Hari Profesional Malaysia: Mendengar sahaja tak cukup

Hari Profesional Malaysia, scheduled for September 29th, acknowledges the contributions of Malaysia's professional class to national development. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim emphasized the need for professionals to play a greater role in governance. While acknowledging that no minister can have expertise in every field, Anwar stressed the importance of listening to and considering professional opinions when relevant.

However, merely listening is insufficient. When professional expertise is applicable, the government should provide space for professionals to directly engage in solving problems. Malaysia boasts experienced professionals in various sectors such as public service, finance, engineering, health, logistics, manufacturing, technology, law, and many others.

Some professionals have spent 20 or 30 years in their respective fields, possessing practical experience and institutional knowledge that is difficult to acquire through short-term studies or consulting reports. Some professionals have warned about specific risks before an issue becomes a major problem, including issues related to 1MDB, PKFZ, water supply, floods, and transport planning.

Therefore, the question is not merely whether professionals are not speaking out. We also need to ask, when they do speak out, what mechanisms are in place to assess their views and, if justified, involve them in finding solutions? Malaysia is not lacking in expertise. What may be lacking is a systematic mechanism to identify, assess, and utilize that expertise before a problem escalates into a crisis.

If a professional has relevant experience, credibility, and expertise, the government should have the flexibility to involve them as advisers, members of technical advisory committees, industry officials, or project-based task forces. This approach opens up space for former government officials, corporate executives who have retired, or retirees, as well as industry experts who may no longer seek full-time employment but are still capable and willing to contribute.

These individuals may have decades of experience in areas such as customs, ports, manufacturing, mining, finance, health, engineering, transportation, and international trade. Their expertise can be utilized without the government needing to create new permanent positions. The scope of professional involvement should not be limited to health, education, and information technology.

The country needs experts in strategic areas such as transportation and logistics, port and airport development, economic planning, international trade, manufacturing, energy, infrastructure, and urban development. The design of a new port or airport should not be based on a single perspective. It requires the input of transportation planners, engineers, logistics experts, customs professionals, and trade experts, economists, financial experts, and industry players who understand the real-world conditions on the ground.

In terms of talent, this discussion should not become a debate about whether older professionals are more committed than Generation Z. Young professionals bring technological skills, adaptability, and new ideas, while experienced professionals bring institutional memory, practical considerations, and knowledge of how policies are implemented.

Malaysia needs both. More importantly, Malaysia needs the effective transfer of knowledge between experienced professionals, young professionals, and the public service. Hari Professional Malaysia can also serve as a starting point for a more structured relationship between the government and the professional community. Professionals can be encouraged to identify risks or issues that may arise, while the government should have channels to assess their views before involving professionals who are truly suitable in the formulation and implementation of solutions.

Another dimension that needs attention is the experience of Malaysians who have worked abroad. When various initiatives are launched to bring back Malaysia's professionals, we also need to ask what happens to those who have returned. Some have returned after years of working abroad with international experience, specialized expertise, and professional networks, but may still lack meaningful opportunities to contribute.

Before inviting more Malaysians to return, the government should ensure that those who have returned and are ready to serve do not find themselves without meaningful space to utilize their expertise. Some may prefer not to have a permanent position. Some may be better suited to advise, mentor, serve as industry experts, project consultants, industry liaison officers, or technical experts.

Flexible mechanisms can allow the government to use these experts as needed without adding unnecessary permanent positions. The bigger question is whether Malaysia is truly utilizing its full human resource potential. This issue is also related to discussions about the minimum wage. The minimum wage is important as a basic protection for workers, but the long-term goal should not only be to increase the minimum standard over time.

The government should also provide more training, skill enhancement, and career pathways so that low-wage workers can move towards higher-skilled, higher-paying, and more responsible jobs. When workers have a clear path from entry-level positions to skilled and professional-level jobs, wage increases will naturally follow increases in productivity and experience.