Brain drain; my failed attempt

A few months ago I wrote this article, but being a failed writer that I am, it was never approved by the boards. Hence before I clicked the delete button on it, lets just copy and paste it here. I worked so hard on it too. I sat in the corridors of UCL until 1 in the morning to finish it, but yeah, who would even bother reading the thoughts of an idiot like me. I have quite a few other pieces saved on my computer waiting to be deleted, but lets do it one at a time. So here it is, rest in peace my friend~


In conjunction with the UKEC-GRADUAN Careers Fair, CEKU’s April edition will be focussed on jobs and careers. In this issue, we at CEKU want to look at major issues regarding work and working in Malaysia: of the brain drain situation Malaysia is currently faced with, of the issue of migrant workers workers in our country, of the national education system’s successes and failures in preparing young Malaysians for the world and the workforce.

We also want to take a step back and look at ourselves as individuals who’re either preparing for or already part of working life. How much did we learn over summer from the things we did (or didn’t do) compared to college or university? What is a fulfilling job, and how does one find one or make it fulfilling? What’re our ideas of success? What do I really want to do when I graduate?

We at CEKU want to hear your views! Please send us articles for publication in the April edition of CEKU by 31 March 2012 to ceku@ukeconline.com. If you have any queries, please contact Melissa atmelissa@ukeconline.com.

Brain drain, an issue that require no further introduction to us all. A report from World Bank stated that Malaysia have lost around 1.5 million of its talented citizens thus far, what a significant lost to our country. Imagine all the bright ideas these lost souls could have contributed in building our nation if they only they were back here. But what actually made them decide to leave in the first place? 

The root cause of it would have to be the opportunity for growth. They chose to work abroad because to them, there is not much space available here in our home for them to nurture their talent. The working environment back at home is not as competitive nor as stimulating compared to those overseas'. To be stuck in a company which does not appreciate what more encourage the free flow of ideas for innovation, who would want that? That is how we all see ourselves working in Malaysia. To add to that, the unlucrative benefits of working is also a dominant factor. Many seem to argue that this reflects how their talents are not being appreciated enough, thus it is better for them to go somewhere else where they are better being looked after. Fair enough. 

In this modern age, people are more than smart enough to understand that an individual's learning curved does not simply come to an end the moment he or she graduates. In fact, learning is a life-long experience, what more when the only constant thing in science is change, thus the failure to embrace the change will inevitably cause us to be left behind. So with that in mind, we hope to further enhance ourselves when we enter the viciously fast-paced working world. Unfortunately, once we feel that working in our own motherland prevents us from doing so, we are left with no other choice but to take a bold step and leave in search of a more conducive place to work in. 

It is almost like changing pots for a plant. One day when the plant grows big enough, you have no choice but to transfer it into a bigger pot to accommodate for its growth, otherwise the old pot will either crack or in most cases, the plant will be left stunted. If you want it to grow, maybe you should transfer it, otherwise make sure that your previous pot is strong enough.

If they think that our country is not sufficiently accommodative for them to grow, so be it. If they decide that to serve somewhere else is better for them, let them be. Perhaps in time they would soon see how wrong they were; sometimes in order to see the picture in clarity, we need to stand and watch from afar.  They think that they are too smart to come back and work here with fellow Malaysians, little do they realize that the smart person is the one who is able to make the best out of what is so slightly given to them. Chances are, there won't be enough good jobs to go around if all bright Malaysian grads are out looking for one outside the country, so why bother looking so far away when the makciks and pakciks back at home are counting on you to make their lives better. 

In the end, only two things actually do matter when it comes to picking the right job for you. One, do not work in accordance with the pay you receive, but for the satisfaction which comes from accomplishing it. Work where your passion lies, there is always more to life than just for the money, ain't it? Unfortunately given how fast our world is currently moving, there is a slight chance for a mismatch between your skills and your present job. This is where the second rule comes in handy; always strive to make the best out of what you have. Yes, sometimes life do leave you with lousy cards in hand, but that does not mean you should stop playing, nor does that mean your chances of winning is any less, because you don't know if the person sitting right next to you has even lousier cards than yours.