RISING cost of living and stagnant wages have left some Malaysians with no choice but to take up several jobs to increase their income.

They said doing two or more jobs meant they had to sacrifice their holidays and weekends spent with their families.

The Malaysian Insight spoke to six people about their struggle to make ends meet.

Social media executive Hayati Farhana, 35, from Kuala Lumpur, sells cosmetics on the side.

“My husband and I will use our fixed salaries to pay for monthly commitments such as our housing loan and daily necessities.

“Our combined income comes up to RM9,000 but we have three children who are growing and the cost of living expenses is getting more expensive day by day,” she said.

She said that each month she has to pay for milk, disposable napkins, school expenses, and babysitter’s fees.

“I have to set aside RM2,000 for school registration (kindergarten) and that’s for just one (child).

“So the income from this business (of selling cosmetics) is very helpful because it has increased my source of income.

“With the money we can pay for various other needs our monthly salary does not cover. And we can save a little as well.”

According to the Department of Statistics, the average household income increased by 4.3 % between 2016 and 2019.

Last September, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, said 20%, about 580,000 households, in the middle-income group earning between RM4,850 and RM10,959, have dropped into the bottom 40 group.

Twenty-three year old Akmal Ryzal is a trainee employee at an engineering company in Kuala Lumpur. He earns RM1,900 a month.

“However, the salary is not in line with the cost of living. Every month, the cost of fuel and toll can reach RM400. My claims for transport take two months to process. This means I have to use my money first.

“And then I have to pay RM300 for rent, my phone bill is RM100, and I give my parents RM200. That’s not counting the cost of food or money for emergencies.

“That’s why I have also become a courier (e-hailing) for the past four months.”

“I only do this job on weekends. With this part-time job, every month I get RM160. This helps a bit. If I get a raise then I can save. “

Soap and makeup

Nurul Hidayah Abdul Rahman, 32, who works for a private company in Penang, said she had to work part-time for a comfortable lifestyle.

“I work in a private company with a monthly income of RM3,000 but for a more comfortable lifestyle, I decided to sell cosmetics.

“I can get RM3,000 a month, which is additional income.

“But to earn such an income of RM3,000 is not easy because I have to sacrifice my personal time and holidays.

“My regular job requires me to work for 12 hours a day. After work I will focus fully on my business including on Saturday and Sunday.”

Nandini, 29, a content writer in Kuala Lumpur, said she got involved in selling soaps after her salary was delayed during the movement control order period last year.

“I get a fixed salary of RM4,000 and that is not enough to live on in Kuala Lumpur. So I work part -time selling homemade soap.

“I started my business during the first movement control order last year because my salary often came in late.

“Working two jobs is tiring and I usually allocate a small portion of my time for my business when I have a break.”

Nandini is also concerned about the escalating price of essential items.

“I get worried when I hear that prices of goods are rising; I hope the cost of materials to make soaps does not increase.

“If it doesn, I will have to shift the cost to customers. But I fear they will stop buying if I raise prices. I hope it doesn’t happen.”

Back-up plan, with food

Farhana Nadi, a 29-year-old administrative worker in Kuala Lumpur, said she finds it difficult to survive in the capital city on a fixed salary.

“I do part-time work because my fixed salary is not much. The costs of food, fuel, toll and my monthly commitments make it difficult to survive.

“This doesn’t include the money I need to give to my parents back in the kampung.”

Farhana is selling perfumes for side income.

“I started selling perfumes during the MCO last June.

“I don’t have an issue with my salary, but I’m worried that I could get fired or my pay could be cut.

“This is why I decided to get another source of income. For me it is a back-up plan.”

“This part-time job is very helpful. In the past, I struggled every month with not having enough money to eat. But now it’s a little easier because I don’t have to depend solely on a fixed salary,” she said.

David, 28, who works in the information technology sector in Klang, said he has held a part-time job since his college days.

“It started as a hobby and moreover, I like to challenge myself myself in the field of website building.

“Even when I got a permanent job four years ago, I continued my part-time job.”

David said the extra income is helpful.

“However, it depends on the projects that I get so the income is inconsistent.

“I use my part-time income to pay for other commitments such as the maintenance of my car.

“But doing two jobs is not easy as you have to be good at time management and you need to know what your priorities are.”

“I admit it is very challenging, especially in the IT field, which requires me to sit in front of a computer screen for a long time.

“It has also affected my health so much that I had to take sick leave. To work part-time work while still focusing on permanent work requires sacrifice. But nothing is easy in this world.” – December 7, 2021.