In 2020, as the shadow of the epidemic enveloped the globe, I made a decision that many considered bold - I resigned from the stable government regional clinic job, and chose to join a private hospital in Kuching, Sarawak as a pharmacist.
Although the pace of work at the private hospital is quite hectic, the hospital provides quite good benefits to employees in the initial stage. Especially in the first few years, at the year-end, the hospital would give each employee a relatively generous bonus. This extra reward not only serves as recognition for everyone's hard work but also becomes a motivation for us to look forward to the year-end. For me, this is also a completely new experience, considering that during my time as a government civil servant, I never enjoyed similar treatment.
However, over the past two years, the situation has quietly changed. For some unknown reason, the hospital suddenly stopped the distribution of the year-end bonus, without any prior notice or explanation. This unexpected turn of events caught many medical staff off guard, and raised significant complaints and dissatisfaction. Especially for colleagues with lower incomes, the year-end bonus is not just a reward, but also an important source of income used to cover household expenses each year.
The cancellation of the year-end bonuses undoubtedly increases the financial pressure on many families. Under the impact of the epidemic, the cost of living continues to rise, while salary increases have not shown significant improvement. The cancellation of the year-end bonuses adds insult to injury. Many colleagues have started to feel disappointed in the hospital's decisions, and a atmosphere of complaints is gradually spreading among medical staff. Although most people still hold their positions, the evident emotional downturn is undeniable.

Investing in dividend stocks emphasizes the three words "slow, steady, and patient". These three words may seem simple but few people can actually achieve them, because compared to the thrill of timing the market, this investing approach is truly too boring.
Looking back at the performance of dividend stocks at the end of 2022 (article dated 3 Jan 2023), the average return of the 30 dividend-paying stocks was 7.19%, with a ratio of 20:10 in terms of gains and losses. During the same year, the USA's S&P500 fell by 19.44%, and the Malaysian FBMSCAP fell by 5.30%. Many readers commented that it was just luck, as the dividend stocks happened to perform well at the end of the year.
Looking at the performance of dividend stocks at the end of 2023 (article dated 31 Dec 2023), the average return of the 30 dividend-paying stocks was 13.82%, with a ratio of 23:7 in terms of gains and losses. During the same year, the USA's S&P500 rose by 24.23%, and the Malaysian FBMSCAP rose by 9.57%. Still, many readers commented that it was just luck.
As of October 13, 2024, the average return of the 30 dividend-paying stocks since the beginning of the year is 24.20%, with a ratio of 28:2 in terms of gains and losses. Among these:
18 of them have experienced an increase of 20% or more.
The increase of 6 companies has reached 10% or above.
Only 2 companies have a decrease of more than 5%.
The performance of dividend stocks in 2024 can only be described as unexpectedly good, mainly because these high-dividend, solid companies have become a safe haven for funds in a sluggish market.
The market's downturn in the second half of 2024 mainly occurred...