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We have been saying it all along. That brain drain occurs everywhere. It had occurred since time immemorial. The Jews have migrated from the Middle East for thousands of years. Being so selfish and greedy, they were not liked everywhere they went and history has recorded the various persecutions done unto their race until Hitler did the most atrocious of all persecutions – wiped out some six million of them during World War II. The British and the Americans, perhaps not wanting to be deluged by the Jews running away from persecutions, pointed them to the Middle East, the Jews occupied Palestine territory and unilaterally declared a state of Israel, later recognised by the US, Britain and others.
Those in Malaysia who studied abroad and did not like the conditions at home remained overseas. Some already working in Malaysia left to settle abroad, including one of the earliest Malay surgeons, who for some years have felt homesick and tried to be an arm-chair politician, endlessly writing comments from his home in the US. The Chinese of course use this and the many Chinese who absconded the country as the reason for asking for more and more from the Government. Give us what we want or we’ll leave the country, some would have said. And left they did. And some got stranded in England after tearing up their Malaysian passports or renouncing their citizenship at the Malaysian High Commission, wrongly believing that doing so would enhance their chances of getting permanent stay in Britain.
We must try to keep the genuinely brainy ones in the country but need not persuade the disloyal, non-Constitution respecting, divisive and disruptive ones to stay. And look at the article about the brain drain in China, below. These are the genuinely brainy brain drain. Researchers, academics, scientists. Not the SPM equivalent of UEC students they talk about in Malaysia.
Anyone cares to brain drain now? Or continue using that as an excuse to get UEC recognition or be given scholarships, and the like? Are our politicians still so gullible as to believe that brain drain is a phenomenon existing only in Malaysia? Started wasting millions of Ringgit sending delegations overseas to so-called persuade the fellows to return? Or were they doing so to provide themselves some fun going on overseas junkets?
Then we have the so-called liberals who look at the country mainly from the point of view of getting votes or popularity. They are not liberals if they do not accept the socio-political realities in this country. They are not liberal if they do not cater to the interest of the majority – democracy is based on the wishes of the majority. They are not liberal if they do not always remember that the Malays and the Bumiputeras of Sabah and Sarawak form some 70% of the population and should not be marginalised. They are not liberal if they do not respect and live by the Constitution fully. They are, at best, pseudo-liberals. Thinking they are liberal when in fact they are not.
This includes Minister Nazri Aziz who is lauded in a Chinese newspaper article below. So much has been spoken about this man in adverse terms, too. The Utusan Malaysia Awang Selamat’s article about him is posted below the Sin Chew article. You may say more about him, and about the brain drain, as comments in this post. Some may wish the pseudo-liberals to also drain out. Physically or mentally. Then rejuvenate their thinking. You may say so here. Anything that is fair comment and reasonable expression of opinion. We need reasonableness to sustain racial harmony and forge long-term unity. We need people not to demand recognition for the UEC, a product of a system that does not respect Article 152 of the Constitution pertaining to the National Language.
Let’s discuss these as usual. And for new visitors to this site, you are invited to read the comments and our replies to them as well. The meat can sometimes be not at the centre but at the periphery of the pie as well.
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Debate on brain drain
Opinion 2010-09-20 13:00
China Daily
Beijing, Monday 20 September 2010
The large-scale emigration of Chinese people with technical skills or knowledge has been costing China dearly. Two experts discuss what is being done and what more should be done to curb this process.
Attracting talent from abroad
By LIN JUN
These are the fiercest of times in the competition for talent. China’s rapid economic growth has seen the number of Chinese returning from overseas grow in recent years, starting a new chapter in their lives as well as the country’s history.
With the great changes that have taken place in the global economic pattern, the competition among countries has shifted toward emerging strategic industries and talented people. The economy of a country that has a large number of world-class scientists and technicians can be more innovative than the others that don’t.
China has been implementing a strategy of developing the country through science, technology and education. It has been trying to reinvigorate its strength by taking measures to keep homegrown prodigies, as well as attract Chinese talent settled abroad. To this effect, the government has issued the Medium and Long-term Talent Development Plan (2010-2020).
Overseas talent comprises a special resources group that can propel China’s modernization drive. Since the reform and opening-up, talented people who have returned to the motherland have gradually become the mainstay in almost all walks of life. Statistics show that from 1978 to the end of 2009, the number of students studying abroad had reached about 1.6 million, among whom nearly 500,000 chose to restart their career after returning to China by 2009.
The number of overseas-returned Chinese exceeded 100,000 for the first time in 2009. Nearly 81% of the researchers in the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 54% of the academics in the Chinese Academy of Engineering and 72% of the chief scientists in 863 programmes studied abroad and returned home to make great contributions in their fields.
For the past decade, the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese and the Beijing federation of Chinese returnees have been holding many activities for talented people to better serve the country. In cooperation with provincial federations, the national federation has helped more than 400 overseas scholars conduct research and set up more than 600 high-tech projects for programs such as the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, go-west campaign and the building of a new socialist countryside. It has also helped them sign more than 100 cooperation projects.
With the implementation of the talent development plan and policies, which promote scientific and technological innovation and start-ups, the nationwide environment for entrepreneurship is becoming more favorable for all-around economic development. China has become a fertile ground for all types of talent, from both home and abroad, where they can give full play to their abilities, ideas and business acumen.
Steps to keep talent at home and encouraging high-tech experts to return to China and start their career is one of the most important aspects of the country’s plan of reinvigorating the strength of the nation. This conforms to the requirements to build an innovation-oriented economy. The All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese will continue to hold activities for exchange of innovative ideas for overseas-returned high-tech experts and encourage innovative working mechanisms.
Overseas Chinese and people of Chinese origin have made great contributions to the Chinese revolution and nation-building process. Today, they are an important force advancing the country’s economic development, and scientific and technological progress.
China has entered a key period of building a well-off society and achieving sound and rapid economic and social development. The national federation will create more favorable conditions for Chinese returnees, and continue to encourage and guide them to participate in the socialist modernization drive.
The federation will also promote technological innovation to accelerate the pace of the country’s scientific and technological progress, as well as economic development.
[The author is chairman of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese. The article first appeared in the overseas edition of the People’s Daily.
http://www.mysinchew.com/node/45182
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A class above the rest
Opinion 2010-09-21 18:28
By TAY TIAN YAN
Translated by DOMINIC LOH
Nazri has won the respect of many a Malaysian.
His letter to Utusan Malaysia’s Awang Selamat has been one that really makes waves.
And is particularly useful when tackling the dirty acts of racist politicians.
There are at least three important points which I believe should serve as valuable teaching materials for 1Malaysia, and be widely promoted in the government as well as Umno as guidelines for policy-making and governance.
1. We do not need to submit ourselves to the incensed remarks propagated by Dr Mahathir and Ibrahim Ali.
2. In a democratic country, opposition reps should be treated in a civilised manner. Like the representatives from the ruling coalition, they are also elected by the voters.
3. We must recognise the multicultural political reality of Malaysia, and BN must garner enough support from all communities to continue ruling this country.
Both Ibrahim Ali and Awang Selamat would never treat these facts with respect, for they are lurking behind their nests of racism, failing to see the real Malaysia.
I am particularly impressed by what Nazri said, “I am first a Malaysia, then a Malay.”
Few in Umno have the courage to make such open declaration. Nazri has obviously transcended his party.
His performance over the past few years has been outstanding. Other than having the guts to hit out at people like Mahathir and Ibrahim Ali, he has also attempted to communicate amiably with Pakatan leaders, attended dialogues with NGOs, and defended government policies in public in a much more civilised language.
Some say he is an individualist or egoist, which I do not quite agree. Even if he is, it is not a bad thing after all!
In an increasingly rigid government institution, it is better for any individual to have the energy to seek a meaningful breakthrough than get buried under the weight of a lifeless organisation.
At a time when political awareness is fast rising and information spreads at the speed of light, our political leaders cannot afford to remain passive and live in their comfortable but narrow worlds.
What sets Nazri apart from other politicians is his ability to see the changes taking place in Malaysia’s political ecosystem, the people’s mentality as well as the future directions of the nation.
And he knows where the key of election lies. Once politicians or political parties get dislodged from the social consensus, they will lose the election and the legitimacy to rule.
Nazri doesn’t have any great philosophies, but he is well aware of the country’s political reality, and is taking the pragmatic approach.
This is something many of our government leaders, especially those of ministerial levels, are pathetically lacking.
Most of our ministers would rather choose to hide behind their comfort zones, doing nothing, saying nothing or doing only what they think is safe.
With most our ministers thinking this way, what else can we expect from the ruling coalition or the government?
If BN wants to remain relevant in this country, it needs people like Nazri.
Translated by DOMINIC LOH
Sin Chew Daily
MySinchew 2010.09.21
http://www.mysinchew.com/node/45256?tid=12
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Alahai Nazri…
Bisik-Bisik Mingguan
UTUSAN pernah dikritik oleh Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Nazri Aziz sebelum ini. Awang melihatnya sebagai perkara biasa. Perbezaan pendapat bukan suatu masalah lalu Awang memilih untuk berdiam.
Namun Awang terpanggil menjawab tindakan terbaru Nazri yang lantang mempersoalkan Utusan berhubung isu Perkasa.
