Some of my friends have already made the leap of faith into what they believe will be the greener pasture. How? Well, they achieved that through various means, which I will probably talk about in another day. Today, however, I am making an attempt to answer the million dollar question… is the grass really greener on the other side?First thing that comes to mind about migrating, is that we can kiss all the scrumptious local cuisine goodbye. Yup, no more hokkien mee or “bak kut teh” or satay. It will also mean our mamak lifestyle will have to come to a stop.
Next in line is probably our family and friends, not many will be going with us. This also means we will probably have to move into a neighbourhood where everyone are strangers to us.
And how can we forget the beauty of piracy! No more
But most significantly, what we will miss most is the life that we have built here. This is more prominent for those who are already earning a 5 figure salary, or close to it. Migration will probably cause you to start your career all over again, or at least move a few steps backward. It will also probably put of a temporary stop to our everywhere-also-drive culture.And those are not all, things can turn out worse. So suddenly… the grass isn’t exactly greener on the other side, isn’t it? But then again… despite all that, why do people still wanna make the leap to the other side?
Well, the question you and I should ask ourselves is… will you stay here just because you wanna eat “bak kut teh”? Do you wanna stay so that each time you jump light you can settle your summon on the spot at a discount? Do you wanna stay so that you can continue to sit in your air-cond car? Don’t forget the jam though.
So do you wanna stay?
It is a question that sometimes, even I really can't answer correctly. But what I do know is that if I do migrate to the greener pitch… say… Australia… I know my future and welfare is secured.
I know that if I am sick, I can walk into the gomen hospital and will receive first class treatment… free of charge. I will know I can rely on the public transport and it is very convenient. I know the selected representatives of the people will have to perform their best or else they will face serious repercussions. I know if I do own a car, I don’t have to worry about about mat rempits. I know I don’t have to utilise the one stop instant summon settlement facility because drivers there are law abiding citizens which means I don’t need to break the law to get around.
I also know that when I have children, I can send them to universities like Monash or RMIT and only pay less than AUD1,000 per semester while if I were here, I will have to pay RM20,000 per semester for one degree for my children to enter institutions like Universiti Malaya or Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. No disrespect but which university would you want? Oh yeah… I also know there is no racial quota in university entry.
Further to that, I also know that when I read the 
claimed something it’s SMART, it will not certainly appear in a few phases. And of course, I know there will certainly be lesser “act of god” incidents.There are many other things too, things we know by heart but we are not allowed to talk about it or risk the serious consequences. Oh… I can also take comfort that I can speak my mind on the other side.
Yes… if you take all factors into consideration, the grass may not be greener on the other side. But one thing for sure, there is certainly grass there. And when we look at the ground that we are stepping on, how does it look like? Based on recent weather, the ground looks muddy and we may have to brace ourselves for more floods. So do you think you will be stepping on any grass soon?
So… muddy ground or grass… anyone?
85 comments:
Good one zewt...the grass certainly looks much greener from where i stand. The thing that we constantly asked ourself is our sense of purpose, whats our purpose in life? Whats of utmost importance in our life? Do we wish to have a predictable life all the time? Its the challenges in life that makes learning so fun and our life colorful...well, go figure! Good luck!
Will there be flowers too?
All the best! I'll be sure to pay you a visit when I go visit ahmay then ;)
ps: Why not NZ? Coincidentally, last Sat. a few friends were talking about this You Jump I Jump topic... Ozzie lah, NZ lah, Canada lah... Why did you pick Down Undah?
So many grass related topics! How green you want the pastures to be is entirely up to you, don't you agree?
But..I miss home food!!
i'm starting to think the grass on the other isn't any greener without bak kut teh and mamak stalls...haha
haiz...if onli i can hv d best of everything...believe me..dun read those heartbreaking news n be ignorant,u'll b juz fine...my mum will certainly not let me migrate though i've told her tht if my future hubby wanna migrate i will say YES!(tht is if i can manage 2 find a victim :P )
Another well-written piece!
The grass may be greener at the other side, but are we equal to the citizens there? I've heard cases where we're discriminated in the greener pasture. :(
i guess it depends on your social status.. and $$$
I'm moving to a place where there is no grass wor.. solves that grass vs mud problem for me hor? heehee..
Each time I feel a bit em seh tak about leaving the country, all I have to do is read the newspapers and I'm raring to pack again!!
