Spyware and you

Keeping an eye on children who surf the Internet has always been a challenge for parents and teachers as savvy kids know how to cover their tracks after visiting forbidden sites.

In response, some software companies have developed products designed to secretly track where a surfer has been and virtually everything a computer has been used to do. These softwares are collectively known as "spyware". Company owners can use it to check on their employees. Married couples could use it to check on their spouse. Parents can use it to see what their children are doing online such as obscene sites and such.

One such product, called eBlaster 3.0 from SpectorSoft (retailing at RM380) claims to record every keystroke a person makes, copy each piece of incoming and outgoing e-mail, log chat room conversations and take down every instant message relayed through Yahoo!, AOL and MSN.

A spy can control the type of information that will be logged. A summary of the log is periodically e-mailed to the spy, even copies of e-mail and so-called secret passwords. Spyware can also be set to prevent the installation of any spyware ActiveX controls from a webpage. It does this while not interfering with "friendly" ActiveX controls- so your browser can work correctly and you can have peace of mind!

You won't get any more annoying "Yes/ No" boxes popping up, asking you to install a spyware ActiveX control (which can increasingly be found in pop-up ads!). In fact, Internet Explorer will never even download or run the spyware ActiveX control!

In addition, decent spyware can prevent many of these spyware ActiveX controls from running, even if they are already installed on your system. The newest SpywareBlaster version can even block spyware/tracking cookies and does not need to be running in the background to provide this protection!

Most spyware does not show in task manager, it occurs as registry keys and dll files so all you see is an extra rundll32.exe entry at best. Usually, it applies itself, as a "plugin extension" to your browser, so it is just plain not listed at all.

Ninety percent of the internet related problems are traceable to poorly written spyware or spyware attempting to access the windows registry or msmoney, quicken, or other memory addresses it does not have permission to access.

With the current vulnerability of drives that install that a good spyware remover and immunizer is as important to smooth operation of the PC as a good antivirus, firewall, and keeping windows updates current.

Spyware doesn't always work properly however, especially when it comes to company firewalls. Another concern is that although the "spy" may be receiving the information, so may be the company who provides the spyware (although there are claims that all information that go through a spyware company's computer is automatically deleted). You should also know that if you receive your spyware reports at work, so is your company. As your employers, they also have the right to check on your incoming e-mails.

Programs like this raise other questions involving trust and privacy issues. Usually a spyware will inform you not to install the software on any computer you do not own lest you want to risk being alienated by the parties you are spying on. If you so choose to notify people, a spyware can be configured to post a warning to the user whenever the computer is turned on. It is doubtful that anyone would want the notification feature unless they have serious suspicion on the parties involved. It is human nature for most people to sneak around and spy on family and friends or employees rather than disclose that they have installed spyware on their computer- an announcement that's almost guaranteed to start a fight.

There is however, a better way of doing things.

If you are concerned about what your children or family members are doing on the Internet, talk to them. Ask what they are doing online. Let your children know what you consider appropriate or inappropriate. Make sure they know when it's safe to give out personal information.

If you have issues with your spouse, don't let it simmer.

For employees, all you have to do is to give them ground rules on what they can or cannot do online during company time.

Software such as spyware should be only be used at last resort. Having someone discover that you've been spying on him or her is a very efficient way of destroying whatever trust remains between you and them in a very fragile relationship. Let that trust be a reservoir of trust that may be crucial to salvaging and maintaining a relationship.

Spam explained

E-mail is widely regarded as the killer application in the whole history of communications. It's fast, easy and relatively cheap. If you ask around, you are bound to find out that most people's first experience with the Internet was sending out their first e-mail. Probe a little deeper and you'll probably find out that getting their first spam or unsolicited e-mail was quite memorable too.

Getting spam is like catching a cold. There are thousands of viruses that cause cold-like symptoms, and there's little chance that a person can build up defenses against all of them. Similarly, it is next to impossible to develop filters that block out all spam and spammers. There is one effective way of eradicating spam- stop using e-mail. However, this is not likely to happen in the near future, so we'll have to live with spam as how everyone has to live with a runny nose now and then.

The act of spamming basically involves flooding an e-mail users inbox with messages they would not have chosen to receive otherwise. Most spam is commercial advertising (often for dubious products), get-rich-quick schemes, getting a university degree or quasi-legal services. Spam lists are usually obtained from Usenet postings, stealing Internet mailing lists or searching the Web for e-mail addresses. It also costs very little for spammers to send out spam as it is usually sent out in bulk or paid for by the recipient or carriers.

