Election Goodies

Tabung Haji to pay out a total of 7% in dividends

PUTRAJAYA: Tabung Haji has announced a 5% dividend and an additional 2% special dividend for last year.
Stating that 5% was the highest dividend payout by Tabung Haji since its inception 44 years ago, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Dr Abdullah Md Zin said that 4.2 million active depositors would have the money paid into their accounts by Sunday.
The total dividend payout is RM1.05bil, he said, adding that Tabung Haji’s net profit for last year was RM1.066bil after deducting tithe payments.
Speaking to reporters yesterday, Abdullah said Tabung Haji’s dividends had been increasing , adding that in 2001 the dividend payout was 3.25% and had risen annually with last year’s dividend standing at 4.75%.
“The special 2% dividend is an additional payment and it is a one off payment due to the improved economy and the confidence in the country’s share market,” he said, adding that it was also to celebrate Malaysia’s 50th anniversary of independence.
Last year, the KL Composite Index rose by 32% while the Gross Domestic Product increased to 6.7% in the third quarter of 2007, Abdullah said.
Tabung Haji Group managing director and chief executive officer Datuk Ismee Ismail said it had been the practice to channel profits to the depositors through dividend payments.
He said the organisation hoped to maintain the record 5% dividend for this year, too.
He added that depositors have been increasing and have also invested high sums with RM1.3bil being deposited last year. This showed investors’ confidence in Tabung Haji, he said.
On the facility to allow depositors make investments through auto teller machines, Ismee said Tabung Haji was in talks with a few banks for the usage of their infrastructure as it was a costly affair.

RM20m boost for Tamil schools

SHAH ALAM: The Federal Government has approved RM20mil to rebuild or repair 22 Tamil schools in Selangor, Kedah, Penang and Perak.
MIC president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu said the allocation was to help provide a conducive environment for Tamil school students.
“In Selangor alone we have 10 schools that need to be rebuilt and it would cost RM10.9mil.
Samy Vellu said he was thankful to the Selangor Government for contributing RM1.2mil to rebuild SJK(T) Seaport at Taman Medan in Petaling Jaya.
Earlier Samy Vellu launched the Selangor MIC Youth election machinery at Dewan Jubli Perak.


tunku : more to come, pak lah's regime will flow the RM everywhere.