How should we judge a government?

In Malaysia, if you don't watch television or read newspapers, you are uninformed; but if you do, you are misinformed!

"If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing." - Malcolm X

Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience - Mark Twain

Why we should be against censorship in a court of law: Publicity is the very soul of justice … it keeps the judge himself, while trying, under trial. - Jeremy Bentham

"Our government is like a baby's alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no
responsibility at the other. " - Ronald Reagan

Government fed by the people

Government fed by the people

Career options

Career options
I suggest government... because nobody has ever been caught.

Corruption so prevalent it affects English language?

Corruption so prevalent it affects English language?
Corruption is so prevalent it affects English language?

When there's too much dirt...

When there's too much dirt...
We need better tools... to cover up mega corruptions.

Prevent bullying now!

Prevent bullying now!
If you're not going to speak up, how is the world supposed to know you exist? “Orang boleh pandai setinggi langit, tapi selama ia tidak menulis, ia akan hilang di dalam masyarakat dan dari sejarah.” - Ananta Prameodya Toer (Your intellect may soar to the sky but if you do not write, you will be lost from society and to history.)

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Talent Corporation - looking for horses after they have bolted

From a layman's point of view, our government seems unwilling to provide scholarships to excellent students based on meritocracy, regardless of race. Every year, we have stories of students with excellent results complaining they have not been selected for scholarships or places in our institutions of higher learning.

Surely, if we are serious in overcoming this problem of brain drain, we should look at the root causes and try to solve the problems, instead of looking out for them and trying to entice them back. Many of those who left for overseas did so by choice (if they could afford it) or forced to find alternative ways to look for opportunities overseas since none was available to them. Under such circumstances, would they be willing to come back knowing full well how they will be discriminated against in employment, business or research in Malaysia? Unless and until our system is conducive to meritocracy and equal opportunities, initial incentives might look attractive but will not be good enough in the long run.

Singapore has been attracting Malaysian brains for years with their Asean and other scholarships with examinations conducted in Malaysia for those interested. After education, the graduates invariably work for Singapore, contributing to their brain gain at our expense. Why can't we offer similar scholarships on merit, followed by good employment opportunities? Is it so difficult to implement such a simple concept? I know, I know, we have to think of race and superiority.

Even at post-graduate level, there are opportunities to tap into students who need financial help to do Masters or Ph. D and it is a question of offering and publicising the scholarships available.

I am prompted by the following article which appeared in Kit Siang for Malaysia:

Ipoh born, Cambridge educated, Malaysia’s loss, Singapore’s gain
By Mariam Mokhtar



In fact, we do have facilities preparing students for Cambridge, Oxford and other universities, but what seems lacking is the availability of enough government scholarships to meet the demand of those who qualify:

Kolej Yayasan UEM:

Before we embark on prestigious projects like 100-storey Warisan Merdeka, a look at a typical young Malaysian worker's lifestyle and see if we should instead look after their interests as priority:

From Loyarburok: A Young Malaysian's Dilemma:

Najib's famous 'change your lifestyle' comes to mind. How could someone who has been travelling in a motorcade with police outriders for 30 years know how ordinary Malaysians live?
Link

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