Three Outstanding Students Choose Malaysia To Work

By Yuri Azhar Mazlan KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 7 (Bernama) -- In line with its commitment to nurture young talents and enhance human capital development, Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) (Malaysia's Central Bank) has produced many outstanding Malaysian students abroad, via its scholarship awards. This also contributed to the government’s efforts at reducing Malaysia's 'brain drain' through attracting, developing and retaining Malaysia's skilled human capital. Among the high achievers produced by BNM's scholarship awards were Dhruva Murugasu, who studied Economics at the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, from 2009 to 2012; Wan Fatin Hamimi Wan Nor Azman (Actuarial Science, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK, from 2008 to 2012); and, Chong Yi Xiang (Mathematical Science at Carnegie Mellon University, United States, from 2008 to 2012). Upon completing their studies abroad, they returned home and began working with BNM last week, as its first-level executives or junior executives. In an exclusive interview with Bernama at Sasana Kijang of BNM here, Dhruva, 21, from Petaling Jaya, Selangor, said Malaysia had lots of potential in becoming a developed and great nation. "BNM has set up good economic policies and will make a major difference to the people. That is why, I chose BNM to serve and help to build the nation's economy by contributing ideas and opinions," he said. Being the top student in his faculty for three consecutive years, he has won several coveted prizes, including the Adam Smith Prize from the University of Cambridge's Economics Faculty for the best examination performance. The Adam Smith Prize was established in 1891 and previous winners included several prominent individuals such as the modern macroeconomics founder John Maynard Keynes, Nobel Prize Winner Amartya Sen and India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. BNM has also received direct feedback from the Christ's College Cambridge's Director of Studies in the Economics School that Dhruva's work was described by some of the examiners as "brilliant". While studying in Taylor's University from 2008 till 2009, Dhruva (left) was the highest scoring candidate in the world for A-Level Further Mathematics and A-Level Mathematics. Asked why he chose Malaysia to work, Dhruva said that though other developed countries offered better salary and perks, that was not his primary motivation as he opted to serve the nation and hoped to contribute in transforming the nation to become a developed country by the year 2020. "I would like to see the impact of my work (in assisting and giving ideas to BNM) and hope that it will use my ideas and opinions to be part of its policies," he added. Dhruva said his job would require him to analyse and monitor current market developments in Malaysia and abroad, besides contributing his opinions on how to improve the current BNM policies and present it to his supervisors for further action. On his 'ingredients' to achieving flying colours in his studies, he said support from family, classmates and lecturers was part of the success, but he really put enormous effort in his studies. "Don't isolate yourself if you are facing difficulties but take any challenge in stride. What I learned was, it is important not to only mix with your circle of Malaysian friends when abroad, but also with other students from around the world," he said. Planning to pursue a masters in Economics, Dhruva also said that Malaysia was doing remarkably well, as compared to other countries, due to good leadership. "BNM plays a major role in the nation's economy, that was what I observed and learned when I did a five-week internship with BNM's economics department, about two years ago," he noted. During his internship with BNM (Economics Department) from Aug 2 to Sept 3, 2010, he had completed a research titled 'Regional Integration in Asia: Past, Present and Future'. Apart from BNM, Dhruva also did his internship with the Bank of England (International Finance Division) from July 4 to Aug 26 last year. During that internship, he completed a research project on capital flows between developed economies and studied the advantages and drawbacks of various data sources for balance of payments, and presented findings to the entire division. Meanwhile, Wan Fatin Hamimi Wan Nor Azman, 23, said she wanted to build a good career with BNM, particularly in eradicating poverty in Malaysia. "Economic development has been identified as the cause of poverty among Malaysians in urban and rural areas. I hope my ideas and views will help to reduce poverty, if not succeed in eliminating poverty completely," said the lass from Kuala Lumpur. Wan Fatin Hamimi (centre) also said that there should be a new method in creating employment opportunities in Malaysia to improve living standards across all ethnic groups. Meanwhile, Chong (right) said he chose to work in Malaysia as he wanted to be close to his family, besides contributing to Malaysia's development by working with BNM. "I want to work with BNM, which is led by among the world's top central bank governors, Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz," he said, adding that he planned to pursue his PhD later. Hailing from Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, one of the 13 states that constitutes Malaysia, Chong, 22, thanked BNM for awarding him the scholarship to further his studies abroad. He said young Malaysians had the potential to contribute to the nation by giving good ideas, and creating innovations and businesses to reduce the unemployment rate in Malaysia. More than 1,600 Malaysians have been awarded the non-staff scholarships for Economics, Accountancy, Actuarial Science, Banking and Finance, Corporate Finance, Islamic Banking and Economics, Law and Syariah Law, Mathematics and Information Technology. BNM will sponsor scholars to pursue studies at the top 10 ranked universities, based on the field of study listed by BNM. Besides good grades, potential candidates are assessed on their ability to exhibit good communication skills, a drive for excellence, self-confidence, maturity, leadership, as well as good team spirit. (photoBERNAMA) MALAYSIA