"I have to go back" I answered.
"Why?" he asked.
The books on the shelves were staring at me. Suddenly it felt like a million dollar pyramid question. I pondered. "Because my family is there." I finally replied. "Then why dont you bring your family to Australia?" I looked directly into the cloudy eyes of this 82 year-old gentleman who was smiling. Then I looked away, "I dont have much confidence"
That gentleman was Gordon H Sato. Many of us have probably never heard of him, but to the citizens of Eritrea in Africa, he was god. Despite skepticism , Dr Sato pushed forward The Manzanar Project, bringing an oasis of mangrove to the near dead desert coastline of Eritrea and its people. We talked for a good half an hour last night. Several information were exchanged and one which concerned him in particular was the "discrimination", as he put it, that the Malaysian Chinese endured over the years. Hence, the question of migration to Australia came up as it is one of the most preferred countries for most Malaysians.
His question haunted me for the rest of the evening. Even now I dont have an answer. Of course the thought of starting a new life in a foreign country had crossed my mind many years ago when I registered myself with the General Dental Council in UK and spent the rest of my holiday wondering, not quite aimlessly, on the streets of London. It was October and cold and gray. It was depressing, even as a lone tourist, in a country whose sky was hardly blue. I gave up the thought and hoped for the best from my own country.
Then I had a thought. Malaysia is like a mother with three children. Like all mothers, there is always favoritism, however infinitesimally small it is. And we hope that, one day, everything will change for the better. But many people are losing hope in Malaysia like Chan Chu and Hu Tip. And many have given up hope that there will ever be any improvement and left. Reading the news online on 8tv every night, I couldnt help but wonder: Can we still be hopeful?
The difference between men and women.
2 hours ago
35 comments:
Sadly, the mother always forgets that the least favourite child is the one who contributes the most..........
For me, it's very hard to improve…
Coz in Malaysia = Malaysia boleh = semua tak boleh...
Got law = no law...
How to improve la?
About the favoritism part, really impossible mission to change that… we are minority, only can secretly “HOPING”, but cannot do anything… later ISA catch… >.<
eugene so fast and also so RIGHT!!!!!!
but what to do.... we are minority ma... if demand too high, later kena tetak like Indonesia where Chinese kena slaughtered.. T_T
It is really distressing to be treated like a 2nd class citizen in my country. Despite our rants, we all know that deep inside, we love this country of ours and take pride on the good things that happen here.
We chinese are resilient, wherever we go. We are survivors.
+Ant+
But I still love Malaysia. :D
Right now it's very shitty. But somebody have to stay here and change things.
migration is an option and australia would be a good country to start over...
there will be hope for malaysia but i doubt it'll be in near future...maybe 50 years from now???
I love this country. Sheltered from most of the natural disasters. No war or famine. No icy cold winter. I actually love this place for its food and comfort.
I may be naive cos I am not working yet and all but I really appreciate that I am not going through hardships that many other country citizens are going through.
As a Chinese I actually felt proud and shameful of the Chinese in Malaysia at the same time. We are tolerant and survivors yes! But at the same time there are those who discriminate among themselves. Like what I have been through. There are chinese educated people that discriminates 'bananas' that aren't able to speak, write and read chinese.
Talk about discrimination. Some people knows how to complain but never used a mirror and look at their very own reflection. What a shame...
HI Manglish, call me unpatriotic but if i have an opportunity, i would like to "uproot" too.. but unfortunately, chances are slim for me now.. that is me..
as for u, if u have the opp waiting for u and u feel u r comfortable there, why not take up the chance?
my 2 cents.. :)
I've learnt to be selfish.
I'll only be nice to people in return. otherwise I won't bother.
After all, why all the hassle when the Mayans predicted about 21st of December in 4 years time?
I'm still bearing the same hope... and hope u maintain the flame within you too.... we, the product of the nation's local premier university.
i wish to migrate too one day..
australiaaaa...!
kenwooi.com
Actually malaysia still quite comfort to stay with...
If one thinks of migration, just "do it". Don't analyze too much, analysis paralysis. Besides, do it when you're still young is good too. Life is too short to be skeptical and afraid, agree?
i would love to travel but i still miss home..
You mean be hopeful of Malaysia? I think not in this life time lah.
One would be greatly deceived into thinking the kind of problems we have here locally does not exist anywhere else in the world.
The very same thing we experience is most likely happening elsewhere too...maybe less or more.
The grass may not be greener on the other side.
Migrate to Australia? Well...i noticed many Chinese are migrating there including three of my friends.
For me, I don't think so. I like it here in Malaysia.
@ eugene: yes and despite all the contribution, more often than not, we are labelled as unpatriotic as long as we dont do what they want us to do
@ dolly: ya lor..i think that is the worry lor tat's y many ppl just diam2 only...better keep peace than to create havoc right? in the end nobody wins lor...haizzzzz
@ +Ant+: it is kinda sad when there is really no place to call home. feel kinda rejected in a way...hahhaha....
