Divorce - Due to economic reasons in Malaysia?

I read this article about divorce rate and can't help noticing one of the factor was financial issue.

Personally, I can't blame them. Like what is written in the article, today families need double income just to SURVIVE. We are not talking luxury here, just to survive.

If you just graduated, most likely your salary will be in the range of RM 2000 (unless you go work for Petronas or Accenture). Now, typically in Malaysia, you get married when you are about 26-30+. If you choose to get married earlier, great. I am assuming you have a salary of RM 5000 by now.

Fresh out of Uni, you have PTPTN to deal with. That would set you back a few hundred ringgit per month for the next 10 years or so. If you are married, now double that.

I think they have a new system in place, no idea. Let me know.

Next, you will need to get a car because of public transport suxs big time in Msia. But cars in Malaysia is not cheap either. In US, talking about dollar to dollar (no conversion), a brand new spanking Honda is about USD 15K. What can you get for RM 10-20K here? A piece of junk.

We have to sincerely thank Proton and Malaysia's brilliant automotive strategy for this. Say all you want about creating jobs and technology, I say compete in a level playing field instead of ruining the incomes of middle income Malaysian.

Now you are burden with car loan which is easily RM 500-1500 per month for the next 9 years. If you are married, now double that. Ohh yeah, don't forget the loan you took from your dad for the deposit.

Now you need a house. A rental can come about RM 500-1500 for a decent condo. If you plan to buy one it's about RM 200,000-500,000 in KL/PJ. Penang.. any guess?

A house? You're joking right? Prepare to fork out RM 500,000-1,000,000 at least in prime areas. So all in all, it would set you back around RM 1000-5000 per month for the next 30 years of your miserable life.


Of course you have life's little luxury like mobile phone, astro, condo maintenance, fuel, parking, food (yes we do need to eat), grocery, electricity, Internet (can you imagine without it?) and host of things. Lets break it down here:-

Items	Budget (RM)
Car	600
House	1000
Student Loan	200
Electricity	200
Water	100
Internet	199
Condo Maintenance	200
Mobile	200
Fuel	400
Parking	200
Touch n Go	200
Insurance (Car, personal, home & etc)	1000
Food	600
Car maintenance	200
Astro	90
Total	RM 5189

So our expense here has hit more than our income. So where is the savings then? How can one save and live in KL?

The above table doesn't even include spouses's expenses or even if you have child. That will sky rocket your expense. So naturally you will need double income. However (double income = double expense) as well. But there is a better chance savings with 2 incomes. 

Naturally the topic end of the month would be "We need to pay this, pay that, buy this, buy that, pay interest this, pay interest that!". Doesn't take a genius to figure out why couples breakup.

So dear PM. Stop telling us to change our lifestyle. There isn't any room to change the already pathetic lifestyle that we have! Officially your earning RM 25K. Great! I doubt you feel the pinch. What about the lower and middle income Malaysian? Our inflation is going up and thanks to our loans/debts, we have very little to take back home.

We Malaysian have 2 choice. Either try to reach a RM 20K salary per month or migrate. 

Minyak ... ohh Minyak...

Fuel is up by RM 0.78 which makes it RM 2.70 per litre. I am actually all for no subsidy for petrol, that way the government can save the billions of dollar and spend wisely on good and efficient public transportation.

Half empty or half full?: Azhan Sharom showing the difference of how much petrol one can buy with RM1 Wednesday and today at a petrol station in Kuala Terengganu. - Taken From The Star Online

Sadly this is Malaysia. Our planning is grand but our execution is certainly poor. I have some questions for the government of today on fuel:-

• Why there is no tax cut for hybrid cars?
• Why Proton is not working on alternative fuel engine cars? Do you know in Brazil, cars run on ethanol and its mass produced by Ford and Honda?
• Why Thailand can have proper public transport integration between their SkyTrain, underground Metros, Bus Rapid Transit and even the river boats? And we can't even connect our monorail with KL Sentral? What more of Masjid Jamek station?
• People are complaining about KTM Komuter for ages, why no immediate action and contingency plan?
• UK and Japan Prime Minister emphasis on alternative fuel development, we?

Change lifestyle to curb inflation

Petrol price up by 78 sen - and will be reviewed monthly

Pak Lah, you said we need to change our lifestyle. How lah? We are only drawing salary and every month we budget for our necessities? What more you want us to cut down? We don't live in mansions and we drive Protons. You want us to take the bus to work? Why not you start first? Heard of leadership by example?

