I never really thought about it much, but this last trip to Malaysia really showed me how, in the twenty years I’ve lived in Perth, I’ve become very much assimilated and used to Australian cultural norms. I told Deputy Uber Boss, who’s the one in charge of my trip and the whole project, that because of my cultural background, cultural shock wasn’t one of my difficulties last week – and it wasn’t especially, but I still had a few moments when I had to pause and regroup, so to speak.
For example, while at the College last week, I had a moment of minor shock when I needed to use the toilet and found that all the toilets were the traditional squatting sort. I don’t know why I wasn’t expecting it, but it took me a few seconds to reconcile myself to the fact that if I was going to have to go, this was how I was going to have to go! I was quite amused at myself, because it’s not as if I hadn’t used innumerable squatting toilets during my childhood years (and at least Malaysian toilets afford their users privacy – someday I might tell you my wonderful experience in a public toilet in Beijing). It wasn’t that bad once I got over the initial eep! feeling – there’s actually something very natural and even comfortable about squatting when you have to go!
Oh, and I’m never moaning about Perth public transport ever again. We have such a great system here – prices are clearly marked, services are regular and the vehicles well-maintained. D and I were remarking on the horrific traffic in and around Kuala Lumpur, and then realising that we never saw any public buses anywhere! No wonder everyone has to drive. And the taxis in KL! Not once did I get in a cab that ran by its meter – you had to negotiate the price every single time you got into a cab, which is quite a hazardous procedure for an ignorant tourist. The discrepancy in prices was huge too. For example the price to get from Point A to Point B might be X ringgit, but for the return trip, the price could be almost double – the reason: “Traffic very bad, lah!” The Light Rail Transit system is a definite plus for KL!
Speaking of the traffic, the number of people who openly flouted the road rules was scary! And I’m not even referring to those drivers who ignored the marked lines on freeways (so that it was not uncommon for a road marked with three lanes to have four or five lines of cars squeezed in!) and kept weaving in and out of traffic. I never saw so many people parked at corners (weren’t they worried someone would hit them?), at fire hydrants, on yellow lines, or in wheel clamp zones, or people running red lights or stop signs, or not indicating… This is not to say that Perth drivers are perfect (try morning peak hour traffic for examples of charming behaviour – not!), I just saw so much bad driving behaviour in KL. The Malaysians whose cars I rode in had a range of theories to explain this: “Everyone wants to get the better of everyone else, so you have to join in…” or “People here just don’t care!”
I’ve become so used to the fact that smoking is banned in public places in Perth (and Australia generally). So you would never see someone smoking in the lobby of a hotel, for instance. I got pretty sick of the smell of smoke while I was in Malaysia. If there’s one thing I can’t stand, and if there’s one thing that I’m pretty intolerant about, it’s cigarette smoke. Ugh! /rant: I still get a bit peeved with many Perth restaurants, where the smoking areas are the outdoor areas, so that if you want to enjoy the outdoors while having your meal you also have to put up with cigarette smoke. It doesn’t make sense to me – seeing as smokers enjoy their smoke so much, why shouldn’t they alone have to put up with it? Let them sit in an enclosed space so that non-smokers don’t have to inhale their pollutants! /rant (Okay, so maybe this last point has little or nothing to do with having lived in Australia for twenty years…)
I’m not trying to Malaysia-bash, because there’s a lot about the country that I genuinely like. The amazing variety of amazing food, for instance. The atmosphere: the sights and sounds and smells. I loved waking up every morning to the low whistling call of an unidentified bird. The people too are generally so friendly and warm – and I love being able to speak Malaysian English (or Malay, or Cantonese, or Mandarin). 
