Days ago, prime minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that students of all racial backgrounds will now be given a spot at matriculation colleges across the country if they score 10As and above.
While the news was widely welcomed by the public, a key figure from UMNO is now suggesting that a new condition be placed on non-Bumiputera students wanting to enroll themselves into matriculation programs.
Akmal Saleh: Matriculation spots only for non-Bumi students fluent in Malay
Taking to his Facebook account yesterday (Jul 1), UMNO Youth chief Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh proposed that matriculation spots be given only to non-Bumi students who are able to speak Malay fluently.
He added that while he agreed with Anwar’s move to make matriculation programmes at public higher education institutions available to all SPM graduates regardless of race, he said being fluent in Malay must be made as one of the requirements to be enrolled.
However, there has been no record of Anwar mentioning that candidates must be able to speak Malay in order to guarantee their spot.
Akmal also called for the government to consider reserving a number of additional matriculation slots for Bumiputera students which is in tandem with the slots given to non-Bumiputera students.
If the addition to the existing quota for 1,000 [non-Bumiputera students], then the same number must be added to the existing Bumiputera quota.
Currently, the 90% Bumiputera quota and selected foundation courses being reserved exclusively for Bumiputeras still remains to this day despite racial quotas for admission to public universities being abolished in 2002.
This is due to Article 153 of the Federal Constitution, where there is a set quota for Bumiputeras to gain access to civil services, public scholarships and education.
Read more about Anwar’s announcement on the matriculation enrollment here:
