Sunday, September 21, 2008

Gergasi ekonomi dunia ranap angkara riba

Lehman Brothers, AIG and Merrill Lynch ..........


Amalan mengaut faedah tanpa risiko nyata cetus ketidaktentuan sistem kewangan global

AYAT 279 surah al-Baqarah menegaskan maksudnya: "Oleh itu, kalau kamu tidak juga melakukan (perintah mengenai larangan riba itu), maka ketahuilah kamu: akan adanya peperangan dari Allah dan Rasul-Nya, (akibatnya kam
u tidak menemui selamat)."

Bukti kebenaran wujud peperangan Allah dan Rasul-Nya terhadap pengamal riba dalam minggu ini adalah kehancuran Lehman Brothers dan Federal Housing Authority sebagai dua gergasi pengamal riba dunia berasal dari Amerika Syarikat (AS). Dan dalam hitungan hari selepas itu, Selasa lalu, satu lagi gergasi kewangan dalam sektor insurans yang beroperasi di 130 negara dan mempuny
ai 116,000 pekerja tidak termasuk pekerja separuh masa, American International Group Inc (AIG) sedang berada dalam proses untuk tumbang dan tinggal nama.


Bagaimanapun, ada 'tangan-tangan' yang berusaha untuk menyelamatkan AIG kerana ia dikatakan mempunyai keutamaan global sehingga 'pertolongan sesat' yang mulanya akan diberikan sejumlah AS$85 bilion oleh US Federal Reserve (Fed) sudah menjadi AS$500 bilion gabungan ta'awun 'ala al-itsm wa al-'udwan (bertolong-tolongan dalam berbuat dosa dan pencerobohan) bank-bank pusat Eropah, Britain, Jepun, Switzerland dan Kanada di samping Fed sendiri yang menambahkan jaminannya menjadi AS$265 bilion..

Jumlah wang yang begitu banyak yakni AS$500 bilion itu diperuntukkan untuk menyelamatkan satu sistem yang dimusuhi Allah yang mana jika ia diperuntukkan untuk kesejahteraan sebenar manusia sejagat sudah p
asti akan lebih menguntungkan kepentingan kemanusiaan daripada kepentingan segelintir pengamal riba.

Penulis tertarik dengan komen yang dibuat oleh seorang profesor di Universiti New York, Nouriel Roubini terhadap 'double standard' kerajaan Amerika ke atas krisis Lehman Brothers dan AIG. Professor di Stern School of Business itu berkata, seperti dipetik Reuters, Khamis lalu: "�We're essentially continuing a system were profits
are privatized and � losses socialized."
Sistem ekonomi kapitalis sebagaimana disifatkan Roubini ini adalah sistem orang kufur nikmat yang dianugerahkan Allah Ta'ala. Orang kufur nikmat yang tamak dan kemaruk harta dunia. Mari kita perhatikan firman Allah yang bermaksud: "Sesungguhnya manusia itu dijadikan mempunyai tabiat resah gelisah (lagi bakhil kedekut); apabila dia ditimpa kesusahan, dia sangat resah gelisah; dan apabila dia beroleh kesenangan, dia sangat bakhil kedekut." (Surah al-Ma'arij: 19-21)

Firman Allah ini dijelaskan lagi dengan satu contoh dalam ayat yang lain maksudnya: "Dalam pada itu, apabila mereka naik bahtera (lalu menemui sesuatu bahaya di laut), mereka memohon pertolongan kepada Allah dengan doa yang tulu
s ikhlas kepada-Nya. Kemudian setelah Allah menyelamatkan mereka (naik) ke darat, mereka berlaku syirik kepada-Nya. (Akibat syirik itu) jadilah mereka orang yang kufur nikmat yang Kami berikan kepadanya, dan (menjadi) orang yang hanya bersuka ria di dunia; kemudian mereka akan mengetahui kelak akibat buruk apa yang mereka lakukan." (Surah al-'Ankabut: 65-66)

Inilah yang berlaku dalam krisis AIG hari ini. Ketika mereka dalam keadaan memperoleh keuntungan sejak penubuhannya pada 1919 di China, mereka senyap dan berfoya-foya dengannya tanpa menghiraukan kepentingan orang lain. Tapi, ketika berlaku krisis yang berp
unca daripada amalan riba yang diperangi Allah, mereka berteriak minta tolong sehingga seluruh dunia terkena kesannya termasuk mungkin insurans kereta anda dengan American International Assurance (AIA).

