Najib Announces Initiatives To Attract Talent - Bernama

PUTRAJAYA, Dec 6 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced new policy initiatives to address the need for world-class talents for Malaysia's economic transformation.

He said the initiatives included allowing selected Public Services Department scholarship holders to serve their bond outside the civil service.

Another move was the introduction of a resident pass, which accords the holder the long-term right to live and work in Malaysia, he added.

"To achieve the aim of Malaysia to become a world class economy, we have to implement initiatives to attract, develop and retain skilled human capital," Najib said, when launching Talent Corporation at his office. Also present was Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

Najib said the selected PSD scholarship holders could serve their bond of service with a broader range of organisations, including government-linked companies and private sector corporations, especially in NKEAs, the National Key Economic Areas.

The mechanism for this would be developed next year, he said, adding:" We recognise there are many ways to contribute and we are creating opportunities for scholars to do so."

On the resident pass, Najib said that it would be available to highly skilled expatriates seeking to continue living and working in Malaysia.

Unlike an employment pass, it would not tie the holder to an employer, he said. It could be issued for a longer period and would cover the spouse as well.

"The resident pass will also be offered to the Malaysian diaspora and their offspring who no longer hold Malaysian citizenship. The resident pass is one way to offer them linkage to Malaysia and give them the flexibility to return whether to work or to be with family members," Najib said.

He said the Immigration Department would be ready to receive applications for resident passes by April 1 next year.

Malaysia, the prime minister said, was open for business and welcomed highly skilled foreign talents who could help to drive its economic transformation.

"For that reason, there will no longer be a requirement to advertise for key expatriate positions," he added.

Najib said the cabinet had also approved the relaxation of employment pass conditions, involving the lifting of the 10-year limit and mandatory understudy requirement for executive positions.

Najib said that Talent Corporation would collaborate closely with the relevant agencies to coordinate implementation of the policies announced today.

The corporation, which starts operating on Jan 1 next year, will have a board of trustees and be chaired by Najib himself.



The board members will include Ministers in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop and Datuk Seri Idris Jala and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan. Johan Mahmood Merican will be the Chief Executive Officer of Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad, Najib said.

The Prime Minister said:"The talent corporation is not just about bringing back Malaysians from abroad, but also about retaining talents in Malaysia."

Najib said that an estimated 700,000 Malaysians were working abroad, most of them in Singapore and Hong Kong.

He said the company would be acting as intermediary, engaging with the private sector and government-linked companies, to attract Malaysians to come back to work.

"They (the Malaysians) cannot be compelled to register, but Talent Corp will try to locate them and engage them," he said.

Commenting on the salary that may be the main issue, Najib said:"We have to be globally competitive, otherwise people will not want to come back to Malaysia."

-- BERNAMA

Najib: PSD scholars can serve out bond in private sector

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/

By Yow Hong Chieh

December 06, 2010

 

PUTRAJAYA, Dec 6 — Selected students holding Public Service Department (PSD) scholarships will be allowed to serve their bond outside civil service, the prime minister has said.
Datuk Seri Najib Razak said PSD scholarship holders will soon be able to seek employment at government-linked companies (GLCs) and private sector corporations, particularly those related to the New Key Economic Areas (NKEAs).

He said scholars will also be able to apply to biotechnology, aerospace and information communication and technology (ICT) industries, which are of strategic importance to the nation’s economic progress.
“We recognise there are many ways to contribute and we are creating opportunities for scholars to do so,” Najib said at the launch of brain gain agency Talent Corporation today.
“We must ensure our youth are given the opportunity to achieve their full potential so they can contribute to the nation’s development. This requires taking a broad view on ways to optimise their involvement in the broader national interest, be it in the public or private sector.”
The launch of Talent Corp a month ahead of schedule follows the prime minister’s unveiling of the much-anticipated second New Economic Model (NEM) report, which failed to excite the public and investors alike.
The new corporation — tasked specifically to source and deliver top talent from abroad and locally critical for key economic sectors — will be led by CEO Johan Mahmood Merican and directed by a board of trustees chaired by Najib.
Board members will include Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop, Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) CEO Datuk Seri Idris Jala and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Sidek Hassan.
Talent Corp will also be supported by a consultative advisory panel that will comprise members from the private sector, industry and civil society.

Companies have complained about the lack of skilled labour in Malaysia and economists have cited this problem as a hindrance in the country’s ability to attract more high-technology industries. About 80 per cent of the country’s workforce only has secondary school education.

The number of Malaysian migrants rose by more than 100-fold in a 45-year period, from 9,576 Malaysians in 1960 to 1,489,168 Malaysians in 2005, according to the World Bank.
Malaysian migrants with tertiary education living in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom numbered 102,321 in 2000.

