‘Scholarship row damaging govt credibility’

The human rights organisation feels that many young people and their parents feel alienated over the way PSD scholarships are being awarded.

PETALING JAYA: The public outcry over the award of Public Service Department (PSD) scholarships is seriously damaging the image and credibility of the federal government, a human rights organisation said.

The Association for the Promotion of Human Rights (Proham) said the confusion and misunderstanding have also alienated a lot of young people and their families.

“Public perception indicates there is a violation of human rights,” Proham chairman Simon Sipaun said in a statement.

He was commenting on recent allegations that the PSD had abused its powers in the award of scholarships.

Deputy Education Minister Wee Ka Siong Wee, who made the allegations, claimed that 363 straight A+ students failed to get PSD scholarships this year despite the vow made by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak that all students scoring 8A+ and above will receive the PSD scholarships.

He alleged that there are “little Napoleans” in the PSD who were directly acting against the Cabinet directive.

Sipaun said that similar complaints of neglect and favouritism have occurred in the past and the whole incident “has become an annual recurrence of public discontent in the way selection is made”.

Urging Najib to take prompt measures to restore public confidence, Proham offered some proposals:

• establish an independent panel to review all scholarships currently issued by government agencies including PSD, and government-linked companies especially where public funds are allocated;
• establish a just and fair selection and review process aimed at instilling public confidence in the whole exercise;
• review the practice of sending fully sponsored students for undergraduate studies overseas. There are currently 20 public universities and over 20 good private and foreign universities in Malaysia;
• establish a federal independent panel to oversee all federal-funded scholarships. The panel could comprise educational professionals and prominent Malaysians representing the various communities; and
• provide full public disclosure of all candidates selected including the institutions they are sent to and the scholarship amounts allocated.

Sipuan said the federal scholarship scheme should become a cause for celebration and not discontent. “Malaysians must feel proud that the best, brightest and deserving have obtained a scholarship.”