Seperti biasa, melalui portal berita pro-pembangkang, Malaysian Insider, Nazri sampai ke tahap menuduh Utusan mempunyai agenda untuk membawa balik Dr. Mahathir Mohamad sebagai Perdana Menteri.
‘‘Saya tidak boleh faham Utusan. Siapa ketua mereka – Najib atau Dr. Mahathir?,’’ kata beliau dalam laporan bertajuk Nazri persoal agenda Utusan perlekeh dasar Najib.
Awang hanya senyum sambil geleng kepala. Tafsiran Nazri begitu liar dan hairan mengapa seorang menteri boleh berfikir sebegitu.
Untuk pengetahuan Nazri, ingin ditegaskan bahawa Awang dan Utusan adalah penyokong Perdana Menteri. Jika hilang jawatan di Utusan sekalipun, Awang tetap akan menyokong Najib. Tiada keraguan.
Maka tidak timbul sama sekali kononnya ada agenda untuk menjadikan Dr. Mahathir sebagai Perdana Menteri. Budak sekolah pun tahu hakikat itu.
Awang boleh faham mengapa Nazri melemparkan tuduhan itu kerana beliau sememangnya anti -Dr. Mahathir. Itulah yang menjadikan beliau tidak objektif. Awang bukan seperti Nazri yang sanggup biadap dengan negarawan yang banyak berjasa. Sebab itu, Awang tidak hairan mengapa akhbar Cina ghairah memperlekehkan Dr. Mahathir. Ini kerana ada pemimpin Melayu sendiri yang membuka laluan.
Kalau suatu hari nanti, Nazri bersara, insya Allah, Awang akan menghormati beliau sebagai seorang veteran dan tokoh berjasa, walaupun jasanya tidak sebesar negarawan-negarawan kita.
Nazri juga menghentam Presiden Perkasa, Ibrahim Ali seolah-olah Ibrahim musuh UMNO. Nazri lupa, ketika UMNO diserang bertubi-tubi terutama selepas PRU12 dan pemimpin UMNO difitnah habis-habisan, siapakah pemimpin NGO yang lantang mempertahankan UMNO jika bukan Ibrahim.
Beliau berada di banyak pelosok tanah air berceramah melawan kerakusan pembangkang bagi membela UMNO dan BN. Awang tidak ingat apa yang Nazri lakukan? Apakah beliau seberani Ibrahim dalam menghadapi pembangkang?
Dengar cerita daripada beberapa pemimpin UMNO, Nazri sudah banyak berlembut dengan pembangkang yang motifnya, mungkin beliau tidak mahu dijadikan sasaran kritikan atau mahu ambil jalan selamat. Menurut cerita lagi, kerana strateginya itu, kini Nazri disenangi oleh ramai pemimpin pembangkang. Kalau benar andaian itu, Awang juga boleh bertanya siapa sebenarnya ketua Nazri. Najib atau Anwar Ibrahim atau mungkin Kit Siang?
Mengenai Perkasa, Nazri harus menerima hakikat Perkasa hanyalah sebuah NGO. Orang Melayu tahu membezakan antara parti politik dan NGO.
Awang sesungguhnya tidak berminat berhujah panjang dengan Nazri. Beliau berjawatan menteri, lagi pandai dan bijaksana. Biarlah orang ramai dan pembaca yang menilai. Awang takut menjadi orang yang riak. Jika Awang dilihat silap perhitungan dan terlanjur kata, Awang sedia menerima apa sahaja hukuman. Tiada penyesalan.
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Updated 26.9.10:
Lagi jawapan buat Nazri Aziz
Tulisan bertajuk Alahai Nazri… dalam ruangan ini minggu lalu, mencetuskan perhatian besar. Pada hari Ahad itu sahaja, Awang menerima ratusan khidmat pesanan ringkas (SMS) dan e-mel menyatakan sokongan. Tetapi itu bukanlah tujuan sebenar Awang.
Sebagai pengamal media, Awang hanya ingin menyatakan kebenaran dengan menyanggah tuduhan liar Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Nazri Aziz terhadap Utusan. Antaranya beliau mendakwa Utusan mahu menjadikan Dr. Mahathir Mohamad sebagai Perdana Menteri selain kononnya akhbar tersebut tidak menyokong Perdana Menteri, Mohd. Najib Tun Razak.
Seperti yang dijangka, Nazri mengeluarkan kenyataan balas menerusi portal pro pembangkang, The Malaysian Insider menghentam Utusan dan Awang Selamat. Ada hujah yang bernas dan ada yang tidak. Nazri menasihatkan Awang agar tidak mencampuri urusan politik negara. Ini kata beliau kerana Awang sifar pengalaman dan cetek pengetahuan berbanding beliau yang sudah empat kali menang bertanding pilihan raya umum.
Nazri juga tidak semena-mena tampil menyatakan bahawa beliau adalah rakyat Malaysia terlebih dahulu, barulah orang Melayu. Apa lagi… para pemimpin Cina terutama Lim Kit Siang dan anaknya Lim Guan Eng – dinasti DAP – memuji Nazri melambung-lambung. Mereka berdua berharap menteri Kabinet lain mencontohi Nazri. Akhbar-akhbar Cina berlumba-lumba melahirkan penghargaan kepada Nazri seolah-olah beliau super hero yang turun dari langit. Pada masa yang sama, akhbar Cina mengambil kesempatan membelasah Dr. Mahathir, Perkasa mahupun Utusan. Awang hanya geleng kepala tanpa sedikitpun teruja dengan kenyataan Nazri mahupun pujian ke atas beliau.
Kritikan
Dalam reaksinya, Nazri menyatakan Awang tidak faham mengapa beliau bersopan dengan pembangkang. Katanya, ia adalah tindakan tepat dalam amalan demokrasi kerana ahli Parlimen pembangkang juga dipilih oleh rakyat.
Maka Awang tertanya-tanya apa salahnya jika Utusan juga bersopan dengan negarawan seperti Dr. Mahathir dan berbaik-baik dengan NGO Melayu termasuk Perkasa yang membawa suara akar umbi Melayu.
Antara faktor ramai orang Melayu menghukum BN pada pilihan raya umum lalu adalah kerana merasakan kepentingan mereka tidak dibela sewajarnya. Ramai pemimpin bukan Melayu komponen BN turut menerima padah apabila Melayu tidak mengundi BN. Awang tidak mahu kesilapan berulang apabila kita mengabaikan suara hati orang Melayu. Walaupun bukan sebagai wakil rakyat seperti Nazri, Awang juga mahu BN dan UMNO menang tetapi tanpa mengguris hati orang Melayu.
Awang sebenarnya tidak mahu perdebatan dengan Nazri berlarutan. Ia tidak akan menguntungkan sesiapa kecuali pihak yang mahu menangguk di air keruh.
Cuma Awang lebih terpanggil menjawab sinikal Nazri berkaitan kemerosotan edaran akhbar Utusan. ‘‘Kedudukan itu dengan sendiri menunjukkan prestasi dan standardnya yang rendah di mana Utusan terpaksa merujuk kepada laporan media alternatif elektronik baru,’’ katanya.
Awang hairan mengapa soal itu timbul. Apakah hanya disebabkan ada kritikan daripada media maka Nazri berusaha memperlekehkan media berkenaan. Apakah wajar menteri pada era alaf baru bersikap seperti itu. Awang tidak mahu mempersoalkan standard Nazri yang sememangnya tinggi. Namun jika Nazri menjadi menteri di Indonesia, Thailand dan Filipina dan banyak negara lagi, beliau akan dihentam habis-habisan oleh media sekiranya itulah cara beliau menangani kritikan.
Kritis adalah hal biasa apatah lagi dalam dunia media. Menegur bukan bererti tidak menyukai menteri atau pihak yang ditegur. Nazri sepatutnya lebih faham kerana beliau selalu menggambarkan dirinya sebagai seorang yang berfikiran moden, liberal dan terbuka. Bagaimana akhbar arus perdana Melayu mahu berkembang jika ada menteri yang tidak boleh sedikitpun dikritik.
Kemerosotan
Dalam soal penurunan edaran akhbar, trend itu berlaku di seluruh dunia sejak sedekad yang lalu. Di Amerika Syarikat, akhbar berpengaruh seperti The Washington Post, New York Times, Chicago Tribune dan LA Times menyaksikan penurunan edaran yang terburuk dalam tempoh 40 tahun. Begitu juga dengan akhbar-akhbar berpengaruh di Eropah terutama di United Kingdom, dengan purata penurunan 10 peratus.
Akhbar Daily Mirror misalnya yang mempunyai sejarah kecemerlangan dan pengaruh yang hebat, tidak terkecuali menerima tempias fenomena global yang melanda industri persuratkhabaran. Daily Mirror pada tahun 2000 mencatatkan pengedaran 2.3 juta naskhah tetapi pada 2009 hanya mencatatkan 1.4 juta naskhah.
(Bayangkanlah akhbar di Barat yang kebanyakannya bukan di bawah pemilikan parti, menikmati kebebasan meluas, ekonomi lebih baik dan minat membaca yang tinggi di kalangan rakyatnya, ketara merosot. Inikan pula akhbar seperti Utusan, yang turut berdepan dengan tindakan boikot oleh pembangkang atas percaturan politik dan agenda kaum).
