Average Emirati household income in Abu Dhabi is Dh47,066

Abu Dhabi: The average monthly income of UAE national households in Abu Dhabi was Dh47,066 in 2008 compared with Dh15,000 for expat households, a study released by the emirate's Department of Economic Development (DED) shows.

Abu Dhabi is home to more than 50 per cent of the country's 880,000 citizens. In 2008, they represented 18.5 per cent of the population, according to the Ministry of Economy's figures.

One reason behind the disparity between local and foreign incomes is the relatively large size of Emirati households, says DED Chief Economic Researcher Khalid Desouky. The average size of an Emirati household was 10 people in 2008, including the main members of the family and workers such as drivers and maids.

Consistent with higher incomes, UAE national households also recorded higher average spending at Dh25,458 per month compared with Dh8,900 for foreigners.

According to the study, 83 per cent of nationals rely completely on salaries and bonuses for their incomes with eight per cent dependent on property rentals and nine per cent on other sources such as capital gains.

Gulf Research Center (GRC) researcher Saif Al Haddashi says average spending for nationals will likely remain at the same level and even see an increase in the short-term, but drop long-term because of the government's economic diversification plans.

"Spending by locals will not go down by much because of the government's intervention to cushion the impact of the economic crisis," he says.

"In the long-term, though, you can see the UAE moving in the same direction as Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Oman, where you have locals working in semi-skilled positions."

According to the study, Abu Dhabi Government employees represent 48 per cent of all employed nationals in the emirate. An additional 31 per cent of locals are employed by the Federal Government. Al Haddashi says this number will likely decline as the government moves toward economic diversification and is less able to maintain salary levels.

Still, he says care should be exercised when analysing the numbers presented by the study as they only represent averages. A high disparity exists even between incomes of nationals, he adds.

Besides income and spending data, the study shows 73 per cent of nationals living in Abu Dhabi are under the age of 30.

With the exception of Oman with 65 per cent, the other Gulf Cooperation Council countries have a ratio of less than 60 per cent for this age group, according to United Nations figures.

Source : Gulfnews.com

Assalamualaikum..!!

"Assalamualaikum. Sir, washing machine ready. Send to your house today?," kata tukang baiki washing machine dalam phone kepada saya.

"ok ok, no problem. 6 O'clock send washing machine to my house, insya allah," balas saya dalam loghat english yang mudah dipahami.

"ok sir. i am at your house today," balas si tukang baiki tadi.

Pindah

Saya baru berpindah rumah minggu lepas.Malahan keletihan berpindah rumah masih terasa sampai sekarang. Semenjak tahun 2004, sudah hampir 7 kali saya berpindah, sekali di gombak, 5 kali di pandan dan sekali di abu dhabi. Urusan perpindahan sebelum ini biasa-biasa sahaja, tetapi kali ini cukup penat. Dari sebesar-besar barang sampailah sekecil-kecil barang. Semuanya harus di masukkan kedalam kotak, dipindahkan dan dikeluarkan semula.Bila dah masuk ke rumah baru, pasti ada yang tidak kena. Kali ini, washing machine buat hal.

Mujurlah ada sticker-sticker kecil yg ditampal di pintu gate rumah.Tapi malang, semuanya tidak mampu untuk baiki yang automatik. Maka terpaksalah saya menggerakkan kuda 'nissan sunny' saya itu untuk ranjau sepanjang jalan mencari tukan baiki.

alhamdulillah, jumpa satu di rumah-rumah kedai sekitar bandar koboi Baniyas.

Ucapkan salam

Saya mendapat panggilan daripada tukang baiki tersebut semasa dalam perjalanan balik ke rumah,

"Assalamualaikum. where are you sir? i am coming to your house now," kata beliau.

"Waalaikumsalam. Ok, give me 5 minutes," balas saya.

Satu budaya yang menarik di abu dhabi ini ini ialah budaya kebiasaan memberi salam. Di Malaysia, kita hanya memberi salam hanya ketika hendak memulakan perbualan dalam sesuatu acara ataupun berbual dengan rakan yang kita kenal.

Tetapi tidak di abu dhabi. Budaya salam ini merata-rata.

Di kedai makan,

Di dalam lif (malahan saya pernah di sapa salam oleh seorang perempuan arab yg 'buleh tahan seksi' pakaiannya),

di kedai stesen minyak dan sebagainya.

Cumanya, saya perlu berhati-hati agar tidak memberi salam kepada orang bukan islam. (Penjelasannya boleh rujuk disini )

Yang rumitnya, di sini amat sukar untuk kita mengenal yang mana satu muslim dan yang mana satu bukan muslim, khususnya rakyat india yang bekerja di sini. Hampir semuanya lebih kurang sahaja, agak sukar untuk membezakan antara muslim dengan non muslim.

Apabila di perantauan ini, barulah saya nampak akan hikmah sunnatullah dalam hal menyimpan janggut ini, sebab saya percaya ia merupakan identiti kepada umat islam. Rupanya saranan menyimpan janggut ini menyenangkan kita mengenali saudara seagama kita sendiri.

"Assalamualaikum. sorry my friend for keeping up waiting. come come, lets bring the washing machine to my house," sahut saya kepada tukang baiki itu bersama dengan kawannya yang menunggu di depan rumah.

Setelah selesai, saya pun mengiringi mereka ke luar rumah dan membayar upah membaiki washing machine tersebut.

"Thank you my friend. here is the money," kata saya sambil menyerahkan duit upah kepadanya.

"Welcome sir. if anything problem, call me,"balas beliau.

"ok sure. by the way, what is you name? my name is azhari, from Malaysia," saya memperkenalkan diri kepadanya.

"My name is Raju, sir."

Raju?? laa, bukan muslim rupanya. Ingatkan india muslim tadi!

Sempat dia mengangkat tangan kepada saya sebelum dia beredar,

"ok sir, take care. Assalamualaikum,"

"waalaikumsa..erk," saya terhenti, baru teringat, dia non muslim.

"alaika!" jawab saya sambil melambai kepada dia.

Saya tersenyum sendirian.Dalam hati berkata,"terkena jugak aku hari ini".

Catatan abu umar

8 July 2009

1221 hours.