Sunday, May 17, 2015

Nirvana Asia (1438 HK) - Tracker - 18 May 2015

For those who has been following my blog, I have made a recommendation previously on Nirvana Asia (1438 HK) and now I would like to update the result of my recommendation from time to time.

Please refer to this link for my previous recommendation on Nirvana Asia.

Capital Gain from My Recommendation on Nirvana Asia

14 April 2015 @ HKD2.46
16 May 2015 @ HKD2.65
Return = 7.7% over 1 month period
Bloomberg: Nirvana Asia Ltd - 16 May 2015

Personal Story (I bought Nirvana even before I recommended it!)

10 February 2015 @ HKD2.25
16 May 2015 @ HKD2.65
Return = 17.8% over 3 months period




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News of the Day - 18 May 2015 - Get an independent audit or quit, Nazir tells 1MDB directors

CIMB Group Bhd Chairman Datuk Seri Nazir Razak has told the board of 1Malaysia Development Berhad that they should resign if they fail to take active measures to address concerns over its finances. – The Malaysian Insider pic, May 15, 2015.
CIMB Group Bhd Chairman Datuk Seri Nazir Razak


• Datuk Seri Nazir took 1MDB board to task for not addressing rising concerns 

Chairman of CIMB Group Bhd Datuk Seri Nazir Razak took the board of 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) to task for not addressing the growing concerns on the fund and its financials. He said that a responsible board should appoint an independent auditor to verify the accounts immediately and deal with the mistrust pertaining to the financial position of 1MDB instead of waiting for the Auditor General (AG) to do the job. 


• SapKen secured six contracts installation offshore structures worth US$269m 

SapuraKencana has secured six contracts that call for the installation of various offshore structures in Mexico, Indonesia, Vietnam and India. The contracts are worth a combined US$269m (RM969m). 


• Genting Malaysia sells 17.8% stake in Genting HK for at least RM1.69bn cash 

Genting Malaysia Bhd, via indirect unit Resorts World Ltd, has proposed to sell its entire 17.81% stake in Genting Hong Kong Ltd for at least RM1.69bn cash or 33 US cents (RM1.18) per share. Genting Malaysia told Bursa Malaysia on Monday that the shares were considered “non-core investments” and were treated as “available-for-sale financial assets” in the group’s financial statements. 


• Sunway buying 17 acres near its Sunway township for RM286m

Conglomerate Sunway Bhd is boosting its land bank close to its flagship development Sunway township by buying 17 acres worth RM286m. The parcel, which is situated next to Western Digital in the Sungei Way Free Trade Zone, works out to about RM386psf. With the acquisition, the company plans to roll out a mixed project that entails service apartments and retail shops, with a total gross development value of RM1.8bn. 


• Brahim’s Holdings in new catering contract with MAS, contract 25% lower 

Brahim’s Holdings Bhd has entered into a new catering contract with Malaysia Airlines Bhd (MAB) that comes with a shorter term and lower in price by up to 25%. The new catering agreement (NCA) is for a period of five years with an option for additional five years renewal, subject to Brahim’s 70% subsidiary, Brahim’s Airlines Catering Sdn Bhd (BAC) meeting several conditions with regards to its service levels.


• KWAP confirms no investment commitment has been made on TRX 

Kumpulan Wang Persaraan (KWAP) confirms no investment commitment has been made on Tun Razak Exchange (TRX). The pension fund said it will continue to look at domestic property investments that meet the Fund’s mandate of delivering sustainable returns over the long term. “All investments would have to meet KWAP's minimum investment returns and risk parameters as governed by its Board, it said, “KWAP reviews the investment opportunity in TRX as it would with any other property investments and the decision to review the project was commercially driven based on its prime strategic location as the next Kuala Lumpur financial district."


• TNB discussion with 1MDB on Project 3B power plant

Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) is in discussion with 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) over acquiring the biggest equity in the 2000MW coal-fired power plant, known as Project 3B. Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister, Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili, said the ministry was made aware of the discussion, but it had not been told of any decisions yet.


• Prepaid mobile reloads will cost RM10 for RM10 worth of call credit

Prepaid mobile reloads will cost RM10 for RM10 worth of call credit, said Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek. The Communication and Multimedia Minister said the 6% Goods and Service Tax (GST) will be usage-based and will only be imposed when the call is made. 


• Details of MRT2 project will start to go on public display from tomorrow 

Details of the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit Line 2 (MRT2) project will start to go on public display from tomorrow. The public can visit the SPAD office and 23 roadshow locations in the Klang Valley for information on the proposed MRT2, also known as the Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya (SSP Line). The display will run until August 17, 2015 for public inspection, which is part of the requirement of the Land Public Transport Act 2010. Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) Chief Executive Officer Datuk Seri Shahril Mokhtar said the main purpose of the display is to provide a platform for the public to give feedback on the proposed alignment.


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Sunday, May 10, 2015

News of the Day - 11 May 2015


• Lembaga Tabung Haji-1MDB Controversy

PAS wants Putrajaya to explain whether Lembaga Tabung Haji (TH) had bought RM1.6bn of sukuk bonds issued by 1Malaysia Development Bhd's (1MDB) Bandar Malaysia, before buying a plot of land at the Tun Razak Exchange (TRX). Party vice president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said that closer scrutiny of the leaked documents posted on the anonymous blog "The Benchmark" about Tabung Haji's land buy from 1MDB, showed that the pilgrims' fund had also made the sukuk investment. 


• Edra Global listing to exclude Project 3B? 

