2 more insurers, India International Insurance (III) & Great Eastern (GE - formerly known as OAC) is giving 1 month notice to get out of the IDAC system.

Currently, I am not sure who else is/are still in the IDAC scheme. Oh well,NTUC Income will still be in. After all, they were the one who started out IDAC.

To be frank, though going to IDAC is kinda troublesome but it did prove its worth. At least, it did bring down the average repair cost to the minimal and also to "get rid" of those so-called "blacklisted" workshops. If you were to recall, there was a particular workshop boss who was convicted for "fraudulent" claims.

All thanks to Mr Tan Kin Lian.

*Salute*

But still, how long more can IDAC survive? I am not too sure either.

FINALLY, she logged into MSN without blocking me and we FINALLY talked.

I am so HAPPY!

I thought she will ignore me for the rest of her life.

Glad to hear that she will be having her ROM this December and of cos, I will be attending. She is my best buddy!

*hugs*

I love you, sweetie….

Guess who called me?

A guy named Derek. Who the fark is he? Oh well, he is just a stupid farker who drank my Martell without paying a single cent. Never mind! Did not even bother to buy me a drink. PIANGZ…. Can this kind of guy simply just fark off?

YES, I got to admit that I am petty but he is simply just a cheapo. So? Please don't bother to date me for a movie cos I don't want to pay for your movie ticket. Don't bother to tell me how beautiful I am cos I do not buy that. Be more realistic! In short, please fark off!

Now now, did I refresh anyone's memories? Especially Linda's? LOL….

Ya ya, I am a "mountain tortoise" but I am just being honest. Throughout my 27th year, this is my 1st trip to Genting. Oh well, go ahead and laugh at me. Duh….

Nothing fantastic about Genting cos I know nuts about gambling. Stood at a particular table to see DD gamble for about 2 hours and yet, till now, I still cannot figure out how to play. Am I a gambling bimbo?

BUT, I love the weather there! It is so damn cooling! Can I move there to stay? Yeah, just for the weather.

 See the cloud? They really don't look like cloud. They look like haze. LOL….

I don't mind going again cos I know how to play jackpot. Just press the buttons. Hee…

My DD's "wife" (I am merely the gf).

Seriously speaking, I still have difficulty handling his "big" wife but I am improving as days go by. Minimal improvement thou (All thanks to my job hazzard) & I managed to drive it up the multi-storey carpark! Bit SLOW thou. Hee….

Don't you think she is just so beautiful? I think she is….

Time really flies! My one week "leave" is over and it is time for me to slog like cow again! HAIZ…..

Oh well, no choice. My choice, after all! Shall have to live with it.

My 1st day is considered fine. Those briefings which I can only absorb 20% and the numerous systems I have to learn. Doubt I can absorb all in one day. It will take me some time to get used to it. Hmmmm… But no worries, I will master them soon, with my capability.

"Mummy" Pe (my ex boss from NTUC Income) SMSed me this evening. As usual, she told me to stay there till I attain a SE post. I had promised her that I will make sure that I do it. (Did I ever say that she dotes on me a lot though I get lot of scoldings from her always - common? Hee…..) Hmmmm… Since I promised my "mummy" Pe, I better make sure that I do it. Otherwise, I will get scolding from her for sure again! Duh……

I met Salim today at our office. Guess motor claims industry is real small. He is in our panel. Once again, will be working with him and his new firm. BEST, we are invited to his company's opening next week, 6th March at Merchant Court. Hmmmm… Will there be FOC wine or beer? LOL……. Just kidding.

Okay okay, time for me to disclose what is the name of my company now. MSIG - the one who bought over Aviva General, which is Mitsui Sumitomo.

*pat pat*

Here, I wish myself all the best!

This is so damn cool!

I also want my wedding to be like this!

The Singapore government unveiled a Budget on Thursday that is set to grow its economy and provide long term help to its lower income workers.

Its Goods and Services Tax is going up to 7 percent from July this year.

But to balance this, the government is introducing a $4 billion offset package to be given out over five years.

To boost business, the corporate tax rate is also going to be cut from the current 20 percent to 18 percent.

A 3 percent Goods and Services Tax was first introduced in Singapore in 1994.

This went up to 5 percent in 2004 and will now go up to 7 percent from July this year.

The hike will eventually add $1.5 billion to the government's kitty each year.

To ease the pain of increased costs, cash offsets of up to $1000 will be given to all Singaporeans aged 21 and above over four years.

The amount will depend on two factors - the person's income and home type.

With an ageing population, its senior citizens aged 55 and above will also get an additional cash bonus - up to $1,000.

Meanwhile, to help the middle class, employers will have to contribute 1.5 percentage points more to the Central Provident Fund, a national savings scheme.

But this is only for those earning above $1,500.

While steering away from welfarism, this Budget is significant for introducing measures that will make help for lower income older workers, a more permanent feature.

They will receive monetary help as long as they remain employed.

The government is introducing a Workfare scheme for older low wage workers.

This group will also contribute less to the Central Provident Fund or CPF.

This means they will have more take-home pay and be more employable.

The shortfall in CPF will then be balanced off by higher Workfare income supplements, put in by the government.

Mr Tharman says: "Strengthening our social security system and providing for the needs of older Singaporeans will require the government to spend more in future. This means we will need additional revenues. We cannot raise direct taxes.

"Countries all over the world are reducing corporate and fiscal income taxes to continue to attract talent and investments and maintain strong incentives for the people to excel, we will in fact have to lower our direct taxes further over time. We will therefore raise additional revenues by extracting more income from our reserves and raising the GST."

For businesses, the corporate tax will be cut to 18 percent, from the current 20 percent, by Year of Assessment 2008.

This will bring it closer to Hong Kong's 17.5 percent rate

From 1 January next year, beer and stout with higher alcoholic content will cost more.

This is because the government is moving progressively towards taxing liquors based on alcoholic content rather than by volume.

Currently, some liquors are taxed on the basis of alcoholic content while others are taxed by volume.

Second Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said the change was a rationalisation of duties and was not aimed at generating additional revenues.

He said this while presenting this year's Budget Statement on Thursday.

With the changes to the customs and excise duty rates for beer and stout next year, the duty for beer with alcoholic content of 5 per cent, for example, will drop from $3.50 to $3.20 per litre.

At the same time, the duty for the same volume of beer with alcoholic content of 8.8 per cent will go up from $3.50 to $5.60 a litre.