Friday, October 30, 2015

Parti Rakyat Malaysia(PRM) :- Workers, private sector or public sector, should have the same MINIMUM WAGE?

Parti Rakyat Malaysia(PRM) protest the action of the Malaysian government in setting the Minimum Wage of private sector workers at RM1,000, that is lower and different from the Minimum Wage of public sector workers(government employees) which was set at RM1,200.

PRM also protest that the Minimum Wage of workers in Sabah and Sarawak are lower than that set for workers in Peninsular Malaysia.

PRM urges for the minimum wages to be set at 1,500 - and says that Minimum Wage increment of RM100 after 3 1/2 years is absurd.

PRM also makes a proposal to assist the very small businesses/employers - suggesting a basic wage coupled with a profit sharing scheme, as a means to assist these poorer employers.

The PRM Media Statement in Bahasa Malaysia is attached below.[Let's also monitor the media and see who carried this statement - and that will also demonstrate the sad state of affairs of even 'alternative' media who really are not giving spaces for the smaller political parties, NGOs and civil society groups...Really, if there is no time to write a report, just carry all these statements as 'Letters to the Editor' or Opinions on your online sites.]

See earlier related post:-

BN Government says private sector workers less important than government workers - so different MINIMUM WAGES?




Kenyataan Media PRM – 29/10/2015

Pekerja Swasta Dan Awam Harus Menerima Gaji Minima Sama

Parti Rakyat Malaysia(PRM) membantah tindakan kerajaan Malaysia yang tidak prihatin kepada pekerja sektor swasta di mana gaji minima hanya akan dinaikkan kepada RM1,000(untuk Semenanjung Malaysia) dan RM920(untuk Sabah dan Sarawak), sementara pekerja sektor kerajaan (atau penjawat awam) gaji minima telah dinaikkan kepada RM1,200. Harus tidak dilupakan bahawa semua pekerja, sama ada swasta atau kerajaan, menyumbangkan tenaga kepada perjalanan dan pembangunan negara.

PRM berpendapat bahawa semua pekerja, tidak kira sama ada mereka bekerja di sektor swasta atau kerajaan, harus mendapat layanan sama dan gaji minima sama.

Ingin juga dinyatakan bahawa pekerja kerajaan kini menikmati bukan sahaja kestabilan kerja yang lebih, tetapi juga menerima bantuan beraneka jenis termasuk COLA(Cost of Living Allowance), tetapi  semua ini tidak dinikmati pekerja swasta. 

Justeru, secara lojik boleh dikatakan bahawa jika pun ada kadar gaji minima berbeda, secara adil gaji minima pekerja swasta sepatutnya lebih tinggi daripada pekerja kerajaan. Kerajaan harus memerlukan majikan swasta  menyediakan skim saperti COLA untuk  membantu pekerja swasta.

Secara tambahan, adalah tidak munasabah mengapa pekerja di Sabah dan Sarawak ditetapkan gaji minima yang kurang berbanding dengan gaji minima pekerja di Semenanjung Malaysia. Ingin dinyatakan, bahawa kos sara hidup di Sabah dan Sarawak adalah lebih tinggi berbanding dengan Semenanjung Malaysia. Ini bererti pekerja Sabah dan Sarawak seharusnya menikmati gaji minima sama, kalau tidak  lebih tinggi. Nyatanya kerajaan BN lebih mengutamakan perniagaan dan majikan daripada  pekerja.

Gaji Minima RM900 untuk Semenanjung Malaysia dan RM800 untuk Sabah dan Sarawak, telah mula dinikmati pekerja mulai tahun 2013, berasaskan Perintah Gaji Minima 2012 yang dikeluarkan pada 16 Julai 2012. Mengikut Akta berkenaan, gaji minima sepatutnya dikaji semula sekurang-kurangnya dua tahun sekali, bererti sepatutnya gaji minima paling lewat sepatutnya bertambah mulai 1 Januari 2015 tetapi kerajaan BN yang tidak prihatin gagal menambahkan kadar gaji minima awal tahun 2015 walaupun kos sara hidup jelas telah bertambah, antara lain kerana tindakan kerajaan BN mengurangkan subsidi, pelaksanaan GST dan kenaikan harga barangan.

PRM juga menuntut agar kerajaan, khususnya Kementerian Kebajikan, menyediakan bantuan kewangan untuk mereka yang kehilangan kerja dan sedang mencari pekerjaan.  Bantuan kewangan ini harus terus disalurkan kepada pekerja yang kehilangan pekerjaan sehingga mereka dapat kerja baru atau untuk jangka masa sekurang-kurangnya 6 bulan, Bukti usaha mencari kerja wajib untuk melayakkan pekerja mendapatkan bantuan kehidupan ini.  Jumlah bantuan ini harus sekurang-kurangnya RM1,000 sebulan.

Kerajaan yang bertanggungjawab harus memastikan bahawa semua pekerja Malaysia ada mempunyai pekerjaan tetap dan stabil, dan sehingga seseorang pekerja kehilangan kerja berjaya mendapat pekerjaan baru, ianya adalah tanggungjawab kerajaan memastikan bantuan kehidupan diberikan kepada pekerja sekeluarga.

Majikan perniagaan sangat kecil saperti kedai-kedai runcit, restoran dan warong makan, gerai pasar dan pasar tani, kontraktor binaan kecil dan kedai mekanik kereta dan motorsikal  khususnya di bandar dan kampung harus diberikan kelonggaran jika mereka memilih opsyen membayar 50-75% daripada gaji minima, dengan syarat ada skim perkongsian pendapatan/keuntungan perniagaan dengan pekerja, di mana peratusan keuntungan yang harus dikongsi dengan pekerja adalah tidak kurang daripada 40% keuntungan bulanan. Ini adalah kerana kini banyak peniaga kecil tidak mempunyai pendapatan tetap, dan tidak mampu memberi komitmen akan membayar gaji minima pun – tetapi sanggup berkongsi keuntungan dengan pekerja. Niat utama skim sebegini adalah untuk memastikan seberapa boleh pekerja dapat menerima gaji adil, dan majikan perniagaan kecil tidak disusah-bebankan.

PRM berpendirian gaji minima yang wajar harus tidak kurang daripada RM1,500, dan harus dikaji semula dan ditingkatkan setiap tahun. Tindakan menaikkan gaji minima sebanyak RM100 selepas tiga setengah tahun adalah tidak rasional dan munasabah.

Koh Swe Yong
Setiausaha Agung,
Parti Rakyat Malaysia
(No. Tel: 012-2766551)

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Foreign Spouses, Migrant Workers, PR holders, tourists suffers as Malaysia raises medical fees payable by 70%?

