Wednesday October 6, 2010

Talent Corp has to deliver on home promise

Star says

THE proposed Talent Corporation to encourage the return of Malaysian professionals from abroad is a sound idea. It is also fraught with caveats.

Like similar projects, it has developed from the country’s needs. And like the proposals before, it should be judged by the results it can deliver.

Its scheduled commencement in January 2011 does not come a moment too soon. As a nation, we have already wasted too much time without a proper appreciation of developing skilled human resources.

Our universities continue to churn out graduates every year, but issues of employability reflect questions of standards. The Talent Corp intends to inject current international standards of professional practice in various fields into the nation’s bloodstream.

Some of Malaysia’s best human resources are already ready, marketable and plugged into international networks. The Talent Corp would identify the individuals concerned and woo them home to contribute to the nation’s next phase of development.

Such grandiose schemes tend to elicit an element of excitement and high expectations, if also a degree of scepticism. Those overseeing it must have a firm grip on the realities of the day and understand what exactly their task entails.

All this falls broadly into two segments: understanding why Malaysian professionals choose to settle abroad, and providing a competitive environment for them to want to return to. Many Malaysians apparently opt to settle abroad after graduating overseas and finding employment there. Others have chosen to emigrate.

For the first group, the Talent Corp has to construct a sound professional and industrial environment, at least comparable to those abroad. This environment needs to be highly competitive in terms of remuneration, benefits, promotional prospects, international exposure, openness to innovation, professional recognition and world-class best practices.

Much is required by way of massive investments in a range of industries and professional institutions. Such investments must be steady and consistent, without penny-pinching tendencies or small-minded Third World habits to infect their advancement.

For the second group, even more work is needed. The necessary investments cover not just the professional, industrial and economic spheres but also the social and political.

True meritocracy has to be practised in every sphere of activity, with transparency in every stage of discussion and negotiation. These would range from open tenders for public projects to full accountability for a range of activities, including government departments and agencies as well as the selection process of student scholarships for families.

There should be no favouritism on any basis other than material need. Where such things as academic achievement and promise are equal, any advantage or preference accorded to individuals must be founded only on personal need and family capacity.

To provide for all of this, the Government must be ready with the necessary funds and resources to support such amenities. Sporadic appeals may be made to the private sector, without presuming it would guarantee a quantum of contributions.

The needed resources from the public sector must also be utilised before any returns can be expected from the eventual contributions of the returnees. Even if these investments yield no returns for years, they need to continue to demonstrate sound policy in long-range planning.

To ensure smooth functioning, there should also be no difference in the work and living conditions of the returnees and other Malaysians of similar professional standing. Only then can the task of the Talent Corp succeed and contribute meaningfully to national development.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has correctly identified this stage as imperative for Malaysia. Anything less and the work of Talent Corp would be frustrated, while Malaysia as a whole slips backwards.

The first step for the Government is for all its members and component units to be fully cognizant of what Talent Corp entails. Only then can official measures move confidently and convincingly.

Essentially, the purpose of Talent Corp rests on recognising tough realities. One of which is that Malaysian professionals practising abroad have been attracted to First World standards of living and work.

To succeed in luring them home for good requires Malaysia to replicate the same kind of standards all-round. Recognising the importance of the contributions of these Malaysians and their spouses, regardless of race, religion and nationality, is an important step forward.

The rest needs to be worked on progressively, starting now. We expect to glean the results of this endeavour before too long.