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

Now that you understand how to derive your chargeable income to file for your 2016 income tax, we can calculate how much tax you will be paying for last year’s assessment.

Review : Desolasi

Aiman is upset that the valet parking attendant stole his favourite 4U2C tape from the car. A scene from Desolasi.

Ironically, for a movie with a title that translates to “state of emptiness”, Desolasi is a full-on assault on the senses. It’s as if director Syafiq Yusof is afraid of desolation himself, to the point that his movie is filled with mind-boggling visual effects, neverending explosions and anguished cries.

The story revolves around Aiman (Syamsul Yusof), a visual artist with his own perception of reality. Growing up, he coloured his drawings differently from the other kids in school and that made his teacher upset. Aiman questioned why God allowed suffering in the world. He said God could make everyone happy by just giving them what they want.

Of course, this doesn’t sit well with his religious father (played by Datuk Jalaluddin Hassan), who constantly reminds Aiman to perform his prayers.

After losing his mother and experiencing a series of mishaps, Aiman can no longer bear his suffering. Underneath the pouring rain, he looks up to the sky and asks God to make his problems go away. What do you know, Aiman wakes up the next day and finds himself all alone in the world. Or at least, in his perception of reality.

While Aiman enjoys his solitude, his father files a missing person report and goes on a frantic search to find him. He even has his own Taken moment with a mysterious individual linked to Aiman’s disappearance.

Faizal Tahir and his shirtless album cover picture

Singer-songwriter Faizal Tahir put a lot of thought into the design of his latest album cover Anatomi.

“Who has a scientist jacket?” singer-songwriter Faizal Tahir says while laughing right after someone asked him to explain the meaning behind the cover of his latest album, Anatomi. The striking image features Faizal, 37, posing like the Vitruvian Man, with wings and surrounded by a number of items.

Oh, he’s shirtless, too.

He knows the media will question him on this issue. “If I’m going to explain everything, it’s going to take a long time,” he says during an interview in Kuala Lumpur.

To put it simply, Faizal says the various elements on the cover represent the songs on the album as well as things that define him as a man. It ranges from his birth year (“The horse. It’s also my favourite animal.”) to his belief about duality (“Where there is shadow, there is also light.”) and of course, his favourite football club (“The wings represent the mythical Liverpool bird.”).

The cover also reflects his admiration for women who sacrifice for their loved ones (“The lady with the veil is balancing a number of things on her head.”), patriotism (“The Malaysian flag reminds me that no matter where I go, this is home.”) and the rabbit head is the persona he takes on to entertain children.

This Ipoh man has been selling records for 40 years

Chen’s modest store houses a treasure trove of goodies, including vinyl LPs, cassettes, hi-fi knick knacks and erhus.

When the sound of the erhu emanates from a particular stretch of Pasar Besar Ipoh, Perak’s central market, that simply means Cheng Ah Lek is at his record store for a day’s work. The proprietor of Perniagaan Nanyang has been selling vinyl LPs for more than 40 years, having opened his first shop on Osborne Street (now Jalan Dato Tahwil Azhar) in 1974.

“I opened another shop in Yau Tet Shin market in 1984, but closed it two years later when I fell ill,” said the gregarious 74-year-old. Ultimately, the original Osborne Street store is what lasted longest, and Cheng was there until the turn of the millennium, when the owner of the lot eventually sold it.

This writer recalls visiting that store in the late 1990s and leaving with cartfuls of records on a number of occasions. With Chen having sold records for so long, he had an amazing inventory then.

According to him, he had tens of thousands of titles, though in the last 16 years, that volume has decreased tremendously. Good titles can still be had, from the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Bad Company, Deep Purple and BB King.

What’s great about Chen’s collection is the condition of his records … they are largely NOS (new old stock titles), effectively meaning, they are unplayed records. And there’s been a copy of 10cc’s Deceptive Bends sitting there for months now, just waiting for the right music lover to claim it.

5 Money-Wasting Things You Are Probably Guilty Of

Wondering why your monthly income never seem to be enough? Looking for ways on how to save money? If you are reading this, good for you – because it means that you want to do something to manage your finances better. And believe it or not, there are a lot of things you can do, or much rather, change, to be able to save more and find greater rewards in the long run. Here are some spending habits you could begin working on:

Shop smart might save you money in a long run

Are You Guilty Of Using Any Of These Passwords?