Medical fees for non-citizens will increase by 70% - fees for outpatient treatment, including medicine, for instance, would be increased from RM23.50 to RM40 while the fees for specialist treatment would go up to RM132.60 from RM78. 
Now Malaysians pay RM1 to see a doctor, and RM5 to see a specialist, and foreigners pay RM23.50 (and RM78 for a specialist) - and now they want to increase this to RM40 and RM132. Now, the rich will most likely go to the private clinics and hospitals, it is usually only the poorer people that goes to government clinics and hospitals - so clearly this move is WRONG. [Maybe, the Minister should tell us how many foreigners are not going to hospital now because they cannot afford the fees...and how many of them who died just because they need not seek healthcare]. Clearly Malaysia is looking at migrant workers - no problem if the employers are paying, but alas in many cases the money comes out from their own pocket...and remember Minimum Wage is RM900...BN Government says private sector workers less important than government workers - so different MINIMUM WAGES?

UNJUST, and the following categories should really be paying the same rate as Malaysians..
1) Foreign Spouses of Malaysians;
2) Those with Permanent Residency(PR) Status;
3) Migrant Workers - documented migrant workers, which are here because Malaysia needs them..

Malaysia must also consider what other countries will do when Malaysians there are seeking medical treatment. Will it be tit-for-tat?  In that sense, when it comes to healthcare, should not Malaysia treat all human persons the same - that is charged at the same rate especially for emergency cases like accidents...Do we want to deter the poorer tourists? 

ASEAN citizens should maybe be charged the same medical fees - since we are now ASEAN COMMUNITY?

Creating restrictions to healthcare like the 'extremely high medical fees' that Malaysia is charging foreigners would likely cause people who are sick (even with transmitable disease) seeking medical attention. So, when we have a thyphoid outbreak, TB, dengue fever, etc --- it will be the fault of this BN government of Malaysia because they decided to charge foreign nationals so high medical fees. 

In terms of migrant workers, there maybe about 2.1 million documented migrants and maybe another 5 million undocumented migrants in Malaysia at any time > and so, making it difficult for them to access healthcare is really very FOOLISH.

Remember, as it is foreigners are already paying so much higher than Malaysians

Hospital Fees for Foreigners (Migrant Workers) at Public Hospitals Inreases - RM600 Deposit to be warded in 3rd Class?

58 Groups:- Employers must pay all medical cost of workers especially when it is a work-related accident or an occupational disease.

Migrant Workers should not be charged 1st class rates at government hospitals in Malaysia


October 26, 2015 MYT 6:59:05 AM

Medical fees for non-citizens to increase by 70%

by loh foon fong

PETALING JAYA: Medical fees for non-citizens will increase by 70% when the Government stops subsidising them beginning Jan 1, said Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam.

The charges, he said, would reflect the real cost of treatment that the Government had to bear and would cover all treatments.

On Friday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced in his Budget 2016 speech that the Government would impose full medical charges on non-citizens beginning next year.

Speaking to The Star, Dr Subramaniam said the fees for outpatient treatment, including medicine, for instance, would be increased from RM23.50 to RM40 while the fees for specialist treatment would go up to RM132.60 from RM78.

He said the ministry only wanted to cover its costs and the fees to be charged would reflect that. He also said that the increase should not be an issue for legal foreign workers as they were covered by insurance.

The ministry had initially planned to increase the charges up to the full cost in three stages in three years but decided to do it in two years instead, he said.

On whether the fees collected would help increase the fund that the ministry needed for its expenditure, Dr Subramaniam said it would help a little.

With 2.1 million legal foreign workers, that would give the ministry an extra RM40mil to RM50mil a year, he said.

Undocumented workers who sought treatment from government health facilities, too, would be charged, he said.

Malaysian Employers Federation executive director Datuk Sham­suddin Bardan said that the insurance for foreign workers only covered hospitalisation and not outpatient treatment and this would increase the cost to employers.

Although the workers were supposed to pay for their own outpatient treatment, most employers picked up the tab, he said.

With the hike, he also expressed concern that the cost of hospitalisation would also increase, thus jacking up the insurance premiums, which in many cases were borne by employers.

“If the Government wants to get more revenue, it should charge the fees on foreign citizens who are not legally employed because those employed had already paid a levy,” he said.

The Immigration Department collect a levy of RM850 to RM2,000 for each foreign worker and this should be channelled to the Health Ministry to cover their healthcare, he said.

He said with high medical costs, the workers might not want to seek treatment and this might have some consequences.

On another issue, Dr Subra­maniam said the ministry would pool its resources in view of the slight shortfall in health budget allocation for next year.

The health budget allocated in Budget 2016 was RM23.031bil or 8.6% of the total budget, RM269mil less than this year’s allocation.

He said the ministry would reduce funding in other areas and give priority to preventive and primary care.

Dr Subramaniam also expressed happiness that more medicine have now been categorised as zero-rated in the Goods and Services Tax list.- Star, 26/10/2015

Deputy Minister Nur Jazlan reacts to HRW's “Creating a Culture of Fear: The Criminalisation of Peaceful Expression in Malaysia”


When allegations of violating human rights are raised, the correct approach is to RESPOND, and that means doing the needful to ensure that Malaysia is a country where human rights and justice are respected and promoted. If there are wrong statements of facts in the report, highlight these and provide the truth...If not, say thank you for highlighting these, we will consider it and act to ensure that human rights and justice are respected in Malaysia very very soon...

Sadly, our Barisan Nasional's response, it seems, more so of late under Prime Minister Najib has been to go after people that highlight wrongdoings, and so the Human Rights Watch's report title may be right - “Creating a Culture of Fear: The Criminalisation of Peaceful Expression in Malaysia” 

Well, below we see the summary of this report that Nur Jazlan reacted to... 

Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed has accused watchdog Human Rights Watch (HRW) of politicising allegations that the Malaysian government was clamping down on dissent by using repressive laws to silence critics. 
Sadly, he never said that anything stated in the report was untrue - all he said was that HRW was 'politicing allegations' - what does that mean?

He then says that HRW is not as critical about other countries. You do not attack people of highlighting wrongs or injustice in Malaysia by saying 'unfair' - please highlight issues in the US, Singapore, etc... That is so lame - the question is whether the report is true or false?

It is great that Malaysia has repealed the Internal Security Act (ISA) and EO - laws that provided for detention without trial....But not enough, there are still many unjust laws like the Sedition Act and the SOSMA. We will discuss POTA and POCA at a different time.

 

Global rights group politicising issues in Malaysia, says deputy home minister




Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed questions the lack of attention paid by Human Rights Watchto the treatment of detainees at Guantanamo Bay by the US government. – The Malaysian Insider pic, October 28, 2015.Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed questions the lack of attention paid by Human Rights Watchto the treatment of detainees at Guantanamo Bay by the US government. – The Malaysian Insider pic, October 28, 2015. 
 