Pengalaman masyarakat antarabangsa moden membuktikan keburukan amalan riba sejak terjadinya krisis ekonomi 1929. Tapi mereka tidak serik-serik lagi kerana tujuan yang dicanangkan mereka belum wujud lagi. Tujuan yang akan membuat semua manusia menjadi hamba kepada segelintir manusia pimpinan Yahudi zionis seperti digariskan dalam protokol zionis dan pernah dikisahkan Shakespear dalam Merchant of Venice menerusi tokoh pengamal riba berbangsa Yahudi, Shelok.
Seorang pakar ilmu ekonomi, Prof G Haberler dari Universiti Harvard di AS menulis di dalam bukunya Kemakmuran dan Kemelesetan bahawa tiada suatu masalah yang menimbulkan perbezaan pendapat di kalangan pakar ekonomi selain masalah yang berkaitan dengan nilai wang faedah atau faedah bank. Masalah ini masih suatu persoalan yang belum mencapai sebarang penyelesaian sehingga sekarang, dan ketika berlakunya kemelesetan terbesar di seluruh dunia kapitalis pada 1929, maka sistem perekonomian kapitalis hampir tumbang untuk selama-lamanya akibat merebaknya wabak pengangguran.

Pelopor dan pemimpin pakar ekonomi moden, Lord J M Keynes mengkritik sistem ekonomi klasik dan mengisytiharkan sikap bertaubatnya ke atas sistem itu, sambil melancarkan serangan yang tidak mengenal ampun terhadap faedah bank. Pandangan ini diikuti oleh muridnya, Sir Roy Harrod yang menerbitkan sebuah buku bertajuk Ke Arah Suatu Sistem Ekonomi Yang Bergerak Dinamik. Dalam buku ini, Harrod bukan saja membela pandangan Keynes, malah menokok tambah lagi dengan jelas dan terang dan beliau menyatakan bahawa sistem ekonomi bebas itu tidak boleh kekal dan tahan lama selagi masih wujud suatu puak tuan punya modal yang terus menjalankan kegiatan memberi pinjaman wang melalui bank-bank di samping mengaut pendapatan yang dinamakan 'faedah' tanpa menghadapi sebarang risiko atau menjalankan suatu usaha dan pekerjaan yang membawa kebajikan. Puak itu menjadi beban yang terpaksa dipikul oleh penerima pinjaman yang terpaksa bekerja bertungkus-lumus menghadapi pelbagai bentuk risiko.

Oleh itu, Harrod berpendapat bahawa masyarakat perlu segera diselamatkan daripada pelbagai bentuk ancaman kejahatan yang ditimbulkan oleh puak minoriti ini dengan cara melakukan suatu usaha berkesan yang akhirnya melakukan larangan dan pengharaman kadar faedah. Dan pada ketika itu semua pemilik wang terpaksa melaburkan wang mereka melalui pelbagai cara yang produktif yang memberi faedah kepada masyarakat. (Rujuk al-Jammal, Ensklopedia Ekonomi Islam, ii/432-3) Al-Quran al-Karim begitu tegas dan lantang sekali menyatakan hukum haramnya riba. Ia yang diturunkan lebih 1,400 tahun yang lalu sudah mengisytiharkan perang terhadap pengamal riba dan pada hari ini masyarakat antarabangsa dilanda wabaknya seperti diberitakan dalam sebuah hadis Nabi Muhammad SAW maksudnya: "Akan tiba suatu zaman, tidak ada seorang juga pun kecuali ia terbabit dalam memakan harta riba. Kalau ia tidak memakan secara langsung, dia akan terkena juga debu-debunya." (Hadis riwayat Ibn Majah)

Maka pada akhirnya, tidak ada jalan penyelesaian agar kita terselamat daripada bencana perang terhadap riba yang diisytiharkan al-Quran di atas selain sambungan ayat pada permulaan tulisan ini iaitu maksudnya: "Dan jika kamu bertaubat, maka hak kamu (yang sebenarnya) ialah pokok asal harta kamu. (Dengan yang demikian) kamu tidak berlaku zalim kepada sesiapa, dan kamu juga tidak dizalimi oleh sesiapa." Mari kita hapuskan riba! Wallahu a'lam.

