KUALA LUMPUR (Aug 24): Malaysian talents abroad focussed more on opportunities available in the country rather than the socioeconomic situation when considering returning to Malaysia to work, says Talent Corporation Malaysia Bhd (TalentCorp).

"They are used to work overseas. They would want to see companies here offer similar opportunities here," said TalentCorp chief executive officer (CEO) Shareen Shariza Abdul Ghani.

Shareen was responding to a question on whether the messy socioeconomic situation in Malaysia coupled with concerns on governance following the 1Malaysia Development Bhd debacle have made it more difficult for TalentCorp to lure back Malaysian talents from abroad.

Speaking to reporters at the Career Comeback Networking and Job Fair today, she explained TalentCorp is looking at how it can match the supply and demand between opportunities provided by corporations and Malaysian talents abroad.

"Maybe we have not done enough to show the opportunities [available]," added Shareen, who replaced Johan Mahmood Merican when his secondment to TalentCorp ended on May 30 after more than five years as CEO.

Previously, Johan had said the messy sociopolitical situation in Malaysia was creating a lack of confidence in the economy, leading to more young Malaysians studying or living abroad opting to remain there.

Meanwhile, the career fair today is part of the national Career Comeback programme run by TalentCorp which also offers employers "resourcing grant" and "retention grant" — to retain and recruit women on career breaks.

The Career Comeback programme is part of the government's efforts to increase the country's female labour participation rate to 59% by 2020 by attracting and retaining highly qualified women in the workforce.