The latest twist in the plans to list Edra Global Energy is that it will likely exclude the not-so-lucrative Project 3B (a 2,000MW coal-fired power plant project) and entail an earlier start of the 2,400MW power plant in Malacca that had been awarded to Edra’s parent 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) last year, source say. Project 3B is being handed to Tenaga Nasional, something which had been speculated for some time, while Edra is fast tracking the 2,400MW plant in Malacca by working with its consultants to churn out the request for proposals for parties to work on building the new plant. The move does make sense. Project 3B, in which Edra has a 70% stake, has an indicative internal rate of return of only 6%, while the Malacca plant carries a project IRR of 10%, sources say. 


• EcoWorld completes last leg of corporate exercise 

Eco World Development Group has completed the last leg of its corporate exercise following a 20% placement of shares to institutional investors which has raised proceeds of RM638.4m. The property developer said the order book was subscribed 1.41 times with significant orders from long-term institutional investors. The exercise has attracted a strong demand from local and foreign investors, it added. President and CEO Datuk Chang Khim Wah said with the completion of the corporate exercise, the group is well-placed to forge ahead with its growth and expansion plans to achieve its RM7bn sales target for its financial year 2015 and 2016. 


• Italian O&G company to inject an additional US$300m in Malaysia 

A major Italian oil & gas company will inject an additional US$300m (about RM1bn) in Malaysia, says Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin. He said this was mentioned by the investor during a meeting between him and Italian captains of industry. The Italian company currently has a JV project with Petronas in Malaysia, he told Malaysian journalists at the end of his three-day working visit in Milan. He also said Agusta, an Italian aerospace company, has agreed to set up their maintenance-repair-overhaul base in Subang as a hub to service their helicopters used in the region. "During the meeting, some investors showed their interest in expanding their investments in Malaysia," he said. 


• My EG acquires property for new HQ

My EG Services Bhd (MyEG) is acquiring 22 storeys of stratified parcels in the 45-storey Iconic Office (Block N) at Empire City @ Damansara, for RM155.3m.
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Thursday, May 7, 2015

News of the Day - 08 May 2015


• BNM maintains the Overnight Policy Rate at 3.25%

Bank Negara Malaysia will maintain the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) at 3.25% as the current level remains accommodative and supportive of economic activity. The OPR was last revised in July 2014 to 3.25% from 3.00%.


• Malaysia’s Mar exports rose 2.3% yoy, spurred by electronic products demand. 

Exports in March rose 2.3% from a year earlier, confounding expectations for a third month of decline, as demand for electronics products boosted exports to its key markets China and the United States.


• Top Glove is acquiring a 1.5 acre commercial land in Selangor for RM20.3m.

Top Glove Corp is acquiring a 1.5 acre commercial land plot in Bukit Raja, Selangor, from Century Logistics Holdings for RM20.3m cash. It said the purchase consideration which is not inclusive of the 6% goods and services tax (GST), will be funded by internally-generated funds.


• Wah Seong was ordered by international court to pay Socotherm RM40m. 

Wah Seong Corp has been ordered by an international court of arbitration in Paris to pay RM40.3m to Socotherm SpA for breaches to a joint-venture agreement and supplemental agreement. The company will also have to pay Socotherm about RM4.7m for costs and expenses.


• Brahim Holdings is in talks with MAS to extend the catering agreement. 

Brahim's Holdings’ subsidiary is in talks with Malaysian Airline System Bhd (MAS) to extend the new catering agreement, which expired on 30 Apr 15. The in-flight caterer said on Thursday its 70% owned Brahim’s Airline Catering Sdn Bhd “is still engaged in discussions to mutually extend” the cut-off date for the new agreement. To recap, the parties had on April 1 inked an extension agreement to allow the negotiations for the new catering deal to be executed. The agreement was extended from March 31 to April 30.  
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Wednesday, May 6, 2015

News of the Day - 07 May 2015



• Genting breaks ground in Resorts World Las Vegas 

Genting Group today conducted the groundbreaking ceremony of its Chinese-themed Resorts World Las Vegas (RWLV) -- the first Las Vegas Strip development project in nearly a decade -- witnessed by Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval and Clark County Commissioners. "After 50 years of developing integrated resorts all around the globe, we are thrilled to be breaking ground on the Las Vegas Strip in the great state of Nevada," Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Genting Group, KT Lim said in a statement here today. Lim said Las Vegas is known for its world-renowned resorts, and the Genting Group looks forward to being a part of the city's continued growth by creating a huge national and international draw with this Chinese-themed world-class resort


• Palm oil exports from Indonesia will be subjected to levy starting end-May 

Palm oil exports from Indonesia will be subject to a levy at the end of this month after President Joko Widodo signed rules for implementation of the new tax. “The funds will be solely used for development of palm oil industry, including for biodiesel” subsidies, said Sofyan Djalil, coordinating minister for economic affairs. The government expects to raise about US$700m in revenue from the levy every year, he said.


• SapuraKencana to land two jobs in India and Mexico worth RM5.4bn? 

SapuraKencana Petroleum Bhd (SapKen) is poised to land two international jobs in India and Mexico respectively totalling about US$1.5bn (RM5.35bn), according to a source close to the deals. This development comes when the crude oil price has crossed US$60 per barrel two days ago, the first time in nearly five months. For the India job, SapKen may even edge out local-based Larsen & Toubro Ltd, as it has put in the lowest bid among the four contenders interested in a portion of the Oil & Natural Gas Corp’s Mumbai High South (MHS) phase three redevelopment project to the tune of US$200m-US$300m.


