Talent Migration or Migration in Disguise? : A Christian

Perspective

26 February 2012

The Best Countries In The World – Newsweek 2010

1.The Great Malaysian Brain Drain

• 700,000 – 1,000,000 living abroad

• 300,000 alone in Singapore

• 304,358 in 2009 vs 139,696 in 2007

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

2. Opportunity, Security & Education

2.1 Opportunity and Globalisation

• Work-life balance (Lam Kin Ben)

• Work opportunities (smart engineers)

• Less hierarchical overseas

Source : Star Education

2.2 Security : Race & Religion

• Fairer treatment (Rozana)

• Future worries (Vishnu)

Source : Star Education

2.3 Education

• The classic case of Tan Zhongshan – from Cambridge to Singapore Legal Service

Source : Star Education

Amy Chua : “The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother”

3. Historical Clues

3.1 Hyper powers amassing extraordinary military and economic might – an analysis

3.2 Egypt, Babylon, Persia, Rome, Tang Dynasty, the Great Mongol Empire, Dutch, British and the USA versus Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan

3.3 Pluralism vs monoculturalism

4. Merits Based Culture

• Performance and merit vs social protectionism

• Uncertain level playing field

• Skin colour, creed or even political affiliations

• An anachronism in a globally wired world and social media technology e.g. Ambika

5. Regional Comparisons for 1998 - 2007

(a) Higher Education (post-SPM) Malaysia (30%), Singapore (46%), Thailand (41%), S. Korea (89%)

(b) Skills level Malaysia (20%), Singapore (49%), Taiwan (33%), S. Korea (35%)

Source : Talent Corp.

6. Demographics of Chinese in Malaysia – Another Nail?

Proportion of Chinese in total population

Year Percent 1957 45..0 + 1970 35.6 1980 32.1 1991 26.9 2000 24..5 2010 22.6 * 2035 18.6 ** Source : Department of Statistics and ISEAS

7. Islamisation and Race Supremacy

1. JAIS raid on Dream Centre and the Royal Findings

2. Syariah laws vs Civil laws vs Constitution e.g. Hudud controversy & Valentine’s Day

3. Malay nationalism on the rise

4. Constitutional interpretation

“No greater love hath dad and moms than they lay down their life savings for their children to study

overseas and emigrate”

8. 2020 Vision : Government’s Answer to Brain Drain Reversal?

High Income Nation

GTP

ETP

10th MP

NEM

7 NKRAs

12 NKEAs 142 EPPs

60 BOs

9. Talent Corp : Reversal of Talent Migration & Challenges

9.1 1st January 2011 to attract the estimated 700,000 skilled Malaysians working abroad

9.2 Vehicle to facilitate Malaysia as a developed country by 2020

9.3 Consideration of vocational stream along the German model i.e. 60% workforce

9.4 Task of convincing, engaging and persuading the Malaysian Diaspora

10. Thinking Out Of A Box : Creative Options

• Contribution from afar – Professor Danny Quah of NEAC and the NEM, Dato Jimmy Choo on Shoe Institute

• The Chinese Methodist Church in Australia and SCAC

• Malaysian history as a clue to the past e.g. Peranakans, Chittys, Eurasians and in the US today, Silicon Valley, Wall Street & London

• Foreign Talent and the Resident Pass on a 10 year visa entry, flat tax rate of 15% over 5 years

11. The Malaysian Church & Diaspora

• Networking and dialogue with those who have left by updating them on developments

• Avoid judgmental attitude on those who leave us

• Interesting phenomenon : some return to contribute e.g. Gen. Y

12. Age Old Debate on Immigration – Quo Imus Hinc

(a) Scriptural and Theological Arguments (Tien Fock)

1. Genesis 12:1-9 : The Larger Plan of God 2. Genesis 46:1-34 : The Push and Pull Factor 3. Ruth 1:1-5 : Personal Choice or Necessity 4. 2 Chronicles 11:13-17 : Political Separation

(b) Is Immigration a Panacea (Hwa Yung/Selvendran /Peter Young)

1. Fallen World : Moral decadence of the West 2. Church on the decline and secularism 3. Terrorist attacks 4. Modern developments : US, Eurozone (Greece,

Ireland & Portugal) under huge debt burdens, Japan’s triple whammy, NZ’s earthquake, Australia’s drought/floods, UK civil riots

13. Conclusion : Our Ultimate Confidence

• Malaysia as a nation has survived thus far the critical junctions. Will it continue to do so – where is God’s hidden Hand?

• The Jeremiah Confidence and Dual Citizenship: Jeremiah 29:11-13, Jeremiah 32:6-44 & Ephesians 1:1-3