As e-mail costs very little to send out, it is considered an ideal tool of advertising by companies. These e-mail marketing activities are described as permission-based because the recipients, or target audience of a particular e-mail marketing campaign have agreed to receive the e-mail concerned. The purpose of e-mail marketing is clear cut says one company; it's used for branding, marketing, and to generate sales. In terms of spam or unsolicited e-mails however, it aims to con some people into paying for something that they doesn't exist such as recent events of a few Malaysians who lost thousands of Ringgit in a Nigerian scam spam that asked millions of e-mail users to help free-up usurped royal coffers in 2002.

How did they get my e-mail address in the first place?

Getting spam upsets a lot of people. How were their e-mail addresses located? It becomes worse when spam comes regularly and in large numbers. It would good to be wary of e-mail's bearing gifts, although not all messages of this sort is unsolicited. Confused?

Well, remember when you signed up for that newsletter, and there were these little boxes with sentences that said 'Please un-tick if you don't want to receive any advertising e-mail'? No? Don't worry- you're not alone.

Most people do not read the terms and conditions and privacy policies properly when they sign up for something online, so technically, the unsolicited e-mails that someone receives isn't necessarily spam. To make sure that the e-mail that you receive is from an ethical marketing company, it will usually address you by name, as personalization is a key feature of such e-mails. If the e-mail addresses you by jenny@yahoo.com, it would be safe to assume that it's spam.

Regardless of method, there is only one way of preventing unwanted - not necessarily unsolicited e-mail. Read everything carefully! The most important thing is permission because permission based e-mail marketers have their reputation at stake.

Is there any law against spam?

At the moment, there is no specific law against spam although there are provisions under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 that relates to this. Section 211(1) of the Act states that "no content applications service provider, or other person using a content application service, shall provide content which is indecent, obscene, false, menacing, or offensive in character with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any person." Spam will be covered under the upcoming Communication and Multimedia Consumer's Forum General Consumer Code of Practice that is expected to be ready this year.

Filtering techniques

		set a filter function in your e-mail account which you can check through regularly (eg: Hotmail's Junk Mail folder, Yahoo!'s Bulk Mail folder) or Block the e-mail completely
		send complaints to your email provider about the spam or junk e-mail's that you are receiving as this might prompt them to take stern action against spammers
		go through each spam/ unsolicited e-mail and unsubscribe from each one
		use filter software (beware, as it may block out advertising that you have signed up for)
		read all privacy policies and un-tick boxes that asks whether you want to receive advertising from that company- especially if it says that shares its e-mail database with other advertisers

TOP 10 SPAM MESSAGES IN 2002 Ranking Subject of unsolicited bulk mail Description 1 "Protect Your Computer Against Viruses for $9.95" Anti-virus spam was the most common this year 2 "Verification Department" Credit card scam has been prominent especially in recent months 3 "Refinancing? Get a Free Quote On Any Mortgage Loan Program" Mortgage spam holds its ground this year as a classic 4 "Printer Cartridges- Save Up To 80%- Free Shipping Offer" Printer cartridge spam, also a classic, is still one of the top spam 5 "Miniature Remote Control Car. Great Gift" A newer spam, an e-mail about toy cars for the holidays has hit e-mail accounts at full throttle in recent months 6 "$100 FREE, Please Play Now" Casino spam continued to stake out e-mail inboxes worldwide 7 "Online Auction Marketing Secrets" Online marketing scams bid heavily on e-mail users this year 8 "Important News Kuira" Septic system spam seeped rapidly through the Internet for quite some time in early 2002 9 "URGENT & CONFIDENTIAL" Nigerian scam spam asked millions of e-mail users to help free-up usurped royal coffers this year 10 "GET A FREE PASS TO THOUSANDS OF XXX SITES!" Pornographic e-mail slithered into inboxes, including those of children

Boosting your assets

It is a sad fact for most people that saving all that money in the back does not give the same buzz as spending it on a new pair of shoes or that hand phone you have been eyeing. Many of us feel like there's no point in sorting out our finances until we get higher pay or decide to invest in something such as a car or even a home. However, it's never too late to start taking control of your financial situation. Upping your financial knowledge does not, and will not make your life boring either. On the contrary, it will empower you with confidence and help you make the most out of your hard earned cash.

Budget
Make a list of everything that you earn and everything you spend on. Make sure what's coming covers what's going out with left over for savings. Do not restrict yourself too much or you'll never stick to it- ensure you give yourself enough to spend every month with reason. Software such as Microsoft Money or Quicken can help to get you organized and keep track of everything. Always know how much you spend and avoid unnecessary buys.

Create an emergency fund
Set up an emergency fun account by setting aside some money each month (depending on how much you earn monthly). Setting up this account will enable you to fix that broken fridge or your malfunctioning PC without having to dip into your savings.

