Review on PSD scholarships

The Star Online > Nation
Friday May 20, 2011

Review on PSD scholarships

By LIZ LEE, YUEN MEIKENG and JOSHUA FOONG
newsdesk@thestar.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: The Public Service Department (PSD) has agreed to review the scholarship applications of top students.

The decision followed concerns raised by MCA that the selection criteria did not follow Cabinet directives which solely emphasised merit.

MCA Youth chief Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong said PSD had also agreed to review the applications of those who were appealing for course changes.

“We want the best to get the best, regardless of race,” he told reporters at Wisma MCA yesterday.

The maths doesn抰 add up: Dr Wee discussing with some of the disgruntled students and their relatives during the press conference in Kuala Lumpur Thursday.
“Some of the 363 full A+ students who deserve their overseas scholarships did not get them.

“Many recipients were also given matriculation or diploma scholarships when they were deserving of scholarships for degree courses of their choice.”

Dr Wee said the students should accept the scholarships first and file their appeals to MCA Youth by today.

“Students who want to appeal should email their offer letters and relevant documents to youth@mca.org.my,” he said.

MCA Youth will process the appeals throughout the weekend to build a case for each applicant and will send the list to PSD.

The results will be announced by Monday.

So far, 31 students have submitted their appeals. The matter will also be brought up during the Cabinet meeting next week.

Meanwhile, MCA vice-president Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen said the officers who did not comply with the Cabinet orders should be taken to task.

“In what way (they will be taken to task), we shall leave it to the ministry to decide,” she said, adding that she was upset that the unfortunate situation had created such unhappiness.

Wanita MCA secretary-general Chew Lee Giok said the brain drain problem would worsen if the problem continued.

She added that a UN report stated that 57% of Singapore's professional talents came from Malaysia.

“If the authorities find that human factor was involved in the mishandling of the PSD scholarship awards, the civil servants concerned should be dealt with,” Chew said.