Kuala Lumpur (VNA) – In its efforts to retain top scholarship students, the Malaysian Government is focusing not only on salaries but also on structured career development plans and a more merit-based talent strategy.

Economist Prof Geoffrey Williams from the Malaysia University of Science and Technology held that the main reasons are the lack of job opportunities in Malaysia for high-skilled graduates, poor career development and limited promotion prospects.

Contrary to popular belief, salaries are not the main reason scholars leave and remain abroad. Although pay is typically higher overseas, so is the cost of living, he said.

The only reforms that can truly retain top Malaysian talents and encourage their return are improving merit-based progression and creating high-skilled jobs, he recommended.

Secretary-General of the Malaysian National Association of Private Educational Institutions Dr Teh Choon Jin said the decision by many sponsored students to remain overseas should not be interpreted as disloyalty, but rather a reflection of the opportunities available abroad.

Teh emphasised the need to support reintegration through impactful job placements, mentorship and a clear sense of purpose.

When Malaysia becomes a land of opportunity, not merely a place of origin, talents will find its way home, he asserted.

Last month, Malaysian Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo revealed that Malaysia is facing a critical brain drain, with 1.86 million Malaysians having left the country over the past 50 years. That figure represents 5.6% of the population, significantly higher than the global average of 3.6%.

Since 2010, more than 2,800 government-sponsored Malaysian students have graduated and taken up☂ jobs abroad, with an estimated one in six failing to return after completing their studies./