Pak Lah, Stop The Brain Drain, End the Discriminatory Policy
Why bother waking up at 3am to study?
Disappointed Student | Apr 25, 08 3:54pm
This letter was sent to Malaysiakini.
I feel pain reading this letter. We, the oppositions MP have raised similar issues many times in the Parliament. How long do we need to wait for the BN led government to realise, to put the interest of the people FIRST!
This noon, I returned a missed call. The mother called up and wanted to ask about writing an appeal letter. Her daughter ’s application for Matriculation was rejected. She managed to contact the State Exco in charge of Education for assistance when I did not answer the call.
In fact, a week ago, I received 2 calls calling for assistance too. One was so worried that the copies of the application was passed to the aunt for me. The applicant scored flying colors yet the application was rejected.
Another, it was via email. I assisted her in drafting the appeal letter.
I did not want to give them hope that I could help to get them a place, which I can’t. It is the discriminatory policy of the BN led government.
I told them of other channels, ie Asean Scholarships (Singapore) and The Star Education Fund. ( for the earlier 2 cases).
I told them, there is still hope, Sixth Form. I know it is tough examination.
I know you can do it. Many have passed the STPM examination with flying colors, you can do it too.
Two years later, yet the local public universities refuse to offer you a place, our neighbouring countries ie Singapore and Australia will be more than willing to accept you and offer you the course and scholarship you wanted without much hassle. Just a click of the mouse!
The BN led government has failed us first! We all love our country. We are all children of Malaysia. Why are we not getting equal opportunity to pursue our dreams?
So, “Disappointed Student”, I fully understand your feelings now. I have been through it . I went through it with my sister too.
Do not give up. I am with you. Many are with you, out there!
I will continue to play my role to raise this issue in Parliament and call on - Pak Lah, please hear this voice, “‘Stop the Brain Drain and End the Discriminatory Policy “
It is really painful and hurting when children and parents alike bring up this issue of bright students being let down by our political system.
It is really hurting. I have had parents of primary children also saying that their young ones are questioning; why are we not malaysian born in this country.
Please please someone look at this bright hard working kids, the future of this country. Can there ever be value for merits in this country. There is going to be a black American president soon and in this land there is still unwritten apathaid being practised.
Are all the politicians the policy makers and leaders of this country deaf, blind or plain stupid.
I can bet the people in power realise but they just pretend and ignore the plight. What sin these kids have committed to endure such pain at this tender age? Is it their fault if they are not born as Bumiputra in Malaysia-according to Malaysian defination?
Comment by suraj — April 26, 2008 @ 12:39 am
words without actions are MEANINgLESS!! did Paklah hear it !? surely he HEARD !! loud & clear ! so, so what ! what can you do ?
Comment by stcin — April 26, 2008 @ 1:36 am
I don’t where my son will go next time. I was one of those who left school when the NEP started. My son is not bright. If a 11As student cannot get into u, where else can the non-Malays hope. Like they say find a small business or a skill and start early. If a not so brilliant student did not get in it’s understandable. It’s the creme dela creme! Hope Pakatan Rakyat can make more noise in Parliament. Wondering why they still give the bocor guy some post. He was one of the reason the people voted for the opposition.
Comment by Felyx Teoh — April 26, 2008 @ 2:48 am
This a reality for the kids and nightmare for the parents with the goverment policy.
The parents is always a parents and find ways and means to support for the future of their children.At last the parents in debth or no retirement fund.
FOR THIS COUNTRY MALAYSIA- shame to say now,a good brain left to dead and soon or later the will be no brain left for you to run this country.
raj raman:soon i will be in the same boat like other parents.
Comment by raj raman — April 26, 2008 @ 7:02 am
This a nighmare for parents and a broken dream for our children.
Malaysia- soon will be brain dead country or already brain dead,due to racist rule
The winner will be Singapore,thats why with tiny state they are still compatative due their brains works faster than malaysia.
Can Malaysia will survived currently without petrol dollar and palm oil?
Raj Raman;I dont think malaysia will survive long without the brain after the petrol dollar finish and this country wil be another distance third in third world country.
Comment by raj raman — April 26, 2008 @ 7:35 am
IT’s a BIG JOKE when:
a) We are told to integrate when we grow up (e.g. schools & national service) & upon entering the real world, we are told that DISCRIMINATION is the Malaysian way of life
b) The recently rejected brilliant student by our Malaysia Education System, and subsequently more than eagerly welcomed by 1st rate universities overseas (that included Singapore universities)
How the hell are Malaysians to progress in the future? We’re told during Mahathir’s time that Malaysia will catch up with Singapore in 2020, but Mahathir should have qualified with “catch up with Singapore - which year?” for no countries will wait in stagnation for Malaysia to catch up on.
Comment by max — April 26, 2008 @ 10:48 am
Thank you YB Fong for your compassion and wise counsel to all Malaysian parents and students. Take it from me, a graduate from this discriminatory system, that what does not kill you will only make you stronger. Just do not despair. Fight back. Be the best you can, for yourself.
Comment by clearwater — April 26, 2008 @ 12:36 pm
Can you blame the bright non bumiputera kids for migrating? Why should they be loyal when their own country can’t even give them a place in the uni when they qualify? It’s the stupid policy that divides the people and causing the brain drain. Don’t worry Singapore will always welcome bright Malaysians with open arms.
