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Showing posts with label Expenditure. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Expenditure. Show all posts

Sunday 26 February 2023

Malaysian Budget 2023 revised up to RM388.1bil, GDP to grow 4.5% in 2023 from the expanded 8.7% in 2022

Budget 2023 revised up to RM388.1bil, GDP growth at 4.5%

KUALA LUMPUR: Budget 2023 is revised upward to RM386.1 billion, making it the largest allocation in Malaysia’s history, as the government continues to provide support to steer the economy, according to the Ministry of Finance (MoF).

The budget allocation is an upward revision from the RM372.3 billion budget tabled by the previous government in October 2022, which could not be passed before Parliament was dissolved.

In its Updates on Economic & Fiscal Outlook and Revenue Estimates 2023 report released today, the ministry said of the amount, 74.8 per cent will be utilised for operating expenditure while the remaining 25.2 per cent is for development expenditure.

A substantial allocation of 23.5 per cent will be provided for emoluments, subsidies and social assistance (15.2 per cent), economic (14.3 per cent), debt service charges (11.9 per cent), supplies and services (8.3 per cent), retirement charges (8.0 per cent), social (6.9 per cent), security (3.0 per cent), grants and transfers to state governments (2.1 per cent), general administration (1.0 per cent) and others (5.8 per cent).

MoF said funding for Budget 2023 will be sourced from income tax totalling 39.9 per cent of the total allocation, borrowings and use of government’s assets (24.5 per cent), non-tax revenue (19 per cent), indirect tax (14 per cent) and other direct tax (2.6 per cent).

Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said Budget 2023 will focus on addressing the high cost of living, further strengthening the social safety net and enhancing the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) eco-system.

He said the government will also examine ways and means to reduce market disruptions as well as streamline business processes through the adoption of high technology and digitalisation.

"The government is committed to protecting the livelihood of the rakyat, upholding integrity, enhancing a caring and compassionate society, as well as improving the effectiveness of public and private sector delivery systems.

"These commitments can be achieved through a methodical approach focused on the aspect of thought, spirituality and infrastructure, which is centred on the framework of Malaysia Madani that focuses on shaping the future of the nation and realising its full potential,” he said.

Malaysia Madani framework is supported by six core values -- sustainability, prosperity, innovation, respect, trust, and lastly, care and compassion.

After Anwar was sworn in, the Dewan Rakyat had, on Dec 20, 2022, passed a RM163.7 billion temporary operating budget to allow the government to spend a portion of the total estimated expenses during the months prior to the retabling and passing of the Supply Bill for 2023.

The amount includes RM107.7 billion, which is from the Consolidated Fund, to pay for emoluments and aid for the first six months of 2023, and RM55.96 billion from the Development Fund to fund the ongoing development projects.

Moderate 2023 GDP Growth

Anwar said Malaysia’s gross domestic product (GDP) is poised to record a growth of approximately 4.5 per cent in 2023, backed by the nation’s sound macroeconomic fundamentals, robust domestic demand coupled with the effective implementation of the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP).

With the transition to the endemic phase and the reopening of international borders, Malaysia has seen an increase in tourist arrivals as well as trade and business activities, contributing towards a steady recovery, especially in the services sector, he said.

"2023 is expected to be a challenging year. The government will continue to be vigilant of economic headwinds as well as any potential geopolitical conflict in order to devise the appropriate strategies and actions,” the Prime Minister said.

The report indicated that the services sector will continue to steer growth in 2023, expanding by 5.3 per cent on the back of better domestic demand buoyed by wholesale and retail trade, transportation and storage, information and communication, food and beverages and accommodation, and finance and insurance subsectors.

Anwar also said the government remains steadfast in balancing the need to safeguard the well-being of the rakyat and the nation while ensuring a sound and sustainable fiscal position.

This is crucial in maintaining the high standing of the country's sovereign ratings and to ensure the country’s premier position as an investor- and business-friendly country, especially in creating and attracting high value-added investments to achieve quality and inclusive growth, he said.

MoF said the acceleration of infrastructure projects with high multiplier effects, robust growth in private investment and continuous external demand particularly among major trading partners will further support the economy.

It also said the contribution of the tourism-related sector is expected to improve following an increase in tourist arrivals.

