I refer to the Malaysiakini reports Your Say: Khalid's UiTM proposal correct, 'Non-bumis will be an asset for UiTM'.

I am sad to read your readers' hateful comments, biased judgments and racist opinions in relation to the UiTM brouhaha. It really hurts how certain sectors of the society perceive UiTM graduates.

I am an ex-student of UiTM who supports Khalid Ibrahim’s idea. I welcome competition. I am not afraid of competition. I am employed in a firm where my race is a minority.

However, one shall not forget that the Malays are at an disadvantage economically. Thanks to UiTM, the status of the poor Malay students from the kampung have indeed improved.

We give cheaper education to these people to uplift their status. Imagine if UiTM was a full-fledged university that imposes standard fees like other universities. Where would these students go?

Look at the race composition of law students in University Malaya. How many are Malays? That's why we need UiTM to help the Malay and bumiputera students who didn't make it to the law faculty due to a weak command in English, communication and confidence.

UiTM prepares these students with pre-law programmes which emphasise English courses and public-speaking to improve their command of English. This is the only place where they can go to improve as other doors are 'closed'.

Don’t you think these people deserve a second chance to achieve their ambitions? Some are lucky to be at better position to hire a tuition teacher to teach their kids at home or at a tuition centre.

You should not blame UiTM students and direct discriminatory remarks at us. We were born after this system was put in place. Most of us come from poor families who are not able to pay tuition fees.

We are very much marginalised as the economy is monopolised by certain people in Malaysia since Merdeka. And it’s definitely not us.

We just need affirmative action to fast-track our competitiveness. Look at China, after much isolation and discrimination in their economy for many years, they are now ready to open up because they have achieved their mission to prepare their citizens to compete globally.

I just wish the name-calling and unkind remarks against UiTM will cease. We have never looked down upon other private colleges initiated by the rich which only provide sub-standard education with lowly-qualified lecturers, doubtful examination systems, shorter teaching hours, lack of basic facilities,’ shop lot degrees’, etc.

Again, I call upon all your readers to stop making negatives comments about us. Be fair to us. We never question why many of us did not make it to certain professional programmes in UM, UTM, UKM and many more. We just need affirmative action to assist us.