The picture on the right is a view from my hotel window; I enjoyed looking at the lush green and wondering what the unidentified bird must look like…
I suppose my experiences of both Malaysia and Australia are common to many migrants. When we arrived in Perth, I was a sulky teenager who desparately wanted to fit in, and I resented the fact that I look and sound different, and that my childhood memories were so different from those of my peers. Skippy the Bush Kangaroo? Young Talent Time? It felt wrong to admit that I had never eaten a sausage roll before coming to Australia.. Errr.. what about Cumi dan Ciki, Rasa Sayang (that tacky kids’ variety show on tv every festival), Mamee (a snack that Mum didn’t like me eating – too unhealthy!)…
Now I like the fact that I can function in both societies, and I like my role as cultural interpreter and translator! I had a fine time explaining the morning (and afternoon) tea concept to Aunty I. “How can Australians eat so much?” she said. (The idea of having a cuppa and a snack at 10 or 10:30am, not long after breakfast, was bizarre to Aunty I.!) I pointed out the Malaysian love of going out for “supper” a few hours after dinner. And the Malaysian ability to eat anything, at any time of day. (I could go on and on – perhaps a topic for another post or two.)
11 Comments
I too relish the fact that I can exist in either places. Though you are right about us being spoilt by the lifestyle here in Perth. 🙂
A strange thing I have noticed over the past few months. The average Malaysian Chinese seem to aspire to emigrate, very specifically to Australia. It almost seems like they work their asses off so that they may move themselves and their entire family down under.
It is like Australia is some paradise island or something. I know that Melbourne is one of the most livable places in the world, but a statistic like that can by no means cause the mass migration that I noticed.
The Malaysia government has this program called – Malaysia my second home. It is to attract retired whites to settle to Malaysia and bring their money with them. Sadly, Malaysia doesn’t seem homely enough for the Chinese.
They have always complained about the brain drain. They whine that Singapore is stealing all the Malaysia talent. Now with entire families moving out, it is not only brain drain, it is capital drain. They really should find out how much money has been sucked to Australia in the past 10 years. It will probably run in the tens of millions.
Can they stop this? No. It just cannot be done. Until the government stops treating the Chinese like second class citizens, it will not happen.
Quote: “You go to Singapore, a couple of ministers there are from Penang. In Hong Kong, a number of advisers to the government are from Penang, and in China, some of the best managers are from Penang. Penang is support the world!”
It is all about Singapore, Hong Kong and China but not Malaysia. So, prove to me that this is not “brain drain”.
Brain drain is part and parcel of Malaysia. Things are not going improve, at least at the rate we are going. Welcome to Bolehland. We can!
I hope to see some progress in our country heading towards a mainly two-party system like in the US, UK and Australia. But the opposition parties must get their act together; and the people too must get wiser.
The big bad world of globalisation has descended on us like a tsunami. We still want to walk with crutches. The competition now comes from China, not the local Chinese badly represented by the MCA; from the Indians from the near continent, not from the local Indians doubly badly represented by the MIC.
At the end of the day, stop complaining too much, for you – the voters – put the government there. You finally deserve the government you get – arrogant, complacent, and not accountable.
Otherwise, why do 21st century so-called leaders want to revive the NEP, an instrument of the 1979s-1990s that had proven to be not effective? Don’t we learn from the history and current developments?
I too, used to think that all is rosy and happy in Malaysia. But as each year passes, I find out more and more disturbing things happening in my beloved country.
Yes, mostly resulting in a more cynical outlook, with some youths turning even desperate and then like “opting” out of the system, or slightly better for some lucky ones, staying back in a foreign land, because “my government seems to be taking actions to drive us away”.
What a sad refrain, and the government laments – sincerely? Brain drain – I personally know many of such youths parents have chosen to “opt out” of the political arena. Sad. Tragic but true.
I am currently studying in the Australia, I grew up with the slogan “Malaysia Truly Asia” – however, this is not true, it seems more like “Australia Truly Asia” and let me explain why I think so – when I first landed here, I saw a multi-cultural society consisting of people from various ethnic backgrounds.
It doesn’t even matter if the person has landed on the moon, you will only be awarded if you can prove that you deserve it. Your well being here depends on who you are (your personality), and what you can contribute!
Unlike Malaysia, where opportunities are given to the malays, regardless of what they are worth of. Shame! As a Malaysia citizen myself, I am ashamed to tell fellow Australia citizens that I am from Malaysia, because they all know that people like malays are given privileges.
The malays have no pride in themselves and that is why they will never ever be able to compete on a level playing field. There is so much discrimination among the other races that there is no sense of pride whatsoever in being a Malaysian.
Your eyes are open now because you are in the Australia. That is the difference between a developed country and a third world dump!
