National Brain Drain Above Global Average!

Brain drain is a slang term that indicates a substantial emigration or migration of individuals. A brain drain can result from turmoil within a nation, the existence of favourable professional opportunities in other countries, or a desire to seek a higher standard of living. In addition to occurring geographically, brain drain may also occur at the organizational or industrial levels when workers perceive better pay, benefits, or upward mobility within another company or industry.

Source: https://www.thestar.com.my

Brain drain causes countries, industries, and organizations to lose a core portion of valuable individuals. The term is often used to describe the departure of certain professionals, including groups of doctors, health care workers, scientists, engineers, or financial professionals. When these people leave, the places they leave are harmed in two main ways:

1. Expertise is lost with each emigrant, diminishing the supply of that profession.

2. The (country's) economy is harmed because each professional represents surplus spending units.

Professionals often earn good salaries, so their departure reduces consumer spending in that region or the country overall.

The Human Resources Ministry is drafting measures to tackle the brain drain phenomenon, which at 5.5 percent of its population is much higher than the global average of 3.3 percent. 

According to the United Nations Department of Economics and Social Affairs (Undesa) in 2020, the main destinations for the Malaysian diaspora were Singapore, Bangladesh, Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States and Brunei. Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad has a heavy task to reverse this trend. Perhaps they will focus on people with high skill-sets, i.e. those with PhDs in the sciences, ICT, new technologies and other similar sectors.

While there isn't an easy fix for brain drain, there are some things that business and government leaders can do to reduce or minimize it. These include:

• Increase investments into certain areas of the economy

• Offer competitive wages

• Pave the way for legal and social reform

• Improve the quality of resources, such as housing and health care

• Provide affordable housing solutions

Khairy Jamaluddin claims that the brain drain Malaysia is facing is not only due to higher salaries being offered abroad but other factors including the feeling of being second class citizens, especially for the non-bumiputras.

Not many want to leave their homeland unless there are the “push” and “pull” factors. If you are considered a “pendatang” in your own country, why bother to stay; if you pursue a policy that does not value excellence, then why bother to stay?; if you have the best facilities but not the people to operate it, why bother to stay?; if you speak about R&R all the time, including in sports –why bother to stay?; if you have a grand vision but little else, why bother to stay? So, the brain drain will continue, because like water, it will find its own level!

References:

National brain drain rate of 5.5 percent is higher than global average, Bernama/Malaysiakini, 8 March 2023

Wages not the only reason behind brain drain, says Khairy, FMT Reporters, 29 September 2023

Brain drain: definition, causes, effects and examples, Julie Young, Investopedia, 30 April 2023