first car. Kak Ja is the first in family to further study overseas! She went to Japan on JPA scholarship to do engineering degree. 

Behind the car, the was a small structure. Guess, what was that? Hehehe, that was our dapur kayu. My mother used it to cook ketupats, rendang and sambal for all Raya celebrations until late 90s. That was when my father renovated the house for three time, to replace half of the rumah tengah and dapur.

When I returned home in 2000, the dapur kayu was gone and mother cooked everything inside the house using gas cooker.


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Thursday 11 July 2013

Satu Petang Purnama Ketujuh

Sementara menanti minda ini bangkit untuk menukilkan sajak-sajak terbaru, izinkan aku menyiarkan kembali koleksi sajak peribadiku di Aku dan Sajak untuk segmen Ulang Terbit, pada setiap hari Khamis.

Satu Petang Purnama Ketujuh

Satu petang Isnin
pengakhiran purnama ketujuh
aku ke situ lagi
bersama buah hatiku nan satu.

Mengadap laut terbentang luas
mega yang kian ditelan gelap
camar riang pulang ke pangkuan
desir ombak berdendangan
beriringan bayu dari seberang.

Appa, Tata tak datang lagi?
betulkah Tata tak mahu temui Prisha?
Tata sayang Prisha, Appa?


Tata ada bersama kita, sayang
dia sentiasa di sisi kita
pejamkan matamu, en magalay
percayalah… Tata sayangkanmu.

Bayu berterus-terusan ke pengkalan
menyapu lembut wajah kami
membelai manja ikal rambut Prisha
selesa melihat kami berteleku di situ.

Mari kita pulang, Prisha
malam kian dingin
Amma tertunggu-tunggu di rumah
juadah menanti dijamah.

Sebentar, Appa…
Prisha nak ucap selamat tinggal
tapi Tata masih bergelingan
jangan nangis, Tata
nanti Prisha datang lagi.


Dia bangkit, gapai tanganku
pimpinku pergi
aku nangis dalam hati
anakku temui datuknya
terima kasih, Tuhan…

Appa, nanti kami datang lagi
satu petang Selasa
penghujung purnama ketujuh.

(Doaku buat mangsa tragedi pelantar jeti runtuh di Pengkalan Sultan Abdul Halim, Butterworth pada tahun 1988 yang mengorbankan 32 orang awam)


Hasmi Haron
Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA
12 Ogos 2006
11:45

Nota Kaki:

  1. Ketika tragedi ini berlaku, penulis masih di sekolah rendah di Melaka.
  2. Ini adalah karya kedua penulis tentang tragedi, tetapi karya ini mengangkat tragedi 'buatan' manusia.

Wednesday 10 July 2013

New rules won't hurt consumer financing segment

The article was first published on Business Times.

'New rules won't hurt consumer financing segment'

Muhammed Ahmad Hamdan
2013/07/10


BANK Islam Malaysia Bhd does not see the new regulation on household debts introduced by Bank Negara Malaysia recently as having a negative impact on its consumer financing segment.

Business development director Khairul Kamarudin said Bank Islam is, in fact, optimistic of achieving around a 20 per cent growth in its consumer financing segment this year.

"We welcome the new regulation by Bank Negara. We don't see it affecting our consumer financing segment as we have been practising similar guidelines since two years ago," Khairul said after launching Bank Islam's new Visa platinum credit card here yesterday.

Bank Negara last Friday announced that commercial banks must now set 10 years as maximum tenure for personal loan financing and 35 years for property loans.

"Ninety five per cent of our property loan borrowers has tenures of below 35 years.

"Our personal loan segment only offers a maximum tenure of 15 years, compared to other banks that offer personal loan tenures of more than 20 years," Khairul said.

Housing loan segment accounts for 50 per cent of Bank Islam's consumer financing portfolio, while personal loan is 30 per cent.

"We believe that Bank Islam has strong product distribution channels which will support the growth of our consumer financing segment," he added.

The new rules set by BNM were to curb excessive household debts and to reinforce responsible lending practices by key credit providers.

This is in light of the country's increasing household debts - averaging at an annual rate of 12 per cent over the last five years.

