Dr Mahathir: Budget 2018 ‘sweets’ to distract from 1MDB

PETALING JAYA: Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad says the goodies presented in Budget 2018 is Prime Minister Najib Razak’s way of hoping the people will forget about the controversies surrounding 1MDB.

“This is Najib’s way. He believes cash is king and that he can close the eyes of the people and stop their thinking by giving them money,” Mahathir said in a video message uploaded by Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (PPBM).

Mahathir, who is also Pakatan Harapan and PPBM chairman, said it remained to be seen if Najib’s promises would be a reality.

“It is his hope that people will focus on the sweets given and forget about the 1MDB scandal.

“But this hope will not become a reality as the people cannot forget the 1MDB scandal and other scandals associated with Najib,” Mahathir said.

He also said with a general election looming, it was natural to have allocations in the budget that would sway the people to re-elect the government. All the same, he said, the allocations in Budget 2018 were excessive.

“Almost all the allocations were aimed at being popular. Everyone is given allocations that has never been given before in previous budgets.

“This is solely aimed at getting support for the election,” he said.

“The presented budget is unusual, in that it provides excessive allocations which the country may not have the money to pay for,” he said, adding that he doubted Putrajaya would be able to deliver on the promises made.

Claiming that the government wouldn’t be able to afford some of the allocations, he said, “Where the money is coming from has not been ascertained.”

Mahathir also said that the aim of the PH alternative budget was to gauge the public’s feedback on what they wanted.

“We have received a lot of feedback and I am sure PH will take it into consideration because it is what the people want, not what the party wants,” he said.

In tabling Budget 2018 in the Dewan Rakyat on Friday, Najib announced that the federal government was expected to collect RM239.86 billion in revenue next year, and proposed a total allocation of RM280.25 billion, an increase of over RM20 billion from this year.

He also said a sum of RM234.25 billion would be allocated for operating expenditure and RM46 billion for development expenditure.

Warisan: What about government officers flying business class?

KOTA KINABALU: A senior Parti Warisan Sabah leader said the public should be appalled that several government officers including political secretaries and private secretaries to ministers choose to travel business class instead of focusing on two businessmen who just happened to be Warisan leaders.

Commenting on a news report on photos taken by Warisan Youth chief Mohd Azis Jamman showing himself and Warisan vice-president Peter Anthony sitting in Malindo Air’s business class en route to Kuala Lumpur, the senior leader said there were many reasons why the duo were flying business class.

Although he had not talked to the duo, the senior leader, who declined to be named, said it was unfair for the public to judge the men without knowing the reasons behind their travel arrangements.

“First of all, it is already public knowledge that these men can afford the air fares. Anthony, for example, I know has tonnes of flying air-miles. So it is obvious he can afford to redeem the air-miles and/or to purchase such airfares.



“Secondly, considering the travelling arrangements were made at the last minute on a Sunday, it is possible there were no more economy seats available.

“The report in the national daily failed to state that two party leaders, vice- president Junz Wong and Francis Au, were sitting in the economy class, as shown in Azis’s Facebook posting,” he told FMT.

More importantly, he said questions should be directed at the government officers, political secretaries and minister’s press secretaries who are known to travel on the same flight as their ministers in business class as well.

These officers, he said, were travelling to Kuala Lumpur and back for work and the source bets that the airfares are charged to the respective ministries, which are financed with the rakyat’s money.

Ultimately, this means these officers’ travel expenses are borne by the tax-paying public unless they can show that they paid for their flights from their own pocket, like the two personalities highlighted by the national news portal.

“Instead of being mad at a couple of self-paying businessmen, they should question why the ‘people’s taxes’ have to pay for these officers to travel business class,” he said.

The senior leader also expressed his regret for the news report trying to link the party’s recent crowd-funding campaign and the “supposedly” travel lifestyle of both Azis and Anthony.

The campaign managed to raise more than RM100,000 in just two days and it was meant to specifically assist party president Shafie Apdal’s bail money following his detention by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

“The campaign was meant to be a voluntary donation, which means nobody was compelled or forced to give.

“It was all done voluntarily as were the collections of RM2k garnered for the Kota Belud flood victims during the crowd-funding done while awaiting the court remand hearing of Shafie Apdal.

“I thank the donors for their sincere generosity.

“On the other hand, we are all obliged to pay taxes and it should be infuriating to know our money is used to pay business class travels by government officers, political secretaries, political private secretaries (if indeed such fares are paid by the ministry),” he said.

Najib serang ‘bekas pemimpin’ guna media barat untuk pembohongan

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Seri Najib Razak sekali lagi menyerang Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad tanpa menyebut nama bekas perdana menteri itu, sambil mendakwa media barat kerap memaparkan “pembohongan” terhadap negara.

