The causes and consequences of brain drain in Malaysia: Analyzing the economic and social impacts

Abstract

The phenomenon of brain drain in Malaysia poses a significant threat to its economic growth and social stability. It describes the migration of professionals from one country to another, usually from a developing to a developed country. Many talents are attracted by this trend because of its obvious advantages such as high salary, job development and future prospects. Many Malaysians migrate to the neighbouring country — Singapore for work. They are usually attracted by the country’s exchange rate because wages in Malaysia are not as high as those in Singapore. This has also led to an increasing number of professionals leaving the country, so Malaysia should not turn a blind eye to the occurrence of brain drain. This study’s objective was aimed to examine the causes and consequences of brain drain in Malaysia, while focusing on the social and economic impacts. To achieve the objective, this study will use a qualitative research method to address the limitations of previous papers. One finding from this study is that Malaysia’s brain drain has not yet reached a critical level but if not controlled, it may eventually harm its economic growth and development.