Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Just rambling...


We are now into the second week of January 2013. It was like yesterday that we welcome the year 2013 and now we have passed the first week already. It looks like things are moving fast indeed. It is now again the election year. It was five years ago on March 8, 2008 that the general election in Malaysia saw a big change when  five state was won by the Pakatan Rayaat group and in Parliament the ruling party the BN for the first time in the country history did not get a two third majority.  The five years period would soon end and an election must be held some time before the end of April 2013. I believe there are going to be more changes in this coming election. I too think that it is time for change in the management of the country at the federal level. Fifty years is too long for a political party to stay on managing the country. Because of that long period of time they became complacence and take thing for granted. So a change or reform would surely be good for the country. At least for one term so that the political party could take some time to reform itself and face the people again in the coming election.

On the economic front food prices have been going up and up and to me the value of the Ringgit has gone down too. Today an RM50.00 is just like the RM10.00 five years ago so the people have to be careful in their spending too in order to make end meet. When I start a family in the early sixties a salary of just RM100.00 a month was good enough to rent a house, buy food, a bicycle and have a family. Today fifty years later it could not even rent a room in a house let alone to raise a family. In Kuala Lumpur every time you want to make payment for food or anything you buy you have to give a RM50.00 instead you once just use RM10.00. So the moment you part with that RM50.00 it is gone and you are poorer by that at that moment in time. You need to fill you tank with at least RM50.00 to be comfortable driving in and out of the city. To use the road you need to pay the toll and then the parking fee and it all cost money. Just an example I live near the city of Kuala Lumpur and my utilities bills total at RM800 a month. So just to manage the house I need that amount every month. Just add the food bills, the monthly payment for the car, the patrol and toll fee, occasional eating out, clothing, maintenance of the house, cost of going outstation for holiday from time to time. It would add up to be lots of money. I am a retiree and have a monthly pension, so is my spouse. Both our pension is just enough for us to live a comfortable life. This is because our housing loan has been paid in full and we do not have debt. So to those of you who are going to retire do see to it that you have enough money in your Pension Scheme to continue to live a comfortable life after retirement.

Have a nice day.

6 comments:

Aziela said...

A nice reminder, Pak Idrus. I do concern about my retirement age as well, if I live-up to that day, Insya Allah. Thank you.

Temuk said...

You are right, Pak Idrus. My wife and I have to manage our EPF money carefully since we are not on the pensionable scheme. Even families with revised salaries find it hard to live in the urban areas nowadayas, and here we are are, with our "old income", trying to lead a comfortable life....

Boleh hidup, tapi wang di tangan tak bertambah, sedangkan harga barangan dan perkhidmatan terus melonjak! Nak kena tukar gomen ke, Pak Idrus? Hehehe. Have a nice day!

Pak Idrus said...

Aziela, thanks for the visit and sharing your thoughts on the subject of this posting.

Retiring from working does not mean you do nothing. To stay healthy and continue to enjoy life one must not have problem with money. Since one need money for almost everything now and with all goods and service became more expensive one must not be in debt. Without debt one could use whatever money one have to continue to enjoy life.

I know of a friend who spend all his EPF money and now at 70 years old still have to work. Sad but true. So those on EPF please do not take all your money in one go but instead take it on a monthly basis. For money in hand could easily be spend in no time.

Have a nice day.

Pak Idrus said...

Temuk, thanks for the visit and sharing your thoughts on the subject of this posting.

All our kids are on their own now so I do not have to spend on them any more. When I retired my housing loan was totally paid. At the same time other than paying for my car loan I do not hutang. Always pay things in cash. I no longer have Credit Card but instead us Debit Card and that make me always spend within my means.

As for the change in government I think a change in a way is good for the country. Look at Selangor the change did brought better governance for the state. So in a way it is not only good for the country but it is good too for that political party too. They could reform and face the people again in the future.

Have a nice day.

Al-Manar said...

I admire and wish that our people would follow the footsteps of our other countrymen who, at old age, enjoy watching and overrseeing their young ones taking over the flourishing business they have painfully built over the years; and out there stand our young ones begging to be employed.

What a thought, Pak Idrus.

Pak Idrus said...

Al-Manar, thanks for the visit and I think you place this comment on the wrong subject. Any way I am replying it here.

Yes there is a cultural different between the Malay and the non Malay especially the Chinese. The Chinese would not want to work for people, prefer to be their own boss thus when they work they always try to gain more knowledge so that they could use it when they want to start a business on their own. I am glad the some Malay has start to emulate that. But still we have to do more to encourage our young to a mindset change from just been a wage earner to be the boss of business itself.

Maybe we have to sit down together and talk more about this. Have a nice day.