Race-based intake needed for another ‘10 to 20 years’, insists Malay group

Looi Sue-Chern Looi Sue-Chern Updated 7 years ago · Published on 24 Apr 2019 11:00AM · 16 Comments

Public universities in Malaysia have a pro-Bumiputera admission policy, which was introduced in the 1970s. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Afif Abd Halim, April 24, 2019.

RACE-BASED quota system for education, which favours Bumiputeras, must be continued for at least another 10 to 20 years until they can close the gap with their non-Bumi peers, said a Malay educationist group.

Gabungan Pelajar-Pelajar Melayu Semenanjung (GPMS) president Alif Anas Md Noor said Bumiputera students still need help to catch up with their non-Bumiputera peers.

“We strongly disagree with any suggestion to scrap the quota policy now,” Alif told The Malaysian Insight.

“Academically, Bumiputera students are still not as strong as their non-Bumiputera peers so we still need a policy that can help them catch up.”

He was commenting on the ongoing debate whether Malaysia should retain the race-based quota system for matriculation and university intake.

Historically, Alif said non-Bumiputeras, namely the Chinese, have always performed better academically because the education system they brought from China was more advanced than Malay education.

“That is why I think we are 10 to 20 years behind and still need help to address the gap.

“We also believe that it is only through education that we can improve the socio-economic standing of the Bumiputera, but we will need 10 to 20 years more if we are to compete on a level playing field.

“It is not that Bumiputera students are afraid of competition but there is still that gap to address,” he said.

The quota policy that heavily favours Bumiputeras in university and matriculation programme admissions have been hotly debated after the release of the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) results earlier this month.

Some Pakatan Harapan politicians have urged the government to do away with the policy, which they said is detrimental to students and not the way forward.

The Malaysian Academic Movement (Gerak) also urged the government to opt for full meritocracy in higher education and to scrap the race-based quota.

Malay Consultative Council secretary-general Dr Hasan Mad blamed politicians for dictating the situation by not allowing for an equitable opportunity in education for all.

Malay Consultative Council secretary-general Dr Hasan Mad blames politicians for denying Malaysians an equal opportunity to education. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, April 24, 2019.

“We should not let politicians dictate the situation. If we let politicians mess with the issue, we will never achieve equitable opportunity in education.

“We don’t even have to talk about race, religion and other issues.

“If we have achieve this (equitable opportunity), then there will be no more complaints,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Society should stand up, be responsible and push the government towards providing equitable opportunity in education, Hasan said, adding that the people should not just talk about the quota system and leave it to politicians to make decisions on education matters.

The quota policy, Hasan said, was created by politicians.

He said when former prime minister Abdul Razak Hussein introduced the New Economic Policy (NEP) in 1971, there was no mention of any “quota” to address the socio-economic gap between the Bumiputeras and non-Bumiputeras.

“Other people started using the term. Somehow, politicians introduced this ‘quota’ system along the way, leading to misinterpretations.”

The intake policy was meant to address the gap between the haves and have-nots and it so happened that the majority of the poor and the illiterate were Malays.

Many Malays had no access to equitable education opportunity and needed assistance and because of the situation, they became the priority for admission into some schools and hostels, he said.

Hasan said the question now was whether the gap was still wide enough to justify such a policy.

“If the gap is still there, it goes without saying that (the policy) is still necessary.

“If it has closed, with all having equitable opportunity to education, then there should be no more complaints.” – April 24, 2019.

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Comments

  • A good mix of various levels of intellectuals would mean the presence of peer pressures and competition. This is good for the students as it provides the opportunities for compulsive learning and the result is excellence. We have in the past race streaming and that results in bad apples rotting altogether and the good ones propelling each other to greater heights. The gap is even bigger than what these educationists thought.

    Posted 7 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • Within the 'bumiputera' group, which is an artificial administrative category covering many ethnic groups and partially defined using religion, many are very privileged and some are living in misery. In the past, the trend has been that blanket aid to 'bumiputeras' has gone to the very privileged (UMNO-putras or others) while those really in need have not got much. Time-limited race-based affirmative action might be appropriate if there is disaggregation of the Bumiputera category by sub-group and region: rural vs. urban, East Malaysia vs. West Malaysia, 'constitutional Malay' vs Orang Asal (various sub-groups). What is clear is that blanket Bumiputera policies are ineffective and are only widening the divide between the rich and the poor. The issue of the Orang Asli not being included as bumiputera also needs to be addressed. I would be all for affirmative action for the Penan, Temiar, rural Kelantanese and so on. BUt not for a blanket policy.

