05 April 2011

The story of hujan batu and hujan emas

I was at first quite reluctant to publish this rather peculiar 'letter'. The letter that was circulated through e-mails and probably spread widely in all underworld domain as chain letters way back in 2009 could get me or anyone who read and circulate it into trouble. Firstly, this may look as very un-patriotic and secondly thousand of nasi-lemak-eating nation after reading this shocking revelation will most probably jump the gun and start the mass migration to the promise lands. The worst thing is, I could be labeled as a person or one of the persons who are forever complaining and whining like an ungrateful clown. Nobody like a whiner, even a clown.

However, as I had some limited experience living in the UK for 4 years and now staying in our beloved Bolehland probably until the end of my day, I found the truth is agonizingly hard to digest. That was because I had just finished a plate of nasi lemak without the normal teh tarik to flush everything down into my gut. After contemplating the fact that this is very relevant to the daily life of every breathing soul in Bolehland and looking at the standard of living we are facing now, so my blogger friends and just to be fair to the original author I enclosed below the above-mentioned letter as original as it is without any editing whatsoever so that I don't distort anybody's mind.




p/s: Read only if you have ample time or when you are not watching any telenovellas. With all the seriousness, this piece of information needs you to think, reflect and re-think and probably realize at the end of the day nothing can be done. I however do not take any responsibility if after reading this very important information, you start to pack everything and buy a ticket to London.

-------------------------------------


Life as a Malaysian

The cost of living in each country (especially UK and Europe) based on what you earn in the respective country and whether the standards are higher than in Malaysia.

I tried to point out that many Malaysians always convert and that is why they say the UK is expensive. In fact, the cost of living is much cheaper than in Malaysia.

In actual fact, Malaysians are being conned because for such a rich and resource rich country, the pay in Malaysia is way too low compared to the cost of living and inflation.

One good example is Singapore.

Singaporean’s (average) earns around S$3000 to S$4000 and nearly everything is half the price of Malaysia. E.g. Clothes, computer parts, electronics etc.

But the average Malaysian still earns RM2000 plus and goods are double the price of Singapore. This is the same as the UK. If you earn around 2000 pounds, you can liken this to the person earning RM$2000 in Malaysia. I give you some examples below. Maybe you can understand.

1) Good terrace house

It is more or less the same. If you want a house in KL, it would most probably be in Puchong and not Damansara Heights. So your house would be RM200,000. In UK, you can get a decent new house in Zone 6 (still within the tube) for 200,000 pounds.

If non London, you can get a nice house also for less than 200,000 pounds outside London. The same also applies to buying a house in Seremban, Kajang etc. You can buy a nice house for RM200,000 below.

So buying a house is the same for the local and the Malaysian. Renting a place is the same too or maybe cheaper than in Malaysia (I am Not sure of this). A 2-bedroom flat in London is about 750 pounds (Zone 2). 500 pounds outside Zone 6 but still able to commute to London. A 2-bedroom house in Nottingham is 450 to 500 pounds. A 3-bedroom house in Belfast is about 300 pounds.

2) A car

A good Wira is RM55,000. Most Malaysians have to take 7-year loans and be in debt all the time. If you are earning RM2000 a month, you take nearly 3 years saving the RM2000 with not eating at all just to buy a Wira.

In UK, the average local earns about 2000 pounds. He saves 3 months, he can buy outright a good Ford Fiesta or a Vauxhall Corsa without being in debt. If buying a second hand car, even better. A 1990 Mercedes 190E cost 500 pounds. My 1996 Mercedes E220 cost 2000 pounds. My friend just gave me his 1989 Honda Accord (Auto) for free because he said he could only get 30 pounds for it.

I used it for a few months and decided to give it of for free too. That alone speaks for itself. Even if you are kuli or an office boy, you still can drive a Mercedes or a BM. Yes, kuli’s and office boy’s get paid quite well.

Average temp/office boy in London can earn about 7 to 10 pounds and hour. Overtime is 1.5 times or double. A brick-layer can earn 20 pounds an hour.The same Indon who lays bricks in Malaysia earns RM$50 for the whole day.

Before I became a doctor, I used to be an office boy and I earned near 300 pounds a week working about 70 hours a week. My makan was 30 pounds a week. My rent was 70 pounds a week for a room but I still drove a BMW back then. I bought the 10-year old BMW 3 Series car for 200 pounds. Amazing how an office boy can drive a safe and luxurious car.

3) Petrol.

For a UK person earning 2000 pounds, 89.7 pence a litre/gallon is cheaper than RM1.92 paid in Malaysia. If you don’t convert, it is like paying 90 sen a litre in Malaysia

4) Shopping

20 pounds (which is 1% of 2000 pounds) can buy you 1 week’s worth of groceries in Tesco. RM$100 (which is 10% of RM$2000) can also buy you 1 week’s worth of groceries in Tesco, Giant or Carrefour.

