Amanah Saham Nasional 2 ( ASN 2), income distribution of 6.50 sen per unit for the financial year ended 30 June 2012.

KUALA LUMPUR - Amanah Saham Nasional Berhad (ASNB), a wholly owned subsidiary of Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) has announced an income distribution of 6.50 sen per unit for Amanah Saham Nasional 2 ( ASN 2) for the financial year ended 30 June 2012.

This is an increase of 1.00 sen per unit compared to the income distribution of 5.50 sen per unit announced the previous year.

PNB Chairman, Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid said the income distribution will involve a total payment of RM11.9 million and would benefit a total of 8,483 unit holders who collectively owned 183 million units of ASN 2.

According to him, overall the fund performed well throughout the financial year ended 30 June 2012 although the performance of the bourse and the world's economy is uncertain due to prolong Europe debt crisis. The FBM KLCI index increased by 1.52 percent from 1,579.07 points recorded on 30 June 2011 to 1,603.07 points recorded on 22 June 2012.

Up until 22 June 2012, ASN 2 has recorded a gross income of RM15.08 million. Dividend income from investee companies contributed RM10.07 million or 66.8 percent of gross income while profit from the sale of shares contributed RM3.25 million or 21.5 percent. The remaining income of RM1.76 million or 11.7 percent is derived from other investments.

All transactions for ASN 2 at the ASNB offices and agents have been suspended from 22 June 2012 to 1 July 2012 to facilitate the calculation of income distribution.

ASN 2 unit holders can update their ASN 2 investment pass book at ASNB offices and agents nationwide beginning 2 July 2012.

The income distribution of ASN 2 will be calculated based on the unit holdings on 30 June 2012 which is the last day of the financial year of the fund. It will be re-invested into additional units of ASN 2 which will be automatically credited into the unit holders' accounts, based on the NAV on 30 June 2012.

For the unitholders who subscribed to the ASN 2 through the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) Members' Investment Scheme, the income distribution will be credited directly into their respective EPF accounts.

The income distribution statement and fund's annual report will be sent to unit holders beginning end of August 2012.

ASN 2 is a variable-priced growth fund with the objective of generating reasonable level of distribution income and capital appreciation at a reasonable risk level to the unit holders through a diversified portfolio of investments. It is opened to Malaysian Bumiputera investors aged 18 years and above. It is also listed in the Employees Provident Fund Members' Investment Scheme.

At the same function, the President & Group Chief Executive of PNB, Tan Sri Dato' Sri Hamad Kama Piah Che Othman also announced the amendment made to the ASB Akaun Remaja features and the launch of the Labur On-Line Campaign.

Beginning 1 July 2012, the maximum investment limit for ASB Akaun Remaja will be increased from 10,000 units to 50,000 units. According to Tan Sri Dato' Sri Hamad Kama Piah, this step is taken to encourage parents to develop a financial plan for their children. Before this, in October 2011, ASNB has amended the eligible age for ASB investors from 12 years old to 6 months old.

Labur On-Line Campaign is opened to ASB account holders utilising the internet banking facility through Maybank2u, CIMBClicks, AffinOnline and RHBNow. This campaign offers 165 units of the latest iPad for the lucky investors investing a minimum of RM2,000 per transaction. The Labur On-Line Campaign will be held for 3 months beginning 1 July to 30 September 2012.

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Amanah Saham Didik (ASD), income distribution of 6.60 sen per unit for the financial year ended 30 June 2012

KUALA LUMPUR: - Amanah Saham Nasional Berhad (ASNB), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) has announced an income distribution of 6.60 sen per unit for Amanah Saham Didik (ASD) for the financial year ended 30 June 2012, higher than the 6.50 sen per unit paid out in the previous corresponding period.

PNB Chairman, Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid said the income distribution will involve a total payment of RM279.31 million, an increase of 9.9 percent compared with the total distribution of RM254.1 million last year.

Up until 18 June 2012, ASD has recorded a gross income of RM354.26 million. Dividend income from investee companies contributed RM228.58 million or 65.4 percent to the total income.

Profit from the sale of shares contributed RM76.03 million or 21.5 percent. The remaining income of RM49.65 million or 14 percent is derived from investments in short term instruments and other income.

The income distribution will benefit a total of 358,222 unit holders who collectively owned 4.2 billion units of the ASD.

The calculation of the income distribution is based on the average monthly minimum balance held throughout the financial year of ASD.

All transactions for ASD at the ASNB offices and agents will be suspended from 22 June 2012 to 1 July 2012 to facilitate the calculation of income distribution. Unit holders will be able to update their accounts at ASNB offices and agents nationwide beginning 2 July 2012 when transactions resume.

The income distribution of ASD will be automatically re-invested in the form of units and credited into the unit holders' accounts on 2 July 2012. For the unit holders who subscribed to the ASD through the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) Members' Investment Scheme, the income distribution will be credited directly into their respective EPF accounts.

The income distribution statement and fund's annual report will be sent to unit holders beginning middle of August 2012.

ASD is a fixed price equity growth fund aimed at providing investment opportunity which can generate long term growth and competitive returns to the unit holders.

ASD is suitable for investors who are building a financial plan to provide future financial needs for education expenses for themselves or those of their families.

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EPF declares 6% Dividen

PETALING JAYA: The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) Board has declared a dividend of 6% for 2011 the highest in the last 10 years.

In a statement yesterday, EPF said the dividend, an increase of 20 basis points over the 5.8% paid out in 2010, translates to RM24.47bil being distributed to its members.

“2011 marks another commendable achievement for the EPF.

“Despite the challenging investment landscape, it was the strongest performance since 2001 that affirms our long term and prudent investment strategy combined with continuous efforts by our investment team,” said EPF chairman Tan Sri Samsudin Osman.

The dividend payout of the RM24.47bil was derived after deducting net impairment allowance on financial assets, investment expenses, operating expenditures, statutory charges and dividend on withdrawals, representing an increase of 13.23% compared to RM21.61bil recorded in 2010.

EPF also posted a gross investment income of RM27.24bil up 13.18% from 2010.

As of Dec 31 last year, EPF's total investment assets continued to register a healthy growth of 6.52% to RM469.22bil from RM440.52bil recorded in the previous year.

“This rise was primarily contributed by the positive net annual contributions from members and employers, and consistent and encouraging investment performance,” it added.

EPF said it continued to invest the bulk of its investment assets, which is 60.79%, including in equities, which represented 35.64% of total assets.

Equities were the largest income contributor at RM13.29bil representing 48.81% of total investment income.

“This is followed by loans and bonds, Malaysian government securities and money market instruments which contributed RM7.54bil, RM5.63bil and RM656.36mil respectively,” it said.

Samsudin said that while the EPF could not guarantee that it could maintain this performance amid the global economic and market uncertainties, it was committed to safeguarding and adding value to members' retirement savings, particularly against inflation.