“Dari semasa ke semasa, beberapa saluran media barat memaparkan wawancara dengan seorang daripada bekas pemimpin kami dan mengemukakan dakwaannya tentang negara ini sebagai suatu fakta,” katannya ketika berucap pada di sebuah majlis anjuran Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu Malaysia (UNAM) malam tadi.

Perdana menteri yang kerap menyasarkan Dr Mahathir tanpa menyebut namanya, berkata “bekas pemimpin” itu menyebarkan “berita palsu” mengenai Malaysia demi kepentingan diri.

Najib mempertikaikan dakwaan oleh “bekas pemimpin” itu yang Malaysia adalah antara 10 negara paling korup di dunia, sambil membandingkannya dengan kajian Transparency International yang tidak meletakkan Malaysia walaupun di senarai 100 negara korup.

Dr Mahathir dalam beberapa penulisan di blognya sebelum ini berkata Malaysia tidak lagi dihormati masyarakat antarabangsa oleh kerana kedudukannya sebagai antara 10 negara paling korup.

“Fakta ini diketahui dunia. Rakyat Malaysia tahu lebih lanjut. Mereka tahu kerajaan Malaysia banyak berhutang, berada dalam defisit dan tidak mampu memenuhi peruntukan bajet,” kata Dr Mahathir dalam salah satu catatan beliau.

Najib sebaliknya berkata pentadbirannya memberi ruang untuk demokrasi, dan memansuhkan Akta Keselamatan Dalam Negeri di samping memberikan kebebasan lebih kepada media dan golongan pelajar.

“Sanjungan tinggi terhadap Malaysia sebagai sebuah demokrasi dan diakui melaksanakan tadbir urus yang baik terserlah menerusi sambutan yang diterima delegasi kerajaan Malaysia di White House, 10 Downing Street, Beijing, New Delhi, Berlin dan beberapa kerajaan negara lain,” katanya.

Menurutnya, program terkini dalam bentuk Transformasi Nasional 2050 (TN50), iaitu rancangan negara maju dalam jangka masa 30 tahun akan datang, adalah sebahagian daripada tadbir urus baik diamalkan beliau sejak mengambil alih jawatan perdana menteri.

“Ini satu lagi contoh yang jelas tentang kerajaan Malaysia yang mengamalkan tadbir urus baik dalam menanggapi keperluan penduduk muda yang sentiasa berubah,” katanya.

China’s envoy bids farewell to ‘my most beloved Malaysia’

KUALA LUMPUR: Dr Huang Huikang, who bids farewell to Malaysia tomorrow after four years as China’s Ambassador, is certainly the most high-profile foreign diplomat to be based here that Malaysians have seen and known.

His exposure in the local media is something that other diplomats could only envy but it’s quite natural given the phenomenal boosts in bilateral ties between the two nations in the 1,390 days to be exact, that he was China’s main man here.

It also coincides with what he calls the Diamond 40 years’ anniversary of diplomatic ties initiated by Malaysia’s second Prime Minister Abdul Razak Hussein and the legacy placed on an even stronger keel by his son Najib Razak since he became prime minister in 2009.

“The bilateral relations now have entered into the best period of history and have always been in the forefront among China’s relations with Asean countries,” Huang said at a farewell dinner he hosted here on Friday.

China’s foreign direct investments in Malaysia have resulted in such ventures like the China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park and a similar park in Kuantan, the Melaka Gateway, the East Coast Rail Link ,the Geely-Proton cooperation, the Digital Free Trade Zone and other flagship projects.

China has been Malaysia’s largest trading partner for eight consecutive years with bilateral trade volume reaching US$100 billion.

It has also become the largest source of foreign investment in manufacturing, the main construction contractor and one of the largest sources of foreign tourists to Malaysia.

Huang spoke of the arrival of China’s iconic giant pair of pandas, now a major draw for visitors to Zoo Negara, and the joint effort by both countries in facing the Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 tragedy whose wreckage has still not been found in the three and a half years it has gone missing while on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Most of the 239 people on board were Chinese nationals.

“I am lucky to witness a great leap forward of China-Malaysia relations in the past four years.I have travelled through all the 13 states of Malaysia and met many friends from all walks of life, feeling the strong will among the people to strengthen cooperation between China and Malaysia,” he said.

Huang has had many accolades coming his way for standing out among the long list of foreign diplomats here, including recognition as Best Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia, Best Friend of Malaysia, Best Friend of the Chinese Community and Best Friend of Chinese Education.

And during the farewell dinner, another titled was bestowed on him, the Brand Laureate Diplomat Award presented by its president Dr KK Johan.

