I was interviewed for a story on The Star Metro, published today on the rising cost of living for city dwellers. Below are my comments and excerpts from the article. What do you think?
Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua highlighted a three-cornered situation that many Malaysian urbanites were trapped in – stagnating income, increasing cost and weak infrastructure.
He observed that a fresh graduate today commanded nearly the same pay as a graduate more than 10 years ago, in their respective professions, and there had been no increase in productivity among Malaysian workers during the past 20 years.
“While our income has to a large extent stagnated, the cost of living has increased at a rapid pace, partly due to increasing cost and shifting necessities.
“Ten years ago, a handphone and a computer would not have been regarded as a necessity but it’s something any worker cannot do without today. Hence, the burdens of a typical Malaysian worker has increased,” he said.
The situation is further compounded by weak infrastructure, he said.
“The reality is that city dwellers have no choice but to use private vehicles for travel because public transportation is unreliable, unavailable in many highly dense districts and of poor quality,” he said, citing car ownership ratio in Klang Valley is 99:100 (2002), compared to 10:100 in Singapore (2004).
“Hence, Malaysian urbanites face greater financial stress than their comparable Singaporean counterparts because the proportion of disposable income is substantially lower,” he added.
9 comments:
Bring back competitive transportation system. Don't monopolise the transport services. What used to cost RM60 - RM180 per month until 1996 is now RM300 - RM450 per month. It's a big hole for the lower and middle income group. With that sum it is wise to own a vehicle instead of paying greedy politically connected bus operators. Setapak and Gombak once had efficient bus services via Len Seng, but politicians crippled it to a sorry state now.
traffic jam? i doubt these ministers, especially najib knows anything about it. I once saw with my own eyes where he has like 4 police escort to block the traffic so that it is always smooth sailing, even in bukit bintang.
9 to 5 jobs? most of them are born with a silver spoon in the mouth, probably with maid to bath them too.
RM1500 per month salary? I bet they can spend more than that in a day. What do they know about minimum wage and low pay?
What do you think of KJ pushing the GST? UMNO/BN may be a machinery but its a dumb box. The left don't know what the right is doing and hitting each other like the three stooges.
Its not enough that Najib made a huge miscalculation in postphoning the GST, now KJ is adding fuel to the fire by pushing for it thinking he is helping Najib when all it does is just keep the issue alive to be hit back at UMNO/BN when the election comes around..
Its a freaking insult that PR is not in Putrajaya already considering the idiocy of the entire coalition.
So, while on the one hand our employers complain about not having enough skilled workers or employable graduates, but on the other hand, they are only interested to pay peanuts. Seriously, if we pay peanuts, we will get monkeys.
However, even if the overall economic pie increases, I am not sure if our wages will go up. We have too many 'chinaman' companies who are more than happy to squeeze the employees!
Tony the KEN 1,2, Ameera, Five Stones, Jasmine tower on the SS 2 paris is just too congested and unbearable plus the SS2 mall opening in June 2010.
What can i as a citizen in PJ do about it ?
Lim
And so, what can we, the by the roadside Joes and Janes, do about it? Seriously, we know that the cost of living has hit the roof and there is really no point complaining about it. We need to do something about it. SO WHAT CAN WE DO?
I think boycotting expensive or has risen to the sky products or goods is not a permanent solution. As for minimum wage and all, unless and until the idiot we call government stop being greedy and heartless, I dont see it happening anytime soon. What else?
Opposition.. yes, we vote quite a number of you people in but alas, the number is not big enough to make the earth under the idiots feet shake! So, perhaps the next election, opposition gotta make it BIG? YES!?
But in the meantime, what? Stop bickering among yourselves will help. Stop apeing BN's circus act will help. Weed out all those "lalangs" species amongst yourselves will most definitely help. And perhaps, someone gotta go speak to that tyrant Lee Kwan Yew and pick him brain as to how he reform his party and people! Yes, everyone in PR has to shape up, toe the line and get down to serious business. It is not about my race or your race, my territory or your territory. IT IS ABOUT OUR! everything has to be OUR! So, can the opposition do just that while waiting for the next battle?
So, coming back to this rising cost of living.. perhaps the opposition should approach all these good for nothing employers association or go directly to these employers and EDUCATE them about being fair to their employees.
I think you know that employers are evil! Always giving all sorts of crapping stupid excuses about why they cannot to give increament or bonuses or pay more...not making money la, gotta conserve their profits and make jam la, yadda, yadda, yadda..when in fact, they make so much money, most of these directors can afford to change cars, keep mistresses, let their wife(wives) grow fat and fugly, children go private schooling right infront of your face!!! Ya, these directors got brains but brains without the mules to carry out their kuli batak work is pointless..vice versa la. So can Opposition educate these employers to have a bit of compassion and share ah??
Bunnies that is so true.
The bosses only feed their wife and girlfriends
The are so lame and unproductive but they blame the staffs for all his mistakes.
Everyday fax the email uneducated plus inefficient. The only damn thing is to see his greedy face.
lim,
yes ss2 rd 72 is congested.....especially near the Condos area.But chill out.....there is a new restaurant at the end of ss2/72 just opened few months ago and the food is good.They specialises in char siew that melts in your month and also the famous Taipu Hakka Noodles.At least we got something good (food) to look forward too at the area bsides the congestion.
lim, join the LA21 initiative in your area. Google for details.
Or attend the local council board meetings that i hear are open to the public. get the minutes. give your feedback. get your residents association involved.
check out the coalition for good governance's PIE campaign.
- siew eng
Post a Comment