• Felda Global Ventures to complete disposal of non-core business by 3Q15 

Felda Global Ventures Holdings Bhd (FGV) will complete the disposal of its non-core businesses by the third quarter of 2015, said group president and chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Emir Mavani Abdullah. The disposal, which includes Felda Travel, Felda Property and Felda Prodata Systems, will be carried out through open tender process. 


• AirAsia X mulls switching orders from Airbus A350-900 to A330neos 

AirAsia X Bhd, the long haul budget carrier in Tan Sri Tony Fernandes's AirAsia group, is exploring switching its orders for Airbus Group NV A350-900 aircraft for more fuel-efficient A330neos. The carrier would rather have A330s that match the other aircraft in its fleet, chief executive office Benyamin Ismail said in an interview in Sydney yesterday. AirAsia X has firm orders for 10 A350-900s and options for another five, according to its latest annual report. The planes are worth about US$4.6bn (RM16.42bn) at the current list price of US$304.8m each. 
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Tuesday, May 5, 2015

News of the Day - 06 May 2015


• Sime Darby postpone IPO of its automotive business?

Sime Darby, the world's largest listed palm oil firm, has indefinitely postponed an initial public offering of its automotive business that bankers had said could raise up to US$500m (RM1.8bn). The company had in February deferred the IPO of Sime Darby Motors to the second half of this year but three people with direct knowledge of the matter said the deal had been put off for now. A Sime Darby spokesman also said the IPO had been deferred "until the market is conducive for the exercise". He declined to give further details.


• Tune Ins acquired 23.3% equity in PT Asuransi Staco Mandiri for IDR26.8bn

Tune Ins Holdings (TIH) had on 5 May 15 executed a Conditional Binding Offer Letter to acquire 31.8% stake (or 23.3% of the enlarged share capital) in PT Asuransi Staco Mandiri (ASM) for a purchase consideration of IDR26.8bn. TIH will also subscribe for the 43,707 new issued shares in ASM for IDR30.6bn. The new shares represent 26.7% of the enlarged share capital in ASM.


• MAS to stop flights to major cities under new CEO?

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) is said to stop flights to major cities under new CEO Christoph Mueller as he attempts to turn the ailing national carrier to profitability. According to sources, international routes that may be axed include Dubai, Brisbane, Auckland, Amterdam, Kunming, Istanbul and Osaka. Last month the national carrier had announced its withdrawal from the Frankfurt route effective May 29. This was part of the overall strategy to turn the carrier into a regional airline but with strong global connectivity through its OneWorld alliance.


• The Pavilion Suites is selling at record high, starting from RM3,000psf?

The Pavilion group is setting a record of sorts as it has priced its high-rise serviced residential units of its latest project – the Pavilion Suites – along Jalan Bukit Bintang starting from RM3,000 per sq ft. The 51-storey project comprises 383 one and two-bedroom service residentials and offers 450,000 sq ft of retail space on a gross floor area basis. On a net basis, this is expected to be about 240,000 sq ft. The record price for the residential units comes as no surprise to some as it is being built on a half-acre parcel that created a buzz in the property sector in 2010. That year, Urusharta Cemerlang Sdn Bhd, a company controlled by property magnate Tan Sri Desmond Lim, purchased the tiny strip of land from Singapore billionaire Kwek Leng Beng for a record price of RM7,209 per sq ft


• CIMB Bank completes issuance of US$130M 30 years callable zero coupon notes

CIMB Bank Bhd (CIMB Bank), in which CIMB Group Bhd holds a 99.9% equity stake, has successfully completed the inaugural issuance of US$313m (approximately RM1.129bn) 30 years callable zero coupon notes yesterday. In a press statement, CIMB Bank said the landmark issuance is to be listed on the Taipei Exchange (GreTai Securities Market) and the Bursa Malaysia (Exchange Regime). It was CIMB Bank's maiden issuance in the Taiwanese market, also known as the Formosa Bond Markets According to the banking group, the deal saw healthy demand from onshore investors across multiple accounts, culminating in a peak of total orders exceeding US$480m (RM1.73bn), allowing the deal to eventually be priced at 4.50%.
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Strategy in Stock Selection

Which stock to choose?

If we could not make decision in stock picking, we would definitely love to invest in all the stocks out there. Unfortunately, with the limited capital that we have, it is a mission impossible. Hence, we need to make decision in stock selection in order to maximize our returns on the capital invested.

Now here comes the big question.......... is there a systematic rationale to follow in stock picking?

The answer is YES but it requires quite a bit of research to draw a conclusion in the end. Let's follow through my thought process in this.

Research using Bloomberg Terminal
Overall, there are 3 stages in my strategy. Firstly, we look into the country, then industry and finally individual stock. The first 2 stages are to screen and narrow down the choices left in the final stage.


Stage 1: Country

Generally, we look into the country risk. To put up an example of extreme comparison, we prefer to invest in a stock that operates in USA over another that operates in a middle eastern country that is in the middle of a war for obvious reasons.

For the purpose of my article, I will skip this stage because my blog has been using Malaysia as a base all this while. 

Note: If you wish to invest in an overseas stock, you might want to look into the emerging countries that offer good potential returns.


Map of Emerging Countries



Stage 2: Industry

Generally, a particular market can be segregated into the following industries. The recommendations for respective industry are as per CIMB's recommendation as at March 2015.

Source: CIMB Research

Logically, we should eliminate those which are "underweight" and perhaps "neutral". Hence, we only look into stocks in the industries with "overweight" recommendation.

Note: Apart from CIMB, other research houses would have similar kind of segregation.


Stage 3: Individual Stock

Finally, we have arrived at the stage which we can drawn conclusion in stock picking. 

