KUALA LUMPUR: Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) will remain a higher learning institution for Malays, Bumiputeras, and the Orang Asli, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said retaining UiTM's policy for Malays, Orang Asli, and natives of Sabah and Sarawak is still needed to realise the government's aspiration to bridge the gap between races, especially in socio-economic aspects.
He also cited a report from the 2024 Bumiputera Economic Congress, which revealed that there was an economic gap involving Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera in the country.
"A report from the congress by the Economy Ministry shows that there is still an economic gap involving the Bumiputera in terms of average monthly income, corporate equity holdings, poverty rates, skilled labour output, and professional qualifications.
"(Hence,) the absolute poverty rate among the Bumiputera still requires improvement," he said during the minister's question time in Dewan Rakyat today.
Zambry said this in response to Ramkarpal Singh, who enquired whether the government intends to allow non-Bumiputeras to study at UiTM by amending the UiTM Act 1976.
He added that UiTM was established on the basis of a lack of trained professionals, especially among the Bumiputeras in Malaysia, who were mostly engaged in unskilled labour at that time.
"With UiTM's establishment, more Bumiputera youths have the opportunity to pursue higher education and be trained to fill various positions in both the public and industrial sectors, which is essential for improving their quality of life and changing their fortunes in Malaysia.
"This includes entering professional fields such as medicine, accountancy, law, engineering, and others," he said.
He also mentioned that UiTM, as a public university, was established under the provisions of Article 153 of the Federal Constitution, as enshrined in Section 1A of the UiTM Act 1976.
"Article 153 of the Federal Constitution includes the power of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong to set quotas for Malays and natives of Sabah and Sarawak, which forms the basis of the Bumiputera agenda for UiTM student admissions."