A tale of two Malaysias

comments     Keruah Usit     Published     Updated

We live in at least two Malaysias.

One Malaysia is full of gleaming buildings, sharp points scraping the sky as if trying to puncture the Shakespearean myth that there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in our philosophy. In this Malaysia, metal Jaguars and shining Prancing Horses fly along broad expressways. Here, food is a status symbol and friendship is often a commodity.

Then there is another Malaysia, where treated water is available to less than half the population, where the ratio of teachers to students, or doctors to patients, is greater than 3,000 to 1, and the nearest school or hospital may be many hours’ trek away.

Here, in rural Sabah or Sarawak, very few own a car or a truck because of poverty and no roads.

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