Tax Reliefs For Year Of Assessment 2016 (Tax Filed In 2017)

What is a income tax relief? Tax reliefs are set by LHDN, where a taxpayer is able to deduct a certain amount for money expended in that assessment year, from the total annual income. These are for certain activities or behaviours that the government encourages or even necessities or burdens to lighten our financial loads.

For income tax Malaysia, tax reliefs can help reduce your chargeable income, and thus your taxes. If planned properly, you can save a significant amount of taxes.

In our example, a taxpayer would have been taxed about 10% of his total chargeable income of RM84,300 if he had claimed no tax reliefs at all.

However, with the self & dependent tax relief of RM9,000, life insurance & EPF relief at RM6,000, his total chargeable income is now RM69,300, hence, he would only be taxed about 8% of his chargeable income.

What Is A Tax Deduction?

After deducting tax reliefs from your annual income, you can still reduce your chargeable income with tax deductions.

In Malaysia, a tax deduction is similar to a tax relief, where it reduces your chargeable income. Tax deductions are a result of Gifts and Donations.

Donations are only tax deductible if the donations are made to Government approved charitable organisation or directly to the Government, and you must keep the receipt of the donation.

For income tax 2017, if your chargeable income is RM55,000, and you’ve donated RM2,500 to an approved charitable organisation, you are allowed to deduct 7% of your aggregate income to reduce your chargeable income.

For income tax 2017, if your chargeable income is RM55,000, and you’ve donated RM2,500 to an approved charitable organisation, you are allowed to deduct 7% of your aggregate income to reduce your chargeable income.

Total chargeable income after tax deduction

= RM55,000 – (RM55,000 x 7%)

= RM55,000 – RM3,850

= RM51,150

The best bookstores in KL

E-books may be taking over the world, but brick-and-mortar bookstores will always be special because you can never replace the joy of a paperback in your backpack. Live vicariously through your favourite characters at these best bookstores in the city. 

Cite Book Garden

Cite (magazine publisher, champion of local and Singaporean writers, and the biggest Chinese online bookstore in the country) opened a physical bookstore in the form of Cite Book Garden, a small store designed for bibliophiles to relax and browse at length. The book garden features actual plants by way of hanging potted ferns by the window, a few chairs where readers can sit and read, a wall displaying the magazines they publish (ranging from fashion glossies like Vivi to the Chinese edition of National Geographic), a wide selection of titles from Taiwan, Hong Kong and mainland China, and even a small café (they once offered coffee workshops partnering with Exhibit Café from TTDI). The second floor houses an event space for readings, talks, activities for kids, and more.

The Top 7 Malaysian Brands Taking Over the Region

Whether you realise it or not, Malaysian brands are going from strength to strength. As you know, we are passionate about supporting local companies so we’re pretty excited by the development!

From fashion accessories to fast food outlets, cheesecake to beauty products, the next time you’re travelling in the region, keep an eye out for some of these familiar made-at-home brands…
 

5 fabulous natural places to visit in East Malaysia

Much of East Malaysia on the island of Borneo was once covered by natural vegetation like lowland rainforest, montane forests at high altitudes, and mangroves along the coasts. Many natural areas still remain today, and most are reasonably accessible, but in some cases do require long road or river journeys.

Here are five fabulous natural places to put on your list of East Malaysian travel destinations.

1. Bako National Park, Sarawak

One of Sarawak’s smallest national parks (just 2,727ha) punches way above its weight class in terms of wildlife. Located 37km from the Sarawak capital of Kuching, Bako supports stands of most plant communities found in the state with mixed dipterocarp forest, mangrove forest (where it’s possible to see Proboscis Monkeys), grasslands, peat swamp forest, and a very unusual kerangas, or heath forest, where pitcher plants thrive in the nutrient-depleted soil.

There are a dozen trails to walk, from a few hundred metres to several kilometres in length and overnighting in basic park accommodations is an option, though most visitors return to Kuching and stay in hotels such as the Pullman Kuching.

The Last Cassette Factory in Malaysia

JUICE speaks to both ends of the demand and supply of cassettes to uncover why the supposedly archaic physical medium – whose sound quality isn’t even up to par with digital formats – is still viable in this day and age of online streaming and illegal downloading of music.