The Malaysian Insider
Kepesatan teknologi maklumat terutama menerusi Internet ternyata memberi kesan kepada industri persuratkhabaran konvensional.
Pertumbuhan luar biasa laman-laman sesawang apatah lagi laman sosial seperti facebook dan tweeter, ‘memburukkan’ lagi keadaan. Itu belum mengambil kira radio, televisyen dan penggunaan telefon bimbit dalam menyalurkan berita terkini menjadikan pengguna mempunyai banyak pilihan, tidak semestinya akhbar sebagaimana dahulu.
Di Asia, banyak akhbar kategori serius seperti Utusan jatuh kecuali yang berkonsep populis, sensasi dan bacaan ringan. Di Malaysia, banyak akhbar termasuk Utusan turut sama mengalami penurunan edaran. Tidak perlu Awang senaraikan nama akhbar, sesiapa pun boleh membuat kajian.
Mengulas tanggapan beliau bahawa Utusan selalu merujuk kepada media alternatif, Awang percaya beliau maksudkan adalah The Malaysian Insider, yang menjadi kesayangannya.
Untuk pengetahuan Nazri, sebelum pun tercetus isu beliau menghentam Utusan, The Malaysian Insider kerap menyajikan dan menceduk laporan Utusan biarpun tanpa kebenaran. Laporan Utusan asyik dijadikan perdebatan dalam portal itu, yang turut menyumbang kepada popularitinya. Jadi siapa yang banyak merujuk kepada siapa? Mungkin tanpa isu-isu yang dirintis oleh Utusan, portal berkenaan akan merudum sambutannya.
Dalam pada itu, Nazri tidak tahu walaupun edaran akhbar Utusan mengalami kemerosotan, ia harus mengambil kira jumlah pembaca menerusi versi Utusan Online. Jika digabungkan antara edisi online dan cetak, jumlah pembaca Utusan adalah jauh lebih besar berbanding sedekad yang lalu.
Apa yang Awang ingin sampaikan, era menteri semestinya betul dan menganggap dirinya tahu dalam serba serbi, sudah berlalu.
Institusi Melayu
Awang tidak berhajat untuk berdebat tentang Nazri selepas ini. Cukuplah. Jika ada lagi reaksi beliau selepas ini, Awang akan berdiam. Ini bukan soal mencari kemenangan. Dapat menyampaikan mesej, sudah memadai. Awang tetap menghormati Nazri sebagai seorang menteri.
Sekiranya beliau tidak pro-Utusan, yang telah banyak berjasa kepada agama, bangsa dan tanah air, itu tidak mengapa. Tetapi sebagai menteri UMNO, beliau sepatutnya tahu betapa Utusan berdepan dengan banyak kekangan dan cabaran tersendiri. Pun begitu, Utusan tidak pernah berganjak sejak dahulu lagi dalam mempertahankan Perlembagaan, menolak ekstremisme dan mendokong keharmonian.
Adalah dangkal bagi sesiapa menuduh Utusan rasis sedangkan akhbar ini membawa suara hati orang Melayu, yang selama ini sudah banyak berkorban dan bertolak ansur. Ada media yang sebenarnya rasis terutama media Cina dan portal berita, tidak pula diganyang. Apakah perlu ada kayu ukur berbeza antara media arus perdana Melayu dan Cina? Dalam apa keadaan dan tafsiran – ketika lemah, buruk, sakit dan meratap sendirian – Utusan sentiasa ke hadapan berjuang untuk UMNO dan orang Melayu. Maka janganlah perlekehkan Utusan sebagaimana yang dilakukan secara tersusun oleh banyak pihak bukan Melayu. Utusan bukan sekadar akhbar, Utusan adalah institusi Melayu. Awang hanya pertahankan Utusan, tidak lebih daripada itu. KPI Awang dan rakan-rakan di Utusan bukan soal jumlah edaran akhbar semata-mata. Sejak sebelum merdeka lagi, akhbar ini tidak pernah lari daripada tugas menjaga kepentingan agama, bangsa dan tanah air. Apakah itu menjadi masalah kepada Nazri dan sesiapa jua?
http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2010&dt=0926&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Rencana&pg=re_04.htm
Kempen SSS 
Salam,
Out of the 600K+ Msian emigrated how many are brainy?
The speke d engelish n sy maleesiya mali let them emigrate la
Good riddance beb!
Most Msians that I know of plan 2 go back at a certain point
These Msians are not brain drain
These are brain ‘deposits’ if U get what I mean
Recently a Malay chap with PHD in Nano-robotics just went back
The UK Gov gave him a few £mil grant to make smaller nano robots
He finished the R&D n went back to serve Msia when Gov invited him back
The carrot was just 2 AP for car n a job as researcher
He did not even have money for a house or whatnots
The AP was given to his father in law & wife took back a car for personal use
Many like the chap took National service when called
Those who declined are mainly the unpatriotic pseudo-liberals
They give 1001 reason why the hate Msia and always accuse their Tanahair treated them like a step child
Fucking hell if their Tanahair treated them very poorly like the Apartheid regime of SA how is it possible 4 them 2 have decent work skills & the money to emigrate?
They should be blaming the fucking Chinese Taikos working closely with a few Bumi elites to monopoly/cornering/rigging/manipulating the markets & bolot all the economic benefits of Msia for their family/clan/business guilds members
PNB/GLC/EPF which belongs to millions of Msian regardless of race hold a fraction of Msian economy maa.
These psedo-liberals should be up in arms with the majority of right thinking Msian asking for the real bastard to pass down the meat instead of crumbs for all to share.
If they cant c this then its good they emigrated.
When the poor becomes the majority of Rakyat the streets will be filled with beggars
“Never in the history of mankind so much belong to so few” ciplak sket Churchill
Yet these unpatriotic pseudo-liberals bastards accuse the many middle & bottom class Rakyat of all the ills in Tanahair
Fucking Iggit
If assaulting is not a crime I would make it a daily ritual to sepak celah kangkang pseudo-liberals
A kick in the junk is the antidote for otak sewel melalak salah tempat
Go give a try geng
p/s Nazri Aziz is in town for the Hari Raya bersama Menteri2 & to participate in Program Professional Pulang some catchy shit name I cant think of. Maybe I’ll kick his celah kangkang n save all u guys from verbal shit coming from him lately. ha ha ha. UTK & SB PDRM Im just kidding okay. I know u can trace my IP but its just a joke. I will go to eat the ‘free’ food paid from my tax portion when I worked/ASB/Zakat in Msia.BTW I had diarrhea from the last Malaysian Hall Hari Raya celebration.Potong beb.
DingDong,
Those studying abroad and not returning usually do not have a clue about loyalty to the country. It’s a big shame despite being “educated” abroad and supposedly to be broad minded. They are not thankful for that which has enabled them to reach whatever position in life, be it a first degree or a PhD. Those on scholarships are a double whammy. The private scholars should realise that they have used facilities in Malaysia up to the date they went overseas. We are proud of people like the Glaswegian who commented below saying he can’t wait to be back in Malaysia upon getting his PhD.
By and large the “abscondees” do not mix much even when abroad, probably do not have foreign friends that would help widen their perspective, are in the circle that keep airing their grouses to one another. Those from Chinese schools are likely to continue their anti-Establishment stand and anti those who want Chinese schools to be merged with the national schools using Bahasa Malaysia as the medium of instruction. One wonders if they have ever been taught or listened to talks about unity, loyalty, nationalism and patriotism.
Many of these people are incorrigible. Especially now when there appears to be a breakdown in social values and norms and so much anti-national and seditious statements uttered and written. The money and manpower spent on trying to woo them back may be better spent on propagating good values to society at home. Organising civic classes, talks and lectures in schools, colleges and universities. Tackle the young as there’s still hope yet with them. The often-said leaders of to-morrow.
Many of the young have very little knowledge about the Constitution. About the history of this country and the background to the drafting of the Constitution. About respect for and living with the Constitution. About the responsibilities of a citizen and being loyal to the country of one’s citizenship. These need to be taught to the young. So that they’ll grow into responsible and loyal citizens. And they have not heard of, do not understand or do not accept the Social Contract. That which had the Special Position of the Malays and the Bumiputeras of Sabah and Sarawak written into the Consitution and the non-Malays get a right to citizenship in this country. If they cannot accept it, it may be beneficial for this country and more conducive to national unity to let them stay in the country whose Constitution they can accept.
The Government should engage a team of well qualified and experienced motivation speakers to talk to University students at ordinary campus seminars and talks. Especially in the local universities. Dr Fadzillah Kamsah is an example of a good motivation speaker. Those who can answer and ride through any haranguing or verbal harassment in a hostile crowd. Those who can be politicians but choose not to. Pay them well. Get such programmes conducted on a sustainable basis.
Salam,
We met a few Minister during their recent trip to London & Dublin. We suggested few ideas to encourage more Msian professionals to take up the Program Professional Pulang ke Malaysia (PPPM). We presented a brief memo with some figures & benefits.
From the feedback we received from around here many want to go back to help Malaysia but due to lack of fund (rumah/kereta AP/private school fees/kahwin/sufficient savings etc) or waiting to complete the minimum required years for PPPM therefore postponing their return.
