Dark Truth About Returning Home After Studying Overseas

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When will Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and his peers understand that money is not everything!
When will he stop living in denial and wake up to the fact that the three Rs, race, religion, and rasuah (bribery) are destroying this country?
Zahid was on a five-day working visit to New Zealand, ostensibly to improve bilateral ties and explore new opportunities between the two countries, when he expressed regret that some people had belittled his working visit.
I have no idea what his critics said, but I do know that many Malaysians are sceptical about politicians who make these “belajar sambil melawat” (learning visit) trips to the capital cities of the world.
ADSThese trips allegedly coincide with the politicians’ children’s graduation ceremonies, Boxing Day, or New Year sales, or a major international event, like a sports final.
Last week, in New Zealand, Zahid (above) told students, “I urge you to come home, especially those in engineering, law, and accounting.
“I know salaries in Malaysia may be lower compared to New Zealand, but remember, east or west, home is best.”
What a spectacular climbdown!
In 2013, Zahid excoriated some Malaysians when he first became home minister, and said, “Those who are displeased with Malaysian politics should get out of the country.”
Then, and now, both Malays and non-Malays are reluctant to return because although money may provide security and pay for the essentials, it cannot guarantee happiness or fulfilment.
Disillusioned students flee
A student may find a life partner, marry, and start a family. No parent will want to subject their children to the same prejudices that they once faced when they were growing up. This is especially so for the student who is non-bumiputera and was denied a place at a local university.
If he is Malay, he may object to the emphasis on religious study at school, or the dress code in society, or that non-Islamic religions are treated with a certain degree of contempt, or the unbridled power of the religious police. For him, religion is between him and God. The state cannot pretend to act on behalf of God.
Life is not all work and no play. Malaysian students are culturally sensitive and enjoy going to concerts to listen to their favourite bands or attend plays and films with themes which will probably be banned in Malaysia.
Coldplay’s first-ever performance in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 22, 2023 was met with claims by PAS leaders that the band had an LGBT agenda.Students hate to be nannied by the state, with some refusing to return to a cultural desert because of censorship by the MCMC. Quality of life does count.
Any inducements offered to Malaysians to return home may prove to be ineffective. The New Economic Policy (NEP) and its successor policies do not provide equal opportunities for all, and unless social and working conditions at home are improved, Malaysians will continue to stay away.
ADSThe returnees will have learnt about living in a first-world country, which champions human rights and democratic principles. They will not hesitate to speak out against corrupt and incapable leaders.
Meritocracy counts. The lack of opportunities stifles ambition. If Malaysia cannot provide, the determined and enterprising will seek opportunities elsewhere. For him, the world is his oyster, whereas for the Umno-Baru politician, the tempurung (shell) is his limit.
Brain drain crisis
Warped ketuanan (supremacist) policies enabled places like Singapore, the USA, the UK, and Taiwan to snap up our best students. The facts speak for themselves. Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo warned that over the past five decades, 1.86 million Malaysians left the country. DAP senator Dr A Lingeshwaran highlighted Singapore’s aggressive recruitment of Malaysian doctors. Many nurses are also leaving or have already left.
Purported advertisements to recruit Malaysian doctors to work in Singapore.Ketuanan policies and the NEP have dire consequences. Will Zahid and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim have the courage to stem the haemorrhaging of talent from Malaysia by disbanding the NEP? Unlikely.
The brain drain should not have been allowed to happen. Instead, we act only after the horse has bolted.
Money is not everything. Relationships, personal health, family, and personal growth do matter. Ketuanan policies have forced the separation of many families and scattered them across the globe. Non-Malays who deserve promotion are denied career advancement simply because they are non-bumiputera.
Finally, the overall state of the nation worries the returnees. Corruption, abuse of power, nepotism, and cronyism, which were highlighted during the tenure of convicted felon Najib Abdul Razak, remain. Racism and corruption are institutionalised, and few politicians, if any, have started the narrative about equality between the races.
Spotted in Zahid’s New Zealand entourage was Umno Youth chief Akmal Saleh. This is a slap in the face for Malaysians. Why reward a race-baiter and task him with encouraging Malaysian students to return home? Racism in the West is swiftly dealt with, but not in Malaysia.
Education and healthcare come at a price in Malaysia. Is there more emphasis on medical tourism rather than providing good healthcare for the rakyat? Will returnees receive an efficient and fair service at government departments? Is there a decent public transport system to go to work? Are workers exploited? These practical considerations matter a lot.
If Zahid wants Malaysians to return, will he stop the lip service and start cleaning up his backyard? - Mkini
MARIAM MOKHTAR is a defender of the truth, the admiral-general of the Green Bean Army, and the president of the Perak Liberation Organisation (PLO). Blog, X.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.

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