Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email Today’s Star (hard copy) said allocation for normal Malaysians were 50% while its online version mentioned 45%. Actually 5% is for “others”, 45% for normal Malaysians, and 50% for privileged Malaysians. Not sure who is the others are. Non-Malaysians?
Some groups said the allocation should reflect the population breakdown. Does it mean breakdown of privileged/normal Malaysians, or by race (Malays, Indians, Chinese, Dayaks, Kadazans, Orang Asli, etc). We have to be careful here because sometimes the terms bumiputera and Malay are liberally interchanged in use depending on the advantage it brings.
Most disappointingly, the quota will be reviewed, as mentioned by Najib.
My take: offer it only for those who deserve it by merit and family financial background. PSD perhaps can announce that it will offer scholarship for those who get 12A1s and family income is below RM3000 for the comin SPM examinations. In this way, students will know in advance what they should aim for.
I think the key is transparency. I remember the time when the non-bumi quota was 0%. It is good that now it is 45 to 50% but the protests of the radical groups are not surprising. They too are merely defending their community’s interest right ? As long as they are just voicing it out and not marching on the streets it is ok with me.
My contention is that scrap the overseas scholarship program for under-grads and maintain it for grad courses but only for Tier 1 universities.