5) Utility Bills

(This is what I pay in UK)

1. Virtually non-stop heating the whole day only 20 pounds a month. Only 1% of the 2000 pounds earned)

2. Electricity, I use my electricity maximum only 20 pounds a month.(Only 1% of the 2000 pounds earned)

3. My water bill also comes to about 20 pounds a month (Only 1% of the 2000 pounds earned)

4. My Internet ? I get 2Mbps for about 25 pounds (Bulldog DSL) (Also slightly above 1% of the 2000 pounds earned)

5. Astro Equivalent (NTL cable or Sky) ? 30 pounds per month (Also slightly above 1% of the 2000 pounds earned)

In Malaysia, this is what I used to pay

1. Tenaga Bill comes to RM$200 to RM300 a month with 3 air-cons. This

is more than 10% of the RM$2000 earned)

2. Water (Puas) comes to RM$40 (This is about 2% of the RM$2000 earned)

3. Astro RM$100 (if you take Chinese package) (This is about 5% of the RM$2000 you earn)

4. Internet Streamyx 512K RM 88 per month (This is about 5% of RM2000 you earn)

6) Books

A good book is about 10 to 15 pounds in the UK. This is less than 1% of The 2000 pounds you earn. In Malaysia, you have to spend RM$75 to RM$100 for a decent book in MPH or Kinokuniya in KLCC. This is about 5% of the RM2000 ringgit you earn.

7) Education

I think it is about RM$20,000 per year to do a degree in Sunway Monash and about RM$12,000 per year to send your kid to UM, UKM, USM etc. I am not sure about this.

But in UK, it is only 3000 pounds a year to send your kid to a great university. That also, the white man still makes a lot of noise because The grants were taken away. Previously, it was virtually free for the English man to send his kid to university but now, since the grant was taken away, he has to spend 3000 pounds per year to send his kid to university and less money to get drunk in the pub.

Well, if you are earning RM$2000 ringgit, sending your kid to UM to study is quite difficult. If you are earning 2000 pounds per month, you can easily send you kid to university in the UK.

8) Luxuries

Panasonic Plasma TV in Malaysia about RM20,000. If you are earning RM$2000 a month, memang mahal! You have to save 2 years your monthly salary to buy it. In UK, the same Panasonic ironically, Panasonic plasma is made in Japan and Japan is close to Malaysia, so the plasma should be cheaper in Malaysia) is only 2000 pounds. And this is only 10% of the 2000 pounds earned.

9) Health

NHS is free. Though the service is slow, quality is still there. You still can get a top quality by-pass for free although you may have to wait many months. In Malaysia, IJN charges RM$30,000. SJMC charges RM$50,000. GH is free but as many people know, GH and UH have clown doctors.

10) Assessments to local councils

I may pay high council tax but at least my council assures my streets are clean and safe, got no holes (pot holes) on my roads, and they jump and attend to me whenever I call them. When I stayed in Malaysia, I paid my assessment and quite rent but MPSJ (I lived in Subang) told me to “podah” whenever I asked them to come and fill up the pot holes, cut the long lalang, put street lighting etc.

The councils, especially MPPJ and MPSJ, were more interested in eating Nasi lemak and going for 10 teh tariks in a day during office hours and hardly did anything for their residents.

11) Income Tax

My national insurance and income tax also is not wasted. When I was unemployed in 1997, the government via social security paid for my 2-bedroom flat for one whole year and I was given about 100 pounds per week for me and my wife to live on. I am happy to know that one day if I lose my job, I can still claim social security and get my apartment paid and food to eat again for free. It is a good security to know.

All, the list goes on. Here alone you can see, the sterling they earn goes a long way in the UK. So their quality of life is far better in the UK than a Malaysian in Malaysia. It is just that Malaysians are just too content with what they have. But you compare apple for apple. The British just love to complain. They have it made but still they love To complain. Nothing is good enough for the British. The government gives the citizens so much but they still seem to want more and more.

Written by,

Dr Zain Azrai

(update : Somebody pointed out some of the sentences has been 'doctored' from the original script (which later I figured out the reason). Amended)

------------------------------------------------




What say yu mi fren?

38 comments:

Afida Anuar said...

Salam Dr sam..

We are in boleh land are so 'rich' la Dr Sam...capable of paying almost everything though we are actually living in debt!

ohh,seriously this letter makes me wanna stay in UK...soon!! insyaAllah...he he (berangan!!)

Sitie BUm BUm said...

wow!! it makes much different!!

Wan Sharif said...

An eye opener..no less!. I guess in bolehlah.. most of money goes to pay for top bosses.. just like the pay for our PUAS top boss...
With so many top bosses around..
and the not top bosses who emulate top bosses in their living style and thus need to get some..
So in the end.. normal marhaen will be.. the one who have to support the system :(((

Anonymous said...