There will always discrimination all over the world (how many times have you read about derogatory remarks like foreign intrusion, alien culture, etc. uttered by Asian about other Asians, Caucasian about Asians and so forth.) For me, I can accept that my adopted country may not view me favourably because I am foreign, but what I cannot accept is even in my own homeland, I am discriminated against.
grass is always greener on the other side..but i can't let go of my char koay teow. lolx
Muddy ground or grass? Hmm if got mud wrestling then muddy ground? :P
Kayu opened in Melbourne. There is mamak there. Bah Kut Teh comes in packages now, highly exportable.
Hey... you forgot the price of cars.
You just have to work out the pros & cons.. I know many people who migrated & after some time they regretted.
Personally, I think life is how you live it - not so much where you live.
Btw, depends on where in Oz.. you wanna go. Water restrictions in the whole of Victoria for years now.. & it's getting worst.
It does rain but NOT in the water catchment area. Apparently, there's a very high chance that there'll be total ban to water the lawn by August.
BY ALL MEANS....GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MUAHAHAHHAHA
if wana leave ledi y think so much...lyk me just pack up n go eventho so mani ppl nor i left my hometown...
ostalia good...no toll rise...
go then...if only for the view. hahahaha.
as i said, good and bad. whether there's more good than bad, or vice versa, very much depends on your perspective. there may be more things intolerable there once you do settle in.....but if it's what you want...you'll tolerate it. pretty much like marriage, i guess. pssstt....if you go, find a place facing a beach / lake...go live my dream for me. *envious*
I have never thought of migrate before I married an angmo.
It is not that chay quo tuey kind of questions that bother me. It is because I have always identified myself as Sarawak native, I always thought Borneo Island is one of the most beautiful lands on earth. Never thought there is any place more beautiful than Sarawak. Why migrate where I live in such a beautiful land ? Is Australia that great ? Nah from my opinion ! (my personal perception).
When I was a student in Aust, Aussie PR is a prestige to have. It seems that the ultimate goal of most Malaysian oversea student then is get an Aussie PR. U heard people talked abt PR at social function, church, bible studies etc. It seemed like everyone wanted to get out of the country (It was between 1978 to 1990 period)
Guys who is Aussie PR becomes more handsome and commands higher value , gals who is Aussie PR can tarik harga more. It is quite a strange phenomenon then.
Now from hindsight, 1/3 of my classmates who have migrated have come back. But a lot of them are happy living in Australia.
I was in Aus. for a long time, staying there permanently has never crossed my mind.
However,after returning home, I realized I was very much an alien in the society where I was from. On the other hand, I felt I was never completely belong to Aust. I was very much like a hanging man.
I am sure there are many people in my generation who has the same experience as me. We are the post colonial products. We were educated in the West and when we returned our country has adopted its own nationality and we are a generation that is very lost (in term of language and many others ) ! It is an interesting anthropology studies on my generation (post colonial syd.).
Both of my siblings who are 2-3yrs younger than me have decided to stayed on in Malaysia after their studies abroad. One of them married an Aussie wife. The Aussie wify love Sarawak. Both of my siblings do very well with their careers and they love M.
In human development, we have to adapt to various changes in life in various stage of our lives. Some are easier to handle some are harder. Relocation, change job, divorce, death of loves ones , etc help us to adapt and grow stronger and move on life. If we handle it well, it will give us meaning and purpose to tackle the next phase of life.
I have started to accept the fact that my home is in America.
I personally find it easier to make a decision if I have a strong conviction. I found it easier to work towards my goals despites hardship or obstacles. But, if I don't really know what I want, it is harder for me to stay on goals.
I sincerely hope that you will find some insights from your readers inputs.
I wish you the best on your decision.
Zewt, it was me (jamy) and not john. I forget to log him off :)-
I guess at the end of the day whether the grass is greener or not depends more on what we want rather than the absolute truth that living overseas is 100% better / 100% worse.
I have lived abroad before and while I enjoyed my time there, I guess at the end of the day, I missed more about Malaysia, which is home, flaws and all. And trust me, everyone has stuff to complain about, wherever they live.
Then again, maybe I'm just too comfortable here... home sweet home... ;)
true true..we won't get our mamak life anywhere else (that most people would wana migrate), but it would be nice to walk out and not get stares from desprate uncles! hehehe and if u smile at people, they smile back not grasp their handbag harder, and you don't have to be afraid of some motorbike behind you trying to snatch ur things!
i guess there are good and bad of staying in a place, i prefer a calm not-so-hectic quiet life, so, i like perth, i actually miss being there on hols! anddddd they treat dogs better too! =D
Hi Zewt,
I have also thought of migrating to either Singapore, HongKong or USA too because of loss(?) of opportunities during my studies and work because of my race. I became a junior executive in a 30% Bumi(maybe more) controlled multinational firm but my boss is a M. He treated us C like dirts and all of his C employees under him left before the year ends. In fact, he even took one of my works and passed to his M engineer to present to the Germans. He took of my name as the author of the proposal and gave excuses that i am too junior to have my name written on that proposal. I got too angry and fed up I just left the company and forsake my year-end bonus.
