A Malaysian man is questioning his relationship with his parents after reaching his breaking point with how his parents treat him and his brother differently.
Taking to the 八卦部门 Facebook page, the man anonymously shared how his parents had used the RM1,000 monthly contribution he gives them for their retirement, to help finance his brother’s new car. The man started his post by explaining why he provides his parents with RM1,000 a month.
This image is for illustration purposes only.
He wrote, “The year I graduated from university, I got my first job earning RM2,800 a month with a 3-month probation period. My mum told me, ‘You need to be more responsible. Mum and dad won’t stay young forever. Send a little bit of money home every month, and we’ll save it for our retirement.‘”
“I quickly agreed. After all, I’ve always been an obedient child. So, I transfer RM1,000 to her every month. My rent is RM800, and I pay my PTPTN loan. So, I have to think twice before even buying a cup of Starbucks coffee.”
He further explained that he politely declines invitations to dine out or go for drinks from colleagues due to his financial situation.
“It’s not that I don’t want to make friends, it’s just that I’m really broke. But, I figured it’s worth it. My parents worked so hard to raise me, so what if I contribute a little?”
He reached his breaking point
All was well until he visited his parents last month, only to find out that his parents had spent the money he sent them to fund his brother’s new car.
This image is for illustration purposes only.
“Last month, I took some time off to go home and accompany my parents for a medical check-up. Before dinner, I heard an engine outside. I turned around and saw my brother driving back in a brand new white Toyota Vios,”
“I was shocked. My first reaction was, ‘Didn’t he just switch jobs? How can he afford a car?‘. Later, during dinner, I asked him, ‘Brother, you got a new car? How did you afford it?‘. My brother’s response completely stupefied me, ‘Mum helped me with the downpayment,'” he said.
He later asked his mother about his retirement contribution being used to buy his brother a new car, but his mother told him that his brother has started a family and needs a car. She added that it’s not easy for his brother to support a family.
“I almost cried at that moment. For years, I’ve been desperately trying to make life easier for them in their old age, but the money I gave them wasn’t used for their future, it was for my brother to live a more comfortable life.”
He doesn’t feel part of his family
Due to the different treatment he and his brother receive from their parents, the man shared that he sometimes feels like he is not biologically related to them.
“To be honest, this feeling happened more than once. When I was little, they would buy fried chicken, and the drumsticks would always go to my brother. During Chinese New Year, when red envelopes were distributed, I always had RM50 less than him,”
“When I was unhappy, my parents would call me rebellious. When my brother lost his temper, they would say he was stressed out. I thought things would become more equal as I grew older, but the reality is that I am still considered the one who ‘should be obedient, sensible and indifferent‘. Sometimes, I really wonder if I am their biological child,” he added.
Don’t give anymore!
Many have since encouraged him to stop contributing to his parents’ retirement (or change his method of contribution) and to use the money to take care of himself.
What would you have done if you were in the man’s shoes? Do feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section.
Also read: Elderly M’sian Mum Calls Son Incompetent for Having Factory Job Despite Him Taking Good Care of Her