With all that Heartbleed Bug news, suddenly we’ve got thinking about the passwords we use. We’ve even had to go through the headache of thinking up new ones all over again (and if you haven’t, you definitely should – check here for which sites you should change now!).

It’s definitely interesting to see some of the ‘creative’ passwords users think of. Some are extraordinarily funny; some are just alright, while some are straight up common and could be guessed within a few seconds.

Some people use the events of their lives as their passwords (we’re serious!). For instance, we have a friend that uses the name of their ex followed by a horrid word to describe their nasty breakup. Perhaps it’s a way for these poor souls to vent their anger… somehow? We think it would only make us more frustrated, tapping out their name every day.

Then there’s always that fail safe… using the word “password” as their password. Believe it or not, this is actually one of the most common passwords used around the world. They actually believe that no would ever guess it, as it’s too obvious. It’s simply amazing how these people’s minds work, isn’t it?

The Future Of Mobile Wallets

What’s in your wallet? Most of us would have some sort of payment method in it, for example, cash, credit/debit card and other nick-knacks such as ID card, loyalty cards, business cards, receipts, insurance cards, and the list goes on.

When we talk about mobile wallet, it’s not just a way to pay with a device, it is encompassing that actual wallet you possess with all of its contents and associated activities; integrating it into a type of digital device that empowers you to process what needs to be done without using your physical wallet.

Most often than not, that device is a mobile phone although it doesn’t necessary need to be. But as you know, the phone has already started to replace the wallet – you keep digital family pictures, perform online banking and transactions – your behaviour as a consumer and the phone is what forms the new digital mobile wallet.

Let’s take a look at mobile wallets through the eyes of the consumer, how they fit into their everyday lives and what we can expect to see in the near future.

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.

A place in Malaysia you’ve probably never heard of : Bau, Sarawak

The people that live there

There are over 40 sub-ethnic groups in Sarawak and three main linguistic groups: Biatah, Singai-Jagoi, and Bukar and Sadong. In the Bau region located about 40 minutes from Kuching, the major sub-ethnic group are the Singai-Jagoi Bidayuhs. Bidayuh, which translates to ‘people of the land’, were formerly known as the Land Dayaks and they make up the second largest native ethnic group in Sarawak after the Ibans.

People of the Bidayuh tribe during the Gawai Dayak festival | Photo credit: CHEN WS / Shutterstock.com

Tribes in the Bau region are believe to have come from West Kalimantan some 700 years ago. In particular, the Jagoi-Bratak people chose to settle on top of Mount Bratak where they felt it was safe, and that actually held true for quite some time as the settlement was well fortified and flourished.

Sambal Ulek

Hari ni kami masak yang mudah aje.. Kami masak kobis masak lemak putih,  goreng ikan bawal yang masih berbaki dalam peti ais dan juga sediakan sambal ulek. Benar-benar berselera sekali kami menikmati hidangan tengahari.. sesekali makan yang simple-simple ni di hari cuti ni memang membuka selera.

Kalau ada yang nak mencuba sambal ulek, kami kongsikan di sini.

Will You Be Able To Keep Your Home If You Lose Your Job?

After saving for years to buy your home, it seems too careless to lose it because of disability, illness or retrenchment. If you don’t have a plan B for these instances, how will you be able to make your home loan repayments?

Disability and death are covered by Mortgage Level Term Asssurance (MLTA) or Mortgage Reducing Term Assurance (MRTA), but what about retrenchment?

If the word ‘retrenchment’ doesn’t send chills down your spine, the stats below would likely make you shudder.

From January to September 2015 alone, more than 20,000 employees lost their jobs in Malaysia, and the retrenchment trend is expected to continue in 2017.  The truth is, job security is not what it used to be, and if you are unfortunate enough to be retrenched by your employer, getting another job immediately may not be as easy as well.

Hiring has also slowed significantly. Monster, a global online employment firm, said its year-over-year study of job postings on the Internet showed a 39% drop across all occupations and sectors in Malaysia.

Even jobs in the public sector were also harder to come by as the government froze hiring of civil servants except for critical positions last year.

