KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Youth Council has expressed objection against any quarters trying to change the students’ intake policy of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM).
This was in response to one of the Hindu Rights Action Force’s (Hindraf 2.0) demands to see the public university, which was initially created for Bumiputera, be opened to other races.
The Council’s vice president Mazlan Joehari Manan said they are strongly against the suggestion, as it will take away the special place of these natives in efforts to reduce the bumiputera and non-bumiputeras educational gap in the country.
"UiTM was formed in line with the bumiputeras’ position as mentioned in the (federal) constitution," he said in a statement here.
Therefore, "outside parties" do not have the right to question the UiTM’s stance in educating bumiputeras in this country.
"No one can change UiTM’s policies without the approval from Yang di-Pertuan Agong who is the guardian (of Malays and bumiputera rights in the country)," he stressed.
Yesterday in Kuala Lumpur, Hindraf 2.0 through its leader P Uthayakumar demanded 15 per cent of students’ intake to be allocated to the Indian community of B75 poor group; for UiTM, public universities, politechnics and Tadika Permata annually.
Last night , UiTM’s Alumni Association has responded that it was against opening the institution to all races.
This was based on the premise that UiTM's position as a high-level education centre for the Malays and bumiputera children, is part of the Malay rights and privileges component, set out in Article 153 of the Federal Constitution – and any move to challenge it would be seen as a violation of the Constitution.
The Association, in a statement, also expressed concern that Hindraf 2.0’s demands could spark negative sentiment and anger amongst Bumiputera and Malays in the country.