Lowyat.NET: Latest topics by Pikichu

Germany state migrate 30,000 PCs to LibreOffice

Pikichu — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 21:00:34 +0800

Public Money? Public Code!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuVUzg6x2yo

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Migration to LibreOffice and ODF for 30,000 clients in government of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx0IQqhO6hY

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Previously in 4 April 2024, 'complete digital sovereignty'

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When is Singapore going to progress?

Type C is taking over!

Pikichu — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 12:02:24 +0800

[YOUTUBE]kkiyRFR2LBM[/YOUTUBE]
From December 28, 2024, all mobile devices must be equipped with a USB Type C charging port and comply with USB Power Delivery (PD) specifications in the EU. These USB Type C and PD requirements will then extend to laptops from April 28, 2026.

USB Type C connectors were introduced in 2014, they were added to a long list of different types of connectors available in the market. From dc power connectors to other types of USB connectors, OEMs of consumer electronic devices have a range of options. This has resulted in consumers often needing a different type of charger every time they purchase a new device, further increasing the amount of e-waste as a byproduct.

USB Type C was deemed the most feasible option for the common charging receptacle because the physical USB connector standard had already been adopted at the international standards level by CENELEC under the European Standard EN IEC 62680-1-3: Universal serial bus interfaces for data and power - Part 1-3: Common components - USB Type-C® Cable and Connector Specification. The same goes for the USB Power Delivery specification, which is defined under EN IEC 62680-1-2.

Other existing regulations, such as the Radio Equipment Directive (RED) and the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive , all played a vital role in shaping the USB Type C standardization landscape.

The category of devices listed in the Commission’s proposal that must comply by the end of 2024 include:

Handheld mobile phones
Tablets
Digital cameras
Headphones
Headsets
Handheld videogame consoles
Portable speakers
e-readers
Keyboards
Mice
Portable navigation systems
Earbuds
Laptops (spring 2026)

It is important to note that some products, such as smart watches, health trackers, personal care devices, and other wearables, could be exempted if they are too small to have a USB Type C receptacle.

Other Key Rules and Considerations

Unbundling: With one of the main goals of this directive being to reduce electronic waste by using a common charge for all devices, the idea of unbundling is intended to give consumers the choice of buying a new device with or without a charger. While unbundling is not initially mandatory, by the end of 2026, the Commission is required to submit a report on the impact of unbundling and whether to make it a mandatory requirement for manufacturers or not. All packaging will also have to include new labeling to indicate if a charging device is or is not included. See below.

New product labels indicating if a power adapter is supplied with the end product or not

Wireless charging: While the initial directive focuses on wired charging using USB Type C connectors and cables, the Commission will also be required by the end of 2024 to request EU standard organizations to develop harmonized charging interface and protocols for wireless charging.

Charging specifications labeling: Charging capabilities and compatible charging devices must be printed on any user manuals and packaging as shown below.

New product label indicating the USB power delivery requirements of supplied charging devices

The EU's efforts to standardize USB Type C connectors and cables underscore its commitment to enhancing user experiences, reducing electronic waste, and fostering technological innovation.

Huawei enters Ultra Luxury Market

Pikichu — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 22:56:42 +0800

www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxr61MeZj80 [YOUTUBE]oxr61MeZj80[/YOUTUBE]

Huawei JAC tie-up brand Maextro will be called the S800 and will be officially unveiled at the Huawei Mate brand ceremony on November 26, 2024.
Richard Yu (Yu Chengdong), chairman of Huawei’s smart car unit, said that the new car will be “very respectful, very big, very bright.”

“The Maextro S800 is very large, probably surpassing 99.99% of cars on the road, reaching about 5.5 meters, and at the same time, it is not only large in appearance but also has a large interior space.” This is significantly longer than the previously expected length of around 5200 mm, said Yu. This means that the car reaches the D+ size level and is comparable to that of the Maybach version of the S class and the Rolls Royce Ghost. The difference, of course, is that the S800 is fully electric.