“As a veteran of diplomacy, I have left my footprints almost everywhere in the world, but besides my motherland China, Malaysia is the most beloved one,” he said in a voice choked with emotion having to leave Malaysian shores with a heavy heart.

His parting shot: “I will always remember my experience in Malaysia. Wherever I will be, I will be your friend forever and I will continue to do whatever I can to consolidate the China-Malaysia relations”.

Malays are no fools, Umno tells Muhyiddin

PETALING JAYA: Umno information chief Annuar Musa has stressed that the Malays of today are smarter and more capable of evaluating which party can genuinely uphold and serve the interests of the people.

He said PPBM president Muhyiddin Yassin’s claim that the new opposition party was drawing substantial support from Malays for the Pakatan Harapan (PH) was far from the truth.

He said the assertion by Muhyiddin, who is also PH deputy president, was an attempt to fool the Malays.



“Malays are historically very wise and astute in politics. The Malays know that Pakatan Harapan is a group dominated by DAP,” he told FMT today.

He claimed that the Malays were aware of DAP’s “socialist policies” and that its struggle was not for Malays and Islam.

He said this in commenting on Muhyiddin’s statement yesterday that PPBM had been proven to have made the correct decision in restricting full membership to the party to only Bumiputeras.

Speaking at a forum at the Perdana Leadership Foundation, Muhyiddin, a former deputy prime minister and former Umno deputy president, had said he had no doubt that PPBM had attracted a lot of Malay support to the opposition pact.

He said this had vindicated the party’s much criticised decision to implement a membership system that bars non-Bumiputera members from voting or contesting in party elections.

“It is a strategy that has worked,” he said. “We now see Malays coming out in droves to support PPBM and ultimately to support Pakatan.”

He claimed that this had made Umno feel threatened and this was the reason Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is Umno president, had tabled “such a populist budget”.

Annuar said Malays knew that PPBM’s existence since it was founded in September last year was due to quarrels involving former Umno leaders who created the splinter party.

“The Malays will not risk their fate and the country’s future with DAP and with those who gamble away their rights and Malay-Muslim status to DAP,” he said.

“The signs are quite clear that Malays and Muslims are starting to distance themselves from Pakatan Harapan, and are increasing their solidarity for the good of Islam in facing the 14th general election (GE14),” he said.

Zainal Abidin: We have not been paid for SEA Games show

PETALING JAYA: Two months after the star-studded closing ceremony of the Kuala Lumpur Southeast Asian Games 2017 (KL2017), several artistes have claimed they have yet to be paid for their performances.

One of the performers, singer Zainal Abidin, said the organisers should pay them as agreed in their contracts.

“It’s not just ministers who want a life of luxury. We artistes also want a good life,” Zainal told Malaysiakini today.

The pop icon said he was told that Putrajaya had appointed a company to handle the payments for the performers who took part in the closing ceremony, which was held on the eve of Merdeka.



An unhappy Zainal said he had asked his lawyers to secure payment from the company.

“I’m forced to do this because the company hasn’t made the payments. We are not balls that can be kicked around,” Malaysiakini quoted him as saying.

The issue first came to light when singer-actress Adibah Noor posted about it on Twitter yesterday.

Writing in Malay, she expressed sadness that “friends performing at the SEA Games closing ceremony had yet to receive payment”.

Adibah said in one of her tweets that she was told the payment was delayed due to preparations for the 2018 Budget.

She expressed hope that the payment would be expedited, adding that it was not just the celebrities who had not received any payment but also other performers, including dancers and children.

Besides Zainal, other celebrities who performed at the closing ceremony included Ella, Amy Search and David Arumugam of the Alleycats.

David, however, said he was not worried about the delay as he had worked with the company before and trusted them.

Celebrity host Aznil Nawawi told Malaysiakini that he had been paid in full.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian SEA Games organising committee (Masoc) told the portal that the company in charge of payroll had been appointed through a tender by the youth and sports ministry.

“So, whether an artiste has been paid or not, that is the company’s business. The artistes involved should refer to them,” a Masoc media officer told the news portal.

“As of now, Masoc has paid out on more than 50% of the contracts for the opening and closing ceremonies on behalf of the government.”

5 Giant supermarkets close on Nov 5

PETALING JAYA: Five Giant supermarkets are to close operations from Nov 5.

A statement released by GCH retail (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd said the decision to close was taken after it had “reviewed its operations and in order to improve efficiencies and productivity”.

It said the outlets were in Sri Manjung, Sungai Petani, Shah Alam City Centre (SACC) Mall, Sibu and Selayang Lama.

They will close when the leases expire.

It is not known what will happen to the staff affected by the closures.

