I will not give in to fear

Lim Ka Joy
The Malaysian Insider
Jun 01, 2011

JUNE 1 — Dear Malaysia,

It is with great joy and hope and also some apprehension that I undertook this task of writing why I have decided not to forsake you even though I have watched you grow from bad to worse over the years.

I speak to you as a single entity because that is what you are. You are a nation. Though not every part of you will understand this, but I am sure your brain does and that is all we need at the end of the day.

Just for the purposes of a personal intro, I am your average Gen-Y Malaysian who hails form Kuching, Sarawak. I was a victim of discrimination after SPM and STPM. However, thanks to my parents who funded the major portion my tertiary education, I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in December 2008.

That year, my dad encouraged me to look for a job overseas. “Don’t work in Malaysia,” he said, “it is not worth it. Salary is one reason for leaving, but with the current un-meritocratic and un-progressive stance on politics, education, economics and social issues, our country is going down the proverbial drain.” Continue reading “I will not give in to fear”

More Malays in Australia now, says academic

The Malaysian Insider
May 31, 2011

MELBOURNE, May 31 — Thousands of Malays have migrated to Australia, citing career and business opportunities as reasons for their decision, said a Malaysian academic.
Universiti Utara Malaysia’s Dr Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani said in the in the state of Victoria alone there were about 5,000 Malays, three-fourths of them either permanent residents or Australian citizens, according to a Bernama Online report today.

He said they were both professionals — doctors and engineers — and support staff.

The fellow at University of Melbourne’s Asia Institute said most of them arrived after 1981 under family, skilled workers or business provisions for migration.

The increase coincided with Australian policy changes allowing overseas students to apply for stay extensions. Ahmad Zaharuddin explained this led to many students staying on indefinitely. Continue reading “More Malays in Australia now, says academic”

Why I left Malaysia

PJ
The Malaysian Insider
May 30, 2011

MAY 30 — Some time in the middle of 2006, I walked out of the Majlis Perbandaran Seremban after another meeting with its pengarah. After two years of countless correspondences and meetings, I officially gave up on them picking up my household rubbish in a proper and timely manner. They were not capable of undertaking even these simple tasks. It was a lost cause.

That was the turning point of my life in Malaysia, and it left me exhausted. It put everything into perspective for me. Once again, the bureaucratic system in Malaysia failed me. Once again, it deprived me of a simple need in my life. A need I was already entitled to as a Malaysian.

I never asked for much, and regarded myself as a good example of a first-generation Malaysian. Continue reading “Why I left Malaysia”

We are in this together

Y. Khairil
The Malaysian Insider
May 31, 2011

MAY 31 — I am a not-so-young Malaysian male of the majority type. You know, the type who people always accuse of being pampered by the government, being coaxed with many affirmative-action niceties and other stuff.

I have lived here all my life and, contrary to the standard image of the constitutionally-protected people, do not have the opportunity nor the money to even step out of my state border, let alone the national border.

I went from primary to tertiary education in government institutions, since it was the only viable choice for my poor family. Until a few years ago, I worked as a lowly factory operator earning just slightly above the officially recognised poverty-level income, although you and I know that “official” things are rarely dependable and practical.

No other employers would take me for some unknown reason, despite my degrees and several language proficiencies. I think I might have been deemed too rebellious for Malay firms or the civil service, and I’m definitely not “leng zai” enough to be courted by Chinese firms. I spent four to five hours of my life daily wasting away in morning and evening rush traffic. What a great life. Continue reading “We are in this together”

I believe in us

Phua Kai Lit
The Malaysian Insider
May 31, 2011

MAY 31 — I had the opportunity to work and settle down in two rich foreign countries. Why did I return to Malaysia (in 1996, with a PhD and years of work experience in hand) and stayed?

Growing up in Kuantan (now in grave danger of being turned into a dumping ground for toxic waste material) and Malaysia during the 1960s and 1970s instilled in me a deep love for this country and appreciation of its mix of peoples and cultures — best exemplified by our wonderful food and our delightful dialect of English called “Manglish.”