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed has accused watchdog Human Rights Watch (HRW) of politicising allegations that the Malaysian government was clamping down on dissent by using repressive laws to silence critics.
He said the group's report (pic, left) was unfair as Malaysia made several reforms to improve freedom of expression by repealing the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA), which allows for detention without trial, as well as the Emergency Ordinance (EO).



"Malaysia has shown commitment by repealing the ISA and the EO. This move has shown Malaysia is fair towards its citizens," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby today.

"I think the report has been politicised by HRW. Countries like the United States have Guantanamo Bay, where they detain people for donkey's years but that's alright. They (HRW) have never harped on the issue." The New York-based watchdog released a report yesterday documenting Putrajaya’s alleged abuse of laws to criminalise peaceful expression and urged Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to stop treating criticism as a crime.

Titled “Creating a Culture of Fear: The Criminalisation of Peaceful Expression in Malaysia”, the 145-page report accuses Najib of repeatedly breaking his promises to repeal repressive and draconian laws and also reminded him of his pledge to “uphold civil liberties” when he took office in April 2009.

HRW said the Najib administration, particularly since 2013, had used a range of broad and vaguely worded laws “to harass, investigate and arrest” individuals for peaceful expression.

The level of repression intensified since late last year amid increasing public criticism of Putrajaya’s treatment of former opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, now serving jail time for sodomy, and over plans to impose the goods and services tax which was rolled out in April this year.

Although the ISA and EO were replaced with the Prevention of Terrorism Act 2015 (Pota) and Prevention of Crime Act (Poca), Nur Jazlan maintained that the newer laws were not repressive like its predecessors because of certain allocations.

"The difference between Pota and ISA is with ISA, you can only appeal to the minister, only he has the power and there's no right of review.

"Now under Pota, the minister is no longer involved but the board is and the suspects detained can ask the board to review their case for them to be released," he said.

"We had to introduce Poca because of the rising threat of organised and transnational crime. And Poca is also the same system as Pota, there is a board to administer it and the suspects can have their right of review for their release to the board."

The Pulai MP said that other countries had harsher laws, urging HRW to look into abuses of laws in those places as well.

"Not just in Western countries, but also in Singapore. Singapore still has ISA but they haven’t focused on Singapore as much as they focused on Malaysia.

"Even the US ignores them (HRW). Malaysia has not. We have made reforms, what else is not enough? They want us to remove everything, I’m sorry we can’t because of our multi-racial and multi-religious nature of our country," he said, adding that Malaysians knew how to manage their country "better than foreigners". – October 28, 2015.
 

The Human Rights Watch Report:-  “Creating a Culture of Fear: The Criminalisation of Peaceful Expression in Malaysia”


Summary

They are creating a culture of fear. If you engage in any talk of public interest, the police may come to your house, you may be arrested, taken to the police station, remanded. Even members of Parliament are treated that way.
—Yap Swee Seng, former executive director of Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram), Kuala Lumpur, April 14, 2015
Freedom of expression and assembly in Malaysia are currently under attack, aided by the existence of broad and vaguely worded laws that the government can wield to arrest, investigate, and imprison its critics. The recent increase in use of laws that criminalize peaceful expression is a step backward for a country that had seemed to be making progress on the protection of rights. This report examines how the Malaysian government is using and abusing such laws, and the ways in which the laws themselves fall short of international standards.

In Prime Minister Najib Razak’s first term between 2009 and 2013, the Malaysian government rescinded several laws, including the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA), which had been regularly used to restrict civil and political rights, including freedom of expression. During the campaign leading up to the 2013 elections, Najib promised to repeal the notorious Sedition Act as well. As long-time activist Hishamuddin Rais told Human Rights Watch:
When the ISA was abolished, there was a sense of freedom. I thought Malaysia was going in the right direction. When Najib promised to abolish the Sedition Act, I thought: “We have arrived. We are on the right path.”
That optimism has now evaporated. Faced with declining popularity and rising public discontent on a range of issues, the prime minister has responded by cracking down on critics and supporting new laws, such as the 2015 Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), that replicate many of the flaws in the laws that were repealed. In November 2014, Najib reneged on his promise to repeal the Sedition Act and announced that the law would instead "be strengthened and made more effective," with "a special clause to protect the sanctity of Islam, while other religions also cannot be insulted." In April 2015, the government pushed through amendments providing for harsher penalties and further restrictions on speech, particularly on social media.

The level of repression intensified in late 2014 and early 2015 as the government faced increasing public criticism about the treatment of former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim and the imposition of a new goods and services tax. A spiraling corruption scandal involving the government-owned 1 Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), whose board of advisors is chaired by Prime Minister Najib, led the government to block websites and suspend newspapers reporting on the scandal and to announce plans to strengthen its power to crack down on speech on the Internet.

While the original focus of the crackdown appeared to be mainly opposition politicians, as public criticism of the government has spread, students, journalists, civil society activists, and ordinary citizens have all been caught up in the wave of repression.

Student activist Adam Adli bin Abdul Halim, for example, has been arrested six times for participating in peaceful protests against the government and for calling for others to do the same. In September 2014, he was convicted of sedition for a speech protesting the 2013 general election and sentenced to one year in jail. He is currently on bail pending appeal, and is now facing a new charge of participating in an “unlawful street protest” in February and an investigation for “activity detrimental to parliamentary democracy” for his role in organizing a recent protest. Due to his activism he was suspended, and then effectively expelled, from his teacher training course at Sultan Idris Teacher Training College. He is currently studying law at a private institution.

Asked why he continues to speak out despite the risks, Adli responded:
It is a duty for us to speak out when the government tampers with the rule of law to keep themselves in power…. It is not about the result or what is to be accomplished in the short term. Protest is necessary to open up more democratic spaces…. Freedom of expression in Malaysia is under duress by the state. The authorities are clearly not in favor of the rights of free speech and expression.
Chua Tian Chang, vice-president of Malaysia’s opposition Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) (People’s Justice Party), is also paying the price for speaking out about political issues. He is facing sedition charges in one case and is being investigated for sedition in another, while the government is appealing his acquittal of sedition charges in a third case. On August 12, 2014, fresh charges were brought against him under section 509 of the penal code for allegedly verbally abusing police officials when months earlier they seized his mobile phone and iPad to investigate one of his statements on social media. He was earlier acquitted of participating in an illegal protest, but is now under investigation for participating in a number of “unlawful assemblies” and for wearing a banned yellow t-shirt bearing the logo of the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih), a group that has been campaigning for electoral reform since 2012. Chua says the government’s actions are politically motivated:
For the authorities, everything I say is a problem.… If you go for peaceful protest, they will catch you for assembling. If you criticize government, they come after you for sedition.