The truth is Chinese inject entrepreneurial and economic progress in South-East Asia. If the Chinese left Malaysia, your economy would be on the verge of collapse and will become little more than a backwater hellhole.
There are very simple reasons why Chinese do not fully assimilate into malays societies. It is because the malays people are very hostile and disrespectful to the Chinese. It is well ingrained in their society, this anti-Chinese sentiment.
You Indonesians, Malaysians and Filipinos need to learn from the example of the Thais. They are friendly to Chinese and many Thai Chinese are very integrated and are loyal to Thailand. However, they also have links to China and bring the two countries closer. Hence, China and Thailand enjoy very strong relations and all of this bodes well for Thailand economically and politically. It is no wonder Thailand has experienced a great deal of economic progress.
Also, given this hostility, why should Chinese integrate with your society? Let me tell you, it is a very simple reason. Unlike primitive tribesmen minorities in your territories, our civilization and culture is actually far superior than your malays culture. We are the inheritors of one of the greatest civilizations in human history. Why do we want to downgrade our cultural knowledge and perception, and accept a backward and undeveloped primitive culture?
Indeed right, in Malaysia, the malays are like shit. They disrespect the Chinese. And you want to know why the malay government have money? It is because the tax! Chinese pay high tax to the malay government where the government even use quota control! The malays given special treatment, the government give money to the malays because without this, the malays will have nothing! We Chinese in Malaysia depend on ourselves! We earn money on ourselves!
Also, I lived in Malaysia before and let me tell you that Malaysia is not rich. The government owes a lot of money to Japan and other country. The nation is corrupted! In outside look, you think Malaysia is rich but the truth is Malaysia is very poor. A lot of projects have been cancelled such as new airport in Kuching, and etc!
The Chinese in Malaysia is dropping rapidly, one day and one day will come, when the malays don’t like Chinese and riot, than we Chinese move away and hahaha! Malaysia will become like Indonesia!
Now look at your Indonesia, last time when Chinese there, the government can be rich Now, when Chinese gone – your country like shit! Hahaha! This is dream funny!
I totally agree with the above. The future of this Malaysia country is rather bleak if not doomed. Politicians here are living in their own twilight zone, harping on the success of this country, which I think very soon the northern neighbour Thailand will eventually overtake this country.
For long years ago, the Malaysia prime minister was asked by Lee Kuan Yew, “Are you concern that there is a massive brain drain happening in the country, and most of them are Chinese?”
Surprise surprise, the Malaysia counterpart told Lee Kuan Yew, “Let them go if they want to……….” That is the attitude of this country.
They don’t realised that for a country to be prosper and advance, they need brains. That is why Singapore is doing all it could to attract brains all over the world. However it is different over here.
Singapore does not have a national car and the world tallest building. For a small country, much smaller like Singapore, they still shine brighter.
I think many fatal and non-fatal accidents are cause by Proton vulnerable car. Why do we have Proton? If not, we would be driving a brand new car at the price of a low. True!
Well, Mahathir wanted it just like he wanted the Twin Towers – to let the world know we are here. It is like when people ask where is the Malaysia? We would use Singapore and Thailand to point out where we are – in the middle of it.
Would you like to know the true fact about the malay language? There isn’t any in the first place. All the vocals are translated from all sorts of other languages like English, Indonesian, Mandarin, Portuguese, Tamil……….etc.
Once upon a time, I have an Indonesian maid. When she started to work, she has only a working visa. Later she informed us that she got a “red IC” (citizens of Malaysia have blue IC) meaning she is a permanent resident. The last general election she was standing inline with me to cast votes and I did ask her, rather surprisingly elections are for citizens and why are you here. She just showed me her blue IC. Meaning to say she is a citizen.
The other part of a story, a local woman married a professional from Australia. Due to our funny system, her husband cannot work in Malaysia because he could not obtain a permanent resident. They were happy to stay in this country of the weather and environment but because of the visa thingy, they went back to Australia.
Now the story is, the bureaucrats would happily grant citizenship to those that are of the same religion (not Buddhist, Christian or Hindu) or the same race. I am not sure what is the policy of the country. Maybe the policy is to maintain labour intensive industry but not people with brains.
