Latest news with #Saravanan
The Star
3 days ago
- Health
- The Star
Basic health insurance scheme still in the works
PETALING JAYA: The government's proposed basic health insurance scheme, aimed at cushioning Malaysians from rising medical costs, is still in the early stages of development. It is understood that the scheme will be operated by private insurance companies and primarily target the M40 and T20 income groups that rely on private healthcare. Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan recently said the government is exploring the possibility of introducing a basic medical insurance plan to ease the public's financial burden in the face of escalating healthcare expenses. Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations secretary-general Dr Saravanan Thambirajah described the proposal as a progressive step, provided that it is designed to improve access and affordability for all Malaysians. 'To genuinely serve the people, this scheme must not become just another commercial product that enriches private insurers or healthcare providers at the expense of consumers,' he said. Saravanan stressed that the insurance plan must be treated as a public good, designed, managed, and enforced by the government with a strong emphasis on equity, transparency and affordability. He also criticised the current state of private healthcare and insurance in Malaysia, saying both sectors operate with minimal oversight. 'Medical inflation continues to rise sharply because private hospitals are free to set their own fees with little scrutiny. 'Meanwhile, private insurance premiums increase disproportionately with age, often pricing out the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions,' he said. To address this, Saravanan urged the Health Ministry to establish an independent and powerful regulatory body to oversee the private healthcare sector. Such an agency, he said, must have the authority to set service price ceilings, standardise treatment costs, ensure fair billing, and mandate hospitals to publish their fees and provide clear cost estimates upfront. Health economist Prof Dr Maznah Dahlui of Universiti Malaya said if the scheme is designed as a social or national health insurance programme, it could play a crucial role in sustaining the country's healthcare system amid rising disease burdens and costs. 'But if it turns out to be just another form of private health insurance, we risk going down the path of the United States,' she said. Dr Maznah called on the government to come up with a national health fund to ensure universal basic coverage, with the option for those who can afford it to top up with private insurance or out-of-pocket payments. As for the B40 group, she said they can be subsidised by the government, if their medical expenses exceed the scheme's coverage limit. Dr Maznah also expressed concern over the decision to allow Employees Provident Fund savings to be used for private health insurance premiums instead of for social health insurance. She said private insurance should only be paid for out-of-pocket or funded by employers. Prof Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh, a health economics and public health specialist from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, said the government's idea is well intentioned but needs careful structuring. 'The issue is which bracket will be paying premiums, from which fund, and which income bracket will be subsidised through public fund?' she said. Dr Sharifa stressed that the basic medical insurance should cover essential services, basic procedures, and access to secondary and tertiary care, with some co-payments. She said if premiums are set too low, it could jeopardise the quality of care, with the low-income group affected the most.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Director Durai Senthilkumar's film featuring Legend Saravanan to hit screens for Deepavali
Well known businessman-turned-actor Saravanan on Thursday disclosed that his next film, a suspense thriller that is being directed by director R S Durai Senthilkumar, would hit screens for Deepavali this year. Saravanan, who has taken the screen name Legend Saravanan, disclosed this information while talking to reporters at a wedding he had had come to attend. Legend Saravanan, who was seen at his relative's wedding, said: "The shooting for my next film is going on in full swing. The film has has reached its final stage. Shooting and post-production work will be completed soon. We are planning to release the film in theaters all over the world for Deepavali." The actor further said that the film would be a mass action, suspense thriller, in line with today's trend. The title of the film and the film itself will appeal to everyone in a new genre, he added. Ravi Teja's 'Ravanasura' gets release date Produced by The Legend New Saravana Stores Productions, the yet-to-be-titled film is a grand-budget venture directed by R S Durai Senthilkumar, best known for his blockbusters like 'Kakki Sattai,' 'Kodi,' and the recent success 'Garudan.' This movie will feature a captivating storyline designed to engage audiences across various sections. Bollywood star Payal Rajput plays the female lead in this film, which will also feature actors Shaam, Andrea Jeremiah, Baahubali Prabhakar, Santhosh Prathap, and Baby Iyal in pivotal roles. Music for the film has been composed by Gibran, with cinematography by S. Venkatesh and editing by Pradeep. Art direction for the film has been done by Durairaj, while Ambikapathi is the film's executive producer. Costume design is by Deepthi and Suresh is in charge of stills. Poster design for the film has been done by Dinesh, and action sequences have been choreographed by Matthew Mahesh.
Hans India
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hans India
Director Durai Senthilkumar's film featuring Legend Saravanan to hit screens for Deepavali
Chennai: Well known businessman-turned-actor Saravanan on Thursday disclosed that his next film, a suspense thriller that is being directed by director R S Durai Senthilkumar, would hit screens for Deepavali this year. Saravanan, who has taken the screen name Legend Saravanan, disclosed this information while talking to reporters at a wedding he had had come to attend. Legend Saravanan, who was seen at his relative's wedding, said: "The shooting for my next film is going on in full swing. The film has has reached its final stage. Shooting and post-production work will be completed soon. We are planning to release the film in theaters all over the world for Deepavali." The actor further said that the film would be a mass action, suspense thriller, in line with today's trend. The title of the film and the film itself will appeal to everyone in a new genre, he added. Produced by The Legend New Saravana Stores Productions, the yet-to-be-titled film is a grand-budget venture directed by R S Durai Senthilkumar, best known for his blockbusters like 'Kakki Sattai,' 'Kodi,' and the recent success 'Garudan.' This movie will feature a captivating storyline designed to engage audiences across various sections. Bollywood star Payal Rajput plays the female lead in this film, which will also feature actors Shaam, Andrea Jeremiah, Baahubali Prabhakar, Santhosh Prathap, and Baby Iyal in pivotal roles. Music for the film has been composed by Gibran, with cinematography by S. Venkatesh and editing by Pradeep. Art direction for the film has been done by Durairaj, while Ambikapathi is the film's executive producer. Costume design is by Deepthi and Suresh is in charge of stills. Poster design for the film has been done by Dinesh, and action sequences have been choreographed by Matthew Mahesh.