    Posted 7 years ago by Anak Kampung · Reply

  • Just make it for eternity. And while you are at it might as well confine it to Muslims only. Call a spade a spade.

    Posted 7 years ago by Watchdog Watchdog · Reply

  • So after 60 yrs , sure the gap is closer now. For sure now we can have at least 30:70.

    Posted 7 years ago by James Wong · Reply

  • Its hard to discard the tongkat since they were already crippled for the past 60 years. Another 10 to 20 years of producing unemployable grads and hundreds of millions wasted to retrain them.
    They will never realise the world is moving very fast forward and will not standstill to wait for them.

    Posted 7 years ago by Chee yee ng · Reply

  • Why would a privileged group agree to move to a meritocracy based system? Why another 10 to 20 years extension? And on what basis?

    Posted 7 years ago by Anak Melaka · Reply

  • They minds are now crippled and shameless. Malu apa Bumiku.

    Posted 7 years ago by Xuz ZG · Reply

  • 10 to 20 years is just a number and sorry to say once we reach 2039 can you say for sure that the quota can be changed better still abolished?? All I hearing and reading is that the Malays are not ready so my question to you is, what does it takes to make the Malays ready?? Blueprint after blueprint was introduced whenever we have new minister of education who takes over so in short its trial and error. 60 years has passed and I wonder given another 60 years or 100 years for that matter are the Malays going to be ready?? Why are you people still thinks that the Malays are not ready, isn't that shows and lowered the dignity of the Malays putting in their minds that they still needs help casting the Malay race are one that cannot stand on their own two feet to survive and that they a charitable lot. Its easy to put up a statement that the Malays are not ready so to you people who says that I throw you this question what does it takes to prepare the Malays, can we see an action plan that can be quantified with review interval inclusive of its timeline and for heaven sake put this action plan in motion. Don't just talk and demand for it. Oh bangsa ku.

    Posted 7 years ago by Teruna Kelana · Reply

  • You can have another 60 years and rot. You will not progress and most likely unemployable if you continue to feel weak and refuse to take up the challenges and change. The Malays in Singapore are living examples no matter what is your race, you can do it if you are determined.

    Posted 7 years ago by Concerned Citizen · Reply

    • what happened to the malays in spore. They are only qualified to be security guards and all forms of low class employment.

      Posted 7 years ago by Ahmad pauzi md yusof · Reply

    • Md Yusof, you have to live in SG to see the reality yourself. The low salaried jobs in SG are now filled by Indians and Chinese coming from JB. They are hardworking and bringing back lots of happinesss to their homes across the causeway everyday.

      Posted 7 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

    • Ahmad Pauzi-- you are just writting rubbish. You write without facts and just show how far the crutches and education in this country has devoided you of the intellect to rationalize

      Posted 7 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • why are the non malays so eager to scrap the quota? let the malays ask for it if they feel that meritocracy will make them better. the way it is , the non malays are so greedy to want to take away from the malays under the pretext that competition will improve malays' performance .

    Posted 7 years ago by Ahmad pauzi md yusof · Reply

    • You have no understanding on how the non Malays have for decades been deprived of the opportunities to excel. Nevertheless, we have seen the poor reaults and undesirable social impacts brought about by the quota system, haven't you?

      Posted 7 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

    • If the Malays work hard for it and cherish every help that is given with the gusto to improve themselves from the crutches, no body will compliant. The economy will adjust itself as everyone in the population is contributing. Right now you want more quotas at the expense of others and yet never bother to challenge oneself to improve why should the rest allow that special entitlement to you ???. It is the same analogy that if you do not want to improve yourself on your job but got married and you still prefer to stay with your parents and depending on them to help in feeding you and your own family. Tell me how will it be in the end????

      Posted 7 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • The government has got it all wrong. The unwritten natural laws of nature and the world places an unwritten time table of growth and progress in life that should change according to age of growth of an individual. Even mother hen will stop feeding her chicks after the chicks have grown to a certain age. The time has come to remove the handicap and let the competition be on equal footing so that people will start taking pride in their abilities. By the parents always holding hands of the child the parents will never allow the child to grow up and face the challenges of life. We must make the Nike slogan 'JUST DO IT" a reality. My 44 years with education saw work with rural/urban primary/secondary schools, five Universities, and Felda hostels as experience. The bell-shape natural law of ability is the same for all people of the world. This NEP education formula is now 60 years old, has it brought any real success, lets be honest about it.

    Posted 7 years ago by Citizen Pencen · Reply