KUALA LUMPUR – The quota system for Malay and Bumiputera students in education aims to provide appropriate opportunities for those in need, without any intention of marginalising or discriminating against any community.
Senior lecturer at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Centre for Educational Diversity Studies Dr Anuar Ahmad said the implementation of the system was also in line with the spirit of the Federal Constitution which has been in place since the country gained independence.
“We know that the Constitution has granted that privilege in accordance with the goals and social contract established since independence, so I think it is reasonable to maintain this system.
“The implementation of this quota system does not disadvantage non-Malay students because we know that the number of Bumiputera students is much larger and they need more places in the university,” he said when contacted by Bernama today.
He was commenting on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s statement that the quota system for Malay and Bumiputera students in education needs to be maintained to balance the number of students from the community in higher learning institutions (IPT).
The prime minister said if the system was not retained, it could cause an imbalance in the number of Malays – who form the majority of Bumiputeras – in IPTs, including in certain disciplines.
Elaborating, Anuar said in an effort to build a country with a balanced and fair income gap, as well as equal economic and employment opportunities for all, the government needed to ensure that groups that required help were supported and protected.
“I agree and welcome the prime minister’s stance on this matter. To me, it is an affirmation or a statement of effort to defend the national spirit that we have built since independence.
“After almost 66 years of independence, we have never marginalised any group but at the same time we do not want the Malay and Bumiputera communities of Sabah and Sarawak to be left behind,” he said.
Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Institution of Malay Rulers Chair Fellow Mujibu Abd Muis also concurred on the need to maintain the quota system.
He said the matter needed to be looked into specifically according to the needs and critical fields, as has been guaranteed in the Federal Constitution.
“We should also look at selecting based on merit to ensure healthy competition in producing quality human capital,” he said.
— BERNAMA
