New perspective on ‘brain drain’

(The Sun) – “What is important is we be in touch with them and say ‘how can you contribute back to your country’, I am not going to penalise you for working abroad, I’m not going to call you a traitor for leaving Malaysia”

The Malaysian diaspora of professionals working abroad should be celebrated as valuable assets to build global networks and not seen as an issue of crisis in the country.

Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin (pix) said that the so-called “brain drain” in the country is being looked at in the wrong perspective.

“Is it a bad thing that there are Malaysians working around the world? No, because to me, you can’t look at Malaysians all over the world as a drain, you should look at them as our assets and global networks to link up with,” he said.

He cited India as an example where their best and brightest go abroad to work.

“Some of their (India’s) best and brightest young people are in the United Sates running companies like Google and Pepsi,” he said at a talk series called the “Rise up with Leaders series” organised by UCSI University and its scholars circle called U-Schos.

“We should look at Malaysians abroad as beachheads or as individuals who can assist in getting more Malaysians abroad. I would love to see more Malaysians working in Facebook, Google and Tesla because it adds value to the country,” he said.

He said that it is imperative that these individuals abroad are constantly engaged by the government to see how they can contribute back to the country.

“What is important is we be in touch with them and say ‘how can you contribute back to your country’, I am not going to penalise you for working abroad, I’m not going to call you a traitor for leaving Malaysia,” he said.

“I want to celebrate you, I want to say that you are a part of a Malaysian diaspora who succeeded overseas but we want you to contribute something back home, this is what India is doing and what we should do,” he added.

He explained that those extremely talented individuals whose skills can be best utilised abroad should go.

“Do not look at it as a liability but as an asset for the country,” he added.