PSD ordered to probe complaints on scholarships
By Derrick Vinesh, Rahimy Rahim and Ng Cheng Yee, The Star
BALING: Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin has ordered the Public Service Department to investigate complaints that some SPM top scorers were not offered scholarships.
He said those who met the scholarship criteria set by the PSD but were “left out” should inform the department to have it corrected quickly.
“The problem does not lie with the Education Ministry as we have already forwarded our list of scholarship candidates.
“The PSD should look into the claims made by the MCA. If such cases have happened, they should find a way to rectify it,” he told reporters after opening the Baling district education office here yesterday.
Muhyiddin, who is also Education Minister, said he attended a briefing by PSD director-general Datuk Seri Abu Bakar Abdullah a few days after the scholarship list was prepared.
“It (the selection) was based on a formula that was used last year, which has specific categories and related percentages, as well as conditions of eligibility for those who qualified to receive the scholarships,” he said.
Muhyiddin said a similar formula was used last year without any hitch, adding that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak generously extended the scholarships to those who scored 8A+ as well since then.
Of the 1,750 scholarships offered last year, 971 went to bumiputra students. A total of 4,298 unsuccessful candidates appealed last year and out of them were 1,218 with at least 9A+.
Muhyiddin said it was important to ensure that the Government’s decision was duly implemented.
“It must also be clear that the recipient must have obtained straight A+. I was told that some of them scored straight As, but it comprised three A+, four A- and three As. These students do not meet the scholarship criteria.”
On Wednesday, Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong had said that government officers who failed to follow Cabinet directives was one of the main reasons why top students failed to get scholarships.
Meanwhile, MIC vice-president Datuk S.K. Devamany said the party wanted an independent committee to investigate the scholarship distribution.