For ur info those meeting the minimum required amount of years worked abroad in a specialised industry but only recently passed their relevant professional papers are not qualified for PPPM.They must be full members which could take between 3-5 years.Example a fund accountant in London with 7 years experience who just finished his professional papers in 2010 must wait until 2013 before being admitted as a full member.Malaysia need the fund accountant this year since our vision 2020 is in 10 years time.No time to lose.Plus the fund accountant might find it very hard to return after spending 10 years of working life abroad not including probably another 5 years as undergraduate thats almost like the majority of adulthood away from Malaysia.
We suggested small changes to the to PPPM which will benefit not only the professionals and increase qualified/professional workforce but the automotive industry of Malaysia as well.From our latest publicly available data of potential participants and suggestive amount spent per AP of RM100,000, Msian car dealers of imported & National car could get RM35 billion.Not to mention many will take hire purchase with local banks to finance the purchase.We reckon many spent more than RM100,000 for 2AP duty & tax free car since average luxury sedan cost £40,000 each so thats £80,000(RM400,000) for two.
Instead of money being spent here buying 2 cars cash, the professionals will bring in more money back 2 Malaysia.They will pay only a small portion for car d/payment and extra money could be invested in income generating units or other necessities.
Gov of Malaysia will get its much needed modal insan + foreign money 2 help Malaysia become more competitive and hopefully drive our country to modern state club.
We told the Ministers its a win-win situation.The response we received was quite positive.The Ministers asked us to liaise with the Embassy to get the latest Gov data & figures that we need to complete our report/suggestion/letter/wateva b4 submitting to MITI.
We would start sending around the draft of suggestion and benefits of improving the PPPM around our small circles. The problem is we need some publicity in order to get more suggestion/input/critics to the draft to improve the PPPM.
We are just professionals working abroad without any networking except facebook & IM.Plz dun blame us since our life is just work with little social interaction (ada laki,bini,anak sket,few friends&colleagues only) n limited opportunity to build networking.
Please email me if SSS & Co willing to help since our main objective is to get as many ‘brain deposit’ not the good riddance type back to help Malaysia make that final leap to the promised land.If we let them(padahal including us ;p) continue residing abroad chances are UK,US,China & India will benefit from these Malaysian brain deposits.
Please spread the word around and we sincrely hope SSS with its long networking tentacles could help somehow.
Its very sad to hear that some senior civil service members with JUSA rankings resisting attempts by Political leaders to recruit more professionals & specialist from local or abroad into the civil service.They r looking for their member sebulu interest.They do not want competition and feel threaten.What is this crap.As a civil servant their duty & to an extent life is for the Tanahair not pangkat & poket.
DingDong,
We are replying to this comment of yours early as the subject matter requires so. What you hear in London or Dublin is a surprise to us. It may be a situation where the statements made of the senior civil service members need to be studied in the light of resistance to policies not quite in conformity with important aspects of the Constitution. Especially if such statements were made by the so-called liberal political leaders.
There is check and balance built into our system, in this case between the political masters and the executive. The executive are the civil servants who execute policies desired by the political masters. Those policies are often designed, under instruction of and in consultation with, and approved by the political masters. But the New Economic Model (NEM) is a new approach where the National Economic Action Council (NEAC, the nature and permanency of which is not clear in terms of the executive) engaged foreign consultants to do the job, and at exorbitant fees. Economic policies used to be drawn up by the Economic Planning Unit of the Prime Minister’s Department, in consultation with the relevant Government Ministries, especially the Ministry of Finance, Trade and Industries. Often the economic policy so designed and approved had the input of most if not all the Ministries, including the Statistics Department which provides the statistics on which the policies were framed.
The purpose and the objective of employing the foreign consultants to draw up an economic policy of a country quite foreign to them is not known. The NEAC is headed by a former CEO of Malayan Banking whose views about economic development may have been purely economic and business-like, whereas it should be socio-political as well. Even in the US, President Obama took pains to ensure the interests of the poor, specifically the Blacks, the Hispanics and the Asian Americans are looked after in the economic policies drafted by his people. When in March 2010 the NEM was announced, many people were shocked at the sidelining of the New Economic Policy (NEP). There were screams asking for the basis in determining the assumptions used by the foreign consultants, whether data from the Statistics Department were fully utilised and whether such figures were up to date. The Deputy Prime Minister said up-to-date figures would be made public but we have not seen them until now. After the feedback, including “workshops” with Perkasa and economically well-informed members of the public, the PM saying in Parliament that the 30% Bumi equity objective will be retained, the NEM was supposed to be finalised in July this year but we have not heard it being declared as finalised until now.
Meanwhile there have been fairly loud noises made on matters pertaining to non-respect of the Constitution, including our Kempen SSS speaking for single-stream schooling but no satisfactory response heard beyond the statement that it “will be implemented when the rakyat wants it”, yet not responding to our proposal for referendum being the best and safest method to determine whether the rakyat wants it now or not. There have also been mischievous and nasty attempts at discussing, even questioning the Malay Special Position, which is protected under the Sedition Act, but not curtailed by the relevant authorities, presumably based on their reading of what the political masters want. There are even those subversive fellows daring to draft “a new constitution” as revealed by the Perak Mufti recently, one which presumably is based on a Republican system, omitting the role and functions of our Rulers, thus in effect throwing out the Special Position of the Malays. All these must have become sources of concern not only to the public, like manifested by Perkasa (now said to have four retired Generals and retired senior Police Officers as members), but also to the civil servants who are mindful about the Special Position of the Malays and the Bumiputras of Sabah and Sarawak, and Bahasa Malaysia as the National Language, as enshrined in the Constitution.
Dato Seri Najib himself has complained publicly about “the innovative spirit” of the civil service, implying a lack of a willingness to change. We need to remember that the civil servants are not unwitting people, having had tertiary education, many years of experience both hands-on as well as at seminars and conferences locally and abroad, and those in the higher rung of the Administrative Service or ADS are generally not known to be corrupt. The lack of “innovative spirit” or wilingness to change may be a manifestation of disagreement with the ways affairs of state are being conducted by the political masters since the days of Tun Abbdullah Badawi. Many Klang Valley voters gave their votes to the opposition or refrained from voting at the last general elections; Klang Valley is home to very many Civil Servants.
The “sebulu interest” that the senior civil servants you mentioned are looking for may refer to those who are able to look at the country’s development from the overall perspective of complying with the Constitution fully, respect for Article 152 on Bahasa Malaysia, Article 153 on the Special Position of the Malays and the Bumis of Sabah and Sarawak, and on unity fully based on the Constitution of the country. Not the so-called liberal or pseudo-liberal ones. The political leaders are motivated by votes and the civil servants are not. When the latter may not be prepared to fully support mainly vote-getting policies, the former may call it resistance. But we should appreciate the check and balance existing in our system, otherwise it may perpetuate unfair tendencies like marginalising the interests of the vast majority of the population who have been left far behind economically and educationally.
Salam,
I agree with most of ur comment esp re NEM but would like to add my opinion on resistance from civil service from taking professionals & experts into the civil service family.I agree NEAC experts are overriding the function of EPU & many Ministry.Yes politicians main focus is vote but few of them know what is their priority in a public office.To serve the Rakyat at all cost.
When I said ‘professionals & specialist’ from local or abroad, I’m referring to Malaysian experts,professionals & specialist not foreigners.Not the experts & consultants type in NEAC.These Malaysian experts,professionals & specialist will not become DG,KSU or JUSA.They will start working in a grade befitting their experience & skills.Taking a lil bit of time acclimating to environment.
These Msian Im referring 2 are born & breed Malaysian willing to sacrifice their decent and comfortable life 2 help Msia move forward.Imagine the impact to the family as a whole especially school going children.They have to leave behind a world that is common to them and start a new life.New school,social cliques,education system & syllabus.Not to mention foregoing the decent pay cheque they get weekly.
A few of them wants to serve the Gov n join civil service. But they r being told to start from a lower grade not befitting their experience and work skills.Imagine a Big 4 auditor with 6-10 years experience start at a graduate/lower level in Jab Audit Negara or Min of Finance.He could easily be a Manager in the private sector.Economist/Bankers with 10 years experience starting as a junior in Gov Dept.Where is the logic in that?Reasoning – they must be downgraded to avoid uneasiness among officers waiting in line for promotion for years – respect seniority – we sacrificed for small pay for years – now is my time – even if I did not earned/up to it.
Look at the quality of junior batches of PTD who will be the future of civil service senior officers.Many of them are not 1st class honours graduate or employee with the right type of skills.Yes some brainy workers/grads r good in the ‘lab’ but poor at work but the chance of getting quality work from them lil bit higher than an average performing Joe.
Most of the creme from local & foreign Uni/Colleges are taken by the private sector or working abroad.Those who pass the PTD test easily due to networking or dah tau what type Qs will be asked during interview & test. Practice and memorise what to say and when to say so everything looks honky dory and pass with flying colours.
I get few complaints/rumblings from friends working in Jab Kerajaan.The main complaint is Ketua Jabatan/Unit is not able to distribute the workload of the Jabatan/Unit fairly since the really good ones are getting fewer by the days.The ketua2 are scrambling to get the few good ones pinching one from another.
