1MDB scholarships a ‘gimmick’

While the additional scholarships are welcomed, a DAP leader says the government has still not dealt with the issue.

KUALA LUMPUR: An opposition leader has described the 1Malaysia Development Board (IMDB) scholarship scheme as a “political gimmick”.

According to DAP leader A Sivaneson, it was an attempt by the government to fish for votes in the coming general election.

“Of course, Pakatan Rakyat is happy with the additional scholarships but at the same time, the government does not want to solve this problem in a proper manner.

“Currently, we are talking about students who scored 8A+ and above only. How about students who scored 7A+ and below? Don’t they deserve to get scholarships?” he asked.

The Sungkai assemblyman said there were thousands of GLC-issued scholarships, but nobody knows where these had gone.

He also asked Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nazri Aziz to explain if the 1MDB scholarship was here to stay.

In a related development, MIC had thanked the Cabinet and 1MDB for awarding an additional 500 scholarships for students to study locally.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department SK Devamany said Indian students with good results and those from poor families would be considered for the 1MDB scholarship award.

“This will be of much help to excellent students from poor families,” he said.

He added that MIC would soon prepare a list of student names and submit it to 1MDB.

Previously, Nazri said 1MDB would offer 500 scholarships, 300 of which would go to Bumiputera students.

The minister added that the 1MDB scholarships would be channelled to the SPM top scorers who did not get Public Service Department (PSD) scholarships.

Unlike PSD, 1MDB scholarships would only cover local institutions of higher learning.