He added that if improvements are not made, many JPA-sponsored students may not return to serve even after being allowed to work abroad for three years, as announced last Wednesday.

“To ensure that JPA-sponsored students return to serve in the country, there is also a need to create a better work environment and implement features of work-life balance.

“Opportunities for their career advancement should be clarified, while the family-friendly environment also needs improvement,” he told FMT.

He was responding to the government’s decision on Feb 7 to allow JPA scholars abroad to defer their return after graduating so that they could gain work experience and skills abroad before returning to Malaysia.

Syed Hussain said the three-year period would make the students more skilled when they eventually return home to work.

“Such a policy could encourage them to return and serve in the country. It could also reduce the number of JPA scholars who do not return after completing their studies,” he said.

According to Syed Hussain, the brain drain issue should be thoroughly examined and appropriate measures taken to ensure that the working environment in this country is more attractive.

He commended the efforts by the government to attract more local talent who are currently overseas to return home but admitted that it was not an easy task.

Between 2011 to 2020, a total of 5,774 Malaysian professionals were brought back through the talent return programme organised by TalentCorp.