The Malaysian Insight

PUTRAJAYA’S decision to increase the number of matriculation seats is a compromise following the faulty policy implemented by the previous administration, said the Perak DAP chairman.

Nga Kor Ming described as “pathetic” the Barisan Nasional system to have 90% of seats allocated for Bumiputera students, with the remaining 10% for non-Bumiputeras, but said Pakatan Harapan cannot immediately do away with it.

“The Education Ministry’s objective is to create a meritocracy-based system. That is what we should be doing.

“Awarding seats based on one’s skin colour is a bad policy. We should judge students on their abilities and needs instead,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

He said the federal government’s recent announcement on increasing the matriculation intake from 25,000 seats a year to 40,000, while retaining the racial quota, is the best compromise, considering the current political situation.

“The PH government is merely continuing the policy of the previous government. PH just lost three by-elections in a row. If you want to abolish the matriculation quota now, Umno and PAS will definitely exploit the issue, and MCA will take the opportunity to fan the flames among the Chinese community.”

The opposition is being “very irresponsible” by criticising the decision, which was made to address the limited number of matriculation seats for non-Bumiputeras, he said.

“The decision was obviously a compromise. The quota of having 90% seats reserved for Bumiputeras, and the remaining 10% for non-Bumiputeras, is a policy of the previous government.

“At that time, there were 25,000 seats, with non-Bumiputeras given only 2,500. Indians were given 2,200 out of that, and only 300 were given to Chinese students. Is that not pathetic?

“There were only 2,500 seats for non-Bumiputeras, and this prompted a backlash from the Indian community, so they were given 2,200 seats.

“Anyone can criticise (the government), but Umno and MCA should keep their mouths shut because it’s all just a political show.”

Nga added that for the country to advance, it must “abandon the old way of doing things” and move towards needs- and merit-based policies.

Asked if PH is focusing on Bumiputeras, following surveys that show a dip in the pact’s popularity among the community, the Teluk Intan MP said the government is prioritising the economy and Malaysians as a whole.

“We need to abandon old policies, and must be guided by sound education and economic policies.

“We are Malaysians, and we need to act like Malaysians.” – May 10, 2019.