The digital divide is still wide although Gobind has done tremendously to bridge it and made available high speed internet to larger population at a cheaper affordable rate. If it was still BN, it would have been worse and even those in urban, many could not afford high speed internet.

Dr Hisham must be rewarded but in a different way not as Minister of Health. That will be the last thing for a doctor of his calibre. I am sure he values his professionalism too much to be a lowly politician especially a PN Minister. You can see from photographs he looked more comfortable in the presence of Dr Wan Azizah and Dr Dzul compared to our present nuts of the highest order.

Put it this way fancyme, Noor Hisham provided a professional leadership when it is most needed. In fact, if not for him, Malaysians would have lost the confidence that we can manage the emergency well. Millions have been infected and hundreds of thousands have died without even a proper funeral or burial. The situation is so much like we're in a world war and indeed we are, against an unseen enemy. Can one imagine if he is someone like the Health minister? If anything, I can only wish that other civil servants and our ministers are half as good and professional as Noor Hisham. I say, give the man his due.

alipay88, I also notice that listings of MCO Red Zones mention locations, but does not define the areas covered.
How are people expected to know if they are within a zone or not?
This could be shown on maps or with reference to voting areas of within a given radius of a case location or landmark.

Just for your info guys, Infectious diseases are not new. Our Infectious Diseases Act provides that certain areas can be designated Local Areas. Such local areas then receive special attention. From the outset this was not done. One million people gather to pray in Batu Caves on Thaipusam day. No infectious diseases are spread there. 16,500 people gathered in Sri Petaling Mosque for a Tablighi. Massive infectious disease occurred. How is that possible? It is because of the timing. The Tablighi was held after the Coronavirus hit Wuhan. It was also because Islam encourages devotees to eat from common plates simultaneously. This caused infections to be passed easily.

Bravo clap clap

While the posh ministers in their suit with bodyguards talk about increasing the arrest or doreamon or tik tok normal poor malaysian are doing whatever they can

And they still don't get it do they

and by the way I cannot find anything on web regarding 9% growth except the Edge Markets, and local websites. If anyone can post a link so we can verify. It will be great if it is true! But was wondering if this is a prelude to IMF - loan shark division offering their package to us. Just saying, anything to do with IMF we should take a step back, otherwise they will swallow us whole like they did to Greece and many other countries.

Many of these so called experts get their predictions wrong. Whether it is the V shaped model or not, economists based their opinions on modelling and simulation. IMF is a global loan shark. Lender of the last resort, IMF will target those in distress. Malaysia is indebted but not yet distressed but can be as long as Muhyiddin keeps putting crooks in charge of the cash tills and budgets.

QuellingBlaster , dunno how is the current PN government over achieving. The problem is not the actors, its the set that should change.

Even though HARAPAN had broken their promise not to do so, it was not with the same totality, audacity and sense of entitlement as so unashamedly announced by Takiyuddin, a top PAS leader.

Malaysia don't need leaders who have no empathy for Malaysians suffering presently because of the covid19 pandemic.

What do u expect Rafidah when PAS in the gov. This people brainless and non educated and this is the results of it.

All the GLCs are now up for grab. Now Pas has fired the first shot. What about others? Maybe all the others are mosquito parties and can only salivate at best or now planning the next strategic move on the chess board game. How nice to watch how this game of thrones being played out. Porncorn please.

AND PLEASE Kindly announce at 4PM that you regret toppling a legitimate government, that you are so contrite that you will return power to PH, and that you and your ilk will retreat to the mountains and never reemerge ever again.

"Do not use the front door of the office when you go back to office - we will arrest you. PLEASE USE BACKDOOR - not noticeable".

Another BIG announcement !!!!!- the balance of the horse will be making dash back to their hometown.

Cut civil servants' pay and also GLC employees' pay. GLC sitting on easy money based on monopolistic industries at people's expense.

Proceeds from that give to those most affected by MCO.