Members may check their EPF Account Statements for the crediting of the 2011 dividend, either through EPF Kiosks, counters or i-Akaun from today.

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AMANAH SAHAM BUMIPUTERA (ASB) Dividen is 7.65 Sen Per Unit and Bonus of 1.15 Sen Per Unit for Year 2011

KUALA LUMPUR : Amanah Saham Nasional Berhad (ASNB), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) has announced an income distribution of 7.65 sen per unit and a bonus of 1.15 sen per unit for Skim Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB) for the financial year ended 31 December 2011.

This income distribution is an increase of 0.15 sen per unit compared to the dividend paid out last year (2010: 7.50 sen per unit).

The income distribution portion will involve a total payout of RM7.04 billion by ASNB an increase of 21 percent compared to the RM5.82 billion paid out last year.

The bonus portion will involve a total payout of RM628.29 million by PNB.

PNB Chairman, Tun Ahmad Sarji bin Abdul Hamid said, the payment will benefit 7.3 million unit holders which currently hold more than 95.9 billion units of ASB.

Up to 15 December 2011, ASB has recorded a gross income of RM7.19 billion. Dividend income from investee companies contributed RM4.09 billion or 56.9 percent of the gross income. Meanwhile, profit from the sale of shares contributed RM2.25 billion or 31.3 percent and the rest of the income at 11.8 percent or RM0.85 billion is derived from investments in short term instruments and other investments.

The calculation of income distribution is based on the average monthly minimum balance held throughout the financial year of ASB ending 31 December 2011. The calculation of the bonus on the other hand is based on the average monthly minimum balance held by the unit holders in the past ten years, starting from 2002 up to 2011.

The income distribution and bonus will be automatically credited into the respective unit holders' accounts. Unit holders will be able to update their accounts beginning 3 January 2012.

All transactions for ASB at ASNB head office, ASNB branch offices and agents will be suspended beginning 21 December 2011 until 2 January 2012, to facilitate the calculation of income distribution and bonus.

ASB is a fixed price equity income fund, opened for Bumiputera aged 6 months and above. This fund is aimed at generating long term, consistent and competitive returns to the unit holders whilst ensuring the preservation of capital at minimal risk tolerance level.

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AS 1MALAYSIA Dividen is 6.50 Sen Per Unit for Year 2011

KUALA LUMPUR - Amanah Saham Nasional Berhad (ASNB), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), today announced an income distribution of 6.50 sen per unit for Amanah Saham 1Malaysia (AS 1Malaysia) for the financial year ended 30 September 2011.

This second income distribution is an increase of 0.12 sen per unit compared with 6.38 sen per unit announced last year.

The income distribution will involve a total payment of RM311.27 million, an increase of 53.32% compared with the previous year's total payment of RM203.02 million.

It will benefit 270,598 unit holders which currently hold 5.49 billion units of AS 1Malaysia.

Up until 20 September 2011, AS 1Malaysia has recorded a gross income of RM405.67 million. Profit from the sale of shares contributed RM205.99 million or 50.78%; dividend income from investee companies contributed RM152.48 million or 37.59%, and RM47.20 million or 11.63 % is derived from investment in short term instruments and other income.

PNB Chairman, Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid said the local bourse which had earlier been on an uptrend since the beginning of the AS 1Malaysia financial year, had experienced a marked downturn since early August 2011.

During the period between 1 October 2010 to 20 September 2011, the FTSE Bursa Malaysia Index (FBM KLCI) has recorded a decrease of 3.61% from 1,463.50 points on 30 September 2010 to 1,410.64 points on 20 September 2011, which was the lowest level recorded.

The downturn, according to Tun Ahmad Sarji, is due to the increased uncertainties over global growth prospects in the advanced economies, deteriorating international financial market environment especially in the United States and Eurozone and worries over the worsening sovereign debt crisis which had triggered downgrades for several economies and major financial institutions.

"All these factors has put a damper on investors' confidence of the stock market. The global economy and stock market environment are expected to be more challenging following these latest developments," he added.

The calculation of the AS 1Malaysia income distribution will be based on the average monthly minimum balance held throughout the financial year of the fund.

The income distribution will be automatically credited into the unit holders' accounts on 1 October 2011. All transactions for AS 1Malaysia has been suspended beginning 21 September 2011 to 2 October 2011 to facilitate the calculation of income distribution.

Unit holders will be able to update their accounts at ASNB head office; ASNB branch offices or ASNB agents beginning 3 October 2011.

Investors who participated in AS 1Malaysia through the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) Members' Investment Scheme will have their income distribution credited directly into their respective EPF accounts. AS 1Malaysia was listed as one of the funds approved under the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) Members' Investment Scheme beginning 25 July 2011.

The income distribution statement together with the fund's annual report will be sent beginning mid November 2011.

AS 1Malaysia is a fixed price fund with a size of 10 billion units. Fifty percent of the approved size is open for Bumiputera investors, 30% is allocated to Chinese, 15% for Indians and the rest for other Malaysians.

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Malaysian Budget 2012

Budget 2012, themed Transformation Budget : Welfare For The People, Well Being For The Nation tabled in Parliament by the Prime Minister and Finance Minister, YAB Dato' Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak.

Ministry of Finance took the initiative to develop the Official Budget 2012 Web for direct information to Malaysians in respect of the Budget 2012.

MOF web provides live telecast of the 2012 Budget Speech by YAB Dato' Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak, the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance from the Parliament of Malaysia through the audio and video.


Budget 2012 Speech

Budget 2012 Speech is available to public on October 7, 2011 at 5:30 pm at the Lobby, Ministry of Finance, Precinct 2, Putrajaya.

Budget 2012 Speech and appendix can be downloaded through the Official Website of the Budget 2012, www.treasury.gov.my at 6.00 pm.


Economic Report 20 /2012

Economic Report 2011/2012 can be downloaded from the Official Budget 2012 Web on 7th October 2011 following the Budget Speech by YAB Dato' Sri Mohd Najib Bin Tun Abdul Razak, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance.

The Economic Report will be available for sale at RM45.00 per copy on 7th October 2011 from 5.00 pm at the lobby of the Ministry of Finance, Kedai PNMB Putrajaya, No 72, Jalan Diplomatik, Presint 15 (Presint Diplomatik), 62050 Putrajaya, Tel: 03-88811970 and Percetakan Nasional Malaysia Berhad (PNMB), Jalan Chan Sow Lin, 50554 Kuala Lumpur, Tel: 03-92366888 or visit www.printnasional.com.my for more information. 


Estimated Expenditure

2012 Estimated Federal Expenditure can be downloaded from the Official Budget 2012 Web on 7th October 2011 following the Budget Speech by YAB Dato' Sri Mohd Najib Bin Tun Abdul Razak, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance.

