Given that 9.5% of Malaysians will be above age 60 by 2020, the recent conference “Everyone Can Retire Well” couldn’t have been more timely. Organized by the Financial Planning Association of Malaysia (FPAM), the event also included an exhibition and free talks for the public. A good turnout of participants from the government and corporate sectors, financial institutions, universities, real […]
PLANNING FOR RETIREMENT (Part 1) Read More »
The world is ageing. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, with birth rates falling and life span increasing in countries across the globe. By 2018, there will be more 65-year-olds than those under 5. Think for a minute the profound changes an ageing population will have on the economy, for example. With the exception of a few, most countries don’t seem terribly alarmed
CAN WE AFFORD TO RETIRE? Read More »
40-year wait for 69-year old Ujagar Singh (seated) before he finally received his citizenship award letter together with other successful applicants. (The Star) It is not uncommon for people to wait decades for their Malaysian citizenship application to be finally approved. Take the case of Chen Shunhao, 57 (below). He has waited 45 years in
MALAYSIAN CITIZENSHIP – WHY THE LONG DELAY? Read More »
A gathering of civil servants in Putrajaya (Source: The Star) The civil service has been in the news of late – for all the wrong reasons. According to the Public Service Department, in the first three months of this year, about 600 civil servants faced disciplinary action for misconduct. That’s a 43.16% jump compared
THE CIVIL SERVICE – THE NEW UNTOUCHABLES? Read More »
Thanks to Kechara Soup Kitchen (KSK) in Jalan Imbi, the homeless, the jobless and the hungry now have a place to go to for a hot meal. Barely a month at its new premises, KSK is already drawing long queues every weekday from 11am to 1pm. The menu changes each day depending on what KSK
THE KITCHEN THAT FEEDS ALL WHO COME Read More »
Source: International Herald Tribune 2 Oct 2010 It’s easy to see why our country is suffering an acute haemorrhaging of young and talented professionals. From early 2008 to August 2009, more than 300,000 Malaysians have emigrated, with 40% opting for greener pastures in Singapore. This outflow is unlikely to slow down anytime soon. In recent
FROM BRAIN DRAIN TO BRAIN GAIN? NAH! Read More »
As they say, behind every successful man is a great woman. And the late Mrs Lee Kuan Yew was one such woman. Excerpt from The Straits Times Mrs Lee, a brilliant student who came out top in her Senior Cambridge year, and who went on to build a successful law practice at Lee & Lee,
A FORMER FIRST LADY OF THE HIGHEST ORDER 1920-2010 Read More »
Yesterday was International Day of Older Persons. The theme this year was ‘getting and staying active in later life’. I scanned ALL the local papers for some mention of this special day. I was so sure Singapore would have a list of activities lined up to celebrate the occasion, given that it’s light years ahead of
OCT 1 – INTERNATIONAL OLDER PEOPLE’S DAY. SO WHAT? Read More »
Came across a worrying piece of news in the Straits Times today. Often one has to refer to the foreign media to keep tabs on what’s happening in our own country. The PM is desperately seeking loans to fund its investment projects. Through its secretive 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), which raised RM5 billion from a bond issue just
DESPERATELY SEEKING LOANS Read More »
This could easily be me struggling to zip up my jeans. The other day I dug up my favourite pair of jeans from the cupboard. It has been months since I last wore them. To my horror, I had to struggle to zip up. What used to be a snug fit was now a tight
WHEN THE SCALES RING A WARNING BELL….. Read More »
