Okay

This interest rate decision,... is it for just the following year, or could be a standard decision for all of the future years ? I see that the interest rate decisions do fluctuate by quite a big percentage, for example, talking about ASM : in 2007, the rate was 6.80% and this went up to 7.80% in 2008, hence, a big diff of 1%.

Similarly, for ASW : in 2008, the rate was 7.00% and this went down to 6.30% in 2009. A reduction of 0.7%.

Appreciate your opinions.

Hmm, Bumis taking out frm the EPF to invest in PNB funds - now we know why the Gov't increased the employer's contribution to the EPF by 1%.

Hmm, just wondering here : how would one term Tax Avoidance vs Tax Evasion ?

Is Tax Avoidance legal ?

That's right - that's what I thought too.

Tax Avoidance is something like a Malaysian investor not wanting to buy Malaysian stocks and REITs because he does not want to pay the witholding taxes, but instead buys Singapore stocks and REITs because it's one-tier tax for equities there and no tax for REITs.

It's prefectly legal from the above viewpoint, but may not be so patriotic, but if the ministers can do that (just like ALL the Malaysian ministers have one or more children studying in western foreign universities), then patriotism is but a concept only, and not practicable.

Tax Avoidance is where, since he does not want to pay the taxes, he chooses not to earn from the avenue.

And Tax Evasion is where one earns from an avenue but not wanting to pay the taxes.

Yeah, good concept, I think I'll bring this up later in my discussion with the foreign Gov't that I'll be joining soon.

Thank you, Cheah, well-said.

Hence, this is the reason why I have made up my mind to go pay tax to another country that will be fairer and that will take care of the people better.

Yes, of course, no country is perfect in this world, but we, based on our knowledge, will choose the best country that we think there is. And yes, I know it will not be easy to uproot and go try to fit-in to another society somewhere else, but for the sake of future generations, and children's education, it has to be done.

If we observe closely, the very leaders who preach about loyalty for the country, are the ones sending all their children overseas. So what does that tell us ?

When I read ALL these 'filterings' and checks-and-balances just to invest, I just can't help but feel the pure Malaysian Chinese really don't have a place to stand in this country. Really habis, their future, especially so that their birthrate is dropping now, and their percentage of the population is diminishing lower and lower.

Perhaps other countries do practise racism too, but I bet the pure Chinese may have a better chance of survival, for themselevs and their offsprings' futures.

Better belah from this place....

Thank you for the congratulatory msg, I'm glad I have the resources to do so.

As for you, you better be a crony..., otherwise, you wouldn't fare very well here too even with that name. Anyway, just to share here : I am of that similar type of name too, except that one side of my parents is not.

Bye to you too, crony, or struggle hard for the future !

Cheah, thank you.

Just a small counter-opinion again here : I have many Malay friends who are also staying overseas and having gotten their PR-ship. Some have gotten their citizenships too. So, I guessed it's not only the non-Malays who are migrating. Somehow, even with the special privileges of this country, they are not staying, preferred the overseas system.

And it's not only the ones who have the money can move, the ones who managed to secure scholarships to study overseas can also move, provided they can find jobs oveseas, which most of the time, they are able to. So they continue their lives overseas,... I know there will be many irritations here after this statement. And well, I know some don't return because they don't want to payback their loans - Just sharing here !

I did not qualify for a Bumi loan during my time, hence, studied in Singapore only, just for info.