Overly Restrictive Laws as a Tool for Repression

Since the end of colonial rule in 1957, Malaysia has been ruled by coalitions dominated by the United Malays National Organization (UMNO). The current coalition, Barisan Nasional (BN) (National Front), has ruled since 1974. Throughout its more than 40 years in power, BN has used a wide range of overly broad and vaguely worded laws to harass and silence critics and political opponents. Some of these laws have been in place since Malaysia gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1957, while many others have been more recently adopted or amended.

Najib took office in April 2009 pledging to “uphold civil liberties” and exhibit “regard for the fundamental rights of the people,” but the use of broadly worded criminal laws to silence critics and civil society activists has increased dramatically since the 2013 national elections in which BN held onto a parliamentary majority but lost the popular vote. Since the run-up to that election, more than 200 people have been arrested or questioned by the police for doing nothing more than offering peaceful criticism of the authorities or the judiciary or peacefully exercising their right to freedom of assembly.

The weapon most frequently used in this crackdown, as the Adli and Chua cases illustrate, has been Malaysia’s notorious Sedition Act, which has been wielded against opposition politicians, civil society activists, journalists, academics, and ordinary citizens using social media.

In its efforts to silence critics, the government has also turned to broadly worded provisions of the penal code, including sections 504 and 505(b), which criminalize speech that leads to a breach of “public tranquility,” and section 499, which criminalizes speech injuring the reputation of another person, alive or dead.

The Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA) has been used to limit the number of printed newspapers, suspend publication of newspapers that report on corruption, deter printing presses from printing books critical of the government, and even to ban the Bersih logo. The Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA) has been used to block websites reporting on corruption, penalize radio stations for airing discussions of matters of public interest, and arrest and prosecute users of social media.

Those engaging in peaceful protest have been prosecuted under the Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA) and section 143 of the penal code, which criminalizes “unlawful” assemblies, while some of those organizing or calling on people to attend peaceful rallies have been charged with or investigated for sedition. In 2015, confronted with increased public focus on allegations of corruption involving 1MDB, the government began threatening those speaking out about corruption with charges of “activity detrimental to parliamentary democracy” under sections 124B and 124C of the penal code. The government did not appear to understand the irony of using a law designed to protect democracy to censor critical speech.

Laws that impose criminal penalties for peaceful expression are of particular concern because of their chilling effect on free speech. As the UN special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression has stated, with such laws in place,
Individuals face the constant threat of being arrested, held in pretrial detention, subjected to expensive criminal trials, fines and imprisonment, as well as the social stigma associated with having a criminal record.
Many of the individuals Human Rights Watch interviewed referred to a “culture” or “climate” of fear in Malaysia. Fear leads to self-censorship, and self-censorship leads to a stifling of the political debate that is at the very core of a democratic society.

Targeting the Political Opposition

Members of the political opposition have long been a particular target of Malaysia’s more repressive laws, and that trend has continued during the government’s most recent crackdown. At least five opposition members of parliament have been charged under the Sedition Act for criticizing the government, government officials, or the judiciary since the elections, and at least three have been charged under other criminal laws. If convicted and sentenced to more than a year in prison or fined more than 2,000 Malaysian ringgit (RM) (approximately US$482), they will be disqualified from serving in parliament for five years after their release from any term of imprisonment. Opposition politicians serving in state assemblies and those playing leading roles in opposition political parties have also been targeted during the crackdown.

Prominent opposition figures faced sedition charges under Najib’s administration as early as 2009, when the prominent lawyer and MP Karpal Singh was charged with that offense. After a lull, during which there was hope that the law would be repealed, the government resumed aggressive use of the Sedition Act shortly after the 2013 elections, when PKR MP Tian Chua and Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) MP Tamrin Ghafar were charged with sedition for speeches they made at a public rally protesting the outcome of the elections. In May 2014, Democratic Action Party (DAP) Vice President Teresa Kok was charged with sedition for her satirical Chinese New Year video “Onederful Malaysia CNY 2014,” which depicts Kok as the host of a talk show in which her guests satirize political issues ranging from corruption to Malaysia’s crime rate. The crackdown intensified in August 2014, with five opposition politicians charged with criminal offenses during that month alone:
  • PKR Vice President and lawyer N. Surendran was charged with sedition twice, in both cases for statements he made about the sodomy case against his client Anwar Ibrahim;
  • Former Perak Chief Minister Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin, from the opposition Parti Islam Se-Malaysia, was charged with criminal defamation on August 25 for remarks he had made about Prime Minister Najib during the election campaign in April 2012;
  • Khalid Samad, a member of parliament from PAS, was charged with sedition on August 26 for remarks he made regarding the Selangor State Islamic Religious Council, a government body that advises the sultan of Selangor;
  • DAP Penang State Assemblyman R.S.N. Rayer was charged with sedition on August 27 for saying “celaka celaka UMNO” (“damn, damn UMNO”) to several state assemblymen of the United Malays National Organization during an assembly session in May 2014; and
  • PKR Secretary General Rafizi Ramli was charged on August 28 with violating section 504 of the penal code, which criminalizes “intentional insult with intent to breach the peace,” for a statement he made alleging that right wing groups who were staging protests in front of churches in Selangor were being orchestrated and supported by the UMNO.
The police have also investigated, and in many cases arrested and held in custody for several days, at least 20 opposition politicians since August 2014, some of them multiple times.

Targeting Civil Society

Activists and civil society groups who criticize the government have also come under increasing pressure. Student activists Adam Adli bin Abdul Halim and Safwan Anang and long-time civil society activist Hishamuddin Rais were all charged with sedition after speaking at the May 13, 2013, public meeting at which Tian Chua and Tamrin Ghafar also spoke. All three have since been convicted and are on bail pending appeal, and all have been subjected to further arrests and investigations for their involvement in protests against corruption and participation in the demonstrations that followed the February 2015 sodomy conviction of Anwar Ibrahim.

The decision by the Federal Court of Malaysia, on February 10, 2015, to uphold Anwar Ibrahim’s sodomy conviction and sentence led to an explosion of public criticism, followed by a concerted crackdown on those who spoke out. Malaysian political cartoonist Zulkifli Anwar Ulhaque, better known as Zunar, was charged with a record nine counts of sedition on April 3, 2015 — one for each of nine tweets he sent on February 10 criticizing the verdict. If convicted on all counts, he faces up to 43 years in prison.

Comments on the government’s handling of religious issues have also resulted in arrests and sedition charges. In one notable example, Eric Paulsen, the executive director of Lawyers for Liberty, was charged with sedition on February 5, 2015, for a tweet that criticized the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (JAKIM), a government agency, for issuing sermons that allegedly promoted extremism. Paulsen was subjected to a frenzied media campaign that included death threats, and was accused of insulting Islam. As Paulsen himself noted in a tweet responding to the hate campaign: “My statement was referring to JAKIM as a government agency. Criticism of JAKIM should not be construed as insulting Islam.”

