Most contributors not interested in other withdrawal options

the star
BY NEVILLE SPYKERMAN, LOH FOON FONG, MICHELLE TAM, AND M.KUMAR

Most contributors not interested in other withdrawal options

BY NEVILLE SPYKERMAN, LOH FOON FONG, MICHELLE TAM, AND M.KUMAR

Lending an ear: EPF staff attending to questions from customers at the service counter at the EPF headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.

 

PETALING JAYA: Keep your propo­sals, just show us our money at 55. That seems to be the opinion of an overwhelming majority of The Star readers who were polled on the four choices proposed by the Employee Provident Fund (EPF).

The majority of them responded to the two options in the first proposal – either to gradually raise the withdrawal age to 60 or to allow one withdrawal at 55 and then to lock in contributions until the age of 60.

The 200 or so Malaysians who responded to the two-day poll wanted a third option – to refuse both the options and just stick to the way things are now.

Tony M. Yong, on Facebook, told the fund it had no right to make such decisions.

“Who are you to decide when we can withdraw our money? You are just custodians. So don’t decide for us, okay?” he said.

Currently, contributors can make a partial EPF withdrawal at 50 and a full withdrawal of their savings upon retirement at 55.

“We are not interested in your options. Leave it at 55,” said Ranjeet Kaur Sandhu.

Napsiah Wan Salleh said withdrawal at 60 would be too long a wait.

“The person may die waiting and gets nothing. If the Government has no money to pay its share of the caruman (contribution), then it is too bad lah,” she added.

Another reader, Kow Elainee, said EPF should let the rightful owners decide how to manage their own money.

“Please, I truly need it. Don’t mess up and change all rules and regulations. Please, EPF,” she said.

To Mclare Ling, it was not right for EPF to make contributors “beg for our own money” in the first place.

While some wanted to spend their hard-earned money on a well-deserved holiday, a few others voiced different plans for the pension lump sum.

“Definitely 55! So I can keep it in Tabung Haji and ASB!” said Asmah Mohd Zam.

Nick Teh said it should be kept at 55 as many had plans of their own for their money.

“It is against our agreed understanding as per the first day of our contributions, which was the full withdrawal at age 55.

“Therefore, any change is similar to a breach of contract (illegal?),” he added.

Sithaletchemy Krishnaiyer asked the fund to listen to the people.

“We are the contributors, it’s our money.

“If so worried about us, then why don’t you instead orga­nise money management and wealth planning courses?”

Oh Kean Aik took a 1Malaysia approach to the problem by sta­ting his answer in various local languages.

“55, fifty five, lima lima, wu wu (five-five in Mandarin), anji anji (five-five in Tamil)! Get it?” he urged.

Samuel Lai was among the 9.5% who supported the first proposal’s second option, as contributors still get to withdraw everything they have at the age of 55 before their savings are locked in for another five years.

“Another five years, exact same scenario, if still under employment,” he added.

Another advocate, Ridzuan Abd Rahman, said he and his wife had their own financial planning in place beyond the age of 55.

Many ridiculed EPF’s third proposal, which would pay dividends to members who chose to keep their money with the fund until they reach the age of 100.

“How many of us will live till 100? Even if we are still alive, at this age, what will we use the money for? Cannot walk properly, no teeth to enjoy good food,” said Sally Ng.

Some even came up with alternative proposals, such as Abu Yazeed who suggested flexible withdrawals from ages 45 through 55 as most contributors are well-versed in managing their own finances.

“And for everyone’s sakes, extending it to 60 is a terrible and stupid move,” he cautioned.

Information on the proposals and options are available at the myEPF website atwww.kwsp.gov.my.

Groups want BTS system enforced

The star

BY LOH FOON FONG

KUALA LUMPUR: Several consumer groups, housing associations and abandoned project committee heads want the Government to keep to its promise to implement the mandatory build-then-sell (BTS 10:90) system next year.

House Buyers Association vice-president Datuk Goh Seng Toh said the Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Abdul Rahman Dahlan had recently made a “U-turn” when he said he would propose to the Government to allow the system to co-exist with the sell-then-build system as reported in Utusan Online on Aug 26.

“This has drawn flak from the house-buying public and consumer associations, especially the victims of abandoned housing and of unlicensed developers,” said Goh at a press conference yesterday.

He said former Housing and Local Government Minister Tan Sri Chor Chee Heung had in February 2012 reiterated that the BTS 10:90 system would be made mandatory by next year and this was recorded in the Parliament Hansard in the Dewan Rakyat.

Under the BTS 10:90 system, house buyers fork out a 10% down payment for a house and make further payments only when the property is delivered to them while the current system requires buyers to pay up to 95% until the property is completed and the rest released at the end of the defect warranty period.

