He said in recent times, there have been many Malaysians based overseas with professional and specialised jobs such as engineers, pilots and doctors, not manual workers or domestic helpers.

“Malaysians are held with high regard because of this. If we were to take up labour-intensive jobs abroad, foreigners would not look at it that way. This is because our workers abroad have special capabilities and are able to contribute to the nations where they are based.

“I hope all Malaysians will go that way, by seeking knowledge, equipping themselves with skills and becoming professionals abroad,” he said at a dinner with some 80 members of the Malaysian diaspora in Turkmenistan last night.

Mahathir, who is here on a two-day official visit, expressed pride in the capabilities of Malaysians based abroad, saying they even contribute to development efforts when they finally return home.

“Their country is always on their minds even when they are working abroad, and when they return home, they contribute their expertise. With these contributions, Malaysia will be a developed nation and no longer a developing one.

“To be on par with developed nations, that is our aspiration. Some even say we are halfway there while some are of the view that we already are (a developed country), but the truth is we have not yet become one.

“We need to work hard to excel in all fields so that we can contribute towards the country’s modernisation and the world in general,” he said.

Mahathir also praised the ability and expertise of national petroleum company Petronas in developing the oil and gas industry both locally and in other countries such as Turkmenistan.

He said Petronas’ success in operating in various parts of the world was because its employees are good in the field and had earned it global recognition.

“Today, the world recognises Petronas as a giant in the field of oil and gas. Petronas is not just a local oil producer; it has now ventured onto the global stage as well,” he said.