The car will be available in two-tone colors and an all-black version, with 21-inch wheels, and a unique front headlight design.

The Maextro S800 is priced between 1 to 1.5 million yuan ($138,000 to $207,000) and currently available for pre-booking with a deposit of 20,000 yuan.

This luxury model is the fourth brand under Huawei’s Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA), alongside Aito, Luxeed, and Stelato.

Huawei’s flagship Aito M7 developed with Seres has sold 300,000 units while the Aito M9 has reached 180,000 sales in just 11 months. At the event, Huawei also launched the new Luxeed S7 sedan and Stelato S9 Ultra, expanding its EV portfolio.

The Luxeed S7, priced at 229,800 yuan, offers enhanced comfort and performance while undercutting its predecessor by 20,000 yuan.

Additionally, Huawei has partnered with GAC to launch a new smart EV brand, further strengthening its automotive ambitions.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSVM4jkeXos [YOUTUBE]sSVM4jkeXos[/YOUTUBE]

Where is easy to find nasi lemak in the world?

Pikichu — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 13:27:12 +0800

The largest population of overseas Malaysians in the world:

Surprise to see Brunei rank Top 5.

If you are working overseas exclude Singapore, do you plan to return to MY ?

Kalau Kelantan tak buat konsert, rakyat pergi Thai

Pikichu — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 12:53:19 +0800

Adun Kangar kata maruah rakyat nak rumput cantik, jadi Adun Segambut bagi bajet untuk rumput https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hB3VJr9dyPM
Kamu nak bajet untuk rumput?
[YOUTUBE]hB3VJr9dyPM[/YOUTUBE]

Who will you vote for? and Why?

Pikichu — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 16:44:20 +0800

Hypothetical scenario:
You can vote.
If you decided to vote for Kamala or Trump:

1. Would you change to vote for Trump or Kamala if paid?
2. What amount would you accept to change vote?
3. Would you change if Trump or Kamala amend policy,
comment on policies you desire below.

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inb4 no PPBM/PAS/BN/DAP/PKR/Siti Kasim in USA.

The House Where the Mermaid Sleeps

Pikichu — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 16:24:37 +0800

Why would a mother want to kill her own child?

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Film writers explore polll question at 1:30:00 in:

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Head of Grab jailed, fined for drink driving

Pikichu — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 10:35:34 +0800

QUOTE

Head of Grab’s fintech arm jailed 12 days, fined for drink driving, crashing into traffic light

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Nadine Chua Updated Oct 24, 2024,

SINGAPORE – The head and managing director of Grab’s fintech arm, GrabFin, was sentenced to 12 days’ jail on Oct 24 for drink driving and crashing into a traffic light.

Wong Wenbin, 42, who had almost double the prescribed limit of alcohol in his system during the accident, was also fined $5,000 and disqualified from driving for 36 months.

QUOTE

The court heard he had at least 63 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath, which exceeded the prescribed limit of 35 microgrammes.

On Aug 17, 2023, at around 9pm, Wong was at Party World KTV in Havelock Road with his colleagues where he drank two glasses of red wine.

He had his last drink at around midnight before driving home.

At around 12.50am, Wong turned right along Havelock Road towards the Central Expressway junction of Outram Road and crashed his car into a traffic light.

Photos of the accident produced in court showed a badly damaged red BMW with its airbags deployed. The traffic light it crashed into was tilted to the side.

The court heard that damage to the traffic light was around $2,100, and Wong spent around $15,000 to $20,000 to repair his car.

Seeking a jail term of two to four weeks, the prosecution said Wong was a serious offender as he drove drunk and caused an accident barely 50 minutes after his last drink.

He had previous records of speeding and failing to stop at a red light.

The police prosecutor said a strong deterrence was needed in such offences given the rise in drink driving cases in Singapore.

There were three fatal drink driving accidents in the first half of 2022, which rose to eight in 2023 and nine in 2024 during the same period.

