On 'Non-bumis will be an asset for UiTM'

Jr Lee: Khalid's proposal to allow 10% of non-bumiputeras to enroll in UiTM is the right move to improve the quality and standards of the university.

This is exactly what the Singapore government has been doing over the last few years in attracting top students from China to study in schools and universities in Singapore, even to the extent of giving scholarships to Chinese nationals.

Singapore understands that this enhances competition and brings out the best among the students, and raises the standards of its students.

As a result of this good foresight, it is no surprise that Singapore schools and universities are the best or among he best in Asia, and are even well-recognised internationally.

I really can't comment on the standards of Malaysian schools or universities - obviously, it is not up to any solid standards, to say the least, and that is why many Malaysians, even bumiputeras, send their children to Singapore or overseas for their education.

The question is not whether to give 10% to the non-bumiputeras, but whether the non- bumiputeras are keen to enroll themselves in UiTM.

These students generally enroll themselves into universities of high standing (both locally and internationally) which have an excellent track record, good reputation and fame of producing renowned leaders.

It will be interesting to see how the non-bumiputeras would grade UiTM if it ever opens its doors to them. It would not be shocking if not many non-bumiputeras wish to enroll themselves in UiTM.

Malaysian Bumiputera: We really cannot be bothered as to whether UiTM will make it policy to admit non-bumiputera into the university. It does not have a good graduate performance record. This only goes to show this is a paper-chase institution.

The response showed by their students showed immaturity, absence of sound minds and discipline, and their tendency to be easily manipulated. This shows that the education system in UiTM is defective and the graduates produced are incapable of competition and sound reasoning.

Their immature response will harm many other hardworking, capable UiTM graduates, as their reputation is now tarnished by their irrational reactions.

In conclusion, don't even send your children to study there or they will be as defective as their undergraduates. So please, don't open UiTM to others, or they will contaminate the education system in Malaysia.

Malaysia used to have excellent, world-class education standards in the past, but now they are so plagued with politics that they have become a nest of foolishness. Your paper qualification is not worth a sen if you cannot compete fairly.

PK: No smart Malay parents would want to send their children to UiTM knowing that this bumi-only institution can never give the right exposure to their children. Can you imagine your children only having Malay friends and classmates?

Maintaining the ‘bumi-only’ university status will produce sub-quality juara kampung . They still live in the cocoon of their comfort zone. No world-class and reputable university has such a silly policy on restricting their students to only one race.

If UiTM students were smart, they would want to see more nationalities and races of students in their university. How can it become a world-class university if UiTM continues to hide in their cocoon?

The world is becoming borderless, a place where we need to compete internationally without any assistance from the government. Our students need to be able to compete in the open market.

I ask the UiTM vice-chancellor, why do they have one of the highest rates of unemployed graduates among all local universities? If the government does not employ UiTM graduates, the number would be even higher.

In a multi-racial country like Malaysia, don’t we need to have a multi-racial academic institution?

Ian Lim: The sequence of events involving the issue of UiTM has made me wonder whether the non-bumiputera business owners will quietly launch a boycott and stop hiring graduates from UiTM.

They are clearly unfit to be in any multiracial organisation because of their narrow views.

Needless to say, I think the potential employers will know what to do when someone from the notorious UiTM walks up and applies for a job.

John Johnson: Enough is enough - I’ve had to endure nearly thirty years of favouritism and racism in my working area.

I was by-passed for promotions many times - ‘overlooked,’ as they say - and the proportions of my minority group made it even more difficult.

It has always been 80% Malays, 20% Chinese, and 10% others, i.e. Indians, Sikhs, Eurasians, etc.

It was at a stage where merit was not taken into account, just like it can been seen today with students who have scored 8As and 7As not being allowed into universities. And here we have an elite group saying UiTM belongs to only that special group.

These privileges should stop immediately, as it is totally unfair to all Malaysians who work hard every day to sustain our Malaysian economy. The amount of corruption and cronyism can be seen every day in the news.

