Financial winter 金融冬天

Malaysia has no winter but I am feeling the winter chill.

It is the financial winter the world now experiencing since the financial tsunami started in the US. It reached Europe almost instantaneously. Due to globalisation and exposure, no country is spared.

In Malaysia, most experts said the worse will be felt by March next year.

However, many Malaysians already fallen victim to the financial winter. In Penang, many workers are being retrenched. Many more retrenchment are not reported. My nephew who is working in a big furniture export factory in Batu Pahat have his pay cut by more than 20%. The management already scaling down their operation and retrenchment will follow. He has two infant children, and worry about the future.

While I am sitting in the office, the sales and collections reflects the real time situation. I am feeling the chill.... right into my bones. And the winter is not here yet!

Over pessimistic? It is good to have crisis sentiments to keep one alert.

"We played the flute for you but you do not dance. We sang a funeral song but you do not cry........ Yet the outcome will prove Wisdom to be right。" (Mt 11: 17)


马来西亚没有冬天，但我却感到冬天的寒冷。

这就是目前全世界在美国发生的金融海啸之后，体验到的金融冬天。欧洲也几乎在同一个时间领受到了这个冬天的威力。因为全球化及开放，世界上没有一个国家可以逃过的。

在马来西亚，许多专家说最坏的还没有到来。

不过，许多马来西亚人民已经领受到了这个冬天的伤害。在槟城，许多员工已经被裁退。还有更多的工厂裁员不为人知。我的一位在巴都巴辖一间出口大傢私厂工作的侄儿，已经被减薪 二十吧先。公司已经缩小营业，下一步将是裁员了。他有两分别为个六岁及三岁的孩子，正为将来而忧心。

我坐在办事处里，看着销售及收账的情况，确是已经反映了目前的实况。我已经感觉到了这个冬天的寒冷。。。深入骨髓。冬天还没到呢！

太过悲观？未雨绸缪，有个危机意识会提高我们的警惕。

"我们给你们吹了笛，你们却不跳舞，我们唱了哀歌，你们却不捶胸哀哭。。。。事情的结果必会证明智慧的正确。" (玛11 :17)