service tax on malaysian credit cards

The budget announcement came and went last Friday. Overall, there was nothing spectacular for the individual while the industrialist may already be dancing on the table ! What bothers me most is the imposition of RM50 service tax on each credit card aimed at curbing spending. Here's my story...... I have about 15 credit cards and they're all free from annual fees. My friends tell me I am crazy but I have my reasons. I pay in full each month and I use my cards to organize my spending. This allows me to easily monitor my monthly expenses and to spot any fraud charges just as easily. For example, I use one card specifically for petrol and a few others for specific stores. I feel "safe" using credit cards since I only need to carry a minimum amount of cash. In addition, I've learnt to appreciate the perks and freebies. Instead of cash, I use my credit cards and earn points that I always use to redeem supermarket vouchers. Annually, this will add up to a little over RM1,000 in vouchers. This is something that I really appreciate especially during months when I have unforeseen expenses. Some of these, I will pass on to my mum. EON Bank has a fantastic feature where I am able to convert any purchase over RM500 into an installment for a small fee that I gladly pay. It helped me plenty recently when my TV got busted and I needed to replace it. After a car accident and the repair expenses early this month, it was a gift from God to have the credit card handy. Both my mum and aunt have two credit cards each for medical emergencies; otherwise they are cash bunnies. Our government has failed to realize that credit cards have helped many of us. What they should have done was to have banks impose stricter application requirements or to increase the salary qualification for credit card application. Banks could also approve a spending limit suitable with the cardholder's salary. This tax imposition will however affect many of us who do not abuse the lenient application procedures. Unless the banks absorb the RM50 service tax, I am likely to cancel most of my credit cards. It's a sad move but an inevitable one as I do not see myself throwing good money out the window ! Do you ?

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not me !

I never heard about the recent earthquake in Padang until my boss asked me if I felt the quake so I went for the morning papers are there it was; the headlines for the day. There was so much suffering and misery and I cannot truly say I understand what they're feeling or going through. We never can until we're there to see it firsthand. That same night I saw an ad on TV asking Malaysians to contribute to the victims of the Padang quake and I thought to myself why should I. Many of you will think that I'm a heartless bitch and everything else that's evil on earth but so be it. First, the Indonesians burn our Malaysian flag and then the call us evil. Then the erect roadblocks to detain Malaysians in Jakarta. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that all Indonesians are evil and spiteful, just a fraction but just enough for me to say NO and believe that charity (from me at least) should begin at home. We have just as many devastated families and individuals that need help so I'll start just where I am. The Indonesians have always been proud so I'll just leave them alone with their pride. I have known many wonderful Indonesians past and present who remain my friends. One of them is a friend's maid who used to come over to my place whenever I was home to chat. Through her, I've learnt to be thankful for all I have and to be appreciative of the sacrifices that maids working abroad had to make. I love this Indonesian lady as if she were my own sister and I feel her sadness when calamity strikes her family. I know how hard it was for her to leave her family behind in search of a better future for them. To my Indonesian readers of my blog, I believe that there is good in everyone and that many of you have a heart of gold. But please do not make us Malaysians to be heartless because we are not. Many of us treat Indonesian maids as members of our family. My boss' Indonesian maid travels with them on all family vacations and she flies Business Class with them. Are we still cruel, evil and heartless ?

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