In mitigation, Wong’s lawyer Danny Quah sought that his client do 120 hours of community service in lieu of a jail term.

He said: “Instead of being sent to jail, he can be an ambassador for road safety so he can influence others and make an impact in society. When someone does something wrong, he is in a position to help other people to not make the same mistake as him.”

District Judge Shawn Ho then asked: “What is stopping your client from volunteering to be an ambassador of road safety, without a court order?”

In response, Mr Quah said it would send a deterrent signal for the community service to be mandatory, but acknowledged it was a slightly unusual request.

Mr Quah also noted the traffic light was fixed the next morning and did not severely inconvenience road users.

But Judge Ho said this was testament to the efficiency of the Land Transport Authority and did not view it as a mitigating factor.

The offence of drink driving carries a fine of between $2,000 and $10,000 or jail time of up to 12 months, or both.

Repeat offenders can be fined between $5,000 and $20,000 and jailed for up to two years.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/cour...o-traffic-light

If not Grab, what else ride hailing do you prefer?

WTA How to disable Android auto install app?

Pikichu — Thu, 24 Oct 2024 12:10:28 +0800

Google Play Store auto install unwanted apps when connect to WIFI.

Want to ask: How to disable Android auto install app?
- Redmi Note 8
- Android 11 RKQ1 201004.002
- MIUI Global 12.5.2
- Google Play Store ver: 27.6.16-21 [0] [PR] 403434949

inb4 Deleted Play Store but some apps need Play Store to update so reinstall Play Store.
inb4 Not preinstalled app
inb4 GetApps disabled
inb4 Unwanted apps deleted, then Google Play install again when connected to WIFI.

WTA How to disable Android auto install app?

Pikichu — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 00:23:31 +0800

WTA How to disable Android auto install app?
- Redmi Note 8
- Android 11 RKQ1 201004.002
- MIUI Global 12.5.2
- Google Play Store ver: 27.6.16-21 [0] [PR] 403434949

Google Play Store auto install unwanted apps when connect to WIFI.

inb4 Deleted Play Store but some apps need Play Store to update so reinstall Play Store.
Thank you in advance.

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Xiaomi Redmi Projector 3 officially released: 1080P resolution high brightness

Xiaomi has now announced the Redmi Projector 3, another new member that has joined in to become part of its expanding smart home ecosystem. This projector features a resolution of 1080P with support for 260CVIA lumens brightness. It is also priced at 999 yuan (140 USD) for initial sales and later sold at 1,299 yuan (182 USD).

Key Features of Xiaomi Redmi Projector 3
High Resolution: The Redmi Projector 3 has a physical resolution of about 1080P. The sharp and clear images provide users with a good feeling for watching-epecially for home entertainment.
Bright and Clear Projection: With a 260CVIA lumens brightness, the projector ensures that the visuals are bright and clear even in well-lit rooms for quality results across diverse viewing environments.
High Tech: An important factor in making it really prominent is the ToF laser module, which allows for automatic correction and autofocus. It implies smooth performance, hassle-free use, and no manual tuning of equipment.
Dustproof and Noise Reduction Technology: It adopts a self-developed closed optical engine, which will help to reduce noise and provide dust-proof for better durability, ensuring a finer viewing experience.
Processor: Amlogic T950D4 Quad-Core Under the hood, the device inclusions are the usage of an Amlogic T950D4 quad-core processor, coupled with a 1.5 GB RAM + 32 GB storage combination. This helps in proper functioning that can be used for smooth playback of videos and multitasking.
Boast an Immersive audio setup: 2×5W speakers, assisted by a digital amplifier, provide an immersive sound quality, hence ideal for movie nights or gaming sessions.

The Redmi Projector 3 integrates with Xiaomi Pengpai Zhilian and can be connected to a smart home system, including smart lamps and curtains for an integrated and interactive home entertainment experience. Boasting some incredible specs, including the ToF laser module, smart home integration, and great AV, the Xiaomi Redmi Projector 3 should be one heck of value for someone looking at upgrading their cinema experience but without breaking the bank.
Source.