Wow I am so surprised at the generous contribution by our excellent, hard working and highly competent civil service. Without your support our PN would not have come up with Doraemon giggles and other gems that have kept us in Malaysia and the rest of the world entertained. Thanks to a compliant civil service we are famous for 1MDB too - even made it to a top selling movie on Netflix. Thanks to you Malaysia is now famous for more than nasi lemak.


Please after all you have done for the country I plead with you "please no no no this is too much a sacrifice for you".

I feel so ashamed that the bonus is so low, now you are giving up 5 to 10 percent of your ENTERTAINMENT ALLOWANCE what more will they ask of you? That you give up luxury "study visits"? Stay in 4 star hotels instead of 5 stars? Travel economy! What a travesty. When will this injustice end?

Surely our civil servants deserve better. So please for my peace of mind and all grateful Malaysians keep your entertainment allowances in full. Heaven forbid how will you afford afford wagyu beef and truffles!

And The business community will suffer if MCO extended.The civil servants will be very happy because they get paid full gaji for sitting at home.

The government is not addressing the root cause & seem to be ok with it while the rest law abiding citizen suffer in silence . Something wrong in our systems.

agreed

No point with MCO when all the culprits who actually passing the virus without listening to advise has gotten away scot free while those who jog and go fishing or play football in their own compound has been arrested

Something seriously wrong in this picture and our entire govt set up seem to be ok with this

Very simple, these are the peeps has not truthfully declaring their income taxes all these while.....avoidance of tax or even evading taxes...that why the e-filing system capture it as personal earn below 4k a month or less than 48k per annum....
So LHDNM should start to re audit all this peeps income tax in depth

AS Somebody once said , once the back door entrance is opened , everything will be turned upside down and inside out . Nothing make sense anymore .

Such a simple thing also messed up. What good can you expect from a illegitimate government?

That is why this backdoor PN government is getting rotten and more rotten as the days go by.

What better way to 'capture' and keep the Malay vote for the next elections!

I'm beginning to suspect that the system is fixed in such a way that almost every Malay is automatically qualified for the aid! I hope I'm wrong.

“Modestly effective” means there are some benefits in wearing face masks to protect yourself and others.

In the context of this pandemic, even if the mask is only "modestly effective" as the title puts it, even preventing ONE infection is significant enough to justify the wearing of a mask. Just look at the one patient who was asymptomatic and infected in Italy. It lead to a subsequent cluster of 37 cases and 5 deaths.

The article even states that “There was also evidence of a potential small protective effect when face masks were worn in community settings where the contact was quite brief such as in shops" . . . . . is the article implying that members of the public should not take advantage of that small protective effect?

The article goes on to quotes a risk reduction of 6 to 19 percent. from mask usage. I cannot fathom why anyone with any common sense would go on to conclude that this is "not sufficiently strong to support widespread use of face masks as a protective measure against Covid-19". An unprecedented, rapidly spreading and highly contagious virus, which has infected more than a million people world wide and already caused 75,000 deaths, and it is saying that 6 to19 percent risk reduction is not significant enough?

This is a highly biased study from a group of UK researchers which is trying hard to defend the UK government's stance of still not getting the public in the UK to wear masks when the rest of the world has moved towards it.

I am afraid you are overlooking the fact that a large number of cases of COVID-19 are completely asymptomatic (have absolutely no signs of the disease). So the question of self isolation does not at all arise.

Wear a mask!

Don’t be someone who turns people off
The big takeaway here is that if you want to be the person who is successful, who everyone wants to hire, you need to build habits of integrity

Not limited to just being hired (although that's something critical too) but in all other aspects of life too. Without being of "the right character", which definitely includes integrity, one will face various friction and negative events in his life. Relationships - personal and professional - are built, developed and sustained over this.

