:: budget 2011 for shopaholics? ::

It's the time of the year - it's Budget 2011, announced by our Prime Minister aka. Finance Minister. Usually I didn't care much about it and only wait for next day's newspaper to see the whole summary, written in point forms because they are easier to understand than watching it live on tv. This time I try catching up things on the Net and found this particular highlight:

"Abolishment of import duty on 300 goods preferred by tourists and locals, at 5 to 30 per cent, to promote Malaysia as a shopping heaven in Asia. Such goods are apparel, handbags, shoes, shampoo, suits, children’s apparel, wallets, hair colourants, golf balls, imitation jewellery, talcum powder, curtains, table cloth, blankets, bed sheets, shirt, undergarments, lingerie, nightwear, perfumes and mosquito netting."

This one should come with a loud 'ka-chinggg' sound because cheaper imported goods = shopping spree time {yeay!}. It's like 5 - 30% discounts to all normal price items and shopaholics are definitely loving this. I'm excited to see apparel, handbags and shoes are listed because they are obviously preferred goods among tourists and locals like ME :-)

Anyhow, I'm quite surprised to see mosquito netting is also in the list. Who's buying that?

Okay, other interesting Budget 2011 highlights are:

• PLUS toll rate will remain for the next 5 years
• Exemption of sales tax for all mobile phones
• Service tax is proposed to be increased to 6% effective 1 Jan 2011, but credit card tax still remains RM50 / RM25
• RM50 million budget to construct several shaded walkways in the KLCC-Bukit Bintang vicinity
• Private Pension Fund for private sector employees and self-employed

Well I'm not going to list everything here, but if you want to know more about Malaysia Budget 2011 just read the Prime Minister's full text speech at NST Online.

And oh, HAPPY WEEKEND folks!

*keywords: budget 2011, budget 2011 highlights, belanjawan 2011, belanjawan malaysia 2011