ePetrol system - possible solution for fuel subsidy?

ePetrol Holdings Sdn Bhd is proposing to the government of Malaysia to make use of their ePetrol system as solution to implement fuel subsidy scheme for citizen with MyKad. This company is established in 2003. Their founding directors include RHB Group founder Tan Sri Rashid Hussain and Dialog Group Bhd chairman and group managing director Ngau Boon Keat. They've showcased the ePetrol system during the World Congress on Information Technology 2008 (WCIT 2008).

User of the system will need to register and activate his MyKad at a registration kiosk to be eligible for the fuel subsidy. The user can link the MyKad to his bank account so payment can be debited from the account each time a fuel purchase is made. Otherwise, payment can be made via credit card or cash. The user is then identified with his MyKad at the petrol pump terminal, and his subsidy amount will be deducted during the fuel pumping transaction.

Will this solution be rolled out by the government? Let's wait and see...

Result of Robert Walters Global Salary Survey 2008

The Robert Walters Global Salary Survey 2008 shows a substantial salary hike in various employment sectors across the globe, including IT, banking, finance, commerce, engineering, sales and marketing. The survey's salary figures in the report are based on placements made by Robert Walters themselves through 2007. Robert Walters is one of the world leading global specialist in recruitment and recruitment outsourcing businesses.

Employees from the IT sector of Asian region generally enjoy a higher percentage of salary increment than their counterparts in American and Europe. According to the report majority of them enjoyed an increment of above 10% from last year, and some even got a 40% increment.

Competition to hire good IT employees in Malaysia intensified and organizations were seen focus on best practices in staff attraction and retention. Direct strategies including higher salary increments, joining bonuses and counter-offers, other initiatives included better managed and more dynamic career progression, flexible benefits, effective employee relation programs, etc. were employed. The challenges facing the IT industry in Malaysia include competition from overseas seeking Malaysians to work in countries such as Singapore, China and Dubai.

The total compensation for 2008 of an IT Director in Malaysia can be up to RM300k. Other well paid IT positions include IT Programme Manager (RM200k), ERP Project Manager (RM180k), Service Delivery Manager (RM150k), Infrastructure Manager (RM150k), Solution Architect (RM140k), ...

In Singapore, CIO and CTO get a salary of S$350k per annum. Other well paid positions include IT Director (S$220-350k), Programme Manager (S$220-350k), Service Delivery Director (S$220-320k), Project Director (S$200-300k), ...

In Hong Kong, many senior positions are paid in million of HKD per annum, including CIO/CTO (HK$1.65-2.7m), IT Director (HK$1.3-2.0m), Project Director (HK$1.25-1.7m), Programme Manager (HK$0.95-1.7m), ...

This comprehensive report of Robert Walters Global Salary Survey 2008 covers the following regions:

• Australia
• Belgium
• France
• Hong Kong
• Ireland
• Japan
• Luxembourg
• Malaysia
• New Zealand
• Singapore
• South Africa
• Spain
• The Netherlands
• United Kingdom
• United States

Click here to go to the download page of the Robert Walters Global Salary Survey 2008 report.

You might probably also interested to read on:

• Result of ZDNet Asia IT Salary Benchmark Survey 2008
• Malaysia Salary Guide 2008/09 from Kelly Services
• JobsDB Compensation and Benefit Survey Report 2009

BookFest@Malaysia 2008

The BookFest@Malaysia (海外华文书市) 2008 event is now entered into its third year. With the theme of “Reading Empowers” (阅读新势力), it will showcase more than a million books by both Overseas and Local publishers, featuring leading publishers from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Singapore and Malaysia.

Held for a duration of 9 days, this BookFest will be presented from 24 May until 1 June 2008, 10am - 10pm, at Halls 1-5 of the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, KLCC, stretching across the first week of the school holidays. The main organiser, Popular Book Co. (M) S/B is expecting over 450,000 visitors throughout this exhibition.

Among the interesting activities throughout the event will be:

• 2008 Feng Shui Sharing Session by Joey Yap
• Music Performance by Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra
  
• Pass Your Job Interview Within 30 Minutes
• "Design Fast Forward" Book Sharing Session by Eric Leong
• Blind Fold Reading
• Sudoku Fun Time
• Cooking Demonstration
• Magic Show and Interactive Game
• Cataract & Refractive Surgery - All you want to know and should know - By Dr.Yeoh Phee Liang
• Stock Investment Talks