KUALA LUMPUR – The race-based admission system into Malaysian public universities has to go, and should be replaced with a needs-based approach, said a government backbencher.
“We need to shift from a quota system to affirmative (action). The government has to use a needs-based approach, not race-based,” Chow Yu Hui (Raub-PH) told a press conference at Parliament here today.
“Allocate 20% of spots (in public universities) to those who come from poor families – irrespective of race and religion. The admission systems need immediate reforms, to avoid brain drains and ensure that Malaysian youth are given fair treatment to hone their talents.”
He said public universities always prioritise graduates from matriculation programmes, which have a quota of 90% Bumiputera students.
With the remaining fraction being non-Bumiputera, Chow said the challenges they face are doubled, as they must compete for a slim chance to be admitted into matriculation programmes, and subsequently, public universities.
According to statistics by the Higher Education Ministry, he said only a handful of STPM graduates managed to further their studies in medicine, dentistry, and pharmacy, since 2021.
This came after a video of Royal Education Award recipient M. Nahvin giving a speech on the lack of meritocracy in the country’s education system went viral.
Nahvin made an emotional plea to transform the quota-based education system into a meritocratic one, that would provide better opportunities for minorities.
In the same press conference today, M. Prabakaran (Batu-PH) said the government should adopt the meritocracy system and prioritise students with stellar grades.
He added that rural communities should also be given fair treatment, as they tend to be deprived of opportunities despite getting sufficient grades.
“We can be an exemplary government for the youth, to ensure that they are professionals in the future and reduce the brain drain problem.”
Previously, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the concept of meritocracy without fairness was flawed, as students from poorer backgrounds were often at a disadvantage and did not have the means to compete with those who were privileged.
Separately, he urged all public universities against refusing the admission of students who could not pay their fees, just because they were poor. – November 27, 2023