Myanmar: FDI, Local Economy and the Rohingya Conflict

Myanmar: FDI, Local Economy and the Rohingya Conflict

Asma Masood Research Intern, SEARP, IPCS

On June 27, Myanmar announced that the government awarded a telecommunications contract to Qatari company Ooredo. It sparked a social media backlash in Myanmar. Citizens threatened boycott of its services. The Buddhist community was surprised by the win, especially as public pressure on the government in 2012 blocked the Organization of Islamic Countries from opening a Myanmarese office. The incidents reflect societal prejudice against OIC’s intentions. A grand strategy to spread Islamic beliefs is suspected. Local Muslims are also shunned in trade. But here discrimination is fuelled by perceptions of Rohingya as economically unworthy.

News for Malaysia Talent Corporation about Brain Drain

INFORMATION for Talent Corp. Malaysia…..

Malaysian Doctors in UMMC (UM) with 20 yrs contract as Training Lecturers (eligible to apply only after finishing TWO YEARS’ training as House Officers) are paid RM 1500 per month only, with Increment of RM 1.00 per year. If resigned any time before finishing 20 yrs contract, need to pay heavy penalty of RM 400,000.00. No wonder there is BRAIN DRAIN. Talent Corp. Malaysia should just disband if cannot change this kind of stupid pay scale.

Please just look at the following news in the Star today: Effective Nov 1, the minimum monthly wage for Indian maid (in Malaysia) is RM1,400 and RM850 for plantation workers. It also set the minimum wage of RM800 for restaurant, construction and general workers.

The ‘vicious cycle’ of brain drain

Source:The Business Star, The ‘vicious cycle’ of brain drain By FINTAN NG

WE have often heard how brain drain is a vicious cycle and how this cycle has affected Malaysia’s current and future growth prospects.

The country, despite seeing a large diaspora in comparison to the population, is a “receiving country” with as many as 2.4 million immigrants according to the World Bank‘s 2011 Migration and Remittances Factbook.
Of these, some 40% have secondary education while in recent years, some 40% had no formal education at all.

Brain drain: Understanding the root causes

Extracts from the MInsider, “Brain drain: Understanding the root causes” by Ronald Benjamin

1. The World Bank official said that Malaysia would have had five times the FDI foreign direct investment if not for its discriminatory policy.
2. a million skilled Malaysian workers left to overseas without any intention of coming back.
3. Perkasa has claimed that even the Malays are leaving Malaysia due to the discrimination.

In democracies, it is the citizens who monitor their government, not the other way around

Image via Wikipedia

Source_Star: Who’s watching whom? DIPLOMATICALLY SPEAKING By DENNIS IGNATIUS

Anyone who is serious about safeguarding our image and protecting our nation’s standing in the world would be well advised to first consider how developments at home are affecting our image abroad.

Indeed, it is the politicians, of whatever stripe, who need to convince Malaysians, both at home and abroad, that they are deserving of our support and respect. In democracies, it is the citizens who monitor their government, not the other way around.

Only in countries like North Korea are all citizens expected to uncritically sing the praises of their dear leaders.

Talent Corp “seeks out” Malaysian diaspora

Comment: If you wish to really do your job of pulling back the BRAIN DRAIN, please kindly refer to my article, “Push and Pull Factors in Human migration”

Talent Corp has been tasked with attracting at least half of the 750,000 Malaysian professionals working overseas to come home as part of its efforts to draw the best brains in the world to Malaysia.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yackob said seeking out the Malaysian diaspora for the top brains was necessary as the Govern­ment aimed to hit the target of RM115bil per year in local and foreign investments to turn the country into a developed nation by 2020.