WTA Chest Pain

Pikichu — Sat, 12 Oct 2024 17:38:09 +0800

Hi,
Like to ask anyone experience chest pain under these conditions,
- non-smoker/vape
- non-drinker
- hardly eat fried / oily / curry
- hardly eat out / salt
- no animal product / keto / paleo
- about 50kg slim-to-average size
- exercise about twice a week
- no diabetes/heart disease/asthma
- not on medication / high blood pressure
- health in good condition until recently
- no mRNA exposure (2 people asked)

Chest pain, left side centre, mild pain - about 2 days.

Looking for:
- people similar conditions' remedy
- doctor/nutritionist experience treating such condition
- cheap no-frill cremation
Kindly PM.

Typically chest pain, doctor prescribe lose weight, bcos overweight
In this case, not fat.

Doctor, did blood work, test and scans but still unprogressive in cure.
So going to another common doctor is useless.

inb4 KKM public hospital RM1
inb4 Google: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/sympt...1209-chest-pain
inb4 2 paracetamol thin blood for heartpump smoothly.
inb4 if you like to rant, I've other topics/threads to rant, pls follow LYN section rules.

Appreciate your reading and resourceful comment, in advance.

Update: 9 Nov 2024, chest pain is cured.
Thank you all for comment and concerns.

Not all comments are relevant or useful.
Did not do ECG, medical scans and lab tests.
Won't post the treatment here because
most people have different base line & causes.
Furthermore, did not require doctor or pills.

During this period, also suffer frozen shoulder.
Which also recovered within this period.

TQ mods for allowing this in Serious /K,
can file to LYN Health section.

Fact or Fake: Planets fit btwn Earth & Moon

Pikichu — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 15:18:26 +0800

All other planets, lined up end to end, can fit between the Earth and Moon at their furtherest distance?
True or False

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Tragedi Oktober

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 07:30:00 +0800

Emirates bans passengers from flying

Pikichu — Sun, 06 Oct 2024 18:19:01 +0800

www.aerotime.aero/articles/emirates-bans-prohibited-pagers-walkie-talkies

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Get your KL 8 October 2024 invitation at www.emiratesgroupcareers.com/cabin-crew

Does girls'school get special holiday Sep 26?

Pikichu — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 12:04:12 +0800

[twt]https://www.twitter.com/AzatAlsalim/status/1837136908268273781[/twt]
https://x.com/AzatAlsalim/status/1837136908268273781

[twt]https://www.twitter.com/AbuGhaith24/status/1837423730307305923[/twt]
https://x.com/AbuGhaith24/status/1837423730307305923

TLDW / back story:

QUOTE

Houthi militia storms girls' school in Hamdan under pretext of organizing a celebration for September 26 anniversary
https://www.factynews.com/articles/houthi-m...iversary-video/

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Why puas do not voice for Yemen?

Apple at Samsung Station

Pikichu — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 11:22:13 +0800

www.instagram.com/reel/C9R75yISXST/
[ig]C9R75yISXST[/ig]

BMW and Hilux reckless driving

Pikichu — Thu, 12 Sep 2024 08:58:30 +0800

QUOTE

Swiss BMW Driver Slammed With $116,000 Tailgating Fine Because He’s Rich
A court in Switzerland has levied a massive fine against a lawyer for tailgating on the highway while sitting behind the wheel of his BMW 5 Series. The 58-year old lawyer is now on the hook for a fine of roughly $116,000 after being pulled over in 2023 for following at an unsafe distance (between 26 to 40 feet) while on the A1 highway near Zürich and traveling at speeds of up to 74 mph, according to local news outlet Nau.

The Swiss lawyer was driving a turbo-diesel BMW 540d at the time, per Road and Track, and you might be thinking this is typical behavior for a BMW owner. But what is not typical—though it arguably should be—is the heavy fine the lawyer is facing due to Switzerland’s Day-Fine system, which stipulates that penalties must be based on the offending party’s income.

