A DAP assemblyperson has ticked off Universiti Sains Malaysia vice-chancellor Asma Ismail for her defence of Education Minister Maszlee's Malik's remarks linking the matriculation quota intake to language requirements for jobs.
Bagan Dalam elected representative Satees Muniandy claimed it was obvious that Asma was trying to please Maszlee when she said the latter "should be praised for defending the matriculation programme as well as linking it to job requirements."
She also said that Maszlee’s statement "should be considered positively and sincerely without firing up racial sentiments."
Asma made the comments in a statement issued by her office on May 19.
"She is obviously defending Maszlee - he is her boss after all, " Satees told Malaysiakini.
"In this case, the VC’s view can only be regarded as an attempt to please the minister, rather than as an honest comment," he added.
"If the VC wants to speak about the private job sector, what about job opportunities in civil service?" Satees asked.
"Is it competent and transparent enough?"
Last Thursday, Maszlee kicked up a storm when he reportedly said at a Q&A session with students in USM that "if Malaysians did not want the quota system, then job opportunities should also not be denied to bumiputeras on the basis of language requirements."
Several quarters including Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy slammedMaszlee for behaving like a BN politician.
Meanwhile, Satees turned his guns on USM, asking how many senior lecturers were denied their professorships in the past only to see the posts awarded to junior lecturers due to their political network.
He said racism in job recruitment, be it civil service or private sectors, cannot be condoned.
"We should be brave enough to call a spade a spade, said Satees citing a disputed studywhich found that Indians in Malaysia are the most affected racial group in job recruitments.
"I will not link it to the Education Policy. Instead, I will blame it on the political system that bred racism everywhere; the political system that endorsed patronage in recruitments and promotions," he added.
"In fact, the failure of the system to enact an anti-discrimination law or equal employment opportunity law, must be blamed," Satees stressed.
"Can the VC address the issue honestly, instead of trying to please the Education Minister?"
Satees said in the last State Assembly sitting, he had raised the question of "outright racism" in private sector job recruitments and rental opportunities.
Satees said if the Education Minister was really concerned by racism in job recruitments, he could always bring it up in the cabinet.
Maszlee can urge the Cabinet to speed up the enactment of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Act, as promised in the Pakatan Harapan Manifesto, Satees said. - Mkini
starting to behave like opposition BN era
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