Actually i got to know a lot of business people (in Sydney) through my girlfriend's father. My girlfriend's uncle worked with Lee Ming Tee (in National Mutual Bldg, Market St) and i got to know a lot of brokers through them. Lee Ming Tee had many Msians (mostly from Penang) working for him at that time (1984-onwards) and his flagship company was Sunshine Aust - it had a lot of subsidiary companies (all ASX-listed) like Enacon Aust (owns the Sydney Airport carpark) and Hasting Deerings Finance (finance company that deals in everything). Sunshine Aust took over Wormald (i think in 1988-89) because Wormald was cash-rich (with a few hundred million in un-used cash) and stripped the company bare. After that incident, Lee Ming Tee had a bad name in Aust.

What goes around comes around.

Money easy comes easy goes.

Lately, I see a few young people comment about "digression". If the "digression" is presented like it was in /k, I would agree it should be moderated.

But the "digression" are, by and large, relevant to the topic.

From the comments, I notice the following :

1. Lack of patient - I think these young people lack patient to read opinion. They just want quick answer. "Noises" (in their opinion) is a waste of their precious time. When they do not get their answers, they feel agitated. They feel that when they research a topic, the topic must be well-presented to them, rid of "irrelevant" information

2. Lack of tolerance - I think these young people lack tolerance of differing opinion. When they read something "offensive" to them, they will take it personal

3. Narrow minded - I think these young people are too focus, and do not have a broader picture of their own life and that of the community/society as a whole. They see things from their narrow tunnel of vision, only from their own perspective

4. Easily instigated - when they see some words they don't like, they will easily get angry and feel the need to respond

However, on the bright side, at least they voice out their grievance/dissatisfaction, instead of keeping quiet. This is a good thing 

Let's not forget a democratic society will only progress when opinions, big or small, good or bad, right or wrong are being presented freely and openly, not suppressed. The opinion will then be judged by all the readers as a whole.

"Small", "bad" and "wrong" opinion will not get past a page of two and eventually be drowned in no time. "Big", "good" and "right" opinion will be further discussed. This is the natural process of how a topic come to a consensus. 

Let's celebrate our diversity, and learn to live happily with opinion you disagree. Remember, a few hundred years ago, Majority still think the world is flat.

Absolutely agreed. Your mindset is lots more important. Gary is very good example... If he learned his contentment back in young days... He probably Fire by early 30!

Knowing a few of the young readers here, you have to give them the link as their time is so precious 

https://www.greateasternlife.com/my/en/pers...retirement.html

The above calculator is a better than mine simple calculation as it also take into account inflation rate 

ASEAN economies ill-prepared for old age

https://asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Picks/FT-C...red-for-old-age

Fi/re may be inspiration for many but few could realize.

Your turning point was gift from your grandpa and loan from your father, and opportunities to buy cheap properties.

I was fortunate and lucky all the turning points, 2nd and 3rd as well as 5th chances in life, I always knew to keep a straight and high road.

The real turning point in life was his gift to send me to an international school.

The others were just opportunities in life not really turning points.

Seems like a person need to start from dirt scrap, where relatives are all beggars and broken family , preferable an orphan living in the street for their later successful life to be fully attributed to their efforts alone. By that same yardsticks, warren buffet, bill gates and mark Zuckenberg are all failures.... lol

Not true, because of bill gates parents, he had access to computer at young age. Hence, we could capitalize on growth on microcomputer.

Dt is a typical New Yorker, talk louder than who he is. After u.s Congress investigation, his fortune will be smaller than claimed.

They became what they are with privilege or advantage few have. Nevertheless, not everyone could take these opportunities.

Bill gates parents didn't teach him on micro-computer but their job position allowed bill gates to learn programming on main frame at young stage. Hence, he had advantage over others. There is no doubt he is a entrepreneur.

In this level playing field, those have family background is a advantage e.g grab's founders.

There are enough books and documentary on bill gates early life. Better to leave it here.

On wealth creation, many lack mentor to guide them on right path. For certain, local education is ill prepared them for the challenge.

All I am saying is people like to think lesser of the achievements of others if the person seems to be from a good family background. However, aside from coming from a good family and financial background, almost all successful people owe their success to some inborn attributes. In other words, almost all successful people are lucky. They are lucky in the case of

- Warren Buffett ( to be born in the USA instead of African desert(he said that himself ) and to have a well to do stockbroker father and lucky to be under the tutelage of Graham , also lucky to have above average IQ

- chow yun fat ( lucky to be born tall and handsome and have a charismatic smile) with natural talent to act

- Michael Jackson ( natural dancer)

-Mike Tyson (lucky to be with good muscular genes)(though lacking in EQ)

-Li Ka Shing ( lucky to be born with above average iq and EQ and born to be hardworking )... if he was born with gambling gene... he would have been a bankrupt ...yes, I suspect many things are inborn, even gambling addiction .. ha ha

Show me a millionaire and I can show you how he was just lucky.....

One is lucky to be born with good genes and innate ability... just like one is lucky to be born into well to do stable family... or born with tenacious character ...

In other words... everything is fated.

There is no need to be proud of one’s achievements. One should instead be grateful. Think about it... if you are born with lesser than normal IQ... would you have achieved what you have achieved? Are you lucky to be of at least average IQ... you bet ...

I am not very familiar with the business scene in KL so will just sit back and learn first.

My wife and i are not considered wealthy so we will have to be careful with our expenses because we will be relying on our passive income to survive. At my age (57), you probably want to adopt a more conservative lifestyle (in terms of taking risks on investments) as we will not have a second chance to do things again if we get things wrong.

Aust has gone into a period of low interest rates (and for many years to come) and a lot of investors have no option but to resort to higher risk entities (mainly equities like shares). The Aussie dollar will remain fairly weak which is why my super is all in International shares (which has done very well because the Aussie has been weak and Dow Jones has been very strong) - i am a little scared now and wonder whether i should reduce my International shares exposure!! My personal portfolio also contain all foreign exposure (i like Magellan products so i have been only buying MFG, MGE and MGG on the ASX).

Lifestyle costs for me is very important esp when you are only relying on passive income to live on. If we can lower our lifestyle costs, we can achieve Financial Independence at a much earlier age. Also, once you are used to an expensive lifestyle, it is very difficult to go back to a cheaper lifestyle. So the most important lesson in life is being frugal and thrifty - once you can achieve this, your FIRE aspirations will appear a lot sooner.

We learn a lot more about life as we age but the most important lessons can only be learnt through the hardships we encounter. I have gone through a lot of hardships in life and it has changed me a lot but i am happy that my hardships are mostly over now. There is a saying - What does not break me makes me stronger.

now R and E earlier by 3 yrs from plan
now are in the process of trying to reduce 10% off from the expenses of my household need to have needs so that they are in synn with my passive income.
and hopefully the expenses of my household good to have needs will be able to be continuously generated from my investment income.

if can still work why retire early? then do what at home?

Bro, deposit rates was 16% 30 years ago 

Realistically, you can't have high interest rates and bull stock market at the same time lah. If rates is so high, many won't buy stock and price will be beaten down. 8% return from FD almost risk free ? I will put all my money in.

The reason why we have bull market all over the world is partly because of low interest rates. Because everybody shift their money to work harder.

As our saying goes, got 1 good, no 2 good

I am still a PR - i came over on a student visa in 1981 (Sydney Uni-BSc).

You would have done well if you had invested in Tasmania - it is currently the best performing state in Aust for properties.

Wow! Your kids are still so young - got a long way to go.

I didn't realise you are so young. Hopefully you will achieve FI before you hit 50.