Khairul said Bank Islam expects to secure between 25,000 and 30,000 new subscribers for its new Visa platinum credit card by year-end.

"The target is relatively low as it is based on the industry's performance. Nevertheless, we will run various campaigns and initiatives to attract new subscribers for the Visa platinum credit card, including those who have already subscribed from other banks."

Currently, Bank Islam has a total of 138,000 active credit card members, including 2,000 Mastercard platinum credit card holders.

Its consumer card segment, which comprises 1.6 million cards, constitutes about five per cent of the bank's total consumer financing portfolio.

GST will be neutral to business costs

The article was first published on Business Times.

'GST will be neutral to business costs'

By Norhisham Hussein

THE introduction of Goods and Services Tax (GST) to replace the current sales tax and services tax (SST) system has been a long-standing issue in Malaysia.
First mooted in the 1980s, GST has been put off countless times due to the public's doubts over it.

Much of the criticism of GST fall into three distinct categories:

* GST is hard to comply with, as it requires proper accounting and audit systems;

* GST is "regressive" since it is a flat tax and doesn't take into account the income level of consumers;

* GST is supposedly inflationary since it is applied to the prices of all goods, at all stages.

All three criticisms have some validity but not to a degree that critics will have them to be.

First, because of the multi-stage nature of GST and input tax credits, businesses incur no tax liability. Businesses paying GST on raw materials can offset this cost against the GST they collect on sales, which gives them an incentive to invest in the systems. GST, therefore, also does not have a "cascading" cumulative tax effect.

In other words, GST will be neutral to business costs, unlike the sales tax, which is levied at the manufacturing stage and incorporated into the input cost at the retail level.

Second, the regressive nature of GST should be balanced against the equally regressive sales tax. In fact, the government can make GST somewhat more progressive than the sales tax, as basic staple goods such as food can be "zero-rated", i.e. not charged GST at all.

Certain other consumer items that are deemed beneficial, such as books, are typically often zero-rated as well.

Third, the historical evidence regarding the implementation of GST and other ad-valorem taxes (VAT) across the globe shows that, at worst, such taxes cause a one-time increase in the final prices of consumer goods.

There have not been cases where the introduction of such a tax has caused a systemically higher rate of inflation. Consumers only pay the final tax rate, not the cumulative effect of GST levied at each stage of production.

In cases where GST/VAT system has replaced a pre-existing sales tax system, the evidence suggests final prices change very little, and in one case (Canada), have actually fallen.

At the level that is being discussed (circa seven per cent) relative to the sales tax (10 per cent), the likelihood is that GST will cause little movement in consumer prices, if at all.

The arguments against GST are thus weaker than they appear at first blush.

To counterbalance any weaknesses, a GST system causes far less market distortions and is much more efficient than the SST, while promising to yield higher tax revenue at lower tax rates.

Consumers will see how much tax they're incurring on consumer goods, unlike under SST where the tax burden is "hidden". No tax system is perfect, but a GST is much less imperfect than many assumed.

Selamat Menunaikan Ibadah Puasa

Assalamualaikum.

Aku nak ambil kesempatan ini untuk mengucapkan selamat menunaikan ibadah puasa kepada semua umat Islam. Semoga ramadhan kali ini lebih baik dari tahun-tahun sebelum ini.

Dan tahniah kepada famili dan kawan-kawan yang juga berkeputusan untuk berhijab. Semoga Allah taala berikan istiqamah dan akan
kekal berhijab santak akhir hayat.

Tahniah untuk kepada Fizul dan Nadiah di atas berita gembira itu. Semoga segalanya selamat, in shaa Allah.

Tuesday 9 July 2013

Allah selamatkan Kak Aida

Happy birthday Kak Aida. All the best in your undertakings.

Moga murah rezeki, berkat usia dan bahagia sentosa.

Bestnya dapat belon! The cake was nice too.

Monday 8 July 2013

Pedihnya di pagi buta

Aku tak tahu nak kategorikan apa post hari ini. Cuma aku harap tak ada yang loya membacanya.