For us to gain on our investment, the stock can be rated as "market performing", i.e. the industry overall is doing well (hence, we need Stage 2) and "stock performing", i.e. the stock individually outperform its peers regardless of the market condition.

Hence, the aim in Stage 3 is to identify "stock performing" shares. A short cut method is to refer to reports issued by research houses (e.g. CIMB Research) and identify those top picks and perhaps select from the list itself.
Source: CIMB Research
Otherwise, we will need to perform fundamental analysis on potential stocks. Fundamental analysis would be a whole new chapter by itself. For now, you may refer to my fundamental analysis column via this link.

Thanks for reading!






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Monday, May 4, 2015

News of the Day - 05 May 2015


• IJM Corp board to meet to deliberate on buying 1MDB's power assets? 

Sources said that IJM's board is set to meet this week to deliberate on the proposed acquisition of 1MDB's power assets. The power assets are held under Edra Global Energy Bhd. Edra is at its final stage of resubmitting its IPO application. IJM is also expected to seek clearance from its institutional shareholders, including the EDF (11.8% stake), Amanah Raya (8.4% stake), and KWAP (5% stake). Both IJM and 1MDB's management declined to comment to Edge Weekly on this matter. 

Industry sources say that IJM may be looking for a partner than can lend a financial muscle for the acquisition. This could include government-linked funds. This is not the first time that IJM has reportedly shown interest in Edra Global. 

The Ministry of Finance (MOF) which wholly owns 1MDB, had, through its formerly appointed banker, identified several buyers, including IJM. IJM isn't the only party interested in Edra Global. It was reported that Edra had recently identified a consortium in the Middle East. 


• Malakoff Corp interested in acquiring new power generation projects? 

Malakoff Corp Bhd, which is scheduled to be re-listed on Bursa Malaysia, is believed to be interested in acquiring new power generation projects including the 2,000 MW project 3B that was awarded to 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB). According to sources, the independent power producer (IPP) is not merely interested in Project 3B but also any other Edra Global Energy Bhd's (1MDB's power arm) assets as long as the price is fair


• Main focus by MRCB’s new management was group's deleveraging exercise 

MRCB's MD Tan Sri Mohamad Salim Fateh and ED Imran Salim said the main focus from the start of MRCB's new management was the group's deleveraging exercise which took its gearing from a high of 1.8x two years ago to 1.5x, and could drop further to 1.2x from the completion of a REIT exercise for Platinum Sentral. MRCB has been actively acquiring land over the past 12 months. "We do not want to come to a point where suddenly we do not have any more land to develop." Tan Sri said. 


• 11th Malaysia Plan to be tabled in Parliament will focus on HR development 

The 11th Malaysia Plan to be tabled in Parliament will focus on human resources development, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak “We will emphasise on productivity-led growth. The future of this country, its rate of growth, must be based on improvements in productivity,” he said. Presently, only about a quarter of the country’s workforce are considered skilled workers, he said, adding that the percentage was at least 40% in developed countries.  
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Thursday, April 30, 2015

Malaysia Income Tax Guide 2015

*Please note that this guide is for filing income tax in March-April 2015 for assessment year 2014.
Whenever the tax season rolls around (that's 1st March to 30th April), there is inevitably a sense of worry amongst the public because there are many financial, technical and even legal considerations to be taken into account when filing in at Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri (LHDN or Hasil) or online.
tax relief
One of our most popular guides on this site last year, theMalaysia Personal Income Tax Guide 2014 – Rates, Exemptions, Rebates is now updated for this year.

This guide was written for the January - December 2014 tax year, but we will be sure to update this whenever the Government decides to make any changes throughout 2015. Remember that you file in March/April 2015 for the 2014 calendar year of income and expenses. And without further ado, we present SaveMoney's Income Tax Guide 2015 (for assessment year 2014)!

Malaysia Personal Income Tax Rates 2014

Two key things to remember:

  1. Tax rates are Progressive, so you only pay the higher rate on the amount above the rate (i.e. you will never have less "net income after tax" by earning more!).
  2. Tax rates are on Chargeable Income, not salary or total income. Chargeable income is calculated after tax exemptions and tax reliefs (more below).
First off, we start with the table for personal income tax rates in Malaysia for the Assessment Year 2014, so everyone would be able to cross-check the tax bracket and the amount of tax needed to pay.
Chargeable Income (RM)
Calculations (RM)
Rate (%)
Tax(RM)
0 - 2500
On the first 2,500
0
0
2,501 - 5,000
Next 2,500
0
0
5,001 - 10,000
On the first 5,000
Next 5,000
2
0
100
10,001 - 20,000
On the first 10,000
Next 10,000
2
100
200
20,001 - 35,000
On the first 20,000
Next 15,000
6
300
900
35,001 - 50,000
On the first 35,000
Next 15,000
11
1,200
1,650
50,001 - 70,000
On the first 50,000
Next 20,000
19
2,850
3,800
70,001 - 100,000
On the first 70,000
Next 30,000
24
6,650
7,200
Exceeding 100,000
On the first 100,000
Next RM
26
13,850

The SaveMoney Malaysia Income Tax Calculator 2015

Our very nerdy web team has created a simple calculator which helps you calculate your tax based on how much you earn (or hope to earn!). Many people may be paying the wrong amount of tax!
For those who prefer worksheets, you can also download the Excel version soon too.

How Much Do I Have To Earn Before Filing Income Tax?

