UiTM Only for Bumis

UiTM - No Way to Non-Bumis

“The Government would not allow non-bumiputra students to enrol at Uitm. The aim of setting up UiTM was to increase the number of Malay professionals, an idea agreed upon by leaders of all races in the past. We can’t change; they have to remember the social contract. NO COMPROMISES. The reality is that UiTM is an institution relating to the rights and privileges of the Malays. This can’t be questioned,” says Datuk Dr. Shafie Mohd Salleh, the Higher Education Minister.

He also said that if the response of Chinese students to the Mara Junior Science College could be used as a yardstick, they might not be interested in institutions like UiTM. The response to the 10% quota for non-bumiputra students in the Mara College has been poor.

Dr. Shafie's statement was apparently made in respond to Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik’s suggestion that UiTM be opened to other races as a multi-racial university would benefit the nation.

In the Berita Harian report, UiTM Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Seri Dr Ibrahim Abu Shah said he disagreed with Dr Ling’s suggestion. Dr Ibrahim said UiTM was set up to balance the racial profile of graduates in the country. “Although UiTM is capable of producing up to 200,000 graduates to date, the numbers have yet to reach this target,” he said. Up to today, we are unable to match graduates from other races, and you can imagine the situation if the enrolment was open to other races.”

Dr Ibrahim also said that about 90% of all private institutions of higher learning in the country were owned by non-Malays. “In public institutions, Malays make up a minority in critical fields and degrees offered,” he said. He said if graduates produced in Malaysia were only made up of one race, it could lead to political instability.

It is puzzling to hear from Prof Datuk Seri Dr. Ibrahim Abu Shah that "In the Public Universities, Malays make up only a minority in critical fields for degree offered." From recent news where it highlighted the plight of 128 students wanting to study medicine, and the publications in the news print of STPM and metriculation students accepted by Public Universites, the published figures shows that more than 65% of bumis were allotted places to study medicine, engineering and other faculties of studies. Majority of those allotted are from the metriculations. As reminded by Dr. Ibrahim in the same press release: "If graduates produced in Malaysia were only made up of one race, it could lead to political instability.

Utusan Melayu Columnist questions former MCA president Ling Liong Sik's motive in suggesting UiTM be opened up to the non-Malays. He says Ling is a flagbearer for MCA's agenda, and his idea may sound good on the surface, that's to promote racial unity. But Awang dictates that Ling has a political motive behind it.

To lend credence, Awang rallies behind Malay educators who he says are against the idea of opening up UiTM to non-Malays.

Here's a translation of Awang's comment (culled from jeffooi's blog):


Awang doesn't think the non-Malays are really interested in entering UiTM. In fact, the MRSM (Mara Junior Science Schools) that are already open (to non-Malays) were not well received. It only shows that they are bent on breaking Malay's great wall in UiTM. Because of that, Awang says there's political motive.

True, UTAR and Kolej TAR are open to the non-Chinese. Nevertheless, this does not mean that UiTM should be open to non-Malays.

With so many private institutions of higher learning (IPTS) that are filled with non-Malay students, what else that's not enough? Unless there's political agenda.

When Awang Selamat refers to the point that there are so many private institution of higher learnings that are open to be filled by non-Malay students, is it that non-malays who could not afford to pay the fees charged by the private universities will then have to be left out of the academic world?

If his view does reflect that of UMNO, then, I'm not sure why MCA and MIC and other component parties (which are multi-racial) should remain in the Barisan National.

Its a sad day to hear of the narrow and discriminative views from these professionals and academician who are suppose to be well-respected professional in our multi-racial society, but they seem calcified to ensure racial polarisation and racial divide are to be continued, while we often hear of the government's mourning of the lack of racial integration of the pupils in the schools. What then is "Vision School" as preached by the government? What then was equality as clamoured by Pak Lah? What will the future be, particularly for the poors and middle income earners who have or will be having children who aspires to reach university education but can't afford private universities fees? It left to be pondered and answered by those who will be discriminated.