Singaporean talents losing battle to Malaysians

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http://www.valuewalk.com/2013/10/malaysia-losing-talent-battle-to-singapore/

Singapore’s economy is far more advanced than Malaysia’s and in fact is one of the most developed economies in the world. From high-end manufacturing, to cutting edge pharmaceutical research, the Singapore economy is at the forefront of many industries. This has helped the island nation generate numerous high-paying jobs and opportunities.

With a native population of only 4 million people, however, Singapore has long relied on attracting foreign talent to fuel its economy.

One of the key sources of this foreign talent has been Malaysia. Singapore can offer higher wages and arguably a higher quality of life to Malaysians willing to cross the short causeway to live and work in the city-state. A combination of Malaysian affirmative action policies also encourages Malaysians of Chinese and Indian descent to leave Malaysia in search of better opportunities. And Singapore often ends up receiving the best of Malaysia’s talent looking to move abroad.

The influx of foreign talent, however, is starting to cause resentment from many Singaporean citizens, some of whom feel like they are foreigners in their own country. Now, the government has begun to slowly make it more difficult to hire foreign workers and is considering further policies to restrict the influx of foreign labor.

If the Singapore government takes this route, however, it may be to the country’s own detriment. Many Western MNCs have chosen to locate their regional offices in the country due to the ability to easily import staff and talent. Further, the influx of foreign talent has helped numerous industries grow at rapid rates, creating jobs for Singaporeans and foreigners alike.