By Debra Chong | May 20, 2011
The Malaysian Insider
KUALA LUMPUR, May 20 — Lim Guan Eng blamed Putrajaya today for the annual uproar over public scholarship awards and urged a full investigation into the education saga which he claims is draining Malaysia of home-grown talent.
The Penang chief minister was responding to the recent idea floated by Education Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong as a stop-gap move to resolve the recurring problem.
Wee suggested examination top-scorers who failed to be funded for further studies to their choice universities accept first the offers made to them before filing an appeal with the Public Service Department (PSD).
Lim, however, called the idea “ridiculous”.
“Why should the people who have not done any wrong be the ones who have to appeal?” he questioned in a statement.
He pointed out the proposal compounded the perception of injustice as the beneficiaries of the problematic system appeared to be let off while the “victims” were punished for the red-tape error.
“This is exactly the kind of issue that has contributed to the growing national brain drain problem,” the opposition lawmaker for Bagan said.
The MCA had acknowledged the same after a recent UN report stated 57 per cent of Malaysians were in professional employment in neighbouring Singapore.
“How can the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) efforts to attract and retain human talent work when the federal government officials cannot even get it right the simple job of offering scholarships to the best students and instead awarding it to the worst?” the DAP secretary-general said, and demanded PSD officials be punished for their misconduct.
The award of public scholarships recurs annually following the announcement of the SPM results.
Wee had told reporters yesterday some 363 straight A+ students who deserved to be funded to study abroad had lost out to those with lower grades.
The MCA Youth chief added PSD — which decides on the scholarship awards — had offered the top scholars local matriculation or diploma programmes.
Wee said the issue would be raised at the Cabinet meeting next week.
#1 by pulau_sibu on Friday, 20 May 2011 - 6:50 pm
A group of idiot politicians who fooled around with the people’s money. There should be no scholarships for studying undergraduate degrees overseas. This can be done at the local universities. Money should be spent for more advanced degrees overseas.
#2 by undertaker888 on Friday, 20 May 2011 - 7:17 pm
These (deleted) are proud of their open discrimination and abuses. Saya ini terror. Aku ada kuasa. You ini pendatang, scholarship tak bagi. But it is the pendatang taxes that are paying for these scholarships and those (deleted) salary.
#3 by ktteokt on Friday, 20 May 2011 - 10:28 pm
It’s a bloody disgrace for MCA to make noise now, after they have “fought” for more than half a century! It looks like the more they “fight” for Chinese rights, the more the Chinese will LOSE!
#4 by boh-liao on Saturday, 21 May 2011 - 1:33 am
Previously, when d opposition was weak, d situation regarding PSD scholarships was worse, though MCA, Gerakan, MIC, SUPP, etc were part of d BN gomen
Now, when d opposition was stronger, d situation was a bit better
Conclusion: we need a stronger PR (better still, we need PR 2 b d federal gomen) 4 things 2 b better 4 all M’sians
Forget abt d useless n kena suppressed MCA, Gerakan, MIC, SUPP, etc