KUALA LUMPUR: An expatriate's comments on the challenges of obtaining Malaysian citizenship and the issue of low salaries in the country sparked criticism from netizens.
The post shared on Instagram user @Chernov_networking's page, with the caption, "What do foreigners truly think about Malaysians? And what would happen if you came to Malaysia but did not like the local food? I met Daria, who has been living in Kuala Lumpur for 20 years and even wrote a book about the country."
In the video, which was an excerpt from a 27-minute long YouTube video, Daria touched on how it is hard to become a citizen in Malaysia, stating that as an expatriate, she was looking at her stay with a long-term plan view.
"But when you invest a number of years of your life in a country, paying taxes, you want to know you have a guaranteed path towards citizenship or some kind of legal status.
"From what I understand, the policy here is that permanent residency (PR) is not a right; it is a privilege that could be both granted or not granted," she said.
Comparing Malaysia to Hong Kong, she highlighted that one could obtain PR there after seven years of legally paying taxes.
She went on to say that salaries in this country are low and advised the public that if they are looking for a place to work and save some money, this is not a great country.
"Another thing is, salaries are pretty low. So if somebody is looking for a place to come and work and save some money, this is not a great country," she added.
The short video garnered over 177,000 views, with the majority of Malaysians in the comments section criticising her claims.
@myzull_astiny questioned: "Malaysia gives a low salary and it's not easy living here but you still want to live here? No wonder you did not get the PR or citizenship!"
@caynicedion said: "This is how our country protects its citizens."
@avialegioner commented: "You are not paying that much in taxes. Grow up."
@cool_k_0910 defended: "Whatever you are saying about Malaysia, this country is for sure better than your own; otherwise, you would not be here."
@moonwalkgurl_dj shared: "I have worked with many expats and they always think they are God in this country and would not even treat us at the same level, although we will be working the same job as them. This is based on my experience."
The video is actually an excerpt of a longer interview featuring Daria, which was published on Max Chernov's YouTube channel 10 months ago.
In the full YouTube video, Daria delves into various aspects of her experience in Malaysia. She shared insights about the Malaysian community, her adaptation to life in Malaysia, her culinary preferences, favourite places in the country, the cost of living, and reasons for choosing Malaysia over Singapore.
Additionally, she highlighted the positive aspects of Malaysia, citing safety, a high quality of life, accessibility to medicines, education standards, and the availability of diverse brands and food.
According to Daria, Malaysia, though officially categorised as a developing country, provides a relatively high quality of life.
Daria noted that Malaysia stands out in the Asean region, attracting citizens from other countries who come to work here, reflecting the country's appeal due to its elevated lifestyle.
She further noted Kuala Lumpur's cosmopolitan nature, emphasising the city's diversity with numerous expatriates from various countries.
"Malaysians are friendly and open to other cultures. They are used to speaking more than one language. The more languages you speak, the more cultures you are exposed to, and the more open your mind is," she said.