A vexing problem in many countries, including Malaysia, is the brain drain. Through the passage of time, while our government tries (or think it does) to develop the education system (I reserve my comments on this one), we can see the alarming trend in the mass exodus of qualified professionals such as technologists, technocrats, engineers, scientists, doctors and engineers to the developed parts of the world. Personally, many of my friends have or are in the process of migrating and I too would have left, if not for my age.
Sadly, what one country loses, another gains (especially a particular neighbouring country) and I firmly believe that this loss of much needed brain power has seriously hindered the development of our country.
On one hand, the government dishes out scholarships to students of different calibre based on different criteria; on the other hand, many of these scholarship recipients do not come back to Malaysia and much money goes down the drain as the brain drain continues. Granted that these professionals get their training, locally or abroad, at the expense of the tax-payers. Certainly, the opportunity cost of training these professionals is beyond computation!
Where medicine is concerned, the costs of sending scholars abroad for their training is ridiculous, especially if we bear in mind that many choose not to return, thereby robbing the country in broad daylight for instead of choosing to serve our country whose citizens paid for their education via taxes, they are serving in a foreign country instead.
As it stands, many job opportunities for professionals are lacking in Malaysia, especially in research and further development. Some of them vegetate for long periods because they are unable to find suitable employment locally. Thus, it is no surprise that many top notch scientists do not return to Malaysia for they have a thirst for the latest knowledge and to be in the place where knowledge expansion can be maximized, something which is a rarity in Malaysia.
Apart from that, are they willing to give attractive perks and higher salaries on par with those of developed countries? Even if they did, would the support staff have the technological expertise to assist them? Let us not forget the added attraction of better social and public goods in those countries as compared to ours, especially in education.
Has the government done anything to ensure that scholarship holders fulfil their obligations? Hundreds of thousands of scholars never return and millions of ringgit are flushed down the drain to train these ungrateful characters. What has the government done to recover the money wasted on these ungrateful irresponsible scholars? What are the statistics to show the actual situation? Have they brought to task these absconders? Have they tried to provide employment opportunities for qualified persons with adequate and attractive opportunities for employment?
The current political climate would most probably have exacerbated the problem. Like what I discussed in my post called My Sons, please look for greener pastures, who would want to return to a country where so many uncertainties exist? I sincerely wonder if the politicians wonder about the impact of their public bickering in the mass media on various issues which creates more instability and disharmony than anything else.
Let’s face it. The dictum “Man does not live by bread alone” does not wholly appeal to professionals. Some may be patriotic but many may not be patriotic enough to forgo their material advancement. I would say it is more than just a lack of equal opportunities..I would think it is largely material needs and the desire to be in a country that promises a better future for the next generation that compel many to go in search of ‘greener pastures’.
But does the government care about this brain drain? Or do they prefer that the smart ones leave so that they do not cause trouble by raising issues or awakening the masses? Perhaps they prefer to resign themselves to mediocrity because it is less threatening. Do you think the authorities concerned have tracked trends of the brain drain in terms of variables such as age, sex, profession, expected salary etc?
Do you think they bother to rectify the situation?
I doubt it,
And so the brain drain continues and if the authorities concerned do not nip it in the bud, our country is likely to go down the drain…
*sigh*
2 comments to THE BRAIN DRAIN
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Unknown Dear Antares,
Yes, indeed you are right. I am so sorry I forgot about that. Thanks for knocking some sense into my one-track mind because I was considering it from a narrow angle.
If truth be told, many don't have hearts and souls any more and need to go back to basics to find themselves, if they still exist.
:-) Take care and please continue to be my moral compass :-).
hugs
Starmandala Brains aren't the only consideration. Hearts and souls are much more important, I feel, and those qualities are in dire need of replenishment too!