Anggaran Perbelanjaan Persekutuan 2012 (m/s i - 196)

Anggaran Perbelanjaan Persekutuan 2012 (m/s 197 - 408)

Anggaran Perbelanjaan Persekutuan 2012 (m/s 409 - 679)


Official Budget 2012 Officer

Tn. Hj. Rahim Bin Abu Bakar
Director of Budget, Ministry of Finance
03-88823838 | rahim.bakar@treasury.gov.my

YBrs. Dr. Sundaram A/L Annamalai
Under Secretary Economic and International Division, Ministry of Finance
03-88823399 | dr.sundaram@treasury.gov.my

YBhg. Dato' Siti Halimah Binti Ismail
Under Secretary Tax Analysis Division, Ministry of Finance
03-88823330 | halimah.ismail@treasury.gov.my

En. K. Givananadam
Deputy Director Budget Division, Ministry of Finance
03-88823807 | giva@treasury.gov.my

Pn. Khodijah Binti Abdullah
Senior Deputy Under Secretary, Tax Analysis Division, Ministry of Finance
03-88823337 | khodijah.abdullah@treasury.gov.my

En. Gunaseelan Kunjan
Deputy Under Secretary (Direct Tax & Indirect Tax), Ministry of Finance
03-88823378 | guna.kunjan@treasury.gov.my

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Unified Remote

About Unified Remote Full v2.1.1 This is a short guide explaining how you can install an app you found here on your phone. I’m also going to show you a way that’s a lot easier then the standard method everyone uses.

Please make sure your phone has “Unified Remote Full v2.1.1 apk” enabled in it’s settings! To check this go to Settings -> Applications -> Unknown Sources and check the box.

You have two options, either put the Download Unified Remote Full v2.1.1 apk file onto your phone’s SD card or download and install it directly from your phone.

Unified Remote Full v2.1.1

Requirements: for all Android versions, supports App2SD
Overview: Easily the most feature-filled Android-PC remote. Turns your Android figure into a WiFi or Bluetooth far curb for your Windows PC. Control your selection programs, mouse, and keyboard.

DOWNLOAD SERVER V2: http://www.unifiedremote.com

FEATURES

* Custom Remotes
* WiFi (TCP/UDP)
* Bluetooth
* Easy computer and app setup
* Comprehensive computer manager
* Automatic computer detection
* Clear connection troubleshooting
* Custom/Android keyboard support
* Single/Multi touch mouse
* Hardware intensity control
* Quick Switch using swipe gestures
* Quickly modify servers
* Auto-pause media for phone calls
* Homescreen shortcuts to remotes
* Wake On Lan
* Server password protection
* 256-bit AES encryption

REMOTES IN FREE AND FULL VERSION

* Basic Input
* File Manager
* Keyboard
* Media
* Power
* Slide Show
* Spotify
* Start
* Task Manager
* Windows Media Center
* Windows Media Player
* VLC (Keyboard)
* YouTube

REMOTES IN FULL VERSION ONLY

* Custom Remotes
* Boxee (Keyboard)
* Boxee (Web)
* Chrome
* Firefox
* foobar2000
* Hulu Desktop
* Hulu Web
* Internet Explorer
* iTunes
* J River Media Center
* Monitor
* Media Portal
* MediaMonkey
* MPC HC
* Opera
* Pandora
* Picasa
* PowerPoint Advanced
* PowerPoint Basic
* Winamp
* Windows Photo Viewer
* VLC (Web)
* XBMC (Keyboard)
* XBMC (Web)
* XBMC Media

COMING SOON

* Develop completely bespoken remotes
* Improvements for tablets

What's in this version:
Added USB-UIRT support (and helper remote) for bespoken remotes.
USB-UIRT requires a fleshly USB-UIRT figure ( www.usbuirt.com).
Added Japanese and Nordic translations.
Enabled Quick Scroll in Remotes itemize for faster scrolling.
Fixed: SwitchTo bugs for bespoken remotes.
Fixed: "Maximum boat length" bug
Fixed: "Deserialization" bug.
Fixed: VLC (Web) play/pause issue.

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ASW 2020 Dividen is 6.50 Sen Per Unit for Year 2011

KUALA LUMPUR - Amanah Saham Nasional Berhad (ASNB), a wholly owned subsidiary of Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB), today announced an income distibution of 6.50 sen per unit for Amanah Saham Wawasan 2020 (ASW 2020) for the financial year ended 31 August 2011.

This is an increase of 0.15 sen per unit compared with the income distribution of 6.35 sen per unit last year.

The income distribution will involve a total payment of RM909.05 million, an increase of 17.72% compared with the previous year's total payment of RM772.19 million.

It will benefit 906,340 unit holders which currently hold 13.94 billion units of ASW 2020.

Up until 15 August 2011, ASW 2020 has recorded a gross income of RM1,158.16 million. Profit from the sale of shares contributed RM526.07 million or 45.42%; dividend income from investee companies contributed RM442.82 million or 38.24%, and RM189.27 million or 16.34 % is derived from investment in short term instruments and other income.

PNB Chairman, Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid said throughout the ASW 2020 financial year up to July 2011, the local bourse had performed commendably following a stream of positive announcements of the main economic data both locally and globally.

The FTSE Bursa Malaysia Index (FBM KLCI) recorded a gain of 5.43%, from 1,422.49 points recorded on 30 August, 2010, to 1,499.74 points recorded on 15 August 2011. During the same period, the lowest level recorded by the KLCI was 1,431.96 points on 1 September, 2010 and the highest was 1,594.74 points on 8 July 2011.

"However, the local bourse took a beating since mid August 2011, following the crash in Wall Street triggered by the Standard & Poor's downgrade of US's credit rating from AAA to AA+,"

"The performance of the world's economy and stock market are expected to be challenging with this latest development," he said during a press conference to announce the ASW 2020 income distribution here, today.

The calculation of income distribution this year will be based on the average monthly minimum balance held throughout the financial year of ASW 2020, beginning 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2011.

The income distribution will be automatically credited into the unit holders' accounts on 1 September 2011. All transactions for ASW 2020 will be suspended from 25 August 2011 to 1 September 2011 to facilitate the calculation of income distribution.

Unit holders will be able to update their accounts at ASNB head office; ASNB branch offices or ASNB agents beginning 2 September 2011.

Investors who participated in ASW 2020 through the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) Members' Investment Scheme will have their income distribution credited directly into their respective EPF accounts.

ASW 2020 unit holders will receive their income distribution statement together with the fund's annual report beginning mid October 2011.

ASW 2020 is an all-Malaysian fixed price equity fund in which 51% of its size is open for Bumiputera investors while 49% is open for non-Bumiputera investors aged 6 months and above. It is also listed in the Employees Provident Fund Members' Investment Scheme.

