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View all search resultsChoosing Malaysia
Of late, many among my personal acquaintances have expressed the desire to emigrate
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O
f late, many among my personal acquaintances have expressed the desire to emigrate. While some mentioned this in jest, others have actively submitted PR applications or ensuring that their children are being educated in international schools and universities locally or overseas.
Sometimes, especially throughout the tumultuous last few weeks with the number of arrests of citizens simply for voicing their worry and care about our fair country, or the passing of acts that would affect fundamental human rights, I do feel the urge to join them.
I think we have all heard such statements as this before: 'If you don't like the way things are run here, leave!' Personally, this statement has been hauled at me from many parties, every time I question or try to ask for empathy, or demand professionalism and service.
It seems that instead of commenting and offering constructive criticism to improve, I was told that Malaysia is 'like that lah' and for me to accept the way things are instead.
My non-Malay friends who made similar comments, in return, would receive a slightly more oxymoronic statement of 'If you don't like it here, return to China/India!'.
Why I think this is an oxymoronic statement is simply because all of us are born in Malaysia and are Malaysian citizens. Thus when we voice our dissatisfaction and frustrations with fellow Malaysian drivers, rising cost of living, unethical public service, corruption, and the like Â' it really comes from our nationalistic spirit as Malaysians.
Further, telling us to go elsewhere is meaningless, where would we go? Malaysia is our country.
I don't judge those who choose to emigrate. People have many reasons to move globally and should be allowed to do so to enrich each of our own life's experience. However, I do find that the reasons given by both sides of the divide: those choosing to stay or emigrate; are more or less the same.
Some of those who have emigrated found love with citizens of other countries and decided to emigrate to be with the person they love. Others chose to do so based on the ability to earn and learn more in other countries in their individual fields and having a better career track overseas. Some cited the freedom to just be who they are; especially so for those who do not conform to heteronormative sexuality or subscribe to commonly accepted gender, ideologies, or religion.
On the other hand, many choose to stay due to familial reasons such as taking care of ailing parents or to be with spouses who refuse to emigrate, while others are sado-masochistic enough to try and improve things in each of our fields in Malaysia ' be it in business, professional work, civil service, or social activism.
And yes, none of us can live for too long without the food, and the cili padi.
Notice that the common themes in both groups are the same: money, stability/familiarity, and love. Human core values and all that we want in this world to be, relatively happy.
Most of us have our own reasons in making the choices we make. All of us should make the choices based on opportunities that present themselves to us, and continue to contribute to Malaysia as much or as little as we want based on our own achievements of progressing up the pyramid of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, wherever we might be physically.
I personally have always had a hard time belonging to Malaysia. Perhaps I have one foot in the world of storybooks since young, and only one foot in reality. But I duly believe it is my, and every citizen's responsibility to work for an environment of a country that we want. One that is positive, inclusive, just and progressive.
Yet, it is a sobering realisation that many Malaysians do not think like us. That there is only a minority of us who romanticises the foundation laid down by the late Tunku Abdul Rahman on a Malaysia that is supposed to be built on the ideals of liberty and justice as a beacon of light in a disturbed and distracted world.
It has come to this, we have the foundations to be great but instead of building on the foundations, we have instead dismantled it bit by bit, breaking down the very structure and left with the fragile fabric of society keen only on blaming everything and everyone else instead of looking at and improving ourselves.
I believe that even if I emigrate, I will always pine for the betterment of Malaysia. There are many things that will continue to frustrate us: politicians will always be politicians, leaders will disappoint us, fellow citizens could turn their backs against us.
Yet for those of us who chose Malaysia, we have no choice but to work hard towards re-building the foundation towards a better country that we all dream about and hope that our hard work will be continued by future generations.
As with that line in Jaws: 'We're gonna need a bigger boat.'
Lyana, a scientist who works in HIV & HPV, is an educator with a public university who runs to try to make sense of life. An advocate for humanity and more kindness in her beloved country, Lyana started the 'I am #26 campaign'. (***)
