Time has come for UiTM to open its door to non bumiputra students

Press Statement by M Kula Segaran, DAP National Vice Chairman and MP for Ipoh Barat in Ipoh on January 3, 2014.

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Time has come for  UiTM to open its door to non bumiputra students

Despite the fact that MARA and Matriculation colleges have opened their doors, albeit limited, to the non bumiputras, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) has till today closed its doors to other races.

Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim has in 2008 called for the allocation of 10% of UiTM’s total places to other races and foreigners. He said the move to include other races and foreigners into the university would allow students there to gain more exposure and be friendlier to people of other races.

However, his proposal was then rejected by the then Prime Minister Abdulah Ahmad Badawi.

I have been getting complaints from parents who are most unhappy that while foreign students are accepted to study in UiTM which is funded by taxpayers’ money, yet non bumiputra citizens continue to be denied admissions.

This is certainly illogical and unfair. Where is it  in the world is there such a university where its own citizens are denied admissions while foreigners are allowed?

When I raised the issue of acceptance of foreigners by UiTM in Parliament last year, the deputy education minister P Kamalanathan said the purpose of taking in foreign students was to help the local students to be connected with the international level.

This is the lamest excuse. If interaction could be used to justify such a practice, then what about the interaction with local students of other races?

The continued practice of denying admissions to non bumiputra students shows that the BN government is not sincere and committed to 1 Malaysia concept.

It is in fact in the interest of UiTM’s students if non bumiputra students are accepted to promote interaction and competition among the university students.

The time has come for the Cabinet to take the bold and necessary decision to open up UiTM’s doors to non bumiputra students.

The question is whether the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib will have the political courage to do what is right and fair.