Comment by Fair Play — April 26, 2008 @ 2:01 pm
I would like to pen my comments on this matter. I am a non-bumi and I would say that I am not a very bright student. I come from a middle-income family as well, both my parents are government servants. I sat for my SPM in year 1990 and my results were so-so only. After SPM, my parents had made it very clear to me that they would NOT be able to afford sending me for overseas education. So, it was obvious that my only option then was to study STPM. FYI of most youngsters here, 18 years ago, we only had 6 public universities (if I remember the figures correctly) in Malaysia and NONE private universities at all at that time. Forget about matriculation at that time as it was 100% for bumis only.
When my parents told me outright that I would not have any opportunity to study overseas (in fact, my parents told me that if I do not do well in STPM, I will have to find work and study part time in college if I really wanted a degree), I was VERY determined to do well in STPM. I told myself, I not only want to do well, I want to be able to obtain the faculty that I had so wanted to study so much at that time - Economics. And for a non-bumi to get into public university to study Economics at that time, is NOT easy. Competition is high, and with the quota and all… But I was DETERMINED. So, I am proud to say that due to my SHEER determination, I did very well in my STPM. During my time, getting 5As in STPM was rare. Rare in the sense that on the average, only about 5 students would obtain 5As as compared to now. And I am also proud to say that I got the top STPM student award (both academic and extra co-curricular activity - I was a Head Prefect)in my school. So with that, I achieved my goal of being able to study the course that I want, i.e. Economics. The only thing is that I didn’t get my first choice - to study Econs in UM. Instead, I got Econs in UKM. But that is already good enough for me.
So, here I would like to advice the youngsters that where there is will, you will be able to achieve your goal in life. With sheer grit and determination, you will be able to achieve what you want in life.
So with regard to all this Bumi and Non-Bumi quota thing, I would just like to pen down that it all started because we have been ruled by BN for the past 50 years. They have created a system as such that we always have a tendency to differentiate between Bumi & Non-Bumi. Just take for a simple example - filling up forms. After 50 years of independence, when we fill up simple forms, they still ask us this question - Bangsa : Melayu, Cina, India, Lain-Lain. What is this??? Aren’t we all Malaysians?? Why must they ask such questions? Why?? I think we all know the answers. Another thing, buying a house - 7% discount for bumis??? Why?? Again, we all know the answer.
So for the past 50 years of our lives, we have been ruled by a party who have started differentiating us. Its time to CHANGE. For a better Malaysia for us and our future generations.
Oh btw, YB Fong, don’t bother to tell those BN people anything. They won’t listen, they won’t change anything. Let’s not bother to “educate” these people. If they want to continue to be arrogant, so be it. I just wait for the day when PR can come into power. You are our HOPE for a better Malaysia, for a better tomorrow.
Comment by cynttl — April 26, 2008 @ 10:17 pm
Other countries are on the lookout to poach out best people. & we’re giving free ICs to rejects in Sabah.
Ng Yen Yen at one time harbour the intention to migrate to Australia & now she’s a minister here in Malaysia?
Even some of our former MPs migrated. BN leaders lamenting about brain drain is just for show.
Comment by peisheah — April 27, 2008 @ 12:10 am
The Singapore government should be grateful. While the Malaysia government takes all the “pain” for hatching the brilliant Malaysian Kids. The only thing that the Singapore government have to do is to count the chicks. Anyway, who cares.
Comment by jack — April 27, 2008 @ 5:27 pm
I would say, to hell with the local uni. Why bother wanting to go there when international ranking drop every year; where what student wear is more important than the education they received; where racial issues are played around (recently there was a MU student leader being slagged off for allegedly reading a racist speech & remember the disgraceful incident in UPM and the even more disgusting reaction by the administrators).
You waste your time in local uni. I was good enough to be offered a place in local uni but I decided to do a professional qualification and never regretted because of its higher quality and international recognition.
Leave the local unis to rot, I would say. My only regret is the taxes I pay gets to it.
Comment by lee wee tak — April 28, 2008 @ 10:30 pm
Dear Po Kuan,
I am luckier than most since my parents manage to send both my sister and I to Australia to further our education.
The only thing that keeps me from applying for PR in another foreign country is the fact that I still believe Malaysia is my home. But with the things happening now, I can only pray and hope PR will come to power.
It is true what cynttl concluded. Don’t waste time telling BN off. Raise the necessary questions, demand for answers. Remind them if you must, but don’t waste your time too much on them. I believe PR should gear themselves towards winning the 13th general election and come to power. Then real changes can come.
Meanwhile, do keep the statistics of BN wrongdoings and formulate workable solutions. In time more people will see PR as their hope for true change.
Comment by myop101 — April 30, 2008 @ 8:16 am
I was that student many many years ago. But getting discriminated by my own government turned out to be the best thing that happened to me. As one poster said, why bother with local universities anyway when the standard is, frankly, really quite pathetic. See here http://tempinis.wordpress.com/2007/10/25/what-to-do-after-spmstpm/
Comment by tempinis — May 4, 2008 @ 9:01 pm