It is to be noted that other supermarkets, like Tesco, exist in many of the spots these five Giant outlets are operating.

In the same statement, Giant said it will relocate its Bercham store to expanded premises.

“This will double the size of the store which will provide more offerings, a bigger range of products and more convenience for its customers.

“In addition, by end of this year, GCH Retail will be re-launching a new exciting concept store by Cold Storage at KLCC in Kuala Lumpur.”

It said the group will continue to deploy its resources “to raise the bar to create positive retail experiences for our customers”.

The company was formerly known as Dairy Farm Giant Retail Sdn Bhd. It operates more than 120 stores.-FMT NEWS-

Muhyiddin: PPBM the reason more Malays are backing Pakatan

PUTRAJAYA: PPBM president Muhyiddin Yassin claims that time has proven his party made the right decision in restricting full membership to Bumiputeras alone.

Speaking at a forum at the Perdana Leadership Foundation yesterday, he said he had no doubt that PPBM had attracted a lot of Malay support for Pakatan Harapan, adding that this vindicated it for the much criticised decision to implement a membership system that bars non-Bumiputera members from voting or contesting in party elections.

“It is a strategy that has worked,” he said. “We now see Malays coming out in droves to support PPBM and ultimately to support Pakatan.”



He claimed that this had made Umno feel threatened and was the reason that Prime Minister Najib Razak tabled “such a populist budget”.

Explaining how the founding members of PPBM came to the decision to adopt the unique membership system, he said:

“In GE13, Pakatan Rakyat managed to win 52% of the popular vote while Barisan Nasional retained power even with only 48% of the popular vote because of how the constituencies were structured.

“In the early discussions between the founding members we looked at this and we saw that Pakatan Rakyat won the popular vote because of the major support they got from the Chinese and the Indians. There was no Malay tsunami.

“Bersatu (PPBM) surmised that the reason for this was the fear Umno had instilled among the Malays from years ago that the only party that would take care of them was Umno.”

Muhyiddin also said it was ridiculous to think that Malays would suffer in the event of a Pakatan Harapan victory in the coming general election.

“The majority of Pakatan Harapan members are Malays,” he said, adding that the DAP was too small a party to influence decisions on the set-up of a Pakatan federal government, even if it wanted to.

“In GE13, DAP contested about 50 seats,” he pointed out. “In order to win GE14, we need at least 112 seats.

“It’s impossible that Lim Kit Siang will become the next prime minister. The prime minister will be a Malay Muslim.”-FMT NEWS-

Media kena proaktif, kurangkan berita menang loteri

Media Malaysia perlu lebih bertanggungjawab untuk tidak melaporkan berita-berita mereka yang terkena loteri bernilai berjuta ringgit.

Berita-berita sedemikian hanya membantu meningkatkan pendapatan syarikat-syarikat menjual nombor ekor kerana lebih ramai yang berangan-angan untuk menjadi kaya sekelip mata akan terjebak di dalam aktiviti judi.

Hakikatnya, peluang untuk memenangi loteri ini teramatlah tipis.



Umpamanya judi nombor 4 ekor yang melibatkan pembelian nombor 4 angka. Kaki judi boleh bertaruh pada apa-apa nombor bermula daripada 0000 ke 9999. Hanya 23 nombor sahaja yang akan memberikan pulangan hadiah, dengan hadiah pertama bernilai RM2,500 hingga RM3,500 untuk setiap RM1 pertaruhan.

Daripada sudut lain, syarikat-syarikat yang menjual nombor ini mengaut keuntungan dengan menawarkan 9,977 nombor untuk dijual tanpa sebarang pulangan kepada kaki judi.

Jika mengikut peratusan, setiap nombor yang dipertaruhkan oleh kaki judi hanya mempunyai 0.23% untuk terkena hadiah.

Hari ini, syarikat-syarikat nombor 4 ekor telah mempelbagaikan produk mereka yang menawarkan hadiah berjuta-juta nilainya, dengan menawarkan lebih banyak nombor yang tidak memberikan pulangan untuk dijual kepada para kaki judi yang bermimpi menjadi jutawan.

Produk paling popular hari ini ialah Jackpot 4D, di mana hadiah minimum loteri bernilai RM2 juta ke atas akan diberikan kepada mereka yang berjaya membeli 2 set nombor 4 ekor yang muncul sebagai hadiah pertama, kedua dan ketiga pada mana-mana cabutan.

Ini bermakna terdapat 10 juta kombinasi nombor yang dijual kepada para kaki judi yang terkial-kial mengejar hadiah utama yang hanya mempunyai peluang kemenangan sekadar 0.00006% untuk setiap kombinasi dua set nombor 4 ekor yang dibeli.

