COMMENT | I have quite a number of friends who have migrated, seeking a better life elsewhere. They are doing very well now, with their children excelling in great education programmes, good career growth for themselves and a nice neighbourhood to settle down. And I am happy for them.

My friends visit Malaysia at least once a year, they go on a food hunt around the country, claiming how much they have missed Malaysian food, take gazillion photos of their food galore and post them up on social media. And then they’d sit down, stuff the nasi lemak, roti canai, pasembor and char koey teow down their throats while talking ill about the country.

“I just hate the haze here. Back in the UK, the air is so much fresher.”

“Still holding the same position? I’ve already been promoted twice. Back in the UK, career growth is so much easier.”

“Thank God I don’t have to send my kids to the local university here. Back in the UK, the education system is brilliant.”

“The public transportation here is such a pain. Back in the UK, I don’t even need a car to move around.”

“I no longer have faith in Malaysia and its politics. I don’t know how you people put up with it, but I am happy in the UK, I even volunteer for the election campaigns!”

“You should visit the UK, you can experience the good life even if it’s just for a couple of weeks.”

Listening to all their yapping, I always grit my teeth in anger, wishing I could scream at the top of my lungs and tell them to stay put in their new home and never to return to Malaysia, ever again.

I suppose that is why I got upset, angry and frustrated when Mahathir called for these people to return home....