LET me tell you a story. My story. 

About thirty years ago, I chose to migrate to Australia, but that was not the time when I made the decision to migrate. About a decade earlier, in the early 70s, when my daughter was born, I made the decision to register her at the Australian Embassy as an Australian. 

I already knew then that Malaysia was not the country I wanted to call home. So…four decades ago, before race, religion, and politics became such an onerous fixture and burden to all of our lives, I had already made a decision to leave Malaysia. 

Why?

I have already lived through the May 13th incident of 1969. I have lived through, became part of, benefitted, and seen for myself, what the New Economic Policy (NEP) was already doing to the Malays and to other Malaysians in the 70s.

What I saw, I did not like. And in my mind’s eye, I could see what it will do to Malaysia and Malaysians in the decades to come – make Malaysia and Malaysians into what we are now – a nation totally under bondage by race, religion politics, and greedy royals.  

And so for me, the decision to leave was made over four decades ago. 

No regrets. Today at 75, all that I had dreaded and hoped would not happen to my Tanah Air, has happened. Malaysia has become a nation that is far removed from the one we once had.

Malaysians held captive by greedy parties 

In its place is this totally unrecognisable nation where cash is king, corruption is endemic and systemic, and politicians, royals, and a whole generation of Malaysians have grown up with one despicable trait: greed. Greed for power. Greed for material things. Greed that has no sense of proportion – just greed because they know of nothing else more important than to satisfy their own greed. 

Thank God I left Malaysia three decades ago….but…. here is the painful truth for us Malaysians that have chosen to live anywhere else but in Malaysia. Yes, we have a good and decent life wherever we choose to call home – be it the US, Europe, Australia, or even Singapore – but Malaysia is still our Tanah Air. 

And every day we see Malaysia become less and less a nation and more and more a place where a bunch of corrupt politicians are plying their despicable trade of enriching themselves at the expense of our Malaysia – aided and abetted by as many others as they can corrupt, Royals included.

We already have an ex-prime minister and his wife – both convicted felons. The UMNO court clusters promise to bring other corrupt politicians to justice – but it is a work in progress. 

Already, the work of the Judiciary has been questioned for the number of cases that have already been decided to benefit the rich and politically powerful.

And while all this is happening – what of the lot of the rakyat? 

For now, as far as these politicians and royals are concerned, the rakyat does not exist. They can do what they like and get away with it  – and the reality is that for now, the rakyat can do nothing. 

Millions of Malaysians, including me, have chosen to leave. Many millions more Malaysians are still in Malaysia, and they have to endure a life where race, religion, politics, rule despicably. We know all this is true because our lives have been messed up by these politicians for much too long….and now these corrupt politicians are demanding that a general election be held as soon as possible…and it looks like they are going to get their wish. UMNO is talking about an election in November!

They are asking us Malaysians, who have endured so much abuse under Barisan Nasional (BN) rule to vote and give them the mandate to govern over us for another five years? 

Enough said!

Hussein Abdul Hamid is a Malaysian who has been residing in Australia since the 1970s. 

https://focusmalaysia.my/malaysia-is-no-longer-the-country-i-knew/