iLast month I bought the HLA cash builder and was hoping all the guarantees will be captured in the policy. In my opinion this is the best deal, so far, in the market. See here for more detail HLA - cash builder/retirement plan. HLA took more than a month to deliver the policy to me because of CNY break.
First of all, the policy did include all the guarantees that my agent briefed me before I sign up. Second it also include the spreadsheet (where it shows how much guaranteed interest, minimum/maximum dividend/surrender value for each year until 35 years) that my agent shows me before I sign up (first time in my experience in buying insurance where it include such spreadsheet in the policy). Furthermore the policy does not have any fine print line.
Looks good right? Well, there is one setback, clause 12. This is what clause 12 says:
“No alteration or waiver of any provision in the Policy shall be valid unless such variation or waiver is made by a Policy endorsement and signed by the Company’s authorised officer. The Company may request for the Policy to be sent to the Company to effect the Policy endorsement. No Company’s agent has the authority to make any alteration to or to waive any of the terms and conditions in the Policy.”
At first glace, it doesn’t sound much but look again. First line it read:
“No alteration or waiver of any provision in the Policy shall be valid unless such variation or waiver is made by a Policy endorsement and signed by the Company’s authorised officer”
This is how I interpret, as long as the Company’s authorised officer signed on the variation or waiver then it is consider a valid deal. So is that mean HLA can change the benefits and guarantee in the policy anytime they want to?
Second line:
“The Company may request for the Policy to be sent to the Company to effect the Policy endorsement”
This is how I interpret, when HLA change the policy, it may or may not request the original Policy to effect the new terms. Is that mean they do not need the policy owner consent to effect the change?
I have asked my agent to get a confirmation letter from HLA to reassure me that HLA will not use clause 12 to change the benefits and guarantees currently stated in the policy. All I want is to lock down the benefits and guarantees. But instead what I received is a letter explaining the intention of the clause.
Their explanation is that clause 12 is to use in situation where the policy owner wish to request for alteration or waiver of any provision in the policy. So I tell my agent that I am exercising my rights in clause 12 to change the provision in such a way that the benefits and guarantees will be locked down. And you know what? My agent told me is not that easy!
So think about it, clause 12 is meant to protect the policy owner but at the same time make it difficult for the owner to exercise it. So what is the true intention of clause 12 then? An escape clause for HLA?
My agent tried very hard to convince me that I do not have to be worried about the clause, how Bank Negara approved the policy (since when Bank Negara disallow escape clause?) and how strong is HL group. Well, all I know is no one can tell the future. Look at Enron, Lehman Brothers and AIA (in USA). If it can happen in other countries do you think it will happen here, back in Malaysia?
Seriously all I request for is just a reassurance from them, and it has been more than a week and yet a simple request like this can’t be delivered. I am tired of all their self- reassurance and excuses and decided to return the policy before the cooling off period.
Disclaimer: Above is solely based on my own interpretation, assumption and understanding. I might be entirely inaccurate and wrong on the interpretation. For those that are worried please get your own lawyer to interpret the clause and please DO NOT rely on my interpretation to make decision as I am NOT a lawyer.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Monday, March 8, 2010
My Dear warehouse sales
I went to “My Dear” warehouse sales last week with my wife. The place is quite a distance away and by the time we reached there is about 10:30am. The good thing is, since it is quite a distance away, the crowd is not huge. Compare to those warehouse sales at PJ, whereby huge crowd start queuing at 9am by 10:30am most of the good stuff would have been sold off.
The sales areas are divided into few sections (disclaimer note: I categories the area based on my personnel observation. Do not get confuse if it is not the case):
1. The entrance and to the right: Old stocks area. You can only pay by cash but the items are cheep, very cheep. We bought a tricycle for RM50 and a baby stroller for RM60 (all still looks very new to us minus some dust here and there). There are no warranties on these items, what you see is what you get and you have to make sure everything is intact before you buy.
2. Straight ahead after the entrance. New stocks area. Here you can pay with your credit card if your purchase is above RM100. And there’s a warranties to the items that you buy. You have to pay the stuff that you want, get the receipt and collect it at the collection area (which is opposite the counter). We bought a car seat with RM195 (model 03012) which is only RM64 cheaper than the market price (roughly about 25% discounts). Well, I’m not sure if this is a good buy but since we need a car seat for our elder son and that we are already there so might as well get one.