Living in two foreign countries for almost 20 years (the years of study and work drifted by quickly — the thought of emigrating never even crossed my mind right from the beginning when I first went overseas for my higher education on a generous scholarship from a foreign university) made me realise that one can never feel truly “at home” in a foreign country even if one has lived in that foreign country for years and years. Continue reading “I believe in us”

Malaysia needs a second chance

Lee Choon Kit
The Malaysian Insider
May 31, 2011

MAY 31 — We give people who have wronged us in the past second chances, in hopes that he or she can learn from whatever mistakes they have made. Malaysia needs a second chance from the people. In retrospect, the country has not wronged any of its people. It is after all built on the thoughts and foundation of equality.

I am not trying to antagonise any of the people who left Malaysia behind for the pursuit of affluence and happiness. I am no better myself, as I am pursuing my Bachelor of Arts in Australia; a degree of which can be obtained in Malaysia just as easily.

In my short four months here in Australia, I had an epiphany (or so I thought). I am contributing to the Australian society and my dear Malaysia is left out cold in the curb. I signed a petition for gay rights in Australia but I never did so in Malaysia. I pay tens of thousands of Australian dollars to the university every semester and the lecturers aren’t any better than the ones we have in Malaysia (arguably worse perhaps). Continue reading “Malaysia needs a second chance”

Negara Ku no more

By CeeKay
May 30, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

MAY 30 — I was born in 1958, a year after Merdeka. My dad came from China and my mom was born in Kota Bahru, Perak. I have known Malaysia to be my one and only home and I am proud to say that I am a Malaysian anywhere I go despite all the shortcomings of this nation.

I grew up in a kampung near Alor Star where there were fewer than 10 Chinese families but we were treated well by our Malay neighbours. We celebrated Chinese New Year and Hari Raya together, visiting each others’ homes, with no fear of whether the food was halal or against our religion?

Konfrontasi bought the villagers together and I can remember my Dad and my brothers helping out doing guard duties together with our Malay neighbours. May 13 came and went without any incident and, in fact, the Chinese families were escorted out to town by our Malay neighbours. Some of my best friends were from this kampung; we swam in the stream and played in the padi fields. These are fond memories. Continue reading “Negara Ku no more”

Why I returned

By Walter
May 30, 2011 | The Malaysian Insider

MAY 30 — I left Malaysia in 1988 not long after the upheavals in the Malaysian political scene, which included Operation Lalang and the sacking of the Lord President.

I spent a total of 16 years away — in Singapore, the Middle East, France and the US — as an expatriate, and experienced living abroad. During the period, I had many opportunities to become a permanent resident elsewhere but home is where the heart is… and my heart was not in any of those places. Once our youngest child left for university in 2004, I chose to return to Malaysia. Why? Continue reading “Why I returned”

Because this is home

by Malaysian at home
The Malaysian Insider
May 30, 2011

MAY 30 — As a fresh graduate from a local university two years ago, I could have taken the easiest route and become an “instant expat” in a First World country. Singapore was just a Causeway away, after all, and the Malaysians who migrated there, my many relatives included, often came back with wonderful stories of success and the wealth that came with it.

It is a land of opportunity, they say, and if you want your talents appreciated (and be really rich), come here!

So I decided I would give it a shot, applying for a few jobs in Singapore before finally being called up for my first interview. And what I encountered shocked me. The interviewers were rude and chauvinistic, chiding me for my lack of Mandarin skills and openly dismissing my qualifications. The last straw for me came when I filled in my salary expectations. Continue reading “Because this is home”

Here is why I stayed

John Rahman
The Malaysian Insider
May 28, 2011

MAY 28 — I shall start with a story of hope.

Two, actually.

I had an ex-colleague who runs a car wash business in one of the most ulu places in Peninsular Malaysia. It’s a simple business, so simple that his wife just sits under a tree all day long collecting money and supervising some school kids they employ to do the dirty work. He keeps his day job while earning a cool RM7,000 side income every month.

In my skyscraper of an office now, an old makcik pushes around a shopping cart (probably nicked while the guards at the nearby hypermarket weren’t looking!) filled to the brim with knick-knacks, kacang, muruku and stuff. She comes by once a week and without fail, my colleagues and I will stock up on junk food to munch on while working. Based on sales on our floor alone — okay, maybe we are gluttons! — but we estimate she profits around RM50 per floor, and with well over 50 floors in the building, she must earn at least RM2,000 a week (tax free!). Continue reading “Here is why I stayed”

At a crossroads

MD
The Malaysian Insider
May 28, 2011

MAY 28 — My wife and I met while we were studying overseas. After graduating, I returned to Malaysia while she completed her studies and eventually returned two years later. We started our careers and eventually got married and started our family. It never crossed our minds to settle anywhere else other than Malaysia. In university, I was active in the students’ movement and was determined that when I returned I would make a difference in my country.

