Tuesday, February 22, 2005

Aiko gets nod to rule Japan throne

Tuesday, February 22, 2005 Posted: 0343 GMT (1143 HKT)

Princess Aiko will one day head the Chrysanthemum throne.

TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) -- Japan looks ready for a
modern-day reigning empress after a panel set up
to address the succession crisis indicated it could
change the law to allow the daughter of Crown Prince
Naruhito to be his heir, media has said.

Third child for the Beckhams

Beckhams give birth to third child
A son named Cruz

Friday, February 18, 2005

EPF declares a dividend of 4.75%

KUALA LUMPUR: The EPF has declared a dividend of 4.75%
for last year compared to 4.50% in 2003.

The higher rate was a result of increased revenue from
its investments, especially in loans/bonds and equity.

Chairman Tan Sri Abdul Halim Ali said that the Board was
satisfied with the overall performance of the EPF and
that the dividend rate was a reflection of its prudent
and effective investment strategies in the domestic market.

“We will continue to strive to preserve and enhance the
value of members’ savings,” Abdul Halim said in a statement
yesterday.

Gross investment income for the year grew to RM11.76bil
compared with RM10.97bil the previous year, he said.

Net income was RM10.3bil, after deducting for operational
expenses, payment of death and incapacitation benefits and
provisions for unrealised losses as part of prudent
accounting.

The EPF forks out RM2.17bil for every 1% of dividend,
compared with RM1.99bil in 2003.

The approved dividend rate of 4.75% is 1.05% higher than
the average fixed deposit rate for 12 months given by
leading local banks.

Abdul Halim said the fund size grew by about RM20bil
last year. A total of RM237.1bil was invested in 2004,
compared with RM217.1bil the previous year.

The difference indicated a healthy net cash position
for the EPF.

The EPF is Malaysia’s national provident fund and is
aimed at providing financial security once its members
stop working.

It will continue to play a catalytic role in the nation’s
development, consistent with its position as the largest
social organisation in the country.

Thursday, February 17, 2005

Pre-war Kuala Lumpur

Ever wondered how Kuala Lumpur was like in the old days?
Like all towns and cities, KL also has a past. Kuala
Lumpur
should be a pride and joy for all Malaysians.
Take a tour back in time.

Tuesday, February 15, 2005

Happy Chinese New Year

Gong Xi Fa Cai to you who are celebrating the Chinese
New Year and hope you have had a wonderfully super-duper
time. May the year of the Rooster bring you and your
loved ones good health, greater happiness and more wealth.

And to you who are not celebrating the festival but the
public holidays, may the same good blessings go to you
and your loved ones. Hope you enjoyed your holiday too.

So, what's in store for this new lunar year? I've come
across some interesting articles on feng shui in the new
year as well as other related articles. They'll be good
reading material besides imparting some useful info.
Do look out for them.

This year CNY is kinda quiet, don't you think? Firecrackers
and fireworks too I believe are banned but (fortunately)
once in a while you hear some noise in the distance serving
as a reminder of the festival.

Once again, my best wishes to you all.

By the way, today, the seventh day of the lunar new year
is celebrated as man's birthday according to the Chinese.
So HAPPY BIRTHDAY EVERYONE.

Sunday, February 6, 2005

Bank Negara's Calendar of Events - 2005

Many a time we've gone to the bank on a Saturday to find
that it was a wasted trip because the bank was closed that
Saturday. To help the public, Bank Negara has issued a
Calendar of Events. This info is most helpful for us whose
time is so tightly stretched that every available day for
errands is valuable.

Saturday, February 5, 2005

No frills bank account

Banking in Malaysia will never be the same again
thanks to Bank Negara's new ruling on no frills
bank account.

Wednesday, February 2, 2005

Do you feel guilty leaving your kids at home?

This was the topic of discussion on this morning's radio show.
Well, do you? Callers called in to offer their views. The
first caller, a man, was adamant that women should give up
their career to take care of the kids. Another caller, a woman,
said that she feels guilty sometimes. Yet another caller, this
time a man, said he wished his maid would be like Julie Andrews
in 'The Sound of Music'.

This is really an interesting topic. I believe there is no right
or wrong answer. It is more situational - which takes priority
over the other. What do you think?