Buying A Vietnamese Wife

We all know that people purchase pets, but we forget that it has been a long practice for men to also "purchase" brides. These days, the growing trend among Malaysian and Singaporean men are Vietnamese brides.

Some apparently believe in the myth that Vietnamese women possess a mysterious tribal lust that makes them bedroom dynamos. Most of the men who seek to purchase Vietnamese wives expect their wives to behave like geishas.

In Singapore, a teenage virgin Vietnamese bride can be purchased on-the-spot for RM25,000. There are reports of 18 year old Vietnamese girls sold to late 30 year old Singaporean men. Some of these men went to the matchmaking agency to choose a bride together with their moms.

What’s worse, the girls were made to visit a clinic to get a "certificate of fitness" verifying their virginity before the transaction is completed.

Well, some reports claim that it is possible to purchase a virgin Vietnamese bride for as little as RM10,000. I suspect the quality of the "merchandise" is a major factor in the price disparity.

Last month there was a news report that a 47 year old Malaysian man "returned" his 22 year old Vietnamese wife to the matchmaking agency 17 days after their wedding.

The man, who purchased his Vietnamese wife for RM13,800 demanded a refund because he complained, among other things, that he could not communicate with her as she could only speak Vietnamese. It was not reported, however, why didn't he know this prior to purchasing her and only found out that she was not multilingual 17 days after their wedding. I read that some matchmaking agencies offer a "trial period" where if the customer is not satisfied with his wife, a replacement cant be arranged, minus a small "administrative fee".

Anyway, coming back to the original story, the matchmaking agency was not pleased with the man's antics as they do not operate like a departmental store which has a money back guarantee policy. On hindsight, he should have bought his wife with his credit card, then he'd be able to claim a charge back for "faulty goods".

It is not known if, in future, "hire purchase" terms or "installment plans" can be arranged with matchmaking agencies to purchase brides, thus making them more affordable to the masses.

However, to some men, despite the price and social stigma attached to investing in a Vietnamese wife, they believe that in the long run this will prove to be more cost effective compared to marrying a local woman.

Caveat: If you want to buy a wife, pay by credit card or arrange for an installment plan to protect yourself.

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Fireflies In Kuala Selangor To See Its End ?

News reports say that there would be no longer any fireflies in Kuala Selangor in a few months because of land clearing which has ruined its habitat.

The fireflies, locally called kelip kelip, have been under constant treat from the construction of the Sungai Selangor Dam to waste pollution and now, the complete destruction of its breeding habitat.

The entire firefly population in Kampung Kuantan and Kampung Bukit Belimbing in Kuala Selangor has already seen significant reduction in recent years.

A boatman who grew up in the area observed that there has been a huge decline in the beetle population in the past 2 years. He recalls when almost all the trees would be lit with fireflies - just like the lights on Christmas trees. But now, he says, one can hardly see a tree with as many fireflies. The tourists visiting Kuala Selangor helps him earn RM500 a month for a 3 hour job every night ferrying them to watch the flashing beetles.

There are 31 boatmen at Kuala Selangor firefly sanctuary earning a living in one of the Selangor’s unique tourist attractions.

Once this tourist attraction is gone, so will the spin-offs from firefly watching tours. This include seafood restaurants and homestay programmes that commercially support the local community.

Please post your comments.

Making Money From Your Hobby

Some of the best home based business success stories are from people who have turned their hobbies into lucrative businesses. There are many different hobbies that can translate into a successful home-based business - handicrafts, photography, cooking, baking, writing, customising cars and motorcycles and the list in inexhaustible.

In the clip above, May Gan talks about how she turned her passion for baking into a home based business.

Please post your comments.

Do you still believe in Astrology ? Read this.

I know, I know what you guys are thinking ...don't make any judgments yet. Let me explain myself. I admit, I'm not an expert in this fortune telling thing, so I'm in no position to make judgments about it, but there are questions that need answering...

According to Wikipedia, Astrology is a group of systems, traditions, and beliefs in which knowledge of the relative positions of celestial bodies and related details is used in understanding, interpreting, and organizing information about personality, human affairs, and other terrestrial matters. A practitioner of astrology is called an astrologer. Numerous traditions and applications employing astrological concepts have arisen since its earliest recorded beginnings in the 2nd millennium BC. It has played a role in the shaping of culture, early astronomy, and other disciplines throughout history.

Wikipedia also states that the history of astrology was first found in a developed form among the ancient Babylonians and directly or indirectly through the Babylonians, it spread to other nations.

Ok, from the above, we know 2 things:

1. Astrology is about studying of "celestial bodies" - study of stars, planets, etc in relation to personality, human affairs etc.

2. The study of astrology has its beginnings in the 2nd millennium BC - the period from the Middle to the Late Bronze Age. Thats a damn long time ago.

BUT

The following is what history tells us:

In 1543, Nicolaus Copernicus published a new theory stating the earth revolves around the sun. Copernicus died before he could prove his theory.

