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At a press conference here, Muda president Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said this would ensure that students who excel in their studies will get university places.
The Muar MP noted how straight-A students who failed to secure a place in public matriculation programmes have been offered spots in top global universities, such as Harvard and Oxford.
“To solve this problem, Muda suggests that we transition from a purely race-based system to a hybrid needs-based and merit-based system,” he said.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that the quota system for Bumiputera students in education has to be maintained.
He stressed that the government must also find ways to help non-Bumiputera students who excel in their studies.
Elaborating further, Syed Saddiq said there must be political will to admit that the existing system is flawed and needs holistic improvement.
“If we remain quiet and refuse to have political will, this issue will persist.
“At the end of the day, there will be a brain drain, and Malaysians as a whole will lose out,” he said, adding that currently there are more than 1.7 million Malaysians working abroad.
He explained that a needs-based system would see students with good grades and from poor backgrounds be given priority access to education.
Syed Saddiq also suggested that the proposal be brought to Parliament for discussion.
“This proposal should be bipartisan in nature and transcend personal politics and interests,” he said.
Syed Saddiq added that the government must also address SPM leavers who are not interested in pursuing further studies.
He cited education ministry research, which showed that almost half of SPM students from 2021 chose not to continue their studies.
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