This year's EPF dividends likely to be higher

PUTRAJAYA: The Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) dividend for 2009 is expected to be higher compared to the 4.5 per cent paid out in the previous year. EPF chairman Tan Sri Samsudin Osman said this was due to the local share market's stable position and good investment returns. "A meeting on dividend rates will be held this month, while an announcement on it will be made in March," he told reporters, here on Sunday. Samsudin, who is also Putrajaya Corporation president, had earlier presented prizes to winners of a fishing competition held in conjunction with Federal Territory Day celebrations. In December, EPF announced that it obtained RM5.5bil in profits in the third quarter last year, which was an increase of RM696.32mil (14.51%) compared to RM4.8bil in the previous quarter. EPF chief executive officer Tan Sri Azlan Zainol said EPF funds had now increased to RM361.09bil compared with RM353.93bil in the second quarter last year. For the year 2008, 12 million EPF members received a dividend of 4.5%, which was lower than the 5.8% for 2007. - BERNAMA

Tahun ini dividen KWSP kemungkinan akan lebih tinggi

PUTRAJAYA: Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja-pekerja Itu (KWSP) dividen untuk 2009 dijangka untuk menjadi lebih tinggi berbanding dengan 4.5 peratus mengeluarkan dalam tahun sebelumnya. Pengerusi KWSP Tan Sri Samsudin Osman berkata ini adalah kerana pasaran saham setempat kedudukan stabil dan pulangan pelaburan baik. "Satu mesyuarat pada kadar-kadar dividen akan diadakan bulan ini, manakala satu pengumuman pada ia akan dibuat pada Mac," dia memberitahu wartawan-wartawan, di sini pada hari Ahad. Samsudin, yang juga merupakan Putrajaya presiden Corporation, telah terdahulu menyampaikan hadiahhadiah untuk pemenang-pemenang pertandingan memancing diadakan bersempena Wilayah Persekutuan perayaan-perayaan Day. Pada bulan Disember, KWSP mengumumkan yang ia memperolehi RM5.5bil dalam keuntungankeuntungan dalam suku tahun lepas ketiga, yang adalah satu peningkatan RM696.32mil (14.51%) berbanding dengan RM4.8bil dalam suku sebelumnya. Ketua pegawai eksekutif KWSP Tan Sri Azlan Zainol menyatakan wang KWSP telah kini tambahkan RM361.09bil berbanding dengan RM353.93bil dalam suku kedua tahun lepas. Untuk tahun 2008, 12 juta ahli-ahli KWSP satu dividen dapat 4.5%, yang adalah lebih rendah daripada 5.8% untuk 2007. BERNAMA

Two women, a road trip ... and a dead maid in the trunk By M. KUMAR and ALLISON LAI

malacca@thestar.com.my MALACCA: Police here are investigating an incident involving two local women, in their 40s, who drove from Malacca to Kuala Lumpur with the corpse of an Indonesian maid in their car. The bizarre turn of events occurred when the family whom the maid, in her early 30s, was working for called up the maids employment agent to say that their maid was gravely ill. The agent decided to take along her friend, an ex-nurse, to visit the family and the maid. However, upon their arrival, the two women were shocked when told the maid had passed away. The family insisted that the agent settle the funeral arrangements. Not knowing what to do next, the two women took the body with them in their car and left for an undertaker in Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur. The undertaker refused their request to cremate the body as they were unable to produce an official death certificate, and advised them to instead take the matter up with the Indonesian embassy. However, embassy officials told the two women to lodge a police report at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital, which they did, said Dang Wangi OCPD Asst Comm Zulkarnian Abdul Rahman. It is learnt that both women were questioned by the police at 2am on Friday. A post-mortem was conducted on the body to determine the cause of death. When contacted, state OCCI ACP Mohd Adnan Abdullah said that the police were still waiting for the post-mortem results.

He added that police were investigating the case from all angles, since there were signs of injury on the maids body.