And the great thing is, it's something all of us can always improve upon. This is through all the seemingly `small and routine' situations and events each day. Including at this website. But this requires some courage for we need to honestly look at ourselves first, and acknowledge our unattractive characteristics. Only then can we start doing something about these.

yo yo yo guys, seems like a good buy when there is blood in the street! yahoooo

yah la pandai o Quellingblaster, when the americans went up to space， china still 在乡下捡猪屎！hehe

he he he

QuellingBlaster why not? You Should say 不偷，不骗，不赖皮。。非中国

Yeah guys, insiders news say this rally will last for long, something big is brewing

extend until Raya for sure !

govt purposely let people think two weeks only just to avoid panic

mostly will extend

Larry Fink says economy will recover from coronavirus, ‘tremendous opportunities’ in markets

~ Larry Fink, CEO of the world’s biggest asset manager BlackRock, told shareholders that the economy will recover from the coronavirus pandemic, and when it does, there will be “tremendous opportunities” to be had.

~ “In my 44 years in finance, I have never experienced anything like this,” FInk said in an annual letter to shareholders, citing the mounting cost of the virus to human life, markets and businesses small and large.

~ “As dramatic as this has been, I do believe that the economy will recover steadily, in part because this situation lacks some of the obstacles to recovery of a typical financial crisis,” Fink said.


Larry Fink, CEO of the world’s biggest asset manager BlackRock, told shareholders that the economy will recover from the coronavirus pandemic, and when it does, there will be “tremendous opportunities” to be had.

“In my 44 years in finance, I have never experienced anything like this,” Fink said in an annual letter to shareholders, citing the mounting toll of the virus to human life, markets and businesses small and large.

“As dramatic as this has been, I do believe that the economy will recover steadily, in part because this situation lacks some of the obstacles to recovery of a typical financial crisis,” Fink said. “Central banks are moving quickly to address problems in credit markets, and governments are now acting aggressively to enact fiscal stimulus.”

Late last week, President Trump signed a historic $2 trillion stimulus bill to cushion the economic blow from the pandemic. The law expands unemployment benefits, sends $1,200 checks to individuals, offers loans to small businesses and includes a $500 billion Fed program to prop up corporations. The move follows a series of actions from the Federal Reserve to stabilize the financial markets that companies and lenders rely on.

“At BlackRock, we take a long-term view of markets, and we take a long-term view in the way we run our company,” he said. “The world will get through this crisis. The economy will recover. And for those investors who keep their eyes not on the shaky ground at our feet, but on the horizon ahead, there are tremendous opportunities to be had in today’s markets.″

BlackRock manages $7.4 trillion for clients around the world and has the industry’s biggest ETF franchise. The furious decline in stock markets this month have created an opportunity for some clients to move more into equities, Fink said. He cautioned that it is “impossible” to know if markets have bottomed and that heavily indebted companies will struggle in the weeks ahead.

“For some clients, the recent sell-off created an attractive opportunity to rebalance into equities,” Fink said. “Indeed, many of our clients – even those who generally have a heavy allocation to fixed income due to their risk profiles – are looking to increase their equity allocation in this market.”

Happy reading guys

China says manufacturing activity expanded in March, topping expectations for a contraction


~ China on Tuesday said the official Purchasing Manager’s Index for March was 52.0, beating expectations for an economy hit by the coronavirus outbreak.

~ Analysts polled by Reuters had expected the official PMI to come in at 45 for the month of March, from a record low of 35.7 a month earlier.


~ China’s manufacturing activity slowed dramatically earlier this year as the government instituted large-scale lockdowns and quarantines to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease, formally known as COVID-19.


China on Tuesday said the official Purchasing Manager’s Index for March was 52.0, beating expectations for an economy hit by the coronavirus outbreak.

Analysts polled by Reuters had expected the official PMI to come in at 45 for the month of March.

In February, the official PMI hit a record low of 35.7.

PMI readings above 50 indicate expansion, while those below that level signal contraction.

Earlier this year, manufacturing activity slowed dramatically in China as the government instituted large-scale lockdowns and quarantines to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease, formally known as COVID-19.

On Monday, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said that as of March 28, the resumption of work rate for industrial enterprises was 98.6%, and the return of workers stood at 89.9%.

A private PMI survey by Caixin and IHS Markit will be released on Wednesday.