Pernah tak korang kena paper cut? Tangan atau jari yang dilukai dengan bucu kertas. Sakit kan! Aku pun selalu juga kena, terutama kalau cuba nak masukkan kertas dalam mesin pencetak atau photocopy machine. Tak pun kalau sedang distribute handouts! Sakit tapi terpaksa control macho sebab depan orang ramai.

Pernah tak korang kena hiris jari? Sakin kan! Aku pun pernah juga alaminya ketika mengupas mangga kuini atau kentang. Itu bahananya kalau tak suka gunakan peeler. Apa reaksi spontan korang? Picit jari dan sedut darah ke?

Pernah tak korang tergunting ketiak? I don't to elaborate, nanti ada yang muntah pula. Aku cuba-cuba nak trim bulu ketiak dengan gunting. Tiba-tiba tergunting kulit ketiak aku. Sakit okey!!! Tu lah, orang suruh cabut, dia gatal-gatal nak gunting. Hah, rasakan!

Bertambah pedih apabila aku mandi pagi ini. Dan lagi pedih apabila aku semburkan deodorant ke tempat luka itu. Arrrggghhh!!! Masa tu baru teringatkan Mak di rumah :(

Sunday 7 July 2013

Bila Gambar Berbicara 2


Ada satu lagi gambar lama.

Gambar ini kalau tak silap aku diambil pada tahun 1983.

Dalam gambar ini, abang Janjan (Shalizan Sabtu) sedang mendukung Lia. Tembam betul Lia semasa bayi dahulu dan rambutnya kerinting lebat. Ada mak saudara yang memanggil Lia Kunta Kinte!

Aku pada ketika itu rongak gigi hadapan dan bersekolah di Tabika Kemas Bachang. Tetapi aku tak habiskan pengajian sebab aku yang mula masuk tabika seawal usia empat tahun, mengadu jemu. Balik-balik benda yang sama dipelajari. Dengan berat hati, Mak pun setuju untuk aku terus berhenti. Tapi, apabila ada sukaneka, aku akan terhendap-hendap tengok kawan-kawan beraksi.

Mak pun perli, "dulu orang suruh pergi sekolah tak nak pergi. Sekarang ni, terhendap-hendap tengok kawan-kawan!"

Di belakang kami tergantung pasu-pasu bunga yang ditanam oleh Nek Mok dan Along Ros.

Pokok itu ialah pokok mangga kuini. Pokoknya masih ada dan masih lagi galak berbuah. Tiap kali teringatkan mangga kuini, aku terkenangkan arwah Nek Mok. Semoga arwah tenang di sana. Al-fatihah.

Kak Pepah Lagi

Assalamualaikum dan selamat sejahtera semua.

Bertemu lagi kita. Alhamdulillah syukur kepada Allah taala. Harap-harap semua sihat wa'afiat.

Kak Pepah minta maaf sebab tidak menulis pada minggu lepas kerana ada perihal keluarga yang mendesak. Syukur kepa Allah taala segala sudah beres.

Cuma Kak Pepah tak faham tentang bintang realiti tv ini.

Pihaknya cakap dia digam, pihak stesen tv pula menafikan. Tapi tak pula Kak Pepah nampak kelibat artis ini di tv3, ntv7 dan tv9. Jadinya, betullah kena gam?

Sekarang ini tahun 2013, bukannya 1963 atau 1983! Dunia makin pesat berkembang dan bergerak.

Cuma pihak media massa di tanahair kita ini tak sudah-sudah:
1) nak mengampu tak tentu hala; ataupun
2) nak memperbodohkan rakyat.

Kak Pepah secara peribadi tak kisah sekiranya artis-artis yang digemari cenderung untuk memberi kritikal berbaur politik.

Di Amerika Syarikat, keluarga Baldwin pun tidak sepakat tentang politik. Di kala Stephen Baldwin berkempen untuk parti Republikan, abangnya menyatakan sokongan untuk parti Demokrat.

Tak masalah untuk keluarga Baldwin mahupun media massa di sana.

Tapi tidak di Malaysia. Andainya ada artis yang condong kepada PR, ada saja sekatan yang muncul tiba. Tapi yang sokong BN tiada pula kengkangan dari media massa.

Rakyat Malaysia sudah bijak dan matang. Mereka tahu itu semua adalah pendapat dan hak individu. Janganlah mempolitikkan industri hiburan tanahair!

