Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by iamoracle

Banks will not extend moratorium

iamoracle — Tue, 21 Jul 2020 08:09:00 +0800

PETALING JAYA: Borrowers will need to start repaying their loans from October onwards as the banks will not extend the automatic loan moratorium, banking sources said.

However, an industry source said while the blanket moratorium would end, banks are open to assist borrowers to restructure and reschedule their loans in a more targeted manner.

“It is estimated that there will be three million borrowers who will take that offer up, ” the source told StarBiz.

Earlier, Bank Negara was quoted as saying that the banks stood ready to assist borrowers in a more targeted manner and have reached out to borrowers to offer various forms of repayment assistance including payment of interest only, lengthening of loan tenure and flexible repayments.

Sources said that among the reasons for a no automatic and blanket moratorium was because the banks wanted borrowers to approach financial institutions to renegotiate their loans.

“The banks will have until the middle of next year to restructure and reschedule their loans, ” a source said.

The six-month moratorium, announced by Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in late March, ends on Sept 30.

The loan moratorium period is a duration a borrower is not obligated to make monthly debt repayments to the banks.

It was initiated to relieve the burden of those directly affected by the impact of the pandemic. It was also designed to keep cash with households, given the uncertainty at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The loan moratorium was a feature from the first relief package during the movement control order by the government that saw business and consumer activity basically grind to a halt, except for essential services.

However, with the rate of unemployment creeping up and some sectors are still in standstill due to the Covid-19 fallout, some quarters are concerned over borrowers’ debt repayment capability and have pushed the government to extend the loan moratorium for another six months until March next year.

The unemployment rate crept up to 5.3% in May from 5% in April. Last year, the unemployment rate averaged just slightly over 3%.

MIDF Research head of research Imran Yassin Md Yusof (pic below) expects banks to see higher non-performing loans (NPLs) post the loan moratorium as troubled borrowers may not be able to start servicing loans when the grace period ends.

SoS

Can Singapore’s health care system handle?

iamoracle — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 09:26:46 +0800

Singapore’s Covid-19 cases have risen sixfold since the start of the month, due to outbreaks in crowded migrant worker dormitories.

Singapore overtakes Indonesia and Philippines with most Covid-19 cases in Asean.

Renew Road Tax at Post Office

iamoracle — Wed, 18 Mar 2020 11:57:16 +0800

Is JPJ categorized as essential service? Need pencerahan.

New Covid-19 shutdown rules

iamoracle — Wed, 18 Mar 2020 11:03:02 +0800

https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/202...d-healt/1847674

S&P Global Ratings says AsiaPac recession imminent

iamoracle — Wed, 18 Mar 2020 08:58:01 +0800

KUALA LUMPUR: Economic growth in the Asia-Pacific in 2020 will more than halve to less than 3% as the global economy enters a recession, says S&P Global Ratings.

In an article entitled "Asia Pacific recession guaranteed" published on Wednesday, the ratings agency said the first-quarter shock in China, shutdowns in the US and Europe and local virus transmission will trigger a deep recession across the region.

S&P defines a recession as two quarters of well below-trend growth sufficient to trigger rising unemployment.

"Our estimate of permanent income losses is likely to at least double to more than US$400bil.

"For credit markets, a key question is how these losses are distributed across sovereigns, firms, banks, and households," said Shaun Roache, the chief Asia-Pacific economist at S&P Global Ratings.

February data for China has confirmed a huge shock to activity in the first quarter.

Roache noted that investment accounts, which account for about 45% of China's economy, has taken a big hit early in the year.

Fixed asset investment in January and February plunged almost 25% from a year ago, while industrial production and retails sales fell 14% and 21% respectively in the same period.

According to Roache, the numbers are unprecedented, confirming a hard hit to China's growth and indicates that authorities are not smoothing the data.

He added that people flows from the US and Europe will be decimated for at least two quarters, adding more pressure on the tourism industry.

Meanwhile, the global policy response such as the Federal Reserve's policy-rate cut and the Bank of Japan's scale-up asset purchases will only cushion but not quickly reverse these shocks.

Local measures aiming to support vulnerable sectors and workers may help but their effect will wane the longer the crisis lasts, said Roache.

Coffee shops can operate, but only for takeaways

iamoracle — Tue, 17 Mar 2020 14:54:56 +0800

PETALING JAYA: Coffee shops will not be allowing customers to dine in but will remain partially open for takeaways, says the Malaysia Singapore Coffeeshop Proprietors’ General Association.

Its president Datuk Ho Su Mong said he had called up the National Operations Management Centre set up by the authorities on the matter.

“We have called them up and asked them to clarify this matter for the coffee shops.

“We are allowed to operate coffee shops partially, and we can allow customers to tapau (take away), but we cannot allow them to dine in or sit together and catch up with old friends.

“So coffee shops are allowed to open partially for business but not openly in order to mitigate the spread of Covid-19, ” he said on Tuesday (March 17).

He said while some of his members in bigger cities engaged in food delivery services to send food to customers, coffee shops in smaller towns would be encouraging customers to take away food.

According to Ho, some of the members were opting to close shop for two weeks.

“Some members have expressed concerns at having to turn away customers who may get angry and not return to their coffee shop again. They said it's better to just close shop for the whole two weeks, ” he said.

Mysterious Hammering Sound Coming from Wall

iamoracle — Tue, 19 Dec 2017 11:49:51 +0800

I have been hearing hammering sound from the wall lately in the wee hours of the night and it is affecting my sleeping quality.

My neighbour confirmed that no one from his family members was hammering the wall. They also heard the same sound.

We couldn't pin-point the source but we know it was coming from the wall.

Any tips/suggestion will be much appreciated.
Thanks.

Photocell & Motion Sensor Light Switch

iamoracle — Wed, 13 Sep 2017 08:43:38 +0800

Anyone had experience with photocell switch/motion sensor switch which can be installed as add-on to existing light? The idea is to turn on the light when sensor detected light or motion.

How difficult is the installation? How much does it consume electricity while standing by?

Photocell Light Switch

Motion Sensor Light Switch

[WTH] Special Education Teacher

iamoracle — Thu, 18 Feb 2016 14:32:08 +0800

Bliss Kids Educare
Bliss Kids Educare is a daycare and learning center catering for students who have special educational needs due to learning difficulties, physical disabilities or behavioural problems, in a way that addresses their individual differences and needs. We offer integrated services that include educational programme, daycare, sensory integration exercises, gross and fine motor training, arts and self-help training for special needs children aged 4 – 12 years old.

Website

Position: Special Education Teacher/Assistant Teacher

Job Description

- Train children with different learning difficulties by developing their abilities to achieve their full potential
- Prepare IEP, lesson plans and progress reports
- Prepare teaching materials
- Coordinate with parents and external expertise to assist child in any concerns may have
- Participate and be trained through in-house training or external workshops.

Job Requirements

- Candidate must possess at least a SPM / STPM / Professional Certificate, Diploma, Advanced / Higher / Graduate Diploma, in any field
- Good command in English. Mandarin speaking and reading will be an added advantage
- Preference for candidate who specialise in Special Education or have experience working with children with special needs
- Fresh graduates are welcomed to apply

Interested candidates, please email your latest resume to blisskids.educare@gmail.com.