KUALA LUMPUR – A Royal Education Award recipient, M. Nahvin, has made an emotional plea to transform the quota-based education system to a meritocratic one that provides better opportunities for minorities.
In a video of his award acceptance speech, which has made the rounds on social media, the 23-year-old Nahvin shared a heartfelt recollection of his admission to matriculation, highlighting a disparity when his equally qualified friend faced rejection.
“He felt defeated, as if it was the end of his life. He began to feel lonely and depressed, believing he wasn’t enough.
“When I entered matriculation, I was surprised to find some students with grades similar to his and even lower than his.
“My friend is no more. I can assure you that if he had been given the same opportunity as me, he would be the one giving a speech this morning, not me,” he said.
Nahvin emphasised that his story mirrors the struggles of him and other minorities striving for equality, particularly within the education system.
He asserted that education should be accessible to all, irrespective of race, religion or background, advocating for the implementation of a meritocratic system.
“Education should always be available to everyone, regardless of race, religion and background. We must prioritise meritocracy in our education system instead of the quota system introduced by political parties to divide and separate us.
“With meritocracy, anyone who deserves it will be accepted regardless of their background,” he said.
Concluding his speech, Nahvin expressed his hope that his plea would reach the authorities and prompt changes in the education system.
Nahvin recently graduated from Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) with a bachelor’s degree in computer science (artificial intelligence).
UTeM’s online stream of Nahvin’s speech garnered widespread attention on social media.
The Royal Education Awards – presented annually to two students from each of the 20 public universities – are currently awarded based on race, with one accolade dedicated to a Bumiputera student and the other to non-Bumiputera students.
In August, the issue became a matter of public debate after a student from the Penang Matriculation College asked Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim whether the quota system would be abolished in favour of meritocracy.
However, Anwar urged the student to delve into the historical facts that led to the current system and understand the concept of meritocracy and its flaws.
Anwar explained that in many instances, the government insisted on fairness and did not want to neglect those from rural and poor schools that might be disadvantaged if the quota system was abolished.
He said instead of asking to dismantle the constitution, it would have been more acceptable for her to present specific cases in which Indian or Chinese students with excellent SPM results were being denied places in certain higher learning institutions.
He also said abolishing the Bumiputera quota system would mean that Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional would lose elections and that the student could be “worse off” if Bersatu and PAS led the country. – November 20, 2023