"Looking ahead, efforts will be intensified to position Malaysia as a major investment destination. Various measures will be implemented to uplift and enhance the economic potential for Malaysia to become more competitive, sustainable and inclusive,” it said.

It added that the government will continue to provide counter-cyclical policy support as well as expedite structural reforms to strengthen the country's growth prospects and resilience.

As for trade, the total trade is expected to expand further to RM2.887 trillion in 2023, with an estimated surplus of RM264.33 billion.

Strict Fiscal Discipline

Anwar said the government will prioritise strengthening the governance ecosystem at all levels to increase public trust in government institutions.

This initiative will focus on transparency, integrity and efficiency, particularly in government procurement, good governance, and the developmental role of government-linked companies (GLCs) and parliamentary institutions, he said.

He also said various initiatives have been identified to address issues related to public finances, including exploring new sources of sustainable revenue and minimising leakages.

"In achieving these initiatives, the government will prioritise on public expenditure review while ensuring debt sustainability and enhancing public spending efficiency in the long run.

"These measures will improve the nation's fiscal flexibility, allowing the government to implement counter-cyclical measures and maintain our economic resilience,” he said.

According to MoF, the fiscal deficit is expected to consolidate further to 5.0 per cent of GDP, to -RM93.94 billion from -RM99.48 billion in 2022.

Stellar 2022 Performance

Despite the softened global growth and escalating inflationary pressure, the Malaysian economy has performed better-than-expected in 2022, spearheaded by strong domestic demand and higher export performance in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Anwar said the country’s economic growth outperformed regional and global trends, rebounding to the pre-crisis level of 8.7 per cent, thanks to the swift policy responses and strong economic fundamentals.

MoF said in the report that growth in 2022 was anchored by the services sector, which grew by 10.9 per cent and contributed 58.2 per cent share to the GDP, mainly supported by the wholesale and retail trade, transportation and storage, as well as real estate and business services sub-sectors.

It said the manufacturing sector grew by 8.1 per cent with 24.2 per cent contribution to the GDP, while agriculture (0.1 per cent/6.6 per cent), mining (3.4 per cent/6.4 per cent), and construction (5.0 per cent/3.5 per cent).

The growth was also attributed to robust external demand, especially among Malaysia’s major trading partners, which resulted in a 27.8 per cent increment to RM2.848 trillion total trade last year. Similarly, the trade surplus expanded by 0.6 per cent to RM255.1 billion. - Bernama
 
 

Restoring confidence Largest one in M’sian history heralds overhaul of country’s finances

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has unveiled a Rm388bil Budget, the largest in Malaysian history, and one that is inclusive and holistic as well. His approach to dishing out goodies is novel, taking care of priority areas while also setting the country up for a financial overhaul.

Budget 2023 will be based on three thrusts, that is spurring the economy, reforming institutions to ensure investor confidence and ensuring social justice to balance inequality. Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim

PETALING JAYA: Budget 2023, unlike many earlier ones, is not one that is a continuation of promises laid out in larger umbrella plans like the Malaysia Plans.

Instead, it is a unique creation under Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s Malaysia Madani concept, which is a manifestation of the more inclusive approach promoted by the unity government.

The Rm388.1bil budget is the largest in Malaysian history, with Rm97bil being earmarked for development expenditure, also the highest allocation yet.

While the government has been drumming home a message about the mounting debts of the Federal Government, why did it propose such a huge spending Bill?

The answer lies in government taxes, which rose strongly last year to Rm294.4bil due to much stronger economic growth than forecast. With the economy clocking an 8.7% growth rate, tax collection will mirror the performance.

Still, there will be a relatively high deficit in the budget at 5% of GDP. This, however, will be less than an earlier estimate of 5.5%.

The plan is to bring it down to 3.2% by 2025. That debt reduction schedule is going in the right direction.

Higher tax revenues are only part of the cash-raising proposals. Asking the well-heeled populace to foot their fair share of tax revenue is a good step.

High-income earners are not going to make too much of a fuss about paying their fair share in raising government finances. It was also good that vape and e-liquids be subjected to tax.

It is a huge grey area that has flourished without government control. The best thing now is to tax such products as they are substitutes for cigarettes and basically perform the same function.