MELAKA: Polis di sini sedang menyiasat kejadian melibatkan sebuah dua wanita tempatan, dalam lingkungan 40an, yang disebabkan dari Melaka ke Kuala Lumpur dengan mayat seorang pembantu rumah Indonesia itu dalam kereta mereka. Giliran acara aneh berlaku apabila keluarga yang pembantu rumah, dalam dia dulu 30-an, bekerja untuk mengingatkan kembali pekerjaan pembantu rumah ejen untuk mengatakan yang pembantu rumah mereka sakit dengan serius. Ejen itu memutuskan untuk mengambil sepanjang kawannya, satu tanpa jururawat, untuk melawat keluarga dan pembantu rumah. Bagaimanapun, di atas ketibaan mereka, dua wanita terkejut apabila diberitahu pembantu rumah telah meninggal dunia. Keluarga itu mendesak yang kerusi panjang ejen peraturan pengebumian itu. Bukan mengetahui apa boleh buat lain, dua wanita mengambil badan dengan mereka dalam kereta mereka dan bertolak seorang penjaga kubur dalam Jalan Pahang, Kuala Lumpur Pengurus mayat itu enggan permintaan mereka untuk membakar badan sebagai mereka telah tidak mampu untuk mengeluarkan sekeping sijil kematian rasmi, dan menasihatkan mereka untuk sebaliknya membawa perkara itu naik dengan kedutaan Indonesia. Bagaimanapun, pegawai kedutaan memberitahu dua wanita untuk mengemukakan satu laporan polis pada Hospital Kuala Lumpur, yang mereka melakukan, berkata Dang Wangi OCPD ASST COMM ZULKARNIAN Abdul Rahman. Difahamkan bahawa kedua-dua orang wanita telah dipersoalkan oleh polis pada 2am pada hari Jumaat. Satu post-mortem dikendalikan atas badan untuk menentukan punca kematian. Bila dihubungi, ACP OCCI rasmi Mohd Adnan Abdullah berkata yang polis masih menunggu untuk keputusan-keputusan post-mortem. Dia menambah bahawa polis menyiasat kes daripada semua sudut, kerana terdapat tanda-tanda kecederaan pada badan pembantu rumah.

Ministry recruiting 13,000 English language teachers

KOTA SAMARAHAN: The Education Ministry is recruiting about 13,000 graduates and secondary school leavers to be trained as English language teachers next year in an effort to achieve the National Key Result Area (NKRA) target of widening access to quality and affordable education. Deputy Education Minister Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi said the candidates would be sent to teacher education institutes in the country. This is one of the measures to overcome the shortage of teachers and, at the same time, to ensure that students have access to quality education as required under the NKRA, he told reporters after a working visit to Sekolah Kebangsaan Pendam, Sadong Jaya, here Tuesday. He also visited eight primary and secondary schools in the Batong Sadong parliamentary constituency, accompanied by Batong Sadong Member of Parliament Nancy Shukri and Sarawak education director Datuk Dr Julaihi Bujang. Dr Mohd Puad said the ministry would recruit more teachers from as many localities as possible to avert the problem of the placement of teachers in interior and rural areas.

Some 443 primary and secondary schools in Sarawak are categorised as interior and rural schools, and 6,261 teachers serve there. Dr Mohd Puad also said that the ministry would intensify efforts to provide facilities such as school buildings and water and electricity supply in the interior and rural areas in Sarawak under the 10th Malaysia Plan (2011-2015). The ministry will also give immediate attention to teachers quarters, said Dr Mohd Puad, who began a four-day visit to Sarawak on Monday. -- Bernama