That was 20 years ago.

Five years later, my brother decided to migrate. Deep inside I was angry and thought that he was foolish. He was an engineer with two degrees and an MBA, and he was seeking greener pastures? Well, he can leave… but no sir, I will stay and make this place I grew up a better place. Continue reading “At a crossroads”

I will never trade it for another country

Mohd Elfie Nieshaem Juferi
The Malaysian Insider
May 27, 2011

MAY 27 — If the principles of jus soli were strictly enforced in the country, I wouldn’t even be registered as a citizen of Malaysia. Thirty-one years ago, my father was working for an multi-national corporation based in the Sillicon Valley and he brought his young bride along. I suppose I was conceived during this time. I was born in San Jose, California in the United States of America.

I even have a US birth certificate and a US passport (expired in 1988) to boot. The US recognises dual citizenship so I have no doubt that I am already recognised as a citizen of the US. But because my parents had the foresight to register me at the US Embassy in Washington, DC using Borang W, I became a Malaysian citizen at birth. My father could have made the decision to stay. But he didn’t. He came home to Malaysia with his family in tow.

I grew up in a middle-class family and was for most of my life based in Penang, having been enrolled into a private school (Sekolah Sri Inai). The majority of students were non-Muslim Chinese, I was only one of the very few Muslim students around in the whole school.

Regardless, I had a lot of inter-racial contact and I count a lot of non-Muslims and Muslims alike as among my closest friends during this time period. Back when we were children, the issue of race and religion did not count for much, not even during the 1990s. Continue reading “I will never trade it for another country”

Why I moved to Malaysia

An American
The Malaysian Insider
May 27, 2011

MAY 27 — An overwhelming wave of civic negativity is sweeping through Malaysia; not a day has gone by for the past two-and-a-half years without one hearing the drums of depression beating throughout the country.

And while the ranks of rejectionists swell, a small but increasingly loud group of people are barking back about the greatness, exclusivity and perfection of Malaysia.

It seems that in the midst of this civic recession and polarisation (a temporary and short-lived one, I hope) the media has failed to highlight the vast middle ground: the real Malaysia.

From my limited exposure to Malaysia, I have found the fabric of the country to be extremely resilient. Countless Malaysians courageously wake up every morning, enduring horrendous traffic jams to attend to their professional obligations in a timely manner. Continue reading “Why I moved to Malaysia”

Why I stay, but why my children should not

Ekompute
The Malaysian Insider
May 27, 2011

MAY 27 — When the New Economic Policy was first launched in 1971, I really thought that it would only be for 20 years, just as what the government had said. But anyway, who can argue against the NEP when its two-prong objectives are to:

1. eradicate poverty, irrespective of race;

2. restructure society so as to eliminate the identification of ethnicity with economic function.

However, as Yogi Berra says, “In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. But in practice, there is.”

If the two objectives had been pursued honestly and diligently, I think no one will object to the NEP, even if it runs perpetually.

However, the NEP has been turned into a political tool and interpreted to serve only those in power, such that even after double the time frame since its inception, the ordinary Malays are said to be still poor.

How can any wakil rakyat reconcile himself to this fact, that the people he claims to be fighting for are still living in poverty, while he himself, as a people’s representative, lives in a multi-million ringgit mansion? Continue reading “Why I stay, but why my children should not”

No, Perkasa does not represent me

Dr. Kamal Amzan
The Malaysian Insider
May 27, 2011

MAY 27 — This country is in a mess.

Before I begin, let me just say once and for all that Perkasa doesn’t speak for me. Neither does it speak for my family members and colleagues. Come to think of it, it does not speak for most of my patients, their family members and friends either.

Neither do the politicians and media in cahoots with this group of people with “special needs”. They will never represent me, be it in the present or in the future. Ever.

