KUALA LUMPUR: The Cabinet will discuss the issue surrounding the cardiothoracic surgery postgraduate programme at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) on Wednesday, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said.
"We will discuss (the matter) this Wednesday (May 29) during the Cabinet meeting," he told reporters after the Postnormal Times Madani Exhibition today.
Anwar said this in response to certain calls made by several quarters, including the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA), for UiTM to open its cardiothoracic surgery postgraduate programme to non Bumiputera trainees due to the shortage of specialists in the field.
UiTM is believed to be the only university in the country that offers a parallel pathway training programme via a collaboration with the National Heart Institute.
The proposal, however, was opposed by UiTM student's council and several quarters who stressed that the university was established to protect the interests of Malay and Bumiputera students.
Meanwhile, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir on May 15 reiterated that there had been no discussions regarding the admission of non-Bumiputera students into UiTM.
He said the issue had not been considered at any level within the ministry or the Cabinet.