A Place Under the Malaysian Sun II

'Non-bumis will be an asset for UiTM' Aug 15, 2008 - Malaysiakini Your Say On PM vetoes call to open UiTM to non-Malays Chin Tu Lan: I'm a Chinese, and if you ask me whether I feel hurt by this whole issue, I would say no. Mara was set up to help bumiputera students get their education in Malaysia. Let them have their own institutions if they think the concept of staying in their own cocoon makes them better. Just allocate more local university spaces for non-bumiputeras. The whole concept of having 10% participation from non-bumiputera and foreigners is to prepare the bumiputeras to be more competitive when facing the global community. It is their loss anyway. What should we non-bumiputera be worried or angry about? However, I'm angry at the Umno politicians who made a fuss out of this whole issue. Umno claims to be the protector of the bumiputera, yet their actions only tell me that what they are doing is for Umno survival, not for the good of the Malay race. They do not want the Malays to progress. You see, as long as they could keep the bumiputera a marginalised race in the country, Umno will still exist and stay relevant. If all bumiputera are well to do, then why do they still need Umno? I hope one day the Malay race will realise Umno's evil ploy and I hope the day will come very soon. Please, let us not be angry with the UiTM students and graduates. They are just tools used by these Umno politicians. I know of many UiTM graduates who are hardworking and honest. They just want an equal chance and opportunity to survive in this world, as do all of us. I'm afraid that their leaders do not see far enough in the future to take them further, and this is making it worse for them. Har Wai Mun: The MB's reasoning for his suggestion is to allow UiTM students to gain more exposure and be friendlier to people of other races. If anyone thinks his reason is not correct, the logical counter-point would be along the lines of either ‘the suggestion would not allow students to gain more exposure and be friendlier to other races,' or ‘allowing students to gain more exposure and be friendlier to people of other races is not beneficial'. Hopefully, the MB's suggestion will be viewed constructively and is not obscured by communal sentiment. Non-bumis will be an asset to UiTM. Quoting a declaration on various placards on parade at the demonstration, the MB's suggestion might not only ‘Selamatkan UiTM' (Save UiTM), but might propel UiTM to be a world-class university that makes all Malaysians very proud! Anti Double-Standard: It is unfortunate that the MB of Selangor's view about UiTM made him become a racial and political scapegoat when all he was trying to do was foster greater racial harmony in the country and encourage better quality bumiputeras to go through an open university system. After all, he was only proposing a 10% allocation for non-bumiputeras and foreign students. In fact, allocating a small percentage of places for non-bumiputera students has already been practised by the present BN government in fully residential schools. (sekolah berasrama penuh) This has happened even though these schools were originally meant for bumiputera students coming from low-income families. Thus, Khalid Ibrahim's proposal concurs with the present government's line of practice - only that he is trying to extend it into the universities. If UiTM remains die-hard on its decision to keep the university as an all-bumiputera institution of learning, then why does it have a programme of study known as 'UiTM International' and why is it scouting for foreign students from abroad to study there? I know that UiTM has even participated in an international exhibition on higher education in China as late as last year in order to enroll students from China to study at UiTM. What has UiTM to say on this matter? We would like to hear from the vice-chancellor on this question. Kaisim: I salute the Selangor MB for having the courage to make this call to open UiTM to non-Malays. This is the type of leader we need to build Malaysia. A leader representing a multi-racial country cannot be narrow-minded and selfish. Schools, colleges and universities are places for our future leaders to mix and become good citizens. Open any religious text - where does it say that you only have to help your own kind? Ibrahim Abu Shah, vice-chancellor of UiTM, has acted like a politician and made absurd statements about Khalid`s good intention. Ibrahim should concentrate more on becoming a politician. Only then he can make drastic changes to universities to suit his whims and fancies. Many politicians forget that Malaysia needs policies that emphasise need rather than race. We must never forget that, just as there are many rich Malays and non-Malays, there are many poor and unfortunate ones as well. We wish there were more good and responsible politicians who could speak the language of peace, fairness and unity at a time when many of us view with concern the deteriorating spirit of tolerance from an ethnic and religious perspective. Richard Teo: When Abdullah Badawi assumed the mantle of prime minister, he vowed he would be a leader for all Malaysians. However, his vetoing the Pakatan Rakyat Selangor Menteri Besar's call for UiTM to be opened to non-bumiputera, clearly showed that what he espoused was not