The Star
5 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Fomca: Financial access at risk
PETALING JAYA: Ahead of the implementation of service tax on financial services on July 1, groups have voiced concerns, saying that this is likely to drive up costs for businesses and the regular people. Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca) vice-president Datuk Indrani Thuraisingham said ordinary Malaysians would be the most impacted by the 8% service tax on fee-based financial services. Indrani said the small charges may seem as a trivial amount but it is a huge sum when multiplied by the millions of transactions. 'When Malaysian banks are riding on massive profits and control trillions in assets, why should struggling consumers be asked to chip in more. 'This is taxing basic financial access, not luxury,' said Indrani. Indrani called on Bank Negara Malaysia and the Finance Ministry to immediately review this new ruling. 'The principle of consumer fairness must be upheld,' said Indrani, adding that banks should absorb part of this tax, especially on low value and high-volume services. Indrani also said consumer groups should be given the space to scrutinise every fee schedule so that banks should be held accountable and thereby prevent opportunistic fee hikes disguised as tax adjustments. CLICK TO ENLARGE 'If this goes ahead unchecked, the government can expect deeper financial exclusion, rising household debt and widening inequality,' she said. Fomca secretary-general Saravanan Thambirajah said the announcement by Putrajaya raises concerns for everyday consumers on how this would affect their financial service experience. 'In real terms, this tax means that consumers will see higher charges for many common services offered by banks. 'Even services used by small businesses and self-employed individuals such as overdraft facilities, bank guarantees and remittance services are likely to be affected,' said Saravanan. Saravanan also said there is a concern that this move would set a precedent for banks to gradually increase fees under the guise of tax compliance. 'Once consumers grow accustomed to higher charges, more subtle fee revisions should be introduced over time,' said Saravanan. SME Association of Malaysia national president Chin Chee Seong said as the 8% service tax rate predominantly affects commission-based financial services, SMEs are likely to see an increase in cost of doing business. Chin said businesses are already bracing for the SST on commercial rental and leasing services, barring which rental costs have already increased by 20%-30% from a year ago. 'On top of that, they will also be dealing with the mandatory 2% Employees Provident Fund contribution for foreign workers and the restructuring of electricity tariff. 'The cost of doing business is getting higher and higher. It will definitely affect our cashflow. It doesn't look good for the industry and the economy,' Chin said. 'If all of these are coming together, how are we going to plan our next few months especially as we have passed the mid-term. It is going to be tougher for us to do business,' Chin added. Chin said there has to be more clarity on certain aspects of the tax system for instance on the RM500,000 threshold on taxable financial services. 'Items such as luxurious items, (imported) fruits, I think that is clear cut and they can go ahead. But when it comes to financial services such as leasing and rental, I think that should be deferred first,' he said. 'The government should understand that we are not against their policies but these policies must be more considerate of the difficulties of doing business. The cost of doing business is high while consumer spending is low,' Chin said.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Don't hesitate to submit grievances: Trichy collector
Trichy/Madurai: V Saravanan, who assumed charge as the 146th district collector of Trichy on Wednesday, said he would remain accessible to the public, and people should not hesitate to submit grievances to the district administration for solutions. "We are here to listen to public needs, people can approach revenue department officials. Solutions will be considered, and positive actions shall be taken for long-standing grievances. Patta needs of the public will be prioritized," said Saravanan, the former commissioner of Trichy corporation, at a press conference at the district collectorate. Saravanan is the first IAS officer to have been elevated from corporation commissioner to collector ever since Trichy became a municipal corporation in 1994. He had assumed office as commissioner in Feb 2024. He said the district administration would supervise and ensure the commissioning of ongoing infrastructure projects such as Olympic academy in Thiruverumbur, Kamarajar grand library in TVS tollgate, Srirangam Cauvery bridge, and Periyar integrated vegetable market in Panjapur. Reacting to a question, he said the operations and maintenance of the Panjapur integrated bus terminus (IBT) will be handed over to a private contractor in the next few days. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo "Out of the 25 major drinking water projects including nine new schemes sanctioned for the district, 23 have been completed, two more pending works will be expedited. Around 107km-long roads in the city damaged for underground drainage projects have been identified for redevelopment, and roads in other municipalities across the district will also be relaid before the monsoon," the collector added. In Madurai, K J Praveen Kumar, a former corporation commissioner, took charge as district collector on Wednesday. Hailing from Bellari district in Karnataka, he is a 2017 batch IAS officer. He has served as assistant collector (training) in Madurai district, sub-collector in Virudhachalam in Cuddalore district, additional collector (development) in Ramanathapuram district, and regional deputy commissioner (Central) of Greater Chennai Corporation. N O Sukhaputra, a 2017 batch IAS officer who was serving as Tirunelveli corporation commissioner, has been posted as Virudhunagar district collector.
