COMMENT | There was a time when Malaysian students abroad could fill a room simply by talking about their country.

Among them was James Chai, then a student activist in Britain, deeply involved in the networks that championed reformasi. Not with slogans or perks, but with conviction that Malaysia could be different.

They debated injustice, held talks, and organised quietly in cafes, halls and homes, across London, even while warnings sometimes came from officials at home.

For Chai and many like him, the hope was moral: that by speaking openly and returning when the moment arrived, they could help rebuild a nation.

Today, that same hope has...