National Library to go digital by June

KUALA LUMPUR: The National Library will implement the Resource Description and Access system by June this year, after five years of study on the system.

Director-General, Datuk Raslin Abu Bakar said the new system will bring about a significant change in library discipline by creating an efficient digital index of resources.

"Previously, one would have to use a card catalog to find book titles, writers, and contents which takes up time and effort, but with the new system adapted from the US Library of Congress, research on resources can be done in a fraction of the time," he said.

According to Raslin, the library's Technical, Catalogue and Category Unit held several discussions with European countries on the guidelines and implementation of the new system.

"We were given training by experts on the new system and currently, hundreds of resources in the library are in the process of being converted to the new system and the National Library is the first public library in the Asian region to implement the system," he said.

Raslin added that the new system was developed through the Community Organisation Culture & Information (COCI) Grant and was tabled by Malaysia at the 21st Conference of Directors of National Libraries in Asia and Oceania here, on Tuesday.

The three-day conference themed 'National Library as an agent of transformation' started Tuesday and involves 32 participants from 22 countries.

Among them Australia, Bangladesh, China, Bhutan, Indonesia, Brunei, Vietnam and New Zealand. Bernama

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PIKOM PC Fair is back!

Hello everyone! Good news to all of you here in Sabah particularly KK. PIKOM PC Fair 2013 is back and will be coming to 1Borneo on this Friday (29/3), Saturday(30/3) and Sunday (31/3).

Grab the chance to get your favourite IT goods in a cheaper price and I am sure there are lots of games, promotions and etc.






You can refer table above to get your latest update about the next venue. See ya there!

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Staff of 7 government statutory bodies to get wide ranges of benefits

KUALA LUMPUR: Some 40,000 employees of seven Government statutory organisations are set to enjoy benefits such as pension and housing allowance.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced on Monday that a pension fund would be set up for the staff of Bank Simpanan Nasional, Inland Revenue Board (IRB), Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera, Employees' Provident Fund (EPF), Socso, Tabung Haji and the Ex-Servicemens Affairs Corporation (Perhebat).

Other benefits include standardising employers' EPF contributions, fixed housing allowances and gratuity for retirees.

Najib, who is also Finance Minister, said the move was in response to requests made by the organisations last month.

“As a Government that listens to the people, feels the pulse of the rakyat and takes care of their welfare, I am glad to announce the setting up of a pension fund for staff at these statutory bodies,” he said in his address to 8,000 workers at Putra World Trade.

This was made possible, said Najib, by the “nation's success story,” adding that it was not merely a populist move.

“That is why I stand here with a clear conscience as it (the announcement) is based on the Malaysian success story. We are not a failed state,” he said.

He cited recent global economic events, particularly the Eurozone crisis and the Cyprus bailout, as examples in which populist measures had brought chaos and hardship to the countries and their people.

“The decisions we make are based on sound reality with our feet on the ground,” said Najib, adding that in contrast, there were certain groups willing to sacrifice the well-being of the country and people for short-term political gains.

These statutory bodies are managed separately since their corporatisation in the early 1990s.

Welcoming the move, president of the Association of the Seven Statutory Bodies Tuan Azman Tuan Yaacob told reporters the bodies' respective board of directors would discuss the matter before holding a joint meeting to finalise the details and implementation of the decisions.

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GE13: ‘Najib Treats’ or ‘Special A’, anyone?

photo credit: The STAR

PETALING JAYA: Malaysians can now start their day with a box of “Najib Treats” or “Special A”.
The boxes of the “election” cereals come with the likeness of this year's general election front-runners Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The boxes were designed by boutique advertising agency BW Creatives, with taglines mirroring that of standard breakfast cereal packaging, but with an election twist.
On “Najib Treats”, the box reads “Breakfast of Champions: Promises in Every Bite” parodying the Prime Minister's classic catchphrase of Janji Ditepati while “Special A” plays on Anwar's call for reforms with the tagline: “The Alternate Breakfast of Choice: Every Bowl Reforms Your Tastebuds!”.
There are 1,000 boxes of each kind available. BW Creatives co-founder Lee Tze Vern, 30, said inspiration for the cereal boxes came from watching the 2008 US presidential elections.
“The Americans are very passionate when it comes to elections. With caricatures, TV spoofs, cartoons and celebrity endorsements, they know how to make fun of a serious situation.
“We shelved the idea until now and are doing this to get young ones interested in the elections because, generally, younger people do not really care about it,” said Lee.
The cereal boxes can be bought online via eBay and PayPal at RM20, including shipping fees.
Half of the proceeds will be given to a charity.
For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/electioncereals.