KOTA SAMARAHAN: Kementerian Pelajaran mengambil kira-kira 13,000 orang graduan dan sekolah menengah telah meninggalkan untuk dilatih Inggeris guru bahasa tahun depan dalam satu usaha bagi mencapai National Key Result Area (NKRA) sasaran melebarkan akses untuk pendidikan berkualiti dan mampu. Timbalan Menteri Pelajaran Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi berkata calon-calon itu akan dihantar ke institut pendidikan guru dalam negara itu. Ini merupakan satu daripada langkah-langkah itu untuk mengatasi kekurangan guru itu dan, pada masa yang sama, bagi memastikan pelajar-pelajar itu mempunyai akses untuk pendidikan bermutu kerana dikehendaki di bawah NKRA, dia memberitahu wartawan-wartawan selepas satu lawatan kerja kepada Sekolah Kebangsaan Pendam, Sadong Jaya, di sini Selasa. Dia turut melawat lapan sekolah-sekolah rendah dan sekunder dalam kawasan pilihan raya parlimen Batong Sadong, diiringi oleh Ahli Parlimen Batong Sadong Nancy Shukri dan pengarah pendidikan Sarawak Datuk Dr Julaihi Bujang. Dr Mohd Puad menyatakan kementerian itu akan mengambil lebih guru daripada sebagai banyak kawasan yang mungkin untuk mengelakkan masalah penempatan guru-guru dalam kawasan-kawasan pedalaman dan luar bandar. Lebih kurang 443 sekolah-sekolah rendah dan sekunder di Sarawak dikategorikan sebagai sekolah-sekolah pedalaman dan luar bandar, dan 6,261 orang guru berkhidmat di situ. Dr Mohd Puad juga berkata bahawa kementerian akan memperhebatkan usaha-usaha untuk menyediakan kemudahan-kemudahan seperti mengawal bangunan-bangunan dan air dan bekalan elektrik dalam pedalaman dan kawasan luar bandar di Sarawak di bawah Malaysia ke-10 Plan (2011-2015). Kementerian itu juga akan memberi perhatian segera untuk kuarters guru, berkata Dr Mohd Puad, yang dimulakan lawatan empat hari ke Sarawak pada Isnin. Bernama

Buy a luxury car and get a free Kancil or Iswara

By CHRISTINA CHIN

GEORGE TOWN: An enterprising used-car dealer is offering a buy one, get one free package in conjunction with the Chinese New Year. He is giving away a pre-owned Proton Iswara or Perodua Kancil with every purchase of a luxury car worth over RM100,000.
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The Sport Rim Auto spokesman, who did not want to be named, claimed that his was the first used-car dealership in the country to offer such a package. We pride ourselves in being a car supermarket since we are the biggest used-car dealer in the north. Our company has been around for about 20 years. Thats why we can afford to have this promotion, he said. The spokesman added that many new user-car dealers mushroomed last year despite the sluggish economy and they had to keep ahead of the competition. So we have come up with this offer it is no different from AirAsias novel low-fare campaign, he said, adding that the promotion was only for this month.

He said to date, they had sold three BMWs. The response has been good because buyers also receive free insurance coverage for the first year, he said. Buyers who do not want the free cars will be given a discount in lieu, he added.

GEORGE TOWN: Satu peniaga kereta terpakai yang berdaya usaha menawarkan satu membeli satu, mendapat satu bebas pakej sempena Tahun Baru Cina. Dia memberi tidak ada satu sebelum dimiliki Proton Iswara atau Perodua Kancil dengan setiap pembelian kereta mewah bernilai mengenai RM100,000 Jurucakap Sport Rim Auto, yang tidak mahu dinamakan, mendakwa bahawa dia adalah kereta terpakai pertama peniaga dalam negara itu bagi menawarkan sedemikian suatu bungkusan. Kami kebanggaan diri kita dalam menjadi satu pasar raya kereta' sejak kami kereta terpakai terbesar peniaga dalam utara. Syarikat kita telah berada di sekitar untuk kira-kira 20 tahun. Itu mengapa kami mampu telah promosi ini, katanya. Jurucakap itu menambah bahawa banyak baru pengguna kereta peniaga-peniaga bertambah dengan banyak tahun lepas walaupun kelembapan ekonomi dan mereka terpaksa menyimpan mendahului pertandingan itu. Jadi kita mengemukakan tawaran ini - ia adalah tidak berbeza dengan novel AirAsia kempen tambang rendah, katanya, menambah bahawa promosi adalah hanya untuk bulan ini. Katanya sehingga kini, mereka telah menjual tiga BMWs. Sambutan itu telah menjadi baik kerana pembeli-pembeli turut mendapat perlindungan insurans bebas untuk tahun pertama, katanya. Pembeli-pembeli yang tidak mahu bebas kereta-kereta akan diberikan satu diskaun dalam sebagai ganti, dia menambah.