Air Asam dan Ikan Caru Bakar

Kita mulakan menu hari ini dengan ikan caru bakar yang di cicah bersama air asam yang power...

Ikan bakar ni sesekali makan dengan kuah lemak pekena pula dengan nasi hangat memang terangkat habis...

Kami sukakan kuah asam yang pedas gilerrr... barulah berpeluh-peluh makan.. tu yang syok sangat tu..

Netflix Launched in Malaysia but with Limited Library

Netflix has been officially launched in Malaysia after the announcement made by Reed Hastings at CES 2016. Netflix expanded its service to 130 new countries around the world including Malaysia being one of the locations. However, there is a catch!

The content available in Netflix Malaysia won’t be as expensive as content available in Netflix USA. This is where using a VPN comes into play. With a VPN by your side, you can access Netflix library of any region and watch your favorite shows or movies online.

Netflix is one of the world’s largest online streaming services that offer thousand of movies, TV shows, and other media for your online entertainment. Now if you are located in Malaysia and are looking to access Netflix, then I am afraid you will run into the problem of geo-restriction.

Netflix is a US based video on–demand streaming service. Although Netflix is available in various other countries around the world, it is yet to officially launch in Malaysia. So when you try to access movies or TV series on Netflix while being in Malaysia, you will see the following message.

Disappointing isn’t it! So how do you access Netflix Malaysia?

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

What Multitasking Does To Our Brains

We've all heard it hundreds of times: to work efficiently we have to single task. No multitasking. And yet, we let it slip. We end up eating lunch in front of the TV with our laptop open. We browse Twitter and Facebook whilst sending emails, and probably chatting in Google+ too. If we should be focusing on just one assignment, blog post, or proposal...why the heck is it so hard to focus? 

 

Why we multitask in the first place: It makes us feel good

 

To understand why we always fall into the habit of multitasking, when we know we shouldn't, I found some very interesting studies. The answer is in fact quite simple:

[People who multitask] are not being more productive—they just feel more emotionally satisfied from their work.

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).

Home Remedies to Get Rid of Gas and Bloating

Eating too much or consuming lots of fatty or spicy food commonly leads to gas and bloating. It’s not unlikely for the discomfort felt in the abdominal area to be accompanied with symptoms such as nausea, dizziness and headache. Whenever this excruciating problem strikes, worry not for there are a handful of effective home remedies you may try.

Drink Thirst-Quenching Coconut Water

The calming effect of coconut water to the digestive tract helps alleviate a crabby belly. Drinking it is a refreshing way to allow the stomach to bounce back from all the things that it is forced to process.

How to Beat Loneliness

Loneliness affect everybody, it can be a sudden feeling or something that comes from time to time. It can be a feeling of disconnection, unhappiness and numbness. Loneliness can leave you feeling emotionally and physically drained of life. For some people loneliness can be easily cured with a little bit of rest and relaxation, to some loneliness can be a lasting and painful.

Living with loneliness can affect sleeping patterns, lifestyle, health and physical well-being. Ten to twenty percent of adults struggle with chronic loneliness. Loneliness is a much common problem than depression. Unlike depression, loneliness can be easier to overcome.

Keep loneliness at bay with these helpful tips:

Hit the books

Learning about your condition and knowing what it can and can’t be is the first step to finding treatment for it. Learning about loneliness allows you to analyze the feeling itself, it removes the mystery of the problem and allow you to deal with it more openly.

9 rahsia murah rezeki untuk anda amalkan

Ada banyak petua atau rahsia murah rezeki yang boleh kita jumpa dikongsikan dalam penulisan di kedai-kedai buku sejak lama dulu.

Tapi rasanya, belum lagi ada yang berikan teknik terperinci 9 rahsia murah rezeki untuk anda amal dengan jelas dan terang.

Biasanya bab rahsia murah rezeki ini hanya akan diselitkan dalam kuliah-kuliah umum.

Jarang sangat diadakan satu kuliah atau program khas untuk memberikan tumpuan pada petua atau rahsia bagaimana nak murah rezki.

Pernahkah anda sertai mana-mana seminar atau kuliah atau kelas yang memberikan tumpuan khas semata-mata untuk mempelajari teknik atau rahsia murah rezeki sahaja. Tidak ada perkara lain selain dari rahsia murah rezeki...pernah ke?