Myanmar ranks ninth worst on the Global Terrorism Index

Myanmar has become one of the 10 countries with the highest number of casualties for the first time since the release of the 2022 Global Terrorism Index, a country-by-country report on March 20.

In Burma, only 24 people were killed in terrorist attacks in 2020. By 2021, when the military took power, the death toll had risen 20-fold. This is the largest increase in the number of countries in the world, the report said.

At least 750 terrorist attacks in Burma in 2021 killed 521 people and injured 351, making it the ninth-worst country in the world after the violence, and the death toll is expected to rise this year.

In 2021, there were 5,226 terrorist attacks worldwide, with the highest number of casualties in Afghanistan. The second largest is Iran and the third largest is Somalia. Myanmar ranks ninth and Pakistan 10th.

The vanguard of the revolution - the most destitute class of Vietnam today

If you get married now, ask what job the other family does and get the answer "Working", I think the vast majority of families will hesitate. Of course, except for the families who also work as workers, or carry trades, their living standards are too low.

I'm sorry workers, but that's the truth. Working as a worker now means hard work with low income, uncertain future, even belonging to the poorest class in society.

On March 2, 2022, VnExpress newspaper published an article with the short title " Workers' wages are not enough to live" . The article reads:

“Ms. Huynh Thi My Hieu, 30 years old and her husband, 32 years old, both work at Nidec Vietnam Co., Ltd. in the Hi-Tech Park (Thu Duc City). If in a month, Hieu and his wife work full 22 working days, each shift works 12 hours, of which 2.5 hours work overtime, the total income of both is about 14 million VND.

Hostel, electricity and water about 2.5 million VND. More than 2 million VND for the owner to help pick up, feed and eat for his 8-year-old daughter when the husband and wife work overtime. The rest is for monthly tuition, food for the whole family, gas for commuting... The female worker spread her hand and listed nearly a dozen expenses. Every month is not sick, overtime is just enough, no need to borrow more. If they don't work overtime, the couple's total income is less than 10 million VND.

The epidemic hit, she was infected with COVID-19, so both of them temporarily stopped working. With no money to save, the female worker had to borrow money from her mother temporarily. Over the past half year, she still has not managed to turn around 10 million VND to send it back to her mother.”

Who is the worker?

When the Communist Party of Vietnam began to seize power, the workers were regarded as the core of the revolution.

So who are the workers now?

Unlike the generations of workers in the years before and right after 1975, the later generations of workers have greatly declined in quality. In middle age, most of them are unemployed (if city dwellers) or have neither occupation nor arable land (if rural people). Meanwhile, most domestic factories have a very low demand for workers with a very low level of education, sometimes just graduating from secondary school is accepted. Therefore, working as a worker is the best choice of most people in this age group.

At a younger age, there are many people with higher education such as finishing high school but not getting into university/college, or being too poor to choose to work as workers. However, in addition to the need to make a living, this generation has other equally urgent needs. That is the need to live in a crowded and developed place, have many opportunities, have many people of the same age as you to make friends, fall in love and get married. Many rural areas in the West or the highland provinces come to the harvest season or harvest fruit, looking for people to make their eyes red, even though the wages are very high. That's because all the children in the neighborhood and the whole commune have moved to the city to work as workers. Many families only have old people and children left (because working parents send their children to live with grandparents). From class to class pulling each other away, the countryside was deserted. In Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Can Tho ... everywhere there are villages deep in the garden, In the field, there are dozens of grass houses that are full of doors because the whole family has gone to Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, Long An, Tien Giang  to work as workers. Usually they only return to their hometown once a year to celebrate the Lunar New Year and then leave again. Anniversaries, weddings or other important events are held at the boarding house where parents, then the children's small family, have lived for many years.

How do workers live?

In boarding houses.

In localities where there are many industrial parks and factories, such as Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, Long An, Dong Nai, Tien Giang, etc., near industrial parks and factories, there are countless workers' dormitories. Most of the hostels are located on the edge of the city, far from the center, even in the almost newly reclaimed areas. The vast majority of them are new, squalid, dirty, cramped and dark slums. Many hostels do not have a separate toilet in the room, but a row of men's and women's a row of shared toilets outside. There are also decent and clean workers' dormitories, but very rarely. Partly due to the perception of the innkeeper, the other part is due to the fact: the workers' demand for accommodation is too high, but they only need the minimum living conditions, the lower the rent, the better.

Spending up to 2.5 million VND to rent a room like Ms. Hieu and her husband at the beginning of the article is already in the "well-off" class. Popular rooms are priced from 900,000 VND/month to 1.5 million VND for about 14 m2 (including the loft) for the whole family. Or three or four single people sharing a room. They choose the time difference, so at the same time often only 1-2 people at home, also less crowded.

The peak of the epidemic last year (2021) in Ho Chi Minh City, there were benefactors who were quite confused when they called for food help for the blocked workers' dormitories. The vast majority of single rooms do not have kitchens and cooking utensils. Many people do not even have a kettle to cook drinking water. “Work and overtime so all meals are eaten out. Buy a 20-liter bottle of bottled water for 10,000 VND to drink”-many people explained.

