I wrote this gaffe to an old friend today…
Hi PPP SSS
Good to hear you are well, in every way, it would seem.
DUMC is a church which has helped many people. Daniel Ho is very close to my ex-boss (who is also here in Melbourne now). In fact I bumped into this ex-boss together with Daniel a few weeks ago, in the Koorong bookstore near our home. My brother used to attend that church as well. Our church in Klang was also very good for us, and that our lives also revolved around that Klang church a lot.
You asked: Is Malaysia so bad that we (and many others) choose to leave and make big sacrifices?
Warning: long story follows.
In Malaysia, my work involved a fair bit of interaction with politicians (who sit in Boards of public companies) and senior civil servants (from institutions like Bank Negara, Securities Commission etc) as well as well-connected businessmen. Every time I interact with them, I come away with the feeling that I do not want Elysia (our daughter) to grow up in an environment where incompetent and dishonest people use bureaucracy, corruption and race to safeguard their own positions. I think the inequity of many policies in Malaysia cannot last and one day, many will pay the price for it. Especially non-bumis.
I imagine Elysia 10-15 years from now, having to make the decision to leave the country. We can make that decision easier for her by moving now. Theresa and I will bite the bullet now, we will be the ones to make the sacrifices now instead of postponing it so that Elysia becomes the one who has to make the move and adjustments. Furthermore, what if 15 years from now, it is no longer possible for her to leave? The risk would be quite high also. While we have the opportunity to leave now, when things are well, we should leave. That is my opinion anyway. Many would disagree, obviously. If we waited until there are obvious and pressing reasons to leave, often that would mean we would not have the luxury to plan carefully and well. Do we wait until there are such obvious and pressing signs that things have deteriorated? I don’t know.
Maybe the signs are already there. If I recall correctly, 2-3 months ago the Ministry of Education came up with an idea that to go overseas for education, one needs approval/license/permits from them. What is to stop them from imposing a quota and prohibitive fees for such approvals and permits as well? First they imposed quota on public universities. So non-bumis go to private colleges. Then they impose quotas there as well. Also, private colleges become expensive. That leaves overseas education as a relatively unregulated and therefore open channel for non-bumi parents. Now there are talks to put a fence around that as well. I’m frightened, to tell you the truth. I’m frightened that some day, even overseas education becomes an impossibly difficult option.
I’m also so frightened that I imagine one day the government would say even passports would have quotas. This is to encourage bumiputra participation in overseas travel, they could say. So, non-bumis can only have passports after the bumis have theirs. Do you think this is a totally impossible scenario? Not if the same type of people remain in power. I have had personal experience of dealing with such people and I do not doubt they are capable of such nonsense.
Even if things don’t become so bad, ie, status quo remains, what are the consequences? Our children must be either very smart or very rich. If they are very smart, they may get into local uni’s. Even then, the quality there is very poor. Now, Uni Malaya has deteriorated so bad that its graduates cannot find jobs. The quality dropped as long as 10 years ago, when I was involved in interviewing fresh graduates for recruitment. Many cant think and speak independently and intelligently. Or, they have to be very rich. We are ok because both Theresa and I had levels of income to support Elysia and she is our only child. Many wont be able to support their children for overseas education. That’s why private colleges have swelled. Are they good? Quality is unassured, at best. In any case, even if we are able to send our children overseas, what about their children? Our children must be even richer than us to be able to send their children overseas. Agreed? So each generation must be richer and smarter, just to secure something as fundamental as education. Surely this cant go on?
To some extent, I often look at some families around me here in Melbourne who are either clients or church friends, and feel we are doing the right thing. These are families who moved here 10-15 years ago, whose children are fully integrated into the society here and are doing fairly well. These families would have done well in their home countries too for sure, but all things being equal, they would have had to make up a lot of ground to be where they are today, had their families not moved 10-15 years ago.
There are other "smaller" reasons for our move. I often tell people I cant put my finger on a single reason which made us move. Like many decisions in life, this one too was made as a result of a combination of a number of reasons, none of which we can point to and say THAT was the reason. Inequality and corruption are big-ticket principles I guess. These trickles down to anecdotes which add up to give us a dossier to conclude: Let’s go. I must say it could still be a mistake. I don’t know. I cant be 100% certain we have done the right thing. That can only be determined if at all, many years from now when we look back. In the meantime, we look to our God who provides for us. God can and does take even our mistakes and turn them around to be blessings. We would seem like farsighted geniuses for making certain decisions but it would be God who is the one who made it all happen. We could have looked like complete fools for some of our decisions, and maybe we still do look like fools. Never mind. We ask God to turn even our foolishness into blessings. One thing I have learn to treasure is just to dwell in the presence of God and never mind what the world thinks.
We trust that in His infinite love and wisdom, we feel secure. All that we go through now is nothing in the context of His eternal love.
I guess the last few sentences suggest it is time to stop here. You’d be surprised how often I had to answer people who ask “Why did you leave?”. It becomes easier with each explanation. Somehow.
I wish you and your family all the best in your decision making process. Let us know if there are specific prayer points you’d want us to be focusing on.
Best regards,
Ante 
At times I wonder, which is the best. I myself was at times in the dilema of choosing between malaysia and other countries. But often I was reminded of, and the last time was just merely a month ago – in a conference held in Indonesia where students from all over east asia gathered together and see how God works uniquely in each and everyone of us. There’s some east asian mates that shared about the efflux of the christians to other countries, where it supposed to be more secured and with a better future. At that time, I just felt I couldn’t agree more of that statement, thinking – Hey.. it’s same here in Malaysia.Don’t get me wrong, I am not against those who migrates. And I truly understand the pure intention of many parents who felt that they could provide a better environment and future for their children if they migrates. And, such intentions are noble, honorable and respectable. Much sacrifice is done for the betterment of next generation.Nevertheless, something sticked in my mind, questioning myself of this question. If every single one of us, who suppose to be capable, who suppose to be cream of the crops, who suppose to deserve a better living, who suppose to deserve a better treatment, choose to leave our own country, will this ever help to improve the situation of our nation?We are being called to be the light and salt of the world. We are supposed to suppress the oppressers, we are supposed to love our enemies, we are supposed to make a difference in the world. But how can we do all these things, if the only action that we take is to be away – from all these things.God might have a plan for some to be elsewhere. But for many of us, what is God’s plan for us? Is our priority sets upon Jesus? or is our priority sets upon equality, freedom, and rights?A better world first starts within our innerself. If we couldn’t appreciate what God has given to us, we will never be able to truly appreciate how God has appreciated of us – sinners. And we will never appreciate what we dislikes around us.Such an irony.
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Eek. You paint a bleak future my friend, and one I hope will never come to pass.I understand your need to leave Malaysia though, as when one thinks about children, one is less keen to take a difficult stand.
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I know how you feel. It can be painful to leave your homeland, the place of your birth, and settle in a far-away land to an uncertain future.I know this because I was also once faced with the same, stark choice. Though it pained me so, and believe me it still does, I decided to stay in a place where everyone is considered equal at least in the eyes of the law. Lovely name for your daughter by the way. The Elysian fields were the paradise of the ancient Greeks. I sincerely hope that you will be able to secure your own private Elysium in your chosen home. I will watch your progress with interest.
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