Budget 2023's fish and rod
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Key Highlights
Budget 2023's fish and rod
Umno veep race
SPM rant arrest
Budget 2023's fish and rod
The revised Budget 2023 was rather muted in terms of goodies for the average person.
There were income tax cuts for the M40, and a tax increase for the wealthy, as well as a tax on luxury goods.
There's no EPF withdrawals, but the government is injecting RM500 into the EPF accounts of those nearing retirement with little savings.
There was also direct cash aid - now called Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) for households earning up to RM5,000 per month.
However, notably, instead of just giving those struggling a proverbial fish to eat, the government is also embarking on an income generation programme for the poor to get them to be self sustainable.
The programme, dubbed the People's Income Initiative (Inisiatif Pendapatan Rakyat - IPR) seeks to help participants earn up to RM2,000 per month with continued guidance over 24 months.
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Umno veep race
Nominations for the Umno party election closed on Sunday.
The race for the three vice-presidencies - the highest positions being contested this time - is packed with contenders.
Former Johor menteri besar Hasni Mohammad, de facto Law Minister Azalina Othman, Titiwangsa MP Johari Abdul Ghani, and former minister Reezal Merican Naina Merican are among those who have tossed their hats into the ring.
Also defending their posts are Mahdzir Khalid and Khaled Nordin.
However, one big name appears to be sitting out the party polls.
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SPM rant arrest
Being an edgy angsty teenager can now potentialy land someone in lockup in the age of social media.
Two teenagers were arrested on Friday night after the police raided their homes.
The alleged offence? A video in which one of the boys uttered profanities in response to the SPM history paper he had just taken.
Critics have called the police action heavy-handed and overkill.
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Views that matter
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 | By Terence Netto |
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Other news that matter
Kelantan and Terengganu do not qualify for the five percent petroleum revenue payments due to legal obstacles.
Terengganu hopes special payments that the two states - received under the Muhyiddin Yassin administration - will resume.
Bersatu gets to keep the Gua Musang seat after its long term incumbent Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah failed to overturn the election results.
The Malaysia Madani slogan used by the current government will replace the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030 (SPV2030) introduced by the former Pakatan Harapan administration.
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