3. On the left of the entrance. Toys and some cloths. Don’t think those items belong to “My Dear”. My wife brought some pants, Winnie the Pooh’s pants only RM4-RM7. I say is a good buy (since the market price is about RM14-RM20) but I’m not sure if it is the original stuff. My wife said she saw a monopoly board game with only about RM10 (not sure which model, monopoly board game has been evolved since my time), but we didn’t buy because it was not properly wrap.
Overall, I would say it is worth checking out (especially the old stocks area). The sales end on 14 March 2010. Go in the morning, not so crowded and you can bring your child with you. By the time we finished shopping, is almost noon and the crowd started to increase. So if you plan to reach there at noon then better to leave you kids at home.
The sales areas are divided into few sections (disclaimer note: I categories the area based on my personnel observation. Do not get confuse if it is not the case):
1. The entrance and to the right: Old stocks area. You can only pay by cash but the items are cheep, very cheep. We bought a tricycle for RM50 and a baby stroller for RM60 (all still looks very new to us minus some dust here and there). There are no warranties on these items, what you see is what you get and you have to make sure everything is intact before you buy.
2. Straight ahead after the entrance. New stocks area. Here you can pay with your credit card if your purchase is above RM100. And there’s a warranties to the items that you buy. You have to pay the stuff that you want, get the receipt and collect it at the collection area (which is opposite the counter). We bought a car seat with RM195 (model 03012) which is only RM64 cheaper than the market price (roughly about 25% discounts). Well, I’m not sure if this is a good buy but since we need a car seat for our elder son and that we are already there so might as well get one.
3. On the left of the entrance. Toys and some cloths. Don’t think those items belong to “My Dear”. My wife brought some pants, Winnie the Pooh’s pants only RM4-RM7. I say is a good buy (since the market price is about RM14-RM20) but I’m not sure if it is the original stuff. My wife said she saw a monopoly board game with only about RM10 (not sure which model, monopoly board game has been evolved since my time), but we didn’t buy because it was not properly wrap.
Overall, I would say it is worth checking out (especially the old stocks area). The sales end on 14 March 2010. Go in the morning, not so crowded and you can bring your child with you. By the time we finished shopping, is almost noon and the crowd started to increase. So if you plan to reach there at noon then better to leave you kids at home.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Property investment in Australia
Went to Eastin Hotel last Sunday to have a look at the investment of properties in Melbourne (Australia). Here is what I managed to compile:
Cheapest studio apartment is around A$180k-190k (lets take A$190k for calculation purpose).
Total cost for 1st time payment:
1. Downpayment of 30% = A$57,000
2. Stamp duty (one off) = A$8,000
3. Legal fee (one off) = A$2,000
Total = A$67,000
(Roughly RM3:A$1 RM201,000)
4. Malaysia agent fee (one off) RM5,000
Total payment in RM is RM207,000!!!
Ok fine, if say you got the spare cash and you don’t mind. You may get a yearly return of 6%. Wow better than bank interest ya? Well, think again, here’s why.
Bank loan (Australia bank) interest is about 5.6%. So 70% of A$190k = A$140k, take 5.6% annual interest = A$7,840. Assume you can really get annual return of 6% (note: 6% is on A$190k - the cost of the apartment), so:
Annual return A$11,400
Cost
Bank interest A$7,840
Maintenance A$1,800
Commission for rental (7%) A$798
Total cost A$10,438
Net annual return A$962
Your net annual return is only A$962, that’s 0.5%!!!! On top of that you have not even pay the principle to the bank!!!
Seriously, with that type of money that I have to put in I can buy a condo (with all fees included) in Malaysia with CASH. I can rent out for say RM1k per month, minus off maintenance fees with say RM200 I still left with RM800 per month net return. RM800 x 12 = RM9,600, which give me 4.8% net annual return!!!
Want some more bad news? Real Property Gain Tax in Australia is 20% vs Malaysia is only 5%!!!
Cheapest studio apartment is around A$180k-190k (lets take A$190k for calculation purpose).
Total cost for 1st time payment:
1. Downpayment of 30% = A$57,000
2. Stamp duty (one off) = A$8,000
3. Legal fee (one off) = A$2,000
Total = A$67,000
(Roughly RM3:A$1 RM201,000)
4. Malaysia agent fee (one off) RM5,000
Total payment in RM is RM207,000!!!
