Budget 2011 Reviews and Comment for Malaysians

Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s second Budget since becoming prime minister was put to the test yesterday, hours after he tabled the Budget 2011 that proposes to spend RM212 billion over the coming year.

Not many were amused by a new six per cent tax slapped on paid television satellite packages.

Some among the 12 were also not impressed by the idea of a 100-storey skyscraper over Stadium Merdeka and Stadium Negara, two independence icons that will remain standing in the RM5 billion Warisan Merdeka project.

Here, in their own words, are the verdict of the 12.

Cell phones now sales-tax exempt

The Government has proposed a sales tax exemption for mobile phones, effective 4pm today, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said today.

“To harmonise tax treatment on Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) with Global System Mobile (GSM) and ordinary mobile phones, it is proposed that mobile phones be exempted from sales tax,” said Najib, who is also finance minister, when tabling Budget 2011 in Parliament today.

Currently, ordinary mobile phones are subject to 10 per cent sales tax, whereas PDAs with GSM, which may also function as mobile phones, are given sales tax exemption under the Sales Tax (Exemption) Order 2008.

Therefore, sales tax treatment on mobile phones and that of other equipment, which may also function as mobile phones such as PDA with GSM, is not the same.

Two get seven years in Sosilawati murders

Two men pleaded guilty today to disposing of evidence in the murder of cosmetics millionaire Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya and three others at the Banting Magistrate’s Court here today.

Odd-job worker U. Suresh, 26, and mechanic K. Sarawanan, 19, pleaded guilty to four counts of causing the disappearance of evidence of an offence committed, under Section 201 of the Penal Code.

Sarawanan admitted to burning the bodies of Sosilawati and her companions, while Suresh said he had scattered the ashes in Sungai Panchau near here between 8.45pm and 9.30pm on August 30.

Both were believed to have been working at the time for main suspect lawyer N. Pathmanabhan, who has been accused of masterminding the murders.

U. Suresh (left) and K. Sarawanan, both accused in the murders of Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya and three others, are led away from court after their sentencing today