EPF offices to open first and third Saturdays - in PJ, Shah Alam and Kepong

The Star reported that the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) offices in Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam and Kepong will be open from 8.30am to 12.30pm every first and third Saturday of the month beginning this week.

This certainly is good news for office workers who could only take time off during weekends.

According to EPF Deputy Chief Executive Office for Finance and Customer Care, Hizwani Hassan,

"By opening on the first and third Saturdays of every month, our members will have the opportunity to conduct transactions with the EPF at the weekend and need not take time off from important work."

The branches will open unless the Saturday is a public holiday. However, payments of contributions will not be made on Saturdays.

Among services offered include:

- Receiving withdrawal applications
- Providing and receiving EPF forms from employees and employers
- Issuing members' statements of accounts
- Handling enquiries and giving advice on EPF services

Expensive Chinese painting stolen from home

An expensive piece of art from a famous Chinese painter, Xu Beihong, was found stolen from a home in Kota Baru, Kelantan. Read more about Xu Beihong's art being stolen, plus a website of Chinese artwork over 5000 years.

The Situation in Nepal

If you are thinking of travelling to Nepal, you may want to read this..

From The Star today:

United States warns against traveling to Nepal
KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) - The United States has warned its citizens not to travel to Nepal after months of street protests and political turmoil in the Himalayan nation.

The warning, issued by the State Department, said the United States remains concerned about the security situation in Nepal.

The Maoist former rebels shut down the country for more than a week last month protesting against the government. Street demonstrations turned violent with clashes between communist supporters and police.

No tourists were harmed during the protests, but a general strike shut down hotels, restaurants and transportation.

Buy Gold Bars to Protect Your Wealth

With economic instability and the eroding value in paper currency, the wise choice to counteract that is to invest in gold. That precious metal which has been much revered for its withstanding value is now more valuable than ever before.

People now buy gold bars and gold in other forms to safeguard their savings to protect against inflation subsequently to create a legacy of wealth ultimately.

It has been recommended that one's investment portfolio should have at least 5% in gold. In these uncertain times, investing in gold is a safe bet to ensure one's hard-earned money and wealth is protected and preserved to maintain an individual's usual lifestyle.

Where can one buy gold bars? One trusted gold authority is the United States Gold Bureau. As with any investment, you should never act without properly educating yourself on the matter. The professionals at The United States Gold Bureau can provide you with valuable information that will assist you in making the right decisions.

Tourists’ maids get free passes

From The Star:

KUALA LUMPUR: Foreign tourists are allowed to bring along their maids by applying for a special pass.

The special pass is issued free of charge at the Immigration counter at all entry points, said Immigration Department public relations officer Abdul Haider Mohd Shukor in a statement yesterday. It comes into effect immediately.

Previously, foreign tourists had to apply for visas for their maids.

He said that the special pass would be coordinated with the employer’s social visit pass.

Abdul Haider also said that travellers from Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh were again covered by the transit-without-visa provision from July 1.

“This is to entice more tourists from the four countries to visit Malaysia,” he added. — Bernama


Source: The Star