Traitors for leaving the country?

Malaysian politicians sometimes can say the darndest of things. Actually no, they do it ALL the time, and we can just review the Hansard of Parliment proceedings to see every single details. In fact, they should collect all the stuff Malaysian politicians say and archive it so that the future generation knows what kind of people they are electing into office.

First was the 'Information Minister', also popularly known as the Minister of Misinformation and in Twitterverse as #yorais. This guy blames Twitter and Facebook as evil tools used by the West to brainwash the public. Even our dearest Prime Minister, whom I have a high regard to, often make such racist and deplorable remarks that makes you realize just how human we all are. Let's just say he said something to the tune of the Jews should have suffered more and that Hitler should have 'done the job' right.

The latest minister to utter words of questionable quality is our second finance minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Husni, who criticized Malaysians for leaving Malaysia and insinuated that it is tantamount to betrayal of the country and the sacrifices made by our forefathers.

“You and me, our children, we build our lives here and we have our homes
here. This is our homeland. I get very sad when I hear we have people migrating
to foreign shores. To me, this is wrong.
“Our forefathers have come here,
many years ago, bearing much hardship and deprivation. Why did they endure this?
Because they believed that their future generations will reap the fruits of
having to live on this blessed land,”

So far so good right? But wait, he continues:

“There is much here to strive for, there are many reasons to stay. Our fathers
have given up so much and they went through so much. Surely, our complaints are
merely discomfort compared to their sacrifices.
“Let us build our future in
this homeland of ours and work hard together to make things better,”

What the dear finance minister fail to acknowledge is that of the 300,000 Malaysians that emigrate yearly, it is not due to attractive or 'pull' factors that facilitate this decision. It's not easy for a person to leave his own country for another. It is actually a very, very hard decision because it is a land that you grew up in and to leave behind all your friends, family and posessions into the unknown is at the very least a scary endaevour. But yet despite this, many continue to do so in droves, with professionals making up the majority of the statistics. This can be due to no other reason than the 'push' factor.

Malaysians are sick of the politics that continue to be played.
Malaysians are sick of the corruption in the country.
Malaysians are sick of the lack of a clear leadership for the country.
Malaysians are sick of the lack of equality and unity in the country.

With the way the current administration is running things and with the power of the Internet, more and more Malaysians are waking up from their dream into an ugly reality where they realize that the nation now faces so many different challenges, and instead of a willingness to face them, we are beset by series after series of scandals involving the people that walk in the corridors of power.

RPK made an eloquent defense of the emigrants by bringing parallels of the current situation to one faced by the Prophet Muhammad when he emigrated to greener lands to escape persecution, oppression and injustice. Malaysia is a young country and many of its citizens are migrants, even Tun Mahathir who's father was actually from India. So what's with all the racial slurs against your fellow immigrants?

I end now with a story by on Ice Cream Seller who is now residing in Australia:

To Deputy Minister Husni,

A story (true) in response to your statement about emigration by ingrates.
Sometime in 1980, when I was a final year student in London, I had a very short teleconversation with my father. In those days, there were no call cards, Skype or the like and calls were expensive. He had a very simple message - "Dont come home, Son".

Now almost 30 years on, I see where he was coming from.

He advised me to stay on in the UK or if I found the weather not to my liking, told me to go to Australia - even if it meant that I may eventually marry a "white girl" as he put it. I was 23 and marriage was certainly not on my mind.

He was a 'pendatang'. This pendatang however secured a scholarship to study in Raffles College (the pre-cursor to the University of Malaya) and served some 30-odd years in various senior teaching positions culminating with the last few years in the Malay College. Amongst his students - a list of past and present ministers and opposition figures.

I didnt heed his advice till last year and spent the last 28 years in Malaysia. However, it became increasingly untenable to work here without compromising my values, integrity and conscience.

Why did he advise me such?

With hindsight, I saw his foresight. As an educationist, he saw we were heading to be another Ceylon (from where he was sent when orphaned), Burma, Philippines and in today's scenario, Zimbabwe.

He saw what the outcome would be when we mess up education with politics.
He saw that religion would be a divisive factor in years to come (he even encouraged me to learn Jawi as a 9 year old).
He believed that in a country like this, mixed marriages would help cement society.
He saw in some of our leaders of yesterday that even in their youth, they had unbridled cunning and only needed an opening to exploit that trait.
He saw in some of his students potential to be PM but said that would never be because they were "too smart for UMNO's liking".
He saw that given our racial demographics, religion would be used as a means to ensure the survival of a particular group.
He believed that eventually, the Malays would have a class war amongst themselves.
He said that even amongst the Malays, many of the English educated would opt to live away from Malaysia.

He told me promotions won't necessarily be given for competence. These are usually won in the Clubs (read political party today) and over a few drinks. Being a bit of an introvert myself, he encouraged me to join clubs, associations and play sports and travel. He said honesty doesn't necessarily pay in this world but still better to be honest and live with dignity.

Our home was (at different times) home to 3 delinquent Chinese boys - sent by the Juvenile court. He volunteered to take them in. Add to that a few other Indian boys. Though not my mother tongue, I spoke to my parents in Malay till I was about 10. We took in a Chinese lady injured during the war and she lived with us for about 40 years till she died. My father referred to her as his mother in law. I thought she was my grandmother even though my mother was not Chinese!!

By the late 70s and early 80s, he saw that this scenario would not likely repeat in the years to come. When he died in 1982, we were pleasantly surprised to see some of his students (by then in their 50s) come from different states for his funeral. One told me that it was my father that made sure he spoke flawless English and another told me how my father would bring the 6th Formers home from the hostel and used our home for dinner and to teach them social graces - including dancing (taught by my mother). Partners were arranged from the convent school with the blessings of the headmistress!!!

29 years on, I view his foresight through the same prism and now agonise as to whether I should tell my children the same. For now, I am allowing my eldest to pursue his tertiary education overseas. Maybe when he finishes, he may not be as shortsighted as I was. Pray God grant him wisdom and vision.

Last year, I resigned from my job, returned the company car and driver, said goodbye to my executive package and moved to Australia where I now live with no maid, no driver, no Audi 2.8, no golf, no teh tarik seessions, no bonus etc but am rediscovering humanity running a humble ice cream shop.

Sometimes we learn very late.

An ice-cream seller