Kepada Faizal Tahir, Kak Pepah ucapkan selamat maju jaya dan teruskan berkarya. Rezeki di tangan Allah taala dan bukannya ditentukan oleh pembodek-pembodek itu.


Alec Baldwin

Stephen Baldwin

Faizal Tahir

Friday 5 July 2013

Ranhill Energy IPO

Another interesting IPO is coming to town. Will post more update such as whether or not it is a shariah-compliant IPO, and the analysts think of its indicative offer price of RM1.85.

Ranhill Energy seeks to raise RM753m from IPO

By Lim Cian Yai
bt@mediaprima.com.my
2013/07/05

Ranhill is due to make its debut on Bursa Malaysia's Main Market on July 31.
KUALA LUMPUR: Energy and utilities firm Ranhill Energy and Resources Bhd is seeking to raise up to RM752.95 million from its initial public offering (IPO).

Ranhill is due to make its debut on Bursa Malaysia's Main Market on July 31.

The IPO entails an offering of 407 million shares, with an indicative offer price of RM1.85 a piece. Of the total, 77 million shares will be available under an offer for sale by a major shareholder, therefore, raising RM142.45 million.

The proceeds will accrue entirely to the selling shareholder, Cheval Infrastructure Fund L.P. Upon listing, Cheval's stake in Ranhill will shrink to 15.8 per cent from 36.2 per cent at present.

The remaining 330 million new shares will be offered to the Malaysian public and institutional investors, raising RM610.5 million to the company.

"We hope to revitalise our capital structure through this listing exercise. We will use some funds to expand to China, which offers us a higher headroom, and also gear up a bit for more investment overseas," said Ranhill chief executive officer Tan Sri Hamdan Mohamad at the launch of its listing prospectus yesterday.

Of the RM610.5 million from proceeds, 60 per cent will be used for debt repayment and 33.6 per cent for business acquisition and expansion to increase Ranhill's market presence.

The company has identified four cornerstone investors that have agreed to buy 118.3 million shares.

They are Lembaga Tabung Haji, Eastspring Investments Bhd, Hwang Investment Bhd and Corston Smith Asset Management.

The book-building exercise started yesterday, with a price range dedicated to institutions being between RM1.70 and RM1.85.

"We received a strong response from investors and the shares are already oversubscribed," Hamdan said.

Ranhill hopes to boost water treatment capacity in China to 1,000 million litres per day (MLD) in the next five years.

It operates five water and waste-water treatment plants there, with a combined capacity of 270 MLD.

"If we hit 1,000 MLD, this will bring us RM500 million in revenue a year and a profit of around RM150 million," he said.

Last year, its business in China brought in RM150 million in revenue to the group.

Hamdan is considered a prodigy in the local corporate world. Along with Cheval, he privatised Ranhill Bhd in 2011 at 90 sen per share.

Its utilities arm, Ranhill Utilities Bhd, was also listed before being taken private by in 2008 at RM3.50 a share.

Financial Services Act 2013 and Islamic Financial Services Act 2013 Come Into Force

Financial Services Act 2013 and Islamic Financial Services Act 2013 Come Into Force
04 July 2013 06:00 PM
by Jabatan Komunikasi Strategik
 

The regulatory and supervisory framework of Malaysia enters a new stage of its development as the Financial Services Act 2013 (FSA) and Islamic Financial Services Act 2013 (IFSA) come into force on 30 June 2013.

The FSA and IFSA is the culmination of efforts to modernise the laws that govern the conduct and supervision of financial institutions in Malaysia to ensure that these laws continue to be relevant and effective to maintain financial stability, support inclusive growth in the financial system and the economy, as well as to provide adequate protection for consumers.  The laws also provide Bank Negara Malaysia with the necessary regulatory and supervisory oversight powers to fulfil its broad mandate within a more complex and interconnected environment, given the regional and international nature of financial developments. This includes an increased focus on preemptive measures to address issues of concern within financial institutions that may affect the interests of depositors and policyholders, and the effective and efficient functioning of financial intermediation.

