YOURSAY | ‘The incentives that TalentCorp cannot give are a fair and just society.’
Fewer Malaysians returning under TalentCorp scheme
Clever Voter: The whole concept of TalentCorp was ill-conceived, wasteful and hypocritical. Luring Malaysian overseas with incentives are inefficient use of resources. Local talents who chose to remain were ignored, although not inferior in terms of their skills and experiences.
The reasons why people work overseas are mostly better pay and opportunities. It’s that latter that irks most as many may not benefit from equal opportunities.
However, unwanted headlines from political scandals to economic uncertainty are discouraging those overseas from returning home.
For many, the government leaning towards Islamic rule also annoys many liberal-minded individuals. Above all, the weak ringgit is not exactly an incentive.
TalentCorp will continue to waste its resources simply because they cannot influence events beyond them. It is at the very least a PR exercise for PM Najib Abdul Razak.
SusahKes: “We want to celebrate Malaysian talent abroad and leverage on that talent," said TalentCorp CEO Shareen Shariza Abdul Ghani.
It's the local talents that we don't celebrate too much, do we? Consider the news report just a few days ago, where we read a local girl was not given a Public Services Department (PSD) scholarship in spite of scoring 11As.
And when local talents get disillusioned, they leave. And then the government sets up a counter-productive agency like Talentcorp to attract them back. That my friend, doesn't sound so talented.
Dont Just Talk: A simple common sense rule is that if the federal government under Umno has been giving scholarships to deserving candidates instead of seemingly mediocre ones, then TalentCorp would be redundant in the first place.
After 60 years of Merdeka, the government is still doing the same thing and is expecting different results.
Wira: Yes, if we cannot even give scholarships to our top brains to study overseas, what chance is there to reap their effort when they become sought after by others?
We are trying to get those horses back after they have bolted.
Xed: Why give incentives for Malaysians to return when there are Malaysians who have stayed on? Do the ones who stayed on get rewarded?
The incentives that TalentCorp cannot give are a fair and just society; sufficient social and welfare support for the needy; more respect for and protection of women, minorities, refugees, foreign workers, prisoners, detainees, and the disabled; freedom of ideas; no racism; no religious bigotry; less crime and corruption; free and fair elections; a good education system; a credible system of justice; an efficient public administration; no cronyism; and civilised behaviour from Malaysian motorists, motorcyclists, and pedestrians.
Shibboleth: Indeed, TalentCorp, tax incentives and duty-free car will not attract Malaysians to return. Money is not a be-all and end-all.
Tan Kim Keong: What would make talented Malaysians return or better yet even consider returning?
Only when this country is constitutionally free from all forms of institutionalised racism, religious supremacy and discriminatory government policies based on race. Otherwise, most of the talent will be foreigners who would be here for only one thing - money.
Just look the recently-concluded research findings that was funded by CIMB Foundation. Fix the root cause - institutionalised racism, religious supremacy and discriminatory government policies.
Senior Citizen: Honestly speaking, who wants to return and serve a government which is called a ‘kleptocracy’ by the US Department of Justice?
TA: TalentCorp, there are people who have returned to Malaysia since the big oil slump but it is unfortunate that alleged discrimination in all its form rears its ugly head.
The Rapid project in Pengerang is one good example. We would rather hire a foreigner for RM50,000 a month than a qualified local with overseas experience for less than RM15,000, and we get a recruiting manager from Singapore who tells us that it is the best rate?
In what way are we Malaysians inferior to a Western expat or expats in general? Are all the years of experience spent slogging overseas worth nothing?
Apa Nama?: TalentCorp will never be successful under the current regime.
On one hand, they want the talented one to come back, but on the other hand, they are creating more reasons for these people who are normally smarter, less racist, less corrupt and acknowledges merit to leave this country.
Peacemaker: Malaysians now living and working abroad can see the glaring inequality, racism, unsustainable government policies and the clear Islamisation agenda of the BN government.
No way will they return and subject themselves and their families to such a regime after enjoying equality, freedom of speech and equitable rights in their host countries.
Pemerhati: The Umno government should also realise that Malaysia is increasingly becoming an unattractive place to live permanently for talented people who come from stable and secular developed countries.
The only reason they would come here is if they are paid very much higher than what they earn in their own countries.
After earning a sufficient amount of money, they would rather go back to their safer and secular environment where their children can study in much better schools, and if they are capable enter the much better tertiary institutions on merit and without the type of discrimination seen in Malaysia.
Fair&Just: Have a heart. Let those minority types stay overseas. Don't con them back like our forefathers were conned by the media of the day when there was no Internet.
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