Quote:
"My son, Ryan, who is 18, left to further his studies in Australia today.
I have pondered many a time as to why....we have many universities here, yet we have to sacrifice so much to send (our children) abroad.
Why? Thanks to the politicised education system.My advice to others like me is that you cherish and value the limited time you have with your children because unlike others, you are not guaranteed the opportunity to be at their side - or even a short distance behind - to see that they don’t tumble along life's walkway.
When they are packed off at 18, the chances of them returning is so much less.The plus side is that as parents, we know that we have given them the opportunity to make their best shot for the years to come.
Farewell son, the grass may not be greener on the other side, but the skies are more blue. And even if the grass is not greener, it is grass you can stand on with your head held high. God Bless !
-by "A Father's Yoke""....My parents and I made that important decision of migrating to Australia 20 years ago.
At that time, as a teenager, I was most unhappy, reluctant to leave and had the deepest reservations of leaving my friends and way of life in Malaysia.
Of course, how very naive I was then!
Through the help of God and hard work, I was able to enter medical school, graduate and progress to become a specialist doctor. Again with hard work and a level-playing field, I am able to do diagnostic and important research work in Australia, more recently in the United States and Singapore.
I seriously doubt such opportunities will have been available to me had I remained in Malaysia. Very likely never.
Looking back, I thank my parents for taking the risk of leaving their secure jobs and comfortable life.It was a very, very good far-sighted decision and I have never regretted leaving Malaysia.
It is truly a pity because Malaysia has so much potential in her very capable citizens, but this advantage is practically gone with such a retrogressive system in place; an obvious point made by an astute and very honest European Commission ambassador recently..."
-by V. LeeMalaysian Unplug says:
YES ! BUT THIS UMNO-LED GOVERNMENT DOES NOT GIVE A DAMN AT ALL !!
UMNO IS TOO HELL-BENT TO CREATE A MALAY-MALAYSIA, INSTEAD OF A NATION FOR ALL MALAYSIANS.
Excerpts: Read here for more.
From "A Father's Yoke"
My son, Ryan, who is 18, left to further his studies in Australia today. He goes to embark on his tertiary studies at a reputed university - ordinarily, something to be proud of.Excerpts: Read Here for more
However, it was more sadness than pride that ruled the day.
I have pondered many a time as to why we come to a point where it is like tossing your child out of a flaming or sinking ship. We have many universities here, yet we have to sacrifice so much to send them abroad. Why? Thanks to the politicised education system, it is not in his interest to study here - even when we are now a global village.
Had he gone through the local universities, his mobility in terms of employability worldwide would be seriously curtailed. The major corporations in Malaysia generally prefer the foreign graduates - especially those from ranked universities.
The polarisation that is systemic ensures that his circle of friends more likely would be non-Malay or non-Muslim. This would be a major disadvantage in a multi-cultural society - increasingly the trend in many progressive countries.
When I was a student in the 70s, our friendships were not determined by our race or religion. In fact, in many cases, we got to know our friends' ethnic origins many years later when they got married and we attended their wedding ceremonies.
I am reminded repeatedly that I am a third generation 'pendatang'. My son therefore will be the fourth - one who like me, speaks only English and Malay. ‘Pendatang’ nonetheless.
Scholarships by and large are a mirage for folk like us. Just like crumbs and morsels that fall off a dining table.
Our land of blue skies could and should have been a land of milk, honey and plenty.
Instead, we have increasingly unfettered corruption, polarisation, degeneration of our education system right from Standard 1 to full blown chaos at the tertiary level.
The perception of fair play as played out in the judiciary gives one little to look forward to in seeking justice.
When my son is ready to join the job market, the civil service would not even be a considered option. Turn back the clock about 50 years and one sees the stark difference - when the best brains competed to join the service.
So, as a 'pendatang', my advice to others like me is that you cherish and value the limited time you have with your children because unlike others, you are not guaranteed the opportunity to be at their side - or even a short distance behind - to see that they don’t tumble along life's walkway.
When they are packed off at 18, the chances of them returning is so much less. The plus side is that as parents, we know that we have given them the opportunity to make their best shot for the years to come.
Farewell son, the grass may not be greener on the other side, but the skies are more blue. And even if the grass is not greener, it is grass you can stand on with your head held high. God Bless.
From "V. Lee"
Related Article".. ..My parents and I made that important decision of migrating to Australia 20 years ago.
