GROUPS FEEL MATERNITY TAX EXWEMPTION WILL ENHANCE HEALTH

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 30 (Bernama)-- Homeopathy practitioners, Wanita Jamaah Islah Malaysia and the Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) said the tax exemption on medical benefits provided by employers that was Friday extended to include maternity and traditional medicine expenses would enhance the level of health in the country.

Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi when tabling the 2009
Budget announced tax exemption extension for maternity and traditional medicine
expenses.

Malaysian Homeopathic Medical Practitioner Association-MRHP president Prof
Dr Nik Omar Nik Daud said the tax exemption for traditional medicine like
acupuncture and ayurvedic medicine will give confidence to practitioners to
enhance their services.

"The tax exemption is a good development for those who need long term
treatment like for stroke," he said when contacted by Bernama here
Friday.

Deputy head of Wanita Jamaah Islah Malaysia, Che Asmah Ibrahim, said the
exemption was a good step towards giving workers, especially women, access to
better health care.

"Employers will willingly pay expenses for pregnant women who need several
routine examinations," she said.

However, MTUC president Syed Shahir Syed Mahmud felt the government should
also give incentives and not only tax exemption to employers who pay high
salaries and allowances to their workers

"MTUC wants the giving of something more fundamental as the majority of
workers in the country are in the private sector," he said.

--BERNAMA