I can finally understand how one eventually gives up on their nation and decides to leave it for another country. Talk to many Malaysians abroad and you will find out that (atleast) most of them, still miss many good things about Malaysia. They still talk about the beauty of diversity and culture in Malaysia. You will come to see that they do not think that the country that they are currently living in is perfect or far superior to Malaysia. What they did get in that country, which they were denied in Malaysia, was equal rights and rightful treatment as a citizen. They were treated to merit-based opportunity in their new foreign country, in which most of them have yet to become citizens. Perhaps many have acquired permanent residentship, some may not have even acquired that yet, but they were still given equal opportunities based on merit. Most people decide not to return to Malaysia after being abroad mainly for this reason.

They receive better treatment in a country where they are not even citizens, than in the country of their citizenship. Many of us back home are often quick to jump and call them traitors. Well, perhaps we need empathy to objectively evaluate the situation and then we will realise what a sad state Malaysia is in now, and the rakyat who chose to leave Malaysia are not to be blamed.

It is extremely painful and challenging to read the papers, mainstream and alternatives, because it leaves one with this immense sense of hopelessness. Sometimes, the sorry state Malaysia is in seems irreversible. One can’t help but feel helpless, like there was nothing they could do to improve the state of this country that they truly love.

How do you cope with being called an immigrant in your own country after your ancestors were granted citizenship? How do you cope seeing your country’s prominent ex-leader state that immigrants (which is a far cry from the rightful term, citizen) are guests in the country until they have completely abandoned their mother tongues and cultures and absolved the culture and language of their country of residence? How do you cope when your peers, equally educated as you, agree with that statement? How do you cope with seeing your country’s current leader make a joke of the people who were mistreated by the police in a peaceful rally for free and fair election? How do you really cope? How do you cope knowing that many do not see racism as racism but as a way of merely defending the rights of their people? How do you cope?

Read this history journal (http://www.jstor.org/stable/3035316) and use your critical thinking to ascertain why were the so-called immigrants granted citizenship half a century ago. If they are really immigrants and will continue to be so, as they were not originally from this land, why grant citizenship to them in the first place? Out of mercy and generosity? Give it a rational thought. The 'immigrants' were granted citizenship because the immigrants, in one way or another, contributed positively to the development of the nation. They needed the numbers (of citizens) to convince the colonist that the country had stability to finally be independent.They needed the numbers to make the public services, the administratives offices and especially to garner a convincing win in the election. 

Did you know that Tun Hussein Onn’s Parti Negara candidates for the 1955 election were made up of a large majority of Malays (32 out of 33 candidates) and yet they did not win? 

Why do you think that was the case? 

Do you not think that the rakyat at that point would have wanted a purely Malay-based government [bear in mind that the majority(84%) of registered voters at that time were Malays]? 

Why then, did the Alliance party consisting of candidates from 3 major races (MCA, MIC, UMNO) win instead?

Because the people then recognised that the country prospered well with cooperation from all the major races. Because they recognised the human dignity and value the ‘immigrants’ possessed which called for equal and kind treatment, not out of mercy, but out of human duty.

Because they recognised, in love for their country, that what was good for the country in the long run, was collaboration and cooperation of all, living in the country.

Then, after the 1955 elections, the constitution (enforced in 1957) granted citizenship to the so-called immigrants. Why?

They granted citizenship to the ‘immigrants’ because they recognised the need for the ‘immigrants’ to make the country whole and truly functional. They did not grant citizenship out of some exclusively altruistic intention to extend mercy and kindness. 

It was largely a practical, political and economical decision. As it always is.

That was more than 50 years ago. 

If you really love your country, then please don’t take every word you hear from biased sources, for its face value. Start thinking critically about what we are being told by the the nation’s leaders. 

Let’s start using our intellect, conscience and maturity to acquire more accurate knowledge on the situation and to make decisions.

For once, let us we stop arguing about who the superior race of the country is and start making decisions for the good of the country for years to come.

If we really do love it and want to salvage it before it goes into the ruins, it is time to do something. 

Elections are coming up. Perhaps we can begin there. ;)