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| Star 13 June 2012 |
Hundreds if not thousands of talented Malaysians emigrate every year and those Malaysians who have completed their studies overseas often choose not to return.
This is a huge waste of much needed talent. But if we are unable to stop this brain-drain, how are we to attract foreign talent? Let alone be
a powerful magnet to bring in the best talent
We pay peanuts and expect talent, foreign or local, to come flocking and be grateful?
Grateful for what?
Many talented Malaysians who have emigrated or who choose not to return after completing their studies overseas had paid for their own education on M & F ( Mother and Father) scholarships.
We have policies that do not favour promotion on merit. We have an administration that is self-absolved in their own survival. We live in a country where corruption in high places is becoming endemic if not worrying.
Instead of foreign talent, what we are attracting are the riff-raff. People with little or no skills who come in and cause more problems to Malaysians and the country than be of any help.
As for the comment of the president of the Malaysian Bar that the opening up of the Malaysian legal profession to foreign law firms would be beneficial including the transfer of technology, this is really laughable.
What transfer of technology are you talking about? Even in the more obvious case where technology transfer makes sense, we have often been short-changed.
We need only ask Proton how much transfer of technology they have benefited from Mitsubishi?
On a different note: the news that China has agreed to send a pair of panda bears to Malaysia as a goodwill gesture of friendship may be a happy one to many Malaysians. But I am more concerned for the panda bears' welfare.
Panda bears are very sensitive creatures. They need special care and environment. What about food and trained personnel to look after them?
The news that they will require some Rm20 million per year for their upkeep is worrying enough. Who is going to foot the bill? Will we be hangat-hangat tahi (Malay for all hot and enthusiastic in the beginning) and then just tidak-apa (indifferent) when the novelty wears off as we Malaysians are sadly wont to be with all things new.
Good though depressing points on both topics :( The increase, or at least the perceived increase, as of course the government is citing a decrease in crime (!) in Malaysia, is not going to attract foreigners, talented or otherwise. Nor is corruption. I know of one Irish enterprise that chose Seoul over KL to set up an office because of corruption concerns. And as for the poor Panda bears? Let's hope the threat of humiliation in the international media should the animals be neglected acts as a deterrent to such. Let's hope :)
ReplyDeleteCan't agree with you more, Johanna. Crime and corruption or the perception of, definitely do not help. As to the panda bears' welfare, I hope so too, except that I am not too optimistic.
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