COMMENT Recently I received a reference to a new book, written by two migrant Malaysian brothers who have lived abroad for more than 10 years, with advice for would-be migrants.

Their advice includes tips such as never taking things for granted, never to burn your bridges, to be objectively optimistic, and the importance of financial freedom amongst the various freedoms.

These tips are useful in any major decision you make about life and career. In fact, many ‘how to succeed’ books - whether they deal with the stock market or changing jobs - come out with similar or variants of this advice, although the advice may be presented in different languages and with different styles.

The most important point that the book seems to emphasise is that every country has its good and bad points. This, again, is sensible. Every would-be migrant - unless he or she comes from the most god-forsaken and wretched country on earth - should know that the new country he or she is intending to migrate to will not be a paradise on earth.

What the book seems to be concerned about is that many Malaysians are being driven to migrate in the false hope that somewhere in some countries, the governments care for their people, practice freedom of speech, and promote fairness and equality.  

Actually, I think few Malaysians have the expectation of a completely level-playing field and fair play in Australia, New Zealand, United States, Britain, or any other country that they are intending to migrate to. I also do not believe that any departing Malaysian has an ideal picture of the host country and its various freedoms and racial policies as their main reason for migration.

What is driving them - especially Chinese and Indian Malaysians, but also Malays - to migrate, is that the political and social situation in Malaysia has gone from bad to worse.

They see growing ‘Ketuanan Melayu’ and ‘Ketuanan Islam’ intruding into their personal and public lives. They see a BN-led government which is unable to reform, and is increasingly giving way to Perkasa, Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma), and other extremist forces in public policy-making and implementation - a development which even moderate and liberal Malays cannot stomach.

One ‘Ketuanan’ for another

Of course, they are fully aware that they are exchanging one ‘Ketuanan’ for another in the countries that they are migrating to. But the important difference for many who made the hard decision to leave is that, even though the playing field may be uneven when they arrive at their new home, it will be a more even and fairer one for their children - in terms of education and jobs - even without taking into account the higher quality of life in these countries.

This, then, is the 64,000-dollar question which many Malaysians - especially those who have succeeded so well and are the top of their professions - face. Just on the economics of it, for these businessmen or professionals, Malaysia is a good country to live and die in.

Many Malaysians (I am part of this group) have done well for themselves. Despite the New Economic Policy (NEP) and other forms of discrimination, we remain privileged in our economic standing.  

    

However, the younger generation faces an increasingly bleak future. As the economic pie grows more slowly, the fight for good jobs, contracts, commissions, and a better life is becoming fiercer.

A young graduate today, without assistance from his parents, will never be able to afford a decent apartment in Kuala Lumpur or Penang. A house within an hour from his place of work in the city centre is a dream which can only be achieved by winning a big lottery prize.  

When you combine the economic with the political, social and educational factors, then the decision on whether to migrate or not becomes a more urgent one - even for Malaysians who have done really well in their careers here.

For them, it is the future of their kids which becomes the final push factor.  

While the decision to migrate or stay back is an individual and personal one, the government must realise that most Malaysians - I would say over 90 percent - are loyal and patriotic. We know that we are living in a good, and in some ways, a lucky country.

The majority of Chinese Malaysians do not want to leave for a new land and to start afresh all over again, but we, and our children, must not be treated as ‘pendatang’ (immigrants).

Our contribution to the country’s prosperity and well-being must be recognised. It is an undeniable fact that all the urban towns, megamalls, apartment buildings, amusement centres, roads, railways, ports, rubber plantations, and manufacturing plants were built solely or mainly with Chinese and Indian labour and capital.

The foundations of our educational system - our schools and universities - similarly owe much to non-Malay teachers.

It is also an undeniable fact that modern Malaysia and its amenities and standard of living - what Perkasa and Malay and Islamic supremacist groups take for granted - will not exist without the Chinese and Indian contributions.

‘Must not be made to feel inferior’

It is not only on the economic side that we have helped in. Our contributions have also been in art, culture, architecture, and society. Just think of how much Malay food has borrowed from, and has been enriched by, the Chinese and Indian communities - even right down to the language - taugeh, bihun, kway teow, popiah, sotong, lobak, chapchai, tauhu, chapati, roti canai, mee mamak, thosai, sambal, nasi biryani, and etc.

Our talent and abilities must be given equal opportunities so that we can contribute to a more prosperous and greater Malaysia. Our young people must not be driven to feel that they have an inferior place in this country.  

The Malay ultras and those in Umno must come to their senses regarding the place of the Chinese in Malaysia. Malays may have control over all the major sectors of the country - political, social, cultural, educational, and a large part of the economy through the government-linked companies (GLCs) and the new Malay business elite.

But it is the non-Malay component that created the old wealth. It is also the non-Malays that can provide much of the driving force and dynamism that enables new wealth to be created and shared with the less productive and needy.  

Therefore, “don’t kill the goose that lays the golden egg for Malays and Malaysia” is my advice to them.

Finally, to those facing the dilemma of migration, I wish to point out that the Pakatan Rakyat manifesto during the last election acknowledges the need for reforms to dismantle the racially discriminatory policies put in place by the BN. Since the opposition coalition won more than 50 percent of the popular vote, there is hope still for a fairer society to emerge.  

KOON YEW YIN, a retired chartered engineer, is a philanthropist.