ITS MALAYSIA
SHAH ALAM, May 17- The Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Student Representative Council organized a protest yesterday to discourage Putrajaya from allowing non-Bumiputera students into the university.
While some students expressed their support by wearing black, they emphasized that their protest was not racially motivated. They highlighted that UiTM is still accessible to financially disadvantaged Malays.
Despite the perception of racism, our stance on the university’s enrolment policy is not motivated by that. While some may view our fight to maintain the current policy as selfish, it is important to remember that this is how it was established when the university was first founded. We simply wish for it to remain unchanged.
However, it is crucial to understand that implementing any changes overnight is not feasible, as numerous factors need to be taken into consideration. Natasha, a first-year degree student, emphasized the complexity of the situation.
What is UiTM?
Natasha emphasized that UiTM was specifically created to support lower-income Malays, and it currently serves a significant number of Bumiputera and Malay families within that financial category.
She questioned the rationale behind altering the university’s admission policy to include non-Bumiputera students, as it would introduce competition. Additionally, she expressed concern about the added challenges that struggling lower-income families would face in securing a place at local institutions like UiTM.
Industrial Development Centre.
In 1956, the Rural and Industrial Development Authority (Rida) Training Centre was founded by Dauk Onn Jaafar, a prominent figure in the Malay nationalist party Umno. Inspired by his visit to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in 1951, where he gained insights into rural development programs, he established the institution.
In 1965, the organization was renamed to Maktab Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) to assist and train Bumiputera in business and industry. In 1967, it was once again renamed to Institut Teknologi MARA (ITM).
In 1999, it was granted university status and became known as UiTM.
A student, identified as Nissa, mentioned that UiTM’s fees have stayed affordable for low-income families, stating it is the most cost-effective among public universities.
In contrast to neighboring universities, our fees range from RM700 to RM800 per semester, with medical courses costing slightly more, while other institutions may charge thousands due to accommodation expenses.
UiTM Acknowledgement.
“I selected UiTM for its cost-effective fees, providing an opportunity for low-income Bumiputera students to access higher education. Altering this policy could introduce various pressures leading to fee hikes,” she explained.
The anonymous course mate also acknowledged that the affordability of UiTM was a significant factor in his decision to enroll, emphasizing that the university should exclusively cater to Bumiputera students.
Another student, who preferred to remain unidentified, concurred that the cost was a major consideration in choosing UiTM, stating that the institution should only admit Bumiputera individuals due to this affordability.
A news report alleging that UiTM might allow non-Bumiputera trainee doctors into its cardiothoracic surgery postgraduate program has ignited controversy, as the program with the National Heart Institute is the sole Parallel Pathway Programme in Malaysia.
The Health Ministry announced last month its intention to acknowledge the Parallel Pathway Programmed and make revisions to the Medical Act 1971.