Dengan peratusan serendah ini, dan jikalau kaki judi dapat melihat daripada perspektif ini, sudah tentu mereka tidak akan membazirkan duit mereka.

Di Malaysia, cabutan pada wajib hanya berlaku 3 kali seminggu iaitu pada setiap Rabu, Sabtu dan Ahad.

Syarikat-syarikat 4 ekor juga boleh mengadakan cabutan ‘extra’ pada hari Selasa tertentu jika mendapat kelulusan kerajaan, dan setakat Oktober ini, cabutan ‘extra’ telah berlaku lebih daripada 15 kali bagi tahun ini.

Selain menggalakkan media tidak menyiarkan berita-berita mereka yang terkena loteri, pihak kerajaan juga harus mengurangkan kekerapan cabutan ‘extra’ diadakan.

Ini kerana terlalu banyak pendapatan boleh guna rakyat telah dibazirkan untuk aktiviti judi ini yang hanya menguntungkan syarikat-syarikat 4 ekor ini. Jangan kerana kerajaan menginginkan sumber pendapatan yang lumayan daripada sektor perjudian, maka kerajaan menutup mata masalah sosial yang datang bersama-sama aktiviti judi.

Meskipun judi “dibolehkan” untuk orang bukan Islam (bukan kerana agama membenarkannya), tapi ini tidak bermaksud judi tidak mendatangkan kerosakan kepada keluarga dan masyarakat bukan Islam, terutamanya apabila ada ahli keluarga yang mempunyai ahli yang terlalu gian berjudi sehingga sanggup meminjam dari Ah Long dan juga mengabaikan keluarga.

Diharap selepas penerangan ini, media dapat mengambil sikap yang lebih proaktif untuk mendedahkan kerosakan daripada aktiviti judi daripada mewar-warkan bagaimana seorang yang termimpi nombor bertuah lalu terkena loteri berjuta ringgit tanpa menceritakan betapa banyak duitnya yang sudah terbazir sebelum ini di dalam aktiviti judi.

Di atas kepercayaan kebebasan bersuara tanpa wasangka, FMT cuba untuk berkongsi pandangan dengan pihak ketiga. Artikel yang disiarkan ini adalah pandangan peribadi penulis dan tidak mempunyai kaitan dengan FMT.

‘China not solely to blame for expensive durians’

PETALING JAYA: The durian craze may be hitting China, but outgoing envoy to Malaysia Huang Huikang says responsibility for the hike in prices should not be laid solely on the demand from his country.

In a report by China Press, Huang said he himself did not even like durians.

“I have high sugar levels,” he quipped.

“My doctor said that even if I liked durian, I can’t have it.”



The durian, fondly known as the King of Fruits, has been met with enthusiastic response from Chinese citizens, with products such as durian-flavoured ice-cream and coffee making waves at trade fairs in the country.

In July, the Federal Agricultural Marketing Authority (Fama) said the export of durians to China was set to increase following high demand for the fruit.

Fama director-general Ahmad Ishak said the export of Musang King durians last year had surged to RM60 million compared with RM33 million in the previous year.

He added that Fama was targeting RM70 million in durian exports to China.

“We expect exports to China to increase 10% by the end of this year,” he said.

The ministry of agriculture and agro-based industry meanwhile said in September that durians from Malaysia were expected to be directly exported to China in one or two years’ time.

Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek said the Malaysian government would strive to obtain the protocol and agreement from China so Malaysia could export unprocessed durians to their country.

He also joked that Malaysia-China relations should be referred to as “durian diplomacy”.

One Musang King durian is sold for about RM800 in Hong Kong while one kilogramme of the fruit can fetch RM200 in China.

According to the China Press, Chinese citizens owned some 121 hectares of durian orchards in Malaysia through local collaboration as of June.-fmt news-

Azmin: Saya ke China cari Jho Low, bukan jual Selangor

KUALA LUMPUR: Menteri Besar Selangor, Datuk Seri Azmin Ali membalas sindiran perdana menteri mengenai lawatannya ke China baru-baru ini bertujuan mengesan ahli perniagaan, Low Taek Jho atau Jho Low.

“Wahai @NajibRazak, saya ke China untuk mencari Jho Low. Hahaha,” tulisnya di Twitter.

Terdahulu, ketika membentangkan Bajet 2018 di Dewan Rakyat, Datuk Seri Najib Razak menasihatkan pembangkang supaya berhati-hati mendakwa lawatan kerajaan pusat ke China sebagai menggadaikan negara, sedangkan pemimpin pembangkang sendiri turut mengadakan lawatan ke luar negara untuk menarik pelaburan.