Last I heard, the proposal didn't get through because of lousy negotiating/communication skills. The senior engineer who took my proposal to present cant speak good English and from the teleconference i attend i could feel the 'gweilo's pain in communicating with him and my boss.
I got so depressed and changed field. Now i am in a better company and I hope to migrate somewhere someday. Hopefully in the near future. My friends abroad keep encourages me to migrate but we'll see how things goes.
still malaysia for me! more specifically, penang...malaysia has a unique culture, cuisine and people that we cannot find anywhere else. Abroad is a place that will be nice to travel, see the world yada yada but ultimately, I'd love to come back to Malaysia. (if I do get the chance to go abroad la)
Everybody want to migrate for the good future and no future in this country.
Cheap cars.
Blondie.
I want to migrate to Zimbabwe or Sudan or Iraq,so i can appreciate more about funny thing in malaysia.
Money,Blondie,cheap cars and ganja wont unite us.Funny politician will!
So,instead of migrate,lets start a revolution for a better malaysian.
Urgh! This is a good topic that will take days to discuss.
The only grass that i love is....I better roll my 'grass' and get high now.It smell good.
Should i stay or should i go?
Zewt,
I link yr entry to my entry :
http://seaykopitiam.blogspot.com/2007/06/do-you-have-dream-house.html
For me I wonder if it would be better to be an upperclass citizen in a lower 'grade' country, or if it would be better to be a lowerclass citizen in an upper 'grade' country... I'm still wondering!
While it is not paradise, I can't deny that Malaysia has been resonably kind to me and my family. Admittedly, it could be better but then again nothing is perfect and everything has its flaws.
I like travelling, being somewhere else other than malas-sia .. he he he .. no la but then family, relatives are ol here .. they've been good to me. for people like us, the people who have been inhabiting sarawak since God knows when .. since the living in the trees days, like some people say .. I don't really know.
but one thing, no matter how far i go, where i am .. i will always think of home. but who knows, that might change .. we never know
i absolutely, 100%ly agree! :)
couchwerkz - indeed, life here is gettin more predictable. just like this SMART thingy eh? thanks for your well wishes, i will certainly need it.
angel - you go plant then will have flowers lor hah! down undah easiest mah... of cos, that's taking singapore out of the picture.
twisted heels - disagree... we try to grow grass... but someone somewhere out there kept throwing mud over... get the flow?
pookyma - hmmm... the i guess you will hang around here lor. but remember the time you curse that "fella" in your blog... you will have to take it all in.
kyliemc - is ignorance truly bliss? yeah, to a certain extend. but when reality hits you... it can be quite shocking. and reality always hit you. all the best in finding your vitcim... i mean hubby...
day dreamer - yeah, true... discrimnation can be quite rampant... but then again... are we treated as 'citizens' here? truly citizens? did you watch the clip?
TTL - but i know a lot of rich ppl also got PR and all ready to leave.
kat - no grass? where ah? ok ok... my guess would be singapore right? and you're damn right... everytime we read the news... or read blogs like malaysia today... we will all be raring to go. makes us wonder... which is more important? bak kut teh or overall welfare? and i truly agree with your last sentence.
BlueApple - i go there and open a char kuay teow store... issue settled hah!
firehorse - hahahaha... true woh...
cirnelle - you don need cars when you're there... right?
Jemima - interesting information... i will certainly take those into consideration and do more research. but then again, how come so many cities in aussie are voted most liveable cities in the world?
jaezrel - wah... thanks for being so supportive.
ah nel - leaving hometown and leaving the country a lil different ler... haha... go there no need to drive also ler.
me - live your dream? why dont you live it yourself? it's still not too late you know.
john / kayatan - yeah, of all insights, yours always the most in depth one. it is certainly not an easy decision. but like what kat said... all i need to do is to open up the newspaper and read about current affairs, like the one today... and i am all raring to go. sometimes, we should not let sentimental value restricts what is best for us. yeah, we will be second class citizen in a foreign land... but... it's strange to know that second class citizen somewhere can be somewhat better than 'first class' citizen here. thanks for the link... i will go read it tonight.
Kenny Mah - well, you already have your place here and all settled in plus you have your body balance qualification and enjoying life... i guess you will probably stay here for a while eh? as long as you're comfortable... then ok lor...