It is important that Malaysia's regulatory and supervisory system is adequately equipped to respond effectively to new and emerging risks so that confidence in the financial system is preserved and that the critical financial intermediation activities which are vital to the economy are not disrupted. The FSA and IFSA amalgamate several separate laws to govern the financial sector under a single legislative framework for the conventional and Islamic financial sectors respectively, namely, the Banking and Financial Institutions Act 1989 (BAFIA), Islamic Banking Act 1983, Insurance Act 1996 (IA), Takaful Act 1984, Payment Systems Act 2003 and Exchange Control Act 1953 which are repealed on the same date.
Key features of the new legislation include:
  • Greater clarity and transparency in the implementation and administration of the law. This includes clearly defined regulatory objectives and accountability of Bank Negara Malaysia in pursuing its principal object to safeguard financial stability, transparent triggers for the exercise of Bank Negara Malaysia's powers and functions under the law, and transparent assessment criteria for authorizing institutions to carry on regulated financial business, and for shareholder suitability;
  • A clear focus on Shariah compliance and governance in the Islamic financial sector. In particular, the IFSA provides a comprehensive legal framework that is fully consistent with Shariah in all aspects of regulation and supervision, from licensing to the winding-up of an institution;
  • Provisions for differentiated regulatory requirements that reflect the nature of financial intermediation activities and their risks to the overall financial system;
  • Provisions to regulate financial holding companies and non-regulated entities to take account of systemic risks that can emerge from the interaction between regulated and unregulated institutions, activities and markets. The Minister of Finance may subject an institution that engages in financial intermediation activities to ongoing regulation and supervision by Bank Negara Malaysia if it poses or is likely to pose a risk to overall financial stability;
  • Strengthened business conduct and consumer protection requirements to promote consumer confidence in the use of financial services and products;
  • Strengthened provisions for effective and early enforcement and supervisory intervention
The new laws will place Malaysia's financial sector, encompassing the banking system, the insurance/takaful sector, the financial markets and payment systems and other financial intermediaries, on a platform for advancing forward as a sound, responsible and progressive financial system. This is especially important to enable the financial system to meet the new demands for financing associated with Malaysia's economic transformation programme both during and beyond the next decade, the changing demographics of our population, and the increasing integration of the Malaysian economy with the region and the world.

Copies of the FSA and IFSA are available on Bank Negara Malaysia's website. Any query relating to the provisions of FSA and IFSA may be directed to FSAandIFSA@bnm.gov.my.

Bank Negara Malaysia
1 July 2013

Thursday 4 July 2013

Persona Perang

Sementara menanti minda ini bangkit untuk menukilkan sajak-sajak terbaru, izinkan aku menyiarkan kembali koleksi sajak peribadiku di Aku dan Sajak untuk segmen Ulang Terbit, pada setiap hari Khamis.

Persona Perang

Aku kembali lagi
dengan yang tersayang
untuk turut rasai
lain mana
kehangatan di sini.

Aku datang lagi
dengan yang tercinta
untuk kenal dan cinta
lain mana
kemeriahan di sini.

Tapi sayang seribu kali sayang
aku dan kekasih-kekasihku
tak bisa lama
untuk tonton
hangat dan meriah
pangkah memangkah di sini
tapi kami puas
dan terpersona
dengan perang poster
yang juga sama
di sana serta di sini.


Hasmi Haron
Mei 2006
Kuching, Sarawak.

Nota Kaki:
  1. Ini adalah sajak pertama penulis yang mengangkat tema politik.
  2. Penulis terpesona dengan perang poster semasa bercuti dengan ibu bapa di Kuching, Sarawak.

Wednesday 3 July 2013

SingaPura & Malaysia punyai hutang isirumah tertinggi di rantau ini


Singapore, Malaysia household debts among highest in region

JULY 03, 2013
Singapore households are among the most indebted in Asia relative to what they earn, according to a Standard Chartered report this week, reported the Straits Times.
Households had borrowings worth 151 per cent of their annual income last year, second in the region only to Malaysia, with debt at 182 per cent of income.
This is mainly because consumers here take on large dollops of property debt, amounting to 111 per cent of household income - the highest level in the region, Stanchart said.
However, Stanchart warned that as rates rise, debt servicing may become more difficult for home owners who are over-leveraged, although current debt burdens are still manageable.Thanks to low interest rates, the repayments that Singapore households make on loans are also among the lowest in the region as a share of income.
Indeed, Stanchart's data shows that the overall debt service ratio for Singapore households has been rising since 2008. But they remain moderate, with total debt repayments coming up to only 13 per cent of total household incomes, the bank said.
This is lower than in Malaysia, South Korea and Australia, although higher than in the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China and Taiwan, which have debt service ratios between 2 and 7 per cent, it added. - July 3, 2013.

