Post Wawasan 2020: Where to, Malaysia? Part 2continued.………. While many countries in the world were attracting the best brains, we were happily removing them. The biggest beneficiary of our best brains was Singapore. Singapore, a country without any natural resources has to depend on its best brains to become a regional business, financial and research centre. They knew the only way to … …
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While many countries in the world were attracting the best brains, we were happily removing them. The biggest beneficiary of our best brains was Singapore. Singapore, a country without any natural resources has to depend on its best brains to become a regional business, financial and research centre. They knew the only way to survive and develop is via knowledge-based economy or k-economy. They started their Asean scholarship program in the 80s to attract the best brains of the region to come and study in their university and be bonded to work in Singapore for at least 7-10 years (no one leaves after that). Those who enrol into their university by merit were also given scholarship with a bond. These not only attracted the best brains to study, work and remain in Singapore but also made their universities, one of the best in the world. Across the causeway, we were doing the opposite. We chased away the best brains using race factor. We sent our best students of certain race to overseas countries to study via MARA and JPA scholarship, instead of retaining them in the country. Many never returned back to serve the country. MARA loans/scholarship never had any bond with the government. I have seen many Malays who were under MARA and JPA scholarship happily working in Australia, UK, Ireland and New Zealand till today. As far as I know, neither MARA nor JPA had ever released the figures of how many remained overseas upon completing their education. It was only in 2016 when JPA decided to stop sending students overseas (except for those courses that are not available locally and the top 50 students) but indeed sponsored them locally in private universities. MARA was still sending students overseas but gradually reduced those who were sent to western developed countries due to cost.
Australia removed their all-white policy in 1973 and started their planned migration policy. The motto was “either you populate or perish”. They started one of the best migration policies in the world, attracting skilled workers into the country. Skilled workers, especially of young age were automatically given residency status even before they sat foot into the country. They were given the same benefit as the citizens, minus eligibility to vote. Racial Discrimination Act was passed in 1976. In 2001, they allowed dual citizenship. For those who are working in Australia under other visas, they were given residency status (PR) in 2 years. Due to some abuse of the system, it has now been extended to 3 years since 2018. And after 4 years of residency in total (including the 3 years of stay for PR), you are eligible to apply for citizenship. In Malaysia, we were too proud of our nationalism. I had foreign friends who were married to Malaysians who received their PR status after more than 10 years, going up and down the immigration office multiple times and being insulted several times. Till then they had to renew their social visa yearly which do not allow them to work unless you are granted a work permit. These were skilled professionals. We were going into negative balance. The best leaving the country, none coming into the country. I have seen some comments saying, who said people are not rushing to Malaysia to work, look at the number of foreign workers in Malaysia! They forgot one thing for sure, these are unskilled labour force! They don’t contribute anything to the country except building structures. Do they pay tax? Do they provide any intellectual ideas? Nope. They are lowly paid untrained labourers, and they send their money back to their homeland, outflow of money.
By mid 1990s, Malaysia was a rich country. We had all the natural resources that was giving us all the money we wanted. We had industries coming and investing in Malaysia. Our surrounding neighbours except Singapore and Thailand were in turmoil. Indonesia was facing dictatorship of Suharto (till 1998), Philippines was being swindled by Marcos and family till late 1980s (still suffering from its aftermath for past 30 years), Vietnam recovering from war, Cambodia was recovering from civil war, Burma was under military rule and China was just starting its open market policy in early 1980s. We were plain lucky to be able to attract investment with a good english speaking professionals, good infrastructure etc. Unfortunately, we did not have skilled workers or even the labour force as the time went by (people refuse to work in these sectors due to low pay). The investors had no choice but to import foreign workers which resulted in more money than expected being spent. Corruption in the civil service increased the cost further. We did not have minimum wage policy till 2018. We were in the middle-income trap. Instead of investing in k-economy, we were more interested in keeping cost low so that investors will come into the country. We were more interested in having grandiose and delusional ideas of building the tallest, biggest, longest this and that when other countries have moved way beyond that philosophy. Buildings do not make you a developed country, knowledge does. Cronyism became rampant and millions were lost. Unfinished projects were a norm, but the money was gone. All in the name of supporting Bumiputera entrepreneurs. That’s why it is known as “piratisation”! By 1999, when the Asian Financial crisis happened, we were doomed. We never actually recovered since.
Within the country, we were more interested in privatisation, or shall I say “piratisation”. Education and Health should be government’s responsibility. Instead of building more hospitals and recruiting more brains, we were more interested in allowing private hospitals to mushroom. Almost all private hospitals in Malaysia are GLC owned aka government owned, basically government’s left pocket! The public health system was stretched to the maximum with minimum number of staffs to run it, the effect of which can be seen now during the COVID outbreak. “You tak suka, you boleh keluar” motto prevails. Many of the best brains again left to the private sector and overseas. Doctors demanding higher pay? we shall flood the market with doctors! Then came the mushrooming of private medical colleges, which can even run in a shop lot complexes (the first in the world). We currently have the highest number of medical schools’ per capita population in the world. I had written enough about this for the past 10 years. Whatever I predicted since 2006 has come true. I shall not repeat those over here. We are in total mess. The dire need of our healthcare system was exposed by a virus. We are like an emperor with no cloths!
To Be Continued……………
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Post Wawasan 2020: Where to, Malaysia? Part 2