How JUICE discovered Express Audio Industry — the last cassette factory in Malaysia — is how many other people have found the company; through word of mouth. Having had the opportunity to interview a number of local musicians, if the conversation would veer into cassette releases, the name of the factory would come up and the fact of their terminal existence would be emphasised. Although we knew that cassettes are still a staple among the DIY, underground scene, we were nevertheless intrigued by the whole notion that cassettes are still relevant at all, so, we decided to investigate into the matter.

Express Audio Industry Sdn. Bhd. has had an illustrious business back in the ‘80s and the ‘90s when cassettes were enjoying the luxury of being the popular medium for people to enjoy music. The company had the exclusive deal with conglomerate record label Polygram to press all the releases of their expansive roster of local and international artistes, from Cantopop à la Alan Tam, to beloved heavy metal band Metallica, to popular ‘70s local rock band Alleycats. They were a key player in the cassette duplication industry, but as one can imagine, when CDs came along in the ’90s, followed by the personal CD-ROM burners that enabled easy quality and efficient duplication (read: piracy), the decline in sales for cassettes started to occur.

Inilah 8 Amalan yang Mendatangkan Syafaat di Hari Kiamat. SHARE Semoga Bermanfaat Pada Orang Lain Juga..

Rasulullah SAW merupakan pemimpin yang sangat dicintai oleh umat muslim. Beliau sentiasa mengajarkan amalan kebaikan serta memberikan ganjaran berupa memberikan syafaat bagi orang yang Allah dan beliau kehendaki. 

Syafaat yang diperoleh seorang muslim akan menjadi saksi amalan kebaikan baginya saat di hari kiamat kelak. Banyak orang yang beranggapan bahawasanya untuk mendapatkan syafaat dari Rasulullah adalah dengan berziarah ke makam beliau.

Padahal yang demikian ini tidak pernah diajarkan oleh Rasulullah sendiri. Beliau justeru memberi tahu mengenai amalan yang dapat mendatangkan syafaat di hari kiamat kelak. Lantas amalan apa sajakah yang dimaksud? Berikut informasi selengkapnya.

Is Your Financial Portfolio Missing One Key Ingredient?

Majority of Malaysians do not have adequate insurance coverage. This situation exists because not many of us are aware of the importance of financial protection, as we’ve been focusing solely on wealth accumulation through savings or investment gains.

What if we told you that not having adequate insurance coverage actually means you will risk missing out on your investment?

According to the “Protection gap or under-insurance gap in Malaysia” study, commissioned by Life Insurance Association of Malaysia (LIAM), both insurance and takaful cover only 56% of the Malaysian population – which is pretty low compared to other developed countries.

Malaysians generally do not take up adequate insurance protection simply because they lack the understanding of its advantages. Some are also under the misconception that insurance is something you get when you can afford it.

However, the reality is, the earlier you get your insurance, the higher the probability of being covered while you are still healthy.

Kuching Waterfront: Bazaar far from bizarre

East Malaysia, on the island of Borneo, has many appealing qualities and the Sarawak capital of Kuching offers a relaxed and yet, vibrant setting. The riverfront district along the Sarawak River, in downtown Kuching, is now an open space used mostly for recreation. It’s a lively pedestrian-only precinct that is frequented by the locals who use it for leisure activities, to enjoy a sunset drink, or have a meal beneath shady trees.

A fascinating part of this riverfront area is the street named Main Bazaar which runs alongside the river. Retail shops, bazaars, and a few dining outlets front the street but there are numerous uniquely Sarawakian and Bornean products sold in the shops here to ensure that the bazaars are a bit more bizarre than mainstream.

The former trading houses, or go-downs, along Jalan Main Bazaar offer an intriguing insight to the area’s historic activities before it became a major tourism precinct. With awnings providing shade, it’s easy to amble along here, and the best place to start your walk is at the former Court House which has recently been converted to an amazing lifestyle concept under the ChinaHouse banner.

What were once go-downs for goods unloaded at the riverside docks are now mostly craft and souvenir shops selling items from Borneo. These old shops with captivating names present a face of a bygone era – names such as Dayak Art, Sarawak Steamship Berhad, and Haiyen Bird’s Nest offer some intrigue before you even step inside.

Things Kids Of Today Won’t Understand

Today’s Kid Won’t Understand

Being a kid born prior to the millennium, I’ve had my fair share of VCR tapes, floppy disks and Beverly Hills 90210. Kids today are connected on their smartphones and tablets that they simply don’t understand the struggles of having to call on someone and see if they could come out and play after dinner.

