What is the unemployment rate?

Malaysia and KL gets unfavorably compared to Singapore due to Singapore being more developed and in close proximity.  The gap between Malaysia and Indonesia is as wide or wider than between Singapore and Malaysia.  The Malaysian and Indonesian languages are the same and the native people relatively ethnicly similar.  The major differences are:
- Indonesia is much larger - population and geography
- Indonesia is more diverse - due to geographic breadth
- Indonesia is more relaxed about Islam
- Malaysia has much higher % of minorities - Chinese and Indians
- Indonesia has a much older/richer culture

The similarities in starting point and differences in results unscores the challenges and success the Malaysian government has in improving the skills and wealth of Malaysia.  I will visit Indonesia many more times but I'm glad to live in KL.

Manual agricultural work

Manual work everywhere that is mechanized in more developed countries - trucks and other vehicles were broken down on the road and teams of men were trying to fix them with little more than hand wrenches.

Road side stands

 Temporay hawker stalls

 Permanent hawker stalls

 Everything you need at the general store

 Hanging around the furniture building (and coconut selling) shop

 Picture of a hard life

"You were silly enough to buy that hat, sillier to wear it - you should be silly enough to believe that this purse will be the accessory you need"

Sitting around at a temple waiting for customers (that rarely if ever come)

Sitting around - we didn't capture in pictures the sheer magnitude of people just sitting and standing around at corners.  The underemployment must be huge. 

Did you see all six people, sitting around watching the clock tick?