Here’s the final piece of my rant before we go back to proper golf articles
Leisure and social interactions
I am assuming this means whether there is time and whether there are options for leisurely pursuit and social interactions with friends etc. This is quite subjective as you might think immediately in Australia it would be better. However, if you look at it from an immigrant stand point, it’s a different story. You are literally uprooting and restarting over there. Most of my peers (and I have MANY peers) who decided to go there, all speak of the same story – their entire world becomes smaller and more focused on their own family. Of course, there are some exceptions, but for sure mostly social interactions become much less for first generation immigrants. The OZs look with unease, and we end up sending our kids to a 90% Asian school. Integration is difficult due to our natural Asian tendency to flock with people the same hair colour. Importantly, family. Because of how we are, our extended family becomes critical – our grandmother, our parents all play a part in bringing up kids. We go for dinner, lunches etc. Then there is social groups – golf groups, football groups, mamak groups – in general because we grew up here, social interactions are obviously more abundant.
On leisure – again, its a matter of time and money. The myth in Australia is that you will have a lot of time. But your money doesn’t go that far as well, and shops closes at 6 pm. A good friend of mine said he had to completely revamp his outlook – he now go to bed at around 9 pm and wakes up at 5 am to go for a jog. He watches his beloved Liverpool in his house on his own because the matches are so late there, and he looks smatteringly miserable. Of course, to each its own – so it’s a touch and go for leisure for both countries, but Malaysia still wins it for social interaction.
Score: Malaysia 3 – 2 Australia
Economic and physical safety
The great misfortune of Malaysia is this: We could have been a better Singapore. Yes, our dear cousins down south who generally thumb down on us most of the time despite the fact that most of Singaporeans these days are immigrants from Malaysia as well. If we could have combined the sensibility and order of Singapore with the rich culture, resources and general character of Malaysia, we would have been better than Switzerland and our Ringgit would be referred to as better than the Sterling, as opposed now, where the ringgit is used in some countries such as Germany and America as wrapping paper or toilet paper. So sad. The frustration is this: If Malaysia was a country pockmarked by volcanoes, or constantly destroyed by earthquakes, or is blitzed continuously by asteroids, then no one would blame us for the stupid economic situation we are in. The fact is, pound for pound, acre for acre, we are literally the RICHEST country in the world with oil, logging, palm, rubber, natural ocean resources, farms, natural mountains and great golf courses. If we wanted to, we would have those poor Americans and UK people flocking to Malaysia to get into this amazing country.
Alas – like a pretty girl constantly abused by her crazy boyfriends, but yet having the need to be with these crazy boyfriends, our country is compounded with the stupidest politicians found in the entire world, who constantly take advantage of the country, rape its resources and compare Malaysia to countries like Cambodia who had 1/3 of is generation killed in the 70s, instead of comparing ourselves to Switzerland, USA or UK. SO individuals become bamboozling rich, while the country suffers generations after generations.
As for physical safety, the only place in Malaysia where you are theoretically safe is in your locked home, in a safe room, and putting yourself into a giant safe, locked by a combination with 1000 random numbers. No, safety is not a concept in Malaysia. That’s why when I was in Australia, I see Malaysians habitually threatening their children that if they do not stay with the parents closely in the mall, they will be kidnapped, and have their hands chopped off and become beggars in Thailand. Hey – we all grew up with that threat from our beloved grandmothers.
Score: Malaysia 3 – 3 Australia
Governance and basic rights
I don’t think I even need to go into this. Our country is the only country in the world where the suspect can also become the investigator, who can also fire other investigators and put his other suspect companions to become his own investigators and if all else fails, they are put in prison for some obscure reason like homosexuality. Ah yes, Malaysia. Our politicians are being seriously studied now by environmentalist as a possible evolutionary step of the dodo bird, which mysteriously disappeared last century.
However, contrary to popular belief that politicians are only stupid in Malaysia, politicians, by and large are stupid in a regional sense – take that fellow Jusuf Kalla from Indonesia for instance – the fler that said we should be thankful that Indonesia gives us 11 months of clean air – it just proves that stupidity is so global these days.
Score: Malaysia 3 – 4 Australia
Natural and living environment
I am just going to interpret this as how much quality the environment is in both countries. I would say, hands down, Malaysia would be way better than Australia for Nature. Sorry, I am biased. Living environment, I am just going to classify it as food. Food is definitely better in Malaysia, a hundred times. Yes, some people say in Melbourne you can get Malaysian food etc. While I do concede the food source is better like beef, pork, poultry etc and quality of food is better, but nasi lemak? Char Kueh Teow? Banana Leaf? Come on. Seriously. Australia? If you are into croc meat or wallaby meat, give me my claypot chicken rice anytime.
Score: Malaysia 4 – 4 Australia
Overall experience of life
So overall – based on Gilagolf extensive research – it’s really no big advantage to go to Australia at all – or in another sense, no big disadvantage. If you are pretty well off here, and you are past 35 and you already have 2 kids or more; generally I would say, Malaysia is a great option to stay. If we can sort ourselves out politically, this would be the greatest country in the entire world. If you are younger, no family and want to start at the bottom, with not much ambition but like security; then by all means, go for the immigrant route – our grandfathers did it, and now I suppose it’s our generations’ turn.