Have a dream
Motivate yourself to save by giving yourself a reward once you have saved a certain amount (don't overspend though). Give yourself something to work towards to make it all worthwhile.

Pay yourself first
Make yourself a must-pay expense. When paying your monthly bills, add yourself to your list of creditors & set up an automatic transfer from your current account into your savings account. Soon you won't even miss the money and it will become a pain-free way making sure you save.

Balance the books
Keep receipts from any big purchases along with withdrawal and deposit slips from the bank each month. When you receive your monthly bank statement, check whether everything adds up. This will give you a feel for how much you are spending.

Don't ignore bills
If you can't afford to pay the bills, don't hope they'll go away. Ignoring the bills will cause you extra stress than not being able to pay for it in the first place as well as incurring extra late-payment charges. Call the company that you owe money to work out an installment plan so that that you can pay off your debt in manageable segments.

Don't get held back by debt
There isn't much use in starting to save and invest if you have debts waiting to be paid up. Be brave, sit down and lay out all your debts in front of you. Next, resolve to pay off at least the minimum amount and a chunk extra every month until you are clear. Don't go credit card crazy!

Don't just pay off the minimum each month
Otherwise you'll be effectively throwing money out the window through the interest charges you incur. If you are putting unnecessary items such as clothes and nights out on your card and can't seem to pay it off each month, then you have to face the fact that you are living beyond your means. Try adjusting your spending.

Don't get too comfortable with your account
Make sure you are getting the most out of your bank account. Different people need different things from their bank, so it doesn't mean that you have to bank at a certain place just because someone you know does. Pick up brochures or speak with the counter service personnel on service charges, savings plans, etc to make sure you're getting what you want. If you are very busy or travel a lot, take advantage of phone or Internet banking- it's cheaper & faster!

Don't go to the ATM too often
You are likely to spend more if you constantly run to the ATM. Work out how much you need to spend each day on food, socializing or transport. Then make one visit to the ATM every week. This should make you think twice about spending on unnecessary extras. If you don't have the money, don't spend.

Don't just leave your money in the bank
Don't invest all your savings in one place. Here diversification is the key word. Spreading your savings between several types of investments- fixed income, stocks and shares, mutual funds, cash is the safest way to invest long term. When investing, don't touch your money for at least three to five years- this is the time when you'll start seeing higher returns.

Wise up
When investing in stocks and shares, never just hand over the responsibility to your broker or fund manager. Do some homework and monitor the business that you have invested in, as well as the economy in general so that you know for yourself about what's happening. Read the paper or surf the Internet for a fast and easy way to update yourself.

Don't go overboard with renovations
Don't be too enthusiastic and go overboard with renovations. Spend only 10% or less of your property's value on renovations.

Save a little every day
Make your own breakfast everyday instead of spending that RM3 on roti canai and teh tarik at your office cafeteria. Take a bus home instead of a taxi. What's the incentive? By popping the RM 3 you saved, you'll have over RM 1000 by the end of the year. Think about THAT!

Saving money isn't all that hard. All you have to do is to think about where you want to be and what you want to do in a few years. Will your finances allow you to do so? Review your monetary situation now with the future in mind so that you can afford to anything your heart desires.

EPF Withdrawal to Reduce / Redeem Housing Loan

This withdrawal allows you to withdraw your Account II savings to reduce or redeem the balance of your housing loan taken from a financial institution approved by the EPF for the purchase or construction of a house based on the followings conditions:

• Individual purchase; or
• Joint purchase with spouse, family members or other individuals; or
• Assisting spouse to reduce or redeem balance of housing loan.

Withdrawal Eligibility
You are eligible to apply if you are:

• A Malaysian citizen; or
• A Permanent Resident; or
• A Malaysian citizen who have withdrawn your savings under Leaving The Country Withdrawal before 1 August 1995 but subsequently returned and re-contribute to EPF; or
• A Non-Malaysian citizen (Expatriate) who became a member of the EPF before 1 August 1998.

You need to have savings in your Account II and you must also have not reached 55 years of age on the date the application is received by the EPF.

However, you are not eligible to withdraw for the purpose of:

• Renovating, repairing or make extension works to an existing house and for personal use; or
• Overdraft loan; or
• Loan taken from individuals.

Amount Eligible to Withdraw
Minimum amount of withdrawal is not less than RM500 and the maximum amount of withdrawal is subject to the balance of savings in Account II or the balance of housing loan, whichever is lower:

TYPE OF WITHDRAWAL
Individual/Assisting Spouse	Joint Withdrawal with Spouse / Family Members / Other Individuals
Total balance of housing loan; OR All savings in Account II subject to the minimum withdrawal amount of not less than RM500 and total balance of housing loan.	Total balance of housing loan; OR All savings in Account II of all applicants subject to the minimum withdrawal amount of not less than RM500 and total balance of housing loan.

