I read with interest many of the recent letters to malaysiakini concerning emigration.

However, if you will permit me to make a comment. The primary motive for emigration is not always pure economics. More generally, emigration happens because of a desire to better one's lot, or to achieve one's purpose in life whatever that may be.

Naturally, economic motives are a part of the picture but one also needs to consider the non-monetary reasons that people have for moving.

There are push and pull factors involved. An emigrant is both trying to escape something and advance towards another thing at the same time. For instance, a scientist who cannot flourish in his own country will want to go somewhere where his expertise is appreciated. Perhaps he finds the anti-intellectualism in his milieu too stifling (unfortunately, this is very true in Malaysia), or the government of the day too partial when it comes to resource allocation.

By moving to a better place, he gets a chance at collaborating with like-minded peers, receiving fair remuneration, and having the opportunity to compete on a fair playing ground. It's not always about the money. It's sometimes about being able to do what you want in life without having unreasonable impediments foisted upon you.

Some malaysiakini letter-writers have accused all emigrants of leaving the country for purely economic reasons and that these emigrants later falsely claim that they left because of dissatisfaction with the politics of the country. I think this is an unfair generalisation.

There are many reasons for moving, and more often than not, people do it for more than one reason. Political dissatisfaction could well be one of those reasons, and why not? No one is saying that it is the only. Or sometimes it's because of a foreign spouse. It could also be a preference for a milder climate. Or simply to have the opportunities to do things that will lead to self actualisation.

I concede that there were perhaps one or two emigrants who had repugnant attitudes, but I have the feeling that the other emigrants who write in really just want to emphasise exactly what is wrong with the country they left. As Malaysians, we can either choose to view these letters as parting shots, or as wake-up calls.

You see, the major problem with a not insignificant number of Malaysians is that there is a lot of false pride around. This is a vestige of Mahathirianism. Small achievements are overblown so as to build up national pride. It's Malaysia Boleh this and Malaysia Boleh that.

In a sense, this kind of optimism is good, but when overdone, it becomes blind and Panglossian. It lulls Malaysians into a sense of complacency and makes us oblivious to our own weaknesses, like a child who has been praised too much and has lost touch of reality. It takes emigrants to contrast their experiences in both countries to remind us where we are, and to where we ought to strive to be.

For instance, Malaysia is proud of its multiculturalism and the institutions that support it, hence most people feel that they shouldn't 'rock the boat'. Those who go on holidays abroad come back and tell you that there is no place like Malaysia, where the races co-exist with such harmony.

I think these people are sincere but I'm afraid their sampling frame is too small and too transient.

Those who have lived (not holiday-ed, but lived) in places like Brussels or Montreal for at least two years will be able to tell you about a cohesive multiculturalism there that is not any less diverse than Malaysia's, but yet exists in a political structure where there is much less overt distrust than among the races than in Malaysia.

Certainly, there is still 'racism' in Brussels and Montreal, but there is much less 'discrimination'. (And there is a difference between the two; we have both in Malaysia).

I don't doubt that at the personal level, we Malaysians are warm and friendly. We have friends of different races, and we get along with them fine. But we have great distrust of each other's ethnic groups as a whole. Asian culture may be more open and effusive, but often it can be a veneer to hide the kinds of things that we say behind each other's backs.

On the other hand, you will find there is perhaps less warmth among the Western people at the personal level, which Malaysians sometimes mistake for racism. It's really just a function of the 'distance' in the culture -Western cultures are more distant than Asian ones. Many of the folks don't really care about your ethnicity, only how well you can get along with them.

There are pros and cons. You decide which you prefer. But the point is, while Malaysia has a fairly successful multicultural society, it traded off much to achieve that. Therefore we need to look to other countries to remind ourselves that a society that is both equal and multicultural is simultaneously possible.

We may not achieve it the same way they did, but we must definitely look at what we have done wrong and correct those things, and at the same time, look at what mistakes they have made and how they solved their problems.

We like to think that the Malaysian situation is unique and takes special handling, so we dismiss any kind of external solution out of hand, but in reality there are general principles that we can apply. The most unproductive thing we can do is to rest on our laurels and say that we have already achieved the best compromise, which is what the average Malaysian on the street does.

As for people who are worried about the brain drain, I say: 'Don't worry'. There will be an outflow but eventually things will reach an equilibrium (assuming the country doesn't make any egregious mistakes in its policies). Hopefully we will see an inflow again (perhaps not of ex-Malaysians but of 'talented' people from less developed nations).

Also, take heart that emigration is not for everyone. There are some who will benefit from it, while there are others who will find themselves out of place in the new country. One's fitness for emigration depends on many things. Emigration is a harrowing process that not everyone chooses to go through.

If you are lower to middle-middle class, a professional, and have an open-mind and are the willing-to-learn type, then yes, moving from Malaysia to a developed nation will get you a better quality middle-class life (but only if you are a professional).

If you are an academic or researcher, your reasons for emigrating are even greater. The exception: certain special professions like medical doctors. Many countries require you to re-certify with the local medical association if you have a foreign medical degree, no exceptions.

This may take years and years, and in that period you may have to work at menial jobs. Many MDs get disillusioned by this.

If you have few skills, and have poor command in the country's official language, you may find it difficult to survive in a developed country except in certain ethnic enclaves. Don't emigrate if you don't have skills valued by the country you're emigrating to. You will be worse off in terms of quality of life.

If you are in the upper-middle class, a business magnate, or have aspirations of becoming one, or have ambitions of great wealth, you had better stay in Malaysia. There are lots more opportunities to make money in a developing nation than in a developed nation, especially if you are enterprising.

Just think of the cost of labour in Malaysia, the relatively lax business laws, lower taxation, fewer regulations, the number of undeveloped industries that you can develop etc. By moving abroad, you will halve your wealth (due to exchange rates) and freely donate your wealth to the host government (almost every developed country has a higher tax rate than Malaysia).

You have to start networking from scratch, and you have to acquire an intimate familiarity with how things are run in a business culture that is different from your own. The only exception is that if you are exceptionally entrepreneurial and resourceful - then and only then you should consider it.

Otherwise it's just easier to make big money in Malaysia. (Remember for every Charles Wang and Vinod Khosla, there are hundreds of others who don't make it).

Anyway, I say cheer the emigrants on. Let people do what they want with their lives - they should not be beholden to the country. Do not blame their lack of patriotism for not staying - patriotism is poor persuasion.

Instead, think of the difference they can make in the world; and even if they don't make any difference in their lifetimes, think of what their children and grandchildren will achieve given the opportunities that the new country opens up for them.