Then there is the tax on sale of shares in unlisted companies. This is basically a capital gains tax on unlisted companies that sell their business for a profit. This will also be an equitable approach.

It is not an inheritance tax, but just a case of the government taking a slice for enabling companies to sell their assets at a profit. Maybe it is a different approach from the prosperity tax (or windfall tax), but in an era of high indebtedness by countries and greater calls for progressive taxes, such a tax was inevitable.

The tax on luxury goods will have to be balanced against the need to maintain tourism receipts. Will this put off potential tourists given that Malaysia is one of the cheapest destinations for luxury goods? The devil will be in the details. Budget 2023 also reflects a different approach to addressing the issues of the past.

The usual ministries received an allocation bump and for good reason, but with a twist. Healthcare got a raise but there is acknowledgement that fixing the bottlenecks will use “the whole of nation” approach with spare beds and doctors from university and army hospitals, along with private hospitals, being utilised.

The move to tackle the problem of the hardcore poor is to be applauded. The call to alleviate the scourge of poverty within a year is formidable, but for Malaysia, which is on the cusp of high-income nation status, having 130,000 people on the wrong side of the poverty line is a shame.

Fixing the amenities at schools fast is also an urgent need, thus the increased allocation for the Education Ministry.

Defence too got higher allocations, as these are the basic foundations of any country.

The caring side of the budget was shown when it looked to help micro, small and medium enterprise sectors. These small companies employ a lot of people, and for them to get a tax deduction will go some way towards helping to shore up their finances.

The overall tone of Budget 2023 was appropriate.

It showed care and compassion for a large cross section of Malaysians. It is surely the start of an overhaul of the country’s finances as we head towards a national revitalisation over the next few years

By the Star Malaysia25 Feb 2023By JAGDEV SINGH SIDHU jagdev@thestar.com.my 

 

