...Myth of the Malaysian Meritocracy

This email found its way into my Inbox and I thought of sharing it here. Originally, it was posted on www.jeffooi.com. I guess it was later edited with the Cut & Paste function and end up circulating on the internet. Power to modern technology!

Obviously, the writer of the letter is ignorant after having spent years abroad. I have totally no idea why he insist on coming back despite his repeated claims of "patriotism. " Currently, there are literally millions of Malaysian Chinese living and working abroad. A bulk of which work, live and play for Lee’s Incorporated. Seeing such trans migration is nothing new because it has always been a known fact that Malaysia has a problem with meritocracy or lack of it.

If I am earning USD22,000 a month in a top investment bank abroad, coming back home to Malaysia is the last thing on my mind, if ever. This country has never and will never practice meritocracy. It’s not that it can’t but because it cannot afford to. The whole nation is straddle with debts to push the Malays to a higher social standing, unfortunately at the expanse of the minority which contributes to almost 70% of the economy.

My advice to him is stay where you are…Home is Where the Heart Is, although physically you might as well blow USD22,000 on some foreign beach and bitch!

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Dear Mr Ooi,
I have been meaning to pen some thoughts for some time now, to let
people actually read the views of the typical 'overseas Malaysian' who
is kept away. I realise that my email is rather long, but I do hope
that you would consider publishing it (and also keep my name
private!).

I shall start by telling a little about my background. Mine is a
rather sad tale - of a young Malaysian full of hope and patriotic
enthusiasm, which is slowly but surely trickling away.
I am very different from many other non-bumiputeras, as I was given
tremendous opportunities throughout my childhood. Born into a
middle-class Chinese but English-speaking family, I grew up with all
the privileges of imported books, computers, piano/violin lessons and
tuition teachers.

My parents insisted that I should be exposed to a multi-racial
education in a national school. In my time, my urban national school
(a missionary school) was a truly happy place - where the Malays,
Chinese and Indian students were roughly equal in proportion. We
played and laughed with each other, and studied the history of the
world together during Form 4, with one interesting chapter dedicated
to Islamic history.

Though 75% of my teachers were Malays, I never really noticed. My
Malay teachers were the kindest to me - teaching me well and offering
me every possible opportunity to develop. I led the district teams for
English and Bahasa Malaysia debating competitions. I was the only
non-Malay finalist in the Bahasa Malaysian state-level elocution
competition. My Malay teachers encouraged me to transfer to a
government residential school (sekolah berasrama penuh) so as to
enable me to maximise my academic potential. I refused because I was
happy where I was, so they made me head prefect and nominated me as a
'Tokoh Pelajar Kebangsaan'. Till this day, I am absolutely certain
that it was the kindness of all my Malay teachers which made me a true
Malaysian.

I excelled at school and was offered a Singaporean government
scholarship to study overseas. I turned them down because I wanted to
ensure that I would remain a 'true Malaysian' in the eyes of Malaysia.
So I accepted a Malaysian government scholarship to study at Oxford
University. Throughout my three years as an undergraduate, the
officers at the MSD looked after me very well, and was always there to
offer support.

I graduated with first class honours, and was offered a job with a
leading investment bank. The JPA released me from my bond, so as to
enable me to develop my potential. I shall always be grateful for
that. I worked hard and rose in rank. My employer sent to me to
Harvard University for postgraduate study and I climbed further up
their meritocratic ladder.

Now I am 31 years old and draw a comfortable monthly salary of
US$22,000. Yet, I yearn to return home. I miss my home, my family, my
friends, my Malaysian hawker food and the life in Malaysia. I have
been asked many times by Singaporean government agencies to join them
on very lucrative terms, but I have always refused due to my inherent
patriotism.

I really want to return home. I have been told by government-linked
corporations and private companies in Malaysia that at best, I would
still have to take a 70% pay cut if I return to Malaysia to work. I am
prepared and willing to accept that. My country has done a lot for me,
so I should not complain about money.

But of late, my idealistic vision of my country has really come
crashing down, harder and faster than ever before.
I read about the annual fiasco involving non-bumiputera top scorers
who are denied entry to critical courses at local universities and are
offered forestry and fisheries instead. (My cousin scored 10A1's for
SPM and yet was denied a scholarship).
I read about UMNO Youth attacking the so-called meritocracy system
because there are less than 60% of Malay students in law and pharmacy,
whilst conveniently keeping silent about the fact that 90% of overseas
scholarship recipients are Malays and that Malays form the vast
majority in courses like medicine, accountancy and engineering at
local universities.

I read about the Higher Education Minister promising that
non-bumiputera Malaysians will never ever step foot into UiTM.
I read about a poor Chinese teacher's daughter with 11A1's being
denied a scholarship, while I know some Malay friends who scored 7A's
and whose parents are millionaires being given scholarships.
I read about the brilliant Prof. K.S. Jomo, who was denied a promotion
to Senior Professor (not even to Head of Department), although he was
backed by references from three Nobel Prize winners. Of course, his
talent is recognised by a prestigious appointment at the United
Nations.

I read about UMNO Youth accusing Chinese schools of being detrimental
to racial integration, while demanding that Mara Junior Science
Colleges and other residential schools be kept only for Malays.
I read about the Malay newspaper editors attacking the private sector
for not appointing enough Malays to senior management level, whilst
insisting that the government always ensure that Malays dominate
anything government-related.

I read that at our local universities, not a single Vice-Chancellor or
Deputy Vice-Chancellor is non-Malay.
I read that in the government, not a single Secretary-General of any
ministry is non-Malay. The same goes for all government agencies like
the police, armed forces, etc.
I read about UMNO screaming for the Malay Agenda, but accusing
everyone else of racism for whispering about equality.
I read about a poor Indian lady having to pay full price for a
low-cost house after being dispossessed from a plantation, whilst
Malay millionaires demand their 10% bumiputera discount when buying
RM2 million bungalows in a gated community.
I read about my beloved national schools becoming more and more
Islamic by the day, enforced by overzealous principals.
I read about my Form 4 World History (Sejarah Dunia) syllabus, which
now contains only one chapter of world history, with Islamic history
covering the rest of the book.
As I read all this, I tremble with fear. I love my country and long to
return. I am willing to take a 70% pay cut. I am willing to face a
demotion. I honestly want to contribute my expertise in complex
financial services and capital markets. But really, is there a future
for me, for my children and for their children? I am truly frightened.
I can deal with the lack of democracy, the lack of press freedom, the
ISA, our inefficient and bureaucratic civil service, our awful manners
and even a little corruption. But I cannot deal with racism in my
homeland.

I think this is the single biggest factor which is keeping people like
myself away. And bear in mind - there are so many of us (researchers,
scientists, bankers, economists, lawyers, academics, etc.). What
people read about in Malaysia (like Dr Terence Gomez) is but the
tiniest tip of the iceberg. You will be amazed to know about
Malaysians denied JPA scholarships (which would have made them civil
servants), took loans to attend Ivy League universities, but who are
later asked to advise our government (on IT, economics, etc.) at fees
running to millions of US dollars. Such information will never be
published because it is politically incorrect.

As a Christian, I pray for God's blessing on this great country of
ours. I pray that He blesses our leaders with the foresight and
humanity to see that this will not work and cannot continue. I pray
that they will have the strength to make our country a home for all
Malaysians and that they will have mercy for the poor, including the
non-Malays. I pray for true racial harmony and acceptance (not just
tolerance) in Malaysia.

Yours sincerely,
A very frightened Malaysian abroad