For most residents of Malaysia, the key figure to take note of is about "RM30,672 per year (about RM2,556 per month after EPF deductions)" which is inclusive of all benefits, allowances, bonuses, overtime and commissions. If you're earning anywhere below that figure, then there's no need for you to open up a file for tax to be deducted from your income (while the con is that you're probably not earning as much as you'd like, the pro is that there's less hassle from a tax perspective!).
However, if you do earn above that, you need to have a tax file opened with your income tax automatically deducted from your income (welcome to the world of big money!).
Some extra notes about income tax that you may find interesting:
1) For non-residents of Malaysia (people who have been living in the country for less than 182 days per year), the tax rate has been set at 26% on all the income that has been earned in Malaysia regardless of your citizenship or nationality. However, there are some exceptions to the matter. Certain professions such as public entertainers (15%) as well as those who receive payments for services in connection with the use of property or installation, payments for technical advice and rent (10%) are taxed differently.
2) You may still be overpaying or underpaying on your tax, even if you are a salaried worker or civil servant under a Potongan Cukai Bulanan (PCB), a Monthly / Schedular Tax Deduction (MTD) system or if you are self-employed / own your own business.

What is Chargeable Income in Malaysia?

As mentioned before, the tax rates above are effected on a person's Chargeable Income (rather than salary or total income, in fact, the amount of the chargeable income is usually much lower). Now I'm sure many of you first-timers may be wondering what your "Chargeable Income" is.
You take the following equation and apply where necessary:

Chargeable Income = Taxable income – Tax exemptions – Tax Reliefs

Check out the example below for a general idea:
You are earning a RM40,000 salary, you have a RM2,000 local bank interest income as well as RM13,000 from property rental income a year. That should bring your chargeable income to RM55,000 correct? Nope, that's not the way to go about it. Even without taking into account the many tax reliefs available, every taxpayer gets the standard RM9,000 individual tax relief as well as a maximum relief of RM6,000 for EPF contributions. That means your EPF contribution is calculated at 11% of RM40,000, i.e. RM4,400. Also, while "interest" is taxable income (more on this below), all local bank interest income is tax exempted (lucky us!).
Therefore, your Chargeable Income (by applying the aforementioned formula) will actually be:
RM55,000 – RM2,000 – (RM 9,000 + RM4,400) = RM39,600.

And there you have it! A much lower figure than which you initially thought would be the amount!

Taxable Income in Malaysia

Taxable income actually refers to the "base upon which an income tax system imposes tax". In general, the Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri (LHDN) organisation includes all kinds of earnings which the Malaysian taxpayers have to pay for, but which is reduced by expenses and other deductions. Some of them include the following:

1. General Taxable Income

a) Business or Profession
b) Employment
c) Dividends
d) Interest (except bank deposit interest)
e) Discounts
f) Rent
g) Royalties
h) Premiums
i) Pensions
j) Annuities
k) Others

2. Perquisites 

Perquisites are taxable benefits that can be converted to cash and are given to an employee from his/her employer.
Examples of which include:
1) Bill Claims
If your employer pays your utility, mobile phone, income tax, road tax or car insurance tax bills for you, then the amounts paid are considered to be perquisites and are taxable.
Example: John's company pays his RM100 mobile phone bill. Then the amount of RM100 is a perquisite and is taxable
2) Company Credit Card
If your employer provides you with a credit card to make purchases on behalf of the company, but you use that card instead for personal use, then any retail purchases you make including the annual fee of the credit card are considered to be perquisites and are taxable.
Example: Tom uses the company credit card which has an annual fee of RM200, to purchase a flat screen TV worth RM5000 for his home. Then the amount of RM5200 is a perquisite and is taxable.
3) Loan from Company
If your employer provides you with a interest free loan and the source of funds for the loan is derived from extra company funds, then the loan is considered to be a perquisite and is taxable.
Example: Leonard's boss grants him an interest free loan of RM6000 using extra company funds. Then the amount of RM6000 is a perquisite and is taxable.
Or if your employer provides you with a loan with funds taken from a third party source such as a bank etc. Then the difference in interest paid by the employee and the employer is considered to be a perquisite and is taxable.
Example: Keith's boss gives him a loan with 4% interest using company funds taken from a local bank. The bank in turn, charged the company 8% interest for the initial loan. If the company paid a total of RM900 of interest payments to the bank while Keith paid a total of RM460 in interest payments to the company. Then the amount of RM900 - RM460 = RM440 is considered to be a perquisite and is taxable.
Or if your employer agrees to waive a loan in exchange for services performed, then the loan amount is a perquisite and is taxable.
Example: Eddie's boss gives him a study loan of RM30,000 and agrees to waive the loan if he stays and works with the company for a minimum of 36 months. If Eddie successfully completes this agreement and the loan is waived, then the amount of RM30,000 is considered a perquisite and is taxable
4) Sponsored Club Membership
If your employer provides you with an individual club membership (not corporate), then the cost of the membership is considered to be a perquisite and is taxable.
Example: Bruce is provided with an individual country club membership by his company. The annual fees of the membership are RM400. Then the amount of RM400 is a perquisite and is taxable.
5) Sponsored Child Tuition Fees
If your employer pays for your child's tuition fees, then the amount paid is considered to be a perquisite and is taxable.
Example: Shawn's company pays for the school fees of his son, Ross. The annual school fees amount to a total of RM10,000. Then the amount of RM10,000 is a perquisite and is taxable.
6) Company Insurance Premiums
If your employer pays for an insurance premium that covers yourself and your immediate family. Then the annual amount of premium paid is considered to be a perquisite and is taxable.
Example: Richard's company pays for an insurance package that covers himself and his wife and five children. The annual amount of premium paid is RM900. Then the amount of RM900 is a perquisite and is taxable.
7) Personal Driver, Guard or Maid
If your employer allows reimbursements on the salary of personal drivers, guards or maids, then the amount that is reimbursed is considered to be a perquisite and is taxable.
Example: Colin's company allows him to reimburse 40% of the cost to hire his personal driver, Carlo. Carlo's annual salary is RM25,000. Then the amount of RM10,000 is a perquisite and is taxable.
8) Special Staff Discounts
If your employer grants special staff discounts for certain products with monetary value such as cars, furniture, electronics etc. Then the amount of discount given is considered to be a perquisite and is taxable.
Example: Nathan's company, BMW, grants him a special employee discount of 15% if he chooses to buy a BMW. If Nathan buys a BMW worth RM250,000 but only pays RM212,500 due to the 15% discount. Then the discount amount of RM37,500 is considered to be a perquisite and is taxable.
9) Gift Vouchers
If your employer gives you gift vouchers with monetary value during festive seasons such as Chinese New Year or Hari Raya. Then the monetary value of such gift vouchers is considered to be a perquisite and is taxable.
Example: Donald's company awarded him a RM100 Tesco voucher during Chinese New Year. He subsequently used that voucher to pick up groceries for his family. The amount of RM100 is considered to be a perquisite and is taxable.