Highlights of Budget 2023/Belanjawan 2023


1. Bankrupts with debts of less than RM50,000 who fulfil certain requirements will be released from bankruptcy on March 1. This is expected to benefit 130,000 people.
2. The government will amend the Insolvency Act 1967 to release bankrupts automatically.
3. Bank Negara will allow consumers to freeze their accounts should they detect any suspicious activities.
4. RM10 million to support the National Scam Response Centre.
5. A special task force to reform government agencies, known as STAR, will be set up. It will be led by the chief secretary to the government.
6. Malaysian Road Records Information System (Marris) allocations increased to RM5.2 billion.
7. RM50 million to install lampposts in accident-prone areas.
8. Government will use district engineers to speed up the repairing of federal roads.
9. RM2.7 billion to repair and upgrade federal roads.
10. RM1.2 billion to repair 400 dilapidated clinics and 380 dilapidated schools.
11. The government plans to table amendments to the Whistleblowers Act to better protect whistleblowers.
12. The government plans to table the Government Procurement Act.
13. Government procurement must be transparent. RM22 billion worth of contracts linked to flood mitigation projects and the Jana Wibawa project were awarded via direct negotiation.
14. Private sector to establish a “Madani wakaf” involving assets worth more than RM1 billion.
15. The government will increase the availability of Islamic financing.
16. The government will also support the plans for the private sector to develop a port in Pulau Carey.
17. The government will support the development of the Sanglang port in Perlis.
18. Putrajaya to expand Subang and Penang airports to attract investments. This is more economical than the proposed construction of a RM7 billion airport in Kulim, says the prime minister.
19. The Tun Razak Exchange will become the country’s international financial hub.
20. Bank Pembangunan Malaysia Berhad to provide RM6 billion in strategic funding to encourage automation.
21. Tax incentives for aerospace industry will be extended to Dec 31, 2025.
22. Tax incentives for manufacturers to move operations to Malaysia will be extended to 2024.
23. The government will introduce a New Industry Master Plan 2030. This will include the restructuring of investment incentives.
24. The government will give incentives to local councils that make it easier for businesses to be set up.
25. Government proposes extending the Green Investment Tax Allowance (GITA) and Green Income Tax Exemption (GITE) incentives until Dec 31, 2025.
26. Bank Negara to provide RM2 billion in loans to support green technology startups and help SMEs embrace low-carbon practices.
27. RM50 million to increase the number of wildlife rangers to 1,500 people.
28. RM38 million allocated to protect endangered wildlife including tigers and elephants.
29. The government will increase allocations given to states to preserve forests from RM70 million a year to RM150 million a year.
30. RM50 million for the armed forces, fire and rescue department, and Rela to prepare for natural disasters.
31. RM150 million for Nadma to prepare for natural disasters.
32. Six flood mitigation projects will be re-tendered.
33. Anwar gave the example of flood mitigation projects. He said the government could have saved RM2 billion for the projects awarded by the previous government.
34. High impact projects must be awarded via tenders to ensure the government enjoys the best value and savings.
35. Bank Negara to provide nearly RM10 billion in loans for SMEs.
36. Government to waive driving test fees for taxi, bus, e-hailing and B2 motorcycle licenses.
37. Syarikat Jaminan Pembiayaan Perniagaan will provide RM20 billion in loans to SMEs in high value sectors.
38. RM1.7 billion in loan facilities under Bank Negara, BSN and TEKUN.
39. Government agencies to provide RM40 billion in loan facilities for MSMEs.
40. RM176 million to upgrade business premises and facilities under Mara, DBKL, PUNB and UDA.
41. RM50 million to build and upgrade 3,000 stalls and kiosks nationwide
42. Income tax for micro SMEs reduced from 17% to 15% for the first RM150,000.
43. The government will incentivise self declaration for income tax arrears beginning June 1.
44. Half of revenue from excise duties collected under the Generational Endgame (GEG) law will be channelled to the health ministry.
45. Putrajaya to introduce excise duties on vape and e-cigarette liquids containing nicotine.
46. The government will study the possibility of introducing a capital gains tax from 2024.
47. The government will introduce wealth tax. Luxury watches and goods will be taxed.
48. The government will maintain electricity subsidies for all domestic users and SMEs.
49. Lower income Amanah Saham Bumiputera (ASB) contributors will be given more dividends.
50. The government will table a Fiscal Responsibility Act in Parliament this year to ensure better management of the economy in the future.
51. Government aims to reduce fiscal deficit to 5% this year, compared to 5.6% in 2022.
52. Government aims to collect RM291.5 billion in revenue, a decrease compared to RM294.4 billion in 2022.

Budget 2023 highlights

Budget 2023; Highlights from updates on economic & fiscal outlook
and revenue estimates 2023

GDP to grow 4.5% in 2023 

 

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian economy is projected to grow by 4.5% in 2023, even as the World Bank warned about the global economy being “perilously close” to falling into recession this year.

In the first section of the 2023 Economic Report, the Finance Ministry said all economic sectors are expected to remain in the positive growth trajectory in 2023, driven by the services and manufacturing sectors.

Other sectors, namely agriculture, mining and construction - which remained below pre-pandemic levels as of 2022 - are also expected to grow further in line with the improvement in economic activities.

“However, downside risks such as prolonged geopolitical conflict, climate-related disasters and persistently high inflation are expected to further hamper the global economic growth, hence, affecting Malaysia's performance.

Overall, the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) is forecast to grow approximately 4.5% in 2023,” the ministry said.

Earlier this month, Bank Negara said the economy could grow by 4% to 5% this year. In 2022, the GDP expanded by 8.7% - the strongest growth since 2000.

The growth in 2023 would be mainly supported by steady domestic demand primarily private expenditure as well as initiatives under Budget 2023 and development expenditure under the 12th Malaysia Plan 2021-2025.

“However, a slowdown in external demand is expected to moderate exports growth, particularly in the electrical and electronic products and major commodities,” the Finance Ministry said.

The ministry projects the local services sector’s GDP to expand by 5.3% in 2023, down from a growth of 10.9% last year.

Manufacturing growth was forecast at 3.9% this year, as compared to 8.1% in 2022.

It is noteworthy that last year’s strong growth rate was largely attributed to the low-base effect as the economy was still impacted by Covid-19-related restrictions in 2021.

The mining sector is also forecast to record a slower growth next year by 1.2%, as compared to 3.4% in 2022.