- Abdurrahman Haqqi

Thursday, September 11, 2008

INSEP Training Program by SHRDC

INSEP, or Industrial Skills Enhancement Program, organized by the Selangor Human Resource Development Center (SHRDC), is a training and development program aimed at producing competent graduate engineers.

The SHRDC was established in 1992 to tie a closer relationship between the private and the government sectors and work hand in hand to upgrade the skills and competency of the human capital, especially among fresh graduates.

The founding is a collaboration between the Selangor state government with a number of prominent engineering multinationals e.g. Matsushita, Denso, MEMC Electronics Materials, Motorola, NEC Semiconductors, Texas Instruments and Western Digital.

In the program, participants will undergo between 4 to 12 months of training with SHRDC (based in Shah Alam), then 4 to 6 months of on-the-job training (OJT) before they are hired for full time employment with any participating manufacturing or engineering company. During the training with SHRDC and with the designated company, all participants will also be given paid allowances.

Successful applicants will be absorbed to different industrial and technology functions that include: semiconductor, enterprise resource planning (ERP), IT security, printed circuit board (PCB) design, e-commerce, software engineering, embedded system, database, industrial automation and plastic molding.

To be eligible for the training program, candidates need to be Malaysian citizens holding any technical or IT degree with CGPA 2.5 and above. He or she must not be bonded with the government or any other employer/party.

To apply for the program, send your resume to insep@shrdc.org.my. Any inquiry please contact Marketing Department, SHRDC, No. 1A, 1st Floor, Block 2, Worldwide Business Park, Section 13, 40100 Shah Alam, Selangor. Tel: 03-5513 3560.

Click here to know more about the Industrial Skills Enhancement Program (INSEP).

http://www.shrdc.org.my/insep.asp

companies participated in this program : motorola, intel, avago and many more..

Monday, September 08, 2008

The World's Most Reputable Company

Toyota is the world’s most reputable company for the year 2008, a study by Reputation Institute, a New York based research firm concluded.

The Japanese company is currently the world’s largest auto maker, ahead of General Motors, the company it overtook since the last two years. Apart from the Toyota brand itself, it also owns other best selling vehicle brands such as Lexus, Scion, and Daihatsu in the form of compact cars, sport utility vehicles and trucks.

Other than the automotive business, Toyota also provides financial services such as financing, equipment leasing and related financial products.

On the second position was Google, which breaks into the top spot for the first time. The world’s largest search engine, which has won numerous business awards in the recent years, came as a little surprise, with the company’s reputation and value rising up almost unstoppable.

Sweden’s IKEA, Italy’s Ferrero and America’s Johnson&Johnson came third, fourth and fifth respectively.

More than 600 largest companies were researched to find those with the best global reputation. Toyota, which is headquartered in Tokyo, Aichi and Nagoya, Japan, was ranked 6th in the last two years - 2006 and 2007. In July 2008, Toyota was named as the world’s 5th largest company in the world, behind Wal-Mart, Exxon Mobil, Shell and BP.

Friday, September 05, 2008

How To Negotiate Salary

Following are some of the tips you can use while (or before) negotiating your salary with prospective employers. They don’t guarantee you anything, but the least they do is getting yourself prepared.

1. Evaluate how much you are worth

Conduct an assessment on yourself - compare your skills, the demand of the skills in the job market, and find out the salaries of those in your job niche.

Take account both internal and external factors in evaluating your salary. Is your company a leader in the market (which can mean they’re already paying top salaries)? Are you currently lowly paid even though you’re being loyal with your company and stay for years (which can mean your chance of landing a job with top salary is higher)?

2. Compare salary and compensation plan

Compare the current salary and the new salary offered. Then go to the next level - study the overall compensation plan. The salary offered might be lower than you are expecting but there might be some elements in the benefits or perks that counter it. List the haves and the have-nots - e.g. share option, medical benefits, traveling entitlement, allowances, insurance scheme and so on. If they’re not satisfactory, go back to the negotiation table.

3. When asked about salary, try soliciting a range

Certain people react differently when asked about current salary at point-blank. If you’re put in a position to reveal how much you’re earning, get even by soliciting a range this new company can offer. That’s only fair, isn’t it? This is a pre-emptive strike that can determine if you should pursue your interest with the new company.