Paulsen was arrested for sedition a second time on March 22, 2015, in connection with a tweet that criticized efforts by the state government in Kelantan to introduce Sharia-based punishments.

Many other civil society activists have been investigated, arrested, and harassed for exercising their rights to freedom of expression or freedom of assembly.

Targeting the Media

The media have not been immune from the crackdown on peaceful political commentary. Officials have denied licenses required under the Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA) to news outlets viewed as critical of the government, and government agents have threatened to withdraw printing licenses from presses that publish books and other material that officials dislike. The PPPA was also used to suspend publication of two newspapers for three months for reporting on the allegations of corruption involving the prime minister and 1MDB.

According to Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder Steven Gan, the online news portal Malaysiakini routinely has to deal with lawsuits, as well as other forms of harassment:
One time we published a letter criticizing UMNO. The police came and asked who wrote the letter, which was under pseudonym. We protect identity to encourage free opinion. We refused to provide details. The police confiscated our computers…. We have the police come in at least once a month. It has become routine really. Someone files a complaint and they want a statement.
The government has even initiated sedition investigations in at least two cases in which journalists were merely reporting the news. In March 2015, three editors, the chief executive, and the publisher of The Malaysian Insider (TMI), an online news portal, were arrested for sedition and violation of the Communications and Multimedia Act. Their “offense” was to report that the Malaysian Council of Rulers had rejected a proposal to amend federal law to allow the implementation of Sharia-based punishments in the state of Kelantan – a report which the Council of Rulers denied.

Targeting Social Media Users

The government crackdown on speech in Malaysia has affected not only politicians and activists, but also ordinary citizens, particularly those who use social media. As the project coordinator for Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram), a highly respected Malaysian human rights organization that has been documenting the increased use of the Sedition Act, observed:
Last year they started with politicians, then branched out to lecturers and activists. People started realizing that it affects not just political people but also ordinary people.
According to Suaram documentation, a number of ordinary citizens were charged with sedition in 2014 for statements made on Facebook or other social media, while many more were subjected to investigations and arrests. J. Gopinath, a 28-year-old engineering assistant, was charged with sedition on June 19, 2014, based on a 2012 Facebook posting that was viewed as insulting to Islam. Although he had been arrested shortly after the posting, he was not charged until after the start of the post-election crackdown. Despite the fact that his post was in response to a post insulting his Hindu faith, the individual who posted the video to which he was responding was never prosecuted. He was convicted and fined RM 5,000 (US$1,209).

The 2015 amendments to the Sedition Act seem specifically designed to give the government more control over social media and the Internet. These amendments make it an offense to “propagate” or “cause to be published” seditious material, and enable the government both to order the deletion of supposedly seditious material and to prohibit the person who posted that material from having access to “any electronic device.”

Restrictions on Freedom of Assembly

Faced with rising public opposition, the Malaysian government is also cracking down on individuals involved in protests. The government initially did so by invoking section 9(5) of the Peaceful Assembly Act (PAA), which makes it a criminal offense to hold a public assembly without giving the government 10 days’ advance notice. Despite the fact that this provision was held unconstitutional by the Malaysian Court of Appeal on April 25, 2014, the government continued to invoke section 9(5) when arresting protesters until as late as April 2015, while also adding charges of “unlawful assembly” under section 143 of the penal code. 

A series of peaceful protests held in the wake of the Federal Court conviction of Anwar Ibrahim (the “KitaLawan” rallies) resulted in the arrest of numerous opposition politicians and activists, many of whom were arrested at night and held in custody for several days. As Rafizi Ramli, one of the opposition politicians who has been repeatedly arrested and held by the police points out: “The police are increasingly using that route to frighten, harass, and keep people away from important functions.”

A demonstration on March 23, 2015, at the Kuala Lumpur Customs House intended to raise questions about the imposition of the new goods and services tax resulted in the arrest of 79 people, including S. Arutchelvan, then secretary general of the Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) (Socialist Party of Malaysia). On April 23, 2015, 50 of those activists and politicians were charged under section 447 of the penal code and section 21(d)(1) of the Peaceful Assembly Act for criminal trespass and not abiding by an order to disperse. A largely peaceful rally against the goods and services tax, held on May 1, 2015, resulted in another wave of arrests, including that of prominent lawyer Ambiga Sreenevasen, who was detained for sedition and illegal assembly and held overnight.

Public indignation at reports implicating Prime Minister Najib in the 1MDB scandal and at the government’s response to that reporting led to an August 1 protest organized by student activists calling for Najib to resign. A much larger 34-hour protest, organized by Bersih and held on August 29 and 30, also called for Najib’s resignation or for a vote of no confidence against him, and for a host of institutional reforms to tackle corruption. Despite the fact that both protests were peaceful, the organizers were accused of “activity detrimental to parliamentary democracy” and arrested or summoned for questioning, as were some of the participants. No charges related to those protests have yet been filed.

Abusive Police Tactics and Selective Prosecution

The use of overly broad laws to crack down on dissent has been accompanied by a disturbing use of aggressive tactics that seem designed to harass and frighten those critical of the government. Instead of asking government critics to come to the police station to make a statement, the police arrest them, often at night, and sometimes with threatening and unnecessary displays of force. After the KitaLawan assembly held on March 28, 2015, for example, six carloads of police came to the house of PAS MP Khalid Samad at 3:20 a.m. the following morning to arrest him for sedition and unlawful assembly. Many of the officers were carrying M16 assault rifles. He was released from custody at 9:30 p.m. He has not yet been charged with an offense.

In some cases, the police appear to be using arrest and remand as a form of preventive detention. In the days preceding the KitaLawan rally, the police arrested at least four activists and opposition politicians involved with the rallies. Rafizi Ramli and Hishamuddin Rais were both arrested on March 27 and held until after the conclusion of the March 28 rally. Rais was seized by a group of men wearing plainclothes as he got out of a taxi the evening of March 27: “As I leaned forward to pay the taxi they grabbed me. One put his arm around my neck and pulled me, squeezing my neck. They were not wearing uniforms and did not identify themselves.”

After being driven around Kuala Lumpur for a while, he was finally taken to the Dang Wangi police station and detained overnight. The following day, the police asked that he be remanded for four days so that they could complete their investigation into violations of section 9(5) of the Peaceful Assembly Act and section 143 of the penal code. He was finally released at the end of his remand. While he had not been charged as of the time of his interview, he noted that “at any time they can trigger this bomb.”

For opposition figures and activists, or those perceived as such, the police frequently request the maximum remand of four days even where there is no apparent justification for doing so. Hishamuddin Rais noted that when he was finally questioned on the last day of his four day remand, after three days during which no investigation appeared to take place, “they asked very little: just the basics like name, age, and profession.”

