Maszlee: Increased matriculation intake historic, win-win for all

INTERVIEW | Education Minister Maszlee Malik could not reveal if increasing the Malaysian Matriculation programme intake would result in stiffer competition for STPM holders to be accepted into public universities.

Sidestepping the question when asked today, he pointed to how the programme was not the only pathway to higher education.

Maszlee said the decision to increase the intake of matriculation students was made by the cabinet. 

“And we must know that the entrance into public universities is not solely based on matriculation, we also have STPM and we also have Pusat Asasi (foundation studies),” he answered during a media interview at his ministry in Putrajaya.

The matriculation programme is a pre-university course designed especially for entry into local public universities. 

Last week, the cabinet decided to raise this year’s intake by 60 percent to 40,000 spotswhile maintaining the 90:10 racial quota for bumiputera and non-bumiputera students respectively. 

DAP Youth wing varsity affairs bureau questioned if the move would lower the chances for STPM holders of getting a spot at public universities. 

Unlike the matriculation programme, STPM is recognised for entry into many universities worldwide as an A-Level equivalent.

Asked today if the government will raise the standards of the matriculation programme to match the STPM, Maszlee expressed that he saw no need for change.

“We believe that our students are capable to excel in their studies if we give them a chance and (if we) encourage them to do better.

“I believe all our lecturers in the matriculation centre and all our teachers who are teaching at STPM level, and also those teachers teaching at Pusat Asasi, are all at the same capability, and are all dedicating themselves for the betterment of the nation,” he said. 

The Education Ministry has yet to determine the cost of the increased matriculation intake with the Finance Ministry, the minister added.

Despite criticism that maintaining the racial quota perpetuated discrimination, Maszlee believed that increasing the intake was a “win-win” solution for all and lauded it for being a historic development, especially for non-bumiputera students. 

“We believe all students deserve a better opportunity to get (into) matriculation, that is why we are giving more seats to the non-bumiputera compared to what they (were) given previously.

“For the very first time in Malaysian history (they are given more seats).

“But (this is) not at the expense of bumiputera seats. Bumiputera still enjoy their 90 percent but a larger (number of) seats for the non-bumiputera have been given,” he said.

With the increased intake, 4,000 matriculation places will be allocated to non-bumiputera students compared to the previous 2,500 spots.  - Mkini