By BEGAIYM DZHANOVA
Malaysia has one of the highest proportions of international students to domestic students in the academic world with the average ratio being almost 1:10 according to the Malaysian Ministry of Education. Last year alone Malaysia had 135,502 international students from approximately 160 nations. Second Education Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh believes the country is on the right track to achieve the target of attracting 200,000 international students by 2020.
I still remember the day I arrived to Malaysia, night being precise. It was 22 July 2011. That cold airport with air conditioning everywhere, that hot humid air that hits you once the doors open, those palm trees in the dark and another student from China with a funny name, ‘Birds’ sitting next to me in the car. I was an 18-year-old girl from Kyrgyzstan who just finished high school and decided to fly to an unknown country, Malaysia to study Journalism. I barely spoke English and never been outside of my country before.
But here I am in my final semester of Degree at Taylor’s University writing this article for the campus newspaper. Malaysia has become a second home for me and I know I am not the only one. There are plenty of students who love this country sincerely after spending years here and would like to contribute to its well-being.
I had a senior, Omer from Pakistan who was one semester ahead and graduated in December last year. He has lived in Malaysia for more than 5 years and is one of the brightest students I have ever worked with. I happen to know his girlfriend, Anastassiya as well who is studying Hospitality at Taylor’s University. He is currently working in the Marketing Department of a juice producing company in Malaysia. However, prior to that he spent months on frustrating search for a job in various companies just to hear that they only hire locals.
In most cases, the company is not at fault. I did my internship at the same company as Omer did. My supervisor still remembers of him as a very intelligent and hardworking talent who will be an asset to any company in the field of Public Relations. They were looking forward to hiring him, but they did not have a DP 10 – Employment Pass for companies to hire foreigners. Omer managed to get a job. But there are a lot more who were not as lucky as him.
According to Iskandar Malaysia (IMEC), there are certain criteria for companies to qualify for a DP 10. It depends on the minimum paid-up capital of the company and its ownership, whether it is local or foreign as well as their ability to pay minimum RM5,000 salary to foreign employees. But the average salary for fresh graduates is RM3,000, which significantly reduces the chances of international students to secure a job in Malaysia after graduation.
Moreover, foreign students have to cancel their student visa right after the completion of studies and the only destination, they can buy a flight ticket to is their home country. They are not allowed to fly anywhere else except home.
I understand the motives behind such policies – protecting local talents. This practice exists in most educational hubs around the world. However, I frequently encounter articles in local newspapers saying that Malaysia is seeking to attract foreign talents as they complement local professionals. They say that the government is taking steps in providing opportunities and a welcoming environment for them to come and work.
One thing I do not understand is why Malaysia is putting efforts in attracting foreign talents while they already have them investing in the county’s economy by paying tuition fees and learning local culture and context along with studies. Does Malaysia not produce competitive and qualified professionals? Does Malaysia not provide good education so that it looks for employees graduating from other countries rather than hire those it produced? Does Malaysia not believe in its own education system?
This country has given me good friends, experience, diverse knowledge and memories. I see the best in it – amazing food, kind people, beautiful nature and its rich culture. But I also see a lot of things it can improve, things that my friends may not always see. Malaysia was built by different races living here today. It may be time to open up for diversity again and trust itself in order to develop further.
I still remember the day I arrived to Malaysia, night being precise. It was 22 July 2011. That cold airport with air conditioning everywhere, that hot humid air that hits you once the doors open, those palm trees in the dark and another student from China with a funny name, ‘Birds’ sitting next to me in the car. I was an 18-year-old girl from Kyrgyzstan who just finished high school and decided to fly to an unknown country, Malaysia to study Journalism. I barely spoke English and never been outside of my country before.
But here I am in my final semester of Degree at Taylor’s University writing this article for the campus newspaper. Malaysia has become a second home for me and I know I am not the only one. There are plenty of students who love this country sincerely after spending years here and would like to contribute to its well-being.
I had a senior, Omer from Pakistan who was one semester ahead and graduated in December last year. He has lived in Malaysia for more than 5 years and is one of the brightest students I have ever worked with. I happen to know his girlfriend, Anastassiya as well who is studying Hospitality at Taylor’s University. He is currently working in the Marketing Department of a juice producing company in Malaysia. However, prior to that he spent months on frustrating search for a job in various companies just to hear that they only hire locals.
In most cases, the company is not at fault. I did my internship at the same company as Omer did. My supervisor still remembers of him as a very intelligent and hardworking talent who will be an asset to any company in the field of Public Relations. They were looking forward to hiring him, but they did not have a DP 10 – Employment Pass for companies to hire foreigners. Omer managed to get a job. But there are a lot more who were not as lucky as him.
According to Iskandar Malaysia (IMEC), there are certain criteria for companies to qualify for a DP 10. It depends on the minimum paid-up capital of the company and its ownership, whether it is local or foreign as well as their ability to pay minimum RM5,000 salary to foreign employees. But the average salary for fresh graduates is RM3,000, which significantly reduces the chances of international students to secure a job in Malaysia after graduation.
Moreover, foreign students have to cancel their student visa right after the completion of studies and the only destination, they can buy a flight ticket to is their home country. They are not allowed to fly anywhere else except home.
I understand the motives behind such policies – protecting local talents. This practice exists in most educational hubs around the world. However, I frequently encounter articles in local newspapers saying that Malaysia is seeking to attract foreign talents as they complement local professionals. They say that the government is taking steps in providing opportunities and a welcoming environment for them to come and work.
One thing I do not understand is why Malaysia is putting efforts in attracting foreign talents while they already have them investing in the county’s economy by paying tuition fees and learning local culture and context along with studies. Does Malaysia not produce competitive and qualified professionals? Does Malaysia not provide good education so that it looks for employees graduating from other countries rather than hire those it produced? Does Malaysia not believe in its own education system?
This country has given me good friends, experience, diverse knowledge and memories. I see the best in it – amazing food, kind people, beautiful nature and its rich culture. But I also see a lot of things it can improve, things that my friends may not always see. Malaysia was built by different races living here today. It may be time to open up for diversity again and trust itself in order to develop further.