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Election Guide for Newbies-The Star

GE13 is around the corner and I am sure that all of us , are anxiously waiting for the big day to come. BN teams have been heavily lobbying their party, even with the opposition's voices of chores during their annual meeting in Kelantan.

Well, I am talking about their methods to win the next general election but instead shared with you an interesting thing about this. The STAR online has introduced a new column for readers, viewers and public, advices and opinions about the next GE and I found it captivating.

Without further ado, simply log on to http://elections.thestar.com.my/newbies_guide.aspx?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=ge13_newbies to get more info.

Stay tuned!

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BR1M appeals to be known by early April

IPOH: Applicants will know the result of their Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) 2.0 aid appeals within the first week of April.

Second Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah said decision letters would be sent out during that period.

“Currently we are still processing the applications and for Perak alone, there is 32,000 applications still being processed, including those who appealed.

“For this year, the Federal Government have approved a total of 6.1million applications, out of which, 4.3mil are head of households who received the RM500 cash aid.

“Those remaining are the single individuals who received the RM250 cash aid,” he said after visiting the Inland Revenue Board Ipoh branch office here Friday.

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Ministry to discuss preloading operating systems with computer manufacturers

PUTRAJAYA: The Domestic Trade, Consumerism and Cooperatives Ministry will arrange to meet with computer manufacturers soon to discuss the possibility of pre-loading all new computers with original operating systems (OS).

Enforcement director Mohd Roslan Mahayudin said the industry has faced a long-standing problem where certain retailers would install pirated software onto computers that are sold without pre-loaded OSs.

“When manufacturers sell empty' computers (without a pre-loaded OS), it exposes consumers to piracy as (unscrupulous) retailers will offer to install pirated software for their customers,” he said at a press conference at his office here Friday.

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GE13: Political parties to get 10 minutes RTM airtime each to present manifestos

KUALA LUMPUR: Political parties will be given 10 minutes airtime each on Radio-Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) to present their manifestos after Parliament is dissolved to pave the way for the 13th general election.

Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said the opportunity was being given to both Barisan Nasional and the Opposition, but the presentation would be pre-recorded.

"It is up to the parties whether to use the facility or not, but we in the ministry are ready to implement this," he told reporters at Angkasapuri here Friday.

He said the opportunity was being provided to respect the democratic system in the country and hoped the 10 minutes would be enough for the parties to forward their respective manifestos.

Dr Rais, however, said the presentation of the manifestos must be done according to the terms and conditions set by RTM and would be supervised by the ministry's secretary-general and a panel headed by the broadcasting director-general.

"I am not involved in this, nor are any other ministers," he said.

Dr Rais said the manifestos presented cannot discredit or defame anyone, relate to matters on the country's security, insult the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, belittle human rights or touch on people's sensitivities.

"These requirements and other information will be handed over to the Election Commission, as well as other quarters who will play a role in presenting the manifestos," he added.

The country's 13th general election is expected to be held in the coming weeks.

The current Parliament held its first sitting on April 28, 2008 and automatically dissolves at midnight on April 27.

The last general election was held on March 8, 2008.

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GE13: Umno sends out sternest warning yet to would-be saboteurs

PETALING JAYA: Umno's disciplinary board has issued its sternest warning yet to party members over sabotaging Barisan Nasional's campaign in the upcoming election.

Viewing the matter with the utmost seriousness, the board has even set up a special committee to look into cases and mete out punishments swiftly, said boardchairman Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen.

"With this special committee, swift and stern will be taken against those found to sabotage as well as breach party discipline.

"But before the committee can decide on any punishment, the disciplinary board will investigate thoroughly and make its decision based on substantial evidence," he said in a statement Thursday.

He added that members from a division in Sabah have also been sacked and had their memberships suspended after being found guilty of sabotage.

Ahmad also said the board has appointed overseers in every parliamentary and state constituency to report cases of sabotage, ensuring that disciplinary action could be taken against the culprits at an early stage.

The country's 13th general election is expected to be held in the coming weeks.

Parliament automatically dissolves after April 27 if the polls are not called before then.

The first sitting of the current Parliament began on April 28, 2008, following the last polls on March 8 the same year.

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GE13: EC denies claims it can identify voters’ choice of candidates

IPOH: The Election Commission (EC) has rejected claims by some quarters that it can identify candidates picked by voters in the 13th general election.

