Media Statement by Loke Siew Fook in Petaling Jaya on Saturday, 28^th February 2009:

DAPSY urges the Ministry of Higher Education to stop requiring prospective students to buy their places in universities

DAPSY is thoroughly unconvinced by the latest move by the Ministry of Higher Education in requiring applicants to public universities to purchase an ID number at Bank Simpanan Nasional for a fee between RM10.60 and RM15.60.

Why does a citizen have to contribute money to a bank in order to have a chance to enjoy an essential public good such as higher education? Is this part of the government’s plan to increase national revenue?

This also sets an unhealthy precedent in which prospective students who purchase the IDs have more chances to get accepted than those who don’t. Hence, places in varsities can be bought. In many ways, this is akin to corruption.

DAPSY calls on the Ministry to explain the rationale behind this move and urges the Ministry to scrap this corrupt practice altogether. I will also raise this issue to the Minister of Higher Education in the ministry’s reply in parliament next week.

* Loke Siew Fook, DAP Socialist Youth (DAPSY) Chairman and MP for Rasah