COMMENT I don’t think members of the Malaysian Indian community can keep quiet about the scandalous nature of the Asian Institute of Medical, Science and Technology University (AIMST), an educational institution set up to cater for tertiary and professional needs of the community.

It is about time, Indian Malaysians take a deeper look at AIMST, who owns it, who administers it, what is the role of the MIC or the Maju Institute of Educational Development (MIED) and to what extent that it has deviated from its original objectives

Following the press conference (yesterday) by the vice-chancellor of AIMST University, M Ravichandran, the intake of Indian Malaysian students have terribly declined over the years.

According to the statistics presented by him, the current enrollment stands at 46.54 percent Indian Malaysians and 53.46 percent non-Indian Malaysians. In terms of numbers, of the total of 3,266 students, 1,520 are Indian Malaysians and 1,746 are non-Indian Malaysians.

In a normal private university such an intake of students in terms of ethnicity would not be questioned, but on the contrary be lauded for the ‘large’ intake of Indian Malaysian students. But the case of AIMST is different; it is not a normal private university. It was started off with millions of ringgit collected from the Indian public.

MIC branch leaders were pressured to collect funds and those who failed to reach their respective quota had their branches de-registered. Funds also flowed from other Indian organisations.

As was repeatedly said by the former MIC president, S Samy Vellu, the establishment of AIMST was to ensure that Indian students from poor backgrounds were given the opportunity to pursue their tertiary education especially in fields such as medicine, dentistry, engineering and computer science.

The AIMST was an initiative of the MIC to address the serious tertiary gaps in the public and private universities. Since the MIC leadership were unable to press or pressure the government in improving the intake of Indian students in public universities where the intake of students declined over the years, the MIC sought to establish its own university, perhaps on a large scale as compared with technical college called Taffe that was established in Seremban some years back.

In other words, AIMST was set up with a piece of land obtained from the Kedah state government with an avowed aim of addressing the pressing tertiary needs of the Indian community. In this respect, it was different from public or other private universities. While the university had to be self-sufficient, it cannot prioritise profit to the extent it might neglect the intake of Indian Malaysian students.

Despite the initial sluggishness, AIMST was finally set up like any other private university. Indian Malaysians in the country who had contributed millions were given the impression the entire set up was by MIC and it would not deviate from its objectives of addressing the educational and professional needs of the Indian community.

Bombshell dropped

But what happened? Somewhere in October 2015, Samy Vellu dropped a bombshell saying that AIMST had nothing to do with MIC or its educational arm, MIED and it was formed by NGOs merely interested in private university education.

This was a shock beyond belief that rocked the Indian community from its slumber. Finally it dawned upon them that the MIC leadership had allegedly taken them for a long, long ride. The present MIC leadership has been tight-lipped on the matter of AIMST. Not a word has been spoken as to why the university passed hands from MIED or the MIC to some private NGOs.

Given the change in ownership, the interest and concerns of the Indian Malaysian community have been pushed to the background. It is no wonder that the intake of Indian Malaysian students have gradually decreased to the point in a recent intake into dentistry, only three Indian Malaysian students were given places compared to 75 non-Indian Malaysian students.

All the boasts of AIMST being the pride of Indian Malaysians have been relegated to the background. The vice-chancellor of the AIMST is an Indian from India, but not a Malaysian. Surely, there are Indian Malaysians who could easily qualify for this top post. I have been informed there other administrators and lecturers who not might be Malaysians. This is something that needs to be investigated.

Tunku Abdul Rahman University set up by the MCA with the funds raised from the Chinese Malaysian community is fine example of how the MCA takes care of the interests of the Chinese Malaysian community. Every year, more than 70 percent of the intake of students is Chinese Malaysian.

Majlis Amanah Rakyat’s (Mara) universities and colleges established by public taxpayers money are completely dominated by bumiputera students. But the money is not from Malays alone, but also from Chinese Malaysian and Indian Malaysian taxpayers.

It is not that AIMST should be completely dominated by Indian Malaysian students; there must be sufficient flow of non-Indian Malaysian students. But the reverse is true now. Indian Malaysian students are denied entry simply on the grounds that they are unable to pay the fees. But then who paid for the construction of universities? Can MIC that initiated AIMST give back the money that was collected from the Indian Malaysian community?

A few matters to be addressed

There are few things that either the MIC or AIMST administration must address to the growing public concern.

First, who are the owners of AIMST, the company that owns the university and who are the shareholders of this company?

Second, what is the role of the MIC or MIED? Do these have any say in how AIMST is administered?

Third, apart from the academic and affordability criteria, is there a policy to ensure the majority of students will be Indian Malaysians.

Fourth, why local Indian Malaysians are not appointed to administrative and teaching positions in the university?

Fifth, is a foreigner holding the highest position of vice-chancellor? Aren’t there locals to fill to the fill the positions?

Sixth, can the MIC explain to the Indian Malaysian public how much funds were collected from the Indian Malaysian public for the setting up of AIMST?

Seventh, now if the needs and concerns of the Indian Malaysian community cannot be addressed by the MIC, MIED of the present owners of AIMST, I suggest that the ownership and management of the university to be sold to parties who ready to take over the educational outfit.

Eight, the present MIC leadership cannot hide behind the statements of the vice-chancellor, I would like to know what is the stand of the MIC president, Dr S Subramaniam, who ‘inherited his throne’ from Samy Vellu.

I hope that MIC or MIED or those who own and administer AIMIST must address the questions that I have posed above. Sorry to state, the Indian Malaysian community can be fooled sometimes, but not all the time.

P RAMASAMY is Deputy Chief Minister II of Penang and the state assemblyperson for Perai.