In response to 'why overseas Malays are successful'

http://www.msn.com/en-my/news/national/why-overseas-malays-are-successful/ar-AAoNdYx?li=AAaD62f&ocid=spartandhp

I agree with this article. Actually, I believe anyone can succeed anywhere but with the right mind set, determination and attitude; of course with a bit of luck or fate or whatever one wants to believe in. In Islam, we call it God's intervention (Qada' wal Qadr)

Anyway, let's just focus on what we can do instead of what God does because that is not in our control but the choices we make and the things we decide, we do, we act upon is in our control.

I think any people in their own home country tend to mess up. Perhaps in our own home country we feel 'safe'. It is a bit like we feel safe messing up in our own home but when we are outside we feel challenged like we need to work harder. This is human nature and is not exclusive to the Malays. Just look at any other people in this world, they seem to be doing pretty well outside of their own messed up countries.

But...we are talking about Malays here. Not anyone else. I just think it is important to set up a precedent because to claim that only Malays mess up in their own home country is a bit unfair. We can't take the credit for this alone.

Saying that, there are some specific reasons that makes Malays abroad seem to fair pretty well, if not better than at home. Let's look at the obvious.

1. Competition.

Out there when you are outside of Malaysia, you are on your own. You are not going to be treated 'special' or given any 'rights'. You have to fight for your own rights. Also, I notice that Malays do not have this positive competition among themselves. That kind of sportsmanship competitiveness and that desire to achieve more for your own self satisfaction. Things were different when I was growing up because we were in a school with all other races, Chinese, Indians, Punjabis and I felt that positive competitiveness which is lacking in schools today. Healthy competition is a good method of character building and unfortunately, I don't see that in an all-Malay environment. So, I don't agree in segregating schools and language based schools. I think all children should attend Sekolah Kebangsaan but who the hell am I? Just an opinion, that's all.

Amongst themselves, the Malays tend to shy away and to feel awkward when they achieve something or even able to answer a question right or to be able to speak English fluently even though that is expected and nothing to be proud about. When it comes to competition, it often translate into jealousy and 'dengki' type of negativity which is unhealthy in the development of a nation. This negative form of competition needs to be removed because it stifles creativity and achievement. It makes people go out to bring others down, and attend to 'bomoh' to destroy other people's careers and achievement. It should instead be replaced with healthy competition where everyone strive to be better, to achieve more, without bringing anyone else down. If anything, those at the top should help others to go up the ladder and to give motivation.

2. Hierarchy versus transverse leadership

I actually believe in transverse leadership or sometimes known as flatten leadership. As a leader, I want to work with people who know their job scope, know what is expected of them, able to perform their task independently and for the team to work together towards a common objective. A leader is there to guide, take responsibility and to ensure we are all heading towards the right direction. However, this type of leadership can only work when the type of people are those who can lead themselves.

I am pretty fortunate that I do have a team that is self-reliant and are independent thinkers. However, in general the Malays have a very hierarchal approach in leadership. It is often a one man's decision while others are mere followers. Often those at the bottom want to 'please' those at the top. There is a catch-22 situation here. When I came back to Malaysia from the UK, I tried to treat everyone the same irrespective of their position within the University. Unfortunately, there was ONE or TWO individuals who for whatever reason just didn't know how to respect this form of professional relationship. They don't understand that when someone give you respect, you should correspond with respect. These people are very typical and often outdated Malay mentality whom if you treat them with respect they will climb all over your head; and the only way to keep them in their place is to treat them like crap. It is unfortunate for such people because they put themselves in that position.

The other problem is most workers are used to function based on 'standard operating procedure' and are unable to solve daily problems independently. I agree rules and guidelines are important in ensuring there is a viable system but part of achieving a viable system is having those who implement the rules to be able to solve new situations. Whenever a new problem arise within my team or clinic, I love hearing solutions from any member of the team especially from those staff whom are dealing with those problems everyday. I believe, anyone can be creative and can solve problems for the betterment of others.

3. Religiosity

I don't know how to approach this one. It seems like you just can't say anything about religion without being charged a heresy these days yet, I think we have forgotten one fundamental thing. Before we want to pray, fast, avoid the haram and all that stuff we need to truly question and understand our belief as in Why do we believe God exists? Why do we believe the Qur'an is God's words? Knowing these fundamental questions would solve a lot of problem in our daily life because we won't have to argue about can we touch a dog or say the word 'babi' or some truly ridiculous things sometimes that my kids come home and tell me about.

One day I was talking to my daughter and we were actually talking about "najis" and she started spelling the word 'b-a-b-i' instead of saying it and I was like...why are you spelling the word? why can't you say 'babi' after all isn't that what we call that poor animal? I mean it is too bad we ourselves have turned it into a swear word but it is what that animal is right? So, apparently she said her teacher said it is bad to say the word. Well, I had to correct her but that is not the point. Point here is we are so bogged down by such trivial issues that are we really teaching our kids to think? I thought Islam was sent down to elevate man, and to make us the highest thinkers in the history of mankind. Yet, we have descended into herds of sheep and following the words of God knows whoever. Did you read in the newspaper today about a 'Daesh militant disguising himself as a woman to avoid being caught?' Just seems outrages to me how a Daesh militant, someone a few weeks or months ago was like the most feared terrorist organization in the world has now turned into a 'Mak Nyah'; and for what? why did these people went out there to a foreign land to fight and suddenly realizing they have been duped into doing so and by whom? To me, it is a tragedy. It is a tragedy how people sacrificed everything, their family, their jobs or whatever they had or did not have before to go and fight for a cause that now, no one even knows what the hell for? Well...I think we know but that's for another blog story.

Then, you get some people who are so called 'religious' and yet, spend so much time just judging everyone else. I mean did God hire you to be a judge? When I say judge it is like they criticize everyone and almost like fault finding; it is almost as if it is their career, like a food critic or perhaps football analyst. I wonder how much they get paid to do this? One ringgit per critic perhaps or is it one 'dosa' per critic? Why can't people just mind their own business? Are their lives too boring and empty that they have all that time and energy to analyse other people's lives?

Anyway, there you go. I don't believe the Malays are stupid or whatever people say. I believe that the Malays (just like many races out there in their own home country) are simply spoilt and just like those parents who spoil their kids and you know, your kids grow up and they still rely on you for everything...well, I don't claim to have any answers. This is more of a self-reflection and perhaps to stimulate more thought into NOT becoming a nation of spoilt brats.