At that time, as a teenager, I was most unhappy, reluctant to leave and had the deepest reservations of leaving my friends and way of life in Malaysia.
Of course, how very naive I was then!
In Australia, given the opportunity in a system that promotes meritocracy, fair play and competitive spirit, and through the help of God and hard work, I was able to enter medical school, graduate and progress to become a specialist doctor.
Again with hard work and a level-playing field, I am able to do diagnostic and important research work in Australia, more recently in the United States and Singapore. I seriously doubt such opportunities will have been available to me had I remained in Malaysia.Very likely never.
Looking back, I thank my parents for taking the risk of leaving their secure jobs and comfortable life.It was a very, very good far-sighted decision and I have never regretted leaving Malaysia. Many of my (non-bumiputera) friends whom I have schooled with in Malaysia are also progressing well with their careers and businesses in other countries such as Australia, US, UK and Singapore.
It is truly a pity because Malaysia has so much potential in her very capable citizens, but this advantage is practically gone with such a retrogressive system in place; an obvious point made by an astute and very honest European Commission ambassador recently.
Personally, I don't think this situation will ever change and the brain drain will continue. We are witnessing the hollowing out of human resources and talents.Of course, I wonder whether this is even seen as a loss by the government."
From Bernama (10 July 2007):
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Tan Chai Ho said yesterday Malays accounted for 70 per cent of Malaysians who surrendered their citizenship in favour of life overseas.
Between 1996 and April this year, 106,000 Malaysians have given up their citizenship. Of these, 79,199 are Malays; 25,107 Chinese, 1,347 Indians and 350 other races.
Tan said more women than men were emigrating, with marriage being cited as the most common reason by the women.
The Reasons Why Some Malay Muslims Emigrate .
(Read here for more )
by
Noor Yahaya Hamzah
(from Canterbury, New Zealand)
".... When I applied for residence in this place at the end of the world, I had no intention to stay that long, just a couple of years at most, for the benefit of free education for the children.
I had the intention of going back to Malaysia to work and live once I finished that piece of paper called qualification.
I do understand why people emigrate. Things are difficult to start with, then silly bureaucratic rules and barriers make it worse. I guess most of those who gave up Malaysian citizenship are people with foreign spouse.
Malaysian bureaucratic rules makes it difficult for foreigners to apply for residence in the country. PR status takes years to be approved, and applying for PR is a run around job.
Let me tell you a short story:
Back in 93, foreign spouse of Malaysian can apply for annual social pass at a bond cost of about airplane ticket to fly home (depending on the country), which is not cheap at RM1500 then. I was told by the Immigration officer then that after a few years then we can apply for PR.
We couldnt afford it, not on the wage that we live on. So we took the cheaper choice, just come back every 2 monthS to the office to renew the visa.
Jabatan Agama is as good as useless in doing work of stamping forms and signing things.
A friend did another method, he got married in Malaysia. Oh! it was so difficult and traumatising for them. First, the foreign-would-be spouse will have to declare that she is of age and free will in Shariah court, in Bahasa Malaysia no less. For that, if she doesnt speak Malay, you would have to hire an interpreter, even though the judge is fluent in English.
Once the Sharia judge has certify that, only then you can get married.
Things is worse if the foreign spouse is MALE , ie Malaysian woman marrying foreigner husband. There isn't much of a chance for the husband to get PR in Malaysia, so hubby usually renew social visit pass every 2 months or go out to Singapore or Thailand to automatically get a visa. Its there in the rule of immigration dept.
After 7 years of commuting to Pusat Bandar Damansara and later Jalan Dang Wangi, with the ocassional visit to Singapore, we simply gave up.
So we enquire about getting New Zealand residency for me at NZ High Commission at Orchard Rd, filled up the forms and furnish them with the necessary documents then waited 2 months while they check with Malaysian police for security clearance.
It was easy.
If you take into account of diffulty of earning a living in Malaysia, with low pay and long hours, expensive food, housing and transport, the degree of difficulty and unhappiness just magnify many folds.
Why are we afraid of being swamped by foreigners if they assimilate to local culture and marry locals? Isn't Malaysia about melting pot of culture 'Malaysia Truly Asia' in the first place?
Dont get me wrong, I am still a Malaysian, even though I have been residing at the edge of the world for these past few years.
I have tried my damnedest, but in the end I just got tired of trying my best.
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