Wednesday 10 March 2010

Drain construction commences [Type: Brain]

After so many discussions and debates and publications and all, I was very surprise that many people out there do not know what does the term “brain-drain” means. This includes some people who are currently part of the brain-drain phenomena. Are you one of them?

Anyway…

Quite some time ago, I mentioned about a regional position that was coming up in the organisation that I am working with. After an initial hiccup due to the economic crisis, the position was finally finalised and yes, I have successfully secured the position. This regional position will be based in our neighbour down south.

Though it is still within the same organisation, my boss expressed intention for me to stay and put forward some possible counter-offers. But then again, money is not the only reason why I want to leave.

Besides money, the glamour of being in regional office and holding a regional position, I suppose this opportunity came at a time where there are lot of push factors happening in this country. Burning of churches, being openly branded as second class citizen, being called a “pendatang”, a clear picture of the economic situation due to the capacity of my current position, a clear 2 set of laws applicable to 2 sets of citizens… the list goes on…

Personally, I feel this country is getting out of control. One can lay low and just ignore the ruckus, but it does not stop the ruckus from progressing. When the shit hits the fan, and I mean the real big shit hits the fan… I do not intend to be around just because the food is good.

All these factors, and many more, drive me away. Drive me to ply my talent in another land, drive me to contribute my taxes for the development of another country. I suppose I am doing this country a favour. After all, I am considered a threat to my fellow countrymen due to my race and I clearly remember that I have been asked to “… keluar dari Malaysia”.

Yes, I will be part of the construction team who has been constructing this big brain-drain affecting Malaysia. And with some people saying “Go lah Zewt, we don’t need people like you in Malaysia”… this drain is just going to get bigger and bigger.

Construction of Drain [Type: Brain] has commenced. Target completion date… May 2010.

42 comments:

Monyet King said...

I guess many of us share your sentiments. Unfortunately, politicians only listen to the main voting blocks. And unfortunately, the main voting block does not think like you or I do.

suituapui said...

Go! Go! You'd probably find that it's not much better there...but unless you go, you'll never know. Short work stints don't count - they never give you the true picture. Why, you may even love it there - then, good for you! Bye-bye...all the best!!!

P.S. The drain down south is even bigger than what we have here - that pressure cooker environment with walking time bombs ready to explode any moment! But of course, that extra push would do a lot of people good...to get them going! Don't we see many of those around us - holding high posts some more, shaking legs and "working smart"! LOL!!!

Pinknpurplelizard said...

Should I send you greetings of congratulations or commiserations?

blackjack said...

and malaysia loses another talent. malaysia boleh.

sinlady said...

be hearing more from you :)

zthon said...

all the best! (i guess a lot more people want to leave but they just don't have the opportunities.)

good food? you can always drive back to kl for a food trip. easy :)

hikazew® said...

welcome to 'sin' city.. im also plying my trade here

Disenchanted said...

fully support your move! Kudos and all the best!!

"Joe" who is constantly craving said...

so wat happen to moving down even further south?

treehugger said...

hey zewt. good to know things are working out for you. there are people who would like to contribute to this project but due to the lack of resources, many have no choice but to stay behind.

but it is all not that bad. us who stay behind may have the hope to see the silver lining in the clouds :)

if only countries were like corporations where M&A is practiced. i believe your new country will easily acquire Boleh-land and utilize all its resources properly, cutting down all the wastes(useless politicians) in the system

i bid you good luck and hope to hear from you soon.

Jorji said...

dunia luas, kita boleh hidup dimana-mana sahaja.

Selamat maju jaya.

kok siong said...

Eh before you go down south. Let celebrate with a round of char siew and siew yoke.

Tunku Halim said...

Congratulations! I've always liked Singapore.

fufu said...

stop leaving the country!!!

InjusticeSistem said...

Im glad u r leaving, high income ppl like u sure attract all da ladies....now tat u r leaving, more ladies for poor bloke like me.....

cy said...

welcome to singapore :) im just about to leave..

day-dreamer said...