The Caixin/Markit survey features a bigger mix of small- and medium-sized firms. In comparison, the official PMI survey typically polls a large proportion of big businesses and state-owned companies.

February pending home sales jump over 9% annually, ahead of major coronavirus impact



~ Pending home sales, which measure signed contracts on existing homes, rose 2.4% in February compared with January. Sales were up a steep 9.4% annually, according to the National Association of Realtors.

~ “Numbers in the coming weeks will show just how hard the housing market was hit, but I am optimistic that the upcoming stimulus package will lessen the economic damage and we may get a V-shaped robust recovery later in the year,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist.


Homebuyer demand was strengthening markedly just before COVID-19 began its spread across the U.S.

Pending home sales, which measure signed contracts on existing homes, rose a stronger than expected 2.4% in February compared with January. Sales were up a steep 9.4% annually, according to the National Association of Realtors. That is the highest pace in exactly three years.

“February’s pending sales figures show the housing market had been very healthy prior to the coronavirus-induced shutdown,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist. “Numbers in the coming weeks will show just how hard the housing market was hit, but I am optimistic that the upcoming stimulus package will lessen the economic damage and we may get a V-shaped robust recovery later in the year.”

Regionally, pending home sales in the Northeast rose 2.8% for the month and were 5.9% higher than a year ago. In the Midwest, they increased 4.5% monthly and 14.9% annually.

Pending home sales in the South were up just 0.1% monthly, but 7.1% annually. In the West, where home prices are highest, sales grew 4.6% for the month and jumped 10.8% from a year ago.

The spring housing market was set up to be one of the best since the last recession. Closed sales of existing homes in February jumped 7% annually to the highest level since February 2007, according to the National Association of Realtors. Those closings were based on deals made in December and January. Signed contracts to buy newly built homes also soared in February, up 14% annually.

While it is impossible to know exact numbers, one estimate is that home sales this spring will drop 35% annually, according to Capital Economics. The market was already struggling with record low inventory, and now some sellers are de-listing their properties. They either don’t want people touring their homes or don’t wan to sell into a down market.

Bursa Malaysia relaxes margin financing rules to ease forced selling pressure on market




KUALA LUMPUR (March 26): Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd has announced the temporary relaxation of margin financing rules to ease the pressure of forced selling on the market, amid the virus-driven equity rout.

“Due to uncertainties in the global as well as local market arising from the COVID-19 outbreak, selling pressures have impacted the share prices, resulting in forced selling pressure to many counters and affecting investors, especially those with margin accounts.

"In view of the above, and as part of the market management measures, the exchange will facilitate Participating Organisations (POs) to accord the appropriate flexibilities to their clients and also to manage the POs’ credit risks. The measures are aimed at mitigating the forced selling pressure on the market, as well as safeguarding investors’ interest in respect to those who have pledged their shares for financing," the exchange regulator said in a circular to POs this evening.

These flexibilities may also allow investors to provide other types of collateral for purposes of margin financing, as may be necessary, it said.

To facilitate these measures, it has temporarily modified the relevant provisions of the Rules and Directives of Bursa Malaysia.

In particular, Rule 7.30(12) - which dictates that the PO must liquidate the client’s margin account in the event that the equity in the account falls below 130% of the outstanding balance - has been modified to remove the mandatory liquidation requirement. So, the PO now has the discretion to decide whether to liquidate the margin account or otherwise, in accordance with its credit policy.

As such, the provision in Rule 7.30(14), which states that no further margin financing can be extended following the events stated in the rule above, has been waived for consistency.

Besides that, it is no longer mandatory for a PO to request for additional margin, and to impose haircuts on any collateral and securities purchased and carried in margin accounts upon the occurrence of: i) unusual rapid changes in value of the securities, ii) the non-existence of an active market for the securities, iii) suspension of the securities from trading, or, iv) no possibility of immediate liquidation for the securities.

“A PO will instead have the discretion to decide whether to request such additional margin or impose a haircut, in accordance with its credit policy,” it said. This is a modification to Rule 7.30(19).