However, the agriculture and construction sectors are projected to witness stronger growth rates, at 1.1% and 6.1% respectively.

In 2022, the agriculture sector’s GDP grew by a mere 0.1% and the construction sector expanded by 5%.

Commenting on the global growth, the Finance Ministry said the world economy is expected to further soften in 2023 at 2.9%.

The global economy would be weighed down by persistent pressures such as inflation, tightening global financial conditions and economic deceleration among major economies. 

 Source link

Budget 2023: An inspiring budget for all - New Straits Times

 

 Related post:

Malaysian Budget 2023 RM372.3bil from last year’s RM332.1bil

(Original)   

Tuesday 16 October 2018

Malaysia’s widening income gap between rich and the poor has only RM76 a month after expenses

The State of Households - Khazanah Research Institute  

Launch of State of Households 2018: Different Realities. From left to right: Datuk Hisham Hamdan, Dr Nungsari Ahmad Radhi, Allen Ng, Dr Suraya Ismail, Junaidi Mansor.

 Malaysia's widening income gap

KUALA LUMPUR: The gap in income between the rich, middle class and poor in Malaysia has widened since 2008, according to a study by Khazanah Research Institute (KRI).

In its “The State of Households 2018” report, the research outfit of sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Bhd noted that the gap in the real average income between the top-20% households (T20) and the middle-40% (M40) and bottom-40% (B40) households in Malaysia has almost doubled compared to two decades ago.

The report, entitled “Different Realities”, pointed out that while previous economic crises in 1987 and the 1997/98 Asian Financial Crisis saw a reduction in the income gap between the T20 and B40/M40, post 2008/09 Global Financial Crisis (GFC), those disparities were not reduced.

But the Gini coefficient, which measures income inequality in the country, had declined from 0.513 in 1970 to 0.399 in 2016, denoting improvement in income inequality in Malaysia over the past 46 years.

Explaining the phenomenon, Allen Ng, who is the lead author of the KRI report, said income of the T20 households had continued to grow, albeit at a slower pace than that of the M40 and B40 since 2010.

“However, because they (the T20) started at a higher base, the income gap between the T20 and M40/B40 had continued to grow despite the fact that the relative (income growth) is actually narrowing post-GFC,” Ng explained at a press conference after the launch of the report here yesterday.

On that note, Ng calls for greater emphasis and investment in human capital to address the income disparities in the country.

“Human capital is the lynchpin that will help us in the next mile of development,” Ng said.

“Based on the work that we have done, and the way we read the issue, the most important equaliser in terms of income inequality is actually human capital. If we don’t address the quality of our education system, we will not be able to solve the problem of income inequality,” he added.

Among the many key issues highlighted in the report, the state of human capital development in Malaysia was noted as a crucial element to complement the country’s transition towards a knowledge-based economy.

“To complement the knowledge-based economy, the state of human capital development in this country – of which 20% of government expenditure goes to education – has plenty of room for improvement,” the report stated.

Worryingly, the report noted that despite Malaysians receiving 12 years of schooling, they receive only nine years’ worth of schooling after adjusting for education quality.

“The central issue of generating high-quality human capital in this country is an important one as the transition to a high-income nation requires human capital levels that continuously improve productivity, sustain growth and are able to create or utilise technological advancements rather than being substituted by it,” the report said.

Meanwhile, KRI also noted that despite the improvement in income inequality and declining poverty rates in Malaysia, poverty in the country remained rampant.

“While the absolute poverty rate has been steadily declining, it is estimated that an additional one million households lived in ‘relative poverty’ in 2016 compared to two decades ago,” it said in its report.-  The Star

Malaysia's Lower Income Group Only Has RM76 To Spend A Month After Expenses

Shocking.


Some numbers for your soul.- PIC: Department of Statistics Malaysia

According to The Star Online, these households -- categorised under the bottom 40% (B40) income group in the country because they are earning less than RM2,000 a month -- only have RM76 to spare, after deductions, in 2016.

As comparison, these households have a residual income of RM124 in 2014.

The reason for the sharp decline? They were forced to spend more of their income on household items.

The study revealed that these households are spending 95 per cent of their total income on consumption items in 2016 compared to 2014, when the same households spend 'only' 92 per cent of their income on daily items.


