Two Salaries Better Than One: A Female Perspective

I read with great interest, a recent article in our local newspaper. Experts recommended that women should “‘resign’ from their homemaker positions to help their spouses bring home more money”. Apparently, Malaysian women are not contributing to the economic growth of the nation, and with the rising cost of living, women are also indirectly contributing to “stressful situations”.

There are just so many points in this article that I take offense to, but this line really takes the cake: “Women should focus on the satisfaction derived from helping their family”.

The expert who imparted such views is, in my humble opinion, not doing justice to Malaysian women. I sincerely think that women are not entering the workforce not because they want to laze at home while the husband toils away to put food on the table. We do not “choose” to get by on single incomes when we have the capacity, ability and skills to earn money, either by working for others or working for self. The RAM Holdings group chief economist was also very much remiss when he did not factor into the equation the amount of money that women help to save by being the homemaker and ensuring the household is in order.

The household can save approximately rm 1,150 by doing without a live-in maid. By having home-cooked meals and not eating out, the homemaker is also saving approximately rm1,000 per month. By taking care of her children herself, the household saves rm 300 to rm 600 monthly per child.

Contrary to the expert’s opinion, it is even more difficult for the wife in low-income groups with larger families of four to five children to work. Whatever will become of the children? If the wife is to ‘resign’ from being a homemaker, can her potential income be greater than her childcare and food expenses? Would she have enough time to cook and clean and care for her four to five children and have a baking, sewing or basket-making job on the side?

Some women consciously choose family over career. In an effort to give the very best to their children, some women put their career on hold to focus on nurturing, grooming and educating their children. They believe their contribution is worth their weight in gold, and impart the best values and attention to their young children. Are we to blame such selfless mothers for “contributing to a stressful situation”?

One of the main reasons why our nation’s female participation in the workforce is only 44.4 per cent, compared with the world average of 51.8 per cent, is because our nation has not made it conducive for women to re-enter the workforce after maternity. Companies tend to ignore female candidates who are pregnant or express their intention of starting a family. They are also less likely to consider women who have left the workforce for a few years, believing it would waste time and money to retrain them. We read of babies and toddlers dying in childcare centers and nothing has been done to minimize the chances of this recurring. It is virtually impossible to secure a foreign maid at this time of writing, to say nothing of the exorbitant fees required to engage one. We are being charged for using too much electricity and being charged for using too little. And despite government efforts, our cost of living keeps creeping up. How then are we to contribute to the household when it might potentially cost more for women to ‘resign’ being a homemaker?

I agree that our nation is not fully utilizing women as a resource in the economy. But for women to work just to get “satisfaction derived from helping their family” is far too shallow. The Nielsen Woman of Tomorrow study is by far more accurate when research revealed that “the intent to contribute is driven by women’s concern for their family’s future and the desire to improve themselves.”

Today’s young parents are not as burdened by cultural roles. Malaysian house husbands do exist! Whether women become working mothers or homemakers, the important thing is to make sure it is the right choice for your family.