Ok fine, if say you got the spare cash and you don’t mind. You may get a yearly return of 6%. Wow better than bank interest ya? Well, think again, here’s why.
Bank loan (Australia bank) interest is about 5.6%. So 70% of A$190k = A$140k, take 5.6% annual interest = A$7,840. Assume you can really get annual return of 6% (note: 6% is on A$190k - the cost of the apartment), so:
Annual return A$11,400
Cost
Bank interest A$7,840
Maintenance A$1,800
Commission for rental (7%) A$798
Total cost A$10,438
Net annual return A$962
Your net annual return is only A$962, that’s 0.5%!!!! On top of that you have not even pay the principle to the bank!!!
Seriously, with that type of money that I have to put in I can buy a condo (with all fees included) in Malaysia with CASH. I can rent out for say RM1k per month, minus off maintenance fees with say RM200 I still left with RM800 per month net return. RM800 x 12 = RM9,600, which give me 4.8% net annual return!!!
Want some more bad news? Real Property Gain Tax in Australia is 20% vs Malaysia is only 5%!!!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
HLA - Cash Builder/Retirement Plan
I have applied for Hong Leong Assurance – Cash Builder/Retirement plan and now waiting for its policies to arrive. Got to check if all the so call “guarantees” items that the agents said HLA will guarantee is stated inside the policies. I hope it does.
Some bloggers say this is just another endowment plans (not very sure how this works, my knowledge in this area is quite limited), others say no insurance guarantee so much return but if it does then it is worth the investment but 35 years is just too long. Well, if you ask me, if the policies mention all the guarantees then I say it is worth the risk. I did the calculation of up to 20 years of putting the same amount of money in bank with 2.5% interest vs the most conservative guarantee return from HLA and yet HLA provide slightly higher returns. Of course the longer you invest the higher the return, for 35 years I am not investing for myself but for my children. But then again, like I said, I am still waiting for the policies. If any of the guarantees is not mention in the policies then I’ll forget about it (including the spreadsheet calculation that they show to me – hey, the agents said the spreadsheet is part of the agreement so it got to be in or else).
The truth, I don’t trust insurance companies. All making tons of bucks by tricking people like us investing in it. They always have some very cleaver people who are very good with playing with figures and make us believe it is better than putting your hard earn income in bank, and when we do cash out we will never, never ever have the amount that they mentioned. Therefore, I see these type of products as to protect the beneficially and not for investment purposes.
Some bloggers say this is just another endowment plans (not very sure how this works, my knowledge in this area is quite limited), others say no insurance guarantee so much return but if it does then it is worth the investment but 35 years is just too long. Well, if you ask me, if the policies mention all the guarantees then I say it is worth the risk. I did the calculation of up to 20 years of putting the same amount of money in bank with 2.5% interest vs the most conservative guarantee return from HLA and yet HLA provide slightly higher returns. Of course the longer you invest the higher the return, for 35 years I am not investing for myself but for my children. But then again, like I said, I am still waiting for the policies. If any of the guarantees is not mention in the policies then I’ll forget about it (including the spreadsheet calculation that they show to me – hey, the agents said the spreadsheet is part of the agreement so it got to be in or else).
The truth, I don’t trust insurance companies. All making tons of bucks by tricking people like us investing in it. They always have some very cleaver people who are very good with playing with figures and make us believe it is better than putting your hard earn income in bank, and when we do cash out we will never, never ever have the amount that they mentioned. Therefore, I see these type of products as to protect the beneficially and not for investment purposes.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Etiqa Maybank Takaful
I wanted to do some low risk investment and was shopping around for a good one. I sat down and listen when I was approached by the Etiqa Takaful agents and this is what I was informed on their latest product:
1. Principle investment is guaranteed by PIDM (I found out later this is a big bullshit!)
2. It’s a saving plan (hmmm…so it is not an insurance plan?)
3. Maturity is 30 years
4. Free insurance coverage
5. interest can earn up to 8% (not guaranteed)
Right, after some thoughts I asked what are the risks and any hidden cost (I was preparing to invest, with my IC on hand). The agent simply said there are no hidden cost and no risks since principle investment are guaranteed. Worst case scenario, I will get back my investments in full.
The thing is, after the Lehman Brothers’ issue which has stirred the world by surprise, I will ensure every guarantee provides in an investment is recorded in black and white. The agent said he will email me one, which after a month now and I have yet to receive any.
