The Malaysian Insider

IN THE DEWAN RAKYAT

PARLIAMENT, July 3 — The Home Ministry plans to upgrade the Rela voluntary corps and give its members more powers, Deputy Minister Datuk Chor Chee Heung told Dewan Rakyat today.

He was replying to Ding Kuong Hiing (BN-Sarikei) during Question time.

To a supplementary question by Fong Po Kuan (DAP-Batu Gajah), Chor said a special Bill on Rela was being drafted and would be tabled in Parliament soon to ensure its effectiveness and give its members more powers.

He also said the government did not have plans to raise the allowances of Rela members taking in the operation to round up illegal immigrants codenamed "Operasi Tegas" because the new rate was only approved in March last year.

On discipline, he said action had been taken against 9 members for abuse from last year until April 2008.

Rela, which was set up on Jan 11, 1972 to help preserve and maintain national security and peace, now has about 520,000 members.

IRB collected RM716.1m in penalty payments

A total of RM716.1 million in penalty payments was collected by the Inland Revenue Board last year, which was about 1 per cent of the total gross tax collection of RM74.7 billion last year, Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Kong Cho Ha said.

Kong was replying to a question from Md Sirat Abu (BN-Bukit Katil) on total revenue collected by IRB last year and the amount collected from tax payers in penalties following the enforcement of tax regulations by the department.

He explained that the income tax collected from the IRB were taxes on corporate earnings, individuals, petroleum tax, stamp duties and direct taxes.

The taxes collected contributed in full to the government's financial resources.

To a supplementary question from Ngeh Koo Ham (DAP-Beruas) on why the government was still asking Dewan Rakyat to approve an additional allocation of RM30 billion while there have been increased tax collections, Kong said the additional allocation was to cater to the increased cost in carrying out projects under the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

Call for review of RM1m Olympic reward

The RM1 million reward for athletes who win a gold medal in the Beijing Olympics needs to be reviewed as it can have adverse effects, including breed materialistic athletes, Raime Unggi (BN-Tenom) said.

He said the large amount could also deviate from the actual purpose of an athlete's participation in sports because the athlete might put in the effort just for personal gain.

"The original purpose for holding sports meets, including the Olympics, is to produce athletes who can bring glory to the countries they represent. If there is a large reward, efforts will be made to get money and not for the country," Raime said when debating the motion on the Mid-Term Review of the Ninth Malaysia Plan.

The government recently announced the RM1 million incentive for a gold medal, RM300,000 (silver) and RM100,000 (bronze).

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak had said although the amount was large it was appropriate as Olympic Games standards were very high. — Bernama