The bourse also modified a paragraph which requires the assignment of zero value to all other types of collateral. Instead, a PO must now refer to its credit policy in assigning a value to other types of collateral, including bonds, collective investment schemes, unit trusts, gold and immovable properties.

The waiver and modification of these rulings will take effect tomorrow (March 27) until Sept 30, 2020.

The bourse also took note of the extended Movement Control Order (MCO) and encouraged all POs, which provide counter service to their clients and customers, to limit their respective counter service hours to between 10am to 3pm during business days.

Senate passes $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package, sending it to the House

~ The Senate passes a $2 trillion economic relief package to respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

~ It now heads to the House, which hopes to approve it by Friday.

~ The legislation, approved as waves of layoffs hit workers and hospitals look for resources, may not be the last action Congress takes to help a reeling economy and health care system.


The Senate passed a historic $2 trillion coronavirus relief package Wednesday night, as it tries to stem the destruction the pandemic has brought to American lives and wallets.

The chamber approved the mammoth bill in a unanimous 96-0 vote after days of furious negotiations, partisan sniping and raised tempers on the Senate floor. The bill now heads to the House, which will push to pass it by voice vote Friday morning as most representatives are out of Washington.

“This is a proud moment for the United States Senate and for the country and we’re going to win this battle in the very near future,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told reporters after the vote.

The 880-page legislation includes direct payments to individuals, stronger unemployment insurance, loans and grants to businesses and more health care resources for hospitals, states and municipalities. It includes requirements that insurance providers cover preventive services for the coronavirus disease COVID-19.

The Senate rushed to pass the sweeping aid bill as data are expected to show a historic spike in unemployment claims after businesses across the country shuttered to try to slow the outbreak’s spread. Some hospitals have started to buckle under a flood of patients, asking for critical supplies such as masks and ventilators.

Coronavirus cases in the U.S. number more than 68,000, while deaths have now topped 1,000, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

The chamber approved the plan to combat the outbreak as the crisis started to thin its ranks. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., did not vote after testing positive for COVID-19, and neither did GOP Sens. Mitt Romney and Mike Lee of Utah, both in isolation after contact with their colleague. Sen. John Thune, a South Dakota senator and second-ranking Republican, also missed the vote after feeling ill.

While the Senate took precautions Wednesday such as keeping votes open longer to reduce crowding, senators still huddled in groups and chatted.

Speaking before the chamber passed the bill, McConnell said the Senate would not return until April 20. However, he said lawmakers would be “nimble” as the evolving crisis could force further action to boost the American economy or health care system.

“If circumstances require the Senate to return for a vote sooner than April the 20th we will provide at least 24 hours of notice,” he said.

Before passing the bill, the Senate first rejected an amendment proposed by Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., to cap unemployment insurance at a recipient’s previous wages. The bill adds $600 per week to the benefits a recipient would normally get for up to four months. Sasse’s amendment failed in a 48-48 vote.

The senator and three of his GOP colleagues threatened to delay passage of the legislation if they could not get a vote on an amendment. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., then suggested he could hold up the bill’s approval if they did not back down from their opposition.

While the snag caused fears the bill would not pass, hitting U.S. stock indexes just before markets closed Wednesday, it ultimately did not stop the Senate from approving the proposal.

In a letter to colleagues Wednesday night, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said the chamber will convene at 9 a.m. Friday to consider the legislation. The Maryland Democrat said that “in order to protect the safety” of representatives and staff and “prevent the further spread of COVID-19,” he and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., expect the House will take a voice vote.

“Members who want to come to the House Floor to debate this bill will be able to do so. In addition, we are working to ensure that those who are unable to return to Washington may express their views on this legislation remotely,” he wrote.

House approval would send the package to President Donald Trump’s desk. He has expressed support for the agreement his Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin negotiated with Senate Republicans and Democrats.

During a White House coronavirus briefing Wednesday, Trump said he would sign the legislation “immediately” after Congress passes it.

