Mca Moots Rci To Probe Public University Intake System

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PARLIAMENT | Wee Ka Siong (BN-Ayer Hitam) has called on the government to establish a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) to review the transparency of student admissions into public universities.
The MCA president said this was necessary amid growing concerns over restricted access to higher education in critical fields.
“If students are not given a fair opportunity to further their studies, how can Malaysia build a knowledge-based economy and compete in the digital era?
“Therefore, I propose the immediate formation of an RCI to review the transparency of the student intake system, including all data related to merit and qualifications, so it benefits local students and does not push top scorers into commercial pathways,” he told the Dewan Rakyat today.
ADSDebating the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP), Wee also urged the government to carry out reforms in the higher education sector, which he claimed was facing a serious funding crisis.
He said this has led public universities to rely increasingly on commercial fees to sustain their operations.
“According to the latest data, some universities only received 61 percent of their requested allocation, forcing them to rely on student fees as the main revenue source, rather than research (R&D) or consultancy services,” he said.
Rising fees
Citing Universiti Malaya (UM) as an example, Wee noted the public institution raised its medical course fees under the Open Channel to RM500,000 for the 2025/2026 intake – a 67 percent increase from the previous year.
He said this meant the cost of studying medicine at UM now exceeded that of some private institutions.
Wee also highlighted data from the Higher Education Ministry showing that international student intake at public universities grew at an annual rate of 11.99 percent from 2018 to 2024, compared to only 1.73 percent for local students.
“This raises concerns that public universities are now prioritising fee-paying foreign students, while infrastructure and teaching resources remain limited.
“Although university autonomy is important for the commercialisation of R&D, it should not be used as a justification to exploit tuition fees.
“For example, the Asasi Sains programme at UM, previously reserved for bumiputera students, is now open to anyone who can pay, turning it into a ‘pay-to-enter’ channel,” he said.
It shouldn’t be about money-making
ADSWee also questioned the lack of transparency and meritocracy in the student intake system.
“For instance, there is no detailed information shared on the admission quotas between UPU and the Open Channel. We also lack data on the average CGPA of students accepted through each route.
“We are in the dark about the actual number of STPM students who secured entry into critical courses,” he added.
He stressed that public universities must return to their core function as drivers of social mobility, rather than operate like commercial entities.
“The government cannot allow this situation to continue, like ‘feeding a monkey while your own child goes hungry’.
“Immediate steps are needed to ensure quality higher education remains accessible to Malaysians, in line with national aspirations in artificial intelligence and innovation,” he added. - Mkini

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