Screenshot Mohamed Khaled and Lian Ker's tweet on Sunday. - Photos of Sinar Harian
July 10, 2023
SHAH ALAM: Minister of Higher Education, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin reprimanded MCA for questioning the quota system for Bumiputera students in education.
The Kota Tinggi Member of Parliament said that the system has been practiced for a long time since the administration of the BN government, which is also lined up with MCA as a component party.
"MCA is kind of surprised, hasn't it been all this time with UMNO in BN, this quota is indeed practiced. There was no noise at that time," he said on Twitter on Sunday.
He said this in response to the actions of MCA Youth Leader, Nicole Wong Siaw Ting who criticized the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for defending the Bumiputera student quota system in education.
In a post on Facebook, Nicole described Anwar's statement as backwards which caused the Chinese community to feel 'deceived'.
Anwar on Saturday was reported to have said that the quota system will be maintained to balance the number of students from that race at institutions of higher learning (IPT).
Answering questions from students regarding the quota system and meritocracy in the national education system during the 'Meet Anwar' program in Kedah, the Prime Minister explained that if the quota system is not maintained, it could cause an imbalance in the number of Malay and non-Bumiputera students.
Meanwhile, responding to Mohamed Khaled's comments in the comments section, MCA Vice President Datuk Seri Ti Lian Ker claimed that the issue was just an extension of DAP's promise of various offers if it succeeded in becoming the government, including the abolition of student quotas.
He said, Nicole acted in this way because she 'believed' in DAP's promise to abolish the Bumiputera student quota just like other Chinese voters.
"They have high hopes if DAP wins and becomes the largest party in the Unity Government.
"The quota issue became a DAP issue from the beginning of its establishment until victory was achieved," he said.
Therefore, he insisted, DAP should withdraw those promises to close the issue