4. Use justification rather than confrontation

Rather than shamelessly hammering your fist and stating your demand, justify why you’re worth that salary. Use persuasion techniques effectively.

“Part of the job requires me to (do certain stuff). As my own experience tells me, there are only a handful of specialists in the market out there who have this expertise and I’m sure you’d agree. I’ve done my own analysis, and their salary is either at par or above than the salary figure I’m asking.”

5. Don’t give ultimatum too soon

Some people throw the “pay me, or leave me” ultimatum too soon thinking that the employer is desperate enough to get you on-board. Often times, this will result in a pissed off employer who would soon withdraw from the offer altogether. Rather, allow 2 or 3 rounds of salary negotiation, before you make up your mind.


-skorcareer

Overall 4% tax savings for employees

Employees in general can save about 4% in tax payment on their income pursuant to the tabling of the Budget 2009 last week by Prime Minister. Effective year of assessment 2008 (YA), expenses on allowance, benefits in kind and perquisites provided by employers would be given full deduction even though such benefits were not stipulated in the service contract of the employee. With this proposal, the schedular tax deduction (STD) for the monthly salary will mainly be based on the employees basic pay and not gross monthly income anymore.

Employees also enjoyed petrol and travel allowance between the home and work place of up to RM2,400 a year, adding that business travelling for official duties would also be eligible for higher benefits on the petrol and travelling allowance amounting to RM6,000 per year. Budget for 2009 also includes allowance or fees for parking, allowance or subsidies for childcare of up to RM2,400 a year, meal allowance and staff discounts of up to RM1,000 a year on company traded goods.




Thursday, September 04, 2008

Rahsia Bisnes Orang Cina

The Chinese are well known to have produced many extremely successful businessmen and entrepreneurs.

This country itself has a rich history of Chinese migrants and their families who were once reached the shore with little or no money but eventually topped the rich list and stamped their name in the history books. More importantly, they left a legacy that benefits many generations, and at many various levels. Loh Boon Siew, Lim Goh Tong, Robert Kuok are only a few examples in Malaysia.

In many parts of the world, including in the US, United Kingdom and others, the once small Chinese community grew and developed into densely populated Chinatowns. It’s true they say ‘just throw any china man, and soon the place will blossom with economy activities and the Chinese population’.

Ann Wan Seng, a Chinese Muslim, has compiled a series of ’secrets’, tips and the way the Chinese do business since 1996 and in 2004 decided to publish a book on it. The book, Rahsia Bisnes Orang Cina (The Business Secrets of the Chinese) is available in major bookstores nationwide. So far it is only available in Malay language.

Rahsia Bisnes Orang CinaWan Seng studied and observed various aspects, characters and traits that propel the Chinese people to succeed. Being a Chinese himself, as well as coming from a family who runs business has given him some sort of advantage to closely research and collect his findings. Throughout his work, Wan Seng gathered enough evidence to brush off some of the common misconceptions that associate the Chinese with business success.

For example, one preconceived notion is that the Chinese are born to be good entrepreneurs and businessmen. That is not a fact. Instead, they are born just the same like any other races. However, while everyone is born equal, the Chinese differentiate themselves from the rest with distinguished traits, characters, philosophy and ambition. For instance, most people believe that hard work is a key to success.

The Chinese believe in this too, but they are the ones who take it extra miles, further ahead of others. Where work is concerned, no one can be as hard working as the Chinese. It is a philosophy held on to like a religion. Complacency is not in their life dictionary. When other people work 10 hours per day, they work 14 to 16 hours per day. This small difference, after many years, would eventually enable them to attain astounding success, and often times, miles away from others.

What else are their traits and secrets? Read the book and you will know a thing or two. Retail price is only RM18.90.

