With the recent inflation, the cost of living has increased so much more and it is about time we revisit the living wage in the country, especially in the Klang Valley.
Meanwhile, wages have been stagnant and this has made it even more difficult for the low-income group to survive in Klang Valley.
Recently, a Twitter page Ekonomi Rakyat shared an infographic showing how much a single person with a car should have every month to survive in Klang Valley. “You need RM2,570 to survive with dignity in Klang Valley.” the page wrote.
Anda Perlukan RM2,570 Sebulan Untuk Hidup Bermaruah di Lembah Klanghttps://t.co/8uFyWihBCa pic.twitter.com/ndiQ1OcS7u
— Ekonomi Rakyat (@EkonomiRakyatMY) May 5, 2022
The breakdown includes:
- Car – RM760
- Food – RM580
- House Rental – RM370
- Utilities – RM90
- Personal Care – Rm70
- Health – RM30
- Emergency – RM140
- Social – RM150
- Savings – RM250
- Others – RM130
In a follow-up tweet, it shared that research has been conducted on the price of goods in supermarkets or wet markets to derive the above numbers. Questionnaires were also distributed to find out the spending patterns of the public.
Peneranganhttps://t.co/UrcuhNMPnc
— Ekonomi Rakyat (@EkonomiRakyatMY) May 6, 2022
However, netizens do not agree with this infographic and pointed out the inaccuracies displayed.
“RM370 for house rental? I spent RM400 on a room in a government’s quarters. A room, with 3 housemates. This means it’s RM1,200 for the government’s quarters!” a netizen commented.
“RM30 for healthcare? It costs about RM60 if you go to a private clinic and you’ll spend the whole day waiting in the government’s clinic. So illogical,” another netizen shared.
Meanwhile, a netizen pointed out that the minimum wage will never equate to living wage.
Another netizen also express their opinion on the choice of words used in the post – living with dignity. “It’s not that nice to use the word dignity. Earning lesser does not mean you don’t have dignity.” the netizen wrote.
Macam tak berapa molek ja letak perkataan 'bermaruah' dalam tajuk tu. Kurang duit tak semestinya tak bermaruah.
— شيدا محمد (@MSMYLFT) May 5, 2022
According to Ekonomi Rakyat, living with dignity refers to when an individual not only has enough finances to buy basic goods but also needs to have the ability to engage in social activities to live a proper life.
This includes having enough money to spend when hanging out with your friends and also saving a portion of your income for savings to be used in an emergency.
Do you think RM2,570 is enough for a single person who owns a vehicle to survive in Klang Valley? Share your thoughts!