Sungguh! Kita terlompat-lompat teruja bila baca catatan teman-teman bloggers yang tinggal di luar negara terutama di UK tu. Groceries murah sangat. Sempat pesan kat kawan yang tinggal di UK selama 4 tahun supaya beli segalanya sebelum pulang ke Malaysia. Sekarang dia amat menyesal kerana tak beli groceries sekali.

- Tie -

mirachantek said...

ppl with surface view abt things, and not having any actual experience can only talk, or more likely, repeat what others told em.

typical.
i love Malaysia.

mirachantek said...

"doctors who wear tudung and use a pen to touch the patient because scared dosa."

Mirachantek likes this.

Anonymous said...

Aslmkm Dr Sam.
How could I disagree!
My stay in London was quite brief .. still that is a good enough time to note the vast difference.
But I stayed in 3 major US cities for about 8 years ... Ya Rabbi, for quite a long while I despise those who misled our people!
Our nation is very much richer now but sadly enough, d people continue to allow themselves to be misled. What a great pity it is!
I tell U, my wishful thinking is 2c fellow Msians finally realise how we have been short-changed.

pB said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
pB said...

Sepupu pB tinggal dan bekerja di sana sekarang nie

siap beli hartanah kat sana

Kay said...

@Afida Anuar... jom kita ke UK!

kucingorengemok said...

i can only agree... but having said that, takde lah sampai nak pindah ke tempat orang, whine diam² dalam hati je lah, hehe

Faisal Admar said...

doc,

this is true.

i have shared this post in twitter and facebook. let malaysian realize the reality that hidden beneath.

most people don't care about this, because they claim that they are busy (oh yeah, busier than PM).

thanks for sharing this info doc.

oh malaysia!

blackcardomompods said...

Doc,

Benar dan bertepatan hujah doc tuh.bukan lupa diri tetapi dgn tahap kita sekrg rasanya sukar utk menandingi kemajuannya

Saya juga punyai  4 tahun mncoret pengalaman di sana.sememangnya pengalaman itu byk membuka minda cuma bila dibawa pulang pengalaman itu dan cuba dikongsi baru saya sedari tidak semua orang memiliki pandangan yg sama.tetapi apa yg doc tulis seakan2 hujah yg sama ingin saya titipkan.

Doc,beberapa perkara yg tertinggal:- adab sopan budi bahasa mereka berbicara dan gelagat mereka di jalan raya.

Rm50 takkan sama dgn £50 maka RM2000 takkan sama dgn £2000.

Nasihat saya,pada sesiapa yg ada di sana,lakarkan apa impian anda di malaysia dan penuhkan ruang kontena anda dgn semcm macam brg yg dpt mnjimatkan anda

Afzainizam said...

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Blog ini sebagai pengantara”
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Jom Terjah entry terbaru ??
kereta gear auto dan gear manual

so 'rich' la Dr Sam eeemmm betoi pun pepatah hujan emas di negara orang hujan batu di negeri sendiri.... rasanya orang kita tak kaya dengan kemewahan tapi kaya dengan adab budaya sopan santun... kitakan orang timur....

Mia's Mom said...

Salam Bro :-D

Well, our weekly groceries (6 of us) ranged between £40 to £60. Though we can't really compare £ to RM, it is still very relatively cheap. BookS? Hmm... so long as you don't mind ebay or charity or even car boot, life can be so enriching!

Admin said...

Hello..encik berapa sewa satu kontena ke London?
Someone should make a tesis on this topic.Anyone..? and don't forget to include the toll and parking ticket.

Still love my Bolehland!

Admin said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Diana AR said...

kita kena banyak komplen! hehe sort of desakan kepada kerajaan untuk buat yang terbaik untuk rakyatnya ;)

nahmy said...

great article doc. betapa 'letih'nya mengenangkan 'hidup' di bumi bertuah ni bila selesai membacanya...adess!

DrSam said...

Dear all my blogger friends,
Thank you for all your sincere comments, creative idea and mindful thought. It is every mortal's hope and dream that we want to have a good and prosper life. I share your concern and dream and I do hope that collectively we can change and do something to make our Bolehland a better place to stay.

Small Hiker said...

I agree with the article by Dr. Zain. That's a better way of seeing how much really is the cost of living here in Malaysia. We are always told that the standard of living in Malaysia is very low, that's a point of view from someone who earns their living in Euro or US. We thought that inflation in our country is partly due to imported goods and produces. But then look at the prices of our local produces. If we use the same argument/formula, the local produces are so expensive! It's really expensive when the average salary is low!

Z_C said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Singaporean’s (average) earns around S$3000 to S$4000 and nearly everything is half the price http://edpilldgb.com of Malaysia. E.g. Clothes, computer parts, electronics etc.

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