SHAH ALAM, May 17 — Economic uncertainty caused by the West Asia crisis, coupled with rising living costs, has led to a shift in spending habits among communities in the Klang Valley.
A Media Selangor survey found that most residents are now more cautious and adopting more moderate lifestyles by prioritising basic necessities over personal wants.
One urbanite, Amirah Zahidi, 35, said that although she has not been severely affected, she is still taking precautions by spending within her means.
The self-employed woman also acknowledged that the economic crisis is felt more deeply by those with families.
“When spending, we should not follow other people. We must spend according to our capabilities and budget.
“I do not have children yet, so my expenses are still the same as before, but I still hope this crisis will not continue for too long,” she told Media Selangor.
Meanwhile, civil servant Zailie Rani, 27, expressed concern that monthly expenses are becoming increasingly burdensome, especially for lower-income groups.
“In the past, RM5 was enough to fill up my motorcycle with petrol, but now I have to spend more. With a salary below RM3,000, you really have to cut back a lot,” he said.
Zailie also agreed that society needs to be more aware of managing finances wisely and to avoid being overly influenced by current trends.
“We see people still shopping and visiting viral places, but in reality we need to save more for the long term,” he said.
Similarly, engineer Anis Najwa Mat Zen, 40, has adopted the approach of reducing outdoor activities in order to save money.
“We need to have savings and learn to be thrifty because the current economic situation is uncertain,” she said.
On Monday (May 11), the government announced that it is studying the possibility of reducing fuel subsidies for high-income groups as early as next month, following rising costs caused by uncertainty in global oil prices.
Astro Awani reported that Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said the approach is important to ensure assistance can be channelled more accurately to targeted groups.