Victims Malaysia president Dr Mohamed Rafick Khan said the minister’s back-pedalling was a complete betrayal of public trust.

He said Abdul Rahman should have a dialogue with stakeholders.

Rafick said the last letter sent to him for a dialogue was in April but he never received a reply.

“Ministers may come and go but the decision made in Parliament remains. If the Government wants to change it, it should still continue with the decision while reviewing it,” he said.

“Families are badly hit due to abandoned housing projects,” he said.

As of yesterday, Rafick said 356 projects were delayed and they involved 71,172 houses and affected the lives of 49,641 people.

Meanwhile, the Consumers’ Association of Penang and Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association issued a statement calling on the ministry to make the BTS 10:90 system mandatory next year.

Don’t set ceiling when climbing corporate ladder, women told

the star

BY LOH FOON FONG

KUALA LUMPUR: Women must not set a glass ceiling for themselves when climbing the corporate ladder, said a corporate trainer.

Brandt International Sdn Bhd CEO Munirah Looi (pic) said that one main obstacle among capable women in the corporate world was their own mindset that stopped them from wanting to excel.

“They think there is a glass ceiling. That is the major obstacle for them moving up their career,” she said at a press conference yesterday to announce the Women Extraordinaire Forum 2014 that will be held from Oct 28 to 29.

It will be launched by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nancy Shukri.

Looi said “the battle can be won” if women refused to believe there was a glass ceiling and accept that they could realise their potential regardless of the barriers.

“If they can have that mindset shift, they can be successful,” Looi said, adding that the forum would discuss how women could break the glass ceiling.

Recently, Women, Fam­ily and Community Develop­ment Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim said that over 200 women were ready to sit as board members of public-listed companies but the vacancies were not immediately available.

She said the percentage of women sitting as board members of public-listed companies increased from 7.7% in 2012 to 8.6% last year.

The ministry hoped to achieve the target of having 30% women in decision-making positions in the corporate sector by 2016, she said.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced the Govern­ment’s 30% target in 2011.

Asked what was stopping women from moving to the top leadership, World Communication Network Resources corporate adviser and director Datuk Atikah Adom said they needed to be more visible.

“They must create visibility. They must have the knowledge and ability, communication skills and the (network) contacts,” she said, adding that they should also care for their appearance and not be unkempt.

Former Prime Minister and Perdana Leadership Foundation honorary president Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad will speak on Women Leading the Future at the forum on Oct 29.

Liow to sign MoU on MH370

The Star

BY LOH FOON FONG

Sharing a light moment: Liow and Bentong MCA branch and division chairman Datuk Hoh Khai Mun (right) looking at pictures of the branch members' activities at the launch of the new Bentong MCA branch building.

BENTONG: Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai will meet Australian leaders soon to sign a memorandum of understanding on the two countries’ collaboration in their search for missing Flight MH370.

Liow also gave his commitment that the search for MH370 would continue despite the recent tragedy of MH17, which was believed to have been shot down by missile over eastern Ukraine.

The search was ongoing despite the Government working on identifying the bodies of Malaysians killed in the MH17 incident, he said.

“We are working closely together with Australia and China in the search.

“I will be signing an MoU in Australia soon and we will be working together as they have announced a tender and we want to support the Australian government,” he said after launching a new Bentong MCA building on Jalan Dato Poo Yew Choy here yesterday.

The Australian government, said Liow, had announced that it tendered out a section of the work to a specialised team to look for the plane.

It was reported on Wednesday that the search tender had been awarded to Dutch company Fugro.

“I will give my commitment to continue searching for MH370,” said Liow, who is also MCA president.

Yesterday marked the fifth month since MH370 went missing on March 8 while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing and the flight was thought to have ended somewhere in the south Indian Ocean based on satellite data provided by Inmarsat.

The Australian Transport Safety Board head, Martin Dolan, said it was still mapping the broader area in which authorities hoped to find the plane.

At one time, a multi-national team, including United States, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea, were looking for the plane, which went missing with 227 passengers and 12 crew members on board.

More victims step forward Harassment cases on the rise

KUALA LUMPUR: The number of people lodging police reports on sexual harassment has increased showing that more victims are brave enough to step forward to make a report.

Women’s Development Depart­ment director-general Datuk Munirah Abdullah Bajanudin said police statistics showed that 7,398 sexual harassment cases were reported in 2012 compared with 7,603 last year.

“The increase also showed that more women today are brave enough to step forward and give evidence relating to the violence that occurred to them,” she said during a sexual harassment at the workplace awareness seminar organised by the Crime Prevention Awareness Board yesterday.

