By Ammar Syabil Mohammad Azam
We have been so engrossed with the rationalisation of subsidies that we have forgotten an important variable that may distort the very purpose of targeted subsidies.
Flawed university admissions policies are hindering equitable education for students from low-income households because of how wealth-blind these policies are.
Unfortunately, governments past and present have been oblivious to this shortcoming.
To be fair, some university admissions policies – such as Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s – do favour under-represented groups.
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The Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) has also expanded the Sulung programme to cover the tuition fees of students from low-income households.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s no-refusal policy for students unable to pay university tuition fees is another measure that deserves a thumbs-up.
But a major flaw in the current university admissions policies is that parents are only required to provide an income slip. This may be an inaccurate representation of a parent’s real wealth.
The categorisation of who qualifies as rich has always been contentious. This issue was actively discussed among netizens, especially after Anwar Ibrahim chided the “rich elites”. Are the top 20% or the top 15% deemed the rich elites?
This flaw affects the demographics of universities, especially when students from affluent families gain admission to universities like Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), where fees are much lower than other public universities. This contradicts the very purpose of this university as a more affordable option for students from low-income families.
The issue was brought to public attention when a UiTM student in 2023 flaunted her overpriced branded bags and cars on TikTok. Many criticised her insensitive behaviour and questioned her eligibility for admission to UiTM.
This misalignment with Anwar’s stance – that the children of the rich elite do not deserve educational subsidies in the name of fairness – was glaring.
If these students from wealthy backgrounds are denied admission to UiTM, they can still afford private universities or public universities with slightly higher tuition fees. This will free up places at UiTM for more students from low-income households.
The ministry should not ignore this issue until it goes viral again. A viable wealth-based vetting process must be put in place at UiTM to protect low-cost educational opportunities for underprivileged bumiputras from being usurped by the ultra-rich.
Lest we forget, in 2021, 97% of graduates who defaulted on their loans came from a poor socioeconomic background. Up to 60% of graduates earned salaries below RM2,000. These two issues have to be causally linked.
To add salt to the wound, a Penang Research Institute report highlights that graduates from poor socioeconomic backgrounds are more likely to be in low-paying jobs.
This suggests that an unfair admissions vetting process has indirectly contributed to a lack of socioeconomic mobility, creating further barriers for poor individuals seeking to escape economic hardship.
It also makes the New Economic Policy’s relevance questionable in our education system, as the policy now seemingly benefits the rich rather than the poor. This has widened intra-Malay inequality, particularly in UiTM’s context.
The principles of affirmative action must be restored to their ideals. A stop must be put to rich Malay elites who opportunistically exploit the spirit of Article 152 of the Federal Constitution (to safeguard their “special position”) – a cover for their own greed.
The MoHE must therefore revise UiTM’s admissions policy and vetting process in line with the original aim of helping poor bumiputras.
If the rich elite still wish to have a place in UiTM, then the ministry must ensure they pay tuition fees appropriate to their wealthy background.
Whatever the political or systemic barriers may be, student admissions should incorporate a rigorous parental wealth assessment. This process must involve strict background checks on financial assets, company ownerships, vehicle ownership and retirement assets.
A due diligence division should be established in all universities, as such vetting will understandably require rigorous efforts.
Ammar Syabil Mohammad Azam, an Aliran member, is head of the students’ bureau of the youth wing of Negeri Sembilan PKR and former deputy speaker of the UKM students’ union. A psychology graduate from UKM, he is currently a research intern at the Center for Combating Corruption and Cronyism.
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