How Malaysia’s Subsidies Are Killing Her Middle Class | Manulife’s Victor Liew

MOST Malaysians believe 5.5% EPF returns mean they're building wealth. Victor Liew shows why you're actually losing purchasing power. While official inflation sits at 2-3%, your nasi lemak costs 90% more than a decade ago—that's your real inflation. Add policy drags like SST, subsidy removals, and healthcare premium spikes, and middle-class Malaysians face a 10-15% annual hurdle rate their savings can't clear.

The TLDW:
→ Why your RM1 million at 55 will only buy RM300K worth of goods by 75 
→ The "shadow inflation" eating 7-10% of your wealth annually while governments report 3% 
→ How a 31-year-old should invest differently than someone at 51 and why renting beats buying

Link to download the ‘How Many Days Till End of Money’ spreadsheet
(as referred towards the end of the conversation)
https://bit.ly/HowManyDaysTillEndOfMoney

Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction: Malaysia's Middle Class Under Siege
00:49 - The Shadow Inflation Truth: Why Official Numbers Hide Real 10-15% Costs
04:09 - The Retirement Math Nobody Tells You: 1 Million Becomes Worthless
07:10 - Investment Strategy: Why Global Diversification Is Non-Negotiable
13:10 - Finding The Right Funds: 15% Returns Over 50 Years Is Possible
18:25 - Life Stage Investing: From Age 21 To Retirement Planning
27:44 - How Much You Really Need: The 2 Million Ringgit Reality Check
29:27 - Investment Psychology: Why Dead Investors Outperform Everyone
33:04 - The Forgotten Middle Class And What To Do Now

---

Follow Victor here:
Facebook: https://facebook.com/TheAffluentLink/
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/victorjliew
X: http://x.com/victorliew