The chosen ones (specifically in EPU) are given too many jobs and they cannot focus on the job.Too many Heads/Chief/Bos/PA Menteri to report to.This in turn will affect the quality of the job produced and time taken to complete.
From my previous personal experience working in a very demanding and dateline based environment it does wear down the body,mind&soul.Even your dream at night is about your job.You wake as if you were working t/out the night.No play all work makes Jack die faster or worse Jack resigns from civil service and join the CONsultant bandwagon.Small pay,heavy workload & many sacrifices will open the door to temptation of benda2 jahat too.
The average performing(not majority) Gov Dept Officers(not clerks) are doing what?Working as an average Joe more interested in punch clock 9-6 while waiting for the weekends and monthly pay cheque and the regular seminars & working trips.They are few in numbers but kerana nila setitik Rakyat hilang percaya.These Joes say kerja byk nanti lupa akhirat.
We need to emulate a proven or further improve the system to ensure high quality officers coming into the civil service & tru the ranks by looking at a few modern countries with excellent civil service system.Ours is good but we want to make it the best until Harvard Business School and LSE teach our model of civil service in their courses.
Start with the intake of ‘PTD’ or management trainee officer etc.Recruit direct from Universities or head hunt the best.Ensure pay is higher/better.With higher quality officers, the civil service will need lesser in numbers in order to get a job done and less bureaucracy which in turn saves more time.
The Gov knows it cannot continue to focus on quantity but quality.They realised that majority of jobs should be created in the private sector.With a slimmer civil service the pay for all officers inc clerks will be higher.Yes I know the private sector is being dominated by pseudo liberals or closed door Chinese companies Mandarin speaking only/advantage.
We need to tackle all the problems at the same time.No more, we do this first then this later.End up high unemployment rate/low wage work among Bumiputera and the majority get frustrated not being able to get a good job in both public or private sector.With the growing imbalance in wealth distribution,what will happen after that,we all know very well.Amok.
Pak Lah & the reign of 4th floor caused many Msian their sleeps and extra time that could be made better used of.We know why, its our concern for the future of Malaysia and our children and next generations.Just like you guys in SSS.We are at a crossroad.Many important decisions & sacrifices to be made.
With the impending GE in 2011.Time is running out.All is fair n lovely in the world of Nur Kasih,Astro & daily commoners life.But in the hearts of many thinking Malaysians especially Bumiputera the uneasy feeling is growing bigger by the day.If the Gov fail to address important issues on time and the Opposition/Opportunist/Anti Unity/Chauvinist group continues to seek power/agenda at all cost,then Im afraid everybody will lose in the end.Menang jadi arang,kalah jadi abu.
-Majulah Malaysia utk Semua,Nikmat dikongsi Bersama-
DingDong,
You raised an interesting subject that attracts an early reply. Incidently, one of us had a lengthy conversation with an ex-senior Government Officer on this subject only last week. The matter of “seniority and juniority” that has been all pervading in government service. Of square pegs in round holes. Of misfits and deadwoods. A huge and burgeoning bureaucracy. But, while the information we provide below may be fairly accurate, it should not be regarded as the gospel truth.
Your sense of loyalty and patriotism in wanting to serve our country is laudable but there may not be many good news for you in terms of your expectations as far as government service is concerned. It may not be the place for the restless at heart who wants things done fast and business-like. There’s still a lot of protocol and long-established procedures, references to various departments, endless meetings and bogdowns due to late or lack of response. Understandably, a housing development approval requires the written OK from about a dozen departments. But on other matters discretion could be applied where the decision can be faster. The upside is wrong decisions are minimised, the downside is it’s pretty darn slow in decision-making.
Regarding the Administrative and Diplomatic Service (ADS, which holds posts that lead to the positions of Secretary Generals of Ministries and Chief Secretary to the Government), recruitment is via the Public Services Commission (PSC) interviews arranged by the Public Services Department (PSD), which is under the Prime Minister’s Department. The level of intake – whether at the lowest or intermediate or “Superscale” level – is determined by the PSD. Enquiries or applications for posts should therefore be addressed to the PSD. It is headed by a Director General but with the rank equivalent to a senior Secretary General. The PSD DG is, in fact, one of the “Top Three” who decide on major recruitment and promotion issues, including promotion to Superscale D and above (rangeing from G upwards to A and “Staff” appointments).
Recruitment is invariably at the lowest “Timescale” level. There have been exceptional cases where higher-level specialist posts were created and, where there are existing serving Officers with the qualification and the minimum years of working experience required, they may also apply. The PSD has been moving with the times, arranging for the training (scholarships and training are also their business) at first degree and post-graduate levels for jobs in sophisticated fields in line with government policies. We have, for example, an astrophysicist and cosmologist in the person of Dr Mazlan Harun but we may not have many nuclear physicists to enable us to develop our own nuclear bombs like Pakistan did. In the field of accountancy, it may not be just specialists in “financial engineering” and financial models, but also in the various branches of the economy, like Stock Market specialists, etc. The chances of recruitment for those post-graduates on government scholarships is good but “posting” to the desired positions, Departments or Ministries is not assured. “Seniority and juniority”, we are told, still holds sway in Government Service.
[To be continued]
[Continuation]
DingDong,
Positions in Government Service provide security of tenure unmatched anywhere else. As DPM TS Muhyiddin said, even a Minister cannot sack or transfer senior officers who have been confirmed in service. Long-established procedures require a lengthy process of Disciplinary Board appointment and hearings conducted by the PSD (which also handles terms of service and discipline) such that recommendations for dismissal, after approval by the PM or the Minister designated to look after PSD, need the YDP Agong’s assent. We are told that often those with unsatisfactory performance are merely “permanently overlooked” for promotions, or given the post of “Co-Ordinator over something but means nothing” – an insignificant job, but not sacked. Government positions may therefore not be what the enterprising and go-getting Malays should aspire to. Secure, cozy and fairly comfortable but there are many good ones already in the important posts and waiting in line.
There has been a slight trend of “going outwards” from Government Service. The enterprising ones leaving for the private sector which invariably offers higher pay, or for business, “to answer the call” for greater participation by Malays in “the culture of profit and risk-taking or of doing business and wealth accumulation”. This, too, is a laudable attitude and trend. There must be more Malays doing business and accumulating wealth to push up the 18% Malay corporate wealth ownership figure. Of course, Malays do not have a culture of doing business and it is a bigger risk than the average Chinese faces, considering that. But we have to continue what has been started by many, with varying degrees of success.
Perhaps a stint of employment in the private sector in the relevant trade and lines of interest would be useful, not only in learning the trade but also building up a network of contacts. Networking and contacts are so necessary for the Malays in business. While there are the Malay entrepreneurs associations here and there, they are different from the exclusive Chinese clan associations and business guilds that have traditionally, and for generations as part of their culture, been helping members of their clans progress in business etc.
It has been thought that as we progress in nationhood, and as has even been proven, more and more Malays get qualifications than there are jobs in the Civil Service such that the spillover would fill in whatever jobs that may be available in the private sector in Government-Linked Companies (GLCs) and even purely private enterprises. And that, when these, too, are saturated, Malay graduates would be trying their own businesses. There have been reports of graduates in the humanities, perhaps minimally required in private firms, staying in the kampongs trying a business or two and getting some measure of success, at least able to sustain themselves. Of course, the success stories are difficult to come by but, especially during economic slow down periods, such efforts have started to be made by unemployed Malay graduates. Let’s hope more will succeed, and big-time, too. It’s the balance that you speak about, necessary for long-term unity.
We realize that encouraging Malays to try the business field is easier said than done. It’s tough competition out there, with dog-eat-dog practices being done and Malays facing unfair competition when considering Malays have no culture of doing business compared to the Chinese who have been at it for hundreds if not thousands of years. But hopefully the Government retains the New Economic Policy fully in the New Economic Model and seriously widens the distribution of the NEP benefits to non-cronies and the new and struggling Malay businessmen. They have to do this if they want better chances of staying in power after the coming general elections.
Dear admin,
Please help me edit the bahasa lucah n publish my comment
I get emotional when commenting on this SSS
I have questioned the existence of Sekolah Racist since I was 13/14.
After a few decades only this matter is brought to the spotlight and debated openly.
DingDong,
We do appreciate your “early adulthood” in realizing the problem with vernacular schools. There is the opinion expressed that the British allowed the setting up of Chinese schools because they thought that the Chinese, being stateless in then Malaya, were transient and would be leaving the country anyway, perhaps like those working to build the railway lines in the US and as gold diggers in California in the 19th Century. But, unlike the American Government, the British colonialist government did not want to spend the money expatriating shiploads of them back to China – remember, every cent extra they could find they’d rather send to England whose financial resources were in ruins after World War II and the huge revenues from India were lost when India became independent.
The British agreed to Malayan independence not without twisting the arms of the then Malay leaders. That very argument of the Chinese being transient was used by the British during the independence negotiations and the drafting of the Constitution. They got citizenship right and the Malays got their Special Position written into the Constitution. Bahasa Malaysia got written as the National Language of the country.