The tailgating lawyer reportedly makes about 1.7 million Swiss francs per year, or just over $2 million at current exchange rates. The court can impose a fine of daily rates between 30 and 3,000 francs, or roughly $35 to $3,500, in cases like these, but settled on fining the lawyer 50 daily rates of 1,970 CHF. That totals 98,500 francs, or just over $116,000. The tailgater was also charged an additional fine of 15,000 francs, as well as another 5,000 in court fees and the like.

The BMW-driving lawyer appealed the fine, however, forcing the case onto the docket of a higher court. The lawyer tried to appeal by arguing that the police had failed to read him his rights during questioning, and on grounds that the video footage police had used to determine his following distance was inaccurate.

Yeah, the court threw those arguments right out the window, dismissing both claims outright. News outlet Nau also cites the “millionaire” lawyer mentioning that his BMW 540d had “sports and racing brakes,” but the court upheld the guilty verdict nonetheless, saying the quality of the BMW’s brakes didn’t change anything.

That does sound like something a tailgating BMW driver would say. And, yes, I can freely say that as a BMW owner who agrees with all the typical jokes among car enthusiasts—low blinker fluid, etc. In the end, the court lowered the additional 15,000-franc fine to 10,000, but the daily rate remained, meaning the lawyer is still on the hook for 111,500 francs all told, or just under $131,500. Regardless of income, six figures is a lot of money to lose over tailgating someone on the highway.

QUOTE

The Drive

Mari racing orang muda

Pikichu — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 11:32:30 +0800

Salah satu kebaikan meningkatkan ilmu kuno boleh menjadi teras perkembangan zaman jahiliah,
yang membolehkan Afghanistan, Korea Utara dan negara China yang handal membuat iPhone.

Kita kaji cara yang digunakan di Jerman, mula di 6:25 https://youtu.be/O7yX2hkN8sE Young people push back against right wing populism and marginalization

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Apakah kebaikan dan keburukan racing terhadap orang muda?
Komen adalah pendapat individu dan bukan pendapat Lowyat.net

Punca Masalah Dunia mengikut Propoganda Barat

Pikichu — Sun, 08 Sep 2024 14:40:42 +0800

The Spirit Level at 15 is a follow up 15 years after the publication of 'The Spirit Level' 2009 by
- Richard G. Wilkinson, Professor Emeritus at the University of Nottingham Medical School
- Kate Pickett, Professor of Epidemiology at the University of York
- joined Aini Gauhar and Priya Sahni-Nicholas

Groundbreaking analysis in a book, based on thirty years' research, explains
the root of escalating environmental, health and social crises, such as
- Life satisfaction
- Life expectancy
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- Asthma
- Drug use
- Mental health
- Pandemic death
- Infant mortality

27 analyses in 39 pages is a simple diagnosis of our ills and explains:

Why majority of kids will face
- educational underachievement
- lack of equal opportunity
- racial inequality
- climate crisis
- riots

so Like & Share it
before Fahmi bans it.
Ecosia search engine

Upah TikTok:

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Oxford student now $260-an-hour call girl

Pikichu — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 20:49:14 +0800

1. [@JohnL77] mudah lupa
2. See Arab journalism spin MY into UK
3. Insaplah
4. Women know, just that they are powerless

Articles are long

Prodigy to prostitute: Tragic fall for UK Muslim
Source 1: Al Arabiya News

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QUOTE

Prodigy to prostitute: Tragic fall for UK Muslim

A gifted Malaysian student who won a place at Oxford at the age of 13 has been exposed as a $260-an-hour (£130) prostitute, British press reports said, in a tragic tale of the prominent UK-based Muslim family's fall from grace.

Sufiah Yusof, 23, advertises her body on an Internet sex site and works out of a back street flat in Salford, 320 kilometers (200 miles) north west of London, the UK's Daily Mail reported on Sunday.

