The failure of the 'Brain Gain' scheme (of the 94 who came 93 left) can be explained as a microcosm of the 'culture of denial' of the wider society. (The term 'denial' here, is used in the context of a refusal to submit to or accept what is known to be correct, simply because of one's own professional incompetence and incapacity).

The specific reasons for the 'dismal failure' of the scheme have yet to be determined, but anyone who has worked for any length of time at the policy level in the civil service, being a member of the university academia, and/or engaged in innovative research and in implementation of strategies, will agree that possibly the most compelling reason for the failure of the scheme is likely to be this 'culture of denial'.

The highly academically and professionally qualified and experienced returning Malaysians exposed, as they had been to the 'state of the art' knowledge base, new technology, research methodology and tested implementation strategies, would have presented their local counterparts with a scenario where the latter felt 'threatened'. This is because they themselves could not 'zero into' the new ideas, plans and outcome proposals in a meaningful way. Therefore, as a defensive mechanism and so as not to expose their own incompetence and incapacity the local counterparts 'play down' or 'block' the implementation of suggestions for new developments, changes, and strategies. Worse, they could simply ignore or refuse to implement them.

This is the genesis of the 'culture of denial'. It does not matter if major plans and projects fall short of implementation targets or end in failure or even if it exacerbates the racial and social class polarisation resulting in the political stability of the nation being adversely affected.