Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email
For those who don’t get the above (hint: watch the ending of Bahubali), there is a proverb in Malay: harapkan pagar, pagar makan padi.
For last one week, we have been hearing all kinds of rumours about the matriculation results which came out on 15th April. For last few years, Indian community were given additional seats (1500) as a means of tool to uplift the community socioeconomically. It offered a faster and cheaper route to university.
After winning the elections last year, the Minister even announced ADDITIONAL 1000 seats for B40 from Chinese community. I’m happy for that. Everyone had high hopes, felt good. and expected thing to remain SAME for this year. Since no news from MOE saying others, its good lah right?
When parents started to line up at Putrajaya this week for rayuan (appeal), seems like things have changed. But why no information for coming?
Then today, MOE released the following statement (refer their FB ) on “penjelasan lanjut”. In this statement its clearly mentioned that MOE is sticking to old formula of 90/10 (90% bumiputera and 10% for others). This means, about 2500 seats only for non-bumiputera (total seats about 25,000). Is it possible for Indian community to get 1500 places from a quota of 2500?
Secondly, there is a quota within quota, meaning within the initial racial quota, 60% of seats is for B40 groups and balance is for M40 and T40. Fine with us. Its good.
The problem with reverting to old system is that not informing your stakeholder/customers in advance accordingly. Why never inform last year when the application was opened? By keeping quiet you have misled them into believing their kids have a chance of furthering their studies in a cheaper, faster way. As it is, places for Asasi (foundation) has been reduced tremendously for non-bumiputera (only 2 or 3 IPTA offering), leaving only Form 6 or diploma studies at IPTA/Politeknik as public education options. Was it due to a string of by-elections, by any chance? To me, this is cowardice and betrayal.
At the very least, MOE can inform that this is the last time giving extra seats for other communities. Next year onward will be back to 90/10. At least we all will know where we stand, can plan ahead and not waste time applying.
This move by MOE leadership also puts unnecessary pressure on the Indian ministers in cabinet. They now have to figure out how to get out this hole. Maybe they should all resign en-bloc as sign of protest.
The irony, just this week our PM said this:
The best investment that can be made is in education. Education raises the potential of the individual through value-added means, which, in turn raises the potential of businesses and economies to perform well,” he said in his speech at the Asia School of Business’ (ASB) Master of Business Administration (MBA) convocation ceremony, here, today.
Are you investing wisely?
PS: no need heroics by later increasing seats and saying that the government has listened. That is so old. We are beyond that.