According to the paper, she describes herself as a '"very pretty size 8, 32D bust and 5ft 5in tall - available for booking every day from 11am to 8pm" with a preference for "older gentlemen".

When an undercover reporter visited her at the flat, Yusof stripped naked and gyrated on a bed as she reeled off her list of services, the paper added.

Yusof's family was once hailed as the "brightest in Britain" after she and two of her siblings won places at Oxford by the time they were 16, the paper said.

Yusof began studying at the university in 1997 at the age of 13, but ran away three years later, saying her parents had put too much pressure on her to succeed.

She was found by police 12 days later working as a waitress at an Internet café, but refused to return to her parents, who had given up their jobs to educate their five children at home.

At the time, Yusof accused her "controlling and bullying" father of forcing her to work in the cold to help concentration and said she never wanted to see him again, the paper said.

The prostitution exposé comes just days after her father was jailed for sexually assaulting two teenaged students, the Daily Mail said.

A British court jailed Farooq Khan for 18 months after he admitted to groping two girls, both aged 15, while tutoring them in math at his home. He had been jailed for three years in 1992 for his part in a $3 million (£1.5 million) mortgage swindle involving several family members.

When contacted by the Daily Mail, Yusof's mother Halimahton, 51, a scientist, said she had no idea her daughter was working as a prostitute.

Speaking from her home in Coventry, she said: "I didn't know anything about that. I am not in touch with Sufiah any more. I have got no comment."

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Sufiah Yusof kini lebih feminis, matang
Source 2: Museum /k and Sinar Harian

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QUOTE(soowky @ Jul 11 2017, 03:27 PM)

Sufiah Yusof kini lebih feminis, matang

SIAPA sahaja tidak mengenali atau mengetahui kisah Sufiah Yusof yang pernah menarik perhatian dunia sebagai 'si genius matematik'.

Gelaran tersebut lahir selepas beliau mengikuti ijazah Sarjana Matematik di Univesiti Oxford pada usia yang muda iaitu 13 tahun.

Dipetik laporan Nona, Sufiah yang berdarah kacukan Pakistan dan Melayu Johor itu pernah memberontak, lalu melarikan diri dari universiti sekitar tahun 2000.

Hidup Sufiah kemudian dilanda isu-isu dahsyat sehinggakan pengalamannya sebagai pekerja seks dijadikan tajuk di dada akhbar.

Isu tersebut timbul selepas beliau bercerai dengan suaminya, Jonathan Marshall yang juga seorang penuntut di University Oxford.

Tidak cukup dengan itu, hubungan Sufiah dengan keluarganya pula bergolak.

Sufiah kemudian diburu media dan pernah menerima ugutan semata-mata untuk menemuramah dirinya.

Beliau juga pernah dirakam secara rahsia oleh wartawan yang menyamar sebagai 'pelanggan'.

Akhirnya, Sufiah meninggalkan profesion kotor tersebut.

Kini, Sufiah yang berusia 33 tahun mendakwa semakin matang dan memperjuangkan feminisme.

Beliau juga semakin lantang bersuara dan terbuka untuk berkongsi buah fikirannya.

"Wartawan sangat obses mahu 'mencipta' personaliti saya mengikut fantasi mereka. Mereka nampak terdesak mahu mendapatkan cerita dari sudut-sudut yang berbeza. Saya digambarkan dalam media sebagai seorang bintang akademik demi menaikkan rating rancangan masing-masing.

"Saya juga dijadikan 'public image' tanpa rela. Semua maklumat peribadi saya dimanipulasi dengan hebat; bermula dari kehidupan seks, latar belakang ibu bapa dan sejarah perkahwinan lampau," kata Sufiah.

Media tidak suka melaporkan kisah wanita yang gembira atau sedih dengan kehidupannya.

"Kerana tiada siapa yang mahu membaca. Jadi sebab itulah drama demi drama terpaksa dicipta dan disensasikan.

