Michael's rendition of life after immigration is reasonable as I have recently also experienced.

As a UK graduate with Australian training and experience but residing in Malaysia, I had a hard time migrating to Oz. I wonder why. However, as a professional, I was able to temporarily return to Britain and promptly became re-accredited according to the prevailing UK and European standards and reapplied.

The second time I applied for Australia, I was successful. Why all this? The point is that if one has the standards, the determination and works in a reliable and trusted environment, one will be fairly treated.

This brings us back to a couple of decades ago when Dr Mahathir Mohamad was in power. As a young medical doctor, I was able to relate to him and I chose to return to Malaysia to serve. This was because I was a Malaysian and was proud to be one.

The hurdles I soon faced were not unlike those experienced by everyone else and documented elsewhere. I was a generalist then.

I then received a scholarship to study my sub-specialty in Australia, which I completed. At the instigation of a good friend, a bumiputera senior ministry of health (MOH) doctor, I again returned to Malaysia, giving up the opportunity of a job in the US.

Strangely enough, despite my friend's ministrations through the MOH, I failed to secure a position in the government or university sectors, which was my personal choice. (Note: I had already completed government compulsory service and did not need to do this again.)

It was not because of my inability but because of politics. The sad thing was that the politics was driven by non-bumiputeras whom, I guess, were more concerned with protecting their turf.

By this time, the Mahathirism of the '80s had evolved into a different beast. The challenge of non-egalitarianism, special bumiputera 'rights', etc. was not so simple. It appears to have been the creation of a muhibbah ruling class, riding on the 'special rights' wave, tempered by cronyism, nepotism and their attendant economic and other benefits.

Dissenters, who form an important strong opposition in any healthy democracy, were eliminated or silenced by various methods.

This machine propagates itself with the support of a quasi police state and the ISA together with intimidation (or the threat of it), exclusion and censorship. It is present not only in the government but has permeated and has installed itself throughout institutions, the professions (including medicine, engineering and law) and the community as a whole.

The outcome is that the rich are getting richer and the poor, poorer. The true professional middle class is slowly being exterminated. The perfect ingredients spelt out by Machiavelli for a rogue state! Note that these conditions can support and exhibit the features of 'peace and harmony' mainly because the vast majority are silenced or are too preoccupied planning their survival.

It may appear that my honeymoon with Australia is still on. But I came in with open eyes and mind and accepting that I will need to pay huge taxes as compared with Bolehland. I know that most of this will be used to support the social welfare system.

My children will grow up in a secular multicultural society where we have a right to choose our religious beliefs and practices without fear or favour. We accept that English is our common language whilst being encouraged to learn and use our ethnic tongue(s).

We are allowed to share our migrant culture with openness and respect and treated without discrimination. People compete for university places and jobs alike on a level playing field.

Freedom of speech is respected and accepted and not censored with a label that 'it will threaten national security' or personal sensitivities. Even Pauline Hanson has had her fair share of freedom of speech and was only 'fixed' on different counts.

Like Michael, I have become more inspired to work towards the benefit of the community I live in. Professionally, I have become very much more productive.

I do not hold bitterness against that which besotted me when I was living in the Klang Valley. I never knew when the authorities and their cronies were going to harass me or frame me for something I did not do. I never knew when I would be slapped with an inappropriate fine or served with a writ to silence me in order to keep their hit list quota serviced sufficiently to cari makan.

I never knew when a fellow citizen or corporation was going to attempt to cheat me as part of his or her survival plan. If any of this happened in Australia, despite being a new migrant, my complaints would be taken seriously and justice done.

During my life's journey, I have travelled extensively to nearly 60 different countries around the globe - all of which have their fair share of troubles. Often people ask me where my home is. Earlier on, I always stated Malaysia and was proud of the land I was born in and where I had great experiences growing up.

Now, my cynical answer is - 'it is where my heart is, though I was born in that previously beautiful and egalitarian country'.

But the negative change is not solely confined to Malaysia. It has many other companions in both the developing and developed world and it appears to be a sign of the times. It baffles me to see why many associated development and advances in materialism and physical growth.

The decay of the social fabric of society is a serious matter addressed with caution by only a few - perhaps some religious or social action groups. There is no simple measurable yardstick for this.

To use the surrogate markers of 'peace and harmony' to indicate the state of global (non economic) success of a nation, as implied by Zafer Hashim is, to my mind, a dangerous and nave thing. There should be a bigger bird's eye view.

Nonetheless, as the saying goes, in the land of the blind, the partially sighted are kings (and queens).