MCA on PSD scholarship debacle: Uphold meritocracy when reviewing selection criteria

MCA is disappointed with calls by a Malay NGO which hurled criticisms against our party’s President Dato’ Sri Ong Tee Keat’s statement which suggested that the government will review the selection criteria of Public Service Department scholarship awards.

When Malaysians who achieve straight-A results and are active in co-curricular activities but are denied scholarships despite fulfilling more than the minimum criteria, they become disillusioned that their hard work and efforts were in vain. By rewarding less-qualified students with scholarships to study overseas, hardworking performing students are given a wrong message that ethnicity may have been the overall deciding factor in determining the distribution of PSD scholarships.

In pursuit of the 1-Malaysia concept as mooted by the Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak which speaks of treating all Malaysians equally irrespective of race, priority for the PSD scholarships must be offered based on meritocracy, and more so for students from underprivileged backgrounds who had achieved academic excellence. It is paramount that meritocracy be always upheld when bestowing scholarship so as to harness productive Malaysians who will always aspire to aim higher and be progressive.

It was a cabinet decision that the selection criteria be based on meritocracy (20%), Bumiputera and non-Bumiputeras SPM holders (60%), Sabah and Sarawak Bumiputera SPM holders and disabled students who excelled in their studies (20%). Reviewing the PSD selection is not a zero sum game. The review does not affect nor impede Bumiputeras in any way.

Moreover, Bumiputera students have access to other forms of scholarships and loans like those awarded by Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) which majority of non-Bumiputera students do not. In fact, 90 percent of student intake to pursue Matriculations courses conducted by MARA consists of Bumiputeras. Apart from enrolments accepted into Universiti Institut Teknologi MARA which consists overwhelmingly of Bumiputeras, many benefactors of MARA scholarship and loans are also sent abroad for tertiary education – an opportunity which most non-Bumiputeras do not enjoy.

MCA is disappointed by accusations from a certain Malay NGO that the government had “banyak bertolak ansur” (compromised many times) with the Chinese, Indians and others. We regret the statement by the chairman of the said Malay NGO who warned that they too would “mula turun ke jalan raya” (take to the streets) as such remarks are seditious and stirs race-hate. His statement served no purpose in bridging stained race relations nor propelling Malaysians to aspire for academic excellence through personal effort.

土著学生拥有其它奖贷学金机会，马来组织挑起种族情绪

马华中央党部发言人李伟杰对大马土著权威组织（PERKASA）主席拿督依不拉欣阿里抨击马华总会长拿督斯里翁诗杰的言论，感到非常的不满。

拿督依不拉欣形容拿督斯里翁诗杰呼吁政府检讨公共服务局奖学金制度，是傲慢的行为，李伟杰针对此项言论发表文告予以反驳。

李伟杰表示，那些考获全A成绩及课外活动表现优异的学生，当他们被拒于奖学金名单之外时，他们将产生不管如何努力都是白费的想法。

“当优秀学生看到表现较差者却得到海外奖学金，他们将接受到一个错误讯息，即有关奖学金的遴选标准乃基于种族因素，而不是以绩效作为考量。”

也是马华新闻局主任的李伟杰指出，首相拿督斯里纳吉提出的“全民马来西亚”强调要更公平对待各族人民及没有人感觉被边缘化。基于此原则，公共服务局奖学金的遴选标准必须加入更多的绩效考量，而这也能够有效提升马来西亚整体国民的竞争力和生产力。

“更何况，土著学生拥有其它奖贷学金的申请管道，例如由人民信托局（玛拉）所提供者，大部分非土著学生都没有机会申请。事实上，大学预科班有90%的学生是土著。此外，玛拉工艺大学学生也由土著学生占了绝大多数，他们拥有许多机会申请提供他们到海外留学的奖贷学金，而这种机会是绝大部分非土著所无法享有的。”

马华对于一些马来组织指责政府对非马来人做出太多让步的说法，表示非常的遗憾。这类言论带有浓厚的种族歧视性质，并将挑起种族之间的紧张情绪。他们的极端言论不仅不利于国民团结，也是我国进步的绊脚石。

林吉祥只会呼吁国阵辞职，却不要求雪州行政议会为刘秀梅事件总辞

马华中央党部发言人李伟杰抨击林吉祥是一个不负责任及没有担当的反对党领袖，从政四十余年，只会千篇一律呼吁别人辞职，为反对而反对，自己却提不出任何具体的、建设性的解决方案。

李伟杰是针对林吉祥要求内阁总辞，以对公共服务局海外奖学金课题负责的言论，发表文告反驳。

李伟杰挑战林吉祥，早前民联雪兰莪州发生刘秀梅事件，口口声声要不分种族为全民斗争的民联，却以肤色作为雪州发展局总经理人选的考量，坚持不让非土著担任该职，林吉祥应该要求雪州大臣卡立和全体行政议员总辞，但是他没有这么做。

也是马华新闻局主任的李伟杰表示，要求内阁辞职根本无济于事，现在最重要的是能够马上及一劳永逸的解决问题。

“为了解决当前的问题，马华4名部长第一时间向首相纳吉汇报后，内阁认同必须全面检讨发放海外留学奖学金机制，并寻求一劳永逸解决问题的方案。”

李伟杰也强调，公共服务局海外奖学金依据4大类别来公平分配，这是内阁的议决，当局必须遵循有关标准进行遴选，如今发放奖学金的情况出现许多令人不满的现象，如果其中存在公务员法外立法、行政偏差的小拿破仑因素，政府必须对涉及官员采取严厉行动，以儆效尤。

李文材抹黑马华，却默认回教党宗教主义

马华中央党部发言人李伟杰抨击公正党副主席李文材趁机博宣传，在马华努力处理公共服务局奖学金的各种状况的时候，以冷眼旁观的心态抹黑马华。

李伟杰也质疑，之前回教党大力反对内阁针对改教课题的开明训令，声称巫统“出卖回教”，李文材以及他所属的公正党不发一言，默认回教党的宗教主义立场，如今他却对奖学金课题高调发言，这根本是一种双重标准。

也是马华中央新闻局主任的李伟杰表示，马华对于今年公共服务局海外奖学金发放标准的混淆和异常现象，也甚为不满。

“为了解决当前的问题，马华4名部长第一时间向首相纳吉汇报后，内阁认同必须全面检讨发放海外留学奖学金机制，并寻求一劳永逸解决问题的方案。”
李伟杰强调，既然内阁已经制定了一套奖学金遴选标准，当局就必须遵循有关标准加以落实，而内阁本身也必须确保官员真正执行其议决。

“马华对于发放奖学金事宜年复一年的出现问题，深表遗憾，若其中存在公务员法外立法、偏差行事的小拿破仑因素，政府也必须严惩涉及的官僚。”