"Mereka obses mahu saya berkata sesuatu." katanya dipetik laporan Nona.sos

bonus drill

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[right][snapback]85590745[/snapback][/right]

Malaysian women who went abroad for studies and never returned
Source 3: FMT

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QUOTE

KUALA LUMPUR: Three decades ago, when Lily (not her real name) boarded a UK-bound flight to further her studies, she never thought she was saying goodbye to Malaysia as her home forever.

At first, she had plans on returning home once she graduated. But there was always a goal she wanted to achieve, a professional qualification she wanted to get.

However, having gained recognition as an expert in her field, any hopes she had of returning were dashed.

Now, she calls the UK her home, where she works in the medical sector, and Malaysia the country she visits almost every year to see her mother and siblings.

"It wasn’t my intention to stay in the UK forever and never to return home. It was more of achieving my goals for my medical practice and then come back," she said via Zoom.

Lily is one of the 1.86 million Malaysian women living overseas, according to the latest figures from the United Nations.

While the figure may not seem overly high, it is equivalent to 12% of Malaysia’s total female population of 15.6 million.

This makes Malaysia the country with the second highest regional rate of women migrating with 57%, second only to Thailand, and is above the global average of 48%.

Experts say the fact that more women than men are leaving the country to seek their fortune elsewhere is not necessarily bad, given the increasingly globalised world.

Describing the 57% figure as "huge", International Labour Organization (ILO) consultant Suriani Kempe said it raises questions on what makes more women than men leave and whether this is a worrying trend for the nation.

"Women emigrating doesn’t mean they’re not coming back, right? But if there are discriminatory policies in place in the country that prevent them from coming back, the government should be concerned," she said.

Suriani spoke to reporters after conducting a workshop organised by the Asia Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development on Inclusive and Gender-Sensitive Reporting on Women Migrant Workers.

The song remains the same

A few decades ago, the main reasons for women leaving the country were either to further their studies or to accompany their husbands. Now, the reasons have expanded.

Although there is no breakdown on why they left, experts agree women are leaving for other reasons as well, such as to advance their career and for better pay. These issues used to be associated with men.

They also agree that many of the women are likely educated and professional, choosing to migrate to more developed and wealthier nations.

Those days, news reports used to feature only Malaysian-born men doing well internationally. Now, many Malaysian women are being featured, such as Florence Tan, chair of the Small Spacecraft Coordination Group at Nasa, and Dr Serena Nik-Zainal, a consultant geneticist and cancer researcher in the UK.

"Some people say that most women are migrating to follow their husbands. At the same time, I strongly believe there are women who decided to migrate because their skills are more appreciated somewhere else," said Farid Basir, vice-president of the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF).

Interspersed among the reasons is the issue of gender discrimination, which is a major contributor to women’s migration numbers.

Lily said one of the reasons she decided to stay on in the UK was she did not feel she would be able to succeed much if she had returned to Malaysia after graduation.

"It was actually like the structure was clearly there (in the UK) and it also felt like a more meritocratic system," she said.

“In Malaysia, you never felt that no matter how good you were, you would get anything on merit because too many things were not meritocratically awarded.

"I’ve often felt women were sidelined."

Experts point to the low female labour participation rate as a sign of existing gender discrimination.

According to the statistics department, only 55.3% of women are taking part in the labour force, one of the lowest in Southeast Asia, despite women comprising 61% of university graduates in this country.

Unit for Research on Women and Gender (Kanita) member Noraida Endut of Universiti Sains Malaysia said the trend is a matter for concern, especially if it means the women left home because they did not have enough opportunities here.

"The women know that if they come back to the equivalent position in Malaysia, opportunities for career advancement may not be as promising," she said. “Or there is not enough protection, for example, a family-friendly work environment in Malaysia compared to the other country.

"The promotion path is not as clear for women as it is for men. So the frustration may come in from there."

Farid, who is also the chief people officer at MBSB Bank, said there is a disconnect between the labour participation rate and the high number of female degree-holders.