I have also found out that I cannot withdraw in full amount (principle plus interest) before the maturity date or I’ll lose some of my investments. I was surprise as this sound like an insurance plan, insurance supposed to be free! This is supposed to be a saving plan! Mind you I do know that Takaful is an insurance company and not a bank but then why say it’s a saving plan in the first place?
This is not fine since I need the money for my sons’ education and so I ask the agent to calculate how much I can earn in a worst case scenario should I withdraw (be it in partial or I surrender the value) in say after 15 years. Well, I can’t say I am happy with the result but then again this is base on worst case scenario and this is the risk that I have to take. HA funny at first they said there is no risks.
Two days later (and while I’m still waiting for the black and white from the agent saying my investments will be guaranteed) I was withdrawing money in Maybank, another agent approached me. I was furious seeing another Etiqa Takaful agent, how they say there are no risks, how my investments are guaranteed, how there are no hidden cost, how this is supposed to be a saving plan. The agent then explained to me that I must have got it wrong. First of all, there is no guarantee in this investment. NO GUARANTEE. Secondly, there will be cost for admin fees and so on, that is why I will never get back my investment in full. Thirdly, even if I do not withdraw any money and waited until maturity date I will still not receive my investment in full because Takaful is base on profit sharing and on maturity date, depending on the amount of money in the pool, Takaful will calculate how much I will get.
Holy Cow!!!!! No risks and no hidden cost? In my opinion this is an insurance plan plus investment, just that they twist it in such a way that sounds like a saving plan. For 30 years and with such risks involved, I would rather put my money in EPF. Now at least that is guaranteed.
Disclaimer: This is base on my understanding and may not be the facts on Etiqa Takaful Maybank (hack, not even the agents can get it right, how can I?? Two agents telling me two different stories) If you have any questions on the investment product please seek an agent yourself and don’t rely on what I have written above.
1. Principle investment is guaranteed by PIDM (I found out later this is a big bullshit!)
2. It’s a saving plan (hmmm…so it is not an insurance plan?)
3. Maturity is 30 years
4. Free insurance coverage
5. interest can earn up to 8% (not guaranteed)
Right, after some thoughts I asked what are the risks and any hidden cost (I was preparing to invest, with my IC on hand). The agent simply said there are no hidden cost and no risks since principle investment are guaranteed. Worst case scenario, I will get back my investments in full.
The thing is, after the Lehman Brothers’ issue which has stirred the world by surprise, I will ensure every guarantee provides in an investment is recorded in black and white. The agent said he will email me one, which after a month now and I have yet to receive any.
I have also found out that I cannot withdraw in full amount (principle plus interest) before the maturity date or I’ll lose some of my investments. I was surprise as this sound like an insurance plan, insurance supposed to be free! This is supposed to be a saving plan! Mind you I do know that Takaful is an insurance company and not a bank but then why say it’s a saving plan in the first place?
This is not fine since I need the money for my sons’ education and so I ask the agent to calculate how much I can earn in a worst case scenario should I withdraw (be it in partial or I surrender the value) in say after 15 years. Well, I can’t say I am happy with the result but then again this is base on worst case scenario and this is the risk that I have to take. HA funny at first they said there is no risks.
Two days later (and while I’m still waiting for the black and white from the agent saying my investments will be guaranteed) I was withdrawing money in Maybank, another agent approached me. I was furious seeing another Etiqa Takaful agent, how they say there are no risks, how my investments are guaranteed, how there are no hidden cost, how this is supposed to be a saving plan. The agent then explained to me that I must have got it wrong. First of all, there is no guarantee in this investment. NO GUARANTEE. Secondly, there will be cost for admin fees and so on, that is why I will never get back my investment in full. Thirdly, even if I do not withdraw any money and waited until maturity date I will still not receive my investment in full because Takaful is base on profit sharing and on maturity date, depending on the amount of money in the pool, Takaful will calculate how much I will get.
Holy Cow!!!!! No risks and no hidden cost? In my opinion this is an insurance plan plus investment, just that they twist it in such a way that sounds like a saving plan. For 30 years and with such risks involved, I would rather put my money in EPF. Now at least that is guaranteed.
Disclaimer: This is base on my understanding and may not be the facts on Etiqa Takaful Maybank (hack, not even the agents can get it right, how can I?? Two agents telling me two different stories) If you have any questions on the investment product please seek an agent yourself and don’t rely on what I have written above.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
My luck or God at work?
