Indonesian maids to arrive from mid-January

This is good news for households who need a maid. The long-awaited domestic help is imminent as some 50,000 Indonesian maids are due to arrive in Malaysia from mid-January after the lifting of the moratorium on their employment on Dec 1.

According to Labour director-general Datuk Sheikh Yahya Sheikh Mohamed, the delay was due to the compulsory 200-hour training (about a month) they had to undergo before they can work in Malaysia.

The one-off agency fee to recruit an Indonesian maid is now set at RM4,511, of which RM2,711 has to be paid by the employer and the remaining RM1,800 by the maid. The recruitment fee was not fixed before, and could be as high as RM8,000.

The stipulation is that only private recruitment agencies that are registered with the Immigration Department and Labour Department and which had agreed to abide by these conditions are allowed to recruit maids from Indonesia.

The authorities would act against recruitment agencies or employers breaking the rules. Recruitment agencies will have their licences suspended after the first offence, and revoked upon the second.

Employers who use their maids for purposes other than domestic work may be charged under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, which carries a jail sentence of up to 20 years and a maximum fine of RM1mil.


Source: The Star..50,000 Indonesian maids to arrive from mid-January

Green Fundraising for the Environment

Are you planning to organize a fundraiser and looking for ideas and products? How about making it a nature fundraiser? Nowadays, with people being more aware of environmental issues, green fundraising not only generates the funds for their favorite charities or causes but also creates awareness at the same time. Companies who sell fundraiser products do also channel part of their proceeds to organizations tackling green issues.

Nature's Vision Fundraising is one such company that channels a portion of their profits to environmental causes including donating to Gulf Coast restoration projects, nature conservation projects and efforts to support a sustainable future for our planet.

Nature's Vision Fundraising carries top quality green fundraising products, a breathtaking array of environmentally-themed products with universal appeal including soft cotton t-shirts and hats, towels & towel ponchos, candles, jewelry items, wallets, bags, mugs & sports bottles, handmade gift items, candles & diffusers, flower bulbs & seed mats. Most of these items make great goodybag items if you are organizing a fundraiser that involves giving away a goodybag to each participant such as in a Charity Walk or a Charity Run. Their quality green fundraiser tee shirts are made from premium quality pre-shrunk 100% cotton. Their Animal Planet tees are a giant hit with people or all ages.

Need ideas for fundraisers for schools? You can find them here too on the Nature's Vision Fundraising website. With a 30-year experience in the green fundraising industry they have earned a sterling reputation as a leader by helping thousands of organizations meet or exceed their fundraising goals.

More flee from floods in Kelantan

Each year, the north-east Monsoon brings heavy downpour and with it the floods in the north and north-eastern states. This year is no exception.

The number of flood victims in Kelantan has risen to 1,892, from 1,420 on Thursday as a result of continuous rain. Pasir Mas remains the worst affected district with 16 evacuation centres opened with the number of evacuation centres in the state being increased from 28 yesterday to 32 this morning.
More..

Mahogany dining room table sets

Even though Malaysia may be a big exporter of timber, it is not easy to find furniture stores that carry formal dining room table sets off the shelf, so to speak. It is even harder to buy antique dining room furniture let alone fancy and designer furniture. So if one is looking for a nice, upscale dining room table set for your beautiful new home, it can be quite a challenge. But all is not lost. These days almost anything can be purchased online including luxury or traditional or even reproduction furniture.

AntiquePurveyor.com is where you would want to look if you are in the market for a new formal dining room furniture set for your new home, a set that will meet your requirements in every respect.

If mahogany furniture is what you are looking for, you certainly have come to the right place! At Antique Purveyor, mahogany dining room furniture is their specialty, the source for high-end furniture, mahogany dining furniture and higher-end formal dining room furniture. You will be spoilt for choice as they carry all types of luxury furniture, traditional furniture, reproduction furniture, fancy and designer furniture, plus classic and antique style furniture. If you are looking for a conference room table to make a bold statement, they have that too, in addition to mahogany dining room table and chairs as well as hand-crafted mahogany Indonesian furniture that you will not find anywhere else in quality and design.

Their extensive selection of dining room furniture includes formal dining room tables, mahogany dining tables, long dining tables, extending dining tables, large round tables and even difficult to find oversized tables. They also have an eclectic line-up of luxury chairs to match their premium selection of dining tables. You will find antique dining chairs, mahogany shield back chairs, Chippendale chairs to name just a few. There are also bookcases, hutches, secretary desks and additional items sure to accentuate the beauty of any formal or business setting.

Buying high-end dining room furniture, mahogany dining tables and luxury dining chairs on-line may seem a little intimidating or daunting initially, but with their top-notch personalized service and expert knowledge, their most customer-friendly satisfaction guarantee and their pricing, any customer would be put at ease placing an order or two with them. All of this together with their worldwide shipping is just a mouse-click away. When top quality products, great customer service and reasonable pricing are what you are looking for, the place to do business with is unmistakably AntiquesPurveyor.com. I know they would be my choice.

