KUALA LUMPUR – Former Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) board of directors chairman Tan Sri Ibrahim Abu Shah firmly supports the admission of only Malay and Bumiputera students to UiTM, in line with Article 153 of the Federal Constitution, but says exceptions can be made.
Speaking to Scoop, Ibrahim said his support for allowing non-Bumiputera entry to UiTM is only temporary and specifically relates to the issue of seven medical officers pursuing advanced degree training (parallel pathway) in cardiothoracic surgery.
“UiTM is the only university offering a parallel pathway programme in collaboration with the National Heart Institute (IJN) in the field of cardiothoracic surgery, which includes treatment and care for heart and lung diseases,” Ibrahim said.
He emphasised that this suggestion should not raise concerns about opening UiTM to non-Malays permanently, as this programme’s resources and expertise are uniquely available at UiTM.
“Sharing our facilities temporarily is not an issue. We shouldn’t let these doctors struggle, even though their medical certificates from abroad are not recognised by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) and the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC),” he added.
Ibrahim asserted that this issue should not be politicised and should be viewed pragmatically, considering national interests, public welfare, and the future of these doctors.
He clarified that these doctors only need to undergo specialty training and credit transfer as per the programme’s suitability before being certified and recognised by MQA, MMC, and the Higher Education Ministry.
“The cardiothoracic surgery programme is a master’s degree focused on short-term specialty training. These are already medical doctors, not undergraduate students at UiTM.
“Providing temporary facilities is reasonable, once other universities, like the Universiti of Malaya (UM), offer similar programmes, we can reassess,” he said.
Asked about the controversy over UiTM’s current quota for international students and its refusal to admit non-Bumiputera Malaysians, Ibrahim did not elaborate.
Article 153 of the Federal Constitution guarantees the special position of Malays and natives of Sabah and Sarawak, while safeguarding the legitimate interests of other communities.
For decades, UiTM has consistently upheld UiTM Act 1976 (Act 173) and Article 153, admitting only Bumiputera students.
Recently, the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) appealed to UiTM to prioritise public health by temporarily opening its cardiothoracic postgraduate programme to non-Bumiputera students to address the shortage of specialists in this field.
MMA President Dr Azizan Abdul Aziz argued that if UiTM can admit international students, it should also allow Malaysians to further their studies there, especially to meet the urgent need for these specialists.
This appeal sparked dissatisfaction among various groups, including UiTM alumni and its student representative council (MPP), which launched a campaign urging students to wear black on May 16 in protest.
UiTM vice-chancellor, Professor Datuk Shahrin Sahib, reiterated that the university’s current admission policy remains unchanged, with no discussions in the Senate or Executive Committee to open admissions to non-Bumiputera students.
Higher Education Minister, Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir, confirmed that the issue has not been discussed at any ministry or cabinet meetings, saying that it is being politicised by certain parties attempting to disrupt UiTM’s policies and objectives. – May 23, 2024