PM's call to tap our local talents fully

Posted on September 01, 2010 05:28 AM

In Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s message to mark the 53rd National Day, the Prime Minister said for the country to move forward, we need to fully utilise our local talents.

“It will be a huge loss to the country if the talents, whom we have painstakingly nurtured, migrate in search of a greener pasture just because of our failure to provide the conducive environment for them to contribute.”

The 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP) 2010-2015 rolled out on 10 June 2010 had called for the creation of a new agency, Talent Corporation to be formed by 2011.

Chapter 5 of the 10MP provides details on developing and retaining a first-class talent base.

It will be tasked to manage talents within the country, which include sourcing and delivering top talent from both overseas and locally that are critical for our key economic sectors.

Its job is to attract at least half of the 750,000 Malaysian professionals working overseas to come home as part of its efforts to draw the world's best drains to Malaysia.

Talent Corp will have to do more than just checking the brain drain situation in Malaysia.

On retaining talents in the country and addressing the brain drain issue, Chinese educationists have reportedly asked the government to recognise the unified examination certificate (UEC) of the 60 Chinese independent schools in the country.

At the awards given to the 50 top scorers from the 60 Chinese independent schools in the country on 31 August, United Chinese School Teachers Association (Jiao Zong) chairman Ong Chiow Chuen said many of the UEC holders who had obtained foreign scholarships were required to serve in that particular country for several years.

That partly explained why they were not returning home to serve. The students would return to serve the country if the UEC was recognised by the government, given scholarships and allowed to enter local public universities and teacher training colleges, he added.

Supporting Ong’s call for the UEC’s recognition, United Chinese School Committees Association (Dong Zong) chairman Dr Yap Sin Tian said this would help resolve the Chinese language teacher shortage in the country.