The country’s marketing graduates may be entering the workforce with degrees, but many are missing something far more fundamental — the ability to speak Bahasa Malaysia (BM).
Pepsi Etika chief executive officer (CEO) Santharuban Thurai Sundaram said 70% of the regulated market is Malay, yet many fresh graduates cannot communicate in the national language.
“They can’t articulate themselves, they don’t understand local slang or nuances.
“And when you don’t have that ability, you become irrelevant in the market,” he said, adding that localisation and cultural fluency are essential in marketing.
“If you want to work in marketing — especially at an entry-level — how can you not know the consumer and how to communicate with them?” he said, noting that graduates from international school backgrounds often underestimate this skill gap.
Meanwhile, local brands thrive precisely because they speak in a voice Malaysians recognise.
“Local brands get the nuances. They know how to speak to Malaysians.
“In contrast, many large multinational corporations rotate employees frequently or hire talent who do not understand the culture or language. They miss the connection entirely,” he explained.
Strong on paper, silent in person
Beyond cultural fluency, Santharuban said graduates also struggle with something more fundamental — self-awareness.
“When I conduct management training, I see two types of people.
“Those who are academically strong but can’t converse, and those who speak confidently, come prepared with tablets, and want to tell you everything about their coursework,” he said.
