End ‘annual heartache’ of top Indian SPM scorers, govt urged
“It is heartbreaking to see students who do very well begging for places when it should not be the case. No one should be deprived of any education opportunity as long as they qualify for a place or scholarship.
(FMT) – With SPM results announced today, two senators fear top scorers from the community may miss out on matriculation spots again.
Two senators have urged the government to ensure Indian students who aced the 2023 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examinations do not have to go through the “annual heartache” of missing out on a place in matriculation colleges.
With SPM results being released today, applications for matriculation college places are expected to open soon and applicants will know their fate in a couple of months.
Senator Dr RA Lingeshwaran said it was painful for top students to be overlooked for places in government matriculation colleges.
“It is heartbreaking to see students who do very well begging for places when it should not be the case. No one should be deprived of any education opportunity as long as they qualify for a place or scholarship.
“I hope the unity government will put a stop to this once and for all. Do not deprive anyone of a place based on their ethnicity,” he told FMT.
Senator C Sivaraj, who previously urged Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to provide 2,500 matriculation seats for Indian students, said the time was right for Putrajaya to rectify this injustice as it was common knowledge that the Indian community lagged far behind and was in need of such assistance.
“There is too much frustration and pain each time the results (of matriculation applications) are announced. I urge the prime minister to put his foot down and stop this injustice,” he said.
Sivaraj said 1,600 matriculation seats were offered to Indian students in 2017, adding that Najib Razak as prime minister promised 2,200 seats the following year. However, the number of seats has only been around 1,000 annually since then.
“Fair and equitable treatment of all communities is vital,” he said. “Don’t just woo the Indian community during elections, like what happened in Kuala Kubu Baharu. The Indians need all the help the government can give,” he added.