The department’s deputy director-general Azizah Che Rashid, who read out the speech on behalf of Munirah, said as many as 1,867 sexual harassment cases had been reported from January to March this year.

“Sexual harassment has to be taken seriously because it has negative impact on the victims as well as employers,” she said.

Earlier, one of the seminar speakers, Sexual Investigation Unit head DSP Zaiton Che Lah, said only 25% of the nearly 2,700 rape cases reported yearly were brought to court each year.

She said one reason for the low figures was the long wait for the chemistry report, resulting in the release of the suspect on bail.

However, when the police had to search for the suspect again, some could no longer be located, she said.

Task force set to deliver findings

The Star
BY LOH FOON FONG

KUALA LUMPUR: The task force set up to study the Human Rights Commission’s (Suhakam) report on native land rights issues is expected to deliver its findings by the end of the month.

According to Suhakam chairman Tan Sri Hasmy Agam, some of its recommendations in its National Inquiry into the Land Rights of Indigenous Peopleswould be rejected, while others might take time to implement.

“We hope that by the end of this month, there would be a report and we will know how much (of its recommendations) will be taken into consideration,” he said during a press conference after launching the Suhakam 2013 Annual Report here yesterday.

Suhakam conducted the inquiry following numerous complaints as well as memoranda from the indigenous community on the violation of their rights, especially on customary land rights.

More than 6,500 indigenous peoples participated in the public consultations during the 18-month long inquiry that began in June 2011.

The final report was completed in April last year.

Following the inquiry, Suhakam came up with 18 recommendations, including recognising indigenous customary rights to land, as well as having redress mechanisms for land loss and preventing future loss of native customary land rights.

Acknowledging that the natives had been sidelined for far too long, Hasmy said Suhakam would hold a campaign to get the findings and recommendations adopted by the relevant authorities if the report was rejected.

However, he added that this should not be seen as Suhakam having prejudged the task force.

Suhakam: Lowest number of complaints in five years

The Star
BY LOH FOON FONG

KUALA LUMPUR: The Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) received the lowest number of complaints in five years, its annual report 2013 revealed.

A total of 624 complaints were received compared with 911 the year before, 1,232 in 2011, 721 in 2010 and 941 in 2009.

Suhakam chairman Tan Sri Hasmy Agam said the lower number of cases reported could be partly due to greater understanding of human rights while issues not related to human rights were directed elsewhere.

“There are other commissions that looked into various issues and other processes that could be done first and we will make sure those are done first,” he told a press conference.

Report chairman Datuk Dr Khaw Lake Tee said the figures were unusually high in 2011 due to the complaints received from the National Inquiry into the Land Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Hasmy said Suhakam handed over 13 annual reports to Parliament and none had been tabled and it welcomed the recommendation by the Government in 2012 to set up a Permanent Parliamentary Select Committee on Human Rights, which he hoped would subsequently lead to the tabling of the report in Parliament.

He said that currently, there seemed to be more collaborations on the issue between the two political coalitions at the committee level behind close doors, nevertheless, he hoped that the human rights issues would still be debated in Parliament.

Hasmy said he hoped the setting up of the committee would be expedited soon so that parliamentarians could give adequate attention to Suhakam’s future annual reports, as this was a normal process in other countries.

He also said that Suhakam had met Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, the ministry’s officials, with the presence of Minister in the Prime Minister Datuk Paul Low recently to discuss several issues under the Home Ministry’s care.

"We are happy to know that Datuk Ahmad Zahid has given a positive response and expressed the ministry’s readiness to work with Suhakam on human rights issues,” he said.

Hasmy said they had pointed out the importance of the Government adhering to international human rights principles and portray a positive image for the country in the eyes of the international community.

Thirteen main issues were highlighted in the report, including amendments to the laws, Malaysia’s involvement in the international human rights treaties and rights to education for children with learning difficulties.

The report also highlighted the rights of care for senior citizens, freedom of assembly, challenges of human rights activists, issues on detention centres, Universal Periodic Review and the National Human Rights Action Plan.

Report on land rights of indigenous communities expected end April

BY LOH FOON FONG
(online version)

The Orang Asli settlement.- Filepic

KUALA LUMPUR: The Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) is expecting the national task force studying the findings and recommendations of the National Inquiry into the Land Rights of Indigenous Peoples to be completed by end of this month.

Suhakam chairman Tan Sri Hasmy Agam said he believed that some of the recommendations might not be employed while others might take a longer time to implement.

“We hope by the end of this month there will be a report and we will know how much will be taken into consideration,” he said during a press conference after launching the Suhakam 2013 Annual Report on Friday.

Suhakam completed the national inquiry report in April last year and announced it to the public on Aug 5.

