Non-Malays get raw deal, claims rep

thestar.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: Yayasan Selangor has found itself mired in yet another controversy with the latest allegation that it has awarded scholarships to only five non-Malays in the past two years.

The three Indians and two Chinese were among 1,571 recipients in secondary schools in Selangor in 2008 and 2009, Kota Alam Shah state assemblyman M. Manoharan claimed.

He said the educational arm of the Selangor Government gave scholarships to two Indians and a Chinese in 2008 when Pakatan Rakyat took over the government and one Indian and a Chinese the following year.

In 2008, Yayasan Selangor gave out scholarships worth RM214,750 to 807 students. Last year, the amount came up to RM370,100 to 764 students.

Statistics for this year have not been released yet.

The 2008 and 2009 statistics were given to DAP’s Manoharan after he raised the issue during the Selangor state assembly meeting early this month.

Manoharan said the state government had been been very secretive in disbursing scholarships.

“I only discovered that there are scholarships given out by Yayasan Selangor during a meeting with its general manager in September,” he said.

Manoharan said the state government had been giving the “lame excuse” that few non-Malays were submitting applications for the scholarships.

He criticised Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim, who is Yayasan Selangor chairman, claiming that he had failed to ensure a fair distribution of scholarships.

“He should realise that he is an MB for all races,” he said.

Manoharan also took to task state DAP representatives, saying they should put their foot down and ensure a better distribution of benefits for the people.

“It seems that the DAP representatives are subservient to the other partners in Pakatan,” he said.

Manoharan said he wrote a letter to Khalid on Nov 18 requesting for a quota of scholarships for non-Malays and that advertisements for scholarships and study loans be placed in all newspapers.

Yayasan Selangor had been in the news recently when it was revealed that it had splurged on its 40th anniversary celebrations.

The matter so displeased the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Shara­fuddin Idris Shah that he decided not to attend the event, which was eventually cancelled.