North-east Monsoon season is here again

The north-east monsoon season is here again this time of the year. Schools were out for the year last Friday, so final exams will not be affected. In fact, the government has moved final exams forward so as to avoid them being affected by the floods which usually happens in the north-eastern states of Kelantan and Terangganu.

The Met Department has issued a yellow alert for heavy rain and thunderstorms in Kelantan, Terengganu, Penang and Kedah. The yellow alert is the first of three warnings where a monsoonal surge is possible in the next 24 to 48 hours.

A first category warning was also issued of which strong winds and rough seas expected to occur over the waters off Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, East Johor, Sabah and Sarawak.

The department also warned that intermittent rain from today to Thursday may cause flooding in low-lying areas and also strong winds and flash floods.

Strong northeasterly winds of 40 to 50 kph with waves of up to 3.5m were expected over the waters off Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, East Johor, Sarawak, Labuan, Sabah (Interior, West Coast and Kudat), Samui, Condore, Reef North, Layang-Layang, Tioman, Bunguran, Reef South and Palawan until Nov 29. These strong winds and rough seas are dangerous to small craft and recreational sea activities. Source: The Star..Weatherman issues monsoonal surge alert for four states

In Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, heavy rains have triggered landslip and flooding.

High Quality Prototype SMT Stencils

Stencilling takes the tediousness out of coding. Not only that, stencilling ensures quality, uniformity and speed in completing the job, a boost to mass production.

If your company is looking for stencils and/or stencilling products, Fine Line Stencil, which is part of FCT Assembly, is the company you are looking for.

FCT Assembly is one of the electronics industry’s leading manufacturers of lead-free solder products, superior quality stencils, and precision cut parts. If you are in the market for Prototype SMT Stencils, Prototype Foils or even a complete Prototype Stencil Kit, you can find them all at FCT Assembly. They are committed to delivering the highest quality laser stencils in the industry.

New visa ruling to visit Sri Lanka

Come January, a visit to Sri Lanka for Malaysians would mean having to apply for a visa in advance replacing the visa-on-arrival currently and that too involves no payment.

A visa in advance can be applied online on the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system.

A Sri Lanka High Commission visa official said the fee is RM15 for a single-entry 30-day visa; RM45 for multiple entries valid for three months; and US$50 (RM187.50) for a 30-day tourist visa. Transit passengers would also be required to apply for a visa. This new ruling applies to 78 countries, Malaysia being one of them.

There are many Malaysians here who are Sri Lankan immigrants and who still have family in Sri Lanka. This new ruling will pose some inconvenience for those who frequently visit their relatives in Sri Lanka.


Source: New visa rule to visit Sri Lanka. The Star

Lost IDs? No need to tell cops now

Good news for the people that Government departments no longer need a police report for lost or stolen documents such as MyKad (Identity Card or IC) and passport when applying for a replacement.

According to Immigration director-general, Datuk Alias Ahmad, those who lose their passport need only to lodge a report with the Immigration department. The lost passport will then be blacklisted.

In addition to passports and MyKad, it was also reported that the public no longer need to lodge a police report for lost or damaged birth, marriage, academic and vehicle registration certificates, driving licences and land grant.

The fee to replace a first-time lost/stolen MyKad is RM110; RM210 for the second time. However, the fee to replace a damaged MyKad is RM10. The spoilt card will need to be presented upon application. The old card will be considered void and will not be able to be used in transactions.

Under the National Registration Act, those found with more than one MyKad could be sentenced to three years in jail or fined RM20,000 or both.

For application to replace a driver's license, applicant just need to present his Mykad, a photograph and a fee of RM5. The abolishment of the need for a police report has been implemented since 2005.


Source:
Lost IDs? No need to tell cops. The Star

Diabetes on the rise

Malaysia like everywhere else, is growing by leaps and bounds. In line with development, our lifestyle has also evolved to one that is akin to developed nations. Inevitably, our health is also affected due to our changing lifestyle to one that is rushed and sedentary at the same time.

It has been reported that diabetes cases are on the rise here in Malaysia. Thanks to advanced medical breakthroughs, diabetes can be controlled.

However, not all drugs or medications come without some risk or side effects. Actos, a diabetes drug, comes with severe side effects ranging from blood in urine to possibly fatal heart attacks, even death. If you are in the US and are experiencing symptoms such as blood in urine or frequency of urination or bladder cancer or liver damage, you may be able to file for compensation with the help of actos attorneys who are experienced in such pharmaceutical cases. These lawyers have been actively pursuing claims across the US for Actos users with extremely successful results.