"It demonstrates that it is a talent that we have not optimised," he said, adding that it is crucial for Malaysia to fully utilise its untapped talents to achieve greater economic success as it heads towards an ageing nation.

To do so, he said, employers need to create a structure for women to reach top leadership positions by providing them a developmental platform for mentoring and coaching through targets.

In Malaysia, men make up most of the decision-makers in government, public service and private sector although women constitute 48.6% of the population.

As of Sept 29, 2021, only 14.9%, or 33 out of the 22 seats in the Dewan Rakyat, were held by women MPs, while women holding decision-making positions in the public sector accounted for 38.2%.

Women representation in the top 100 public limited companies’ board of directors stood at 25.8%.

Family discrimination

For some women, discrimination may not be the reason they left. But it is certainly why they decided to stay away.

Experts agree the biggest hurdle Malaysian women are likely to face when they return home is the citizenship issue.

For Malaysian women, coming home to Malaysia is more complicated and expensive if their spouses were foreigners and if their children were born overseas than for Malaysian men.

Under the law – now being looked at by the Court of Appeal – Malaysian mothers cannot pass their citizenship to their overseas-born child, a right only Malaysian men have currently. Only children born in Malaysia to Malaysian mothers get automatic citizenship.

Suraini is one of the litigants in the landmark Family Frontiers case, currently on appeal. It saw the High Court rule that Malaysian mothers have the right to pass on Malaysian citizenship to any children born overseas. The Court of Appeal will render its judgment on June 22.

“The fact that if women are married to foreigners and they give birth abroad, that her child is not entitled to Malaysian citizenship, would probably be a driving factor that keeps them out of the country and stops them from coming back.

"This is because of the discrimination they experience in their own country," she said.

According to Talent Corporation Malaysia Berhad (TalentCorp), the national agency under the human resources ministry tasked with wooing Malaysian professionals back, women are only 23% of the 5,774 Malaysians who have taken advantage of the Returning Experts Programme from 2011 to 2020.

Incentives offered to Malaysians returning home include tax breaks and permanent residence (PR) status for spouses and children, pending approval by the immigration department.

Noraida pointed out that PR status was not much of a draw, considering children of Malaysian men would be Malaysians and their foreign spouses are eligible to apply for citizenship after a few years.

"The option is not the same for male spouses compared to female spouses," she said.

"They have to go through different processes to be able to have some kind of nationality or permanent residence in Malaysia. So yes, there is discrimination in that sense."

She said women also faced problems acquiring PR for their children.

On top of that, costs in Malaysia are higher for non-citizens, including healthcare and education. This means Malaysian mothers would have to pay more for their non-citizen children if they decide to return and settle in the country.

Setiawangsa MP Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said consequently, many women decide to keep living overseas. Depending on the country, their children may be entitled to benefits.

"Even if you’re a non-citizen, you get so many benefits (in some countries)," he said.

One of the benefits available overseas is childcare, especially for special needs children. Although Malaysia has good facilities and childcare, he said, they are usually limited and not easily accessible unless one is rich.

Nik Nazmi, who has written on the brain drain and has family members who are part of the estimated 3.15 million Malaysian diaspora, also said it was important for the government to be more flexible with regards to the citizenship issue so as not to exacerbate the brain drain.

"Obviously, those with a single citizenship may be forced to make a choice. And when we are a smaller country in terms of development, in terms of academic research and all those things, we tend to lose out," he said.

The ideas the experts suggested included a special status or visa for people with ancestral links to Malaysia, or allowing dual citizenship for Malaysians.

Lily, too, cited citizenship as the biggest obstacle for her to return to Malaysia for good, saying there is no chance of her returning unless something changes.

“I’ve now got a family and I’ve got children here. This makes it very complicated (to return) because they don’t have dual nationality or anything of that sort.

"(If the government allows dual citizenship for my children), it would not close my options completely. I would actually explore returning more meaningfully," she said.

Bonus:

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