“Seandainya saya dan rakan-rakan anggota Kabinet mengadakan lawatan rasmi ke luar negara, janganlah sewenang-wenangnya sesiapapun menuduh kita hendak menggadai kedaulatan tanah air.

“Baru-baru ini, saya mendapat khabar berita katanya menteri besar Selangor merangkap ahli Parlimen Gombak sendiri telahpun berkunjung ke tanah besar China. Kita nak tanya, YB Gombak nak jual Selangor ke?

“Demikianlah kata orang, berhati-hatilah kalau mahu meludah ke langit, takut-takut nanti ia jatuh setepek, terpalit ke muka sendiri.

“Itu belum lagi dikira lawatan-lawatan ke luar negara yang dibuat ahli Parlimen Bagan, juga ketua menteri Pulau Pinang. Itupun kira macam mana, kita kira macam mana, nak jual negeri juga ke?” soalnya merujuk Lim Guan Eng.

Lawatan rasmi 6 hari Najib ke China pada November 2016 menyaksikan 14 perjanjian dengan pelaburan lebih RM143 bilion.

Ia disusuli lawatan rasmi kali ke-2 ke China pada 12 Mei lalu, atas jemputan Presiden, Xi Jinping yang dikritik pembangkang sebagai tidak menguntungkan negara.

Bagaimanapun, Azmin turut dilaporkan melawat China untuk menarik pelaburan ke Selangor, baru-baru ini.

Isnin lalu, Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi ketika menjawab soolan tambahan Azmin di Dewan Rakyat berkata, Malaysia meminta bantuan Interpol untuk mengesan Jho Low, tetapi belum mendapat sebarang maklumat terperinci daripada agensi antarabangsa itu.

Pejabat Zahid kemudiannya mengeluarkan satu kenyataan menafikan laporan itu dengan menyifatkan “beberapa media sosial memanipulasi jawapan timbalan perdana menteri” kerana tiada kes untuk disabitkan.

Pada 14 Ogos lalu, Azmin memfailkan saman terhadap ketua polis negara di Mahkamah Tinggi untuk menyiasat Jho Low.

Timbalan presiden PKR itu dalam tuntutannya mahu mahkamah mengeluarkan perintah kepada ketua polis negara untuk mengesan dan menahan ahli perniagaan kelahiran Pulau Pinang itu yang dikaitkan dengan skandal 1MDB, atas kesalahan pecah amanah dan pengubahan wang.

Jho Low yang hilang daripada pandangan umum, kini dipercayai menetap di China.-FMT NEWS-

Budget 2018 highlights

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Najib Razak has tabled the RM280 billion Budget for 2018, his last before the next general election which must be called by middle of next year.

Below are the highlights:

Civil Servants

• 1.6 million civil servants to receive the following benefits:

– second round time-based promotions

– senior servants who retire due to health reasons will be accorded the same benefits as those who undergo mandatory retirement

– special leave for teachers increased to 10 days a year, up from seven

– seven days unrecorded leave for umrah pilgrimage

– women at least five months pregnant allowed to leave work an hour earlier while husbands accorded the same privilege if their work locations are in close proximity to each other

– maternity leave increased from 300 to 360 days throughout service with a maximum of 90 days a year

– RM1,000 set for minimum pension amount

Senior Citizens, Disabled, Children

• RM1.7 billion for the following areas:

– RM603 million to increase allowance of senior citizens from RM50 to RM350

– RM100 million to increase allowance for the disabled by RM50 a month

Digital Free Trade Zone

• RM83.5 million allocated for DFTZ in Aeropolis, KLIA.

• Increase minimum value for imports from RM500 – RM800.

Sustainable Development 

• RM5 billion allocated under Green Technology Funding Scheme.

• RM1.4 billion to reduce non-revenue water programme.

• RM1.3 billion to build Off-River Storage as an alternative water source.

• RM517 million for flood mitigation plans nationwide.

Reduction in Income Tax Rates

• Reduction in individual income tax rates:

– RM20,001 – RM35,000: 5% to 3%

– RM35,001 – RM50,000: 10% to 8%

– RM50,001 – RM70,000: 16% to 14%

• Increase disposable income between RM300-RM1,000 while 261,000 do not have to pay tax

Foreign Domestic Helpers

• Allow employers to hire foreign domestic helpers directly without agent.

GST

• No change to Goods and Services Tax but government to propose either exemption or zerorising certain items and services.

– local councils

– reading materials

– cruise operators

– construction of schools and places of worship funded by approved donations

– oil and gas equipment imports under lease agreement

– import of big ticket items like planes and ships

– management and maintenance of homes with strata titles

Health

• RM27 billion for better quality health services.