Cases involving individuals perceived as sympathetic to the ruling coalition are handled quite differently, if they are pursued at all. When Mashitah Ibrahim, a former deputy minister in the ruling coalition, made a false claim that Malaysians of Chinese descent were “burning Qurans,” she was not arrested or remanded, but simply asked to come in and give a statement. The inconsistent treatment by the police of those perceived as pro-opposition and those perceived as pro-government creates a troubling appearance of bias in the handling of criminal cases.

Key Recommendations

Malaysia is an active member of the United Nations and, in October 2014, was reelected as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council after a 15 year hiatus. The country has also served three terms on the UN Human Rights Council and has repeatedly reaffirmed its commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Indeed, the official website of the Malaysian attorney-general states that Malaysia, “by virtue of being a member [of the UN], has subscribed to the philosophy, concepts and norms provided by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which sets out the minimum and common standard of human rights for all peoples and all nations.”[1]

The current repression of critical speech makes a mockery of those affirmations. If Malaysia wants to be taken seriously as a rights-respecting member of the United Nations, it must bring its laws and policies into line with international norms and standards, including by implementing the following recommendations:

To the Prime Minister and the Government of Malaysia

  • Develop a clear plan and timetable for the repeal or amendment of laws as recommended at the end of this report and, where legislation is to be amended, consult thoroughly with Suruhanjaya Hak Asasi Manusia (SUHAKAM) (Human Rights Commission of Malaysia) and civil society groups in a transparent and public way;
  • Drop all prosecutions and close all investigations based on peaceful expression or  peaceful assembly. At a minimum, immediately drop all investigations and charges of sedition based on criticism of judicial decisions, the government, government decisions or government bodies in light of the parliament’s decision, in the 2015 amendments to the Sedition Act, to delete such criticism from the scope of that law;
  • Establish a clear policy that participation in peaceful assemblies should never be the basis for charges under sections 143, 124B or 124C of the penal code;
  • Instruct all police departments that it is their duty to facilitate peaceful assemblies, not to hinder them. Persons and groups who are organizing assemblies or rallies should be permitted to hold their events within sight and sound of their intended audience, and the police should take appropriate steps to protect the safety of all participants; and
  • Instruct all police departments to avoid late night or evening arrests of persons charged with crimes unless necessary to prevent flight or the destruction of evidence and to permit individuals to appear voluntarily to give a statement unless there is a clear and compelling reason to believe that an individual will not comply with a police summons relating to an investigation.
Source:- Human Rights Watch Website

NOTE:- The above is but the summary of the report, go read the full report at   https://www.hrw.org/report/2015/10/27/creating-culture-fear/criminalization-peaceful-expression-malaysia





Tuesday, October 27, 2015

BN Government says private sector workers less important than government workers - so different MINIMUM WAGES?

Private Sector workers are not treated the same as public servants(or government workers) - For private sector, minimum wage increased only to RM1,000 whilst public servant's minimum wage set at RM1,200. Of course, private sector workers in Sabah and Sarawak are yet again discriminated when their minimum wage is fixed at RM920 - whereby most of these workers are Bumiputra, and the Constitution says that special privilege and concern will be accorded to natives of Sabah and Sarawak.

MINIMUM WAGES - that is all that we are talking about - that being the just wage that a worker needs to merely survive. But, of course some 'uncaring employers' still use that as the rate they pay their workers.

For the cheapest meal, it will now cost RM5, and if a person has 3 meals a day, that is RM15, and in a month, that will be about RM15 X 30 = RM450-00

Transportation Cost, let's be absurd and say RM2 - that will be RM60

Electricity & Water - RM50? 

Well, that brings it to RM560-00

Telecommunication - RM50

Television (Astro Minimum about RM35) - RM35

Worker has a wife, 1 or 2 or 3 children (meal cost) or other dependents, let's say illogically, we say RM300 

Now, that brings the expense to RM945-00

Now, add shelter - rent/monthly bank loan payments = RM55 left? 

Hence, in Malaysia really the minimum wages should be certainly more than RM1,000.

BR1M - Malaysian government admits that those families earning less that RM3,000[Now RM4,000] needs financial assistance, assuming both spouses are working, then the minimum wages should be more than RM1,500 (RM2,000).

See related posts:

PM Najib lied about minimum wage? Honesty is always needed from Government 

Malaysian Government still not paying its own workers Minimum Wage?

MTUC disappointed that after 2 years and 4 months, workers Minimum Wage rates still not increased

Malaysia minimum wage RM4.33 per hour, other countries RM30.88 - RM25 per hour?

For raising minimum wages, Egypt sued by Veolia, a French multinational?

 

MTUC slams Budget 2016 over minimum wage hike for private sector

23 October 2015 Print page BY V. ANBALAGAN, ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
Under Budget 2016, Private sector workers in the peninsula will see a minimum wage increase from RM900 to RM1,000, and from RM800 to RM920 for those in Sabah and Sarawak. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Najjua Zulkefli, October 23, 2015.
Under Budget 2016, Private sector workers in the peninsula will see a minimum wage increase from RM900 to RM1,000, and from RM800 to RM920 for those in Sabah and Sarawak. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Najjua Zulkefli, October 23, 2015.

The Malaysian Trades’ Union Congress (MTUC) has expressed disappointment with the government over the new minimum wage increase for private sector employees as proposed under Budget 2016.

Its secretary-general, N. Gopal Kishnam, said he expected a RM1,200 minimum wage, similar to the rate for public sector workers. “We are extremely disappointed with the announcement due to the increase in living cost nationwide,” he told The Malaysian Insider in an immediate reaction after the tabling of the budget in Parliament today.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak announced the minimum wage increase for private sector workers in the peninsula from RM900 to RM1,000, and from RM800 to RM920 for those in Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan.

The minimum wage does not apply to domestic workers.

Najib, who is also the finance minister, announced the minimum wage of civil servants to begin at RM1,200 and to take effect from middle of next year.

Gopal said the RM920 increase for private sector workers in Sabah and Sarawak was not realistic as the cost of living there was higher compared with the peninsula.

He said about 800,000 employees, including foreign workers, benefitted from the minimum wage scheme that first came into force in 2013.

Gopal previously said the union was banking on Najib to fix the minimum wage ceiling rate at RM1,200 a month after the National Wages Consultative Council failed to agree on an acceptable sum for an increased minimum wage despite holding three meetings.

A minimum wage for workers in Malaysia was introduced in January 2013, at RM900 a month for those in the peninsula and RM800 for those in Sabah and Sarawak.

Under the Minimum Wages Order 2012, the minimum wage must be reviewed once in two years and employers who breached the directive could be fined up to RM10,0000 for each employee.

At present, wages beyond the minimum rate paid by the private sector is based on market forces or collective agreements between employers and unions. – October 23, 2015, Malaysian Insider.


Sorry could not find the MTUC statement on their website - so, we only know what got reported - not the other points made by MTUC in their statement.

