1998 vs 2008 Economy

1998 we were hard hit by the Economy and Financial Crisis. Is similar storm heading our shore 10 years later? Let us do some comparison :

1) 98 - Ringgit Depreciated ; 08 - Ringgit Appreciated
2) 98 - Low Foreign Reserves USD22b ; 08 - High Foreign Reserves USD126b
3) 98 - High NPL ; 08 - Low NPL
4) 98 - High Interest Rate ; 08 - Low Interest Interest Rate
5) 98 - FDI Flight out of Asia ; 08 - FDI is still Flowing into Asia
6) 98 - Strong Financial Market in US ; 08 - Faltering Financial Market in US
7) 98 - Low Commodity Prices ; 08 - High Commodity Prices

Based on above, look like a different storm is brewing! Anyway since cost of living is skyrocketing from the effect of the inflation, just hang in there to ride the storm. Hope it is a short ride and the Storm Riders to step out unscathed or better still capitalise on it. ''When there is chaos, there is opportunity''. "When the going gets tough, the tough gets going''.

Perhaps the only similarity between both years - there is a high profile sodomy saga and what a coincidence the same Tom, Dick and Harry is / are implicated!

1998 was the end of my bachelorhood ; 2008 want to become Robin Hood?

pic - storm or no storm, this Storm Rider had packed up all the troubles!