(Source: 123rf)
They say family is about love and sacrifice, but for one Malaysian man, years of sacrifice came with a bitter twist. What he thought was a noble act to secure his parents’ retirement turned out to be funding something else entirely… his brother’s brand-new car.
“I thought I was helping my parents save money for their retirement, but it turns out I was funding my brother’s new car.”
Being the obedient son that he is, he instantly agreed to a generous contribution
A young man took to the 八卦部门 Facebook page to share anonymously that right after graduating, he landed his first job with a modest salary of RM2,800. His mother then told him that he needs to start supporting his parents, and being the obedient son that he is, he agreed instantly. He sent home RM1,000 every month to help fund their retirement.
“The year I graduated from university, I landed my first job with a monthly salary of RM2,800. That was when my mum told me, ‘You need to start having a sense of responsibility. Your dad and I won’t always be young. Give a little money to the family each month, we’ll save it up as a pension fund’.
I agreed right away. After all, I had always been the obedient type since I was young.”
Every month he would be left with little or no money
Every month, he transferred the money, paying RM800 in rent and servicing his PTPTN loan out of the rest. That meant thinking twice even before buying a cup of Starbucks. Due to his tight budget, he would decline invitations from his colleagues to hang out. Even though he wanted to build friendships with his colleagues he simply could not afford it. He comforted himself by reminding himself that his parents raised him with so much effort. Contributing a bit of financial relief seemed fair.
“It wasn’t that I didn’t want to socialise, I was just broke. But I felt it was worth it. My parents had worked so hard to raise me, what was wrong with me taking on a bit of the load?”
Whilst he suffered, his brother casually drives home with a brand new car
But one afternoon everything changed. The man returned home to take his parents for a medical check-up. To his shock he saw his brother arrive in a brand-new white Toyota Vios. His jaw dropped.
“I was stunned. My first thought was, ‘Didn’t he just change jobs not long ago? How can he afford a new car?’ I casually asked, ‘Bro, you changed cars? How can you afford the instalments so fast?’ His reply floored me instantly, ‘Mum paid the downpayment for me.’
My hands were shaking. My mind was racing.”
All those months he had transferred money he thought was for his parents’ future had really been used to make his brother’s life easier.
That evening, the young man confronted his mum. Her answer was simple.
“I finally couldn’t hold back and asked my mum, ‘Didn’t you say you were saving for retirement? How did it end up being used to help him buy a car?’ My mom replied, ‘Your brother has a family now, he needs a car. It’s not easy for him to support a whole family on his own. You’re still young, strong, you can take your time.’
At that moment, I almost cried.”
He had been trying too hard to make his parents’ future easier not realising he was carrying the weight of making his brother’s life look more presentable.
His post ended on a haunting note
He wondered if he was ever treated as part of the family.
“Honestly, this wasn’t the first or second time I’d felt this way. When I was a kid and we had fried chicken, the drumstick always went to my brother. During Chinese New Year, my ang pow money was always RM50 less than his. When I was upset, my parents would say I was being rebellious. When my brother lost his temper, they would say he was under pressure.
I thought that when I grew up, things would be more equal. But the truth is… I’m still the one who’s ‘supposed to be good, to be understanding, to never be calculative’.
Sometimes I really wonder, am I even their biological child?”
Netizens in the comment section of the viral post encouraged him to stop contributing to his parents’ retirement, and to start living for himself.
More than a viral story this is a slice of modern family life that many feel but rarely voice.
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