Huei - that is so true... if you're overseas... you can be assured that ppl are friendly and they are genuine. and you certainly dont have to worry about rampant snatch theft and also, we are assured that the police will take care of things. not to say here they wont. and... haha... dogs too ya!
hikazew - hey there. sorry to hear your story. but arent you glad that you're in a better place now? i guess you have friends overseas already right? do get more information from them and share, i am sure it will be very insightful. as for your previous company... i am sure they wont last long... but then again, it's this country... sigh...
HC Tan - i share the same sentiment when i first started working... about the time you're facing now. let's see a few years in the real world will change your perspective.
jorji - yeah... it is definitely a good topic. well, you wanna start a revolution here? dangerous bro... ISA!
rinnah - i think what's more significant is the issue of being a first class citizen but treated as somewhat second class and being second class and enjoy first class facilities. dont u think?
cibol - yea, no matter what, this is home. i will not forget that actually. but life must go on and most of us want a better life... somewhere where we can have better life... most of us will head there.
ehon - so you are game for some grass eh? :)
If you work in UK and saves 200 each month, that works up to more than RM1000/mth. If you work in Aust and saves 200, it's almost RM600/mth.
If you try to save RM600-RM1K a month in KL on your fresh grad wages, you're probably living a very very frugal life, if you didn't die of instant-mee poisoning first!
That's why a lot of ppl who migrated overseas saved enough money to come back to Malaysia for a 5-star retirement lifestyle.
you gain some, and you loose some. What is more important is what you willing to give up and to find balance in between. That's life. Now I know why suddenly got so many malaysians coming into New Zealand lately.
i've got commitments :-( too many debts to pay....
Hallo!!!Green grass or not depend on ur pocket & wheather u can adapt or not. But I do believe u can made the grass here a bit greener. How?? Just start THROWING back the jelly fish back to the ocean. I have already started asking my friend, client etc. How about u?? Have a nice day.By the way I do have this thought & the country is Vietnam!!
My parents decided to move to Australia when I was young because they believed that it would give me more opportunities in terms of education and my future. Good education was more expensive in Malaysia and in Australia, at the time, there was more equal opportunity.
When I look at people that I grew up with back in Malaysia, most have now also moved overseas.
what anak merdeka said is very true but let me tell you that priorities change along the way and when you hit retirement, you won't be back in msia for long cos' if you have children that are born and bred overseas, chances are, they will not want to live in msia. this might not be the case for everyone but i've seen it first hand.
at the end of the day, it's all about having more options. it's too soon to think about choosing your allegiance. right now, just get that option. once you have a PR, you can have the best of both worlds until one day, you wake up and everything is crystal clear. you will know which is the right choice to make then. trust me, that day will come. A lot of people out there can't stand it because they miss their family too much but at least you have your fiance with you.
other than employment, the other fear factor is discrimination. dude, i've experienced it from jnr high through to university. truth is, it'll always be there but take comfort in the fact that being bumiputera means jack here. your kids don't have to be a genius to get the same education as an caucasian surfie.
oh, make sure you make trips back to msia annually or something because it'll help you see what you'll be giving up one day and it'll make your decision easier.
now, can you tah pow some hokkien mee for me? can't get any decent ones here. extra chu yow cha please!
There are racists everywhere, even in Bolehland. The question is whether the government of that country practises racism in their policies or not? Well, in Bolehland, it is definitely upheld as "Allah's Law".
I'm also looking into migration. Those without children may think Bolehland's still the best...but wait till you have kids...then you'll really relise that there no future here....your non-earth prince kids will continue to be treated as cash cow and nothing else. They can forget about being treated as equal standing citizens.
And don't even get me started on the education system here...Let's just say it's pathetic.
leng jai, u dont nid 20k to study in UM la. my 3 yrs there cost only around 7k.
and to answer ur question...NO i dont wanna stay!!!
There's always good and bad... I can't comment. But if i have children, I will encourage them not to stay and not work in Malaysia lor.. I dunno why. I somehow feel that its 'their' world here.
So sad lar.. for Malaysian Chinese.. its like... we are second class citizen, no matter where we go. Even in our home country. :(
anak merdeka - yeah, savings is a good point. but i dont think many has decided to return here and treat this land as a retirement place. most prefers overseas. oh... for savings... that is a very good point about the living standard here, dont u think?
