The BASS Series: Syed Saddiq Is Claiming the Green Forest Title

And no, we’re not talking about climate change or forest conservation (although… important).

We’re talking about a man who may have just accidentally rebranded what “husband material” looks like in 2026.

When Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, MP Muar proposed to Bella Astillah, it was memorable… not your everyday kinda thing. Even Bella said it was cold; she was drenched and her hair had turned to popsicles – but between the two of them, they knew what would matter.

It wasn’t about the proposal; it wasn’t about the glamour – it was financial assurance.

Because once the initial “so sweet” died down, people started paying attention to the hantaran.

On a usual day, you would see handbags, shoes, trinkets and whatnot (still cute).

But this time Malaysians saw savings for Bella and her kids, funds and planning. Not for the wedding. For AFTER THE WEDDING, and most couples don’t start there.

We start with figuring it out, pulling through and managing eventually – which sometimes works and sometimes, not too well.

This isn’t about copying what he did

But…not everyone needs to come with a financial package, and more importantly, not everyone can.

But what this moment did was highlight something we don’t talk about enough:

Being in love is one thing. Being financially aware as a couple is another.

A lot of us are building families without talking about this properly

Who’s saving what? What happens if one person stops working? Are we planning for children, or just hoping we’ll manage when they come?

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These are not very romantic but very real questions to have when thinking of building a family.

Because love changes when life actually starts

So what does this mean for the rest of us?

Definitely not finding someone who can give you everything.

But maybe being with someone who is willing to plan with you and have these conversations:

1. Check in regularly, not just when something goes wrong
2. Be honest about where you both stand financially
3. Agree on what you’re building towards (home, children, lifestyle)
4. Decide how money will be managed – together, separately, or a mix of both
5. Build an emergency fund for when life hits you hard
6. Plan ahead for major life changes (career breaks, kids, health)
7. Talk about spending habits early, before they become issues

Last but not least, here’s to finding our very own green forest.