DAP decries concession for PSD rejects

DAP has urged the federal government to ensure all top Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) scorers are given scholarships to study overseas and grants to study locally in the interest of fair play and rewards based on meritocracy.

In a statement today, DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said his party was against the federal government's decision to compensate top scholars who failed to obtain Public Services Department (PSD) grants to study overseas.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Abdul Aziz said yesterday that 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) would be financing the grants for 500 qualified students who did not get PSD scholarships to study locally.

Lim argued that this was not appropriate because it did not demonstrate the country's commitment to retain its human talent.

DAP mocks MCA's financial knowledge

In a related development, Lim refuted claims by MCA president Dr Chua Soi Lek that Penang can afford to provide scholarships to the PSD rejects.

Chua had claimed that the Penang government could afford do so because the state drew the most industrial investment in 2010, at RM12.2 billion.

"If MCA can not differentiate between foreign and domestic investments with revenue, then MCA does not deserve to be part of government.

"Investments are held by the private sector to spend to generate jobs and economic growth, not revenue for the state government to spend.

"Perhaps all MCA leaders should undergo a basic course of finance," said Lim, a trained chartered accountant, while Chua used to serve as a medical doctor and was once health minister.

Pakatan to help all top scholars

Lim, who is also Penang chief minister, said that despite revenue constraints, the state had still managed to provide study loans for local students studying in public universities fairly.

"Penang Pakatan Rakyat has also increased the primary and secondary school grants (not loans) to poor students. DAP pledges that unlike BN, all deserving top students in the country will be awarded the same scholarships if Pakatan wins control of the federal government."

He said this pledge to provide overseas scholarships was crucial to help Malaysia out of the middle-income trap and become a high-income economy with US$15,000 per capita income.

"Malaysia would be sending the wrong message if we reward mediocrity instead of excellence, do not have a level-playing field that is fair to the best and brightest and allow the brain drain to continue.

"The time has come to invest our resources in the future by spending tens of billions of ringgit on human talent instead of squandering it on corruption and white elephant projects likes the RM5 billion 100-storey Menara Warisan," Lim added.