TMI:
The number of Malaysians who surrendered their citizenship has almost doubled in this year, according to Deputy Foreign Minister Senator A. Kohilan Pillay, who revealed today that about 3,800 Malaysians have given up their citizenships to date compared to 2,000 last year.
This figure, however, is much smaller than the 304,358 Malaysians who were reported to have migrated from March 2008 to August 2009.
There was nevertheless a sharp rise in the number of Malaysians who registered themselves as having moved abroad with 210,000 of them doing so from January to August this year compared with 94,000 from March to December 2008.
There’s a topic close to the heart.
A very rough guesstimate: about a quarter to a third maybe of my high school classmates are currently working overseas. Possibly more.
Their jobs? Doctors, consultants, bankers, engineers, lawyers, actuarists – you name it.
I made the observation some time back, that it’s likely that my friends who have came back by now will stay back, whereas those who are still working overseas now will likely never make Malaysia their home again.
The government talks about ‘brain gain’ programs and somewhat insultingly thinks that attracting foreign talent is the answer (when we have tonnes of Malaysians overseas that are plenty talented).
I think they miss the point though. Although it’s part of the overall package, people don’t leave just for money or better career prospects.
It’s after all not easy to leave one’s home, family, and nasi lemak. It really isn’t.
I think though, that so many young Malaysians – not unlike my classmates – just feel that the country is going nowhere.
Many of course feel discriminated against, and many more feel that the current culture of corruption is so ingrown that there is no place for an honest man or woman anymore in this country.
I think the key to bringing the talent back home is to give Malaysians hope – hope that tomorrow will see a cleaner Malaysia with genuine integrity, a Malaysia where unity goes beyond an empty slogan.
Hasn’t really happened under 50 years of BN rule, so I doubt there’s any hope there.
Is there hope for change?
I had the pleasure of making it to the Malaysiakini dinner last Saturday night, and it always warms me to see so many old friends and comrades together, celebrating a truly fine Malaysian institution.
One of the performances that featured the following song (different version), which I hadn’t heard in a long time. It’s message is one I still believe in for Malaysia.
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