YOURSAY | ‘If quota for non-Malays remains unchanged at 10 percent, what is the point?’

Lifting barrier on matriculation to ease racial tensions – Anwar

Vijay47: Despite my hesitancy, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, I will take your statement at face value, as an expression of a sincere desire to heal wounds and introduce changes for the benefit of all Malaysians.

But where necessary, I will nevertheless state my opinions, contrary as they might be, and perhaps my suggestion to improve the fresh direction you seem to embark on.

After ages of being abandoned in the wilderness, non-Malay children are finally being allowed to enrol for matriculation.

Thank you for this radical change from unbelievable discrimination. Yet the doors are not open since acceptance is only of the best of the best with 10As, the crème de la crème.

May I ask, sir, how many of the Malay students can boast such an achievement and, in reverse, what is the lowest grade with which Malay candidates could stroll in?

But I will not look the gift horse in the mouth, I will see only the glass half full, a humble change has been made. Let us forge ahead.

My suggestion? Let this change continue, with increasing altruism where the bridge is narrowed, bringing more justice not only in education but all that the government surveys and touches. We could start with the civil service.

And scholarships. Incidentally, Anwar, I am sure you are fully aware of who the architects of racial tension are.

My second point. Mr prime minister, you state that opening matriculation to non-Malays enhances meritocracy. No, and yes.

The non-Malay adult or student was always aware that to succeed under the official glare, he had to outshine, to be, yes, the crème de la crème.

But what about the Malay child himself? In his world, mediocrity continues to be the guiding light entrenched even after 60 years of crutch assistance.

He is being taught that as long as he can keep his nose above water while others touch the stars, he will go far in life; he will never be required to swim the English Channel.

Justice: If the qualifications for entry to matriculation is 10As, it should be applied across the board without racial discrimination.

After all, if and when they all enter and complete their university courses, they will all serve Malaysia, which thus benefits all Malaysians.

The poor are made up of all races, so it is our responsibility to help all of them.

If places or seats in the existing matriculation colleges and our universities are limited and thus unable to accommodate all the 10As then we build more.

Education for all our people is a necessity and a very important investment which guarantees success, progress and benefits for our country.

So it’s worth all the budget spent on education for our people.

Bobby0: Why only those who score 10As? What about those who scored nine, eight or even seven As?

Those who score such results deserve a place in the matriculation courses. Stop this abuse of the education system.

Non-Malays must be treated as Malaysians and not as second or third-class citizens.

It is time after 60 years of independence to remove this quota system or make sure all those who qualify get a place in the matriculation class.

We have lost hundreds of thousands of students who have excelled academically to other nations, all due to this disgusting policy of depriving our citizens of a place to complete their studies.

In the last 60 years, we should have built or trained enough teachers to handle the number of students eligible to go on to complete their studies, without depriving any student of a particular race of his or her place.

Our politicians stand in the United Nations and talk about equality and fairness, but fail to practise such a concept right at home.

So it is time for the coalition government to correct all the mistakes of the past, especially concerning education.

Stop prancing or dancing on stage, Anwar, and walk the talk.

Hmmm: I don’t get what our prime minister is trying to say. If the quota for non-Malays remains unchanged at 10 percent, what is the point?

As it is now, I am quite sure that because of the very keen competition amongst the non-Malays for the 10 percent placements, most of the students who make it will in most likelihood have 10As anyway.

So, with the new announcement, does it mean that non-Malays without a minimum of 10As, won’t get a place even if the 10 percent quota is not filled?

If you are talking about meritocracy and justice, then there should not be a quota unless the quota is based on needs and not on race.

You can say that 30 percent of matriculation placements are reserved for the B40s while the rest will be based on merit.

You need not be apologetic about it because you supposedly stood on a platform of reformasi and people expect you to fulfil it.

Focusapp: Utter nonsense. How does it ease racial tensions? Imposing 10As as the criterion to get into matriculation programmes isn’t removing barriers or restrictions.

It imposes the highest barrier on non-bumiputera, while bumiputera have it easier.

How does the country’s education system develop when education is race-based and contains apartheid elements that contradict diversity, equity and inclusion?

UNDECIDED: Needless to say, the best solution is to go solely on meritocracy. Still, 10As and above is a start that all previous governments avoided.

Crumbs or otherwise, this is an important step towards educational opportunities for the needy.

Presently, 90 percent of the places are given to bumiputera.

Just below 70 percent of the population seems blatantly unfair.

Let’s hope this is just a start and with time a fairer formula will be introduced so that meritocracy is given more consideration, as the best students are those likely to contribute more than the average student.

Pouring cold water on this announcement is as unfair as giving 90 percent of places to bumiputera.

Knucklehead: Such a shallow-thinking prime minister! This is unbelievable! What about promoting competitiveness in the country?

What about attracting foreign direct investments? What about curbing the brain drain?

Singapore’s Asean Scholarship is grabbing all our non-Malay super high achievers, including our 10As with much better promises!

Then we spend millions to attract these lost talents back.

What about getting the Malays to be more competitive? What about social injustice? None of the above?

But you chose to make this a racial thing as well! When will our prime minister ever call a spade a spade?

Man on the Silver Mountain: The announcement is good but the requirement of 10As is nevertheless discriminative.

How many students will get that score? However, the announcement has broken the racial taboo, so in that light, it is always positive.

But this is matriculation anyway, so what’s next? Post-matriculation students must be given equal chances to pursue the courses they desire, otherwise the announcement will make no sense.

LimePanda2878: This is about social justice and the investment of our brightest minds in the future of our nation.

This should have been done long ago. It takes political courage and I salute Anwar for finally taking a stand to correct the injustice levied upon the non-Malays.

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