I would like to add to Michael's piece on the Australian Utopia. I agree with what he stated. However, I would mention that what Australia gets in return has not been limited to just the high income taxes gained from the generous salaries of his children. The true benefit for Australia has been the talents of her migrants.

This benefit may be of two categories. One is of course the potential of migrants' children that can add to the pool of talent in the country. I believe that in this regard our neighbour Singapore has also been poaching Malaysian talent. It has provided university scholarships to our high achieving students and kept them there with various other enticements and rewards to serve the island nation.

The other category is about experienced and highly skilled professionals and business people. These professionals have been trained at considerable costs to Malaysia. Together with their business counterparts they have acquired their professional and entrepreneurial expertise in the Malaysian environment.

However, many have experienced frustration under the Malaysian politico-social system, which has failed to recognise their contributions and skills, or ignored utilising them appropriately for the national benefit, or stymied their business ventures. Many of these people have migrated to another country where they hope to be more appreciated and where their children may enjoy a better chance of succeeding in life.

Indeed the receiving countries have benefited from these skills and talents at Malaysia's expense. But does Malaysia care?