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Gold Price and Charts History in Gram MYR

24 Hours Gold Price in MYR/g (Charts Update Every Minute Automatically)

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3 Days Gold Price in MYR/g

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30 Days Gold Price in MYR/g

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60 Days Gold Price in MYR/g

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6 Months Gold Price in MYR/g

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1 Years Gold Price in MYR/g

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2 Year Gold Price in MYR/g

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2 Year Gold Price in MYR/g

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All Data Gold Price in MYR/g

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EPF declares 5.8% dividend

PETALING JAYA: The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) has declared a dividend of 5.8% for 2010, up from 5.65% declared the year before.

It will pay out a total of RM21.61bil to members, an increase from the 2009 dividend payout of RM19.37bil.

EPF declared that the rate, which was approved by the Finance Minister, was the “highest dividend payout amount ever”.

EPF’s total investment assets stood at RM440.52bil as at Dec 31 last year while its gross investment income was RM24.06bil.

“The dividend rate underscores an impressive year in which gross investment income reached a historical high of RM24.06bil, reflecting a 39.76% increase over the RM17.22bil recorded in 2009,” EPF chairman Tan Sri Samsudin Osman said in a statement yesterday.

Samsudin said last year’s investment income was especially driven by the per­formance of equity investments boosted by improved financial and economic conditions.

“The dividend amount paid out is derived after deducting net impairment allowance on financial assets, investment expenses, operating expenditure and statutory charges as well as dividend on withdrawals,” he said.

Equities, the statement said, was EPF’s largest investment income contributor at 45.45% or RM10.94bil, followed by loans and bonds, Malaysian Government Securities, money market instruments and property and miscellaneous income.

According to the statement, two-thirds of EPF’s total investment assets last year remained in low risk fixed-income instruments with stable streams of income.

“As a retirement fund, our primary objective is the preservation of capital while adding value to members’ retirement savings.

Members may check their EPF account statement for the crediting of the 2010 dividend via EPF Kiosks, counters or i-Akaun, from today.

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Top 20 Richest Man in Malaysia from 2006 ~ 2010 Ranked by Forbes Asia

Who are the top 20 richest men in Malaysia for the past 5 years? Sugar King Robert Kuok, Maxis Ananda Krishnan, IOI Boss, Public Bank tycoon Teh Hong Piow, YTL Yeoh Tiong Lay… hmm… who else?

Below is the compilation list of Malaysia’s richest man for 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 ranked by Forbes Asia.
Comparison: List of the Richest People in Malaysia

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10 Mistakes That Start-Up Entrepreneurs Make

When it comes to starting a successful business, there's no surefire playbook that contains the winning game plan. On the other hand, there are about as many mistakes to be made as there are entrepreneurs to make them.

Here are the top 10 mistakes that entrepreneurs make when starting a company:

1. Going it alone. It's difficult to build a scalable business if you're the only person involved. True, a solo public relations, web design or consulting firm may require little capital to start, and the price of hiring even one administrative assistant, sales representative or entry-level employee can eat up a big chunk of your profits. The solution: Make sure there's enough margin in your pricing to enable you to bring in other people. Clients generally don't mind outsourcing as long as they can still get face time with you, the skilled professional who's managing the project.

2. Asking too many people for advice. It's always good to get input from experts, especially experienced entrepreneurs who've built and sold successful companies in your industry. But getting too many people's opinions can delay your decision so long that your company never gets out of the starting gate. The answer: Assemble a solid advisory board that you can tap on a regular basis but run the day-to-day yourself. Says Elyissia Wassung, chief executive of 2 Chicks With Chocolate Inc., a Matawan, N.J., chocolate company, "Pull in your [advisory] team for bi-weekly or, at the very least, monthly conference calls. You'll wish you did it sooner!"

3. Spending too much time on product development, not enough on sales. While it's hard to build a great company without a great product, entrepreneurs who spend too much time tinkering may lose customers to a competitor with a stronger sales organization. "I call [this misstep] the 'Field of Dreams' of entrepreneurship. If you build it, they will buy it," says Sanjyot Dunung, CEO of Atma Global, Inc., a New York software publisher, who has made this mistake in her own business. "If you don't keep one eye firmly focused on sales, you'll likely run out of money and energy before you can successfully get your product to market."

4. Targeting too small a market. It's tempting to try to corner a niche, but your company's growth will quickly hit a wall if the market you're targeting is too tiny. Think about all the high school basketball stars who dream of playing in the NBA. Because there are only 30 teams and each team employs only a handful of players, the chances that your son will become the next Michael Jordan are pretty slim. The solution: Pick a bigger market that gives you the chance to grab a slice of the pie even if your company remains a smaller player.

5. Entering a market with no distribution partner. It's easier to break into a market if there's already a network of agents, brokers, manufacturers' reps and other third-party resellers ready, willing and able to sell your product into existing distribution channels. Fashion, food, media and other major industries work this way; others are not so lucky. That's why service businesses like public relations firms, yoga studios and pet-grooming companies often struggle to survive, alternating between feast and famine. The solution: Make a list of potential referral sources before you start your business and ask them if they'd be willing to send business your way.

6. Overpaying for customers. Spending big on advertising may bring in lots of customers, but it's a money-losing strategy if your company can't turn those dollars into lifetime customer value. A magazine or website that spends $500 worth of advertising to acquire a customer who pays $20 a month and cancels his or her subscription at the end of the year is simply pouring money down the drain. The solution: Test, measure, then test again. Once you've done enough testing to figure out how to make more money selling products and services to your customers than you spend acquiring those customers in the first place, roll out a major marketing campaign.

7. Raising too little capital. Many start-ups assume that all they need is enough money to rent space, buy equipment, stock inventory and drive customers through the door. What they often forget is that they also need capital to pay for salaries, utilities, insurance and other overhead expenses until their company starts turning a profit. Unless you're running the kind of business where everybody's working for sweat equity and deferring compensation, you'll need to raise enough money to tide you over until your revenues can cover your expenses and generate positive cash flow. The solution: Calculate your start-up costs before you open your doors, not afterwards.

8. Raising too much capital. Believe it or not, raising too much money can be a problem, too. Over-funded companies tend to get big and bloated, hiring too many people too soon and wasting valuable resources on trade show booths, parties, image ads and other frills. When the money runs out and investors lose patience (which is what happened 10 years ago when the dot-com market melted down), start-ups that frittered away their cash will have to close their doors. No matter how much money you raise at the outset, remember to bank some for a rainy day.

9. Not having a business plan. While not every company needs a formal business plan, a start-up that requires significant capital to grow and more than a year to turn a profit should map out how much time and money it's going to take to get to its destination. This means thinking through the key metrics that make your business tick and building a model to spin off three years of sales, profits and cash-flow projections. "I wasted 10 years [fooling around] thinking like an artist and not a business person," says Louis Piscione, president of Avanti Media Group, a New Jersey company that produces videos for corporate and private events. "I learned that you have to put some of your creative genius toward a business plan that forecasts and sets goals for growth and success."