For others, being a worker is an unstable profession. They change jobs quite often, so they don't see the need to settle down. In short, it is a very precarious, temporary life in general.

Many others work harder and save more money, buy food at workers' markets near industrial zones, cook in lodgings. Those are mostly spontaneous toad markets, selling low-quality food, drifting goods, and bazaars at cheap prices. Meat, fish, tofu. displayed on the ground, next to the path is full of dust and garbage. Food safety and hygiene is very strange and superfluous in this place.

On October 23, 2021, Lao Dong newspaper - the newspaper claiming to be "Voice of Vietnamese employees" published an article titled "The cycle of 'eating, sleeping, going to work' of industrial park workers. The article describes the life of workers who work two weeks in day shift and two weeks in night shift in a factory near Hanoi, who have to work overtime regularly to get an income of about 15-17 million VND/ Needless to say, this is the dream income, known as the wealth of the workers. But to have it, “During the years of working as a worker, staying at a boarding house, my life was mostly just eating food. , sleep, then go to work, there is no time to go anywhere. Sometimes, when I have a day off, I go back to my hometown, and then start this "chorus" - the worker in the article said. He has lived for seven years. such.

It's true. With meager wages but too many expenses, workers have neither the money nor the time to enjoy the spiritual pleasures if it costs money. Men mostly entertain themselves by drinking. Middle-aged women and children watch Korean or Indian dramas on TV/phone, watch funny comedy clips, watch Tik Tok of famous or scandalous individuals. What brings laughter quickly and easily understood is the most popular. Many young girls are fascinated by the unboxing clips of "the queen of the industry" Ngoc Trinh to wish that one day they could change their lives like that. It is very difficult to find books and newspapers in the workers' dormitories.

“Worker girls are both cheap and good”

I have heard many men who are engineers in industrial parks/export processing zones comment like that. Unruly and filtered men like rural girls who have just come to the city because they are still cute and easy to attract, naive, less demanding. With a huge difference between the life and income of a factory engineer and a manual worker, many female workers accept to be their mistresses. They will be rented by the other man to a better motel room to live alone, given monthly living expenses, bought clothes, taken out to eat, go to the movies, and be favored to do lighter work. in a factory. There are even guys who cover three or four girls at once to change. The girls knew, but accepted, because in their hearts still harbored the wish that one day the other guy would marry her, and then change her life. Or at least, Now she is also living a happier life than other girls. There are pretty young girls who are passed from one man to another who still agree, just for that reason.

This story is also repeated with men who do other jobs, as long as they have money and pay for the girls. At the gates of industrial zones, it is not difficult to see the scene at the weekend when men park their cars and wait for the female workers to finish their shift. No one has counted this number, but it is not uncommon.

Of course, there are still girls who do not accept to exchange their bodies for money, as well as there are workers who work hard to study extra hours outside of work to get a vocational degree, a university degree, in exchange for a similar job. future and better social position.

Does the monk at the temple sweep banyan leaves?

With such a unique cultural life, working hours and income, it is understandable that workers' options for marriage are also limited. Usually workers will get married and get married as workers. Partly because of the same situation, it is easy to meet and sympathize, partly because the worker's income is also more stable than some other freelancers. Then the children were born. If the parents are very industrious, thrifty and have the will to strive, the child will be tutored by the parents to study well, at least have to finish high school and then learn a job. The better child can go to college, thereby marking a change for the better in the family. But if the child accidentally falls into the families of drinking, gambling, eating or short perception, the child is more likely to repeat the same life as his parents.

On the edge of Ho Chi Minh City, in District 7, District 12, Go Vap, Binh Chanh. there are many slums that even city people know little about. It is often hidden in vacant lots that have not yet been built or at the end of deep zigzag alleys. "House" is built with planks. Bathrooms and toilets are surrounded by a few pieces of wood and corrugated iron. People living with mud, open sewage and garbage. Many freelance workers from the provinces choose to live here because the rent is the cheapest and more spacious than the official hostels. Their children follow their parents to drift through each project, some go to love classes or Catholic nuns' schools, some don't. Some years go to school, some years don't, depending on parents' awareness and income.

The General Confederation of Labor also put the number: Currently, the whole country has completed 116 housing projects for industrial park workers, located near or next to the industrial park, with a total area of ​​2.58 million m2, enough arranged for 330,000 workers, not meeting the housing needs for tens of millions of workers.

As noted by the Institute of Workers and Trade Unions under the General Confederation, most workers have to work 2-4 hours a day to earn enough to live on. If the factory does not organize overtime, they will sell goods, drive technology cars, deliver goods or apply for a part-time job at another business.

VnExpress newspaper cited: "The survey on employment and life of female garment workers published by the Ho Chi Minh City Labor Federation in early 2022 shows that the average monthly income of this group is only 6.8 million. copper. Most workers have to work overtime. In which, over 20% have monthly income of less than five million dong. The income level of 5-8 million dong accounts for 60%.

