<\/p>\n
Financial freedom is In Malaysia, women are expected to live 5 years longer, as According to a recent In Sarawak, there is
\ntwo sweet words to anyone, men or women alike.
\n<\/span>Says a motivation speaker, \u201cMoney is not everything\u2026 if you have a
\nlot. <\/span>Money is everything\u2026 if you don\u2019t
\nhave it.\u201d <\/span>With rising costs in living
\nstandards throughout the world, it becomes crucial to ensure that our income
\ngeneration rises in tandem or exceed our financial needs. <\/span>This is even more important for women who
\nhave longer life expectancy than men. <\/span>
\ntheir life expectancy is 76 as compared to men at 71. <\/span>Therefore it is necessary for women to secure their own financial
\nfreedom particularly in the circumstances of retirement. <\/span>\u201cThe days of women depending on their
\nhusbands to plan their future are over. Women have to start to control their
\nown financial planning,\u201d advised YB Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, Minister
\nof Women, Family & Community Development. <\/font><\/p>\n
\nsurvey from the Ministry, 38.7% of women contributed to EPF, 69% held savings
\naccount, 48.8% saved by purchasing jewelries, and 30% had insurance coverage of
\nany type. <\/span>These figures could still be
\ngreatly improved to assist women in planning for their future financial
\nfreedom. <\/span>One effort by the government
\nis by establishing funds and loan schemes to encourage more involvement from
\nwomen in businesses and entrepreneurships.
\n<\/span>
\nan increasing trend in the number of elderly women. <\/span>Based on the findings from a research on \u201cAging in Sarawak:
\nimpact, needs and emerging issues,\u201d undertaken by UNIMAS and commissioned by
\nthe Ministry of Social Development & Urbanization, the ratio of elderly men
\nto women in the state was 55,300 to 53,300 in 1980, but this ratio has changed
\nto 83,600 to 98,300 in 2000. <\/span>Thus it is
\nimportant for women to start planing their financial freedom now. <\/span>