So, what's the cause behind this worrying trend?

The report indicated that the rising cost of living is mainly to be blamed for the increase in household expenditure, so #ThanksNajib.

In fact, the report revealed that the high cost of living has affected not only the B40, but all income groups as well.

The real residual household income has, according to the report, reduced for all income classes. For example, households earning above RM15,000 has a real resi­dual income of RM13,100 in 2016, down from RM14,458 in 2014.

Sigh, we guess we just have to spend our money wisely from now on. No more RM16 Caramel Frappuccino® from Starbucks from now on.

Money, where did you go?

We know we keep saying that we're broke, but after reading this report, we found out that there are a lot of people out there who are having it worse than us.

A recent Khazanah Research Insti­tute (KRI) study revealed that every month, the average lower-income household in Malaysia has barely enough to survive after household expenses are deducted.

It's, like, really, really bad!



Related:

We need a complete overhaul of our education system, says NUTP - Nation


Malaysia's widening income gap between rich and poor - Business ...





Tuesday 12 April 2016

If it's too good to be true, something's wrong



DURING a recent shopping session with my family, I saw an interesting promotion for a television set at a big retail store.

The retail price for the said television set was RM4,999. A 22% discount was offered for cash purchasers which brought the price down to RM3,899.

While the price seemed attractive enough, I saw another sweetener for the deal, stating that the special price under its flexible payment plan was RM2,729.30, apparently a massive 45% discount from the retail price!

At first glance, the flexible payment plan was the best deal. As the deal seemed too good to be true, I decided to do some calculation to see the rationale behind it.

Under the flexible payment plan, the weekly installment was RM26.72 for a total of 5 years.

The price of the television set would end up to be RM6,947 instead of RM2,729 upon the last payment.

I was surprised with the huge difference between a cash purchase and the flexible payment plan. This incident has also highlighted some blind spots we have in our spending.

Many a time, there are instalment plans that offer seemingly low interest rates as their marketing strategy.

As consumers, we may end up spending more than we thought if the effective interest rate and other financial concerns are not taken into account.

Taking the television set as an example, the total amount paid for the instalment plan is 78% higher than the cash purchase.

The effective interest rate per year for the financing of 5 years is about 45%, which is way higher than our fixed deposit rate of only 4%.

Bear in mind the high amount that we pay is for a depreciating item. With more advanced technology introduced year after year, the television set we buy today would not have much value left.

Thus, what looks like an attractive deal initially does not ring true anymore after factoring in high effective interest rates and accelerated depreciation in values.

Looking at the high premium charged for the instalment plan, it would be better to go for a cash purchase if the situation permits.

Often, it is better to evaluate our needs before making the decision to purchase depreciating items.

I always encourage prudent spending especially in testing times when we are faced with uncertainty in the economic environment.

Imagine if we can channel the money spent on depreciating items to assets such as investments or properties for the same period of 5 years.

Our money would have grown and helped to improve our financial position, or at least to hedge against inflation.

Other than potential value appreciation, the interest we pay for a housing loan is lower compared to other loans such as personal, credit card and car loans.

The effective rate for a housing loan is as advertised, and the rate is calculated based on the reducing balance (only pay interest on the remaining loan balance).

On the other hand, for car loans and flexible payment plans like the one mentioned above, their interest rates are calculated based on the full loan amount throughout the term, which makes the actual interest rate higher than the advertised rate.

For instance, the interest rate for credit cards is calculated based on 1.5% per month, hence the effective rate per year is 18% (1.5% times 12 months).

On the other hand, for a RM100,000 car loan with a 2.5% interest rate and a 7-year loan tenure, the interest amount would be RM17,500, making the total amount for the car RM117,500.

As a result, the effective interest rate for this car loan is 4.7% instead of 2.5%.

On many occasions, we tend to be drawn in by the “attractiveness” of easy payment plans without weighing the hidden financial commitments.

Though it helps us to obtain an item immediately, we may overlook the true value of the item and the potential financial burden it brings.

Therefore, if a deal is too good to be true, most of the time, it is just too good to be true and worth a second thought.

