A DAP assemblyperson has called on certain quarters, whom he described as "extremist", to stop politicising the debate on the quota system used for the Education Ministry’s pre-university matriculation programme, and instead find a solution to the problem.
Bagan Dalam assemblyperson M Satees said some parties had politicised the issue to make it look as if anything above an allocation of 10 percent of matriculation seats for non-bumiputeras would be a loss for the Malays.
"They are trying to show that the current government is forsaking bumiputera rights.
"This is despite the fact that not all of the (allocated) 90 percent of the available 25,000 matriculation places are filled by bumiputera students," Satees told Malaysiakini.
The annual student intake for the matriculation programme is 25,000, of which 2,500 seats - or 10 percent - are allocated for non-bumiputera students.
Controversy arose this year after the 2019-2020 intake for the matriculation programme was released on April 15.
Former education minister P Kamalanathan claimed that many high-achieving Indian students had not been offered places in the programme, while Tamil newspapers featured news about Indian students who had been rejected from the programme despite scoring straight A’s in the SPM examination.
Penang Deputy Chief Minister P Ramasamy called for more transparency in the admissions process.
Satees said that some matriculation students allegedly opt for other higher learning institutes like Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) and other public universities halfway through their studies.
Overall, the number of Malay students in higher learning institutes has never decreased, he claimed.
"Yet, some people are still resorting to fearmongering, for their political benefits.
"And sadly, many, including some in Pakatan Harapan, are also falling for such shortsighted narratives," Satees lamented.
"What could be an ideal solution for this highly emotional issue? How could the government resolve this issue, without making it look like they’re giving up bumiputera rights?" he asked.
Satees said the government should just reserve the 25,000 places in the matriculation programme exclusively for bumiputera students, adding: "Instead, the federal government should just create another 7,000 matriculation places for non-bumiputera students, who score excellent results in SPM.
"Let the non-bumiputera students compete among themselves to get those places and let those places being filled based on merit alone," Satees said.
"By creating merit-based matriculation seats for non-bumiputera students, a more definite solution could be reached, which can be termed as win-win for all. And it will resolve the issue, once and for all," he added.
Additional seats
Education Minister Maszlee Malik said last Friday that the 2,200 and 1,000 seats allocated respectively for Indian and Chinese students in the programme last year was a “one-off initiative” by the previous government.
The minister said it was based on current needs and involved seats allocated under the bumiputera quota that had not been filled.
The additional seats had been announced by then premier Najib Abdul Razak on Apr 7, 2018 - just shy of a month before the 14th general election.
When Najib made the announcement, many people believed that the allocation of 2,200 places for Indian students would continue in future, Satees said.
Najib has, however, refuted the claim by Education Ministry that the additional seats was a one-off initiative.
"Knowing Najib’s history of habitual lying, we wouldn’t want to go into the merits of Najib’s claims," said Satees.
The right to education
Education director-general Amin Senin has said that the education minister will raise concerns about the admissions process for the matriculation programme with the cabinet.
However, Amin added, based on current requirements, the ministry would stick with its original policy of allocating 90 percent of the matriculation places for bumiputera and 10 percent for non-bumiputera students.
Responding to the ministry, Satees said: "A solution for the highly emotional and divisive matter is what we need now.
"The ministry and Bersatu's statements defending the 90-10 quota system in matriculation, are certainly not helping the situation either," he added.
"They fail to understand that the issue is about rights in respect of education, as enshrined in Article 12 of the Federal Constitution," Satees reminded.
Satees expressed regret that there are parties telling non-bumiputeras to stop demanding places in the matriculation programme.
He is not surprised that these organisations or individuals are supporters of the former BN regime.
"On one hand, Najib and Umno leaders are poking fun at Harapan for disappointing the Indian students, and on the other hand, loyal BN supporters are attacking non-Malays for demanding their right to education, although it is enshrined in Article 12 of Federal Constitution, " said Satees.
"Without realising this, some Harapan members are falling into the racial trap that BN is setting. These leaders should think broadly instead of falling for the racial narratives," added Satees, who is also DAP Socialist Youth International secretary. - Mkini
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