Support you!!

And it's getting sadder and sadder for Malaysia.

Monyet King said...

Zewt,
Sorry for posting here but I do not have your email. I am organizing a blogfest in support of our tigers. It is basically one day (in April or May this year) where we try to get as many blogger as possible on that day to write something about protecting our tigers. Can I count you in ? If you can participate, please contact me at gbm.ere@gmail.com.
Thanks

Faisal Admar said...

jeez! i hate when politic involve race. it shouldn't be that way...

sigh.

sad isn't it?

anyway, good luck to you bro! my support will always be with you.

Theodwyn said...

Congrats!! Welcome to the brain drain club!!

TG said...

Zewt, good luck in Indonesia, you'll be fine :P Oops, or is it Xinjiapo? Anyway, remember one thing:

You can go to another country, but you will always be a Malaysian, same as I am always Slovenian. And Taiwanese have even less clue about Slovenia. Some may think it's a fruit. My point is, what you are is inside you, not in which country you live or work. You will always care for your country. If Malaysia would be Kongo, I'd understand your fears, but it's not that bad. I know it's bad, but not that bad :P

Anyway, hope you get my point :)

tieroflife said...

the country that came to my mind was Australia.. silly me..
congratulation and all the best in down south...

ZACL said...

Is regional office the start of the drain and if not, where is the end point?

I was not aware of the prejudices you describe, till this post. I guess you may have mentioned them before I linked into your posts.

Remember, whatever you do,don't jump from the fat into the fire. There are a lot of similar problems elsewhere, gaining higher profiles because of the global economic slump.

I wish you very well in your new position.

Anonymous said...

congrats zewt... wishing you all the best to in your brain drain progress.

i must say it is a journey of ups and downs. to be honest, it's not everybody's cup of tea. there are many challenges that lie ahead in settling into a new country ( more specifically not talking about the land of down south but rather land of down under)

but if you think of the bigger picture.. the betterment of your wellbeing and your family's wellbeing then the down under can be a better pasture, provided you don't go in with expectations of earning big bucks and higher status.

missironic said...

Are you going to the country down under? I understand why u choose to leave. I wish u all the best there! Though u're leaving, don't stop blogging! Keep us update! :) Can I say congrats for securing the position? Hehehe..

zewt said...

Planet of the Monyets - worse, they think just like them. have mailed you.

suituapui - like how i blogged about long ago, once must know what you are looking for instead of looking at what you are running away from. no, those here just dont work and shake leg and they go teh tarik regularly.

pinknpurplelizard - what do u think? :)

blackjack - indeed...

sinlady - might even bumped into me on the street, right?

zewt said...

zthon - opportunities will come when you seek for it :) haha... i think JB is near enough.

hikazew - high 5!

Disenchanted - cheers!

constantly craving joe - earn some good SGD first.

teehugger - i too hope there will be a silver lining. rest assured, i will be back to vote.

j or ji - terima kasih.

zewt said...

kok siong - i've got bad cholesterol level leh... hahaha.

Tunku Halim - hope i will like it too.

fufu - hahahahaha... sorry mate.

InjusticeSistem - hahaha... perhaps the ladies will move too?

cy - leave singapore or leave for singapore?

day-dreamer - and it will only get worse.

Ah Siang said...

I would just say, "welcome my friend". Many things will be similar, but one thing you got to get used to is WALKING, even if you drive.
Let me know if you need help...be glad to help.

Brain Drain has been on-going but it seems more evidently now.

Yups, I started working in Xinjiapo since grad.

zewt said...

faisal admar - it will take a herculean effort to change that. and not like it's happening. thanks for the wishes, i will drop by penang for a makan trip before i leave. see u then.

Theodwyn - please issue me a membership card.

MKL - there is a saying, you can take a malaysian out of malaysia but you can never take malaysia out of a malaysian... that should apply to me.

tieroflife - well, that will be the ultimate destination.

