Edward Wong S Case Highlights Shortage Of Tertiary Public Learning Institutions Not Race Based Quotas

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Letter to Editor
Welcome to Malaysia where everything is processed through racial filters. Like it or not, this is the reality in this country.
Take the latest episode where a young man – Edward Wong Yi Xian – was denied a place in Universiti Malaya’s Accounting degree programme despite acing his STPM exams with a 4.0 CGPA alongside a near perfect score for extra-curricular activities.

Unable to hide his disappointment, the student took to social media to ask just what more could he do to realise his ambitions? His lament caught the attention of MCA president Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong who demanded an explanation from the relevant bodies.
Before an explanation was proffered, the budding number cruncher’s case quickly became a hot potato. Again, a ‘Malay vs non-Malay’ narrative was built up.
Stiff competition
On one hand, some commenters saw this as more evidence of further marginalisation of non-Malays, thus sparking accusations of bias, prejudice and bigotry within the public education system.

On the other, it was pointed out that the student was rejected simply due to lack of places for the highly sought after programme.
Without getting into the nitty gritty, the Higher Education Department sought to clarify the matter by underlining that places for this course are at a premium.
Wong was placed in a pool of similar high achievers and “narrowly missed out” with him ranked below over 1,000 other high flyers.
Of course, never one to let an opportunity slip by, rabble rouser Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh waded into the argument.
The rightist UMNO Youth chief demanded an apology from Wee for casting aspersions on the High Education Ministry’s admissions process.

Wong’s case has become a cause célèbres among many disgruntled high achievers who were denied a place in local public universities, citing race as the key determining factor.
Sorry state of public varsities
Detractors, though, have slammed Wong – and by extension non-Malays who backed him –  for having an entitled attitude when he is placed below other applicants based on merit.
This is where Malaysians fail to see the forest from the trees, especially when politicians like Wee and Akmal get in on the act and inject racial invectives into the issue.
Forget about race, if you can, for just one moment. The fact that only 85 places were available for the accounting degree programme at UM speaks volumes about the state of public higher education in Malaysia.
This clearly shows just how lacking public education is in trying to meet the demands and expectations of young scholars (and their parents), regardless of ethnicity.

The other pertinent point is that the number of high achievers is mind-boggling. Is this indicative of Malaysian students being an extremely bright bunch or just the diluting of standards?
Perhaps the syllabus and marking system needs to be re-evaluated to ensure only the best and the brightest are admitted into universities.
Malaysians need to stop viewing everything through racial lens because it distorts the issue. Instead of sending hundreds of millions in aid to a foreign country, perhaps this is one area in which the funds can be meaningfully used.
Education is nation-building and Wong’s case highlights just how much more construction is required. 
Concerned UM alumni
Cheras
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of  MMKtT.
- Focus Malaysia.

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