(Bernama) -- The Malaysian Muslim Youth Movement (Abim) has called on the government to clarify the necessity for the Public Service Department (PSD) to increase the ratio of scholarships for non-Bumiputeras from 10 percent to 45 percent.
Abim secretary-general, Khairul Arifin Mohd Munir, said in view that the education quota issue was closely related to provisions in the federal constitution like Articles 153(2) and 153(3) it was therefore necessary that Malaysians be given an explanation for the move.He said the matter was important as till now the percentage of Bumiputeras was much higher than non-Bumiputeras, the poverty rate among Bumiputeras was also higher than other races and the number of professional Bumiputeras was low especially in Sabah and Sarawak.
Khairul Arifin said in resolving the problem of poverty and having social justice, new methods and mechanisms needed to be implemented to reduce and eradicate poverty among non-Bumiputeras.
"Using the scholarship quota in resolving the (poverty) problem is not a proper step and deviates from the purpose in the constitution that the scholarship quota for Bumiputeras is a written special right for Bumiputeras for having social balance," he said.
Therefore, he said, Abim suggested that the government increased the number of scholarships so that more excellent students could pursue higher studies at the best institutions of higher learning in the world.
Khairul Arifin said awarding scholarships to non-Bumiputeras must also be given priority especially to those who excelled and were from the underprivileged group.
"A new approach has to be studied and formulated to help underprivileged non-Bumiputeras without denying Bumiputera rights," he said.
Khairul Arifin also said scholarships should not only be limited to education in the West but rather the government should consider increasing scholarhips in strategic fields in the Middle East.
Comment: It is time for Malaysians to reread the Federal Constitution as far as special privileges for Bumis go. The constitution does not set any quotas or percentages for scholarships to Bumis or non Bumis. It will therefore be perfectly in order for the government to award even 49% of scholarchips to non Bumis.
