Slight increase in Malaysian CPI last year

PUTRAJAYA: Inflation was kept low last year with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) recording a slight increase of 0.6% although consumers had complained of having to fork out more for goods, particularly food items.

Domestic Trade, Coopera tives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said this was caused by higher prices of gold and precious stones as well as fresh produce such as seafood and vegetables.

The CPI for December last year was 1.1% higher compared to the same month in 2008.

“With the monsoon ending, we hope to see a lower CPI for the coming months.

“However, there are other issues beyond our control, especially when it concerns imported goods,” he told a press conference after chairing his ministry’s post-Cabinet meeting yesterday.

Ismail Sabri said the increase in CPI was brought about by increases in the indices of all the main groups except transport, clothing, footwear and communication.

Notable increases were recorded for food and non-alcoholic beverages (4.1%) housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (1.4%) and miscellaneous goods and services (3.8%).

On another matter, Ismail Sabri said that the National Economic Council was working on the mechanism on how to cap the amount of subsidised petrol which could be purchased by a car owner monthly.

“The ministry is providing the council with feedback and res ponses that we have received from consumers.

“We realise that the public is anxious to know how affected they will be when the new policy is implemented but we urge everyone to be patient and not to speculate,” he said.

*Taken from The Star Online

Pos Malaysia starts automated, mobile services

KUALA LUMPUR: Pos Malaysia is going both automated and mobile.To reach out to more customers and for their convenience, it is launching two new services, namely the country's first-of-its-kind Post-Automated-Machine (PAM) and the Pos-on-Wheels, or mobile post office.

Pos Malaysia chairman Tan Sri Aseh Che Mat said a PAM pilot project was being carried out at the Kuala Lumpur General Post Office and it was expected to be expanded to other locations nationwide in stages.

"PAM is similar to a bank's ATM (automated teller machine) but in that it is integrated with postal service.

"The response from the public has been very encouraging and we plan to deploy another 30 PAM units this year.

"Our target is to have a PAM in every post office nationwide. It will run round the clock in due course," he said here yesterday.

PAM services include purchase of stamps, posting of non-standard letter (up to 2kg), posting of domestic PosLaju items (up to 2kg), posting of domestic PosParcel and PosDaftar items (up to 2kg) and top-up for Standing Order Deposit Account (Soda).

*Taken from NST Online

New MyID system for retrieving documents for Malaysians

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysians will soon have only “one number for all transactions” as reference and account numbers when dealing with the 760 government departments and agencies nationwide, thanks to the new MyID system.

With it, all government agencies at federal, state and local authority levels will do away with reference or account numbers to identify people and use only MyKad numbers to retrieve their files.

Use of the system is not limited to civilians, as armed forces personnel would also be able to access it with their service identity cards.

Although the system will initially serve only Malaysians, plans are underway to make government services accessible to foreigners as well through their passport numbers.

Speaking during the launch of the MyID system here yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the system would remove the need to carry documents or memorise the account number for each government department or agency that people deal with.

He said it would also help reduce problems arising from lost or misplaced documents, adding that it would shorten queues at government service counters.

“However, agencies offering services that involve security, or deal with matters affecting the nation’s safety, may practise a second level of screening to confirm the client’s identity before the services can be accessed,” he told a press conference after opening the Conference of Public Sector Agency Heads here yesterday.

Muhyiddin commended the agencies that had already implemented the system in just three months of its being announced by the prime minister, and said the other 630 agencies had been directed to implement it as soon as possible.

“It’s a radical change for government services in Malaysia, but this is a step forward as we strive to improve the delivery system as promised by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and work to provide faster and easier ways for the public to carry out transactions,” Muhyiddin said.

He added that the implementation of the MyID system and other computer-based applications aimed at improving services to the people were proof of the extraordinary achievements possible if those responsible were willing to think out of the box and explore new ideas.

*Taken from The Star Online