Malaysia Welcomes Malaysians Abroad To Return, Contribute Expertise To Country — Ramanan

JAKARTA, Oct 7 – The government continues to encourage overseas Malaysians to return home and contribute their expertise toward national development, backed by streamlined return initiatives and expanded employment networks.

Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan emphasized that returning processes must be simplified, utilizing key platforms like the Returning Expert Programme (REP) managed by Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad (TalentCorp) and PERKESO’s MYFutureJobs portal, which lists over 400,000 active employment vacancies.

Speaking at the Salam Dari Malaysia @ Jakarta networking session on Monday night, Ramanan reiterated the Human Resources Ministry’s (KESUMA) commitment to facilitating rather than hindering skilled talent migration back to Malaysia.

“If we want Malaysian talent to return, we must make it easier, not make it more difficult. We are here to facilitate, not to complicate matters,” Ramanan stated, adding that cumbersome bureaucratic hurdles often discourage professionals from returning.

Streamlined Entry Permits and Family-Centric Policies

During the event, Ramanan launched the updated Guidelines for Applying for an Entry Permit under the REP category, developed in collaboration with the Malaysian Immigration Department.

Key highlights of the enhanced REP framework include:

• Shortened Processing Times: Processing durations for entry permits under the REP stream have been reduced from approximately six months to four months or less.
• Family-Inclusive Considerations: The application guidelines account for holistic family integration, recognizing spousal career transitions, child education arrangements, and general household resettlement.
• Digital Access: Originally established in 2001 and managed by TalentCorp since 2011, REP services are accessible digitally through the MyHeart.my online portal.

Foreign Network Contributions

Ramanan urged working professionals based overseas to support national development even prior to physically relocating back to Malaysia.

“If you have expertise, please share it with Malaysia. If you have connections in Indonesia, or if you see opportunities for Malaysian companies or talent in Indonesia, please help us open those doors,” Ramanan urged attendees.

The event was attended by Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the Embassy of Malaysia in Jakarta Datuk Muzaffar Shah Mustafa, TalentCorp Group CEO Biruntha Mooruthi, and PERKESO Group CEO Datuk Seri Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed.

–NMT