Doreen - yeah, heard NZ is the top 3 destination. but i think the difficulty in finding a job there is kinda acting like a hindrance. oh... another pulling factor is the LOTR effect...
me - cant u look at leaving as a way of easing yourself from these commitments? if you noticed, only ppl from asian countries are dying from loans.
hor ny ang moh - why vietnam? oh... so u remember about the starfish analogy huh... good for you. with more ppl like u, we will certainly be able to make a difference.
colourmecrazy - hi, welcome to my humble blog. happy to know that you've settled well overseas. you're not the only one whose friends are all flying away... mine too. thanks for visitin and hope to see ya again.
flaminglambo - Ahh… I guess you are one of the best persons here to talk about places with greener grass. Ya, I know discrimination will exist there. But then again, like how I tell many of my friends. But when we weigh all the other factors and take into consideration the hidden(or blatant) discrimination here… we can see which side of the scale we prefer. No place is perfect, we just have to find an ideal one. And of course, I will certainly learn how to fry hokkien mee with a lot of chu yau cha for u.
anon at 3.29pm - bingo my friend... when discrimination is part of the policies, it spells a dead end for a lot of us. and very true... most of us will be doing it not for ourselves, but for our children. if we already taking it up to the neck, imagine how will it be like for them.
sooi2 - hey... what course you took ah? my friend paid much more for a degree in UM. but then again, u wanna pay RM7k for a degree from UM or AUD680(as a PR) for a degree in Monash?
purple mushroom - i guess the general consensus is not being here. the main thing is not being a second class citizen... but being treated as second class citizen, dont u think?
On this notion I think that there is always grass everywhere
And it is up to us to make it greener or turn it into a mud pool
But then again who am I to say
I just think that all parties are actually failing in making it a better place
me oso thinking of migrating... but no modal la... hehe... :D
Well, before my final year in Perth, I used to think I would jump at the chance of hauling my life over to Australia. Fact is, I loved my time visiting Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane few years before that.
Now, though, I've come to realize that to me, Malaysia is still the only place I can truly call home.
(I like knowing I can get good food almost anywhere here, and that I can roll out of home at 2am and find mamak almost everywhere too. Hehe!)
I hate to say this too, but as friendly as most of the Aussies were, there were STILL some racial discrimination that I personally experienced along with my coursemates. Let's face it, racism exists everywhere. You just have to make the best of it wherever you are lah...
So, no, right now if I were given a choice, I don't think I would jump. I'll prob stick with the mud, roll in it like the piggy I am (born in the year of it, dude!), have some mudslides and mudfight, and shower in the rain and wait for the sun to shine again the next day.
[Pause]
But then again, I'm young and childless right now, and priorities WOULD change. So how about you ask me this again in 5 years time hmm? Lol.
I left Malaysia because the husband lives overseas. If I did not get married to him, I think I would still be living in Malaysia.
I wouldn't say that living in Malaysia is 100% bad. We have good and bad. I still like Malaysia for various reasons - family, friends and food.
I agree with Kat ... there is discrimination anywhere in the world but to be discriminated in your own country - there is only so much one can take.
My cousin who had a string of As in her STPM never had a chance in any local universities. Thanks to the quota system. They did not even take into consideration that her father gave his blood and sweat to their company for 20 odd years. The least they could have done, since they love the quota system so much, was to set aside a quota for children of employees.
For now, I am trudging on grass but it is not any greener. It sure helps, though, that I don't get mud in my shoes. :)
By the way, I like that pic showing the 'perks' that come with grass.
hmmm, i did not know that UM had increased the fee so much since I left in 2002. Last time my engineering degree cost me RM1000 per semester. For foreign/international student, it is RM20,400 for 4 years (http://www.um.edu.my/undergraduates/how_to_apply.php?intPrefLangID=1&).
Zewt, as for the benefits you mentioned, we know that there is no free lunch, rite? Gomen also need money to support these institutions as well... For example like my husband's homeland (Finland), free university lar, somemore give u some subsidy (less than 200 euro per month), but once u graduate, ur income tax will be charged at 44.6% (average wage earner), half the salary gone liao ler...
But saying such, me not feeling to go back to Malaysia...Marry chicken, follow chicken mentality gua...:P
It's been about 1 year since i moved to Germany and everything has been going on really well. I like here a lot.
I agree with most of your facts, especially education and the medical treatment.
I found that i don't have to worry so much since i live here. The only things that i miss about Malaysia would be my family, food and beaches. Other than that, i can't find another reason for me to stay.
For me, the grass here is definately greener than Malaysia.
If you ask me now, I have every reason to stay in Malaysia. It's the only place I can call home.
But if there are good opportunities in the future (and maybe with some other 'provocations') I may just jump over to the other side of the fence.
Right now, whatever's happening here is still tolerable. The 3Fs (friends, family and food) are what helping me to get by everyday happily.
