Go ahead, fill ’em up
RM10mil allocation a boost for gaming industry
Budget 2019 is still the talk of the town, especially over petrol prices. While more than six million road users can save as much as RM30 a month when fuel subsidy kicks in, it seems some who are not in the B40 bracket will too. The road to ensuring all will be fair is long and winding. Give us time to straighten it out, says the Finance Minister.
Perodua Axia
Distance travelled per litre: 21.6km
Monthly requirement: 108.7 litres Without subsidy: RM239.14 With subsidy: RM209.14 Perodua Myvi (1.3 and 1.5) Distance travelled per litre: 20.1km
Monthly requirement: 116.8 litres
Without subsidy: RM256.96 With subsidy: RM226.96 Proton Saga (1.3) Distance travelled per litre: 17.9km
Monthly requirement: 131.2 litres Without subsidy: RM288.64
With subsidy: RM258.64 Honda City (1.5) Distance travelled per litre: 17.5km
Monthly requirement: 134.2 litres
Without subsidy: RM295.24 With subsidy: RM265.24 Perodua Bezza (1.0/1.3) Distance travelled per litre: 21.3km/22km Monthly requirement: 110.3 litres/106.8 litres Without subsidy: RM242.66/RM234.96 With subsidy: RM212.66/ RM204.96 Toyota Vios (1.5) Distance travelled per litre: 16.5km (estimate) Monthly requirement: 142.3 litres Without subsidy: RM313.06
With subsidy: RM283.06 Nissan Almera (1.5) Distance travelled per litre: 16.7km (estimate) Monthly requirement: 140.6 litres Without subsidy: RM309.32
With subsidy: RM279.32
KUALA LUMPUR: Time is needed to study a proper mechanism to implement the newly announced fuel subsidy system for it to benefit a wider audience, says the Finance Minister.
“But if you drive a luxury car, please don’t hold your breath!” Lim Guan Eng, in his first post-Budget 2019 press conference here yesterday, said.
Lim was responding to netizens posting luxury car brands with engine capacities of below 1,500cc on social media, and assuming that these owners could gain from the fuel subsidy announced in Budget 2019.
Moving in to nip such assumptions, Lim said there was “no hope” for those who drive luxury cars to benefit from the subsidy.
He said initially, the fuel subsidy system was formulated to benefit the B40 group, earning below RM3,000 a month.
“However, the target looked too small, so we wanted to expand it beyond the B40 group,” he said.
Lim said the subsidy would not kick in immediately.
“Give us some time to study the mechanism,” he added.
The fuel subsidy system is expected to be implemented in the second quarter of 2019.
Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said as many still owned old vehicles, accurate data would be needed from the Road Transport Department.
“We need to know ... as every formula we work out has to take into account its implications on the government’s coffers,” Saifuddin said after launching the 2018 Deepavali Season Price Control Scheme at the Kulim Public Market yesterday.
Prof Tan Sri Dr Noor Azlan Ghazali, a UKM economics expert, said he was concerned over how the subsidy would be executed.
“Previously, the government subsided diesel to fishermen and later we found out that this group abused the subsidy and sold it to others.
“How will the government counter the issue? I believe that the petrol subsidy should be given to the B40 group (only),” he added.
Dr Noor Azlan said there was a need to classify those receiving aid into various segments.
“Currently, regardless of where they are from, all will receive the same amount – for example, a single mother who doesn’t work but receives a monthly allowance from her successful children.
“Will you still consider her in the lower income group? Should she still receive aid from the government?” he asked.
PETALING JAYA: With 2.4 million enthusiasts in the country and RM10mil thrown in under Budget 2019, Malaysia is off to a great start to become an eSports hub of the region.
That is the sentiment of the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), which said it looked forward to working with the Youth and Sports Ministry following Friday’s announcement.
MDEC said eSports was more than just playing games as it also provided high-quality jobs such as software developers, engineers, graphic designers, illustrators and marketeers and advertisers.
“The Budget announcement gives legitimacy and empowerment to the youth to pursue their passion,” it said in a statement.
MDEC added that eSports was an important growth sector and its rise came from positive policies put in place, not just in Malaysia but also in countries such as South Korea, China, Russia, Germany and Italy.
South-East Asia, it said, was the fastest growing eSports market in the world.
“Malaysia is ranked No.21 in glob- al game revenue estimates for 2017 with US$587mil (RM2.4bil), ahead of the Netherlands and Poland,” it said.
MDEC said since the gaming industry was worth US$180.1bil (RM749bil), it would give Malaysia the chance to groom new talents.
It also pointed out that Malaysia was attractive as a digital content and creative tech studio due to its youthful demographic and modern education system, coupled with talent that combined eastern and western influences.
“Game companies such as Bandai Namco and Pole To Win are global industries that have taken up root here, joining the ranks of stalwarts such as Codemasters and local champions such as Lemonsky and Passion Republic.
“The ecosystem is further enriched with the active presence of Adobe, Unity, Google and Unreal working in partnership with the industry,” MDEC said.
Rinie Ramli, secretary-general of eSports Malaysia, the country’s governing body for eSports, said most of the grassroots development programmes were focused in the Klang Valley and Selangor at present.
“But we know that there are a lot of other hidden talents in other states. In the recent Selangor Cyber Games, two of the top three players in Pro Evolution Soccer were from Terengganu,” said Rinie.
He also said it was vital to support local competition organisers, as most of the top ones in SouthEast Asia were from Malaysia.
Thirdly, he spoke of the need to establish eSport centres around the nation so players could be exposed to professional and healthy gaming.
“It’s similar to a cybercafe, but an eSports centre can create content for the industry by holding workshops, tournaments and talent searches.”