• RM4.1 billion for medical supplies and consumables.

• RM1.4 billion to upgrade and maintain health facilities, equipment, ambulances and construction of operation theatres in three hospitals.

• RM100 million to upgrade hospitals and clinics.

• RM50 million to subsidise hemodialysis treatment; and RM40 million for medical assistance fund.

• RM10 million for treatment of rare diseases; RM30 million for health community programmes.

• RM50 million for voluntary health insurance scheme.

Housing

• RM2.2 billion allocated to boost home ownership.

BR1M

• 7 million benefited from RM6.8 billion in BR1M payouts and in 2018 the 7 million will continue to receive the same payout.

Orang Asli Benefits

• RM50 million for Orang Asli for economic development and quality of life enhancement.

• RM60 million for Orang Asli village development.

Indian and Chinese Benefits 

• RM50 million for Chinese SME loans through KOJADI.

• RM30 million to be channelled to the 1Malaysia Hawkers and Petty Traders Foundation.

• RM65 million allocated for Chinese New Villages and RM10 million for house restoration.

• RM1.5 billion additional Amanah Saham units for Indians.

• Increase the intake of Indians to IPTA and public service (7%)

Bumiputera Benefits

• RM2.4 billion allocated to UiTM.

• RM3.5 billion for the following initiatives:

– RM2.5 billion for MARA higher education and training scholarships

– RM90 million for Program Peneraju Profesional, Skil dan Tunas

– RM200 million for MARA Graduate Employability Training Scheme or GETS

– RM555 million for Bumiputera Entrepreneurship Enhancement Programme  (RM200 million for PUNB Entrepreneurship Programme and Business Premises; RM200 million for MARA Entrepreneurship; RM115 million for Vendor Capacity Programmes).

• RM150 million for Pelaburan Hartanah Berhad and RM150 million to EKUINAS.

Defence

• A total of RM14 billion for armed forces; RM9 billion for police force, RM900 million for Malaysian maritime.

• RM3 billion for purchase and maintenance of defence assets; RM720 million for the construction of 11 police headquarters and six police stations.

• RM490 million to MMEA for repair and maintenance of ships, boats, jetties and procurement of three patrol vessels.

• RM250 million to ESSCOM

• RM50 million to enhance weapon capability to combat terrorism.

• Government to build 40,000 houses in phases for families of armed forces personnel.

• RM40 million to upgrade five hospitals; build four polyclinics and one hospital for veteran armed forces personnel.

Rural Development

• RM200 million allocated for Felda for water supply and road upgrades.

• 112,ooo settlers will each receive windfall worth RM5,000.

• RM43 million allocation for Felda settlers and RM60 million for replanting of oil palm, RM164 million allocation to build 5,000 houses for second generation Felda settlers.

• RM1.1 billion for people-centric projects; RM1 billion to develop communication infrastructure; RM934 million for rural projects; RM672 million for electricity supply; RM420 million for clean water supply inclusive of RM300 million in Sabah and Sarawak covering 3,000 homes; RM500 million for public infrastructure maintenance; RM50 million for mapping and measuring of native customary land – RM30 million for Sarawak, RM20 million for Sabah.

• RM6.5 billion for rural infrastructure which includes RM2 billion for the Pan Borneo Highway.

Education

• RM4.9 million allocated for 100 scholarships for TVET students.

• RM4.9 billion allocated for Technical and Vocational, Education and Training (TVET).

• RM200 million added to PTPTN fund for B40 families.

• Discount for repayment of PTPTN loans is extended to Dec 31, 2018 (20% for full repayment, 10% for 50% repayment, and 10% for direct debit salary deduction).

• RM100 for 3.2 million schoolchildren totalling RM328 million.

• RM2.9 billion for food aid, text books and minor federal scholarships.

• RM2.5 billion for maintenance of schools – RM500 million in Peninsula, RM1 billion in Sabah, RM1 billion in Sarawak, in addition to an existing special fund for maintenance.

• RM654 million for construction of four pre-schools; nine Permata schools; two centres for children with autism; 48 primary, secondary as well as vocational and matriculation centres.

• RM61.6 billion for development of education.

TN50

• RM20 million for Bukit Jalil sports school.

• RM112 million to construct 14 new sports complexes nationwide.

• RM1 billion to conduct sports initiatives to make country a sports powerhouse.

• RM50 million to fund social enterprise and NGOs to solve communities issues.

• RM40 million for open interview programme under the 1Malaysia training scheme (SL1M).

• All undergraduates and those in Form Six will continue to receive book vouchers.

• RM90 million for MyBrain programme for 10,600 students to further their studies at post-graduate level.