It’s time for an overhaul of this despicable system and for giving each and every Malaysian a fair chance to be successful in life. Change the people who are running the government and give Malaysia the glory it rightly deserves.

DRN: For me it doesn’t matter at all whether UiTM opens its doors to non-bumis (this word clearly indicates that non-bumis are aliens in their own country) or not.

I will never enroll my children in any local public universities even if offered a position, noting the culture, standard and discrimination so far seen gradually worsening since the late 1970s.

As the statutory definition of the Malay race is unashamedly linked directly to religion, the recent protest by the students for me seems to confirm further that the uni is not willing to accept non-Muslim students (doesn’t explain why the two Muslim Chinese students were admitted).

Anyway, many non-bumis and enlightened bumis are not prepared to stay in their own ‘well’ only – most are preparing their future generations to be globally competitive.

So be it. Most non-bumis see this as a non-relevant issue and it further reinforces the reality and belief that the country is slowly and surely moving in an adverse direction, race/religion-relations wise.

On UiTM students in Permatang Pauh protest

JTB: I have no doubt at all that Arif Shah will trounce Anwar soundly in Permatang Pauh and send him to political oblivion. Look at the papers - he is so talented that he even dabbles in Chinese calligraphy.

I am really impressed that a Barisan National candidate can even write ‘We are one big family’. I am sure the Chinese in Permatang Pauh are impressed and will cast their votes in his favour.

On the other side of the spectrum, we have the Umno-instigated student group that says that UiTM is strictly for the bumiputeras. We have Abdullah proclaiming he is the prime minister for all Malaysians, yet he supports these students protesting the 10% UiTM non-bumiputera issue.

Really, are you convinced that the characters in Umno - or the BN, for that matter - will work and care for all Malaysians?

Forget about Gerakan, MIC or MCA as component parties - they do not have the gall to go against their Umno bosses.

Seriously , if UiTM wants to keep that college strictly for the bumiputeras, I say go ahead, as the non-bumiputeras need not worry about this.

There are many other colleges you can go to - really, why bother with UiTM and make those Umno boys angry? Arif Shah, do you really believe we are one big family?

Maran: I am Indian and am disgusted with UiTM students for protesting on this issue. If my children have a chance to enter UiTM, I will definitely not allow them to because I don’t want my children to study with uncompetitive students.

Furthermore, UiTM does not belong to Malays - it belongs to this nation built by all races, by the taxpayers.

If UiTM students really want to protest, they should not apply for jobs in non-bumi companies. Most graduates from UiTM are employed by non-bumi companies.

The vice-chancellor should advise his students to not apply for even practical training in non-bumi companies.

I challenge the VC to do this - then the world would know that UiTM students can’t complete their studies because they can’t complete their practical training.

Madhaterz: Are these students trying to say that UiTM belongs to the Malays and no one else? May I know when are they planing to kick the Ibans, Kadazans, Melanaus and other ethnic groups out of UiTM, since its sacred grounds solely for bangsa Melayu ?

These people are racists, and Malaysia is the only country where such racist institutions still exist. Can these students tell me whose money the government used to build the buildings they are occupying?

And whose money the government is using to run these institutions?

In a not-too-distant past, a few protested for equality and their rights - what happened to them? They are locked up under the draconian ISA, labelled racist, terrorists, etc.

Now that these people at UiTM are screaming racist remarks and protesting openly, why has no action been taken? Is there a set of laws for these racists and another set for the rest of us?

Narendran Narasiah: I cannot believe the utter immaturity and fanaticism displayed by the protesting UiTM students. I was a former lecturer in private colleges and currently run a consultant agency specialising in industrial automation and process improvement.

Just a healthy suggestion by the MB triggered such a wave of protest - these students must really feel threatened. What I do not understand is, threatened by what?

If you do not want non-bumis to be allowed into UiTM, just say ‘Sorry, but we are not interested’. Instead, all this childish protest just goes to show what a blind bunch you students really are.

Not only are you allowing yourselves to not benefit from becoming competitive with other races, you are also proving to the world that you are what Malays call kera sumbang .