For most people, the first paycheck is often spent on something meaningful — treating parents to a nice meal, giving them a token of appreciation, or buying something special for themselves.
But for one Malaysian woman, who shared her story on Threads, she said her mother had a very different request when she got her first salary back in 1993 – hand over the entire amount.
Mum asked to give her the whole first salary
She began her post by writing:
My mom told me to give her the whole first salary as a blessing. At that time, I had no savings, and my husband was still unemployed. But I didn’t question her. I just gave the entire month’s salary.”
She explained that she believed in the blessing behind her mother’s request, saying it gave her strength to survive countless challenges throughout her career, including being retrenched during the pandemic and going through two rounds of the Voluntary Separation Scheme (VSS).
“Till today, that blessing still flows. Back then, I thought it was nonsense. But now, I even tell all the interns to give their first salary to their parents. I get emotional just thinking about it,” she shared.
Mixed reactions
The post quickly went viral, with many Malaysians sharing similar experiences of giving their first paycheck to their parents as a gesture of gratitude.
‘I also gave all my first salary to my parents because I just wanted to spend it in a meaningful way. At that time, I was just a houseman. And my parents happily used it for their road trip to Cameron Highlands and Terengganu to visit their old friends. I was so happy to see them enjoy their lives. That was when I realised, “Ah, now it’s my turn to take care of them and spend money on them.’
However, not everyone agreed with the idea. Some argued that handing over the entire salary was unrealistic, especially with today’s rising cost of living.