I totally agree with emigrate. If given the chance to flee out of this country, I would do.
I can understand displeasure with the many opinions, discussions and criticism on Islam by non-Muslims.
Indeed, I am here to offer fellow Muslims a practical suggestion on how they can reduce such belligerence on the part of non-Muslim Malaysians. Simply, start a grassroots movement to pressure your community, political and religious leaders to stop politicising Islam.
The reason you see an increase in non-Muslim comments about Islam is primarily due to the use of Islam in politics, no thanks to the contest between Umno and PAS in seeing who is the more holier and of course, that great declaration by our former prime minister that Malaysia is an Islamic state.
Islam in politics corresponds to placing Islam in the public domain. As such, the public will have opinions and discussions about Islam, as with any other issue in the public domain.
Stop politicising Islam, and you will find that non-Muslims will not have much to voice their opinions about, or to criticise. So, the ball is really in your court.
And might I suggest that if he cannot stomach the opinions expressed by readers, he should not be wasting his time reading any other independent media. There are various other state-controlled news sources, that will adequately fit his need for not being exposed to irritating opinions from others.
Malays today are nomadic people that originated from the China as well.
The Chinese made their money before the NEP anyway. Before there was no any affirmative action. All the people like Robert Kuok and the rest of them made their money before 1957 when there was no affirmative law.
Probably it is time to take away the cane from the rich malays and give it solely to the poor ones. I am sure the nelayan and petani would appreciate the aid better.
The very reason why Malaysia has not yet to achieve a similar status like Singapore is due to the very reason that we are arguing or disputing on the malay special rights. There is just no unity among races. We manage until now is due to tolerance. And this would not get us very far.
What has become of this nation of our? Is it going to the dogs? To be fair, I don’t blame it on the Pak Lah government, this all started some twenty-five years ago during Mahathir era and it has been left to rot. Twenty-two years is a long long time he ruled the country, but did he care to rectify the situation?
Umno were responsible for our Malaysia Malay, Indian and Chinese identities in their divide-and-rule policies. Racial and religious bigotry is the result of a long history of discrimination, lack of political and cultural space, and abuse of power for the non-malay Malaysians.
This nonsense and tyranny has gone on for too long. Malaysians want a clean, corruption-free, just and transparent government that ensures equal rights to all Malaysians, without the current institutionalised racism and blatant discrimination.
The New Economic Policy has degenerated into a subsidy policy and programme, benefiting a handful of Umno-members at the expense of the many bumis.
But they came across as smug, hypocritical, conceited humbugs when they lectured the people about the need to be weaned from the subsidy mentality – when they are not prepared to set an example of eradicating such a subsidy mindset in the first place
Without accountability and transparency, the record of the use of the Petronas hundreds of billions of ringgit to bail out mega-financial scandals like the repeated Bank Bumi rescues, Malaysian International Shipping Corporation and Renong, and to fund mega-projects like Twin Towers, Proton, Formula 1 Circuit, and Dayabumi – the most spectacular examples of a subsidy culture and mentality – is it any wonder that the people are not convinced by the government’s case for the hefty hike in fuel prices?
They were elected through the grand subsidy of the politics of money, running into hundreds of millions and even billions of ringgit, totally against the principles of free, fair and clean elections.
Malaysian students are sadly very ignorant of what is happening around them now. When I look at some of my friends in the universities now, the most they care is how can they pass in the exams and even if they are reading the newspaper, most probably they will be reading the entertainment or sports section rather than national or international news. The things that are really affecting them are ignored.
We must educate our young on the freedom of choice and he responsibility of electing a government that truly upholds and protects the freedom of all Malaysia people through the rule of law and the constitution of Malaysia.
Any government who fails to protect the constitution and the Malaysia people could be removed from government seat.
What role can we Malaysia play to foster better understandings of religions, cultures and civilizations?
Well firstly, we……….I am lost for words. Can’t think of any role.
Yes, we have no qualifications to offer any solutions for the world illnesses. That would be the blind leading the blind.
Looking at the quality of our leaders and what they have said and not said, done and not done, and the many social, religious, racial, judicial, educational, cultural happenings we experienced over the past few months alone, I suggest we lie low, very, very low, and become like a tree in the forest. Yes, nobody’s home.