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Najib left out the 'bad things' from his budget speech?

Looks like the poor and the rural areas will suffer most when looking at matters that Najib did not highlight in his speech...or is not the focus of this new BN Budget.

Looks like more subsidies will be significantly reduced or maybe even removed...may also include cooking oil - maybe even electricity and water.

Whilst KL and Klang Valley continue to be showered with more money and development - rural areas will not only not the money to increase development - but they will also find their already small government allocations reduced. [Najib should take a drive around Malaysia, using normal roads and he will see the state of affairs in the rest of Malaysia - even roads(them non tol roads) are in poor condition, some even the white lines are not visible anymore making it most dangerous during nights and rain. Remember the old BN promise, when they started with these tol highways - yes, that promise to maintain and upgrade our free roads - but somehow all seem to have been forgotten.

Look at the train services on the east coast - looks like nothing much spend by the BN since Independence to upgrade it. Additional train lines in the east coast has also not been built - when really there should have been a train line linking Kota Bharu - Kuala Trengganu - Kuantan - Johor Bahru. Maybe even a train line linking Kuantan-Temerloh- Kuala Lumpur. Remember, without a proper transportation, development also will get stagnated. New tol highways by-pass many towns, and this too effect the stagnation of development.  

It was the UMNO-led BN government that kept wages low to attract foreign investors - so the poor condition and stagnated social mobility suffered by the poor and rural communities, including smaller towns is all the fault of BN. At least, then the government kept cost of living low - and, as such people could still live happily though not becoming rich. But Najib's BN today, is removing subsidies and increasing cost of living - and wages/income is still low.

Wow - modern KL and Klang Valley - but really what about the rest of Malaysia? What about the poor? 

See also:- 

Najib's BUDGET 2016 SPEECH - 

Taxing super-rich higher rates is just - finally BN getting it right?

 

Subsidy cuts and other things Najib didn't tell you in Budget 2016


Nigel Aw     Published     Updated     25
 
Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak offered a list of good news under Budget 2016 which included a hike in civil servants' pay, increase in BR1M cash handouts, and Goods and Services Tax rebate for mobile phone purchase.

But where is all the money coming from when the country is facing falling revenue from a slump in commodity prices?

Malaysiakini uncovers the ‘bad news’, by breaking down Budget 2016 for you based on ministries which have suffered the worst cuts.

What the premier failed to mention in his budget speech include the likelihood of pricier cooking oil, more expensive train and flight tickets on 'uneconomical' routes, the poor having to pay for their electricity bills, and other subsidy cuts.

1) Finance Ministry - General subsidies almost halved

At first glance, it would appear the Finance Ministry had suffered the worst from an austerity budget, with its allocation being slashed by RM7 billion or 17.8 percent, from RM39.247 billion to RM32.247 billion.

However, closer scrutiny showed the heavy cut was made possible through a reduction in subsidies which is expected to go down by a whopping 45 percent, or RM8.707 billion to RM10.633 billion.

Other notable cuts in the ministry include a 95 percent reduction in allocation to the Poor Students' Trust 
Fund (Kumpulan Wang Amanah Pelajar Miskin) from RM200 million to a mere RM10 million.

These cuts allowed for increased spending in other areas, including an allocation of RM1.073 billion to deal with the new increase in minimum wage.

The government has already embarked on an aggressive subsidy rationalisation exercise since the beginning of this year and it is unclear where the further subsidy reduction will come from.

2) High Education Ministry - Less money for universities

The second largest cut was targeted at the Higher Education Ministry which saw its budget reduced by RM2.4 billion to RM13.378 billion.

To make up for the shortfall, public universities will suffer the brunt of the cut as they will see their funding reduced by RM1.442 billion.

The worst hit universities are Universiti Malaya, followed by Universiti Malaysia Terengganu and Universiti Teknologi Mara, which budget were slashed b 27.3 percent, 23.76 percent and 23.72 percent respectively.
Some MPs, including Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin, have raised concerns if this will mean higher tuition fees next year.

3) Commodities Ministry - Pricier cooking oil

Plantation Industries and Commodities Ministry saw a 60.76 percent reduction to its budget from RM1.659 billion to a mere RM651 million.

While the ministry's programmes saw an across the board reduction in allocation, it will be the consumers who will feel the burden the most.

This is because the single largest cut came from the RM950 million cooking oil price stabilisation scheme which was completely defunded under Budget 2016.

Under the scheme which was introduced in 2007, it ensured a ceiling price on cooking oil, as well as sufficient supply in the market by compensating producers.

With the scheme effectively abolished next year, consumers are likely to pay more for cooking oil.

4) Transport Ministry - Train, flight subsidies reduced

The Transport Ministry will see a budget reduction of 14.1 percent, or RM648 million, to RM3.955 billion, the fourth largest cut among the ministries.

Areas that will see cuts include subsidies for KTM trains and flights from rural regions.

Specifically, the subsidy on "uneconomical" KTM routes will be slashed by more than half, from RM52.9 million to RM25 million.

Subsidy for rural flights, as well as on aircraft rental, will also be reduced by RM5 million from RM160 million.

Other reductions will come primarily from the ministries' operations.

5) Energy Ministry - No more electricity subsidy

The Energy, Green Technology, and Water Ministry comes in at fifth place for the largest allocation cut under Budget 2016, with a reduction of RM605 million to RM2.262 million.

Likewise, it will be consumers who will suffer the most as the single largest slash is the electricity bill subsidy of RM150 million which will be completely defunded.

Presently, households which use less than RM20 in electricity have their bill fully subsidised by the government to help poor families.

6) Defence Ministry - Downsized national service

The Defence Ministry will see a budget reduction of RM459 million, the sixth largest cut to a ministry.

The amount is relatively small compared to the Defence Ministry's huge budget of 17.304 billion for next year.

The cut came largely from the downsizing of the national service programme which allocation will be reduced from RM614 million to RM276 million.

However, other areas have also seen cuts, including a reduction of RM100 million to RM2.701 billion for air defence, even as the government plans to acquire new assets in difficult economic times.

Under Budget 2016, the Defence Ministry will acquire six Littoral Combatant Ships, Very Short Range Air Defence weapons system, armoured vehicles, and the A-400M Airbus.

7) Urban Ministry - Solid waste management

The Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Ministry is the only other ministry to have experienced a cut of more than RM300 million.

Under Budget 2016, the ministry will be allocated RM4.173 billion - compared to RM4.572 billion this year - a reduction of RM399 million.

The single largest cut will come from solid waste management; its funding will see a reduction of 17.3 percent from RM1.036 billion to RM857.1 million.

It remains unclear how the ministry is going to handle solid waste management while still saving RM178.9 million.

However, it should be noted the ministry's budget provided for RM15 million for the operation of a new landfill next year, which is a more economical method of waste disposal.

