EXCLUSIVE: Two days ago, Alvin Tan chose to break his two-month long silence to the Malaysian media by leaving a comment on The Ant Daily website.
His comment resulted in an article yesterday titled “Has Alvin Tan of Alvivi finally surfaced?”
Reacting to that article, Alvin had posted another comment today using a new Facebook account (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007968164924), revealing details about his whereabouts and his future plans.
Alvin says that he is in the US presently, applying for asylum, and plans to become a US citizen in 5 years.
He also explains his reasons for leaving Malaysia and his comment forms an interesting rebuttal to his perceived trial-by-media.
We are unable to verify whether this account does in fact belong to the real Alvin Tan or is actually just an elaborate hoax. As such we are unable to vouch for the authenticity of the comment and will reproduce it here in verbatim.
“I never felt scared, because I’m not a fugitive at all (try “recognized asylum seeker”). All that talk of Interpol is just typical Umno/PDRM wayang. In any case, the US government isn’t just going to cooperate with PDRM to hand over a recognized political refugee (even the Department of State’s 2013 Human Rights Report on Malaysia cites my case for fu*&’s sake). That’s not how extradition works. I’ve already filed for asylum, and I’ve passed many preliminary filterings (interviews, documentation, court hearings) that pretty much guarantee that I won’t be deported/extradited.
And about trying to command attention among Malaysians, LOL… Come on, get real. Malaysia is a small and poor market, what does it matter even if I commanded everyone’s attention in Malaysia, which I did? Has any big stars ever came out of Malaysia, built on the strength of the pathetic 30-million-strong Malaysian market with super-low disposable income? There’s no critical or financial success to be gained from “making it big” in Malaysia (what an oxymoron).
Malaysia is nothing, and anyone who wants to make it big needs to get out. Malaysia is a toxic wasteland with tons of people with negative attitude; you can’t do anything creative or different, because people are too uneducated and the government too tyrannical.
So the reason that I’m quiet is not because I’m scared. It’s because I’m too busy building and enjoying my life here in one of the most modern, exciting, culturally-and-economically-significant cities in the world.
Why should I stay back to face trial, when it’s obvious I won’t get a fair trial? So that I can sacrifice one year of my precious 20s sitting in jail like Adam Adli? He wants to be a politician — that’s his problem. I have better things to aspire to. Now, I’m on track to get a Green Card in a year, and then US citizenship in five years. Admit it, I came out on top from the Ramadhan Bah Kut Teh saga, and you people are really bitter, angry, dissatisfied, and jealous about it.
I’ve burnt all my bridges with Malaysia and will not bother to comment further on anything even remotely related to Malaysia; I’ve sold all my stakes and therefore lost all legitimacy to speak credibly on it, so to speak. I won’t return forever too, so enjoy your “beautiful” country, you bumpkins. I’m simply taking Umno ministers’ advice of “you tak suka, you keluar,” and I love it. Maybe you bitter souls should try migrating too.”
So there you have it, right from the horse’s mouth.
His comment does seem to show the same defiance that is his trademark. Yet, if we strip away the anger and bluster, we see a voice speaking his views (right or wrong be damned), and more importantly, if he truly is in the US and applying for citizenship, a person who does not only talk, but also walks the talk.
Can we say the same for most politicians and officials in Malaysia?
