Come home lah Malaysian Professionals...
Malaysia’s GERD/GDP was at 0.69% in 2002 – small change when compared to the more than 3% of innovation powerhouse Japan, 2.92% of Korea, 1.89% of Singapore and 1.6% of China. Our target is to reach a GERD/GDP of 1.5% by 2010.
Studies have shown that investing in R&D has a positive effect on economic growth, so this can only be a good thing for local SMEs.
We’ve been trying for several years now to attract highly-qualified overseas Malaysian professionals to come home to relight the spark of innovation in this country. How successful has the programme to encourage Malaysian citizens with expertise residing overseas to return home been so far? A paltry 300 out of an estimated 50,000 professional and technical Malaysians who are living in Singapore, the US, Australia, UK etc. And we haven’t yet taken into account the 100,000 or so students being educated overseas – how many of those would eventually decide NOT to come back?
In an age where the only borders are in our minds, I find Malaysia’s race-obsessed economic policies sadly limiting to our country’s progress. I think years of closeted nationalist policies have also made us become xenophobic to the point that when for example a foreigner is called in to head up a local company (much less a GLC), the invariable response from the Malaysian is “What?? Can’t a local guy do just as good a job or better?”
The point isn’t so much that our own citizens can’t do a good job but that there simply may not be enough home-grown talent around. So I guess if we as a nation don’t really like foreigners, then at least let’s get back some of our ‘exported’ talent and have them inject some new thinking.
posted by hew @ 4:09 pm
11 Comments:
just like me.....do not wish to be back.
reasons:
safety
low pay
red-tape
corruption
3rd world mentality
yep sadly it's a case of the head wanting to do the right thing but the other parts of the body going in other directions... to each his/her own i guess
Everytime I go "home" to holiday I'm tempted to stay because I have so much fun, and I still have a lot of family and friends there. But then I realise that holidaying, and living and working in a place are two very different things.
The race-based policies, although designed with good intention, it's bad for both bumis and non bumis.
FACT: The world doesn't care what race you are. It's performance that matters most.
FACT: Any race based policy is discriminatory, regardless of whatever were the "good intentions" behind it.
FACT: There's no "protection" of any kind in a fully competitive industry.
The powers that be in Malaysia is in severe need of realising the FACTs above. Without this, whatever plans they have will fail miserably anyway.
I left since late 90s and never look back since. I was asked if I'll ever return. Maybe. I've been thinking about this a lot lately. However, I do not think I have the so call "talent" the government wants anyway.
"Azmeen said...
The race-based policies, although designed with good intention, it's bad for both bumis and non bumis."
OH really ,bad for both bumis
if only UMNO knew that
Sadly our infrastructure (expecially in IT) no matter what you have heard, is not up to standard yet. Then there is also this issue of people trust foreign companies then home grown companies.
Sad case la, even really qualified people who wants to go back is required to go under some probation period. Just like a certain doctor who is world-famous but the government requires him to go under probation again. Hello, he's a world-famous liver specialist, his patients include highly-respected world leaders. Sad la, Singapore got him eventually.
I'm goin to say "I respect Azmeen" for the reason he's not those type that hide behind goverment protection.
With people like him, we can go farther.
Personally, I cannot say Patriotism has been part of me. Say national service, it did nothing to instill patriotism among my friends.
They finish NS, they take a plane to Australia, Uk and none plan to come back to Malaysia to work.
Their reasons?
Whyever for? I'm not being paid my worth, and my money's tiny in value.
I guess we're young, but the ways of Malaysia has somehow planted greed and "me first" among us.
At 4:39 PM, January 18, 2006, yothemans.com said...
just like me.....do not wish to be back.
reasons:
safety
low pay
red-tape
corruption
3rd world mentality
Brother, I add one more thing for you: plagiarism.
Someone can steal your work with impunity, and get away with it, and you will have no legal recourse if they have _connections_.
Also, I see education system.
Students plagiarize, but they don't get expelled.
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