PKR Nangka chief blasted for remark on BR1M 4.0

October 17, 2014

SIBU: Assistant Minister of Youth Development Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah blasted PKR Nangka chief for his unfounded remark on BR1M 4.0, calling it a move to gain popularity.

Abdul Karim, who is also Asajaya assemblyman, was reacting to Abdul Raafidin Majidi’s claim that the government’s move to increase BR1M 4.0 for all recipients was to pacify the people in the wake of the reduction in fuel subsidy by 20 sen.

Abdul Raafidin further likened the government’s approach under Budget 2015 as administering ‘paracetamol to cancer patients’, while calling it a populist approach.

Budget helps cushion impact of GST — Abdul Karim

October 11, 2014

KUCHING: The emphasis of Budget 2015 is on reducing the burden of the people to mitigate the impact of the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) next April.

Assistant Housing Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the exemption of more than 500 essential goods from GST should lower the price of these items.

“The issue that was most obvious in the tabling of the Budget was to ease the people’s anxiety over the rise of essential goods in light to the introduction of GST from April next year.

“Exemption on items such as cooking oil, meat, eggs, flour, which are basic daily needs is good news and very encouraging. Budget 2015 is people oriented, focusing on their needs,” he told reporters at his home at Jalan Astana near here, when commenting on Budget 2015 tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak yesterday.

Abdul Karim, also Assistant Youth Development (Urban) Minister, was happy the bulk of allocations were to be channelled to developing public infrastructure such as roads, health facilities, water and electric supply.

He also highlighted the Youth Housing Scheme which will see household income eligibility of applicants increased to RM10,000. The programme is open to 20,000 units of houses on a first-come first-serve basis.

On top of this, successful applicants would also be provided with a monthly repayment subsidy of RM200 for the first two years.

Belanjawan 2015 diharap utamakan pembangunan belia: Karim

October 9, 2014

KOTA SAMARAHAN: Menteri Muda Pembangunan Belia (Bandar) Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah berharap Belanjawan 2015 turut menitikberatkan terhadap pembangunan belia.

“Saya berharap akan melihat lebih banyak dana diperuntukkan bagi aktiviti belia kerana belia adalah harapan kita pada masa depan.

“Untuk itu, kita perlu mengatur aktiviti yang baik kepada mereka agar masa depan negara dan masyarakat menjadi lebih bagus,” katanya kepada pemberita di sini, semalam.

Abdul Karim hopes Budget 2015 will be good for Sarawak

October 9, 2014

KOTA SAMARAHAN: Sarawak needs funds to build affordable houses, basic infrastructure facilities, and for youth activities; thus, it hoped the prime minister will allocate money for all these in Budget 2015.

Assistant Minister of Housing Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, also Asajaya assemblyman, said the state needed to build affordable houses because everyone wanted to own a house.

“The price of houses keeps increasing, and many people will not be able to buy houses if they are to follow the market price. They must be helped, and this requires careful planning by the government,” he told reporters when met at World Habitat Day 2014, held in conjunction with the 30th anniversary of Samarahan District Council, here yesterday.

Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is slated to table Budget 2015 in Parliament tomorrow.

Abdul Karim said the state also hoped to get more allocations from the federal government for various infrastructure facilities, including buildings and roads, to be built or upgraded.

As the assistant minister of youth development, he also hoped to get money for youth activities.