Desiderata wonders if an EPF's contribution like 10-15 percent by her spouse from his salary is sufficeint payment for the 'Home" Minister?
I'm referring to a propsal by the Employees Provident Fund, as reported in The Star yesterday (August 8, 2005), headlined:
EPF boost for wives
Husbands can make contributions in recognition of homemakers role
This ove is aimed at providing the housewives some financial security in their old age and also prevent them from being left in the lurch shpuld their spouses desert them.
EPF deputy CEO (Management and organisation development) RUSMA IBRAHIM said one benefit was that the houswives would earn better returns in terms of dividends compared to the interest from bank savings accounts.
In addition, the housewives would be entitled to other benefits like disability payouts.
Rusma said housewives would be classified as self-employed and would be required to contribute a minimum monthly deduction of RM50.
DESIDERATA: notes that this is a progressive step. A starting point of RM50 is too little; maybe start at the same rate as normally required of workers in the private sector -- 10 per cent to 15 percentof the spouse's salary?
But frankly the "true worth" of a fulltime housewife is "priceless", but a starting point in my generous mind is at least double an average blue collar worker's wage -- as the multitasking home minister takes on additional roles of looking after the mental and social welfare of the family.Don't mind the soap=opera breaks ...you guys take long t-breaks at the office cafetaria too!Also, the well-quoted saying: Behind every successful man is a woman.
BUT in this modern age of gender equality, the same requirement should apply for house-husbands who depend on their significant other's bread-winning ability -- not an uncommon occurrence nowadays -- which is a haelthy development. There is nothing to say in any books of civilization that only the man can be the sole breadwinner in a family. But as far as religious doctrine is concerned, desi would be glad to be enlightened ...
In conclusion, Readers may benefit from this episode, fictional maybe, but also quite close to home truth in reality -- from Down Under for CONtest/text and COMpanionism/parison:
Not my copy -- it's forwarded by mGf who has nothin' exciting to do yesterday because her spouse (I swear, by my overwear, it's thru! Don't believe it?-- ask Dave when you see him one of these not so-blue days...) -- he was home all day doing all the homework!
In the beginning God created day and night.
He created day for footy matches, going to the beach and BBQ's.
He created night for going prawning, sleeping and BBQ's. God saw that it was
good. Evening came and morning came and it was the Second Day.
On the Second Day, God created water - for surfing, swimming and BBQ's on
the beach. God saw that it was good. Evening came and morning came and it was the Third Day.
On the Third Day God created the Earth to bring forth plants - to provide malt and yeast for beer and wood for BBQs. God saw that it was good. Evening came and morning came and it was the Fourth Day.
On the Fourth Day God created animals and crustaceans for chops,sausages, steak and prawns for BBQ's. God saw that it was good. Evening came and morning came and it was the Fifth Day.
On the Fifth day God created a bloke - to go to the footy, enjoy the beach, drink the beer and eat the meat and prawns at BBQ's. God saw that it was good. Evening came and morning came and it was the Sixth Day.
On the Sixth Day God saw that this bloke was lonely and needed someone to go
to the footy, surf, drink beer, eat and stand around the barbie with. So God created Mates, and God saw that they were good blokes. God saw that it was good.
Evening came and morning came and it was the Seventh Day.
On the Seventh Day God looked around at the twinkling barbie fires,heard the hiss of opening beer cans and the raucous laughter of all the
Blokes, smelled the aroma of grilled chops and sizzling prawns and God saw
that it was good.... well, almost good. He saw that the blokes were too
tired to clean up and needed a rest. So God created Sheilas - to
clean the house, bear children, wash, and cook and clean the BBQ. God saw that
it was not just good, it was better than that, it was Bloody Awesome!.....
5 comments:
Desi,
I hear the alarm bells sounding. I liked your introduction on appreciating a housewife's role and contributions, and I agree to your adage of 'Behind Every Successful Man Is A Woman.'
However what concerns me is the stereotyping that men only to know how to eat, make a mess and laugh and we expect the 'sheila's' to clean up after us. I hope you don't get yourself thrown into the fire for saying such a thing. Who else is gonna keep me amused everyday then?
stereotyping ,,,, oh yuck,, Not all women watch soaps , i can't stand them.As for the aussie yobbo beer bbq ect thoses kind of stories make me wanna be known as any other race ,but aussie.
imran -- no worries, sheilas need not be fe-mail, remember? This is our lands - Malaysia and Australia are 2 LuckyC'untrees Call us Shylocks then?
ah, sssspirit: I'm responding with TERPIDATION at 1.59pm Msian time; I just uploaded my Wednesday's post dedicated to fans like THEE -- I won't add anything to this short -- not curt -- comment because I can't afford to lose any fans! Maybe Desi's PLace may be hit by a tsunami? Hint of an answeror2 on THE I-LAND!
SweetSpirit:
See! tRepidation in word and deed!
Hi Desi,
I do agree with Imran about that adage. It is true to the core that they do get full supports from their wives.
But this is a marvelous post, I would say. Tee hee.
Till then.. :)
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