A survey by the trade union in Ho Chi Minh City also showed that nearly 42% of workers said that with their current income, they and their families have a poor standard of living. Therefore, they almost do not save anything from their salary, if there is an unusual incident, they will not have any money to spend.

Not to mention, workers often have to borrow loans from friends and relatives to make up for the shortfall, in many cases of gangster loans with high interest rates. Many female workers share that because the standard of living is so low, it is difficult to decide to have children.”

And that is just a small corner of the current portrait of the Vietnamese working class.

_________

Refer:

https://laodong.vn/cong-doan/vong-quay-an-ngu-di-lam-cua-cong-nhan-khu-cong-nghiep-966724.ldo

https://moc.gov.vn/vn/tin-tuc/1184/68348/dap-ung-nhu-cau-nha-o-cho-cong-nhan.aspx

http://www.congdoan.vn/tin-tuc/doi-song-cong-nhan-503/nu-cong-nhan-nganh-may-chi-tieu-cho-ban-than-chi-chiem-12phan-tram-thu-nhap-601098.tld

https://laodong.vn/video-cong-doan/nhieu-cong-nhan-phai-thue-nha-trong-moi-truong-song-khong-dam-bao-1015636.ldo

https://laodong.vn/cong-doan/nha-o-cong-nhan-10-nam-nhoc-nhan-tiet-kiem-van-phai-thue-phong-tro-bi-bach-958196.ldo

* The article does not represent the views of Radio Free Asia.

'He made a mistake, he became my boss' - Dr M started the campaign in Johor

PRN JOHOR | Dr Mahathir Mohamad started his campaign in Johor by targeting former prime minister Najib Razak, who he said was trying to cover up his crimes related to the 1MDB scandal.

The Pejuang chairman, who joined the campaign despite doctors' warnings on health risks following the Covid-19 outbreak, said he was called to action because he was increasingly worried about the Johor PRN.

As the campaign began, Najib made several high -profile visits where he appeared to receive a good response, positioning himself as a leader who remained popular despite convictions for criminal breach of trust, abuse of power and money laundering.

Speaking in front of about 70 attendees at Felda Ayer Hitam in the Machap state constituency today, Mahathir also criticized Najib for covering up the debt situation caused by the scandal, which the country has to bear.

Under Najib's administration, 1MDB issued billions of ringgit in bonds, with a large number of them misappropriated. The investigation also showed that some were channeled to Najib's personal account.

One of the bonds is scheduled to mature this year.

Malaysia needs to issue US $ 1.75 billion (RM7.27 billion) to pay the principal for 1MDB Energy Ltd bonds by May 2022, and US $ 1.75 billion for 1MDB Energy (Langat) Ltd bonds by October 2022.

Then in March 2023, Malaysia will have to pay another US $ 3 billion (RM12.46 billion) for 1MDB Global Investments Ltd bonds.

This does not include coupon payments (interest for bonds) that are higher than the market paid by the state.

Impact efforts to develop the country

Yesterday, Najib in the Dewan Rakyat claimed that not a single sen of public funds was used to pay off 1MDb's debt as it was paid through efforts to recover the company's funds.

This includes the settlement reached with Goldman sachs, for its role in the misappropriation of 1MDB bond yields in addition to several other banking and accounting institutions.

Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz later denied the allegations by saying and the public had been used to pay interest on the debt.

While leading the country, Najib refused to acknowledge the irregularities in the company. Efforts to recover funds and assets only began after BN's defeat in 2018.

The government had previously stated that part of the 1MDB funds recovered was only enough to pay off debts for the year.

In his speech today, Mahathir said he was irritated by Najib's claim that public funds were not being used for 1MDB's debts.

"This is Najib. He is in debt, he does not pay but steals (more) money and adds more debt, ”he said.

The fact is, Mahathir said, the payment of debts for 1MDB's misappropriated money has limited efforts to develop the country.

'Najib is amazing'

Apart from calling him "stupid", Mahathir also described Najib's ability to justify his allegations of malpractice as "extraordinary".

"Najib is an extraordinary human being. He stole the money in front of us then he said he didn't steal.

"After being convicted (guilty), he said 'what to be ashamed of?'," He added to the audience, who were mostly members of Pejuang and a number of locals.

Mahathir said the lack of shame for wrongdoing would damage society.

"People should be ashamed when they make a mistake, but Najib is not. He made a mistake, he became my boss. "

Mahathir said individuals like Najib should be prevented from having any influence in the government.

Earlier, Pejuang President Mukhriz Mahathir voiced concern over his father.

"We are careful because of the age factor. He is 97 years old and has just recovered after being treated at the National Heart Institute (IJN).

"He has not recovered 100 percent and we are in the middle of a Covid-19 epidemic. Older people are more affected with Covid-19, ”he said.

However, said Mukhriz, his father insisted on participating in the campaign in Johor because he no longer wanted to just write statements and open letters.

"We hope his presence in Machap will have a big impact in Johor," he added.

The people of Johor will make their choice on March 12.