8-7-2023 (KUALA LUMPUR) Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the Prime Minister, has expressed his support for retaining the quota system at public universities in the country. However, he emphasized that students from all races who excel in their studies should also be given opportunities to pursue higher education.
Anwar stated that the quota system is necessary to ensure a balanced representation of Malay and bumiputra students in universities. He cited the historical disparity at Universiti Malaya in the 1970s and 1960s, where the engineering faculty had no Malays, and only 12% of the medical faculty comprised Malays. In response, efforts were made by the late Royal Prof Ungku Abdul Aziz Ungku Abdul Hamid and the ministry at the time to empower Malays and enhance their competitiveness.
While affirming the importance of retaining the quota programme, Anwar acknowledged the need to find alternative ways to provide opportunities for non-Malay, non-bumiputra students with excellent academic results. He emphasized the importance of ensuring that they are not left behind.
Anwar made these remarks during the “Program Temu Anwar Kedah” held at Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), where approximately 5,000 students from universities, polytechnics, and secondary schools in Kedah and Perlis participated. The programme featured a dialogue session with students, moderated by celebrity and actor Fikry Ibrahim.
The issue of the quota system versus a meritocracy-based system for university entrance was raised by a student during the programme, prompting Anwar’s response. He acknowledged the need to strike a balance between maintaining opportunities for Malays and bumiputra students while recognizing the achievements of high-performing non-Malay students.