When I was young I like to have a job that allows me to travel and so I chose to take up auditor as my career path but instead of being an external auditor I somehow landed on internal audit field. Well, it was not in my original plan (seriously I have no idea what is internal audit all about back then) but of all the jobs hunting that I been to, this job pay the highest and of course I knew I can learn something better compare to book-keeping work. And when I found this job suits me very well, I continue with this path.
It was the people that I met in my 1st job that got me landed on Cambodia and Hong Kong which I spent 6 years traveling between Cambodia (80%), Hong Kong (15%) and Malaysia (5%). Yes, I only spent about 5% of the 6 years in Malaysia. How ironic that the 5% can get me a girlfriend and later a wife (and of course that were 0.0 something % where I traveled other countries for holidays).
As my relationship with my wife (back then my girlfriend) is getting more and more serious, the feeling of stop traveling has become my top priority. There are times where my wife and I had fight due to my heavy traveling schedule. It was such a headache that I sometimes tried to avoid such discussion. But at the same time I do hunt for jobs that do not require traveling or at least minimal traveling. It was not easy getting a job where you have to undergo a 50% pay cut, many companies question my commitment due to the large pay cut, and some even accused me for looking for a stepping stone which allows me to return to Malaysia. Alas, I was unable to find a suitable job after more than year of hunting. And I broke the promise that I made to my wife that I will be back in Malaysia for good at a promised date.
But all was not lost, I had a good talked with my boss and he agreed to allow me to based in Malaysia with a condition, I have to travel at least once a month for 7 days and if need be up to 14 days. Pay cut is still 50% but I was given a US$50 allowance per day if I travel (including weekends) with foods, accommodation and transport all provided for. It was a good start and my wife was happy. And it is also this opportunity that allows us to made wedding arrangement together. Yes, it is tiring but it was fun when you do things together with your love ones.
Few months after I returned to Malaysia, my wife and I plan to have children, which make me re-think of my traveling schedule again. While my wife did not really complaint anymore but being a husband and a father I want to be at their side most of the time. And so again, I hunt for new job, but this round it does not take long. I got a new job within a month of hunting. And so I quit my job of 6 years with great colleagues, which I do not know whether I will find such a wonderful colleagues elsewhere, for the sack of my family.
Working in the new company was really a disaster, my previous job gave me so much freedom that, I guess, I was pampered, so much so that I hate jobs that require to record working schedule (well, all audits line do anyway) and no flexibility on working hours, punch card for a Manager!!?? You got to be kidding man!!!! Worst, I have to work on weekends and travel (within Malaysia) more often. And my scope of work as a internal auditor is greatly different from my new boss, who is from external audit firm, hack what do these people know about internal audit anyway?? Those originated from internal audit background know that Manager level do not travel unless they conduct an exit interview (means meet clients to discuss about the audit report) because Managers level is as good as junior partner in audit firm. So, if a Manager need to travel to conduct audit work then it is very obvious the head of department (HOD) came from external audit background.
As for my new colleagues, they are alright but none is brave to voice up freely, why simply because the HOD (male) has PMS all the time. A typical Malaysian own company with a typical Malaysian bosses.
But I kept on telling myself, do it for your wife, do it for your children. All I need to do is suffer for a year then look for a new job (a year is because no company want to hire a person who like to hop from one to another company to often). But I started to feel the heat when I spent more time on work and less time with my wife, it deceive my main purpose. And so I called up my previous company and hope they will take me back, well, with such ex-bosses that I have, it has no problem at all for me to go back. But I told my wife I have to stay for at least a year or 2 before I can change job again and my wife agreed. Still, even though I was happy to go back, I was deeply disappointed that I can’t stay in Malaysia without having to travel so often.
But God got his plan, He really does. Only one month I returned to my previous company I had to resign again. And this time it is because 2 of my ex-bosses are going to have their own consultation firm. What’s more, it was the same own colleagues that I’m going to work with, they gave me 5% of the shares which makes me a director and a shareholder and most of all flexibility working hours and more time to spend with my family. And plus great bonuses.
But the most important thing is, since I have worked with my bosses before, we all share the same goal in life. Family 1st the rest is secondary. For that, I was able to take a month off when my wife delivered, take the morning off to take my son and wife for their routine check-up (not counted as off-day), work from home when my son is not feeling well and much more that I will never ever get no matter what company that I work for in Malaysia.
