Malaysians are indeed lucky to be living in a beautiful country like Malaysia. The tropical climate of the country keeps us warm throughout the day and our proximity to water ensure that the weather is always humid. However, the beautiful weather is not the only great thing about living in Malaysia. Here’s a list of all of the great things about this country we routinely enjoy often without realizing just how amazing it is.
1. Free Education
Yes, you read that right. The Malaysian government offers free education for Malaysians in the national school system for 11 years: 6 years in primary school and another 5 years in secondary school. Albeit tertiary education in Malaysia is not free, if you can get a spot in any one of the public universities you can rest assured that you are paying one of the lowest tertiary education fees in the world for good quality education. On average the cost of completing a bachelor’s degree in a public university in Malaysia is ranging from only RM7,500 – RM15,000 for the entire length of study.
2. Affordable Healthcare
Public healthcare is heavily subsidized by the Malaysian government, the government spends tenths of billions of ringgit yearly on the public healthcare system to ensure that it is affordable. Malaysians who are in the B40 group and are aged 40 years and above are also eligible for a healthcare protection scheme under the Ministry of Health.
3. Affordable Petrol
Albeit petrol prices are a heavily politicised issue in Malaysia, the country still enjoys cheaper petrol prices compared to many other countries around the world. It helps that the country is an oil-producing country and the government wholly owns Petronas, the company that is granted exclusive rights to exploit the country’s petroleum resources. In 2021 alone, the finance ministry has reported that a total of RM8 Billion is allocated for petrol and cooking oil subsidies.
4. Food
Easily the most treasured aspect of living in Malaysia, the country offers a wide range of delicacies that are uniquely Malaysian. The fusion of the different races living in the country offers a unique opportunity for us to experience authentic flavors from many different parts of the world in one place.
5. Culture
Malaysia is incredibly diverse, the largest group of Malaysians consists of three races, namely the Malay, Chinese, and Indians. However, it doesn’t stop there, the country is also lucky to have a wide array of other ethnic groups also living in peaceful coexistence such as the Orang Asli, Kadazan, Iban, and many others.
This list is not an exhaustive one but hopefully, it can remind the readers of the many wonderful things that we enjoy while living in this country. With all of the petty issues and political shenanigans that we are exposed to daily, it is easy to forget just how incredibly lucky we are to be born a Malaysian.