@ tekkaus: i love malaysia too hahhaha...like how i love my mother :p
@ legolas: yes someone has to stay and change things but i am just wondering if there will be another lim kit siang or karpal singh..:P
@ sengaik: you think so too? tat is what i told dr sato also..we are seeing a little changes..but usually is one step forward and two steps back haahhaa
@ bravebear: i totally agree with you. i remember someone once described the chinese community, in mandarin, and translated literally as "a plate of dispersed sands" there is no unity...each for its own...wonder how true it is looking at the current saga at MCA
@ reanaclaire: I wouldnt call that unpatriotic. those politicians who play the racial cards are...saying one thing but do another....
@ medie007: i learnt to be selfish too hahhah..Albert Camus once said" to be happy, we must not be too concerned with the others" hahahhaha...
@ roomie: no wonder we are roomie hhahahha...i still do, sometimes you get a little confused when what you believe is challenged :)
@ ken: seriously? then you should start planning....get around and see if you like it. :)
@ Paul: UNDENIABLY!!!! if you dont have to deal with the bureaucracies..hhahhhaahaa.....but then again they are trying to improve..should we be hopeful?
@ Ai Shiang: yes i agree with you and maybe you want to write something and share your experience..i am not sure but i get the idea that you have migrated to Australia? As for hopeful about malaysia...hahaha...call me naive lar..but i still do...
@ Mei Teng: so true so true, which is why i didnt move to London. I thought, if i moved there, i would be degraded to a 3rd class citizen hahahaah...when i can be a citizen in malaysia and not afraid to say things out loud at times...hmmm...not sure if this sounded childish...hahha:)
@ willie: i like it too..but to other ppl, we may seem to be the oppressed lot...but then as a descendant of overseas chinese, i supposed that is our fate and i believe that as long as we work hard, whatever work hard means, we can survive like what Gratitude said. :)
Malaysia is a nice country. The politicians spoil everything, especially our education system.
Manglish, you keep giving me essay topics huh? haha! If I've moment to spare, i'll blog about it. Is there any particular issue you might like to find out?
I have the same feeling with you last time.
At the end, i still come back to Malaysia because my family are here.
I always feel that my home is here ~ where i grow up!
I also resisted the General Dental Council before i came back. I broke my teeth (fall down from bicycle) hence better repaired my teeth there (FREE) then here (RM1k+-)
Money is the law in Malaysia! Look at the correct correct case...
@ Pete: yeah and now they are talking about one language for all? that is just nonsense lar....haizzz
@ Ai Shiang: hahahahahha.....yes..like why you migrated? how was it like settling down? pros? cons? hmm anything and everything...it may take several posts for you AAAHHAAHAHAHHA....but do take your time...when you have the idea...just scribble..i am sure many would like to know too....
@ CH :that is exactly how i feel too...home is where you grew up..and i am not sure if i can say this..no matter how good the other countries are..it still feels different...like a social outcast....ohhh speaking on which, maybe Ai Shiang can enlighten us on this too? AHAHAHAHAHAHAH
@ superman: money is law in anywhere....hahahhhah....sometimes i am terrified by my own anti capitalism thoughts :)
i once thought that i can survive well in a foreign land, but have similar experience of wondering on the street of Liverpool on a cold winter day and started to miss home badly.
I think home is where your love one is. thats why some Malaysian married a foreigner and never came back again. For me, i have no chocie but to come back, hehehe...
The mother could have been better and prosperous if all there children being treated the same.
Manglish, this is a very deep post.. much food for thought... sometimes i do not want to think about it. it is so frustrating n yet one section of the community pretends it is not happening
@ susan: that was what i went thru wen i was there...couldnt imagine so far away from home and cannot go home as i like...not like i can be home after a bus ride...i have to fly hhahahah
@ chris: hopefully the mother will realize it one day hahahaa
@ bengbeng: actually me too...until it was brought up by him....i wonder where we are heading...:)
Well things have to change and if we're not here to do so, who will?
@ savante: you are right and i hope we can really have it changed when the time comes...
all i could say is there might be another clash between the people but this time will be classes not races.
there's always hope in everything. it just depends how strong ur hope is on that something. how willful you are in making that hope come true. hope is elusive and yet it started with someone or something out there. no catalyst no hope.
i ask u back. would u want to be the hope of the new generations of malaysians?
renaye
http://renaye.nutang.com
@ renaye: i hope i can be the hope for the new generations....hahahah...a bit too big ya the hope? =)
There is always hope, no matter how slim. So we should hold on to hope.
I don't think the grass is always greener on the other side. I love Malaysia and always will. Malaysia is my home.
Things will turn for the better when we believe. It's the law of attraction. The more negative we think of life in Malaysia, that's what we will get. We get what we think. So change your thoughts and the Universe will literally arranges itself to suit you : )
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