MCA Wanita chief Dr Ng Yen Yen is not telling the truth as to why she had PR status in Australia.

The reason she gave - "My husband and I realised the need to be with them (their sons) as frequently as possible to ensure the parental bonding within the family, as well as to ensure that they develop a strong value system and strength of character" - is eyewash.

The real reason is that the affordability of tertiary education hits most middle-class Malaysians. However most find a way out by obtaining PR status either in Australia, New Zealand, Canada or the UK.

Permanent residency of Australia entitlement includes not having to pay full fees for o­ne's children's tertiary education. A PR o­nly pays the home student's scale of fees.

There is a fourfold difference between home student fees and foreign student fees. A Bachelor of Commerce fee for a home student is about RM9,100 (A$4,000) per annum whereas a foreign student pays about RM36,500 (A$16,000).