10. Over-thinking your business plan. While many entrepreneurs I've met engage in seat-of-the-pants decision-making and fail to do their homework, other entrepreneurs are afraid to pull the trigger until they're 100% certain that their plan will succeed. One lawyer I worked with several years ago was so skittish about leaving his six-figure job to launch his business that he never met with a single bank or investor who might have funded his company. The truth is that a business plan is not a crystal ball that can predict the future. At a certain point, you have to close your eyes and take the leap of faith.

Despite the many books and articles that have been written about entrepreneurship, it's just not possible to start a company without making a few mistakes along the way. Just try to avoid making any mistake so large that your company can't get back on its feet to fight another day.

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Chargeable Real Property Gain Tax (RPGT) – 5%

Property(s) that are disposed within/less than 5 (Five) years are subject to pay the RPGT of 5%. However, the chargeable amount can be calculated as follows:-

Example:

Cost of Purchase A property is RM150,000

Dispose of A property within 5 years time at price of RM200,000

Gain of profit of Property A is RM50,000

Minus Rebate RM10,000

Minus Legal Fees Assume is RM4,000

Minus Property Agent Commision RM6,000 (3%)

Minus Renovation RM7,000

Nett Profit will be RM50,000 – RM10,000 – RM4,000 – RM6,000 – RM7,000 is RM23,000

Therefore, the RPGT to government for Property A is RM23,000 x 5% = RM1,150

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How to make your car profitable

Cars are quite accomplished at spending your money for you, but they're not usually much good when it comes to generating cash. Buying the thing, road tax, insurance, an MOT and fuel aren't exactly kind to your bank account, but it's possible to recoup the costs and make a little extra on the side while you're at it.

We've scoured the web and found four novel ways of making your car rack up some notes for you. Some require more effort than others, but they're all worth a look if you could use a little extra at the end of the month.

Advertise
Seen those cars in town that are plastered with slogans? They're making money for their owners, so there's no reason you can't do the same. If you don't mind having your car covered with bright, self-adhesive stickers, then you could earn over £200 a month by turning your car into a moving billboard.

Autocarwraps.com will pay £200 a month if you agree to completely cover your car (aside from the windows, obviously) in advertising. Agree to have half of it covered and you'll get £150 a month. Comm-motion.com offers a similar service with up to £220 per month for covering the whole car.

If you're interested, it's worth checking with your insurance company to find out if your premiums are affected by this. Read the small print too, as you will be contracted to keep the adverts on the car for a certain amount of time.

Lease it
It's not particularly well known, but you can lease your car out to other drivers. Whipcar.com allows other motorists to rent your car while you're not using it. The site works by matching people with a car to those who need one for a certain amount of time. If you use your car in the week, but not at the weekend - or vice versa - then it's worth a look.

All drivers and cars are checked out by Whipcar before any transactions go ahead, so it's perfectly safe - you can even set your own rental price, but you'll need to be realistic if you want the business. The service is open to anyone with a car under eight years old with a valid MOT, road tax and insurance.

Car share
Strictly speaking, you won't make money by car sharing, but you can save a tidy sum. If you and one or more colleagues travel a similar route to work then you can effectively halve your fuel bills by splitting the cost.

If there's no-one in your neck of the woods that you can ask then check out Carshare.com. The site helps you to find budding journey pals in your area - its operators reckon that you could save up to £1,000 a year.

Be a courier
If you do big miles then it's worth dropping off packages for a profit while you're at it. That might sound a little dubious, but Stuff2send.com is a safe and legal site that allows you to register as a courier and start delivering for cash.

Membership is free and you can pick and choose what items you want to deliver and when via a bidding system not unlike eBay. If you win the bid, the job is yours.

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10 Ways Small Businesses Can Compete With the Big Boys

You may not be able to compete with the big boys head-on, but who says you can’t make big money? The key is to do things that they do not do. Here are some strategies your “little” business can survive and thrive against the big boys:

1. Provide exceptional customer service. Treat every customer as your best customer and you will be BETTER than the big guys. As a small business owner, you can concentrate on small details — every client is important, every suggestion is heard, every phone call is important. A larger company can afford to throw away clients if they complain. They may also not feel the pinch of losing three or four clients a week; since they figure that they will get them back next week — or so they think.

2. Pamper your existing customers. When the big boys and mass merchandisers come to town, now is the time to strengthen the loyalty of your existing customers. One way is to develop loyalty programs designed to increase overall satisfaction and customer loyalty. You can focus on rewarding customers who have repeat purchases, such as discounts for frequent purchases, special “loyal customer only” sales, or gifts to frequent buyers.

However, it is important to realize that not all freebies will work a free t-shirt may work for one business but customers of another business may not find it meaningful. You must choose a program that your clients would want and respond to positively.

3. Consider collaborating with similar businesses. Join with small rivals to form a ‘cluster’ that can act as one body to rival bigger competitors. Forming an alliance or partnership with other businesses, even your rivals, is one of the best way to level the playing field and compete with major players without being at a disadvantage because of their superior size. As an alliance, you can harness some of the buying power of mass merchandisers by teaming up with other businesses, even just for basic supplies. This will allow you to cut down your costs and get cheaper inventory. By teaming up with other small operators, you can compete with big rivals by sharing the cost of marketing, such as getting a stand in a major industry trade show something that you may not be able to afford on your own.

4. Use “loss leaders”. A “loss leader” is defined as a product on which you lose money-but through which you also generate sales of other products in your mix. The idea is to price selected items at cost (or even below) in order to entice customers to go to your store; and then hope that these customers will buy more once they are inside the store. Another approach would be to sell a product at a loss, bundled with another that is profitable, such as offering “two for the price of one.” The goal is to entice customers in with irresistible offers, that they will buy other things more profitable to your business.

5. Develop a niche and focus on it. Big Boys like Wal-Mart or Best Buy have a little of everything; while you can have a little of most things and everything of one or two types of products. This will establish your store as the place to go when buying those items. The way small businesses can compete is to carry extensive items in one or two product areas. Specialize or focus on a narrow, deep but profitable niche. You can win against the giants by looking for gaps in the market that are either neglected or poorly covered by big companies. For example, you can be the only florist in your area that has all the supplies necessary for elegant parties — and the staff that knows how to pull it together.

6. Take care of your employees. Pay attention to your employees and treat them right. Treating employees fairly is much more crucial for a small firm. Even with the rising unemployment, finding quality personnel is not fairly easy for a small business. If one decides to leave your business, there is no reserve or pool of talent. Even with a complete staff, you may find that numerous aspects of management or operations may fall into the lap of one person, which tends to make extreme time demands on that person.