You can choose to determine the amount you wish to withdraw from your savings in Account II, subject to the maximum amount you are entitled to withdrawal by completing "Surat Akujanji Pilihan Amaun Pengeluaran".

Frequency of Withdrawal
Withdrawal application can be made once a year from the date of last housing withdrawal. You must also have minimum RM500 balance in your Account II.

Enquiries
If you have any enquiry or require further information regarding this withdrawal please contact:

• Any nearest EPF Office
• EPF Call Management Centre at 03-8732 6000
• Short Messaging System (SMS) – Type EPF and send to 36373

Please quote your EPF membership number or your Identity Card number and the type of withdrawal that you have applied for when you contact the EPF. You are encouraged to contact the EPF directly for assistance and advice.

EPF Withdrawal to Purchase a House

This withdrawal allows you to withdraw your savings in Account II to partially finance the purchase of a house either via:

• Individual purchase; or
• Joint purchase with spouse, family members or other individuals.

This withdrawal also allows you to purchase a house from a developer, an individual or public auction.

Withdrawal Eligibility
You are eligible to apply if you are:

• A Malaysian citizen; or
• A Permanent Resident; or
• A Malaysian citizen who have withdrawn your savings under Leaving The Country Withdrawal before 1 August 1995 but subsequently returned and re-contribute to EPF; or
• A Non-Malaysian citizen (Expatriate) who became a member of the EPF before 1 August 1998.

You need to have savings in your Account II and you must also have not reached 55 years of age on the date the application is received by the EPF.

Amount Eligible to Withdraw
You can withdraw your savings based on the following, whichever is lower:

• Individual Purchase
  The difference between the price of the house and the housing loan
  with an additional 10% of the price of the house
  OR
  All balance available in Account II
• Joint Withdrawal with Spouse, Family Members or Other Individuals
  The difference between the price of the house and the housing loan
  with an additional 10% of the price of the house
  OR
  All balance available in Account II of all applicants subject to the maximum eligible amount as stated above
  If you obtained a full housing loan (100%), you are eligible to withdraw as much as 10% of the price of the house OR all balance available in Account II, whichever is lower.

If you purchased a house by cash, you are eligible to withdraw as much as the price of the house with an additional 10% of the price of the house OR all balance available in Account II, whichever is lower.

You can choose to determine the amount you wish to withdraw from your savings in Account II, subject to the maximum amount you are entitled to withdrawal by completing "Surat Akujanji Pilihan Amaun Pengeluaran".

Frequency of Withdrawal
This withdrawal is only allowed for your first house only. However, if you have made a withdrawal previously to buy your first house and subsequently have sold the house, you may withdraw to buy a second house. Proof of sale of the first house must be produced.

After making this withdrawal, you are eligible to withdraw your savings to reduce / redeem the housing loan for the same house once a year.

EPF Withdrawal to Purchase a House

This withdrawal allows you to withdraw your savings in Account II to partially finance the purchase of a house either via:

• Individual purchase; or
• Joint purchase with spouse, family members or other individuals.

This withdrawal also allows you to purchase a house from a developer, an individual or public auction.

Withdrawal Eligibility
You are eligible to apply if you are:

• A Malaysian citizen; or
• A Permanent Resident; or
• A Malaysian citizen who have withdrawn your savings under Leaving The Country Withdrawal before 1 August 1995 but subsequently returned and re-contribute to EPF; or
• A Non-Malaysian citizen (Expatriate) who became a member of the EPF before 1 August 1998.

You need to have savings in your Account II and you must also have not reached 55 years of age on the date the application is received by the EPF.

Amount Eligible to Withdraw
You can withdraw your savings based on the following, whichever is lower:

• Individual Purchase
  The difference between the price of the house and the housing loan
  with an additional 10% of the price of the house
  OR
  All balance available in Account II
• Joint Withdrawal with Spouse, Family Members or Other Individuals
  The difference between the price of the house and the housing loan
  with an additional 10% of the price of the house
  OR
  All balance available in Account II of all applicants subject to the maximum eligible amount as stated above
  If you obtained a full housing loan (100%), you are eligible to withdraw as much as 10% of the price of the house OR all balance available in Account II, whichever is lower.

If you purchased a house by cash, you are eligible to withdraw as much as the price of the house with an additional 10% of the price of the house OR all balance available in Account II, whichever is lower.

You can choose to determine the amount you wish to withdraw from your savings in Account II, subject to the maximum amount you are entitled to withdrawal by completing "Surat Akujanji Pilihan Amaun Pengeluaran".

