Homegrown with a Pulitzer? We wish!

“Woit, look here, anak Malaysia won the Pullitzer”.

I looked at the news. I commended on her courage in exposing the injustice in China and applauded the Wall Street Journal for recognizing her talent from the start.

So, what’s next?

We are amazed by the number of Malaysians showing their true talents abroad with prestigious organizations, bodies or even celebrities (Remember the Beckham scandal?). But I for one wonders, why abroad? What’s wrong with being the best in what you do, over here in Malaysia but gained international reputation or awards for doing so, abroad?

Pramoedya Ananta Toer didn’t get his work translated into hundreds of languages because he studied at MIT or has a "kerusi" in Oxford. He lived in exile in his own country, creating masterpieces in Indonesia but being heralded by the international literary world.

So, what’s wrong? My bet would be that if Fong Foong Mei is to expose the injustice taking place among the migrant workers in Malaysia, she might get the Pullitzer but not before getting banned, harassed or even detained for security reasons first. For that, she could even bag the Nobel Prize. Far from being envious but rather, proud with her achievement, I am questioning the reason of why our homegrown talents could not flourish here, on our local soil? Could it be because Malaysia suppresses creativity to the T, that our talents have no choice but to flee and seek opportunities abroad? And Malaysia, a country that enjoys cataloguing Malaysian born achievers located anywhere in the world, would find this new discovery an asset to show off that Malaysia Boleh!

Of course, people like Yasmin Ahmad, is a homegrown talent who gained international respect and recognition through her cinematic achievement. But look at what she had to endure locally? Ocean of tears? Censorship Board having a blast snipping her films? Or the so-called old timers who felt that they are the ones who determined the face of Malaysian film industry? Of course, she could have suffered the same predicament in other countries, but I guess the greatest challenge for her to step out and become the person she is now in Malaysia, is to defy the local people’s state of mind who are constantly judging her work with a conservative outlook.

For that matter, we would forever be expanding our necks into other countries, seeking Malaysian born prodigies in Hollywood, football stadiums or media giants, perhaps to decorate them with titles like Datuk or Dato’, whilst at the same time ignoring the cry for more space and freedom for our own homegrown talents to bloom.

What can I say? That is soo Malaysian!