7. Use technology to your advantage. Technology, now more advanced and affordable to small and large companies, provides the tools and power for small businesses to compete on an equal basis wit the big boys. It is the biggest improvement to level the field between the big and small boys. Voice mail, broadband Internet access and two-way radios, for examples, can increase efficiency by allowing small business owners to get more done in a timely and professional manner. Computers also allow for more efficient and professional customer invoicing, job pricing, and inventory tracking. If you are still not on the Web, better start now as a web site can provide you with an inexpensive, comprehensive, and professional advertising in front of your customers.

8. Present a very professional image. Small firms competing with big businesses will find that first impressions are vital. Image is crucial to winning the trust of potential customers and retaining the ones that you have. You must be professional, even if you are working from your kitchen table. Professionalism should be seen from every aspect of your business from the way you dress, answer the phone, or design your business cards. Plus, always give the impression that your business is thriving, well established and efficient. Many customers do not mind that they are dealing with small specialist firms; as long as the business has the credibility that they are looking for. Think big and chances are your customers will too.

9. Emphasize the uniqueness of your products. People are often attracted to the idea of getting something unique from a smaller, independently owned business, but are used to the larger selection a chain store can offer. In your marketing and advertising messages, highlight the originality of your stock as compared to the universal stock a chain store offers.

10. Give your store character. Most big retailers have the same look, often impersonal, in every city. Make your store stand out by giving it an inviting character. Make shopping in your place relaxing. Greet customers as they enter the door, and let them know that you and your staff are nearby if they need any help. Never let customers wander around the store not finding what they need and no one to help them.

When a big boy moves into town, don’t be afraid. You may not be able to fight big rivals on their own ground because you simply don’t have the resources; but you can often steal a march on them by being more agile, creative and committed.

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PIKOM PC Fair 2010 (II)

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How to Run Office 2007 In Safe Mode

Launching Office 2007 in Safe Mode comes in handy when troubleshooting problems with the application. If Office 2007 starts successfully in Safe Mode, it can indicate that third party applications are causing the issue.

Example: To run MSWord in Safe mode, use the /safe switch. You can accomplish this a couple of ways.

1. Press the Windows Key + R to bring up the Run dialog and type winword /safe in the box and click OK.

2. Create a shortcut that points to the location of the Word application.

* Right-click the desktop and select New > Shortcut.
* Click Browse and select the location where Microsoft Word is installed. On my computer it was “C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\winword.exe”.
* Click OK once you have selected where the winword.exe file is.
* The path should now be in the field for Type the location of the item:.
* At the end of this line, put a space and then type /safe. So it should read “C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\winword.exe” /safe
* Click Next and type in a name for the shortcut. Click Finish when you are done.

Your shortcut for running Word in Safe Mode should now be created on the desktop. Try it out. You can verify if Word is running in Safe Mode by the title bar, which should read Microsoft Word (Safe Mode).

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Contact Lenses That Change Color To Alert Diabetics of Glucose Levels

Jin Zhang, a professor at the University of Western Ontario, is developing contact lenses that change color with the user’s blood sugar level. This could allow diabetics to monitor themselves without frequent blood samples. The technology:

” …uses extremely small nanoparticles embedded into the hydrogel lenses. These engineered nanoparticles react with glucose molecules found in tears, causing a chemical reaction that changes their colour.”

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How to chat someone up in 5 minutes flat

Whether you’re flirting in a bar or meeting an online date for the first time, those first few minutes of chat are crucial. Get it right, and you’ll have them at “hello” – or at least within a few minutes of it.

But chatting someone up is a tricky skill. Some people have the gift of the gab; others wouldn’t chat to a stranger if they were stranded on an island together. Follow these tips and you can go from chat-phobic to flirting champ.


1. Picture the scene

Before you approach that gorgeous creature or meet your date, run through some chatty scenarios in your head. Think about things you might say and how they might reply. Picture yourself responding with calm wit and fluency.

You probably won’t stick to these mental rehearsals, but the exercise will boost your confidence. It’s like the “visualisation” tricks sports stars use to calm their nerves before a game or a race.

2. One beer good, six beers bad

A drink or two can ease your shyness and help you mingle, but booze is not a magic confidence bullet. Alcohol on an empty stomach can turn you into a one-woman stag or hen party, and that won’t do your romantic chances any good at all.

3. Be a lone shark

Girls and guys who hunt in packs* are terrifying. If you want to pull a potential keeper, strike out on your own. (Numerical note: “a pack” means two or more. We’re easily intimidated.)

4. Flirt with your eyes

Intense eye contact is one of the strongest bonding signals humans can send out. So if you meet someone’s eye and they seem willing to maintain that eye contact until your backbone tingles, you’ve already done five minutes’ worth of chat in a few seconds of silence.

5. Make your move

If you see someone you want to talk to, don’t procrastinate – especially if you’ve made eye contact with them. Approach them before the moment is gone. If this one doesn’t work, there will be 100 more opportunities in the future.

6. Start small

The best chat-ups aren’t chat-ups at all, they’re small talk. So strike up a conversation, and keep the opener brief and casual. Make a comment or ask a question related to your surroundings, because that’s what you already have in common. For example if you’re at a party, ask if he or she has seen the bottle opener, and follow up with a comment about the choice of booze.

7. Cheese can work – in small doses

Don’t dismiss cheesy chat-ups completely. If you’ve already spent half the evening making eyes at each other, all you need say is “do you come here often?” – and they’ll laugh, and you’ve pulled. Humour is one of the best seduction strategies around.

8. Make sure they’re available

You’re wasting your time if they’re taken. First, the no-brainer – if there’s a wedding or engagement ring on the third finger of their left hand, don’t even think about it.

It harder to find out whether they have a girlfriend or boyfriend. Light humour is your best tactic, especially when combined with a flirtatious look. “So, will your boyfriend/girlfriend kill me if I buy you a drink?” is all it takes.

9. Watch your body language

If you seem to be at ease around the person you’re chatting to, they will feel more relaxed as well – and that’ll help your connection along no end. So relax your facial muscles and shoulders, and keep that lip-twich under control. To reel in your catch, subtly mirror their posture and behaviour. For example, sip your drink just after they sip theirs, or giggle at the same thing. Don’t be too obvious, though, or they’ll think you’re making fun of them.

10. Listen

If you find them interesting, they’ll find you interesting. Listen to what they say, even if it’s small talk about the weather, and respond to it. Don’t bombard them with questions, though – this isn’t a job interview. Overdoing the questioning will make you seem inexperienced.

11. Don’t brag

Bragging makes you sound both arrogant and insecure. What really attracts people is being passionate about your interests, but even passion can be overstated if it means telling someone how much you love your car within a minute of meeting them.

12. Avoid heavy topics

Politics and religion are no topics for chat-ups. You’ll seem overly earnest, and you may even start an argument. Save it for a longer conversation.

13. Breathe

You're nervous. Of course you’re nervous. So focus on your breathing and try to slow it down. Rapid breathing makes you babble, and that will make you feel worse.