Frequency of Withdrawal
This withdrawal is only allowed for your first house only. However, if you have made a withdrawal previously to buy your first house and subsequently have sold the house, you may withdraw to buy a second house. Proof of sale of the first house must be produced.

After making this withdrawal, you are eligible to withdraw your savings to reduce / redeem the housing loan for the same house once a year.

Buying Your Dream House

So, you decided to buy a house. Good move, but there are a lot of factors you need to consider before deciding on what type of house to buy. Here are some suggestions that you may want to consider to ensure your house-buying experience is a smooth one.

Everybody has his or her own idea of a dream house but rule number one is to buy a house within your means. This is to avoid you from ending up in a difficult financial situation. It is advisable for you to come up with a budget based on the amount you can fork out to pay for the down payment and the amount you are willing to commit for your monthly loan payment. Factor in the amount you can withdraw from your EPF savings for this purpose. You also should know that a year after the first withdrawal, you are allowed to withdraw from your Account II EPF savings to reduce your housing loan on yearly basis.

You may want to note that apart from the down payment, you will also need to pay legal and stamping fees for your Sales and Purchase (S&P) as well as Housing Loan Agreements. These dues can be troublesome if you do not set aside enough money for them.

Once you have decided on the budget, you can start looking around for a suitable house. Remember, location of the house is another important factor. If you plan to stay in the house for a considerable length of time, then get a house in a location that you would feel comfortable to live at. But if you are buying the house for “investment” purposes, then a location where property values can appreciate rapidly is, perhaps, more appropriate.

You also have the option to either buy a new house from a developer or buy a completed one from its owner.

Perhaps, buying a brand new house is more desirable for most as the price is most likely at the lowest but you may have to wait for up to two years for the construction to complete. In the meantime, you would have to keep up with your monthly rent as well as service the interest on your loan periodically until the full loan is released (upon completion of the new house). Buying a completed house on the other hand, has less “waiting” time but you may have to set aside some money to carry out some repairs or renovation works.

Please take note that you cannot use your EPF savings to pay for repair and renovation works.

Then again, you may not find the house you like that fits your budget. You may decide to defer your purchase so that you can save more money (on your own and through EPF). It is up to you but you must also consider that prices of houses will also increase.

Alternatively, you may also lower your “expectation” and settle only for a house that you can afford now. It will not be so bad at all. You can sell the house later and use the proceeds to buy your dream house. You may be happy to note that EPF does allow members to make withdrawal to buy a second house, provided that you have sold the first house.

Introducing SOCSO

Many employees are exposed to various risks that cause hardship in their lives. Accidents that result in disablement or death, occupational diseases and others not only results in problems to the employee but also affects the lives of the dependents. Employees have to be protected by social insurance to reduce the sufferings and to provide financial help and guarantee to the family as a whole.

Purpose of SOCSO
The purpose of SOCSO is to provide security and protection, as well as a just, accurate, timely and quality service economically to all employees, their dependents and their employers. SOCSO aims to:

		pay temporary disablement benefits (first payment) to injured employees within a month
		pay disablement benefits (first payment) and constant attendance allowance to all injured employees within 3 months
		pay dependents benefits (first payment) to dependents within 3 months
		pay invalidity pension (first payment)/ invalidity grant/ constant attendance allowance to employees who qualify within a period of 3 months
		pay survivor's pension (first payment) to dependents within a period of 3 months
		pay funeral benefits to eligible dependents of deceased person within 15 days

Registering with SOCSO
Employers are required to fill Form 1 (Employer Registration Form) and Form 2 (Employee Registration Form) for registration with SOCSO. SOCSO will then issue a employers code number to be used in all correspondence with the company.

Employer
Principal employer- This refers to an employer who has employed the employee directly to work for him. The employer undertakes the payment of wages and all the service matters of the employee.

Immediate employer- This refers to an employer who works for a principal employer or undertakes part of the work of the principal employer by sub-contract. The immediate employer has direct control of the employees employed by him.

The principal and immediate employer who employs one or more employees is required to register and contribute monthly for all employees. The principle employer is also liable to ensure that all employees employed by the immediate employer have to be registered and their contributions paid. In the event that the employees have not been registered and the immediate employer cannot be located, the principal employer is liable under the Social Security Act 1969 for all contributions.

Employee
A person employed under a contract of service or apprenticeship is an employee under the Act. It is compulsory for an employee earning a monthly wage of less than RM2000 to make contributions to SOCSO. What happens with an employee earning a monthly wage of more than RM2000?