Everyone migrates to heaven or hell anyway...in the end. haha
jump only if it's for the future.
oh.. just slap me silly..spea king cryptic is not for me! ;-0
i jump first la..then u can jump!
ok..i'll just shut TFU!
Hmm... to go or not to go...
Good question. But i think it would be no fun to be somewhere where you have to rebuild your social network all over again.
You suprised me with the tuition fees from UM, during my time I paid around RM1300 for one semester including the hostel and 3 meals per day. Then I had the PTPTN loan who covered everything and even have extra to spend on trips. Things have changed a lot in the University system, the quota system is gone and lots of non-bumi got scholarships and loans. I was shocked when my junior told me that the BBA now is having more non-bumi than bumi.
Like J.T, I would have stayed in Malaysia if I had not married my Frenchy. I had a very tough decision to make when he asked me to stay in USA with him while I had a nice job offer in Malaysia. After thorough consideration I chosed Malaysia over him. Eventhough I live in France today but I knew at that moment that I belong to Malaysia.
You have done a nice analysis and since everyone's priority is different, I sincerely hope everything will turn out nice for you.
Just to remind you that you pay taxes for those you perceive as free (medical, education). That's something I still need to get used to.
I totally agree! the grass!!! we need them. My plan is to build my career life over the seas after pursuing my higher education. I cannot afford to earn 5 figures now and be left with nothing by the time i retire cause i need to be overcharged for life in the muddy home.
we need better life quality. besides, it is so hard to fight for what you want. so might as well make it a worthy fight!
20K for UM & UKM per semester? SO much? man, tuition has increased drastically since I last attended uni ...
i used to think that if the opportunity arose, this was a no-brainer question with an affirmative answer. However, when posed with a real opportunity, I freeze and find it difficult to make the leap of faith, particularly when it comes to the issue of leaving family behind. I envy those who have the guts to just pack up and go.
When we left Melbourne, we told ourselves, we'll be back one day, to settle down. And now the question is WHEN. Indeed, there are so many things to consider...
zeroimpact - which parties? the grass and the person stepping on it?
alan zed - certain place... tak payah modal... like singapore.
raksha - since you're a pig... you're 24 this year i presume? cant be 36 right? when i was 24, i said the same thing... to hell with moving away... i want my live-to-eat kinda lifestyle and petrol is relatively cheap and i am always in the comfort of my car despite having to face horrendous jam.
now though... i have different things to think about. i also admit that i am being influenced by friends who have all moved away and all seems to be having a relatively good life. well, at least they dont feel angry everytime they open the newspaper.
JT - yeah... ppl failing to gain entry into uni despite doing so well is kinda like an annual affair here. and saying "something will be done" is also an annual speech. you're right... being discriminated in the home country where you call home is something that one can only take so much... and this is probably why ppl leave. would rather be discriminated and yet enjoy the perks of the country... unlike u know where. as for the other perks... i dont think jules will be happy about it. hah!
mich - hahaha... marry chicken follow chicken eh! that's the way to go! well... i dont mind paying 44.6% of tax or even higher if i know all those money will be rightfully channeled back to me in welfare... at least i know roads built will not be flooded. at least i know millions will not be wasted and we are not supposed to talk about it. and there are many things which i am sure u already know.
seok thong - ahhhh... one who says the grass is greener. come back to malaysia and look... the grass are all dying... so if it's greener there... it's definitely good!
narrowband - right... i guess it's still tolerable. wouldnt wanna deny that. but not for me. some things are beginning to worry me. maybe i am reaching a different stage in life.
69er - yo! welcome to my humble blog... well, if that's the case... might as well die and take that 50-50 chance? hah!
mott - what the... u drunk ah? hahahahaha!!
Jonzz - the thing is... i already have quite some friends everywhere. that's the thing... we dont really need to rebuild them. in time to come... u will also have friends all over the world i am sure.
Bee - that's what my friend told me... i guess 15k was for the whole course. another thing about our education system is that they are really producing a lot of ... well... not up to standard kinda graduate... and they are not only accountants... they includes doctors... and they are the ones who're going to treat ppl in the gomen hospital. yeah i know it's a bid decision. and like what i told mich, i dont mind paying high tax if i know i will get it back in return in terms of social welfare. i will make it wisely.
bubbly soda - let us all fight together then! muddy home... haha... now, that's a new concept eh?
nyx - ok... it should be 20k for the whole course, i need to amend that.
mh - that's becos you have a family behind and since you're married (you are right).... things are much difficult.
king's wife - i think it will be difficult for u to apply for a PR now right? the thing is.... must take the opportunity when it comes.