It was released following the Government’s decision to set up a national task force to study the findings, recommendations and proposals.

Hasmy said it would hold a campaign to bring the recommendations forward in the event the national inquiry report was rejected.

Nevertheless, he said he would not prejudge the issue.

He said the orang asli had been sidelined for far too long.

Suhakam conducted the inquiry following numerous complaints as well as a memorandum from the indigenous community on the violation of their human rights, especially on customary land rights.

More than 6,500 indigenous people participated in public consultations during the 18-month long inquiry.

Suhakam came up with 18 recommendations following the inquiry, including recognising indigenous customary rights to land, having redress mechanisms for land loss and preventing future loss of native customary rights to land.

Ministry will take custody of traumatised children, says Rohani

The Star

Published: Sunday April 13, 2014 MYT 12:00:00 AM
Updated: Sunday April 13, 2014 MYT 7:35:35 AM

(By LOH FOON FONG)

PETALING JAYA: The Women, Family and Community Development Min­istry will not hesitate to take into custody children who are traumatised by their parents’ ongoing custody tussles.

Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim said that the welfare of the children was of utmost importance to the ministry.

“They must come to an understanding to resolve the issue,” she said at a press conference after launching the Program Aspirasi Gemilang ‘A’ Great Eastern Life” awards ceremony here yesterday.

Rohani added that the ministry could take temporary custody of the children if they exhibited emotional disturbances, as provided for under Section 17 (1) (a) of the Child Act.

She said this when commenting on a case where a Muslim convert father had allegedly snatched his son from his Hindu ex-wife’s home despite her obtaining custody of the boy and his sister by the High Court.

The father had also been awarded custody of the children by the Syariah court last August.

On another issue, Rohani said that the ministry had submitted eight reports to the Swedish social welfare department through Wisma Putra on the welfare of the children whose parents Azizul Raheem Awalluddin, 38, and Shalwati Norshal, 46, are serving jail sentences in the country for abusing their children’s integrity.

She said the children were adapting well and were taking Bahasa Malaysia tuition classes to improve their command of the language.

They are being taken care of by an aunt and are also undergoing counselling, she said.

The Solna District Court recently sentenced Shalwati to 14 months jail and Azizul, 10 months, for the offence.

Azizul is a Tourism Malaysia director in Sweden.

Former law ministers take police to task

The Star

Published: Saturday April 12, 2014 MYT 12:00:00 AM
Updated: Saturday April 12, 2014 MYT 10:21:48 AM

BY SARBAN SINGH, SIRA HABIBU, TASHNY SUKUMARAN, FARIK ZOLKEPLI, M. KUMAR, LOH FOON FONG, AND LOSHANA K SHAGAR

BY SARBAN SINGH, SIRA HABIBU, TASHNY SUKUMARAN, FARIK ZOLKEPLI, M. KUMAR, LOH FOON FONG, AND LOSHANA K SHAGAR

Flashback: The Star report on April 24, 2009.

   

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PETALING JAYA: Two former law ministers have taken the police to task over their claim that they could not act on S. Deepa’s claim that her ex-husband had abducted her son.

Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, now the Tourism and Culture Minister, said the issue was a clear-cut case of kidnapping.

“This is abduction. It should never have happened. Let’s not lose sight of context,” he told The Star.

“This isn’t a question of Izwan Abdullah being right under Syariah law.

“It is a civil law marriage, it is the civil court, we must respect the civil court’s ruling. They have the jurisdiction.

“The High Court judge’s ruling was correct. The police shouldn’t allow him to get away with kidnapping the child,” he added.

Nazri was law minister in 2009 when the Cabinet decided that children be raised in the “common religion at the time of marriage” should one of their parents convert.

He had said then that a spouse who converted to Islam would also have to fulfil his or her marriage responsibilities and sort out issues according to civil marriage laws.

“Religion should not be used as a tool to escape marriage responsibilities,” he said.

Datuk Zaid Ibrahim said police should have never given the impression that they would not act because there were two different court orders.

“To say they respect both court orders and therefore will do nothing is irresponsible, and this leaves a negative perception of them.

“They should have contacted the Attorney-General or the Prime Minister before deciding on a course of action, or at least state that they would do so before considering action,” he added.

Meanwhile, Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail said he would not comment until the police referred their investigations into the matter to his Chambers.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar had earlier reaffirmed that police would not take any action against Izwan despite the High Court order granting Deepa custody of their two children.

This was because Izwan Abdullah had obtained a custody order from the Syariah High Court last year.

“As there are two clashing court orders on the matter, we will wait for the courts to decide,” he said, confirming a statement by Jelebu OCPD a day earlier that the police could not act.

Khalid said the child was in no danger as he was with his father.