ZACL - well, i dont have the libery to get to the details. anything i write on the net might implicate me, hence, the lack of info. but most malaysians know the reality. most chose to ignore it. and the other bunch... leave.

anon @ 11/3 6.01am - yup. i know exactly what you mean. ultimately, we are all looking to the future.

missironic - of cos i wont stop... depending on my work requirement hahahaha...

Ah Siang - you sound like a malaysian yourself... we are all part of the braindrain club... will surely look for u if i need help.

Zuraida said...

Congratulations!!!!!!! But when ur way down south dont stop writing okay! Anyways, apa la diorang ni semua disrespectful, to a point daring to call others "pendatang". As if they don't realised that whoever they deemed local these days pun takde la local sangat sebab banyak dah mix with other races. Sigh. Anyways, keep your chin up! The best is yet to come okay.

Dangerous Variable said...

It is the same here for me. It is not because of the career progression in Malaysia. I have basic human rights in the UK than in Malaysia. Being called pendatang in the UK is telling me black is black and white is white. However in Malaysia, calling me a pendatang when I have a birth certificate, after taking the rukun negara oath and pledging my loyalty to the king and country, I guess in the long run, a relationship is a two way traffic.
It is a good start out there. Just be strong because it can be daunting but hey, we are resilient and adaptable, aren't we?

Melisa said...

We're also experiencing that brain-drain problem in the Philippines, which is very unfortunate because we have lost a great number of precious talents and geniuses. But, unlike in Malaysia, oftentimes the reason here is the $$$--a more convenient life and social privileges.

You have very fair reasons to leave, and I encourage you to do what's in your heart. But, like what MKL said, you can go to whichever country you choose (and how fortunate is that country!), but you will always remain a Malaysian.

I wish you the best.

P.S. Just don't forget: Keep blogging! ^^

eiling lim said...

Have a go and try. it's better than staying here anyways. That's what I think. If you can't beat them, join them and all the best!

Anonymous said...

Welcome to my little-red-dot !

Niel said...

Really? That's too bad... So it's up to young people to build this nation hmm ? =S

imp said...

welcome, zewt. come work and play, it'll be beautiful. but if it's for a permanent posting afterwards, you might wish to consider even more thoroughly and it'll be a bigger decision. but for now, welcome and see if it's a gateway to future postings in other countries. that is how we must make the most out of our jobs.

kyh said...

gr8 move! young people, no matter what their hopes and dreams are, or what dissatisfactions they have with their land of birth, should take the opp to roam the world. youth never comes twice. and adventurous for once, we shall be. i'm not planning to stay here for long either after grad. perhaps heading to NZ and from there, head to europe. ok, sounds rather easy, but the road down is full of unexpected twists and turns. yet no matter what, i'm steadfast with my decision.

anyway, good luck to you! :)

Pinknpurplelizard said...

Combo A: Congratulate
Combo B: Commiserate

Kindly place your order. :P

zewtreader said...

Hey Zewt,

I thought you are going to the Land of Oz? It's down south too. And you were talking about your plan to go there in your previous posts too.

zewt said...

Zuraida - well, a lot of things are just so grey nowadays, isnt it?

Dangerous Variable - yeah, it's all about how much we can stomach. the fact that we are all born here and yet being called as such, we just cant swallow that.

Melisa - yeah, malaysia will always remain in me. blogging will surely continue.

eiling lim - no, if you cant beat them... leave them.

anon @ 12/3 6.17pm - thanks!

zewt said...

Niel - when the nation is ready to accept us, i am sure most of us will be happy to return.

imp - well, at the moment, your home is certainly better than here. yeah, i know what you mean. will consider that when the time comes.

kyh - and good luck to you too... it's always good to try things when we're young.

pinknpurlelizard - combo A.

zewtreader - still in the big picture but the current plan is to head to SG and earn some SGD.