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

Decision on scholarships not a bad move but more needs to be done

DAPSY welcomes the cabinet’s decision to award all applicants with 13A1s and above in SPM the Public Services Department (PSD) overseas scholarship. This is identical one of the proposals put forward last Friday by the panel on PSD scholarships led by PJ Utara MP Tony Pua, Serdang MP Teo Nie Ching, Kuala Selangor MP Dzulkefly Ahmad, Seri Setia ADUN Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, and myself.

However, I have to stress that this move is only a short-term and partial remedy that does not solve the overarching problem of the lack of transparency, competency and fairness in awarding PSD scholarships.

While a number of top scorers can finally get the scholarships they deserve, what will happen to those who only sat for 11 subjects in SPM last year and obtained straight As but were denied scholarships? Will their application statuses be reviewed?

MCA President Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said that the PSD would give out additional scholarships but couldn’t be sure of the number. Why hasn’t the number of additional scholarships been determined? All ministers who are involved in the decision making process should have their KPIs slashed.

Every proposal and decision made by the special committee on PSD scholarships that will be headed by Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin will be scrutinized in great detail. However, I need to stress again that no matter what the cabinet is planning, there is still an urgent need for a Parliamentary Select Committee on PSD Scholarships in which bipartisan consensuses can be made.

DAPSY urges the cabinet to ensure that PSD scholarship applicants with straight A1s but have sat for less than 13 subjects to at least be given scholarships to study locally. DAPSY also urges the special committee on scholarships to seriously look into the proposals made by Pakatan Rakyat and experts in the educational sector, and then come up with a fair, transparent and efficient mechanism in awarding scholarships.

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