20 Myths of Entrepreneurship


1. An entrepreneur is born and not made

2. Money is always the number one motivation for an entrepreneur

3. It takes a lot of money to start a business

4. A great business has the best business plan

5. An entrepreneur is destined for financial freedom

6. Being an entrepreneur always means being your own boss

7. Entrepreneurs always work longer hours

8. Money is the most important tool for a start up business

9. A person needs to have a business experience before starting one

10. A successful entrepreneur has the best product in the market

11. Young entrepreneurs have the highest rate of success

12. Starting a business is an answer to an unhappy job

13. One business failure and that’s the end for an entrepreneur

14. A good business idea means you can easily get financial help

15. A successful entrepreneur can be a successful salaried worker

16. A successful salaried worker can be a successful entrepreneur

17. All entrepreneurs have high degree of stress threshold

18. Most entrepreneurs are the gambling lots

19. An entrepreneur can be successful only in the location he is familiar with

20. An entrepreneur can be successful only in the field he is familiar with


taken from skorcareer website

Wednesday, September 03, 2008

40 Days of Haj Leave for Civil Servants



The Muslim civil servants in Malaysia are entitled for 40 days of special leave to perform haj (pilgrimage).

The heads of department can grant the 40 days leave for those who apply in advance. The haj leave is granted only once within the period of service, and entitlement is made available only for confirmed employees who have served a minimum 4 years period.

If the employee needs more than 40 days of leave, he or she can consume the annual leave entitlement, school holiday leave (for teachers and academic staff), or apply for unpaid leave.

The announcement was made by the Public Service Department (PSD) after a member of Parliament, Razali Ibrahim of BN-Muar urged the government to streamline a policy that allows the employees to take special leave to perform haj.

The current haj leave is in accordance to the Government Circular (Pekeliling) 4 released in 1984, which stated that leave to perform haj, with full salary is already provided for.


New Doctors Will Get RM6000 Salary

Malaysian doctors, particularly houseman officers (HO) will enjoy a new salary revision which will also see automatic grade promotion upon the completion of 2-year housemanship beginning 2010. The new salary scale will effectively convert into the doubling of the present salary scale.

From The Star news:
PUTRAJAYA: At least 2,000 graduate house officers in government hospitals will get an automatic promotion to grade UD44 upon completion of their two-year housemanship in 2010.

They will be getting at least RM6,000 including allowances every month, which is almost double what the present graduate house officers are getting on grade UD41.
Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Ismail Merican said the promotion exercise would cost RM1.7mil annually. He added that at least 7,000 doctors on grades UD41 and UD44, who were appointed before 2008, would also get their long overdue promotions. This would cost another RM9.8mil. He said many doctors had been stuck at UD41 for six to seven years and that they would be moved to the higher scale of UD44.
“Hopefully, this promotion exercise will indirectly encourage many doctors to remain in the civil service,” he said.
Dr Ismail denied allegations by certain parties that there were not enough opportunities for other races compared to Malays in the medical sector. He said that from 2000 to February this year, there were 2,085 specialists of whom 56% were Malays, Chinese (23.7%) and Indians (19.3% ). He said 55% of the specialists on grade UD48 were Malays, 23% Chinese and 18.2% Indians. As for UD54, it was 58% Malay, 21% Chinese and 16% Indian.
Of the specialists under special grade C, he said 51.1% were Malays and Chinese and Indians made up 24% each. As for those under special grade B, he said that 42% were Malays with the Chinese and Indians making up 24% and 34% respectively. - The Star.
While most doctors and the wannabe-doctors will welcome this news with open arms and tearful joy, few others are still reeling from the adverse psychological effect of being a health practitioner. I guess it is probably true that a doctor’s job (particularly housemanship officers) is the one of the most stressful jobs around.

Bad News
a suicidal doctor tried to take her own life by threatening to jump from the 6th floor of Alor Star Hospital.
Malaysian Salary - Doctor



There was drama at the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital here when a lady doctor sat on the ledge of the sixth floor and threatened to jump. It is learnt that the doctor, in her 20s, became distressed after an argument with a colleague at about 8am.
A security guard, who saw the doctor sitting on the ledge outside at 9.55am, called out to her to go back into the doctor’s restroom. Hospital security then summoned the police. A squad from the Fire and Rescue Department also sped there.
Police and firemen tried coaxing the doctor for nearly an hour, with other doctors also joining in the effort. By that time, a large crowd of onlookers had gathered.
Firemen tried to approach her on a sky lift, but the doctor threatened to jump. Officials said the distressed doctor, who was clad in jeans and a long-sleeved blouse, had a penknife and had told them that she wanted to “release tension.”
At about 11am, a policeman went up and handed the doctor a cell phone. The doctor then made a call and was talking to someone when a fireman came and grabbed her from behind.
Hospital director Dr Che Pah Ahmad said the doctor would be given counseling.