Wednesday, June 18, 2008

In the same shoes!

After reading my blog on fuelling change and the single mother, a friend asks me what about those in the salary brackets fromRM3000 and below? What about those retirees and those considered as the ' living deads' whose lives have changed forever with the fuel increase? To convince me he lists below the monthly expenses incurred via e-mail to quote:

Can A Family Man With Salary RM3,000 Survive In Malaysia ....!


Can a family man with Salary RM3,000 survive in Malaysia

Let's do some simple calculations here.


In Malaysia , the average family income is RM3,000/month
(where father works, mother doesn't).


I understand there are many families whose
monthly income does not reach RM3,000
but, to make things simple,
let's take RM3,000 as the figure. Ok lah, right?


Okay, let's start rolling with a family which has
Papa, Mama, 1 daughter and 1 son. Ngam-ngam ...


Calculation starts...


Electricity and water bill:
RM100
(No air-con, No home theatre, No water heater ... ok?)


Phone bill ( Telekom):
RM100

Meals for a happy family:
RM775
(3 meals on RM25/day, RM25 for 4 persons...?)


Papa makan / teh-tarik during working hrs:
RM155
(RM5/day, RM5 ... can eat what?)


Car repayment:
RM400
(A proton saga aeroback, 7 yrs repayment)


Petrol (living in city, traffic-jam):
RM300
(go to work, bring son to school,
only can afford one car running)


Insurance:
RM650
(kids, wife and myself)


House repayment:
RM750
(low cost housing repayment for 30 yrs,
retired still have to work to pay!)


Tuition:
RM80
(got that cheap meh? i don't think so)


Older children pocket money @ school:
RM20
(RM1/day, eat bread?)


School fees:
RM30
(enough ah?)


School books and etc:
RM100
(always got extra to pay in school)


Younger children milk powder:
RM50
(cannot have the DHA, BHA, PHA one, expensive)


Miscellaneous:
RM100
(shampoo, rice, sauce, toilet paper)


Oh wait!!! I have to stop here, so...
No Astro,
no movie @ cinema,
no DVD,
no CD,
no online,
cannot KFC,
cannot McDonald,
cannot go Park walk during weekend (petrol expensive),
no chit chat on phone with grandparents, and etc...


Let's use a calculator to total up... WALAO EH! Shit!
RM3,610 already....

EPF belum potong, income tax lagi........oledi RM3,610 ....


How to survive lah tuan-tuan dan puan-puan sekalian ???


Our Deputy Prime Minister asked us to change lifestyle?


How to change? Don't eat? Don't work? Don't send children to school and study?HOW about himself??O ya, he is different...


Besides that, I believe in Malaysia population, there are millions of rakyat Malaysia which still don't earn RM3,000/month!!!


Unquote.

Fuelling change!

Since the fuel price increase by 78 cents to RM2.70, many lives have been affected in Malaysia.I was rather moved by a single mother who had this to say and to quote:

I have read so many times about the price increases but so far I feel that nobody actually knows or cares about how much we, the general just below-average and under-average income earners live!

In your papers you had an article on how people manage their income but most of them earned RM3000 on average!

What about me? And those in my shoes??

I am a single parent! I am not a charity case (though it looks like I'm being pushed into that), I have one kid 3 yrs going on 4. My ex-husband doesn't support me with anything! I work in a factory as an assistant officer. My net income is RM1300 per month!

To get to work 7 km away and to send my kid to the babysitter, i have to drive because the public transport only decides to turn up when they feel like it!!!!!!!!! Moreover, to get from my house to my job of only 7 km away, i have to travel on 2 buses that will take me 20 km in all different directions before getting me to work. (What great public transportation we have here!) Just for your information, I live in Seremban; not too far off in the rural area but just about 1 hour's drive to KL. But, we have very crappy public transport services. And I imagine most towns have this same crappy service too!

The 13 year old Wira I drive actually belongs to my brother-in-law. God Bless him, he let me use this car when he bought a new one late last year (an Iswara) so that I can get to work on time.

I live in a rented house of which I pay RM280 a month and my babysitter costs me RM270 a month. My utility bills come up to RM100 and my phone bill around RM80. I had to cancel my credit card which I had from my single and carefree days and now I'm paying for it monthly until the year 2010! RM160 every month! Then, I put money aside for my kid's milk, diapers, food, gas, rice, (all these used to be around RM250 a month) and of course, petrol! I used to spend RM120 for petrol a month. And that would leave me RM40 a month for doctor's fees, and maybe getting a new pair of slippers for my kid or whatever is needed for her. (How I've change my lifestyle! I have not had a hair cut in 2 years! Let me just say I've made changes to my lifestyle, drastic changes from 2 years ago when my ex-husband left!) However, still, I used to get by.

But then came the petrol price increase!

Chicken price has gone up (I'm not even going to talk about the rice price!), eggs, milk, vegetables, fish, all up! Even if I sell this old car I still will not be able to cover my expenses for food! How much and how long do you think that RM625 cash will help me?? I'm so sick and tired of hearing them say change your lifestyle! There is nothing more for me to change!

Unless I skip some meals, maybe my breakfast and my lunch?? But then, what if I get sick? Who will care for my daughter? How do I pay for the doctor? And if I don't go to work (because I'm sick), maybe I may not even have work anymore?? Then who will pay all the expenses? Where will I live? Can the Government give me a house?

Now, when I'm struggling with my income, what about my other friends in this factory whose salaries are RM550 a month. Then, there are 2 women here who are widows with school-going kids! Who have worked as operators for 5 - 8 years here and their salary NET only reaches RM650 a month! Lucky for them, they have their own houses and do not pay rent! Lucky for them too, they either walk or cycle to work. But don't think the price of petrol has not affected them! Because they still have to buy food and clothes and pay for their kids' school bus fares as all have increased! But their income remains the same! So tell me, how can they get the RM625 subsidy??? What is the government going to do for them??

All I hear on the government focused news are how they are trying to find ways to help the civil servants. I'm not saying they do not need help, but, WHAT ABOUT US??? Is anyone doing anything for us or would you all prefer we just die off quietly?? Our income will not be increased, and you can bet because of everything, the company will not increase the salaries for next year as well because they need to cut costs or close shop! Then what will we do??

Do you know that you can get welfare help if your family's income is RM350 and below only? This was what my friends were told and because they have work, they are not entitled to welfare help!

So, can someone explain to US, THE REAL PEOPLE, WHAT THE HELL IS THERE FOR US TO CHANGE??? AND DO NOT TELL US TO GET ANOTHER JOB BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE THE TIME!!!

I really do want a reply from someone who can really give me good, clear answers. Not some "merry-go-round the bush" answer!

Thank you,
A desperate mother!

Unquote.