Malaysia Veterinary Forum (Archive)

Dr. TanDY · Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2006 10:58 pm Post subject: Budget 2007 Highlights

BUDGET '07 HIGHLIGHTS

Source: Sun2Surf

Personal relief

To encourage ownership of computers, the eligibility period for the incentive to purchase a computer, currently given once in every five years to be shortened to once in every three years, and RM500 tax rebate to be replaced with a tax relief of RM3,000.

Tax relief on the purchase of books to be increased to RM1,000 per year from RM700 per year.

Sin Tax

Specific excise duty on cigarettes to be increased by one sen perstick and for liquour with alcohol content of over 40%, the specific excise duty will be increased by RM5 per litre.

Education

RM33.4 billion for operational and development expenditure to further strengthen education and training system. Of this, RM6.7 billion is for primary education, RM6.2 billion for secondary education, RM10.4 billion for higher education and RM10.1 billion for training programmes.
Total student enrolment in 2007 expected to reach 3.2 million for primary and 2.3 million for secondary schools.

RM1 billion allocated for 22 new primary and secondary schools to be operational next year plus 198 schools to be built, including fully residential schools.

RM90 million for construction of two new Mara Junior Science College (MRSM) and for purchase of equipment for existing MRSM facilities.

RM195 million to upgrade and improve facilities in existing universities.
RM782 million for teacher training, of which RM56 million for teacher training programme to be done with foreign universities and Open University Malaysia.

RM101 million to implement 67 housing projects to provide housing facilities for teachers especially in rural areas.

RM288 million under the Bestari school programme to enhance computer usage in schools.

RM450 million to build and upgrade polytechnics and community colleges.
From 2007, Chinese language to be taught as a full subject in 150 national schools while Tamil will be taught in 70 national schools.

Student Aid

Students who obtain 10 A1s in SPM or its equivalent, from families with monthly income of RM1,500 and below, will be given scholarships to pursue tertiary education.

Monthly allowance to students from poor family in government primary and secondary schools to be increased by RM20.

Examination fees for UPSR, PMR, SPM or its equivalent, as well as STPM to be abolished beginning 2007.

Agriculture

RM3.6 billion to be allocated for agriculture sector, particularly to increase productivity and efficiency in production and expansion of marketing capabilities.

The Fund for Food to be increased to RM1.9 billion from RM300 million to finance food production.

Non-Food Agriculture Scheme to be set up, with an initial allocation of RM20 million, to encourage farmers to venture into non-food agriculture such as floriculture and kenaf.

RM111.0 million to be allocated to implement livestock projects through the Veterinary Department, LPP, MADA and KADA.

RM40 million to be allocated for the implementation of the beef valley in Gemas, Negeri Sembilan.

Khazanah Nasional to establish an agriculture fund of RM200 million,to be funded jointly by the government, Khazanah Nasional and the private sector.

Bank Negara Malaysia to establish another agriculture fund of RM200 million to invest in integrated agriculture and livestock projects.

RM92 million for development of the aquaculture industry, including the Ornamental Fish Cluster Projects in Penang, Kedah and Perlis as well as Freshwater Fishery Research Centre in Negri Sembilan.

Tobacco farmers given access to financing facilities, including from Bank Pertanian, to shift to other crops or venture into other industries.

Private finance initiative

RM20 billion worth of projects had been identified to be implemented under the private financing initiatives (PFI) on a build, lease and transfer basis. Projects include government schools, quarters and office buildings.

The RM20 billion PFI projects will be financed and owned by the Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) and the Pension Trust Fund (KWAP) and leased back to the government.

Biotechnology

RM210 million to be allocated for the development of the biotechnology sector.

Among major programmes for biotechnology are technology acquisition with a matching grant of RM60 million, RM30 million for commercialisation of R&D findings to be undertaken by companies and international corporations.

RM59 million to be allocated under the R&D Initiatives for genomics and molecular biology, production of pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products as well as promotion of agro-biotechnology activities.

Public transport

Rail connection from Kelana Jaya to Subang Jaya as well as from Sri Petaling to Puchong to be extended and expected to be completed in 2009.
A new rail route being planned for implementation connecting Kota Damansara to Cheras which is expected to be completed by 2010.
A double track commuter rail line from Sentul to Batu Caves will also be implemented by KTM.

Tourism

RM149 million to be allocated for Visit Malaysia Year 2007.
Income tax exemption for tour operators providing tour packages with at least 500 inbound tourists per year or 1,200 local tourists per year to be extended for another five years, until the year of assessment of 2011.

Human Resource

The Electronic Labour Exchange to be strengthened to make it more accessible to job seekers by linking it with a job kiosk network to be placed at strategic places like post offices, LRT stations and shopping complexes.

RM148 million to be allocated for construction two Industrial Training Institutes and four Advanced Technology Training Centres under the Ministry of Human Resources.

RM214 million to be provided for several training programmes under Mara, Advanced Skills Training Institutes, Giat Mara programme, and UniKL.

Women, family and Community

RM30 million grant for NGOs to undertake women, family and community programmes.

The one-off launching grant given to ministries to set up child care centres will now be expanded to all government departments.

The grant will be increased to RM80,000 from RM50,000 for ministries and government departments.

RM50 subsidy for every mammogram done in private clinics and hospitals, registered with LPPKN. This represents, about 50% of the cost.