By Alan Tong food for thought

Datuk Alan Tong was the world president of FIABCI International for 2005/2006 and awarded the Property Man of the Year 2010 at FIABCI Malaysia Property Award. He is also the group chairman of Bukit Kiara Properties. For feedback, please email feedback@fiabci-asiapacific.com.

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Monday 11 January 2016

How to allocate your money wisely: lessons from my father


WE will soon be celebrating Chinese New Year and most Chinese families would be busy making preparations for the same.

This is one of the yearly events that I look forward to. Apart from family bonding and catching up on latest family updates, these get-togethers often times allow us to reflect on our past.

When I reminisce about my childhood days, I fondly remembered the life of my late father which has had a big influence on my life.

At the age of 16, my father embarked on a long boat journey to Malaysia with barely anything in his pockets. This was during China’s economic depression. Due to hard work and frugality, he managed to save, starting with owning one taxi to two and the next thing you knew, he owned a bus company, the Kuala Selangor Omnibus Co.

How did he do it? What was his secret?

Unfortunately, my father did not manage to share with me his secrets of success. Nonetheless, I observed that for every dollar he earned, he only spent 30 cents. He was very frugal in his spending even though he had to feed a family of 15.

I recalled accompanying him to Kuala Lumpur on one of his business trips 70 years ago. Back then, the road from Klang to Kuala Lumpur was windy and hilly. To reduce fuel consumption, he would switch off his car engine and let the car slide down the road when the car was at the peak of the slope.

Today, it is not safe to do such a thing due to the increased number of cars on the road. Yet, to my surprise, cars like Mercedes and BMW have incorporated similar feature in their latest models. The point here is there are many creative ways to be frugal and my father would think of his own ways to save.

In the olden days, there were not many entertainment and luxury items up for grab. Being a bus company owner, my father would cycle between home and his workplace every day. My father could easily afford a brand new car, but he chose a second-hand Fiat because to him, a car was a luxury item.

I respected my father for his diligence in practising delayed gratification in his life which allowed him to finance 7 of his 8 sons overseas for tertiary education. He was able to resist the temptation for immediate reward in order to receive a more enduring reward later. I am grateful that I am one of the beneficiaries.

In my memory, I can’t recall my father borrowing money from the banks or friends. Basically, he had no liabilities. Of course, there were also no credit card, personal loan and fancy easy payment or installment plans to go with the purchase of luxury items which would eventually make the items even more expensive, compared to the original/initial price. Now that I think about it, if everyone was like him, many banks would be out of business.

Other than investing in his bus company, he would not invest his money elsewhere except in real estate. When he passed away, he left 4 plots of land in Klang and his company had 34 buses. Being a businessman, he was supportive of his children doing their own business and investing in real estate. Maybe, that was how I got myself involved in real estate and started my first architectural firm and later, a property development company in 1968.

In summary, what I learnt from my father was, money can be allocated for the following usage:

> Expenditure/spending
> Savings
> Investment

Be frugal and practise delayed gratification when it comes to expenditure/spending. Make saving a lifestyle as we may need the funds for rainy days. More importantly, make some investments which can come in many forms and combination. Commodities, properties, shares, trust funds and bonds are the main types of investment available. Bear in mind, investment is also a form of long-term savings. Hence, investing wisely will help you grow your wealth.

Nowadays, most parents invest early in order to fund their children’s higher education. I believe that one of my father’s biggest investment in life was sending his children overseas for further education. Though he has only completed his primary school in China, my father together with my late mother had the foresight to decide that all their eight boys would have to be educated in English.

Except for my eldest brother who stopped at the secondary level to work so he can help my father and the family financially, all the other seven sons were educated in English and eventually led a successful life and career.

By the way, do you know that there are investments which won’t cost you any money? One of them is spending quality time with your family and children. Take this festive season to spend time with them as part of your future investment instead of overindulging on things that may eat into your savings and investment.

For those celebrating, here’s wishing you a prosperous and harmonious Chinese New Year in advance. Gong Xi Fa Cai.

Datuk Alan Tong was the world president of FIABCI International for 2005/2006 and Property Man of the Year 2010 at FIABCI Malaysia Property Award. He is also group chairman of Bukit Kiara Properties. For feedback, email feedback@fiabci-asiapacific.com.


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