Malay Chinese, male, 76 years old, former British soldier
1. What’s the average earnings and basic living costs of food?
| Average salary | 1 800 – 2 500 Ringgit/month | $422-585 |
| Chicken, 1 kg | 10.5 Ringgit | $2.5 |
| Pork, 1 kg | 12-14 Ringgit | $3 |
| Beef, 1 kg | 25-28 Ringgit | $6-7 |
| Eggs, 30 pieces | 14-16 Ringgit | $3 |
| Milk, 1 liter | 3.6 Ringgit | $0.8 |
| Apples, 10 pieces | 10 Ringgit | $2 |
| Orange, 1 piece | 1 Ringgit | $0.2 |
| Durian, 1 kg | 60 Ringgit | $14 |
2. What celebrations and festivals do you have in your country?
Chinese celebrations
| Chinese New Year | January – February |
| Loonar Moon Cake | 8th month of Chinese calendar |
| Hungry ghost | 7th month of Chinese calendar |
| Dragon boat festival | 5th month of Chinese calendar |
| Winter solstice | December |
Malaysian celebrations
| Hari Raya | June |
Indian celebrations
| Taipusam | January |
| Deepavali/Diwali | October |
3. What’s the weather like in your country?
Tropical weather all year long. 25-38°C.
4. What’s the local cuisine and the dish of the day?
Chinese cuisine:
- Chicken rice
- Bak kut teh (pork rib soup)
Malaysian cuisine:
- Roti prata (flat bread)
- Meerbus (yellow noodles in broth)
Indian cuisine:
- Nasi briyani (long Indian rice with fish/chicken/lamb)
5. What expectations do you have for your grandchildren?
I wish my grandchildren to be successful in their careers, and also do good things to other people without racial or religious preferences.
6. How did you furnish and design your place? Is your house big/small?
Modern style. Wi-Fi. Big screen TVs.
7. Is there anything unique created with people’s hands in this country?
Vietnamese hats, baskets made from bamboo straws.
8. What pension are you entitled to in this country?
Government officers only (teachers, doctors, nurses, police officers) – 150% of their salaries.
9. How much would I be expected to pay for the following: land, house, apartment?
“Protection of locals”
If a foreigner wants to buy a piece of land or house, he must spend at least 1 million Ringgit ($234 000).
10. How much would I be expected to pay for an apartment + energy bills + internet + other utilities monthly?
| “Quick rent” | 120 Ringgit/year | $28 |
| Electricity | 65 Ringgit/month | $15 |
| Water supply | 20 Ringgit/month | $5 |
11. What expectations do you hope to achieve for the future?
My dreams are: to gather together and buy land for agricultural purposes and tourism, to help human beings.