Looking back, I always got what I wanted, I struggler a little but still at the end I got what I want and most time even better than what I ask for. My luck or God at work? Well, I do not think I alone got so much luck, but with God, my luck is unlimited. And for that I count my blessing.
Thank you my Lord for your blessing.
It was the people that I met in my 1st job that got me landed on Cambodia and Hong Kong which I spent 6 years traveling between Cambodia (80%), Hong Kong (15%) and Malaysia (5%). Yes, I only spent about 5% of the 6 years in Malaysia. How ironic that the 5% can get me a girlfriend and later a wife (and of course that were 0.0 something % where I traveled other countries for holidays).
As my relationship with my wife (back then my girlfriend) is getting more and more serious, the feeling of stop traveling has become my top priority. There are times where my wife and I had fight due to my heavy traveling schedule. It was such a headache that I sometimes tried to avoid such discussion. But at the same time I do hunt for jobs that do not require traveling or at least minimal traveling. It was not easy getting a job where you have to undergo a 50% pay cut, many companies question my commitment due to the large pay cut, and some even accused me for looking for a stepping stone which allows me to return to Malaysia. Alas, I was unable to find a suitable job after more than year of hunting. And I broke the promise that I made to my wife that I will be back in Malaysia for good at a promised date.
But all was not lost, I had a good talked with my boss and he agreed to allow me to based in Malaysia with a condition, I have to travel at least once a month for 7 days and if need be up to 14 days. Pay cut is still 50% but I was given a US$50 allowance per day if I travel (including weekends) with foods, accommodation and transport all provided for. It was a good start and my wife was happy. And it is also this opportunity that allows us to made wedding arrangement together. Yes, it is tiring but it was fun when you do things together with your love ones.
Few months after I returned to Malaysia, my wife and I plan to have children, which make me re-think of my traveling schedule again. While my wife did not really complaint anymore but being a husband and a father I want to be at their side most of the time. And so again, I hunt for new job, but this round it does not take long. I got a new job within a month of hunting. And so I quit my job of 6 years with great colleagues, which I do not know whether I will find such a wonderful colleagues elsewhere, for the sack of my family.
Working in the new company was really a disaster, my previous job gave me so much freedom that, I guess, I was pampered, so much so that I hate jobs that require to record working schedule (well, all audits line do anyway) and no flexibility on working hours, punch card for a Manager!!?? You got to be kidding man!!!! Worst, I have to work on weekends and travel (within Malaysia) more often. And my scope of work as a internal auditor is greatly different from my new boss, who is from external audit firm, hack what do these people know about internal audit anyway?? Those originated from internal audit background know that Manager level do not travel unless they conduct an exit interview (means meet clients to discuss about the audit report) because Managers level is as good as junior partner in audit firm. So, if a Manager need to travel to conduct audit work then it is very obvious the head of department (HOD) came from external audit background.
As for my new colleagues, they are alright but none is brave to voice up freely, why simply because the HOD (male) has PMS all the time. A typical Malaysian own company with a typical Malaysian bosses.
But I kept on telling myself, do it for your wife, do it for your children. All I need to do is suffer for a year then look for a new job (a year is because no company want to hire a person who like to hop from one to another company to often). But I started to feel the heat when I spent more time on work and less time with my wife, it deceive my main purpose. And so I called up my previous company and hope they will take me back, well, with such ex-bosses that I have, it has no problem at all for me to go back. But I told my wife I have to stay for at least a year or 2 before I can change job again and my wife agreed. Still, even though I was happy to go back, I was deeply disappointed that I can’t stay in Malaysia without having to travel so often.
But God got his plan, He really does. Only one month I returned to my previous company I had to resign again. And this time it is because 2 of my ex-bosses are going to have their own consultation firm. What’s more, it was the same own colleagues that I’m going to work with, they gave me 5% of the shares which makes me a director and a shareholder and most of all flexibility working hours and more time to spend with my family. And plus great bonuses.
But the most important thing is, since I have worked with my bosses before, we all share the same goal in life. Family 1st the rest is secondary. For that, I was able to take a month off when my wife delivered, take the morning off to take my son and wife for their routine check-up (not counted as off-day), work from home when my son is not feeling well and much more that I will never ever get no matter what company that I work for in Malaysia.