3. Benefits in Kind (BIK)

Benefits in Kind (BIK) are taxable benefits that cannot be converted to cash and are given to an employee from his/her employer. Since Benefits in Kind do not have a direct monetary value, there are two ways to determine the value of a BIK, the formula method or the prescribed value method. Examples of Benefits in Kind include company provided automobiles, lodging and household furnishing & electronics.
Formula Method:

   Value of asset         =  Annual Value of Benefit

Life span of asset

Prescribed Value Method:
Assigns a predetermined value from a list sorted by classification of asset.

Example: Company Automobile
If your employer provides you with an automobile to use on the job and privately, then the asset is considered to a benefit in kind and is taxable by the formula method. Any petrol costs and toll bridge costs which are subsidized by the employer are included in the total taxable amount as well.
Example: Christopher's company provides him with a car worth RM81,000 to use to get to work and travel around in his spare time. He passes by 1 toll bridge on his way to work which charges RM1.50. Any toll payments he makes are subsidised by his employer. In addition, his petrol costs are subsidized by his employer as well. In 2013, he made a total of RM1,800 in toll payments and RM3,000 in petrol payments. For cars, the prescribed average lifespan is set at a fixed 8 years.
Formula Method:

81,000   X 80% (20% abatement represents the value of the car when returned to the employer)

8

= RM8,100 + RM1,800 (toll payments) +RM3,000 (petrol payments) = RM12,900
Prescribed Value Method:
Cost of Automobile (RM)Annual Prescribed Benefit of Automobile (RM)Annual Prescribed Benefit of Petrol (RM)
Up to 50,0001,200600
50,001 - 75,0002,400900
75,001 - 100,0003,6001,200
100,001 - 150,0005,0001,500
150,001 - 200,0007,0001,800
200,001 - 250,0009,0002,100
250,001 - 350,00015,0002,400
350,001 - 500,00021,2502,700
500,001 and Above25,0003,000
Under the prescibed value method, since the value of the car falls between RM75,001 and RM100,000, then the amount taxable is RM3,600. In addition, his petrol costs are also set at a predetermined RM1,200.
Total Cost:
RM3,600 + RM1,200 + RM1,800 (toll payments) = RM6,600


