By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Sept 24: Malaysia must learn from Sarawak’s example in embracing fairness in education or risk losing its brightest young talents to other countries, said Batu Kitang assemblyman Dato Ir Lo Khere Chiang.
He stressed that the nation cannot afford to shut its doors to students who have proven themselves through sheer perseverance and excellence.
“If we continue to shut our doors to the nation’s best and brightest, others will gladly open theirs. A country that abandons fairness in education abandons its own future,” he said in a statement today.
Lo was referring to the case of Edward Wong, a 20-year-old top scorer from SMJK Jit Sin in Penang, who despite attaining a perfect 4.0 CGPA in the STPM and a near-perfect merit score of 99.9%, was denied entry into accountancy programmes at all five public universities he applied to.
“Almost immediately, prestigious universities abroad signalled their readiness to welcome him, with scholarships on the table. What does this say about our priorities?” he questioned.
He noted that while Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has spoken on fairness, justice, and inclusivity on the global stage, from ASEAN and BRICS summits to the United Nations, the reality at home tells a different story, starting with education.
Lo highlighted the structural imbalance in the current admissions system, where STPM, a rigorous 18-month programme equivalent to the internationally recognised A-Levels, produces only a handful of top scorers but remains disadvantaged compared to the shorter matriculation route, which churns out thousands of perfect scorers annually.
According to statistics, matriculation candidates dominate placements in competitive programmes such as Medicine (97.6%), Dentistry (99.15%), Pharmacy (97.9%), and Law (83.4%).
“Even the most outstanding STPM students cannot secure a place in his chosen course through Unit Pusat Universiti (UPU), what confidence can other students have in the fairness of the system?” he said.
He added that excuses given, such as Wong not taking STPM Mathematics, were misleading, pointing out that the actual requirement for accountancy is only a credit in SPM-level Mathematics, which Wong had already fulfilled.
Lo said it was no surprise that Malaysia’s universities continue to slide in global rankings, with Universiti Malaya now struggling to maintain its standing despite once being among Asia’s best.
He contrasted this with Sarawak’s approach under Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, which emphasises inclusivity and fairness in education.
“Sarawak will be offering free tertiary education in selected courses from 2026, regardless of race or religion. The State also recognises the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC), funds Chinese schools with hundreds of millions of ringgit, and through Unit for Other Religions (Unifor), promotes unity across all faiths,” he said.
Lo said these policies not only nurture excellence but also ensure that Sarawak produces world-class scientists, doctors, engineers, and leaders dedicated to serving the State and its people.
“This is how a society is built: by recognising and rewarding excellence, not discouraging it,” he stressed.
He urged the federal government to emulate Sarawak’s model, warning that continued neglect of merit-based fairness would only accelerate brain drain. — DayakDaily
