14th MIER-SDI Annual Regional Corporate Economic Briefing

Date: 20 July 2009

Location: Grand Margherita Hotel Kuching

Organiser: Sarawak Development Institute (SDI)

Co-organized with Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER)

Contact Info: Rosalind Wong/Marcella Gider

Tel : 082-415484

Fax : 082-412799

For further information or registration, please log on to:

http://www.sdi.com.my

FREE : Seminar Keselamatan dan Kesihatan Pekerjaan

Seminar Keselamatan dan Kesihatan Pekerjaan di Sektor Industri Kecil dan Sederhana

Tarikh: 8 Julai 2009

Masa: 8.00 pagi hingga 5.00 petang

Tempat: Auditorium Pustaka Negeri Sarawak (STIDC)

Medium: Bahasa Malaysia & English

Closing Date for Registration : 30 June 2009

Briefing on GMP Certification by Ministry of Health, Malaysia.

An Introduction Programme of Good Manufacturing Practise (GMP) Certification by Ministry of Health Malaysia.

Date: 30 June 2009 (Tuesday)

Time: 9.00 am

Venue: Dewan Seminar, 1st Floor, Podium Block, Wisma Sumber Alam (PUSAKA)

Do not turn on A/C immediately as soon as you enter the car.

Please OPEN the windows after you enter your car and DO NOT TURN on the air-conditioning immediately. According to a research done, the car dashboard, sofa, air freshener emits Benzene, a Cancer causing toxin (carcinogen- take note of the heated plastic smell in your car).

In addition to causing cancer, it poisons your bones, causes anemia, and reduces white blood cells. Prolonged exposure will cause Leukemia, increasing the risk of cancer may also cause miscarriage. It is very difficult for your body to expel this toxic stuff.

Acceptable Benzene level indoors is 50 mg per sq. ft. A car parked indoors with the windows closed will contain 400-800 mg of Benzene. If parked outdoors under the sun at a temperature above 60 degrees F, the Benzene level goes up to 2000-4000 mg, 40 times the acceptable level. People inside the car will inevitably inhale an excess amount of the toxins. It is recommended that you open the windows and door to give time for the interior to air out before you enter.

"When someone shares something of value with you and you benefit from it, you have a moral obligation to share it with others". Feel free to do further research on your own for further verification.

Wholesale Fresh Dragon Fruits from Farms

Ms. Emil has stocks of dragon fruits picked fresh every day from farm. These fruits have purple flesh. Please write to us if you are interested.






Ever seen baby dragon fruit?
....very cute to eat!!

Warren Buffett's 7 Secrets for Living a Happy and Simple Life

Sound simple and I believed it's not difficult to practice if we really want to.

Warren Buffett never flies in a private jet -- even though he owns the largest private jet company. He also lives in a small three-bedroom house he bought 50 years ago, and keeps himself occupied by playing online bridge.

It is refreshing, and inspiring, to hear of a man with all the wealth in the world who still believes that happiness lies not with riches but within you. You, too, may become immensely happier by integrating some of the following wisdom into your own life.

Secret #1: Happiness comes from within.

"In my adult business life I have never had to make a choice of trading between professional and personal. I tap-dance to work, and when I get there it's tremendous fun." -- Warren Buffett

If you do what you love and love what you do, you'll naturally be productive.

Secret #2: Find happiness in simple pleasures.

"I have simple pleasures. I play bridge online for 12 hours a week." -- Warren Buffett

You can also learn to be happy with the simple pleasures of playing cards with friends, playing with your children or taking a walk in the wilderness.

Secret #3: Live a simple life.

"I just naturally want to do things that make sense. In my personal life too, I don't care what other rich people are doing. I don't want a 405 foot boat just because someone else has a 400 foot boat." -- Warren Buffett

Keeping up with the Joneses is the worst epidemic among those who should never contemplate that notion in the first place. Less is more.

Secret #4: Think Simply.

"I want to be able to explain my mistakes. This means I do only the things I completely understand." -- Warren Buffett

If you apply this rule in your life, you can develop clarity and sanity in your thoughts. Life is about simple yet profound choices.

Secret #5: Invest Simply.

"The best way to own common stocks is through an index fund." -- Warren Buffett

Often, the simplest route will bring you the most riches, and the most happiness.

Secret #6: Have a mentor in life.

"I was lucky to have the right heroes. Tell me who your heroes are and I'll tell you how you'll turn out to be. The qualities of the one you admire are the traits that you, with a little practice, can make your own, and that, if practiced, will become habit-forming." -- Warren Buffett

Having a mentor is as important as having a purpose in your life, but having a wrong mentor is as devastating as having a wrong purpose in your life. The mentor has to be someone you can trust. You'll find that person in your inner circle if you think hard enough.

Secret #7: Making money isn't the backbone of your guiding purpose; making money is the by-product of your guiding purpose.

"If you're doing something you love, you're more likely to put your all into it, and that generally equates to making money." -- Warren Buffett

Money should never become the object and end all of your motivation.

Beware of Fraudulent SMS and Telephone Calls Requesting Confirmation on Credit Card Transactions

Bank Negara Malaysia would like to caution members of the public to be vigilant when receiving any calls or SMS claiming that it is from Bank Negara Malaysia or any commercial banks.

The Facts are:

• There is no department called "Unit Kad Kredit Palsu" in Bank Negara Malaysia
• 8659-XXXX is not a Bank Negara Malaysia telephone line
• Bank Negara Malaysia will NEVER request for personal banking information through SMS or telephone calls.

Based on recent complaints received by Bank Negara Malaysia, there has been an increase in incidents of fraudsters making such calls and sending SMS to unknowing members of the public in order to fraudulently obtain their personal banking information, with the aim or siphoning monies from one's account.

From Bank Negara Malaysia's investigations, the modus operand of the scam is as follows:

1. Victim receives SMS or telephone call: Requesting victim to confirm a credit card transaction for the purchase of goods or services purportedly charged to the victim's credit card.
2. When victim calls the telephone number provided in the SMS, the fraudsters identify themselves as agents of a commercial bank, and again, ask the victim to confirm whether the credit card transaction had taken place.
3. When victim informs the fraudster that he has no such credit card or transaction, the fraudster will start to sound concerned and will advice victim to lodge a report with Bank Negara Malaysia's "Unit Kad Kredit Palsu", or with the commercial bank's "credit card management department". The fraudster will provide the victim with the telephone number for the "Unit Kad Kredit Palsu".
4. When victim calls the telephone number provided, they are greeted by a automated voice message which identifies the company as Bank Negara Malaysia, and the call will then be answered by someone claiming to be Bank Negara Malaysia officer. This office will request for information relating to the victim's banking and credit card accounts under the pretense of lodging a complaint on behalf of the victim.
5. The fraudsters now have sufficient information to illegally transfer funds out of the victim's bank account.

Members of the public are reminded not to disclose their personal banking information to any unknown party without verification. This post is obtained from RHB Bank's website.