There are 2 situations regarding this matter. They are:

		Employees who previously registered with and have contributed to SOCSO must compulsorily continue to contribute even if their present wage exceeds RM2000 monthly. The employees must be protected in line with the principle of "once covered, always covered" to preserve their rights accumulated under the Invalidity Pension Scheme.
		Employees who receive a monthly wage exceeding RM2000 and who have not previously registered or paid contributions to SOCSO are given an option to be covered under the Act. Both the employer and employee have to consent to the coverage by filling in the necessary forms.

Are all employees eligible for SOCSO coverage?
All employees eligible for coverage under the Act must register and contribute to SOCSO irrespective of employment status, whether permanent, temporary or casual in nature. However, certain categories of employment are exempted from coverage, namely:

		Government service
		Domestic servants
		Self- employed persons
		Foreign workers (exempted since April 1st, 1993)

Is the age of the employee a factor?
All employees must be registered irrespective of their age. However, employees who exceed age 55 will continue to be protected under the employment injury scheme if they continue to be employed after that age. Only the employer shall contribute to SOCSO for such employees.

Is this scheme compulsory?
This is a compulsory scheme. Employers must cover their employees even if they have other private insurance coverage for them. Employees are eligible for all benefits from SOCSO and compensation under any private insurance policy in the event of an accident.

Contribution
The principal employer must make a monthly contribution for each eligible employee according to the rates specified under the Act. The employee's share of 0.5% of wages should be paid for coverage under the Invalidity Pension Scheme while the employer pays 1.75% for the Employment Injury Insurance Scheme and the Invalidity Pension Scheme.

Types and categories of contribution:

		The first category: Employment Injury Insurance Scheme and Invalidity Pension Scheme. The payment of the contribution is by both the employer and employee.
		The second category: Employment Injury Insurance Scheme Only. The payment of contributions is made only by the employer, i.e. for an employee who is not eligible for coverage under the Invalidity Pension Scheme.

Defining 'wages'
All remuneration payable in money to an employee is wages for purposes of SOCSO contributions. This includes the following payments:

		Salary
		Overtime payments
		Commissions and service charge
		Payments for leave, annual leave, maternity, rest day, public holidays and other
		Allowances, incentives, shifts, food, cost of living, housing and others

All payments made to an employee paid at an hourly rate, daily rate, weekly rate, piece or task rate is considered as wages, except the below:

		Payments by an employer to any statutory fund for employees
		Mileage claims
		Gratuity payments or payments for dismissal or retrenchments
		Annual bonus

Coverage
SOCSO provides protection to eligible employees through two schemes namely the Employment Injury Insurance Scheme and the Invalidity Pension Scheme.

Employment Injury Insurance Scheme
The scheme provides an employee with protection for accidents that occur while:

		Traveling (commuting accident)
		Arising out of and in the course of employment
		Occupational diseases

What are the benefits provided under the scheme? The benefits provided are:

		Medical benefit
		Temporary disablement benefit
		Permenant disablement benefit
		Constant dependent benefit
		Dependent's benefit
		Funeral benefit
		Rehabilitation benefit
		Education benefit

Has your employer registered you with SOCSO?
Each employee registered with SOCSO will be given a Social Security Registered Number. If your employer has not registered you, please contact the SOCSO Office nearest to you. For more information, please contact:

Pertubuhan Keselamatan Sosial (PERKESO)
Menara PERKESO,
Lot 281, Jalan Ampang,
50538 Kuala Lumpur.

General Line: 03-4253 5320
Call Center: 03-4257 5755

E-mail: perkeso@perkeso.gov.my
Website: www.perkeso.gov.my

Prudent Spending

Nowadays without prudent planning, it would be really tough for us to survive in this society especially with the inflation or rising cost living.

What does RM100 get you if you are a young executive in Kuala Lumpur? I think you could not do much about it except for your normal routine transportation and meals. Some might finish it within 1 day or 2 but some are able to survive with it for a week, why is that? The reason is because it depends on how do you spend it and the way you choose to live with.

You can make your money stretch further if you learn how to manage it carefully, such as:

Know what you want to do with your money
Be transparent with your own financial status. Ensure you know how much is left at the end of the month after allocating money for your monthly expenses such as rental, car installment, petrol, meals and other necessities.

Know where your money goes
Be aware and alert where your money goes and make sure you do not spend on unnecessary things. Things like clothes, shoes or accessories are endless favourite buying products. There are always new trends, fashion and style, so if you do not know how to limit yourself, then all your money will be gone in the wind.

Know your spending habits
If you found that you have not much money left to spend at the end of the day, then you might want to look into your daily expenses, grocery bills and households item. Check whether there are any items that are not necessary to purchase.