Deputy Foreign Minister Senator A. Kohilan Pillay said recently that 304,358 Malaysians had migrated from March 2008 till August 2009 compared with 139,696 Malaysians in 2007.

Najib Announces Initiatives to Attract Talent

PUTRAJAYA, 6 DECEMBER, 2010: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced new policy initiatives to address the need for world-class talents for Malaysia's economic transformation.   He said the initiatives included allowing selected Public Services Department scholarship holders to serve their bond outside the civil service.   Another move was the introduction of a resident pass, which accords the holder the long-term right to live and work in Malaysia, he added.   "To achieve the aim of Malaysia to become a world class economy, we have to implement initiatives to attract, develop and retain skilled human capital," Najib said, when launching Talent Corporation at his office. Also present was Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.   Najib said the selected PSD scholarship holders could serve their bond of service with a broader range of organisations, including government-linked companies and private sector corporations, especially in NKEAs, the National Key Economic Areas.   The mechanism for this would be developed next year, he said, adding:" We recognise there are many ways to contribute and we are creating opportunities for scholars to do so."   On the resident pass, Najib said that it would be available to highly skilled expatriates seeking to continue living and working in Malaysia.   Unlike an employment pass, it would not tie the holder to an employer, he said. It could be issued for a longer period and would cover the spouse as well.    "The resident pass will also be offered to the Malaysian diaspora and their offspring who no longer hold Malaysian citizenship. The resident pass is one way to offer them linkage to Malaysia and give them the flexibility to return whether to work or to be with family members," Najib said.   He said the Immigration Department would be ready to receive applications for resident passes by April 1 next year.   Malaysia, the prime minister said, was open for business and welcomed highly skilled foreign talents who could help to drive its economic  transformation.   "For that reason, there will no longer be a requirement to advertise for key expatriate positions," he added.   Najib said the cabinet had also approved the relaxation of employment pass conditions, involving the lifting of the 10-year limit and mandatory understudy requirement for executive positions.    Najib said that Talent Corporation would collaborate closely with the relevant agencies to coordinate implementation of the policies announced today.   The corporation, which starts operating on Jan 1 next year, will have a board of trustees and be chaired by Najib himself.    The board members will include Ministers in the Prime Minister's Department Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop and Datuk Seri Idris Jala and Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan. Johan Mahmood Merican will be the Chief Executive Officer of Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad, Najib said.   The Prime Minister said:"The talent corporation is not just about bringing back Malaysians from abroad, but also about retaining talents in Malaysia."   Najib said that an estimated 700,000 Malaysians were working abroad, most of them in Singapore and Hong Kong.   He said the company would be acting as intermediary, engaging with the private sector and government-linked companies, to attract Malaysians to come back to work.   "They (the Malaysians) cannot be compelled to register, but Talent Corp will try to locate them and engage them," he said.   Commenting on the salary that may be the main issue, Najib said:"We have to be globally competitive, otherwise people will not want to come back to Malaysia."     - Bernama

Najib: Talent Corp will lure Malaysians home next year

BRUSSELS: The Talent Corporation, which has been tasked with encouraging Malaysian professionals based overseas to return home, will begin operations in January.
When announcing this, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the Government was in the midst of hiring key personnel for the corporation to headhunt Malaysians to return and work in the country.
“We are creating more exciting things to attract Malaysians and foreigners to come and play a part in our next level of growth. If we can create more opportunities, some of you might want to come back and those married to Belgians can bring (your) spouses with you; they will be allowed to work.

Open house: Najib and Rosmah welcoming guests to their Hari Raya function in Brussels on Sunday. — Bernama

“Our policy is to be more open because a society that is open will thrive in the 21st century. A society that is closed will not attract the best brains, you will attract mediocre people and the good ones would have left the country and we will be a lot poorer as a result,” the Prime Minister said in his address to about 200 Malaysians based in Belgium and Luxembourg during a Hari Raya gathering he hosted with his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor here on Sunday night.
Najib, who is in Brussels to attend the Asia-Europe Summit, had announced the setting up of the corporation when tabling the 10th Malaysia Plan in Kuala Lumpur.
He said the corporation, to be placed under the Prime Minister’s Department, would identify shortages in key sectors, attract and retain the necessary skilled human capital, and provide an integrated skilled human capital blueprint.
Separately, Bernama reported that Malaysian Institute of Architects president Boon Chee Wee said: “This is a great initiative. We do have a shortage of architects, and the effect is that local firms are not able to expand their capability and capacity and thus face problems in competing with international architects.”
The Malaysian Medical Association president, Dr David K.L. Quek, said steps should also be taken to ensure that those returning had good career paths so that they would remain in the country.

Talent Corporation

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