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Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Change your Lifestyle?

Posted by Mrs. TBSBIDAYUH

I’ve been reading Malaysia Today and other blogs regarding on the recent oil price hikes. So, basically various kinds of writings and responses from the bloggers and the people at large had been exposed to my simple mind. What I found interesting was that government keep on telling us to change our lifestyle, they even ‘help’ us by giving the civil servants their salary twice a month, which they said to ‘help them manage their expenses wisely’. Not only that, it had come to my understanding that these days RM 3,000.00 per month salary will not be enough to cover our increasing expenditures and costs. I’m very afraid someday; we really had to eat tapioca or potato as substitutes for rice – as if we are ruled by the Japanese.

Now, let me tell you my lifestyle and my spending for one month. For introduction, my husband and I live with my parents in kampong. As you all know, my husband just came back from Labuan last month, and just ended his job hunting last week after he was offered a job in a small IT company. Yet he had given up the job, due to another attractive offer. So basically, he had not yet received his salary and will only receive half month salary by the end of this month. My salary this month, after all the minuses will not reach RM 1,000.00. And to add up to the worries is that another new member of the family will be added next month after I give birth to our first baby.

Since we are living with my parents, we have not yet needed to pay for mortgages. However, we need to pay for petrol everyday. My husband is currently riding his father’s old Honda EX, which can make one laugh and cry at the same time when one see him sweating while starting the engine every morning. As for me, since I ‘carry’ another person with me, I will follow my niece with her second hand Kelisa. Basically, I will help her pay RM 15.00 every two days for the petrol. Before the oil price hikes, it’s RM 10.00 every two days. (These are just the average amount I had to pay, sometimes more, sometimes less)

As for food, once again I am thankful that we live in kampong. My parents had kebun lada and they plant cangkok manis and tapioca leaves. Since we live near the river, though heavily polluted, we can still find some fish to be our food. Once a while, my father will go to Serian to buy food we cannot rear or find by ourselves. Everyday, when my husband and I go to work, we will bring food from home as our lunch so we can save money on lunch. Sometimes, I do buy lunch from outside especially when I felt the great urge inside me. (Maybe coming from the baby, maybe from my own self)

I just purchased my first insurance policy this year, which cost me RM 120.00++ every month. My husband had two insurance policies which cost him around RM 100.00++. As for study loan with PTPTN, I just started to pay RM 100.00 per month for the month of March and April. Last month, I failed to pay the loan due to insufficient amount of money. The loan however is not decreasing yet increasing due to the administrative fees I had to pay back every month. Hopefully, the PTPTN promise to look into the administrative fees can find a way to decrease it. Imagine RM 45++ per month! It’s too much. My husband also had his own study loans and other debts which he need to cater.

Oh my God! Can we still live adequately or at least survive with this kind of situation. Yesterday, my father sold his black pepper for RM 200++. The money finished the same day, after he bought 100 pieces of brick stone to extend our house. The brick stone cost him RM1 per piece. After buying some dried food and groceries, nothing was left for some saving. Maybe he saved some, but I didn’t bother to ask. Besides, it’s his money.

Before this, I told my mother to stop planting paddy this year. However, after the announcement of the rising price of rice, we changed our minds. They will plant paddy again this year, so hopefully they will gain a lot of harvest so that we don’t need to buy rice. (Sigh)

Tell me, please. How can I change my lifestyle? I just hope for better job after this. Hopefully, both of us can pass our KPLI exam and can pursue to become a teacher. Well, despite our criticism against the Father and Son Government, we still need to get job as a civil servant because it’s more promising and secure.

PM’s last visit had promised another extra RM 1 billion for rural development purposes. I hope James Dawos will not forget to upgrade all the roads to Padawan, up until the last kampong should enjoy tarred road. Until today, I haven’t reached my husband’s kampong in Padawan due to the stony road and also because of my own conditions. I really hope the rural people can enjoy water and electricity as soon as possible. To James Dawos, Richard Riot, and all those BN leaders who were voted by the people in the rural area, please don’t forget them. They may be naive, or don’t have enough strength and sources to go against you, but you shouldn’t take them for granted. If you want us to change our lifestyles, please change yours too. Good leaders lead by example, mind you. I heard one MP go to clubbing one night and ended up drinking too much until he vomit and ‘berak’ at the same time. Please, YBs. Change if you love the people, change if you love the country. And for us fellow citizens, don’t be afraid to 'change'. Just change!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's sad to listen to your 'story'. Hopefully, you are doing fine and able to get on with your life. Just be patient okay..

