“WHERE are you going to study? Do you plan to come back to Malaysia for work?”

It’s a question many of us have grown used to answering – one that carries both excitement and unease.

Hearing about people around me leaving one by one, I feel a mixture of pride and pensiveness: pride because they have found their place in world-class institutions, yet pensiveness because it reflects a national concern: Malaysia is losing another small piece of its potential.

Since 2010, the outflow of skilled talent has been significant. According to media reports, one in six state-funded scholars – over 2,800 – has opted to remain abroad and repay scholarships rather than fulfil their public sector commitments.

Moreover, more than 15% of the Malaysian diaspora, comprising trained professionals or degree holders, are living in Australia, the United States, Britain and Canada. Many of these individuals belong to the very group Malaysia needs to retain to progress.

Nowadays, almost every young Malaysian dreams of going abroad, either to study or settle down.

While over half of Malaysia’s jobs are in the services sector – often considered the tertiary sector – many of these roles revolve around hospitality, retail or basic administration. Fewer jobs are available in research and development and high‑technology industries.

As reported in Bank Negara Malaysia’s 2025 second-quarter bulletin, around 1% of the national gross domestic product is spent on research and development – a far cry from the country’s target of 2.5% for this year, as outlined in the National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy.

By contrast, countries such as Singapore offer flourishing quaternary career paths, which the new academic syllabuses are preparing students to pursue.

For some, the decision to leave is motivated by the pursuit of exposure, adventure or better living standards, including improved healthcare and education opportunities for their children.

All these factors combined certainly overshadow the benefits of staying. Yet, many still remain – some because they can’t afford to move abroad, and others because of family, culture, food and an unwavering sense of belonging.

Not surprisingly, in the spirit of “saya anak Malaysia”, those who seek purpose remain rooted here to contribute directly to rebuilding the country.

As a sign of hope, applications for the country’s Returning Expert Programme have risen in recent years.

Initiatives like the Johor–Singapore Special Economic Zone aim to attract quaternary industries – a development that could make returning to Malaysia more appealing for experts abroad.

The new age of digital economy, green energy and similar sectors promises emerging opportunities, signalling that Malaysia’s future can still be innovation-led if nurtured strategically.

The question, therefore, should not merely be “Will you come back?” but rather, “What kind of Malaysia would you want to return to?”

If we can create an environment where expertise is recognised, ideas are valued, and merit transparently determines mobility, the current brain drain could evolve into brain circulation, where Malaysians abroad return to reinvest at home.

Perhaps one day, my generation will create opportunities that make staying just as appealing as, or even more appealing than, leaving.

Tina, 15, a student in Johor, is a participant of the BRATs Young Journalist Programme run by The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) team.

For updates on the BRATs programme, go to facebook.com/niebrats.

With the theme of the article in mind, carry out the following english language activities.

1 In pairs, imagine you are policymakers. Propose one policy to encourage talented youth to stay in malaysia. Present it to your classmates, who will vote on the most convincing idea.

2 In groups, create a mini poster showing what kind of future you would like malaysia to have. When you are done, pin it up on your class noticeboard.

The Star’s Newspaper-in- Education (Star-NiE) programme promotes English language learning in primary and secondary schools nationwide.

For Star-NiE enquiries, email starnie@ thestar.com.my.