REVEAL.....Sabahans
want new Deputy Education Minister Mary Yap to reveal the "true
figures" of how many native students have been absorbed into the
matriculation programme.
By : LUKE RINTOD
KOTA KINABALU: Sabahans, who
have often complained that they are being treated as second class citizens, are
alarmed that they are also getting a raw deal in educational aid.
Many here fear that within
the “bumiputera” quota there maybe discrimination based on religion.
Days after it emerged that
the Indian community are fuming over broken promises by the Barisan Nasional
government to increase their intake in matriculation programmes, leaders of the
native community in Sabah and Sarawak believe they too are getting the cold
shoulder treatment in this regard.
“We too want to know the
true figures or if there is any quota for East Malaysian natives in such
matriculation programmes all these years,” said Peter Marajin, chairman of
Gabungan e-Sumber Malaysia (GEM).
The local lawyer told FMT
there had been complaints that too few natives were accorded places in such
programmes for bright students to pave the way for their entry into
universities.
Marajin said it is only
proper for the Education Ministry which has a Sabahan deputy minister – Mary
Yap – now to explain the figures to allay fear that the natives from East
Malaysians have also been sidelined like the Indian community.
The call comes after leaders
in the Indian community cried foul over a BN pledge to allocate 1,500 places
for its students in matriculation but did not follow through.
The matriculation intake
begins in April for one year while the second intake which is a two year
programme, begins in May.
Students are not given an
option to choose the type of intake or where they want to study as these
factors are determined by the matriculation department in the Ministry of
Education.
Another Sabahan leader,
Jalibin Paidi, a former secondary school principal, also called on the federal
authorities to disclose how many Sabah, Sarawak native students had been
co-opted into the matriculation programmes all these years.
“The matriculation programme
is run in dozens of colleges and it is time to see how the authority have been
treating the bumiputra students from Sabah and Sarawak.
“In my opinion we have been
neglected and shortchanged everywhere … students from East Malaysia should be
accorded full scholarship and not PTPTN (study loans),” said Jalibin.
Pros and cons
The matriculation programme
was introduced in the 1980s as preparatory course for bright science students
to study bachelor degree courses in public universities.
Over the years it has
evolved into also preparing accounting students. Alongside this a special
matriculation was set up in Universiti Malaya for students pursuing studies in
Japanese colleges.
It was initially run by
local universities and only offered to Bumiputra students. It is now run by the
Ministry of Education with 10% of places in the programme offered to
non-Bumiputra students.
Meanwhile a local academic,
Dr James Alin, said a quota system in the matriculation while a welcome idea
comes with dire consequences.
“Definitely there is a quota
on matriculation programme like in UiTM and UM’s Asasi Jepun and bio-medic
programme. Details of it are being worked out by each institution.
“There is no general census
on the percentage except for UiTM and UM,” he said adding that a quota system
may harm the excluded minority as well as both the unqualified and competent
students,” he said.
An economist, Alin explained
that even an advanced country such as the United States had experimented on
targeting disadvantaged groups through affirmative action and found that there
was both positive and negative effects.
Two US affirmative
programmes that failed are its cultural diversity for employment for example
providing employment and university admission based on race rather than
qualification.
“Now if we look at Peninsula
Malaysians, if Malay students were shoved into this situation, a group of proud
young people will be placed in an education environment in which they are
obviously academically inferior.
“Then we would have the
racist and ultra-nationalist Malay as evidence.
“A quota system also pushes
competent Malays into unfair prejudice.
“For example, Prof Zaini
Ujang, a world leading expert on water management, can be
accused that his success is
due to “Dasar Bumiputera” and not because of his hard work and talent.
“It has wrought dire
consequences in the long run, and it could harm the excluded minority.
“If a quota is good for
Malay and natives from Sabah and Sarawak, then it should be good for the Orang
Asli, Indian or Chinese too.
