The following are results from an OZ-words Competition where entrants were asked to take an Australian word, alter it by one letter only, and supply a witty definition.
Billabonk: to make passionate love beside a waterhole
Bludgie: a partner who doesn’t work, but is kept as a pet
Dodgeridoo: a fake indigenous artefact
Fair drinkum: good-quality Aussie wine
Flatypus: a cat that has been run over by a vehicle
Mateshit: all your flat mate’s belongings, lying strewn around the floor
Shagman: an unemployed male, roaming the Australian bush in search of sexual activity
Yabble: the unintelligible language of Australian freshwater crustaceans
Bushwanker: a pretentious drongo, who reckons he’s above average when it comes to handling himself in the scrub
Crackie-daks: ‘hipster’ tracksuit pants
Ante 
Mr. Teh,
Before I begin, let me clear up some incorrect assumptions you’ve made.
1) I did have plans to migrate.However, I was not afraid of rebuilding the rebuilding exercise as I have not built anything yet.
2) And yes, there is more nobility in staying for the fight that fleeing (you say taking your battle else where) to Australia like you.
3) I consider people like Mr. Lee an Australian and not a Malaysian anymore.
You as a lawyer by profession should not have misunderstood the contents of my letter to Malaysiakini. I suggest that you read my article again.
I feel that there is a need for me to defend myself as you’ve also went to the extent of accusing me of ‘simplistic thinking’.
I refuse to write another letter to Malaysiakini or other internet web portals for it will slowly turn into a mud slinging match.
No person can call two places (in the context of what we’re arguing) home at the same time. Your loyalty either lies with Australia or Malaysia. It cannot be both.
At no point in my letter did I say that Malaysians who left for another country loses their right to speak about the on goings in Malaysia. I challenge you on this and you are put to proof.
Perhaps your mind was poisoned by some of the comments made at the bottom of it.
Never have I said, as you falsely alleged, that Mr. Lee and other Malaysians living abroad did not ever vote in their lives. I produce the last sentence in that paragraph:
“This is opposed to the nonchalant attitude among Malaysians and an example of this would be that they have never voted in their lives.”
If you read that paragraph in its entirety, you will see that I was referring to all Malaysians and not exclusively Malaysians who have left the country. This conundrum is prevalent among my peers in my age group. Speak to Malaysians who just turned 21 and you would realise what I’m talking about.
You also say that people like yourself have taken your ‘battles else where’. Whilst your way is one of the million ways, I believe this approach is highly ineffective.
Malaysians in this struggle would be tempted to take your approach to move abroad, sit back, sip your Australian wine, read from the internet what’s going on in Malaysia and then write a letter for us telling us how good your new ‘home’ is and how rubbish ours is. We share a common struggle. However, there’s too many generals in our army.
If every Malaysian were to take your approach, who’s going to be on the padang?
The reason I’ve written that hard hitting letter was simple. George Lee’s article will inadvertently encourage young Malaysians, like me, to migrate. I made this very clear. You have rightly recognised this.
He paints a very sorrowful picture of Malaysia as if nothing can ever be done to change it. He sings high praises of the system of governance in Australia as if they are infallible.
In relation to my ancestors, I wrote that the reason they left was because there was armed conflict. Ask yourself now, is there armed conflict in Malaysia? Is there forceful seizure of properties? Are Christians forced to attend underground Churches in Malaysia like what happened in China when the Communist took over?
You took RPK as an example of a Malaysian who fought hard but in the end took flight to Australia. Have you ever asked yourself if what RPK wrote is the truth? He has made a million and one wild allegations against politicians to which he has provided meager evidence to support his contention!
Why do Malaysians like you believe sensationalist propaganda just because he’s criticizing the government? I believe you have not thought hard enough about RPK. Look in the mirror and ask yourself who’s having ‘simplistic views’ now?
It is easy for you to sit in your Australian home in the suburbs and take potshots at me who’s participating in this struggle. I would have expected a more measured response from you. Obviously, you have fallen short of that expectation.
So if my friends and I do succeed in this struggle, are you coming back home expecting a parade for people like you and George Lee? I doubt it. You and him are both the same. You will still be pessimistic and oblivious to the fact that a better future for Malaysia is up for taking.
Thanks Mr. Teh, your words are of great encouragement.
LikeLike
Hi Derrick
Thanks for pointing out those matters. I appreciate that.
I am just continuing with ths thread although I think you mean to comment on the later entry.
I hesitate to apologise for mis-reading your piece. If indeed I did misread it and you did not really mean to exclude those who left Malaysia, then I do apologise. I hesitate to however because there have been other readers who took the same message away. If a majority of your readers think you said it, there must be something in that piece which caused it. I think it was in the first couple of paragraphs.
I dont think you need be concerned that George’s letter will have that effect on younger readers. If they later choose to leave, I will be surprised if George ‘s letter was the trigger. It is more likely a cumulative effect of what plagues Malaysia now.
My point about RPK is simply that it doesnt take a resident to have a voice. We live in a global village now. Vast numbers of families have member spread across a number of continents. Many now have homes in more than 1 country. They care for each of these countries. I congratulate you on your commitment and for your purist outlook but why cant I be loyal to more than 1 country? A conflict arises only in certain circumstances. In most cases, one can be loyal to more than 1 country. That is my opinion and like I said, I think your view is perhaps to be admired because while it doesnt reflect the reality of today’s world, it is a committed and purist one.
I wont hide the fact that I consider Australia my home now. This is my country now. Malaysia however, remains a very big part of my make-up and I still love that country. It pains me to see what is going on there. On this, we are of the same mind and heart, I believe.
LikeLike