Galileo made a telescope in 1608 based on sketchy descriptions of the telescope, invented in the Netherlands in the same year. With his telescope, Galileo made observations of "celestial bodies" and confirmed Nicolaus Copernicus theory that the earth revolves around the sun.

Before Galileo, people believed the earth was the center of the universe and the sun revolved around the earth.

So the whole concept of astrology cannot be sustained because:

1. As astrology has its beginnings in the 2nd millennium BC, it is based on the belief that the sun goes round the earth - now we know this is bullshit.

2. How did the people before Galileo study the "celestial bodies" ? - they did not have telescopes. The first telescope was only made and used in 1608.

3. In astrology, a horoscope is a chart or diagram representing the positions of the Sun, Moon and the 9 planets etc in relations to a person's birth. But before the year 1781 people only knew the existence of the sun, the moon and 6 planets:

Earth
Mercury
Venus
Mars
Jupiter
Saturn

The other 3 planets were discovered later:

Uranus 1781

Neptune 1846

Pluto 1930

How did the astrologers make their calculations ? on what basis ? They must have very sharp eyes to see the planets and stars without a telescope. :)

Please post your comments.

Kuala Lumpur in the 60s.

Kuala Lumpur in 1961. My, its so very much smaller than Klang today. Its just like a very small town in Malaysia.

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Tips On Filing Your Income Tax Q & A

Part 2 Q & A

This is the second of a two-part article to guide employees on common tax issues

On short-notice payment and child-care allowance

Q: In November 2008, I voluntarily ceased my employment and had to pay short notice of RM2,000 (supported by an official receipt). However, I was compensated with a sign-in bonus of RM6,000 from my new employer.

The problem is the sign-in bonus is stated in my EA form but the short notice of RM2,000 is not deducted from the form. Can I automatically net off the amounts and disclose RM4,000 as my sign-in bonus because RM2,000 is my actual expense?

A: Sign-in bonus is capital in nature and not taxable in the event the salary that you receive subsequently upon commencement/exercising of employment with the new company is at the commercial rate. The amount is not to be included in the EA form.

However, if the sign-in bonus is in lieu of reduced salary, the amount is income in nature and subject to income tax. In this scenario, the amount is to be included in the EA form.

The amount paid by you as compensation for short notice of resignation is not deductible as it is not directly incurred in deriving employment income as you have stopped working in your old company.

My former company did not disclose my travelling allowance of RM1,500 in my EA form as tax-exempt benefits. Upon calling it, the company refused to issue a fresh EA form to me. What can I do?

Travelling/petrol allowance received by an employee for travelling from home to workplace and vice-versa is exempted up to RM2,400 while travelling/petrol allowance received for travelling in exercising employment, is exempted up to RM6,000.

In your case, if the amount is authentic and verifiable, even without a revised EA form, you may straight away deduct the amount from your total income reported in the EA form. The adjustment is at column C1 where, the amount is represented by: Total income (as per EA form) – travelling allowance incurred (RM1,500) = Total income from employment (C1)

I paid RM280 per month for my four-year-old daughter’s nursery in 2008. I understand that child-care is exempted from tax up to RM2,400 per year. Can I claim it (since I paid for it and it’s not an allowance)?

Child-care allowance of RM2,400 is tax exempted if provided by employer to staff. In your case, no deduction is available as such allowance was not paid by your employer. You have only incurred a domestic expense which is irrelevant in computing your employment income tax. Domestic expense is not deductible.

I sought treatment using the “Tui-Na” therapeutic massage for my left leg. The total cost of treatment was RM89.60. Can this sort of expense be treated as a form of medical expense tax relief under the traditional acupuncture and ayuverdic categories?

The medical benefit (including Chinese Tui-Na) is tax exempt provided it is given by the employer to the employee. Benefits cover ayurvedic and acupuncture effective YA2008. However, you cannot claim this expense when computing your employment income, since it is paid by you and not your employer.

If a self-employed person makes a contribution of 12% to the EPF under his firm, is the contribution deductible to the proprietor firm and is there any limit?

If you are earning business income as a sole proprietor, you may utilise the B form to submit your tax return. BE form is for individuals earning employment income. In both cases, the total EPF contribution by the employee or the self-employed person plus the amount of insurance premium paid are deductible up to the aggregate of both amounts (up to a maximum of RM6,000).

Where the employer is concerned, a Sdn Bhd firm is entitled to claim the EPF contributions for employees as a full deduction from their business income and the maximum contribution is 19%, as governed by Section 34 (4) of the Income Tax Act, 1967. However, for the sole proprietor, the amount is not deductible when computing business income.

How do I disclose interest subsidies on housing, car and education loans?

Interest subsidies on housing, education or car loans provided by the employer to the employee are all tax-exempted in full, provided the aggregate amount of loans from all of the above does not exceed RM300,000.

If you qualify for exemption and your documentation is verifiable, you may deduct the appropriate amount from your total income reported in the EA form. The adjustment is at column C1 where the amount is represented by:

Total income (as per EA form) – exemptions entitled (subject to maximum) = Total income from employment (C1)

How do I apply for retrenchment benefits for my husband?

