I was just browsing the Malaysia Today site and noticed this, which reported that Malaysia has gone in an opposite direction to Indonesia in an area which surprised me. Actually it shouldnt have. It surprised me only because I grew up in an environment which thought Indonesia was more anti-Chinese than Malaysia. My parents and their generation freely used the term “pai-hwa” (which meant anti Chinese) in association with Indonesia. Now Malaysia has out done Indonesia, or rather, Indonesia has progressed where Malaysia has categorically gone the other way.

In this regard, while my recent visit to Malaysia was under unpleasant circumstances and I did not pay much attention to the state of the country while I was there, concentrating instead on family matters, I could not help but noticed how bad things have continued to deteriorate, and I was a mere cursory observer. For example, I noticed the following:

• The infamous Port Klang councillor, Zakaria Md something, the one with the notorious mansion, was known in every nook and cranny of Klang as the most corrupt politician. His nickname in Klang was “Chia Kar Liao” – sounds like Zakaria (when pronounce in Hokkien) but in Hokkien, that meant he ate everything. The meaning was obvious. He was corruption personified – he grabbed everything. Apparently, the Jusco Retailing Group successfully sought his assistance to have a land approved for development to build Jusco’s biggest outlet in Malaysia.
• Klang is so overbuilt there are constant traffic jams. Yet, huge buildings are still being built. Does a town like that need more shopping centres? We drove pass the municipal buildings every morning – a Taj Mahal of an administrative building perched on a hill top. How many ordinary folks would benefit from the huge buildings like these? Drains remain clogged, roads are so riddled with pot holes and public transport so appalling only the poorest bother yet money is spent on these large building projects which benefit only those who approve and those who build them.
• The country’s top police officer, Musa Hassan, commented that the police is not arresting anyone on the Rufaqa matter, because they “cannot simply arrest people”. Well and good, except he went on to say the reason the police “cannot simply arrest people” was that others would accuse the police of simply arresting people. Not that it would be wrong. The police does not “simply arrest people” not because that would be wrong, but because they want to avoid accusation. Brilliant top cop. Maybe he was hinting that the police could and does “simply arrest people”, when no risk of such accusation was present, or such a risk was acceptable.
• The authorities should phase out traffic lights as no one bothers anymore. The mantra for driving in Malaysia is : just dont get into an accident. Everything else goes.
• The infamous Mongolian model murder case? Rumours of fat defence contract implications. Key facts rumoured? The victim spoke Russian and acted as intepreter for huge defence contracts and she was murdered to silence her. Sex, unusually, was a red herring.
• IRD targetting chinese businesses for audits. Chinese businesses would be extorted for hundreds of thousands for back taxes. These came from the horses mouth – the victims.
• Law and order has broken down so badly everyone is worried. An uncle had 3 car loads of robbers attack his home. A neighbour was badly injured when a snatch thief punched and dragged her before robbing her. They even held her by her feet to shake her loose of any cash which remained in her pants pockets. My mother-in-law goes to the neighbourhood morning street market with only a small amount of cash – no wallet or jewellery. She warned Theresa of snatch thieves and robbers, who are so prevalent they should be viewed as a given in Malaysia.

There are numerous other incidents but the above are enough to tell me, and many others, that it is increasingly difficult to call Malaysia home. I spent 12 days in Malaysia and in that short period of time, as many as 5 families approached me and told me they are at various stages of emigrating. I still hope Malaysia turns the corner for the better but there are few encouraging signs on the horizon.