In case you are wondering, yes I am a tanned Malaysian, a group that Perkasa frequently embarrasses by claiming to represent.

Before they start rattling off their empty cans and pick a new fight, let me remind them that our purchasing power is about a third that of the Europeans. Our first-quarter economic growth at a pathetic 4.6 per cent is behind Singapore, Vietnam and even Indonesia, and while other countries woo talented minds into their midst, we are losing ours left, right and centre, replaced by none other than cheap unskilled foreign workers who are prepared to work harder than an average Malaysian.

Other countries are cutting down on fuel subsidies and consumption, searching for alternative fuel and going green. Many are abandoning their cars, motorbikes and taking to the streets on foot and bicycles and the same time finding ways to increase productivity to offset the expensive fuel. Continue reading “No, Perkasa does not represent me”

Life is still good here

By Malik T | May 26, 2011
The Malaysian Insider

MAY 26 — It’s a wee bit late for me but I did consider encouraging my kids to move to Australia and for me to get a property for them there. However, I was not keen to do so for the following reasons:

1. The quality of life here is good. There are nice restaurants and pubs such as in Changkat Bukit Bintang, with a big and lively expatriate community. We have a good circle of friends here.
Continue reading “Life is still good here”

Why I would leave Malaysia

Hafidz Baharom
The Malaysian Insider
May 26, 2011

MAY 26 — There are a few things in every nation that a person can’t handle. With our nation now in a state of brain drain (or maybe not), it comes as no surprise that there will be people wishing to migrate for what they may consider greener pastures. I have mine as well even if the country’s national flag features a red maple leaf.

The truth is, I do love this country. To be more specific, I love my hometown of Shah Alam. I love the friends I grew up with even if some of them continue to argue that I should join PAS for some odd reasoning that I personally can’t comprehend. I love my dysfunctional and quirky family and perhaps would even go so far as to say that I love the people in the country when they’re not bigoted idiots running on emotional steroids.

What I don’t enjoy in this nation is the fact that we have a government and government agencies that are run exactly like our Parliament, where a whip is so strictly enforced that minority opinions cannot be promoted. In 2009, Shahrir Abdul Samad said that a Member of Parliament from his own party should be censured, and this motion was denied because nobody would go against the whip. Continue reading “Why I would leave Malaysia”

The reasons I stayed

Adrian Ng
The Malaysian Insider
May 26, 2011

MAY 26 — There are actually more reasons to leave than stay in Malaysia. But then again, I decided to stay… at least for now. Why?

1. I love the food; I can step out in the middle of the night and still find my favourite food — nasi lemak (tambah telur mata kerbau) with teh tarik kurang manis.

2. I love the weather here, though it sucks at times, but it is still better than being in 20 inches of thick snow or being roasted to death in a 42-degree heat wave. Continue reading “The reasons I stayed”

Speaking up and facing the reality

Andre Sequerah
The Malaysian Insider
May 26, 2011

MAY 26 — Growing up and studying in a missionary La Salle school in the ‘80s was one of the best experiences ever. In general, boys from all the races mixed together and student populations then were well balanced between all the races.

Yet, even at that time, there were rumblings on the horizon. One of my closest Malay friends, a smart chap, was sent away after lower secondary school to further his studies in a boarding school.

When I went to one of the top engineering universities in the UK, I learnt two things. One was that from the viewpoint of a good friend of mine, a Frenchman, the thought that I had to tick a little box to state that I was under the category of “Others” to state that I was Eurasian was ghastly and hinted of racial prejudice. It was my first realisation of what the word could truly mean as I had never questioned that act before. Continue reading “Speaking up and facing the reality”

MCA – Heartless, Soulless, Hopeless

Tweets exchange:-

limkitsiang – 8.04am
I hope that one day I can return – John Malachi (TMI) http://bit.ly/kbN4sv

limkitsiang – 8.08am
Cry of a Msian – “as I write this in tears 2nite, I hope that 1 day I can return ..2do what I was doing b4 I left” http://bit.ly/kbN4sv

giamsk – 8.10am
Voice of a refugee? So sensational RT @limkitsiang: Cry of a Msian – “as I write this in tears 2nite, I hope that 1 day I can return…
Continue reading “MCA – Heartless, Soulless, Hopeless”