Its deputy chairman Datuk Wan Ahmad Wan Omar assured that the vote of each voter is a secret.

"EC clerks at polling centres are disallowed from writing down numbers or anything. This is the law," he told reporters after briefing election returning officers, enforcement chiefs and the Perak police chief, here on Thursday.

Wan Ahmad said the clerk would check the name and confirm that the individual is a voter before staining the finger with ink and giving the ballot paper.

"Each book has 50 ballot papers and they will be given by sequence.

“Voters cannot pick the ballot papers as it is against the law and regulation.

"The ballot papers have serial numbers. For example, the serial number 100 is unique and is used for a specific polling stream.

"This is to prevent voters from one stream to take the ballot papers and cast votes at another stream," he said

Wan Ahmad stressed that nobody will know the candidates chosen by the voters.

"Voters can come to the polling centres at anytime as they are open from 8am to 5pm on polling day.

"As such, there is no way of matching the voters with the ballot papers," he said

He advised political parties and non-governmental organisations (NGO) not to confuse voters by spreading false information. - Bernama

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SMEs may defer minimum wages for foreign workers until Dec 31

KUALA LUMPUR: Employers in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have been allowed to defer the implementation of minimum wages for their foreign workers.

Employers in the sector have been permitted to defer it until Dec 31, said a statement from the National Wages Consultative Council yesterday.

Employers in sectors, excluding SMEs, who are facing difficulties implementing minimum wages may opt for deferment by submitting their applications to the council in Putrajaya by June 30.

"It is hereby announced that the government's decision to give deferment for foreign workers in SMEs is to be in force from the date of the amendment of the order," the council said.

It added that employers who have been given deferment were not allowed to make deductions from the foreign workers' wages for levy, cost of accommodation or other allowances.

On employers implementing minimum wages for foreign workers, the council said they would be given blanket approval for deductions of levy and cost of accommodation.

The amount of levy to be deducted is the amount on a pro-rated monthly basis and the amount of deduction shall not exceed RM50 a month for each foreign worker, it added.

"Both the deductions need to be notified to the nearest Labour Department via email or letter," the council said.

However, in special circumstances, based on individual merits, the Labour Department may consider applications for cost of accommodation exceeding RM50 a month for each foreign worker, it said.

The statement also said that the deferment did not affect Malaysian workers and employers would have to pay them the minimum wage as per the order.

The Minimum Wages Order 2012, which took effect on Jan 1, requires employers with six employees and above to pay a minimum wage of RM900 a month in the peninsula or RM800 a month in Sabah, Sarawak and the Federal Territory of Labuan.

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BNM: Banks to charge 50 sen to process a cheque from April 2014

KUALA LUMPUR: Banks will impose a cheque processing fee of 50 sen on the issuer of the cheque with effect from April 1, 2014 as Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) sets a new pricing strategy to promote greater efficiency.

The central bank said on Wednesday this fee would be in addition to the existing stamp duty of 15 sen per cheque leaf.

"During the one-year period, BNM will work closely with the financial industry to further improve the payment infrastructure to ensure payment services are easily accessible, secure and convenient," it said.

"To reduce the cost and inefficiencies associated with the use of cheques, the charge for cheques will be progressively increased to reflect its production cost, which is currently at RM3," it added.

The new pricing strategy for payment services was to address the current price distortion between electronic payments and paper-based payment instruments. BNM said the fee for electronic payment methods would be reduced to incentivise businesses and consumers to adopt the more cost effective electronic payment methods while charges would be levied on cheques to reflect its higher cost.

Effective May 2, 2013, the fee for Interbank GIRO or IBG transactions done online via internet banking and mobile banking, would be at 10 sen.

"The low online IBG fee is aimed at providing the incentive for users to switch from other more costly payment methods to lower cost alternatives," it said.

BNM said online payment would provide significant benefits to individuals and businesses.

It pointed out individuals would enjoy the convenience of transacting anytime anywhere, avoiding the queues at bank counters while businesses can lower the costs of doing business through the reduction or redeployment of resources used for handling cash and cheques.

With more payments done electronically, BNM said there would also be cost savings from manual processes including postage.

In addition to cheques and IBG, adjustments in pricing for the other payment channels and methods, including automatic teller machines (ATM) will be phased in progressively to steer consumers to adopt the more cost effective electronic payment methods.

By 2020, pricing of all payment services would be based on the cost of providing the service.

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