*This list excludes the Home Ministry; its Federal Expenditure Estimates has yet to be uploaded by the Finance Ministry.

Saturday, October 24, 2015

Taxing super-rich higher rates is just - finally BN getting it right?

Finally, Malaysia may be doing the right thing in increasing the taxes for the higher income earners in Malaysia. It is the just thing to do in a community, where the richer persons ought to contribute more for the general well-being of the community. There are poor and rich and every community, and the reality is not everyone has the capacity and opportunity to earn more than the rest - and it is not right to insist on every person to pay the same amount to the common fund for the good of the community.

It is sad that we are also valuing the work people do so differently - when obviously all work that is being done by people is just as important for the overall survival of the community.

Our Malaysia government has been for the past few years sadly, and I say wrongly, being reducing the tax payable by the rich and the very rich.

Last year the government reduced the tax rates for all of us who had a chargeable income of RM50,000 or less by ONE (1)% - whilst the rates of those who had a higher chargeable income was reduced by more than 1% - some even 3% --- Increase Individual Chargeable Income Tax Rates - 30 - 50%? Malaysia desperately needs money...

Now, remember we are really not looking at real income - but merely chargeable income after all the permitted deductions. Now, unlike the ordinary middle-income tax payer, the rich sometimes do employ 'experts' so that the can maximize tax deductions, and even develop means of avoiding payment of high taxes.

See also:-  Why cut tax rates of very rich - this really must be increased.

Finally in the 2016 Budget, the BN government is taking right steps

...taxable income band for the highest tax rate be increased from 25% to 26% for those with an income between RM600,000 and RM1 million...Meanwhile, for those with an income above RM1 million, the tax rate will be increased from 25% to 28%.-Najib's BUDGET 2016 SPEECH

But, it is still not good enough... when we compare some developed countries, take Australia for instance...

AUSTRALIA
Well those with chargeable income less that RM52,000 do not have to pay income tax
> RM52,000 but less than RM105,000 - you pay 19% to income tax
> RM105,000 but less than RM228,000 - 32.5%
> RM228,000 but less than RM514,000 -  37%
More than RM514,000 - 45%
And for Malaysia, really higher rates for those with taxable income of more than RM2 million ...and even higher for those earning billions..like someone that earned RM2.6 billion

SO FOR THE SUPER RICH IN MALAYSIA, there should be a staggered rate... 
With chargeable income more than RM50k - 20%
With chargeable income more than RM75k - 21%
With chargeable income more than RM100K - 30%
With chargeable income more than RM200k - 32%
With chargeable income more than RM300k - 35%
With chargeable income more than RM400k - 40%
With chargeable income more than RM500K - 45%
With chargeable income more than RM1 mil - 48%
With chargeable income more than RM2 mil - 50% 
Further, when it comes to income tax, it may be best to insist that all earning RM2,000 per month should fill in and submit income tax forms, and if they are not taxable - then they do not have to pay anything.  It is odd, that some people are not submitting Income Tax Forms. 

Najib taxes rich to help masses in Budget 2016



Putrajaya is counting on a 6% GST started in April to offset reduced revenues from oil. The government expects to collect RM27 billion from GST this year and RM39 billion in 2016. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Seth Akmal, October 23, 2015. 


Putrajaya is counting on a 6% GST started in April to offset reduced revenues from oil. The government expects to collect RM27 billion from GST this year and RM39 billion in 2016. – The Malaysian Insider pic 
 
by Seth Akmal, October 23, 2015. 

 


Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is embracing a Robin Hood approach in his Budget 2016, increasing the tax on the country’s highest earners to fund measures to boost consumption and investment needed to shore up a cooling economy.

Those earning RM600,000 to RM1 million annually will be taxed at 26% from 25% now, while those making more than RM1 million a year will pay a rate of 28%, Najib said in his annual budget speech in Kuala Lumpur today.

He announced billions of ringgit in funding to build rural roads, boost Internet speeds, agriculture and tourism, and increase civil servant salaries.

The budget’s focus underscores the political and economic challenges Najib faces in keeping the nation on track to achieve high-income nation status by the end of the decade. The plunge in oil prices and a slowing global economy is hurting export earnings and government revenue, while the embattled leader faces calls to step down after a multi-million-dollar funding scandal contributed to a pullout by foreign investors from stocks and bonds and a weakening currency.

“Despite the constraints on financial resources, the government remains sensitive to the difficulties faced by Malaysians,” Najib said in Parliament.

Accelerate projects
 
Najib is counting on domestic demand to shore up a cooling economy as global growth falters, pledging to boost consumption, spur private investment and accelerate selected public infrastructure projects next year. And he plans to achieve this without deepening the budget deficit even as oil revenue shrinks.

The government predicts gross domestic product will expand 4% to 5% in 2016, from 4.5% to 5.5% this year, the Ministry of Finance said in its 2015/2016 economic report released today.

The fiscal shortfall is forecast to narrow to 3.1% of GDP in 2016, from a revised 3.2% this year.

“Taking into cognisance the weaker external environment, the government will implement policies that will further strengthen the resilience of the domestic economy,” the ministry said.

“Efforts will be taken to boost consumption by raising disposable income through creating more jobs and addressing the rising cost of living.”

Rural spending
 
Najib’s administration will intensify efforts to draw foreign direct investments, build a 1,796km highway spanning the eastern Sabah and Sarawak states, boost the social safety net and enhance utilities in rural areas, according to the report.

“The challenges confronting the economy in 2015 are expected to persist in 2016,” the Finance Ministry said, highlighting concerns, including heightened financial market volatility and a slowing Chinese economy.

Najib reiterated a commitment to balance the budget by 2020 amid increased challenges, according to the report. The federal government debt is estimated to be 54% of GDP as of end- June, from 52.7% in 2014, and will be within the 55% limit in 2016, the report said.

Delicate balance
 
“The government will continue to strike a delicate balance between supporting the growth momentum and ongoing reform initiatives while ensuring public finances remain sound,” Najib said in the report.

The ringgit strengthened 1.%6 to 4.2205 per dollar today, following a 3.9% loss in the last five trading days, according to prices from local banks compiled by Bloomberg. The currency is the worst performer in Asia this year and has depreciated about 17% against the dollar.

Najib is counting on a 6% goods and services tax started in April to offset reduced revenues from oil. The government expects to collect RM27 billion from GST this year, and RM39 billion in 2016, it said.

Consumer prices are forecast to rise 2% to 3% in 2016, compared with 2% to 2.5% this year, the ministry said.

Inflation averaged 1.9% in the first eight months this year. Despite a weak ringgit, inflation is expected to remain benign because of low oil prices and the waning impact of GST, it said. The central bank left interest rates unchanged for a seventh meeting last month. – Bloomberg, October 23, 2015. - Malaysian Insider, 23/10/2015