Point of no return

Weather: Fair
Temperature: 41°


As you know yesterday I went for my first and only interview in Shanghai (due to some unexpected change of circumstances, the other interviews will be held in Beijing).

I was interviewed by 2 partners (both local Chinese) and a Malaysian senior associate. Strictly speaking, it was not a "interview" but more a "casual-chit-chat-to-know-you-more" thingy. We talked about loads of things: from Shanghai weather to Shanghai food, from Malaysian culture to Malaysian food.

After about an hour of chatting, we headed for lunch at a nearby Hu Nan 湖南 Restaurant called 湘巴佬 (literally means "orang kampung").

The Malaysian senior associate (whom I will refer to as "Alex" in this article) and I reached the restaurant first as the partners had to finish something urgent and will join us in a short while.

Alex has been in China for nearly 2 years. Previously he worked as a Legal Assistant (LA) for 6 years in one of the biggest and oldest legal firm in Malaysia.

"Have you been following Malaysia news lately?" Alex asked me. The topic of our conversation suddenly switched to all the heart breaking, frustrating and annoying issues on current Malaysia's state of affairs. Like all the talks in the coffee shops, after letting out all the dissatisfactions, frustrations and complaints, we felt better but helpless nevertheless.

"My opinion is Malaysia is going down the drain" Alex said "you made the right choice coming to China and I have a feeling many more professionals in Malaysia just waiting for a chance to come out".

After we were through with Malaysia, we talked about life in Shanghai.

"You must understand one thing Harnniann" Alex became serious. "Once you secure a job and settle down here, it is very likely that you will hit a 'point of no return'. There is no turning back."

He explained why. His wife is staying with him and is working too in Shanghai. He is currently earning about 4 times his salary back home. What he does now has little relevance to Malaysian legal context. He was a litigator in Malaysia.

"So if I were to go home, what can I do? Go back to the same law firm and be a LA? They won't make me a partner for sure. But what can I do as a LA? Litigation? But I have lost touch with the Malaysian scene for so long, I have to start all over again. So I'll be a junior LA? If I am lucky, how much can I get in Malaysia? RM5k? If the most I can get is RM5k then why would I go back? You see my point?"

His advice for me: either you need to come out with a long term plan in China, or you need to go back to Malaysia after 1 or 2 years.

That brought me back to one of the many conversations I had with Bom recently. We were enjoying beer in the balcony of his apartment, appreciating the night view of Shanghai.

"I didn't expect to have a life like this. Now it's 9pm and I am home, enjoying my personal moment." Bom said, holding a can of beer in his hand.

Not too long ago when Bom was working in Malaysia, there was one day I called him at about 11.30 pm and he was too busy to answer my call because he was working in his office. I later found out he was there until 1 am. Working from morning till mid night was not the exception, it was the general rule. Being able to reach home before 9pm was a rare occasion. That was Bom's life in Malaysia. And he was not getting even half of what he is getting now in China.

Maybe Bom does not realise it. He has passed the point of no return. The way I see it, there is no turning back for him. Returning to Malaysia is no longer an option for him, as he himself admits, "go back to work? for what? Holiday can lar"

True, why would he want to go back to Malaysia and suffer the fate of working round the clock again for just a fraction of his current salary? Why would he want to leave this international scene, this opportunity to compete in globalization era and go back to local mud where people are still shouting for protectionism, sacred and untouchable special rights?