We have nothing to offer the world in the matters until we proof to each other in this country that we do not have to resort to jealousy, hate and oppression.
It is highly arrogant of us to think that we can offer a solution to the rest of the world. Our model is based on subjugation and suppression rather appealing to reason and sensibility.
The racial and religious unity we have is just a facade. Deep down there is resentment and suspicion. Fortunately, all these negative elements have been contained because our economy is strong.
Maybe we can, by keeping our mouths shut, and continue to set a good example as a multi-culture, multi-racial, multi-religious, and highly tolerant nation, enjoying harmony and peace, in general, but lots of suppress ill-feelings against each other, following the recent spats of abuses by the people in authority.
Here is the statistic from my own experience……….
Of the same batch of students graduated during the same semester in my college in USA, only 3 of the 12 students returned to Malaysia so far. None of them intend to return in the near future.
Of the 100000 or more Malaysians who have emigrated to Australia, most are professionals. Their off-springs more often than not, are some of the best performers in schools here (Australia).
Right after graduation, my friend went to Melbourne to do her masters, with one objective on her mind, she wants to get a PR there.
Don’t forget Singapore’s Netwater……….That is founded by Olivia Lum, and presently also a nominated member of parliament in Singapore who made it only because she left Malaysia for Singapore!
Someone mentioned that two-thirds of the community of practicing doctors in Singapore is Malaysian Chinese.
Our Malaysia country is so lucky to be blessed with abundant of very best quality resources including human resources. I leave it to you yourself to go and find out who is who.
You name it and we have it. We just have a lot of very talented people from all fields, be it finance, IT, R&D, and etc. These people are highly sought by not just first world countries but the developing ones as well. They willing to offer everything they could even citizenships and needless to say about monetary rewards.
I am pretty sure they (from Mahathir to Pak Lah) know about these very well and they even know more than what we do. But question is, why nothing could be done to curb the losses?
NEP is the key, from the past until today, no Umno leader dare to bet on their entire political career by abolishing the NEP and revoking malay special rights.
Our Malaysia competitive edges like better educated workforces, better financial and legal systems, better infrastructure etc, are no longer better. It is either being offered or better by other Asian countries which are hungrier than us.
The developed countries like Australia know this and continue to pursue brain-gain policies which partly resulted in their 5% economic growth. Malaysia has not even reached there in its economic development and we are struggling with the current growth rate.
For them to survive, they have to be global citizens. I am making sure they master global languages like English and Chinese. The world will compete for the brightest to maintain their edge.
If one’s parents continued here Malaysia, it would have been such a waste of talent. Look around us, everyday you see such wastage in our human resources……….
It is not a loss to Malaysia, as Malaysia simply does not have a culture and materials to nurture genius brains, due to its “non-competition policies” so to take care of fools……….
Some person is lucky to have parents with a foresight who would be able to get him out from the black box on time. The right type of soil will produce right type of fruits. In Australia, he becomes a sweet orange, if he were to be in Malaysia, he would turn into a sour lime.
I agree that has nothing to do with the Bolehland.
If he were to be in Malaysia at this present age, our Malaysia leaders would simply tell him: “Oh! Sorry, actually English is very important, let us start all over again to teach English in mathematics and science subjects beginning from primary school.”
The current Malaysia education system still incapable of maximizing the full potential of the younger generation (even the older ones). A revamp is needed!
Go to the local premier university, see for yourself how the professors recruit research assistant, to help them prepare journal and PowerPoint. Then you will realise how the professors get the title. Afterward, you expect this kind of environment can nurture talent?
Yes……….another Malaysia Boleh!
Because Bolehland university got a quota to meet……….Because Bolehland lost all the talents with no regret……….Because Bolehland got double standards for everything……….
What a sad, sad loss to Malaysia and its economy.?!
*sigh*… the running sore in Malaysian society..
cw – my blog just got hit by the same idiot
it’s one person and he lives in alor setar and he has done this to my blog before
his IP number is 210.187.192.38 (you might like to verfiy that if you have sitemeter)
i’ve reported him already to tmnet abuse
maybe you’d like to do the same