Bumi students to lose the most from quota system, says MP

Maria Chin Abdullah warns of a lower benchmark for grading if the 90% quota for Bumiputera students is maintained.

PETALING JAYA: Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah has joined the call for a review of the admission system for the government’s pre-university matriculation programme, warning that Bumiputera students will lose the most if the 90% quota for them is maintained.

She said the 90% Bumiputera quota means a lower benchmark for matriculation colleges when it comes to grading, as compared to other pre-university entrance requirements like STPM.

“This also means that the Bumiputeras who go through the matriculation process will eventually suffer the most in university, and later in employment.

“This is because they will likely be outperformed in university by those who have been subjected to higher standards of grading and therefore obtained a place at university because of much higher academic success.”

When it comes to getting a job, she added, matriculation students will ultimately be pushed aside in favour of better performing STPM students.

Yesterday, DAP Youth’s university affairs committee head Leong Yu Sheng urged Putrajaya to end the practice of prioritising Bumiputera students in the matriculation programme.

He said every student deserves the right to education regardless of race, and that the current practice goes against the Federal Constitution’s guarantee of no discrimination against citizens.

Maria said while affirmative action in the admissions process is important to ensure that marginalised communities are not overlooked, “it is unacceptable to have race-based affirmative action as the way forward”.

“It reeks of discrimination,” she said in a statement today.

“While it may be necessary to set a quota for now, it must be a temporary measure to only off-set those who are unable to access education. In the long run, we must not leave anyone behind as a result of quota in education.”

She urged the education ministry to work towards free universal education at public universities, as seen in countries like Germany.

“This means meritocracy would be valued and the argument that someone is too poor to attend university would no longer be valid,” she added.

“If we continue to reject a child’s ability based purely on ethnic criteria, we are continuing an outdated policy that no longer benefits its intended target group. For sure, then we are clearly on the wrong path.” - FMT