As long as the compensation is given by the employer to the employee (your husband), he is entitled to claim the exemption. No prior approval from Inland Revenue Board is required. The computation is as follows: Employment income as per EA form – (RM10,000 x the years of completed service) = Total employment income (column C1 in BE form)

I understand that the payment of bonus/directors’ fees related to 2008 in year 2009 has the tax savings advantage of 1% if the annual income is RM250,000 and above. Please explain.

If the chargeable income is more than RM250,000, the tax rate is 28% for YA2008. However, the tax rate will be 27% in YA2009. Hence, if your bonus is disclosed in the EA form in 2009, you will save 1% since your chargeable income is assessed on 27% (YA 009) instead of 28% (YA2008).

Source: The Star

See Part 1

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Easy Guide To Tax Filing Q &A

Part 1 Q&A

The ACCA Easy Guide to Taxation for Employees published last week drew a deluge of queries. This is the first of a two-part article featuring commonly-asked questions.

Q: As a sales and marketing executive with a financial institution, I am paid a basic salary and sales commission and am not entitled to any claims (petrol, toll, parking and car maintenance). I use my own car to do my job. My average monthly expenses for sales and marketing activities are about RM500.

I understand that with the new provisions under Budget 2009, the employee is entitled to tax exemption for certain benefits. Since my company does not provide such benefits, can I claim marketing and travelling expenses under “Perbelanjaan Keraian”?

A: The actual amount you incurred can only be deducted provided that you received either entertainment or travelling allowances from your company. In your case, the amount you incurred is not deductible.

I understand that meal allowances can only be claimed for tax relief for outstation travel or overtime. I am being transferred to a branch in Klang next month from my present workplace in Puchong, and my employer has agreed to give me an additional monthly amount of RM800 as meal allowance.

Can I deduct my meal allowances since I reside in Subang Jaya and don’t do overtime? My working hours are 9am-5pm and I work six days a week.

Your meal allowance for employment in the Klang branch will not be eligible for deduction as it is not in respect of working overtime or travelling outstation.

What are the tax exempt employee benefits in relation to employees who have been given a fully-expensed company car and a company petrol card? I know that I will be assessed on the Scale Car and Fuel benefits for the use of the company car. For YA2008, am I entitled to the relief of RM2,400 for the tax exempt petrol card?

If so, can this RM2,400 be deducted from the Scale Fuel charge in YA2008 so that the Scale Fuel benefit assessed in the tax year will be lowered by RM2,400?

If (1) above is allowed and my actual petrol card expenses for the year exceed RM2,400, can the balance of actual petrol bills spent under the petrol card be deducted from the Scale Fuel benefit up to the maximum of exhausting the amount of the Scale Fuel benefit?

The benefits in kind with regards to the car benefit and fuel benefit are to be taxed. These cannot be deducted as additional tax exempt benefits.

Monthly parking claims and fixed mobile-phone allowances are submitted to my company at the end of the month and these will be reimbursed into our salary in the following month. These claims are subject to EPF contribution. Therefore, are they tax-exempt for YA2008 and do they need to be disclosed under the tax-exempt benefits in the EA form?

Both parking and phone allowances up to the actual amounts incurred which are borne by the employer are tax exempt with effect from YA2008. The amount is to be disclosed as tax exempt benefits in the EA Form.

Can interest on housing loans and car loans be deducted from gross salary on the EA form? Are medical expenses such as maternity expenses deductible?

Interest on housing and car loans are deductible only if paid by the employer on a total loan amount of up to RM300,000. Similarly, medical expenses are only deductible if the amount incurred has been paid by the employer and this benefit is extended to maternity and traditional medical expenses. However, should these expenses be paid personally by the employee, they are not tax deductible.

My organisation is a resident company and our expatriate Japanese director and technical manager has two types of income – salary from Malaysia and salary from Japan. Please advise whether we have to declare our Japanese director’s income in total (i.e. Malaysia and Japan) or just Malaysia-derived income to the Malaysian government?

All employment income derived by the Japanese expatriate for exercising employment in Malaysia is subject to income tax, including the amount paid in Japan, if it is related to the exercising of employment in Malaysia.

Is the tax benefit on childcare allowance up to RM2,400 a year to be deducted directly from the EA form? Is this applicable if there is no such benefit from the company I work for?

The childcare allowance is only tax exempted if you receive such an allowance from your employer; otherwise the exemption will not be applicable to you.

In the event you do receive the childcare allowance, the amount (the lower of the actual amount received or RM2,400) is to be excluded from the employment income and disclosed in section C1 of the Form BE.

I bought a comprehensive insurance policy (life + medical + investment) and the insurer is unable to split the premium payment into life insurance and medical insurance. Can I treat this totally as a medical premium as I have already disclosed RM6,000 for my life insurance premium and EPF deduction?

In the event that the amount cannot be segregated, the amount is to be disclosed either as life or medical insurance premiums based on the description stated in the insurance premium receipt.

Source: The Star

See Part 2

Please post your comments.