I have a network of people who I work with in KSA. Mostly Saudis. I just finished a call from one of our “employees” thanking me for a small amount of money they got from me today.. as an advance on salary. I told them it will not be deducted from Salary later.. it is Eid and we thank Allah for His kindness and blessings. He almost cried, but I told him to never forget the kindness we MUST show and work on increasing income so more people can benefit… ALHAMDULILAH!
Why I call him “employee” you will know at the end of this blog..
QUESTION: Why are there too many Saudis out of cash all the time?
On one hand I know people who will give me a million for a project and there is the HUGE Majority which needs money all the time. What is going on? Are we not in one of the richest countries of the world?
Imbalance.
It is no secret that the unemployment rate is very high here. Demands of family and people around us are rising. Everyone wants an iphone or an Android or Blackberry. Everyone wants internet all the time. Everyone wants everything. And, there is no work to do as such. Nothing really interesting going on to be very honest.
Let me tell you. Here and in Pakistan and everywhere on Earth, there is plenty for everyone IF we know how to manage what we have. How we conduct life and how we set priorities is what makes us comfortable or forever in need.
Now, in this day and age. Here, in Riyadh.. what are we deprived of? Honestly.. we have it all. We have homes, we have cars, we have plenty of food, we have enough gadgets and we have all the comfort we can ask for … I thank ALLAH the most gracious.
BUT! But.. we still want.
What the hell are we doing to ourselves?
This damn showing off and ” I have this and I have that” is killing everyone guys. I do not care if you have an IPAD and a damn 3000 riyal Android. I really don’t! So stop showing it off to me. I do not care what car you drive and I have no clue what brand of clothing you are wearing. It is full of sweat and you are wearing it… I don’t want to know!!!
God knows how many blogs I have written about leading a simple life and thinking globally. Simple living, High thinking.
Competition is making us poor. And, ONLY poor people COMPETE! People deprived of intelligence and ingenuity.
And, here we are in Saudi Arabia. Just the other day, I read in the papers that the loans handed out are always increasing and it has reached something like 2.4 billion or so. I have a solution. Lets start from scratch. Because, if you may remember the stock market crashed once and it killed a lot of people and their bank accounts. Yes, many are still recovering from that. They have the homes and the cars but they don’t have the cash.
Then we have an ever-increasing population of expatriates. Again, nothing wrong with that if that serves a purpose. But, is it serving a purpose or is it getting some guy an easy buck every month? The great and all-powerful sponsor? Astaghfuruallah!
Haram money.. or Forbidden money.. i.e money not earned rightfully and fairly has no BARAKAH! You know what Barakah is.. it is blessing from God on all that you have. If you have money that is not rightfully yours, it will be a curse for you, not a blessing. A sponsor taking money from a poor person from somewhere just so that they could live here is money that will never have with it blessings. And, so it will never be enough and it will not benefit the recipient. And, there is a lot of money going around that has no blessing.. A lot. Thus, these issues.
Last night , I was sitting with Saudi friends and they were talking about how fantastic the dealing of government employees is with people in Kuwait and other GCC countries. One guy was telling me that he bought a car and when he went to get the number plate, he felt like he was sitting in a 5 star hotel having coffee while his plate was made ready for him to put on his new car. He was comparing that service to the service provided here and then a whole talk about how lousy the dealing of government employees here is with people commenced. I added this: The benefits and salaries those employees in GCC get are a dream far away for our uniformed men. The most important workers of the country get paid the LEAST. What do you expect???
For a very long time, the Jawazat did not have extra air conditioning. Only some crying.. squeaking desert cooler somewhere. WE NEED TO REBUILD facilities.. PAY more and pamper people more to see motivation and happiness. It is AS SIMPLE As that..
And, sir.. the penalties. If someone does not pay a loan.. or is late and a complaint is made.. Services on their ID cards are STOPPED. This means they are useless and unable to earn, do anything or build anything unless they pay. How are they supposed to pay without an income? How can an income be generated when there are NOT enough projects happening? How can enough projects happen when everyone is not a businessman? How can honest, loyal to KSA businessmen do business if they are not given the LICENSE to do business? I am talking about the handful of expatriates that have been here forever and do business globally.
I, for one , can claim this: Give me the rights of a citizen , raise this sponsorship from me.. let me get a license in MY name and travel and do as I please.. I will employ HUNDREDS of Saudis. Yes, I mean it, HUNDREDS of Saudis if not thousands. My Word. There are many AMAZING Saudi Businessmen.. but they are not enough. We need the variety and the different expertise here. The people of Saudi Arabia DESERVE this chance and opportunity. Soon enough, I may setup a few projects and go back to Pakistan to do my thing at a place I can call MINE and HOME. I cannot guarantee that the GM I will leave here will have the same sentiments as me.. So, my operations will not benefit people like I would want it to. Why should I stay and raise a family in a place which , after all this, calls me an expatriate?
Uplift the government offices that investigate. Dignify the workers there. They should get loans and easy terms and good incomes. They deserve it. I am a friend of the Police and the uniformed men of our nations. I cannot see them putting their lives on the line and getting NO respect in return. Respect is shown by giving FACILITY and PRIVILEGE. Not just medals and praise. They have families to raise. In fact, each one of them, regardless of rank should get a FREE HOUSE too. These men are the men that provide us Security. Thats my note on and for the Shabab..
Note: When you restrict businessmen like me, you are depriving so many people of jobs! I am not the only one. There are MANY people here that can contribute to the building and employment of the Saudi Nation. This cash problem will be history…
The little amount I sent to an associate today could be part of his REGULAR salary and benefits that comes from the huge profits I can generate as an independent Saudi entity…
Real Talk Blog : ali shah 