Now it is the job of the Government to ensure that Social Contract and the National Language are respected by all. The Government has to show the way. But DS Najib has apparently been obsessed with getting PRU12 run-away Chinese votes. He has said that the single-stream schooling system will be implemented “when the rakyat wants it”. He has not said how to determine whether the rakyat wants it now or not and we have suggested that referendum is the best and safest way for him to do so. It appears that the obsession with votes has blocked his ears to our calls for the merging of the vernacular schools with the national schools. We have to continue shouting for it relentlessly.
I guess the love-hate relationship between the non-bumis and malays (don’t think Sabah and Sarawak bumiputera has that problem with non-bumis) is gonna to be there regardless which party rules the country.
It takes maturity of one to accept (not “tolerate”) the other person not of his own kind as fellow Malaysian.
The only way to force racist minded to respect others is to intro Race Relations Act since many can’t self-regulate.
what is race relation act?
u want to legislate human relationship between races?
serious shit?
hahahaha
so anybody who say bumi this or bumi that or melayu this that can be jailed or fined?
wtf
will it b like the current situation if non bumi maki hamun chauvinist demands ok but not vice versa since its racist
the minority can be racist & chauvinist but not the majority since it will not sell news nor votes?
where is freedom of speech
even the real racist like KKK can demo in any US streets under Gov protection
jual this race relation act to country like Bosnia la wey
DingDong,
We also do not understand what this race relations act is all about and what it can do to promote better race relations in this country. No one can regulate people’s likes and dislikes. It is difficult enough to get people to respect the Constitution and live by it fully. The Constitution which is the foundation for the existence of the country, the highest set of laws from which all other laws emanate. That the principles of which have been agreed among leaders of the major communities during the discussions for independence, that which was debated by the representatives of practically all the communities and approved in Parliament, once at independence and another time at the formation of Malaysia.
The Constitution is the supreme law of any democratic country. Unity can be achieved and race relations maintained just on the basis of living by the Constitution. As this is a multi-racial country, the rights and interests of the various communities have been spelt out in the Constitution. The non-Malays have their right to citizenship and the Malays as well as the Bumiputeras of Sabah and Sarawak have their Special Position. Fully respecting those are sufficient for the maintaining of racial unity in the country. Including respecting Bahasa Malaysia as the National Language.
To protect the sensitivities of all citizens, there are provisions in the Constitution that are prohibited from being discussed or questioned. These have been spelt out in an already existing Act – the Sedition Act. If all Malaysians abide by that Act, it is sufficient for the maintenance of good race relations in the country. A lot of race problems in the country now is due to non-observance of the Sedition Act. It is good that the Prime Minister has recently made a statement about monitoring people’s statements in the mass media. The authorities have followed suit by taking such actions as hauling to the Police Stations for questioning and investigation the Namewee fellow, even Members of Parliament like those for Teluk Intan and Lembah Pantai.
jebat’s fren,
Accepting the other person not of his own kind as a fellow Malaysian depends a lot on the Malaysian-ness of that person. That Malaysian-ness is reflected by his/ her thinking and behaving as one. One may not be thinking and behaving REALLY as one if one does not respect the National Language, wants schools with the medium of instruction other than the National Language, does not respect the Social Contract entered into by the leaders at Merdeka, having got citizenship does not respect the quid pro quo viz the Special Position of the Malays and the Bumiputeras of Sabah and Sarawak, and does not live by the Constitution of the country fully.
As DingDong has commented above, what actually is the so-called Race Relations Act? Can the people be forced to be friendly with one another? Are not only like-minded people drawn to one another? People are like-minded if they are all agreed on respecting and living by the Constitution of the country.
To use your word, the “force” that can be done is by the kind of laws and the military or dictatorial rule that Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines had, that made the newcomers adopt local names, dress like locals do, attend only one kind of schools, even didn’t allow lion dances and the like.
You need to think very seriously about who among Malaysians that “can’t self-regulate”. The very simple fact of not respecting and living by the Constitution, the very basic requiement of a citizen, is telling on who “can’t self-regulate”, don’t you think?
Dear Admin,
I personally feel that let this so-called “brain-drain” happen. Do not try to stop it.
I think, thefirst quality of a citizen is being patriotic, I mean, he has the sense that ” there is no other country in the world beside his tanah tumpah darah. His country is second to none. To further illustrate this “patriotism”, let me just quote one of two Malay proverbs which really hit the bull-eyes.
“Di mana bumi dipijak, di situ langit dijunjung”
“Hujan emas di negeri orang, hujan batu di negeri sendiri”
The country may not be the No. 1 in the world (say like USA), but the country remains No. 1, ALWAYS, in his heart and soul.
Such sense of “patriotism”, we would not have to woory about him. He may learn the best of “robotic technolgy” elsewhere, but be very sure that he will come back to serve his country even though he will be paid by “batu”, not “emas” for his services.
For those whose “dont sink” together with his beloved country, who prefer “hujan emas di negeri orang”, who wants money & wealth more, how smart they are, is not worth keeping him as citizen. Let brain drain happen to this kind of “hollow” citizen. I am sure he will also behave the same in his “new” country. So it is no loss at all for “brain drain” to happen, in fact, it is GOOD RIDDANCE!
About the same point that you have raised before in your previous article, HERE.
Kenn,
The so-called brain drain referred to in comments here and there in blogosphere and the newspapers is a general term that includes all sorts of people, not the scientific researchers, academics, engineers and scientists or high-tech experts that China is interested in as mentioned in the first article above. Hardly any of such people migrated from Malaysia because we don’t have many, anyway. The few high-tech experts we have should be happy here because of the lack of competition and they should be getting what they want. Such people are not known to have strong political views; Professor Stephen Hawking, the renown physicist and cosmologist, for example, expresses views on the existence of God, in line with his professional interest, not on which political party he prefers.
It is true that there has been emigration of people from this country. But this has been going on since the British colonial times, such that the British then had used the term “transient” for the Chinese when trying to persuade the Malays to agree on the proposal of citizenship for the non-Malays during the talks on independence.
Those who left from then until now were looking for greener pastures, perhaps spurred on by disgruntlement of sorts like they did since hundreds of years previously in China. From historical records, the Kheks clan, for example, migrated from north to south China partly because of the incessant wars, which included the Mongol attacks, which finally succeeded in conquering China under Genghis Khan. Disliked by the southern Chinese, some left for Penang/ Malaya, and are still disliked by the Hokkienese, Cantonese and other clans here in Malaysia to this day. Quite a number of them would have left for Australia, Canada and Britain, especially those residents of the then Straits Settlements of Singapore, Malacca and Penang who could claim British Overseas Citizenship and were readily accepted for permanent stay in Britain.
In recent times in Malaysia, those badly influenced by the divisive and anti-national propaganda of the opposition, including the so-called Malaysian Malaysia crowd, packed their bags the moment they can raise the funds to meet the requirements of receiving countries. One can read comments in blogs about “having suitcases ready” expressed by those who dislike the situation in the country, have no respect for the Constitution and no sense of loyalty to this country. “Migration consultants” of all sorts even advertise their services – they find it profitable to do the business of luring the disgruntled ones to migrate. But these are not the “high-tech experts” or people owning factories employing scores of workers that we need be concerned about.
The few wealthy business people who might have packed up and gone did so for the lure of cheaper labour and more attractive investment terms in the newly developing countries like Vietnam and Cambodia. This, again, has been the trend in business which occurs all over the world. The billionaire Robert Kuok, for example, never put his eggs in one basket or in one country. He has offices in Singapore, Hong Kong and elsewhere – the shrewd businessman started to build a hotel in China even as talks about Malaysia starting diplomatic relations with that country had just begun.
Most of those who migrated were the by-and-by category. Among the estimated 1,000 who were stranded in Britain after tearing out their Malaysian passports or renouncing their citizenship (on the mistaken belief that it would enhance their chances of being allowed permanent stay), only one was reported to be a professional – a not-successful architect from Penang who appeared to be unhappy even with DAP rule in the state. The 99.99% others were really Malaysians of no consequence who had no loyalty to this country. Loyalty cannot be rammed down people’s throats. Those who refuse repeated advice about loyalty and even criticised Bureau Tata Negara’s civics courses, need not be pleaded to stay or to return home. The time and money can be spent on productive activities.
From the way I see it here, brilliant Malaysian minds are definitely not draining to this part of the world. Most of us waste no time in packing up to return as soon as we’ve got our PhD’s. The only folks I know who decide to stay are these tukang2 masak I met downtown. I used to frequent their restaurant as their nasi lemak is sumptuous, but one day one of them decided that they have got to tell me how they truly feel about Malaysia and how they don’t think they will ever want to go home. Their parroting of the same old lies was the only reason I needed to decide to stop eating at their place. Hell, I’ll even learn how to cook myself a nasi lemak if I have too but never will I spend a penny there anymore. Tak malu. Kutuk2 Malaysia tapi branding restoran jual makanan Malaysia.
Glaswegian,
Those migrants to UK working as tukang masak and the like are hardly Bahasa Malaysia speaking, most likely having attended Chinese schools in Malaysia, mixed only with their own kind in a segregated society not respecting the Malaysian Constitution fully, exposed to a daily deluge of the so-called Malaysian Malaysia propaganda from the Internet, friends, colleagues and family members. Over time, they developed into a time bomb and luckily exploded outwards to UK etc.
