PROPOSED REDUCTION OF UNDERGRADUATE INTAKE OF UNIVERSITY MALAYA - RIGHTS OF GOOD MALAYSIAN STUDENT UNDER SIEGE!

I refer to the reported proposal by newly-appointed Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Ghauth Jasmon to reduce the intake of undergraduate in Universiti Malaya so as to improve the quality of research output and boost its ranking in Times Higher Education Supplement within the next two years. (see http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/12/17/nation/20081217111816&sec=nation)

With due respect, I disagree with the idea of reducing the undergraduate intake of Universiti Malaya. Such idea will reduce the chances of good Malaysian students entering our country’s premier university and may cause an even greater outflow of such valuable students to other country’s premier higher learning institution. In the long run, this may lead to more depreciation of our country’s human capital.

Instead of reducing the number of undergraduate intake of Universiti Malaya, I hope that Universiti Malaya can consider opening up more undergraduate places to highly qualified Malaysian student, including non-bumiputra Malaysian students for its undergraduate program. Why should Universiti Malaya let other university (in particular foreign universities) to absorb this highly qualified and valuable Malaysian students? I feel that it is better for Universiti Malaya to exploit the talents of all Malaysian youth to improve its quality and thus, to boost its rankings in the Times Higher Education Supplement in the near future.