“That logic applies (to all)
… it is always true whenever, wherever and whoever is involved,” Alin pointed
out.
Kerajaan Sabah komited untuk membantu usahawan bumiputera menjadi
ReplyDeletekontraktor yang benar-benar berjaya dan berwibawa, kata Pembantu Menteri
Pembangunan Sumber dan Kemajuan Teknologi Maklumat Negeri Datuk Hamisa
Samat.
Beliau berkata sehingga bulan ini, seramai 1,184 peserta telah
ReplyDeletemenyertai kursus kontraktor berbanding 1,038 orang dalam tempoh yang
sama tahun lepas.
Semoga lebih banyak golongan mertai kursus untuk meningkatkan lagi kualitinya.
DeleteHamisa berkata kerajaan turut menyediakan pelbagai kemudahan dan
ReplyDeletekeistimewaan bagi menggalakkan penyertaan bumiputera dalam bidang
perdagangan dan perindustrian.
Semua golongan diberi peluang penyertaannya. Harus juga menghargai peluang yang telah diberi.
DeleteAntara sumber yang digunakan agar terus kekal dalam bidang ini ialah
ReplyDeletememodenisasikan sistem kerja yang melibatkan peningkatan teknologi,
pembangunan sistem maklumat urus niaga yang cekap, pengukuhan sumber
manusia, peningkatan kualiti kerja serta mengutamakan pelanggan,"
katanya.
Kualiti kerja harus sentiasa diutamakan agar perkembangan industri di Sabah dapat bermaju lagi.
DeleteHamisa berkata demikian dalam ucapannya sempena majlis penutupan kursus kontraktor kerja kejuruteraan awam, di sini hari ini.
ReplyDeleteKatanya, kursus itu diharap dapat melahirkan lebih ramai kontraktor Bumiputera yang berwibawa.
Setiap ahli kontraktor memikul tanggungjawab dan amanah yang besar bagi
ReplyDeletemenjayakan matlamat kerajaan untuk mewujudkan masyarakat perdagangan dan
perindustrian yang berdaya maju, berdaya tahan dan berdaya saing dalam
tempoh Dasar Pembangunan Nasional.
Usaha semua pihak untuk membawa ekonomi negara lebih berkembang amat sangat diperlukan.
DeleteMereka juga perlu memastikan projek yang diagih disiapkan dengan baik
ReplyDeletedan meningkat dari segi modal syarikat dan bilangan kakitangan
profesional," katanya sambil menyeru para kontraktor supaya
mempelbagaikan kepakaran dalam pelbagai jenis perniagaan atau bidang
yang diceburi.
"Kalau tiada kolej ini tidak tahulah apa yang saya akan buat sekarang, mungkin masih menganggur ataupun bekerja kampung," kata Mohd. Absyah Abd. Wahab, 23.
ReplyDeleteBelia juga harus berusaha, sikap teramat bergantung kepada kerajaan adalah merisikokan.
DeleteMohd. Absyah yang menuntut di Kolej Poly Tech Mara (KPTM) Semporna berkata, kewujudan kolej berkenaan di daerah luar bandar itu telah membuka peluang kepadanya dan individu lain untuk menyambung pengajian ke tahap lebih tinggi.
ReplyDeleteKatanya, kewujudan kolej berkenaan amat bermakna sekali memandangkan dia tidak mampu untuk berhijrah ke tempat lain apatah lagi ke Semenanjung bagi menyambung pengajian.
ReplyDelete"Saya bersyukur ada kolej di sini meskipun di kawasan luar bandar kerana secara tidak langsung mampu mengurangkan bebanan keluarga saya.
ReplyDelete"Jadi, saya berazam untuk belajar bersungguh-sungguh walaupun untuk ke kolej ini dari rumah saya agak sukar kerana terpaksa menaiki bot dan kenderaan," kata anak sulung dari sembilan beradik yang berasal dari Kampung Pulau Bait
ReplyDelete