Since a few years ago when the British Government ceased honouring the British Overseas Citizenship of those resident in Malacca and Penang for permanent stay in UK, many of such fellows simply overstayed in UK under the social visit pass normally valid for a period of 6 months. That’s a fairly long time to allow them to find like-minded employers who would employ them, providing in situ accomodation, paying them usually at much below market rates. They don’t mind the exploitation by kin and kindred so long as they can say go to hell with their country.
And their country returns the gesture, we are quite sure. There’s no value at all having these people who have no sense of loyalty to the country, let alone patriotic feelings, which are one level above loyalty. They’ll exploit each and everything they can to sustain and further their own selves and, having got what they want – Pounds and Pence – they would not care less for anything else. The kind in Malaysia who would break a queue and pretend as if they have not done anything wrong when getting in front. The kind in Glasgow who would form the closed society like those of the Chinese restaurants in Soho, London.
We believe that those who attend National Schools, mix with children of other races, learn a thing or two about acceptable norms of behaviour and have some compunction for the need to follow the general trend, like respecting and living with the Constitution of the country. Anyway, let them respect and live by the Constitution of the country they are in now – until the British find out the status of their stay in Britain and, hopefully, won’t repatriate them back to Malaysia or the renegades choose to move on to places like Canada. We have enough problems with those lacking in loyalty staying in this country and badly need to have the Satu Sekolah Untuk Semua (SSS) proposal unhindered by the likes of them. We badly need unity in Malaysia now and we can do better without them.
You and your friends who plan to return would be very welcome back to this country upon completion of your PhDs. And do continue participating in the discussions on how we can get long-term unity in our country now and after your return.
Among the reasons they are pseudo-liberals:
1. They are not educated enough. If sufficiently educated, they would know and respect the Constitution and not dislike the country
2. They are politically gullible. They want votes and try to show they are broad-minded to cater to the chauvinists when in reality they are not. To the point of being irresponsible, not really concerned about the consequences of their words and actions
3. Poor knowledge of history, of the indigenous races, of the fight for independence, of the Social Contract and the Constitution
4. Trying to show off and pretending that they are better educated than the others
Halim,
We agree with the reasons you have given.
Another reason someone has said during a friendly conversation is that these people have not been sufficiently guided and imbibed with a sense of belonging to their race by their parents during adolescence. He pointed out that extremely busy people like Tun A Razak would not have the time to guide his children about the struggle of the kampong folks since the days the British came, the difficulties they face to eke out their daily stipend, despite the rural development schemes many still have a from-hand-to-mouth existence, that these people’s hopes and aspirations are merely such things as the NEP benefits like scholarships and places for the smart ones among their children to study in universities and jobs that will enable them to help lift their families out of poverty for the first time in generations or even in the entire genealogy of their ancestry.
It must be realized that it’s only after they have been lifted out of poverty and ignorance would they be able to join the process of levelling the playing field and face open competition thereafter.
A nation is made up of communities and the interests of all communities must be taken care of in order to have long-term peace and prosperity. The economic and educational needs of the communities are the most important. It is liberal-ish to want to make the economy grow well to provide for the economic needs of all the communities. But it is not liberal to remove or sideline the mechanism for bringing up the economic and educational position of one community near that of the more advanced one – it is unwitting not to ensure the continuance of the NEP in the NEM. It is too politically bloody minded to place attention on vote-getting at the expense of the rights and interests of the vast majority of the population – the Malays and the Bumiputeras of Sabah and Sarawak.
Those holding political power need to realise that being liberal is being fair. It is not fair to marginalise the interests of the majority. True, the rights of the minorities must also be protected. But it can be done without affecting the interests of the majority. They must remember that the Constitution provides for the Special Position of the Malays and the Bumis. That Special Position entitles the Malays and the Bumis to special treatment. Malaysians are equal in all aspects other than the Special Position under Article 153 of the Constitution. Leaders not recognising that fact are not liberal but politically gullible. Thier parties should have them drained out in the interest of long-term peace and prosperity.
Utusan,
Nazri bukan anti-Dr Mahathir. Dia anti diri-nya sendiri. Haha, jenaka sikit ni masih Bulan Raya. Harap dia boleh joking le.
Dulu dia kata dia pertahankan boss dia. Siapa saja. Sampai ada yang panggil dia bouncer. Ada yang kata dia liberal. Kononnya.
Tak nampak kata kata dia yang geliga. Selalunya mengentam saja. Apa kah itu saja gunanya dia. Najib memang dipercayai gembira bila Nazri menuding TDM kita. Sebab TDM bidas yang tak betul dibuat boss dia. Dulu dan sekarang juga.
Khairul,
Nazri adalah jenis yang perinsipnya tidak tahu kemana. Jikalau dia kata dia mempertahankan siapa sahaja boss dia, Tun Dr Mahathir pun juga boss dia disatu masa dahulu. Sebenarnya dia, seperti juga Dato Seri Najib, telah diberi peluang berjawatan tinggi didalam UMNO dan didalam Kerajaan dimasa TDM memerintah. Dia telah menggigit tangan yang telah memberi dia kemudahan disuatu masa dahulu. Dia telah berbuat demikian juga bila mempertahankan bossnya sebelom ini, Tun Abdullah Badawi. Sekarang digigitnya lagi tangan TDM untuk mempertahankan bossnya yang ada sekarang, Najib.
Orang seperti ini jauh dari liberal. Liberal ialah pendirian yang boleh dipuji. Orangnya baik, banyak pengtahuan, luas pemandangan, saksama dan adil. Dimana baiknya dia bila dia menggigit tangan bekas seorang boss bagi mempertahankan boss yang satu lagi. Di mana adil dan saksamanya dia bila berpendirian kaum Melayu yang ketinggalan jauh dibelakang boleh diketepikan dan dilebih pentingkan kaum yang sudah maju jauh kehadapan kerana mahukan undi mereka. Dimana banyak pengtahuan dan luas pandangannya bila dia tidak nampak yang ditepi hidungnya bahawa Melayu dan Bumiputera Sabah dan Sarawak ada Kedudukan Istimewa didalam Perlembagaan negara. Pada hal dia seorang loyar.
Memang dia tidak pernah nampak geliga. Orang Cina pun berkata demikian, seperti kata penulis rencana Sin Chew itu. Dia dipuji hanya kerana kata-kata dan tingkah lakunya banyak menyenangkan hati orang Cina yang sentiasa mahukan lebih didalam apa bidang pun. Nazri membantu agenda Cina dengan kata kata dan perbuatannya, umpamanya terhadap Perkasa. Pada hal Perkasa hanya mahu mempertahankan dan memajukan hak dan kepentingan Melayu. Dilihat oleh sebahagian kaum Cina sebagai menghalang kemajuan mereka. Nazri menghentam Perkasa dan dengan itu menyokong kepentingan Cina. Dimanakah liberalnya dia bila mengenepikan kepentingan kaumnya sendiri dan sebaliknya membantu kemajuan kepentingan kaum lain yang sudah jauh lebih maju. Yang benar benar liberal membantu kepentingan kedua-dua kaum mengikut nisbah yang sewajarnya. Ini sudah liberal terbalik. Bukan sahaja pseudo-liberal tetapi juga liberal songsang.
“encouraging high-tech experts to return to China” –
Don’t they want the no-tech demonstrators without Police permits, the subversives wanting terrorist Chin Peng to enter Malaysia?
Xavier,
We hardly have high-tech experts in Malaysia. We are not advanced in science and technology as Western countries or Japan, and now China, are. They have their own people send satellites to outer space; we buy services for the satellite Astro and our telecommunications companies use. We don’t have many companies dealing with precision instruments, those that deal with advanced weaponology, precision bombs and delivery systems.
Pakistan has so many nuclear physicists and had been able to produce their own nuclear bombs and reasonably sophisticated delivery systems. Our own nuclear physicists have the capability for the maintenance of nuclear-driven power facilities, but the last time there was discussion on this subject in the mass media, they were still talking of nuclear power plants construction, installation and commissioning by foreigners, like the French. We have no high-tech experts to “export” or disgruntled such experts to migrate to China or elsewhere.
If China wants the subversives and communist terrorist sympathisers to return permanently and these fellows in Malaysia are willing to migrate there, they are welcome to do so. A large part of the problem with national unity is the propaganda of such people against such thing as single-stream schooling and the Special Position of the Malays and the Bumis of Sabah and Sarawak.
They go to the extent of trying to re-write the history of the country by saying in Wikepedia and such places that terrorist Chin Peng and the Malayan Communist Party were nationalists. This is far from the truth. It is believed they were part of the group that the Mufti of Perak said had a “new constitution” (drafted), presumably without Bahasa Malaysia as the National Language and the Malay and Bumi Special Position left out. The idea itself is repugnant to the Malays and the Bumis. The subversives and the communist sympathisers will cause unrest in this country and we can do much better without them for harmony and peace.
Utusan Mlaysia kata “Nazri begitu liar dan hairan mengapa seorang menteri boleh berfikir sebegitu”. Dia bukan fikir, selalu main godam ikut sesuka dia. Inilah orang Lenggong ni. Apa deme pangge – liberal ke hape ke.