14. Don’t admit that you’re nervous

Apologising for your nervousness, or even making a joke about it, will make the other person feel uncomfortable. Keep the conversation going, and the flow of chatter will distract you from the thump-thump of your pulse.

15. Let them know you’re interested

Forget about playing hard to get. If the person you’re talking to didn’t find you attractive, they would have made their excuses quickly. Seal the deal by maintaining eye contact and touching them gently on the arm as you talk. They’ll get the message. Chances are they’ll respond by showing their interest, too.

16. Leave them wanting more

Don’t outstay your welcome. Make your break as soon as there’s a lull in conversation. Ask for their number and vanish alluringly into the night. If they don’t want to give you their number, cut your losses and move on.

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OLD NAMES OF ROADS IN KUALA LUMPUR

Ampang Road - Jalan Ampang
Ampang Street - Leboh Ampang
Batu Road - Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman
Birch Road - Jalan Maharajalela
Bluff Road - Jalan Bukit Aman
Brickfields Road - Jalan Sambanthan
Bulatan Edinburgh - Persimpangan Edinburgh
Campbell Road - Jalan Dang Wangi
Cecil Street - Jalan Hang Lekir
Church Street - Jalan Gereja
Circular Road - Jalan Pekeliling - Jalan Tun Razak
Clarke Street - Jalan Mahkamah Tinggi
Club Road - Jalan Parlimen
Cross Street - Jalan Silang
Dickson Street - Jalan Masjid India
Davidson Road - Jalan Hang Jebat
Foch Avenue - Jalan Cheng Lock
Hampshire Drive - Persiaran Hampshire
High Street - Jalan Bandar - Jalan Tun H S Lee
Holland Road - Jalan Mahkamah Persekutuan
Hospital Road - Jalan Chendersari
Java Street - Mountbatten Road - Jalan Tun Perak
Klyne Street - Jalan Hang Lekiu
Malacca Street - Jalan Melaka
Market Street - Leboh Pasar Besar
Old Market Square (Macao Street + Hokkien Street) - Medan Pasar
Parry Road - Jalan P Ramlee
Petaling Street - Jalan Petaling
Pudoh Street - Jalan Pudu
Rodger Street - Jalan Hang Kasturi
Shaw Road - Jalan Hang Tuah
Station Street - Jalan Balai Polis
Sultan Street - Jalan Sultan
Swettenham Road - Jalan Mahameru
Theatre Street - Jalan Panggong
Treacher Road - Jalan Sultan Ismail
Venning Road - Jalan Perdana
Victoria Avenue - Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin
Weld Road - Jalan Raja Chulan

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How to Customize the Windows 7 Shut Down Button

One of the things that annoyed me the most when I first used Windows Vista was the exclusion of the Shut Down button as the default action in the Start menu. Luckily Microsoft listened and they added an option for users to customize the default action available when the Start Menu is opened. The guide below will walk you through the simple process of finding this option so that you may customize it to your liking. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to post them below.

Note: I used Windows 7 RC1 for this tutorial



1. Right-click on the task bar and select Properties from the menu.


2. Click on the Start Menu tab and click on the Power button action: drop-down, select the default button action you wish to set. Click OK when you are done.

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The Top 10 Billionaires in the World

1) Carlos Slim Helu

Net Worth: $53.5 billion

Source: Telecom

Residence: Mexico

• Telecom tycoon who pounced on privatization of Mexico's national telephone company in the 1990s becomes world's richest person for first time after coming in third place last year. Net worth up $18.5 billion in a year.

• Recently received regulatory approval to merge his fixed-line assets into American Movil, Latin America's biggest mobile phone company.

• His construction conglomerate, Impulsora del Desarrollo y el Empleo, builds roads and energy infrastructure.

• Son of a Lebanese immigrant also owns stakes in financial group Inbursa, Bronco Drilling, Independent News & Media, Saks and New York Times Co.

• Newspaper outfit's stock popped in early March on talk he might buy a controlling stake; he denies the rumor.

• Donating $65 million to fund a research project in genomic medicine with American billionaire philanthropist Eli Broad.



2) Bill Gates

Net Worth: $53 billion

Source: Microsoft

Residence: U.S.

• Software visionary is now the world's second-richest man. Net worth still up $13 billion in a year as Microsoft shares rose 50% in 12 months, value of investment vehicle Cascade swelled.

• More than 60% of fortune held outside Microsoft; investments include Four Seasons hotels, Televisa, Auto Nation.

• Stepped down from day-to-day duties at Microsoft in 2008 to focus on philanthropy.

• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation dedicated to fighting hunger, improving education in America's high schools, developing vaccines against malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS.



3) Warren Buffett

Net Worth: $47 billion

Source: Investments

Residence: U.S.

• America's favorite investor up $10 billion in past 12 months on surging Berkshire Hathaway shares; says U.S. has survived economic "Pearl Harbor," but warns recovery will be slow.

• Shrewdly invested $5 billion in Goldman Sachs and $3 billion in General Electric amid 2008 market collapse.

• Recently acquired railroad giant Burlington Northern Santa Fe for $26 billion.

• "We've put a lot of money to work during the chaos of the last two years. When it's raining gold, reach for a bucket, not a thimble."

• Berkshire Hathaway book value was up 19.8% to $21.8 billion in 2009.

• Son of Nebraska stockbroker met value investor Benjamin Graham while studying economics at Columbia.

• Took over textile firm Berkshire Hathaway in 1965, used company as a vehicle to invest in insurance (Geico), food (Dairy Queen), utilities (MidAmerican Energy) and recently green tech (electric-car maker BYD).



4) Mukesh Ambani

Net Worth: $29 billion

Source: Petrochemicals, oil and gas

Residence: India

• Global ambitions: His Reliance Industries, already India's most valuable company, recently bid $2 billion for 65% stake in troubled Canadian oil sands outfit Value Creations.

• Firm's $14.5 billion offer to buy bankrupt petrochemicals maker LyondellBasell was rejected.

• Since September company has sold Treasury shares worth $2 billion to be used for acquisitions.

• Late father, Dhirubhai, founded Reliance and built it into a massive conglomerate. After he died, Mukesh and his brother, Anil, ran the family business together for a brief time. But siblings feuded over control; mother eventually brokered split of assets, with Mukesh getting oil, gas and petrochemicals businesses.

• Still at odds with Anil over gas supply agreement; awaiting Supreme Court's final ruling.

• Owns cricket team Mumbai Indians.



5) Lakshmi Mittal

Net Worth: $28.7 billion

Source: Steel

Residence: India

• London's richest resident oversees ArcelorMittal, world's largest steel maker. Net profits fell 75% in 2009.

• Mittal took 12% pay cut amid slump but improved outlook pushed stock up one-third in past year.

• Looking to expand in his native India; wants to build steel mills in Jharkhad and Orissa but has not received government approval.

• Started in family steel business in India in 1970s; branched out on his own in 1994.