Ministers might not realise since they live in huge mansions and fuel is practically free for them. They get chauffeured around Perdana (2.0 ni..) or X5s with Police outriders (Lagi bazir minyak ini...). You guys isi minyak pakai duit rakyat, I don't think you understand the situation of the rakyat out there. Economy is struggling, and what more can we want cut down? Anymore, we might as well we stop breathing.

Rent Seekers

What is a rent seeker in Malaysia's context. Read this. The past week I had my first experience with such a company. Sadly it was a Bumi company. Typical? You tell me.

I don't usually blog about work, but I have to this time.

I was awarded a project. I was forced to work with a rent seeking company who is buddy buddy with the client. Honestly, I am OK with all this cronyism as long you are able to deliver with spectacular result. I am perfectionist, so they say in the office. I expect quality in work. Of course I am paying for the service, don't I deserve the best in return?

Well, back to the story. I sent an email to confirm on certain task to be taken up. After 2 emails, no reply. As a prime contractor, I have to beg to a subcontractor company to get task done. Who is paying who here? After I threaten to give the project to another party if he doesn't comply, guess what? He actually sent a nasty email to me and blasting me! AH!? Got ah such thing? Only in Malaysia, man. The rent seeking mentality.

A Malay engineer who is a friend of mine, commented that these days those who do not deserve to get projects are getting it, simply because they know people. Even the deserving Malays are feeling marganlized with such corruptions.

In the email, along the lines, he claims he is the expert and deserves to be in the project. In the first place, I never wanted to work with them because in my past experience they sux! Documents are standard of a 5 year old. Slow and incompetent, hardly attends meeting or bother to reply emails. But I was forced to work with them. Understand the term Rent Seekers now?

Being in anger management therapy now, I just decided to ignore the dumb email from a very dumb person. Only in Malaysia, the rent seekers can thrive. How can MSC or Malaysia progress to the standards of international quality. If this co. were to go overseas, the Mat Salleh would have spit at his face and throw him out if they ever saw the type of documents produced.

All in all, I just kept quiet knowing, in 5 -10 years time, my company will go global due to the emphasis I make on quality and merit. This company, it will be where it was yesterday. How far can you go by being a crony rent seeker?

Insult on Islam and Country

Update on 15th August 2007

• Student rapper apologises
  

So, he apologises. Why no video? Was it sincere or due to pressure from Big G? You rapped in video and I want to see the apology in video!!

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• Negarakuku - Translation of its lyrics in Malay
• University student comes under fire for video clip
• MCA seeking to calm uproar over music video

This is related to the "Negarakuku" rap video version of our national anthem sang by a loser in Taiwan. I didn't watch it, but after reading the lyrics I feel insulted that he sarcastically rapped about azan subuh. I got an advise for you, don't like the morning call, go and live Taiwan forever.

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"However, Ong stressed on Saturday that the party would not tell the family if Wee had been right or wrong to make the video." - The Star

- I am more appalled that MCA is going to calm the matter and not ticking the father off. What nonsense? Tan Sri, why no police report on this?

"In Muar, DAP Youth chief Nga Kor Ming has invited Wee to join the party, saying that it did not find his "rapping" of the national anthem an insult.He said Wee was “very creative”, adding that the party could use his talent." - The Star

- Its not DAP needs him, its DAP need less people like you. What a dumb ass? You plan to rap thru the GE?

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Our country Malaysia is multi-racial and multi-religion. All of us have to be tolerant and respect each other's religion and customs. I read another blog, a Chinese blogger who was annoyed that Muslims double park outside mosques on Fridays. Come one, go to Jalan Gasing on Saturdays, they double park in front of the church. But don't we all tolerate it?

I am one with the Government on this, extradite this moron back here and give him a lifetime imprisonment. Make sure his cell mate is a big burly gay guy who doesn't shower.

Royal Fight

The blog world now is buzzing with Raja Petra Kamarudin aka RPK's 8 hour interrogation in Dang Wangi and his strong defiance over it. Kisah Malaysia semakin menarik... If you are right, you don't have to be scared, right?

What is more interesting is I found RPK who is royal blood fighting for Malaysia, which is truly uncommon among royals. So far I personally met one Tengku who is also fighting very hard for human rights in Malaysia. Although they are considered 'minor royals', but nevertheless still royal blood. Kudos.

Minor note:-

My office colleague threw me a belated birthday party in KFC today. Thank you very much guys. Tapi, I think I am getting too old for parties. Just give me a BMW would be fine.