Orang Cina pun tahu dia – “Nazri doesn’t have any great philosophies” kata penulis Sin Chew tu. Bukan “great philisophies”, apa falsampah pun die takde. Main terojah saje.
Salam,
I was looking forward to meet Nazri personally during the recent Program Raya bersama Menteri2 in London & Dublin. He cancelled last minute.Missed the chance to ask him point blank r u Muslim First or Malaysian First.Terbelit nanti lidah nak jawab.Because if I say Im Malay first it means Im Muslim bcz Melayu ialah org Islam amal budaya & gaya hidup Melayu.
Ada yg bgn tido awal waiting eagerly just bcz of Nazri – semua sekarang buat lawak – ko Melayu dulu ke Nazri(sarcastic).
DingDong,
Cancelling last minute a scheduled Hari Raya pogramme involving a Minister for Malaysians overseas who have been eagerly waiting for the opportunity to meet and hear him talk is disappointing, to say the least. But then perhaps this can be expected of a Minister like Nazri. He often says what he likes, perhaps even often does what he likes or doesn’t like. The respectable blog called Jebat Must Die wrote an Open Letter to him 1-2 posts ago. It was suggested that Nazri is at the end of his political career. If so, he would not care a damn about the implications of what he does or doesn’t say, or do.
Talking about Malaysian First or Malay First is very much opposition DAP Lim Kit Siang line, hitting at DPM TS Muhyiddin, etc. That’s why when Nazri asked Utusan Malaysia Awang Selamat whether Tun Dr Mahatir or Dato Seri Najib is his boss, some people asked Nazri whether Lim Kit Siang or Najib is his boss. Similarly, his hitting at Dato Ibrahim Ali and Perkasa, that Lim Kit Siang, MCA President and others have been hitting previous to that. They also asked him whether he is defending and promoting the interests of DAP, MCA etc, instead of UMNO.
In the interest of long-term unity, let us first get Malay unity. Without that the Malays, who are the majority in the country, would be further exploited and it would lead to critical divisions within UMNO, BN and the entire Malaysian society. The Malays, and UMNO in particular, must find leaders who are thoughtful, principled and would genuinely protect and promote Malay interests. It is not racist to do that. It is racist if others like the MCA-sponsored Economic Congress tries to get the 30% Bumiputera equity abolished. Racism is where there is antagonism towards others. Wanting the Bumi equity abolished is antagonistic as clear as bright sunlight. It’s also seditionist.
Nazri should be speaking against them, not for them in hitting Perkasa which has been asking only for the protection and promotion of Malay rights and interests, not taking anything away from the others. This is probably the reason why they say Nazri is at the end of his political career. If Najib re-appoints Nazri to his new Cabinet – if and when it comes about – he would be doing so at his own peril. Many Malays have been shouting for his blood in recent times.
Sayong,
Bukan sahaja penulis diSin Chew berkata Nazri tidak bijak orangnya. Seorang penulis diMalaysia Star pun kata, “He may have made many silly comments before or what people remarked as shooting his own foot etc”. Dia pernah berkata Dato Seri Najib mahu melantiknya kejawatan penting sebagai ketua badan pengangkutan negara tetapi tidak lama selepas itu Najib melantik Syed Hamid Albar. Nyatalah didalam hal ini dan lain’lain “silly comments” dia telah tembak sini dan tembak sana mengata yang tidak benar. Dia juga menembak sini menembak sana menghentam orang, seperti Tun Dr Mahathir, Presiden Perkasa Ibrahim Ali, penulis rencana Utusan Malaysia Awang Selamat, dan lain lain lagi.
Nazri pernah dipanggil orang sebagai “bouncer”, ia-itu memukul orang yang mahu merosakkan diri atau peribadi bossnya. “Bouncer” itu biasanya terdiri dari orang dari “underworld” atau gengster. Dia nyata coba memukul secara lisan bossnya dahulu, TDM, dengan kata kata yang amat perit. Ini dipanggil sesetengah pihak sebagai Melayu cepat lupa. Tetapi dia sengaja mahu menunjukkan dia mempertahankan boss dimasa masa berkenaan, seperti Tun Abdullah Badawi, dan sekarang, Dato Seri Najib.
Nyata dia tidak liberal. Orang yang liberal tidak berpendirian dan bertindak demikian. Dipercayai dia sekarang dipenghujung karier politiknya. Sama ada dia sudah tidak peduli lagi apa jadi kapada politiknya atau mahu memukul gendang menarik perhatian bossnya bahawa dia masih berkhidmat dengan apa cara sekali pun untuk bossnya dan mahukan jawatan didalam Jemaah Menteri bahru bila ditubuh nanti. Blog Jebat Must Die ada menulis surat terbuka kapadanya.
Hi DingDong and SSS Admin,
We have added your insightful comments as a blogpost to the site, talent-corp.blogspot.com.
Inspired by your discussions here, we thought it will be a good idea to keep track of the latest brain gain program and also to share with prospective returners the real situation that awaits them shall they return.
That is the reason we are highlighting your enlightening comments on the actual situation on the ground.
With thanks.
TalentWatch,
We regret the slight delay in replying to your comment. We are pleased that you have included the comments here in your site. It’s always good to widen readership of views and opinions that might help promote understanding, goodwill and unity.
The ideal is where the Government plans and generates the availablity of jobs at public and private institutions that will suitably use the expertise of those educated abroad. The Government used to be able to do that to a major extent decades ago when economic growth was perhaps in tandem with the developmental needs of the country. Basic developmental needs then did not involve much science and technology. Even so, most students from Malaysia studying abroad on private funding did not register with the Students Department / Malaysian diplomatic mission at the country concerned.
We are advised that there was no feedback on the kind of qualifications acquired by such private students. This includes those studying at institutions that are not recognised by the Government because of low standard of degree programs, etc. Not only in the Middle East, but also in the United States. Some universitis in the United States are so liberal that being baseball players considerably add to admission eligibility, and perhaps passes as well. Such students would find difficulty in finding jobs if they return to Malaysia. This is one aspect of the so-called brain drain that has perhaps not been talked about.
Many of the private students are from the vernacular schools. As well as those adventurous products of national schools who may not have the basic university-level entrance qualifications and the means to support themselves. Britain has for decades previously been lax on foreign visitors. Those from the Commonwealth countries get a maximum of six months stay in United Kingdom, without visas, as tourists. Quite a number of Malaysians, Malays and non-Malays, find the means to buy a ticket to UK, or work their way there as sailors, etc. There are communities of Malays living in UK for many decades in such ports as Liverpool. Having got there, they worked their way (illegally) to sustain and study part-time to gain basic qualifications for study at academic or professional institutions. There have been those who went to UK without even having the equivalent of the General Certificate of Education and end up getting automobile or mining engineering diplomas and return, working with the title of Engineers. Those staying in UK for about 10 years to get such qualifications may, many years ago (UK then recognised the British Overseas Citizenship for residents of the former Straits Settlements), have been entitled to get permanent stay and they chose to stay.
Those who left Malaysia with disgruntlement, not accepting the local conditions in this country, not respecting and not wanting to live with the Constitution of the country, may not be welcome back. They have the right to return if they have not adopted another country’s citizenship – Malaysia does not allow dual nationality – but they also have a right to not come back. Those who respect the Constituiton and are willing to live by it may be persuaded to return. But it must be done on a systematic basis. Find out the opportunities – real vacancies existing locally – for those with the qualifications to return. Otherwise they’ll get more disenchanted with the Government asking them to return, uproot themselves from wherever they may have been entrenched, only to find no suitable opportunities here. Ideally, such wooing of “brains” should be done during good economic times. Not all brainy people are loyal. Service to country may not be higher on their priority list than service to self. This is true all over the world.
It is not right to spend money wooing such people just for the sake of votes. There are a lot of votes not only from the returnees but also from those who read it as the Government being concerned about its citizens. But the Government must be more concerned in the citizens living in this country now. It should wait for Malaysian economic conditions to be thriving before wooing those abroad. To say that they need these “expatriates” to help improve the economy may be a chicken and egg issue.
thanks for article
kablo tv,
Welcome for visiting and good that you like the article. We have a problem of people using the brain drain as an excuse to get what they want or to pre-empt what they don’t want to happen. They are really unreasonable people in this country, Malaysia.
They want the certificate produced by their fully independent schools to be recognised by the Government. They cannot be recognised because they are schools wich do not conform to a provision of the Constitution of the country stating that Bahasa Malaysia is the National Language and should therefore be used as the medium of instruction in all schools. Those wanting their certificate recognised are the Chinese schools which use Mandarin as the medium of instruction. There are various adverse implications if the Government were to recognise it. There have been loud ramblings against the Government doing it.
They also do not want the Government to “standardise” the schools in the country by making it compulsory that the vernacular schools use Bahasa Malaysia as the medium of instruction. The Prime Minister has said “the single-stream schooling system will be implemented when the rakyat (citizens) want it”. We have been campaigning for it and are awaiting for the PM to take active measures to implement it.
The proponents of Chinese schools try to make propaganda of a so-called brain drain if the certificate is not recognised. That argument does not hold water because it involves students aged 17 and the qualification is only, at best, equivalent to the General Certificate of Education under the British system.
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