what he had meant and that the PM is a leader of only one race. No leader of a country that is diverse and multi-ethnic can ever perpetuate a policy that favours one race but claims magnanimously that he is a leader for all. The myopic policy of enrolling one exclusive race in an institution of higher learning will result in a generation of Malays growing up without contact with other races. Such a policy will have adverse implications on future race relations, particularly when religion has already created a wide chasm between the three major ethnicities of the populace. This proposal is a legitimate plea to open up UiTM so that some form of competition can be given to the otherwise isolated Malay students. This in turn would also allow some form of integration among the races and facilitate multi-racial identity. It is rather unfortunate that Ibrahim Abu Shah should even oppose such a plan, since you would expect an academic to be supportive of attaining academic excellence by opening its institution to students based on merit. It is ironic that an academic who chooses mediocrity as an enrollment policy should be appointed vice chancellor of an institution that professes to be churning out students who 'now hold top positions in both the public and private sectors'. Adrian CF Ng: To say I was shocked by what was said is an understatement - I was actually dumbstruck. I cannot understand why the UiTM students are so reluctant to accept change. The well-respected former corporate figure, the MB of Selangor has merely suggested opening up 10% to non-Malays. He has a vision, a long term one. Is it really so important that we have to segment our Malaysian society? At this level? Enlighten me, please. In addition to this, the issue is not about Malays or non-Malays. Look at the standards of all of our local universities - where are we now? At a time where global universities are competing for top academics to study or conduct research at their universities, our local students are rejecting competition. What a shame. Look at Cambridge, Oxford, Stanford and Harvard, just to name a few. Why are top students wanting to get a place in these prestigious universities? Think a bit, local grads, think - use your heads for once. These universities are the places where all the top students are and where they can learn from each other. In order to improve, we need to learn, and to learn from the best, if possible. No wonder our local graduate unemployment rates are so high, and are getting higher. Just like what the uncles, aunties, pak cik and mak ciks say - ‘No standard!' I couldn't agree more... Elsie Goh Siew Khim: Once again, this PM has put his foot into his mouth. He did not check his facts and history, and without hesitation exhibited his power to veto the call to open UiTM to non-Malays. Past records of UiTM will prove that two Chinese non-Muslims were admitted into UiTM, and there was no fuss, no protests, no veto, etc. The double standard practised by the BN-Umno regime is obvious. When it comes from them, everything is a non-issue. Could it be that these two girls were admitted because their parents were/are BN supporters? Whatever it is, I demand that the PM explain to the rakyat why non-Malays are not allowed in UiTM. Why were these two Chinese non-Muslim girls allowed in UiTM? If the PM is unable to provide a logical explanation fit for human consumption, then this confirms the perception held by a huge majority of Malaysians that this PM is incompetent and should gracefully resign. Otherwise, we have no respect for this man. Michael Sun: I find the reaction by the UiTM students and the vice-chancellor to be very racist, immature and definitely lacking in wisdom befitting an institution of higher learning. UiTM students screamed that ‘UiTM is Hak Melayu' and that it needs to follow the constitution. Firstly, the constitution only spelt out the ‘special position' of the Malays in respect to jobs in the government service. UiTM has been funded by taxpayers' money, and according to Dr Mahathir Mohamad, 90% of individual taxpayers are non-Malay Muslims. So here you are, using our money to fund a university that is not open to us. Secondly, education is a right under the UN Human Rights Convention. Of course, Malaysia dares not sign it, as we do not practice human rights. Why, then, do we tax the non-Malays to fund a university solely for the Malays? Is this an Islamic Hadhari way of justice? Thirdly, look at the Harvards, Cambridges and Oxfords of the world - do they restrict their student enrollment by race? No wonder the UiTM graduates cannot find jobs, save those taking professional accountancy courses. Unless and until UiTM changes its mindset, the university will remain mediocre. God really has to bless Malaysia and protect us. Yeap Cheng Liang: I am very disturbed by this recent event. When I looked at the UiTM students' demonstration and all the shouting about defending Malay rights and calling Khalid pengkhianat bangsa, I wept. I wept for this country, the country that am I supposed to love unconditionally, and I looked at my little child and asked whether this country still loves me and my family. It is not that non-Malays will immediately accept UiTM's offer if they open up that tiny 10% allocation - there are so many colleges and universities around, the choices are abundant. What