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The Higher Education Minister, Noraini Ahmad should put an immediate stop to the exclusion and discrimination against students with disabilities from tertiary education.

It is most shocking that a student with 9As was denied the chance to pursue her tertiary education at a local public university due to her physical disability.

The student group Concerned UM Indian Graduates (Cumig) has submitted a letter to the Higher Education Minister on a 2019 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia candidate with 9As who used a wheelchair who was excluded and discriminated against in a local public university.

She was shortlisted for UKM’s Asasi Pintar Pre-University Programme (APP) and attended an interview as well as completed all the documents required, including a video submission.

However, during the UPU Online Update Phase, her previous application was blank and she was eligible to only choose from two diploma programmes and 20 community college certifications.

There are 20 public universities, 36 polytechnics and four public skills training institutions (in Malaysia), yet she was only given the opportunity to apply for two diploma programmes and to community colleges because of her physical disability.

She was told by an officer that she was unable to pick
other university programmes, even though she is qualified, because they did not have the facilities to cater to disabled candidates.

UPU Online had said that the applicant was only able to apply for disabled-friendly programmes that had been predetermined by the university, based on the type of disability faced by the applicant.

This is not an isolated case as other disabled applicants also face similar problems when applying through UPU Online.

I agree with the former Education Minister, Dr. Mazlee Malik that this is a grave injustice and that students
with disabilities deserve to have the same opportunities as other university candidates to pursue their tertiary education, instead of having their access blocked.

The Higher Education Minister Noraini Ahmad should
take immediate action to rectify such injustices to students with disabilities
as Malaysia had signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2008, which includes the right for people with disabilities to receive an education.

(Media Statement (2) by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday June 23, 2021)

#kerajaangagal132 — Noraini Ahmad, Menteri Pengajian Tinggi, patut menghentikan amalan pengecualian dan diskriminasi terhadap para pelajar kurang upaya dari pendidikan tinggi

Menteri Pengajian Tinggi, Noraini Ahmad harus menghentikan segera amalan pengecualian dan diskriminasi terhadap pelajar kurang upaya dari pendidikan tinggi.

Paling mengejutkan apabila seorang pelajar dengan 9A tidak diberi peluang untuk melanjutkan pelajaran ke universiti awam tempatan kerana keadaan kurang upaya fizikalnya.

Kumpulan pelajar Graduan India Prihatin UM (Cumig) telah menghantar surat kepada Menteri Pengajian Tinggi mengenai seorang calon Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia 2019 dengan keputusan 9A yang menggunakan kerusi roda yang tidak dapat masuk dan didiskriminasi di universiti awam tempatan.

Beliau telah disenarai pendek untuk Program Asasi Pintar (APP) UKM dan telah menghadiri temuduga serta menghantar semua dokumen yang diperlukan, termasuklah rakaman video.

Walau bagaimanapun, semasa Fasa Kemas Kini Dalam Talian UPU, permohonannya tiba-tina hilang dan beliau hanya dapat memilih di antara dua program diploma dan 20 sijil kolej komuniti.

Terdapat 20 universiti awam, 36 politeknik dan empat institusi latihan kemahiran awam (di Malaysia), namun beliau hanya diberi peluang untuk memohon dua program diploma dan ke kolej komuniti kerana kekurangan fizikalnya.

Beliau diberitahu oleh seorang petugas bahawa beliau tidak dapat memilih program di universiti lain, walaupun memenuhi syarat, kerana mereka tidak memiliki kemudahan untuk orang kurang upaya.

UPU Online mengatakan bahawa pemohon hanya dapat memohon program mesra orang kurang upaya yang telah ditentukan oleh universiti, berdasarkan jenis ketidakupayaan yang dihadapi oleh pemohon.

Ini bukan kes terpencil kerana pemohon kurang upaya lain juga menghadapi masalah yang sama ketika membuat permohonan melalui UPU Online.

Saya setuju dengan mantan Menteri Pendidikan, Dr. Mazlee Malik bahawa ini adalah satu ketidakadilan yang besar dan bahawa pelajar kurang upaya layak untuk mendapat peluang yang saksama dengan calon universiti lain untuk melanjutkan pelajaran ke peringkat pengajian tinggi, dan bukannya menyekat akses mereka kepada pendidikan tinggi.

Menteri Pengajian Tinggi Noraini Ahmad harus mengambil tindakan segera untuk membetulkan ketidakadilan terhadap pelajar kurang upaya kerana Malaysia telah menandatangani Konvensyen PBB mengenai Hak Orang Kurang Upaya pada tahun 2008, yang merangkumi hak bagi orang kurang upaya untuk menerima pendidikan.

(Kenyataan Media (2) Ahli Parlimen DAP Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang di Kuala Lumpur pada hari Rabu 23 Jun 2021)