Haha....die is the easy part bro.
It's saying all the goodbyes. :P
That grass is quite nice...
well you can always say that the grass is always green... hell the grass over the fence CAN be much greener than what we are stepping now.
but well like the others on top, i guess we're pretty bound to many other factors before we consider moving. what about your family? your children? your lover? your parents? your current job? your friends? are you willing to leave them all behind and start anew?
to me it's hard alright... if i'm just leaping over the fence for a small trip round, i don't mind tho :D
should i stay or should i leave ? after 50 yrs we 'pendatang' still have to face this dilemma, why ? because we want to progress
because we want better quality of life
because we are marginalised
because we are rule by morons
because bolehland are corrupt
Grass is everywhere. But grass is grass, no matter what, it'll wilt somedays and grow greener on other days. Going abroad had opened up my eyes, now i can see the grass in Malaysia. greater public transport elsewhere? Daily commute on subways/tubes which always have delays and engineering works. No luxury of your own car - i wouldn't even mind the traffic, compared to the filthy tubes. At least you can put Glade or spray something in your car! Medical - it's not free and great everywhere else. You are forced to pay "National Insurance" every month and the complains still don't end on the quality of health services. Mat rempit vs Happy slappers?? *shudders at both* There's grass everywhere. sometimes we just don't see them.
69er - you can choose not to say it... :P ... but then again, it's those who are left behind... they will suffer. ok, we're off topic.
Maverick SM - u sure? the grass or the thing on the grass?
conan_cat - it is becos many ppl think of their family and children that they wanna leave. yeah, parents is a different issues. i guess u will have to stick with your plans for now then...
anony at 11.30pm - so many because-ses... well, i think most just want a better life and they cant find it here.
Leftie - been a while since you commented my friend. a really long while! yeah... got your point. but i think overall... the scale is kinda tipped to the other side. like what many said... just read the papers and we will be all raring to go.
I thought of that since god knows when! and i'm still thinking of it. well, since i dun like to go to places where ppl (read: Malaysians) oways flock to (ie, Aussie, NZ), it'll ultimately be on the European continent, if condition allows me to do so. So if my path in front of me is solidly built, it's gonna be Vive la France for me! ;)
Wow, I did not know local uni is so expensive eh ? Wow, it must be hard for the parents !
Here in the US, we can buy prepaid program. I bought one for my son when he's born, US$9k for 4 year bachelor degree course. The program can be used for all state universities through out the 50states of US.
Beside pre-paid there is 529 plan where parents can contribute each month through their employers for their children tertiary education.
I really think Malaysian government and financial institution should look into it. It helps parents, if you decide to pay monthly, it is only $70 a mth for 18yrs. I do believe it is affordable for a lot of people.
y no new entry one
unfortunately, my loans are not in monetary terms.
As for my friends (formerly Msians) overseas, there r 2 groups: those who mix and mingle with the angmoh/blacks/hispanic/etc and those who kept to malaysians. The former group can really cope well in their job and life, and in fact thriving there. Those that kept to malaysian suffered never ending kiasu-ness or kept a more closed thinking, suspicious of foreigners, unable to adapt.
i would love to migrate if i could (even my parents encourage us to!), but certain factors are keeping me here, so i'm pretty much stuck in this *muddy/dirty* place. but if and when i have kids, i would definitely want to send them overseas to study and encourage them to make a life there.
i mean, what's the point in staying in a country that doesn't want us? like kat said, discrimination happens everywhere, but when it happens in your own country...that just totally sucks. must as well get discriminated in another country where you can earn more and have a better work-life balance. plus all the other factors that you've already listed in your post...=P
I don't understand why u guys keep saying u will be discriminated in other country ?
I have lived here over 8 years, never have I been discriminated ! In fact, I have advantage of being a minority. I have minority scholarship, I have minority priviledge loan, I have minority business grant etc... The list goes on.
In job application, people cannot not hire me because I am a minority In USA, people scared of being sued , big time sueing left right center.It is sensitive issue to be discriminating. In fact, I have never feel so much powerful to be a minority here in the US :)-
Everyone here is scared to be labeled racist !! It is stepping on danger ground. In fact, my poor white husband is the one that has less right cos he is scared to be labeled racist !