• Initially bought up steel mills on the cheap in Eastern Europe.

• Earned $1.1 billion for selling his interest in a Kazakh refinery in December.

• Sits on the boards of Goldman Sachs, EADS.

• Upped stake in struggling British soccer team QPR in February.

• Funding 400-foot sculpture to be built in London's Olympic Park in time for 2012 Olympics.

• Owns 12-bedroom mansion in London's posh Kensington neighborhood.

• Daughter-in-law Megha recently bought insolvent German fashion house Escada.



6) Lawrence Ellison

Net Worth: $28 billion

Source: Oracle

Residence: U.S.

• Oracle founder's fortune continues to soar; shares up 70% in past 12 months.

• Database giant has bought 57 companies in the past five years.

• Completed $7.4 billion buyout of Sun Microsystems in January; acquired BEA Systems for $8.5 billion in 2008.

• Studied physics at U. of Chicago; didn't graduate.

• Started Oracle 1977; took public a day before Microsoft in 1986.

• Owns 52% stake in business-software company NetSuite; shares worth $480 million.

• Racing junkie owns 453-foot yacht Rising Sun with pal David Geffen. Won America's Cup in February, besting longtime rival billionaire Ernesto Bertarelli.



7) Bernard Arnault

Net Worth: $27.5 billion

Source: Luxury goods

Residence: France

• Bling is back, helping fashion icon grab title of richest European as shares of his luxury goods outfit LVMH--maker of Louis Vuitton, Moet & Chandon--surge 57%.

• LVMH is developing upscale Shanghai commercial property, L'Avenue Shanghai, with Macau billionaire Stanley Ho.

• Renaissance man owns French tour operator Go Voyages, yacht builder Royal Van Lent; has a stake in French retailer Carrefour.

• Built Le Cheval Blanc in ski resort town of Courchevel, France, where he likes to spend New Year's Eve.

• Father, Jean, who died in January, made small fortune in construction; sale of that business later helped fund Arnault's move into real estate and eventually into luxury goods.

• Still a family affair: son Antoine, 32, and daughter Delphine, 34, sit on LVMH's board.

• Wife is a concert pianist; Arnault himself reported to be an excellent piano player.



8) Eike Batista

Net Worth: $27 billion

Source: Mining, oil

Residence: Brazil

• Vowing to become world's richest man--and he may be on his way. This year's biggest gainer added $19.5 billion to his personal balance sheet.

• Son of Brazil's revered former mining minister who presided over mining giant Companhia Vale do Rio Doce got his start in gold trading and mining. Insists Dad didn't help: "All my businesses started from zero. My father was a problem for me because he never let me near Vale."

• Made a pile in resources and other services, but two-thirds of his fortune comes from relatively new source, OGX Petróleo e Gas Participações, the oil-and-gas exploration company he founded in 2007 and took public a year later.

• Police raided his home in 2008, alleging Batista smuggled gold and unfairly influenced the acquisition of a railroad. He denied all wrongdoing, emerged unscathed.

• Onetime champion offshore powerboat racer.

• Formerly married to Playboy cover girl.

• Provided financing to Rio de Janeiro's Olympic committee, helping the city win its bid for 2016 Olympic Games.



9) Amancio Ortega

Net Worth: $25 billion

Source: Fashion retail

Residence: Spain

• Style maven lords over Inditex; fashion firm, which operates under several brand names including Zara, Massimo Dutti and Stradivarius, has 4,500 stores in 73 countries including new spots in Mexico and Syria.

• Set up joint venture with Tata Group subsidiary to enter India in 2010.

• Betting on Florida real estate: bought Coral Gables office tower that is currently home to Bacardi USA.

• Also owns a luxury apartment complex in Miami; properties in Madrid, Paris, London and Lisbon, a horse-jumping circuit, an interest in a soccer league; has investments in gas, tourism and banks.

• Railway worker's son started as a gofer in a shirt store.

• With then-wife Rosalia Mera, also a billionaire, started making dressing gowns and lingerie in living room.

• Shuns neckties and fanfare.

• Daughter Marta works for Inditex; speculation has it she's being groomed to eventually replace her father.



10) Karl Albrecht

Net Worth: $23.5 billion

Source: Supermarkets

Residence: Germany

• Owns discount supermarket giant Aldi Sud, one of Germany's (and Europe's) dominant grocers.

• Has 1,000 stores in U.S. across 29 states.

• Estimated sales: $37 billion.

• Plans to open New York City store this year.

• With younger brother, Theo, transformed mother's corner grocery store into Aldi after World War II. Brothers split ownership in 1961; Karl took the stores in southern Germany, plus the rights to the brand in the U.K., Australia and the U.S. Theo got northern Germany and the rest of Europe.

• Retired from daily operations.

• Fiercely private: little known about him other than that he apparently raises orchids and plays golf.

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EPF Declares 5.65% Dividend For 2009

Highest Total Dividend Paid Out of RM19.63 billion

The Employees Provident Fund (EPF) Board, with the approval of the Minister of Finance, has declared a dividend rate of 5.65 per cent for the financial year ended 31 December 2009. The dividend rate was declared on the back of the highest ever net income achieved of RM19.63 billion.

The net income represents an increase of 34.82 per cent compared to RM14.56 billion recorded in 2008 while the dividend rate for 2009 is a significant improvement of 115 basis points over the rate of 4.50 per cent paid out for 2008.

In a statement issued today, EPF Chairman Tan Sri Samsudin Osman said, “2009 was a significant year for the EPF as it rode out the impact of the global financial crisis. While the EPF continues to be challenged by the fragile economic environment, our investments nonetheless delivered a sound performance for the year.”

During the year under review, a total of 72.53 per cent of investments were devoted to Fixed Income Instruments in line with EPF’s prudent approach to investment, while 27.05 per cent was in Equities, and the remaining in Property.

As at 31 December 2009, EPF’s investment portfolio grew 8.55 per cent or RM29.25 billion to RM371.26 billion compared to RM342.01 billion in 2008.

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I love you but can't marry you..sorry!!

After seeing the title you all might surely think that this is about how people get cheated in love.

No it is not.. you all have misunderstood it completely..

So let me proceed with what it really is...

You must have seen in films that the hero and the heroine have to face so many obstacles to marry their love...but at last they do marry....do you think it happens in real life? No it doesn't ..it really doesn't.

As we all know that love just happens its kind of out of our consciousness...I know here I sound stupid...but isn't that the truth....

what I am trying to say is people fall in luv..many do..but does the society accept them if they aren't of the same culture and same religion and many other bloody similarities...It sounds a bit idiotic to me that when two people are in love then why the hell are they stopped to marry...

The beautiful feeling becomes a curse for all...ah! in that case we should all fall in love only after knowing the details of the person.....why don't people look for a nice human being rather than looking for the person of same culture or religion...

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