Tax Exemptions on Income in Malaysia

tax important
Tax exemptions in Malaysia come in many forms, and can be defined as "a personal allowance or specific monetary exemption which may be claimed by an individual to reduce taxable income".
Generally speaking, it means they are income items which can be omitted from (we refrain from using the word deductions here, because tax reliefs are also 'deducted' from your taxable income) the individual's paycheck. Below you will find a full list of those items along with their respective descriptions, so that you will get a general idea of what to expect:
1) Leave Passage
Leave passage within Malaysia not exceeding three times in a year and one leave passage outside Malaysia not exceeding RM3,000.
2) Medical and dental benefit
With effect from the year of assessment 2008, medical benefits exempted from tax is expanded to include maternity expenses and traditional medicine like ayurvedic and acupuncture without limit.
3) Retirement gratuity
The full amount of gratuity received by an employee on retirement from employment is exempt if:
i. The Director General of Inland Revenue is satisfied that the retirement is due to ill health;
ii. Retirement on or after reaching the age of 55 years/compulsory age of retirement and the individual has worked 10 years continuously with the same employer or companies within the same group;
iii. The retirement takes place on reaching the compulsory age of retirement pursuant to a contract of employment or collective agreement at the age of 50 but before 55 and that employment has lasted for 10 years with the same employer or with companies in the same group.
4) Gratuity paid out of public funds
Gratuity paid out of public funds on retirement from an employment under any written law.
5) Gratuity paid to a contract officer
Gratuity paid out of public funds to a contract officer on termination of a contract of employment regardless of whether the contract is renewed or not.
6) Compensation for loss of employment
This is payment made by an employer to his employee as compensation for loss of employment either before or after the date of termination.
This compensation is exempted from tax. If compensation received is due to ill health. Compensation received in other cases:
i. Termination before 1st July 2008 - exemption of RM6,000 for every completed year of service with the same employer or with companies in the same group.
ii. Termination on or after 1st July 2008 - exemption of RM10,000 for every completed year of service with the same employer or with companies in the same group
Compensation received by a director (not service director) of a Control Company is fully taxable.
7) Pensions
Pensions received by an individual are exempt under the following conditions:
i. He retires at the age of 55 or at the compulsory age of retirement under any written law; or
ii. If the retirement is due to ill health and the pension is received from the government or from an approved pension scheme.
For an employee in the public sector who elects for optional retirement, his pension will be taxed until he attains the age of 55 or the compulsory age of retirement under any written law. Where an individual receives more than one pension, the exemption is restricted to the highest pension received.
8) Death gratuities
Monies received as death gratuity is fully exempted from income tax.
9) Scholarships
Any monies paid by way of scholarship to an individual whether or not in connection with an employment of that individual is exempted from income tax.
10) Cultural performances
Money received under this category is exempted from tax on condition it is approved by the Minister.
11) Interest
Income in respect of interest received by individuals resident in Malaysia from money deposited with the following institutions is tax exempt with effect from 30 August 2008:
i. A bank or a finance company licensed or deemed to be licensed under the Banking and Financial Institutions Act 1989;
ii. A bank licensed under the Islamic Banking Act 1983;
iii. A development financial institution prescribed under the Development Financial Institutions Act 2002;
iv. The Lembaga Tabung Haji established under the Tabung Haji Act 1995;
v. The Malaysia Building Society Berhad incorporated under the Companies Act 1965;
vi. The Borneo Housing Finance Berhad incorporated under the Companies Act 1965.
12) Dividend
The following dividends are exempt from tax:
i. Dividends received from exempt accounts of companies.
ii. Dividends received from co-operative societies.
iii. Dividends received from a unit trust approved by the Minister of Finance such as Amanah Saham Bumiputra.
iv. Dividends received from a unit trust approved by the Minister of Finance where 90% or more of the investment is in government securities.
13) Royalty
Royalties received in respect of the use of copyrights/patents are taxable if they exceed the following exemption limits:
Types of Royalty
Exemption (RM)
Publication of artistic works / recording discs / tapes
10,000
Translation of books / literary works
12,000
Publication of literary works / original paintings / musical compositions
20,000
However, the exemption stated above does not apply if the payment received forms part of his emoluments in the exercise of the individual's official duties.
14) Income Remitted from Outside Malaysia
With effect from the year of assessment 2004, income derived from outside Malaysia and received in Malaysia by a resident individual is exempted from tax.
15) Fees or Honorarium for Expert Services
With effect from the year of assessment 2004, fees or honorarium received by an individual in respect of services provided for purposes of validation, moderation or accreditation of franchised education programmes in higher educational institutions is exempted.
The services provided by an individual concerned have to be verified and acknowledged by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA). However, the exemption does not apply if the payment received forms part of his emoluments in the exercise of his official duties.
16) Income Derived from Research Findings
With effect from the year of assessment 2004, income received by an individual from the commercialisation of a scientific research finding is given tax exemption of 50% on the statutory income in the basis year for a year of assessment for 5 years from the date the payment is made.
The individual scientist who received the said payment must be a citizen and a resident in Malaysia. The commercialised research finding must be verified by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment.
17) Company Special Service Awards
With effect from the 2007 year of assessment, a tax exemption of up to RM1,000 has been allocated for company special service cash or prize awards
18) Travelling Allowances
Travelling allowances of up to RM6,000 for petrol and tolls are granted a tax exemption if the vehicle used is not under ownership of the company.
19) Benefits in Kind Exemptions
Certain Benefits in Kind pertaining to consumable services are not eligible for taxation.
Consumable Services
Example: Dental care, child care benefits, food & drinks, special arranged transportation between pick-up points and special discounts for consumable products that cannot be resold (such as food or toiletries etc.)


What Are Tax Reliefs?

What about a tax relief? It is defined as "an amount that can be deducted from a person's annual income to reduce the amount on which tax is paid".
To describe it in a more clear and concise manner, it is actually a way for you to lessen your chargeable income.
Let's say you took home a monthly paycheck of RM4,000 from your company in 2014 and if there were no tax exemptions or reliefs, your chargeable income will remain the same and your tax for the year would have been in the 10% bracket.
Now say the Government decides that all Residents of Malaysia should get a personal tax relief of up to RM9,000 per year. Your chargeable income will now be RM31,000 which means that your tax would be in the 6% bracket.
These are the following reliefs available for Malaysian Residents:
Included in MTD systemRM
Self and Dependent9,000
Life insurance and EPF6,000
Husband/Wife/Alimony Payments3,000
Ordinary Child relief (per child)1,000
Total> 15,000
Not usually included in MTD / PCB system but relevant to most taxpayersRM
Net saving in SSPN's scheme6,000
Education Fees (Individual)5,000
Updated: PRS Voluntary Contribution3,000
Purchase of personal computer (every 3 years)3,000
Insurance premium for education or medical benefit3,000
Special relief for tax payers earning an income of up to RM8,000 a month (RM96,000 anually). Only applicable for the 2013 year of assessment.2,000
Purchase of books, journals, magazines and publications1,000
Complete medical examination500
Purchase of sport equipment for sport activities300
Total19,300
Not included in MTD system but relevant to certain taxpayersRM
Disabled Individual6,000
Basic supporting equipment (for disabled self, spouse, child or parent)5,000
Medical expenses for serious diseases5,000
Disabled child 5,000
Medical expenses for parents5,000
Child age 18 years old and above, not married and pursuing diplomas or above qualification in Malaysia @ bachelor degree or above outside Malaysia in program and in Higher Education Institute that is accredited by related Government authorities6,000
Disabled Wife / Husband3,500
Child age 18 years old and above, not married and receiving full-time tertiary education1,000
Premium on new annuity scheme or additional premium paid on existing annuity scheme commencing payment from 01/01/2010 (amount exceeding RM1,000 can be claimed together with life insurance premium)1,000
Total> 35,500