makes them think that non-Malays would want to apply at all? For me, it's the betrayal of the promises this country had for my family and for future generations, for my daughter Hannah and many who are born in Malaysia. I am very, very disturbed and sad that, after 50 years of Merdeka, we are still divided by race and religion. Calling your own race pengkhianat bangsa is actually implying that the other races are invaders, that these other races are out to conquer Malaysia and are not fit to be in this country. No doubt this is the saddest day of my life - sad because I realise that I am not recognised as a Malaysian, no matter how good my Bahasa Malaysia is, no matter how long I have stayed here. Sad because my Malay friends will be called pengkhianat bangsa just because they are fighting for a better Malaysia. True Blue Malaysian: For the past 50 years, Umno has made Mara institutions a breeding ground for perpetuating Ketuanan Melayu. Mara graduates will end up with government offices, and this is where policies will be implemented and carried out throughout the country. Many will end up as top government officers and directors. Will they practise sound and fair governance? Are they of the right calibre? Look at the qualities of some of the vice chancellors and professors - you can tell. They do not show the true traces of scholars. True scholars and academics, such as Ungku Aziz and his peers, are all gone and have been replaced by a bunch of party cronies running our institutions of higher learning. The whole country is in a mess because capable people are not given the chance to run the government machinery, and only mediocre, incompetent and untrustworthy people favoured by the current and past government. It is no wonder the education system has gone down the drain, thanks to their ‘under siege' mentality and their imaginary fears of being overwhelmed by ‘others'. The results show - compare us with Singapore. We were on par with them in almost everything 50 years ago. Now we are left far behind, in education especially. I believe we are all aware of it, but to the government, it does not matter. What matters most is the preservation of their own race and religion.. Cinaputra: When talking of UiTM opening to other races, I really wonder whether UiTM students have any pride of their own. Are they too weak to compete with others, with non-bumis? Or do they feel that this university is only for the highly privileged, elite class of people - the so-called Ketuanan Melayu class? They is a Malay proverb that I will never forget - seperti katak di bawah tempurong - that exactly describes those who are not open to challenges. In my opinion, the BN is not helping them. The ministers' children will be sent to the UK, USA, Australia, etc. Why not UiTM? Ipohwood: I'm a non-bumiputera parent and I strongly support the move by some UiTM students to protest the proposal by Selangor MB to allocate 10% of seats to non-bumiputera students. If UiTM is opened to non-bumiputera students, it could lead to serious negative consequences to the non-bumiputera students, such as 1. It is very likely that they will end up to be mat rempit or kaki lepak; 2. They may become unemployable, as UiTM is probably the lowest ranking public university in Malaysia; 3. Instead of making other UiTM students become more competitive, these poor non-bumiputera students may become less competitive, depending on what their potential allows; 4. This will deprive the non-bumiputera students from securing a place in other public universities such as USM, UTM, UM, UKM, UPM and others. Imagine the devastation a parent will have should their children obtain four As for STPM but be sent to UiTM instead of UM, USM, or UTM just because UiTM is now open to non- bumiputeras! Contrary to general belief, UiTM students, in this case, showed how farsighted they are indeed. Truth: I hope Malaysians will understand and treasure the true values of ‘justice and fairness' in our society. One cannot expect a racial discriminatory policy to perpetuate forever in any nation. How do we teach or explain to our children the justification of such a policy? How can we justify that such a discriminatory policy exists long-term in our multi-ethnic, multi-cultural world? (Just look at the ethnic Chinese badminton players representing different countries in the recent Olympics.) If poverty is what we need to address, let's address poverty. If underprivileged people need to be helped, let's help the underprivileged. Race, culture and religion should never be used to discriminate against one community or another to serve one's own self interest. Multi-ethnic, multiculturalism is a fact of life in the world we are living in. The notion of ‘truth, pprightness and fair play' must prevail in every aspect of our daily lives because there is no justice in ethnic or racial discrimination, no matter how you try to rationalise it. You are just kidding yourself if you think otherwise. Sionna: My friend was surprised to learn that UiTM was for bumis alone, as according to her, she has seen plenty of foreign students on the campus, ranging from Bangladeshis to Arabs students, just to name a few. And these aren't students there for a visit; they're there to study. So, one wonders, does the UiTM vice chancellor really know who's studying in his campus? ...source