Please allow me to relate the ordeal my son is currently undergoing as a result of wanting to study at the Multimedia University's Malacca campus. Following the release of his SPM results earlier this year, he visited an education fair at the Putra World Trade Centre in Kuala Lumpur.
There he consulted with a counsellor from the MMU. My son was interested in the B.Sc in Financial Engineering (FE) offered by the university. After reviewing my son's result, she confirmed that he was qualified for the degree course with the proviso that he undertakes the foundation course in Information Technology first.
After collecting all the printed material, he came home to tell me the good news. I reviewed the material and it confirmed in print what the counsellor had said. But I had my doubts as to what IT had to do with FE.
Before letting him run to Melaka to collect the enrollment forms, I asked him to contact this counsellor by phone to reconfirm. She replied positively. I then allowed him to make the trip to collect the enrollment forms.
After filling up the forms, I again asked him to reconfirm that IT was indeed the correct foundation course. She again replied in the affirmative and told my son not to worry unduly. This was the third time he was confirming.
He then submitted his application and three days later received the reply of his acceptance. He was jumping for joy. He was to report to MMU Malacca campus by June 5. On that day, he enrolled and went through one week of orientation.
Then on June 10, at a briefing by the university's head of Foundation Studies and the dean of IT, he was told the foundation course in IT would not lead to the degree in FE. The correct foundation course was Management.
Needless to say, this was a shocker. My son then asked them what he was to do. He was told to write an appeal letter to the Admissions Department to revert the situation. Just why must he appeal, I don't know. I am aware that admissions to MMU are computerised. Rectifying their mistake needn't take an appeal letter.
My son then approached the counsellor he first consulted and instead of righting her wrong, she sent him to the head of admissions. This irked me and I reproached the counsellor by phone. Her reply was: 'Look, I have thousands of students to look after ... not just your son alone. If you are not happy you can complain to the president of MMU for all I care'.
I did just that by e-mail but until today there has been no response or acknowledgment. My son has also written two appeal letters but there has been no word on his position. He still has to attend lectures in IT or else it will affect his credit hours total.
This has been going on for the past 10 days. A youth's first experience at university should be fun, joyful and full of hope. Instead, he is being made to feel guilty for something that he had no party to.
I pray that you will be kind enough to publish this so that future aspiring students to MMU will not be trapped as in the case of my son. For your further information, their new admissions booklet indicates that the path to FE is still through IT
Just what kind of university is this?
