How to make ‘brain gain’ programs work

Malaysian brain drain appears to be getting from bad to worse. Yet, while designated government agencies and organisations put forward the initiatives to patch the growing void, the progress seems to be somewhat limited. This is because the programs aimed at reversing the flight of Malaysia’s human capital, as they stand, are too shallow to address the very fundamental elements the Malaysian expatriates set off looking for.

Since 1995, there have been “brain gain” programmes in Malaysia to attract our best talents back, but the results have been abysmal.