The Indians were the most inclined to work collectively to resolve issues affecting them between the three races. 15.5% of Malays, 48.8% of Chinese, and 37.3% of Indians reported a stronger than average desire to emigrate from Malaysia.
The study funded by CIMB Foundation carried out in Peninsular Malaysia in September-October last year involved 503 Malays, 500 Chinese and 501 Indians. Those who express a strong desire to emigrate had at least completed their secondary education: 17.3% of Malays, 52.6% of Chinese, and 42% of Indians.
Chinese are the largest taxpayers among the three ethnic groups in Malaysia. Only 10 percent of the total workforce pay any income tax. Out of these 10 percent, Chinese make up 80 to 90% of the taxpayers.
Malays and Indians expressed a greater willingness for collective action than a desire to emigrate, while the Chinese expressed a greater desire to emigrate than engaging in collective action when being asked if they would be willing to undertake collective action to improve the economic standing of their group, by, for example, participating in a protest or demonstration.
The report noted, “That so many Indians shows a willingness to participate in collective action is an indication of their discontent with the status quo.” Among the Chinese, those who were more educated were more willing to participate in collective actions than those who were less educated.
Why do Malaysian Chinese continue to live in Malaysia despite the discrimination they face? And is there anything they can do about it?
My ancestors risked their lives, cramped into small boat, and sailed from China to Malaysia. They will be mad and may haunt me from their graves if I were to leave Malaysia. How's that for an answer?
Now, here is my answer to your question. The only reason why I choose to continue to live in this country is because this is my home. It's that simple. I have a job, and life goes on as usual. Here's the thing - people often talk about discrimination in other countries, but in Malaysia, the Chinese and Indians do not see it as discrimination. We see it as preferential or special privilege given by the government to the majority Malays. This affirmative actions on behalf of the majority Malays are limited to official and government institutions. Beyond that jurisdictions, life is the same as in other countries. Hence, Chinese and Indians are rarely found in those institutions.
In order for Malaysia to progress to become a fairer society, the one way and only place to begin this endeavor is through education. What this means is politicians from different races must come to an agreement that Malaysian children must grow up and schooled together under the same roof. These children will become our future generation, who will then lead Malaysia to become a fairer country. Unfortunately, what we have in Malaysia today are schools that are designed to cater for different races. We have Chinese school. We have Indian school. We have Islamic religious school. These schools admit student from their race, say 99% are all the same color. Kids attending Chinese school never have to worry about eating BBQ pork in their canteen. The Malay kids attending Islamic religious school may have different experience all together. During fasting months, everyone fast and not a single soul can be seen eating or drinking in canteen. They may even witness the 'sacrifice' of cows during festive seasons. Then, of course, Indian kids will never ever see any 'sacrifice' of cows in their own Indian school, since cow is sacred to Indians. Imagine how will these kids grow up after their high school?
Majority of the Malays kids will go to UiTm, which is, a special universities for the Malays. We have plenty of UiTM in Malaysia. Chinese and Indian kids will, if they are very clever and matured, go to the limited public universities. Upon graduating from tertiary education, these kids will enter into the working society. Now remember, 'special privilege' is very real in government or official institutions. Graduates from UiTM will be channeled to become civil servants - teachers, police, inspectors, judge and officers in national institutions. Graduates from public universities will most likely be absorbed by private sectors. All grown up now. Suddenly, these newly grown up adults, whom never experienced life shared other races before, are suddenly put together. In my opinion, this is the true formula for disaster. What they will naturally find is culture shock in their own country. Of course, we do not recognize it as culture shock in Malaysia. We simply call all the wrong happenings as 'insensitive' or 'rude'. Those Chinese continues to eat BBQ pork, some may do so right in front of a Malays colleagues. Malays teachers, perhaps from these special schools, forces non-Muslim students to eat lunch in toilet or sacrificing cows in front of Indian students. To these religious Malay teachers, eating in fasting months is a sin, and they have never had to deal with non-Muslim in all their life before. Many of them also see cow sacrifice as a norm. Indians, not knowing any better, also do something that offends others.
Many of my friends expressed anger when the above mentioned happened or when they read them in newspaper. However, I am of the opinion that these happened because each race had live their life in their own community for too long, and our education system had completely failed to educate all of us a shared life concept with different races. Everyone ended up having culture shocks when we start to work. I don't expect one who never had a shared life with other races to be able to understand and empathize other races so easily.
Hence, I do not believe anything will change in the next 10 years. Our politicians really need to stop demanding more Chinese, Indians or Islamic religious schools. All these can be done inside the same school building by splitting up the kids few hours a week to study their own mother tongue or religion. We really do not need to split up the kids into different schools. Instead, we must put them under the same roof. That is the only way I know how to do it.... I know it's politically unpopular, but it will work.
There are various reasons to stay.
1. Malaysia is home. We are Malaysians first, Chinese second.
2. Social ties. Some have relatives who don't want to move parents, sibling etc. Some return to Malaysia because of ageing parents, and/or want to be close to extended family.
3. Lack of skills to migrate.
4. Uprooting the family to a new country is not an easy choice nor easy to adapt to new culture in another country.
5. Choosing to stay back to make a difference.
6. Its a global economy. Many are working elsewhere due to work opportunities but still call Malaysia home.
7. The amazing food.
8. The amazing people here barring a minority group that seeks to divide
9. It a country with much potential. There are still opportunities.
10. Combination of the above
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