OUT OF THE MOUTH OF ABE

If only our leaders and policy-makers paid heed to these words of wisdom...

GOLDEN YEARS LOSING THE GLITTER

For many pensioners and retirees, the golden years have certainly lost much of the glitter. The latest buzz about the government's proposal to remove the subsidies for petrol, sugar, cooking oil and other essentials adds more gloom to the already bleak retirement picture.

Even if you don't drive, you still end up spending more on public transport as taxi and bus fares are bound to increase. And even if you are diabetic, you will still end up paying more for food as food retailers and outlets will use the removal of sugar subsidy as an excuse to raise prices.

Whichever way we look at it, our retirement savings are depleting at an alarming rate. Just total up your monthly expenses and see the amount rise steadily each month.

If the people have to make sacrifices, it is only right and just that the government should also tighten its belt. No more wasteful spending of public funds, especially on projects that do not benefit the rakyat, like spending RM20m to build the Malaysian Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo.

The RM20m Malaysia Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo 2010

Or paying USD1 billion for the purchase of two Scorpene class submarines and the lease of a retired French Navy Agosta class boat. And the joke is, the first submarine that was delivered failed to submerge! Money gone down the drain? It would be interesting to know the full amount spent on boosting the defense system under Najib's term as Defense Minister. Are we facing a serious threat of external attack?

We should not only watch how we spend our retirement savings, but also keep our eyes open for any misuse and abuse of public funds. That's our money too, and we have a right to see it spent prudently and for the benefit of the people.

Footnote: Last year alone, the government spent a staggering RM78b on subsidies. This works out to about RM12,900 per household. Government debt stood at RM362b last year or 54% of the GDP. (Figures from the Star.)

FEASTING ON LEFTOVERS

Too busy to blog this weekend, so am posting a short video here that I have shared with my grandchildren. It was an eye-opener for them, and they had many questions to ask. There's a message for everyone of us too.

Postscript: By coincidence, after posting the video above, NST today came out with an editorial entitled "Waste not, want not". Apparently, urban Malaysians throw out nearly one million kg of food from their kitchens every day. None of this will ever reach the 1.02 billion people worldwide who are hungry.

RECOGNIZING OUR PIONEERING FATHERS

In a speech at a recent White House reception to mark 'Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month', US President Barack Obama praised the contribution of generations of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders "who have helped to build this country, defend this country and make America what it is today".

He went on to say they are "part of America's past but...also going to be part of America's future."



Now wouldn't it be nice to hear our PM express the same appreciation for the contributions of our pioneering fathers, regardless of whether they came from China, India, Indonesia, Borneo, Ceylon and elsewhere.

Today we, the descendants, are true-blue, bone fide citizens of Malaysia, born and bred in Malaysia. We should be accorded full citizenship rights and equal opportunities. No one should continue to label us 'pendatang' or 'immigrants'.

Indeed, it would be near impossible to find Malaysians who do not have some immigrant blood in them if they care to trace their ancestral roots back a few centuries. No Malaysian, politicians in particular, should have this holier-than-thou or I'm more-Malaysian-than-you attitude.

MALAYSIA - A RETIREMENT HAVEN

We all know about the recent surge in the number of Malaysians emigrating to greener pastures overseas. In 2007, 140,000 professionals emigrated. The figure has since doubled to more than 300,000.

So it came as a surprise to me when I read that Malaysia is a much sought-after destination to retire to for many Britons, Europeans and Australians. Under the revamped Malaysia My Second Home programme (formerly known as The Silver-Hair Programme), more than 120,000 foreigners so far have chosen to retire in Malaysia.

To quote Kathleen Peddicord, author of How to Retire Overseas - the definitive book on the best retirement places in the world, "Malaysia's capital of Kuala Lumpur is my top pick in Asia for living the very good life on a budget...Kuala Lumpur is an affordable choice, but Malaysia outside its capital city is one of the cheapest retirement havens on earth right now."

High praise indeed! And sure to bring in a flood of expat retirees. Click here to find out what Malaysia has to offer.



For me, I was born and bred in Malaysia. And God willing, I shall die here. Malaysia is my beloved country. But Malaysian politics and government policies are another matter.

WHAT IS YOUR SEXUAL LIFE SPA N?

The prestigious British Medical Journal recently carried a research study that might be of interest to older adults. The study by Dr. Stacy Tessler Lindau and researcher Natalia Gavrilova of the University of Chicago revealed some interesting data on the 'sexually active life expectancy' or SALE of adults aged 65 and above. Here are some of their findings:

• 62% of men aged 65 to 74 reported sexual activity in the previous six months; only 36% of women in the same age group did so.
• More than one-third of men aged 75 to 85 said they had sex in the past 12 months, compared with just 17% of women in that age group.
• A 30-year-old male can be expected to have sex for 35 more years, while a 30-year-old woman has a SALE of just 31 more years.
• Men and women who stay healthy and in good shape gain extra years of sexually active life in older age.
• Women can go approximately twice as long without sex as men.
• Older men enjoy the sex they have much more than older women do.
• Even though they enjoy fewer years of sexually active life, many women do not perceive this as a 'problem.'
  

FAMILY BONDING AT THE BINTAN TRIATHLON

My 9-year old grandson, Max, just completed his third international triathlon this morning in Bintan, Indonesia. He swam 150m, cycled 6 km and ran 1.5km. He was placed second overall in the age 8-9 years category. Great job, Max! The whole family was there to cheer him on.

Ever since Max and his dad took up triathlons a few months ago, our family holidays have not been the same. It's no longer a question of where's our next family vacation but rather, where's the next international triathlon.

The men waiting for the start of the 1.5km swim

Sports events like this triathlon offer an excellent opportunity for intergenerational bonding. In our family, Max and his dad compete in the events, while his mom keeps pace with the camera and camcorder. His sister and grandma are his biggest cheerleaders and supporters.

I hear the next triathlon is coming up in Phuket...