RM302 million is allocated for programmes to improve the welfare of the less fortunate groups, such as the disabled, victims of natural disaster, hardcore poor and senior citizens.

Youth

RM721 million to be provided to implement various youth and sports programmes.

RM91 million to be provided for sports and training programmes,including scholarships for athletes with potential.

Housing

Jabatan Perumahan Negara to build 30,000 of houses under the Projek Perumahan Rakyat, including houses for rent and ownership.

Syarikat Perumahan Negara Bhd to build 34,000 affordable housing units, 2,000 under Projek Pemulihan Rumah Terbengkalai and 2,500 units under Program Rumah Mesra Rakyat.

Health

Three new hospitals to be build in Shah Alam, Pendang and Permai in Johor with an allocation of RM125 million.

Environment

River Management Programme, with an allocation of RM107 million, will be implemented to address flood and pollution problems and also enhance quality of rivers.

RM179 million allocated to improve mini incinerators and upgrading existing solid waste disposal sites to ensure proper management of solid waste disposal.

Bank Pembangunan Malaysia to establish bio-diesel fund of RM500 million.
RM25,000 grant for buses which convert to NGV by the end of 2008.

Civil service

Civil service fixed allowance for all supporting staff to be increased between RM30 and RM50.

Civil servants earning up to RM750 a month will receive two months bonus. Those earning more than RM750 a month will be paid a bonus of one month salary, subject to a minimum of RM1,500. The bonus will be paid in two equal instalments in October and December 2006.

Cost of living allowance to be extended to those provided with government quarters at the rate of 50% of those not staying in government quarters, effective Sept 1 2006. This will benefit over 146,000 civil servants.
Housing loans for civil servants to be increased by 20% effective immediately.

The government to pay pensioners who are also affected by the escalating cost of living with a one-off payment. Those receiving pension of less than RM750 a month will receive RM400 and those receiving pension of RM750 and above will receive RM200.

Dr. TanDY · Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2006 11:00 pm Post subject:

Good to see that our government is putting emphasis on agriculture and biotechnology.

What do you think about the 2007 budget?

Dr Nat · Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 1834 Location: Klang Valley

Its not the budget that counts.. its the results...

Dr lohtk · Joined: 27 Jul 2006 Posts: 14

So far, it sounds great on budget paper.

What is more important is whether the projects will be implemented as planned with transparency and accountability since there is a bigger allocation for the agriculture and livestock sectors this time.

We have seen many such big projects fail in the past due to lack of foresight, commonsense & accountability resulting in our tax payers money going into the drain.

Let us be positive this time and monitor the performance of our current ministry concerned and hopefully, Malaysia will eventually reduce the import bills on beef, mutton and milk soon like what our poultry and swine sectors have accomplished all these while.

Dr. TanDY · Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2006 10:42 pm Post subject:

Similar News - Focus on Agriculture

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RM400 Million Funds To Boost Agriculture

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KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 1 (Bernama) -- The government, through Khazanah Nasional and Bank Negara Malaysia, will set up two agriculture funds totaling RM400 million to boost the agriculture industry.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Khazanah Nasional would establish a RM200 million fund to provide venture capital to finance new technology-intensive agricultural projects.

The funds would come jointly the government, Khazanah Nasional and the private sector, he said when tabling the 2007 Budget in the Dewan Rakyat Friday.

Abdullah, who is also Finance Minister, said that in addition, Bank Negara Malaysia would establish another RM200 million agriculture fund to invest in integrated agriculture and livestock projects.

He urged farmers currently involved in no longer viable agricultural activities such as tobacco planting in Kelantan to shift to more profitable agricultural activities.

"Currently some agricultural sector activities are no longer viable, such as planting of tobacco, especially in Kelantan.

"The farmers undertaking these activities should therefore shift to other crops or venture into other industries that can generate higher income," he said.

The prime minister said that to facilitate the transition, farmers would be provided with access to financing facilities including from existing funds under Bank Pertanian.

Abdullah also encouraged cooperatives to participate actively in agricultural projects and urged entrepreneurs undertaking the projects especially in rural areas to work in partnership with the cooperatives.

He said the government had allocated RM3.6 billion in the 2007 Budget for the agricultural sector to increase productivity and efficiency in agricultural production and expand marketing capabilities.

A substantial part of the allocation will be used to:

First: increase the Fund for Food by RM300 million to a total of RM1.9 billion to finance food production, To date a total of RM1.6 billion has been approved to about 9,800 borrowers.

Second: establish a Non-Food Agriculture Credit Scheme with an initial allocation of RM20 million to encourage farmers to venture into non-food agriculture such as floriculture and kenaf.

Third: implement livestock projects through the Veterinary Department, LPP, Mada and Kada with an allocation of RM111 million. A sum of RM40 million is also allocated for the implementation of the Beef Valley project in Gemas, Negeri Sembilan.

Fourth: develop the agricultural industry including the Ornamental Fish Cluster Projects in Penang, Kedah and Perlis as well as Freshwater Fishery Research Centre in Negeri Sembilan with an allocation of RM92 million.

Other aqua culture projects will also be developed nationwide.

-- BERNAMA

lcs · Joined: 05 Jul 2006 Posts: 65

hello! seem that there already have some way to get our capital. can i know i as a "normal" Malaysian, and i hav a project proposal, can i know what or which goverment depatment should i go thru if i want to start a farm?? can anyone there provide some info? thanks. Or is there DVS provide any guidance.?