Going Green this Aidilfitri!

Kepada kaum keluarga dan sahabat handai, tiada lagi want kertas baru untuk Aidilfitri kali ini. Semua not adalah yang dikitar semula.

Mari kita sama-sama menjayakan kempen "Going Green"!

Di bawah ini adalah pengumuman daripada Bank Negara Malaysia untuk bacaan semua :)


"Going Green" dengan Wang Kertas Yang Sesuai untuk Edaran Semula Semasa Hari Raya Aidilfitri

Dalam usaha menyokong agenda nasional "Going Green", Bank Negara Malaysia akan mengedar semula wang kertas denominasi RM1 dan RM5 yang sesuai untuk Hari Raya Aidilfitri yang akan datang. Inisiatif ini merupakan usaha yang membabitkan Kementerian Tenaga, Teknologi Hijau dan Air (KeTTHA), Persatuan Bank-bank dalam Malaysia (ABM), Malaysian Environmental NGOs (MENGO) dan Yayasan Anak Warisan Alam (YAWA) untuk menggalakkan kelestarian sumber negara dan pemuliharaan alam sekitar.

Substrat polimer diperkenalkan pada tahun 2004 untuk RM5 bagi meningkatkan ketahanan wang kertas dan mengurangkan kos dan permintaan yang tinggi terhadap sumber yang digunakan dalam pengeluaran mata wang. Penggunaan substrat polimer diperluas untuk merangkumi RM1 pada tahun 2012 apabila wang kertas polimer RM5 mencapai rekod penggunaan yang positif. Wang kertas polimer dapat bertahan 2 hingga 3 kali lebih lama berbanding dengan wang kertas biasa. Dicetak menggunakan substrat yang sangat tahan lama, wang kertas RM1 dan RM5 dapat kekal dalam edaran lebih lama dan lebih berupaya untuk mengekalkan kualiti keselamatan dan estetika sepanjang hayat penggunaannya. Memandangkan hanya wang kertas yang berkualiti tinggi akan diedar semula, orang ramai adalah digalakkan untuk menggunakan wang kertas yang sesuai ini sebagai "duit raya".

Setiap tahun Bank Negara Malaysia mengeluarkan lebih kurang 750 juta keping wang kertas RM1 dan RM5 bagi memenuhi permintaan bermusim untuk Hari Raya Aidilfitri dan Tahun Baharu Cina. Walau bagaimanapun, lebih kurang 70% daripada wang kertas yang dikeluarkan tidak diperlukan untuk urus niaga pembayaran biasa. Wang kertas tersebut dipulangkan sebagai deposit sejurus selepas musim perayaan dan menyebabkan lebihan pengumpulan wang kertas RM1 dan RM5 di Bank Negara Malaysia. Cetakan tambahan 500 juta keping wang kertas untuk memenuhi permintaan perayaan menyebabkan kos dan permintaan yang tinggi terhadap sumber negara. Pengeluarannya menggunakan lebih daripada 80 ton dakwat dan 2 juta kWh elektrik yang cukup bagi kegunaan 7,500 rumah di Malaysia untuk sebulan.

Bagi musim perayaan ini, orang ramai diberikan jaminan bahawa terdapat kertas yang mencukupi dalam semua denominasi. ABM dan AIBIM akan bersama-sama mengambil bahagian dalam usaha ini untuk membantu aktiviti kitar semula wang kertas yang sesuai dengan mengeluarkannya melalui cawangan bank dan mesin ATM. Orang ramai digalakkan untuk menyokong usaha nasional "Going Green" dan menyambut bulan Ramadan dan Hari Raya Aidilfitri dengan semangat mengurangkan pembaziran dengan menyokong penggunaan wang kertas edaran semula.

