The maturity of an apparently eloquent (but not transparent) writer like Chanting Yes is unfortunately quickly diminished by his or her attempt to demolish the courageous, yet simple and sincere argument by a young person like Dues Ex Machina (who, justifiably, wishes to remain not transparent on the issue of lack of egalitarianism within one's own country).

Make no mistake about it everyone in the free world has a right to choose where he wishes to study, work or live provided the requirements are met and provided there is compliance with the law, etc.

Chanting Yes may choose to remain for his personal reasons and that is fine - we respect that right. One also acknowledges that Chanting Yes can - and probably does - contribute both to the nation's economic and non-economic well-being.

We are not interested in a mud-slinging match on whether those who stay or leave could do great things. I would suggest that emigrants, too, can do things for Malaysia and some do it well.

What Dues Ex Machina is clearly articulating is that there is more justice in some developed economies Malaysians migrate to. However, I can also tell you that within the professions in Australia (and in the UK), there is also subtle discrimination to keep the numbers down in order that everyone in the 'club' continues to do well and is not threatened.

The only difference is that the racial element is not so stark as in Malaysia. In both the UK and in Australia, there is now emerging evidence that some of the brightest students do not enter medical courses, though there appears to be a big scramble for medical places in these countries by Asians, both citizens and foreign.

I do not think Dues Ex Machina is asserting that all bright students seem to want to do medicine. It may be true in Bolehland because of the status and the potential wealth generating capacity it brings (perception, unfortunately, is generally regarded as reality). What I think Dues Ex Machina is saying is that only when one is free to compete in an egalitarian environment can one realise one's full potential and be empowered to make informed decisions. This is what personal autonomy is all about.

Though Chanting Yes appears to have some wisdom in thought, I cannot help suspect that there is also an element of resentment here. Whilst Dues Ex Machina had followed his parents to a new land in the belief that they would be treated more equally, they did pay a price for this.

Every Malaysian abroad, migrant or not (including myself, if I so choose, with my sterling, euros or Australian dollars) is free to invest in Malaysia on equal terms or elsewhere like the Czech Republic and the EU.

But if they do not, they will certainly contribute in some way in the future. For example, one cannot predict the future as Dues Ex Machina may actually return, following professional training.

By doing that, he will actually bring professional skills back to Malaysia - which his migrant parents had sacrificed and suffered for and which the Australian taxpayer funded.

For two periods of my career, I did the same after my education was fully funded by my parents or myself. But do people like us who had studied medicine privately abroad and returned deserve the imposition of the three-year compulsory service with the government?

When migrs like Michelle Yeoh and Jimmy Choo became international celebrities, Malaysia made no delay in instantly claiming credit for their origins whilst it remains unknown why these two left in the first place.

If you ask either of them privately, I am sure that they will tell you that they will not be what they are today if they had stayed back 'to contribute'.

I continue to fail to understand why, some, in the name of patriotism, wish to be intrusive and deride other people's personal choices. Each of us who has emigrated must have had some personal reasons to do so but there may be many common reasons too, like the paucity of equal and fair opportunities.

In concluding, many of us need to be more magnanimous when criticising migrants. Nonetheless, all of us, whether migrants or not, should remain thankful that we can freely move in and out of Malaysia.

Perhaps those who hold grudges against migrants who appear not to contribute should ask themselves the question where they are themselves really free. If they are not, it is time to consider the drafting of an Equal Opportunities Bill to help Malaysia out of her chronic 'crutch syndrome' into the real world of globalisation.