October 16, 2010 21:12 PM
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 16 (Bernama) -- The government must take proactive steps to retain existing Malaysian talents from leaving the country, Gerakan President Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon said Saturday.
While expressing the party's support for the proposed Talent Corporation which will start its mission next year to lure back Malaysian professionals overseas, he said those in the country must not be sidelined.
"We recruit and try to attract those overseas to come back. That is not an easy job. But let us not drive away the talents which we have now. Most importantly, we must retain them," he told a news conference after chairing Gerakan's central committee meeting at Menara PGRM, here.
In tabling Budget 2011 in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the government would establish a Talent Corporation early next year to increase the number of talented and quality workforce in the domestic market.
He said the government would undertake efforts to attract, motivate and retain talented human capital from within the country and abroad. Dr Koh, who is Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, said that besides the measures adopted by the Talent Corporation, there was a
need to create a more positive and conducive environment to give these professionals and talents a level playing field to contribute towards nation building.
"What I mean by a conducive environment is that the environment will give them fair opportunity and fair treatment so that they feel wanted, so that they feel they have the space and fair opportunity to express their views, and to contribute their knowledge and skills," he said. As for those who did not wish to return, Dr Koh proposed that the government find ways to rope them in and encourage them to contribute to the country indirectly, such as by promoting Malaysia as an investment destination to their networks.
"Let's be realistic. There may be some who do not wish to return. But we also need to look for ways to see how we can encourage them to contribute, for instance by helping to bring in business and investments to the country," he said.
On the government's plan to set up the National Wage Consultation Council, Koh said the government must engage the opinions of employers and the workforce from all industries so that the implementation of the minimum wage would bring about a positive outcome for the economy.
He said that while the intention of the council was to protect the Malaysian workforce, the acute shortage of labour must be addressed, especially in the construction, plantation, manufacturing and even services industries, which relied heavily on foreigners. "For instance, I was told that even if they doubled or tripled the pay, it will not attract Malaysians to work in construction. So we need to take into account all these factors and their implications to business," he said.
-- BERNAMA
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