Last WEDNESDAY 25MARCH Former Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke sees ‘very sharp’ recession, followed by ‘fairly quick’ rebound


~ Former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke expressed optimism about the longer-term picture for the U.S. economy.

~ While the country is in for a “sharp, short” recession,” he sees a “fairly quick rebound” ahead.

~ Bernanke guided the Fed during the financial crisis and accompanying Great Recession.


Former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke sounded an optimistic tone on the longer-term state of the economy, predicting in a CNBC interview Wednesday that while the U.S. is facing an acute recession, it shouldn’t last.

“It is possible there’s going to be a very sharp, short, I hope short, recession in the next quarter because everything is shutting down of course,” he said on “Squawk Box.”

“If there’s not too much damage done to the workforce, to the businesses during the shutdown period, however long that may be, then we could see a fairly quick rebound.”

During the financial crisis that exploded in 2008, Bernanke guided the Fed through its efforts to save the economy. He was the first central bank chairman to pull its benchmark interest rate down to near zero, and the Bernanke Fed implemented a slew of programs that have been resurrected to deal with the current crisis.

While he guided the Fed through the financial crisis and accompanying Great Recession and is recognized authority on the Great Depression, he said the current situation bears only minor resemblance to those two periods.

“This is a very different animal from the Great Depression” which he said “came from human problems, monetary and financial shocks. This is has some of the same feel, some of the feel of panic, some of the feel of volatility that you’re talking about. It’s much closer to a major snowstorm or a natural disaster than a classic 1930′s-style depression.”

In fact, he said, the current situation is almost the opposite of the financial crisis, where problems in the banking system infected the broader economy. This time, issues in the broader economy brought on by the coronavirus are infecting the banks.

He stressed the important of getting the coronavirus itself under control so that policy can do its work.

“Nothing is going to work, the Fed is not going help, fiscal policy is not going to help if we don’t get the public health right, if we don’t solve the problem of the virus, of the infection, so making sure that the risk has declined sufficiently before put people back in the line of fire,” Bernanke said.

“So I think the public health is the most important one,” he added. “If we can get that straight, then we know how to get the economy working again. Monetary and fiscal policy can do their thing and we won’t have anything like the extended downturn we saw even, I don’t think, in the Great Recession, much less the Great Depression of the ’30s.”

Earlier Wednesday, St. Louis Fed President James Bullard expressed similar sentimentsabout the economy, telling CNBC he expects a big short-term hit but a strong rebound.

He praised the work being done by Chairman Jerome Powell and the rest of the current Fed.

The Powell Fed has pulled benchmark borrowing rates down to near-zero and implemented a slew of programs aimed at keeping liquidity flowing to the financial system and businesses.

“I think the Fed has been extremely proactive, and Jay Powell and his team have been working really hard and gotten ahead of this and shown they can set up a whole bunch of diverse programs that will help us keep the economy functioning during this shutdown period, so that when the all-clear is sounded, we will have a much better rebound than we otherwise would,” Bernanke said.

Coronavirus stimulus package is ‘short-term bullish’ but stock-market could turn ‘nasty’ in months ahead, analyst says. Bill Gates on Trump call for quick end to lockdown: It’s tough to tell people ‘keep going to restaurants, go buy new houses, ignore that pile of bodies over in the corner’

一生中，人会遇见几次的大好机会？贪和怕总是干扰思想。投资时看长期，如果短期出现机会可操作。因为贪婪，经不起诱惑，人都会想赚快钱，却没认真考虑过，多数的赚快钱之路充满陷阱。

任何时候都没有一百巴仙把握，只能算机率，只有不变的重复性事情才是稳定，股市不是，只是基本道理，永恒不变，成功需要提高水准，充分计划。

快速的深跌，过度超卖，加上严重低估，非常少见，风险也很有限，如果不是买到最低，只要能算出过了一段时间会有良好的回酬，进行投资。

以长期出发投资为目标，如果出现短期机会，涨得快又多，考虑劲扬时卖。

不要一成不变，考虑活动，切记不是过于活跃地进行买卖。

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