Tuesday 2 July 2013

Nazrol KL on Youtube

Siapa Nazrol KL? Tak kenal ke? Takkan tak kenal?

Okeylah, kalau nak kenal, klik di sini.

Bila sudah habis baca, jom tonton video beliau di Youtube. Dan jangan lupa untuk klik butang "like" :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neLBlt6PpeM&sns=em


Sent from my iPhone

Malaysia's crime is serious!

Note: The article was first published on The Malaysian Insider.

Satu persoalan di sini, apakah sesuatu situasi itu hanya dikatakan serius apabila ia terjadi kepada orang kenamaan?

My 2 cent:
PDRM berdepan dengan cabaran yang besar untuk mengikis persepsi masyarakat bahawa ia gagal membenteras jenayah. Satu tindakan segera dan drastik perlu dilaksana untuk mengembalikan keamanan serta kepercayaan rakyat kepada institusi kepolisan negara. Antaranya, menambah peratusan polis di bahagian membenteras jenayah (khabarnya cuma 9%!), mengurangkan peratusan polis di bahagian pentadbiran (mengapa perlu sampai 40%?), menubuhkan satu mekanisme untuk membolehkan rakyat membuat aduan terhadap PDRM secara telus dan penuh accountable.

Di samping itu, masyarakat juga perlu lebih peka dan prihatin tentang aspek-aspek keselamatan diri dan  harta benda. Keselamatan adalah tanggungjawab semua, bukan hanya PDRM.

Khairy concedes Malaysia’s crime situation is “serious”

JULY 02, 2013
The worsening crime situation in Malaysia is not mere perception as claimed by some quarters and Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin joined the ranks of believers after being a burglary victim over the weekend.
He conceded in a Facebook post that the burglary was something real and not at all perception, as claimed by some quarters, such as the police and the Home Ministry.
Previous Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and senior police officers have attributed negative sentiments on crime to the people's perception.
Kuala Lumpur police had confirmed over the weekend that a minister's home in Damansara Heights had been ransacked by thieves but declined to reveal his identity. It was later learnt that the bungalow belongs to Khairy's mother and that Khairy and his wife were residing there. Only the maid was home at the time of the robbery, which was revealed by Kuala Lumpur CID chief Datuk Ku Chin Wah to be around 5.30pm.

Thursday 27 June 2013

Tiga Chinta Ku

Sementara menanti minda ini bangkit untuk menukilkan sajak-sajak terbaru, izinkan aku menyiarkan kembali koleksi sajak peribadiku di Aku dan Sajak untuk segmen Ulang Terbit, pada setiap hari Khamis.


Tiga Chinta Ku

Terima kasih Tuhan
kerna anugerah-Mu
aku gembira
dengan tiga Chintaku.

Sembilan purnama
aku bersatu dengannya
bertarung duka, berteman suka
anyam kasih dengan udara yang sama
santak dibenar-Mu
melihat sendiri mentari nan satu.

Tiga darsawarsa lagi
aku dan Chinta memadu hati
ajarku diri, didikku berlari
kejar cita dan cinta
santak bertemu Chinta II.

Dialah Layla, akulah Majnun
akulah Rumi, dialah Juli
junjung tradisi Adam dan Hawa
sambung canang Al-Amin
dengan restu-Mu kami bersatu
berperang duka, berkawan suka
sama-sama mengait sayang
dengan bebenang kasih, muafakat dan asmara.

Betapa Kau Maha Pemurah
sejurus Chinta II buka mulut
aku melutut syukur
percaya, tidak percaya
kau hadirkan Chinta III
bakal sinari duniaku
yang deras berlalu.

Saat dan ketika ini
dengan jantung bergegup laju
ghairah dan teruja
tunggu Chinta pertama dan kedua
pimpin keluar madu mereka
untuk dipertemu denganku
yang penat menanti sembilan purnama.

Dengan iqamah ku pasang janji
kan ku bimbing Chinta III
jika tak seumpama Khadijah atau Fatimah
biar secantik Chinta, semolek Chinta II
cekal, cerdik lagi cermat.