You should also look out for some of the warning signals of bad spending habits that will lead to real money problems:

	You use your savings to pay current bills
	You delay payment of some bills which you used to pay on time
	You take out new loans to pay for old ones
	You defer your loan repayments
	You prefer to pay by installments when buying everyday household items
	You owe more than you earn at the end of the month
	You buy on impulse even though you know you can't afford it

Develop a prudent spending plan
Establish your monthly total income, total up all the fixed monthly bills, repayments, daily living expenses and etc. Place aside a fixed sum of money that is enough to handle emergency or seasonal expenses. (Income tax, Insurance renewals, etc)

Spend wisely and within your means
Ask yourself this question whenever you want to spend on something, 'Is that a need or just a want?' Do not spend on unnecessary thing.

Reserve some money for your future
If you found there is no surplus left after deducting all the expenses, you might need to review your list again. Try to cut down the expenses by Do-It-Yourself. For example, making your own breakfast or cook more often, exercise at home or park instead of paying to join the gym center and etc. You may want to cut down utility bill by monitoring the use of your water and electricity and also restrict calling at peak hours.

It is always a matter on how you plan and spend your money and not how much you earn. Besides that, we always have to learn how to tight on thrift.

Remember Cash Is Best - Always pay cash in any transaction (other than buying a car or house). Do not fall for hire purchase schemes, however attractive they may be. The tactic or philosophy is - if you cannot afford it, you do not need it! Paying by credit cards in advance merely postpones the payment - until month-end.

Beating traffic jams

Time is money to the professional businessperson. Thus, the worst thing that could happen to them is by idling their time away by getting stuck in a traffic jam. Although a handphone may be of some consolation to getting some things done, nothing is compared to the "professional" time wasted in traffic jams.

An average motorist probably earns between RM2,500 to RM 4,000 a month, thus earning approximately RM10.50 to RM16.50 an hour. If a motorist gets stuck in a traffic jam for an average of 2 hours each day, they are effectively losing between RM21 and RM33 everyday. Based on an estimate of 50,000 motorists on the road each day, we have a monumental loss that could run between RM105 million and RM165 million per day! That's a huge sum even though it's only based on estimation but that's the common scenario we have on our busy Kuala Lumpur roads. This bad traffic does not even include the inflow of the morning traffic into the city or the outflow of evening traffic to the suburbs.

There is constantly bad traffic on our roads. And that's not half as bad as when the rainy season starts.

With high traffic in our city at all times, it doesn't take much to start a jam. An accident, a car breaking down, burst pipes, power failures affecting the traffic lights, haphazard parking or anything unusual happening along the road- 4D numbers anyone?

What's more, the high number of road constructions constantly going on at the same time doesn't help to ease traffic flow either.

The traffic situation is further worsened by the high number of single occupancy vehicles. Motorists can help themselves if they practice car-pooling, but car-pooling is only successful if it is done amongst colleagues from the same company. And car-pooling won't work among those who need to mobile in their line of work- and this number of people is huge. Car-pooling is usually inconvenient and other countries have applied it with little success. Why should Malaysia be any different?

Traffic jams are stressful for the motorist, more so if he or she is late for an appointment or function and getting nowhere anytime soon. It is also unhealthy- with vehicle exhaust including harmful substances such as hydrocarbons, carbon dioxide, etc, that causes polluted air, haze and acid rain.

To make matters worse, fewer parking spaces will be allocated on public roads with higher parking fees. New buildings constructed are not required to include ample parking space. This will directly cause congestion on the roads worse.

Although there are measures being taken currently to lessen the present worsening situation, implementation is slow and takes time.

In the future, a zoning system will be introduced (similar to that of Singapore) whereby motorists are not allowed to enter the city during certain hours unless they have a special permit. Motorists will then be forced to take public transport into the city while leaving their car at the LRT (Light Rail Transit) or Komuter stations.

Currently the LRT operates from Ampang to Jalan Sultan Ismail- Jalan Raja Laut junction. It is quick and convenient for those who live near the route with feeder buses working to pick up passengers who don't live on the same route. The LRTs cheap ticket price would also appeal to passengers as they would rather spend less on a ticket rather than wasting petrol being stuck in a traffic jam.

The Komuter is also a good alternative, but unlike the LRT system, its schedule is a lot less frequent. There are however, improvements being made as KTM has begun providing services at 15-minute intervals during the morning and evening rush hours.

As for buses, Intrakota now offers better service compared to the old "bas mini's" of yesteryear, as it is air-conditioned and cleaner. Punctuality however, is something to be desired although that could be the sole result of bad traffic- a chicken and egg situation here.

Traffic jams costs big money: great productivity loss, increased stress levels and ongoing health and environmental complications for everyone. Looking at the situation, it looks like everyone will have to chip in to help solve the problem. Take public transport, car-pool when possible & above all, don't slow down to look at accidents!