While we were watching Saturday morning cartoons and gobbling down fruit loops, kids are now watching Keeping Up With The Kardasians while shopping online. While every generation has their perks, here are some things that children of today will never understand.

Dial-Up Internet

Waiting for someone to put down the phone so that you could finally dial-up to the Internet was such a home drama. Yelling and arguments broke out so often that mum and dad had to step in. The result: nobody could use the phone at all. The nerve…

5 Most Expensive International Schools In The Klang Valley

To ensure their children remain competitive in the increasingly borderless world, more and more Malaysian parents are opting for international and private education for their children. However, these schools do not come for cheap.

In 2012, the Malaysian government has eliminated the quota for Malaysian enrolment at international schools. Due to the quota and the lack of affordable options, only selected affluent Malaysians could afford to send their children to these schools previously.

The 2012 decision to remove the quota has opened the floodgates and more international schools are mushrooming all over the country. According to the latest data by the International School Consultancy Group (ISC), a UK-based organisation, there are currently 99 English-medium international schools in the country, with a total of 39,460 students.

The market has been growing at a rate of 19% per annum for the past five years, and it is showing no signs of stagnation.

Based on latest findings, 40% of the students in these premium schools are local Malaysians, 9% British, 6% South Korean and 4% American.

How expensive are these premium schools really? We have collated the top 5 most expensive international schools in the country and this is how much you will have to fork out to send your child to these schools from nursery all the way till graduation:

Keeping Employees Happy, 5 Key Lessons

Keeping Employees Happy

According to a JobStreet.com survey on Employee Job Satisfaction in Malaysia, 78% of the respondents claimed that they were unhappy with their current job. While it is often perceived that the main reason many young talent leave a company is due to the low salary, only 17% out of the 1,145 respondents quoted salary as the main reason for influencing their unhappiness at their current job.

Dissatisfaction with their scope of work was the top reason many felt unhappy at work. Most of these unhappy employees said they felt that they have too much work or that their work is predictable and boring. Another factor was also their poor relationship with their immediate supervisor or boss.

Overall, the employees agreed that the key changes determining their wellbeing at work would need to include opportunities for career development and also work-life balance in the company. If the needs are not met, the majority said they would find another job to restore their happiness at work.

Research has showed that profits are higher when employees are loyal and engaged in the company while on the contrary, the company suffers when employees feels unmotivated or undervalued. Studies have also shown that engaged employees perform better, miss less work, adaptable and are more supportive to changes.

Happy employees are also satisfied and feel a sense of accomplishment in their work – a sense that what they do is important and meaningful. Such feelings reduce stress, which is a major factor of productivity.

To create an environment where happiness and productivity flourish, here are 5 key lessons to consider:- 

Nak Clearkan Barang Kat Rumah? Kenapa Tak Try Car Boot Sale

Kadangkala ada di antara kita membeli sesuatu barang atau produk dengan harga mahal. Kemudian selepas dipakai, mahu menjualnya dan pasti nilai harga menjadi rendah.

Mungkin merugikan, tetapi apa boleh buat itu cara terbaik kumpul wang untuk membeli barang idaman yang baru. Remaja berikan tip menjual barangan terpakai untuk tambah pulangan wang kamu. 

Pastikan barang dijual masih elok

Seelok-eloknya barang yang hendak dijual haruslah berada dalam keadaan baik meskipun barang tersebut dijual dengan harga murah. Ini kerana, selalunya pembeli akan lebih mementingkan kualiti barang sebelum melihat harga yang ditawarkan.

Jangan jual mahal

Biarpun barangan yang kamu beli mencecah ribuan ringgit, jangan sesekali menjual balik selepas dipakai agak mahal dengan alasan barang yang kamu beli masih baru. Pembeli tidak akan menghabiskan duit begitu banyak hanya untuk beli barang terpakai. Baik beli barang original sahaja.

Qucik Skillet Steak With Onions And Mushrooms

Meat lovers will LOVE this quick weeknight steak dish! 

Mushrooms and onions are the perfect compliment to steak, plus they add bulk without added calories or fat. A great example of using steak as a condiment. 

Originally when I made this steak dish, it was intended for my steak sandwich recipe, but since this is also so good over rice, I felt it deserved it’s own post. Serve this with a salad and you have a complete meal! 