Btw, there will be a workshop organised by a group of Dayak NGOs this Saturday, 21 June 2008 at Penview Inn, Kuching from 8am - 5pm.

The objectives of this workshop are:-
1. To discuss the effects of the recent fuel hike to the rural Dayaks;

2. To discuss how the rural Dayaks could benefit from the fuel subsidies announced by the Federal government;

3. To come up with practical recommendations to be submitted to both the Federal and State government on ways and mechanisms to ease the burden of the Dayak communities in rural areas caused by the rising oil prices.

This one-day workshop is open to any interested individuals especially Dayaks non-governmental organisations (NGOs), youths and community leaders who are interested to share their views and suggestions to lighten the burden of the people living in rural and remote areas caused by the rising oil prices.

For enquiries, contact Mr Spencer Birai (0138080433), Mr. Johnny Jalin (019-8769681) and Mr. Edwin 019-8349790).

Thank you & regards.

Manok_Labang

Anonymous said...

The situation is not that bad as mentioned by you. You still have time to write in your blog this means that you are better off than the majority of our friends which I estimate roughly about 80% who do not have any access to the internet. I was told your husband made a good income when he was working in Labuan. what did he do with the RM4000.00 monthly salary he was paid for by the China man? Did he finish his salary by enjoying himself or partying around? Did he not save his money for the rainy days? I was paid a salary of RM35 ringgit a day doing construction work in a housing estate after I finished by Diploma in Quantity surveying because the firm refused to give me a permanent job, yet I survived.
You don't have to eat tapioca, I am sure if you stay in the kampong your parents and your husband's parents would have planted padi. My mother used to plant padi at our "padak" somewhere near kampung Bumbok, in the afternoon she sells jungle produce and also vegetables near the traffic light at Jalan Stephen Yong to subsist our daily income. Every day she can bring home about RM50.00 and during weekends she can earn up to RM200.00 to RM300.00 ringgit selling 'sinda jagung' and also sweet corn apart from the vegetables that she cultivates.
I know life is tough and the government is paying cash rebates for those who own vehicle.
If you are earing RM1000.00 a month that is more than most of the villagers who may earn Rm4500.00 to RM500.00 who works as coolies and also as kitchen helpers at the coffee shops. Don't you think that your are more fortunate than them after having earned your degree?

Yes you need to change your life style. What is the point of living a life of 'orang kaya' and at the end of the day you don't have money . If I were you, I would have save part of the income that I earn by buying a premium or even invest in trust fund? Are you blaming the government for having given you the PTPTN loan for you to finish your university education?

Congratulation in advance for having a baby. Now TBS can be called a father.


Soma tirauh.

Anonymous said...

Yes, I agree with Mrs.TBSBidayuh. Salaries here working with private firm aren't like those in West Malaysia so those that have their own transport will feels the pinch. At times I wonder what those YBs are doing after we have voted for them? And yes, I saw with my own eyes they really went clubbing and cavorting with the GRO's there!I was really appalled! Is that the way for YBs to behave in public?YBs please lah polish up your act. We as the gullible rakyat don't need that kind of crap from you.Try putting in your money helping the poor rakyat rather than spent your moneys on wine, women and song!No wonder the rakyat cannot maju with YBs like that around!

The People's Power said...

I agree with Mrs TBS especially on
PTPTN which they never inform borrowers of the extra monthly admin fee. Don't you think they are Along as well.

Anyway, at least your family still have lands to do agriculture to support personal consumptions. Luckier than most town and city folks living in condos or flats in KL.

Anonymous said...

what does 'caj perkhidmatan' for ptptn?

what i can remember during my ipta days was every semester, we received the loan late, near midterm only get the loan

then we had to pay the hostel late. got extra charge by ipta for paying fees late

change ourlifestyle? change their lifestyle firstla...they can say whatever the want as they dont need to pay for electricity, water and even rental(for those who dont have house/palace in kl)

Anonymous said...

..Btw, there will be a workshop organised by a group of Dayak NGOs this Saturday, 21 June 2008 at Penview Inn, Kuching from 8am - 5pm.

ada betul ka ni??