JPA scholarships: Dept has violated PM’s word, says DAP

The move to convert full scholarships into partial and full loans goes against Najib Razak's announcement during the Budget recalibration, says Teresa Kok.

KUALA LUMPUR: The decision by the Public Service Department (JPA) to convert full scholarships into partial and full loans violates the Prime Minister’s announcement during the recalibration of the Budget to continue fully sponsoring students, says Teresa Kok of DAP.

In a statement today, Kok called for the Cabinet to rescind the JPA‘s “unfair, unreasonable and unacceptable decision” while reminding the department that Minister in the Prime Minister’s department Wee Ka Siong had said the decision was not a government policy as it was obviously not discussed in the Cabinet meeting.

“So how could JPA decide on such important issues without seeking prior approval from the Cabinet?” Kok questioned.

She said it was not right for JPA to say that the government had agreed with their new model for sponsorships when no approval had come from the Cabinet.

Kok, who is also MP for Seputeh, called the move a “double injustice” for the 744 bursary recipients, saying that it both shattered their dreams of studying overseas and burdened them with debt.

“The conversion is most unfair to the students and is in fact a double injustice to them,” she said.

“Many students wept on seeing their dreams of studying at world-renowned universities shattered. Yet the JPA could inflict further pain on them by converting their scholarship into loans.”