Placement of teachers depending on needs

PUTRAJAYA: The selection and placement of Post-graduate Teacher Training Diploma and teaching graduates from public universities will depend on job vacancies and their teaching option, according to Deputy Education Minister Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi. Dr Puad said Post-graduate Teacher Training Course graduates from Malaysian Teachers Training Institutes had already secured placement for the new school year beginning next week. However, he said certain graduates from public universities might run into problems if there was an oversupply of teachers in a particular teaching option. Training course graduates may only face problems if they had previous employment and took up the course without informing or getting consent from their employers, he said at a press conference after the ministrys Quality Day. We cant proceed with placement if theyre unable to secure release from their employers, Dr Puad said when responding to complaints from graduates that they had yet to receive their placement. He said unlike graduates from training institutes who were trained in a particular subject according to the needs of the Education Ministry, diploma graduates were free to choose their teaching options and this could lead to oversupply.

Citing the ministrys move to hire 13,000 English teachers, Dr Puad added that ones teaching option would also play an important role in securing placement. Dr Puad urged any teaching institute graduate who has yet to obtain placement to contact the ministry.

PUTRAJAYA: Pemilihan dan penempatan Post-graduate Teacher Training Diploma dan graduan-graduan ajaran daripada universiti-universiti awam akan bergantungan kekosongan jawatan dan pilihan ajaran mereka, menurut Timbalan Menteri Pelajaran Dr Mohd Puad Zarkashi. Dr Puad menyatakan Post-graduate Teacher Training Course bergraduat daripada Teachers Training Institutes Malaysia telah sudah terjamin penempatan untuk tahun persekolahan baru minggu berikutnya permulaan. Bagaimanapun, katanya graduan-graduan tertentu daripada universiti-universiti awam mungkin terserempak dengan masalah-masalah jika terdapat satu penawaran berlebihan guru-guru dalam satu pilihan ajaran yang tertentu. Graduan-graduan kursus latihan mungkin hanya menghadapi masalah jika mereka mempunyai pekerjaan sebelumnya dan mengambil kursus tanpa memberitahu atau mendapat persetujuan daripada majikan mereka, katanya pada sidang akhbar selepas kementerian Quality Day. Kami tidak boleh meneruskan dengan penempatan jika mereka tidak mampu untuk pembebasan selamat daripada majikan mereka, Dr Puad menyatakan ketika menjawab untuk aduan-aduan daripada siswazah bahawa mereka telah belum menerima penempatan mereka. Dia berkata tidak seperti graduan-graduan daripada institut latihan yang dilatih dalam tajuk tertentu menurut keperluan-keperluan Kementerian Pelajaran, graduan-graduan diploma bebas memilih ajaran mereka opsyen-opsyen dan ini akan membawa kepada penawaran berlebihan. Memetik langkah kementerian itu untuk mengupahkan 13,000 guru bahasa Inggeris, Dr Puad menambah bahawa satu pilihan ajaran juga akan memainkan satu peranan penting dalam mendapatkan penempatan. Dr Puad menyeru mana-mana graduan institut perguruan yang masih belum mendapatkan penempatan untuk menghubungi kementerian.