While a lot of people, especially those who gave up Malaysian citizenship and are living in other countries, prefer to lament about how terrible Malaysia is, I personally prefer to appreciate that I am born in Malaysia and not North Korea, Middle East countries like Iraq and Syria which have never observed a minute of peace, and even China. I prefer to appreciate that I am not born in those war-torn countries and controlled by truly repressive government than to complain that I do not have a life as good as the Americans/British/Australians or even Singaporeans.
That's just me. Of course you could argue that if there's a better opportunity, why not go for it? But the problem is, everything comes at a price. I have observed people that people who snatched those opportunities are never actually content. They simply become heavily dependent on what the countries could offer, and if they're deprived of them for even a single second (for example, wifi, or a malfunctioning escalator), they would complain.
And they never stop complain. All they want is to be given what they think is the best offer available.
They have become unhealthily materialistic and are heavily dependent on machinery and technology on their daily lives. Take away their smartphone one day and they'll kill you.
So, I prefer to be living a middle life, a life that is significantly restricted in every aspects like freedom of speech (well, at least Malaysia has not censored media like China does), but a life that gives quite a lot of space for improvements.
Well, that's just me, and I am happy I am easily made happy.
At the same time, Malaysia is my home. No matter how terrible Malaysia has become, I will not abandon my country. I'll fight for my home, just like the Hong Kongers now do.
I have never seen an American telling Iraqi to flee their countries either. Most citizens tell the people to stand up to the oppressive, and I prefer to do so.
Unless Malaysia has become China where there is absolutely no room for changes, then I'll flee.
But Malaysia has not degraded to such level. A change is still possible - we simply need to cooperate, persevere, and fight.
Even if Malaysia could not change by the time I take in my last breath, then let me die fighting for the future of Malaysia.
I won't run away from my home for lousy maintenance. I'll stay, and I'll fight for my own future, instead of seeking one that does not belong to me, one that only partially open for me for their own economic sake.
This is me. I do not like a materialistic life, I do not seek high standard of living and I will not leave Malaysia, no matter how people find Malaysia unlivable. Fighting for my own future is the ideology I grow up with, one that I strongly believe in, and not seeking for offers that could make my life easier.
This is me.
But too bad, some of us are keenly getting our butts out of here as soon as possible. Take my dad for instance. Since our(my siblings and I) early childhood, we have been ''brainwashed'' and ''trained'' to be the best in our academics, so that in hopes of someday somehow we will get a scholarship or any funds to study abroad, and at same time gaining opportunity to find ways to get PR in overseas.
ReplyDeleteIt's kind of sad to think that one must study just so to earn a place to get into oversea, and settle down at there. Heck, even sometimes I too got blinded by that kind of mindset. And occasionally I'm feeling pressurized to do at my best when it comes to learning just so that I could study and ultimately live in oversea, and not because of my interest in learning.
It's true and I'm not going to deny that I'd love going overseas like Japan, South Korea, USA and try to get some experience living at said countries. But, I reckon that for a parent to just simply mold them and use their child as a ''ticket'' to get out of Malaysia is rather unfair. If parents nowadays are so eager to get their butts into a more develop countries, then why didn't they do it in the first place? Why bother making their child into a puppet and stepping stone so that they can easily achieve their goals if they could do it in the first place?
I think it's selfish to just have this kind of mindset, and passed it down to their children (except for the fact that if their children support that idea too). And unfortunately I am indeed one of them.
I can't deny the fact that I love going overseas and if I could, I'd grab that golden opportunity to live in overseas. But,if I were to do that, then I will surely relinquish my Malaysia citizenship MYSELF rather than having my own children and mold them into a ''ticket'' for my personal gain.
I'm sorry if I sound like I ramble on something that is insignificant, but can I ask you this, would you support your children if they are inclined to settle down somewhere other than Malaysia? Would you let them abandon their father's beloved country so that they can attain a more developed and advance life in other country?
Thanks in advance, I'd love to see your thoughts. :)
Actually things are much more complicated than we want them to be. It's natural for parents to want their children to leive a place they deem much suitable for a living, because a parent simply wants their children to lead a happy life. It's all because of love. Take war as an example (just example, Malaysia isn't in war), men normally let their wives and children flee, while they stay on and fight. It's all because of love, and caring, that you want the best for the people you love.
DeleteIt's the same now. To say the truth, in the future, if I have children, even though I want them to fight for the future of Malaysia, but as a father I do not really think I could ask them to follow my step. I'll prefer to fight alone, because I fear the worst could happen to those I love, and I fear I couldn't bear witnessing it, so it's easier to fight a war alone knowing the love ones are safe. But then you make your love ones worry about you.....it's complicated. So ya, parents could be selfish, but I think not for the reason you thought. =)
After all, in Malaysia, we are simply fighting for democracy, but due to increasingly frequent oppressive measures by the government, it is natural for our parents who have witnessed the tremendous changes throughout the years to expect us to go to a place where it is possibly better. We can't blame them, because we do not know how liberal Malaysia was 30 years ago and we do not know how much Malaysia has degraded over the years, so we don't get to pass judgment on their thought. But for youngsters who flee because of a moment of suppression (key word: a moment), well, I personally think it's kind of cowardly, and kinda irresponsible as a Malaysian. It's just my opinion, and I do not expect people to agree with it.
I truly believe Malaysians should not leave the country simply because they think there is no opportunity. Opportunities are to be fought for, not something that are given and taken for granted. As I have mentioned, I believe in fighting for what you want independently, not scouring around looking for an easy way out. If we keep on expecting to be given, then who would do the giving?
Spoken like a great maestro! Thanks for sharing your thoughts pertaining to the above issue. And yeah, I do concur that getting all the things that you really sought for doesn't necessarily satiate you (it might satisfy, just for some time though).
ReplyDeleteI think we all should just keep our heads in the game for the moment, focus on our tasks at hands, and get them done rather then perpetually rambling on and ranting about the things that we detest. Every nation and country has it's own good and bad side, and that applies to even the most developed and stabilize country in the world.
Thanks again for your thoughtful advice, would like to have some of these discussions with you again in the near future. :)
Glad to hear. And thanks for being an avid reader =)
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