Quota system in education provided under Article 153 of Federal Constitution

KUALA LUMPUR - The quota system in education for ethnic Malays and Bumiputeras is part of the country's affirmative action which is provided for under Article 153 of the Federal Constitution.

National Professors Council (MPN) senior fellow Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Teo Kok Seong said this affirmative action also exists in several countries and is important to ensure that the demographics of a country are represented at all levels.

Teo said that Malaysia, without exception, has been found to implement it fairly, that is, the non-Malay and Bumiputera groups have not been left out in terms of opportunities, which can be seen in the various options available in the field of national education for the nation's children to develop themselves, including through the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) Education Loan Scheme.

"The quota system in the field of education and others is actually a positive action. This is because, apart from being able to help the backward groups, it is also spurs national unity and national integration.

"This happens after social deficits, particularly in the gaps between ethnicity, social class and urban-rural areas, are narrowed through affirmative action by the country, especially through the quota system," said Teo who is also Malaysian Future Institute (Masa) honorary fellow, when contacted by Bernama..

He said the affirmative action under Article 153 of the Federal Constitution could be considered as a permanent guarantee to the ethnic Malays and Bumiputeras in the field of national education that they have a special position through this quota system.

"The Malay and Bumiputera quota is the basis for ensuring the involvement of students from these two groups, who are found to be lagging behind in the field of education compared to students from other ethnic groups, that there is still room for them to improve so that they will not continue to be left behind, ” he said.

As such, he said, the groups must take full advantage of the privileges given to continue to be successful in their career as a professional, to refute those who say that the Malay and Bumiputera quota has failed to produce excellent students and professionals.

"Therefore, they will need to work hard in their studies, not only to achieve excellent results for themselves, but also to prove that they are just as good, or even better when given the opportunity," he said.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim during the Temu Anwar Kedah programme at Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), said the Malay and Bumiputera quota system in education must be maintained to balance the number of students from the community in institutions of higher learning (IPTs).

Anwar said if the system is not retained it could cause an imbalance in the number of Malays, who form the majority of Bumiputeras, in IPTs and in certain disciplines. - BERNAMA