Over 80% of Malaysians working in Singapore and Brunei fall into the skilled and semi-skilled categories.
Low wages is a major factor in pushing Malaysia’s talent to other countries, economist Yeah Kim Leng told ST.
Professor Yeah, who is director of economic studies at the Jeffrey Cheah Institute on Southeast Asia in Selangor, said a more equitable share of profits for employees can be critical in reducing the brain drain. A Feb 19 report by the Department of Statistics Malaysia showed that more than 80 per cent of Malaysians working in Brunei and Singapore were in the skilled and semi-skilled categories.
Another 48.6 per cent were forced to accept low- or semi-skilled jobs with low pay to avoid unemployment, according to the report Shifting Tides: Charting Career Progression of Malaysia’s Skilled Talents. “Malaysians state that the challenges they face when searching for jobs back home include unsuitable remuneration, unsuitable job opportunities that do not match their expertise and qualifications, unfamiliarity with local job market conditions, and difficulty of foreign spouses and children in adapting to the culture,” he said.
He finds that employers abroad value meritocracy instead of familial connections when it comes to promotions.
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