Looking back, I always got what I wanted, I struggler a little but still at the end I got what I want and most time even better than what I ask for. My luck or God at work? Well, I do not think I alone got so much luck, but with God, my luck is unlimited. And for that I count my blessing.
Thank you my Lord for your blessing.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Falling ill is no fun at all
Being a parent is sure no easy job. Last weekend my son, who is only 1 year and 8 months old, had a fever, and it went as high as 40C. My wife (who is now 7 months pregnant) and I went in and out of the hospital for 3 times within 2 days. The 1st time we brought our son to the hospital, the doctor (a general doctor attended to my son) said it is too early to do a blood test as we need to wait for 2 days (48 hours) before his blood shows any abnormal movement/activities (i.e. any sign of bacterial/virus infection). So we took our son home after the doctor gave him some medicine which able to control the fever for the rest of the day. The following day it happen again, fever went up high and we were unable to control it even after we gave him the medicine. Normally, after giving our son a sponge bath his fever will come down, but this time is does not work, on top of that he split out most of the milk we gave him earlier. And so we went to the hospital again at about 5:30am. Another general doctor attended to my son and said the same thing, too early to do blood test, only able to give him a stronger medicine and sent us home.
After that, he was fine for the whole day, playing with the maid, running around the house, the only thing he had was diarrhea. By about 8pm he was sleepy. We thought that well, he must be recovering, no fever for the whole day and with some diarrhea must have made him tired. But ½ hour later his temperature went from 36.6C (his normal temperature) to 38C and keep on claming every second. He had never experience this before. He shivers, his feet were cold but body and head were getting hotter. And so we rush him to the hospital again, and this time I insist to admit my son. The doctor agreed. This time, the doctor (same doctor that we see in the morning) said we can go ahead with the blood test. She even called my son’s pediatrician.
After a night in the hospital, my son was very uneasy with that hospital mainly because he had his circumcision there (due to infection) and kept on crying and asked to go home, we decided to go home. The result was negative on dangerous infection and his diarrhea test did not show anything dangerous as well. There are still some other test to be done, just to make sure everything is save, but the result will only come out in 2 weeks time. And my son did not show any sign of fever after 24 hours. It was a big relief for my wife and me, we are really tired from the whole episode. With the current outbreak (the H1N1 outbreak) it is better to be safe than sorry, beside, the other disease that I’m worry is dengue.
Went we reach home the only thing he has was diarrhea. Not very often, about 2-3 times but was quite greenish. The following day the diarrhea stopped and the fever has been gone for 48 hours. Now we can get some sleep. The only thing is I really pity my wife who is already 7 months pregnant and has to run up and down. And yet our boy wants his mummy very badly especially when he is not feeling well. I feel so helpless. All I can do is to make sure both my son and my wife are comfortable.
After that, he was fine for the whole day, playing with the maid, running around the house, the only thing he had was diarrhea. By about 8pm he was sleepy. We thought that well, he must be recovering, no fever for the whole day and with some diarrhea must have made him tired. But ½ hour later his temperature went from 36.6C (his normal temperature) to 38C and keep on claming every second. He had never experience this before. He shivers, his feet were cold but body and head were getting hotter. And so we rush him to the hospital again, and this time I insist to admit my son. The doctor agreed. This time, the doctor (same doctor that we see in the morning) said we can go ahead with the blood test. She even called my son’s pediatrician.
After a night in the hospital, my son was very uneasy with that hospital mainly because he had his circumcision there (due to infection) and kept on crying and asked to go home, we decided to go home. The result was negative on dangerous infection and his diarrhea test did not show anything dangerous as well. There are still some other test to be done, just to make sure everything is save, but the result will only come out in 2 weeks time. And my son did not show any sign of fever after 24 hours. It was a big relief for my wife and me, we are really tired from the whole episode. With the current outbreak (the H1N1 outbreak) it is better to be safe than sorry, beside, the other disease that I’m worry is dengue.
Went we reach home the only thing he has was diarrhea. Not very often, about 2-3 times but was quite greenish. The following day the diarrhea stopped and the fever has been gone for 48 hours. Now we can get some sleep. The only thing is I really pity my wife who is already 7 months pregnant and has to run up and down. And yet our boy wants his mummy very badly especially when he is not feeling well. I feel so helpless. All I can do is to make sure both my son and my wife are comfortable.
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