Syukur pada Tuhan
kerna rahmat-Mu
aku bahagia
dengan tiga Chintaku.


(Selamat Hari Wanita Sedunia buat kaum Hawa, yang serupa tetapi tidak sama dengan ibuku tersayang)


Hasmi Haron
Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA
Mac 2006

Nota Kaki:

  1. Sajak ini dikarang sempena Hari Wanita Sedunia.

Wednesday 26 June 2013

What is Koperasi Loan?

This article was first published on FreeMalaysiaToday website.

Similar to personal loan/financing offered by commercial banks, Islamic banks or DFIs (namely Bank Rakyat, Bank Simpanan Nasional and Agrobank), the interest/profit rate of this so-called credit cooperative loan is based on FLAT RATE!

Apa maksudnya? Kadar keuntungan/bunga tahunan dikira berdasarkan kepada jumlah pinjaman/pembiayaan, bukan seperti pinjaman/pembiayaan perumahan yang berasaskan "monthly rest".

So, extra careful whenever you think of applying for one :)

Apa-apa pun, adalah lebih baik mendapatkan pinjaman/pembiayaan peribadi daripada institusi kewangan dan koperasi daripada berhutang dengan ahlong.


Koperasi Loan?
June 26, 2013
It is a personal loan for employees of the government, statutory bodies, selected government-linked companies and municipal councils.
Are you an employee working in a government department, a statutory body, a government-linked company or a municipal council?  If you are, you could be one of the lucky Malaysians who qualify for Koperasi Loan – an easy-approval, low-interest loan with an ultra-convenient loan-repayment mechanism.
What is a Koperasi Loan?
A Koperasi Loan, or Credit Cooperative Loan, is a type of loan that is reserved specifically for workforce of government departments, statutory bodies, selected GLCs and municipal councils of Malaysia.
The amount that can be borrowed from a typical Koperasi Loan starts from as low as RM1,000 all the way up to RM250,000 (and sometimes even more).  Loan periods range from one year to 25 years.
As a financial product, a Koperasi Loan resembles a personal bank loan in almost every way.  It involves the lending of a sum of money from an institution to a borrower, at terms which are agreed upon by both parties.  And just like any personal loan, a Koperasi Loan can be taken for any purpose: from settling a debt, starting a business, getting married, buying a home or a car, financing your children’s education to taking a holiday, just to name a few.
Ultimately, the greatest difference between a Koperasi Loan and a conventional bank loan lies in the fact that the terms of a Koperasi Loan are usually much more flexible and “borrower-friendly” for those who are eligible to apply.
Key differences
Interest rate: Generally speaking, the interest rate of a Koperasi Loans is almost certainly much, much lower than that of a conventional bank loan.  As at June 2013, the lowest prevailing interest rate for a Koperasi Loan is 3.99%, compared to 7.6% for a consumer bank.
More flexible criteria:  Koperasi Loans are, on the whole, more lenient in the approval process compared to conventional bank loans.  In fact, Koperasi Loans can even be approved for borrowers with bankruptcy status, as well as those who could not get loans from banks due to less-than-desirable track records in the Central Credit Reference Information System (CCRIS) and the Credit Tip-Off System (CTOS).
Repayment method: Repayment for a conventional bank loan is done at a bank branch, via an ATM or through some form of direct-debit arrangement from a bank account.  Repayment for a Koperasi Loan is much simpler – it is conducted via direct deduction from one’s salary.
Loan payout: An important thing to take note about Koperasi Loan is that it does not disburse 100% of the loan amount to the borrower.  Usually, a percentage of the loan amount is retained, which can be interpreted as “one-time charge” incurred by the borrower.  The percentage retained can be up to 10% of the loan amount, or more.
Where do I get a Koperasi Loan?
There are many different types of Koperasi Loans all managed by different cooperative entities.  To apply for one, you could either approach such entities or go through an authorized agent.  An easier alternative is to use iMoney’s Koperasi Loan comparison table, where you can compare the rates and apply for one online at no charge.
This article is brought to you by iMoney, a price comparison website dedicated to helping Malaysians make the best use of their money. Check out their loan comparison tool here to compare interest rates across all Malaysian banks.