Having just returned home from our holiday, I caught up with my friends at our usual waiting spot just outside our sons' school.
And the almost immediate topic of conversation was the rapidly spiralling cost of living in Malaysia. The government had just announced cuts in subsidies in fuel, the price of RON 97 petrol has gone up yet again, transporters (like school buses) will hike their fares etc. etc. I was away for 2 weeks and not quite up to speed with the recent announcements.
But the chimes of complaint are clear - why is our cost of living running wild? My friends say that their husbands had asked them why the household budget seems to stretch less, and lasts for a shorter time? Why were they asking for more money so soon? Their answer is simply that things are getting really expensive.
My friend said that fish prices have really jumped, since the government announced that they would no longer subsidise fuel for fishing boats of a certain size. With fuel going up, food prices at stalls and restaurants will certainly increase. Sugar prices have just gone up, as have flour.
You know, dollar for dollar (don't convert) living overseas is really more affordable. We had McD's at the Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam during our transit. 3 burger meals that cost us 15 Euros. Can you buy 3 burger meals in Malaysia for RM15? NO WAY.
What is the Malaysian government doing about the cost of living, increasing per capita income and stamping out corruption??