Importance of Nominating your EPF beneficiaries

According to EPF public relations general manager Nik Affendi Jaafar, only around 40%, or 4.71 million of their 12.9 million EPF members have nominated their beneficiaries (as of June 2011). This can cause a lot of heartache for the family or next of kin when the member dies.

Without a nomination, the family of the deceased EPF member would have to produce a Letter of Administration, Letter of Probate or Distribution Order from the relevant authorities to substantiate their claim on the savings. This can be a hassle.

By comparison, completing a nomination takes only minutes. What is needed is to fill up the KWSP 4 Form and submit it to the nearest EPF branch. With a nomination in place, there is no necessity to go through the inconvenience of having to produce the aforementioned documents.

When a member nominates his/her beneficiary, he/she is given a notification slip, which should be kept safely or pass it on to his next-of-kin.

In the case of Muslim members, the nominee is supposed to act as an “administrator” (wasi) who will then be responsible for distributing the savings in accordance with the Faraid Law (Islamic law of inheritance and distribution). More details can be obtained on this article, Name EPF beneficiaries before it is too late. You can also find information on Unclaimed Monies.


Source: The Star

Versai is the Place for Luxury Bedding

It is often said that the design of our home reflects our personality. Besides providing a reprieve from the stress of day-to-day living, a home that is furnished well with the best furnishing adds that extra luxury and comfort level only discerning homeowners are able to appreciate and enjoy.

Luxury bedding at Versai is what every home needs. With 500 designs and 100 colors, Versai offers the most complete selection of fine linens and luxury bedding in the world. They have the largest library of luxury linens for every taste, be it simple tone or stripes, plaids, jacquards, or modern. Perhaps, you desire the ultimate quality classic embellished Italian linens. Versai has that too.

Versai takes luxury linens very seriously because the people at Versai understand that every fabric, every piece of furniture, every throw pillow that is chosen is a reflection of the customer's personality. Versai aims to help every customer create something spectacular and unique from the choice of buttery soft Versai sheets to embroidered/lace bedding to the finest quality blankets, down comforters, pillows and bed covers.

When it comes to luxury bedding, embroidery and lace top the list. At Versai, they specialize in delivering their customers the very finest in luxury sheets, linens, and bedding. If you do not find exactly what you need in stock, their experienced design staff and their in-house custom workrooms will design and complete your special order in just days at absolutely no extra charge. This specialized customer service alone separates Versai from the rest in the industry. I'd check Versai out if I were looking for luxury bedding, luxury sheets or luxury linens.

Nicol David wins Sixth World Crown

From The Star..

ROTTERDAM: World No. 1 Nicol David created history by outplaying long-time rival and world No. 2 Jenny Duncalf of England to become the first woman player to win a record six world championship squash titles at the Luxor Theatre here on Sunday.

Nicol played superbly to win 11-2, 11-5, 11-0 in just 29 minutes.

It was her sixth appearance in the final of the world championships and she has won all now.

The Malaysian is the first Women’s International Squash Players Association (Wispa) player to win six world titles, since the inception of the tournament in 1976.

The 28-year-old Nicol, who turned pro in 2000, won her other world titles in Hong Kong (2005), Belfast (2006), Manchester (2008), Amsterdam (2009) and Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt last year.

Well done, Nicol David!

Beresford for badge printers and id photo cards

Are you in the market looking for id photo cards or an id printer? You are in the right place. Beresford Company Knows Security Identification being in the business since 1975. They specialize in security identification products and represents over 30 suppliers in the identification marketplace.

Based in the Midwest, Beresford provides sales and service coverage in the area and comprehensive worldwide sales and depot service. Theirs is a management team with over 100 years of experience in the identification industry. Beresford provides not only product, but service that end-users expect and demand.

A go-to company for all your security identification needs, you will find at Beresford products including badge printers, lanyards, badge holders, id photo cards and a host of other products associated with security identification including readers and scanners, laminating supplies, cameras and accessories.

If you are looking for lanyards or badge holders, Beresford carries a wide selection of lanyards and badge holders. You will have a choice of flat woven lanyards and broadloom neck cords. Both breakaway and non-breakaway designs are available. Some of their products come with clip fittings, while others have hook fittings, swivel fittings, or ring fittings. Their id lanyards can be either 3/8 or 3/4 of an inch wide. Their lanyards come in batches of 50 or 500 depending on the design chosen. Custom-printed lanyards are also available. As for their badge holders, they come in almost as many designs as their lanyards. Options include from clip-on, magnetic, pin-on, flap and zipper, or arm band badge holders, among many other styles.

If it's a printer you are looking for, be it a badge printer, an id badge printer or an id printer, Beresford has a wide printer range from a range of different brands including Zebra, Evolis, Magicard and Fargo. Their product selection includes printers that will print encrypted Smart Cards as well as printers that can print, laminate and encode a badge, all at the same time. Various printer sizes are available to meet specific needs. Check them all out. There will be one that meets your specifications.