Waiting for the rain

So far, we have heard a lot of thunder. But little rain.

I hate to say this. But nowadays, whatever ideas and concepts the PM comes out with, they are met by general cynicism. Because they are so many of them. They have not passed the stage of experimentation.

When he was in Brussels, he talked of reversing the brain drain. He should begin at home first. Induct the best into the civil service. Forget about getting 3 million members into UMNO. Induct the talented and those with leadership material. Others can support UMNO. Transform his cabinet into a fighting machine with performance targeting talents.

He announced Malaysia's Talent Corporation will be launched in January to arrest the country's growing brain drain problem. The exodus of local talent to more developed countries has threatened his vision of transforming Malaysia into a high-income nation by 2020." how do you reverse that? By compensating those who have gotten out with what they thought they have lost?

Previously, we waited for them to get back to us but this time we will seek them out," Najib told reporters. "We will find out what it takes for them to consider going back home, and at the same time create more business opportunities and pay them wages that are more aligned with global wages," he said.

Then what about those talent at home who are not paid global wages? If these people come back, will it make a difference after all?

I think this approach is flawed. It's the firefighting style. Short term by nature. How many are out there? Surely the same number can be found in our universities who can also be enticed to do their best if the reward system is in place. I have long argued- the problem is one concerning the absence of a reward system. Unless we have a reward system that attaches premium and high value to learning and knowledge , we will still suffer a brain drain . in the absence of that reward system, the more insidious problem is suboptimal output. Why should the cleverer and industrious produce more when the corner-cutters and less clever are paid higher?

Have that reward system. We clear the problem of sub-par performance. Maybe we don't even have to recall our brain boxes who have settled abroad. They have settled down there wherever. Their children have planted cultural roots there.

The way we are approaching the problem is like resolving the problem with UMNO voters. Buy their votes and they vote for you.

Then there is his finishing school. This is perplexing. Why the need for one? If it's a school for enhancing skills then it's not a finishing school. It's a graduate school. You train people further. But if it's a school for re training and fine tuning skills, then a whole series of other issues will be asked.

When we set out our IT industry, didn't the body responsible for doing it or planning it, tailor the IT modules to be market friendly? It's a continuing school to re skill the IT people because suddenly their skills are found to be deficient. Hence, the government will establish an information and communications technology (ICT) "finishing school" to train 25,000 knowledge workers needed to take the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) to its third phase of development starting next year.

The programme's curriculum will be jointly developed with industry players to be more market-driven, in an effort to boost ICT contribution to GDP from 1.2 per cent in 2009 to 10.2 per cent by 2015, as outlined in the 10th Malaysia Plan (10MP).

I would rather send the 25000 people back to school than setting up new facilities which again will cost more money.

Here is another heroic idea coming from the PM. He must have said this infront of an audience where there were no Perkasa members. This was what he said;

Only those who are able, dare to compete and are willing to make changes will be successful in this 21st century. The Prime Minister said this was because the century did not promise success to anyone unless they were willing to work hard, master knowledge and skills and show an extraordinary level of work ethics.

Waduuh! So those people in Perkasa will have to take note of this. This is a clearest indication yet that Najib is abandoning the NEP despite claiming and asserting the fact that he is Tun Razak's son.

I said wadduh… not because there was anything wrong about the subject matter. I am sceptical whether this idea has been communicated to the masses. Especially to those who think they can get by in life because they have been promised bounties. I say its heroic because it demands the every first requirement as laid down in the ETP and the NEM. Political resolve and will.