The faster we resolve to cooperate amongst ourselves, the lesser time we have to spend stuck in traffic jams!

Motorcycle Safety

Riding a motorcycle safely requires both physical and mental skills. You need physical skills to operate the bike smoothly and to perform evasive maneuvers like swerving and stopping. You need mental skills to safely interact with other traffic and to avoid hazards. But which is more important? How much of riding is physical, and how much is mental?

While the amounts vary depending on the bike, the rider, and the situation, experts believe that riding a motorcycle on the street is 90% mental and 10% physical. Beginning riders probably focus as much on the physical side as the mental side, maybe 50/50, while experienced riders probably focus almost entirely on the mental side: maybe 95/5!

Important articles of clothing:

Helmet-
to protect the head and brain, provide comfort and protect against hearing loss. Designed to spread the force of impact throughout the helmet so that less impact energy reaches the head and brain.

Bodysuit-
use a jacket made of leather or other man-made abrasion resistant material. The jacket should fit snugly and contain extra padding to give protection. Longer sleeves with full shoulders provide full comfort while in a sitting position with your hands on the handle bars.

Pants-
should also be made of leather or other abrasion resistant material and be made to cover the ankles while sitting. Some are made to wear over your regular clothes.

Footwear-
over-the-ankle-boots made specifically for motorcycle riding protect the feet and legs from stones that fly up from the road, burns from exhaust pipes as well as provide good grip on the footrests while riding and on the pavement while stopped. Good boots also provide valuable foot and ankle protection in a crash.

Gloves-
full-fingered gloves protect from the wind, sun, heat and cold. Using reinforced stitching, gloves also protect hands and wrists in case of a crash.

Tips for motorcyclists:

	Visibility
		make yourself as conspicuous as possible
		wear protective clothing that is brightly coloured
		use reflective tape or stickers on your motorbike or helmet

	Intersections
		consider combining hand and light turning signals when you want to make a turn
		flash your brake lights a few times before actually stopping

	Following distance
		never assume that you can be seen; always drive where you are most visible to other motorists
		always maintain a 2 second space between you and the next vehicle; at night or in poor conditions such as rain, increase this to 4-5 seconds

	Passing
		slow down or maintain your speed when being passed by another vehicle

	Road hazards
		be constantly alert for road hazards; Look far ahead (4 to 12 seconds) to allow extra time and space to react. Your best defense against any sort of hazard is to be nowhere near it. This includes changing position, changing lanes, or even changing your route

	Weather hazards
		reduce your speed when driving in undesirable conditions such as rain and fog. Signal your intentions early, brake and accelerate gradually because you could be almost invisible to others

	Lane use
		it is never advisable to ride side-by-side as this may limit your escape route in case of emergency. When traveling with other motorcyclists, it is best to ride in a staggered formation, using both sides of the lane. When riding in a large group, leave gaps in the formation to allow other vehicles to pass or exit the freeway

Tips for motorists:

	Watch aggressively for motorcycles.
		Search the traffic around you constantly and expect to see motorcycles
		Check your blind spots before changing lanes or merging, especially in heavy traffic
		Double-check traffic at intersections before you turn or pull out
		Motorcycles can easily be hidden in traffic. Look for a helmet above, tires below, or a shadow alongside a vehicle that you can't see around

	Anticipate hazards that may confront the motorcyclist and predict how the motorcyclist may react to the situation.
		Poor road conditions, bad weather, flying debris, oil slicks, and heavy traffic pose high risks for motorcyclists

	Allow a minimum two-second "space cushion" when following a motorcycle.
		Pick out a fixed object ahead of you. When the motorcycle passes the object, count off, "one thousand one, one thousand two." If you haven't passed the same object after two seconds, your following distance meets the two-second minimum
		In poor driving conditions, at higher speeds and at night, use a four or five-second following distance to give the motorcyclist more space

	Watch out when turning left.
		Most crashes between cars and motorcycles involve turning left at an intersection. If you are preparing to cross traffic or turn left, take a second look for motorcycles
		Because motorcycles are smaller than cars, it is harder to see them and more difficult to judge their approach speed in traffic

	Share the road.
		Do not drive your car in the same lane as a motorcycle as this is unsafe and illegal
		Treat motorcyclists with the same respect and courtesy you afford to other motorists

	Observe and obey all traffic laws, signs, and signals.
		Failure to obey and yield the right-of-way can result in the death or serious injury of a motorcyclist
		Stay focused on the driving task. Inattentive driving is a major cause of car-motorcycle crashes
		Use turn signals to indicate your next move. This allows the motorcyclist anticipate traffic flow and find a safe lane position
		Remove all possible distractions that can interfere with the driver's attention, and remove any objects that may block the driver's view