Have all your vegetables sliced and ready before you start cooking, this takes only minutes to make once everything is prepped. Enjoy : ) 

'Saving Tips' Ikut Cara Orang Kaya Ini Akan Membantu Kamu Menyimpan Duit

Tak ada siapa di antara kita yang tidak mahukan 'saving' duit. Ada ketikanya pasti kita terfikir bagaimana golongan kaya dan berjaya mengumpul kekayaan mereka.

Memetik laman web lifehack.org, terdapat beberapa tips yang boleh dipraktikkan dalam kehidupan harian kita untuk menyimpan wang sama seperti apa yang dilakukan golongan berada.

Jadi, kepada kamu yang susah nak saving tu, cuba amalkan tips tersebut, walaupun ringkas pasti ia akan merubah hidup korang.

7 Kesilapan Ini Biasa Orang Lakukan Semasa 'Interview'

Tidak semua syarikat di dunia mementingkan resume yang diberikan pemburu kerja semasa temuduga. Penemuduga selalunya mengambil masa kurang 10 minit untuk menyelak resume yang diberi, dan selebihnya bergantung kepada bahasa badan calon temu duga itu sendiri.

Bahasa badan atau 'body language' sering dipandang remeh atau langsung tidak dipedulikan oleh calon temuduga disebabkan mereka terlalu fokus kepada penyampaian resume atau penampilan diri.

Namun sebaliknya, pergerakan badan memainkan peranan penting dalam menyokong resume calon, sekali gus menampilkan calon sebagai individu yang berkeyakinan tinggi atau kreatif.

Berikut adalah tujuh kesilapan besar melibatkan bahasa badan yang dilakukan oleh calon semasa temuduga.

11 Biasiswa Pengajian Luar Negara Yang Pelajar Malaysia Perlu Tahu

Rebut peluang untuk memohon 11 biasiswa pengajian luar negara bagi pengajian ijazah dan lepasan ijazah!

1. Biasiswa JPA Di bawah Program Kejuruteraan

Biasiswa JPA ini ditawarkan oleh Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam Malaysia (JPA). Calon-calon hanya dibenarkan untuk memilih salah satu daripada empat negara yang layak (Jerman, Perancis, Jepun dan Korea) bergantung kepada minat dan potensi.

Kursus

Kejuruteraan

Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions You Waste Money On

2016 is off to a great start and many resolutions have been made. Making a change in your life by setting goals is all fine and dandy; but beware the resolutions that you make – they just might wreak havoc on your personal finances.

Here’s a list of the top 10 New Year’s resolutions that can turn out to be a real waste of money – unless you do them right.

10 Klang Valley Tolls To Go Cash-Free In January 2016

Starting noon on January 13, 10 toll plazas on four highways in the Klang Valley will go cash-free as a full-fledged electronic toll payment system takes effect.

Drivers will have to use Smart Tags, Touch ‘n Go or PLUS Miles cards at toll plazas located along the Maju Expressway (MEX), New Pantai Expressway (NPE), Cheras-Kajang Highway (Grand Saga) and the Kemuning Shah Alam Expressway (LKSA).

The Klang Valley tolls affected are:

1. Plaza Toll Putrajaya Utama
2. Plaza Toll Salak Selatan and Plaza Toll Seri Kembangan,
3. Maju Expressway
4. Plaza Toll Pantai Dalam
5. Plaza Toll PJS 5 and Plaza Toll PJS 2
6. New-Pantai Expressway
7. Plaza Toll Seri Muda and Plaza Toll Alam Impian
8. Kemuning Shah Alam Highway (LKSA)
9. Plaza Toll Batu 9 and Plaza Toll Batu 11
10. Grand Saga Highway

How to Manage Your Time on a Chaotic, Irregular Schedule

 

Not everyone works 9-5. When you schedule doesn't fit into neat little boxes, it can require some special skills to keep everything in order. Here are some tactics you can use to keep your energy up and maintain a bit of control.

In a past life, I worked as a video producer, writing, shooting, and editing short films. Anyone who's worked in this field for more than a day can tell you that regular hours are not something you keep. Some days you'll work 16 hours straight, other days you'll shoot for three hours in the middle of the night because that's the only time everyone's free. Developing skills to manage a chaotic schedule becomes incredibly important when you can't know when you're working from week to week (and, notably, these skills transfer very well to working multiple jobs and/or retail).