Pencen

There are many people who are already retired, about to retire and thinking about opting to retire early. I belong to the first category. I opted to retire early for a few reasons only I knew. I was toying with the idea for quite sometimes after i turned 40. I have this big rough plan of how to run my life. At that point I have had what I really wanted. I had some education, enough to see me through, if i ever need to supplement my income. I have stashed away some saving to see me through the next 15 years or so. I have all the material needs i would want ( to my standard lah). A house, a car, some stocks, some saving etc.
I was looking to quit my job at the right time and persue my desire to go and do dakwah. Not the dakwah the way people stereotyed. I wanted to dakwah about getting educated. To me an educated pious person is much better than a non educated one. This big dream of mine would take a very serious planning. How would I go about it? Like many American missionaries do, they offer 'sincere help" with string attached or like the typical "melayu dakwah' that tak berapa menjadi due to sebab-sebab tertentu ( I do not want discuss it here)
The opportunity came when I took up this assignment to work in Uzbekistan. I went to a place so foreign, to me although I can boast that i am quite an extensive traveller.
Communication with my host was a problem. I do not speak uzbeko or Russian neither do they speak English or Malay. So for the first few days it was like ayam talking to itek and with lots of signing.
Then I decided to teach my host and son, an english word a day and a sentence to go with it.
A week or so, we could at least communicate in english and signs. Then one day my host came to me with an Al-Quran. She handed me the Quran and said "You read I no read". Then I knew that she wanted me to teach her to read the Quran. So, I began teaching her the alphabets and soon we were laughing together.
She learnt to read the Quran, she learnt to pray and I only learnt a few words of Russian. That is my kind of dakwah...Do it subtly. I do not need to go and tell people that this is haram, that is haram etc. These people who are "educated" are eager to know about the religion that they would take pain to learn and read about the religion. They will learn and appreciate the religion better.
Well, i digressed, sorry about it. back to opting to retire or pencen. There should be a good planning before one retires. To me, once I retire, i should have no debts to haunt me and the little money I have after the retirement should be able to see me through. I did not plan to live in luxury, but just secukupnya.
Although with good planning, I found out it was not that easy to slide from one chair to the other. There was no smooth tranfer from having 'lots' of money to spend than having to jimat the money you have since I did not get my pencen and gratuity until six months later. Immediately after I retired, I followed my husband back to the US, thinking that all my papers were in proper order, but of course they were not. Some papers were misfiled and the amount I had to settle with the Income tax was wrongly typed etc. I had to take the 40 odd hours journey to settle it once and for all. Then the waiting game. I had to go back again, now to Jabatan Pencen to check why my pencen was not coming. I sat there in front of the officer in my well worn clothes and a tired face with a jetlag until I saw the money has been transfered into my bank account. Somebody was sitting on my file.
Susah nu nak dapat pencen...Then came the adjusting period, I was not used to spending someone else's money ( my husband's) I became very frugal. I am still adjusting after all these years. I am getting better after my husband told me not to take my Malaysian money out, unless we need it badly. But he said if i still feel like shopping for shoes and handbags in London like I used to, then I might need to take my ringgit out.
Well, in my elder sister's case, it was different. She saved and saved and when she opted to retire early, she thought she had enough for 'her'. The moment she got her graruity, her husband persuaded her to buy a Honda Accord. After much persuasion she agreed. Lo and behold, the car is in her husband's name. Soon after, with a sparkling car, he found another wife. And what happen to the car? My sister has no chance of sitting in it. Hangus.
So for all the women out there. Beware ! jaga wang pencen anda!