MCA demands in line with government’s stand, says Wee

By Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani

May 30, 2011

KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 — MCA Youth chief Datuk Wee Ka Siong said today that his party’s position over the ongoing Public Service Department (PSD) scholarship row is in line with government policy.

Wee, who is also the deputy education minister, was the first to raise grievances about the PSD’s distribution of scholarships this year and claimed that 363 straight A+ students had failed to get the scholarships despite Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s promise last year that all students scoring 8A+ and above would secure placements.

However, Najib maintained last Friday that the government never promised overseas scholarships for all top SPM students.

Najib said what his administration had guaranteed was PSD scholarships to both local and overseas universities for students with SPM results of 8A+ and better.

Today, Wee (picture)said he agreed with the prime minister’s statement.

“I also wish to stress that when the government had earlier announced that students who obtained 8A+ for SPM would be bestowed PSD scholarships. This would include studies for courses abroad and locally. Hence, when Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak informed that every 8A+ student will be awarded a scholarship, albeit not all will be sent overseas, this is still in line with the Cabinet directive which is a good policy. I therefore agree with the prime minister’s statement,” Wee said in a press statement.

However, MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek has insisted that top SPM students should be given scholarships to study abroad.

Dr Chua said 82 students with 9A+ in core subjects, who were originally offered only scholarships for diploma courses, should also be offered overseas scholarships or at least a local degree scholarship.

Wee warned Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng not to further politicise the issue.

Lim, who is also DAP secretary general, has said the public was not interested with the ongoing spat between Umno and MCA concerning the scholarships, adding that the differing accounts given by Umno and theMCA have been confusing, even though both parties have ministers in the same Cabinet.