Tax Deductions vs Tax Reliefs

Most of the time people get confused between Tax Deductions and Tax Reliefs, and its easy to see why. They are for the most part the same thing, as they both allow you to reduce your Chargeable Income (that is, before you even start looking at tax rate tables). In fact most people worldwide use both terms interchangeably, and LHDN goes one step further and classifies Tax Deductions as a reduction in your Chargeable Income as a result of Gifts or Donations.
As a rule of thumb, you can deduct up to 7% of your Taxable Income for gifts to charities and institutions which are approved by the government (not all charities are approved, so be sure to find out before you donate away!), unless you are giving to a few selected government-related bodies, where there is less restrictions on the amount deductible from your income.
For example, if you earned RM60,000 this year, and donated RM5,000 to an approved charity, you may deduct RM4,200 (ie. 7% of RM60,000) off your chargeable income, in addition to all those reliefs above.

What are the Tax Rebates in Malaysia for 2014?

tax relief
Some people will be having the question of how is a tax rebate different from a tax relief? A tax relief is a reduction in your chargeable income (ie. before you calculate tax) whereas a tax rebate is a reduction in your tax expenseafter you have calculated your tax for the year.

Tax rebates (or also known as "tax refunds" but done automatically rather than actually refunded to you). Simply put, there are income tax rebates for Malaysian taxpaying citizens who are having a chargeable income of less than RM35,000 which is RM400. There is also an additional RM400 rebate for married couples who have a chargeable income of less than RM35,000 per year and are eligible for the RM3,000 wife / husband / alimony relief.
To give a quick calculation example for tax rebates:
Taxable Income: Salary of RM45,000 a year
Chargeable Income: RM45,000 - RM9,000 - RM4,950 EPF relief = RM31,050.
Tax calculated using Income Tax Tables (without counting any rebates): RM863
Tax Payable: RM863 - RM400 rebate = RM463

In the above example, you were eligible for the RM400 tax rebate because your Chargeable Income was less than RM35,000 (it was RM31,050 in that example).


Another type of tax rebate, but which is only applicable for Muslim citizens, is the zakat / fitrah. Zakat is a compulsory payment for charity and considered to be compulsory as it is one of the five pillars in Islam. It can be calculated via the Muslim taxpayer's acquired wealth or income. Zakat Fitrah, on the other hand, can be considered to be a small, compulsory levy that is imposed upon Muslim taxpayers only. It used to be calculated in the olden days using a pack of rice grains (one pack is equivalent to approximately 2.7 kg) but in the modern days, it is calculated based on the equivalent price of this pack rice grains. You can read all about Zakat and the various types that exists in our guide Zakat in Islam.

So... What is the Cut-off Point to Pay Tax in 2015 (for Year 2014)?

Although the minimum threshold for filing tax is as per above; just because you have to file; doesn't mean you will have to pay any tax. The minimum threshold for which you will need to pay tax has increased in 2014 to RM34,455 because there is no longer the special relief for those earning less than RM80,000. How did we get to that figure? Assuming that you made RM34,457 in 2014...

Chargeable Income

Your Chargeable Income = Your taxable income - (Standard RM9,000 individual tax relief + 11% EPF Contribution of your salary)
which means
Your Chargeable Income = RM34,457 - (RM9,000 + RM3,790) = RM21,667
Based on the tax rate table above, RM21,667 would be taxed RM300 on the first RM20,000 and RM100 on the remaining RM1,667 which brings it up to about RM400 in tax.

RM400 Rebate

After taking into account the RM400 rebate for those with a chargeable income of RM35,000 or less, you'll be paying
RM400 - RM400 = RM0 (no tax, yay!)

PCB / MTD System: Has Your Employer Paid Too Much Tax for You?

First off, do you know what the words “PCB / MTD” mean? The words are actually acronyms for “Potongan Cukai Bulanan / Monthly Tax Deductions”.
How this works is that your employer will automatically deduct a certain amount from your salary every month to pay for tax on your behalf, going towards paying your tax for the year. This type of deduction is different from the basic Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and Social Security Organisation (SOCSO) monthly deductions.
Therefore, one can sum up that the MTD is calculated from one’s gross salary minus the EPF deductions of up to RM6,000 per year. If you were to take a closer look at the sum of the total MTD for the year, you will realise that the figure will be very close to your actual tax expense for the year, but given that your company has no idea of your additional reliefs other than being married or having children (such as Books, Sporting equipment etc.), they are very likely to have been overpaying for you.
Unless you believe you have no additional reliefs such as those listed; you might want to calculate to see if you are overpaying.

Final Reminder

The 2014 tax assessment year follows the calendar year, so the 2013 tax year is effective from 1st January 2014 to 31st December 2014.
Taxpayers can start submitting their income tax return forms for the year of assessment 2014 through e-filing as well. The due date for the submission of return forms are as follows:
1) Employers (Form E) is 31 March 15
2) Residents and non-residents with non-business income (Form BE and M) is 30 April 15
3) Residents and non-residents with business income (Form B and M) is 30 June 15
4) Partnerships (Form P) is 30 June 15

Finally, do take note that you must keep records for 7 years from the date of filing so don’t throw away any receipts or evidence of tax reliefs, keep them in a file sorted by tax year.

(Source: http://savemoney.my/malaysia-income-tax-guide-2015)
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