Ok, this issue has been on my mind for awhile. Malaysia is facing (or not facing) a huge problem - the brain drain. The talented pool of young citizens are leaving the country to chase their dreams elsewhere, build futures in other nations and carve out opportunities in unfamiliar lands. Not that all these are impossible in Malaysia itself but it's just too hard.

A vast majority of my peers of my age/social/economic status (young adult, middle to upper-middle class) are bent on not returning to Malaysia after they graduate. I'm talking about the future engineers, biochemists, pharmacists, psychologists (ummm, yeah.) and other future professionals that just have no faith in the possibility of building a secure and comfortable life back in their Kampung. It's really disheartening when I look at friends like Adele and Ken Jin and Carolynn, all of whom are extremely intelligent, resourceful and talented... and they're all pretty sure they aren't too keen to slave for their motherland.

So what's the problem? Malaysia - no natural disasters, good weather, plenty of good food, chock-a-block of mamaks, friends & family, burgeoning economy (therefore, potential for good jobs, etc)... What's not to like about it?

The answer? Outright discrimination. In-your-face racist policies.

I'm sorry, but it's really the simplest answer. Let's face it, without Kulit-fication (*kulit = skin) in Malaysia, it doesn't matter how good you are, you're going to have to face the fact that there will be a glass ceiling preventing you from reaching the top. Short of changing your birth certificate and undergoing major plastic surgery and facial reconstruction, you can't really change your race. The government and even some citizens can deny it all they want, but the fact remains that a lot of the young, informed and bright people of this generation think it and if we were truly honest with ourselves, we would realize the sad reality that the best of us are simply disillusioned with the public policies that are essentially there to curb opportunities for us.

To be honest, I am all for affirmative action to help other races catch up or be on par with the ones excelling on top. Boosting those from the bottom would definitely level the playing field allowing for what would be equal opportunities. But really, when we look at the implementations of policies in Malaysia, sometimes even unspoken socio-cultural ones, what is happening is that the ones at the top are either pushed down or made to feel like they don't belong - so they leave. It's all about putting the idea in your head. Once you start believing that home isn't really home for you... it's easy to make that kind of decision. Do us non-kulitficationed people really feel like we have the remotest possibility of contributing to the country in, say, politics? education? Chinese represent 24% of the population - are there that many in government positions? Which Malaysian university has a non-kulitfied dean or president?

Even in private enterprise... we all know the 30% shareholder rule. I can't even own my business without being forced to give part of it away (for no other reason than to spread the wealth to those who don't really have to work for it at all) if/when it becomes so successful that it is a public listed company. Is that fair? Seriously. What about the companies 100% owned by a certain race... are they required to "share" a piece of their wealth in the interest of "racial integration"?

I'm not really here to convince anyone of anything they don't already know or believe. I'm just stating the idea that something must be wrong when a large amount of the cream from our crop of young Malaysians don't share the convictions of our leaders that try to instill the idea that Malaysia is the place to be. Undoubtedly opportunity will always be there for you to find... one can even say you create your own opportunities. If young Malaysians truly believed that they can achieve their dreams and fulfill their potentials (keep in mind, this is an informed and intelligent generation), why would they want to leave?

From a humanistic psychological point of view, we are driven to fulfil some human desire to serve oneself's interest in achieving goals. I believe that this can be taken into a macro persepective; we also want to achieve common (be it family, community, or national) goals. Fulfilling personal goals doesn't usually have as many external obstacles, it's a matter of self-motivation to get out and do it. But there is a larger social goal that I think is a driving force of patriotism and the human tendency to work for the betterment of each other as a whole. Working for something we believe in does make us feel a part of the larger movement that we belong and contribute.

So where does Malaysia fit in to this?

As a Malaysian of the "wrong" race, there is always that notion there that I am not "Malaysian". I am constantly reminded that I am "Cina" despite the fact that my family can trace it's roots in the country for at least the past 120 years or so. I do cherish my cultural heritage, true, but when it makes an impact on which schools I go to and which scholarships I won't get - hell yeah, it matters. Do I feel bitter that I am discriminated against for something which I did not choose for myself? Yes. That in itself, prevents me from truly achieving personal goals. I love my country but if I was going to want to be the Prime Minister... I know that's not going to happen.
DESPITE the fact that I am a patriot, extremely passionate about the future of the country, a genius planner, etc etc... nope, wrong color - you're out. So yeah, that's a far-fetched personal goal but it illlustrates my point about the glass ceiling. It's invisible but it's there and you can't break through it.

Larger social goals... where do non-Malays fit in? When was the last time we had a truly multi-racial committee chair, say, the department for public safety? If we wanted, could we truly contribute to the country and have contributions recognized? I see successful Malaysians scorned upon for being succesful - "oh, orang cina... biasa lah." Almost as if it was our very virtue of persistence and hard work was a negative one. Granted, I am not generalizing that EVERYONE says it. But it is expected of us to be successful through no government help - they don't really want to help us but WHY? Are we not part of the community, trying to achieve common goals of making the country better - not just for ourselves but for my Sikh/Malay/Iban/Chinese neighbor?

So this blatantly racist agenda is working. We are leveling the playing field by rejecting the best and keeping the rest.

Good luck with that, Malaysia.

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