Former deputy education minister Teo Nie Ching and former deputy rural and regional development minister Sivarasa Rasiah said in a statement that the government should bring back the 10% special quota for non-Bumiputera students in MRSM.

The special quota was first introduced back in 2002.

“This statement does not intend to ignore the rights of the Bumiputera in Malaysia. However, it aims to focus on the opportunities that should be given to non-Bumiputeras in Malaysia.

“We understand that many students who want to apply to enter MRSM are no longer able to do so due to the change in government policy for the MRSM application in 2022,” they said.

They noted that before 2018, despite the 10% quota, less than 2% non-Bumiputera students had applied for places in Mara Junior Science Colleges.

“Therefore, why should this group be denied education at MRSM? This 10% quota does not harm Bumiputera students or deny them their right to study at MRSM. This quota is an additional quota that normally cannot be met. So, what’s wrong with MRSM being open to (those from) other schools?”

Citing data from Yayasan Iltizam Malaysia, they said a total of 3,100 students applied for MRSM in 2019, the majority from vernacular schools.

“The phrase ‘Malaysian Family’ announced by Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob will only be rhetoric and useless if this policy is continued by the rural and regional development ministry.”