Wonder how many of u who has this kind of thinking (being a 2nd class citizen in oversea) actually ever live oversea or u just hear say only ?
kyh - france eh? wahh... u wanna kau some french chicks? :) ... anyway, you can check out bee ean tee's blog... she commented here under Bee... she lives in france.
kayatan - prepaid... that's a good idea. anyway, i have amended the local fee info. wow... being a minority there is cool eh? so different compared to here. we minority have to work extra hard to support the majority. what a sucky feeling. indeed... like i what i said. if we are being racially discriminated anywhere else, we can shout and scream and even go to court... here... we can only shut up.
jaezrel - got la
me - family i guess.
hikazew - precisely, it's all about yourself. if you wanna make the bold move and go, then you should be able to take all the risk in order to enjoy the bliss. right?
sooyin - i think more and more ppl are thinking like you, including me. we want our children to stay away becos we foresee that things will be much worse when they reach our age. if this country is crying for more privilege for the majority... i wonder how things will be in 30 years time. lest we forget... the majority will continue to grow while the minority will continue to shrink but the support comes from the same source.
amboi, banyaknya komen.
i have a degree in comp sc. the fee never went beyond 1.3k per semester and it's a more expensive course compared to other arts and sc degree due to the facilities. i think ur friend oredi campur in all his cost of living, etc to get the 20k kua. unless he has a medical degree? then i'm not sure.
Zewt,
I replied yr comment in my blog. Check if when u have time. For yr info only if u choose to go for it.
sooi2 - where got a lot... nothing compares to some other bloggers la. i admit i made a boo boo and i've amended my blog :)
kayatan - i read already.
Singapore? No-wor. Further than that. A place with a lot, and I mean a lot, of sand!! I think I will comfortable there... about 80% of the population there are foreigners!! :D
Just wondering, were there any comments from people who actually regretted migrating?
I think msia is good to stay provided one has lots of moolah and no children. Let's come back in our twilight years... :D
ahhahaa french babes i'm comin'! LOL! that's why i'm not into lovey dovey things at the moment, sicne i'm still stuck here in m'sia! but if i nvr hv the chance to go there, i still hv to find back m'sian chicks! :P
kat - yeah, wouldnt we wanna hear some thoughts who migrated and returned... but then again... difficult to find, what does that tell u? a lot of sand? mana la?
kyh - hahaha... how long u gonna wait before u give up on those french babes?
ya...reality will hit us one day..but til tht day, still ok la..so tht wont hv d resentment feelings at heart :D haha..erm..thanx? guess getting a hubby is a tough task :P
Moving to Abu Dhabi. :)
kyliemc - haha... not really, just have to let it come naturally.
kat - ahhh... your husband must be an expat there. goooooooooood money!
Yep.. I've been thinking about grass too lately since all I've been seeing around me is "mud".
Having lived and worked overseas before, I've been tempted to go back to my "2nd home". Some of my friends have made the move and I believe more will do so in the next couple of years.
However, other factors are holding me back - family and comforts of home.
*Sigh*... I'll just stare at the grass for a while now before plotting my next move.
Angie Tan - hi there! yeah, friendsand family will always be the one holding us back. which is why they must be supportive. once that happen... things are easier. in fact, a lot of ppl's family members are actually encouraging ppl to go...
there are always pros and cons in every choice we have, and where we we choose to live is depends entirely on our practical, financial and emotional ends. i've had dreams of working+living outside malaysia too, but as you've said, my family & friends are a major part of my life, so i'd probably be tied to malaysia for a while (or maybe till i die? haha). another reason is, of course, the wonderful assorted foods. XD
but it is true tho that the grass seems to be greener outside, particularly NZ - they're one of the most environmental-conscious country in the world. (yeah if i could live outside MY, NZ would probably be my pick)
the people that point out malaysia's flaws should not be just told to shut up/(or in this case booted out of the country) to stop more critique from coming in, they should first evaluate these criticisms and fix where necessary.shooting down opinions is w/o action is just reckless and narrow-minded. without some form of opposition, how can there be development in any society? if everyone accepts the status quo, how can the society grow?
geez that MP guy is so mengada. there are better ways of saying things, and that's the worst. getting all emotional in the parliament will never solve anything. most of the ppl in the meeting should mostly be middle-aged, and seeing that ppl always call youths "immature and careless", i thought wisdom comes with old age? and maturity as well? =P
as for the citizens who wish to comply to that silly MP's 'order', i quote from v for vendetta (how i love the movie XD) "the people should not be afraid of the government- the government should be afraid of the people".
do i sound like a reformist? hahah
sorry for the ridiculously long rant, zewt. hehe ;P
zaty - sorry for not replying earlier... well, NZ is indeed a cool place... i have seen some pictures from my friend's travel... it's like a step towards wonderland.
as for our country... well, things could have been better. well, there will be a time when we can make a difference... will we be brave enough to put away our differences and be objective? let's wait and see.
long rants are always welcome.
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