On or about June 03, 2009 Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Mohd Sidek Hassan said that out of 2,000 yearly scholarships available, 20 per cent was allocated for geniuses regardless of their race, 10 per cent for students from Sabah and Sarawak (five per cent each), 10 per cent for socially disadvantaged and the rest were allocated to students according to the racial composition.

Regarding this 20 per cent allocation “for geniuses regardless of their race” – ie 400 places – dare Chief Secretary and Dr Wee Ka Siong in the interest of transparency publish the names & particulars of these geniuses and their selection criteria???

There’s also question of funds. The 2,000 allocation of scholarship cost RM740 million a year (according to Chief Secretary).

Since you’re going to parliament to question the RM12 billion PKFZ scandal, ask them why, as a matter of priority, they would prefer to allocate RM12 billion to salvage PKFZ when the govt already strapped for funds?

Talking of limited funds, you’d recall what you asked on or about 2nd June 2009 following email from a Malay student in a private college: whether even MARA had run out of funds leaving hundreds stranded without their bumiputera student loans – and how can this happen?

Bumiputera student loans are part of the NEP, social contract and everything and from the ruling party’s point of view highly important (politically) to get their votes.

If even this (MARA funding) has a problem, it raises the critical issue of the state of government’s funds – at this time/juncture of the Economic Crisis when PM Najib acknowledged (at end of May) that the Malaysian economy would contract –4 and –5% this year.

This has significance – from standpoint of 1 Malaysia.

1. If they don’t have sufficient funding to beneficiaries of NEP, where do non-beneficiaries stand in the queue?? [Conversely, more funding, more scholarships, more places and opportunities for all may at least mitigate (not cancel) all these arguments about social contract, quotas and bickering].

Secondly, if funding for even NEP objectives is also affected, it is no good that people will naturally be worried about funds in Petronas (heritage of all Malaysians) and the EPF!

Don’t look there for last recourse : cut the PKFZ loose. How many scholarships can be financed from RM12 billion (or even establishment of local universities)? What’s the compelling reason to save PKFZ? A project like this was launched on certain grandiloquent (false) assumptions which when they no more hold – the cost overruns and burn rate prove it – , the substratum is gone and better left for a decent burial than a costly resuscitation effeort, like pouring salt into seawater. :)

“remembered way back in the early 70’s, applications for places in TAR College had to be “recommended” by big shots in MCA –ktteokt

“Are you sure we need to pull raffia string to study in TARC?” – tsn

Yes & No – depending, on when NEP kicked in with full effects (I think it was from late 1970s)

IN the EARLY 1970s, if one had influence (likely wealth) to pull cables of big shots in MCA, why would one want to go to TARC?

3 classes of people were interested then:

(1) working students (many working as account clerks) wanted to broaden their education and better their future. They came for night classes. (Something like our local version to UK CA).

(2) Those whose academic results were not good enough to qualify for admission to local universities and also couldn’t afford overseas;

(3) Aimless riff raffs not knowing where to park themselves, many dropped out in due course.

Common factors of all 3 categories – they didn’t come from economically or politically advantaged backgrounds, hence hard to envisage they could ever pull MCA cables. Their differentiating factors between them were that categories (1) and (2) were committed. They worked hard. TARC was their only chance. They were prepared for external courses: UK’s ACCA and ACIS! Then they had committed teachers eg Dr Y S Chong of Business Studies Dept, (subsequently migrated) who got together some committed part time teachers (who had day time job for practical experience) lecturing for RM20 per hour.

Today, those first few batches of TARC graduates have discharged and done well for themselves very well. See how many of them have reached top of their fields in corporations and industries including PLCs as Group Finance Directors, Financial Controller etc

However after NEP kicked in – in full force and rigours – in late 1970s onwards, where demand (by non Malays) for places to get professional qualifications way exceeded supply of places available in TARC, what ktteokt commented is probably true.

This is to set the record straight for TARC and in respect of the pioneer batches for the early 1970s who have done well through determination and handwork without pulling political strings (and the helpful role of MCA then) .

sorry typo spelling errors – “still”. “enough”, “they”