• RM400 million for research and development grants to public institutions of higher learning with a special allocation to Universiti Malaya to achieve status of Top 100 universities in the world.

• RM2.2 billion for JPA scholarships, the ministry of higher education and ministry of health.

• RM20 million for setting up of a Cultural Economy Development agency.

• RM190 million to upgrade 2,000 classes to become smart learning classrooms.

• To enhance present computer science module to include coding programme in primary and secondary school curriculums.

• RM250 million to build science, technology, engineering and mathematics centre.

• Special fund set up for children born between Jan 2018 to Jan 2022.

• Tax relief for employers who employ the disabled that include those involved in accidents and have critical illnesses.

• Local councils to make it mandatory for all new buildings to have childcare facilities, beginning in Kuala Lumpur.

Public Transport

• Government studying proposal for a new airport in Pulau Tioman.

• Government to build new airport for Mukah and expand airport for Kota Bahru and Sandakan.

• Government to upgrade Penang and Langkawi international airports.

• RM55 million transport subsidy for rural rail services from Tumpat to Gua Musang.

• RM45 million to create a biometric control system to monitor the movement of express bus services.

• RM95 million for the repair and construction of jetties as well as river mouth dredging.

• RM1 billion for public transport fund for start-up capital and procurement of assets like buses and taxis.

• RM3 billion for transport development fund for the purchase of maritime assets, aerospace technology development and rail.

Infrastructure

• Special border economic zone in Bukit Kayu Hitam to be developed.

• Pulau Pangkor to be declared a duty-free zone.  

• RM230 million to continue central spine road project from Raub to Bentong.

• RM5 billion for the west coast coastal highway from Banting to Taiping.

• Government to expedite MRT3 project by two years from 2027 to 2025.

• RM32 billion for MRT2 project (Sg Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya).

• RM110 million to provide alternative road to Port Klang.

Tourism

• RM30 million to be allocated to the Malaysian Healthcare Travel Council to boost medical tourism.

• RM500 million for the promotion and development of tourism.

• RM1 billion to tourism infrastructure development fund.

• RM2 billion fund for SMEs in tourism.

Agriculture

• RM200 monthly for a duration of 3 months for padi farmers while waiting to harvest their crops, which amounts to RM150 million.

• RM200 million for rubber replanting, RM140 million for development, re-planting and promotion of oil palm.

• Almost RM500 million to improve agriculture infrastructure.

• RM2.3 billion in incentives and assistance for the agriculture community.

• RM6.5 billion allocated to the smallholders, farming and fishing communities.

Other Highlights

• RM100 million with a 70% government-guaranteed loan for the furniture export industry.

• RM200 million allocated for training programmes, grants and SME easy loans under SME Corp; and close to RM82 million for halal products and industry development.

• RM2 billion set aside for 70% government-guaranteed loans.

• RM5 billion allocated for start-up capital for businesses.

• RM7 billion allocated to Skim Jaminan Pembiayaan Perniagaan.

• SMEs expected to contribute 41% of GDP by 2020.

• Private sector investment is expected to reach RM260 billion by 2018 and will be the engine of growth.

• Total investments in the country is expected to increase by 6.7% contributing to 25.5% to the GDP for 2018.

• RM26.34 billion for economic sector; RM11.72 billion for the social sector; RM5.22 billion for the security sector; RM2.72 billion for general administration sector.

• Administration budget is RM119.82 billion; other expenditure is RM1.08 billion; asset procurement is RM577 million.

• For 2018, federal government is expected to collect RM239.86 billion in revenue.

• Allocation for Budget 2018 is RM280.25 billion, an increase of over RM20 billion.

• B40 household income has increased to RM3,000 per month from RM2,629 for the period 2014-2016.

• Monthly median income has increased from RM4,585 in 2014 to RM5,288 in 2016.

• Current per capita income stands at RM40,713, expected to reach RM42,777 by 2018.

• Our international reserves now stand at US$101.4 billion.

• In August, exports hit a high of RM80 billion, recording double-digit growth.

• 69% or 2.26 million new jobs created so far from the target 3.3 million to be created by 2020.

• 3  international credit rating agencies have reaffirmed our A-rating with stable prospects.

• Looking at 2009, our fiscal deficit was at 6.7% of the GDP and is expected to decrease to 3% in 2017 and 2.8% in 2018.

• Actual private investment for 2016 is over RM211 billion.

• Government projection growth of between 5.2% to 5.7% for 2017, higher than the projection in March of between 4.3% and 4.8%.

• Projected GDP increase from 4.9% to 5.2% for 2017.

• The country has had a growth rate of 5.7% in the first half of 2017.

-FMT NEWS-